Curse of Strahd Solo Run (IC)

[RandomWombat]

The old statue appears to have once been a bust, perhaps of one of the Dursts or an ancestor. The Grick's burrowing has toppled the pedestal holding it, and its face crumbled to pieces when it struck the floor. Taking a look at the hole, it carries the rank smell of an animal's burrow, but there is no sign of how deep it goes.

"It wouldn't surprise me," Gweyir answers, her voice jaded by the house's continual displays of new levels of depravity.

[Prehysterical]

Unable to determine the hole's depth, Kellon decides to move on. In his mind, he is firmly resolved that the children will not be buried in this terrible place, crypt or no crypt.

He moves down the passage that seems to diverge into crossroads.

[RandomWombat]

Rather than return to Spider, Rose falls in line behind the group, looking around carefully. The ominous chanting grows louder as Kellon steps down the path. He can hear it coming from his right, and more coming from his left. It echoes through the halls alongside growing growls and snarls. Gnarled, sickly blue hands stab up through patches of unfinished floor as undead monstrosities crawl up to greet him. One of them reaches for him with a claw, but he kicks it away before it can find purchase.

On hearing the sounds, Spider ascends once more onto the ceiling and crawls above the party's heads, shooting out a web at one of the undead and ensnaring it. Rose lingers towards the back, watching on helplessly, likely unaware of anything she could do as a ghost.

Gweyir reaches down and wastes no time erecting another bonfire below, aiming not to destroy Spider's webs. "Ignitum!" The ghoul it erupts beneath twists out of the way, up against the wall.

"Suffosio!" joining the chorus of cantrips being loosed, Anton tilts his head around the corner and uses his wand to bring the one Gweyir failed to burn to its knees.

The ghouls who cannot reach them hiss and howl, waiting their turn at the fresh meat.

Spoiler: Kellon Religion

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These are Ghouls, undead monsters that hunger for sapient flesh and have a paralyzing, feverish curse within their claws. Elves, however, are well known to be immune to the necrotic fever.

Spoiler: Initiative

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Ghoul B - 17
Ghoul C - 17
Spider - 15
Rose - 14
Ghoul D - 9
Gweyir - 7
Anton - 7
Kellon - 6
Ghoul A - 3

Spoiler: Combat Log

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Ghoul B claws at Kellon, but misses.

Spider crawls onto the ceiling, and webs Ghoul A, Restraining it.
Gweyir casts Create Bonfire, but Ghoul B it's on passes its save.
Anton casts 'Suffosio', knocking Ghoul B Prone and dealing 2 necrotic damage.

It is Kellon's turn.

[Prehysterical]

As Kellon registers that the chanting is growing louder, he finds himself swarmed by undead. At least these are foes that he knows how to fight. The others use their magic to give him some breathing room, letting Kellon ready a stab.

Spoiler: OOC

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Attack rolls against Ghoul B:
(1d20+6)[11]
(1d20+6)[19]
Damage: (1d8+4)[10] Magic Piercing

[RandomWombat]

The bright point of the spear digs into the undead creature's rotten flesh, holding it down against the burning floor. The creature grabs onto the haft of the spear and pulls itself up, to stand and close the distance, lunging at Kellon with one claw. But the long, yellowed nails find only air. Its cohort, bound in webs, tears at the webbing and frees itself, regaining its stance.

Above Kellon, Spider crawls along the wall and makes a grab at the impaled ghoul's head with its fangs, but falls short - or rather, too high. Gweyir's sword proves more effective as she shifts her stance and stabs past Kellon's flank, striking the ghoul. With one foot she kicks it off of both of their weapons, and its innards begin to spill out onto the floor from the gut wound wrenched open. It shows no signs of pain or distraction, but its body starts to buckle and threaten to fall apart.

One more casting of Suffosio from Anton serves as the final nail to seal the ghoul's metaphorical coffin. His spell causes its body to buckle and collapse in on itself, lying in a pile of twitching flesh and bone trying ineffectually to actuate.

Spoiler: Combat Log

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Kellon stabs Ghoul B for 10 damage.

Ghoul A passes a Strength save to break free of its webs, but expends its action doing so.
Ghoul B stands up and attacks Kellon, but misses. It passes its save against fire damage.

Spider attacks Ghoul B, but misses.
Gweyir attacks Ghoul B, hitting for 7 damage.
Anton casts Suffosio on Ghoul B, dealing 4 necrotic damage and finishing it off.

It is Kellon's turn!

[Prehysterical]

Kellon turns to face the newly freed ghoul and rewards its persistence with a thrust.

Spoiler: OOC

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Attack roll: (1d20+6)[11]
Damage: (1d8+4)[12]

[RandomWombat]

This time the ghoul is not helpless on the floor - it grabs the spear with one clawed hand and yanks it aside, drawing it off course, then lunges in with its other to grab at Kellon's neck. The claw proves unable to find its mark, as Spider's mandibles swing down from above and grab the ghoul under the chin. Its neck stretches unnaturally, flesh tearing and muscles exposed, but it holds together. Spider seems to care little for the taste of its rotten flesh and lets go. "Ptooey! Yuckers!"

From around the corner, the ghoul that was lurking behind the first to fall sees its opportunity. Heedless of the fire and with hungry, glowing yellow eyes, it lunges forwards, leaping over the flames to swipe at Spider on the ceiling. But Spider pulls up, hugging the stone, and the ghoul's claw falls short, landing and stumbling against Kellon's shell with a snarl.

Gweyir grabs it by the shoulder and shoves it away from Kellon, then drives her sword into its chest with the same motion as the last. Without Kellon's spear, the strike is not as dire, but nevertheless leaves a gaping hole in the ghoul. "Suffosio!" Anton recites once more, popping out from around the corner to send the ghoul down to its knees.

Spoiler: Combat Log

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Kellon attacks Ghoul A, but misses.

Ghoul A claws at Kellon, but also misses.

Spider bites Ghoul A, landing a Sneak Attack for 9 damage. Ghouls are immune to poison.

Ghoul D claws at Spider, but misses. It passes both saves against the bonfire this turn.

Gweyir attacks Ghoul D for 7 damage.
Anton casts Suffosio on Ghoul D, dealing 4 necrotic damage and Prone.

It is Kellon's turn!

[Prehysterical]

Not one to miss out on an opportunity, Kellon swivels and aims for the downed ghoul.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Attacks against Ghoul D:
(1d20+6)[21]
(1d20+6)[15]
Damage: (1d8+4)[7]

[RandomWombat]

His weapon strikes true, piercing the heart of the monster. But as it regains its footing, it shambles forwards again to meet him. Both ghouls rake their claws against Kellon's shell, but they do not draw blood, leaving only flakes of fetid skin clinging to the grooves and ridges of his natural armor. Spider tries to lunge down again, but something in the ghoul flesh must have turned the arachnid off, for it gags and backs off before it can get a proper grip.

The flames lick up the legs of the second ghoul down the side path, and its lower body gives out completely, falling backwards into the flames. With an agonized cry, it joins the other in slowly becoming a charred pile of flesh, the stench filling the hallway more every moment.

With that side clear, Gweyir shifts the bonfire under the still-occupied front. This time, as Anton tries to drive the burning ghoul down deeper into the fire, it resists his spell and presses forwards, lunging at Kellon one last time.

Spoiler: Combat Log

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Kellon stabs Ghoul D for 7 damage.

Ghoul A claws at Kellon, but misses.

Spider tries to attack Ghoul A, but misses.

Ghoul D attacks Kellon, but misses. It takes 7 fire damage and perishes.

Gweyir casts Create Bonfire on Ghoul A, dealing 7 fire damage.
Anton casts Suffosio n Ghoul A, but is resisted.

It is now Kellon's turn!

[Prehysterical]

Praise whatever god decided that tortles get their shells! Kellon is like a machine of death strokes, turning his spearpoint to the ghoul harassing him... and catching it on the corner of the wall in his haste.

Spoiler: OOC

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Attack on Ghoul A: (1d20+6)[8]
Damage: (1d8+4)[10]

[RandomWombat]

As his spear catches, the ghoul falls upon him, in perhaps a sign that overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer. This time it grabs onto his shell by the hole around his neck and reaches in, digging its nails into the softer flesh within. A sick glee fills the ghoul's face as it feels blood against its flesh, and it pulls the hand back out to lick its nails ravenously. Kellon feels a slight weakness in his limbs, and a heat under his flesh. But fortunately the fever does not take hold in its full potency.

Spider still seems warded away from the ghoul, but Gweyir steps around Kellon to get a better angle and lops its head off in a clean swing. "Just one left! Are you alright?"

Anton holds his wand at the ready, staring intensely down the hall at the last ghoul, which is eagerly licking its lips.

Spoiler: Combat Log

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Kellon misses Ghoul A.

Ghoul A scratches Kellon for 6 damage, but he passes his Con save against paralysis.

Spider misses Ghoul A.
Gweyir slashes Ghoul A for 10 damage, finishing it off.
Anton readies an action to cast Suffosio when the last ghoul enters the bonfire.

It is Kellon's turn.

[Prehysterical]

Kellon's beak clacks shut in pain as the ghoul sinks its nails into his flesh. He clutches at the wound as Gweyir moves past him and decapitates the loathsome wretch.

"I'm not dying to a ghoul of all things!" Kellon is hurt, but more angry than frightened. Glaring at the remaining ghoul, Kellon mockingly flashes his bloody hand at the creature. "Well, come on then, coffincrasher! You hungry?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Kellon readies an attack against the ghoul when it comes up.
Attack: (1d20+6)[13]
Damage: (1d8+4)[8]

If Anton manages to knock the ghoul prone, here is an additional attack roll: (1d20+6)[25]

[RandomWombat]

All to eager to comply, the ghoul rushes headlong into the waiting ambush. At a word from Anton, the ghoul tumbles forward into the fire. As Kellon drives his spear into it, the ghoul wraps a clawed hand around his leg and rakes the sharp tips deep into his flesh. The weakness and sweltering heat reach a fever pitch and Kellon finds himself toppling to the ground, the world around him a blur.

He can hear people calling out. There is a thunk and the sound of metal impacting stone. Then Kellon is turned over by figures that waver and wobble back and forth. Slowly, his senses begin to return as the venom works out of his system.

Spoiler: Combat Log

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Ghoul C rushes Kellon. It gets knocked Prone and dealt 3 necrotic damage by Anton, then stabbed for 8 by Kellon and burned for 1 from entering the fire.
Ghoul C scratches at Kellon, and manages to get a hit in despite Prone, for 7 damage. This time Kellon falls victim to paralysis from the ghoul's fever.

Spider bites the ghoul for an 8 damage Sneak Attack.
Gweyir finishes the ghoul off with a 7 damage attack.

As combat ends, Kellon passes the next save to recover from paralysis and finds himself Prone on his back.

[Prehysterical]

Bleary and weary, the fever of the ghoul's touch flares with temper as Kellon feels distinct embarrassment for his weakness. He really is the tortle stuck on his back. "Grah, damn it! Help me up, please!" Kellon would normally not ask for help in such an undignified state, but the lingering traces of ghoul fever make him feel weak in the arms. The ragged claw marks down his leg feel almost as bad as the previous centipede bites.

[RandomWombat]

To get him up, Anton and Gweyir have to each get under one arm and lift him together, but they manage to get Kellon back to his feet. Before he can even ask, Anton brings out one of the shimmering elixirs and holds it up for him. "You look like you could use a pick-me-up."

"Those guys tasted really bad," Spider complains, as Rose moves up in the hallway and looks at the floor.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help. I really didn't know what to do..." she says, quietly.


But before they can recover their bearings fully, Kellon notices that one set of chanting has stopped. It still echoes up from the stairs, but the chanting from his left when he reached the intersection as since stopped. The quiet in that direction is broken by the sound of slow, sardonic clapping. "Impressive. Most impressive. We haven't had such able guests in a long, long time." A raspy female voice drones, followed by a dry chuckle. "Why don't we get acquainted? Right this way."

[Prehysterical]

Kellon gives a groaning sigh. "Thanks, lad." He drinks the mixture, but it feels like it makes him thirsty more than anything else. The pain dulls, but only a little.

Before Kellon can comfort Rose, but the sound of clapping and mockery slam his beak shut. He looks grimly to the others at the invitation. In a whisper, Kellon asks Gweyir, "You got any of that healing druid magic, lass? I can heal meself, but I'd much rather save me prayers for a nasty rebuttal I've been given from Tempest."

[RandomWombat]

"Here. Let's sooth those wounds," Gweyir responds by way of answer, placing a hand on his back. The wounds in his neck, beneath his shell, begin to knit back together.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Kellon receives another 6 healing.

[Prehysterical]

The warmth and light from the elf soothe and knit Kellon's wounds. He closes his eyes in appreciation of nature's blessing following them into this awful place. "Thank you. Well... whoever they are, they know we're here. Might as well get this over with, aye?" Kellon leads the group down the left branch, the light of the spear guiding their steps.

[RandomWombat]

Led by Kellon, they emerge into the room, the Spear of Light shining on and showing the way. The room ahead stinks like an untended mortuary.

This room is festooned with moldy skeletons that hang from rusty shackles against the walls. A wide alcove in the south wall contains a painted wooden statue carved in the likeness of a gaunt, pale-faced man wearing a voluminous black cloak, his pale left hand resting on the head of a wolf that stands next to him. In his right hand, he holds a smoky-gray crystal orb.

Before the statue stands a ghoulish woman with old, stitched holes across her sickly green flesh, and a bloodstained smile. Even in her current state, Kellon recognizes her from all the portraits above. Elisabeth Durst. She is clad in a fancy dress that looks much newer and cleaner than she does, apart from the bloodstains where her old wounds have soiled it.

Next to her is the man of the house himself, Gustav Durst, his expression as grave and sour as his portraits ever portrayed. Greying hair frozen in a permanent state of premature balding, his face is riddled with flaps of missing skin, holes peering into the gums and the interior of his mouth, and slick grave grease staining patches of the remaining flesh. He is clad in a red robe and wears a medallion with a skull set upon it.

There is another undead here, though he looks different from the others - for one, he looks happy to so the new arrivals. Not in a 'pleased to eat you' sort of way, but in a way one would view the first ray of sunshine after a week of overcast weather. "Aha! Quickly, somebody free me!" he motions with his head towards the shackles that bind him to the wall alongside the skeletons. The man is clad in a warm hooded jacket, but his face is deathly blue and the stink from him suggests he is every bit as undead as the rest of those here.

"Sssht," Elisabeth shushes the man with a shrill noise and a zipping motion across her lips. Then she turns to Kellon and company, bloody smile again painting her face - and then turning to shock as Rose steps forward.

"Mother?" Beside her, Thorn emerges from Spider, looking up at the dead man in red with a mixture of surprise, hope, and fear. "Papa?"

"... Kids," Gustav is struck nearly speechless as he stares at them, his eyes welling with tears of dark, dead, coagulated blood.

"I feared that Lord Strahd had taken you... as a price for his immortal gift," Elisabeth laughs wildly, in her dry and weathered voice, spinning around on the tip of her foot. "But here you are! Eternal and ageless as we! Oh praise Strahd!"

Ghostly chanting throughout the room echoes her sentiment, in many voices: "Praise Strahd!"

"What happened to you? What is this place?" Rose demands, a mixture of relief and anger in her resonant, spectral voice.

"This is our temple, sweet pea," Elisabeth holds out her arms before the wooden statue, proudly. "And it seems it is finally time for you to join us." Behind her, out of her field of view, Gustav looks at his long-dead wife uncertainly, then back at his ghostly children. His clawed, ghoulish fists clench at his side.

[Prehysterical]

The appearance of the Durst couple makes the ghouls from earlier look beautiful in comparison. This place does not merely reek of death; it is positively soaked in it.

Kellon moves forward to interpose himself between Rose and Elizabeth. "This is no temple," he rumbles, his voice thick with revulsion and contempt. "This is a pit!" The last word is spat out like a curse. "You raise altars and make sacrifices to a devil and you dare call him a god?" Kellon points at the wooden statue, the symbol of Moradin clearly visible on the shaft.

Brining the spear back to a standing position, Kellon visibly trembles with suppressed rage like a crackling stormfront. "You left your children to die in the attic! Alone, with no food or water, wondering if anyone would ever come for them..." The wood in the spear creaks as Kellon's claws tighten their grip as his eyes glance between Elizabeth and Gustav. "So, tell me, who murdered the good nursemaid Georgia? The jealous wife, or the man who sold his soul to a so-called 'god' that would rather see him suffer? Considering the number of stab wounds, I'm leaning more toward Madam Durst..."

[RandomWombat]

Approaching Elisabeth almost proves to be an embarrassing mistake - the stench surrounding her is so vile and defiled that Kellon nearly has to stop his impassioned speech to keep himself from retching.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Kellon passes his save against Stench, and is immune to it for 24 hours.

Kellon Religion: These two are no mere ghouls, but ghasts, a more powerful variant able to resist holy powers that would turn lesser undead - and grant that resistance to their lesser servants. They carry a powerful stench, not just of the grave, the stench of Evil and Death made manifest.

"How dare you-" Elisabeth begins to rebuke him, raising an arm up to bat his spear away when he points it irreverently towards her lord.

"Elisabeth," she is interrupted by Gustav, his voice tired and old and full of regret, as he takes hold of her arm before she can swing it back at Kellon. She looks back at his incredulously.

"What are you doing, Gustav? This creature disrespects our Dread Lord!"

"I drove her head into the table," Gustav speaks, looking at Elisabeth. Whether he is speaking to her or to Kellon in his confession, it is unclear. "She got up... she- she begged me to stop. Kept calling the name of that dead baby. I couldn't take it- I threw her into the wall, and she fell through."

"Gustav-"

"And then, then I couldn't finish it. She was lying there, helpless. The woman I... I could not look at her face. Then you came. Slid open that door and drove the knives into her back. Like she was meat, Elisabeth."

"So what?!" the woman cries out, wrenching her arm from his grip. "The things we did down here, to all those strangers. Don't pretend you're better than me. Just because you- you fell for some harlot!"

"I am not better than you, Elisabeth. But those children," Gustav points to Thorn, clutching his ghostly doll and held close to his sister's side as she looks up at them with tearful eyes. "Our sins are not their sins Elisabeth. They are not a part of this."

Elisabeth Durst falls silent, staring with her mouth a tight line at her husband's rotten face. She reaches up and plucks the misty orb from the statue of Strahd, and points at Kellon's party. "Faithful. Kill them all - but leave the children unharmed. They will join us in time." The mists within the orb swirl and dark figures begin to rise throughout the room. Black as darkest night, with the outlines of skulls barely visible where faces would linger behind black cloth, if they were merely veiled. But no, they are the veil. The darkness itself. And as their voices whisper in dark tongues, Gustav's dead eyes ignite with new fire.

"No. I will not give them unto evil! Not this day, nor any day to come!" Gustav roars in defiance, winding up a splayed open claw.

As the claw slashes across her shocked face, it is not blood that sprays out, but writhing centipedes. More begin to crawl out of her many open wounds and stitched gashes, pouring out of her like a waterfall. The blue man shakes his chains again and petitions in a recognizable Barovian accent to the party, "May I suggest again to let me out?"

Spoiler: Initiative

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Gustav Durst - 21
Kellon - 19
Shadow B - 19
Anton - 16
Spider - 15
Rose Durst - 14
Elisabeth Durst and Centipedes - 13
Shadow C - 11
Friendly Zombie? - 8
Gweyir - 6
Thorn Durst - 5
Shadow A & D - 5
Shadow E - 4

Spoiler: Combat Log

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Gustav Durst slashes Elisabeth Durst for 15 damage.

It is Kellon's turn!

[Prehysterical]

Gods, was it too late to fetch the tiger skin from upstairs as an air freshener?! The rotten family family reunion boils over as the parents lash out with each other and the room fills with shadows and centipedes. All Kellon wants to do is fill this room with lightning and scorch everything down to the stone, but the others are right behind him. Even if Kellon was in any position to help the bound man (ghoul?), it was clear that Elizabeth had to be stopped immediately or this place would be a tomb for them all.

Grasping his holy symbol, Kellon takes advantage of Elizabeth's surprise to deliver divine retribution her way. "Heartseeker!"

Spoiler: OOC

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Kellon casts Guiding Bolt at Elizabeth
(1d20+5)[18]
(4d6)[14] radiant damage
The next attack roll on her gains Advantage.

[RandomWombat]

The bolt of light arcs into her back, and Elisabeth is surrounded by a halo of light as her undead flesh is scorched. More centipedes emerge, but these ones seem lesser, as if already scorched by the radiance. "My Lord! Give me strength to purge this traitor!" She whirls around, pointing her two arms at Kellon and Gustav. Lengths of centipedes joined together like cords lash out, crawling onto them, stinging and biting. Kellon is able to avoid the worst of the wave of insects, thankfully, but the swarms covering the floor begin to coalesce upon him. Worse, he feels dark hands upon his shoulders, and shadows close in from all sides of his vision. Insidious whispers in his mind leave him feeling weakened.

One of the shadow cultists slides forwards and grabs Gweyir. The color begins to fade from her skin and her knees nearly buckle. Another begins to move towards her, but the zombie chained to the wall kicks at it with his feet, "Hey, cult weirdo! Pick on someone your own age, ay? Like finely aged cheese - haha!" His taunting draws the shadow's attention and it descends upon him, beginning to drain his energy instead. The last of the cultists at that end of the room grabs at Gustav, but he brushes it off angrily.

"Kellon, hold it together! You have to repel them, there are too many at once!" Gweyir shouts, magic lacing her words restoring some of Kellon's drained vitality, if not his strength.

"Striga Fulmen!" Anton exclaims, sending crackling electricity through one of the dark figures. It slowly turns towards him, unfazed, and his face droops into regret. Spider crawls around behind it and lunges up, biting into its back. The distraction is enough for it to forget about its attack on Anton halfway through, its slow mind causing it to turn towards Spider instead.

Rose looks down at her spectral hands, and then at the swarms of creepy crawlies her mother is leaking. "Thorn, grab the bugs! As many as you can get!" she orders her brother, getting down on her hands and knees and scooping them up. Though her ghostly hands fail to grab any, they seem to chill and wither the insects as they pass through.

"I help!" Thorn calls out as he grabs some of the centipedes crawling all over Kellon and 'crushes' them in his little ghostly hands. His touch is cold, but thankfully does not wither Kellon alongside the insects.

Gustav raises a claw to slash at Elisabeth again, this time catching her fully in the side of her head and tearing it off, sending it scattering across the room - still screaming in rage until it slams into the wall. Her body falls to the ground, limp.

Spoiler: Combat Log

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Kellon casts Guiding Bolt on Elisabeth Durst, dealing 14 radiant damage and marking her for attack. Two more centipede swarms spawn, already at half strength.

Shadow B uses Strength Drain in Gweyir, dealing 6 necrotic damage and 4 Strength damage.

Anton casts Striga Fulmen on Shadow A, dealing 5 lightning damage.
Spider flanks Shadow A and attacks, for a 6 damage Sneak Attack.
Rose uses Withering Touch on Centipede Swarm A, dealing 12 necrotic damage.

Elisabeth uses Swarm Lash on Kellon and Gustav. Kellon is fine, but Gustav takes 3 damage.
Swarm A attacks Kellon, but misses.
Swarm B attacks Gustav, dealing 5 damage.
Swarm C attacks Kellon, but misses.
Swarm D attacks Gustav, but misses.
Shadow C uses Strength Drain on Kellon, hitting for 10 necrotic damage and 3 Strength damage.

Friendly Zombie kicks at Shadow E, hitting for 1 damage.
Gweyir casts Healing Word to heal Kellon for 5, then attacks Shadow B for 2 damage.
Thorn uses Withering Touch on Swarm A, dealing 15 necrotic damage and clearing it away.

Shadow A attacks Anton, but misses.
Shadow D attacks Gustav, but misses.
Shadow E uses Strength Drain on Friendly Zombie, dealing 9 damage and 3 Strength damage.

Gustav attacks Elisabeth, but misses hits, dealing 10 damage and bringing her down.

It is Kellon's turn!

Spoiler: Initiative

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Juuust gonna repost this for myself, since it's a bigger one
Gustav Durst - 21
Kellon - 19
Shadow B - 19
Anton - 16
Spider - 15
Rose Durst - 14
Elisabeth Durst and Centipedes - 13
Shadow C - 11
Friendly Zombie? - 8
Gweyir - 6
Thorn Durst - 5
Shadow A & D - 5
Shadow E - 4

[Prehysterical]

The so-called temple is a madhouse of crawling vermin, shouts, and flitting shadows. Kellon sees Elizabeth's head wrenched off and fights through the wave of weakness running through his body. Gweyir is right... There are too many. It is time to risk it... He could contain it no more.

Kellon takes a few wobbly steps forward, but sets his feet firmly as he glares at the shadows. His eyes glow with blue energy as he spreads his arms wide. When he speaks, it is as if the Storm itself manifested underground. "THUNDERSTRUCK!" His hands clap together in a cacophony of noise.

Spoiler: OOC

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Kellon casts Thunderwave with himself in the top-right corner.
It should have Shadows B, D, and E within its effect. I can't tell if Centipede Swarm D would also be within the blast radius.
Kellon is going to use his daily Channel Divinity to invoke Destructive Wrath. The spell deals max damage (16) and knocks the Shadows away. If they pass a Con save, they only take 8 damage and aren't pushed. Use thunder or lightning, whichever deals more damage.

---

* post roll count doesn't match database

[RandomWombat]

The thunderous boom briefly deafens the room, and the ominous chanting, as the three shadows are scattered against the wall. The one attacking Gweyir wobbles, but retains its form as it peels off of the wall. It weakly lurches to the side, reaching out for her. This time she is wary, however, and ducks aside out of the way.

As if sympathetically empowered by Kellon's invoking of the Storm, Anton's spell pulses with great force and scatters the shadow into wisps of smoke. Spider turns around and instead bites at the other, though its fangs are far less mighty against these spectral foes. When the shadow turns to repay in kind, Spider backs off and skitters to and fro, evading its slow and ponderous grasp.

Rose grabs at the rest of the centipedes on the ground, trying not to look at her mother's body on the floor. The swarm withers and dies, until the last few scatter hopelessly. Many of them remain furiously focused on Gustav, who bats them away as they tear at his rotting flesh and slough it off onto the floor. "Papa!" Thorn runs over to him, doing his best to pick off the overflowing little vermin.

"Thank you, my boy."

"Well, this has been comfy, but now that crazy lady is dead I think I'm going to try myself..." the friendly zombie looks up at the rusty pin holding his shackles to the wall and winds up, then tugs against it with all his might. Even drained by the shadows, he busts free of the wall and reaches down to pick up a femur from one of his fellow dungeon decorations in his still-shackled hands. "Alright, who wants a piece of Sokol Twiceborn? I still have a few left!" His bravado soon fades along with his strength as the shadow from before grabs onto him and continues draining him.

Gweyir welcomes him to the team by driving a sword through the shadow trapped between them and dispelling it into smoke. "The tide turns! Keep fighting!"

"Yes, about that - maybe not so many pieces as I thought. Hand please!"

The last shadow slides across the floor at Kellon, but he repels it with his shining spear as it gets too close, and it recoils from the light. Gustav circles it and slashes it across the back from the other side.

Spoiler: Combat Log

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As Kellon moves, Shadow C takes an attack of opportunity, but misses.
Kellon casts a maximized Thunderwave, dealing 16 damage to Shadows B, D and E. The shadows resist the damage and take 8, but none of them pass their save to halve it again.

Shadow B attacks Gweyir, but misses.

Anton pulses his spell, dealing 5 unavoidable lightning damage to Shadow A and destroying it.
Spider bites Shadow C, dealing 3 damage with a Sneak Attack.
Rose uses Withering Touch on Swarm C, dealing 11 necrotic damage and destroying it.

Swarm C and D attack Gustav, dealing 10 damage total.
Shadow C attacks Spider, but misses.

Friendly Zombie uses Athletics to break free of his Restrained condition, and picks up an improvised club.
Gweyir attacks Shadow B, critically hitting for 5 damage and finishing it off.
Thorn uses Withering Touch on Swarm D, dealing 18 necrotic damage and destroying it.

Shadow D attacks Kellon, but misses.
Shadow E attacks Sokol, dealing 8 necrotic damage and 1 Strength damage.

Gustav flanks and slashes Shadow D for 3 damage.

It is now Kellon's turn!

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

Gustav Durst - 21
Kellon - 19
Shadow B - 19
Anton - 16
Spider - 15
Rose Durst - 14
Elisabeth Durst and Centipedes - 13
Shadow C - 11
Sokol - 8
Gweyir - 6
Thorn Durst - 5
Shadow A & D - 5
Shadow E - 4

[Prehysterical]

Indeed, the tide turns, but best not let it sweep their feet out from under them. Kellon shoves the glowing head of the spear into the shadow's face.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Attacks on Shadow D
(1d20+4)[15]
(1d20+4)[17]

Damage: (1d8+2)[3] Magical Pierce

[RandomWombat]

The spear makes contact, sinking slowly into the shadow's form. Though the damage is minimal, its shape begins to flicker and waver, struggling to hold together. There is a thunk as a bolt flies past it and clatters into the walls. Anton makes a small disappointed noise as he starts reloading the crossbow he's drawn, his lamp now on the floor beside him.

Kellon leans back, avoiding a deathly touch from the shadow facing him, but he soon finds centipedes crawling up onto him again, biting and crawling into his shell. As he struggles to fight them off, he feels a chill run through him as Thorn passes into and out of his body, using his full form to kill of almost all of the swarming insects.

From behind, Gustav sticks both of his clawed hands deep into the shadow, and pulls them apart, ripping the monster in half.

Spider rears up again, biting at the shadow menacing it, but its cautious attacks don't quite reach the target. Rose tries to grab onto the shadow, but her ghostly touch seems not to affect it at all, so instead she tries to grab it from behind and hold it in place. Despite her smaller size, she manages to hold its 'arms' back, as it struggles and wriggles to get free, shaking her off.

The zombie, 'Sokol', wields the femur with desperate strength as he pounds it into the shadow's 'head'. The amorphous skull ripples and bounces like gelatin. Gweyir comes up beside him and takes a swing at it, but it tilts at an unnatural angle out of the way of her blade. It lurches forwards 'biting' Sokol with its shadowy jaws. The zombie falters and nearly collapses, but manages to get a hold of the misty material and shove the shadow back.

Spoiler: Combat Log

Show

Kellon strikes Shadow D for 3 damage.
Anton draws his light crossbow and shoots at Shadow D, but misses.
Spider attacks Shadow C, but misses.
Rose grapples Shadow C.

Swarm B attacks Kellon, dealing 6 damage.
Shadow C attempts to break the grapple, and succeeds.

Sokol swings at Shadow E, hitting for 2 damage. He uses Action Surge to swing again, hitting for 1 damage. Then he uses Second Wind to recover... 3 hit points.
Gweyir attacks Shadow E, but misses.
Thorn uses Withering Touch on Swarm B, dealing 20 necrotic damage.

Shadow D attacks Kellon, but misses.
Shadow E uses Strength Drain on Sokol, hitting for 8 necrotic damage and 3 Strength damage. Sokol passes an Undead Fortitude save to remain at 1 hit point instead of being destroyed.

Gustav slashes Shadow D, dealing 5 damage and destroying it.

It is Kellon's turn!

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

Gustav Durst - 21
Kellon - 19
Anton - 16
Spider - 15
Rose Durst - 14
Centipedes - 13
Shadow C - 11
Sokol - 8
Gweyir - 6
Thorn Durst - 5
Shadow D - 5
Shadow E - 4

[Prehysterical]

Though Kellon is on the verge of collapsing himself, he realizes that the strange talking dead man will soon be truly dead if he does not help. He rushes forward and thrusts at the shadow.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Attack on Shadow E
(1d20+4)[20]
(1d8+2)[10] Magic Pierce

[RandomWombat]

This time, Kellon puts more directional force into the thrust, and the spear pierces clean through the Shadow, clanging against the wall as the monster fades into grey smoke. A call of "Suffosio!" is followed by the crunching and creaking sounds of the last of the centipedes curling up to die.

As the last shadow is pulling away from Rose's grip, Spider jumps on top of it and delivers a powerful bite, tearing bits and pieces of it out. Rose grabs onto it from behind, holding it in place as Spider rips and tears. In spite of its attempts to grab onto Spider and deliver one last parting attack, Rose holds it fast.

"Many thanks, turtle man! Let us... let us finish this!" Sokol spins on his heel and walks with stiff steps towards the last shadow, his limbs drooping weakly. He delivers a small, weak blow with his club, stumbling forwards. He even grabs a hold of it and tries to pull it apart with his hands and teeth, but he's just too weakened by their draining magic. Sword in both hands. Gweyir walks over and delivers the final blow, plunging it through the shadow's 'skull'.

The zombie man falls backwards and lays on the floor. "Guh. I haven't felt this terrible since I was alive."

With the last of the monsters banished, Thorn and Rose run up to Gustav. "Why were all the bugs in mama?" "What happened down here?"

Gustav looks down at them, guilt and sorrow in his eyes. "I hoped that you would never see what happened down here." He raises a clawed hand, trying to brush some hair from Rose's face, but it only flickers in wisps until she reaches up to brush it away herself.

Spoiler: Combat Log

Show

Kellon strikes Shadow E for 10 damage, destroying it.
Anton picks up his wand and casts Suffosio, dealing 4 necrotic damage and finishing off Swarm B.
Spider bites Shadow C for 8 damage.
Rose grapples Shadow C.

Shadow C attempts to attack Spider, but misses.

Sokol strikes Shadow C for 1 damage, and bites it for 1 damage.
Gweyir strikes Shadow C for 4 damage, finishing it off.

Combat has ended.

[Prehysterical]

Kellon leans on the spear, feeling more tired than he ever has in his life. His claws shake as he quaffs his emergency potion, little red droplets dripping over the side of his beak.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Potions heals (2d4+2)[5] damage

He watches as the children reunite with their father. This man has created great evil, but he had proven that his love for his children carried even beyond the grave. Kellon puts strength into his voice as he tells the ghast, "Gustav... The children cannot stay here. There will be no peace for them in this house. It is unhallowed ground."