DMDM's Strange Aeons

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

What, you mean you're afraid of a wandering monster check?

[sfx: dice shaking offscreen]

I much prefer wandering monsters to Wandering Damage.

A good plan. Let us be about it.

Yordan finally stops trying to snap the shears into smaller pieces. He take ones piece of the blade and puts it in his pouch. "That way if the thing sneaks back and animates again I can destroy it right away. Or maybe it can't re-animate the thing if part is here and part there." Any wooden parts of the shears Yordan deposits in the still-warm furnace.

"Who has the ring of keys the doppleganger had? Might open more than just these cells."

Also, take a quick look around to see if anything useful has been left behind.

If no one else has the keys I will take them, and give them to Ghelik, our door-opener. And I'll grab the small steel mirror from the pile of Stuff if nobody else wants it.

Are there CR 3 to 4 creatures that don't like mirrors? I was trying to remember any old school monsters. Because if DMDM put a Vampire in here ...

Are there CR 3 to 4 creatures that don't like mirrors? I was trying to remember any old school monsters. Because if DMDM put a Vampire in here ...

My position on level-appropriate encounters is a matter of public record.

Plus you can use mirrors to look around corners, send signals, and shave yourself. Sometimes the last is the most important one, particularly after a long week hunting hairy wolves in swamps near -- why can't I remember where that was?

It's okay. This will only kill all of us.

The heavy, cold box lands in Mrakala's hands. "I..remember this box."

He frowns, shaking his head. "It's so hard to remember why..or how..our memories are shot."

His eyes, slightly crazed, glare at Vitae. "No. It is my box. I am nothing more than a scholar without my pendant and will be of no assistance. As Yranmar's Rule goes."

He trails off and looks down at the box, turning it in his hands. His fingers move to the numbers, caressing them once. Something inside of him screams at him to stop.

The wizard's hands pause and the fingers pull away from the box....

...and then return and twist the numbers what feels right.

1d20 ⇒ 17

The wizard's hands begin twisting the bronze bands around the box. The wizard smiles. Of course! Of course! The mind may not remember, but the hands do! Left, up, left...

1d20 ⇒ 8

...left? Wait, that doesn't seem right. The wizard frowns.

The box suddenly seems to stir in your hands. It begins making a sound: a soft, very rapid clicking, almost a purr. tiktiktiktiktiktiktik

-- Aaaa! I hurl the box away from me!
-- No. No, I can do this. I keep solving the puzzle.

The clicking is obviously a sign that something is going right. Mrakala keeps turning wheels.

tiktiktiktiktiktiktiktik

Actually, that sounds makes you suddenly break a sweat. It's sinister. You're not terrified, but you know that's not a good sound. However, you keep turning the dials...

1d20 ⇒ 16

Okay, you know this. You have this. You've done this before.

1d20 ⇒ 16

It's muscle memory. Don't overfocus on the numbers. Your hands know what to do...

Meanwhile, Yordan the ranger and Ghelik move to the door. It is, in fact, locked. 1d20 ⇒ 5 Hmm, it's hard to tell whether any of the keys fit the lock without trying. Who's doing that?

Oh, and -- where are the rest of you now?

Fritz stands at the door with his shield and sword ready and he has his detect evil dar going down the hall incase something really terrifying shows up

I am not usually one to shy from danger...but this has to be more of a challenge than you send your other devotees on...

Never urts' to be sure...

Ghelik checks for traps before trying the keys. He is dressed in the doctors outfit.

If there is someone on the other side of ther door, let me try to get em' off balance before doing anythin. Also, smells like rotted flesh beyond the doors, ready yerselves.

Perception 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Yordan steps behind Fritz and Ghelik, and pulls out his glaive. "Aye, never hurts to be ready. Doubt a bow will be much use in these tight quarters underground."

Ghelik checks for traps before trying the keys. He is dressed in the doctors outfit.

Which leaves the scholar's outfit for Vitæ. Which he hastily puts on.

Face furrowed, Vitæ takes a position about 10 ft behind Ghelik and Yordan.

Guys I thought we would heal up and send 2 scouts up ahead, Ghelik and Vitæ.

Still completely unsure who she is, or who the other prisoners are, Kyleen follows behind the others, dagger held tentatively in her hand.

I agree. Let's heal up before we open the door. I've already had to be brought back from unconsciousness twice...

Meanwhile, across the room, the wizard is still working on the box...

1d20 ⇒ 19

The humming stops.

The box gives a decisive click.

I have only one Cure Light Wounds left for the day, so can heal whomever needs it the most.

Voices inches her way towards the door, but is focused on Mrakala and his work with the box.

The box... unfolds. And then unfolds again. It happens very fast. The wizard takes a quick step backwards.

Where the box was, now stands... a small writing desk. It's tall and narrow, obviously designed for standing rather than sitting. The style is Old Chelaxian, but it's made of the dark, heavy wood of the _abu driko_ tree, with brass doorknobs and finishings. The dials on the face of the box have now become decorative elements on the front and sides of the desk.

A large brass lever, with a handle at the end, projects upwards from the right side of the desk.

The desk has a large drawer and several small side cabinets.

Ghelik checks for traps before trying the keys. He is dressed in the doctors outfit.

There don't seem to be any traps.

If there is someone on the other side of ther door, let me try to get em' off balance before doing anythin. Also, smells like rotted flesh beyond the doors, ready yerselves.

Perception 1d20+6

The spoiler was because I'd already rolled Perception checks for you guys. He rolled low, you rolled better.

Meanwhile, with the faint sound of key turning in lock, the door opens.

You're greeted by the smell of death, with a faint medicinal overlay, along with the buzzing of flies. Remind me again what your light source is here...?

Vitae, can you take the oil lamp? I had thought we would use the light that was provided. If not I know at least the Oracle has the light spell.

Ghelik wrinkles his nose at the smell and prepares to draw his short sword...

This small (20' x 20') room has the same tile floor as the area you started in. The walls are rough brick. It's dark in here.

To your left, a corridor exits through an archway. Or it did. The archway has now collapsed, and the corridor entrance has filled with rubble. It does not appear to be passable.

Straight ahead, a rickety looking staircase goes up. It vanishes through the ceiling into a shaft.

To your right, there is a pile of bodies. The smell and the buzzing of flies are coming from this pile. There are eight or ten bodies. They all look humanoid; some are clothed, some are not.

Above the bodies, about 8' up on the wall, is a large square opening, about 3' x 3'. It looks like the entrance to a small passage or chute.

While not mind-blastingly horrific, the scene in here is pretty disturbing. Ghelik and Vita, please make DC 11 Sanity checks.

That's familiar, in some way. The oracle stops moving towards the door, focusing completely on the table that sprang from the cube.

Pre-Fugue Memory (40%): 1d100 ⇒ 6

She pauses, staring through the table itself, into the past. It's Chelaxian. From the Everwar period, I think? When ... sometime around the invasion of Nidal. I can't recall specifics. She looks up to Mrakala. I don't even know if that's true. But it feels true ... Nidal. How do I know that?

"Have you looked in a mirror lately?"

"No, no, dear! Don't do that. It's too horrible."

The woman reaches up, running a hand through her hair, looking at the raven-tinged-with-grey strands falling through her fingers.

Willpower 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10 Sigh.

Yordan listens intently to see if any sounds are obvious, and peers to see if any light sources are visible up the stairway/shaft or up the chute.

Perception +7: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

There aren't any shears here! Yordan searches the bodies, though still wincing from time to time as his internal injuries still pain him. It could have been me here, it could have been me here...

[ooc]Perception +7:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Also, how did these bodies come to be bodies? What killed them?

Heal +6: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

If we only have one healing spell left, then maybe we should save it till someone else needs it. I will try not to get in the frontline.

As the others proceed onward, Mrakala is intent on the device. One thought burning in his mind. He must find his amulet. The faded, black and white sketch within of a frumpy lady with large spectacles sits in the forefront of his mind.

And my magic..

The desk unfolds before him and he steps back, brow furrowing. This wasn't a box. Where was his spellbook? This wasn't where he had put it...was it? It was familiar, but not his. But..could it have been?

Shaking his head at the oracle's question, Mrakala frowns. "I don't...I don't know. I thought...I was sure my book was in here."

That sound. This desk. Something is not right. I should not have opened that.

Hmn. Let's see here. No idea where his spellbook/pendant is. Between lack of any power and lack of a personal memento (storing picture of long lost love inside of his bonded item) would Mrakala proceed with obviously dangerous shenanigans or choose to stop and...be a slightly less incompetent expert?

Wisdom check: 1d20 ⇒ 17

Damn. Well..Jax would open that thing in a heartbeat and pull the lever :(. Other options it is.

"I don't think this is what I thought it is. Perhaps it is best we..close it back up."

Intelligence check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 Check to see how to wind the device back up?

Knowledge(Arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11 Arcana (or History or Planes or Nobility or ...Geography? using same roll and bonus) to learn more information about this thing?

Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27 [ooc]To..maybe figure out a hint of where his spellbook/bonded item may be?

She pauses, staring through the table itself, into the past. It's Chelaxian. From the Everwar period, I think? When ... sometime around the invasion of Nidal. I can't recall specifics. She looks up to Mrakala. I don't even know if that's true. But it feels true ... Nidal. How do I know that?

Connection to Cheliax? Connection to Nidal? Interest in furniture, or art?

Willpower 1d20+1 Sigh.

1 point of San damage. (This won't happen every time you encounter a pile of dead bodies. Just the first time. But that's okay! There are many other sorts of unpleasantness down here.)

Yordan listens intently to see if any sounds are obvious, and peers to see if any light sources are visible up the stairway/shaft or up the chute.

Perception +7: 1d20+7

No sounds or light. The chute goes upward at about a 60 degree angle, into darkness. It looks pretty climbable. [ooc]DC 10 climb check once you're up there. However, since it's 8' off the ground, to reach it you would have to climb up that pile of dead bodies.

There aren't any shears here! Yordan searches the bodies, though still wincing from time to time as his internal injuries still pain him. It could have been me here, it could have been me here...

Searching the bodies is a fairly distasteful task. There's nothing of value here, although a few pockets have minor personal items -- a comb, half a long-stale pastry wrapped in a napkin, a few Ustalavan silver pieces.

Also, how did these bodies come to be bodies? What killed them?

The bodies fall into two categories. One group has been killed either by slash wounds, usually to the throat, or by strangulation. This group is clothed and the bodies are older, up to several days. The others show signs of torture -- usually cutting, but with some crushing and burning as well -- combined with ligature marks on limbs. (With mounting horror, you realize that these pretty exactly match the marks that the doctor's bonds left on your own limbs.) Cause of death varies, but is usually blood loss, injury to a major organ, or shock. These bodies usually aren't clothed, and are varying degrees of fresh, with a couple so recent that rigor mortis hasn't yet set in.

You missed making the DC 11 San check. Now please make two -- one for entering the room, and one for rummaging through the pile of dead bodies.

The desk unfolds before him and he steps back, brow furrowing. This wasn't a box. Where was his spellbook? This wasn't where he had put it...was it? It was familiar, but not his. But..could it have been?

No no no your spellbook is RIGHT HERE

That sound. This desk. Something is not right. I should not have opened that.

Yes you should have! You've done this a thousand times before! Everything about this screams *familiar*. You are totally fine with this unknown magic item what the hell this thing is obviously dangerous and should not be messed with something is not right no it's okay look there's the thing you know the thing your stuff is right here.

Check to see how to wind the device back up?

You pull the lever. You don't know that but you know that.

Arcana (or History or Planes or Nobility or ...Geography? using same roll and bonus) to learn more information about this thing?

nnnaaaahhh it's your thing. You know. The thing. It's your thing. It's your thing.

Information? You know just how the wood feels under your hand. The workmanship is excellent but it's been used regularly for... a long time... and shows some slight signs of wear. The magic hasn't prevented the writing surface from picking up some nicks and scuffs, and an ink stain. The drawer will slide smoothly but one cabinet door sticks a little.

To..maybe figure out a hint of where his spellbook/bonded item may be?

"The desk has a large drawer and several small side cabinets."

Oracle with No Name wrote:

She pauses, staring through the table itself, into the past. It's Chelaxian. From the Everwar period, I think? When ... sometime around the invasion of Nidal. I can't recall specifics. She looks up to Mrakala. I don't even know if that's true. But it feels true ... Nidal. How do I know that?

Connection to Cheliax? Connection to Nidal? Interest in furniture, or art?

Was just roleplaying a recalled memory. Character is of Chelaxian lineage (at least I assumed that, unless you have some things set in stone for us), Knowledge (History) is the next knowledge point I'm spending on the character. Of course, if that blurb was out of order, then it's absolute nonsense coming from the brain of a lunatic who hears voices. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Ah, no. My post was more like, how does the Oracle know this? She doesn't know herself...

While not mind-blastingly horrific, the scene in here is pretty disturbing. Ghelik and Vita, please make DC 11 Sanity checks.

Your mind. Such a terrible thing to waste.

Will: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

'It appears Death, has familiarized herself and has been visiting here.'

Will: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

Rocked that roll. Does that mean Vitæ sees the office of Death as part of the natural order? I remember, as a teen, Death in the Sandman comics spawned so many emo want to be girls.

Vitæ looks on the macabe scene, unfazed, it was their time.

'Do any of these souls look familiar?'

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Anything significant to notice, are they all human? Were they all from a certain area or region? Something out of the ordinary?

Anybody can Detect Magic?

All human except for a dwarf. Nothing seems out of the ordinary. I mean, other than them all being dead and such.

It was each of their time. Now the question is how they got here and why this was done to them? I was looking for tell tale signs like maybe patients' tags or even tatoo labels.

Nope.

Kyleen's eyes open in surprise as the small box suddenly expands into the large writing desk.

Suppose that would be a good trick at the top of a wall if someone was trying to climb and get you.

She then turns to wondering what caused this desk to suddenly appear.

Cast Detect Magic:
Knowledge(arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

When she gets to the room full of bodies, she is rather repulsed, but, having no recollection of her history, does not know any of these people and does not find anything repulsive, other than the smell.

If we want to go up, we could climb on the desk or move the table from the other room.

If we want to go up, we could climb on the desk or move the table from the other room.

You'd have to shove the bodies out of the way first. Either the desk or the table would probably do -- the desk looks pretty sturdy.

How about good old Secret Doors?

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Let's go up the stairs one ata time. Looks like where they dump bodies.
He whispers.

You got any useful magic, now is the time to use it. Stay as quiet as ye can.

Ghelik will wait a couple of minutes though while they confirm what they are doing with the desk.

Yordan stumbles forward towards the wall, singing in a low voice,

"Bodies, bodies, everywhere,
Nor any clue to think..."

Will save for pile of bodies: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

"That could've been me, that could've been me, that could've been.... AhhhhhhhiiieeeeEEEEEE!"

Will save for rummaging through aftermath of a bad no-safeword BDSM session: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Pockets 1d6 ⇒ 2 silver pieces, because you never know when you may need to tip the bath attendant to get the blood out of your clothes.

And pockets two points of SAN damage, already. Note to self: do not put any ranks in Knowledge (Mythos Lore) lest SAN fall further... or am I already doomed by my ranks in Knowledge: dungeoneering?

Should we heal up the worst of us?