Darkest Corners volume 2

Game Master Harakani

Give me a Knowledge: Planes, please.

As Diene's magical protections fail, and with her inability to use her precise martial techniques to parry against an invisible foe, Diene takes two hard hits that almost takes her off her feat.

"Kkkhaa... Damn it. Isama, sorry, you're up. I've got to retreat for the moment." Diene seethes through gritted teeth, clearly not happy to have to admit defeat.

Withdraw action, taking cover in the previous room.

Isama nods and keeps flashing her scimitar at the invisible monster they were fighting.

Scimitar: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Miss higher better: 1d100 ⇒ 40
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Crit chance: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
Crit damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Isama steps up and delivers a powerful blow - but the creature still stands.

Oh sorry! I didn't see the prompt for a knowledge check :/

I'm going to roll one in a spoiler even though I'm fairly sure I just got the info. Just in case!

"In my pack; there a scroll of cure light wounds there." Ophelia offered, though she suspected that it wouldn't be too helpful. Diene had never struck her as the reading type ...

Opting to maintain concentration this turn; next turn she'll probably have to stab that thing!

"Excellent strike Isama! You got a chunk of its head. It's still up though ..."

Ah! Yes, the invisible... stalkery... thing should have gone. Everyone but Isama gets a go.
Growls somewhere between a whisper and far off thunder sound, and the monster strikes again - this time at Isama, though fortunately neither seem to connect.
The growls grow louder.

Waiting for Ophelia to adjust her targeting reticule again, Mia fires once more.
For a moment, she wondered if she should see her out-of-the-guards arms supplier to re-consider her designation-enchantment, possibly replace it with something more flashy. But alas, for now, it had to do.

Light Crossbow: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25 Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 plus designated again...+2 to hit/damage in melee
Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 40

Scimitar: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Miss higher better: 1d100 ⇒ 54
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Isama continues swinging away at the sort of illuminated enemy.

@Isama - Please don't forget to add the +2 bonuses from Mia's bolts! They're expensive I think and it's a shame to let them go to waste :)

Ophelia continues to target the invisible assailant. "It seems damaged. Excellent! Diene; how are you holding up?"

"Perfectly honest with you, I've felt better." Diene mentions as she rifles through Diene's pack to find the scroll.

CLW Scroll: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 With Arcane Training: Witch, I can use a CLW scroll, presuming it's Arcane.

They would be bard scrolls from an older version of this character, so go ahead : )

"A shame." Ophelia echoes hollow.

Well, they are not expensive in that I got the lesser designating enchantment for the crossbow. It seemed fancy at the time, with all 3 of you using melee, giving a +2 to your to-hits seemed great, and I figured with +2 damage on each hit, that's better than damage-based enchantments. Alas, in situations where not all 3 of you get to attack, it is lackluster, and means our potential ranged output is rather neglectable by itself. Oh well :) I also still have a spell outfit based on Castor having a ton of scrolls of all spells on his list :)

Daria's bolt and Isama's scimitar both pass through the creature, meeting some resistance on the way.
The invisible enemy wavers in Ophelia's sight, whatever substance making up its ethereal body breaking up... but still it holds on... just.
It's first attack on Isama fades, little more than a strong wind. As if desperate to wreak damage in its last moments, the creature attacks Isama one last time, the strike hitting home with the force of a thunderbolt.
Isama takes 13 damage

Gahh.. die already!

Scimitar: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Miss higher better: 1d100 ⇒ 6
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

"Almost!" Ophelia chimes, her iron tendons tightening the grip around her spear. She would love to lash out and finish the monster but she was not sure if she could afford the lapse of concentration.

Daria watched with growing discomfort as Isama was struck by the invisible assailant.
Running out of melee people to shield you...you are next...
Not letting panic overshadow the optimistic nature of her kind, she reloads swiftly, and fires yet another bolt at the reticule.
Maybe it's resistant...and you are not hurting it at all?
Doubts crept into her mind, but as of now, there was still hope.

Light Crossbow: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25 Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 plus designated again...+2 to hit/damage in melee
Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 61

"Damn, maybe I should invest in some like, of those little Dart thingy that never miss scrolls or something for dodgy invisible bastards like this." Diene's wounds barely look any better, but she readies herself to re-enter the fray once more with a charge, her deft Dragon footwork allowing her to do so through allies.

She wasn't really sure why footwork techniques that let you move gracefully through allies were related to dragons, as they kind of just smushed everything in their way, but so it was.

Attack: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30
Miss Chance, high good: 1d100 ⇒ 3
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

Whatever this thing is, Daria's last crossbow bolt seems to finally take the fight out of it.
The creature slumps audibly to the ground, dissolving into a whirlwind of tiny dust spirals.

Daria reloads, on the lookout for more dangers drawn by the sound of battle, looking to entrances mainly.
"Diene, hold still!", she pipes up while nervously aiming the crossbow as she moves over to her LT and touches her leg.
Cure Moderate Wounds: 2d8 + 6 ⇒ (4, 3) + 6 = 13
Move to reload, standard to cast CMW on Diene.

what's happening? Is it dead? Isama asks.

"No. It is still for the moment." She moves the target down to the floor. "I am unsure how to proceed; a ruse or unconsciousness?"

"You've got a pokey stick right? Can you finish it off from a bit of a step back with that? Or Mia could shoot it again. Thanks for the heal, by the way." Diene stays still for a moment and nods her thanks at Mia. Her stance relaxes slightly, as though she was mostly holding on by tensing and sheer willpower at this point before.

Let's just keep shootin' at it until it's really dead

"I can stab it, but it will dispel the illusionary targeting system. Acceptable at this time I think." Ophelia nods and slowly approaches the fallen critter. Once within spear-range she tries a coup de grace. "Pokey stick engaged!"

Pokey stick!: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Ophelia stabs the ground, and hopefully something on it, hard. "It should be taken care of. Shall we recoup and advance?"

"That sounds like a good idea. It feels like we've been here forever...Must be the lack of sleep...", Daria pipes up, glad that the invisible creature is gone.
She keeps her hand on Diene's thigh, channeling more healing energy into her.
CMW: 2d8 + 6 ⇒ (4, 6) + 6 = 16
That should leave 1 Level 2 slot left.

Glad it's dead Isama wipes her brow. I hope that was the only thing like that 'round here. I like hitting things I can see.

"Yes. Seeing makes things easier." Ophelia agrees with a chime.

"Mmm, thanks again, Mia. That one really hit the spot. It's a damn shame when my shield runs out mid fight." Diene was definitely showing a fair spot more vigor.

"I'd hate to run into another ambush like that, but it's not like our scout can see invisible beasties either. If they've got another one of those, I think our best solution is just to stay close with each other. Any other ideas?"

"Holding out our arms and spinning might help locate it? Otherwise; some pigment we could spread in the area. Just enough dust might do it?"

"Well, if we find the kitchen, we can see if they have a sack of flour or something.", Daria pipes up, making sure to stay somewhat in the middle of the others, nervously watching the doors.

Map - latest one I think? We were just entering the room to the left of Diene when this invisible thing attacked us. I think.

"Excellent idea Mia." Ophelia nods and looks around in the room. Now that there wasn't anything trying to kill them, they should take a good look.

Perception!: 1d20 + 15 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 15 + (4) = 21

"Fair enough. Let's check this place out. Hopefully that was their only real muscle." Diene cracked her knuckles before joining Ophelia in her search.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28

Isama does the same Per: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

I imagine 15 minutes have passed since we started? Think Spider climb and owl's wisdom have faded by now

new Map
I don't think they have - while we've been at it a long time the characters have been trying to go more quickly. Uh, 10 minutes after you take a look around?
"Look" your prisoner starts "I warned you about that thing, that has to count for something. Didn't even know it was here, really. We always have to bow to the stage when we go through. Gave me the creeps like everything else here, but that's why I saw it move. But I warned you, right?"

The current room
With time to look around the team has a chance to take it all in. This must have been a beautiful room - once.
Polished mahogany walls and wooden floors shift abruptly to rough, crumbling rock, giving way to the foundations of an old temple incorporated into the house’s architecture. A beautifully aged glass mosaic of a butterfly spreads it wings between weather-beaten marble columns adorned with an astrological motif.
To the west, the stout slats of the old wooden stage the creature resided on have been forcefully pried up and piled near a stone altar carved from the island’s bedrock. Looking down through these missing slats reveals winding stone steps descending into darkness - steps apparently covered by this stage at some point in the house's past.

The new room
You look carefully through the door to the new room, careful to ensure no invisible creature lurks in ambush here as well - a worry quickly put at ease when you realise the webbed mess that fills most of the room; thick tangles of iridescent webs string together debris around the room’s perimeter.
To the west, several tables littered with a complicated arrangement of flasks, alembics, and cauldrons surround a shiver still, which emits a strange, bitter smell.
With careful kneeling it is possible to look up through the webs and see exposed beams and broken timbers - indicating that the original ceiling of this large parlor fell away some time ago, creating this two-story chamber.
Knowledge Nature and Perception checks for anyone investigating the webs. Craft: Alchemy rolls to identify the alchemical gear (with a penalty for range)

Well spiders, like we figured. Isama says looking up at the webs.

Kn:Nature: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

"Butterflies again...it's pretty.", Daria comments on the glass mosaic, remembering how Desna's favored creatures helped them find this place.
When Isama mentions spiders, she stops admiring the mosaic and motifs on the columns and heads to the door. "Spiders indeed", she comments noticing the ceiling was gone to make way for more webbing.

Knowledge(Nature): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30 +2 vs traps
Craft(Alchemy): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

"Curious. Do you think this rooms apparent connection to Desna would be a reason for the cult to hold it - or a mere coincidence?" the clockwork analyses the butterfly and astronomical motifs. They were indeed "pretty" which didn't quite fit in with the rest of the building which was clearly not "pretty". She guessed it would be closer to "creepy" or, possibly, "chic" though she wasn't quite sure on the exact definition of that.

She'd had to ponder more on that mystery later. For now - evil cults and dreams! Following her companions to the webbed room she leans in and looks around. "Webs." she corrects them. "I see no spiders. Isn't that strange?"

Know:Nature: 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 7 + (4) = 16

Perception: 1d20 + 15 + 1d6 ⇒ (19) + 15 + (2) = 36

Craft:Alchemy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31

"Not at all. The last spiders we encountered were...quasi-real, too. Although I admit I would have expected you to be able to see them, which complicates the situation. But I am quite certain the webs are indicative of spider presence...", Daria muses when Ophelia, with her ability to see invisible things, states that no Spiders are in the Webs.

"Well, my fuzzy form's used up, so I don't think I qualify as a duster anymore." Diene glances around, scratching her head.