@daemyar - the tiny creature flits away from your arrow - a miss.
The other crossbowman,
seeing his companion fall from the horse, raises his weapon and fires at the Stirge that Herka just ripped off her body (S2). To hit: 10 for 5 piercing damage. Then he will urge his horse northwards so he is sort of behind the remaining twig blight.
[a miss]
(The horse belonging to the other crossbowman has run off a ways from the action and isn't visible on the map; neither is Elosa).
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(( Assuming we just move on to next round ))
Krom's words give Ithelion pause. It is as though they are being delayed by some other power!
The thought that the attacks against them might have been orchestrated brings steel to her resolve. She looks anew upon the creatures that they are facing, seeing them as little more than puppets of a malicious force. A force that means to kill her, and to keep her from the Adathar's purpose...and from the job she has to do.
With a snarl, she raises her hands and chants the words that conjure three glowing darts of magical force. The darts fly unerringly to their targets, two of them striking the nearest flying creature while the last seeks the flying creature that still harasses Herka.
She does not flinch: for the first time in a very long time she feels the cold desire to kill for a purpose -- a calculation that through the killing of these creatures, she may at least wound that which controls them and which opposes her.
Her eyes turn briefly in the direction of the Citadel, We're coming for you.
Actions: Break cover to cast Magic Missile then return to cover.
Sword and shield now at the ready she will engage. Garnet sees the capability of her companions they have taken most of the enemy in swift action leaving only two targets behind. Garnet choses to face the twig blight, rushing across the ground to attack. It's a strange thing reminding her a bit of the rude plants they had encountered earlier,except this one was trying to to kill them and in this moment that's all she needed to think about. On reaching the creature Garnet swings her sword to try and kill the earth rotten thing.
Stirge dives down towards the dwarven cleric, trying to find a sweet spot in between his armor. To hit: 24 dealing 4 piercing damage. The stirge is able to find a small spot near the dwarf's neck, and plunges it's proboscis into the dwarf, anchoring there to try to suck out some sweet dwarf blood.
The remaining twig blight fixes it's gaze on Herka, swiping at the captain with it's sharp claws. To hit: 10 and dealing 3 piercing damage. Herka deflects the claw attack easily.
Herka counters with two slashes of her longsword. To hit: 11 and 12 for 7 and 6 slashing damage. Unbelievably, the twig blight evades her swings, so she uses her dagger and attempts to hammer it into the side of where she thinks the "head" is. To hit: 12 dealing 6 piercing damage. Herka stares at her weapons, as if they have betrayed her somehow. All she has to show for her attacks is a few furrows made across the blight's trunk.
Krom, Daemyar, Lorell, Elosa, Crossbowmen are all up next!
Krom swears under his breath as the Stirge latches onto him. "Someone get this blasted thing off me!" He reaches down and places a hand on the crossbowman's chest, "Ye ain't dyin' on me watch. Moradin, with the poundin' of yer hammer, keep this one alive." Krom will cast Spare the Dying on the fallen crossbowman.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
CON save for Twig Blight: 5 The twig blight recoils and hisses as the frost covers its trunk. Parts of it fall to the ground - looks real bad.
Crossbowman take a shot at the walking tree: Attack: 5 Damage: 7
Crossbowman rides over and spits on the twig blight as it falls to the ground. All enemies have been defeated and thanks to Krom, no one has died. Herka has sustained minor injuries. She walks over to the downed crossbowman and checks on him, looking over the puncture marks with some concern. “Thank you,” she nods to you all. “It’s clear you can handle yourself though,” she looks carefully at you all, “believe me when I tell you out here, things DO want to eat you. Kill them or be killed.”
With that, she walks over to the wolves to make sure they’re dead and coralls the errant horse and brings it back. “We’re not far from Oakhurst - maybe an hour or two. Shall we?”
She’ll wait for you but by the way she is looking around, even she would be happy to be in Oakhurst sooner rather than later.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ithelion walks over to the felled creatures, checks a stirge briefly, then moves on to examine the twig blight, a frown on her face, her movement cautious.
She glances catches Daemyar's, and speaks to the group in general, "Does anyone recognize this...plant?"
When she is done, she helps make the unconscious guard comfortable in the back of the cart, sitting next to him to help keep him steady. She resumes her note taking, but her heart is barely in it, her mood glum. At length puts her notes away, staring angrily as the forest recedes behind them and calls Elosa over for company, offering her some of her food.
Actions: Ithelion inspects the twig blights and stirges, looking for anything that might give her a clue as to what the blights might have once been. Corrupted trees, some other kind of plant she has seen before -- or if they look like a new species.
Arcana/Investigation/History (all the same): 16 (I have not assumed advantage, not sure how Elosa could help and she's not in a mood to chat) Survival: 15
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(( Ithelion would have raised her voice assuming people were a little dispersed; Herka may have chosen to answer. Ithelion would not have directed the question specifically to Herka, given her last response ))
As you survey the detritus, there isn't anything that would signal that something sentient once stood there. From your knowledge of plant life, it seems to be a normal looking tree. Although, as you kick some of the branches there seems to be an unusual amount of decomposers (worms, grubs, flies, ants, millipedes, etc...)
The conscious crossbowman, you learn his name is Walter, hears your question and begins to tell you what he knows. "Those we call Twig Blights. They started showin' up 'bout 10 years ago. Mostly keep to the heavy forest," he looks around at the looming trees that hang over the road, "but recently we startin' to see them many places - sometimes roamin' around at the edges of the trees. As you can think, we don't usually go too far in there anymore and definitely not alone. If ye ask me, I'd wager that it be those damn goblins what come around, selling that fruit has somethin' -" He doesn't finish as Herka comes back and glares at him. "Guard! Enough! Watch the rear." She gives you a long cold stare before she turns her horse and continues up to the front, leading the way.
Daemyar and Lorell are up, doesn’t matter who goes first.
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
Daemyar shoots an arrow at the stirge that was attacking Herka
Attack: 6 Damage: 6
Paladin - warforged - orange
@daemyar - the tiny creature flits away from your arrow - a miss.
The other crossbowman,
seeing his companion fall from the horse, raises his weapon and fires at the Stirge that Herka just ripped off her body (S2). To hit: 10 for 5 piercing damage. Then he will urge his horse northwards so he is sort of behind the remaining twig blight.
[a miss]
(The horse belonging to the other crossbowman has run off a ways from the action and isn't visible on the map; neither is Elosa).
Lorell, you’re up!
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
Lorell will cast Frostbite at the nearest Stirge.
Damage 2 Frost
Con Save of 12
OKay first things first.
Lorell concentrates and mumbles some arcane phrases and ice begins to form on the stirge that has just gotten away from Herka. CON save: 20
The Stirge somehow shakes off Lorell's spell and just flies there, as if nothing has happened.
Ithelion and Garnet, you're up!
Initiative
Ithelion/Garnet
Stirges/Twig Blight/Herka
Krom, Daemyar, Lorell, Elosa, Crossbowmen
Updated Map
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
(( Assuming we just move on to next round ))
Krom's words give Ithelion pause. It is as though they are being delayed by some other power!
The thought that the attacks against them might have been orchestrated brings steel to her resolve. She looks anew upon the creatures that they are facing, seeing them as little more than puppets of a malicious force. A force that means to kill her, and to keep her from the Adathar's purpose...and from the job she has to do.
With a snarl, she raises her hands and chants the words that conjure three glowing darts of magical force. The darts fly unerringly to their targets, two of them striking the nearest flying creature while the last seeks the flying creature that still harasses Herka.
She does not flinch: for the first time in a very long time she feels the cold desire to kill for a purpose -- a calculation that through the killing of these creatures, she may at least wound that which controls them and which opposes her.
Her eyes turn briefly in the direction of the Citadel, We're coming for you.
Actions: Break cover to cast Magic Missile then return to cover.
Damage (2 missiles - Nearest): 4
Damage (1 missile - Herka): 4
Edit: TO BE CLEAR: I mean the one ATTACKING HERKA!
@ithelion - your missiles smash into the Stirges, obliterating them both.
Only the one Twig Blight and Stirge is left.
Garnet, you're up!
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
Sword and shield now at the ready she will engage. Garnet sees the capability of her companions they have taken most of the enemy in swift action leaving only two targets behind. Garnet choses to face the twig blight, rushing across the ground to attack. It's a strange thing reminding her a bit of the rude plants they had encountered earlier,except this one was trying to to kill them and in this moment that's all she needed to think about. On reaching the creature Garnet swings her sword to try and kill the earth rotten thing.
Attack: 10
Damage: 5
Stirge dives down towards the dwarven cleric, trying to find a sweet spot in between his armor. To hit: 24 dealing 4 piercing damage. The stirge is able to find a small spot near the dwarf's neck, and plunges it's proboscis into the dwarf, anchoring there to try to suck out some sweet dwarf blood.
The remaining twig blight fixes it's gaze on Herka, swiping at the captain with it's sharp claws. To hit: 10 and dealing 3 piercing damage. Herka deflects the claw attack easily.
Herka counters with two slashes of her longsword. To hit: 11 and 12 for 7 and 6 slashing damage. Unbelievably, the twig blight evades her swings, so she uses her dagger and attempts to hammer it into the side of where she thinks the "head" is. To hit: 12 dealing 6 piercing damage. Herka stares at her weapons, as if they have betrayed her somehow. All she has to show for her attacks is a few furrows made across the blight's trunk.
Krom, Daemyar, Lorell, Elosa, Crossbowmen are all up next!
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
Krom swears under his breath as the Stirge latches onto him. "Someone get this blasted thing off me!" He reaches down and places a hand on the crossbowman's chest, "Ye ain't dyin' on me watch. Moradin, with the poundin' of yer hammer, keep this one alive." Krom will cast Spare the Dying on the fallen crossbowman.
Movement: None
Action: Casts Spare the Dying
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
Daemyar draws a shortsword and tries to cut away the stirge on Krom
Attack: 15 Damage: 9
Paladin - warforged - orange
@Krom divine magic courses through you into the downed crossbowman. He is stable.
@Daemyar your short sword slices neatly through the stirge. It takes a little tug to pull the head out of Krom but come out it does.
Lorell and Crossbowman are up.
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
Lorell will attempt to cast a frostbite on the twig blight even though the sight of it sends shivers through his body.
2
CON save for Twig Blight: 5
The twig blight recoils and hisses as the frost covers its trunk. Parts of it fall to the ground - looks real bad.
Crossbowman take a shot at the walking tree: Attack: 5 Damage: 7
Crossbowman rides over and spits on the twig blight as it falls to the ground. All enemies have been defeated and thanks to Krom, no one has died. Herka has sustained minor injuries. She walks over to the downed crossbowman and checks on him, looking over the puncture marks with some concern.
“Thank you,” she nods to you all. “It’s clear you can handle yourself though,” she looks carefully at you all, “believe me when I tell you out here, things DO want to eat you. Kill them or be killed.”
With that, she walks over to the wolves to make sure they’re dead and coralls the errant horse and brings it back. “We’re not far from Oakhurst - maybe an hour or two. Shall we?”
She’ll wait for you but by the way she is looking around, even she would be happy to be in Oakhurst sooner rather than later.
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
Ithelion walks over to the felled creatures, checks a stirge briefly, then moves on to examine the twig blight, a frown on her face, her movement cautious.
She glances catches Daemyar's, and speaks to the group in general, "Does anyone recognize this...plant?"
When she is done, she helps make the unconscious guard comfortable in the back of the cart, sitting next to him to help keep him steady. She resumes her note taking, but her heart is barely in it, her mood glum. At length puts her notes away, staring angrily as the forest recedes behind them and calls Elosa over for company, offering her some of her food.
Actions: Ithelion inspects the twig blights and stirges, looking for anything that might give her a clue as to what the blights might have once been. Corrupted trees, some other kind of plant she has seen before -- or if they look like a new species.
Arcana/Investigation/History (all the same): 16 (I have not assumed advantage, not sure how Elosa could help and she's not in a mood to chat)
Survival: 15
By “group” are you including Herka et al? You could ask her...
A history and nature check makes the most sense. I assume Garnet is back at the reins?
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
(( Ithelion would have raised her voice assuming people were a little dispersed; Herka may have chosen to answer. Ithelion would not have directed the question specifically to Herka, given her last response ))
Nature: 10
As you survey the detritus, there isn't anything that would signal that something sentient once stood there. From your knowledge of plant life, it seems to be a normal looking tree. Although, as you kick some of the branches there seems to be an unusual amount of decomposers (worms, grubs, flies, ants, millipedes, etc...)
The conscious crossbowman, you learn his name is Walter, hears your question and begins to tell you what he knows. "Those we call Twig Blights. They started showin' up 'bout 10 years ago. Mostly keep to the heavy forest," he looks around at the looming trees that hang over the road, "but recently we startin' to see them many places - sometimes roamin' around at the edges of the trees. As you can think, we don't usually go too far in there anymore and definitely not alone. If ye ask me, I'd wager that it be those damn goblins what come around, selling that fruit has somethin' -" He doesn't finish as Herka comes back and glares at him. "Guard! Enough! Watch the rear." She gives you a long cold stare before she turns her horse and continues up to the front, leading the way.
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
Ithelion shakes her head as she watches Herka ride off, then turns to Walter, smiles sadly and says "Thank you".
[OOC - was there anything else anyone wanted to do at that combat scene? Or happy to move on further?]
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons