[Round A+3 Continued]

Seeing the beast exposed, Cat enters rage and charges as soon as the octopus grabs Nixie and is grappled. She bestows temporary HP on Alice and moves N of the monster. In a flanking position, she attacks the octopus with her Greatsword using HEAVY. While Alice charges in and jumps on the Octopus, ready to strike.

[Cat bestows 4THP on herself and 2d6=2 THP on Alice]

[HIT(A) vs AC17 1d20+5+1d4+2+1-5HEAVY=(23,23)][DMG 2d6+5+1+2RAGE+1HONED+10HEAVY=24]

Cat unleashes a devastating blow on the Octopus, rendering it unconscious on the spot.

With Alice and Cat moving within range, just as the Octopus is downed and Alice is distracted, the Snake returns with an ambush strike from stealth on Alice, attempting to reclaim his meal with a bite, grapple and constrict.

[HIT(A) vs AC 13+1 1d20+6=(23,23)][GRAPPLE vs DC14, 1d20+5=(17)][DMG 2d6+4+1d10Poison=10+4/2=12-REFLECT 1d10+3+3=9=3]

Cat is ever aware but this is out of range to trigger Sentinel. Alice slips from its grasp this time but her she does suffer the bite and 3 damage.

The snake isn't out yet however, and attempts another last attempt with an amazing burst of speed, wrapping itself around her and squeezing.

[This is a special move in addition to grapple that the snake can do, effectively another method to grapple it can do as part of a combination. HIT(A) vs AC13+1 1d20+6=(13,25)][DMG 2d8+4=13]

Unable to deflect the second blow this turn, Alice is bludgeoned for 13 damage and barely keeps her consciousness.

Grappled but with her spear equipped she is able to fight back. Alice attacks with her spear 2 handed and expends 2 Ki point for Flurry of blows + Hand of Harm dealing 2 unarmed strikes+necrotic damage.

[HIT(D) vs AC12 1d20+2+3+1d4=(19,8),(23,23),(23,20)][DMG 2d6+6+1d6 Necro=14]

Missing with her speer, she results to her fists and beats the snake effectively but it survives the blows.

Seeing the snake return, Yulya is ready, she casts a Distant INFLICT WOUNDS boosted to lv2 and amplified with the goblin staff at the snake.

[HIT vs AC12 1d20+5+2=9]

Unfortunately she misses.

[Yulya's turn is potentially not out yet, she has 1 charge of the ring of Quick Casting left and 2 points of Metamagic which can allow her to cast Distant spell again, she'd have to use both the charge of the ring and Metamagic to repeat the last attack. I noticed it says a spell with a range of 5 ft or more, but I interpret that to touch or more since touch is a 5ft range. With the snake wounded and showing it but still very much alive and ready, Yulya must decide if she wants to risk Alice being downed and dragged under next turn, the snake has initiative next turn, or use a combination of the several methods (not to mention the possibility of the focus 6MP will boost it illegally to level 3+3/4) to take the snake down now. I'll let you know that it was unlikely to take down the snake with just the last attack if it had hit.]

[Awaiting Yulya's Choice]

Take it up with your local customer service representative.

"Yulya, FFS, I've filled your focus while we've been waiting, if it looks dire and everyone's attacked but it's still kicking, give it everything you got on that thing, something that won't get us grapplers. Now let's do this!

Uh yes, thank you! I hope this works. Be careful!

Yulya nervously awaits the outcome of the battle staring at her focus and worried about another mishap. If the octopus is still up and kickin after Alice and Cat attack Yulya casts a Distant INFLICT WOUNDS boosted to lv2 and amplified with the goblin staff at the octopus. If they manage to take it down Yulya readies the spell and casts it at the snake as soon as it shows up.

In the aftermath of the ordeal, 10lbs of meat has been lost by various methods, activity at the water's edge included precision strikes by stray tentacles, adeptly pulling bits of meat off the line with zero repercussions.

Considering Alice knows nothing about giant snakes, let alone cephalopods, the outcome was to be expected - but probably also the result of deafness-related miscommunication with Cat.

Ashley addresses the group. Listen up, this whole weak arrow attack and ranged crap with cantrips isn't going to work, we have one chance. Alice, once Moby-Dickapus is held and beached, get in there and grapple it like Brutus said, attack with everything you got, all the hits you can with your hand harming thing.

Not even Alice would have used Nixie as living bait, but she's glad she herself isnt' tied to that rope. Surprised that Nixie survived the octopus attack and seeing it grappled, Alice charges in and jumps on top of the octopus. Having faith Ashley and her summon's grapple, Alice attacks with her spear 2 handed and expends 2 Ki point for Flurry of blows + Hand of Harm dealing 2 unarmed strikes+necrotic damage. If the octopus is killed, Alice will also retreat East before falling into the water (and victim to the snake).

It will work with distance Metamagic  it has to be a spell with a range including touch.