Kierdan, shield ready, stands ready to aid his fellows.
Eldramin will remain toward the rear in the general vicinity of but not adjacent to Koralyn, his sword and shield ready.
Alistair flips the glowing coin into the room , illuminating a cozy study of sorts. A pair of comfortable stuffed leather chairs sit next to a small table. An unopened wine bottle and two clean are on a shelf in the corner, seemingly forgotten.
The scene through the open door to the west is less innocent. Although the room there appears to have once been used for simple storage, the priests more recently have transformed the space into something far more sinister. A rack and a table with heavy straps attached to it occupy the center of the room, and an iron maiden stands in the corner. Several empty pine coffins are stacked against the west wall.
A pair of doors around the corner to the south are locked.
Doors to the south? Whats your thoughts on opening those up?
Let's see what I can do.
Again Rolen inspects the door and lock for traps.
He then takes out his tools and deftly sets to work on the lock if untrapped, or the trap, if so determined.
The group moves through the study to the makeshift torture chamber. Alistair and Eldramin pause to examine the bloodstained implements as Rolen sets to work on the nearest door, which he determines to be barred but not trapped.
As the elf sets to work on raising the bar with a steel prod, he hears the clink of steel and a muffled curse from the other side of the door, giving him time to set down his tools and ready his weapons. With the exception of Eldramin, who is engrossed by the torture equipment, the others in the group hear movement, too.
The attack that follows doesn't come from the door, however. Instead, sections of wall in the corridor to the east swing open, allowing half a dozen armor-clad figures to charge through. Cold, enchanted light from the party's spells illuminate the red-skinned faces of hobgoblin wearing blackened chainmail, brandishing keen-edged swords, shields and javelins with wicked barbs. Crude fangs dripping venom have been tattooed on their cheeks. In the back rank, emerging from the study, a larger hobgoblin clad in half plate armor bellows orders, urging the attackers forward.
Moving with practiced precision, the two hobgoblins that emerge from the nearest door engage Dragomir, who had been standing near Rolen's shoulder as the elf picked the lock. The hobgoblins attack high and low, coordinating their blows in a way that is difficult to parry. Dragomir manages to turn aside one blade, but the other shears through the mail covering his side, slicing flesh and fracturing a rib.
The other hobgoblins advance from the hallway to the east. The two in the front rank fling throwing axes at Eldramin, who is startled from his examination of the rack as the axes thunk into the wood inches from his face.
~~~~~0~0~0~~~~~
Rolen moves back 30 feet and fires at a hobgoblin engaged with Dragomir.
Rolen hides behind a nearby tapestry with a bonus action.
First Action
Moving just a step past Eldramin, Alistair takes a handful of coloured sand from his component pouch and, while saying the words to the enchantment, throws the sand at the 4 Hobgoblins before him.
Colour Spray:
Second Action
Continuing to chant, Alistair flings his sleep charm on the 2 hobgoblins attacking Dragomir.
Sleep:
Starting her Bladesong Koralyn moves to the closest awake threat and attacks with her sword.
Taken aback by the sudden appearance of the hobgoblins, Kierdan readies his shield and mumbles a brief prayer to the Sun Father, pointing at one of the hobgoblins attacking Dragomir.
Dragomir grunts in pain before swinging back at the hobgoblin that hit him.
Greatsword with power attack for - reroll those 1's and 2's.
A riot of color erupts from Alistair's outstretched hand, bathing the approaching hobgoblins in painful hues and blinding the two nearest warriors.
The wizard's second spell ensnares the two hobgoblins that had attacked Dragomir, sending them into enchanted slumber. Both are dead before they hit the ground -- one skewered by Rolen's arrow, the other by Dragomir's sword.
Seeing Alistair exposed, Koralyn moves to intercept the hobgoblins in the east hallway. Despite her foes' temporary blindness, she is unable to draw blood, her blade skittering off the hobgoblin's heavy armor.
Kierdan's spell is more effective, scorching the nearest hobgoblin and eliciting a howl of anguish.
The blinded hobgoblins flail at Koralyn with their swords, but neither is able to land a blow. Seeing their helplessness, the hobgoblin farther down the hall rushes forward, but the bladesinger evades his sword, as well.
Slipping back through the secret door to the south, the hobgoblin leader re-emerges from the door closest to Dragomir. With a roar, the iron-clad war-leader charges in with his greatsword. Dragomir turns aside the first blow with his own blade, but the backswing is too swift and the heavy sword hacks into his hip, just below the bloody slash in his ribs.
~~~~~0~0~0~~~~~
for
Rolen fires at the leader engaged with Dragomir.
Rolen ducks back into the corner.
[ooc]Is there a new map? - I know its a pain to make a new map with every turn and I am not asking for one her so much as not wanting to miss it if there is one. If I understand correctly Koralyn is engaging three hobgoblins. Two are currently blind, but are about not to be. And one of the blind ones has been burned?[/b]
Continuing to dance to a melody only she can here Koralyn attacks the wounded hobgoblin.
Seeing his fellow wizard being attacked by three enemies, Alistair casts forth a sleep spell to send the combatants into a deep slumber.
Sleep Spell:
Eldramin will summon a spectral blade and move.
Please by the success of his cantrip on his last foe, Kierdan decides to try it again on the big hobgoblin.
Dragomir trades blows with the hobgoblin captain, landing a solid strike about the same time as Rolen sinks an arrow into the red-skinned warrior's thigh.
Nearby, Koralyn downs the hobgoblin burned earlier by Kieran's holy flame. A heartbeat later, the remaining two warriors drop unconscious to the floor as Alistair casts another sleep spell.
Eldramin and Kieran focus their own spells on the hobgoblin champion, who is scorched and battered but roars in defiance as he counterattacks. His greatsword crashes into Dragomir's shoulder, rending flesh and mail.
"May the scaled one feast on your blood!" the hobgoblin spits out, using the Common Tongue.
As he does, the far southern door crashes open behind Rolen. Silhouetted in the doorway you see another priest, his vestments stained and tattered beneath a suit of rusty mail. His flesh is sunken and his eyes are feverish -- he bares his teeth in a madman's grin.
"Trespassers! You shall feed my scaled majesty, may her darkness be unending!"
Raising his shield and iron mace -- the head curled into a serpent's fanged maw -- the priest calls out the words of a spell. As he finishes, a ghostly figure rises from the floor, indistinct but vaguely serpent-like. Armed with blade and shield, it shimmers and seems to stand guard just to the side of the doorway.
~~~~~0~0~0~~~~~
Rolen pops out of hiding and fires point blank at the priest.
With his cunning action, Rolen takes the dodge action to avoid any further attacks from the priest.
Dragomir screams in pain and reels before withdrawing beyond his allies.
with a wishful look at the sleeping hobgoblins Koralyn casts Mirror Image and moves to engage the champion. Her body flows between the distance between the two in a rhythmic dance.
Alistair sends a bolt of magical fire at the priest by the door.
Attack-spell:
Damage:
Already swinging a spectral sword about with a gesture, Eldramin adds his blast to the mix.
Kierdan chants a desperate prayer in Flan to Pelor, pleading for the Sun Father's grace to heal the stricken Dragomir. As he completes the prayer, anyone observing notices a sheen of sweat and fatigued expression spread on the priests's face.
The priest cries out in pain as Rolen's arrow finds its mark.
Dragomir retreats and is replaced by Koralyn, whose flock of illusory doubles advances on the badly-wounded hobgoblin leader. Bleeding freely from several wounds, the champion backs away from the elfin wizard, retreating to take up a position opposite the ghostly figure guarding the southern door.
Kierdan channels more of his god's mercy into Dragomir, healing some of the warrior's wounds.
Alistair's fire bolt splashes harmlessly against the stone trimming the doorway, but Eldramin manages to blast the retreating hobgoblin with eldritch energy, slamming the near-dead warrior against the wall.
Seeing the champion's sorry state, the newly arrived priest barks a word of healing that seems to return some life to the hobgoblin.
The priest then turns his frenzied gaze on Rolen. A string of blasphemous syllables seem to vomit from his mouth and he curls his fingers into a claw. With a flourish, he extends his arm and a wave of nauseating yellow energy erupts, sizzling through the air before wrapping around Rolen. The elf's skin blackens and peels where the spell touches and his eyes roll back in his head as he collapses to the ground.
~~~~~0~0~0~~~~~
Dragomir drags out his potion of healing and slugs it down.
Rushing over to where the elf fell, Alistair cast out his hand and 4 azure bolts fly from his fingers and strike the priest.
Magic Missile (2nd Level):
After seeing a similar guarding in action Koralyn decides against closing with it. Instead she uses her last second level spell to burn the champion .
Shocked at the necrotic attack manifesting on Rolen, Kierdan rushes to the elf's side, mumbles a quick orison and places his hand on the Rolen's forehead.
Eldramin turns his energies against the dread priest, lashing out with blade and spell while ensuring that he himself is in as safe a place as one can be in this combat.
Kierdan rushes to the fallen Rolen and calls on the Sun Lord's favor to hold back the black rot, while Dragomir downs some bottled healing to close his own wounds.
The remaining three members of the party unleash a magical barrage against the priest and hobgoblin. Eldramin's spells are off target, but the other missiles strike true. The hobgoblin vomits fire and collapses as one of Koralyn's fiery bolts burrows into his lungs.
The priest, stung by Alistair's spell, curses before calling on a his "dark, sibilant goddess" to strike back at the mage. A bolt of glittering black energy lances out and strikes Alistair in the chest.
The priest mutters another quick incantation, accompanied by a warding gesture , then retreats to the south, ducking around a corner at the far end of the hallway. The ghostly serpent guardian remains poised by the door.
~~~~~0~0~0~~~~~
Ware the serpent! Its deadly!, calls out Dragomir, who has been struck by a similar spell when the group entered the temple.
Then how do we get by it? Do we follow and all rush past? Or do we let the evil cleric go for now and attend our wounded. Koralyn stands ready to do either.
ZZZzzzzzz......
While the others debate on how to get past the ghostly figure, Alistair breaks out his healer's kit and goes to work on Rolen.
Healer Feat:
yup
After being administered to by Alistair, Rolen bolts to an upright, sitting position, but then the pangs of pain all over his body remind him of the injuries sustained. He looks around and slowly stands, as he draws an arrow to his bow.
What is the status of the fight, Alistair?
We defeated the hobgoblins, but the priest escaped and left some sort of "ghost" blocking our way, the wizard answers as he repacks his kit.
Koralyn makes the decision for the group. We stay here and patch up as best we can. She walks over and takes care of the sleeping hobgoblis.
"Well if that is the case, let me look you all over before our priest friend here prays your wound away."
Alistair opens up his healer's kit once again and begins to bandage his wounded comrades.
Dragomir thumps at his chest weakly.
"Ok big guy, your next!"
Healer: