Chapter 18: Where the Mighty Rivers Roam

[Ken]

Belarin, having been knocked to the deck by the blast, gets into a sitting position. He stares, wild eyed, at the damage around him and at the braziers. He holds his head in his hands, allowing despair to possess him for 1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6 seconds.

Then he wipes the tears from his burned face and gets back to his feet.

[Joe]

Streko reaches up to the top of his head and feels the rough tips of hair that has been repeatedly singed. The good news...he still has hair. "Thank Olladra for that minor benefit!"

He then looks around and sees that all his participating friends have suffered damage and further notices Belarin struggling to rise and control his emotions. Such pain. Fear. He blames himself. He watches Kurra, determined as ever, continue working, prodding both Kal and Melethos to assist further, taking a flaming torch to the second brazier, the one allegedly containing Histra.
He goes to Belarin and touches his arm. "You will be the one to save your love. Now, don't argue with me. Don't even think it. You will be the anchor to bring her home to us! Olladra, give them all the faith and strength to finish this task! I beg of Thee, give them your power. Give them hope!"

Bright orange light surrounds Belarin, Kal, Melethos, and Kurra, as well as himself. "A little gift. There is much more available if needed," he says out loud.
____________________________________________________

Streko casts Prayer of Healing on Kurra, Belarin, Kal, Melethos and himself.

Prayer of Healing returns 18 hit points to all affected.

[Elvis]

Thul staggers from the force wave of the blast. Ceramic shrapnel from the braziers pepper his exposed skin with cuts.

As the heat wash hits him, he can feel the a tingle of amusement coming from Syndra.

He looks around at the burning wreckage, looking for any threats coming out of the fires.

If none appear, Thul moves to start dousing any fires that are burning the ship.

[Darren]

Even as Kal draws forth Skyfang, a flicker of flame appears at it's tip. Kal's concentration is on the small spot Kurra has pointed out. He can hit a target at 300 feet...he can do this.

_____________
Kal will use Fire Bolt.

[Jeff]

The ceramic shards sting for a moment, but Thul finds no fires have been set anywhere on deck.

Streko's prayer of healing lifts the pain from every burn, restoring some completely and taking the edge off from the rest.

Under Kal's and Melethos's spellfire, the coals they can barely see amidst a haze of red flare with life. Kurra pushes both human and tiefling back. Smoke begins to issue from the brazier, which is cold no longer. "We wait a moment, give it a chance to intensify." She nods to Melethos and Kal, so they know their part is done.

"As long as everyone's all right." She gives a nod of thanks to Streko for his prayer."

She then turns to Belarin, finally acknowledge the explosion. "I knew there was a...chance...of that happening, but it seemed, well, very unlikely. Hard to mess up." She gives Belarin a wink, then grimaces at the lingering pain and wipes her brow.

The smoke does intensify, becoming a thick brume of magic and smoke. Kurra lifts another rod-like device, but then it splits apart and becomes something like a bellows. She works it until it starts to swish and stir the smoke around. Kurra adjusts her goggles as if trying to see through the copious smoke. None of you standing nearby can see anything, but it seems the dwarf woman can. "She is there...but is beset somehow!"

Within the smoke, sounding muffled but present, you all hear a woman's scream. It sounds far away. Belarin can hear that it is a cry of pain and anger, but he can tell it's her...and it's full of life. And rage.

"Call to her, Belarin!" Kurra commands him, turning to the warlock. "Now. Do not be wordy, be prudent! She needs to hear you, to know friend from foe!" She beckons him to him to come amid the smoke, even though there is nothing to see yet.

Sem, coming closer, clutches at Belarin's sleeve. His large black fey eyes are wet. But he pushes at Belarin.

Ken, if Belarin complies, roll a Persuasion check (which is less important than what you say).

[Brian]

When Kurra says Histra is beset, Melethos draws his sword. Should whatever assails her follows her back here, he wanted to be prepared to severe it’s damn head from it’s body.

[Ken]

Belarin quickly steps forward! "Histra! It's Belarin! Kurra has opened a portal! We're here on the Dragonfly! Fight, Histra! You can't die if I'm not there - we made a vow! Come here!"

____________________________

Charisma (Persuasion) check: 1d20(13) + 8 = 21. Phew, that's better!

[Darren]

Kal takes a step back, placing a hand on Melethos' arm to pull him back, as well. He nods at the naked sword in his friend's hand. "Keep that handy, but give them space."

[Dave W.]

Adamant moves over to be near Belarin. He does not draw a weapon but stands ready to take any action Kurra directs. He is fidgety, clearly wanting to suggest something but does not.

[Jeff]

Belarin feels like his voice is getting swept away by a torrent of flame, it sounds impossible that it could reach Histra...

Yet suddenly the smoke fuming from the brazier changes as if pushed by a sudden wind. It shifts and widens. Something hard clatters onto the deck—like an oar or pole. Then the thud of boots hits the wood, and angry words of magic are spoken.

As the smoke begins to right itself and rise into its normal direction, all of you see a figure standing on the deck. She stands hunched like a cornered animal, ragged, her blacks robes half burned away, every inch of exposed skin darkened by either soot or burned flesh. Her hair—if she has any, you can't be sure—is plastered to her head, though it isn't water that cakes it there, and she instinctively turned the right half of her face away as if to avoid being seen. One good eye stares balefully out. She looks terribly wounded, but she's on her feet.

But even as you take in the sight of her, her spell is unleashed, directed by an outstretched hand: and that arm is more bone than muscle and skin! Her actual hand is blackened bones, animated like one of her own risen skeletons, and somewhere near the elbow is where flesh and clothing begins. In her other hand is Kal's wand, and that hand looks well enough.

The deck beneath you is suddenly filled with writhing black tentacles. Sem, Starg, Tangat, Thul, and Shorak are again out of the magic's reach. The rest of you find yourself forced to evade their slithering grasps.

Histra's spellcasting voice has a savagery to it. You're not sure she sees you as allies. She doesn't even seem to single Belarin out, either. "Belarin!" she screams, eye wild, as if still looking for him. 

Histra has cast Evard's Black Tentacles.

Adamant's Dexterity saving throw: 16 (success)
Belarin's Dexterity saving throw: 26 (success)
Kal's Dexterity saving throw: 13 (failure) / 10 bludgeoning damage and Kal is restrained
Melethos's Dexterity saving throw: 20 (success)
Streko's Dexterity saving throw: 17 (success)
Kurra's Dexterity saving throw: 14 (failure) / 10 bludgeoning damage and Kurra is restrained

The previous represents your saving throw at the start of your turn—so go ahead and post what your turn would be next. Kal and Kurra, since they are restrained, can choose to make a Strength or Dexterity check to try and free themselves (DC 16) but that uses their actions. These rolls do account for Adamant's proximity. I'm not rolling Initiative for this scenario, but everyone will still get to act. Note: If anyone in the area of effect doesn't exit the tentacles (difficult terrain) and therefore start your next turn still among them, then you'll have to roll again at that time.

Edit: Just realizing that I forgot to update the map after Dave stated that Adamant moved closer to Belarin. I had him positioned 1 square south of Belarin, which is why he, too, is in the area of effect (and is that much closer to others, allowing them to use his aura bonus).

[Ken]

Belarin's initial gasp of joy gets caught in his throat. What have they done to her? He knows that he needs to get through to her before someone is killed!

He says, "Histra, you're safe! This is no jest! Be calm, my love, and be at rest!"

____________________

Belarin casts suggestion on Histra, urging her to be calm. He moves to stand next to her (and ideally out of the tentacles).

[Dave B.]

"Histra." Shorak whispers, aghast at the condition she is in. He then takes a step or two farther away from the writhing tentacles.

[Darren]

Kal's initial feeling of relief at seeing Histra turns to shock and dismay as the creature before them attacks. And yet, he is sure Histra is still in there somewhere. He sees Belarin plead with her and thinks to himself that his friend needs help. Despite the spell that restrains him, Kal closes his eyes and stretches his emotions towards Histra, blocking out the sounds around him and focusing instead on the woman's thoughts.

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Kal will cast Detect Thoughts on Histra. It is his intention to search past the surface thoughts, so if you want to play it through faster, that's where we're going with it.

[Jeff]

Belarin sees the woman unmoved by his magic. His coaxing enchantment is torn apart by her frantic anger.

When Kal casts his spell, he immediately feels imagines a stab of desperation in Histra's mind. She is, he deduces by the sputtering arcane thoughts in her head, that she is retaliating against imagined foes. Perhaps real foes moments before. It is not familiarity that he feels in her mind, not yet.

Both men chant out their magics, but no one sees any change in the necromancer.

---

Histra's Wisdom saving throw vs. Belarin's spell: 19 (success) / She is unaffected

Kal's Detect Thoughts is in effect. In the first round it can only deduce surface thoughts; it's in the next round that you can probe deeper and force a saving throw.

[Elvis]

Thul stomps up to the oldwoman. A pang of sympathy manifests as a twitch on his face as he sees her painful injuries.

"Calm thyself, oldwoman!" Thul says as he slaps her across the face.

---

Thul moves 30', avoiding the tentacles. 

Slap: d20+7= 20 ; 1d4+3= 7 bludgeoning

[Brian]

Surprised by the thrashing tentacles, Melethos hesitates. Searching, he sees Belarin and Kalarian muttering and realizes they are casting spells, probably at Histra. When the beleaguered necromancer doesn't react, he knows they have failed.

The poor woman. She could kill them before she regains her senses. Dropping his sword and shield, he moves out of the frenzy of tentacles and races toward Histra. Thul arrives before him and slaps Histra. When Melethos arrives, he wraps his big arms around Histra, holding her tight.

"We have you, my lady! Belarin is here! You are safe!" He keeps repeating the phrase while holding her immobile.

____________________________________________

Melethos moves two squares north and one east. He then attempts to grapple Histra.

Melethos:1D20+8 → 19(11 + 8)#grapple attempt against Histra

[Jeff]

Thul's blow does not calm Histra, but it does nearly knock her out, and it makes her an easy target when Melethos strides over and wraps his arms around her. He is horrified how cadaverous she feels in his embrace; his nose is filled with the scent of burned flesh, even the sharp tang of lava—not something he's smelled since the Labyrinth.

Disrupted by Thul's attack, she loses concentration on her spell. The writhing black tendrils gradually relax their grip and fade away.

---

Histra's opposed Dexterity check: 4 / Histra is grappled.

Histra's Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration: 6

Evard's Black Tentacles is ended. Kurra and Kal are no longer restrained.

[Ken]

"Streko! Adamant!" yells Belarin in a panicked voice. "Do what you can! Now!"

He reaches out to her face - the non-seared side - and says, "Histra, you're safe. It's over."

[Dave W.]

Adamant moves up to Histra and gently lays a hand, "You are back among those who love you Histra. Have peace." He moves Dol Arrah's warming Grace into the scared woman.

---

Let's start with Lay on Hands for 40 hp.

[Jeff]

Adamant needs to make an attack roll (unarmed attack) in order to get his hands on Histra properly for use of Lay on Hands. She is not cooperating, not willing, and she's not restrained, just grappled.

[Joe]

Streko rolls, weaves and dodges the tentacles, making his way through and around them to Histra's right side. He watches Thul slap her, Melethos grapple her, and Adamant attempt to heal her wounds. Streko moves forward, whirling around and ending up just behind Histra. He isn't sure she can see him, especially with her being slapped and held. He comes up from behind and touches her, calling to Olladra for healing power. The tell-tale orange glow of Olladra's magic enters Histra's ravaged body, healing it of numerous injuries.
____________________________________________________

Streko casts Cure Wounds at 4th level on Histra, returning 20 hit points and hopefully alleviating some of her pain.

[Darren]

Kal feels the deck return under him, but his focus is still solely on Histra. He can barely hear what is happening around him. It is only her thoughts he seeks to hear. "She thinks she is fighting foes!" he calls out this friends. "Convince her otherwise. Do not harm her!"

_________________
Kal will keep going with the spell. Histra needs to make a Wisdom saving throw against DC 15.

[Dave B.]

Shorak sees what's happening, not sure if he can help. Then an idea comes to him. He runs to the barrel of water that Kurra keeps filled on the deck. He grabs a large rag nearby and completely soaks it. Quickly moving over to Belarin he offers it to him. "Here, Belarin. Cool water should help Histra realize she is no longer trapped where she was.' Shorak holds out the dripping cloth.

[Dave W.]

Dec 16, 2019 17:47:32 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Adamant needs to make an attack roll (unarmed attack) in order to get his hands on Histra properly for use of Lay on Hands. She is not cooperating, not willing, and she's not restrained, just grappled.

not great....
dlw32:1D20+7 → 11(4 + 7)

[Jeff]

Adamant is unable to get his hand onto Histra properly. She jerks away from him violently.

---

Giving Streko advantage on this "melee touch" roll...

Streko's melee touch attack vs. Histra: 25, 20

Histra is healed 20 hit points.

---

With her nearly surrounded, Streko weaves around and approaches the woman as discreetly as possible. His hand reaches out and brushes against one hip, and it's all he needs to unleash his spell. Restorative magic pours into Histra. Even as everyone else watches, the orange light of Streko's magic flickers across her body like a living thing, as if prioritizing the deadliest wounds. Her unslightly but less serious skin burns are ignored, but her outstretched skeleton hand is briefly limned by this magic, and when it fades again a nearly translucent layer of skin and muscle covers her forearm again. Histra cries out from the agony of regenerating nerves...

And then she goes limp, passing out in Melethos's arms. Almost. She spasms and her eyes open and roll again. But the fight has gone out of her. Kal's wand drops to the ground.

Suddenly the tiefling sees that he's holding the body of Jyoti again, as he watches the last spark off life fade from her eyes.... He's failed.

He blinks, and swears he can see her again with his waking eyes. That's new....

But no, this woman still has life, wounded though it is. And this woman is slighter of stature and much too light to be her. Gone is the vision of dead Jyoti. He sees it is indeed Histra only.

Belarin holds a wet rag in his hands now, given to him by Shorak.

Out of turn mode now.

[Ken]

Belarin steps forward and gently dabs the wet cloth against Histra's face and lips. "You're safe," he says soothingly. As he speaks, he picks up the fallen wand and hands it to Kalarian.

"You're back on the Dragonfly," he continues. "It's over." He looks over his shoulder. "Adamant, Streko, anything else you can spare, please."

Then he addresses Kurra, whose exhaustion is apparent. "Thank you."

[Brian]

"We'll take her below," Melethos says and starts for the stairs. "She needs rest and healing. A quiet place will be best for that. Belarin, Adamant, Streko, follow me." He glances at Kal. "I'll be back in a moment."

He carries Histra to the room she shares with Belarin and lays her on the cot. Should Belarin, Streko, and Adamant follow, he'll leave them to care for her and return to the main deck.

[Darren]

As Adamant and Melethos go to move below (assuming Adamant goes), Kal whispers briefly for their ears alone, "She must be watched until we are sure she will not relapse back into her memory. Stay with her, Adamant?"

[Dave W.]

Dec 17, 2019 12:04:51 GMT -4 Darren said:

As Adamant and Melethos go to move below (assuming Adamant goes), Kal whispers briefly for their ears alone, "She must be watched until we are sure she will not relapse back into her memory. Stay with her, Adamant?"

"Of course." Adamant says as he follows Melethos below.

When his friend lays her down on the cot, Adamant kneels down next to Histra. "Maybe you will allow this now." He gently touches her wounded shoulder and tries again to send warm healing into her.

---

Adamant does go below...

I'm assuming he didn't lose the Lay on Hands with the failed touch. So he'll do the 40 hp now. Otherwise I'll have to try a Cure Wounds...

Other than the obvious physical damage does there appear to be anything else wrong? Poison or disease?

[Jeff]

Kurra follows Melethos and Adamant with Histra down. (Are Belarin and Streko going, too?)

Kurra seems somewhat agitated...in a good way. Despite Histra's condition, the dwarf seems giddy that her work actually succeeded, but she says nothing to anyone. She is not smiling, but she is energized. She hauls out her magical jug, the one that seems to to generate copious amounts of pure water, and makes sure Belarin and Streko know to use it.

Then the artificer heads back up to the top deck. 

In the cabin below, Histra just seems stunned now, in a state of numb shock. Adamant sends more healing power into her body, and her breathing becomes simply shallow, no longer labored. Moreover, her forearm is fully restored of its muscle, tendons, and flesh, though that flesh is pale and raw and enflamed by the new blood flow. It looks agonizing, but she doesn't protest. One eye stares open, looking mostly into space and not so much on individuals. Her other eye was merely swollen shut and burned, but was not destroyed.

Whenever too many people gather close to Histra, though, she seizes up reflexively. Adamant suspects it's better if only he or Streko assess her, not both at the same time.

Either Adamant and Streko can make Medicine checks to assess her more completely, and to try and deduce any poison or disease. If Adamant merely wishes to help, he can stand back and advise, giving Streko advantage on his role.

Above, Shorak and Thul are the first to notice that Histra didn't come back by herself. There are no monsters, but there are some new objects now lying on the deck. One is a strange, zigzag-shaped bladed weapon....a light spear, though it seems somewhat impractical as one. It gleams with silver.

The other is a small coffer of gold, banded thickly with black iron. It looks heavy.

Ignoring the other items at present, Kurra sits down in front of the efreet brazier that remains, still smoking.

Brack stands at the helm, having reacted very little to the recent chaos. He, too, seems a bit numb, but he keeps the ship going and continues to eye the horizon.