(( OOC: Whoops, my bad. And fair enough, I'm good with either of those. Especially ambush. ))

"Well Dunavun?" Morgrim says after a brief conference amongst his companions. "Would you accept some damage to your door if it meant we'd have a better chance at putting the bastards out of business once and for all? Or would you rather we keep watch outside? They might decide not to try anything at all in that case, in which event you'd have to decide if you want to hire us on for an additional night or longer anyway."

"Might be cheaper to just fix the door."

In reply to Morgrim Ironhammer (msg # 67):

"If it is not too broken, I can fix it brother dear, like I did with the wagon spoke."

Dal smiled at their employer and waited for his input.

Dunavan indicates he cares little how the party protects his wares, just so long as they protect them, at least until Aarun comes to pick up the special cargo.

"I do hope that will happen tonight...he will show up that is," he adds. "I don't know what could be keeping him."

"Whatever you deem best," he finally adds in.

Dunavan admits he hadn't thought of long term protection prospects, but indicates perhaps he could turn to Slim and company, "if it means an end to this nonsense. Damn well can't count on Speaker Duvessa Shane to do much these days!"

"Lets hope it doesn't come to that," Morgrim replied. "I think we're settled at least. Lets go inside and warm up. If the bastards come we'll catch them in the act and drive them off."

Lets proceed with setting an ambush inside the warehouse.

Dunavan paces nervously while the adventurers, and hired help, examine the warehouse and discuss protection strategies. In the end Morgrim suggests riding the night out from within the warehouse. For his part, Dunavan says he will be in his private residence above the office, "hardly able to sleep a wink, I'm sure," he says.

He further suggests the adventurers listen for Aarun's arrival. The Harper will announce his arrival by knocking and stating the following phrase, "Truth be among us, the fox flushes fair." Should he arrive, Aarun is to be let in and Dunavan roused before passing the weapons crates to the Harper. Dunavan shows the adventurers the crates, this being their second viewing of them, the first occurring during the yeti attack at the gates.

Eventually Dunavan takes his leave of the adventurers are retires to his residence. Thus begins the party's vigil. Presumably watches are established and the party takes up position within the warehouse.

Before anyone really has an opportunity to drift asleep, the party hears scuffling and perhaps whispers on the other end of the warehouse door...

Morgrim raises his hand to alert the others, and strains his ears to hear what is happening. He does not call out for fear of giving away their presence. Instead he brings his shield to ready and draws his scimitar.

Dice roller is not my friend today.

10:21, Today: Morgrim Ironhammer rolled 6 using 1d20+5.  Perception.

Morgrim cannot really make out what is going on outside. He can occasionally hear what sounds like muffled voices and perhaps scratching, but that's about it.

'Lock picks?' Morgrim wondered. 'Certainly the quietest ram I've ever heard.'

The dwarven druid put his fingers to his lips and waited. Aarun would knock, and probably had no one with which to whisper in the first place, and anyone else would make themselves known in good time.

In the meantime he tried to hide himself in the shadows of the warehouse floor. It was not a skill that came naturally to him.

07:41, Today: Morgrim Ironhammer rolled 7 using 1d20+1.  Stealth.

In reply to Morgrim Ironhammer (msg # 74):

Dal stepped into the shadows when Morgrim signaled them.  She hadn't really fought beside Morgrim or Ellie before so she was content to let them take the lead over her.  She made a note to herself to talk to them about making it sound like there was a lot more people on guard next time.  It was a small spell that her Goddess granted her that she seldom used, except to annoy Morgrim at times, but it could stand to be useful here.  Later, if there was a fight, it still might be useful if she could do it then.

While Morgrim seemed to have some trouble hiding, Ellie had no such problems, which was odd as she had no more skill at it at all. However, darkness seemed to welcome her at that moment, and she blended into the shadows very well.

---

^{10:05, Today: Ellie Dovehand rolled 19 using 1d20+1.  Stealth.}

The party takes up position in the shadows of the warehouse: Morgrim to one side of the large warehouse door and Dalgura to the other. Ellie stands a bit further back, near the corner of the warehouse. Algonell draws his bow takes cover behind a stack of crates about 20 feet distant from the warehouse door and Byron keeps his club at the ready while standing to Dalgura's left.

The five of them wait, mucles tensed, for a few moments. Perhaps even a minute, for time seems to stand still with only muffled noises to punctuate the passing of seconds. Eventually the group hears a sizzling noise followed by a loud metallic 'pop'. Then, both warehouse doors come unhinged and fall inward!

Fortunately nobody is standing on the other side of the doors as they come crashing down. Following the loud bang, a gruff voice calls out, "A'right boys. Get in 'der an fin' 'dem crates. An' fast!"

Four men begin to stream into the warehouse in a hurry, unaware of the adventurers and hired help awaiting on the other side...



OOC: Surprise round. PCs are up!

Four Thugs
AC: 11
HP: 32/32, 32/32, 32/32, 32/32


PC        AC    HP    Insp  Spell Save  Conditions & Notes
Dalgura   15   10/10    0      13
Ellie     12   11/11    0      13
Morgrim   15   11/11    0      13


NPCs:
Algonell (AC 14, HP: 10/10)
Byron (AC 13, HP: 8/8)

Dal had her mace secured in it's wrist strap so that she could easily grab it when she wanted to.  Her first instinct was to call upon her Goddess' help though and so she cast her Sacred Flame spell at the second person coming through.  She would let Grim get the first and Ellie can pick her own target since she wasn't sure of Ellie's abilities.


Sacred Flame:  range 60'  target makes a dex sav throw or take 1d8 radiant damage.  Gains no beenfit from cover for the saving through.

11:25, Today: Dalgura Ironhammer rolled 1 using 1d8.  sacred flame damage if miss saving through. (oh dear.  At least it would be for damage and not to hit or something--LOL).

Morgrim steps out of the shadows and calls forth a host of grasping vines from the ground to ensnare and trip the robbers. "These crates are spoken for lads," he remarks. "I'd turn back if I was you. The guards will be here any minute," he lied. Amazingly it sounded rather convincing coming from his lips.

Action: Casting Entangle to include all 4 thugs if possible. DC 13 Strength check to resist. See below.
Deception: 15:30, Today: Morgrim Ironhammer rolled 19 using 1d20.  Deception.

quote:

Entangle

Casting Time 1 Action
Range 90 feet
Components V, S
Duration Concentration, up to 1 minute
Grasping weeds and vines sprout from the ground in a 20-foot square starting from a point within range. For the duration, these plants turn the ground in the area into difficult terrain.

A creature in the area when you cast the spell must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be restrained by the entangling plants until the spell ends. A creature restrained by the plants can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC. On a success, it frees itself.

When the spell ends, the conjured plants wilt away.

This is going to be some fight. 128 hp to whittle down to our 49. Its been nice knowing you guys ;)
This message was last edited by the player at 20:30, Sat 11 Mar 2017.

Ellie seemed to come out of nowhere, glowing in the shadows. Her eyes flashed red for a moment as she chanted in a strange arcane tongue, her fingers drawing a hexagram rune with red energy in front of her. She clapped her hands when the hex was complete, and it disappeared, suddenly appearing on the chest of one of the thugs. She then clenched her fist, red energy once again building in her palm before she thrust it out, and a blast of magic jumped out to strike at the mark she had put upon the criminal.

---

^{Cast Hex on any thug not entangled, or any at random if all entangled. Disadvantage on STR ability checks.
Cast Eldritch Blast at same target.
10:10, Today: Ellie Dovehand rolled 13 using 1d20+5.  Eldritch Blast Attack Vs. thug. HIT.
10:13, Today: Ellie Dovehand rolled 10 using 1d10.  Force Damage.
10:13, Today: Ellie Dovehand rolled 2 using 1d6.  Necrotic Damage.}

Four thugs begin to stream into the warehouse, urged on by a fifth voice heard somewhere outside of view.

"Get in there boys, fond what we're after, and quick!" the gruff and vaguely unhuman voice calls out.

At that moment, a flame-like radiance descends on the first individual to enter the door. The man cries out in alarm, but he is more startled than injured from the spell.

Moments later, Morgrim calls on dormant sedge and lichen to burst through the snowy ground. The plants' grasping roots snake around the four men, effectively entangling half of them, while the others breaks free of the grasping roots.

There is a lot of shouting and panicking as the four men stumble into the ambush, wide eyes searching the darkness for the source of their attackers. Eventually, one of the men in the threshold makes out Dalgura and perhaps Morgrim, but definitely the cleric.

"Boss!" one of the un-entangled thugs calls out, "they be spell-slingers in heres!"

"Then eliminate them!" the gruff voice calls out. None of the adventurers can presently see the source of this voice, as it is coming from somewhere outside of view in the adjoining alley.

Algonell and Byron fire a volley of arrows at the thugs, one of which strikes its target.

"We gotta get out of here!" one of the entangled thugs calls out.

Things are not starting out so well for the would-be silver weapon snatchers. What they hoped would be a smash and grab operation just became a little more complicated with the entrance of pesky do-gooders.



OOC: Two thugs are entangled, as indicated below. I applied the sacred flame damage to the one Ellie hit with the eldritch blast. The hex went on the other unentangled thug.

Four Thugs
AC: 11
HP: 19/32, 32/32 (hexed), 24/32 (entangled), 32/32 (entangled)


PC        AC    HP    Insp  Spell Save  Conditions & Notes
Dalgura   15   10/10    0      13
Ellie     12   11/11    0      13
Morgrim   15   11/11    0      13


NPCs:
Algonell (AC 14, HP: 10/10)
Byron (AC 13, HP: 8/8)

OOC: PCs are up!

"Focus your efforts! One dead ruffian is worth two wounded! We only have to hold them off until the guards get here!" Morgrim stressed, reiterating his lie. Surging forward Morgrim positioned himself along the enemy's front line and banged his scimitar against his shield. As the blade struck it unleashed a rolling wall of sound that cracked like thunder from the heavens.

Action: Casting Thunderwave, at least trying to hit the ones that are not entangled
DC 13 Con save or take 8 damage and be pushed back 10'. On a successful save take 4.

20:02, Today: Morgrim Ironhammer rolled 8 using 2d8.  Thunderwave.


This message was last edited by the player at 00:04, Mon 20 Mar 2017.

"You have it Brother."

With her off hand, Dalgura clenched her holy symbol and quickly cast her Sacred Flame cantrip on the thug that had already been wounded.  "Dear Goddess, please let him not dodge."


Sacred Flame:  range 60'  target makes a dex sav throw or take 1d8 radiant damage.  Gains no beenfit from cover for the saving through.

15:52, Today: Dalgura Ironhammer rolled 7 using 1d8.  radiant damage.

If she can also swing her mace then she will.  If not, ok and ignore this part.

With a quick swing of her arm, Dal had her mace in hand and swung.

6:49, Today: Dalgura Ironhammer rolled 24 using 1d20+6 ((18)).
 mace hit.   It should have been +3 not +6 but even with a +3 it would have hit.

16:51, Today: Dalgura Ironhammer rolled 3 using 1d6+1 ((2)). - Damage from Mace.

Sorry, apparantly I didn't realize I was supposed to post... anyways, I'm attacking with hopes that we are all focusing on the one I Hexed?
18:01, Today: Ellie Dovehand rolled 21 using 1d20+5.  Eldritch Blast Attack.
18:01, Today: Ellie Dovehand rolled 6 using 1d10.  Force Damage.
18:02, Today: Ellie Dovehand rolled 6 using 1d6.  Necrotic Damage.

The adventurers continute to hit the thugs hard as they attempt to force their into the warehouse. For their part, Algonell and Byron pepper the enemies with arrows. One thug is dropped in the process, one is hexed and badly wounded and two are entangled.

The two entangled thugs attempt to extract themselves from the grasping vegetation but are unable to do so. The hexed thug stumbles into the warehouse, oblivious of his surroundings, and begins randomly tearing into crates. "Weapons...must find them," he mumbles in a state of shock.

A fifth foe emerges from the shadows beyond the entangled entrance, this enemy garbed in a hooded cloak and armed with a bow. He takes a bead on Morgrim and looses an arrow. The arrow flies well right of the dwarf. Cursing to itself, the hooded figure shoulders his bow and draws a long sword. His hood is thrown aside in the process, revealing the enemy to be a hobgoblin.

"Damnit! Quit fooling around and find the crates!" he exorts of his companions. "I'll take care of these guys," he says while smiling cruelly.



OOC: Two thugs are entangled, as indicated below. I applied the sacred flame damage to the one Ellie hit with the eldritch blast. The hex went on the other unentangled thug.

Four Thugs
AC: 11
HP: 0/32, 6/32 (hexed), 16/32 (entangled), 24/32 (entangled)

Hobgoblin Leader
AC: 15
HP: 71


PC        AC    HP    Insp  Spell Save  Conditions & Notes
Dalgura   15   10/10    0      13
Ellie     12   11/11    0      13
Morgrim   15   11/11    0      13


NPCs:
Algonell (AC 14, HP: 10/10)
Byron (AC 13, HP: 8/8)

OOC: PCs are up!

Morgrim conjures a ball of flame within the palm of his hand and hurls it back at the hobgoblin leader.

"If ye think ye can, big boy," the druid taunts from behind his shield.

Action: Produce flame, spell attack hits AC 24 for 2 fire damage
22:00, Today: Morgrim Ironhammer rolled 2 using 1d8.  Damage.
21:59, Today: Morgrim Ironhammer rolled 24 using 1d20+5.  Produce Flame.

From the shadows Ellie gathers the dark power she finds at her fingertips once again. She unleashes it in another torrent of eldritch might, blasting the foe she had placed a bit of her own curse on. The eldritch blast did little more than sting the man, but then the hex on his chest began to glow brightly, flaring, and the skin around it began to instantly decay as if he was a weeks old corpse, before literally disintegrating a bit of his chest cavity and killing him outright.

---

^{22:49, Today: Ellie Dovehand rolled 19 using 1d20+5.  Eldritch Blast Attack Vs. Hexed Thug. HIT.
22:50, Today: Ellie Dovehand rolled 3 using 1d10.  Force Damage.
22:51, Today: Ellie Dovehand rolled 6 using 1d6.  Necrotic Damage. KILL.}

In reply to Ellie Dovehand (msg # 87):

Dalgura didn't have time to tell Ellie that she did good for she wanted to work on the other opponent (16/32 HP).

"Thank you my Goddess but I need to call on you again please."  With those words, Dalgura cast sacred flame and prayed that it would hit.  Just in case though, she also swung her mace and hoped she would do as good as last time.

Sacred Flame:  range 60'  target makes a dex sav throw or take 1d8 radiant damage.  Gains no beenfit from cover for the saving through.

07:31, Today: Dalgura Ironhammer rolled 8 using 1d8.  radiant damage if fails saving throw.
07:32, Today: Dalgura Ironhammer rolled 15 using 1d20+3 ((12)). - hit
07:39, Today: Dalgura Ironhammer rolled 7 using 1d6+1 ((6))- damage from Mace.

Dal, as much as I love that you're rocking these rolls and raining down righteous wrath, you can only do one or the other :) Sacred Flame and Attack both use your action.

Ellie dispatches one of the thugs and Algonell and Byron take care of another with a series of well aimed missile attacks, leaving just one entangled thug and their very displeased (and dispirited) hobgoblin shot-caller.

The thug struggles against the bonds of the entangling vegetation but is unable to extricate himself from his predicament. Sensing he is outgunned, but perhaps not outmatched, the hobgoblin weighs his options. Not liking five on one odds, he wisely chooses to shoulder his bow and hastily flees into the night. The cloaked hobgoblin doesn't even spare a glance back for his restrained goon.

"Marek! Don't leave me here! MAREK...You Bastard!" the entangled thug cries out to no avail.



OOC: One thug is entangled. Three have been dispatched. The hobgoblin leader fled on foot into the night, disappearing down an alley.

Four Thugs
AC: 11
HP: 0/32, 6/32 (hexed), 0/32, 24/32 (entangled)

Hobgoblin Leader
AC: 15
HP: 69/71


PC        AC    HP    Insp  Spell Save  Conditions & Notes
Dalgura   15   10/10    0      13
Ellie     12   11/11    0      13
Morgrim   15   11/11    0      13


NPCs:
Algonell (AC 14, HP: 10/10)
Byron (AC 13, HP: 8/8)

OOC: PCs are up!

p.s. Morgrim is right. You can either cast a spell or take an attack, barring any special ability which allows you to do either as a bonus action.


This message was last edited by the GM at 04:34, Wed 05 Apr 2017.