"... Do you guys ever had the feeling that your being watched?" Silvia said, breaking a nervous sweat.

Dakath nods. "Let's keep the fire low, and eyes sharp on watch!"

Themis finds a suitable place for the group to camp, next to an old tree that provides shelter on one side, the elves also seem to approve of the chosen spot. Your two guides say that they will also take watch, one for half the night each.


The party has just settled down and had their evening meal when sounds of something coming quickly through the forest towards the party can be heard.... a gutteral growl can be heard and silhouetted against the moonlight is a humanlike creature, blue skinned with large claws and a tongue hanging around three times the length of any normal human tongue...

The once human creature rushes in the parties direction....

Round one!
Go!

Silvia was absolutely paralyzed with fear as she saw this creature. She shakily tried to grab her staff.

08:27, Today: Silvia Summergreen rolled 3 using 1d20+2.  Initiative.

Themis was also shaky. The creature or whatever it was was truly unnatural and unnerving. Too unnatural and too unnerving.

20:42, Today: Themis rolled 7 using 1d20+3.  Initiative.

"A ghast!" Griffin exclaims. "Like a ghoul but worse." He grabs his crossbow and scrambles awkwardly to his feet with crusts and bits of evening meal going everywhere.



ooc: Initiative 5 (nearly the worst possible with reroll on 1s).
Crossbow - nat 20, 11 damage

17:33, Today: Griffin rolled 4 using 1d8.  crit damage.
17:33, Today: Griffin rolled 25,7 using 1d20+5,d8+3.  Crossbow.
17:29, Today: Griffin rolled 5 using 1d20+3.  Initiative.

Dakath grabs his longbow, and sends an arrow toward the undead abomination. He them drops the bow and draws his rapier, steeling himself as he moves to meet the ghast.

---

Action: Attack with bow
        Dakath Syldark rolled 23, for 8 Piercing damage.
Free:   Drop bow.
Bonus:  Second Wind: Dakath Syldark rolled 4 using 1d10+2.
Interact: Draw rapier
Armour Class: 15 (no shield)

This message was last edited by the player at 07:42, Thu 16 Feb 2023.

As a crossbow bolt, and two arrows fly into the torse of the creature, it stumbles and slows. Pure hat fills its eyes and it charges forth slobbering at the mouth. It bounds up to Dakath and swings its long clawed fingers at the elf, but Dakath manages to pull back just in time.

Then the awful smell of the rotting undead hits him (make a DC10 con save vs ghast stench)


Themis and Silvia you're up!

Silvia didn't recover well from the stench however she had a plan,"Alright, time to taste the might of a wolf you damn ghoul." she said and transform to a wolf. And immediately regretted as the stench was much worse then she taught.

The stench of the creature is disgusting, but Dakath manages to keep his focus with only a slight retch.

---

Dakath Syldark rolled 16 for CON save vs Ghast BO (DC10).

Themis retreated from the creature to avoid the stench. And gathering her inner power she focused on removing heat from the area sending a concentrated beam of ice towards the foul creature, but her aim was off.

Move away
Cast Ray of frost and miss...17:29, Today: Themis rolled 13 using 1d20+5.  ray of frost

Is there a treetop suitable for sniping from it?

round two
ding ding!

Dakath steps forward and stabs quickly at the ghast. The elf then follows-up with a slash across the creature's chest.

---

Action:  Attack Dakath Syldark rolled 11, for 6 Piercing.
Free:    Action Surge with Inspiration
         Dakath Syldark rolled 18 for 10 Piercing.

It was increasingly difficult to aim in the cramped space, and the abomination was quite dangerous to risk it approaching. Plus Themis was not precisely the best hand to hand combatant and getting too close and personal to comfort. So the obvious solution was to get out of the way. Channeling her arcane energy towards her legs, she hopped an unusual high distance towards a nearby treetop. "Me has high ground!"

Action: cast jump

Move: jump 16 feet up to the treetop.

The halfling wrinkles his nose, a slight whiff of the thing from further back is enough to convince him to keep his distance. He moves around a short distance to try to line up a shot without a party member in the way and fires his crossbow again.


OOC:
To hit - AC 13; damage - 9 damage.

22:00, Today: Griffin rolled 13,9 using 1d20+5,d8+3.  Shoot x-bow.

Under a flurry of blows the ghast collapses to the ground  as the group stands there panting and rushed with adrenaline Themis, from her vantage point up in the tree, can make out two similar creatures, although without the strangely elongated tongues, bounding almost silently towards the party, it is only a matter of seconds before they will be within melee...


(if/once Themis points them out anyone who makes a successful DC 14 perception check can act before the creatures reach melee with the party.)

For most people it would be a bit disappointing to make all that effort to get a great tactical position just for the abomination to be vanquished that quickly and with no chance to do anything. But Themis wasn't most people. She breathed in relief as that thing couldn't be taken out quickly enough. However she soon noticed something terrible "More come! There! Two! At least!"

Dakath tries to catch his breath when Themis shouts out a warning. The elf looks in the direction the ranger is pointing, and raises his rapier, ready to fight.

---

Dakath Syldark rolled 9 for Perception (WIS).

"Yeah, take that!" he says as the ghast collapses.
Hearing Themis, he squints and makes out the additional things approaching. "You guys want some too, huh?". He takes aim with his crossbow again.



OOC:
08:04, Today: Griffin rolled 20 using 1d20+2.  Perception.
08:05, Today: Griffin rolled 14,4 using 1d20+5,d8+3.  Shooting.

"More of them?" Silvia said, unsure where they are. Their her ears heard the sound of shuffling of feet's and in that instant she immediately casted a spell and suddenly the ground started sprouting vines, grappling the undead before they arrive.

08:53, Today: Silvia Summergreen rolled 14 using 1d20+3.  Perception.
Action: Cast Entangle, DC 13

Griffin shoots one of the approaching undead in the calf, and it slows somewhat, the other one continues to run on towards the party. Suddenly the trees come alive around the creatures, branches reach down and grab hold of one of the undead, restraining him. The second one breaks through and attacks Dakath with a swing of its clawed hands, drawing blood. That seems to excite the creature even more.

(5 points of damage)

party's turn.

"Argh!" Dakath unsuccessfully tries to stifle the pain as the creature's claws stab into his ribs.

He stabs at the undead, but his blade does not connect.

---

Dakath Syldark rolled 7 for Rapier Attack.

"Dakath!" Themis cried at the sight of the savage attack. She aimed her frost ray at the monstrous humanoid that was engaged in combat with the Elven warrior. Yet she managed to only flounder and miss.

Action: ray of frost. miss with 12

18:17, Today: Themis rolled 12 using 1d20+5.  Ray of frost.

".... Gah, dangnamit!" Silvia notices she's back to her human form,"Ah nuts, I forgot I can't cast spells when I shift to an animal." she said and suddenly transforms back to a wolf.

Deciding this is going badly, the halfling tries casting a spell on Dakath's foe, a bolt of light flashing past it to illuminate a nearby tree. "Demon's balls!..." he bursts out, then looks apologetic.

[ooc: hits only AC 9 with Guiding Bolt]