Rolen drops behind a moss-covered jumble of stone about 5 yards from the shore, the water rising to his chest as he crouches down for cover, unseen. The others continue wading through the hip-deep pool toward the spire, glancing over their shoulders as the lizardfolk swarm toward the pool from the surrounding swamp.
The scaled brutes advance swiftly but carefully, making full use of the stunted trees and other scrub to shield themselves from missile fire. Spread out as they are, Alistair is able to catch only a few together at once. Frowning, he mutters the words of a recently-learned spell and a flowing orb of fire streaks from his outstretched hand, growing larger as it explodes among three of the lizardfolk.
One of the lizardmen is blasted from his feet and torn apart. The other two are shielded from the explosion by undergrowth and emerge from the blast with blackened scales, wounded but still in pursuit.
The rest of the attackers race ahead without pausing, except for one who wears a shaggy cloak of patched furs, strung with many bones. Reaching a clawed hand toward the sky, he seems to summon the tattered clouds that had drifted above the swamp into a towering thunderhead.
His arm falls and a bolt of lightning arcs from the cloud into Dragomir, sparking as it travels through his armor into the surrounding water. The big fighter is nearly knocked off his feet as his muscles spasm and his skin smokes, but he keeps staggering on.
Rolen snipes at the caster from behind the stone.
Still thinking defensively Koralyn casts Mirror image and continues to move.
Alistair moves back with the others, but as soon as the lizardmen are clear of the undergrowth he readies another fireball spell.
Kierdan wades through the water with most of the rest of the group, making his way toward the spire. As he moves, the priest implores Pelor to Bless his comrades against the scaly attackers.
Eldramin keeps up with the group in their tactical retreat.
When the lizardfolk are within 60ft, he will summon a Spiritual Weapon to harry them in their approach.
[ooc=Dragomir has the axe and is attuned to it for now. Happy to give it to someone else]
Dragomir closes on the nearest attacker and swings the heavy axe with both hands.
for
The group continues its organized retreat toward the spire, casting spells while wading through the hip-deep water. The pool is surprisingly clear for being in the middle of the swamp, and you can easily see the bottom, which appears to be made up of flat, moss-covered flagstones. Iridescent fish swim among your legs, the dying light flashing off their scales.
A flash of movement catches your eye near the spire -- a long, scale-covered tail disappears into a hole in the stone near the spire's base. Nearby, what you first took for a lump of stone is clearly a second coiled serpent, its angular black head tracking your movement as you approach.
Out in the swamp, Rolen sees the spellcaster grunt as his arrow strikes home.
Although far from fatal, the wound appears to have spoiled the scaled shaman's concentration, and the stormcloud it had summoned dissipates. Its maw gaping in something resembling a snarl, the creature growls the words to another spell.
A second later, Rolen is rocked back on his heels, feeling like he's been punched by an ogre, as a wall of hurricane-force wind erupts from the water directly in front of him. Carrying with it leaves and a gush of water, the wind wall extends 15 feet above the water's surface and 25 feet to either side, and seems certain to deflect any missiles Rolen tries to fire through it.
To either side, the lizardfolk advance, sticking to cover as they near the shore.
Perception:
Still backpedaling, Alistair prepares to fire another ball of flame at their pursuers as soon as they reach the edge of the pool.
Rolen retreats to join the others at an angle to give him a shot at the caster outside of the confines of the wall.
Unaware of any danger near the spire Koralyn, with her three images, advances, climbing out of the water to stand on the land.
Does this either provoke or allow her another roll?[/ooc]
Eldramin moves up, staying roughly even with Koralyn. He has his shield out and pact blade drawn.
If this is as far as they are going (we reached the spire platform), Eldramin will either finish his turn if he has no actions left, or he will ready an action to summon a spiritual weapon if an enemy presents itself within close range.
Focused on the oncoming lizardmen and the grievous damage done to Dragomir by the sudden bolt of lightning, Kierdan decides to call Pelor's healing light down upon the brawny mercenary.
The lizardfolk shaman grunts as Rolen's arrow again finds its mark. Seemingly furious, it allows the wind wall to dissipate before roaring the words to another spell (. The water all around Rolen bubbles and swirls as winged, demonic figures composed of solid steam erupt from the pool. Four of the foul elemental creatures surround Rolen, biting and slashing at the elf. Another four split off, flying toward the group at the spire where they spit streams of boiling water.
Four attack Rolen with their claws (all with advantage due to flanking):
Crit, so 12 damage total
The other four unleash their steam breath on the group at the spire. The breath weapons are 15' lines, but for simplicity sake I'm going to say each group member is only struck once:
Saved for half, still 1 damage
Saved for half, so only 2 damage
Rolen is wounded several times as the mephits' claws rake through his leather armor, one particularly deep wound spurting blood. The others are doused with boiling water, although Dragomir and Koralyn avoid the worst of the scalding.
Lashing out with the black axe, Dragomir carves a deep gouge in one of the otherworldly creatures, as the other members of the group unleash their own prepared spells.
With all eyes on the new threat, the party members overlook the danger lurking near the spire, where a pair of black-scaled vipers nest among the stones.
The lizardfolk, meanwhile, reach the shore and charge on into the water. Seemingly able to move through the water more easily than you did, they appear likely to reach you in two rounds.
Koralyn
Eldramin
As the group climbs onto the spire's base, the serpents strike. One snaps its fangs through one of Koralyn's mirror images, causing the illusory image to dissipate. The other catches its fangs on Eldramin's armor, failing to find flesh with its venom.
Rolen is about 30 feet away, surrounded by four more mephits. About 80 feet from him, the lizardfolk have splashed into the water near the shore. They remain spread out, but Alistair could probably catch up to three of them with one fireball.
Koralyn's missiles tear into the elemental creature charging at her.
She then turns to face the viper in front of her.
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 5 feet
Components: V, M (a weapon)
Duration: 1 round
As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell's range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack's normal effects, and it becomes sheathed in booming energy until the start of your next turn. If the target willingly moves before then, it immediately takes 1d8 thunder damage, and the spell ends.
This spell's damage increases when you reach higher levels. At 5th level, the melee attack deals an extra 1d8 thunder damage to the target, and the damage the target takes for moving increases to 2d8. Both damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level and 17th level.
Mage Armor AC is 20 with Bladesong
False Life currently at +16 hp.
Bladesong in round 2.
Mirror Images =2
With the pinch of sulphur in hand, Alistair intones the words to create a mote of brightness at the tip of his finger. The mote speeds away, and grows until it explodes in the midsts of the lizardmen.
Fireball:
Eldramin lashes out with his pact blade at the viper that is next to him. If his first slice kills it, his second slice will be against the snake on Koralyn.
Alistair waits a moment for his fireball to impact before making a few quick motions and sending 3 glowing darts towards the lizardman shaman.
Magic Missile:
Receiving the healing from Kierdan is quite the relief, his burns healing some what before he is hit by scalding water.
He swings again at one of the mephitis, hoping to drop one.
for PLUS and
Rolen attacks a Mephit at Point Blank Range, using his Deepwood's Sniper skills, and then he disengages towards the spire and the others.
Despite the advancing lizardmen, scalding steam attacks from some mephits and the sudden appearance of vipers on the spire's base, Kierdan grows concerned over the assault that Rolen is weathering. Fearing for the elf's survival, the priest calls on the Sun Father to send his healing grace to Rolen swiftly.
Alistair's second fireball streaks toward the shore, exploding just as a trio of the lizardfolk reach the clear pool, blasting them into pieces that rain down on into the water. The wizard follows it up with a cluster of magic missiles that burn smoking black holes in the hide of the lizardfolk shaman, who is left sorely wounded.
Koralyn sends her own magic missiles burning into the elemental sprite Dragomir wounded earlier, killing it, before burying her blade in the serpent that struck at her. Gravely wounded, the snake tries to slither to safety, triggering Koralyn's second spell, which rips its body apart in a jangling sonic discharge.
With two swift strokes, Eldramin decapitates the second viper.
Dragomir cuts down another of the summoned elementals. Rolen wounds one with a point-blank shot before ducking beneath it and retreating toward the group. As he nears, Kierdan seals the worst of his wounds with the Sun-Lord's light.
The group braces for another assault by the summoned elementals, but the snarling steam-creatures abruptly dissipate, returning to their own plane as the shaman loses focus due to the pain of his wounds. Hobbling forward, the scaled spellcaster directs a rush of healing energy into his own body, reversing much of the damage. More careful than before, he stays behind the remaining lizardfolk, who advance into charge range before flinging bone-tipped javelins at your group.
= Koralyn
Most of the missiles clatter against the spire or fly past, into the water, but one slices through a second of Koralyn's mirror images and another slams into Alistair.
Rolen attacks the casting Lizardman again, ignoring his attempt at cover due to his sniping expertise.
Eldramin creates a sword of black energy in the air in front of him, before magically sending it spinning through the air at a lizardfolk.
Seeing more lizardmen arrive after his fireball, Alistair curses. He again mutters a spell and 3 glowing darts fly from his hand and strike 3 of the lead lizardmen.
Magic missile: , ,
Kierdan is greatly concerned when he sees one of the lizardmen javelins bite into Alistair's flesh, already burned by the Mephit's scalding attack. Seeking to stem off further damage, the Pelorite calls to the Sun Father to cure his friend.
Alistair breaths a lot easier with much of the scalding he took healed, along with the long jagged cut on his leg from the lizardman's javelin. He looks over to Kierdan and gives the cleric an appreciative nod.
The shaman grunts as another of Rolen's arrows strikes home, but the lizardman still manages to duck out of the way as Eldramin's summoned blade harries it.
Chanting again, the shaman summons another stormcloud over the pool, this time calling down a bolt of lightning at Rolen.
The elf's reflexes save him from a mortal strike, but even the secondary shock almost ends him, in his weakened state.
The other lizardfolk charge in as Alistair looses his own spell, which downs one he wounded earlier with a fireball.
=Rolen
=Eldramin
The lizardfolk swarm Koralyn and Dragomir, who try to intercept as many as they can. Koralyn's attackers tear through her remaining mirror images, but are unable to land a blow on the elf herself. Dragomir is struck by claws and spiked clubs, but the blows are mere scratches against his heavy armor.
Two of the attackers manage to dart past the frontline warriors and rain blows on Rolen and Eldramin. The assassin and the warlock are too fast, however, managing to evade the lizardfolk's clumsy attacks.
Rolen deftly disengages from the Lizardman confronting him, and when he is safely away, Rolen again attacks the casting Lizardman, ignoring his attempt at cover due to his sniping expertise.
Dragomir roars in fury, attacking the first of his attackers.
for
IF that drops his foe, he attacks the second of his attackers, otherwise he attacks his foe again
for
IF that drops his foe he gets a bonus attack action...
for
Seeing the Shaman call lightning on his party, Alistair seeths and, making a number of arcane gestures and speaking the proper words, he sends 4 energy darts towards the lizardman.
Magic Missile (2nd level):
Facing two foes but still bolstered by her magic Koralyn fights on using her Bladesong and Booming Blade ability.
Eldramin reaches out with his hand, two fingers shaped like claws swiping at the lizard-man's neck. As he gets close, he utters a vile word and a dark, ruddy energy coalesces around the fingers.
Rolen's arrow skitters off the shaman's bark-like scales. Alistair's spell has no such trouble, and the shaman is left momentarily staring at the smoking holes in its chest before pitching forward into the water face-first.
Dragomir and Koralyn wade into the lizardfolk in front of them. The big human kills one with two blows, the second slash carrying through to wound another than Koralyn promptly cuts down.
Eldramin kills a third with his vampiric touch, driving a claw crackling with dark energy directly into the lizardfolk's chest.
Seeing the shaman die, the remaining three lizardfolk turn tail and run, their backs a tempting target as they retreat across the pool.