Warden of Doors |
You turn the animals around and head back out of the ravine, finding a sheltered spot to watch the area. Nestor gratefully eats the meal offered to him and rests in your company, by the next day he's in noticeably better shape. Nothing stirs in the ravine as far as you can tell, though sleeping in the tainted land nonetheless leaves you on edge.
Will you proceed toward the Chasm or try to track down the necromancer?
Iliberos Kuskyn |
Iliberos, a Necromancer from a city full of Necromancers gives a slight smile. "I should like to have words with this Necromancer".
Djal |
Djal looks at the escapee and feels a clear kinship for him. Not long ago, he too was in the clutch of a foul individual who tortured him endlessly: "We must stop those who seek to enslave, despoil, and torture. This necromancer is of the worst kind. Nestor, is it your wish that we seek to end this person's activity and most likely slay him?"
Warden of Doors |
Nestor nods, taking a shard of bone and breaking it to create a jagged edge.
You trek back through the ravine, animals in tow. Old bones crunch under your feet, echoing against the stone walls. You reach the site of the attack yesterday and find the hound corpses gone...
I'll take a survival roll to start tracking.
Warden of Doors |
Between the Unchained and Djal, you find drag marks and footprints leading off to the northwest from the canyon. The Unchained can tell that the tracks were made by four human-sized creatures, three walking with a stumbling gait as though carrying a heavy load. The trail leads you through rocky wasteland with scant vegetation, dust and old bones scattered throughout.
After several hours march, the trail has brought you to another ravine with a narrow entrance only large enough to proceed single file. The scent of rotten meat and death hangs in the air. Zukhan, Iliberos and Djal notice a set of skulls- human, goblin, dog, horse and something humanoid with eight eye sockets- arrayed above eye level for a human. They are wedged, nailed and nestled into the rock above the entry point to the ravine.
Iliberos Kuskyn |
"These skulls are a warning sign if ever I have seen one. We must proceed with all possible caution hereon".
Lhienne |
"Yes, well, hardly a warm welcome." Lhienne keeps her sling handy. "I'm little and quiet, I can probably take a look ahead, see what can be seen" Lhienne doesn't look entirely comfortable at the prospect.
Xar-Nixx |
"I'll go with you to scout Lhienne. I too can move quietly at times".
When and if needed.
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 Stealth Whoops!
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15 Perception
Iliberos Kuskyn |
Iliberos casts Mage Armor anticipating danger now that it has found them.
Warden of Doors |
While the party gets into position, a black tide of feathered bodies erupts from the ravine! A score of ravens in various stages of decay pour forth and set upon the party, feathers and small bones flying off into the air!
Initiative
Iliberos: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Unchained, Swarm of Ravens: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Djal, Zukhan, Lhienne, Xar: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Zukhan Ranger Advantage: 1d20 ⇒ 11
Djal, Zukhan, Lhienne and Xar are first, followed by Iliberos and The Unchained. There are two swarms of undead ravens within range.
Iliberos Kuskyn |
Round 1
Iliberos mutters a curse as he knows he is ill prepared to deal with such a threat.
He sighs and draws his bow firing into the first swarm.
Longbow 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
Longbow Damage 1d8 ⇒ 1
Lhienne |
Not having any resources to deal with such a swarm effectively Lhienne resolves to poke at them with her rapier.
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 dmg: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 Sneak Attack?: 1d6 ⇒ 2 Not sure if another ally within reach of foe applies or how swarms work in 5e?
The Unchained |
On my turn
The Unchained swats at the ravens, drawing a wide arc to get as many of them as possible.
attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Warden of Doors |
Lhienne- I don't see anything to suggest that sneak attack wouldn't apply in this situation.
Zukhan attacks with this scimitar and claw gauntlet.
Scimitar and Claw Gauntlet: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 201d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 91d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 171d6 ⇒ 4
Xar attacks with his shortsword and dagger.
Shortsword and Dagger: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 91d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 41d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 161d4 ⇒ 2
Djal, Zukhan and Lhienne stab and slash at the tide of undead ravens, small bird corpses falling to the ground around them in an explosion of small bones and feathers. Xar is taken aback, managing only to swing wildly into the conspiracy.
Cutting a wide arc, The Unchained downs more of the dead birds, but they just keep on coming while Iliberos downs one of the zombie ravens with an arrow. One swarm seems substantially diminished, while the other flying higher retains its overwhelming numbers.
The swirling mass of ravens peck and claw and Xar and Lhienne.
Swarm 2 vs. Lhienne: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 212d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6
The clouds of undead birds manage to slip around your defenses, no matter where you're armored they find a week point and start drawing blood. 6 damage to both Xar and Lhienne.
Back to you!
Lhienne |
Lhienne considers running, but that runs the risk of drawing them after and separates the group. Gritting her teeth against the pain she continues to poke at the ravens.
Rapier: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 dmg: 1d8 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 3 + (3) = 12
Xar-Nixx |
"Back! Back! We must find somewhere that doesn't allow them to surround us... or get away from them. They're shredding me"!
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24 Perception (Looking for somewhere to gain an advantage)
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 Shortsword
1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8 Stabby
1d6 ⇒ 3 Stabby hard
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 Dagger
1d4 ⇒ 4 Mini-Stabby
Iliberos Kuskyn |
Round 2
Iliberos drops his bow and draws his blade, he makes his way close to Xar, well as close as he can as the Elf is swarmed and attacks, "Cut your way towards me!"
Longsword 1d20 ⇒ 18
Longsword Damage 1d8 ⇒ 8
Warden of Doors |
Xar-Nixx spots what could only be described as a burrow in the rocks 50 feet away from the opening of the necromancer's ravine. Anyone but Lhienne would have to crawl to get in and The Unchained would have to squeeze. No way would the donkeys fit either- but it could be blocked up until the swarms leave.
The first swarm is substantially smaller than it was, as well- swarms lose power as they take damage in 5E.
Warden of Doors |
Round Two
Djal sweeps his rapier through the flock, getting a mouthful of feathers for his eagerness. Distracted by the incessant pecking and flying feathers, Lhienne's lunge fails to make contact.
Xar jabs at the swarm, taking out two dead ravens in one jab of his sword.
Iliberos likewise swats several out of the air with his own blade, leaving the ground littered with avian corpses.
Zukhan attacks the remaining swarm with his blades:
Scimitar and Claw Gauntlet: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 81d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 61d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 201d6 ⇒ 1
But the asaathi does minimal damage.
The Unchained chops through the ravens:
Longsword: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 221d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
And the brutish half-orc leaves another pile of bird corpses at his feet.
The flock of ravens pecks at the Unchained, jabbing and raking with beaks and claws:
But the huge orc's thick skin leaves him with only superficial cuts.
A miss on the Unchained and it's your turn again in Round 3. One swarm remaining.
Zukhan Ssalaras |
Zukhan continues to slice away at the cloud of birds between ducking and weaving. "The swarm seems to be getting smaller! Keep at it" The Asaatthi yells.
Scimitar: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Claw: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Warden of Doors |
Djal and Xar stab at the swarm but to their dismay the undead ravens snatch the blades right out of their hands before dropping them to the ground! Natural 1s- Djal and Xar have dropped their rapier and shortsword, respectively.
Xar stabs a few down with his dagger, while Zukhan hacks at the scrum of birds. While Lhienne stabs at them herself, she's too distracted keeping them out of her face to get a good hit in.
Iliberos chants a spell, summoning a ghostly skeletal hand to grab some of the birds.
Chill touch cantrip: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 151d8 ⇒ 7
Several of the zombie flock fall to ground, instantly rotting away to dust.
The Unchained roars, sweeping his blade back and forth and stomping on the fallen birds! Within moments, the remaining flock is trampled on the ground with their feathers still floating in the air.
Both flocks are dead.