Lost Lab of Kwalish

Clarificarion:

'Everyone' is just the people in the Chapel: Gravity, Samogri and Ana.

They should make the save.

Dex save: 17 

<Tettrevess made the save against the ritual, by the way.  I'd narrate it, but I feel like the moment has passed.)

Initiative 

Ana 23

Sam 21

NPCs 12

Gravity 8

Tetrevess 5

https://www.owlbear.rodeo/game/i8fcgkwXK

Ana, Samogri, and Tetrevess are up.

The survivors of the collapse include:

2 half elves (one high, one wood), a half orc, 2 humans, an elf, a hill dwarf, 3 teiflings... and the old woman with the charred face.

They continue to chant: 

<Same as before, but in DnD Infernal font from DMs guild.  Had to get to the laptop to do it>

Gravity: Dexterity Saving Throw × Bludgeoning Damage: 13 (Rolled in gamelog)

Gravity's hitpoints will drop to 0, she immediately falls unconscious after getting damaged by the weight of the debris and rocks. The magical arrow repeats the display of the imbued message automatically by default:

 Phenex is....(mechanical malfunction)...the stone golem. Send a healer.

Seeing the slightly grey sky overhead, the huge bird (who had Roc stats and therefore a fly speed, regardless of being described as an axebeak) takes to the air, launching himself out of the chap and clearing the ridge of the newly formed crater.

Eleven humanoids stand now, cha ring amid the rubble, exalting the altar.  Pentival rises from the debris, scanning the room, trying to find his bearings 8 

Seeing Gravity laying on the ground, he stares longingly, mournfully, reaching out to touch her, bit then snaps his attention to Samogri (Ana is still invisible, right? Tetrevess is in the hallway) and moves to attack him, longsword in hand.

Sam and Ana can act in any order they wish at this point (Sam still needs to make the Dex save). 

<Success on the Wis save means you're immune to the ceremony, so feel free to room about the place.>

Tetrevess will again shoot the old woman, Believing it to be the mastermind here- attempting to break the spell.    another firebolt shoots from his outstretched hand…

31 to hit

10 damage.  (Fire)

and natural 20

oops-  ignore damage roll above, i mistyped.  Not going to edit as I don’t want manipulation tag.   Here’s damage:

10 

12 

 total 28 fire

With that. The old woman bursts into flames, falls to the ground and rolls about.  The screams turn into a final roar as her death throws subside.  The chanting stops.  The exhausted humanoids all collapse.  The half-drsgon falters, but catches himself takes a knee and looks up as he slowly rises.  Finding Tetrevess, he points angrily, "What have you done, fiend?  Stop this blasphemous ceremony at once and let these innocent people go!"

Evidently, he believes that the incubus has disguised himself as Tetrevess and cunningly killed an innocent woman, possibly to decieve the group.

Quickly assessing that the Dragonborn must have somehow been under the influence of the Incubus, Tetrevess holds up his hand in a sign of peace.  “I have killed the Incubus, and freed these people from this horrid ceremony.  The fiend you seek changed form into that old woman.  Please,  there are people injured- help me help them.”   He points to gravity lying unconscious.  

taking a potion of healing out, he starts making his way across the rubble towards gravity and will give her the potion, unless someone else heals her first.    He keeps an eye on the paladin, and adds “I am Tetrevess, human wizard and here to destroy this infernal temple and it’s masters   Are you willing to help my companions?” 

<End of initiative>

The dragonborn shakes his head slowly, as if uncertain or confused.  He first turns to Gravity and reaches out to her, a healing light surrounds his scaly fingers as he touches her cheek and takes a deep breath, exhaling with a dusty cough. {Gravity regains 5hp and is again conscious.}

"We shall see if you speak the truth, sorcerer."

Insight: 13.

The paladin breathes in deeply, sniffs at the air and holds still for a moment, turning his attention sharply to the old woman's remains, he sneers. "That is no innocent woman.  The body laying here belongs to the fiend holding this vile ritual.  So, you have come to destroy the balor empowering this foul cult?" he asks.  "We came to kill it, ourselves, but we were captured.  One by one we were tortured, forced to give our soul energy to that accursed altar.  We must kill the balor now, before they find a way to continue pulling his essence into this tomb of horrors.  If we don't stop it now, that acolyte of Vecna could become the most powerful evil Oerth has ever seen."

<Anyone can jump in here. That is what I meant by end of initiative vs. 'End of combat" I thought it would be more clear, at the time. >

Tetrevess looks at gravity being healed and sighs in relief.  He returns to the incubus’ body and checks to see if there is anything of interest there, while replying to the paladin.  “We saw the balor trapped below.   Is there anything we can do to the altar to stop this?  What of these people?”   (His wall of radiant fire dissipates, revealing the altar). 

Gravity attempts to bite the Paladin's finger off when she finds the tip dangerously close to her cheek, then she rolls on the ground and stands up so that she can assume a defensive position while aiming her shortbow at Pentival..... she's been panting, frowning, scowling, sneezing, coughing and scrunching her nose while gulping down the Potion of Healing to regain 8 HP.

"We're not going to kill Tarnhem, since he's offered us treasures and magic items in exchange for saving his life. He's a nice guy, and I don't want his blood on my hands."

Quote from Tesservett >>

Tetrevess looks at gravity being healed and sighs in relief.  He returns to the incubus’ body and checks to see if there is anything of interest there, while replying to the paladin.  “We saw the balor trapped below.   Is there anything we can do to the altar to stop this?  What of these people?”   (His wall of radiant fire dissipates, revealing the altar). 

 “ unlock the wooden chest then he can have his items, he is a demon he will not like being a puppet to a god yess”

Concentration: 8  

Though she was just able to avoid most of the debris falling on them, Ana's concentration waivered and she became visible once again. Fortunately just then the ritual finally stopped with the death of the fiend compelling it. She sighted on the half-dragon then but it seemed he was no longer their enemy. She sat down right where she was standing and began to bind her wounds with whatever she could find.

All her resources were exhausted. At this moment she really was little more than the elven girl with a bow she pretended to be. With a little rest they would come back but did they have time? "Since we've caused such a ruckus we should probably not stick around but we do need to rest and recover. What do you think?" 

“I agree.  My spells are much depleted.  Let’s gather what we can and escape while we can.  If we can disrupt the plans further I’m open to it- but we should not remain here long.  We can come back.   Let’s check the chests and rhe altar.”  Tetrevess says.

Pentival is adamant. "Miss," he speaks respectfully to Gravity "I am deeply sorry for the harm I have caused you.  I witnessed your succumb to the will of the fiend who stood at this altar.  I know you understand what happened, but I don't know if you can forgive me, or if I csn forgive myself.  I do know that I came here to destroy that balor, and keep his power from the hands of those who serve evil here in Oerik, or my companions will have met their ends in vain. May their spirits find peace and f"orgiveness.

I would not advise touching that altar of evil.  Caspian tried to grab the whip, but hisnlifr was enedz it seems, by the act alone."

<regardless of he success my attempt at writing dialog, I want to make clear that Pentivsl.was with a group of paladins and they got caught.  He us compelled by duty and an oath to his late brethren to destroy the balor.>

<I'd say a short rest is fine.  If you csn all get out if the tomb, that would be ideal, just a climb check or a twleport or a levitate away.  

A long rest is something you w9uld want ro do in town and when you come back it will be next day.

Long rest in the temple might be pretty hard to pull off st this point, but it's yiur game you decide what you want to do.>

<should I decide how you rest? If you want a rest, take one, but maybe not here where you just collapsed a roof and killed Phenex.  The balor is still captive, but Moghaddam will certainly come see what's happened at the least and I doubt he'll be happy about it.  For a short rest, you could try the place where you found Nolzur,  or you could jusr keep going like a team of adventurers would.  The one thing you should definitely decide is what your doing with Pwntival.  His mission was to kill the balor.  His friends died trying and he will give his life to do so.  It would take a lot of convincing to sway him.  Not impossible, but an unlikely outcome. >

Gravity attempts to unlock the chest using a lock picker while replying to the Paladin:

"Well, you saved my life and that's a good reason for me to forget about the past. But, we'll need to discuss about the other agenda regarding the fate of the Balor. Also tell me whatever you know about that evil altar."

Dexterity (Thieves' Tools): 15

(@Wile_E_Coyote, can we take a short rest inside the 'Escape Room'? It's a friendly territory and Moghadam probably doesn't know about the place. In fact, Gravity needs some time to harvest essence from the monsters/villains, and...

Tetrevess will see if he can take anything off the altar with mage hand.  Seeing the chest is hard to open with thieves tools, he casts knock .  

to the paladin he says “well, our thought was to free the balor and allow his wrath free to destroy the place.  But my companions and I need to rest in a secure place- we are in no condition to fight, or face a Balor, even one trapped and being drained of it’s essence.”  

knowledge arcana to determine how to disrupt things the most effectively… assuming someone helps. 
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