Into the Dolmenwoods (Inactive)

Game Master Daniel Stewart

Brother Jacob looks around at the doors, his eyes wide with wonder. "This is some powerful magic! How great would it be if we all had such cold rooms in our homes. Imagine how long you could keep food if it were frozen all the time."

If no one has any further business, he suggests that they move forward and investigate the child laughing.

"Perhaps we've already found our runaway?"

If it looks like elvish, can Voronwe make any sense out of it? His studies have led him to learn something of the tongues of the region - High Caprice and Old Woldish.

Regardless, hearing the child's laugh he won't spend long trying to understand it.

"I know that this is an amazing grade of construction- and that I know not who built it. Regardless, we go in or turn back. I say we go in."

Siegen reaches for the door and slowly pushes it open.

"There! He's in there!".

Pickles watches picking his teeth with a sliver of wood as the long legs investigate the frigid door.

He perks up when the Dwarf reaches to open it re-positioning himself so that he's not directly in front of the opening.

Us short legs are always the bravest.

Sensing strange magics afoot, or just scared into ultra-caution, Ziyad steps well away from the portal as it is breached...

"I say onwards. Let us bring the boy back home." Siegfried murmurs from the back, nodding as he prepares to rush past the others if danger shows itself.

Opening the door reveals a sparkling room of wonder. The temperature drops quickly, and your breaths thickly fog the air. The chamber beyond the door looks to have been taken from some king's palace, but then coating in a dazzling sheath of ice.

Majestic columns line the centre of this room, leading to a large dais at the far end. Delicate chairs and small side tables line the walls to either side and a number of unlit chandeliers hang from the ceiling and sparkle in the parties torchlight.

At the far end of the room, some 60' from where you stand now, upon the dais is a great throne. The back of this magnificent seat resembles thousands of individual snowflakes arranged end to end. A faint glow comes from this seat, and in the dim light, you can see a figure bundled up in what looks like the pure white pelt of some animal sitting curled up in the seat. A second figure is kneeling down, as if in conversation with the person in the chair. This figure is dressed in the finest of clothing, and a silvery light surrounds her...much like that from the throne. She turns and smiles at you before returning to her conversation with the figure in the chair. You suddenly realize that the womanly figure is slightly transparent. At the same time, a young boys voice can be heard giggling and saying,
"Yes, a test might be in order!"

Ziyad whispers to the group "King Kenny, I presume?"

"No king but a lost boy."

Siegen, at the front, says:

"The boy needs to be returned. Will you release him?"

"Kenny, your mother is scared for you. Come to us. We'll take you back to her."

The boy seems to ignore whatever the group says and seems to be enthralled by the beautiful spirit. With a wave of her hand armoured figures step from the pillars and square off with the party. Their armour is beautifully crafted and their weapons look sharp and deadly. There is one warrior for each member of the group. They seem to be waiting for you to act.

You have initiative as the figures seem to slowly become more solid as you watch.

"Sod it. Force it is then."

Siegen marches forward towards the nearest figure and swings his sword at it!

Sword vs figure: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2

"It will be easy they said. Just a simple missing boy... they said... right. When will I ever learn not to listen to 'them'".

PIckles darts forward swinging his sword at his solidifying opponent.

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10 Swing (Hits AC 9)

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 Slice

But the dim light, and cold make his aim a bit... off.

Even though the figures are slightly transparent, the sword acts as if it has hit an actual foe, and the warrior Siegen hit seems to dim slightly. Pickles, unfortunately just missed his target.

Who's up?

Ziyad narrowed his eyes, thinking he saw a somatic gesture in the womans hand motions...

What is it to disbelieve illusions? Magic saving throw?

Magic Save: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Brother Jacob holds up his shield emblazoned with the Holy Lash of the Flayed Lord and calls out with a clear voice: "Begone foul creatures of the nether world and release this innocent boy!"

Turn Undead: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 5) = 8

Siegfried watches the scene unfold in front of him with a look of amazement mixed with horror. He had heard rumors of the strangeness that laid within this forest but had not had seen it with his own eyes.

As the warrior figures begin to coalesce into existence, his sword is drawn from his scabbard along with his shield.

"Right then." He murmurs with grim determination, moving to the opposite side of the room from Siegen to engage the enemy there.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Voronwe chants and gestures, casting Charm Person on the boy.
"Kenny, come to us. We'll take you home safely."

Brother Jacob attempts to turn the warriors as if they were some sort of spirits, but nothing happens and they continue to move towards the party.

Sigfried swings but the sword he wields cannot seem to find purchase upon the shadowy guards.

Ziyad attempts to disbelieve that these phantoms are real, but nothing changes and them close to attack the group.

Voronwe attacked: 1d20 ⇒ 12 and missed

Ziyad attacked: 1d20 ⇒ 15 and hit for 1d6 ⇒ 1 damage

Sigfried attacked: 1d20 ⇒ 12 and missed

Pickles attacked: 1d20 ⇒ 13 and missed

Brother Jacob attacked: 1d20 ⇒ 14 and missed

Siegen attacked: 1d20 ⇒ 18 and hit for 1d6 ⇒ 4 damage

"Her magic is stronger than mine. Not surprising, I suppose. Alright, we'll do this the hard way."

Voronwe steps up to the attack, easily piercing his opponent's guard.
Sword: 18 - 1d20 ⇒ 18 - (18) = 0
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Ziyad catches the phantom's blade on his dagger at the last second, too late to ward off a glancing slash. Nearly staggered, he tries to riposte the phantom as best he can...

Attack: 19 - 1d20 ⇒ 19 - (5) = 14

...before tactically withdrawing from the melee.

Fighting Withdrawl, moving to cover if available.

"Oh no you don't ghostie"!

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9 Swing (Hits AC 10)

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 and a miss

Pickles swings wildly, and misses his target completely.

"Damn it Siegfried, calm your nerves! Remember your training!" Despite the stoic calmness upon his face, his heart was racing in his chest. Lining up his blade again, the warrior tries to battle his foe.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Yet the phantom warrior still stands strong, fighting off his attack. Seeing Ziyad take a strike from his enemy and disengage, Siegfried does much the same but to try and interpose himself between the injured man and the fray.

"C'mon, you bastards. I'm not afraid!"

Fighting Withdrawal to a spot so I can hopefully protect Ziyad and draw both phantoms against me.

Just waiting for Brother Jacob and Siegen to complete their actions...

Siegen is struck hard but his resolve remains and he strikes back just as hard!

Sword vs figure: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Siegen, don't you get a strength bonus to that damage?

@Voronwë: I overlooked that entirely. Cheers!

@Daniel: That will be another 6 (3+3) damage!

With a sound like a loud POP, the warrior Siegen hit disappears.

Brother Jacob calls out: "They are not undead spirits! We may be powerless to defeat them!" He then sees the spirit hit by Siegen disappear.

"Well, I guess not," he mumbles as he swings against the phantom.

Flail: 1d20 ⇒ 3, Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

As some of the party retreats towards the far doors leading into this room, the phantom soldiers do not seem to follow. The boy on the throne seems disappointed in the battle and throws out curses and insults to the group, while the otherworldly woman just stands to his side, an enigmatic smile upon her lips.

Those who fell back are not followed, and those still fighting still only face their single foe..except for Siegen, who is now facing the warrior that was fighting Ziyad.

Voronwe attacked: 1d20 ⇒ 16 and hit for 1d6 ⇒ 4 damage

Pickles attacked: 1d20 ⇒ 1 and missed badly, allowing the halfling an opening to strike back (free attack)

Brother Jacob attacked: 1d20 ⇒ 8 missed

Siegen attacked: 1d20 ⇒ 20 is critically hit for 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10 damage and drops to the floor bleeding.

Everyone is up!

Siegen is struck down, losing consciousness.

Free Attack

"Too Slow".

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 BDS (Big Damn Sword)

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 Side to cut with.

"Dang it. This flickering light is killing my aim".

Regular Attack

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 BDS#4

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9 Edge

Wow! Just Wow! The die roller hats Pickles

Ziyad aids his defender, moving in and flipping a dagger end over end before shuffling back out of range...

Dagger toss: 19 - 1d20 - 1 ⇒ 19 - (9) - 1 = 9 Hits AC 9
Dmg: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Moving in to 10ft to get +1 ranged attack bonus, then back out again.

Seeing the enemy not pursue puts a scowl upon Siegfried's face. He moves back in to re-engage with the enemy when Siegen gets taken down to the ground.

"Siegen!" The warrior calls out, moving over to where the man fell to protect his body. With his blade in hand, he moves to strike down the phantom.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

The blow staggers Voronwe, but he manages to strike back, landing a glancing blow.

Sword: 18 - 1d20 ⇒ 18 - (17) = 1
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Clutching the wound in his side, he falls back towards the entrance.

Seeing Siegen go down, Brother Jacob ignores his opponent and rushes over to the dwarf to drag him out of danger.

I'm not sure how much I can do in a single turn, but I want to pull him out of the room. I'll drop my flail next to him in order to have a hand free (since his other one is holding his shield).

Dropping his flail and grabbing hold of the seriously wounded dwarf, Brother Jacob tugs and yanks the diminutive warrior out of harm's way and through the doors, back into the cavern-like tunnels.

As most of the party has retreated, the young boy on the throne seems rather upset.

"Get back in here and fight! I want to see the fighting! Fight, fight, fight!!!" the boys screams while hopping about the throne.

The beautiful woman frowns down at the boy and his antics but otherwise does nothing.

Brother Jacob keeps on dragging the dwarf through the tunnel outside the room, despite the fact that no one is threatening either of them any more. Not terribly strong, Jacob begins to tire, but nevertheless keep trying to save his companion.

Are we up again? Was thinking maybe ranged attack on the woman if the phantom warriors are a concentration spell, to interrupt.

Do I need to make any rolls for Siegen? Or just mark off blood loss?

Just mark off the blood loss

Sorry, yes you are up again...the warriors do not come after you.

-5/10 HP

Siegen lies still, and bleeding.

Perturbed by the woman's smirk, Ziyad now suspected a spell in play...and sought to disturb her spellcasting concentration...

Dagger toss: 19 - 1d20 ⇒ 19 - (20) = -1 hits AC -3 :D
Dmg: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5

edit: actually I guess theres no doubling for crits so its just 2 dmg

"Okay! I'll fight for you... but you're coming with us when we leave".

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13 Sword fight (Hits AC 6)

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 Results of sword fight.

Brother Jacob gets more and more frantic as he takes bandages from his backpack to help staunch the dwarf's wounds.

As Ziyad's dagger flies true and seems to strike the lovely woman, it looks to slow then simply falls to the ground after passing through her form.

"Hmmm...perhaps you do have what it takes...not necessarily all brawn and no brains. We shall see...."

This last is said as the figure slowly dissolved and disappears. The entire room shimmers and slowly changes from the fantastic hall you say, to a ruined chamber of shattered furniture and damp slime clinging to the walls. The great throne reverts to a simple pile of rocks and the boy, looking stunned, sits upon it. The soldiers also disappear and as they do, all the wounds inflicted by the phantoms also disappear.

In the resulting silence, the only sounds are the steady dripping of water and the sniffling crying of the young boy.

"But she promised me I would be a king...all would bow down to me...I could have sweets all the time..."

"Such is the way of evil, it knows what you want...uses it against you..." he was about to lecture some more, but noted the ooze smeared across the room...Ziyad did not like the look of the slime at all.

"You get nothing in life for free silly boy. Remember that if you remember nothing else".

The halfling then goes to wipe his sword before realizing that there is actually nothing on it.

"What is this place anyway"?

Does it look man-made or ever inhabited or natural?

Siegen suddenly sits up and feels about his body for the wounds he took in battle. He slowly realizes that he has no wounds, even though he can distinctly remember the pain of taking those cuts. He slowly gets up, his legs a little shakey...and taking a deep breath he rejoins the rest of the party.

The room that was recently a grand hall, is now nothing more than a rough tunnel that ends at the "throne" of tumbled stones at the far end. The boy remains on the rocks, his face in his hands, crying.

This is a natural tunnel...nothing looks to be man-made, or inhabited

As you all try to put the odd parts of this encounter together, you begin to realize that a trickle of water begins to run down the tunnel from the direction of the well. In a few moments, the water is ankle deep and rising.