Tests and Trials

[thinkslogically]

Ves flies at the skeleton and attacks the skull with her staff and a kick:

2h ATT: 1d20+5 = [16] = 21
DAM: 1d8+3 = [7] = 10 + 3 radiant dam = 13

Kick: 1d20+3 = [3] = 6

[Arch Lich Burns]

Joe will firebolt on her turn.
[1d20+4] = 13+4 = 17[1d10] = 1

[spiderwrangler]

Kroshav swings his forging hammer into the other knee.

Attack: 1d20+7 = [13] = 20
Damage: 1d4+7 = [3] = 10

[Rodgeir]

Ves glides up a short distance and removes a portion of the giant's skull with a swing that flashes bright on impact, the bone piece clatters loudly across the stones of the ruins. A follow up knee strike misses as the skull pulls back from the initial blow. Kroshav moves in while the giant skeleton is distracted and nearly shatters one of its leg bones. The pair's combined attacks leave the skeleton looking very rough, but not yet done.

Jolly's good shot from before doesn't repeat as he hits the column north of Lurn.

Jolly attack: 1d20-1 = [7] = 6

The skeleton raises its club and slams it into the flying woman in front of it. Before lifting a bony hand to the pool behind it and clenching it into a fist. All the skulls scattered around the ruins repeat the same foul word that echoed before.

((Wisdom saves from everyone, advantage to Lurn, Kroshav and Ves))

► Show Spoiler

Giant attack: 1d20+6-1d4 = [15] = 18
Giant attack damage: 2d8+4 = [6, 3] = 13

Jolly takes a stumbling step forward before he screams violently,

"SHE AIN*T HERE. STAY OUT OF MY HEAD."

Jolly wis save: 1d20-1 = [20] = 19

Init:

Ves (8 hp)
Kroshav (25 hp)
Jolly
Giant skeleton
Jaq (13 hp)<------
Lurn (21 hp)
Joe (7 hp)

[spiderwrangler]

Wisdom Save: 1d20+3 = [14] = 17
Wis Adv: 1d20+3 = [7] = 10

[thinkslogically]

((nah, she'll take that hit for now))

Wis save: 2d20k1+4 = [14, 4] = 18

[Arch Lich Burns]

Joe inspired by the fact that her mind, nay very life is in danger of being possessed by the skeletons, not wanting to be tempted by them ever again. She will not allow them to have her mind nor her body and it triggers a fight or flight instinct.

Inspiration wis save [1d20] = 17[1d20] = 14

[thinkslogically]

((you can roll first and then choose to spend you inspiration point if you don't think the 17 is enough. Your call, but you might prefer to keep it))

[Rodgeir]

((As Thinks says, you can use it if you want but you get to see your first roll before you decide. Your call.))

[spiderwrangler]

((That's a homebrewed approach, RAW, you can use it to gain advantage, which allows you to roll twice. It's when use of DM inspiration gets muddied with bardic inspiration (seriously, they couldn't find a second term?), since that specifies that you can wait until after the roll, but before the DM says the outcome. Retroactive use is common, but ends up making DM inspiration closer to Luck points in use. But if Rodgeir says it works, it works! I think the RAW advantage only reading works better in RL when you're rolling both die at once, and not seeing that your first one would have been fine.))

[Rodgeir]

((I have always let people decide before I let them know the result of they want to use the inspiration, but it becomes very much like a luck point - exactly as you pointed out. Pretty sure I took it from a podcast I was listening to without double checking the rules. Either way, I am not going to run different rules here from my RL campaign so it stands!

@Thinks, updated Ves' hit points above))

[Dlover]

Wisdom save: 1d20 = [16] = 16 1d20 = [1] = 1 +7 from stat, so 23.
Ain't nothing convincing Lurn the dead are suffering.

[Arch Lich Burns]

((As Thinks says, you can use it if you want but you get to see your first roll before you decide. Your call.))

Okay cool! I won't spend it yet then.

[Rodgeir]

((@NSF, need a wisdom save for Jaq. If he fails (i.e. under 12) you need roll it again since it is his turn and it will consume the turn.))

[NotStickFigures]

Wisdom : 1d20 = [9] = 9

Second Wisdom: 1d20 = [7] = 7

[Rodgeir]

Jaq's mind is once again filled with the sobs of his mother begging for help. Unlike last time however there is no odd feeling on his back to wash it away and before he even realizes it he has ran forward. Jaq's eyes and thoughts are all pulled towards where he knows his mother to be - on the dais, in the pool.

None of the others are affected beyond glimpses of their beloved dead flashing in their minds. Only Lurn is completely unaffected, protected by his knowledge in what truly happens in the afterlife.

((Considered whether or not Jaq would use his cunning action here but decided that would require more focus than Jaq's current state allows.

Lurn is up.))

[Dlover]

(IF Jaq is within 30' of him,) Lurn runs to grab Jaq, gesturing to Ves and uttering a word of aid as he does, then shakes at Jaq's shoulders, "Come to your senses, man! The dead are already at peace! These fiends are deceiving you!"
Help Action for when Jaq makes another save attempt, Healing Word for Ves.
Healing Word: 1d4+5 = [1] = 6 (Man if that could get any less effective.)

(If Jaq isn't within 30',) rather than going for Jaq, Lurn heals Ves (Same roll as above) before directing his will toward the undead, tolling the bells of death for it. "You claim new servants only through deception and lies. Your god is a false idol, and you shall not be permitted to continue with the farce."
Toll The Dead: 1d12 = [3] = 3

((I can't use the Help action at a distance, right? I'd rather go with helping Jaq, so long as I can do something to be within range.))

[spiderwrangler]

((If you are trying to use Help to give someone advantage on an attack, you have to be within 5 ft of the target of that attack. All other uses of Help action are dependant on DM's interpretation of whether what is being by done (at whatever range) is enough to give advantage.))

[Dlover]

((I believe the other goes at Helping a person make these saves have been from within 5 feet, but maybe that was just coincidence?))

[spiderwrangler]

((Well, RAW, I think it is only on Attacks and Ability Checks, so any use of Help on Saving Throws is up to DM interpretation and benevolence.))

[Rodgeir]

((Been trying to update the map on roll20 to updated but it is having issues today. Any case - Lurn will not be able to get within 5 ft of Jaq to help. In this particular instance touch/nearness is required to actually grant advantage on the roll. Lurn can still yell though!))

Lurn casts a minor healing spell on Ves, who feels some of her ribs nit back together after the last blow from the giant in front of her. Slightly displeased with his healing he takes it out on the skeleton who responds simply,

"My god's hand is felt more everyday. It matters little how one comes to his service as they serve."

It shudders as bone fragments break away from various parts of its body and as it is struck immediately after by another bolt of flame thrown by Joe.

Giant skeleton wisdom save: 1d20 = [6] = 6

Init:

Ves (14 hp)<------
Kroshav (25 hp)
Jolly
Giant skeleton
Jaq (13 hp)
Lurn (21 hp)
Joe (7 hp)

[thinkslogically]

Ves thwaks at it with her staff:

1d20+5 = [8] = 13
1d8+3 = [5] = 8

Kick: 1d20+4 = [7] = 11

Not sure if either of those hit (probs not the kick?), but she does 3 radiant damage anyway in addition to whatever other damage lands (or misses I think).

[Rodgeir]

((Once per turn whenever you do damage you apply the radiant damage to a target.))

Again Ves rises up to the skeleton's height and this time crushes in a couple of ribs in a flash of brilliance. Her follow up kick unfortunately passes through the empty space that would normally house a stomach (among other important bits).

Kroshav's up!

[spiderwrangler]

Kroshav swings his forging hammer at the skeleton.

Attack: 1d20+7 = [3] = 10
Damage: 1d4+7 = [2] = 9

[Rodgeir]

Kroshav unfortunately times his swing just as the skeleton stumbles back from Ves' blow causing him to miss entirely.

Jolly still angry spits out a string of vile, creative curses at the skeleton for what it showed him. He is too worked up to aim and curse however and his shot goes wide.

Jolly attack:1d20-1 = [4] = 3

The giant skeleton, now covered in cracks, scorch marks, missing ribs and chunks of it skull looks on the verge of collapsing under its own weight but again makes a pair of teetering swings at Ves hovering in front of it. Again, as has happened so often, something catches in the bones of the giant skeleton's arm slowing the swing enough for Ves to flap back away, though she might have made it without it. The second swing seems to be made halfway between Kroshav and Ves and manages to miss both.

Attack 1: 1d20+6-1d4 = [8] = 13
Attack 2: 1d20+6-1d4 = [5] = 8

((Wisdom save from Jaq! He can move on success otherwise...))