Sigurd's calming words damage it's connection to the material plane...
The only way out is through...
It's quite a crowd around the room's centerpiece, but Vekka attempts to slide past Sigurd and finish off the phantom boar he's already diminished...
Peering into the gloom, he tries to focus on its form as he swipes his blade.
Lan walks up behind Kazuki and uses a different fire, a healing fire.
◆ Stride
◆◆ Rejuvenating Flames
Squeals and disspates.
Vekka loses the phantom boar in the dim light.
Lan's flame rejuvenates Kazuki.
Auntie Wu's words wither it's connexion.
Spiritual essence leaks away.
➤➤➤➤➤ ➤➤➤➤➤ ➤➤➤➤➤
SQUEALS IN THE EARLY LIGHT!
Lighting: Dim Light (Creatures are Concealed to you unless you have low-light vision or darkvision)
Concealment: Upon declaring a target (not an area) to Strike or Cast, spend the actions, then roll DC 5 flat check or they are lost (you lose your target in the darkness)
Monster ID: Nature or Religion to Identify as (◆) vs rare DC 16 / 21 (ask a question!)
Special Monster "Kindness" Weakness: Diplomacy (◆◆) to Calm Phantom @ 1d8 (F) / 2d8 (S) / 4d8 (CS) mental damage and is stunned 1 (CS)
Vekka (AC 19-2, unarmored) w/ katana
Ho Lan (AC 18, unarmored) @ prone, weapons / shields stowed
Sigurd (AC 20-3, unarmored) @ weapons / shields stowed @ -9 w/ magic shield
Auntie Wu (AC 18-1, unarmored) w/ shield
Kazuki (AC 20, HP 41, armored) w/ normal vision w/ longbow @ -13
Red (AC 18, HP ?? w/ Resist Physical 4 / Magical 2, Will 18, Speed 40) @ -11
➤➤➤➤➤ ➤➤➤➤➤ ➤➤➤➤➤
"Wooo! Thanks, Lan! Those healing flames tickles a bit."
After the blast of healing flames, Kazuki moves along the wall and sets his sights on the red tinted boar. He marks it as his prey and sends two arrows flying...
The lighting is just too dim for him to target the boar.
Kazuki's aim is untrue.
It continues to rage!
Red Phantom Boar
◆◆◆) Strike x3
One lucky buck!
➤➤➤➤➤ ➤➤➤➤➤ ➤➤➤➤➤
Vekka carefully steps to the other side of the boar opposite Sigurd
It is time to end this.
His blade gushes with flame, and the way the light reflects off of the boar helps him to zero in on it.
Vekka dissipates the Phantom Boar with his spellstrike and all is quiet once more…
The rest of the night passes without incident.
"Thank you, all of you." Sigurd heals himself.
Most of himself. A small cut remains on his leg as a reminder. "Let's get some rest. Someone or something seems to be targeting the village itself- called it a disturbance, seemed to be >pleased it was in ruins.<"
"Maybe we can attempt to follow the tracks in the morning. We saved Ugly Cute, maybe we can save the other kidnapped villagers."
Hopefully Kazuki's mother is among them.
|
1st: Heal, Grease, Flourishing Flora
2nd: Heal, Restoration
Time is short, and failure is not an option. Auntie Wu affixes her Traveler's Fulu before she begins looking for the tracks that headed Northwest .
Recovers focus point
Memorizing same spells as yesterday:
2nd blazing bolt
1st runic weapon (2)
Cantrips (2nd) caustic blast, frostbite, light, shield, tangle vine
Vekka wakes up the next morning and fiddles with his spell feathers, preparing runes onto the drums of the sandalwood circle he wears at his back. He can tell Auntie Wu is anxious to get moving quickly and pick up the trail again.
Okay, lead the way!
Auntie Wu leads the way.
The party arrives in the late morning, following a Trail that brings them briefly north before veering west.
...Fearing the worst, the party decides between rushing ahead to interrupt whatever is going on and sneaking around to see if they can get eyes on the scene!
Kazuki watches Auntie with curiosity as she affixes a strange talisman to her clothing. He asks what it is. After she informs him of its properties, he is quite intrigued.
"Huh. Interesting. I'll need to get myself one of those."
----------------------
Hearing murmuring on the trail ahead, Kazuki suddenly drops to his knees to keep low in the underbrush. He signals to the others to get down as well.
He whispers to the group,
"Should I scout ahead and take a look at what's going on? My mother could be with whoever is there. Possibly her captors."
You give away your position, but retain the best opportunity for parlay.
You gain the opportunity to learn more info, but at risk of making the other two approaches more difficult if you are caught.
Or worse!
Ambush them using Stealth, but at risk of walking into one if you are detected.
Sigurd gets his shield ready to Defend himself. It is good to have his armor on, even if he's loud.
He simply nods to Kazuki. This mumbling means there are many of them nearby. It also means another chance to end the menace and redeem himself. He saved Ugly Cute, he can save more!
Lan is terrible at Stealth, so he will favor the Direct Approach. But if someone wants to Scout first, he'll hang back.
Vekka also nods to Kazuki.
Scout ahead, be careful, do not act rash if you see your mother captive. As Auntie Wu suggests, signal to us if we should rush in. Sneaking back is ideal though.
Chanting... what could it be? Kazuki, a ghost himself in the forest, scouts ahead once more to learn about the new encampment ahead...
➤ Level: Four (base DC 19)
➤ Complexity: 6 rounds
➤ Timeframe: 5 minutes per round
➤ Synergies: Terrain Expertise (Forest), Terrain Stalker (Underbrush)
➤ List of Skills: At least one Perception check (moderate), Stealth (easy), plus up to one Tradition check of choice (easy)
Thresholds:
Critical Success (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, ⭐): As Success, plus a whole-party bonus to future interactions (diplomacy, initiative, stealth, etc)
Success (⭐⭐⭐⭐): Learn information like how many there are, what they are doing, features of location, info to allow party mates to Recall Knowledge, etc
Failure (⭐⭐): No information, and minor consequences like whole-party penalties to future interactions (diplomacy, initiative, stealth, etc)
Critical Failure: Kazuki's player is rolling up a new character...
While Kazuki scouts ahead, the party...
Sigurd worries he's going to make too much noise and give away their position.
But is there anything he can see from here? A clearing? Maybe smoke from a ritual? What can he smell, hopefully not rotting flesh.
Sigurd looks ahead best he can without getting close enough to be seen himself.
No smoke. No strong smells. Just the low murmuring of chanting…
Lan stands patiently ... ?
Even he recognizes how weird it is. No thoughts run through his mind, other than concern for Kazuki. No daydreaming about women. No worries about what may lie ahead. We will face challenges together, he hears himself think. Such thoughts are foreign to him.
"Wish me luck, friends."
Kazuki slowly stalks towards the murmuring, keeping his eyes peeled. With his expertise at traveling through forest terrain and sneaking in underbrush, he steps lightly as he advances. He pauses behind the trunk of a tree and then sneaks across to the next tree trunk. Getting closer to the sounds, he pauses to listen, then continues through the trees. A grazing deer blocks his path to a tree nearby. He tries to sneak past it...
|
|
While Kazuki scouts, Auntie Wu is antsy. So antsy. And stressed. And worried. And anxious. She takes a hearty swig from the small gourd at her hip. And pops in some flayleaf. And wishes she had time to brew a pot of special tea, but the smoke from the fire would give away their position anyway, so never mind.
Recognizing the signs of letting her emotions spin out of control, she exerts all her will to focus on something narrow and productive. "Okay, boys. Sigurd, Lan, and I aren't the quiet types. If Kazuki recommends sneaking in, what do you think of the three of us letting him and Vekka go first and hanging back a bit so we don't give them away? Maybe they could approach from a different direction or something. Thoughts?"
The low hum chanting terrifies Kazuki as he sneaks closer... several robed creatures... ...can't see their faces... ...a cage... ...empty... ...an altar... ...empty... ...but he could feel dark magic in the air... ...he dared not get closer... ...his heart pounding... ...time to go back...
...regrouping with minimal information (and Kazuki unable to provide anything but vague details), the group decides how to quickly approach!
"It is good to see you back in one piece, Kazuki." Sigurd's joy is genuine. "Let us be ready." He draws his katana and shield. "Let's hope we are not too late."
As he approaches the site, he looks for any religious significance.
Kazuki's eyes are wide with fear as he hustles towards his companions. He nods in the affirmative to Sigurd.
"I did not like what I saw. Their chanting is... chilling to the bone. I didn't see any sign of my mother, either. It's best we go in as a group. Maybe rush in and take them by surprise. I'll hang back just out of volley range with my bow."
He gives his bow a shake.
Kazuki, did your glimpse of the space reveal a path to try to sneak up behind them as a group? Perhaps the far side is less obvious than this entrance.
|
|
"Might as well go right in, then. Even if they hear us coming, maybe it'll stop enough of their chanting to halt the ritual. Maybe the rest of us can let Vekka and Kazuki fan out so those...cultists think there are fewer ofus." Cultists. Yes. That's a good word for them.
She takes another gulp of liquid courage and hoists her shield. As she approaches, she listens intently to the chanting, trying to ascertain what they're saying so she can best know how to undermine their nefarious goals.
Lan will brazenly walk up and tell them to stop doing what they're doing, or else be consumed by fire.
Vekka's jaw lower beak hits the ground as Lan fearlessly rushes forward into... whatever gathering the cult has going on.
He moves to quickly follow Lan so that they don't leave him alone to walk into the hornet's nest.
Ahead, five hooded figures chant in a low hum, channeling their energies towards a large stone altar which glows with an occult dark grey aura!
One turns it's attention to the party, and recognizing them perhaps, bolts off into the woods suddenly!
The party looks closer...
...there is someone in the cage...
......
...she looks preserved, but malnourished, and does not yet see the party...
...ritual paintings all over her body...
The other four Noppera-Bo do not react to their comrades sudden flight - neither do they turn around to acknowledge the party - indeed, their chanting seems to intensify as they redouble their efforts to channel dark energy into the Altar of Blood!
☠☠☠ ☠☠☠ ☠☠☠
Reactions: Ready
Lighting: Bright Light
Terrain: Trees and Stumps are Obstacles, Fallen Logs are Difficult Terrain and can provide Take Cover
Monster ID (Acolytes): Occultism or Society (DC 15)
Monster ID (Zoudou): Occultism, Religion, or Society (DC ??)
Getting Kazuki's mom's attention (◆): You may attempt a skill check of some sort to rouse her
Ritual Disable (◆◆): Occultism or Religion (DC ???) from Adjacent to Altar of Blood
Ritual Statistics: Number of Sustainments (???), Disable Threshold (???)
Ritual ID (◆): Occultism or Religion
31: Lan
29: Auntie Wu
26: Zoudou
19: Green Acolyte
14: Sigurd
10: Blue Acolyte
5: Red Acolyte
1: Kazuki's mom
0: Ritual
☠☠☠ ☠☠☠ ☠☠☠
Besides what I have already provided above, you know that at least one caster (Zoudou or an acolyte) must Sustain the Ritual each round or it is soon lost!
☠☠☠ ☠☠☠ ☠☠☠
Lan watches the acolyte run off, and nods his head appreciatively. Then, he turns back to those who have not fled, and makes good on his promise.
◆ Stride
◆◆ Scorching Ray
vs Blue
vs Zoudou
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"Distract them! Make them break concentration to destroy the ritual!" Auntie Wu gasps as she realizes what's going on. Realizing that the "cultists" will likely continue chanting until they absolutely cannot, she dashes as quickly as her little legs can take her toward the altar, intent on disrupting their plans.
Vekka takes a moment to process the feeling ritualist.
Will the rest follow? Don't they all know us by now?
He turns back to the remaining group, and the realization of the situation grabs his attention and focus violently.
They're hurrying up to finish it! We need to interrupt their proceedings NOW! Harm them, damage their implements. Anything, all of it! he shouts instinctively.
We'll save you!"
Kazuki snarls at the creatures, hoping to leave none of them alive.
Kazuki sets his sights on the Noppera-Bo in purple, marking it as his prey. He makes a quick sweep of his arm to funnel magical gravitational forces from nature into his bow.
He sends two arrows in quick succession at his hunted prey.
Zoudou turns around "It seems this needs to be dealt with..'" and instructs first the Blue Acolyte "You maintain the connection" and then the Green Acolyte "Kill that one" and drawing her weapon - - weaves her hand causing Auntie's Wu's mind to recede into a circadian rhythm similar to sleep!
Zoudou
◆) Interact to Draw Sacrificial Dagger
◆◆) Cast a Spell
Green Acolyte obeys, turning around to face Auntie Wu, and drawing his staff, points it at her - she feels a pain scream from within her mind!
Green Acolyte
◆) Interact to Draw Staff
◆◆) Cast a Spell
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The forest trail suddenly reaches a clearing in the woods, where a few fallen trees and stumps testify to woodcutting pursuits abandoned years ago. Beyond a fallen tree, the clearing’s northwestern side is obscured by A three-tiered stone stands near this wall, while a bit further to the east of this platform stands a dome-shaped cage built of bent branches and wooden slats - where inside Kazuki's mom lays upon the ground.
☠☠☠ ☠☠☠ ☠☠☠
Lan's flame bolts whiz by Zoudou - as do Kazuki's arrows - as Auntie Wu hustles forward - but one of the acolytes nearly burns to death
☠☠☠ ☠☠☠ ☠☠☠
Black Acolyte - who had disappeared into the Mists not seconds ago, reappears in the same full sprint still looking back, whereupon arriving, looks forward now, and sees Lan ahead, stopping dead in his tracks, and looking back and forth now between the Mist and the Sorcerer! - the expression on his blank, Noperra-Bo face impossible to read...
☠☠☠ ☠☠☠ ☠☠☠
Interrupting the Ritual of Sacrificial Appeasement
Reactions: Ready
Lighting: Bright Light
Terrain: Trees and Stumps are Obstacles, Fallen Logs are Difficult Terrain and can provide Take Cover
Monster ID (Acolytes): Occultism or Society (DC 15)
Monster ID (Zoudou): Occultism, Religion, or Society (DC ??)
Getting Kazuki's mom's attention (◆): You may attempt a skill check of some sort to rouse her
Ritual Disable (◆◆): Occultism or Religion (DC ???) from Adjacent to Altar of Blood
Ritual Statistics: Number of Sustainments (???), Disable Threshold (???)
Ritual ID (◆): Occultism or Religion
Kazuki
Lan
Auntie Wu @ 2x Will Saves pending!
Zoudou w/ Sacrificial Dagger
Green Acolyte (AC 15) w/ Staff
Black Acolyte (AC 15) @ Fleeing ?!
Sigurd
Vekka
Blue Acolyte (AC 15) @ -17 scorch @ Instructed to Sustain by Zoudou
Red Acolyte (AC 15)
Kazuki's mom
Ritual
☠☠☠ ☠☠☠ ☠☠☠
The Ritual has been going for a couple days, and properly performed, is due to be completed in the next several hours!
You realize here that it is Kazuki's mom's age that makes her a best candidate for sacrifice!
☠☠☠ ☠☠☠ ☠☠☠
Vekka moves forward, moving slowly and carefully over a downed tree and the foliage it imposes upon the ground. He takes a moment to embolden his blade.
Sigurd moves in after Auntie Wu and channels the power of the sun into her.
"Your foul machinations will come to an end, now!" Sigurd calls.
"What do you know of the ritual?" He turns to Auntie Wu, hoping she is conscious enough to answer.
A red sheet of anguish looms ahead. He wonders if anyone is able to leave Willowshore at this point. And these ghost faces wish to make things worse?
Auntie Wu throws off the entirety of the Noppera-Bo magicks, emerging utterly unscathed!
Vekka prepares for war - his blade glistens with runic magic.
Sigurd rushes in and...
Zoudou reacts to the twice-failed magick!
She turns her faceless expression towards her "This one is stubborn!" commanding Red Acolyte now "Focus on her" and looking now between Auntie Wu and Mama Kazuki "Old too!" and "Perhaps she will be able to take her place!" and changes her mind "Take her, but leave her alive!"
The sun seems to pat Sigurd's head, and his healing font keeps untouched.
He smiles and continues Striding in front of Auntie Wu.
He then tries to identify the aspects of the ritual.
Sigurd recognizes this ritual from his monastic studies...