And so, the heroes followed the ominous chanting (animoh animoh animoh...) all the way to a central, torch-lit room.

It was obvious that this had, once, been a room for consecrating the dead before burial. But that was not what the dark-robed figures surrounding a stone slab were doing now. As they chanted, one of them held a knife above himself, over the body of a bound, gagged woman who struggled, terror visible in her crying eyes. A woven basket laid by his feet.

But then the not-exactly-stealthy group arrived, immediately attracting their attention. "KILL THEM!" the apparent leader shouted, while he began to chant faster, obviously hoping to finish the sacrifice before the heroes could intervene.

COMBAT BEGINS

CULTISTS:

*Medium humanoid (humans), alignment Chaotic Neutral

*Armor Class 12 (leather armor)

*Hit Points 9

*Speed 30ft.

*STR 11 (+0) DEX 12 (+1) CON 10 (+0) INT 10 (+0) WIS 11 (+0) CHA 10 (+0)

*Skills Deception +2, Religion +2

*Senses passive Perception 10

*Language Common

*Dark Devotion. The cultist has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened

*ACTIONS: Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one creature. Hit: 4 slashing damage.

Round One

7 cultists will attack the heroes while the leader tries to complete the ceremony. Note that Fyterion has not had time to fully heal.

edited 13th Sep '17 2:48:10 PM by Sijo

Valakyr narrowed his eyes at the sight of such a foul ritual. There was little time for planning, as the cultists noticed them instantly, no doubt due to him and the druid; and the cultist's leader had started to chant faster, which was not a good sign. Indeed, seeing the woman in such danger inspired righteous fury in the dragonborn!

Roaring with fury, the cleric unfurled his wings and charged, ignoring the other cultists and gunning straight for their leader; they were, after all, all clustered around the woman, meaning that he would provoke fewer attacks.

With a cry of "FOR BAHAMUT!" Valakyr swung his holy mace, which almost burned with Holy Flame at the strength of his swing.

Moving up and going for a swing on the leader, and using inspiration for maximum damage! FOR BAHAMUT!

edited 13th Sep '17 3:27:37 PM by Cwest5538

Well, Gabatim suspected their captive wasn't being forced to try new tea blends, but this....apparently got to the cleric even more than he, for he took flight at the leader fast. The leader right in the middle of several devotees. The vaquero could have sniped the lot of them from afar, while they corralled the cultists in the den.

Cursing, the vaquero quickly readied his crossbow and loosed a bolt at the first cultist to react to the cleric, remaining in the doorway using his shield to corral the cultists in their den and keep them from spilling into the open space.

Crossbow bolt to the cultist that is the first to attack Valakyr. And, of course, fighting style protection—for those who do not charge in and stay by the doorway.

edited 13th Sep '17 3:13:18 PM by CenturyEye

"Yes, yes, we're terribly sorry about violating your god's dark ritual but someone with a lot of coin would like you all dead," Mialee snipped as she casually flung an eldritch bolt ahead.

"Also let go of that girl!"

Eldritch Blast on the guy with the knife standing over the girl.

Zaaap! the Warlock's magic beam streaked across the room, and struck the cult leader. "AHH!!" he gasped. 5 points of damage. He has 4 left. Still standing, the man cursed, and prepared to plunge the knife!

As the dragonborn headed towards the wall of cultists, one took aim at him with his scimitar. But before he could strike, he was hit with Gabatim's crossbow bolt! 4 points of damage, reducing it to 5. His face contorted with both pain and fanatical madness, the man still took a swing at the cleric, but missed!

Valakyr barreled right past the wounded cultist and dashed up to the leader. Just as he was about to kill the victim, the dragonborn struck, his blow literally fueled by righteous rage! CRITICAL HIT! The foe takes 12 points of damage! He has -8 now. He's unconscious, and almost dead.

edited 13th Sep '17 4:45:33 PM by Sijo

Forest, Eveningstar Tomb

Fyterion lost no time, ignoring his wounds he started to galopp towards the cultists, seeing that the leader already had been dealt with, attack the closet one to him with his Heavy Mace.

Using my Heavy Mace for a normal attack on one of them.

edited 13th Sep '17 5:45:13 PM by Sergey_Smirnov

Fyterion's mace struck the cultist Gabatim had shot, hurting him further. 4 points of damage, he has 1 left.

Despite the apparent loss of their leader, the cultists insisted in attacking with mad fervor- these were no cowardly rats! However, in an amazing display of skill, Gabatim blocked all their attacks on his two companions with his shield! However, this left him open to attack. Two cultists tried to take advantage of this, but his armor and reflexes allowed him to dodge their attacks as well.

Round One Over

Round Two Begins

edited 13th Sep '17 7:03:55 PM by Sijo

Forest, Eveningstar Tomb

Fyterion reared up again, yet again trying to use his hooves to trample his enemy though in the last moment instead the them crash down in front of him, instead using the mace to try and sweep him off his feet to knock him out without outright killing him.

Using the Heavy Mace again although this time not with full force, going for non-lethal force.

Fyterion and the cultist strike each other simultaneously, but once again the enemy attack is deflected by Gabatim; meanwhile, the centaur's swing hit by the tiniest margin. 4 damage, reduces him to -3. The cultist falls down, unconscious.

"I don't care who it's for, just keep swinging that damned mace before they get us!" Mialee shouted at the Dragonborn, her own blast of magic at the ready.

Move 30 feet (or less) closer to the girl. Then Eldritch Blast the closest cultist.

Gabatim continued to corral the cultists at the door to the hallway. In a quick motion, he loosed a bolt at the cultist nearest to the advancing Mialee, at least the nearest one not already under her blast.

Fighting style protection and crossbow bolt at a cultist.

edited 13th Sep '17 8:45:42 PM by CenturyEye

The elf blasts a cultists as she runs. doing 5 points of damage, reducing him to 4. He is then struck by Gabatim's crossbow bolt. Another 4 points, he has 0 left. He too falls down.

edited 13th Sep '17 8:53:42 PM by Sijo

Valakyr brought his mace down on the head of the lead cultist with a sickening crunch, and the man dropped like a bag of potatoes. Still seething with fury- how dare these monsters sacrifice this poor woman?- he glanced around. One of the cultists got blasted full in the face with arcane energy, and then got a crossbow bolt as a follow-up before going down. The druid knocked someone out right away with a mace strike, too.

The muffled crying of the woman caught his attention, Sheathing his mace and drawing a handaxe, the cleric started to chop at her bindings, using both tooth and claw as well as the axe to tear the ropes apart.

Valakyr's using his action to try to free- and possibly ungag- the woman.

Valakyr unties the woman, who quickly gets off the stone slab and stands as far away from him as she can. Its obvious from the look on her face that she's not sure if he saved her out of heroism or to eat her himself.

due to having used his action to untie the sacrifice, Valakyr cannot do anything else this round.

Still unintimidated by their losses, the cultists once again attempted to strike down the heroes- but they kept missing or getting blocked!

Suddenly, one of them turned around and ran towards where Valakyr and the woman stood!

Round Two Over

Round Three Begins

edited 14th Sep '17 5:03:52 PM by Sijo

"Don't you dare, you animal!" Mia shouted at the cultist who was making a break for the girl.

Eldritch Blast the cultist running for the girl

ZAP!

"ARGH!" the cultist screamed. 5 points of damage, he has 4 left.

Still, he managed to drag himself up to his target-

...not the woman, but the woven basket. Which he opened, and out of it came-

Flying Snakes!◊

Hissing, the reptiles began flying around madly, looking for targets to bite!

8 FLYING SNAKES

Tiny beast, unaligned

Armor Class 14

Hit Points 5

Speed 30 ft. , fly 60 ft., swim 30ft.

STR 4 (- 3) DEX 18 (+4) CON 11 (+0) INT 2 (- 4) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 5 (- 3)

Senses blindsight 10ft., passive Perception 11

Flyby. The snake doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach .

ACTIONS: Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage plus 7 poison damage .

Note: without the leader to give them directions, the snakes will attack everyone, hero or cultist alike.

edited 14th Sep '17 5:59:16 PM by Sijo

Gabatim had been cursing alot today. What was one more? He remained at the doorway, keeping the threats in a narrow file, behind his shield.
When the snakes emerged, the vaquero deliberately avoiding hitting the cultist in their path and loosed another bolt at one of the snakes nearest the cleric and the captive.

To the cultist he merely admonished, "Your cause is gone, and one of your own has turned death on you. Lay down your arms, and we will not aid the snakes and your own brother in killing you."

Crossbow bolt at snake. Fighting style protection.

edited 14th Sep '17 6:28:54 PM by CenturyEye

A snake flew by Gabatim, hissed, and bit him! 1 point of damage plus 6 poison; he now has 3. Still the vaquero made his shot, which hit the snake flying towards Valakyr, gravely wounding it. 4 points of damage, leaving it with 1. It hisses and flies away.There are 7 snakes left.

The cultists were too busy trying to dodge the snakes to listen to Gabatim. (The wounded one got bit, and dropped dead.) Similarly the other 4 got bit, and while alive, they screamed and ran away. The snakes pursued them.

Four snakes remained in the room. They tried to bite Mialee and Fyterion, but Gabatim blocked all their attacks.

edited 14th Sep '17 8:45:22 PM by Sijo

Valakyr readied himself to attack the cultist running towards him and the woman they'd rescued, but the elf got him first. He went down, and the dragonborn turned his attention to the remaining cultists- only to glance back at the man in shock as the cultist opened a woven basket!

Suddenly, hissing snakes with wings came flying out of the basket, circling and biting. Growling, Valakyr backed away, towards the woman. "Stay behind me," he instructed her, firmly but kindly. "We're here to rescue you. Keep your head down." He winced as he saw one of the snakes latch onto the cultist that had released it, pumping his throat full of poison. Ouch.

Pulling his arm back, the cleric hurled a handaxe at one of the snakes, hoping to slice it in twain with a well-timed throw, before drawing his mace once again.

Making a ranged attack with the handaxe; it does normal damage and can be used with a strength modifier, similar to a javelin. Valakyr is also trying to protect the woman, similar to Gabatim's fighting style; maybe if something would attack her, it instead attacks Val, instead of giving disadvantage?

Valakyr's throw hit its flying target with incredible aim, cleaving it in two. 6 points of damage.

The other three snakes continued to try biting the other adventurers, but Gabatim kept them at bay.

Forest, Eveningstar Tomb

Fyterion was about to change targets when he saw one of the cultists opening the basket - to release snakes... flying ones at that! He lost no time, moving in front of the unconcious cultist and swinging his Heavy Mace at any snake trying to get to close to them.

The flying snake twisted in mid-air at the last second, causing the centaur's blow to miss! it then reared back to bite him-

-only to be blocked *again* by Gabatim's shield.

Round Three Over

Round Four Begins

edited 15th Sep '17 8:06:58 PM by Sijo

"Why did it have to be snakes!?" Mia shouted before blasting the closest of the scaly beasts.

Move 30 feet (or less) closer to the girl and Eldritch Blast whatever snake is closest.

The eldritch bolt hits, killing the snake! 5 points of damage.

However, by stepping beyond the vaquero's shield range 5 feet, Mialee left herself unprotected. One of the two snakes remaining lunges at her-. And succeeds! 1 points of damage, 6 poison. She has 2 left!

edited 16th Sep '17 9:38:42 PM by Sijo