Strange Aeons, with GM Pendrak

Game Master karlprosek

Not sure if anyone does, but checking for Reine: Know:Nobility (Untrained): 1d20 ⇒ 13

Broom considers looks at the boots and her eyes become unfocused as she casts her mind out into the void, looking for any memories she can find on the various subjects at hand.

Kn(Local)boots: 1d20 ⇒ 1
Kn(Local)Millair family: 1d20 ⇒ 6
Kn(anything) Names: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Broom's first search quickly brings her mind in contact with a mind wholly fixated on footwear. For whatever reason whoever or whatever this individual was, they were admiring their collection, many of which still had feet or even a little bit of leg still in them. Its mind a jumbled mess, the obsession was the only clear thoughts it possessed.

Shaken by that experience, she quickly tried to change the nature of her question, but the quest for a mind with useful knowledge of the Millair family only brought her in contact with a mind consumed with a boundless hatred of the name and likewise searches for any of the other names only produced vague notions of paranoia and loathing. She couldn't make out anything of value in the memories.

She blinked a bit as she pulled her mind back to the here and now. Her face was an odd ashen colour as she took a couple of ragged breaths. Her brow furrowed as she spoke "We know We should be able to find out stuff form other minds, but ever since We woke up here the only minds We ever seem to find are terribly broken ones. We can't find anything about any of the stuff you asked about."

The colour returned to her features as she smiled brightly at Xander "But you don't have to search for the answers, you already know them all. You are the smartest person We know. Do you need those cleaned?" she asked, pointing at the filthy boots.

I've reskinned mind swapped a little bit, but the mechanics are the same. I can roll Kn skills untrained up to DC20, not that it seems to be doing me much good so far =)

"The ghoul came from the north. I am betting that where's there is one, there will be more." John tells the other as he stands up from studying the tracks.

"let's clear the south before we go hunt down the undead's nest." he suggests as he starts down the corridor towards the curtain.

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 (+1 for traps)

stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

K:nobility: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Desdemona's brow wrinkled as she thought hard, but no... there were no memories of those names that she could find. Only the latest horrors she had experienced, and then... blankness.

She wandered along at the tail-end of the procession, lantern raised high.

"Well, all this information is new, or lost, to me. So--this old man from a noble family, who is part of five interlinked families, came here to this asylum, put up a good fight, and died."

Rostam shrugs. "I'm sure the significance of this will come to light eventually."

He trucks along with the rest, longspear in his hands. After a while he asks, "So are we from Ustalav?"

Miniel doesn't really know what Xander is talking about, so she doubles back to pray for the dead before following John. "I hope there are no more of those undead abominations, but if there are, we have to kill them."

perception: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 10 - 4 = 20

Moving south, John stalks down the hallway to a spacious room with paint peeling like scabs from the walls. A desk guarded the broad hall stretching away to the north, while curtained frames shrouded the room’s eastern quarter. The place smells intensely of rubbing alcohol.

Windows set in the walls showed more of the sickly yellow fog, and a door to the south seemed to lead to the path the group had seen from the birdcage room. Another door was pushed half open by debris from the collapsed ceiling to the west.

Light shone clear and steady behind the curtain separating the eastern part of the room from the rest.

Xander thanks Broom for cleaning the boots. They ARE nice boots, after all.

percep: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
As they head south, he takes a quick scan of the room to see if they missed anything. "John, what's behind the curtain there?"

Rostam tapped the desk with his spear, then searched it.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 6

"Um...I'm not very good at this," he said, apologetically, getting a drawer stuck half-open.

John steps forward quietly and shifts the curtain slightly with his outstrectched sword to peek behind it.

stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 (+1 for traps)

Behind the curtain is another window choked with yellow mist. Inside, just behind the curtain, is an oil lamp on a stool. After looking at it for a second, Xander noticed that the flame didn't flicker or waver at all. The light it cast was perfectly static, unwavering and unchanging. If it didn't cast light the way it did, it could almost be a sculpture or a painting of a lamp.

"Uhhh.... weird lamp." John says over his shoulder.

"Anybody got any ideas?"

"Don't touch it,", Reine suggested. "Or, wait. Maybe... touch it? I don't remember..."

knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

maybe one of these will help?

Miniel had a vague memory of spells that could freeze time. This lamp looked almost like it had been caught in a moment in time and stuck there.

Broom looked at the scene with curiosity. "Do you want Us to use our magic hand to try and lift the lamp from the doorway?" she asked.

"Seems like...maybe someone paused time around it. Not sure what will happen if you touch it." Not bothering to wait around and find out, Miniel moves on to the larger room and joins Rostam at the desk.

perception: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 10 - 4 = 11

"Hmm, I guess that's one way to conserve lamp oil." Xander examines the lamp via detect magic.
kn:arcana: 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (13) + 10 + (5) = 28

"Let's toss a fly at it, or something," says Rostam.

When filtering out the background traces of conjuration and transmutation magic that permeated the entire asylum, Xander found a faint transmutation signature around the lamp.

I'll just speed this up.

The first time anyone physically interacted with the lamp, whether it was tossing something at it or touching it, the flame flickered back to life for a moment before immediately snuffing out.

The desk didn't contain anything of use, not even paper or ink or bandages. It looked like someone had already rummaged through it for anything useful.

Broom looks a little disappointed when the lamp goes out. There was something appealing about the thought of a lamp forever shedding light but itself eternally unchanging.

Still, it is a nice lamp. She takes the lamp and examines it before putting it in her pack.

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

"Anything else worth investigating down here, or should we head north to backtrack that ghoul?"

"We should probably head back north. I don't think there's anything else here."

"Let's keep moving," says Rostam.

In the interest of moving things along I'm going to assume you guys go into the doors on the left side of the hallway once you pass the collapsed passageway where the ghoul was digging

The assemblage cautiously moved down the hallway past the spot where John had so neatly separated the ghoul from its head. Before reaching the large open area at the end of the hall, they entered the door on the left.

More chipped white paint peeled from the battered frames of a row of identical beds. Dingy white curtains separated each bed, but offered only the illusion of privacy. A man was screaming at the north end of the room.

"...away from me, you bastard!" The group could hear thrashing from behind the last curtain at the top of the room but couldn't see what was happening.

Map updated. Party is in D5 by the south-most door.

John moves quickly across the room and tries to flip the curtain open with his outstretched longsword.

How many creatures are in this damned place?!
Xander rushes behind John hoping they might be able to help another survivor before it's too late.

"We can..." Broom's offer to pull back the curtain with her magic hand from the safety for the door was cut short as John rushed forward. "Maybe We should just do things instead of asking if it is OK. John and Xander didn't ask if they should rush forward."

Rostam trots up as well, getting ready for a phalanx maneuver.

Seeing the others dart in the door and towards the commotion, Reine stayed in the hallway, but she moved up to the intersection, where she could keep an eye on the door, just in case anyone (or anything) came out of it, as well as check the rest of the hall to be sure that nothing was going to surprise them while the group was otherwise occupied.

As shown on the map, move 30' "North" to the intersection, keeping close to the right-hand wall. Ready Action to shoot any obvious Zombie/Doppleganger/Attacker that comes out of the door to the left, or the hallway. If she's not sure, she'll err on the side of not shooting.

Attack with Bow(If Needed): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Shortbow Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Moving into the room, Miniel also prepares her bow, but with not quite as much urgency as Reine. Given that there's too many people between her and the commotion anyways, she peeks into a few of the curtained segments in the south end of the room while the others move to deal with the situation.

John easily pulled the curtain back with the tip of his sword, revealing a man in a patient's gown having some sort of fit. He was strapped to the bed with thick leather straps holding around his wrists and ankles but was fighting them hard enough to rattle the bedframe. "You won't get me, you bastard! Get away!"

In spite of the yelling and flailing, he seemed to be asleep. Somehow he had managed to remain unmolested by ghouls, dopplegangers, and cultists this entire time but now seemed to be fighting something in his own mind.

John steps away from the man strapped to the bed.

"Sickness ... or madness?" he asks the others, looking about to see if anyone has an opinion.

"How has he survived all this time strapped to the bed without food or drink and with all these monsters prowling around? He isn't being very quiet after all."

Broom pondered for a moment.

"Do you think we should bring him back to the chapel? Maybe Winter knows how to help him."

I have a few moments to post!

Desdemona was about to suggest that they bring the strange man back to the chapel for treatment when a sinking, sliding feeling alerted her to her shadow tearing free and slipping away, into the dark hall.

Swallowing her words for fear of drawing attention to herself, she sidled a few terrifying feet closer to that hideous blackness... and Reine.

shadow Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
shadow Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 :P

Rostam moved to the man's side.

"Wake up," he intoned.

Without looking away from the thrashing sleeper, he said to the others, "perhaps he's engaging in a dream battle, the way we were."

Does Rostam do anything other than talk to the guy? i.e.- does he touch him to try to jostle him awake?

Nope. His spear is at the ready. He may poke him after this.

"Night terrors, perhaps. It is curious that he seems unmolested, so we should remain cautious." Xander approaches the other side of his bed opposite Rostam. Nodding to the man's spear, he lowers a gloved hand to the man's forehead and gently touches him.

I didn't post a perception check, but is there anything on the other beds at all?

The cautious adventurers hung back as the man thrashed and yelled in the bed, held down by his restraints. As Xander reached down to touch him, the man's whole body convulsed hard enough to lift his back off the bed. He flopped back down onto the mattress a few seconds later, his thrashing stilled. A wisp of yellow mist leaked out of his gaping mouth as he breathed his last breath.

The other beds are empty. He looks dead- does Xander still touch him?

"Woah .... where did the yellow smoke come from?"

Xander backs up surprised by the convulsing. "What the hell?" The smoke is also unexpected. "If I had to guess, perhaps a manifestation of some kind? This is completely new territory." He scratches his head. "Suppose for a moment there's something here that can animate the dead? That yellow smoke could be related. OR it could be what killed him." He covers his mouth with his sleeve, just in case. "May be best if we keep moving."

Seeing nothing else of worth in the room, Miniel joins the crowd on the other end just in time to see the mist. "Looks like the same kind of mist that's outside. Maybe he tried to leave, and breathed it in, or something?"

Rostam steps back involuntarily. "The yellow mist...it may have sustained him and killed him."

"Are any of you alchemically inclined?"

"Anyone have any ideas on what killed him? Was it the mist, or starvation, or something else?"

"Do you think the yellow mist is alive? Maybe it was just inside him and wanted out?"

Broom peered at the dead man pensively for a moment before glancing at the roiling mass of yellow fog outside the window.

"Maybe we should avoid going outside if we can help it."

The dead man suddenly opened his eyes and jerked against the restraints around his wrists, trying to lunge at Xander, the closest one to the bed. Luckily for the group, the leather restraints held. Instead of a dead man there was now a ghoul strapped to the bed, desperately trying to reach Xander.

Rostam stepped back and stabbed at the ghoul in the bed with his longspear, aiming for the neck.

Coup de Grace damage: 3d8 + 18 ⇒ (7, 4, 8) + 18 = 37

"We have an answer," he said succinctly.

DC 47 Fortitude save or die :D

This will be the discussion thread for Strange Aeons, with GM Pendrak.

Urban ranger reporting in.

I'll take care of locks, traps, and hit things.

I...uh...didn't expect to be picked. Thanks! Been wanting to play this guy for a while, but I can't remember why ;)

Greetings, this is Alico Destane and the Daughter of Flies checking in!

"We're so glad we're going to be able to wreak havoc!"

"Um, Mistress, we won't be remembering who we are. Might not be our first instinct."

"Ah, crap baskets, that'll be no fun!"

"Don't say that, our DM is giving us a grand opportunity."

"I will still be able to break people, right Dearie?"

"I'm sure it'll come up in combat."

"YAY!"

hello hello.
GM mentioned checking if anyone's characters know anyone. If anyone is from Lepidstadt U or is involved in politics in the city, I would probably know them, though they may not know me.

Alico is from Cheliax and not Ustalav, making him an outsider.

Hello, we are Mashiki!
We can clean stuff, mend stuff and cook.
We can also take care of vermin and rodents, both small and large.
If you are already an amnesiac, can you forget even more?
Do urban rangers have human empathy?
Are you like us?

Dimitru Lupei has been studying us for a long time now. Sometimes he brought other people to look at us as well. He also writes stuff on us, maybe you read one of his papers?

Hey all, looking forward to running with you :)

Lorn is from Lastwall, from a family of noble Knights strongly associated with Knights of Ozem.

hello hello.

GM mentioned checking if anyone's characters know anyone. If anyone is from Lepidstadt U or is involved in politics in the city, I would probably know them, though they may not know me.

Ooh, yes, Durril was a student at Lepidstadt University. As one of similarly low birth he probably wouldn't have been used to having servants, so he may or may not know Xander.

Xander Saren wrote:

hello hello.

GM mentioned checking if anyone's characters know anyone. If anyone is from Lepidstadt U or is involved in politics in the city, I would probably know them, though they may not know me.

Ooh, yes, Durril was a student at Lepidstadt University. As one of similarly low birth he probably wouldn't have been used to having servants, so he may or may not know Xander.

I think we definitely could have met at some point. Not like best pals, but casual acquaintance sounds reasonable

This will be interesting, I've never seen any of the occult classes in play before.

Has Lorn been in Thrushmoor long? Mashiki grew up there before being moved to the city a little while ago.

John is from Caliphas.

Urban rangers still have wild empathy like the base class.

Biggest changes are that they swap "Favored Community" for "Favored Terrain", swap endurance for Trapfinding, and have Disable Device as a class skill.

quick heads up- computer problems may prevent me from posting as regular as normal for a few days. apologies for issues. bot me as needed. I will return!

Ranger, Inquisitor, Psychic, Spiritualist, Sorcerer, Paladin

Quite the roster

Just trying to settle in my head who had what roles.

I'm not as good with the occult classes, so I'm still figuring out what they do.

Psychic is a full spontaneous caster, much like sorcerer. Amnesiac archetype gives a little more flexibility in spell choice than other spontaneous casters (though I'll lose it and become a normal psychic when our memory is fully restored).

What kind of combat style is Grimm going to take?

still deciding. interested in spring attack.

I always think its more fun, and adds verisimilitude, if we sort of discover our roles through play, especially in a scenario like this where it makes sense we would not have worked together, etc. :)

true

The gameplay thread hasn't been posted yet, right? I click the tab and it looks like it half-loads. I'm just checking to make sure my internet isn't screwing me over.

Nope, not yet.

Okay, so I apparently screwed up by deleting my first post in the gameplay thread. I need to contact customer service I believe in order to get that gameplay thread unattached from this campaign so I can post a new one. Sorry about that.

Edit: For now, use this thread. I'll get it attached to the campaign when I can.

Gameplay

Feel free to post, and in your opening post please describe what your character looks like to give everyone a better idea of the scene. This is pretty fast moving, so your characters don't have a ton of time to talk, but they can get in a few words, and I primarily want the descriptions.

Sounds like it might be easier to just create a new gameplay thread set that up as a campaign and link this discussion and recruitment thread?

Yeah, that was the thing to do. I think everything should be good now.

I just made a new campaign, detached the threads from the old campaign, and attached them to the new one.

Hm. @Xander's last post in gameplay: do we remember our names?

ahh, indeed. apologies if not

No, you don't remember your names. You still remember fragments of your past, like undefined glimmers of things you can't put your finger on. You have all of your skills, and you remember how to do your spells and defend yourself and everything like that. And you are not ignorant of the world, if someone asked you to describe Ustalav you could do so. But you wouldn't remember necessarily where you were from or any of the events of your own life.

Just for the sake of avoiding a retcon, we'll say that Xander is the only one among you who remembers his name, and he remembers only his first name.

nod. thanks. sorry about that

Hey, Mashiki, what did you use for Aklo?

I started with this site where someone tried to translate the language based on the books
Language deciphered

But then found this automatic translator which was much easier =)
Language translator

Fair enough, many thanks!

Okay, we made it through the intro!

Now you actually get to control your characters!

I do apologize if that section was annoying to anyone, but I think that's supposed to be the point, to make you feel helpless and confused and lost. Sets the stage for the adventure, certainly. Your characters are now awake, and can interact with the real world. If the real world exists, that is.

But my nat 20! LOL, no its cool, something a bit different :)

But my nat 20! LOL, no its cool, something a bit different :)

Yeah, I felt especially bad about that.

I just realized, I hadn't really planned it but the items you guys had in your dreams could well make good temporary names for your characters (like Lorn has already started to do), until you find out who you really are (if ever you do!).

Lorn = Shield

Mashiki = Broom, or Broomstick

Alico = Harrow, or Cards

Xander = Pouch

Durril = Dagger

John = Cage

You can do with that what you will.

Nice

Oh, are we doing actual initiative order? I'm used to block, so I didn't really pay attention to the specifics. Sorry.

Well, it's basically block initiative. You guys can delay pretty much however you want since the monster went first.

LOl, that was my intent, though it makes Xander sound like a male stripper ;)

LOl, that was my intent, though it makes Xander sound like a male stripper ;)

Maybe Component?

Or Spells?

Edit: I did think Broomstick, or even Broomsticks is a particularly cutesy name for an aberrant sorcereress as well, lol.

Spell would be my pick.

Well, it's basically block initiative. You guys can delay pretty much however you want since the monster went first.

Yes, but in the future (for a more "normal" combat, if you will), is it block or individual initiative?

I was actually going to start calling people by their dream items =D

Block initiative, typically.

who says Xander isn't a stripper?

We don't remember, he could have been for all we know...

Okay, thanks.

And a half-orc male stripper...sounds about right.