It all goes as planned. Gruush is invisible, then above, grabbing your wrist, just up ahead—he might pull off a beastly look, but it’s evident he’s spent as much of his life as a burglar in some city as a rogue of wilds.
Then a roof Gruush chooses for you to jump to collapses as Alzav follows along. A room packed with thirty undead sudden flick their white eyes skyward and clamber for freedom and for blood! Together you drag Alzav free, but not before his leg is viciously bitten!
Alzav! You suffer 3 damage.
You race on, stealth be damned, and tumble from crumbling roof to blasted wall until you can hop down to moody looking boulders before landing some ways from the castle grounds.
…41 undead are following you. They’re taking other routes. Mostly by the winding streets. They’re slow. They will never stop until they have you in their cold embrace.
Geth roll 1d6 for Misfortune
Geth roll 1d10 for Damage
Geth roll 4d20 for They Follow
Black polished stone seems to cut through the mountain’s depths, drawing in your dwindling torchlight. Only Simon has a lit torch now.
The drawbridge is down across a bottomless chasm, but the massive gate is shut fast.
The knights in blue—members of the renowned Order of the Cerulean Rose—are conducting a ritual at the front of the castle. The footmen are renewing warding symbols across the walls with… with blood. The horses some rode in on are dead. Clean, unsuspecting kills. The higher ranking knights are chanting. One merely looks out across the bridge. Before them is a pile of corpses, sword arms severed at the shoulder. They’re killing whoever gets close.
You are currently positioned slightly to the right of the castle grounds, at the start of a boulder strewn slope. High rock formations and impassible pits hug the sides of the castle; no way you’re sneaking around.
Prepare yourselves, then proceed to the drawbridge.
I left my tablet down stairs and my dog is asleep so unfortunately no battle map tonight!
Facts:
The knights consist of the following:
- Three tall knights wielding lances. They each carry a longsword too.
- Six soldiers wielding long hammers and shields.
- One lithe knight with a thrusting sword in one hand and a short sword in the other.
- The 41 undead are a mix of near-skeletons, bulbous rot festered corpses and a handful of wild cards.
- You have minutes at best until they arrive.
"No way around" grunted Simon. "Good, let's put an end to this vileness" but first Simon spared a moment to try to decipher the purpose of the ritual the knights were engaged in. His magical learning had born no fruits so far but perhaps the textbook knowledge of magic would yield results.
If I'm allowed I'd like to make an arcana check to figure out what they're trying to do. It's cool if we don't have time.
Geth roll 1d20+4 for arcana
also I'm not sure if we're rolling initiative this time so just in case...
Generally speaking, it’s to keep undead inside the castle. A ward. A wall of force. A circle of silence. Its legit.
More to the point, parts of the ward says, “May the two who would spread corruption be imprisoned for all time. May the blasphemous powers of the depths of this meagre world be bound here. Our oath everlasting and the light of the stars makes this so.”
41 undead of varying types behind. At least five knights in front of us. Two unseen monsters who spread undead ahead of us.... and also the knights are going first... ok lets do this. Good time not to hold back.
Alzav! As you approach you see a thin looking knight, thrusting sword and side sword ready. Their back foot moves slightly. You sense they could spring at any moment. Behind them three tall knights are chanting. At the castle, six well armed lesser knights continue to renew the ward, far too focused to care about you.
Map key:
- A represents fallen pillars and the like. With a tough Acrobatics check, you can traverse them to get onto the battlements of the castle.
- B represents three weathered statues. The statues begin at the waist, and have their arms pressed flat to the ground with their hands palm up.
- C represents the blood drenched wards begin renewed on the walls of the castle.
Forgot what game I was doing and rolled to hit there, but hey, they definitely hit you.
Before I go which among that glut of terrifying force are the three? Im almost certainly going after big M but I wanna make sure. I'm guessing based on placement they are 1-3?
Before I go which among that glut of terrifying force are the three? Im almost certainly going after big M but I wanna make sure. I'm guessing based on placement they are 1-3?
It goes:
M = the thin knight guarding the bridge
1, 2, 3 = the three.
A split second after the lithe Knight began moving towards Alzav so too was Simon moving. He banked hard to the right staying out of the quick knights wake until they had already engaged Simon's ally. It was at this moment he turned and, now behind the knight, struck.
"Quickly before the others catch up." he called to his allies.
Based on where I think Mordwyn is I should be able to snake around to their back without an AoO. I'll then go as nova as I can. That's an action surge and was gonna be the inspiration I've been holding on to but now I'm realizing I don't remember if we discussed if inspiration can be used for attacks what with us skipping the part where we hit.
I like the idea of running past the knights for a Zombie shield like @AustinP0027 suggested but I think it would be beneficial to finish Mordwyn while they are separated from the other knights. Worth a shot at least?
geth roll 1d10+3 for attack
geth roll 1d10+3 for surge
We’ll use inspiration for skill checks and saving throws mostly. I’ll start adding in extra damage (d6) as another kind of bonus for fun roleplaying.
Even turned away, the thin knight seems supernaturally aware! As you swing for them, they raise their side sword, cresting your own blade along it as they briefly take a knee and spin to face you. Blow after blow clashes, but you manage to break through just enough to cut along their hip. You expect a spray of blood, but are left wanting.
The chanting ends abruptly. One of the lesser knight renewing the ward turns towards the battle, then continues their work at a quicker pace.
With a hollow roar, one of the tall knights lowers their lance and charges Simon down! There lance shatters against his back, a brittle, rotten weapon. The knight drops it aside. (1)
Simon! You suffer 5 damage!
—
The next sprints towards Solomon! (2)
—
The last of the three marches towards the edge of the chasm and begins a new chant, lance held high. The toll of distant bells rings out across the caves…
Without the chanting, their work seems more difficult. The blood does not seem to be settling in the grooves of old symbols as it did. They know you’re here, but for now this work is more important.
—
The 41 Undead
If you turned back, you’d see the whites of their eyes. You can hear them now, choking in air with every breath, or constantly wailing—they don’t need to breath, so the way they use their vocal cords is utterly alien.
Do we just run right past the knights on the bridge? Push to the other side on the left or the right, and maybe the undead will flow into the knights and/or the ones doing the ritutal?
Solomon's senses open once again, the detection of unnatural forces now a familiar feeling. He looks upon the knights, "You poor, misguided souls. I don't begrude you your devotion, but you serve a cruel cause."
That's the free action Divine Sense.
When the battle begins, Solomon is caught off guard by the ferocity of the duelist knight. Seeing Alzav take a fierce attack, he moves quickly to his side to protect him. From there, Solomon feints a strike towards Alzav's attacker and as they throw up their guard, Simon swiftly takes advantage of the opening to deliver a blow.
Move 1 NW next to Alzav so I can Interception the next attack that comes for him. Then I use an Attack action, but forgo my own attack to use that temporary Superiority Die to let Simon attack Mordwyn again with Commander's Strike! @nightmarenny you can roll the damage. Add 1d8 to the damage.
@Endless_Serpents Can you share more about the Statues (B)? Are their hands high off the ground? Wide enough for multiple people to climb on?
Thinking if they are a possible option for climbing up and having the 41 undead just run into the knights while we're above and have to figure out how to clean up the mess after.
Alzav throws his hands up at the last moment and a hemisphere of thin light snaps into existence between him and the knight. The lethal strike is deflected to the side in a shower of magenta sparks!
One spell left! But that would have killed me. Edit: Oops, I am at 24/26, but still the bubble is a good move.
@Endless_Serpents Can you share more about the Statues (B)? Are their hands high off the ground? Wide enough for multiple people to climb on?
Thinking if they are a possible option for climbing up and having the 41 undead just run into the knights while we're above and have to figure out how to clean up the mess after.
The statues depict a stylised and well worn people with thick body hair and pronounced brows. Their eyes seem wise, their manner regal. The sculpture obviously felt very highly about these people at the time, even though you’d think them ape-ish.
The statues are easy enough to climb. They are 7 feet tall and about 8 feet by 8 feet wide.
Their hands are large enough for two people to stand on, one on each upturned palm. Their arms are touching the ground.
Rather than wait later for Endless to give us an update before we can decide, I'm going to Shocking Grasp Mordwyn to nix his Reaction/AoO, then make a break for it.... so damage and running both, for Alzav!
Mordwyn's movements stutter as lightning from Alzav's hand rakes across his breastplate and shield, and the sorcerer dashes across the bridge!
Your teamwork creates the necessary opening in the knight’s otherwise effortless guard!
Though they do not bleed, you sense you are beginning to wound them. 3/4 HP left, or there abouts…
—
Kirina
That knight just tried to cast toll the dead on you! You’re too strong for that to harm you. Still, worrying that they have access to such a spell… That’s something clerics are known for in your religion.
—
Arthur
You think back over the undead you’ve encountered. The ones in the valley were slow to act. The one in black armour took a tumble. The whirling skeletons were fast… but you don’t see any of those looming within the mass. They didn’t follow you all by the rooftops, they’re taking the long way by the streets. That’s all you know.
—
Alzav
You see a single tall peak jut up from the depths of the chasm. You could hop across it if you needed to, perhaps even land on it and use it as a defensive position—good enough for one person only. An easy jump, no roll.
With the sound of electricity humming in your wake, you make it across!
Posts
It all goes as planned. Gruush is invisible, then above, grabbing your wrist, just up ahead—he might pull off a beastly look, but it’s evident he’s spent as much of his life as a burglar in some city as a rogue of wilds.
Then a roof Gruush chooses for you to jump to collapses as Alzav follows along. A room packed with thirty undead sudden flick their white eyes skyward and clamber for freedom and for blood! Together you drag Alzav free, but not before his leg is viciously bitten!
Alzav! You suffer 3 damage.
You race on, stealth be damned, and tumble from crumbling roof to blasted wall until you can hop down to moody looking boulders before landing some ways from the castle grounds.
…41 undead are following you. They’re taking other routes. Mostly by the winding streets. They’re slow. They will never stop until they have you in their cold embrace.
Geth roll 1d10 for Damage
Geth roll 4d20 for They Follow
Black polished stone seems to cut through the mountain’s depths, drawing in your dwindling torchlight. Only Simon has a lit torch now.
The drawbridge is down across a bottomless chasm, but the massive gate is shut fast.
The knights in blue—members of the renowned Order of the Cerulean Rose—are conducting a ritual at the front of the castle. The footmen are renewing warding symbols across the walls with… with blood. The horses some rode in on are dead. Clean, unsuspecting kills. The higher ranking knights are chanting. One merely looks out across the bridge. Before them is a pile of corpses, sword arms severed at the shoulder. They’re killing whoever gets close.
You are currently positioned slightly to the right of the castle grounds, at the start of a boulder strewn slope. High rock formations and impassible pits hug the sides of the castle; no way you’re sneaking around.
Prepare yourselves, then proceed to the drawbridge.
I left my tablet down stairs and my dog is asleep so unfortunately no battle map tonight!
Facts:
The knights consist of the following:
- Three tall knights wielding lances. They each carry a longsword too.
- Six soldiers wielding long hammers and shields.
- One lithe knight with a thrusting sword in one hand and a short sword in the other.
- The 41 undead are a mix of near-skeletons, bulbous rot festered corpses and a handful of wild cards.
- You have minutes at best until they arrive.
If I'm allowed I'd like to make an arcana check to figure out what they're trying to do. It's cool if we don't have time.
Geth roll 1d20+4 for arcana
also I'm not sure if we're rolling initiative this time so just in case...
Geth roll 1d20+1
Generally speaking, it’s to keep undead inside the castle. A ward. A wall of force. A circle of silence. Its legit.
More to the point, parts of the ward says, “May the two who would spread corruption be imprisoned for all time. May the blasphemous powers of the depths of this meagre world be bound here. Our oath everlasting and the light of the stars makes this so.”
Geth roll 1d20+4 for The Three
Geth roll 1d20+2 for Lesser Knights
Geth roll 1d20-1 for Kirina Initiative
3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
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Geth roll 1d20-1 for Initiative but don't roll a one again please
3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
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"Let us pass, and we will destroy the two within! Would that not be better than merely sealing them in with fading wards? You have naught to lose!"
Geth roll 1d20+5 for Persuasion
e: Geth you rat bastard
@Zomro
For the purposes of drama… I give Solomon one free action before the battle begins to Divine Sense.
Take @fadingathedges post into account and narrate accordingly.
I’ll have no more from the party today. Tomorrow, you all die.
Oh yeah, as soon as I'm within 60ft of the knights, Divine Sense is happening
Alzav! As you approach you see a thin looking knight, thrusting sword and side sword ready. Their back foot moves slightly. You sense they could spring at any moment. Behind them three tall knights are chanting. At the castle, six well armed lesser knights continue to renew the ward, far too focused to care about you.
—
Mordwyn
Alzav’s words fall on deaf ears. The knight guarding the bridge lashes out with blinding speed!
Alzav! You suffer 19 damage!
The knight ends their turn adjacent to Alzav.
Geth roll 1d20+6 for Slice
Geth roll 2d6+3 for Damage
Geth roll 1d6+3 for Damage
—
@nightmarenny it is now your turn!
Map key:
- A represents fallen pillars and the like. With a tough Acrobatics check, you can traverse them to get onto the battlements of the castle.
- B represents three weathered statues. The statues begin at the waist, and have their arms pressed flat to the ground with their hands palm up.
- C represents the blood drenched wards begin renewed on the walls of the castle.
It goes:
M = the thin knight guarding the bridge
1, 2, 3 = the three.
"Quickly before the others catch up." he called to his allies.
Based on where I think Mordwyn is I should be able to snake around to their back without an AoO. I'll then go as nova as I can. That's an action surge and was gonna be the inspiration I've been holding on to but now I'm realizing I don't remember if we discussed if inspiration can be used for attacks what with us skipping the part where we hit.
I like the idea of running past the knights for a Zombie shield like @AustinP0027 suggested but I think it would be beneficial to finish Mordwyn while they are separated from the other knights. Worth a shot at least?
geth roll 1d10+3 for attack
geth roll 1d10+3 for surge
We’ll use inspiration for skill checks and saving throws mostly. I’ll start adding in extra damage (d6) as another kind of bonus for fun roleplaying.
Even turned away, the thin knight seems supernaturally aware! As you swing for them, they raise their side sword, cresting your own blade along it as they briefly take a knee and spin to face you. Blow after blow clashes, but you manage to break through just enough to cut along their hip. You expect a spray of blood, but are left wanting.
Mordwyn suffers 19 damage!
Geth roll 1d4 for Parry
The chanting ends abruptly. One of the lesser knight renewing the ward turns towards the battle, then continues their work at a quicker pace.
With a hollow roar, one of the tall knights lowers their lance and charges Simon down! There lance shatters against his back, a brittle, rotten weapon. The knight drops it aside. (1)
Simon! You suffer 5 damage!
—
The next sprints towards Solomon! (2)
—
The last of the three marches towards the edge of the chasm and begins a new chant, lance held high. The toll of distant bells rings out across the caves…
Kirina! Make a Wisdom saving throw!
Without the chanting, their work seems more difficult. The blood does not seem to be settling in the grooves of old symbols as it did. They know you’re here, but for now this work is more important.
—
The 41 Undead
If you turned back, you’d see the whites of their eyes. You can hear them now, choking in air with every breath, or constantly wailing—they don’t need to breath, so the way they use their vocal cords is utterly alien.
Save Solomon, it’s doubtful you’ve faced such numbers of trained combatants.
What do you do?
Is engaging the knights the best option, even as they come for you?
It’s the rest of the party’s turns now.
That's the free action Divine Sense.
When the battle begins, Solomon is caught off guard by the ferocity of the duelist knight. Seeing Alzav take a fierce attack, he moves quickly to his side to protect him. From there, Solomon feints a strike towards Alzav's attacker and as they throw up their guard, Simon swiftly takes advantage of the opening to deliver a blow.
Move 1 NW next to Alzav so I can Interception the next attack that comes for him. Then I use an Attack action, but forgo my own attack to use that temporary Superiority Die to let Simon attack Mordwyn again with Commander's Strike! @nightmarenny you can roll the damage. Add 1d8 to the damage.
Thinking if they are a possible option for climbing up and having the 41 undead just run into the knights while we're above and have to figure out how to clean up the mess after.
Dropping the kid off and such, so not really able to do my turn till a bit later this morning
3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
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One spell left! But that would have killed me. Edit: Oops, I am at 24/26, but still the bubble is a good move.
The statues depict a stylised and well worn people with thick body hair and pronounced brows. Their eyes seem wise, their manner regal. The sculpture obviously felt very highly about these people at the time, even though you’d think them ape-ish.
The statues are easy enough to climb. They are 7 feet tall and about 8 feet by 8 feet wide.
Their hands are large enough for two people to stand on, one on each upturned palm. Their arms are touching the ground.
Which zombie movie are we relating them to, Night of the Living Dead/The Walking Dead or 28 Days Later/World War Z?.
Also, what is that in the "moat" off to the left?
Mordwyn's movements stutter as lightning from Alzav's hand rakes across his breastplate and shield, and the sorcerer dashes across the bridge!
e:
Geth roll 1d8 for Shocking Grasp
3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
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Your teamwork creates the necessary opening in the knight’s otherwise effortless guard!
Though they do not bleed, you sense you are beginning to wound them. 3/4 HP left, or there abouts…
—
Kirina
That knight just tried to cast toll the dead on you! You’re too strong for that to harm you. Still, worrying that they have access to such a spell… That’s something clerics are known for in your religion.
—
Arthur
You think back over the undead you’ve encountered. The ones in the valley were slow to act. The one in black armour took a tumble. The whirling skeletons were fast… but you don’t see any of those looming within the mass. They didn’t follow you all by the rooftops, they’re taking the long way by the streets. That’s all you know.
—
Alzav
You see a single tall peak jut up from the depths of the chasm. You could hop across it if you needed to, perhaps even land on it and use it as a defensive position—good enough for one person only. An easy jump, no roll.
With the sound of electricity humming in your wake, you make it across!