DM Delmoth's Strange Aeons (Inactive)

Game Master Delmoth

The courtyard is as described. Quiet, eerie, and with that extremely disconcerting vortex of yellow clouds swirling overhead.

To the north, around the wall of the room with the chute, the weathered path ends abruptly in the caved in stone ruins of what you can guess would be the small building housing the stairs leading down to the basement you just emerged from.

A note about the map: it is a wee bit different from how I described. Paizo's maps are gorgeous but frustrating because they like to put things on verticies and in the middle of squares, lol.

Map!

Julius timidly steps outside. He scooches over a bit to make room for anyone behind him, his rapier held in front of him. He looks at the ruins around the corner from him. "So that's where we came from, I think? It's a miracle the basement didn't cave in on us while we were down there. Oof."

"Through the door, then?"
Dervak hefts his falchion.
At the moment the slides seem to be in view-only mode for me, so I can't move my icon. Julius is probably the best to go in front as he has the best defenses, between AC and parry, as well as the best Perception. Dervak would like to be behind him if single file, next to him if double file.

Whoops!! I think I fixed it, try now. I will GM post later.

Julius nods. "Let's do this, I'll take point."

Rapier drawn, he leads the way to the other door.

The door opens into a long, dark hallway. The only source of light comes from behind a barricade to the left that has been hastily cobbled together with furniture, stones from collapsed infrastructure, and other junk. Behind it there are four guards anxiously scanning the hallway with crossbows bared. When Julius walks through the door, one of them immediately shouts "Hey! We've got some more coming, get ready!"

Four crossbows swivel from behind the cover of the barricade to point at the players coming through, though they don't start firing immediately.

Map!

Is the map working for you guys? Are you able to move your pictures?

"Hoh? People! Don't shoot!" Oscar cries, moving to the door. "Can any of you tell us where the hells we are?"

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"Holy crap! Don't shoot, don't shoot!" Julius yells, putting his hands above his head. "We just wanted to get out of this courtyard, have you people seen the sky out there?!"

The map's working great! I can move my guy fine.

"It's truely a horrid sight out here. We must find a way to right this, let us pass. I won't ask you too follow but please. let us save you!" Mala yells all this while peeking his head round the corner, exposing his dapper looking top hat.

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

Yes I can move my token fine. Thanks for the effort GM.

When Oscar pokes his head through the door, 2 crossbows swing to target him, and the guards begin to shift nervously. One of them spits in that direction. "You know where we are, shapechangers! You can't fool me!"

A shorter, thicker guard mutters in disbelief: "Monsters! That's all that's left! No more honest to goodness survivors could have survived this long..." When Mala also sticks his head out, a few muffled curses ensue and the poor guardsmen look on the edge of panic.

The short one that spoke though, he narrows his eyes and really starts to take a good look at you all. "Them shapechangers though... None so far have been so finely dressed. Still! They are crafty and dangerous, how do we know you ain't monsters?"

"Monsters... Oh! Those gray things!" Oscar acknowledges, snapping a finger. "We got captured by one, it kept us in cells until we broke out and killed it."

He lowers his bow. "Is there some way we can prove to you our validity?"

K:Arcana: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

"Ptulengro's Validation would be sufficient." he ponders aloud

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The stout guard widens his eyes in disbelief. "You managed to kill one??" Meanwhile another guard murmurs to his compatriot, "Who tha' hell is Pahtooeylingus and why should we care what he thinks..."

The stout one encourages his fellows to lower their weapons but they seem in no hurry to let you cross the barrier. "Tell you what," he says. "Bring a few gray heads to us and we'll know you ain't with them."

Julius looks at Oscar quizzically. "Sure, Ptulengro's Validation would work well enough. But I don't think any of us can do that, and for some reason I doubt they have hairs of ours to check the validation against." He looks back. "Any idea where more might be lurking? We've only seen the one so far, and honestly-I'm not looking forward to facing any more."

"Back in a moment, Heads to take... Oh but I crushed it. Oh well, it'll have to do! Dervak, darling, little help?" Mala slides his sword cane back into its wooden casing. leaning on it until he is forced to crawl in the shaft.

"You want us to kill more shapechangers? Hrmm. How many you kill?"
Dervak glares at the men scornfully.
"Fine. We go get the head. Then you want more? Okay. We are armed now. Killed the first one without our gear, you know."
He turns to follow Mala back down the chute.
"Julius, Oscar, can you guard this end of the chute? Bad to fight trapped in there."

"Yes. I'll stand watch. See if Cerio is still down there. Be a shame if we left him behind or something." he replies.

Turning to Julius, he gives him a shrug. "I wouldn't know. Do you remember them NOT having a few hairs of ours? At this point in our memories either was perfectly capable and you'd think that a place suffering a shapeshifter infestation would have such countermeasures handy."

"As for handling more, I suppose we should proceed in that other direction cautiously and see if we can catch them off guard, before they take on any disguises."

Julius leans against the wall as he thinks. "You're right, but they absolutely didn't seem to be prepared at all. If this was a chronic problem, they wouldn't have been so scared. I don't think they were ready for these shapeshifters-they must've taken them by surprise. Maybe those guys are amnesiac too, and they just don't want us to know?"

Ah, the wondrously intellectual conversations held between two Int 18 characters...

"Ah, valid point, my friend. Valid point." Oscar replies. "Maybe it would be advantageous at this rate to obscure our origins until we know more about what's going on out there? I would hate for us to be preyed upon because they think us born yesterday."

He tests the draw on his bow. "The equipment seems to fit me properly, and my hands are calloused in the right places to perform archery. I'm theorizing we were adventurers of some capacity before we lost our memories. You all seem familiar, so I would posit we'd been working together long enough that some form of camaraderie had been established." the corner of his mouth twitches. "I wonder what our group's relationship dynamics had been like before... perhaps we hated each other, or some of us had been lovers? I should keep a journal this time and see if I can track our newer development. If we can recover our memory at some point, I would be amused to see how different our relations came to be this time around... though that also brings up interesting questions about whether we'd harbor new feelings or just muddle it with the old ones if we regain what's lost."

Not just that, we're two INT 18 characters who both dumped Charisma...which could end up being pretty funny in the future, to be honest.

"I think you're right, this rapier definitely feels like something that I've used extensively before. And you and the others have a feeling of familiarity about you, except..."Julius frowns momentarily. "I guess not so much with our missing friend. Tell me, did you get that sense with Cerio at all? It could just be that my memory's a bit more muddled than yours, but I don't know.

The journal could be an interesting idea. I feel like in losing our memories though, the old versions of us essentially died...I have this nagging feeling that even if all of my old memories came back right now, the old me-that is, the one who would essentially be coming back, would be irrevocably changed. Might be for the best that our old selves don't come back. What if it turns out we were all horrible people in one of these lives? The cognitive dissonance would be...horrifying. Almost like those stories of alchemists who manage to split themselves up, so that two people share one body. Not something I'd want to experience."

The stout guard thinks for a second before shrugging and saying, "I don't know. Three maybe? Just clear this section of the asylum out, make it safe for other survivors to find their way."

When Dervak boasts, some of the other guards whisper excitedly amongst themselves, but Stout Guard just rolls his eyes. "Those monsters are good at lying, you know. Why don't you put your silvers where your mouths are and prove you ain't one of em. We see them skulking down there-," he waves a hand in the direction of the end of the hall, "in the shadows down there doin' whatever you creepers do."

He grows bored with the conversation between Julius and Oscar and resumes scanning the hall with a wary look, occasionally shooting distrustful glances in the direction of the players.

Mala and Dervak's trip to the basement is uninterrupted and quiet, and there is no sign of Cerio just by glancing around.

Dervak hops down from the chute. If the creature's corpse is still there, he hacks its head off with his falchion.
"The man on the table was just a man, you think?"
He boosts Mala back into the chute, tosses the head up to him, pulls himself up, and makes his way back to the guardpost.

"Hardly matters now." Mala quips as he turns to pull Dervak into the shaft. "Less of course he turns into some sort of monstrosity that will rise out of this vent and end us all... Actually, not that unlikely. All things considered." Mala just chuckles at the possibility.

Apologies for not posting yesterday. Been fighting a cold, was feverish most of the day

The basement is as it was left, dark and silent. No trace of Cerio, both the corpse of the grey creature and the man on the table still. The monsters head gets hacked off rather unceremoniously. It drips black, gooey blood as it travels, though slower over time. After 20 minutes or so it only drips with violent motion.
Mala and Dervak are able to meet up with Julius and Oscar without incident.

Mara awakes from a terrifying nightmare. Rather than being afraid of the creatures in her dream, she vows to fight back against whoever or whatever is responsible for her current situation (Foe of the Strange campaign trait).

Dervak tosses the head to the guards with the crossbows.
"There's one."
He heads the other way, north in the hall. He looks down the hall to see if he can discern anything with his darkvision.
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
To his companions, he says "Which of these side doors to try?"

Oscar picks up his bow and moves to back up Dervak. "Let's check them as we go. And be careful, we want to try to catch them off guard if at all possible."

Moved to be behind Dervak and be ready to shoot at any attackers.

The guards make Eeeeeew sounds and grimace when the gray head glorps on the floor at their feet, but they do seem impressed.

As you make your way down the hall, the light source dims to nothing, as the only active light on the hall comes from behind the barricade. However the door you come to has some odd, flickering dim light coming from beneath it; the light has a peculiar glow that clearly isn't torch or candle light.

With Dervak's perception, he can just barely occasionally make out some shifting sounds that sounds like humanoid shuffling very coming from somewhere towards the end of the hall.

The guards make Eeeeeew sounds and grimace when the gray head glorps on the floor at their feet, but they do seem impressed.

As you make your way down the hall, the light source dims to nothing, as the only active light on the hall comes from behind the barricade. However the door you come to has some odd, flickering dim light coming from beneath it; the light has a peculiar glow that clearly isn't torch or candle light.

With Dervak's perception, he can just barely occasionally make out some shifting sounds that sounds like humanoid shuffling coming from somewhere towards the end of the hall.

Double posted. Forums have been acting up again...
Oscar tilts his head, listening.
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Ooops, I seem to have some eldritch horror stuck in my ears again.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
"Sounds like rats in there. Not our problem. But there are man-like figures down the hall I think."
We have no way to deal with swarms, do we? Paizo loves their stupid swarms. Rat swarms you can at least deal half damage to, but maybe we should pick up some other options.

Swarms are typically much noisier than what you are hearing. With such a high perception you can pin it down to 2, possibly 3 creatures scrounging around in there

Well that's a relief. I genuinely think we have no way to deal with swarms right now. Once I become an investigator I can start making stuff like alchemist's fire, but yeah...right now that would kinda suck.

Julius nods and whispers softly to the others. "That makes sense, those guards seem terrified to even leave their area. Didn't they mention stuff moving right around the corner, out of their vision? Stay sharp."

He pauses at the door. "Think we should go in?"

"Let's" Mala say's to Julius, motioning for the door to be opened, leveling his blade at the door.

Julius stands to Mala's other side, his sword also pointed at the door. "Dervak, mind doing the honors there, big guy?"

"Fine. Rats are good eating anyways."
Dervak tries to open the door. If it is locked, he will let Oscar try to open it, but if it is stuck or Oscar can't pick it, he will try to bash it open.

Oscar raises his bow and is ready to shoot if the door is unlocked.

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The door opens into a dark room. Those with darkvision can easily make out the two massive broilers on the left wall, with pipes that pierce the wall, ceiling and floor, which should be using heat provided from the furnace below to pump hot water throughout the building. The room is cold now, however, the fire long since having gone out from lack of attention.

The only light here comes from an eerie glow that is peering out from underneath the first broiler, in a blue-green 15-foot cone that swivels in the direction of the door being open.

You have little time to ponder this curiosity, as two angry looking rats, large and horrible looking for rats, stop their foraging to greet the new prey entering the room.

Oscar isn't certain of his skill, but he methodically catalogued the evidence leading him to believe he was proficient with this bow. He releases an arrow at the first rat.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

His aim is quite good, actually. A small tick of satisfaction crosses his mind.

If you are firing through the doorway, you are also firing over Dervak. Luckily even with the soft cover you still would hit.

The dire rat screeches and rushes at the first target, which is Dervak.

DR1 Bite: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 71d4 ⇒ 4

Next up, Mala then Dervak!

Mala plant's his gaze directly on the rat in front of him, lashing out at the creature with clear intent to kill.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Damage: 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (4, 5) + 5 = 14

Mala swing his sword cane with violence, and violently smacks it into the door frame instead of the rat. Miss!

"DINNER!"
Dervak attacks the rat.
Falchion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Damage: 2d4 + 6 ⇒ (4, 4) + 6 = 14
If that misses, he tries to bite it.
Bite: 1d20 ⇒ 12
To no avail.

The creature under the broiler delays

The second rat glances over towards the broiler and then scurried over to stand in front of it, baring his teeth and ready to bite anything that comes close. Readying standard action

Last up. Julius! Then top of the round with Oscar.

Julius kind of shuffles off to the side of the door, ducking past Oscar and Dervak as he does so. "Excuse me, pardon me, and then just gonna stab here a little..."

He stabs the rat a little.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Miss! You guys know the dice go above 10 right....

I should've mentioned in my recruitment post-the dice on this site hate me. If I go first in initiative ever during this campaign, I'll be shocked.

Oscar draws another arrow and fires again.

Ranged attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Yeah the RNG is never as nice as true dice are.

Oscar's shot clangs into the broiler, which is definitely not his intended target.

The wounded dire rat attempts to bite Dervak!

bite: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 Miss! This is fun!

Next up. Mala then Dervak.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Damage: 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (2, 6) + 5 = 13

Mala, Frustrated with the previous miss, slams his sword cane down on the rat in the doorway.

Mala manages to punch his cane directly through the middle of the rat, pinning it it to the floor in a gush of blood and viscera. You do have a move action remaining, Mala.

The remaining rat snarls but holds position. Anyone who moves in range of the dire rat needs to pause for readied actions

Next up, after Mala takes or declines move action, is Dervak.