DMDM's Strange Aeons

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

1d20 ⇒ 9

Mesmerist -- cannot act this round, and then is sickened for 2d4 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5 rounds.
Ranger -- cowering.
Fritz(es) -- tied up.
Oracle -- assuming a defensive position.
Bard -- will try to throw a cloth over the floating things.
Wizard -- ?

I am thankful DMDM knows it's Christmas and is going easy on us.

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Said no one on the Paizo forums.

Throwing the cloth: 1d20 ⇒ 5

The cloth flutters to the ground as the floating blade dodges it effortlessly.

The two blades move forward to the attack.

Over on the Pile of Stuff, there's a sudden clattering. A humped shape begins to rise slowly from the pile.

It's hard to see exactly what it's made of, because part of it is covered in bloody sheets. But it looks like a vaguely humanoid shape made of... stuff. The body is an ottoman, the head is something -- a stool? -- covered in a sheet, the limbs are broomsticks and scraps of wood.

With a faint whoosh a heavy cleaver flies through the air and somehow attaches itself to the end of one arm.

Attack!

1d20 ⇒ 15
1d20 ⇒ 20

Dear me. Welp, let's check to confirm the crit... 1d20 ⇒ 6

Okay, so only two hits. Kyleen, take a total of 2d3 ⇒ (2, 1) = 3 damage.

Sharp Things -- attacked. Blood is dripping off the glass shard. Well, fresh blood.
Stuff Thing -- still pulling itself together

Okay, new round. Everyone who can act, can act.

part of it is covered in bloody sheets. But it looks like a vaguely humanoid shape made of... stuff. The body is an ottoman, the head is something -- a stool? -- covered in a sheet, the limbs are broomsticks and scraps of wood.

With a faint whoosh a heavy cleaver flies through the air and somehow attaches itself to the end of one arm.

It's like Disney.

With slightly less Academy Award music accompaniment.

DMDM, Vitæ can act at a -2 to everything, even if sickened right? Waiting to see Init order.

Mrakala, I think some Knowledge rolls please. DMDM he did say you can Bot him while he was in NJ (sorry to hear that you're in NJ), would you please roll Know rolls if appropriate.

To my note, I did say bot me until Tuesday :P

What are those things?
Prescience: 1d20 ⇒ 12
Knowledge(Planes): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
EDIT: Mrakala will use his prescience roll instead and get a total of 20 for Knowledge(Planes[or whatever is appropriate])
EDIT2: If the creature appears on the Elder Mythos list in his character sheet OR the DM approves, he also gets a further +2 to the check to identify it.

The wizard pauses and briefly consults his mental notebooks for any mention of such creatures, mainly to determine what weaknesses, if any, they may have.

"I am without my spellbook!" Does Mrakala have any of his previously prepared spells prepared?

Wizard Physical 0 (ouch) Mental 3 Stuff 4 (!) possible because he got +2 Stuff Fugue 2

It looks like you're rocking it.

Knowledge(religion or arcana, dungeoneering, local, nature): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8 <-- any clue what the creature/affect is?

Suddenly getting sliced, Kyleen backs away from the blades hoping that one of her more capable companions can stop whatever this is.

Action: withdraw

Wake up, wake up, wake up ...! With a fearful grimace, Nameless wildly thrusts her spear at the Stuff Thing, turns to the side to present a profile with minimum surface area and moves toward Vitae.

"Ho! Ha ha! Guard! Turn! Parry! Dodge! Spin! Ha! Thrust!"

"In CaSe YoU hAvEn'T nOtIcEd, ShE's NoT WiElDiNg A sTaFf ..."

Action: Attack Stuff Thing & take 5-foot step

Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Take 5-foot step toward Vitae.

The shears, the horrible shears... they're coming for me. The thoughts run endlessly through Yordan's brain, a bandsaw shredding his mind, his spine, his will...

A new thought from somewhere. The mad doctor is tied up. Maybe I can break them now.

Will save, DC 15: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

The shears, the horrible shears... they're coming for me.

Seeing several of their companions retreat from the flying weapons, the wizard scoffs and rolls up his sleeves, preparing for combat. "Don't run you fools, we don't know where we are and fleeing may simply hasten our deaths. Hit it with a stool or...something."

Time to gamble... Ghelik thinks.

Fritz, get up and help us and prove who you are, who knows what kind of horror this is.

Ghelik leaves his position over Fritz #1 to fight the...thing...if he can move in a position to flank it next round he will.

Move over and attack it with my improvised weapon.
shard atk 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 3 - 4 = 2 dam 1d3 ⇒ 2

Yeah. Keep rolling like that. Dm will like that.

Gah! One of these days, I'll actually recall to include all the fugue stuffs. Fugue 0: 50% chance to recall proficiency (choose low to recall):

Fugue Proficiency: 1d100 ⇒ 90

Welp. My attack above should therefore be 10 (not 14) to hit.

When Vitæ is able to.

The pale figure, shivering and crumpled on the ground, half gestures and with effort weakly points at the conscious Fritz, and can barely coax the words out,

'One ... of us ... One of us.'

EDIT: Mrakala will use his prescience roll instead and get a total of 20 for Knowledge(Planes[or whatever is appropriate])
EDIT2: If the creature appears on the Elder Mythos list in his character sheet OR the DM approves, he also gets a further +2 to the check to identify it.

"I am without my spellbook!" Does Mrakala have any of his previously prepared spells prepared?

Yes he does. Once those are gone, though...

Action: withdraw

Duly noted. I assume you don't want to be too close to the Stuff Thing either.

Action: Attack Stuff Thing & take 5-foot step

[dice=Attack]1d20+1
[dice=Damage]1d8+1

Take 5-foot step toward Vitae.

First the good news: it's not yet formed, so its AC is low!

Now the less good news: hardness, like a construct.

The scholar remembers a piece of lore, although he can not recall where he read it. Perhaps during the ten year gap in his memories? Can he s till, somehow, remember what he read in that time? Amazing.

"They are Fleshless, beasts of the Dreaming! We must destroy them here, they are larval and will only grow stronger the more time they spend here. They possess inorganic objects. Destroying their host disrupts them for a time but may not finish them off."

Yordan's jaw drops even further. "You mean ... the shears are going to keep coming for me!?"

Yordan is not thinking very straight right now.

Fritz: go ahead.

Heh heh heh.

Fritz stands and calls out

By the goddess free me to help kill this evil! I will return to my bonds after

Kyleen, unsure what her other options might be, moves over and begins to untie the Fritz that spoke.
If you turn, you die.

Pugnacious puppies! That sounds like it would go poorly for me. I assume you mean turn against you, not turn around.

DMDM, Vitæ can act at a -2 to everything, even if sickened right? Waiting to see Init order.

DMDM I believe this the round Vitæ can act. If so, the Mesmerist will crawl (move action) to help free (aid other) the conscious Fritz, while maintaining eye contact with the flying improvised weapons (Painful Stare), not sure if the later will help here but worth a try.

DMDM I believe this the round Vitæ can act. If so, the Mesmerist will crawl (move action) to help free (aid other) the conscious Fritz, while maintaining eye contact with the flying improvised weapons (Painful Stare), not sure if the later will help here but worth a try.

Worth a try. It works on a wide range of creatures, though not all.

End of the round:

Sharp things -- attack! 1d20 ⇒ 191d20 ⇒ 3 Okay, that's 1d3 ⇒ 3 points of damage on the oracle. Please remember to mark off damage.

Stuff Thing: 1d3 ⇒ 1 Welp! Rolling hot tonight.

Stuff Thing has pulled itself together. It lumbers forward to the attack!

1d20 ⇒ 16

Hm. I probably should have noted who's within 20'. Ranger, Oracle, Fritz #1, Fritz #2, Wizard. 1d5 ⇒ 1

Okay! Ranger, take 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 points of damage.

Oh, and also: Straightjacket Fritz suddenly eels out of the straightjacket.

He looks... different. Thin. Like, emaciated thin. There's something wrong with his arms, too.

Probably Not Fritz suddenly scuttles on all fours like a huge lizard, around behind Stuff Thing and deeper into the furnace room. The only one who could maybe get an AoO is the ranger, but he would need to roll a Will save at -2 to do it.

and that ends my hot-rolling turn. Over to you, players!

"I don't have anything that will stall those creatures. I'll go after the Fitz Monster!"

The wizard will move to where he can see the furnace room and, if necessary, move inside as well. If he can get line of sight, he'll drop a Sleep spell (DC 16) on the Not Fitz.

Question: After taking a 5 foot step away from one of the Things, would the Oracle not get an AOO when it came to attack her? Or do these things have reach? Apologies, a little rusty on melee.

Can our weapons harm them at all? Nameless shouts to Mrakala, taking her attention from the Sharp Thing for a split second. As the shears slice across her thigh, she cries out and turns at the last moment to avoid being hamstrung. 3 HP removed in status spoiler.

"You know, you should stick it with the pointy end."

Teeth clinched in pain, Nameless hobbles backwards from the attacking phantasm. Shut up, you. Why don't you get out here to show me, then? She clumsily thrusts the spear towards the center of mass for the floating blades.

"Terribly sorry, but that wouldn't be nearly as entertaining! Watch your left ..."

Action: Counter attack Sharp Things, 5 foot step towards wounded party members.

Recall Proficiency: 1d100 ⇒ 66

Blah.

Spear Attack: 1d20 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 1 - 4 = 17
Spear Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Nat 20! Confirmed?

Confirm: 1d20 ⇒ 1

D'oh.

Yordan stares in horror at the Thing approaching him; a small scream escapes his lips as it strikes, leaving him reeling and staggered. Apparently he was too busy watching the shears to worry about the other stuff.

I assume it has reach so approaching doesn't trigger an attack of opportunity from my glaive.

Will save to try and attack Probably Not Fritz: 1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 - 2 = 16

At last! The evil doctor is in my reach!

Yordan swings his glaive with all his might.

Attack with glaive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 for 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 damage. If Probably-Not-Fritz were human, I'd get a +2 favored enemy bonus to both those rolls, but, you know, I sorta doubt he is.

Feebly, his blow goes nowhere, and the exertion tears open his wounds. Yordan slumps to the ground, unconscious and bleeding.

was at 0 hp from the Stuff Thing attack, now at -1.

Probably Not Fritz suddenly scuttles on all fours like a huge lizard, around behind Stuff Thing and deeper into the furnace room. The only one who could maybe get an AoO is the ranger, but he would need to roll a Will save at -2 to do it.

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How did that thing get conscious so fast?

DMDM, sorry trying to grasp how we are all situated in relation to each other, could you please help?

Vitæ will most likely be useless against these new arrivals, he would probably be better off aiding Mrakala in pursuit.

Unless someone has a spare weapon handy?

Spear Attack: 1d20 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 1 - 4 = 17

Spear Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Let's see if Painful Stare helps here, if not I am no help in this fight save to be another target.

There are a few of us helping Fritz loose, would he be freed this round?

Or I could help Yordan, but I have an abysmal Heal skill.

Seeing his current weapon is useless against the thing, he shifts back 5' away from it and towards the pile of junk. He then attempts to look for a weapon.

Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 Bah...move action

and continues to look:
Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 standard action sigh

Kyleen also moves over to the pile of scraps hoping to find something of use.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Waiting on DMDM about the area question. I'm not sure where everything is. Alternatively if I can't help in this fight I'll help Mrakala.

Question: After taking a 5 foot step away from one of the Things, would the Oracle not get an AOO when it came to attack her?

A 5' step doesn't prevent an opponent from stepping, moving or charging closer on its own initiative.

Action: Counter attack Sharp Things, 5 foot step towards wounded party members.

[dice=Recall Proficiency]1d100

Blah.

[dice=Spear Attack]1d20+1-4
[dice=Spear Damage]1d8+1

Nat 20! Confirmed?

[dice=Confirm]1d20

D'oh.

Hey: that had Hardness 1 and just 4 hp. The Mesmerist's Painful stare added one point of damage, so...it shatters. One shear down!

I assume it has reach so approaching doesn't trigger an attack of opportunity from my glaive.

It's not attacking you, but rather moving past you. So that was your AoO.

Feebly, his blow goes nowhere, and the exertion tears open his wounds. Yordan slumps to the ground, unconscious and bleeding.

was at 0 hp from the Stuff Thing attack, now at -1.

Ouch.

Ghelik and Kyleen: if you had Stuff 2 or higher, you should have already retrieved your stuff from the pile. If not, then you can grab an improvised weapon from the pile as a move action.

Ghelik, you get a pointy stick. (Okay, a broken chair leg.) You have the no-proficiency problem, but it'll do d4 of damage.

Kyleen, you found something that works as an impromptu club. Still no proficiency, but you can swing it for d6 of damage.

Waiting on DMDM about the area question. I'm not sure where everything is. Alternatively if I can't help in this fight I'll help Mrakala.

You're a bit separated from everyone -- you sat down in the tile corridor, outside the cells. So 20 to 30 feet from the action. You used your Painful Stare on the shears this round, which helped a bit; remember, that's a free action, so you can do other stuff this round.

Hey: that had Hardness 1 and just 4 hp. The Mesmerist's Painful stare added one point of damage, so...it shatters. One shear down!

Awwww, yeah. Hopefully that DM hot-rolling streak is over ... When you say 'one shear' does that mean the last one is still floating around, or are you suggesting that Sharp Things is down, leaving only Stuff Thing to take out?

Awwww, yeah. Hopefully that DM hot-rolling streak is over ... When you say 'one shear' does that mean the last one is still floating around, or are you suggesting that Sharp Things is down, leaving only Stuff Thing to take out?

The other one is still floating around. Sharp Things is one entity animating two objects.