GM Ever_Anon's The Midnight Mirror

Game Master Ever_Anon

The faerie fire lights up the startled mastiff, who swivels its head to look at your group just in time for an arrow to pierce through its eye. It stumbles to one side, groaning, before the second and third arrows put it out of its misery.

With this obstacle removed you can freely follow the stream. If Nadia's hunch is correct Dag should be less than thirty minutes away.

How close do you want to try to get before doing pre-battle buffing? Also, will you be trying to approach stealthily or no?

As stealthily as possible I would think and I'd recommend any hour per level buffs now and probably even 10 minute per level ones too.

Xanther gives a low whistle. "Wow, nice shot Jassminder. The dog never had a chance."

(OOC: How is the ambient lighting? To approach with Stealth, we have to avoid using any light sources, which may not be feasible if it is too dark. Xanther's only 10min/CL buff is Remove Sickness, which doesn't seem like it would be relevant against Dag, so he'll hold off on it.)

Ussaile looks toward Jassminder.

"Always impressive." She turns to the others and the pointed curve of her lips drops back down, "I would need 10 minutes if you want another one of those starlights."

Willing to spend 10 minutes to prep it in an open slot if you all think we need it.

"Noctifer and I could move ahead of the light to see if we could take Dag unawares." Marcus suggests. "With rest of you following up at a decent distance, perhaps even as a distraction as Noctifer and I sneak up on it, assuming he is visible."

"Unfortunately, we know that Dag can turn invisible. In which case, only Ussaile can see the Blighter, so she has to lead the way." Xanther says. "And if we are trying to approach stealthily, we can't use our light sources."

He turns to the witch. "I'm fine with waiting 10 minutes, if you think we need another Faerie Fire."

"Good point. I think Noctifer and I should still try to approach the area stealthily slightly away from you so he does not see our full strength at first." Marcus says reprising the situation.

"Good point. I think Noctifer and I should still try to approach the area stealthily slightly away from you so he does not see our full strength at first." Marcus says reprising the situation.

"I'd like to agree but we may need to be in close contact with the others. Ussaile can see Dag and 'point him out' for me to cast Glitterdust on him."

"Fair enough, I don't need to be with anyone and I see no reason to be visible if I don't need to be."

Not great at stealth but taking 10 seems to be a solid bet if available.

Xanther ensures the scroll of Daylight and one of the Sun Rods are ready on his belt. "Lead the way, Ussaile."

The five of you make your final preparations and follow the stream. There's an eerie silence as you travel. Even the unrecognizable sounds from before have vanished leaving behind only the sounds of your own exertions and occasional muttered comments. After twenty minutes or so you reach the stream's source: a small pool of greenish water collected underneath drooping trees. If Nadia's intuition is correct Dag should be around here somewhere.

You look around. Even with alchemical assistance granting you all darkvision and low-light vision it's hard to make out anything through the thick trees. Nothing appears to be in the immediate vicinity, but Ussaile, Jassminder, and Xanther all catch a glimpse of two creatures lurking near a tree atop a small hill. They're both the size of a human with curved horns and goat legs. Ussaile, (and Noctifer once the creatures are pointed out) recognize them as forlarren; the unlucky offspring of a fey and a fiend.

Even with See Invisibility active Ussaile can't see Dag anywhere at the moment.

"Think they know where Dag is? Might they be open to a friendly approach?" Xanther whispers.

(OOC: Are they male? Female? One of each? Neither?)

"Fiendish Fey? I have a hard time believing that..." She recasts the message spell, pointing to each of her allies.

Marcus moves near (15' away) the others along the same path but tries to stay hidden and in the shadows as best he can. He follows the fingers of the others when they point out the beasts. He waits to see if Jassminder is going to take a shot.

Take 10 if possible for a total of 19 on stealth check. Can he be just to the edge of the copse of trees? Or do you want us on a path?

Noctifer waits with the rest of the group for Marcus and/or Jassminder to initiate combat.

If that's what we're doing.

"Fiendish Fey? I have a hard time believing that..."

"Well, at the very least they are getting along with each other." Xanther says with a shrug.

He waits to see what Jassminder does.

Jassminder has one hand drawing an arrow from her quiver even as the others are speaking; but she holds fire for a moment. Her face is thoughtful. "I'm not a murderer. I could be, easily, which is why it's important that I'm not. The shadow mastiff was one thing, they're bad news. But these..." She shakes her head before looking at Noctifer. "I'll cover you if you want to try talking to them."

Readying an action to open fire if/when hostilities start

If Noctifer decides to approach, Marcus does likewise but stealthily to close the gap but staying hidden.

Marcus has shadow blending which gives him a concealment bonus of 50% in dim light. I was hoping perhaps this combined with a successful stealth roll may allow him to cross open areas as he approaches assuming Noctifer approaches to talk. He will take 10 if possible, otherwise it seems appropriate for the DM to roll.

Jassminder has one hand drawing an arrow from her quiver even as the others are speaking; but she holds fire for a moment. Her face is thoughtful. "I'm not a murderer. I could be, easily, which is why it's important that I'm not. The shadow mastiff was one thing, they're bad news. But these..." She shakes her head before looking at Noctifer. "I'll cover you if you want to try talking to them."

Readying an action to open fire if/when hostilities start

"Forlarren tend to take more after their fiendish fathers than their fey mothers, although they do inherit the resistance to weapons other than cold iron. They hate other creatures for being granted the love and acceptance that they themselves are not and will viciously use their claws to try and rip them apart. I don't see Diplomacy as an option."

Jassminder gives a one-shoulder shrug, as she draws the bowstring back and prepares to fire one of her cold iron arrows at the unsuspecting creature. "If I Fall for this, I'm taking you with me. Just so you know."

Assuming this is a surprise round which means standard action only, not a full-round action

Longbow: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Confirm: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
Critical damage: 3d8 + 9 ⇒ (8, 4, 2) + 9 = 23

Jassminder gives a one-shoulder shrug, as she draws the bowstring back and prepares to fire one of her cold iron arrows at the unsuspecting creature. "If I Fall for this, I'm taking you with me. Just so you know."

Assuming this is a surprise round which means standard action only, not a full-round action

[dice=Longbow]d20+9
[dice=Damage]d8+3

[dice=Confirm]d20+9
[dice=Critical damage]3d8+9

I need you to buy me a lottery ticket. :P

Jassminder takes careful aim and fires at the closer forlarren. He drops without a sound. The female forlarren next to him instinctively reaches out to catch him, head darting around as she frantically tries to see where the attack is coming from.

Everyone may take their surprise round actions.

Initiative Tracker:
Daghishat: 20
Forlarren: 11
Xanther: 9
Jassminder: 7
Noctifer: 6
Ussaile: 6
Marcus: 5

Marcs pauses a moment to appreciate yet another fine shot by their archer. Thankful he is not on the receiving end of those arrows he blesses the day they ended up on the same team. Then, shaking himself out of his reverie, he moves toward the forlarren.

As Jassminder fires the first shot, Xanther immediately begins casting a spell. "May the deity you believe in, Bless you in this battle."

Standard Action: Cast Bless while we're still standing together.

Ussaile readies to cast the spell to light up the possible foe.

Readying Faerie Fire if Dag shows up

Jassminder shuts her eyes tightly for a moment as she tries to decipher the feelings she is experiencing via proxy from her goddess; opening them, she gives Noctifer a critically piercing look. "Wait. This is ... Something is wrong."

Readying Glitterdust in case Dag makes an appearance or at least if Noctifer believes he can identify a 10' area he might be in.

The forlarren finally catches sight of you and drops prone on top of her male companion. She screams, "Cilvēki! Jums bija taisnība, viņi ir šeit, es atvainojos, Daghishat, lūdzu, palīdziet mums!"

Ussaile and Noctifer both prepare to cast their spells but Daghishat is still nowhere to be seen.

Everyone may take their Round 1 actions.

Initiative Tracker:
Daghishat: 20
Forlarren: 11
Xanther: 9
Jassminder: 7
Noctifer: 6
Ussaile: 6
Marcus: 5

(OOC: Xanther has no clue what is going on, and unless one of you stop him, he will keep fighting.)

Jassminder shuts her eyes tightly for a moment as she tries to decipher the feelings she is experiencing via proxy from her goddess; opening them, she gives Noctifer a critically piercing look. "Wait. This is ... Something is wrong."

"Wrong?" Xanther says as he looks around worriedly. "You mean it's a trap?"

At the thought of a possible ambush, Xanther suddenly feels a bit hesitant about charging into melee. Instead, he gets closer, pulls out his crossbow, and fires a preloaded cold iron bolt at the Forlarren.

Move Action: Move along the path 20ft closer, and draw crossbow
Standard Action: Fire.

Crossbow To Hit;Damage: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 111d8 ⇒ 3 (Including Bless. Not including range increment penalties if any.)

Concealment if needed: 1d100 ⇒ 26

Noctifer's eyes narrows when he hears the remaining forlarren mention "Dag(something)"...

"Is it here? But where? Only 2 Glitterdust; I can't be wrong."

Noctifer continues to watch for signs of another creature besides the forlarren or for one of his allies to find Dag, even if it's by being attacked by it.

Delay, hoping to catch sight of Dag.

Marcus trusts Jassminder's intuition and holds position waiting for further details to be revealed.

Were they bait?

Ussaile hisses under her breath about Jassminder's current crisis of faith but says nothing about it and turns to Xanther's question "They are begging for help from Daghishat."

Her hair whips about her and she prepares to maintain the strategy they committed to.

Still going to Ready