KC's Age of Worms

Game Master Kobold Catgirl

"To be fair, we don't exactly know where 'here' is. We started out in Diamond Lake, but there was a portal at some point and, well, we've been dealing with tomb guardians ever since."

Carina doesn't know what to make of the mohrgs & their boss--they haven't attacked yet, and admittedly, if Robin hadn't been kidnapped by the spider-monster, she'd have little reason to oppose him.

But there's something odd about what the man says...

"Wait--you were the Marquis?"

"Well he can't very well rule from here. Err...SQUAWK."

"Ah. I'm being...rude, aren't I?" The Marquis reaches up, as if accustomed to doffing a hat. Realizing he has none, he simply executes a small bow. "My name is Marquis Moreto of Ravenstone, my sodden friends. Up until some months ago, that is. I am currently serving out a...period of exile as I explore these strange lands.

"Diamond Lake, you say? What a pretty name." Moreto cocks his head. "My knowledge of the surface world is as scant as Flycatcher's insect brain. I've never heard of such a place."

Farrukh is now forever etched in my memory as being voiced by Gilbert Gottfried.

"Believe me, sir, the name's the only pretty thing about that place." Carina sighs.

I thought he'd be a cackling nutcase--if he is, he's pretty good at hiding it.

"Really? What's it like there?"

"Well, right now it's suffering from a bad case of Black Dragon Attack. And before that, it was a dirty, smelly, crime-ridden mining town with a corrupt mayor. So... it's not a place I'd recommend visiting." Carina admits, starting to wring her hands together.

Also, it feels like everything that could cause the worm-ridden apocalypse is either buried underneath the town or within at least a day's travel of it.

"CHIRP CHIRP. Currently? Half melted by dragon acid. It wasn't much prettier before."

"Ah, a town! I thought it was a lake. Unless I have my Common wrong. That makes more sense. And you say a dragon attacked it? How fascinating!" He shrugs, grimacing. "And horrible, of course. I'm sorry, it's just all so exotic to me."

[4/9]

"Hey, have you seen any metal men come down here?" Astraden asks. "And uh . . . do you mind my asking, what kind of undead is that, with the guns?"

Knowledge (religion) on that undead (good hope): 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 11 + 2 = 19

Astraden is unsure.

"A metal man?" Moreto blinks. "Certainly not. And Caspero here," he gestures, "is an old servant of mine. One of the original members of my staff. To be honest, I don't know what you call them in your tongue. In our tongue, we call Caspero a uknaut nlos. I think that roughly translates to, 'pale guest'."

"So uh, you wouldn't happen to be with the whole Age of Worms movement, would you?"

"Ah." Moreto taps his nose. "At this moment I am but a humble explorer. The White Kingdom has little interest in affairs of the surface. To us, your 'Age of Worms' is a drab and distant fairy tale. No offense."

Moreto clasps his hands together. "So! Flycatcher has demanded my head, has he? You all seem like decent folk, so allow me to make a counter-offer." He draws out the scroll. "I imagine he wanted this, the Seal of Law? I will willingly give it to you if, in exchange, you promise to put down that mad beast for me." Moreto's eyes narrow. "He slew a large number of my cabinet, and besides that, he's keeping me from continuing my journey. I'm caught between the world that exiled me and a world that is trying to kill me. I'm sure you can understand how awkward that is."

Sense Motive to aid Eben (good hope): 10 + 8 = 18

"Give us a moment to deliberate. In the mean-time, would you allow me to cast a basic, non-harmful spell to determine your metaphysical affiliation? It's an orison, really."

Diplomacy if necessary (good hope): 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 2 = 9

If he's alright with it, I'll cast detect law, focusing on Moreto.

Moreto shrugs. "If you must."

Astraden detects a Strong lawful aura.

Farrukh also aids Eben. Take 1 for an 11 after I Study the guy.

"Sounds like a good deal to me *SQUAWWWWK*. That spider's an a+@&#*!, we just want our friend back.

Farrukh surreptitiously coughs and clears his throat at the strain that squawk put on his vocal cords.

"Your friend?"

"They're undead, though, and so way more malicious than the spiders." Astraden glances down at the blatantly eavesdropping ghoul. "I don't trust the Moreto guy. Name has a sick taste."

Farrukh wasn't saying that to the huddle, as far as I could tell.

Sense Motive+good hope+Astraden Aid+Farrukh Aid: 1d20 + 18 + 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 18 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 30

Sensing absolutely nothing amiss about Moreto's words, Eben replies with equal (relative) honesty: "I don't think we object to that... but Flycatcher has a friend of ours held hostage. We're really not that interested in being a spider's hit men, this was all about delaying and finding other options. Any chance you have a way to retrieve someone from the shadow plane?"

"Hm..." Moreto is smiling slightly. "As a matter of fact, I've been working on a spell to do just that. It's a modified version of an existing magic. I call it shadow blink."

He gestures to the creature at his side. It bounds back, grabbing a rolled-up sheet of paper from next to the boulder.

"It takes you in and out of the Plane of Shadow, making you very hard to hit—and able to view and access things on both dimensions. Perfect for killing a shifty arachnid. Unfortunately, it's one person only. I didn't exactly design it for a rescue mission." He frowns. "You could potentially activate the spell, grab your friend in the Shadow, and then plane shift back to a location you know on the Material, like this 'Diamond Lake'. You'd then have to journey back to the portal and return here, though."

The creature delivers the piece of paper to Moreto, who in turn tosses it up to the "levitating" Eben. "Or you could just use the blinking duration to force the pest to bring your friend back itself."

snagging the scroll: 1d20 ⇒ 8

Eben's initial grab misses, but the scroll bounces off the 'empty air' behind him and he manages it on the second try. "Um... thanks, Polly. Boy, he's quick popping in and out of my backpack, right? Bet you couldn't even see him." He unrolls the scroll and looks over it.

Assuming it's not exploding runes...

After not blowing up, he extends the scroll across to Carina or Astraden for proper magic-reading. "What do you guys think?"

Spellcraft (good hope): 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 11 + 2 = 18

"We won't be able to use this plan until tonight," Astraden warns. "Another ten hours hanging out with spiders for Robin. Do you think Flycatcher won't notice us going back up when we're nigh fully healed? Is there any chance it's watching us right now?"

Spellcraft (Good Hope): 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 11 + 2 = 31

Carina reads the scroll over Astraden's shoulder.

"Heh. I have no idea, in all honesty." Moreto shrugs. "That spider is madder than a derro on a sugar rush. You've probably spoken to it more than I have."

Astraden is perplexed by the scroll, but reading over her shoulder, Carina has better luck.

Carina, Tanith, Rodrigo - we're currently 2:1 for leaving the undead here and going back to kill Flycatcher. Which do you prefer to kill - ghouls or spiders?

Spiders, this guy is more nice than that arachnid.

Ghouls can at least integrate with normal human society.

Well, looks like we're swatting a spider.

Carina glances over at Eben once she finishes reading the scroll. "Looks like you can cast the spell, Eben. Still, that begs the question of how we'll be able to get both you and Robin back across the boundary..."

"I know you guys like him and all, but I barely know that guy. This is getting a veeery dangerous to save one guy. Should we really be risking all this when we are kinda needed to go save the world and such?" Rodrigo asks. "I guess we're already in balls deep, might as well finish..." he then despondently answers his own question.

"Hmm. Yeah. If I can't use this scroll then I'd need to write a scroll for the plane shift, and hope Eben can use it successfully. And now I think of it, that spell needs a special resonance device, too. If Allustan or Moreto don't have one, we'd have to go all the way back to Greyhawk." Astraden looks down, raising her voice. "You got a tuning fork for the Material Plane, dead mage?"

"No, but can't you just make one?"

My interpretation of that requirement largely matches Viktyr's. A Material-attuned fork just a fork made on the Material.

"We might be able to help the ruse out if we pretend we're bringing back a dead Moeto. Or part of him. I could use some makeup and a little magic to make that disgusting, rotten drow head that Tanith keeps hauling around look like him. So Flycatcher will let us get close without freaking out." Eben says thoughtfully. "You don't need to make a plane shift scroll, Astraden. Sounds like this spell I could just cast on you and you can grab Robin yourself. I just have to study it, first. The only problem I can see is that Flycatcher still has all his... underspiders, or whatever you want to call them. Might still be hard getting past them to plane shift Robin. And then we'd be without you guys until you could get back to Diamond Lake from wherever you materialize, but... it's still a good beginning of a plan..."

"We buried the drow head, actually. Don't think we have anything else similar enough to work. But if y'all really want to try it, and are willing to go without healing while you get out of here, that's fine by me. Just don't see why we can't kill some undead for once in this dungeon," Astraden gripes.

"Oh, the drow head's gone? But then why is that smell coming from Tan... um. Well, too bad."

"Hey Moreto - we'll be back for the seal later. Gotta prepare the spell," Astraden tells the ghoul. She looks to the others. "Anything else?"

What check is it to make a Material Plane-attuned fork?

Probably a Craft check. It can be done in a day.

Feel free to interrupt this if something else happens or checks are needed.

Astraden ascends, staying well away from the red serpent's lake as she rises. She coils her rope into her backpack after reaching the top and then sets off for the previously ghoul-infested entryway. Once there, she walks out of the Cairn and down to Diamond Lake, where she buys a strip of steel, rents a smithy, and sets Carina to work.

Flycatcher is curious about the party's progress, but lets them by once he sees they haven't got a dead ghoul or a seal.

Finding a smithy isn't too easy, but when they hear of the situation, several townsfolk band together to try and get Osgood's old place up and running. Osgood, a somewhat course middle-aged man with a bald head and a walrus-like moustache, greets the party by name and is as unfailingly polite as ever as he and his workers show Astraden the ropes. They don't charge—"My smithy ain't gonna be in business for some time, ma'am," Osgood says, "an' you've done a lot of good for us an' this bothersome town. You use whatever you like."

Crafting a tuning fork is a DC 20 Craft check, I'll say.

When exiting past Flycatcher, Eben makes loud noises about 'needing ghoul repellant'.

He does his best to lend a hand around the forge, after casting a last use of good hope on everyone working on the tuning fork.

Craft (Aid Another): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Using my once-daily Worldly trait reroll.

Craft (Aid Another): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

While he does initially seem to keep trying to pick up hot coals: "Ow, dammit! Why aren't these things labeled or something!" he eventually settles into a fairly useful pattern of tong-holding. More useful, though, is his tendency to spout out unexpectedly competent advice and encouragement to the artisan (Carina?).

Casting gallant inspiration on the crafter in event of them failing their skill check, adding a retroactive 2d4 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5 competence bonus to the skill check.

EDIT: That's +9 to Carina's roll (+2 Aid, +2 morale, +5 competence). Given her Int. bonus, she can make this check by taking 10.

Though he's got a very limited understanding of what's going on within the sweltering forge, Tanith is happy to lift heavy things and/or pump bellows as needed.

"So you've done this before, right Red?"

I can't take 10, so here goes nothing...

Carina nervously shakes her head. "Nope, never have. But at least I can try.."

Untrained Craft (Metalworking): 1d20 + 3 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 9 = 21

She carefully and cautiously goes about creating a tuning fork, listening to Eben's advice and making sure nobody burns themselves.

Why did Astraden pick me to do this? I'm a doctor, not a blacksmith.

Craft aid another (good hope): 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 1 + 2 = 14

Astraden helpfully prepares tools for Carina and gives the alchemist insight on how the fork makes the spell work. There's a special tone that sounds clear on each plane, and a musical ear can find that tone with only the faintest knowledge of spellcraft.

After assisting in the fork's creation, Astraden tucks a small bag of money - all her change, basically - into a drawer in Osgood's smithy. "Stole enough from this place back when I was a kid," she explains to her friends. "Don't let him know about that, though."

As evening falls, the priestess heads back to the Emporium to plan. "So, step one - preparations. I'm going to boost Carina's fortitude so when you guys are leaving you won't have to spend time healing her. She, Eben, and I are all getting shielding spells. Tanith gets a circle to repel law, which means Farrukh needs to stay away from him. Eben gets a light spell on an arrow so he can scare off the light-sensitive spiders. I'm also going to augment my constitution, strength, and perception, so if I have to fight the spiders they'll have something to worry about. And I'll make myself fly in case the spiders take to the walls.

"Step two - try to be nice. We get the seal and show it to Flycatcher, and hope he believes us. If he does, we get Robin back pretty quick.

"If he doesn't, we proceed to step three - attack. Eben reads the scroll for me. I disappear, and go find the spiders. I'll try the same spell I used on the guards in that mine - if it doesn't work, I'll fight my way through with sunlight and steel.

"I'll grab Robin, which leads to step three - leaving. If Robin can, he'll help hold the monsters off while I cast the plane shift. I'll aim for this room, but we'll likely end up way off. You all then have to get out of there - probably fighting spiders as you go. Hopefully my protections will help with that. I'll contact Tanith with info on where I am, once Robin and I figure out where that is."

Astraden looks to Carina. "Quick question - do you think a spell to block interdimensional travel would keep people from going through the ebon portal? Because I could cast that on one of you. It'd mean no message back, though."

"Hope we all make it out through to the other side. Never thought I'd be involved in interdimensional pest control before. Almost makes one wistful for the days of waking up in my own vomit after a good day's work talking tourists out of their money. Anyway, I don't have a better suggestion."

"Too bad about the drow head being gone, I swear that would have been a good addition to step two. Hey... a whole bunch of people got killed by Ilthane, do you think anyone would mind if we borrowed..."

Crickets chirp.

"Too soon?"

"Yes." Astraden gets up. "Well, I'm gonna go pray."

After making her devotions, the priestess heads back downstairs. Relying on her inhuman eyes, she leads the party out into the night, to the brush-obscured entrance of the "Sumah Qoth." Holding her rapier up in one hand to give the others light, she leads the way to the black portal, then down to where she tied off the rope. Here she intones, "Hāvā śūn'ya vā pr̥thvīmā cha?" and points to the ground, splaying a hand through the air as she begins to levitate.

"I'm going down. Rodrigo, if you could send Sombra with me, or else give flight to someone, that might ensure our ghoulish 'ally' doesn't turn on me." Astraden sheathes her rapier and straps on her shield. "See you in a few minutes."

Heading down with air walk running.

Edit: I TOTALLY forgot I needed to actually prepare plane shift. Swapping that in for breath of life.

"I can come. You should go down with someone who can hold their own if we need to book it."

"Wait, now you're mistrustful of the ghoul?" Astraden harrumphs.

We'll need a confirmation from Rodrigo (or Carina? if she has any left) that they can get you a fly.

"I'm mistrustful of everyone. But the ghoul at least hasn't kidnapped one of our friends, or been anything other than polite so far."

If we rested, then I can get him a fly extract. Otherwise, I'm more or less out of 3rd-level extracts for the day.

"Quick question - do you think a spell to block interdimensional travel would keep people from going through the ebon portal? Because I could cast that on one of you. It'd mean no message back, though."

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Carina shrugs. "No idea, really--but I'm not sure now is a good time to find out."