Chapter 12: Shadows in the Dark

[Brian]

Oct 16, 2015 19:51:44 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

Answering Belarin's question, Shorak says, "I'm not sure. It seems the yugoloth became aware of me, but I don't know about the sahaugin." Shorak looks back towards the yugoloth and the approaching unseen sahaugin, looking for any sign of their approach. Footprints, dripping water, sound, anything. If he can pinpoint their location, maybe they'd have a chance to risk the lighthouse. "I appreciate the need to retreat, but if we can run past the sahaugin and somehow avoid the yugoloth, we should be able to get to the lighthouse and fortify ourselves inside. I can't say, but maybe there's even a portal home there."

"No time!" Condign calls back to Shorak. 'Too many uncertainties! Keep running!"

[Ken]

"In our current condition, 'if - maybe - perhaps' is a formula for death, Shorak. Go with Condign," says Belarin sternly.

He moves next to Adamant and, once the others are in motion, they also retreat. "Standing next to me is a dangerous act, Adamant, as well you should know," he says without looking at the warforged, "... but thank you... my friend."

He pauses a moment to address the invisible enemies, and his foreboding presence expands. Knowing that intent and thought matter more than words in this situation, he envisions obliterating the undead in a storm of ebony fire. Through his anger, he spits two words at the invisible horde: "Get. Back."

He lets the effect sink in for a count of two, and then he resumes the retreat.

[Jeff]

Shorak does hear the soft slap of rubbery skin against stone and glimpses, here and there, tiny drippings of water. He thinks the sahuagin are more spreadout now, and perhaps as close as forty feet away. This at the same time as Belarin turning and issuing his command—which Histra seems uncertain of.

In the distance, you all see the yugoloth leap into the air and begin a wide arc up and to the right (west) so that he's over the rock wall.

This is my approximation of things. Only Condign has actually begun to move away. The rest has just been talk. It sounds like the party is splitting up, not resolved to the same action. You're almost out of time to talk about it further before Initiative begins.

Refresh the page.

[Dave B.]

"Retreat it is, then." With that Shorak begins heading away from the invisible sahaugin and moving back towards the city. He also draws his boomerang. If the yugoloth gets too close... "Well, we'll see who needs help more." Shorak mutters to himself. The invisible half-drow passes Kal and Streko, catching up to Condign.

[Dave W.]

"Thank you Streko," Adamant takes the bag and tosses the caltrops out in front of Belarin and Histra. "I bellieve it's time to employ any tricks old or new... Stay with Condign, try to keep together as best you can."

Oct 17, 2015 11:26:24 GMT -4 Ken said:

[Belarin] moves next to Adamant and, once the others are in motion, they also retreat. "Standing next to me is a dangerous act, Adamant, as well you should know," he says without looking at the warforged, "... but thank you... my friend."

Adamant shrugs and checks the position of his shield and the grip on his sword. "It's an old habit; maybe it will help me remember who I am." There's an odd note of relief in Adamant's voice.

---

So I'm not sure how caltrops work, do they fill one square or a bunch? I'm thinking to cover the spaces in front of Belarin, Histra, and Adamant himself if possible... in that order actually. Adamant doesn't expect it to slow them down much but will be looking to see if there is a sign of someone stepping on them.

[Joe]

Streko waits for Tangat and Kal before turning and fleeing with the others.

[Jeff]

Caltrops only cover a 5-foot-square area. So you have to be very specific about which one to choose in relation to you.

Also, to clarify: Adamant is the only one not actually retreating now, right? (Histra will stay beside Belarin.)

[Dave W.]

Thanks Joe! So then put them in the square in front of Belarin.
Adamant will move in step with Belarin. As Belarin retreats, Adamant will try to stay right by his side. I'm not sure if Histra is planning on running or standing with Adamant and Belarin.

[Darren]

"Sorry Shorak," Kal says, looking in a direction where he thinks Shorak might be, "but we are too far outnumbered to stand and fight. Everyone, run!" Kal considers the range, but not knowing the location of most of the enemy, decides it's better to move and attempt to find better ground, if possible. "Don't be a hero, Adamant. You too, Belarin. Everyone move!"

________________________
Kal is running back the way they came (following everyone else).

I suggest that Adamant and Belarin also do full moves away from the enemy.

[Jeff]

Adamant tosses the caltrops, which clatter to the ground behind Belarin. Meanwhile, if Belarin’s words have any impact, it’s not obvious. Histra shakes her head. “Against random undead, that may have an impact. Against something with purpose and vengeance, I doubt it.” She keeps pace with him as he works into a jog. In his current form, Belarin seems to glide more than run.

The yugoloth, fully above the rock face, continues a wide arc out with his wings flapping, keeps roughly two hundred feet distant from the group but it looks like he’s on a flight path that will not only outpace the group but place him somewhere along the rock wall ahead of them, to the north.

The crowd of Whelmed and confused spirits which you left behind a short while ago—the spirits comprise at least some part of the crew of the Merrow Down, it seemed—now lie before you again. The Whelmed, four of them, who stand upon the stony path, turn and regard you all as you run towards them. It doesn’t look like it will be an easy squeeze past them, and you can’t help but wonder if running appears aggressive.

Though Adamant and Belarin and Histra are bringing up the rear, they quickly catch up to Streko, who cannot run as fast as they. If they continue this pace, they will leave him behind and Streko will be in the rear, exposed.

---

Tonight or tomorrow morning I’ll try to get you an updated map. If the group gets past the Whelmed, then I won’t so much change up the map as post the positions of each person relative to the rest since the landscape will keep moving.

[Darren]

"Keep moving," Kal yells. "Hopefully we'll get past the spirits and it'll discourage our pursuers...."

[Dave B.]

Seeing that Streko is not able to keep pace with everyone, Shorak slows down just enough to match his pace. "I'll stay close, Streko. My being invisible will benefit us both. Stay close to the rock face, so we can more easily pass the Whelmed."

[Jeff]

Shortly after Condign sheds some of his gear with a loud clanking sound and the group gets moving, Belarin and Adamant hear a series of quick, rasping, and guttural sounds somewhere behind them, followed by a succession of wet rustling noises. Then, a handful of black shapes appear, then another handful, as a dozen of bipedal fish-men appear only seconds apart. Only then do you discern—for some of you too late—just what forced them out of their invisibility:

A rain of bone-white javelins arc down among you, which they hurled unseen! One cracks into the ground beside Belarin, even as another catches him in the back! Two miss Histra by a comfortable margin. One misses Streko, while another hits but simply bounces back off the halfling's chainmail. Kal winces as a javelin snaps at his feet, but another sinks into the armor of his left shoulder. One just misses Tangat. Condign hears but doesn't see one that flies over his head, missing, but two of them snap into his back; he feels the savagery of the stength behind the throw but neither of them bite fully through his plate armor, so they just flap there, stuck in him harmlessly.

Kal feels the burn of something else in the bite of the javelin, but he ignores it. He's already poisoned; this new one doesn't bother him.

Once their weapons have been loosed and they are now visible, the sahuagin—or the emaciated, black-skinned versions of the “sea devils” that these appear to be—are evident. They break into a run, feet slapping surprisingly quietly on the stony ground, and you are dismayed to see that they move as swiftly as most of you on land.

Leading the sea devils is a taller, three-armed monstrosity. This one is not black-skinned, but a sickly shade of blue-green, looking skinner than he did in life but with his scaley fish-skin appearing stretched and torn and barely covering the jagged bones beneath: You don’t know that you can recognize the facial features of any sahuagin, but you are quite certain this must be Sarquaa, who was slain and had one of his “extra” arms torn free and given to your party as a prize. When you first met him, this Adamant-sized sahuagin prince bore two tridents and wore a black helmet. Now he seems a bit more shunken, carries only one trident and wears no armor, but has a white-hot glow in his fishy eyes reminiscent of a wight’s. He seems intent on—and unafraid of—Belarin foremost.

In a flash, you recall that the sahuagin mutant was brought down by your whole party’s efforts, finished off by Adamant’s determination, Belarin’s magic, and a thrust of Condign’s blade. You also recall that when he was defeated, Sarquaa’s body was mostly torn apart and devoured by the other sahuagin, the shaman who was your ally...which instantly begs the question: what is Sarquaa now? But there is no time for discussion. The sahuagin are in cold pursuit!

It's hard to get a good look at it, but in the back of the sahuagin group—and seemingly moving slower than the rest—is a humanoid that appears to be a seaweed-wrapped, animate skeleton version of a sahuagin bearing a staff.

And now the Whelmed and the spirits are before you, an obstacle of sorts. The tall, ogre-sized figures have turned to face you, and one of them has even sunk into a crouch, looking ready to spring. Their white eyes fixate on you all.

---

Invisibility granted the sahuagin advantage on their attacks, but they were also throwing at long range so there’s neither advantage or disadvantage; it's a wash. Shorak, himself invisible, is not attacked at all. (Note: creatures never get advantage against Shorak when they attack from being hidden, per the Alert feat.) Now they are visible.

The sahuagin move at 30 ft. speed. Since Streko (and anyone who keeps pace with him) moves at 25 feet, the sahuagin will eventually overtook him.

Of course, Invisible Castle is down suddenly. You can find the following rolls in the DarkEchelon Rolz group: rolz.org/dr?room=DarkEchelon

Sahuagin#1 javelin attack vs. Belarin: 18 (hit) / 6 piercing damage to Belarin
Sahuagin#2 javelin attack vs. Belarin: 13 (miss)
Sahuagin#3 javelin attack vs. Histra: 9 (miss)
Sahuagin#4 javelin attack vs. Histra: 8 (miss)
Sahuagin#5 javelin attack vs. Streko : 14 (miss)
Sahuagin#6 javelin attack vs. Streko: 6 (miss)
Sahuagin#7 javelin attack vs. Kal: 16 (hit) / 6 piercing damage to Kal / Kal's Constitution saving to resist poison is 17 (success)
Sahuagin#8 javelin attack vs. Kal: 6 (miss)
Sahuagin#9 javelin attack vs. Tangat: 9 (miss)
Sahuagin#10 javelin attack vs. Condign: 17 (miss)
Sahuagin#11 javelin attack vs. Condign: 10 (miss)
Sahuagin#12 javelin attack vs. Condign : 18

Now that an attack has been made and the sahuagin are visible, Round 1 shall commence. Note that if you want to keep up full speed, you would have to give up your action to Dash (i.e. move again). The sahuagin have just yielded 30 feet of the chase by pausing long enough to hurl their spears but they, too, have to use the Dash action to pursue the party. Their placement on the map reflects relative positions in the beginning of this run after their throws.

Shorak, being a rogue, can do a regular action (such as attack, if he chooses), then use Cunning Action to Dash—effectively allowing him to do more stuff while running.

Round 1:

18 = Kal & Tangat
16 = Condign & Streko
14 = Belarin
13 = Shorak
7 = Adamant
7 = Sarquaa
6 = other sahuagin

Since the party (and the sahuagin) are collectively on the move, I'm not placing any surrounding features here. Only the Whelmed and the spirits before you are staying still. The only obvious gap between them is on the leftmost (western) side, and it's narrow (5-foot gap).

[Joe]

Oct 19, 2015 21:21:27 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

Seeing that Streko is not able to keep pace with everyone, Shorak slows down just enough to match his pace. "I'll stay close, Streko. My being invisible will benefit us both. Stay close to the rock face, so we can more easily pass the Whelmed."

Streko is momentarily startled, but quickly recognizes Shorak's voice. He reaches into his haversack and pulls out a six-sided die. He reaches out toward Shorak with one hand, exposing the die to him, but keeping one finger firmly clasped down to ensure it doesn't roll. "Take this and use it when you need it most. I have options yet, my friend. Be strategic!" After a moment, the die still in his outstretched hand, he yells, "Take it!"
________________________________________________________________________________________

Streko loans Shorak his Die of the Traveler.

[Jeff]

Joe, the Vagabond's Die requires attunement, which means Shorak would need to spend an hour focused on it to "align" himself with it first. Also, I'm almost certain Streko used the Die in the battle just outside the Drowned Gate. It's a 1/day thing.

[Darren]

"Straight through!" Kal commands. "No stopping!" Putting his head down, Kal charges forward, then disappears in a crackle of electricity and appears on the far side of the Whelmed. Turning, Kal casts a baleful glance at the saghuain running towards them. Deciding to try to thin the herd instead of attacking the leader, Kal flicks his wrist towards the leaders, hurling a ball of fire in their direction.

______________________
I didn't want to risk Kal taking the opportunity attacks...one or two hits might kill him and we don't have time to pick him up. According to my sheet, Kal still has a second level slot available, so he'll use it as a first level slot to cast Lightning Shift.

Ideally, Tangat should delay his action and wait for someone else (Condign or Adamant?) to run past the Whelmed and use up their opportunity attacks before he runs through. He probably can't take the hits, either.

EDIT: Kal will cast Fire Bolt on #1. Invisible Castle is down, so I can't roll. It should be a ranged attack roll at a +6. (I assume the Bracers of Perfect Shot don't apply. If they do, it's a +7). On a hit, it's 2d10 fire damage.

[Ken]

Belarin runs, and he seems surprised to feel the dripping of warm blood down his back.

"I may be able to acquire some allies once we get past the Whelmed. Keep moving!" he says in a voice that only Histra and Adamant can hear.

[Brian]

Condign, his side throbbing from the sword wound he had received earlier, watches Kal disappear in a crackle of lightning, only to reappear beyond the Whelmed. Ignoring the pain, he lifts his shield and chrages forward, making for the tiny gap between the Whelmed. He allows the anger he feels at everything that has happened to them--the losses, the betrayals, the defeats--swell up inside him. Rage fuels his movement, pushes him faster. It swells until it is all he can feel.

Kyber help the Whelmed that attacks him.

__________________________________________________

Hopefully I'm doing this right.

Condign uses Dash to move fifty feet: one square NW and eleven squares north. He readies Hellish Rebuke should one of the Whelmed hit him. It says the casting time is 1 reaction. If I can't do both (Dash and Hellish Rebuke), he will take his chances without the spell.

I edited my movement numbers. Not used to moving six squares.

[Joe]

Seeing as Shorak doesn't move to take the die, Streko places it back into his haversack. "As soon as we get closer, I will disappear from view and run past the Whelmed. Hopefully, they are visually attuned and will not notice."
________________________________________________________________________________

When Streko gets within ten feet of the Whelmed, he will employ Cloak of Shadows, channeling Olladra's divinity. I hope this works!!

[Dave B.]

Shorak ignores the die, knowing that there is no time to accept the offer. He only hesitates a moment as Streko runs towards hopeful safety. He follows behind the halfling, only passing him after he has cleared the whelmed and then catching up to Condign and moving past him.

Double move and cunning action to move a total of 90 feet NNW and hopefully past the Whelmed and spirits.

[Jeff]

So quickly does Kal move, in lightning form, between the Whelmed that they barely even register his movement, and when he reforms twenty-five feet behind them, they don't even turn to look. But still feverish from the toxins inside him, Kal's spell misfires and the bolt of fire he throws back at his enemies flies above the leading sahuagin by a wide margin. Tangat follows, but waits for Condign...

Streko runs toward the wall of Whelmed and spirits, and ten feet before reaching them, calls upon Olladra and...vanishes. He is as invisible as Shorak, if only for a moment. Everyone loses sight of him, including Adamant (who would otherwise only run as far as Streko goes).

Condign is red, large, and angry, and when he charges through the gap between the two imposing Whelmed, one of them, the one already crouched, does deign to attack. Fire erupts from Condign even as the claws almost concealed by the creature's membranous limb slash across his body. The Whelmed pulls back, burned by the flames of retribution.

Amidst the fire and confusion, Tangat bolts past but doesn't run farther than the tiefling. Condign feels the sting of the Whelmed's claws but is comforted to see Tangat beside him.

And then both Belarin and Histra run swiftly past them. The other Whelmed do not appear to engage at this time.

But Shorak is the swiftess and least detected and outpaces even Tangat and Condign.

Adamant is unsure where his smallest friend has gone!

---

The following rolls are all logged at rolz.org/dr?room=DarkEchelon

● Kal casts Lightning Shift and moves 60 feet, then casts Fire Bolt. Kal's disadvantaged attack: 7 (miss)
● Tangat moves, then readies and action to Dash after another ally passes the Whelmed (Condign).
● Streko moves his speed (25 feet) then uses his action to Channel Divinity: Cloak of Shadows and becomes invisible until the end of his next turn.
● Condign moves his speed (30 feet) then uses Dash to move another 30 feet.
● Whelmed (on the left)'s opportunity attack vs. Condign: 22 (hit) / 9 slashing damage to Condign
→ Condign's reaction: Condign uses Hellish Rebuke / Whelmed's Dexterity saving throw: 7 (failure) / Whelmed takes 14 points of fire damage
● Belarin moves his speed (30 feet) then uses Dash to move another 30 feet.
● Histra moves her speed (30 feet) then uses Dash to move another 30 feet.
● Shorak moves his speed (30 feet), then uses Dash to move another 30 feet, then Cunning Action to Dash again.

Not seeing where Streko is, how far does Adamant wish to go?

7 = Adamant
7 = Sarquaa
6 = other sahuagin

Refresh the page to see the updated positions.

[Dave W.]

As Adamant runs along side Belarin, Adamant realizes that the halfling won't be able to keep up. Just as he plans to switch to pacing Streko, the halfling disappears...

"Well, I didn't see that coming."

Adamant hesitates a moment looking at the on-coming dead. He struggles with the urge to rush in and see how many he can take before he falls. For the space of a thought it seems like the only good that can happen in this place.

"No, no time for despair..."

"Streko, Shorak, keep up as best you can! Call for me if you need to..."

---

Since he can't see the halfling anymore, Adamant's going to run like everyone else then... so 30 plus a dash of 30 more? I think I can end up right next to Belarin that way.

[Joe]

With Olladra's blessing, Streko races as fast as his legs will allow, whizzing past the Whelmed and following his friends to the best of his ability.

[Ken]

As he moves past the Whelmed, Belarin slows down a bit and looks back. "Hurry, Adamant! My plan to utterly destroy the Whelmed will bear fruit once my legions behind you arrive!" He cackles evilly, the shadows around him dancing with excitement.

_________

Belarin takes a single move action this turn and then wants to draw the Whelmed's attention to the approaching undead, using dramatic gestures and intimidating words. What would you like me to roll, Jeff?

[Jeff]

Adamant's run sounds like a thundering charge. He surges past Streko largely unaware of the little halfling, and the two closest Whelmed draw themselves up to their full height (a couple of feet taller than he) as he begins to move between them.

The spirits standing at the feet of the Whelmed watch somewhat impassively. Adamant and Belarin, closest to them, see that the foremost vaporous spirit looks an awful lot like Anng, the dark-skinned helmsman of the Merrrow Down.

The sahuagin continue their own run, eerily quiet. They would be making more rasping, gutteral, living noises anywhere else perhaps. The apparition of Sarquaa continues in the lead, baleful eyes burning. It is entirely unclear what the Whelmed think of this charge; creatures native in this realm do not display strong emotions.

To the west, the figure of the yugoloth continues to arc and work his way around you in a large berth. His wings flap to keep him aloft, and then suddenly...he vanishes. Invisible.

---

So I realized that Adamant's speed, like Streko's, is also 25 ft. (because his adamantine plating gives him a reduction of 5 ft. in speed), so move + Dash = 50 feet.

● The sahuagin all Dash, and move 60 feet total; they are beginning to close the distance to the stragglers like Streko and Adamant. Streko has not yet reached the "barrier" of Whelmed and spirits.
● The yugoloth becomes invisible approximately 150 feet due west of Kal (and obviously not on this map).

Question for you all: Can you see the grid lines okay? I know it's going to vary with the resolution and contrast on each of our computer or mobile screens. I try to keep them faint so they don't intrude too much on the visuals but they're necessary to be able to see, too. If I should make them more obvious, let me know.

Round 2 begins (now including the Whelmed):

18 = Kal & Tangat
16 = Condign & Streko
15 = Whelmed
14 = Belarin
13 = Shorak
7 = Adamant
7 = Sarquaa
6 = other sahuagin

Ken, when Belarin's turn comes up, make a Charisma (Deception) check. Intimidation isn't quite the thing here. This is a bluff you're going for.

[Darren]

Kal continues to backpedal, using his sharrash for support, even as he silently wills his friends to run faster. He decides to try a new tactic. If he can't his the sahuagin, maybe he can goad the Whelmed into attacking....

__________________
Kal will continue to move 30 feet away from the approaching fishes. He will then cast Lighting Orb on one or both of the Whelmed (not sure if he can actually hit both). Either way, he should be able to hit them without hitting Adamant. Dexterity save vs. DC 14 or they take 2d4 lightning damage.

[Brian]

Having cleared the Whelmed with naught but a scratch, Condign wheels around. He sees Belarin and Histra have found their way through the Whelmed, and Adamant is about to cross. But Streko...Condign cannot see him. He curses under his breath, hoping the halfling hasn't done something foolish, like fall into the water.

Then, before Condign can decide what to do next, Kal raises his hand and unleashes an orb of lightning toward one of the Whelmed. The plan had been to run. Now it looks like they will have to fight for their lives.

"What have you done?" Condign whispers as he makes his way to the sorcerer's side. "Kal, what have you done?"

[Joe]

Streko will make a dash toward Condign, using his Halfling nimbleness and natural stealth abilities to maneuver between both Adamant and Whelmed without giving himself away.

[Jeff]

Darren, it's a good call using a spell like Lightning Orb because it doesn't require you to make an attack roll (and hence your disadvantage won't be in effect), but it's important to know precisely where you're targeting the spell:

Can you pinpoint for me? I'd rather not guess here. Be as precise as you can. The range is 60 feet. (Your Spell Sniper feat only doubles the range of spells where you do make the attack roll.

[Darren]

I wasn't sure if I could target the middle of a square, but if so, it'd be the center of the square two below Adamant. That would, I think, hit both Whelmed and miss Adamant. If not, he'll just target the one on the left.