GM Sappy's Harrowing - Heart of the Cards (Inactive)

Game Master Sapiens

Arcana: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 2 = 20
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Basil will do what he can to help, and while he's good at ferreting out information in the book, he's not so helpful in the other parts.

Gisele takes another point around the book, reading along with the others.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 14 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 14 + 2 = 20
Arcana: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 12 + 2 = 28

Woo, nailed the arcana, but how does one get worse on spellcraft after reading up on it?! Information overload? lol.

Reading the aura of an object is not unlike identifying an animal. Repeatedly, over the course of the afternoon and evening, you cast detect magic, comparing the telltale signs to what you know and what is written in the book. As the moon is high in the sky, you have managed to gather three snippets of information:
First, the deck casts a strong Conjuration aura, creation subschool.
Secondly, you understand how to activate it. You can either perform a complicated waterfall shuffle (Sleight of Hand DC 20) or use the activation phrase "Vita artem imitat".
Third, and possibly most important, the deck is likely a one-way passage. It looks like something that used to allow the deck to function as a passage both ways is missing, but you have no idea what it was.

Oh, I didn't know we were rolling Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 2 = 10 ...wouldn't have helped anyways!

Niklos yawns and runs his fingers through his hair. "Ah. There's the catch. There's always a catch."

"One-way trip it is, then," he concludes. "Everyone done writing their last will and testament? Might get bumpy, like..."

"Aye! Let's get this over with."

"At least the trip should be interesting. Should we do this outside or in here?"

Is there room to fit Taru inside tent for the few minutes it will take us to activate?

It will be crowded, but you could manage to squeeze him in. However, it's night, there's few people around.

As the moon reaches the zenith, you shuffle together the Deck of Harrowed Tales and crisply pronounce the activation phrase. The cards start to shimmer with energy, flying in a circular shape and rapidly spinning, the air between them taking on a mirror-like quality. You step through the surface, Gisele pulling a reluctant Taru, to feel yourself yanked and falling through a kaleidoscope of colors. After what feels like either a handful of seconds and an eternity, you fall on earthen ground.
You look around to find yourself in a place resembling the outside of a circus tent, surrounded by brightly painted wagons that would put any Varisian traveling circus trope to shame. What you find jarring, however, is how everything looks. The colors are unnaturally sharp, and everything looks painted, squinting you can even see brush strokes. The edges are markedly darker and crisper than what's around, as if everything was hand-drawn. If you know Borderlands or the Telltale Games you know what I mean.
High up above you, the sky is visibly a painted canvas, on which camps a wooden sun held on an enormous brass mechanical arm.

The cards of the Deck of Harrowed Tales fall around you, stacking themselves in four piles that are too neat to be random. You feel new energy resonating through the cards, as if they were resonating with the demiplane.
Basil, you get all the Stars cards, The Empty Throne, The Theatre, The Unicorn, The Marriage and The Twin;
Edda, you get all the Hammer cards, The Trumpet, The Survivor, The Desert and The Brass Dwarf;
Gisele, you get all the Books cards, The Teamster, The Mountain Man, The Tangled Briar, The Sickness and The Waxworks;
Niklos, you get all the Keys cards, The Courtesan, The Tyrant, The Betrayal and The Liar.
You can play these cards at any moment while in the Harrowed Realm, and they may have a situational effect, if played at the right moment. However, if played at the wrong time, they will be wasted, so use them if you feel it's appropriate, but use them wisely. You can trade cards, but you can't steal them or force someone to use theirs.
Playing a card is a swift action.

On the opposite side of the wide lot you see three mean-looking tengus harassing a fat, weak man who is whimpering and trying to shield himself with his arms.
As Taru, Gisele's horse, touches the ground, scared and confused by the magic, he panicks and starts running towards the wagons, neighing fragorously. The tengus turn at the sudden noise, blades in their hands and a cruel look in her eyes.
"Would you look at this, fresh arrivals! Don't be afraid, just tell us what we want to know, come quietly and we'll beat you senseless!" croaks one.
"Fresh arrivals, fresh meat, fresh news! What were the chances that they would come here!"
"The Patchwork Lord will reward us handsomely!"

Niklos springs to his feet, pulling his rapier from its scabbard. The mithral blade gleams as the rogue takes a casual step back, assuming a defensive stance. There was no time to gawk at the painted scenery.

"私はあなたたちがどこからか分からないのですか？" he asks—or caws, rather—cocking his head to the side. "あなたの三つがものすごく見覚えが..."

Hmm. Okay, this one seems really obvious. I'll play The Crows right away. Let's see what happens.

With that being a swift action, Niklos uses his move action to get up from prone, five-foot steps to the right, and then uses a standard action for total defense (+6 to AC due to having more than 3 ranks in Acrobatics).

Makes me think of the painted world from Oblivion, actually. Neat!

Basil will pull himself up to his feet almost flailing, and as he spots the oncomers he murmurs "ความเป็นวีรบุรุษ". Casting Heroism on himself.

This world is strange. But it looks like a storybook. Perhaps the best place for a storied being to hide in.

As Niklos plays the card, you feel magic coursing through the terrain, resonating with the demiplane itself.
The three tengus, apparently unaware, cackle and come swinging at Edda, Niklos and Basil.

Feeling the bird-man's stab bite deeper than she was expecting, Edda realizes now the importance of her Harrow draw from earlier!

Like Niklos, Swift Action: drawing the Cyclone from Hammers!

Realizing her prone position leaves her vulnerable, she activates her Flight Hex and Edda withdraws straight up into the air as her move action by 30 feet!

I believe 'withdraw' finishes my actions for the round.

Round 2:

Niklos' fighting style is hardly elegant: while some of his motions mimic those of a trained duelist, they seem more like skillful imitations than the fluid movements of a true swordmaster. These are augmented by twitchy feints and side-steps, filled with a street fighter's nervous energy. Once he has parried the tengu's slash, the rogue spins and goes for a brash stab at the throat. The rapier crackles with magical energy. Instead of following through with his wild lunge, the rogue lowers his strike to hit the enemy underneath their raised arm—through the armpit into the vital organs—as they raise their weapon in defense.

Feint: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (7) + 16 = 23

Attack (+ The Crows): 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 11 + 2 = 27
Damage (+ Arcane Strike + The Crows): 1d6 + 4 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 2 + 2 = 13

Sneak Attack (+ Bleeding Attack): 4d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 6, 3) = 16 + 4 bleed

Using a move action to feint with Improved Feint. Standard action is used to attack Tengu 2 with Arcane Strike, which takes a swift action to activate. Using the Debilitating Injury ability with the sneak attack (assuming it hits), I'll impose a -2 penalty on the tengu's attack rolls (with an additional -2 if they choose to attack me) for 1 round.

So I can't withdraw like I thought, but activating the hex does not provoke attacks of opportunity: Therefore yes, I'll instead move 5 feet up and back to get out of immediate range of the attackers once the Flight hex is activated.

Gisele will grab the pile of cards while standing up, trying to gain her senses after the landing. Hearing Taru cry she calls to him with a sharp quick “Taru!” and a shrill whistle. Hopefully cutting into the panicked brain of the combat trained mount.

Seeing the flock of attackers and Edda still gathering her feet, Gisele will fire off a quick spell in hopes of distracting the bird on her.
RTA: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 9 + 2 = 27 Ray of Frost
Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 1
A small icy beam flying past Edda's head to hit the bird.

Round 1 recap
Niklos and Basil ready themselves, the crow charge. Edda gets hit, then flies back. Gisele hits Tengu 1 with a Ray of Frost.
Round 2
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Niklos easily finds a weak spot in the tengu's defense, piercing true and deep. The tengu squawks in pain, holding his bleeding, weakened arm.
Basil, Gisele, Edda, you can act for the second round

On silent wings Edda backs further into the sky and quickly draws, charges and throws her cards at the bird-man who struck her!

Harrow Draw(For flavor!): 1d54 ⇒ 19 The Trumpet!

Deadly Dealer/Harrow Card w/PBS: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Damage(Magic): 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Gisele takes a step backwards and to the right to gain better perspective on all three attackers. Drawing her own Harrowdeck as she does, while dropping the portal key deck into the folds of her scarf. Quickly the deck begins to glow with a faint tingle of magic, icy crystals forming on the edges.

She casts a quick spell, but instead of the spell leaving her hand, she fluidly draws the top Harrow Card, flicks her wrist and sends it flying at the Crow harassing Edda.

5ft step diagonal, swift spend 1 arcane pool to add Icy Burst to deck. Cast acid splash, deliver with successful hit. Deadly aim and point blank apply.

Card: 1d54 ⇒ 44 Mute Hag NE, no gain
Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Card Dmg: 1d4 + 6 + 1d6 + 1d3 ⇒ (2) + 6 + (3) + (1) = 12 8 Weapon, 3 Cold, 1 Acid

Basil studies the Tengu before him, wondering if painted tengu are enough like real ones that his holy abilities will work on them.

Do they look like painted creatures?

Basil spins his starknife as he slashes his weapon in an x pattern at the Tengu directly in front of him, slipping past the being's defenses and cutting into flesh.

Move action: draw weapon, swift action: Bane(Tengu) 1 round, standard: attack, using piranha strike and (hopefully) bane bonuses. [edit]: Added crow card effect

Starknife Strike: 1d20 + 15 - 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 15 - 2 + 2 + 2 = 26
Weapon Damage: 1d4 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 2 = 14
Bane: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6

I forgot about the +2 from Crow card, can you add that into my damage?

Round 2 over - recap
@Basil: They look like painted creatures, but for all intents and purposes they are tengu: the effect is mostly cosmetic. This applies to (almost) all the creatures that you'll find in this realm.
@Gisele: I believe you added frost, since icy burst costs 2 points. And sure, I considered it both for damage and attack (I assume you didn't want to use spell combat for precision).
@Edda: I'm assuming that you moved vertically.

@Gisele: I believe you added frost, since icy burst costs 2 points. And sure, I considered it both for damage and attack (I assume you didn't want to use spell combat for precision).

Nope, Icy. I have a +2 pool on spellstrike this level so can use either. The cards already have the prerequisite +1.

Gisele casts another quick spell, not wanting the fleeing crow to attract any unwanted attention flicks another card, forgoing power for accuracy. Channeling a bit more raw arcane power into the card as she releases it from between her fingers. Acid Splash & Swift: Arcane Strike

Card: 1d54 ⇒ 44 already use that card!
Card: 1d54 ⇒ 47 The Theater, NG, expanded Crit Range
Long Range Attack: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 8 + 2 = 22 no Deadly Aim penalty, -4 for 2 distance increments, remembered Crow card this time.
Dmg: 1d4 + 4 + 1d6 + 1d3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 4 + (3) + (2) + 2 = 13

Flying overhead, Edda will target the same Tengu who stabbed her and strikes with another card from her family's Harrow deck!

Harrow Draw(Flavor): 1d54 ⇒ 54 The Liar!

Deadly Dealer/Harrow Card w/PBS: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Damage(Magic): 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

"Your feathers will decorate my mantle! Taste my magic CROW!"

Round 3:

Niklos barely seems to notice the blood dripping from his arm as he whirls away from the fray, tossing his coat in one tengu's face as he dances away from the other. As their runaway kinsman rounds a tent, the rogue is there waiting for him with smile on his face. He shakes his head and tuts, wagging a finger at the tengu.

Acrobatics vs. Tengu 1: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32
Acrobatics vs. Tengu 3: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34

Double move to cut off Tengu 2's escape.

Basil keeps up the attack, trying to finish his enemy off quickly. Keeping bane going one more round.

Attack: 1d20 + 15 - 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 15 - 2 + 2 + 2 = 37
Confirm: 1d20 + 15 - 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 15 - 2 + 2 + 2 = 23
Damage: 1d4 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 11 + 2 = 17
Crit Damage: 2d4 + 22 + 4 ⇒ (1, 2) + 22 + 4 = 29
Bane: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 5) = 11

His starknife slashes the painted creature with lethal precision.
Yay X3 starknife crits!

Cornered by Niklos, the tengu throws down his short sword, raising his arms to the sky. "Don't kill me!" he shouts. "It was nuffin' personal! Just wanted to make a quick penny!"
Basil's target does not have time to surrender, the starknife cruelly biting his flesh. As the rabbitfolk twists the weapon, a gush of ink-black blood sprouts from the wound, and the crow drops to the ground, unquestionably dead. His features start dissolving as his body melts into wax, ink and paint. The goop is absorbed by the earth, and soon there's no trace of him, except for a chainshirt, his short sword and a couple of daggers.
The last remaining tengu, watching the situation spiraling out of control, starts running for dear life towards the tents and wagons, not stopping even when the cards strike him in the back.
Round 3 and combat over! You have a surrendering tengu, a small amount of loot and the original victim of the tengus is lying on the ground, whimpering and writhing in pain.

Edda flies over to the hurt individual, and will use her Healing Hex if needed.

Healing Hex: 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (2, 6) + 7 = 15

"Relax! Your tormentors are removed..."

Gisele draws her starknife and approaches the Crow. She looks to Basil and Niklos, "I do believe our new friend here can provide some information. Was I the only one who heard him mention a certain Patchwork Lord?"

Niklos shoves his captive towards the rest of the group. "You heard the lady. Start singing. Who's your boss and where can we find him?"

The tengu moves quickly and speaks even quicker. "Ah didn' mean no harm, M'lord, M'lady! The Patchwork Lord, he's the master of all o'the Harrowed Realm, 'e lives in the Striding Fortress, ne'er to be found, only founding ye! We were jus' gonna bring ye to Master Bernaditi, an' he woulda paid us, was jus' business, please don' kill me!"

The fat man is cured of most wounds by Edda's magic and gets to his feet, bowing profusely. "Thank you for rescuing me, Ma'am. Those scoundrels tried to get the latest gossip out of me, ha! Like I'd tell so succulent a story to anyone who came asking! Name's Biyo Venna, by the by. Cook by trade, gentleman by nature, at your service, and you four look precisely like the heroes I was looking for! You see, I have witnessed a trememdous misdeed! Lord Zassrion, the Sovereign of the Realm, has kidnapped someone who was wandering around, and holding him prisoner! I fled the Fortress looking for help, and I believe I just found you, brave and worthy heroes!"

"Who is Master Bernaditi, and why would he pay you for us?" Gisele isn't liking the sound of being paid for.

Basil will walk by Niklos and give the tengu a stare. "Don't stab him too hard." he says. "They melt into nothing when they die."

He'll end his wanderings over by the fat man, listening to both conversations with his ears cocked in the right directions. He hasn't heard anything that really catches his interest yet but it was bound to come up soon.

Looking confused as she applies her Healing Hex to her own wounds for the day, Edda gasps a little as the wounds stitch.

"Wait...the Patchwork Lord is 'master of the Harrowed Realm', which runs along the same lines as we heard in our realm. But then who is this Lord Zassrion? Lord of the Realm? Are Zassrion and the Patchwork Lord the same person? Or are they rivals for the same...demesne?"

Healing Hex: 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (8, 7) + 7 = 22

The tengu cowers at Basil's words, but he looks mildly confused. "M-Master Bernaditi's the master of the Midnight Circus, m'lords! Ah' mean 'e would pay for ya, cuz 'e usually pays well for somethin' weird an' new, ah, not to say that yer' weird, m'lords, just that yer' new here and oh, please don' kill me, I'm helpin'!"

Biyo, on the other hand, is far more eloquent, his words punctuated by magnificent gestures and flourishing bows. "Why of course, my noble Madam! Fierce Zassrion is indeed the Patchwork Lord! He rules the Harrowed Realm from his Striding Fortress, a mighty keep, always wandering, always elusive! As I mentioned, I was working for him, until I saw that terrible misdeed that revealed to me what sort of a wicked creature he is! But now that you are here, you noble champions of good and justice, I believe that you will restore everything to its rightful order! You shall be the ones to assault the Fortress, free the unlucky prisoner, and slay the mighty Zassrion, bringing back peace and prosperity to the Realm!"

The tengu cowers at Basil's words, but he looks mildly confused. "M-Master Bernaditi's the master of the Midnight Circus, m'lords! Ah' mean 'e would pay for ya, cuz 'e usually pays well for somethin' weird an' new, ah, not to say that yer' weird, m'lords, just that yer' new here and oh, please don' kill me, I'm helpin'!"

Niklos presses his blade to the tengu's back—not hard enough to hurt their captive, but simply to remind him of his position.

"Oh, I won't kill you," he says. "You need to take us to the ringleader. Whereabouts would we find him, eh?"

Looking sour at the fat man's words Edda replies sarcastically.

"Yes, well...good to know that we are here for your benefit...and for storming 'walking castles' too of course.
Although I assert that what you consider peace and prosperity are probably not the same as what I consider
them to be."

The tengu turns his head to look quizzically at Niklos. "Ah, o' course, m'lord, Master Bernaditi is jus' on th' other side o' the Carnival, ye'll just have to cross through the stage, get to the behind, and ye'll find him, he's the best dressed folk ye'll see round here, ye can't miss 'im!"

As for Biyo, sarcasm flies right over his head without even clipping it. "Why of course, milady, we have been waiting for noble heroes for so long, and finally you're here! Oh, but let me introduce myself to your companions!"
Before anyone can stop him, Biyo is bowing to all of you, trying to kiss Gisele's hand and speaking even more bombastically. "Biyo Venna, my lords and ladies, let me just tell you again what an honor it is to finally meet you brave and noble heroes! Feel free to ask me anything that may be of use, I owe you my life and I swear to serve you dutifully to the best of my abilities! Oh, but here, in the Midnight Circus, you should talk to Bernaditi, he's the one who runs this place, he'll be able to answer any and all of your questions, but then again, anything that is in my power, just ask and I will deliver!"

Gisele is completely taken by surprise as the man to runs up and kisses her hand that all she can do is stare down at him and blink, completely at loss for words.

Edda caught something in the man's words suddenly, and held up her hand to stop his stream of sentences.

"WE."

Pointing her bloody finger at the fat man she looks him in the eye.

"Who is WE. You just stated that 'We have been waiting for noble heroes for so long...' Who the heck is WE."

"Oh, my lady, everyone, every denizen of the Realm! You shall be renowned, and tales will be weaved of your arrival, and every mother shall sew your coat of arms on the children's clothes! And wherever you shall go, every heart shall rejoice, once fame has spread of your great and noble deeds! Oh, soon you shall herald mercy and freedom from the tyrannical Zassrion, and the clarions shall all spread word of your great victories! And then again, from the very top of the striding Fortress you will rule wisely and justly, forever and one day it will be a golden age for the Realm!"

@GM Note: Since she no longer needs it, Edda has cancelled her Flight Hex for now to save the remaining minutes for later.

Edda shakes her head and wipes off her bloody hand on a handkerchief she has for such things.

"Just...put a cork in it for now if you can dear Biyo."

Turning to the others nearby, Edda shrugs and seems resigned.

"What do you all think? I fear we must play along to try to find out exactly what is going on here. Stories appear to be currency here,
and now we are the chief protagonists of the realm it seems!"

Gisele, having finally extricated herself from the verbose man, says to Edda, "I do believe you are correct."

"Of course it is." Basil says. "We're in storybook land. Do as the storybook characters do, as they say?"

Niklos looks around him, stopping to inspect his surroundings for the first time since their arrival. The rogue lets out a low whistle. "It's quite the thing, ain't it? I though the pictures were just supposed be, uh... what're they called... symbols. Not meant to be real, like. You follow?"

"'Lord Niklos' does have a nice ring to it," he says with a grin after considering Biyo's words. "Might as well play along, for now..."

"Have you happened to see a fat scholarly type around here?" he adds nonchalantly, eyeing both Biyo and their feathered captive. "He would have popped in just like our noble selves."

"Oh, I have, my lord, indeed I have! A short, plump man is precisely who Lord Zassrion has kidnapped! And now you will lead the charge to the rescue, and this day will go down as glorious in the legends to follow! All hail the noble heroes! Oh, please, please tell humble Biyo how he may serve! I would be of no use in a battle, but I would gladly lay my life down for you, it would be only fair, considering all that you would do for this Realm!"

Gisele looks to the others, "Well, shall we start with this Bernaditi fellow?"

"Yes let's start with Bernaditi."

Turning again to the fat man, Edda waves at the tents around the group.

"Tell us of the Midnight Circus. What is it? What is its function here? Entertainment? Remember!
Stay useful and we MAY keep you around."

Biyo beams with pride and joy at Edda's words. "Oh, my lady, thank you, thank you, you do me such a honor! Poor Biyo is not good for much besides cooking, but I would do anything in my power to be useful to you, your graces! The Midnight Circus is the most famed, renowned and extraordinary circus in all of the Realm, not to say the only one! Master Bernaditi assembled a most extraordinary troupe of clowns, jugglers, tamers of savage beasts and much, much more! And the most prominent and influential citizens of the Realm come to attend the shows, cheering for Rogg and his trained bears! Oh, how the performers live for the applause of the crowd, it's their very reason for existing!"

"Bears? Bears. Of course it had to be bears."

Putting her head in her hand, Edda groans a bit then looks back up smiling sweetly.

"So? Should we check out the Circus? I'm sure the 'Midnight' part is not as ominous as it sounds."

"Yes. Let's." Basil agrees.