[IC] The Cult of Brannulv, Chapter 2

[Xihirli]

"I'm being grabbed! Help!" Lana shouted, and reached into her component jar for moonseed. She threw the seeds into the air and lifted a hand.
"Please," she said, and a ray of moonlight flashed down over her shoulder, burning away at the creatures below her.

Spoiler: OOC

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Yyyyyyeah let's just moonbeam. (2d10)[16] radiant at the "start of its turn"

[Zergrinch]

Zarron panics a little bit, not knowing what exactly is attacking the druid, or what exactly he can do to help. He looks over at Ghiso and then at Rose. "What should we do? How can I help?"

OOC: Help Action on Rose. Bonus Action: Bardic inspiration on Rose.

[Valmark]

"Help Rose pull the rope! I believe I have something to help Lana up. Someone will need to catch her though" Ghiso replied, and flicking his wrist lightning started gathering around his left hand.

"Alas, it might be painful"

Spoiler: Ooc

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Just something to give context to everything said OOC.

[Fay]

When Rose hears the commotion in the other room she runs as fast as she can and attempts to help Lana up with the rope.

Spoiler: ooc

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Turn 1 dash
Turn 2 Athletics (1d20+5)[14], advantage if Zarron helps (1d20+5)[8]

[Valmark]

The moment Lana was close enough Ghiso threw out his lightning, formed into a roped that latched around Lana- and yanking her towards them.

"Sorry" he said, since the lightning was very rapidly electrocuting the genasi.

Spoiler: Ooc

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(1d8)[2] lightning damage
Arcana check to reduce the damage! (1d20+6)[26]

[Xihirli]

Taara launched forward, scooting along the floor with a hand outstretched to seize hold of Lana’s.
"AAAAAHHHHH!" Lana said helpfully.

[Izzarra]

Heaving on the rope Rose and Zarron are able to pull Lana clear of the water just in time for Ghiso cast his spell.

With masterful precision he is able to manipulate the weave to shape lightning itself to pull Lana up without causing any damage.

After being hoisted up by rope and lightning Lana is able to grab Taara's waiting hand and is pulled up out of the pit.

Still clasped onto Lana's legs are a few severed rotting hands, it is not long before a several dozen more climb out of the water and up to the floor swarming around everyone's feet and onto Rose.

Spoiler: OOC

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I was going to grant resistance with a good roll, but I am not going to waste a nat 20 so no lightning damage.
Lana is no longer grappled.
A large swarm of undead severed hands is occupying the same space as Rose, Ghiso, and Lana.
Moonbeam damaged the swarm before it could climb out of the water.
17 to hit Rose for 11 bludgeoning/slashing damage + DC 13 Strength saving throw or be grappled.

[Zergrinch]

Zarron's eyes bug out at the unreality of what he is seeing. He crinkles his nose and breathes out through his mouth, just imagining the stench of the disembodied hands. He takes out his rapier, and starts carving the nearest hands into ribbons.

OOC
Attack with Rapier. (1d20+5)[11] to hit. (1d8+3)[6] piercing damage on a hit, and (1d8)[4] on a crit.

[Xihirli]

Taara started thwacking the hands away from Lana and punching her sweetheart clean. Lana repositioned the moonbeam to get more of the hands.
Then she screamed more.

Spoiler: ATTACK!

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Taara! (1d20+5)[17]; (1d8+3)[11] With the staff
(1d20+5)[10]; (1d4+3)[4] With FIST

Lana! (2d10)[4] Moonbeam for the round.

[Fay]

"Aah, gross! Get off me, you slimy things!" Rose exclaimed as she attempted to break free from the hands' grasp. If she is successful, she then moves some distance away from the pit.

Spoiler: ooc

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Athletics to become ungrappled: (1d20+5)[17]

If successful, Rose moves to the doorway. Not through it, just to that general area.

[Valmark]

"It is my guess that they will need to climb on our bodies to be any threat" Ghiso said, backing off carefully "In which case..." he stepped back and unsheated his sword, sliding his fingers along the blade- the icy edge hummed like the quiet before the storm.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Moving out of the space and next to the swarm, then BOOMING BLADE.

(1d20+5)[14] (1d8+5)[13]+(1d4)[1] slash+cold.

As always, Arcane Deflection as a reaction.

[Izzarra]

Zarron is unable to land a clean hit on any of the swarming hands.

Taara lands a solid strike.

Rose is able to pull herself free before the moonbeam pulses.

Ghiso cleaves through several before the swarms climbs onto Taara triggering his spell.

Spoiler: OOC

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22 to hit Taara for 8 bludgeoning/slashing damage + DC 13 Strength saving throw or be grappled.

Lana, Taara, and Ghiso are currently sharing space with the swarm.

It looks like a few good hits will take it out.

[Zergrinch]

Zarron continues his attempt to stabbingly stab the hands with his stabby stabber, after which he dances out of the way to allow Imrin access to the room.

OOC:
(1d20+5)[14] to hit. (1d8+3)[9] piercing on hit plus (1d8)[6] on crit.

[Valmark]

"I believe I don't need to suggest that we should step outside the reach of the hands?" Ghiso half asked half suggested seeing his previous gambit paying off and repeating it.

Spoiler: Ooc

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(1d8)[7] thunder damage that they triggered earlier.

Booming Blade again!
(1d20+5)[23]
(1d8+5)[8]+(1d6)[5] slash+cold damage

Arcane deflection as a reaction!

[Xihirli]

Lana tries to move the moonbeam so it hits the swarm but none of her dear friends.

Taara kept whacking!

Spoiler: WHACK!

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(1d20+5)[22]; (1d8)[4] STICK
(1d20+5)[24]; (1d4)[3] FIST

Moonbeam for the round: 10

[Izzarra]

By the time Imrin is finally able to barge into the room the fight is over as the last of the undead hands is taken out.

[Zergrinch]

"You missed all the fun, Mr. Imrin sir," Zarron teases, as he starts kicking all the non-moving hands back into the pit. "Is everyone all right?"

Perception: (1d20+6)[8] Do any of the hands have jewelry on them?

[Xihirli]

Lana threw up to show that she was okay.

[Fay]

Rose sat down, breathing heavily. "S-sorry, I'll be with y-you in a m-moment."

[Valmark]

Ghiso sheated his sword and picked up a pebble. Going to the edge of the pit, he threw it in the water to check if it provoked any apparent further movement in the depths.

[Izzarra]

Imrin looks at all of the hands. "Indeed."

---

Sorting through the hands does not reveal any rings.

---

Nothing reacts to the pebble.

[Zergrinch]

"So..." Zarron points at the levitating decanter, "What do we do with that? Can we even get it?"

[Xihirli]

"I could turn into something that crawls on walls," Lana suggested. "Like a spider. Or... a spider. What's something that crawls on walls that could also lift the decanter?"

[Fay]

Rose shakily stood up. "I feel like the main problem is that it's floating on the other side of a huge pit. I'm personally somewhat inclined to go..explore..elsewhere. Those hands creep me out."

[Valmark]

"Water seems safe" Ghiso noted "Lanitfat could just swim through, climb up under the decanter and take it away, couldn't she?"

[Zergrinch]

"What if we can make the floor go back up somehow? There must be a way to reset this, right? Mr. Ghiso, do you see any traces of magic on the floor?"

Zarron gives the room a methodical check to determine how Lana triggered the trap, and whether it was possible to untrigger and deactivate it.

Investigation: (1d20+2)[18]

[Xihirli]

"Maybe we can come back later," Lana suggested.
"After we've already stopped the cult people and don't have to worry as much about keeping our strength."

[Izzarra]

Zarron and Imrin look around and on the side of the room opposite the door they find a small slot that looks like it is shaped to accept a small blade like that of a dagger.

[Zergrinch]

"There's a hole here that looks like it might fit a dagger," Zarron announces as he fishes out a dagger and contemplates whether it would fit into the hole or not.

[Valmark]

"Using our strenght here won't prejudicate our fighting ability against the cult unless they're behind the next corner" Ghiso said "But let's first explore the rest of the tomb, maybe. In case we find a dagger that looks like it's meant to go there, in case Zarron's doesn't work"