Pointing at the dragonfather, Kreo smiled

"Fear this then."

A swirl of starlight formed across his hand and then burst towards the dragonfather, striking at him

OOC: attack roll 21, damage 22 radiant, attacks against him have advantage until my next turn

Watching the destruction around him, Kreo said a small prayer for any fallen and motioned in their direction

OOC: bonus action spare the dying on a dying person within 30ft if any exist, keep the enemies alive if I can but things happen

"I might worry, if you were a dragon," Vecaal continued the repartee, ducking the worst of the fire that billowed toward him.  The flames still licked at one shoulder, and he felt the stinging burn along his dingy golden scales. Not a dragon, but still with enough tricks to warrant concern.

The dragonborn's eyes lit up when Kreo cast the starlight spell, and he quickly followed up with two more smoky daggers that hurtled toward the cult leader.  Again the leader's defences partially stymied Vecaal's efforts, even with Kreo's magic in place.  If the Dragonborn weren't so self-confident he might begin to believe some of their enemy's boasts.

OOC:
20:57, Yesterday: Vecaal Alifras rolled 29 using 1d20+10.  DEX Save.  Take 7 dmg.

Attack and bonus action for psychic blades.  Sneak attack applies with clockwork dragon threatening (per Baern's command).  One hit for 13 dmg total.

21:12, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 10 using 2d20+5, dropping the lowest dice only.  Attack (advantage).  Presume miss.
21:12, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 17 using 2d20+5, dropping the lowest dice only.  Attack (advantage). Presume hit.
21:14, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 6 using 1d4+3.  Damage.
21:13, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 7 using 2d6.  Sneak attack dmg.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:59, Thu 26 Oct 2023.

The Dragonfather's flames washed over the hulking, rusted-out machinery and barely singed Verajeon hiding behind it.  The self-important cult leader's taunt got a rumbling laugh from the false firbolg, who bellowed back, "If your plan attracts flies, Dragon-dad, take that as a sure sign that the plan is shite!"

Having noted that the fancy five-dragon mask seemed to be the source of the Dragonfather's flaming barrage, Veracity got a brilliant idea.  Verajeon called out a magical compulsion, "Hey, Dragon-dad!  How about you Unmask."

---

Reminder that Command forces the target to spend their full turn doing the thing, meaning they don't get to do anything else!

• Dex save succeeds with a 26!  14 fire halved to 7 then resisted to 3
  • 13:57, Today: Veracity rolled 26 using 1d20+6.  Dex save.
• Cast Command: UNMASK on the Dragonfather.  DC 14 Wisdom save or on his next turn he follows the command (unless it's directly harmful to him) and ends his turn

Active Effects

• d6 Bardic Inspiration on Procz (<10 mins remaining) "...the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes."
• Disguise Self to look like Crajeon (<1 hour remaining)
• Three-quarters cover from previous 12 Survival check

Frack continued to fight alongside Crajeon, using his shield to defend the firbolg as well as himself. Had he not been fending off multiple cultists, Frack would've pondered the wisdom of defending someone who a few weeks ago tried killing him. As it was, he had enough to worry about.


OOC: Frack will stay in place and try to hold the onrush of cultists at bay while the rest of you hopefully shut up the flapping gums of the DragonDad!

Action: Scimitar vs. cultist (+3 due to sacred weapon): Hit AC19 for 10 slashing damage.
Reaction: Intercept attack against Crajeon (or Baern if he's also within 5 feet) for -4 damage.

21:58, Today: Frack rolled 19 using 1d20+9.  Scimitar (currently sacred) vs. cultist.
21:59, Today: Frack rolled 10 using 1d6+4.  Damage.
22:00, Today: Frack rolled 4 using 1d10+2.  Intercept attack on Crajeon (if needed).

Crajeon wounded one cultist, while the combined efforts of Baern and Frack cut down another, but two more emerged to take his place. Without the dragon's breath, it would be difficult to stem the tide of cultists.

Kreo stabilized one of the dying cultists. Perhaps they would prove useful, later.

Teetch, claws, blades, magic, and magical blades continued tearing into the Dragonfather, shaking his once-confident demeanor. "Tiamat will not forsake her chosen son!" he declared, seeking to convince himself as much as anyone.

Shaking off Veracity's command, he rose into the air. The green head on his mask turned to face the tiefling-turned-firbolg, and its eyes glowed yellow.

A figure appeared before her, tall and lanky, with a long grey overcoat, a black tophat, and a face of tarnished brass. "Up you go," it declared as its metallic hands sought to seize her shoulders. (No one else actually sees this, just including the description for the players' sake).

"Come now," the Dragonfather ordered the clockwork dragon as the eyes on black head of his mask bore into the construct. "You serve Tiamat, not these weaklings."

"The gnome!" he instructed his followers as he retreated. "Stop the gnome!"

Dragonfather is now 60' off the ground, so ranged attacks only on him. He seems ready to fly up out of the collapsed ceiling of the factory and hoping to take the dragon with him.

Baern: DC 22 Tinker's Tools (Cha) check to maintain control of the dragon. I accounted for the dragon's attack last round (it crit!) and also this round. If you make the check, it will also get an Opportunity Attack on the retreating Dragonfather.

Also, the cultists are focusing fire on you. You'll need to make eight DC 12 Dex saves, taking 1d6 damage for each failure. You can reduce the total by 4 thanks to Frack.

Veracity: DC 15 Int save or you take 1 psychic damage and are convinced the illusion is real.

Dragonfather made the save on Command this round. Sorry I messed it up again last round. FWIW he would have used a legendary resistance if I'd remembered the full effect of the spell. I also forgot to have him contest Baern's control of the dragon, so he did lose arguably the most important part of this turn, albeit for unrelated reasons (or maybe I was subconsciously repenting!).

Procz: I didn't want to burn a spell slot on your behalf, but I also didn't want to waste your turn on a cantrip if you would have done something different. So, you can take two actions this round.

"Which gnome?" Baern called back cheekily. "Oh you mean me! Hard luck, old man! She don't take orders from you no more!"

The cultists edged him in on most sides now and it was everything Baern could do to keep out of the way of their spitting flames. Baern thought he'd managed to evade the worst of it when he turned just in time to singe off his eyebrows - least he would have if he had any hair to speak of, and if Frack hadn't got his shield up just in the nick of time!

"Thanks, mate," Baern acknowledged in relief, before grabbing the plucky goblin by the collar. "Time to haul ass. Keep your head down and run!"

Crajeon would have to figure things out for himself. He had said not to worry.

"Come on, luv!" he shouted for the dragon's attention, as soon as they were clear of the throng. "Light 'em up!"

Tinker Check 25 spending Vera's last bardic die!
The dragon will take an attack of opportunity, although I presume you roll that.

Rage round 3
Action: Disengage, dragging Frack away if possible
Bonus: Redirect dragon construct to breath fire on the cultists at the top of the stairs

Baern succeeds on 7 out of 8 dex saves, and Frack spares him the last damage die.

20:54, Today: Baern Snagglehorn rolled 5 using 1d6.  Bardic Die.
11:50, Today: Baern Snagglehorn rolled 2 using 1d6.  Damage.
11:49, Today: Baern Snagglehorn rolled 18,16,22,18,14,7,13,15 using 2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2, dropping the lowest dice only.  Dex save (Danger sense) x8.
11:19, Today: Baern Snagglehorn rolled 20 using 2d20+2, dropping the lowest dice only.  Tinkering (Charisma), Gearlord's Blessing.

Frack held his ground for a moment longer after Baern made his plead to retreat. The goblin was determined to help Crajeon (or was it Crajeon's twin brother? or Vera?) for as long as possible.
With one eye on the mechanical dragon, Frack made a futile swing before at the cultist before him. "Time to go," he called to the Firbolg as he slipped out of combat and retreated as fast as his legs would carry him.

OOC: Not sure how events are exactly ordered, but if possible, Frack would like to attack another cultist and stay by Crajeon long enough to intercept one more attack before running for it. As a goblin, he can disengage as a bonus action, so depending on order of events (if Bessie goes before the cultists, then Frack won't be able to intercept anything prior to the whole area going up in flames, anyway). If it looks like flames are coming, he will disengage and retreat if he can, but I understand if it's not possible to split those hairs and he has to take fire damage (does chicken wire melt?)!

Action: Final attack against cultist.
Reaction: Intercept 6 pts of damage vs. Crajeon (if he's within 5').
Bonus Action: Nimble escape (disengage).
Move: Retreat toward dragon (hopefully under the line of fire).

22:10, Today: Frack rolled 11 using 1d20+9.  Scimitar (currently sacred) vs. cultist... only if time permits!
22:11, Today: Frack rolled 6 using 1d10+2.  Intercept attack on Crajeon (if needed...and only if time permits).).

Procz hesitated for a moment, then fired a spell at the Dragonfather from behind his little cover. The cold ray exploded in a layer of frost, but the kobold wasn't sure he hit the figure well, if at all.

Ray of Frost hits AC 16 for 2 damage. Spent the Bardic Inspiration from Vera.

There were so many cultists and it seemed Baern was struggling to control the contraption. Retreat did indeed seem advisable. Procz rode out of his cover and layered a breath of poison over the cultists, like the dragons of old.

Cast Dragon's Breath over as many cultists as possible for 15 Poison damage. Dex save DC 14 for half.

He then spurred Zúm to haul ass as Baern put it.

Zúm Dashes. I'll use some of that movement to get closer before retreating, if that means I can catch more cultists in my Breath spell.

Kreo moved back, another tendril of magic trying to save a fallen person (be they friend or foe) before he gathered another radiant bolt and flung it, wider, at the dragon father.

OOC: spare the dying with my bonus action on someone in 30ft then guiding bolt (attack roll 7 with 19 damage) and move back 35ft
This message was last edited by the player at 01:58, Thu 02 Nov 2023.

Vecaal was still crouched amongst the equipment and broken stone that gave him cover, outside the area where the dragon had previously incinerated the overly eager cultists that had first surged up the stairs.  So he felt secure enough to stay put despite the change in tactics by the others.  Besides, the Dragonborn was still focused on the cult leader.  Vecaal wanted to shut him up, for good.

To that end he continued to rely on his conjured daggers, tossing the shadowy blades after the Dragonfather as he rose toward the ceiling.  Perhaps it was the repetitions, but he finally was getting the range with his throws and a slithery smile crawled across Vecaal's face.

OOC:
If dragon still threatens the Dragonfather (granting sneak attack), then attack action and bonus action to hurl psychic blades.
If dragon is not threatening, then use bonus action for Steady Aim to grant advantage and thus sneak attack.
Stay put in cover.

Total is 11 dmg if bonus action required for Steady Aim, or 16 dmg if both attacks are made.

10:30, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 24 using 1d20+5.  Attack.
10:31, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 7 using 1d6+3.  Damage.
10:31, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 4 using 2d6.  Sneak Attack dmg.

10:32, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 18 using 1d20+5.  Attack.
10:32, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 5 using 1d4+3.  Damage.

The yellow-glowing eyes of Dragonfather's mask seemed to see straight through Veracity's illusory disguise, boring into her mind...

Then, she was back on the streets of the Slopes, gazing up at the towering shadow in a top hat and the smokestacks looming behind.  She was small again, shoeless and garbed rags, covered in scrapes, bruises, and soot.  The command came in a metallic voice that haunted her nightmares, "Up you go."  Terror seized her, tears carving paths down soot-smudged cheeks.  Memories of being trapped in cramped, smoky flues as hot as ovens.  So hard to breath, but no escape until the work was finished.

Onlookers saw the illusory disguise fall away from Veracity, who stood frozen with a stricken expression, staring at nothing.  Tears gathered in amethyst eyes as she rasped in a low voice, "No..."  The top-hatted shadow tilted his head and hissed dangerously, "What did you say?"  Veracity flinched, fists clenched tight and quavering with fear.

"NO!  Never again!"  Her scream banished the false vision and returned her to reality, here and now in the abandoned island factory and the battle against the Descendants.  Veracity fixed a hateful glare on the Dragonfather and shouted, "I'll have your scaly berries for that, you absolute bastard!"  Her voice carried subliminal notes of fear and distress that threatened to overwhelm the Dragonfather's mind!

---

• Int save succeeds with a 17!
  • 13:45, Today: Veracity rolled 17 using 1d20+3.  Int save.
• Drop Disguise Self illusion
• Cast Dissonant Whispers (1/day cast via feat) on the Dragonfather.  DC 14 Wisdom save or take 12 psychic damage and must use his reaction to move as far as his speed allows away from me.  Half damage and no forced movement on a save.

Active Effects

• Disguise Self to look like Crajeon (<1 hour remaining)
• Three-quarters cover from previous 12 Survival check

This message was last edited by the player at 00:19, Fri 03 Nov 2023.

Procz's dragon breath dropped the wounded cultist and put a hurting on the others. Six more emerged from the stairwell just in time to see their leader's demise.

It had seemed, for a moment, the Dragonfather might succeed. He was locked in a contest off wills with both Baern and Veracity, one for control of the clockwork dragon, one for control of her mind itself. But in the end, the tiefling threw him off, and as she struck back at him, he lost what brief control he'd held over the construct. At Baern's command, it snatched him out of the air and swallowed the cult leader into its mechanical stomach.

The dragon flooded them with fire, and while they were not all equally vulnerable to it, none enjoyed the sensation of being burned alive. In a last-ditch effort to free the beast, they once again threw all their effort into felling the gnome who commanded it.

Baern: We'll need eleven DC 12 Dex saves this time, taking 1d6 damage for each failure. You can reduce the total by 6 thanks to Frack.

The dragonfather is no more, so I redirected attacks to the cultists.

Baern hit the floor in an effort to evade the return volley. The majority of the bolts passed harmlessly over his head, but a few, either poorly aimed to begin with or anticipating his ploy caught him on the way down.

"Kill the bastards!" he shouted, hauling himself back up and glaring at the mob of cultists atop the stairs.
 
Bonus: Direct construct to engage cultist at the top of the stairs.

Baern fails 3 of 11 saves, taking 6 damage total after Frack's mitigation. Current hp total 29/45.

11:58, Today: Baern Snagglehorn rolled 6 using 3d6-6.  Damage.

11:57, Today: Baern Snagglehorn rolled 19,16,6,22,22,22,9,21,11,12,19 using 2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2,2d20+2, dropping the lowest dice only.  Dex save (Danger sense) x11.

Procz was greatly impressed with how tough Baern was. They were really polar opposites, although there were some overlapping sets of skills. The others were quite impressive as well. The kobold wondered what they could have accomplished on the right side of the law. Maybe their current common purpose was the next best thing.

As the Dragonfather fell, Procz halted his retreat. He remained at the rear of their company, where he launched a fiery spell with great range at one of the remaining cultists.

Firebolt hits AC 13 for 10 fire damage.

Scrambling to his feet, Baern's seized what appeared to be an assembly of equal length pipe segments from off his belt. The contraption was a Baz Cinderhorn special. With the touch of a latch and a flick of his wrist the segments came aligned and locked in place. Though it lacked durability, for a single toss it was an effective missile and was readily overlooked by the constabulary. It certainly didn't 'look' like a weapon until it was primed.

"You want me?" he taunted the assembled cultists atop the stairs. Baern heaved the javelin and watched with satisfaction as it buried itself in one of the cultist's chests. Then he took off along the factory floor, dodging in between the derelict machinery.

"Come and find me!"

Attack with Javlin, hitting AC 16 for 7 damage.
23 survival to take cover (natural 20).

20:40, Today: Baern Snagglehorn rolled 7 using 1d6+4.  Damage.
20:40, Today: Baern Snagglehorn rolled 16 using 1d20+6.  Attack.
20:39, Today: Baern Snagglehorn rolled 23 using 1d20+3.  Survival.

Frack ducked as flames from the clockwork dragon engulfed the area where he stood only moments before. Baern, still the focus of the enemy attacks, had run in a different direction and there was no sign of either of the Crajeons amid the smoke, so the goblin fell back on his default plan: find Procz and stand by him!

He rushed over to the constable and readied his shield against the cultists, but at the same time, keeping one eye on Zum, who he still figured might butt him in the rear if he wasn't watching. "What do we do now? Those cultists keep coming and coming!"

Move alongside Procz.
Reaction: Intercept attack against Procz (9hp).
22:06, Today: Frack rolled 9 using 1d10+2.  Intercept attack on Procz (if necessary).

Kreo aimed for one of the cultists with fire welling up in his hand, throwing the bolt at their enemy to try to thin the crowd a bit

OOC: just a 12 to hit, 4 fire damage

Veracity's glower at the Dragonfather changed to a look of surprise when the mechanical dragon suddenly snapped him up in its metallic maw and swallowed him whole!  This raised a number of questions about clockwork dragon digestion, but those would have to wait.  The salient point at this moment was that the Dragonfather was quite dead, and that was a win.  She remarked, "What a deliciously ironic death."

Baern was more tenacious than she'd have given him credit for, as she watched him withstand a veritable barrage of fire from the cultists still swarming up from below.  Frack the Little Hero was doing his part in this miraculous stand, deflecting flames with his shield.  Meanwhile the others were dropping cultists like so many gnats.  This was going rather better than it had any right to, considering how outnumbered they'd been.

Veracity waited for the others to lay into the cultists, then addressed the survivors in a voice that sapped their will to fight, "Your chosen son is gone, and his schemes are just as ruined as this factory.  Face it, boys.  You're finished."

---

• Ready an action to trigger after the rest of the crew has acted:
  • Cast Bane with a 2nd level slot on the 4 closest cultists that survive this round.  DC 14 Charisma save or they must subtract 1d4 from all attacks and saves for 1 minute (concentration)

Active Effects

• Concentrating on Bane (1 min remaining)
• Three-quarters cover from previous 12 Survival check

"Apparently a dragon should fear its own," Vecaal snickered to himself after the Dragonfather was swallowed whole by the metallic construct.  He was pleased the blowhard had finally been shut up, allowing the rest of them to get on with business.  The business of finishing off this little cult.

Having given up the secrecy of his vantage already, Vecaal spied a new hiding place from which to ply his smoky blades.  He quickly slithered through the ruined machinery and damaged steel superstructure until he reached the spot, which offered a different angle at the cultists while still avoiding the splash of the dragon's breath.

From there he sent two more daggers slicing toward a cultist near Crajeon, looking to cull their numbers one at a time.

OOC:
Move to new 3/4 cover
14:25, Yesterday: Vecaal Alifras rolled 20 using 1d20+2.  Survival (for cover).

Attack and Bonus actions for psychic blade attacks.  Hit once for 34 dmg!
11:18, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 25 using 1d20+5.  Attack.  Crit!
11:20, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 15 using 2d6+3.  Crit Damage.
11:24, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 19 using 4d6.  Crit Sneak Attack Damage.
11:24, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 10 using 1d20+5.  Attack. Miss.

Another wave of flame washed over the cultists, followed by magic and blades from the strangers who'd disrupted their meeting, commandeered their dragon, and killed their leader. As their companions fell dead around them, those who still stood began to question whether they still enjoyed Tiamat's blessing. Did not the intruders now command the dragon? Were they themselves not in danger of incineration from its kerosene breath? Perhaps the time to repent was at hand.

The six who still stood exchanged looks, then fell to their knees. "Spare us, Dark Lady!" they beseeched. "If the dragon has chosen a new master, then so shall we."

Those who remained in the basement had not seen the devastation first hand and so were not so compliant. They ceased spilling from the stairwell and presumably made to hide below. If Crajeon was to be believed, there was no way out save swimming or flying.

The raging firbolg snorted and raised his axe. "You lot showed me no such mercy."

Six cultists are surrendering. Some unknown number remain below. Of the fallen cultists, Kreo has stabilized three.

Baern poked his head out from behind a bulkhead.

"What, that's it then?" he asked. "Fun's over?"

He stepped forward to where he could comfortably lay a hand on the metallic scales of the clockwork dragon, and ran his fingers along the length of its tail.

[What do you say, Vera?] he asked, falling back on Vecaal's whispers. [Take the win?]

Across the psychic whispers, Veracity cooed, [The win is ours already, darling.  We'll surely take it.  Have our new clockwork companion cover the stairs while I chat them up.]

Veracity spoke up, "The only Dark Lady you lot have to worry about right now, is me."  She sauntered out from behind the rusted hulk of machinery, donning a minor illusion to deepen the shadows around her.  Her face was shrouded beneath the brim of her tricorn hat, giving a sinister impression as she deftly twirled a twin-barrel flintlock palm pistol.  She paced in front of the kneeling cultists, regarding them with imperious disdain.  Vera stopped before them and caught the spinning pistol, aiming it casually upward near a shoulder as she addressed the surrendering cultists, "So, who among you would like to please your new masters by telling us exactly what occasion brought you to this dismal isle?  What was the DragonFeeder planning, hmm?"

She made a show of loudly cocking the dual hammers of the flintlock pistol, then added casually, "Out with it, now.  If you're informative then perhaps I'll talk this big fellow out of making cultist cutlets."  Veracity turned Crajeon a wink paired with a wry smirk.

---

Intimidation!:

• 02:58, Today: Veracity rolled 13 using 1d20+5.  Intimidation.

One of the kneeling cultists raised his head and lowered his hood, revealing the haggard features of an aged dwarf. "Cutlets!" he exclaimed with an exaggerated laugh. "That's a good one." When the shadows on Veracity's face refused to laugh, he adjusted his tone.

"Right. The plan. There are some... some relics, like. From the days of the dragons. The Dragonfeeder..." He tried again to score sympathy by leaning into the tiefling's joke, growing more nervous after he failed a second time. "He wanted to plunder it. Said we had to strike fast. Crock Cognelius was onto it as well, and we had to get to it first, 'fore all the good stuff ended up in the old man's library.

We was supposed to take this dragon here to the Lower Slopes. No one guarding it but a couple o' scavengers. Dragonfather said they didn't even know what they had.

I- we!" he looked to his fellow cultists for support, but they all had their eyes on the ground and hoods pulled up over their heads to hide their shame. "We could come with you. 'case you need back up, like. Not that you don't seem capable. Just... if we could be useful... well, I anyway... I am at your service, my Lady."

Anyone who would like to can roll a History check to see whether they recognize this dwarf. Coglinton is not a small place, but you've all been a part of its fabric your entire lives, so there's always a chance you'll recognize someone.

The dragon approached on sinuous metal legs, talons tapping rhythmically against the hard surface of the factory floor until it came to a rest alongside Vera and sat back on its haunches expectantly.

12:32, Today: Baern Snagglehorn rolled 5 using 1d20-1.  History.

Doesn't seem like you need it but consider taking advantage on any future intimidation check.

Baern doesn't have a clue who the dwarf is.

Vecaal remained in his new hidey-hole, alert to any of those still below trying to use the 'surrender' of some of their fellow cultists as a distraction.  He tasted the air regularly, but only the sweat and fear of the captured rose above the general stench of the rusted out islet.

His lips drew back as Vera went to work, Vecaal admiring her effectiveness in converting those on their knees.  Not that the dragonborn would trust them even as far as he could throw them.  A body that turned on one leader after a show of strength would just as easily turn on another.  Didn't mean they couldn't be useful though.  He tried to place the dwarf doing all the talking and though he seemed vaguely familiar, details wouldn't come.  Probably as unreliable as the rest, he imagined.

OOC:
13:55, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 12 using 1d20.  History.  Guessing not enough.