Armat cannot hold against the might of the men pushing against his shield and slides back into the kitchen. But this progress came at the price of a mighty blow delivered at the front man.

"Hurry! For Highmoon!"

---

Armat fails his Athletics check and is pushed back.
He attacks: To hit: 23, Damage: 10.

23:52, Today: Armat Aelendil rolled 7 using 1d20+6.  Athletics.
23:53, Today: Armat Aelendil rolled 19 using 1d20+6.  Attack (Warhammer).
23:53, Today: Armat Aelendil rolled 4 using 1d4.  To hit Bless bonus.
23:53, Today: Armat Aelendil rolled 10 using 1d8+6.  Damage.

Celeste begins to search outside of the building, looking for possible hiding spaces for Gorstag's daughter.  You do notice Elinor's familiar Pixie flying overhead, darting its eyes back and forth.

Armat is pushed back away from the doorway, allowing for the armed travelers to pour through. There is little room for them, so only three are able to be in the kitchen currently. Swinging his warhammer once more, he strikes at the closest one who was previously injured by Elinor, causing the traveler to fall to the ground in a heap.

Elinor unleashes another purple beam of energy from her blade, striking another of the travelers near Armat, injuring them but not bringing them down.

"For crying out loud," Jarsali exclaims in her frustration, lifting her hand as green flames lick along the length of her whip before she brings it down with an impressive crack on Elinor's most recent target. Some of the flames jump towards the the other that remains standing before she gives him a telekenetic shove back out through the doorway.

"Let's go!" she says and retreats to the outside.

OOC: Action to Green-Flame Blade vs more damaged enemy hits AC 24 for 7 slashing damage. The other standing "traveller" takes 4 fire damage.

Bonus Action: to Telekinetic Shove second "traveller" 5 ft back through the doorway. DC 14 Strength save to negate.

Moving outside after the others, up to 30 ft.

11:02, Today: Jarsali Galendodel rolled 7 using 1d4+3 with rolls of 4.  Whip Damage Roll.
11:01, Today: Jarsali Galendodel rolled 24 using 1d20+1d4+5 with rolls of 15,4.  Whip Attack Roll w/Bless.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:06, Wed 27 July 2022.

Celeste, from outside, looked around, and smiled as she saw something. The woman went over to the woodpile to look for the signs of movement

Celeste notices the unusual stacking of the woodpile, but with further investigation, cannot see how a young woman could be hiding in there.

Pixie begins to hoot wildly over the woodpile, circling around it.

Jarsali lashes out with her whip, green flames rolling along it as she strikes the traveler in the doorway, burning the enemy and bringing him down. Green flames jump from the strike, hitting the foe behind him, followed by a telekinetic thrust from the Paladin's mind, sending him into his fellows into the inferno behind the doorway. Smoke and heat begin to flow through into the kitchen as the fire spreads.

Matters were dire inside the inn. Anger gripped Armat's heart at the grave injustice and dark deeds done here. But he mastered his anger to remember his duty. He had to get the people helping him get to safety.
"Out! Out!" Armat bellowed as he guessed the smoke would soon choke them all. Already his lungs burned from hot air as the blaze hungrily devoured the building.

"Get ready to bar the door!"
The Watcher had no patience left for these murderers, nor mercy to give. He swung his hammer hard in parting as he retreated..

---

Move: Towards exit without provoking AOO.
Standard: Armat attacks: To hit: 27, Damage 10.

23:43, Today: Armat Aelendil rolled 23 using 1d20+6.  Attack (Warhammer).
23:43, Today: Armat Aelendil rolled 4 using 1d4.  To hit Bless bonus.
23:43, Today: Armat Aelendil rolled 10 using 1d8+6.  Damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:49, Fri 29 July 2022.

Celeste looks at the pile of wood with a frown, sure she saw movement within it. She looked up and saw the owl hooting over the pile and frowned. "Yeah, yeah....i'm here ya nighttime turkey." she mumbled as she knelt down.

She inspected the woodpile closer.

---

<OOC: Celeste rolled 10 using 1d20+5.  investigation check.>

Elinor approached the stack of wood, obviously a bit surprise by Celeste's actions. Shaking her head, she quickly focused on what was urgent, and hurriedly whispered. “Shandril, get out of here, we have to go! Now, it's not safe!”

After a second, she added, “And it's not really difficult to find you under that wood...”

Jarsali readies to slam and hold the door shut at Armat's request, waiting just long enough for the last of their party to squeeze through.

Hearing the more distant screams now that the ones from inside were muffled she looks to the others, "Sariel, Celeste, do either of you know a hidden way out of the walls?"

She has set her entire weight towards keeping the door closed and would be unable to move from her position without releasing it. She would be unlikely to hold it long unless the smoke and flames from the inside were to weaken and consume the pursuers.

Having no satisfactory target for his attack, Armat retreats from the kitchen, helping to close the door with Jarsali.

Celeste and Elinor are both at the woodpile behind the inn, Elinor shouting into the woodpile. An odd shift in the pile occurs, revealing a well-crafted door hidden into the pile. Out steps Shandril, her skirt and blouse disheveled, her blonde hair wild in the night air. "Cook told me to run and hide, but father told me about the safe place he had made, so I ran there. Is father okay? I heard screaming and cries of fire out here, so I made sure to stay quiet. By the Earthmother, no!" She said, her eyes going wide as flames are licking her home, and the look of two warriors holding the door closed to the kitchen.

Celeste smiled at the creativity of the hiding spot and crouched towards the young girl. "Shandril....you may recognize me. I've eaten in the inn a few times. Your father was always nice to me."

She placed a hand on the girls shoulder. "I'm Celeste. I may look scary but i'm not. My father was an orc." She looked around at the burning inn, losing her smile, then back again. "Your father asked myself and my friends to watch out for you. Those men - those bad men, were coming to find you for some reason. He stayed behind to make sure you and the others were safe."

She looked in her eyes, completely sincere. "I won't let anyone hurt you....as long as you trust me and my friends, i'll make sure those bad men come nowhere near you."

Shandril looks nervous for a few moments, but nods, emerging from the pile and looking worried and scared. You have found the girl, but the night air is still filled with the distant sounds of battle, occasionally bolts of flame erupting into the sky, and the war horns calling from both attackers and guards. Overhead, a massive black form flies overhead, spectral blue flames running the length of its skeletal form, a massive undead dragon that breaths fire upon the town, sowing chaos within.

While blocking the door Armat's heart skipped a beat as the terrible dragon raised from the dead came overhead to rain destruction. He knew in his heart that many of the people he had sworn to protect would perish during this night of woe. And he was powerless to stop it for that beast was a power far beyond him.

"Helm protect us.."

Beside Armat Jarsali follows his gaze, and her eyes widen and her stomach clenches, at the terrifying sight combined with the flares of firelight and the distant percussive booms and screams.

"We have to go, right now. If no-one has a way out then I'll take the lead, if we stay here we won't last."

It was clear that she did not have a clue on which direction they should head but that she would start moving if no one else took charge.

Elinor congratulated Pixie for a job well done, then simply listened without adding anything for a time. Telling the girl that her had been captured, which meant that they wanted him alive, was likely not going to help for the time being. Something that would beed to be said at some point obviously, but right there and then it didn't serve any purpose.

But when she saw that giant thing fly above their heads, she blanched. “Mom! Dad!” It seemed pretty obvious which direction she was going to run to...

Armat looked at Jarsali but shook his head while bracing the door.
"Go. I must save who I can."

Celeste held the girls hand with a smile and nod, despite the sounds of battle around. Then the sound and sight of the dragon in the air and she lost her smile. "Oh, come on!" she groaned. Looking at the girl, she forced a smile on her face. "Take my hand and keep up."

She looked around and saw the others, and with girl in hand made for them quickly. "I found the girl....we gotta go - NOW!" she heard the foolish man in the doorway, and groaned. Damn men and their honor she thought to herself. "Armat - This girl needs you ....WE need you. So stop stalling and move your holier-that-thou ass!"

The undead dragon over the city roars, though it is cut short as meteors of blue starlight begin striking it from the night sky. Each one appears to disrupt the undead essence of the creature. After a moment, it veers off, flying away from the city, breathing fire upon the woodlands as it passes over them, setting the forest ablaze.

As you watch, a group of guardsmen rapidly approach the Rising Moon Inn, two archers, two spear and shield bearers, and a captain armed with a greatsword. They look concerned at the flames rising from the tavern but focus on the group. "You there! What is going on here?". The captain asks, pointing his hand at the group.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 21:35, Mon 08 Aug 2022.

Armat was relieved to see the support that his horn had summoned. He had worried that they could not spare the men once he noticed the extent of the attack.
"Captain! The attackers started killing people and set the place on fire. Some of the murderers are in here still! Others ran off, they abducted the innkeeper!"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:25, Mon 08 Aug 2022.

Celeste stayed with the girl, an arm around her protectively. "it was some cult - they targeted the inn specifically for..." she paused. her hand shifting around the girl a little. "...a certain item. The innkeeper stayed to protect the people fleeing them." She had a tinge of sorrow in her voice - she liked the man.

"There were a few - maybe ten hired thugs. The concern were the robed men - five in total. The leader was a blue dragonborn." She smiled, but flinched, the wounds from the brief battle still fresh. "I gave him a good scare before he set his cronies to beaking the living snot outa me."

He looked at the girl. "This is Shandril, Gorstaag's daughter. He asked me to protect her before we fled."

The guards react with recognition at the name Gorestag and Shandril, moving forward swiftly. Their body language is all wrong, their attention focused almost exclusively on Shandril.

OOC: Everyone but Elinor recognizes the intentions of these guardsmen as being off, too focused on the names and Shandril herself. Elinor is too distracted by the dragon's attack on the city, her choice to remain or leave.

Initiative is back in play.

Everyone but Elinor, then Guardsmen, then Elinor, new round!

Sensing the veiled menace of these would-be guardsmen, Jarsali charges from her position blocking the door alongside Armat to place herself in front of Celeste and the young Shandril.

Her whip flashes with a bright green flame as she brings it down on the nearest apparent foe, causing a harsh cracking noise to reverberate down the alleyway beside the inn.

The half-elf's attack, along with the raised and ready shield, is a clear challenge and threat to anyone who might try to move past her.

---

HP: 12/12 | THP: 0 | AC: 17 | Spd: 30ft.| Fav.btG 1/1 | S1 1/2 | Adv vs Charm | Immune Sleep | LoH :5/5 |
Concentration: Bless
Move: Between Celeste and enemy
Action: Green-Flame Blade vs Enemy hits AC 20 for 6 slashing damage, an enemy within 5 ft of them takes 4 fire damage.
Bonus: Telekinetic Pull on an archer to bring 5ft closer, preferably adjacent to one of the party. DC 14 Str Save to resist.
18:02, Today: Jarsali Galendodel rolled 6 using 1d4+3 with rolls of 3.  Whip Damage Roll.
18:01, Today: Jarsali Galendodel rolled 20 using 1d20+5+1d4 with rolls of 14,1.  Whip Attack Roll w/Bless.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:05, Wed 10 Aug 2022.

Seeing the men come upon the girl, the woman pushed her behind her, her eyes took an orange hue and separated, becoming two distinct pupils. Again the bandages came from her armor like four separate billowing cloaks. She glares at one of the men approaching as purple glyphs ignite on her skin.

She locked eyes with the closest archer, her head tilted as she held her hand out and a bolt of energy flew from it.

---

<OOC: Bonus Action - Activate form of dread

Celeste rolled 8 using 1d10+1.  temp hp.

8 Temp HP

Action - Cast Eldritch Blast at closest archer

Celeste rolled 19 using 1d20+4.
Celeste rolled 5 using 1d10.

Wisdom save DC 12 or become frightened>

"No! Traitors! OATHBREAKERS!"
There were few things worse in the all-seeing eye of Helm than those who betrayed their sacred oath to protect their charge. Armat knew not what had made these men abandon their post, but that was not for him to question. He would enact justice by confronting them. And woe for those who died, for in the hereafter a terrible fate awaited them.

Without hesitation he charged the nearest man.

---

To hit: 12, damage 13.

18:04, Today: Armat Aelendil rolled 10 using 1d20+6.  Attack (Warhammer).
18:05, Today: Armat Aelendil rolled 2 using 1d4.  To hit Bless bonus.
18:04, Today: Armat Aelendil rolled 13 using 1d8+6.  Damage.

Armat charges at the treacherous guardsmen, noting that they did not wear the holy symbols of Helm like he chose to do. He swung with his warhammer at the captain but fails to connect as the captain expertly dodges the attack.

Jarsali moves to interpose herself between the guards and Celeste/Shandril. Her whip cracks like thunder in the alley as they move closer, striking on of the shield bearers. Green flames jump from her foe to one of the archers behind him, scorching them. With the power of her mind, Jarsali then pulls the other archer forward, knocking him into the back of the other shield bearer, knocking them down.

Celeste manifests once more her dark patron's power, aiming her dark power against the already injured archer, dispatching the rogue guardman.

Sariel knocks an arrow, her eyes narrowing as it flies to strike the other archer, impaling the man through the chest.

The guard captain, seeing his archers fall in rapid succession, swings his great sword against Armat, the foe closest to him. The great blade strikes true against the cleric of Helm, knocking the wind from the priests body (12 points of slashing damage). The spearman who is knocked prone moves to stand, then aims at Jarsali, the paladin's whip representing a fearsome weapon apparently. The other spearman moves in tandem, moving to flank the holy warrior. The injured spearman is unable to hit the paladin, but other strikes true against the paladin (8 points of piercing damage).