Chapter 20: Coming Dawn

[Dave W.]

Oh, awesome… 1d8 for improved smite, I'll toss a 2nd level smite on top:
dlw32: D4 + 4 + D8 + 3D8 → 23(1 + 4 + 6 + (7 +2 +3) )

5 bludgeon, 18 radiant

[Jeff]

Above

Adamant's hammer smacks into the figure climbing up the railing, but it's the holy fire that hurts the thing the most.

The remaining monstrous crab continues its assault with Melethos in its grip, and in fact scuttles up fully onto the deck. The claw already gripping Melethos squeezes, as though it's hoping to snip him apart so it can move on to other things. But he's managed to twist his shield into a more advantageous position and he pushes back, preventing it from crushing him further . . . though it does nothing to free him.

The crab reaches out with its other claw, then, and snaps at Starg! The minotaur is not very quick, but he manages to duck just beneath the clenching pincer. Kurra advances as quick as she can toward the same (and currently only) crab, enacting another short-range spell with a rod: a spray of poison flares into the monster's face!

The water-logged humanoid creatures that have climbed up to the edge of the ship now attack. The one perched near Adamant lunges back at the paladin like a ghoul, long-nailed claws leading the way. He is well armored, of course, so it manages to dig one taloned hand into the softer parts of his body. Its face opens wide like a deadly fish and it wraps around one of the Adamant's arms like a leech; yet the gnashing teeth fail to punch through the metal. The monster pulls back angrily.

And that's when a large snakelike head rises into view nearest to Streko. The serpent from the beach! Its body must be coiled around the folded wing of the ship, but right now it has a baleful glare set upon the halfling. It says no words this time, but the green gem set into its skull flares with light. It bathes both Streko and Adamant first in its lurid green, then both Shorak and Sem, who spot the snake now as well. Every nerve on the surface of the halfling's and halfdrow's skin screams with bright pain; even Adamant experiences this, as though all of the metal in him heats to an irregular temperature. It feels like the sun's own light, but much too hot to bear. Sem nearly crumbles to the deck under the magical assault, groaning.

Even when the sickly green light fades, Streko and Shorak feel that something is wrong with them.

• Adamant's attacks miss.
• Starboard crab's attack vs. Melethos: 20 (miss)
• Starboard crab's attack vs. Starg: 10 (miss)
• Kurra's spell-attack vs. starboard crab: 25 (hit) / 11 poison damage to starboard crab
• Humanoid creature's claw/claw/bite attack vs. Adamant: 25 (hit); 17 (miss); 18 (miss) /  8 slashing damage to Adamant
• Humanoid creature's attack vs. Brack: 10 (miss); 24 (hit); 11 (miss) / 10 slashing damage to Brack
• Serpent appears and emits a 30-ft. cone of light.
→ Adamant's Constitution saving throw (w/ Aura bonus): 7 (failure) / 35 radiant damage to Adamant
→ Streko's Constitution saving throw (w/ Aura bonus): 8 (failure) / 35 radiant damage to Streko
→ Shorak's Constitution saving throw: 7 (failure) / 35 radiant damage to Shorak
→ Sem's Constitution saving throw: 8 (failure) / 35 radiant damage to Sem

→ Streko's Concentration saving throw (w/ Aura bonus) to maintain concentration: 5 (failure) / Banishment ends, the second huge crab returns


Below

Belarin, Kal, Tangat, and Thul regain their full senses again. They can still "hear" a semblance of that terrible screech in their minds, and it makes them speak louder than they need to as if trying to talk over it, but it doesn't hinder them anymore.

• No one is stunned now.

Round 2 continues:

22 - Kal & Tangat
20 - Streko
20 - Brack, Calira, Starg, Sem, Histra
20 - Thul
14 - Shorak
13 - Belarin
7 - Adamant
3 - foes
1 - Melethos

On the map, the green cone is just to show you the area of effect. It is gone now.

Attachments:

[Brian]

Melethos hunches close, trying to hide as much of his body behind his shield. When the crab squeezes, the tiefling is able to avoid any injury.

Gritting his teeth, he spits arcane words at the crab, casting a spell. He then brings his sword around and cuts savagely at the crab, desperately trying to free himself.

_______________________________

Movement Action: None--grappled

Bonus Action: Melethos casts Hex on the crab. His attacks now deal an extra 1d6 necrotic damage and the crab has disadvantage on Strength checks.

Standard Action: Melethos attacks the crab twice with his longsword

Melethos: repeat 2D20 + 9 #two melee attacks on the crab → 16; 25(7 + 9);(16 + 9)

Alric3512: repeat 2D8 + 5 + D6 #damage from the two attacks → 16; 18(5 + 5 + 6);(8 + 5 + 5)

That's 23 slicing damage and 11 necrotic damage.

[Jeff]

CHUNK goes Melethos's blade as it crackes through the hard shell and cuts into the flesh beneath. His magic withers the wound, and the great crab makes a pathetic high-pitched wail. The limb is almost entirely cut through, but not quite severed.

Round 3:

22 - Kal & Tangat
20 - Streko
20 - Brack, Calira, Starg, Sem, Histra, Kurra, undead servants
20 - Thul
14 - Shorak
13 - Belarin
7 - Adamant
3 - foes
1 - Melethos

[Joe]

Streko feels seared by the serpent's beam. "We are sorely at a disadvantage, my brother. We must even the odds, at least a little, until reinforcements arrive!"

With his left hand, Streko reaches out toward the monster directly in front of Adamant. Olladra is named and a blinding light streaks toward it, a piercing beam of radiant energy that slams into the creature. With his right hand, Streko touches Adamant's shoulder and an almost visible field of energy surrounds the Warforged, an extra layer of protection.

____________________________________________

Streko casts Guiding Bolt on the humanized fish directly in front of Addy (next attack roll made against the creature before the end of Streko's next turn has advantage, thanks to the mystical dim light glittering on the target until then), while simultaneously casting Shield of Faith on Adamant, giving him a bonus +2 to his AC.

Guiding bolt → 26
Radiant damage → 10 HP

[Darren]

With the immediate threat in the hold seeming to have moved away, Kal's senses begin to clear. He notices the uneven rocking of the ship, and remembers Melethos' mental scream. Something is happening above. "Get up top," he says to everyone in the hold, "I think this is bad."

Kal closes his eyes and vanishes, appearing a moment later next to Brack. Quickly taking in the scene, Kal's eyes widen and his dragonmark blazes instinctively as he raises his hands in front of him and spreads them out, a wall of fire appearing on the edge of the ship's deck, burning away at those in its path. "My apologies, captain, but better to fix some ship damage than be at the bottom of the river..."

_________________
Kal will cast Dimension Door to move up to the main deck, one square south of Brack on the map.

He will use 2 Sorcery Points to do a Quickened casting of Wall of Fire. The eastern end will be the end of the Dragonfly along the gunwale and extend in a straight line up towards the bow. That puts the snake and the crab right in it, and question mark man right next to it.

Snake and crab must succeed on a Dex save or take 27 fire damage (or half on a save).

Hot side is towards the water (south).

[Jeff]

Above

Brack grunts with surprise when Kal appears beside him, but the shifter rolls with it. He can see Brack has been actively sinking arrows into a humanoid creature that Kal suspects was one of the ones he spotted below. It looks manlike, and is even clad in clothes, but the thing trails long tendrils. Then Kal summons his wall of flames, which spring up along the gunwale itself, surprising Adamant and Streko more than anyone! They feel the heat, but not so much that it hurts them; Kal has directed the burning for the other side of the wall.

Streko immediately loses sight of the creature he was intending to attack, and half of the great crab vanishes behind the flames. The monster squeals as it is roasted. The serpent hisses and recoils but then cannot be seen through the fire, either. Streko does deliver his protective spell to Adamant, however.

"Aye, that might do," Brack shouts to Kal appreciatively, under the circumstances not bothered by so much fire on his ship. Then, at point blank range, he looses two more arrows into the fish-man nearly upon him. One arrow sinks into the creature's shoulder, the other its neck. It thrashes and squeals but does not stop moving yet. The tauth swoops down, trying to snap at the enemy's head, but misses.

Through the shouts of battle, the unsettling sounds of the monsters, and the slashing rain, the voice of Calirataia can just be heard, singing...and the vines that have wrapped around the back of the ship begin to untangle themselves! Starg conjures and throws yet another chromatic orb that crackles with lightning, but this time it only grazes the great crab Melethos is fighting, and then vanishes into the storm.

Sem, however, launches more Magic Missiles at the beast. Three darts convene perfectly at the monster's face, and Melethos watches as both its eyes explode under the sudden force. The great behemoth convulses and screams . . . and then finally drops, a great dead weight. The claw that the tiefling nearly severed relaxes, though it doesn't release him.

"You're welcome, Melethos!" the gnome shouts triumphantly, with a note of snark.

Kurra, faced with an agonized, fire-stricken crab, turns around again. She sprays poison from her rod again, hitting it full in the face. The crab is frenzied now.

With one crab dead, the skeleton instantly turns and approaches the other, slashing away at the parts exposed through the wall of fire. 

The serpent cannot be seen by anyone on the north side of the wall of fire.

→ Port-side crab's Dexterity saving throw vs. Wall of Fire: 7 (failure) / 27 fire damage to crab
→ Humanoid creature's Dexterity saving throw vs. Wall of Fire: 7 (failure) / 27 fire damage
→ Serpent's Dexterity saving throw vs. Wall of Fire: 18 (success) / 13 fire damage
• Streko cannot target what he cannot see, so he doesn't use Guiding Bolt. But he can still cast Shield of Faith.
• Adamant is granted a +2 bonus to AC for 10 minutes (concentration).
• Brack's shortbow attacks: 22, 24 (hit); 17, 13 (hit) / 6 and 6 piercing damage to humanoid creature on starboard side
• Starg's spell attack vs. starboard crab: 11 (miss)
• Starboard crab is dead.
• Melethos is no longer grappled, though pulling himself free will require half of his movement (like getting up from prone).
• Kurra's spell attack: 21 (hit) / 18 poison damage to the crab
• Tauth's attack: 4 (miss)
• Skeleton's attacks vs. crab: 23 (hit); 12 (miss) / 5 damage to crab

Below

Histra conjures another spectral hand but it smacks into the wall, not the creature through the porthole. "Are you all right?" she says over her shoulder to Belarin.

Thul again lurches back out of the cabin, dropping his hammer since he needs a free hand to ascend the ladder. "Top-side," he grunts, then pushes past Belarin and climbs up.

---

• Histra's spell attack: 11 (miss)

Round 3 continues:

22 - Kal & Tangat
20 - Streko
20 - Brack, Calira, Starg, Sem, Histra, Kurra, undead servants
20 - Thul
14 - Shorak
13 - Belarin
7 - Adamant
3 - foes
1 - Melethos

Attachments:

[Ken]

Belarin feels clarity return to his mind - well, as much as it ever does. Aside from the creature that Histra is targeting, all the threats now appear to be above. "I'm going up!" he says to Histra. "Be careful!"

He goes up the ladder as quickly as he can.

_______________________________

Jeff, will Belarin still have an action once he gets on the deck?

[Jeff]

Yup, just remember the difficult terrain; when he's up at the top, he's got 15 feet of his speed remaining.

[Ken]

Belarin emerges to behold a scene of delirious chaos: In the middle of the wind and rain, Kal and Histra's skeleton are fighting a giant crab that's enveloped in flame, Melethos is wrestling himself free from another crab (although this one appears dead) -- near the rearing head of the serpent!

Of course.

He hears more fighting behind him, but he's already recognized the main adversary. He taps Shorak on the shoulder and says, "Shorak, that snake leaves a nasty sting / You're invisible now - go kill that thing!"

_____________________________

Belarin casts greater invisibility on Shorak. He then goes back down the ladder.

[Dave B.]

As Shorak goes before Belarin, here is his action before receiving the benefit of the Greater Invisibility.

Seeing that the monstrous crab that had Melethos in its claw is now apparently dead, Shorak changes his target to the other crab, since there is enough of it poking through Kal's Wall of Fire. After catching his boomerang, Shorak feels the touch and voice of Belarin. "Oh! Yes, I like that spell." he says and starts moving towards the bow of the ship, hoping to get line of sight on that damn serpent. "Don't run into me, I'm invisible." He calls out to those he comes close to, as he finds himself just south of Melethos and not far from Starg.

Ranged attack vs. port crab with Sharpshooter feat: 1d20+10-5=19. Slashing damage: 1d6+5+10=18. Sneak attack damage: 5d6=17.

Move action: 5 squares west and 1 square southwest, using Cunning Action, of course.

[Dave W.]

“Ah of course,” Adamant acknowledges the serpent right before Kal throws the firey screen between them. “Excellent Kal!”

Adamant also thanks Streko, “And Streko, also excellent.”

Adamant is cut off from his opponent. He moves down to the one opponent that’s visible. “Streko, please move away from the firewall… the serpent will probably come through right about where you are.”

He makes his attacks against the crab.

---

Move Action: 1NW 1W
Bonus Action: none
Standard Action: Two attacks giant crab,

dlw32: D20 + 8#firstattack → 13(5 + 8)
dlw32: D20 + 8#secondattack → 25(17 + 8)

I think they both hit… normal damage plus improved divine smite. I think I'll hold spell slots for now.
dlw32: D4 + 4 + D8 → 15(4 + 4 + 7)
8 bludgeon, 7 radiant
dlw32: D4 + 4 + D8 → 15(3 + 4 + 8)
7 bludgeon, 8 radiant

---

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]

Shorak's boomerang slashes the crab's face before returning perfectly to his hand. It is already roasting amid the wall of fire, now it is worsening.

Shorak moved to his new position before Belarin came up: Belarin can reach Shorak if he Dashes but won't be able to casts Greater Invisibility on him this turn. So what's Belarin going to do?

Round 3 continues:

22 - Kal & Tangat
20 - Streko
20 - Brack, Calira, Starg, Sem, Histra, Kurra, undead servants
20 - Thul
14 - Shorak
13 - Belarin
7 - Adamant
3 - foes
1 - Melethos

Please also remember that you're not having easy conversations on top deck. Shouting is the only way to be heard amidst the rain. I'm not seeing much observance of that.

Attachments:

[Ken]

OK, Belarin will pursue Shorak like a jilted boyfriend this round and cast his invisibility spell next round. Dave B, you may want to Ready your next attack action to occur after Belarin casts his spell (retcon: Belarin SHOUTED his rhyme! 😁) so that Shorak can immediately take advantage of it.

[Jeff]

Above

Belarin hurries over to where Shorak has just run, breathing hard for the effort and trying his best not to slip hard (the voices in his head are verily demanding it), and with a touches, transmutes his friend's body. Shorak fades from view.

Adamant renews his attacks on the great crab. Crack! Crack! goes the hammer, and the monster squeals and pulls back in pain. Even as its weight bears it backward, Adamant is still working to free his hammer from one of its right limb. The result is that the entire clawed arm splinters and cracks free. Blood gushes to the deck, and the monster nearly roars in pain as its weight carries it backward in full retreat. Or maybe death; it's hard to tell. Either way, it did not want to remain in the fire. Everyone hears the great splash of the monstrous crab. Meanwhile, one of its claws drops to the deck in front of Adamant.

Then suddenly the large serpent with its distinctive gem-inlaid head appears amidst the kelplike vines, having slithered around the wall and just into view of Brack and Kal. The serpent's head raises up just enough to hiss the words of a spell!

Kal spots his enemy, though, and answers with a retaliatory arcane word of cancellation!

But he isn't fast enough. The serpent's spell is unleashed, and suddenly a cloud of sickly red fog swirls into being just behind Kal himself. It's a forty-foot diameter sphere that encompasses everyone on the bridge (Kal, Brack, Calirataia, even one of the piscine humanoids) and those just below it (Streko, Thul, and Sem). It isn't just putrid: it's clearly poison and deadly! And it blocks all sight. Those near Brack can hear (but not see) a muffled curse from him, but then you can also hear the thud of the monster he was fighting hitting the deck, dropped by the killing cloud.

Kal, who knows how some spells work, knows that the cloud itself will not be static, but will begin to roll slowly away from its caster. (10 feet per round away from where the serpent is.)

---

• Shorak is now invisible for 1 minute, while Belarin maintains concentration
• Port-side crab falls back off the ship, either Disengaged or dead/dying
• Serpent moves to partial cover amid the vines (+2 AC) and casts a spell
→ Kal casts Counterspell
→ Kal's spellcasting ability check vs. DC 15 (to attempt to dispell a 5th-level spell): 5 (failure)

Cloudkill is in effect, a 20-ft-radius sphere. On the map, it looks hazy, but it is actually heavily obscured (so none of you can see through it at all; anyone in the cloud are effectively blinded so long as they're in there). Each person who enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there (so Kal and Streko on their next turns...) must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 15). They will 5d8 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures are affected even if they hold their breath or don't need to breathe (like Adamant, if he enters the cloud).

→ Fish-man's Con saving throw: 7 (failure) / 12 poison damage
• Fish-man falls unconscious or dead

Round 3 continues:

22 - Kal & Tangat
20 - Streko
20 - Brack, Calira, Starg, Sem, Histra, Kurra, undead servants
20 - Thul
14 - Shorak
13 - Belarin
7 - Adamant
3 - foes
1 - Melethos

Attachments:

[Brian]

The crab falls, and Melethos barely has time to thank Sem, when Adamant dispatches his crab and then the serpent appears! It casts a spell and a red fog spreads out over the deck. Between the fire wall and the fog, Melethos has no one to attack.

He looks around, spots the soarsled, then notices Starg standing next to it.

A grin splits his face.

Fighting the rain and the slippery deck, he works his way toward the soarsled and steps on it. Then he shouts at Starg. "Cast Fly on the soarsled! As powerful as you can!"

Taking a deep breath, he waits to see if the minotaur complies with his request.

__________________________________

Movement Action: Melethos moves three spaces to stand on the soarsled

Free Action: Shouts at Starg

Bonus Action: Melethos uses Second Wind to regain hit points.

Melethos: D10 + 10#hit points regained from Second Wind → 18(8 + 10)

Ready Action: Melethos uses the Ready Action to mentally activate the soarsled should Starg cast the Fly spell.

[Darren]

Kal coughs and wheezes as the poison cloud engulfs him. The fight is moving fast, almost too fast. He waves his right arm in a downward arc, the wall of fire disappearing even as Kal himself disappears in a shower of sparks and appears a blink later between Kurra and Belarin. His left arm raises in an opposing arc, and a swirling mass of wind and lightning appears over the area of the deadly cloud, buffeting those inside. He knows...he hopes...his friends will survive the onslaught, even as he directs a bolt of lightning into the snake perched on the stern of the ship.

____________________
Constitution save is a 21. Kal will take half of whatever the damage ends up being.

Kal will use Lightning Shift to move to the square between Belarin and Kurra.

He will dispel the Wall of Fire and cast Storm Sphere, centered right over the Cloudkill sphere. Apologies to everyone inside of it. They must succeed on a DC15 Strength saving throw or take 6 damage. (Better than the 5d8 from Cloudkill.) Per Jeff's statements, the sphere will hopefully move the cloud out faster. The area of the sphere is difficult terrain (which I think it already was anyway...not sure if that stacks).

Kal will use his bonus action to attack the snake with a lightning bolt. Attack roll is a 16. If that hits, damage is 15.

[Jeff]

Above

Kal, coughing the whole time, stumbles through the killing fog; he knows his way around the ship, fortunately, but he shoulders into Streko when he gets down the stairs—moving so rapidly across the slick deck; the sharp horn that juts from Streko's pauldron catches him on the arm. A minor thing, but it hurts moving this quickly.

Adamant sees Kal emerge from the cloud suddenly. Then Kal casts a new spell as the Wall of Fire dissipates. A Storm Sphere engulfs the poisonous cloud, its howling winds adding to the noise of the rain! Kal finds that he cannot see the serpent at all, and therefore cannot target it with his sphere's lightning.

---

Lightning Shift lets Kal double move very quickly, but it doesn't stop difficult terrain, and remember that the Cloudkill area is totally obscured. So I have placed Kal the full distance he can go right now: just outside the Cloudkill area 1 square NW of Adamant.

• Kal takes 9 poison damage.
• Kal takes 1 piercing damage from Streko's armor!
• Kal casts Storm Sphere.

Storm Sphere: Each creature in the sphere when it appears or that ends its turn there must succeed on a Strength saving throw or take 2d6 bludgeoning damage. The sphere’s space is difficult terrain.
→ Streko's Strength saving vs. Storm Sphere: 14 (failure) / 5 bludgeoning damage to Streko
→ Thul's Strength saving vs. Storm Sphere: 19 (success)
→ Brack's Strength saving vs. Storm Sphere: 17 (success)
→ Calirataia's Strength saving vs. Storm Sphere: 3 (failure) / 5 bludgeoning damage to Calira
→ Sem's Strength saving vs. Storm Sphere: 4 (failure) / 5 bludgeoning damage to Sem

Cloudkill (now affected by Storm Sphere) is in effect. The area remains heavily obscured this round, but on subsequent rounds the area will become lightly obscured due to Storm Sphere. Each person who enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must make a Constitution saving throw with advantage (DC 15). They will take 5d8 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures are affected even if they hold their breath or don't need to breathe (like Adamant, if he enters the cloud).

As stated already, the Cloudkill is opaque; Kal has no line of sight on the serpent with which to target it.

Round 4:

22 - Kal & Tangat
20 - Streko
20 - Brack, Calira, Starg, Sem, Histra, Kurra, undead servants
20 - Thul
14 - Shorak
13 - Belarin
7 - Adamant
3 - foes
1 - Melethos

Attachments:

[Joe]

Streko sees and feels the cloud of noxious fumes engulf him, even as he suddenly feels a slight tug at his shoulder, wondering what that was. Then, the lightning storm hits and Streko feels his body being pummeled by the torrential winds within it. Proving the adage that valor is overrated, Streko retreats to a point 15' northwest of where he is, outside of the storm zone. He sees many of his friends, though not all, and realizes that they are still within the killing zone of the dueling spells.

"I can only do what I can do at this moment, for I cannot see our target, but I do see most of my friends. Therefore..."

Streko calls upon Olladra to provide a beacon of hope for all of them, including himself.
________________________________________________________________

Streko casts Beacon of Hope and, for the next few moments, at least, Kal, Adamant, Shorak, Melethos, Sem, Kurra, and himself have advantage on Wisdom saving throws and death saving throws, and regains the maximum number of hit points possible from any healing.

Constitution Saving Throw → Natural 20

[Jeff]

Above

Streko gets clear of the overlapping spells, though he feels that poison at work in his lungs. Every breath is an agonizing burn. But it doesn't stop him from his prayer and bolstering nearly everyone on deck with confidence and a surge of restorative energy. Still, Streko himself feels in bad shape.

"Calirrra!" Brack shouts, coughing somewhere in the fog. "Get away from here! Leave the damned plants!" You hear his heavy footfalls on the deck of the bridge as he hurries somewhere, followed by the clatter of his discarded bow. There is a rustling sound, a loud snakey hiss, and some cursing from the shifter. "Little help, here!" the captain calls out. "I got it."

The dryad rises from the deck, gasping, beside Starg.

Beacon of Hope doesn't require Streko to see his allies. Any or all of them within range can be affected.

• Streko takes 12 poison damage.
• Beacon of Hope: For 1 minute (concentration), Streko and all allies (except Starg), even Histra who he cannot see, has advantage on Wisdom saving throws and death saving throws, and regains the maximum
 number of hit points possible from any healing.
→ Brack's Constitution saving throw vs. Cloudkill w/ advantage: 8, 24 (success) / 21 (halved to 10) poison damage to Brack
→ Calirataia's Constitution saving throw vs. Cloudkill: 8, 3 (failure) / 29 poison damage to Calirataia
→ Sem's Constitution saving throw vs. Cloudkill: 12, 8 (failure) / 16 poison damage to Sem
→ Thul's Constitution saving throw vs. Cloudkill: 26, 10 (success) / 25 (halved to 12)
• Brack's attack? : 20 (?)
• Calirataia tree-strides.

Histra's skeleton rattles as it runs toward the cloud, rushing past Kal and plunging into the poisonous storm. The Deneith heir loses sight of it quick, but can hear the winds howling and shoving it against the stair railing as it goes. At least, he knows, it will be immune to the poisonous fog itself. No one can see the undead tauth but you hear it flapping around the stern of the ship. Thul also doesn't exit the cloud. In fact, Kal sees the fog swirling around in front of him as the Karrn fumbles past, going deeper in. He hears the man thundering up the stairs.

May 28, 2021 13:53:18 GMT -4 Brian said:

Then he shouts at Starg. "Cast Fly on the soarsled! As powerful as you can!"

Starg immediately complies. "Be careful!" he yells, but in the rain Melethos can't really see the minotaur's worried expression.

Sem hurries from the raging spell areas, looking stricken, but musters up the strength to cast a spell of his own. But the words stutter and the spells persist. He looks miserable and sick. "Bel...Belarin, can you?"

Kurra, too, stands tall and faces the fog. She claps two objects together: a rod and a powder of glowing sparks. They spray toward the spell effects . . . but nothing dissipates. "Khyber SHIT," she swears loudly.

Belarin doesn't know what is happening in the galley below, where both Tangat and Histra are.

• Skeleton moves and Dashes
→ Skeleton's Strength saving throw vs. Storm Sphere: 12 (failure) / 11 bludgeoning damage to skeleton
• Tauth's advantaged attack: 22, 20 (hit) / 10 damage
• Starg casts Fly as a 4th level spell
→ Melethos activates the soarsled
• Thul moves and Dashes.
• Sem moves and casts Dispel Magic
• Sem's Intelligence ability check to dispel: 5 (natural 1, failure)
• Kurra moves and casts Dispel Magic
• Kurra's Intelligence ability check to dispel: 8 (failure)

Round 4 continues:

22 - Kal & Tangat
20 - Streko
20 - Brack, Calira, Starg, Sem, Histra, Kurra, undead servants
20 - Thul
14 - Shorak
13 - Belarin
7 - Adamant
3 - foes
1 - Melethos

Attachments:

[Dave B.]

Shorak reaches into the folds of his cloak and pulls out his last healing potion. He quickly downs it and then calls out. "I can't go through those...whatever they are. I'm going to climb up to the crow's nest to be above them and see what I can see from there." He starts climbing up the mast to the crow's nest, wanting to stay above those spell cloud things. Looking over to the aft of the ship, he tries to determine what his best strategy should be for what's is happening.

Shorak drinks a healing potion(the regular one.): 2d4+2=7.

Move action: Shorak will climb up to the crow's nest, using Cunning Action to dash.

[Ken]

"Can barely see anything through that!" yells Belarin, unsure of who is actually able to hear him over the howling winds from both the rain and Kalarian's spell. Suddenly the voices in his head chitter chidingly, Idiot boy! Speak through the cloud, you don't need to be loud!

The wand. Of course. Belarin grabs the newly acquired candlestick wand from his belt and says, "Histra! The serpent has cast a poisonous cloud up here. Can you dispel it? I can't. Kalarian is trying to move it with his storm."

_______________________

Belarin uses 3 charges from the wand of whispers to cast Sending at Histra. He sends her a message of up to 25 words (I counted!) and she can reply in kind.

[Dave W.]

“This cloud will kill us.” Adamant says though he doubts anyone can hear over the natural storm and Kal’s unnatural one. He considers running to get his glaive or moving up but he is too far.

Seeing Sem try to end the cloud spell, Adamant commits to the same. It is a long shot for him, he’s not a spell prodigy, but he thinks it is the most important thing that he could do.

“Lady, lend me Your Strength to send this posion away.” He tries to focus through the din and energy and the pitching deck…

---

Move Action: none
Bonus Action: none
Standard Action: Dispel Magic
Charisma Check: dlw32: D20 + 3 → 4(1 + 3)

Ok. I mean it was less than a 50-50 chance.

---

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]

Above

Shorak climbs the mast, glad that this rope ladder wasn't one of the lines snapped by the crabs. He reaches the crow's nest and finds the heavy rain and the cloud both obscure most of what's going on at the back of the ship. He can just make out a moving sinuous shape that might be the serpent, thrashing madly for some reason.

May 30, 2021 13:45:47 GMT -4 Ken said:

The wand. Of course. Belarin grabs the newly acquired candlestick wand from his belt and says, "Histra! The serpent has cast a poisonous cloud up here. Can you dispel it? I can't. Kalarian is trying to move it with his storm."

"Poison!" Through the spell, Belarin hears Histra as if she were right beside him, but her voice is strained and clipped, as though she were hindered in speaking. "Here, too..."

With Histra's words, Belarin realizes (Arcana 18) this about Cloudkill:

The vapors, being heavier than air, sink to the lowest level of the land, even pouring down openings.

Adamant tries to negate the serpent's poisonous fog, but it doesn't work. Worse, it's drifted, and now it engulfs more of you (and presumably away from some allies).  

With the drifting of the fog, Shorak, now fifty feet up, can now see above it. He can see where the two spells—Kal's storm sphere and the serpent's cloud—still overlap. Just beyond the storm sphere, he sees the shape of the serpent, and it appears to be in a net! Brack and Thul are right up next to it, providing it with some cover. But constrained by the net, it's also a slightly easier target.

Cloudkill is still in effect, but has drifted 20 feet west. It remains heavily obscured (so none of you can see through it at all; anyone in the cloud are effectively blinded so long as they're in there). Each person who enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 15). They will 5d8 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures are affected even if they hold their breath or don't need to breathe (like Adamant, if he enters the cloud).

Belarin, Sem, Streko, Adamant, and Kal will all be starting their turns in the Cloudkill; Kal's storm sphere does not reach where they are, so it does not provide advantage on their Constitution saving throws. Remember that there is no visibility where they are, so they are moving blindly (they do know their way around the ship well, but should not benefit from knowing where everyone else is right now).

The heavy rain creates light obscurement, so Shorak can still see and target normally (but any checks made to see or hear would be made with disadvantage). It's not heavy wind, so ranged attacks are no impeded. The distance between Shorak and the serpent (which is restrained) is 75 ft.

Round 4 continues:

22 - Kal & Tangat
20 - Streko
20 - Brack, Calira, Starg, Sem, Histra, Kurra, undead servants
20 - Thul
14 - Shorak
13 - Belarin
7 - Adamant
3 - foes
1 - Melethos

Attachments:

[Brian]

Following Melethos’s mental command, the soarsled lifts smoothly into the air, despite the storm’s turbulence. Rain lashes at him. Nevertheless, he keeps his footing. Soon he floats about thirty feet above the Dragonfly and slightly toward the stern.

Kal’s storm obscures much of the deck, but just beyond the cracking energy sphere…

The serpent!

How did it find them?

The tiefling shakes his head. How it found them doesn’t matter. He needs to deal with the threat now.

Throwing his arm out, words flow from his lips, arcane words, words of power. Three beams of energy, red veined with black, cut through the air, racing straight for the serpent.
_____________________________

Movement Action: Melethos moves thirty feet above the Dragonfly using the soarsled.

Standard Action: Melethos casts Eldritch Blast at the serpent. I read into Jeff’s post that the serpent has some cover but is restrained, so I’m using normal attack rolls.

Melethos: repeat 3D10 + 7 #attacks on serpent with eldritch blast → 10; 10; 13(3 + 7);(3 + 7);(6 + 7)

I'll roll damage on the 13, just in case.

Melethos: D10# damage from eldritch blast → 8(8)


EDIT

Melethos: repeat 3D20 + 7 #attack rolls against the serpent → 9; 12; 18(2 + 7);(5 + 7);(11 + 7)

That will only be one hit at best, so the one damage roll from the above post should be good.

[Jeff]

Melethos spots the serpent, but the mast is also partially in his way. He needs to get around it, or get closer. His fiery rays are off their mark. Had Brack unfurled the sail, there'd have been no chance of seeing much of the stern at all. But the storm had kept it down.

Kal can tell that Tangat is in distress; he is either retreating from or just escaped the same poisonous fog belowdeck (where Histra still is).

---

I had to figure out the hypotenuse, y'all.   To make sure both Shorak and Melethos can actually target the serpent. But yes, they can. That said,

Darren and Ken: after making a Con saving throw at the start of your turns (to determine whether Kal and Belarin are taking full or half poison damage), also roll a Con saving throw to maintain concentration on their spells (Greater Invisibility and Storm Sphere). The DC equals 10 or half the damage you take, whichever number is higher.

Round 5begins:

22 - Kal & Tangat
20 - Streko
20 - Brack, Calira, Starg, Sem, Histra, Kurra, undead servants
20 - Thul
14 - Shorak
13 - Belarin
7 - Adamant
3 - foes
1 - Melethos

Attachments:

[Darren]

Kal curses as the choking fog rolls towards him, then curses himself again for opening his mouth to inhale the toxic mass. Despite his coughing, Kal manages to hold onto the complex weave of his spell. He stumbles forward into the storm sphere, knowing that it must be safer there than within the cloudkill area. As he does so, he feels the winds pound and hammer him, knocking him sideways. He hits the railing of the ship, just barely managing to maintain concentration on the spell, but when he opens his eyes he sees the snake tangled in a net and knows it is his moment to attack. He unleashes a three bolts of fire, followed immediately by a line of lightning that leaps forward from the sphere itself.

___________________
Okay, here goes....

Constitution save vs. Cloudkill = 12, so Kal takes full damage.

Concentration check is a 20, so Kal maintains Storm Sphere there.

Kal will move 15' east, which puts him in the Storm Sphere but out of Cloudkill.

Strength check vs. Storm Sphere is a 3 (natural 1). Kal takes 6 bludgeoning damage from Storm Sphere.

Concentration check after that damage is an 11, so I THINK he maintains concentration.

Kal will cast Scorching Ray on the snake. (I'd use Lightning Bolt, but there's no way to avoid hitting Thul.) The cover provided by Thul and Brack being in the way is negated by Spell Sniper. Not sure if advantage applies because of the net, so I'm rolling with advantage but if I was wrong, just use the first attack number for each.

Attack roll 1 - 25, 24
Attack roll 2 - 23, 19
Attack roll 3 - 17, 18

I think all of those hit regardless of advantage.

Damage rolls are 3, 5, and 7.

Kal will use his bonus action to attack the snake with the lightning bolt from the Storm Sphere.

Again, rolling with advantage, but might be wrong....

Attack roll - 21, 9

That first one should hit, so if I was wrong about advantage, shouldn't matter...

Lightning damage - 8

Kal will use 1 Sorcery Point for Empowered Spell to re-roll the 1 and both 2's.

New damage for lightning is 17.

Total damage from Kal should be 32.

[Jeff]

Kal forces his way into his own spell's effects, holding his focus and unleashing both fire and lightning. Two scorching bolts rustle past Thul's arm and strike the serpent in its net (which is green?), then a tongue of lightning spits from the storm sphere and hits it as well.

• Kal takes 29 poison damage (setting the DC to 14, so yes, he maintains his spell), then 6 bludgeoning damage (and maintains concentration again).
• Two of his three Scorching Rays hit the serpent, totaling 8 fire damage.
• The bolt of lightning hits, dealing 17 lightning damage.

That's a lot of sorcery for one turn!

[Joe]

Streko still feels the acidic burn and realizes that Kal's storm sphere isn't going to work fast enough to keep some of them, including Kal himself, from feeling the effects. He turns and, with one last cough, casts another spell this one dispersing the magical cloud altogether.
__________________________________________________________

Streko casts Dispel Magic on the cloud of death.

[Jeff]

Brian: I'm afraid the reroll is a still a miss. The 18 would have hit but for the cover provided to the serpent by Brack and Thul.

Joe, you were supposed to start Streko's turn with a Constitution saving throw. Also, when trying to Dispel Magic on a spell higher than 3rd (Cloudkill is 5th), you need to also roll a spell ability check when you post. Please don't ask me to do all the rolls, too. But having said that:

→ Streko's Constitution saving throw vs. Cloudkill: 5 (failure) / 23 poison damage to Streko
→ Streko falls prone and is dying

Somewhere in the red fog, Streko can be heard gasping. He gives a sputtering cough and then even in the rain, you can hear the soft thud of a small armored body crumbling to the deck.

"S-Streko!" Sem yells in alarm, coughing hard himself.

Calirataia sinks into the deck and reappears at the gunwale ten feet from Adamant. She speaks words of druidic magic and a blast of powerful wind surges away from her, billowing the fog and pushing away a significant portion of it in a line away form herself. Belarin, Adamant, Melethos, and Shorak all see both Sem and Streko revealed and, at least for now, free from the killing fog. Sem looks ready to keel over himself, but he is able to pull himself through the wind close enough to Streko to tend to him. "Help him..." he tries to shout but from the poison and the rain, he can barely be heard.

"We've got to help Brack"! Kura growls, hustling through the cleared area and preparing to run right into the storm sphere.

→ Sem's Constitution saving throw vs. Cloudkill: 3 (failure) / 19 poison damage to Sem
• Sem's Medicine check to stabilize Streko: 10 (success) / Streko is no longer dying
• Calirataia tree-strides (moves) then casts Gust of Wind / a 10-ft.-wide line of the cloud is dispersed
• Kurra moves and Dashes (through difficult terrain)

Belarin is still in a Cloudkill area and will need to make a Con save on his turn.

From afar and through the slashing rain, Melethos and Shorak both see captains Brack and Thul savagely attacking the serpent. The Hammer of Syndra blazes with fire with each smack. They are certainly hitting the creature, but Melethos can't tell how they are faring. Histra's skeleton warrior has only just reached the back of the ship to join the attack. Even the tauth is flapping its wings and attacking the netted serpent. How long will it be held?

• Thul's hammer attacks vs. restrained serpent (w/ advantage): 29 (crit); 20 (hit) / 16 bludgeoning damage and 16 fire damage and 13 bludgeoning and 9 fire damage
• Brack's short sword attacks vs. restrained serpent (w/ advantage): 19, 12 (hit); 19, 28 (hit) / 11 and 10 piercing damage
• Undead tauth's attack vs. restrained serpent (w/ advantage): 7; 16 (miss)

Round 5 continues:

22 - Kal & Tangat
20 - Streko
20 - Brack, Calira, Starg, Sem, Histra, Kurra, undead servants
20 - Thul
14 - Shorak
13 - Belarin
7 - Adamant
3 - foes
1 - Melethos

Attachments: