Strange Aeons

Game Master YoLlama

"Might just be a fire or something, but I'd rather not take chances." the girl said. ...To put it simply, there was a reason she was keeping the much sturdier man between her and the glow.

Before I move forward, my previous post was directed at the guards, asking for information on the creatures they wanted us to hunt.

Before I move forward, my previous post was directed at the guards, asking for information on the creatures they wanted us to hunt.

.... please move your token if you do that.... as previously you also did some interaction without going in, I assumed you were just poking your head round the door. You are currenty prone outside he in the courtyard.

But that's exactly how I pictured it. Her at the door, calling down the hallway, while she stood outside preparing her spell. Do I need to be inside in clear vision of both of the men to talk to them for some reason?

As she waits for an answer to her question, Era snaps her book shut, moving so that all of the sturdier people are between her and the crossbows. She trusted these people nearly as much as the 'doctor' they'd met down below.

"Yeah, probably." Saturday agrees as he goes to inspect the glow.

But that's exactly how I pictured it. Her at the door, calling down the hallway, while she stood outside preparing her spell. Do I need to be inside in clear vision of both of the men to talk to them for some reason?

As she waits for an answer to her question, Era snaps her book shut, moving so that all of the sturdier people are between her and the crossbows. She trusted these people nearly as much as the 'doctor' they'd met down below.

The diplomacy checks weren't really good enough to sway them to answer your questions, knowledge(local) might elicit some information. Apologies for not making it clear, he said hoping for a bit of slack as he gets used to the party and the AP.

Jacqueline also moves into the room. "A glow? That doesn't exactly bode well."

"Probably not. At least it's not talking to me like the shack."

You're fine, I just need to know what's expected. :)

Era watches the others watch the glow. "Could be worse. It could be trying, very poorly, to drag you away alone. Tu Esti." as she says her magic words, and runs her outer fingers over her eyes, they take on the golden glow again, as she first looks into the room, then sweeps her eyes back to the pair of people down the hallway, before looking off to the right.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Era is examining the area for magical effects via detect magic. If nothing interrupts her search and anything glows, I'll have rolls below. If anyone heads in, she'll follow and investigate with the other available checks. :)

"How do you know that the boiler isn't secretly longing to tear into your flesh inside, just unable to express that terrible urge?" Jacqueline pauses. "It's probably better that you don't know that, actually. We don't need to add inanimate objects to our ever-increasing list of things to be paranoid of."

"Thanks, Jac, 'preciate that mental image." Saturday quips.

"Always happy to help."

Saturday turns to look at the magus briefly, wearing a smile inbetween mild annoyance and genuine mirth.

Quinn tries to slip inside if the others would allow and take a look around the boiler room for herself.

Know:Engi: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

"We might be able to get these up and running again with a little work and some time." Quinn states mostly to herself, for some reason she got the feeling she did that a lot.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Having been distracted by examining the boilers she didn't spot the strange glow on her own. "What are we looking at?"

"Something glowing."

Era's magic enters the boiler room, but nothing seems to react with the energy she released.

As the three party members move into the room, the glow behind the boilers moves upwards and clambers along the wall. The creature has large glowing eyes, almost like a bush baby, but its nose is a mass of tendrills, a most unusual and nasty looking creature, a creature to inhabit the nightmares of one and all.

Regina reacts to the creature, sending a blast of cold at the tiny thing. Ranged Touch 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 cold damage 1d3 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7 Unfortunately the pipes leaving the boiler take the force of the blast, which covers the pipes in a coat of white sparkling frost. leaving the thing to make its way, skittering along the wall to bite at Lady Quinn. The tiny sharp teeth rip into Lady Quinn's flesh, but the bite isn't deep enough to do any real damage, although as it pulls its head back Lady Quinn feels her hot blood start to leave her neck. Lady Quinn takes 1pt non-lethal, plus 1HP bleed.

From out of the darkest corners of the room, a scuffling noise is heard and two sets of red eyes glitter with menace. These filthy rats, the size of a small dog charge towards the intruders. Beneath a coat of coarse fur, the claws scamper quickly pulling a body with a long and scabby tail. Two large sharp and dangerous incisors protude from the upper lip of the mouths as they charge across the chamber at Regina and Saturday. Saturday easily steps over the teeth as they attempt to rip into his leg. Unfortunately Regina is not so lucky, her attention drawn by the tiny creature with the glowing eyes, the teeth tear into the flesh of her thigh, sending a sharp pain assaulting her mind. Regina takes 3HPs damage and a fort save please.

Order of play ... Jac and Era before monsters, then the rest according to init order. As Jac and Era were outside with nothing to hit they delay until there is something there. Please if you say you go into a room, place your token in the room, otherwise I don't know where they should go.

*Just realized their AC wasn't in their quick-reference bar* How did I forget THAT? o_O *Fixes*

Regina rapidly considered her options, but the injury she'd taken decided most of it for her. Moving carefully, she pulled back and moved back into the hallway - she had to be careful close to the rats, and continue moving slowly to get past Jacqueline, but she wasn't actually going far enough for the reduction in her speed to matter.

Acrobatics, Move Without Provoking AoO, DC = Opponent's CMD: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

Rather than doing anything else, though, she spent a few moments checking over her injury-

Fort Save: 1d20 ⇒ 20 Yay~

-and a little bit of etherfire was enough to cleanse the wound and whatever foulness was associated with it. Right! Now that she was somewhere a little safer... if her allies didn't get rid of the creatures themselves in the next few seconds, she could help.

Ether Pool: 5/6. -2 from her Blast earlier, +1 normal regen rate.

K(Local): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
K(Arcana): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Era draws her cold iron dagger as the enemies appear, "Dire rats and Zoog." she calls out.

what sort of information does Era get from identifying them?

When you do a knowledge check to identify a reature, say what in particular the things you want to know and I will interpret to give the information you remember ...

Era would prefer knowledge of Weaknesses, most often. Since those aren't on the list, would she be able to get 'senses' as an option?

She gets all this time ... ;-)

"If we can capture the Zoog and convince it to help us, we may have a way to detect the dopplegangers with relative ease. It's not likely, though. They can make magical things glow simply by looking at them, but be careful," she notes, "Its bite causes bleeding. The rats are like ordinary oversized rodents - they carry disease with them wherever they travel."

She feels, for a moment, a distinct desire to tap a pen or pencil against a desk or table, she isn't certain, but just as quickly, it's gone.

"Is it intelligent? Perhaps we can negotiate with it," Jacqueline says as she casually steps forward and attempts to skewer one of the huge rats.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

...Can I take Total Defense instead? XD;

Snarling, Saturday takes a swing at the rodent that bit at Regina.

Greatsword: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Damage (slashing): 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (6, 4) + 3 = 13

Quinn curses as the freakish creature bites into her causing the bleed but at Era's idea of capturing it she grudgingly turns her attentions to the rodents in an attempt to dispatch of them first, she takes a moment to find a weak point before swinging at the nearest rat.

To Hit: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 1 + 1 = 12
Damage: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (3, 4) + 4 = 11

Move action to study rat, standard to attack

If I didn't make it clear, Lady Quinn lost 1HP on her turn from the bleed.

Regina tries to make her escape, but the rat still has its teeth firmly trapped in her robes. The strong blue robe takes the strain, pulling back the ethermancer's shoulders as the cloth goes taut. With the rat shaking its head to and fro, trying to free itself from the clothes, Saturday's greatsword cuts the creature in two, leaving the head dangling from Regina's blue and crimson bloodstained robe.

Lady Quinn tries to dispatch the other rat, but it is too quick and hops sideways to avoid the blade, despite her eyes following it's every move. As Jac enters the fray, the rats teeth snap the air as she deftly avoids the attack and dispatchs the last of the rats with her sword.

The strange tiny creature seems angered by the loss of the rats, uttering strange gutteral sounds and attacks with its timy sharp teeth and its pin like claws. They tear through to Lady Quinn's flesh, the bite more damaging than before, causing the woman's blood to burst from her fair skin. All 3 attacks hit. LQ takes 1 HP damage, 2 HPs non-lethal and the bleed is increased by 1. So I make damage so far as 2HPs lethal 3HPs non-lethal with bleed 2.

You are all up again....

"Oi! You ugly-ass varmint, leave her alone!" Saturday growls as he moves over to strike at the creature.

Greatsword: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Damage (slashing): 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (2, 3) + 3 = 8

With the rats dead and Saturday moving over to engage the beast in melee, Regina raised one hand and pointed at the last of the creatures. "Dodge left, please." she said, giving Lady Quinn a moment of warning before focusing on the creature. As she did so, shards of space resembling needles of broken glass launched out, each with a glob of ether on the end to stick to the beast's body. Her powers were... 'flexible' was probably the mildest way of putting it. In this case, she'd used the needles as a kind of revenge, given the way they could make the beast bleed... and hopefully the globs of ether would be enough to slow it down and let the others finish it off. If not? Well, she had more ether for basic blasts... that one shot and burned away almost all of her reserves, though, so she wouldn't be able to do any other fancy blasts until she recharged.

Lesser Blast (1), with the Shards of Creation (2) and Raw Ether (2) manifestations. Total Cost: 5 EP. Regina has Precise Shot, and does not take the normal penalty for attacking a foe engaged in melee.
Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15 for Damage: 1d3 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7 plus 1 point of Bleed Damage, and Reflex DC 15 vs Entangled for 1 Round.

Current EP: 1/6.

Era shakes her head. "I don't really know. I'm sure if it could speak it would be speaking right now, as it would know that we're willing to let it live in exchange for its services." she says with a small shrug. She took a moment to eye the wounds being opened by the creature on her... friend? Ally? Words had meaning, so she'd definitely have to pick one soon. "Hold still for just a..."

She shreds off a strip of cloth from her sleeve, before trying to form a tourniquet to staunch the worst of the bleeding and prevent infection.

Heal (attempting First Aid): 1d20 ⇒ 15

I had it marked but I've updated her profile so the information should be easier for you to access, also quinn cant really dodge left from where shes standing so if you're casting an AOE its just going to have to hit her

Quinn takes a final swing at the annoying beast before taking a step back, careful not to leave herself open as she retreats. She pulls away from Era's unexpected touch at first but once she realizes what Era's doing she would nod a thanks.

To Hit: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 1 + 1 = 17
Damage: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (4, 4) + 4 = 12

Nah, that was just saying to lean to the side, basically. XD It's only a single target attack (right now, anyway - I do have AOE as an option). Just flavor stuff.

As the strange creature tries to duck out of the way from the shards of power that left Regina's fingertips, it's head is moves into the arc that Lady Quinn's falchion that severs it in two. Despite Lady Quinn's movement, Era is able to apply her hand to the Lady's neck and staunch the flow of blood.

I will add more about the room when I get home, you are out of combat.

"It didn't get you guys too badly, did it?" Saturday asks Regina and Quinn.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

"Hey," Saturday lets out as he kneels down in front of the boiler. "I think there's some sunrods down here.... can't... quite.... reach 'em..." he groans as he does just as he says.

"Arta Simpla." Era intones, allowing the spell to first clean the majority of Quinn's wound, examining it a moment longer, before moving over to the boilers, and using the same magic to roll the sunrods out. "I think your wound will be fine... mostly. Do you think we -should- restart them?"

Can't move token on phone.

"I... wouldn't mind some healing..." Regina answered, wincing slightly. She could blast things like no one else's business, but tough was one thing she wasn't, and she was definitely going to try and avoid taking any more blows. At least her energy was continuing to steadily recharge...

"Arta Simpla." Era intones, allowing the spell to first clean the majority of Quinn's wound, examining it a moment longer, before moving over to the boilers, and using the same magic to roll the sunrods out.

Please tell me what you are casting so I don't have to go off and look at your character.

AFter a good 10 minutes looking around, the party have looked at the the boilers and room. Outside the corridor is dark, apart from the moving streaks of light that break through racks in the walls and ceiling. The sounds of footsteps echo down the hallway, first away from the barricade, then seemingly returning from the dark before stopping.

Further on the corridor disappears into the darkness. A breeze from the open door lifts dried leaves and other light debris up off the floor, scratchings sounds echo in the emptiness of the blackened corridor ahead.

The outline of doors are seen to your right as you look awqy from the barricade or look further down the corridor.

Not quite as I see it, but imagine darker ...

Yeah, was pressed for time, so went with flavor over function. I typically don't post from my phone at work nowadays, because ~7 minutes just isn't enough time to get all the important stuff out with that tiny pad and formatting besides. :) Also, when in doubt, prestidigitation is always the answer. Always. If it isn't, try harder, you know? :)

Era shakes her head. "I'd be willing to try... but the only thing I have is the idea of what should do it, not really the skill to do so. And it would take a great deal of time, as well... maybe for no real benefit... save less clothing for me." she finishes, grimly fingering the ruined threading of her sleeve.

DC 15 for 'stop bleeding' was just lucky, it was intended to more be a 'hey, we need to stop this!'. DC 20, an hour at a time, doing things that could actually hurt you - not really a good idea. :P

Once everyone is read to move on Saturday heads out on down the the corridor.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28

Regina followed Saturday out into the corridor, carefully staying a few steps behind him at all times. "Probably best to just glance inside and move on if there are no doppelgangers..." she noted. They didn't look especially important, and while they did need to be checked for threats, the goal here was to get to the safety of the other group... which meant finding some doppelgangers to kill.

"Yeah, don't want you or the others getting jumped again."

Jacqueline follows in Saturday's footsteps. "That... creature, whatever it was, was fascinating! It's brain was obviously normal sized for a rat, but whatever it was babbling had a vaguely recognizable linguistic structure! By rights, it's brain shouldn't have had the capacity to speak... or it's vocal chords, for that matter. The things we could've learned from speaking to it... if it wasn't trying to viciously gnaw us to death."

"We learnt it dies just like normal rat, thankfully."

Era shrugs as the three head back out, retrieving the sunrods from the floor and tucking them into the edges of her bag. "Think I'll stick with quiet paranoia." she says, before intoning 'Tu Esti.' Casting her detect magic spell again, in the process. She didn't know that the doppelgangers would glow under the scrutinous magic, but it cost her little to maintain it - if the others weren't rushing ahead, anyway. She waits for Quinn's response before falling in line with the others who seemed to be boldly pressing onwards, despite the dismal darkness. "You know what's worse than a building in a state of disrepair? A hospital in a state of disrepair. It's somehow more hauntingly tragic. I nearly hope we don't find a library of some sort - I don't want to look upon what could have become of something like that... though we could definitely use the information."

It takes a standard action to maintain concentration on a spell, so Era can't doublemove unless I drop the detect magic effect.

"Do they normally have libraries in sanatoriums?" Saturday calls back from over his shoulder to Era

Saturday opens the door to a dark, totally lightless room(s). The outline of a shelves are seen against the northern wall, with the little light that comes through the open door.

Saturday has Darkvision, is there anything besides the shelves?

Saturday sees another door at the back of the storage room, a door in the south wall. The room reeks of chlorine and is heaped with fallen shelves and broken containers. The floor is covered with the debris from the shelves and containers.

Will have to go home to update the map ... and read further descriptions of the rooms ...

Do you take time to search the room(s)? Do you enter the second room?