GM Tarondor |
It turns out that Aristu is an inspired dancer, as Rhoswen suggests. Piotr is an indifferent dancer, but that seems to matter little to the fey, who return peaceably to their quadrilles.
Queen Rhoswen seems quite interested in Alister, dancing somewhat closer to him that protocol and good grace would strictly allow in the human world. Still, the fey are wild and unknowable creatures.
You see no source for the illusions.
Aristu Medvyed |
Aristu and the Lady Eriale perform a turn, then he leans towards her. "You dance wonderfully, my lady. Tell me, have you long been a member of the Queen's court? Does life here suit you?"
Does this dance involve switching partners? If so, Aristu finds an opportunity to swap partners so that he and Piotr are together.
Grimnir Hammerhand |
Grimnir scowls as his companions banter and dance with the illusion. He begins focusing his intention on evil intent, circling around the room.
Cast detect evil (at will) and focus around the room.
Alister Medvyed |
As the others begin engaging with the illusions, Alister turns back to Queen Rhowsen. He smiles and begins speaking with her again, asking her some different questions. "Ah, Queen Rhowsen, your citadel is so amazing. Does it grow on it's own or is it a part of you and your magic? If you needed, say, a banquet hall, does it simply grow and transform to suit your needs?" As they talk, Alister walks her away from the others and he smiles and greets several of the fey in the court.
Alister is hoping that sustaining multiple different interactions farther apart will be too much for the caster and will cause a strain on their concentration if not outright disrupts it.
Grimnir Hammerhand |
Grimnir shakes his head.
”Ye’ll forgive me if Ah have tae decline. Dancin’ isn’t my forte,” he adds as he continues to try to pinpoint the source of the evil aura.
will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
GM Tarondor |
Grimnir determines that there is a single source of faint evil in the ballroom. Piotr learns that there is magic present.
And about that time, the whole thing falls apart. Rhoswen stops and puts her hands on her hips. "BORING!" she yells right in Alister's face. "BORING! Eight thousand years cooped up with nothing to do and these mortals are broken! Fine! Fine! You don't want to dance? Let's dance!."
She waves a hand at Grimnir.
Grimnir, give me a DC 14 Will save to avoid confusion.
Not really sure what this is versus Aristu: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Not really sure what this is versus Piotr : 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
Suddenly, Aristu, a tiny arrow strikes you in the neck. You feel sleepy. Piotr, something small whizzes by your face.
Aristu, give me a DC 15 Will save to avoid sleep.
Alister, the only "caster" you notice is the illusion of Queen Rhoswen.
Grimnir Hammerhand |
"Somethin' evil in this illusion--everyone be on guard," Grimnir says as he continues to walk toward the source.
will save (+3 additional if vs. spell or spell-like effect): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Can I figure out where I can attack, or see through this enough to pinpoint it?
Alister Medvyed |
"We know it's all an illusion! You're not getting anymore entertainment out of us. You might as well show yourself." Alister shouts, ignoring the Queen standing near him. He weaves a spell to see the unseen.
Begin Inspire Courage (+2/+2 to hit/damage). Cast See Invisibility.
GM Tarondor |
Can I figure out where I can attack, or see through this enough to pinpoint it?
The illusion isn't hiding your foe. It's just chaotic window-dressing at this point. Your foe is hard to find for other reasons.
Alister Medvyed |
"Pixies! Damned pixies!" Alister shouts. "They're flying overhead!"
He draws his bow and nocks an arrow. "Ok, I can see you. If you want to keep this peaceful, then we can talk. You've had your fun. Keep it up though, and we can make this ugly."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (4) + 16 = 20
Piotr Denisov |
Not seeing other opponents, Piotr grasps his wand and activates it to send magical missiles at the nearest of the pixies.
Activate Wand of Magic Missiles - 43/50 charges remaining
Magic Missile: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 3, 1) + 3 = 8
GM Tarondor |
The lead pixie looks at Alister's huge bow (huge to a pixie, anyway) and Piotr readying a spell and caves.
"Fine. Fine! I guess that's the way it's going to be with you mortals. Always dying or ruining someone's fun. That's you! Go. Just go! See if we care. We won't you know! In fact, we've already forgotten you. Don't think we'll remember you soon!"
Alister Medvyed |
"Ah, right. Ok, we will not see you again," Alister says as he tries to muddle through their words. He motions to the others to get them out of the room.
Once out of the room, he pulls out a metamagic rod and casts a spell on himself. He suddenly seems more able. Then he puts the rod away.
Cast Heroism with extend metamagic. Then headed toward the unseen area to the south.
Active effects:
See Invisibility
Heroism (extended)
GM Tarondor |
Remember that the satyr said "To the Conservatory Ballroom. Down one to the Sorrowful Ballroom, up one to the Throne Room." Those are curving stairs on the right side of the ballroom.
Heading into the southern corridor, Alister is faced with a pair of plain but stout doors. Neither door seems to possess a lock.
Grimnir Hammerhand |
Grimnir, weapon at the ready, moves toward the pair of doors. Once his companions are ready, he swings them open.
perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
GM Tarondor |
An austere, functional tower greets Grimnir's eyes. It smells strongly of sweat and old mold. There are signs of many soldiers having recently inhabited the round space, but they are now gone. Rising up along the wall is another circular staircase, less fancy than the one in the ballroom, but otherwise equally serviceable.
Aristu Medvyed |
Jostled awake by his brother, Aristu opens his eyes to find himself lying on the ballroom floor. Somewhat dazed, he clambers to his feet and stumbles after his companions. He reaches the door to the tower and looks inside.
"Down....the satyr said from the ballroom we needed to go down then up to the throne room."
Do these stairs go down?
Alister Medvyed |
I think the stairs in the ballroom go up and down.
Alister nods. "'Down one to the Sorrowful Ballroom, up one to the Throne Room.' I'm not sure whether that means we have to go down or not to get there. And a fey dimension could twist and turn on itself." He shrugs. "But those are the best directions we have, so far. So let's try it."
He leads the group down the stairs.
Mikhail Templeson |
Mikhail follows along behind the others and closes the door. As they go he watches for any any sign the creatures they have met are following them.
Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20
Aristu Medvyed |
"The satyr's directions were to go down from the ballroom, so let's try those stairs instead."
Which, looking back at his post, is probably what Alister intended in the first place.
GM Tarondor |
You make your way back to the ballroom which is now eerily silent and empty. Travelling down the stairs, you find them half-covered in withered vines and dead blossoms.
The room below is a ballroom similar to the one above, but curtains of tangled roots dangle from the 30-foot ceiling of this circular room to the dirt floor below. They occasionally sway and move to an unfelt breeze, rattling or scraping against one another in an unsettling manner. Along the room’s circumference, several exits appear within sunken alcoves, nearly hidden by withered vines. A similarly covered staircase leads upward along the northern wall.
As you enter, you see what you can only call a vision, like a waking dream. Rhoswen, beautiful and terrible at the same time, a woman of incredible beauty and yet sharp as a needle could never be... or a thorn. She carries with her a bent staff of obvious power. Her eternally youthful face is streaked with tears, her lovely countenance bowed down with sorrow. Another, less distinct figure addresses her.
"My Queen, the land is hedged in on all sides! We cannot escape!"
Rhoswen's face twists in rage. "They have betrayed me as they betrayed my mother and father! The land is mine! It was my mother's and now it is mine! They...can't...have...it!" Almost without seeming to notice, Rhoswen gestures at the figure, who suddenly takes on the form of a songbird. Rhoswen gestures again and the songbird is hurled into a golden cage where it sings plaintively, seeming to echo the Rose Queen's lament.
The vision fades, but the overwhelming sense of sorrow remains.
Everyone, give me a DC 16 Will save. Those that fail are shaken.
Alister Medvyed |
Steady everyone, this isn't real. It's another illusion. Don't let it take hold of you." Alister says loudly.
Trying to use Alister's Bardic Performance Distraction ability. If it works against this, it would allow everyone (including himself) a save using his Performance, Oratory bonus, which is +16.
Piotr Denisov |
Piotr re-focuses and tries to recall what he knows about the Rhoswen.
Knowledge (History or Nature): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Not much, apparently. Either that, or Piotr is still shaking off the effects of the magic in the room.