In the Light of Black Stars (Strange Aeons)

Game Master Thackery Baxter J Thorington

"Kalas! She's deceived you - she's not a victim, she's a monster!" Amber cries as she brings her bow up and fires a shot at the deceitful Oathsday.

Unless I am mistaken, since I delayed (I did not actually ready an action) shouldn't Nathaniel now have a new initiative and his turn be alongside the Oldest One and Feliks, i.e. after the beastie, like in the previous round?

This...THING...must...DIE!

Hearda feels his control over the savage nature of his mind slipping, as he moves to strike the monster, his face a mask of fury.

Right you are, Nathaniel. Ok, I'll resolve your action.. can't believe i missed the damage you did.l and then you'll go with Hearda and Feliks from now on.I'll flavor text your stuff with my next summary-post

Dvarin? Kalas? Updates tomorrow

Dvarin loads his crossbow and fires it at the woman Dr. Oathsday has disguised himself as.

Sorry about the delay. I suck.

With grim determination, the necromancer loads and fires his crossbow. His work with the dead and the dark, eldritch energies that powers their flesh has steeled his resolve to the unnatural abomination before him. His aim is true, and the bolt cuts through the air, running the "Doctor" through the arm. Blood freely flows from the wound, as it spins around, cursing and snarling at the dreamers.

You will make such perfect subjects!!!! Oathsday screams in rage, gripping its ruined arm, and stemming the flow of blood.

Hearda descends on Oathsday, bringing his mace down with crushing force. But, at the last moment, the creature's flesh molds and warps, slipping out of the way like putty. Hearda only splinters the wooden table, not bone.l

Kalas! She's deceived you - she's not a victim, she's a monster!" Amber cries as she brings her bow up and fires a shot at the deceitful Oathsday. Her horror at facing yet another of the dopplegangers throws her arm wide, and the arrow sails past the monstrous doctor's eye. Despite her words, Kalas still remains under the creature's spell.

Oathday's retort is cut short as Nathaniel's sword cane slips through the air like a viper, cutting it on the leg. It snarls again and lashes out at the half-orc mystic. DIE!!!!! But, her madness confuses her aim and her swing is wide. Defend me, brave warrior! Kalas nods, and moves himself to block the others' blows.

Ok, Nathaniel, Feliks, and Oldest One UP

Damn this slow crossbow; damn my slow hands! Feliks hurried to reload again. That thing needed to die at once, before it forced them to kill Kalas.

"Kalas, listen to it speaking of subjects," Nathaniel says, trying to talk sense to the half-elven warrior as he once again attacks the creature. "Truly listen. It is no defenseless woman."

The old man hesitated. Throw a vial and risk hitting Kalas? Hold back and let the others fight alone?

Feliks?

I think Feliks said he was going to reload his crossbow.

I think Feliks said he was going to reload his crossbow.

Feliks did say that. :)

Hearda "The Mystic" wrote:

I think Feliks said he was going to reload his crossbow.

Feliks did say that. :)

Ya.. i forgot that that's an action.

Damn this slow crossbow; damn my slow hands! Feliks hurries to reload again. That thing needs to die at once, before it forces us to kill Kalas. Feliks refuses to give up hope, though, and holds his crossbow ready to strike.

Almost as if he senses Feliks' concern, the Oldest One pulls out a vial, but stays his hand from hurling its contents at the creature. Kalas is his friend, and he is loathe to hurt him.

In the center of the room, Nathaniel carries the fight for the warrior's mind. "Kalas, listen to it speaking of subjects," Nathaniel says, trying to talk sense to the half-elven warrior as he once again attacks the creature. "Truly listen. It is no defenseless woman."

Those with eldritch sight see that the vague fog lifts from the paladin's mind. He blinks and steels himself with grim determination as he turns to face the Doctor, even as Nathaniel's blade spills her blood once more.

End round.. Now back to top of Round. Dvarin, Amber, Kalas, Hearda

Hearda nods grimly at Kalas, the look in his eye all the dreamer needs to know of who their true foe is now. His mace comes crashing down again on the foul creature...

Dvarin waits, as most of his resources have been drained and he is confident that Argrade will do his duty--and he needs to keep an eye on the ghoul regardless.

Amber finds herself filled with relief as Kalas seems to finally come to his senses.

Thank the gods!

"Good...but we still need to put an end to the good 'doctor'!" she smiles, a fierce look in her eyes now as she levels her bow at Oathsday once more...

Hearda and Amber both strike at the evil doctor. But, its flesh twists and turns about their blows. None of them hit. But, Dvarin's corpse descends on the doppleganger. It gnaws and tears at the fiend's rubbery flesh, tearing away strips of gray-tinged flesh with abandon.

The doctor snarls and strikes out at Hearda. It pulls a dagger from its coat and drives forward. The mystic feels the blade slip past his ribs.

** spoiler omitted **

@Oldest One: sure. I'll resolve it with Your 2nd action and Feliks' action

Totally forgot to say this but Feliks and Oldest One are up And, sorry about the junk post. I was super-tired when I wrote it last night

Die already! Die! Feliks silently pleaded as he fired on the doctor. He fired again.

With Kalas back on their side Nathaniel can now focus on the doppelganger. Even so it seems his strike is off, his slender blade hitting nothing but air.

The mad swirling chaos filling the asylum seizes hold of Amber's bolt as it clatters against the wall behind the false doctor. It rebounds with impossible accuracy and strikes the monster wearing human flesh in the shoulder. Impossible though it may seem, it actually hurts the creature and she snarls again as blood trickles from her wound.

Feliks, somehow unseen by the creature, lashes out with his blade and stabs it deep in its thigh. She screams, and spins about to face this new threat. He alien anatomy allows her to ice even though she has been nearly hamstring by the halfling's steel. Unfortunately, the movement sets her out of the way of Nathaniel's sword cane and his blade misses completely.
everyone but Nathaniel, feliks, and Oldest One UP

Hearda feels the blood flowing down his side, and with it the heady sensation of blood loss. Knowing he could not withstand another blow like that he ducks under the Doctor's grasp and retreats out of the room, standing in front of the doorway.

Withdraw from room.

That...what just happened?

Despite her bolt's surprising success, Amber realizes that she might do better to try and influence the battle in other ways. She takes a deep breath and darts past Feliks, moving to stand next to Kalas.

"You can do this, okay? We're with you," she whispers as she touches his shoulder.

Dvarin?

Dvarin loads his crossbow and fires it at Dr. Oathsday.

Hearda feels the blood flowing down his side, and with it the heady sensation of blood loss. Knowing he could not withstand another blow like that he ducks under the Doctor's grasp and retreats out of the room, standing in front of the doorway, past a bolt fired from Dvarin's crossbow.

As he does, Kalas feels the hands of fate twist about him. His sword swings true, following the path of Dvarin's bolt. THe cut is straight and sure, and the creature slumps against the blade through its chest. Dead.

End of combat.

Hearda nods in relief as the fould Doctor is vanquished. Knowing there still may be unseen dangers about, he swiftly uncorks the healing potion recovered earlier and downs it in one gulp. As he feels the knife wound knit together he gratefully flexes his muscles in relief.

"Be careful here! No telling what other dangers lurk about!" He warns his fellow dreamers.

CLW potion: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

"Wait!" cries the old man, too late, as Hearda grabs the bottle. "I can try to treat the injured - save the potions for those who would otherwise die." He shrugs "Perhaps it doesn't matter. Perhaps we'll be out of here soon enough anyway. There cannot be an infinite amount of these things."

"Let us look around. Perhaps there are more potions - or a clue - here."

He looks to the others "I am impressed with how everyone fought. You are a fearsome group. I'm sorry I was not able to help - I didn't see how to attack without risking Kalas' life."

"He's right," Amber urges. "Let's see what we can find here before we resort to those potions. If this was Oathsday's laboratory then maybe we can find something of use here!"

She quickly begins to search around the room, though she tries her best to avoid looking at the corpse of the good 'doctor' any longer than necessary.

"A search certainly cannot hurt," Nathaniel says simply in agreement as he begins to move through the room carefully. "Do be careful though. One never knows if the good... doctor has left any traps and such behind."

Hearda shrugs slightly as he finishes downing the potion. "Perhaps that was foolish of me...perhaps not. I do know, being somewhat training in the healing arts, treating wounds does take time. Time we may not have." He then looks over the room along with the others.

"We also need to bring those guards the good Doctors' head."

The exercise room is empty save the now headless corpse of Doctor Oathsday. Moldering sheets and shattered equipment lay strewn about the blood-stained room. There is nothing worth keeping, nor is there anything left alive. A harsh scratching gradually becomes louder as the dreamers search the room. Louder and louder it grows int he silence of the room until it's practically thundering. The scratching comes from one of the empty tubs. Looking in, the dreamers spot a ghoul, half-mad with starvation clawing at the walls of the pool.

A ghoul very similar to the one standing at Dvarin's side.

You have to go back to the barricade (that's true), with three heads. but you also have a ghoul... you should take care of that problem. Btw, are you guys going back to the barricade?

The old man lights up for a moment at the rescue of an unharmed prisoner - until the twisted features staring up betray the inhuman nature of the vat's inhabitant.
"Someone... Someone put it down." the old man is revolted, but speaks aloud. "Some bolts should do it. I don't want to use my vials unless I have to. There's precious few of them left as it is."

"There's other doors. Perhaps we can find something there. There must be other survivors, surely!" He looks at the man in yellow. "I can take care of Zandalus. I can throw from the rear."

Hearda turns to face his fellow dreamer, an intense look on his face. "Perhaps this would be a good time to...introduce your friend Argade to one another?"

He does nod in agreement with the Old man. "Searching for clues as to why we are here should be our primary goal."

Amber shudders and takes a step back from the tub. "Y-yes, we have to end it...one way or another," she responds, glancing at Argade with loathing in her eyes.

And if I could, I'd end it for *you* as well.

Dvarin orders his corpse to fight the other in the bathtub. The rotting body turns and snarls in rage, no doubt it longs for the freedom to feed on living flesh once more. But, its mind is bound by the eldritch power at Dvarin's command, and the creature descends into the stone tub. The other ghoul snarls, as mad intelligence fills its eyes. It knows its fate, but, still, it refuses to succumb to that eternal sleep that claims all at the end.

No, with terrible fervor, it lashes out at Dvarin's creature, ripping open its belly and spilling out it creature's rotting putrescent innards. The creature falters, its body unable to cling to the semblance of life filling its flesh. But, enough strength remains for it to strike. As animation flees, it uses the last of its strength to strike the head off from the other ghoul. Together, the rotting corpses fall in a pile at the base of the tub. Dead once more.

Finally, the dreamers quit the room with three heads in tow. They return to the barricade and show the still dripping remains to the guards.

Feliks looked away when the ghouls tore into each other. He kept his eyes clear of the heads too.

Gods above, let this be enough.

Hearda approaches the barricade slowly, his hands up in a non threatening gesture. "We have returned with what you have asked for." As he awaits the guard's response, he eyes them closely looking for any sign of treachery.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

"Yes...and we've cleared out some ghouls as well," Amber murmurs softly, trying not to think too long on the brief but horrible fight between the two walking corpses.

"In a somewhat... distasteful way," Nathaniel remarks in an equally soft voice as Amber's, his words quite possibly reflecting the half-elven woman's thoughts if her expression is any indication.

As they wander back, the old man falls behind to the rear of the pack. When his companions look back, he straightens and waves them on, only to lean heavily on his stick when their attention returns to the fore.
He stays like that for a moment, eyes closed, then takes a deep breath and sets off with a will, gaining ground on the others.

Amber tosses a concerned look over her shoulder as the Oldest One among them seems to be falling behind. "Are you...?" she begins, but then stops as he nods and waves at them to keep going.

"Okay, if you're sure. But speak up if you need any help; there's no sense in letting pride hold sway, especially in a place like this. It just might be the end of you," she warns before turning her attention back to the path ahead and the men at the barricade.

Behind the barricade, Yorik grunts. Aye, you did at that. Let them in, let them in.

Slowly, the barricade slides past revealing a handful of ragged and very tired-looking men in orderly uniforms. They've cobbled together something that approximates armor, but only Yorik is in anything worth the title. They move to the side, and Yorik leads the dreamers and their friend, the one they call Zandalus, beyond the barricade into a short hallway. The hallway curves to the east, terminating in a red curtain beyond which the a child cries uncontrollably.

Yorik gives the curtain a sidelong glance and shakes his head. Don't pay that any mind. The crying bothers the children, so we don't let them near the curtain He leads them through a door on the left, and into what once was a chapel. Now, it's a makeshift hold-out. Beds line the walls and children are gathered at a small statue of a woman with butterfly wings and outstretched arms. A tall woman with black hair stands to the side with a throng of workers. Yorik leads the group to her and introduces her as Lady Wynter. She has a military bearing and has an aura of command and resolve about her.

Hearda eyes the self styled commander of the guards closely, wondering whether she could be trusted. Still there was only one way to find out...

She was the one who imprisoned us!

No, that is not necessarily the case...

Still, I do not trust her.

"So you are the leader of these guards right? So you know what happened here? What drove the patients here to insanity?"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Upon spotting the small statue, Amber feels a faint sense of relief and ease for the first time since waking up in their hellish prison. She moves closer to have a better look, taking care to move slowly so as not to scare the children gathered nearby.

The Old Man's strength seems to fail him as he reaches the sanctuary of the chapel. His legs give out and he collapses against a wall. His legs fold as he slides into a sitting position, knees up, head in hands.

Amber feels a connection with the statue, she senses that the goddess guiding, watching, keeping everyone safe in this world and beyond. As she looks at the statue, comforted by the woman, the Oldest One slides to the floor. For a moment, the horrors of the last day fade a way. Someone, he doesn't see who, gives him a hot cup of something that smells like tea.

Lady Wynter is a tall woman. Pale and raven-haired with brilliant violet eyes. She nods to Hearda and the other dreamers as they approach. Welcome, I had feared that there were no other survivors in these gods-forsaken halls. I've been chief of the guards here for nearly four years. Nothing like this has ever happened. That cursed fog... yellow.

Hearda senses that she's sincere, someone he can trust despite her coldness.