OOC

so @Psybermagi suggests Ixion and Zean move into melee.
@badbaron @thorsman99 if I hear at least one agree with that - that's what they will do both do.

I agree. We have to defeat this thing somehow.

@badbaron I would much appreciate if you can give me exact map location where you want your PC to end her turn and and where you want enemy to be moved. That would save my time and avoid misreading.

in 5e "when you make an attack, you give away your location when the attack hits or misses".
The creature attacked Tinkara giving away it's exact location.

Noted!
As a matter of fact I was sure I wrote something like that after "You can clearly see Nyx's Shillelagh hits something"...

Well actually. Question! Would you prefer I always tell you weather attacks hit or miss even if target is invisible? I feel like I keep making wrong assumptions about how to make this game properly hard.

I think letting up know, possibly in descriptor, when we hit is useful. and/or occasional vague level of health, like uninjured 81-100% HP, injured lightly 61-80%, moderately 41-60%, severely 21-40%, critically 1-20%. It gives us a sense of how hard a fight is.

Though the general descriptor would be only if visible. But even invisible, you feel the hit.

I think it is fine that we can't tell under some circumstances, but an indication that the DM has taken note of your actions is useful. I agree that we would not know, unless the spell has some visible effect.

@Pedrop
1. Please level up Zean and you can change your prepared spells, but I will ask you for this combat to not use any new spells you switched. To avoid metagaming. I hope you understand
2. Post Zean's turn (it is round 5 already)

Yes, it's full HP and have all spell slot active and I believe I did this already for you in your charactersheet

@GreyWord What do you mean by that? If it means that you have already recruited(I have seen that you have done some new recruiting recent) new players in my place and have a "proper"/full game for you - I'm very ok with this, as I probably should cull the number of my games... and 5E(and WotC's modules) appears as "not exactly my kind of thing". (one of my favorite YTubers Dave have also made a great video about it recently: WotC’s D&D is done- 52 reasons to move on to other RPGs that express my feelings about the subject very well).

So if you have new players in my place, I will bow down from this game:)

It makes me a little sad to leave Zean like in this dark, dark, dark dungeon and I'm still very curious what surprises you got for us prepared here... but probably it will be better for me to bow down now, then in week or month time from now - especially now Zean (due my personal life causes) was pushed to the background.

Thanks a lot for GMing this game, I learned many things from you! You managed to make a really good atmosphere of danger and that everything can go wrong "if touched in wrong way" - as in such dangerous dungeon it should! I was also feeling taken care of and introduced properly in this complicated system by you! Thanks again!

Also thank you for other players: I really come to like your characters! It was nice to meet you virtually and admire the products of your wonderful imagination! Hoping to meet you again one day in some less combat focused game! :)

And finally, to all of you: have a nice, healthy, wonderful, interesting and fulfilling year of 2025 and every next one! :)

@Pedrop
Yes I have a possible candidate for the game, not invited yet waiting for your decision. You are wonderful player and I would be happy if you stay, but you know - I will keep pushing for fast game peace as it is something that keeps me involved. And I just don't feel good pushing you.

P.S. In the world were some players choose pathfinder 1 or even systems with "old school" in their name or advert materials, while others insist "the new" systems are so much better than "the stagnating 5e" I have my own reasons to stick with the mature DnD system. But I understand not everyone share my love of system maturity.

P.S. Game is still public, you could always peek into the fate of the party.

I have tried out the level up A5e system and find it to be close enough while offering a new variety to make it a good alternative. Not many of those games on this site at this time but if you like 5e but want more, take a look.

I'm still trying to figure out what to do in THIS system. Haven't played a cleric above start levels before; that's why I thought this run would be interesting.

We have a saying in IT "if it works, don't fix it".
5e works for me. It works pretty well for the types of games I'm running: modules such as ToA, CoS, LMoP and homebrew with deadly dungeons and mighty monsters (be it a dragon, wizard villain or demi-god willing to take over whole world). If I'm ever bored with story about dungeons and dragons/villains I may be looking for both completely different system and another content provider.

P.S. I've only failed to figure out how to make fun out of secret doors in WotC materials. They are either non existent if your PP is too high or always missed it it is not.

Unfortunately my main reason to bow out of this game is current lack of time, simply I don't have capabilities to post as fast as this game requires - I think. 5E is only additional reason - having another faster game in Savage Worlds system - I prefer SW. So maybe don't kill Zean... yet, and I will be able to get back to this game in the future? But no promises from my side in this regard:(

I think - I really understand how elegant and mature ruleset of 5E is... but for me it feels closer to war-game/boardgame dungeon crawler, trying to codify most(every?) things in fictional world. Plus: WotC's adventure modules (from my limited experience so far at least) seem to focus more on PC's abilities from their sheets, rather players interacting with the world. It's very combat focused and combat takes a long time it seams. In RPG's games - those days - I'm looking more for free-form and not restrictions to my imagination, story, mood focus and dice mechanics more focused on moving story further. So I understand why people like 5E, but this game allowed to finally convince me it is simply not for me.

If only I will have time, I will check how it's going:) Thanks again for this very interesting experience!
I think I want contrary: I want less. But thanks, I will take a look some day:) My currently favorite ruleset is from One Ring 2nd ed - perfect balance between crunch and focusing on story and narration, plus perfect integration between mechanics and theme. Too bad that (as I very like it, especially in the books!) Tolkien's world/setting always seemed very, very focused/limited for kind of stories it allows to tell.
And all power to you! If it works for you:)

But what I find interesting in your descriptions that games from OSR trend/style claim also to be also about "homebrew with deadly dungeons and mighty monsters (be it a dragon, wizard villain or demi-god willing to take over whole world).". Not forgetting about the fact that they are most often a modernization of earlier editions of DnD. Many people claim that on higher levels in 5E PCs are usually almost invincible, so there is no feel of any danger? But I'm not qualified yet, to confirm or not that:)

Did you ever seen this video: What is the DnD Old School Renaissance? (OSR) by Questing Beast- it sums up perfectly, what OSR is about... and why now I know I'm not going back to 5E.

@Pedrop thanks for your investment into this game. I would appreciate if you don't leave the game just yet so I have your PC charactersheet available for running until our new 5th player's PC will replace Zean