DM Delmoth's Planescape

Game Master Delmoth

The aasimar's eyes go wide, "I... I should leave town then. Um... thanks for letting me know!" With that Kair-aama leaves without answering any more questions.

After Kair-aama leaves, Nik turns to the others. "Did you guys meet that deader before he started counting worms?"

Jek gives Conor a concerned look. "He's not bait... oh... well huh... I guess he is. That's not good. Let's keep an eye on him until he's out of town."

Nik shrugs, goes back around the corner, orders his shamblers to follow along again, and returns with them.
"Mind giving the slow one a ride while we 'help'? I'll come too, but I still say that a job can't possibly be all that helpful if no one wants to pay for it. Just sayin'. For the record."

Nik might be in the wrong faction, perhaps Conor wants to do some recruiting.

"We're set on there being a tanar'i right? And if I followed you guys believe it to be the "fake Renik" So why don't we ask around to find this "fake Renik" before he does more stabbies to folks in town.

"See, now that's an idea. Remember the reward for finding the murderer? I'm sure the rube that looks like my long lost cousin will be fine." Nik suddenly looks hopeful for once.

"'Fake Renik' went out of his way to lure Kair-aama all the way from Sigil. Do you think he'll give up or go after him right now before he can get away?"

"Well if we can find Fake Renik first, Kair-aama should definitely be okay. But if I was a demon I'd probably be changing my face all the time."

Nik nods, following along.
"Good point. Those two things are probably the same thing. Lead on, good Bariaur."

Not sure if you're following him or asking around town. Survival to track him. Perception to look around town. Gather information to asking around for Renik or Kair-aama.

As the group moves out, Conor sidles up next to Nik and asks in a low voice.

"You are properly motivated by coin, perhaps you are wasted in your faction. The Fated seem a better fit for you. Once you get your army of shamblers created a man like you would be in high demand. Bodyguards and enforcers who lack free will, perfectly following orders. Imagine the riches, and materials one like you could gather with proper backing... And funding.

Something to think on."

That said, Conor lapses into silence and follows the group, having some issues keeping up with the groups leaps in logic and deduction, but content to follow until it was time to hack something, perhaps a Fiend, to bits.

Rinika will attempt to gather some information.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

Does Jek get other cool things besides horns? Like Scent? :D
Also, if I onderstood Jek correctly, he'll want to either use Survival or Perception, so Nik will do a not-talky kind of following too...

Nik nods at Conor's offer, then goes with Jek while keeping a peery eye out for his long lost cousin.
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Oh hey, it just occurred to me, Nik wouldn't mind being "live bait" either. Can Prestidigtation color Nik's eyes green without blinding him? :3
If necessary, Nik will try it out and now has at least one green eye right now (and therefore knows whether or not he'd blind himself) xD

Did he get here on the same branch we did?

Jek walks towards the homeward branch side of town, stands on his hind legs, and sees if he can spot Kair-aama.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

The effect would be obviously magical and wouldn't work for a disguise. You'd need a stronger spell like disguise self.

Just some dice: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Nik and Jek manage to catch a glimps of the aasimar as he enters an small one room house near a set of storage units. As usual he spouts a string of numbers before turning the knob.

While Jek and Nik keep taps on their new friend Rinika tracks down a possible lead. A crotchety old basher, who sells climbing tools, tells her "Yeah, I know the berk, Renik, ah ... somethin'erother-son. I just seen 'im yesterday. Over by the constable's High Point, there. He'd said last week that we'd git together'n wigwag 'bout his bringing me some goods ta make ma tools. That's what I do, ya know. Wal, when I seen Renik yesterday, I gave 'im what for, 'cause he never showed. But when I said that, the piker jes' ignored me like I was barmy or somethin'. I'm again folks breakin' their words - ya won't catch me doing business with that stag-turner."

Rinika thanks the gentleman and heads back to the group. "Yeah, definitely not Renik. He isn't remembering anything about Renik, according to a salesman out there "

fair point. Wouldn't want a cantrip to steal a 1st level spell's thunder, even for such a small thing

"Well, looks like we saw my long lost brother, at least." Nik explains to anyone who hasn't noticed yet.
"Think he might get murdered in that tiny house?" Nik asks, wondering if they should get close enough to intervene (to increase their chances of catching the murderer).

I love that Kair-aama believes in literal safety in numbers but not figurative.

"That depends. If you're forced to stab yourself several times in a box, does that count as being murdered or committing suicide? We need to see in there."

Rinika suddenly gets really grim and says with absolute certainty. "It's murder. Let's get this **** before he sticks anyone else in a box."

The party approaches the small home. You hear the soft sound of somebody frantically placing items into a back pack. Looking through a window you see Kair-aama preparing for a trip, he's alone.

Rinika scopes out the area around the house, does it look like anyone else is eyeing it or generally loitering?

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

NOPE ALL CLEAR HERE GUYS

Cr'gir will look around also for traces of other people/things around the little shack.

Not sure if survival or perception, its the same modifier either way though

Looky roll: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

While others look around the tiny abode for signs of an invader, Nik starts plotting.
"In case the killer doesn't show for the flight of the real Kair-aama, I think we should start planning on what kind of murderer bait we should use."
Then he wonders aloud "Think me lying on Jek's back with my eyes closed would fool anyone? Should we buy a stretcher or something? Maybe I could borrow some stuff to make a disguise?"

"Could we get a scroll of disguise self? Or is that one of those spells you pretend doesn't exist?"

Cr'gir catches a glimpse of a creature unlike any you've seen before. A ghostly apparition is at least somewhat noncorporeal, with a wispy, translucent body that seems to have no constant form. The only thing solid about the creature is its head, which, while somehow giving the impression of festering decay, is almost entirely concealed by a garish mask. The jester-like visage portrays a sinister leer that shows no joviality, a mockery of the countenance it flaunts. It floats out to a branch of Yggdrasil that you have yet to explore.

"Guys there is a ghost thing over here, someone come with so we can investigate"

Cue Scooby Doo music as we search for clues while chasing a g-g-g-ghooooooooooooooooooooooooooost :P

"Ooh fun!"

Rinika draws the shadows around her and scampers off to try to sneak up on the ghostly creature.

stealth: 1d20 + 12 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 12 + 4 = 18

Funny, I was just thinking about Scooby-Doo and this campaign earlier this week when I was looking through magic items for another game and found this, which seems like it would be a great fit for Rinika both in form and function.

Nik shrugs. "Ghost hanging around not-Renik's friend. Might be the murderer."

I wonder if I can control it...

Nik loads his crossbow with a regular bolt before following after Rinika towards the unexplored branch.

Oh, and I forgot to refresh my spells after our day-long stake-out...
tada:

@everyone: I also forgot to heal my level number of HPz from resting. If anyone else forgot, maybe now is the time to remember? :3
39->full hp
Also, Command Undead-> Repair Undead for Zombington the third to heal him during the stakeout xD

And cue the music.

Is everyone on the stealth train following it? If so I'll need some stealth dice. I'll even give you an aid another from Rinika showing you how its done.

even though I'm pretty sure we want to let our burglar cat go ahead a ways...
Stealth: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Also, I'm pretty sure both the shamblers need to stick with Jek to avoid getting lost, so that's what they'll do.
In case that makes sense to have a roll too...
Skellington the 5th Stealth?: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Zombington the 3rd Stealth?: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (8) + 0 = 8

Jek follows from as far back as he can letting Rinika (and anyone else who's scouting) lead the way.

The ghost showed up at just the right time to get us away from Kair-aama... but I need to stay with the group in case there's a fight... Every few steps Jek looks back to the town to see if anyone's approaching Kair-aama's building.

While Kair-aama's house is in view Jek doesn't see anyone approach.

The path you travel following the strange shade is winding and queer. Despite the noisy Conor and Jek you have no trouble keeping up with it and keeping out of its sight, Rinika significantly closer than the rest. After an hour of seemingly random wandering the masked figure turns down a blackened and gnarled branch. It is devoid of leaves or buds. Devouring the end of the branch is one of Yggdrasil's shimmering portals.

Conor manages to remember not to whistle a marching song as they clomp along behind sneaking Rinika, following the ghost.

Ghost faced killer? Oh, no those were 3.5 Ed. Always wanted to play that class if nothing else for it's cool name

Nik runs his fingers through his hair.
"Another portal..."

do we go in? I guess the ghost-looking thing went in probably, huh?

It is headed towards it yes. Thought I'd give you a chance to do something before it goes through.

can Nik get within 40' of it? Nik has a nice Command Undead handy >:3
Also, it's undead, right? I forgot to roll knowledge:
Knowledge(Religion) + Necropolitan: 1d20 + 14 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 14 + 3 = 19, I like having a minimum roll of 18, but I don't like rolling so near to it...
As they approach to intercept, Nik tries to figure out what the heck they're even following.

Nik has no idea what it is. But he thinks it might be undead, he's not 100% sure. Give me a SR if you're going to try command undead.

Kn Planes: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

Rinika gets as close as she can and tries to delay the creature before it gets to the portal.

She pulls her hood down low with her cloak around her, forces her dead spot into her paw, then drops to her knees with the rotting and emaciated paw extended and calls out in a hoarse voice, "Brother! This realm, it is nothing but pain! Where does that portal go?"

Bluff: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21

While Rinika tries to get the creature's attention, Nik tries to get between the floating thing and the portal.

I'll just cast if it keeps going to the portal, but if it stops and talks, maybe I'll wait a moment ^^

"Brother! This realm, it is nothing but pain! Where does that portal go?"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Jek looks over to Conor and Cr'gir "Oh, heh. I suppose I've known Rinika longer than anyone else in the group... That's odd.... Anyway, what she said takes a bit of explanation, and I sure wish I knew what that is."

The apparition pays no attention to Rinika’s words and continues towards the portal. As the party tries to close the gap the branch stretches and twists in front of them. The distance between the party and the portal grows to over 100 ft. It disappears before you can catch it.

lol, oops. I REGRET NOTHING

"Ugh. I shouldn't have hesitated."
Nik shakes his head.

Rinika stands up straight and lets her cloak and spot fall back where they will. "B#!%!+*S."

Turning to the group, she motions them forward with a wave and a frown. "Come on, let's not let him get away."

She hustles towards the portal.

Wow, I didn't expect that one to be censored.

Nik nods, trying to follow Rinika through the new growth of branch to the portal that seems to have zipped too far away to reach.

Conor grunts and replys to Jek "Nothing has come close to making sense after I joined you lot. Guess the only way forward is through, though I sure hope there's a payday of some kind at the end of this."

With that he follows the group through, pushing forward to get ahead of Nik, in case there's something awful on the other end.

Spurned forward in a rush reality shifts suddenly again and the gap shortens to a length easily and quickly traversed. The party plunges into the unknown without much time for consideration.

You pass through the shimmering disk of color and you're struck by the dry head of an endless desert. The sky above is charcoal, streaked with dusky red. Sand dunes surround the shriveled branch as it tapers to the size of a long and then a twig. An ebony river snakes its way through the darkness just at the edge of your vision. Dim light

In the distance unavoidable from your sight looms a black pyramid that reaches the highest point in the sky. Even if you turn your back its shadow is clearly visible, never letting you avoid it completely.

Before you can look around any longer, figures leap out of the night at you, singing a song that reminds you of death. They are a trio of tall swarthy men, well-muscled wearing black and gold garments and wielding broadswords.

Initiative
Conor: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Cr’gir: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Jek: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Nik and friends: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Rinika: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Minions of Set: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Round 1
Conor <-----------
Rinika <-----------
Cr’gir <-----------
Nik and friends <-----------
Jek <-----------
Minions of Set

knowledge(planes?) -necropoliton: 1d20 + 16 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 16 - 2 = 23 net +3 more if they're actually undead and I need knowledge religion...

"Uh, any of you speak common?" Nik asks, looking around.

note to self: get a permanent Tongues cast upon myself someday...