Bands of Power - Game thread

Borgo turns to display his find to the others and stops short, squinting into the darkness. A soft shuffle of footfalls comes from the other end of the room, as if a booted foot stumbled. Your all stop tensely and turn as Berith's and Thak's hands instinctively find the hilts of their weapson. Albrecht steps awkwardly into the light. It is him, but he wears a black hood or sack over his head and appears to have spilled something over his shoulders and chest. He takes one more unsteady step forwards and stops before opening one small eye tentatively, and then another, and another, and the hood undulates as many scattered eyes blink open. These are quickly followed by several small mouths which begin to mutter and yap, the sound of which generates a faint buzzing and pain between the eyes. The head turns quickly this way and that as if giving different eyes a clear view of you, and he... it comes.

Albrecht returns, but not as you last saw him. The warrior's axe and javalins somewhere, but he still wears his pack and his dagger is sheathed at his side. The noise the thing is making is grating and unpleasant. You are all positive you would develop a headache if you had to listen to it for too long, but it is not harmful. That cannot be said for the things apparent intent.

Combat is initiatied. Everyone is down in the south part of the room near the chests with Elspeath, Berith and Lattremond nearst the creature's approach. The creature is Near to everyone and coming in hot.

Berith hodls the torch, and Lattremond and Elspeath each hold a potion. Whoever posts first can decide which one they are holding if they care.

What do you do?

Deftly tucking the small pouch under his belt, Borgo quickly grabs his bow, grabs an arrow and then knocks, aims and fires in quck succession. The complication of having to aim between his companions causes shot to go wide, but he still hits the not-Albrecht in the shoulder, but it's halting steps are not slowed.

Not-Albrecht take an arrow to the shoulder for 4 damage.

Eslpaeth surmises in the moments before company arrives that this concoction has something to do with fire or heat... unless it's a sweet and cinnamony syrup for confections. She will need to spend some time later investigating it more closely.

This doesn't count as her combat action.

Light Sources:
Berith - Torch (3)

Initiative Order:
Borgo
Thak 3/7HP
Lattremond
BerIth 5/10HP
Elspeath/
not-Albrecht

Haha! Nice! It's obviously a miss, but give me a Dex Save for that one, please. Let's see if you keep hold of your Greatsword. :D

I'll adjudicate the result when we work out what the remaining members are doing.

As the Thak charges, the blade of his great sword cutting a great circle in the air all the eyes of the creature turn to fix thier weird stare upon him. Whether unnerved or just unlucky, his fingers slip. The blow never lands as Thak scrambles to maintain his grip.

The black cephalon is slick and wet in the torchlight and you can see that the neck and shoulders are wet with greyish translucent fluid running down onto it's chest. The grey contrasts sharply with bright red as the wound from Borgo's begins to bleed. The acrid semll has grown more intense as this creature appoached.

Thak's fluffed his attack, but maintians his grip on his sword. Looking for Lattremond and Berith's actions.


Light Sources:
Berith - Torch (3)

Initiative Order:
Borgo
Thak 3/7HP
Lattremond
BerIth 5/10HP
Elspeath/
not-Albrecht

The Cleric stands tall holding his longsword before him with palm held against the upright blade near the hilt. Uttering a short benediction for aid from Saint Terragnis, Lattremond pulls the blade across the flat of his hand and a soft eldritch glow suffuses the metal.

Berith steps up to strike with her sword, but several eyes catch hers in the moment and it is as if time slows. She can tell they are plainly misaligned; scattered across the head. The one where an ear should be is upside down. They seem to slowly drift across the slick surface. The moment passes and she finds herself recovering from a missed blow and she pulls back to gain some distance moving to the left corner behind the others from the creature.

Elspeath backs into the corner on the right as the soft glow erupts from Lattremond's blade. With Elspaeth out of the way and Thak bypasssed she has a clear view of the thing and her loosed bolt sinks to the quills in Albrecht's leather armor. The bolts heavy blow sends the creature stumbling a few steps to the side, but it does not fall.

The creatures soft warbling mulitudinous muttering grows louder, making your eardrums tickle and itch as the thing swings back towards Thak with a powerful arm aimed at Half-orc's head. It attacked Thak without turning. The creature can see behind as well as in front.

While still off his guard from nearly dropping his sword, Thak is far from flat footed and brings up an arm to deflect most of the force of the strike.

Okay! Borgo and Elspaeth have feathered the un-Albrecht for 10 damage, but it has not fallen. Thak was struck for another 1 damage.

Berith and Elspaeth are between the statues and the chests in the room, with Lattremond and Borgo in the area before the chests. Thak and un-Albrecht and a bit farther away. Everyone is within Close of everyone else.

Elspaeth, Lattremond please give me a Save against DC10 with Advantage. Lattremond use Wisdom and Elspaeth Charisma. If you fail, you find the creature mutters too distracting and must make any spell casting checks at disadvantage on your next turn.

Okay, we're back at the top of the order. Post as you may!


Light Sources:
Berith - Torch (3)

Initiative Order:
Borgo
Thak 2/7HP
Lattremond
BerIth 5/10HP
Elspeath
un-Albrecht

Under Construction

Borgo's rebuke seems to lend his arrow power. It stikes the center of the un-Albrecht's chest and it sag; it's movements now slow and laboured. The babblings quiet to a soft susurration as the un-Albrecht takes a drunken step toward Thak and begins to slow sink down to the ground. As the body slow, the head seems to roil in agitation, though quieted, the small mouths work manically and the eyes flutter, but for those fixed on Thak. A large flattened bulge swells on the side of the head facing the Orcish warrior as the eyes and mouths stream in that direction. Realizing what is about to happen just before it springs, Thak smacks it out of air with swift flick cut.

Unsure if the danger is past Elspaeth, maintains her aim on the still form while Lattremond maintains his penumbral guard.

You survey what lay before you. Albrecht's dead form crumpled on the flagstones, his head swollen, red and eyeless. The quiescent, lumpy, black splat a few feet away. The dull ache remains, but you can feel it easing quickly.

The thing is slain and Albrecht... released? What does the party do now? You can see that Albrecht wears a seemingly empty backpack, and has a dagger and belt pouch at his waist.

Light Sources:
Berith - Torch (3)

Initiative Order:
Borgo
Thak 2/7HP
Lattremond
BerIth 5/10HP
Elspeath