Chapter 19: Endless Nights

[Dave W.]

Reminder: Adamant, Shorak, Melethos, Kal are blessed.

---

Adamant watches the two women rush ahead in different directions.

"I suppose we are splitting here… Please someone stay with Calitaraia!" Adamant calls chasing past her.

---

EDITED

Bonus Action: Activate glaive to do Force damage.
Move Action: 2N, 2NW (which costs an extra square of movement), 1N: should put him on the middle of the stairs going up
Standard Action: Dash 1NW, 3N..

---

Constant Effects (provided Adamant is conscious):

• Aura of Devotion: Adamant and allies within 10' can’t be charmed.
• Aura of Protection: Adamant and allies within 10' gain +3 on saves.
• Aura of Courage: Adamant and allies within 10' can’t be frightened.
• Sentinel: Adjacent creatures provoke opportunity attacks even if they use Disengage.
• Sentinel: If an adjacent enemy makes an attack against a target other than Adamant, he can use his reaction to make a melee attack against that enemy.

Possible Reactions:

• Fighting Style Protection: An attack against an adjacent ally suffers disadvantage when Addy has his shield up. Adamant doesn't have the shield now.
• Sentinel: If Addy hits with an opportunity attack, the target's speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn.

[Jeff]

Kal's fire misses as Adamant storms up the stairs, at last drawing close to the fiend again. He is dismayed to see that Relwalyn's body seems to be looking worse for rail; one of the zombies has taken hold of some entrails and pulled, slashing all that it can in a fury. She doesn't look pained, but as grief-stricken as ever. He fears another scream from her...

Instead, the gaunt rises, standing tall again and no longer in a landing crouch. Adamant can see its wounds more plain now; it is injured more than he's seen it so far. And then it holds out two hands toward the ghost of Relwalyn. Her mouth opens, her dead eyes widen in terror, and Adamant braces himself for the heartbreaking wail again.

And for a second, it seems to drag through the air, but it's quiet, muted, and then utterly silent. The woman's physical remains and entire visible spirit is suddenly drawn into the black fiend's being....snuffing her out and repairing some of it. 

The paladin doesn't know what's become of her soul, but he's quite sure it's bound to this creature's fate.

Two zombies remain to contend with.

• The fiend absorbs Relwalyn and regains 30 hit points. 

Round 4:

23 - Shorak (Ready)
19 - undead
19 - Belarin / Histra / Calirataia
15 - Adamant
13 - Kal
12 - fiend
9 - Streko
1 - Melethos

Attachments:

[Brian]

Going out of turn, so when Joe posts, that will leave Dave to post later tonight.

Melethos takes off after Adamant. His stomach turns as the gaunt consumes Relwalyn, but he also knows the woman sealed her fate a while ago.

He pauses for a moment, gesturing with his hand, then throws out his arm and three beams of deadly force race toward the gaunt.

_________________________________________

Movement Action: Melethos moves two squares north, three squares west, and one square north.

Bonus Action: Melethos transfers his Hex spell to the gaunt, who now has disadvantage on Strength checks.

Standard Action: Melethos casts Eldritch Blast at the gaunt.

Melethos: repeat 3D20+7+ 1D4 → 24; 18; 13(16 + 7 + 1);(7 + 7 + 4);(2 + 7 + 4)#attack rolls against the gaunt That's two hits.

Melethos: repeat 2D10+ 1D6 → 5; 3(2 + 3);(2 + 1)#damage from Eldritch Blast
That's a whopping four force damage and four necrotic damage.

Yeah, Team Mel!

[Joe]

Streko again reaches out to the Gaunt, launching waves of holy fire at the creature. He then orders the sickle to follow him as he chases after Melethos, Adamant and Kalarian, mindful of keeping the dryad next to him. "Calirataia, if you see the creature coming for us, stay as low as possible to the deck. I have my sickles and other weapons available. We will do our best to protect you!"

He looks up and watches the undead for of Relwalyn literally sucked into the Gaunt, which appears stronger afterwards. "Khyber's black soul! Am I responsible for this?"
___________________________________________________

Streko casts Sacred Flame and does  15 points of radiant damage if the Gaunt fails its Dex saving throw.

As for movement. Streko goes 25' in the same direction Adamant and company went. The sickle moves 20' following him.

[Dave B.]

Seeing everyone moving forward, Shorak follows, but chooses Histra's route instead. Dragging the rope of entanglement behind him, Shorak runs towards the port stairs and passes Histra. He stops about 10 feet past Histra and hurls his boomerang at the fiend, glad that the wraith has engaged it and is keeping it somewhat distracted.

Using Cunning Action, Shorak moves 5 squares northeast and 4 squares north.

Ranged attack vs. fiend: 1d20+1d4+10=29. Slashing damage: 1d6+5=11. Sneak attack damage: 5d6=20.

[Jeff]

This time, Streko's flare of holy fire hits the fiend, as does Melethos's warlock fire, if barely.

Shorak's boomerang slashes it across the brow—or where a brow would be on a proper face. It clutches at the wound.

With Relwalyn gone, the two remaining zombies hurry after the living. One lunges at Adamant, rending and slashing with fingers and splintered jutting bones; sheer savagery pushes through the warforged's defenses. The other sprints gracelessly down the stairs and throws itself at Melethos. It bangs repeatedly against the tiefling's shield.

The wraith, hovering fifteen feet in the air, reaches for the gaunt but this time the fiend is wary, avoiding its touch.

Histra advances no further, waiting for Belarin, but she emits another frosty ray from her staff.

With Kal and Melethos beside her, Calirataia moves no further, staying close to them. She hurls fire, but misses again.

→ Fiend's advantaged Dexterity saving throw vs. Sacred Flame: 7; 11 (failure) / 15 radiant damage
• Zombie's attacks vs. Adamant: 20 (hit), 23 (hit) / 11 slashing damage to Adamant
• Zombie's attacks vs. Melethos: 14 (miss), 10 (miss)
• Wraith's attack vs. gaunt: 11 (miss)
• Histra's Ray of Frost vs. gaunt: 22 (hit) / 6 cold damage and its speed is reduced by 10 ft until the start of her next turn
• Calirataia's spell vs. gaunt: 10 (miss)

Round 5:

23 - Shorak
19 - undead
19 - Belarin / Histra / Calirataia
15 - Adamant
13 - Kal
12 - fiend
9 - Streko
1 - Melethos

[Ken]

Belarin runs toward Histra, his fingers weaving a invisible design as he does. "No more swallowing zombies!" He finishes the incantation and thrusts his hand forward, releasing a ghostly duplicate of the hand that files toward the gaunt. The hand grabs onto the gaunt's wrist with a burst of pinkish-purple energy.

____________________________

Move: Directly toward Histra.
Action: Cast chill touch at the gaunt. Attack: 1d20(19) + 4 = 23. Ooh, nice!
Damage: 3d8(4,2,7) = 13 points necrotic and - more importantly - the gaunt cannot regain hit points until the start of Belarin's next turn. Also, if it counts as an undead, then any attacks against Belarin are at disadvantage.

[Dave W.]

Reminder: Adamant, Shorak, Melethos, Kal are blessed.

---

Adamant is relieved to see Melethos and Kal defending Calitaraia and that Shorak is with Histra. The zombie's scratches are painful but not immediately a problem. Being near the wraith, though technically an ally, causes him a different sort of pain.

But the root of all this chaos and misery is the creature flying just out of reach. One thing at a time… I need to fix that.

Adamant uses the butt end of the glaive to defend against the zombie while summoning Dol Arrah's Strength. Focusing his will he looks at the gaunt and releases that focus into one word… "Grovel."

---

Bonus Action: Activate Force damage on the glaive just for fun.
Move Action: None
Standard Action: Cast Command at the fiend. Grovel isn't quite the word I'd want to use but I can't think of a better one. So if it fails the fiend will spend it's turn moving to a prone position and then end it's turn.

---

Constant Effects (provided Adamant is conscious):

• Aura of Devotion: Adamant and allies within 10' can’t be charmed.
• Aura of Protection: Adamant and allies within 10' gain +3 on saves.
• Aura of Courage: Adamant and allies within 10' can’t be frightened.
• Sentinel: Adjacent creatures provoke opportunity attacks even if they use Disengage.
• Sentinel: If an adjacent enemy makes an attack against a target other than Adamant, he can use his reaction to make a melee attack against that enemy.

Possible Reactions:

• Fighting Style Protection: An attack against an adjacent ally suffers disadvantage when Addy has his shield up. Adamant doesn't have the shield now.
• Sentinel: If Addy hits with an opportunity attack, the target's speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn.

[Darren]

"Melethos, take care of our zombie problem," Kal says, jerking his head towards the offending creature. "Calitaraia, do not put yourself in harm's way." Kal makes a flicking motion with his staff, once again sending a bolt of fire streaking towards the gaunt.

________________
I'm out of juice! Can't do much of what I would like to do. Kal will just cast Fire Bolt at the gaunt.

Attack roll is a 17.

14 Fire damage.

[Jeff]

Belarin's spell strikes the fiend, and it seems to seize up for just a moment, only temporarily distracted.

Adamant knows the effect he wants, and knows that 'grovel' is the proper physical concept, but when he goes to speak it, he instead says: "Cower." Against the might of Dol Arrah, it feels more proper. But the fiend does not obey. But he does feel like his attempt has somehow offended it.

Then Kal's thrown fire hits the gaunt as well, and its body is unbalanced. Everyone looking up it feels more than sees something happening with it. Like a staff coiling with explosive energy...

Then gaunt drops into a sudden crouch, and with terrifying speed reaches out and snatches its closest attacker—Adamant!—right up from where he stands as if he were nothing more than an immovable tin soldier.

The creature's long tapering fingers curl around the paladin's body almost double and they are razor sharp. Even as the fiend lifts him upward again, its other hand rakes across the torso too fast for him to dodge; composite plating is peeled away; some only from the surface, leaving rents, but other parts of his armor seem to be ripped from the root. The Cyran design and inlaid Octogram are almost completely scored away. Adamant would gasp if he had a breath. Everyone else down below looks on in horror, watching the savage dismantling of their noble warforged friend.

Scraps of metal and splinters of wood tumble to the deck.

Although the fiend makes no noise of its own, the rending of his armor does make sound—Adamant can feel the tension in its disturbing body: this is what approximates rage in such a fiend.

Then the gaunt springs straight up into the air with its prize, winds flapping, and its tail whips around, puncturing Adamant near the neck as if trying to finish him off. Then it simply lets him go again . . .

Like a broken toy, the warforged crashes back to the deck in a new place, looking worse for wear but is remarkably still cognizant. The glaive he still holds stubbornly in his hand and even managed to right himself partially with it so that it was his armored posterior that hit first. That landing could have gone much worse then it did. But he doesn't feel so great.

The gaunt is now high overhead again, fifty feet up. (The map says 60 ft., ignore that.)

---

→ Gaunt's Wisdom saving throw vs. Command: 19; 13 (success)
• Gaunt's first clutching claw attack vs. Adamant: 26 (hit) / 19 slashing damage to Adamant and Adamant is retrained
• Gaunt's second clutching claw attack vs. Adamant w/ advantage: 11; 20 (hit) / 19 slashing damage to Adamant
• Gaunt's barbed tail attack vs. Adamant: 23 (hit) / 13 piercing damage and 0 poison damage (Heroes' Feast) to Adamant
• The gaunt moves (flies) 50 feet into the air (would have been 60 but for Histra's Ray of Frost). As a free action, it releases Adamant.
• Adamant takes 13 bludgeoning from falling and he is now prone.

Round 5:

23 - Shorak
19 - undead
19 - Belarin / Histra / Calirataia
15 - Adamant
13 - Kal
12 - fiend
9 - Streko
1 - Melethos

Attachments:

[Brian]

Again, posting slightly early to facilitate Joe and Dave.

"ADAMANT," Melethos screams as the gaunt devastates his friend. The warforged, his composite armor in shreds, his beloved holy symbol nearly torn from his chest, stares up at the fiend, his gemmed eyes flickering weakly. He raises his glaive, his warrior's heart defiant no matter what.

Anger flares inside Melethos, different from his other rages. This one burns his soul.

The tiefling's eyes slide to the zombie. The muscles of his jaw clench like fists as he says, "You're. In. My. Way."

His sword is suddenly in his hand. The grip feels good, familiar. He raises the blade and his vision turns red.

His weapon cuts through air and hate, biting deep into the undead. Without hesitating, he leads with his shoulder and brings his sword upward, and with all the rage he can muster, he tries to split the zombie in two.

"Run," he says to the dryad. His voice sounds ragged, desperate. "Run!"

________________________________________

Movement Action: None

Standard Action: Melethos attacks the zombie with his sword
Melethos: repeat 2D20+9+ 1D4 → 14; 20( (2) + 9 + (3) );( (8) + 9 + (3) )#two attacks against the zombie

Melethos uses a superiority die on the second attack on a Maneuvering attack. Cali can move half her speed without triggering an opportunity attack

Melethos: 1D8+5 → 9( (4) + 5)#damage from first attack

Melethos: 1D8+5+ 1D10 → 16( (7) + 5 + (4) )#damage from second attack with the maneuvering attack roll

That's a total of 25 points of damage to the zombie.

[Dave W.]

It just occurred to me that Bless is concentration and Addy took a spot of damage. So 4 CON checks... the damage was all under 20 so DC should be 10...

dlw32: repeat4 1D20+5+ 1D4 → 26; 23; 17; 28( (20) + 5 + (1) );( (16) + 5 + (2) );( (10) + 5 + (2) );( (19) + 5 + (4) )

[Joe]

"BROTHER!" Streko yells at the top of his voice. He glares at the Gaunt and points a single finger at it. "BURN!" he screams and a flash of orange light glowing like a starburst streaks toward the Gaunt, striking it dead center and surrounding the creature with glittering orange radiance.

Again, as if almost by instinct, Streko reaches back and calls the sickle forward to address the zombie acting as a barrier in front of Melethos. It slices into the undead creature. Streko, however, does not take his eyes of the prize. He will see this monster destroyed and his friends saved!!
__________________________________________________________

Streko casts Guiding Bolt at 3rd Level: To Hit → 22
6d6 and I get four "1s". Darren, don't you ever complain about the dice roller treating you poorly!! Radiant Damage → 13 (1 +1 +1 +1 +4 +5)

Next attack roll on Gaunt before Streko's next turn gets advantage!

Sickle attack on Zombie → 19
Force Damage → 6 hp on Zombie

[Dave B.]

Shorak's face is all determination. Then, when he sees that Streko has successfully cast one of Shorak's favorite spells of the diminutive cleric, Shorak smiles at the now glowing fiend. "Thank you, Streko!" he says and with the speed that he manages so well, Shorak runs past Adamant to stand directly under the fiend. He launches his boomerang straight up at it. It seems like he is already in motion as Shorak catches the returning boomerang and swiftly makes his way back to where he just was.

Shorak moves 3 squares northwest and 2 squares west or 4 squares northwest. It's hard to tell which of those combinations are the best positions, since I can't see through the gaunt. But since the Sharpshooter feat allows him to attack at long range without disadvantage, either one should do the trick.

Advantaged ranged attack vs. gaunt: 1d20+10+1d4=23; 1d20+10+1d4=25. Slashing damage: 1d6+5=10. Sneak attack damage: 5d6=19.

Using Cunning Action, Shorak retraces his steps back to where he just was. 2 squares north of Histra.

[Jeff]

Streko's orange-glow bolt explodes into the gaunt's form and its wings instantly buckle. Its whole form is limned in that same glow as it begins to fall. Before waiting to see if it's been felled, Shorak sprints closer and throws his tribladed boomerang. The drow weapon spins and slashes the fiend across its faceless head before spinning back around returning with supernatural ease into Shorak's hand. Before he even retreats back to where he started, the gaunt drops fully.

No cry of anguish, no death rattle. The body hits the deck with great force, and only the splintering of the wood makes any noise. Shorak jumps out of the way of one wing, and even Adamant is forced to pivot and roll away from the same great wing. The smooth black body does not move.

Streko's sickle, meanwhile, hews into the zombie he's chosen, and Melethos wades into it as well. The undead creature is cut viciously down. Spurred by the tiefling's command, Calirataia does spring away, away from him and her nearest allies, not away from the enemy. She hurries toward Adamant.

Adamant and Shorak are the first to notice that the last remaining zombie, as yet unhurt by any of your party's attacks, simply stops moving and becomes the lifeless corpse it maybe once was. Sinking to the deck.

Seconds later, the gaping holes in the deck fuming with green vapors become more visible as the miasma itself fades away. A tremor runs through the entire ship.

Histra turns to face Belarin and she gives a slight smile.

---

The gaunt appears to be dead!

We're out of combat mode now. I didn't move Calirataia on the map yet, but she is moving toward Adamant now. Nor did I move Shorak all the way back to his starting position, as the gaunt fell first.

Attachments:

[Brian]

The gaunt drops, apparently dead, and Melethos lets our a sigh of relief. The one remaining zombie also falls. He stows his sword.

"Cali," he calls after the dryad, "can you sense the Dragonfly?" He turns to Kal. "We need to get out of here while we can."

[Ken]

Belarin smiles back at Histra for a moment before turning again toward the gaunt. "While you're finding our way back," he says to the others, "I'll make sure it doesn't suck up any more energy. I'm not entirely sure how this plane works." He sends another phantasmal hand to grip the gaunt's neck.

___________________________________

Belarin again casts chill touch on the gaunt. I'm hoping it's an auto-hit, but just in case... Advantage on the attack: identical totals of 10, so maybe not.
Damage: 3d89(7,4,6) = 17 points necrotic and the gaunt cannot regain hit points. Again, though, this might have been a whiff.

[Darren]

Kal moves up to Calitaraia's side. He looks down grimly at Adamant. "Streko, can you at least get him on his feet? I'll see he gets back to the Dragonfly..." Kal looks up above them, hoping to see the hold of their ship, "if the Dragonfly is there. Calitaraia, please, I know you are concerned for Adamant, but the sooner we get out of here, the sooner we can see to his wounds. Can you sense the ship again?" Kal looks over his shoulder at Histra. "Anything?"

[Dave W.]

Kneeling, he looks at the falling gaunt, "Praise the Host and all my friends." he says with a tinge of pain.

"I, ah, seem to be a bit of a mess." Adamant sees the concern on his friends. Using the glaive as a crutch he stands up a little shakily. "I think Melethos and Kal are right... if we can leave now let's do it now. I was saving some of my Lady's Power for the combat, but I will recover more happily on the Dragonfly."

He does place a hand on the octogram to make sure it is still secure. And then he applies a small measure of healing to his rent chest plate.

---

Lay on Hands for the last 5 hp to himself.

I still have a 3rd level slot I was planning on using on a divine smite.

[Joe]

Streko checks on Adamant as quickly as he can get to him. He appears stable and is still quite alive. "Can you travel, brother? We must be ready to flee this realm immediately!"

[Jeff]

Belarin's spell just seems to sink into the gaunt with no effect. As if there is no life to weaken. He can't help but wonder what it's body is made of. Histra comes up beside him to look down upon it. She takes his hand and squeezes. She looks intrigued. "If we had time . . . " She turns to him. "Can you cut a finger free? Avoid the tail."

Calirataia listens to Kal, now that she sees Adamant rise again. She closes her eyes and shakes her head. "The Dragonfly is not near. It troubles me."

The sky seems like it's darkening, the entire landscape growing dimmer, and it makes Adamant's ubiquitous light seem a little bit brighter.

[Brian]

Melethos joins his friends. He looks at the dryad. "Do you have any way of contacting Captain Brack or Kurra?" His gaze shifts to Shorak. "Care to shimmy up to the crow's nest? Maybe you'll see something."

[Dave W.]

Jan 29, 2021 12:09:07 GMT -4 Joe said:

Streko checks on Adamant as quickly as he can get to him. He appears stable and is still quite alive. "Can you travel, brother? We must be ready to flee this realm immediately!"

"I am well enough. But disturbed that we are not free to return."

He give Calirataia a nod and glances around, " Well, it is some relief to see you are all well."

"Good Streko, I have a thought. Would you indulge me and inoke some holy fire on the beast? There are being, trolls for example, that return unless a specific energy is used to put them down. It's not a great thought but it's all I have a the moment."

---

I'm thinking a Scared Flame?

[Darren]

Jan 29, 2021 13:22:20 GMT -4 Brian said:

Melethos joins his friends. He looks at the dryad. "Do you have any way of contacting Captain Brack or Kurra?" His gaze shifts to Shorak. "Care to shimmy up to the crow's nest? Maybe you'll see something."

Kal nods at Shorak. "I'm exhausted, or I would fly up and look for myself. I want to conserve my energy, in case it is needed." He gestures up to the crow's nest. "Please."

_________________
Basically, Kal has enough energy for one Dimension Door and one Fly spell, or he can cast Fly on two of us, but that's about it.

[Ken]

Jan 29, 2021 13:12:10 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Belarin's spell just seems to sink into the gaunt with no effect. As if there is no life to weaken. He can't help but wonder what it's body is made of. Histra comes up beside him to look down upon it. She takes his hand and squeezes. She looks intrigued. "If we had time . . . " She turns to him. "Can you cut a finger free? Avoid the tail."

"I admit, I'm curious myself," says Belarin. "But let's keep it wrapped up until after Long Shadows." He walks over to the gaunt and attempts to cut off a digit with his pact dagger.

[Joe]

Streko nods at Adamant's thought. "It is possible that fire might act as a deterrent to revitalization. However, let me ask Histra first, as she may be more knowledgeable of this creature and its domain that either of us. And, let me just say, I am glad you are well, although I always thought I would need worry more over Kal's recklessness. Be more careful, my brother, even in dire circumstances. You are needed now more than ever!"

Streko goes to Histra and repeats Adamant's suggestion. "Should I consider it? Will the thing even burn?"

[Dave W.]

Jan 29, 2021 15:40:42 GMT -4 Joe said:

[Streko] "...And, let me just say, I am glad you are well, although I always thought I would need worry more over Kal's recklessness. Be more careful, my brother, even in dire circumstances. You are needed now more than ever!"

"Well I have always been impetuous you know..." He replies dryly.

"I suppose we should try every form of element we have access to... cold, holy fire, magical fire,... ummm, whatever the other are."

Adamant stays next to the fallen fiend, leaning on the glaive but watching for some sign of renewal.

---

"Fallen Fiend" there's a band name...

[Jeff]

Within seconds of Shorak being asked to try the crows's nest, the ship shudders again—vibrations run through your feet as you feel, but can't see, parts of the ship breaking somewhere. The sails above, already in an unrecoverable state, crumble like ash from the lines and masts. The rigging and rope ladders that run up to the crow's nest, creak and just fall from their anchors. The masts themselves begin to groan.

"Rapid degeneration," Histra mutters more to herself, stiffening and looking around. Then she looks to Adamant and Streko, to answer their questions about killing the gaunt. "No need. It is destroyed." She gestures to the decaying ship. "The nest is dissolving!"

Those standing nearest the big hole in the main deck suddenly hear a surge of flowing water. The sound of flooding decks. Kal even turns at the sound and can even see water churning not far beneath the splintered, rotting edge of the hole.

Histra tightens her grip in Belarin's. She is trembling, clearly still cold, but he can see there is fascination in her eyes. "It's remarkable. This ship is unmooring fully from Mabar—that is good for us, but the transition could be dangerous; the ship is catching up with time."

Calirataia dashes weakly over to Adamant. She looks to him like a tender tree about to be felled. Dryad wraps one arm around him tightly. "I am sorry for bringing you here. I saw a shape, and I heard voices, and it lured me somehow . . ."

Attachments:

[Brian]

The roar of rushing water unnerves Melethos as much as the gaunt's eerie silence. He edges closer to Kal.

"If we're translating back to our plane," the tiefling says, "that is indeed good. But if we end up in the river..." He shrugs and raps the metal of his armor with a knuckle. "I don't float."

[Joe]

"None of us do, Melethos. Kalarian can teleport one of us and allow another to fly. Adamant need not breathe and can make his way to shore. The rest of us need to find a way out of this realm and back into ours. Better find that portal sooner than later, I'd guess."