Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures
Frozen Sick
D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Basic Rules (2014)
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Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer CreaturesFrozen SickD&D Beyond Basic RulesBasic Rules (2014)Sign in to view your library & saved favorites.
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When the others finally arrive Doozey expression goes from exasperated and relieved to confused and a perhaps a smidgen worried seeing the others practically racing across the field. Unfortunately but likely prior to him even being able to get a word in edge wise, Graxx is sprinting past and through the unlocked door in such a hurry, that even the newly attuned senses of the ranger can hardly keep up with anything shouted out, if shouted out.
Nevertheless, he reluctantly fell in step with Taters at his side at the back of the proverbial bus, silently bemoaning the loss of any tactical avoidance of trouble. Because with feet as short as his, he'd be lucky to keep up with any of the others any a hurry!
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
DM's Screen:
4, 7, 10, 19
It is Utar's turn to share a message received by magical means. After doing so, both Graxx and the cleric agree they must move without any further delay. Foregoing the chance to mask their approach, they move onward, with Doozey just accepting their rush and following closely behind.
The party soon reaches a maze of recently built dwellings, some of which are actually still under construction. Based on all the intel they have gathered so far, CRAP understands this to be the central area/courtyard/pavilion of the stronghold. From here, you can hear the sounds of battle happening to the west, where they know the horn and siege weapon are located. Far in the distance, in the northeast direction, you also see heroes battling a Thayan necromancer, who summons the dead to do battle. CRAP finds itself in a large tree-lined square. A stone tower rises from the center of the square, its construction obviously being based on a different architectural style. (History check with advantage available.)
Four rope bridges weave between the trees, joining the second story of the tower to the upper level of buildings ringing the square. Stairs next to the tower also lead up to the rope bridges. Just outside the tower stands a a familiar tiefling lady wielding the rank of Lieutenant of the Cult of the Dragon, shaking hands with an enormous hobgoblin. CRAP remembers that Rhonda informed them that Ixas likes to hold her meeting just outside this tower. Six cultists stand near them, while four hobgoblins archers watch from the rope bridges above.
With CRAP just rushing in and the archers at a higher vantage point, the hobgoblins have no trouble spotting you. One of the hobgoblins points towards CRAP and roars a warning. Cultists and hobgoblins turn towards you, drawing weapons. Yalek lets his hand tattoo glimmer once again and confirms what some of you might have already deduced: "That large hobgoblin is Garbul, the Hobgoblin Champion and leader of the Zartruss Clan."
ROLLING FOR INITIATIVE
(Oh crap... It looks like I go five times in a row here...)
Ixas screams "Ring the bell, you fools!" as she walks toward CRAP {DC-11}. She then begins conjuring an immense amount of water in front of her, before pushing it forward in the shape of a Tidal Wave.
Most members of the group can see the spell coming and brace accordingly. (Doozey, Taters, Graxx, Villonah, and Yalek, each take 6 bludgeoning damage.)
Confused, Utar raises his shield and accidentally bumps into Neya, affecting both of their balances. Neya does a better job of recovering quickly (Evasion; Neya takes 6 bludgeoning damage; Utar takes 13 bludgeoning damage. Both are now prone.)
-> Doozey's concentration check {DC 10}: 9 -> Hunter's Mark drops.
After casting her initial spell, Ixas backtracks to her previous spot {CZ-12}.
The cultists run to form a protective barrier between CRAP and Ixas, pretty much blocking their direct path to their leader {DD-8, DC-9, DC-10, DC-11, DD-12, DD-13}. From their, they wait for the chance to protect Ixas.
-> Notice the tree (trunk) centered on {DD-10}.
From above, the hobgoblin archers that can see the group let loose an arrow each, with one of them moving to get a better angle {DB-14}. The other two rush into the central stone tower and are now out of view.
-> Longbow vs. Graxx: Attack: 10
Damage: 4-> Longbow vs. Neya: Attack: 15
Damage: 6One of the arrows hits a tree branch, the other lands on the ground, a foot ahead of the party.
Villonah materializes her magical blade in one hand, and grabs her shield with the other. Although her blade seems to still be charging, she plunges ahead without delay {DE-12}. As soon as she's engaged in combat with a couple of the cultists, they swing their curved blades.
-> Scimitar vs. Villonah: Attack: 8 Damage: 2
-> Scimitar vs. Villonah: Attack: 6 Damage: 5
Villonah attempts to attack them simultaneously:
-> Charging magical Sword vs. Cultist #3: Attack: 24
Damage: 8-> Charging magical Sword vs. Cultist #3: Attack: 7
Damage: 8Their unexpected attacks forces the gnome to abandon her attacks and throw a magical Shield up instead. Because of it, no blood is drawn on either side.
Garbul assumes a well-practiced battle stance that highlights his longsword- and shield-wielding skills and then urges his compatriots: "This stronghold is the home of our newly-forged alliance. Defend it with your lives."
All enemies, be it hobgoblin or cultist, cheer in response to the warlord's display of Leadership.
(OOC: By the way, the rope bridges are 20 feet above the ground and connect the top of four buildings to the central tower. They can be reached by trying to go into any of these four building, going up to their respective second floors, and popping back out on the bridges. They can also be reached by climbing a ladder on the side of the central tower, as described before I rolled initiative. Climbing the 45-feet all trees and jumping over is also an option. Skill checks may be needed for each of these avenues.)
(Graxx, Neya, Doozey, Yalek, and Utar go next.)
After getting back up Neya pulls out her bow, moves to the nearby tree and uses its shadow to get into its branches (Bonus action: Shadow step) and from there, fires two arrows at Ixas.
Shortbow Attack: 24 Damage: 8
Shortbow Attack: 21 Damage: 9
Extended Signature
Graxx roars as he begins to RAGE.
"CUT A PATH TO THE WIZARD!" Graxx shouts.
Graxx moves to DE,8 and will attack the Cultist at DD,8.
Graxx thrusts his pike recklessly and with Great Weapon Mastery.
Attack: 12 Damage: 17
Attack: 11 Damage: 24
Divine Radiant to First Hit: 6
Coughing and spluttering and soaked to his skin, Utar gets to his feet and takes cover behind a nearby tree. (Moving to DE,10)
The hobgoblin commander appears to be adept at rallying their troops, however, Utar knows that every battle plan terms to fall apart when you get hit in the mouth.
Clutching his amulet, he casts spiritual weapon, creating his usual spectral warhammer amid the enemy lines (CY,12). Heeding Graxx's call at the last moment, he had it swing against Ixas instead.
Attack: 14 Damage: 9
(@All: Time to break some legs, and hope for the best!)
Both Doozey and spirits cough of water off to the side, and then gives Ixas their best "Grr" face. "Alright ya scrawny, broken horned, and skeevy devil woman. If that's how we're gonna play, then THAT's how we're gonna play this then." With sling already in one hand, he fishes out a flour bomb with the other, marches his way forward to just the corner of the building, revs up a high throw!
Whereupon its crash landing into the ground, a hope and prayer to Big Mama Yondalla goes out for it exploding, creating the perfect smoke cloud. From there it is with some bold audacity that lets a phoenix round fly in a blind hope catching three birds with one burning stone! After he at least starts to retreat, Doozey finds himself overcome with an urge to whistle a little tune and snap a finger. Appearing in a swirl of earth, smoke, and embers arrives a spectral and larger version of Biscuit, who immediately lets out a haunting growl in the direction of the foes arrayed around.
"...."
Doozey shook himself out a brief moment's stupor, and with a somewhat shaky command, sent Taters ahead to engage the enemy. As Taters pass by the foot of the great Tundra Mastiff, the two beasts share an almost knowing look, before again their focus is set upon their foes.
Movement: DE-10.
Action: One-Two Hit C-C-Combo!
#1 Smoke Bomb - targeting point: [CZ/DA-11/12] (if measured right, should catch Cultists (DC-11), Ixas, and Garbul in smoke cloud)
#2 (Phoenix Round)Sling - Attack: 21 Damage: 8 non-magical bludgeoning plus fire damage to Garbul.
(Disadvantage assumed due to heavy obscurement)
(@Lerus: If unable to target the ground for the smoke bomb, then choosing Ixas for it. Here's attack roll if needed: 24 (no prof. due to improvised weapon))
(Additionally, due nature of bullet, hit or miss it should pass through the smoke cloud area, igniting it and inflicting 5 Fire Damage. Dex(DC 12) for 1/2 damage.)
Bonus Action: Cast Healing Spirit at DA-12(or if Taters wouldn't be able to reach there, DE-10).
Movement(Remaining): DF-11.
----------------
Action(Taters): Dodge.
Movement: To DA-12 (Or, if unable to reach with 50ft of movement, then instead pass through DE-10 before continuing to DD-11)'
--> Healing Spirit for Taters: 3.
-->Healing Spirit for Utar(if placed at DE-10): 6.
--> (1 or 2 charges of HS remaining)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
(@Grx: So, {DE-8} is the inside of a building. I'll place Graxx at {DE-9} instead.)
Graxx shouts what almost sounds like an order to his companions and rushes forward. He raises his pike but the cultist is faster:
-> Scimitar vs. Graxx: Attack: 11
Damage: 4Graxx's weapon thrust achieves two goals: it parries the incoming attack and punctures the cultist's throat. Just to be sure, Graxx pokes him again. (Cultist #4 takes 52 magical piercing and radiant damage and is DEFEATED... Geebus!)
After standing back up (no longer prone), Neya steps into the nearby tree's shadow and reappears 40 feet up in one of its highest branches. Two arrows are released before anyone has been able to locate the monk. They both find their mark. (Ixas takes 14 piercing damage.)
Once she spots Neya, the tiefling cultist snarls at her in Infernal:
-> Neya's DEX saving throw {DC 15}: 17 Damage: 8
Neya feels some chills creep up, but they are not intense enough to cut her skin. (Evasion.)
(@Ori: The obscure-flour works both ways. You can't see your target but they can't see your attack either. Just a straight roll then. Also, you forgot to roll your d2 worth of fire damage from the phoenix round... not that the attack hits anyway.)
DM's Screen:
5, 15
Doozey and Taters show just how mad they are at Ixas. The halfling then steps forward and produces a white cloud of flour by throwing one of Villonah's tinkered bags at the ground just in front of Garbul. Both the warlord and the cultist leaders disappear within the flour smoke. What an insult!
Doozey wastes no time in releasing a loosely aimed special bullet at the hobgoblin. He can hear the metallic ping of it hitting the warlord's armor ineffectively. Nonetheless, the flour smoke becomes a moderately sized fire swirl before it disappears. (Ixas takes 6 fire damage; Garbul takes 6 fire damage.)
Biscuit's spiritual cousin then makes an appearance in the battlefield, somewhat unexpectedly. It appears just in front of Ixas {DA-12} and below one of the rope bridges. Taters immediately gives chase. Before he can reach his fellow beast, however, two of the cultists that formed a line in front of the leaders get a swipe at him (either a ready attack or an opportunity attack, your pick.)
-> Scimitar vs. Taters: Attack: 9
Damage: 3-> Scimitar vs. Taters: Attack: 19 Damage: 6
-> Forgot to account for the dodge: 20 and 23 -> second attack still hits.
Tater's suffers a cut on his way to his canine friend. (Taters takes 6 slashing damage.)
Upon reaching his destination, "Biscuit" heals some of the almiraj's wounds (Taters heals for 3 HP.)
(@Ori: Please roll an insight or history check.)
Yalek moves next to Villonah with his own scimitar in hands. He attacks as he goes.
-> Tattoo-enabled Scimitar vs. Cultist #3: Attack: 18 Damage: 15
-> Tattoo-enabled Scimitar vs. Cultist #3: Attack: 16
Damage: 9He manages to cut that one cultist deeply, but not fatally. (Cultist #3 takes 13 slashing damage.)
He then moves nimbly and puts a few feet between him and the nearest cultist {DE-15}.
(@MB: It doesn't look like Utar took any action, so I'll just assume a dodge for now.)
Utar carefully approaches the nearby tree and manifests his spiritual warhammer right behind Ixas. He immediately commands it to swing at the tiefling, but she leans sideways and avoids the strike.
@Doozey (in reference to the insight check rolled below): You can see by Ixas' reaction to your fiery explosion that she is not easily bothered by flames (resistant to fire.)
Doozey's Insight?: 19.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
"LAIR" ACTION
Just after Utar casts his spell, two things happen:
END OF INITIATIVE ROUND 1
(Ixas and Garbul go next.)
"Halt their advance!" Ixas orders, once again producing some water in her hands. She splashes it sideways, forming a Wall of Water that separates Garbul, the tower's door, and herself from the rest of battle {DD-8, DC-9, DB-10, DA-11, CZ-12} . The foaming sea water that constitutes the wall is only one-foot thick, but it partially obscures the view to the other side of it. CRAP can still see Ixas making her way into the tower.
-> Taters may attempt an opportunity attack through the wall at disadvantage.
Taters tries to stick Ixas through the wall, before she get too far, but the rapidly moving magical water forces his horn wide. (reference.)