Chapter 12: Shadows in the Dark

[Dave B.]

For the first time since arriving in Dolurrh, Shorak feels doubt of his survival.


Constitution save (1d20+1=13)

[Ken]

Sept 5, 2015 11:43:26 GMT -4 Jeff said:

With a defiant, hateful smile, the yugoloth meets Belarin's eyes, then spins around with his axe and cuts across Shorak. Though he avoids a head-on strike, the tip of the blade catches him across the shoulders, sending a spray of blood. The fiend then lets go with one hand and draws at back again, ripping open Shorak's armor and stripping away both leather and skin across his back as if he we wielding a handful of daggers. Shorak feels dizzy as the warm blood flows and drips in rivulets from his body, visibly pooling in the soil beneath him.

"You're afraid of me," says the transformed Belarin with cold mirth as he continues to advance. "But not nearly afraid enough!" His presence seems to grow even stronger, making him more terrifying, more ruthless than he was even just seconds ago. "Once you lie beaten, I may tell the ir'Serells to imprison you again in the maze. I'd hang a sign, 'Here sits Stupid.' Or perhaps I'll just shrivel your corpse."

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Belarin advances 2 squares north and 1 square northeast. He then uses his Fey Presence. Creatures in a 10-foot aura around him (the nycaloth and one of the zombies) must make a Wisdom save vs. Belarin's spell DC of 14 or be frightened of him until the start of his next turn. And right now, the nycaloth has disadvantage on Wisdom saves because of the Hex.

If struck, Belarin will still use Misty Escape to teleport invisibly to the nycaloth's other side and out of melee range.

[Darren]

Kal gasps in pain. The battlefield swirls around him and he had difficulty concentrating. The zombie's claws still dig into his arm, the poison burns in his veins. Through the haze, he sees Shorak being torn apart by the yugoloth, then his vision swirls and sees the shining form of Adamant moving towards him. "Get this off of me," he says weakly to Adamant. "Get it off," he says again, his voice strengthening. He looks again at the yugoloth standing cruelly over Shorak. "Stop," he commands quietly, anger building up inside of him. "STOP!"

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I'm taking a chance here and hoping Adamant will be able to finish off the zombie that's got ahold of Kal. Meanwhile...

Kal will cast Hold Person on the yugoloth. He has to succeed on a Wisdom saving throw vs DC 14 or be paralyzed for 1 minute or until Kal loses concentration (which could be soon given the grappling and the poison). I think the yugoloth has disadvantage from Belarin's hex, too.

[Brian]

Condign watches as Shorak takes blow after blow from the yugoloth, blood flowing from the drow's wounds in what looks like small streams. "Shorak!" the tiefling cries as he slashes at the zombie in front of him and then steps to his left. "Stay with us! We are almost there!" Condign strikes at the zombie a second time, again stepping left after the swing. He needs to make it to shore soon, or his friend may die.

_________________________________

Condign will attack twice, moving one square north after each swing. He should still be in striking range of the zombie, so I don't think there will be an opportunity attack. He will also expend a superiority die for Rally on Shorak as his bonus action. Shorak will gain temporary hit points equal to the superiority die roll (1d8) plus Condign's Charisma bonus of 3.

Attack Rolls: (1d20+8=14, 1d20+8=15) Both are hits.

Damage Rolls: (1d8+4=10, 1d8+4=10) Twenty points of slashing damage to the zombie.

Rally Roll: (1d8+3=11) Nice time to max out a roll!

Also (if he is allowed to do this) Condign will prepare Hellish Rebuke as a reaction should the yugoloth strike him.

[Joe]

Streko hears Kal's request for assistance and resolves to assist. He rolls the vagabond's die in his right hand, while holding onto Adamant with his left. He then opens his left hand and drops the die into it. He feels a small measure of satisfaction, but just a small one. There is little he can do, he thinks, although he must try!

(If Streko CAN, he will call out to Olladra and point a finger at the zombie near Kal, casting SACRED FLAME.)
_______________________________________________________________

Streko rolls the die and comes up with:

1d6=5

BLADE: The next attack made against the target before the end of your next turn has advantage.
_______________________________________________________________

Should Streko be able to cast Sacred Flame as well as roll the die, here are the rolls:

1d20+4=20 to hit.

2d8=10 damage.

[Jeff]

With Belarin's words and cursing power, the yugoloth's smirk freezes...then twists into clear dismay. He stares back at the lich-form of Belarin. Then his gaze snaps over to meet Kal's. There is a twitch of smoldering rage, and the fiend shakes his spike-crowned head. "You do not command me, pitiful man."

Belarin alone can feel the magical fear take root in the yugoloth, and though it is short-lived, he knows this makes the fiend vulnerable.

With two swings of his blade, Condign cuts the zombie down; the second swing drops the head altogether, which splashes into the water even as the barbed-worm in its mouth flaps uselessly.

With his friends so close now, Condign's encouraging words, and with the frightening words issues by the apparition that Belarin has become, Shorak feels oddly "safe." He feels, in the very least, that his friends have bought him a few more moments of life.

When Streko rolls the die in his hand, he sees the zombie grasping Kal seize up. It looks so suddenly frail...

---

The nycaloth has magic resistance, which grants him advantage on all saves against magic. So with Belarin's Hex, he simply has no advantage now on both rolls now. And so...

● Nycaloth's Wisdom saving throw (1d20+2=9) vs. Belarin's Fey Presence (failure) / The nycaloth is frightened by Belarin until the end of Belarin's next turn.
● Zombie's disadvantaged (because of Belarin's lich manifestation) Wisdom saving throw (1d20-2=16) Wisdom saving throw (1d20-2=15) (success)
● Nycaloth's Wisdom saving throw (1d20+2=15) vs. Kal's Hold Person (success) / The nycaloth is unaffected.

● Condign's second attack brings the zombie to 0 hit points: Zombie's Con saving throw (1d20+3=9) to remain upright (failure)
● Shorak gains 11 temporary hit points from Condign.
● Streko uses the Vagabond Die: The next attack that hits the zombie before the end of Streko's next turn will deal an additional 2d6 damage.

Joe, using the Vagabond Die is an action, so he can't Sacred Flame this round.

[Joe]

Next then, if applicable.

[Jeff]

Another wave of dizziness washes over Shorak as he feels the blood continue to flow from the wounds on his back.

---

Round 5 begins:

27 - Shorak
17 - Adamant & Histra & skeletons
15 - stinky zombies
14 = yugoloth
7 - Belarin & Kal & Tangat
5 - Condign & Streko

Shorak takes wound damage (2d4=4) 4 damage from the bleeding wound. Any creature (including him) can take an action to attempt to stanch the wound with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Medicine) check. Or magical healing can also end the bleeding effect. Great timing for Condign to give him the temp hit points, Brian!

[Dave B.]

Shorak knows that Condign's rallying cry was definitely a boon to him, but it will be a useless gesture if he allows himself to stay hemmed in and separated from his friends. His wound is bleeding badly, but he can't risk being hit again by the Nycaloth. These walking corpses are also a threat. He needs to free himself from the zombies grasp and move back towards Belarin.

Acrobatics Check (1d20+10=23)

If Shorak succeeds in breaking the grapple he will use Cunning Action to disengage and move to the square SE of Belarin.

[Dave W.]

Adamant releases a grinding noise of frustration. I am too slow, he thinks as he now grips his longsword in two hands, I need to take some risks. The warfoged attacks the zombie clutching to Kal with naked aggression. He strikes down trying to sever the arms holding Kal and then sweap horizontally, aiming for the neck.

---

Time for a change... Adamant will now grant advantage on attacks against him. He's also going to use the versitile property of the longsword to do 1d10 damage.

So first swing:
First Swing (1d20+7=27)
Well okay, that's a crit. So double the damage...
First damage (2d10+4=13) But Ihink he also gets damage from the Vagabond Die... so just in case: Vagabond Die Bonus? (2d6=9)
So either 13 or 22 hp damage to the zombe...

Second Swing:
Second swing (1d20+7=8)
And that would be a fumble... the high and the low of things...

If the zombie dies, Adamant will continue moving towards the shore... 1 sq NE

[Jeff]

Shorak easily squeezes free of the zombie's grasp and avoids the grasping reach of the others. He circles around them all until he stands, still bleeding profusely, beside Belarin. He feels a cold energy radiating out of his friend, and finds that up close, the "illusion" sure doesn't seem like one.

Adamant easily cuts down the zombie, severing it entirely and then wading into where it had been.

---

● Shorak escapes the grapple.
● Adamant's first attack brings zombie to 0 hit points. / Zombie's Constitution saving throw (1d20+4=6) vs. damage dealt +5 (failure), zombie is destroyed.

Brian: Yes, the bones on the shore also count as difficult terrain. Once clear of those, you're back to normal speed.

I'll post again later, the actions of Histra, zombies, skeletons, and yugoloth.

[Jeff]

Histra hurries to catch up to Belarin, and as she nears him sends another ghostly hand ahead of it. It closes around the yugoloth's neck, though it is difficult to discern the rest—aside from a grimace on his face. "This is your last warning, nycaloth. Retreat, if you are wise."

As the two corpses standing below the fiend begin to shamble towards Shorak, the yugoloth holds out one hand and closes his fist and then opens his fingers again. Perfect darkness radiates out from his palm like a malevolanet light, quickly growing and swallowing up everything around him fifteen feet in every direction. Shorak is plunged into darkness himself, though he can hear the shamble of the zombies nearby, and everyone else loses sight of Belarin, Shorak, the yugoloth, and the two zombies.

Belarin, however, finds that he can see—if dimly—in the magical darkness. He sees that the yugoloth has vanished: retreated at last, he thinks, or perhaps merely invisible. He also sees the two zombies roving in the darkness, seeming aimless at the moment and not attacking anything.

---

● Histra's spell attack (1d20+7=22) against nycaloth (hit) / necrotic damage (2d8=5)
● Nycaloth casts darkness.

7 - Belarin & Kal & Tangat
5 - Condign & Streko

[Ken]

The Belarin-as-lich snorts derisively at the yugoloth’s action. “You are outnumbered. And so, SO outclassed, Stupid.” He extends a hand and, with a few muttered syllables, acts to dissipate the darkness. “Forget imprisonment. Once I kill you, I may reanimate you as a jester. HAHAHAHA!” The cold laughter echoes malevolently.

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Belarin casts dispel magic to eliminate the darkness. As he’s using a 4th-level spell slot, any spell of 4th level or lower – which should include darkness – is automatically dispelled.

That should do it for his available spell slots. But the yugoloth doesn’t know that. The hex effect continues.

[Jeff]

With his utterance, Belarin erases the darkness. The two zombies remain, standing hunched before him, but they suddenly perk up and regard Shorak with their slack-faced, rotting faces. Yet neither takes a step, almost as though they can't pass before Belarin.

The yugoloth is nowhere to be seen. There seemed to have been no invisibility to strip away.

---

Can't update the map at present, but the two zombies are placed near Belarin: one is immediately northeast of him, the other is east of that one. Neither is currently within reach of Shorak.

[Darren]

Finally free of the zombie's grasp, Kal turns his attention to Shorak and the yugoloth. He is surprised when the area suddenly turns black, and blinks when just as quickly he can see his foes again. He looks around for the fiend, hoping to spot it, but lacking that target Kal moves towards the shore and unleashes a blast of electricity at the remaining zombies.

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Kal will move as far towards shore as he can and cast Lighting Orb at the two remaining zombies. I assume he should be able to hit both without hitting Belarin, but place it however is appropriate to hit as many as possible without hitting Lich Lord B.

Zombies need a Dex save vs DC14.

Lighting Damage (2d4=5) on a failed save or 2 damage on a success.

[Brian]

Condign's eyes narrow when the darkness vanishes and the yugoloth has disappeared. Expecting a surprise attack, he racing north, slipping on bones but managing to keep his balance, until he stands next to the dark shape that was once Belarin. His eyes dart to his friend, and his red skin bristles in fear. What if the Fey-addled warlock has truly become a lich? Is there a price too high for the lives of your friends?

Shaking off his unease, Condign raises his shield and prepares for more fighting.

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Condign uses Dash to move four squares north. He should be free of the difficult terrain now. Hellish Rebuke is still prepared in case he is attacked by the yugoloth.

[Joe]

Streko is unsure as to what just occurred. First, the monster is there, then swallowed in darkness, then the darkness is gone, as is the monster. He wonders just how powerful Belarin-as-Lich is, then wonders how tarnished his friend's soul must be to become this creature that stands before him.

"Get us on dry land my friend. I shall keep us safe until then."

He replaces the vagabond die into his haversack.

[Jeff]

Kal's spell leaves both shore zombies scorched but still moving.

Condign runs up and joins Belarin, free of the water and the bones at last. His boots feel packed earth beneath him again.

Tangat bolts out onto the earth as well, soil clinging to his wet body. He stops and starts to shiver and shake.Then he goes still and a visible wash of gray vapor rises up from his body. It floats away like a little cloud. Tangat's tail starts to wag. He whirls around and begins barking merrily at Kal. It's been only hours but it seems like days since Kal has heard that sound.

Behind Adamant, one of the skeletons collapses into the water, but it grasps and bears down its enemy with it.

---

● Zombies' Dexterity saving throws (1d20-2=0, 1d20-2=7) (failure, failure) / both take 5 points of lightning damage

Round 6 begins:

27 - Shorak
17 - Adamant & Histra & skeletons
15 - zombies
7 - Belarin & Kal & Tangat
5 - Condign & Streko

● At the start of his turn, Shorak takes bleeding damage (2d4=6) 6 points of damage

[Dave B.]

Shorak grimaces as too much blood pours from his wound. With the Nycaloth nowhere in sight he reaches into a pocket of his cloak, pulls out the potion of healing and gladly swallows the contents. He certainly sees the irony in this, since he had taken the potion in case he needed to aid one of his friends. Oh, how Shorak is starting to struggle to hold on to his smile in this place.

Healing potion (2d4+2=5)

Oh, Invisible Castle, how do I hate thee? Let me count the ways. Usually on just one hand.

[Jeff]

As Shorak feels a small measure of relief, and the worst of his wounds clotting, Histra comes fully ashore and advances on the two remaining zombies. She sweeps her hands out and speaks words of magic. Both of them back slowly away, wary of her.

"Command them," she says to Belarin then. "Command them away."

At last, Adamant makes his way to drier land, the bones of the beach crunching and shifting under his weight.

---

Shoral heals 5 hit points and ends the wounded/bleeding condition.

We're out of turn-based mode now. The remaining zombies (just the two on the shore) are not attacking anymore, seemingly because of Belarin's proximity.

[Ken]

Belarin looks coldly at the two zombies. “Begone,” he commands. “You have no purpose here. These others here belong to ME. Do not touch them.” He points back to the water. “Go!”

Without turning, he says disdainfully, “Someone tend to Shorak’s wound. His blood has a strong smell, and he’ll be of no use to us if he passes out.”

He then slowly turns, affixing the others with his unnerving gaze. Tiny green flames dance in his eye sockets. “Months ago, Belarin frightened a ghost. Today, I frightened a demon. But he is stupid enough to return. We will continue.” With a tiny shake of his head, some of the shadows swirling around him coalesce into semi-solid plates around his emaciated torso and arms, almost like armor.

He looks at Histra, his thoughts unreadable. Her body also carries the appearance of undeath. “We are quite the pair… my love.”

_____________________

Belarin uses his Shadow Walk invocation.

[Brian]

Condign slowly nods at what was once Belarin. "Lead the way, my lord." Then he falls behind the "lich" and Histra to join the others. Catching Kal's eye, he gives his friend a worried look. His expression says it all: what if Belarin cannot remove the bracers? What do we do then?

[Darren]

Kal nods at Condign in understanding, then moves to stand next to Belarin. "This is an interesting look for you, Belarin," he says. "I'm not sure I like it, although you are much more handsome this way." He forces himself to look the lich in the eye, searching to make sure his friend is still inside.

[Ken]

Belarin stares back. "See to your dog, Kalarian," he says. "It was my 'affection' for you -- and it -- that compelled the nycaloth's release, after all."

[Darren]

Kal holds Belarin's gaze and reaches out a hand to Tangat, scratching at the dog's ears without looking at him. He feels reassured by his friend's presence. His eyes narrow while looking at Belarin. 'Affection', Belarin said. Kal hopes that Belarin still knows how to feel affection.

Finally breaking away from Belarin and refusing to be ordered around, Kal says to Histra, "What's next?"

[Jeff]

Histra stares at Belarin for a few moments without comment, then at last turns to Kal. “We keep moving. I will not say we are safe again, but the souls of the labyrinth will not trouble us any longer. The yugoloth will surely follow and seek other ways to harry us. Be on your guard.” She points up the gradually rising slope. “The rest of Stormreach, as it exists here, awaits. I will find us a portal to return.”

There comes another rumble of thunder from the unseen clouds above. Once again, you find some small comfort in the texture and shreds of clouds in the sky. At least it’s a real sky. You even see something disc-like and vaguely blue that might approximate a moon.

Histra turns to Streko. “Release the spirit.”

Kal, meanwhile, still feels quite sick from his injury. Every pore on his skin feels like it's sweating. He is clammy.

[Dave W.]

Adamant gets to the shore and crunches bones under his metal feet. Once he makes it to the softer sand, he kneels down and gently lifts Streko from his shoulders. "Thank you for the honor of carrying you, my friend."

"It appears that the spirit in Tangat has been true to his commitment. I will say a prayer for him though I do not know it's name."

"Belarin, do you intend to be undead for long? It is ... disconcerting."

---

Woo! 8th level! I'll have to look into my options...

[Darren]

With heavy movements, Kal sheathes the Rekkenmark blade he took off the Emerald Claw captain what seems like ages ago. His hands barely obey him as he unties his sharrash from his back, coiling the rope and returning it to his pack. Lifting the sharrash, he leans heavily on it, but eventually its weight is too much for him and it clatters to the ground, followed by Kalarian himself. "I'm sorry, my friends," he says, wiping a hand across his forehead. "It seems that kiss from the zombie left something behind." He looks questioningly to Streko, seeking whatever aid his friend might offer.

[Joe]

Streko reaches back into his haversack and removes the tiny child spirit. "I am glad to have honored your mother's request little one. I pray for your safety here and now."

He places the bundle at his feet and sends a prayer to Olladra asking for the spirit's safety, He then turns to follow his friends. "Agreed, my friend, Belarin. We must move quickly to leave this place once and for all. But, we still have an oath to fulfill, one I hope we can still find a way to do so." He looks at Kal, briefly, and nods, then steps over to Tangat. "Beautiful soul, you have been missed." He hugs the dog gently at first, then with greater affection, attempting, in vain, to keep the tears at bay.

[Dave B.]

Shorak has been in a crouch while everyone arrives on the shore and can't really follow the conversation as he catches his breath. At least the bleeding has stopped. But, he is feeling quite exhausted from this ordeal. He sheathes his sword and stows away his boomerang. He just leaves the empty vial from the potion on the beach. Slowly rising, he smiles at everyone. The smile seems a little dimmer than usual, but it is still Shorak's smile. "Might I partake of one of the other healing potions? I seemed to have taken a bit of a beating during the fight."