...she gelds the bogey-man
Where Quinn was shaken with fear before, full on fright grips him now. He runs to the far side of the room and hides behind any cover he can find. "Tsin has gone mad, beware! The bogey creature has addled her brain, worse than Mal's even! Hektir, run, put on a cod piece, something, anything!"
Zephtyr, still injured, looks for a healing wand.
"We got them wands around?" Zephtyr looks for his bleeding spleen but can't find it in the mass of swirling eddies that is he body. "Still hurts, I'm sure I got a boo-boo."
"Maybe we go up that trap door?" After healing, Zeph flies up to examine the door, then open it when others are ready.
Perception
"I understand. Damn things get in your head. It's not enough to kill you, they got to make you afraid too. F*ck that."
Tsin looks over at the halfling, then slowly nods. Her dead eyes suggest that a similar fate awaits anyone who forces their way into her mind, unbidden.
"Tsin has gone mad, beware! The bogey creature has addled her brain, worse than Mal's even! Hektir, run, put on a cod piece, something, anything!"
The gelder finds her voice, as the priest decries the act of closure.
"Really, Quinn. It's not enough to leave their bodies. If there are more of them, I want them to think twice about engaging us, as we sort our way out of the Hut another blasted time. Castration itself is almost completely painless, with the proper blade. I imagine that my falchion would cauterize the wound with its flame, preventing any risk from bleeding out. I would never consider you for the procedure, unless you acted upon your impulses, forcing yourself mentally or physically upon my person."
Tsin smiles a smile that does not reach her eyes.
...
When nerves are settled one way or another, Tsin takes to the ladder, leery of leftover bogey. Before opening the trap door, she takes a listen. She follows Hektir.
Pems stands behind Tsin as she describes the procedure, making very graphic motions where only Quinn can see them. He nods sagely at her ending. "Words of wisdom there. Shall we see what fresh hell awaits us in the Hut this time around?"
Malavarius, his argument with Zeno at last ended, turns at this and blurts, "What? The blasted hut brought us to one of the nine hells, Pemsworth? Well, I suppose if it could get us from Golarion to Triaxus, a planar hop to the infernal hells isn't that surprising."
The old wizard begins to flip through his spellbooks, looking for means of defending himself and his young hangers on from the blistering environs of the various hellscapes. "Hmmm. No, no. Dimensional anchor, no - we want to leave, not stay. Dimension door, blast it that's not it either. Dismissal? Hmmm. Would that shunt us back, I wonder? Maybe test it on Zeno first. Hmmm."
"Walrus?" Malavarius glances down his front, "I'm barely a hundred pounds soaking wet, you miserable mallard!"
"Crazed canary!"
The two quickly descend back into bickering once more, aimlessly following the others as they depart the room of gelded boogeymen and crumbled, confectionery furniture.
Pems sighs. "Sorry sir, just an expression. I don't think we know exactly where the Hut's brought us just yet. Except it probably will be cold. And dangerous. And full of things that want to eat us and 'people' who don't speak our language. And mostly likely I will be nearly killed by some terrible thing or another. It's our lot in life, right Flash?" He nods forlornly to the rabbit poking his head out of the pack on his back. Flash sighs deeply too and burrows back into the pack, happy to stay out of Hektir's eye lines.
Hearing nothing, you push your way through the trapdoor, finding clutter and other detritus littering the floor of a cramped attic. The center of the loft is open to the room below (oddly, since you didn't see the opening from below), bordered by a 10-foot-wide walkway of wooden planks.
A narrow window sits in the southern wall of the loft, but is caked with what looks like centuries of accumulated dirt that refuses to be cleaned off and only allows dim light to filter through. The loft contains only clutter, old mattresses, and other useless junk.
Zephtyr casts Detect Magic and gives a good search in the attic, looking for anything of interest.
Perception
"Maybe we go another direction, eh?" Zephtyr spits.
After investigating the loft , Quinn goes back to the window with the strange metal wagon outside. "What a strange contraption, there must be a good reason to coat a wagon in metal. Imagine the weight of that thing, probably gets stuck in the first mud of fall and stays trapped until the grounds dry out in spring. You could armor a dozen men with those resources, and the cost of mining all that material, either these people have no wood or lighter materials, or they're idiots when it comes to devising efficient transportation."
Zephtyr spits and nods, but then again, he can fly at will so most other modes of transportation seem pretty silly to him.
"Let's go outside to check out the wagon."
Tsin eyes the ladder, having returned to the room, before letting her gaze drift to candy cabinet and fireplace as the only two structures in the room that demand attention. She pokes around in the fireplace, observing its flue with the flame of her falchion, before moving to the cabinet, and opening it.
If the cabinet looks to be adorned by lock of any ilk, she points it out to master Pems-locksmith.
There's no obvious exit to the wagon (or anywhere else outside) but as Tsin looks around for some way forward, she realizes that you could likely crawl through the unlit fireplace -- it doesn't seem to lead outside, but does go somewhere.
Thick vines and tendrils of ivy twist and writhe over every surface of this overgrown cottage room. This room is furnished with cluttered tables and stuffed cabinets, but with ivy writhing through every nook. More disturbingly, the vines support dozens of withered humanoid and animal corpses, their desiccated forms sucked dry of all life and vitality.
As you try to peer through the foliage, Quinn and Tsin notice a filthy creature resembling a wide-mouthed fat man made from leaves, vines, tree bark, dirt, and pallid tubers. It's about 8 feet tall and seems to be licking its lips.
It looks like a mandragora, but appears to be about twice as large as a usual-sized one.
Zephtyr squeezes up the fireplace first, but isn't happy about it.
"When we meet Baby Yucky, add this to the list of complaints: really poor architecture. Who designed these doors? This layout? It's awful."
Know (Nature)
Zephtyr holds his hand up to alert and stop the party from the mandragora.
"Uh, that's a big big one. Be careful." Zephtyr brings out his recently cast Fire Seeds. "It'll burn, but it will also bite."
Zephtyr waits to see if others have opinions or ideas.
"Let's burn it then", Quinn agrees, "before it can drain any other people."
Tsin brings flame to her blade, and keeps her distance, until seeds are borne on the wind, and disgusting plant-men burn.
If time permits, she asks Pharasma for a touch of protection against the evil creature.
"Those things are vulnerable to deep darkness, though so are we." Tsin looks Hektir over. "Well, you've got your means of seeing blind, I guess."
Tsin waits until the creature is provoked, before she steps forward.
Hektir:
Malavarius:
Pemsworth:
Quinn:
Tsin:
Antagonist:
As you cast offensive spells, you realize that some of the plants aren't quite what they seem, but rather carnivorous vines that will lash out at you if you get too close -- and big ones!
Unfortunately, the creature starts advancing toward you.
"я голоден," it whines in a strange, harsh-sounding language.
Pems activates his tongues hex and peers curiously at the walking potato.
Round 1, Init 16
Zephtyr floats up above the giant potato and the west-most plant. He drops the fire seeds between the pair and hopes for the best, igniting them with words of fire.
"Quinn has herpes," Zephtyr issues the command phrase causing the seeds to flair up like...youknowwhat.
fire vs. DC20 Reflex for half
fire vs. DC20 Reflex for half
fire vs. DC20 Reflex for half
fire vs. DC20 Reflex for half
fire vs. DC20 Reflex for half
fire vs. DC20 Reflex for half
fire vs. DC20 Reflex for half
fire vs. DC20 Reflex for half
AC: 7 armor+2 dex+2 dex(form)+1 ring+3 NA(form) +5 barkskin =30
HP 133/133
Speed: Fly (60') perfect + 10' (Gr. Longstrider) = 70' fly perfect
[ dice]1d20+15+2-3[/dice] to hit; (-PA)
[ dice]1d8+7+6[/dice] magic damage.
+9 BAB +6 Str +1 amulet = +15 to hit
1d8 + 6 str damage +1 amulet = 1d8+7
Barkskin (extended-260 minutes)
Resinous Skin (extended-260 minutes)
Gr. Longstrider (13 hours)
Echolocation - 120 minutes
Elemental Body 1 (druid lvl 6): Air elemental: If the form you take is that of a Small air elemental, you gain a +2 size bonus to your Dexterity and a +2 natural armor bonus. You also gain fly 60 feet (perfect), darkvision 60 feet, and the ability to create a whirlwind.
Elemental Body 2 (druid lvl 8):Air elemental: As elemental body I except that you gain a +4 size bonus to your Dexterity and a +3 natural armor bonus.
Elemental Body 3 (druid lvl 10):Air elemental: As elemental body I except that you gain a +2 size bonus to your Strength, +4 size bonus to your Dexterity, and a +4 natural armor bonus.
AC: 7 armor + 3 shield + 2 dex + 1 ring
HP 133/133
[ dice]1d20+16+1[/dice] to hit; (bless)
[ dice]1d6+6+2[/dice] magic damage.
+9 BAB +6 Str + 1 Mwk +1 magic = +16 to hit
[ dice]1d6+6+2[/dice] damage;
Endure Elements (24 hours)
Barkskin (extended-240 minutes)
Resinous Skin (extended-240 minutes)
Gr. Longstrider (12 hours)
Resist Cold (240 minutes)
Resist Fire (0 minutes) -Mal
Stoneskin (0) Mal
Mage Armor (+4)
Endure Elements
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Round 1, Init 22
AC = 21 (-2 Lunge, +2 PfE)
HP = 150/150
Weapon Equipped = +1 Flaming Burst Falchion
Condition(s) = Protection From Evil
Tsin looks down at the floor, slightly irritated by the rough footing. Her mind eases, when she begins implementing a new technique, brought about by her skirmish with the hard-to-reach Yrax.
As Hektir goes high, Tsin goes low, targeting the assassin vine to her left/south, while remaining in place.
Quinn goes bright red at Hektir's command phrase. "I told you I cured that! Why did you go tell them?" The embarrassed cleric vents his frustration as a massive flaming cocktail appears floating in the air near the roof, then dumps it's fiery contents on the earthy potato man.
"Good heavens! It's like that blasted garden on Triaxus, but worse!" Malavarius begins to cast a spell, but checks himself halfway through, "I don't suppose any of you have seen my good hat? No? Hmmm. Me neither." He then checks himself again as Tsin races into the center of where he'd been about to cast one of his favorite spells. "Blast it, Tsin! Give me half a moment next time, for pity's sake!"
Instead of a brilliant bloom of fire to scorch away the thorny plants, Malavarius settles for quickening the steps of his hangers on.
HP: 72/72
AC: 16 (12 T / 15 FF) (includes +1 from haste)
Fort: +4 // Ref: +6 // Will: +10 (+1 vs spells, SLAs, & Su abilities of evil arcane spellcasters) (includes +1 from haste)
Resist 10: Cold
Energy Absorption: 0/39 absorbed
Pearl of Power I: 1/1 used
Pearl of Power III: 0/1 used
wand of scorching ray: 16/50 charges used
Cantrips Prepared (4): detect magic, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic
Level 1 Prepared (4+2+1): endure elements [X], feather fall [ ], protection from evil* [ ], mage armor [X], shield [ ], snapdragon fireworks [ ] [ ]
Level 2 Prepared (4+2+1): glitterdust [X] [ ], resist energy* [ ] [ ], scorching ray [ ] [ ] [ ]
Level 3 Prepared (4+2+1): dispel magic* [ ], fireball [ ] [ ], haste [X] [ ], magic weapon (greater) [X], protection from energy [ ]
Level 4 Prepared (4+2+1): dimension door [ ] [ ], remove curse [ ], secure shelter [ ], stoneskin* [ ]
Level 5 Prepared (3+1+1): break enchantment* [ ], dismissal [ ], passwall [ ], teleport [ ] [ ]
Level 6 Prepared (2+1+1): disintegrate [ ], flesh to stone [ ], greater dispel magic* [ ] [ ]
Level 7 Prepared (1+1+1): resonating word [ ] [ ], spell turning* [ ]
Protective Ward used: 0/10
Ongoing Effects:
mage armor (Pemsworth)
mage armor (self)
greater magic weapon (Hektir)
haste: 1/13 rnds
"My siblings were better than you! They gave me a goat, but I'm so hungry I'll eat you!"
Malavarius doubles over holding his ears as the enormous mandragora shrieks, and begins to empty the contents of his stomach extremely quickly given the magics he most recently wove.
HP: 72/72
AC: 16 (12 T / 15 FF) (includes +1 from haste)
Fort: +4 // Ref: +6 // Will: +10 (+1 vs spells, SLAs, & Su abilities of evil arcane spellcasters) (includes +1 from haste)
Resist 10: Cold
Energy Absorption: 0/39 absorbed
Pearl of Power I: 1/1 used
Pearl of Power III: 0/1 used
wand of scorching ray: 16/50 charges used
Cantrips Prepared (4): detect magic, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic
Level 1 Prepared (4+2+1): endure elements [X], feather fall [ ], protection from evil* [ ], mage armor [X], shield [ ], snapdragon fireworks [ ] [ ]
Level 2 Prepared (4+2+1): glitterdust [X] [ ], resist energy* [ ] [ ], scorching ray [ ] [ ] [ ]
Level 3 Prepared (4+2+1): dispel magic* [ ], fireball [ ] [ ], haste [X] [ ], magic weapon (greater) [X], protection from energy [ ]
Level 4 Prepared (4+2+1): dimension door [ ] [ ], remove curse [ ], secure shelter [ ], stoneskin* [ ]
Level 5 Prepared (3+1+1): break enchantment* [ ], dismissal [ ], passwall [ ], teleport [ ] [ ]
Level 6 Prepared (2+1+1): disintegrate [ ], flesh to stone [ ], greater dispel magic* [ ] [ ]
Level 7 Prepared (1+1+1): resonating word [ ] [ ], spell turning* [ ]
Protective Ward used: 0/10
Ongoing Effects:
mage armor (Pemsworth)
mage armor (self)
greater magic weapon (Hektir)
haste: 2/13 rnds
nauseated: 1 rnd
Pems lets the Tongues hex elapse, deciding he'd rather not speak to the potato.
Round 2, Init 16
Will Save
Zephtyr wants to covers his ears from the mandragora's screaming, but finds the strength to resist it after years of hearing Mal's complaining.
He flaps down to punch the whining wailer.
to hit; (Haste,-PA)
magic damage.
to hit; (Haste,-PA)
magic damage.
to hit; (Haste,-PA)
magic damage.
AC: 7 armor+2 dex+2 dex(form)+1 ring+3 NA(form) +5 barkskin =30
HP 133/133
Speed: Fly (60') perfect + 10' (Gr. Longstrider) = 70' fly perfect
[ dice]1d20+15+2-3[/dice] to hit; (-PA)
[ dice]1d8+7+6[/dice] magic damage.
+9 BAB +6 Str +1 amulet = +15 to hit
1d8 + 6 str damage +1 amulet = 1d8+7
Barkskin (extended-260 minutes)
Resinous Skin (extended-260 minutes)
Gr. Longstrider (13 hours)
Echolocation - 120 minutes
Elemental Body 1 (druid lvl 6): Air elemental: If the form you take is that of a Small air elemental, you gain a +2 size bonus to your Dexterity and a +2 natural armor bonus. You also gain fly 60 feet (perfect), darkvision 60 feet, and the ability to create a whirlwind.
Elemental Body 2 (druid lvl 8):Air elemental: As elemental body I except that you gain a +4 size bonus to your Dexterity and a +3 natural armor bonus.
Elemental Body 3 (druid lvl 10):Air elemental: As elemental body I except that you gain a +2 size bonus to your Strength, +4 size bonus to your Dexterity, and a +4 natural armor bonus.
AC: 7 armor + 3 shield + 2 dex + 1 ring
HP 133/133
[ dice]1d20+16+1[/dice] to hit; (bless)
[ dice]1d6+6+2[/dice] magic damage.
+9 BAB +6 Str + 1 Mwk +1 magic = +16 to hit
[ dice]1d6+6+2[/dice] damage;
Endure Elements (24 hours)
Barkskin (extended-240 minutes)
Resinous Skin (extended-240 minutes)
Gr. Longstrider (12 hours)
Resist Cold (240 minutes)
Resist Fire (0 minutes) -Mal
Stoneskin (0) Mal
Mage Armor (+4)
Endure Elements
Round 2, Init 22
AC = 24, PfE + Haste
HP = 150/150
Weapon Equipped = +1 Flaming Burst Falchion
Condition(s) = Protection From Evil
The swordswoman lets her lunch fall to the floor, which encourages her to stay in place, and allow the assassin vines/mandragora to approach, instead of trudging through the bramble.
The swordswoman strides forth to deal first with the assassin vine along the southern wall, her blade wreathed in flame, with the promise of plant-based pain.
Quinn backs away from the creeping vines and blesses the party with Cayden's favor.
Hektir's blows put an end to the biggest plant monster -- perhaps aided by Pems' hex -- as Tsin and Mal bend over, losing their lunches.
Despite their distress, the vines' lashings hit only Quinn and Tsin's armor and a few moments later, you're able to shake off the effects of the mandragora's shriek and destroy the remaining plants.
Zephtyr tosses down two handfuls of assassin vine angrily, spitting yet more vine from his airy mouth.
"Nothing worse than talking plants. Plants are food for my food, not supposed to be trying to hurt me. No matter, I showed them," Zephtyr offers with a spit.
"You guys ready to move on? Not sure where we are or why we're here, but we should be careful."
Tsin nods, steadying herself while wiping the corner of her mouth with a kerchief. She takes her time, looking about the room and the overgrowth, not interested in moving quickly while her stomach complains.
Quinn kicks around the room with Tsin, taking the time to uncover whatever the vegetation may have hidden from them.
Pems shakes his head. "I'm taking bets on the next unlikely object to try to eat us. Large carrots? A basket full of puppies? Perhaps a chair?" Pems shakes his head again. "I hate witchery."
The thick vines and overgrowth proves difficult to move through -- Tsin's able to push her way through by dint of muscle, but the rest of you have more difficulty, and are forced to hack your way through, the flames on the former butcher's apprentice's blade helping the cause.
Quinn's exacting search reveals several items of interest -- a large plate emblazoned with a roaring lion’s head sits atop an overgrown table, while a javelin lies on the ground in the middle of the room. A strange leather talisman -- a white-headed eagle clutches a lightning bolt on top of a backing of vertical red and white stripes below a field of blue covered with white stars -- is bound with a leather tie around the neck of one of the corpses.
Finally, he discovers a worn, upright travel trunk filled with dirty clothing and rags in the southern portion of the room. As he pushes aside the ragged cloaks and smelly tunics, he suddenly realizes he's somewhere else -- in seemingly another wardrobe, this one empty, but with a door in front of him.
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Quinn searches all around the new wardrobe for a path back to his companions. "Cayden help me, isn't there a fairy tale involving a witch, a lion, and a wardrobe? This can't be good!"
There appears to be a closed wardrobe door in front of you.
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Pems sighs. "If we have to suffer through a messiah metaphor so help me I'm gonna burn this hut down."
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Zephtyr casts Detect Magic and searches the room and clothery for magic items and things that might be of interest.
Spellcraft #1
Spellcraft #2
Spellcraft #3
Spellcraft #4
Spellcraft #5
He then waits for Quinn to come out of the closet.
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You discover the plate is actually a lion's shield, the weapon is a javelin of lightning, and the strange badge is a greater talisman of warrior's courage.
Tsin starts to piece together what appears to be an endless string of rooms, connected for what purpose she has no desire to understand, other than departing it to gain new keys, to reenter it. Her falchion comes down harder and harder on plant life, waiting to see which direction they're forced to take.
"Shall we?" She allows Quinn to graciously step aside so she may take the lead, pushing her way through the wardrobe's door. She doesn't extinguish the flame of her blade, expecting the Hut's continued hospi-hostility.
After identifying the items, he packs them up
He follows Tsin out of the wardrobe.
A single candle atop a wooden table to the northeast illuminates this cluttered hexagonal room, though a hint of sunlight kisses the sill of a single window on the western wall from beneath heavy curtains. The only sound is the creaking of loose floorboards and the groan of aged walls. A single door, tightly barred with a hammered iron bar and stout lock, stands in the eastern wall, while a fireplace stands cold in the southwestern wall.
The furnishings in this room appear to be nothing more than the accumulated clutter common to any such rustic hut: hanging cured ham hocks, filthy dishes, a stove, disused farming implements, and long-dry clothing hanging from lines stretched across the chamber.
Mindful of hidden threats, Quinn slowly pokes through the room as he investigates the new space. He takes a little extra time on the ham hocks hoping the meat is still good.
Zephtyr joins Quinn in the slow careful inspection of the area, especially if the ham hocks are good, because free ham hocks, yo.
"Might be booze in here too. Keep an eye out for the important stuff."
Tsin watches as Quinn takes the initiative in the new room, investigating the next way out, which will likely trigger the next hostility which will seek to impede them from continuing on, whatever form that may look like.
She takes to the fireplace again, seeking to establish its mundane nature, or its passage into another room. Nothing to say, yet, though she is primed to complain, should the next room be just that.
Pems follows the others, his eyes open and staring for the next threat.
You begin to look around, but after just a few seconds all of you except Pems notice your shadows start to waver and seem to detach from you. They begin to distort, taking on an evil mien, claws extending from your -- no, their! -- hands.
You at first think they're shadows, but realize after a moment that they're worse ... they're shadow demons.[/ooc]
[spoiler=Perception]
Hektir:
Malavarius:
Pemsworth:
Quinn:
Tsin:
Antagonist: