A Wellspring of Regret

[Shameless]

Brarga scowled as his attacks were not as potent as he'd hoped, but nonetheless, the thing definitely felt his blows, as he felt those that hit him.  The electricity hurt, but pain is fleeting, and when the tingling in his powerful muscles and scales died down, he could smell the ozone, and the scent of burnt flesh.    This was far from the first time he'd felt lightning's touch, but it wasn't enough to bring him down this time.    He smiled, his gleaming white teeth bared as Kathra moved up to engage as well.   He was a warrior, but also a soldier.   Where some would feel slighted at her help, Brarga knew many hands made the work light.  If anything, fighting together brought forth old memories,  good ones,   and made him savor this feeling all the more, even as he lashed out again with powerful strokes of his axes.  

Battle was his element, every bit as much as the fire that shone through his crimson scales.

 

Spoiler

Brarga makes his save, and then attacks the same one again 
all 4 hit for 9,10,8,12 damage each respectively

 

[Nina]

The two Atronach's engaged reel from the blows rained upon them, but they are relentless and stone blades flash and clash with steel! Marida and Maigan parry and dodge the rain of blows aimed at them. 

 

Kathra was not so lucky. The Atronach fighting Brarga and Kathra did the same but with it's concentration upon the stout dwarf who had damaged it with magical blows thus proving she was the more dangerous. One of the stone swords made it through and struck Kathra and the smashed her back as electricity surged into her!

 

The last unengaged Atronach extended its swords out to its sides and unleashed a storm of lightning at those heroes fighting its brethren!

 

Ren seeing all of this pointed her sword at the unengaged atronach and uttered a prayer and a blinding white beam shot from her weapon striking the creature full on its bared chest with and explosions of blinding radiance!

 

Spoiler

#1 has a total of 47 points damage #2 has 16 points damage and any attacks made against it next round are at advantage  #3 hast a total of 65 damage.  Kathra take 15 damage and must make a will save DC13 or be stunned,  everyone needs to make a dex save dc 13 or take 10 points lightning damage 5 if you make your save.

 

next turn

 

[Exile_Jeane]

Spoiler

Dex Save... Exile_Jeane Request: [1d20+2] Roll: [6] Result: 8 Nope, full 10 damage there. 55/83 HP Left.

Swing #1

Exile_Jeane Request: [1d20+7] Roll: [6] Result: 13 Hmmm. If 13 hits...

Exile_Jeane Request: [3d6+6] Roll: [6, 5, 4] Result: 21 17 slashing and 4 fire damage.

Swing#2

Exile_Jeane Request: [1d20+7] Roll: [2] Result: 9. LOL. Not even gonna roll it. 

 

The multitude of metal accoutrements of carnage hanging on her person proved an excellent draw to the lightning burst, making her counterblows not quite as succesful as her parries against the hybrid elemental. "Aye," she grunted in frustration, "Ye 're a ard one, ain't ye?"

[Asarasa]

The heavy stone sword clanged hard against Kathra's shield, jarring her shoulder, then the intense electric tingle raced through her, making heavy muscle twitch and contract. With a snarl, she fought off the stunning blow. Then there came the localized storm of lightning and the stocky dwarf rolled with surprising deftness behind her elemental foe to flank it with Brarga. But between the steel of her hammer, the steel of her shield, and the steel of her armor, she couldn't avoid the lightning entirely, flickers of actinic blue racing across her accoutrements.

The Atronach now between her and the Dragonborn, Kathra made good use of its divided attention. She struck it a solid blow on the knee with her warhammer with its coalfire runes, and then again on the reverse, two resounding cracks like muted thunder, the runes flaring each contact.

 

Spoiler

Dex Save vs Lightning Storm - Asarasa Request: [1d20+4] Roll: [20] Result: 24 success and waste of a nat 20
 

Con Save vs Stun - Asarasa Request: [1d20+9] Roll: [4] Result: 13 barely a success

Attacks (with Advantage due to flanking)
Asarasa Request: [2 2d20+9] Rolls:
[16, 7] Result: 25 Hit!
[16, 7] Result: 25 Hit!

Damage
Asarasa Request: [2 1d8+6] Rolls:
[5] Result: 11 Magical Bludgeoning Damage
[2] Result: 8 Magical Bludgeoning Damage

HP: 63/80
Spell Slots: 1/4 1st, 1/2 2nd
AC: 20, plus Attacks against her have Disadvantage due to Cloak of Displacement

 

[SalmonMax]

Maighan, noting the effect that her thunderous strike had, switches approaches. The release of her immobilization spell meant more were coming, and that meant they needed to try to thin this herd.

 

Her sword was replaced by her musical instrument; the rich burgundy wood of the Fochlucan Bandore. A relic of the fey, strung with string made from the gut of a displacer beast, polished and varnished and inlaid with magic at each stage in its carving. In it was the power to enchant and enthrall; the power to pass unseen and to slip the very bonds of the earth.

 

And in it, in her hands, the power to wreak havoc.

 

Her fingers strummed across the strings, and a wave of sound surged forth with such force that the grass was pushed flat, and all the debris and scattered dust in the area was thrown into the air and hurled away! Two of the atronachs were gripped in this explosion, the one in melee with her and one beyond. The one fighting her saw what she was doing and braced for it; resisting the worst of the concussion. The other one, taken by surprise, was flung backwards a good three or four paces and left to pick itself back up again.

 

That did of course leave her staring up at the elemental monster still. She'd rather hoped to knock it back.

 

"Oh boy."

 

(Thunderwave; one made the save, one didn't. It does 12 base damage. Half that on a successful save, and of course further modified by any vulnerabilities, etc.)

[Shameless]

The lightning was annoying, it hurt of course, but Brarga managed to weather the blast well enough.  Even though he knew his axes weren't doing as much damage as he liked, he could really only continue his assault, letting up would leave his allies open to more attacks, and he wouldn't do that.
 

With that thought he once again lashed out again with a rain of heavy blows from his axes, knowing he was going to have a hell of a repair bill.  "I don't suppose any of you can enchant our weapons to harm these things more than normal?  Hammering at what feels like stone with an axe isn't as effective as I'd like."

 

Spoiler

brarga saves taking 5 damage

Brarga's attacks
25 to hit  7 damage
14 to hit  13 damage
13 to hit 13 damage
18 to hit 6  damage

 

[Nina]

Ren dashed forward calling a prayer to her god and a second sword the twin of hers but with a shimmer of gold around it, appeared beside her. as she closed to the three awakening elementals she gestured with her sword and the new blade lept at the nearest Atronach slicking into it deeply then a second gesture and the sword flashed to another and struck that one. Both recoiled then all three charged Ren who dodge and parried with all her skill, as she fell back from the onslaught.

 

Maigain's thunderwave had incredible effect the Atronach in front of her and Marida staggered back dropping one of its stone swords while the other caught in the spell was lifted bodily from the foundation and flung back and as it flew backwards it disintegrated into pebbles and sand!

 

The atronach facing off against Brarga and Kathra crumbles into a pile of sand blown away by the wind, the result of the heroes blows.

 

Spoiler

atronach2 2 and 3 are destroyed #1 is teetering with 1 hp,  atronach 4 and 5 have each taken 11 points of damage nuber six is un hrmed and all three of those missed Ren.

 

[Exile_Jeane]

"Aye, fae magyk can bae quite thae 'itch," Marida commiserated down at the disarmed elemental before lashing out with her blazing sword. The resulting strike was more execution than attack, shattering the creature to pieces. A quick nod to her sylvan ally (for the moment given the high elves unpredictability) and she pounded off towards the healthiest of their remaining foes, her intend of gruesome violence abundantly clear. 

 

 

Spoiler

Rolling to hit...

Exile_Jeane Request: [1d20+7] Roll: [18] Result: 25 Should hit...

Rolling for damage...

Exile_Jeane Request: [3d6+6] Roll: [6, 6, 2] Result: 20 Followed up by 18 Slashing and 2 Fire Damage. Even halved that should drop someone at 1 hp, lol.

Moving 50 feet closer to the unharmed elemental.

 

[SalmonMax]

Maighan eyed the evolving battlefield and frowned to herself slightly. The elemental beings were spacing themselves among her allies more effectively now, limiting her use of pure sound, even though that was definitely the more effective of the arrows in her quiver against them.

 

Still, she was not without recourse. She drew her sword across the strings of her lute again, strumming it as if with a violin's bow. Strange vibrations and susurrations reverberated up and down the blade's length as Maighan dipped in and slashed across the nearest atronach's hide! A detonation of sound rocked out as well, though the angle unfortunately deflected most of the force generated up and away from its target.

However, the magic of the spell transferred that otherworldly echoing effect to the atronach itself. Shimmering, barely visible sound waves raced along its every crevice and protrusion. They held a fragile equilibrium, which even one step would break. She just needed to give it a reason to take that step. And that might hurt a bit.

 

So Maighan of the Spring, gave the atronach her best shit-eating grin, and took a theatrical bow as she backed away. Daring it to take a shot at her...and forcing it to move after her if it wanted to press the attack.

 

Spoiler

Hit with Booming Blade for 9 piercing and 1 thunder, and it will do 8 thunder if it moves after Maighan.

 

[Asarasa]

Kathra grinned in grim satisfaction when the elemental broke down into sand even as said sand stuck to the sweat beginning to bead at her hairline. One down, and another she noted, the Grugach's big blade shattering another. The Monk and Priest draw the attention of the three once enchanted with a valiant spell. The Grugach and the Fey Elf went to Renn's aid.

 

The Dwarf sprinted to help Renn as well, but stout legs alone would not get her into an ideal position. Kathra invoked the power of her Vow and suddenly blinked across the intervening space, appearing opposite the Easterner with one of the elemental creatures between them, her warhammer already swinging to strike it a heavy blow in the back, as she yelled to draw all their attention. 

"Yaaaagh! We'll send the lot of you back to sand!"

 

The elemental shuffled around to face her and Kathra struck it again, a blow it tried to block with a stony forearm.

 

Spoiler

Move Action: Move to circle behind the three Atronachs facing Renn.
Bonus Action: Cast Misty Step to cover the remaining distance to get into flank with Renn
Action: Attack the Atronach twice

Asarasa Request: [2 1d20+9] Attack Roll #1:
[5] Result: 14
[14] Result: 23 - Hit

Asarasa Request: [1d8+6] Damge Roll: [8] Result: 14 Magical Bludgeoning Damage

Asarasa Request: [2 1d20+9] Attack Roll #2:
[2] Result: 11
[7] Result: 16 - Hit ( I think? Can't find where the AC of the Atronachs was mentioned)

Asarasa Request: [1d8+6] Damage Roll: [5] Result: 11 Magical Bludgeoning Damage (If a hit)

HP: 63/80
Spell Slots: 1/4 1st, 0/2 2nd
AC: 20, plus Attacks against her have Disadvantage due to Cloak of Displacement

 

[Shameless]

His foe gone, Brarga quickly moved to engage one of the remaining creatures,  the one closest to him, Even as Kathra disappeared moving further away to the other side.  He charged towards the three remaining, engaging the one that was currently unengaged, and bringing his axes around in powerful arcs, their blades sending a shower of sparks into the air with each strike.  Even though the fight wasn't easy, he had to admit, he found it exhilirating.  This was a battle worthy of being told of.

 

Spoiler

4 attacks all hit   7,13,13,7 damage

 

[Nina]

For a moment the three remaining Atronach's hesitate before turning to new target. As they turn Renn raises her left hand palm out and calls upon her gods!

 

Brilliant light erupts from her upraised hand sheathing each of the elementals in radiant light. Each Atronach screams in pain and their blows, 2 aimed at Kathra, and one at the Dragonborn, swing wildly missing their targets and leaving them vulnerable.

 

Spoiler

all three miss and it is next turn attacks mad against the elementals this turn are at advantage

 

 

[Exile_Jeane]

Marida closed the gap to her next target with a speed utterly at odds with her borrowed giantish bulk, sword blazing against the storm. She pitied the things, she really did, summoned to defend a place that either was not their home or completely out of their league to handle. And that was on the owner of the tower above them, for which she'd surely have words with on the behalf of their opponents. Even a mindless thing, which these were not, deserved a fair shake of it.

 

And facing martial weapons backed by capable magic? That was not a fair shake. The warrior chuckled, secure in her battle rhythm, slashing once, twice, with her burning sword.

 

Spoiler

swinging on the healthiest looking elemental...

Exile_Jeane Request: [1d20+7] Roll: [12] Result: 19 or Exile_Jeane Request: [1d20+7] Roll: [12] Result: 19 So, 19 to hit...

[3d6+6] Roll: [4, 3, 1] Result: 14 So, 13 Slashing and 1 Fire Damage.

Swing Two...

Exile_Jeane Request: [1d20+7] Roll: [19] Result: 26 0r Exile_Jeane Request: [1d20+7] Roll: [9] Result: 16 So 26 to hit...

Exile_Jeane Request: [3d6+6] Roll: [3, 3, 2] So, 12 Slashing and 2 Fire Damage.

Whee.

 

[SalmonMax]

Maighan danced in, a blur of green and red, smelling like flowers and grass as her sword dipped and swerved. Clashed to ward away a stony fist! Thrust to drive the foe back a step! And then, with snakelike speed she drew the flat of her blade across the strings of her instrument, gathering another charge of trembling thunder that wobbled the weapon as she spun in to deliver the deadly cargo!

 

The point of her lunge struck true, delving into the creature's rocklike hide and then BURSTING with a concussion of sound!

 

 

(Booming Blade for 15 total damage, 10 piercing and 5 thunder)

[Asarasa]

Without taking her eyes off the Atronach before her glittering with radiant luminescence, Kathra nodded at Renn around the bulk of the elemental between them. Unlike the Grugach barbarian, the Dwarven paladin had no better or remorse for the otherworldly creatures and had no compunctions about taking any advantage to destroy them.

 

Even as her companions raised a cacophony as they connected with their blows, Kathra moved in to add the ringing of her hammer to the martial symphony. Step to the right, shield raised to deflect a stone blade to the side with sparks of lightning. Her heavy warhammer came down to smash a stone foot  CRACK! - then step forward under the sword arm and up, incandescent orange runes flaring as the hammer clashing against an elbow - CRUNCH!

 

"Keep pressing, friends! They'll be gravel soon enough!"

 

Spoiler

Attack #1: [2 1d20+9] Rolls:
[8] Result: 17 - Hit!
[8] Result: 17

Attack #2: [2 1d20+9] Rolls:
[18] Result: 27 - Hit!
[8] Result: 17

 

Damage Roll #1: [1d8+6] Roll: [4] Result: 10 Magical Bludgeoning Damage

 

Damage Roll #2: [1d8+6] Roll: [7] Result: 13 Magical Bludgeoning Damage

HP: 63/80
Spell Slots: 1/4 1st, 0/2 2nd
AC: 20, plus Attacks against her have Disadvantage due to Cloak of Displacement

 

[Shameless]

 

Brarga's mouth opened, and sparks seemed to emerge from it, it was a prelude to one of two things.   Brarga's use of his Fire Breath, or as those who'd fought with him for awhile new, it was simply a display of his excitement, a show of how much he was enjoying the battle they were in.   There would be no words unless something happened, while not lost into a berserker rage, he was focused on the battle before him.
 

In the next moment this proved to be the latter.  He lashed out against his foe with his axes, each strike taking out chunks of the stone flesh, It spoke to their quality and his strength that he could do this against such material, but few could match Brarga's natural physical Strength.

 

Spoiler

brarga hits
1 crit 17 damage
2 hit 11 damage
3 hit 13 damage
4 hit 8 damage

 

[Nina]

Hammer, axes, swords, and spells rang out at the three remaining Atronach's.  The elementals were pummeled and shattered their stone and air form collapsing in to rock and sand scattered at the feet of the adventurers.

 

Our heroes paused ready, breathing hard from exertion, the action was over, even the angry sky grew silent and the flashes of lightning ending. The Party looked at one another and smiles crossed faces. but then they felt a Vibration at heir feet.

 

The remains of the elementals was vibrating shaking as if a quake were occurring then as they watched the rock and sand began to flow away from them. Not only the three they had just vanquished but the remains of the others too. All of it flow and rolled toward the space halfway between them and the tower. The rubble gather in a pile then it swept upwards whirling like a tornado. Six feet. Ten. Twenty feet into the air and suddenly a storm of lightning bolts streaked from the ominous clouds and struck the rock which fused and then exploded in a shower of detritus and where the tornado of stone had whirled stood a horror from a nightmare!

 

 

 

Spoiler

The thing before you is alive and grinning just like that.  Kathra you are assaulted by the stench of brimstone and decay

 

[Exile_Jeane]

Arcane fury expiring with the end of the combat, Marida returned to her normal stature, bleeding from the handful of cuts and burns inflicted by their foes, weapon still tightly grasped in both hands. She snorted in amusement at the dramatic manifestation of the looming beast-woman. Clearly someone gunning for a fight and just as clearly someone able to kick ass with that great spike of a tail as the many weapons in her hands. Lucky them.

 

She chuckled and moved to flank the horror on it's right side, freeing up on hand long enough to pull the hood of her magic cloak over her head, fading from view as her voice called out with not entirely fake pleasure, "An' who would ye be? Ye dogs proved qu'te tae dance, mae laird."

[Shameless]

Brarga didn't calm much with the demise of their foes, he was still plenty keyed up, so when their new foe appeared, a guttural growl escaped his throat.   "i wouldn't be surprised if they were guarding it, or it had been split into pieces to control the power of it."   There was a scowl on his face, such as it was.  The group could likely manage one more good fight, but this foe was a complete unknown.   "So then."

He readied his axes, and waited, knowing his comrades were doing the same.   

[Asarasa]

The fine hairs at the nape of her neck rose on end as the rank smell of brimstone and rotting flesh assaulted Kathra's nose, bits of stone clanging off her shield and splint mail. Lowering her shield, her teeth were bared in a silent snarl at the sight of the terrible fiend, her warhammer still glowing with the power of her Vow. For a moment, the screams and cries and moans of the dying and the dead during the Fall of Land's End thundered through her mind. The Dead King had come with not only his ever growing horde of the Restless Dead, but Fiends bound to his terrible will.

Kathra stalked forward, enmity surging up at the nightmare creature, a mockery of Elven features with too many limbs, hellfire weapons in every hand, long, thick, serpentine coils undulating behind it. As terrible and fearsome as it was, faced with the demon, Kathra couldn't step aside.

"Go back to whatever hell you came from, Fiend," Kathra proclaimed, voice strong and clear, shield and hammer held at the ready. ", lest we banish you back for a hundred and one years. We've come for the Key, not you."

[Nina]

"That would please me to no end, to return home. But alas that is not my Doom." She slithers too and fro, looking, "You have defeated the Atronachs, and say you seek the Key.  Why should I let you pass? For what purpose would you use the Key?"

[Asarasa]

Kathra frowned, her advance slowing to a stop. She didn't have much experience with fiends, beyond slaying the weakest in her escape from Land's End, and fleeing the stronger ones. But the ones she had encountered hadn't been that interested in conversing.

"To save a mother. To return hope to three daughters,"Kathra declared forthrightly, a simple truth. But there was strength in simple truths. "To end a curse and a witch before she wrests free a secret and spreads a reign of despair."

[Nina]

The demon locked its eyes on the Paladin. "Ah despair, such as I have not tasted in a millennia. And do all of you share this conviction?"

 

"Yes we do, we are all of one purpose," Renn said, stepping up beside Kathra.

 

"That is fair. A purpose that is noble. And a fellowship diverse and full of tragedy. You may take the key."  The adventurers glanced at each other could it be this easy?

 

"But, there are...requirements."

 

The demon stopped moving and stretched to its full height and its six wickedly curved swords burst in to flame! 

 

"You may take Key and leave this place but one of you must stay in its place. That one shall be a guest of the tower and no harm or woe shall befall them and they shall go free when you return the Key no later than one hundred and one days from when you take the Key."

[SalmonMax]

Maighan found herself wishing for Summer or Winter as she stared up at the strange, demonic figure before them. Not that it would make a difference, she suspected. THey had little to offer a demon of this stature. Little that they would care to part with, at least.

 

"And what happens, should we take longer than one hundred and one days?" she asks, affecting an air of nonchalance. Again, a question with an obvious answer, but the forms had to be observed. There were rules, some subtle, some less so.

[Nina]

The demon chuckled, "Well then I shall be freed and the one who remains will take my place." She scoots a little closer towards Maighan. "Of course the tower will send agents to retrieve the Key. Of that you can be sure."  

 

The Flaming swords burn out. "So which of you will remain?"