Round 1
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Cold Iron/Silver Blanch Arrows = 10/10
Cold Iron/Ghost Salt Arrows = 10/10
Conditions = Bull’s Strength (1/6m)
Scimitar: Attack: BAB +4, Str +4, Magic +1, Focus +1, (Power -2) Damage: Str +4, Magic +1, Specialization +2, (Power +4) Crit: 18-20
Ranged: Attack: BAB +4, Dex +1 Damage: Str +4
Blessings (6/6, su, DC 15) (Holy Strike (std) or Powerful Healer) (sw)
Fervor (4/5, su, sw, DC 15, 2d6)
Sacred Weapon (6/6r, su, sw, +1)
Pearl of Power (1/1, first)(1/1, second)
Spells (Caster Level 6, Concentration +8)
Zero (12): Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Stabilize
First (13): Command, Divine Favor, Divine Favor, Divine Favor, Shield of Faith
Second (14):
Kyffin is, for the moment, surprised he's believed. Though he knew something was coming over the side, what does come over the side still surprises him a little.
He obey’s his captain, swiftly casting Bull's Strength as he moves up to the nearest (5' north) and swings!
(bull) (bull)
he bellows toward the door next to him in case anyone missed it.
Tenebrynn hears the shouts of Skywin and Kyffin and glances around briefly before barking in alarm, "I see one up here too!" Dashing toward the port side of the ship, she draws the wind and fog into a swirling column around her before sending a heavy, churning blast toward the nearest creature.
HP: 69/69
Nonlethal: 1
AC: 16 (13 T / 12 FF) // 25% miss chance for ranged attacks
Fort: +10 // Ref: +8 // Will: +3 (+2 vs illusion)
Talisman of Warrior's Courage: [ ]
Burn Accrued: 1/8
SLAs: dancing lights [ ], ghost sound [ ], prestidigitation [ ], speak with animals [ ]
Ongoing Effects:
Warden of Nature: +1 to hit/+2 dodge bonus vs aberrations, oozes, vermin
Foe of the Strange: +1 to saves vs aberrations, -10 to confusion results
Point Blank Shot: +1/+1
Elemental overflow:
+x to hit, +2x damage, and visual effects on person as long as burn is present (x = current burn)
Ability Score increases (+2): Dex, Con
Albert draws his blade and steps out of the cabin to find one of the creatures directly in front of him. "Giant crawfish!" His belly already rumbling, Albert secures the party's dinner.
Tenebrynn: 18
Tristain: 15
Kyffin: 11
Heinrich: 9
Albert: 22
Antagonist: 6
In the cabin, Heinrich reacts quickly, standing and opening the door so Al can rush out, sword drawn. His blade cuts deeply into the creature -- which doesn't seem all that fishy -- and it lets out a hoot and bites and claws furiously at the old man. His armor takes the brunt of it, but several of its claws draw blood.
Tenebrynn blasts another of the creatures, catching it before it's fully on the boat, though it manages to dig its claws into the wood, keeping itself onboard. It springs at her, nearly pulling her down as its fangs sink into her skin.
Kyffin's blade joins his companions' in drawing blood, but like their foes, his remains on its feet. He beats back its attacks, sword singing as it whips through the air in a defensive posture.
The last of the creatures lets out a bloodcurdling howl.
Aqua: 19
Green: 23
Red: 21
Heinrich freezes, looking blank!
Round 2
Will (Al’s calming oldness)
Seeing Al beset by a foe, Tristain tries to use his mind to punch the monster off the boat.
force damage
Tristain does not move.
HP: 37/37
AC: 12
Points: 4/5 left
Spells: Lvl 1: 8/8 left (MM*0,IllOm*0,MurdCom*0,Vanish*0) dc 17
Spells: Lvl 2: 6/6 left (Kno*0,SpirW*0,Sugg*0) dc 18
Spells: Lvl 3: 3/4 left (ForPun*1, MagVest*0) dc 19
Cure Used: 0/2 used
Rod of Reach: 1/3 used
Scroll SMIII
"gad-ZOOKS!”
Wand of Magic Missile (5): 2/50 left
[ dice]3d4 + 3[/dice] force damage
Wand of Bless: 2/18 left
Bless (1/10): +1 to attacks and morale.
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d20+8[/dice] CMB to trip vs. CMD
[ dice]1d20+2-4[/dice] to hit; ()
[ dice]1d8-1[/dice] piercing damage
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d20+8[/dice] CMB to trip vs. CMD
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
Round 2
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Cold Iron/Silver Blanch Arrows = 10/10
Cold Iron/Ghost Salt Arrows = 10/10
Conditions = Bull’s Strength (1/6m)
Scimitar: Attack: BAB +4, Str +4, Magic +1, Focus +1, (Power -2) Damage: Str +4, Magic +1, Specialization +2, (Power +4) Crit: 18-20
Ranged: Attack: BAB +4, Dex +1 Damage: Str +4
Blessings (6/6, su, DC 15) (Holy Strike (std) or Powerful Healer) (sw)
Fervor (3/5, su, sw, DC 15, 2d6)
Sacred Weapon (6/6r, su, sw, +1)
Pearl of Power (1/1, first)(1/1, second)
Spells (Caster Level 6, Concentration +8)
Zero (12): Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Stabilize
First (13): Command,
Second (14):
Kyffin swiftly summons up further aid, in the form of Divine Favor (+3 attacks/damage (luck)). He swings again, keeping his target busy.
(bull, favor) (bull, favor)
(bull, favor) (bull, favor, 2hp is fire)
The howl is wasted on the old man and he drives his blade into the creature again.
...and then a second time, because he's experienced.
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Tenebrynn swoons, clutching at her ears.
HP: 54/69
Nonlethal: 1
AC: 16 (13 T / 12 FF) // 25% miss chance for ranged attacks
Fort: +10 // Ref: +8 // Will: +3 (+2 vs illusion)
Talisman of Warrior's Courage: [ ]
Burn Accrued: 1/8
SLAs: dancing lights [ ], ghost sound [ ], prestidigitation [ ], speak with animals [ ]
Ongoing Effects:
Warden of Nature: +1 to hit/+2 dodge bonus vs aberrations, oozes, vermin
Foe of the Strange: +1 to saves vs aberrations, -10 to confusion results
Point Blank Shot: +1/+1
Elemental overflow:
+x to hit, +2x damage, and visual effects on person as long as burn is present (x = current burn)
Ability Score increases (+2): Dex, Con
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Tenebrynn: 18
Tristain: 15
Kyffin: 11
Heinrich: 9
Albert: 22
Antagonist: 6
The sound curdles Tenebrynn's and Heinrich's blood, and they freeze in place momentarily, the nearest creature taking the opportunity to savage the gnome . A moment later the one that howled pounces on Kyffin, who arrived to help Tenebrynn after dispatching his foe in a sweep of his blade .
Elsewhere on the boat, Al stabs another of the creatures. Tristain mind punches it, sending its limp form hurtling off the boat as Al moves to help Tenebrynn.
Aqua: 19
Green: 23
Red: 21
Tenebrynn grunts and shoves against the creature that bit her, "Get AWAY!"
HP: 48/69
Nonlethal: 2
AC: 16 (13 T / 12 FF) // 25% miss chance for ranged attacks
Fort: +10 // Ref: +8 // Will: +3 (+2 vs illusion)
Talisman of Warrior's Courage: [ ]
Burn Accrued: 2/8
SLAs: dancing lights [ ], ghost sound [ ], prestidigitation [ ], speak with animals [ ]
Ongoing Effects:
Warden of Nature: +1 to hit/+2 dodge bonus vs aberrations, oozes, vermin
Foe of the Strange: +1 to saves vs aberrations, -10 to confusion results
Point Blank Shot: +1/+1
Elemental overflow:
+x to hit, +2x damage, and visual effects on person as long as burn is present (x = current burn)
Ability Score increases (+2): Dex, Con
Round 3
Tristain moves out of the cabin and mindcasts Magic Missile at the two remaining jerks, trying to trip them.
vs. Green
to trip
vs. Purple
to trip
HP: 37/37
AC: 12
Points: 4/5 left
Spells: Lvl 1: 7/8 left (MM*1,IllOm*0,MurdCom*0,Vanish*0) dc 17
Spells: Lvl 2: 6/6 left (Kno*0,SpirW*0,Sugg*0) dc 18
Spells: Lvl 3: 3/4 left (ForPun*1, MagVest*0) dc 19
Cure Used: 0/2 used
Rod of Reach: 1/3 used
Scroll SMIII
"gad-ZOOKS!”
Wand of Magic Missile (5): 2/50 left
[ dice]3d4 + 3[/dice] force damage
Wand of Bless: 2/18 left
Bless (1/10): +1 to attacks and morale.
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d20+8[/dice] CMB to trip vs. CMD
[ dice]1d20+2-4[/dice] to hit; ()
[ dice]1d8-1[/dice] piercing damage
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d20+8[/dice] CMB to trip vs. CMD
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
Still shaking, Heinrich pulls himself together. He moves out the south door, drawing his lucky dagger as he goes, stepping beside Al and stabbing at the damnable purple thing! for damage!
Round 2
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Cold Iron/Silver Blanch Arrows = 10/10
Cold Iron/Ghost Salt Arrows = 10/10
Conditions = Bull’s Strength (1/6m), Divine Favor (2/10r)
Scimitar: Attack: BAB +4, Str +4, Magic +1, Focus +1, (Power -2) Damage: Str +4, Magic +1, Specialization +2, (Power +4) Crit: 18-20
Ranged: Attack: BAB +4, Dex +1 Damage: Str +4
Blessings (6/6, su, DC 15) (Holy Strike (std) or Powerful Healer) (sw)
Fervor (3/5, su, sw, DC 15, 2d6)
Sacred Weapon (6/6r, su, sw, +1)
Pearl of Power (1/1, first)(1/1, second)
Spells (Caster Level 6, Concentration +8)
Zero (12): Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Stabilize
First (13): Command,
Second (14):
”All right then!” he shouts as he closes.
Kyffin, still high from his earlier success, attacks green, though if for some reason he’s not there, or down, purple. (Does Tenebrynn have a melee weapon of some kind? Or do I not get a flank?)
(bull, favor) (bull, favor)
Albert focuses his attacks on the creature in front of him as he takes advantage of the tactical position.
Tenebrynn: 18
Tristain: 15
Kyffin: 11
Heinrich: 9
Albert: 22
Antagonist: 6
Tenebrynn steps away and tries to blast the creature, but manages to only knock it slightly off balance, making it easier for Kyffin to bury his blade in it.
Heinrich comes out and stabs at the remaining lizard, and a second later Al finishes it off, before Tristain can fire his mind missiles at it.
Just like that, peace returns to the deck ...
Tristain moves to the front with his wand and rod in hands, looking in the water for more foes.
"What the heck was that?" Tristain asks before turning to the Half-Capt. "What were those Captain? Does that happen often?"
Tenebrynn huffs, shaking her head and worming her pinky finger into one ear to try and root out the ringing still present from the one keening howl. Once she's cleared headed again, she doesn't wait for instruction or for her wounds to be tended, instead, she bounds up onto the roof of the central cabin and begins pumping a steady stream of wind into the sail. "Whatever they were, let's get gone before more of them show up!"
Kyffin walks all around the decks, peering into the water, just in case more decide to try it.
When he's satisfied none are coming, he joins the others chatting with the Captain. He listens to his response to Tristains question wondering much the same thing.
He sheaths his scimitar after cleaning off the blood and viscera.
Capt. Freeling shrugs at Tristain's question.
"No idea what those were," she says. "There are always dangers out here, which is why I cut you a deal if you helped look out for the ship. Nice job. Hopefully there aren't any damn more of them in the water nearby, but we'll keep moving, just in case."
Kyffin nods to Captain Freeling. "Good plan."
He'll watch over the boat carefully for a while until he's sure they're out of the immediate area. Then he'll keep out of the way as before, but he'll just watch things go by until it's time to eat.
Tristain nods at the Captain and then bonks his head into the mast for a few minutes to settle his nerves after that surprise attack.
When he collects himself, he returns to his studies.
Albert tends to the wounded as nerves settle. "Some nasty fish men those, they'll think twice about messing with us again."
You return to your previous activities, the days quickly turning monotonous for everyone but Tristain, immersed in his studies, though they seem to go poorly, the fine details of the ritual to send them to the Dreamlands eluding him, despite Lowls' notes. Each day seems to bring nothing but more water ahead, the land sliding past in a constant flow, typically with nothing more than grassland or forest on either bank. An occasional animal barely glimpsed on the shore comes as close to excitement as anything else.
The fourth night after the attack -- your seventh on the ship -- you sleep fitfully.
You have a horrible nightmare, where you're stuck in a strange pond in the middle of an unending stretch of white sand. You try to escape, but the sand seems to spill into the pond -- never filling it but making it impossible to climb out. You wake up soaked in your own sweat. You're otherwise fine, but can't fall back to sleep .
You have a horrible nightmare, in which you're once again fighting the Tatterman in a horrible hazy landscape, though instead of a village, this feels like a desert camp. As he slashes you again, you wake up, covered in sweat, looking like a gray monstrosity instead of your normal form.
You can quickly change to look like yourself again, but you're unable to get back to sleep .
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Cold Iron/Silver Blanch Arrows = 10/10
Cold Iron/Ghost Salt Arrows = 10/10
Conditions = None
Scimitar: Attack: BAB +4, Str +4, Magic +1, Focus +1, (Power -2) Damage: Str +4, Magic +1, Specialization +2, (Power +4) Crit: 18-20
Ranged: Attack: BAB +4, Dex +1 Damage: Str +4
Blessings (6/6, su, DC 15) (Holy Strike (std) or Powerful Healer) (sw)
Fervor (5/5, su, sw, DC 15, 2d6)
Sacred Weapon (6/6r, su, sw, +1)
Pearl of Power (1/1, first)(1/1, second)
Spells (Caster Level 6, Concentration +8)
Zero (12): Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Stabilize
First (13): Command, Divine Favor, Divine Favor, Divine Favor, Shield of Faith
Second (14): Bull’s Strength, Bull’s Strength, Burst of Radiance, Hold Person
Kyffin wiles away the time on the boat leisurely. He helps with the notes if he can, though he suspects he’s in the way and his ideas are of little support. He begins to relax and enjoy himself for the first time in a while…
vs DC 15
He grumbles at breakfast the next day trying to shake the dreams of the night before. Will these things plague me to my end days? he wonders, though he doesn't share his dream with the others unless they too show signs of fatigue and poor sleep.
Will
Tristain sleeps poorly, waking fatigued and broken. What’s more, he’s angry for letting his nightmares getting the better of him. It should be only the things that the party drags him into that causes him distress, not his own might working against him.
He tries to rest more to make up for his fatigue. He’s nearly useless when he’s this tired and broken.
He spends a lot of time bonking this day, and hopes to sleep better the next night.
Al wakes and rolls through the night, but still gets some solid sleep. On the morning he's feeling alright. "Danged dreams of that Tatter fellow again, this time we were battling in some desert place. It ain't right!" Seeing his companions struggling he helps them. "My healing dirt outta cure that sluggishness, just sip a little of it with your coffee or tea."
Tenebrynn shakes her head, ”That wasn’t the dream I had. Though there was a lot of sand in mine, that’s all it was. Just a lot of sand. But no Tatterman, at least.”
"I slept rather well, but I do seem to recall a pond. And sand. Do you think our dreams were the same?" Heinrich muses.
"Yeah, I didn't have the tatter-man either, but I did have sand... so much sand..." Kyffin admits synching his dream with the others.
"We must be on the right track if he's coming at us in our dreams again. That bastard."
Despite the poor sleep, nothing else seems to happen and day again seems to fade into the next day, a seemingly endless progression as you make your way down the river. Only Tristain seems to have a purpose, as he continues to pore through the count's notes, trying to make sense of the maddening ritual to open a path to the Dreamlands.
Another week passes in this way when Tristain has another strange dream, one that feels more real than perhaps a normal dream.
He sees a figure -- one that seems so familiar, almost looking like Count Lowls, but different somehow -- that looks up, smiling with a puzzled sort of recognition, as if he can see Tristain too, but can't quite place him.
"Are you coming for a visit?" he asks, the last words Tristain remembers before waking.
Tristain, blurry-eyed and carrying a book, slowly approaches the party.
”I think we should go into the dreamlands,” Tristain offers without preamble, but does lift put the book as if that explains things. ”I think we’re supposed to go in there and meet someone. In fact...uhm...” He rubs the back of his neck. ”In fact, they kind of asked me to come. Well, *he* did...” He pauses. ”*He* asked me come.”
Tristain will try to explain things as best he can.
”So...anyone want to come with me? I mean, it’s just a dream so nothing bad can possibly actually happen, right? We’ll be safe here, but we need to go there.”
Kyffin shakes his head, "This is a bad idea. A horrible idea. We all wake up in a nut-house, with total and complete amnesia of our pasts, and little assurance of our sanity. Since then it's been quite the trip through the annals of the mind, fighting the seen and unseen - as you well know!"
He struggles with the very concept, "I mean this is crazy. Just crazy." he peers carefully at Tristain, "Are you sure you haven't just hit your head one too many times?"
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"Go into a place of dreams? Where there lurks a Tatterman and ponds designed to swallow us whole? I have to admit, the concept of literally exploring my subconscious is intriguing, but the dangers therein... Hmmm." Heinrich ponders this idea for a long time before nodding slowly. "I agree. If we can do this, we can seek answers there. I will aid you, Tristain."
Tenebrynn shakes her head, ”No, I think we killed the Tatterman when he came after us in the asylum. Probably much worse things in these ‘Dreamlands’, like those giant legs-as-big-as-tree-trunks spider things, and who knows what else.” She shrugs and glances to each of the others before adding, ”But it’s got to be better than this boring, foggy river and all those books you keep reading! I’ll go.”
Tristain smiles when Heinrich agrees, then beams when Tenebrynn agrees too. He turns to Al and Kyffin.
”It sounds dumb. But I think we have to. If we want answers, there is where we need to explore next. That man...that man might have been wanting to help us. He might have...maybe...”
He awaits their answers.
Kyffin weeps for their future. "Fine. If it's the will of the group, but I think this is a bad idea."
He seems about to say something else, but sighs resignedly. "OK then. If we're going, how does it work? Will we be out of it while we're dreaming? Do we need a guard on our bodies?"
From what Tristain has been able to tell, your bodies will simply sleep as usual. He believes that if you suffer any harm, you can try to wake, though that's not always so easy to do from the Dreamlands.
"...well, I can't guarantee safety, but I don't think it's dangerous-dangerous. It's only mostly dangerous and really, how scary could it be?" Tristain doesn't seem to believe his own words, but also thinks the party needs to go in the dreamworld and is trying to talk himself into it.
"So...maybe Al will come to. I'll set up for it tonight. Tenebrynn, would you see if the Captain or the trustworthy pirate, uh, I mean, sailor would watch over us while we slumber? And we'll go after dinner tonight, okay? I'll go make preparations."
Somewhat pleased, and assuming Tenebrynn will find someone to watch over them, Tristain goes to set up and re-read the ritual and what they might expect in the Land of Dreams.
”Can you send one of us first to make sure it’s ok? If so, I’ll go first.
"Tonight ay? You're already ready already. OK then. I suppose if we gotta, we might as well do it soon."
Kyffin does not look pleased. "Tonight then." He nods.
Albert dislikes the idea, but is unwilling to stay behind. "Danged fool's mission, if you ask me. That dreamland ain't right. Let's get this over with quick like."
That night, your preparations made, Tristain begins performing the occult ritual, a process that takes almost a full hour as he guides the rest of the group through it. Each of you chants the incantation while you pass around the miniature staircase, feeling each of its 70 steps. With each passing, the staircase appears a bit heavier and a bit larger. Finally, Tristain drops the miniature staircase onto the deck as the incantation is completed.
As the notes explain, the end of the ritual opens a portal where the staircase lands, revealing steps leading downward from the deck.
As you descend, you have the eerie feeling of your body falling asleep while you also emerge in a vast and featureless desert under a blistering sun. The heat shimmers in the distance, creating an air of unsettling illusion when looking toward the horizon. The only structure in sight is a partially ruined limestone caravanserai.
"Sorry sorry!" Tristain apologies as the party takes damage, which he assume is his fault. "Maybe I missed a line or two from the reading."
However, when Tristain sees the ritual working, he seems quite pleased.
"Not a total disaster," he says, looking around at the bleak desert. "Say, is that a caravanserai? If I know my caravanserai, I'd say that was one."
As far as the sun goes, Tristain is completely unprotected and has no solutions to it. The best he can do is tie parts of his scholar's robe over his face and hope not to die from heat exhaustion as they walk.
"We should go to that nice caravanserai, right?"
"Ow!" Tenebrynn rubs her temples as she looks around the shimmering sands. "You never said that would hurt, Tristain!" She shakes her head in an attempt to banish the lingering echoes of pain in her head then looks at him directly, "Is it going to hurt like that again when we try to leave?"
Kyffin winces as the wave of pain washes over him, "Nice spell." he mutters as he sees injuries all around.
The blistering heat makes him further uncomfortable, but it clearly did something. Might as well make the best of it while they can.
"Sure, let's get going. Caravanserai it is." he says as he double checks the area. "To get out, do we need to go to this exact spot? Might be hard to find..."
He looks around for any kind of landmark other than the caravanserai so he can triangulate before moving on.
"Never felt so bruised in my dreams, I must say. But yes, it does seem to be so. Let's approach with caution." Heinrich rubs his bruised shoulder.