Skull & shackles (Inactive)

Game Master DBH

Jane relays the information that she learned about the pest. "I wonder if we can get someone else to beat it for us."

"Kung ready to go back. Silly dream creature not make Kung scared again; Kung scare the dream instead!"

Kung will plan on entering rage at the first sight of the dream, or even a round before if we can reliably predict its appearance. This will greatly improve his Will saves, making it incredibly unlikely he'd succumb again. If you look at its spell list in the spoiler, you can see that it's used up some critical 1/day spells; I think it's to our advantage to go in today so those don't refresh.

Anyone have remove fear?

You can take your time and buff before going back into the building.

Kung, you can go to your Rage just before entering the building. There doesn't need to be any combat around for you to rage.

The Creature is waiting for you as you return, when you enter the room it casts a spell at Niobe.

Niobe resists the weariness that tries to put her to sleep.

The party may now act.

Markizio, the red lightning bolt is your sword.

Outside, as the group prepares to face the animate dream again, Marnir casts a spell over Niobe. He moves his hands in protective gestures around her, muttering arcane Ulfen words. A snap of pressure surrounds her as a defensive ward springs up.

Using Spell Kenning to cast magic circle against evil which gives us all a +2 deflection bonus to AC and a +2 resistance bonus on saves against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures and immunity to any new attempts to possess or exercise mental control over us. We all have to remain within a 10ft radius of Niobe - I figured she'd be the best person to cast it on as she's sort of the centre of our party, allowing Kung, Markizio and I to go forward to attack, and leaving Jane enough space to shoot or magic or bomb it. Is that OK Niobe, everyone?
I'll also cast mirror image on myself for 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 images and then haste on all of us.
Savage Intuition allows me to start inspired rage without using an action when combat starts so I'm raging as soon as we enter the building.

The animate dream is waiting for them again as the officers of the Drake enter the building. Keen to stay within the boundaries of the protective ward, Marnir waits until Niobe has moved forward.

I'll delay until Niobe's moved forward enough to allow me into melee with the creature while staying within the 10ft radius of the spell.

Suits me fine, I'll work to stay centralized.

I'd put stoneskin on someone but that doesn't nothing to stop negative energy damage, and I don't currently have anything to mitigate it. All my spells and attacks will be doing half damage to this thing, so I guess I'll be focused on healing and occasionally doing a point here or there!

Niobe looks decidedly unhappy about the choice to re-enter and face the strange thing again, but she takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, then opens them once more and says, "I follow your lead, captain."

She moves into position and opens with a short spell that conjures a ball of blue-green flame to her hand.

Move and cast produce flame. Not likely to stick past its SR, though, once I start throwing it.

Additionally, Kung gets the ice blessing for +1d4 damage on weapon attacks for 1 minute, and Markizio gets the nobility blessing for +2 morale bonus to saving throws for 1 minute.

Awesome, thanks Niobe.
Incorporeal opponents are something we're going to have think harder about for the future I think.

Marnir moves up with Niobe before increasing his speed to run past her towards the floaty dream-thing, his axe flashing in the sunlight spilling through the windows.

Swift Action to use Arcane Strike, Move Action to move up, Standard Action to attack the animate dream.

Axe attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (12) + 16 = 28
Damage: 1d8 + 20 ⇒ (8) + 20 = 28

Jane holds up a bottle to Kung, Drink this and go beat that thing up.

Jane gives him a potion of Bears Endurance

Kung enters the building already in his rage... more out of fear than anything else. He can't be chased out by a dream again! The Captain said to stay by Niobe, so he does his best to keep that thought in his mind as blood fury threatens to cloud all conscious thought. He moves forward carefully, letting Marnir be his guide for staying close to Niobe.

The magus unleashed a series of force missiles and moved the retrive his blade.

---------------
magic missile: 5d4 + 5 ⇒ (3, 2, 1, 3, 1) + 5 = 15

Seeing the barbarian rage and rush out, Jane puts the bottle back and pulls out her crossbow. "Foolish troll." she says, out of Kungs hearing.

Okay, I'm home with HeroLab, and I checked my math, and it wasn't quite right. Very close, but not quite:

The Animate Dream reels under the damage it takes, lashing out savagely at Choice Marnir or Kung?: 1d2 ⇒ 2 Marnir

Incorporeal touch attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25
Damage Negative energy: 6d8 ⇒ (5, 8, 4, 7, 1, 3) = 28
Will save vs Nightmare curse: 1d20 + 11 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 11 + 5 = 22

Marnir feels the chill touch sapping his very life, but resists the horrifying visions it tries to set in his mind.

The Party may now act.

You know these things are only rated CR8? Seems a bit low to me.

Niobe hurls a ball of magical fire at the strange vision.

"Not used to using fire!" she says with a combination of dread and excitement.

Ranged touch attack, into melee: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 8 - 4 = 18
That's a miss.

Does mirror image save me? I'm hit on a 1.
1d7 ⇒ 3
It does indeed. Which is nice.

Marnir feels the cold energy of the animate dream as it tries to attack him but finds only an illusory copy. His war chant is loud and clear in the surprisingly good acoustics and he swings his axe at the creature at blinding speed.

Free Action to 5ft step, Free Action to continue inspired rage (which activates Skald's Vigor giving me fast healing 4), Swift Action to use Arcane Strike, Full Round Action to Full Attack with the bonus attack from haste.

Axe attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33
Damage: 1d8 + 20 ⇒ (4) + 20 = 24

Axe attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (2) + 16 = 18
Damage: 1d8 + 20 ⇒ (4) + 20 = 24

Axe attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29
Damage: 1d8 + 20 ⇒ (5) + 20 = 25

CR 8 does seem low. There's a good chance this could have crippled us if things had gone wrong with our saves.

It seems comparatively easy as long as you have death ward.

Not having much else she can do against this foe, Jane chugs a potion and moves closer towards the fight. Fire Breath

Marnir, did you intend to leave the Magic Circle surrounding Niobe?

Kung continues to slash back and forth at the incorporeal dream, happy to see it reeling from their blows.

Glad things were working out much better this time, the magus continued his assault with the magic missiles.

He grasped the falcata and gave it a kiss as if seeing an old flame.

---------------
magic missile: 5d4 + 5 ⇒ (1, 3, 3, 4, 1) + 5 = 17

Like so many before it the Animate dream falls to Marnir and Kung.

Which means Markizio and Jane haven't used their magic on it.

I'll speed through the rooms unless something interesting happens in them. That saves a room by room crawl.

B12. Commander's Office.
Doors open into this rectangular room from the east and west. A flight of wooden stairs leads to a second floor above, while three windows provide a clear view of the courtyard outside.
This room was once the office of the fort's garrison commander.

Niobe & Marnir both notice someone has placed a Magic trap on the stairs. Jane is able to disarm it.

B13. Garrison.
Doors lead from this room in four directions. The ceilings rafters rise fifteen feet overhead and a narrow set of stairs by the north wall leads underground.

B14- Quartermaster.
This small office served as the garrison quartermaster's supply room. It has been almost completely picked clean by someone?

Stairs up In B12, Stairs down in B13. What are you doing now?

Marnir, did you intend to leave the Magic Circle surrounding Niobe?

I did not, no. Thanks for pointing that out.

Well, that was that then. Died a bit quicker than expected.

We'd better stick together, just in case more of those things pop out of the walls," Marnir says, sticking close to Niobe. "If someone felt the need to trap those stairs, maybe they're protecting something. Let's go up."

Up from B12 please GM.

Kung lets his rage drop... he'd never be able to maintain that mounted fury every moment of their search. He is sluggish as they search the rest of this floor, but is alert and ready again when Marnir directs them up the stairs.

Jane, once again, caps another unused potion."Well, that was better than last time. looking at the stairs, "Let me go first, i'll see if there are any traps.

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

If she sees any traps, she'll go to disable it.
disable Device: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (7) + 16 = 23

Up the stairs is a veritable gauntlet of traps! Whoever laid these deadly devices wanted to be very sure no one could get to them.

B20. Officers' Quarters.
Windows along the north and east walls of this room provide views of the courtyard below. Doors lead out of the room to the south and west.

It takes Jane two attempts to remove the very nasty Scythe trap on this door.

B21. Captain's Quarters.
Several overturned beds barricade the windows to this room, blocking out most of the natural light. Doors lead east and north.

Jane manages to clear this trap the first time.

B22. ??? Quarters.
Piles of mattresses lie heaped against the doors of this close room. Several more mattresses cover the floor. Windows look out to the south and east.

As you open this door a voice from inside the room shrieks "Go away! I don't want to hurt you but I will if you don't leave!" The voice is ragged and sounds absolutely terrified.

What are you doing now?

Niobe follows carefully as Jane and Marnir blaze the trail through the fortress.

"You boys sure chopped that thing up," she says to Kung and Markizio, "whatever it was."

As the group works its way through traps and finally to the unknown bedroom, she lights the way with the fire that flickers in the palm of her hand. When the strange voice calls out, she looks to Marnir for approval, then replies, "It's all right! We came from beyond the island. The evil dream is over. You can rest now."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Jane moves closer to the door, hexing the person inside while doing so, "We mean you no harm. We are travelers and have recently landed on this island. My name is Jane, can I come in to talk?"

CharmDC is 15 Will.

Marnir hangs back behind Jane as she cautiously disarms the many traps that bar their progress. The thin shrieking voice greets them as they open the next door. Marnir sees Niobe's look and gives her the nod. As Jane weighs in, her voice laced with calming magic, Marnir stands back, happy to let his friends calm the room's occupant.

Jane. You can't use a Hex until you can see the target. The door to the room is still closed.

Wasn't 100% sure with Charm since it said voice and not sight. If my familiar can see her, can i hex her?

diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Charm is a targeted hex. You can't see him. The door is shut! Your familiar can't see him.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

Reflex save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

As Jane is trying to talk to the whoever is inside the room an unnoticed trap activates on the door.

Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 5, 3) = 14

Jane takes 14hp damage.

Whoever it is can activate the traps on the door and doesn't seem to respond to Diplomacy.

What are you doing now?

With his blade on high, the magus spoke to whoever was on the other side of the door, "We're coming in. Remember that we mean you no harm..."

The magus then moved to open the door...

Don't forget, Jane is a Crypt Breaker Alchemist. +2 on that reflex save.

Jane takes the pain and looks for the woman. That... sorta hurt. Can we talk? she continues with the same voice.

diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

There is no response from inside the room.

What are you doing now?

"Ready when you are first mate," Marnir says, giving tacit approval to Markizio. His axe is at the ready to back up Markizio at the door.

Kung moves up beside Markizio, ready to lend a shoulder should the door prove too much for the magus.

Markizio nodded to his companions and opened the door...

The doors opens, the room seems empty, a window has been opened.

What are you doing now?

Marnir has a cautious look round the room, trusting in his magically-enhanced senses to pick up any traps or invisible lurkers. "Looks like our friend might have bolted through the window," he speculates, peering through it.

I'll have a quick look around the room for evidence of any inhabitants or traps they may have left, then look out the window to see if whoever was in here has climbed down or run off.
I've got see invisibility running and my current Perception bonus is +19 is case the trap finding is done in secret.

In which case.

Marnir spots the bedraggled man crouched in the corner opposite the opened window, watching the party with terrified, bloodshot eyes.

Marnir chooses not to approach the man, instead letting his axe-hand fall to his side and speaking in a calm and level voice.

"We're not here to hurt you. We're exploring the island. We've killed the dream-creature downstairs. You're safe now."

Diplomacy, just in case: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (14) + 18 = 32

Jane follows behind Marnir, "We are not looking to harm anyone."

diplomacy aid: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

When he realizes you can see him his eyes bulge with terror again. Your words seem to calm him slightly ."Won't hurt me? They always hurt me! I always see them when I dream." He slashes his own arm, drawing blood. "Oh, pain? Then I'm not asleep?"

He staggers a little as he crosses the room. "Can I trust them? What if they ask questions? They always ask the question. I don't know!"

The demented man is heading for the opened window.

What are you doing now? You can all hear him. Marnir can see him.

"Woah, woah, woah," Marnir says, stepping towards the window to block it just in case the man tries to do something rash. "No-one here is going to hurt you. You can trust us. My name is Marnir," he adds in a gentle, calm tone.

Heal: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26

"Captain, he's suffered horribly, it's hurt his mind. He thinks we're enemies or delusions - figments of dream come to torment him. Reaching him will require caution and kindness."

Do you want me to charm him? Jane asks her crewmates.

Kung looks from Niobe to Marnir, trying to make sense of the sounds he's hearing. He pieces some bits together, and Marnir's move confirms it. Kung shadows Marnir, stepping next to his captain to further block the window.

I'll speed this up. It could take a week or more to negotiate with a Paranoid Schitzophrenic.

You catch and restrain the unfortunate soul. All the while he babbles of Cyclopes and curses. Dreams that rend his mind every night. Spiders with the heads of women who stop him leaving the fort, always whispering questions on where the Immortal dreamstone is hidden?

It is clear you will receive nothing useful from this man until he is cured of his insanity.

Lesser restoration has no effect on insanity, but restoration
reduces the current DC of one insanity currently affecting a target by an amount equal to the caster’s level. Greater restoration, heal, limited wish, miracle, or wish immediately cures a target of all insanity.

What are you doing now?

Restoration is not on my spell list, but it's a 4th-level extract for Jane. I don't think she has those yet though since she's multiclassed. :(

Sorry... I was going to go somewhere with the witch thing, but haven't gotten any further on my plans with that...