The Harbinger of Ferocity

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Chain riding against his leather armor with a distinctive albeit subtle jingle, the powerful hunter closed the gap as effectively as he could and neared the scene before him. By some miracle it had all gone so swiftly, so smoothly, be it the mage's enchantment that befell the kobolds or the distraction that the young bard managed so that the flighty ebony form and its master could down the last enemy. Even the half orc's aim had been true through the smoke and the enemy as a whole laid scattered and motionless. Brannor did not so much as exhale before his vicious weapon made a decapitating strike at the nearest kobold, his hand about the sword's binding as it fell with deathly ease like a headsman's axe.

Rolls

Brannor rolls a 26 and a 15 for his greatsword attack against the nearest helpless, unconscious kobold he finds at the back of the temple. His initial roll is a natural critical hit and his possible advantage is lower.
Brannor rolls 15 slashing damage for the killing blow.

The blow almost assuredly liberating a kobold's head from its shoulders, the aspirant gave no pause before motioning to the others, namely the priestess to advance into the smoke. With but one hand he withdrew the weapon from its target and walked, far more stealthily now, to the next kobold, leveling his blade and preparing to fall another of the beasts.

"Priestess, go with Parum and our newest member. See these people out of the temple." He directed, not out of authority but reactionary thinking.

The old man and his feathered follower were an excellent source of unexpected tact, as was the half-blood. If the enemy was to begin any counterattack, they would need first do so without the notice of the bird and then fight through the obscuring smoke into the building, right into the awaiting blades. No less, the youthful Parum had... rightfully not handled well her experience with death. All too much and too violent for one endeavor. She wanted to help others, so this was her opportunity to convince however many survivors remained huddled in Chauntea's temple that safety was possible, as was the company of Mr. Lake. Hopefully between him and the young cleric their friendly faces would encourage and rekindle the ember of hope in them.

However, the beast of a man needed only give Orchid a wordless look to the man and then back to the idle kobolds. The subtle gesture was overt and hopefully the orc too would descend upon them like Brannor had in the slaughter. These creatures were too flighty to let live; there was no ounce of his person, not one moral fiber, that suggested to fail this quest to free these people from terror just on the grounds of killing a helpless enemy. These kobolds were reaping their rewards for the evils of this night.

@Hekazu@Ryonara@Lucius Cypher@Gordian Nought@Norschtalen

DnD 5e - Beginner's Game

With a flick of both dark, cupped feline ears, one before the other and a low proud snort, the great cat dug at the earth with a paw and let the rest of its body do the remaining communicating. If the Meenlocks, those that seemed to narrowly escape as they did, could understand the gesture, it would come across as something between territorial and arrogant; a direct challenge that they were too busy withdrawing to care for and perhaps even think of at all. Yet, there was no time to celebrate much further. They, the outsiders and the cat itself, were more taxed than they were before by the attackers, who now disappeared back into the brush, making noise before their hurried sound vanished completely.

This all settled, the tremendous animal withdrew, padding past the majority of those present only to pause and look back to them from over its shoulder. The emerald eyes suggested they best keep moving, if not outright following. Wandering the wood was an unwise tactic for anyone unfamiliar to them. The Syldran were as much a threat as the monsters were, but it appeared that things had escalated further. Meenlocks were uncommon, twisted fey that were rightfully hated and reviled by anything, but to have them appear so suddenly and boldly was more concerning. Side to side the tip of the woodland beast's tail twitched in thought, mulling over the events; it had looked away for a few moments then back to them expectantly.

The three women and the dragon-kin.

What an unusual collective they were... and familiar to these "Servants of the Fiend". Certainly not allies of them, that much was certain to the powerful beast; its once deep wounds had mostly staunched themselves from its invigorating roar at this point as they idled in the forest. It stung even yet, but not nearly as much as the draw to find out what had happened to the Gate. Someone or something had debts due, not just to the land and realm itself, but the higher heavens abroad. They needed a place to recover for the time being, a haven in the wilderness. There truthfully existed no shortage of these, but the tremendous tiger-like feline doubted they would be content to camp in hiding around a den, let alone have the knowledge who to keep themselves out of sight and mind. There had to be somewhere close suitable for them all...

Rolls

Lorenthar rolls a 14 for a Survival check to recall a safe place for them to rest, one likely undisturbed. He remembers it to be a long abandoned dwelling that the wilderness has in part grown over and only a few miles to the northwest. A river runs beside it and there is food enough to see them through at least one night.

But first they needed to leave this place and recover themselves before attempting that venture.

@Ermine@JBRam2002@Landaus Five-One@Ms Ravenwinter@Big Dread

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Unconscious
An unconscious creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can’t move or speak, and is unaware of its surroundings
The creature drops whatever it’s holding and falls prone.
The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.

5e SRD

More or less every attack against them is a coup de Grace, so it comes down to us hitting each at least once. I am not sure how many hit points a kobold has, but probably not many. I am fairly certain the greatsword will work by itself, although anything less than 8 points of damage is risky. The good news is, if they attempt to flee, they should provoke an opportunity attack by standing and then moving away.

Either way, that is my intent, to have Brannor execute each lest they escape.

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

I was about to suggest and investigate as much, given now is the most opportune time to eliminate them all while Kyra goes and finds the way into the temple. The last thing we need are these damnable things to awaken and panic, causing more of a scene. Though I have to admit, between Parum preventing the enemy from fleeing to the miracle of a kill we just witnessed, this should go more smoothly from here assuming we are not caught.

Beginner's DnD 5e Game - Group 2

Arthera the Primal

Wu Jen Mystic

This Character Has Left the Party

"Once I believed myself to be any other, no more remarkable or talented than the next... but for too long I lived that lie. Never again will I be so led astray and never again will I be so mundane. I will become what this world had me born to be."

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

All seemed settled or as much as it could pass for in this period of urgency.

The ambushers would strike together, allowing the mage's spell first to do the greatest of work it could and render the distracted enemy ever more useless. It was in Brannor's mind that once the throng of foes to the outskirts were away enough, they would surprise the attackers with no mercy or quarter given; not a single one of them the man intended to take alive. They had wasted enough time already attempting to do so before and the very least these fiends and their servants deserved with a bloody death. This aside, they were to rescue those trapped within... and escort them back. Needless details like capturing the enemy alive were not to be considered, regardless of what had been asked of him and the others here.

It was then he watched closely the gestures of Mr. Lake to come, all before drawing back the string of his bow with easy force, making the gesture almost casual. Again, his attention returned to the front and he set his sights on the enemy. Peering at them with a vengeful seething, he adjusted his aim and tracked them as they stoked their flames.

The thrill and the anticipation of the hunt, how it welled within him again.

It called and beckoned to the animal within his heart, urging him to just let loose. For a moment the arrow teetered upon the string, the bowman behind it resisting the urge to take a shot of opportunity. Not yet could he, not until the mage did his work and the halfling her own. After the shot however, would he close the gap and cut them down in a fitting end.

"Whenever... our time is short to attack." He growled and adjusted his readied shot.

That moment of hesitation to plan threw his aim, as his instinct superseded his intellect. After all, he was a man that fought by wild emotion and feeling. Ignoring the impulse, the drive, clouded his mind rather than brought clarity to it. Among other things, it made working with thoughtful folk problematic, in addition to all the other troubles faced. Granted it was a more intellectual approach, the spell would unquestionably give them more an advantage, but then again it was not inherent to Brannor. The idea, the whole thing as it was, was as foreign as it could be in thought.

Effects

Brannor readies his action to attack an enemy at the back of the temple that is unaffected by Mr. Lake's Sleep spell when it is cast with his hunting bow. After, he will move into position to engage the remaining foes in melee combat with his greatsword, using his opportunity attack if any attempt to flee and provoke from him. If the party has a surprise round to take these actions, on the following turn he will attack the nearest enemy, preferably a conscious one, with his blade.

Brannor rolls a 16 for his initiative.
Brannor rolls a 21 for his longbow attack and if it hits, it deals 2 piercing damage as it grazes a target.

@Hekazu@Ryonara@Lucius Cypher@Gordian Nought@Norschtalen

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

I will reply when my internet returns to service, as I have a post saved there. More or less just awaiting Mr. Lake casting his spell, firing an arrow and hopefully us managing a surprise round.

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

I can only hope your group has plenty of character sheets, @Hekazu. Best of luck on that endeavor.

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

The man observed first, taking time to settle into his decision to come, long before even issuing a response to their mage company. Not that the other man was not deserving an answer, but because the hunter had no real insight as to the best way to take the temple. By force was not a means to an end here, something which he grew tired of. This slinking and hiding to scratch meager victories or turn aside the enemy's offense... despicable. But there did seem to be some sort of vulnerability, that the fewest foes positioned themselves by the fire they struggled to light; less it appeared there than anywhere else and their attention seemed to be elsewhere. If there was going to be a place to attack, that would be it.

It was the closest, easiest approach and confronted the fewest foes. But was it the right one? The obvious answer was not always the correct one, this much even an uneducated man like Brannor knew through experience. It was then he looked back to their newest addition, that of Lake. The golden eyes, even under the hood that helped obscure his face, were not hidden in their expression as they narrowed in thought. Rather more, withheld reply, but soon the wordless message would be clear.

The priestess was the one to know this place better, if they were going to rush in as saviors of its people.

"The weakest of their lot gather near the fire. Those are the ones we could overwhelm... the others perhaps too numerous. Is that our best means to enter the temple, or is there another?"

Sincerely did Brannor doubt there to be some hidden shelter beneath the place of worship or an escape tunnel, but it was worthy to ask the one person who knew this place what they were to do. Otherwise, their options seemed ever so slim. Unless the elder's raven knew more and the old robed man had not yet voiced his observations, there did not appear to be any other route to success. There were some... finer points that Brannor could address, but now was not the time to play with what little advantage there was left. If the doors keeping the enemy at bay did fall, as they would here soon, the entire endeavor would be a bloodbath for all involved; not because Brannor thought these monsters to be cold killers, thus far seeming to take those alive if possible, but because there'd be no other option but to fight and kill everything or die trying.

"Either way, we need move soon before someone discovers us." The hunter spoke quietly in his deep, rough tone, keeping low throughout their brief exchange.

@Hekazu@Ryonara@Lucius Cypher@Gordian Nought@Norschtalen

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

The hunter was not fond of the open and moving through it, the none too distant treeline was his goal after all. They needed to move the precession along beside the thicket where then their silhouettes in the darkness, from an insider looking out, would melt away into the indistinct shadows, effectively vanishing. Even if the enemy had noticed this approach, they'd either have to come looking or wait out the inevitable advance. Perhaps the faint haze of smoke and what surely was distracting embers within the city could only hopefully add to the effect, but there was no way of knowing. Brannor was not displeased with what approach they did have at least, only a short venture through what seemed like the river's depression, then back into the welcoming wood.

More south he watched than anything else, looking into the dark where small dwellings laid none too far beyond. The most likely avenue the raiders would approach from at this moment, enough to keep an arrow knocked upon the string and his bow at rest in his arms. If they were to be so attacked, his first instinct was to step into the wood and fight from tree to tree until the gap was closed. If they were to do the attacking, he prayed they could surprise their enemy. The bow wasn't his preferred weapon, more a tool to him that a thing to live and die by, but just as it did well to hunt unaware prey it did well to fell unaware foes.

Drinking the night air in a breath, here he could smell again and listen in to the most subtle of details; no more dust, decay or debris to foul the air. Only smoke tainted an otherwise calm night's atmosphere, just as ominous as it should be...

Rolls

Brannor rolls a 9 for a Stealth check, 19 if their path is granting advantage by cover and concealment.
Brannor rolls a 10 for a Perception check, 13 for advantage if the enemy would be discovered easier by sound or scent.

@Hekazu@Ryonara@Lucius Cypher@Gordian Nought@Norschtalen