Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

Ketch is hit and knocked unconscious once more.

Ketch is then hit again and takes two DST failures…

Assuming no further damage before his next turn begins, Ketch rolls a 13 at the start of his turn for his Death Saving Throw…  Still alive at least.  IF no more damage before then.

The arrows fly through the clearing at the crossroads and thud repeatedly into the giant.  Full of arrows, he collapses in a heap near Ketch. 

The visible elf that had hidden behind trees pops out, and charges towards Mordekai, shrouding himself and Mordekai in darkness....

Ketch's eyes open once again, blinking as he lays, rolled on his side in the battle. (at the end of his turn). 

Mordekai's action!

Round 8:  Meepo 23 | GE4 21 | GE3 17 | Ketch 14 | Mordekai 12 | GE1 12 | Lionel 9 | GE2 9 | Ulthan 6  

Mordekai laughs at the darkness, transfers Hex onto the elf, and sends two Eldritch Blasts, before moving 30ft in Lionel's direction. 

Attack: 19 Damage: 9 plus 2 Hex 

Attack: 26 Damage: 10 plus 1 Hex 

Ketch's two blasts miss, he runs out of the darkness and most of the way to Lionel. 

Lionel's turn. He sees a huge black sphere appear and take up most of the area to his north. He still can't see any enemies, especially with the giant down. He suspects there are only two elf wizards left. One is invisible, the other in the darkness. 

Mordekai comes rushing out of the darkness towards Lionel. 

Not much he could do about the darkness, but at least he could share a drop of healing light with the tiefling (10 HP to Mordekai from Healing Hands) and remain nearby for the moral support. (Keeping within 10 ft for the aura +3)

((Ketch just woke up, he's blasting nobody.))

Second rolls for advantage on the blinded elf. 

First attack: 12

Second attack: 27

As the elf runs into his own darkness....he glances about, lifting an ear as if listening and suddenly moving cautiously. Mordekai's shot hits him square in the chest. The elf drops to the ground and the magic evaporates. 

Only a single, invisible elf remains.

Lionel glances about, watching for a target. The last elf, seeing he's all that remains, rushes away, leaping through a portal. The four portals seal up. 

The battle is over, giants and dead elves litter the battle ground. Ulthan emerges from the forest to the north, his bow ready. 

The small pattern on Mordekai's leg clatters about, "You stopped them from living. They were trying to stop you from living. Most violent and truthful. I did not like this at all. Though your deception when they appeared was MOST clever. I liked that very much."  

Meepo creeps out as the tentacles disappear, about when the elf cast the darkness spell, then he would move out further as it becomes clear the battle is over with, once the last elf fled through the portal. He immediately has his two zombies, and his ten remaining skeletons, start to collect the armor and bones of the downed skeletons, placing them into Meepo's hole.

"Want Meepo talk to dead elf?" Meepo asks, holding up his skull-mace wand. "Can speak with dead, maybe Meepo learn why they want Meepo..." speak with dead

Once his skeletons are done picking up their fallen companions, he would have them place the single dead elf out on the ground in front of him.

Ulthan nods at Meepo's statement, though he stays back a bit from the group a bit as he scans the surrounding area as if portals will again appear any second. Seconds later he decides to find a place to hide more amidst bushes.

"On the contrary Quinn. Combat is merely a different type of lies. Tactics, strategy, all deception. Making your enemy believe you're more hurt than you really are, or stronger than you really are. Hiding your capabilities and weaknesses so that you can lure them into traps, make them chase the wrong target, cause them to flee from your more injured allies rather than drive home a killing blow. Most violent indeed, but not necessarily truthful.  And the greatest deception of all: convincing yourself not to be afraid, tricking your body into not running away." Mordekai glances at the returning Ulthan before adding, "Some are better than others at that, of course."

"Meepo, I think speaking with the dead elf is an excellent idea. As would be a rest."

Mordekai was talking to his imaginary friend again, but honestly, after a fight like that Lionel could understand it. He felt like one big bruise and slowly, through the pain, moved to pick up his trusted spear. "Quite a welcoming committee, I have to say. I wonder if it was Rillyn, who angered them so, or if they were always like that. Not that it matters, of course. Where is Laffa?" Lionel looked around and yelled "Laffa, it is safe. You can come out now." He hoped their ever frightened ranger could hear him too. "Don't know about you, But I can use some rest. And agee, Meepo, if you can get a few answers from the corpse about what is going on, that can maybe save us another fight." The paladin found a boulder he could rest his back against and sat down to recover a bit.

"Meepo put up hut." Meepo says as he too feels the wounds of battle. He limps around as he casts tiny hut as a ritual. Then he has his skeletons all climb into the portable hole, the two zombies going with them, before putting the folded up hole into his pouch. Only then does he pull out his skull wand again.

"Mordekai, Meepo wonder if cast illusion on Meepo, so Meepo no look like Meepo." Meepo says as he glances up from the dead elf at his side. "Elf no answer questions if Meepo ask, as Meepo's friends kill elf. Maybe if Meepo no look like Meepo, then elf answer questions better..." He pauses then looks down at the elf again. "What questions do think Meepo ask? Meepo only get five questions, what should be?"

Having awakened with no further enemies to kill or be killed by, Ketch mainly stays where he is and tries to gather himself.  Best to just rest and heal, if given the opportunity.  He figures this could be a place of constant battle, judging by their reception, and so he’d rather conserve his healing gifts if he can… (trying for a short rest…)

Ketch tracks the movement and actions of the others but mostly just sits there motionless, angered that this battle was as close as it was, embarrassed he fell as much as he did…

The group gathers round so that Meepo can perform his ritual. Soon enough a tiny magical dome appears around everyone. Even Ulthan knows the drill and walks over so that he can be included in the spell. Ketch, who had mostly not moved for the entire thing, continues to lay on the ground quietly looking generally displeased, while Lionel, Mordekai, and Meepo move about gingerly given their battle wounds. The undead, and the remains of the remains, all get packed away within the magical hole. The remains of one of the dead elves is laying there as well where Meepo's army had obediently placed it. 

While the group sits and contemplates questions for the elf, the time passes quickly enough. (Short rest achieved without interruption)

(Hit Dice rolled to heal- 72 should get him close… but… actually no.  I guess he doesn’t need bother.  30 mins for rest, 2hp healed end of every turn. Ten turns per minute. 600 turns. Ketch now at 1202 HP…  or max, I guess…)

HD spent: 62 + 14

Mordekai's hit dice to heal 47 hp. 

"Meepo, I can make you look like anything you want - perhaps the elf who ran off? I can make us all look different too, if we want? Almost seems like a waste not to? Anyone else want an appearance change?"

Laffa comes eventually walking out of the bushes. He taps on the outside of the dome. "Can I come in?"  After being told he can't....he sits down on a blanket that he has and leans against the dome. 

Ulthan takes his short rest as the others but is otherwise seemingly eager to leave as soon as possible. Not that he's sure where, but somewhere other than this ambush spot. 61