Expedition: Neegan - Orb Quest - 19 August 2021

[Jernau35]

Tollander quickly retrieves the flask of Holy Water and twists off the top. He flails his arm around vigorously, trying to rain as much as possible down on their foes.

Throw (THAC0 19) [1d20] = 14

[Dram]

Neegan- Swings at the next foe missing it completely.


M.W. B. axe(THAC017)[1d20+3] = 6+3 = 9 todam[1d8+3] = 3+3 = 6

[Marullus]

Billy retreats slowly at the top of the line, cranking to reload Neegan's crossbow as he goes. "Fools! Flee! Flee! Make for the horses!" comes Sir Justin's voice from above. Agustin does his best to hurry upward, unable to pass Billy in the narrow, single-file stair. At the bottom of the column, Neegan swings futilely, falling backwards up the stair as quickly as he can. Galmit ducks low, allowing Tollander's holy water to fly over his head and splatter on the fleshy demon that looms over Neegan's short form - its flesh sizzles (-3) and it howls in unearthly horror! It shoves its way backwards past its kin and steps over the demon lying on the floor, fleeing back into the dining hall. The one behind it is barely deterred, however, and knocks aside Neegan's shield, clawing his arm (-3).

Billy, Agustin, and Tollander find they back out into the kitchen above, free of the stairs' confines. You hear Sir Justin continuing to yell from the adjacent stairway, which leads up to the storeroom. Four of the demons are still in the stair below Neegan, advancing up.

Round 3!

Date: 26 August 2021, 10:05pm
Light: Lantern (until 10:30pm)
Distance: None
Effects: None
Injuries: Galmit (moderately injured), Tollander (Minorly Injured), Neegan (minorly injured)

init: us: [1d6] = 6 them [1d6] = 1
Holy Water [1d6] = 3
morale [2d6] = 11
Lemure [1d20-2] = 18-2 = 16 claws [1d4] = 3

[Jernau35]

Tollander waits just beyond the doorway inside the kitchen. He calls upon Gwanwen to imbue his Blessed Knuckles with the power to strike his opponent with overwhelming fear.

Then he waits for Galmit and Neegan to fall back into the kitchen, where the three of them can hold the infernal creatures in the doorway and fight them at odds of three to one.

[GreyWolfVT]

Galmit keeps going up the stairs not fighting the demons at all at this point.

[Dram]

Neegan continues to back up the stairwell as he fends off the demons.

M.W. B. axe(THAC017)[1d20+3] = 12+3 = 15 todam[1d8+3] = 5+3 = 8

[Marullus]

The party has the advantage, moving first as they take the high ground upon reaching the kitchen. "Run!" yells Sir Justin from the adjacent stairwell, his voice echoing down from the storage room above. Agustin doesn't wait at all and is the first up the next stair.
Tollander waits for a concerted effort, but Galmit runs past him and continues up the stairs as well. Billy, his crossbow reloaded, tries to fire a shot as he falls back, but the crossbow strings snap! (critical fumble) the spry lad darts up the stairs behind Galmit.

Neegan cuts down the first fetid, corpulent demon with his axe, dropping it with his first blow. He keeps up his defense, Tollander behind him, as they fall back into the kitchen, not enough strength to hold to top of the stair. The remaining three demons all rush Neegan, who fends them off heroically. One claws him (-2), the others held at bay.

Round 4!

Date: 26 August 2021, 10:05pm
Light: Lantern (until 10:30pm)
Distance: None
Effects: None
Injuries: Galmit (moderately injured), Tollander (Minorly Injured), Neegan (minorly injured)

Initiative: us [1d6] = 6 them [1d6] = 2
Billy crossbow [1d20] = 1 [1d8] = 6
[1d20] = 9[1d4] = 2[1d20] = 6[1d4] = 1[1d20] = 16[1d4] = 2

[Jernau35]

Tollander, realizing that their tactical retreat is turning into a rout, refuses to abandon Neegan. He move up beside the dwarf and takes a deep breath. Then, taking one step further forward, he throws a direct, driving blow at the face of the monster ahead of him.

Blessed Knuckles of Holy Fury (vs Living). To Hit: [1d20] = 19 (THACO:17) Damage: [1d3+3] = 3+3 = 6

I'm assuming/hoping the Cause Fear is still in effect?

[Marullus]

Cause fear? Did I miss that?

[Jernau35]

Tollander waits just beyond the doorway inside the kitchen. He calls upon Gwanwen to imbue his Blessed Knuckles with the power to strike his opponent with overwhelming fear.

Then he waits for Galmit and Neegan to fall back into the kitchen, where the three of them can hold the infernal creatures in the doorway and fight them at odds of three to one.

It was his action in the previous round. Sorry, I should have added a "Casts Cause Fear" on the bottom to be clear

[GreyWolfVT]

Galmit wonders where Neegan is and rushes back to help him retreat back by helping fend off the foes.

Pick, Heavy [1d20+1] = 11+1 = 12 to hit, [1d8+1] = 8+1 = 9 damage

[Dram]

Neegan continues to fight off the demons while moving backwards to the next exit. Galmit, Tollander lets move to next doorway where we can fight them one at a time.


M.W. B. axe(THAC017)[1d20+3] = 9+3 = 12 todam[1d8+3] = 3+3 = 6

[Marullus]

"What are you waiting for? We will flee without you if we must! Come - you cannot perservere!" calls down the voice of Sir Justin, now that Agustin and Billy have joined him with the horses above in the storage room via the narrow back stair that leads up from the kitchen here.

Tollander calls on Gwanwen to show his power, blessing the muscled priest's brass knuckles. Galmit comes back from the stairwell and the three now divide up the corpulent fiends that face them. The three are able to divide them up, pushing them off of where they harry Neegan. Tollander punches one squarely in its spongelike, soggy flesh (-6). Feeling the awful power of Gwanwen, it squeals and turns to flee down the stair. Galmit and Neegan cut down another together (-6, -9) and it collapses on the floor. The third one is thrown off by the ferocity of the attacks and falls backwards, tumbling down the stairs a few steps before catching itself (critical fumble, lose next turn). Neegan and Galmit, with the dwarven sight, see one of the other demons on the stairs struggling back to its feet as well, its wounds knitting swiftly.

Your momentary triumph is turned to dismay as you hear more discoradant hellish voices at the double-doors which lead to the grand hallway. Six more of the corpulent demons come down the hallway at a jog, making a left into the kitchen. They block your way to the grand hallway and once again uneven the odds...


Round 5!

Date: 26 August 2021, 10:05pm
Light: Lantern (until 10:30pm)
Distance: None
Effects: None
Injuries: Galmit (moderately injured), Tollander (Minorly Injured), Neegan (minorly injured)

Initiative: Us [1d6] = 3 them [1d6] = 2
Morale [2d6] = 3
Lemure attack [1d20] = 1[1d4] = 2

[Jernau35]

Is there enough furniture around the kitchen to barricade the door with?

[Marullus]

Dwarven construction being what it is, they take their marble countertops very seriously. Assessing the room, you think you could move any of the three islands to be suitably heavy impediments, given enough time.

Time, however, is a problem. The creatures are entering from the grand hallway now and you cannot reach the double doors there before they're through. You can blockade either the narrow stair down to the dining room (with it's incapacitated fiends getting themselves up and moving again), or the narrow stair up to the pantry stores, where your companions await, but neither stair has a door upon it to aid you.

[Dram]

Neegan- To the others quickly! Lets leave this place! He turns quickly towards the narrow staircase.

[Marullus]

Neegan shoos the others up the narrow stair, he and Galmit blocking the bottom by tipping over a marble topped table as they go. You make it to the pantry above and find Sir Justin readying the horses, which appear to have remained here safely. To your surprise, the fiends are not pursuing you up this final stair; the table-door remains in place below you.

Actions?

Date: 26 August 2021, 10:05pm
Light: Lantern (until 10:30pm)
Distance: None
Effects: None
Injuries: Galmit (moderately injured), Tollander (Minorly Injured), Neegan (minorly injured)

Strategic choice: if your intent is to leave now, you can join other expeditions to get them started and we will wrap up all final discussion and action here on this thread concurrently. If you want to re-delve, that's also fine, but has more unknown and precludes joining the fall expeditions. Please take a moment to decide.

[Jernau35]

Well unless somebody can come up with a way to beat these guys, I don't think we can do much more here. Any expedition that comes back here will need to be stronger than we are right now.

[Marullus]

Always read my posts for details.

[GreyWolfVT]

Galmit "I hate admittin' defeat Neegan but I dun think this is gonna happen wit tha number we got now. We need ta regroup back some where safer an see if we can't find somthin' else ta help with er find a small army with mages an clerics ta celar this place so's we can get rid of yer orb."