Encounter 0-0: The Incident at Warminster Keep

[jokomaisu]

Encounter 0-0: The Incident at Warminster Keep Mission Investigate what happened to the Mithral Hope, an adventuring group known for hunting bandits and small demon cults who sought to bring the Grayhaunt Order to justice at Warminster Keep over a week ago and never returned. Map Fighter - Shocker Cleric - SMARTAgentKC Wizard - Merbak Ranger - Morphing Rogue - Wizard of the Coat Combat Rules Block Initiative Creatures working together can take their turn in any order before any opposing creature or the end of the round. Escalating Combat Rounds All attack rolls receive a positive modifier equal to the round of combat. All saving throws receive a negative modifier equal to the round of combat. Surprise rounds do not include this modifier (they are treated as round 0). Basic Combat Maneuvers The Basic Combat Maneuvers can be used in this encounter. Minions A minion is a weak foe. However, minions still make threatening foes. Killing a minion still requires penetrating their defenses, and characters can’t just shrug off damage from minion attacks. Every minion has the Minion trait, which affects the creature in the following ways: If the minion takes any damage from an attack or as the result of a failed saving throw, their hit points are reduced to 0. If the minion takes damage from another effect, they die if the damage equals or exceeds their hit point maximum; otherwise, they take no damage. Overkill Attacks Powerful weapon attacks can kill more than one minion in a single maneuver called an overkill attack. When a weapon attack’s damage does exceed the target minion’s hit point maximum, the attack becomes an overkill attack and the damage dealt beyond the minion’s hit point maximum becomes overkill damage. Overkill damage can be applied to a second minion who has the same stat block as the target and is in overkill range (see below). Damage against the second minion is counted as if you made a weapon attack against them; since it only takes 1 point of weapon damage to reduce a minion to 0 hit points, any amount of overkill damage immediately knocks them out. But wait, it gets better—if the initial attack’s overkill damage exceeds the second minion’s hit point maximum, the leftover overkill damage can roll over to a third minion, and so on! In other words, for each time the overkill damage exceeds the new target’s hit point maximum, the attacker can choose an additional minion to reduce to 0 hit points. For example, when a weapon attack deals 18 damage to a minion with a hit point maximum of 5, the overkill damage is 13. If there are three additional minions of the same stat block in overkill range, they can all three be immediately reduced to 0 hit points, since the overkill damage exceeded the target’s hit point maximum more than twice over. Overkill attacks can’t be made as part of an opportunity attack. Overkill Range Minions must be within a certain range to qualify for an overkill attack, determined by whether the attack is a melee or ranged attack. Melee Overkill Attacks. When a creature hits a minion with a melee weapon attack, other minions within reach of the attack are in overkill range and can be chosen as additional targets for an overkill attack. The overkill attack can’t target minions outside the weapon attack’s reach. Ranged Overkill Attacks. When a creature hits a minion with a ranged weapon attack, other minions in a line originating from the creature in the direction of the target, to a distance equal to the weapon’s short range, are in overkill range and can be chosen as additional targets for an overkill attack. The overkill attack can’t target minions outside the line or beyond the weapon’s short range. Environment Details Moat*: 5 feet from the surface to the top of the bank, ????? feet deep Outer Keep Walls**: 15 feet high exterior, 10 feet high interior, three-quarters cover from the exterior wall, outlined in dashed white line Inner Keep Walls**: 20 feet high exterior, 15 feet high interior, three-quarters cover from the exterior wall, outlined in dashed white line Rubble: difficult terrain, indicated with a white triangle in the upper right corner Foliage: difficult terrain, indicated with a white triangle in the upper right corner, can be used to hide, outlined in a dashed green line Boulders***: 5 feet high, outlined in dashed white line Bones: not to scale (small and medium creature remains), not difficult terrain, and are there to visually show that they are scattered in that general area *Athletics (STR) DC 10 to climb onto the bank, or DC 15 if the bank is difficult terrain **Athletics (STR) DC 20 to climb, or DC 15 from a section that has rubble at the base ***Athletics (STR) DC 10 to climb Grayhaunt Order Rightfully reviled for their desecrations, the Grayhaunt Order’s necromancers and gruesome creations seek power over the living by defiling the natural order of death. If left to perfect their insidious rituals and gather corpses, they will certainly amass a scourge of undeath and seize the world in an unliving grip. Background The Grayhaunt Order serves no ambitions save their own. Each member was shunned for their unique blasphemies, but they otherwise escaped their crimes’ consequences. Though the Grayhaunt Order’s allies are few, they animate those they lack into a horde of undead minions. Goals Though each necromancer in the Grayhaunt Order has a unique dark dream, together they are committed to conquest through undeath. Condemned for their forbidden pursuits, the order also harbors festering grudges against those who vilified them. All who obstruct the Grayhaunt Order’s aspirations will suffer a thousandfold in the glorious dead world to come. Though these necromancers seek to animate an army, they’re unsatisfied with the husks of mere commoners. The Grayhaunt Order unearths the graves of great heroes and reanimates their bones, flesh, or spirits. With the power of legends at their command, the Grayhaunt Order will topple kingdoms and strike fear into the hearts of their sworn enemies. Methods The Grayhaunt Order roams the world, learning folklore to track down the graves of renowned heroes. They camp near graveyards and burial grounds. Under the cover of night, they are remorseless graverobbers, picking burial plots clean. They have no respect for local traditions or beliefs, using corpses as fodder to reach their true prize. If discovered, the Grayhaunt Order shows no mercy to opposition. Meddlers just provide additional corpses and all the better if those come from adventurers with dreams of glory and bleeding hearts. Members Lethari Sangre Treasured as a wizard prodigy in her youth, Lethari flourished under the protection and opportunities afforded her. As the half-elf grew into an insatiable arcane scholar, mentors assumed her academic interest in necromancy was mere morbid curiosity, but her fascination soon became experimentation with the forbidden. Lethari dreamed of cheating death and ruling forever - a privilege she believed the universe owed her brilliance - and her devoted bodyguard Haldrun only encouraged her ambitions. Lethari's teachers finally saw the evil in her and forbade any further dalliances with necromancy. But the young mage had already tasted power, and she killed her ignorant teachers and took their spellbooks. Determined to become a lich, Lethari founded the Grayhaunt Order, gathering other necromancers to work toward her grand vision. While she is skilled in all aspects of necromancy, Lethari specializes in the incorporeal: subjugating spirits, binding souls, and empowering her magic with such essences. Haldrun Yandris Haldrun trained for battle from his youth. After proving his dedication to the art of war, the human was assigned as bodyguard to the brilliant young mage Lethari. When she showed Haldrun kindness and trust, he repaid it in kind, sharing his darkest secret with her. Haldrun supported his charge's macabre passions from the start - in part due to his devotion to her, but also driven by the euphoria he feels when a life slips away under his hand. The warrior enjoys killing in Lethari's name, knowing his corpses help build the Grayhaunt Order. Jovan Palance A human apostate cleric, Jovan, serves a being called Nerull who claims to be a trapped and forgotten god of death. Nerull promised Jovan unimaginable power in exchange for freedom. To free his lord, Jovan defiled the bones of entombed saints for a profane ritual, only to be caught before he could complete the spell. His imminent execution was interrupted by Lethari and Haldrun, who cut their way through the guards and executioner to recruit Jovan into the Grayhaunt Order. Jovan's cold and callous demeanor belies a fervent faith in Nerull. He excels in magics that manipulate bones, and he uses corporeal undead to defend and bolster his allies. Myrel A peculiar tiefling with a distracted air, Myrel's body is crisscrossed with yellow veins of a beautiful parasitic fungus. She has developed a symbiotic relationship with her fungus, which she adores and has named Golden Creep. Myrel dreams of cultivating a garden to cover the entire world—a dream that quickly put her at odds with the people of her home village, for this fungus grows best in the dying bodies of humanoids … and if those bodies are later reanimated, it continues to thrive in their undead husks. After Myrel was caught slaughtering neighbors to serve as zombified hosts for her blossoms, the villagers captured the necromancer, planning to burn her and her creations. The Grayhaunt Order intervened by killing the villagers, saving Myrel, and bringing her into their fold. She specializes in cultivating Golden Creep in the cavities of undead and spreading it across the field of battle, hindering and enervating her foes.

---

For about a week, you have followed the trail of the Mithral Hope through the wilderness toward the Sithrul Plains. When only one day of travel left before reaching Warminster Keep, you came upon where the group had camped the night before they would have continued on. Evidence indicated that the four adventurers were ambushed by four attackers. Although no bodies were found, it was clear that five were severely wounded, if not killed. The site was also covered with patches of yellow fungal growth - the Golden Creep - known to be spread by Myrel, the newest recruit of the Grayhaunt Order. An inspection of the fungi revealed that they released poisonous spores that could affect anyone who got too close.

After a dreadful night of wondering what had happened to the Mithral Hope, you made your way toward Warminster Keep. Prior to leaving for your journey, you had researched the history of the keep and learned that it was constructed to defend the lands to the east from the tribes of ogres that roamed the hills just to the west. The keep was sacked a decade ago when the tribes surprisingly united as the Gulnor clan. The keep was left in ruins and has remained abandoned ever since.

Your research also revealed that the keep had an inner bailey and an outer bailey, was surrounded by a moat, and had two bridged entrances - one from the north and the other from the south. A direct route to the keep from the campsite of the Mithral Hope would have led them to the northern bridge. Therefore, you agreed it would be best for you all to circumvent the keep from a safe distance and approach it from the south.

As you cautiously closed in on the keep from the southwest, you did not see any signs of activity atop the walls or inside from your limited view through the destroyed sections of the outer wall. The Grayhaunt Order would have arrived a week ago, so it was possible that they had already moved on. It was also possible that they had spotted you and were waiting in ambush.

Edited October 12, 2023 by jokomaisu (see edit history)

[Morphling]

"Try to keep up," mumurs Iata Silverwing as she dashes past her companions, pausing only to duck into a patch of undergrowth by the moat. She wasn't exactly well-suited in the front line, but her companions being who they were, she was likely the best hope of spotting an upcoming ambush before it was sprung on them. So she kept her profile low and her tread light and quick, ready to fall back at the first sign of trouble.

Things were bad no matter how you looked at them. Given the signs they had discovered, any hope of retrieving any members of the Mithril Hope alive were vanishingly slim. But there were matters that had to be resolved, and probably blood that had to be spilt before the day was over. All she could do was hope that she and her friends would live to see it.

Edited October 9, 2023 by Morphling (see edit history)

[Shocker]

The fighter (let’s call him Hadrian) moves carefully behind the bushes where the ranger is looking. His intention is to pass the bridge and kick in the front door. A rash approach, but he realizes it’s much mire survivable, if he won’t get peppered by arrows while approaching.

[Wizard of the Coat]

 Enzio Belch - Small of Stature, Large of Personality (Halfling Rogue--Thief)

---

AC 14  | HP 21/21 | Init +3 | Passive Perception 12 | Hit Die 3/3 | Inspiration 1/1 | Arrows 20/20

---

"I think I fancy a swim," Enzio announced in his singsong tenor voice. After all, he'd grown rather pungent over the past week on the trail of the Mithral Hope. "Any of you care to--" The halfling had just unleashed his marvelous powers of persuasion, hoping to coax his traveling companions to join him in the moat. Such was life on the road with big people--twice the size, twice the odor. But alas, their urgency to reach the bridge outpaced the speed with which he could wield his silver tongue.

"Heh," the halfing chortled. His friends took this adventuring business so very seriously. He enjoyed seeing them in action--the faces they made. And of course, he was glad of it: having them around, sober and alert, ready to face any danger, kill any monster, allowed him to relax and enjoy himself, knowing he could rely on them to keep him alive.

With a shake of his head, he moved to a bit of nearby greenery that would hide him from the keep. There, he unceremoniously dumped has pack and shoved it beneath some branches. The pack weighed more than he did. He sighed with relief, taking a moment to work out the kinks in his shoulders before withdrawing and downing his potion of climbing. As an afterthought, he withdrew his little leather flask and chased the potion with a swig of brandy--to ward against the cold of the moat, he told himself. Checking that everything on his person was secured in a pocket or strapped in place, he set off for the moat.

Edited October 16, 2023 by Wizard of the Coat (see edit history)

[SMARTAgentKC]

Dalrom Chetsk - AC 20 | HP 27/27 | Initiative: -1 | Spell Slots 3/2 Condition: Shield of Faith (+2 to AC)

---

Always bringing up the rear, clunking along in his hard heavy armor, Dalrom Chetsk couldn't get a word out before his companions all split off to go in different directions. Half Pint to the wind Enzio making a snide comment about the group joining him for a swim. The little fool was crazy if he thought Dalrom was going to take him up on that offer, one Dalrom couldn't swim and hated deep water, two he wore heavy metal armor which would make him sink the minute he stepped into it.

The human Hadrian followed the Wood Elf Iata towards the bridge over the moat stopping at a nearby bush, The fighter and ranger were always a pair to back each other up and followed a quick to advance, fast to retreat that only partly annoyed Dalrom but the two could take care of themselves so he wasn't going to nag them about running ahead. The high elf Jezelle being a smart wizard sort moved towards the lower cover and kept her head down, Dalrom decided to make his move and moves up to the nearby tree and posts himself there. He then boosted his defense casting shield of faith around himself. It didn't really matter to keep himself quiet, his armor stopped that, if anyone wanted to take pot shots at him, he would say bring it on,

[jokomaisu]

Encounter 0-0: The Incident at Warminster Keep Mission Investigate what happened to the Mithral Hope, an adventuring group known for hunting bandits and small demon cults who sought to bring the Grayhaunt Order to justice at Warminster Keep over a week ago and never returned. Map Fighter - Shocker Cleric - SMARTAgentKC Wizard - Merbak Ranger - Morphing Rogue - Wizard of the Coat Combat Rules Block Initiative Creatures working together can take their turn in any order before any opposing creature or the end of the round. Escalating Combat Rounds All attack rolls receive a positive modifier equal to the round of combat. All saving throws receive a negative modifier equal to the round of combat. Surprise rounds do not include this modifier (they are treated as round 0). Basic Combat Maneuvers The Basic Combat Maneuvers can be used in this encounter. Minions A minion is a weak foe. However, minions still make threatening foes. Killing a minion still requires penetrating their defenses, and characters can’t just shrug off damage from minion attacks. Every minion has the Minion trait, which affects the creature in the following ways: If the minion takes any damage from an attack or as the result of a failed saving throw, their hit points are reduced to 0. If the minion takes damage from another effect, they die if the damage equals or exceeds their hit point maximum; otherwise, they take no damage. Overkill Attacks Powerful weapon attacks can kill more than one minion in a single maneuver called an overkill attack. When a weapon attack’s damage does exceed the target minion’s hit point maximum, the attack becomes an overkill attack and the damage dealt beyond the minion’s hit point maximum becomes overkill damage. Overkill damage can be applied to a second minion who has the same stat block as the target and is in overkill range (see below). Damage against the second minion is counted as if you made a weapon attack against them; since it only takes 1 point of weapon damage to reduce a minion to 0 hit points, any amount of overkill damage immediately knocks them out. But wait, it gets better—if the initial attack’s overkill damage exceeds the second minion’s hit point maximum, the leftover overkill damage can roll over to a third minion, and so on! In other words, for each time the overkill damage exceeds the new target’s hit point maximum, the attacker can choose an additional minion to reduce to 0 hit points. For example, when a weapon attack deals 18 damage to a minion with a hit point maximum of 5, the overkill damage is 13. If there are three additional minions of the same stat block in overkill range, they can all three be immediately reduced to 0 hit points, since the overkill damage exceeded the target’s hit point maximum more than twice over. Overkill attacks can’t be made as part of an opportunity attack. Overkill Range Minions must be within a certain range to qualify for an overkill attack, determined by whether the attack is a melee or ranged attack. Melee Overkill Attacks. When a creature hits a minion with a melee weapon attack, other minions within reach of the attack are in overkill range and can be chosen as additional targets for an overkill attack. The overkill attack can’t target minions outside the weapon attack’s reach. Ranged Overkill Attacks. When a creature hits a minion with a ranged weapon attack, other minions in a line originating from the creature in the direction of the target, to a distance equal to the weapon’s short range, are in overkill range and can be chosen as additional targets for an overkill attack. The overkill attack can’t target minions outside the line or beyond the weapon’s short range. Environment Details Moat*: 5 feet from the surface to the top of the bank, ????? feet deep Outer Keep Walls**: 15 feet high exterior, 10 feet high interior, three-quarters cover from the exterior wall, outlined in dashed white line Inner Keep Walls**: 20 feet high exterior, 15 feet high interior, three-quarters cover from the exterior wall, outlined in dashed white line Rubble: difficult terrain, indicated with a white triangle in the upper right corner Foliage: difficult terrain, indicated with a white triangle in the upper right corner, can be used to hide, outlined in a dashed green line Boulders***: 5 feet high, outlined in dashed white line Bones: not to scale (small and medium creature remains), not difficult terrain, and are there to visually show that they are scattered in that general area *Athletics (STR) DC 10 to climb onto the bank, or DC 15 if the bank is difficult terrain **Athletics (STR) DC 20 to climb, or DC 15 from a section that has rubble at the base ***Athletics (STR) DC 10 to climb Grayhaunt Order Rightfully reviled for their desecrations, the Grayhaunt Order’s necromancers and gruesome creations seek power over the living by defiling the natural order of death. If left to perfect their insidious rituals and gather corpses, they will certainly amass a scourge of undeath and seize the world in an unliving grip. Background The Grayhaunt Order serves no ambitions save their own. Each member was shunned for their unique blasphemies, but they otherwise escaped their crimes’ consequences. Though the Grayhaunt Order’s allies are few, they animate those they lack into a horde of undead minions. Goals Though each necromancer in the Grayhaunt Order has a unique dark dream, together they are committed to conquest through undeath. Condemned for their forbidden pursuits, the order also harbors festering grudges against those who vilified them. All who obstruct the Grayhaunt Order’s aspirations will suffer a thousandfold in the glorious dead world to come. Though these necromancers seek to animate an army, they’re unsatisfied with the husks of mere commoners. The Grayhaunt Order unearths the graves of great heroes and reanimates their bones, flesh, or spirits. With the power of legends at their command, the Grayhaunt Order will topple kingdoms and strike fear into the hearts of their sworn enemies. Methods The Grayhaunt Order roams the world, learning folklore to track down the graves of renowned heroes. They camp near graveyards and burial grounds. Under the cover of night, they are remorseless graverobbers, picking burial plots clean. They have no respect for local traditions or beliefs, using corpses as fodder to reach their true prize. If discovered, the Grayhaunt Order shows no mercy to opposition. Meddlers just provide additional corpses and all the better if those come from adventurers with dreams of glory and bleeding hearts. Members Lethari Sangre Treasured as a wizard prodigy in her youth, Lethari flourished under the protection and opportunities afforded her. As the half-elf grew into an insatiable arcane scholar, mentors assumed her academic interest in necromancy was mere morbid curiosity, but her fascination soon became experimentation with the forbidden. Lethari dreamed of cheating death and ruling forever - a privilege she believed the universe owed her brilliance - and her devoted bodyguard Haldrun only encouraged her ambitions. Lethari's teachers finally saw the evil in her and forbade any further dalliances with necromancy. But the young mage had already tasted power, and she killed her ignorant teachers and took their spellbooks. Determined to become a lich, Lethari founded the Grayhaunt Order, gathering other necromancers to work toward her grand vision. While she is skilled in all aspects of necromancy, Lethari specializes in the incorporeal: subjugating spirits, binding souls, and empowering her magic with such essences. Haldrun Yandris Haldrun trained for battle from his youth. After proving his dedication to the art of war, the human was assigned as bodyguard to the brilliant young mage Lethari. When she showed Haldrun kindness and trust, he repaid it in kind, sharing his darkest secret with her. Haldrun supported his charge's macabre passions from the start - in part due to his devotion to her, but also driven by the euphoria he feels when a life slips away under his hand. The warrior enjoys killing in Lethari's name, knowing his corpses help build the Grayhaunt Order. Jovan Palance A human apostate cleric, Jovan, serves a being called Nerull who claims to be a trapped and forgotten god of death. Nerull promised Jovan unimaginable power in exchange for freedom. To free his lord, Jovan defiled the bones of entombed saints for a profane ritual, only to be caught before he could complete the spell. His imminent execution was interrupted by Lethari and Haldrun, who cut their way through the guards and executioner to recruit Jovan into the Grayhaunt Order. Jovan's cold and callous demeanor belies a fervent faith in Nerull. He excels in magics that manipulate bones, and he uses corporeal undead to defend and bolster his allies. Myrel A peculiar tiefling with a distracted air, Myrel's body is crisscrossed with yellow veins of a beautiful parasitic fungus. She has developed a symbiotic relationship with her fungus, which she adores and has named Golden Creep. Myrel dreams of cultivating a garden to cover the entire world—a dream that quickly put her at odds with the people of her home village, for this fungus grows best in the dying bodies of humanoids … and if those bodies are later reanimated, it continues to thrive in their undead husks. After Myrel was caught slaughtering neighbors to serve as zombified hosts for her blossoms, the villagers captured the necromancer, planning to burn her and her creations. The Grayhaunt Order intervened by killing the villagers, saving Myrel, and bringing her into their fold. She specializes in cultivating Golden Creep in the cavities of undead and spreading it across the field of battle, hindering and enervating her foes.

---

As the martial duo, Iata and Hadrian, moved toward the south bridge, and the spell slingers, Dalrom and Jezelle, followed at a distance, the group's wildcard, Enzio, swam his way through the algae-covered moat and was the first to step foot into Warminster Keep. Now able to see what was left of the abandoned fortification up close, the sight was more that of a massive mausoleum that a tarrasque had trampled. Countless skeletal remains littered the ground, filling the grassy space between the thick stone walls, piles of rubble, and sparse shrubbery.

Although the moat water was tepid, Enzio was suddenly overcome with an unnatural chill that started at his feet and slowly made its way up his spine. Something about this place was not right. Not right at all.

---

GM

Enzio: The effects of the potion of climbing will last for the entire encounter. The chill he feels is just atmospheric and not a game effect.

Hadrian: The shield of faith spell will last for the entire encounter unless concentration is broken or you choose to drop the spell.

All: Nobody saw or heard anything. Everyone is free to move again like before.

[Shocker]

Hadrian, Human Fighter

 

AC 14, Initiative +3, 28/28 HP, 13 Passive perception

---

 

Hadrian whispers to Iata, "I will step on the bridge, if I'm lucky you will see any archer before they see me. Good hunting my friend" With that he steps out from behind the bush and walks with deliberation towards the bridge

Edited October 15, 2023 by Shocker (see edit history)

[Wizard of the Coat]

 Enzio Belch - Small of Stature, Large of Personality (Halfling Rogue--Thief)

---

AC 14  | HP 21/21 | Init +3 | Passive Perception 12 | Hit Die 3/3 | Inspiration 1/1 | Arrows 20/20

---

Enzio shudder, standing on the grounds of Warminster Keep. He would have liked to dismiss the chill as a product of his brief swim through tepid waters, but even he was not that good a liar. He felt a deep foreboding. a premonition that he would be running from undead creatures before long. How he hated running! It was so... exhausting. Besides, if the gods had meant haflings to run, they'd have been given longer legs.

Standing alone with fears of having to run for his life, the little rogue felt keenly the absence of his companions--those big strong adventurers who seemed so much more interested in fighting and destroying things that lurked in ruined keeps. Still dripping, he tried his best to move quietly toward the bridge where his companions would enter the keep. He was quiet delighted when his genuine elf-crafted leather boots--instead of making sloshing sounds--were actually quite silent.

OOC

Enzio's movement within the Keep will be combined with a Stealth check. He is trying to move silently and use the ruins around him as cover or partial cover as much as possible.

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by Wizard of the Coat (see edit history)

[Morphling]

"Understood," says Iata solemnly, and she makes a beeline from one growth of foliage to the next, gaze locked on the parapets as she moves, trying to discern movement and the telltale draw of a bow. Her profile is low, and she moves as quietly as possible.

[SMARTAgentKC]

With his Shield of Faith in place, Dalrom advanced towards the bridge stopping at the bush at about the same time the wizard did. Dalrom kept his eyes peeled for any sign of archers or other trouble but even with his clunking, things seemed quiet, too quiet in his book.

A low growl of focus came from Dalrom as he studied the area however as he tried to look he looked right into a low hung wide leaf getting smacked in the face by it causing him to be distracted by it.

Dalrom grumbled something in dwarvian about annoying plants then looked at the wizard "see anything I don't?" He queried to the much taller high elf

 

[jokomaisu]

 

Encounter 0-0: The Incident at Warminster Keep Mission Investigate what happened to the Mithral Hope, an adventuring group known for hunting bandits and small demon cults who sought to bring the Grayhaunt Order to justice at Warminster Keep over a week ago and never returned. Map Fighter - Shocker Cleric - SMARTAgentKC Wizard - Merbak Ranger - Morphing Rogue - Wizard of the Coat Combat Rules Block Initiative Creatures working together can take their turn in any order before any opposing creature or the end of the round. Escalating Combat Rounds All attack rolls receive a positive modifier equal to the round of combat. All saving throws receive a negative modifier equal to the round of combat. Surprise rounds do not include this modifier (they are treated as round 0). Basic Combat Maneuvers The Basic Combat Maneuvers can be used in this encounter. Minions A minion is a weak foe. However, minions still make threatening foes. Killing a minion still requires penetrating their defenses, and characters can’t just shrug off damage from minion attacks. Every minion has the Minion trait, which affects the creature in the following ways: If the minion takes any damage from an attack or as the result of a failed saving throw, their hit points are reduced to 0. If the minion takes damage from another effect, they die if the damage equals or exceeds their hit point maximum; otherwise, they take no damage. Overkill Attacks Powerful weapon attacks can kill more than one minion in a single maneuver called an overkill attack. When a weapon attack’s damage does exceed the target minion’s hit point maximum, the attack becomes an overkill attack and the damage dealt beyond the minion’s hit point maximum becomes overkill damage. Overkill damage can be applied to a second minion who has the same stat block as the target and is in overkill range (see below). Damage against the second minion is counted as if you made a weapon attack against them; since it only takes 1 point of weapon damage to reduce a minion to 0 hit points, any amount of overkill damage immediately knocks them out. But wait, it gets better—if the initial attack’s overkill damage exceeds the second minion’s hit point maximum, the leftover overkill damage can roll over to a third minion, and so on! In other words, for each time the overkill damage exceeds the new target’s hit point maximum, the attacker can choose an additional minion to reduce to 0 hit points. For example, when a weapon attack deals 18 damage to a minion with a hit point maximum of 5, the overkill damage is 13. If there are three additional minions of the same stat block in overkill range, they can all three be immediately reduced to 0 hit points, since the overkill damage exceeded the target’s hit point maximum more than twice over. Overkill attacks can’t be made as part of an opportunity attack. Overkill Range Minions must be within a certain range to qualify for an overkill attack, determined by whether the attack is a melee or ranged attack. Melee Overkill Attacks. When a creature hits a minion with a melee weapon attack, other minions within reach of the attack are in overkill range and can be chosen as additional targets for an overkill attack. The overkill attack can’t target minions outside the weapon attack’s reach. Ranged Overkill Attacks. When a creature hits a minion with a ranged weapon attack, other minions in a line originating from the creature in the direction of the target, to a distance equal to the weapon’s short range, are in overkill range and can be chosen as additional targets for an overkill attack. The overkill attack can’t target minions outside the line or beyond the weapon’s short range. Environment Details Moat*: 5 feet from the surface to the top of the bank, ????? feet deep Outer Keep Walls**: 15 feet high exterior, 10 feet high interior, three-quarters cover from the exterior wall, outlined in dashed white line Inner Keep Walls**: 20 feet high exterior, 15 feet high interior, three-quarters cover from the exterior wall, outlined in dashed white line Rubble: difficult terrain, indicated with a white triangle in the upper right corner Boulders***: 5 feet high, outlined in dashed white line Foliage: difficult terrain, indicated with a white triangle in the upper right corner, can be used to hide, outlined in a dashed green line Tree Cover: from 10 feet to 20 feet up, provides three-quarters cover for opponents under and above, outlined in dashed orange line Bones: not to scale (small and medium creature remains), NOT difficult terrain, and there to show that they are scattered in the general area *Athletics (STR) DC 10 to climb onto the bank, or DC 15 if the bank is difficult terrain **Athletics (STR) DC 20 to climb, or DC 15 from a section that has rubble at the base ***Athletics (STR) DC 10 to climb Grayhaunt Order Rightfully reviled for their desecrations, the Grayhaunt Order’s necromancers and gruesome creations seek power over the living by defiling the natural order of death. If left to perfect their insidious rituals and gather corpses, they will certainly amass a scourge of undeath and seize the world in an unliving grip. Background The Grayhaunt Order serves no ambitions save their own. Each member was shunned for their unique blasphemies, but they otherwise escaped their crimes’ consequences. Though the Grayhaunt Order’s allies are few, they animate those they lack into a horde of undead minions. Goals Though each necromancer in the Grayhaunt Order has a unique dark dream, together they are committed to conquest through undeath. Condemned for their forbidden pursuits, the order also harbors festering grudges against those who vilified them. All who obstruct the Grayhaunt Order’s aspirations will suffer a thousandfold in the glorious dead world to come. Though these necromancers seek to animate an army, they’re unsatisfied with the husks of mere commoners. The Grayhaunt Order unearths the graves of great heroes and reanimates their bones, flesh, or spirits. With the power of legends at their command, the Grayhaunt Order will topple kingdoms and strike fear into the hearts of their sworn enemies. Methods The Grayhaunt Order roams the world, learning folklore to track down the graves of renowned heroes. They camp near graveyards and burial grounds. Under the cover of night, they are remorseless graverobbers, picking burial plots clean. They have no respect for local traditions or beliefs, using corpses as fodder to reach their true prize. If discovered, the Grayhaunt Order shows no mercy to opposition. Meddlers just provide additional corpses and all the better if those come from adventurers with dreams of glory and bleeding hearts. Members Lethari Sangre Treasured as a wizard prodigy in her youth, Lethari flourished under the protection and opportunities afforded her. As the half-elf grew into an insatiable arcane scholar, mentors assumed her academic interest in necromancy was mere morbid curiosity, but her fascination soon became experimentation with the forbidden. Lethari dreamed of cheating death and ruling forever - a privilege she believed the universe owed her brilliance - and her devoted bodyguard Haldrun only encouraged her ambitions. Lethari's teachers finally saw the evil in her and forbade any further dalliances with necromancy. But the young mage had already tasted power, and she killed her ignorant teachers and took their spellbooks. Determined to become a lich, Lethari founded the Grayhaunt Order, gathering other necromancers to work toward her grand vision. While she is skilled in all aspects of necromancy, Lethari specializes in the incorporeal: subjugating spirits, binding souls, and empowering her magic with such essences. Haldrun Yandris Haldrun trained for battle from his youth. After proving his dedication to the art of war, the human was assigned as bodyguard to the brilliant young mage Lethari. When she showed Haldrun kindness and trust, he repaid it in kind, sharing his darkest secret with her. Haldrun supported his charge's macabre passions from the start - in part due to his devotion to her, but also driven by the euphoria he feels when a life slips away under his hand. The warrior enjoys killing in Lethari's name, knowing his corpses help build the Grayhaunt Order. Jovan Palance A human apostate cleric, Jovan, serves a being called Nerull who claims to be a trapped and forgotten god of death. Nerull promised Jovan unimaginable power in exchange for freedom. To free his lord, Jovan defiled the bones of entombed saints for a profane ritual, only to be caught before he could complete the spell. His imminent execution was interrupted by Lethari and Haldrun, who cut their way through the guards and executioner to recruit Jovan into the Grayhaunt Order. Jovan's cold and callous demeanor belies a fervent faith in Nerull. He excels in magics that manipulate bones, and he uses corporeal undead to defend and bolster his allies. Myrel A peculiar tiefling with a distracted air, Myrel's body is crisscrossed with yellow veins of a beautiful parasitic fungus. She has developed a symbiotic relationship with her fungus, which she adores and has named Golden Creep. Myrel dreams of cultivating a garden to cover the entire world—a dream that quickly put her at odds with the people of her home village, for this fungus grows best in the dying bodies of humanoids … and if those bodies are later reanimated, it continues to thrive in their undead husks. After Myrel was caught slaughtering neighbors to serve as zombified hosts for her blossoms, the villagers captured the necromancer, planning to burn her and her creations. The Grayhaunt Order intervened by killing the villagers, saving Myrel, and bringing her into their fold. She specializes in cultivating Golden Creep in the cavities of undead and spreading it across the field of battle, hindering and enervating her foes.

---

"Unfortunately, I do not," Jezelle whispered in response, a hint of nervousness in her voice. The amount of blood found at the last camp of the Mithral Hope had shaken her. She had been able to put the image out of her mind during their last stretch to the keep, but seeing the bones scattered upon the grounds of the keep brought it back. She hoped that they were not too late.

The others cautiously made their way toward the south bridge. Hadrian was the first to reach it and both he and Iata were the first to look into the inner bailey. Even with a clear view to the outer bailey on the north side of the keep, there was no sign of the Grayhaunt Order.

---

GM

Enzio

Boots of Elvenkind: steps make no sound, advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to move silently.

Potion of Climbing: climbing speed equal to your walking speed, advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks to climb, will last for the entire encounter.

Hadrian:

Shield of Faith: +2 AC, will last for the entire encounter unless concentration is broken or the spell is dropped.

All

Nobody saw or heard anything. Everyone is free to move again like before.

[Morphling]

Iata scans the parapets with a suspicious frown, and then reluctantly lowers her bow. "I need to regroup with Enzio," she murmurs, more to herself than anyone else, and then leaves cover to make a dash across the bridge, pulling a potion of climbing from her cloak and drinking it as she moves. Then she moves straight for the crumbling walls of the castle and scampers up like a spider, pausing at the top to crouch behind rubble and scan the area from the top.

[Shocker]

Hadrian, Human Fighter

 

AC 14+2, Initiative +3, 28/28 HP, 13 Passive perception

---

 

Seeing his companions valiantly charging into the fortress, Hadrian takes heart and moves over the bridge avoiding the large missing segment by walking on the parapet. Once on the other side he rushes into the shadow of tower, carefully looking into the courtyard in front of him.

"This has been to easy" he thinks

[SMARTAgentKC]

Dalrom Chetsk - AC 18 | HP 27/27 | Initiative: -1 | Spell Slots 3/2 Condition: Concentrating on Shield of Faith over Hadrian

Dalrom grunted in disapproval as Jezelle responded a no, "things are too quiet for my liking..." He grumbled

As the rest of the group advanced into the keep, Dalrom bought up the rear and although he was a little wary about the massive hole in the bridge and wondering how the bridge was holding up under the strain but it seemed to be holding enough for people including him to cross so he made his way into the courtyard of the fortress

[Wizard of the Coat]

 Enzio Belch - Small of Stature, Large of Personality (Halfling Rogue--Thief)

---

AC 14  | HP 21/21 | Init +3 | Passive Perception 12 | Hit Die 3/3 | Inspiration 1/1 | Arrows 20/20

---

Enzio continued his silent prowl through the keep, moving toward the front gate. Eventually, he saw some of his companions, and called softly to them, not wanting to be shot at. "The water was quite refreshing."

He flashed his winning smile, hoping to counter the foreboding emanating from these grounds--to sooth his friends' fears, not his own, of course.

 

OOC

Enzio's movement within the Keep will be combined with a Stealth check. He is trying to move silently and use the ruins around him as cover or partial cover as much as possible.

 

 

Edited October 28, 2023 by Wizard of the Coat (see edit history)