Nineteenth Session

The session picks up with the party reuniting at Thora's hut in the ravine, finding a calm and bucolic scene of chicken-petting. This ends with the sound of Thora cursing as the Charm spell expires, and she emerges to confront the party (mainly Ishaq). Ishaq apologizes poorly, albeit honestly, and crushes it on the Persuasion roll as always. Thora huffs and starts making dinner for herself and her annoying guests (us), with help from Alice and Fin. Dinner leads to shenanigans, as Max tests Ishaq's food for poison, leading to Ishaq faking choking, leading to Max Heimliching Ishaq

Thora invites us to stay the night and leave early in the morning to avoid the Red One. We take her up on that, peaceful night. A chicken sleeps on Alana and also one on Markoris. In the morning, everyone departs stealthily. Moving stealthily, the group departs without incident or dinosaur attacks. The decision is made to return to the parallel road rather than the main road. A day's productive journey leads to camping for the night in a hilly area, with Fishboy and Alana setting things up in a nice defensible position. Max fixes Ishaq's spine for him, and also gains his Shield Master feat. Ishaq gains the Inspiring Leader feat while convincing Celia to play in-universe D&D.

Alice and Markoris take watch. During the night, the watch falls asleep due to a mystic influence, and most of the party awakens to a strange 'strangled wet' noise. Ishaq wakes up, sits up, and sees that Talith has been stabbed in the throat by a dagger and is dying! He SOUNDS THE ALARM and everyone ROLLS FOR INITIATIVE, beginning what will be known as the BATTLE OF CAMP CATASTROPHE.

ROUND ONE

Talithcide - finishes off Talith, the leader of the guards is now DEAD

Sol - wakes up

Fishboy - wakes up, attacks Talith's killer with trident, 7 damage (lowered by target's evasion, revealing this to be a Rogue)

Celia - moves in front of Raul, casts Toll the Dead on Talith's killer, spell fails, no damage, casts Sanctuary on Max

Markoris - bow attack against the other assassin near Talith, misses, makes a perception check, perceives his target is a swordswoman (physical fighter)

Ishaq - casts fireball at Talith's killer and swordswoman, 31 damage to both, Talithcide is very badly hurt

Other Attackers- swordswoman closes to melee with Sol and attacks, 21 damage to Sol. Ishaq is targeted by a spell, and is gripped by paralysis, then seized by a half-orc and lifted onto her shoulders Final attacker tries to grapple Raul, but fails.

Alice - casts Misty Step to teleport into melee range with Sol, Celia, and swordswoman, casts  Bless on Celia, Sol, and Raul

Alana - wakes up

Max - wakes up and uses his action surge to grapple Raul's would-be abductor, causing Sanctuary to fade

Raul - attacks his assailant with his dagger, gets sneak attack damage due to Max's engagement, 16 damage, uses bonus action to disengage

ROUND TWO

Talith's killer - stabs Fishboy, critical hit, 16 damage, disengages from Fishboy and moves away

Sol - casts Fireball at fourth-level against Talithcide, posthumously revealed to be named Phinaes, 36 damage, target obliterated

Fishboy - rages, closes to melee with swordswoman and attacks, 14 damage, she's starting to look hurt

Celia - moves to stand next to Talith's corpse, casts Inflict Wounds against the swordswoman, attack misses

Markoris - notices Ishaq's abduction, Dashes 70 feet to close the distance, attacks the half-orc with his dagger, 14 damage

Ishaq - paralyzed! but makes his wisdom save, breaks free from the spell, able to act next turn

Other Attackers: Spellcaster targets Markoris with a laughter spell, Markoris starts giggling hysterically but doesn't fall over. Spellcaster runs off the map. Half-orc attacks Markoris with a quarterstaff, revealing herself to be a monk, stunning him with 7 damage, then continues running away with Ishaq. Swordslady attacks Sol again, then uses Action Surge to follow up with more strikes, revealing herself to be a fighter. Sol falls unconscious and loses one death saving throw. The lady Max is engaged with tries to break the Grapple, but fails.

Alice - attacks swordlady, 8 damage, heals Sol for 20 HP, Sol is conscious and alive.

Alana - teleports and runs to get closer to Ishaq, casts Entangle on the monk and the spellcaster- monk is slowed but not caught, spellcaster is entangled

Max - throws his target to the ground and pins her with an elbow-drop

Raul - grabs stuff, runs after Ishaq, bow attack against half-orc monk, more damage to the monk

ROUND THREE

Sol - regains feet, casts Blur on himself, moves away from the fray with sword-lady, she gets an Attack of Opportunity on him

Fishboy - attacks sword lady, 28 damage, she is looking rough

Celia - gives Inflict Wounds (2nd level) another try, 34 necrotic damage, sword-lady is fucking obliterated, Celia then kneels next to Talith

Markoris - still stunned

Ishaq - still being grappled, no longer paralyzed, casts Suggestion on the Monk, she fails her wisdom save. Ishaq suggests she stop running and tell him who sent her. She halts and says 'Freya,' which sounds like a name Ayleen once used as a pseudonym

Other Attackers: Grapple lady tries to break free, fails, spellcaster casts a teleporting spell to escape the Entangling, half-orc monk doesn't move, but strikes Alana with her staff, 16 damage and she is now stunned

Alice - Misty Steps and runs to catch up to the monk and Ishaq, but gets Entangled by Alana's spell

Alana - stunned

Max - head-butts spellcaster twice for 9 damage due to a critical hit, tries to intimidate her into surrender, fails and she tries to knee him in the balls

Raul - attacks the monk with his dagger, critical hit, 25 points of damage altogether, the half-orc looks rough

The session ends with the fray still unfolding but turning in our party's favour: two attackers are dead, one is grappled and pinned, another is fleeing and the final one is badly injured. Talith may yet be revived by Celia if she casts the spell within the minute.