Motteditor's Strange Aeons PBP (Inactive)

Game Master motteditor

Whoop! Post 6000!!!

Tristain passively ignores Tenebrynn for about 24 more seconds of chittering panic, then finally composes himself enough to actively ignore her per her wishes. Also, he has nothing to offer in defense.

He climbs down and begins to look around for items of interest and magic, paying particular interest to the construct and well done it was.

”Are you guys okay? Starflit? You good?”

Starflit accepts Tenebrynn's help to get back on her feet. She probably needs it, as her fast healing stops functioning as soon as the battle ends. She looks up at Tristain, her expression concerned and not angry, before she turns toward Al.

"I guess it's a safe bet you all knew about Al's...secret. From your reactions, I surmise you trust him nonetheless. Based on his actions--before this fight and during it--he's earned my trust as well."

Turning to Al, she adds quietly, "Though I'd like to hear your full story at some point."

The Black Butterfly's servant suffers stoically for a while before she groans, "I didn't plan for this level of combat and used my only healing spell to help get Al conscious again. Do you folks have any more spells or even a potion? I'll reimburse you for it."

As Tristain looks at the construct, he realizes it clutches a few pieces of paper. Among the scrawls is a sentence fragment about the otherworldly protector of the library and the Soul within an iron puzzle box; a note reads, “Afterward, equip in Okeno—meet with Biting Lash. A ship has been arranged.” In the margins, there are a number of pictures of angels and the note, “Swivel heads in the right direction to delve deeper.”

The two derro are well equipped, though you can't get to the latter until her thorns dissolve back into her dead flesh.

The first has duelist’s vambraces, 3 potions of cure serious wounds; +2 studded leather, +1 aklys, +1 short sword, cloak of resistance +2, handy haversack, alchemy crafting kit, thieves’ tools and 30 gp.

The second has a potion of cure light wounds; +1 leather armor and a +1 short sword.

When Tristain descends and asks how she's feeling, Starflit manages a pained smile and says, "I feel like one of those wooden combat training dummies...after a whole company has trained on it for four hours."

Starflit's eyeballing the healing potions big time.

"I guess it's a safe bet you all knew about Al's...secret. From your reactions, I surmise you trust him nonetheless. Based on his actions--before this fight and during it--he's earned my trust as well."

”Oh yeah. It’s best not to think about it at all,” Tristain says of the thing that he avoids thinking about at all.

Tristain will identify the magics and offer them around, except of the handy haversack which would be nice for him.

”Well that drained much of my combat ability. Tough fight. Well, that and our prior work today so far. Yet I suppose we must press on and learn what we may.”

He lightly touches Al and Starflit (fast healing 3 for 1 minute). He then breaks out the wands of healing, ”Do you not have any healing Starflit? We’ve invested quite a bit into our healing reserves. Maybe you can contribute a wand of cure light wounds to the party, when we’ve got some loot. Until then, here, let me help.”

We usually let individuals roll their own needed healing, after Kyffin sometimes tops people off a bit to save on wand usage. So go ahead and roll your own healing, and I’ll keep track of charges.

Not too wounded at the end of the battle, Kyffin uses the wand on himself a little as well.
CLW x3: 3d8 + 3 ⇒ (4, 1, 7) + 3 = 15

He takes up two of the potions of serious wounds and gives them to Starflit as well, ”For emergencies.” He suggests the third go to Tenebrynn, ”You are the most mobile of us and can maybe save someone with this - or yourself.” he grins.

Tenebrynn shakes her head at Starflit’s question about the potions, then points to the derro, ”She does though.”

She then turns back to Tristain, her voice still flat and emotionless. ”Explain, Tristain. You force my attention only to then ignore it? I do not understand. If you mean to make me jealous, it will not work. Kyffin explained, I do not love you. I will not. Though I would push myself to death on any of your behalf, I would not ever want any of you in the way you wish. So, why persist in this behavior?”

”Explain, Tristain. You force my attention only to then ignore it? I do not understand. If you mean to make me jealous, it will not work. Kyffin explained, I do not love you. I will not. Though I would push myself to death on any of your behalf, I would not ever want any of you in the way you wish. So, why persist in this behavior?”

This is really hard to deal with in character, I have no idea how to respond. It's very unusual.

Tristain's mouth hangs open, agape and uncertain.

"What...?" Tristain barely manages to breathe out. "What?"
He hangs his head, trying to parse this reality in an unreality of nightmares.

"What behavior? Uh...what?' Tristain blinks, uncertain what he should do. He knows he wishes he could have done more (beyond the haste), but can't explain how he panicked and failed.

"Uh..." Tristain looks at Al and Kyffin, and then Starflit.

Starflit thanks Kyffin for the slow-but-steady healing he provides. Looking rather embarrassed, she admits that she knows only one healing spell--cure moderate wounds--and that those alone likely wouldn't have been able to make her fully healed. But she'll cast some and see where she stands....

As her broken ribs start to mend, she listens with interest to the exchange between Tenebrynn and Tristan. Maybe because of her near-death experience and the continued pain she's in from her grave wounds, the half-masked woman's emotions and thoughts are fairly easy to read.

When the healing Kyffin's granted her has run its course, Starflit casts two spells on herself before she reluctantly accepts the wand and uses it to heal herself some more. (1 charge used.)

cure moderate wounds (on self): 2d8 + 10 ⇒ (1, 3) + 10 = 14

cure moderate wounds (on self): 2d8 + 10 ⇒ (1, 1) + 10 = 12

wand of cure light wounds (1 charge): 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

"Tenebrynn, he's agreed to back off. Let it lie." Kyffin frowns, wondering why they're still dealing with this. It's like putting on a bandaid and ripping it off again taking the scab with it.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Kyffin smiles, "Fear not, we've been at this a while." he takes back the wand from Starflit, and heals Al as needed.

"I've got a few spells going yet. Let's see what's downstairs before they fade completely shall we? We can come back and search more thoroughly later." he suggests.

If the party agrees, he'll move to descend to the next level, scimitar out and in the lead.

Albert climbs to his feet beside Starflit and thanks her in a flat, hollow voice. "Thank you for healing me, and thank you more so for accepting, rather than judging, me. I am truly grateful." The shape of alien Al convulses, then ripples as the old man's features push through the surface like artwork forming in clay. His skin and eyes change back to their familiar colors, only the gray hair and beard remain the same shade as the creature that stood there a moment ago. "It ain't so bad once you get used to it." the old farmer's voice twangs again. "And sure I'll tell you the story, next time we sit down for a meal, but let's get out of here first."

When Tristain stares at him in bewilderment Albert can only chuckle. "See boy, this is what I was talking about, ain't no understanding love, it just is. The seasons of love change, and now she is confused about her feelings for you. You got three options as I see it, you can turn away and that's just going to hurt her feelings, you can turn inward, but that's just going to hurt you, especially if you bonk your head too hard, or you can turn towards and communicate with her. I'd say you go with that third option, but what does an old man know." Al grins and slaps young Tristain on the back, then heads for the door. "Now let's get some new clothes, a good meal, and a long rest."

It takes some time to find the way to descend, but you finally realize there was a trapdoor right beneath where Al and Starflit nearly met their end. Opening it, you see below the chamber is a veritable museum. The dozens of books, jars, and glass containers of various sizes placed on nearly every horizontal surface in this lab contain chemicals, unidentifiable sludge, the dissected bodies and alien-looking parts of creatures, and a rainbow of various slimes, molds, and fungi. Some of the largest containers are draped with a thick brown cloth. The overpowering stench of bleach, ammonia, and other unidentifiable chemicals fills the air. The chemical smell is nearly overwhelming, causing the throat to burn and eyes to water.

Two hulking things -- patchworks of rotten cloth and grotesque skin, with stray bits of straw poking out the seams -- wander around the room, checking the shelves. One of them looks up and seems to notice you, but doesn't react to your presence.

Oddly, there doesn't seem to be a way to descend that you can see.

2d20 ⇒ (17, 9) = 26

"More constructs--skinstitches," Starflit whispers to the others. "Not sure what they can do, though."

Hanging back, the inquisitor casts detect magic and scans the room. "If they don't attack, I'll search for secret doors shortly."

Starflit Knowledge (arcana) Check (Monster Lore): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17

Kyffin, having no particular knowledge of such things, and sure they're going to have to fight them eventually, grips his scimitar and waits. He wishes he had a ring of feather falling. But he doesn't.

Sighing, he wonders if he can lower himself down without falling. He's not very acrobatic...

Tristain nods and listens at Al's words, but doesn't yet act on them. He doesn't think that will work, or anything will work...except bonking. Bonking always helps.

Instead of retreating to a good healthy bonking fit against the nearest wall like a normal person would to, he peeks his head down to see what's down the hole.

1d20 + 20 ⇒ (9) + 20 = 29 Know (arcana)

"Skinstitches, I would think. Only mostly deadly to most living things if you get close to them. But maybe we can just blast them from above," Tristain reaches for his very weak wand of Magic Missile, thinking that might be easier than going down there in person.

How many feet down are we talking about? 10? 20? more?

Tenebrynn shakes her head, her voice eerie and flat still in her bleached state. Oddly, it seems she's better able to discuss the things Kyffin would rather let lie than before.

"How could more harm come from it?" As Starflit pokes around and looks for a hidden way down, the gnome presses, though her voice stays wooden and too-calm. "His infatuation runs so deep he let all of us struggle against those derro and that false-Mun just to try to get me to cry out to him for help. If this is not addressed, it could be even more desperate next time."

Without pause, the bleached gnome begins to tick off, finger by finger, numerous actions and inactions of Tristain's for several months past. "How he moped after that creepy ball, or how he was worried about me in the necropolis, how mean he was to Jasno because he was obviously jealous," and on and on and on.

The absence of emotion seems to grant Tenebrynn some stability as she speaks, but the longer she goes, the more something seems to be wrong.

Sense Motive Tenebrynn: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25 vs DC 25 to sense enchantment

Kyffin gives a weather eye to the little one, trying to figure out what she's going on about, because she's not making much sense.

Starflit definitely detects magic coming from below as she looks down at the 10-foot drop. Further inspection reveals there's a single aura coming from right below the trapdoor.

Kyffin doesn't think she's enchanted, but definitely something seems wrong, perhaps since the creepy spider-ball, considering everything she's mentioning happened after that moment.

"There's an illusion effect right below us...a glamer of some sort," Starflit reports, oblivious to the continuing drama taking place around her.

Starflit Knowledge (arcana) Check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Kyffin wonders about Tenebrynn, but there's nothing he can do about it now. Perhaps when they're finished, he can find a priest-healer and consult about what spells she may need to be healthy again... "Tenebrynn, for now you're going to have to trust me. He's not after you. Not right now. OK? Trust me and we'll sort it out later."

For now, he worries about what's beneath them, "An illusion? Can anyone dispel it?"

If no one can, he'll try to lower himself into the room to interact with the illusion and try to pierce it.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (12) + 0 = 12 vs DC 15 to avoid taking damage from the fall.

He falls, presumably taking damage and falling prone. As soon as he can, he'll stand back up and look around.

Will: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29 to disbelieve

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Note: invisibility purge should still be going if it matters.

"I can try," Starflit whispers when Kyffin asks if anyone can dispel the effect.

Starflit Caster Level Check (targeted dispel magic): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

Oh, crap, sorry, Kyffin.

As Kyffin gets a little closer and his spell crosses the threshold, the invisibility disappears, revealing a ladder! So no fall, obviously. I'll assume you're still up top for the moment; also sorry!

"Wait, don't go down yet," Tristain offers to blast the evil things from here and let others chop down upon those who climb the now visible ladder. "Let's try to blast them from above, let them come to us." He knows that he can attack at range, but is not sure the foes can.

He focuses all the pain and hurt of the last few days, the splintering of his mind into regret and remorse, and lets that take shape into a form of pain for others.

Magic Missile: 5d4 + 5 ⇒ (1, 1, 4, 2, 1) + 5 = 14 force damage

Starflit can join Tristain in attacking from above with her returning starknife, but since she's already taken multiple actions, I'm going to wait on the GM for the go-ahead on that.

Sounds like we're into initiative; I mean what could possible go wrong. :)

Entire party is up for Round 1.

Round 1

No worries! It’s my job to remind you! :)

Though Kyffin has a bow, he'll start by guarding the top of the ladder, with his scimitar out and ready in case the constructs advance. He wonders, for a moment, if they're just menial workers and won't attack. He waits to see what they do.

Ninja'd, adding...

Readied Scimitar: 1d20 + 13 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 13 + 3 = 24 (bull, higher ground) damage: 1d10 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 12 + 2 = 15 (bull)

Starflit invests more of her bane power into her magical starknife and then lets fly, targeting the closest skinstitch. After her throw (whether something cool happens or not), the weapon flies back to the inquisitor's hand.

Not sure about distance to the nearest target, so I won't include Point-Blank Shot bonuses into Starflit's attacks. Also, not sure if PBS bonuses apply to the Startoss Comet carom....

Starflit +1 returning starknife (bane): 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 12 + 2 = 19 for magic, piercing damage: 1d4 + 5 + 2 + 2d6 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 2 + (1, 3) = 12

If that manages to hit and the second spellstitch is within 20 feet of the first....

Starflit +1 returning starknife (Startoss Comet vs. 2nd skinstitch; bane): 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 12 + 2 = 23 for magic, piercing damage: 1d4 + 5 + 2 + 2d6 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 2 + (4, 5) = 18

Albert draws his bow and joins the barrage on the mindless constructs...

longbow, indefinite penalty: 1d20 + 15 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 15 - 2 = 14
damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

longbow, indefinite penalty: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 2 = 16
damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

...but it's clearly been awhile since he's fired his bow and the aim is terrible.

Round 1

Tristain casts Spiritual Weapon and moves it to whack at the lead foe and moves away from the hole.
A nice, ghostly spiritual chalkboard batters at the foe.

1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17 to hit;
1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 force damage, overcomes DR

Tenebrynn shakes her head and shrugs then focuses for a moment before jolting the group into moving more quickly.

haste the group for 8 rounds

Round 1
From above, you're able to rain destruction down on the constructs, who prove to be easy targets, though Al's first arrow misses and the second seems to sink well into the creature before doing any real damage. The constructs don't seem to have much they can do against you, as they flail toward the trap door helplessly for a moment. Unfortunately, they then rip their chests open and a loud buzzing fills the air, and suddenly two hideous, buzzing clouds of insects -- comprised of black and yellow wasps with hungry red eyes -- come flying toward you!

They fly up through the hole, too small to be hit by Kyffin and Starflit's weapons as they swing wildly, and settle over each of you, stinging furiously. 9 hp for Tristain and Al; 3 (minimum possible!) for Star, Tenebrynn and Kyffin; everyone must also make a DC 20 Fort save or take 1d6 Dex damage (you can roll yourself) AND a DC 18 Fort save or be nauseated for 1 round

The yellow squares on the map are the swarms.

Starflit doesn't shriek when the swarms fly up and surround the party, but she does let out a weird, whiny whimper that rises in shrillness as more and more of the wasps get underneath her cloak and start to sting her.

Starflit Fortitude Save (vs. Dex damage): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

Starflit Fortitude Save (vs. nauseated condition): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

@GM: Can we see the map of the skinstitch level, as that may be where we'll have to flee to escape the swarm?

Starflit does a spastic little dance as the nasty stinging insects start to land on her. "Hell...wasps.... Argh!"

Starflit Knowledge (planes) Check (Monster Lore): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20

Round 1

Kyffin, able to handle just about anything… other than swarms, has little to fight this menace. His one spell that might help, would likely only blind his allies, so he holds it for now as he considers his options.

Fort: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29 vs DC 20 or Dex damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6 (Whew!)
Fort: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26 vs DC 18 or nauseated

"Anyone any good with swarms?! I can't really affect them in any meaningful way, though I do have a few alchemy fires. We may need to fall back," he suggests unhappily.

Fort Save (DC 20): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19 Dex Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Fort Save (DC 18): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25
"If they are vulnerable to lightning, I can hurt them. It will hurt any of you in the blast as well though. Get clear." Her voice still flat and stony, Tenebrynn waits for her friends to move out of the way before fading back a step. She draws the winds of the room in around her then throws a crackling lance of lightning through both swarms.

Electric Torrent (Ref Save DC 21 for 1/2): 4d6 + 7 ⇒ (6, 1, 4, 1) + 7 = 19

5ft step south, gather power, throw lightning!

Round 1, continued

Kyffin worries that Tenebrynn’s little lighting bolts won’t be enough. Not even combined with his even more feeble burst of radiance. But he can’t leave Tenebrynn behind. He shouts, ”If you can’t attack, start moving out of here. Head up and out the window! Tenebrynn and I will follow shortly!”

He’ll 5’ step northwest so as to get some distance from Tenebrynn, hopefully forcing the swarms to attack them individually.

Once the others have left the swarm area, he’ll cast Burst of Radiance (damage if evil: 5d4 ⇒ (1, 4, 3, 4, 3) = 15 then Reflex DC 14 for rounds: 1d4 ⇒ 4 of Blindness or Dazzled). He’s careful to position the spell along the wall, so it affects the swarms, and not his allies.

After the assault and 5’ step, he’ll then take out his pearl of power (2).

If Al and Tristain don’t get out of the way for some reason, he’ll simply move this round and take out his pearl, saving the spell for later.

Tristain moved away from the hole as turn.

Round 2
The Spiritual Weapon attacks again, unbidden by Tristain.

1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26 to hit;
1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 force damage, overcomes DR
"I don't have a good solution to this! I can get us out of here!"
Tristain readies to move away from a swarm should it come at him, but mostly he's ready to flee and will take others with him. (DDoor.)

Albert huddles as the wasps swarm...

DC 20 Fort save: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

DC 18 Fort save: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20

...and avoids the worst of the stings as he smears fresh dirt on his wounds. He drops down the trap door while calling at the swarms, hoping the sound will draw them away from the party. "Come on you yellow striped bandits! Come get me!"

Dirt On It, 1 remaining: 6d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 6, 3, 2, 5) = 26
HP: 61/74

Acrobatics, jump the 10' down from the trap door: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

Sadly, the fates , curse you DiceBot and you constant fumbles!, conspire against him and he trips on the first rung falling flat on the floor below.

falling damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6
HP: 55/74

Everyone, don’t forget about haste!

Al, you want to go down the ladder? Into the room with the 2 angry skinstitches?

I was considering having Starflit head down as well (anticipating a bottleneck on the ladder heading up). Now that she's nauseated, I'm expecting a whole lot of pain no matter what she tries.

You can still move while nauseated. It’s about all you can do, but you can at least scamper over to Tristain for the dimension door he’s prepping for.

You can still move while nauseated. It’s about all you can do, but you can at least scamper over to Tristain for the dimension door he’s prepping for.

This seems like a good idea. Al, maybe don’t go down alone. Maybe.

sorry, my meta knowledge is poor and I read the post as the skinstitches self destructing to release the wasps. I just read the bestiary entries for both creatures to understand what would have happened and I see the constructs would stay active, so Al would have stayed above and moved out of the swarm towards Tristain and take the extra damage.

If Al retreats, so will Starflit.

”But don’t get too close to me! That will just draw the swarm! Stay a bit back!” Tristain tries to avoid clumping, and will see what happens.

Tristain had moved before, so ignore that damage. Star, what do you want to know about the swarms?

The group scatters as Tenebrynn blasts the swarms with lightning, which crackles through the air and sends hundreds of the horrid wasps plummeting back through the hole. Unfortunately, there are still enough to envelop her, and Kyffin again, stinging and swarming mercilessly. 7 hp for Kyffin, 12 for Tenebrynn; both must also make a DC 18 Will save or be nauseated for 1 round

In the room below, the chalk board bashes the nearest skinstitch.

All but Tristain must make another DC 20 Fort save or take 1d6 Dex damage

Round 2

Did Kyffin’s Burst of Radiance harm the swarms at all? It is an area affect spell.

Will: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20 vs DC 18 or nauseated
Fort: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19 vs DC 20 or Dex damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Kyffin looses a lot of his, well OK he wasn’t that dextrous to begin with, but now he’s outright clumsy! He calls to Tenebrynn and the others, ”C’mon everyone on Tristain, we’re getting out of here!”

He’ll 5’ step to the man even as he uses his pearl of power to regain another Burst of Radiance (std) and will then put the pearl back away (move).

Starflit gasps before gnashing her teeth as she feels the wasps' venom start to affect her muscles; at least the nausea she felt wears off. She waits for Tristain to cast the spell that will get the party out of this mess! (Delay.)

Starflit Fortitude Save: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17
Dexterity Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Starflit's Question: She's wondering if there'd be some additional way of harming the swarm since the wasps are extraplanar. She's got align weapon on her spell list, but if the swarm is immune to weapon damage that'd make it immune to alignment-based weapon damage as well, correct?

General Plan After Delay: Move through dimension door and then cast guidance on herself; the way the dice bot hates Starflit, I figure there's no way she'll roll consecutive 9s or better, so maybe she can roll consecutive 8s.

Round 2

Tristain can’t get everyone out, that’s just beyond his power and the spell, but when Al, Kyffin, & Starflit are within reach, he will DDoor themselves outside and away, about 200 feet at least.

”It’s all I can do. Otherwise...my brain will break.”

He thinks that Tenebrynn can fly away to safety on her own.

Oh, that's going to go well, with Tristain abandoning Tenebrynn!

Also, whoops, sorry, Kyffin. I somehow read right over that! Both swarms took 15 hp damage, but neither is blinded. That said, that's an awful good use of back-to-back natty 20s for you guys.

Reflex: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
Reflex: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30