GM Jiggy's The Order of the Griffon (5e) (Inactive)

Game Master Jiggy

Halsere is damaged for the first time in this area BUT has nearly been killed by the blast of fire. He lies moaning on the ground.

Actually, even if you take a short rest, that just puts you at "late afternoon". As it happens, this is where the chalice is, so even if you rest and spend a bit of time ritual-casting Identify to verify the chalice, you're still going to make it back before Stefan's first roll. So, we'll fast-forward.

After a short bit of rest and healing, you search the tomb and find the chalice! You then turn your attention to the magical spears you looted earlier and confirm that the best among them is the very spear you needed. Artifacts in hand, you rush back out of the crypt and to the duke's audience chamber, just as the sun begins to sag toward the horizon.

An attendant pours holy water into the chalice, and Duke Stefan drinks it. Before your very eyes, his color returns and his very flesh seems to swell back to normal from its previous emaciated state. He's been cured of the vampire's poison!

After a few minutes of thanks, the duke informs you that an agent of the Order was here about an hour ago. It seems they have vital news about the war against the vampire, and wish to speak with you at their office here in Specularum.

Go ahead and level up to 7th, and assume a long rest. Also be thinking about shopping, as you'll have a chance soon. And bring your A-game, because we're on the brink of the showdown with the vampire Koriszegy, and there's no more story to preserve by my keeping you alive. ;)

Phew, I was worried about our chances moving forward, was't sure if there was going to be more fights

Nodding as surely praise is showered upon the group, "Please, we jus' innit ta protect tha people, we'd've done it for anyone,"

Looking around, "Now, where's a bed, Ai about died twice gettin' that chalice, Ai need some sleep,"

Sounds good - will level him tomorrow

As the evening deepens, you hurry to the local Hall of the Griffon to see what the news is. You are informed that the vampire's hiding place has been found! It seems he's been hiding in his old keep all along, shrouded by powerful anti-divination magic until the Order very recently managed to crack it enough to confirm his location.

Koriszegy keep is a few days away, just a bit northeast of Radlebb Keep. The Order doesn't know how long it will be before Koriszegy realizes he's been spotted, so even leaving now poses a risk, let alone taking the time to assemble and march an army. The plan, therefore, is to send you to infiltrate Koriszegy Keep and assassinate the vampire. Since his M.O. thus far has been to hide and do his business remotely, he doesn't have a standing army at the keep, so hopefully you can get in and confront him directly.

You are informed that the keep looks derelict to the outside, but if you sneak in through the cellar and get past the outer illusions, you should have no trouble finding your way around. There is believed to be a powerful magical barrier deep inside the keep, protecting Koriszegy; however, the legendary Spear of Halav should be able to break it.

You rest for the night, do some quick shopping in the morning, and head out. A few days later, you arrive at the decrepit-looking keep. The cellar bears no obvious security, and you slip inside. When you come upstairs into the proper keep, the halls seem empty and unused. You wander around a bit, eventually finding a large, grand hall with high, vaulted ceilings. The door slams shut behind you as you enter, leaving you face to face with an opaque, shimmering wall of light blocking off the rest of the room. This must be the barrier that was meant, and the vampire should be on the other side.

From side to side, the room is about 50ft across. From the wall behind you to the barrier in front of you is about 15ft. You can't see how far the room extends beyond the barrier.

Wrap up your leveling, do any shopping you need to, and cast any pre-combat spells you might be interested in. Once you crack that barrier, it's showtime!

Since nobody's talking at all, I guess I have to assume that means you're ready. Here we go!

You strike the Spear of Halav into the shimmering barrier, and with a sound like a clap of thunder, the magic shatters, revealing the rest of the room.

It's a massive room: its 50ft width you already knew, but it's a full 100ft long. Six massive pillars support the 60ft-high ceiling, in two rows of three. (So if the back wall where you came in is 0ft, then there's a pair of columns at 25ft, 50ft, and 75ft. The columns in each pair are 30ft apart, leaving 10ft between any given pillar and its nearest side-wall.)

More importantly, you're not alone. About 80ft back, reclining on a large throne, is none other than the vampire Koriszegy! Two humanoids, covered from head to toe in armor and wielding swords and shields, stand at his left and right hand like guards. About 20ft in front of Koriszegy and off to your left is a red dragon, which is mirrored on your right by a blue dragon. Closer to you (about 15ft or so ahead of you) are two groups of undead creatures, one a bit to the left and the other a bit to your right. Each group consists of six skeletons, two ghouls, and a cleric leader standing at the back of the group.

"Congratulations," Koriszegy taunts. "You found the vampire!" A brief chuckle echoes through the room before he adds, "Let's finish this, shall we?"

Halsere: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Mirrel: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Pietro: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Spidre: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Thyra: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Vampire: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Guards: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5
Red dragon: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (17) - 1 = 16
Green dragon: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2
Cleric group left: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (1) + 0 = 1
Cleric group right: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20

Halsere is the first to react!

The order is:
Halsere
Cleric group right
Spidre
Red dragon
Pietro/Thyra
Guards/Vampire
Mirrel
Green dragon
Cleric group left

Just realized I forgot the mages: two of them, one behind each of the throne guards.

Mages: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Okay, true order is:
Halsere
Cleric group right
Spidre
Red dragon/mages
Pietro/Thyra
Guards/Vampire
Mirrel
Green dragon
Cleric group left

Halsere, you're still going first.

Halsere fires off a fireball towards the side with the blue dragon and overlapping the vampire and his mages.

8d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 1, 1, 1, 6, 1, 5) = 20 for DC17

Greeeeat - check out all my 1's :(

"Straight ta business, eh!"

Just noticed that in one place I wrote "blue dragon" and elsewhere I wrote "green dragon". Let's go with blue.

Vampire DEX: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25 10 damage
Fighter (right) DEX: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21 10 damage[/ooc
Mage (right) DEX: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9 [ooc]20 damage[/ooc
Blue dragon DEX: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 [ooc]20 damage[/ooc

Halsere roasts the back-right area of the enemy, but not as well as he'd have liked...

The cleric leading the right-hand group of undead extends his hand and casts a spell at Thyra!
Thyra WIS: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Thyra suddenly freezes in place! [ooc]Paralyzed.
The six skeletons converge on Thyra and swing their scimitars!
Scimitar (ADV+2): 2d20 ⇒ (10, 1) = 11
Scimitar (ADV+2): 2d20 ⇒ (1, 8) = 9
Scimitar (ADV+2): 2d20 ⇒ (9, 4) = 13
Scimitar (ADV+2): 2d20 ⇒ (14, 18) = 32
Scimitar (ADV+2): 2d20 ⇒ (11, 10) = 21
Scimitar (ADV+2): 2d20 ⇒ (1, 9) = 10
Their swords all clatter ineffectually against Thyra's armor!
The ghouls then shove their way through and swing at her as well!
Necropunch (ADV+7): 2d20 ⇒ (1, 12) = 13
Necropunch (ADV+7): 2d20 ⇒ (4, 2) = 6
Seriously?
They miss!

Spidre, you're up!
The order is:
Halsere
Cleric group right
Spidre
Red dragon/mages (MR:20)
Pietro/Thyra
Guards/Vampire (V:10/GR:10)
Mirrel
Green dragon (20)
Cleric group left

I'd like to use my potion of fire resist and cast Protection from Evil before the battle start(s/ed).
Are there charging rules in 5e? Can I go wreck a dragon? Or can I only walk up to it so it can bite me?

-Posted with Wayfinder

I'd like to use my potion of fire resist and cast Protection from Evil before the battle start(s/ed).

Sure.

Are there charging rules in 5e? Can I go wreck a dragon? Or can I only walk up to it so it can bite me?

There aren't any charging rules that I'm aware of. Just move and Action.

Spidre rushes to Thyra's aid, cutting down ghouls like it's going out of style!
ghoulitar: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28, damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
shortghoul: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22, damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
ghoulitar: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17, damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

-Posted with Wayfinder

Spidre fells a ghoul!

The red dragon flaps its mighty wings and moves toward you, and "lands" about 25ft up on the column nearest you on the left, gripping tightly with talons that leave marks in the stone of the column. It extends its neck and spews a gout of flame that engulfs your party!

Fire damage (DEX DC 14 half): 6d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 4, 1, 6, 6) = 25
Halsere DEX: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Mirrel DEX: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Pietro DEX: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11
Spidre DEX: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
(Thyra auto-fails due to being paralyzed, which means you all take full damage. Ouch.)

Also, four of the skeletons ganging up on Thyra are incinerated (leaving two skeletons and a ghoul from that group).

Having identified an enemy spellcaster, the two mages near the throne launch bolts of force at Halsere!
Magic Missile: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 3, 4) + 3 = 13
Magic Missile: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (4, 1, 1) + 3 = 9
I'm reasonably certain that drops Halsere.

Pietro and Thyra, you're up!

The order is:
Halsere
Cleric group right
Spidre
Red dragon/mages (MR:20)
Pietro/Thyra
Guards/Vampire (V:10/GR:10)
Mirrel
Green dragon (20)
Cleric group left

What if anything can I do about being paralyzed?

At the end of your turn you get a new save. So... not much. But if Pietro can break the caster's concentration or has any anti-paralysis measures, that works too.

Halsere goes down

Are there any other enemies near the cleric that paralyzed Thyra? I'd like to drop a 4th level maximized shatter...

The cleric is a good 10+ feet from any other enemies, since his undead minions advanced about 15ft toward Thyra. The left-hand counterpart to that group is all still clumped up, but that's not the source of the spell, either. Of course, Thyra managed to not get hit even while standing still, so there's that to consider as well. Decisions, decisions!

Go for the group Pietro, I'll be fine!

Save at end of Turn(Wisdom): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Pietro trusts Thyra's armor to protect her. He focuses his attention on the vampire, knowing that even if they die, the mission would be accomplished if they can only destroy him first. He summons his most powerful magic to strike down Koriszegy.

Maximized 4th-level Shatter on Koriszegy and his guards. 40 damage, DC 16 Con for half. Then a healing word on Halsere.

Healing Word: 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Koriszegy CON: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
ML CON: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
GL CON: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
GR CON: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
MageRight won't survive even on a successful save.

Pietro unleashes a mighty KABOOM!, topping both mages and one guard, and nearly flipping Koriszegy out of his chair.

Pietro then quickly revives Halsere, while Thyra remains frozen in place.

The surviving guard retrieves and drinks a potion!
2d4 + 2 ⇒ (4, 2) + 2 = 8
Second Wind: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

The vampire hisses in pain, but you see his wounds start to shrink! Regenerating! With a swoosh of his cape, he disappears, but some motion of the chair suggests he didn't teleport, but rather turned invisible and then got up.

Mirrel, you're up!

The order is:
Halsere
Cleric group right (down to cleric, 2skel, 1ghoul)
Spidre
Red dragon
Pietro/Thyra
Guard/Vampire (V:40/G:3)
Mirrel
Green dragon (20)
Cleric group left

Mirrel blesses the party, before moving off to one side, remaining near the rear of the group.

I'm presuming I can move in such a way that everyone is within 30 feet of me before casting bless - after that I'm trying to spread the party out a bit, whilst remaining near the back. If I can't catch everyone, I'll prioritise Thyra, Spidre, Pietro, Halsere.

Third level bless - all of us can add 1d4 to any attack roll and 1d4 to any saving throw. First round of concentration.

Halsere staggers to his feet changing and reaches out to fireball the green dragon and the throne together, hopefully catching the remnants of the bloodsuckers guard, the burned dragon and the vamp himself in the burst.

Fireball: 8d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 2, 6, 3, 6, 6, 2) = 33 DC17

Halsere then moves 30 foot away Mirrel, staying within the bless but hopefully out the area affected from breath weapons.

you'll be down to 15ft after standing up, and I think we decided that the green dragon is a blue dragon.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Mirrel casts a spell to bolster the party, then splits off to the right!

Seeing Mirrel split off by himself, the green blue dragon advances and bites at him!
Bite vs Mirrel: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11, Damage: 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (1, 6) + 5 = 12
Mirrel leans out of the way of the snapping jaws!

The left-hand cleric then casts a spell at Spidre!
Spidre WIS: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
He feels a compulsion to hold still, but manages to ignore it!

The left-hand group of undead swarms Spidre!
Scimitar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5, Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Scimitar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22, Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Scimitar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7, Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Scimitar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22, Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Scimitar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13, Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Scimitar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15, Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Two crits: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 2) = 3
So 14 damage total.

The two ghouls of that group split off and attack Pietro!
Necropunch: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24, Damage (Bldg/Nec): 1d4 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 4 + (6) = 14
Necropunch: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13, Damage (Bldg/Nec): 1d4 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 4 + (1) = 9
14 damage and 1 level of fatigue.

Halsere, you're up! The battlefield has changed a bit, which is why you should wait to post until it's your turn. If your revised turn still involves a fireball, I'll let you keep that damage roll.

The order is:
Halsere
Cleric group right (down to cleric, 2skel, 1ghoul)
Spidre
Red dragon
Pietro/Thyra
Guard/Vampire (V:40/G:3)
Mirrel
Blue dragon (20)
Cleric group left

Wrath of Storms on the guy that hit me. DC 16 Dex for half.

Thunder: 2d8 ⇒ (5, 6) = 11

-Posted with Wayfinder

DEX: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

The ghoul that punched Pietro gets shocked back through his own fist!

Hi Jiggy - don't forget that bless grants everyone +1d4 on any saving throws. Not that it mattered here. Also, halsere - I don't think you need to stay within 30 feet of me. That's the range of the spell, so you have to be there when I cast it, but it isnt described as an aura (the way some other buff spells are) so I think that now we're all blessed, we stay blessed as long as I maintain concentration.

protection from evil puts those attacks at disadvantage against me, I believe.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Will cast the fireball as above trying to catch the clerics and as many other creatures in the radius as I can.

Always take down the casters :D

@Mirrel — Good catch, I forgot that there was part of the buff that *I* have to remember.

@Spidre — A reminder of pertinent effects at the time of casting would be helpful in the future.
2d20 ⇒ (12, 11) = 23
Okay, all misses then.

@Halsere — Which cleric? Left or right?

Okay, since you said as many other creatures as possible, we'll say you're targeting the left cleric, and catching some of his undead minions in the blast.
LC DEX: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Ghoul1 DEX: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Ghoul2 DEX: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Halsere lets loose a fireball that destroys the left-hand cleric, both left-hand ghouls, and four of the six left-hand skeletons!

So, the left group is just two skeletons on Spidre. The right group is two skeletons on Thyra and the cleric a ways back maintaining the Hold Person on Thyra.

The cleric holding Thyra hits her with some divine fire!
Auto-fail the save: Radiant damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6
The two skeletons continue to assault the frozen Thyra:
Scimitar (ADV+2): 2d20 ⇒ (17, 6) = 23
Scimitar (ADV+2): 2d20 ⇒ (14, 20) = 34
Crit: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4
Thyra takes a hit!

Spidre, you're up!

The order is:
Halsere
Cleric group right (down to cleric, 2skel)
Spidre
Red dragon
Pietro/Thyra
Guard/Vampire (V:40/G:3)
Mirrel
Blue dragon (20)
Cleric group left (down to 2skel)

Can I make it to the cleric?

-Posted with Wayfinder

Yes, if you take two AoOs from the skeletons engaging you.

Spidre makes it to the cleric to ruin his day.
scimitar: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11, damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
scimitar: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25, damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
shortsword twf: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18, damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Don't forget those skellies get disadvantage on their AoOs against me.

-Posted with Wayfinder

4d20 ⇒ (7, 17, 18, 1) = 43

Spidre evades the skeletons that were attacking him and slays the remaining cleric! Thyra is no longer paralyzed!

Breath recharges on a 5-6: 1d6 ⇒ 4

The red dragon surges forward to attack the forwardmost party member (which is Spidre)!

Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16, Damage: 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (5, 5) + 5 = 15
Claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13, Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14, Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
-_-'

Pietro and Thyra, you're up! And Thyra actually gets to act now!

The order is:
Halsere
Cleric group right Skeleton pair right
Spidre
Red dragon
Pietro/Thyra
Guard/Vampire (V:40/G:3)
Mirrel
Blue dragon (20)
Cleric group left Skeleton pair left

Thyra will rush forward to aid Spidre fighting the Red Dragon.

She'll make her first attack a menacing attack, trying to frighten the dragon!

Menacing Attack: 1d20 + 10 + 1d4 ⇒ (7) + 10 + (1) = 18
Damage: 1d8 + 7 + 1d8 ⇒ (1) + 7 + (1) = 9

If that hits. . I doubt it does, the dragon makes a DC 16 wisdom save or be frightened until the end of my next turn

Attack 2: 1d20 + 10 + 1d4 ⇒ (11) + 10 + (4) = 25
Damage 2: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Ready to interpose her shield in case the dragon attacks Spidre again.

"Ya've breathed yer last breath, dragon, perpare ta die!"

I totally forgot we had a spell up. I need to add those d4s.
Also, those were some stellar rolls, Thyra.

Yeah I thought so too >:|

Thyra, this seems like a perfect time for an action surge!

Pietro continues to try to hammer the vampire before it can escape or retaliate.

Maximized 3rd-level Shatter on the vampire, and whoever else I can get in the radius (I think just his remaining guard). 32 damage, DC 16 Con save for half.

Pietro heals himself, to make sure he's still standing to tend to the party.

Cure Wounds (2nd): 2d4 + 5 ⇒ (1, 2) + 5 = 8

Halsere lets fly with a 2nd level spell shot Magic Missle at the Vampire.

4d4 + 4 ⇒ (1, 4, 3, 1) + 4 = 13

Seems I need to remind at least two people that the vampire went invisible on his previous turn.

Gah, so you did. Change mine to a Spirit Guardians. 3d8 radiant damage on any enemy that enters or starts within 15 feet of me. DC 16 Wis save for half. Then advance on the enemy cleric.

The one that Spidre killed?

They're all disappearing too fast! Make it the vampire's guard, then.

Thyra comes to Spidre's side and lays into the dragon! She wounds it twice, though it appears to give exactly zero s$@&s about her "scary face". Immune to fear.

Pietro surrounds himself with a totally different kind of undeath I swear, and advances toward the throne guard, arcing to the left just a bit to stay out of the dragon's reach. Wait, did you try to do both a Cure Wounds and a Spirit Guardians?

The guard mirrors Pietro's advance, meeting in the middle and attacking with his sword!
Longsword: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27, Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Longsword: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18, Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Action Surge:
Longsword: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20, Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Longsword: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15, Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Pietro takes a hit! If you cast Spirit Guardians rather than Cure Wounds, roll me some radiant damage and then make a concentration check.

Mirrel, you're up!

The order is:
Halsere
Skeleton pair right
Spidre
Red dragon (21)
Pietro/Thyra
Guard/Vampire (V:20/G:3)
Mirrel
Blue dragon (20)
Skeleton pair left

Sorry, Jiggy - would you mind giving me an outline of who is where? I'm a little muddled.

That was supposed to be a Healing Word, not Cure Wounds. That's why it's d4's.

Spirit Guardians: 3d8 ⇒ (8, 8, 6) = 22
Concentration: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19