Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

nm...

Sorry, missed the legendary action... Will get Meepo's action in shortly.

Meepo, gripping his staff to his side, runs forward, his stumpy legs pumping as he tries to get as close to the door as he can. "Meepo wish Meepo had dragon wings..." Meepo huffs as he runs forward. He considers how much faster he would be if he had one of his phantom steeds right now and wishes he had not dismissed it upon arrival.

With a clacking of bones the 4 remaining skeletons dash after their master, heading towards the castle as well.

I don't think Meepo would be able to see much inside the castle from this range, and 60 feet of movement is not going to get him close enough to do much I fear.

Meepo and the skeletons run forward, as does Mordekai...everyone trying to close ground on Lionel who stands 20 feet within the doors of the castle.  Then something terrible happens....four red dragons drop down from above Lionel and surround him.  Three of them attack him, their jaws snapping at him, while one breathes in, and then exhales, bathing Lionel and all three of it's brethern in hot fire. Flames and heat erupt from within the castle where Lionel finds himself. 

The first ones jaws try to close on Lionel's arm....Attack: 13 Damage: 8 + 2 fire damage. 

The next one going for a leg....Attack: 23 Damage: 11 + 1 fire damage. 

The third attempts to chew on his shoulder....Attack: 11 Damage: 12 + 5 fire damage. 

Then come the flames.... DC 13 Dex save for half of 29 fire damage. 

Ulthan's turn.  Note, the healed Ezz, looking bloody and pale still, has gotten up and moved to one of the castle wall where she is leaning and bleeding. 

[ Round 9:  Ulthan : 24, Strahd : 20, Rahadin: 18, Ketch : 11, Ezz : 9, Lionel : 8, Mordekai : 7, Meepo : 7, Dragons : 7 ]

Ulthan grunts "hrmpfh no win today go back kill rahad today hrmpfh", he'll move back 30 and fires at the dragon blocking the dwarf's escape. Are the dragons going to fit through the gateways to get outside? Ulthan pulls hard on the bow, all or nothing.
Attack: 18 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.
Attack: 10 Damage: 14

Ulthan's first arrow misses, striking a wall, but the 2nd one find a mark and spears one of the dragons in the flank causing it to screech.

Suddenly the group sees Strahd again.  He walks...very casually.... through the main entrance hall past where Lionel is (Lionel is in K7, Strahd is walking through K8 on the map)....glancing towards the dragons, a grin on his face.  Though his face still looks quite burned and doesn't seem to be healing the damage from the sword or the spells that have struck him. Despite the painful wounds he seems to be enjoying himself.  He walks just outside the ring of light cast by the sword.  Then he waves his hands. The massive double doors on both sides of the room Lionel is in slam shut, locking with a heavy "clack" sound. 

Lionel has been locked in with the 4 dragons. Everyone else has been locked out of the castle. 

Ulthan, glancing backwards, sees no sign of Rahadin at the moment, as he was backing away. 

Ketch, Lionel, Mordekai, Meepo, your next actions. 

Ketch is 60 feet from the closed front doors of Castle Ravenloft. Meepo is 40 feet away, his skeletons just behind him, and Mordekai is 20 feet from the front doors.  Lionel is through the closed and locked front doors and in a room with 4 baby red dragons. Lionel was seen 30 feet beyond in the main entrance way through yet another set of double doors. 

There are no visible enemies for anyone in the courtyard at this time. Though, the map, as you can see, does have arrow slits at this level.  They are 4 1/2 feet tall, and 4 inches wide, and dot both the left and ride side of the castle.  The massive double doors look very heavy, are 15 feet wide and locked. 

[ Round 9:  Ulthan : 24, Strahd : 20, Rahadin: 18, Ketch : 11, Ezz : 9, Lionel : 8, Mordekai : 7, Meepo : 7, Dragons : 7 ]

Mordekai assesses the situation and, seeing no way to break into the doors, wonders if the doors could be broken outward, with a little help. Clutching at straws a little, he gives Meepo a knowing nod and casts Minor Illusion, making the deafening sound of an adult dragon, roaring in what he hopes is a lot of pain and distress, but Meepo is the "expert" in dragon roars...

     Ketch runs flat out towards the doors, dashing to get to the doors, drawing his battle axe as he runs.

Dex save: 9 (Really, why do I even bother?  Do not forget to get the sword and the talisman!)

1st Death save: 6

It was the same mistake - and the same price he had to pay! Strahd's taunting made Lionel to forget anything but the hatred and the grief the monster cost to so many. Being killed by four dragons could be called a hero death, but that was his foolishness that killed him. Not that he had the time to reflect on it - the fire burned out every thought and what was left of the his body dropped to the floor unconscious.

Meepo frowns at Mordekai. He almost asks why Mordekai used a Copper Dragon's roar here and now, and why making it sound like it had constipation. Then he understands...

He casts minor illusion

In the dragon's roar he sends forth he says, in dracconic, in a booming ancient red dragon's voice... "My children, come to me, I need you now..."

Deception: 16 (if advantage for any reason such as the illusion spell, 17)

((ack, didn't realize you were that low on HP.  Thought I might have time to get through door...  We totes screwed this one up.  I kept thinking, we cannot let ourselves be drawn in, and then got all drawn in.  Ugh.  Still, that door will be coming down!!!))

Ketch runs up to the door, hitting with a shoulder hard....(roll Strength check). 

While Mordekai creates a sudden loud roaring sound.  Meepo looks at Mordekai like he's crazy for a moment, and then realizes what he's attempting, and let's out a massive roaring, the roar shaped into draconic words. 

((thought using 'dash' I wouldn't get another action, but if you're giving I'll take it!))

Ketch vs door:  12

I dunno pushing a door open isn't an action.  But... regardless....  *THUD*. Ketch slams into it...it barely creaks. 

Then the door pushes back!  6  5 Two heavy thuds hit the door from the inside and one makes them jump out just a bit....but the door holds strong. 

Lionel....you find yourself hovering near your body....though the world is full of shades of blue and white, rather than color. The world beyond seems to fade away into a fog.  Around you are 9 other people, but instead of being hazy and insubstantial, they seem very solid and in full color and detail.  A human male, another one, a woman, a male halfling, a male elf, a half-orc, another human woman, a very large, 8 foot tall human woman, and a human male. Each seems decked out in different types of warrior gear....except the elf wearing only what appears to be a bath robe and slippers.  They all glance towards you awkwardly.   The four dragons seem to have lost interest in the dwarf, and are staring at the large doors out.  Two of them smash their bodies into the doors which stay shut.

The half-orc whines, "Ooooh, he's wrecked the darned body!"  

The huge woman sighs, "Now what's going to happen to us."  

The human with a rapier points "LOOK!  IT'S STRAHD, RIGHT THERE!!  GET HIM GUYS!!!!  RRAWWRR!"  It's true, the inner double doors have silently swung open and you watch Strahd walk into the room next to the body.  Ignoring the fallen charred Dwarf, he leans down and picks up the hilt.  It seems to burn him though and he drops it with a hiss.  Then he uses his cloak as a glove and picks it up, holding it away from his body as he strolls away into the castle. 

One of the human females sighs, "He's stolen the sword. He's getting away."

The halfling, "I could REALLY use a drink right now."

The human woman says, "Blue and crystal, green and bright...I think we'll lose, I think we might." 

One of the human men glares at her, "You are most least my favorite."  Then he looks straight at Lionel, "Then you are my next, for ruining everything." 

The 'holy' one named Paladine puts his hands out suddenly, and in a quiet whisper voice says, "Very well. I have lived a full life. And a full death. It must be done, then I will be the one to do it. The sacrifice shall be mine."  With that Paladine steps forward and flows into the blueish dwarven body on the ground.  It seems as if, rather than entering the body like a soul....the soul itself dissolves into the body.  

Crackled skin turns pink, cuts turn into red scars that heal over. The body heaves a great breath......all of the souls look at each other. The woman who states everything obvious says, "I didn't know we could do that."   Then all the souls look at the body alive and soulless and back at each other.....and then there is a mad rush towards the body....   (Lionel, roll initiative.  Sir Thatcher:  20, Captain Obvious:  5, Kallico:  18, Mish:  2, Goonta:  15, Radiance:  11, Sir Urbala:  16, Danglor the great:  1... (Tie break if necessary: Captain Obvious 2 and Urbala 16) 

Ulthan, Ketch, Mordekai, and Meepo, your actions again. 

[ Round 10:  Ulthan : 24, Strahd : 20, Rahadin: 18, Ketch : 11, Ezz : 9, Lionel : 8, Mordekai : 7, Meepo : 7, Dragons : 7 ]

     Ketch, battle axe drawn, attacks the door.  It is the monster that stands between him and his friend, him and his enemy, him and his destiny.  The half Orc goes full out against the door, swinging not once but twice, tapping into his nature as a War Priest to do so...

Attack: 10 Damage: 5

Attack: 11 Damage: 12

Seeing that Meepo has got the whole "dragon roar" thing covered (although he didn't understand a word of the Draconic), and that the creatures didn't burst through the door as he'd hoped anyway, Mordekai figures he might as well join with Ketch's plan.  Although, Mordekai ponders whether "smash the door down" constitutes a plan.  Two Eldritch Blasts slam into the doors immediately after Ketch's battle axe. (Or, at least, hopefully they do.  How hard can it be to hit a massive door?)

Attack: 14 Damage: 8

Attack: 14 Damage: 6

Lionel Initiative: 13

Lionel was silent during that half debate / half trial: he had nothing to say and was not going to deny his fault. Should Sir Thatcher reveal the way of saving the body, Lionel would sacrifice his soul in an instant. That thought kept the young paladin from rushing with the rest of the souls to claim the revived body, but it seemed his will did not matter anymore - the moment Samantha got the hold of the body, he was sucked in and cramped with the rest of the souls into ... dwarfs head? Place where the soul is? He was just learning the surrounding, something he hoped he would never have to do.

Ulthan shakes his head "hrmpfh dwarf misty out doors close good hrmpfh" as he moves back another 30 feet trying to take cover from where Rah guy was, and curing himself some more. 11.

Ulthan scans for Rahadin.....seeing him emerge from a door near the top of the tower, where it leads to a walkway around the curtain wall.  He looks down towards the group but quickly steps back into full cover and can't be seen.  

Ketch slams his axe into the door, while two magical blasts of energy strike it, as they start to make some ground, sending bits of wood flying. 

7 16

From within, two more very heavy slams seem to almost buckle the doors outwards as the dragons inside seem as intent on getting out, as the party on the outside. 

Meanwhile, inside.....Samanthan opens her eyes.  She feels the cool air prickle along her flushed cheeks.  She feels the air flow in down her throat and into her lungs. She feels the hard ground pressing against flesh, metal, and bone.  She feels her skin and muscles encasing her.  She feels the pain in that flesh....it's damage.  She sees large red bodies of the dragons around her, two of them smashing the inside of the door.  The door leading into the castle is open...but as she rolls her head around....her beard...oh dear...she has a beard....right...as she rolls her head around she doesn't see where Strahd has gotten to.  So. She's alive. And in the dwarf body. She's alive though. But in this dwarf body. And on the ground on her back for that matter. With four dragons around her who haven't noticed her moving yet. 

Ezz, who has been lounging against the castle wall....bleeding....glances back towards Rahadin.  She mutters a few words and then vanishes from site...though a few drops of blood reveal that she must be moving back towards the main gate. 

 Meepo?  

Meepo moves closer to the gate, but off to one side. he sends a blast of cold at it, hoping to add in breaking it down...

To hit: 10 Damage: 12

ray of frost

Meepo's skeletons move in closer as well, but spreading out, so that they are not bunched up when the dragons break through. Each of them ready an arrow to shoot at a dragon as it appears.