DMDM's Strange Aeons

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

Vitæ takes a defensive stance (which should be evident to those around him) and backs out of the room.

Under his breath,

"Some thing is in the back of the room. It must have heard us."

Withdraw action out of the room.

Fritz immediately moves into the room with his sword ready, if there is time he quickly stabs the corpse to make sure it's dead

Where is it? I do not see anything?

Ghelik waits at the ready with both weapons out, about 5 feet behind Fritz...

Yordan stays out in the corridor, keeping an eye on the laundry room but ready to come in if anyone calls for help.

"Two corpses, don't we have? This one, and the doctor downstairs with the shears.... the shears." One hand drifts to his pouch and fingers it, then returns to the shaft of his glaive.

So, Yordan, Mrakala and Vitae are staying outside in the corridor; Fritz and Ghelik are advancing forward into the room; nobody is touching or closely examining the body in front of the door. Correct?

Note that if the Oracle tosses a light-spell object into the room, the room is well illuminated, but the corridor is dark. Keep the object outside, and the corridor is lit while the room has low-light conditions (because of some light coming in through the cracks in the roof to the south).

"That requires us to go back into that abyssal hole, Yordan."

"Who's in there?" Mrakala calls out into the room.

For now, I'll assume that the Oracle is with Team Cowering In The Corridor, and further that she's hanging on to the light source. So Team CITC has full light, while the Advance Guard (Fritz and Ghelik) are moving forward into creepy shadows and that weird yellow-gray light from outside -- viz., low-light conditions.

Nobody answers Mrakala's call.

Fritz and Ghelik, you're splashing forward through a couple of inches of water, stopping occasionally to shake a bit of soggy paper off your boots. Are you going to explore the entire room? It's about 40 x 20, and the southern 15' are difficult terrain.

Vitæ has Stuff 3 so has all his belongings but alas no torches or lanterns. In the age of the Light Cantrip I guess the torch is forgotten.

Vitæ has Darkvison so should be able to see into the room despite these conditions and can stay just by the door's threshold, he will guide the two brave souls as best he can. DMDM, Fritz and Vitæ have both stabbed the body on the floor.

Vitæ whispers to the Fritz and Ghelik, "This feels wrong."

Kyleen are you with team Brass balls or team CITC?

Kyleen, lacking any armor and with only a small dagger, remains in the hall with those on rear (cowering) guard.

Nameless crouches in the hall, scanning back and forth between the northern and southern corridors, as well as nervously glancing back at the laundry. After the Deputy Director's door is opened, and absence of light noted, she recasts Light on the tip of her spear, holding it forward and aloft into the room while staying in the hall.

"EvEr WiSh YoUr ArMs WeRe LoNgEr?"

"reachandscrabbleintodarknesstobeconsumedyestheycome"

Not quite the answer I would hope for, but okay ..., the oracle mutters.

In a calm, conversational tone, Mrakala looks at Kyleen and the oracle. "You know something horrible is going to happen to them, right? We should leave this room alone."

Fritz, don't go outta the light.

In a calm, conversational tone, Mrakala looks at Kyleen and the oracle. "You know something horrible is going to happen to them, right? We should leave this room alone."

"Ray. Of. Sunshine."

"No, he's right you know, dearie. There's something ... proficient in there."

Glacing over to Mrakala with wide eyes, Nameless nods. The cut on that ... Rippler ... is clean. Professional. It was caught unawares by something that knows how to kill. The oracle swallows hard, and returns to watching over her shoulder.

Kyleen looks over to Mrakala:
Might be friend. Might be foe. I still have no clue who or what I am. I might be a greater threat. Or, I might be your savior. For now, all we can do is proceed forward and see what is contained in each room. Each one might be our death, or might be our escape.

Its almost as if someone said leave some rooms unopened. If only there was a clue to which rooms could be dangerous. To be honest if you want we can pull this dead body, close the door and come back when we are healed up.

Fritz you can use Detect Evil even in low light conditions right? Would you scan the room?

Fritz immediately moves into the room with his sword ready, if there is time he quickly stabs the corpse to make sure it's dead

Where is it? I do not see anything?

DM I said I stabbed it, assuming there is time before we get jumped

Fritz, don't go outta the light.

Not a chance, I would be afraid you would try to stab me again

I still have no clue who or what I am. I might be a greater threat. Or, I might be your savior.

The oracle raises her eyebrows at Kyleen. If you meant to kill us, I am certain you could have found an opportunity or two by now. Nameless shakes her head. No, I think you are part of ... whatever we are. What are we? Why *are* we all here together? Do, um -- do I know any of you?

I think three different people have stabbed the dead thing. Poor thing. Anyway, it doesn't move or anything, and seems to still be quite dead.

1d20 ⇒ 16

Fritz, there's someone -- or something -- on the floor at the back of the room, half hidden behind an overturned desk. It seems to be trying to hide, but not doing a very good job. You can see what looks like a leg -- human? hard to say, it's shadowy in here -- sticking out from behind the desk, and every few moments a faint, raspy breath.

Glacing over to Mrakala with wide eyes, Nameless nods. The cut on that ... Rippler ... is clean. Professional. It was caught unawares by something that knows how to kill. The oracle swallows hard, and returns to watching over her shoulder.

Ghelik the Sly wrote:

Fritz, don't go outta the light.

Not a chance, I would be afraid you would try to stab me again

Fritzie, you now the evil gotta into me...little bugger was in me mind.

Assuming Fritz says something about the thing hiding.

Presumably Fritz would mention it, if only by a nod and a gesture. He doesn't seem the type to keep things to himself.

Anyway: no response.

Looking in from just outside the door.
If you cast light on a coin or something, I should be able to float it back and get a better idea of who, or what, is back there.

Kyleen can use Mage Hand to move a small object with light cast on it.

I'm sure it will do nothing but

Detect evil on the critter

If it is evil kill it dead! If not then kill it unconscious I think

Next time the evil gets in you let me know so I can cut it out

"If the room's that big, maybe we should all step inside so we can keep track of each other... don't want another Not-Fritz situation. There are more of those skinwalkers out there..."

Yordan shivers, not with cold.

No evil. The leg (?) is motionless, but after a long pause there's another soft, rasping breath.

We need the light in here, somethin' over here...move up.

he says back to the group.

Mrakala sighs and will follow the others, staying at the back near the light. He lifts one hand, a spell on his lips and pulls a net, of all things, out of a sack.

Okay. Who's going within reach to get a closer look?

Note that because the overturned desk is at the back of the room, there's no way to do this without getting within 10' of whatever it is, and also standing in rubble (difficult terrain).

What if I see my own face there? What if it's another doctor who will strap me to a table again?

Yordan remains in position to guard the door into the hallway, but now inside the room rather than outside it.

Yeah, that whole "must make a Will save before putting myself in danger thing." Pain hurts.

"Perhaps we if have another source of illumination to help? Such as torch, a spell, a scroll of Light that we can dip in oil then ignite?"

"Fritz, and he who likes staying next to Fritz back with weapons drawn, if whatever killed the shapeshifter is still here, it does not mean it will be friendly to us. I implore you to be cautious."

The papers are sodden because part of the ceiling to the south has collapsed. There are several cracks that are allowing the rain from outside to come in. (The cracks are perhaps big enough to allow a Small-sized creature to wriggle through. From here it doesn't look like a human-sized creature could manage, though you'd have to look more closely to be sure.) Some yellowish-gray light comes in through the cracks, but most of the room is dark.

Keep an eye on the roof as well. This room is set up for a fight I don't like it.

"Yes let me just wriggle my fingers and...oh, I didn't prepare that one today. We will have to do without, unless anyone found a torch or two."

We suck as adventurer's. No one packed any torches, lanterns, or crowbars! Do we at least have rope?!

"Oh.... torches. Yes, I have torches. And flint and steel. And -- yes, rope! Never leave home without some rope, my old -- someone. Someone said that. Why can't I remember his name? Somewhere--"

Yordan hastily puts down his glaive on one of the shattered cabinets, and digs into his pack, while keeping a close eye on the door.

"I had a torchbearer, too -- or was it the same one who told me about the rope? Short little fellow... torch, torch, have to light the torch. So we have light. And flame. Fire burns some things, doesn't it, that steel can't touch? Do those skinwalkers burn?"

Yordan lights a torch and looks around for a torchbearer to take it, since he needs both hands for most of his weapons.

Heedless of the ongoing discussion regarding light and shadow, the oracle stands motionless, staring at the shifter's corpse. A look of confused horror crosses her features. It ... chose to die? It just *stood* there ...

Still holding the light-bearing spear aloft, arm seemingly frozen at that angle, Nameless squats and reaches out to touch the face of the corpse. A small whisper escapes her lips. Why?

Perhaps Mrakala can Mage Hand the torch over to the 'leg' so can all start making Sanity checks like proper ding a lings.

Oracle, could you please cast Guidance on our point man Fritz.

"Perhaps we if have another source of illumination to help? Such as torch, a spell, a scroll of Light that we can dip in oil then ignite?"

"Fritz, and he who likes staying next to Fritz back with weapons drawn, if whatever killed the shapeshifter is still here, it does not mean it will be friendly to us. I implore you to be cautious."

Ghelik says little, but gives Vitae a look that plainly says..."really".

:]

My only cantrips are Detect Magic, Read Magic, and Daze :( No utility.

Kyleen, if she would not mind, can do it then.

Crossbow ready.

Perception for surroundings now we have light and for roof and possiblly beyond: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Fritz stands ready and moves to the edge of the light

Shall we?

Yordan continues shivering as he hands off the torch and picks up his glaive.

Kyleen casts mage hand and carefully moves the lit torch into the room, so that it is above the leg and desk.

As she does this, she looks to the Oracle.
Perhaps the skinwalker was charmed or unaware his throat was being sliced?

Fritz stands ready and moves to the edge of the light

Shall we?

Okay! Into the shadows you go...

It's a person. (Or it looks like one, anyway.)

An old woman, dressed in simple clothes, like a servant. She's cowering behind the overturned desk, apparently trying to hide. She looks injured: there's blood on her face, and one leg is sticking out at an awkward angle.

As you approach, she scrabbles backwards, grimacing in a mixture of terror and pain.

Throwing caution to the wind, Kyleen steps forward, still keeping the torch floating above the woman.

With open hands, she attempts to speak with the woman.
We mean you no harm if you are not one of the skinwalkers. But, first, who killed this one by the door? If it was you, how did you do it?

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

"Please... don't hurt me..." It looks like she can hardly move. "I don't know anything... I've just been hiding here... the earthquake... hurt my leg." She doesn't sound completely coherent, either.

sense motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Thinking she is telling the truth...Ghelik looks around one last time before slowly approaching.

we can help ya, you won't last long out here hurt.

I assume she does not detect as evil