Erevain calls out over his shoulder. "Belhifet! I agree to the terms of our second arrangement."
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Erevain calls out over his shoulder. "Belhifet! I agree to the terms of our second arrangement."
Ug charges, his swing wild as he enters into his 4th frenzy of the night. He only connects once, but it packs the power of his hate behind it. bellyfat takes 24 slashing damage and 4 cold damage
Rolls
Attack 1 - (1d20+6)
(18) + 6 = 24
Attack 2 - (1d20+6)
(1) + 6 = 7
Attack 3 - (1d20+6)
(6) + 6 = 12
Fumble - (1d100)
(13) = 13
Damage - (1d12+10)
(4) + 10 = 14
Cold - (1d4)
(4) = 4
Then Ug's axe crashes into the fiend, and the blade, powered by friendship and frustration, cracks through the hard ridges of Belhifet's skin. The archdevil hisses and speaks an infernal command, and from the flames licking at the palisade stride six figures - the orogs, but orogs no longer. Still burly and armored, their heads are now encased in metal masks all detailing the same vapid expression. The way they handle their weapons, however, shows that they are no less capable than before. Four of them efficiently cut Ug off from Belhifet, while the other two protectively flank the towering archdevil.
"I don't like nor trust you little man. First you prevent me from killing someone who tried to kill me, mentioning offhand some deal. And now you are here, mentioning again some deal with this here devil. Now, I wonder, if I killed you, would the devil you made a deal with go away? What did you do?"
To Al, "You are right. You are being manipulated. Accepting the deal is a terrible idea. Killing yourself may be worse. But there is always another option. We just need to stall till we can figure it out."
Rolls
Intimidation with advantage to spill about BellyFat - (1d20+7, 1d20+7)
1d20+7 : (3) + 7 = 10
1d20+7 : (19) + 7 = 26
He could be completely wrong, but either way, he didn't want to lose his friend.
"Alalla!" Zenithral yells as the merregons rise. "If you kill yourself now, where does your soul go?!"
He looks at the devil for any confirmation of his suspicions and begins shooting at the risen orogs. (M1 takes 33 damage. M2 takes 16 damage)
Rolls
Insight - (1d20+8)
(18) + 8 = 26
Longbow 1, 2, & 3 vs M1 (Sharp) - (1d20+7, 1d20+7, 1d20+7)
1d20+7 : (1) + 7 = 8
1d20+7 : (13) + 7 = 20
1d20+7 : (15) + 7 = 22
Curving Shot vs M2 (Sharp) - (1d20+7)
(12) + 7 = 19
Damage vs M1 - (2d8+30)
(21) + 30 = 33
Damage vs M2 - (1d8+15)
(1) + 15 = 16
ug deals a total of 105 damage, though how much bellyfat takes Ug doesn’t know.
Rolls
Attack 1 - (1d20+11)
(20) + 11 = 31
Attack 2 - (1d20+11)
(12) + 11 = 23
Attack 3 - (1d20+11)
(9) + 11 = 20
Straib - (1d100)
(38) = 38
Crit dismemberment - (1d20)
(13) = 13
Damage crit - (1d12+30)
(6) + 30 = 36
Extra crit damage roll - (1d12+9)
(12) + 9 = 21
Damage 2x - (2d12+18)
(124) + 18 = 34
Cold 3x and crit - (3d4+4)
(343) + 4 = 14
Dismemberment inspiration - (1d20)
(13) = 13
This is the creature that killed his Nessa.
This is the creature that almost killed Ug.
This is the creature that is going to kill them all.
Ras's legs begin to shake as he watches the exchange between Al and Erevain. This is not how it was supposed to be! Tears streak down his face, but he is still unable to move.
What can he do? What can any of them do?
They were all going to die here.
The axe blade comes down, but instead of meeting devil flesh it smashes into one of Belhifet's closer guards as it intercepts the strike (Merregon 5 uses its Loyal Bodyguard trait to take the hit for Belhifet as a reaction.
More blows fall upon Ug as the merregons close in.
Relentless, the barbarian tries again, only to find that once more a bodyguard intercepts the blow (Merregon 6 also takes a hit for Belhifet using its reaction).
Bleeding from literally dozens of wounds, Ug puts all of his force into one final swing. Enemies tumble away as the enchanted axe whirls in the goliath's hands, and the blade sinks deeply into Belhifet's side (Ug's crit makes it through!). From the sheer force of the blow, a corona of ice explodes around Ug, covering the nearest merregons in a sheet of frost.
These fiendish warriors are not the orogs they once were, however. They shrug off the ice and raise their weapons once more.
After resistance, Ug takes 62 slashing damage. Still on his feet!!!
Rolls
Merregon 1 vs Ug (4 attacks, adv) - (2d20+6, 2d20+6, 2d20+6, 2d20+6)
2d20+6 : (56) + 6 = 17
2d20+6 : (112) + 6 = 19
2d20+6 : (152) + 6 = 23
2d20+6 : (418) + 6 = 28
Dmg to Ug - (3d12+12)
(621) + 12 = 21
Merregon 2 vs Ug (4 attacks, adv) - (2d20+6, 2d20+6, 2d20+6, 2d20+6)
2d20+6 : (1412) + 6 = 32
2d20+6 : (38) + 6 = 17
2d20+6 : (910) + 6 = 25
2d20+6 : (137) + 6 = 26
Dmg to Ug - (2d12+8)
(121) + 8 = 21
Merregon 3 vs Ug (4 attacks, adv) - (2d20+6, 2d20+6, 2d20+6, 2d20+6)
2d20+6 : (710) + 6 = 23
2d20+6 : (1019) + 6 = 35
2d20+6 : (154) + 6 = 25
2d20+6 : (64) + 6 = 16
Dmg to Ug - (2d12+8)
(512) + 8 = 25
Merregon 4 vs Ug (4 attacks, adv) - (2d20+6, 2d20+6, 2d20+6, 2d20+6)
2d20+6 : (1316) + 6 = 35
2d20+6 : (24) + 6 = 12
2d20+6 : (1517) + 6 = 38
2d20+6 : (1510) + 6 = 31
Dmg to Ug - (3d12+12)
(6112) + 12 = 31
Merregon 5 vs Ug (3 attacks, adv) - (2d20+6, 2d20+6, 2d20+6)
2d20+6 : (131) + 6 = 20
2d20+6 : (1211) + 6 = 29
2d20+6 : (610) + 6 = 22
Dmg to ug - (2d12+8)
(52) + 8 = 15
Merregon 6 vs Ug (3 attacks, adv) - (2d20+6, 2d20+6, 2d20+6)
2d20+6 : (92) + 6 = 17
2d20+6 : (810) + 6 = 24
2d20+6 : (134) + 6 = 23
Dmg to Ug - (1d12+4)
(7) + 4 = 11
When finally she stops screaming, she blinks as her body and mind slowly regains it's function. Only darkness greets her. Her eyes! Alalla reaches up to feel them, but they are whole. A few more blinks and they have adjusted to the light, as much as they can. She realizes that she would not be able to see at all were it not for the flaming wall, and the dim lava glow of Belhifet himself.
"No." Alalla pushes Erevain away from her and stands shakily. As he stands as well, she notices that he looks different. She staggers back and squints through the darkness. Everything looks slightly off, as much of it as she can see. Her armour shifts uncomfortably as she moves, and she realizes with a start that she is shorter, and probably slimmer, too.
"No!" She rips off a gauntlet and puts her hand beneath her hair. It's smooth and rounded. Al's fingers move to her mouth and confirm what her tongue and lips already knew: her tusks are gone, replaced by tiny canines. Alalla continues her searching and with every discovery her stomach drops farther.
To the party's view, Al looks like a subpar artist's interpretation of herself. Very close, but not quite right. It's more than just the effect of viewing her from a slightly different angle. Her lips aren't as full without her tusks propping them up- or have they also changed shape?- and the slope of her nose and angle of her cheekbones are different too.
Alalla staggers towards Zenithral. "I would have gone to Gruumsh," she mutters, mind reeling. "But now..." What her physical senses confirmed, her gut already knew. She is no longer Orcish. She is no longer her mother's daughter.
Alalla should be raging and screaming- on the inside if nothing else- but the flame of anger and worm of bloodlust in her heart are gone. Instead she feels empty and cold. "Where does half a soul go?"
Her madness and the weariness of resurrection have also somehow been removed.
Just then, Ug breaks through the merregons and scores his vicious blow on Belhifet's hide. The archdevil's snarl rips through the night air, and Ug sees only death in Belhifet's eyes... but then the infernal creature vanishes. A lingering voice sounds in Ug's mind as the merregons close in. Having reneged on the third part of our agreement, you can expect I will do the same with the first two. Thank you for bringing your mother to my attention.
With their commander gone, the merregons stand at attention, completely unmoving.
The wall of flames dies.
The sky, lightening subtly for some time during the fighting, gives the first hints of dawn as the sun creeps over the crest of the Spine of the World far to the east.
Faced with the choice to either fight or flee, it takes the companions a moment to notice the heavy beat of great wings. The faintest fingers of light paint a silver glint on the wings of an approaching dragon.
As the front line of the army bucked in fear, Aerihykloarara's long neck angles back towards the companions. "I can't take them all myself, you all look pretty rough. Fight them, or scare them? It won't be easy on the surrounding towns if they flee."
"We fight," she announces, retrieving her sword and axes. Maybe her death would still be best, but she had lost her head. Her friends have a duty to stop Belhifet, and she has a duty to lead them. She will not shirk.
Al bites off a curse as her armour shifts. She quickly begins work on tightening it to her new body. "Erevain, quick, help me with my straps."
You guys need to rack up a total of 65 points. Here's how you get those points:
DC 16 skill check - pass, you gain 5 points. Fail, you get a complication determined by me at the end of the round.
One option for this is to make a 'tactics' check which will be proficiency +INT modifiers if your character has military knowledge. This is probably just for Al and Zen.
AC 14 - you get 1 point for each successful hit. You take 5 dmg for each miss.
Spell - you get points equal to the spell level plus one. So a cantrip would get you 1 point. A 1st level spell would get you 2, etc. No chance of failure with a spell.
As per usual with these challenges, you describe what the threat/event is and how you try to handle it. As examples, some threats/events could include: goblins, orcs, ogres, giants, wolves, spellcasters, archers, sheer numbers, fires, slow townsfolk, wounded militia, etc.
Allies: You do have some friends: the militia, Ulbrex, Erevain, and Aeri. Aeri, Erevain, and Ulbrex will get their own turns, while the militia are assumed to be mixed in with your turns. You guys can decide how to write them up (take turns, or assign them) or tell me in the chat what they should do and I'll write it up.
Every round, everyone (including allies) takes 10 damage, guaranteed. More might happen for missing attacks (as above) or from complications (determined by me).
Also, something must be done every round to keep the army from breaking away and going to pillage the countryside. You don't have to make a check, but one person will have to spend their action doing this every round. You can choose one person to always do this, or pass it around amongst you (including allies).
Hop to it!