Eldritch Dissonance (D&D 5e) IC

[Zergrinch]

(OOC: Before the update, in response to Zaddion)

I am not happy at all with his behavior, Mr. Zaddion. I can assure you that.

But, let's table that for now. How ARE you? Was he telling the truth -- is he, in fact, talking to the same creatures that grant you power?

You asked me earlier, why I am unaffected. I do not know, I have never come into contact with the deep ones.

But now, I must return the question. What assurance have we that you will not be driven mad by the whispers, and then continue what Reginald failed to do?

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From the Journal of Zaladane:

Like all malefactors before them, really, Reginald and the cultist died without incident. A fitting punishment, if you ask me.

What worries me however is the increasingly erratic and arrogant behavior of this Brann Breen. I had thought that withholding treatment from him would cause him to become less reckless. It would appear the man needs a stronger lesson.

What comes next, I scarcely expected to occur. A deva descended from the skies, warning all and sundry about the machinations being planned by those golems called the Men of Leng!

-----------------

Zaladane naturally has a thousand questions to ask the winged being, but first, she must try her best to stabilize her!

Spoiler

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Mend Wounds on the deva, five times. Using 1 psi point per attempt to maximize healing.
1: (d8+6)[12]
2: (d8+6)[7]
3: (d8+6)[12]
4: (d8+6)[9]
5: (d8+6)[10]

50 hp total.

OOC: Yes, I'm pretty sure that the DM will rule that the creature's wounds are cursed and won't heal. That won't stop Zaladane from trying to help though.

[Ilena]

Approaching in awe as an angel litterally comes down from the heavens, and thinking to herself, holy crap ... shes wounded, Olivia moves forward to her asking, "Are you sure there nothing we can do to help you? Please let us help ... We have found a magical healing water that we could give to you , and the place where it came from ... it wouldnt take long." She says to the angel.

[Seanfall]

((OOC: Before the Update))

I...I don't know if their the same things...I think they might be. I always looked towards the stars. To the Darkness above. Never did I think they would dwell beneath the waves.

I do not speak to them as he does. I...listen, so I know secrets to power. But never do I respond...perhaps because you were not 'touched' the way we were that you are thankfully deaf to their whispers.

What assurances? To be honest...I can't really give you one. I was touched by something long ago. My mind broke memories shattered. But..I remember that I left why I left. It was to protect my family. That is my assurance, I will do whatever I can to ensure this madness never touches them the way it did me. If it costs me my life to stop them...then so be it.

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[Requilac]

Zaladane goes up to heal Ayle’s patron but directly as you try she steps back. She looks surprised at you and replies “I am a daughter of tomix”. At first you are confused as she pretends like that speaks for itself, but then it clicks in your head. Tomix is the The god of death and the afterlife, the keeper of the black garden of souls, healing doesn’t work on her. Unlike undead it does not harm her, but it will do absolutely nothing if you try.

Spoiler: OOC note

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The angel can regain temporary hit points though.

[Zergrinch]

"Very well. I am sorry I cannot ameliorate your situation. My question is: these attackers you described -- this Shantak and these Men of Leng -- do they and their little spell have any weaknesses we can exploit?"

[Requilac]

"Very well. I am sorry I cannot ameliorate your situation. My question is: these attackers you described -- this Shantak and these Men of Leng -- do they and their little spell have any weaknesses we can exploit?"

“Not any blaring weaknesses no. I have no idea how they are conjuring the dust storm, but it has already occurred in several other areas. I got injured trying to discover how they were bringing forth the storm. I would tell you how to prevent it if I could.”

[In4Dimensions]

Ayle
“Hey Brann! Do you have any way to cast Control Winds?”

[Zergrinch]

Zaladane thanks the Deva and quickly tries to help the City authorities organize the town's defenses.

Spoiler

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Her commands include:

1. All able-bodied citizens who can aim a heavy crossbow and are willing to help, report to the guards at once!

2. We need heavy anti-air artillery! Trebuchets, arbalests, or catapults!

3. We'll need a detachment to warp inside the Titan Cache to ambush them!

4. We'll need camouflage, especially from the air! Have we got paint, dye, or mud that match the color of the building roofs?

[Requilac]

Zaladane thanks the Deva and quickly tries to help the City authorities organize the town's defenses.

Spoiler

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Her commands include:

1. All able-bodied citizens who can aim a heavy crossbow and are willing to help, report to the guards at once!

2. We need heavy anti-air artillery! Trebuchets, arbalests, or catapults!

3. We'll need a detachment to warp inside the Titan Cache to ambush them!

4. We'll need camouflage, especially from the air! Have we got paint, dye, or mud that match the color of the building roofs?

Seeing as how you are now probably the highest ranking citizen in town, and the only survivor of the town hall raid, the people are in fact willing to listen to you.

OOC note: I have no idea how long it takes to craft a trebuchet how many people are required for it.

Arbalests and catapults are a little difficult to make, but with 1,000 people on hand trebuchets are a much easier task. Anyone who has experience in the military or were once mercenaries assist in the creation of making trebuchets. About 300 people qualify for that. You only have a couple of hours though. With that much time you can craft up to 5 trebuchets.

Even though not everyone here has a background in the military or a mercenary company, all of them are experienced with weaponry as a result of the dangerous wildlife in the area. Almost everybody there knows how to use a crossbow and has at least one handy per family. Pretty much everyone who are not helping make the trebuchets are crafting crossbows made of any of the wood on hand.

You send a couple of people in the direction of the Cache, but the portal has now disappeared. Unless any of you have a way to bring someone into the ethereal plane for long periods of time, than that plan will be undoable.

The muddy clay near the flooded parts of the city can make for a good impromptu camoflouge. You are not sure how well it will stay during the sandstorm, but it should work to begin with.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Brann turns to answer Ayle's question. "No, I can't cast the spell. If you gave me a week and the libraries of banrignamara, maybe. But for now I only know my expertise: killing things. Luckily, I have another plan.
Turn me invisible with your greater invisibility, and then I'll cast my fly spell on myself. From there I'll fly around it like a flea and cast every spell I have prepared on it until I find something that seems effective. When I do, you guys do your best to do just that thing until it goes down. You'll have to keep yourself hidden and far away until then, of course, so I'm not discovered." He pauses for a moment, before saying, "I can also try to dispel or counter the dust storm if possible.

[In4Dimensions]

Brann turns to answer Ayle's question. "No, I can't cast the spell. If you gave me a week and the libraries of banrignamara, maybe. But for now I only know my expertise: killing things. Luckily, I have another plan.
Turn me invisible with your greater invisibility, and then I'll cast my fly spell on myself. From there I'll fly around it like a flea and cast every spell I have prepared on it until I find something that seems effective. When I do, you guys do your best to do just that thing until it goes down. You'll have to keep yourself hidden and far away until then, of course, so I'm not discovered." He pauses for a moment, before saying, "I can also try to dispel or counter the dust storm if possible.

Ayle
“While that is certainly a plan, I think that Polymorphing Olivia into a dinosaur again and casting Greater Invisibility and Fly on our new dinosaur would be a better plan of action. If you have the spell energy, summon Abacus or some other demon and cast Fly on the demon too. They can handle the bird while the rest of us fight off the men of Leng.”

[Seanfall]

Zaddion joins in the conversation with Ayle and Brann. He coughs in order to get a word in, "I have...prepared a spell...darkness. If I am able to cast it directly upon the creature, or if we are able to keep it from movement it will be blinded. However...I have been granted a new 'gift' from the Old One's."

Zaddion takes in a breath before speaking again.

"I have been granted sight that sees through all darkness even magical. I do now know if it will prove useful against this creature but it's best you know for your planning. Another possibility is...getting ontop of it. If this thing is an Apex predator as it seems, it's unlikely it will pay attention to what is above it."

[Requilac]

The Deva picks herself up once again. "Ayle... I have to go now to warn the other towns. I think... this will be the last you will see of me. Make sure that these aberrations, the men of Leng and the deep ones both, are not allowed to fulfill their purposes. I have the distinct feeling that you all know more about what is going on than anyone else." With that final statement she picks herself up and flies back towards the sun. Angels have weird methods of teleportation. It is the last you will see of her as she moves on.

[In4Dimensions]

Ayle
“Hey! If we’re going to defeat this thing, I’m going to need 10 knives. Not swords, knives. Is there anyone who could lend me some?”

[Seanfall]

Zaddion removes the dagger he'd been carrying for a while. Their was nothing special about it so he offered it, hilt first to Ayle.

"I do not know if this qualifies for what you have planning but you are welcome to it."

[In4Dimensions]

Zaddion removes the dagger he'd been carrying for a while. Their was nothing special about it so he offered it, hilt first to Ayle.

"I do not know if this qualifies for what you have planning but you are welcome to it."

Ayle
“Wonderful. I shall try to return it at the end of the battle.”

[Requilac]

Ayle
“Wonderful. I shall try to return it at the end of the battle.”

A decent amount of the villagers are happy to give you all the daggers you need. Such small weapons would be useless against the shantak after all. They are quite confused as to why they are doing this, but they can pick up on your angelic traits and suspect something of the arcane or divine so they thusly do not question it.

[Zergrinch]

From the Journal of Zaladane

I find myself thrust into the position of organizing the town's defenses. Ordinarily, given the mercenary backgrounds of Ebonook's current inhabitants, only the most foolhardy of beings would dare attack the town in midday. And now we are being told to expect half a dozen men of Leng and their steeds, perched atop a dragon-sized bird. Granted, the shantak sounds fearsome, but against a thousand well-armed and prepared inhabitants? Folly.

The big unknown here is the effect of the sandstorm they are supposedly conjuring. Will we be able to dispel it? Would any missiles hit in the face of such winds? As I continue to direct defensive emplacements and ensuring that the most vulnerable: the very old, the very young, and the sickly are well hidden underground, I ask myself, what are we fighting for? Will there even be a town left standing after this?

[Requilac]

You all are beggining to fine-tune your risky plan as quickly as possible. It has taken what have been two hours or so, but the tebuchets have finally been built and set into position. People have already begun to climb on the rooftops and inside the windows, poised to strike at any moment.

Now that things are setting in motion, the dust and sand is rolling in. At first it is just a few particles within the blows of the wind. But now it is forming like a light mist, heaviest around your feat where the streams of sand slither past. In the distance miles away you can see the churning mass of sand, dust and wind heading your direction. You only have about 10 minutes before it comes.

You all are currently standing in the center of town as a group witnessing this. As you are doing so the co-leader of the mercenaries, who happens to be Olivia’s father, approaches you. “Now would be a good time to get into position. Or more specifically get the dinosaur in position.” He sounds mostly confident, but you can tell he is quite nervous. “You claimed that you would have a tyrannosaurus fight the beast while we rain arrows on it, right? Where is the dinosaur now? We need it in position immediately.”

It suddenly occurs to you that you didn’t really tell Olivia’s father that she was being polymorphed into a T-Rex and sent into to handle the shantak, putting her in more danger than anyone else in the town.

How exactly are you going to break it to Oliva’s Father? As for the rest of you, how are you going to prepare for the last 10 minutes. Everyone else accept for you all are in position.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

"Sir," Brann walks up to Olivia's father with a slight bow. "I will start by assuring you your daughter will not be harmed. We did not tell you this earlier, but half of our group can cast a spell called Polymorph. It transforms a person into a beast. We will be casting it on your daughter- he leans in for a stage-whisper- "I still think it should have been the old lady." he leans back. "She will not be harmed by the spell or the attacks of the dragon, as we will be casting it as soon as the spell wears off and she will be unharmed when she comes out of it. Don't be nervous, the last time I dealt with one of these it was a cakewalk," he lies to build up confidence. He shouts as loud as he can, so the mercenaries can all hear, "YA HEAR ME!? A CAKEWALK!"

[Ilena]

I approach my father and give him a big hug, "Its ok daddy, its not the first time they have done this, ill be alright ok? You just make sure you and mom and sis are, i dont want anything to happen to you guys alright?" I hold him tightly , emotion evident that i fight and do this for everyone here.

[Seanfall]

Zaddion stood nearby quietly observing. He needed to stay near Brann and Olivia. Watching her interact with her family caused a pain in his heart. The phantom weight of his own child in his arms. He closed his eyes, at his feet Wickett looked up and laid a paw on his boot. Zaddion reached down and scratched the feline behind his ears.

[Requilac]

The wind continues to howl as another snake of tugs at your feet. Olivia's father looks at you slack jawed for a second. "My daughter is going to be turned into a dinosaur... and you have done this before. You have been turning my daughter into dinosaurs. Are you serious?" He looks around and re-calls how you all defeated the deep ones which attacked the town hall. "You are all serious aren't you? Heavens to the gods no. Are you all insane?" He is gripping his head and his breathing is heavy with anxiety. "So you said that the damage received to her in the dinosaur form does not effect her?" He glares angrily at Zaladane. "If this was not a war were none of us can conceivably be safe, I would never let you get away with this. Don't do anything stupid to get my daughter killed, do I make myself clear?" You are fairly certain that is a rhetorical question. "Is there anything else you want to do before we begin?"

[Zergrinch]

"Mr. Valentine," Zaladane looks evenly at Olivia's father, "This is a war. If the spell were not cast on your daughter, do you really think she will not try to fight back regardless? Risk her life? It is her town as much as it is yours."

The middle age lady sighs. "You deserve the truth, so here is what I know to be true. While any damage sustained while in Polymorph form will indeed not carry over to the human form, there are exceptions to this rule. If the form sustains fatal damage, Olivia WILL sustain some of the blowback. It is not entirely a riskless endeavor. But as I told you, this is war. You know as much as I do that anything can happen in the chaos of combat."

Zaladane pauses to see if her explanation mollifies the man a bit.

[Requilac]

"Mr. Valentine," Zaladane looks evenly at Olivia's father, "This is a war. If the spell were not cast on your daughter, do you really think she will not try to fight back regardless? Risk her life? It is her town as much as it is yours."

The middle age lady sighs. "You deserve the truth, so here is what I know to be true. While any damage sustained while in Polymorph form will indeed not carry over to the human form, there are exceptions to this rule. If the form sustains fatal damage, Olivia WILL sustain some of the blowback. It is not entirely a riskless endeavor. But as I told you, this is war. You know as much as I do that anything can happen in the chaos of combat."

He silently nods at you. "And that is why I am not stopping you. Because unfortunately tough times call for tough measures. Currently there is no safe place for her to go, and if we fail the other villages in the beast's wake will have no safety either. If I thought there was some way to bring her to safety I would, but with that storm coming, no one is safe." He sighs though and silently sends a lower message to you though. "I am concerned about this fight though. Even if we survive this battle, than the city will not survive, it will be buried under dust. We are fighting to protect a town which either way is going to be destroyed. The only reason why people are not running is because there is no where to run to that is better. I do not quite know how high troop morale is, and I worry about their determination. The people here are tough, but undisciplined, and I cannot promise that many of them will not flee. I suggest that you all do your damn best, because I don't know how well they will do."

[Gluteus_Maximus]

"If it is covered in dust then I promise I will research a spell to blow all the dust away. You have my word, Mr. Valentine. She will not be killed, not on my courage."

[Zergrinch]

He silently nods at you. "And that is why I am not stopping you. Because unfortunately tough times call for tough measures. Currently there is no safe place for her to go, and if we fail the other villages in the beast's wake will have no safety either. If I thought there was some way to bring her to safety I would, but with that storm coming, no one is safe." He sighs though and silently sends a lower message to you though. "I am concerned about this fight though. Even if we survive this battle, than the city will not survive, it will be buried under dust. We are fighting to protect a town which either way is going to be destroyed. The only reason why people are not running is because there is no where to run to that is better. I do not quite know how high troop morale is, and I worry about their determination. The people here are tough, but undisciplined, and I cannot promise that many of them will not flee. I suggest that you all do your damn best, because I don't know how well they will do."

"I rather think it is in our best interest to fight as if our lives depended upon it, Mr. Valentine, because it really does. We have our work cut out for us, don't we?
There really is no alternative other than death, so I suggest you take every opportunity you can get. If you think the beast is leaving a large opening, then target it. If you think the foot soldiers present an opportunity, them focus on them. As for the town, we'll worry about that once we live through this."

[Requilac]

Mr. Valentine says nothing in response and only stares down at the abyss of howling wind which is churning like a hungry monster on the horizon. An onyx cloud which is roaring towards you and gaining power with every second. The sand is forming like a fog now and you struggle to keep your eyes open. The sand is now curling around your legs and pulling you down towards the ground. Olivia's father looks at you a grim expression on his face. "I would advise that you organize yourselves now. There is not much time left... The storm has come." The wind is screaming at you now, merely a harbinger of what is to come.

Your vision is reduced to 30 ft. On the beginning of your turn you must succeed on a DC 10 strength saving throw or you are considered to be walking through difficult terrain until the beginning of your next turn.

[Seanfall]

Zaddion, having removed his armor and stowed it again calls to the shadows near him. Armoring himself in their cold embrace.

Spoiler: OOC

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Armor of shadows

Just wanted to make sure that was emoted.

[Requilac]

The wind is maniacally shrieking at you, like a chorus of souls in agony. A black cloud is prowling closer, its onyx paws of sand pulling itself closer to you. Soon it is no more than a few feet away from you. Within an second from that point you you are enveloped in a storm of dust and sand. You all have to close your mouth and squint as you can feel the wind going roughly down your throat. Many of the soldiers begin choking, but hold fast out of desperation, fear and rage, the ratio of which you cannot quite tell. Everyone except for Olivia that is. She strangely does not even cough at all. In fact, she does not quite even seem to be opening her mouth to breathe at all. Weird. Cruel hands of onyx dust reach at your legs and pull you down, making it hard to walk. Look to the right of you, look to the left of you, look in front of you, everything is covered in a film darkness. An ominous feeling hangs over you as you can see the harbinger of famine covering you all.

Eventually in the distance you can hear a screech rise out. It is deep and gravelly, like that off a dying bull snorting in a fury before it meets its end. A twisted version of a bird's screech tainted by the touch of demons. Suddenly a shape dashes out from the wind. Almost the second you hear that the ground quakes as the shantak lands itself on the ground in the center of town. The creature was menacing, for it was larger than an elephant and had a head like a horse's. its skin covered in scales instead of feathers. A demon like none other, out from the evil boreal rock desert only known to you as the Endless Desert on the Plateua of Leng. Two figures with sabres are atop the beast.

Wait, only two? Where are the other five.

The sound of heavy boots crushing into cobblestone hammers itself into your ears. You look in every direction trying to see where it was coming from, but you are looking in all the wrong places. You forgot to look up. Suddenly the dastardly shapes of the golems of Leng, given an unholy a facsimile of life, leap from the rooftops directly next to you all. Some of theme even have to jump through windows to reach you. One soldier for everyone except for Olivia. Their eyes are orange instead of red like the others you encountered before, but that makes them no less menacing. Each holds a wicked blade in their hand which glows with a deathly red heat. Atop the Shantak bird the two troops drop down. They instead surround the earth elemental.

The Shantak raises its wings high in the air and releases another horrendous call.

Despite their haste in approaching though, they telegraphed their move. You are able to react before their poised weapons can take hold.

You have won initiative. Remember that your vision is reduced to 30 ft. radius. Whenever you begin your turn, you must succeed on a DC 10 strength saving throw or have your speed for that turn halved. The earth elemental does not need to make this check due to its earth glide ability

Spoiler: enemy defensive statistics

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Soldier of Leng: max HP=60, AC 15, saves (str +2, dex +4, con +3, int +2, wis +2, cha +4), resistance to fire damage, advantage on saving throws against being exhausted, charmed and frightened.

Shantak
Max HP=235
AC 18
saves (str +7, dex +3, con +6, int +3, wis +3, cha +3)
resistance to fire damage
advantage on saving throws against being paralyzed, poisoned, stunned and exhausted
feature: desert fortitude (1/ day. If the shantak takes 28 damage or less that would reduce it to 0 hit points, it is reduced to 1 hit point instead.)
feature: legendary resistance (3/ day. If the shantak fails a saving throw it can choose to succed instead.)