DM Blayde MacRonan's Giantslayer... The Strange Adventures of Team Ruby (Private Campaign) (Inactive)

Game Master Blayde MacRonan

Posting without the map about half the time is really cramping my strategery!! The javelin in hand was scheduled to be flung at orcs in my path - were these toothsome fellows in my path as I was trying to run to the barricade? I might have just tried to run their sorry green hides over, too, if I'd known they were in front of me. No melee weapon, I'm coming right over the top! :D This is not a request for retcon, mostly chattering to hear myself talk. I think my dance partner might be up, so I will wait to post his destruction. ;-) But it's imminent, and he knows it. I just need to convice the dice roller.

EDIT: Ninja'd by the DM!!! Twice!

The Erutaki Warrior Princess (tm) feels the bard's song wash over her and lets it ignite a familiar passion in her. She looks at the orc with almost-literal fire in her eyes. Dropping the javelin to free up her right hand as she spins away from his falchion, she registers pain as the bundle takes the hit for her. She completes the spin with both hands firmly on the pommel of the greatsword carried in her off-hand, adding the strength of the rage to the momentum of the spin in an attempt to send him to Pharasma's court in two distinct pieces.

Greatsword attack: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 2 = 9 +2 rage

Damage: 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (6, 6) + 6 = 18

He anticipates the move, however, and she took her eyes off her target. She finds him well out of reach as the sword whistles through where he had been a moment ago. "Desna weeps, I found a smart orc."

Having made him jump back and check his midsection for gaping wounds, she takes off for the barricade again, as far as she can get in a single move action.

I'm pretty sure you would have run them over... but they had readied actions to throw their javelins at her. And that's what held her up. You can use the javelin as an impromptu melee weapon, but that imposes a -4 penalty on the attack roll. Using the bundle as a weapon is also possible, with the same -4 penalty, but you'd get 1d6 damage plus Str-and-a-half to boot if you drop the javelin.

I can totally see her swinging the bundle around in front her like a locomotive's cowcatcher and trying to bull rush both of the freshly-disarmed orcs, but I had already typed up what I posted and already knew the result of my roll (max damage and natural 1 - I can't count the number of times I've done that), so I didn't change it.

LM: That'd be 30 feet. However, the grunt does get to make an attack of opportunity on her before she goes...

Orc Grunt AoO: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
critical confirmation roll: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
falchion damage: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (2, 2) + 4 = 8 +4 damage due to crit

Liesel-Marie has 2 hit points remaining and is at the Critical wound threshold. She takes a -3 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks, nor to AC and caster level. However, she is able to move on past her attacker. Not looking good for Team Ruby's resident bruiser.

Time to see if that other group of orcs has noticed the fighting taking place yet...

Perception check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21 DC 14

The final group of orcs in the Inner Quarter exited the building they'd been in, carrying armfuls of loot. Upon seeing what was transpiring before them, the raiding orcs dropped their ill-gotten gains and drew their weapons in preparation to do battle.

Battle Music Transition: Whatever - Our Lady Peace

Rohan: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Orc Thrashers (wield greataxe): 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20
Orc Bullies (wield double-axes): 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (16) + 0 = 16
Mesa: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Orc Grunt (wield falchion)/Woman in Black Dress: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (15) + 0 = 15
Nyym: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
Orc Grunt (wield falchion): 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (10) + 0 = 10
Liesel-Marie: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Well... if it wasn't a party before, it is now! I don't think I've rolled this many 20s in one round in a long time.

Rohan, you're up....

Why is my movement hampered this round and not last round?

Rohan spun around catching wind of what was going on and the lone survivor was creeping out from the side of Liesel, but thats ok he was wasn't going to be around for long as Rohan prepped yet another shuriken made of stone and threw it with a spinning motion to get the attention of the last Javelin thrower. His spinning motion may have caught sight of the people exiting as they were near.

perception to notice the crazy orcs exiting the building: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 DM Thanks for helping correct my skills.
Being as they are literally right there in front of Rohan he would see him with a DC 10, I am assuming as post will say the same.

Followed by a a dozen or so stone shurikens being launched from Rohan at the biggest guy in the new group. It looked like a wave of shurikens just formed up behind him and launched like missiles barrage over his head.

Attacks on guys: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24 'extended range'
-1 to AC (23 AC))on Javelin thrower Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 3 = 5
Normal AC 24, on the biggest guy from the building Big guy: 2d6 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3, 3) + 2 + 3 + 3 + 1 = 15

The shurikens flew like bombs hitting everyone that he target, whether they take damage was still unknown but the impacts were impressive to say the least. Rohan stood up from where he was after commencing an impressive show of elemental power. He decided to to tumble back to avoid the guy who was right on top of him which he knew would have caused for being attack.

"If the guy was on top of me Rohan would of given him an attack from him doing his range attacks.

Rohan quickly tries to avoid him but it may have been to late. Tumbling 15 foot back.

tumble back 15 ft(threatened roll): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18

Why is my movement hampered this round and not last round?

DM brain-fart? But, seriously, I was posting in a hurry so I could go and get ready for work (I normally don't work Saturdays), and I failed to notice the mistake I made. Your movement should be and is 40 ft. You have my most sincere apologies. The map has been updated as a result.

One of the two greataxe-wielding orcs that had come out of the building collapsed in a perforated heap under Rohan's stone shuriken assault. The other stormed across the square in the lanky human's direction, fully intent on burying his weapon in him. Moved diagonal 20 ft. and down 5 ft. for a total of 25

greataxe swing: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
greataxe damage: 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Fortunately for Rohan, the orc mis-timed his swing, planting the greataxe into the dirt at his feet right as he had come out of his backward roll.

The other pair of orcs, while bearing no great love for their lost comrade, hurried to assist with the attempted slaughter of the tall human. First orc bully moves 15 ft. diagonally and down 5 ft. for a total of 20 ft, while the other moves 20 ft. diagonally and down 10 ft. for a total of 30

orc bully 1 double-axe attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
double-axe damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
orc bully 2 double-axe attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
double-axe damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Rohan managed to keep from being hit by the first double-axe wielding orc, but the second came upon much too quickly for him to avoid the blow, which caught him across his right thigh.

Rohan has 11 hit points remaining and is at the Wounded wound threshold. He takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks, nor to AC and caster level.

Mesa, you're up...

Mesa's eyes narrow at the swarm of orcs rushing towards everyone. This was way above her pay grade, though since she wasn't really getting paid, that wasn't saying much.

Still the bard continued her music playing a lower piece with one hand as the other lifted the bottle to the end of her pipe and let the embers ignite the cloth wick.

The orcs were closer than she liked to Rohan, but she was probably better with this than she was the bow. Still she wasn't used to attacking into a fight with something. On one hand everyone would be upset with her if she accidentally hit him, on the other she couldn't do much else, and on the other hand she didn't have , she really didn't like Rohan that much any way.

Worst case scenario if she accidentally hit him she could blame the orcs.

Chucking the bottle of the Min-Ki cocktail she did her best to aim at the orc behind Rohan.

Throw: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

burn: 1d8 ⇒ 2

"Well .. at least i hit." Mesa muttered.

(10-3)=7 (21-7)=14 from DR 3 While good enough to save him some damage it still puts him in Wounded threshold. Also you didn't make mention of the Javelin thrower across the way that I targeted first?

Rohan Movement was unexpected as the man approached and took a massive hit on him though his toughened hide made it harder to penetrate and deal damage. Rohan smiled though he couldn't react yet his stance prepared for another roll to get out of these guys range before making another range attack. For a giant he was quick on his feet, but sometimes not as lucky. The ground itself started to rumble below him waiting to erupt and deliver another blast of shurikens.

"Behind Rohan" is a bit subjective, so I'm going to assume that Mesa means the one closest to her. Also, when I initially came up with the damage for a Minkai cocktail, I did that with Rabus' volatile hooch in mind, but I have a better idea...

Minkai cocktail: Treat this attack as a ranged touch attack with a range increment of 10 feet.

A direct hit deals 2d4 points of fire damage. Every creature within 5 feet of the point where the flask hits takes 2 point of fire damage from the splash. On the round following a direct hit, the target takes an additional 1d4 points of damage. If desired, the target can use a Full-Round Action to attempt to extinguish the flames before taking this additional Damage. Extinguishing the flames requires a DC 15 Reflex save. Rolling on the ground provides the target a +2 bonus on the save. Leaping into a lake or magically extinguishing the flames automatically smothers the fire.

Minkai cocktail damage: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6

So, Mesa's throw would have a -6 penalty (-2 due to the 30 ft. range, with the additional -4 due to the orc being in melee combat), but since the attack targets touch AC rather than standard, she still hit her target. This also means that Rohan takes 2 points of splash fire damage. He has 9 hit points remaining and is at the Wounded wound threshold. He takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks, nor to AC and caster level.

I also forgot to have the orc make a Will save against the woman in black's malevolence ability.

Orc Grunt's Will save: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

I think it's safe to say the orc failed its saving throw.

The woman in the black dress seemed to shudder as a pale blue fire limned its form. Moments later, the space it occupied erupted into a pale aetheric energy that rushed rapidly across the square.

The mere presence of the aetheric energy causes a prickling sensation to be felt on the skin of all the members of Team Ruby (including Mesa). As it spreads across the square, it has no effect on the orcs but for the members of the team, that's a whole other matter. I need DC 13 Will saves from everyone.

will save: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 2 = 27

"Again mentioned that I have 9 hit points left, but I actually have 12 hit points. You keep forgetting my DR 3, doesn't apply to the fire but it did to the melee attack." ಠ_ಠ

Meanwhile Rohan lets out a very very deep roar as he gets burned from Mesa Cocktail of FIERY BURN.

"MESAAAAAAAAAAA Watch where you throw that thing it BURNSSSSSSSSSS"

Will save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20 Not including bonus or penalty from Ragesong because I'm on my phone and I don't recall which it should be.

Edit: Phew! And regarding the movement, no worries at all. I was hoping it was an error - I just hoped correcting it would be in my favor...

Before I put up my next post, I need to know how much burn has Rohan accepted while using his abilities.

3 burn, at 21 hit points max for the day, 3 DR, all was used for flesh to stone.

Thanks, Rohan. Now that makes more sense to me. I'm still waiting on yours and Mesa's Will saves before I put up the results post.

will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

To keep things moving, I went and rolled Mesa's Will save (I had to do one for Kyt anyway, so it wasn't too much of a problem, though I'm not sure if I got all of the character's modifiers. Fortunately, though, she passed, so this time it doesn't matter... Now, let's get on with the post:

Even as their bodies were suffused with the fiery blue energy that had erupted from the possessed orc, the minds of the members of Team Ruby became inundated with images. The unceasing stream of information pouring into them proved to be more they could handle as one by one each person's mind began to break down, seeing themselves seemingly immersed in an unending sea of shadowy faces and umbral limbs like drowning people momentarily attempting to surface before being pulled down by others. As the prehensile extremities began to latch on to each member of Team Ruby, darkness began to seep within, tainting them as it began to envelop them individually, snuffing out whatever light they each possessed.

Nyym's Will save: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 2 = 27

Electricity began to arc out from the half-drow all around, the blue-white discharges of energy both repelling and disintegrating the appendages that sought to consume him.

Liesel-Marie's Will save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

A dome of white flame moved sluggishly away from the Erutaki Warrior Princess (tm). But though the fire itself seemed to creep along, its effects were no less devastating than those produced by her companion Nyym.

Rohan's Will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Earth and stone radiated away from Rohan in an outburst of power, with the larger pieces of elemental matter leveling and flattening any limbs they came into contact with while the smaller ones ripped through them like bullets.

Mesa's Will save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

The tiny Minkai woman became surrounded by a layer of indigo, wispy energy in the form of a lean vulpine-like creature with nine long sweeping tails that lashed out in an unruly and vicious manner, attacking anything within its reach that moved indiscriminately.

Kyt's Will save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

The elf stood in meditative repose as an enormous cloud of water vapor seeped from her body, freezing any limbs that grasped at her.

But though the aetheric energy sought to destroy their psyches, it seemed to have a rejuvenating effect on their physical selves.

Aetheric Revitalization: 4d8 + 4 ⇒ (3, 1, 1, 7) + 4 = 16

Everyone is healed 16 hit points of damage. If this would exceed your normal hit point total, the excess becomes temporary hit points, which get subtracted first instead of your actual hit points when any damage is taken.

In addition, all "per day" abilities are restored by half their maximum total, rounded down (spells count as "per day" abilities). For example, Liesel-Marie currently has a total of 7 rounds of rage per day left out of her maximum of 13 per day. She would get back 6 (half of 13 is 6.5, which when rounded down becomes 6) rounds of rage, restoring it to her maximum total per day.

This does leave Rohan somewhat out in the cold as he possesses few if any per day abilities. Therefore, 1 point of burn will be removed while still maintaining his DR at 3, which in the process will also remove 3 points of nonlethal damage from him.

Finally, due to the way in which their bodies have been mystically supercharged, the following applies permanently to your characters:

Kyt and Nyym each gain an additional 2 points to their ki pools, as though they had taken the Extra Ki feat.

Liesel-Marie gains an additional 6 rounds of rage per day, as though she had taken the Extra Rage feat.

Mesa gains an additional 6 rounds of performance per day, as though she had taken the Extra Performance feat.

Rohan gains an extra wild talent, as though he had taken the Extra Wild Talent feat (even though the character doesn't meet the prerequisites for it). He can select an infusion or a non-infusion wild talent, but not a blast or defense wild talent. It must also be one he can take at his current level.

Note: I had planned to do this at the end of Chapter 1, but I figured that giving it to y'all now wouldn't hurt things, especially given that you've yet to face Ooruk the Crusher.

I'll let the players make the necessary changes to your characters and post their individual responses to what just transpired before moving on. Make me proud!

Nyym in the midst of his blood thirsty rage enhanced rampage got an even wider and wilder look as he observed the arcs of energy roll over and out from his body. At that moment he gave in to his darker side and started laughing histercaly and uncontrolled as the energy rolled his body.. evil blood thirsty maniacal laugh

As the energy snapped out from his body, Nyym suddenly went rigid for a moment then loosening up before looking from the bodies around him to search for new enemies. His laugh suddenly stopped and with an evil slant and leer, he could be heard speaking in orcish..

AH YES, WHO'S NEXT!?

So my rage available goes from 7/13 to 13/13 because of regaining per day abilities, which goes to 19/19 because of effectively receiving the Extra Rage feat? If that's incorrect, I need to fix my character sheet. Also, I believe the healing brings her to Wounded for a -1, is that right?

The warrior princess is focused on her mission and returning to aid her friends despite her desire to gut the orc, especially after that lucky hit. She has no idea where the surge of energy and accompanying waking nightmare came from, but she doesn't particularly like it.

She is only vaguely aware of her surroundings for a moment as white-hot fire erupts from her body, especially her eyes. It seems to leave her unharmed, but appears to set the very air around her on fire as it slowly moves away from her form.

As this is happening, in the back of her mind as the nightmare images flash by, she hopes the orc is caught up in the conflagration, but the fire burns the thought away as fast as it arrived in a moment of bliss that is just as quickly gone. She exhales a puff of smoke as the fire disappears, still intent on her destination.

So my rage available goes from 7/13 to 13/13 because of regaining per day abilities, which goes to 19/19 because of effectively receiving the Extra Rage feat? If that's incorrect, I need to fix my character sheet.

This is correct.

Also, I believe the healing brings her to Wounded for a -1, is that right?

Liesel-Marie's current hp total is above the 14 point margin that would put her into the Wounded threshold (which has a -2 penalty), meaning she is actually at the Grazed threshold (which has a -1 penalty). It helps that her full total of 28 is evenly divisible by 4, which breaks down as 28 to 22 hp as being Healthy, 21 to 15 hp as being Grazed, 14 to 8 hp as being Wounded, and 7 to 1 hp as being Critical. This shows a 7-point spread across the various thresholds for Liesel-Marie (4x7=28), with her bloodrage temporary hit points giving her a 9-point buffer before dipping into her actual hit points for damage. At 0 to -2 hp, she is still considered Critical, but is also considered both disabled and staggered (take a single move action or standard action each round [but not both, can't take full-round actions, but can still take swift, immediate, and free actions], moves at half speed). Hope that helps. :)

“Oops.” Mesa shrugs as Rohan yells at her.

Any further response was cut off by the wave of blue energy running over her.

The shock brought with it a sudden silence to the field as the Bards playing stopped.

The sudden return brought with it a great crash of noise as if the sound of an orchestra trying to play all at once that quickly blended into a song that filled the air around the bard despite her only holding her Shamisen.

Mesa opened her eyes again, the orbs pitch black and speckled with drifting dots of white as if a reverse snow globe. As the music died she blinked and her normal amber eyes returned. Her gaze quickly darted around as she looked over the battlefield.

music

“WHAT THE BORK WAS THAT?”

Ok, my non-rage thresholds were all calculated wrong. Fixed that. Your reply made me think that I have the threshold wrong for my rage. Is my threshold the same regardless of whether I am raging or not? I also assumed that my bonus rage hp from Raging Vitality were not available under Mesa's ragesong, so I was not counting those three points.

Yes, your explanations are always thorough, thank you.

Rohan Currently 12 hit points reduce 1 burn and gain 16 hit points. This changes my max hit points now to 24. 12+16= 28. I have 24 hit points and 4 temp hit points. I will be picking up Entangling Infusion, which for flavor will be slightly demonstrated in his reaction.

Rohan emense amount of power nearly devastating everything around him almost like a wave as the ground rose up and shards of earth starting flying in all sorts of directions. Rohan looked around, stairing at the ground below him as the ground seem to unfold around him, wrapping him like a tomb. The ground encased him for a moment he could gain a breath of air but finally the tomb shattered from around him cracking in millions of pieces and falling to the ground.

Rohan skin as hard as stone was unchanged but he had found some major insight as he finally was capable of using an ability that was out of touch before. Once free from all the devastations he turned and looked at the people who might still be around. Fire in his eyes from his anger and embracing his earthen abilities.

"Bring it, you wanted this now you got it and I am but the immortal Earth Elemental, hahahahaha"

Rohan laughed like he was being controlled by another the nightmare had scared him long enough and now it was time for him to start bringing fear to others.

Ok, my non-rage thresholds were all calculated wrong. Fixed that. Your reply made me think that I have the threshold wrong for my rage. Is my threshold the same regardless of whether I am raging or not? I also assumed that my bonus rage hp from Raging Vitality were not available under Mesa's ragesong, so I was not counting those three points.

Yes, your explanations are always thorough, thank you.

Though I initially allowed the temporary hit points to be "tacked" on to her hit points, their true purpose is to provide an ever increasing "buffer" for Liesel-Marie's regular hit points instead of raising and later decreasing her current and maximum health (which means no more dying at the end of rage). So, yes... her wound thresholds remain the same whether she is in bloodrage or not.

While it's true that inspired rage does not allow LM to activate abilities dependent on other rage class abilities, such as rage powers, blood casting, or bloodrager bloodlines (she must activate her own rage class ability in order to use these features), the key word here is class. Inspired rage is still a form of rage for Liesel-Marie, which means that Raging Vitality would still work for her. However, Liesel-Marie can't trigger her own bloodrage powers or blood casting (she would have enter her own bloodrage for that), though any rage power granted by Mesa's poet cloak can be used by Liesel-Marie as well (provided, of course the Minkai minstrel decides to add it when she activates its inspired rage function).

As each of their displays of power come to an end, the members of Team Ruby found that they were no longer in the Inner Quarter, or even Trunau. Instead, they were standing in an endless white expanse. Floating before them was a pair of doors that stood over 19 feet high, 13 feet wide, and 3 feet deep.

Welcome back. I see you were clever enough to have others pay your tolls this time around.

The still, small voice emanated from a pallid featureless figure. Looking upon the hollow being, each of them could make out various aspects of themselves embodied within it.

Don't tell me you're all done? Despite the fact that none of Team Ruby could actually see it, each of them received the impression that the hollow being closed its eyes for a moment, then opened them again.

You've left quite the mess behind you. I'm not sure that even qualifies as fulfilling your assignment. And yet you have the temerity to come before me this way. It flashed a broad toothy grin. I see the time has come to collect that which is due.

The pair of doors began to slowly creak open, revealing darkness beyond its portal. As they opened wider, the sound of children laughing could be heard and a single large eye opened within the void, nearly filling the height and width of the frame. The laughter grew louder as the umbral prehensile limbs from before returned, slowly snaking out toward each of the members of Team Ruby.

” Okay yeah... no, just no. This is not a rated H story and I am too cute a Tian-Min to be deal with this crap. I've seen enough hentai to know what'll happen if those things get any where near me and yeah that ain't happening.”

Mesa shouts out her attention quickly turning to the man... woman.... thing... that had opened the door. She had no idea what the heck was going on. She was clueless as to any faucet of what this insanity was. She didn't know if the others new this thing, she certainly didn't recall it, though maybe that was the 'toll ' it spoke of.

Suddenly she felt a bit sorry the orcs that came with the group to this place.

Just a little bit sorry.... only a wee bit. Like if this was a hundred yard race, where the finish line was bleeding heart and the starting point was apathetic, she might have just stepped one foot over the line to tie her shoes.

Still this was bad, she was clueless and it was time to do what she did best in situations like this.

Bullshyt like it was going out of style.

“Hey you! It's not like we wanted to come back! You didn't tell us that dead women in Gothic dresses could scream and send us back here, so it wasn't like we meant to come back here.” Mesa growled. ” You can't expect us to plan for every situation when I bet you probably didn't even know we could be sent back here like this.”

The limbs, with their tiny childlike hands, stopped short of touching the team members.

Continue speaking. The hollow being regarded Mesa intently, despite its lack of eyes. In that moment, it looked like a featureless shell of the Tian-Min minstrel. I'm all ears. And with that, a pair of black-furred fox ears formed on the being that it then caused to wiggle mischievously.

I am not really sure whats going on here, but those tentacles looking things coming at us can't be good. I'm am going to stop them if they get any closer.

Rohan already plans for an attack as he speaks with the group. Unsure of what this creature really is or how the he** did they get right here right now in the middle of what looks like another plane of existence. He looked to the others really concerned and really on edge as this was not the Orcs they were originally fighting with.

"How did we get here, and where is here, I am so lost right now, am I in my mind or another's mind. Wait I don't want to be here this can't be real we were just here at the Orc's and we transfered to another plane, what really how."

Rohan takes a second to disbelieve what is before his eyes.

Disbelieve will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Nope this stuff is real thats it I am not going to let this old hollow lady hurt my friends minus mesa as of right now she burned me and that was uncalled for.

Ok so if this creature comes anywhere near the group with its tentacles I am going to use pushing infusion on 3 tentacles to attempt to push them back and if they hit and push them back 5 feet. All while doing damage to them if I was to hit. "Holding attack if they come near group"

Nyym switches from wild and lustful joy in combat to complete seriousness as though someone flipped a switch. This was aided but the fact that Mesa was no longer played and he felt no form of rage at all anymore. His mind did lock into the words other plane as he shifted to a more logical thought process. As this was happening Nyym headed Rohans words and for suddenly had a very bad feeling...

Rohan don't, we have no idea what we are dealing with.. While I am perfectly fine with you talking smak to orcs, this may be one of those times when it would be a very bad idea to how they say "Poke the Bear"...

What is this thing talking about? Mission? What mission? Have we seen this thing before? If so, where?

Nyyms mind races though all these in the hopes of finding some clue as to how we may deal with this being..

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16 to see if Nyym recognises the creature.

knowledge: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7 to recall any memory of this creature. Weather it be a mention or actual dealings.

trip7: 3d10 ⇒ (1, 3, 6) = 10

Even though it's a long shot Nyym had another thought in the middle of this...

Is this the reason we can't remember past the 2 years in Trunau?

Nyym did not speak these thoughts.. But then at the same time, he was sure he did not need to.

Nyym you might be right but I am not letting this thing get a hold of us if it tries to attack us.

Rohan looks at the creature/women

"What is the meaning of this? What are you doing here? What do you want from us?

All while keeping his guard up and ready to strike at any min.

Liesel-Marie faces the creature, feeling oddly calm considering the strange scenario. "I have no memory of this place or of speaking to you previously. What is the toll you speak of? What mission?"

No RL time to expound further, but that's probably for the best, anyway.

Mesa's ears perk up at everyone else's comments, particularly Liesel-Marie's. The statements simply added to a theory that she had suddenly come to mind after hearing the.. whatever this was talk.
Unfortunately for her this meant that she and the others had something else in common beyond just having a issue with orcs.

Well then time to ante up.

“Alright then.” Mesa let out rather loudly. ” Love the look by the way it suits you. Now lemmi recap this right quick and correct me if I’m off a little.” that part of the comment was directed to both the being and the others.

” Last time we were here the toll we paid was our memories whether that was for admission or what ever this weird crap is that's going on I dunno. Because of that, I didn't even meet up with these guys until today cause I had no clue who they were and evidently likewise, and probably also why no one recalls the assignment you gave, which I can see as definitely because of something else because you are pretty freaking memorable. Now then the relevant part of what you seemed curious about was the ghost.”

Mesa points over to Rohan.”Rocky over there saw her first before we even met any orcs, who by the by are also delaying us from anything by attacking the city.. so yah just in case the 'tolls' this time say anything they started it. Couple hours later after I got an awesome chicken as a pet, we get in another fight she shows up again and shoots out this weird blue wave thing then we explode in weirdness and suddenly every one hit by the energy is back here. Then you talk to us and send grabby things our way and I say wait and you do and now I’m describing it all.”

Insert Music: Nobuo Uematsu - Dancing Mad (Final Fantasy VI)

So am I to understand, then, that this arrival was not by choice? The being did not wait for a response, as the undulant mass of appendages and hands retracted from the group, taking with them an obvious sense of disappointment.

Normally, ignorance would be no excuse in staving off disassembly and the subsequent reinsertion back into the River of Souls. But, it would seem that, as before, your collective status precludes the enactment of the usual punishment. The hollow being gave a toothy smile.

You stand once again before the entrance to the Memory of Nature, blanketed by the eternal fog and vapor of Time, an island in the Astral sea.

It craned its neck up to regard Rohan, and, in so doing, became littered with studded stonelike growths across its form, each the size of a gold sail. As to what I am doing here, I merely perform the role I have been given. I am, after all, the Keeper of Memory.

The Keeper then turned its attention to Liesel-Marie, staring at her with golden eyes that moments before were not there. As your smaller female companion has deduced, your lack of memory was the agreed upon toll paid by you all for arriving here previously, one that was negotiated in good faith by Shirubātairu Mesa herself. At the mention of the Tian-Min's name, the Keeper's fox-like ears twitched before continuing. As to your mission... Simply put, there are those who would look beyond the veil of reality to gather knowledge that they should not possess. One such person is on the verge of doing exactly that. You all were tasked with finding and stopping this individual before the fabric of the consensual reality in which you reside becomes disturbed more than it already is.

If it helps, then picture the whole of reality as an enormous body of water, a river, if you will. The majority of those that exist merely move with its currents, drifting along guided by their knowledge or belief of how reality works. There are those that learn to dip their hands in and alter the flow, but are unable to redirect the entirety of it. There are beings that are fast and agile in the waters of existence, but are still confined by its flow. And then, there are the few that can see the river for what it truly is, and can push around the water as they choose.

The great white expanse outside the Entrance changed the familiar common room of a tavern that they had all seen previously in flashes of memory. Only this time it seemed as if they were actually present in the moment, seeing themselves standing with both Aodhán and the wide man clad in thick furs and wearing dark-lens spectacles. This one , the Keeper continued as it indicated the one with the glasses, has not quite reached the point where he can see reality as it is, but should he continue along the course that he has charted for himself, then he will see what lies beyond the veil, and in the process, potentially expose your world to a Chaos it is ill-equipped to deal with.

The common room vanished, leaving only the Entrance, the Keeper, and the the members of Team Ruby as they had been before. As to the creature you spoke of before, the one that sent you back to the Entrance, it is a Corrector, a manifestation that serves to protect the balance of existence. It is beyond passion, beyond mercy, beyond reason.

The Keeper looked thoughtful for a moment. Your anomalous existence currently places some strain upon reality. This was not unexpected when you were chosen. But with that comes the resultant backlash as reality attempts to correct what it perceives to be an error. As the Corrector has not pursued you further, I can only surmise it believes that it was successful in accomplishing its objective. This is good, as now you can be sent back to where you were without fear of its immediate return to continue with your assignment.

Liesel-Marie looks back and forth between the bard and the... Keeper(?) for a long moment. "So we go back?" Not waiting for an answer, she shoulders her load and prepares to hit the ground running - literally. As if getting yanked out of reality happens all the time.

Rohan gathers his thoughts and when the tentacles retreat back he becomes a bit more relaxed. Although, with everything that was going on it seemed that this lady/creature was in constant fluctuation and that keep him on his toes with her. Though for a moment he was happy but he was also concerned with this thing of being a strain on reality.

"Wait you mention we go back, back to the present or to a point further along the time line. It seems to me that its more of a question as to when is our return. Also, last time was paid by a toll of memory, and yet there is not a cost this time, is this correct? Being thrust here against our will was not our plan nor our intentions.

Shortly after she replies if she does at all he replies yet again.

"So we may freely leave through the gate?

The Keeper looked back to Rohan. You are free to return to your existence. The orcs that came with you paid the toll with what little time they had remaining. More than enough to grant you passage.

The pair of doors began to slowly creak open, once gain revealing darkness beyond its portal. As they opened wider, there was no childlike laughter as before, only silence.

Your destiny awaits. The being motioned for the group to pass through.

Rohan doesn't stand around or hesitate to move forward once the doors open. Rohan moved fairly quickly to the doors and through them as the others were surely behind him, but Rohan wasn't waiting for them. Anything to get out of here was extremely important with being in the presence of what might be a god.

This place isn't for me I'm out of here

Nyym had unconsciously been holding his breath after his breaf exchange with Rohan on not poking the bear. Now was not the time for heroics and he really hoped Rohan kept his cool. He was equally glad that Mesa was as fast a talked as she was. As Nyym watched things unfold in the conversation, more questions formed for the answers that they had received. But he kept them in check and tried to keep his mind clear. Like Rohan, Nyym was very uncomfortable with the current situation and as bad as he wanted answers, in this case is want for survival was more. As soon as Rohan bolted for the door, Nyym quickly followed for 2 reasons, he did not know what waited on the other side of the door and the big man had a nac for finding trouble and Nyym was just as ready to be done with this plane as Rohan was. As Nyym followed Rohan to the door he let out the breath that he had unconsciously been holding with relief as thier was no doubt in his mind that that was a fight that they could not win and the outcome scared him more then the nightmare of the Raggedy man. But make no mistake Nyym was in no hurry for another of those encounters either. Plus now that Nyym knew that there was an actual purpose for him being here as well as the others, he fully intended to reassess that as well once they were through dealing with the orcs. It also made him alot more curious as to how they all came to be in said situation as well. They needed to find out what happened in their past and make sure it does not happen again.

Mesa looked at the gate far more than eager to get the heck out of dodge. Still there was something she needed to ask.

” So one quick question before I go. If we encounter this thing again is there a way to deal with it or avoid it?”

But of course, Shirubātairu Mesa. There is a way to, as you put it, 'deal with it or avoid it'. The Keeper regarded the tiny Tian-Min woman with a serious look that became a toothy smile. When the time comes, I am quite confident you will figure it for yourself.

Insert Music: Yes - Roundabout

Liesel-Marie carried her load past both Mesa and the Keeper of Memory to enter the portal, followed closely by Kytynna.

Mesa let out a small sigh and a grumble before simply nodding and deciding to get while the getting was still good, quickly following after the others.

Rather than than the sea of shadowy faces and umbral limbs they had encountered before, when each member of Team Ruby entered the Portal they saw a tunnel stretching out before them. As each of them made their way through, they were bombarded with deluge of images, almost as though they experiencing the lives of others flashing before their eyes. However, in crossing to the other side, each experienced a vision that was unique to them.

When they exited the Portal, the team found themselves near the western gate of the inner quarter between two makeshift barricades. Standing nearby with an immense two-handed sword, his back to them, was Patrol Sergeant Frum, muttering rather loudly to himself over and over, I'll give 'em what they came fer. It's rather obvious that his speech is slurred. The pounding of war drums is much louder here.

There are items within the area of the barricades that may be of use: an arsenal of weapons sitting in a barrel consisting of the following - a glaive, a guisarme, a halberd, two longspears, and a ranseur; a large boulder (10 foot across) that sits in the middle of the hill between the two barricades; two bundles of logs that have been lashed (on opposite sides) to the western side of the westernmost barricade; and sharpened fence posts at the easternmost barricade.

Everyone gets 625 XP from the previous battle, bringing the total to 7,220 and 220 XP over what was needed for tier 2. Make whatever adjustments that need to be made to your characters before we get on to the next portion of the Battle of Bloodmarch Hill, where I'll present an updated map for you to follow.

Just peeked in, so I adjusted Liesel-Marie's character sheet for level 3.2: +4 hp; I also adjusted the hit point totals where her wound thresholds take effect and make the raging version of same match, per our recent conversation on the subject.

Sorry for being all late and all, but I took the Hit points as it looks like we might need it very soon.

Rohan steps out of the portal into a scene that he was not familiar with, it would seem he has missed a great amount of time between what transpired in the portal and what has happened. All that he once remembered from a few moments ago literally had changed in a instant. This time flash forward was something he was not used to and of course rather not have happen again.

Rohan watched for a moment putting his hand to his chin and rubbed it as though he was thinking but more so to make sure that he was in the real world and what was happening was indeed really there. For a moment his mind pondered to what he should do his actions enraged by the scene before him as though this shouldn't be happening.

"If we were here, if we were not yanked from existence we would have been able to stop this happening wouldn't we?

The mind no longer could imagine the what if situation it now had to comprehend what was happening right now in the moment. Rohan called out across the field between them although a short distance.

What is it that you believe they came for? Do you think it wise to hand over something to these fowl Orcs? I will stand beside this city till the end should it be for good or bad. Though I don't believe we should stop and hand over defeat just yet for I have not been defeated and nor should we.

The words came out of rohan almost void of thought they just emerged forth. Rohan mind tracing back to a large stag running in the forest, though he took this as a presence to run towards the fight and not away from it.

"I think that he means to give them a fight. I would rather give them a defeat." She looks around at the scene for anything to give the party an upper hand against the horde.

The huge creature we seek is actually trying to bust down the gate, right? Can our ranged-capable party members get an elevated view of that scene fairly quickly? Liesel-Marie really has one option, but if we can soften up the beast before she has to meet it head-on, she might survive the night.

Nyym comes out and immediately takes in his surroundings. Still a bit confused from the most recent events, Nyym quickly pushes those thoughts away as he hears the orc drums.

That guy needs to be the 1st to go.

Nyym ttys to why a direction from the sound of the drums and any enemies in the immediate area..

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Mesa stumbled out of the portal nearly face planting on the ground before she rights her self. She grumbles a little, straightening up her robes.

” Well that was a thing that happened.” Mesa grumbled. The weird thing she saw confused her. What the heck was that thing? Some sort of lizard? A demon? It had like three toes and weird bulgy eyes. Mesa had never seen anything like that before that she could recall. Maybe a malformed Gecko? Probably wasn't important as no one else was complaining about a mutant lizard.

Any way something to ponder later, first to make sure she was intact. Legs check, arms check. Toes fingers check , tongue yep, other senses good, charisma boosters? Yep they were still there. Cute butt? yep still there, other assorted important bits? There but tucked away, check. Memories still spotty , but that was the new normal.

Self check finished she looked around curiously to find out where they were noting the beast at the gate , the things needing to be prepped and the gods awful racket coming from the other side of the gate.

“What the hay? Is that supposed to be music? That's a terrible rhythm. I've heard kids beating pans in the kitchen with better talent.” Mesa scoffs.

Her amber eyes narrowed as she took note of the music and the feel of the kotodama. That was a bard song......

” Well now this is interesting...” the dark haired woman grinned.

Once everyone had exited the portal, the howling rift snapped shut behind them. The sounds of the battle-plagued town fell over them en masse: the beating of war-drums, the drunken muttering of Patrol Sergeant Frum, and perhaps most importantly, the constant meaty thump of something beating on the western gates.

Soon, all of that was momentarily drowned out by a loud explosion as the Hopespring beacon burst apart in a violent conflagration of green fire. While the remains were still lit, the flickering emerald flames cast a subdued pall over the town.

Nyym can make out a group of figures hunkered down at the base of a fallen tower 80 feet away, west of the barricades. They could be orcs, but it's hard to know for sure.

Nyym instinctively sucks as the explosion rips through the tower.

That can't be good....

What in the nine hells!?... I'm gonna check it out..

Nyym speaks low enough for his group to hear and moves to the shadows to investigate using the fallen tower for cover.

stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

trip7: 3d10 ⇒ (7, 6, 5) = 18

Nyym cursed under his breath as he tried to move closer. But the burning portions of the fallen tower made stealth even harder. But he still moved closer as the group really needed to know who was there.

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

trip7: 3d10 ⇒ (10, 5, 7) = 22

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

trip7: 3d10 ⇒ (4, 8, 6) = 18

Nyym had a hard time making out the figured through the smoke. He was glad he mentioned where he was going before moving away in case things escalated.