Exiting the water, Carmen immediately uses the prestidigitation spell to expel water from her clothes and blow a warm breeze through them. She even thought to style her hair to look presentable.

"Anyone else need drying off?" she asks, moving to help out where required.

"Yes, please," the tiefling nods, his heavy metal armour clinking gently as he shakes from the cold.

"Not a problem." says Carmen, and she practices her magicks once more upon the wet clothing of Victor. "I'll also warm your armour. It will last a while." she says, enacting the other property of her spell to keep an item warmed for up to an hours duration. Thinking of it again, she decided to make her own armour feel much warmer also.

Shivering cold, Chelsie emerges from the water and sets down beside Victor. "I c-can d-d-do that." She quickly lights the fire with her magic, and wills her spell to warm her clothes more thoroughly.

OOC: Prestidigitation to start the fire. Thanks for the advantage, not that it did any good (4 rolls under natural 8!). Chelsie has 2 levels of exhaustion and is considering removing her pants.
09:41, Today: Chelsie Primrose rolled 5 using 1d20+2.  advantage for Con save. [in the water]
09:44, Today: Chelsie Primrose rolled 7 using 2d20+2, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 3,5.  Out of water save next to fire. [first turn out of the water]

Winter in the woods back with the Green Knight were nothing compared to the bone-chilling cold of the water here. When Carmen offered the drying out after emerging Nutcracker was nodding furiously in an effort to affirm and to warm up as he settled in by the fire. As he warmed up he also checked that his bow and the borrowed crossbow were in good shape.

OOC: Nutcracker rolled 7 using 1d20+1.  CON vs Cold Adv. (in water)
Nutcracker rolled 16 using 2d20+1, dropping the lowest dice only.  COV vs Cold by fire.

Carmen considers the possibility of a fire and thinks better of it. "Do we really want to alert our enemies to our presence by building a crackling fire right outside of their caves?" she asks. "We need to push on, not camp outside waiting for them to find us."

She does take the time to expel the cold water from her allies that needed it, as well as warming Nutcracker's clothing.

Everyone's clothes get dried promptly, thanks to prestidigitation. You all hear the sound of webbed feet splashing on a puddle in the darkness near the cave entrance. You see fishman silhouettes in the shadows.

Roll initiative!
Fishmen 8


CD= Carmen
CP= Chelsie
VI= Victor
NC= Nutcracker
WE= Wendell
!= Water
Shaded squares are in darkness, all others are dim light.

Not having expected to encounter the fishmen so soon upon emerging from the water, Victor hurries to light the lamp at his hip and send the darkness and shadows further back into the cave.

He then readies his greatsword and moves forward towards the source of the sound,

Moving 30ft forward to F13. The lantern sheds bright light out to a 30 ft radius and dimlight another 30 ft beyond that.
17:12, Today: Victor Iusticia rolled 15 using 1d20. <-- Initiative
This message was last edited by the player at 06:33, Thu 18 Mar 2021.

Carmen knew all too well the folly of engaging in things that were able to see them fully. She conjured up a small wall of thorny spikes from the cave ground ahead of them, blocking the vision of the fishmen considerably.

HP: 15/15 | AC: 18 | Spd: 30ft. | Hexblade's Curse 1/1 (SR) | Divine Soul 1/1
Action: Cast Minor Illusion on E12 | Move: to E13 | Bonus: N/A
17:24, Today: Carmen Diaz rolled 19 using 1d20+2 ((17)).
This message was last edited by the player at 09:24, Thu 18 Mar 2021.

Wendel had been sitting comfortably amidst the cushions that made up the majority of the floorspace. Inside this ring was probably the most comfortable place in all this cold land... Still he sits listening carefully to what happens around him, around Victor. There seems to be a shift in the quiet around him and his ring. Nobody says anything to alert him to what they see but he hears the difference and gets tense. Should he prepare something just in case? Even if he cast something and they didn't need him he could rest in hear and still have the energy to bring to bare when an actual fight begins.

He juggles the thought back and forth.

Initiative: 6

Wendel rolled 6 using 1d20+3.  Initiative.

"It starts," Chelsie says quietly to herself. She starts to move forward, fighting the instincts of her chilled muscles, and holds her staff forward, squinting at the fishmen.

Move to G15, Ready action to eldritch blast the first fishman to come into the full light.
OOC: I messed up the die roll somehow (I hit keep lowest), but that's why I also hit show the individual dice. My initiative is 16 with the disadvantage from exhaustion.
08:35, Today: Chelsie Primrose rolled 33 using 2d20+3 ((17,13)).

Hearing the odd slapping sounds and seeing everyone else moving into position to confront the sounds, Nutcracker took his longbow and moved into a good vantage to fire upon anything that came out of the darkness.


OOC: Initiative 9
Move to I 16
Ready Action to shoot the first fishman illuminated with Longbow

12:01, Today: Nutcracker rolled 6 using 1d20+5.  Attack vs Fishman. Nat 1. Again.
11:57, Today: Nutcracker rolled 9 using 2d20+3, dropping the highest dice only.  Initiative with Exhaustion.

Round 1!
Carmen moves and conjures illusory vines between herself and the fishmen!
Chelsie waits to blast the first fishman to enter the lantern-light (I'll roll that for you this time. In the future, when you ready an action, please post the roll when you declare it.)
Victor lights his lantern and moves forward, drawing his greatsword.
Nutcracker prepares to shoot the first illuminated fishman.
The first fishman dashes forward, dodging Nutcracker's arrow-- right into Chelsie's eldritch blast!
The other fishman, seeing its companion take the blast, moves more carefully (he's using his action to Dodge, so attacks against him have disadvantage.)
Wendel's action will start the next post, and from there I will end on fishmen each time.


Initiative!

Wendel 6
Carmen 19
Chelsie 16
Victor 15
Nutcracker 9
Fishmen 8


E1 has taken 7 damage


CD= Carmen
CP= Chelsie
VI= Victor
NC= Nutcracker
WE= Wendell
~= Better ascii Water
*= illusory thorns
Shaded squares are in darkness, all others are dim light.

Hearing the sound of someone casting magic along with the unique pattern of the fishfolk feet slapping the ground Wendel stands up in his chamber. Nobody had said anything specific to him yet which makes him hesitate.

Still he casts his own magic drawing in the cold from beyond his bottled respite and wrapping himself in the armor of frost that was becoming a little to familiar in this climate.

And then he waits.

Action: Cast Armor of Agathys
 A protective magical force surrounds you, manifesting as a spectral frost that covers you and your gear. You gain 5 temporary hit points for the duration. If a creature hits you with a melee attack while you have these hit points, the creature takes 5 cold damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:41, Sat 20 Mar 2021.

Hiding behind the wall of thorns, Carmen attempts to blast the closest fishman with a bolt of eldritch energy. She misses, then retreats behind the wall of thorns.

HP: 15/15 | AC: 18 | Spd: 30ft. | Hexblade's Curse 1/1 (SR)| Divine Soul 1/1
Action: Eldritch Blast | Move: to D12 | Bonus: N/A
13:00, Today: Carmen Diaz rolled 9 using 1d20+5.  Eldritch Blast vs E1. – [roll=1616216443.69292.352983]

Chelsie takes a few steps and shoots another blast of golden white energy towards the fishman.

Move to H15, Action: eldritch blast E1
08:54, Today: Chelsie Primrose rolled 11,11 using 1d20+5,1d10+3.  Eldritch blast attack, damage.

Now engaged by one of the fishmen in the clear light of his lantern Victor brings his greatsword to bear on the foe on a vicious swing. The lantern light reflects menacingly off of his now blood slicked blade as he turns his gaze to the other fishman deeper in the cave.

"If you want out of there Wendel, it'd best be now, I'm about to be up close and personal."

He flicks the blade to one side in order to clear the cutting edge as best he can then lifts it to rest with the flat across his shoulder, tip upwards, while he points with his right hand at the new foe.

"You're next," he says.

---

HP: 18/18 | THP: 0 | AC: 16 | Spd: 30ft. | Lay On Hands 10/10 | Divine Sense 4/4 | S1 2/2
Attacking E1: Hits AC 16 for 12 slashing damage
If E1 is down the move up to I7, else remain in place.
08:23, Today: Victor Iusticia rolled 16,12 using 1d20+5,2d6+3 with rolls of 11,5,4.  Greatsword attack, damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:40, Sat 20 Mar 2021.

His fingers still a little numb from the cold caused his last shot to go wide. With the first fishman getting into melee with the rest, Nutcracker decided to try to keep the other one occupied with a (hopefully) better shot.

OOC: Longbow vs Fishman 2
17:38, Today: Nutcracker rolled 7 using 2d20+5, dropping the highest dice only.  Attack vs Fishman 2 (Dodging).

Also, NC should be in space I 16, not J 15.

Round 1!
Wendel casts Armor of Agathys, then waits.

Round 2!
Carmen fires an errent blast and then moves to the side of the false thorns.
Chelsie also fails to hit the fishman with an eldritch blast.
Victor's blade slices deep into the fishmen, its blood shining like black oil in the lantern light. The fishman falls!
Nutcracker fires at the farther fishman, who dodges.
The remaining fishman bites Victor, dealing 5 damage It attempts to stab him with his spear, as well, but misses!

Initiative!

Wendel 6
Carmen 19
Chelsie 16
Victor 15
Nutcracker 9
Fishmen 8


E1 has taken 19 damage and is dead!


CD= Carmen
CP= Chelsie
VI= Victor
NC= Nutcracker
WE= Wendell
~= Better ascii Water
*= illusory thorns
Shaded squares are in darkness, squares within 30' of Victor are bright light, all others are dim light.

Victor giving him the go ahead is all Wendel needs to hear. He spares a thought and is pulled from his vessel disintegrating into earthen sand that pours out of the ring on Victor's hand. That hand that had been pointing but is now pulled back and away from the attacking fishman. Wendel coalesces just outside the fishman's reach with it's spear and maw. He knows this because the spear thrust meant for Victor is close but far enough from his own face for a brief moment of comfort. That feeling is undertinged with one of guilt. If Victor hadn't kept his hand free to allow Wendel's safer egress he might have not taken that bite. All this races through the little half-elf's mind as he reaches out to the ring on the tiefling's finger. "Sorry Victor. And thank you."

Ring in hand he feels the wrath of Radha well up in him as he begins his earthen-speak incanting, draws back his fist and throws it forward, in an air punch. A beam of energy surrounded by those swirling sand and rocks blasts out and pummels the fishman pushing it back a good ten feet further into the cave.

Wendel checks around him trying to take note of where everyone is and decides to get the hells out of their way. He scurries over and away toward the opposite wall.

Bonus Action: Exit Bottled Respite - J8

Object Interaction: Take ring back

Action: Eldritch Blast AC 22 for 6 force and 2 bludgeoning damage. (Repelling Blast push E2 - J4)

Move: to D8

Wendel rolled 22,8 using D20+5,d10+3+2.  Eldritch Blast, damage w/genie's wrath

Coming out from her hiding space, Carmen joins in with the coven of warlocks with their eldritch energies all sapping away at the energy and lifeforce of the fishman before them. Maybe they were coming to greet them to the upcoming feast....they would never find out.

HP: 15/15 | AC: 18 | Spd: 30ft. | Hexblade's Curse 1/1 (SR)| Divine Soul 1/1
Action: Eldritch Blast hits AC 16 for 7 damage | Move: 20'  | Bonus: N/A
20:20, Today: Carmen Diaz rolled 7 using 1d10.  Damage. – [roll=1616415655.06122.352983]
20:20, Today: Carmen Diaz rolled 16 using 1d20+5.  Eldritch blast . – [roll=1616415630.71912.352983]
This message was last edited by the player at 14:58, Mon 22 Mar 2021.

Chelsie slowly ambles forward, taking aim at the next fishman with another blast of white and gold. After the success, she breathes deeply, still out of breath from the frigid water.

Move to J12, Eldritch blast vs. E2, hits AC 20 for 9 force damage
08:17, Today: Chelsie Primrose rolled 20,9 using 1d20+5,1d10+3 ((15,6)).

The fishman falls to the salvo of eldritch energies from the three warlocks.

Congratulations! Each of you gain 40 xp. The fishmen were carrying a spear each, one had 13sp, the other had 17cp.

With the fishmen down, Wendel releases a pent up breath he'd unknwokingly been holding since he first heard the others beginning to act.

"Well, those are just the first of many I'd bet. Victor are you alright?"

While asking he also looks to the others. "We should hurry up and keep going dee.. Oh, Chelsie, you look absolutely freezing... Are you going to be able to keep going?" And then to everyone. "What's our plan? Take it slow and try to surprise them hopefully in small batches? Nutcracker, how are you holding up?"

Victor nods and reaches a hand up to the bite mark, there is a brief flash of warm yellow light and when he takes his hand away the wound appear to have disappeared.

"We have no way of knowing what is ahead so we should stick close together and press forward. If we go as fast as our slowest member and try to be quiet we may be able to come across them in smaller quantities as you suggest. I want to stop that sacrifice but a dead hero saves no-one, we may have to settle on destroying whatever is summoned. If we are too late we may at least have the cave to contain the the thing to our reach."

The tiefling looks over at the shivering Chelsea as if appraising her, "If we keep moving that may warm you up a bit as well."

OOC: Using 5 points of Lay On Hands to top back up, 5 remain.
I suggest we split loot at the end of the quest for now unless encumbrance becomes an issue.