A Battle with Brains and a Flash of New Fire
18 Kythorn 1492
Standing at the crossroads (cliffhanger from last session), the party knew it was adventuring on borrowed time. With near-certain discovery in an hour or less, they did what true heroes (and their DM was hoping they) would do: they went and kicked in some more doors.
Raising the iron portcullis in the slimy room with the odd scrying eyestalk, they entered an odd torture/interrogation room where panicked drow was shackled to a… chair? Zaibon Kyszalt had been captured in Skullport and brought here for interrogation with his superior, Raelyn Auvryndar. Despite having recently chatted up and then decaptitated said Raelyn, the party was still high on incinerated Kuo-toa and failed to connect the dots. Zaibon was not being much help, repeatedly yammering on about “he’ll come back, help help” and scared little girl stuff. Wondering opening who “he” might be, the oblivious party had their question answered when a quiet Nilhoor entered the room and proceeded to stun everyone with a physic blast.
Fortunately in the turn order, Nuitt was first to go after that surprise attack and set his famed kata aside, going back to his helm of brilliance for a fire opal that knocked the levitating Nilhoor out of the air and made the mind flayer second guess passing near Nuitt to attack one of the helpless party.
What followed was an odd back and forth with the mind flayer largely absent (perhaps biding his time until he could stun again) and a series of devourers assaulting our heroes. These brain dogs would have subjugated several (including Pessius who was having terrible Intelligence saving throws) had it not been for the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind around Froderick’s neck. Instead, it was largely a merry-go-round of staying healthy and softening up the devourers so Nuitt could come in with the killing blow, turning two of them into brainy shoulder pauldrons and then doing his best impression of Charlie Brown kicking a football and making a nice Jackson Pollack on the wall. Pessius, still worried about the absent/invisible mind flayer, cast Cone of Cold and made a more charming pattern on another wall, but missed Nilhoor. Froderick decided that Zanalor has suffered enough and cures him of the Otyugh poison.
Our friends sensed the end of the devourers at hand, and timidly explored an adjoining room where the mind flayer was creating devourers in a rancid breeding pool. Nilhoor took this opportunity to stun and grapple a badly damaged Zanalor, and we slowly watched the turn order come back around to what might have been certain doom.
Pessius tried to cast hold person but the Flayer resisted, but in casting Pessius felt an odd stirring as her control over magic slipped. Though the Flayer did not succumb to the spell, wild blue-white energy crackled around Pessius’ hands. She felt more somehow more powerful and less in control. When she cast her quickened firebolt, the Flayer was hammered by the spell [double damage] and lost over half of the hit points he had left. Froderick stepped forward with a guiding bolt, which sailed wide. The one remaining devourer closed on the incapacitated Zanalor and would have autocrit but rolled a 16 (and we learned that 5e lets you keep your dexterity AC bonus when paralyzed which the DM really wonders about but rules are rules).
It was all up to Nuitt before the Flayer decided to either zap everyone or eat Zanalor's brain…. and Nuitt whiffed on the first attack. He crit on his second but the damage dice are lame…. Nuitt now had two more chances to finish the wounded Flayer (17 hp left). And he succeeded with two fists (9+9 dmg), each grabbing a tentacle and proceeding to “slingshot” the Flayers head back into the breeding pool. [FVTT Chat Transcript below]
Shortly after the fight ended, Pessius felt the toll of her wild magic come back to her in pain.
You feel power well up within you, but with each spell you cast you feel the magic building up inside you waiting to explode. All spells you cast for the next minute deal double damage. When that minute is over, you take half of the damage you dealt during that minute.
Pessius, guided by the Fates, also came to the grim realization that her little man mouse polymorph spell was over. Fearing for the fragile state of the party, she started the incantation for a tiny hut, making a pulsing brain appear in the breeding chamber and entreating everyone to shelter in place. Minutes later, a door in the western wall opened and Amerago entered with some friends who glibly explored the permiter. After a brief moment, he turned and whispered to a lackey.
Some ten minutes later a large bulbous abberation filled a good portion of the room, its menacing eyestalks darting furtively across the brain dome. Xanathar spoke to you, displeased that you had ruined the tournament and were now trespassing univited. His large eye beamed with uncanny intelligence as he acknowledged you as “people of some evident skills.” Pessius, assuming he had seen through the dome, droped the hut. Seeing Nilhoor and the dead devourers, Xanathar became enraged and barely contained himself (it was a fun roll).
Xanathar announced that an errand may spare your lives and mentioned something to do with candlekeep. He simply asked if you will take this exchange and who will stay in your place.
After Pessius quickly volunteered a hapless Zaibon, a chaotic dance of eyestalks follows and three seemingly random fire in succession at the drow. Sleeping, Petrifying, and Disintegrating him. “Someone else,” Xanathar needlessly clarified. He gave the party two hours to consider the offer, expecting an audience and an answer at that time. Ahmerago seems a little surprised as the retinue left the room.
Nuitt and Pessius slumped in the room and discuss what should be done. Froderick stepped out into the slime-crusted antechamber, quietly (as a plate wearing dragonborn) peeking down cooridors. Pessius and Nuitt briefly stepped out to wonder where Zanalor went before returning to they room. Froderick is considering a north door when six kuo-toa (including a badly burned one from an hour before) spring forward.
Froderick calls to the guardians of St. Cuthbert, and a chorus of etheral cudgels (aided by a shatter and some martial arts) made quick work of the foes, who were slowed and could not escape the hammers.
At the end of the battle, Pessius felt a sinking in her heart and she wondered aloud again. “Where’s Zanalor?”
[6/2/2020, 10:06:51 PM] Mind Flayer Tentacles Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) psychic damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 15) and must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until this grapple ends. ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:06:56 PM] Mind Flayer Tentacles - Attack Roll 1d20 + 4 + 3 = 17 + 4 + 3 = 24 ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:07:46 PM] Mind Flayer Tentacles - Damage Roll (Psychic) 2d10 + 4 + 0 = 14 + 4 + 0 = 18 ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:08:12 PM] Zanelor Liadon Intelligence Saving Throw 1d20 - 1 + 4 = 5 - 1 + 4 = 8 ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:09:55 PM] Pessius Anguish Arineria Hold Monster 5th Level Enchantment Casting Time1 action Range90ft. Duration up to 1 minute Requires Concentration Choose a creature that you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed for the duration. This spell has no effect on undead. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target.At Higher levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 5th. The creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them. ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:10:05 PM] Mind Flayer Wisdom Saving Throw (Advantage) 2d20kh + 3 + 3 = 14 + 3 + 3 = 20 ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:11:10 PM] Pessius Anguish Arineria Fire Bolt Evocation Cantrip Casting Time1 action Range120ft. Duration Instantaneous You hurl a mote of fire at a creature or object within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d101d10 fire damage. A flammable object hit by this spell ignites if it isn't being worn or carried.This spell's damage increases by 1d101d10 when you reach 5th level (2d102d10), 11th level (3d103d10), and 17th level (4d104d10). Range: 120ft. 251d20 + 11 (this is Beyond20 oddness in raw chat data but she hit) 1d20 14 14 Fire Damage: 162d10 2d10 16 7 9 ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:13:17 PM] Intellect Devourer Claws - Attack Roll (Advantage) 2d20kh + 2 + 2 = 14 + 2 + 2 = 16 (this would have autocrit the paralyzed Zanalor but luckily we learned that you don't lose your Dex bonus to AC even when paralyzed in 5e) ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:16:03 PM] Froderick Guiding Bolt 1st Level Evocation Casting Time 1 action Range120ft. Duration 1 round A flash of light streaks toward a creature of your choice within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 4d6 radiant damage, and the next attack roll made against this target before the end of your next turn has advantage, thanks to the mystical dim light glittering on the target until then.At Higher levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st. Range: 120ft. 101d20 + 7 1d20 3 3 (miss - again just odd Beyond 20 raw data) Radiant Damage: 104d6 4d6 10 4 2 1 3 --------------------------- [6/2/2020, 10:17:40 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle Unarmed Strike Bonus action, when you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon. ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:17:52 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle Unarmed Strike - Attack Roll 1d20 + 5 + 4 = 1 + 5 + 4 = 10 (whiff) ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:19:09 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle Unarmed Strike Bonus action, when you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon. ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:19:13 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle Unarmed Strike - Attack Roll 1d20 + 5 + 4 = 20 + 5 + 4 = 29 ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:19:23 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle Unarmed Strike - Damage Roll (Bludgeoning) (Critical) 2d6 + 5 + 0 = 1 + 2 + 5 + 0 = 8 ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:19:42 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle Unarmed Strike - Attack Roll 1d20 + 5 + 4 = 12 + 5 + 4 = 21 ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:19:48 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle Unarmed Strike - Damage Roll (Bludgeoning) 1d6 + 5 + 0 = 4 + 5 + 0 = 9 --------------------------- [6/2/2020, 10:19:58 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle Unarmed Strike - Attack Roll 1d20 + 5 + 4 = 13 + 5 + 4 = 22 ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:20:33 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle Unarmed Strike - Damage Roll (Bludgeoning) 1d6 + 5 + 0 = 4 + 5 + 0 = 9 ---------------------------
Mind Flayer Dies or he might have either
[6/2/2020, 10:21:34 PM] Mind Flayer Extract Brain Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one incapacitated humanoid grappled by the mind flayer. Hit: The target takes 55 (10d10) piercing damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the mind flayer kills the target by extracting and devouring its brain. ---------------------------
[6/2/2020, 10:21:55 PM] Mind Flayer Mind Blast (Recharge 5–6) The mind flayer magically emits psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 (4d8 + 4) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Save DC 15 Intelligence ....