Ep 27 - What glows in the night?

We left our Adventurers mid-fight as they tangled with some Frogmen who had jumped at them as the Party crossed over a bridge on thier way to Eaden. Initiative: Frogman1, Tados, Frogman2, Catsi, Lylliannes, Frogman3, Frogman4, Bardryn, Frogman5, Frogman6, Jett, Calico. Turn 1: Top of the turn order, being low on health, FM1 disengaged, utilising its 20ft standing leap to bound away from the encirlcing Bardryn, Catsi, and Calico's Spiritual Weapon to land on the eastern side of the bridge. Tados fired his crossbow, shooting a bolt across the bridge which hit FM2; in response, FM2 followed the lead of Fm1 and also leapt back 20ft. Turning to the FM4 that leapt up beside her, Catsi swung her ball trying to grapple it, however, the frog managed to evade the attack prompting Catsi to lash out with her second attack which collided with FM4's side knocking it teetering on the bridge wall ledge. A Crit Dex Saving throw saw FM4 maintain its position on the ledge which angered the Tabaxi who hissed at the frogman attempting to intimidate it and with a Crit Roll to total 21 her desire was granted at FM4 became intimidated by her. As FM4 was reeling from the feline creature in front of it, the frogman did not see the large Dire Wolf form of Lyllianes making a bite attack at it. With a Crit Roll to total 25, the Dire Wolf took a chunk of flesh from the frogman's leg disabling it entirely as she pulled it down to the bridge's wooden planks where it was thrown prone. On the other side of the bridge, FM3 made an unsuccessful attack on Bardryn, while FM4 attempts gets up from its prone position and tries to back away prompting an opportunity attack from Lylliannes and Catsi. Lylliannes bite attack misses but Catsi's swing successfully hits the frogman in the back of its head. Bardryn returns the attack on FM3, taking two slicing swings at the frogman opening two more wounds. FM5 and FM6, oblivious to what is going on above them, continue to cross the small river and begin scrambling up the western side. However, Jett who has noticed them, leaps up to the top of the bridge wall and fires an arrow down at FM5, the iron head finding its mark before jumping back down to hide from it. The turn ends with Calico successfully using his Spiritual Weapon against FM3 as he casts a Guiding Bolt at FM2 at the far end of the bridge, the beam of radiant light exploding on the back of the frogman as it attempts to flee. Turn 2, FM1 uses dash to make two leaps down the side of the bridge and into the water of the small river where it ducks out of sight under the water. Tados uses thunderclap, creating a booming thunderous noise, however, FM5 withstands the noise, standing defiantly in its place. FM2 pulls out a spear and throws it at Lyllianes Dire Wolf form, the head finding its mark amongst her fur, before leaping up to the top of the wall on the south side of the bridge. Seeing the frogman leap up, Catsi makes a mighty leap of her own (Acrobatic 18) to cross to the southern ledge and makes her two attacks at it, the first attack hitting FM2 who manages to dodge the second attack; however, it just saves it DEX save roll to remain on the ledge. On the north side of the bridge, Lylliannes pursues FM4 as it slowly tries to flee, jumping over it to land in its path before successfully taking another bite of flesh from it. FM2 uses a two-handed melee attack with its spear on Catsi in return, the Tabaxi ducking out of the way, as does Lylliannes who deftly dodges the spear from FM4. Bardryn lashes out at FM3, leaving two more deep cuts in a now mortally wounded frogman who is bleeding profusely. Finally reaching the crest of the rise from the riverbank, FM4 and FM5 reach Tados seconds apart, each one making an attack on the Bard who somehow dodges and ducks each spear thrust at him. Jett uses the same tactic as last time, climbing up the bridge wall to fire a successful arrow down at FM5 before dropping back down to the floor of the bridge, while Calico sends his spiritual weapon crashing down on FM3 who is now at death's door. Being a merciful person, Calico silently strides up to the deathly frogman and with a flick of his wrist smashes his mace onto the being, ending its pain. Turn 3, With one of the frogmen now dead and FM1 now somwhere in the water of the small river, Tados again attempts to use thunderclap on the two frogmen before her, however, FM4 defies the thunderous noise whereas FM5, weakened and wounded by Jetts arrows, suffers damage from it. FM2 makes a two-handed melee spear attack on Catsi which hits the Tabaxi who enters a rage and recklessly swings her ball in response. As both attacks hit, FM2 is knocked from the top of the wall failing its Dex save to stay up there, where it crashes to the floor of the bridge. Seeing that FM4 is severly wounded, Lylliannes makes a further bite attack on FM4 taking a great portion of flesh from it. Critically failing its STR save, it is knocked prone by the attack for two turns but still attempts to make a disadvantaged attack on Lylliannes who easily avoids the attack. With FM3 now dead, Bardryn makes her way to FM2 who has fallen to the bridge, and ends its life with two precise swings of her battleaxes. FM5 and FM6 both return thier attacks on Tados who again manages to dodge his way out of any harm, while Jett continues with his now tried and proven tactic, firing another successful arrow into FM5 before ducking back down, whispering to Calico to follow suit. Calico does as suggested and climbs the wall, firing a bolt of radiance at FM5 also which finds its mark. Jett calls for him to climb back down, however Calico asks why he should hide. Turn 4, FM1 is still somewhere in the water leaving Tados at the top of the turn order who swings his rapier into FM5 the blade making a further deep wound that ends its life. Still raging, Catsi leaps down from the top of the southern wall, and grabbing hold of the dead FM3 wraps its legs in her chain and swings it at FM4, the dead frogman colliding heavily with FM4 while with her second attack swngs the ball again at the greatly wounded frogman. Seeing that FM4 is still holding onto life, Lylliannes makes her own mercy kill, taking a life-ending bite out of the mortally wounded frogman. Having done so, she looks up and remembers that FM1 leapt down to the small river and with a Crit roll on perception to total 23 she uses her wolf scent sense to sniff out the scent of the frogman's path of travel and begins to follow it north from the bridge. As the Dire Wolf leaps after FM1 Bardryn begins making her way to the western side of the bridge to help Tados, while FM6 makes a further unsuccessful attack on Tados. Jett again uses the top of the wall to fire an arrow down on FM6, while Calico sends another bolt of radiance after the arrow which also finds its mark on the frogman telling Jett that his sneaky tactics are not very honourable. Turn 5, Tados makes an attack on FM6 with his rapier however, the frogman dodges out of the way as it reels in pain from the arrow and guiding bolt. Catsi uses her 80ft of movement to run up to FM6 and while it dodges her first Crit Fail attack, the following attack hits FM6 sending it reeling in pain once more. Lylliannes continues to follow the trail of FM1, heading further north from the bridge, the only person seeing her do so being Bardryn as she ambles toward Tados and the remaining seen frogman. On its turn FM6 returns the attack on Catsi, the spearhead piercing her, as Jett, taking Calico's word of unfairness to heart, uses his cunning action movement to sneak up behind FM6 and stab him in the back twice taking FM6 out in the process.  With all seeable frogmen dead, they look around and hear Bardryn telling them that Lylliannes has sped off after something, just as Catsi swings her ball down onto the dead FM6 sending a shower of blood and brain matter over Jett and Tados who stand next to the body. As the Tabaxi then takes off after Lylliannes, Tados races after her angered that she has desecrated his new vest with blood and gore. Calico climbs down from the top of the bridge wall and begins making his way to the end of the bridge to get down to the riverside, while Bardryn and Jett head back to where they left the horses and bear. As she closes in on the scent, a PERC roll of 21 enabled Lylliannes to sniff out the hiding FM1 amongst the reeds and waterplants on the banks of the river and with a STR 21 attack, takes FM1 by his head in her teeth and pulls him from his hiding spot to throw him on the ground by her side. Bloodied and mortally wounded the frogman weakly attempts to attack but with a crit fail misses entirely. As they dash toward the Dire Wolf, Tados catches up to Catsi and grabs her by the ear forcing her to stop with a Crit STR roll of 21 against Catsi DEX roll of 10. As the two struggle against each other, Tados trying to make Catsi apologise, Calico calmly walks past and seeing FM1 on his death bed, attempts to end his life mercifully but even though his rapier delves deep into the flesh of the frogman, it does not end its life. With a soft growl of annoyance, Lylliannes makes another bite attack on FM1 but it evades her bite, weakly trying again to attack her in return but failing. Shaking his head in sadness at the frogman, Calico finally ends it life, while Jett siphons some acid from the frogmen's glands on the bridge. With the battle complete, the party takes a short rest as the sun reaches its noonday zenith, while Lylliannes jumps into the river in search of fish, coming out with three healthy looking fish in her mouth a short time later. Dropping two of them with the others she changes shape back her Tiefling appearance and gives the third to Charlemaines, just as they begin to continue thier way eastward. Taking point, Lylliannes leads the party along the road without trouble for the next two hours when they come across a small hamlet that lines the roadway. As the party enter the small village, an elderly male sitting on a porch of a large ranch-style house stands and calls out to them asking where they have come from. After being told, he informs the group that the farmers of the hamlet have been held at bay by the frogmen for many days and they have not been able to get to Ealinor to sell thier crops. Telling him they killed the frogmen, the old man is pleased with the news, offering the group to rest in the village; however, they decline telling him they need to continue on but not before Catsi asks the man if he has any cheese. Happily obliging, he returns a short time later with a large wedge of richly aromatic cheese, handing it to her. As they pass through the village many faces turn to stare at them. Taking advantage of the audience, Catsi gives a royal wave from the cart she is riding in while munching in her cheese wedge, as Tados plays a tune of royal notes. Hearing the music, Charlemaines begins to dance his newly-learned routine, causing even more of an audience. Leading the party further east, Lylliannes focusses her attention on Charlemaines, pleased that the bear easily entered into his dance; however, this slowed the group down as she lost focus on the road ahead. The next hour improved as did the following, when Lylliannes returned her attention to what lay ahead, however, as the afternoon drew on she began to lose focus as tiredness began to seep in. Two failed PERC DC's saw the group slow as they approached thier 8th hour of travel and as the afternoon sun dipped below the horizon. On a curve in the road where some trees grew in small clumps to the side, the party made camp by the roadside where they felt they could see either side of the curvature easily. With thier tent propped up and campfire crackling softly, the party ate the fish as night fully took over. Taking the first watch, Tados set himself up in a place where he could see the road and surrounding land, ensuring his watch went without issue. Taking the second watch, Jett also positioned himself in a place where he felt he could best watch the area around the camp. This proved to be beneficial as halfway into his watch he saw a flash of light from his peripheral vision as it sped throught the trees to his right. Quickly waking Calico, Jett told him what he had seen and the two of them headed off in the direction Jett last saw the light. Being accustomed to looking for things of evil, Calico's Crit PERC roll to total 27, enabled him to see the spectral form of a floating skull surrounded by a purple haze hovering by the trunk of a tree. He showed Jett, who decided to walk up to the skull and ask it if it was friendly. In response the skull emitted a loud mournful wail that echoed through the trees. Immediately, Jett knew it was not a good sign and quickly went on the attack to try and get it to stop. Though his daggers found thier mark, he saw that they did very little damage to the skull, who then stopped the mournful wail and instead a bright orange and red glow began to emanate in its mouth. Turning to run as two rays of fire issued from the glow after him, Jett yelled for Calico to wake the others as he managed to dodge the first one but the second hit his back with a burning force. Running back to wake the sleeping party, initiative was entered as they woke to face this new threat. To be continued...