As the moments tick by the portal still shines - and glancing at the draught of dreams it already seems to be slowly refilling itself with liquid - but the queen of the hour stubbornly fails to appear.
Finally after about seven minutes Atae and Itka both sense a strong *pulse* rebounding back into their magical senses. It's strong - 6th Rank - somewhere generally near the portal.
But as they detect this the non-mages' eyes are drawn more to the south. As from beneath the desert sands two figures dramatically rise up from under the earth. Vaguely humaoid in shape, both figures are 'off' - as they float up their thin bodies and long limbs form strange angles and proportions. Both look at you with dark blurry eyes and smile grins displaying a nightmarish amount of teeth at you!
Each of you can hear in your minds <Such lush mortals. Vibrant, strong. What flavor your fears will have.>
Initiative
Atae
Atae recognizes the new arrivals as animate dreams. Creatures of the Dreamlands, these manifested nightmares are incorporeal, and enjoy feeding on fear with their magical abilities and nightmarish touch.
Initiative
Atae (2 actions)
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Seeing the red monster approaching the gnome, with a smile she kisses her fingers on her right hand and as she brings her hand down a small wasp flies over to Zabu to protect him
She will cast forbidding ward on the gnome to protect from red.
You ward an ally against the attacks and hostile spells from the target enemy. The target ally gains a +1 status bonus to Armor Class and saving throws against the target enemy's attacks, spells, and other effects.
Atae sends some protection Zabu's way!
Meanwhile the two dreams to the south begin to glide across the sands. Their grins are manic as the first floats amongst the center of you and telepathically asks <Please: show us your terrors. The more interesting the better.>
While it does that, its partner flies towards Zabu and lashes out twice at the gnome with its oddly-formed limbs.
for
for
…poorly
Initative
Manny, need Will save
Anjo
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"Am I really happy? Fame, attention, partying... nothing long lasting. Holysmiths die horrible deaths."
"Time to Inspire some Courage!" Manny shouts. "Or maybe a Courageous Anthem? I need to remaster my songs... later!"
His shout lingers on, helping everyone with their courage for a while.
Finally, he casts Haste upon himself. "Come on, Manny. Gotta keep your head in the game."
Manny sings and speeds himself up while Anjo jumps into action and strikes back at the dreams. While he doesn't perosnally recognize the enemies he does confirm they're vulnerable to arrows with his first shot. Mostly at least - as the arrow pierces through incorporeal form some of the force of the bolt and flame don't seem to hurt as much.
But while the attention is focused to the south a fourth figure emerges from the sands: the night hag Aslynn! dressed in a cloak and hood more practical for desert climates laughs "Never fear, for I am here!"
Aslynn strides past the wizard directly towards the Draught of Dreams. A clawed hand reaches out to grab it while she taunts "You brought it out? Silly fools. Here's the deal: I win, you lose!"
As she hefts the chalice up, the clockwork chirper connected to it flies up and circles the area tweeting loudly. Paying it no heed, Aslynn puts the draught to her lips and Aslynn drinks deeply from it, then begins to cackle as her form shifts. Her eyes glow, her teeth grow sharp, and curved horns stretch forth from her brow. A chain appears wrapped around her torso. One end of the chain is attached to an iron cauldron sitting in the sand at Aslynn’s feet, the other is held tightly in one of her clawed hands.
Aslynn calls out victoriously over the noise of the clockwork chirper as she brandishes the jeweled chalice. “Boundless wonder now rests soundly within my clawed hand! Very soon, to fruition, shall come all I have planned. A realm of endless nightmares shall be mine to command. Within my way, not one Pathfinder shall I let stand"
As she cackles a *thrumming* sound fills the air. A rectangular prism of light-blue energy surrounds you, sealing off the area and forming a translucent barrier forty feet in the air. Aslynn and the dreams look around at the activated containment field - the dreams appear confused but Aslynn's expression remains one of triumph.
Meanwhile the third animate dream looks towards the goblin wizard near it. He hears in his skull. <A goblin. And a mage. What a curious - wait dear Gods what is that!!!!>
It looks beyond Bakbat, who follows its glance and sees:
As the sorcerer reacts to something (that the rest of you can't see)
the dream then floats towards him menacingly.
Initiative
Inspire Courage up (3 rounds)
Atae, frightened 1
Bakbat, need Will save
Itka, frightened 1
Zabu, heroism'd warded v Red, need Will save
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Pages form in the mind of BakBat. And words form on the pages. The letters seem to jump out to BakBat, each letter attempting to steal his soul.
"Ahhhhhh!! It hurts! BakBat won't read it! BakBat will keep BakBat's soul!"
BakBat glares at Aslynn.
BakBat shouts. A ten-foot wide Aqueous Orb appears around Aslyn.
BakBat isn't scared by those mean pages . But aslynn isn't scared by him either, and the night hag easily side-steps the watery orb erupting near her.
"You're big move is the get me wet? That's one mistake you'll soon regret!"
Initiative
Inspire Courage up (3 rounds)
Atae, frightened 1
Itka, frightened 1
Zabu, heroism'd warded v Red, need Will save
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Seeing that the night hag has cast powerful magic, Atae draw upon her connection to the Savored Sting and calling upon her goddess she invokes her Savored Sting, Whispered One in the Room, hear the prayer of your servant who seeks to strike down this harridan whose job it is to cause injury and keep passion from taking place as she steals dreams and souls. Strike her down by the power of your might, goddess of vengeance and show her what true power is as she shoots a blazing ray of light tinged with holy energy, the sound of swarming wasps can be heard as the light approaches the hag
searing light
Hero Point
searing light
fire damage
holy damage
She then will sustain the spell on the gnome
Atae calls forth Calistria's might into a beam of vengeful power directed right at the night hag. Aslynn is struck But as the ray ravages her with flame the expected burst of gold holy light bizarrely doesn't appear. A scorched Aslynn cackles "Well that's a spell with a bit of bite. Perhaps this will actually be a fight."
Initiative
Inspire Courage up (3 rounds)
Itka, frightened 1
Zabu, heroism'd warded v Red, need Will save
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"Hmp." Now is the time. Itka hustle-limps toward Aslynn, giving her a glare that would turn a lesser mortal to stone before casting Slow on the hag.
Zabu gets mad and tries to chomp down on the dream. The force of his jaws are mighty, but the lingering fear in head head slows him just enough for the nightmare to narrowly dodge.
As he races towards Aslynn and the chalice, the night hag glares as Itka as her taunts seem to slow down "Yoou littlle wiitch slling speells aat meee?..."
With a new and reckless mortal right next to it one of the dreams reaches out to caress Zabu. Each time is grasps the gnome he feels the darkness of death seeping into him. And strange and scary visions filling his mind as well...
for
for
for
It's counterpart glides up and over towards Atae and strikes her twice.
<What bright light you wield. But dreams come better in the darkness, no?>
for
for
[i]Initiative
Inspire Courage up (2 rounds)
Manny, frightened 1, hasted
Anjo
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"We got this!" Manny realizes he's fighting incorporeal AND cold iron vulnerable creatures. Alas, he wishes he could use his whip, but his Cold Iron, Ghost Touch +1 Longsword is better suited for the job.
Manny realizes he would have to waste a lot of energy to run around to reach people. And the prize is within reach.
Okay Manny. Game on. Time to fight the big bad.
Swallowing his fear, he has enough time for one swing against Aslynn. Make it count.
It's good. He hopes. Atae's light almost hit as hard. How did Aslynn resist the holy blast?
"Nice horns you got there. I know a guy that can shine them for you. Must be hard to wear a hat. Or a mask. Are they real?"
With so many assaults against her Willpower, Manny decides to pile on and weaken her resolve even further. Hopefully Zabu gets here in time.
Aslynn turns to glance at Manny as he races towards her. But she doesn't react in time to avoid a sharp blow from his blade. Aslynn recoils back in pain and anger.
"...yoouur deaath I sooon wiill llike tto seee."
The bard's jibe seems to cut her too.
Initiative
Inspire Courage up (2 rounds)
Anjo
Atae feels the Void damage coursing through her soul she starts to notice strange, nightmarish forms flitting at the edges of her vision. The elf tries to ignore them but the strain is tiring.
Anjo's shots miss, and he can't remember at the moment anything special about the fiendish night hags beyond what the party's already discussed. But even from a distance he notices a few strange things. The fiend is clutching the Draught tight in her clawed hand...but her fingers ensnaring it don't quite grip it right and seem to have odd joints. As she throws her head back to cackle there seems to be a strange 'fuzziness' about her horns, and the sound of her laughter lags just a second behind her mouth. And as she moves away from Manny Anjo can faintly see his companion through the hag for a brief moment.
...that's not Aslynn! There's some sort of illusion magic about it!
Seeing herself starting to get surrounded and focused on, 'Aslynn' taunts "You attacks are cute but I need you no more. You were dumb enough to open the door". The night hag begins moving quickly towards the portal to Zarta's mind - and is hit so hard from Manny it stops her in her tracks!
Looking now both very miffed and very injured, she then tries again - flying swiftly towards the portal. But as she nears the blue rift on the sand she pauses for a split-second. Suddenly the shimmering portal shudders and shrinks to nothing - vanishing and leaving only sand behind. And 'Aslynn' - still holding the chalice and in the desert with you whirls around and yells "So: you mortals think you're clever. Well whatever you've done has brought a storm you won't weather!"
As this is happening, the animate dream by Bakbat looks over at Manny. <Your friend shows bravery. But how sensible is that?>
Manny feels his mind quickly filled with strange and erratic impulses while the dream then reaches down and caresses Bakbat.
for
Initiative
Inspire Courage up (2 rounds)
Atae 44/69 HP, Fatigued
Bakbat 27/62 HP, need Fort save
Itka, frightened 1
Zabu 115/156 HP, heroism'd warded v Red, need 2 Fort saves
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"Your gifts are offal."
"You repay generosity with trash."
"Our wrath is full,"
"And we'll kick your-"
Manny reacts and swings his blade again. "Hey! I'm not done yet!"
Watching Aslynn's... shadow? Pause in front of the portal brings the first major wrinkle to the plan. She's supposed to escape into Zarta's Dreamscape, where the traps lay ready.
"Wait, what?" Manny looks up.
<Manny, what are you looking at?>
"Shylye, you're watching? Great!"
Surrounded!
"No! All of them?" Manny points his blade at BakBat and the dreams and Aslynn and Anjo and Zabu and Atae in one sweeping motion. He clutches the hilt of his blade.
Kill them all!
"Yeah, we're going out in a blaze of glory!" He swings his sword erattically.
<What? No! Manny! Listen!>
"Time to die a hero, Manny."
Zabu lands a good hit on 'blue' before running off. The bite rips way a solid chunk of its essence, but its quasi-corporeal nature softens some of the blows' force .
Sadly his second snap at 'Aslynn' the 'night hag' manages to dodge.
Initiative
Inspire Courage up (2 rounds)
Atae 44/69 HP, Fatigued
Bakbat 27/62 HP, need Fort save
Itka, frightened 1
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And again, Aslynn is too far away. Hmp. Okay. Different spell for now. Itka casts Circle of Protection vs. evil/unholy on herself and hobbles closer to Aslynn. Hmp. Just stay within 30 feet of me, hag!
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The cleric knowing that she cannot take another hit like this moves up and away from the demons. Looking around she gauges what is going on and seeing that the goblin is hurt casts a 4th rank heal spell.
Calistria, heal this ally that he may be an instrument of your vengeance, she prays in elven. As she does a swarm of wasps erupts around him and place what looks like spiritual mud on his wounds.
healing the +1 is from her staff.
Itka moves towards the fray warding herself against the foul foes.
Atae also retreats from her attacker while using the Savored Sting's blessings to fully restore the besieged goblin's wounds.
Initiative
Inspire Courage up (2 rounds)
Bakbat 62/62 HP, need Fort save
Bakbat fires off a trio of red-hot blasts at three of the four menacing figures. Sadly his two rays aimed towards the dreams narrowly miss. But the third strikes Aslynn square in her chest. The hag roars is pain and slumps over. And then ripples - her form shifts and twists as she falls revelaing herself to be not a hag at all but another animate dream! One that dissolves into a black ichor as it dies on the sands, the Draught of Dreams slipping from its grip onto the ground as it does so.
Seeing a good part of their scheme fall apart, the dream right by the pyromaniac goblin Looks at the arrayed Pathfinders near it and utters strange words. Many of you feel terrifying images creeping into your heads.
It then lashes out at BakBat, dealing a brutal blow to the goblin that rudely ignored it.
for
Initiative
Inspire Courage up (1 round)
Manny, hasted, confused, need Will save
Anjo
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"Wh- why are they infighting?" Manny holds his blade, bewildered. "What's right? What's wrong? Shylye, hear my cry!"
<Manny, listen to me! Calm down and think->
He locks eyes with the dream in Blue. "I'll take you all down with me!" He lets out a primal scream as he charges across the sands, past Itka and up to the living dream.
Enough time to swing twice. The first is wild, unpracticed and wide. But the follow up is unexpected.
<Manny, listen!>
Manny screams wildly, constantly checking his back, his front, his sides- he drops his guard!
Manny races across the battlefield. His actions appear erratic to the rest of you, but one of his swings cuts into one of the dreams whihc hisses as the runed blade digs right into its essence.
Initiative
Inspire Courage up (1 round)
Anjo