The Shield of the North [IC]

[J-H]

Aupti Human Arctic Druid AC: 13 HP: 8/10 PPer: 15 PInv: 10 PIst: 13 Conditions: -- Concentrating: --

Aupti flings more flame at the ball of... parts.

Spoiler

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Attack (1d20+5)[21] for (1d8)[5], ignoring any cover bonus it has.

[Breitheamh]

Shad Human Grappler Fighter AC: 16 HP: 11/13 PPer: 12 PInv: 9 PIst: 12 Conditions: -- Concentrating: --

Shad stares in horror and shock at the mass of writhing limbs and boneless skin and muscle before her, as it oozes forward, somehow slow and yet far too quick as well. She snaps herself together as the limbs begin to surround Connor, and she calls out "NO!! ****ing NO! Connor get out of there!"

She swings with all her might, the fear and adrenaline pumping into her muscles, filling them with heat as she brings her halberd to bear against the nightmarish tangle of arms grasping desperately at Connor.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Attack the swarm of limbs
(1d20+5)[21]
Damage (1d10+3)[5]

[zylodrizzt]

Hasgraek AC:13 HP: 10/10 PPer:13 PInv:14 PIst:9 Conditions: -- Concentrating: --

The lad being snatched up instinctually hasgraek grabbed his pickaxe and dagger rushing to his aid but the blood was overwhelming his senses making him miss with both attacks.

[Dirty]

The satisfaction from blowing the crawling clawing mass of limbs away was short lived and Connor was panicking, swatting around himself with his weapons. He wanted to scream help, or get them off.. but couldn't produce more than a Ack and a Hgaah!

He was chopping faster than Master Boreah cutting up his vedgetables on sunday mornings and tried to break away from the terrifying ordeal.

Spoiler

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Action: attack
To Hit: 1d20 (9) + 5 = 14
Damage: 1d6 (4) + 3 = 7

Bonus action: attack
To Hit: 1d20 (10) + 5 = 15
Damage: 4

Move action:

Run away as far and fast as possible, opportunity attacks be damned.

[TriciaOso]

Although Hasgreak misses, between them Shad and Connor take down the horrifying swarm, and all three of you are able to put more distance between you and the awful but slow advance of the Boneless. Aupti is able to strike it with another flame as it very gradually pursues. Once again, it creeps forward only fifteen feet and then lies there, a quivering mass.

Spoiler: Insight 14+

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You realize that since it can't move very quickly, it is readying an attack on anyone that gets close.

Spoiler: Summary

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ACTIONS:
The Boneless moves fifteen feet.

DAMAGE:
Shad - 2 dmg
Aupti - 2 dmg
Connor - 7 dmg

Swarm of Zombie Limbs - destroyed
Boneless - 8 dmg

INITIATIVE
20 - Aupti, Beatrice
13 - Boneless
10 - Connor, Hasgraek, Shad

[Breitheamh]

Shad Human Grappler Fighter AC: 16 HP: 11/13 PPer: 12 PInv: 9 PIst: 12 Conditions: -- Concentrating: --

Relief floods across Shad's mind as the swarm of limbs is cut off and burned away into uselessness, allowing Connor to scramble out of its horrid mass. But she reminds herself to stay vigilant, and turns her polearm on the oozing mass of undead flesh squelching toward them.

Her hesitance to move any closer for fear of vomiting or being engulfed in this thing like Connor was actually gives her a moment to study it, and she realizes something...

"Stay at a distance," she says to the others, her voice a little shaky with nerves. "I don't think it moves all that fast, so just keep out of its reach while you hit it."

And with that, she demonstrates her point by swinging her poleaxe at the creature from ten feet away, then backs up a little further.

Spoiler

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Attack the ooze thing, then move 15 ft away from it.
(1d20+5)[11]
Damage (1d10+3)[4]

[zylodrizzt]

Hasgraek AC:13 HP: 10/10 PPer:13 PInv:14 PIst:9 Conditions: -- Concentrating: --

A tad shaken he drops his pickaxe drawing a dagger to thow ...yeah... distance is good... just after he tosses and backs up

[Dirty]

Connor was more than happy to oblige Shad's recommendation to steer clear of the blubbery mass. He ran even further back and fell to one knee, hastily cutting off one of the straps of his backpack. The piece of leather, about the length of his forearm got two holes punctured at the ends and he proceeded to tie a piece of rope through both ends. It wasn't pretty, but he could swing it around pretty fast.

He proceeded to crawl over the ground looking for rocks that fit quite nice in the palm of his hand.

[J-H]

If it works... keep doing it. Aupti throws another piece of flame at the abomination.

Spoiler

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Attack (1d20+5)[19] for (1d8)[5] fire

[TriciaOso]

Shad's attack misses, but both daggers and the ball of flame go home, and the Boneless is badly injured. It slithers forward -- then lurches to the left, towards the building to the south of the road. It oozes under the door and into the stable. Alarmed cries from the horses go up... and one human scream, quickly stifled.

Every shelter in Coldwater is packed tonight...

Spoiler: Summary

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ACTIONS:
The Boneless moves fifteen feet, then uses its action to move another fifteen.

If you attempt to open the door, it is barricaded from within. It's a DC 14 Athletics check to break in.

DAMAGE:
Shad - 2 dmg
Aupti - 2 dmg
Connor - 7 dmg

Swarm of Zombie Limbs - destroyed
Boneless - 20 dmg

INITIATIVE:
20 - Aupti, Beatrice
13 - Boneless
10 - Connor, Hasgraek, Shad

[zylodrizzt]

Hasgraek AC:13 HP: 10/10 PPer:13 PInv:14 PIst:9 Conditions: -- Concentrating: --

Not wasting any time hasgraek rushes the door shouldering it open hoping he wouldn't find a gruesome sight and not worrying about the property damage. It slams in hard and hasgraek steps back letting the rest of the group take turns on the thing

[J-H]

Aupti Human Arctic Druid AC: 13 HP: 8/10 PPer: 15 PInv: 10 PIst: 13 Conditions: -- Concentrating: --

If it's not already dead, Aupti shoots his hand forward, holding a tiny seed that explodes into a thorn-covered vine, which whips out and grabs the undead before contracting and pulling it towards him. Its life-force expended, the vine withers to dust in a moment.

Spoiler

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Thorn Whip! (1d20+5)[17] for (1d6)[3] piercing and a 10' pull. No save on the pull.

[TriciaOso]

Within the stable, Hasgraek can see several horses and, crouched in the back corner, a small family trying to hide in the hay. But all of that is on the other side of the Boneless, which deals the dwarf a crushing blow. Hasgraek staggers back from the doorway.

A moment later, Aupti's vine whips out and drags the Boneless out of the stable, and it flops to the ground, suddenly deflated.

Once again, you are out of combat. You have the next little while to catch your breath. The father of the family taking refuge in the stable thanks you profusely, and begins trying to put the door back on its hinges.

[J-H]

Aupti Human Arctic Druid AC: 13 HP: 10/10 PPer: 15 PInv: 10 PIst: 13 Conditions: -- Concentrating: --

Aupti picks the splinters out of his minor injuries (Short rest, regain 2hp).

While they wait, and while someone tries to fix the stable door, Aupti helps move the big spiky ball over to the gate capstan, blocking easy access to it. A couple of the spikes are positioned between the handles to keep it from turning as easily. "I hope nobody needs to make a speedy charge out of the gates," he comments.

He then takes some water and guides it to form a couple of icy patches about 15' inside the wall, perhaps where the bird-skeletons landed before.

[zylodrizzt]

Hasgraek starting to feel overcome by instinct and thirst looks at the horse almost going for its throat before turning away. He gets busy helping with the preparation like scattering rubble and helping move the big spikey ammunition This gate hasnt kept anything out yet but never can be too careful he says to aupti. Hasgraek tries to move some rubble to someplace to make some cover but between the bruise thirst and all around getting tired he fails to locate or move a piece of rubble big enough. The boss os over here right conner? conner directs him and takes his advice to mention his name and ask for supplies. He asks for some used grease/frying oil and some empty bottles filling enough for 2 flasks. He then calms himself down and rests regaining control of his hunger and instinct.

To conner he asks Lad you seem a a good soul why choose to sully that with battle? Could be home with your kin keeping them spirits high with that whistler or song or story

To aupti Seems yer for the wilds so why do you man the front line? There something inside these walls fer ya?

To shad Lass... Im not from here and im fer guessing yer not niether. Where might you be from? Remember i said earlier knowing what yer fighting fer will keep yer nerves about ya? Whats keeping yer nerves right now?

[J-H]

Aupti
Aupti shrugs matter-of-factly. "Either the dead are stopped here, or they will overrun everything beyond the city eventually. The bells ring and everyone who can helps hold the line, every year. We don't have any books or teachers back home - at least not school type teachers, but we still know the songs.

How about you?"

[zylodrizzt]

A flash of sadness crosses his face Aye thats true enough. The dead seem to spill over ta other lands a bit. Thats why i came here. Vampire spilled over... attacked me.... when i woke up my wife was dead... came to make the deado pay for what they did.

Spoiler: deception

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ill oppose rolls if anyone wants to get a sense of this

[J-H]

Aupti
"Wow, I guess you're lucky to be alive. We haven't had any undead back home. Just the usual bears, snakes, and sicknesses."

[zylodrizzt]

Yeah lucky tho dont much feel like it. Maiden of the long dark brought me back personal like. Not sure why but this is as good as anywhere else to figure out why. This town be dedicated to her more less right? he says changing the subject some.

[Breitheamh]

Shad Human Grappler Fighter AC: 16 HP: 11/13 PPer: 12 PInv: 9 PIst: 12 Conditions: -- Concentrating: --

As Hasgraek and Aupti are able to finish off the boneless undead mess, Shad falls back on her heels and finds herself looking for a place to sit before she keels over. She was mentally and emotionally exhausted, and it didn't even seem like their shift was close to over yet. She wasn't built like these people. Hasgraek seemed to just have no end of focus and energy, Connor somehow was keeping his spirits high, and even Aupti was still contributing to the preparation.

But she can't sit here feeling sorry for herself for long. She was stronger than this. She had to be. There was no time to wallow. The bars would be open after the fight was over. Now was the time to keep going.

She brushed herself off and settled in lending her strength to the others to set up defenses and traps.

To shad Lass... Im not from here and im fer guessing yer not niether. Where might you be from? Remember i said earlier knowing what yer fighting fer will keep yer nerves about ya? Whats keeping yer nerves right now?

Shad stiffens with the dwarf's question. "Far away from here," she responds somewhat softly. "You don't have to worry about my nerves," she continues, clearly barely mustering a smirk, "they're made of steel. Shatter your heart if you're not careful, Icegrip." She finishes the last with a wink at Hasgraek and continues working beside him.

[zylodrizzt]

Not sure what to do with that wink and safer not to do anything and no longer worried for blood hasgraek jokes around.Bwahaha aye nerves as strong as steel and hair washed and dyed in blood. True warrior ye be huh bwahaha. I tell you tho the thing that shatters me heart is that you youngins keep getting hurt. he may be a bit dense as well.

[TriciaOso]

Connor, having taken a serious injury from the swarm of limbs, goes up to the relief alcove to have a drink of water and recover.

As you wait, the evening grinds on towards midnight, and the fighting on the wall and the noise from the keep intensifies. The bells chime out the hour... and then there is a horrible rending noise and clangor from the docks. A cry goes up from the wall. One of the two great bells of the docks has fallen; the skies over the city is no longer safe. The knights riding on nightgaunts launch from the keep, with Domane Ci Git at their head.

There isn't much you can do in the aerial battle but watch. You see the Duke's daughter dueling a necromancer mounted on a horrible skin bat and swarmed by Screaming Devilkin, flying fear demons; she unleashes a devastating Steel Wind Strike, combining magic and martial skill, and decimates her enemies.



Three of the Devilkin, their wings shredded by the strike, spiral down into the courtyard, still fighting for height. As they come closer, their hideous shrieking becomes a serious problem.

Spoiler: OOC

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Agile Flier. Opportunity attacks against the screaming devilkin have disadvantage while it is flying.

Ceaseless Screaming. Any creature other than a screaming devilkin that starts its turn within 30 feet of one or more screaming devilkins and can hear it must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure the creature is incapacitated until the start of its next turn. On a success, the creature suffers no effect.

Stunted Legs. The screaming devilkin has disadvantage on attack rolls and all attack rolls made against it gain advantage while the devilkin isn’t flying.

[Breitheamh]

Shad Human Grappler Fighter AC: 16 HP: 13/13 PPer: 12 PInv: 9 PIst: 12 Conditions: -- Concentrating: --

Shad claps her hands over her ears and resists the urge to squeeze her eyes shut at the horrid screaming coming from the creatures as they fell out of the sky. She shakes off the panic that was threatening to freeze her in place and times a strike with her halberd directly onto one of the devilkin as it plummets to the ground right in front of her.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Attack number 2 with halberd with advantage as it hits the ground
(1d20+5)[11] or (1d20+5)[18]
Damage (1d10+3)[10]

If that kills it I'll move to number 1 so that if it tries to move toward Aupti I'll get an opportunity attack.

[J-H]

Aupti Human Arctic Druid AC: 13 HP: 10/10 PPer: 15 PInv: 10 PIst: 13 Conditions: -- Concentrating: --

Aupti claps his hands over his ears. These things are far louder and more disturbing than a herd of hungry or upset pigs!

Spoiler

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Wis save (1d20+5)[6] fail/incapacitated

Targeting #3.
Thorn Whip (1d20+5)[6] for (1d6)[5] piercing damage, and drag it 10' closer, which hopefully puts it on the ground.

[TriciaOso]

Shad strikes down one of the screaming devilkin, but the other two members of the group are incapacitated, and the remaining monsters move to attack them. They leap into the air and glide towards their prey on ragged wings.

One of them crashes into Hasgraek and strikes him with a barbed tail. The other leaps at Aupti but has to pass Shad's halberd to do it; it corkscrews through the air to avoid her, but cannot achieve true lift-off.

The horrible shrieking is almost unbearable. Hasgraek's ears begin to bleed, and Shad's resolve wavers. Aupti just barely pulls himself together.

On the wall, many of the militia fall to their knees holding their ears as well, but enough of them stand true to hold off the mindless undead mobbing the walls.

Spoiler: Summary

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ACTIONS: #3 attacks Hasgraek and hits with an 18, for 4 dmg. #1 attacks Aupti and hits with a 24 for 7 damage -- however, Shad gets an opportunity attack on it (at disadvantage). If she kills it that attack won't happen.

Ceaseless Screaming incapacitates Shad, and Hasgraek fails again. Failing twice in a row, Hasgraek is deaf until a short rest and takes 3 more damage, but is not incapacitated any more and can no longer hear the shrieking. Aupti saves.

[zylodrizzt]

Hasgraek trying still comprehend that wink guard was down as the little demons descended on them. Screaming in his ear lets his guard down more. Distracted...Hurt... deaf.... blood... is all he can sense and he is unable to suppress his thirst any longer... he sees nothing but red. Luckily one of the little demons were near enough for him to snatch up. With a beastie growl he grabs the pitiful creature by its head and pins its arm to its side nearly breaking the demons neck as he stretches it out for himself. He buries his teeth in its neck ripping it clear to the bone in fact some comes with it. It screams til it cant no more and hasgraek tears the neck the rest of the way tossing it and growls yet again at the final demon.

[J-H]

Aupti Human Arctic Druid AC: 13 HP: 3/10 PPer: 15 PInv: 10 PIst: 13 Conditions: -- Concentrating: --

Aupti lashes out with his whip, hoping to ground the fiend.

Spoiler

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Thorn Whip is a melee spell attack, so no disadvantage.
(1d20+5)[22] for (1d6)[5] piercing and pull it up to 10' closer, which would be yanking it down.

[TriciaOso]

Aupti's vine whip successfully drags the devilkin to the ground, but its digs its claws into him and drags him down with it, wailing continuously all the while. The druid falls unconscious.

Shad, you fight through the overwhelming panic induced by the scream and master yourself again; Hasgraek can't even hear it.

On the wall, the continuous shrieks of the airborne devilkin finally wear down the militia, and two skeletons tumble over the wall into the courtyard. They land squarely in the hazards you have sown for them. One sets off a trap, but dodges the teeth and stumbles towards you. The other lands in the rubble you have sown around the gate, staggers forward, hits a patch of ice and goes down in a heap of bones.

Spoiler: Summary

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Shad and Aupti pass their saving throws against the screaming. The last devilkin attacks Aupti and hits with a 23; 4 damage sends him unconscious.

Two skeletons make it over the wall. One moves through difficult terrain 10 feet and then another 10 feet onto an ice patch. He fails his dex save and falls prone. The other triggers a bear trap but makes his save. He moves 30 feet towards the party.

[TriciaOso]

Spoiler: Aupti

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Domari is far from here; even now, in the heart of winter, it is warm. A port city, a city of bridges and streams, a city built over and among the steams and verdure of cypress swamps and pine stands. Carnivale is celebrated there every spring, three months hence. It celebrates the marriage of the Muse, the May Queen, but it has become a celebration of something else. Because once long ago, a princess of a drowned land ran away to dance, for one night, and the world never forgot.

As gay and bright as Coldwater is grim, Domari is a dizzying whirl. In a courtyard that is strangely familiar, Aupti stands alone among whirling, brightly colored dancers, and across the courtyard, a beautiful girl takes one step closer to him. The arc of her smile is subtle and sharp as a sickle; her eyes are huge and dark and full of icebergs.

[zylodrizzt]

Once he has quenched the thirst blood dripping from his beard and his vision clears hasgraek sees aupti on the ground right next to another demon. He draws his dagger and pickaxe swinging them toward the vile creature but his hands are slick with blood his weapons miss thier marks.