Chapter 12: Shadows in the Dark

[Jeff]

On a grid, Lightning Orb basically hits a 10-by-10 cube, so it's more like picking a point between squares. So anyway, that means it's not a wide enough range to reach both Whelmed in this situation. But the good side to that....

Turning from his run, Kal has to lean to side to target where he intends, hoping to catch two of the tall Whelmed in his spell. The positions of both Belarin and Adamant make it difficult. Nevertheless, the sphere of energy reaches a point in space and explodes, arcing lightning in a ten-foot diameter. The creature rears up in a hiss, while Streko scuffs his boots and pauses for just a moment to avoid running ing into the short-lived blast.

...is that it also narrowly misses Streko. If the spell was able to reach both Whelmed, it would also have hit Streko, who Kal cannot see is even there at that moment.

● Leftmost Whelmed's Dex saving throw: 12 (failure) / 5 lightning damage to Whelmed

Condign halts, running no further, and sees that Tangat does the same.

Streko, unseen for only a few more seconds, sprints lightly past Adamant (Adamant only hears the slight jingle of Streko's mail), weaves past Belarin and Histra, and when he is only five feet away form Condign, reappears again!

● Streko is no longer invisible.

With the sahuagin not yet closed on them, the two closest Whelmed—who do now appear much more "riled" by Kal's blast—swivel around to face the Deneith heir but it is Adamant who is still close enough to reach. Both web-winged figured lunge at him, claws appearing from behind membranous folds, their eyes fixed on him.

The first one merely scrapes it claws along the warforged's composite plating, finding no purchase as he instinctively whirls to dodge. The other, however, hooks one claw into the joint of his shoulder, driving it into the woody musculature of his arm, then one of its membranous folds opens up, grasps him around the back, and slaps onto him, seeming to stick in place like a octopus's suction. The creature squeezes even as it hisses in anger. Adamant feels his body being slowly crushed as if by a constrictor snake. At the same time, he feels wetness pressed into him in all sides within the Whelmed's embrace. Although he feels the crushing is problematic, he also feels like he'd more in danger if he were a breathing creature. Soon his head would be "submerged" within its membranous folds.

---

● Left Whelmed's first attack vs. Adamant: 7 (miss); second attack vs. Adamant: 18 (miss)
● Right Whelmed's first attack vs. Adamant: 24 (hit) / 8 slashing damage to Adamant; second attack vs. Adamant: 23 (hit) / 12 bludgeoning damage to Adamant and he is grappled
● Being grappled, Adamant's speed is now 0 and he cannot move until he has escaped the grapple (which he can attempt to do as his action).

Now Belarin is up and can make a Charisma (Deception) check. At the moment, only these two Whelmed have engaged or reacted. The others seem more impassive, and if they have any opinion about the small horde of sahuagin closing in, you can't read it in their eyes.

14 = Belarin
13 = Shorak
7 = Adamant
7 = Sarquaa
6 = other sahuagin
5 = yugoloth

[Ken]

If Belarin is alarmed at the attack on Adamant, he doesn't show it. Instead, he beckons to the undead horde rushing toward them. "Yes, come faster, my slaves!" he yells. "Destroy the Whelmed! Let them waste them playing with a paladin." He looks up at the Whelmed attacking Adamant and points his dagger threateningly at it. "Your ignorance of my undead will be your undoing! AHAHAHAHHAHAAAAA!"

He quickly turns to Histra and hisses, "Run."

________________________

Making a Charisma (Deception) check to convince the Whelmed that the undead creatures are about to attack them.
1d20(11) = 7 = 18.

He resumes running.

[Dave B.]

Shorak knows that he can easily outpace everyone, so he slows his pace and takes a moment to look up and listen. Hopefully, he can hear the yugoloth's wings beating and pinpoint where he will strike. He will keep his senses on alert for the nycaloth, while he waits for everyone to catch up.

Shorak will only continue moving if someone passes him.

Perception check d20+4 = 24

I used the Rolz sight. I think I may continue to use it, even when invisible castle comes back.

[Jeff]

Go ahead and add a Perception roll to your post, Dave.

[Dave W.]

​
Adamant becomes engulfed by the creature. The feel of fluid around him is uncomfortable but not deadly. The crushing grasp is more problematic. The warforged tries to slide first his blade and then his shield between his body and the grasping monster. He tries to use them as a fulcrum to break free...

---

Using Rollz because the Castle is down again... I think they need better defenses...
dlw32:1D20+3 → 16(13 + 3)#escape grapple
Sort of middling... Not sure what to compare that to...

Oh, and just in case you did need a perception from me (not Dave B)...
dlw32:1D20+2 → 3(1 + 2)#Perception

That's a failure... makes sense, Addy's kind of busy right now.

[Jeff]

Dave W, I need to know what Addy's full turn would be. That is, if Adamant succeeds, would he be using his move? There'd be opportunity attacks applied as he moves away from the Whelmed. If he fails, of course it won't matter because he couldn't go anywhere.

[Dave W.]

Sorry again...
If he breaks free he will retreat to stand, dripping from his recent Whelming, next to Belarin again. If Histra does run it would be nice to be standing basically there; if not on the other side of Belarin... so 1 space N then 1 space either NW or NE.

If he has a standard action he will stand ready to defend Belarin if something attacks.

[Jeff]

You mean 5 feet from where he is on the map now or next to Belarin where Belarin will be after he moves (which happens before Adamant's turn anyway) 30 feet north? Histra will move with Belarin. Asking because it does matter!

[Dave W.]

Sorry I'm being frustrating...
I forgot Belarin moved... Adamant can't go 30' but since the group is running still, he will do 25. with the goal of getting close to the trailing member of the group... which I think will actually be Streko at that point... If I run straight N, I believe I will get just one space short of him...

[Jeff]

Belarin’s hurried approach—all swirling shadows and phantasmal power—is unnerving to where Condign, Streko, and Tangat stand, but considering the onrushing foes, less concerning. Histra keeps pace with him. If the Whelmed have any reaction to Belarin’s commands, it is unclear, but they have swiveled to face the sahuagin squarely…

Shorak, standing unseen nearby, keeps his eyes on the sky. He sees that the yugoloth—silhouetted against a midnight blue sky like a bloated, bat-winged insect, does begin to angle towards them, only one hundred feet away now, almost due east and at a forty-five degree angle from them in the air. The fiend brandishes Histra’s staff, which is now bereft of the skeletal arm that recently adorned it.

The Whelmed enveloping Adamant seems to have him in its unbreakable suction…and then it doesn’t. Adamant unseals himself with an audible pop and muscles his way free. Then he breaks and runs, dripping as he goes, expecting another attack from the strange, watery denizens.

But perhaps Belarin’s words made them defensive enough. The two Whelmed flanking the warforged ignore him; even the one who grabbed him lets him go. As one they turn and ready themselves for the onrush of the sahuagin!

As the apparition that was somehow Sarquaa leads the charge, he slows somewhat, allowing the other, black-skinned sea devils to stream past him first. Three of the Whelmed instantly react, hissing, opening the folds of their bodies and slashing with claws. A battle is joined between the Whelmed and the sahuagin! Three of the Whelmed are occupied with sahuagin, and only a handful stop to battle them in turn with claws and tridents. The vaporous spirits of the recently slain begin to scatter, confused, as the deathly beings and ebon-skinned fish men clash around them. The spirits are ineffectual and seemingly, at first glance, impervious to harm. Yet they clearly shy away from the fight.

Sarquaa pushes through the ranks and rears up to his full height, blustery and hissing. He is still as tall as Adamant but not quite as broad and muscular as he once was when they squared off again. It is clear to Adamant that the sahuagin mutant is determined to engage him and his friends in battle, and many of the other sahuagin are only a few paces behind him. The Whelmed cannot stop them all.

The yugoloth beings to dive straight toward the group—fifty feet and closing.

---

● Adamant breaks from the grapple before moving his speed (25 ft.)
● Sahuagin #s 1, 2, 3, and 4 are engaged in battle with the Whelmed. The others are seem to be moving at full speed around them.

Round 3 begins:

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

I'll place the yugoloth on my next map update, as he'll be close enough to count the squares. Refresh!

[Joe]

Streko turns his head briefly and notices the Sarquaa creature closing in. He calls out Olladra's name, raises his fist and brings it down while staring at the leader of the sahuagin. A brilliant, radiant energy flows down from the heavens and strikes Sarquaa. Streko then returns to fleeing for his life.
_____________________________________________________________

Streko casts Sacred Flame at Sarquaa and, the die-roller is down. :-(

2d8 damage should it beat Sarquaa's dex roll.

[Jeff]

Since the group isn't in full flight mode, I've updated the map to include the actual features/landscape. Do refresh the page. I'll change that if the group continues to run. I'll also tackle Streko's action on Streko's turn (after Kal).

[Darren]

Kal watches as the Whelmed close in around the sahuagin and catches a glimpse of the yugoloth swooping down. A fight is on them, but better ground is still needed. "The Whelmed have bought us a bit of time, anyway," he says aloud. "Keep moving," he continues, even as he backpedals away from the fight. "Attack if you can, but keep moving. Condign, Adamant, Belarin...move!" he yells as he extends his arm towards the approaching sahuagin. Electricity forms on the tip of Skyfang, waiting for Kal to release it.

_________________________
Kal will move 25 feet north. This should put the farthest sahuagin (#9) 100 feet away from him.

Kal will then ready his action. If Condign, Adamant, and Belarin move sufficiently to either side to provide him a clear line of fire, Kal will cast Lightning Bolt straight south. That should catch Sarquaa, 1, 2, and 9. Dexterity saving throw vs. DC 14. 8d6 lightning damage on a failed save and half as much on a successful one.

[Brian]

Condign's mind reels. The Whelmed. The sahuagin. Sarquaa. The yugoloth.

So many enemies.

Then his military training takes over. When you are outnumbered, remove your most dangerous foe first. He recalls one of the lessons Lorjad taught him; it falls like the clearest water over a mighty fall.

Mages kill many...fighters kill few.

In the midst of this rotted darkness, Condign smiles.

From a distance further than seems possible, Kal shouts. Glancing back, Condign sees deadly splinters of lightning darting between Kal's clenched fingers, and his hand thrust forward. Condign has seen this before, and even without Kal's warning, he knows what to do.

Take out your most dangerous foe first.

Condign moves deftly around Belarin and Histra, placing his body between them and the yugoloth that hates them. With the creature descending like a herald of death, the tiefling embraces the rage that is his heritage.

"Come for me!" he shouts. "I watch and ward my master, and I will have your hide for a cloak before you so much as touch him!"

____________________________________

Condign is trying to Intimidate the yugoloth into attacking him. If that is possible, Jeff, let me know and I'll roll for it.

Also, he readies Dodge in case the yugoloth attacks, focusing on defense for now.

[Jeff]

Kal moves into position and readies himself, arcs of electricity crackling from the tip of Skyfang. Tangat keeps with him.

Streko conjures and hurls a bolt of pure white light in one swift motion and it blasts into Sarquaa head-on. While it doesn't slow the apparition, it elicits a hiss and he does look burned.

Condign interposes himself between the diving yugoloth and Histra. The tiefling fixes his attention on defense, watching his enemies carefully, and misses Histra's slight shake of her head. But Belarin notices. "Teleportation, remember," she says, "Be ready!"

The three Whelmed continue to engage the cluster of sahuagin who have attacked them in turn.

---

Darren, I edited your post to use the phrase readied action. There is no delay action in this edition of the rules. I'd like to try to kill off the use of that word to avoid confusion.

Brian, there may be times when a Charisma (Intimidation) check could be used to scare someone into backing off. But with the yugoloth, we're beyond that. No mere bluster can stave him off. But that's fine; Condign's stance is still good, and Dodge is perfectly fine for an action (granting enemies disadvantage on any attacks against him until his next turn).

Round 3 continues:

14 = Belarin & Histra
13 = Shorak
7 = Adamant
7 = Sarquaa
6 = other sahuagin
5 = yugoltoh

[Ken]

Belarin hears Kal’s voice and then Condign’s challenge to the yugoloth. After a short nod at Histra’s reminder, he calls to Kal. ”Kalarian! Condign, Histra, and I will deal with the flying idiot. Keep everyone else focused on the undead. Yes?”

He moves over to Condign, making sure that Histra stays with him. His cold presence sends chills down Condign’s back as he whispers, ”His possession of Histra’s staff is a serious problem for us. I have confidence that you can relieve him of it, my friend.”

He then points his dagger at the nycaloth. The green flames in his eye sockets erupt with fury. ”You are too stupid to leave,” he calls out, ”so your spirit I will reave.” He unleashes a blast of eldritch energy – shrieking souls around the red-and-silver flame – at the nycaloth.

____________________________________

Belarin moves 10 feet to the northwest and then fires eldritch blast at the nycaloth. I’d like to disarm him, too, but only once he’s close enough for one of us to easily grab the staff once it’s dropped.

Eldritch Blast attack ( d20+7 = 19 ) damage ( d10+3 = 4)

[Jeff]

Belarin's blast grazes the nycaloth but hardly hinders it. A grimace twists his face, but nothing more. Histra steps out from around Condign but still keeps the tiefling before her, then flings out her hand, sending a ghostly hand howling eerily but almost silently across the distance. The fiend wheels in the sky, evading her spell.

● The nycaloth takes 4 points of damage from Belarin's attack.
● Histra's attack roll: 10 (miss)

13 = Shorak
7 = Adamant
7 = Sarquaa
6 = other sahuagin
5 = yugoltoh

[Dave B.]

Shorak keeps an eye on the Nycatloth. He continues moving north, trying to keep an equal distance between Kal and the rest of the party, keeping everyone in his line of sight. He draws his boomerang and readies himself to let that winged beast have a taste of it's three blades if it dares to attack any of his allies.

Shorak moves 15 feet north and readies an attack on the Nycaloth when it swoops in or teleports to attack anyone. Any chance Shorak gets an advantaged attack from being invisible.

[Jeff]

[Dave W.]

​
Adamant hears instructions from Kal and Belarin and steps back carefully but stays facing the Whelmed and oncoming sahuagin. He gives his sword a flick to clear off some of the Whelmed's water.

Pointing sword tip at the leader sahuagin, Adamant tries to shout though his broken voice hinders him, "Sarquaa! Do you recall our last meeting; when we sent you into the maw of the Devouerer? How can you hope this will be different?"


The warforged stands ready to recieve the charge.

---

Okay, bunch of stuff...
I'm assuming Histra moves, because I'd like Adamant to move into that space (1NW, 1N). If not I'll settle for 1NW. In either case, Kal should now have a free line of fire...

I want to use a ready thing too!! My trigger is when Sarquaa (yes, specifically him) comes adjacent and the action would be beat him to death with my sword...


So I have the Fighter Protection style which would let me impose disadvantage on an incoming attack against an ally (not me) that's adjacent. But it uses my reaction and I think I only get the one which is tied to my ready action this round. So I won't be doing the protection thing this round.

Also, just verfiying, but I don't yet have Sentinel since I haven't rested since leveling...

Reminder: if you are within 10 feet of Adamant you can't be charmed and get +3 to saving throws.

[Jeff]

With Belarin and Histra shifted around, Adamant follows Kal’s request and moves to one side, clearing a path for his human friend.

And then Kal can’t help but smile as he has a clear line of sight to the charging, desiccated sahuagin mutant!

Lightning spews from his outstretched hand, passes through Skyfang and then splitting the air with an audible crack as it breaks forth. Streko feels the air hum around him as the energy passes close by. But Sarquaa doesn’t even see it coming and makes no real attempt dodge at all: the tongue of lightning rips through his body, burning a gaping hole through his bony torso, then passes through and tears three more sahuagin. The third one, already struck by one of the Whelmed, goes down, convulsing as it perishes.

As before, all the rolls before can be found on the Rolz DarkEchelon page here.

● Adamant moves, then readies an attack.
→ As Kal’s reaction, he casts Lightning Bolt.
● Sarquaa’s Dexterity saving throw: 4 (failure) / 24 lightning damage
● Sahuagin #1’s Dex saving throw: 19 (success) / 12 lightning damage
● Sahuagin #2’s Dex saving throw: 6 (failure) / 24 lightning damage / slain! (now removed from the map)
● Sahuagin #9’s Dex saving throw: 10 (failure) / 24 lightning damage

The lightning smote Sarquaa but does not check his charge. Seeing Adamant standing defensively before Histra, Belarin, and Condign, the former prince croaks a nasty, snort-like sound and veers his path away and towards Streko instead. He spares a final glance toward Kal before unleashing his fury upon the halfling. Two-handed his trident comes down and bites visibly through Streko’s chainmail, sending a fire of agony through the halfling. The three-pronged weapon doesn’t fully impale the halfling, but the tines sink in enough to hold him in place, at which point the mutant’s third arm lunges out and wraps around Streko’s neck, nearly enveloping his head in its shriveled, weblike size. As the razor claws dig into his skin, Streko feels a cold numbness sinking into his body, but he fights the paralysis off.

Without waiting to see if the numbness takes hold, Sarquaa opens up his mouth—a maw of many-layered barracuda-like teeth—and bends over, his body nearly folded in half around the halfling. The jaws snap shut, teeth worrying around and through Streko’s armor. Several dozen cuts riddle through him, and Streko feels the warmth of his blood soaking through his clothes.

It is clear that Streko may not survive another savage attack like this.


● Sarquaa moves then attacks Streko three times.
● Sarquaa’s trident attackt: 19 (hit) / 9 piercing damage to Streko
● Sarquaa’s claw attack: 19 (hit) / 8 slashing damage to Streko / Streko’s Constitution saving throw is 12 (success, Adamant’s presence of +3 made all the difference here)
● Sarquaa’s bite attack: 19 (hit) / 8 piercing damage

The other sahuagin—those not occupied by the Whelmed—flow and push past, spilling around the Whelmed like waves crashes through porous rock. They begin to swarm around Condign, Adamant, and Streko.

The nycaloth’s wings snap as he swoops down in a burst of speed. “Your enemies will always come back to you!” he howls with laughter as he comes down. Instead of dive-bombing as it looks like he would, he slows again with another fury of his wings. When he is directly above Belarin, he speaks an incantation and three more of him appear close around his body—the duplicates are obviously illusionary, but they drift and encircle one another, making it impossible to tell which is the real fiend.

And then a Xen'drik boomerang appears out of thin air, arcs up, and sinks into the yugoloth—

—or at least one of his illusionary doubles. The double vanishes as the boomerang returns to Shorak, who is now visible again.

While hardly looking well, the nycaloth doesn’t look quite as wounded as when you last saw him. He still buries some of the scars and bruises from his fight with Histra before you reunited with her.

“FIRST, THE IR’SERELL BITCH WILL DIE!” the nycaloth bellows.

Finally, following almost unnoticed, the skeletal sahuagin—the one draped with seaweed and moving slower than the rest—stalks along the base of the cliff wall. A voice issues from it, speaking an incantation, and the voice is unpleasant and croaking as well, but it sounds, if one stretches the imagination, vaguely feminine. “Hold, sniveling vassal. The Devourer binds you!” This Adamant only hears in a whispering voice as if she was much closer.

---

● The remaining sahuagin (#5–12) move and Dash (but cannot attack yet).
→ Adamant's readied condition was not fulfilled, as Sarquaa did not to come within his reach.
● The yugoloth moves (flying) and casts Mirror Image. Any attacks that target him specifically have a chance of targeting one his duplicates instead.
→ As Shorak's reaction, he attacks the yugoloth (Mirror Image roll of 11, one duplicate is attacked)
● Shorak's attack: 27 (hit) / duplicate is destroyed
● Yugoloth has two mirror images remaining.
● Shorak is visible again.

● The skeletal sahuagin moves then casts Hold Person on Adamant. Dave, give me a Wisdom saving throw for Addy!

Dave B, the wording of Shorak's readied action was a little vague. Strictly speaking, the yugoloth didn't attack anyone yet ("when it swoops in or teleports to attack anyone") but if I'm reading into your intent, the yugoloth has swooped in close and is clearly hostile so I'm allowing it anyway. No advantage on the roll for being invisible, I'm afraid; the yugoloth has hypher-awareness (i.e. blindsense).

This map has been Frankenstein’d up a bit, since I updated my map using only Paint. I’ll do a cleaner Photoshop version of it later. But at least it shows where everything is. The black-background creature in the back is the skeletal sahuagin. The nycaloth is positioned right now directly above Belarin and Histra, about 15 feet up. Hard to show this on the map with the Paint program. Also, Shorak is no longer invisible. I'll amend that visually in my next update, too.

Round 4 begins:

18 = Kal & Tangat
16 = Condign & Streko
15 = Whelmed
14 = Belarin & Histra
13 = Shorak
7 = Adamant
7 = Sarquaa
6 = sahuagin
5 = yugoloth
4 = skeletal sahuagin spellcaster

[Dave W.]

Adamant feels the sickly energy of the witch's spell slide across his stone skin...

---

Here I was hoping an angel was talking to Adamant...

Anyway, save is:
dlw32:1D20+8 → 17(9 + 8)#Wisdom Save vs Hold

Not sure what the DC to save against is... hope this is good...

[Darren]

"Dammit," Kal growls, seeing the situation go from bad to worse. "I told you all to run!" Now that the fight is fully engaged, Kal has no choice but to try to even up the odds as quickly as possible. He feels weariness like he has never known before. He fears that his magic may fail him, that the fire which normally flows through his veins may be going out. His mind cannot easily focus on the magic anymore. Only instinct remains. Kal flexes his right hand and out of the corner of his eye, he sees a faint glow from his dragonmark. Taking a deep breath, Kal unleashes his magic again towards his foes.

_____________________
Kal will cast Lightning Orb centered between 7, 9, and 12. Should be able to hit those three without endangering Streko (more).

Dex save vs. DC 14. 2d4 lightning damage or half on a successful save.

[Jeff]

Adamant feels a cold grip attempting to hold fast his body, and then it slides away, finding no purchase on his spirit.

[Brian]

Seeing the sahuagin slip by the Whelmed, Condign realizes that the fight has become much deadlier. Even the yugoloth, hovering feet above them, has joined the fray. And while the tiefling would prefer taking out the winged fiend, he quickly sees that he cannot reach it. That leaves the sahuagin that now surround him.

Lifting his sword, he chops at the sahuagin standing directly in front of him.

_____________________________________________

Condign attacks sahuagin #6:

Condign:1D20+7 → 16(9 + 7)#attack roll
Condign:1D20+7 → 18(11 + 7)#attack roll

If they hit,

Condign:1D8+4 → 6(2 + 4)#damage roll
Condign:1D8+4 → 6(2 + 4)#damage roll

[Joe]

Streko reels from Sarquaa's vicious attack. His first instinct is to grab his holy symbol and cry out Olladra's name, praying she answers so he and his friend's can leave this cursed realm alive. His prayers condemn the undead creatures around him, beseeching their souls be sent directly to the dark heart of Khyber.

"Your hunger is nothing. Your weakness is everything. Your God's forsake you. Olladra rains eternal suffering upon you and those you serve. You do not belong here. Flee or forever remain in this cursed realm. Flee! FLEE!!"

Despite the trembling of his voice and the blood rushing from his wounds, Therendor trembles in his hand, as if anxious to taste blood.
__________________________________________________________________________

Streko channel's Olladra's divinity and attempts to turn the undead around him.

[Jeff]

Even in this dark world, Streko's faith is true, and the domino of Olladra's symbol suddenly blazes with light. Without so much as a recoiling hiss, six of the sahuagin crowding around Condign and Streko both are burned so swiftly that are suddenly clouds of dust born away on divine wind. The two that remain croak in dismay, even though they are clearly undead themselves and essentially fearless.

Sarquaa's face, already hideous by his shrunken undead state, twists and snarls. Streko knows he's earned the mutant's continued attention!

Condign, seeing his chosen opponent suddenly gone, turns his blade on the nearest, sinking it deep into the creature's gut.

Beyond the immediate fight, you see two more of the sahuagin go down under the fury of the three Whelmed attacking them in turn.

Good call, Joe.

● Streko uses Channel Divinity to Turn Undead. (He now cannot use any more Channel Divinity until a short or long rest.)
● (Undead) sahuagin Wisdom saving throws to resist Turn Undead: 16 (success), 12 (failure), 12 (failure), 16 (success), 14 (failure), 3 (failure), 3 (failure), 10 (failure)
● Sahuagin #s 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are destroyed.
● Sarquaa's Wisdom saving throw: 16 (success)
● Sahuagins #1 and #2 and slain by the Whelmed.

14 = Belarin & Histra
13 = Shorak
7 = Adamant
7 = Sarquaa
6 = sahuagin
5 = yugoloth
4 = skeletal sahuagin spellcaster

Definitely refresh!

[Dave W.]

Adamant readies to attack the line of sahuagin in front of him when Streko calls upon Olladra and they turn to ash. "Brilliantly done, Streko!" he calls.
"Sarquaa! Now is our time. I have performed poorly in this place; it's curse clings to me. I am not certain I will be allowed to leave here. So let us dance together... leave the living alone and fight me instead." Adamant drives a furious set of attacks.

---

I miss being able to use Divine Challenge... Well, let's try a sword instead...

Move Action: 1NE, 1E; ending just north of Streko. Streko is now adjacent to me so if he is attacked I will use my reaction to defend him; imposing disadvantage to his attacker as per Fighter Protection Style.

Attack Action: First attack; I will use my Inspiration earned earlier… (Invisible Castle still not working… using Rolz)
dlw32:2D20H1 +7 → 22(high 1 of 11; 15 = 15 + 7)#Attack with Inspiration
dlw32:1D8+4 → 12(8 + 4) Damage

Second attack and damage:
dlw32:1D20+7 → 19(12 + 7)#second attack
dlw32:1D8+4 → 7(3 + 4) Damage

Reminder: anyone w/i 10' of Adamant can't be charmed and gets a +3 on saves...

[Ken]

Belarin witnesses Streko’s channeling of Olladra’s power – and he laughs. The warlock-lich gestures mockingly at the nycaloth – or rather at the three identical nycaloths. ”This – THIS – was your brilliant plan for revenge? Undead who turn to powder? Pathetic. Tell me, Idiot, how old was the ir’Serell who imprisoned you? Eight winters? Seven?” He follows up his taunt with another blast of eldritch fire, hoping that he strikes the right demon.

_____________________

Rolling on Rolz with eldritch blast:
Attack: d20+7 = 16. Damage: d10+3 = 4. Ehh, not much damage, but it should at least knock out another image.

[Jeff]

The nycaloth rolls his body, dodging Belarin's blast—which evidently had been headed for the real fiend. But the confusing array of images, though there are only two remaining, continue to conceal the identity of the real one. Before the fiend settles back into his stance, Histra's next ghostly hand, which launches straight into the air from her own outstretched arm, closes on his neck. He gasps and coughs and his flesh turns several shades grayer.

"Yes, stoke his pride," Histra says to Belarin. "It's why he's risking this attack."

---

● Belarin's spell attack (Mirror Image roll of 1, no duplicate is attacked): 16 (miss)
● Histra's spell attack (Mirror Image roll of 1, no duplicate is attacked): 22 (hit) / 13 necrotic damage to the nycaloth

Adamant's action will take place after Shorak's. I'll handle that then.