Ellis gulps as he heard the sound coming from the branch, covering his mouth and keeps following Erro as he hoped nothing would come after them because of what he just did by accident.
(Lol! I love that mental picture of Rawk walking. Thank you for that.)
Erro bites down on his lip, freezing as he heard the branch snap. After moving another 60 feet (assuming we don’t start initiative tracking!) Erro will stop and hunker down, recommending Ellis do the same, peering out into the darkness to see if anything had noticed them with his hand on the hilt of his sword. (Let me know if you want new rolls)
"There must be something big out there to make that much noise. Hopefully it doesn't catch wind of their scent." Tempest whispers as he froze stiff and looked around. After a few seconds he'd return to moving forward slowly. The cloud on his brow grew as various worried thoughts ran through his mind but dissipated as he watched Rawk scurry alongside him. He pondered about offering her a piggy back ride but shook his head and the thought away fearing it would appear as an insult to the enthusiastic warrior. There was no room for drama on their mission so he contented himself with peering about the area for threats as they walked.
After that minor incident, Erro and Ellis move on a little further through sickly trees in the shadowy light. Before them rises a cliff, stretching above them by about 60 feet. Before that the ground drops away sharply, and from below the sounds of waves crashing against rocks sounds loud. There is some sort of stone both that runs along the edge of this drop, clearly badly in need of maintenance, only saved you feel from being overgrown by the darkness that is suffocating the flora.
It is hard to make out much more than 60 feet to the right and left, as the jungle crowds in. To your left, the cliff slightly seems to curve away, widening the gap, and to the right seems to grow closer to your side of the gorge (you are currently on the western shore, north is right and south left roughly). From the description you had, Rawk and Tempest seem to have guided you exactly on target.
This brief chance to take in the scene is interrupted by sounds of crashing coming from your right. About 30ft from Ellis and Erro 6 humanoids are moving directly towards you, smashing aside any vegetation in their path. By the cold, rotting skin these creatures are clearly no longer among the living, though were probably once human. All of them seem wreathed in shadow, but for two of them it seems to almost flow out of their eyes and mouth as they head straight towards Ellis.
Everyone roll initiative. We'll say Rawk and Tempest are about 30 feet behind the scouts.
((DM, how far away is the wall of the cliff to us? Meaning, about how far is the chasm between us and the wall from where we currently stand? And what is this stone that runs along the edge? Is “both” a Brit term for a structure that I don’t know? ;) ))
((I'll revert to Brad's method of initiative for this encounter - average the players, everyone goes 'at once' on heroes initiative, if player misses a round they get two actions the next round. Looking at the initiative, the heroes order would not be effected by whatever Rawk rolls))
As Ellis and Erro watch in horror these undead creatures surge towards them, faster and more deliberate that the stories they have heard of zombies. The shadows that surround them make it hard to work out exactly where they are until they come close (disadvantage on ranged attacks beyond 10ft distance)
The two zombies who seem to have shadows flowing from their eyes and ears home in on Ellis, smashing aside any plants that get in their way.As they approach they would see Erro as well,and one fixes him with it's shadow filled eyes and breaks off towards him.
GSZ 1: attacks Ellis with two slam attacks, fists flailing at him:
attack 1: 16, damage: 4
attack 2: 21, damage: 4
With a strange, deathly sigh the second one closes on Erro, rotten hands madly grabbing for him
attack 1: 18, damage: 7
attack 2: 21, damage: 4
If they hit with both attacks, the vile creatures are able to grapple you (grappled), they then lean in and the shadows seem to flow from their face, pouring into your eyes and throat which feels deathly cold. You must make a con save vs a DC of 14. On a failure you take an additional 8 necrotic damage and are blinded (can attempt the save again at the end of each of your turns). On a success you take half the damage and are not blinded.
Ellis screams as the zombies came running toward him and Erro, feeling the one hit and grappling him. He screamed as he felt the shadows going into his eyes and throat, so cold and now unable to see at all. "Guys, RUN!!!" Ellis will scream as loud as he can for Tempest and Rawk to hear. He will try to touch Erro with his hand despite not being able to see, not sure if Erro is also blind like him now as he casts a spell. "Just go!" he will yell to Erro as he was afraid that this was it for him, hurting a lot.
Action: (I'm assuming Erro and Ellis were next to each other right before this happened, so I would think Ellis could touch Erro) Cast Cure Wounds on Erro at 1st Level 10
As a reaction, Erro will use the new UA feature Intercept fighting style to reduce the damage the Ellis takes from the melee attack. I’ll let the DM rule whether or not it negates the effect as it is still a “hit” at reduced damage.
Erro throws a quick shield bash to try to intercept some of the incoming attack from Ellis: 8.
Only one of the attacks hit Erro as he barely manages to fend off the other.
(DM, how close to the edge of the cliff do we currently stand?)
For his turn, Erro will attempt to wrest Ellis from the zombie’s grip, “Ellis, we must get to the precipice before the other zombies fall upon us and hope that these fiends cannot climb!”
Athletics: 18. If Erro is able to grab Ellis, if permitted, he will use his movement to drag Ellis towards the cliffside where they may be able to use their agility to their advantage. Erro will interpose his body to absorb any opportunity attacks.
Tempest will look ahead to the fight and rush forward 20 feet. His eyes will glow bright silver as he casts Moonbeam on the creature attacking Ellis. Dirt and leaves swirl in a circle around the zombie's feet as an illuminated column of pale white light bursts into existence around the zombie. The air in the circle becomes still as the column illuminates the area slightly and pulses with silver blue moonlight. The flesh of the zombie ignites in patches as white ethereal flames scorch the creature's undead flesh and patches of shadow burst disappearing in the light.
DC13 Con save or take: 12 radiant damage, half on success.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(Apologies, busy day yesterday.)
Rawk will hear the commotion and fly directly towards it wielding her greataxe. A flood of adrenaline will rush through her veins as the thrill of battle causes her heart to beat rapidly and she rages at the sight of the shadowy undead figures attacking Ellis and Erro. As she comes down to land next to Erro she'll hold the axe high above her head and use her full momentum to recklessly drive the axe down on the zombie's head.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Erro quick reactions mean that though the zombie is still able to grab Ellis, the strength of it's first blow is wasted sliding down Erro's shield (if I understood ability attack does still hit, so secondary effect is still triggered, but damage from that first fist attack is reduced to 0)
Erro glances around and sees the sharp drop into the crevasse lies less than 30ft away. He grabs the panicked Ellis and is able to drag him about 15ft, taking him out into the middle of the crumbling road in clear sight. Ellis is able to grab onto Erro in all of this and Erro feels a wave of healing pass through him. Ellis counts as forced movement, so doesn't provole an attack of opportunity, though Erro does: attack: 12, damage: 8
Tempest's moonbeam strikes down on the distracted zombie, and the silvery flames burn into it's flesh. Tempest doesn't sense it does more damage than expected, but the radiance seems to burn away some of the shadows making it clearer to see, and the traces of shadow that flowed from it's face seem to retreat in. The creature turns to him and gives a serpentine-like hiss. GSZ 1 con save: 17
Rawk springs into action, catching the zombie just after it's blow hits Erro, cutting deep into the flesh. Shadow seems to pour out of the wound like blood. It's ghastly, shadow eyes turn to stare at her.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Ellis gulps as he heard the sound coming from the branch, covering his mouth and keeps following Erro as he hoped nothing would come after them because of what he just did by accident.
(Lol! I love that mental picture of Rawk walking. Thank you for that.)
Erro bites down on his lip, freezing as he heard the branch snap. After moving another 60 feet (assuming we don’t start initiative tracking!) Erro will stop and hunker down, recommending Ellis do the same, peering out into the darkness to see if anything had noticed them with his hand on the hilt of his sword.
(Let me know if you want new rolls)
"There must be something big out there to make that much noise. Hopefully it doesn't catch wind of their scent." Tempest whispers as he froze stiff and looked around. After a few seconds he'd return to moving forward slowly. The cloud on his brow grew as various worried thoughts ran through his mind but dissipated as he watched Rawk scurry alongside him. He pondered about offering her a piggy back ride but shook his head and the thought away fearing it would appear as an insult to the enthusiastic warrior. There was no room for drama on their mission so he contented himself with peering about the area for threats as they walked.
((Very vivid Rawk... have inspiration!!))
After that minor incident, Erro and Ellis move on a little further through sickly trees in the shadowy light. Before them rises a cliff, stretching above them by about 60 feet. Before that the ground drops away sharply, and from below the sounds of waves crashing against rocks sounds loud. There is some sort of stone both that runs along the edge of this drop, clearly badly in need of maintenance, only saved you feel from being overgrown by the darkness that is suffocating the flora.
It is hard to make out much more than 60 feet to the right and left, as the jungle crowds in. To your left, the cliff slightly seems to curve away, widening the gap, and to the right seems to grow closer to your side of the gorge (you are currently on the western shore, north is right and south left roughly). From the description you had, Rawk and Tempest seem to have guided you exactly on target.
This brief chance to take in the scene is interrupted by sounds of crashing coming from your right. About 30ft from Ellis and Erro 6 humanoids are moving directly towards you, smashing aside any vegetation in their path. By the cold, rotting skin these creatures are clearly no longer among the living, though were probably once human. All of them seem wreathed in shadow, but for two of them it seems to almost flow out of their eyes and mouth as they head straight towards Ellis.
Everyone roll initiative. We'll say Rawk and Tempest are about 30 feet behind the scouts.
Shadow Zombie: 11
Greater Shadow Zombie: 21
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Initiative: 15
Initiative: 21
Initiative: 12
“Ahhhhhhh!” (Free action)
((DM, how far away is the wall of the cliff to us? Meaning, about how far is the chasm between us and the wall from where we currently stand? And what is this stone that runs along the edge? Is “both” a Brit term for a structure that I don’t know? ;) ))
((lol no,for some reason I typed 'both' rather than path! Will post more a bit later on))
Probably about 30 ft to the edge, over the path
Do you like my Boots of Flying?
((I'll revert to Brad's method of initiative for this encounter - average the players, everyone goes 'at once' on heroes initiative, if player misses a round they get two actions the next round. Looking at the initiative, the heroes order would not be effected by whatever Rawk rolls))
Initiative Order:
Greater Shadow Zombies
Heroes
Shadow zombies
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ROUND 1:
Greater Shadow Zombies (GSZ)
As Ellis and Erro watch in horror these undead creatures surge towards them, faster and more deliberate that the stories they have heard of zombies. The shadows that surround them make it hard to work out exactly where they are until they come close (disadvantage on ranged attacks beyond 10ft distance)
The two zombies who seem to have shadows flowing from their eyes and ears home in on Ellis, smashing aside any plants that get in their way.As they approach they would see Erro as well,and one fixes him with it's shadow filled eyes and breaks off towards him.
GSZ 1: attacks Ellis with two slam attacks, fists flailing at him:
attack 1: 16, damage: 4
attack 2: 21, damage: 4
With a strange, deathly sigh the second one closes on Erro, rotten hands madly grabbing for him
attack 1: 18, damage: 7
attack 2: 21, damage: 4
If they hit with both attacks, the vile creatures are able to grapple you (grappled), they then lean in and the shadows seem to flow from their face, pouring into your eyes and throat which feels deathly cold. You must make a con save vs a DC of 14. On a failure you take an additional 8 necrotic damage and are blinded (can attempt the save again at the end of each of your turns). On a success you take half the damage and are not blinded.
It is then the heroes turn!
Do you like my Boots of Flying?
Con Save: 7
Ellis screams as the zombies came running toward him and Erro, feeling the one hit and grappling him. He screamed as he felt the shadows going into his eyes and throat, so cold and now unable to see at all. "Guys, RUN!!!" Ellis will scream as loud as he can for Tempest and Rawk to hear. He will try to touch Erro with his hand despite not being able to see, not sure if Erro is also blind like him now as he casts a spell. "Just go!" he will yell to Erro as he was afraid that this was it for him, hurting a lot.
Action: (I'm assuming Erro and Ellis were next to each other right before this happened, so I would think Ellis could touch Erro) Cast Cure Wounds on Erro at 1st Level 10
Bonus Action: Bardic Inspiration to Erro (1d6)
Con Save: 11
As a reaction, Erro will use the new UA feature Intercept fighting style to reduce the damage the Ellis takes from the melee attack. I’ll let the DM rule whether or not it negates the effect as it is still a “hit” at reduced damage.
Erro throws a quick shield bash to try to intercept some of the incoming attack from Ellis: 8.
Only one of the attacks hit Erro as he barely manages to fend off the other.
5 (did it mess up above?)
(DM, how close to the edge of the cliff do we currently stand?)
For his turn, Erro will attempt to wrest Ellis from the zombie’s grip, “Ellis, we must get to the precipice before the other zombies fall upon us and hope that these fiends cannot climb!”
Athletics: 18. If Erro is able to grab Ellis, if permitted, he will use his movement to drag Ellis towards the cliffside where they may be able to use their agility to their advantage. Erro will interpose his body to absorb any opportunity attacks.
Tempest will look ahead to the fight and rush forward 20 feet. His eyes will glow bright silver as he casts Moonbeam on the creature attacking Ellis. Dirt and leaves swirl in a circle around the zombie's feet as an illuminated column of pale white light bursts into existence around the zombie. The air in the circle becomes still as the column illuminates the area slightly and pulses with silver blue moonlight. The flesh of the zombie ignites in patches as white ethereal flames scorch the creature's undead flesh and patches of shadow burst disappearing in the light.
DC13 Con save or take: 12 radiant damage, half on success.
(Apologies, busy day yesterday.)
Rawk will hear the commotion and fly directly towards it wielding her greataxe. A flood of adrenaline will rush through her veins as the thrill of battle causes her heart to beat rapidly and she rages at the sight of the shadowy undead figures attacking Ellis and Erro. As she comes down to land next to Erro she'll hold the axe high above her head and use her full momentum to recklessly drive the axe down on the zombie's head.
Attack: 23 (reckless) Damage: 4
Erro quick reactions mean that though the zombie is still able to grab Ellis, the strength of it's first blow is wasted sliding down Erro's shield (if I understood ability attack does still hit, so secondary effect is still triggered, but damage from that first fist attack is reduced to 0)
Erro glances around and sees the sharp drop into the crevasse lies less than 30ft away. He grabs the panicked Ellis and is able to drag him about 15ft, taking him out into the middle of the crumbling road in clear sight. Ellis is able to grab onto Erro in all of this and Erro feels a wave of healing pass through him. Ellis counts as forced movement, so doesn't provole an attack of opportunity, though Erro does: attack: 12, damage: 8
Tempest's moonbeam strikes down on the distracted zombie, and the silvery flames burn into it's flesh. Tempest doesn't sense it does more damage than expected, but the radiance seems to burn away some of the shadows making it clearer to see, and the traces of shadow that flowed from it's face seem to retreat in. The creature turns to him and gives a serpentine-like hiss. GSZ 1 con save: 17
Rawk springs into action, catching the zombie just after it's blow hits Erro, cutting deep into the flesh. Shadow seems to pour out of the wound like blood. It's ghastly, shadow eyes turn to stare at her.
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