The Wandering Archipelago (D&D 5e)

[Dlover]

"No can do. I have to touch the target."

[WearsHats]

(Would that mosquito grass drive them off? And do we have any?)

[thinkslogically]

(Would that mosquito grass drive them off? And do we have any?)

You'd need to experiment to determine the effect, but thats a smart idea so yeah, it certainly wouldn't hurt sadly, you've not gone foraging for any yet.

[spiderwrangler]

((It was expensive and I wasn't persuasive enough to get him to let us open up a full company tab.))

[thinkslogically]

Gwen fires off a blast of eldritch magic, but she shoots it straight through the middle of the swarm and it dissipates somewhere in the trees.

The stirges swarm into camp, targeting those already on their feet (Varsk (x5) Korrik (x3) and Gwen (x2)):

Only one stirge of five is able to find a tasty spot under Varsk's armour at his neck, but it latches onto his collar tightly with its horrible clawed feet and bites him. Strangely, he hardly feels the bite, but the slight lightheadedness suggests it's doing something! (-5 HP)

Two stirges swoop at Gwen. She dodges one of them easily, but the other ducks around and finds a soft spot on her leg, and stabs it's proboscis through her trousers. She feels it bite, but as for Varsk, there's very little pain (-4 HP).

The remaining three stirges fly at Korrik, who ducks out of the way of one, only to have the other two land on him and bite through his shirt (-9 HP).

Six stirges are currently airborn and flying around the camp in a loose swarm; the other four are attached to Varsk (x1), Gwen (x1) and Korrik (x2). The flying stirges are currently in ranged range, but you can easily get within melee range of all of them if you want to.

Instead of attacking, you can spend your action to remove one stirge from one person.

Attacks made on an attached stirge have disadvantage because of the risk of hurting your colleagues.

► Show Spoiler

Attacks on Varsk: 1D20+5 = [8]+5 = 13
1D20+5 = [8]+5 = 13
1D20+5 = [19]+5 = 24
1D20+5 = [3]+5 = 8
1D20+5 = [5]+5 = 10

Damage: 1D4+3 = [2]+3 = 5

► Show Spoiler

Attacks on Gwen: 1D20+5 = [15]+5 = 20
1D20+5 = [1]+5 = 6

Attacks on Gwen: 1D4+3 = [1]+3 = 4

► Show Spoiler

Attacks on Korrik: 1D20+5 = [7]+5 = 12
1D20+5 = [11]+5 = 16
1D20+5 = [13]+5 = 18

Attacks on Korrik: 1D4+3 = [2]+3 = 5
1D4+3 = [1]+3 = 4

Initiative Order
Gwen
Stirges
Varsk <-
Mehriv
Kal
Syli
Korrik

[Dlover]

Dang, this sticking is trouble. I was kinda planning to just use the proper technique for getting rid of bugs and Kill I With Fire^tm.

[Rodgeir]

Varsk grunts in surprise before reaching up and jerking the giant blood sucker from his neck and throwing it to the ground.

► Show Spoiler

((Do I need a roll to disengage it or do I automatically succeed? Also how do I declare an action surge? Just south?))

[Dlover]

Since Varsk removing the bug on him doesn't change my action, I'll post it now:

Mehr invokes Magic Missile, and directs two missiles to hit one of the bugs on Korrik, while the other targets the second bug on Korrik, spreads the missiles as he feels necessary to kill them, prioritising the ones on Korrik, then the one on Gwen, since there's no worry of hitting friendly targets.

MM Damage: 4, 4, 5

Nature Check: 5

[WearsHats]

((Since I'm nocturnal, it's likely that I'll be asleep when my turn comes around. So, assuming I have my prepared spells...))

Kal will stand up and Bless Korrik, Varsk, and himself. (Our three melee fighters, who stand to gain the most from the spell.) For the next 10 rounds (unless my concentration is broken), the three of us get a d4 bonus to all attack rolls and saving throws.

(I do wonder if it's worth looking for the plant in the immediate vicinity, but I don't suppose I'd have much luck by firelight. Wish I'd remembered to look for it earlier. Ah well.)

[thinkslogically]

Varsk swats at the stirge on his neck and it leaps into the air, whining noisily over his head.

((Did you want to use that action surge now? If so, go ahead and make another action)).

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Mehriv can only see the stirge on Gwen and one of the ones on Korrik from where he is, so he targets his third MM at one in the air. The shots are effective and the creatures collapse dead on the ground.

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Kal is on his feet quickly, and casts Bless on Korrik, Varsk and himself. Hopefully this will help!

-------------

Three stirges are dead! One is still attached to Korrik, and six are airborne.

Initiative Order
Gwen
Stirges
Varsk
Mehriv
Kal
Syli. <-
Korrik

[Rodgeir]

Varsk follows the flying beast's path after it breaks free from his neck, clutching his maul tightly, before spinning and slamming it down on another stirge in a massive spray of bug juice.

Action surge: Attack 1d20+2+4 = 26
Damage 4d6+2= 16

► Show Spoiler

Attack http://www.coyotecode.net/roll/lookup.php?rollid=176521

Damage http://www.coyotecode.net/roll/lookup.php?rollid=176527

Pretty sure that one is dead. Really, really dead.

[thinkslogically]

Varsk absolutely obliterates the stirge, leaving nothing more on the ground than a stain of bug juice and his own blood that it drained from him.

[Nioca]

Syli grumbles at having been woken early, her only-partially booted brain trying (and failing) to recall anything relevant about the bite of the Stirge. Trying to keep away from the bulk of the swarm, she fires a burst of poison at one of the outliers.

Syli Nature Check (+3): 9
Syli Poison Spray vs Stirge: 3 damage poison (DC13 ConSave Negates)

[spiderwrangler]

"Gaaah! Forking bloodsuckers!"

Dropping my quarterstaff, I swipe at the one feeding on me...

► Show Spoiler

Attack the one on me: 2D20.LOW(1)+6 = [2, 17]+6 = 8

(Edit #2, forgot I have bless... Bless, because I can: 1D4 = [3] = 3
1D4 = [4] = 4
1D4 = [3] = 3)

So first would be a 11? Don't think that matters.

Drawing on my desperation, I flail in a flurry of blows at it again... but am used to punching things NOT attached to me...

► Show Spoiler

Attack the one on me: 2D20.LOW(1)+6 = [1, 12]+6 = 7

(Edit: Imma halfling! Reroll on the second attack... Halfling re-roll: 1D20 = [18] = 18

Damage on Stirge on me: 1D4+4 = [4]+4 = 8)

(18 should still be a hit, even without the +4 from Bless)

I try again, with similar results...

The one on me dead, I move to the nearest flier and punch it right in the face.

► Show Spoiler

Attack the one on me: 2D20.LOW(1)+6 = [20, 6]+6 = 12 + 6 = 26

(No disadvantage since it's not on me, so the 20 should take...

Damage on flying stirge: 2D4+4 = [4, 3]+4 = 11)

(20+6+3(from Bless) = 29 to hit... )

[thinkslogically]

Syli fires a poison burst at one of the stirges in the air, covering it in a poison goo that sends it's spiraling and twitching to the ground.

Korrik drops his quarterstaff and strikes at the creature attached to him and to another one that comes within reach. Both are thoroughly smooshed under his blows and they tumble to the ground in a heap.

((Back to Gwen))

[Arch Lich Burns]

Gwen tries to strike one of the bugs, but it's too fast for her. She curses under her breath.

eldrich blast: 1D20+6 = [7]+6 = 13
1D10 = [1] = 1

[thinkslogically]

Gwen fires another blast at one of the creatures, scoring a glancing strike, but not enough to bring it down...

((Out at the moment, will update when I get back))

[thinkslogically]

The remaining four stirges whine and circle around the party, before all targeting Syli, perhaps hoping for a less aggressive target...

Two of them latch onto her and sink their needle-like proboscises into her flesh and draining her blood (-9 HP). The other two stirges remain flying overhead, unable to find a way to latch on effectively.

► Show Spoiler

Attack on Syli: 1D20+5 = [3]+5 = 8
1D20+5 = [18]+5 = 23
1D20+5 = [16]+5 = 21
1D20+5 = [3]+5 = 8

Attack on Syli: 1D4+3 = [1]+3 = 4
1D4+3 = [2]+3 = 5

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Two stirges are attached to Syli, and two are airborne.

Initiative Order
Gwen
Stirges
Varsk <-
Mehriv
Kal
Syli
Korrik

[Rodgeir]

Varsk pauses to consider the situation. He could help Syli, and is inclined to do so, but having just witnessed what Mehr can do without risking hurting the victim...

Varsk moves towards one of the unattached stirge and raises the maul to end it but stumbles on some bedding and nearly falls on his face uttering a curse that should have been enough to burn off the stirge's wings.

Attack 1d20+6=7

► Show Spoiler

http://www.coyotecode.net/roll/lookup.php?rollid=176577

From 20 to 1. Never know what is coming at you!

[thinkslogically]

Varsk swings wildly, almost overbalancing himself as he throws far too much weight into the swing. Struggling to keep his footing, he loses track of the targeted stirge which merrily zips away, looking for its next target.

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Two stirges are attached to Syli, and two are airborne.

Initiative Order
Gwen
Stirges
Varsk
Mehriv <-
Kal
Syli
Korrik

[Dlover]

Mehr conjures a second set of magic missiles, sending them whirling into the bugs. If he can get a line of sight on both the bugs on Syli he'll eliminate them and one of the fliers.

Damage: 2, 3, 5

[WearsHats]

Kal takes a swipe at the nearest flying bug.

► Show Spoiler

Attack: 1D20+5+1D4 = [9]+5+[1] = 15

Damage: 1D10+3 = [9]+3 = 12

[thinkslogically]

Mehriv shouts to Syli to stand still, and manages to zap the two stirges off her as well as one in flight. Kal takes care of the last flying one, and the night falls silent again (or at least as silent as a swampy forest ever gets).

What would you like to do now?

[spiderwrangler]

"Ugh... those things are nearly as big as I am!"


((How far into our shift are we? Also, it would be interesting to me behavioral ecologist to conduct experiments to determine if stirges are attracted or repelled by chemical cues of dead, squished stirges...))

[thinkslogically]

((You didn't get too far in before the stirges found you. Maybe an hour max? Does your curiosity mean that you'd like to keep the dead bugs or anything?))