Dorn's Deep

The heroes scramble to defend themselves as the dark elves attack, with Ras' small body already staining the floor with his lifeblood. But Zenithral's healing word carries the weight of The Martyred God's blessing, and Ras' wounds close enough for him to regain consciousness. He wakes to find his friends fighting for their lives all about him.

As the druid calls on his own magic to further the healing, he can see the shadowblade dance among his friends, every sweep of that wicked blade trailing darkness that hampers vision and blocks sight.

Just a short distance away, Vincent and Erevain engage the other two drow warriors. Four blades ring out as the combatants collide. These dark elves are skilled fighters, but even they have trouble keeping up with Vincent's movements as he lays into one of them with a flurry of strikes. Erevain's ready shield deflects one sword from Vincent, but the move costs him as the other drow presses the attack, cutting a painful line across the surface elf's forearm (Erevain takes 22 piercings and poison damage). Still, Erevain retaliates with swing that cracks with thunder as it strikes one of the dark elves.

Ug's crazed swings do more harm than good as the dark elf assassin spins away from him and Alalla, and then when Ug fumbles the drow strikes. One foot on the goliath's axe, then another on his shoulder, and the shadowblade flips over Ug's head, sword dipping down to draw a black line across the barbarian's throat. The drow lands on the other side of the barbarian just in time to catch a painful burn from Alalla's flaming swing, but the damage is done (After resistance Ug takes 20 damage and fails his save to remain conscious. He is dying). Ug drops to his knees, even his incredible fortitude overcome by this grievous wound.

The shadowblade spins its weapon, tangling a nearby screen of darkness and directing it towards Ug. Awakened with murderous intent, the cloud of blackness dives down into Ug's throat wound, disappearing from view. The downed barbarian trembles as he is rotted from the inside even while he struggles to breathe through his slit throat (After resistance Ug takes 14 necrotic damage, chasing him to autofail 1 death save).

Alalla scores another hit on the shadowblade, but this opponent is fast and devious. The dark elf rolls with the blow... and vanishes -

-only to reappear from another screen of shadows behind Alalla, once again next to Ras. In an instant that awful blade is driven through Ras' chest, and the gnome crumples to the floor once more. Yet again the shadowblade snares nearby darkness and directs it to flood the wound, and Ras shudders as blackness takes him (Shadowblade can bonus action teleport to darkness, and then gain advantage. Which he did, and crit 😬 So Ras is unconscious again, and then takes even more necrotic damage and autofails 1 death save, just like Ug).

Reòthadh's voice carries over the din of battle as his magic attempts to bind the party's assailants in place. The two dark elves fighting Vincent and Erevain stiffen as the spell takes hold, but the shadowblade resists with remarkable resilience (the two warriors fail and are paralyzed! The shadowblade passed though, the jerk). The assassin takes a wary step to one side, eyes darting to try to keep every one of the remaining heroes in view. But he seems to be waiting. He hesitates for too long and two of Zenithral's arrows find him. He grunts, but holds his ground...

And then the companions realize for what, when two drow priestesses round the corner, spells at the ready. A spectral whip lashes out at Alalla, cracking against her armor with tremendous force (Al takes 21 force damage from a 5th level Spiritual Weapon spell), even as Reòthadh feels an insidious mental intrusion, the toll of a bell that only he can hear. The sorcerer shakes it off however, steeling his mind against these intruders who defile the ruins of his long-lost home (Reo passes his save and takes NO damage).

The priestesses are not done, however. One of them raises her dark hands high, summoning a globe of darkness that covers the alcove where the party sought rest, leaving only Vincent and Erevain free of the blackness (Priestess 1 casts Darkness, which is obviously magical, and darkvision doesn't see through it). The other priestess holds up a small mirror, casting a spell upon her sister that makes her fade from the attention of their foes (Priestess 2 casts Sanctuary on Priestess 1).

Round 3 Player Phase!!!

The shadowblade finds a crease in Alalla's armor as she turns to deal with the other drow and drives his sword home, wracking her with pain as the weapon bites at body and soul (Al takes 50 damage). And then, with Alalla gone, the dark elf stalks about searching for Ras, hoping to end the powerful druid once and for all...

Vincent's blade carves into the heart of one of the frozen drow warriors, and it topples to the floor of the chamber, dead. A moment later, Alalla cuts down the other, then pivots and dives back into the globe of darkness, Erevain on her heels.

The two priestesses approach Vincent, but rather than engage him they both kneel to touch the dead drow warrior in front of him (Priestess 2 casts Revifiy, Priestess 1 casts Polymorph).

Reòthadh chants in the ancient language of giants as Erevain reaches Ras and gives him a trickle of magical healing, enough to get the gnome back on his feet. Ras stumbles toward Ug, desperately trying to revive the fallen goliath. Drawn by the noise, the shadowblade strikes out, a deadly knife in the darkness, sword aimed to sever Ras' spine...

And Alalla catches the assassin's hand midstrike, then rips the weapon from his fingers. An arrow from Zenithral whistles home, further weakening the dark elf.

Suddenly sight returns as light erupts from Reòthadh's outstretched hand, banishing the darkness and forming a spear of radiance that lances towards the face of one of the priestesses, searing and blinding her. The dwarf's other hand comes across with a mighty sweep of his axe, slamming the shadowblade with a crash of thunder.

And in the midst of the explosion of colored lights, Ug is perfectly silhouetted as he rises and cleaves the shadowblade from groin to jaw in one mighty flex of his muscles.

The companions, battered but all standing, turn to face the two priestesses. But something has happened. They straighten and pull back from the drow body before them, one helping to guide the one struck blind by Reòthadh's spell. Then the body sits up with a sudden gasp as life returns to it. The drow gasps in pain, then, as its body cracks and bulges. The party has seen enough polymorph spells to recognize the magic happening here, and the drow grows larger as its skin hardens into a crustaceous exoskeleton. Ridged legs grow out from its torso, and its arms expand into giant claws. Then its eyes sprout outwards on stalks and the transformation into a monstrous, giant crab is complete.

Its bulk blocking the way to the priestesses, it snaps its giant claws threateningly at the companions.

As the party sizes up this new threat, a spectral whip snaps at Reo, flaying across the dwarf's back (Reo takes 20 force damage).

Round 5 Player Phase!!!!!