In Darkest Times (Inactive)

Game Master Magnu123

In short, this homebrew was intended for beginner GM's. The story contains a variety of elements in sequence that gradually go through different terrains, battle situations, and other challenges to allow a DM to become familiar with the rules.


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After breathing a sigh of relief, the group move to the bodies. Teriwynth notes the lines of temporal magic floating above the body of the cheetah and Edelle and Casvian come up closer to where the man beast fell, but they cannot find it. Searching even for tracks reveals nothing. The body appears to have vanished mysteriously. It is too dark now to see, but Casvian looks out into the night. "Where did you go?" He mumbles to himself.


...so...bump?


Female Human Monk 7

Hrm, vanishing bodies? That doesn't bode well, lets go investigate the cave where they came from.
Stealth: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20


Male Half-Elf Bard 1/Wizard 6
Magnu123 wrote:
...so...bump?

Sorry, Is there anything more I can gather from the temporal aura around the bodies themselves or just that these have them as well as the ones from before.

Teriwyth sits in quiet contemplation, favoring his left side he limps over and examines the corpses of other, similar animals before finally examining the big guy.

Knowledge Nature, examining the bodies to see if they are truly animals or perhaps magical constructs of some kind. 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24


Male Half Elf Fighter 1/Sorceror 4/Dragon Disciple 2

Alric seems busy in trying to maneuver his new trophy off the roof. He opts finally for simply rolling the corpse over the edge.
Hey Casivan! Can you skin a tiger?


Teriwynth finds very similar auras permeating all of the cats. The largest cat from the rooftop has since reduced in size and evident ferocity, but a lingering aura shows you that there were a number of other spells in effect upon it. Mostly these spells were transmutations of the other subschools. Likely just some buffs for combat, he thinks.

Edelle leads an advancement into the darkness, with her lit stone held aloft to guide them. The darkness is now quite nearly complete in the night. The stars shine down upon you, but provide little practical light. They seem cold and distant, like crystals of ice forming on a great dark veil.

perception checks to go into the caves and any other actions if you want to do anything else.


Male Half Elf Fighter 1/Sorceror 4/Dragon Disciple 2

What, where you guys going? Hey, wait up! Alric jogs for a bit to catch up.


Male Human 59/66 hp Ranger(guide variant) 6

"I can skin an animal for the purpose of food, but when it comes to making clothes out of them I don't do so well."

Perception check:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18
Survival(tracking):1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20


Male Half-Elf Bard 1/Wizard 6

Teriwyth rallies himself, taking a deep breath he heads off into the darkness in the direction of Edelle's bobbing light, rapier in his right hand, his left hand trailing over the tall grass.

Let me know when I catch up


Edelle pauses at the lip of a natual causeway. Casvian confirms from the tracks that this is where the animals came from. He also notes a mixture of other animals that have recently passed through this narrow. Cloven hooves, shod horses, and several canine tracks are noted, but obvious in their absence are humanoid footprints. The rest of the group catches up at this point before heading further into the cave.


Male Half-Elf Bard 1/Wizard 6

Teriwyth waves his hand absently and calls fourth four bobbing werelights before following his party inside the cave.

Dancing Lights, 2 in front of the party and 2 in back


Male Half-Elf Bard 1/Wizard 6

So we're in the cave....anyone doing anything?

Teriwyth extends his magic senses and tries to ferret out any lingering auras.

Detect Magic, gaze sweeping the tunnel ahead.

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25


Female Human Monk 7

Are we sure that dude was real?
Eyes peeled: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15


Male Half Elf Fighter 1/Sorceror 4/Dragon Disciple 2

If it's real, we can kill it. If it's not, then it does not concern me.


Male Half-Elf Bard 1/Wizard 6

"I'm certian it was quite real, the magic invested in those creatures, especially on the big one were quite real."


There is no magical presence as you advance through the cavern. As you travel through, you come to an enclosed grotto. You hear the braying of startled horses as you come out. The creatures circle around toward the back of the grotto and stand opposite you, as though looking to challenge you from moving further.


Male Half-Elf Bard 1/Wizard 6
Magnu123 wrote:
There is no magical presence as you advance through the cavern. As you travel through, you come to an enclosed grotto. You hear the braying of startled horses as you come out. The creatures circle around toward the back of the grotto and stand opposite you, as though looking to challenge you from moving further.

"So is anyone good with animals?"

Unless we drop into combat I guess I'm just gonna keep my detect magic up, taking a break every couple minutes to rest and rub my eyes


Male Human 59/66 hp Ranger(guide variant) 6

I don't have handle animal. Is there anything I can do to try to figure out why the horses would block my path? Would I be able to try a sense motive to see if they are magically dominated?


Male Human 59/66 hp Ranger(guide variant) 6

Sense Motive:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
Wild Empathy to get the animals to let us pass: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24


Casvian can tell that these animals have been trained to guard this area. He is frankly quite impressed, knowing that horses frighten easily by their nature and it would require a skilled trainer to teach them to fight independently. Casvian then approaches the beasts, making himself seem as large as possible and begins slapping his sides with his hands and making a yipping noise, which disperses the horses.


You move across the open area and back into the darkness. The roof overhead is overgrown with withered vines. The further you move into this cave, the more litter covers the floor. Bones and bits of fur and feather, rotting chunks of plant, and a brown-black goop that is too far gone to tell. The area however is veiled with a sickly sweet smell that seems unnatural. Like someone has sprayed potent perfumes into an outhouse to mask the true nature of the smell.

You come around a bend and the piles of refuse grow here, making it difficult to walk through. The trash is almost knee deep in places, and you can see the bubbling of the heap as rats, mice and other vermin trample through it. On the far side of this pile is a light source coming from a larger room with a high roof. You can hear vaguely humanoid noised coming from that room, but the sound of the rats makes it hard to hear. As you begun to trudge through the pile, the rats begin to run across your bodies. They gradually get more aggressive as you continue until finally Alric gets fed up and crushes one against his fist. The resulting squeal causes the rest of the rats to start biting and digging in with their claws.
Initiative, fortitude saves, and actions, map will be up soon.


Male Half-Elf Bard 1/Wizard 6

Initiative: 1d20 ⇒ 9
Fortitude: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Teriwyth lets out a groan of frustration and inhales a sharp breath before beginning to recite the tale of the ratcatcher.

Time for the Pied Piper, Facinate DC 12 Willsave

Facinate:
Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 12) to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and observes the performance for as long as the bard continues to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat to the target allows the target to make a new saving throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect.


I think this will work. Here's the map.


Female Human Monk 7

mmmm google docs map goodness :) I think for movement we should write into the map where we believe we end up, it'll let everyone understand what we are trying to do better

Initiative: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Fort: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Knowing she can't effectively fight such creatures Edelle moves quickly out of the trash and on towards the light. She reaches F20


Male Human 59/66 hp Ranger(guide variant) 6

Init:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
Fort Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Knowledge check(nature):1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Knowledge check(dungeoneering):1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8


Male Half Elf Fighter 1/Sorceror 4/Dragon Disciple 2

Init 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Fort 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Alric tries to move as far down the passage as he is able (F 23), rather than keep thrashing at rats in the muck.


Round 1
17-Rats
17-Casvian
16-Edelle
10-Alric
9-Teriwynth

The rats claw, bite, and scratch at each of you, their dirty claws stinging even after the initial injury 4 damage each

Casvian searches his memory for any useful information. He recalls clearing out a bee hive using fire and smoke. His mentor told him that swarms disperse easily when they are attacked en masse. He also recalls that rats are filthy creatures that carry disease.

Edelle and Alric move out of the swarm, picking rats off of them as they go.

Teriwynth attempts to distract the rats with the power of his voice, and to his surprise, it works. The rats quell and after a moment, the biting stops and they sit docile, looking at you and sniffing the air.

In the larger chamber that Alric and Edelle have approached, they can see the top of what looks like a gigantic rose bud. The sounds of chanting has stopped, and before you stands Kronos, looking bemused. He appears different now. More energetic, perhaps younger as well. His eyes do not have the same ebony gloss as you are used to seeing.


Male Human 59/66 hp Ranger(guide variant) 6

"Lay down some mass damaging spells(AoO's), and they will go away."

Wild empathy to get the swarm to disperse: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Use a move action to step away from the swarm, 30 feet.


M Anglo Australian

I wasn't expecting to see you so soon, and you don't look like you were expecting to either. Just what is going on here?

I step 15' into the room.


Male Half Elf Fighter 1/Sorceror 4/Dragon Disciple 2

Alric is confused and doesn't like it.
Sense Motive 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (10) - 1 = 9


Male Human 59/66 hp Ranger(guide variant) 6

Did Edelle just post using the wrong name by accident?


Male Half-Elf Bard 1/Wizard 6

Teriwyth continues his tale ...four rats already hung from the nails securing the collar, and Godrun the Pieman would pay a copper for each pair... The tone of the tale changes abrubtly, whilst still being told in an epic way Teriwyth says "And while his skill was great he could not enthrall all of the rats and it did them best to make their way from such a place that put the Ratcatcher ill at ease... From there he continues with the tale.

Maintaining the story as a free Teriwyth is going to move into the room, continuing to belt such epic verses all the while using gestures to motion his companions further into the cavern where they aren't swimming in a sea of rats.


There is a pause before he speaks. Alric's initial suspicion is put at ease by this pause, something about him seems more trustworthy.
"Indeed. I did not think you would arrive here before morning light. It is no matter, however. Come in and stand over here, I will show you something important"
He gestures toward a clear area of the cavern.


Female Human Monk 7
Casvian wrote:
Did Edelle just post using the wrong name by accident?

Yes I did.

I wish the default alias could be area of forum specific . . .


Edelle Only:
You sense that something is wrong here. Maybe it's the way thay Kronos speaks, maybe it's his odd appearance, or the fact that he managed to be here so soon, but something about him seems...off. You think that his intentions are more harmful than he is letting on.


Male Human Oracle of the Heavens 20/Horizon Walker 10

I almost totally clicked on it before I read edelle only, reigned in myself however and I didn't look :)


Female Human Monk 7

Could we have a map update? Are we still in rounded conbat


Map updated. We'll run it in rounded combat for a bit longer in case Teri loses control of the rats etc.


Map


Female Human Monk 7

Where did he gesture to?
Ignoring where Kronos pointed to, Edelle walks 15' further straight towards him, saying:
"Cheap theatrics aren't going to impress us, we aren't children. As my master always said: If you want someone to learn you need to tell them 3 times. First explain what your going to tell them, then tell them and lastly remind them of what you just told them."


He gestured generally to his right, G or H 17, or 18 ish.

"You speak about how you are not a child, yet you cling to the teachings of your master. You must develop you own ideas. No one will defend you when it comes to the end. The only teachings of value are those you learn from your own experience. Now come over here and I shall teach you a real lesson. "


Male Half Elf Fighter 1/Sorceror 4/Dragon Disciple 2

Feeling a little more relaxed, Alric moves up to C 13, and leans against the wall.


Others?


Male Half-Elf Bard 1/Wizard 6
Magnu123 wrote:

Others?

Are we still in rounds?

Teriwyth continues his tale, serenading the rats until the point where he can inch his way past and out of the rodent infested trash heap. Walking past he comes upon the situation at hand. Composing himself, brushing off the lingering bits of refuse and straighting his tunic Teriwyth extends a courteous nod towards the man before glancing over his companions.

Detect Magic, first inspecting his companions for anything standing out, lingering bits of temporal magic perhaps and then finally the fellow.


Male Human 59/66 hp Ranger(guide variant) 6

I posted my action above. I am stepping away from the swarm since I have no way to attack them en masse


We are still in rounds, yes. Please pick squares to go into. Kronos is still pointing for you to gather around G/H 17/18.

Teriwynth continues to distract the rats and he and Casvian make their way into the main chamber. They are confronted by Kronos and they see the large flower across from them the size of an elephant. Kronos smiles with half a mouth as these two enter the room. The three boys note that Edelle is upset with Kronos, but they can't tell why. A reasonable assumption would be that she is defensive about her master, and is just in disagreement with his strange philosophy.

The rat swarm no longer senses a threat in their territory, and so they disperse. Teriwynth begins to cast his spell on his turn. In front of him, he notes some powerful magic auras (turn 1).


Male Human 59/66 hp Ranger(guide variant) 6

I choose G17.


Female Human Monk 7

I do not blindly rabbit the teaching of others. I don't blindly follow instructions either. To what do you owe this youthful appearance to?

Edelle walks up to H7, Bardiche still in hand.


Kronos relents in the debate to respond to your question "When one reaches a certain level of understanding about the nature of the world, the limitations of the body become only a matter of perception."
Edelle remembers these words, or something similar, from her master as well. There is an eerie similarity.


Male Half-Elf Bard 1/Wizard 6

Just poking my head in, Teriwyth is kinda just standing there at the moment. Waiting to see what edelle says.

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