The group heads north, into a wide room flanked by ruins to the east and another part of the underground lake to the west.

Six tall columns of cracked and chipped red marble loom over this hall. Provisions and trade goods are stacked against the walls: bundles of valuable furs and pelts, sacks of flour and meal, barrels of salted meat and ale, casks of oil, and more. A single torch burns in a sconce on one of the room's middle pillars. A large bronze gong stands on the stone quay at the lake edge.

Three long tables with benches are set up in the middle of the room, and four figures hunch over them, rooting through and sorting newly arrived goods. As the group rounds the corner, one of the figures points at Makari and yells, "It's the fire cult after all! Drive them back!"

---

Map updated! Makari, Kaabo, and Gorm are up now.

Round 1 Initiative Order:

Who	Init	Status
Makari	20
Kaabo	20	Mage Armor
Gorm	18
Cultists	10
Landrin	9
Morg	5
Fathomer	4
Magdrak	2

Makari blinked in surprise at the words, "What?" Then he looked where they had looked - at the tabards. "Oh, damnit. Lying witch."

He made a gesture with his staff as he spoke an arcane word and pointed it at one of the figures, with a sigh, and unleashed a bolt of eldritch force at them - a potent blast from the looks of it! Then he made a different gesture, uttered a word and the staff glowed for a moment.

OOC: Step forward if needs be to target one but not staying in front, firing off Eldritch Blast. Then casting Shillelagh on his staff as a Bonus Action.

Natural Twenty!!! 25 damage! Daaaaamn.
2nd blast is only a 13 vs AC, for 14 damage if it manages to hit.

12:59, Today: Secret Roll: Makari rolled 28,15,13,14 using d20+8,d10+5,d20+8,d10+5 with rolls of 20,10,5,9.  Eldritch Blast.
13:02, Today: Secret Roll: Makari rolled 10 using 1d10 with rolls of 10.  Critical damage.

"Fire cult?" Kaabo shrugged, "As you wish." Kaabo ssummoned a jet of flames to fly toward the one who'd spoken.

Move: as needed to see a target
Action: cast Firebolt, hit AC 17 for 6 Fire damage

19:03, Today: Kaabo Roulnar rolled 17,6 using d20+7,2d10.  Fire Bolt.

Stuck behind all the little people, and not inclined to trample over them Gorm advances carefully, both avoiding knocking anyone over and maneuvering carefully to avoid whatever kind of return fire the enemy uses.

The group makes quick work of two cultists, as one of them draws a scimitar and charges Gorm.

---

Map updated! Landrin and Morg are up now.


Round 1 So Far:

Makari moves up the hallways and casts Eldritch Blast at cultists - HITS two cultists. Both fall.

Kaabo casts Fire Bolt at a cultist - HITS for 6 fire.

Gorm moves into the room

Cultist moves and attacks Gorm - MISS.

"We're not actually fire cultists, however we're still deadly so surrender or die!" Morg says while running towards to the bigger figure, slashing at it with his sword.

---

Move: 20' NW to F (or 25' NNW to red-robed Cultist if F is out).

Action: knock-out (not lethal) attack on F (or C if F is out) with greatsword - hits AC 27 for 19 slashing damage. Maneuver: menacing attack: target must make a WIS save vs a DC 16 or be frightened (it has disadv. on ability checks and attack rolls while Morg's in their line of sight, and they can't willingly move closer to him) until the end of Morg's next turn.
Extra attack: knock-out (not lethal) attack on F (or C if F is out) with greatsword - hits AC 22 for 12 slashing damage.

16:32, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 27 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 19.  Attack F with greatsword.
16:32, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 14 using 2d6+5 with rolls of 4,5.  Slashing damage to F from greatsword (may reroll 1s and 2s).
16:33, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 5 using 1d8 with rolls of 5.  Maneuver: menacing attack on F (WIS save vs DC 16) or be frightened until end of Morg's next turn.
16:35, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 22 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 14.  Extra attack F with greatsword.
16:35, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 11 using 2d6+5 with rolls of 4,2.  Slashing damage to F from greatsword extra attack (may reroll 1s and 2s).
16:35, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 3 using 1d6 with rolls of 3.  Reroll the 2 with Great weapon fighting fighting style.

Landrin ran in and to the right to get some distance between himself and the cultists while still getting a clear shot. “We just need one alive, and it looks like it’s not going to be you big guy.”The ranger takes aim and plugs three bolts into the bigger of the two remaining cultists in an attempt to finish him off.

15:59, Today: Landrin Flint rolled 4 using 1d6+3 with rolls of 1.  Bonus attack damage.
15:59, Today: Landrin Flint rolled 9 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 5,1.  Attack 2 crit damage.
15:59, Today: Landrin Flint rolled 9 using 1d6+3 with rolls of 6.  Attack 1 damage.
15:57, Today: Landrin Flint rolled 21 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 15.  Bonus attack on big guy.
15:56, Today: Landrin Flint rolled 26 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 20.  Attack 2 on big guy .
15:56, Today: Landrin Flint rolled 17 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 11.  Attack 1 on big guy.
15:56, Today: Secret Roll: Landrin Flint rolled 10 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 4.  Ambusher attack on big guy.

Action: 3 attacks including extra attack and ambusher attack hit 2/3 for 18 damage
Move: move 30 feet up and to right into room
Bonus: bonus attack hit for 4 damage

Magdrak suddenly convulses, his form shifting horribly into a man-boar hybrid. His face betrays his horror at finally succumbing to the sickness inflicted on him just yesterday. In anger and shame he charges after the remaining cultist.

---

Map updated! Makari, Kaabo, and Gorm are up now.

Round 1 Summary:

Makari moves up the hallways and casts Eldritch Blast at cultists - HITS two cultists. Both fall.

Kaabo casts Fire Bolt at a cultist - HITS for 6 fire.

Gorm moves into the room.

Cultist moves and attacks Gorm - MISS.

Landrin moves into the room and attacks Fathomer three times - HITS twice and CRITS once for a total of 33 piercing.

Morg moves into the room and attacks Fathomer twice, once with Menacing attack (non-lethal) - HITS twice for 31 slashing. Fathomer is unconscious.

Magdrak shapeshifts into a wereboar hybrid form and charges after remaining cultist.


Round 2 Initiative Order:

Who	Init	Status
Makari	20
Kaabo	20	Mage Armor
Gorm	18
Cultists	10
Landrin	9
Morg	5
Magdrak	2

Makari started to step forward once more to blast a cultist...but hesitated. He saw Magdrak change. He saw the look on the dwarf's face as he did so. He wasn't entirely certain that was a controlled change. He was less certain if Magdrak would be able to stop from turning on them once the cultists were dead.

So he frowned, hesitated, but then readied himself should Magdrak turn on them.

Kaabo steps forward, flinging a small ball of fire at the remaining cultist. Hit squarely in the chest, he tumbles to the flagstones in a heap, just as the door in the northeast corner slams open and four more figures burst into the room, yelling to someone named Bronzefume.

---

Map updated! Landrin, Morg, and Magdrak are up now.

Kaabo moves into the room and casts Fire Bolt at the remaining cultist - HIT for 14 fire. Cultist is dead.

Landrin reels at the sight of the new cultists storming the room. He quickly takes aim and lets loose a well aimed bolt into the chest of the three closest cultists in an attempt to take them out quickly.

19:14, Today: Landrin Flint rolled 15 using 1d6+13 with rolls of 2.  Bonus attack damage .
19:13, Today: Landrin Flint rolled 19 using 1d6+13 with rolls of 6.  Attack 2 damage .
19:13, Today: Landrin Flint rolled 20 using 2d6+13 with rolls of 2,5.  Attack 1 crit damage .
19:12, Today: Landrin Flint rolled 19 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 16.  Sharpshooter cultist bonus attack .
19:12, Today: Landrin Flint rolled 13 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 10.  Sharpshooter cultist attack 2.
19:11, Today: Secret Roll: Landrin Flint rolled 23 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 20.  Sharpshooter cultist attack 1.

Action: two attacks with 1 crit for 20 damage, the other attack hits AC 13 for 19 damage
Bonus: crossbow expert attack AC 19 for 15 damage

This message was deleted by the player at 07:53, Mon 18 Oct 2021.

Morg moves to stand next to the large bronze gong, facing the new cultists, and says "We're not actually fire cultists, however we're still deadly so drop your weapons and surrender!"

---

Move: up to 25' to stand next to the gong facing the potential hostiles.

Action: ready attack.
Trigger: any hostile approaching the gong and within 5' of Morg.
Attack: knock-out (not lethal) attack with greatsword - hits AC 17 for 9 slashing damage. Maneuver: menacing attack: target must make a WIS save vs a DC 16 or be frightened (it has disadv. on ability checks and attack rolls while Morg's in their line of sight, and they can't willingly move closer to him) until the end of Morg's next turn.
Extra attack: can't make on a readied attack.

10:26, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 17 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 9.  Readied attack on hostile with greatsword.
10:26, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 9 using 2d6+5 with rolls of 2,2.  Slashing damage to hostile from greatsword (may reroll 1s and 2s).
10:26, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  Reroll the first 2 with Great weapon fighting fighting style.
10:27, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  Reroll the second 2 with Great weapon fighting fighting style.
10:27, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 2 using 1d8 with rolls of 2.  Maneuver: menacing attack on hostile (WIS save vs DC 16) or b frightened until end of M's next turn.

Landrin drops 3 more cultists, almost right after they enter the room. Magdrak, in an uncontrollable rage, rushes another of the figures as they move towards the gong.

---

Map updated! Makari, Kaabo, and Gorm are up now.


Round 2 Summary:

Makari readies an action.

Kaabo moves into the room and casts Fire Bolt at the remaining cultist - HIT for 14 fire. Cultist is dead.

Gorm has no one to attack.

Reaver runs into the room.

Cultists run into the room.

Landrin fires bolts at 3 cultists - HITS 2 and CRITS 1. 3 cultists fall.

Morg moves next to the gong and readies an attack.

Magdrak attacks remaining cultist - CRITS with tusks for 16 slashing. Cultist is dead.


Round 3 Initiative Order:

Who	Init	Status
Makari	20
Kaabo	20	Mage Armor
Gorm	18
Reavers	12
Cultists	10
Landrin	9
Morg	5
Magdrak	2

This message was last updated by the GM at 22:58, Sun 05 Dec 2021.

With the new batch of cultists dispatched almost instantly Gorm moves over to the door they came through and waits for the next set like one would expect to see any bear just out of view of fish as they swim up stream into some unfortunate fate.

Makari wasn't too keen on blasting the last cultist in sight with a bloodthirsty werecreature on the rampage. He frowned a moment, holding the charge of his spell still as he looked around for any other foes - but keeping a wary eye on Magdrak for the moment.

The bear moves to the threshold of the nearby room, and immediately notices smells of roasted meat from within. Now apparently unoccupied, two iron stoves sit in the room next to barrels full of provisions, kettles, and crockery stacked by a washbasin. A pile of firewood is stacked against the far wall, and five plain double bunks are tucked into the eastern end of the room on either side of the wood. A second door sits on the far end of the southern wall. Two alcoves with arrow slits look out over the black waters of the canal to the north and east.

The reaver darts towards Morg, and the dwarf knocks him to the ground, unconscious at the feet of the gong.

Kaabo follows Makari's lead, watching Magdrak warily. Magdrak pants, his chest heaving. Emotions crawl across his strained face, and his limbs twitch, but he stays where he is for the moment, seemingly under control enough for now.

Kaabo reaches into his pack and pulls out a scroll. "I think this spell can help him. My study indicates it's a cure for lycanthropy. If we can keep him calm long enough for me to cast it."

---

Map updated! We're out of initiative.

Round 3 Summary:

Makari readies an action.

Kaabo readies an action.

Gorm moves to the door. and readies an attack.

Reaver moves toward Morg, triggering his readied action - HITS for 9 non-lethal slashing. Reaver is unconscious.

Morg puts his foot on the unconscious cultist, and looks him over to see if he's magic user or martial. He then calmly speaks in Dwarvish to Magdrak trying to encourage him to let Kaabo try to cure him.

---

If things have calmed down, Morg will try to quietly dismantle the gong and throw its components in the water without making a noise.

Makari was watching Magdrak warily but glanced over at Kaabo when they mentioned the scroll. After a moment's hesitation, he called out to Magdrak. "Did you hear that, Magdrak? We can cure you if you can stay calm. Please?"

He watched and waited, hoping the dwarf will agree and not attack them.

Landrin has his crossbows pointed down but is ready to pin the werecreature if it attacked.

Kaabo appraches Magdrak, taking advantage of the Magdrak's relative calm. As he finishes the scroll he gingerly touches Magdrak's shoulder, and the dwarf collapses to the floor. Already this boar-like form starts melting back into that of his usual dwarven frame.

Kneeling down, Kaabo checks his breathing. "I think it worked. He'll be ok, but for now he's just exhausted. I'll stay here with him and get him out when he comes to."

Standing, he fumbles something else from his pack, then moves toward the bear nearby. "If you can understand me, I think this could happen to you too. This potion should prevent that entirely." He sets the potion on the floor near Gorm, then retreats back to Magdrak's motionless form.

Morg looks over the unconscious reaver, who is dressed similarly to other guards nearer the entrance to the temple. Though armorless & scantily clad, he did bear a large shield made from some sort of crustacean, and another of the shark-toothed longswords.

Moving to the gong, it is a relatively simple matter for Morg to remove it from its stand and slip it into the nearby dark water.

---

What next?

Morg disarms the unconscious reaver; tying the vicious sword, its scabbard, and sea shield to his backpack. He then goes thru the dead looking for clues and possessions, and asks the magic users if they know if the unconscious cultist is a mage or not.

Makari watched Magdrak carefully and while not aiming AT the dwarf-were, was not aiming away either really - until the spell was done and the dwarf once more seemed to be...a dwarf. Makari gave a nod to Kaabo, 'Nice work. Thank you for helping him."

He glanced at Gorm to see how they responded to the potion, but mainly kept an eye out for any more enemies while Morg finished up his business.

"Where to next?" he asked of no one in particular while he kept watch.

“Let’s check the room they came out of then continue forward.”Landrin readies his crossbows and points them out as he steps in the room in case somebody was hiding in there.

OOC: Enter room to NE of the area we are at.