Lord Ruby's Red Hand of Doom (5E) IC Thread

[Barbarian MD]

"Wait, WAIT!"

Vasily looks across the river, trying to gauge the strength of arms awaiting them on the other side.

"What do we know? Is this the army of the Red Hand or just an expeditionary force? If this is the army than we must burn the ferries!"

[Lord Ruby34]

Soranna looks grim. "They came in the night and started burning. I think they're testing our response, and as far as I can tell we're failing. I think it's just a probe, ahead of the army, but our people are over there dying because we didn't have enough soldiers on the other side of the river. If they're smart, they'll have archers waiting for us on the banks when we cross."

Vasily, you see perhaps a dozen moving torch lights, no more. It's hard to tell across the mighty river, but you don't think this is the army.

[Barbarian MD]

"How many civilians on that side?

"And are those torches likely to be enemies?"

Spoiler

Show

How big is this river? Does it look like something Duke could ford it pretty easily?

What's the range to the torch bearers? I'm assuming disadvantage on a longbow attack due to the poor light but might be our best option.

[Her_Madjesty]

"If they are, I can summon a storm to slow them down while we cross. I'd be worried about hitting any civilians along the way, though." Veeta looks about ready to haul Brother Derny up by the armpits and drag him across the river.

[Barbarian MD]

Vasily strains his eyes to see across the river, trying to tell friend from foe.

Spoiler

Show

Perception (d20+6)[11]
Disadvantage? (d20+6)[14]

Distance across the river?

If he can see any orcs or goblins carrying torches, he tentatively nocks an arrow and draws, preparing to loose a bolt across the distance.

[Lord Ruby34]

Spoiler

Show

Sorry guys, I have been sick, and easily distracted for the past few days, still sick, but was reminded to post.

Soranna looks grim. "Probably about fourty townsfolk, but the torches are likely to be the goblins."

You can see that the river is about 600 feet wide here. Drellin's Ferry was built on one of the narrowest parts of the Elsir River.

Vasily, between the darkness and the distance you find it hard to make out exactly what's happening on the other bank.

[Xihirli]

(Can’t color text over mobile)
“I think I can cover our approach,” Initari offered.
“I can coat us in magical darkness as we cross the bridge, and if I use Wiggles I should be able to see the right way to go.”

[Barbarian MD]

Vasily has a dark frown on his face as he considers the options, but perks up at the mention of the bat. "I had forgotten about Wiggles! Can you ask it to scout the other side and see what we're up against?"

[Xihirli]

“I cant turn him invisible, and from this far off I won’t be able to use his senses, so if he gets hurt we wouldn’t learn anything,” Initari cautioned.
“But we could still try it.”

[Barbarian MD]

"I defer to you. Wiggles is small, and if you keep it high enough we might at least get a sense of whether there are archers lurking along the river.

"To be truthful, I have a very bad feeling about this. You know that I would not willingly run from danger, but neither do I want to risk our strength and the lives of these guards in a futile gesture."

[Her_Madjesty]

"At a bare minimum, I want to try and do something to put out the fires," Veeta says. She looks to Brother Derny. "I will literally carry you on my back, stand in the middle of the river, and cast a spell in order to slow the spread of the fires and the enemies. If their view is obscured, we'll have an advantage, and we can decide what kind of risks we want to take then. With my shield and self between you and any enemies, you're likely to stay alive."

[Barbarian MD]

"Alright, if we are going to do this, let's be quick about it. I can ask Bahamut to provide you with Sanctuary once we have started to cross. Can you include my steed in your water walking spell?"

With that, the knight crosses as quickly as possible with the others, and casts Sanctuary on Brother Derny once they're about 200 feet away from shore.

Upon reaching the shore, if Duke was unable to cross with Brother Derny's help, Vasily will immediately summon her again with Find Steed.

[Lord Ruby34]

(I'll assume Duke was present, and had water walking cast on her.)

Your group, along with Soranna and a few guards, begins moving across the water with Brother Derny.

Spoiler: Perception Check

Show

(1d20-1)[0]

[Lord Ruby34]

As you approach the shore you see that there was a sentry who was supposed to be watching the bank. There's a goblin, mounted on a warg, but neither of them are even facing the river, and seem almost riveted in place by the flames. You're about 90 feet away, but you clearly haven't been noticed yet.

While you're moved in closer you can see that this party appears to be mostly goblins mounted on wargs, chasing townsfolk and whooping as they toss torches into burning buildings. You see a few dead scattered across the bank.

Perception Rolls:
Veeta: (1d20+6)[8]
Vasily: (1d20+6)[17]
Initari: (1d0+8)[9]

Vasily, the eyes of Enhancement and Enchantment help you make out that not all the dead are townsfolk, it seems that there was at least some resistance here, and you think you see wolves darting through the houses and nipping at the heels of the wargs.

What would you like to do?

[Barbarian MD]

Vasily, mounted atop Duke, prepares for a charge as soon as Brother Derny's spell comes within range of the shore.

"Hard and fast?" he asks of the others before doing anything reckless.

Spoiler

Show

Unless anyone objects, once we hit 30' of shore (range of Derny's spell), Vasily will draw his Longsword of Continual Flame as part of the charge towards the nearest enemy.

[Xihirli]

“Right behind you,” Initari promised, commanding Wiggles to perch on Vasily’s shoulder.

[Her_Madjesty]

Veeta positions herself between the brother and the shore, then looks to Vasily. "I'll keep the storm near the houses. Ready when you are."

[Barbarian MD]

"Let's give 'em hell, Duke."

The duo rush forward, giving preference to the closest enemy that appears to be threatening a civilian. At the last moment he draws the flaming longsword from its sheathe and strikes down.

The sword suddenly illuminates the space, both a beacon of hope and a call for attention. Startled goblins suddenly find themselves out in the open, hopefully before a hail of arrows and spells.

Spoiler

Show

Hard to be specific without more data, but dash if needed, dodge if within move speed of Duke.
If kills in one blow, move to another.

Attack 1: (d20+7)[8]
Advantage: (d20+7)[22]
Damage: (d8+7)[10]

Attack 2: (d20+7)[18]
Advantage: (d20+7)[24]
Damage: (d8+7)[8]

[Lord Ruby34]

Vasily charges across the river in a blaze of radiant fury. His first blow cleaves the head from the shoulders of the distracted goblin sentry, and his second blow bites deep into the flesh of the warg he was riding, the beast turns, yipping and snaping it's teeth at Duke. From the shore you can see that there are more goblins running through the streets, and your firey entrance has certainly attracted their attention.

Spoiler: Initative

Show

Party:
Vasily: (1d20+1)[16]
Veeta: (1d20)[7]
Initari: [roll]1d20+3[roll]
Brother Derny: (1d20-1)[1]
Party Initiative is 9.75

Allies:
Xahria: (1d20)[2]
Soranna: (1d20+2)[8]

Spoiler: Hidden

Show

Averthal: (1d20+3)[16]

Spoiler: Bad Guys

Show

Warg Riders: (1d20+2)[3]
Hobgoblin Devastator: (1d20+1)[4]

The rest of you have a surprise round too, then go again, because you won initiative.

[Her_Madjesty]

Without moving from her spot on the water, Veeta reaches out and points towards the area on the bank that is both most on fire and most plagued by goblin silhouettes in order to cast Sleet Storm. She then positions herself in front of Brother Derny enough so as to provide him half cover from any opportunistic arrows.

[Xihirli]

Initari remains by brother Derny and asks him to grab her hand at the back. Once he does so, she places said hand on Veeta’s shoulder and uses the scroll she’d just made to cast Heroism on Brother Derny, Veeta, and through Wiggles Vasily.
“Okay everyone good luck!” She then shouts before backing to the nearest unoccupied building. If she can on her next round, she will Hide and wait for a good opportunity for lightning flavored death.

Immediately upon being filled with heroic vigor, Derny became confident and moved forward enough to get Vasily within range of Bless without also losing Veeta. He Blesses himself, Veeta, and Vasily before returning behind Veeta. His buff laid, he will use his movement in the next round to get back behind Veeta before bringing out his spiritual weapon against the nearest hostile creature, attacking it if possible, and taking the Dodge action.

[Lord Ruby34]

Vasily and Veeta, you feel the vigor of the spells flow through you as Veeta summons a storm that blasts a freezing wind through the buildings, immediately quenching several fires.

[Barbarian MD]

Vasily hews Duke around and they charge forward towards the next target, flaming sword leading the way for the defenders.

Spoiler

Show

Attack 1: (d20+7)[22] + (D4)[3]
Advantage if enemy not mounted: (d20+7)[19] + (D4)[3]
Damage: (d8+7)[12]

Attack 2: (d20+7)[27] + (D4)[1]
Advantage if enemy not mounted: (d20+7)[13] + (D4)[2]
Damage: (d8+7)[15]

[Lord Ruby34]

Spoiler: Initari, Stealth

Show

(1d20+3)[5]

Vasily, you send two more blows raining down on the worg and send it to the ground, bleeding on the river bank, then charge forward in search of another foe. You find one quickly, as Soranna moves forward to the bank, sword and shield ready.

You meet your next foes soon enough, as a pair of goblins, armed with torches and tarnished steel, slash at you from atop their worg mounts. You raise Mordin's shield to meet the blows, and drive them back.

Spoiler: Attacks

Show

Attack: (1d20+4)[7]
Damage: (1d6+2)[5]

Attack: (1d20+4)[20]
Damage: (1d6+2)[5]

Another two break for the beach. One of them drops his torch and draws a shortbow, and sends an arrow arcing toward Veeta. It manages to find a chink in your armor, and nicks your leg. (Take 5 damage, which will be healed up by heroism)

Spoiler: Attack

Show

Attack: (1d20+4)[19]
Damage: (1d6+2)[5]

Possible Concentration:
(1d20+3)[19]
(1d20+3)[16]

Another manages to reach Soranna, taking the long way around the storm, and swipes at her with it's blade. The creature draws blood, and you see Soranna wince.

Spoiler: Attack

Show

Attack: (1d20+4)[24]
Damage: (1d6+2)[5]

Of the two remaining, one heads deeper into town, and the other circles around to the buildings. Initari, you see the goblin head inside the building where you're hiding, and then, almost instantly, her eyes lock with yours as she knocks an arrow and fires in your direction. (partial cover from what you were hiding behind.) You jump and duck behind a knocked over table, just as the arrow slams into it.

Spoiler: Attack

Show

Attack: (1d20+4)[16]
Damage: (1d6+2)[5]

Possible Concentration: (1d20+2)[7]

Xahria uses this opportunity to charge the beach, and takes a position beside Captain Soranna.

[Xihirli]

"It's a good thing you were aiming at me. Otherwise I might have been in real danger," Initari told the goblin.
(Vicious Mockery)

((Brother Derny feels like waiting for Veeta's lead))

[Her_Madjesty]

Looking to Derny, Veeta says, "I'm going after the one that wants to turn me into a pin cushion. Once I'm on land, you can retreat back to the other side in order to stay safe. If you choose to stay in fight, use me as a shield." With that, Veeta moves towards the shore, then casts Spiritual Weapon and sends the visage of Kord's lightning bolt streaking towards her enemy.

Spoiler: SW Rolls

Show

Attack: (1d20+5)[15]
Damage: (1d8+3)[7]

She follows the attack up with a quick Toll the Dead against the same goblin, baring her teeth all the while.

Spoiler: TTD Rolls

Show

If damaged: (2d12)[11]
If undamaged: (2d8)[4]

[Lord Ruby34]

The goblin who fired at Initari clutches his head as blood pours out his ears, eyes, and nose, and then slumps over in the saddle.

On the beach Veeta smashes one from the saddle with a lightning bolt of pure force, and then turns to another who grabs it's head and grimaces as necrotic energy flows through him.

[Xihirli]

Derny follows Veeta, gesturing to the goblin she had hit with her necrotic spell.
"Burn in the face of the sun!" Derny commanded it.
(Sacred Flame: (2D8)[7])
Immediately afterward, he twitched his other hand, directing his shining spectral sword to attack the goblin on the beach.
(Spiritual Weapon Attack: (1d20+5)[14]
(1D8+2)[5]

[Barbarian MD]

Spoiler

Show

Apologies for the delay!

Vasily lashes out with his sword at the worg next to him.

Spoiler

Show

Duke: Dodge

Attack 1: (d20+7)[13]
Damage: (d8+4)[9]

Attack 2: (d20+7)[19]
Damage: (d8+4)[8]

[Lord Ruby34]

One of the goblin's is incinerated in holy light, but the other just barely manages to get his wooden shield in the way of the floating sword. It hits with a thwack, and leaves a deep crack in the wood.

Soranna swings twice at the remaining rider. She brings it down with the first attack, then slams the warg with her shield. It's knocked to the ground, but gets up almost instantly.

Spoiler: Attacks

Show

(1d20+6)[16]
Damage: (1d8+3)[9]

(1d20+6)[18]
Damage: (1d8+3)[6].

Soranna: (1d20+6)[13]
Warg: [roll]1d20+3

At the same time, Vas cut's down at one of the mounts, leaving it bleeding as it turns to snap back at Duke. (Before I've always assumed Vas would redirect any attack to him, but I realized he might not bother with some of the weaker strikes.) The other warg attempts to hamstring Duke from behind, trying to rip and tear with it's fangs against Duke's vulnerable hind legs. The goblin's mounted on the beasts continue to harry Vasily with their blades. Vasily easily deflects the Goblin's blows, but sees that if he doesn't intervene one of the creatures is going to rip out Duke's belly.

Spoiler: Attacks

Show

Goblin 1: (1d20+4)[16]
Damage: (1d6+2)[3]

Goblin 2: (1d20+4)[9]
Damage: (1d6+2)[8]

Warg 1: (1d20+5)[13]
Damage: (2d6+3)[14]

Warg 2: (1d20+5)[25]
Damage: (2d6+3)[13]

There might be some strength saves in here, we'll figure out the bonuses after who is attacked.

(1d20)[17]
(1d20)[11]

The worg in the same house as Initari doesn't even hesitate with the death of its rider, and leaps at Initari, murderous fangs outstretched, as the body of the goblin flops around limply in the saddle. The beast slams into Initari, bearning her to the ground as she grimances in pain, then sends out a lash of fire to punish the creature for trying to hurt her. (Take 9 and become prone.) You hang onto your spell, but the creature manages to mostly avoid your retaliation, and is now above you, teeth bared.

Spoiler: Attack

Show

Warg 1: (1d20+5)[24]
Damage: (2d6+3)[9]

Strength Save:(1d20+2)[9]