Volcano's Land - Beyond the City of Light

Game Master Miner Cotren

"What have you learned?" Luu Sânh calls up to Zephyr, waiting until he looks up from his own close examination. With this, Albert's information and her own view of the magical patterns she is hopeful that they have a decent picture of the situation.

"We need to find the time," Bye says to no one.

"If the time is a clue, that's definitely what I need to find." Chezarina shakes her head.

Chezarina, Byron makes eye contact with you, a rarity with him. His eyes are an eerie combination of purple and green, the kind of bright colors you see during summer lightning storms.

"Do you have a clue about the time?"

Albert intervenes, knowing Bye's...peculiarities better than most. He uses a calm, neutral tone. "No Bye, she was just saying she needs to find a clue. She's expressing confusion in a funny way." He pauses, observing Bye starting to calm down. "Okay?"

Bye looks at Chezarina again, expecting confirmation or denial of Albert's words.

Luu Sânh shakes her head slightly, admiring Albert's calm manner. Then she too looks at Chezarina and how she is dealing with the regularly oblique comments and questions that some of the students bring up.

Chezarina shrugs. "More or less."

I'll let the scene sit over the weekend -- Zeph, there's a spoiler on the previous page with some info to help move us forward.

If anyone wants to pre-empt the "Zephyr decends to speak his colleagues about the ritual he plans to invoke" that would be great.

More soon :)

Albert nods as Zeph begins explaining a good idea cloaked in mystical phrases. "Well go ahead and get set up, or start meditating. One problem though - the sort of energy you're going to be radiating will attract every Moon-corrupted beastie in a quarter-mile radius."

The head medic assumes his 'game plan' voice, clipped and to the point. "Luu Sânh, I can tell you have a knack for seeing the subtleties or spellcraft. Take Drook with you and help out Zeph."

"The rest of us will be protecting the primary ritual-casters and taking out any baddies that rear their ugly heads. Any questions?"

And that is the sort of problem we could live without, Luu Sânh thinks. However, all she says is "Done," in response to Albert's suggestion, happy to let him pull rank here. As opiniated as she can be, she has no problem with following orders from one more knowledgeable than herself. She beckons to Drook to follow as she takes up a position beneath Zephyr.

"Are you coming down?" she asks, "or do we just have to crane our necks up at you?"

You have all had a chance to see Fury, Zephyr's elemental companion, by now. Still, the sudden gust of wind is a surprise as the air elemental twirls furiously--ruffling hair and cloaks--to catch Zephyr emir and steady him to the ground.

Has he fainted? someone asks. But no, his eyes are moving back and forth as if in heavy dream ; he has fallen into deep meditation like a hawk soaring into Sky. Anan holds his limp hand, face pinched with worry but eyes full of hope.

No worries if you are busy Zeph -- since you are in charge of the ritual, I'll need some skill checks, but I will bot if needed

all: cast buffs etc, and then roll initiative, as Albert knows you will be attracting unwelcome attention once the ritual starts

getting us rolling again

Zeph, Sky Lore, ritual: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Zephyr mutters archaic phrases in old sylphan tongues, his eyes working back and forth beneath closed eyelids.

The rest of you hear sudden, sharp intakes of breath all around you.
hehhhp, hehhhp

Rustling in the nearby brush, more awful, labored breathing. Elen-like shapes are crawling out of the brush now, gasping, struggling to breathe in the sweet scent of a living demigod.

roll initiative!

Fast as a Wildfire: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33

Chezarina, as you turn your intense focus on to the pending danger, you see the creatures more clearly - they are dead elens, all with large, bloody wounds in their chests. They are all sylphs, and recently dead judging by the small amount of decay evident.

you can act first, that was just a little more description

Luu Sânh, after you roll initiative, let me know if you are casting any spells in your first round. You are going to be mostly occupied with the ritual after this, so this is your chance to cast something at the baddies, or buff yourself, etc, if you wish.

Zephyr, what kind of support would Fury be giving you right now? I'd be interested to know what kind of skill check Fury might provide :)

Zephyr, what kind of support would Fury be giving you right now? I'd be interested to know what kind of skill check Fury might provide :)

Give me a little time untill this afternoon, and I will paste his statblok here AND as a spoiler in my profile.

In principle though, he should be able to create a conduit or even the presence of air: it is his essence.

much appreciated, and feel free to roll athe skill you feel would be appropriate to support you in this endeavor

Key takeaways: 1-Fury can communicate verbally with Zeph. DOesn't mean anyoe else can understand them, but they can understand each other. 2-Fury has KNOW(Planes) which juxtaposes really nicely against Zeph's knowledge of Nature & Religion: I visualize it as Zeph knowing a great deal ... about Newton & Newtonian philosophy. Fury knows not quite as much ... about gravity directly. So Fury knows about the essence of AIR itself. Bwtween them, they have probably spent some time sorting out what that means about the elemental deities themselves, and it is very unlikely they have completed their theorizing. For me, I would allow Fury to Sense Motive whenever there is something planar that is amiss, in addition to his air knowledge.

ZEPHSpellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
FURYSense Motive: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
FURYKNOW(Planes): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Hopefully there is a glimmer of truth in there that they can convey to each other.

Initiative: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

Flicking her eyes back and forth between Zephyr and their ritual casting and the horror of the reanimated elens making their way magnetically towards the group, Luu Sânh exhales. She flexes her shoulders, loosening the muscles and preparing to aid her airborne colleague.

Centring herself, she dips a finger into her spell component pouch and withdraws what looks like a tiny sphere of ice, glinting in the light. The undine then begins the words to a defensive spell, feeling the magic flow through her until she stops chanting and suddenly there are more than half a dozen Luu Sânhs where there had been one.

Mirror image: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Trusting the illusionary copies to prevent any attacks from hitting her, she feels confident that she will be able to focus her attention where it needs to be without loss of concentration, as well as being ready to jump into action should that be necessary.

"Finish up friends, we've company to entertain!" Chezarina is quick to sound the alarm even as she draws her arrows and lets loose a volley.

Full Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 301d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 301d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 81d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 51d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 91d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Can't stop Critting it seems: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Crit Damage: 2d6 + 8 ⇒ (6, 6) + 8 = 20

Ah, finally didn't score the crit. :P

+4 hit/damage if they still counts as an Elen due to being undead elen, +2 hit/damage if they count as a Elemental of Sublimation.

Zephyr barely pauses to see what is happening below
"Fury, fly down to harry those creatures. They are not alive, make sure they do not harm anyone!"

Zephyr, as Fury examines the vultures with eyes born of hurricanes and clouds, he conveys small images to you - an el being strangled, an ele trapped in quicksand, and many others - that speak of being trapped and suffocated.

You see there is much work to do - untangling the rotten ropes of magic that snare these vultures will be a process both precise and demanding. You cannot simply cut through or dispel without risking the Vultures themselves.

With a slow, deliberate breath, you settle into a deeper trance, trusting your companions to protect your body as your mind-spirit walks abroad. You feel Luu Sânh's presence as an anchor, like a pond clinging to fog.

Chezarina, you down one of the creatures, but five more are currently headed your way. They say nothing, just the same labored breathing as they lumber toward you.

you can have one more round of attacks before they reach you. We'll say they count as Elen for the purposes of your extra damage etc

for more context: this is going to be a combination skill challenge and combat. The PCs are looking for an unknown number of successes on their skill checks to "win", while the other PCs are playing the game of "don't die or let your buddies get hit" in combat."

Luu Sanh and Zeph, I need you each to roll a skill check that is a) relevant to the ritual b) you have NOT used yet , and c) please roleplay it in your post. This will earn you more successes toward the skill challenge.

I am going to put forth that I think either/both Perception & Sense Motive would be relevant. This really is a Wisdom/intuition effort.

PERC: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27 Unravel Mystery
Sense M: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16 Unravel Mystery

"Hmmm...." Chezarina tilts her head. It seems 'more arrows' will not solve this problem, not in time at least. She sets her bow aside and pulls out her, fishing line?

She runs towards the beings attempting to draw their attention to her rather than her comrades, before veering off at the last moment with a sudden burst of magical speed as her legs transform into strange clawed legs that dig into the ground with each hurried step.

Moving around and using Animal Aspect for 20 ft. of extra speed. During the move action, drawing her fishing kit. Intent was to just harass them with annoying fishing line to double extra make sure their intent is on her, but I don't think I have actions for that yet, so just drawing it now.

Trying to strike a balance between aiding Zephyr and not wanting to disturb their concentration, Luu Sânh tries to look for another angle. "What's your story?" she asks herself quietly, eyeing up the vultures. Having analysed the dweomers already, she feels that she has exhausted her relevant knowledge. But just maybe she could communicate with them, or maybe even trigger a connection, a leap of logic, a nugget of useful information. Feeling slightly foolish, she starts with her native tongue, asking, "Can you hear me? Do you understand me?" The ele then moves to Benthic and cycles through the various languages she has at least a rudimentary command of.

Linguistics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Trying to strike a balance between aiding Zephyr and not wanting to disturb their concentration, Luu Sânh tries to look for another angle. "What's your story?" she asks herself quietly, eyeing up the vultures. Having analysed the dweomers already, she feels that she has exhausted her relevant knowledge. But just maybe she could communicate with them, or maybe even trigger a connection, a leap of logic, a nugget of useful information. Feeling slightly foolish, she starts with her native tongue, asking, "Can you hear me? Do you understand me?" The ele then moves to Benthic and cycles through the various languages she has at least a rudimentary command of.

[dice=Linguistics]1d20+8

"Your time at the Sylphan Northern Magerium stands you in good stead! What excellent thinking! The apparent frozen nature of the vultures does NOT mean that they must needs be unresponsive; let's see what we get from language, WOW."

Luu Sânh appreciates the compliment, though she feels that Zephyr is laying it on a bit thick. Or perhaps, more simply, is just heavily engaged elsewhere and lacks bandwidth for a more nuanced response. Whatever, she raises a hand in acknowledgement. "They may be able to hear but not speak, they may be telepathic, they may be something else entirely." She counts the points on her fingers as she makes them, before pausing. "Who knows? Since being here, the more I've seen the less certain I am of much."

Chezarina, your move seems effective for the moment - they seem to interpret the line as a threat, and attempt to grab it.

chezarina reflex save to se how effective you are: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

You draw off four of the gaspers, and none of them are able to catch you - you lead them around as gracefully as an orean bulldancer.

Albert takes point on the remaining gasper, but in the wake of Moon's recent passing, his technology fails at just the wrong moment - his mechanical leg folds inward, and with a grunt of pain, the alchemist tumbles to the ground. The gasper is on him in an instant, trying to steal his breath.

Albert, fort save, sylph penalty: 1d20 + 13 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 13 - 4 = 28

-and now with a yell of fury, Albert pushes the creature away. I have better things to do than die in the mud.

Feeling slightly foolish, she starts with her native tongue, asking, "Can you hear me? Do you understand me?" The ele then moves to Benthic and cycles through the various languages she has at least a rudimentary command of.

Luu Sânh, when you speak in Exhume, you get an immediate reaction - their eyes snap toward you. You feel no active hostility, but the regard of death-heralds is still awful to behold.

will save vs fear: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

You stand strong, and stare death in the face without blinking.

Zephyr, you notice the vultures, though frozen, are still haveing small muscle twitches, like a sleeping animal. With the fine-tuned concentration of your meditation, you see these movements are small echoes of what the gasping creatures below are doing ; you perceive these foul creatures have stolen the very movement from the vultures. The only way to complete the ritual and restore the harbingers will be to reunite them again.

in other words, if the party gets the gaspers (alive or dead) in contact with the vultures, that will count as a critical success toward the ritual

Round 2!

that was a very successful round! Everyone use one last skill / action / spell / etc to try for more successes! It's possible you will even be done this round. If not, more gaspers are going to appear in Round 3.

Npc saves: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Npc saves: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Npc saves: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

You all hear a few anguished cries as two stray gaspers come behind the rest of the group. Without another word, elens crumple to the ground, their lungs empty.

Gamberino the ifrit and the phoenix-marked Drook are still upright, but many others are down

Bye sees all the dying people. One thing he knows, sane or not, is that running away always works.

He turns to the boy, Gull. The odd boy who can speak Maker Script flawlessly, but seems to have trouble expressing himself in Common.

"Come with me, Gull M. We'll find the time. Okay?" He speaks quietly and calmly, and extends his hand.

The boy takes it, and the two sylphs disappear in a blink of superb invisibility. They glide silently on the power of Byron's potions.

"Maybe we'll see them back in Light." Neither one thinks this is true.

As the creatures close in on the group, coming from all directions now, Luu Sânh can only watch in horror as Albert is felled and many others are dropped with what seems to be minimal effort.

She fights back in her own personal battle as the vultures - or whatever is controlling them - focuses laser-like on her, their eyes boring into her own. Luu Sânh is a fighter though, trained and versed with spell as well as blade and she simply bats away the mental incursion.

As Zephyr explains that they believe the gasping dead have stolen the birds' movement, she has an idea. She may not have any spells to escape from such bonds, but she wonders if enhancing the vultures' own ability, outside of the normal constraints of time, will allow them to act. With such an action they would then be able to engage the creatures and reclaim what is theirs.

She quickly explains her plan, then repeats it for the vultures to understand. Winding a springy strand of kelp through her fingers, Luu Sânh chants through the words to one of the most powerful magicks at her disposal.

Cast haste, centred on the vultures. The logic is that the additional action exists outside of those that have already been stolen, allowing them to move and touch the gaspers.

Zephyr spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

Zephyr quickly grasps the core of your idea, and harmonizes with your intent. Fury, his air elemental companion, whirls around all of you, acting as a conduit to blow the spell essences toward the Vultures.

For a moment, nothing happens. Then a twitch, a crack of rusty joints, and then a flap of mighty wings as they dive toward the gaspers-

Who have all been distracted thanks to Chezarina, now easily caught in vengeful talons. The sylphan bodies wither into husks as the Vultures take back their motion and their time.

You feel an immense wave of gratitude from the ancient creatures as they lift back into the air on void-black wings, but behind that you feel their desperate need to reach their destination and fulfill their function. Moving with unearthly speed, they are quickly lost from view.

everyone just gained the Toughness feat as thanks from creatures who guard the gates between life and death

Nodding slightly to herself, Luu Sânh feels a mixture of relief and satisfaction as, with a helping hand from Zephyr and Fury, the spell allows the vultures to break free from their invisible bonds. As the birds launch themselves first at their captors and then away to freedom, she exhales but doesn't relax. "What's everyone's status?" she calls to the group at large.

"Hah, so the only way to return things to normal was to steal it right back? Canny. Well on your way, winged ones." Chezarina seems impressive by the spellcraft and quick thought on display.

"That seems to have been the case," Luu Sânh agrees, the words and actions duplicated by the numerous illusory versions of herself. She considers dismissing the spell but, ever vigilant, decides to keep it up for the moment just to ensure that the threat is really over. Besides, she knows the magic will dissipate of its own accord in the not too distant future anyway.

Nodding slightly to herself, Luu Sânh feels a mixture of relief and satisfaction as, with a helping hand from Zephyr and Fury, the spell allows the vultures to break free from their invisible bonds. As the birds launch themselves first at their captors and then away to freedom, she exhales but doesn't relax. "What's everyone's status?" she calls to the group at large.

Albert answers in a weary voice. "We lost...a lot. Most of us weren't really fighters, just medical students and acolytes trying to run from a city gone mad."

He sighs, then puts on his 'head surgeon' voice. "Alright. I've got enough juice left to help with the bodies - we'll need supplies for ifrit and sylphan rites. If anyone wants to say a few words, now is the time." There's work to be done, and Albert's cold attitude acts as armor against the pain. The pain doesn't do anyone any good.

after the gasper attack and with Bye and Gull fleeing, the only NPCs left are: Anan, the disciple of Zephyr ; Fury the air elemental ; Gamberino the ifrit alchemist ; and Drook the phoenix-marked acolyte. I am also botting Albert.

Luu Sânh bows her head out of respect for the fallen and the vanished. "May the waters cleanse their souls and wash them to Sea," she says. After standing a moment she heads down towards Albert's position in order to help. "I'm not the best-placed for these rites but once again I'm at your service to help get those who need it patched up. Just let me know what you need me to do."

Luu Sânh bows her head out of respect for the fallen and the vanished. "May the waters cleanse their souls and wash them to Sea," she says. After standing a moment she heads down towards Albert's position in order to help. "I'm not the best-placed for these rites but once again I'm at your service to help get those who need it patched up. Just let me know what you need me to do."

"I believe I can do justice to the Rites of Passing for all of our departed. I will begin preparations."

He looks over at Anan, who is clearly grieving

"Take the time you need to build your strength; look to your friends and see that Gamberino & Drook are okay. If they need our help, let me know. Fury - go with Anan to watch over everyone."

The clink of Albert's armor and the thunk of the axe make a strange counterpoint as he constructs a pyre for the ifrits, and an offering platform for the sylphs.

He looks over at Anan, who is clearly grieving

"Take the time you need to build your strength; look to your friends and see that Gamberino & Drook are okay. If they need our help, let me know. Fury - go with Anan to watch over everyone."

Anan's tear-rimmed eyes look toward you. "Yes, Zephyr emir." He clearly finds comfort in the formality, and you sense his gratitude for your words. He walks toward his companions, holding the holy vulture feather, face worn by melancholy contemplation.

Gamberino is the most visibly distraught of the group, and grieves loudly in the ifrit style as the bodies are laid to rest. He swears several times as Iris is laid atop the raised ardán platform.

Zephyr performs the rites flawlessly, the sylphan phrases all familiar and close to his heart. He consults Gamberino's copy of the Rove Voce for the words to bless the ifrits' spirits to Volcano as the pyre burns.

The steady smoke is taken by the cold spring breezes, shaped in a long gradual curve like the shroud of a vulture's wing. You leave this place of loss, and continue down the road, to find shelter for the night.

The road is harsh in the cold snowfall, but you find a leeward side of a hill as shelter for the night. It is child's candle. (two candles before midnight)

Elsewhere, Moon travels closer to Hearth, still wreaking havoc in its terrible grinning path.

-but Champions gather to protect the lives of the innocent.