Withstanding the Crimson Host

[Xihirli]

Neth nodded toward the far door, suggesting that she would prefer that one.

Spoiler: OOC

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Stealth! (1d20+2)[12]

[Bobthewizard]

Calin

Calin moves towards the door that Neth indicated, keeping the Echo at the front of the group.

Spoiler: OOC

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(1d20)[19]

[Riggdgames]

Laith Khouri Fallen Aasimar Paladin AC: 21 HP: 76/76 PP: 10 PIv: 8 PIs: 10 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- Laith is perfectly content to avoid having to think in this maze of rooms, particularly given how hard he's concentrating on not waking up half of Brakkar's lizardfolk with each step. He carefully follows each step laid out by the Templar, hoping to mimic his ability to remain silent. Spoiler: OOC Show Sneak: (1d20)[10]

[sandmote]

The party manages to pass down the hallway without issue. At the open door, there is a large bed covered in loose quilts and a few pieces of furniture. It appears to be a waiting room for guests. The room is clean and lit, but no one appears to be inside.

When the echo opens the door Alzetisk gestured to and pulls back the curtain, the party finds Brakkar's quarters. Brightly colored cloth drapes most surfaces, with obvious dried bloodstains on a few of the larger pieces. Cloth covering the walls hides other doorways, creating the appearance of a cloth demiplane. A tank sits in the middle of the room, giving off a steady heat to the surrounding chairs. One table on the side is still covered in food; swamp berries and fish, but also two roast birds; one picked clean and the other half eaten.

Despite no alarm heard by the party; they don't see anyone present to have been using the light or eating the food.

Spoiler: Search Time

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Everyone gets an investigation roll, but also a second roll for some other skill based on how they search and what they search for. Alzetisk: (1d20-2)[5] investigation & (1d20+3)[14] with cook's utensils

Alzetisk gets distracted by the food. "Nomeno ui tisvelkvi cocea vriskehpab. Skaeren, riluoh. Asta achthend kivan zklaen qe ousch..."

Spoiler: Translation

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"this is badly cooked waterfowl. Hot, though. Their food hoard must be low...

[Bobthewizard]

Calin

Calin quickly moves around the room, looking behind armoires or shelves. He also keeps an eye out for any danger as the others investigate, knowing that they are probably better at finding any traps or secret doors. His preference is to run into a room and kill things, not to look for subtle clues.

Spoiler: OOC

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Investigation: (1d20-1)[14]

Perception: (1d20+5)[11]

[Xihirli]

Osterneth's eyes swept the room, her intellect guiding her gaze toward likely hiding spots.

Spoiler: OOC

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Okay so I have Investigation but really that's all she's using. I don't see a way to weasel Arcana or History into searching. (1d20+7)[10] Investigation.

[Riggdgames]

Laith Khouri Fallen Aasimar Paladin AC: 21 HP: 76/76 PP: 10 PIv: 8 PIs: 10 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- Laith watches the other's start searching the room methodically and realizes that it's time to put his axe away for the moment. He drops it back into his belt, instead taking his cue from the others and trying to make himself useful. He brushes cloth hangings aside and generally looks confused about what to even look for, but it dawns on him that the others hadn't touched the furniture yet. Maybe Brakkar was hiding under the table or he had a spot under the tank where it was warm. He didn't see anything, but he didn't really know if Brakkar had the magics to make himself look like something he wasn't or hide somewhere he couldn't. Laith tries to quietly move some furniture around until someone stops him. Spoiler: OOC Show Investigation: (1d20-2)[14] Athletics: (1d20+6)[19] Happily trying to weasel Athletics into this search

[sandmote]

Calin spots a bat behind some cloth near the ceiling, partially tied up where a corner has come undone. Despite being an animal, it is eyeing him and staying very still. As he watches, it vanishes from sight without actually having moved

Neth checks, and yup, there's doors on the left and right sides of where you entered right in the middle of the wall. The one on the right presumably leads to the throne room.

As Laith picks up one of the large cushions, he comes face to face with the remains of a lizardfolk hiding underneath. Despite one eye being gone completely and several deep gashes including one allowing you to see inside the creature's chest, it backs up and fearfully asks, "svaust re wux?"

Spoiler: Translation

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"Who are you?"

[Bobthewizard]

Calin

Calin sees the bat disappear. He knows this isn't good and that we must move quickly.

"They know that we are here. That was not a natural bat."

He then points at the wounded lizardfolk and looks to our guide,

"Do you know who this is? Please ask them where Brakker is."

Spoiler: OOC

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Insight (1d20+5)[23]

[Xihirli]

A ghostly hand emerged from Osterneth's staff and curled around the door to the throne room, ready to pull it open if new information did not guide her in another direction.

[sandmote]

The loose thread where the bat was flutters back and forth, as if beaten by the wind.

The lizardfolk, meanwhile, turns to Calin: "I am Tol'guuz. Why do you need Brakkar? We weren't expecting anyone until next month..." The laizardfolk trails off, as it considers the undead horde present. "Come in name of the Prince of Undead?" The creature asks hopefully, one of its teeth dropping out of its mouth as if forms the words.

[Bobthewizard]

Calin

Calin moves away from the new prisoner and to the opposite corner of the room from the loose thread fluttering in the wind. He draws his sword and swings it through the air. At that instant, a ghostly version of himself appears next to the thread and attacks as if something invisible is holding the thread.

"Just in case."

The vision of himself then disappears

Spoiler: OOC

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Bonus action to create echo, then attacks through the echo.

(1d20+9)[14] disadvantage (1d20+9)[26] for (2d6+6)[14] damage

(1d20+9)[20] disadvantage (1d20+9)[25] for (2d6+6)[14] damage

He then dismisses the echo.

[Xihirli]

Speaking, Osterneth considered saying, but didn't. It would not do well to assume that this lizardfolk couldn't tell. So instead:
"My master is not a patient lord. If Brakker desires that our alliance comes into fruition then I recommend that you bring us before him immediately."

[sandmote]

Calin's first blow reveals a Quasit tangled in the curtain. Or, there was a Quasit tangled in the curtain; its remains fall free and flops onto the ground. Tol'guuz watches through his one good eye with concern. "I suppose you aren't used to our living, he mutters to himself."

To Neth's words, he scowls deeply and raises his body. "Why would Brakkar desire my change in alliance? He is most happy serving the Prince of Beasts. To what end have you arrived here, strangers?"

[Xihirli]

Neth snarled and switched to Draconic. "Meree baat suno. Aur main dheere-dheere boloonga taaki aap samajh saken. Mere guru sauda meetha kar rahe hain, lekin ve shabd Brakker ko sunane ke lie hain. Agar mera phir se apamaan hua, to mein apanee sena lekar jaoonga. aur aap praarthana kar sakate hain yah aakhiree baar jab ham milenge."

Spoiler: Translation

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Listen to me. And I will speak slowly so that you can understand. My master is sweetening the deal, but those terms are for Brakker to hear. If I am insulted again, I shall take my troops and go. And you can pray it is the last time we meet.

[Bobthewizard]

Calin

Calin lowers his sword and looks to the prisoner, waiting for its conversation with Neth to finish.

[Riggdgames]

Laith Khouri Fallen Aasimar Paladin AC: 21 HP: 76/76 PP: 10 PIv: 8 PIs: 10 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- Laith pulls his axe to follow Calin's lead, but quickly finds himself at a loss. Should he attack, or...no. He lowers the axe to his side, eyeing the Quasit warily, but makes no move to threaten it. Best to wait for Neth. He wished he could understand what she was saying, but the thought occurs to him that understanding the language and understanding what she meant were two different things. Laith settles for glancing back and forth between the Quasit and the door they first passed through, hoping to avoid having someone sneak up on them.

[sandmote]

The lizardfolk swears in some language; everyone can tell it isn't draconic, but only Neth recognizes its Abyssal. "I don't see where you plan to go, but we can go now, if it so urgent." The lizardfolk beckons to the door leading beyond where the party has seen, leading them through. There are several chambers here; notably a room with several large nests, but a second open doorway leads to a smaller chamber with a pair of half-rotten, goat headed creatures are guarding the door, and a few lizardfolk servants rest on chairs.

Tol'guuz beckons you to wait, then rouses the large lizardfolk from the blankets. Most notable are the stranger's large, bovine horns on the top of his head. "Brakker," Alzetisk, whispers to everyone.

"These strangers demand an audience." Brakker sluggishly raises himself, "You are not our contacts. What is the meaning of this?" At his tone, Tol'guuz and the guards take an attacking posture, everyone else seems ready to flee.

[Bobthewizard]

Calin

Well, you have to give her credit, Neth got us in here. Now let's see if we can survive it. She'll need her to hold off the minions while Calin tries to dispatch the leader.

Calin isn't much in the mood for talking with the leader right now. We came for an assassination. He swings his sword with blind fury, his echo appearing behind Brakker and the attacks coming from it, as both Calin and the echo create chaotic whirlwinds of blades.

Spoiler: OOC

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Initiative (1d20)[18]

Greatsword attacks x6. Extra Attack with Unleash Incarnation then Action Surge with Extra Attack and Unleash Incarnation.

1. (1d20+9)[20] for (2d6+6)[12]
2. (1d20+9)[15] for (2d6+6)[13]
3. (1d20+9)[19] for (2d6+6)[16]
4. (1d20+9)[25] for (2d6+6)[15]
5. (1d20+9)[26] for (2d6+6)[11]
6. (1d20+9)[19] for (2d6+6)[12]

AOO if anyone moves 5' from echo, moves while within 5' of Calin or attacks someone while within 5' of Calin

(1d20+9)[28] for (2d6+6)[15]

If AOO hits, the target's speed is zero (Sentinel)

(If any Crits, use these in order (2d6)[10], (2d6)[5], (2d6)[7]) Edit: no crits.

[sandmote]

Spoiler: Combat order

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• Neth
• ???
• Calin
• Tol'guuz
• Servants
• Guards
• Laith
• Alzetisk
• Brakkar

The party (along with Neth's horde) are standing in a hallway, able to see into the room. The guards are within the range of the undead, but there isn't really room to turn them to loose arrows inside. Alzetisk is standing behind the undead; he's not a trained soldier, even if he is willing and pulled a dagger from seemingly nowhere. Apparently he's had it the whole time.

Tol'guuz and brakker are standing about 15 feet into the room, about 10 feet from the back wall. The room is long though, and most of the servants are further from the doorway (about 25 feet).

---

The guards deftly avoid the zombie's blows, but the massed volley from the zombies hit several open sections of the creature's bodies. Ooze and pus splatter out from the slightest touch of the arrows.

Calin's echo strikes true repeatedly, causing Brakkar to kneel in pain. In return, Tol'guuz strikes at the echo: (1d20+4)[7] and (1d20+4)[13] for (1d8+2)[9] and (1d6+2)[7] respectively. What he fails at, javelins and knives from the servants finish off.

The guards form a small shield wall in the door frame; (1d20-2)[5], (1d20-2)[2], (1d20-2)[-1] for the zombie's saves from the bristling spears: the formation deals (2d6+2)[10] or half as much on a save of 12 or higher.

[sandmote]

Alzetisk stays near the back; he's armed but visibly afraid of going up against anyone.

Brakkar, on the other hand vanishes in a puff of dim smoke. This is literal: one moment there's brakkar behind the shield wall, the next he is engulfed in a puff of smoke, and he's simple not there when the smoke clears. The smoke doesn't appear to blow anywhere either; it simply settles on the carpet, although there's no visible residue.

Spoiler: OOC

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Laith can go when you have time to post, Riggd; even if he makes a ranged attack it isn't exactly changing events. Any PC can go ahead.

[Xihirli]

"No... I am not your regular contact but I do bear a message! Cahf ah nafl mglw'nafh hh' ahor syha'h ah'legeth, ng llll or'azath syha'hnahh n'ghftephai n'gha ahornah ah'mglw'nafh!"

And at the chanted Deep Speech, Osterneth lifted a hand and black tendrils reached from the ground, blocking the exit from the room that she and her skeletons remained outside of. Her zombies waited at the edge of the tentacles and her skeletons waited right in front of her, bows drawn, for anything to be foolish enough to approach.

Spoiler: OOC

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Evard's Black Tentacles over the exit from the room.

"I understand your echo can ignore my extra arms?"

[Bobthewizard]

Calin

Calin smiles as he sees the black tentacles attacking the shield wall.

"Yes, if your magic targets creatures, it won't recognize my echo, so it should be fine."

He swings his sword more playfully this time, his echo appearing behind the wall and the attacks coming from it, as both Calin and the echo create chaotic whirlwinds of blades.

Spoiler: OOC

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Greatsword attacks x2.

1. (1d20+9)[23] for (2d6+6)[14] (if advantage for restrained, (1d20+9)[28])
2. (1d20+9)[14] for (2d6+6)[9] (if advantage for restrained, (1d20+9)[29])

AOO if anyone moves 5' from echo, moves while within 5' of Calin or attacks someone while within 5' of Calin

(1d20+9)[12] for (2d6+6)[13] (if advantage for restrained, (1d20+9)[20])

If AOO hits, the target's speed is zero (Sentinel)

If any Crits, use these in order (2d6)[5], (2d6)[8], (2d6)[3]

[sandmote]

One of the demonic guards takes a solid blow from Calin's weapon, but the echo fails to make a hit. A reeking smell emanates from the wound.

Nonetheless, Tol'guuz tries to keep the echo at bay, putting in (1d20+4)[12] for (1d8+2)[9] combined with (1d20+4)[15] for (1d6+2)[3] to try to remove the creature to have breached the defenses, swearing loudly in abyssal the while.

The demonic guards have finally readied their weapons by now, one striking at a zombie and the other at Calin: (1d20+4)[17] for (1d10+2)[9] and (1d20+4)[12] for (1d10+2)[3] respectively.

Rolled damage wrong, whoops:
(3d6)[11], (3d6)[11], (3d6)[15],
(3d6)[12], (3d6)[12], (3d6)[17], (3d6)[5],

(3d6)[12], (3d6)[10], (3d6)[13],
Tol'guuz: (3d6)[6]

Not everyone is in the area of the spell, but of those caught in it only one lizardwoman escapes the snarl. All of the servants caught are squeezed to death immediately.

[sandmote]

Alzetisk is still too far away from anyone for a melee attack, and there is no sign of Brakkar this round. Neth and Calin are up again.

[Riggdgames]

Laith Khouri Fallen Aasimar Paladin AC: 21 HP: 76/76 PP: 10 PIv: 8 PIs: 10 Conditions: -- Concentration: Bless (Calin, Echo, Laith), Round 0/10 As the tendrils of hell seem to rise up at Neth's command, Laith looks inward, trying to ignore the chaos around him and invoking his own power. He whispers a few words, shield glowing as he passes Torm's blessing on to Calin and his Echo. Spoiler: OOC Show Move within range as needed and then cast Bless on Calin, his Echo, and Laith.

[Bobthewizard]

Calin

Calin continues to be grateful for the tentacles attacking the wall of shields.

"Let's go again!"

His echo appears behind the wall again as Calin strikes through it, trying to thin the ranks of those blocking the door, hoping to make an opening for Neth's zombies.

Spoiler: OOC

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Greatsword attacks x2, all attacks through the echo.

1. (1d20+9)[21] for (2d6+6)[12] (if advantage for restrained, (1d20+9)[17])
2. (1d20+9)[12] for (2d6+6)[11] (if advantage for restrained, (1d20+9)[28])

AOO if anyone moves 5' from echo, moves while within 5' of Calin or attacks someone while within 5' of Calin

(1d20+9)[23] for (2d6+6)[11] (if advantage for restrained, (1d20+9)[27])

If AOO hits, the target's speed is zero (Sentinel)

If any Crits, use these in order (2d6)[3], (2d6)[7], (2d6)[8]

[Xihirli]

Neth took the opportunity to give some more specific direction.
"Miranda! Mavis! Help the Paladin!" She aimed her father at the demon that had struck her darling. A spectral hand leapt forth and gripped at the demon's throat, choking the life from it.

Spoiler: OOC

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The skeletons will attack not particularly tactically, probably spreading out their attacks between the demons. And I'm not clear on how many there are, so split these attacks roughly evenly between them. Nonmagical.

(1d20+4)[18]; (1d6+5)[9]
(1d20+4)[13]; (1d6+5)[6]
(1d20+4)[10]; (1d6+5)[8]
(1d20+4)[6]; (1d6+5)[9]

(1d20+4)[8]; (1d6+5)[11]
(1d20+4)[11]; (1d6+5)[9]
(1d20+4)[19]; (1d6+5)[7]
(1d20+4)[13]; (1d6+5)[7]

Zombie that was attacked will punch back.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
(1d20+3)[14]; (1d6+4)[9]

One zombie will Help with Laith's next attack; the other zombie will ready an action to Help Laith's second attack.

Chill Touch on the same demon! (1d20+8)[12]; (2d8)[10] Necrotic damage.

[sandmote]

Despite doing their best, the M squad only manage to sink one arrow in each of their targets. Aided by Laith's enchantment, Neth's spectral hand just barely grasp's the demon's hair.

Laith manages one strike against the guard to have escaped Neth's deadly trap, and finishes off one of the other lizardfolk guards trapped within.

The servants in the back have turned to grabbing drapes and throwing them over the tentacles, aiding the shield wall's and Tol'guuz's escape. Nonetheless, of the trapped creatures, only Tol'guuz and one lizardman in the back line survive the crushing vise to try:

(1d20)[11] & (1d20)[8] for one and (1d20)[7] & (1d20)[9] for the other.

The guard to have escaped the previous turn strikes at the nearest zombie: (1d20+4)[9] for (1d6+2)[3] with her spear and (1d20+4)[22] for a (1d4+2)[6] shield bash.

The demonic guards both focus on Calin this time, barking about the "summoner" in demonic.

[Xihirli]

Osterneth raised her eyebrows at the demons and pointed at the writhing tentacles.
"Quae est infernum igitur sum?"

Spoiler: Abyssal

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So what the hell am I?