Violet says, “I believe Tiff can help with the ritual so the stairs don’t zap me this time.”
When the time is right, Violet will gladly guide Tiff—or let her lead the ritual if she can. Violet points out some dog-eared pages…
Piotr stands next to Winter as she confronts their rummager. "We're looking for someone." he tells Blossom, in answer to why they are going back.
”Why go back to sleep land? Look I want to get off of this cabin thing too… but we just come right back when we wake up. I think we can come up with a better plan to escape.”
Tiff furrows her brow, "If someone or something is keeping you prisoner here, I will give them a piece of my mind. You can leave, so long as you can swim, you can reach the shore and go wherever you want. BUT, you're very helpful Blossum and I would ask that you assist me in studying the Dreamlands. Which incidentally coincide with the rest of your goals of searching for someone? Who? If you don't mind my asking."
“I believe Tiff can help with the ritual so the stairs don’t zap me this time.”
When the time is right, Violet will gladly guide Tiff—or let her lead the ritual if she can. Violet points out some dog-eared pages…
Tiff begins to glance through the ritual in front of her, Oh! Hmm... That's strange... Uhh? This will take some time for me to get the hang of, you're quite the capable ritualist Violet."
At Piotr’s response the leshy inquired, ”Who you all be looking for? Maybe I know them.”
As Tiff said she needed Blossom’s assistance Blossom felt a surge of happiness and thought, Just like I used to help the witch. Aloud she affirmed,”Sure, I’d love to be your helper.”
Violet blushes as she replies to Tiff. “Oh, I’m okay… I mean I’m not a real wizard, just a humble fai—“
“She is brilliant!” Rose interrupts. “Ma petite amie is a sage advisor—a giver of… sage advice! I am at a loss for words that truly express the wonder that is Violet Femme.”
Violet pats Rose’s shoulder which seems to quiet her down.
“I’ll lead the ritual when everyone’s ready. I know with you involved, Tiff, it’ll go even more smoothly than the first time.”
She then flutters close to Blossom. “Oh, you got yourself a new big person! You two will be amazing together!”
Blossom turned to the fluttering Fairy and whispered, I know, I’m so excited! I just have to keep this one away liches and everything should be okay.”
Violet giggles. “You’ll be fine. She’s crazy like my Rose. Y’know—fun crazy, not witches-and-liches crazy.”
Rose clearly hears Violet’s whisper and is obviously not offended. She is amused, but subtle about it.
She turns to Tiff, “Now that you are apparently the proud possession of a fruit-bearing floral person, I think we can move forward with our venture into the land of the dream. The bathroom and dining room can be easily avoided. What of the bedroom?” Rose wills her outfit to liquify and become a floral-print nightgown with fuzzy slippers. “Is it our intention to rest before performing the ritual?”
”Reeessst,” the leshy proposed mid yawn.
Ann sighs, anxious to find answers so she doesn't have to live in her brother's head anymore but out loud she says "Rest would be good."
Theophania sat down with Blossum before they rested, "Ok, now tell me. When you cast the spell that toughened up Garrosh's skin what were the words? And how did you hold your hand? And you used some kind of focus right?" After going over the particulars in painstaking details for just over two hours she asked Blossum to put it all together and cast the spell, but to focus the spell's energy on the piece of paper where Tiff had been making her notes.
"Now tell me what other spells you can cast." She begins to interview Rose after she is done with Blossum.
The next day Tiff wakes up late and bleary eyed. She's better after breakfast, hopefully with coffee. She casts her morning spells, mage armor and ant haul.
1st: Enlarge Person,
2nd: Bull’s Strength, Cat’s Grace, Mirror Image, Glitterdust, Blood Transcription
3rd: Monstrous Physique I, Dispel Magic, Spiked Pit, Haste
4th: Beast Shape II, Summon Monster IV, Summon Monster IV
At Piotr’s response the leshy inquired, ”Who you all be looking for? Maybe I know them.”
”Thank you for asking, but I doubt it” - Garrosh shook his head - ”Truth be told we do not know that much about him, just bits and pieces. The name is Count Lowls, if it makes a difference”
Tiff tries to recall anything she might know about the count.
Blossom fidgets through Tiff’s interview trying her best to cooperate. When provided with the name of the person they were looking for she shrugged, ”Never heard of him.”
In a poof of pollen, the garden will disappear, and Rose will be clad in her usual red dress and hat!
Violet realizes that the Dreamlands Ritual only works at night, and by the time the party finishes their rest, it is day to find Kilarra grumbling at the party that Dreamlands a total waste of time and she will not be venturing forth again.
The day passes uneventfully and during the night, Violet attempts the Ritual again.
As Violet touches the staircase, it shrinks in her hands. Violet begins the ritual...
"We, The Seekers, are bound by a common purpose - the thirst for knowledge."
She then passes the miniature ivory and horn staircase to Winter, and the staircase suddenly grows bigger and Winter runs her fingers down the 70 steps.
"We have gathered this very night in order to open the gate to the Dreamlands."
Winter passes the miniature ivory and horn staircase to Garrosh,who grabs the staircase in his palm.
"For beyond lies the knowledge we seek."
Garrosh passes the ivory and horn staircase to Rose, who takes the staircase. The cabin lights grow dim.
"Let the portal open between this world and the Dreamlands."
Rose drops the stairs case in the center of the ring made by the party, as a flash of yellow lightning emits from the staircase, striking Violet.
The staircase sinks into the ship deck, expanding to the size of a normal staircase and leads downwards into darkness...
Garrosh and Tiff attempt to guide Violet through the ritual and it is a good thing too, as Violet nearly botches the ritual which would result in the summoning of an otherworldly entity instead.
Rose gasps and rushes to Violet, cradling the smoldering fairy like a broken doll.
“I’ll be okay, Rose. I’ll give myself a couple whacks with the wand when I get into the dreamland.”
Or is there a consequence for leaving my body weak?
Having helped complete the ritual to open the trans-dimensional aperture to the Dreamlands Tiff can barely contain herself and descended downwards knowing full well that she was falling asleep in the real world, "Let's goooo!"
She handed her wand of cure light wounds to one of the other casters to heal her from the strain of the ritual.
Once she was at the Caravanserai she began preparations: Heightened awareness on herself, bull's strength on Piotr (16 min duration), cat's grace on Garrosh (8 min duration), mirror image on herself (7 min), protection from evil on herself (1 min), long arm on herself (1 min), monstrous physique I into a selkie (8 min), and tapped herself with her shield wand. Finally she handed the barkskin scroll to Blossum to cast on her.
Once preparations were complete Tiff's form shifted into that a of a sleek seal-like humanoid. Her head blends seal and human features with large eyes and a mouth full of curved teeth. Her body grows short fur still her natural color. And her hands become webbed but now end in short pointed claws.
1st: Enlarge Person,
2nd:
3rd:
4th: Beast Shape II, Summon Monster IV, Summon Monster IV
Tiff thought for a minute, "I don't know how useful it would be but I can make someone twice their size. Some tight hallways in there so it might be hard to maneuver."
”Just stand still, I’m gonna work my magic on ya,” Blossom warned as she began casting.
As Blossum prepares she hands her shield wand to anyone who can use it.
.
Since everyone is getting encased in magic, Piotr goes over to his sister and wills some protection into her as well. "Seems like we might have a better shot at killing that thing now?" he asks anyone, though part of him would just rather skip it if possible.
The party finds themselves falling through cold darkness..while in a circle holding hand in hand. They see a speck of light in front of them. Moving towards it, the party finds themselves standing in a vast and featureless desert under a blistering sun.
The heat shimmers in the distance, creating an air of unsettling illusion when looking towards the horizon. The only structure in sight is a partially ruined limestone caravanserai. The place looks like it has been abandoned for years.
"Do we want to kill that thing or do we want do we want to avoid it?"Winter asks the party. "I know a prayer which will grant protection from being grabbed and also I can create a magic circle against evil around myself since we'll all be up close."
Rose replies, ”I have no desire for vengeance. If we do decide it is a menace, and must be stopped, I might suggest increasing our reach as much as possible. I have magic that extends the arms, coupled with doubling one’s size, it may help.”
Tiff flops, her legs now fused together into seal flippers, to Rose and makes her the biggest she can be. "Don't get stuck in the hallway, please?"
Tiff flopped over near the room to where they were rudely ambushed, but lets Rose (or someone else) enter first.
1st:
2nd:
3rd:
4th: Beast Shape II, Summon Monster IV, Summon Monster IV
Rose casts on herself
• Greater Magic Fang
• Long Arm
And she accepts:
• Freedom of Movement
• Heroism
• Enlarge
Ann looks at all the people brimming with magical energy. "If we ever have a shot at it, it might as well be now. It might be digesting the Count's bones inside it along with a nicely sealed tome about why all this is happening."
Piotr looks doubtful. Ann tries another approach "You can wish me into being even more ghostly and I can distract it?" Piotr winces at the reminder of his sister's current issues, but nods.
“Clever girl… I like how you think, Ann!”
Winter casts freedom of movement on Rose and magic circle against evil on herself as the party goes in to confront the formless spawn again.
Decorative tiles with irregular geometric shapes cover the walls of this room, distorting perspective and obscuring the room’s size. Three deep baths are separated by narrow walkways and hanging curtains of tattered fabric. Two of them are empty while the middle tub is filled with a thick, black viscous liquid.
Blossom chants one last spell on herself causing long vines to sprout from her body and she cautiously moved toward the door..
Ann goes forth and the formless spawn attacks her, to pass through her incorporeal form harmlessly.
Blossom darts into the room hoping the malevolent puddle ignores her. She stops, sticks out her leafy tongue in defiance, and wiggles her fingers, ”I curse you.”
Misfortune (SU) cause a creature within 30 feet to roll twice and take the worst result for 1 round on all ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. A successful Will saving throw negates this hex. Whether or not the save is successful, the creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 24 hours.
The puddle takes a bite out of Blossom.
It seems a little befuddled by Blossom, though.
Ann yells at the puddle in hopes to keep it focused on her, running through it.
Piotr's worry lines are very prominate, but rushes forward to stab the creature now that it is attacking others.
Piotr will do saving shield and body guard for whoever is attacked next to him.
Rose moves in liquid form.
She positions herself where she cannot be seen, and will rip the curtain down…
Violet sneaks past, using curtains, flight, tininess and magically enhanced speed.
She uses her innate magic to heal Blossom.
Tiff begins chanting, "Unh tss, unh tss, unh tss, boots and cats, and boots and cats, and boots and cats."
Garrosh takes a careful step to the side, evaluating the creature once again, and letting loose a single shot.
----------
Effects: Heroism, Shield, Magic Circle against Evil, Divine Favor, Barkskin, Cat's Grace, Studied Foe[/ooc]
Effects: Heroism, Shield, Magic Circle against Evil, Divine Favor, Barkskin, Cat's Grace, Studied Foe[/ooc]
As Piotr moves in, he gets bitten by the formless spawn.
As Rose tries to press herself against the wall, the formless spawn seems to sense her and tries to bite her as well, but seems hesitant at the last moment and misses.
As Violet tries to sneak in, the formless spawn somehow seems aware of her presence and tries to bite her, but the agile fairy ducks out of the way.
As Garrosh draws his bow, the creature attempts to bite him as well, but is deflected by a grey shield.
Garrosh's arrow strikes true, but then the arrow just bounces harmlessly off it's exterior.
Winter channels to heal the party.
The formless spawn, seemingly aware that Blossom did something to it, attacks her.
It's attempt to grab Blossom is clumsy though.
Winter continues to channel to heal.
Tiff finishes her chant ...leather bee beef!”
Two points of light spring into existence radiating a warm calming aura. Augmented Lantern Archons
Tiff congratulates Blossum, ”Keep it busy for 1 more second!”
The Archon’s get to work starting the rave, radiating out an aura of menace.
Tiff then tells Blossum, ”Now be liberated!” Liberating Command
Tiff begins chanting again, "Unh tss, unh tss, unh tss, boots and cats, and boots and cats, and boots and cats."
Start casting summon monster IV
1st:
2nd:
3rd:
4th: Beast Shape II,
With the plethora of magic on him, one would think he could hurt this thing. But unfortunately, luck and skill are not on his side.
Blossom’s knees buckle and she swooned from the tentacled onslaught. She takes hart knowing that this is only a dream and chanted, ”Tentacled puddles are the worst I say these words to maintain my curse.” Her vine like appendages shoot forward trying to strike the beast.
No save. 3 points of strength damage.