GM Nani's Realm of the Fellnight Queen (Inactive)

Game Master Nani Z. Obringer

Asharii and Drezi, did you make a Knowledge Dungeoneering check before you read that spoiler and decided on a spell? :-P

Actually I didn't read the spoiler at all. That's a pretty standard action for Drezi if he can't see the enemy as I don't have a lot of direct offense spells and magic missile is a good universal choice.. Basing the call on what swift said.

Asharii and Drezi, did you make a Knowledge Dungeoneering check before you read that spoiler and decided on a spell? :-P

I did not read the spoiler - it was a snapshot-post. Sometimes my characters have a preternatural knowledge of monsters :). Comes with GMing too much.

Knowledge (dungeoneering) check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Since I once more screw up my knowledge check I think it is ok that you overrule my previously posted action. At any rate I would have taken a 5' step away from the door.

It's not a big deal, I didn't mean to be accusatory or anything. Go ahead and keep your action, Asharii. I'm going to keep watching for a bit...looking to see other actions before I resolve the round.

No worries Nani, that's why we call GM's judges, and the worst meta offenders are other GMs. :)
Drezi Magic Missiles the ****** out of any wisp that dares appear! "This will be the last willow it ever dares wisp!"

Round 2 -- Inspire Courage +2 attacks / Damage / to saves vs. fear

Oggie yells back
"Damn right Valorian! This is for damn sure some type of fey shenanagins. I say we pound that purple ball until it goes flat. I think we are just the folks for that job."

As his allies shout warnings, oaths, and incantations, Jokhas calmly strolls in a circle, every once and a while listening to nothing in particular. More hand-waving and bow-aiming occupies the next few seconds as the priest pulls from the bag at his side a roll of vellum illuminated with brilliant illustrations.

"As we are waiting," Jokhas remarks casually before strengthening his voice to drown out the antics of the Galtan archer, "A reading from Champions." Unrolling the scroll, he proceeds to recite liturgy without glancing at the writing for more than a fraction of a second to confirm the intonation of a critical transition or crucial accent.[/b]

"Helm in hand, Gortimin gazed upon his soldiers,
The glint of iron armor and steel blades muted in the pre-dawn.
Darkness had harried their march towards an enemy unknown,
And it was faith alone that guided their steps.

“'We have patrolled peaceful lands and pushed into idyllic hills,
Oh brave knights – crusaders each of you for a greater cause!
When you answered the True God’s call, each did so knowing
That there were many who would ignorantly resist
So glorious a dictum as His.'”

At this point Jokhas pauses to make sure that no violence has rudely interrupted the readings. Satisfied, he continues.

"He spoke at first gently then rising, his voice swelled with certainty,
And like the storm that haunts Abendego, he roared his pride
To a world that shuddered at the portents revealed
While his army stood calm in the approaching tempest’s eye.

“'When the first light of amber-lipped dawn
Following the eve of Melcat’s remembrance,
The sly enemy shall make itself known,
And My soldiers shall stand ready against the tide!

“'So spoke our True God, the God who sent Oimieran
To deliver the good news of His ascension –
The God Who Walks Among Us whose munificence
Restored the broken, welcomed the awoken,
And crushed those who would defy his holy mission!'”

"With the proclamation of Gortimin, the first fingers of day
Crept over the horizon, its warming rays trickling over a field of masks.
In each face was ignited the passion of glory to come,
And the inevitable force of morning exploded
Over an aegis of faith-tempered phalanx!"

With a sweep of his hands, Jokhas gestures evocatively, conjuring a shower of blinding light that swirls about (glitterdust). In his other hand, the vellum's writing begins to smolder, causing the entire page to curl with a smokeless heat. Pointing to the revealed spirit, he concludes,

"It seemed the enemy had arrived,
But it was the radiant revelation of Razmir
That revealed the enemy had existed all along
Yet could only be purged by a god of so strong a will.
Touching fingertips reverently to his mask,
Gortimin secured helmet to head knowing
That victory would be as easily secured that day."

Champions 1:34-40. The holy texts grow!

Readied actions go off, everyone make their rolls :) The wisp appears in A11, Map will be coming shortly. FYI, that was definitely like a minute plus of incantations, but I can count it as 3 rounds (probably only affects Oggie) :-P If you weren't already readying an action (Swift Wind) you can have something readied.

The forest itself seems to still as Jokhas speaks the Holy Texts of Razmir, every rustling leaf and calling bird as if magically compelled to silence. At the conclusion of the reading, the wisp is revealed suddenly—if it could be said to have an expression then it would certainly be one of surprise. The silence of the perfect moment is broken abruptly by the shouts of power and the twang of bowstrings.

Having neither made the knowledge check nor heard anyone shout the creature's immunities/vulnerabilities, Valorian/Shanks spring to attack.

I think Shanks can get to B/C-9/10 in a single move and still be able to attack. If so...

Valorian will move to E7 and fire...

Readied magic missile: 4d4 + 4 ⇒ (1, 2, 2, 1) + 4 = 10

Readied magic missile: 4d4 + 4 ⇒ (1, 1, 3, 4) + 4 = 13

Round 5 -- Inspire Courage +2 attacks / Damage / to saves vs. fear

Oggie continues urging on his companions as he rapidly sends 2 arrows down range at the Will-o-wisp.

The air itself appears to roil and churn ahead of his shots.

I'm assuming as, this is a readied attack I can only get one attack. The eagle is technically "delaying" as it cannot ready a charge attack. It will charge when able.

Readied Katana Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (3) + 14 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Eagle's Turn, after all the readied actions and the Will-o-wisp

Charge: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (2) + 16 = 18
Damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 4) + 3 = 8 plus staggered

Round 5: Jokhas finishes his sermon with a flourish, and a sparkling, terrifying visage is revealed just north of the party's position. Spells and arrows go flying into the fray, and Shanks, Swift Wind, and the Eagle charge into melee. The Magic Missiles fly true, and the Wisp's light flares in pain. It manages to accomplish some unbelievable aerial acrobatics and avoids all the other attacks. As the Wolfhound runs up, the creature pulses, and a crackle of electricity hits Shanks for 11 damage.

can we get an updated map?

You know it was the world's longest glitterdust because everyone else's readied actions mean that Jokhas goes last among all of the PCs. Crrrrazy!

Map uploaded, along with a picture of the Wisp. Please note that I moved the map up 2 squares to give you guys more room, so if you used to be in A11, you're now in C11 and so on. Also, Jokhas is correct, I did do the wrong initiative for him :-P (But you're not quite last because several people delayed) It was a lot of delays and readies to sort through, let me know if there are any other errors!

Since I'm not at the end of the turn, for once, I'm going to post the Wisp's actions to help anyone after him determine their actions.

Will-o-Wisp Round 6:
Delighted by the party's apparent inability to hit him and simultaneously furious that he can't go invisible, the Wisp will stay in melee (hiding behind Shanks from the archers), and zap Shanks again for 20 damage.

Round 6

Also angered by his inability to hit, Swift Wind whistles to Eagle to distract the monster. Stepping into a flank with Eagle or Shanks, he then recklessly attacks the will-o-wisp, hoping to bring it down.

Eagle Distract: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

Katana #1 Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18
Katana #2 Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Klar Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30

Klar Damage: 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (3, 3) + 5 = 11
Note: Not using combat expertise, and I am purposefully not using Shield Slam on the opponent.

Knowledge (Dungeoneering) - max 10 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

With Shanks only slightly injured at that point, Jokhas deigns to invoke Razmir's Admonishing Rebuke (ear-piercing scream).

"Aberrant creature, you have called down upon yourself Razmir's wrath!" he shouts. The wisp ignores the effects, causing Jokhas to reach a hand under his hood to scratch his head in confusion. "Are you listening, foul abomination? I said..."

"Shanks! Rear back!"
Valorian uses his hunter's trick: bolster companion as an immediate action to increase Shanks AC by +4 against the 20-point electrical attack. Even if the attack still hits, he takes only half damage.

"AAAARGH! Damn ya, fey trickster. Hold still so I kin shoot ya!"
Takes a five-foot step closer to F8

The patches of burned fur and charred flesh betray moderate wounds on Shanks, but he remains staunch in his defense of the party.
"GRRRR, ruff!

Since Valorian is at the top of the round, the results of his actions may affect others' choices:

Valorian's arrows whizz into combat, deftly avoiding Shanks. And yet, despite Valorian's skill at archery, the wisp dodges out of the way of all of his attacks. Shanks bites at the creature, and makes contact with its alien rubbery flesh, but he doesn't quite get a grip on the creature and is deflected by its tough (uh) skin.

Remember that Oggie is being inspiring, not sure if you added it in. Shanks attack still wouldn't have hit if you didn't :-( For the record, the electricity attack still hits Shanks, but you do indeed take half damage.

Seeing Jokhas begin casting spells while pointing at the creature, he yells out, "Jokhas, stop casting at it! It's immune to your magic."

Free action outside of turn to yell.

Seeing Jokhas begin casting spells while pointing at the creature, he yells out, "Jokhas, stop casting at it! It's immune to your magic."

I understand there's a touch of retcon in the air.

Immune to my magic...? Jokhas' mind registers with some shock. That is most potent a defense, but it won't be immune to Razmir's magic!

Jokhas goes through the first step of casting Razmir's Admonishing Rebuke but then halts suddenly. No! I cannot risk His full wrath here; such raw power would destroy us all!

"Foul creature," Jokhas bellows while leveling an accusing finger at the wisp and invoking the One True God's Ire. "In your defiance you risk utter destruction. Even now doom approaches..."

-2 AC, Will save DC 19 reduces the duration.

"Your doooooom! Ah ha ha ha!" he roars with combined mirth and malice while trying to remember another pertinent piece of verse that would fit this moment.

Trigger His Most Holy Chorus to extend the duration

Round 6
Determined to focus and eliminate this alien creature as quickly possible Drezi says a quick prayer to Pharasma Razmir be damned, if I don't want to die, I pray to the lady of graves and sends another stream of 4 missiles in its direction and moves behind Jokhas
4d4 + 4 ⇒ (4, 3, 3, 4) + 4 = 18
Drezi moves to d4

Drezi says a quick prayer to Pharasma Razmir be damned, if I don't want to die, I pray to the lady of graves and sends another stream of 4 missiles in its direction

Somewhere, somehow, Razmir sheds a single tear that - for his mask - falls unseen by any who would otherwise know the depth of his compassion. Pharasma joins the "real" deities and is greeted by a round of high-fives that degrades into jeering at the lonesome would-be savior of human-kind.

Round 6 -
Inspire Courage +2 compentence bonus to attacks and Damage, +2 morale bonus to saves vs. fear.
Good Hope (round 1 of 7) +2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls.
Net impact: +4 attack, +4 damage, +2 saves, +2 ability checks, +2 skill cheks

Oggies trained voice easily carries over the sounds of battle.
"Immune to magic? Well ain't that a b!%+~ but I guess that life ain't under no obligations to give us what we are expectin'."

Oggie's voice is full of the contagious passion that Galtian orators are known for.
"Yeah this world may just be chock full of faul things and there are still many dark places in it. But there is also good and light right here in this here world, and that's worth fighting for.Worth bleedin for and we all can live beyond what we think we are capable of. This is the place. This is the time. This is where swift justice will be dealt to remorseless evil.

As it was written in Sarenrae's Book of Light and Truth:
“Out of doubt, out of dark to the day's rising
I came singing into the sun, sword unsheathing.
To hope's end I rode and to heart's breaking:
Now for wrath, now for ruin and a red nightfall!”

"Let's kill us that thing!"[/b], he roars.

A flame of hope is kindled and fanned to a blazing beacon inside all of the party save Drezi.

Poor Drezi, no one loves him :P

Round 6
Magic Missile 4d4 + 4 ⇒ (2, 1, 3, 4) + 4 = 14

Asharii moves to F6

No love for either Drezi or Razmir (or Razza-ma-tazz as he is referred to round these parts)

Asharii, fingertips blazing with a hellish glow, continues to send bolt after bolt of magic missiles into the creature, puffs of purple leaking out of its wounds. Valorian's arrows whizz into combat, deftly avoiding Shanks. And yet, despite Valorian's skill at archery, the wisp dodges out of the way of all of his attacks. Drezi's missiles join the fray, and the wisp's light falters, flickering for a second. Jokhas calls upon the power of his god, and curses the foul aberration in your midst. It regathers its strength, and launches a bolt of electricity at Shanks, who is bravely holding his ground. Valorian calls to his companion, and Shanks twists out of the way, the arc of energy still dealing a glancing blow. The wolfhound, smoke and charred fur wreathing him, bites at the creature, making contact with its rubbery flesh. He is almost deflected by its tough texture, but bolstered by Oggie's words and helped by Jokhas's curse, he bites down hard. Glittering, glowing violet protoplasm gushes out of the creature, and Shanks's violent shaking sprays the stuff across the ground. Deterred by the taste, he drops its limp body, just as Swift Wind expertly smashes it with his klar.

There hear a noise behind the party, and all turn to see Devarre standing against the doorway to his cabin. He is breathing heavily, and seems weak as he stumbles a few steps towards the pit. He falls to his knees next to the pit and looks in...and simply stares for a few long moments. Slowly, painfully, he gets to his feet and looks at all of you. "Thank you for destroying that...creature." His voice is distinctly different than it was when he spoke earlier: quiet and deep as an undisturbed forest pool, and reverberating with sorrow. "I am sorry that these are the circumstances in which we meet, my friends. Even while I was inhabited by the wisp, I heard your mission and your request for help. I will do anything in my power to assist you against Rhoswen, and to restore balance to these lands."

"Hey hey! Welcome back!" calls Oggie striding towards the hermit.

Oggie offers his hand in greeting, "Good to finally meet the real Devarre."

Oggie's eyes gleam from the aftermath of the battle.
"We've heard that some Spriggans that we killed a ways back escaped from a place called the faenguard. There also this bleachling gnome called Tenzekil that we owe a beatin to that we've been trackin'. I ain't heard the name Rhoswen before but I'm guessin' she is tied up in this big ball of mess as well, huh?"

"So what can you tell us 'bout what's been wentin' on round here lately?"

Edited to fix typos

Jokhas' masked face darts back and forth between the much-diminished wisp and the much-recovered hermit, the priest's mind racing with prosaic potential.

...But I was going to quote Inevitables 3...

Slightly dejected, he wanders over to the fallen wisp before Shanks gets a chance to roll on it as if it were a particularly delectable piece of roadkill. After picking up a stick, Jokhas prods the aberration a few times before the glittery sheen melts away.

Ignoring the conversation occurring with DeVarre, Valorian stows his bow and rushes to Shanks who is gingerly licking at his wounds.
"Shanks! You fought with the bravery and ferocity of ten mountain giants."
Stroking the wolfhound's muzzle and carefully examining the wounds, Valorian attempts to clean and dress the wounds with a thick, oatmeal-like poultice from his pack.

Swift Wind checks on Eagle after the fight to make sure that her biting and clawing has not hurt the creature. Seeing Valorian do the same, and also working on healing his companion, Swift Wind nods gently at the ranger.

"Valorian, I understand. Let me take a look at him." Swift Wind kneels down at the wolf and checks his wounds as well, seeing if there is any damage that his level of magic could not heal. He then adeptly flicks his wrist as a wand appears in his hand and starts casting spells on the injured wolf, while trying to calm it.

Heal Check on Eagle: 10+6=16

Heal Check on Shanks: 10+6=16
Sense Motive: 10+17=27
Handle Animal on Shanks to calm him: 10+7=17
5 healing per wand use. Let me know how many charges to take off.

Shanks will never get that glitter out now. He'll be glittering for days and days.

"In an age Long before the rise of man, a young fey-queen named Rhoswen sought to expand her power by blending shadow magic with fey sorcery, her efforts leading her to a gloom-shrouded valley with trees as tall as mountains. Rhoswen named this the Fellnight Realm and made it her lair, twisting every living creature with her shadow-sorcery. In disgust, other beings of the First World severed her lands from their own, trapping her in her own demiplane where she has languished ever since, seething at the insult. The court of the fey kings and queens built a powerful circle of mystic ward stones around the Fellnight Realm, a prison called the Faenguard. Rhoswen must have found some way to weaken the ward...sending her minions into our world to wreck havoc. If she finds a way to break the Faenguard completely...then I know not what would come to pass. If I had to predict the worst, then perhaps her realm would merge with the material plane, releasing her and all of her minions."

Devarre looks somberly at all of you. "If you would give me but a moment, I could perform a ritual to locate the source of the mist. Perhaps it would lead you to the Fellnight Realm, and to a solution." The Druid takes a moment and casts a few spells on himself, pulling out a spring of holly and mistletoe and pressing them to his chest. Then, he looks to the party for their acquiescence, and clears a small circle of grass in his front yard. He goes into his hut and brings back a forked stick, covered in carvings and adorned with feathers and bone beads. He slowly walks around the circle of grass, his eyes closed in deep meditation.

Spellcraft check 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23

Asharii observes Devarre's spells and rituals. She walks up to his side and quietly asks "Is this fey-queen really someone we should be worried about? I mean... what resources does she posses that could threaten these lands?"

After healing Shanks, Swift Wind moves close to the area where the druid is casting his spell. He calls over Eagle, and the bird flies to his outstretched arm. Swift Wind then patiently waits for the Druid to finish his rituals.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Oggie leans in and whispers to Swiftwind as the Druid continues his ritual,
"He done cast some spells to heal him self up like. Most likely from bein' possessed by the wisp. Possession is right nasty stuff. Now he's all talkin' to nature to find out where the mist is comin' from."

"I am right damn glad you are here. It's comfortin' to know that I'm travelling with good people."

After a few minutes, Devarre opens his eyes and blinks a few times. "The source of the mist is sixteen miles to the northwest. If you go up the river you will soon reach a set of waterfalls known colloquially as 'Dead Man's Drop'. There, deep in the upper pool of the tallest waterfall, you will find a set of stones. I feel a deep disturbance emanating from them...they are twisting the ley lines of the earth and pulsing with dark energy. I also sense some unnatural presences in the area...you would do well to be on your guard. As far as the threat that Queen Rhoswen poses...if the legends about her are true, then she is a powerful mage in her own right, full of dark arcane abilities. What I fear more however, is her armies. If what we suspect is true...that she is attempting to merge the Fellnight Realm with ours, then there could be utter devastation as her forces course through the forest. Just imagine, spriggans spreading out from these woods in every direction. Every fey mound, habitat, and rural village put to torch and brand. She has powerful, deadly and insidious allies...much like the one you destroyed. I fear her threat very much my friends."

He stares sorrowfully at the party, and then again towards the pit. "I would be happy to resupply you with what humble offerings I have. Then...I would very much so like to be alone. I will continue to work to assist you in your absence, and see what more I can learn to help you on your quest."

Devarre provides the party with as much rations as you need, as well as any healing spellcasting. He then politely sends the party in the right direction, and you leave him as he begins tying a rope around the tree near his house.

The journey to the waterfall passes uneventfully.The creek grows wider and faster the farther upstream you go. Eventually, the banks level off into a small pool filled with sharp boulders at the base of a fifty-foot waterfall.

<<Map: Dead Man's Drop>>
You are currently at E1

"While the eastern pass looks tempting it is a perfect ambush site. I would not go that way without proper reconnaissance. Swift Wind and Valorian do you two feel up to it?" she throws the two northerners a wide smile. "Otherwise I would suggest crossing to the north bank and approaching the mystical stones, or whatever we are looking for, from the west"

It is apparent that the prospect of doing battle has Asharii excited. She unsheaths her scimitar.

Nani, has the party rested on its way to the Dead Man's Drop?

I was assuming that you guys rested

Changing up the spells memorized
Mage Armor and False Life upon reaching the area 1d10 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Poking a finger under his mask to scratch at an itch, Jokhas remarks, "It would be but a simple task to divine whether foes lie in wait. I shall send out a sensor." He then waves a hand towards the eastern pass and begins to "scry" through an invisible force (no spellcasting).

Also changing up one spell prepared slightly.

When they reach the bottom of the waterfall, Swift Wind lifts out his left arm and whistles softly at the Eagle. Moments later the bird leaps off of its perch and flies high into the air, flying initially away from the waterfall, and then towards it.

"Eagle will tell us whether there are creatures that lie in wait for us up above." He pauses a moment and then looks at the other side of the waterfall, rife with the treeline above. "The path could be an ambush... that is true. If it were only Valorian and I, the path would be the worst route possible. However, I don't believe the forest is the best place for all of you. You will be slow within the trees, losing sight of your target, and it gives no easy way of escape. Even worse, if the gnome is here he can cause the trees to rise up and fight against us. I have a bond with nature, but his domination over it is stronger."

Swift pauses, ever so briefly before continuing, "No, the path made of rock and dirt is the best for all of us." At this Swift Wind, hunches down, picking up dirt from the ground, spreading it over his armor while speaking words of the forest. He then pulls out a sprig of holly making an odd swirl across one of the runes on his body. The rune grows somewhat and then the growth spreads to the rest of the tattoos on his body.

The shoanti stands up after this, readying his klar and katana, looking up and waiting for his companion to report back.

The Eagle returns after a moment of scouting high in the sky, and indicates that there are no enemies ahead.

"Swifty, your words ring true. I would say we wait for nightfall, but again, our limited vision may be more a hindrance than the gain we get for a stealthy approach. There's no tellin' what sort of evil fey trickery awaits us. But, I would suggest that we approach cautiously. Perhaps, some of our party should fall back a bit to prevent us all falling into some fey trap."

Valorian draws his bow and nochs a cold iron arrow. He keeps Shanks heeling close by.

"I would remind you that fey have keen eyes in the darkness. Not only would darkness be a disadvantage, but it would be to their advantage," Jokhas adds to Valorian's words. "Waiting until nightfall will give Rhoswen's army all the more time to assemble. I can readily fly to aid us wherever we are in greatest need, but I defer to the expertise of wiser woodsmen than I."

Sorry Jokhas, somehow I completely missed your post earlier, otherwise I would have replied!

As the party stands around, eagle and scrying sensor sent forth to detect for any hidden foes, they notice that the mist around them seems to be growing thicker. The omnipresent fog seems to pour thickly from the upper waterfall, a wave of if engulfing the party. For a moment, you can barely see your hand in front of your face. Then, the wave of mist passes, and it is back to "normal". The eagle returns and reports nothing out of the ordinary, shaking the dew off its feathers.

Chuckling slightly after making this remark, Jokhas appends his earlier statement. "It appears there is someone waiting for us - or something. An aquatic menace nearly invisible but for its malicious movements lurks beneath the surface, and Razmir has seen fit to reveal it."