This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
DM's Screen:
17422
182
Leading the way, Utar slowly advances deeper into the room. Once Litta is able to reach him, he places a pouch of diamonds in her hands and nods purposefully at the victim. While the dragonborn approaches the body, Utar collects Lightbringer and points at the door on the north wall of this bedchamber. Neya and Graxx get the message.
Litta can't help but let out a loud gasp once she has a chance to look at the victim closely. Shivering, she looks back at Utar and the blood dripping from Lightbringer's head. She points at the mangled head of the victim, the chunks of brain matter splattered all over the wall and says in a low voice: "It is Lord Valero himself."
Graxx and Neya react by beginning to rush towards the door behind which Yalek is believed to be hiding. However, the entire group's effort is interrupted by a sudden scream...
Outside, just a few seconds ago, Doozey begins to get a bad feeling about the entire situation. The voices coming from the first floor get a bit louder. Feet begin to shuffle and the sound of boots hitting the floor begin to multiply. The faint, distant sound of a tiny bell rings, or so Doozey thinks. From behind his position, a door swings open and someone screams: "ASSASSINS! TO ARMS! TO ARMS!"
Doozey turns and sees several soldiers rushing out of the room to the east. Behind the flow of soldiers pouring into the second floor foyer, Doozey sees a tall, robed, white-feathered humanoid craddling a young boy of no more than 5 or 6 years of age. As if in slow-motion, Senitir says: "Come, young lordling. I'll protect you from your fapher's murderers." He steps on the window sill and flies out of the manor with the boy in his arms.
"TO ARMS! TO ARMS!", he continues screaming as he flies outside. "TO ARMS! TO ARMS!", a second voice repeats, apparently leading the Brokengulf soldiers who are rushing in from the east room. This one is also a recognizable voice. Buhrell Caah looks as healthy as she has ever been. A malicious grin takes over her face. "Kill them!"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Neya is not surprised by Caah's presence, thanks to Doozey's warning about her not actually being part of the Emerald Enclave. In fact, hearing her voice had removed all doubt. Now, that they are trapped, she reasons that the best way to break it is to go for the most dangerous among the soldiers, Caah, herself.
Neya moves just outside of the room (EV-16), takes out her bow and fires two arrows at Caah.
Neya reacts first to hearing Caah's voice. She changes the direction of her move, stepping outside of the room while grabbing her bow. By the time she reaches Doozey's side, Neya is already releasing a second arrow at the half-orc. The first arrow hits the door frame. Caah raises her shield to block the second.
Anticipating a retaliatory assault, Neya prepares to dodge incoming attacks.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Suddenly, the door in the north wall within the west bedchamber (the crime scene) bursts open. Yalek {ES-12} has kicked it nearly off its hinges. He wastes no time in throwing two darts at the first target he sees. His skull-and-crescent-moon hand tattoo is already alight.
Yalek does not have the surprise factor he thought he did. Graxx was ready for it and easily dodges the two small projectiles. Yalek then runs deeper into the room he appeared from (a washroom) and hides (stealth: 14.) In his rush, he does such a poor job of it that Utar, Biscuit, and Graxx all have a good idea of where he went {ES-14}.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Moneus is up next and, like Neya, he turns to face the incoming soldiers. He steps into the closest corner {EW-15} and produces two pure-energy knives from his magical bracers. He launches them at the nearest soldier:
-> Flying Knife vs Soldier#4 {EW-19}: Attack: 28Damage: 12
-> Flying Knife vs Soldier#4 {EW-19}: Attack: 20Damage: 6
The soldier's chain mail is enough to deflect the first knife, and his shield takes care of the second. Disappointed, Moneus steps back into the room and hides behind a different corner {EW-14} (stealth: 10 + 6 = 12.) His long coat is still showing through the door for those with keen enough eyes.
Graxx (Danger Sense does not trigger this time because the caster is hidden at the time of casting): 13
Neya (+ Aleyd's Aura of Protection): 19
Utar: 8
Aleyd: 4 - 1 = 3
Moneus (+ Aleyd's Aura of Protection): 18
Litta (+ Aleyd's Aura of Protection): 5
The burst catches many of the party members by surprise. Graxx, Utar, Aleyd, Litta, and Biscuit are now all emanating magical Faerie Light in a 10ft radius.
Those who are inside the room have a general sense that the spell was cast from somewhere near the south wall, but by the time they search for its source, the caster has already successfully hid themselves once more.
Not deceived by Yalek's attempt at hiding, Graxx feels a Rage growing inside of him and enters the washroom. The barbarian pins the half-orc against the wall and then sweeps his leg to force him to the ground.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Caah points at Neya: "Getting close to your sorry group and learning your modus operandi was too easy. You'll pay for how quick you are to trust strangers." In this same motions, she places a magical mark on the monk and advances into melee range {EV-17}.
Ready for the initial swing, Neya avoids it easily. However, the follow-up backstroke manages to catch the monk's back. Caah then goes for a third swing. Neya dodges it, but subsequently realizes that the attack was aimed at Doozey from the start. The halfling raises his arm to block the attack with his buckler but is left cursing himself for forgetting to actually equip it. (Neya takes 15 magical bludgeoning damage; Doozey takes 10 magical bludgeoning damage.)
The Brokengulf soldiers follow Caah into battle, pushing furniture out of the way as needed. They advance in a well-practice but fluid formation. Their shields are up and they shift positions with their colleagues in an efficient manner. This allows each one of them to attack their foe in turn, despite being in a tight area.
More aware after that first hit, Doozey manages to either dodge or ensure that most of the incoming slashes cut nothing but leather. A couple of them manage to draw blood nonetheless. Two other slashes also manage to nick Neya. (Doozey takes 12 slashing damage; Neya takes 11 slashing damage.)
Their shifting formation is, however, not perfect. Three soldiers end up exposing relatively unprotected portions of themselves as they move out of attacking range. (Neya and Doozey may each choose to perform an opportunity attack against one of three soldiers.)
Still looking at Utar, Litta announces: "There is brain matter everywhere. I can't Revivify him in this state. It won't regenerate organs." Despite this realization, Litta's preparation to call one of her most powerful divine favors does not go to waste. Her palm shift towards Utar instead of Lord Valero's body and she casts Dispel Magic on him, doing away with the glowing light stuck to his armor.
Outside, Senetir makes sure that the wind in on his back and flies away with incredible speed. He flies west and turns the corner around the house such that the line of sight between the party and himself is broken even before he ends his movement. No one can see Senitir at the moment, or the child he is carrying for that matter.
(Doozey and Utar are up next. I'll post Aleyd's turn after that.)
Reaction: OA Using Apostle on retreating guard. (Non-Lethal)Shortsword - Attack: 28 Damage: 13 magical piercing.
Despite the price of a guard weakened to go on the offensive, Doozey's pained grunts soon turned into feral growls. "We'll pay? I'm afraid that's where you're mistaken." He states as he fishes from a back pouch the fragment of the mask and seals it about his left eye. "The only one paying anything, is you and yours by way of iron and blood." He growled out as bone noisily popped and his body started contort mid-sentence from a sudden transformation. By the end of which, Doozey stood nearly a foot taller as a silvery blue-eyed werebadger that growled and swipped its blade at the guard.
Just before he struck, Doozey somehow lets out a sharp whistle, prompting Biscuit to perk up from its frantic searching of a caster to obey some unspoken call. Before this can full come about however, the stoutling moved with unnatural speed to stab at Caah's lower half to weaken her defense. After which, Biscuit, who also in response to the call had magically transformed into a sleeker form with bigger horns and seemingly made of vines, rushed out the door and would begin make its way around.
Free Action: Don Dragon Mask Shard.
Bonus Action(Doozey): Enter Hybrid Form(Were-Badger).
Utar looks at Lightbringer, repulsed that Yalek used a holy relic of Torm in such a foul manner. Not wanting to smear more of Lord Valero around, he leaves the weapon on the bed next to his body. (EU,14?)
Eliciting a snarl, Utar's anger boils up, thinking they were setting a trap, they've blundered into one themselves!
His pauldron glowing, Utar casts spirit guardians calling on his former comrades once more and sending them into the fight.
(OOC Not sure whether this spell can be used non-lethally but I can select targets, so could Utar call whether he's targeting Yalek or Caah on a round by round basis or do I need to call it now? If it's now, the only member of the other side not being targeted is the child Senetir is holding plus Team CRAP.)
Both Neya and Doozey find openings ripe for exploitation in the soldiers' formation. The stoutling's reaction is quicker and, unlike the human, he manages to pierce the muscle on one of the soldier's underarm. He bleeds profusely but is not quite falling yet. (Soldier#3 {EW-18} takes 13 magical piercing damage.)
Doozey slaps his magical mask fragment onto his left eye, gaining a hint of the awareness innate to green dragons. This is, however, not the only transformation the stoutling goes through. Black and white fur grow out of his skin as he quickly takes a hybrid werebadger form, somewhat resembling the weregang members that CRAP put down not too long ago. The transformed hunter than pounces on Caah, attempting to stab her twice, but her half plate armor deflects both strikes.
Aleyd finally unsheathes one of her two magical blades (she picks her [Tooltip Not Found]) and points it at the soldiers. She then speaks to CRAP: "These soldiers are being used. They don't know any better. Avoid killing them if you can."
instead of picking up her shield with her other hand, Aleyd extends her arm and touches Neya's shoulder. She suggests: "Back into the room. It is a more defensible position."
-> Aleyd uses Lay on Hands on Neya, who recovers 15 HP.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(@MB: {EU-14} looks about right.)
Inside the room, Utar decides to lay Lightbringer back down, at least for now. The cleric then invites his deceased companions to rejoin the rest of his old unit in what might be their last battle together!
From his bedside position, however, Utar can only see one enemy, and that is the one that becomes the target for Grewalt's first crossbow bolt. The bolt bursts into rays of golden light upon striking the corner just inches from the targeted soldier. (Soldier#4 {EX-16} takes 6 radiant damage.)
DM's Screen:
17 4 22
18 2
Leading the way, Utar slowly advances deeper into the room. Once Litta is able to reach him, he places a pouch of diamonds in her hands and nods purposefully at the victim. While the dragonborn approaches the body, Utar collects Lightbringer and points at the door on the north wall of this bedchamber. Neya and Graxx get the message.
Litta can't help but let out a loud gasp once she has a chance to look at the victim closely. Shivering, she looks back at Utar and the blood dripping from Lightbringer's head. She points at the mangled head of the victim, the chunks of brain matter splattered all over the wall and says in a low voice: "It is Lord Valero himself."
Graxx and Neya react by beginning to rush towards the door behind which Yalek is believed to be hiding. However, the entire group's effort is interrupted by a sudden scream...
Outside, just a few seconds ago, Doozey begins to get a bad feeling about the entire situation. The voices coming from the first floor get a bit louder. Feet begin to shuffle and the sound of boots hitting the floor begin to multiply. The faint, distant sound of a tiny bell rings, or so Doozey thinks. From behind his position, a door swings open and someone screams: "ASSASSINS! TO ARMS! TO ARMS!"
Doozey turns and sees several soldiers rushing out of the room to the east. Behind the flow of soldiers pouring into the second floor foyer, Doozey sees a tall, robed, white-feathered humanoid craddling a young boy of no more than 5 or 6 years of age. As if in slow-motion, Senitir says: "Come, young lordling. I'll protect you from your fapher's murderers." He steps on the window sill and flies out of the manor with the boy in his arms.
"TO ARMS! TO ARMS!", he continues screaming as he flies outside. "TO ARMS! TO ARMS!", a second voice repeats, apparently leading the Brokengulf soldiers who are rushing in from the east room. This one is also a recognizable voice. Buhrell Caah looks as healthy as she has ever been. A malicious grin takes over her face. "Kill them!"
ROLLING INITIATIVE
(Neya goes first.)
Neya is not surprised by Caah's presence, thanks to Doozey's warning about her not actually being part of the Emerald Enclave. In fact, hearing her voice had removed all doubt. Now, that they are trapped, she reasons that the best way to break it is to go for the most dangerous among the soldiers, Caah, herself.
Neya moves just outside of the room (EV-16), takes out her bow and fires two arrows at Caah.
Shortbow Attack: 15 Damage: 9
Shortbow Attack: 22 Damage: 10
Neya then gets ready for the oncoming assault.
Extended Signature
Neya reacts first to hearing Caah's voice. She changes the direction of her move, stepping outside of the room while grabbing her bow. By the time she reaches Doozey's side, Neya is already releasing a second arrow at the half-orc. The first arrow hits the door frame. Caah raises her shield to block the second.
Anticipating a retaliatory assault, Neya prepares to dodge incoming attacks.
Suddenly, the door in the north wall within the west bedchamber (the crime scene) bursts open. Yalek {ES-12} has kicked it nearly off its hinges. He wastes no time in throwing two darts at the first target he sees. His skull-and-crescent-moon hand tattoo is already alight.
-> Tattoo-enabled Dart vs. Graxx: Attack: 20
Damage: 8-> Tattoo-enabled Dart vs. Graxx: Attack: 22
Damage: 9Yalek does not have the surprise factor he thought he did. Graxx was ready for it and easily dodges the two small projectiles. Yalek then runs deeper into the room he appeared from (a washroom) and hides (stealth: 14.) In his rush, he does such a poor job of it that Utar, Biscuit, and Graxx all have a good idea of where he went {ES-14}.
Moneus is up next and, like Neya, he turns to face the incoming soldiers. He steps into the closest corner {EW-15} and produces two pure-energy knives from his magical bracers. He launches them at the nearest soldier:
-> Flying Knife vs Soldier#4 {EW-19}: Attack: 28
Damage: 12-> Flying Knife vs Soldier#4 {EW-19}: Attack: 20
Damage: 6The soldier's chain mail is enough to deflect the first knife, and his shield takes care of the second. Disappointed, Moneus steps back into the room and hides behind a different corner {EW-14} (stealth: 10 + 6 = 12.) His long coat is still showing through the door for those with keen enough eyes.
DM's Screen:
23
Another surprise pops up into the west bedchamber. A sudden burst of shiny reflective specs takes over the entrance of the room, affecting all party:
The burst catches many of the party members by surprise. Graxx, Utar, Aleyd, Litta, and Biscuit are now all emanating magical Faerie Light in a 10ft radius.
Those who are inside the room have a general sense that the spell was cast from somewhere near the south wall, but by the time they search for its source, the caster has already successfully hid themselves once more.
(Graxx is up next.)
”BETRAYER!” Graxx roars as he sees Yalek flee.
(Bonus Action) Graxx will begin to RAGE.
(Movement) The glowing Graxx will charge after Yalek moving to ES,14.
(Action) Attack
Graxx opens his palms and attempts to Grapple Yalek.
Athletics: 20
If success Graxx will attempt to shove Yalek prone. If fail, Graxx will attempt to Grapple once more.
Athletics: 11
DM's Screen:
12 6
(@Grx: I'm placing Graxx on {ES-13}.)
Not deceived by Yalek's attempt at hiding, Graxx feels a Rage growing inside of him and enters the washroom. The barbarian pins the half-orc against the wall and then sweeps his leg to force him to the ground.
Caah points at Neya: "Getting close to your sorry group and learning your modus operandi was too easy. You'll pay for how quick you are to trust strangers." In this same motions, she places a magical mark on the monk and advances into melee range {EV-17}.
-> Tribal Warclub vs. Neya: Attack: 10
Damage: 13-> Tribal Warclub vs. Neya: Attack: 21 Damage: 12
-> Tribal Warclub vs. Doozey: Attack: 14 Damage: 9
Ready for the initial swing, Neya avoids it easily. However, the follow-up backstroke manages to catch the monk's back. Caah then goes for a third swing. Neya dodges it, but subsequently realizes that the attack was aimed at Doozey from the start. The halfling raises his arm to block the attack with his buckler but is left cursing himself for forgetting to actually equip it. (Neya takes 15 magical bludgeoning damage; Doozey takes 10 magical bludgeoning damage.)
Edit: Neya's concentration check {DC 10}: 13
The Brokengulf soldiers follow Caah into battle, pushing furniture out of the way as needed. They advance in a well-practice but fluid formation. Their shields are up and they shift positions with their colleagues in an efficient manner. This allows each one of them to attack their foe in turn, despite being in a tight area.
-> One-handed Longsword vs. Doozey: Attack: 11
Damage: 8-> One-handed Longsword vs. Doozey: Attack: 20 Damage: 8
-> One-handed Longsword vs. Doozey: Attack: 19 Damage: 4
-> One-handed Longsword vs. Doozey: Attack: 8
Damage: 3-> One-handed Longsword vs. Doozey: Attack: 11
Damage: 10-> One-handed Longsword vs. Doozey: Attack: 11
Damage: 10-> One-handed Longsword vs. Doozey: Attack: 15
Damage: 6-> One-handed Longsword vs. Doozey: Attack: 14
Damage: 4-> One-handed Longsword vs. Neya: Attack: 4
Damage: 9-> One-handed Longsword vs. Neya: Attack: 6
Damage: 9-> One-handed Longsword vs. Neya: Attack: 19 Damage: 7
-> One-handed Longsword vs. Neya: Attack: 18 Damage: 4
More aware after that first hit, Doozey manages to either dodge or ensure that most of the incoming slashes cut nothing but leather. A couple of them manage to draw blood nonetheless. Two other slashes also manage to nick Neya. (Doozey takes 12 slashing damage; Neya takes 11 slashing damage.)
Their shifting formation is, however, not perfect. Three soldiers end up exposing relatively unprotected portions of themselves as they move out of attacking range. (Neya and Doozey may each choose to perform an opportunity attack against one of three soldiers.)
Edit: Neya's concentration check {DC 10}: 8 - Pass without Trace drops.
Still looking at Utar, Litta announces: "There is brain matter everywhere. I can't Revivify him in this state. It won't regenerate organs." Despite this realization, Litta's preparation to call one of her most powerful divine favors does not go to waste. Her palm shift towards Utar instead of Lord Valero's body and she casts Dispel Magic on him, doing away with the glowing light stuck to his armor.
-> Utar is no longer affected by Faerie Fire.
Outside, Senetir makes sure that the wind in on his back and flies away with incredible speed. He flies west and turns the corner around the house such that the line of sight between the party and himself is broken even before he ends his movement. No one can see Senitir at the moment, or the child he is carrying for that matter.
(Doozey and Utar are up next. I'll post Aleyd's turn after that.)
Reaction:
Neya will strike at the soldier that did more damage to her.
Unarmed Attack: 10 Damage: 6
Extended Signature
Reaction: OA Using Apostle on retreating guard.
(Non-Lethal)Shortsword - Attack: 28 Damage: 13 magical piercing.
Despite the price of a guard weakened to go on the offensive, Doozey's pained grunts soon turned into feral growls. "We'll pay? I'm afraid that's where you're mistaken." He states as he fishes from a back pouch the fragment of the mask and seals it about his left eye. "The only one paying anything, is you and yours by way of iron and blood." He growled out as bone noisily popped and his body started contort mid-sentence from a sudden transformation. By the end of which, Doozey stood nearly a foot taller as a silvery blue-eyed werebadger that growled and swipped its blade at the guard.
Just before he struck, Doozey somehow lets out a sharp whistle, prompting Biscuit to perk up from its frantic searching of a caster to obey some unspoken call. Before this can full come about however, the stoutling moved with unnatural speed to stab at Caah's lower half to weaken her defense. After which, Biscuit, who also in response to the call had magically transformed into a sleeker form with bigger horns and seemingly made of vines, rushed out the door and would begin make its way around.
Free Action: Don Dragon Mask Shard.
Bonus Action(Doozey): Enter Hybrid Form(Were-Badger).
Action(Doozey): Cleansing Dance at Caah!
(Lethal)Apostle - Attack: 10 Damage: 11 magical piercing.
(Lethal)Apostle - Attack: 13 Damage: 10 magical piercing.
(S/N: 1st one to hit Caah will mark her as Doozey's Favored Foe and inflict an additional 4 points of damage.)
Action(Biscuit): Default into Defensive Action.
Movement(Biscuit): To ER-16(or as close as possible with 40ft of movement)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Utar looks at Lightbringer, repulsed that Yalek used a holy relic of Torm in such a foul manner. Not wanting to smear more of Lord Valero around, he leaves the weapon on the bed next to his body. (EU,14?)
Eliciting a snarl, Utar's anger boils up, thinking they were setting a trap, they've blundered into one themselves!
His pauldron glowing, Utar casts spirit guardians calling on his former comrades once more and sending them into the fight.
(OOC Not sure whether this spell can be used non-lethally but I can select targets, so could Utar call whether he's targeting Yalek or Caah on a round by round basis or do I need to call it now? If it's now, the only member of the other side not being targeted is the child Senetir is holding plus Team CRAP.)
RESOLVING REACTIONS
DM's Screen:
19
Both Neya and Doozey find openings ripe for exploitation in the soldiers' formation. The stoutling's reaction is quicker and, unlike the human, he manages to pierce the muscle on one of the soldier's underarm. He bleeds profusely but is not quite falling yet. (Soldier#3 {EW-18} takes 13 magical piercing damage.)
Doozey slaps his magical mask fragment onto his left eye, gaining a hint of the awareness innate to green dragons. This is, however, not the only transformation the stoutling goes through. Black and white fur grow out of his skin as he quickly takes a hybrid werebadger form, somewhat resembling the weregang members that CRAP put down not too long ago. The transformed hunter than pounces on Caah, attempting to stab her twice, but her half plate armor deflects both strikes.
Biscuit {ER-15}, who had made his way out of the room while Doozey was stabbing away, prepares to engage as needed.
Aleyd finally unsheathes one of her two magical blades (she picks her [Tooltip Not Found]) and points it at the soldiers. She then speaks to CRAP: "These soldiers are being used. They don't know any better. Avoid killing them if you can."
instead of picking up her shield with her other hand, Aleyd extends her arm and touches Neya's shoulder. She suggests: "Back into the room. It is a more defensible position."
-> Aleyd uses Lay on Hands on Neya, who recovers 15 HP.
(@MB: {EU-14} looks about right.)
Inside the room, Utar decides to lay Lightbringer back down, at least for now. The cleric then invites his deceased companions to rejoin the rest of his old unit in what might be their last battle together!
-> Damage roll: 15
-> Concentration on Locate Creature drops.
From his bedside position, however, Utar can only see one enemy, and that is the one that becomes the target for Grewalt's first crossbow bolt. The bolt bursts into rays of golden light upon striking the corner just inches from the targeted soldier. (Soldier#4 {EX-16} takes 6 radiant damage.)
END OF INITIATIVE ROUND 1