As Ramona pulls Haohji out of the house by the ear, the rest of the party follows suit, taking reprieve in a Rest and Daily Preparations.
They then return from Mavedarus Manor without it's mystery unraveled (!), and seeing the Society Soiree in a final throw, observe the "path" to Gorm Greathammer obstructed by Tamrin Credence discussing something with Gorm which has him stroking his beard!
Tamrin Credence is distractible with the following skills / topics:
Deception
Stealth
Thievery
Legal Lore or Underworld Lore (or similar)
With the newcomer to the party, accessing Gorm is now accessible only through Tamrin, as Sorrina Westyr has moved along. Please replace the previous entry for Gorm with the above one, to represent the changes to attendance in the multi-day party.
I am still recording your successes using This Alias.
If you have already rolled for an NPC, you cannot re-roll unless you would like to expend a Hero Point, as your first impression has already been cast.
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◆ Vibrant Thorns
Prepared Divine Spells (1st) [][][]
◆◆ Magic Weapon
◆◆ Bless
Prepared Divine Cantrips (1st)
◆◆ Chill Touch
◆◆ Daze
◆◆ Forbidding Ward
◆ Guidance
◆◆ Detect Magic
Cleric Font: Heal
◆ to ◆◆◆ Heal
◆ to ◆◆◆ Heal
Veiled Lady listens while Ramona talks to them, curious about this liberation business. She nods in agreement with her, as if knowing the thing Ramona is talking about.
"And so the mystery goes unresolved? That is upsetting!" Upon hearing about the haunted house debacle.
Janira Gavix asks Ramona to explain the mission that Gorm set them upon: to procure a copy of the Nidalese texts Tavvar has been using in her research, as he is worried that she may be in over her head(!), and that she would probably be using the Blakros Museum as her test site.
"Hmm. Sounds dangerous! Lucky you were able to distract Tamrin to make a timely intervention. You know where the museum is, right?" she explains, and gives directions to the Petals District if needed.
If your PC is Trained in a skill to Gather Information, and you have intent to roll, please roll a Secret check to do so in spoilers (such as this spoiler)!
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Merellin drags his way back to the soiree after the debacle at Mavedarus Manor. Luckily the Venture-Captains don't seem to mind much. He looks happier after they still trust him enough with another mission.
"Well chaps, let's do one final mission before calling it quits. Let's not dwell on yesterday evening too much. We did what we could, I'm sure."
➤➤➤➤➤
Arriving late in the evening to the museum, the party discovers the back door unlocked, and, sneaking in, explore the first floor...
Asking around (ahead of actually arriving), you learn that Tavvar has been working on the ritual for several days now at the museum after its normal hours of operation with some assistants aiding her, but, that a pervasive “publish or perish” culture at the College of Mystery has led to Tavvar cutting corners in the ritual’s preparation in order to expedite it's possible execution timeline... and that tonight is the "Big Night"!...
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These offices are each locked and unoccupied. The southernmost door bears a small brass placard reading “Nigel Aldain, Curator.”...
Mundane documentation about the current objects on display, plans for future museum exhibits, and the like...
Mundane documentation about the current objects on display, plans for future museum exhibits, and the like...
➤➤➤➤➤
This long, narrow presentation space has seating for around thirty guests, all facing a low stage at the south end of the room. At first glance the room seems empty, but a moment later, it seems as though the shadows of an audience still fill the plush seats. A chill draft sweeps through the room, and of a whispery voice echoes from the podium. “...and rather than engage in a responsible, controlled study of the codebook, Yargos Gill decided—imprudently—to simply execute the signals listed therein...” The voice trails off into a looming silence...
The shadow manifestations in this room portray fragments of a recent lecture about Yargos Gill and the Silent Tide incursion of a decade before... These tidbits accurately describe the inadvertent activation of the Black Echelon’s attack on Absalom in 4708 AR...
➤➤➤➤➤
Carefully framed spellbook pages hang along this room’s walls, while eldritch relics stand in small display cases in the room’s center. In the far corner, shadows hang thicker than the rest of the room, and it seems a boisterous half-orc woman stands there, surrounded by vague figures, as she welcomes newcomers. Her voice is thin and reedy, but eerily familiar. “Congratulations! Let me spice up that punch a bit for you—to celebrate, of course!”...
The spellbook pages and display items are nonmagical replicas of the genuine artifacts, themselves securely locked in the vaults in the museum’s basement. Tavvar’s ritual is causing a shadow manifestation of the PCs’ own memories here, showing them a hint of their conversation with Calisro Benarry from Part 1 of this scenario...
➤➤➤➤➤
A gigantic reptilian beast is on display in the center of this expansive gallery, ferociously leering over the collection of taxidermy animals and monsters. Shadows flit between the displays, meandering and shuffling shapes reminiscent of museum patrons. Then a distant shriek echoes off the walls, as the shadow of a stuffed owlbear lashes out at one of the shadow-visitors with its talons. The shadow of the tyrannosaur in the room’s center departs from its source and snaps at the misty image of another patron, tossing its head back and seeming to swallow its meal nearly whole. Other shadows snarl and hiss, scuffling amongst themselves as shadow-guests panic and run toward the exit...
This is not a Haunt, but the shadowy image of one from the past...
➤➤➤➤➤
Covering the first floor, the party then proceeds to head upstairs, following a low commotion, followed by a sudden silence...
Droning voices echo off the mahogany walls and domed, plaster ceiling of this luxurious room. The sumptuous furniture has been pushed to the sides of the room, making space for eldritch markings and mystical paraphernalia laid carefully over the plush carpet. The chamber seems muted and dim despite the crystal chandelier overhead, and a bonenumbing chill seeps through the space along with a metallic scent. A ritual is obviously underway here, but it doesn’t seem as though it’s working as planned. Shadowy energy lashes out from a twisting breach in the center of the room, and indistinct shapes flit and scuttle along the walls!
Stairwell Rules: Stairs are Difficult Terrain; Winding from right to left, you must first stride through the stairwell before entering the room properly; I have marked the last “stairs” square with a lightning bolt symbol - it is from that square that you may physically enter the room.
Terrain: Chairs and Tables are Difficult Terrain and can be used to Take Cover
Hazard: Recall Knowledge (◈): Arcana / Occultism; Disable (◈◈): Arcana / Thievery, must be within the purple circle (16 squares center)
Hazard @ ??
Haohji @ 22
Merellin @ 21
Veiled Lady @ 19
Ramona @ 11
Horul @ 5
Tavvar & Assistants @ ??
"You are all just in time - watch this!"
As the party enters the room, Tavvar enacts the final rite smearing the ink she had scribed all over her arms, causing the runes in the center of the room to glow with purplish dark energy!
Blackish energy begins to seep through the central circle of power, exiting through runes that look haphazardly scribed, unable to contain, only release, whatever lurks on the other side...
...The four ritualists (Tavvar and three attendants) each have similarly colored "tethers" that writhe with shadowy energy connecting them to the center, each straining their bodies as if in spiritual contest with the ritual itself...
...the party has a moment to react before it appears that something will happen!
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Standing all the way in the back, Merellin only hears the ritual going off. But from what he can hear, it's not going all that well. He rushes in, gun in one hand, shortsword in the other. It takes him two actions to get up the stairs, and his final action is to get a good view of everyone in the room.
Haohji runs into the room to see what is going on...
You observe that Tavvar and the Ritualists are each keeping one of the seven Flaws under control, effectively lowering the number of successes the party needs to make to Disable the ritual to three, but only so long as they continue to remain alive and active!
Furthermore, it appears to be opening a portal into the Shadow Plane, and doing so in a way that causes "noise" and is attracting creatures to said portal, inviting them to step through.
On it's turn, the portal looks ready to Surge with Shadow Energy, lethal to people within it's Disable radius (including Taavar and her attendants!), but anyone adjacent to one of the attendants has the following reaction:
↺) "Block Energy" @ Trigger: Taavar or one of her attendants are about to take damage from the ritual, and you are adjacent to them; Effect: You Step closer to the center of the ritual, and replace yourself as the target of the effect!
Merellin hustles up the stairs and prepares for the s&*~ to hit the fan!
Veiled Lady does the same, but seeks to understand what is going on as well...
Looks dangerous especially near the center...
Finally, Ramona hustles further up the stairs, and brings Banjo to consult...
You observe that Tavvar and the Ritualists are each keeping one of the seven Flaws under control, effectively lowering the number of successes the party needs to make to Disable the ritual to three, but only so long as they continue to remain alive and active!
Furthermore, it appears to be opening a portal into the Shadow Plane, and doing so in a way that causes "noise" and is attracting creatures to said portal, inviting them to step through.
On it's turn, the portal looks ready to Surge with Shadow Energy, lethal to people within it's Disable radius (including Taavar and her attendants!), but anyone adjacent to one of the attendants has the following reaction:
↺) "Block Energy" @ Trigger: Taavar or one of her attendants are about to take damage from the ritual, and you are adjacent to them; Effect: You Step closer to the center of the ritual, and replace yourself as the target of the effect!
...
...the black energy crackles in uneven spurts, nearly spilling forth from the central enruned circle, gracing the toes of the magical attendants...
...something, shaded!? , looks to be almost poking it's head through from the other side...
Taavar looks at Kronolyn "My Thesis!" she beams "I have been studying ways to Control the Nodes between the Universe and the Netherworld!" her eyes manic "This particular Junction I will name after myself once we fully stabilize it:" with misplaced or perhaps simply pre-emptive pride "The Hamavsi Pool!"
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Realizing the danger that the ritual is going to cause, Ramona goes next to Tavar (that'll take three actions), and says, "We need to protect Tavar and the ritualists, otherwise our ability to defuse the situation will only become harder. I'll try to disable it, but we need to protect them and prevent what is coming through the portal."
A blackened surge erupts forth from the center of the room!
Tavvar and her assistants are bombarded by a spiritually corrosive energy, their essences slowly drawn from them, draining color from their skin!
↺) Haohji heroically jumps in front of (Tavvar or Attendant Three), sacrificing his own body to shield hers!
Then, at the center, a creature steps through, and immediately attacks Haohji!
◆) Step
◆) Shadow Tendril Strike
◆) Shroud Clasp
It attempts, but fails, to latch itself onto Haohji's own shadow - he feels a stinging sensation only like the spirit of a severed limb tingling with impossible nerve, but that is it...
"Oh - That... that was... unexpected..."
Tavvar looks around her as the attendants she asked to assist in her thesis begin dying!
Tavvar @ ?? (pending Haohji's decision)
One @ 9 damage (bloodied!)
Two @ 11 damage (bloodied!)
Three @ ?? (pending Haohji's decision)
With the sudden surge leaving at least two of the attendants near death, the party struggles to race up the stairs and decide how to avert the ongoing catastrophe!
➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤
There is yet useful information to glean in attempting to Recall Knowledge about the ritual...
➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤
Round One / Two
Stairwell Rules: Stairs are Difficult Terrain; Winding from right to left, you must first stride through the stairwell before entering the room properly; I have marked the last “stairs” square with a lightning bolt symbol - it is from that square that you may physically enter the room.
Terrain: Chairs and Tables are Difficult Terrain and can be used to Take Cover
Hazard: Recall Knowledge (◈): Arcana / Occultism (secret check); Disable (◈◈): Arcana / Thievery, must be within the purple circle (16 squares center)
Creature: Recall Knowledge (◈): Religion (secret check)
Party Effect: Inspire Courage
➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤
➤Haohji @ -1 void, reaction spent, pending Fortitude, has Shadow Creature Off-guard to next attack!
➤Merellin
➤Veiled Lady
➤Ramona @ Inspire
Hazard & Shadow Creature
Tavvar & Assistants
➤Horul
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Veiled Lady rushes next to Assistant 2 after seeing them hit with energy. "Are you alright? What is going on here, actually?" she asks the assistant and gives them some healing. HP for Assistant 2
She then turns to others, "Whatever they are doing, it looks like dangerous. What is needed to be done must be done." she exclaims though she is not sure what to do so far.
◆ Stride
◆◆ Cast a Spell, Heal
"No no. I got this" Tavvar explains to Haohji even as he shields her from the damage - she watches as he unsuccessfully attacks the Shadow Creature and comments "You may need to brush up on your technique"
She watches as a Hobgoblin enters the room "Who let him in here?"!
She watches as a fat leshy restores life to one of her assistants "Thanks I guess - but we didn't need that"
The assistant whispers "I am so glad you are here - I fear losing consciousness and then the ritual spiraling more out of control!"
She watches as Ramona races into the room with a puppet "Well now, that is just silly"
Her eyes fall now on the gunslinger watching from the side "Are you going to get involved too? Jeez Arroz!"
➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤
The ritual surges a second time - this time including the Gunslinger who gets his fingers dirty smudging the inked runes desperately
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And then, with heroism, Haohji again throws himself in front of one of the Ritualists , Ramona throws herself in front of Attendant One, Veiled Lady decides whether to throw herself in front of Attendant Two, and Merellin decides whether to throw himself in front of Attendant Two or Three!
➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤
Trigger: Taavar or one of her attendants are about to take damage from the ritual, and you are within or adjacent to the line of effect;
Effect: You block the line of effect, using a free Step action to do so if needed, and replace yourself as the target of the void energy!
Haohji and Velied Lady take the brunt of the energy, sparing attendants two and three!
Party
Haohji @ -8 HPs
Veiled Lady @ -7 HPs
Ritualists
First Attendant @ -9 HPs
Second Attendant @ -2 HPs
Ramona heroically blocks Assistant One, herself sustaining the full void!
Then, the ritual surges again, releasing a second shadow creature from the other side of the pale! It fixates upon Attendant One!
Blue Shadow Creature
◆) Step
◆) Shadow Tendril Strike
◆) Shadow Tendril Strike
Attendant One falls - her own grip on the ritual releases a greater surge of power! - the "flaw" she had been correcting returns to it's jilted state, it begins to spiral out of control even more!
With the first ritualist fallen, it makes a wild swipe for Ramona, who dodges easily
Meanwhile, the Shadow Creature engaged with Haohji strikes back!
With it's grip on him, it attempts to clasp it's shaded claw around his own shadow!
Entering his square and dealing him immense pain, it forces Haohji's shadow to attack Merellin!
Black Shadow Creature
◆) Shadow Tendril Strike
◆) Shroud Clasp
◆) Stretch Shadow
...
Horul runs up and tries to disable ritual - but fails!
With one of the four stabilizing ritualists down, the shadow energy at the center of the room begins to grow increasingly unstable -
Round Two / Three
Stairwell Rules: Stairs are Difficult Terrain; Winding from right to left, you must first stride through the stairwell before entering the room properly; I have marked the last “stairs” square with a lightning bolt symbol - it is from that square that you may physically enter the room.
Terrain: Chairs and Tables are Difficult Terrain and can be used to Take Cover
Hazard: Recall Knowledge (◈): Arcana / Occultism (secret check); Disable (◈◈): Arcana / Thievery, must be within the purple circle (16 squares center) vs DC 18
Creature: Recall Knowledge (◈): Religion (secret check)
Party Special Reaction:
Trigger: Taavar or one of her attendants are about to take damage from the ritual, and you are within or adjacent to the line of effect;
Effect: You block the line of effect, using a free Step action to do so if needed, and replace yourself as the target of the void energy!
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➤Haohji @ -14 HPs
➤Merellin @ -11 HPs
➤Veiled Lady @ -7 HPs
➤Ramona @ -8 HPs
Tavvar @ -7 HPs
Assistant One @ Dying 1
Assistant Two @ -2 HPs
Assistant Three @ -6 HPs
Hazard @ Flaws (□□□□☑☑☑)
Blue Shadow Creatures (AC 16) @ 25/25 HPs
Black Shadow Creatures (AC 16) @ 25/25 HPs
Horul @ full HPs