Against the Cult: Suspicion in the Starlight 1.8b

Donovan recovers, and he waves Aanbo away. Hulbar grabs his elbow and moves him away. The group continues south, while Donovan takes Chase's arm. Chase suggests that Trogs might tunnel. Alan looks seriously at Chase, and responds "Yes, they do like dark, damp places." His eyes narrow...

"Nobody's hiding anything in the basement in Orlane!" Constable Grover retorts.

The Constable continues, "We're not going to find anything tonight. Let's get these two settled..." The group walks south, passing the Inn's barn and coming even with the Golden Grain Inn.

"Hmm. I would think that people could still smell a trog hiding in their basement..." Alan begins to say, when "LOOK OUT! THEY'RE ATTACKING!" Constable Grover yells and punches him. His cry pierces the night air; though not as loud as the magically enhanced shout of the cultist from earlier, this yell is sure to rouse any light-sleeping neighbors. He drops the lantern down in the roadway; the light shakes crazily but doesn't go out. With their insight, neither Dungeon Buster is surprised by these sudden actions, and so Donovan and Hulbar's attempts to throw them to the ground meet with no success.

Go ahead and roll initiative as the dwarves, Grover, and Alan all draw their weapons. Violence has begun, but who's fighting whom?
Alan has a sword and shield.
Grover is wearing banded mail and wields a longsword and shield (and has the PCs' gear).
Donovan is wearing plate mail and wields a spear and shield.
Hulbar is wearing banded mail and wields a longsword and shield.

Edited to describe what happened to the light source.

---

12 - Constable
11 - Donovan
5 - Alan
3 - Hulbar

Not surprisingly, the Dungeon Busters have initiative. What are you going to do?

---

22 - Chase (11/11)
20 - Aanbo (19/19)
12 - Constable Grover
11 - Donovan
5 - Alan
3 - Hulbar

ROUND ONE
(this is followed by round two)Chase tries to elbow Donovan, but the dwarf head-butts his elbow. Chase's arm bounces off of the heavy armor; he feels pins and needles up to his fingers.
Aanbo slides around Hulbar and aims two heavy blows at the Constable. The first kick catches the Constable a bit by surprise but the heavy armor he's wearing absorbs the blow; to Aanbo it's like kicking a tree. The second blow, an elbow to the neck, makes no impression on the Constable at all. He remains focused elsewhere.
Constable Grover attacks Alan Clayborn with his longsword. "You sound like you know too much about troglodytes to just be a concerned citizen...!" Whatever else the Constable may be, he is skilled enough to get around an unarmored man's shield. Alan is slashed for 7 damage!

"GET OUT OF HERE ALAN!! SAVE YOURSELF!" Chase yells; having rebuffed the ranger's attack, Donovan attempts to stab Chase with his spear! Chase nimbly steps aside as he continues to yell: "YOU HAVE A WIFE AND KIDS!!"

Completely focused on the threat in front of him, Alan doesn't register what the stranger is yelling. He murmurs, "What's the matter, Grover?" as he looks for an opening in the Constable's defenses. "You sound jealous. Maybe you want to keep the trogs all to yourself?" He sees an opening and slashes at Constable Grover. Their swords clash and clang as they parry and riposte.

Hulbar confirms his hostile intent by whirling and trying to cut down Aanbo with his sword. The monk effortlessly dodges the vicious blows.

---

22 - Chase (11/11)
20 - Aanbo (19/19)
12 - Constable Grover
11 - Donovan
5 - Alan
3 - Hulbar

Round one, continued

"GET OUT OF HERE ALAN!! SAVE YOURSELF!" Chase yells; having rebuffed the ranger's attack, Donovan attempts to stab Chase with his spear! Chase nimbly steps aside as he continues to yell: "YOU HAVE A WIFE AND KIDS!!"

---

22 - Chase (11/11)
20 - Aanbo (19/19)
12 - Constable Grover
11 - Donovan
5 - Alan
3 - Hulbar

Round one, continued...

Completely focused on the threat in front of him, Alan doesn't register what the stranger is yelling. He murmurs, "What's the matter, Grover?" as he looks for an opening in the Constable's defenses. "You sound jealous. Maybe you want to keep the trogs all to yourself?" He sees an opening and slashes at Constable Grover. Their swords clash and clang as they parry and riposte.

---

22 - Chase (11/11)
20 - Aanbo (19/19)
12 - Constable Grover
11 - Donovan
5 - Alan
3 - Hulbar

Round one, continued...

Hulbar confirms his hostile intent by whirling and trying to cut down Aanbo with his sword. The monk effortlessly dodges the vicious blows.

---

22 - Chase (11/11)
20 - Aanbo (19/19)
12 - Constable Grover
11 - Donovan
5 - Alan
3 - Hulbar

ROUND TWO
(this is preceded by round one, followed by round three)Donovan attempts to keep hold of the spear. Chase manages to wrench the shaft free of the armored dwarf; now Chase has the spear!

"It's clear that Grover intends to pin your death on us, Alan," says Aanbo. "Disengage and get help!"

Considering the Constable to be the greater threat, the monk continues his attack on Grover despite Hulbar at his flank. This time, he accounts for the heavy armor on the man and his blows land on weak points while the Orlane official is focused on keeping Alan's sword at bay. Constable Grover takes 10 bludgeoning damage.

There is a faint whisper of sound, like a sigh. With a start, Chase recognizes that it is the sound of an arrow's fletching in flight. He saw no arrow and sees no archer in the circle of light in the darkness.

As their swords dance and clash, the Constable growls "You know you wouldn't win in a fair fight, villain, not without these murderers helping you!" He slashes and parries, slashes again. His sword gets past Alan's guard;
Alan Clayborn takes 5 slashing damage.
The Constable gives a triumphant crow at his success, and he uses his bonus action for Second Wind.
Constable Grover regains 10 HP.
"Don't worry, brother dwarf, you'll get yours soon enough! Our cause is righteous! She is powerful and will protect Orlane from your evil!" With that inspiring cry, Grover uses his Action Surge and attacks Alan again! Cut by the Constable's blade again, Alan Clayborn takes 4 slashing damage.

"She is mighty!" Donovan shouts, and draws his sword to replace the spear that Chase grabbed from him. He attacks the ranger. The shallow sword cuts fail to penetrate Chase's scale mail.

"What part of fighting should be fair, Grover?" Alan says, emphasizing each word with a slash or a stab. "You know who complains about not getting a fair fight? Losers." Chips fly from the Constable's shield as Alan's sword batters it again and again. "Losers like you will never belong in Orlane!"

"There's someone else out there!" Hulbar announces, "A bowman in the dark!" He continues to attack Aanbo. "Let's finish this quickly for her!" Aanbo continues to dodge the long, slicing blade.

Fending off the sword with the stolen spear, Chase yells "Get away and get help Alan! Don't worry about us!" and as he parries, feints, and thrusts, he addresses Donovan: "Why are you and Hulbar fighting against a fellow dwarf? What hold does Grover have on you?"
But as the dwarven warrior is about to answer, something miraculous and bizarre happens. Four glowing vegetables - a carrot, a daikon, a rutabaga, and a beet - fly out of the darkness and strike Donovan in the face!
Donovan takes 18 vegetable damage. He splutters and shakes his head, baffled as to what's happening.

22 - Chase (11/11)
20 - Aanbo (19/19)
13 - ?
12 - Constable Grover
11 - Donovan
5 - Alan
3 - Hulbar
0 - ?