Tales from Talaveroth

(Twitch is still hidden, yes. So far it's just Si'Juul and Poinki that have been seen. I don't want to put Elhanna somewhere until she's had a chance to speak for herself)

Sorry guys, I’ve got some bad cold and can barely keep awake 💀 (not covid). I’ll post when I feel better! 

Elhanna initiative: 13

(Looks like Poinki goes first?) Seeing everything about to go crazy, Poiki hurriedly steps into the middle of the developing skirmish. "Stop, stop!" he shouts. "All friends here! Grouchy bird man not mean any harm! We talk, not fight, yes? Ilmater not about giving pain to others. We work for Ilmater stop suffering. Fight demon, not friends, yes? Work to get demon out where we can hit it." Persuasion: 19

Action: Divine Sense (As an action, you can detect good and evil. Until the end of your next turn, you can sense anything affected by the hallow spell or know the location of any celestial, fiend, undead within 60 ft. that is not behind total cover. )

The acolytes waver for a second but the purple form that has taken over the man never does. From Poinki's Divine Sense the overpowering feeling of undeath radiates from the man. 

A1 initiative: 10

A2 initiative: 11

S initiative: 9

Si'Juul returns to the air, willingly enduring the acolytes' opportunity attacks so he can throw one of his makeshift grenades down on top of the scarred man.

Fire damage: 5

And since the acolytes are within 5ft of him, they have to make a dex save DC15 or take 1 fire damage.

(Here come the crap rolls again :P)

AC1 AOO: 4 Damage: 4

As Si'Juul takes to the air the acolyte he grabbed swings at him but he's not used to someone going upwards and misses wide.

(Other acolyte and purple man are out of range for an AOO)

(We'll go with groups of initiative so Twitch (and Elhanna when you're feeling better, rest well!) can go now, then the others will go)

Twitch groaned. She has no idea how to handle demons, she's never had to before. On the other hand, she had no way of knowing, if killing the hurt old man would help, and at any rate, Si'Juul was already well on the case there. She put far more faith into Elhanna or Poinki to be able to handle the demon.

For now, with no further information to go on, Twitch wants to try and gather more information on this supposed demon.

(Sure, I'll allow that. It's a creative use of skills, which I always appreciate. I'm not going to roll deception, he can't beat that roll. So no attacks for you but lots of information.)

Twitch examines the scene with her trained eyes and something stands out to her. The movements of the man are always a slight second after the movements of the purple shape surrounding him, almost like something is pulling his body along. The purple figure also seems incorporial, like it's less attached to this plane than everything else.

Twitch also remembers something, the vial that she found inside the statue downstairs was filled with things that looked very similar to the way the purple shape was moving.

Quote from Sidewinder51 >>

The movements of the man are always a slight second after the movements of the purple shape surrounding him, almost like something is pulling his body along. The purple figure also seems incorporial, like it's less attached to this plane than everything else.

 (Like Pontiff Sulyvahn from Dark Souls 3, I like it. :) )

Twitch's mind is going at a hundred miles an hour. This was all so far beyond her capabilities, but she had to do something, it was clear that the man below was a puppet at best. The flask she found had no purpose down below, but it didn't do anything to harm them either. At worst, she would achieve nothing trying to use it, but maybe it was placed there in case of emergencies such as this one... For now though, all she could do was remain hidden and hope that Elhanna, Poinki and Si'Juul would not be too badly hurt by the cultists and the emerging demon, before she could do anything else herself.

Elhanna will prepare to cast spiritual weapon behind the demon and toll the dead if the situation get more aggressive! 

toll the dead 10

wis save 13 

Wisdom Save: 4

Elhanna raises her hand and a deep booming ringing can be heard. The purple form shakes itself but doesn't seem to have been harmed. 

The acolytes, now unable to reach Si'Juul content themselves with attacking the only person reachable who isn't of their faith, Elhanna. 

Attack: 9 Damage: 3

Attack: 4 Damage: 1

Both blows connect with solid thuds but Elhanna has seen worse and seems to easily absorb most of the damage with no more than a bruise.

11

The purple form of the man now reaches out. He places a spectral hand on the back of the taller acolyte and the man falls to the floor in a boneless heap.

It then begins to move towards the book case to its right, the one Twitch is hiding behind. When it gets there it seems to meet resistance for a second before it passes through the book case, disappearing from the view of most of the party. Twitch can tell though, from the noise of its movement, that it's now on the other side of the bookshelf.

(Party is up)

Elhanna will move in the direction of where Twitch is, getting her whole party in sight and cast bless. If the demon is insight she will hit it with her magical staff! 

Spiritual weapon attack if in sight: 17 Damage: 4

bless: 1

ooc: I really need to remember that I can attack with spiritual weapon when I summon it 😅 lesson learned til next time.

Poinki doesn't want to hurt his fellow Ilmater worshippers, but the acolytes seem out of control. He casts Sanctuary on poor Elhanna, and then makes his attack on the acolyte still standing, attempting to do non-lethal damage.

Flail Attack: 12 Damage: 6

Si'Juul flies over above the bookcase.

"Heads up!"

And begins attempting to push it to fall forwards.

Strength check: 21

Elhanna rushes to Twitch's side and summons her spectral staff. It swings out and hits the purple form in the back of the head. 

Poinki, meanwhile, takes advantage of the momentary distraction to the acolyte caused by Si'Juul pushing the bookshelf over and knocks the man unconscious. 

As the bookshelf falls the purple creature looks up before shuddering for another second. The falling shelf does not have the effect Si'Juul intended though as the creature emerges from the cloud of dust, standing atop the fallen shelf, on top of the books that are still in their place.

Twitch, now left without cover, stands amid the room below the demon, and in a desperate attempt at doing something to stop this incorporeal form is rushing forward and opening the stoppered bottle from the statue below: "I have no idea what this does, but it's all I got, and maybe that's all I need!"

Please let me know what to roll

(No roll for you, the specter has to make a wisdom save 4, which it succeeded on this time)

Twitch rushes forward and opens the flask. The chains that she saw inside shoot out towards its form but it shudders again and they fall to the floor before retracting.

(Any movement or bonus actions from Twitch?)

Seeing the chains falling back to the ground, Twitch curses her bad luck, stoppers the flask, and disengages as she darts back behind another bookcase to stay out of sight for now.

The purplish form of the man darts over towards Elhanna, uttering words in a strange language. It then reaches out for a swipe with its hand.

Attack: 10 Damage: 11

It seems so intent on reaching her that its swipe seems to trip it up and it falls prone. (Advantage to the party on attacks. Disadvantage to the creature on Dex saves)