Words infiltrate Corros' sleeping mind, coming with them a sense of alarm.  At first it feels like a dream, then it very obviously isn't.  There isn't enough control of the emotions behind the message.  The warlock's eyes click open and his muscles take a moment to react before slowly lifting his head to look at the creatures overlooking the group.  Corros looks at Nic and shrugs.  The squid headed humanoid is troubling, no doubt about it.  Evil attracted by evil perhaps.  The Minotaur looks and maybe is the way in and around potential violence, they did get out of his way once before after all.

Corros rises, squeezing Jenna's shoulder softly to wake the priestess as he stands, sending a mental message of alert and quiet to her sleeping mind.  Very slowly, he rubs his hands on his robes and holds them out to his sides before taking a few steps away from his sleeping comrades.

"Lord Minotaur," he says in Abyssal with a nod.  "We dispatched the Drow slaving party that had their eyes on you."  The syllables are so sharp it hurts to speak them, practice being the only reason his throat hasn't been torn by the effort.

And you, Corros sends to the other thing with a tone of respect, Are you here to find out what this construction is as well?

Jenna opened her eyes at the touch to her shoulder, blinking away the sleep that still clung to them as she sat up. Trying but not quite succeeding to suppress a yawn, she turned her head in the direction that Corros was walking, immediately came to full wakefulness when she saw two creatures standing there.

The Priestess pushed herself up, to her feet, realized that she still felt weary. Tentatively she tried to reach out, to the Goddess, looked for Her presence, but it was weak, a tenuous thing, fleeting. Despite the fact that she had prayed before she had lay down to rest it seemed that Arma had not heard her.

Remaining spell slots
3 x Level 1
1 x Level 4

Ulfgar awoke, sat upright, and eyed the minotaur and abomination in the landing doorway.  "A most foul looking creature," he muttered under his breath.  The enmity he felt for the octopus-headed monstrosity burned deep inside, a primal hatred summoned from the depths of his soul.  Still, he'd allow a chance to parley with the creature.  But if negotiations failed, Ulfgar would unleash his full druidic powers against it.

Expend 1 short rest HD - Ulfgar Frostbeard rolled 6 using 1d8+3.  Short Rest Hit Die #1.  HP now maxed.
Wild Shape - Refreshed
Natural Recovery - 1x4th level slot
Spell Slots Now Available
2x1st
3x2nd
3x3rd
2x4th

The minotaur snorts in the universal language for derision.



Find out? No. I am here to take possession. I thank you for your service in ridding me of the Drow meddlers, but now I must insist that you leave. Go now, in peace, or become like this one.

The mindflayer makes a gesture with its long, tentacle-like fingers. A dwarf moves out of the tunnel behind the creature and stands by the underdweller's side. It is Kerek. The miner's  eyes are glazed over, bearded face slack, his mind a total blank to Corros.

Or, if you prefer death instead, that can be arranged.

-
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:59, Wed 25 July 2018.

Corros swallows at the appearance of Kerek.  This thing has made the dwarf its tool.  The warlock can't even decipher if there is a mind left inside the dwarf or if he is just a puppet.  There are only seconds to decide what to do, Corros can feel that intently.  He can feel the minds of his friends becoming more active, more alert and ready.  But he doesn't know what this creature can do.

The psychic web he weaves pulls away from Kerek and the abomination, encompasses his friends and asks a simple question: Fight or run?

It doesn't take words, the emotions coming in from his companions are enough.  The group of friends (now missing one elf who, admittedly, had become less than reliable) are going to take their chances again.  And really, anything evil enough to wipe the mind of Kerek probably shouldn't be left as the caretaker of this...whatever this thing is.

Hit the abomination with everything you have Corros sends his friends.  Hopefully the minotaur can keep for a few moments.  Or they'll just end up bleeding some more.  The Library wraps its power around its warlock and prepares for battle again.

Corros
AC 13, 61/61 HP
Casting Shatter (4th level) on the Minotaur and Mindflayer.  5d8 damage, save for half.
Will use Hellish Rebuke (4th level) if hit by the Mindflayer only.  5d10 damage, save for half.
Will use Entropic Ward to defend against the Minotaur.  Imposes disadvantage to attack, if misses, Corros gets advantage on his next attack.
Ring of Evasion to reroll failed Dex save if necessary (3/3 charges remaining)

Everything you have. The unspoken words resonate in Jenna's mind.

The blonde haired Priestess takes a deep breath. Everything she has.

"Goddess! Hear me Goddess! Hear my prayer." Her hair dances, fair tresses moving of their own accord, rising up, framing her face, as though she was leaning back, in water. Being baptized.

Somewhere far off in the shadows rocks fall. Jenna's back arches as he hands rise, fingers pointing towards the....thing. Her eyes turn jet black.

"You have no idea who you are dealing with!"

The bolt of radiant energy leaps from her fingers, towards the monstrosity. As it courses through the air Jenna falls to her knees, her eyes still pure black.

Jenna
AC: 21, HP 56/56
Casting Guiding Bolt (Level 4) at Mindflayer
Cue SFX

It was time.

It was time to unleash the full power and wrath of a druidic Initiate of the 7th circle.

Ulfgar muttered the ancient tongue and from his hands, powerful magic leapt forth.  Suddenly, eight new figures appeared among the ranks of the Five.



This was the full power Ulfgar Frostbeard now possessed.  Tiny Green Pixies.

"Evil!" Ulfgar said to the Faerie as he pointed to the octopus-headed creature.  He then pointed to himself and his allies  "We must fly to meet it, as you must fly away!" he said to five of the tiny pixies.  "The minotaur must face his phantasmal fears," he said to the last three.


Ulfgar Frostbeard
Casting Conjure Woodland Beings.
Summoning 8 Pixies.
Pixie 1 - Casting Fly on Nicolai, then moving 30 feet away from the party.
Pixie 2 - Casting Fly on Gronk, then moving 30 feet away from the party.
Pixie 3 - Casting Fly on Jenna, then moving 30 feet away from the party.
Pixie 4 - Casting Fly on Corros, then moving 30 feet away from the party.
Pixie 5 - Casting Fly on Ulfgar, then moving 30 feet away from the party.
Pixie 6 - Casting Phantasmal Force on the Minotaur (Bullfighter with red cape and sword adjacent to Minotaur)  INT Save vs. DC12 or take 1d6 damage
Pixie 7 - Casting Phantasmal Force on the Minotaur (Bullfighter with red cape and sword adjacent to Minotaur)  INT Save vs. DC12 or take 1d6 damage
Pixie 8 - Casting Phantasmal Force on the Minotaur (Bullfighter with red cape and sword adjacent to Minotaur)  INT Save vs. DC12 or take 1d6 damage

http://engl393-dnd5th.wikia.co...jure_Woodland_Beings
http://engl393-dnd5th.wikia.com/wiki/Phantasmal_Force
http://engl393-dnd5th.wikia.com/wiki/Fly

Once Fly is cast, Ulfgar will use his 60' Fly movement to fly away from combat, so he can keep concentration up on pixies, who have also flown away to keep concentration up on everyone's Fly spells.  #AIMHIGH

This message was last edited by the player at 14:47, Sat 28 July 2018.

Nicolai comes off the floor with his hand already curled around a dagger.  It's not that he always sleeps with a knife under his pillow, but the party's surroundings do seem to inspire that level of paranoia.  Corros' word of power reverberates in his ears as he whispers the Primordial syllables that bring to life the empty hilt in his other hand.  For the second time today - perhaps ever - sunlight blazes in this subterranean cavern.  It would be more impressive if it weren't washed out by the divine manifestation coursing through Jenna.  On the other hand, such as it is, the searing arc's afterimages are a worthy distraction for the Ardani's first strike as he hurls himself into the air...

Nicolai - AC 16 • HP 61/61 • Superiority Dice 4/4

Statuses: emitting sunlight (Sun Blade)

Move: Flying into melee with illithid
Attack #1: Sun Blade (attack +8 [advantage from Guiding Bolt], damage 1d8+5 radiant) on illithid
Bonus: Feinting Attack against illithid (-1 superiority die)
Attack #2: Sun Blade (attack +8 [advantage from Feinting Attack], damage 2d8+5 radiant) on illithid
Special: First successful attack on illithid gains +2d6 sneak attack damage from advantage
Reaction: Riposte (-1 superiority die) on tap
Inspiration: If needed, will spend to re-roll failed save against any disabling or mind controlling effect

Gronk's never flown before. He can't decide if he enjoys it or not but, at the moment, he has other things to think about- like what he's going to do when he lands. As the half-orc is lifted up, level with the landing, he sees bulky shadows behind the Mindflayer and its minotaur lackey. Gronk doesn't know a mindflayer from a piece of undercooked calamari, but his more knowledgeable companions seem to reckon it a great threat, so he decides to kill it first.

Gronk
AC 19; HP 88/88
Superiority Dice 4/4
Rage 0/2
Trip attack v. mindflayer (successful attack knocks target prone, granting advantage)
Second melee attack, regardless

-

The adventurers strike first. Corros blasts the elevated landing with a blast of arcane thunder, buffeting both the Mindflayer and the minotaur. Kerek falls and doesn't get back up. (Mindflayer, minotaur, and Kerek all make their CON saves, taking 14 damage each; Kerek is killed!)

Jenna follows up with a bolt of divine energy, striking the Mindflayer; it flickers with tell-tale radiance, making it harder to miss for a few moments. (Jenna hits the mindflayer for 16HP radiant damage; next attack on target grants advantage)

A trio of matadors appear adjacent to the minotaur. The bull-headed beast does not seem to grasp their illusory nature, nor does he realize that he's being duped when his double-bladed great axe passes clean through one of them without doing any apparent damage. (Minotaur takes 15HP psychic damage)

Ulfgar and his companions (save Deepdelver) rise above the cavern floor, taking magical flight thanks to the dwarf's summoned pixie allies.

Nic lands next to the Mindflayer and immediately launches a flurry of attacks. His Sunblade cuts through the monster's breastplate like a hot knife through butter. He can smell its plate, nearly translucent flesh cooking as the burning blade bites deep (Mindflayer takes 29HP radiant damage).

Gronk sets down beside the Ardani. The mindflayer sidesteps a sweeping attack aimed at its legs. The Half-Orc gladiator goes high with his second attack, landing a smashing blow to the side of the monster's squid-like head. (Mindflayer takes 14HP damage; mindflayer is killed!)

As the mastermind is struck down, its other minions lose heart. An ogre, a quaggoth, a grimlock, and a troglodyte take flight, running up the corridor away from the wrath of the surface-dwellers. The minotaur is preoccupied with the trio of phantasmal matadors.

OOC: I don't know if Corros and/or Jenna would like to land, so please advise in next IC post.


Your Turn.

-
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:34, Sun 29 July 2018.

Nicolai ducks a flying gobbet of squid, its tentacles still flailing.  "Nice one," he comments to Gronk as the half-orc withdraws his heavy weapon.

The Ardana pivots, tilts his head toward the pixie-beleagured minotaur in invitation, and charges a half-step behind his massive companion.

Nicolai - AC 16 • HP 61/61 • Superiority Dice 3/4

Statuses: emitting sunlight (Sun Blade)

Wait: a second for Gronk to engage so sneak attack is available
Move: Flying into melee with minotaur
Attack x2: Sun Blade (attack +8, damage 1d8+5 radiant) on minotaur
Bonus: off-hand rapier attack (attack +7, damage 1d8+4 piercing) on minotaur
Special: First successful attack on minotaur gains +2d6 sneak attack damage from Gronk's presence in melee

"Gods," Corros whispers in a mix of fear and awe at the attack that just assaulted the mindflayer.  He could feel the power wash through Jenna as she called down the goddess to smite her enemy.  The one he asked her to kill.  The one she drained herself for.  The warlock doesn't need to see her eyes to know they are black pits.  A sinking feeling fills his stomach and he is torn between rushing to her aid and rushing forward to battle the minotaur.

Love wins.  I'm here, he sends privately, hovering near the cleric where he can protect her if he needs to, aid her if she wants him to.  That thing is dead.  Corros doesn't know what will come next with Jenna, so he does the thing he can do best and throws more energy towards the bullheaded creature fighting his friends.

Corros
AC 13 61/61 HP
Casting Eldritch Blast x2 at the minotaur.  +8 to attack, d10+5 damage each

Taken completely by surprise when she had suddenly been swept into the air, Jenna had cried out as she had returned to the landing considerably more swiftly than she had descended from it. She had 'flown' before of course, with Corros, but that had been in very, very different circumstances.

She nodded when she heard - or rather felt - Corros' voice within her head, calming, reassuring, soothing the maelstrom of emotions that were coursing through her, her eyes changing colour several times, black, white, their normal blue, each visible for perhaps a second before it was chased away by another. It was dead. It should have known better. Jenna had tried to warn it. But it had not heeded her words, had paid the price.

As would its minion. A hand of peace had been offered. Corros - her Corros - had tried to speak with the creature and it had shunned him. How dare it! And so it would pay the price too. Her eyes stopped changing colour, remained black as she pointed fingers towards the bull headed thing, summoned forth Arma's power, although the radiance that leapt forth was a mere fraction of what it had been a moment ago, her link to the Goddess feeling like a tattered thread that was about to snap at any moment.

Jenna
AC: 21, HP 56/56
Casting Guiding Bolt (Level 1) at Minotaur

"WHOOO!" Ulfgar said as he did something of a flying victory lap, soaring above the cavern floor.  He approached within 30 feet of the raging bull-man, hovering off the cliff, however, out of reach.  In the palm of his hand, Ulfgar produced a small flame.  He grinned mischievously for a moment, then hurled it at the Minotaur.

Ulfgar Frostbeard
AC: 18, 84/84 HPs
Flying around and back toward the minotaur.  Staying 30 feet away, with the cliff between us.
Produce Flame Cantrip - +8 to hit, 2d8 Fire Damage.

This message was last edited by the player at 17:11, Sun 29 July 2018.

Bloody, battered, singed, the Minotaur falls dead at the companion's feet (at least, the feet of those currently not still floating). The battle is over, the adventurers once again victorious. They currently control the large chamber housing the mysterious structure that was the focal point of the Drow excavation, and the apparent objective of the slain Mindflayer and its thralls. Kerek is dead. Amaldaris, dissapeared. Zima is still missing. The companions are no closer to knowing what they've found, or why so many seem to want it.


Your Turn.

-
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:21, Sat 04 Aug 2018.

Corros watches the minotaur fall near the mangled body of its master.  He supposes it got what it deserves.  The walls of the cavern are nearly vibrating with the amount of magical energy that has been thrown around here in the last several hours.  And that doesn't include the strange objects sticking out of the ground.

The warlock kneels in front of his lady love and reaches a protective hand to her shoulder, watching as her eyes cycle between colors.  "Jenna, love, you're okay, yeah?"  He sighs and looks around. So much for waiting until they're prepared to check this thing out. "This is bad spot, more trouble coming.  I'm going to figure out what this thing is so we can get away from this gods forsaken spot and back to the gnomes."

Thin fingers caress Jenna's cheek in concern and guilt washes over Corros, like he's abandoning this priestess of battle.  "Call if you need me, yeah?"  The half-elf stands and walks towards the stones.

Nicolai watches the play of emotions across Corros' face and silently raises an eyebrow at Gronk and Ulfgar.  "You'll probably hear the screaming before we can actually call you, so consider yourself called if that happens," he tosses over his shoulder.

"Ah.  So, Ulfgar.  You mentioned you were tending fungi down here.  Dare I ask how that happened?  It seems like most of the local life is aggressively self-tending."

Jenna feels herself descending, the landing receding from her view, the ground growing closer. Perhaps it's just as well, for if she wants to smash Arma's Blessing against the heads of their two fallen foes, even although they are already dead. Why? Because she...wants...to. Just as she'd once mounted a fallen foe's head on a pole outside the lost City. Anger is coursing through her. Rage.

But the descent gives that anger time to dissipate. It's almost as though she can feel it oozing out of her much like the ocean rolling away from the beach with the tide, and by the time her booted feet are back on the cavern floor her eyes have returned to their normal colour. But she's tired. By the time Corros comes over to her she's slumped to her knees. Arma seems far away. "I'm fine." The lie spills from her lips when she replies to Corros. She's not fine. But the structure at the centre of this place needs to be examined. Perhaps it needs to be destroyed. Perhaps.

When Corros walks away Jenna pushes herself up, to her feet. She is not going to look weak. She takes a deep breath. "Has anyone seen the elf?"

Post Battle

With the minotaur slain and the party back on the ground, Ulfgar thanked the Pixie's for their help.  He was grateful that none had been hurt during the fighting.  "Return to your realm with our deep and abiding gratitude," he said with a bow, before releasing them from this plane.

Ulfgar considered how to respond to Nicolai before answering.  "After I left Balefyre, the visions and nightmares I was having became worse by the day.  Eventually, Evra convinced me to travel across the Great Inner Sea to meet with her druidic Conclave," Frostbeard said with some trepidation.

"The Conclave judged them to be worth of investigation.  They inducted me into the rites and rituals of Grey - those who tend the lightless realms under the surface.  They implored me return to the north coast to assume care of the caverns you found me in, after its previous caretaker disappeared,"  Ulfgar's tone made it clear that he assumed the worse for the druid who proceeded him in this charge.

"On the plus side, I've discovered several small vents to the surface, which allow me to travel back and forth to see Evra, in avian form of course.  Also, I've made friends with a Tiefling who watched the grove when I'm away," he added.  Ulfgar smiled earnestly when he mentioned Evra, though his expression changed slightly when he mentioned the Tiefling.  There was clearly more to that story.

Ulfgar abruptly changed the subject.

"Now should we try to block off the route we came down?  I have a spell that might help create a formidable stone barrier."
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:21, Sat 04 Aug 2018.

"What about the other entrance?" Gronk asks, unhelpfully, while he searches the dead Minotaur. "Nic, you wanna search the squid-head?" When Gronk's finished, the half-orc joins Corros down on the cavern floor.

Gronk stands looking at the row of gently-curving, parallel structures. "Kind of makes me hungry," he muses out loud, by way of explanation adding, "They remind me of huge ribs. I could go for a nice rack myself, right now!"

To Jenna, he asks, "Thinks this is some sort of ancient temple or something? I guess those could be... what do you call 'em? Pillars?"

When Ulfgar is done with his magical construction, Gronk addresses him. "You're like, all about nature, right? Do you think these are bones? Ribs maybe? What kind of creature has ribs that huge?"

-
This message was last edited by the player at 05:19, Sat 04 Aug 2018.

"What if I summon one of those pixies back and have it cast polymorph on you.  Turn you into a big fat dinosaur to block that entrance," Ulfgar says laughing.  Before a response could be offered he continued.

"It's possible there's a bypass that allows those fleeing minions to take another route around to come up through that entrance.  One guard and maybe some traps though should alert us to that.  If not through, we don't have to worry about them anymore, just whatever's down the other rabit hole.  And since we haven't poked those bees yet, maybe they are content to stay in their hive," Frostbeard offered with a shrug.



"Sea creature would be my guess.  Or land," Ulfgar offered.

07:23, Today: Ulfgar Frostbeard rolled 3 using 1d20.  Nature (INT) check.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:35, Sat 04 Aug 2018.

Nicolai shakes his head in response to Jenna's inquiry.  "He was gone when I awakened, and so is his stuff."  He indicates the empty space where Amaldaris had last been seen with his belongings.

"Ugh," he says to Gronk.  "'Want?'  No.  But I will."  He draws on a pair of thin leather gloves and moves in to check the cephalopod's pockets, ready to start stabbing wantonly if the creature comes back to life.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:49, Sat 04 Aug 2018.

Nic's search turns up a scroll and a fist-sized corundum gem. He unrolls the scroll to take a look; the script is completely unfamiliar to the Ardani, and he can't decipher its contents.

-
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:39, Sat 11 Aug 2018.

"Pillars." Jenna nods in agreement with Gronk. "Or columns." It was teh same thing really. There had been many pillars in the Cloisters, but none had looked anything like these.

Still, she supposes that it is not impossible that this was once a place of worship to some false deity and so the Priestess approaches the maybe pillars maybe ribs to take a closer look, the mystery of the disappeared elf pushed to the side for the moment.

20:10, Today: Jenna Drax rolled 16 using 1d20.  Religion Check (INT)