Hello, everybody! Welcome back to the Owl House Dungeons and Dragons fic, "Your Turn To Roll". When we last left off, our heroes did some research and learned that somebody was searching for magic items called 'Galdorstones' in the Speculum Cemetery. After dealing with a sudden rise of the undead and protecting a crowd of funeral attendees, the party saw a trio of mysterious people with a Galdorstone. After they managed to escape, they found an important clue that led them to a cabin in the woods where the remains of a dragon were nearby. What will our heroes do now that they have found the mystery cabin and bones of that dragon? Let's find out now.
The Owl House is owned by Disney and was created by Dana Terrace
Dungeons and Dragons is published by Wizards of the Coast and was created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson
After enjoying a pizza break, Luz and the others were ready to continue their session. "Okay, we found a cabin in the woods, there's a creepy red moss everywhere, and we found a dragon's bones. I guess we should start sneaking toward the hideout," Luz suggested after recapping what happened before they stopped for food.
"Alright, but let's be sneaky about it," Gus added.
"Yeah, probably for the best. Let's roll for Stealth," Willow says.
"If that's the case, I got a 2. That's 5 total," Amity said.
"I'll pull up my hood on my Cloak of Elvenkind to get advantage on my Stealth check. I got a 6 to make 11 total for the first. The second is a 14 to make 19," King remarked.
"6 total," Willow voiced.
"6 for 10," Luz says.
"Modified 20," Gus said, getting the highest roll of the group so far.
"And because of my chain mail, I have to roll at disadvantage," Hunter said before rolling his d20 twice. "6 and a natural 1."
"Maybe you should have gotten the cloak instead of me," King chuckled.
"Meanwhile, Buddy gets an 18 for 19 total," Vee remarked. "As all of you make your way toward the cabin, the jangling of Caleb's chainmail and the crunching of branches and leaves makes it clear that you're not being very stealthy. Reverence, Buddy, and Wrenn see this and hide behind some trees with Rev's cloak allowing him to blend in with the browns and reds of the moss-covered tree. While he's making his way through the path, Caleb's armor catches on a low branch. When he tries and shake it loose, it causes some birds to chirp out loudly and the noise echoes through the woods."
"This is not good for us," Amity said.
"I'll say," Eda agreed.
"After Caleb gets himself free, you all hear something approaching. The heavy stomping of feet and the clattering of bones sound out around you. Heading your way are four large undead creatures that resemble large human skeletons, but have bull skulls for heads. All of them are dragging a greataxe behind them and look as if they're guarding the perimeter. They see the five of you in the path and hold their weapons at the ready, not seeing Wrenn or Buddy. Roll for initiative," Vee says.
"We're fighting minotaur skeletons!? Awesome," Luz cheered before rolling her die. "4 to make 8."
"12 for a 13," Willow told the others.
"19 total," Amity said.
"15 for me," Hunter states.
"2 for a total of 6," Gus said.
"Modified 20," King says.
"Buddy has an 18 for 19 total," Vee said before rolling for the monsters. "Okay, that's a 2, 10, another 2, and a natural 20. We'll start with Reverence and Minotaur Skeleton 4. You choose your move first, King."
"Since I'm hidden already, I'll take out my crossbow and attack the going at the same time as me," King said before rolling twice. "12 on the first roll for 17 total. And the second is a natural 20!"
"Go ahead and roll damage," Vee said as the table cheered.
"Aim for the skull, kid," Eda told her son.
Rolling his six-sided dice, King counted up his total for the Sneak Attack damage. "Okay, that's 3, 5, and 6. If double the roll results, that's 31 piercing damage," he declared.
"And for the minotaur skeleton, it starts to make a charge attack toward Caleb. But as it does, your crossbow bolt flies into a crack in its skull and it shatters the monster's head to pieces," Vee stated.
"Holy crap, that's awesome," Gus exclaimed.
"You just shattered his head in one hit," Luz said with a laugh.
"Amity, you and Buddy go next," Vee stated.
"I'll cast Maximillian's Earthen Grasp, summoning a hand from the ground and grabbing at the skeleton closest to me," Amity said. "It needs to make a Strength save of 15 or higher or it gets restrained and takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage."
"With a save of 22, that doesn't work," Vee said as she rolled and checked the result.
"Good thing it's a concentration spell, so I can try again later," Amity remembered.
"As for Buddy, he'll cast Guiding Bolt at 1st-level. He hits with a 14 on the die to make 22 and deals 11 radiant damage," Vee said before describing the scene. "As Philomena casts her spell to grab at the minotaur skeleton with a hand made of clay and dirt, the monster pushes the hand back before Buddy clutches his pendant of Tyton. Just as the bony minotaur wins the contest of strength, it gets blasted in the ribs by a streak of light. The body of the minotaur begins to sparkle with dim light glittering on its bones. The next attack on it has advantage and now, it's Hunter's turn."
Hunter nodded as he immediately knew what to do. "Since stealth's out of the question for me, I'll just go toward that glowing skeleton and with a swing of my sword. I'll see if I can use Divine Smite on it," the blond boy said before rolling twice. "3 on the first one and 9 on the second. That makes the total of the attack 14," Hunter said.
"That hits. Roll for damage," Vee confirmed. "And since it's an undead enemy, that's a total of 3d8 extra damage if using a 1st-level spell slot."
"Good to know," Hunter said as he rolled the dice needed. "Since a one-handed swing, I deal a total of… 21 points of damage. 11 slashing and 10 radiant," he explained.
"With a swing of your sword, divine light shines off it as it approaches the monster's chest. When it makes contact, a surge of holy energy crashes into the skeleton and causes it to explode into pieces. Bone fragments are sent flying everywhere and the skull of the enemy falls by your feet," Vee stated, making Hunter smirk. "Willow, it's your turn."
"I think I'll change things up. I'll turn myself into an ape. I turn into a sort of gorilla with mossy fur and I'll strike at the skeleton with my fists," Willow said before rolling her attack. "6 on the first for an 11 and 16 on the second for 21."
"The first strike misses, but the second hits. Roll for damage," Vee told Willow.
"Max damage on the fist attack with 6 for a 9 total," Willow said.
"You all watch as Sariel turns from her elven form into a big gorilla with bark-like skin and moss on her back like how a male gorilla would look. Think Rillaboom from Pokémon Sword and Shield," Vee said. "With her changing into the ape form, she throws a punch at the minotaur skeleton, only for it to deflect it with its horns. As it does so, that leaves it open to a punch to the jaw from her free hand. With an uppercut socking it in the chin, the minotaur skeleton reels in pain and it seems that it's weak to impacts from bludgeoning damage," the DM told the others. "After it takes 18 bludgeoning damage, the minotaur skeleton is pissed and grabs its greataxe," Vee states before rolling for an attack. "An ape's only got an AC of 12, so a total of 14 will hit."
"Oh thorns," Willow muttered.
"With a swing of its greataxe, the minotaur skeleton cuts you in the side like a lumberjack taking down a tree. However, you only take 11 slashing damage from the attack," Vee told the party. "Luz, it's your turn."
"Seeing this, Carmen gets her sword ready and runs up toward the minotaur skeleton that attacked Sariel. Getting behind it, she's ready to attack with advantage," Luz says.
"Stab it in the back," Eda cheered.
Rolling her d20, Luz checked to see if she was able to get a good hit in. "5 for 11 total on the first. And the second is 9 for 15."
"That hits. Go ahead and roll your Sneak Attack damage," Vee confirmed.
"Alright! For the damage on the dice, I got 7 total. With Dueling and Dexterity bonus, that's 13 slashing damage," Luz said.
"With a slash to its spine, you sever the skeleton in two," Vee stated.
"Woohoo," King cheered for Luz's win.
"Gus, it's Wrenn's turn," Vee said.
"I'll cast Magic Missile at 1st-level to deal easy damage," Gus said before rolling his dice. "That's a 2, a 3, and a 2. 10 force damage total," he counted.
"With a trio of magical darts forming between his fingers, Wrenn throws the projectiles into the minotaur skeleton and they spiral around before hitting it in the face and chest," Vee described. "Not sure where the attack came from, the minotaur focuses its attention on the ape and charges forward with its horns, ready to gore you," Vee told Willow. "That's an 18 to hit. And since it was building speed with its charge, the gore attack is going to be stronger."
"How much," Willow asked.
"Twice as many dice," Vee said as she picked up four eight-sided dice and rolled them. "8, 7, 8, and 3. With its Strength modifier, that's 30 damage total. You also need to make a Strength saving throw of 14 or higher," she told Willow.
"I got a natural 20," Willow says with a grin.
"The minotaur skeleton rushes at your ape form and skewers you with its horns. Thanks to your Wild Shape's magic, you survive any fatal injuries and only turn back to normal. With the strength you had in ape form and your natural form, you dig your feet into the ground and push the horns back from the wounds in your shoulders," Vee described. "At the top of the round again and we're back to King."
"I'll take another shot with my crossbow since it doesn't see me," King declared. "The first roll is 9 for 14. And the second is 10 for 15."
"That hits. Roll for Sneak Attack," Vee says.
"Okay, I got a 1, a 3, and a 5. That's 12 damage," King told Vee.
"With a clean shot, you manage to hit the minotaur skeleton in its head, but it stays up. It's looking rough, though. Another good hit might take it down," Vee told the others. "Philomena and Buddy's turn."
"Philomena will end concentration on her Earthen Grasp because of range, then cast Toll the Dead," Amity said. "The skeleton needs to roll a Wisdom saving throw."
"With a 7 for a 6 total, that's a failure," Vee said. "Go ahead and roll damage."
"Since it doesn't have all its health, that'll be a d12," Amity mentioned before rolling the damage. "Max damage with a 12!"
"Buddy will cast the same spell," Vee declared. "It got a 14 total, so the skeleton fails again. With his cantrip being more dice, that's a total of 9 damage for his use. The echoing sounds of a grim bell sound off, chiming three times before the monster's body gives out on it and it collapses to the ground dead."
"Finally," Willow said, happy to end that battle so soon.
"If those guys are in the cabin, I'd like to roll for Stealth," Luz told the others before rolling her d20. "9 for a 13," she said.
"We might as well do the same," Amity agreed as she rolled. "I got an 11 for 14."
"11 to make 12," Willow said.
"I got a 12 and a 15," Hunter said.
"That's a 12 for Caleb," Vee noted. "After everything that happened, you all hide successfully and as you do, one of the cloaked figures steps out and looks around. Seeing nothing thanks to your quick stealth, he shuts the door behind him."
"That was close," Gus remarked as Wrenn. "We should check on the cabin. If they're all there, we might get some information. I can turn somebody invisible, then you can just walk up to the cabin if you're careful."
"I like that idea. I'll turn invisible," Luz said as Carmen.
"I can use my cloak and sneak up there too," King said as Reverence.
"I can use my familiar as well," Amity remarked as Philomena.
"I have another thing I can do for scouting," Willow said as Sariel. "I'll use my other use of Wild Shape to cast my own Find Familiar that only takes an action. I'll summon a fey owl that looks like a bumblebee in color."
"Awww, that sounds cute. And like something from Avatar," Luz said.
"I'll cast Invisibility on Carmen," Gus says. "I hold out my orb and cast the spell, making her body vanish into thin air."
"I test my invisible self by poking at Caleb," Luz chuckled.
"He feels that and tries to swat away her hand," Hunter added with a small laugh.
"With the new owl joining you for a couple of hours and Wrenn using his magic to turn Carmen invisible, I'd like Stealth checks from those who are going up to the cabin," Vee requested.
"I got a 15 for 19 total," Luz said with a smile.
"17 for a modified 20 and a 2. Thank you, advantage-giving magic cloak," King declared.
"Ugh, my owl got a natural 1 on Stealth," Willow groaned.
"Specter gets a 12 for 16," Amity said.
Vee nodded before she began to describe the scene. "With great care and skill, Carmen and Rev sneak their way to the cabin window without alerting anything. The same goes for Specter, who just looks like a stray cat even if she was caught. However, a reflected ray of sunlight from the window causes Sariel's new owl to get blinded for a second and smack right into the window. It slides down with a squeaking sound that alerts the trio in the cabin," Vee said, making the players sweat nervously. "However, they think it's just a dumb owl that was trying to hunt a mouse or something and smacked into the glass."
"That is something that owls do at times," Eda remarked. "They might be associated with wisdom because of the Greek goddess Athena, but there's a difference between Intelligence and Wisdom."
"Exactly," Vee said before continuing. "After that, I'd like you to roll Perception checks to spy inside the cabin thanks to the owl's crash moving the window open slightly."
"15 for 18," Amity said. "And Specter's got the mind link with me, so I can see and hear what's going on."
"I'll do the same with my bee owl, which I'll name 'Clover'. Owls also have advantage on Perception with sight or hearing, so this will be good," Willow said before rolling twice. "First is a 5 for 8. The second is 14 for 17 total."
"Ugh, I got a 4," King complained.
"Mine's an 18 for 23," Luz remarked.
"Due to the angle Reverence is at, he's unable to see inside. Meanwhile, Specter and Clover are looking inside the cabin along with an invisible Carmen. You see that the interior of the cabin is dusty and dilapidated, showing that nobody's moved in and cleaned up for years. You then see that in the room, there are the three figures you saw at the graveyard. They remove their hoods to reveal themselves and you see more of their features," Vee stated. "The tall man has a slender build, pointed ears, dark skin, and white hair. These all indicate he's a specific elf type known as a Drow. He's seen wearing a visor of dark glass over his eyes as if to protect his vision in sunlight. He has a bow on the table, a quiver on his back, and a rapier on a sheath attached to his belt. Underneath his cloak, you can see he's wearing studded leather armor and seems to have some types of vials attached to belts decorating the armor."
"This guy seems like he might be trouble," Amity remarked.
"The second figure to be revealed is the average-sized man that frightened you before," Vee stated. "He removes his mask to reveal his pale face has charcoal freckles decorating it. His starkly colored hair is much shorter than the long flowing locks of the drow, but just as bright in color. You see that he's only wearing simple robes under his cloak, but he's also fiddling around with a knife as he sits at the table with his feet up on it."
"I'm getting bad vibes from this guy," Willow remarked.
"As for the final man, you see him remove his hood to reveal he's a type of dwarf with ashy gray skin and white pupil-less eyes. He has a bald head with a sort of bear tattoo on his scalp and his jaw is covered by a big, bushy, white beard," Vee described. "You see that he wears a black breastplate that's etched with Dwarven language that Sariel can read. When translated, the Dwarvish on the armor says 'Bones of the Cave Bear'. The gray dwarf gets the attention of the other two and begins to speak."
"Let's see what this guy has to say," Luz says.
Vee then cleared her throat and began to speak in the same gruff voice she used earlier. "Okay, you two. We've been making good progress with collecting the Galdorstones. There's only one spot in the graveyard left and our distraction worked well."
"I'll make sure to speak to Buddy and the others, telling them what we hear," Amity said.
"I'll do the same in case she misses anything," Willow added.
"However, my undead army was defeated by those people who were by Umanoch's statue," Vee said as the gray dwarf. "They'll be a problem for us if they find our hideout."
"Ya think," King snarked out of character.
"I thought I heard something outside earlier, but it didn't seem like anything," Vee said in a posh-sounding male voice, making it seem like it was the Drow that was speaking. "If they did appear, I'll be able to handle them by myself. Then we can leave with our treasure."
"I doubt that," Hunter remarked.
Vee then spoke as the final member using a voice that sounded more like a regular teenage boy. "And when we do, it'll make us famous! That'll show everyone that I'm meant for better things," she said.
"Sounds like this guy has issues," Eda joked.
"Patience, Damien. If you really want to be famous, we have to get the materials we need," Vee said as the dwarf. "Making our final product will give us all that we desire."
"Final product? What does that mean," Willow asked to nobody in particular.
"I have some contacts that I made outside of the island. You'd be amazed at who and what you can find when trying to get away from family," Vee said as Damien. "Last I heard, they were heading away from Indahm Isle."
"Indahm Isle," Luz questioned.
"That foolish hunter finally showed some intellect if he decided to avoid Indahm. I've heard that the people who choose to train there are some of the strongest around. Especially that old man," Vee said as the Drow, sounding bitter in the last part.
"This might be important," Amity said as she wrote down notes for Indahm Isle.
"In any case, Edge will try and find the last material we need, Lensherr. Then, we'll be able to get what we all want," Vee said in the dwarf's gruff voice. "And when we do, we just need to complete the ritual."
"Ritual," Willow asked, wondering what that meant.
"Are you sure that you can do something like that, Romero? Even with the Galdorstones, it would be a problem with what you're trying to do," Vee said in Damien's voice.
"Damien, Romero, and Lensherr," Hunter muttered as he wrote notes because he knew Caleb was overhearing Sariel and Philomena's muttering with their links to their familiars. "Wait, Buddy asked about a Damien before, didn't he?"
"He did," Gus said. "Emily said something about his heritage and not having a fond goodbye."
"We'll ask later," Amity said.
"It won't be a problem as long as I have a piece of the original with me," Vee said as Romero. "He then starts looking through his pockets, but starts to freak out when he finds something's not there," she described. "Where is it? Where is it!? Where's the scale!?"
"Scale," Gus remarked. "Wrenn pulls out the scale they found in the graveyard and ponders what Philomena and Sariel can relay to us."
"You lost it?! Leave it to a dwarf to not keep track of anything unrelated to rocks," Vee exclaimed as Lensherr.
"Sounds like these guys don't get along too well," Luz remarked.
"Don't you dare confuse me for one of those regular dwarves! I'm a Duergar, so I'm different than them. We must have lost it in the graveyard when Damien used that Fog Cloud spell," Vee exclaimed as Romero, confirming his race to the party listening.
"Duergar, huh? That's good to know," Willow muttered.
"They were chasing after us since they noticed you holding the Galdorstone you grabbed after the zombies you summoned were done crawling out of their graves," Vee shouted back as Damien.
"Anybody got popcorn," Eda joked.
"Let's just focus. We'll go back to the graveyard later tonight and look for it. We can't go back now because there's bound to be guards from the empire around after that crowd ran for it," Vee said as Romero. "We'll get prepared to summon more undead to help us while we're at it. I have something special planned in mind."
"Hearing all of that, I think we'll sneak our way back and make a plan as we leave," Luz suggested.
"We'll just have our familiars poof back to us," Amity added.
"Luz and King, roll me a Stealth check. King, you have advantage," Vee said.
"I got a 6 for 10," Luz said.
"8 and 19. That'll be a total of 24," King said.
"As Reverence is able to quietly make his way back to the group while the summoned animals vanish back to their magical friends," Vee said. "Carmen tries to make her way back while invisible, but ends up breaking twigs under her feet."
"What if they're bones of the minotaur skeletons we fought," Luz wondered.
"Not if you never look down," Willow said with a smile.
"Considering she stepped on something, I think she didn't look down," Hunter joked.
"When you do that, Romero and Lensherr turn their heads out to the window, but don't see you thanks to your currently invisible body. Brushing it off as another animal, all of you regroup behind the nearby trees," Vee said.
"I say we walk and talk back to the graveyard," Hunter told everyone. They all nodded in agreement with him.
"As you head back toward Speculum Cemetery, what do you all talk about," Vee asked.
"So they're trying to find this scale for something now that they realized they lost it," Gus said as Wrenn.
"I wonder why," King asked as Reverence. "I mean, it's not like they could bring that dragon back to life completely."
"Even if young or an incomplete revival, a dragon is still a dangerous monster," Vee said as Buddy.
"There was somebody named Damien in there and you asked Emily about Damien. Is he related to her," Amity asked as Philomena.
"Damien is the grandson of Emily's brother. He wasn't fond of the peaceful life that his family was meant to have and left when he developed his magical abilities as a Sorcerer. It appears that he's lost his path and become a Fallen Aasimar as a result," Vee said as Buddy.
"In any case, we need to stop them," Luz said as Carmen. "I say that we put the scale somewhere in the graveyard and get some rest. That way, we're all ready for when we have to fight them or whatever they bring."
"Sounds like a good enough plan," Willow said as Sariel.
"Then let's make our preparations," Hunter told everyone in Caleb's voice.
"As all of you make your way toward the cemetery again, you manage to get there safely and you return by mid-afternoon. When you get there, you see that Romero was correct in his assumption. Over by where the zombies first emerged, you see that guards are there to keep an eye on things," Vee says.
"I say we deal with some stuff in town before we get to work on defending the graveyard," Luz says. "Besides, I need to get my ring back. We can do that before returning to the cemetery."
"A good plan. Now, while the rules of a long rest are usually you can't benefit from more than one within a 24-hour cycle, I say that we don't need to do that. We'll say you all get the rest you need when you all return to the Chaplin house and pass the time by talking with Buddy and his family," Vee says. "He tells you various stories of his travels which include his time as a medical examiner for a group of investigators and when he was mistaken for a spy of sorts before the actual one rescued him."
"Sounds like that would be amusing," Eda remarked.
"After enough time has passed, you gain the benefits of your rest since you were safe in the Chaplin house," Vee stated. "Carmen remembers what Voxlya said and starts to head back to Pandora's Jewelry Box. When you all get there, Voxlya is just closing shop when she sees Carmen and Buddy," she said before voicing the refined voice of the half-elf. "Oh, perfect timing. I've had a slow day, so I was able to do the repairs that were possible for your ring."
"Thank you very much, Miss," Luz said as Carmen. "As I get my ring back, I waggle my eyebrows at her flirtatiously.
"You mean like how you do with Amity when we study," Gus asked rhetorically, making Luz and Amity blush.
"Voxlya giggles at your flirting as you get the ring back. You see that the moonstones have been turned into small decorative stones lining the ring, filling it with a little more magic. Since you only gave it away for a little while after taking it off, you're still attuned to it. As you put the ring back on, you feel the magic return somewhat," Vee says. "Now, you can cast Guiding Bolt as many times as your proficiency bonus and even use the spell Faerie Fire once a day. These spells will recharge at dawn for you as well."
"Cool," Luz said, happy to get an upgrade to her ring. "But how would I get it back to full power?"
To answer Luz's question, Vee spoke as Voxlya again. "It's still not complete. If you want to restore it to its original beauty and power, you'd probably have the best chances with a Carbuncle's Garnet and a star sapphire. I don't have either in my shop, so I'm afraid that I can't help much further. But if you gather those gems and return to my shop or another jeweler with some magical experience, that would be your best option," she said.
"That's great to know. Thanks for the information," Luz said as Carmen while writing down notes for later. "And I thank her by kissing her hand."
"Philomena watches this and feels odd when she sees Carmen thanking the woman that way," Amity remarked.
"With this, I say we start heading back to the cemetery," Hunter suggested.
"Yeah, that would be best. Is Buddy still with us," Willow asked.
"He would be. After all, he heard that Damien Vespera is one of the enemies you're facing," Vee answered. "Plus, as a Grave Cleric, he's not fond of people using the undead for their goals."
"Makes sense," King remarked.
"Let's head to the graveyard," Gus said.
"After that quick stop, you begin heading for Speculum Cemetery and you reach it as night has fallen. The indigo color of the sky is illuminated by the twinkling stars and a bright moon. The night gives dim light to the area, allowing you to see the various graves and the statue of Umanoch," Vee described.
"I'll send Specter ahead since if Sariel's owl was like her Wild Shape, it's already gone by now because of a time limit. Using my link to her, I'll see if those three are close to where they think they lost the scale and see through her eyes. With that, I can relay the info to you guys," Amity said.
"Good idea," Luz voiced.
"If that's the case, I'd like you to roll a Perception check," Vee told Amity.
Rolling her purple d20, Amity checked her result. "16 plus 3 for Specter for a total of 19."
"As you send your cat off to explore and use your link with her, Specter soon finds the trio of Damien Vespera, Beowulf Romero, and Lensherr Craven," Vee said.
"Nice names, kid," Eda told Vee.
"The three are searching for the scale thoroughly by hand, trying to find it for whatever goal they're trying to accomplish. What do you do," Vee asked.
"I say we take them in a full assault," Hunter said.
"What about if we do this sneaky? Me, Luz, and King can get things into position for better attacks," Gus suggested. "I'll be sure to cast Mage Armor as well to give myself a better AC for 8 hours."
"It would make more sense if we did that. After all, we have some people that do better when they aren't seen," Willow agreed.
"Then maybe some of us go with some stealth while the others are more direct. That would be a good distraction," Luz recommended.
"I like that idea. I'll make sure to put my hood back up for advantage on my Stealth," King said.
"I'll cast Mage Armor on myself too," Amity added.
"Alright. If that's the case, whoever's sneaking around, give me some Stealth rolls," Vee told the others.
King, Luz, and Gus all rolled for their Stealth checks with their dice clattering onto the table. "Modified 20," Luz told everyone.
"6 for 11 on my first and 18 to make 23 for the second," King said.
"2 for a 6," Gus muttered, feeling like he didn't get a good roll.
"As Carmen and Reverence manage to blend in with the shadows and hide away with ease, Wrenn ends up tripping and falling against a gravestone with his grunts alerting the three cloaked figures. Damien casts a spell and his dagger begins to shine with bright light around himself for 20 feet, then it fades into dim light for another 20 feet. With the light shining, he and the others see Wrenn against the grave and the others that didn't hide," Vee said. "Approaching you, Damien steps forward and speaks. 'I remember you from earlier. What are you doing back here?' And he holds his knife out threateningly to intimidate you into answering. He has a 22 total thanks to his plus 8 in Intimidation. Roll me a Wisdom saving throw, if you would."
"I got a 7 for 10 on my Wisdom save. Seeing that knife, Wrenn would look afraid and speak up," Gus said. "We're here to stop you guys from summoning more zombies," he said with his voice cracking to show fear in his character.
"So the gnome thinks he's a brave warrior like Umanoch? How pitiful," Vee said as Lensherr.
"He's helped us fight a few different monsters before," Hunter declared as Caleb. "My Paladin steps forward with his sword and shield at the ready," he added.
"That guard and the doctor are with them? This could be trouble," Vee said as Romero. "At least I've come prepared. Nobody is going to get in my way."
"We'll see about that," Amity said as Philomena, posing like she had her rapier ready.
"Romero suddenly vanishes from sight and reappears by a mausoleum that's directly across from the statue of Umanoch. He pulls out a Galdorstone along with a vial of some type that's filled with a black tar-like substance with crimson bubbles. Crushing both in his hand, he uses them to cast a spell on the mausoleum and slams his hand on the ground," Vee narrated, making everyone seem nervous. "Rise from your eternal slumber and fight on my behalf! Become reborn, Umanoch," she exclaimed in Romero's gruff voice.
"What," everyone said as they were shocked at what was declared.
"A rumbling is heard as shards of the Galdorstone and the strange tar sink into the ground and cause the inside of the mausoleum to glow with a strange dark purple light. When the rumbling stops, the doors are destroyed and fly off against the statue, damaging it a little. Stepping out from the mausoleum, you all see a muscular 7-foot-tall centaur with decaying skin, a horned helmet fused to its head, and an ash-gray horse body with a stringy white tail. All of these details make him look like some sort of zombie unicorn creature ready to fight whoever he sees. As he steps out of the mausoleum he was buried in, he's shown dragging a large greatsword behind him with a trail of sparks against the stone before it cuts into the dirt.," Vee described.
"Oh, dang. This is going to be a tough one," Luz says.
"Romero then looks at the revived Umanoch and speaks to him," Vee added before speaking as the Duergar. "Umanoch, kill those interlopers."
"This is bad. It's four of them that we have to deal with," King said.
"But it's still seven of us," Willow mentioned. "I think we can handle them if we play it smart."
"If that's the case, me and Reverence should take our shots on these guys since we just saw what happened," Luz suggested before she rolled her d20 with advantage because she was hidden. "I got a 12 for 18 on my first roll and the second is 9 for 15. Does that hit the closest guy?"
"I got a modified 20 and natural 20," King exclaimed. "I want to aim for that elf guy."
"Both hit. Who are you firing at, Luz," Vee confirmed before asking for Luz's target.
"I think I'll be smart and aim for that Duergar. He summoned the big guy, so it would be best to take him out before he can animate any new bodies," Luz decided before rolling her d10 for her pepperbox attack. "Ugh, a 1 on my die. That's only 5 piercing damage. But I still have my Sneak Attack, so I deal an extra 3 for 8 total."
"As for me, I got a 1, 2, and 3 for my rolls," King said. "I'll roll again instead of doubling that," he declared. "4, 2, and 4. All of that total would be 19 piercing damage."
Vee nodded before she narrated the scene that happened. "After seeing Romero summon Umanoch from the dead and order him to attack, you act first and fire your shots at the people you see. Carmen's gunshot echoes in the night and hits Romero in the shoulder, making him grunt in pain. Reverence does the same with his crossbow, firing it into the ribs of Lensherr, who curses out in pain as he feels the bolt pierce deep into his body."
"Way to go, King," Gus and Eda cheered.
"With that, four enemies look around and are unable to see where the shots came from despite the noise that sounded off," Vee said. "But seeing that they're under attack from multiple places, I'd like everyone to roll for initiative."
Everyone then picked up their dice and rolled to see who got what turn in the battle's lineup. "I got a 12 for 16," Luz declared.
"11 for 14," Amity told the others.
"Straight 11," Hunter voiced.
"10 for 14," Gus said.
"5 for a 6," Willow said.
"Ugh, I got a 2. That means I'm at 10," King muttered.
"Buddy gets a 7, Romero gets a 4, Lensherr has an 11 total, Damien gets a 17 total, and Umanoch's roll is a 17 total as well," Vee said before writing down the results. "At the top of the round, Damien and Umanoch begin the battle. This honestly makes sense because they're reacting to their associates being injured. To begin, Umanoch's muscles tense up and he lets out a battle cry as he goes into a rage. With his barbarian might, he gallops toward the first opponent he sees, which happens to be Caleb."
"Guess I'm fighting the zombie barbarian centaur. This is honestly really cool," Hunter said.
"He'll swing his greatsword at you twice after his running charge at you with a Reckless Attack," Vee declared before rolling her dice. "17 on the first attack and 13 on the second for attack one. Then for the second swing, that's 23 and 17.."
"The first misses, but the second hits," Hunter declared.
"Mindlessly attacking on the orders from Romero, the revived body of Umanoch swings his greatsword, but your defenses are too strong for him to get through to start. But his second swing slams into your side to deal 16 points of slashing damage," Vee declared, making the others wince at that.
"I'm down to 32 hit points already," Hunter said.
"And Damien's taking his turn by focusing on Wrenn," Vee said before choosing what move to do. "He'll start by using a Metamagic feature, Quickened Spell. With it, he can lower a spell with a casting time of one action to a bonus action as long as he uses a Sorcery Point," Vee says. "With it, he'll try to stab you with his dagger and cast Inflict Wounds at the same time," she told Gus before rolling her dice.
"I have an armor class of 17 at the moment," Gus reminded.
"With a dagger attack of 22, it hits," Vee said. "The damage is maxed out, so he's able to stab you with the knife for a total of 8 piercing damage when he drives the blade into your shoulder. After that, he takes his free hand and reaches out for you as evil energy coalesces around his fingertips. With an 11 on the die for a total of 19, that'll hit," Vee stated.
"Oh no," Gus muttered.
"You're lucky because it's lower than the average," Vee said after rolling 3d10. "As the magical energy goes from his fingertips into your body, you recoil in pain as you take 8 necrotic damage. You feel a painful spasm surge through your soul as the energy enters you for a brief moment."
"I'm already at half health," Gus moaned.
"Damien ends his turn by smirking behind his mask," Vee said before voicing him. "You won't survive facing against us. I'll be sure to gut you like a fish."
"Not if I have anything to say about it," Luz voiced. "If it's my turn next, I'll aim my pepperbox at the Aasimar and take another shot," she declared before rolling. "19 on my die! And the second is a 5 for 11 total," she said as she rolled with advantage due to still hiding.
"That first one hits. Go ahead and roll for Sneak Attack since he doesn't see you," Vee confirmed.
"That's a total of 10 piercing damage," Luz said as she looked at her d6 and d10, then added her modifier.
"With him too focused on hurting Wrenn, Damien doesn't realize that someone who injured his allies is still hiding and takes a bullet into the back when you fire a shot at him," Vee said. "With that, it's Gus and Amity's turn."
"I'll cast Misty Step to get away from him and get closer to Buddy, then I'll cast Fire Bolt and aim for his mask," Gus declared.
"With you vanishing from his grasp, he gasps before he sees you reappear next to Buddy," Vee says before voicing Damien again. "Doctor Chaplin. I've been waiting for this," she said in a menacing tone similar to a slasher villain.
"My roll for the Fire Bolt is a 21 total," Gus said.
"That hits," Vee confirmed.
Gus then rolled his d10 to see the damage dealt by his cantrip. "That'll be a total of 3 fire damage," he said.
"With a spin of your finger, you summon a mote of flame that you shoot at Damien's mask, charring the white and cracking it," Vee described.
"While this happens, I use my Bladesong and rush in to strike at the Drow with my rapier," Amity said, rolling for her attack. "I got a total of 19."
"That hits," Vee confirmed.
"I deal a total of 12 piercing damage since I got a 6 on the die, have Dueling, and my +1 rapier," Amity said.
"With you performing dance-like movements as you charge at Lensherr Craven, you thrust your blade into his studded leather armor and just miss the vials on him," Vee describes. "He grunts in pain when you pull your weapon out, then notices your ears and speaks up," she said before voicing the Drow. "Ears are too short to be a half-elf, but they're pointed like them. Your blood must have more human than elf," she said in the posh voice of Lensherr.
"That's not important. What's important is knowing why you're doing all of this," Amity said in Philomena's voice. "Stealing from a graveyard to get magic stones? You're disrespecting the dead and the divine this way!"
"They aren't my people or religion. Why should I bother respecting them when they don't respect me," Vee replied as Lensherr. "As he and Caleb are up next, Lensherr pulls out a vial that has a small etching of a broken arrow. He ingests the apparent potion and his veins glow for a brief second. After that, he pulls out his own rapier and strikes at you with it twice," she said before rolling her d20. "He rolls a 21 total on the first and a 3 for 10 total on the second."
"That first one just hits me," Amity said.
"With a brief duel, he manages to get a good thrust into your body for max damage of 12 piercing damage. His rapier gets around your own, then it stabs you near the kidney," Vee describes, making everyone wince. "When he tries to attack you again, you dodge out of the way as you pull back from the first wound."
"While that happens, I'll attack Umanoch with my sword," Hunter declared. "Ugh, that's a 3 for an 8 total," he groaned.
"You swing your sword at Umanoch, but the centaur dodges with ease due to the memories of his combat prowess still being in his body thanks to the revival," Vee said. "After that, it's now King's turn. What does Reverence do?"
"Seeing that my last attack did well, I'll stay hidden and fire my crossbow at the Duergar guy," King said before rolling his attack with advantage. "3 for 8 on the first, but the second is 13 for 18," he said.
"That hits. However, after that first hit he took, Beowulf Romero uses his reaction to cast Shield, protecting himself from more attacks," Vee described, making King groan. "Buddy will use his turn to use Cure Wounds on Wrenn, healing him for 10 hit points. As he helps the gnome recover from the stab wound, he looks at Damien with disappointment," she said before speaking as Buddy. "Damien, why are you doing this? Who or what is putting you on this path?"
"That's what I want to know," Eda remarked.
"You really want to know? I met another Aasimar in my travels and she forged her own path! She didn't listen to her family or gods, but to herself and the allies she made. I don't want a peaceful boring life. I want fame and adventure! And what better way to get both than finding treasures of great magic and using them to create something new," Vee said as Damien, then clenched her fist dramatically to show the character was doing the same.
"And probably stabbing whoever he wants," Willow remarked with a deadpan tone.
"Buddy looks at Damien with disappointment before he speaks again," Vee said. "If that's truly what you want, you're going about this the wrong way," she said in his voice. "He'll then cast Spiritual Weapon and form a lance of sorts, then make an attack aimed for his liver."
"It's the liver probe," Luz chuckled.
"With a 6 on the die and his modifiers, that's a total of 14. The attack hits and strikes him in the liver for a total of 9 force damage," Vee said. "The lance thrusts toward the Aasimar and hits him in the side. He grunts in pain from the divine weapon harming him with magical energy. Willow, it's Sariel's turn."
"Okay, I'll cast Thorn Whip and drag Lensherr away from Philomena. That might give her an attack of opportunity," Willow said before rolling her favorite green d20. "I got an 8 for 15."
"That just misses. When you try and use your Thorn Whip, Lensherr sees it incoming and manages to cut the vine in half before it could wrap around him," Vee described.
"Dang it. Would have been fun to let Amity get that chance to attack again," Willow muttered.
"With that, Romero will take his turn and look at Wrenn while using Suggestion. You have to roll a Wisdom saving throw or do what he says," Vee said before voicing the Duergar. "Toss me the items you know I want."
"I have advantage against magic that needs me to use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saves," Gus said, happy about his Wizard's feature of Gnome Cunning. "And a good thing too since I got a natural 1 on the first roll. The second is just as bad with a 2," Gus groaned as he failed the save.
"You feel like you should listen to the Duergar and his words echo in your mind. You pull out the Galdorstone and the scale of Edmire, then give them to Romero by tossing them in his direction," Vee said before voicing the Duergar. "I thank you for your cooperation. Goodbye. Umanoch, kill them all," she said as Romero. "After catching the items, he heads to leave by casting his own Misty Step and running away toward the cabin in the woods."
"Wouldn't that mainly be done on Wrenn's turn," Hunter remarked.
"Well, it's not part of actual combat, so I'm just getting this dealt with immediately," Vee admitted.
"Either way, we need to go after him," Luz said.
"We're a little busy at the moment with the other three," Amity reminded.
"With that, Umanoch and Damien are ready to take their turn," Vee says. "Damien will focus on Buddy and cast Chaos Bolt. With an 18 on the die for 26, that hits. Now, the damage is 2d8 and 1d6 damage of a type determined by the d8s," she said before rolling the damage. "That's 8 total and I'll make it be force damage," Vee said after checking her notes. "With a mass of chaotic energy in his hand, Damien throws the spell at Buddy and it condenses into pure magic that crashes into the doctor, hitting him in the hand as he attempts to defend himself."
"Oh, no. Buddy," King called out, worried for the Cleric.
"Umanoch will then make a new set of attacks on Caleb thanks to his Frenzy. As a Berserker Barbarian, after his initial rage is activated, he can attack an extra time. This means he has three attacks to make on you, Hunter," Vee said, making the blond boy gulp. "He'll make these all Reckless Attack moves. The first attack is a 4 and an 11. A total of 18 will miss. The second attack is 5 and 9 for a total of 16 that misses. And the final attack has a 5 and 11. All of them miss as he swings his sword with reckless abandon, not caring about finding your weak points. You manage to defend thanks to your armor and shield, preventing him from landing a good hit on you."
"Oh, thank Tyton," Hunter sighed in relief.
"Luz, you're up," Vee said.
"Okay, Carmen would get out from her hiding spot and join the battle with her cutlass at the ready," Luz declared. "I'll use my Cunning Action to get into range if needed, then attack… hmm, let's go with Lensherr," she said before rolling her d20. "That's a 5 for 11."
"You try to swing with your sword, but Lensherr dodges out of the way with ease," Vee stated.
"Wait, if I'm flanking, I get advantage," Luz remembered before rolling again. "NATURAL 20, BABY!"
The table erupted into cheers when Luz got a better result for her attack on Lensherr. "Go ahead and roll Sneak Attack damage," Vee said.
"Okay, that's 3 and 4 on my dice. I'll roll again to see if I do better," Luz said before seeing what added to her total of 7. "And that's 2 and 6. That's a fair balance. Altogether, that's 21 slashing damage," she declared after counting up her bonuses.
"While Lensherr is distracted by slashing Sariel's Thorn Whip and keeping an eye on Philomena, Carmen runs up and delivers a powerful slash to Lensherr's back," Vee said before giving a pained shout and voicing Lensherr. "Damn human!"
"Why are you even looking for these stones," Luz asked as Carmen.
"I hunt treasure and kill whatever's in my way. Why wouldn't I deal with you sunlight walkers," Vee said in Lensherr's voice. "Amity and Gus, you're up now," she said normally.
"Wrenn will look toward where Romero ran off and after he feels like he messed up, focuses on the battle by turning his attention toward the centaur that was brought back from the dead," Gus said. "I'll focus my attention on him and cast Tasha's Mind Whip to make him do an Intelligence save or take 3d6 psychic damage."
"Okay, let's see what Umanoch gets," Vee said before rolling a d20. "Oh my gosh… natural 1."
"Really!? Awesome," King exclaimed with a laugh.
"Because I rolled high on the d100, nothing bad will happen with that. Just the regular effects of the failed save," Vee said. "Gus, roll for the damage."
"That's a 2, a 3, and a 2. A total of 7 psychic damage, he can't use reactions, and on its next turn, it can only move, do an action, or take a bonus action. That'll help limit what he can do," Gus said.
"With a burst of psychic energy, a cable of psionic power lashes from your head and strikes Umanoch in his mind, giving him a migraine as he clutches his head with one of his hands," Vee described.
"At the same time, I'll cast Maximillian's Earthen Grasp and trap Lensherr," Amity said. "He has to make a Strength saving throw or get restrained and take 2d6 bludgeoning damage."
"Your DC is 15, so let's see if he makes it," Vee said before rolling her d20. "With a total of 7, he doesn't make it. Roll for damage."
"That's only 2 damage, but he's now restrained," Amity said after checking her rolls.
"Right now, it's Lensherr and Caleb's turn," Vee said. "Lensherr will use his action to roll something out from his mouth and hold it in his teeth, biting down and crushing it. When that happens, he teleports away and appears next to Damien and looks to be in pretty bad condition," Vee said.
"You just want to show off what he can do before we kill him, don't you," King asked.
"Yes," Vee replied without shame.
"Still, a pretty smart idea to have that sort of teleportation item that wizard likely made for him hidden in his mouth. Reminds me of that Kimblee guy from Fullmetal Alchemist," Luz said.
"As for Caleb's turn, I'll take another swing at Umanoch with the intent to hit him with a Divine Smite," Hunter said before rolling. "I got a 9 to make 14."
"That just manages to hit, but do have advantage because Reckless Attack has the drawback of swapping defense for better attacking," Vee said.
"Okay, then let's see the second roll. And… it's the same result. This will just be a one-handed slash," Hunter declared as he rolled his dice. "Okay, I deal 11 slashing damage and 4 radiant damage. 15 total."
"That's not the real total. It's changed because of the situation. You're battling a raging zombie barbarian, so the slashing damage is cut in half and the radiant damage is increased by an extra d8," Vee said.
"If that's the case, let me add the last die," Hunter said before rolling a fourth d8. "That's a 1 on it. 16 total that's reduced down to 10."
"11 actually," Vee clarified. "As Lensherr escaped Philomena's spell, Caleb swings his sword into Umanoch's massive chest and his blade glows with divine energy as he focuses on protecting everyone from this threat. With the cut harming him with a glowing scar appearing on his chest, Umanoch rears back in pain before ignoring what he can," Vee narrated. "King, you're up."
"Okay, since the wizard is escaping, Rev would probably focus on helping with the big guy. Because I'm hiding away, I'll take aim with my crossbow and make sure I have advantage before rolling to hit him," King declared before rolling his d20. "14 on my die for 19 on the first and a 3 for 8 on the second."
"That first one hits. Roll for Sneak Attack on Umanoch," Vee told King.
Rolling his 3d6, King counted up the results to see what he could manage to deal. "3, 4, and 5. That's 15 total piercing damage," King said.
"With some steady aim, Reverence fires his crossbow at Umanoch's large horse body and hits him in the flank, dealing 8 piercing damage to him," Vee said. "After that, Buddy casts Toll the Dead on Damien. However, Damien succeeds on the Wisdom save and doesn't take damage from the spell. To end his turn, Buddy has his Spiritual Weapon make another attack on Damien in hopes of getting ready to knock him out," she added before rolling again. "With a total of 14 on the bonus attack, the Liver Probe strikes at Damien as he's shaking off the cantrip. The lance pierces into Damien for 6 force damage. Willow, you're up."
Thinking it over as she looked at the board, Willow pondered her choices. "I'll get up close enough to the two so I can cast Ice Knife and deal some damage to both of them," Willow declared before rolling her d20. "I'll aim for Damien with a 14 total."
"That'll hit him. Let me just roll saving throws for these two," Vee said as she rolled two d20s. "Okay, Lensherr makes the save, but Damien doesn't. The Sorcerer will take full damage while the Drow is unharmed," Vee said.
"That means Damien will take a total of 6 piercing damage and 5 cold damage for 11," Willow said.
"As you throw your signature frozen rose dagger at Damien, it strikes him in the chest before exploding into the icy shrapnel. Lensherr was quick to see it and ducked behind a gravestone to avoid being hit by the ice," Vee described. "Romero uses his turn to keep running as fast as he can. Damien grunts in pain as he takes the damage from the Ice Knife," she stated before voicing Damien. "Ugh, I'm feeling woozy here… Lensherr, come on. I'll heal us up." Vee then rolled her dice before speaking as herself. "He'll use a sorcery point to cast Twinned Spell. With this, as long as he doesn't use a spell that only affects himself, he can use the effect on two creatures. He'll use it with Cure Wounds at 3rd-level to heal himself and Lensherr."
"Oh, that's a good idea. Bad for you kids, but good move," Eda noted.
"Thanks to that use of his magic, both Damien and Lensherr regain 27 hit points," Vee told everyone. "As for Umanoch, he'll make three Reckless Attacks on Caleb," she said before rolling her d20 six times. "That's 8 for 15 and a natural 20. 13 for a modified 20 and 9 for 16 on the second attack. Another 9 for 16 twice."
"Only two of those hit," Hunter said. "And thankfully, my armor negates critical hits."
"The first attack does 11 slashing damage and the second hit does 14 damage," Vee said.
"I'm down to 7 hit points now," Hunter exclaimed. "I need healing!"
"It's my turn, so let's go and attack Damien," Luz declared. "I'll get up close and start swinging my cutlass. And it's a nat 20!"
Everyone in the room cheered for Luz as she was able to get another natural 20. "Roll your critical hit, Luz," Vee said.
"Okay, since this probably isn't a Sneak Attack, let's just go with the one on my sword," Luz said before rolling. "Max damage with 6 on the die for 12 points of slashing damage!"
"After he healed himself and Lensherr, Damien looks up to see the pirate girl he scared earlier that day with his powers running up to him. With a powerful slash, you manage to cut into the wounds he just healed up, causing more blood to spill on the ground," Vee narrates. "He screams in pain before looking at you with hate in his eyes," she added before speaking as Damien Vespera. "So the human girl thinks she's brave enough to challenge me?"
"I know I am," Luz said in Carmen's voice.
"With that, we'll go with Philomena and Wrenn," Vee told the others.
"I'll cast Fire Bolt on Umanoch," Gus said before rolling with advantage because of the Barbarian's Reckless Attack. "Natural 20 and 14 to make 21," Gus cheered.
"Go ahead and roll a critical hit with that move," Vee said, allowing Gus to roll an extra die or double the result of his first one.
"I got an 8, so I'll double that," Gus says.
"With a spin of your finger, a small flame shoots out and hits Umanoch in the upper back, harming him for 16 points of fire damage," Vee says.
"As for me, since Lensherr got out of my spell, I'll end concentration on it and thrust my rapier into him," Amity said before she rolled. "Nearly got my own nat 20, but when to an 8 instead. That makes it 14."
"You rush up and throw out your rapier, but Lensherr's armor protects him as he leans out of the way and the tip of your weapon only hits a stud on the leather," Vee describes. "With this, Lensherr pulls out a longbow and cuts his finger on it, taking 4 necrotic damage. When his blood drips along the bow, he nocks an arrow and the tip of it sparks with lightning," she narrated before speaking as the Drow. "I invoke the Crimson Rite to strike down enemies with the power of storms."
"What the!? Is he a Blood Hunter," Willow exclaimed in surprise as the others all had wide eyes and dropped jaws.
"Yes, he is," Vee confirmed. "And with the new 4 points added to any damage he'll do, he aims and fires his arrow at Caleb. With his stats and fighting style, this will be a plus 9 to hit," Vee warned as she rolled her die. "With a 14, that makes it 23. His arrow flies through the air and strikes into Caleb, getting past the rings of his chain mail and dealing 10 piercing damage with the added 4 lightning damage."
"I'm… I'm down," Hunter said as Caleb had reached lower than zero hit points.
"Because of you two sharing a turn, we'll say this move managed to get you before you could do anything," Vee said before narrating the scene. "Caleb is pierced with the arrow as a surge of electricity zaps him into unconsciousness, making him fall to the ground. Smirking at being able to take down a member of the Imperial Guard, Lensherr will then take his second attack on Wrenn," Vee said as she rolled another attack. "6 plus Dexterity, add proficiency and his Archery fighting style… 15 to hit."
"My Mage Armor manages to protect me, so I'd say that the magic surrounding me deflects the arrow," Gus said.
"When Lensherr fires another arrow at the gnome, his Mage Armor does just that and deflects the electric arrow away from him," Vee said. "Reverence is up next."
"Seeing that, I'm shocked at what happened and switch my target to Lensherr," King declared. "I'm still hidden and rolled an 8 to start. The second roll is a 12. That would be 17 total."
"That hits," Vee said.
"I'll aim right for his neck," King said as he rolled his Sneak Attack damage. "A 6, a 1, and a 4. That'll be 14 piercing damage."
"As you fire your bolt at Lensherr in retaliation for attacking the others, it does hit him in the neck. However, you see it doesn't go in as deep as you thought and the bolt falls off of him when he turns to see where the attack came from," Vee described. "He turns around, seeing you in the darkness and where you've been hiding."
"Guess it's time to get mobile. I'll end my turn by going to a new hiding spot with a Stealth check," King said. "18 on my die for 23 on the first. The second thanks to my Cloak of Elvenkind is 19 for 24."
"You essentially became invisible, vanishing into the darkness like you were never there," Vee chuckled before doing her turn as Buddy. "Seeing Caleb get taken down, he uses a feature of the Grave Cleric known as Circle of Mortality. With it, he casts Spare the Dying with a range of 30 feet instead of needing to touch Caleb. He's now stable and doesn't need to make death saving throws on his turn," she explained. "And for his bonus action, his Liver Probe attacks Damien again with a 12 to make a modified 20. With that, he deals 7 force damage to the Aasimar. Willow, it's your turn."
"I immediately use my Fey Step to teleport to Caleb and with a worried look on my face, I'll cast Cure Wounds at 2nd-level," Willow said. "I summon medicinal herbs and flowers and place them on his face, hoping to heal him as much as I can. I heal him up by 17 hit points," Willow said, narrating Sariel's move. "Caleb, wake up," she said in Sariel's voice, showing the worry for her ally.
"Caleb feels his breath leave his body after he was struck by the arrow. But when Buddy used his spell on him, he felt like he was at rest. Suddenly, the smell of fresh spring flowers fills his nose as he awakens to see a worried Sariel next to him," Vee narrates.
"Caleb would wonder what just happened before remembering the battle they're in," Hunter said. "However, he'd also see just how afraid Sariel looks at the moment."
"Top of the round as Romero continues to run off," Vee said. "Damien glares at Carmen and prepares to throw another Chaos Bolt with Quickened Spell. But with a 5 on the die for a total of 13, he misses. He just wasted a 2nd-level spell slot and sorcery point. He'll try to make up for it with an attack with his dagger," Vee said. "That's a 6 on the die, so he misses even with the bonuses. Carmen dodges the attacks by the skin of her teeth. As for Umanoch, he sees the new arrival and starts to attack with his Frenzy and Reckless Attacks," she added.
"Oh no," Hunter said, worried for Willow.
"That's 11 and 6, so the first attack is an 18. The second is a natural 20, so that'll be a crit. And the third is 16 and 11. That's a triple threat for Sariel," Vee said.
"Please don't kill the druid," Willow said, worried for her character after just healing Hunter's Paladin.
"To be fair, I don't think you were hit yet. You're at full health for now," Vee said before rolling the damage for Umanoch's attack. "The first hit is 13. The second is actually the lowest for his critical at 10. And his final is 9."
"That's how many I'm left at," Willow said, sighing in relief that she was still alive, but worried about her health.
"Carmen's up," Vee said.
"I'll focus my attention on Lensherr, upset that he nearly killed Caleb and slash at him. Would he be flanked by me and Philomena," Luz asked before Vee gave a nod of confirmation. "Okay, let's roll with advantage. I got a 19 on my first result and the second is 18. That makes my attack a 25 to hit."
"Which it does," Vee replied.
"My Sneak Attack does 13 slashing damage," Luz said after rolling her dice.
"Luz, how does Carmen want to do this," Vee said, confirming the defeat of one of the enemies.
The table erupted into cheers as Luz thought over what her finishing attack would be described as. "I know! I'll go the Gokaiger route. I'll swing my sword hard and fast enough that he tries to block it. However, the longbow breaks when he does and the electricity is sent out like an energy slash!"
"Final Wave," Willow, Gus, and King cheered as they were fans of Super Sentai like Luz.
"Haha! Nice," Vee said as she liked the idea. "With Carmen switching who she attacks, she twirls her cutlass around in her hand before swinging it down. Lensherr sees this at the last second and tries to block the attack. Unfortunately for him, he isn't able to brace his longbow properly to defend himself and the slash severs it in half. The electric blood coating the weapon is sent flying off in an arc, discharging the lightning and sending it through Lensherr's body as your sword cuts through his armor and leaves a massive gash on his chest," the DM described.
"That is so metal," King said with the biggest grin on his face.
"Philomena and Wrenn are up next," Vee told the others.
"After that, I'll be sure to focus on Damien and strike at him with my sword," Amity said as she rolled her d20. "That's an 18 for 24."
"That hits. Roll damage," Vee confirmed.
"4 on the die to make 8 piercing damage as I drive it into his shoulder," Amity said.
"As for me, I think I'll cast another Fire Bolt at Damien this time," Gus says before rolling his dice. "That's 16 for 23. Since that hit, I deal 6 fire damage to him," he declared.
"With a mote of flame shooting toward his mask again, Damien's looking pretty rough as the heat burns away at him. The mask has now started to burn away and reveal his eye, which is in an angry bloodshot glare," Vee described. "Hunter, it's your turn."
"After seeing Sariel get hurt when trying to heal me, I'll swing my sword with two hands at Umanoch to get his focus on me," Hunter said before rolling his die with advantage. "13 to make 18 on the first. 15 for a modified 20 on the second."
"Either will hit," Vee said.
"Then it's time for a new Divine Smite," Hunter declared before picking up the needed dice. "That'll be 6 slashing damage reduced to 3, 3d8s for the radiant damage, and that total is… 10. 13 total," he said.
"With a swing of your sword and the desire to save your allies fueling the swing, you slash at Umanoch's arm and another surge of divine energy harms the zombie centaur. Umanoch pulls away and glares at you with black drool leaking from his lips in his anger," Vee stated. "As for Lensherr, I have to roll a death saving throw for him. It's a 10, so he makes one success on it. King, it's Rev's turn."
"Okay, while I'm hiding away, I'd take aim with my crossbow again and aim at Umanoch again," King declared as he rolled his d20. "16 and 18. That's 23 to hit. And for damage, I deal… 11 piercing damage."
"That'll be reduced to 6 because of his rage defense, but you manage to hit him in the shoulder with another bolt. He ignores the damage, but feels aware that the attack came from behind," Vee said. "Buddy will take his turn and cast Toll the Dead again to deal with Damien. Damien's Wisdom save is a 15, so he just fails it. The sound of a bell echoes in his head as he feels energy leave his body for 4 necrotic damage," Vee said. "Buddy's Spiritual Weapon will then hit with a natural 20! That means Damien takes another 13 force damage."
"Dang, that's good luck," Eda remarked.
"He also gets the finisher on Damien," Vee stated, making the table erupt in cheers. "He'll do it by sending the Liver Probe into a non-vital spot of his body, allowing for the damage to be non-lethal and he can be handled appropriately by the authorities. As he sends the weapon at Damien, he speaks to him," Vee said before voicing Buddy. "I'm truly sorry that I had to do this, Damien. I'll be sure to tell your family where you are after the guards come for you."
"I feel sorry for Buddy because he has to do this," Hunter said.
"And then Buddy throws the lance into Damien's body, pinning him to his family gravestone that happens to be close to where he was," Vee declared.
"Whoa," King exclaimed.
"Willow, it's your turn," Vee told the bespectacled girl.
"Sariel will be in pain from the attack, so she'll use another Fey Step to escape Umanoch's range, take some steps back, and cast another Ice Knife," Willow said before rolling her d20. "I got an 11 on the die for 18."
"That hits, but the piercing damage will be halved. Roll that while I see what his Dex save is," Vee said, picking up her d20. "Since he can see you, his Danger Sense feature is able to give him advantage on the save. And a good thing too since he got a natural 1 on the first," she remarked before rolling again. "The second is a 6. That makes it 8. Roll the cold damage too."
"That's 8 piercing damage reduced to 4," Willow said. "As for the cold damage, that's 6."
"With a throw of your blue rose dagger, the Ice Knife spell hits Umanoch in the chest and the ice shard thorns pierce into him enough that he's looking very rough. The next successful attack might finish him," Vee said. "However, the top of the round is up and he's angry, ready to attack Caleb with a Reckless Attack and Frenzy."
"This might be bad," Hunter said, worried somewhat.
"The first attack is a 2 and a 6. That first one misses," Vee said as she rolled. "4 and 8 for the second. Another miss. And the final is 14 and another 14. With a total of 21, that just hits you," she said to Hunter before rolling for damage. "The dice are a 1 and a 3. Strength and Rage give an extra 6. That's 10 points of slashing damage that sends you back down to 7. Umanoch swings with wild abandon, only managing to hit you at the last second when he hits your shield hard enough to deflect it and slam his blade into your ribs," Vee said.
"At least I'm alive," Hunter sighed.
"Luz, it's your turn," Vee said.
"I'll run up to get in range and pull out my pepperbox to attack. Since I have advantage thanks to his Reckless Attack, let's see what happens," Luz said before rolling her 20-sided die. "8 and 12. That makes it 18."
"That hits. Roll for damage," Vee confirmed.
"That'll be a total of 5 reduced to 3 because of his rage defense," Luz said.
"How do you want to do this," Vee asked, making the table erupt in cheers again as Luz got two different victories in the battle.
"That's my girl! Take him out," Eda cheered.
"I aim my revolver at his heart just after he finished hurting Caleb. With it, I want to send his zombie heart out of his body," Luz declared.
"Got it," Vee noted before she described the scene. "Getting into range, Carmen flourishes her pepperbox with a spin before firing the bullet at Umanoch from behind. The metal pellet shoots through his body and tears through his chest, making his heart explode out the other side. As he feels his body get too weak to stay up, he collapses to the ground," she narrated.
"If the battle's over, then I say we all get toward him," Hunter said. "Caleb will then speak to the centaur as he dies again," he declared before speaking as his character. "I know you were a warrior who fought to protect others. I'm sorry that you were brought back in such a horrible manner to battle on behalf of somebody that likely doesn't care for this place. But I know that if you look deep into your heart…"
"Which is currently all over those graves," King said as Reverence, making Eda laugh at the joke.
"I'm sure that you'll forgive us for what we had to do," Hunter concluded as Caleb.
"Hearing this as he starts to pass, Umanoch's face goes from anger to peace as he says the only words he can in a raspy voice," Vee told everyone. "Thaaaank you…"
"I cast Druidcraft to summon flowers around his body," Willow said.
"Surrounded by flowers, Umanoch lets out a final breath of his undeath to allow his soul to return to where it belongs in peace. With that, his body turns into ash and falls around your feet," Vee described.
"I'll start gathering his ashes with Prestidigitation to create puffs of wind to keep everything together," Gus said.
"Same with me and Druidcraft," Willow added.
"I'll use Mold Earth to create a burial area for him in front of the statue, then seal it back up," Amity declared.
"I'll collect the flowers to place on Umanoch's new burial site," Luz said.
"I'll take Damien's knife away from him," King voiced. "I know it ruins the mood, but taking the weapons from these guys would be better for us," he told everyone.
"As Reverence collects the weapons from Damien and Lensherr, the rest of you all give Umanoch the treatment he deserves by burying what remains from the fight. Buddy appreciates this and says a prayer. With all of you doing this, you then turn to the dying Lensherr and unconscious Damien, where Rev just finished collecting their weapons," Vee describes.
"Would any of them be magical," Luz asked.
"I'll say it now. The only magical item is Damien's plus 1 silvered dagger," Vee said.
"Dibs on the shiny knife," King said in and out of character.
"Probably for the best," Vee said as Buddy. "We'll need to ask them some questions about what they're doing and why their associate ran away."
"Yeah, I've got a bad feeling about that," Willow said as Sariel.
"I guess we'll take the two into town and report them to the guards that they attacked us," Gus suggested.
"Well, if they're both alive," Luz said. "I did do big damage to Lensherr."
"He actually took a Mutagen to get resistance to piercing damage, but it came with a weakness to slashing damage," Vee told the others.
"Cool! Mutant Blood Hunter," King said. "I'm gonna stab him with my new dagger since he hurt Caleb so bad," he declared.
"Do it," Eda agreed.
"No need. As you were taking the weapons and burying Umanoch's ashes, he failed his death saves," Vee declared.
"No way to interrogate him now," Hunter grumbled.
"Unless we do something that Ducky always does in NCIS," Luz realized as she snapped her fingers.
"Looks like we're talking to the dead," Amity said with a smirk as she knew what was going to happen.
"But we'll have to save that for next time," Vee said. "This took a lot and I have to prepare for other things in this story."
"Completely fair. I mean, Caleb almost died," Gus said.
"So glad that Grave Clerics can stabilize from a distance," Hunter muttered.
"Clerics are cool. Maybe next time, I can play a Nature Cleric," Willow said.
"In any case, let's pack up and head home," Luz said.
"Hey, I'll try and stay for the next session you guys have," Eda told the others. "It'll be fun to see how you can stop that zombie maker magic man."
"Yeah, same here," Gus agreed.
"I just want to at least get our characters some rest," Amity remarked.
"Next time, we'll play at our house," Vee told the others.
"Fresh maduros for everyone," Luz cheered, hoping her mother would make the plantain dish for their game night.
And with that battle, we've cleared another part of the Orphechelon Island arc. When I planned for this, I wanted the idea of a zombified Centaur Barbarian to be the enemy the gang fought because it sounds awesome and would have been a reference to Kamen Rider Faiz having the Horse Orphenoch as one of the main monsters. As such, Umanoch the Berserker Barbarian Centaur was the main focus of this arc's early stages.
But now, the treasure hunter leader is missing. With everyone too tired in the game to chase after him, it's time to ask the remaining treasure hunters some questions. And despite Lensherr being dead, we've got the perfect spell for a Grave Cleric to have for questioning people. And before you ask, I'm debating the idea of it being similar to the Speak With Dead scene from the Dungeons and Dragons movie "Honor Among Thieves". Let me know what you'd want for that in the comments and we'll see if I can do that scene comically or if the heroes play it seriously.
What will happen with our heroes in the next chapter? Stick around and find the answers. Until next time, WaterDragonMaverick signing out.