Motteditor's Strange Aeons PBP (Inactive)

Game Master motteditor

"Brix is that hunter you were talking about that doesn't treat the animals with respect. Does she have some way to bring these trophies back with here?

"Does she have some way to bring these trophies back with here?

Tristain's eyes open wide.

"*Is* there a way to bring items out of the Dreamlands? That...that would interesting. Do you know it?" Tristain's eyes think about the magics they had found so far. And there might be more.

Al detects no evil from the man, though perhaps a bit of scorn as he looks at Tristain.

"As I said, Brix is a vicious hunter, and someone I've vowed to stop," he repeats. "I don't know how she got her, but I assume it's to find new prey. If I could have found her in the real world, I would have, but her trail led me here. If I kill her here -- well, that should do.

"I don't know if she has some way to bring her trophies back to the real world," he continues. "The only trophy I want is her, and I don't need to put it on display. Knowing I've stopped her is enough for me!"

"Your focus is clear."

Jasno looks at the others, the concern clear on his face. He does his best to keep his expression neutral when Nestor is lookin his way.

This may be a tricky alliance. If he thinks we're in the way of him getting at this Brix character, I doubt he'll hesitate to change the arrangements.

Tenebrynn bobs in the air and nods at Nestor, ”Well if this Brix lady is hunting animals wrong, can you show me how to do it properly? We have to make the zoogs’ home safe again to get the pard tail we need, but if we can do that in a better way, I’d like to.” She then gestures toward the direction they’d been traveling, ”Can you teach me while we move?”

Kyffin grunts in agreement with having the newcomer along, though he's not sure about his story. It has a few holes in it. But then their stories do too - that's life.

"Yes, we should get going."

"The only trophy I want is her, and I don't need to put it on display. Knowing I've stopped her is enough for me!"

"Well, it'll be an empty hunt then...because from what I think I know, you really can't die here in the Dreamland. You might scar her a bit, or give her a scare, but she'll just come back tomorrow. Why aren't you hunting her where she is?" Tristain asks. "You got some screws loose or something? I know what it's like to be crazy, believe me, and I think you should think this plan through a bit better, pal."

Tristain shrugs, having offered fair warning and fair explanation, but he wasn't going to get in the guy's way if he was going to hunt his great white dream whale.

"Yeah, we should get going." Tristain will follow Kyffin.

"Because I don't KNOW where she is, other than here!" Nestor says, clearly frustrated that he can't catch the woman. "I think she may have entered the Dreamlands physically, however, which means what happens to her may stick. Right now, it's the best I can do."

As you continue toward the area the zoogs indicated, he chats with Tenebrynn, explaining ethical hunting -- respecting the prey as living creatures. An ethical hunter wouldn't bait an animal, use a painful trap, evil or painful magic, or just wantonly butcher creatures.

Suddenly, though, Tenebrynn notices some movement around you! The trees in this area cast deep shadows over the boughs and leaves, providing excellent camouflage for the tigers that hunt here -- instead of the orange and black that you're used to, these are black and green striped. They also seem to be surrounding you, four smaller cats and one larger one! Before you can react, they spring into action, pouncing on you! Jasno takes 21 hp and is grappled; Nestor takes 22 and is grappled; Tristain takes 17 and is grappled; Al takes 24 and is grappled The largest one leaps on Kyffin 24 hp, plus grappled

Party is up for Round 1

Round 1

As Kyffin watches the party succumb to a truly impressive sneak attack he wonders, not for the first time what the hell they're doing here.

He swiftly summons forth Divine Favor (+3 attacks/damage (luck)), slowly draws his blade (move) and attacks the creature that has him grappled!

Scimitar (magic): 1d20 + 9 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 9 + 3 = 24 (favor) damage: 1d8 + 11 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 11 + 3 = 16 (favor)

Round One

Grappled, Jasno does one of the few easy things he can before he attempts to escape from the grapple. Concentrating on the creature that has him, he activates his ring. +2 bonus to AC and saving throws against attacks made by grappling creature. CMB for escape: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 4 = 12

Tenebrynn looses a brief shriek as the tigers all pounce in unison and fall on top of all her friends. Barely a breath later, blue arcs of lightning leap from her shoulders and strike the rest of the party. Her movements quickened, she darts upward and out of reach of the savage cats.

Haste for all friendlies!
Then, go 30ft up!

Remember (or perhaps new for Jasno): Any caster wishing to wake from the Dreamlands and return to her body on the Material Plane must succeed at a DC 25 concentration check to do so. This is a full-round action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. The DC of this check is reduced by 1 for every 2d6 points of damage the traveler willingly takes to her physical body as part of the full-round action (this damage can’t be reduced in any way). If successful, the caster awakens. The caster can try again if she fails her concentration check. A caster can use her character level + her Charisma modifier as her bonus on the concentration check if she isn’t a spellcaster or if that value is higher than her usual concentration bonus.

Tristain wants out and won't last another round under what this grapply creature can produce. He drives his nails into his palms and bites down on his tongue in an effort to wake up.

2d6 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4 voluntary damage
2d6 ⇒ (6, 6) = 12 voluntary damage

1d20 + 12 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 12 + 1 + 1 = 26 Concentration vs. DC 25

Holy piddlespot, that was close.

Tristain wakes up with a th(s)ore tongue.

"Hey guths! Wake up!"

Albert wipes a dirty hand over his wounds and jabs at the tiger repeatedly.

Dirt On it: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 2, 1) = 13

Rapier: 1d20 + 11 - 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 11 - 2 + 1 - 2 = 25
damage: 1d6 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 4 = 10

Rapier, haste attack: 1d20 + 11 - 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 11 - 2 + 1 - 2 = 27
damage: 1d6 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 4 = 8

Rapier: 1d20 + 6 - 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 6 - 2 + 1 - 2 = 22
damage: 1d6 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 4 = 10

possible crit 1, Rapier, haste attack: 1d20 + 11 - 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 11 - 2 + 1 - 2 = 10
damage: 1d6 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 4 = 11

possible crit 2, Rapier: 1d20 + 6 - 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 6 - 2 + 1 - 2 = 13
damage: 1d6 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 4 = 11

Jasno looks toward Kyffin. "Stay or go?"

Delay

Tristain blinks out of existence, apparently waking himself as he escapes the dream, while Tenebrynn infuses the remaining group with speed.

Al heals himself and brings his rapier to bear on the tiger, stabbing the tiger mutliple times, though its grip on him prevents him from truly driving the blade home in thrusts that may well have killed it didn't confirm either crit. Kyffin does the same while Jasno tries futilely to escape the tree tiger's grasp.

Nestor tries to cast, but loses the spell as he tries to avoid being savaged by the tiger awesome time to roll a 1, as it keeps its grasp on him. Its fangs sink into him and it brings up its back claws to try to disembowel him, though one seems to catch his shield 24 hp. The others attack the same ways on their prey 28 hp to Kyffin, 17 to Jasno, though Al's loses its grip on him as the slightly aqua-tinged one closing in on Al in the wake of Tristain's disappearance. Al takes 27 and is now grappled by Aqua, not red

Round 2

Resigned to death at 1hp and no where to go, Kyffin tries to at least take one with him before dying in this dreamworld. He swiftly strengthens himself further with Bull's Strength, before stabbing again!

Scimitar (magic): 1d20 + 9 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 6 = 21 (bull, favor, haste) damage: 1d8 + 11 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 11 + 5 = 23 (bull, favor)
hasted Scimitar (magic): 1d20 + 9 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 6 = 23 (bull, favor, haste) damage: 1d8 + 11 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 11 + 5 = 21 (bull, favor)

Round 2

Seeing Kyffin fight on is answer enough for Jasno. He commands his A stormlure to activate, as he feels the wind of it responding he causes the air around him to fill with crackling lightning electricity dmg: 4d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 3, 4) = 15 to all adjacent creatures. A DC 14 Reflex save halves this damage.

Tenebrynn, seeing Jasno call up a whirlwind filled with lightning of his own, gasps in surprise. "You can do this too, Jasno?!" She then draws a whipping column of wind around herself before throwing it all down toward the tiger savaging Kyffin.

Thunderstorm Blast: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26for: 8d6 + 17 ⇒ (4, 3, 1, 1, 4, 3, 4, 4) + 17 = 41

Waking up with a bitten tongue, Tristain moves over to Jasno.

"Hey guths! Wake up!" Tristain takes his right hand and backhand slaps Jasno across his left cheek. "Wake up, Jathno! Wake up!"

1d4 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2 nonlethal damage

I'm going to rule that Jasno can choose to wake up if he's being woken from outside, with no roll necessary.

Jasno wakes up.

Al continues wiping dirt on his expanding wounds and directs his jabs at the tiger grappling him.

Dirt On It: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 2, 6) = 13
HP: 28

Rapier: 1d20 + 12 - 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 12 - 2 + 1 - 2 = 20
damage: 1d6 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 4 = 10

Rapier, haste: 1d20 + 12 - 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 12 - 2 + 1 - 2 = 20
damage: 1d6 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 4 = 9

Rapier: 1d20 + 7 - 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 7 - 2 + 1 - 2 = 18
damage: 1d6 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 4 = 13

just realized Al's sheet was still lvl 6, sigh

Jasno wakes up, disappearing from the dream realm just as he sees Tenebrynn and Kyffin bring down the massive tiger that had hold of the half-orc.

Unaware of what's going on in the real world, though, he and Tristain don't know that Al's next thrusts pierce the one tiger's red eyes, sending it plummeting bonelessly off the bough. He spins and stabs the other one attacking him, which responds by savaging him with fangs and claws 24 hp.

Nestor blasts the spider hanging onto him with a couple blasts of flame, but it takes the opportunity to nearly disembowel him, and blood drains from his face as it's clear he may not have much strength left. A moment later, the two other tigers savage him, and he collapses, unmoving.

Looking to Tristain.

"So do we wake them up too?"

Tristain looks at Jasno, his tongue still inflamed.

”You tell me! What did you thsee before I woke you upth?”

"They were still fighting. And Tenebrynn, she made this big storm. Seemed like it did all kinds of damage. Much more impressive than the tiny bit of lightning I managed. That's the last thing I saw before something hit me. Now I'm awake."

Round 3

Kyffin 5’ steps (if he can on the branch) and presses his attack on the next tiger down. He still has no illusions, but he’ll bring as many of these brutes with him as he can!

He swiftly translates a Magic Vestment into a Cure Serious Wounds on himself.
CSW: 3d8 + 7 ⇒ (2, 1, 4) + 7 = 14

Then, using haste, he presses his attack with fury!
Scimitar (magic): 1d20 + 9 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 9 + 6 = 28 (bull, favor, haste) damage: 1d8 + 11 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 5 = 17 (bull, favor)
hasted Scimitar (magic): 1d20 + 9 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 9 + 6 = 28 (bull, favor, haste) damage: 1d8 + 11 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 11 + 5 = 23 (bull, favor)

Tristain moves over to slap Al a good one to wake him up.

”I figure Teths, who can fly, won’t be in any danger...but Al? What about, Al, Jathno?” Tristain asks the dwarf. ”Thshould I wake him up?”

"They grabbed him. They grabbed Al. But he did put some dirt on himself. I'm not sure why he does that, but it seems to help."

Tenebrynn draws the whipping wind and crackling lightning in around her once more. Blood begins to drip freely from her nose, but the lashing winds wick it away into a thin trail. She grunts, straining with the continued effort, then hurls another storm down toward the tigers.

Thunderstorm Blast: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27for: 8d6 + 17 ⇒ (6, 1, 6, 5, 5, 5, 2, 1) + 17 = 48

Will target the one beside Al if it's still up; otherwise, if either of the remaining two look more hurt, I'll go for whichever one seems to have taken more injuries

Tristain does not wake up Al, instead hoping the man's fake-man's life does not end whilst he sleeps.

Delay.

Tenebrynn blasts one of the tigers right off the ledge as Kyffin and Al kill another. The final attacks, leaping on Al, but he's able to fight it off, and a moment later, you've ended its threat!

Fight over.

"What a bloody mess." Kyffin frowns. "Half of us are gone from the Dreamland, and I have no idea what we're supposed to do now."

He looks to the others for suggestions as he looks around in case there are others in the jungle waiting to jump and checks their guest to see if he's dead or just bleeding out. (if the latter he'll quickly heal him to prevent his death naturally)

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

"This is nerve wracking. How often have you all ended up split up this way?" Jasno tries not to pace nervously.

Tristain keeps an eye on Al, checking to see if he wakes or dies and waits. And waits. And waits.

”I dunno, Jathno. Not very ofthten, I don’t remember ever,” Tristain replies.

I forget, does Dreamland damage stay with you in the real world? Is Tristain still at 1hp, or is that just in the Dreamlands?

Just in the Dreamlands, though the damage you took to wake up transfers to the real world.

In the Dreamlands, Nestor is dead, though he doesn't fade away as you've seen with previous deaths.

There doesn't seem to be anything waiting to jump you. As a reminder, the zoogs promised to give you a pard tail if you returned with a freshly killed tiger.

Kyffin heals himself a bit more out of paranoia, praying to Sarenrae for a boost, and guidance, before he searches the remaining form of Nestor.
Cure Moderate Wounds: 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (5, 2) + 7 = 14 (+50% = 21 total healing)

Unsure if it's enough, he'll do it again.
Cure Moderate Wounds: 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (7, 7) + 7 = 21 (+50% = 31 total healing)

"Poor man, I feel like we should try and complete his mission..." he trails off looking around, "But perhaps not. I'd bury him, but..." he trails off again looking to the ground below.

"Anyone else need healing before we lug one of these damn tigers back to the Zoogs? We should exit the Dreamlands quickly I think, and rejoin the others. Hopefully they don't wake any more of us up, but if they do, and you're the one, tell 'em to leave the rest of us to finish the mission."

"I don't want to have to come back." he looks around warily, feeling quite exposed.

Al wipes more dirt on himself and anyone else that needs a fresh dirting.

Dirt On It: 4d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 5, 5) = 13

Dirt On It: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 5, 2) = 14

Dirt On It: 4d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 4, 6) = 20

HP: 51/53

Grabbing a tiger's corpse, Al slings it over his shoulder and gets ready to return to the zoogs. "Forget about that tracker, his quest ain't ours and this dreamland ain't our home. Let's get what we came for and get out of here."

Huffing as she lets the winds and lightning around her subside, Tenebrynn alights on the broad branch beside her remaining companions and stumbles for a moment. She waves off any aid, "No, no. I'm not hurt, that just- that took a lot." She takes a few deeper breaths, then looks sadly at the fallen form of Nestor. "I'm sorry you didn't catch the lady you were hunting, Nestor." Glum and sniffling at the loss of the hunter they saved only to lead to his death, she takes to the air without realizing it and bobs along behind Kyffin and Al.

Nestor's body has a potion of cure serious wounds, a scroll of confusion, a wand of bull's strength (25 charges), 2 vials of holy water, 4 javelins, a masterwork morningstar, an amulet of natural armor +1, a cloak of resistance +1, a ring of protection +1 and 988 gp.

The zoogs are thrilled when you return with the striped beast, and swarm around, several of them ripping strips to feast on. Eventually, though, you manage to get their attention enough that one brings you the striped pard tail you were seeking.

Tenebrynn nods as the pard tail is produced. "We killed four other tigers, but this was only one those of us left could carry back. I could give you directions to where we fought them, if you'd like. I think Nestor would have rather you at least eat them than the carcasses just rot." She shrugs glumly, still feeling guilty for the man's death.

He gathers up Nestor's belongings and brings it along, though he expects it'll only exist in the Dreamlands.

"Yes," Kyffin agrees with Tenebrynn, "And there's a man there in need of burial, but we weren't sure how to do it in this realm. Can you take care of it?"

When they've made their arrangements, he'll hold onto the pard tail and try to wake up...

Concentration: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Concentration: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21 (DC 20, right?)

Tristain hovers over Al, wondering if he needs a sharp slap on the noggin, but holds his hand.

"More tiger meat?" the zoog says, eyes widening. "So generous. So we can be generous too!"

It scampers off and returns a short time later with a drinking horn is made from the highly polished tusk of some great beast, explaining it's got magic to summon a delicious wine that restores your soul. It's a drinking horn of panacea.

They don't seem to pay much attention to your words about Nestor, clearly more excited by the idea of fresh tiger meat.

With no time limit, you can take 20 on your efforts to wake up. Let me know when you're ready to head to the next day on the ship.

As Tenebrynn tries to focus on waking after the zoogs have scampered off to claim their feast before it spoils, she can't help but fidget and flinch as her guilt over the doomed huntsman keeps clawing at her. Kyffin and Al both vanish before she's finally able to center herself, but she catches a flash of blurry movement rushing toward her through half lidded eyes the instant prior to her reappearing in their cabin.

As she shakes the dizziness of the strange ritual away, she scratches her head perplexedly. "Nestor?" Then, as if remembering all that had transpired in a flash, she falls glum again and turns to Tristain and Jasno. "I'm glad you two made it out, but Nestor didn't. He was there. I mean, really there, not dreaming-there. The tigers got him. We saved him from those fey just for him to be ripped to shreds a few branches later." She shakes her head, the mixture of guilt and disappointment plain in the gesture.

"Yeah, it seems he didn't have good luck, either before we ran into him, or after." Kyffin frowns, for he too feels a little guilty for the man's death.

He's glad to see the others all there. "Let's get some sleep. Tristain, tomorrow you can tell us where we're headed next in that accursed place. At least we're making headway, we got the pard tail."

"How is that possible? Jasno asks, not expecting anyone to know.

Albert awakens with a snort to the gentle rocking of the boat. He feels bad for Nestor as well, but content with the success of the party. "Shame he died, but at least he didn't get tortured anymore because of us. If we hadn't come along them fey might still be tormenting the man. He died in the hunt alongside companions, ain't much more to hope for than that for someone like him, I suspect."

Tenebrynn shrugs at Jasno's question, "Tristain is using this ritual that Lowls found. Who knows how many other ways there are to get to the Dreamlands." She shrugs too at Al's suggestion, though she seems unconvinced. "Yeah. I suppose so."

As the group disperses to rest, the little gnome's sleep is restless. She thrashes and twists throughout, grunting and muttering occasionally the names "Kelvetta" or "Brix".

She wakes with a start and a choked cry in the middle of their rest, waking her companions around her. Looming over her, limned in a strange orange glow, hovers the blurry image of Nestor. "She wasn't there, little one." His voice, thin and reedy, grows harsh as the wavering image of his face twists with eagerness. "She wasn't there! We have to find her. Stop her!"

Tenebrynn can do little other than stammer helplessly and look to her companions in a mix of panic and confusion.

Do we all see and/or hear the orange ghost of Nestor?