Wrath of the Righteous (D&D 5e) ala Fabian

Game Master Fabian Benavente

Level up info:

Fighting style: Archery - +2 to attack with ranged weapons
Spell casting - 2 spells known

HP=6+2=8

Spells known:
Ensnarking strike
Hunter's mark

Spell save dc=8+2+2=12
spell attack modifier=4

Nothing happens to our skills, right? Not until our proficiency bonus or ability modifier changes?

Did I forget anything?

I'm good with the changes so go ahead and apply them.

Yes, nothing happens to skills until you get a higher proficiency modifier.

Questions?

Game on!

HP = 1d6 (so 4, right?)

+1 1st level spell/day (not that he casts much...)
+1 prepared spell
+A rcane Tradition (on hold)
+2 spells known; torn between [longstrider, shield and detect magic]. Any thoughts?

I'm good with these changes as well so go ahead and apply them.

Questions?

Game on!

Wow, I think these PCs have gotten significantly better and they'll get even better still at 3rd level (5th level is another big change).

Long day today and even longer day expected for tomorrow so don't fret if you don't hear from me until Wednesday.

Is it safe to assume that you'll spend the night at the mongrel 'village'?

Feel free to RP acquiring any of your new abilities if desired.

Questions?

Game on!

Aye, seems things do get better with a couple of levels but then again, 1st level is generally a bit meh in every game. Still think 5ed is a poor man’s 4th edition… there’s practically nothing new except the advantage system, a couple things have been reverted back to 3ed mode (spellcasters having daily spell slots, unlimited potential of healing received instead of healing offered), while a ton of 4ed’s cool stuff was simply cut away and forgotten (like a gigaton of powers and feats to choose from to customize your classes).

Shiro had not thought of complaining when their mongrel hosts had offered them lodging in their stone hovels, and a blanket on the hard ground to sleep on. Truth to be told, it wasn’t much worse than his tiny cell back at the monastery – Irori’s faithful did not place much weight on pampering their bodies. Besides, it had been an eventful day, exhausting both mentally and physically, so Shiro didn’t expect any trouble sleeping, hard ground or no.

First, arrival to his destination, after months and months of constant travel. Interesting, certainly, the constant stream of new sights and wonders to behold, but tiring. Then, after no longer than one night of sleeping on firm land after weeks on riverboats, the demonic invasion, the death of a holy dragon, her sacrifice to save their lives. Exile in these seemingly endless tunnels, not knowing if a way back to sunlight even existed, yet alone was reachable. Hours later, the first fatality among those few who had survived the fall, the poor blind elf falling prey to a predator of the deep. Then, finally, a ray of hope in the form of these chaos-twisted descendants of crusaders of old. Allies, possibly. At least for the moment, while they had something to offer the local tribe. Afterwards, though… it was a hard world, these mongrelfolk lived in. Would that make them more likely to honor their promise of assistance, considering it cost them so little, or more eager to betray that promise, hoping to gain what little resources the strangers had once their usefulness to them had ended?

Shiro yawned, shifting to try and find a slightly more comfortable position. Tomorrow would tell, he reasoned, unwilling to mull over the matter overlong. It wasn’t like they had much choice in the matter anyway, if they ever wanted to get out. And he doubted the kami had led him all this way only for him to die in these tunnels… although he had to admit that would make more sense to him than some… many of the other things he had been tasked to do. A body, after all, delivered a powerful message, if there was to be someone around to receive it.

With a final yawn, Shiro slipped into sleep, falling into a regular dream before he felt an immense presence intrude, take hold of his dream and twist it into something else. A nonsensical but peaceful dream of managing a family of lively ferrets he had to give baths to while the inquisitive little critters did their best to escape was replaced with a grim landscape. A black sun on a grey sky, like a hole into a realm of endless night, surrounded by a red corona that bled light like an open wound did blood. Windswept, barren hills and mountains, where only stunted trees and thistles grew. A city, apparently made of tall, thin towers and connected bridges and little else down in a valley. A valley Shiro had an all too good view of, since he found himself standing near the edge of a cliff. And behind him, a presence.

Turning around slowly, he saw a figure that had been haunting his dreams of late. A cold basalt throne, upon which sat a figure armored from head to heels, eyes hidden behind a helm’s visor. The figure made no move, said not a word, but Shiro was suddenly aware of the weight of that gaze. The attention of a creature of immense power, cold and alien in its regard.

Compelled by will greater than his own, Shiro raised his gaze and met the entity’s eyes, felt the kami rummaging through his thoughts and memories as it willed. He could only stand frozen as the entity took what it wanted before, perhaps as payment, gifted him with knowledge.

Light, child of the Flame that the entity was sovereign over, could be made to lie, and Shiro found he had just gained the knowledge how to do that.

Sophie sighed with weariness. "I guess it is a good idea to yet some rest." However, she found herself a bit restless. I guess I haven't done my practice today. Finding a twig nearby she sat crosslegged and placed it in front of her. Focused hard she muttered to herself as she caused the twig to turn red, then yellow, then blue...then back to red. She did that for a while. Red. Yellow. Blue. Red. Yellow. Blue... ...until eventually her eyelids began to droop and settled down and fell asleep.

Sorry, as most of you've heard elsewhere, I'm crazy busy right now. I'll be keeping an eye open and posting sporadically, and hopefully things will calm down soon. But if I'm absent for a few days, just move along.

"I think what my sister is trying to say," Kyarel jumped in "Is that she won't kill children, and if these traitors who happened to look like you have children she's hoping that you have a pre-existing plan for helping to adopt and redeem them, not that she thinks you were going to." He smiled carefully at the chief.

Kyarra stared at her brother yet again. She wasn't sure what the boy was saying, nor if it was better, or worse, than what she'd earlier. Keeping her face carefully neutral, she looked to the chief to see what he would say.

later

Kyarra sat cross-legged in the room they'd been given. She started removing pins from her long, pale hair, then slowly began brushing the snarls from it. The saliva of the umbrella-monster had dried into sticky clumps, and it took a good long while to brush her hair free of it.

As always, the ritual calmed her, and she reflected on the day they'd had. A long and dangerous one, which was saying something for somebody of her experience in the TangleBriar. She'd seen a dragon, and a city fall. She'd survived a fall, with Kyarel, which was a miracle in itself. She'd found a group of seemingly trustworthy individuals (excepting Gwerm) despite the fact that the only other elf had died.

Just remembered the body - has Eliora been carrying it all this time? Even jumped it over the chasm?

They'd fought an undead dwarf, some hungry umbrellas, avoided a mad dwarf, and met mongrel men. Demon-tainted people that somehow didn't seem to be evil. She shook her head a little in wonder. I should start writing this down - nobody will ever believe it.

That they would survive was something that the ranger didn't question. She would take care of her brother, and that was it. Failure was not to be considered.

Her waist-long hair was finally as gunk-and-knot free as it was going to get without a wash, so she braided it over one shoulder to keep it out of the way. Then she leaned against the rough wall, closed her eyes, and began to meditate.

I think I'll keep the acquiring of magic to be a surprise to her when it comes up. Then she can bond with Sophie. :)

Haha. I forgot about the body too. I'm sure Eliora didn't jump the gap while holding the body - rather they would have tied it to the rope and transferred it that way

It had been a long day and it was hard to believe that only one day had passed. More had happened to the half-orc this day than had in months spent as part of the City Watch. Eliora was more than grateful to be able to sleep in a safe haven and she was soon snoring away, falling asleep mid-thought.

The underground settlement melted away to reveal Eliora's favorite meadow with the sun shining overhead. In the middle of the meadow, a familiar lion waits and the half-orc runs towards her to join her. Eliora falls on her knees before the lion who moves forward to touch her forehead to the paladin's. The lion's warm, rich voice fills the air, "There are evil foes in your future, my child. I will gradually equip you with what you need to fight these battles. You will use my power to protect your allies and to decimate your foes. Now, take comfort and rest because morning will come quickly."

Turn 035 – Important Message

Read the OOC.

Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?

Game on!

Haha. I forgot about the body too. I'm sure Eliora didn't jump the gap while holding the body - rather they would have tied it to the rope and transferred it that way

It had been a long day and it was hard to believe that only one day had passed. More had happened to the half-orc this day than had in months spent as part of the City Watch. Eliora was more than grateful to be able to sleep in a safe haven and she was soon snoring away, falling asleep mid-thought.

The underground settlement melted away to reveal Eliora's favorite meadow with the sun shining overhead. In the middle of the meadow, a familiar lion waits and the half-orc runs towards her to join her. Eliora falls on her knees before the lion who moves forward to touch her forehead to the paladin's. The lion's warm, rich voice fills the air, "There are evil foes in your future, my child. I will gradually equip you with what you need to fight these battles. You will use my power to protect your allies and to decimate your foes. Now, take comfort and rest because morning will come quickly."

I'll add the above post to next turn. :(

Did the mongrelfolk see in the dark? If so, I assume the cave leading up to the barricade is dark, so we need to carry lights with us. And if that's the case, any kind of stealth approach goes out of the window since the guard can't fail to spot out light in a dark tunnel.

Did the mongrelfolk see in the dark? If so, I assume the cave leading up to the barricade is dark, so we need to carry lights with us. And if that's the case, any kind of stealth approach goes out of the window since the guard can't fail to spot out light in a dark tunnel.

Yes, the mongrelmen see in the dark.

Yes, the mongrelmen see in the dark.

Ok, so getting close without being seen is out unless someone else has an amazing idea. Shiro could use his new Silent Image spell to help us get close... make a tunnel-wide illusion that showed us as mongrelmen. Would need some reason why we'd carry a light, but since every one of these fellows is pretty unique in their deformations, might not be unheard of to have someone with weak night-eyes. Even if things are uneasy, they might let us close. After that... couldn't maintain the illusion once the sentries enter the area, but perhaps we could rush them? d20 rules are very bad for silent takedowns, but since we are still lowbies the sentries likely have low enough HP we'd at least have a chance to take them out before they can raise an alarm.

Despite the crude accommodations and less than traditional meal, Sophie woke up feeling strangely positive. She had used magic without incident, despite all the crazy things that were happening. She had never imagined she could survive in an underground cavern with a bunch of strangers, but here she was. However, discussion of their planned assault quickly brought her back to reality. Do we have to? Maybe they don't want to fight either... However, she didn't even bother saying it out loud. From everything they'd been told, there was basically no chance that was true.

"I guess we just have to be ready for a fight?" She asked the others, not having a more detailed plan. Let me try that thing Taika told me to do before going into any battles...

Once we are close to the entrace, casting Mage Armor

I think it's only Shiro without darkvision. Maybe we can get to within range in the dark, then throw some light in their direction - if they're a bit dazzled because they're not expecting it, we could charge in, and then Shiro will have light to see.

Huh… didn’t realize elves got a proper darkvision here… means Devil’s Sight would actually have been a useful invocation, but I’ll stick to my selections at this point. The illusion doesn’t work quite as well as I hoped, though, since I already forgot that “one object” limitation. So no making multiple animate mongrelfolks. Shiro could hide us inside an illusion of an empty tunnel, if we had some allied mongrels to lead us and do the initial talking to distract the sentries and get us close. Or perhaps some of you who can see could throw some robes on and pretend they hide distasteful mutations, long enough to get within striking distance…

We could walk in darkness while someone leads Shiro by the arm, but if we don’t have light he can’t see, and if he can’t see he can’t play with the illusion so only option to get close without being seen would be Stealth checks (I doubt Eliora’s armor makes that easy) or disguises.

Action 2

"I guess we just have to be ready for a fight?" She asked the others, not having a more detailed plan. Let me try that thing Taika told me to do before going into any battles...

”It would seem so,” Shiro murmured, not happy at the prospect of violence but since he had not been able to think of another option, unless they wanted to risk making peaceful contact with the other tribe, hoping it was chief Sull who led the aggressive faction of mongrelmen and was just using the strangers fate had dropped in his lap to fight off his neighbors so he could take over their stuff.

”This darkness… difficult for me,” Shiro said. ”With lights, not able to get close without being seen. Without, this humble monk needs guide. Also, the great kami gifted with vision last night, shared secrets of power. This humble monk, able to make light lie now. Make figments. Could use it to hide our approach. But, to shift light, need to see, and to have light, suspicious? The people down here, not need it, so why carry it? Unless… arriving with light, to be seen from far afar, a sign of openness? Not trying to hide from the sentries, no?”

Remembered I needed to roll healing dice for the previous day before.

HD: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Kyarel shrugs "I guess I just stay back and shoot people? I could lead Shiro, or conjure light, but that doesn't seem as useful."

so... not a clear path to move forward but I'll do my best...

If anyone wants to summarize, I won't be posting until later this evening/night.

Questions?

Game on!

Eliora looked slightly confused at Shiro's concern about lack of light. "Why don't we just approach with light? It's not like we're trying to hide. We need to go that way to get to the surface and they are working with evil cultists. We approach, we fight, we defeat them, we go home."

Sophie nodded, "I don't know how good we'll be at sneaking up on them, considering one of us has a broken leg..." ...not to mention Horgus's big mouth. "I say we can try to get as close as we can without starting trouble, but I doubt we were ever gonna get the jump on 'em. Besides, like Kyarel said, maybe it will be better for us to just keep some distance and shoot at 'em. Maybe they don't have good range weapons. Plus less of chance I hit one of you with a stray fire beam.

Turn 036 – The Lair

Read the OOC.

Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?

Game on!

"Uh oh!" So much for no ranged weapon... Sophie thought as the creatures spotted them and raised their bow. Better try and help out. Here goes nothing...

She focused as hard as she could and tried to shoot fire towards the mongrelmen.

Firebolt Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Damage: 1d10 ⇒ 4

The fire shot out in a strange arc and made a whistling noise, like a firework that didn't launch properly. Well that was uninspiring...

Kyarra hesitated - she didn't much like attacking the tribe without attempting diplomacy first. After all, it was possible that they were being used by the Mongrel Chief. As she raised her bow, she said, "Eliora, can you tell if these people are evil?"

Assuming the answer is yeas...if not I'll change my action

Reassured, Kyarra drew her arrow back to her cheek, fletching barely whispering across her cheek. I need to stop these archers, fast! As she the thought flitted through her mind, it was chased by a sudden vision, there and then gone. It was a BriarBerry vine, wrapped around KeiKei's leg. He'd been screaming in pain, bleeding from the sharp vines.

The ranger could smell the tangy BriarBerry scent, and felt a little tingle of...something...in her fingertips. Strangely confidant, the took aim at the middle mongrel and released.

longbow: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

The arrow struck cleanly in the mongrel's chest. Immediately, a mass of thorny vines erupted from the arrow, growing around and ensnaring the mongrel. Kyarra smiled in satisfaction. "Ha! Not the only wizard now, Kyarel."

I want to use Ensnaring Strike, which says it's a bonus action. As I understand it, I can do that and still shoot? Let me know if I've done too much. DC 12 strength saving throw or be entangled, if so, then 1d6 damage at start of each turn.

Hmm... so no illusion to cover our arrival. In that case, how about using one now? Since planning was cut so short, I hope I may assume we talked about this application before attacking, and every one of us has been forewarned it's an illusion, so it doesn't impede our own attacks.

Some of Shiro's doubts about the information Chief Sull had given them faded as the three sentries raised their bows the moment the strangers approached. Thus the monk raised his hands over his head, fingers spread theatrically as he began intoning an old children's song in the Tien language, drawing attention to his obvious "spellcasting."

In truth, Shiro put to use the new technique shared with him by the kami who guided his steps. His will grasped the rays of light, twisted them into new shapes. From Shiro's mouth, a foul cloud of ash and smoke burst forth, billowing around the monk's feet, then quickly building up and spreading to cover the mouth of the tunnel from floor to the ceiling, blocking the sentries' sight of the intruders.

So... using Silent Image to form a wall covering the tunnel, one square west from the barricades. Illusion is an impenetrably dense wall of shadows and smoke, so us inside would be effectively invisible to the enemies. If they interact with it physically they auto-disbelieve it (but since they at least started with bows I doubt they will immediately charge in). They can take actions to try to examine it from afar (Int:Investigate vs DC of 13), but at least that means no attacks from them that round and I think they need some reason to suspect it's not real to take those actions.

If necessary, Eliora will use one of her Divine Sense allotments to see if they're evil

Since Shiro acts first, does his illusion negate any other actions we may take? Can we act through the illusion at the mongrels?

That's the point - you'd know it to be an illusion, so it'd have no effect on your senses. The enemies wont, so it'd be impenetrable to them.

Alright then :)

Still too far to charge with her sword, Eliora opts to draw a javelin from off her back and hurl it at one of the evil mongrels working with evil cultists.

javelin: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Then she continued to close the distance knowing that she was better with her sword.

shoot!: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Though not particularly comfortable with the idea, Kyarel follows Kyarra's lead. 'What if they're just another tribe? They could be enemies with our tribe without being evil!'
His discomfort eases when Kyarra has the same thought, and ethical conundrums are rendered moot by Eliora's direct line to her deity. With a shrug Kyarel knocks and releases alongside his sister - though his hesitation costs him his best chance.

I'll update this tomorrow.

Everyone has their PC sheet up to date?

Sophie, only 8 hit points?

Questions?

Game on!

I think so. Not including the held off bladesinger variant.

I think I'm good with level 2

Should be all updated.

Sophie has 14 hp. It updated in her tagline. Probably just missed it on the sheet.

Turn 037 – Mongrel Guards

Read the OOC.

Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?

Game on!

Eliora dropped her pack as Kyarra collapsed beside her, "Give her a healing potion, now."

Then she roared, "This true servant of Iomedae will make you pay for your actions!"

intimidate: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

The half-orc exploded out of the wall illusion and quickly closed the distance to the mongrel guards.

If she can also attack

Using her shield to protect herself, she swung her longsword with deadly accuracy at the first guard she came to.

longsword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Wow, our rolls have been abysmal

Umm... It's a wall of smoke, not stone. Why being able to shoot through it is unexpected? ;^) Didn't the guard who shot still need to take an action to disbelieve it himself? Otherwise he'd be shooting blind (a disadvantage to the attack rolls, I believe). The spell said nothing about one target disbelieving an illusion means the everyone else in the world automatically knows it's an illusion and not real... if that's the case it makes those spells a whole lot worse. I think it's bad enough that a physical interaction allows an automatic disbelief (although I don't see shooting an arrow through illusonary smoke as interaction, as an arrow passing through smoke is completely believable).

Eldritch Blast: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Eldritch Blast, damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Maintaining his control over the illusion, Shiro raised his hand to shoot a bold of black smoke and glowing embers at the sentries, hitting the wounded mongrel a painful blow on his chest, rocking the creature back.

Concentrate on the illusion, shoot at any target.... might as well start with the wounded one.

Umm... It's a wall of smoke, not stone. Why being able to shoot through it is unexpected? ;^) Didn't the guard who shot still need to take an action to disbelieve it himself? Otherwise he'd be shooting blind (a disadvantage to the attack rolls, I believe). The spell said nothing about one target disbelieving an illusion means the everyone else in the world automatically knows it's an illusion and not real... if that's the case it makes those spells a whole lot worse. I think it's bad enough that a physical interaction allows an automatic disbelief (although I don't see shooting an arrow through illusonary smoke as interaction, as an arrow passing through smoke is completely believable).

I ruled that the warning from the second guard and the fact that things shot out of the 'smoke' (javelin, arrows, etc.) allowed the third to disbelieve it.

It's a 1st level spell so it shouldn't be 'too powerful'.

Illusions are tricky to judge/rule. Does Shiro automatically adjust the smoke to part as the arrows/javelin go through it?

If the 2nd guard would not have made the roll to disbelieve then the third guard would have had to make that roll.

Questions?

Game on!

death saving throw: 1d20 ⇒ 11 (Success #1)

Was there a reason why Eliora couldn't detect evil? The turn is fine as is, but Kyarra wanted Eliora's reassurance specifically - she doesn't trust Lann to be honest about it.

[dice=death saving throw]1d20 (Success #1)

Was there a reason why Eliora couldn't detect evil? The turn is fine as is, but Kyarra wanted Eliora's reassurance specifically - she doesn't trust Lann to be honest about it.

She can't detect 'evil' per se; she can detect celestials, fiends, and undead.

Ah,I thought she detected evil on the dead dwarf.

Ah,I thought she detected evil on the dead dwarf.

I like it this way. 'Evil' is just a label and very subjective.

Don't forget that someone's 'terrorist' is another's 'freedom fighter'.

I ruled that the warning from the second guard and the fact that things shot out of the 'smoke' (javelin, arrows, etc.) allowed the third to disbelieve it.

It's a 1st level spell so it shouldn't be 'too powerful'.

Illusions are tricky to judge/rule. Does Shiro automatically adjust the smoke to part as the arrows/javelin go through it?

If the 2nd guard would not have made the roll to disbelieve then the third guard would have had to make that roll.

Hmm... the disbelief rolls should be personal, I feel, like in previous editions. Perhaps one enemy making the roll and speaking up would allow others to attempt it as well (perhaps even as a free action), but to think that one person in a group of hundred making the roll means *everyone* automatically disbelieving it... that would seem to make illusions a bit useless.

It may be 1st level spell, but it's visual only, and small in area of effect, so that already limits what one may accomplish with it.

I did, however, realize one much more major flaw than a wall of billowing smoke not doing what the sentry expected when an arrow passed through it (which would be... what? Billow more around the exit point, since the smoke already seemed to be in constant motion?)... it's about all this damn darkness, the fact that only we have lights... and that the wall is between the sentries and the light, but somehow the light level in the corridor didn't diminish even though the wall of smoke completely blocked sight of said light sources ;^)

"Kyarra!" Sophie cried out, as her protecter fell. "No!"

Fear welling up, she unleashed a surprisingly accurate beam of fire toward one of the mongrels that had shot at her.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Damage: 1d10 ⇒ 4

Oh! Just realized Healing Light is a bonus action, so Shiro will definitely heal Kyarra this round in addition to attacking.

Healing Light: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Since you didn’t recap already, let’s just rewrite Shiro’s turn a bit… no reason to maintain the illusion if disbelieving is communal, and let’s include the free heal on Kyarra.

Eliora dropped her pack as Kyarra collapsed beside her, "Give her a healing potion, now."

Staring in horror as the elven archer collapsed, victim to her own preferred weapon, Shiro cursed his own stupidity – the lack of light had thrown him off, and the fact that an impenetrable wall of black smoke somehow failed to dim the light shining through it betrayed the vision’s true nature.

He relinquished his control over the lying light, allowing the useless figment to fade, concentrating his attention to the more immediate problems. The small monk reached out towards the bleeding elf with one hand, around which ghostly embers gathering, growing larger and brighter before leaving the monk’s body to float over to Kyarra, suddenly blazing as power lent to Shiro by the kami began mending her flesh.

His other hand was pointed at the three sentries, a bolt of black smoke and glowing embers launching towards the one wounded by Kyarra’s arrow, hitting the mongrel a painful blow on his chest and rocking the creature back.

waiting on a certain elven wizard to recap but will do so tonight regardless. :)

Questions?

Game on!

Kyarel's stomach dropped as if he'd eaten a lead ball when his sister fell. Anger and fear warred, as panic set in and he stood dumbstruck.

When Shiro's power started mending Kyarra's broken body, it was anger that triumphed. Gritting his teeth the young wizard brought bow up, arrow to cheek and released.
attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11 dam: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
The bolt flew forward - though anger had cost Kyarel the focus to make his shot count.
Shoot. Step forward a bit - would like to be the frontmost of the ranged. Save Reaction to cast Shield.

Turn 038 – Healing Light

Read the OOC.

Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?

Game on!