DMDM's Strange Aeons

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

Yordan reaches over and picks up the keys, then looks over at the others, waiting for a response.

The books can wait.

Roll a twenty-sider, please.

Yordan may ignore the books, but Mrakala will take a look through them quickly.

Roll a... no, roll two twenty-siders. Label them "S" and "H", let's say.

Ain't goin near that door, lets free im and git outta here.

Something happens.... 1d20 ⇒ 15

Yordan suddenly pauses for a second, face abstracted and slowly turning towards the door. The jangling keys fall silent in his motionless hand as he strains to listen.

He swallows. "I think... I think I hear two voices beyond that door. And one of them is torturing the other."

Ghelik puts himself between the group and the door.

Shake yerself outta it, no one is openin' that door!
We r taking im and the clothes back now. We can tal to the others bout what we saw. We can always come later.

"Ah, I see. So outright torture we can safely ignore but taking an obviously insane, possibly shapeshifter, back to the camp that doesn't yet trust us and convincing them to take him in--in hopes he doesn't spread his madness, attack, or otherwise cause some catastrophe--that's something we're going to stick to."

The wizard leans against the doorframe with a frown, keeping one eye on the hallway ceiling as he speaks. "At this rate we're likely to get ambushed by whatever's behind that door as we stand here talking anyway. How about a quick vote? Raise your right hand if we open the door. Raise your left hand if you vote for Ghelik's plan."

Oh hey Mrakala, you didn't make your rolls. Here:

H: 1d20 ⇒ 20
S: 1d20 ⇒ 18

Somehow I thought those rolls were for Yordan only!

"Yordan! Take off your shirt now! Something just slithered up your sleeve, it looked like a plain piece of cloth but it could be the leftover essence from those dream creatures we fought earlier. The ones that possess objects...and sometimes people!"

Yordan's right hand rises about halfway up, then falls. Then again. Then, slowly, he raises his left hand.

"Release the madman -- at least he has a chance to get away. I fear we are not strong enough to fight the thing behind the door."

As Kyleen watches, she feels something pulling from within her. A moment later, you see her form appear to waiver and stretch. A moment later, you see the form of the Doctor appear next to her.

Kyleen looks a little confused, and then regains her composure.
Perhaps it is the spirit of the Doctor making me think this, but we definitely need to protect the patients and staff of the hospital. If the man is mad, we keep him bound. Once we figure out what is wrong, then we decide how to deal with him.

The Doctor's mostly solid form stands next her Kyleen and nods.

Kyleen then looks to the Doctor.
Do you recall what was behind these doors? Or what great evil might be there?

Having no recollection of who, or what, she was before, apparently having a spirit melding with her has not phased her at all.

The evil will be destroyed behind that door, but not now. We are not ready.

do I need to make saves as well?

The evil will be destroyed behind that door, but not now. We are not ready.

do I need to make saves as well?

Saves? What are these "saves" you speak of?

Good point! I just assume they are saves

"Ah, I see. So outright torture we can safely ignore but taking an obviously insane, possibly shapeshifter, back to the camp that doesn't yet trust us and convincing them to take him in--in hopes he doesn't spread his madness, attack, or otherwise cause some catastrophe--that's something we're going to stick to."

The wizard leans against the doorframe with a frown, keeping one eye on the hallway ceiling as he speaks. "At this rate we're likely to get ambushed by whatever's behind that door as we stand here talking anyway. How about a quick vote? Raise your right hand if we open the door. Raise your left hand if you vote for Ghelik's plan."

I don't really wanna take him back but I don't feel it's right either just leavin' im ere for whatever horror eats im later...and it looks like the others feel more strongly bout it than I do.

Nameless watches wide-eyed as the spirit exits Kyleen's frame, not moving an inch and holding her breath.

Mrakala looks around in mild amazement as everyone ignores the declaration that Yordan may either be getting possessed or already be in the process of it.

"A piece of cloth just slithered up Yordan's sleeve. We previously encountered flying blades and chairs. I recall the Pale One stating one of the spiritual larvae escaped from those and could be floating around...I highly recommend we handle this scenario expeditiously. Otherwse we may have a possessed companion murder us all in our sleep."

"Yordan, would you mind removing your shirt."

Perhaps it is the spirit of the Doctor making me think this, but we definitely need to protect the patients and staff of the hospital. If the man is mad, we keep him bound. Once we figure out what is wrong, then we decide how to deal with him.

The Doctor's mostly solid form stands next her Kyleen and nods.

Kyleen then looks to the Doctor.
Do you recall what was behind these doors? Or what great evil might be there?

The Doctor shakes his (translucent, green, damaged) head. "Its the Washroom. Big v- v-" he shakes his head "big tub things full of hot water and soap. I can't imagine what great evil might lurk there, beyond some great piles of unwashed sheets and underwear." He looks around. "But then... so much has changed." For a moment he looks completely bewildered. Then, "Of course our duty is to secure and protect the patients, and then begin re... re... reconstruction."

Yordan frantically claws away at his shirt, dropping both keys and glaive in his haste, whimpering, "The shears... the shears are snotrags now!"

There is indeed a... something, on your arm. It looks like a handkerchief. Originally, it was yellow, but it's visibly changing to match the color of your skin.

It's wrapped around your upper arm and stuck to it somehow.

Around my right arm, I think, since that's what I would have picked the keys up with.

Yordan draws his dagger with his left hand and tries to cut the thing away.

Attack roll, if necessary: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 for 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 damage.

Ghelik sheathes his Short Sword, keeping the rune covered dagger out he moves next to Yordan,
We gotta burn it off or cut if off, anyone got anythin we can use?!
Put your arm out

If Yordan complies I will attempt to carefully cut it off.

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23 damage 1d4 ⇒ 3

Possible crit:
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 damage 1d4 ⇒ 1

Satisfied that Yordan is not yet possessed and that Ghelik will be able to assist him, Mrkala keeps his eye on the washroom door.

"We may want to retreat with our...new companion to safety if we believe whatever is beyond that door may come out. Could someone bind him while Ghelik and Yordan remove...that thing."

Also, someone with Heal may want to do a check on him to see if it can be removed safely.

DM, is there any knowledge checks that can be rolled to assist? Perhaps Planes? If so could you roll for Mrakala, he has +9 to planes/arcana/dungeoneering.

Unsure what else to do about the thing, Kyleen calls on her memory and points toward Yordan, causing him to suddenly be covered in a sheen of grease.

Cast Grease.

No clue if this thing has him grappled, but the Grease should cause him to be able to make a CMD or Escape Artist at +10 I believe.

Kyleen: you can save the grease.

It's not terribly difficult to cut the thing off Yordan. It writhes a bit. If you cut it a little, it dies.

It leaves a huge raw patch on his arm. Apparently, it dissolved the upper quarter inch or so of skin and flesh, and was in the process of replacing it. Yordan takes 1d3 ⇒ 3 points of damage as the thing is cut free.

DM, is there any knowledge checks that can be rolled to assist? Perhaps Planes? If so could you roll for Mrakala, he has +9 to planes/arcana/dungeoneering.

Removing the thing is pretty straightforward, as long as you know it's there.

Whut they ells' is this thing? as he cuts it loose. It's like a leech outta some high-borns nightmare.

Can we roll an Arcane or Planes for what it was? Or was Mrakala's instinct right and it's another of those possess-y larvae things from the first fight?

Ranger needs healing badly

Yordan hastily pulls his shirt back on, then stuffs the bits of now-dead cloth into his trophy pouch. Then he picks up the keys and his glaive. "Let us make sure no more of these things are in the blankets and such we are taking back."

Yeah don't want any of those little horrors cumin back with us.

You okay Yerdan?

slobbering snakes. Let's get back to the camp w this fellow and regroup. Something is. It right here and we are in over our heads I think

"Not... right." It's more than just the recent arm-ringing. Yordan appears not to be in good health at all.

Down to 3/12 hit points from previous unhealed damage + this.

Ghelik will help Yordan back once we are all ready to leave.

this place is a hells hole. We should git outta here as soon as we can... after we kill everythin' in here.

Didn't we pick up some manacles at some point?

Staring at the doors from where the sounds of assumed torture originate, the oracle looks back and forth to her companions, seeming torn. Finally, she nods to Yordan. We should perform a thorough check of all the cloth we are taking back - preferably with multiple observers, and with Winter present.

Nameless moves to help the others firmly bind the Praising Man as he is freed from the wall.

Seeing the flesh dissolved from Yordan's arm, Kyleen realizes that a few more blows might land the ranger in the realm of the unliving.
I think you need a little help with that.

Kyleen then reaches out with her hand and rubs it over the wound.

Cast CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Healing the worst of the burns, leaving partially healed tender skin in the place of the former burns.

Can't help but imagine Kyleen just rubbing dirt on Yordan and mumbling to him to get over it. "Just rub some dirt on it, ya pansy."

I have more fun these days describing how spells are cast when I am awake enough to be creative. I was not awake enough to rub dirt in his wounds, although that is not really Kyle's style.

As long as you don't rub salt in his wounds.

"Thank you," Yordan says quietly. He waits till after we have the madman roped up to unlock the manacles, then (if nothing goes wrong) he loads up with blankets and other useful laundry loads, carefully examining each sheet.

"Not... right." It's more than just the recent arm-ringing. Yordan appears not to be in good health at all.

Whoa: there's some weird... black stuff... mottled all over Yordan's torso and shoulders. Looks like... actually, you don't know what it looks like. It's under the skin, though. And it doesn't look right.

Okay, then -- yellow robe guy is released but under surveillance, and you're beating a retreat to the Sanctuary?

Yes

"Yordan, what is that...on your shoulders?"

Mrakala keeps an eye on the ceiling as they make a retreat to the sanctuary.

"I ... don't know. Never saw or read about anything like it." Yordan seems decidedly uncomfortable, looking behind him a lot as the party retreats.

Fritz keeps a close eye on the prisoner, and continually glances over his shoulder

As the party decides to return to the encampment, Kyleen shutters as the Doctor once more merges with her. She then tries to take a closer look at the issue with Yordan's skin and shoulder.

Heal: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Kyleen's Heal check: you got nothin'. It doesn't look good, though.

Okay, back you go! 1d6 ⇒ 5 You reach the barrier of the sanctuary without difficulty. (Kyleen, I assume you fold the Doctor back in before coming into visual range. Let me know if that's not so.)

Captain Yorke frowns at you. "Who the hell is this?"

"A rescued madman in need of help." Yordan is short and to the point, letting others do most of the talking. Has Praise Boy said anything on the walk back?

He seems dazed but very happy to be with you. "Praise... praise him..." he keeps murmuring.

Sergeant Yorke shakes his head. "We allowed you lot in on sufferance. Nobody said anything about anyone else. He could be another one of... them."

Winter appears behind him. "What's happening?"

Anyone feel like trying to burn some Trust points on a Diplomacy roll? Up to one person can Aid another.