GM Faelyn' Falcon's Hollow Series

Game Master Faelyn

Zirrren opened the water skin and dumped the contents of the ink vial into it. Holding it closed with his hands, he began to vigorously shake the mixture together. Then he stepped halfway back towards the tunnel.

Okay, there's Caine. And I think that's Art. So the thing must be... there.

Muttering a simple incantation, he held out the water skin above where Caine's head was. The water skin began to float in the air.

Mix the contents of the water and ink together, shake vigorously, 5 ft. adjust, then cast Mage hand on the water skin.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Wizards are so weird.

Caine gave Art another burst of healing.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Rukn, go ahead and take the swing when Art moves. Since only one of us can get in there, and I can do this, it makes sense for you to make the attack

Just waiting on Art and Ruhk to post their actions. If they haven't posted by tomorrow morning, I'll bot them to keep things moving.

Assuming Ruhk gets the room neded to swing.

Ruhk gently runs a hand over Bethany's head, once more infusing her with just a touch of magic.
Battle had a way of focusing his attention, and now that lives were on the line, he found a grin slowly growing on his lips.

Arcane pool
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 71

Look at them lovely rolls.

Round 3 Recap

Botting Art Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

The group is finally able to starting figuring out some tactics inside these tight tunnels, unfortunately the fiery hound continues to dodge around their blows! Still feeling the sting from Bella's blade, the beast turns around and bites her arm, ripping the muscle and searing her flesh!

Bite Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 1 + (4) = 8

Round 4
All party members can post!

Art - 16/18
Bella - 7/15
Caine - 14/18
Ruhk - 19/19
Zilka - 17/17
Zirren - 16/16
Enemy - 16/?? (0/3)

5 ft. adjust back towards Ruhk. Move action: manipulate the waterskin to move 15 feet toward the Hellhound. Standard action: Dismiss the spell.

Miss chance, 50< misses: 1d100 ⇒ 70

I'm definitely trying to blind the enemy with dropping the Ink mixture on its head. I don't know if you want to give it reflex save or have me make Dirty trick combat maneuver roll. If it's going off the spell save, it's Dc. 14.

"Hey you shytehead, the big threat is right here, that's right boy, you gotta deal with me now!" shouts Zilka, trying to make herself seem like the more dangerous foe, with the hope of drawing its attention off the halfling.

I moved Ruhk into place since he did an attack, but Art didn't move after he attacked. Would you include that in the botting, GM?

Oh! Sorry, I was having Art attack around the corner. That way Ruhk can simply attack from his position, take a 5' step, then allow Zilka to 5' step in and attack.

Belladonna screams as the hellhound rips into her arm. Yet she doesn't back down, not with children at stake. If she can give her life to help save them... if that's what it takes... she won't stop.

Belladonna backgrips her dagger and tries to ram the blade into the hellhound's face.
Stab: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 2 = 9
Dmg: 1d3 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + (4) = 5
Conceal: 1d100 ⇒ 88

Ruhk's enjoyment from the fight quickly evaporates when he hears Bella's scream.
Now things were serious.
His own life was his to risk and gamble with to his pleasure, but his allies shouldn't risk injury because he was playing.
With a grim countenance, he pressed his attack.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 39

Caine looked at the tight, twisting passages barely visible through the smoke. He wanted to go in after Bella, but there was no way he'd fit. He handed the wand to Art. "Get to her."

Move action, give wand to Art. Standard action, ready action to 5' adjust and attack once he moves out of the space he's in.

Nathaniel feels something slap his hand and he takes the wand instinctively, stuffing it into his belt before he moves into a better position

Taking advantage of the rock formations, Nathaniel tries to jab at the monster with his Halberd Flanking Yes?

<21, is a miss: 1d100 ⇒ 96

Melee Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 2 = 16

maybe damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Is everyone alright, blast I can't see much of anything!. Zilka, Rhuk, shout out if you are in trouble

Nate, you aren't blind. That's not how concealment works. It's like fog. You can make out shapes of things more than 5 feet away, but they are indistinct. You can see things next to you just fine (a 20% miss chance means 4/5 times you can see well enough to target).

I might be reading too much into your descriptions, but it seems like you are treating the smoke like it can't be seen through at all.

Maybe Art should move the icon around to the other side, next to Bela?

Zirren, I'm so sorry I forgot to answer you question about the ink mixture! I'd say you could do that as a Dirty Trick maneuver with your Intelligence modifier to the attack roll.

Zirren maneuvers his mixture over top of the fiery canine creature and dumps it down into the beast's eyes! It shakes its head left and right trying to clear its vision just as Ruhk steps up with Bethany and with a mighty swing, cleaves almost completely through its hindquarters! With what little energy the hound has left, it turns to face this latest threat just as Bella drives her dagger down! Thanks to the grievous wound, her aim is off. Caine passes off the wand to Artegal and prepares to take the paladin's place before Art drives the point of his halberd forward just as the hound spins around. The spear point is driven deep into the skull of the hound with a sickening crunch and the beast immediately collapses in a heap before it begins to violently twitch and seize before eventually going still...

There is a sudden quiet as you all breath heavily and try to catch your breath in the smokey air. And then just a little ways off down the tunnel, that ominous ringing of steel on steel echoes...

Congratulations! You have just advanced to 3rd level. You can immediately level up and regain your maximum hit points, all your used abilities, and gain access to your new abilities as if you had rested for 8 hours. Please post all pertinent information in the Discussion thread!

Oh, finally! The smoke and the narrow confines were making this fight super frustrating.

Zirren let out a sigh of relief as the quiet set in. Once the adrenaline started to wear off he found himself catching a second wind and somehow his magic had replenished.
The feeling of his lingering coldness seemed to intensify. Almost as though he could now call to it directly.

"Wait, what? This doesn't make any sense."

With a shake, he moved forward into the cramped caves squeezing by the others without so much as a word until he saw the heaped up creature they had just defeated.

K. Planes: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

"Is this... Yes, a hell-hound. It's not disappearing so it was really here. Ah, that might make sense.

Is everyone feeling strangely invigorated or refreshed?"

"Just feeling relieved. Everyone healed up?"

Zilka moves forward in the tunnel. Does the smoke change at all or is it still thick?

"I... I could of sworn I got bit! Did somebody heal me and I didn't notice them?"

Zirren nodded to himself.

"No, I don't think so, Bella. This is just a theory I have at the moment, but the entire area around Falcon's Hallow seems to be riddled with number of magical leylines or nexus's. Places where the natural energies of the world coalesce and create unusual places of power. This place, Droskar's Crucible in particular, seems to be focused on the power of faith, belief, death, and curse magics.

I've been drained of the larger portion of my magics for a short time now and they normally would not replenish for me until I had rested for hours. Yet somehow I feel completely refreshed now. Perhaps even stronger than before."

"Ohhhh" answers Belladonna as the planar magic religion stuff goes right over her head (she's short, it's fine). "So does that mean there's part of a hell hound inside me? Cuz I don't wanna turn into one of those on the next full moon."

Zirren paused for a moment.

K. Nature: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
K. Arcana: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

"In theory, the part about its soul now attached to yours, yes. But also no, you won't be turning into one on the full moon. You're thinking of lycanthropy which is a magical curse disease transmitted through the bite of a werewolf."

"Huh. Wonder what effects that will have long-term? Maybe our kids will turn out to be tieflings."

"There's definitely a part of a hellhound in you. It's just always been there." Caine said with a small smirk.

Belladonna shudders at the thought... of children.

"Well if I've got part of a hellhound in me, you've got a part of a... ...oh s++! I really didn't think that one out. How bout we go save children and I can think up a comeback on the way."

"Good call. That was enough of a distraction as it was."

He then started to move forward after Zilka.

Caine grinned. "Lookin' forward to it."

Deeper into the smoke we go.

Nathaniel looks up at Zirren and says with a circle motion of his head

Truly, you have a dizzying intellect

Alright, I feel as if we have been granted a divine favor, as if my hero herself is watching over us. Stay close, let's press onward.

Oh, and one more thing before I forget, if we come a cross a small headed, silvery axe, with a long delicate, but decorative black handle, or a dark raven haired halfling woman, who might be naked, or a bracelet with a silver axe and a small porcelain doll charm, that might be someone, or more appropriately, someone I know. She can be a handful, but she can also be useful in a pinch. Her name is Vivienne.

"I have questions, but I bet you'll answer them later. Let's go!"

"To be clear - is the woman an actual woman, or a decoration on the axe? The way you described it is a little confusing."

Caine looked to Rukn. "What is it with you two and naming your weapons after women? Can't you just ask someone out on a date?"

"It's a lot easier to pick up a weapon than to pick up a woman," Zilak quips.

Zirren merely blinked at Art's description and he shook his head.

"I admit, I couldn't discern if he was talking about an axe and a woman, or if the axe was also somehow the raven haired Halfling woman he knew."

Hearing some of the comments and questions behind him, Nathaniel turns and holds one hand out to his side, palm up

Viviene, I believe, is a Gingwatzim, if I am saying that correctly. She is a magic axe, and a living, breathing person, and a charm bracelet, though which form was the original form I can’t say. She has been a companion of my brother for a while now. He found her in a cave on an island in the river where we are from. I don’t understand how the enchantments all work, but, her forms all have a soul, but I think the soul comes from another dimension, or plane, whatever they are called. She can be very helpful

He turns away, then suddenly turns back around

And she makes me very uncomfortable.

Zilka blinks, shakes her head, and blinks again.

"Well alrighty then."

"I like her already." Caine said moving deeper into the smoke, looking for a way through.

Hey all, just wrapping up the tail end of a 17 hour day on 4 hours of sleep. I will work on a push-forward post tomorrow evening, but let me say that I love the interactions between you guys. Also, I very much like Zirren's rationalization of your leveling, that's phenomena thinking. Going to throw up some extra EXP for fantastic roleplay!

Jebus a 17 hour day... I can't even imagine.

"Uhm okay? Sure. Well if I see it... her... I'll let ya know."

Ruhk strokes Bethanny softly along the haft.
"Don't worry Bethanny, you're the only axe for me ol' girl. Now lets go cleave some skulls so I can prove it to you."

After a short moment to catch your breath, the adventurers push forward into the smoke that only seems to get thicker as you move forward. Your eyes begin to sting and water, making it difficult to see. You find yourselves having to take, shallow breaths as taking deeper ones causing your to begin coughing violently. The ringing gets louder as you begin to squeeze through several tight passageways in the tunnels. A tremendous heat begins to accompany the smoke as sweat starts to bead at your forehead and trickle into your already stinging eyes. Before long you find it becoming difficult to breath through the intense heat and smoke... suddenly the tunnels open up into a larger room...

A loud crackling sound fills the room. The smoke that pours from it is blistering hot and lit with a strange orange light. A massive forge responsible for the hellish atmosphere takes up the entire far wall of the cavern. Between the forge and the entrance stands a massive anvil, and nearby rest hammers, prongs, and other blacksmithing tools. A faint whimpering sound is almost lost in the roar that comes from the forge. You cannot see much detail in the room from all the smoke, but Art and Caine can see the outline of a dwarven-sized form hammering away at something upon the anvil, backlit by the orange flames of the forge behind.

Caine was pretty far past diplomacy and when he heard the whimpering sound something in him snapped.

He crouched to keep hidden and muttered a quick prayer.

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Casting Magic Weapon on the silver hammer, then using fervor to cast Shield of Faith as a Swift action.

As the group traversed the worsening smoke, Zirren pulled a hand rag out from his bag and wet it down before covering his face to partly use as a shield against the smoke.

Ruhk quickly focuses a little of his power into Bethanny, readying her and himself for combat.

Arcane pool

"Careful now... let's be ready," Zilka whispers to the others as they move in. Casting Heightened Awareness on herself.

Belladonna takes out her black mask - the one she uses when performing heists - and sneaks in. She has her dagger at the ready, and will try to assess the situation.

Stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19

Are we still in visibility-hindering smoke? 20% miss chance in melee?

The smoke actually appears to be lessening a bit the closer you get towards the forge, Caine. Almost as if the smoke was intentionally directed into the tunnels as a defensive mechanism.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

As you all begin to converge upon the figure within the smoke, it suddenly looks up at you and stops hammering. The choking odor of smelted steel tinged with burnt hair and flesh wafts on a foul breeze from the heat of the forge. The jangling of heavy chains echoes ominously as the hammer comes to a rest upon the anvil. A hulking dwarf wrapped in heavy steel links glares at your approach. Its face, hands, and body are riddled with glowing hot hooks and half-melted razor wire. Black smoke rises from its smoldering beard, framing its freakishly contorted face in ashy darkness. "The boy is mine now, his soul is declared for The Dark Smith. Leave me to my eternal work, or you shall join him. Now, get you gone." He raises his hammer once more as the thick chains around his body begin to move and writhe as it coming to life of their own accord.

Lying bound and unconscious on the floor next to the anvil is a pale, blond boy. His skin is ashen despite the terrible heat of the forge and while his clothing appears damp, you can see no sweat.

knowledge(planes): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Now seeing the creature in person, Zilka tries to recall if she knows anything about it.