This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(sorry, for the delay, I got sick :/ still am, but I can post! catching up first though)
Chrys grunts as some of the arrow still manages to brush by her, drawing blood. Con save: 9
She replies in kind, not by aiming at any of the bandits that the others are engaging, but by pulling out her javelin and pointing out the hidden one with a throw. "There's four o' them!"she yells roughly, flinging the javelin at the one trying to hide.
Attack: 13 Damage: 8
(I got a sneaky suspicion the jav was poisoned. If it was, Chrys would have disadvantage on her attack roll, so a second atk roll would be 24)
(Chrys got hit by and arrow, not a javelin, right? Also, did Antonio seem to be using magic when he reduced the damage to Chrys? Anything Lumen would recognize?)
Feeling emboldened that she was apparently able to avoid the worst from an arrow that appeared to be aimed squarely at her chest, Chrys feels an unusual sting at first, but her dwarven resilience allows her to fight off whatever toxin was present on the arrow point. Responding with determination and battle prowess, despite it being a difficult throw, she hurls her javelin and scores a hit on the man who spoke out from behind the tree. Her accuracy allows her to nail him right when he pokes around to quickly survey the scene, and he winces in pain as the weapon slams into his gut.
The man responds by stepping out from behind the tree and looking directly at Chrys. You all recognize him as the man you saw in passing yesterday at the gate in Melton, and then as Lumen saw in the crowd at The Calling Horns Inn. He's wearing a black cloak with dark purple trim that's adorned with silver emblems at the collar, and the hood is up, but you can see his dark brown locks spilling out from underneath. His face is thick, although his body shape is rather trim.
Opening his mouth, he speaks in a sharp confident voice. "You know not what you are up against, Dwarf. This is a fight you cannot win. Give us the mask and we will spare you from death and torment."
He then lifts his hand, and pointing at both Chrys and Kess, he says but one word in a commanding voice, before ducking back behind the tree.
"HALT!"
(Need WIS saving throws from both Chrys and Kess.)
As if following his lead, the two other bandits that are hiding behind the trees leap out with crossbow in hand. They both fire their bolts at Chrys Attack: 8 Damage: 9, Attack: 8 Damage: 4 before ducking back behind their respective trees, but not before Lumen recognizes them as the other two men he saw with this odd stranger inside The Calling Horns Inn. Fortunately for Chrys, both bolts clink harmlessly off of her armor, although she does feel the slight bruising of two close range missile attacks.
For a few seconds, Chrys feels a slight fog in her mind, as if she's fighting some odd sense of magical control from the outside. It's a feeling that she has never felt before, but her sense of determination, devotion and once again, her dwarven resilience, win out and she shrugs off the feeling with no ill effects.
The bard moves within 20 feet (still off to the side a bit), chucks one of his daggers at the man in the black cloak, and inspires Vesper (+d6 to a roll in the next 10 mins).
Dagger Attack on cloaked maskhunter: 17 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.
"But really, what makes you think we have a mask?"Deception: 17
Kess also feels a strange cloud of arcane compulsion in her mind, but her strong-willed determination allows her to shrug it off with no effect.
Unfortunately, Lumen's aim is quite a bit off, and it slams into the tree. He hears the cloaked man shout back in response, "Do not insult me, bard. We know the truth. People talk. Word travels. Your friends in Melton were a little loose with their tongues."
Also, Lumen can't tell if there was any magic involved in Antonio's chiding and his attempt to throw off the assailant's bow last round. However, he does see him pull a hand crossbow out from beneath his cloak, turn and fire a bolt at the same bandit that Kess has already wounded. Attack: 18 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.. Unfortunately, it also slams into the tree, which is providing cover for the man.
Meanwhile, in the hillside brush about 15 feet behind the trees, where the Kobear is tangling with the other cloaked assailant, the man draws his rapier and thrusts it forward, attempting to stab the Krackle Bear in the belly. Attack: 21 Damage: 7. He then steps back (Disengage action) and moves another 30 feet even further into the forest.
"If you know that, then you also realize we'll not just handle such an evil thing to any that ask for it...! Your murderous intent speaks for you!" Kess growls in reply. With a twist of her ankle, she advances on the wounded bandit like a pouncing mountain lion, scimitars drawn, her dark cerulean hair flowing wildly behind her.
For a moment, as she raised her blades to bare, Kess wanted to pity the man as blood oozed from his wounds. She took no pleasure in what she was about to do, but by their own actions these men had sought to do great harm, and likely intended to do harm even further beyond the Pie Pals. Had these done something to the people of Melton...?
A thought for another time. For now, Kess had these wretches to attend to. And as she considered that, she put herself at peace with the fact that she was about to strike down another life, and a human at that.
(Your choices led you here, foolish men... and now you face their fruit.)
Kess pounces with her scimitar, looking to finish off the wounded bandit: 15, Damage: 8
Kess then brought down second swipe with the other blade, assuming that there isn't another nearby and he doesn't fall from the first; if she did, then she'd move as quick as she can to engage the next bandit with her next slash: 9, damage: 2.
Krackle would let out a loud roar before racing after the fleeing man, his sharp claws digging into the earth before leaping towards the man once more.
Bite Attack: 12 Damage: 9 Claws Attack: 26 Damage: 22 adding bardic inspiration to the first attack roll if it doesn't hit 1 (Welp that stinks)
Quickly realizing that he's completely outmatched against the elf, the bandit's face contorts into an expression of fear and terror as she quickly cuts him down. He slumps to the ground as Kess wastes no time closing in on the other one who's hiding behind the next tree about 10 feet away. This one is ready for her attack, though, and he quite effectively dodges the sharp end of her sword and reaches for his own.
Vesper sends a trio of magic missiles towards the suspected "leader" of this ambush, and he gasps in a howl of pain as the bolts explode upon his body with bright flashes.
Further on in the woods, the Kobear bounds through the thick brush towards the other man as branches and sticks scrape harmlessly against his thick fur. He quickly catches him and pounces upon the cloaked assailant with vicious fury, swiping and biting at him and drawing even more blood. However, as with last time, the man thrashes about with incredible agility and defiant, desperate energy and he completely avoids the sharp claws and seems to escape the worst possible bites from the Kracklebear's powerful jaws.
(Right now Krackle and the man are fighting in the thick brush about 70 feet off the trail to the left.)
Stamping forward as fast as her dwarf legs will carry her up the slope with armor clinking, Chrys approaches the cloaked man behind the tree. Already injured and seeing that his plan has quickly unraveled, he frantically tries to get away, but his escape is cut short by a brutal hammer swing that bashes in the man's chest with a bloody, bone crushing thwack. Due Process has indeed meted justice and through the might of Chrysobery and the divine powers that drive her, this cloaked man who was apparently a servant of Shar is quickly struck down dead.
With two of his companions now dead, and the other being chased off by the bear, the remaining bandit finds himself at the short end of a very sharp stick. With Kess baring down on him with her blades, the man drops his own weapon and falls to his knees, pleading for his life.
Lumen is up now with his actions, although anyone can interact with this bandit if they wish.
"Krackle! Are you okay? Two have fallen and the third surrendered, so herd that one back, or eat him if he refuses." Lumen knows how to project well, and that message was just as much for the bandit as it was for Krackle. He honestly thought this was going to be a fight they'd have to run from, so he looks at Chrys and Kess with open and plain martial respect. Something becoming more and more familiar to him at this point.
He steps forward to search, then tie up, the third bandit, ready to cast sleep if he tries anything funny. "Okay then neighbor. This didn't go your way. Make a move and it's the last you'll see for a while. But you can improve your situation if you start talking, and telling me helpful things. Who is that. Who are you. When did you learn of us. Who else have you coordinated with. That sort of thing."He searches the man's clothes for anything hidden and takes everything he finds. He then ties up his hands and feet very tightly.
(Lemme know if I need to roll an intimidation or persuasion check for this.)
Chrys leans down and hauls the body of the man she struck down back towards the others by the rim of his cloak. She throws the corpse onto the road, before silently stomping towards the other felled bandits and doing the same for them. The entire time, her jaw is clenching and unclenching, a look of anger on her face. After she's done laying the bodies out - more respectfully than they deserve, but there's no reason to treat these humans as rabid animals in death, even if they acted like them in life - she kneels down by the corpses and clasps her hands together.
"May these fool souls be granted the justice they deserve beyond the Veil."
It's the most charitable she can manage with her temper still flaring, and she scrambles to her feet. "I can't believe these guys hurt so many people just on account o' that stupid mask! How many more lives is Shar gonna go around ruinin', huh?"
Growling, she looks around for Kracklebear's return. "Where is Krackle? He alright?" The concern for the missing member of the Pie Pals manages to break through the simmering anger that was plaguing her, and some of her scowl drops as she scans the forest for any sign of their friend.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As Lumen yells towards Krackle, the assailant that's currently engaged with the Kobear turns and flees, dashing through the woods as fast as his legs will carry him. Ducking and twisting beneath, around and straight through the mess of thick brush, he sprints away and tries to get out of sight.
Krackle, you can make an opportunity attack on him if you wish.
DM Roll
24
The bandit remains on his knees with his hands up in the air and answers in a resigned voice.
"I ain't nobody... just a hired arm, mate and I don't know nuthin' 'bout you. Don' kill me, man. Me an' the other guy... we ain't like the other two. Them guys are involved in things that are darker than anything I want to know about... The one with the dark cloak that you just killed, we done a few jobs for him. Scary fella'... dark magic and all. Nuthin' I want a part of. Like I said, he just paid us to be extra muscle... But it's that other guy I'd be more worried about. That fella scares me. If it weren't for yer pet bear, he'd a done you for much worse."
Searching this man, you find that in addition to his light crossbow and a collection of bolts he carries a scimitar, a small bag of dried food stuffs and stale bread hunks, and a small pouch that contains a few coins, 5 gold and 22 silver. His fallen companies carries pretty much the same kinds of items, with 6 gp and 18 sp.
(sorry, for the delay, I got sick :/ still am, but I can post! catching up first though)
Chrys grunts as some of the arrow still manages to brush by her, drawing blood.
Con save: 9
She replies in kind, not by aiming at any of the bandits that the others are engaging, but by pulling out her javelin and pointing out the hidden one with a throw. "There's four o' them!" she yells roughly, flinging the javelin at the one trying to hide.
Attack: 13
Damage: 8
(I got a sneaky suspicion the jav was poisoned. If it was, Chrys would have disadvantage on her attack roll, so a second atk roll would be 24)
if poison adv on con save: 24
(Chrys got hit by and arrow, not a javelin, right? Also, did Antonio seem to be using magic when he reduced the damage to Chrys? Anything Lumen would recognize?)
Lumen, make an Arcana check.
Feeling emboldened that she was apparently able to avoid the worst from an arrow that appeared to be aimed squarely at her chest, Chrys feels an unusual sting at first, but her dwarven resilience allows her to fight off whatever toxin was present on the arrow point. Responding with determination and battle prowess, despite it being a difficult throw, she hurls her javelin and scores a hit on the man who spoke out from behind the tree. Her accuracy allows her to nail him right when he pokes around to quickly survey the scene, and he winces in pain as the weapon slams into his gut.
The man responds by stepping out from behind the tree and looking directly at Chrys. You all recognize him as the man you saw in passing yesterday at the gate in Melton, and then as Lumen saw in the crowd at The Calling Horns Inn. He's wearing a black cloak with dark purple trim that's adorned with silver emblems at the collar, and the hood is up, but you can see his dark brown locks spilling out from underneath. His face is thick, although his body shape is rather trim.
Opening his mouth, he speaks in a sharp confident voice. "You know not what you are up against, Dwarf. This is a fight you cannot win. Give us the mask and we will spare you from death and torment."
He then lifts his hand, and pointing at both Chrys and Kess, he says but one word in a commanding voice, before ducking back behind the tree.
"HALT!"
(Need WIS saving throws from both Chrys and Kess.)
As if following his lead, the two other bandits that are hiding behind the trees leap out with crossbow in hand. They both fire their bolts at Chrys Attack: 8 Damage: 9, Attack: 8 Damage: 4 before ducking back behind their respective trees, but not before Lumen recognizes them as the other two men he saw with this odd stranger inside The Calling Horns Inn. Fortunately for Chrys, both bolts clink harmlessly off of her armor, although she does feel the slight bruising of two close range missile attacks.
It is now Lumen's turn.
Wis save: 21
For a few seconds, Chrys feels a slight fog in her mind, as if she's fighting some odd sense of magical control from the outside. It's a feeling that she has never felt before, but her sense of determination, devotion and once again, her dwarven resilience, win out and she shrugs off the feeling with no ill effects.
((Kess Wisdom save: 17 ))
Lumen arcana check: 18
When Krackle mauls one of the bandits, Lumen says, "oh you guys are so screwed now!"
The bard moves within 20 feet (still off to the side a bit), chucks one of his daggers at the man in the black cloak, and inspires Vesper (+d6 to a roll in the next 10 mins).
Dagger Attack on cloaked maskhunter: 17 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.
"But really, what makes you think we have a mask?" Deception: 17
Kess also feels a strange cloud of arcane compulsion in her mind, but her strong-willed determination allows her to shrug it off with no effect.
Unfortunately, Lumen's aim is quite a bit off, and it slams into the tree. He hears the cloaked man shout back in response, "Do not insult me, bard. We know the truth. People talk. Word travels. Your friends in Melton were a little loose with their tongues."
Also, Lumen can't tell if there was any magic involved in Antonio's chiding and his attempt to throw off the assailant's bow last round. However, he does see him pull a hand crossbow out from beneath his cloak, turn and fire a bolt at the same bandit that Kess has already wounded. Attack: 18 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.. Unfortunately, it also slams into the tree, which is providing cover for the man.
Meanwhile, in the hillside brush about 15 feet behind the trees, where the Kobear is tangling with the other cloaked assailant, the man draws his rapier and thrusts it forward, attempting to stab the Krackle Bear in the belly. Attack: 21 Damage: 7. He then steps back (Disengage action) and moves another 30 feet even further into the forest.
Ok, everyone else can go now.
Vesper shoots the guy that just asked for the mask with three magic missiles 11
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
"If you know that, then you also realize we'll not just handle such an evil thing to any that ask for it...! Your murderous intent speaks for you!" Kess growls in reply. With a twist of her ankle, she advances on the wounded bandit like a pouncing mountain lion, scimitars drawn, her dark cerulean hair flowing wildly behind her.
For a moment, as she raised her blades to bare, Kess wanted to pity the man as blood oozed from his wounds. She took no pleasure in what she was about to do, but by their own actions these men had sought to do great harm, and likely intended to do harm even further beyond the Pie Pals. Had these done something to the people of Melton...?
A thought for another time. For now, Kess had these wretches to attend to. And as she considered that, she put herself at peace with the fact that she was about to strike down another life, and a human at that.
(Your choices led you here, foolish men... and now you face their fruit.)
Kess pounces with her scimitar, looking to finish off the wounded bandit: 15, Damage: 8
Kess then brought down second swipe with the other blade, assuming that there isn't another nearby and he doesn't fall from the first; if she did, then she'd move as quick as she can to engage the next bandit with her next slash: 9, damage: 2.
Krackle would let out a loud roar before racing after the fleeing man, his sharp claws digging into the earth before leaping towards the man once more.
Bite Attack: 12 Damage: 9
Claws Attack: 26 Damage: 22
adding bardic inspiration to the first attack roll if it doesn't hit 1 (Welp that stinks)
Quickly realizing that he's completely outmatched against the elf, the bandit's face contorts into an expression of fear and terror as she quickly cuts him down. He slumps to the ground as Kess wastes no time closing in on the other one who's hiding behind the next tree about 10 feet away. This one is ready for her attack, though, and he quite effectively dodges the sharp end of her sword and reaches for his own.
Vesper sends a trio of magic missiles towards the suspected "leader" of this ambush, and he gasps in a howl of pain as the bolts explode upon his body with bright flashes.
Further on in the woods, the Kobear bounds through the thick brush towards the other man as branches and sticks scrape harmlessly against his thick fur. He quickly catches him and pounces upon the cloaked assailant with vicious fury, swiping and biting at him and drawing even more blood. However, as with last time, the man thrashes about with incredible agility and defiant, desperate energy and he completely avoids the sharp claws and seems to escape the worst possible bites from the Kracklebear's powerful jaws.
(Right now Krackle and the man are fighting in the thick brush about 70 feet off the trail to the left.)
Chrys is up now.
ooc: So did my 21 to hit with the claws actually land or not, I wasnt sure by the description
Yes, the claw attack did hit, but he was able to evade some of the damage.
Chrys ignore the rest of the combatants and goes straight for the leader who addressed her.
“Ya hurt people. Ya hurt MY people, an‘ now, by the Duin, yer gonna pay for it!“
Chrys will attack him with Due Process if she can reach him, and a jav if not.
Attack: 21
Hammer Damage: 13
(will reroll for javelin if necessary)
Stamping forward as fast as her dwarf legs will carry her up the slope with armor clinking, Chrys approaches the cloaked man behind the tree. Already injured and seeing that his plan has quickly unraveled, he frantically tries to get away, but his escape is cut short by a brutal hammer swing that bashes in the man's chest with a bloody, bone crushing thwack. Due Process has indeed meted justice and through the might of Chrysobery and the divine powers that drive her, this cloaked man who was apparently a servant of Shar is quickly struck down dead.
With two of his companions now dead, and the other being chased off by the bear, the remaining bandit finds himself at the short end of a very sharp stick. With Kess baring down on him with her blades, the man drops his own weapon and falls to his knees, pleading for his life.
Lumen is up now with his actions, although anyone can interact with this bandit if they wish.
"Krackle! Are you okay? Two have fallen and the third surrendered, so herd that one back, or eat him if he refuses." Lumen knows how to project well, and that message was just as much for the bandit as it was for Krackle. He honestly thought this was going to be a fight they'd have to run from, so he looks at Chrys and Kess with open and plain martial respect. Something becoming more and more familiar to him at this point.
He steps forward to search, then tie up, the third bandit, ready to cast sleep if he tries anything funny. "Okay then neighbor. This didn't go your way. Make a move and it's the last you'll see for a while. But you can improve your situation if you start talking, and telling me helpful things. Who is that. Who are you. When did you learn of us. Who else have you coordinated with. That sort of thing." He searches the man's clothes for anything hidden and takes everything he finds. He then ties up his hands and feet very tightly.
(Lemme know if I need to roll an intimidation or persuasion check for this.)
Chrys leans down and hauls the body of the man she struck down back towards the others by the rim of his cloak. She throws the corpse onto the road, before silently stomping towards the other felled bandits and doing the same for them. The entire time, her jaw is clenching and unclenching, a look of anger on her face. After she's done laying the bodies out - more respectfully than they deserve, but there's no reason to treat these humans as rabid animals in death, even if they acted like them in life - she kneels down by the corpses and clasps her hands together.
"May these fool souls be granted the justice they deserve beyond the Veil."
It's the most charitable she can manage with her temper still flaring, and she scrambles to her feet. "I can't believe these guys hurt so many people just on account o' that stupid mask! How many more lives is Shar gonna go around ruinin', huh?"
Growling, she looks around for Kracklebear's return. "Where is Krackle? He alright?" The concern for the missing member of the Pie Pals manages to break through the simmering anger that was plaguing her, and some of her scowl drops as she scans the forest for any sign of their friend.
As Lumen yells towards Krackle, the assailant that's currently engaged with the Kobear turns and flees, dashing through the woods as fast as his legs will carry him. Ducking and twisting beneath, around and straight through the mess of thick brush, he sprints away and tries to get out of sight.
Krackle, you can make an opportunity attack on him if you wish.
DM Roll
24
The bandit remains on his knees with his hands up in the air and answers in a resigned voice.
"I ain't nobody... just a hired arm, mate and I don't know nuthin' 'bout you. Don' kill me, man. Me an' the other guy... we ain't like the other two. Them guys are involved in things that are darker than anything I want to know about... The one with the dark cloak that you just killed, we done a few jobs for him. Scary fella'... dark magic and all. Nuthin' I want a part of. Like I said, he just paid us to be extra muscle... But it's that other guy I'd be more worried about. That fella scares me. If it weren't for yer pet bear, he'd a done you for much worse."
Searching this man, you find that in addition to his light crossbow and a collection of bolts he carries a scimitar, a small bag of dried food stuffs and stale bread hunks, and a small pouch that contains a few coins, 5 gold and 22 silver. His fallen companies carries pretty much the same kinds of items, with 6 gp and 18 sp.