Every fiber of his being was telling him to run. Escape these tunnels while you can. Despite this, he gritted his teeth and stayed where he was as his sense of duty rooted him in place.
Abrel looks at each of his companions, nodding at each, Let us move then. Things aren't going to get better as we stand here...
He draws his blade and presents it to the drow, Do your thing.
As the first ritual completes, purple arcane spiders swarm your blades and Davin's bow as they shimmer with a micro-webbing momentarily. The webbing becomes invisible, only visible again from certain angles. It now feels lighter and perfectly balanced in your hand.
"There...that should last about an hour or until I fall...whichever comes first. Now, for our passage..." he conjures some kind of mystic quill pen into hand and begins geometrically constructing a polygon directly on the surface of the stone. The ink glows with its own energy and is highly reflective like a mirror, the script you might recognize as Draconic.
Murssvayas places his palm flat on the stone and pushes slightly, and instantaneously a tunnel with sides following his strange polygon bore through the rock, leading into the cyst...you immediately hear chanting in some kind of primordial tongue, but it is too dark and far to see anything just yet...
Cole looks at both weapons,and he presents his Rapier to the drow for the short ceremony.
Cole has both weapons drawn, and he advances with the others.
As the drow casts his spells on the others, Shaldinari steps back and simply meditates for a few minutes to recenter herself for the coming battle and calm her somewhat frayed nerves. Once all is ready and the path is open, she follows the others further into the depths.
On the inside of the earthen cyst the cave is infused with a fantastic amount of elemental energy. Liquid stone floats in mid-air, some even casting a strange dim light. Stone columns, stalactites and stalagmites emerge from the floor and hang from the ceiling. Plateau's of stone jut from the ground or float in the air and in some places are connected by stone bridges. In other places stone arms reach out from some plateaus and do not connect to anything at all.
In the center of the egg shaped cyst an altar rests on a plateau floating in the air. Although there does not seem to be a direct way to get on the center plateau, stone bridges float in the air above the plateau. Atop the floating plateau is an earth genasi in priestly robes flanked by cultists.
The remnants of the creek flow through the cave, its bed seems to be coated with semi-precious stones. Kneeling at the edge of the creek bed a small, three-legged, three-armed creature scoops up stones and tosses them into the maw atop its head. It pauses for a moment and bellows, as it feels your presence in
the stone.
Round 1:
Shal <--UP
Robed Cultist, Priest
Cole, Davin, Bhoors, El, Abrel
Cultists, Xorn
Her mind poised and focused on the coming confrontation, Shaldinari steps into the chamber and immediately calls upon her fae allies to generate a sparkling glitter cloud of purple and red purple energy. The cloud drifts and coalesces around the xorn and the priest attempting to make them bright targets for the rest of the party.
The motes of fey light attempt to ensnare the priest from behind, but she turns abruptly, scattering the light "Hahhahah. Kill these fools...let the soil of Ogremoch drink their blood."
The xorn however, seems much more assailed, slapping its odd 3 limbs around its eyeballs like a horsetail swats at flies, but can't seem to get the tiny motes...they finally cling to its body, illuminating it with a bright glow.
The robed cultist nods and begins weaving her fingertips and chanting, and suddenly a giant stone fist boils forth from the cave sand near Abrel, grabbing him like a banana...
The priest raises a symbol, calling to her god, and the party begins to feel a steady *drip drip drip* from above...before *SPLOOOSH* it gets covered in sticky mud.
An affected target's speed is halved, it takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can't use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn.
If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn't take effect until the creature's next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can't, the spell is wasted.
A creature affected by this spell makes another Wisdom saving throw at the end of its turn. On a successful save, the effect ends for it.
Round 1:
Shal
Robed Cultist, Priest
Cole, Davin, Bhoors, El, Abrel <--UP
Cultists, Xorn
Elandil moves away from the rest of the group to try to foil any more area attacks. As he passes by Abril he casts a blessing to help him escape from the stone hand.
Cole moves to the illuminated Xorn and attacks with both swords.
Wisdom Save:
As the spell takes effect, Davin's actions become slower and slower. He nocks his arrow and lets it fly at the priest.
Attack:
Damage:
Slow Results:
El ok
Shal slowed
Abrel ok, but restrained by earth hand
Davin slowed
Cole ok
Bhoors ???
An affected target's speed is halved, it takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can't use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn.
If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn't take effect until the creature's next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can't, the spell is wasted.
A creature affected by this spell makes another Wisdom saving throw at the end of its turn. On a successful save, the effect ends for it.
Round 1:
Shal
Robed Cultist, Priest
Cole, Davin, El, Bhoors, Abrel <--UP
Cultists, Xorn
Davin's arrow streams past the priest.
Abrel curses and tries break the earthen grasp!
Then moves up to the xorn!
Shal shrugs off the arcane effect, the muddy particles evaporating from her skin instantly.
Cole bites hard into the xorn with both blades, the drow enchantment getting a good footing...it seems the drow was honest about that at least.
Abrel frees himself after some time, hearing the whispers of Elandrils nature spirits guide his movements, but the hand doesnt vanish...it makes a fist and shakes it as if annoyed, ready to come back for more...
Round 1:
Shal
Robed Cultist, Priest
Cole, Davin, El, Bhoors, Abrel <--UP
Cultists, Xorn
Weird...I just looked and my character has reverted to the previous level...all my stuff has disappeared....will have to update again!
Bhoors moves with Cole and strikes at the Xorn.
Using the fey energies Elandril had coalesced, Bhoors finds a weak spot in the xorn's plates despite his blade lacking the drow's enhancement.
The cultists topping the small stone mesas pull out long hafts sporting strange blue crystals, smashed to a razors edge on their spear points. They hurtle the javelins down upon Davin and Elandril...
..both find their mark, with horrifying effect on Elandril. The crystal pierces his soft armor and skewers him totally, and there he falls. As he loses consciousness he watches as his fearie fire flickers briefly before going dark again...
The xorn screeches in pure anger, lashing out against all 3 assailants...
...but remarkably the heroes rebuff every attack!
Round 2:
Shal <--UP
Robed Cultist, Priest
Cole, Davin, El, Bhoors, Abrel
Cultists, Xorn
Shaking off the robed cultist's spell, Shaldinari tries to answer with her own fae inspired magic. Once again, tiny fae sprites appear over part of the battlefield. The laughing creature quickly sprinkle their special blend of purple and gold cure for insomnia over the mage and cultist on her right before blinking back to the summerlands.
Abrel swings with two hands, hard against the Xorn's stony hide!
Action Surge
EDIT:
The eastern cultist suddenly plops to the floor under the effects of Shal's magical enchantment.
The priest looks down at the fighters engaging the xorn and laughs. She reaches into her component pouch and pulls forth a small mica egg, crushing it in hand and letting the small pieces float down like glitter. At the same time a great sound begins to rise and rise, before its a tremendously high pitched burst of sonic energy rippling through the earthen node and becoming a matter wave...
The robed cultist perched atop the other floating stone similarly watches the party down below with a snickering grin, playfully calling forth to the hand and grasping at Davin in her leisure...
Round 2:
Shal
Robed Cultist, Priest
Cole, Davin, El, Bhoors, Abrel <--UP
Cultists, Xorn
Bhoors grimaces when he sees Elandil go down he moves away from the Xorn carefully and nods to Cole and Abrel, "Try to stay standing."
He crosses over to the place where Elandil lays. He keeps his rapier up.
Wisdom Save:
Still feeling his limbs moving like they are encased in lead, Davin is able to only send out 1 arrow but concentrates on it to imbue it with magic and fires it at the priest.
Attack:
Damage:
Shadow Arrow: A creature hit by the arrow takes an extra 2d6 psychic damage, and must succeed on a WIS saving throw (DC 10) or be unable to see anything farther than 5 ft. away until the start of your next turn.
Damage:
The priest manages to maintain control of her spell despite the damage, but her head is surrounded with a shadowy halo from Davin's magics, effectively blinding her.
Abrel crashes into the meatball with solid strikes as Bhoors tactically withdraws to Elandril's side.
Round 2:
Shal
Robed Cultist, Priest
Cole, Davin, El, Bhoors, Abrel <--UP
Cultists, Xorn
Wisdom Save:
Cole stays after the Xorn.
Cole shreds into the Underdark native with devastating effect, the power inherent in his strikes amplified by the drow's magics.
The cultist who felled Elandril see's Bhoors rush to his aid, and takes a moment to line up his next javelin toss, feeling the weight of the weapon before closing one eye and biting his lip...
...but it spears into the dirt nearby, totally missing Bhoors bu just missing Elandril's eye socket, the wooden grip vibrating.
The xorn angrily growls, the freshly eaten gemstones it was gnawing spilling out of its mouth in rainbow colors. It resists both its attackers with claws and teeth...
Cole takes a devastating slash across his face, tearing open a bright red gash.
Abrel likewise gets pulverized by the creatures wrath.
Seeing the front line falter the dwarves rush past Shal and join the fray, despite their heavy injuries. "For Kalda!" They dash up to the xorn and prepare an assault with their thick maces.
Finally, Murssvayas (your drow ally) eagerly steps inside the Cyst to observe...and seeing the cackling mage controlling her earthen grasp his eyes narrow. "Stonemelder..." He reaches his hands into a back pocket and seems to pull out a dagger, but to a trained eye he is actually casting a spell...he whips forth 5 magical daggers at a high speed, flying unerringly into the heart of the raised cultist.
...startled, the Stonemelder's () stone hand evaporates!
Round 3:
Shal <--UP
Robed Cultist, Priest
Cole, Davin, El, Bhoors, Abrel
Cultists, Xorn
Murss, Dwarves
Following up on the drow's attack, Shaldinari sends her own blast of fae energy sailing toward the cultist mage.
Abrel screams in pain as the creature bites down hard into his shoulder, his knees buckling under the weight of the beast!
Shal's blast ricochets off the mage's armor, vaporizing some floating rocks nearby. The drow shouts at her "You've no chance against this one, Pact-warden, leave her to me! Focus on the priest!"
The stonemelder begins to cast something, its skin turning to hard, glossy obsidian ...but fast as lightning the drow is on her, an ensnaring mist of arcane energies from his hands washes over her in counterspell...
vs DC 14
...and the black form of the obsidian resides, the drow's prowess proven.
Meanwhile the priest struggles in the darkness Davin has given her, her hands patting the altar. She fumbles in her pouch for an egg-sized live spider, and hastily crunches it down in some sick meal, muttering draconic power words. Her hands glisten with sticky mucus as tiny brown hairs erupt all over. She crawls down off the side of the stone she was floating on defensively, putting the altar between her and the party.
Round 3:
Shal
Robed Cultist, Priest
Cole, Davin, El, Bhoors, Abrel <--UP
Cultists, Xorn
Murss, Dwarves
Wisdom Save:
Still moving slowly, Davin nocks another arrow to his bow and moves to get the priest back in his line of sight.
Abrel swings again at the Xorn!
Action Surge
<Bleeds threateningly>
The cultist raises an eyebrow at Elandil's bleeding body, wholly unnerved for some reason.