In Ustalav's fog-shrouded capital, Constable Selene wages a one-woman crusade against the things lurking in darkness. For in Caliphas, the only thing worse than the monsters without is the monster within.
Considering the proliferation of underground tunnels in this place, that is totally understandable. Wrenhyde is far enough removed from Caliphas proper that it's 'probably'/'mostly' not connected to the tunnel systems. Also, in case it wasn't made clear, Selene was able to glean enough from the notebook that she knows that the map shows the way to the caves. Walking is fine, I just wanted to make it clear that warping is an option.
Once asked about Zoathrias, the dark creeper begins tittering excitedly, practically gushing with praise for its master. <"Great One is most strongest, powerful of all shadow-born! Zoathrias is tall, and clean, and cruel like a sharp knife! He smartest, tell us what to do and we kill many surface-dwellers! If we are lucky, he lay his hand on us and we bleed ruby drops of his greatness!"> It continues in much the same way as it leads Selene along the road back toward Caliphas.
Even after several minutes of increasingly disturbing babbling about its master, the dark creeper only stops chattering when it hears the sounds of riders approaching on the road from Caliphas. Immediately, it flees off to the side toward a copse of trees as a rider on a horse passes by, heading toward Wrenhyde.
In a moment, Selene was in a furry, four-legged form instead of her usual body... and she moved with the Dark Creeper towards the copse of trees. So... her little escort was basically a psychopathic murderer and threat to any normal people she came across. She'd probably have to engineer something interesting to happen to this group someday, but for now saving a human who might've been captive was more important.
She'd taken her wolf form for a reason, of course - quite simply, it was faster. Not instant like teleportation, but for longer distances (and getting out of the way of groups of riders), it was hard to beat four legs for speed. She did want to see who this group was, though... they probably weren't related, but as an investigator, collecting various bits of information was sort of her thing.
As the rider passes by, it seems to notice some disturbance near where Selene hides, but if anything it only spurs them on to their destination.
The rest of the journey goes much the same way, dodging folks on the road as they make their way toward the coast. When the caves finally appear in the distance, The dark creeper exults in delight and makes a break for one of the yawning holes. <"Yes, yes, blessed darkness! Engulf me and banish the liiiiight!">
Was I able to note any of the rider's details as they passed?
...It would probably break his little heart to hear that the dawn came every day, huh? So did the evening, if you wanted to get technical, but most people were diurnal on the surface. The fact that morning happened tended to be more important than the fact that the evening also happened. Shrugging slightly, she followed the little creeper towards the caves. <"Where is your Great One from here?"> she inquired, figuring it wouldn't hurt to use the name the creature preferred.
Just your typical indiscriminate cloaked rider. They seemed like they were in a hurry, but they carried no saddle bags and wore no insignia.
<"Not far now! Great One is deep in the caves, far from the surface. We go where the glow rocks is!"> The creature is emboldened by the darkness, picking up the pace now that it's escaped the light. As it leads the way through the cavern, the temperature drops and the air grows a chilly. Before long, the ground beneath Selene's feet slopes downward. The way grows cramped and Selene has to duck, shimmy, and crawl to navigate some of the passages, but after awhile the caves open back up into a more comfortable network of caverns.
Along the way, the path branches off into other winding caverns, but the creature picks the path with confidence. It exposits to Selene as they hike, warning her off some paths as leading to lairs of some foul beast or another, pointing some out as the way to find various mushrooms, mosses, and other subterranean resources.
Taking one more turn, the air grows colder still, and the rocks along the way become slick with moisture. Not soon after, the reason for the cavern's sudden dampness becomes apparent, as the path opens up over a huge subterranean lake. <"We almost there now! Great One just over there, beyond the water!"> The creature points, and following its finger, Selene can make out a narrow path along the cavern wall winding around the edge of the cliff above the water, terminating in another cave opening on the other side.
<"Why don't you go first? We don't want to scare your companions, after all, and I'm sure they'll be much more relaxed if they see you ahead of me."> Selene told the little Creeper, crouching slightly to take a stance that would be better for moving along the narrow walkway. As she did so, though, wings swept out from her back once again - they'd gotten stronger over time (although why she couldn't simply make them stronger was anybody's guess - she sure didn't know), and while she couldn't actually fly with them, she could glide to a safe landing if need be. She'd considered simply warping along, but... well, see the previous comment on not scaring its companions. Not enough to make them reach for their weapons, anyway.
Acrobatics? Narrow paths make me want to roll this:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
The rider was humanoid and wearing a brown traveling cloak, but they lacked an ominous presence and personal theme music.
The dark creeper gasps in awe as Selene sprouts her fearsome wings. It never seems to get tired of her tricks. The display also attracts the notice of the cave's residents, and the cave comes alive with the sound of high-pitched screeches and the fluttering of leathery wings as a swarm of bats stirs from their perches among the stalactites. As one, they descend upon Selene and her companion, but the cloud of bats breaks at the last moment and they wheel and dart around Selene in all different directions. Rather than attack the interlopers, they seem to have recognized Selene as one of their own, bidding her welcome. Turning around, the swarm coalesces into a cloud again and returns to the ceiling to roost.
Perception DC 20:
The placid surface of the underground lake stirs just a little bit. The disturbance seems to emanate from a particular spot some ways away, neither at the edge or the center.
As she approaches the other side of the lake, Selene picks up a faint glowing light in the cavern beyond. Making her way past the mouth, Selene finds another short tunnel illuminated by studs and veins of faintly glowing crystal. At the end of the hallway is a door set into the cavern.
Knowledge (engineering) DC 5:1d6 ⇒ 1
<"There! There! Great One Zoathrias beyond the door! I go make open for you, meet Great One! Great One will be pleased, maybe even strike you if you lucky!">The dark creeper gleefully dashes to the door, the hope of a painful reward spurring it on. Rapping on the door with its knuckles, it taps out a coded sequence, and the door swings open from within. <"Great One, I have returned to you! I bring gifts!"> The creature beckons for Selene to follow it as it disappears into the room beyond.
He'd better not mean me... Selene thought, although she had enjoyed the presence of the bats. She had a bit of an affinity for them - as well as wolves and, a bit more unusually, foggy nights. Leftovers from her transformation, perhaps. She was more like a monster than she really wanted to admit... but not as much as many others would have believed. She wasn't so much a Queen of the Night as the queen's less-popular cousin who lived out on the edges of the land, and she certainly didn't consider herself to be anything other than a human with some odd, but useful, gifts.
Like this one, for example. Her eyes briefly turned red as she drew upon the reservoir of blood inside of her, enhancing her senses - her ability to perceive creatures she might consider prey, and perhaps more helpfully, the ability to sense when others were lying to her.
Activating Vampiric Senses. Lasts 3 minutes. Big boost to Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival to Spot/Follow tracks.
She didn't rush after the little creature, though, instead moving forward at her own pace... to watch for signs of trouble and see if she could detect and signs of Miregrold.
Wow, I really messed up the spoiler for that Knowledge check up there. That's the first time I managed to use the wrong tags on both ends.
Knowledge (engineering) DC 5:
That door clearly isn't a natural feature of the cavern. It must have been built by somebody.
Knowledge (engineering) DC 15:
The door appears to be recently built, perhaps a year old at most.
Perception DC 15:
With her heightened senses Selene hears a voice beyond the door, deeper and more commanding than the sycophantic whine of the creature that led her here.
<"Gifts? You had better mean the auerolyte, or you'll wish you hadn't come back here! Hand it over!"> <"Yes Great One, here is magic rock! But I do good this time, have brought you a Tall One!"> <"You brought a surface-dweller here? Fool! I said to bring 'Miregrold'> and kill the rest!"> Selene hears a muffled thump, followed by an ecstatic scream.
<"Yes, Great One, but this Tall One different! She destroy the hated light, beg me to bring her to you to feel your cruel majesty! She lusts for your power, she does, she does!">
More faintly, Selene can make out the muffled sounds of screaming beyond.
<"What's that, 'Miregrold'? Is she one of yours? Another one of your assistants coming here like a lamb being led to the slaughter?"> The voice laughs sadistically. <"Very well, bring her to me. She will pay witness to the final fruits of her futile labor, and share in her master's final comeuppance.">
A few moments pass and the creature pokes its head around the door. <"Come in, come in! Great One Zoathrias pays you welcome, invites you to bathe in his dark excellence! There will be fruit, and maybe mushrooms!"> The prospect of mushrooms has the creature very excited and it comes out to meet Selene, pushing her toward the door from behind.
Untrained Know Engineering (Can't hit above DC 10):1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13 Aaaand can't fail that Perception check. XD
Know Nature (Underdark food and, more importantly, the odds of their mushrooms being poisonous to her?):1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
Selene lightly kicked out at the little Creeper - but that was mostly just a distraction as she focused on her powers and warped across the threshold, spreading her wings wide the moment she appeared. A little frightening would do well here, she suspected, and dramatic flair never hurt that...
<"Do you think I'm deaf?"> she asked scornfully. <"And an assistant to Miregold? Really? You're lucky I don't simply rip out your throat for that."> she held up her hand, and her nails abruptly morphed into jagged claws. <"I saved your incompetent little minion for reasons of my own. Do not test my patience any further, or I will use you as an object lesson and teach these other maggots what true suffering looks like.">
Miregrold's notes will give you an ad-hoc +2 bonus to knowledge checks pertaining to the Darklands and a +4 regarding the dark folk.
Knowledge (nature):
From what she's gleaned from Miregrold's notes on the subject, there are various fungi and edible mosses in the Darklands, and some lakes have fish in them. Any mushrooms that the dark folk consume are unlikely to be poisonous to surface dwellers. The mushroom bit was a joke. The dark creeper simply misunderstood the turn of phrase about the 'final fruits'.
As she appears in the room, Selene gets a good look around the place. Gently lit by the same sorts of glowing crystals in the wall, the room is some seventy feet wide and a hundred feet long, though irregular in shape. Though naturally formed, the walls and floors of this room
are secured and reinforced with additional construction. It appears as though these newer structures were recently partially torn down. At the chamber’s heart lies a crude and massive machine-like device. It consists of a large stone and iron tank fitted on a crossbar to a disk plated with reflective metals. Strings and cables, threaded through the device in intricate cat’s cradles, secure delicate and precisely oriented refractive devices.
Perception DC 15:
There appears to be a humanoid figure lashed to the top of the large device. The figure, nearly naked, is covered in bleeding lacerations.
Before Selene stands a taller figure. It resembles the dark creeper, but its clothes are immaculately clean and its face is covered in wraps underneath a shallow hood. A nose much thinner than the dark creeper's beak-like schnoz protrudes from the wraps underneath cruel, intelligent eyes. It wears a single short sword on a belt naked at its waist, but the blade appears discolored by some coating.
<"What is this?!"> The creature balks at Selene's sudden appearance, but taking in the sight of her his attitude shifts. <"A 'strigoi'! Certainly you are no mere surface-dweller,"> it says, placating. <"My simple-minded slave must have mistaken you for some lesser being. There will be punishment later. A wonder you were not mistaken for some great demoness with those magnificent wings!"> The creature gestures at Selene, tracing the shape of her wings in the air with a finger. <"You come at a grand moment as I, Zoathrias, make my revenge on my hated enemy Skeldon Miregrold! My slaves shall attend to your comfort as you pay witness as my guest."> The tall creature bids you enter and starts to bark orders. More dark creepers appear to attend Selene, bearing offerings of water and mushrooms. Some of them throw themselves to the floor in a dogpile, begging her to sit on them.
Knowledge (religion) DC 20:
Strigoi is a very old word, long since fallen out of common use. It is synonymous with vampire.
Knowledge (religion) DC 30:
Strigoi are creatures related to, but distinct from, vampires.
Selene fixed the Dark Stalker with a faintly amused expression. <"You call this revenge?"> she asked, firmly booting one of the Dark Creepers that moved over to her away. Hey, they seemed to like it - and that sort of thing was expected of the guise she was taking. <"Actually, looking closer... your work with the knife isn't too bad. I can appreciate good craftsmanship. Unfortunately, much as I'd like to let you kill him, this man has put me through a fair bit of trouble as well... and I have vengeance of my own to exact."> Admittedly, that was probably nothing like what the Darkfolk imagined, but it was technically true. Given the way her bosses were, she'd long since learned how to strongly imply one thing while actually saying something completely different. And in this case, the journal she'd found meant she was going to enjoy nailing him with a few charges he couldn't escape from. <"Tell me, Zoathrias, how would you like an even greater revenge than you already have planned? Give this man to me, and I can assure you, he will suffer as you've never even imagined he would. 'Tis a bit of a shame you won't be doing it yourself, but the added agony should more than make up for it, no? And he's already been cut so well.">
As she spoke, she was careful to keep her transformation maintained. It was certainly helping so far...
Diplomacy (Persuade them to give Miregrold to her):1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
As Selene takes a closer look at Miregrold, she notices that much of the blood doesn't come from any serious cuts. Aside from a few cuts, his body is riddled with hundreds of needle-width crystalline shunts. Many have broken, reddening and blistering the skin.
Heal DC 15:
Based on the abuse he's taken, Miregrold should be dead. Some of the wounds have the looks of healing and repeated trauma.
At the suggestion that he might hand over Miregrold, Zoathrias bristles. <"Surely we are not the only two that might want revenge on 'Miregrold' but he is my prisoner and revenge belongs to nobody else!"> He turns back to Miregrold and takes a step before pausing. Looking back at Selene, he narrows his eyes, his interest piqued. <"What did you have in mind?">
<"We're the only two that are here - and that's the part that really matters, don't you think?"> Selene answered smoothly. She wasn't actually that practiced at bluffing... but she'd do what she needed to in order to get the job done. <"To start with, I was thinking about destroying his reputation. Letting those he associated with know that he failed, crossed the line, and lost everything because he wasn't as smart as he should have been. It'll help keep others in line, too, and I always did favor solving multiple problems at once. People feel the pain of loss quite acutely, you know - and it will make his suffering all the more intense once he knows about it. After that, I was thinking about putting him in with other commoners, to drive home that he isn't special, he never was, and now there's nothing at all he'll be able to do about it, even as he's punished and healed so much that he actually starts to look forward to the pain because there's so little of him left. Every now and then he'll get just a little bit of hope, since the possibility of freedom is often all that cattle need to suffer any other punishment. You've shown how to destroy his body - I plan to crush his soul. Death is only the beginning, and with the right... talent... a fool's suffering can be extended long past the pain of their body.">
Zoathrias stares at Selene, incredulous. <"His reputation? That is your great revenge? You truly think something as simple as pride can wound as deeply as my knife?"> Zoathrias stands in silence for awhile, raising a hand to stroke his covered face with long, thin fingers.
<"As my guest, I will grant you this favor. I was running out of ways to keep him alive anyway. You may have him when I am finished with this,"> he says, producing a piece of yellow crystal from his many layers of cloth. <"And I promise, it shall be most humiliating for him. This machine was my enemy's greatest achievement."> He gestures grandly at the machine and approaches it. <"With the power of this crystal, he sought create a light brighter than any other! Surely he intended to use it to defeat me once and for all. But we have made some modifications,"> he says, cackling. Reaching the machine, he places the crystal into a slot on the device, apparently meant for the purpose. As he does, Miregrold begins thrashing against his bonds atop the machine, his screams muffled by his gag. [B]<"Instead of creating light, it will give birth to darkness so powerful that I may finally return to the Shadow Plane! Yes, my enemy, the time has come! I will turn your greatest creation against you, and then my victory will be complete!"> At his proclamation, the dark creepers as cheer and clap their vile little hands, enraptured.
I'll give Selene a round to act if she chooses to, before Zoathrias throws the switch.
Well, his reputation was the start. XD Alas, he clearly has no taste when it comes to true punishment.
Going to the Shadow Plane would be... inconvenient. Her powers were useful, but didn't include an easy way home from that realm.
Know Arcane (Is there any way I can screw with the machine and make it do light instead? Among other things, I'm pretty sure I can selectively break a part of it, if that would work. XD):1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
From what Selene can tell, the machine is a scaled-up version of the contraption in Miregrold's workroom. From what she was able to pick up by skimming the notes (+4 added to the Knowledge check), the machine is powered by sunrods, all of which seem to be in place. Its specific function has something to do with alchemical control rings, but this machine has been modified somehow. Without more time and a closer examination, it's impossible to be sure that the machine can be restored to its original function, but removing the power source might do the trick.
Knowledge check was too low to know precisely what might have been changed and how to undo it, but high enough to reveal a method of disabling it.
As the Creeper reached out, Selene focused on the powers within her, putting one hand behind her back as she did so. She had several different energies, and it was hard to really describe them to others... but one was buried deeper, and yet shined brighter, than any other. Space fluxed slightly - and right before the machine was touched, the power source simply vanished from its place in the machine and reappeared in her hidden hand.
Expending one use of Mythic Power for Wild Arcana, casting Telekinesis: Call to Hand. This moves one unattended object (in this case, the power source) instantly to her hand.
See, that's even better. The power source comes from the sunrods, but if you can grab the crystal from the machine, there's no reason to bother with anything else.
With a small pop of rushing air, the aureolyte crystal appears in Selene's hand. Despite its soft glow, it is cool to the touch. Seeing the chunk of aureolyte in Selene's hand, Zoathrias does a double-take. <"What is the meaning of this?!"> he exclaims. <"What game are you playing at, 'strigoi'? Do you hate your home so much that you would prevent my passage?"> He holds out his hand, demanding the crystal back. <"Give me the aureolyte now and be gone from here. You will not have Miregrold!">
Aww, man, I was hoping to have him flip the switch. XD Well, if you want something done... though her hand was behind her back for a reason. I didn't really want him to notice she had it. XD;
Selene simply vanished from where she'd been, reappearing next to the machine and casually flicking the switch now that the converter, which was apparently meant to turn light to darkness, was gone. <"...You seem to be misunderstanding something on a rather fundamental level."> she observed. <"Trust me, there is nothing mere about me."> ...Except maybe her rank with the city's police... awkward cough.
Standard: Warp over. Move Action: Flip the switch. XD
That's my bad, I overlooked the part about it being behind her back. I'll throw two versions of events down - one retcon with the crystal hidden, one progressing from Selene throwing the switch. Just let me know if you're going with Version 1 or 2. If you decide to progress, I'll get a combat map thrown up.
Version 1 (Retcon):
With a small pop of rushing air, the aureolyte crystal appears in Selene's hand. Despite its soft glow, it is cool to the touch.
1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
Zoathrias doesn't seem to notice the missing aureolyte. Wrapped up in his own gloating, he throws the switch on the machine. Sunrods, five in all, begin to glow in their slots around the machine, and the device hums gently.
1d10 ⇒ 2
For a few moments, the machine seems to be working, but it produces neither blinding light nor deep shadow. Suddenly, the gently hum picks up into a high-pitched whir and the five sunrods go dark, completely drained of power.
<"What?! No, this cannot be!"> Zoathrias roars and starts frantically checking the machine, examining the sunrods and various settings and switches on the machine's housing.
1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19
<"Where is the crystal?! Find it!"> At their master's command, the dark creepers run around the room, frantically searching for the crystal. Some check around the machine, some scour the ground, some check themselves or each other. <"You, 'strigoi', find my crystal! You do not get 'Miregrold' until I have the auerolyte!">
Version 2 (Progressing):
1d10 ⇒ 5
As Selene flips the switch, five sunrods placed into slots around the device light up, glowing gently. The machine emits a sparking sound and three of the sunrods glow very brightly while the other two brighten and dim repeatedly. Suddenly, with a loud POP, all of the sunrods go dark and the machine dies.
Zoathrias glares at Selene and draws his weapon. He screams, <"Take her!"> and the dark creepers turn toward Selene with murderous intent.
Initiative 23- Dark creeper troop 11- Selene 11- Zoathrias
As the dark creepers form up and scamper toward Selene with weapons drawn, the world loses color as Selene's darkvision kicks in. The mob's assault is disorganized, but they manage to surround Selene, stabbing at her with crude blades. Selene takes 6 damage (8 damage subtracted 2 for natural armor bonus. Further armor bonuses from Selene's magic will provide further damage reduction).
Troop attack:2d6 + 4 ⇒ (2, 2) + 4 = 8 Troops do automatic damage each round as long as they're in range.
For good or for ill, hiding it was my original plan. XD I feel like I should roll with that.
As the Creepers moved around, Selene's form changed, and she landed on four furry paws. The wolf form was one of her favorites, but more usefully, the things she was carrying melded into the new form. She padded forward and sniffed at the machine a few times, then whirled and stared intently at the entrance to the area, growling audibly. Hopefully, the Creepers knew how to take a cue... although if none of them moved fast enough, she'd go as far as darting over to the door and encouraging them to rush out. Really, she only needed their gaze off of her for a few seconds, but it ought to serve as a good enough distraction for now.
As Selene changes, the dark creepers startle and give her a wide berth, even as they run around frantically looking for the aureolyte. At her signal, a few of them head for the door to investigate. Meanwhile, the others have spread to all corners of the vast cavern in search of the crystal.
<"This is your doing, isn't it, my enemy?"> Turning back, Selene sees that Zoathrias has climbed up the machine and is now looming over Miregrold with his sword poised to strike. <"Tell me what you've done, 'Miregrold' and I will make your death quick!"> For his part, Miregrold only sputters and screams with pain.
Selene returned to her human form, sneakily stashing the crystal in her bag as she shapeshifted back. The fact that Zoathrias was focused on Miregrold made it much easier. <"Oh, don't be stupid. He can barely even think right now, much less act against you. I suspect it was someone else interested in him - from the city, maybe, or his estate."> Well, she wasn't wrong... <"Give it up, Zoathrias - whoever attacked you probably has friends, and I'm not inclined to simply wait here for you to fix your machine, especially since they might be able to attack in force soon enough. Your revenge is already spoiled, but you still have the chance to gain my goodwill and make the best of a deteriorating situation. It may not be what you want, but it's the best you're going to get.">
Zoathrias whips his head around and scowls at Selene. <"You!"> He jumps down from his perch on the machine and makes a step toward her. Suddenly, he drops to his knees, clutching his head with both hands. He mutters under his breath, snarling and whimpering.
Sense Motive DC 20:
He seems to be fighting with himself, as though he isn't in control of his own actions.
<"No, no others here but you, 'strigoi'! I do not know how, but if not 'Miregrold', it must be you!"> Standing to his feet, he screams something in an unintelligible language, and the other dark creepers in the cavern immediately turn their attention on Selene.
The combat map has been updated. Feel free to position Selene where you'd like. It's going to take the Dark Creepers a round to form up before they're capable of attacking.
Selene's body twisted again - really, shapeshifting was basically breathing to her - and she landed on all fours in a combat form. Rather than rushing over to claw him, however, Selene simply opened her mouth wide - and a dark bolt of energy soared out of it and towards the leader of the group. Normally, her ranged blasts were just some casual offense... but she had some other options as well, and pushed some energy into her blast as she launched it. The goal here was simple - weaken their leader to make him easier to take out.
Death (Drain), Ranged Touch Attack:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24For 1 Negative Level, No Save
Current Transformation: Animalistic Transformation. 1 Bite (Form), 2 Claws (Bestial Trait), 2 Hooves (Trait). Scent, 40 ft Land Speed, +2 Natural Armor Bonus. Expending 1 Spell Point to let it last without concentration.
Round 1 10 - Selene X 10 - Dark Creeper troop X 6 - Zoathrias X
Zoathrias gasps as he's struck by Selene's dark powers. <"The kiss of the 'strigoi'! A foul curse! But even 'strigoi' must fear the dark,"> he says, cackling.
The dark creepers converge on the wolf with murderous intent and the room suddenly goes black, obscuring Selene's vision.
Spellcraft DC 23:
The room is under the shadow of Deeper darkness.
Fortunately, her powerful nose picks up the scent of the creepers beginning to surround her. Their dirty, unwashed rags are impossible to mistake. Zoathrias is somewhere nearby, but it's impossible to pinpoint his location. He smells much cleaner, but he seems to faintly carry a strange, almost fish-like odor.
As the troop of Creepers moved in around her, Selene could smell them... and gave a canine grin as she reached into the powers within her. This time, she simply focused on the area around her... and quite simply let power shoot out in every direction. Why fight them one by one when you could go after all of them at once?
Bludgeoning Damage:5d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 2, 6, 1) = 15I believe Troops take 50% more, so that'd be something like 22 points of damage, with a Reflex DC 17 to halve.
Using Wild Arcana (which is a Supernatural ability, and so doesn't provoke AoO's... probably... XD) for a Destructive Blast with the Energy Wall talent, at CL 5. Forming a hemisphere of energy around her to blast them - and hurt them if they try to get in to hurt her.
Round 2 10 - Selene X 10 - Dark Creeper troop 6 - Zoathrias
Dark Creeper troop Reflex save:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7Not even close. They take the full 22 (damage is always rounded down except for the requisite minimum 1 damage). But at CL 5 it has a radius of up to 10 feet; I'm assuming you intended for it to have the minimum radius of 5 feet? Otherwise they'd still be able to attack Selene.
The dark creepers don't know what hit them, just that it hurt. And now, to their eyes, their quarry is tucked safely behind a wall of pain. Angrily, they scramble backward, giving the wall of pain a wide berth. As they retreat, Selene loses track of most of them.
Zoathrias's voice screams out in the darkness, somewhere toward the south of the chamber. <"Gah! More 'strigoi' tricks!"> Suddenly, his scent emerges from the haze behind Selene as he strikes out at the wall. To his surprise, his blade passes right through it, biting into Selene's flank and wracking his body with pain. Selene takes 5 damage.
Big enough to hit their squares and not her own, yeah.
<"Do you still not get it?"> Selene asked, noting the way the wall struck him. She focused, and a barrier shimmered into existence around them - hopefully prompting him to continue attacking through it and hurting himself in the process. <"There is nothing 'mere' about what I am. I tried very hard to give you a positive outcome, but since you seem inclined to foolishness... so be it.">
Defensive Casting:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21 Creating a Protection: Barrier, enveloping Selene, the Energy Wall, and Zoathrias - and hopefully keeping the troop out and away even as it prevents him from escaping. XD
For clarity, Selene still can't see anything. She knows where her energy wall and barrier are, and she can smell the precise location of Zoathrias and a couple of the dark creepers, but she can't actually see due to supernatural darkness.
Zoathrias howls with anger as Selene traps him. <"Wretch! Deceiver! I should have known never to trust a 'strigoi'!">
Selene hears the sound of something like glass being shattered or crunched, and a moment later she catches the a strong earthy scent, like dirt, dust, and rocks, followed by the sound of rocks scraping together.
Yeah, I figure she smelled accurately enough to know where to put the barrier. XD
Shrugging, she let the barrier drop, since it clearly wasn't worth keeping that going. <"You were the one who assumed that's what I was."> She vanished from where she'd been, directly bypassing the energy wall and reappearing on another side. That blow had actually hurt, so... it was definitely time to end this.
Defensive Casting, for a Warp:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20
Combat map has been updated. The blue circle is where the Energy Wall is still located. The rock is the thing that smells like rocks.
Round 4 10 - Selene X 10 - Dark Creeper troop 6 - Zoathrias 6 - ???
Warping is nothing new to Selene. The disorientation that accompanied a sudden shift in location took some getting used to, but she had adjusted quickly. Now, shifting into a place that looked exactly the same created a new kind of disorientation, but the change in the smellscape helped to keep it in check. Having displaced away, she could no longer pinpoint the Zoathrias's bloodthirsty minions.
Unfortunately, Zoathrias's smell disappears somewhere to the south, followed by the sound of blades slicing just over the top of Selene's head. I'm not finding much on how flat-footedness is affected by scent, so I'm ruling that Selene's flat-footed status doesn't change during a round (i.e. she's not flat-footed versus Zoathrias this round because she was able to pinpoint Zoathrias's location at the start of the round).
Again, Selene hears the bone-shuddering sound of rocks grinding against each other, followed by another solid blow crushing into her from below. Selene takes 12 damage.
Drat. XD Worth checking, though. ...And one of these days, I'm definitely going to find a way to see in magical darkness. x_x
After a moment of consideration, she focused on her memory of the area and carefully stepped north, then kicked out behind her in an attempt to shove open the door there. A moment later, she focused-
Defensive Casting:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18
-and called up a Barrier again, which ought to at least slow down any further attacks.
Once the case is closed, it would be worthwhile to have a short discussion about what worked and what didn't, and how you feel about the challenges presented. I'm still working out the kinks in presenting Selene with a reasonable challenge; this fight has been a very interesting test case.
Round 5 10 - Selene X 10 - Dark Creeper troop 6 - Zoathrias 6 - ???
Zoathrias's voice calls out from the darkness, taunting Selene. <"You should not have opposed me, 'strigoi'! You did not think that Zoathrias could summon the very rocks to bear against you, did you?">
As he cackles, the grinding noise starts up again, followed by what's beginning to become a familiar rumble in the ground. The ground below her shifts - whatever it is, it's underneath her. Despite all of the barriers she's put in the way, whatever it is seems to keep coming - and Selene keeps getting pummeled. Selene takes 14 damage.
I've learned that one person in a sightless environment suuuuucks. XD Especially with the multitude of enemies present. Couldn't really do much of anything here... something I plan to fix in the future. o vo
At the taunting, Selene simply stepped out into the light - and vanished as she warped well away from the entrance to the chamber. That had been waaaaaaaay closer than she'd wanted, and she needed to heal up before figuring out something else to do. ...She was also fairly miffed at the way they'd been able to use the darkness to their advantage, since that was normally her environment.
Basically, trying to Warp and escape to somewhere safe. XD
Turtling up is an effective stalling tactic, but it seems ineffective for anything other than buying time. It would be more useful if you weren't alone.
Round 6 10 - Selene X 10 - Dark Creeper troop 6 - Zoathrias 6 - ???
Retreating as far as she can, Selene finds herself on the pathway around the lake, some thirty feet from the chamber. As she lets out a sigh of relief, she feels an all too familiar rumbling that seems to travel toward and then past her. Turning to follow whatever it is, she witnesses a hulking creature made of living stone step out from the wall. It seems too large to fit on the ledge; indeed it has one stone leg still in the wall and one rooted in the stone below. Its gemstone eyes glow as it roars menacingly at Selene, trapping her between itself and the chamber.
Knowledge (planes) DC 15:
This is a large earth elemental.
Knowledge (planes) DC 20:
Earth elementals can move through stone like a fish through water and are more formidable when both it and its foes are touching earth. It has a harder time against enemies that are airborne or in the water.
On the other side, the dark creepers begin to pour out of the chamber, grinning wickedly.
Know Planes:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15...Welp, I'm boned. That'd be a pretty big challenge all by itself, to say nothing of everything else here.
Aaaaand she didn't have any real way of beating such a creature, even with her Bloodlust giving her a bit of a boost. This would've been a nice time to fly, but alas, that was a little outside of her capabilities at the moment. With a shrug, she stepped five feet diagonally backward, aiming to drop down into the lake.
Acrobatics for a good dive:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Once there, she focused on her inner energy, sending a surge of healing into her body. It was a little bit, at least, and ought to help buy her a bit more time.
I've got to say, that was not how I expected things to go.
Trapped between a rock and a hard place (literally), Selene steps off the cliff and surrenders herself gracefully to the embrace of the water below.
Plunging into the chilly depths of the subterranean lake, the shock of the cold nearly drives the breath from her lungs. The sensation reminds her that, regardless of her circumstances, she's still very much alive. Focusing her powers on keeping it that way, she heals some of her wounds, easing the throbbing ache of bruises on her back and belly.
Just as she's beginning to feel better, Selene feels a disturbance in the water, a large presence swimming close by. Whirling herself around, she comes face-to-face with an immense creature. Its fish-like body is over twenty feet long with a dorsal fin, tail fin, and two pectoral fins, but four thick tentacles protrude from an alien face. Its three red eye-slits gaze directly at her.
Knowledge (dungeoneering) DC 17:
Looking the creature in the face, Selene suddenly realizes she's made a terrible mistake. She remembers the warning hidden in Miregrold's final entry - " I keep telling myself he’s never getting away from that aboleth I left him with...". Things begin to click into place, and suddenly that fishy smell on Zoathrias isn't so fishy anymore. This icthyoid abomination is an aboleth.
Selene's Will save vs DC 22:1d20 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 4 = 15
Captured in its gaze, Selene is helpless but to stare right back. She feels something brush against her mind, slithering around inside her brain. Slowly it envelops her, and soon it feels as though her mind is drowning in the wake of the creature's power.
As it begins to gently press in upon her will, something inside Selene awakens and fights back. Her will's defenses fight with the creature, but even this sudden resistance is no match and it dominates her will completely.
Having broken her will, the creature delivers its instructions. Inside her head, Selene can hear the sibilant whispers of the deep. Oddly, the deep whispers in Undercommon.
<"Return to the surface world. Take the other surface-dweller with you. Keep these things secret - no one must know of my existence. No one must know you are under my thrall. No one must know of the machine.">
...Well, this was going to suck. (And not in her usual way.)
Multiple enemies plus inability to see plus a creature with a higher CR, good defenses, and highly accurate, damaging blows - at a low level? XD I ain't surprised at all. I'm happy to fast-forward, though. That's probably for the best.
The setting sun casts a red glow over Caliphas as Selene makes her way toward Whiteshaw, drenching the city in blood. Miregrold's catatonic form hangs limp over her shoulder, but he's not the first unconscious body she's dragged to jail.
Perception DC 15:
Speaking of, Selene spots a man that looks suspiciously similar to the last unconscious body she'd booked. Barius Kent appears in front of Whiteshaw in the distance, rubbing his wrists and walking away.
Sense Motive DC 12 (after successful Perception check):
He doesn't appear to have escaped. Rather, it seems he's been released somehow.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
6:13 PM - 6th of Rova, 4717 AR Whiteshaw
"Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in," sings a mocking voice. A familiar mocking voice. Dionne."I hope that's not another innocent citizen you've brought back under false charges, Selene."
Selene looks up from her paperwork to see the familiar smirking blonde woman that matched the familar mocking voice. Dionne leaned against the wall, twirling a set of cell keys on an upraised index finger.
Investigator Dionne Wild, Caliphas's own self-styled "Thief-taker General", holds the most number of successful arrests for larceny in Whiteshaw's history, even receiving her promotion from Constable to Investigator on Countess Caliphvaso's recommendation for her service to the city. Of course, Dionne is also responsible for most of the unsuccessful arrests. Seeming to think that she's the only one allowed to bring in thieves, she spends a lot of her time examining evidence against other people's perps. If something doesn't add up, or if evidence doesn't match up with reports of missing or stolen items, she has the accused released and all charges dropped. A couple days or so later, she'll bring the same perp back in on similar charges. But hers always seem to stick, so she gets the arrest, the accolades - and the reward.
As if she didn't have her hands full stealing other people's cases, Dionne seems to have taken particular enmity with Selene ever since the Incident. In the months since, she's taken every opportunity she could to make Selene's work life unpleasant. That to-do list often includes being Selene's personal (and gleeful) bearer of bad news.
"You sure gave Mister Kent a rough time, didn't you? Next time you ought to make sure there's evidence to hold him on." Taking obvious pleasure in Selene's confusion, she tuts in mock sympathy. "Poor little Selene. I'm sure the Captain would be happy to explain just how much of a screw-up you are. He wants you to report to his office immediately. I wish I could be there to watch. Be a dear and come find me after, won't you? You know how much I love to bask in your humilation. If you're lucky, I might even take the time out of my busy schedule to show you how real policework gets done."
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
6:15 PM - 6th of Rova, 4717 AR Whiteshaw - Captain Hoptler's Office
"In!"
Behind his desk, Captain Hoptler looks even more unpleasant than he had this morning. It was fair to say he probably hadn't eaten that fly for a snack, to everyone's detriment. He glowers at her with his non-lazy eye, breathing hard through his nose. "You're familiar with a mister Barius Kent, yeah? I seem to recall a report coming across my desk this morning with your signature on it." Picking up the clearly-labeled file off his desk, he opens it dramatically, reading it out loud. "Accused of larceny. Personal effects: purse containing fifty-three gold, eighteen silver; grappling hook; set of common lock picks. Arrested for possession of stolen painting." He looks patronizingly over the report at Selene. "Sound familiar? It should, you only brought him in last night." Looking back at the report, he continues reading. "Description of stolen goods..." He makes a face at the report as he trails off, uneased by description.
Tossing the folder back on the desk, he fixes Selene in his gaze again. "It's a damned creepy painting, I'll grant you that. But there have been no reports of a stolen painting matching that description, so you've got no evidence that it was stolen. Got that? We only arrest criminals! I ought to have your badge for this, charging innocent civilians! And on your community service hours, no less!"
When he's done yelling at her, the red-faced Hoptler pants, his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth as he tries to catch his breath. Once he's calmed down, he picks the reprort back up and blows his nose into it before passing it back across the desk to Selene. "Thanks for the tissue. Now you'd better have something good on that Miregrold case, or I'll have your badge. What did you find?"
Selene raised an eyebrow at Dionne's comments. It was the Office that had put her on Kent's trail in the first place, and anyone who didn't believe such a strange and unusual painting came from something sketchy didn't understand this city as well as they should have. But, well, rivalries happened... and there were some people who simply couldn't stand those who tended to do well. "I see." Sad. That was the only thing she said to the other woman before heading into Hoptler's office.
----
"Quite a lot, sir, although I'm afraid Miregrold himself needs medical treatment before we can talk to him and wrap this up - not my doing, I might add. Managed to get himself kidnapped and almost killed by some Dark Folk, and I'm sure it's going to be a lot of fun getting a truth spell from a priest so I can testify about that bit without being called totally insane. He's also wanted - probably dead, but they might go for alive - by some people from the Jade Quarter. Most of it should be in this." she opened her storage space and thumped Miregrold's journal onto the desk. Her look through it earlier had shown some pretty solid evidence of his wrongdoings - and ought to be more than enough to nail him. "Might want to cross-check it with this address here..." she laid down the paper with the address to the casino in the Jade district, "...and look for involvements, since he apparently owes quite a lot to someone who's willing to go... extrajudicial... to get his money. I'm sure Dionne would enjoy getting to look through that."
For a moment, Hoptler actually managed to look impressed with Selene. Grabbing the journal, he leans back in his seat as he begins to page through it. "Hrm, Dark Folk, eh? I -" He's cut off mid-sentence as his office door opens suddenly.
In strides an important-looking dark-haired woman in a leather doublet. Her hair is pulled back in a tight bun, making her features appear severe. Her darker complexion marks her as having more Varisian blood than most. "That's quite enough. Hoptler, I ordered you to send her directly to me." Hoptler scowls at the intruder, but bears the interruption with quiet indignation. "But I'm sure that's what you were just about to do, weren't you." Not a question - a command. "I'll be having that, as well," she says coldly, holding her hand out for the journal.
"Watch who you go ordering about, Vashalnt," Hoptler says threateningly. "I don't report to you, and you're not the boss of me."
Clearly, she is, as he hands over the journal despite his protest. Selene gets to watch, for the first time, somebody else lording over the Captain, and the Captain having no recourse but to obey. This woman could be none other than the enigmatic Mirakas Vashalnt, the head of the Bureau of Special Affairs.
Smiling mirthlessly, she turns to Selene. "Come with me," she says, turning on her heel. Without checking to make sure she's being followed, she leads Selene through Whiteshaw to a door at the back. Not just any door - the special door, the one with the frosted glass and the unassuming letters BSA on it. As they pass through the building, all conversation hushes as people watch and stare. Dionne looks particularly slack-jawed as she stands aside to let the procession last. Only rarely did somebody come up from below, and nobody on the force, Constable or Investigator, ever went down.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
With the door closed behind them, Ms. Vashalnt silently leads Selene down a staircase to the lower level. Down here, the lights are dim, with no windows to let sunlight shine in. They pass through a hall lined with small cells on either side. Lanterns along the stone walls cast long shadows, giving the place the feeling of a proper dungeon.
Perception DC 15:
Most of the cells are empty, but Selene notices a figure lying near the back of one. In the black-and-white darkness lies the still form of Skeldon Miregrold.
Turning down a hall at the end of the cell block, the pair passes a number of other doors before entering the second-to-last one. Inside, Ms. Vashalnt's office is small, almost cramped. The center of the room is occupied by a desk, simple but well-made, with a lamp that sheds just enough light to read by. On the wall to the left sits a chest of drawers, above with hangs a street map of the city of Caliphas. The map is covered with many additional markings with small, indecipherable labels. Some seem to signify locations, though their significance is unclear. Others seem to correspond to an added network lines and passageways that don't always match up with the layout of the streets.
Perception DC 20:
While each of the markings likely has some sort of significance, a couple of them stand out to Selene for some reason. One mark, related to a set of tunnels, appears in what has to be Restoration Park. Another is placed in the Jade Quarter.
Behind her desk, Ms. Vashlnt places the journal on top of a file marked MIREGROLD, SKELDON. Sitting in the only chair, she fixes her cool gaze on Selene. "Good work bringing in Miregrold," she says, still unsmiling. Reaching into her desk, she retrieves a purse and tosses it onto the end of the desk toward Selene. It lands with the dull thud of a purse full of money. The pouch contains 100 platinum pieces bearing the crest of Ustalav.
"That's for you," she says. "I'm not used to Constables beating my agents to the punch." The woman raises the corners of her mouth in an attempt to smile, merely looking predatory instead. "Besides the journal, what else have you recovered from the manor?"
Well, Hoptler still had the address to check out, at least. So there was that. Faintly bemused, Selene followed along behind the other woman...
Know Local (How much do I know of this lady?):1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 Perception:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14 Perception:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17 Alas. XD
..but was a bit too lost in thought to pay close attention to her surroundings.
Selene left the pouch of money where it was for the moment - she wasn't quite sure why it had been offered, or if it was actually appropriate for her to take it. Hopefully, the rest of this conversation would make that clear - she had feelings about bribery, and in particular attempts to bribe her, after all.
More seriously, though, this didn't really seem like the time to mouth off. "Relatively minimal amounts, ma'am. I was there to locate Mr. Miregrold, not to seize personal possessions, although I did find an address to start a search if anything seems to be... missing. Given the contents of the journal, however, I did recover a crossbow, some gems, and eighty coins or so that I turned in upstairs. They were hidden in a secret drawer beneath his manor. If he's released, well, he won't be penniless on the streets when they're returned. If not, now he can hire a lawyer, because he's sure as heck going to need one."
The money was only intended as payment for completion of a case. A delicate, high-profile case. Whether Selene understands that is up to you, but if it was unclear I wanted to fix that. I'll have a post up in Discussion about some of the details of Caliphas's law enforcement and legal systems that should help clarify a lot of potential misunderstandings.
Knowledge (local):
The Bureau of Special Affairs, while not officially a clandestine operation, functions under a blanket of secrecy. They rarely have much overlap with Whiteshaw's normal activities, but they occasionally take over high-profile cases (usually concerning members of the nobility). Strangely, those cases never seem to result in convictions or any other formal resolution; they merely disappear.
Mirakas Vashalnt is, much like the organization she heads up, a mystery. Naturally, rumors abound. Claims that no records of a 'Mirakas Vashalnt' exits in the Maiden's Choir archives lead some to believe that she isn't from Ustalav, or that Mirakas Vashanlt is merely an alias. Some speculate that she's actually a royal assassin, or even a vampire.
Ms. Vashanlt drops the corners of her mouth as she blinks at Selene. "There is something you need to understand, Selene. Henceforth, there is no Skeldon Miregrold. We have had our eye on him for some time now, and I am certain that this book will answer any remaining questions I have about him. His fate is already sealed." Reaching out her hand, she taps her fingers on the journal's cover. "Tell me what happened in the manor. My agent arrived on the scene after you left. He ran across a group of unsavory Tiens along the road and a wrecked machine of unknown purpose in Miregrold's secret offices."
I think I still have the core for the later machine... unless she gave that back after she got Dominated? XD
"I'm afraid that someone who doesn't exist has quite a few enemies, ma'am." Selene noted. She could play along with that, though - or rather, she kind of had to, even if she did dislike departments that went around the law. "Including what's apparently a Tien casino owner who decided to seize the property for non-payment of debts and a group of Dark Folk who very much wanted him to suffer." With that, she gave a concise description of the events at the house, although she did leave out her transformations and other unsettling abilities, simply noting that she'd dealt with things. She provided particular details about how the Tian men had been acting and what they'd said their plans were, and eventually how she'd found a Dark Creeper there as well and ultimately talked it into leading her to Miregrold - again simply noting that she'd talked it into helping, and not explaining the whole Strigoi misunderstanding (as funny as it had been). It had been quite a hunt, but finding people was one of her specialties, and she would have lied if she said she hadn't been faintly amused about bearing Ms. Vashanlt's group to it.
Yes, Selene still has the aureolyte crystal. The aboleth is either unaware or unconcerned that Selene possesses it. She can either turn it over now or gloss over those details, but either way I'll include it as part of the concise description of events.
Ms. Vashalnt pays close attention as Selene recounts the events, watching and listening intently.
Sense Motive DC 20:
Selene can't help but feel that Ms. Vashalnt isn't listening for new information. Rather, it seems that she's just making sure that Selene's story matches her expectations.
Though her expression doesn't change, she seems satisfied enough. "Excellent work, Selene. The Bureau has use for talented individuals such as yourself. We'll be keeping an eye on you. You may go."
As Selene reaches for the doorknob, Ms. Vashalnt speaks up again. "One last thing. Just a piece of friendly advice - stay out of the Jade Quarter."
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Outside Ms. Vashalnt's office, Selene takes a look over her shoulder at the door at the end of the hall. Strangely, Selene gets an uncomfortable feeling of familiarity from the door, as if she'd seen it before.
Selene is free to take any actions she wishes in the halls of the Bureau. She can also return upstairs to see Dionne, or she can leave Whiteshaw for the evening and do anything else she would like to.
It's evidence, so she'd have turned it in with the rest of the stuff. XD
Sense Motive:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21
Hm. So she was trying to cross-examine things, eh? Well, that was fine. That was what the police did, after all, and it helped to keep people honest. It probably didn't hurt that she'd been honest with her report, even if she had glossed over some of the details.
For now, she simply collected her pay for the assignment and deposited it in her storage without checking the contents - that would have been quite rude, after all. She saluted to her superior a moment later, then turned and headed upstairs. The first thing to do was finish up her paperwork, and that was going to be fun given the fact that Miregrold was officially non-existent. From there, she'd see if anything else was going to come up...
If not? A couple jolts of her magic had been enough to heal her wounds, but she would have been lying if she said everything that happened today hadn't taken its toll on her. She'd-
[MADE IT OUT OF THE CAVE WITH MIREGROLD AFTER TAKING INJURIES]
-and her fangs were itchy. To put it another way... she really wanted to feed. Fortunately, there was someone who could help her with that, although they'd have to get outside the building and to someplace genuinely private first. Given Dionne's many problems and her boss' general unhappiness, she didn't feel like recovering somewhere that either of them would be a problem.
