The party continues to makes their preparations to leave...
...
Aurelien w/ nothing @ Investigate (Lowlight Vision, Speed 35)
Duncan w/ nothing @ Search (Lowlight Vision, Speed 25)
Emoubu w/ nothing @ Avoid Notice (Darkvision, Speed 30)
Khaul w/ nothing @ Defend (Darkvision, Speed 20)
Nedri w/ nothing @ Search (Normal Vision, Speed 30)
|
Ned wakes from the dream absolutely livid. How dare the elf die first! "En't fair," he grumbles irritably. "Been waitin' over a year t'die an' some stupid dream steals it away from me. En't fair." It takes him a few more moments of lucidity to parse the dream events from the real world.
He waves off Ven's wine a bit more waspishly than he intended, still in a sour mood from the dream. He digs into one pocket of his filthy gray robes and pulls out a fat, dirty rat by the tail, plopping the little brown lump of rodent in front of him. The rat stares up at him with pitch-black eyes, and Ned stares back. The staring goes on for a bizarrely long time--almost an hour, in fact. Finally, the rat bobs its head, as if nodding, and Ned plucks it up and shoves it back in his pocket.
"Awright," he drawls "let's git'r on tha road, ayuh." He takes his stick, eyes it irritably for a moment, then starts heading vaguely eastward. Once someone with a proper sense of direction takes over, however, he happily lets them lead the way.
"Thankee - now Git!"
After breakfast, seeing the party dawdle, he goes over to kick Nedri two times and Khaul once, physically (if meekly) removing you from his property!
The party continues to makes their preparations to leave...
...
Aurelien w/ nothing @ Investigate (Lowlight Vision, Speed 35)
Duncan w/ nothing @ Search (Lowlight Vision, Speed 25)
Emoubu w/ nothing @ Avoid Notice (Darkvision, Speed 30)
Khaul w/ nothing @ Defend (Darkvision, Speed 20)
Nedri w/ nothing @ Search (Normal Vision, Speed 30)
...passed out on his rocking chair on the porch, the sound of Ven Strickmund snoring can be heard quite a distance from his house...
HOOOOGHGHGHGHGHNNNNK.... PBHSHSHSHSHSHSHS..... HOOOOOOOGHGHGHGHGHNNNNK..... PBGHHSHSHSHSHSHSHS...... HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGHGHGHGHGHNNNNK...... PHBGHHSHSHSHSHSHSHS.......
...flies zipping inside of his mouth with equal periodicity of it's loud inhaling...
...drool puddling into a small pool on the wood plank...
...
...the occasional kick of a foot spasm throwing his otherwise regular synchronicity a-wonk...
By the map, it should have taken three or four days to reach this point.
Following Nedri Thistle, it takes six instead!
A slow, meandering trek though the plains for about 50 miles - including the crossing of a river - and by the dawn of the sixth day, the trail leads straight into a wood, where by around midday, the party comes across an open clearing. Though the ground is covered with thick moss and tall grass, here and there the ancient hilt of a sword or rusted crown of a decayed helm remains unconquered by the vegetation...
The past six days your nightmares have progressed.
Tonight, the battle was wreathed in fire and smoke. The smell of burnt things lingered in the air; wood, fabrics and flesh. It was already an hour old. I staggered from a wound to the thigh, not severe enough to stop me. Through the gloom, I saw a man, moving slowly - with a head wreathed in flames! He was not immediately aggressive, so I thought him a friend. Caked in grime like everyone else, he was. It was noisy, yet muffled and I asked for water. He drew a shortbow and shot me!. I didn't see the arrow until too late. As I lost consciousness, I saw him clearly. Ned. Why, Ned?...
...
Aurelien w/ nothing @ Investigate (Lowlight Vision)
Duncan w/ nothing @ Search (Lowlight Vision)
Emoubu w/ nothing @ Avoid Notice (Darkvision)
Khaul w/ nothing @ Defend (Darkvision)
Nedri w/ nothing @ Search (Normal Vision)
...
|
'It changes but the battle was wreathed in fire and smoke. I saw a man, moving slowly - with a head wreathed in flames! He was not immediately aggressive, so I thought him a friend. He drew a shortbow and shot me!. I didn't see the arrow until too late. It was a betrayal.'
Aurelien closes his eyes slightly as he recollects the details.
...
Aurelien w/ nothing @ Investigate (Lowlight Vision) @ 10
Duncan w/ cane @ Search (Lowlight Vision) @ 17
Emoubu w/ nothing @ Avoid Notice (Darkvision) @ ??
Khaul w/ shield @ Defend (Darkvision) @ 25
Nedri w/ nothing @ Search (Normal Vision) @ ??
...a rustling in the bushes...
...a stirring of the ground beneath your feet...
...a faint rattle...
...there is a momentary silence - eery silence - before once again the a mild but whistling wind fills the empty space...
...the faint smell of blood...
...and metal...
...
Aurelien w/ nothing @ Investigate (Lowlight Vision) @ 10
Duncan w/ cane @ Search (Lowlight Vision) @ 17
Emoubu w/ nothing @ Avoid Notice (Darkvision) @ ??
Khaul w/ shield & warhammer @ Defend (Darkvision) @ 25
Nedri w/ nothing @ Search (Normal Vision) @ ??
|
|
"Come on... Lets get this over and done with." mutters Khaul.
"Come on out sprits. We ain't here to hurt you, but we ain't gona be running away either. So stop ya putting the scares on us and be telling us what you be wanting. Or if ye be wanting naught, then depart and let us move through in peace. This be requested in the name of Torag, ya hear?"
Aurelien w/ dagger @ Investigate (Lowlight Vision) @ 10
Duncan w/ cane @ Search (Lowlight Vision) @ 17
Emoubu w/ nothing @ Avoid Notice (Darkvision) @ ??
Khaul w/ shield & warhammer @ Defend (Darkvision) @ 25
Nedri w/ nothing @ Search (Normal Vision) @ ??
|
|
Ned scowls at the bushes and sighs. "Almost feels familiar," he grumbles as he readies his magic. A thin tendril of dark thought creeps at the very back of his conscious mind, like movement caught in the peripheral of one's vision. He knows what it is; he's felt it a few times before, and the results are rarely pleasant for anyone involved. Still, when the fight is on, any tool at his disposal, as his pappy would have said.
He lets the strand dangle loose at the back of his brain, ready to yank it forth and fire it like a bullet from a sling at the mind of his enemies.
The silence breaks... and across the clearing, several skeletal beings crawl out of the ground, still wearing vestiges and rags of what might have once been clothes, reaching one hand out to pull themselves from the parted earth, and brandishing shortbows in their other hands.
They "see" Khaul and immediately start chattering their teeth... but the cunning dwarf's reactions are quick! - and he gets the jump on them...
...
You believe these creature to be undead.
Furthermore, you believe the clothing could possibly be identified - one of them seems "fresher" than the rest.
...
Khaul
Blue
Duncan
Yellow, Pink
Nedri, Emoubu, Aurelien
Orange, White, Green
...
Khaul w/ shield & warhammer @ Defend (Darkvision)
???
Duncan w/ cane @ Search (Lowlight Vision)
Nedri w/ nothing @ Search (Normal Vision)
Emoubu w/ nothing @ Avoid Notice (Darkvision)
Aurelien w/ dagger @ Investigate (Lowlight Vision)
???
Blue Flame Bones w/ shortbow
Yellow Flame Bones w/ shortbow
Pink Flame Bones w/ shortbow
Orange Flame Bones w/ shortbow
White Flame Bones w/ shortbow
Green Flame Bones w/ shortbow
...
And have it Khaul does!
A first skeleton rushes forward, , and hurls it at the dwarf, it's teeth gnashing as it tumbles through the air!
◆) Stride
◆◆) Screaming Skull
The skull veers slightly short, landing before Khaul's feet, , which fails to daunt his spirit.
...
Please post your Reaction (link and/or text), and in what circumstances you will use it this turn.
...
Khaul
Blue
Duncan
Yellow, Pink
Nedri, Emoubu, Aurelien
Orange, White, Green
...
Khaul (AC 18 or 20, HP 23/23) w/ shield & warhammer (Darkvision) @ Raised Shield, Reaction Ready
Blue Flame Bones (AC ??) w/ shortbow, Blinded
Duncan (AC 19, HP 30/30) w/ cane (Lowlight Vision) @ Reaction Ready
???
Nedri (AC 15, HP 15/15) w/ nothing @ Search (Normal Vision)
Emoubu w/ nothing (AC 20 or 22, HP 42/42) @ Avoid Notice (Darkvision)
Aurelien (AC 17, HP 14/14) w/ dagger @ Investigate (Lowlight Vision)
???
Yellow Flame Bones w/ shortbow
Pink Flame Bones w/ shortbow
Orange Flame Bones w/ shortbow
White Flame Bones w/ shortbow
Green Flame Bones w/ shortbow
...
|
|
Shield block reduces my damage by 5.
Glimpse gives options of either ally not being damaged, or ally reduces damage by three and enemy is enfeebled(2)
If things get dire for someone (me or other) I might change this, but that is my normal go-to.
The champion offers an insulting kick to the skull. "More of you? I've seen ye before and ye be no more scary now than the first time."
Duncan's frosty ray veers wide, as two more skeletons enter the fray, repeating the actions of the first:
◆) Stride
◆◆) Screaming Skull
◆) Stride
◆◆) Screaming Skull
↺) Khaul Shield Block (hardness 5)
Two skulls flying, one nearly strikes the dwarf, but is battered away by his shield at the last minute! Three disembodied skulls now chitter their teeth just below the champion's feet...
...
Which of the six targets had you taken aim at?
Don't forget to indicate that in your posts moving forward.
What is the range of your Glimpse of Redemption?
...
Khaul (AC 18 or 20, HP 23/23) w/ shield & warhammer (Darkvision) @ Raised Shield, Reaction Spent
Blue Flame Bones (AC ??) w/ shortbow @ Blinded
Duncan (AC 19, HP 30/30) w/ cane (Lowlight Vision) @ Reaction Ready
Yellow Flame Bones w/ shortbow @ Blinded
Pink Flame Bones w/ shortbow @ Blinded
Nedri (AC 15, HP 15/15) w/ nothing (Normal Vision) @ Reaction Ready
Emoubu (AC 20 or 22, HP 42/42) w/ nothing (Darkvision) @ Reaction Ready
Aurelien (AC 17, HP 14/14) w/ dagger (Lowlight Vision) @ Reaction Ready
Orange Flame Bones w/ shortbow
White Flame Bones w/ shortbow
Green Flame Bones w/ shortbow
...
...
The "fresher" skeleton looks to be from a different era - go ahead a roll a 1d6 to randomly determine which it is:
1) Blue
2) Green
3) Orange
4) Pink
5) White
6) Yellow
Wearing clothing and armor closer to modern styles, though still nearly a century out of date, as well as carrying an archaic wayfinder and a leather satchel all but destroyed by time...
...Furthermore, you recall One of the following facts (choose and open One spoiler below):
piercing 5, slashing 5
cold 5, electricity 5
|
|
'The farthest in the first group is newer! Has a wayfinder! Possibly a Pathfinder! Don't be decided by their looks, they are undead, we can't use ice or lightning!'
Aurelien remembers the pictures and texts from the Grand Lodge in Absalom. He remembers the ancestors howling about becoming undead being an abomination.
'We will become like them if we fall! This place is wrong...' he says, voice hissing through the dim light
|
|
Undead. Of course it had to be undead. One of the few creatures immune to his new friends' dread-inducing powers. He's significantly less useful against anything without a proper mind, but he needs to contribute somehow.
Ned grumbles as he moves up, hefting a rock with his mind and hurtling it at the nearest burning skeleton, pointing his staff as an aiming device.
♦ Stride 30ft.
♦♦
Nedri strides up and telekinetically knocks the skeleton clean out - it explodes as the fire bursts forth causing bones to fly in every direction!
Emoubu strides forward and draws...