(D&D 5e) The Plague of Nightmares IC

[Awful]

So are we still driven onward. Yvonne,zuzu yaotl

​"Turn back if you wish. But I will not be dissuaded by some phantom."

Dismissively, the knightess began to stride past the apparition.
"One of you bring the priest, if your heart is bold enough to continue."

[Sariel Vailo]

Well onward than to adventures. The stories are plentiful in the land where none have yet to return from.

[Zergrinch]

For once you actually feel as if the ghost is showing some sort of emotion. The wind seems to weep more than it howls this time. "Because sometimes, child, those that are not "human" as you call it need peace just the same."

Zuzu shoots a sad look at the spectre. "I'm sorry, but my master's life depends on any information I can find about the plague of nightmares. I have to go there."

[bc56]

Yaotl stalks past the spectre, toward Senckreid. If possible, he'll walk straight through the ghost, as if to display his disdain for it as openly as possible.

[Requilac]

Suddenly hail erupts from the sky and the chorus of howling from both the wind and the hounds increase. "NO! NONE SHALL ENTER SENCKREID! IF THREATS WILL NOT STAY YOUR BLADES, THEN DEATH WILL!". The second you all walk past the ghost suddenly lights flare up from the bushes to the sides of the road. Four wolves contaminated with the same strange blue moss leap out onto the road and suddenly surround you all. With a shock it occurs to you that the wolf corpses you saw earlier were in that decaying condition before they had died. The hounds which surround you look half starved and reek of decay and death. This strange fungus has turned them into some sort of zombie. And surprisingly quick ones too.

Combat has begun, but the wolf pack has won initiative.

A hounded, bloated so much as to an extent to make it appear blobish and larger than possible, leaps up and snaps at Yvonne but its teeth cannot penetrate beyond the knight's wards.

A different wolf who is probably the most reeking of them all drives its maw into Yaotl's thigh and viciosuly shakes him, attempting to knock him down but failing.

Yaotl takes three piercing damage

Two of the other wolves target who they (falsely) believe to be the weakest target and attempt to corner her from both sides. Anastasi hastily backs up as a badly decaying one bounces forward at her but in doing so she practically walks into the jaws of a horribly starved and gaunt one which sinks its teeth into her ankle. Anastasia quickly steps back though to prevent further injury and is able to avoid being tripped.

Anastasia takes one piercing damage.

The translucent specter looks over at the fight but does nothing to act. It simply appears grimly determined and sorrowful, as if it regrets what it is doing but knows that it must do so. It does not attack, as to whether it cannot or whether it simply decided not to you are unaware of.

Your turns now.

[Zergrinch]

Boldly striding forward as if he were a fighter, the 14-year old gnome raises his wand and makes an incantation.

PRAEFERVIDUS MANICULAE!

Spoiler

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Move to K5.
Action: Burning Hands (15 foot cone is angled as indicated below)
Result: Each creature inside that cone must succeed on a DC13 DEX save or take (3d6)[9] fire damage.



Saves
Bloated: (d20-2)[6]. Fail. 9 damage; HP is 6/15.
Decaying: (d20-2)[10]. Fail. 9 damage; HP is 6/15.

[bc56]

Yaotl's fingers suddenly extend into claws, and he rakes them across the bloated wolf's back, splashing acid all over it.

Spoiler: Primal Savagery

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(1d20+4)[12] to hit, for (1d10)[10] acid damage

.
The acid dispatches the zombie, burning gaping holes into its flesh.

(Bloated Wolf HP = -4)

[Awful]

Yvonne blinked at bright fire scorched the wolves, but she still had enough night vision left to stride forward and attack.

Her blow struck true, and it was a simple task to hew off the head of the rotting creature.
"I cannot be stopped by corpses, spectre!"

H10, attack remaining wolf

Spoiler: Attack

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(1d20+5)[11]
If it hits:
(1d8+3)[11]

[Sariel Vailo]

Though i walk through the valley of death i shall fear no pain.i shall stab at you rotten wolf

Spoiler: decaying wolf

Show

(1d20+5)[12]

[Sariel Vailo]

(failed at post roll damage going ooc)

---

* post roll count doesn't match database

[Requilac]

It is the enemies turns now.

The remaining zombified wolves surrounding Anastasia seem entirely oblivious to the fact that their allies are gone. Instead they focus on their cause in unison the two of them jump forward and try to tackle Anastasia down so that they might tear her face off. Their fetid decaying flesh though prevents them from moving quickly enough though and the drow effortlessly steps back out of the way as if dancing. The two slavering hounds end up simply slamming against each-other like two slabs of rancid beef being knocked together. The glowing zombies pick themselves up from the ground and continue making their strange howling/moaning noise.

Once again the ghost seems to not really respond at all, and simply stands there with its arms crossed.

Your turns now.

[Requilac]

Battle notes
battle map

Yaotl: HP=8
Anastasia: HP=9
bloated wolf: dead
fetid wolf: dead
decaying wolf: dead
gaunt wolf: HP=1

Spoiler: enemy defensive stats

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zombie wolf: AC 8, HP 15, saves (str +2, dex -2, con +3, int -2, wis +1, cha -4), immunity to poison and necrotic damage, vulnerability to radiant damage, immune to being exhausted and poisoned, undead fortitude (If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie is instead reduced to 1 hit point.)

[bc56]

Yaotl conjures a bonfire beneath the gaunt wolf
(A bonfire appears there for 1 min or until Yaotl loses concentration, deals 1d8 fire damage.)

Spoiler: Wolf Dex save

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(1d20-2)[3] (DC 12) or (1d8)[8] fire damage. If any creature ends its turn in that square, it must make the save or take 1d8 fire damage.

Gaunt HP: 7

[Zergrinch]

Zuzu is a little taken aback at how easy the wolves were to dispatch. Based on what the cleric told them, the demon wolves moved like the wind and swarmed the party in the blink of an eye. Either the wolves were softened up, or the cleric's partners were just that lousy an adventuring group.

Confidently side-stepping Yvonne to get a clearer shot, the squishy gnome wizard aims his wand at the decaying wolf.

"Deflagro!"

Perhaps he was a bit too confident?

Spoiler

Show

Move to H8.
Action: Fire Bolt vs. Decaying Wolf. To-hit: (d20+5)[7]. On hit: (d10)[2] fire damage. On crit: (d10)[1].
Possible wolf CON save: (d20+3)[18].

Result: Zuzu misses. Even if he hits, it wouldn't kill the wolf. Even if it killed the wolf, it would've made the CON save. Me very sad.

[Sariel Vailo]

These beasts have been injured most likely they are far to easy to kill.
(1d20+5)[22] roll to hit
(1d8+3)[11] if it hits

[Awful]

Yvonne lifted her shield out of the way of Zuzu's errant firebolt, stepped to H12, and swung at the remaining gaunt wolf.
"Finish them off before you become overconfident."

Spoiler: Attack

Show

Hit: (1d20+5)[21]
Damage (1d8+3)[8]

[Requilac]

Yvonne's blade lacerates the gaunt wolf's chest and crushes its bone underneath as it whimpers before collapsing on the ground, its corpse finally rendered inert. There is an immense noticeable pause of at least ten seconds where the ghost does nothing. Then suddenly the apparition begins to lose solid form and gradually it vanishes. All of the howling from both the wolves and the wind dies down and you are left with a dead eerie silence, just like it was before. No more animals skitter in the area and everything living appears to have left. You are left standing by the empty cart and all the death surrounding it. Imbert lies there stunned still and makes absolutely no noise, you cannot even hear the beating of his chest. The battle seems to be over, much too quickly too.

[bc56]

Yaotl begins to drag the corpses into the newly created bonfire. "Thessse unnatural creaturesss mussst be utterly dessstroyed. Only then will the world be sssafe."

[Sariel Vailo]

I have a feeling we are not done yet its quiet now.far to quiet priest what happens next

[Requilac]

Yaotl begins to drag the corpses into the newly created bonfire. "Thessse unnatural creaturesss mussst be utterly dessstroyed. Only then will the world be sssafe."

You start dragging the corpses into the fire, and you finally come upon the body of the gaunt wolf. But as you approach it though you realize something wrong with it; its still quivering and moaning silently to itself. Before you can react it within an instant rises and snaps out at Yaotl, biting deep into his thigh and latching on.

Yaotl takes 4 piercing damage.

You all may react to this situation however you want now.

[Requilac]

Battle notes
battle map

Yaotl: HP=4
Anastasia: HP=9
bloated wolf: dead
fetid wolf: dead
decaying wolf: dead
gaunt wolf: HP=1

Spoiler: enemy defensive stats

Show

zombie wolf: AC 8, HP 15, saves (str +2, dex -2, con +3, int -2, wis +1, cha -4), immunity to poison and necrotic damage, vulnerability to radiant damage, immune to being exhausted and poisoned, undead fortitude (If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie is instead reduced to 1 hit point.)

I have a feeling we are not done yet its quiet now.far to quiet priest what happens next

Imbert says absolutely nothing in response.

[bc56]

Yaotl snarls at the guant wolf, then whips out one of his spears and tries to pin it to the ground

Spoiler: Attack Roll

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(1d20+4)[19] for (1d6+3)[6] damage

[Sariel Vailo]

yaotl
Anastasia will cast
Vicious mockery on the wolf

Spoiler: spell effect

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You unleash a string of insults laced with subtle enchantments at a creature you can see within range. If the target can hear you (thought it need not understand you) it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or take 1d4 psychic damage and have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn. This spell's damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4) 11th level (3d4) and 17th level (4d4)

Spell save is 13

Spoiler: spell damge

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(1d4)[3]

Spoiler: insult

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you fuzzy dangle bag are you rotting or did ye **** yerself.

[Requilac]

Yaotl's spear pierces through the wolf's head and dislocates its jaws off, making sure that the monster cannot bite ever again. A tremor shakes the beast before it falls to the ground. As this is occurring Anastasia taps into her magical powers and says an arcane phrase which condemns the beast to its final end. Its shaking stills and immediately turns like a stone, hopefully gone at last.

[Zergrinch]

Not wanting to take any more chances, Zuzu aims a Fire Bolt at every single wolf corpse he can see. (A dead 🐺 is plenty flammable, no?)

"DEFLAGRO! DEFLAGRO! DEFLAGRO!!!"

Afterwards, he addressed the group. "Those who have been bitten should have their wounds cauterized as a precaution, lest they end up like those wretched wolves."

[bc56]

"Indeed, youngling. That is knowledge beyond your years." Once every corpse is on the fire, Yaotl will begin to heat his crowbar in the fire, turning it into a makeshift branding iron, ideal for cauterization. He starts with his own considerable wounds, but if anyone else wants his help, he'll aid them afterward.

[Sariel Vailo]

oh i seem to be injury free but thank you zuzu.

[Zergrinch]

Studiously ignoring the snake-man (and the smell of sizzling snake-man meat), Zuzu prods at the ashes of the zombie wolves with his Mage Hand to see if they had eaten anything... indigestible and non-combustible. Perhaps a gold coin or two?

Investigation: (d20+5)[24].

[Awful]

Yvonne wiped her sword blade clean and tossed the rag onto the burning fire.
"A most pitiable foe."
The blessings of Vitay had kept Yvonne safe, and she offered up a small prayer, sinking onto one knee and pressing a fist against her chestplate, over her heart.
"Ah, blessed Vitay. I thank thee for thy safe-keeping. May I continue to do thy works, and be granted thy benevolent mercy in turn."
Adoration of her goddess done, she glanced between the three others as she rose to her feet. It seems only the admittedly still suspicious snake-priest had taken any injuries.
"Well fought. I hope your wounds are not too severe... Yoatl, was it?"

That said, it was strange the more mundane priest had not replied. His wounds had been stabilised; there was no reason for him to have bled out, and the wolves hadn't attacked him - and had failed in most of their attacks, anyway.

Check on the priest.

[Requilac]

Studiously ignoring the snake-man (and the smell of sizzling snake-man meat), Zuzu prods at the ashes of the zombie wolves with his Mage Hand to see if they had eaten anything... indigestible and non-combustible. Perhaps a gold coin or two?

Investigation: [roll0].

You thoroughly poke through some of the wolves' guts before Yaotl can burn them all, and are unsurprised to find mainly a bunch of meat from rotting animals which has long since been dissolved beyond recognition. Despite wishful thinking for loot, all you manage to find is a meager amount of reeking flesh to add to the horrible scent of decaying wolf.

[/B][/COLOR]That said, it was strange the more mundane priest had not replied. His wounds had been stabilised; there was no reason for him to have bled out, and the wolves hadn't attacked him - and had failed in most of their attacks, anyway.

Check on the priest.

You walk up to Imbert and can immediately tell that the source of his silence is indeed death. But this is neither death by ectoplasmic hands nor the maw of hounds, it is by a dagger. His throat had been slit sometime while you are distracted during the fight. Someone did not want him to give you any more information. That must also mean that the killer is still in the area close by. But where exactly you have no idea.