Ghosts of Saltmarsh (cbaer8) - Campaign Thread

Ogmund parries the first hit, but the second two slip past his defenses. He takes a pair of significant slash wounds. But he is still far from down.

He spits on the ground and glowers, not showing any reaction to the words Gerrard said, nor any real pain at his wounds. "Give me back my Petunia," he growls, almost inaudibly.

Peri is up.

Peri:

Peri is impressed with the man's ability to take a beating.Not enough that I want to see if he can give as good as he takes! The arrival of reinforcements, one of them wearing fancy robes, is enough to convince him these guys are not poor, stranded refugees. "If the stealthy approach is out the window, so's the gentle touch!" He whirls his spear and drives it into the man's thigh (13 for 11 + 2 necrotic) and uses it to spring upward, aiming a quick flurry of kicks at Ogmund's face (10 for 6 + 5 necrotic; 13 for 7 + 2 necrotic). He uses the momentum of the kicks to push himself away and lands at the top of the stairs.

Peri pummels the spearman both with spear and feet. He definitely looks in bad shape now from this onslaught. 

Infuriated and weaponless, he lashes out at Gerrard with his massive, battered shield:

Shield Bash Attack #1: Unable to parse dice roll.  Hit: 9 bludgeoning damage and Gerrard must succeed on a DC 15 STR save or be knocked prone.
Shield Bash Attack #2: 23  Hit: 11 bludgeoning damage and Gerrard must succeed on a DC 15 STR save or be knocked prone.
Gerrard STR Save: 17  
Shield Bash Attack #3: 20  Hit: 7 bludgeoning damage and Gerrard must succeed on a DC 15 STR save or be knocked prone.

One-Two-Three! Gerrard fields a triple swing of this weathered fighter's massive shield, taking a minor impact from the second swing, but Gerrard manages to stay on his feet.

 Boko and Kei are up next!

Gerrard's Parry:  7

Kei 

Himself, infuriated that his previous spell failed, Kei draws upon his connection to the Weave to send a private insult straight to the mind of Ogmund the Defenseless.

DW dmg - 7 and must move away. Wis 15 save for half and movement.

The spearman's face screws up in pain at the inaudible melody. DC15 WIS Save: 7

Ogmund looks more angry than frightened, but his feet compel him away from the source – deeper into the desolate, sleet-covered scrub, behind a large boulder.

Boko is up next (and may use her reaction for an opportunity attack if she wants. I believe Gerrard already used his reaction on the parry.)

Initiative:
   Boko 23
√ Kei 21
   Three Crossbowmen 16
   Dwal 15  (has Ogmund's spear; +5 AC Shield)
-- Cards Woman 11 (unconscious)
   Stringy-haired acolyte 11 (tending to sleeping man in yellow.)
    the Boy 11 (attacking Dwal)
   Gerrard 10
-- Man in yellow robes 9 (asleep near bottom of stairs)
   Peri 6
   Ogmund 5 (STR-hexed, disarmed, in bad shape)

...additional voices can be heard below. "Get the casters!" shouts one.

Boko does use her reaction to attack:

Unarmed Strike Attack: 25 Damage: 7

She then nods at Gerrard in a businesslike, encouraging manner, and moves toward the stairs with half her movement so she has a decent sightline downstairs. She casts flaming sphere just on the other side of that group of people on the stairs, putting it as inconveniently for them as possible. She then uses her bonus action to wildshape into a dire wolf, and pads heavily, if quietly, closer, either around the side of the stairway opening to ready herself to pounce, or preparing herself at the top of the stairs to take the place of one of her allies, trying to nose her way past to get past. 

Flaming sphere damage when appropriate: 6

Boko manages to clock the retreating spearman in the jaw as he retreats. He is barely standing, staggering, and roaring incoherently; but he is still swinging around his heavy shield wildly.

She then produces a huge ball of arcane flame at the bottom of the stairs, causing a brief panic among the crossbowmen.
But they quickly control themselves. One of the straggly-bearded crossbowmen deftly lifts the sleeping priest and carries him away to the northwest, all the while shaking him and shouting for him to wake.

The other two level their crossbows at Dwal and fire past the flame ball and the boy:
Heavy Crossbow #1 vs Dwal: 20  Hit: 8 piercing damage.
Heavy Crossbow #2 vs Dwal: 12  Hit: 7 piercing damage. 

...before backing downstairs, away from the flame. (Fortunately, Dwal's shield continues to protect him for another moment.)

A robed figure in red peering up the stairs to the east utters a mystical word and makes a gesture at Peri:
(Peri: Make a DC11 WIS save or become paralyzed.) The figure then backs out of sight.

 Dwal is up next!

WIS Save: 23

√ Boko 23
√ Kei 21
√ Swordsman 21
√ Red Robes 19
√ Three Crossbowmen 16
   Dwal 15 (has Ogmund's spear)
-- Cards Woman 11 unconscious
   Stringy-haired acolyte 11
   the Boy 11
   Old man 11
   Gerrard 10
   Man in yellow robes 9
   Peri 6
   Ogmund 5 (STR-hexed, disarmed)

Dwal looks past the crazed teenager and past the huge ball of arcane flame at the wooden door. Dwal is up next!

The spearman swears and growls and, smashing his fist into his shield, begins to stomp his way back toward Gerrard.

Dwal will take an action and swing at the teenager with his Battle Axe, dropping the Mage Hand.

Attack: 17
Damage (if hits): 5

As a bonus action Dwal will Misty Step to move 30 ft. to the right of where he is standing presently. 

The boy is clobbered by the axe, drawing blood from his arm and torso, but he is still standing. Spooked by Dwal's attack and disappearing act, as well as the massive ball of flame behind him, he dashes to the northwest, to the edge of the fallow field, narrowly missing an opportunity attack by Peri.

The stringy-haired acolyte at the bottom of the stairs makes an arcane sign, then vanishes to the west, together with the scimitar-wielding old man.

Gerrard is up!

Gerrard:

"You've got this sorted up here, right?" asks Gerrard, expecting the greater threat to now be below.  Moving swiftly down the stairs past the fiery orb, Gerrard engages the crossbowman on his right (bottom of the stairs on the left in the picture), stabbing quickly with his weapons and moving into that foe's space and continuing his rapid barrage against the other foes within reach.  Still he strikes to incapacitate, not kill, asking dryly, "Perhaps you folk are more conversational--are you pirates, cultists of Xolor, or minions on Iuz?"

Move to get down the stairs (plus move into the crossbowman's space if he takes him down).

Action to Stabby-stabby, Action Surge to stab some more...

Elegant Rapier:  Attack: 11 Damage: 6

Elegant Rapier:  Attack: 19 Damage: 8

Main Gauche:  Attack: 19 Damage: 11

Elegant Rapier:  Attack: 28 Damage: 20

Elegant Rapier:  Attack: 10 Damage: 13

Gerrard dashes to the other side of the flaming sphere. With a flurry of blades, he engages the crossbowman on his right, an older man with a long, straggly beard, but clearly with some fighting chops. Three of Gerrard's five swings connect, but none of them take him out of the fight; the man is bloodied, but still coming on with experienced finesse.

This puts Gerrard in an awkward position - does he remain where he is and risk being set aflame, or does he retreat back to his initial position, and risk two opportunity attacks?

Gerrard, trapped between two engaged fighters and an intense ball of flame, must make a DC15 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Peri may act next!

Gerrard:

Dexterity Save:  14

Now awake, you can hear the priest's booming voice from below. 
"You will not enter this sacred place! You will not have this island. Your souls will be hurled into the void where they belong!" 
Gerrard catches a glimpse of a slight glow ignited around the corner, in the cellar, where the priest had retreated.

Peri is up!

Peri:

Shaking his head in wonder at the invincible Ogmund, Peri tries to put him down for good. He points a finger and fires an eldritch blast at him: 18 for 7 force + 3 necrotic; 2nd beam: 9 for 9 force + 5 necrotic. (If Ogmund drops, Peri will use his BA to move his hex to the unwounded crossbowman.)

The stairs are blocked by the flaming sphere and the crossbowmen, and now Gerrard, so Peri holds his position at the top of the stairs. "Boko, there's more of 'em around the corner to the right of the stairs! See if you can move that ball of yours over there!" To Gerrard, "Stop ticklin' 'em and just stab 'em already!"

Gerrard:

"Whom do you serve, priest?" yells Gerrard, upset that no one will answer him, but at the same time worried about the answer--this feels a lot like the fanatical follower of Xolor they fought outside Saltmarsh...