Motteditor's Strange Aeons PBP

Game Master motteditor

You're going to make me look up 1e rules on hypotheticals? IIRC, it wouldn't fail on a natty 1 assuming the result was good enough. Oh, look, and then I rolled a 1 on my concentration check, so yay for this ruling.

The smoke doesn't hamper Kyffin or Al, though the latter realizes his attempt to smite has no effect! Either his god has forsaken him, or this ghost isn't evil! Tristain's magical bolts likewise hit home, shredding the spectral form.

As Starflit heals Lothan, the archer thinks about shooting -- but realizes at that close range, it would probably be suicide. He ducks away. You were within melee range, and her hitting would have probably killed you, so I'm going to overrule and say you withdraw. Unless you wanted to die by suicide.

Denied the target that hurt her most severely, the ghost turns to Kyffin, lashing out at him with her blade. As before, it makes contact, but the wounds that break out over the half-orc's body don't seem to correlate at all to the actual blade contact. 64 hp She follows up with a spell, that sends a lightning bolt slamming through Kyffin and Starflit 37 electricity, DC 18 Reflex for half.

Al is surprised when his smiting proves useless, but he continues the assault with a series of hacks at the ghostly form.

curve blade, power attack with focus: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (18) + 20 = 38
damage: 1d10 + 5 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 12 = 20

curve blade, power attack with focus: 1d20 + 15 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 15 - 4 = 17
damage: 1d10 + 5 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 12 = 21

curve blade, power attack with focus: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 10 - 4 = 9
damage: 1d10 + 5 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 12 = 18

...possible crit on first attack

curve blade, power attack with focus: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (20) + 20 = 40
damage: 1d10 + 5 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 12 = 18


Round 2, Init 17

Tristain stays well back and offers another forceful blast.

"zee-NOO!”

Wand of Magic Missile (lvl9): 36/50 left
5d4 + 4 ⇒ (3, 4, 2, 2, 4) + 4 = 19 force damage.

Reflex: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 11 + 2 = 25 (heroism) vs DC 18 for 18hp (+64 = 82)

He’s unsure how the ghost is making attacks and casting spells like he does - except at others, but it’s a neat trick - that and hitting so well. Still, Kyffin digs deep and fights back!

Kyffin fervently casts a cure critical wounds on himself as a swift action.
CCW: 4d8 + 13 ⇒ (4, 5, 3, 6) + 13 = 31

He then 5’ steps north to prepare Al for an easy flank, and swings!

Scimitar: 1d20 + 15 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 15 + 6 = 36 (favor, heroism)
damage: 1d10 + 17 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 17 + 4 = 29 (favor)
critthreat Scimitar: 1d20 + 15 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 15 + 6 = 23 (favor, heroism)
damage: 1d10 + 17 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 17 + 6 = 28 (favor, 2hp fire)

Scimitar: 1d20 + 10 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 10 + 6 = 31 (favor, heroism)
damage: 1d10 + 17 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 17 + 4 = 30 (favor)
critthreat Scimitar: 1d20 + 10 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 10 + 6 = 18 (favor, heroism)
damage: 1d10 + 17 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 17 + 6 = 25 (favor, 2hp fire)

Kyffin and Al are able to dispatch the ghost before Tristain has to use another charge on the Zeno wand.

As you start to recover and begin healing, however, the ghost returns! This time, though, she doesn't attack.

"Oh, you're still here. My apologies," she says, nodding to the injured among you, "I was overcome. This accursed city... I wasn't myself. I am Upianshe. Why have you come here?"

"WHO-pianshe?" Starflit demands, still a bit peeved by the spirit's attack. "I don't think we should answer any questions until you've answered a few yourself! Who are you? Why are you here? And what are your allegiances?"

Starflit will take a moment to use her detect alignment ability on the ghostly figure.

Tristain keeps his distance, unwilling to get hurt should *someone* provoke the ghost to violence again.

”Yeah, who are you? And why did you attack us?” Tristain asks, not yet putting away his wand. ”We’re here to stop a great evil. And we don’t want to be here any more than you do.” Tristain responds, somewhat echoing Starflit’s questions.

”How come you’re a ghost? Don’t you want to be free and fully dead?”

Kyffin twitches a little, and wonders if a good head bonking might be in order, but he takes a moment to force calm back upon himself.

"Overcome?" he can't help but ask worrying over her sanity. What a place to be trapped!

He listens for her answers to Starflit's very reasonable questions. But in case things go badly, he will start to heal people as well. He'll summon forth fast healing 3 (for 1 minute) and apply it to his and Lothan's initial injuries and then breaks out the wands of curing. Sort out what healing you still require after the 30hp bump and I'll track charges.

CLW: 4d8 + 4 ⇒ (4, 3, 5, 8) + 4 = 24

"This is an accursed city, all kinds of evil things lurking about, we're sorry you're stuck here. We're the good guys." Al pulls out his holy symbol and displays it for Upianshe. "We'll free you from this place if we can, like my friends said, why are you here, what's kept you trapped in this place?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (3) + 21 = 24

"I am Upianshe," the ghost replies, "and if you seek to stop a great evil, you have come to the right place. I will tell you my story, and help you if I can..."

She tells her story: Upianshe’s paternal family operated a caravan that traveled throughout Ninshabur in that empire’s final decades. On the family’s annual circuit between the great Ninshaburian cities, she noticed strange signs in three of them. She recorded everything she observed, and on the third year, she took her findings to the city of Teralindar’s guards. She explained her theory of a subterranean mastermind who manipulated the markets for sinister purposes—an idea the authorities laughed off as playful fancies. Undeterred, Upianshe stole her mother’s sword -- she brandishes the blade, giving it its name, "Teralindar’s Honor," and descended into the labyrinthine tunnels beneath the city. Four days later, she emerged, dragging the body of a dark naga behind her.

In recognition for her service, Ninshabur’s finest enchanted her family blade to strike down other threats to the empire. She continued to learn and question long-held assumptions—especially those superstitions of unexplored wonders within the empire’s own borders. Intent on disproving these wild tales about the Parchlands, she and her staunchest academic supporters assembled an expedition deep into that forbidden desert.

At first they found no threats, merely an abandoned city on the banks of a small crater lake. Upianshe coined the name “Neruzavin” (or “Cradle of Heaven”) while her team set up camp and began exploring the unsettling architecture. When the terrible dreams began afflicting her team, Upianshe at first dismissed the signs because no nightmares had visited her. Her team’s behavior quickly became erratic, and she traced the source of their corruption to the lake too late. By the time she discovered signs of Xhamen-Dor, her entire team had been infected, and she was beset upon by her colleagues. When it became clear that they could not capture her alive, they tore her to pieces.

"I haves haunted the city as a ghost ever since, constantly reexamining my findings," she concludes. "If only I had sensed the slumbering madness within the city sooner. Perhaps I could have saved my friends..."

"I don't know if you can save me. I feel as if I am bound here, only trying to hold onto my sanity. Perhaps, though, if you can cleanse Neruzavin of evil and restoring my family’s legacy, perhaps then I could join the River of Souls. Recover my sword, Teralindar’s Honor, from the monument of destruction. Defeat the flying polyps in the undercity and seal them away once more. Finally, you must swear to Upianshe that you will destroy the evil that lives within the lake."

"You ask for a lot Upianshe. Cleanse Neruzavin of evil? Recover your sword, defeat the flying polyps in the undercity, and destroy the evil in the lake? That's a lot, and will likely take us some days to complete."

He ponders, "We're in a race to stop a great evil." he describes a little of their task and how they came to be here. "But to leave you here, that too is anathema."

Kyffin turns to the others, "What do you think? These tasks are righteously done, though it will mean a slight delay in tracking our quarry. Still, with the investment of the wind walks, we've made excellent time. So perhaps we do have a little movement here to help."

"I have another fight or two in me, but the air walk will last only another 10 minutes at best for most of you. So I suggest we finish this crazy tower and head back to basecamp to plot our next move. If we're going into the lake, I can help with Water Breathing at least. Tomorrow."

"The lake is deadly," Upianshe warns. "It holds a great evil. If you seek to cleanse it -- and I hope you do -- my sword may help you!"

"If we're going into the lake, I can help with Water Breathing at least. Tomorrow."

Tristain wonders why Kyffin is worried about air when his air is already covered, but figures that Kyffin probably meant something else. Either way, he thinks taking some time to relax and whatever makes sense, but also they should finish what they were doing when they were attacked.

We were in the middle of the ritual? Are we supposed to wait to complete it?

You were basically interrupted before you got started. If you want to do it now, you can, and I'll go back and look at your rolls.

"Right, find the sword, kill the polyps, then deal with the monster in the lake. Too bad it wasn't a lady in the lake, we could have just left Lothan with her until she got annoyed and moved to another body of water. Now, we killed one of those polypy things already, how many more are there, and how do we seal them off? Will you help us fight them, Upianshe, and complete your quest?" Al looks much more pleased at fighting evil, as opposed to using evil books for uncertain and possibly evil outcomes.

Kyffin looks to Tristain and looks to Al, and shrugs, not sure which is the greater evil here and which path to take.

He looks to Starflit and Lothan for their opinions.

"Right, find the sword, kill the polyps, then deal with the monster in the lake. Too bad it wasn't a lady in the lake, we could have just left Lothan with her until she got annoyed and moved to another body of water."

Lol!

Lothan is about to speak up but pauses, and then looks over at Al curiously, not entirely sure how to take that. Eventually, the half-elf mentally shrugs it off and says, "I'm for finding this sword and killing everything. If that sword is as nasty as the one she used to cut me open, I want to get to it before the bad guys do. Whatever helps us win, I'm for. Let's go find us a sword and kill us a monster and put ghost girl here to rest. That way, she doesn't go around slaughtering anybody else all willy-nilly." He huffs, not wanting to go through anything like that again.

Starflit shrugs at Kyffin before turning to Kaklatath. "You've said those flying polyp things are dangerous to this world. What's your opinion: Stay and rid this city of its evils first or stay hot on Lowls's heels?"

"Let alone those polyps are seriously scary. I mean, we mostly handled that one with nearly acceptable losses, but it was close," Tristain blanches at facing more polyps.

"I think we should go get the sword, but also I think we should finish the ritual, or maybe not. It's very unclear in what order we should do things. I dunno...unless I do..."

We have too many threads right now. What is a good order of things?

I think you likely want to do the ritual now (Tristain already rolled, but I believe needs some help). Then it's up to you to head to look for the sword, or the other two stae stelae. You know from Lowls' notes that one is in the area known as the Snarl, to the northeast, near the lake; and the other is in an area known as the Oraculum, in the far northeast of the city.

"Fine, let's do the ritual, then we'll take care of these other tasks, and get your sword."

He wonders, briefly, if it's a scimitar, and if it's better than his. He needs an upgrade... He chuckles to himself and follows Tristain's lead.

”Yes! We should finish the ritual here and then find the other stelae and do the ritual with them too! Exactly. Yes and the sword too,” Tristain says with a bit more clarity, though he isn’t quite sure what he needs to do to finish the ritual. Others need to make checks, and/or help Tristain peeps.

”Also, we’re going to piss off the archons by keeping the book for so long, so let’s be wary of that too.”

Sorry, I get two skills per level, and have none of the ones you need or I'd roll to aid.

Kyffin shrugs when Tristain says he needs help, "Sorry, I'll make sure you're not disturbed, but this is over my head."

I may be misunderstanding something, but it looks to me like the ritual instantaneously teleports us elsewhere, without the sword and before we can do all those other tasks.

For aiding the skill checks, Starflit would auto-succeed on the first two, but she only has a +1 modifier on Knowledge (nobility) checks.

Sigh. That's because I apparently gave you the wrong ritual. Sigh. The organization of this book is not the most intuitive, by any means. I think they may have been trying to channel too much of the theme... You first need to perform the beckon the stars occult ritual to attune Neruzavin’s three Star Stelae; THEN you would do the Path to the Black Stars ritual, which is what I actually described above. Here's the actual ritual you need to do.

BECKON THE STARS
School conjuration (teleportation); Level 3
Casting Time 30 minutes
Components V, S, SC (up to 4)
Skill Checks Knowledge (arcana) DC 28, 1 success; Knowledge (dungeoneering) DC 25, 1 success; Spellcraft DC 28, 1 success
Range touch
Target one Star Stela
Duration 12 hours/characterb level of the primary caster
Saving Throw none; SR no
Backlash The primary caster takes 4d6 points of damage, plus 1d6 points of damage for each secondary caster.
Failure Each of the casters is affected by nightmare the next time he or she sleeps (Will DC 20 negates).
EFFECT
The primary caster uses the Star Stela to call to distant worlds and entities, attuning the stone to those energies and subjecting all creatures within 60 feet to those distant entities’ spying eyes for the ritual’s duration. Once active, a stela’s flattened face glows softly with several yellow, eldritch runes. This ritual has no other effect on its own, but it is an important preliminary step in preparing and performing the path to the black star occult ritual.

OK, hopefully that will make things make more sense.

”Wait. I have to do what now?” Tristain re-reads the process, and realizes that he’s made a mistake. Possibly because he was distracted by someone’s manners, but also, maybe he just made a mistake. No one knows. Really. About the manners.

”Oh, okay. I can fix this, I think. Let me try again to align this stelae appropriately. It’s actually a bit simpler than I thought. Let me try this again,” Tristain takes the Necronomicon and does a different ritual altogether.

1d20 + 23 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 23 + 2 = 31 Know (Arcana)
1d20 + 23 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 23 + 2 = 30 Know (Dungeoneering)
1d20 + 23 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 23 + 2 = 41 Spellcraft

”It’s a bit easier when you realize that porcupines are allergic to raisins.”

”Wait! Wait! I can help!” Kyffin rushes forward with his Spellcraft knowledge only to see Tristain complete the ritual unaided.

”Oh.”

He shrugs. However, having been a part of these rituals before, Kyffin immediately draws his weapon and makes ready for a fight.

Tristain is able to complete the ritual singlehandedly, but he knows that has also started the sand of an hourglass running, if it weren't already. In six days, if you have not completed your searches, activated the other two stelae, and completed the second ritual, you will have to return here.

Now, though, you are free to continue on to where you would like to go. So, you know where the next two stelae are: one is in the area known as the Snarl, to the northeast, near the lake; and the other is in an area known as the Oraculum, in the far northeast of the city. Upianshe has requested you recover her sword, Teralindar’s Honor, from the monument of destruction and defeat the flying polyps in the undercity and seal them away once more. Finally, you know the two archons are out there wanting the Necronomicon, which you need to complete your rituals.

"So, what do we tell the archons? We'll give them the book just as soon as we can and leave it at that? No dishonesty, but no details either. How does that sound to people."

"If that works, and we don't have to fight them, I say we investigate the sword next. I don't have a lot of juice for the day, but we're on the clock so one more thing and then perhaps rest. Can everyone do a little more today? We don't want to spend too much time here." He shivers despite himself.

"If we manage all that, let's try for another Stelae tomorrow. Maybe the Snarl?"

If you want, I'm willing to say you'd have rested (and had this discussion) before you did the ritual, which would effectively give you eight more hours. But up to you.

We may need all the time we can manage - lets rest now and start fresh in the morning with the ritual. Any opposed? :)

Al? Lothan? We really need more pushing and posting from y'all. Let's do this.

Tristain is glad Kyffin insisted on doing the ritual in the morning when everyone was fresh.

We may need all the time we can manage - lets rest now and start fresh in the morning with the ritual. Any opposed? :)

Sounds good to me.

Guys? C'mon and vote.

"Yeah, morning ritual sounds best, and that way we can copy what we need from the book and then let the archons destroy it."

if we rest a day does that allow our casters to read languages and copy the needed ritual stuff, so then the book can be destroyed?

"And I say we go get the sword and kill the polyps and defeat the lake monster before completing any more rituals, if we have to start over with the rituals we may as well only be stuck redoing the first ritual. That dimensional door thingy you'all can do might help us against the big creatures like the polyps, gets us close enough to slice them up quickly."

assuming that we rest before starting any rituals...

That evening before the party rests, Albert smears some quality healing dirt on each member of the party. "Good stuff, this dirt, lots of worm castings in it, should help against the rot of this place."

lay on hands with the poison mercy, or if anyone looks sick, then the sickened mercy, probably won't make any difference, but may as well use it just in case

"And I say we go get the sword and kill the polyps and defeat the lake monster before completing any more rituals, if we have to start over with the rituals we may as well only be stuck redoing the first ritual."

"That's a great idea. Might as well see where we are after helping out. That last ritual is going to be a monster."

After this ritual is complete, and Tristain is rested up, and also magicked up, Tristain will be ready to go to the lake.

"Yeah, I'm with Al on getting the sword and killing the lake monster. That sounds like fun." He grins arrogantly.

Kyffin goes with whatever order makes the most sense. He casts Magic Vestment after breakfast on his buckler (13h). When the day heats up, he casts the first of his Endure Elements Communal spells as well to ensure the groups comfort. Don’t want heat stroke taking anyone out.

When everyone is ready, he starts off, weapon in hand.

As a reminder, the sword, Teralindar’s Honor, is in the monument of destruction, which is in the Snarl, according to Upianshe. Sounds like that's where you wanted to go. (There's also a stela there.) (The lake is the source of the corruption.)

You leave the tower and begin making your way to the area the ghost indicated, though even with her directions, the place is a maze, it's high buildings and strange streets making it hard to find your way. You think you're heading in the right direction when after a few hours you hear a voice that can only be described as "slimy" call out in Common.

"Hello! Do you speak Common?" it calls. Though the twisting nature of the city makes it hard to see, you can make out that it's a three-legged monstrosity that is mostly mouth. Three tentacles, two tipped with barbs and one with eyes, extend from its sides. A scarlet and blue sphere circles its multieyed tentacle.

I put a pic on the combat map

Starflit's pretty sure she knows what the creature is. She lets the others engage it in dialogue, however, while she dutifully attempts to detect alignment on the monster.

Starflit Knowledge (dungeoneering) Check (Monster Lore): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (18) + 16 = 34

Tristain looks at the creature as if not-surprised that Lothan would have family in the area. He tries to make out what he knows of such slimy aberrations.

1d20 + 23 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 23 + 2 = 27 Know (Dungeoneering) DRs? Alignments? Special attacks?

Tristain looks at Al, hopeful the totally normal old human man won’t take his time in replying.

Kyffin tries not to be repulsed, but it does carry a book, which has his attention. He hasn't seen a lot of monsters with books. Maybe it can be reasoned with. Still he grips his scimitar as he waits for Al to smooth things over.

He hasn't seen a lot of monsters with books.

Tristain is late to notice the book, which cause him to re-think any prejudices he might have previously held.

I was completely wrong. Definitely not related to Lothan.

Starflit thinks it's an otyugh. They're typically neutral, though she's too far away to determine for sure in this one's case. With her roll, she knows everything there is to know about otyughs.

Tristain thinks it's an ughlothan. They're typically immune to mental damage, chaotic annoying, and have awful flatulence. But it's possible Starflit is actually correct.

"Hello? Do you speak Common? Unterkamun?" it asks again, switching to Undercommon to see if that might get more of a response.

"I. Want. To. Talk. To. You," it says, slowly and loudly.

"Yep, we speak common, and we're not deaf." Albert clarifies. "We don't often see your type, but then again, this ain't your typical city. What's your name, and why are you here? This place is all wrong and disturbing, wouldn't you rather be somewhere else? What's that book you're carrying, you didn't get it from some other recent travelers did you? Maybe we could bargain with you for it, trade or gold, if it's interesting." Albert peppers the creature with questions while the party discerns what they can about it.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (4) + 21 = 25

”Yeah, listen to Al. He is a *legitmate person*,” Tristain helps diplomatically.

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22 Diplo to aid

She doesn't actually have a book with her, despite the art.

"I am glad to hear it," the otyugh replies. "and yes, you are right that this is no ordinary city. I found myself here sometime ago, but I have managed to survive. I am Hoghbagh, a humble trader in treasures. I heard there were adventurers in the city, and would trade with you for it."

Kyffin takes a moment to reflect and wonder on such a creature wandering so dangerous a place… to shop. In the end, he shrugs, for he does in fact have some shopping to do.

”Well, as it happens, we do have some things to sell, if you’ve gold and gems a plenty. Or perhaps you have things you wish to sell as well?” Kyffin wonders. WIth the bag of holding and other extra dimensional devices floating around the party, carting loot around isn’t so bad, but might as well get rid of what they can.

Just in case we are able to sell stuff here, please check the treasure sheet for items marked ’To Sell’. If you want it, speak up. :)

”You don’t happen to have a rod of extend spell do you?” he asks, his voice full of incredulity.