DMDM's Strange Aeons

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

Someone bot Mrakala and Vitae, please.

(Obviously I can, but I'd somewhat prefer another player do it when possible.)

I do not know what debilitating things might be affecting either Vitae or Mrakala, but here goes.
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VITAE
The strange pasty skinned steps forward and then hums as he concentrates on the creature before him, hoping against hope that the strange look on his face will be enough to make the creature break out laughing, and causing it to drop its prisoner.

Move forward a few steps.
Swift: Hypnotic Stare <-- -2 on Will saves for the bad guy
Standard: Cast Hideous Laughter - DC15 Will

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Mrakala
The wizard, still annoyed with the treatment he has received from the residents, nonetheless steps forward hoping to end this fight before it begins by knocking the creature unconscious.

Move 15' (1/2 speed for difficult territory.

Cast Color Spray - Will DC16

Finished with a meeting early and poking my head in. Was going to cast Color Spray so..glad Kyleen has that handled!

Can we see enough of the thing to roll a check on it? Long tentacly arms, cat-like eyes, some way of clinging to ceilings?

"Release him, Abomination!"

As an aside, DC is +1 if the creature counts as Eldritch and all that.

I'm guessing that since Yordan is unconscious the color spray is not going to affect him, but in case it becomes relevant

DC 16 Will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Finished with a meeting early and poking my head in. Was going to cast Color Spray so..glad Kyleen has that handled!

Can we see enough of the thing to roll a check on it? Long tentacly arms, cat-like eyes, some way of clinging to ceilings?

Sure, you could roll a check on that.

As an aside, DC is +1 if the creature counts as Eldritch and all that.

Mm hm.

Ghelik waits to see the effects of the spells the group attacks the monstrosity with before acting...hoping that the creature won't make off with their new found compatriot.

Unless we can get it off the ceiling, I can't do much other than throw a dagger.

Hey, if it's grappling me it's probably denied its Dex bonus so you get sneak attack damage... go for it!

Okay, so two... no, three big saves for the whatever-it-is, both will saves at -2.

Grease: 1d20 ⇒ 8
Hideous Laughter 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 4 - 2 = 13 <-- +4 because it's not your type
Color Spray1d20 - 2 ⇒ (13) - 2 = 11

Okay so: the Grease spell works! As the creature hisses in frustration, Yordan pops out from between its hands... okay, not actually hands... its rubbery palps. He slumps to the floor with a thud.

It totally shakes off your other two spells, though. Color Spray? Hideous Laughter? Doesn't even blink.

Anyone left who hasn't acted, or is it Grabby's turn again?

Ghelik will double move and if possible stand over Yordan trying to fight off any attempts to grab him or Yordan with his two weapons.

1d100 ⇒ 68 Hmph.

Whatever it is, it makes a strange soft mournful sighing sound, and then turns and slithers away across the ceiling.

Whatever it is, it's fast. In a few moments it has oozed through the crack in the roof to the outdoors, and is gone.

Yordan's still turning blue, mind.

Yordan's breath wheezes through his lips as his body fights to hold on...

DC 10 Constitution check to stabilize: 1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 - 2 = 16

...and slowly the wheeze becomes regular and turns into quiet normal breathing.

[OOC]if he is blue he must be a monster...better kill it[ooc]

I'm turning pink! I'm turning pink!

if he is blue he must be a monster...better kill it

Glad we do not have any Undine or Slyph in the party.

Ghelik watched as the creature slithers away, hatred clear in his eyes, he looks down only for a moment at Yordan, Anywun gonna elp im'?

Any healing for the injured party member?

(Leaving him outside in the corridor while you explore the Laundry is also an option, of course.)

no lay on hands yet

We have an oracle and a bard, both IIRC with cure light wounds, or you can just drag me back to the chapel ... which might be less dangerous than leaving me in the hallway.

Lets go with the Oracle. She has more spells per day and Kyleen already used one of her two spells for the day and I would prefer keeping one in reserve in case we need me to cast something.

ORACLE WITH NO NAME
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Posting for the Oracle since she has not posted since last Saturday.

Yordan struggles up to consciousness, stands, and picks up his weapons. "Thank you, all. What was that thing?"

He is still weak and shakey, with bruises around his neck and a bit of a wheeze to his breath, but appears ready to keep going forward.

You notice that he spends a lot of time henceforth watching the ceilings.

Okay! Well then... the Laundry awaits.

Who's going in first?

Fritz once again leads the way. Let's avoid doing that again alright?

"Yes, let's avoid getting me strangled by some kind of creepy thing from the ceiling. Mrakala, what was that?"

Yordan falls in at the rear as we enter the Laundry, and keeps a careful eye behind him and on the ceiling.

What were you doing anyway?

The oracle stands rooted to the spot, watching the Thing slink away. Yordan, nononononono. Stay with us. She rushes to his side and attempts to bind his wounds.

See discussion comment.

Heal: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (20) - 1 = 19 --- WOO Natural 20.

Nice. -- Side benefit: whatever was strangling him, wasn't hands. Vaguely handlike maybe? but not hands.

Knowledge Dungeoneering/Arcana/Planes: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

As No Name revives our nearly departed friend, Mrakala walks up and helps Yordan to stand. "That monster was a ..."

He shakes his head, looking to the laundry room. "How are you doing? Can you continue onward with us? ...Also we should make sure to keep an eye on the ceiling from now on."

"I can continue," Yordan says, as one of his eyes nervously tracks the ceiling.

THE LAUNDRY

This is a large room, about 40' wide and 60' from north to south, with a western alcove that's 20' wide and 40' from north to south. It once handled drying and ironing. Sturdy drying racks, ironing boards and tables for folding are all lying about in disarray, some smashed and almost all toppled. Irons, folding rods clotheslines and more obscure laundry-related tools lie around on the floor between them. (As a result, much of the room is difficult terrain.)

Much of the northern end of the room is buried under rubble; it looks like the ceiling collapsed.

A large pair of double doors exit to the south. A sign by them says "PLEASE KEEP DOORS SHUT".

A wall of pipelike crossbeams fills the western alcove of this room. Three figures are manacled to the rack here. From south to north they are: a male human wearing stained yellow sheets as robes and bearing a flame-shaped chalk mark upon his forehead; what appears to be the corpse of a patient; and a ghoul. (The ghoul is obviously a ghoul: he has grey skin, exaggeratedly large and spadelike claws, and a mouthful of protruding fangs.)

The corpse has been partially eaten, presumably by the ghoul. On the other side, the man in yellow robes cringes away, apparently terrified of the ghoul.

As you enter, the man and the ghoul both turn towards you. "Praise Zandalus! Praise him! Praise!" cries the man in yellow. The ghoul snarls and throws itself against its manacles. They rattle loudly, but hold.

Your destruction will be swift beast!

Frtz charges activating his smite

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 init if I cant just be my fast acting zealot self

1d20 + 2 + 2 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (19) + 2 + 2 + 2 - 1 = 24 for 1d8 + 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 2 + 1 = 7
to confirm
1d20 + 2 + 2 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 2 + 2 - 1 = 13 for 1d8 + 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 2 + 1 = 6

Frtz charges activating his smite

I read that as '... activating his smile'. Somewhat disappointed when I read it correctly.

Initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Will Save (DC 15 to put self in danger): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15 Yay!

Nameless steels herself after Yordan is up and around. No more. We can't lose anyone.

We cannot afford to let anyone fall - everyone stay together., she exclaims shortly before Fritz rushes into the laundry. Shaking her head, she follows when the group enters.

Action delayed until situation unfolds.

Kyleen, seeing Fritz begin to charge calls out.

WAIT - everything here is not as it seems. Determine whether that is evil or an illusion before you kill it.

Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

--> her shout goes off before Fritz charges

Ghelik follows in behind Fritz, taking in the horrible scene. We should kill them all to be sure...no, we can't just kill everyone...and everything.

Fritz, the girl might be right!

Ther' r to many things that aren't what they seem round ere.

Ghelik doesn't move to stop him but does look above and around to try to make sure this isn't another trap...

Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

Yordan can't really see into the room but he knows enough to yell "'Ware footing!"...

Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

... before Fritz can charge into the difficult terrain and probably trip over a bear trap hidden in the debris.

An instant later, he asks "Who is Zandalus?"

Looks like nobody is actually stopping Fritz...?

Also, Fritz, you can't charge -- difficult terrain. Hard to charge over a couple of upside-down ironing boards and a broken table. Your attack will still hit, though, assuming nobody does anything to stop you.

"Too many monsters in here. Kill them all and sort it out later."

Mrakala shares what is in the spoiler above about the choker with the party.

Knowledge(Arcane) on Zandalus?: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Okay, so Fritz attacks. No charge means no +2 on the attack roll. However, the chains mean the ghoul is effectively grappled, so it has -2 on its AC. So, you hit it, but you juuuust fail to confirm the crit. 7 points of damage.

The creature shrieks and attempts to wrench free from its chains!

1d20 ⇒ 5 <-- not this round.

"Praise!" cries the guy in yellow robes.

Well, it didn't break loose, and yellow-robes is chained and can't do anything. So... what is everyone doing?

Yordan is continuing to watch the rear and the ceilings. Seven of us, two of them chained up. Maybe something is wacky but ... rearguard has his job, and isn't needed in the front line.

Ready an attack with glaive on anyone who attacks from the rear.

Attack roll: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15 for 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 damage

Ghelik moves up next to Fritz and attacks the Ghoul.

Shortsword attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

I guess we shud kill it... but Fritz's wild swings cause Ghelik to over shoot his swing.

Nameless stays beside Yordan, holding her spear at the ready. She stands so that she can keep an eye down the hallways, and also see into the doorway and watch the action in the western alcove across the room.

To nobody in particular: Zandalus? I wonder if that is who melting-Mrakala was lauding when the mirror got him? Side eye to Yordan: Or melting-You, for that matter. Can you ... recall anything?

"I don't recall a name...but that's a keen observation, Nameless. I think you are on to something!"

I also hadn't realized the yellow-robed one was also chained.

"Ghelik, Fritz, desist for just a moment. Let us see if we can gather some information. Why are these two chained?"

Is there any knowledge we can roll for the name Zandalus? Mrakala made an Arcana check previously, Religion may be better though..

delivered dinosaurs! This is an undead monstrosity. It will be destroyed

Kyleen stands aghast and watches he ghoul carefully to see if there is anything about it that is unusual.

Knowledge(religion): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Zandalus: you got nothin'.

Kyleen, the ghoul looks like a ghoul. Though you can't remember when or where you've seen a ghoul. But somehow, you're sure you have. They come in different kinds, you know that. This is one of the less-bad ones, and that's good.