Motteditor's Strange Aeons PBP

Game Master motteditor

Seemingly ready for your attacks now, the Tatterman easily dodges the swings at him, his form seeming to become more whole again as he slashes Kyffin again, spraying blood across the dirty room. 6 hp

Albert continues circling around the tatterman and swings at him again. shift north another square, should be in the corner now

Bardiche: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 5 + 1 = 22
Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

BK takes another step to provide flanking for anyone he can.
Silver!: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 1 = 11 for 1d4 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 - 1 = 5 damage!

Round 8, Init 17

Tristain tries to help Kyffin hit, using his longspear to distract the manthing.

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 vs. DC 10 to aid.

Bless (5/10): +1 to attacks and morale.

Round 8, Initiative: 20

As more of his blood is shed, he knows it’s getting desperate. They can’t see to hit him, when they do he resists some of it, and finally he seems to be healing the rest! Perhaps it’s time to grapple him. he thinks unhelpfully, having no skill with such things. He swings again.
Scimitar (good): 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 1 = 11 (bless) damage: 1d6 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 3 + (5) = 9 (second d6 vs evil only)

He swears loudly as his blow swings wide yet again. He makes a quick prayer to Sarenrae to help break the spell of bad luck Desna seems to be sending.

Huh. I posted an update yesterday but it seems to have disappeared... Glad I routinely check all my games.

Kyffin and Bloody Blades miss as the Tatterman now seems more intent on avoiding their harmful attacks, letting himself take a blow instead from Al's long weapon. It cuts him, sending yellow mist seeping from the wound, but as before, seems to begin healing immediately, until the attack is almost all erased DR and regeneration. Tenebrynn repositions herself, hoping she can find some way to help, only to see the yellow figure grin, showing his sharpened teeth and then step back ... and cast a spell to disappear again.

Round 9, Initiative: 20

spellcraft: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (13) + 0 = 13

Kyffin straightens up, and steps back. "Let him go. We cannot harm him seemingly. We'll have to come back, when he has even more guards and guardians no doubt." he adds dejected.

Al slashes at the space where tatterman disappeared. "You yellow mist bellied coward, come back here and fight us!"

Miss Chance, high is good: 1d100 ⇒ 81

Bardiche: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 1 = 23
Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

"Yes, come back so we can gut that yellow-belly..." BK murmurs. He holds his attack to attack when then villain reappears.
Silver Dagger: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 1 = 12 for 1d4 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 - 1 = 4 damage!

Round 9, Init 17

Tristain begins to walk through all the squares near and around where the man disappeared, hoping to bump into the thing (or draw an AoO). He waves his spear in front of him as he moves, walking into square after square. 60' of movement, should be able to check about 12 squares.

Bless (6/10): +1 to attacks and morale.

Tenebrynn slowly pans around in a circle, waiting for the yellowed predator to jump on her, all alone and out in the open. She ensures her steps put her in as central a spot as possible as the wind begins to subtly eddy around her feet. "Where'd he go?!"

Total defense, looking to move to the opposite side of Tristain

As Kyffin retreats, Al slashes at the spot he last saw the Tatterman, feeling his blade skitter off something -- clearly the enemy, though he's not sure his blade did any damage.

Tristain takes his startled exclamation as confirmation of the creature's presence and purposefully moves forward. His efforts are rewarded with a vicious slash across his torso, opening his stomach in a cut deep enough that it almost spills his guts across the floor. 8 hp

Kyffin and Bloody Blades rush to finish the assault, but they miss in their haste, and Tristain is rewarded with yet another vicious slash, this time a nearly deadly vertical cut down his chest that threatens to split his ribs. 8 more hp

The Tatterman grins at the sprays of blood.

OK, I *think* I'm back to regular posting. Fingers crossed. Tris, remember you can't 5-foot step around that corner.

Round 7, Initiative: 20

As the Tatterman returns, Kyffin shrugs, and tries to swing again, though he feels defeated.
Scimitar (good): 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 1 = 19 (bless) damage: 1d6 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 3 + (3) = 9 (second d6 vs evil only)

Tenebrynn leaps over a collapsed bit of wall to come up along the Tatterman's exposed side, her dagger slipping free again as she hurries into position. "Quick! Get him before he vanishes again!"

Double move to the square to T-man's right, draw dagger as part of movement. Will at least give someone a flanking bonus this way.

A regenerating, essentially invisible-at-will baddie with an AC that's too high for anyone to reliably hit is frustrating!

Round 10, Init 17

Tristain cries pitifully as he is slashed and slashed again for his efforts. He withdraws, bleeding everywhere but having done something, which is better than doing nothing.

Bless (7/10): +1 to attacks and morale.

"DIE YOU YELLOW BAST@RD!" shrieks BK as he stabs at the infuriating monster. STAB IT STAB IT STAB IT: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 1 = 28 for 1d4 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 - 1 = 5 damage!

STAB IT STAB IT STAB IT Possible crit?: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 1 = 20 for 1d4 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 - 1 = 6 damage!

Tris, just FYI, withdrawing will provoke, as you're moving through two squares he threatens.

Albert slashes at the tatterman again even as he fears for the lives of his companions. "This ain't right!"

Bardiche: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 20
Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

Tenebrynn takes a slash 7 hp as she races past Tristain, getting behind the Tatterman, but that distraction proves to be a huge boon, as blows from Al and Bloody Blades land home with sickening thuds, spilling more yellow mist into the room. He staggers for a moment and lifts his blade to drive it into Tristain's back as the man retreats, but then his eyes widen as the razor clatters to the floor, his hand turning into smoke.

A moment later, the rest of him follows, a ring clattering also to the floor as the Tatterman disintegrates into nothing more then ephemeral mist, which quickly dissipates. Outside, the sickly yellow tinge to the clouds and rain seem to dissipate until it feels like a normal overcast.

Kyffin stumbles forward, still swinging as the mist dissipates. In his fear, he still can't believe the guy is gone!

He lets out a small cheer as it's clear the man really is no more. "I can't believe it. Nice job everyone! Does that mist seem clearer to you? Dare we risk it? Perhaps we should rest and recover before we foray into that particular unknown." he grins weakly.

"I know I'm pretty beat up, and I've no healing to spare, though I do have a couple potions and a scroll or two if we really need it. I suggest we rest here, no one should bother us. His followers may not appreciate that he's dead when we return to the main room." he wonders aloud.

"But if we are headed back now, we should use what healing we have, just to top up a little."

"CURSE IT! I am deprived of the very blood I desire to whet my knuckles! DAMN YOU YELLOW MAN!" BK seethes as the yellow foe dissipates.

Tristain falls to the ground, gurgling in blood. If he hears the cheers of this companions, he does not show it.

"This one seems to be dying." BK leans over Tristain and tries to stop the blood loss. Or simply cover himself in it. It's not readily apparent.

Heal to stabilize: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

"Yesssss, this is more like it."

Kyffin quickly pours a potion of cure light wounds down his throat.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Albert rubs some dirt on the slashes across Tristain. "Get up, boy, ain't no time for lollygagging."

Rub Some Dirt on It: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6 healing

Tristain sputters to life, gasping and looking at his friends.

"What? I'm still here?! I thought...I thought...I thought we'd be ended when the mind that created this place ended!" Tristain looks around the world to see it as it was.

"No, this place should have ended if I was correct, but evidence shows that I *might* have been wrong." Tristain regains his feet as he continues to look around, ignoring the wet blood on his clothes. He picks up his longspear and wand too, and the ring.

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28 Spellcraft

Is there a window from which the party might look outside?

"I need to look outside."

That 7 hp was to Tenebrynn, not Tristain; though he might have collapsed at 1 hp...

There are enough cracks in the walls that you can look out.

And to remind you of the previous description...
Comprising multiple toppled cells, this chamber looks as though it could collapse at any moment. Thousands of parchment scraps cover the walls, as if in a pitiful attempt to plaster the countless cracks. The flickering of dozens of candles illuminates the artwork’s subject matter: innumerable forlorn, surreal landscapes stretching into bleak infinities. The multitude of visions transforms the room into a threshold of nightmares.

Uhhh, yeah.

"Let's get somewhere safe and rest. Not here... anywhere but here. Madness!"

Tristain limps away, looking for a window, away from the bad place.

"I need to look outside! I need to know!"

"Well, that dang mist ain't plaguing us anymore. We can get the trapped folks out of this crazy place and the sooner the better before any nightmarish landscapes return. We all need some rest, but I'd be partial to getting a snooze out under the stars this evening."

While the horror-tinged weather has eased, the weather outside is not nice; there are certainly no stars visible. It's raw and rainy, and you'd have to be as crazy as Tristain probably is to want to sleep outside. :)

Albert squints at the gray, overcast day. "Course, ain't no sense in getting wet and chilled to the bones, maybe we could rest by the fire one more evening before we leave this place."

"Right. If we're going back out there, among the people, let's make sure we're OK in a fight. Everyone who's wounded take one." he hands out the potions of cure light wounds, and uses a scroll on himself.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Everyone who needs it, heal yourself 1d8+1 and I'll keep track of resources.

When everyone is at least a bit better, he heads back and out of this odd structure.

You may want to look around some. This was Zandalus' primary living area... There are clues you're blatantly missing...

Spellcraft 28 on the ring, Motte?

Tristain takes a hit from the wand of CLW.

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8 CLW

* * *

Tristain looks outside, seeing the haze and gloom...but at least it isn't yellow mist. He grunts to himself before returning to search Zandalus' lair. He has some new ideas formulating in his head, but isn't sure what to make of them yet.

Take 20 Perception = 28.

Kyffin, still somewhat reeling from the fight, doesn't join in the search - but he will stand watch in case any of the other cultists show up looking for trouble.

(Tristain, it's a scroll for you actually. We have no wand, just a small handful of scrolls and potions.)

It's a ring of protection +1; also, you notice the Tatterman's razor glows with magic as well.

In Zandalus’s mattresses, Tristain finds eight pouches each containing 50 gold coins, a wand with the spiral of Pharasma wrapping around the teak shaft, a bottle of smoky liquid, a vellum scroll wrapped in a black ribbon, and a book titled The Chain of Nights.

A quick flip through the pages of The Chain of Nights shows the book appears to be on anatomy and workings of the brain, but will require take more time to fully peruse if anyone wants to do so.

Also, the artwork could be of some value to a proper collector. It features numerous repeated images: swirling skies, empty cities, towering monoliths, and threatening figures cloaked by mist. A number of the monoliths and the cities seem to be the same, as if they’re depictions of a single object or place, not just fanciful impressions.

Kyffin watches as the various things are found and examined. He too will try to ID the magics, though his chances are poor - his training lacking in this area.

Razor: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19 vs DC 18
Wand: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (18) + 0 = 18 vs DC 18
Liquid: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (9) + 0 = 9 vs DC 20
Scroll: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (18) + 0 = 18 vs DC 20

Now why couldn't I have those rolls in combat?!

He holds up the razor, "A minor magic to make it a better weapon. But we knew that." he rubs at his poorly bandaged wounds. "And this is a wand of command with 38 charges. Not a bad spell though easy to resist out of a wand. I'll carry it for now unless someone else can use it."

"I don't know what those are." he points to the potion and scroll.

"That's a nice ring of protection," Tristain offers it to Kyffin.

Tristain tries again with the news magics that were found.

Liquid: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14 vs DC 20
Scroll: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29 vs DC 20

"I'll hold onto this scroll, if that's alright?" Tristain tucks the scroll next to his wand of bless.

Tristain thumbs through the book, also claiming it for the time being. "This book may help me formulate a new theory of what happened here...and why. I'll need more time with it."

When others have packed up things of value, Tristain is ready to leave...not to sleep uncomfortably outside, but to return and report to Winter and try to leave on the morrow.

Kyffin begs off the ring, "I've already collected a few things, we should share out equally if we can to be fair. Heinrich, can you use this ring?"

I'll certainly take it if no one else wants it. I could use the AC, but I don't want to be greedy.

Once folks are headed a little, and the items divvied out (at least for now), he'll follow Tristain to report.

Tenebrynn busies herself in several piles of parchment and tattered linens as the others mill about the strange, ephemeral room. She declines any offered potions and seems uninterested in the book that Tristain so quickly latches onto. As the group gets ready to take their leave and head back toward the other survivors, she gathers up a number of the charcoal sketches that depict the same twisted, spiraled monolith.

She then remarks casually, "What about that really deep hole we found before? Doesn't anyone else want to know what's at the bottom?"

Your search of Zandalus' quarters finished, you head back down, passing more sketches in the room where you fought the oneirogens. Below, nothing seems immediately different -- it continues to have dirty people living in seeming squalor.

That said, the room is clearing of yellow mist, and you hear various mutterings about it as people realize the change and head toward the broken walls to look outside and realize what has happened. You're not certain, but it feels as if there's less of the cultish desperation among them than there had been previously.

If Wren is still there, Tristain will stop to report to him, if not, the will continue to Lady Winter. He will look out every window and see the outside, his mind working furiously on something.

Wren is still there, and a wide grin splits his face as he sees you return, despite your bloodied clothes and bodies.

"You did it!" he exclaims in a voice that strains to not rise to a shout.

Kyffin nods, "I think we did at that." he says with some pleasure.

There were still many unanswered questions - like who put them here in the first place, and, well, everything past a few days ago. Files could be altered - where were his memories?

He too looks outside, and wonders what the world holds beyond these walls. But that's investigation for another day.

"Can you handle things here? We're going to go back to our people and rest. Perhaps even the rain will lift tomorrow."

Wren nods.

"People seem uncertain what's happening. Now might be the perfect time to try to slip away in the confusion. Could I ... maybe come with you?"

Albert fixes a squinty, piercing gaze on Wren. "Why do you want to be traveling with us, boy?"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

"You did it!"

Tristain offers a weak shrug as if to say 'I think we did it?' in the most uncertain way possible.

"We might have. Maybe. I don't know for sure...but maybe so," Tristain says, but keeps walking. He indicates that Wren should come if he wants, and offers a look to Albert when the old man offers some old man guff.

"Maybe he wants to get out of here, Albert. Maybe he wants to hear the entire story. It doesn't matter. I think we're done. I think...I think we should get back to Lady Winter."

Tristain continues to make his way back.

Kyffin wonders why Albert is worried about the good doctor, but trusts his instinct and waits to hear what the man has to say as far as motive is concerned.

When it's resolved, he follows Tristain back to their 'home'.

Wren looks at Albert as if he were as crazy as Tristain or anyone else in the area.

He looks around, then back at Albert.

"This is my chance to get away from the nutters. There's a reason they were all here, and that was before things went really mad."