Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

Lionel was torn between his - now almost permanent - wish to put everything burnable around to the torch and simple fortification of their position. The fog and rain were good arguments for the latter. Just in case, Lionel muttered several encouraging words - raising his and Izmark's spirit a bit ( Heroism  second level ) and positioned himself between the group and expected enemies.

If there was time and those logs around were movable, with Izmark's help he would try to barricade some directions.

(Meepo would want to try to find some high ground, where he would have good line of sight, but be harder to get at.  Line of sight is more important than high ground though, so can someone help find a good spot for him?) 

(There's no obvious higher ground, or changes in elevation on the map that I can see, but plenty of trees. Perhaps climbing, or Misty Step into a higher branch?) 

Meepo asks for a hand, and Ismark quickly boosts him up into one of the smaller trees that have branches low enough to climb.  The wood is slick, but clambering up Meepo finds himself a crook in a tree that gives him excellent line of site to everything, except stuff approaching from the other side of the tree.  Even then, he could adjust his position, just with it being slippery, he'd have to be careful to do so.  (Take an action to use your hands to change position in the tree, or just step with feet and make a Dex 10 save.  I'll let you know if any approach from the blindside. I spent a lot of times in trees as a kid.  :p) 

Lionel begins dragging some trees through the muck to form a barrier.  Ismark helps after giving Meepo a hand.  Mordekai positions himself with some water between him and the approaching creatures.  

Then, before much else can be done, a dark shape comes running out of the fog, shrieking, and running in a random zig zag as it approaches.  (It's taking dodge action, so everyone gets disadvantage on your attacks.  It's 100 feet away when it first gets into site.  It will take it 3 turns to get to you.  Everyone take 2 turns of ranged attacks.

Lionel much preferred melee range, to a degree of never acquiring a crossbow or something like that, usually, one javelin was all he needed. Well, it had to do now as well:

Attack: 15 Damage: 9

Second round - Help to anyone near by (Olin did not post his action yet). I guess it will be a roll without disadvantage for Olin?

Meepo casts ray of frost  If they hit, they slow the thing down by 10 feet each of its turns that it gets hit on.

To hit: 14

Damage: 10

To hit: 15

Damage: 13

Mordekai sees Meepo up in the tree and calls out, "Hey, tiny dragon! Watch this!"

He transfers Hex if it's still active, and unleashes all his best Eldritch Blast at the creature.

Attack: 19 Damage: 13 + 4 Hex.

Attack: 11 Damage: 6 + 5 Hex. 

Second round attacks :

Attack: 17 Damage: 9 + 5 Hex.

Attack: 17 Damage: 10 + 4 Hex. 

The flash of a javelin rips through the creature, followed by a blast of icy energy, and then Mordekai shouts joyously up to Meepo before unleashing two blasts.  The thing explodes before it gets within 60 feet. 

A few seconds pass, and then two more come rushing into view, also ducking and dodging as they rush you. 

(everyone roll 2 more rounds worth of attacks.  Reminder, they're dodging, so you get disadvantage. Clarify if you're hitting 1 or 2.)

First round: Mordekai will transfer Hex onto 1 as it comes into view, and send two blasts at it.

Attack: 25 Damage: 11

Attack: 15 Damage: 19

Second round: having softened 1 up, shifts Hex onto 2 and does the same again.

Attack: 26 Damage: 15

Attack: 17 Damage: 21 

If this is still range attacks, all Lionel can do is Helping (attracting creatures attention?), so Mordekai or Meepo can roll without disadvantage.

Meep will send another ray of frost at the 2nd one.

To hit: 14

Damage: 12

To hit: 11

Damage: 5

Not having his bow out, Olin will rely on his spells. He points at 1, causing a bell to toll quietly inside it's head.

Toll the dead DC 15 Wis save or 11

Then again, or at 2 if 1 is down:

Toll the dead DC 15 Wis save or 6

The two blasts of cold from Meepo both miss the creatures as they duck and dodge across the field.  (waiting to see if Mordekai hits before doing toll the dead on them).  

Lionel. sadly you can only help in combat if you're within 5 feet of the target, so you just watch and wait as the scarecrows rush across the intervening space. 

(my attack rolls are above. Did I miss something?) 

((I knew there ia a catch somewhere here!))

Lionel gave himself a word to get some range weapon at the first occasion.

OOOKAY.  I totally missed Mordekai's actions somehow.  That's SO WEIRD.  Ok, here I go, let's try this again.

Mordekai unleashes four blasts.  The first strikes one, blowing an arm off, black feathers puffing into the misty fog.  The second blast misses that one.  The next two blasts both strike the 2nd one, blowing out huge chunks of it's torso.  More black feathers fill the air.  Meepo's icy blast slashes out and hits the 2nd one, it's body freezes into ice, and falls to the ground, shattering, chunks of ice splashing into muddy pools on the ground.  The second blast partially hits the first scarecrow, its arm turning rigid and blue with ice.  Then Olin unleashes magic, nothing apparent happens. Wisdom save: 17  Wisdom save: 13

The scarecrow shivers, chunks of its body shedding away for no apparent reason.  

1 scarecrow is badly damaged and still has 1 round to get to you.  2 more scarecrows emerge from the fog, running towards you from slightly different angles.  

Take 1 turn before scarecrow 1 gets to you.  And one more turn of ranged attacks on the 2 new ones.   The shrieks of the scarecrows fill the air as they approach. 

1st round: Mordekai ignores the newly-softened closest scarecrow, figuring Lionel and Ismark should start pulling their weight at some point. He transfers Hex to the first of the new ones and blasts away again (presumably still at disadvantage).

Attack: 12 Damage: 10 + 1 Hex

Attack: 17 Damage: 10 + 1 Hex

As he fires, he shouts, "How many do you think there are? Do we just stay here until they stop coming?" 

Round 2: Mordekai transfers Hex to the second of the new ones and continues where he left off. 

Attack: 14 Damage: 11 + 3 Hex

Attack: 24 Damage: 9 + 3 Hex

"There could be a lot of them! It could take a while. Maybe we should advance?"

(Edit: Wow, that disadvantage hurt! Stop rolling 2s, Mordekai!) 

Olin takes a hint from Mordekai's targeting preference and ignores scarecrow 1, hoping Lionel and Ismark can cut it down when it arrives. Then he casts toll the dead  twice at the scarecrow Mordekai hit (I'm assuming 10's miss and the 14 hit).

DC 15 Wis or 12 necrotic.

DC 15 Wis or 4 necrotic.

"They're made of cloth and feather, how many could there be?" Olin gasps between castings. Then, thinking of everything else they've faced since entering this land, "Advance or move to a more fortified position. Either sounds good to me."

Meepo also targets the new ones with ray of frost...

To hit: 7

Damage: 16

To hit: 23

Damage: 11

Several of Mordekai's blasts miss as the scarecrows duck and dodge, but one finds it's mark, blasting out chunks of black feathers as the animated monstrosity comes splashing through puddles and fog. Blasts of cold hit it, leaving icy chunks on it as it slows it's approach. Olin's magic seems to make it vibrate as it runs. DC 15 save: 6 and again. 5

It vibrates, and then explodes. 

Lionel and Ismark are ready as the one scarecrow reaches them, chopping it down.  Between blasts of ice, harsh dark energy, and Olin's spells the slowed scarecrows are eliminated.  One final one comes padding out of the dark fog, but a few moments later its destroyed.  

Sparks of energy still dance along Mordekai, Olin, and Meepo's skin as silence returns to the swamp, except for the distant cries from the crows. 

Meepo carefully climbs down from the tree and Lionel fetches his javelin from the muck where it landed.  No more yells, no more creatures running out of the fog.  The group presses forward through the tall trees and the swamp. 

A few hundred feet on, the crows cacophony has increased and you can now see the source.  Someone has built a ramshackle wooden hut on the stump of what was once an enormous tree. The rotting roots of the stump thrust up from the mire like the legs of a gigantic spider.  An open doorway is visible on one side of the hut, be­neath which floats the upside-down, hollowed-out skull of a giant. Flanking the hut's doorway are two iron cages that dangle like hideous ornaments from the eaves. Scores of ravens are trapped in each one. They squawk and flutter their wings excitedly as you approach.