The Turning Wheel - a Zeitgeist PbP

Game Master karlprosek

"It appears whoever or whatever that is, he is either intent on attacking the Duchess or rescuing her. Either way, I suppose we should mobilize and head that way," Shane said. His voice was weary and he did not convey any excitement at the prospect, but nonetheless checked that he had his gear and got ready to make haste to get to the inner keep.

Hoping he was hiding his nervousness well, Tarvak said "Well, come on then everyone, let's go! Ummm...anyone have any ideas how to deal with someone who can leap 30 feet and do...that?" and waved his hand at the devastation in the harbor.

Well that didn't go the way I expected but I'm finally back, I think. Catch-up roll (no Knowledge backgrounds):

Slippery Sort (as Perception): 1d20 + 2 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 2 + 4 = 13

"What the *frak* is *that*?!?"

"Am not knowing," Ralf said as he squinted at the scene. "Is not in my experience." He pointed as the figure dashed across the deck. "Am thinking is magic, not weapon; see how is one moment sword, is next moment whip?" He turned to look at Jae. "Could be maybe another fire sprite?"

Nodding at Shane's comment, the vitalist began readying his gear.

As I read it this is later the same day of the assault so we magicky types are still down in resources, correct?

PC spellcasters have not had an opportunity to rest for 8 hours, no.

As the constables moved to get closer to the action, the stranger pulled out an orb that glowed with blindingly bright white light that pierced even through his magical smoke shroud. The whole street in front of the inner keep began to shake along with the buildings around the man. Cobblestones shattered upward and iron spikes burst out of the ground to float inches off the ground.

Up on the wall, the duchess’s defenders screamed as the stone beneath them turned to mist and they plummeted to their deaths on a lightly-wooded field.

In an area roughly two-hundred feet across, the landscape that was the fortress was now commingled with a day-lit jungle landscape. Only in places with enough iron did the original landscape remain, while in a few pockets, typically along the edges, other landscapes flickered in and out— a fiery rockslide, a swamp with yellow frogs,
a beige bank of clouds. The edges were shrinking inward slowly, and
could guess the wildly powerful magic would only last a minute or two.

On the other side of the comingled terrain was the keep where you suspect the duchess was hiding and a huge tangle of brush around it. The smoky figure discarded his orb and ran forward though the temporary gap in the inner wall. He casually lashed out a whip of flame to kill a defender who tried to get in his path, and then sprinted onward toward the keep.

The light in the orb was slowly fading; the effect would probably end in a minute or two. The Royalist forces were in disarray. Those few marines who were still in any condition to follow were looking for orders; most were down, along with their traitorous foes. Here was the opening the constables were looking for.

Jaelynn had watched the avatar of destruction and Fey power make his way through - mostly around - both sides' troops, her eyes wide. As they followed him, her eyes were wider at the realization that he was bleeding.

"He's not technically an ally," she told the others, "At least, he wasn't during the First war, and I don't imagine he would be now. But he's probably here at the behest of the Unseen Court, for whatever reason. We should take advantage of his visit. If his purpose aligns with ours, he'll... 'help us' is probably not the right way to phrase it, but he won't hinder us. If our purposes are opposed... well, we should still get in there, just... expect that we're not going to get what we want. Asrabey isn't terribly interested in Risuri politics, so I don't know..." She stopped, her eyes going into that narrow, 'processing' mode.

Then, she took off running after the stranger - presumably who she meant by 'Asrabey' - at full speed. "The Dutchess has been the Risuri ambassador to the Unseen Court for decades!"

Ralf blinked in confusion. "'First war?' You are saying you know who... what... this..." The question trailed off as Jaelynn tore off after the figure.

"Is too much running, this job," he said with a sigh as he took off after her.

Shane shrugs at Ralf's questions as if to say, The confusion is mutual. As Jae starts to run, he is by her side. Let's focus on observing this guy before we try anything to shape the direction of events.

As they begin to run through the region transformed into the otherworldly terrain, he asks, Any chance this will close around us and trap us somewhere else?

Running hard, the constables made it to the affected area before it disappeared. From one step to the next they went from stone-paved street to a boggy swamp, the sky dark to mid-day, though the sky was purple and the sun was blue. Yellow frogs croaked in chorus as they pursued Asabrey, splashing through ankle-deep water.

A hundred feet later the boggy ground abruptly turned into black, smoking stones. Behind them, where the harbor was in another world, was a lake of burning brimstone. Choking black smoke curled up into a beige tinted sky lit by an unseen sun. Luckily, the charred landscape lasted only a few moments, as the effect winked out as suddenly as it burst into existence. The discarded orb quickly faded and soon was nothing more than a hand-sized crystal on the ground.

The constables found themselves on the far side of the inner keep's wall, facing an 8 foot high hedge around the base of the tower where the duchess was presumably hiding. The top of the hedge was burning, a straight line from the closest corner of the hedge to the tower.

A man clad in leaves and moss, dark hair unwashed and gnarled around twigs and knots, was trying to beat out the flames. He glared at the constables as soon as they appeared. "Your flamin' friend may have gotten by me, but ye'll not be gettin by! I won't be lettin' any of ya harm tha' Lady Ethelyn!" With that he backed into the nearest hedge, the bush letting him though as easily as parting a curtain.

I'll have a map up this afternoon. You're at the SE corner of a square hedge maze around a 60' high tower. The hedge is 8 tall and is climbable with a DC 12 Climb check; walking along the top of the hedge would be considered difficult terrain. The hedge can be pushed through as a full round action with a DC 15 Escape Artist check.

If there's an opportunity and we're passing nearby, Ralf would like to scoop up and pocket the crystal.

Ralf can easily scoop up and pocket the crystal as they pass by.

Updated map here and link updated on campaign header. There's not much to see yet, though.

At this point, Aziel couldn't honestly say she wouldn't punch the Duchess in the mouth if she could get away with it, so she didn't attempt to dissuade the fey creature of its assumptions about their intentions. Eyeing the hedge, she decided regretfully that it would take too long to burn down in its entirety.

Turning to the others, she cocked an eyebrow. "Alors. Do we hack our way through, or climb up and try to walk the tops, with that crazy fey fellow able to jab our feet at any time, like some hedge-shark? Or," she lowered her voice, "can we manipulate the flame, the way you did at the lighthouse, Shane? Can we burn a path? Or even cause the wind to fan the flames, perhaps diverting that green man?"

"Wait, can't the elementals fly at least one of us up in the air, to see the whole maze? From there, that person could either shout down directions for us to take, or if we want to be more quiet, they can follow the correct maze path in the air while we follow on the ground.

Or, given that guy in the bushes, the two flying elementals could just take us two at a time from here right to the end of the maze that opens up in front of the tower. We'd be split apart for a little bit, but as fast as the elementals can fly, maybe only...30 seconds?"

Shane looked to Jaelynne and said, "Is it possible the area has been enchanted to prevent someone from just flying over it? If not, we can try to fly over it with the elementals. We don't have time to mess with the hedges."

As far as we can see, is navigating the hedge maze the main way into the tower? Is this all within the fortress itself? And is this Asabrey already past this point, as far as we can tell? Also do we know anything about this Asabrey? Jae seemed to know about him, but I don't remember reading anything about it. Would Shane know anything more than what has been stated in the description of the guy and his magical abilities we've witnessed?

Turning to Jaelynn, Tarvak said "Jaelynn, you seem to know quite a bit...or at least, more than us about this Asrabey guy. Give us the short-version low-down on him, so we all know what we're up against, ok?"

Pssst, Shane - don't go giving the GM *ideas* about no-fly zones! ;)

Asabrey has presumably already passed this way- the constables can infer that the flames along the tops of the hedges are sign of his passage. If that's true, he's already inside the tower at the middle of the maze.

As far as the constables can tell, yes, the maze is the main way into the tower. However, as Asabrey has demonstrated, a more direct route is possible via the tops of the hedges. Or through the hedges. Though as Aziel pointed out, moving through or on top of the hedges will leave you vulnerable to the fey guardian. You'll be taking attacks from him, regardless, though, unless you somehow convince him you're not bad guys.

The information about Asabrey is in the spoilers in post 895. I think it's safe to assume Jaelynn has shared that information with the constables 'off-screen' by this point, so go ahead and look.

Shane calls the air elemental to him. "Unless I hear a better idea, I'm going to have Airy fly me over to the entrance to the tower and then I'll send him back for someone else. Maybe the earth elemental could get another of us past the hedge as well."

"Tch. Have your elementals grab the green man, and let us all walk the tops of the hedges to the tower while he is occupied," Aziel suggested. "It will get us all there sooner."

Okay, going with Shane's elemental ferrying people one by one unless I hear something different today.

I'm all for that, but aren't there two flying elementals?

Yes but the shadow can't carry anyone.

1d6 ⇒ 6
1d2 ⇒ 1
1d20 ⇒ 19
1d20 ⇒ 3

Shane's friendly air elemental took him up over the hedge and deposited him before the front door of the inner keep. Asabrey had clearly been here before him, possibly just a few seconds ahead, as the door had been blasted off its hinges and Shane could see the bodies of guards littering the floor inside.

The air elemental dutifully ferried the constables over the hedge maze, first Anthony, then Aziel, Jaelynn, and Ralf. Tarvak was standing alone, waiting for the elemental to return, when the fey guardian struck.

Uh oh.

Tarvak
Hedge Maze Entrance

The leaf-clad man emerged from the hedge, club raised to strike. "Ye made a mistake lettin' yer friends leave ye here alone, boyo!"

1d20 ⇒ 12
1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
1d20 ⇒ 17

The fey guardian smashed his club into Tarvak's chest and sent the tiefling flying. Tarvak flew 10 feet through the air before he hit the ground.

2 rounds until the air elemental returns.

No map; the area outside the hedge is open ground.

Tarvak has 7 hp damage.

Initiative
Ghillie Dhu
Tarvak

I'll give you that he could have surprised me coming out of the hedges, but are you still rolling Tarvak's initiative twice and taking the better?
Please let me know if I end up acting first next round!

Standing up : move action. Since Ghillie didn't declare he was following after me, no AoO.
Casting : Obscuring Mist, 20' radius centered on me.

Thinking furiously as he got up, Tarvak decided that darkness might not stop such a nature-creature as this, so instead he concentrated and caused a mist to rise up from the dew on the ground. "If only I can run away from him before he catches up to me again", he thought, rather calmly and analytically, to his own surprise.

... he thought, rather calmly and analytically...

Who are you and what have you done with Tarvak? :op

Nope, forgot about that.

Tarvak init 2: 1d20 ⇒ 3 No help there.

"That's wise, ye burglar. Thief in tha night. Assassin. Hide like tha skulkin' coward ye are, come ta kill a great woman, defenseless an' cowerin' in her bed. What a man ye are, with a great bleedin' army behind ya and a elf hero leadin' tha way." Tarvak could hear the fey moving around from south to north as he talked; but whatever the guardian's plan was, no attack came for now.

Tarvak's up. Ghillie Dhu is somewhere NW of Tarvak's position but T can't see GD.

Ah, but yes I can : Oracle Revelation = Water Sight (Su) - "You can see through fog and mist without penalty as long as there is enough light to allow you to see normally". And as a Tiefling I've got Darkvision. :)

Stealth: 1d20 ⇒ 13 +4(DEX) +4(Steal to Survive) = 21

Without responding to his taunts, Tarvak ever-so-quietly moved directly away from Ghillie.

He will take a double move (not running) to get as far away as he can while sneaking. If I leave the fog, that's fine, I'll continue to move. I believe I can also ready my bow and arrow (which were in-hand when he hit me) while moving?

Looked some stuff up. I'll be moving at half speed for no penalty, but double move, so that would be 30' max.
I already had total concealment (TC) visually, so if a Stealth roll is not needed, please just ignore it. But see Discussion, I may want to combine the TC and Stealth roll.
Regardless of how far I can actually move...

As Tarvak reached the edge of the fog, as far away from Ghillie as possible, he changed his mind and stopped there, still inside it. "Better to be able to avoid his blows here in the fog, since it looks like he really can't see me. What a lucky break!" he thought to himself, albeit somewhat grimly. "C'mon, elemental!"

Hope you'll allow this small change in plan - I made the previous post *right* after waking up, now I've had food and coffee. :)

One wonders if the elemental will be able to see you. :o) And/or if it, as an air elemental, will disperse your concealment. This could all come down to timing...

I had already thought of that, and on my next round I was going to say that I was listening for it. I think we established that it makes noise(?). And standing right at the edge of the fog, I can step out, look, and step back in as well.
P.S. Ralf - Tarvak's used to having to survive on the streets, so when things get dangerous, he's in his element. It's being part of a government team that scares him. :) That's why the personality change.

1d20 ⇒ 6
1d20 ⇒ 1

Tarvak, let me know which direction you moved.

Tarvak peered through the mist but couldn't see the fey anywhere. The tiefling's lack of response had apparently made the guardian shut his own mouth. Seconds passed in tense silence as Tarvak waited for the air elemental to return.

I had moved directly away from wherever I last saw Ghillie, up to the edge of the mist (but still inside it).
Just verifying : I can see clearly thru the mist (Oracle), and darkness is no problem (Tiefling), and I can't see Ghillie at all within my range of sight?
If so...

Tarvak, worried that he couldn't see Ghillie anywhere, stood still and tried to spot any swirling in the mist that would indicate an invisible creature was moving thru it :

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 3 + 2(WIS) + 4(Living on the Streets) = 9

But couldn't see any tells.

I rolled Tarvak's Perception and he got a 1- he's lucky he can find his feet right now.

While Tarvak was trying to spot the fey guardian he heard the noise of the air elemental's swirling winds getting closer.

1d20 ⇒ 18
1d20 ⇒ 16
1d20 ⇒ 3
1d20 ⇒ 16

The constable, quiet as a mouse, finally caught sight of the hedge guard. The dark haired fey was creeping along the southern edge of the mist, peering into the mists in an effort to find his prey. The fey warden was close enough to touch!

Air elemental will arrive at the end of this round. Tarvak is at the southern edge of the Obscuring Mist. GD is in an adjacent square, moving west to east and seemingly unaware of Tarvak's location.

Steath: 1d20 ⇒ 19 +4(DEX) +4(Steal to Survive) = 27
Add whatever bonus and use that how you will.

Tarvak stifled an exclamation when he finally saw Ghillie, so close he could touch him! Taking extra care, he moved NW.

Double-move at half speed, so 6 squares. This will be tough without a map, but : my first square will be directly away from Ghillie while staying in the fog (whatever direction that is). My next couple of squares will then be N, staying in the fog. The next couple will be NW, with the last couple due W ("couple" can mean 1 or 2 squares in all cases, as appropriate).
The intent is to move in an N&W arc away from Ghillie while staying in the fog, yet ending with my last square just outside the fog. If I'm at "6 o'clock" just inside the fog, I'm guessing I should end up around 8 o'clock just outside it, so the air elemental can see me.

The air elemental returned mere seconds after Tarvak stealthily emerged from the fog. In the span of a few second the constable went from a tense game of cat and mouse to soaring high over the hedge maze, deposited next to the rest of his team.

Party's back together. How do you approach the tower? There's a bunch of dead guys visible and the door has been blown off its hinges.

Well, that was tense. Especially since the rest of us had no idea it was going on. Er... according to the map, we're still outside the maze...

Tense, indeed! And fun too, now that he got out alive! :)

Tarvak arrived, obviously much more badly battered and bruised than he had been the last time his comrades had seen him, merely seconds ago.
"Can anyone give me some healing before we continue? I had a brief run-in with that...guy...in the bushes."

Down 7 HP.

I'll get the map updated asap, but all the constables are now at the entrance to the tower.

Ralf harumphs, then places a hand on Tarvak's shoulder.

Transfer Wounds: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3 Tarvak regains 3 HP, Ralf takes 1 NL.

"Is better?"

OH... GM, how many hours has it been since our skirmish over the sea gate controls?

"Yes, thanks! But...not knowing what we're going to be up against up there, could you possibly do it again?"

He's still down basically 1/4 of his HP...

About 4 hours now.

Jaelynn Looked over Tarvak, raised an eyebrow, but then nodded.

"I doubt that, whatever we find in there, we'll be able to do much about it if a fight is required."

While waiting for Tarvak to show up, Jae would have looked about for signs of more blood from Mr. Act of the Gods... Active Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12. If we do ferry up, she'll leave the Shadow to guard those who come last

The vitalist grunted again. "Is greedy, this new guy," he remarked to no one in particular as he pulled out a wand and poked Tarvak with it.

Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Ignoring Ralf's comment, Tarvak said "Thanks! So, what's next?"

There were a half dozen dead soldiers scattered near the door that had been blasted off its hinges, their bodies slashed and charred with something that both cut and burned. They weren't in the uniforms of common soldiers, rather in more elaborate armor and with heavier and better quality weaponry than the soldiers outside wore- probably the Duchess's personal guard.

There was blood on the floor- and walls, and ceiling, and door- but Jaelynn couldn't tell if it was from the guards or from Asabrey.

Shane looked at the wake of death and destruction and gulped, but then waved for the others to follow him as he stealthily followed the trail to find the duchess.

Ralf shook his head sadly over the unnecessary loss of life, then followed quietly along.

Suppressing the queasiness in his stomach, and hoping the same fate wasn't in his near future, Tarvak said "Wait! While following this guy might be easier, since he's already taken out the guards, why not fly up to the top and work our way down? We might get to the Duchess first *that* way, but he'll get to her first for sure if we just follow him."

Ralf grunted in surprise. "Is actually not bad idea."

-Posted with Wayfinder

Shane nodded at Tarvak's suggestion, although he worried about getting in the way of someone who seemed to be more a force of nature than a normal mortal. "I'll check it out and send Airy back for someone else. Earthy can bring someone up the wall. Let's arrive together. Who's with me?"

Anybody with Shane?