Lost Mines of Phandelver [IC]

[Townopolis]

Tom looks over his shoulder at Anvorwulf when he hears the barbarian speak. The curiosity is immediately clear on the bard's face, and he raises a finger in the air as if about to say or ask something. Another wave of nausea interrupts him, though, for better or for worse.

[Malexia]

Tom takes a moment to catch his breath and regain his bearings after the sprint to the river. Then the stench of charred meat washes over him; he takes two staggering steps, doubles over, and vomits right into the mud.

When he's finished and able to speak again he manages a weak "I think we could all do with a breather, take some time to regroup, hmm?" and then he retches again.

Perra nods. "Good suggestion, Tom. We'll rotate, each person standing watch for ten minutes while we take a rest. When we feel rested, I'll provide healing to anyone who still needs it. I'll take first watch, unless someone disagrees?"

She looks to the cave, weapons out and ready, then glances back at Tom. "If you are gravely ill, I can provide healing, though it would take from what I can give the others."

[Zergrinch]

Zuu wobbles on his feet, an arrow sticking out of his chest. Fortunately for him, his armor protected him from the brunt of it, and his patron's blessing shielded him even more. Dimly he sees the Paladin loose a gout of flame from her mouth, and he quickly had a mental image of a campfire roast.

"This wasn't.... supposed to happen," the half-elf wheezes out. He moves like a drunken sailor to the tree the sorcerer was hiding behind. His eyes go wide at seeing the feather beard the man was sporting. "Am I dead? A-are you a celestial?" he asks, before collapsing to the ground.

Spoiler

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Go prone and take a short rest. Spend my only hit die. Zuu regains (1d8+3)[6] hit points. Current HP will be 11/11

[Lank]

Anvorwulf returns to Zuu and drags him over to the party, his feather beard seems to tickle the back of Zuu's head as he gets closer to the party. He takes of his Yeti Fur Coat and places it under Zuu's head as a pillow. Without his coat on it is obvious that he has lived a hard life out on the tundra. Underneath his coat he only wears a vest made out of grey cloth. He has bulky arms that have a few scars on them as well as a tattoo on his right wrist that displays the antlers of an elk.
"Zuu is in pain, I know he can pull through but we need to do something about this arrow".

[Townopolis]

Tom waves off Perra's offer of healing, and in time the nausea passes. Once he's sure he won't topple over, he gets up, cleans and tidies his gear, and finds a place to sit where he can keep an eye on the cave entrance... and then immediately loses himself in thought.

Spoiler: Actions

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Tom was going to keep watch, but we can all see how that plan went.
perception - (1d20-1)[0]

[Malexia]

Perra spares a glance at Zuu, then turns back to the cave. "Be careful when dealing with the arrow. You don't want to rip it out just for him to bleed to death."

Spoiler: OOC

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Assuming this is a Medicine check, Perra will 'give advice' so that whoever performs the check has advantage.

[Lank]

"I am no surgeon Perra, knowing my luck I would accidently cast a fire spell in his gut". Any volunteers?

[Zergrinch]

Zuu stirs fitfully, but does not awaken. His pulse is noticeably heightened as his body fights off the shock of the arrow. Unbeknownst to anyone, his body's natural defenses is being magically augmented by his patron; indeed it wouldn't do for it to lose its warlock, at least not until there is more return on the investment.

However, the link works both ways. Just as the Fiend Patron is within Zuu, Zuu is within the Patron. His mind is, of course, too small and narrow to appreciate what he is seeing. Instead, the creature's thoughts manifest to the half-elf as snippets of dreams.

Two realms. Celestial. Abyssal. War! Demons fighting angels. Merciless fighting. Casualties mount. Horrendous death toll. Stalemate. Uneasy truce. Shadowy plots. A Breakthrough! Mortal warlocks pacted to swell the ranks of the damned and strengthen the demons. He sees his patron. Was that a feather in its beard...?

"N-n-noooo, I---- do not want. N--no killing..." was all the half-elf moans during his hour of recovery.

[Vesth]

Surprisingly enough, the hour passes by uneventfully.

As the adventurers patch their wounds and catch their breaths, those who were conscious and attentive would note that the place is actually quite serene and beautiful...if you ignore the bunch of charred bodies in the corner.

If one concentrates, one could hear the wind performing it's natural dance, stirring leaves and whistling it's silent tune. If one concentrates further, he or she would also hear the occasional baying of wolves from within the cave...and maybe imagine the sound of goblins preparing to go to war with adventurers parked outside their home.

[Zergrinch]

Zuu wakes up with a start, feeling amazingly refreshed. But how...? He distinctly remembers getting an arrow through the chest... and now... nothing. Not even pain. Abruptly standing up, he sees the wild barbarian he first mistook for a celestial.

"Good heavens, man! What on Earth did you do to your face????"

[Lank]

Ignoring Zuu, Anvorwulf stands up. With Zuu in a stable condition he puts his coat back on and picks up his staff. "Hey guys I think we have over stayed our welcome. It is now or never". Anvorwulf cracks his neck twice. "Time to show these motherless dogs why the Reghedmen are so feared!".
What he says would be inspiring if he didn't have a beard made of feathers.

[Zergrinch]

Zuu shrugs. A man's beard is his own business. If he wants to make the bugbear and goblins die of laughter, then more power to him.

The warlock climbs to his feet, cautiously stalks to the cave entrance, and enters it as quietly as he can. He stains all his senses, eager to avoid any further surprises. Hoping against hope, the half elf desperately wishes to see One One-Eye's corpse somewhere, to prove to himself that a goblin can be capable of redemption.

Spoiler

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Stealth: (1d20+4)[19]
Perception: (1d20+3)[23]

[Vesth]

Zuu

Spoiler

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You creep stealthily into the cave. The light filtering in from outside illuminates the stream disappearing into the darkness ahead, with a small rocky path on its right. On the east side of the tunnel is a few uneven stone steps leading into a side passage. You were about to explore further, when you hear footsteps approaching, accompanied by snarls and growls.

Ducking behind one of the only broken boulders in the area, you peek your head from the side, just in time to see a goblin exiting the side passage.

The goblin, better armored than the other goblins you've seen, seems to be holding on to chains each connecting to one of the three mangy wolves that are around him. You immediately recognize the goblin as the Traitorous Scum that ran from the earlier battle...and he seems to be holding an eyepatch in his free hand.

He doesn't see you, until one of the wolves sniff the air, and yips in your direction. The goblins snarls and turns in your direction.

"I tells them that One-One-Eye is traitor. I tells them that bad people are comings to kill us. You actually comes." He grins wickedly, his teeth glinting in the darkness. "Cowardly human! Comes out so I can kills you! I will be hero in Crawmaw tribe!"

He tosses the eyepatch onto the ground and drinks a potion, smashing the empty bottle on the ground afterwards.

"3, 2, 1, I comes for you. 3..."

For Everyone Else

Spoiler

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Soon after Zuu goes in, you hear distorted voices echoing from the cave, but the words are too warped to understand any of it. Soon after, you hear growling, followed by the sound of glass smashing.

[eleazzaar]

After the great gout of fire ended the battle, Hyram remained plastered to his spot for a few minutes, unmoving, breathing hard. Then shaking himself, he got up and rejoined the others.

"I got one..." he says softly, but is suddenly arrested by the sight of the northerner's beard. It was made of... feathers?!?

"But... what... how... when... whu...?" He gabbles, then his eyes go distant. A small smile appears as he seems to understand, quickly replaced by a look of concern.

Then realizing their situation Hyram goes a little distant, creates an illusory bush, gets behind it and trains his bow on the entrance, through the whole rest.

Spoiler: Arcana to figure out why captain feather beard has suddenly appeared...

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(d20+5)[12]

IF the roll isn't enough, the conclusion Hyram comes to is wrong

[Lank]

Anvorwulf rushes in upon hearing the glass smash. He didn't want to have to drag Zuu's body away from danger again. He pulls out some phosphorescent moss from his componet pouch and smatters it on the end of his staff. The end of the staff glows with a bright, white light that illuminates the darkness.
He steps in hoping to see Zuu bashing the brains out of a goblin.

Spoiler: Spell

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The light spell illuminates a 20 ft radius around Anvorwulf and provides dim light for a further 20ft.

[eleazzaar]

Hearing strange noises issue from the cave, and seeing two of the party enter the cave mouth, Hyram grows concerned, he rushes across the stream, and hides in the north end of the thicket where he has a view straight into the cave entrance.

He repeats his bush trick. Then after a moment, realizing a healthy-unburnt bush is totally out of place, replaces it with a concealing mass of charred leaves and branches.

Spoiler: roll for hiding??

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Not sure if he needs to roll for hiding in this circumstance, but in case...

(1d20+5)[15]

[Zergrinch]

Zuu's dismay quickly turns to anger after he sees the cowardly goblin cavalierly toss away the eyepatch. The anger gives strength to the fiend's voice inside him. It starts softly enough, but gradually rises to a crescendo as righteous indignation mixes with the desire for revenge.

"Kill. Kill. Kill. KILL. KILL! REAP HIS BLACK HEART!"

His actions no longer his own, and his eyes flashing with malevolent green energies, the warlock swiftly pops out of his hiding place, almost right in front of the goblin, with arms outstretched.

"BURN." he/the fiend calmly says in Infernal.

Spoiler

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Burning Hands vs. Goblin and his three wolves. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. (3d6)[9] fire damage on a failed save, and half on a successful one. All flammable objects not carried or worn burst into flames.

Goblin Save (1d20+2)[21] vs. DC 13 <-- based on its 1d6+2 shortbow damage, DEX mod must be +2
Wolf 1 Save (1d20)[9] vs. DC 13
Wolf 2 Save (1d20)[1] vs. DC 13
Wolf 3 Save (1d20)[1] vs. DC 13

Outcome: 9 damage to each Wolf, 4 damage to Goblin

After the spell erupted from his hands, Zuu regains control of his facilities. Although the enemy is burning quite merrily, his quarry merely got singed. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, the warlock moves at speed towards the cave entrance.

"Gangway!" he says, as he narrowly avoids Featherbeard and flattens himself against the rock wall adjacent to the opening. He has already tasted two arrows, and does not wish to taste even more.

"One goblin. Three wolves," was all he said to his astonished colleagues.

Zuu Greenbrook (Half-Elf Fiend Warlock 1)
AC: 13 | HP: 11/11 | THP: 0 | Hit Dice: 0/1 | Initiative: +2 | Speed: 30
Pact Slots (Lv. 1): 0/1 | Spell To-Hit: +5 | Spell DC: 13
Light Crossbow Bolts: 20/20 | Throwing Daggers: 2/2

[Lank]

As soon as Zuu rushes past Anvorwulf he immediately turns tail and runs side by side with Zuu.
"What the hells was that Zuu? Did you see Eyepatch or what?"
Anvorwulf stands at the ready just behind Rangrim at the entrance of the cave.

[Zergrinch]

"One One-Eye is either dead or being tortured. That goblin was the same one which betrayed its fellows. It was holding an eyepatch."

[Lank]

"I am sick of goblins, lets just kill them all and be done with it. I fear that Sildar may be running out of time".

[Vesth]

For Zuu

Spoiler

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The flames licked over the enemy, with the wolves taking the brunt of the damage. As you run, you notice that the goblin isn't following you; instead, he releases all the wolves and drinks another potion, his wounds recovering with amazing speed.

Three badly burnt wolves rush out of the cave, intent on hurting Zuu!

Initiative:

Spoiler

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Wolves: (1d20+2)[7]
Rangrim: (1d20+1)[11]
Hyram: (1d20+3)[9]
Anvorwulf: (1d20+2)[3]
Zuu: (1d20+2)[8]
Perra: (1d20+1)[21]
Tom: (1d20+2)[19]

Everyone but Anvorwulf may act

[eleazzaar]

An arrow flies out from behind a burnt bush (that the more observant would not remember being there before).

Spoiler: rollin, rollin, rollin....

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Hyram is hidden, so as i understand it he gets advantage, and thus sneak-attack dice..
He aims at a wolf.
Arrow:
(d20+5)[24]
(d20+5)[10]

Damage:
(2d6+3)[11]

[Zergrinch]

The warlock hastily flings an Eldritch Blast at the wolf closest to him, and continues running. He doesn't stop until he is safely behind the paladin. He didn't have time to see where the spell hit, but from the distinct lack of a YIP, he is pretty sure it went far off the mark.

Spoiler

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Action: Eldritch Blast. (1d20+5)[8] vs AC. On hit, (1d10)[7] force damage, with potential crit damage of (1d10)[6].
Move: Move behind Perra.

[Vesth]

The wolves pursue the warlock relentlessly, not even stopping when Hyram fells one of their number and Zuu fires a warning shot.

Spoiler

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2 wolves left!

Rangrim, Perra and Tom may act

[Townopolis]

Snapping out of a pleasant daydream to the uncaring reality of semi-trained wolves attacking his traveling companions, Tom is very briefly at a loss before he scrambles to stand and draw his sword at the same time. Somewhere in the middle of this jumble of activity, he manages to blurt "B̟̺͉̣a͖͙̣̹̳d͍͍̙̦̲̗̻͡ ̛d̨͙͖̩͙̗͍o̼̺̮̠̺͎͍g̟̞͚̣̙̩̝!" in the direction of one of the wolves.

Spoiler: Actions

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Standing up.
Drawing shortsword~.
Vicious Mockery on one of the wolves, we'll call him Cur. Cur must succeed a DC 13 wisdom save - (1d20)[13]
On a failure he suffers psychic damage - (1d4)[2] and has disadvantage on his next attack.

[Malexia]

The moment it seems combat will erupt again, Perra readies herself. When the first wolf draws near, she slams down her warhammer, crying out, "Justice be my blade!"

Spoiler

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Mobile is terrible. (1d20+5)[10] (1d8+3)[4] Dear gods that is a terrible roll.

[BurgerBeast]

Maul in hand, Rangrim charges forward toward the sounds of battle. He plants himself firmly as Zuu passes him, and mightily swings at the first of two oncoming worgs.

Spoiler: Action

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Move: forward to interpose himself between Zuu and the oncoming worgs. If possible, he'll stay slightly behind Perra and on the opposite side of her.
Attack: Maul vs first worg (1d20+5)[20] damage (2d6+3)[6][6](12) (it looks like this is calculated incorrectly and should be 15 damage)

[Vesth]

Zuu scrambles backwards, the burnt wolves gaining with frightening speed. Before they could get close enough to rip the poor warlock apart, Perra and Rangrim step in front of Zuu, and the combined strikes of their weapons slew the wolves where they stood.

Before they could celebrate however, an arrow sails past the two, aimed striaght for Zuu's heart.

"I kills the five of you, I becomes hero!" the goblin standing at the cave mouth hollers at you before scampering back into the gloom of the cave, vanishing from sight.

Spoiler

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Traitorous Scum Attacks Zuu (advantage):
(1d20+4)[11]
(1d20+4)[5]

Damage: (1d6+2)[4]

He goes back into the cave

[Zergrinch]

Just as the arrow would strike him full in the chest, the dwarven fighter knocks it away with his sword. Zuu begins to thank him profusely when...

"I kills the five of you, I becomes hero!"

"The only thing you're going to be is dead, Nipplelixz, or whatever your name is! ONE ONE-EYE WAS TWICE THE GOBLIN YOU ARE!" the Warlock roared in righteous indignation, as he slings an Eldritch Blast into the cave and proceeds to march right back.

His threat would have been more impressive had the Warlock not slipped on a wet patch of ground, and fall on his backside.

"Get him," Zuu tells his colleagues. "I'm fine." And then he adds, "But be careful. I saw it drink two separate potions. No telling what it can do."

Spoiler

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Eldritch Blast (blindly - maybe I'll hit something!): (1d20+5)[17]. Damage: (1d10)[10] plus crit (1d10)[1] force damage.
Move towards cave entrance and go prone (free action) to end move. All ranged attack rolls against Zuu at a disadvantage.

[eleazzaar]

Hyram emerges from the bushes, looks over at Zuu, and shakes his head.

"I, uh, I guess we have to go in there. I mean that's the only way to rescue Master Rockseeker and his friend..." His eyes are wide, but there is not too much tremor in his voice.

"After you, madam dragonborn..."

As the party assembles, he gathers up a few arrows to refill his quiver.