Pain flooded Zeb's awareness as a javelin pierced his side. Gritting his teeth, he fought back his panicked thoughts of which muscles might have been shredded or vital organs punctured by the duergar missile and returned fire with the arrow he'd prepared. The single shot pierced the far larger creature's breast, felling it in a single blow. Zeb exhaled against the pain and drew back his bowstring once again. If they killed him now, at least he had taken one with him. At least he had bettered the odds for Ehrendil and the others.

---

Action: Attack, aiming for one that is within 5' of an ally. It's a 22 to hit, regardless. If Zeb can find such a target, or if he was hidden (previous stealth roll was only 12 so not holding my breath here) he gets sneak attack for 15 damage total. If he has to attack an enemy without concealment and without an ally within 5', then it's only 5 damage.

Cunning action: Hide. Another 12 for Stealth.

Zeb rolled 12 using 1d20+10 with rolls of 2.  stealth (hide).

Zeb rolled 14 using 4d6+4, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 1,5,2,3.  damage (includes SA). Dropping the lowest die was a mistake here, should be 15 with SA or 5 without.

Zeb rolled 22 using 2d20+7, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 15,6.  attack (advantage if concealed).First roll was it's a 22 even without advantage.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:01, Wed 30 Aug 2023.

With the enemy finally appearing, the tiefling wasted no time, stepping up behind one, it felt the sharp jab as she appeared with a smile on her face. "That's right, you goblin humper.....you're not the only one with tricks!"

---

Initiative	Rumour rolled 10 using 1d20+4.  iniative
Movement	To nearest Deurgar
Action	Attack using Rapier
	Faith rolled 20 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 14.  Attack - Rapier.
	Faith rolled 6 using 1d8+3 with rolls of 3.  Damage - Rapier.
Bonus Action	None
Reaction	Cutting words If attacked

Two more duergar fall in quick succession. The remaining pair's eyes bulge as their fellows drop quickly, and they beat a hasty retreat. "Ye'll never know peace now having wronged Marlos Urnrayle! There's nowhere safe to run where he can't see you! Ye be marked!"

---

Map updated!

Everyone is up now, unless y'all decide to end combat.

Round 2 Summary:

Zeb attacks D3 - HIT for 15 piercing. He attempts to hide.

Ehrendil moves onto a boulder and attacks D6 (note planar warrior doesn't apply as no target is within 30') -  HIT once for 17 piercing.

Makari attacks D6 with Agonizing Blast - MISS.

Gorm moves to D6 and attacks - HIT twice for a total of 22 damage. D6 is dead.

Faith moves towards D3 (Faith was too far away to make it to any Duergar to attack).

Morg uses Second Wind . He attacks D3 - HIT for 21 bludgeoning. D3 is dead. He moves towards D4 and attacks again - HIT twice for 13+7=20 bludgeoning.

Duergar (embiggened):

D4 disengages and moves away

D5 double moves north.


Round 3 Initiative Order:

Who	Init	Status
Ehrendil	22
Morg	20
Makari	18
Zeb	10
Faith	10
Moonclaw	10
Gorm	10
Duergar	10

Makari telepathically called his owl back since he didn't want to stray too far and got 'popped'. He stepped forward towards the duergar that was farthest away and sighted up on his staff as his other hand weaved the gestures needed and he once again cast "Eldritch Blast!"

OOC: Moving forward 30 feet and shooting the farthest Duergar kind of off the map.
Sigh. miss and minimum damage, lol.

15:17, Today: Secret Roll: Makari rolled 11,9,25,6 using d20+8,d10+5,d20+8,d10+5 with rolls of 3,4,17,1.  Eldritch Blast on north Duergar (or other if not possible).

"Cultist scum! You assume that we plan on running as you are doing!" Ehrendil calls back, as he sends two arrows toward the duergar retreating to the north.

---

Action:  Attack Duergar 5 (north of map)
         Ehrendil Vakalyn rolled 16, for 6 piercing damage.
          - If this hits, mark with Favoured Foe
            Ehrendil Vakalyn rolled 5 Favoured Foe damage.

         Extra Attack: Ehrendil Vakalyn rolled 5, missing with Longbow Sharpshot.

Move:    Use 40 ft speed to move toward Duergar 5.

Marked. Zeb could not help looking at the stump of his arm as the duergar spoke those words. He was no stranger to vengeance. The best way to live without enemies was not to make them in the first place. That die having been cast, however, the next best way was not to leave them alive.

Following Ehrendil's lead, the gnome popped up out of the prairie to release a final arrow at the fleeing foes before dropping again into the cover of the tall grass.

---

Action: Attack. If concealed/gaining advantage, it's a 26 to hit. Otherwise, it's 15. Damage is 15 if sneak attack applies (advantage on the attack or ally within 5' of the target) or 7 if it does not.

Cunning: Hide

Zeb rolled 15 using 1d20+10 with rolls of 5.  stealth.

Zeb rolled 16 using 4d6+4 with rolls of 3,1,2,6.  damage.

Zeb rolled 26 using 2d20+7, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 8,19.  attack (advantage if concealed).

Morg runs after the duergar he'd just hit, and smashes again with his maul.

---

Move: 25' NE to D4. (If that's not within melee range, then dash with action and use the 1st attack below as an opportunity attack if D4 runs away without disengaging.)

Action: attack D4 with maul - hits AC 22 for 11 bludgeoning damage.
Extra attack D4 with maul - hits AC 21 for 14 bludgeoning damage.

20:17, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 22 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 14.  Attack D4 with maul.
20:17, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 11 using 2d6+5 with rolls of 4,2.  Bludgeoning damage to D4 from maul.
20:17, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 21 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 13.  Attack D4 with maul.
20:17, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 14 using 2d6+5 with rolls of 4,5.  Bludgeoning damage to D4 from maul.

Content to keep the dark dwarves on the run Gorm dashes down the length of the battle field to end up just east of the eastern most Dwarf.

Faith looked at the dwarves in full flight and smiled. "Who knew Deurgar could move so fast with their little ass legs?" Her eyes gleamed as she spoke. "RUN YOU COWARDS, LIKE THE GOBLIN LOVERS YOU ARE!"

---

Initiative	Rumour rolled 10 using 1d20+4.  iniative
Movement	None
Action	Cast Dissonate Whispers At Deurgar
	Faith rolled 17 using 3d6 with rolls of 6,5,6.  Dissonate Whispers.
	Wisdom save DC 15 Or take 17 Psychic Damage and moves away
Bonus Action	None
Reaction	Cutting words If attacked

The two fleeing duergar are cut down by arrows and blasts of magic. The former prisoners groan in relief when they learn the assailants are dead, but whispers of future threats pass among them. The setting of the sun does little to stifle the oppressive heat.

---

XP: 6 duergar: 1200 xp.

Where to now?

Round 3 Summary:

Zeb attacks D5 - HIT for 15 piercing.

Ehrendil attacks D5 - HIT for 11 piercing. D5 is dead.

Makari moves and attacks D4 - HIT once for 6 force. D6 is dead.


Round 3 Initiative Order:

Who	Init	Status
Ehrendil	22
Morg	20
Makari	18
Zeb	10
Faith	10
Moonclaw	10
Gorm	10
Duergar	10

Morg rummages thru the dead duergar bodies. "While the things they make are ugly, they're usually of very high quality."

---

After everyone who wants has also looked for loot, Morg smashes the duergars' skulls, hands, and feet.

Edit: grammar.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:42, Thu 07 Sept 2023.

Faith walks up to the dead Deurgar and helps searching the enemies, gathering weapons and armor for the prisoners.

....a little protection may help them

Makari didn't go looting. He stepped back towards the prisoners after making sure the duergar weren't going to go raise more of an alarm, gather reinforcements and return, or anything like that. He was satisfied with just stopping them.

He took up his watchpost over the prisoners once more.

Ehrendil moves about the dead duergar, scrounging for any of his arrows that are not broken. He also checks the bodies for any arrows that they might be carrying.

"I don't understand why Marlos Urnrayle would send these duergar after we fled, but did nothing to prevent us from leaving the monastery."

As he ponders, the elf adds, "Unless he knew we had spoken to Renwick Caradoon and he fears crossing him.

But, our first priority is getting these people somewhere safe. These woods are obviously not that. Is there somewhere nearby that is sheltered?" he asks Morg, who has travelled much of the valley in recent days.

"Pick up mine as well if you see them, won't you?" Zeb asked of Ehrendil as he pondered his friend's words.

"I don't know about you, but I could not say for certain which direction the duergar came from. Is there a chance they were not sent by Urnrayle but rather were on their way to see him and merely stumbled upon us?"

The night turns hotter and more humid than when the sun was up, if that was possible. The group spends several minutes searching the darkened ground and the slain duergar amid an eerie silence in the surrounding trees.

Faith is able to find no usable armor, as each suit of armor apparently shrunk down to dwarven size when its wearer was slain. She does distribute several usable javelins to the freed prisoners, who hold them in grateful but unsteady hands. None of the war picks is light enough for the weak prisoners to bear.

---

Morg is able to collect 90 gp.

Ehrendil & Zeb can recover 4 spent arrows. By my count Zeb has 12 arrows and Ehrendil has 20; split them as you see fit ;).

Morg distributes the 90 gold pieces among the freed prisoners.

To the party he says, "Sorry about storming the duergar without strategizing. My clan has a history of enslavement by them after their fall and eventual subservience to Asmodeus, so we'll attack without regard to ourselves if we think we can get at least one kill each."

"If I do it again, know that you have no obligation to risk yourselves."

---

10:40, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 17 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 16.  Survival check for possible safe place for rescued. -1 if it's a History check instead.

Faith smiled at the man with a wink. "Really....anyone sneaking around here will be part of those orc-kissing bastards. I'm all for attacking first."

She shrugged as she sheathed her rapier. "After all, any innocents around here would have been captured by them."

The prisoners accept the additional coin gratefully. Shortly thereafter a sudden warm rain starts pelting the area, making everyone and everything uncomfortably wet.

---

Morg (and potentially others) would recall the nearby homestead of Dudo and the halflings, marked on the map as #13.

Somewhat further away to the east, perhaps 15 miles, is the fortified monastery of Summit Hall, occupied by the Knights of Samular, which were founded by Samular Caradoon. The party has recently met Samular's brother Renwick, or at least his lich.

There is also the potential safety of the city of Beliard to the north, a home to many cattle ranchers. As well as Womford and the Bargewright Inn to the south, along the shores of the River Desarin.

Zeb accepted the arrows from Ehrendil with a nod of thanks.

"Slavers deserve no better," he assured Morg. "As for their prisoners, I do not like the idea of leaving them alone out here, especially not with this strange weather afoot. We could have them to Samular Hall in two days' time, where they'd be safe behind the walls."

"Let's make for Dudo's camp. They were hospitable enough, and will surely provide a safe place for a day or two."

---

Marked off 8 arrows given to Zeb.

"I've found cultists in the towns here, so the halflings may be the safest people to help getting out of the area." Morg says.

Faith looked at them - she had no input on this as she was a prisoner util recently. "Whatever we do, i suggest we do it fast - if those deurgar's frineds come looking for them or us, we may be facing a lot more people."

As is her way after a difficult fight Gorm takes a few moments to calm down, clear the area, and refreshes herself into much the same condition as she started the fight in.  The javelins in her side drop away and the other wounds grow new fur and even flesh from the inside out.  In moments she is a healthy and clean bear again.

Makari listened to the others and then gave a slow nod followed by a shrug. "Okay. Then, sure, not the town. Stay away from cultists. Sounds good to me." He glanced at Faith and agreed, "Yes, let us be on with it. There is still much to do."