Shadowthorn's Princes of the Apocalypse

After the boom of thunder from Xanranzan's shatter spell, Kethra swings away her shield a moment later a bit stunned, the metal still reverberating slightly from the sound. Seeing one living enemy left, she runs for the Hurricane, her ponytail swishing in the midst of the fading magic.

Knowing they didn't have much time, she kicks away what was in his hands, seizes the sleeping enemy by the collar and drags him to the archer awaiting with the rope to tie him up and giving dual wielder a nod of gratefulness for taking a prisoner knowing that interrogations are something he was uncomfortable with.

Action: Grapple (which he fails because he's unconscious)
Object Interaction: remove what the Hurricane was holding, either weapon or spell focus

Quote from Mehmen >>

...like, I got a song that'll make sure he can't help but tell the truth 'round me...

One of Kethra's red eyes visibly twitches at hearing that Xanranzan's problem (of being uncomfortable with interrogating prisoners) had a solution he had all along, but she keeps silent and drags the man to Rubin.

Upon seeing the look, Xan, not fully understanding the reason for it, still glanced away nervously in response to it. "Huh? Oh, uh... aight. Tho, uh, anyone that wants to aughta feel free to jump in with questions. 'cause uh, uhm... Apart from the other stuff, there might be something more to ask that I prolly won't think of." He said with a bit of a chuckle towards the end.

Xanranzan then waits until the prisoner was secured, before clapping three times and uttering the words, "I solemnly swear that all mischief will be managed." At that, the earth began to trembling all about the prisoner before a thin ring of dust and debris began floating up just a few inches of the ground in a 15ft radius about them. It's only after casting the spell that Xan let's out an "Oops" and looks worriedly to anyone still near the prisoner. "Sorry 'bout that. If you're feeling funny, I'd suggest stepping out of the ring, or uh.. avoid don't bother lying, I guess?"

(Anyone near the prisoner (including the prisoner) needs to make a Charisma Save(13) or come under the effects of Circle of Trust. If the spell doesn't take hold, Xan will sigh and admit as much.)

Hurricane saving throw: 6

As soon as Xanranzan feels his magic take hold, he's quick to give the others a thumbs up. He then makes his way over and sits the hopefully by then thoroughly bound Hurricane before taking them by the jaw and shaking them awake. "Oi! Rise 'n shine, sleepy head. You got a big day ahead of you yet, my friend." He says brightly, before then in a more sinister tone adding, "Or a very short one, if you're not very compliant with us. Ya feel me? So no funny business."

Xanranzan proceeds to give the Hurricane time to answer before carrying on. "So, two very important things I'd like to ask ya first. One, does the guys in the tower have anything at all to do with your culty business? And two, where are the prisoners we heard you guys had down here?"

The cultist grimaces, but his jaw goes slack and he speaks in an oddly slurred voice.

"The tower is the outpost of the Feathergale Knights.  They're an organization out of Waterdeep that serves the cult of Howling Hatred, and the efforts to raise our master Yan-C-Bin.  There are five prisoners in the shrine of Moradin.  We gave them to the kenku torturers, I don't know if they're still alive.  They're not important, just some random idiots from Yartar who got in the way."

To Tyde he shrugs.

"They died off a long time ago.  Trolls or something.  Then some knights came along and built keeps on top of the old dwarven cities, but even those are ruins now."

The prisoner seems to be about to say more, but suddenly his face seems to burst and he lets out a single surprised gurgle before falling back, obviously dead.  Everyone, make a perception check.

(I keep forgetting this guy has decent Perception.)

Xanranzan's Perception: 11.

"What in the bedrock!?" A startled Xanranzan shouted as he narly tripped over his own feet while backpeddling away from the freshly made corpse. "That ain't s'pose to happen! Unless... N-no, i-it don't work that way -- Seriously, what was that!?" He started forward again, intent on getting a closer look at the body. 

(above editted to better offer leeway to below actions)

Quote from Mehmen >>

(Anyone near the prisoner (including the prisoner) needs to make a Charisma Save(13) or come under the effects of Circle of Trust. If the spell doesn't take hold, Xan will sigh and admit as much.)

Kethra's charisma save from Zone: 0

Kethra hums along Xanranzan's song and her head dances a bit.

Then addressing Xanranzan in the same sing song tone,

"I hate you!"

Her eyes blink from blood red to normal (end rage) as she stammers and looks visibly shocked.

"..n-n-yes! No, not you I mean that you didn't want us to take prisoners! But your sword fighting form is garbage--,"

She screams and throws both hands over her mouth as the prisoner talks.

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

Everyone, make a perception check. 

Kethra's perception check: 17

When the prisoner gets head exploded, Kethra instinctively lunges towards Xanranzan, then realizing what she did, she seized him with one hand and offers him half cover with her shield out on the other (action dodge).

She barks to the rest over Xanranzan's shoulder, "Everyone find some cover, NOW!"

Taking advantage of being close to Xanranzan, she says quietly. "I don't hate you! I was just mad that you didn't want us to take prisoners but you had this magic song this whole time..."

Rubin frowns, glancing around as the prisoner is slain, and not by him. Perception: 18

Xanranzan had so been at a loss of words in response to Kethra's outburst that, had the prisoner not also started to spell the beans immediately after, the earth genasi probably would've spent a good minute or two just mimicking a fish out of water. His every attempt at trying to muster a response ending up at best as a sputter syllable before stopping to try again from the top.

But either way, Xanranzan puts up no fight in the later confusion caused by the sudden death, though still looked a bit frantic for a bit there. "I-I believe there's been a bit of misunderstanding on that part, as well as regarding magicry, b-but now's probably not the time for that." He replied aloud and in a bit of hurry, before drawing a blade and continuing the maybe pointless search for invisible assassins and cover.

Kethra, you're the only one who notices anything.  You realize that based on the wound that was made and the air currents in the room when it happened that there must be something there.  You just can't see it, and you can't tell where it currently is.

(Now's probably as good a time as any to roll initiative)

Xanranzan's Initiative: 13.

Kethra's initiative: 10

Rubin initiative: 9

(Marros, you still with us?)

(Marros seems to still be active on other threads, so I'm assuming he either dropped this campaign or just didn't notice any notifications.  Either way I'll just bot him for now.)

Marros init: 3

Unknown enemy init: 14

(Rubin, Kethra and Tyde are up.  The enemy's location is still unknown.)

Rubin frowns, trying to figure out where the invisible creature is... 19 (perception...)

Quote from Brian_Avery >>

Tyde will ready his action with the trigger that if the unseen enemy is attacked or has it's location revealed then he will cast Fire Bolt at it.

"Spread out and take cover!"

"Y-Yes!"

Letting go of Xanranzan, Kethra bows briefly in apology to the genasi then follows Mr. Tyde's lead by taking out a javelin to throw at the first hostile looking thing that shows its ugly face.

"I'll cover you for now, would we be even--," Kethra says as her eyes flash blue with ki energy and she moves quickly from side to side, and for a moment it looks like multiple Kethras were protecting Xanranzan before merging back into one, posing again to give Xanranzan some cover from any hidden attacker.

"--after this?" Kethra's new voice now sounds like there's many of her talking at the same time.

Action: Ready to throw a javelin

Bonus action: Patient Defense (monk thing) to take the dodge action

Tyde, Alistair relays to you that there's some sort of creature standing right next to where the body was.

Is anyone releasing readied attacks?  You now know the general location of the creature, but it's still invisible.