Ghosts of Saltmarsh (cbaer8) - Campaign Thread

Peri:

Peri studies the pair from his hidden position. So she's a caster -- makes her the more dangerous of the two, probably. He waits for them to both be facing away from him and to either speak or move, so that he can't be heard, and whispers a hex on the woman, blighting her Wisdom. They hadn't agreed on a signal to spring their ambush, but it's probably best to wait until they're further from the stairs and less likely to be heard from below. He waits, ready to spring out.

The spearman doesn't hesitate to chase the footfalls into the scrub. His spear raised high and his eyes bulging with intent, he seems quite eager to skewer whatever he finds.

The cards woman stands at the top of the stairs, pausing and keeping an eye out. But she gets a sudden headache from Peri's hex, and rubs her eyes. 

The door at the bottom of the stairwell is still open, but none of you have a good view of the bottom. Nevertheless, no one else appears.

Kei 

Their ruse was a success. Kei watches as the spear wielding ruffian moves off to the north. He sees the woman holding cards stand her ground as magic flows from her. She's mine. He whispers one word in her direction "amaurosis".

((Con save 15 or be blinded))

If she fails he will wave to Peri and indicate she's blinded by holding his hand across his eyes and then pointing to the woman. He then points to the spearman and run his thumb across his throat.

Gerrard:

Tensed, Gerrard waits for the opportunity to leap into action.  Initiative:  10

Kei 

Initiative 22

He watches closely for any sign that the two islanders are onto their ambush.

The woman cries out, as she puts her hand to her eyes. DC15 CON Save: 11

Initiative:
Ogmund the Spearman: 6
Cards woman: 3
Gerrard: 10
Kei: 21
Peri:  16
Dwal:  14
Boko:  6

Everyone except Kei may act next.

Ogmund grunts, but continues to probe around for the source of the door slam and sounds. Nobody else emerges from the stairwell.

Peri:

Peri sees Kei's slightly confusing pantomime and guesses that he wants him to attack Ogmund first, but he already has his hex on the woman and he thinks she's the more dangerous of the pair. He compromises by rushing out and attacking her on the way to the spearman. He swings his spear at the back of her head (25 for 6 + 6 necrotic) and follows it with a pair of kicks to her legs (24 for 5 + 3; 21 for 8 + 3). He uses the rest of his 45' of movement to close the range with Ogmund.

Gerrard:

Springing out from his cover, Gerrard races straight towards the spearman and whirls his blades at the man's arms and weapons, attempting to disarm him and take the fight out of him without immediately killing him (attacking to subdue).

Elegant Rapier Attack #1:  Attack: 28 Damage: 13

Elegant Rapier Attack #2:  Attack: 27 Damage: 13

Main Gauche Attack:  Attack: 14 Damage: 7

Disarm if any of the attacks hit:  DC 16 Strength Save to keep hold of weapon, extra damage = 3

Gerrard sprints across the frozen, packed dirt to the baffled spearman who looks up with slow alarm. He attempts to parry Gerrard's first swing, but Gerrard's blade is just too fast.
DC16 Strength save: 12
His spear is slammed out of his meaty hand and clatters to the ground.
The second blow strikes Ogmund as well, dealing another punishing blow. But this guy seems to be made of tough stuff.

Meanwhile, Cards Woman goes down silently with the first necrotic spear hit to her head. She drops her hand of cards and slumps to the ground. Peri closes the gap to reach Ogmund. (Peri uses his BA to transfer the Hex to Ogmund; disadvantage on STR checks.)

Initiative:
   Boko: 23
√ Kei: 21
   Dwal: 15
   Cards woman: 11
 √ Gerrard: 10
 √ Peri: 6
 x Ogmund the Spearman: 5 (surprised, STR-hexed)

Boko and Dwal may act next!

Boko's eyes widen at the group's swift movement, which was actually more functional than impulsive. Impressive.

She watches the woman go down quickly, and the others converge on the spearman. She moves 20 feet north and peeks down the stairs, not wanting to get caught unawares by anyone else. While she does so, she points at Ogmund and casts frostbite, for 8 cold damage and disadvantage on the next attack on a failed CON 15 save

Turning back to the stairs, she gets ready to give anyone running out a smack, should she have the opportunity.

Boko bounds over to the top of the stairs; looking down to see nothing but the dark, open door. Nobody joining the party, yet.
Gesturing toward Ogmund, she pulls a frost out of the cold, damp air that begins to cover the spearman's arms and torso. DC15 CON Save: 23  
...but he shakes off the ice, his eyes fixed warily on Gerrard.

Dwal is up next! Then Boko and Kei.

√ Boko 23
√ Kei 21
   Dwal 15
   Cards Woman 11
√ Gerrard 10
√ Peri 6
-  Ogmund 5 (surprised, STR-hexed, disarmed)

Dwal moves 15 ft. towards Peri, casts Mage Hand and grabs the downed spear, moving it out of Ogmund's reach and brings it to him by way of behind Gerrard and Peri.

Dwal leaps forward, over the card woman's body, and cleanly and spectrally grabs the spear out from under the furious spearman. It's a high-quality, well-balanced, if quite worn spear that has clearly seen much war.

Boko and Kei may act next.

Kei 

Thoughts of ending the now weaponless spearman flit through the bards head. His hand start to weave through the air. His lordship wants to question someone. For Gerrard's sake he manages to move past his initial course of action. Kei shifts his hand into another pattern, this one familiar to any that have observed his castings previously. With only a whisper he attempts to stop the man in his tracks.

((Wis 15 save or be paralysed))

WIS Save: 21

...Ogmund pauses, then shrugs off whatever funny feeling he just had. 

Boko is up next!

   Boko 23
√ Kei 21
   Dwal 15
  Cards Woman 11
   Gerrard 10
   Peri 6
   Ogmund 5 (STR-hexed, disarmed)

Boko gives one last look at the stairs and races around to the other side of Ogmund to close off avenues of escape. She swings hard at the back of his head with her staff, and follows up with an elbow to one temple and a jump swinging hook kick to the other. Aiming to knock him out. As she moves, fluidly and with precision, the cuffs of her sleeves move and lift, revealing her blue skin and also more of her long black tattoos that seem to move, or pulse, as she fights. 

Quarterstaff attack: 14 Damage: 4

Flurry of blows
Unarmed attack: 10 Damage: 7
Unarmed attack: 23 Damage: 7

Boko circles around Peri to close in the burly spearman, but not before noticing more figures crowding the bottom of the stairwell.

Ogmund manages to block the first two strikes, but not the third – he takes a painful kick to the sternum. Nevertheless, this tough fighter is still a long way from going down.

A trio of crossbowmen - an older woman with short-cropped white hair, and two thin middle-aged men with long, straggly beards - appear at the bottom of the stairs. They wear splint mail and take aim at the only figure visible to them: Dwal.
Heavy Crossbow Attack #1 vs. Dwal: 16  Hit: 4 piercing damage
Heavy Crossbow Attack #2 vs. Dwal: 9  Hit: 9 piercing damage
Heavy Crossbow Attack #3 vs. Dwal: 16  Hit: 11 piercing damage. 

... Dwal is up next!

He sees two or three additional figures behind the crossbow trio, too - including a man in saffron-colored robes wearing an oversized necklace. "Hold them back; don't let them down," Dwal hears him command.

Dwal reacts by casting Shield, which should deal with any incoming missiles.

Dwal castsSleep at 3rd level at the 4 newcomers: 35

Two of the bolts clatter off an invisible shield that Dwal instinctively raised; the third flies high overhead into the grey sky.

Dwal makes a subtle gesture and the saffron-robed man collapses into slumber, causing alarm and raised voices below. The crossbowmen are unaffected by the spell, but unnerved by their comrade's sudden collapse. Dwal can see a stringy-haired acolyte tending to the sleeping man in yellow.

The leather-clad teenaged boy spotted earlier playing cards, now in a frenzied rage, charges up the stairs and straight at Dwal with his scimitar, shrieking with an unearthly cry.
Scimitar Attack vs. Dwal: 8  Hit: 3 slashing damage. 

Dwal deftly blocks him with his spear.
Gerrard and Peri are up next.

√  Boko 23
√  Kei 21
√  Three Crossbowmen 16
√  Dwal 15
   Cards Woman 11 (unconscious)
√ Stringy-haired acolyte 11 
√ the Boy 11
   Gerrard 10
-- Man in yellow robes 9 (asleep) 
   Peri 6
   Ogmund 5 (STR-hexed, disarmed)

Gerrard:

"You wouldn't happen to be Xolor cultists, dastardly pirates, or evil minions of Iuz, would you?" asks Gerrard wryly, still stabbing quickly at the tough fighter before him (trying to disable without killing). "I'd hate to make a new enemy before we've properly dealt with our current ones, wouldn't you say Captain?" he adds to Peri with a smile.

Elegant Rapier Attack: 10 Damage: 10

Elegant Rapier Attack: 19 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.

Main Gauche:  Attack: 18 Damage: 8

If his opponent goes down, Gerrard will move over to engage the foes in the stairs (moving up to the crossbowmen to foul their ranged shots).