D&D 5e: Arcana of the Ancients (IC)

[Riggdgames]

Yusha Darwish Warforged Knowledge Cleric 3 AC: 15/17 HP: 24/24 THP: 5/5 PP: 15 PIv: 12 PIs: 15 Conditions: Aid (8 hrs) Concentration: Holding Sacred Flame Kalib Golden Eagle Familiar (Hawk size/stats) AC: 13 HP: 1/1 PP: 14, adv. on Perception (Sight), but no darkvison The Goblin Pit With a thought, Yusha pulls his familiar back out from under the trapdoor and deposits Kalib on his shoulder. Well done, Kalib. The pitons seem to hold as the door creaks under the half-orc's full weight, but it doesn't give way. Yusha looks back and forth between Greck and the goblins with mounting alarm, wary of the imbalance of forces on the other side of the pit. As the half-orc gestures for him to follow, Yusha looks away, growing warm as he realizes he's doing nothing to remedy the imbalance. A pair of eyes bore into him from beside his head before Kalib gives off a screech, lifting off and landing resolutely next to Greck. The bird hops forward along the ground next to him, unable to pull off a casual stroll, but eager to try nonetheless. Yusha is caught between pulling the bird back and trying to cover Greck. Forced to make a quick decision, he opts to channel Abadar's displeasure, prepared to greet one of the goblins with it when they inevitably strike. Spoiler: OOC Show Pull birdie back to Yusha, then Kalib flies forward. Yusha stays put and readies Sacred Flame if the goblins take hostile action. Spoiler: Journal Show Spoiler: Cyphers Show Spoiler: Beast Lure Show This bulky device has a pointy “foot” that pierces the ground. When activated, it sends out a call to a range of about 3 miles, luring one beast whose challenge rating is no higher than 3. The beast makes its way to the cypher’s location at its normal speed and calmly remains there for up to one hour. During this time, you can impart a basic concept or question to the beast, and the beast can convey a simple answer in return. If the beast is attacked, the calming effect immediately ends. After the hour of calm, the beast returns to its previous territory (although it may be sidetracked by prey or attacked along the way). Spoiler: Immobilizer Show As your attack action, you can use the device to create a mass of rapidly expanding and hardening foam at one target (range 20/60). The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed saving throw, the target is restrained by rock-hard foam. A creature restrained by the foam can use an action once per minute to make a Strength check with disadvantage against the cypher’s save DC 13. If it succeeds, it breaks free and is no longer restrained. After an hour, the foam crumbles into powder.

[purepolarpanzer]

4. Oily Pool

Oily water fills a cavity of unknown depth at the center of this crumbling chamber. Discarded rusted pots, worn-out water skins, and other refuse litter the area around the pool. These piles of refuse have been erected into makeshift cover by no fewer than a dozen goblins, all ducked behind mounds of loose gear with bows. One of their number carries two blades that look like sharpened slabs of some purple metal, and it steps forward and begins speaking in broken common, sleepily mumbling it's way through diplomacy. Or a goblin excuse for diplomacy.

"Intruders! Leave this holy place! We do good work, keeping you safe safe from the monsters and magic beneath us. Now leave your cyphers on the ground and leave our home! Vaketh! Now!"

However, the end of this speech is interrupted by a goblin leaping from cover and dancing it's way up to their leader and bopping him on the head with what appears to be a toy mallet. The goblin spokesman's face scrunches up in an aggravated grunt, but it tries to remain serious even as some sort of gaudily dressed goblin clown harasses them, blatantly ignoring the jester.

Spoiler: Nature DC 5

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That water looks disgusting!

Spoiler: DC 10

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Eh, it actually looks quite safe. There is a fait mist rising from the surface of the pool, indicating it is cooler than the air around you.

Spoiler: Nature DC 15

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Uh oh. That's a nilbolg. A goblin jester rumored to have a divine gift from a trickster god. Their shenanigans cause infectious laughter and they have a supernatural dodging ability.

Spoiler: Perception DC 13

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These goblins look to be a tad more formidable than those who raided the town. They carry more arrows, makeshift shields, and their weapons look to be made of strange, razor sharp stone of a violet so dark it looks black. Like obsidian, but with a purple iridescence about them that is vaguely threatening.

Spoiler: Perception DC 16

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There are no cyphers among these goblin's possessions, and they have requested you leave all of yours.

Spoiler: Insight DC 14

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They mean to destroy them. These creatures have some grudge against the Numenara.

[Theophilus]

Ar-Raaqis (Dragon) Faceless Warlock 3 AC: 14 HP: 24/24 THP: 0/0 PP: 10 PIv: 10 PIs: 10 Spell Slots: 2nd - 2/2 Bottled Respite: 4/4 Hours Healer's Kit: 10/10 Dragon Conditions: --- Dragon Concentrating: --- Ar-Raaqis scanned the area through her visor. The water appeared chill and safe to her eyes. The mad goblin less so. An icon formed on her veil, depicting the creature for what it was: a Nilbog. Wherever these appeared murder and merriment followed. She whispered low to her allies. "The nilbog is nimble and dismantles foes with humor. Do not underestimate the dunce." She then considered the situation ahead. Perhaps the fool could prove useful to confound the leader's senses. Perhaps she should instead carve up the many between them; yet, such a task would slow down the muscle she had found in the town. The mystic watched and waited to see what the town spokesman would say, but the only way she would cede a cipher was with the pin out of it.

Spoiler: OOC

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Ready action: Eldritch Blast if one of the goblins attacks.

Nature: 16 (Discord)
Perception: 2. Fog on the mask. (Discord)

[Awful]

Shalar Yotul Azari Beast Barbarian 3 AC: 15 HP: 24/32 THP: 0/5 PP: 13 Rages: 3/3 Conditions: Aid, Berserk! As she entered, she'd unlimbered the bulky array of fireworks. At the goblin's words, she grinned. Her teeth were terribly sharp. "I have a different proposal!" Shalar rumbled. She looked around, her crimson eyes taking in the defences. In her hands were the fireworks and gleaming shards of flint.She twitched slightly, and her grin widened a fraction more than a humanoid should be capable of. With a sudden, fierce moment, she struck together the flints. The fuse sizzled omniously as she aimed it at the largest group of goblins. With a savage sound of tearing, uneven horns forced their way through her forehead, joints clicking and shifting to new, more feral alignments. "I'll rrrrip you up..."

A split second before the fireworks went off, she yawed that great mouth open with it's terrible array of fangs. Fingers thickened into clumsier but deadlier claws. "...Aaand youu maaakkke sssure to scrrream well whennn yyyou die!" And then there was smoke and noise- Spoiler: OOC Show Action: fire the fireworks towards the largest group of goblins BA: Rage! Action: towards the gubbaz!

[purepolarpanzer]

4. Oily Pool

None of the goblins so much as open an eye as Shalar opens fire with her firework display. The room is completely filled with acrid smoke and bright flashes of light as small flaming rockets or light shoot out. Despite dozens of missiles, the goblin's cover prevents the worst of the physical damage. As the barrage slackens, the goblins peek up from their cover and draw their bows, ready for a fight.

Spoiler: Initiative Order

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Calen is up first!
Followed by the gubbaz.
Then the rest of the party!

Spoiler: Combat Log

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Improbably enough, Shalar fails to hit any goblins with her fireworks display.

[Riggdgames]

Yusha Darwish Warforged Knowledge Cleric 3 AC: 15/17 HP: 24/24 THP: 5/5 PP: 15 PIv: 12 PIs: 15 Conditions: Aid (8 hrs) Concentration: Kalib Golden Eagle Familiar (Hawk size/stats) AC: 13 HP: 1/1 PP: 14, adv. on Perception (Sight), but no darkvison Oily Pool Yusha stares across the oily pool towards the goblin-leader as it gives something approaching an intelligent introduction, even if the content of its speech is nonsense. Only the uncivilized would claim to be keeping people safe after having raided Caracara and kidnapping its citizens. Were it not for the dozen bows behind this chief, their arrows tipped with violet-black stone, Yusha might think it appropriate to see justice done immediately. As it is, he can't help comparing the number of warriors on their side to the number on his. Yusha hangs on every whispered word from Qadira, unfamiliar as he is with the nilbog. Given the Dragon's reaction, it's clearly one more reason not to behave impulsively. Perhaps the five of them were being hasty in assuming they had the strength of arms to assault the goblin's stronghold. A quick trip back to town to round up more help might be in order. Even as Yusha thinks about the proper path forward, however, a rumble goes up beside him. "I have a different proposal!" The now familiar, but ultimately horrifying sight of Shalar's face ripping itself apart greets Yusha as he looks to the source. The sight of explosives in her arms elevates Yusha's disquiet to outright panic. Quick! Hide! Kalib lets out a screech from up ahead, flapping for Greck's shield arm, eager to put the huge half-orc between him and everything else. Light, sound, and smoke all follow, and Yusha throws a warding arm in front of his eyes as dozens of missiles streak across the cavern. Spoiler: OOC Show I'll throw another post up in initiative order when the time comes, just throwing out a butt scratch in the meantime Greck has acquired one bird, currently wedged under cover of his shield. Any port in a storm will do, but doesn't seem like a bad spot for him to hang out provided he doesn't get crushed between shield and armor. Spoiler: Journal Show Spoiler: Cyphers Show Spoiler: Beast Lure Show This bulky device has a pointy “foot” that pierces the ground. When activated, it sends out a call to a range of about 3 miles, luring one beast whose challenge rating is no higher than 3. The beast makes its way to the cypher’s location at its normal speed and calmly remains there for up to one hour. During this time, you can impart a basic concept or question to the beast, and the beast can convey a simple answer in return. If the beast is attacked, the calming effect immediately ends. After the hour of calm, the beast returns to its previous territory (although it may be sidetracked by prey or attacked along the way). Spoiler: Immobilizer Show As your attack action, you can use the device to create a mass of rapidly expanding and hardening foam at one target (range 20/60). The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed saving throw, the target is restrained by rock-hard foam. A creature restrained by the foam can use an action once per minute to make a Strength check with disadvantage against the cypher’s save DC 13. If it succeeds, it breaks free and is no longer restrained. After an hour, the foam crumbles into powder.

[Inmate XIII]

Oath of Vengeance Paladin 3
AC: 18 HP: 17/31

Almost sensing what was about to happen, Greck hunched over, sheltering both himself and the eagle that had suddenly landed on his arm from the barrage. When the bangs stopped, he shook his head, trying to clear the spots in his eyes and ringing in his ears. As his vision began to return something immediately became apparent: all the elf had done was provoke the goblins.

He raised his shield again as arrows pointed his way.

"Dammit."

Spoiler: OOC

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Still dodging, for whatever its worth.

[Awful]

Shalar Yotul Azari Beast Barbarian 3 AC: 15 HP: 24/32 THP: 0/5 PP: 13 Rages: 3/3 Conditions: Aid, Berserk! As death and destruction failed to materialise, Shalar tossed the firework tubes aside with a growl of dismissal. "Geeehh... Useless! Nnnot a prrroblem, cclaws arrre more funnn!"

[Amaril]

Calen Damora
Human Wizard 3
AC: 10 HP: 17/17
Conditions: none
Concentration: none

The daze in which Calen crossed the pit, the sound of its opening still echoing in his ears, is broken when the goblin leader speaks. A glimmer of hope--can they solve this without bloodshed, even now? From the back of the group, he takes a half-step forward, grasping for words in the goblin tongue...when he sees the flints in Shalar's hand.

"Shalar, wait!"

BOOM!

He claps his hands over his ears and screws his eyes shut just in time. Smoke, ringing. Darting movement between the piles of garbage. Goblin voices.

"Dammit!" This time, he's ready. Ripping the mirror from its sling, his fingers blur over the runes. Once more, the lines of light split the air, gathering power that launches itself at the goblins as he cries out the syllables of the sleeping spell....

Spoiler: Action

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Casting sleep with a 2nd-level slot, aiming for the center of the densest grouping. 27 HP total affected.

[purepolarpanzer]

4. Oily Pool


Calen's utterance of magic sends a wave of sparkling light cascading over the thickest knot of goblins, sending four of them tumbling to the floor with their weapons slack in their hands. Three of the five that remain, seeing their comrades knocked unconscious around them, shake their mates awake and get them back up on their fee.

The goblin leader, who seems unfazed by the magic, dashes back behind cover. It leans up over cover and fires two quick shots, one at Shalar and one at Greck. Neither comes particularly close to connecting. Rallied by their commander, the three gubbaz who fell asleep fire bows as well. One small arrow sink into Shalar's leg, while two more shatter against Greck's armor. Four more goblins scatter their arrows among the party, one of which hitting Yusha and another nicking Qadira. Then the nilbog hits itself in the head with it's hammer and shouts a jeering jape at Shalar's accuracy, which comes across as pretty funny to the barbarian. It capers off to another piece of cover and hides from all but Yusha and Kalib's eyes.

Spoiler: DC 12 Wisdom Save for Shalar

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Spoiler: Should She Fail

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Shalar falls to the ground, completely enraptured with deep belly laughs. She may reroll the save at the end of her turn.

Spoiler: Should She Succeed

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Not as funny as ripping off gubbaz heads.

Spoiler: OOC

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There are now 8 conscious goblins and four sleeping ones. Calen's sleep spell really neutered their turn. Shalar, Qadira, and Yusha take 4 damage each. The party is up!

[Riggdgames]

Yusha Darwish Warforged Knowledge Cleric 3 AC: 15/17 HP: 24/24 THP: 1/5 PP: 15 PIv: 12 PIs: 15 Conditions: Aid (8 hrs) Concentration: Bless (Greck, Shalar, Qadira) Kalib Golden Eagle Familiar (Hawk size/stats) AC: 13 HP: 1/1 PP: 14, adv. on Perception (Sight), but no darkvison Oily Pool Kalib huddles under the cover of Greck's shield, talons digging into the half-orc's armor. He sends a pulse of awareness back to Yusha, his excitement temporarily buffered by a salvo of fireworks on one side and the threat of arrows on the other. "Dammit." Thirty feet away, Yusha feels a surge of fear from Kalib's perspective before he centers himself, re-balancing. A multitude of goblins stare back at Yusha from across the pool as the smoke clears, unfazed by Shalar's fireworks. Ears still ringing, Yusha barely picks up Calen's voice nearby. "Dammit!" Calen's fingers fly over a strange tablet made of glass rather than stone. Light envelopes several goblins immediately afterwards, magically putting them to sleep. Unlike their kin from last night, however, some of these goblins wake again, their judgement delayed for the moment. Their arrows draw first blood, catching Shalar in the leg even as another arrow dents Yusha's iron skin. He frowns down at the mark in his arm, tilting his head at the injustice of being targeted when other presented a much more direct threat than himself. Did they know nothing? Offended by their ignorance even though he expects nothing less of the uncivilized, Yusha begins to pray. Abadar-willing, these goblins would face judgement soon. Drawing two fingers up to his forehead, Yusha emits a short tone and a few clicks. He connects his awareness to Greck, Shalar, and to the Dragon, gifting them with Abadar's knowledge and holding the channel open at range. With His blessing, Yusha can only hope that they see the most expedient path to send these goblins to their maker. Spoiler: OOC Show Yusha casts Bless on Greck, Shalar, and Qadira. If anyone shouts out a question about where the jester went, Yusha and Kalib will do their best to point him out, but otherwise say nothing at the moment. Spoiler: Journal Show Spoiler: Cyphers Show Spoiler: Beast Lure Show This bulky device has a pointy “foot” that pierces the ground. When activated, it sends out a call to a range of about 3 miles, luring one beast whose challenge rating is no higher than 3. The beast makes its way to the cypher’s location at its normal speed and calmly remains there for up to one hour. During this time, you can impart a basic concept or question to the beast, and the beast can convey a simple answer in return. If the beast is attacked, the calming effect immediately ends. After the hour of calm, the beast returns to its previous territory (although it may be sidetracked by prey or attacked along the way). Spoiler: Immobilizer Show As your attack action, you can use the device to create a mass of rapidly expanding and hardening foam at one target (range 20/60). The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed saving throw, the target is restrained by rock-hard foam. A creature restrained by the foam can use an action once per minute to make a Strength check with disadvantage against the cypher’s save DC 13. If it succeeds, it breaks free and is no longer restrained. After an hour, the foam crumbles into powder.

[Theophilus]

Ar-Raaqis (Dragon) Faceless Warlock 3 AC: 14 HP: 20/24 THP: 0/0 PP: 10 PIv: 10 PIs: 10 Spell Slots: 2nd - 1/2 Bottled Respite: 4/4 Hours Healer's Kit: 10/10 Dragon Conditions: Bless. Sanctuary (DC 13 Wis save to target Q. On a fail, foe has to choose a new target or waste their action.) Dragon Concentrating: --- Phantom lights blazed behind her eyes while her veil slowly brightened from where Shalar's barrage had forced it to darken. The smoke and flashes had diverted her carefully prepared shot, sparing a goblin a sudden death. Suppressing her frustration, Ar-Raaqis activated an icon on her visor of a silhouette from which an arrow or energy bolt bent away. She pantomimed the gestures and mimicked the words of power, invoking the coiling mists of the Black Dragon. Weak wills would waver before engaging her, beaten down by the gravitas of the draconic gods. Swelled with this confidence, she surged forward like a lithe bolt. The Dragon raced across the field, weaving through the ramshackle barricades toward the leader's position.

Spoiler: OOC

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BA: Sanctuary. DC 13 Wis save to target Q. On a fail, foe has to choose a new target or waste their action.
Action: Dash across the 30ft of rough terrain to move into melee with the leader.

[Inmate XIII]

Oath of Vengeance Paladin 3
AC: 18 HP: 17/31


Greck stoped one of the arrows let loose at him with his shield and leant into the other to let it bounce impotently off his pauldron. He paused for a second to snigger at the nilbog's barb, "Eh, he's not wrong..."

Then, he drew himself to hi full height and sneered down at the nearest goblin before beringhing his hammer across his chest, cracking it violently against the side of the hapless critter's head.

Spoiler: OOC

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Discord attack roll 24 against the nearest goblin for 10 bludgeoning damage.

[Amaril]

Calen Damora
Human Wizard 3
AC: 10 HP: 17/17
Conditions: none
Concentration: none

As the goblins' arrows rain down on the group, Calen instinctively looks for cover; finding none in the entryway, he darts to the wall and flattens himself against it as best he can, crouching to make for a smaller target. With Ar-Raaqis engaging the leader and Greck wading into the front line, his gaze falls on the archers to the rear. Kip seems to sense his intentions. "One more like that and I'll need to reconfigure."

"I know!" Calen grits his teeth. "Something a little more direct, then...." As he taps out another sequence of runes, the same pale light appears again, but this time in a nimbus around his fingertips. As he takes his hand off the mirror, the light follows, as if he's pulling it from the device. Though the incantation is swallowed up in the din of the battle, it doesn't matter: he points to the archers, and a trio of shadelight darts leap from his fingertips, streaking through the air to explode on their targets like shooting stars.

Spoiler: Action

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Casting magic missile with a 1st-level slot, targeting the three closest goblin archers that aren't being engaged by anyone else. 3, 5, and 4 damage, respectively.

[Awful]

Shalar Yotul Azari Beast Barbarian 3 AC: 15 HP: 22/32 THP: 0/5 PP: 13 Rages: 2/3 Conditions: Aid, Berserk! The mutating elf literally didn't even notice the arrow now sticking out her thigh. She let loose a roaring laugh, fell and terrible, teeth flashing madly as she bounded forward. Funny joke! "Gyahahahahahahahahaha!" The first goblin she reached was simply shredded. The swipes of her claws splattered its life to the floor alongside its steaming viscera, and she howled in triumph. After falling in spiky holes, the fireworks being pretty and noisy but worthless, the sleepy trap, here it was; the moment talons met meat, when Shalar could hurt and be hurt without restraint. A second goblin got in her reach and she pulled it apart. She flicked blood from her hands and looked about, glaring through the veil of red. Ah, there! One of the goblins was staggering, wounded. Some distant part of Shalar's mind thought it was Cowpen's work, which was nice, the boy might be weedy but his witchcraft was handy, and she obeyed that instinct that all predators keep deep in their core: Go for the injured, the sick, and the weak. "Hhhherezzz a joke, thennn! Wwwwhat you calll a gubbazzz warrior?!" she bellowed joyfully. She snatched at the injured goblin's head. One hand clamped on to its face; the other wrapped around the fungal orb and pulled, pulled, pulled, until something gave way inside the skull and it came free in her hand. She tossed both goblin and orb aside. "A corpze! Gyahahahaha!" Spoiler: OOC Show 19,22,22 for attack rolls, 11,11,3 for damage rolls. If 11 is enough to kill a gobbo, shalar will kill two uninjured ones and then try to finish off the most injured one by Calen.

[purepolarpanzer]

4. Oily Pool

Shalar is a blur of goblin blood and hewn limbs. Greck smashes a goblin to so much green paste beneath his mighty blow. Calen's darts send three archers diving for cover, which promptly is circumvented by the seeking missiles. And at the center of it all is Yusha, calling down Abadar's blessings, and the Dragon, dashing through the madness of conflict to engage with the goblin's squad commander.

Their defensive lines broken, the goblins shift their tactics from raining arrows to assailing their enemies with a hail of blades. Three rush to meet Shalar, hoping to blunt her advance with numbers. In her berserker rage, all three small blades meet flesh and draw blood, but she doesn't seem to care very much. Two confront Greck, with one cutting low at his legs and the second leaping off from his companion to strike at Greck's face. The paladin judges the threats and deflects the higher blow with his weapon, but the slash across his legs bites deep. The remaining flunky goblin joins it's leader in attacking the Dragon. Both seem hesitant at Qadira's magic, but the leader slaps his crony with the flat of his blade and both of them rush forward at the same time, pushing through her protective magics. The goblins tandem bladework is deceptively effective, and the crony stabs it's blade downward into Qadira's foot while the leader leaps at her with both blades out. The two shards of strange metal sink through her armor and into her chest, wounding her deeply and knocking the Dragon to the ground unconscious, where the goblin commando prepares to deliver finishing blows.

The nilbog, lifting it's jangling belled head from behind cover, points at Qadira with it's toy mallet and says "All that fancy magic looks pretty silly when you're on the ground bleeding out!" It turns to Shalar and says "Amiriteoramirite?" Then it ducks back into cover and hides again.

Spoiler: OOC

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Shalar takes (before rage reduction), 8, 7, and 3 damage from a trio of brave goblins. Greck takes 7 damage and is missed once. In a series of improbably rolls the remaining goblin flunky and the commando leader both succeed on their sanctuary saves, hit with all three attacks, and deal 8, 7, and 7 damage, which if I'm not mistaken knocks Qadira unconscious. The goblin leader looks like it means to finish her if no one intervenes. Shalar musty also repeat her DC 12 wisdom save of suffer Tasha's Hideous Laughter. If she succeeds, Shalar's Hideous Slaughter continues unabated. DC 14 to spot the hiding Nilbog.

[Riggdgames]

Yusha Darwish Warforged Knowledge Cleric 3 AC: 15/17 HP: 24/24 THP: 1/5 PP: 15 PIv: 12 PIs: 15 Conditions: Aid (8 hrs) Concentration: Bless (Greck, Shalar, Qadira) Kalib Golden Eagle Familiar (Hawk size/stats) AC: 13 HP: 1/1 PP: 14, adv. on Perception (Sight), but no darkvison Oily Pool Yusha stands sentinel, extending his awareness to 'watch' the battle unfold through his connection to the others. His faith in Abadar is absolute. His faith in this group is on shakier ground, to say the least. But faith cannot go untested forever. Thankfully, Yusha's faith is rewarded. Greck's hammer is inevitable. Shalar's savagery is horrifying. Yusha channels information to them, sending minutia about each goblin's stance and openings in their armor, for what it's worth. In parallel, Yusha processes a recurring thought. These people can fight. Yusha watches Calen pull heaven's light from his tablet of glass, holding a trio of stars at his fingertips before hurling them to extinguish the goblins. Yusha watches the slaughter with clinical fascination, growing ever more appreciative of his companion's abilities. In tandem his mind catalogs the butchery, trying to put order to the unfolding chaos. In the midst of the carnage, Yusha's connection to the Dragon winks out. He looks up, losing focus for a moment as he finds the goblin leader standing triumphantly over her, blood dripping from its strange blades. Somewhere ahead, a screech sounds over the din as Kalib's head rises over the rim of Greck's shield. Yusha feels a surge within, energy rippling through him as he works consciously to stay focused. Imbalance threatens, but there's no time to dwell on it. He brings two fingers to his forehead before pointing them towards Ar-Raaqis. A pair of small, metallic darts, their long tails connected to Yusha, launch across the field, piercing into the Dragon's chest with surgical precision. Yusha emits a low whine, rapidly increasing in volume until a sudden thump cuts it short, sending a jolt of divine grace right to Qadira's heart. The thin, flexible metal connecting Yusha to ar-Raaqis crumbles to dust. Distract and then disengage. Do not stay in the fight. Yusha reluctantly unleashes Kalib, taking a calculated risk. Kalib launches like a crossbow bolt straight for the leader, heedless of the goblins between him and his target. With a terrible screech, he rakes the goblin leader with his talons, eagerly engaging in the battle. Yusha quickly scans the field, seeking a weakling to dispatch, hoping to give the others room to render the Dragon aid. With practiced care, he pinpoints a target and then looks heavenward, eyes glazing over at the rock directly above them. A thin beam, almost too small to see if not for the surge of light, pierces the cavern. Spoiler: OOC Show Bonus Action: Yusha casts Healing Word on the Dragon for (1d4+3)[5] healing. Action: Yusha casts Sacred Flame on one of the weakened gobbos from Calen's magic missiles for (1d8)[6] radiant damage Kalib flies in a beeline for the leader and engages with the 'Help' action (if he makes it there without taking a point of damage and going poof). Spoiler: Journal Show Spoiler: Cyphers Show Spoiler: Beast Lure Show This bulky device has a pointy “foot” that pierces the ground. When activated, it sends out a call to a range of about 3 miles, luring one beast whose challenge rating is no higher than 3. The beast makes its way to the cypher’s location at its normal speed and calmly remains there for up to one hour. During this time, you can impart a basic concept or question to the beast, and the beast can convey a simple answer in return. If the beast is attacked, the calming effect immediately ends. After the hour of calm, the beast returns to its previous territory (although it may be sidetracked by prey or attacked along the way). Spoiler: Immobilizer Show As your attack action, you can use the device to create a mass of rapidly expanding and hardening foam at one target (range 20/60). The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed saving throw, the target is restrained by rock-hard foam. A creature restrained by the foam can use an action once per minute to make a Strength check with disadvantage against the cypher’s save DC 13. If it succeeds, it breaks free and is no longer restrained. After an hour, the foam crumbles into powder.

[Theophilus]

Ar-Raaqis (Dragon) Faceless Warlock 3 AC: 14 HP: 5/24 THP: 0/0 PP: 10 PIv: 10 PIs: 10 Spell Slots: 2nd - 1/2 Bottled Respite: 4/4 Hours Healer's Kit: 10/10 Dragon Conditions: Bless. Dragon Concentrating: --- The Dragon reawakened to burning in her chest and foot. Her visor flashed with a streak over a sphere, the dark glass flickering from red to regular hue. She gripped her weapon and drove it upward with explosive force, driving the goblin skyward out over the water. Crackling waves of energy coursed over his body as he plunged into the misty waters. She then extended her hand and blasted the other goblin away as though Shalar had gripped the creature by the stalk and launched it toward the elven warrioress. Then the woman crouched in a low tiger stance, using the goblin cover for her own advantage while she assessed the situation.

Spoiler: OOC

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Action: Shillelagh booming blade the boss. Crit (Discord). 11 bludgeoning and pushed 5ft away / over the pool using Crusher. Damage if he uses movement: 3 thunder damage.
BA:Force Telekinetic push the other goblin 5ft away/toward Shalar. (Rolled a 5 for its save vs DC 13 Strength save).
Move: "stand" up, crouching to make use of the cover.

[Awful]

Shalar Yotul Azari Beast Barbarian 3 AC: 15 HP: 14/32 THP: 0/5 PP: 13 Rages: 2/3 Conditions: Aid, bless, Berserk! For a second, at the sorcerous humour of the nilbog, Shalar's savage session cessated. Blood dripped freely from the plentiful cuts in her skin, steaming with the heat of beastly violence. Her terrible tearing teeth twitched in a bone-deep chuckle before, with that same force of motion, she continued her slaughter, reducing yet more goblins to red destruction. She didn't speak, now, just slashed and bit with a wild, inhuman grin. Spoiler: OOC Show Same as before, really. Burned my inspiration to pass the save from the Nilbog.

[purepolarpanzer]

4. Oily Pool

Shalar ravages the three goblins who engaged her, breaking them like dolls with her savage slashes. Yusha's lance of holy light strikes a goblin and ignites it, sending the creature squealing to it's doom. And the Dragon's crushing blow sends the goblin boss hurling backward. The dual wielding green skin takes a step back towards the tonfa wielding foe when a reverberation of thunder hits it, causing both it's ears to leak blood and the creature to fall dead to the ground. The goblin she hurled with the force of her mind sprawls in the pool of water, looking uncertain as it's side takes massive casualties, and the two in front of Greck also look ready to bolt.

[Inmate XIII]

Oath of Vengeance Paladin 3
AC: 18 HP: 10/31

Greck quickly scans the room around him, and sneers at the turned tide. The nilbog isn't a threat, so he turned to the two in front of him and brought the pommel of his hammer down on the crown of the one in front of him's head.

He wheels his head around on the other and "Safeguard! Twice we have crushed your forces, I believe you owe us an explanation."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Use bonus action to cast hunter's mark on one of the goblins. Make an attack against one of the goblins, attack roll 22 for 7 bludgeoning attempting to knockout.

If they flee, use reaction to attack the same one he hit before, attack roll 10 + 3 from bless, for 12 bludeoning damage to knockout.

[Amaril]

Calen Damora
Human Wizard 3
AC: 10 HP: 17/17
Conditions: none
Concentration: none

Calen feels bile rising in his throat as he watches the goblins being literally torn limb from limb. Ar-Raaqis takes two blades and falls, and for a moment he fears the worst, but again, his terror is lifted, this time by what can only be Abadar's aid as Yusha launches those strange darts. Calen makes a mental note to offer sacrifice later, if they come out of this place.

The enemy is being pushed back, their lines breaking. He sucks in air through his teeth, weighing the options; every spell he contributes is one he might need later, and who knows how deep this place goes? Hearing Greck call out his demand, Calen makes up his mind, holding fast in the doorway, though his fingers remain poised above Kip's surface, ready to unleash something else if anyone looks in danger.

Spoiler: Action

Show

Readying an action to cast magic missile if anyone else in the party is hit again, with all missiles aimed at the enemy that lands the hit.

[purepolarpanzer]

4. Oily Pool

The goblins before Greck turn and make to flee, leaving both open to his fierce retribution. Both are knocked unconscious easily enough. The lone survivor that the Dragon threw hastily exits while it has a chance, running full speed. This leaves only the party and the Nilbog remaining in the room. The Nilbog grins crazily and begins to prance and mock, but seems to be done casting debilitating magic for the moment. It seems quite content to make assumptions about Yusha's parentage, wagering that the sophisticated warforged is the result of a waterclock mating with modron.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

People can try to stop the runner if they wish. The Nilbog doesn't seem to be a threat right now. Time for you all to choose your next steps.

[Awful]

Shalar Yotul Azari Beast Barbarian 3 AC: 15 HP: 16/32 THP: 0/5 PP: 13 Rages: 2/3 Conditions: Aid As the goblins fought and died, Shalar found herself without more foes to fight. One of the gubbaz had fled the room entirely; the nilbog, having never raised arms as such, didn't trigger her bloodlust, and with a certain amount of regret the elf felt her beasthood meter draining to empty. "Grrraa..." she rumbled, feeling her antlers slough off to splatter in pieces on the floor. Another victory, even if was against goblins.

Shalar panted for a second as the shifts subsided before shaking herself like a dog, lacing her gore-slick fingers together, and giving a long, sinuous stretch that clicked every one of her vertebrae. "Ahhh, that feels better to have a battle, yes?" She reached down and wrapped a hand around the arrow still stuck in her leg, and pulled it out with a plunk! She cast it aside carelessly to clatter against the tiles. She poked experimentally at a couple of her wounds, but they were already clotting.

[Amaril]

Calen Damora
Human Wizard 3
AC: 10 HP: 17/17
Conditions: none
Concentration: none

And just like that, they break, the last of them turning tail. The jester stays behind, but Calen hardly hears his jeering over the blood pounding in his own ears.

Ar-Raaqis is still on her feet. Greck, Yusha...no casualties.

"Ahhh, that feels better to have a battle, yes?"

He doesn't think about standing up. About leaving the doorway, advancing with hands curled in fists.

"Better?" He can't remember the last time he raised his voice like this. Has he ever, even? "We could have died! All of us! Because you went and made that a fight for no reason! THEY WERE TALKING TO US!"

[Inmate XIII]

Oath of Vengeance Paladin 3
AC: 18 HP: 10/31

Greck watches one of the remaining goldins flee and casts a weary eye towards the nilbog before lifting up the two unconcious ones - one in each hand - and depositing them at the dragon's feet.

"If'n yeh wanta try talkin again, here, but given what happened last time I'd say just kill'em. Either way we need some rest before we go any further."

With that done, he turned to the nilbog. "Betcha think yer clever, do yeh? Yeh wee little jakey gowk?"

[Awful]

Shalar Yotul Azari Beast Barbarian 3 AC: 15 HP: 16/32 THP: 0/5 PP: 13 Rages: 2/3 Conditions: Aid "Oh?" She turned her eyes on the mage. The little cub bared his teeth! Though he was still physically unbloodied, and she had far more holes currently in her than the average orc desired to have, she could still snap him in two, she reckoned. "I," she said deliberately, "Did not say I was going to talk to them. Yes, I said the opposite - that I would kill, and this I did. Did you think Shalar Yotul Azari does not keep her word?" She grinned, gore-shod and unapologetic. "They did not talk! They demanded, as if they were strong. We have shown them otherwise, ha! Or did you intend to throw your pretty glass into the pool for them before I made such pretty lights?" She airily waved a hand at the captured goblins, incidentally splashing a fine red mist. "The weak must listen. Now you can talk, little tukkosh, as the strong."

[Amaril]

Calen Damora
Human Wizard 3
AC: 10 HP: 17/17
Conditions: none
Concentration: none

Calen doesn't need to know Orcish to recognize tukkosh as an insult. "On, you're the strong, are you?" He's not shouting now, but it comes out with a cold edge. Where is this coming from? She's standing there covered in blood, who knows how much her own, and probably about half a second away from tearing out his throat, and every bone in his body should be screaming for him to run, but he's not moving. "Because from where I was standing, it looked like they had us outnumbered more than two to one, in a chokepoint, crossing hazardous terrain. And those lights of yours? Didn't hit a single one of them. Qadira almost died. So tell me again about how you were teaching them a lesson, because you're so strong?"

[Riggdgames]

Yusha Darwish Warforged Knowledge Cleric 3 AC: 15/17 HP: 24/24 THP: 1/5 PP: 15 PIv: 12 PIs: 15 Conditions: Aid (8 hrs) Concentration: Bless (Greck, Shalar, Qadira) Kalib Golden Eagle Familiar (Hawk size/stats) AC: 13 HP: 1/1 PP: 14, adv. on Perception (Sight), but no darkvison Oily Pool Yusha tries to ignore the jibe about his parentage, but it rankles regardless of the source. It certainly doesn't help that 'modron' is a term as unfamiliar as nilbog. Yusha's ignorance relative to his own origins piles on, but it is the implication about his mother that pushes him to respond. She may not be his creator, but she certainly doesn't deserve an ill word from this cretin. "My mother was chosen by Abadar to find me," Yusha writes stiffly in the air. "I think it's unlikely your mother knows how to count." He dismisses the nilbog with a curt nod now that it's been thoroughly dismantled. As Shalar shakes herself like a wet dog, sending spots of gore in all directions, Yusha looks on with mixed feelings. The beast-elf dispensed justice most-efficiently, but without even a mote of propriety. If left unchecked, would Abadar grow disturbed by the company Yusha keeps? He resolves to say something to her about her impulsiveness, but the sight of her casually pulling an arrow from her calf gives him second thoughts. No need to be impulsive himself. She was delivering justice, after all. Better? We could have died! All of us! Because you went and made that a fight for no reason! THEY WERE TALKING TO US!" Yusha's head snaps towards the unexpected shouting as Calen berates Shalar. Here's one with propriety in abundance, but no sense of justice. Yusha shakes his head at first, but as he continues to process the situation it becomes clearer. He envisions a balanced scale with two coins, one on each side. He gestures, creating a small illusion in his palm showing one coin with a pair of antlers balanced against another coin with stars orbiting a tablet. Yusha hums happily to himself at the observation, touching two fingers to his forehead in reverence. Yusha's illusion drops, thoughts broken as Greck chimes in, dropping the pair of goblins at ar-Raaqis' feet. "If'n yeh wanta try talkin again, here, but given what happened last time I'd say just kill'em." Despite the accented common, the half-orc's meaning is plain: dispense justice, properly. No need to be impulsive or commit wanton slaughter. The denizens of Safeguard committed crimes last night and continue to fight against a just cause today. These two goblins can serve no greater purpose than helping to balance the scales. Yusha simply nods his assent as the argument between Shalar and Calen, though quieter, grows more serious. Justice and Propriety both have a voice, and neither seems keen to back down despite something they both know inherently. Justice holds the blade. It is both judge and executioner. Propriety, by contrast, holds the quill. It's power is more complicated. Ultimately, both are necessary for a society to function. Yusha frowns as a gore-soaked hawk suddenly appears. Kalib flaps down onto Shalar's shoulder, beak smeared with blood, and gives vent to a terrible shriek aimed at Calen. Instinctively, Yusha reaches out and places a hand on Calen's shoulder, wary of any imbalance. What are you doing? Another shriek, but this time the sound is cut-off as Yusha dismisses Kalib. Pulling his hand away from Calen, Yusha gestures, creating some words in the air. "Greck is right. The longest rest is Just for these two." An image appears of Greck's hammer falling on two goblin heads. "A quick rest would be most beneficial to us as well. The enemy is still near." Spoiler: OOC Show Spoiler: Journal Show Spoiler: Cyphers Show Spoiler: Beast Lure Show This bulky device has a pointy “foot” that pierces the ground. When activated, it sends out a call to a range of about 3 miles, luring one beast whose challenge rating is no higher than 3. The beast makes its way to the cypher’s location at its normal speed and calmly remains there for up to one hour. During this time, you can impart a basic concept or question to the beast, and the beast can convey a simple answer in return. If the beast is attacked, the calming effect immediately ends. After the hour of calm, the beast returns to its previous territory (although it may be sidetracked by prey or attacked along the way). Spoiler: Immobilizer Show As your attack action, you can use the device to create a mass of rapidly expanding and hardening foam at one target (range 20/60). The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed saving throw, the target is restrained by rock-hard foam. A creature restrained by the foam can use an action once per minute to make a Strength check with disadvantage against the cypher’s save DC 13. If it succeeds, it breaks free and is no longer restrained. After an hour, the foam crumbles into powder.

[Awful]

Shalar Yotul Azari Beast Barbarian 3 AC: 15 HP: 16/32 THP: 0/5 PP: 13 Rages: 2/3 Conditions: Aid The beast cocked her head, curious. "Yes...?" she said, as if trying to see some trick in wordplay. "They had numbers, and defences, and the fire-lights did not work - alas! But now..." She looked up at him, her eyes glinting in the shadows of her hood, staring deep into his own. They remained fixed on his, ferociously crimson, even as her voice became lower and huskier. "Now they are for the worms to chew, and we stand with them crushed underfoot. What is that if not strength?" As the bird landed on her shoulder and screeched, she straightened up. She reached up towards it, only for it to disappear, and she gave a tiny shrug of her bearskin-clad shoulders. In her normal jovial tones, she spoke again. "Do not worry, killing-friend," she said easily. She pulled off her pack from where it was concealed beneath her cloak and rummaged through it. With a happy sound, she pulled free the bottle of cherry liqueur. She bit the cork and pulled it free with a jerk of her head, spat it into her hand, and took a slug of the potent spirit. She sighed happily as it went down. She slopped some on her injuries to sterilise them - ignoring the new, fruit-flavoured pain of alcohol on open wounds - and offered the bottle to Calen, then if he refused or indeed took a drink, the others. Including Yusha, because she thought it'd be funny. The liquid inside sloshed, red as pain, as she held it forth. "No point in saying: 'What if?' when what wasn't. Victory is it's own proof, yes?"