"Chirping? Even with no bird?" Tristain backs away. "And you guys still think that this reality is real? Ha!" Tristain keeps his distance, not sure how stable this portion of the plane is.
"It might be that sanity breaks down further we get from the cell with the starting corner. We were sure of our reality there...but now as we journey to the edges of this plane, things start to break down. You know chirping with no birds. You should be careful."
"Or, bird is inside fancy cage there."
After a few moments, the birds’ song transforms into a shrill, mechanical-sounding klaxon and Tenebrynn suddenly finds herself lifted into the air somehow, up 10 feet to the room's ceiling.
"Whoa what.. whoa!" Spinning in the air, Tenebrynn lashes out and sends a plume of air toward the birdhouse. The act just causes her to wobble and spin more violently in the air, however, as she waves her arms to try and steady herself. "Not good! Make it stop please!"
Tristain tries to figure out what is going on.
Know (Arcana)
Know (Rel)
"Uh...maybe don't go in there?!"
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Tristain, you know some other planes have gravity that doesn't act like it should; perhaps that's a feature of this demiplane of horror?
Or, considering it happened in conjunction with the birds' chirping/shrieking, it could be related to that, though you're not quite sure how. That seems less likely to you than the whole demiplane of wrong gravity, though.
Kyffin/Walter looks up incredulously, "What have you found this time?" he asks as he leaves the bodies for now and goes to the cage.
He looks in to try and figure out if any of the birds are alive, or undead, or whatever - moving in some way to make the sound. He's got a very curious look on his face, but no fear.
Not yet...
Tristain ignores the strange voices in his own head that tell him that he's being irrational about the weird demiplanal gravity as if the strange voices should be listened to. There is only one response to strange voices sayings silly things: a good bonking.
Leaning against the wall, Tristain bonks as he thinks.
*bonk**bonk*
*bonk**bonk*
*bonk**bonk*
He has an idea.
"Walter, try smashing the bird cage."
"Well, I don't hear no chirping, but my ears ain't the best either. My vision ain't much better, but I don't see a living bird in that cage. Torch the whole lot of them evil stuffed things before you smash that cage. Whatever it is, if it's locked in a cage it don't need to be let out." Albert gets some oil for torching from the nearest source.
"Uhhhh... fewer questions, more smashing please! I am stuck! In the air!" Tenebrynn wobbles slowly before tumbling end over end once. "Very stuck!"
Though Kyffin/Walter has no idea what's in the cage, he'll open it up and dump out the occupants, smashing the taxidermied birds on the ground with his boot.
Looking around as Walter moves toward the cage to investigate, Al notices a couple lanterns, one of which he grabs for its oil.
"It's not alchemist's fire, but maybe it'll do?" Heinrich says, pulling out a bomb and tossing it toward the cage before Walter can get there. Most of the blast seems to be absorbed by the cages, though the birds do look slightly scorched by the flame.
A moment later, as the birds continue to screech, Al feels a slight tug upward, but he seems to be able to keep his feet on the floor as he strains downward. At the same time, whatever force was lifting Tenebrynn comes to a halt and she drops 10 feet back onto the floor, landing with a painful thud.
"Ouch!"
Tenebrynn pushes herself to her feet, brushing her wild hair back out of her face with a sweeping motion of her hand. Frowning at the cage, she sends another blast of air rocketing toward it. "Quit it!"
HP: 9/21
Nonlethal: 1
AC: 15 (13 T / 12 FF)
Fort: +6 // Ref: +6 // Will: +1 (+2 vs illusion)
Burn Accrued: 1/6
SLAs: dancing lights [X], ghost sound [ ], prestidigitation [ ], speak with animals [X]
Ongoing Effects:
Warden of Nature: +1 to hit/+2 dodge bonus vs aberrations, oozes, vermin
Foe of the Strange: +1 to saves vs aberrations, -10 to confusion results
Point Blank Shot: +1/+1
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"Yellow bellied birds, they just tried sending me flapping above." Alberts takes the lantern oil and splashes it over the trapped taxidermy. "Burn them things, burn them good, where's that Chalker fellow that likes burning stuff? Boy, get over here, if you can burn down a door and can burn them things."
Kyffin/Walter still dumps out the cage, but keeps his feet well away from the burning man as he makes a pile of the birds.
Tristain readies his long spear to stab a bird or evil bird or random anti-gravitational bird should one appear. In preparing for his thrust, the tip of the spear whizzes by Albert's ear.
to hit;
damage.
"We should be more careful near the edges of this reality. I keep tell you."
Tristain readies his long spear to stab a bird or evil bird or random anti-gravitational bird should one appear. In preparing for his thrust, the tip of the spear whizzes by Albert's ear.
1d20 + 0 ⇒ (1) + 0 = 1 to hit
You manage to destroy the birds in a paroxysm of fury and violence, which seems to put an end to the screeching and strange gravity effects.
Searching the two bodies, you discover each has a nice silver dagger, and an amulet and two potions that radiate magic.
They're potions of cure light wounds.
They're amulets of natural armor (+1).
Tristain slowly edges into the room after the cage is destroyed and things seem more calm.
"Good job, Walter. It's good that you listen to me. I'm beginning to figure this place out. The rules of this demiplane. And right now the prime rule is that the further we get from the starting corner, the more weird things are." Tristain reports as he casts Detect Magic and examines the items.
Spellcraft
Spellcraft
Perception to ID potions
Tristain will explain the items and offer them around to others.
"Walter, maybe you should take the amulet. It's good. It's very good. Maybe the creator of this plane had a nice memory of being protected and safe...like when their mom tucked them in at night, then that memory has manifested itself in the form of this amulet. I'm pretty sure that's what it is."
"Nicely ID'd there Tristain, thank you. Does anyone mind if I take one of these?" he holds up an amulet. If no one objects, he puts it on, and turns to their curious gnome.
"Looks like you took a bit of a fall there, let me see if I can help take the edge off."
"Yeah, not much of an edge. I have more healing, but, oh well, look, we need to be careful." he says knowing full well nothing could have prevented her last fall.
He heals her again
"I'm out of healing, and basically out of spells too. We might look around a little while longer, but we should probably knock off after another fight lest we stretch ourselves too thin. Maybe we can look through the documents with the rest of the day - after our next room of course."
Actually, I'm not completely sure where it is on the map either. I was going from this post (link) in which you listed our options.
But I should add, it doesn't matter to Walter where we go next. He just wants to try another area before giving up on the boy for another day. So please push us to whatever is closest to where we are now - not outside. :D
Kyffin/Walter shrugs at the group, "Well, I have to think the boy is dead. Surely he didn't go swimming in a pool of blood, and there's nothing safe about the outdoors."
"I suppose we should try the garden path, though I must admit I'm loathe to do so." he looks back outside where the last creature was and shudders a little.
Tristain picks up his longspear, nearly bonking his own toes with the butt of it, and nods at Kyffin.
"If we must, we must. Let's do a walk through, together and carefully. It probably won't be as bad as it's closer to the Cell with the Starting Corner, where reality is more defined," Tristain bucks up and follows Walter.
While he waits for others to decide on this plan of action, Tristain bonks his head against the wall as he thinks.
*bonk*
*bonk*
*bonk*
With some trepidation, you exit the room, finding rustic flagstones create a path through a bed of wilted flowers and shrubs, the foliage shriveled as if drowned by the surrounding sea of dense yellow fog. Though the unnatural mist muffles every motion, a sound like the flapping of giant wings splits through the fog bank, causing it to swirl as if seeking escape. You can barely see ahead through a driving rain, though you can tell the path curves to the left, back toward the asylum
You know the path goes about 30 feet and then re-enters the admitting room in the East Ward.
Over the other sounds, you hear digging in the earth around you and see disturbances in the mulch.
Worse, the pouring rain is hot, scalding your skin as you exit the visitor's room.
Reflex
"Ow! Ow! No! NO!!" Tristain skitters back under cover and out of the fire rain.
He'll decline to go further while it rains burning fire.
Walter/Kyffin walks out into the rain with Tristain, and likewise drops back from the heat.
"Wait, I hear digging. But surely not the boy in this weather! Must be another hostile!" he waits at the door, wondering what the group thinks about proceeding into the inferno.
"That path wraps around to the admitting room in the East Ward, can't be more than 30 feet." Albert is about to dash through the rain when Kyffin stops the party. "Digging, in that yellow funk, it ain't right." Full of suspicion, Albert starts sniffing around in the direction the Kyffin indicates the digging is coming from, even if it means venturing into the hot rain.
"Burning rain? And digging? What can dig in burning rain and not be bothered by the burning? Answer unlikely to be something we will like." Tenebrynn shakes her head, skipping back with Tristain to get out of the caustic precipitation. She fidgets impatiently as she watches Abert try to take some kind of measure of the unseen figure.
"My goodness! Every time I believe this place has ceased to amaze me, it ups its ante! What hellish thing can be digging in this?" Heinrich pulls out a flask of chemicals and fidgets with it, causing it to glow faintly.
"I ain't going back out there. Especially if it's raining fire. And digging!? The brother isn't digging in the rain and neither should we, maybe," Tristain begins to bonk so he can think about things.
*bonk*
*bonk*
*bonk*
"Maybe we can go around so we can see more without going out there. Or wait out the rain?"
As everyone else retreats back into the visitors room, Al advances alone toward the strange sound, only to see a mass of writhing, many-winged worms emerge; they have no heads other than pairs of large nostrils that make a constant, droning snorting.
They swarm over Al, painfully ripping at his flesh, which crawls under their touch.
Will
Shaken, Tristain waits to see if Albert continues to play under the worms or if he will run back to the party.
"Great horrors!" Heinrich steps back, nearly retching as the swarm appears. He flings his bomb at them!
for fire, Reflex DC 13 half on splash or 4 fire damage!
Albert shrugs off the worms and rain as he backs up and smacks the writhing horror. "Nasty buggers, did you take the boy?"
Round 1, Initiative: 4
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Silver Blanch, Cold Iron Bolts = 6/10
Conditions = None
Melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +3 Damage: Str +3
Ranged: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +1 Damage: +0 (Str +3 thrown)
Blessings (1/4) (DC 13) (Holy Strike or Powerful Healer)
Fervor (0/3) (1d6)
Spells (Caster Level 2, Concentration +4)
Once Per Day (12): Prestidigitation
Zero (12): Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Stabilize
First (13):
Kyffin watches as Al stands tall against the swarm. That’s how it’s done. he thinks with pride. He rushes back out, foolishly, into the rain to help his comrade.
(sickened)
(sickened) (sickened)
Round 1, Init 24 4+
"What? NO! Walter! Albert!?! What are you doing?!" Tristain nearly takes a tentative step into the rain, but then stops himself.
He looks more closely at the wormy mess and tries to think what he knows of it.
to hit;
blunt damage.
Round 1
They're pallid wriglers, creatures from the deepest regions of the Darklands.
Seeing Al's weapon do little more than wave through the mass of creatures, Tristain drops his spear, which clatters on the ground as he pulls out two vials. Heinrich is even quicker on the uptake, tossing a bomb toward the creatures, though it falls short, ending up splashing Al.
"Oh, I can help!" Tenebrynn calls out. "Get away from him!"
She seems to pull the air around her into her waiting hands for a moment with a dull roar and then unleashes it toward the waiting swarm, which is shoved back off Al, scattered into the fog. Unfortunately, they fly back quickly, enveloping Heinrich, Al and Walter.
Wormies: 9
Round 2, Init 4+
"Spread out you people who continue to not listen to me!" Tristain says, hefting an alchemist fire (with another available for those who wish it).
"Get out of the way!"
After others have moved (or somewhat moved), Tristain will toss a flask into the center of the swarm.
touch attack;
fire damage this round and fire damage next round.
He will then move back 15' and away from anyone else.
Albert backs away from the group and the swarm and slashes at it again, but fails miserably as he retches from the disgusting worm mass.
Round 1, Initiative: 4
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Silver Blanch, Cold Iron Bolts = 6/10
Conditions = None
Melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +3 Damage: Str +3
Ranged: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +1 Damage: +0 (Str +3 thrown)
Blessings (1/4) (DC 13) (Holy Strike or Powerful Healer)
Fervor (0/3) (1d6)
Spells (Caster Level 2, Concentration +4)
Once Per Day (12): Prestidigitation
Zero (12): Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Stabilize
First (13):
(sickened)
(sickened, swarm covered)
Having thrown his only alchemy flask, Walter realizes he’s helpless against this foe and he withdraws.
"Al, come on! There are too many of them. You can't hope to kill them by blade, but rather by fire and magic!"
As Al and Walter retreat, Tristain tosses his flask of oil, which explodes among the horrific worm things. It's followed up a moment later by another blast of air from Tenebrynn, which seems to end the battle, scattering the creatures into the burning rain.
Tristain puts away his last alchemist fire as he goes to get his dropped longspear. In picking it up, he gets it tangled in his legs and nearly pokes Walter in the stomach with first the sharp end, then the butt end, as he tries to dislodge it.
"Well, that was good. I'm still not going out there. It's fire...RAIN!" Tristain shakes his head.
"Maybe we should go back to the library and search for a while. Maybe find out Walter's deal, maybe. And then the rain might stop. Maybe."
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Silver Blanch, Cold Iron Bolts = 6/10
Conditions = None
Melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +3 Damage: Str +3
Ranged: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +1 Damage: +0 (Str +3 thrown)
Blessings (1/4) (DC 13) (Holy Strike or Powerful Healer)
Fervor (0/3) (1d6)
Spells (Caster Level 2, Concentration +4)
Once Per Day (12): Prestidigitation
Zero (12): Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Stabilize
First (13):
”I agree. I am wounded beyond my capacity to heal, and that’s not a good way to fight. I do have some scrolls and potions of healing if anyone is really hurting.”
”I say we see what we can find in the records room the rest of the day, and check back here tonight to see if the rain has cleared. I dunno, maybe wait until morning to further search the courtyard.” he says from the shelter of the room.
”Tomorrow, I think the only place we haven’t searched yet is the crimson blood wall. Maybe we can crowd under a carried table or two to avoid the worst of it and walk through to the other side… if there is another side. We should try it at least… for the boy.” he adds, though he thinks there’s no chance the child still lives. Not in this nightmarish place.
"I don't have much healing, but I can help a bit," Tristain says, waiting for the others to agree with Walter's very good ideas. "I can help one of you...just a bit."
When others are ready, Tristain will stop his bonking and head to the records room to search for info about Walter or others.