CHapter 4.1 (Session 78, 5th March 2019)

In which Talis confronts Rezmir   Book Two, Chapter 4.1 (session 78, 5 th March 2019)   The Party: Naergon Harna, elven wizard (Diviner) Mads Rangle, human fighter/warlock (Fiend: Archdevil Zariel) Jamna Gleamsilver, gnome rogue (Arcane Trickster) Tomaz Stormwind, human ranger (Hunter) Druscilla Oakenrock, dwarven cleric (Trickery: Mask) Talis Wintercrest, half-elven cleric (War: Bane)     “ This is the place” says Druscilla happily as cultists point and the sound of a horn being blown drifts across the desert. Manticores spread their wings and take to the sky. “ Maybe we should just knock on the door politely?” suggests Jamna. “Don’t know about that” says Talis “ but secrecy is our principle weapon here, we can’t allow any of this lot to make it back up the mountain. We need to kill them all!” “Indeed” agrees Tomaz.   “Let’s get on with it then” mutters Mads “none escape!” and casts eldritch blast at the western most cultist on the wall, blasting him back across the wall. The manticores take flight, rising into the sky, cawing and calling to each other. As they do the ground shudders as the Draakhorn blasts out across the desert, the deep rumble causing the sand to ripple. Naergon casts mirror image on himself and runs out to the east away from the rest of the party. Tomaz moves up behind some brush to the south west and shoots the closest manticore twice through its wings, Tomaz then hides behind the scrub [vanish – stealth 10]. Jamna activates her boots of speeds, casts invisibility and races towards the steps leading to the front door. Druscilla advances and invokes an illusionary duplicate of herself. The dragonfangs and dragonwings dive under the demonic looking crenulations lining the wall, dropping from sight. Talis steps behind the patch of scrub and takes guard [dodge].   Mads casts eldritch blast at the western most manticore, blasting it up and back with each strike. “ Focus on the manticores” screams one of the Naergons as over the top of the wall, with a beat of mighty wings a black dragon rises into the desert sky, on its back the unmistakable figure of Rezmir. The manticores continue to close, two of them showering Druscilla’s duplicate with tail spikes, the desert around the illusionary dwarf erupting in dozens of spurts as the spikes pepper the area. Again, the ground trembles and shudders as the Draakhorn booms out. A Naergon casts fire bolt at one of the manticores, burning a hole through its wing. Tomaz steps out of the scrub and shoots the western most manticore again, his arrows shredding its wings before he steps back into the scrub [vanish – stealth 24]. Jamna races up the stairs to the front door, as she does so she activates a glyph of warding which showers the area with acid. Ducking and twisting, Jamna avoids the shower [DEX save + evasion] as the stones and wall around her bubble and hiss as she cowers beneath one of the statues [Hide – stealth 16]. The doors at the top of the stairs are wrenched open and an ettin steps forward looking right and left [perception 7+23]. Detecting Jamna’s heavy breathing under the statue it swings with its axe and cuts into the gnome’s shoulder as she twists aside [uncanny dodge] maintaining her invisibility [Concentration save success], it swings with its morning star and shatters one of the wings on the statue. Druscilla moves back towards the Naergons whist her duplicate moves east and casts sacred flame at a manticore, dousing it in holy radiance.  The dragonwings and dragonfangs step off the wall and, spreading their cloaks, drift towards the desert floor, heading for the party. Talis moves round the scrub remaining on guard [dodge]. Behind the ettin a red half-dragon steps out and turns and vomits forth a stream of fire at the location the ettin is concentrating on, again Jamna twists and turns under the statue avoiding any damage [DEX save + evasion].   Mads stares at Rezmir and the black dragon rising above the wall, slaps his armour and mutters “ iknatik ” activating its black immunity effect. The black dragon rises higher and spotting the hated figure of Talis, spits forth a stream of acid at her. Talis screams as the acid burns through her armour and purple robes [DEX save fail], the dragon and Rezmir roar in triumph. The manticores close the distance, ignoring her duplicate the first showers the real Druscilla in spikes, the desert shuddering with the impact, many also penetrating the dwarf’s defences. Another showers Talis but the screaming cleric twists aside as the ground erupts [dodge]. Two more dive at the Naergons, peppering the ground around them with spikes but failing to hit any of the images. Once more the Draakhorn blares forth, shaking the stones and rebounding off the desert floor. One of the Naergons casts force cage on the black dragon, encasing both dragon and Rezmir some forty feet in the air before the images move further back. Tomaz again steps out of the scrub and shoots the westernmost manticore. With a cry and a flutter of tattered wings it crashes head first into the desert floor. Tomaz steps back into the scrub [vanish – stealth 10]. In desperation Jamna pulls out her last bead of force and hurls it over the ettin’s head. It engulfs the red half-dragon but pushes the ettin away, slamming it into the wall of the gatehouse. Jamna then skitters back around the corner past the statue [stealth 21] as the ettin roars, kicks the force globe down the steps and clambers up to the statue, peering around [perception 12+12] but fails to locate the evasive gnome. Druscilla casts flame strike on the force cage, engulfing both dragon and Rezmir in a column of fire and holy radiance. The dragonwings and dragonfangs continue to run and leap, coasting on their wing-like cloaks, closing in on the party. Talis moves back towards the group and casts mass cure wounds on herself, Tomaz, Naergon, Mads and Druscilla. The red half-dragon rolls its force bubble forward towards the eastern group of dragonwings.   Rezmir screams “not again!” and in her rage casts a caustic bolt at the Naergons, but it screeches past and into the desert beyond. Mads casts hex on the southern most manticore and the eldritch blasts it knocking back and up thirty feet. The dragon roars in rage and scrabbles at the force cage with teeth and claw. The first manticore swoops at Talis and showers her with tail spikes, the sand erupting all around her but missing her. The next manticore sweeps down on Druscilla, riddling the dwarf in tail spikes [Concentration save success]. The last western manticore roars as it launches spikes at the clump of Naergons, the spikes slam into the ground and one of the images flickers out of existence. Again, the Draakhorn blows and sand and rock shudder in the sonic boom. The Naergons move back away from the manticore and casts illusionary dragon, causing the illusion of a huge shadow dragon to appear above the manticores. The shadow dragon rears back and blasts the nearest two manticores with its illusionary acid breath [INT save fail]. Tomaz casts hunters mark on the closest manticore and then shoots it with his longbow, with a cry it falls into the ground in a cloud of dust and sand. Tomaz turns and shoots the next manticore, his arrow ripping through its wing. Jamna pulls her Shortbow and shoots at the ettin, the arrow slamming into its shoulder under the statue’s wing [sneak attack]. As her invisibility dissipates, Jamna dashes away along the western wall. The ettin clambers over the statue, roaring as it pursues the gnome. Druscilla casts sacred flame at the closest manticore, engulfing it in holy radiance and then moves her duplicate closer to Rezmir. The dragonfangs continue to advance in exaggerated leaps, wing-cloaks flowing behind them. The lead one hurls an orb at Talis, it shatters against the rocks to one side in a hissing bubble of acid. The western dragonwings drop down amidst the rocks south of Tomaz and Talis and shoot with their crossbows, one bolt screams over Tomaz’s head, the next slams into his shoulder [critical], another clips Mads in the thigh, surprising the warlock and causing his hex spell to end [Concentration save fail]. The last two bolts flash past Talis. On the western wall, another two dragonwings use their cloaks to gain height and shoot at Jamna, both bolts flying wide between the demon crenulations. Talis casts insect plague across the force cage, the dragon [CON save success] and Rezmir [CON save fail] swatting at the swarm in fury. Talis then steps back into the low scrub. The red half-dragon rolls its globe forward behind the eastern dragonwings.   Rezmir casts caustic bolt at Talis, the bolt striking her direct in the chest [critical]. Shaken, Talis staggers and the insect plague blinks out of existence [Concentration save fail]. Mads casts eldritch blast at the southern most manticore, slamming it back thirty feet as it screams and flutters its ragged wings. The black dragon in fury spits a line at acid at the illusionary shadow dragon, the acid flows harmlessly through the it, dripping to the ground in great pools and hissing droplets.  The remaining pair of manticores swoop in on Druscilla, peppering the dwarf with tail spikes but fail to hit her. Once more the dust and sand judder as the Draakhorn blares, the deep resonating sonic boom can be felt as a physical effect through the souls of everyone’s boots. The Naergons move forward and thrust the staff of the magi towards the dragonwings hiding behind the rocks. A fireball blossoms across the cultists and four of them die screaming [DEX save fail] as their charred bodies crumple into the sand, the lone survivor [DEX save success] hunkers behind his rock, slapping at its smouldering cloak. The illusionary dragon rises up above the manticore and breathes down past it and across the advancing western dragonwings. The manticore [INT save fail] falls heavily, in a shower of sand dead. The three dragonwings [INT save fail] all take some damage but their cloaks protect them [acid resistance]. Tomaz moves his hunters mark onto the last manticore and shoots it twice, arrows slamming into its chest and then retreats behind the patch of scrub. Jamna casts invisibility and moves away down the western wall and steps behind one of the demonic crenulations [stealth 17]. The ettin moves along the wall sniffing and searching for the gnome [perception 7+20] with a roar he turns and moves directly towards the crenulation she is hiding behind. Druscilla casts sacred flame at the closing cultists but misses. The dragonfangs advance, one shoots at the illusory dragon [critical] but the bolt oases clean through its head. The others pull orbs and throw them, one hits Druscilla squarely, the acid burning through her armour, Talis and Tomaz are more fortunate as the orbs aimed at them all short, the acid burns away great portions of the scrub they’re standing within. The surviving western dragonwing shoots at Tomaz but the bolt flies overhead. The eastern dragonwings advance, some taking shelter behind the pillars lining the path. Talis casts cure wounds on herself and moves deeper into the patch of scrub. The red half-dragon rolls the force field behind the eastern dragonwings.   Rezmir casts caustic bolt at Talis, the acid burning through the cleric who falls with a cry. Mads moves east and casts eldritch blast at the last remaining manticore, knocking it from the sky in a welter of feathers and a cloud of sand. Mads then casts fireball [action surge] over the advancing eastern cultists. Three of the cultists scream and die, crumbling in piles of ash as the others weather the blast. The black dragon continues to chew and claw at the force cage as the Draakhorn blares out again, causing the desert floor to ripple and bulge. The Naergons cast fire bolt at the advancing cultists but miss and then move west away from the advancing cultists. The illusionary dragon breathes across the dragonfangs, the acid penetrating their resistance. Tomaz moves his hunters mark to the black dragon, moves to Talis and casts cure wounds on the prostrate cleric. Jamna shoots the advancing ettin in the left face [sneak attack] and then casts misty step, reappearing on the other side of the wall and runs west. The ettin roars in pain and confusion as it turns and lumbers after the fleet gnome. Druscilla casts heal on Talis and falls back towards Mads. The advancing dragonfangs in the west hurl orbs at Talis but misses, the acid burning more of the scrub away. The dragonfangs in the east throw orbs at Mads and Druscilla, one hits Mads squarely in the chest [critical], the acid flowing freely across his glowing black armour as the warlock laughs [immunity]. The remaining dragonwings advance on Talis and Mads behind their leaders. Talis advances out of the scrub and attacks the southern dragonfang, her spear ripping through its armour “ traitor” the cultist screams at her as she turns and stabs the second cultist as well. Over to the east the red half-dragon slowly advances towards Mads and Druscilla.   Rezmir screaming in frustration again casts caustic bolt at Talis, the bolt screaming past the cultists and burning another hole in her armour. Mads casts eldritch blast at the advancing dragonwing knocking it back thirty feet, cloak flapping wildly in the hot desert air as the Draakhorn blares again. The black dragon continues to chew at the force cage unable to get a line on the enemy. The Naergons move the illusory dragon towards the force cage and it breathes across the force cage [INT save success] the illusionary acid flowing over them without effect [immunity]. The Naergons then cast fire bolt at the leading dragonfang, wounding it and the wizard then runs further west. Tomaz shoots the black dragon twice, through the force cage and then ducks back into the scrub [vanish – stealth 20]. Jamna casts slow on the pursuing ettin and dragonwings [WIS save failure for the ettin and one dragonwing, success for the other dragonwing] and then disengages from the [unaffected] dragonwing and races past the ettin and back to the stairs. The ettin slowly lumbers around and after the fleet gnome [WIS save failure]. Druscilla casts sacred flame on one of the advancing dragonfangs, burning it with holy fire [DEX save fail]. The dragonfangs advance on Mads and Talis, Mads swings his glaive, cutting the first dragonfang badly [AOO]. In the north, the first dragonfang stabs at Mads, sinking its shortsword into the warlock’s stomach twice, the second dragonfang stabs at Druscilla but misses. In the west, the first dragonfang stabs Talis twice in the gut, the second then stabs her in the shoulder. With a cry Talis crumples to the ground again, the dragonfang continuing to stab her [2 death save fails]. Dragonwings advance up behind the dragonfangs in the north and west. On the wall the dragonwings chase after Jamna [WIS save success]. Talis gasps, spasms and dies [death save fail, despite inspiration]. In the east the red half-dragon creeps forward behind the dragonfangs.     Next time: is this the end for Rezmir?   No levels were gained this session:   Naergon 16 th level Mads 15 th level Jamna 15 th level Tomaz 15 th level Druscilla 15 th level Talis 12 th level     XP earnt is now irrelevant as the rest of TOD is based on milestone XP   In-Game the session ended at 10:00 on 12 th Eleint 1485 DR [The last LONG REST was completed at 06:30 on 12 th Eleint]     Next session Tuesday 12 th March at 19:15