Act 1.5 - Delian Tomb: Downstairs

The party steps into a vast chamber. At its center, a glowing white energy field ripples across a gaping opening in the floor, illuminating a staircase descending deeper into the tomb. The walls are carved with grim warnings—"Iulius’s cup shall remain free from the hands of the unworthy. Turn back or perish."

Five stone warriors, their forms smeared with dried blood, encircle the glowing pit like eternal sentinels. Between them, a band of goblins chants in harsh, rhythmic unison, their voices echoing off the cold stone. There are goblin spineCleavers and Warriors, as shown on the map below.

Towering among them is a robed bugbear (B1), its matted fur bristling, eyes wild with fanatic purpose as it leads the ritual. Bound to the southernmost statue is a young woman—Violet—her face bruised. She screams as white tendrils of energy tear from her chest, feeding the pulsing barrier below.

Malfina and Vordokov quickly realize the truth: this is a sacrificial rite. The goblins intend to kill the girl to dispel the magical barrier. Stopping the bugbear—or freeing Violet—will be the only way to end the ritual before it’s too late.



Next PCs (in any order):
Vordokov
Malfina Bramblebush
Naercalad
Obsidian Rockcrusher
Marbin
Shrike

Next Monster Groups (in any order):
Waiting for PCs - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Meta currencies:
Hero Tokens: 4
Malice: 10

Explaining to the others, "This is a sacrificial rite. The goblins intend to kill the girl to dispel the magical barrier. Stopping the bugbear, or freeing the girl, will be the only way to end the ritual before it’s too late. I vote we do both."

Malfina peeks around the corner and scowls at the ritual. She turns and nods in agreement with Vordokov's assessment. As everyone leaps into action, she points at the Bugbear and calls forth the flame to burn justice into the creature's very bones! Then she steps back out of their sight and presses herself against the wall, melting into a shadow that is hardly visible!

Naercalad will move to K2, Mark the bugbear and fire 2 shot at the Bugbear and W2.a. I'll spend one focus to gain +4 damage to the Bugbear. If anyone else strikes the bugbear, I'll spend my other focus to cause another +4 damage.

Shrike will fling himself into the room, hugging the wall for most of his dash and then ram bodily into the bugbear.

"Bring your judgement against this vile creature mighty Grole and strike him down." Vordokov exclaims as he moves a bit past the entrance to get a good look at the man.

Malfina, Naercalad, and Vordokov, you join forces against the bugbear, causing significant damage.Shrike, you burst into the chamber, hugging the wall before launching yourself straight at the towering bugbear. The impact is thunderous—your shoulder slams into its midsection with enough force to lift the creature off its feet and hurl it backward. It crashes into the glowing energy field at the center of the room, and the air erupts with a blinding flash of white light. The bugbear’s roar of pain is cut short as arcs of crackling energy surge through its body, burning the fur along its arms and face. Then, with a sharp crack of displaced air, the creature vanishes—only to reappear a heartbeat later on the far side of the chamber. The chanting falters as all the goblins attack.


Next PCs (in any order):
Obsidian Rockcrusher
Marbin

Next Monster Groups (in any order):
Can act - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Stamina lost:
Bugbear: 12+(8+4)+(4+4+3)+8=43
W2.a: 8

Meta currencies:
Hero Tokens: 4
Malice: 10

Seeing the bugbear reappear obsidian will move to L3 then use Devastating Rush to move the final three squares to O3 and hit the bugbear. Then use knockback to knock him back into W4.b.

Marbin rushes into the room, seeing the girl, he suddenly dissappear in a bamf of ash and appears next to her.

"Don't worry. You mommy is waiting outside," he says as he cuts her free.

Obsidian, you rush and push the bugbear Channeler. It's seriously hurt, but still alive.

Marbin, with a swift slash of your blade, the ropes snap and Violet’s body slumps forward—unconscious, pale, but still breathing. You catch her before she falls, the faintest pulse of life trembling against your arm.

But the ritual doesn’t stop. The white tendrils of energy no longer flow from her chest, but the field across the floor still crackles and hums, unstable and hungry. It seems freeing her wasn’t enough — to truly end this, she’ll have to be taken out of the tomb itself.

Stamina lost:
Bugbear: 43+(8+3) = 54
W2.a: 8
W4.b: 3

Turn 1
The first group of spinecleavers gang around Shrike and Vordokov stabing them with their axes.

They are very Crafty and move so quickly that you are unable to hit them while they circle you.

Moreover, as they push you towards the wall, they are able to continue moving and hit you again!Marbin, you were pushed towards the ward by 3 spinecleavers from the group 5. As you hit the magic barrier, you were burned and teleported to somewhere you didn't want to go. (R14)Obsidian, you were pushed by the other 2 spinecleavers from that same group. They tried to push you further away from their leader, but you are very stable, so you stay were you are.

Next PCs (in any order):
None. Everbody already acted

Next Monster Groups (in any order):
To act - Bugbear, 2, 3, 4

Assaulted by the goblins' swords, Vordokov lashes out at one of the them before going down in a bloody heap.