#btw i love how 'longscarfing' something now translates to it being brutally shredded into pieces

[u5an5]

Of things extra: Once Upon a Witchlight Ep. 45.1 | The Sandstorm After The Calm

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! Fair warning, this post contains SPOILERS. If you don't want to be spoiled, STOP READING !

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[45:15-

You have traveled three hours to travel to this place.

Three hours beneath the hot sun. Three hours without water... Three hours, you've been pelted by sandstorms.

You're all distracted, uncomfortable, sunburned, dehydrated...

And yet Kremy, you are on high alert.

Whether it's the constant lights that you see off on the horizon, the True Sight you've been gifted, or something else innate to you, you feel like you see more than you expect to.

And as you look ahead of you, you see that the two obelisks rise straight towards the sky, the path between them snakes towards a temple, but also towards you.

And the sand snakes too.

About 5 minute walk away from you, the sand is moving unnaturally.

You look behind you, to the left, to the right... the sand seems to be fine.

You see a sandstorm pick up off towards the west and you note the way the sand moves during that, a natural phenomenon, and it's not the same.

This is an undulation beneath the surface of the sand, almost as if there is something at the start of the pathway, guarding it.

Protecting it.

(When Kremy tells the rest of the Krew about the undulations, Frost tries to look for what he describes; 15)

With Kremy's direction of where to look for, you squint your eyes and shield them from the rays of the sun.

It takes a moment for you to stop seeing the image of the shifting mirage and you’re finally able to detect the undulating movement of the sand.

(When Frost confirms Kremy's observation, Torbek grabs onto Gideon's shoulder to stabilise himself - Mutagen consumed - Rapidity, -3hp)

Rapidity - Your speed increases by 10 feet. However, you have disadvantage on Intelligence checks

You watch as the Witchlight in Torbeks vials begins to bubble and pop as his body begins to change. You notice that his legs elongate just a little bit, he's quite a bit taller, and you see a flash of confusion on his face for a moment.

The effort that your body is going through to make it change physically is making you a bit dizzy, you feel disoriented, but you still feel like yourself.

(Torbek now can keep up much better with walking with the rest. When asked if he meant to do that he answers that yes, he has some degree of control over it now. Kremy praises him for doing a good job)

(Krew discusess wherever the undulations are dangerous, with majority deciding it may not be anything harmful and decide to not walk around it as it would take much more time)

You rally each other. You bolter your energies and together, as a unit, as you do everything, you decide to tackle this next obstacle on your path.

You move forward, relentlessly, in the heat of the sun.

15 minutes passess and you can see, as you get closer, it is not a small bit of sand moving like you originally thought. This is a huge patch of sand.

You're not quite familiar with things like quicksand but, you imagine that this is what it could look like, though you see no moisture.

The way it moves almost looks like water, as it rolls, and undulates, and tumbles.

You get closer, you're about 15 feet from it now. Do you continue?

(As they discus wherever it's a good idea to get closer, Gricko amplifies his voice, saying that if what is hiding beneath the sand is a monstrosity he wants it to know they want to help and that he's a friend to all monstrosities)

The sand begins to turn and roil more violently.

It begins to expand, larger, and larger, and larger, and in the very center you can see something almost looking like a sand whirlwind, as a huge hole begins to open up.

And out of it comes out what looks to be a gigantic cobra. But no, no one, two- three.

And as you see its body propel itself forward out of this gigantic den, or burrow, you realize that it is a single cobra.

But with three heads.

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(Krew) vs [Runespoor]

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Turn 1

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You look out as this creature submerges from subterranean snake's den.

It rears back all three of its cobra heads back and hisses loudly at you, but you notice - the sand is still burbling, the sand is still rolling.

There is still something beneath the sand itself.

(Frost) - He immediately steps forward and while pleading the creature to let them pass in peace he readies a spell in case it doesn't listen to him (Hold Action: Cast Chromatic Orb)

(Gideon) - He activates his flame form and threatens it that they'll attack it if it moves forward, then attacks it (Attack, hits; Attack, hits -23 damage in total, plus -6 fire damage)

You rush forward through the sand and you slam into it, punching directly beneath its jaw. You watch as the first head snaps back, as you go in with the next hit to the second head, which also snaps back. All of the heads turn towards you.

[Runespoor] - The snake attacks the only person close enough, Gideon, trying to bite him (miss, miss, hits

(Gideon) Reaction - seeing the head coming towards him, he activates the Gauge I of his manacles, swinging his chains towards it, trying to redirect it towards one of its other heads (success, hits -) (Frost) Reaction - seeing the snake behaving in threatening way he sends a chromatic orb towards it (Chromatic Orb, hits -17 cold damage) -- It seems to do a significant amount of damage. All of the heads rear back and hiss out at you as they are writhing and moving in a very predatory manner. Their attention however seems to be still on Gideon, with him being the closest to it.

You watch as its middle head rears back and begins to make a strange hissing-trilling sound in the back of its throat. You can see this spot on its neck that is vibrating.

You begin to hear buzzing. No, not buzzing.

Clicking.

The sound of clicking mandibles.

As you see six swarms of scarabs spill up out of the undulating sand and begin to move all around you.

6x[Scarab Swarm]'s join the fight! (1x on each but 2x on Frost due his attack)

They all attack (Frost - miss, hits -3 damage, con save fail; Gricko - hits -2 damage, con save pass; Torbek hits -1 damage, con save pass; Kremy - miss; Gideon - hits -4 damage, con save fail)

(Frost) & (Gideon) - You take bites from all of these swarming scarabs, they're all around you. The poison begins to seep into your flesh. You hear the buzzing louden but it's the chittering of their mandibles, the sensation of them crawling all around you... (disadvantage on all attack rolls)

(Kremy) - Seeing the scarabs appear he yells in annoyance as shadows around slither towards him and cover him, turning him into a silhouette-looking figure as ominous jazz starts to play. Neon lights of glyphs appearing on him illuminate his form, as he swirls his cane around (Form of Dread; 2x Eldritch Blast at the snake - miss, hits -13 force damage)

The eldritch magic sears into its skin and you see a bit of neon flash against its scales for a second, before it turns to smoke in the heat. The snake lets out a loud hiss at you and all of the scarabs begin to buzz and vibrate, as if incensed by its anger.

(Gricko) - He tries to take a closer look, wondering if he've ever seen or heard about such creature (survival/nature check - 17)

It's very clearly a monstrosity. You can see, taking a peek into its den, that it's filled with bones. With its position in the middle of the path leading to the temple it's easy to tell it's some sort of guardian and it is not willing to let you pass.

-As he apologises that, considering it won't let them pass, it will have to die. He yells out as he calls forth his Froghemoth; he moves slightly closer to it has it lashing out at the snake (Star Form; attack, hits -9 radiant damage)

-Then it lashes out with its tentacles (Guiding Bolts lvl3, hits -21 radiant damage, next attack on snake with advantage)

It seems to do a significant amount of damage, as it rears back and hisses. You see its throat begin to constrict, almost as if it's preparing to spit.

(Torbek) - As he moves towards the snake, fueled by Witchlight, he tries to elongate his arms and transform his fingernails into blades (bonus action - Magenta Toxin - +d6 to all his attacks, -1 damage to him)

-He then (attack, hits; attack, hits -24 damage total, of which -5 is poison)

You do a significant amount of damage to these cobras. They are lashing this way and that, they are hissing in pain. But they are unrelenting, guardians of this temple as they are, and you continue to hear this strange thrumming sound coming from the insides of their throat, as they prepare for something.

(Hootsie) - she attacks the swarm, but can't see it very well due sun and her large sunglasses (attack, miss; attack, miss)

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Turn 2

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(Frost) - He tries to reach into the minds of the cobra and fill them confusion, pain, fear and racking sounds (Dissonant Whispers, -3 sorcerer points for Heightened Spell metamagic - miss)

The sound the snake has been making amplifies. All three mouths open up and spit acid into the air, surrounding Krew in 16ft sphere (dex save - Gideon - 17, Torbek - 16, Kremy - 21 14, Frost - 20 10, Gricko - 23 10; pass - most likely 15) -- (Kremy), (Frost) & (Gricko) - As the acid hits you, you feel your skin popping and melting. Unless you do something to remove it, it will continue to do so (-20 acid damage each + future damage at the end of their turn, Torbek & Gideon -10 acid damage))

(Gideon) - He clasps his manacles, gathering his fire between them and shoots out a ray of fire towards the snake and the swarm next to it (Burning Hands, hits -5 fire damage to both)

As the swarm is blasted, it looks like it's barely hanging on

-He takes a deep breath, flexes down and tries to punch it (Action Surge - attack, miss; attack, miss; attack, hits -11 fire damage)

-He then activates Gear II, making his chains rattle, then tries to lash them around the snake (attack, hits -7 fire damage)

The manacles lash out, doing a significant amount of damage. But as he tries to link the chains around the three headed cobra it is writhing, jolting from one side to the net, making them unable to find purchase on it.

[Runespoor] - It looks down at Gideon, as all three heads attempt to bite him (attack, hits; attack, miss; attack, hit; -15 piercing damage total)

You feel the fangs pump poison into your body as they sink deeper into your flesh (dex save fail, -8 poison damage)

6x[Scarab Swarm] - All of the scarabs begin to buzz (Gideon, miss, hits?; Torbek, hits -3 piercing damage; Frost, hits, hits -3 piercing damage; Gricko, miss; Kremy, hits -4 piercing damage; Frost & Gideon are no longer disadvantaged)

(Kremy) - Fed up with the snakes and the bugs he yells "You're in my world now!", as he pulls out a dice and starts to swirl it around with magic, in colors of pink, purple and green, between his hands and then he tosses them beneath the snake, scattering it into the sand.

All of sudden shadows start to grow and pulse. From the place where Kremy tossed the dice they abruptly explode into 20ft radius dome.

As you look around you see you're almost knee deep in a swamp. It's nearly pitch black and white. You hear the swamp creatures - the snarl of an alligator, the call of a whipper, faint ominous jazz far away. Occasional moan or growl or other unsettling sounds of undead. A creature sloshing through the water.

All you can see is you and the swamp, you are now completely alone (reflavoured Hunger of Hadar)

(Hunger of Hadar) - You open a gateway to the dark between the stars, a region infested with unknown horrors. A 20-foot-radius sphere of blackness and bitter cold appears, centered on a point within range and lasting for the duration. This void is filled with a cacophony of soft whispers and slurping noises that can be heard up to 30 feet away. No light, magical or otherwise, can illuminate the area, and creatures fully within the area are blinded. The void creates a warp in the fabric of space, and the area is difficult terrain. Any creature that starts its turn in the area takes 2d6 cold damage. Any creature that ends its turn in the area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 acid damage as milky, otherworldly tentacles rub against it.

-As it happens he yells for others to run, then moves out of the sphere (-4 acid damage)

(Gricko) - (-9 cold damage) He, in panic, runs in a random direction, unknowingly moving closer to the snake (Scattered Dice)

-He then plays on his ocarina (Healing Word; Healing Touch) (-9 cold damage, -4 acid damage)

The whippoorwill sits at the branch above you, then flutters down through you. As it does so, you can see it has two beaks and three eyes on each side.

(Torbek) - (-8 cold damage) In his infinite stupidity, but also considering that he is bugbear and he still has a hunter instinct, he tries to swipe where he thinks the snake is (attack, miss; attack, miss; attack, miss)

-He then, heeding Mr Kremy's advice, tries to move away from it (Scattered Dice)

You are able to escape the darkness and are immediately hit by the sunlight

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Turn 3

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(Frost) - (-9 cold damage) He closes his eyes, aware that based on what Kremy yelled it's all part of the spell he cast, then reaches out to find Kremy's mind and shift reality to be able to reach him (Misty Step)

-He whips himself out of the acid he was covered in

Those of you still inside this sphere, all you hear and see is swam. This is your reality. But this creature is still there.

(Gideon) - (-really low amount of damage) Guesstimating where the snake is, he tries to skirt around it to get out of the swamp

You get out, however, you are now in the roiling sands. You immediately feel yourself begin to submerge beneath the surface. You are about waist deep in sand now.

-Angered by it, he tries to punch it (attack, miss; attack, hits -12 damage; Second Wind - +1d10+5hp)

[Runespoor] - (-4 cold damage) It feels pain from the cold, and, with it being a snake and having blindsight, the inability to see its prey doesn't stop it from fiding it, as it surges forward ((Gricko) - miss, hits -9 damage; (Gideon) - hits -7 damage) (-5 acid damage)

Both of you feel the fangs dig into your flesh, but its poison seems to affect you less after experiencing it before (dex save pass)

6x[Scarab Swarm] - (-6 cold damage)

[Scarab Swarm1] - The scarabs let out agitated clicking and insectoid shrieks, as they fall and shrivel up on the ground. The swarm closest to the snake is whipped out, while the rest of them are halved

-They try to find the closest prey - ((Gricko) - attack, miss; attack, hits -2 damage; Frost - attack, miss; Torbek - attack, miss; ? attack, miss)

(Kremy) - (-1 acid damage) He tries to get a sense where the snake is, and then tries to blast it (2xEldritch Blast - miss; miss)

(Gricko) - (-8 cold damage) Running in panic, he bumps into the snake and doing so he tumbles out of the swamp - straight into the roiling sands

You are neck-deep in the sand.

-With his hands awkwardly sticking out of the sand he tries to wipe all of the acid he can reach

You move. You are covered in acid, you are heavily wounded. You are disoriented, and the sound of the buzzing is distracting, as you tumble down into the undulating sand. It seems that the sand is wiping away the acid from you, it begins to clump away and you feel the pain dissipate

(Torbek) - Still covered in Witchlight and seeing Gideon in need, he rushes towards the snake, swiping at it with his claws (attack, hits; attack, hits; attack, hits; -42 damage total)

Feeling the Witchlight course through his veins, his limb due to it long and gnarled, bending at weird angles, Torbek rushes to help Gideon. With three gashes, pouring as much magenta toxin into this creature as he can, he tries to shred this beast apart.

[Runespoor] - You watch as something like madness overcomes Torbek, and, for a second, you see his eyes flash. And these are no longer his eyes, as if something- someone is looking through them. But then you see him return, the bloodlust overcomes him, and he rips scale after scale, from tail to head. He wrenches his long, gnarled fingers around the necks of this thing and you hear snapping of the cartilage bone inside of it, as he rips it into pieces. He is covered in blood and viscera by the time he's done.

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The buzzing is the only sound that's left.

But only for a moment, as, while Kremy's magic slowly fades, you can see the last remnants of the swarms fall, and shrivel, and die, in the heat of the sun.

You are left, now, alone. Standing... a 100ft from this temple.

You're bloodied. You're tired. You're exhausted.

You're hot, dehydrated.

Gideon, you are sinking into the sand very quickly. Gricko, you feel the sand begin to spill into your mouth. You both feel you don't have that much time left before you're fully submerged.

(Gideon yells out to Gricko, as he whips one of his chains towards him, then whips the other towards Hootsie, assuming she'll be able to pull them up)

These chains have been a part of you for as long as you can remember at this point. They are extensions of yourself and you're able to use them effortlessly, as you whip one around Gricko.

You are able to pull him towards you, as you feel the sand around you harden and stiffen. Now that this creature is dead, something about this sand is changing and if you're not quick there won't be an escape for you.

As you toss the other chain out, you just hope and pray that Hootsie catches it, that she's able to pull you up-

You hear the sound - not of claw, but of beak meeting the chain.

As Hootsie snaps down and uses the full force of her owlbear body - she may be a small owlbear, but she still is an owlbear - she is much stronger than she looks, and is effortlessly able to pull you away from the sand.

You watch as the sand you were stuck in begins to level out. The hole from which the snake came out fills in and, as wind blows for a second, if you haven't just gone through a fight here you would've never guessed there ever was anything amiss.

Those close enough to it tap onto it with your feet and... it feels packed in.

As more wind blows, you begin to see that more of that winding pathway has been exposed, with it getting narrower, and narrower, and narrower as it goes.

As if it's in the shape of a snake's tail.

-02:02:20]

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