Barty's "Tyranny In Phlan" (DDEX1-10)

OOC: DM, does "Wearer of Purple" mean anything to Hildigrim?

"I couldn't care less who you are, purple-robed fanatic," Auriel replies, returning her dismissive tone in kind. "You have a fancy name and a fancy title, I'll grant you that. But if you think we are easy prey, then you are sorely mistaken."

His grip tightens around his halberd.

"We have come too far to make this easy for you."

The paladin casts a brief glance at Ector Brahms. He is not entirely pleased that the Lord Regent has chosen to stand and fight rather than retreating. Not that Auriel would deny him the right to fight for his own life—and the lives of his people—but ... what if something were to happen to him?

They cannot allow that. Not when freedom is so close at hand.

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

OOC: DM, does "Wearer of Purple" mean anything to Hildigrim?

OOC: Not to Hildigrim, but perhaps to another favorite character of ours....

I'll (hopefully) update in full tomorrow, to give a chance for Carl or Hildigrim again in this back-and-forth. Love how epic Auriel can be!

OOC: I'm still holding out hope that these two campaigns will somehow encounter each other.

Hildigrim's eyes widen slightly behind his spectacles. The name, Ixusaxa Terrorsong, lands with uncomfortable weight.

So Spernik had not been boasting.

The halfling takes a step backward, positioning himself where he can keep both the wyvern and the refugees in view.

"A Wearer of Purple," he repeats, unsure what it means, but intuiting importance. "Not merely another cultist." His gaze flicks briefly to the others. "High-ranking," he ventures. "Dangerous." Then he looks back up at the rider. "Interesting."

The word leaves his mouth before caution can stop it.

"Spernik credited you with the fall of Phlan." He adjusts his spectacles. "I confess, I expected someone taller."

Despite the barb, his eyes are busy measuring distances, angles, and escape routes.

"Tell me, Ixusaxa Terrorsong," he calls, buying one more handful of seconds for the fleeing refugees, "if Phlan has already fallen, why are you here personally?" He tilts his head slightly. "Surely a victor has more important things to do than chase survivors through a drainage tunnel."

Carl moves to separate himself from the others, moving to the side, slowly, and considering his next steps toward this purpled robed fanatic.  He frantically searches his thoughts for prior history of the purple robed ones, putting together what Hildigrim has said and his prior knowledge to know who he is dealing with.  He doesn’t launch an attack, but he is considering his options, looking for any cover, but moving away from the others so that they are not grouped all together like easy targets.  He holds his tongue, listening to the banter and not wanting to draw attention to himself.

History : 13

Carl has never heard of this title, a Wearer of Purple, though her ranking within the cult seems to be quite high.

Ixusaxa responds to Hildigrim's taunts by kicking her heels into her wyvern mount. The creature flaps its heavy wings once, then twice, propelling it up ten feet into the air. "I am here because I want to watch the light fade from your Lord Regent's eyes myself!" she shouts. Her hands wave in a somatic pattern as she cackles.

Initiative:
Lord Regent: 15
Party: 14
Ixusaxa: 10

The Lord Regent rolls to the side, coming to a knee on the side of the spillway out of the water. He drops both of his swords to the ground, pulling the crossbow off of his back and aiming it toward the mage. "I dare you to try!" he shouts.

Round 1 Order:
Lord Regent
Players <====
Ixusaxa Terrorsong

Placement:
Ixusaxa and the wyvern mount are within movement range of the party, but 10 feet above the ground.

Health:
Auriel is lightly wounded.
Hex is lightly wounded.

OOC: I'll bot Hex through this combat, unless she arrives to heroically rejoin us (a boy can dream).

Hildigrim scowls as the Lord Regent immediately engages the undoubtedly skilled warrior. He wishes they had worked out a plan ahead of time where Carl would have known to cloak Ector in invisibility and spirit him to safety while he and Auriel dealt with the danger themselves. Alas, he has once again disappointed himself.

The halfling moves away, putting some distance between him and the Lord Regent. He has to depend upon Auriel to be the shield. Hildigrim will be the spear. As he moves, he calls in Dwarvish, "Aim for the wyvern, Carl. Remove her wings."

He readies an arrow and waits, both hoping and dreading that the rider will approach the Lord Regent to attack.

Movement: Move away from Auriel and Ector Brahms, but stay within 30 feet of the wyvern.

Action: Ready attack on the wyvern if it comes within melee of any friendly, giving me sneak attack.

Bonus: Master of Tactics help action to Carl, giving him advantage if he attacks the wyvern.

Attack if the wyvern comes within melee:

OOC: Awaiting round 1 actions from Auriel and Carl before I can advance us.

(wrote a question in the OOC thread!)

OOC: Sorry, completely missed that! Answered in OOC chat.

(ooc: thanks for the reply! I'll stick to a normal attack for the moment! )

Auriel knows it is risky to stay close to others when facing a mage likely capable of area spells, but he nevertheless remains near the Lord Regent. He focuses on Ixusaxa, but if she or her wyvern attempts to strike Ector Brahms, then that will mean they will be within reach of his halberd. 

Movement: None (He stays close to the Lord Regent. I'm assuming that both Auriel and the Lord Regent are within range with their respective ranged weapons).
Action: Throw two Javelin towards Ixusaxa. Attack 1 to Hit: 16 / Damage: 9. Attack 2 to Hit: 10 (looks like a miss).
Reaction: If any of the enemies attack the Lord Regent at melee range, then I assume they've entered Auriel's Halberd reach (Polearm Master Oportunity Attack). I'll leave an attack in that case. To hit: 13 / Damage: 14

OOC: I'll give a bit more time for Carl's action for this round, then I'll bot if necessary

((Sorry for the delay))

Carl nods to Hildigrim and backpedals, gaining some space, separation and launches two bolts of arcane energy at the wyvern, heeding Hildigrim’s advice.  At advantage, due to Hildigrim’s tactics.  

Eldritch blast beam 1 : (Nat 20!) 27 to hit, for 15 points of force damage.

Eldritch blast beam 2 : 17 to hit, for 12 points of force damage.  

OOC: One slight caveat on Auriel's turn, because of the rules for drawing/stowing weapons in 5E, drawing the first javelin is Auriel's free interaction with an object, but drawing the second javelin would take the place of Auriel's action, so he would only be able to throw the first javelin. The second attack roll was a miss anyway, so all this really means is Auriel has an additional javelin on hand.

DM Screen:

Ixusaxa clearly didn't anticipate Auriel's speed, her movement barely fast enough to bring an arcane shield up around her to deflect the oncoming javelin just as it arrives. The missile strikes the glowing barrier, bouncing away, but the action leaves her a sitting duck in midair for Carlthuzad's powerful eldritch blasts that barrel into her wyvern mount. The creature screeches, looking like it's about to fall out of the sky before righting itself just as Hex plants two arrows into it (8 piercing damage and critical 28 piercing damage), one in its underbelly and the other in its throat. The mage struggles for a moment to keep the wyvern flying, but quickly and expertly settles it, already chanting as she pulls it up another five feet off of the ground.

Her arms cross up above her head before a somatic shout, then extend downward at an angle, her palms held together. Her victorious cackling matches the tone of the chill blast that emanates from her hands, the temperature rapidly shifting in the air, freezing the very air itself outward from the mage. The blast of freezing air encompasses the entirety of the spillway, leaving Auriel and the Lord Regent shaken (30 cold damage) and chilled to their core. The laughter turns to more of a growl as she sees there is still plenty of threat from Hildigrim, Hex, and Carlthuzad (15 cold damage), who seem less affected by the powerful magic.

"Come on, then!" she shouts, pulling up another arcane shield to deflect an incoming crossbow bolt from the Lord Regent, who has pulled himself back to his feet. "Surely you can handle five on one!" Her words are accompanied by another cackle, clearly enjoying the sport of the occasion.

Round 2 Order:
Lord Regent
Players <====
Ixusaxa Terrorsong

Placement:
Ixusaxa and the wyvern mount are within movement range of the party, but 15 feet above the ground.

Health:
The wyvern is wounded.

The Lord Regent is wounded.

Auriel is severely wounded.
Hex is wounded.
Hildigrim is wounded.
Carl is lightly wounded.

Tracking:
Auriel has thrown 1/4 javelins.