Cabin in the Wood [IC]

[Fishybugs]

Jenara listens to the others contemplate. "Didn't someone say there was more to the basement area? That's usually where I've found sources of evil."

[daze413]

Brelard seemingly is steeped in comfortable study, the gnome looks as if ignoring everyone's conversing but when Vengar spoke, his head lifts and he stands. "Vengar, I might be able to do that. do you know some detail about Angelica. some object that's always on her person? I can try to track that object. It can't be clothes, she might have changed them. It has to be something... specific." at this point, he looks back to his spellbook. "Honestly, I was thinking of using Locate Object on the Pictures of Lust, but your idea has some merit. Umm.. Remind me why we want to look for that clumsy woman- who, if I may add, totally forgot to warn you about a creature that could have drowned you, her alleged love."

[Pope Scarface]

You notice as Zeth comments about the damaged wooden floorboards that the fire actually seems to have left the floor unscathed. Odd. Maybe a clue?

[Antilles123]

"All I'm thinking is that if we see where she goes, she may lead us to some entity that is able to exercise this control over her"

"Of course, it could simply be Cordelia, but I'm wondering whether there is some other artefact or spell at play"


Perception check (exhaustion) [roll0] or [roll1]


Vengar scratches his head. "You know what, I never took much notice of her belongings, maybe I was focussed on something else?", he says to Brelard with a toothy grin. "Besides, I thought the thinking and observing part were your thing?"

[Pope Scarface]

The group continues to rest, as the heavy footfalls grow more distant, then are gone. They do not return.

[Fishybugs]

Jenara blinks in disbelief as the two seemingly ignore her. She rolls her eyes in an exaggerated manner when Vengar mentions how 'distracted' he was. "Basement?"

[Antilles123]

Even in his exhausted state, Vengar notices Jenara's eye roll.

"Maybe Jen's onto something" he says sheepishly, looking a little embarrassed about his previous comments, especially when he had told Brelard he didn't want to joke about Angelica.

[daze413]

Brelard manages to laugh while reading his spellbook. With all the conversing and the joking, it would look like the wizard wouldnt be able to focus on his spellbook. In truth, he was merely skimming the pages and trying to find what parts he would likely forget. The practice quieted his mind and allowed him greater focus.

"Jenara does have a point. Although I'm sure exploring all the parts of this house would only be beneficial, starting at the bottomw does not sound bad."

[Pope Scarface]

Time passes. The spell's duration is coming to a close. The party climbs out of the magical hiding place, and gathers in the hallway. Where do you go next?

[Pope Scarface]

The group travels back to the hidden altar, and busts open the wooden chest revealing its contents:

You find a ceremonial dagger made of silver, two erotic gold statues, a small box with some kind of incense that may be of monetary value, and small black book with infernal symbols on the cover.

[daze413]

Brelard frowns at the menacing book in the chest. "Don't!" He quickly says, "touch it..." he inspects the symbols on the book and asks, "I don't suppose any of us can read Infernal? I can but it'll take some time... Before that, however, let's just make sure no suprises are in these treasures." Brelard swuats and brings out his spell book again.

Eyes closed, he begins incanting the Detect Magic ritual...

[Pope Scarface]

None of the items detect as magical. The strange presence from before is also gone, and there is no lingering magical aura from whatever that was either.

[miinstrel]

"Of course, you have a resident hellion; give the book here," Zeth instructs reaching for the grimoire. After reading the cover aloud he opens the book and flips through the first few pages to get a feel for the content, commenting on any highlights.

As he opens the book a faint breeze swirls through the room and any flames flicker and dim momentarily.

[daze413]

"Of course," Brelard steps back from Zeth as he handed her the book, after making sure everything was safe to touch. "I didn't want to assume the languages you knew." He added, amused.

[Pope Scarface]

The symbols on the grimoire are essentially just doodles. They might have been part of some kind of warding spell in the past, but they no longer have any potency. Flipping through the book, you find that it is a mix between a spellbook and a how to guide to devil summoning, complete with specific rituals described in graphic detail for summoning specific devils who are servants of Bitru (including true names). As a warlock yourself, you are fairly confident this is a fiendish pact warlock's little black book.

Zeth flips through the book, reading some choice bits aloud in Common. Sounds like pretty standard demon cultist fare, as well as a spell book.

[Black Socks]

Sariel, not knowing any useful skills, stays back, keeping a lookout for danger, her hands on her bow and quiver.

[Pope Scarface]

Standing guard at the cellar entrance, Sariel sees the hand again, scurrying along the ceiling above the bar.

She is reminded of a discarded note that the investigative people never had time to attempt to decipher earier.


The hand takes the paper and quill and attempts to scratch something clumsily onto the paper, but seems to get frustrated and flicks the quill off the table.

You make out a few legible words. Soul. Grove. Torn. Devil.
You piece together a couple phrases. Soul torn apart. Grove Destroyed. Beware the Devil.

[Antilles123]

"Anybody mind if I put an arrow through that damned hand?"

Vengar draws his bow and waits on a response before letting fly an arrow.

[Antilles123]

If nobody seems to mind, I will fire 2 arrows at the hand. Otherwise, I will let it live...for now...
Attacks - 1d20+5 and [roll0]
Dmg - [roll1] and [roll2]

[Pope Scarface]

The hands drops from the ceiling for a moment, hovering in the air, as it gestures towards you. At first you think it is flipping you off, then you are swallowed by darkness, and cold, and... something else moving in the darkness. You then hear it scurrying away... and whispers in the darkness.

Initiative roll of 14 for the hand, so it acted in response to the threat before Vengar could shoot it.
The field of darkness is large enough to envelop the entire party, including anyone still in the cellar or hidden altar room. You take [roll0] cold damage at the beginning of your turn from the bitter cold of the darkness. In addition to it being darkness, you are also blinded when in the darkness, and must make a reflex save DC 15 if you end your turn still in the darkness, or take [roll1] acid damage as ... something.. in the darkness brushes against you.

Whoever was examining the contents of the chest would still be in the altar room at this point.

[Black Socks]

Sariel panics. Summoning her inner magic, she steps for a moment into the Feywild, sees its beautiful terrain-
Then she's back in the cabin.

((I will use my eladrin ability to cast Misty Step and teleport.... out of the darkness. Would that take me back into the room above?))

[Antilles123]

Vengar starts to sing a slow, solemn tune in Draconic, using his arcane powers to melt the darkness away.
As he does so, he draws his longsword, grasping it in one hand as he waits for the Darkness to recede.


I'll try dispel magic on the Darkness please.

[Pope Scarface]

Vengar's magic breaks the spell (it was a 3rd level spell, so no roll needed). The hand is not immediately visible. As the darkness fades, Brelard is now nowhere to be seen.

*** Note: Check OOC Thread before posting here. ***

Do to rescaling for three four players, I have retconned three common healing potions into the chest behind the altar.

[Pope Scarface]

The group pauses to regain their bearings, and Vengar draws a rough map (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WkNbypgUeR14MyeioBq5T9ggCm255T0_17g30JzOggw/edit) of what you have explored so far.

There can be no doubt at this point; this place is definitely haunted. The question remains of what you intend to do about it.

[Antilles123]

"OK. Time to regroup." Vengar says to the team, remembering his time in the military, though he was never a front-line fighter.

"The imp ran away here." he says, pointing to his crude map. "I think that's where we should focus our investigation. We haven't explored that area yet."

"I'll be damned if this ramshackle building is going to be the end of me. What about you?" he asks to the group.

[Fishybugs]

Jenara looks over the map. Though not a student of strategy or tactics, she nods in agreement with Vengar's assessment. "Sounds like a plan to me."

[Pope Scarface]

It is slow and frustrating work making your way down the hallway, checking each room as you go by. Every door is still locked, and Jenara has to put to work some skills she hasn't used for years, with what tools she was able to improvise from scavenged kitchenware. As you go through, most of the rooms are empty and look as though they have not been disturbed in some time.

One of the doors in the first hallway opens to a room with a dead humanoid in chainmail with a greataxe lying at their side. The room itself is a wreck; desk and bed and chair smashed to pieces. As you approach, the body lurches to life, but you easily put it back down again before it can be a threat to you.

[Black Socks]

Sariel cautiously approaches the body, searching for treasure.
((Investigation check:
[roll0]))

[Fishybugs]

As Sariel carefully approaches the body, Jenara sneaks up behind her, lightly touching her back with both hands and shouts, "BOO!!"

Stealth: [roll0]

[Pope Scarface]

The chainmail and greataxe are still serviceable, and cleaned up are in good enough condition to sell. You also find 18 gold pieces on the dead woman's body.

[Black Socks]

As Sariel carefully approaches the body, Jenara sneaks up behind her, lightly touching her back with both hands and shouts, "BOO!!"

Stealth: [roll0]
Sariel whirls around, eyes widened in terror.
"AUUUGH!"

[Antilles123]

"Really?" says Vengar, arms crossed, looking at Sariel.

"We've been travelling and fighting together for a while. When was the last time a monster shouted 'BOO' at you?"

[Black Socks]

Sariel's expression is still panicked and she takes short breaths.
"It's- not- about the- boo, it's- about being- surprised."

[Fishybugs]

Jenara leans against the wall holding her belly, she is laughing so hard. "I'm so sorry," she says, wiping tears from her face. "I just needed to relieve some stress."

[Antilles123]

Vengar smiles and turns back to look at the room more closely. He starts to check under the bed and examine the walls, looking for any clues as to what might have caused the room to get to its current state.


Investigation at disadvantage [roll0] or [roll1]

[Pope Scarface]

You don't find much, but your gaze does fall on the greataxe lying on the ground, and some large gashes in the furniture that might match it.

[Black Socks]

"It's... ok. I suppose that's a good way to relieve... stress."
Sariel places the gold pieces in her Bag of Holding.
"I suggest we make our way to Room 13, to see what Angelica can offer us."

[Antilles123]

"I know what she can offer us...misery.", Vengar says mournfully.

"Surely we should continue investigating here? She won't do us any good."

[Fishybugs]

"I agree," Jenara says. "Let's check everything ELSE first, and save her room for last."

[Black Socks]

"As you wish. Let us continue on, then." Sariel replies.

[Pope Scarface]

The group continues to search room by room, most still empty, until you come across a door with a somewhat better quality lock. Jenara still manages to pick the lock with some difficulty. Opening the door braced for anything, you see a well-appointed room, still in good condition. Standing beside a desk in the room is a man dressed in fine clothes, with pale skin and red eyes that seem almost to glow in the dim light. "Intrudersss..." it hisses at you and then raises its sword to attack.

Aside from the undead appearance, this creature looks similar to your employer Victor Biccolu.

This is obviously an undead creature. Glowing red eyes. Pale skin. Noble finery. Vampire is what comes to mind.
This creature is most likely a wight. They have a life draining touch. You are confident this group should be able to take it down.
You are confident this is a wight. They have a touch that causes wounds that can't be healed until you take a long rest. They are resistant to weapon damage that is not magic or silver, and to necrotic damage.

PCs win initiative.

[Fishybugs]

Jenara wiggles the lock mechanism a bit and finally feels the satisfying click. She pushes the door open....

"Gahhh....more undead...I swear, after this, I'm going back to the church and I'm just going to teach. No more field work." She reaches for her holy symbol with her right hand and gestures with her left. A silver luminescence resolves and descends upon the creature, coalescing into a silver flame which heads toward the undead...

Cast Sacred Flame: [roll0] for [roll1] damage.

[Antilles123]

Seeing the creature bathed in flames, Vengar decided to add some flames of his own. He points his sword toward the creature, singing a tune of Elven origin.


Faerie Fire please, DC14 Dex Save for it.

[Black Socks]

((Religion:
[roll0]))
"It's a wight!" Sariel yells. "Our weapons will be less effective, unless they're silver or magic!
She chants an incantation before loosing two arrows at the monster.

((I will cast Hail of Thorns as a bonus action and then attack with my longbow.))

[Pope Scarface]

The wight is wreathed in silver and then purple flames, and then blasted with arrows and thorns. The arrows do not strike as deeply as they should due to its unnatural fortitude. [23 damage total]

The wight lunges forward at Jenara slashing twice at her with its longsword, but the blows are deflected by her armor.

*New Turn*

[Fishybugs]

Jenara's face twists into an annoyed expression. Just go down, she thinks to herself as she gestures again. The same silver colors coalesce over the wight and rain down upon it's head one more time.

More sacred flame: [roll0] for [roll1] damage

EDIT: It's apparently a DEX save. Rolled in OOC

[Antilles123]

Vengar draws his sword and aids Jenara, slashing twice at the undead foe.


Longsword of warning (magic) w/Adv:
[roll0] or [roll1] for [roll2] damage; and
[roll3] or [roll4] for [roll5] damage.

[Black Socks]

"Haha! Jena, I don't understand why you want to settle down when the adventuring life is so exhilarating! Although I do suppose you humans live such short lives...."
Sariel does the same thing as before, chanting the incantation and loosing two arrows.

((Longbow attacks:
[roll0]
[roll1]
Damage if they hit:
[roll2]
[roll3]
Extra piecing damage from Hail of Thorns:
[roll4] [DC 13 Dex. Save for half damage]))

[Pope Scarface]

The wight dies in a hail of thorns, fire, and sword blows.

As it collapses to the ground, it reaches out and grabs Vengar by the shirt, and whispers with its last breath "may the hell you send me to be less than the one I have lived these last twenty years."

[Fishybugs]

Jenara says last rites over the wight's body, then turns to the others. "Did anyone else notice he looks like Victor? Did he send us here to be food?"

[Antilles123]

Vengar recounts to his companions what the undead foe whispered as he fell.

"I think he must have been married to Cordelia."

[Black Socks]

"So.... our employer.... sent us to investigate a house.... that his wife and daughter lived in?
Sariel wonders about the motives behind this.

[Fishybugs]

Jenara looks at Sariel with a little, sprite-ish smile. "Maybe his wife, but definitely not his daughter, if you catch my meaning."

[Black Socks]

Sariel smirks as she catches the meaning.
"Oh? You think she had a little affair? I wouldn't think Cordelia knew how to.... Let her hair down."

[Pope Scarface]

This well appointed room has a four poster bed with a large wooden chest at the foot of it, a desk, and a small closet. It seems designed for long-term occupancy.

This large bed does not appear to have been used for quite some time. The bedding is quite nice: silk sheets, goose down pillows and comforter.
Pulling back the covers to look under the bed, you find this suite is also equipped with a chamber pot, thankfully also not used for quite some time.
You find a loose board and carefully slide it out. There is a hollowed out space in the floor beneath it with two rolled up scrolls and two pouches. One scroll appears to be a copy of the deed to this place, owned by Timur Biccolu. The other scroll is a spell scroll. One of the pouches has random odds and ends in it. The other has 20 platinum coins.
Probably a spell component pouch.
You would guess a warlock's spell component pouch.

You find five sets of fine clothes.
There is a hidden latch in the back wall, but it seems to be locked.

There is a ledger and some maps scattered across the desk. You would guess this guy owned and ran this inn, before it went to hell.
You are able to make sense of the ledger. Expensive place to stay. Looks like it was marketed as a secluded luxury vacation spot for rich merchants, before it went to hell. Does not look like it was a very successful venture. The only thing keeping the place afloat is that there were four regular patrons: Motya, Zorion, Morgan, and Briar. They always came and left and at the same time. Your gut tells you they were an adventuring group that made this place their base of operations. Zorion's room is the one you found the axe-wielding zombie in a few minutes ago. Morgan and Briar shared a room in the back first floor hallway. Motya's room is further down this hallway. You also get the guy's name: Timur Biccolu.
You find a pouch with 23 gold in one of the drawers, as well as a small key.
You sift through a stack of letters you find in one of the drawers, and find some useful information. It looks like the owner of this place (Timur Biccolu) built it after clearing a spot in the forest. The first group of workmen were killed by a warlock and a spirit of the forest, so he hired a group of adventurers to drive them out.

The chest is locked.
You find three potions, three decks of playing cards, a small box filled with small clay circles painted red, blue, and white, and several bags full of gold and silver coins.
The potions are invulnerability, Gaseous Form, and Frost Giant Strength
1,237 gold in mixed silver and gold coinage.

[Fishybugs]

Here are some rolls, then I'll come back and edit after I see what I get:

Investigation: [roll0]
Intelligence: [roll1]
Pick a lock: Disadvantage due to improvised tools: [roll2] or [roll3]

Jenara looks around the room with a calm eye. She notices a few things under the bed, but once she realizes the scrolls are arcane, she hands them off to the others. The desk looked more interesting to her anyway. "Hmm...I used to do some bookkeepingn for my family...and the church. This...hmmm. He was barely staying afloat. Looks like a regular group...oh. I think we've met one of them already," she says as she points back toward the body in the other room.

She sighs. "It looks like Timur is the original owner...maybe Victor's father? He cleared this area out to build the place and...some bad things were done. Warlocks...the hells...all the usual for causing these kinds of problems."

Jenara finds the chest and looks at it with interest. "Oh, I am so trying to get into this. How hard can it be? It's old and can't be in great shape."

Twenty minutes later, her friends are all staring at her as she uses the improvised set of tools. "Stop looking at me like that! I'd like to see...." A thought suddenly occurs to her and she takes the key from the desk and attempts to open the chest.

[Pope Scarface]

The key does not fit the lock, but it occurs to me the key to the chest should also be in the room. You rifle through the dead wight's pockets and find a key that opens the chest.

[Black Socks]

((Investigation: [roll0]))

Sariel moves to the closet and begins examining it.
"There's a latch back here, but it's locked. Jena, could I see that key? Maybe it'll fit...."

[Fishybugs]

Jenara hands over the mystery key to Sariel, and watches intently as she attempts to open the back of the closet.

[Black Socks]

Sariel tries the key, whispering a short prayer to the Elmmother.

[Pope Scarface]

Sariel slides the key into the lock, and there is a feint click as she turns the key. The back wall swings open, splitting down the middle revealing a small shrine. Set into the back of the shrine is a painting you have seen before, and the same disturbing thoughts begin to encroach on your minds.

[Black Socks]

Sariel groans under her breath.
Not again!
"Anyone else recognize that painting? Perhaps I can destroy it from afar with my bow...."

[Fishybugs]

Jenara looks at the painting and her heart sinks a little. "Are you kidding me?"

[Antilles123]

"Let's see if we can just pick it up and turn it face down?"

Vengar begins to move towards it slowly, waiting to see if his companions have a better idea.

[Black Socks]

"Worth a shot, I suppose." Sariel agrees. "I am not anxious to go through its effects again."

[Pope Scarface]

Vengar moves forward to lift the painting out to flip it over, and notices the backing of the walls that swung open to reveal the shrine appears to be some kind of metal.

[Antilles123]

"Oh, those Luskan boats with the pirate's hopes
On the long sail out to sea
With the Luskan wenches, sitting on the benches
Pirates gone, they're free!"

Vengar sings the first verse of a Luskan sea shanty as he reaches out, grabs the painting and flips it over.


Vengar will sing his Countercharm as he grabs the painting.

[Fishybugs]

Jenara moves out into the hallway, sits on the floor, pulls her knees up to her chest and waits for the madness to strike her again.

[Pope Scarface]

Vengar grabs the painting, his voice shaking a bit as the images intensify from contact with the painting. He flips it around and places it backwards against the wall.

You feel your mind flooded with erotic images and thoughts, both of strangers and images from your own mind and surroundings, but manage to push them to the side as you concentrate on your music. The images abate when you release the painting, but you still feel its influence causing occasional disturbing thoughts and images to pass through your mind.

You leave the room, and moments later your mind is clear.
As you re-enter the room, you see the painting has been flipped backwards, but you begin to feel its influence again.

There does not seem to be a change when the painting is flipped.

[Black Socks]

Sariel frowns.
'I feel no change. The painting still influences my mind."

[Fishybugs]

Jenara calls from outside the room, "Let me know when you're done in there...."

[Antilles123]

"Not much change...", says Vengar.

He leaves the room and gathers outside with his companions.

"I haven't had a chance to search the room yet, but I'm so tired, I'd probably miss anything anyway. I may be able to keep the charms at bay if someone wants to go check it out."


If one of the party goes inside to search, Vengar will resume singing.

[Fishybugs]

"Someone should check it out," Jenara agrees. "If there's a painting in that room, that someone won't be me." She continues sitting on the floor, adamant she won't be entering the room.

[Black Socks]

"Oh, might as well. They can't do anything to me I haven't been put through before."
Sariel begins searching the room.

Investigation:
[roll0]

[Pope Scarface]

Examining the closest, with a 17 Investigation, you realize the secret door that you opened is lined with lead.

[Black Socks]

Sariel informs the others of this.
"A thin sheet of lead will block many divination spells, such as Detect Good and Evil. Any ideas as to why this room happens to be lined with it?"

[Pope Scarface]

You think the lead might block the influence of the painting when the doors are closed. Such a thing would be helpful as otherwise a would-be cultist would not be able to have visitors.

[Black Socks]

Arcana check:
[roll0]

Sariel is absolutely clueless about the effects of the lead.

[Antilles123]

"Who gives a Beholder's eye about the lead? This room is pointless. Let's keep going."

Vengar walks out the door and opens the next door in the passage.

[Fishybugs]

Arcana check: [roll0]

Something tickles the back of Jenara's mind about lead and magic...but she can't quite put her finger on it. She is quite glad when the team decides to leave the room though, and follows to the next room.

[Pope Scarface]

The group travels down the hallway further. Every door is locked as you come to it, and there is nothing of note until you get to the last door before you get to the corner. Opening the doorway you find a scorched body which lurches at Jenara with a warhammer before you can react, but her armor absorbs the impact, and you easily take it down before it can swing again.

The inside of the room is scorched, although the floor, walls, and ceiling remain oddly unblemished by the flames. The recently re-deaded body appears to have been a man in chainmail, with an iron holy symbol depicting a crossed hammer and sickle. You also find [roll0] gold pieces on the body, as well as a functional warhammer and chainmail armor.

You find a mostly destroyed journal in the ruins of a desk. It is written in what you would guess is Dwarven.

Most of its surviving contents do not catch your eye, but the following passage seems relevant to your interests.

... sit well with me. I do not think we were told the whole truth about this job, and if we had been, I do not think we would have agreed to it. Unfortunately, by the time I realized this, the battle had started. This warlock had demonic power, and had killed many, but he had the air of desperation of someone defending that which is the only thing in this world that he loved. [...] I convinced Timur to keep the youngest of the trees alive to be the centerpiece of the garden. Maybe I spared the life of one dryad, or it may simply be a tree and ... [the rest of the passage is burned]

It is difficult to tell with the severe trauma from the flames that killed them, but you think they were a mountain dwarf.

The holy symbol is the symbol of a lesser dwarven deity Zhelezo Irondigger associated with those who work the earth, patron both to farmers and miners.
According to legend, Zhelezo taught his people how to use iron in the making of tools such as plows.

You remember after the fight with the headless handless zombie, the scorches on the floor and wall from the flaming sphere were gone minutes later. Now this burned out room's wooden walls, floor, and ceiling are unharmed, but the contents of the room are burned out.

[Black Socks]

Religion:
[roll0]

Sariel examines the holy symbol.
"I recognize this from my time as an acolyte. It is the symbol of Zhelezo Irondigger, a lesser dwarven deity associated with those who work the earth. He's a patron of miners and farmers. According to legend, Zhelezo taught his people how to use iron in the making of tools such as plows."

[Fishybugs]

Jenara looks around the room, nodding at Sariel's explanation. Barring anything else interesting, she continues searching other rooms.

[Black Socks]

((Passive medicine= 12))

Sariel kneels next to the scorched body, examining it.
"I believe this was a mountain dwarf, although he's so badly burned that it's hard to tell. That would fit with him worshipping Zhelezo Irondigger, though."

[Fishybugs]

Jenara flips through the journal she picked up in the other room. "This must be Motya. One more room with, probably, a couple bodies in it."

[Pope Scarface]

I did not want to have to do this, but Miinstrel seemed to have dropped off, so until he starts posting again, I'll run them as an NPC, because we need someone with investigation.

"I have found this journal. I do not recognize the writing, but I would guess it is dwarven. Might be useful information if anyone can read it.," Zeth says as he pulls a scorched leather bound journal from the ruins of the desk.

[roll0] Intelligence

[Black Socks]

"Regrettably, I do not know Dwarven, and neither does Jena." Sariel sighs.
"Shall we move on, then?"

[Fishybugs]

Jenara looks at the book with disappointment. Arrgh. Mom always said I should study harder in school.

"Yeah. Let's move on."

[Antilles123]

Vengar snaps back to reality after being lost in thought for some time.

"Give me that book. I can read it, though it will take me a few minutes to do so."

After 10 minutes has passed, he reads out the text to his companions, "... sit well with me. I do not think we were told the whole truth about this job, and if we had been, I do not think we would have agreed to it. Unfortunately, by the time I realized this, the battle had started. This warlock had demonic power, and had killed many, but he had the air of desperation of someone defending that which is the only thing in this world that he loved. [...] I convinced Timur to keep the youngest of the trees alive to be the centerpiece of the garden. Maybe I spared the life of one dryad, or it may simply be a tree and ... the rest of the passage is burned"


Casting Comprehend Languages as a ritual.

[Pope Scarface]

When you continue down the hallway, you come to an L intersection where the left hall meets the rear hall. There are more room doors going down the hall, a set of stairs going to the second floor hallway, and a set of stairs leading to what you would guess is a basement doorway.


You see a few drops of blood on the stairs down.

[Fishybugs]

Jenara stands at the top of the steps looking down. "Well that's not creepy at all. Who wants to go down first?"

[Black Socks]

((Passive perception= 15))

Sariel tilts her head, examining the staircase.
"I detect a few drops of blood on the stairs. I'm not sure that we should go that way. Perhaps the stairs up?"

[Antilles123]

"Of course, I will!" says Vengar, stepping down the stairs.

Sword drawn, he knows that it will alert him to any impending danger.

[Pope Scarface]

The sword pulses in your hand as you reach for the door. There is danger here. You hear a heartbeat, faint, distant, from somewhere behind you.

[Fishybugs]

Jenara closes her eyes and shudders in dread, the heartbeat triggering memories of her recent experience. "Pholtus help us. Protect us from the evils in this place." She slowly turns and looks behind her.

[Black Socks]

Sariel takes a more instinctive approach to the heartbeat, grabbing her longbow and notching an arrow before quickly turning around.

((Readying a longbow attack. Trigger: a creature within range attacks Sariel or one of the other party members.))

[Fishybugs]

Jenara nods. ulinzi na uovu A bolt of positive energy leaps from Jenara's necklace and strikes Vengar. He glows briefly, then the glow slowly fades. She then pulls her sword out and waits for Vengar to go through the door.

Cast Protection from Evil on Vengar (spell text in OOC)

[Pope Scarface]

Braced for the worst, Vengar reaches for the door, which creaks slowly open before he grasps it, revealing a dark room beyond. As you adjust to the dim light, or the light you carry with you spills into the room, you see... mostly boxes and crates. As you enter and begin to examine the room, you come across a crate that lies open, with a body inside that you recognize. It has no head or hands, and lies as still as the grave in the crate in which it rests.

You once again hear a heartbeat, but not from within this room. You feel as if it is coming from elsewhere within the building.

[Antilles123]

"Nothing to see here, it seems. Should we try the stairs up?"

[Fishybugs]

Jenara stares at the body a moment. "Burn it. It's the only way to be sure."

[Antilles123]

"Your wish is my command.", Vengar says, bowing deeply to Jenara playfully.

"Stand back!" he shouts, then breathes a line of flame from his open mouth, torching the corpse.


Dragon breath, [roll0] fire damage, save for half. DC 12 Dex save.

[Black Socks]

Sariel lowers her bow and steps away from Vengar while he incinerates the corpse.
"It seems I overreacted. Does anyone have a theory on the source of the heartbeat?"

[Fishybugs]

Jenara hears Vengar's response and his deep intake of breath, then runs back toward the door so as not to get trapped by the flames.

Try to get back to E1 before he breathes on it.

"I'm trying not to listen to that stupid heartbeat. May be it'll just go away."

[Pope Scarface]

Vengar's flame breath envelops the corpse and the crate it rests in. As the gout of flame fades, smoke and the smell of scorched flesh rise from the blackened box. With them, the corpse rises, the flame having done... not as much as you may have hoped to the body [no save, but fire resistant: 7 damage].

As it rises, a feeling of dread fills the room. The shadows and smoke from the flames seem to twist around you. [lair action initiative 30]

Vengar: You are unaffected, due to the protection from good and evil spell cast on you before entering the basement.

Sariel: [rolled a 9, 11 wisdom save] The vision passes, leaving you still gripped by fear. You are frightened. You can make another save at the end of your turn until you break the fear. You can feel it feeding on your fear.

Zeth: [rolled a 13, 14 wisdom save] The vision passes, leaving you still gripped by fear. You are frightened. You can make another save at the end of your turn until you break the fear. You can feel it feeding on your fear.

Jenara: [rolled a 15, 19 wisdom save] You shake off the phantasm to no ill effect.

The crate breaks apart into ashes as it begins to rise, the burned flesh seeming to heal. A sheen of ice begins to form around its left stump, growing into a hand of ice.

Before you stands the monster you faced before, headless, both hands severed (one now replaced with ice), and a hole in its chest about where its heart would be.

[monster initiative 11, so you get to react before it acts. It is still prone, since it lost initiative. damage to monster is technically still 7 since it has not acted yet]

[Black Socks]

Sariel shakes in her spot.
It's coming for me. I can feel it. It's going to kill me like they killed everyone else and I'll be all alone again....
Rummaging in her bag for a second, she removes a small bag of ball bearings and spills them towards the creature.
"You're mine." She hisses.
A greenish light surrounds the creature for a moment,
Sariel blinks in surprise. It's like the thing is moving in slow motion.

Action: Spill a bag of ball bearings (https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/5e_SRD:Ball_Bearings_(bag_of_1,000)) towards the creature.
Bonus action: cast Hunter's Mark on the creature.
Break the fear!
[roll0]

[Antilles123]

Vengar shouts in frustration, "Damn it, not again!" and then slashes twice downwards at the prone form.


2 magic longsword attacks w/advantage for prone.

[roll0] or [roll1] with damage [roll2] and
[roll3] or [roll4] with damage [roll5]

[Fishybugs]

Jenara looks at the shambling creature with horror. I'm SO sick of this, she thinks to herself. Her hand reaches one more time for her holy symbol. elekezi wa mwanga

A bolt of radiant energy leaps from her hand, heading toward the creature.

Attack roll: [roll0] for [roll1] damage and another [roll2] on crit

[Pope Scarface]

Zeth looks at the group, unsure of how this is going to go down. "Are we going to end this here, or flee. Decide quickly. Half measures are an ill omen." He then focuses and two blasts of purplish light streak towards the creature, both impacting it for [roll0] force damage. [15 and 18 to hit, full damage from force]. He stills seems frightened [10 wisdom save].

Sariel looks at the creature, and in desperation and fear and not wanting it to get any closer, she pulls out a bag of tiny metal marbles and tosses them on the ground in front of her. [designated as "..." on the grid]

Vengar connects twice with his blade, hacking into the creature's unnaturally tough form. [13 damage, full damage from slashing magic weapon]

Jenara casts a (guiding bolt?), striking the creature and burning away some of the skin around the depression in its torso where its heart should be . [12 radiant damage, advantage to the next attack against it, and full damage from radiant.]

The creature rises, and reaches an icy hand in the direction of Sariel and Zeth. Some of its wounds heal, as those are frightened can feel it feeding on their fear. A spinning cloud of knives made of ice appear around Sariel [designated as \\ on the map. Anyone entering that space or starting their turn in that space takes [roll1] slashing and [roll2] cold damage]

Shadowy hands, claws, talons, and tentacles appear out of the dark places in the room, swarming around everyone there, grabbing and grasping; ripping and tearing; twisting and tugging. Everyone but Vengar manages to fend them off. [dice rolls for the hands were 2, 20, 4, and 4] Vengar finds himself grappled [I ran this wrong before, I thought grappling inflicted restrained; it does not], as the grasping appendages hold him in place, and tear away his shield, flinging it [roll3] in [roll4] direction [marked with @ on the map].

Edit - 14 damage on the creature after it healed.

Map (3rd page down) (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WkNbypgUeR14MyeioBq5T9ggCm255T0_17g30JzOggw/edit?usp=sharing)

[Black Socks]

"Well, I say we stay and fight!" Sariel laughs, filled with a burst of confidence after beating the fear, rolling one square to the left to avoid the knives. "My, he's a tough 'un, isn't he?"
She draws her longbow and shoots twice at the creature.

Attacks:
[roll0]
[roll1]

Piercing damage if they hit:
[roll2]
[roll3]

Extra damage from Hunter's Mark:
[roll4]
[roll5]

[Antilles123]

"Let's take this thing down!" Vengar shouts.

"Sariel, you can do better than that!", he cries as he hacks at the creature using his sword in two hands.


Bardic Inspiration on Sariel - she can add 1d8 to Damage or AC if she gets hit (as well as attack rolls)

Two double-handed magic longsword attacks:
[roll0] for [roll1] damage; and
[roll2] for [roll3] damage

[Fishybugs]

Jenara reaches toward the creature and closes her hand into a fist. Radiant fire falls from the ceiling toward the creature.

Cast Sacred Flame. Save vs Dex DC 15 [roll0]
for [roll1] damage

Jenara watches in dismay as the radiant flame of her god, Pholtus, falls harmlessly to the ground around this aberration.

[Pope Scarface]

"Al-alright then," Zeth says, eyes narrowing and seeming to cloud over briefly as he gestures towards the creature. "I see you," he whispers, and then sends two blasts of purple energy flying towards the creature.

[ooc] I will post enemy turn when I get back from work.
Zeth casts Hex, disadv on STR checks.
Eldritch blast:
1st bolt: [roll0] [roll1] disadv needs a 15 to hit
[roll2] [roll3]
2nd bolt: [roll4] [roll5] disadv needs a 15 to hit
[roll6] [roll7]

roll to break fear at end of turn: [roll8]

[Pope Scarface]

Vengar (13+1 con save), Sariel (8+1 con save)
You are racked with pain as your heart convulses and spasms. You drop whatever you are holding, and cannot take reactions this turn. You take [7] necrotic damage.

Zeth, Jenara (20 & 15: passed on the dice)
You feel a sudden tightness in your chest. You take [3] necrotic damage.

Damage: X = [roll0] necrotic

--
Vengar's blade finds its mark, but the creature evades the attacks of the rest of the group [9 slashing damage].
The creature heals some of the wounds dealt to it, but not as much as it did previously. It reaches out with its icy hand towards Vengar, who easily sidesteps his clumsy swipe (5 on the die).

13 damage to creature after regen this turn.

Zeth Status: Down 2/4 1st level bard spells and at 42 of 45 HP.

[Antilles123]

Vengar dodges the icy hand of the creature, stooping to pick up his sword as his heart continues to convulse.

Then he launches at his foe once again with his longsword swinging with both hands.


Pick up sword. Attack x 2
[roll0] for [roll1] damage; and
[roll2] for [roll3] damage

[Fishybugs]

This is getting unreal... she thinks as she looks around. "Pholtus, I ask you to vanquish this evil from this land." As Jenara beseeches her god for aid, she starts to glow witih a holy aura. Shortly the glow expands around Jenara and angelic creatures float in the air around her, spreading out and protecting the area 15 feet around her in each direction.

Cast Spirit Guardians: You call forth spirits to protect you. They flit around you to a distance of 15 feet for the duration. If you are good or neutral, their spectral form appears angelic or fey (your choice). If you are evil, they appear fiendish. When you cast this spell, you can designate any number of creatures you can see to be unaffected by it. An affected creature’s speed is halved in the area, and when the creature enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d8 radiant damage (if you are good or neutral) or 3d8 necrotic damage (if you are evil). On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage.

Obviously, I designate the members of our party as unaffected.

[Black Socks]

Sariel moans in pain as her longbow clatters to the floor.
I have. To break. It's hold.

Wisdom:
[roll0]

But she fails. Again.
Unable to move closer to it, she snatches up the longbow and fires two arrows with trembling hands.
"M-Make it go away!"

[Pope Scarface]

Vengar's blade finds its mark on the creature [17 slashing damage].

Jenara's holy guardians fill the air right up to the creature. If it moves towards the party, it is going to have a bad time.

Though her hands are still shaking, Sariel manages to strike true with one arrow for 4 +[roll0] for Hunter's Mark piercing damage.

Zeth circles around to line up a better shot, humming a pleasant tune to boost his confidence. [one miss with an 8, one possible hit with a 14 +[roll1] for [roll2] + [roll3] force damage.

Once again the room seems to twist and shadows darken...

Vengar: You are once again protected by Jenara's spell.

Sariel: No additional effect since you are already frightened.

Zeth: Resists with a 19

Jenara: You feel the fear take hold of you once again. You are frightened.

The icy hand melts away on the creature, as do the knives of ice, as a hand of flame appears where his right hand would be.

The creature continues to regenerate at an alarming rate, feeding from your fear. It gestures towards Jenara, and a ball of fire appears around her [designated with a *]. She manages to mostly avoid contact with it [16 dex save on the die; half of [roll4] fire damage. Anyone ending their turn in that space takes 2d6 fire, dex save 15 for half]

Damage to creature after Regen: 29
DC 15 Wisdom Save to break the fear at the end of your turn each turn.

Note - please indicate if you become bloodied; Zeth has healing word.

[Fishybugs]

Jenara watches the changes in the creature and horror grips her heart once again. She recoils away from the creature, backing against the wall. She once again calls upon the powers of her god, and silver flames form above the creature and fall toward it.

Cast Sacred Flame (Still concentrating on Spirit Guardians) Dex save: [roll0] or take [roll1] damage.

[Antilles123]

Vengar continues to press the attack, slicing twice into the creature with both hands on his blade.

"Sariel, snap out of it! You've faced worse than this!"


Two-handed longsword attacks:
[roll0] for [roll1] damage; and
[roll2] for [roll3] damage

Bonus action Bardic inspiration for Sariel to use on her next Fear save +1d8 to the roll if she's not going to make it.

[Black Socks]

"I.... I.... It brings back bad memories!"
Wisdom save: [roll0]

Sariel wishes she still had her holy water. But her bow will have to do.
Longbow attack 1: [roll1] with disadvantage [roll2] for [roll3] piercing damage plus [roll4] extra Hunter's Mark damage
Longbow attack 2: [roll5] with disadvantage [roll6] for [roll7] piercing damage plus [roll8] extra Hunter's Mark damage

[Pope Scarface]

Momentarily gripped with fear, Jenara quickly refocuses and regains her senses [11 + 4 Wisdom save]. The creature manages to evade her sacred flames, however.

Vengar's first strike goes wide, but he recovers quickly, driving the blade home for 8 slashing damage.

Both of Sariel's arrows strike true, and Sariel regains her composure... for now.
Hunter's Mark is d6s however: [roll0]

Zeth presses the attack, firing two bolts of eldritch force, but they slam into a box next to the creature instead [1 and 5 on the attack rolls]. Seeing his attacks fail, he cracks a joke, which earns him a smile from Jenara (bardic inspiration: his is a 1d6)

As the shadows fade and the room returns to its normal appearance, hands and claws and tentacles and talon, appear along with a smell of brimstone.

Ad-hoc ruling: The spirit guardians can't destroy the hands, but I am giving advantage to saves against them within the spell's area.

Strength Saves (DC 15):
Sariel: 2 or 3 +3 (6) Fail
Sariel is grabbed by the grasping hands from hell, and held in place (grappled, movement is 0), and her bow is ripped from her hands and flung [roll1] spaces away from her, in [roll2] direction.

Vengar: 5 + 3 (8) Fail
Vengar is once again held in place, his sword flung from his side [roll3] spaces in [roll4] direction.

Zeth: 13 or 19 -1 (18) Pass
Jenara: 15 or 8 +3 (18) Pass

Remember you get a free DC 15 Str save to break free each turn.

The flame fades from the creature's hand, as does the flaming sphere near Jenara, and the wounds on the creature do not heal in the face of your courage. It lashes out towards Vengar, seemingly blindly...

and I ran out of pre-rolls.
1st attack with disadvantage 18 or [roll5] +7
[roll6]

2nd attack: [roll7] or [roll8] +7
[roll9]

Damage to Monster: 56
Zeth Status: Down 2 of 4 1st level bard spells and at 42 of 45 HP. Used 2 of 3 Bardic Inspiration

Edit - Luckily, both of you have your weapons land within reach, so you can pick them back up with your "use an object" action, and still have your normal action to do other things, like attack.

[Antilles123]

Vengar tries desparately to evade the blows of the creature, but without his shield at hand, one of the attacks manages to land a fierce blow.

Spying his sword nearby, Vengar pulls the sword closer with his feet and stoops to pick it up, trying to stab the foe in the same motion.


Pick up sword with use an object action.

Two attacks, using the magical longsword with 2 hands:
[roll0] for [roll1] dmg; and
[roll2] for [roll3] dmg

[Black Socks]

Sariel screams in frustration.
"I swear to the Elmmother, when we finish eradicating this cabin I am never accepting a job without seeing the details again!"
She struggles against the foul creature's hold, drawing her shortswords and slashing at it.

Can't really do much except try to break free. STR save:
[roll0]
Shortsword attacks rolled in OOC since I accidentally hit Post early.

[Pope Scarface]

Sariel slashes at the disembodied appendages grabbing her.

OOC: They can't be damaged, but I'll give you advantage on the roll. [roll0]