Shinzo waxes vague - or rather, totally evades - the multiple questions fielded to him ”I am no expert on Dreams. But, I’m sure you can handle yourselves. You’ve gotten quite far” he smiles here, and casually conducts business with Auntie Wu, giving her exact change in shiny coins!
Auntie Wu reaches the top, and immediately recognizes that the woman - whom she does not recognize, but who wears monk’s robes - died hours ago in this realm.
In fact, she is able to spot a fresh blood trail that heads northeast!
"Can anyone read Aklo?" He looks at the blood.
"I didn't expect to have to use this so soon..."
He pulls out the scroll of >Translate< he just purchased. Shinzo did tap it a few times. Maybe to draw Sigurd's attention?
Sigurd reads the word carefully. The hole in the woman's chest haunts him. He could have been here... "May Shizuru guide you to the afterlife. I wish we had time to bury you."
He climbs back down. "Auntie Wu said the trail leads North East." He draws his shield and katana. "Be on guard..."
Once the team is ready, he moves.
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Lan greets Shinzo, but doesn't buy anything except for a pair of minor elixirs of life.
---
Lan doesn't see what woman the team is talking about, and doesn't understand what the fuss is. Lan doesn't see any reason to climb up at first, but when he sees that everyone is looking at something, he'll attempt to climb - not with his hands, but by using his will to alter gravity!
Lan falls flat on his back.
"I didn't really want to see a dead body anyway."
"Wait! Why are you climbing up there? Don't you see the corpse of the woman!?!"
Obviously quite scared, Kazuki describes what he sees...
"A woman’s corpse lies atop the slab, her chest a gaping, gory hole and her left arm extended, as if pointing toward the northern path. Curling coils of fog writhe up from the hole in the corpse’s chest, slithering up and merging into the fog that surrounds it. Under the body, deep furrows on the upper surface of the stone seem to form a word, although it’s impossible to be sure what it says when viewed from the side..."
"You see her, too!?! What should we do?"
Auntie points out the trail of blood. A frightened look upon his face, Kazuki nods, willing to follow the trail with his scouting skills.
Before...
Shinzo happily conducts business with Vekka and Sigurd, pulling out any common scrolls for their fair price, and making the exchange.
”Yes, I came through the Wall, much as you did. And yes, we are inside of a dream. You are free to attempt to contact the dreamer…” he lets that hang before asking ”So, what else have you learned about where we are?” it almost feels like “small talk” the way he addresses the subject!
Vekka casually hands over sixty gold coins as they continue conversing. He responds as a student negotiating correctness with his socratic teacher,
We have learned that void magic is stronger, and vitality magic muted in this place. I suppose that suggests something about the essence of this dream. The physical rules of this place may not be what we are used to. This is both a dream and a mindscape in the Astral Plane. May I ask plainly... do you know who the dreamer is?
After this is (or isn't) answered he has a sudden thought:
How do the items you sell us cross the barrier back into the waking world? Will I still have these scrolls after? And you my coin?
--------------------
Now at the elevated slab...
Hearing the mention of Aklo, Vekka motions for the others to make room for him to ascend.
Save your scroll Sigurd. If we make it out of here, maybe I can even scribe it into my spells before you expend it. I read Aklo, though I won't do you the disservice of speaking it out loud. Quite guttural and harsh.
Shifting his katana's scabbard away from the front of his body, he begins...
Once atop, he sites perched like a bird in a tree and reads the Aklo inscription.
Vekka gives the woman's body a brief glance after working out the Aklo. Kazuki's description of it is slightly unsettling, only renewing his sense that they (or at least he?) shouldn't be here.
Without remarking on it, he quickly descends off of the slab again.
He climbs back down. "Auntie Wu said the trail leads North East." He draws his shield and katana. "Be on guard..."
Vekka nods, drawing his katana again. He strides up next to Sigurd to join him to head down the trail. His feet begin to take softer steps as he goes.
Vekka informs the team of the name scribed in Aklo.
I really hope that is not the owner of this dream.
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Lan searches the thread recalls past instances of the name coming up!
Zoudou muttering it at the sacrifice
Discussion with Old Matsuki
"I see... let us hope Kugaptee is not the dreamer. Convincing them of their folly will require more force than I can muster." He climbs back down, readies his shield and katana.
He takes the lead and follows the trail as closely as possible. Where did Yami go?
|
Before climbing down from the obelisk, Auntie Wu closes the woman's eyes and says a brief prayer over her body. She can't tell if it's a "real" body or a "dream" body, but she figures Pharasma would respect her intent.
Everyone keeps saying they hope the dreamer's not Kugaptee. Auntie Wu knows better. You bet your buttons it's Kugaptee. Who else would have the power to do this? She drinks deeply from her gourd. Normally the alcohol warms her belly, but in light of these circumstances, her gut remains cold--cold and slightly queasy. She sticks close to Kazuki and Sigurd as they warily pace along the path of blood, hackles raised.
"What is Kugaptee?" Kazuki asks, a worried look upon his face. Paranoid, he glances over his shoulder every so often. He's totally freaked out that he's in some sort of dream world.
He thinks back to Zoudou muttering it at the sacrifice and the discussion with Old Matsuki.
"Is Kugaptee a deity? A demon lord? Are we going to die here!?!"
Kazuki wordlessly reaches for Auntie’s gourd of liquor, his fingers wrapping around it with quiet desperation. His dark eyes, wide with unease, flick to hers—silent, pleading. Just a swig. Just enough to steady his nerves in this nightmare.
I'm not sure if we can die in here, but since we now exist within a dream I wonder how vulnerable are our bodies are in the waking world. He grimaces at the thought of their mortal vessels wasting away while they're stuck in here.
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Nodding, Auntie Wu allows Kazuki to wet his whistle. There is no judgement in her eyes. In fact, he sees his unease mirrored there. When he returns the gourd, she offers it to the others as well. Sigurd probably won't partake, but surely he'll understand the spirit in which the offer is given.
"We won't know if our bodies are still there until we return." Her voice only quavers a little bit. The drink is working.
"All we can do is press on. We will wake up, I know it." Sigurd keeps his weapons at the ready, and politely shakes his head when Auntie Wu offers him a drink. He's not much of a drinker and he needs to keep his wits sharp. But he understands a community drink. If they make it out of here, he'll share a drink with them.
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Lan will also decline the drink. He can't help singing when he drinks, and that would ruin the element of surprise.
A deadfall of trees lies in a rotting mound in this forest clearing. Blood spatters several of the decaying timbers, and an opening in the center emits a foul, rotten stink...
Will the party survive to share that promised drink!?
A gigantic vulture with blood smeared all over it's beak looks up from it's human heart meal and begins demanding in a raspy voice but shows no signs of giving quarter. It lunges!
And as it lunges, three spherical clots of blood rip free from the heart and transform into shrieking distorted human faces - all similar to that of the corpse at area A2 but possessed of glowing yellow eyes and mouths filled with sharp teeth!
Upon spawning, they greedily eye the heart in the Vulture's clutches!
A vulture carries Carrion Fever which it can spread through it's beak attack!
Carrion Fever
(disease) The sickened condition from carrion fever can't be reduced while the affliction remains; Saving Throw DC 21 Fortitude; Onset 1 day; Stage 1 sickened 1 and fatigued (1 day); Stage 2 sickened 1, slowed 1, and fatigued (1 day)
It can also Projectile Vomit!
Projectile Vomit
[one-action] Frequency once per hour; Effect The giant vulture vomits up its last meal on a creature within 10 feet. The creature takes 3d6 acid damage with a DC 20 basic Fortitude save. On a failed save, the target is also sickened 1.
But something is different about this vulture - you'll have to succeed at one of the other checks below to understand how this nightmare realm has changed it!
This vulture has the following ability
Death Burst
When the heart-eating vulture is slain, its body spasms and thrashes as it falls to the ground while red light begins to shine through splits in its flesh. At the end of the round, the heart-eating vulture explodes
into a 10-foot-radius blast of red nindoru butterflies, their razor-sharp wings and claws inflicting 5d6 slashing damage (DC 18 basic Reflex save), leaving behind only the heart it clutched in one of its talons.
These are dream-infused Cacodemons!
It has the following ability, which it can use on the heart while adjacent to it without fully consuming it (they have not done so yet...)!
Soul Lock
[◆◆◆] (death, divine)
Frequency: once per day
Effect: The cacodaemon ingests the soul of a sentient creature within 30 feet that died within the last minute. When they do, the cacodaemon grows a fist-sized soul gem (Hardness 2, HP 8) in their gut and can regurgitate it at any time as an Interact action. Destroying the gem frees the soul within but doesn't return the deceased creature to life. If a caster attempts to return to life a creature whose soul is trapped within a soul gem, they fail unless they succeed at a DC 30 Religion check. A success causes the soul gem to shatter so the creature is returned to life as normal for the spell.
A fiend can Interact to ingest a soul gem it is holding, condemning the soul to the fiend's home plane. The fiend gains fast healing 5 for 1 minute.
Kazuki's eyes go wide in shock and fear at the sight of the scary creatures.
"We're going to die here." he mutters, his voice trembling.
When he returns the gourd, she offers it to the others as well.
Vekka shrugs. What can a drink do to him in a dream?
--------------------
All Sigurd can do is get his shield ready for the incoming onslaught.
Puking up volatile guts and carrion, the vulture holds still a moment, as if waiting for something to happen...
Vulture
◆) Vomit
◆◆) Ready
Meanwhile, the Green Heartspawn draws energy from the heart clutched by the giant bird - it's little body pulses with necromantic power!
Green Heartspawn
◆◆◆) Soul Lock
Does the party stay, or flee?!
Recall Knowledge: LINK
Terrain: Bushes / Trees / Logs are Difficult Terrain and used to Take Cover
The Heart: You may Interact (◆) to attempt to grab the Heart with an Athletics or Thievery check!
Vulture @ Vomit 3r
Green Heartspawn @ Fast Healing
Lan
Kazuki
Auntie Wu @ Pending Fortitude
Sigurd @ Pending Fortitude
Vekka @ Pending Fortitude @ Frightened 1
Red Heartspawn
Blue Heartspawn
Lair
☠☠☠
Kazuki is not going to flee and abandon his friends. Sure, this is one heck of a nightmare, and the giant vulture thing just puked all over his friends, but he stays strong and readies his bow. He steps into the bushes for cover, marks the red creature as his prey, and fires two shots in quick succession...
The vulture sends refuse towards Sigurd.
He is caught off guard. It is... horrible.
Still, Sigurd approaches carefully, raising his shield.
He takes note at the heartspawns - what are they?
He grits his teeth. "Cacodemons! They devour souls! Quickly, before they finish consuming this heart and condemn her soul. We must destroy this filth!"
Vekka stands there, went and sticky with a slightly acid substance seeping into his feathers. His beak a very clear grimace, his eyes are wide with disturbance and shock.
Then the nausea starts to overcome him...
No.. I have to get it out now!
The fear remains... but physically the removal of the sickness has him feeling more capable. He incants a circular shield of force on his forearm.
Lan raises his hands, and blazing bolts shoot forth. ◆◆◆
SHONK SHONK Kazuki's arrows land true!
Sigurd advances closer, then holds position.
Vekka tries to hold onto his stomach, magically shielding himself.
And Lan lets out a treble flame attack - scorching two of them - the red heartspawn disintegrates!
Auntie Wu scans the field...
|
|
As much as staying far back from the Vulture doesn't seem to do any good, getting close won't be any better. Auntie Wu wipes the bile off her mouth (Ew!) before warning the guys: "That vulture can make you sick if it pecks you with its beak! There's something different about this one, but I don't know what it is!"
Ruing the spells she chose this morning, Auntie Wu forces herself to scoot closer so she can be close enough to cast something on these things.
Blue Heartspawn
◆◆◆) Soul Lock
...and Vulture, having "fed" the heart to it's pawns, flies forward with menacing speed!
Vulture
↺) Readied Fly
The Dream realm itself shifts and contorts, and pure fear reaches out to grasp Sigurd!
Nightmare Realm
And then the Vulture viciously attack him before ascending 15 feet straight up!
Vulture
◆◆) Strike x2
◆) Fly up 15 feet
He manages to bat it away with his shield.
Green Heartspawn flies over to Sigurd and tries to bite his heart away!
Sigurd's defense on full display - he emerges the double onslaught unharmed!
THE SOULTHIEF'S NEST
Recall Knowledge: LINK
Terrain: Bushes / Trees / Logs are Difficult Terrain and used to Take Cover
The Heart: You may Interact (◆) to attempt to grab the Heart with an Athletics or Thievery check!
Vulture @ Vomit 2r @ -14 doubleshot
Green Heartspawn @ Fast Healing
Lan
Kazuki
Auntie Wu @ -5
Sigurd @ -11, sickened @ Pending Will
Vekka @ Frightened 1 @ -11
Blue Heartspawn @ Fast Healing @ -13 fire
Lair
☠☠☠
Lan's blazing bolts continue.
vs Vulture
vs Green (cover?)
vs Blue
Lan wonders what's going on with his second bolt. It always seems to fly off in a different direction.
Sigurd ignores the Green cacodemon for now, even as the realm contorts around him.
He tries to relax and fight off the bile.
Good. He looks up at the vulture. "No, you will not get away. By the light of Shizuru." He lowers his shield and shoots his hand up. A ray of pure sunlight reaches up to hit the vulture.
THE SOULTHIEF'S NEST
All of Lan's bolt fly true - Blue Heartspawn explodes in a ball of fire.
Sigurd rights himself, and shines holy light on the vulture above. It screams!
"NO - THIS IS "
It looks greatly weakened...
☠☠☠ ☠☠☠ ☠☠☠
Recall Knowledge: LINK
Terrain: Bushes / Trees / Logs are Difficult Terrain and used to Take Cover
The Heart: You may Interact (◆) to attempt to grab the Heart with an Athletics or Thievery check!
Vulture @ Vomit 2r @ -14 doubleshot, -16 fire, -36 holy fire
Green Heartspawn @ Fast Healing @ -19 fire
Lan
Kazuki
Auntie Wu @ -5
Sigurd @ -11
Vekka @ Frightened 1 @ -11
Lair
☠☠☠ ☠☠☠ ☠☠☠
Vekka remembers that void is particularly strong in this place.
I hope that doesn't mean this creature likes it...
Though he can't reach the vulture with his sword, his spells can still cover the distance.
He enters the stance hoping it may soon dive closer.
”USE MY WEAPONS AGAINST ME? YOU HAVE NO POWER HERE. I WILL CRUSH YOU OVER AND OVER FOR ETERNITY. YOU ENTER THE ENDLESS CYCLE OF PAIN!”
The vulture taunts Vekka as his spell disperse harmlessly around it’s intended target.
"Whaaaat? Now this demonic vulture is talking?" Kazuki says, shaking his head in slight fear and disbelief.
Kazuki stays behind the tree trunk for cover. He takes careful aim at his prey, the giant vulture, and lets a pair of arrows loose...
|
|
"NO - THIS IS "
"Well, we're about to turn it into your worst nightmare!" Is that Kugaptee? Or a representation of him? Huh... The alcohol has loosened Auntie Wu's lips, but she's still got her wits about her (she thinks).
”USE MY WEAPONS AGAINST ME? YOU HAVE NO POWER HERE. I WILL CRUSH YOU OVER AND OVER FOR ETERNITY. YOU ENTER THE ENDLESS CYCLE OF PAIN!”
The vulture taunts Vekka as his spell disperse harmlessly around it’s intended target.
Well, if Void doesn't work, does Vitality? It would make sense, but this dream world doesn't. Thinking about it hurts her head, and there isn't time. She casts Vitality Lash, choosing not to overcome the dream world's dampening affect on vitality magic, just in case it heals the awful vulture.
Finally, she casts Guidance on Kazuki to help his next arrow land true.
It's enough. When the heart-eating vulture is slain, its body spasms and thrashes as it falls to the ground while red light begins to shine through splits in its flesh, exploding into a 10-foot-radius blast of red nindoru butterflies, their razor-sharp wings and claws inflicting 5d6 slashing damage (DC 18 basic Reflex save), leaving behind only the heart it clutched in one of its talons!
Kazuki steps onto the trail from behind the tree so that he has a clear shot at the final creature. He marks it as his prey and sends a pair of arrows at it...