What? The World needs saving AGAIN? IC Thread 6

[Xihirli]

"The raven queen has given me power through a Pact I have made with her," Mávro explained. "I can perform rituals to bring out many spells, and fire beams of force in battle. I can channel her power twice without requiring a break, into either a great cone of fear or seizure-inducing lights."
Leff then lifted a purple fistful of fire. "Met a Warlock of yours. Mávro. Did you really send her? Thank you if so."
After a moment, Leff nodded to Eris. "She's in the clear."
Mávro nodded at hearing that, and began preparing her own steed alongside Hoket and Leff, pulling up her hood yet again.

[Valmark]

"Oh, like Malyanna. That makes it three Warlocks" Sirthis petted Chocolate.

---

"Right, simple and effective. That should be more then enough" Eris nodded, no more questions to ask.

[Xihirli]

"What shall be required of me?" Mávro asked as soon as her horse was ready and Leff's second was nearly out.

[Valmark]

"For now? Make sure we don't get the path wrong since you can read the map better then us. If we fight, obviously kill the enemy- but no harming innocents or those who surrender or things like that, we are good people... Most of us, at least. And dunno what exactly implies being at my service, but don't try to sacrifice yourself or things like that- I can handle myself well" Eris said, musing on what else to add "Besides that, act how you like. Your input is welcome whenever you have an idea"

---

"I think this is the first time she didn't tell a new party member that they can hurt me, I'm moved"

---

"Act how you like implies that too"

---

"Oh. I swear, sometimes it feels like I'm being picked on"

[Xihirli]

Mávro looked to Sirthis in brief confusion, and then mounted up. Leff did the same, all of the steeds ready. "Good to go."

[Valmark]

Eris climbed on one of Leff's Steeds.
"Right, let's go!" and started leading the way northeast. Or at least what she thought northeast according to the map she saw.

---

Sirthis got on Hoket's Steed and started following, improvising a tune to make the long travel more bearable- alright, he just wanted to impress the new party member. Seriously, what did you expect?

Spoiler: Ooc

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Perceptions!
Eris (1d20+4)[9]
Aklah (1d20+4)[21]
Hoket (1d20+3)[16]
Chocolate (Sirthis looking through him) (1d20+9)[24]

Actual Sirthis playing music (1d20+13)[18]
Lucky (1d20+13)[31]

[Xihirli]

Their travel over the sand dunes at first went uneventfully.

Mávro eyed Sirthis curiously, then began singing out a song in Elvish to go with the tune.
"I see myself in the cold corner
Looking into the blank mirror
I see the cracks in the old four walls
Damaging marks of a thousand fools
The rooms not bright and the rooms not dark
So, to these walls I add my mark
When loneliness creeps through the cracks in those walls
Will I be just another fool?

The cracks in the walls start to pull me in
Writing on the walls scribbles deep within
I wake in the form a raven so small
Helpless and lost, under a sky so tall
I search for hours until midnight
When I decide to finely take flight
And whilst some people may call me blind
I am leaving those people far behind

Is it never a haven for the Raven?
Does he fly over the Pomegranite Tree?
And beyond tomorrow, do we share her sorrow?
He is leaving behind your consuming lies.

Like embers and ash
She takes shelter now
She will not be missed
She observes their hell
She hides in the shade
Because she has lost his faith
And she knows she cannot mend
The Black sky of lands’ end"

Spoiler: OOC

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Performance! (1d20+7)[25]

[Valmark]

Sirthis made a mental note to remember the song and write it down later- but was mostly content with her joining in as he kept an eye out for danger through Chocolate. Though the faerie dragon did fly near Mávro and relayed "That was a sweet song- and a beautiful voice. I liked that" in Elvish with Sirthis' voice, resuming the patrol right after.

---

Eris hummed enjoying the sounds, not planning on bothering either. Though after a while she payed extra attention to the surroundings, since prolonged playing could attract attention.

[Xihirli]

Mávro frowned, and pulled her steed away from Sirthis.
And before they had too much time to think that over, Aklah sniffed the air toward sand that was lifting out of the way as a reptilian bronze sail stuck out of the sand, burrowing toward them at high speeds.

[Valmark]

Eris unsheated Black Ice.
"Spread out in case it breaths!" she told the group, then when she assumed the supposed dragon was near enough to hear, yelled "If you don't want a fight, I suggest you stop and tell your intentions!"

---

"Or just go away. I'm good with it just leaving. No hoard in sight" Sirthis mused, wondering how different bronze dragons were from Toril. The books said there wasn't much difference between chromatics and metallics on Abeir. He spred out.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Eris will try an Armor of Agathys lv. 5 (1d20+2)[4]

Sirthis an Armor of Agathys lv. 4 (1d20+7)[12]

[Xihirli]

A brass dragon lifted itself out of the sand with a roar. "You dare threaten me!?" it roared in Draconic. He lifted his mouth to the sky and roared loudly, ready for a battle.
Aklah actually turned around and sniffed the air looking upwards into the clouds.

Spoiler: Initiative!

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Adult Brass Dragon! (1d20)[12]
Mávro (1d20+4)[21]
Leff [roll]1d20+2[roll] 14
Other thing (1d20)[3]

[Valmark]

"Note to self- dragons have a temper around here!" Sirthis yelled.

---

"Watch out- dragon in the sky too!"

Spoiler: Ooc

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Briar will be controlled probably so no initiatve there.

Sirthis (1d20+4)[23]
Holet (1d20+1)[14]
Aklah (1d20)[3]
Eris (1d20+3)[23] adv. (1d20+3)[7]

[Valmark]

Eris pointed the horse right at the dragon, galloping towards it.
"I warned you!" she yelled brandishing Black Ice to cut through the dragon.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Bonus action Rage, Reckless Attack as usual.
23 to hit, 20 damage
21 to hit, 20 damage
26 to hit, 22 damage

Sirthis got on Briar, taking height.
"Hey dragon- tell me, have you ever seen magic like this!? For the forces of natures are strong on Abeir, so am I since I'm the unlucky channel of the spirits! March, Pet Army!" he yelled in Draconic as portals opened at various ranges, owls scratching the dragon while boars and cows charged it and...
"What even are you?" he asked confused to the axe beaks pecking the dragon. He popped a bear spirit on the animals and Eris and everybody within range really.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Conjure Animals lv. 5

Spoiler: Axe beaks

Show

11 to hit, 10 damage
15 to hit, 3 damage
16 to hit, 4 damage
23 to hit, 8 damage

Spoiler: Cows

Show

20 to hit, 10 damage
23 to hit, 19 damage
21 to hit, 18 damage
19 to hit, 10 damage

Spoiler: Boars

Show

19 to hit, 8 damage
17 to hit, 7 damage
14 to hit, 6 damage
13 to hit, 11 damage

Spoiler: Giant Owls

Show

17 to hit, 8 damage
20 to hit, 8 damage
17 to hit, 7 damage
10 to hit, 4 damage

Also plopping a spirit bear that gives 15 THP in an area of 30 ft. In radius, that includes at least himself, Briar, Eris and the animals. Any of his conjurations regenerate 5 hp each round while inside.

Then he'll fly on Briar like, 30 ft. In the air and 40 ft. Away from the dragon on the ground (as in, he'll stop 40 ft. Away). Should be enough to not get breathed.

Eris and the animals are spread all around the dragon with the giant owls flying around its face.

[Xihirli]

"Unlucky is right!" The dragon roared at Sirthis, and then was battered by boars and beaks and hooves and horns while Eris gleefully chopped into its scales, eliciting screams and a panicked expression. He lifted his wings and brought them down, knocking over several of the animals - but not enough.
Leff, not sure what she could do without hurting the pet army, manifested an aura of white fire, mending one of the owls while she was at it but mostly just getting it out for later. The brass dragon responded by bringing its tail around to whack Eris aside, but she used the butt of her sword to strike the tailtip away.
Mávro pointed a finger at the dragon through the chaotic melee, and her first shot went wide because she was trying to avoid hitting the animals. The other hit the dragon right in the eye, causing it to roar in anger. She then followed Eris's order, taking her shadowy steed well out of the way of everyone else.
That was when a red dragon, as large as the Brass, descended from the clouds. "Having all this fun without without me, Pridak!?"
"You weren't invited, Sidorak!" the brass dragon yelled up, but the red dragon just laughed and spurted flame from its mouth all over Sirthis and his horse. The dragon then descended to fly right next to the bard. "But this one's so interesting!" The new dragon said, grinning at the bard.
The brass dragon shot fire from its mouth right at the red, who just laughed as the fire engulfed it. Sirthis was also grazed by the gout of flame, as was one of the boars.

Spoiler: OOC

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Wing attack damage doesn't matter anymore since Eris negated it. Nevermind, all but one of each of the animals took (2d6+6)[15] bludgeoning damage
Leff gets Aura of Vitality out and heals the animals... let's see... the third giant owl. (2d6+5)[13] healies.
Sirthis got two breath weapons to the face and lost concentration despite halving both 56 and 56 damage. Huh. So he takes 56.
Now it's Aklah and then the rest of you.

[Valmark]

Hoket's spell fizzled big time.

Aklah flew up, challenging the new dragon since there wasn't a cluster**** of critters all around it, clawing and stabbing it with her tail.

Spoiler: Ooc

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On the red dragon:
Claws, 14 to hit, 15 damage
Stinger 22 to hit, 10 damage and make a DC 15 Con save to halve 27 poison damage

When Sirthis got breath weaponed, he smiled.
"What part of 'I'm the channel of the spirits' didn't you get?" he yelled as he held out two hands towards the flames and part of the fire seemed to... channel through him and Briar, whose breath started emitting cinders while his eyes briefly transitioned from silver to burning red- only for a small while though. Meanwhile, his animals -what was still alive- wailed on the dragon.
"Leflabah, don't mind the pet army!" he told her, knowing they wouldn't last much longer.

Spoiler: Ooc

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First off, Absorb Elements on the previous round to halve fire damage on both him and Briar, druid spell.

Pet army on brass dragon
9 to hit, 8 damage
11 to hit, 3 damage
10 to hit, 5 damage
17 to hit, 4 damage

15 to hit, 6 damage
9 to hit, 7 damage
7 to hit, 5 damage
Crit, 11 damage

11 to hit, 7 damage
7 to hit, 4 damage
15 to hit, 8 damage
17 to hit, 8 damage

[Valmark]

Seeing how the dragon was still alive Sirthis smiled, telling Briar to bring them more or less between the two dragons.
"I was told you dragons like music!" he said, bringing out his violin- a single black rose rested on the chords "I hope you'll enjoy this too... Black Rose, Rattle their bones!" and then he played a single note- the rose exploded with a loud BOOOM realising a mass of negative energy that washed over his allies with no effect but ate through the dragons' bodies as the sound wave threatened to throw them off and crush their brain.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Briar disengages and moves within 25 ft. Of each dragon... Then Destructive Wave.

Ability check passed (27) so it's 22 Thunder damage and 19 Necrotic damage and Prone, ignoring any allies, DC 17 Constitution saving throw to halve it and not go Prone.

Eris took the chance to keep wailing on the brass dragon, looking at his panicked look as a sign that he wasn't going to survive much longer.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Fighting Spirit and Attack!
27 to hit, 20 damage
27 to hit, 23 damage
Crit, 35 damage

If the brass dragon dies and the red one falls, Eris will move to the red one and empty any leftover attacks.

If Sirthis kills the brass dragon and the red dragon doesn't fall, Eris will try to Dimensional Door on Aklah's back (ending the rage of course)
(1d20+2)[21] for the hypotetical ability check (DC 14).

[Xihirli]

As thunder and rot bled into its being, the brass dragon shuddered once, and then laid still.
The red dragon laughed, then widened its eyes as its wings were buffeted by the thunder and it hit the dirt, only to be wailed on by Eris. The dragon snarled and beat Eris to the ground with its wings and took flight. Eris lifted Black Ice to impale the dragon's tail as it flew away, but the dragon simply snarled out in Draconic, "No." And a shield of heat gathered around it, pushing Eris's sword strike off to the side.
Leff lifted a hand to wipe aside the heat, but her hand faltered and she was unable to stop the buildup of heat. A rose petal also attempted to cut off the spell, but it faded as Sirthis attempted to form it. "Your magic is nothing on to those whose blood runs with fire!" the dragon said, and flew up to Sirthis. As Leff and Mávro peppered at the dragon with cantrips, he bit into the Pegasus's flank and ripped its wing off with his claw, causing the Pegasus to disappear. The dragon then flew back up toward the safety of the clouds. "It was pleasant meeting you," the dragon said, and roared loudly enough to cause those it had been fighting to quake as it moved back into the clouds.

[Valmark]

Seeing Briar get killed, Sirthis looked up at the dragon.
"Hoket- you know what to do! Flier Knocker!" Sirthis yelled refusing the cast the spell with its own name, as two waves of water hit the dragon threatening to knock it back down.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Hoket passed its test barely, and Sirthis used a Druid spell so- double Tidal Wave!

21 and 23 bludgeoning damage respectively, DC 15 Dex save to halve the first and DC 17 for the second.

If it fails either it goes Prone and falls right back down.

[Xihirli]

Fire spewed from the dragon’s maw, evaporating the water into steam as it flew on, into the clouds and away from the battle.

[Valmark]

"Oh hell no, you aren't running!" Sirthis insisted flying at nowhere near enough speed- so he tried to teleport into the clouds where he last saw it, hoping the dragon hadn't gotten far enough away yet.
"Leflabah, I count on you to stop my fall if needed!"

Spoiler: Ooc

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Dimensional Door in the direction the dragon was flying for... Not sure... Let's make it 200 ft.? Sirthis should have been something like 50 ft. Away from it before the tidal wave.

Aaaaand... Ability check. Not spending my last luck point, if I fail the dragon earned his escape (or Sirthis earned his life, nobody says he can take a wounded adult dragon by himself).

(1d20+7)[12] needing 14

When the portal didn't appear, Sirthis cursed pretty loudly for everybody to understand regardless of languages used, flying back down.
"If I can find that dragon again I'm eating it for dinner" he frowned.

[Xihirli]

Aklah shook off her fear and started munching on the brass dragon.
The Shadar-Kai readjusted her hood and scanned the horizon while Leff used the remainder of her white fire to patch up Eris and Sirthis. ”Its name was Sidorak,” Leff relayed to Eris. “Possibly related to Tahtorak.”

[Valmark]

"So now it knows about us" Eris said "That's... Honestly, we already figured that would be a problem. Tahtorak's probably a Great Wyrm, so if he shows up we shouldn't try to fight him if possible- or be pretty effective at killing him. Either's good" she said "Not much we can do otherwise- reshape the Phantom Steeds and getting out of the open desert should be a good idea right now"

---

Meanwhile Sirthis saw to it to re-conjure Briar.
"Well, at least I looked interesting. Maybe I can talk to him if he appears"

Spoiler: Ooc

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Let's try three times:
(1d20+7)[24]
(1d20+7)[9]
(1d20+7)[11]

[Xihirli]

As Sirthis spent a minute bringing back his Pegasus, Mávro approached Eris. “That is not all,” she said. “Listen. The dragon’s blood cries out to the worms and jackals that will clean up after your wyvern’s scraps. By next nightfall, everything in the desert will know we were here.”

[Valmark]

"I see- We can't do anything about it, can we?"

---

"We can, actually" Sirthis offered "Well, I can't hide this -though I guess we could try burying it to cover the odor and everything else- but I'll make us move without leaving a trail. No footprints, no odor, no nothing. Unless they use magic to track us, they'll have to search blindly" he smiled "And it's natural magic, so no problems activating it. It lasts only an hour so I'll consume a lot of resources, didn't want to do it this way if possible... But it beats the alternative it seems"

---

"I guess that's better then nothing. I want us out of this desert ASAP. Mávro, can you work out a longer route? Not taking the most direct path should reduce the chances of crossing anything coming for us. Not much of a point in being untraceable if they see us anyway"

[Xihirli]

Mávro drew a U over the trail she'd traced on the map. "It is done."
Leff and Hoket started re-upping the steeds while Aklah ate. Mávro moved to follow their lead.

[Valmark]

"Right- everybody must stay within thirty feet or it'll fail" Sirthis cautioned them.

Spoiler: Ooc

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As always, Sirthis on Hoket's, Eris on Leff's, and they are both untrackable by conventional means AND have +10 to Stealth. Sirthis will recast Pass Without Traces every hour.

[Xihirli]

It was perhaps midnight when Sirthis got a Sending as they moved through the desert, Mávro not speaking unless spoken to the whole way.

[Valmark]

"So" Sirthis tried talking to Mávro in Elvish needing a distraction after the Sending "Why did you frown earlier? So that I can avoid bothering you next time. And on another note... You come from the Shadowfell correct? Or... At least you've been there?"

[Xihirli]

"I did not know I was singing out loud," Mávro explained. "Yes. That is where I am from."

[Valmark]

"Oh! I see. I apolozige if I made you uncomfortable. Anyway- do you mind if I ask you about it? The Shadowfell I mean" Sirthis inquired "All my experience with it amounts to Shar forcibly reading my memories and... How magic works" he massaged his wrist "That burned a lot"

Spoiler: Ooc

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So, Survivals:
Hoket (1d20-1)[16]
Eris (1d20)[8]
Sirthis (1d20+9)[14]
Chocolate (1d20+1)[8]
Briar (1d20+2)[11]