Vark's gust of magical wind impacts upon the crows and they scatter and dissipate into smoke once more.
The chanting from the passage to the left grows louder and red mist begins to drift along the floor of the tunnels towards the party where they ran to Dorno's aid.
Val looks at Vark, slightly exasperated by his inability to explain the red mists, but doesn't have time to say anything as Thurston suddenly charges forward past her. "Thurston!" She gives the others a look and follows immediately behind him!
The walls of the cave ahead have been smeared with what appears to be charcoal and blood to depict multiple representations in red and black of a looming, sharp-toothed reptilian creature. Two low stone tables sit in the middle of the room, one of which is stained with blood, and on each table lies a motionless elf. In the centre of the room, between the two tables stands an imposing and heavily armoured white dragonborn. The red mist swirls up around her, embracing her form and four cultists stand around her with outstretched arms chanting in an unknown language that is foul on the ears. A final figure, cloaked and masked, walks slowly in a circle around the ritual site, reading from a book in the same strange language.
As Thurston and Valaith come charging in from the lower entrance to the chamber, he closes the book in his hand with a loud snap.
"Repel the intruders!" he shouts.
Footsteps can be heard rapidly approaching from another chamber off to the left. However, the cultists surrounding the dragonborn continue their chanting.
"Time t'die ye bastards!" Bründir drops his crossbow seeing the room is open enough to maneuver.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Valaith stops short at the awful scene playing out before her; however, Thurston's sudden battle cry jerks her from the momentary hesitation. She narrows her eyes into a terrible glare as the air around her suddenly drops several degrees and her breathing comes in angry rasps as it fogs with each exhale. She rushes into the room with her hammer held high and slams it into hip of the first cultist she finds! It is only a glancing blow that knocks some of the wind from the cultist as it attempts to dodge out of the way at the last moment!
The impetu of the paladin plays against him for he puts too much speed on his attack, and he attacks tto early, missing his target and nearly losing the grip on his warhammer.
Vark looks quite distressed as he follows his friends rushing in, and this look turns to horror as he sees the macabre vision ahead of him. Seeing that the red mist seems to be connected to the dragonborn woman, Vark sends out an icy blast at her, hoping to interrupt whatever is happening.
The ray just glances off of the dragonborn's heavy armour, leaving a small icy patch in its wake, and she throws Vark a look of contempt. Then, rearing back she lets out a bellowing roar, unleashing a cone of howling wind and icy frost at Valaith and Thurston.
The cultists for the most part ignore the attacks for now, intent on completing their ritual. The red smoke swirls up around the dragonborn and turns black as it binds to her form.
Meanwhile, the masked cultist sidles around the ritual circle and begins a different chant of his own. Shadowy spirits of fiends rise up from the ground and harass Valaith and Thurston. A spectral spear also appears besides Thurston but fails to pierce his heavy armour.
Spidorno recovers from the fear effect and realizes that he has failed his friends. Eager to help, and feeling the bestial rage of his wild shapes, the spider is soon moving rapidly down the tunnels again towards the sounds of a fight, hoping to help. As he gets near Brundir he runs up the wall and across the ceiling and down again, looping his way past the bard.
Moving at a rapid pace, the massive spider enters the chamber with the cultists, Val and Thurston, hissing a bit and heading straight for the masked figure. Even more noticeably, the white, ghostlike form of a bear spirit appears, standing on it's hind legs in the same space as the dragonborn and roaring, having come to aid the party once more.
OOC
Regular movement (40ft)
Action: Dash
Bonus Action: Summon spirit totem
Bear Spirit. The bear spirit grants you and your allies its might and endurance. Each creature of your choice in the aura when the spirit appears gains temporary hit points equal to 5 + your druid level. In addition, you and your allies gain advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws while in the aura.
Bründir approaches cautiously until he's just behind Vark and Thurston. Peaking out from the corner, he can make out the spectral forms and cultists in the next room. "A'right ye damned sons o' whores, time t'meet whate'er dark arseholes ye worship." He gives a little nudge to Vark as well, "Oi, make way. Been 'avin' luck with this beauty, but I feel better with a blade." He gingerly sets his crossbow and bolts against the cave wall next to Vark, in case the half-orc finds need of it.
(True Strike cast in preparation for the next round.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
After dealing with the onslaught of the fiendish spirits, Valaith glares across the room at the masked figure and growls at him as she realizes he is just out of her reach. Instead she steps up to the nearest obstacle in her path and slams her massive hammer into the side of the cultist’s head with terrible snark! The cultist stumbles from the powerful blow, but keeps its feet... for now... ”Finish this one, Thurston!”
Vark is pushed slightly forward by Brundir but stops himself, bracing himself between the stone walls. "No way am I going in there!" he blurts out frantically, looking at the writhing fiendish spirits. Seeing Val growl at the masked figure and gathering that it might be more advantageous to aim at him, Vark launches a bolt of ice. The attack misses it's target, narrowly avoiding Thurston as it sails into the stone beyond. With a slightly embarrassed look over his shoulder at Brundir, he squeezes to one side of the passage to let the dwarf pass.
Thurston squeezes between the cultist and the sharp rocks of the wall, bruising himself in one shoulder, but ignoring it, he raises his warhammer and hits the leader of the cultist in the shoulder.
“ You will sleep in Hel tonight... “ he says to him. Unfortunately the paladin feels that the conjured hasn’t ended his spell as he expected. * I have to hit him harder* he says to himself.
The chanting of the cultists reaches a crescendo and the black mist settles all over the dragonborn's body, absorbed into her. She turns and locks eyes with Valaith in the midst of the melee. In height, she's almost the goliath's equal, and she sneers arrogantly down her nose at the barbarian... before simply turning and vanishing backwards into the darkness of the tunnels.
Immediately the cultists leap into action, drawing short blades from their robes and thrusting and stabbing at Thurston and Valaith, but the capable warriors fend off the blows like it's second nature. Another cultist comes running from the passage behind and to the left, but abruptly falls to the ground, gurgling on their own blood as a blade is withdrawn from their throat. There's a flicker of shadow across the tunnel entrance and then all is still.
Meanwhile, the masked cultist steps back and continues to work their magic. The shadowy spear thrusts at Thurston once more, but finds only armour, while the spirits last out at both Valaith and the paladin.
Spidorno skitters up and over the nearest cultist via the ceiling and comes down on the other side, attempting to bite his target and inject his poison. The cultist moves just in time, however, and the spider recoils and readies another strike.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Vark's gust of magical wind impacts upon the crows and they scatter and dissipate into smoke once more.
The chanting from the passage to the left grows louder and red mist begins to drift along the floor of the tunnels towards the party where they ran to Dorno's aid.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Val slows to a stop and calls back to Vark. "Vark, what is this sorcery?"
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
"We should hurry and stop that chanting. No time now... " says Thurston and he rushes forward the chanting noises.
PbP Character: A few ;)
"I-I don't know! More of that fiendish magic. Be careful Thurston!" he says frantically, continuing to use gust to try and disperse the scarlet mist.
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
The mist does disperse, but quickly returns. It likely needs to be dealt with at its source.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Val looks at Vark, slightly exasperated by his inability to explain the red mists, but doesn't have time to say anything as Thurston suddenly charges forward past her. "Thurston!" She gives the others a look and follows immediately behind him!
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
The walls of the cave ahead have been smeared with what appears to be charcoal and blood to depict multiple representations in red and black of a looming, sharp-toothed reptilian creature. Two low stone tables sit in the middle of the room, one of which is stained with blood, and on each table lies a motionless elf. In the centre of the room, between the two tables stands an imposing and heavily armoured white dragonborn. The red mist swirls up around her, embracing her form and four cultists stand around her with outstretched arms chanting in an unknown language that is foul on the ears. A final figure, cloaked and masked, walks slowly in a circle around the ritual site, reading from a book in the same strange language.
As Thurston and Valaith come charging in from the lower entrance to the chamber, he closes the book in his hand with a loud snap.
"Repel the intruders!" he shouts.
Footsteps can be heard rapidly approaching from another chamber off to the left. However, the cultists surrounding the dragonborn continue their chanting.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
"Time t'die ye bastards!" Bründir drops his crossbow seeing the room is open enough to maneuver.
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser
Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale
Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
"THOOOOORRR!!" shouts the paladin and charges forward towards the masked figure.
PbP Character: A few ;)
Valaith stops short at the awful scene playing out before her; however, Thurston's sudden battle cry jerks her from the momentary hesitation. She narrows her eyes into a terrible glare as the air around her suddenly drops several degrees and her breathing comes in angry rasps as it fogs with each exhale. She rushes into the room with her hammer held high and slams it into hip of the first cultist she finds! It is only a glancing blow that knocks some of the wind from the cultist as it attempts to dodge out of the way at the last moment!
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
The impetu of the paladin plays against him for he puts too much speed on his attack, and he attacks tto early, missing his target and nearly losing the grip on his warhammer.
PbP Character: A few ;)
Vark looks quite distressed as he follows his friends rushing in, and this look turns to horror as he sees the macabre vision ahead of him. Seeing that the red mist seems to be connected to the dragonborn woman, Vark sends out an icy blast at her, hoping to interrupt whatever is happening.
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
The ray just glances off of the dragonborn's heavy armour, leaving a small icy patch in its wake, and she throws Vark a look of contempt. Then, rearing back she lets out a bellowing roar, unleashing a cone of howling wind and icy frost at Valaith and Thurston.
The cultists for the most part ignore the attacks for now, intent on completing their ritual. The red smoke swirls up around the dragonborn and turns black as it binds to her form.
Meanwhile, the masked cultist sidles around the ritual circle and begins a different chant of his own. Shadowy spirits of fiends rise up from the ground and harass Valaith and Thurston. A spectral spear also appears besides Thurston but fails to pierce his heavy armour.
Dorno's action.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Spidorno recovers from the fear effect and realizes that he has failed his friends. Eager to help, and feeling the bestial rage of his wild shapes, the spider is soon moving rapidly down the tunnels again towards the sounds of a fight, hoping to help. As he gets near Brundir he runs up the wall and across the ceiling and down again, looping his way past the bard.
Moving at a rapid pace, the massive spider enters the chamber with the cultists, Val and Thurston, hissing a bit and heading straight for the masked figure. Even more noticeably, the white, ghostlike form of a bear spirit appears, standing on it's hind legs in the same space as the dragonborn and roaring, having come to aid the party once more.
OOC
Regular movement (40ft)
Action: Dash
Bonus Action: Summon spirit totem
Bear Spirit. The bear spirit grants you and your allies its might and endurance. Each creature of your choice in the aura when the spirit appears gains temporary hit points equal to 5 + your druid level. In addition, you and your allies gain advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws while in the aura.
Bründir approaches cautiously until he's just behind Vark and Thurston. Peaking out from the corner, he can make out the spectral forms and cultists in the next room. "A'right ye damned sons o' whores, time t'meet whate'er dark arseholes ye worship." He gives a little nudge to Vark as well, "Oi, make way. Been 'avin' luck with this beauty, but I feel better with a blade." He gingerly sets his crossbow and bolts against the cave wall next to Vark, in case the half-orc finds need of it.
(True Strike cast in preparation for the next round.)
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser
Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale
Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
After dealing with the onslaught of the fiendish spirits, Valaith glares across the room at the masked figure and growls at him as she realizes he is just out of her reach. Instead she steps up to the nearest obstacle in her path and slams her massive hammer into the side of the cultist’s head with terrible snark! The cultist stumbles from the powerful blow, but keeps its feet... for now... ”Finish this one, Thurston!”
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
Vark is pushed slightly forward by Brundir but stops himself, bracing himself between the stone walls. "No way am I going in there!" he blurts out frantically, looking at the writhing fiendish spirits. Seeing Val growl at the masked figure and gathering that it might be more advantageous to aim at him, Vark launches a bolt of ice. The attack misses it's target, narrowly avoiding Thurston as it sails into the stone beyond. With a slightly embarrassed look over his shoulder at Brundir, he squeezes to one side of the passage to let the dwarf pass.
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
Thurston squeezes between the cultist and the sharp rocks of the wall, bruising himself in one shoulder, but ignoring it, he raises his warhammer and hits the leader of the cultist in the shoulder.
“ You will sleep in Hel tonight... “ he says to him. Unfortunately the paladin feels that the conjured hasn’t ended his spell as he expected. * I have to hit him harder* he says to himself.
PbP Character: A few ;)
The chanting of the cultists reaches a crescendo and the black mist settles all over the dragonborn's body, absorbed into her. She turns and locks eyes with Valaith in the midst of the melee. In height, she's almost the goliath's equal, and she sneers arrogantly down her nose at the barbarian... before simply turning and vanishing backwards into the darkness of the tunnels.
Immediately the cultists leap into action, drawing short blades from their robes and thrusting and stabbing at Thurston and Valaith, but the capable warriors fend off the blows like it's second nature. Another cultist comes running from the passage behind and to the left, but abruptly falls to the ground, gurgling on their own blood as a blade is withdrawn from their throat. There's a flicker of shadow across the tunnel entrance and then all is still.
Meanwhile, the masked cultist steps back and continues to work their magic. The shadowy spear thrusts at Thurston once more, but finds only armour, while the spirits last out at both Valaith and the paladin.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Spidorno skitters up and over the nearest cultist via the ceiling and comes down on the other side, attempting to bite his target and inject his poison. The cultist moves just in time, however, and the spider recoils and readies another strike.