GM Kate's Extinction Curse [closed]

Game Master Kate Baker

Move my fig, but I assume that's where I was for the "surprise round," since that would give me an angle to shoot. If I still needed to move, just ignore the last Strike, not that it hit anyway.

Rova continues to fire at the yellow oddity. "They're harder to hit than I expected," she admits as the others stand back.

+1 Shortbow (deadly d10, magical, 60 foot range, reload 0): 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 10 + 1 = 18
Hunter's edge (precision/piercing damage): 1d6 + 1d8 ⇒ (5) + (3) = 8

Shortbow (iterative): 1d20 + 10 - 5 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 10 - 5 + 1 = 9
Piercing damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Shortbow (iterative): 1d20 + 10 - 10 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 10 - 10 + 1 = 2
Piercing damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Round 1

Action 1: Strike.
Action 2: Strike.
Action 3: Parry.

Mukluk was somehow expecting a bit more from Rova when she suggested her plan, noting the only plunked arrow and several wobbly shots that plopped like Moose's turds. Can't believe we talked all through for 7 measly damage. :)

Resisting the urge to glare at Rova, Mukluk lunges out at yellow twice, then prepares to take them out as they climb.

Melee:
ColdyVonPierceFace: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15 to hit;
P: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 cold iron damage

Melee:
The Poker: 1d20 + 12 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 12 - 4 = 24 to hit;
P: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8  damage

Mukluk moves in and strikes downward, hitting once. Rova sends down more arrows, but misses entirely. Niksi gets Brother set for the oncoming fleshwarps and inspires everyone's defense.

Rova's positioning is fine for the previous round, but as you guessed, the third shot didn't hit anyway. Brother can Take Cover behind the ledge.

Initiative
Mukluk
Rova
Niksi
Prism
Red
Yellow, -23 hp
Blue

Prism is up!

Prism stays well enough back and tosses a small ball of magical flames at the injured once human grothlut. "Don'tmake...themsuffer."

Produce Flame: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 4) + 3 = 8

◆ Stride
◆◆ Produce Flame (Yellow)

On double-checking, the pit is fifteen feet down, so I don't think Mukluk can hit them even with lunge. I won't retcon, but we'll roll with that moving forward.

Prism fries Yellow with a ball of fire.

The three grothluts start wailing piteously!

At the start of your turn, you must succeed at a DC 17 Will saving throw or become sickened 1 (sickened 2 on a critical failure). Everyone is within the aura of this. It is an aura, auditory, emotion, mental, and occult effect.

Red barfs a bunch of nastiness at Brother.

digestive spew: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Ewwwww: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5 acid plus 1d6 ⇒ 3 acid splash

Crit fail, no splash

It then moves over to the broken ramp and tries to climb.

Athletics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25

It succeeds!

Yellow barfs at Rova.

digestive spew: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Ewwwww: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 3) = 8 acid plus 1d6 ⇒ 6 acid splash

Fail but not a crit fail, Rova and Mukluk take splash

It crawls over to the ramp.

Blue moves to the ramp and tries to climb.

Athletics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22
Athletics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

It succeeds on the second try.

Initiative
Mukluk, -6 hp
Rova, -6 hp
Niksi
Prism
Red
Yellow, -31 hp
Blue

Everybody up!

Rova hisses as the disgusting bile burns her, and fires two more arrows at the yellow grosslut -- the first one slamming directly into its gross head -- before retreating to get a better position as they move up the ramp.

+1 Shortbow (deadly d10, magical, 60 foot range, reload 0): 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 10 + 1 = 31
Hunter's edge (precision/piercing damage): 1d6 + 1d8 ⇒ (5) + (3) = 8 plus: 1d10 ⇒ 7 23 total

Shortbow (iterative): 1d20 + 10 - 5 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 10 - 5 + 1 = 9
Piercing damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Action 1: Strike
Action 2: Strike (or Hunt Prey vs. Red if the first shot killed yellow)
Action 3: Stride

Oops! Sorry!

Round 2

Action 2: Ready Lunge Strike.
Action 2:
Action 3: Parry.

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16 Fort

Mukluk readies to lunge out at a climbing foe. He makes the same face he does as when Moose farts near him. The sound is awful.

Melee:
ColdyVonPierceFace: 1d20 + 13 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 13 - 1 = 22 to hit;
P: 1d6 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 - 1 = 9 cold iron damage

Will Save DC 17: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Prism continues to move about the room, tossing what little flames she can at the creatures before they can get completely out of the pit.

Produce Flame: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
Damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 2) + 3 = 6

◆ Stride
◆◆ Produce Flame (Blue)

@All don't forget Niksi's song applies to saves too!

Will Save (inspire defense): 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 1 = 10
Hero pointing that
Will Save(inspire defense): 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 8 + 1 = 19

Niksi nerely doubles over at the horrible sound of the creatures' wail. But then she turns her musician's ear to it, and she begins to think of the music of it, how that disquiet could be utilized. In a less threatning manner, of course.

Brother Will Save (inspire defense): 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 10 + 1 = 17

Thanks to her song keeping her focused, she is able to keep The Brother tangible. She shoves him forward with a flick of her puppeteering wrist and has him swipe at the monster at the fore.

Attack with Illusory Creature: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

She switches up her song to something atypical, not wanting to let herself get predictable. This song she remembers from a folk horror story that she particularly enjoyed.

Stride, sustain the spell, inspire defense

Belated Will save: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23 No effect!

@All don't forget Niksi's song applies to saves too!

Thanks for the reminder. No, it’s not something I have experience with so it’s good to have it pointed out. Thanks. Hard to remember what my yahoo can do let alone everyone elses.

Mukluk might not be sickened, able to hold his nose just in time.

Mukluk prepares to strike a grothlut as they get closer.

Rova has a better shot with the grothluts climbing out, and she takes advantage of it, perfectly placing an arrow that drops one of the grothluts!

It explodes! Luckily, everyone is out of range.

Niksi moves Brother into position, while keeping everyone's defenses inspired!

Prism sends a ball of fire sailing toward Blue.

The Blue one strikes at Brother.

claw: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20
ouch!: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9 slashing

I think that misses.

claw: 1d20 + 11 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 11 - 4 = 25
ouch!: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16 slashing

That one hits!

Brother poofs, and the creature retches at Mukluk!

digestive spew: 1d20 + 7 - 10 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 7 - 10 - 2 = 7
Ewwwwwwwwww: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2 acid plus 1d6 ⇒ 1 acid splash

But the nasty spew just sprays across the ground.

Red oozes over to Prism.

claw: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17
ouch!: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15 slashing

claw: 1d20 + 11 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 11 - 4 = 27
ouch!: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18 slashing

Landing a nasty attack with its second claw strike!

Initiative
Mukluk, -6 hp
Rova, -6 hp
Niksi
Prism, -36 hp
Red, -6 hp
Blue

"Prism, are you OK?" Rova calls as she fires at the nearest creature then steps close to her gnome friend to help bandage her wounds. I'm assuming I hunted it last round.

Action 1: Strike
Action 2: Stride
Action 3: Battle Medicine

+1 Shortbow (deadly d10, magical, 60 foot range, reload 0): 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 10 + 1 = 23
Hunter's edge (precision/piercing damage): 1d6 + 1d8 ⇒ (2) + (6) = 8

Medicine (trained, inc. +1 item bonus): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19
HP healed: 2d8 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9

Round 4

Action 2: Stride.
Action 2: Strike.
Action 3: Strike.

”Hey you! Get away from that rainbow! You shouldn’t hurt the confusing thing!” Mukluk lunges out at red.

Melee:
ColdyVonPierceFace: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15 to hit;
P: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 cold iron damage

Melee:
The Poker: 1d20 + 12 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 12 - 4 = 28 to hit;
P: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 damage

If crit: 2d8 + 8 + 1d8 ⇒ (7, 4) + 8 + (4) = 23 cold iron piercing damage.

With The Brother gone, Niksi turns her attention towards stiching up Prism's wounds. She mimes the movements as she weaves her occult energies into strands, closing the injuries up as best she can.

Soothe on Prism: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

She continues her folk singing all the while.

Two actions to cast Soothe on Prism, one to inspire defense

Prism takes a heck of a hit that makes her dizzy. She stumbles away behind Rova while tossing balls of fire behind her as she tries to stay far away from these creatures.

Produce Flame: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 3) + 3 = 8

◆ Stride
◆◆ Produce Flame (Blue)

Mukluk deals a powerful blow to Red.

Rova fires an arrow at it and then bandages up Prism.

Niksi heals Prism some more and keeps the defenses inspired.

Prism runs cover, tossing a ball of fire along the way that goes awry.

Red moves over to Mukluk, which provokes!

ColdyVonPierceFace: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18 to hit;
P: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7 cold iron damage

It then just flails widly at Mukluk.

claw: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12
ouch!: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 slashing

claw: 1d20 + 11 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 11 - 4 = 12
ouch!: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11 slashing

The other one moves in on Mukluk.

claw: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26
ouch!: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 slashing

claw: 1d20 + 11 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 11 - 4 = 25
ouch!: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15 slashing

This one has much more luck.

Initiative
Mukluk, -34 hp
Rova, -6 hp
Niksi
Prism, -16 hp
Red, -37 hp
Blue

Rova fires two more arrows at the injured grosslut, again slamming one of the shafts home directly into its hideous head, then calls for Thkrull. "Help Mukluk!"

Action 1: Strike
Action 2: Strike
Action 3: Command an Animal

+1 Shortbow (deadly d10, magical, 60 foot range, reload 0): 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 10 + 1 = 18
Hunter's edge (precision/piercing damage): 1d6 + 1d8 ⇒ (2) + (5) = 7

Shortbow (iterative): 1d20 + 10 - 5 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 10 - 5 + 1 = 26
Piercing damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Deadly: 1d10 ⇒ 4

Thkrull trumpets mightily and rushes forward to deal death and destruction as only he can. He kicks the disgusting creature, trying to put it back in its place.

Foot: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Bludgeoning damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

If Rova's arrows killed it, Thkrull will instead be to the south of Mukluk and will use support: Your elephant uses its trunk to grab and hamper a foe. Until the start of your next turn, any creatures your elephant threatens is encumbered. (Note, this would make it Clumsy 1, so a -1 to Dex checks including AC, and a 10-ft. penalty to speed. That said, my reading of this would be that if it Stepped or Strided away from the elephant, it would lose that penalty.)

Round 3

Action 2: Step carefully.
Action 2: Strike.
Action 3: Strike.

Mukluk takes a few good hits, but stands his ground. He carefully steps back (because they explode) and strike again and again at red.

Melee:
ColdyVonPierceFace: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19 to hit;
P: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 cold iron damage

Melee:
The Poker: 1d20 + 12 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 12 - 4 = 13 to hit;
P: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 damage

Prism moves into a better angle and tosses a bit more fire at the red uggo.

Produce Flame: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
Damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 4) + 3 = 9

◆ Stride
◆◆ Produce Flame (Red)

Niksi shifts her attention to Mukluk as his injuries begin to surpass the others. "You are doing swimmingly, Mukluk." And she will do her best to keep him from drowning.

Soothe: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

She continues her song all the while, happy to provide some protection to her comrades.

Two actions to cast soothe on Mukluk, one to use inspire defense

Mukluk gets a good hit on Red.

Rova's second arrow takes down the injured Red.

It bursts in a spray of digestive juices, hitting everyone! Ewww.

Disgusting Demise: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4 acid and sickened 1: DC 19 Fort save negates the damage and the sickened; Critical Failure results in sickened 2 but not double damage.

Moved Thkrull per Rova's commets

Niksi heals Mukluk and keeps defenses inspired.

Prism tosses a ball of fire at Blue!

Redirecting Prism's attack and moved her slightly further so Blue would be just in range.

Blue moves up to Mukluk, who takes an AoO.

ColdyVonPierceFace: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30 to hit;
P: 2d10 + 8 + 2 + 1d10 ⇒ (2, 1) + 8 + 2 + (2) = 15 cold iron damage

Crit even if sickened, but good lord, my dice rolled badly for you on damage.

claw: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26
ouch!: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16 slashing

claw: 1d20 + 11 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 11 - 4 = 11
ouch!: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16 slashing

It hits Mukluk once.

Initiative
Mukluk, -37 hp
Rova, -6 hp
Niksi
Prism, -16 hp
Blue, -24 hp

Everybody up, and don't forget to roll your Fort save against the Disgusting Demise!

Prism tries to stay as far away as she can to avoid the disgusting sludge.

Fort Save DC 19: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Produce Flame; Sickened 1: 1d20 + 9 - 1 ⇒ (14) + 9 - 1 = 22
Damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (4, 2) + 3 = 9

◆ Stride
◆◆ Produce Flame (Blue)

Don't forget inspire defense adds to saves, too, Prism :D

Fortitude Save (inspire defense): 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 1 = 14

Niksi's stomach finally succumbs to the horrifying display of fighting these creatures. She takes a moment to steady herself

Using an action to attempt to recover, so she can roll the save again to try to reduce the condition by 1

Fortitude Save (inspire defense): 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 7 + 1 = 25

She spreads out more while she returns to singing.

Recover, stride, inspire defense

HP 38/42

Round 4

Action 2: Stride.
Action 2: Strike.
Action 3: Strike.

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16 Fort

Mukluk takes a good hit, but stands his ground. He lashes out at the remaining foe.

Melee:
ColdyVonPierceFace: 1d20 + 13 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 13 - 1 = 19 to hit;
P: 1d6 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 - 1 = 9 cold iron damage

Melee:
The Poker: 1d20 + 12 - 4 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 12 - 4 - 1 = 12 to hit;
P: 1d4 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 - 1 = 4  damage

Fort: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 10 + 1 = 29

Rova shakes off the disgusting mess and moves to line up a shot, eyeing up the last of the creatures before snapping off an arrow into the creature's head.

Action 1: Stride
Action 2: Hunt Prey
Action 3: Strike

+1 Shortbow (deadly d10, magical, 60 foot range, reload 0): 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 10 + 1 = 23
Hunter's edge (precision/piercing damage): 1d6 + 1d8 ⇒ (2) + (8) = 10

Fort: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 1 = 17

Disgusted by the display, Thkrull stomps on the creature's remains, to teach it a lesson about grossing him out.

Most of the group is sickened by the disgusting burst. Mukluk strikes the remaining one once, while Rova gets a solid arrow in. Niksi retches, steadies herself, and then keeps the party defended. Prism's ball of fire takes the final grothlut down.

The exploding juices hit everyone except Niksi.

Disgusting Demise: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 6) = 9 acid and sickened 1: DC 19 Fort save negates the damage and the sickened; Critical Failure results in sickened 2 but not double damage.

Rolling saves

Rova Fort: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 10 + 1 = 14
Thkrull Fort: 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 7 + 1 - 1 = 14
Prism Fort: 1d20 + 8 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 8 + 1 - 1 = 21
Mukluk Fort: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 10 + 1 - 1 = 14

Everyone eventually recovers from the sickness.

Total time: 130 minutes Except I messed up how much healing Mukluk could have done in parallel, so probably 110 minutes really.

The tower shakes with a sudden tremor.

Rova Reflex: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 12 + 1 = 18
Thkrull Reflex: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 1 = 12
Prism Reflex: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 12 + 1 = 28
Mukluk Reflex: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 10 + 1 = 17
Niksi Reflex: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 10 + 1 = 22

It shakes the tower hard enough the Rova, Thkrull, and Mukluk all fall down!

Can we explore the pit while we're healing up?

Rova stand back up, dusting herself off as Thkrull trumpets loudly and stomps on the tower floor to teach it to be still. He glowers around at the building until he decides it's learned its lesson and won't move again.

Rova is less sanguine.

"Oh, a golarionquake. The End is definitely getting closer!" She looks around for a window to see if she can actually see Groetus getting closer. "I guess if we want to explore the rest of this place while we have time, so we can get back to the circus to say goodbye to all our friends, we should hurry!"

She leads the way back to the curtained-off hallway, creeping forward.

Stealth (trained): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Sure thing! You search the pit but find nothing of value.

Niksi almost doesn't notice the earthquake. She just intuitively moves to counterbalance the ground's upheavals, her mind completely elsewhere and unconcerned about the disturbance. "Aha! Inspiration. Dear Rova, what would you say to a Groetus-themed show? I have the perfect idea for how to narratively structure it!"

She then finally turns around and notices the state of her companions. She looks about for any threats, finally switching to her "puzzled" face when she sees none. "Why are we all on the floor? Is it time for visualization and breathing exercises?" She is about to lower herself down to join them when she hears Rova turn to the subject of golarionquakes and suddenly it all makes sense. "Ah! Quakes are a sign of the end...we shall have to incorporate that."

Sure thing! You search the pit but find nothing of value.

Lol. Nice work.

Mukluk picks off the bits of disgust and ick that have landed on him.

"You know, I don't like to bathe that much, but I'm gunna..." <RUMBLE> Mukluk stops what he was saying to pick himself off the ground.

"What was that? Is this tower unsafe?!" Mukluk looks around, trying to figure out what just happened.

In the olden times, we dwarves might have known a bit about stonework and whatnot, but not sure that still exists. But will offer this:

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8 Dwarven Lore

Prism remains steady on the outside but inside her insides turn as Rova's preaching of Groetus gets into her head. So much so that she thinks it might indeed be possibly the end for the briefest of moments. "Whatother..signsof..theend..arethere?" She asks with a slight quaver in her voice.

Rova's jaw drops as she turns to Niksi.

"Yes!" she exclaims. "I was working on one ... to warn everyone! ... but it wasn't ready. And now it's probably to late."

She looks like she may be on the verge of tears, though it is perhaps not quite clear why.

"Oh, so many," she says excitedly as Prism distracts her. "A LOT of people think poison gas. That's a big one, as the ground starts breaking and Rovagug's exhalations spread. But there could be fires, or maybe more ice -- I know a couple of my parents' friends talked a lot about this snow one time in Taldor in the middle of summer, but they said some gross lumberjack and his friends stopped that one. Really, it's kind of you know the signs when you experience them."

Niksi places her hand on Rova’s shoulder, standing at her side and looking up towards the roof, her hand reaching out in dazzling command. ”Imagine! From the top of the tent, we hang a great tarp that is painted to look like Groetus, his angered grimace glowing even in the dark. As the show goes on, he slowly descends, threatening to consume us all. But all of the other acts are just going on as they normally would! The people do not understand.” She is suddenly kneeling in front of Rova. ”But one girl does! Along with her trusty elephant, she tries to get peoples’ attention!” She stands up and dashes about, playing at Rova’s part as she describes it. ”First the audience, and then the performers themselves, but nobody listens. They are too distracted by the dazzling feats of the rainbow gnome as she leads people through her obstacle course.” She nods to Prism. ”We plant some people in the crowd to be hecklers. She then describes the horrors that Groetus will bring down upon the world as he descends, and we start noticing them one by one.” She bursts to standing. ”Quakes release gas from deep underground! The dead walk! Storms rage! And it gets rather chilly.” She mimes exasperation, shaking her head. ”But still nobody listens! So you enlist the canon and the help of a brave dwarf—” She nods towards Mukluk. ”—to launch himself towards the center of the great descending moon so nobody can look away!” She mimics the “kaboom!” of a cannon, her hand soaring in an arc over her head as if it was Mukluk. ”And finally they see the great oncoming moon! But it is too late.” She takes off her hate and holds it to her chest, shaking her head with her “sad” face. ”Nothing can be done.” She then freezes and suddenly changes to her “angry face. ”But nobody did it right! You can’t have the end of the world without anyone noticing!” She spins around, suddenly switched to her “happy” face. ”And then a happy instrument saleswoman shows up. Her moods are tempestuous, her instruments strange and mystical. She offers a humble ocarina to the young doomsayer and teaches her the secret notes to turn back time so that everyone can do it correctly this time.”

Niksi leaps out in front of the others and throws her arms in the air. ”And thus! The audience must come back another night to see if this time is time the world ends for real.” She bows in her extravagant, show-ending manner. ”That is of course just q rough first draft. What do you think?”

Simply marvelous.

Mukluk fumes, uncertain how seriously to take all this. He crosses his arms.

”I don’t think this is a good plan at all. I’m not sure the cannon can even shoot that far, much less how much boom powder it will take, much less where would I land!? Nah, this ain’t right.”

”Nah, I ain’t ever going to reach the moon. We can’t promise that.”

Rova's eyes widen. "That's totally different than what I was thinking of -- I was going to dress in black, but paint my face to look like the moon. Then Thkrull would carry me into the dark tent, but the lights would only illuminate my face, so I could warn everyone as Thkrull lowered me down toward the ground," she says a little breathlessly. "But I like your idea a lot! Do you think everyone would do that? How do we cause the ground shakes, and release gas in the tent?"

Niksi laughs at Mukluk’s earnest displeasure. ”We would not actually be shooting you to the moon! Just to the top of the tent. The “moon” in this case is a big tarp hanging from the ceiling.”

Niksi taps at her chin as she considers Rova’s plan. ”I think that we could incorporate that as well. Maybe it is your character’s last attempt to get peoples’ attention before the cannon?”

Niksi switches over to her "thinking" face. "Oh, and I'm sure we can work something out with the gas and quaking. The gas could be illusions or hidden in the ground. We could hide mechanisms that make the stands shake and have the performers play along. Maybe have some people stationed outside to manipulate the tent itself."

Mukluk couldn't figure anything out about the earthquake.

Would you like to go into the last hallway on this floor or go upstairs?

As Niksi describes a fabulous new tent and show Prism skips back and peeks behind the curtain of the southern hallway. "Won'tGroetus..scarefolks..away?"

Mukluk eventually trots over to where Prism is.

"Huh?" he asks, as he either didn't hear or understand what Prism said.

Looks like we're going this way.

I mean, I thought we were going to go back to the circus, but ... I think hallway first. I got an 18 earlier to creep that way.

Niksi follows along after the others, working out more of the details of her grand show idea as she does. ”A little scare adds drama. We will have to make sure we do not utterly terrify the children, of course, but I think if we play it right, it will be fun for them.”

Following Prism’s lead

As Prism touches the curtain, she feels a prickling of static electricity and smells ozone.

The chambers beyond are crowded with furniture and luxuries. To the west, a massive four-poster bed at the center of the south wall is littered with colorful silk pillows. A nearby brass brazier gives off bright light and is surrounded by thick carpets, more pillows, and crates overflowing with clothing in all styles and colors. To the east stand another brazier and a desk covered with papers.

There is a human woman trapped in one of the crates. You see a blood red wolf nearby.

"There is a woman trapped in there. We have to help her!" Prism tiptoes into the chamber, looking for a place to hide as she 3-5 second rushes spot to spot.

Stealth +10

Mukluk nods, his weapons in hand. He keeps an eye on the wolf, waiting for others to get set. He’ll let Prism or Rova make the first strike.

No map yet, but probably staying where he is.

The woman calls out, "Help me, please! The awful xulgaths took me prisoner! They left the wolf to guard me, but I've made friends with him. He won't attack you; I just need help getting out."

Mukluk waits. He glances at Prism, then the wolf, then the woman.