As the party is being lowered on the elevator, and they can see the spreading destruction of Lower Fallcrest, Yokini lets out a little moan. "Oh, I hope Mom and Nynoa are OK." She looks up at the receding clifftop. "Maybe I should have gone to make sure." She turns her worried eyes on her friend the dwarf. "Lemmy ..." she half whines, half whispers. It's at that moment that there is a huge crash above, and the elevator finishes its descent in a rush. Yokini falls to her hands and knees at the abrupt stop. "What have I gotten myself into?" she asks herself aloud as she gets to her feet once again. "I'm not cut out for this. Dammit, Nebelun, I'm a doctor, not a soldier." She stumbles out of the broken elevator and immediately locks her eyes onto the mini triage station beyond the barricade. "Maybe I should just stay here," she says a little dreamily.
Zashier did not even flinch. Between her lack of coordination and his own thick hide, he hardly felt even a moment of fear. No, that would come after upon fully registering her desperate request. Initially it was less that he activetly rejected the offering, but was more so surprised overall. But when she insists a second time, Zashier snaps to attention once more and took the offer dagger. As she hurried off from there, so too would he then lead the charge another way with dagger in hand until finding a moment to tuck away for safe keeping.
Later at the elevator, only then did Zashier take that half a second to truly examine the dagger; noting in the back of his head the feeling of magic and perhaps more buried within it. Shaken from his thoughts by the crash from above, he instinctively hovered over those closest to him in a protective matter, and would hurry them out, fearing some mechanism from above would drop down on them next. Soon enough, it is the least of worries. As Zashier took in the scene of Lower Fallcrest, he shoulders lowered in growing despair for just a moment.
But at Bireal's request, again he's focused up again, and set his sights on the beacon. "I hate to say this, oh boy I do I hate to. But, we can't linger here, Ms. Yokini. We'll do more good elsewhere, and you know it. Use one of those pills and potions if you must for the wounded here, but we need to move." He then turns to Thistle. "No pressure as well but, not that that's saying a whole lot, what with the whole fire and bloodletting 'n all. But uh, mind summoning that strider while your at it, and just in case. We could use just about every fighter we can, to say the least, and Lem and Ms. Yokini could use a lift."He urges. Beyond that, he only lingers long enough for the pair (Thistle and Yokini) to act prior to urging all to follow as lead the charge down the streets, trumpeting every 60 to 100 feet to grab attention regardless of friend or foe.
To enemies, it would be a battle cry to draw them away from the helpless, and into his waiting axe. But to the victims, those that have heard him trumpet the pass week during his rounds of story telling would know it to be the call of a would be hero, and either flock into a concentrated force to be reckoned with, or could be more easily directed back to the barricade at least for treatment.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Thistle puts her arm on Brinya's, as Zashier rushes off with the dagger. "Be safe. Romero's family has had enough loss." With a sweet smile, she turns and runs after the others.
In the elevator, Thistle is overcome by the scene below. She's not seen battle on this scale before, and it causes her usually unflappable brain to... well, flap. But the crash above, and the subsequent crash to the ground snap her out of it. She leaps from the wreckage, ready for anything... except seeing Bireal. As the woman addresses them, then races past, the young rogue takes a step to follow her, but stops, looking back at the others. Whatever is going on in her head keeps her out of the conversation between Yokini and Zashier, until the paladin addresses her directly.
"Um... yes, that's a good idea." She brings out the figurine and says the magic word that transforms it into a giant (Size L), red, two legged, scaly bird-lizard with a vicious beak, a steely eye, and a saddle. Thistle grabs the bridle and pulls its head down to hers, looking it in the eye. "We haven't had much time together, but I'm counting on you to carry my friends and follow me."
Turning to the dwarf and the gnome, "We've got to move fast, up you go!"
Zashier's words to her reluctantly draw the gnome's helpless gaze up to the elephantine man's earnest face. She takes a deep breath and nods. She lets her eyes fall on the known scene of medicine one last time as she sighs, "OK. You're right."
Once the strider appears, and she is beckoned to climb aboard, Yokini looks at Lem. "Oh my." Then to one of the bigs, "You're going to have to help me up."
Lem's eyes, normally quite bugged out, widen further, every time the elevator jerks them around, and with every new detail of the battle more and more apparent spread out below them in Lower Fallcrest. Where he'd made his home. His eyes search out the book depository and his room above, fearing the worst. The eyes squint tightly shut once, and then open with an intense fire. Rage. At the orcs bringing violence and chaos again, with no warning, with no honor. At Lem's ignored warnings. At the hopeless situation in which they'd found themselves, still exhausted from the long day. He barely tracks the conversation behind the barricade.
When the strider appears, he shakes his head, realizes he's meant to take it somewhere, assumedly to a beacon, and he draws his wand of wonder. If there are orcs or giants or enemies within 120, he casts one charge out of it. If not, he'll wait until the strider starts moving, and casts it on the first group of enemies he sees who aren't muddled around city residents.
Zashier, at Bireals behest, launches forward into Lower Fallcrest, followed closely by Yokini and Lem on the Strider and Thistle running along beside, eyes darting in every direction. Those that are doing healing at the makeshift barricade tell you as you run off that if you find any wounded, to bring them back to the barricade for safety, since they will have a hard time getting up to the Moonstone Keep for safety without the use of the elevator.
Lem, there are no enemies that you see yet. Most of the damage has been done by someTHING hurling flaming stones over the walls.
Entering lower Fallcrest, you navigate burning rubble, obstructed pathways, and half-destroyed buildings, trying to restore order as you make your way to the final beacon at the Hopespring. Darkness of night is settling, which is why you need to get to that light - the citizens will be able to fight better if they can see, and these beacons offer a nice spread of light. You also need to restore order as you move through the town.
As you wind your way through the war-torn district, dark storm clouds move in over the town, mingling with smoke and the fading light of day to reduce the ambient brightness in the town to dim light.
For the purpose of mechanics, this is Lightly Obscured, so disadvantage on Perception checks. Depending on how long it takes you to get to the beacon, it could move to Heavily Obscured - Darkness of Night, which is effectively taking on the Blinded condition, and you would fail any checks based on vision, and have disadvantage on your attacks (unless you can make a good argument based on your surroundings that you wouldn’t have disadvantage)
If you have darkvision, you would not suffer from the blinded condition for Heavily Obscured, but would still suffer disadvantage on Perception of Lightly Obscured.
(Side rant for the DM - I wish 5e had kept the concealment rules - They make way more sense to offer a percentage miss chance instead of jumping straight to disadvantage. Ok, rant over)
Picking your way through, Zashier and Lem, you recognize the house of Sara Morninghawk (the assistant blacksmith at Clamor), and it is in shambles. Long flames lick the walls of this house (nice house compared to some of the others in Lower Fallcrest). Long flames lick the walls of this sizable house, and burning beams crumble to the ground beneath the weight of the sagging roof. Though the front entrance remains accessible for now, the conflagration rages beyond control, threatening the lives of any residents that might be trapped inside.
As the dim lightning became more prominent, Zashier took out and held his Sun Touched Axe high while racing forth, using it as both light and mobile beacon for the citizens. Both spur him on all that much more upon coming upon Sara's home. For barely had Lem sent in Moon did Zashier barrel in after, shouting over his back, "No time!Two eyes better than one, or so I reckon!"Then, he's through the threshold, trunk lowered for whatever air he might soon need to grasp upon entering the building.
Sporadically, he calls out for Sara while looking around.
Perception: 15. (if needed. If Keen smell also applies: 20.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
"Son of a..." Thistle says as Zashier rushes in. She looks sort of wildly at Lem (who may not be able to see it if he is looking through Moon's eyes), and Yokini, then turns and rushes after Zashier. She seems not quite herself.
She will use her Bonus Action Eye for Detail to make a Perception check, leaving Move and Action Dash both available for extra mobility. Perception: 20
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
"Oh, that's not safe," Yokini comments, watching both Zashier and Thistle run into the house. She half considers drinking her potion of boldness and following them, but decides to look around for a well instead.
Lem releases Moon to fly into the house, but as soon as he does, Zashier barrels towards the house and through the front door, which falls off its hinges. A plume of smoke erupts outward.
Zashier, with your trunk low to get some of the fresher air, you peer around the room. Lem, through Moons eyes its a little odd that you see Zashier from inside the house, then call out to him from outside the house, but you are so used to doing this with Moon, you are very comfortable being in two places at once.. Thistle, probably rolling her eyes a bit, rushes in after the headstrong Zashier
Yokini, you look around for a well, and you do find see one about 50 feet away. You have no idea how deep it is, how long it would take to lower and raise, or how big the bucket is. You look around at the blaze, and your pretty sure 1 person and one bucket might help a little bit in one house keep the fire at bay, but only for a little while...it wont do much in the face of the blaze across all of lower Fallcrest.
Inside the house, Zashier (Moon) you are having a hard time seeing anything. The home is full of smoke, but since the door fell off its hinges, some of the smoke is escaping. Its starting to thin out. As you put your trunk down below the smoke, you are able to sniff out a smell that ISN'T fire, you follow your nose. Across the house you find Agrit Staginsdar (not sure if you met her; she is Sara Morninghawk's wife) desperately trying to free Sara from beneath a fallen beam. She sees you and calls out "Help! Help me!"
The house looks like it is not going to stay standing for very long....one might even say there are a specific number of "rounds" before the house burns down around you, and collapses.
Yokini and Lem are outside the house, Zashier and Thistle are inside the house with Agrit and Sara.
And as this is happening, five orc raiders arrive on the scene.Two have greataxes, two have greatswords, and one has a glaive.
They are about 25 feet from Yokini and Lem (between you and the well), Lem and Yokini are probably 15-20 feet or so away from the house, and Zashier and Thistle are inside, 15-20 feet from the door they entered.
Roll For Initiative!!
We will continue to do concurrent initiative as we have been doing.
Feel free to roll initiative here or in discord. I still dont have a great system for managing initiative, but thats ok. Concurrent initiative has been working well. Please try not to metagame - you know more than your characters do. Zashier and Thistle, you guys are only aware of what is inside the house, Lem and Yokini, you are only aware of what is outside. Well, except Lem. Depends on what you do with Moon. If you are still in her eyes, you see whats going on inside, but then you are not aware of your own surroundings...then Yokini would be the only aware one outside!
OOC> Thistle's initiative: 19 Also OOC, the strider follows these strictures, "If you issue no commands, the creature defends itself but takes no other actions."
Racing behind Zashier, Thistle runs ahead as soon as she sees the two women. "We're here!" Does Agrit look extra strong? Assuming not, Thistle will try to coax the woman away. "Zashier can save her. We'll just be in the way, and Sara can concentrate on saving herself if she knows you're safe."She leads Agrit away if she's willing, planning on coming back with the strider, since it is very strong, and basically immortal.
When Agrit refuses, Thistle rolls her eyes again, and looks around (earlier Perception roll of 20 still good?) for a likely lever or something she can use to try to Help Zashier get Sara out.
The wizard toggles back into his own mind, about to update Yokini and Thistle (hmm, where's Thistle?) about the beam, and over Yokini's shoulder he sees five orc raiders. "M--m-m-m-m-my gods here we are again."His hand shoots up, holding the wand of wonder and it just goes off, targeting the orcs.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Zashier Initiative: 3.
At any other time Zashier might've shared a look and a grin at Thistle in response to Agrit's stubborness. This wasn't one of those moment. With hardly a word except, "Got it", the elephantine man got into position, willfully enduring whatever heat might be too close or emanating from the beam to keep his grip on Sara. The moment he has her even remotely free, some trumpeting is followed by a strained, "Move her now!" as he held up the piece... hopefully.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Initiative: 22
Yokini freezes as her eyes catch sight of the orcs. The irrational thought of "Maybe they won't see us." fills her mind with hope. But just as her rational mind starts to catch up, Lem lets her know he's seen them, too. A flash of magic goes off as she grabs two vials from her bag. She downs one and prepares to throw the other.
Bonus: drink potion of boldness (The drinker can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to every attack roll and saving throw they make for the next minute.)
Held action: throw Potion of Fire (homebrew) at the first orc that comes within 20 feet of her — d20+DEX+d4 (guessing no prof. bonus): 25 — I don't know how to calculate damage since this is your homebrew item
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Great initiative rolls everyone! I know I said we were using concurrent initiative, but that I also said to roll for initiative. I appreciate you all rolling. I want to take that number into account as I am developing the story generated through concurrent initiative.
A couple of things happen...
Inside the house, Thistle tries to coax Agrit away from the danger, but she refuses. She says "Help me! Please!" and she grabs the beam. She is not that strong, and the beam is huge. Thistle, you look around to see if there is anything you can use to leverage the beam, but there is nothing near you either small enough for you to grab or not on fire. The beam itself is not on fire, and you see Agrit struggling. Zashier steps up and grabs the beam, and Thistle prepares to grab Sara. Zashier is able to hoist the beam partway up. (the beam would normally take three people, but with your 20 on strength and your "Powerful Build", I am going to let it just be Agrit and Zashier.) The beam is moving, but is still extremely heavy (It takes 2 rounds to move the beam enough to get Sara out).
No heat damage, as of yet, but there is so much smoke, you are having trouble breathing. Zashier and Thistle Con saving throw (adv for Zashier since he specifically said he was putting his trunk low to avoid smoke)
Thistle: 18
Zashier: 17
You both are having trouble breathing in the smoke, and you both take 1 level of exhaustion - Meaning you have disadvantage on ability checks. Each round you stay in this building, you will have to roll a Con save. DC goes up by 1 each round...
Meanwhile, outside the house...
The orcs move directly towards Lem and Yokini...both still sitting atop the strider (since no one said they got off....). Lem toggles out of Moon's eyes, and shifts around to tell Yokini what he saw, but he sees the orcs over her shoulder. His arms shoot up, and the wand goes off (still cant believe you rolled a 100 on that...)
DC15 Con Save for one of the greataxe weilding orcs: 6
He looks as if he might freeze in place and turn to stone...but he shakes it off, and keeps moving forward.
Yokini, following Lem's eyes and magical blast of the wand, sees the orcs moving towards them. She yanks two potions out of her bag, chugging one and hurling the other.
The flask hits the front orc, and explodes, splashing each of the orcs on either side of him. Its a 10 foot radius, so I will say it hits the front orc, and they are moving forward in a line and splashes out on all of them - 10 feet on either side of the first orc.
(Per the original post about this potion, 2d4 fire damage immediately, and another 2d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns.)
Fire damage - 5
Dex save for the 4 splashed orcs for half damage - 13161710
The center three orcs take the full 3 points of damage, but the outer two save for half (1 pt).
They were not expecting to be lit on fire, but its not a big flame, and they keep moving forward.
However, through all this excitement, the strider gets a little worked up, and turns. Seeing the orcs running towards her, their weapons drawn, she pecks out at the center one, defending herself, with a bite. 25 for 5 piercing damage.
That orc, and the two flanking either side of him, swing at the strider. Two swing with their greataxes, and one swings with a greatsword.
6138 for a total of 38 slashing damage.
While they are swinging at the Strider, the other two swing at Lem and Yokini, one from either side:
Against Lem: 7
Against Yokini: 22
Lem kicks the incoming greatsword with his boot, deflecting the blow, but Yokini is not so lucky. She gets hit in the side with the glaive for 5 Slashing damage.
When the dust settles, after the orc finish their attack, there is a little "pop" and the strider (who is now reduced to 0 hitpoints) immediately reverets to its figurine form, and falls to the ground, with Lem and Yokini falling right with it.
Dex save to see if you can land on your feet....
Lem 20
Yokini 15
Lem jumps off right before the strider goes down, landing on his feet, but Yokini takes a tumble, and is prone on the ground.
End of Round 1, begin Round 2 - Yokini is Prone, Zashier and Thistle each have 1 level of exhaustion, and the three center orcs are on fire.
As the party is being lowered on the elevator, and they can see the spreading destruction of Lower Fallcrest, Yokini lets out a little moan. "Oh, I hope Mom and Nynoa are OK." She looks up at the receding clifftop. "Maybe I should have gone to make sure." She turns her worried eyes on her friend the dwarf. "Lemmy ..." she half whines, half whispers. It's at that moment that there is a huge crash above, and the elevator finishes its descent in a rush. Yokini falls to her hands and knees at the abrupt stop. "What have I gotten myself into?" she asks herself aloud as she gets to her feet once again. "I'm not cut out for this. Dammit, Nebelun, I'm a doctor, not a soldier." She stumbles out of the broken elevator and immediately locks her eyes onto the mini triage station beyond the barricade. "Maybe I should just stay here," she says a little dreamily.
Zashier did not even flinch. Between her lack of coordination and his own thick hide, he hardly felt even a moment of fear. No, that would come after upon fully registering her desperate request. Initially it was less that he activetly rejected the offering, but was more so surprised overall. But when she insists a second time, Zashier snaps to attention once more and took the offer dagger. As she hurried off from there, so too would he then lead the charge another way with dagger in hand until finding a moment to tuck away for safe keeping.
Later at the elevator, only then did Zashier take that half a second to truly examine the dagger; noting in the back of his head the feeling of magic and perhaps more buried within it. Shaken from his thoughts by the crash from above, he instinctively hovered over those closest to him in a protective matter, and would hurry them out, fearing some mechanism from above would drop down on them next. Soon enough, it is the least of worries. As Zashier took in the scene of Lower Fallcrest, he shoulders lowered in growing despair for just a moment.
But at Bireal's request, again he's focused up again, and set his sights on the beacon. "I hate to say this, oh boy I do I hate to. But, we can't linger here, Ms. Yokini. We'll do more good elsewhere, and you know it. Use one of those pills and potions if you must for the wounded here, but we need to move." He then turns to Thistle. "No pressure as well but, not that that's saying a whole lot, what with the whole fire and bloodletting 'n all. But uh, mind summoning that strider while your at it, and just in case. We could use just about every fighter we can, to say the least, and Lem and Ms. Yokini could use a lift." He urges. Beyond that, he only lingers long enough for the pair (Thistle and Yokini) to act prior to urging all to follow as lead the charge down the streets, trumpeting every 60 to 100 feet to grab attention regardless of friend or foe.
To enemies, it would be a battle cry to draw them away from the helpless, and into his waiting axe. But to the victims, those that have heard him trumpet the pass week during his rounds of story telling would know it to be the call of a would be hero, and either flock into a concentrated force to be reckoned with, or could be more easily directed back to the barricade at least for treatment.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Thistle puts her arm on Brinya's, as Zashier rushes off with the dagger. "Be safe. Romero's family has had enough loss." With a sweet smile, she turns and runs after the others.
In the elevator, Thistle is overcome by the scene below. She's not seen battle on this scale before, and it causes her usually unflappable brain to... well, flap. But the crash above, and the subsequent crash to the ground snap her out of it. She leaps from the wreckage, ready for anything... except seeing Bireal. As the woman addresses them, then races past, the young rogue takes a step to follow her, but stops, looking back at the others. Whatever is going on in her head keeps her out of the conversation between Yokini and Zashier, until the paladin addresses her directly.
"Um... yes, that's a good idea." She brings out the figurine and says the magic word that transforms it into a giant (Size L), red, two legged, scaly bird-lizard with a vicious beak, a steely eye, and a saddle. Thistle grabs the bridle and pulls its head down to hers, looking it in the eye. "We haven't had much time together, but I'm counting on you to carry my friends and follow me."
Turning to the dwarf and the gnome, "We've got to move fast, up you go!"
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Zashier's words to her reluctantly draw the gnome's helpless gaze up to the elephantine man's earnest face. She takes a deep breath and nods. She lets her eyes fall on the known scene of medicine one last time as she sighs, "OK. You're right."
Once the strider appears, and she is beckoned to climb aboard, Yokini looks at Lem. "Oh my." Then to one of the bigs, "You're going to have to help me up."
With a command, Thistle (who is not that big or strong, either) gets the strider to sit.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Lem's eyes, normally quite bugged out, widen further, every time the elevator jerks them around, and with every new detail of the battle more and more apparent spread out below them in Lower Fallcrest. Where he'd made his home. His eyes search out the book depository and his room above, fearing the worst. The eyes squint tightly shut once, and then open with an intense fire. Rage. At the orcs bringing violence and chaos again, with no warning, with no honor. At Lem's ignored warnings. At the hopeless situation in which they'd found themselves, still exhausted from the long day. He barely tracks the conversation behind the barricade.
When the strider appears, he shakes his head, realizes he's meant to take it somewhere, assumedly to a beacon, and he draws his wand of wonder. If there are orcs or giants or enemies within 120, he casts one charge out of it. If not, he'll wait until the strider starts moving, and casts it on the first group of enemies he sees who aren't muddled around city residents.
Zashier, at Bireals behest, launches forward into Lower Fallcrest, followed closely by Yokini and Lem on the Strider and Thistle running along beside, eyes darting in every direction. Those that are doing healing at the makeshift barricade tell you as you run off that if you find any wounded, to bring them back to the barricade for safety, since they will have a hard time getting up to the Moonstone Keep for safety without the use of the elevator.
Lem, there are no enemies that you see yet. Most of the damage has been done by someTHING hurling flaming stones over the walls.
Entering lower Fallcrest, you navigate burning rubble, obstructed pathways, and half-destroyed buildings, trying to restore order as you make your way to the final beacon at the Hopespring. Darkness of night is settling, which is why you need to get to that light - the citizens will be able to fight better if they can see, and these beacons offer a nice spread of light. You also need to restore order as you move through the town.
As you wind your way through the war-torn district, dark storm clouds move in over the town, mingling with smoke and the fading light of day to reduce the ambient brightness in the town to dim light.
For the purpose of mechanics, this is Lightly Obscured, so disadvantage on Perception checks. Depending on how long it takes you to get to the beacon, it could move to Heavily Obscured - Darkness of Night, which is effectively taking on the Blinded condition, and you would fail any checks based on vision, and have disadvantage on your attacks (unless you can make a good argument based on your surroundings that you wouldn’t have disadvantage)
If you have darkvision, you would not suffer from the blinded condition for Heavily Obscured, but would still suffer disadvantage on Perception of Lightly Obscured.
(Side rant for the DM - I wish 5e had kept the concealment rules - They make way more sense to offer a percentage miss chance instead of jumping straight to disadvantage. Ok, rant over)
Picking your way through, Zashier and Lem, you recognize the house of Sara Morninghawk (the assistant blacksmith at Clamor), and it is in shambles. Long flames lick the walls of this house (nice house compared to some of the others in Lower Fallcrest). Long flames lick the walls of this sizable house, and burning beams crumble to the ground beneath the weight of the sagging roof. Though the front entrance remains accessible for now, the conflagration rages beyond control, threatening the lives of any residents that might be trapped inside.
Lem sends Moon inside the front entrance, looking for anyone inside. "Just in case! We can pause for half a minute while she looks around?"
Thistle nods, unusually deferential to Lem. She watches him to see what he learns.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
As the dim lightning became more prominent, Zashier took out and held his Sun Touched Axe high while racing forth, using it as both light and mobile beacon for the citizens. Both spur him on all that much more upon coming upon Sara's home. For barely had Lem sent in Moon did Zashier barrel in after, shouting over his back, "No time!Two eyes better than one, or so I reckon!" Then, he's through the threshold, trunk lowered for whatever air he might soon need to grasp upon entering the building.
Sporadically, he calls out for Sara while looking around.
Perception: 15. (if needed. If Keen smell also applies: 20.)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
"Son of a..." Thistle says as Zashier rushes in. She looks sort of wildly at Lem (who may not be able to see it if he is looking through Moon's eyes), and Yokini, then turns and rushes after Zashier. She seems not quite herself.
She will use her Bonus Action Eye for Detail to make a Perception check, leaving Move and Action Dash both available for extra mobility. Perception: 20
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
"Oh, that's not safe," Yokini comments, watching both Zashier and Thistle run into the house. She half considers drinking her potion of boldness and following them, but decides to look around for a well instead.
Perception: 17
Lem is watching through Moon's eyes, and if he can hear Zashier run in behind him, he'll say, "Moon can't really die! You can, you big lummox!"
He really wishes he had more spells.
Lem releases Moon to fly into the house, but as soon as he does, Zashier barrels towards the house and through the front door, which falls off its hinges. A plume of smoke erupts outward.
Zashier, with your trunk low to get some of the fresher air, you peer around the room. Lem, through Moons eyes its a little odd that you see Zashier from inside the house, then call out to him from outside the house, but you are so used to doing this with Moon, you are very comfortable being in two places at once.. Thistle, probably rolling her eyes a bit, rushes in after the headstrong Zashier
Yokini, you look around for a well, and you do find see one about 50 feet away. You have no idea how deep it is, how long it would take to lower and raise, or how big the bucket is. You look around at the blaze, and your pretty sure 1 person and one bucket might help a little bit in one house keep the fire at bay, but only for a little while...it wont do much in the face of the blaze across all of lower Fallcrest.
Inside the house, Zashier (Moon) you are having a hard time seeing anything. The home is full of smoke, but since the door fell off its hinges, some of the smoke is escaping. Its starting to thin out. As you put your trunk down below the smoke, you are able to sniff out a smell that ISN'T fire, you follow your nose. Across the house you find Agrit Staginsdar (not sure if you met her; she is Sara Morninghawk's wife) desperately trying to free Sara from beneath a fallen beam. She sees you and calls out "Help! Help me!"
The house looks like it is not going to stay standing for very long....one might even say there are a specific number of "rounds" before the house burns down around you, and collapses.
Yokini and Lem are outside the house, Zashier and Thistle are inside the house with Agrit and Sara.
And as this is happening, five orc raiders arrive on the scene.Two have greataxes, two have greatswords, and one has a glaive.
They are about 25 feet from Yokini and Lem (between you and the well), Lem and Yokini are probably 15-20 feet or so away from the house, and Zashier and Thistle are inside, 15-20 feet from the door they entered.
Roll For Initiative!!
We will continue to do concurrent initiative as we have been doing.
Feel free to roll initiative here or in discord. I still dont have a great system for managing initiative, but thats ok. Concurrent initiative has been working well. Please try not to metagame - you know more than your characters do. Zashier and Thistle, you guys are only aware of what is inside the house, Lem and Yokini, you are only aware of what is outside. Well, except Lem. Depends on what you do with Moon. If you are still in her eyes, you see whats going on inside, but then you are not aware of your own surroundings...then Yokini would be the only aware one outside!
OOC> Thistle's initiative: 19 Also OOC, the strider follows these strictures, "If you issue no commands, the creature defends itself but takes no other actions."
Racing behind Zashier, Thistle runs ahead as soon as she sees the two women. "We're here!" Does Agrit look extra strong? Assuming not, Thistle will try to coax the woman away. "Zashier can save her. We'll just be in the way, and Sara can concentrate on saving herself if she knows you're safe."
She leads Agrit away if she's willing, planning on coming back with the strider, since it is very strong, and basically immortal.When Agrit refuses, Thistle rolls her eyes again, and looks around (earlier Perception roll of 20 still good?) for a likely lever or something she can use to try to Help Zashier get Sara out.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Lem initiative: 21
The wizard toggles back into his own mind, about to update Yokini and Thistle (hmm, where's Thistle?) about the beam, and over Yokini's shoulder he sees five orc raiders. "M--m-m-m-m-my gods here we are again." His hand shoots up, holding the wand of wonder and it just goes off, targeting the orcs.
Here we go! Wand of wonder roll: 100
Zashier Initiative: 3.
At any other time Zashier might've shared a look and a grin at Thistle in response to Agrit's stubborness. This wasn't one of those moment. With hardly a word except, "Got it", the elephantine man got into position, willfully enduring whatever heat might be too close or emanating from the beam to keep his grip on Sara. The moment he has her even remotely free, some trumpeting is followed by a strained, "Move her now!" as he held up the piece... hopefully.
Athletics: 25(/if helped in some way: 11.)
(@DM: Zashier will willingly take whatever 'heat' damage might be involved to maintain his grip in lifting up the beam, if that is to come into play.)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
OOC > Z don't need no help!
If Zashier is able to free her, Thistle will immediately drag Sara out of the way, then try to help her up, if she can walk.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Initiative: 22
Yokini freezes as her eyes catch sight of the orcs. The irrational thought of "Maybe they won't see us." fills her mind with hope. But just as her rational mind starts to catch up, Lem lets her know he's seen them, too. A flash of magic goes off as she grabs two vials from her bag. She downs one and prepares to throw the other.
Bonus: drink potion of boldness (The drinker can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to every attack roll and saving throw they make for the next minute.)
Held action: throw Potion of Fire (homebrew) at the first orc that comes within 20 feet of her — d20+DEX+d4 (guessing no prof. bonus): 25 — I don't know how to calculate damage since this is your homebrew item
Great initiative rolls everyone! I know I said we were using concurrent initiative, but that I also said to roll for initiative. I appreciate you all rolling. I want to take that number into account as I am developing the story generated through concurrent initiative.
A couple of things happen...
Inside the house, Thistle tries to coax Agrit away from the danger, but she refuses. She says "Help me! Please!" and she grabs the beam. She is not that strong, and the beam is huge. Thistle, you look around to see if there is anything you can use to leverage the beam, but there is nothing near you either small enough for you to grab or not on fire. The beam itself is not on fire, and you see Agrit struggling. Zashier steps up and grabs the beam, and Thistle prepares to grab Sara. Zashier is able to hoist the beam partway up. (the beam would normally take three people, but with your 20 on strength and your "Powerful Build", I am going to let it just be Agrit and Zashier.) The beam is moving, but is still extremely heavy (It takes 2 rounds to move the beam enough to get Sara out).
No heat damage, as of yet, but there is so much smoke, you are having trouble breathing. Zashier and Thistle Con saving throw (adv for Zashier since he specifically said he was putting his trunk low to avoid smoke)
Thistle: 18
Zashier: 17
You both are having trouble breathing in the smoke, and you both take 1 level of exhaustion - Meaning you have disadvantage on ability checks. Each round you stay in this building, you will have to roll a Con save. DC goes up by 1 each round...
Meanwhile, outside the house...
The orcs move directly towards Lem and Yokini...both still sitting atop the strider (since no one said they got off....). Lem toggles out of Moon's eyes, and shifts around to tell Yokini what he saw, but he sees the orcs over her shoulder. His arms shoot up, and the wand goes off (still cant believe you rolled a 100 on that...)
DC15 Con Save for one of the greataxe weilding orcs: 6
He looks as if he might freeze in place and turn to stone...but he shakes it off, and keeps moving forward.
Yokini, following Lem's eyes and magical blast of the wand, sees the orcs moving towards them. She yanks two potions out of her bag, chugging one and hurling the other.
The flask hits the front orc, and explodes, splashing each of the orcs on either side of him. Its a 10 foot radius, so I will say it hits the front orc, and they are moving forward in a line and splashes out on all of them - 10 feet on either side of the first orc.
(Per the original post about this potion, 2d4 fire damage immediately, and another 2d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns.)
Fire damage - 5
Dex save for the 4 splashed orcs for half damage - 13 16 17 10
The center three orcs take the full 3 points of damage, but the outer two save for half (1 pt).
They were not expecting to be lit on fire, but its not a big flame, and they keep moving forward.
However, through all this excitement, the strider gets a little worked up, and turns. Seeing the orcs running towards her, their weapons drawn, she pecks out at the center one, defending herself, with a bite. 25 for 5 piercing damage.
That orc, and the two flanking either side of him, swing at the strider. Two swing with their greataxes, and one swings with a greatsword.
6 13 8 for a total of 38 slashing damage.
While they are swinging at the Strider, the other two swing at Lem and Yokini, one from either side:
Against Lem: 7
Against Yokini: 22
Lem kicks the incoming greatsword with his boot, deflecting the blow, but Yokini is not so lucky. She gets hit in the side with the glaive for 5 Slashing damage.
When the dust settles, after the orc finish their attack, there is a little "pop" and the strider (who is now reduced to 0 hitpoints) immediately reverets to its figurine form, and falls to the ground, with Lem and Yokini falling right with it.
Dex save to see if you can land on your feet....
Lem 20
Yokini 15
Lem jumps off right before the strider goes down, landing on his feet, but Yokini takes a tumble, and is prone on the ground.
End of Round 1, begin Round 2 - Yokini is Prone, Zashier and Thistle each have 1 level of exhaustion, and the three center orcs are on fire.