Motteditor's Reign of Winter PBP (Inactive)

Game Master motteditor

Pems smiles, nods at everyone, steps on the ice thing and says the rhyme to take himself to the top.

Zeno lands on Pems' shoulder and offers him a sideways look before the halfling speaks the rhyme. "This had better not en-"

Tsin listens to Pems speak the words, and mentally repeats them, making sure that wherever Pems is destined, she will end up in the same location.

She sheathes the falchion, and draws the shieldmaiden's sword, ready for fey.

As each person ascends, Quinn gives them the same guidance of Cayden that he bestowed on Pems.

Pems feels a strange wrenching, hit stomach falling for a moment almost as if he were plummeting from a great height, before realizing he's in a new room.

A crescent-shaped dining table occupies the Y-shaped chamber, while two large mirrors on the north and south walls create the illusion of an even larger space. Twenty feet overhead, an immense chandelier of ice crystals hangs from the ceiling. To the east, rounded steps access a short hallway, flanked by twin ice sculptures of dryads holding ice-carved tree limbs, creating an elaborate archway. Translucent, glasslike double doors are set in the hall’s north and south walls. To the west, two alcoves stand between three windows providing an amazing view of the wintry landscape outside the tower.

To the halfling's surprise, there's a familiar figure here! The bard you met on your way to Waldsby.

Her eyes widen at the halfling's appearance.

"Hva gjør du her?"

Hektir follows Mal, speaking the words even as he nods confidently at Quinn.

I got this, bro.

In Skald, Pems answers: "Greetings fair lady! Why I have come to pay homage to the lady of this tower. Might you know where she is?"

Bluff: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

"-d badly for us! I will haunt you if we die from thi- oh! Can we do it again?"

The woman shakes her head.

"I don't think so," she replies in Skald. "Why are you really here, outsider? And are the rest of your friends still with you?"

Pems' face falls. "No, they're captured by the witch. Please, will you help me find them?"

Bluff: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

The woman shakes her head. "No, I don't think so. Your lies shall get you no rewards," she says in Skald.

Suddenly Pems feels a piercing pain as two miniature blue winged humanoids appear on either side, their rapiers digging deep into his sides. 13 hp total; two Fort saves DC 11 or be staggered 1 round.

Before he can react, the blue-skinned woman steps back and begins performing a haunting melody inspire courage and the small creatures stab again and he plummets into darkness. 15 hp; don't worry about those saves...

One person can go up each round. Because the antagonists go before Pems' action and he's the only one currently in combat, I put them at the top of the round; Party is up.

Ow....

Round 1, Init 17

Tsin takes the same ride as Pems, unaware of the assault.

Rather congested up there, huh?

Acrobatics to move through opponent's square: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Tsin angles for the corner, just to the right as she appears on this level. Stumbling over a badly injured Pems, she tries to swing on one of the fey.

MW Cold Iron Longsword: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25 for 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13 damage

If Tsin can't make it into the room, She'll likely be forced to make the ride down, right? Only trying to make the connection, regarding the second platform, and getting more of us up at one time.

Is it 1 elevator ride per round or is it quick enough that we're all able to arrive at the top this same turn?

1 ride per round.

Tsin arrives at the top, stumbling over Pen's prone form, and leaving herself open for one of the small creatures to attack. Fortunately, her armor turns its tiny blade and Tsin lashes out with her own much larger weapon, nearly splitting the tiny fey in half as she knocks it from the air.

"Ikke! Jir!" the other shouts, as it gestures at the swordswoman. DC 15 Fort save, or be shrunk down to Pems' size (+2 size bonus to Dexterity, a –2 size penalty to Strength, and a +1 bonus on attack rolls and AC due to its reduced size.).

On the other side of the room, the woman continues to inspire the remaining winged humanoid to greater heights.

Below, Nadya waits impatiently. "This is very tense, but I am sure nothing bad is happening above," she says. "Right?"

Hektir spits and awaits his turn to go up.

Not sure how this is all going to work, but we'll see how it goes after Mal and Nadya (the elderly and ladies first!).

Zeno squawks and flits up as high as he can reach as Pemsworth slumps to the ground beneath him. He tries his best to stay out of the way but can't help remarking, "Are you the birdkeeper? I'd hoped to have an intelligent and civil conversation with someone other than myself for once in my life but it seems I am doomed to a prison of my own brilliance. Sigh."

---

"Something bad happening? Perish the thought, my dear. Well, unless you consider Zeno's prattling 'bad', which you should now that I think about it. So yes, I guess in that case things must be very dire indeed. Ha!" His eyes twinkle mischeiviously as he takes his position to be the next one up the odd floor-spanning contraption.

Fortitude v DC 15: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Aw. A petite Tsin would have been charming. And convenient for the space up here :)

Not to mention oh so titillating for the halfling!

You can fail willingly, I think, if you want. : ) Need actions from Mal and Tsin for next round.

Don't the fey and bard go before us? So they'll have gone by the time Malavarius gets to the top of the elevator? Also, is it a specific action type to ride up the elevator?

Round 2, Init 17

Tsin shall remain fully filled out for now :)

Tsin steps over Pems' prone form, careful as she can be to avoid stepping on an appendage. She lashes out at the second fey, warding it off from attacking the fallen halfling.

MW Cold Iron Longsword: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23 for 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 damage

"Ah, this blade works so much better. She's had it regripped recently." She eyes the singer, and lowers her blade. "Now, you've greeted Pems most harshly. Are we going to talk, or are you going to remain hostile?"

Quinn whistles casually as he waits his turn to ride the magic portal, imagining the fine liquor cabinet that's sure to be above.

Mal, they go after you and Tsin. No specific action to ride up the transporter.

Tsin's blade lashes into the second fey, cutting it down, as Mal suddenly appears to see the bloody scene.

Mierul's eyes widen at the sudden carnage and she raises her arms, to show her hands are empty.

"I have no quarrel with you," she blurts out. "I was simply doing what the witches ordered!"

On the ground, Pemsworth moans.

Hektir spits and awaits his turn to go up.

Suddenly concerned, Quinn looks to Hektir, "You don't think they'll drink the good stuff before we get there, do you?"

"WHAT THE BLAZES?! Pemsworth! Tsin! Forlarren girl!" Rattled by the scene, Malavarius quickly intones a spell and gives Tsin a reassuring grip on her shoulder as he places the abjuration over her. He then steps to the side and begins digging around in his satchel for a potion. "I'll help the halfling, Tsin. You just make sure none of these thrice blasted fey can hurt anyone else!"

Standard Action: cast protection from evil on Tsin
Free Action: 5ft step to the square just north of Pemsworth
Move Action: draw potion of cure light wounds

Is there room for Hektir to go up? If so, Hektir does, taking total defense as a precaution, not knowing what to expect.

If Tsin doesn't attack the woman, you can all get up, moving out of the teleporter. I'd say go ahead and let's assume that happens, so we can advance.

As Quinn waxes poetic on the merits of liquor cabinets, Hektir grips him by the collar and drags him onto the teleporter with a pre-functionary spit, "Get moving, ain't no time for dissertations!" and Quinn can't help but being dragged along.

Lol@Quinn.

"Sorry for getting grabby, I was just getting annoyed...and you're right, they might have been drinking all the good stuff," Hektir says, sending a nice spit on the icy floor.

* * *

Sword in hand, Hektir moves beside Tsin as she talks and waits.

"What's going on?"

Tsin points to one of many chairs, and bids Mierul sit. "If you will, we would talk with you, all of us." She is relieved when Quinn and Hektir finally make their way up. She does make room by advancing a little towards the forlarren, although with lowered blade.

When Hektir questions, Tsin points to the two bodies. "Her welcoming committee. Claims she's only doing as she's told by the witches. Wait, you said there's more than one. Here, you mean?" Tsin turns back to Mierul.

"Pems!" Quinn hollers with a genuine note of concern as he sees his friend laying upon the floor, "These icy jerks can't take you from us!" Reaching his hands to the good witch, Quinn calls upon the blessing of Cayden.

Cure Moderate Wounds: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (6, 5) + 3 = 14

"More than one witch? Of course there are, Tsin. There's that Nazhelena woman and her lesser Radishek."
"Nazhena and Radosek," Zeno corrects. "Honestly, how can you be so terrible with names?"
Malavarius looks up at the sound of Zeno's voice and glimpses the little thrush hiding atop a narrow perch near the ceiling, "Zeno! There you ar- I beg your pardon? Bad with names? Why, I'm a very old man, I'll have you know. I've earned the right to forget or butcher a name or two. Bah! That doesn't matter right now. Why'd you let them gut poor Pemsworth, hmm?!"
"I- I couldn't stop them! I barely escaped with my own life! That blue-skinned forlarren woman there told them to do it too! Don't trust her!"

Pemsworth moans and sits up, looking pale but alive. Seeing the others and the fey dead, he rubs his sides where the swords pierced him. "Zeno's right. Don't trust the blue woman; she's their master."

"She's a summerstealer, is she?" Hektir turns to give the forlarren a murderous look.

Tsin motions to Hektir to post in front of the other platform. "We have a moment to discuss fate, do we not, Malavarius? She may still present us information which puts value on her life, wouldn't it?" Tsin sheathes her blade reluctantly.

Turning to Mierul, Tsin occasionally looks towards the other doors. "Are we alone, forlarren? We are told by dozens of soldiers slain that there is witch, birdkeeper and fey about. The troll is slain. If these are the only other fey about, the fey are slain as well. Unless you include yourself as witch minion." Tsin cocks her head. "Do you?"

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Sense Motive on Mierul: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

"And the child, don't forget the child, either she tells us exactly where Nadya's kid is being kept, or we give her the troll treatment!"

Intoning another prayer for Pems, Quinn extends more healing. CLW: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

The woman shrugs. "You do not understand Irrisen, outsiders. You do what the witches say if you want to survive. To do otherwise is to die ... or worse. I bear you no ill will, but I will say true that I value my skin more than yours.

[b]"I have not seen Nalzhena since I arrived at the Pale Tower, but Radosek was here last I saw. Where exactly, I can not tell you.

"As for who else is here, I am not certain if it is all, but there is the cook, the noblewoman, plus I suppose any guards you've not disposed of."

As for a child, I've not seen one since I've been here."

Nadya's face pales at the forlarren's final words, and she blinks rapidly for a few moments.

"What exactly did the witches instruct you to do? And were you under those orders when we first met?"

Malavarius frowns at Quinn's mention of Nadya's child, an expression that deepens as the forlarren claims no knowledge of any children in the tower.

Zeno hops down from on high and flits to Malavarius' shoulder.
"Hmmm. Do you think that was her back there?"
"Yes, Zeno, I'm afraid I do."
"I was afraid of that."
"So was I, Zeno. Yes indeed, so was I."

Malavarius' words trail off into indecipherable mumbles as his gaze comes to rest on Mierul, his eyes unfocused and distant.

"What are you talking about, Mal?" Tsin shifts uneasily as the two old birds discuss matters at hand.

"I was investigating for Nalzhena. She was curious how the search for the Black Rider was going and sent me to find out. And, yes, I was indeed under those orders."

Malavarius looks at Tsin, a curious arch in his brow, "Hm? What's that? Whose talking about what now? Has this forlarren revealed the whereabouts of my good hat yet?!"
Zeno flaps his wings and hops up and down on Malavarius' shoulder as the wizard's attention is stolen by Tsin, "That blue lady helped those fey nearly kill Pemsworth! She can't be trusted! Not one bit!"

Trusting Zeno, Quinn strides forward while drawing his rapier. move to north side of Meirul "If she can't tell us where either the witch or the child reside then does she still have any use to us? She's just a servant, like all the others we've met, stupid unto the point of death to protect child stealers because of her own weak fear! Let's give her the same treatment she offered Pems, come on Tsin, get that butcher's blade bloody again!" Quinn waits until a companion draws the flank on the other side of the creature, then he'll drive his blade through her. unless someone stops his course of action

rapier: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
dmg: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

"Well, it appears that a creature of nature has decided your fate. You've chosen sides, so let stand the consequence."

Tsin watches Quinn glide into position. She understands what comes next.

MW Cold Iron Longsword: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 2 = 23 for 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 damage

"A shame, really. Could you change your nature, even if you wanted to?"

Er, she's not going to just let you pull a blade and move into killing positions. We'll have to go to intiative, but probably not until after the holiday.

Ah the Thanksgiving truce. I see. :)

As Tsin moves to get into position to deliver a killing blow, Mierul's eyes widen in fear and she open he mouth. The discordant sound in like a knife against raw edges, but worse, a burst of razor-sharp, crystalline shards suddenly appear and lash into most of you. 7 hp, DC 12 Reflex negates

Nadya lets out a cry of surprise and dives behind the table as she reaches for her bow and an arrow.

Tsin closes and her blade draws blood from the woman, who cries out in pain, though Quinn's seems to have no effect.

OK, I treated that basically like a surprise round. So we'll do "top" of initiative this round, with Hektir, Mal and Quinn up.