Cyre Blue (IC)

[Amnestic]

The warforged leader(?) stands tall, despite appearing alone. When RITAC's beast swoops down from above, he raises his blade to block but the swoop is too fast, and the claws tear at the curtaincloak, adding yet more frays, darns, and general tear to it. The beast is too fast for the Blade to retaliate against, and any hopes of doing so mean nothing when Druager grabs him with a thorned vine and drags him from his position atop the train car. The warrior remains standing as he's pulled down, and shakes off the magic just as quickly as it had come.

Above and beside Druager there's a screech of metal on metal as the side door is pulled open and three more warforged pull themselves up, before dropping down beside their leader and taking in the situation. One moves to defend their leader from the enormous metal-wood-wolf that now looms over them. A pair of morningstars leap to the warforged's hands, the smithing on them bearing similarities to Cyran style yet with its own twist, but he's not yet fast enough to strike.

The second warforged who emerged, wearing a partial hooded robe that's so torn it's closer to a hooded poncho, directs a finger at Druager and after a short incantation yells "KNEEL." The voice echoes throughout the area, and Druager feels themselves compelled to obey, despite their better judgment. His comrade in arms draws a shortsword from their belt and slashes twice at the Mournland-tainted man. Druager evades the first, but when the magic takes a hold he's restricted from avoiding the second which makes a light cut into his shoulder. The blow delivered the warforged in melee spins and looses a bolt from their armbow at RITAC, but the bolt skitters against the forgebeast's metal plating and falls to the ground.

Off in the distance, the far grouping of the party begins to make their advance, and perhaps a silent prayer should be uttered that you are not in either a wild or dead magic zone, as Vradurz's haste spell takes full effect.

Spoiler: Map/OOC

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Recap:
Vradurz casts Haste and moves 30ft closer.
RITAC wild shapes, moves. The beast hits for 13.
Druager hits with thorn whip for 2. RIP damage numbers.

One of them - the one that opened the door, takes up position beside the cloaked one (who I'm just going to call the Commander going forwards). Opening the door and drawing his weapons took his actions this turn though, so no attacks.
The spellcaster NNW of Druager casts Command - Grovel on Druager, who unfortunately fails his save. Druager must spend their next turn dropping prone and then ending their turn.
The one closest to Druager attacks twice with his shortsword - misses once, hits once for 5 piercing damage, and then uses his armbow to fire at RITAC, but misses.

Xael is now up.

Initiative Order:
Vradurz:[20]
Druager: [19]
RITAC: [18]

EG2: [17]

Xael: [14]

EG3: [14]
EG1: [13]
EC: [11]

Howell: [3]
Hallina: [2]

[3SecondCultist]

Xael

The revenant blade closes the distance. Her enemies are arrayed at last, flushed out in the open by the iron hound. Druager has approached as well, giving sport to their accompaniment. These soulless things, she thinks, they will learn what it means to cross blades with a true warrior.

Her steps accelerate, elongating into a dance in time suspended, set to music only she can hear. Her target is directly ahead: the largest of them, the very same leader that insulted her lineage. Her forebears are with her, every elf of Valenar, of Aerenal, of Xen'drik that ever bore Jennaris' blade for a righteous cause, and she knows she cannot fail. As the remaining space evaporates, she lashes out once, twice against the construct, her double-scimitar leaving cuts of light and metal in its composite plating.

Though she misses on the backswing, she settles into a comfortable fighting stance; feet squared, shoulders and knees loose. They will come for her, and when they do she will be ready.

Spoiler: OOC

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Xael is going to jump right in with a pair of Double Scimitar attacks against the warforged leader! She is moving right into the fray, moving the full 35 feet to close with it.

I rolled in Discord already for both attacks (taking a -1 to attack for +2 to damage). 23 to hit, followed by 21 to hit. The first swing does 14 slashing and 2 radiant damage, the second does 11 slashing and 1 radiant, for a total of 28 damage. Rolled the BA attack but sadly missed.

[Amnestic]

Xael's furious strikes tear into the warforged leader. Though he raises his armblade to lessen the blows, the elf warriors twisting scimitar navigates around it to deliver strong hits to the cultist's chestplate. Instead of retaliating directly though, he raises his blade to the heavens. "One vision! One purpose!" He calls out, and there's a clanking salute as the fellow warforged snap to attention, their movements joining in syncronisation with one another.

From the western cart, two more warforged emerge, another wielding twin morningstars, and a second caster who raises a palm and incants two spells in quick succession. A spinning blade of ephemeral energy appears, tearing at the wolf-mech's hind legs, while at the same time a javelin of silvery light pierces through, striking both Xael and RITAC, but also clipping the side of one of the warforged on the far side. The damage dealt is minor, perhaps a result of the hasty spellcasts, but it lingers nevertheless.

Spoiler: Map/OOC

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Recap:
Xael hits for 28 on the Commander.

The Commander invokes Leadership, though as it turns out it didn't matter this turn. He's trying though. It gives friendly creatures other than itself that can see the Commander +1d4 on attack rolls and saves.

Another group of two warforged appears from the left car - one fighter type also dual wielding morningstars (no attacks/actions, spent his turn opening the door), and one caster type who uses Spiritual Weapon on RITAC for 4 force damage, and casts Radiant Lance for 1 radiant damage to RITAC, Xael, and also one of the warforged warriors, just because of how the line lined up.

I haven't rolled Concentration for any damage done.

The full party except Xael is now up, with Howell and Hallina "first" before the new round starts, though realistically you can post in any order and I'll work it out :P

Initiative Order:
Vradurz:[20]
Druager: [19]
RITAC: [18]

EG2: [17]

Xael: [14]

EG3: [14]
EG1: [13]
EC: [11]

Howell: [3]
Hallina: [2]

[(Un)Inspired]

Howell rapidly shifts his gaze from the growth by melee to Vrardurz spellcasting. Hallina, you can get there fastest! We’ve got to stop them from hurting our friends!

He lets his shirt bow slide into the crook of his arm as he pulls a carved cherrywood ocarina out of his pack. Bringing the beautiful instrument to his lips, he plus a short, spirited allegro, and in an instant wind whips up under Hallina, raising her nearly a full inch off the ground.

Fly like the wind! he calls out to the Sgt. as he himself tears off down the field toward the fracas.

Spoiler: OOC

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Howell casts Fly from his magical instrument and runs 30’ towards the action.

[Postmodernist]

Vrardurz continues to barrel down the pathway towards his friends. As soon as he is in range, he extends his palm, conjuring a jet of flame which erupts from his outstretched hand and hurtles itself towards the nearest Blade.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move 30' towards the battle. Cast Fire Bolt at what should just barely be in range of the southernmost warforged near Draugar.
Fire Bolt - (1d20+7)[22] for (2d10)[10] fire damage.

Not sure if bardic inspiration or that advantage from Howell is still relevant. Rolling here, otherwise disregard.
(1d20+7)[21] Advantage roll
(1d8)[8] Bardic Inspiration.

[Gorgon_Heap]

Hallina Dell

Astonished at her sudden weightlessness, Hallina drops her crossbow, but Howell says it’s not necessary. She reaches down and grasps the upright handle of her heavy hammer tries running. Finding no purchase, she recalls than many a wizard and such has said magic does as the user wills, and she finds herself gliding down the slope with only a thought.

She whoops unintentionally. It’s remarkable and liberating, and not since she was a girl did she have time for such frivolous thoughts as “what's it like to be a bird?” It’s a passing moment, however, because the reality is, as always, far more sinister, and her teammates have quickly come to clash with the warforged.

She sails into the combat zone and sees who the priorities are – the officer and spellcaster. She pulls up at the last moment, letting momentum carry her forward as she reels the maul back over her head and brings it down with a “Hyaaaahhhh!!!”

She follows her strikes with a wide swing, leaning back and sending the hammer’s head in a long wide arc ...

Spoiler: Actions

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This is pretty awesome. I’ve never started a game/fight with so much to do at once. The chance to go Hawkgirl on this is brilliant. Also, I’m just feeling it so I’m going Alpha Strike.

I believe I'm at +2 AC

Flies as a Dash and a regular move directly to the Commander and makes two attacks, the first with advantage:
First (1d20+8)[18] or (1d20+8)[24] for (2d6+5)[12]
Second (1d20+8)[11] for (2d6+5)[12]
Action surge – Lunging Strike vs spellcaster 10ft from me
(1d20+8)[12] for (2d6+5)[12] + (1d8)[3] (superiority)

Bardic Inspiration - (1d8)[5] to supplement a low attack roll.

[Waistcoatwill]

R.I.T.A.C.

The towering wolforged grunts as the impacts glance off uts armored form. It glances around at the growing number of enemies. Clumping up made it easier for those casters to target them. They'd see about that.

Perceptor, command the vulture to keep attacking.

Affirmative. Continue hit and run attacks.

The docent calls out to the vine-vulture in a good imitation of RITAC's voice.

Orders relayed, RITAC lunges forward, jaws clamping around the blade commander's leg and trying to wrench them from their feet. As the warrior falls RITAC bounds towards the caster that had lanced him and Vrardurz, looming over them and hopefully making it more difficult to hit them both.

Spoiler: OOC

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RITAC attacks the leader - 22 to hit. 8 damage.
Leader rolls 2 on their strength save vs trip DC 13/14 as mentioned on discord.
RITAC then moves over to the caster who hit him before (no AoO due to mobility).
Vine-vulture swoops down again to attack the probably prone leader - Crit for 14 damage.

Wolforged
AC 16 HP 32/37 Speed 60ft

Vine-vulture
AC 13, HP 20, Fly 60ft

[Amnestic]

When Hallina swoops down, weapon swinging, the wide hammer strikes are too fast to be easily countered, and the thick metal head crunches down against the living wood of the warforged. The spellcaster, clearly injured by the heavy blows, retaliates. They swath their fist in necrotic energy and stab it forwards, the bolt jolting from their hand into Hallina and ravaging them. Even if it left no physical markings on the exterior, the pain is clearly felt.

Vradurz's loosed firebolt soars across the battlefield and slams into the chest of the blade-and-bow wielder stood above Druager, and though it clearly leaves a burn mark, it does not distract the warrior from striking at their proned foe. Even on the ground, the metamorph is able to evade the first strike, but the second stab and the follow up crossbow bolt both find their marks. Combining their strikes allows RITAC and their summoned beast to lay the commander low, literally, as they pull him to the ground. When RITAC pulls away though, the morningstar wielder swings at the hind leg and catches it. It's not enough to end the wild shape, but it does leave a mark. With the mechanical wolf now out of range, they turn their attention to Xael. Three precise swings crash down at Xael, who evades one but the other two catch on the frigid armour that the elven warrior has cloaked themself in. The spiked maces do enough to dispel the cold, but the warforged pays dearly for the effort in doing so, with the cold armour shattering into frozen spikes that ravage their upper body leaving a thousand thousand pockmarks in the metal and wood.

Spoiler: Map/OOC

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Recap:
Howell casts Fly and moves.
Vradurz hits the warforged near Druager for 10, doesn't need to spend BI.
Hallina hits the commander for 12, misses once, then hits the spellcaster twice for 27 total. They're still up, but barely.
RITAC and bird hit the commander for 22 total together and trip him. He's now prone, and bloodied.

RITAC saves himself an OA from the commander due to mobility, but not from the warforged to the commander's south, who swings and hits for 8.
Said warforged then hits Xael twice for 7 and 11 total, taking 30 (15x2) Armour of Agathys damage in return. Said warforged is now bloodied. They miss with their last attack.

The spellcaster retaliates against Hallina with a 2nd level Inflict Wounds that hits for 30 necrotic damage.

Finally, the warforged beside Druager stabs him once for 8 and then shoots him pointblank for another 6. Advantage didn't actually do anything for these rolls, surprisingly.

Xael is now up.

Initiative Order:
Vradurz:[20]
Druager: [19]
RITAC: [18]

EG2: [17]

Xael: [14]

EG3: [14]
EG1: [13]
EC: [11]

Howell: [3]
Hallina: [2]

[3SecondCultist]

Xael

As Hallina soars into the midst of the clash, the Tairnadal spares her a glance. She is quite formidable, he finds himself thinking, but there is no time to admire the fighting forms of his allies. Xael spins on his feet, evading the first of the closest strikes from the forged and letting the other two land. The air around the Tairnadal is sapped of its warmth, a deathly chill ripping through the body of his attacker and slowing it down. Yet this warforged is not his primary target: that would be the enemy leader, who thanks to RITAC now lies prostrate at his feet.

Xael's dance never slows as his double-scimitar descends in a storm of cuts, each one now being driven with all of the elf's might. If their commander can be taken out of the fight, it will go a long way towards breaking enemy morale. Even these construct-soldiers have camaraderie, he reasons, and a decapitation strike is always tactically sound.

Spoiler: OOC

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Xael is full-out power attacking the prone commander in front of him, all with advantage and Elven Accuracy. I rolled all of them in Discord already. The first two attacks are both 24 to hit, dealing a total of 38 damage. The third attack is only a 16 to hit, dealing another 15 damage.

[Amnestic]

Xael's blade dance against the fallen commander prove more than sufficient. The commander raises their arm-blade to parry, only to have the arm removed entirely, followed by a swift beheading. The dance doesn't stop, but a fallen foe is much easier to strike than one standing, and when Xael turns their blade upon the morningstar wielder at their side they parry it away.

A shudder washes through the warforged detachment as the head of their leader flies from the body, striking with a loud thud against one of the cargo cars before skidding to a stop on the dirt. The spellcaster being menaced by RITAC, unhurt thus far, is the first to react. When they speak next, their voice is enhanced with magic, its volume near deafening over the sound of battle. "Commander Blitz has fallen. Begin purging sequence! Let nothing remain!" From the engine car, you hear a shuffling of movement, and then the unmistakable crackling of lightning which starts as sound, and then becomes visible from the front of the car. It seems to be growing.

Undeterred by whatever the 'purge sequence' is, the two warforged continue their assault on RITAC, though the hardy hide deflects most blows, the one exception being a particularly vicious morningstar strike that finds the less-protected underbelly.

Spoiler: Map/OOC

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Recap:
Xael offs the commander with two solid strokes. I retargeted the last strike to the guy next to Xael, but it misses. Leadership ceases to be in effect.

The two warforged cornered by RITAC attack, but despite a spiritual weapon strike and three morningstar swings, only one hits, for 11 piercing damage.

Note that I haven't rolled Concentration on spells for any of the attacks that have happened on the last two enemy turns, you'll need to do those yourself.

Everyone but Xael is up, and Druager can stand tall once more to fight!


Initiative Order:
Vradurz:[20]
Druager: [19]
RITAC: [18]

EG2: [17]

Xael: [14]

EG3: [14]
EG1: [13]
EC: [11] DEAD

Howell: [3]
Hallina: [2]

[Postmodernist]

"They're routing! Press the advantage!" the spellsword bellows, as he continues his advance. He again summons forth another gout of flame to assail his foes and provide Drauger with covering fire. "Vusrii, chaat'oor," he spits as blaze leaps from his palm.

Spoiler: OOC

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Continue to move towards the fight another 30', casting Fire Bolt again at the same target as before.
(1d20+7)[17] for (2d10)[13] fire damage.
Shot in the dark here, if Vrardurz can see the "lightning purge" going on, he'll try and discern its effects. Arcana - (1d20+7)[24]

[Waistcoatwill]

R.I.T.A.C.

The morning star blow rattles the wolforged. Then the sudden high-pitched whine from the engine cart makes them grunt in surprise, white spots of static intruding at the edge of their vision momentarily. That moment is enough long enough though, and the RITAC loses their grasp on mystic xylem connecting them to the vine-vulture. The creature wilts away with a muffled squawk.

RITAC turns, lashing out at the first movement they see...but the spinning Spiritual weapon has proven further distraction. Too late to readjust their aim, stone teeth scrape across the warforged cleric's side in a glancing blow.

Spoiler: OOC

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RITAC attacks the caster - 14 to hit. 12 damage if they're miraculously naked.

Wolforged
AC 16 HP 13/37 Speed 60ft

Vine-vulture
Gone!

[(Un)Inspired]

Concentrating on his Fly spell to keep Hallina’s mobility up, Howell sprints off down the trench craved through the copse by the derailed engine.

Reaching out with his mind, he accompanies his expeditious strides with telekinesis, flinging himself forward with both body and mind.

Spoiler: OOC

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Howell dashes to double move 60’ forward.
Bonus action using his telekinetic push on himself (the text says he can willingly fail the save) to push himself an additional 5’ forward for a total move of 65’.

[Starbin]

Druager Voss, ‘human’ ranger

Druager blinked for a moment, his free will finally returning after the spellcaster robbed him of it. His eyes flashed for a moment as the scout rolled to his feet, letting out a sibilant hiss. He paused, considering eviscerating the magic user without thought. But there was still another opponent closer to him, and he had a team to worry about.

After a moment’s thought, Druager grunted inwardly, remembering the value of thinning the herd. He elected to deal with the spellcaster first, least he heal or revive someone, or summon a powerful ally. Shrugging off his cloak, the scout revealed two writhing ropes of scaled flesh where his arms would normally be. The left ‘arm’ lashed out, stretching past the adjacent warforged to strike the further one, the sharp claws on the end stabbing in from one side. A matching tentacle from the right followed suit, stabbing from the opposite side in a pincer movement.

As Druager pulled the tentacles back, they stopped short by wrapping around the closer warforged. Once they latched on, two giant, leathery wings unfurled from his back and lifted the scout straight upwards, with his foe in tow.

Sometimes, supporting the team didn’t mean you couldn’t do what you wanted …

---

Round 3 - Strike the spellcaster with both claws (action, using lion cla s and octopus arms)
Attack 1 - (1d20+8)[10], Damage - (1d6+5)[6]
Attack 2 - (1d20+8)[13], Damage - (1d6+5)[6]

Extra attack: Initiate grapple with adjacent warforged (octopus arms, w/advantage)
Athletics - (1d20+11)[13] or Athletics - (1d20+11)[31]

Fly upwards 20’ (wings, 10’ high distance?)
Effects: Fly 20'; darkvision 60', all morphs are active; Passive Perception: 19 (24 vs sight)

Spoiler: Details

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AC: HP: 30/49 Init +3 Move 30' land / 20' air Prof +3 Passive Per 19 (24 vs sight) Spell DC 14 Spell attack +6
Saves: Str +8 Dex +4 Con +3 Int +1 Wis +3 Cha -1
Skills: Athletics +11, Stealth +4, Nature +4, Medicine +6, Survival +6, Perception +9, Intimidation +3
Tools: Gaming (Dice), Land Nav (Carts), Cartography

Spoiler: Spells

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1. Ensnaring Strike, Goodberry, Wild Cunning, Speak with Animals, Hex (4/4); Hex, Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Charm Person (1/1 perlong rest)
2. Pass w/o trace, Misty Step (2/2); Misty Step (1/1 per long rest)
3. Suggestion (1/1 per long rest)
4. Confusion (1/1 per long rest)

Magic Items: Belt of Giant Strength (Hill - 21); goggles of night (60' darkvision)
Weapons: Longbow (+4 / 1d8+1 P), Handaxe (+8 / 1d6+5 S), Mace (+8 / 1d6+5 B), Lion Claws (+8 / 1d6+5 S)
Morphs: Eagle eyes (Face: adv on Perception checks based on sight, gain Wis mod to initiative); Tentacles (grapple w/adv, hand weapon/grapple and hand morphs have 10' reach); Fox Tail (cast Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Charm Person, Suggestion, and Confusion spells 1/long rest; can cast Control Fire, Create Bonfire and Dancing Lights cantrips); Cat's feet (stealth w/adv, footsteps make no noise, no damage from falls 20' or less); Lion's claws (1d6S, 1/turn, can strike with each hand with the attack action)

[Gorgon_Heap]

Hallina attacks, moving with blurred speed, laying into the nearest opponents ...

Spoiler: Actions

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Okay, so I'm not where I wanted to be and I can't take advantage of my flight without incurring a bunch of AoOs, but everything is about to move on me anyway...

Reckon I'll lay into the spellcaster and move attacks to the dude next to me. If those aren't up and I still have an attack, I'll use my move to get to whatever opponent is next closest. Still hasted with +2 AC. Using my bonus action for Second Wind (1d10+2)[3]

Attack 1 (1d20+8)[18] for (2d6+5)[12]
Attack 2 (1d20+8)[17] for (2d6+5)[8]
Attack 1 (1d20+8)[13] for (2d6+5)[12]
Attack 4 (1d20+8)[27] for (2d6+5)[13]

[Amnestic]

Druager's lengthy limbs lashes out and cut down the spellcaster before they can utter another word, scraping across its neck and causing sufficient structural damage that the warforged collapses. When he wraps his tentacled arms around the armbow-and-blade wielder beside him, it hinders the warrior's movements enough that he can't avoid the hurled flame from Vradurz, and nor can he adequately mount an offensive strike. Even at pointblank range, the armbow's bolt finds itself evaded by the chimera of a man.

The remaining spellcaster to the northwest is too slow to avoid RITAC's massive metallic jaws which scrape a chunk of metal and wood from their shoulder, but despite the great size of the mechanical wolf that seeks to lay them low, they somehow manage to remain standing, perhaps driven more by zeal and fanatical worship than bodily strength.

The melee in the centre continues with Hallina slamming her maul into her opponent. He manages to turn away her two follow up strikes with his weapons though, the massive hammer churning the earth with a thump as the warrior spins and strikes Hallina once in the arm, then follows up by hitting Xael with the carried momentum. The elven blade dancer evades the final strike from the spiked mace, letting it sail past their face with minimal wasted movement.

Spoiler: Vradurz Arcana

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They appear to be overfeeding or releasing (or both) the bound air elemental in the railcar. This is likely to result in an explosive result for the cars and surrounding area in short order.

Spoiler: Map/OOC

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Forgot to delete the bird token. Oh well. Will be fixed on the next map.

Recap:
Vradurz hits the warforged for 13 fire. Barely. Exact AC. Now 60ft from the battlemap.
RITAC hits the spellcaster for 12. They make their strength save vs. Prone though so they stay standing.
Druager misses once, then hits the spellcaster for 6, dealing exact damage to kill it. He also grapples the warforged next to him.
Howell dashes, he's now 55ft from the battlemap.
Hallina hits the warforged to her left once, for 12 damage. The other two attacks miss (though the second one only barely).

Warforged in the middle hits Hallina for 11 and Xael for 6. Misses with his last strike. He's on pretty low HP, an attack or two will likely finish him off.
Warforged beside Druager misses all three attacks, including a Nat 1. Just a very poor showing from Mr Grappled :P

Xael's up!

Initiative Order:
Vradurz:[20]
Druager: [19]
RITAC: [18]

EG2: [17]

Xael: [14]

EG3: [14]
EG1: [13]
EC: [11] DEAD

Howell: [3]
Hallina: [2]

[Amnestic]

Xael's blade whips across the warforged's form once, twice, three times. The first knocks aside their defense, the second rakes their eyes, and the sweeps from neck to navel, driving deep enough to split open the construct body, sending a shower of lubricant over the churned earth.

The last remaining spellcaster again attempts to tear at RITAC with his summoned blade and 'holy' fire, but the nimble wolf evades the spiritual weapon and ducks away from the flames. The morningstar wielder, acting in tandem with his comrade makes use of RITAC's dodge though, and slams his weapons into the wolf's side in a potent double-strike, threatening to knock the wolf off balance.

The resounding paddle of footsteps inside the engine car tell you that at least one or two more people, presumably those who initiated the purge, are soon to emerge. The size of the elemental unleashed appears to be growing, and now jolts of lighting fire off in random directions, with some being drawn towards the other railcars. When they connect, a surge of electricity runs through their outer shells, tiny bolts of it harmlessly (for now) leaping to those figures alongside the car.

Spoiler: Map/OOC

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You can judge, without requiring an ability check, that remaining adjacent to any of the metal railcars is likely to be bad if the elemental's growth continues, which it probably will.

Recap:
Xael kills the warforged next to them. I botted them to move to the grappled remainder.

The spellcaster manages to roll poorly on their attack roll, and amazingly on RITAC's saving throw, so deals no damage.
Dual wielder hits RITAC for 7 and 4, for 11 total.

Everyone but Xael is up.

Initiative Order:
Vradurz:[20]
Druager: [19]
RITAC: [18]

EG2: [17]

Xael: [14]

EG3: [14]
EG1: [13]
EC: [11] DEAD

Howell: [3]
Hallina: [2]

[Postmodernist]

Worry furrows Vrardurz's brow as the coruscating arcane energy grows in both strength and volume. "They're overloading the elemental engine. Take cover before it blows!" he shouts to his comrades, still hurrying towards them. Realizing the need to provide them with a means of escaping, but unable to close the distance by conventional means, he dashes as quickly as he can, before briefly disapparating momentarily and reappearing in a puff of silvery mist. He mutters a one-liner joke in the Dar tongue, and dances preposterously, seeking to ungird the warforged's mind long enough to let Drauger escape, or at least to assist the others in escaping.

Spoiler: OOC

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Vrardurz will move 30', cast Misty Step as a bonus action to move another 30', and get into range to cast Tasha's Hideous Laughter on the one warforged in range. DC 15 wis save or he's prone and incapacitated.

[Gorgon_Heap]

Hallina Dell

Whatever her companions had done to her, Hallina loved it. The magic from the warforged had been terribly painful, and her joints feel swollen and achy, yet she’d never felt so swift and light. Her toes barely brushed the grass as if dancing on air – and she’d never learned any proper dances!

Taking the shouted warning and rather obvious growing threat of explosion seriously, she swings at the warforged nearby, maneuvering around into the open to fly back up the hill.

“Soundslikewecan’tstayherewho’scomingwithme,elf?Dr auger?” Hallina extends a hand to assist someone even as she floats away...

Spoiler: Actions

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Attack 1 (1d20+8)[24] for (2d6+5)[10]
Attack 2 (1d20+8)[21] for (2d6+5)[16]


I haste Disengage and flee the way we came, taking someone’s hand to carry them to safety if anybody accepts. If there’s more than one, she will drop her hammer. I suspect she won’t move at full speed dragging others, but it’ll likely still be faster than remaining afoot.

[Starbin]

Druager Voss, ‘human’ ranger

Druager glanced at the grappled warforged, his arms holding the warforged in place ... although remaining here seemed like an increasingly bad idea given the sounds of crackling and smell of ozone within the train car.
His hands reached across to slash at his restrained foe, once, twice, thrice in rapid succession. Looking at his arcane companions, he nodded his head towards the car and called out in elvish, "Can you stop this?"

Even as he asked, he began to move away from the train car towards the trees, dragging the warforged with him

---

Round 4 - Strike with both claws, and with the claws for the extra attack
Attack 1 - (1d20+8)[9], Damage - (1d6+5)[8]
Attack 2 - (1d20+8)[16], Damage - (1d6+5)[11]
Attack 3 - (1d20+8)[25], Damage - (1d6+5)[10]

Drop to the ground (probably only 5' high) and drag the warforged away from the car towards the trees (15')

Effects: Fly 20'; darkvision 60', all morphs are active; Passive Perception: 19 (24 vs sight)

Spoiler: Details

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AC: HP: 30/49 Init +3 Move 30' land / 20' air Prof +3 Passive Per 19 (24 vs sight) Spell DC 14 Spell attack +6
Saves: Str +8 Dex +4 Con +3 Int +1 Wis +3 Cha -1
Skills: Athletics +11, Stealth +4, Nature +4, Medicine +6, Survival +6, Perception +9, Intimidation +3
Tools: Gaming (Dice), Land Nav (Carts), Cartography

Spoiler: Spells

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1. Ensnaring Strike, Goodberry, Wild Cunning, Speak with Animals, Hex (4/4); Hex, Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Charm Person (1/1 perlong rest)
2. Pass w/o trace, Misty Step (2/2); Misty Step (1/1 per long rest)
3. Suggestion (1/1 per long rest)
4. Confusion (1/1 per long rest)

Magic Items: Belt of Giant Strength (Hill - 21); goggles of night (60' darkvision)
Weapons: Longbow (+4 / 1d8+1 P), Handaxe (+8 / 1d6+5 S), Mace (+8 / 1d6+5 B), Lion Claws (+8 / 1d6+5 S)
Morphs: Eagle eyes (Face: adv on Perception checks based on sight, gain Wis mod to initiative); Tentacles (grapple w/adv, hand weapon/grapple and hand morphs have 10' reach); Fox Tail (cast Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Charm Person, Suggestion, and Confusion spells 1/long rest; can cast Control Fire, Create Bonfire and Dancing Lights cantrips); Cat's feet (stealth w/adv, footsteps make no noise, no damage from falls 20' or less); Lion's claws (1d6S, 1/turn, can strike with each hand with the attack action)

[Waistcoatwill]

R.I.T.A.C.

The battered wolf form leaps over the two warforged it has been battling. It exposes its belly to the foes trading the risk of reprisal for safety from the brewing electrical storm.

Now free to move, RITAC shifts away from the lightning rail cars. They try to place themselves between the sparking currents and their allies, hoping to give them a measure of protection.

Spoiler: OOC

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Slightly weird one here, sorry!

RITAC moves away from their foes, drawing two opportunity attacks. If they take 2 damage they'll drop out of wild shape, using their action to refresh their wolforged form. They move to shepherd/shield the soft bodies from the sparks of lightning.

If the opportunity attacks somehow both miss they try to dart into range of the Cleric whilst staying away from the mace wielder.
Attack (1d20+6)[20] Damage (2d6+4)[13] DC 13 str save vs trip
Wolf AC 16 HP 2/37 Speed 60ft
RITAC AC 15 HP 42 Speed 40ft

[(Un)Inspired]

It's gonna explode? Get out of there! Stop trying to fight, all of you! Howell yells out to both his companions and the constructs, across the battlefield. STop fighting and we can figure this all out when ALL of us are a safe distance from what's about to happen!

Rushing forward, almost headless to his own words, Howell reaches out with his mind, and through a force born of sheer will, uses telekinesis to pry combatants from each other. While using his mind to bifurcate the melee, he draws back an arrow on his shortbow and lets it fly into any enemy tries to reengage his party, knocking it back with a mobile flourish.

Spoiler: OOC

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How moves his full speed forward (he's taking the attack action so it's 40') and uses his telekinetic feat to force move any of his allies left adjacent to an enemy away so they can break free from the combat without having to disengage. If there's STILL a warforged in melee with an ally (other than the one grappled by Drauger) then he makes a shortbow attack on it using an inspiration die to make a mobile flourish knocking it back 5'+whatever he rolls on his inspiration die.

Shortbow attack: (1d20+5)[11]
Damage: (1d6+2)[5] + Inspiration (1d8)[1]
Extra damage if crit: (1d6)[2] + (1d8)[3]

[Amnestic]

Claws from one side tearing at metal, a maul from behind smashing wood, and the warforged warrior in Druager's grip swiftly falls beneath the combined assault of the party surrounding them, before you beat a hasty retreat from the field. Vrardurz's fiery bolt streams across the scene, swiftly followed by Howell's arrow, but the warforged targeted knocks them aside with his weapons. The distraction proves ample that RITAC can move away without suffering retaliation however, and also frees up the wolf to grab at the spellcaster's leg in its jaws and wrench it from its feet, flinging it to the ground with a loud thump.

Spoiler: Map/OOC

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Recap:
Hallina and Druager finish off the grappled warforged.
Vrardurz's turn changed to holding position and throwing a firebolt. Sadly it misses.
Howell's shortbow shot doesn't find its mark, sadly.
Somehow, both warforged missed their opportunity attacks so wolfmode remains. RITAC hits and trips the spellcaster, who is decidedly close to death.

Enemy squad EG2 is dead, so no more turns from them going forwards.

Xael is up. They could optionally have taken Hallina's hand as they flew south to get away from the battlefield (not represented on the map if so), or stick around to help out RITAC.

Initiative Order:
Vradurz:[20]
Druager: [19]
RITAC: [18]

EG2: [17]

Xael: [14]

EG3: [14]
EG1: [13]
EC: [11] DEAD

Howell: [3]
Hallina: [2]

[3SecondCultist]

Xael

Xael gets his bearings quickly at the end of the last swing of the song-blade. All of his nearby enemies have fallen, his allies have disengaged, and by the sound of the nearby device, it is high time he leave as well. Seeing RITAC depart is the final consideration. The Tairnadal springs away, his long legs dashing away from the derailed cabins as quickly as he can. There is no honour to be had dying pointlessly, as it would achieve nothing here in the face of their mission.

Spoiler: OOC

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Xael is full running away at this point. There are no party members to protect, so he is spending his Action to Dash and his full movement to follow everyone else up to 70 ft away.

[Amnestic]

As you move to tactically retreat from the ever expanding elemental energy, two more warforged emerge from the engine car, though they bear clear scars of the jolting bolts - one is missing an arm while another's face is on fire, and you intuitively understand that this is not a new strategy, but rather the result of a lightning strike igniting their living wood. Seeing you break from the field, the remaining Blades likewise begin to beat a retreat, but they're slower to do so than you are, and the field expands to cover them. A web of lightning expands, the scent of crackling ozone filling the air, before a massive bolt from the grey sky above slams down into the train, causing a percussive explosion. For a moment the day is as a dawn, blinding light filling your vision. Searing heat washes in a wave past you, tickling at the hairs (if you have any) on your head and threatening to ignite them with a spark, though none come. Choking dust is thrown into the air as trees are and the foul smelling fruit is splattered hither and thither, splattering some of you with its repulsive juice and pulp.

When the dust finally settles and your ears stop ringing, what was before a derailed lightning rail gouged through the woods is now replaced with a crater littered with debris. Trees have been flash-fried into blackened husks. The railcar metal has been twisted with massive holes punctured into the sides seemingly at random as the energy sought freedom. They cars are not totally destroyed, but damage has clearly been done. Some of the warforged bodies have been split and torn into pieces, but Xael, Druager and Vrardurz note that you're one body short of the full warforged contingent you fought and saw.

Spoiler: OOC

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That's combat concluded! Party should decide what they're doing post-combat recovery, friendly conversation, and investigation wise.

[Postmodernist]

"Be wary. There was a survivor, no doubt running off to tell his masters what happened here. Everyone alright?" Vrardurz nods to Drauger, hoping that's sufficient acknowledgment of the covering fire he and the others gave to him. Vrardurz checks on Hallina, knowing that the effects of haste can often be disorienting. "Let's search them and what's left of the lightning rail. Be on your guard."

Spoiler: OOC

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Investigation - (1d20+7)[26]

[Waistcoatwill]

R.I.T.A.C.

The battered and now bedraggled wolforged twists to one side as if to shake off the filth and debris that cover it. Fortunately for the party, the orb on their chest flashes several times and a look of lupine chagrin passes over its muzzle.

At Vrardurz's warning the great form nods and lowers its snout to the ground. It does a circuit of the wreckage, smelling for traces of burnt warforged exiting the area.

Spoiler: OOC

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Survival (1d20+7)[16] and advantage if smell is relevant (1d20+7)[23]

[Starbin]

Druager Voss, ‘human’ ranger

Druager stood with his companions, watching the explosion from a safe distance. The released elemental wrecked havoc across the area, scorching trees, twisting metal and burning the warforged down to scrap materials. As the glare subsided and everyone's vision returned, the scout shook his head, muttering, "Welcome home ..." before moving back in to search the area. Upon his initial search, he came to the same conclusion as the hobgoblin - there was a missing body. He returned Vradurz's nod with naught but an empty stare before turning away.

When the warforged began to snuffle along the ground, Druagar leapt up and flew straight up, eyes scanning the surround areas to see signs of movement away from the site. Whatever the results, he would return to the others, searching the perimeter for signs of a warforged departing the area. It wasn't that he didn't trust the warforged wolf ... but he didn't really trust the warforged wolf. Should all mundane efforts fail, Druager still had one more trick up his sleeve ...

---

OOC - Fly up and look for signs of movement ... then drop down and look for signs of tracks.
Perception - (1d20+9)[16] or Perception - (1d20+9)[29] for catching sight of the runner

Survival - (1d20+6)[26] (Perception - (1d20+9)[23] for any visual clues to inform the survival checks. Perception - (1d20+9)[17] if sight based)

Baring all that, cast wild cunning to detect tracks w/in 120' : "If there are any tracks on the ground within range, you know where they are, and you make Wisdom (Survival) checks to follow these tracks with advantage for 1 hour or until you cast this spell again."
Survival - (1d20+6)[22] or Survival - (1d20+6)[19]

Effects: Fly 20'; darkvision 60', all morphs are active; Passive Perception: 19 (24 vs sight)

Spoiler: Details

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AC: HP: 30/49 Init +3 Move 30' land / 20' air Prof +3 Passive Per 19 (24 vs sight) Spell DC 14 Spell attack +6
Saves: Str +8 Dex +4 Con +3 Int +1 Wis +3 Cha -1
Skills: Athletics +11, Stealth +4, Nature +4, Medicine +6, Survival +6, Perception +9, Intimidation +3
Tools: Gaming (Dice), Land Nav (Carts), Cartography

Spoiler: Spells

Show

1. Ensnaring Strike, Goodberry, Wild Cunning, Speak with Animals, Hex (4/4); Hex, Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Charm Person (1/1 per long rest)
2. Pass w/o trace, Misty Step (2/2); Misty Step (1/1 per long rest)
3. Suggestion (1/1 per long rest)
4. Confusion (1/1 per long rest)

Magic Items: Belt of Giant Strength (Hill - 21); goggles of night (60' darkvision)
Weapons: Longbow (+4 / 1d8+1 P), Handaxe (+8 / 1d6+5 S), Mace (+8 / 1d6+5 B), Lion Claws (+8 / 1d6+5 S)
Morphs: Eagle eyes (Face: adv on Perception checks based on sight, gain Wis mod to initiative); Tentacles (grapple w/adv, hand weapon/grapple and hand morphs have 10' reach); Fox Tail (cast Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Charm Person, Suggestion, and Confusion spells 1/long rest; can cast Control Fire, Create Bonfire and Dancing Lights cantrips); Cat's feet (stealth w/adv, footsteps make no noise, no damage from falls 20' or less); Lion's claws (1d6S, 1/turn, can strike with each hand with the attack action)

[3SecondCultist]

Xael

The elf, having evaded the worst of the explosion along with her companions, turns to survey the scene. She takes in the smoke and the ruined cars, the pungent reek of the rotten fruit, and the bodies of those that remained. Behind the zaelta, her eyes are full of wanton distaste before they settle into their usual intractability.

Seeing Druager take off after Vrazdurz's mention of a survivor, Xael debates following him but thinks better of it. The scout clearly has an edge up in the skies, and there are other things to be searching for in any case. "I will escort you into the rail car," the Tairnadal says to the dar as she follows him to the blown-open metal carapace of the fallen beast-of-the-line. Although she bears a few cuts and scrapes from the fight, the time for vigilance is not yet passed; her blade has not yet disappeared. "You will need assistance if any dangers did somehow survive that."

Spoiler: OOC

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Xael will be one of the first through the doors. Only rolled a 13 total on Perception, but she will absolutely rely on Passive of 15 as she's checking about and let the smarter people handle Investigation.

[Amnestic]

The pervasive stench of foul mournland fruit, burned ozone, scorched metal and sundered tree prevents RITAC's nose from finding anything that they did not already scent, and likewise the destruction makes it near impossible for normal evidence of passing - snapped twigs, pressed grass, broken branches - to be found. Druager's aerial observations prove nearly as fruitless. When he takes to the skies more than a few trees shudder with passage of creatures fleeing the detonation and for a moment it seems like you might lose the warforged for the trees, but careful judgment of distance, direction, and the size of the movement lets you narrow it down: there is a survivor, and they are currently fleeing north. It's not entirely out of your way if you wished to chase them down, but it isn't exactly on your path either, as your current route was taking you north-east.

Thankfully the danger seems to have passed, leaving Xael to observe without having to jump into action once more. Vrardurz might not be any particular expert in lightning rail engine interiors but they do note that the internals appear to have been refitted. While the exterior was as expected the interior fittings are of a different style. The contrast between the metalwork on the exterior and interior is clear. On top of that any House Orien heraldry is absent, but there is evidence instead of the symbol of the Blades - a clawed warforged gauntlet - being used in its place.

Though its difficult to tell due to the damage from the explosion and the crash, it also looks like the stones affixed to the bottom of the railcars were new, as they seem somewhat less worn than the rest of the lower area of the car.

The crates inside the two cargo cars have been almost entirely demolished by the lightning, and from what few scraps remain they appear to have been transporting tools, but also - strangely - animal crates (the former occupiers either having fled or been evaporated by the elemental's freedom), food, and water, the latter two of which warforged have no need for.. From the remnants of the animals, they do not appear to be native Mournland creatures, though that's more of a guess than a solid conclusion. The keen-eyed hobgoblin manages to scrap up enough bits and pieces of scattered foodstuffs to satisfy two days worth of rations, though the rest is ruined. Food in the mournland tends to be inedible at best and hazardous at worst but looking it over, this seems to have been food procured from outside of the blighted lands.

Much of the warforged regalia and materiel were destroyed in the blast, but the commander's armblade appears to have survived, and touching it sends a tingle of magic through you, though it would require more time to verify what exact properties it holds. Likewise, you manage to recover two scrolls from the spellcaster's remains. A glance tells you they're two different spells, but more time would be required to work out what they are.

Spoiler: Items

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Unidentified Armblade.
Two unidentified scrolls.
Two days worth of food for a single person (no water).