Dragon of Icespire Peak ***CLOSED***

Vaxis shouts in alarm, and makes to assist Connak.

"Why is there so MANY damnable beasts in this land?! We should not stay here longer than needed!"

Touching Connakc shoulder, Vaxis mutters a prayer, and Connak is further protected from harm!

(Casting Warding Bond on Connak, he gets a +1 to AC and saves, and resistance to ALL damage, any damage he DOES take is split between him and I)

Having heard the loud crash as the giant bug burst through the fragile wooden building, Tink and Minsys are now alert to the danger!

Minsys hears the crash, smiles a wide toothy smile and grabs his maul.  He takes huge lumbering strides towards the source imof the crash.  He yells out "Dont be having fun without me!!"

Assuming normal movement won't get me close, dashing as well.

"What was that?!" Tink exclaims startled, "Whisker! Let's go check it out!" Tink, turns towards the source of the sound and starts running towards it.

Connak uses his rogue skills to disengage from the creature before it can strike, backpedals before taking a shot and then runs towards Minsys, yelling "Here comes your fun!!"

Bonus action: disengage (cunning action)

Move back...shoot:  Longbow Attack: 24 Damage: 7

Watch arrow embed itself into the wall beside Tabesha'l's head then hurry to use rest of movement to head towards Minsys.

The ankheg's mandibles, pedipalps and other nameless, hinged mouth parts click and clack as it watches with detached sociopathy as Connak flees. The monster steps forward reestablishing the wood elf into its line of sight and releases a surge of liquid acid at him.

ACID SPRAY:
Dexterity Save (Connak): 20 vs. DC 13 taking 5 acid damage on a failed save or 2.5 on a success

The smooth laminar flow of the acid stream cuts through the air as cleanly and quietly as one of Connak's arrows.

Tabesha'l once again grabs the hem of her bloodied skirts and sprints across the house, over to the remains of the wall the giant insect just pulverized in its hunt after Connak. She stops short of stepping outside, however, and fixes the scene unfolding in front of her in her mind's eye. Instantly, a flood of images assails her: the ankheg splashing acid all over the archer's back, Connak's writhing body shaking and squirming on the grass as first his clothes and armor, then his very flesh starts sagging off his frame, the screams of his agony...

Tabesha'l shakes her head to push the images away, and clenches her fists: this would not, could not come to pass ! She closed her eyes, using her powers of divination to look into all the possible scenarios, all the myriad of parallel realities unfolding in her mind's eye...

As more and more new versions of near-futures keep reeling across her consciousness, a slow smile creeps on the elf mage's perfectly carved, ruby-red lips. She sends a telepathic command to her familiar, while calmly considering the ankheg in front of her:

" Arvi, methinks this could be a good time for thee to play one of thy... tricks on this idiotic, acid-spitting horror. I do wonder if thy abyssal nature would frighten something as mindless as this thing ? Dare thee try ?" she asks the Quasit, a little tauntingly. " Oh, but thee art probably too weak in thy current shape, are thee not ? Poor thing. Still, 't would have been quite a sport to see that thing run from thee, would it not ?"

** Dash to the smashed hole into the north wall (uses 50 feet movement), then brings out her portent to affect the Ankheg's next Attack roll or Saving Throw, turning it into a 5. She will wait until Arvi gets close enough to use his Scare ability on the ankheg, then apply her portent to her target's Saving Throw. **

ARVI RESPONDS TO TABESHA'L's USING TELEPATHY:

The centipede scuttles toward the corner of the building near Connak and Vaxis and faces the ankheg, and takes stock of the hulking beast with a pair of long red antennae. The directs its attention away from the rogue and cocks a curious head at centipede Arvi, a smaller and seemingly inferior creature.

Arvi the rears up on the back half of its centurian body and hisses menacingly at the ankheg. The giant insect recoils in response to the unexpected threat and bring its massive, razor-tipped striking appendages up in an apparent defense.

(OOC: ankheg is frightened of Arvi)

Meanwhile, the man cowering atop his desk in the office scrambles down and pushes it aside, makes his way through the door and out of the cabin, fleeing in a southeasterly direction:
ACTION: [Tooltip Not Found] (moves desk)
FREE ACTION: opens door
MOVEMENT: 30 feet, stopping just outside the front door of the cabin

Vaxis snarls, his fangs baring in an outright sneer as he interposes himself between Connak and the Ankheg's path.

"If you want to eat my friend, you will have to go through ME first, beast!"

He murmurs a prayer, and launches a devastating bolt of radiance at the Ahnkeg!

(2nd level Guiding Bolt at the creature. To hit: 10 , Damage: 23 radiant damage, on a fail, next attack is at advantage, move 1w1s to block it from hitting Connak)

Vaxis' holy magic blasts towards the ankheg, but sails harmlessly by its head and the creature lurches to the side as it recoils in fear from the centipede at its feet.

Minsys finally sees what the party is about.  He then rushes straight at the the foe as fast as he can.

Tink continues to move forward and finally catches sight of the insect like creature. Drawing out a small vial filled with purple liquid from her belt, she infuses it with magical energy before throwing it towards the creature. The vial magically propelled, hits the creature's hide and breaks lining everything in the vicinity in flickering purplish flame.

At the same time Whisker continues to move forward and takes cover behind the cabin ahead while awaiting further orders.

Ankheg DEX Save: 8 vs. DC 13

Connak shudders as some of the acid gets through his armor and clothes.  The pain is enough to make him look back instead of where he's going and Connak is greeted to the sight of a glowing Ankheg acting all afraid of some big bug in front of it.   Skidding to a halt and turning on one foot, Connak takes the time to knock his arrow properly, then raises his bow to find a vulnerable spot in the exoskeleton...

Longbow Attack: 24 Damage: 15

... and lets a "Whooop!" fly as the arrow disappears between some of the armored plates.  Looking around to see if anyone noticed his lack of decorum during such a dangerous battle, he notices the bush nearby.  He moves to put it between himself and the Ankheg and tries to hide.

Connak Stealth to hide behind the bush: 16

(didn't want to add another roll and get a manipulated message on that last post!)

CONDITION: frightened; Target: Arvi (Tabesha'l)
The ankheg flees to the northwest until it is stuck between the 10 foot rock escarpment and the edge of the river.

AT END OF TURN:
11 - Wisdom save to break the frightened condition
6 - to recharge Acid Spit ability

(OOC: ankheg is no longer frightened) 

ADDING DISADVANTAGE (WIS Save)
3

Tabesha'l calmly leans against the remains of the window sill and, with a nonchalant gesture, signals to Arvi to press the ankheg, pushing it towards the brink of the river itself.

As she does so, she points an index finger towards Tink and sends a telepathic request:

" Methinks our adversary finds itself at the mercy of my Familiar's terribly frightful appearance. Caterpillars are somewhat disturbing-looking, I'll admit, yet even I wasn't prepared for such extreme reaction. In any case, now would be a good time to push it into yonder waters... unless thou wouldst prefer to pile some rocks from yon ledge above on its acid-spitting mandibulae ? If thou by happenstance should dispose of said-relevant measures in thy arsenal of gnomish paraphernalia, 't would be most useful indeed !"

** in plain text: let's either drown it or crush it ! We have another 9 rounds to decide, but still... **

Arvi stalks towards the giant insect, pressing it further into the narrow stretch of land between the water and the 10-foot rock escarpment.

Meanwhile, the human that fled from the cabin dashed across the yard and a small pathway to arrive on top of the old stone foundation of what once was another cabin.

Vaxis grins, showing his fangs once again.

"You will not escape the divine censure of Bahamut's will THIS time, beast!"

(Casting Guiding Bolt with advantage. Attack: 21 damage: 9 radiant. After effect is redundant)

Holy energy streams out of the cleric and slams into the ankheg. Bolts of light began to poke through the back side of the thick carapace and acid began to leak from its body on the ground below. Moments later the radiance fades and the ankheg lies motionless on the bank of the river.