Grimnir thanks Grinner for the heals, then says "Upstairs is startin' tae sound good."
Do you mean are we making any prep before going up the stairs? I was hoping to see what we found in this room before we started prepping for the stairs.
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Content and not wishing to use anymore power before facing Nahum the group heads upstairs to end this madness once and for all.
A fine bed and several pieces of antique furniture are shoved along this room’s outer perimeter in order to make room for the carefully inscribed summoning circle that takes up most of the chamber’s center.
Though most of the furniture expected in a well appointed bedroom is shoved to one corner, this room is the nexus of Nahum’s research and power.
Standing just inside the double doors to the south is Nahum in his physical form. As you crest the stairs he flings the double doors open and a This emaciated figure looks like a horned human skeleton smothered within a bone-tight hide of slimy leather strides out to stand in front of him. Though the creature doesn't look of this plane as it is writhed shadows that crawl from it's flesh.
In the room beyond Nahum stands the Dreamstone itself. Superimposed over an empty room with walls covered in arcane symbol is a roiling infernal landscape. Strange magics tear away this reality, wreathing the room in fire and brimstone. The shattered walls of this high vantage point show all of Korvosa shrouded in a similar fiery destruction. In the room’s center hovers a fist-sized meteorite wreathed in flames.
With the doors open both rooms are exposed to the dreamstone’s vision of Hell effect. This plunges both rooms into a fiery illusion that makes the house appear as if it is decaying into nothingness
with each passing round, and showing a similar fate to the dream realm version of Bridgefront in the distance through the crumbling walls. Nahum warns, “This misery is what your lack of cooperation will cause! If it is what you desire, it is what you shall have!” Nahum has several images surrounding him that mimic his every movement.
An aura of fear surrounds Nahum as the shadows seem to cling to his body, snuffing out each light as it touches it.
Raising his hand black lightning arcs out from his fingertips, striking Grimnir and Grinner.
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Nahum (MI 5)
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Terry (56/56)
Grinner (7/51; 1 Con Damage; 1 Con Drain)*
Grimnir (40/84; -4 Str)(Stone Servant 49/49)*
Gerard (50/50)
I wanted to buff before we headed up the stairs and after we investigated the room. He also readies his lesser talisman of sealed summons in his off hand and a mirror in his normal hand. (He is not wielding any weapon at the moment).
Terry casts (in the given order):
Vanish (3 rounds)
Mirror Image , 4 images
Long Arm (1 minute)
Shield (1 minute)
from his spell scars. He figures this is going to be the big battle. Let me know if there was not time. The vanish was to disguise the fact that he was casting spells.
"Watch out for those circles there. Could be trapped."
(using a charmed life)
Now for his actions. I want to point out that Terry has a +9 to his init roll because of heightened awareness and the lesser talisman of danger sense I said he put on. His init modifier is so crazy high I think he beat Nahum even on a tie and should get his action in first.
For his action he will be throwing the Aghasura mirror at above the door by Nahum and smashing it (hopefully the thing will drop on him since it is very large), then he will put the lesser talisman of sealed summons on himself and step into the room.
Perception
Spellcraft
Will save
Due to the now crumbled Lesser Talisman of Warrior's Courage, Gerard is only shaken instead of frightened or panicked. He pulls a vial of alchemist's fire while waiting for the enemies to close.
*Ribbit Ribbit* "Danger, Danger!"
Grinner channels, excluding any enemies he is aware of.
He begins climbing the wall and heads over to the east side of the room.
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Gerard pulls out alchemist fire while Grinner heals his companions as smoke rises from the lightning strike.
Terry (56/56; 5 images)
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Nahum (MI 5)
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Grinner (22/51; 1 Con Damage; 1 Con Drain)*
Grimnir (55/84; -4 Str)(Stone Servant 49/49)*
Gerard (50/50; shaken)
Round 1 attacks from Azura before Nahum makes his attack. 6 slams +18 (1d4+6).
Terry's actions and what he commands the upasunda to do round 2 depends on whether any mirror images survive.
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Nahum's protective spells don't seem to protect him from getting pounded by the upasunda.
The asura destroys three of the images which discharge in a flurry of electricity that doesn't seem to affect the asura much at all.
Terry (56/56; 5 images)
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Nahum (-19; MI 2)
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Grinner (22/51; 1 Con Damage; 1 Con Drain)*
Grimnir (55/84; -4 Str)(Stone Servant 49/49)*
Gerard (50/50; shaken)
Terry will slip further into the room and prepare to pelt Nahum with a defensively cast magic missile barrage when he tries a standard action or a spell (in case he does a swift casting). Those spells of his are nasty and he really wants to keep them from happening. Because of the Long Arm, he is also capable of striking with an AoO if Nahum tries anything.
Weeing the success of the attacks, the Azura image steps forward and strikes out again, this time with the weapons, .
mwk longsword +20/+15/+10 (1d8+6/19-20)
mwk spear +19 (1d8+6/x3)
mwk kukri +19 (1d4+6/18-20)
Grimnir looks stunned as the lightning courses through his heavy armor, his skull, and finally leaves electricity arcing across his teeth.
Battered but alive, he takes a tentative swing with his dwarven weapon.
His stone servant circles around to the flank.
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Grimnir charges in with his Dorn Derger but fails to connect while the earth elemental circles around for the shadow creature.
Terry stays defensive while the Asura presses the attack against the numerous images.
The last two images sizzle in arcs of electricity as the spear and kukri strike Nahum, much to his displeasure, though they don't seem to do him any damage as Nahum's skin seems as solid as stone.
The shadow beast leaps at the Asura as Nahum's body regenerates from the battering.
The shadow beast rakes and claws but doesn't seem to deal anything significant from the Upasunda.
Nahum meanwhile rears back to hurl another lightning bolt as Terry pelts him with magical missiles.
Nahum loses the spell as he is quickly surrounded. He draws his spider-leg sickle. and faces Terry. "If that is the way it must be then so be it."
Terry (56/56; 5 images)
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Nahum (-29; 7 hits)
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Grinner (22/51; 1 Con Damage; 1 Con Drain)*
Grimnir (55/84; -4 Str)(Stone Servant 49/49)*
Gerard (50/50; shaken)
Grinner activates his Touch of Flame and holds the charge.
He climbs up the wall to a height of five feet and delivers the touch.
"Pin him and make sure he does't cast any spells!"
The Upasunda obeys the command and moves in with his many arms for the grapple.
Terry casts Shocking Grasp defensively (auto success) and uses spell combat to 5' step in and attack the, hopefully, grappled caster.
+8/1d6+12 Rapier, +1 (Bane vs. undead)
, +bonuses for grappled condition
, +bonuses for grappled condition
, +bonuses for grappled condition
, +bonuses for grappled condition
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Some magical forces seem to protect Grinner from gripping Nahum's flesh and he narrowly avoids the flames.
The Upasunda dives in at Nahum and grapples the man. Terry moves in to end this but only manages to land a single blow into Nahum's shoulder. The blade itself doesn't do nearly as much damage as Terry would have thought but the electricity sure does the job.
Terry (56/56; 5 images)
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Nahum (-58)
---------------------------------
Grinner (44/51; 1 Con Damage; 1 Con Drain)*
Grimnir (55/84; -4 Str)(Stone Servant 49/49)*
Gerard (50/50; shaken)
Gerard moves 10' closer and casts Murderous Command on Nahum, trying to get him to attack his summoned creature.
[ooc]DC 16 Will to Resist. [/ooc[
Grimnir swings with all his might, but his sapped strength means each blow is less resounding.
His stone servant also rumbles forward and slams into the enemy.
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Nahum struggles as much as possible. "This won't be the end. It can't be....." he is quickly cut off as Grimnir smashes his head in with his spiked flail. Nahum falls limply to the ground as his summoned shadow beast melds back into the realm of shadows.
It requires more than Nahum’s death to stop the dreamstone’s radiance. To end the nightmare plague once and for all, the group must perform the breach the veil of dreams occult ritual while in the dreamscape and within the radius of the stone’s vision of Hell effect. All of the items for the ritual are found within the dreamscape with ease.
At the close of the ceremony in the midst of the visions of cataclysm, Grinner uses the Clavis Somnus to unlock the portal they have drawn. They then drop the dreamstone into the portal, and shut the door behind it, destroying the artifact as it diffuses into the Dimension of Dreams and is forever lost.
Immediately upon completing the task, the stability granted to this dreamscape by the dreamstone begins to erode, as ethereal winds whisk the house—and the entire dreamscape—into the depths of the Dimension of Dreams.
Concentration
Remember that each round buys you a +1.
Terrys actions:
1) If Grinner sticks around to channel a few turns, Terry will wait until he stops, use his wand of infernal healing on Grinner, and then start attempting to leave.
2) If Grinner leaves but leaves the wand of CMW with Terry, he will cast infernal healing on Grinner, then spend two rounds trying to cast CMW on Grimnir from the wand, and then leave.
3) If Grinner leaves right away without the wand, Terry will cast Infernal Healing on Grimnir and then leave ASAP.
UMD rolls:
, heals for
, heals for
Concentration rolls:
; well then, no problem there.
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One by one you are each torn from the Dream realm and back to the Material Plane just before becoming trapped and lost for good.
With the defeat of Nahum and banish the dreamstone, the change to Bridgefront is not immediately noticeable, but in time, the citizenry’s lives return to normal. Lucid dreamers and otherwise wake from unsettled sleep exhausted at worst. They find their subsequent dreams less vivid and lucid, but ultimately less threatening.
The shiver trade is crippled, but other groups—or a criminal enterprise led by Drune that the PCs could uncover—will soon fill the vacancy left behind in the cult’s upheaval.
Sally Scrabblebones’s legend, bolstered after her time terrorizing Bridgefront’s citizens, will haunt children’s nightmares for years as parents use tales of the hag to threaten unruly kids. She’s now accompanied by a new legend: Nightmare Nahum, a sinister and shadowy figure who will frighten children into eating their vegetables and going to bed for generations forth.
Saved from her fate, Madame Carrington recovers and continues to nurture her protected flock. Meanwhile you face strange scrutiny from Bridgefront citizens; though few will know your names, many will vaguely recollect seeing you somewhere before, as if in a dream. This recognition grants you smiles and doting treatment from the people of Bridgefront, even if they don’t quite recognize the heroes who saved their neighborhood as well as the city of Korvosa!