shitlords!

[onefellswoop]

placeholder title above! hmmmm


1) Prelude: Ill-Natured Shrubbery.
2) The Party Gathers: If a Tree Burns in the Forest...
3) Death House Pt. 1: Family, If You Wish It.
4) Death House Pt. 2: Onward and Downward.
5) Awich: The Dead All Know, The Dead All Go.
6) Awich: Investigations.
7) Awich: After the Battle.
8) Loch Bien: Complications, Concerns, Frogs.

Comments

[onefellswoop]

Before reaching the boss, Dima gives Fae his potion from spooky house. Fae drinks it and regains 5 hit points. Because Fae bis a lot worse than he was letting on, he’ll also cast Cure Wounds on himself, which with Inspiration gives him another 13.

Everyone makes their way across the river towards the structure that seems to have once been a temple. The golems still hang back, pacing the river's edge and watching Fae's scimitar with fear.

Fae calls out, "If anyone else is here, show yourselves. We don't want to kill you. We're just looking for the girls."

<.>

Rin is currently resisting a very strong impulse to shout something lewd in Calabra's voice. They're also walking close with Sen just. Keeping an eye on him because Sen u okay??

<.>

Sen has a hand on Rin's arm to reassure them, but he also keeps having odd twitching movements; his eyes glow and then return to normal and his face spasms until he snaps, "Stop that!"

From behind the ruined temple's walls, there's a sound of laughter, ugly and low. The meek-mannered valet they met in the tavern emerges, his footfalls heavy. Visento is armored as a gladiator, with studded leather and a heavy sword and shield. Though prepared for combat, he sneers down at the group and calls back, "It's just you and me, I'm afraid."

With that, his smile becomes a snarl of bared teeth; he pounds his sword's guard against his shield, then lets out a roar that echoes through the ruins.

[WIS saving throw
d: 5
r: 20
liv: 20
f: 16
s: 18
golems 1 + 2: fail
nerys: fail]

Dima, Liv, and Nerys are all currently Frightened. The golems turn tail and flee.

And with that, everyone roll initiative.

[INIT
d: 14
r: 19
f: 20
s: 14
nerys: 7
visento: 8]

Fae begins by casting Entangle right on top of Visento. Grasping vines and weeds sprout from the rubble and begin to snake their way at the manservant— Who does succeed on his saving throw, but he is in Difficult Terrain, which will affect his movement. And Fae is going to start moving that way.

The wolf casts Flame Seed; misses. And that'll be their turn because Fae is telling it to stay on Dima.

<.>

Rin takes a shortbow shot, misses. Uses their bonus action to Dodge.

Dima shakes off the fear effect. He doesn't know what came over him; what it was that allowed fear to sink its claws deep. It doesn't linger long, though, and with a look to Faolan's wolf, he feels his agitation settle, then turns to stare down Visento.

Speaking with sharp enunciation, "You. All of you. Have calculated very fucking poorly."

And Dima is going to cast Mind Spike. Visento makes the save and takes 8 damage.

[note: Dima is now out of spell slots. The DM points out here that there are corpses with weapons scattered around. Checking would require either going to each corpse and checking, or rolling a perception check and then going to X corpse.

PERC, d: nat 1

dm: From where he's standing, he can't tell what those two bodies have. He'll have to go check each one.]

Liv shakes off her fear. Goes in for multiattack. First would hit, but Visento uses his reaction to Parry, raising his AC and warding off the attack. Second attack misses. And Liv flies off.

<.>

Brings us to Sen, who, seeing what just happened, is going to cast Dissonant Whispers. Visento makes the save, takes 5 damage.

And onto Visento, who uses his movement to approach Fae and multiattack. Sword hits for 5 points, shield bash hits for 3 points, and Fae is knocked prone.

Standing over Fae, Visento lets out another roar, triumphant and primal.

[WIS saving throw—
r: 14
d: …5 again
liv: …nat 1]

Everyone is now frightened. Except the wolf, so there’s that.

<.>

Nerys doesn’t shake fear; he has had A Very Long Day, alas.

He does use Shade Step to blip out of Visento’s sight, and uses this opportunity to Hide and go stealth mode.

<.>

Fae is going to use his action to stand, then use his bonus action to Misty Step away. And using his movement, he's going to back up just a little more.

The wolf is staying on Dima and Fae is ordering it to Dodge unless Dima needs teleporting.

<.>

Rin shakes their fear, and is going to cast Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, sending Sen a backward air high-five as they attempt it.

[dm: Visento fails the save, and is now on the ground, prone, and alternating between laughing and snarling angrily. And Frightened is now removed from everyone.]

Rin does find thiS pretty funny tbh. They call out, “Thanks, Vinnie!” and engage Dodge.

Dima, while he’s not frightened and can approach, is going in for Burning Hands.

[note: FAE IS SHOUTING AT HIM DON'T GET CLOSE DIMA.

Sen is shouting at him as well, but it's hard to hear over Visento]

Look Dima will back up as much as he can after, but he is frustrated. And with Burning Hands— Wulp. He went in there and hit with all of 7 damage. Dima maybe is going to have Some Regrets. But right now. It feels nice to burn something.

[dm: As Visento takes fire damage from Dima's spell, Tasha's Laughter ends. He's still prone but no longer laughing. And he is stARING at Dima.]

Dima still does not Regret. Yet.

And he will back up those five feet.

Liv’s going in for another multiattack attempt. She misses with both. Liv and Dima both Off Any Game They Ever Had.

<.>

Sen’s up. And he's taking the opportunity to shout, "I TOLD YOU NOT TO HURT HIM YET"

[note: He's getting a backwards-flipped finger.]

He's going to use a level 2 spell slot for Dissonant Whispers. Visento finally fails his fucking save, and takes 18 damage.

Sen moves the Sentacle; it misses.

It sure is Visento’s turn now. He's going to use his action to get up. And he's going to use his wonderful bonus action to start pounding his shield and roaring.

[WIS saving throw—
f: fail
s: fail
n: succeed!
d: 15
liv: 10
r: 12]

Dima passes; Liv and Rin do not. Sen, Liv, and Rin need to attempt to put 60 ft between them and Visento. And so they do.

[note: Rin is upset their laughter ended. :c]

<.>

Nerys, in his stealth zone, is going to move, use Shade Step, and attempt a rapier attack. Hits for 34 points piercing damage.

<.>

Fae remains Frightened, oh no. He can’t do anything from this distance, but would like to have the wolf use Fiery Teleportation to get Dima away from Visento—

But Dima. Unfortunately is in I Am Angry mode. Which in this case means he wants to stay.

Fae is not happy with this. But that’ll end his turn.

<.>

Rin shakes off their fear. They move and take a shot with the shortbow; they miss. Rin will stay where they are and Dodge.

Onto Dima!

[dm: He is staring down a very big man with a sword.]

He is going to KEEP staring down this very big man with a sword. I do not argue that this is a gooD thing he is doing. But. It is a Dima thing.

Dima's plan right now is to stand his ground and go full authoritative daddy trash
cold-eyed stare. Folding his hands behind his back, little head tilt. And give Visento The Full Bullshit. In an attempt to, god only knows, try to throw him off his game, scare hiM, or at least keep Visento's attention away from the people who haVe more at hand to use. So.

Dima stands, back straight, shoulders relaxed. Probably bleeding from a number of wounds. And speaks, "It's funny, isn't it.

"I know what your Master has planned with Kettering Wrothrun. What he's planning for Morovsk. Do you think my family hasn't been watching?

"Do you believe I don't know.

"Why on EARTH do you think I'm here?

"I know what he has planned for me— And I know what waits for you, Visento.

"My body may well end up at the bottom of a canal, but yours will be beside me, Torrio's dagger in your chest."

And that’s it. That’s Dima’s attempt.

Liviana is thinking about strangling him.

[INT, d: 13
visento: 5]

<.>

Visento doesn't blink at the name, but there's a moment where Dima's words strike through very, very hard; he falters, seeming to go a little slack in his stance; his head turns just slightly as though to say, How -

But then with renewed fervor, he raises his shield and bares his teeth; he doesn't roar, but he growls angrily, clearly thrown by this - and has disadvantage on his next attack.

[dm: You can take with you the knowledge that SOMETHING Dima said was accurate enough that it worked.]

<.>

Dima he will remain standing precisely where he is.

Liv is, to begin with, mentally shouTing at Dima for being a fucking dumbass. SHOUTING AT DIMA WHILE TRYING NOT TO BE SCARED.

Liviana does shake off her fear, and swoops o Sen, wing-brushing him with a cast of Guidance.

Liv thinking very loudly HELP THAT IDIOT. Realizing also that Sen. Is ALSO prone to Bad Decisions. But you work with what you have! And she'll move back a littttle bit and be done!

<.>

Sen shakes fear, and he is going to move in and cast Dissonant Whispers at level 2 again. Visento fails his save and takes 13 damage.

Sen relocates the sentacle, which does not hit.

And now it’s Visento.

First thing he's doing is attempting his roar, and instead of disadvantage for him, everyone else gets advantage.

[WIS saving throw—
s: succeeds
wolf: succeeds
nerys: fail
liv: 16
d: 19
r: 8

ROGUES SCARED! Nerys just cowering in the temple. Rin ZOOMING past Fae.]

Visento looking at Dima and grinning. JUST ME AND YOU NOW.

[note: Dima. Blinks back. Bring it. Who knows Visento; maybe Dima will enjoy it.]

Sword hits for 2 points. Shield attack hits for 6 points. Dima does make his saving throw and isn’t knocked prone.

[note: Dim’s bleeding profusely but still standing VisentO. MAY HAVE LOST THREE QUARTERS OF HIS HEALTH but Dima is Very Calm rn.]

<.>

Nerys remains Very Scared. And so remains very cowering. He does attempt and manage to Hide.

[dm: He is very well hidden.]

<.>

Fae shakes off his fear, and he is going to shout at Dmitri after watching him do this STUPID THING—

“IS THAT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO ABANDON ME, TOO?”

<.>

Dima.

Very suddenly. Looks aghast.

Self-possession goNe just staring over at Faolan, suddenly processing what he-himself just did.

He’s going to be replaying all of that for a good while.

<.>

Fae is going to try to get closer, and he will use Scorching Ray. Crits on two of the rays, rolls a 17 for the third?!?!

He is not even remotely fucking around. And that’s 37 points total damage.

SO FAOLAN.

HOW DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS OTHER THAN MAKING DIMA REGRET EVERYTHING.

Faolan takes a run up the platform, terrified after witnessing what just happened to Dmitri, and casts three rays of fire at Visento, whose attention is fixed on Dima; the gladiator has no time to react, and the force and heat of the rays quickly engulf him in flames.

The heat leaves very little of his flesh behind, and the speed of the assault gives him no time to do more than scream a single, pitiable note before he falls.

And Faolan lets his hands fall to his sides, his eyes on Dima. He looks like he might cry.

Faolan shakes his head and turns his attention to untying the head from his belt; he tosses it to the ground and steps off the platform.

<.>

Dima has registered Visento's disintegration— But only barely.

Mostly what he sees is Faolan. And what he feels is cold, and the seep of his own blood.

He tries to speak, to stop Faolan. Doesn't think far enough to Message, and what Dima does get out is a soft, strangled, “Fae—“

And, after a moment's mental stammer: [ Please. ]

Rin, meanwhile, suddenly very much NOT afraid and remembering how to be honest fucking funny it was when Visento fell down laughing, THEN remembering how not at all funny it was when something happened with Sen and that Moloch spirit whatever, is going to start dashing over to Sen.

Liv is going to fly down and give the wolf spirit a nudge of her beak before flitting over to Faolan, circling him, then landing near but not oN and not precisely looking at Dima.

Dima has eyes and mind for one point of focus, one very wounded Faolan, and notices approximately none of this.

<.>

[ XP awarded means everyone has reached level 5!

As for loot: Searching the bodies, Rin and Sen manage to find:
the light crossbow Dima ignored
a ring on Indir's hand
a stone embeded in Visento's sword
2 potions
a die carved from bone on Loras's corpse
a strange key on Bly's corpse
around 54 GP in various denominations
several weapons of varying types (mace, swords, maul, heavy crossbows, shields) ]