Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

(Don't forget +3 to save)

Save: 1) 11 2) 21

The screeching was distracting - so much so, Lionel missed both strikes. The evilness of this place and those creatures was overwelming and Lionel tried to calm down by different means: Protection from Evil and Good on self (disadvantage for attackers)

Bonus Action: Channel Divinity on Rohadin: Vow of Enmity (As a bonus action, you can use your Channel Divinity to choose a creature within 10 ft. and gain advantage on attack rolls against it for 1 minute or until it drops to 0 HP or falls unconscious).

Ketch Wisdom Saving Throw: 22 ((Ketch forgot +3 but wa son this time...))

     Ketch thought of himself as a warrior priest, but warrior first.  It was the Half Orc, the Gruumsh way.  But somewhere during his time in the vile, accursed land he seems to have lost his way.  He was beginning to doubt himself, both as priest and now as warrior.  This elf... this pale, pathetic elf was swatting him around as if he was nothing but a gnome.  Once more blow, after blow, after blow struck and Ketch found himself on the edge of consciousness...  But he would not give up, would not give in.

     "Gruumsh... You vicious, cruel dog of a diety...  Give me strength.  If not to save me, at least to save yourself the embarrassment of one of yours dying to such a putrid pointy eared punk of an elf," The prayer was only partially muttered but was fully thought out in the clerics mind, shining brightly and hotly like his rage.  He was rewarded, partially, and found himself replenished of 24 ((4th level Cure Wounds ))

     And while Ketch was feeling the healing grace spat upon him by his lord Gruumsh, he had just enough wits left about him to direct his spiritual weapon to once more strike out at his foe.

Spiritual Weapon Attack: 27 Damage: 6

((To be super clear, Strahd is going to have to reincarnate Ketch if he wants a piece of him!  lol))

((And to be super duper clear on how much the roller hates me... last post I said: Grrr... I think this is second time in a row I criticized on the attack, then rolled 1 and 2 for damage.  *sigh*  At least I hit I guess? Well again!  Crit with Spiritual weapon, rolled two 1s for damage.  Someone say some kind words over Ketch's grave!))

((Not sure there will be someone left to do so, but we all can promise that to each other :) ))

Mordekai continues his furious assault on Rahadin. Bad memories of the Amber Temple come back to him, and he blames Rahadin by association. 

Attack: 21 Damage: 19

Attack: 17 Damage: 7

Ulthan speaks loudly "hrmpfh cough spurt Stad indivisible spurt cough hrmpfh" while a part of him thinks I for one welcome our new vampire overlord, he remembers his hatred for them and then also realizes he may share same hole in the ground as the half-orc which he half-hates.

As Ulthan barely stands he'll at least try to take out that stupid guy we should have killed at the temple. He'll use inspiration for first arrow cause hey might as well use it. And he'll do that super power strength attack which has been so utterly useless so far. Side note, rangers hated enemy is beyond stupid nowadays I get to detect undead if they're within a few miles of me and how many, whopidido ... granted, made funnier by being in this land as well.

He also moves 30 feet in the direction of Rahadin before letting lose his arrows. Intention is to move close to the other group so at least they won't have to go far to attack Strahd after I fall.

Super power bow attack: 22 Damage: 21
Weak ass follow through as too much blood is lost: Attack: 21 Damage: 4

Also might as well make use of this since I've forgotten about it all this time, stone's endurance cause that's my head so 13 less damage as he shifts his body on the last hit.

Ulthan, did you note your 12 temporary hp previously? From Mordekai's speech after our last short rest. You took 43 damage from Strahd, which you reduced by 15. According to my calculating, with the 12 temp hp you should have started this combat at 70, and now be at 42?

Meepo summons rat back towards him, having him appear on the far side of the teleportation trap. He wants to know what is keeping the others from coming and helping deal with these vampire women... He has Rat fly up to look over what is going on above, with the rest of his companions. (figure that will take Meepo's action...)b

((You also likely heard cursing, shouting and clashing of weapons?))

Meepo observes through rat that his friends are in battle with their own foes up above apparently!  No wonder they aren't helping him!

Lionel casts his protective magic, though he's not sure this elf will qualify as any of the types of creatures that his spell grants him protection against. None-the-less, the spell is done, and he glares at the elf with his mystical vow of enmity. 

Ketch, simultaneously cursing and praying to his god feels healing energy flow through him, his magical weapon bonks the elf soundly on the head again.  The elf stops, stunned for a moment, and looks up at the magical weapon with a waspish frown. 

Mordekai meanwhile stands back, just slinging blast after blast of magic at the elf, striking him with one of his two latest blasts. 

Lastly, Ulthan, being clawed by an unseen enemy continues to fire his bow at the elf.  An arrow with killing intent speeds across the air and then strikes the neck guard of the elves studded armor, flying off harmlessly, though the next arrow thuds into his leg heavily enough to make him limp a bit. 

Seeing the wounds on his enemy closing, Rahadin continues forward, his blade like a silver blur cutting through the air and into Ketch over and over.  

Attack: 20 Damage: 9

Attack: 18 Damage: 10

Attack: 21 Damage: 14

Meanwhile, the screaming voices continue to assault both Lionel and Ketch with their horrific psychic oppression, despite Lionel's protections.... 12 DC 16 Wis save for half. 

The last spectre vanished, but a new one rises up out of the ground, grasping for Lionel, the protection from evil shimmering between him and the specter. Attack: 20 Damage: 12

Then the group sees as Strahd appears, standing next to Ulthan.  He is grinning.  Ulthan turns to glance at him and feels himself losing his own mind inside Strahd's eyes. Ulthan, DC 17 wisdom save please. Strahd whispers to Ulthan, "I think it best if you go help your Kobold friend, don't worry, the traps will not affect you, I promise."

Everyone's action. 

Mordekai will fire more Eldritch Blasts at Rahadin, and will try to circle around so that he's close to Ketch. 

"Lionel, can you get some distance between you and Ketch?"

Attack: 17 Damage: 17

Attack: 10 Damage: 16

Wis save: 27

Lionel nodded fist attacking the elf, nevertheless:

Attack: 20 Damage: 13

Attack: 20 Damage: 14  +  6 Divine Smite

But then using Misty Step to get closer to Ulthan (how does Strahd likes the light from all the swords around, btw?) to give Mordekai some space.

Meepo commands his skeletons to shoot the dusk elf...

1 ... Attack: 20 Damage: 8
2 ... Attack: 19 Damage: 6
3 ... Attack: 20 Damage: 7
4 ... Attack: 15 Damage: 8
5 ... Attack: 20 Damage: 10
6 ... Attack: 11 Damage: 6
7 ... Attack: 20 Damage: 10
8 ... Attack: 24 Damage: 7
9 ... Attack: 13 Damage: 9

Wisdom save: 13. ((Forgot the + from Lionel again, but saved again anyway...))

     The noise, so distracting, continues to throw Ketch off in his battle with the pale elf.  It hurts his ears, his head, and keeps his balance off just enough that he cannot dodge and block as well as he feels he should be able to.  First one swipe from the elf slices his midsection, and then one is blocked when Ketch just manages to intersperse his shield between himself and the blade.  But as Ketch readies his battle axe to swing in response, the elf slips in and stabs at him again, catching him just above the shield and the blade slipping in just below the cleric's clavicle...  Ketch starts to collapses.

     I have failed you, Gruumsh.  The Half Orc thinks in his final moments.  Or after them.  It is hard to tell.  Or perhaps you failed me, eh?  Letting me fall to that albino woodland piece of crap.  Well the hell with you then!

     Ketch grunts and catches himself before he falls, an inner burning rage, an inner defiant strength, an inner Relentless Endurance keeping him on his feet when, by all rights, he should fall.  Is it just his orcish fury and blind anger or is it the hand of Gruumsh?  Does it really matter? He stays on his feet (Relentless Endurance brings him back from 0 HP to 1HP - No Action) and refuses to budge.

     Ketch mutters a basic prayer of thanks to Gruumsh ( Cure Wounds 3rd level for 20 healing as his action) and says aloud "I'll not die that easy!" he growls at the elf.  

((If Ketch's Spiritual Weapon survives his brief glimpse of death, he once more uses it to strike out at the elf.  But I totally see it blinking out the moment he fell to 0 HP even if Half Orc Relentless Endurance did immediately rise Ketch back to 1hp.  DM's call))

If needed, Spiritual Weapon Attack: 18 Damage: 12

((Misses anyway, but I may need to know if still up for next round of not...))

Pffft Ulthan no turn around he got prey in front.... he already knew about Strahd would be behind him. He'll just have to be vampire enough to show himself in front of me. Take that vampire! Yes master... 16.
If he fails obviously....
If he succeeds he'll rush into melee with the shortsword in his hand rather than hanging off him providing the holy light that doesn't bother stupid vampire enough.
Recklessly he charges forward trying to plunge the light shortsword through the elf's gut, or merely have it thrust 2 feet to the side.
Attack: 17 Damage: 8 
Attack2: 23 Damage: 9 

---------- ignore everything after this line, gave me a dice rolling error message when I first posted so I edited and rolled again.
Try #2 in case still first try in same message doesn't work. 
save 19
Attack1: 26 Damage: 12 
Attack2: 14 Damage: 7 

Both of Mordekai's blasts miss, as Rahadin ducks and weaves smoothly, one blast splashing off his armor. 

Lionel steps in, a first blow sweeping past Rahadin, but perhaps just a feint as he next slams into the elf, holy energy tearing into the elf who stumbles with the blow.  Then Lionel vanishes and appears next to Strahd, bathing him in sunlight. 

Meanwhile, Rahadin turns, ready to face his next foe, but Ketch stumbles, and stays conscious (Spiritual weapon still intact.) ...cursing Grumsh while pouring the gods healing into his body as quickly as he can.  Rahadin looks back at the stubborn half-orc, ready to strike him down, then a fleet of arrows come spraying across him like a swarm of angry wasps. Several of them strike into his armor.  He briefly clutches his side where one cracked him pretty good, and growls, looking back to the Half-orc. 

Ulthan, stubborn to the maximum, ignores Strahd's command.  The light from his short sword doesn't seem to bother Strahd, and Ulthan doesn't care, focused on the elf.  He rushes across the open ground swinging the blade at the elf trying to finish him off, getting a slight nick in on the warrior. Strahd swings a claw at Ulthan as he moves away from him. Attack: 28 Damage: 5 + 7 Necrotic damage. 

Rahadin, looking a bit beaten up, looks to Ketch and grimaces, and then continues trying to down the stubborn half-orc. 

Attack: 27 Damage: 16

Attack: 24 Damage: 12

Attack: 26 Damage: 11

His blows sweep back and forth across Ketch, but he seems to be stumbling after taking so many hits and each go off of Ketch's armor without affect. 

Both Ulthan and Ketch feel the terrible chorus of wails eating at their souls.  Wisdom DC 16 save, 15, half damage if you save. 

Meanwhile, Strahd hisses, as his flesh blackens and chars under the light....though his flesh seems to heal as quickly as it burns, despite the sunlight shining across him that should prevent him from healing.   He then turns to the mob of skeletons and unleashes a fireball that tears into all of them.  Dex DC 18. 29 fire damage, save for half. 

Then he simply moves and strides directly through the wall of crypt 31 as if the wall was not there. 

Everyone's actions. 

It was tempting to follow Strahd (not through the wall - around) but Rohadin was still standing and still hurting others.

After Mordekai did what he planned to do with the vampires helper, Lionel returned to unleash dwarven fury on the elf:

Attack: 13 Damage: 14

Attack: 16 Damage: 14 

4 and 4 of radiant damage on top of it for Crusader’s Mantle

Wisdom Save: 15

     Ketch stumbles and weaves and dodges and ducks, amazingly avoiding all the blows.  Was it luck? Stubbornness? Gruumsh finally smiling down upon him? It didn't matter, there was life still in his body so he would continue the fight!

     Ketch swings his Battleaxe even as he mentally command his spiritual axe to do the same.  Sensing, hoping beyond hope perhaps, that his opponent may finally be near the edge, Ketch feels a bolt of inspiration from Gruumsh and finds it within him to push himself and swing an extra time, screaming in fury as he does intelligibly.

BattleAxe 19 Damage: 5 

Spiritual Weapon 25 Damage: 11 plus 3 Radiant from Ulthan

War Priest Battle Axe 10 Damage: 12  plus 2 Radiant from Ulthan

     Not feeling his swing is true even as he makes it, Ketch Channels Divinity on his first swing...

BattleAxe Channel Divinity 20 Damage: 8 plus 1 Radiant from Ulthan

Potential warning due to adding the 1d4 from Ulthan

Seeing that Ketch is still up for now, Mordekai decides to cast Slow on Rahadin.

(DC16 WIS save)

Skeletons aves...

1 ... 22
2 ... 8
3 ... 19
4 ... 6
5 ... 16
6 ... 4
7 ... 16
8 ... 7
9 ... 17

Three of the skeletons survive the fireball. The other 6 are destroyed.