Lying down in the bedding you get settled and close your eyes as Waterfall reads from the scroll. Occult words ring out sonorously...slowly....lulling you to sleep....
Behind closed eyes, the darkness grows heavy, like rocking a baby back and forth, each question harder than the previous three. Did I pack everything for the mission? Did I forget to study? What am I searching for?
The darkness finally coalesces into a room with an air of unobtrusive familiarity. The bookshelves, meeting rooms, and curated artifacts are typical of Pathfinder lodges, visible through the translucent walls. Strands of billowing mist flow through the building, filling the area with the same eerie mist that carpets every Pathfinder lodge. Equally familiar, but far more unsettling, are the reflected faces that leer out of over a dozen mirrors, hung askew on walls throughout the lodge. Each year, numerous agents have their souls trapped within these mirrors, never to be restored again. Should you fail on your next mission, surely you will be their next victim.
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Manny looks upon the many faces. Reminds him of the headhunter demons who could wear the heads of their victims and assume the shape and memories therein. It was an honor to destroy the victim and help those souls go to rest.
But if he should fail he knows he's next. Aslynn will never let him awaken. There's a piece of doubt within that grows and gnaws at his confidence.
"Manny, hey, over here. Look at me."
Manny straightens up and looks at an empty glass panel. A divine form appears in the reflection. "Okay? I'm your guardian angel, Shylye. You're in the Dreamscape. Anything you want can become real. You've got to stop Aslynn. I'll always be there, cheering you on. But you can't let her win."
Manny nods as his armor reshapes itself into a celebrity dress. One of those blue studded dresses he's fond of, filled with gems. A large red ruby sits on his chest. His weapons look like they are made of gold, his family crest emblazoned on the hilts and handles of each.
Manny himself is clean, like he just got out of a bath and put on some cologne. Dirt, sweat, blood - none of that is allowed as he dreams.
"You look good... you feel good." He looks at his reflection in the glass. "Don't worry Shylye, I got this. Even if I am dreaming..."
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"Hmp." As Itka comes to her senses in the dreamscape, her eyes shift around suspiciously. It's almost too good to be true that they aren't being immediately attacked. Hmp. It's coming. For now, as everyone begins appearing, she takes in her surroundings. Yes, it's a creepy version of the Lodge. No surprise there. She catches her reflection in one of the askew mirrors and freezes. She looks...older. More hunched. Bonier, harsher, and colder. Hmp. Suits me well, I guess.
She limps, still with a heavy cane, toward the door in the translucent wall. "Hmp. She's probably sensed our arrival. Let's go give her a proper greeting." Her eyes turn a hard, deep black as she speaks in a voice that sounds like a boulder grinding over gravel.
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In the dream world, Zabu's stature matches his ego. He's close to three times his normal size, with impossibly large, rippling muscles. His normal feral features are even more fearsome, yet somehow more alluring. His clothing and gear looks expensive but no more fashionable than ever.
"I don't think it worked, we're still in the Lodge," he comments, looking around.
While most of you adjust yourselves quickly (both mentally and physically) Manny remains a bit unnerved by the mist even after his pep talk with Shylye. The strangeness of the dream and the odd new forms of his colleagues keeps tugging at his mind and slightly distorting his sense of reality.
The mists continue to thin slightly as you get your bearings, allowing you to take in the greater area. The building you are in does look like a Pathfinder lodge but all of the walls between the rooms are opaque and translucent You see a nice garden filled with large plants next to you. Strange mirrors are hung throughout the lodge as well giving off strange and distorted reflections of the views reflected in them. The source of the mist is also apparent - a boiling cauldron in the back of the building. And connected to the cauldron by links of a heavy chain wrapped around its torso? A night hag!
Aslynn makes some final adjustments to a nearby mirror with a decorator's flair as she turns to greet you. "Your presence here demonstrates that you’ve undertaken,” gloats Aslynn, “efforts to stir your precious Zarta to awaken. If you think yourselves able, you would be mistaken. For within my scheme, she has already partaken!"
Even from a distance you notice that Aslyyn's clothing is ruffled, her hair a mess, and there are dark patches across her skin. But as the hag sets her gaze on a nearby table you notice Zarta dralneen slumped over in a chair. Her complexion is pale and drained, while on a table next to her a
multifaceted, black sapphire gemstone the size of a human skull emits a dim, purplish glow.
"My plans for Zarta are, as for all dreamers, the same. To finely siphon her soul. To her dreamscape, lay claim. Transform it. Reshape it. Snip and cut every seam. Restitch and weave it into my realm of endless dream!”
Aslynn cackles with glee and malice. And as she does, some of the plants begin to move in this breezeless space, and you catch sight of odd flashes of movement amidst the mirrors.
Initiative
Anjo
Atae
Anjo Sets his site on the strange plant as he enhances his bow once more. The ranger identifies the flora as an etheroot: a strange and rare plant native to the Ethereal plane. Quite intelligent, they're able to sense the emotions of others around them - and even incite powerful emotional effects into those they bite. .
Anjo's less certain about the unusual pot its in, which has a deep reddish glow. As he fires two arrows at the creature the first perfectly-placed shot makes it a moot point as it *shatters* the pot. The etheroot itself was somewhat protected from that arrow,but as the pot shards land on the ground its roots spread and it appears more exposed.
As Atae sends a ward about Zabu, in one of the mirrors across the garden Anjo's movement looks a bit strange in the mirror. Suddenly from out of the glass steps...Anjo? Another of your group's ranger emerges next to the plant. And in a moment he multiplies further - four Anjos all flitting about and through each other!
The etheroot meanwhile opens its mouth-bud and lets out a sound akin to a roar. It then stretches out with impressive reach to nip at Zabu. The first peck misses the gnome but the second breaks by even Atae's abjurations.
for
for
As Zabu is struck, the gnome looks down and starts to feel an overwhelming sense of despair as he observes the wound.
Crit Success: Pfft, you've been hit before. Nothing to cry about.
Success: Huh, you misted up for a second there. Weird.
Failure: This is getting really overwhelming.
Critical Failure: THE WORLD IS DARKNESS!!!!!!
Initiative
Itka
Zabu 124/144 HP, forbidden ward'd v plant, need Will save
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"Hmp! Destroy the mirrors!" Itka figures the team doesn't need to be fighting multiple versions of itself. Though she's not keen on being bitten by that plant, the only way to enact her plan is to get within range of its strikes. She hobbles forward and casts Telekinetic Projectile at the mirror closest to her. Frosty black tentacles grab a stone from the ground and hurl it at the glass.
Hmp. I need a bigger stone.
Zabu races towards the plant. Angry, he takes a bit out of it, showing off the gnome's vegetarian impulses Itka shatters a mirror in pre-emptive defense of more reflections appearing.
A fair concern as it turns out, emerging in quick succession from a farther mirror are more of her colleagues: Zabu, Atae, and...herself!
'Itka' strides up towards the witch, though its emergence from the far mirror gives it longer to go. Zabu, closer, is quickly confronted by his own doppelganger who chomps at the barbarian but misses.
for
'Atae' steps out and gazes past the melee to Zabu and casts a spell. The gnome's muscles feel a bit stiff as his movements begin to be goingg aatt slloowweeerrr ssspppeeeeddddsssss...
Initiative
Manny, frightened 1
Bakbat
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"Pfft. Really, mirrors? I can't look at myself?" Manny huffs to bolster his confidence, but it is odd.
"Alrighty, then. Time to save Zarta, vanquish Aslynn and be a hero today! Come on!"
Manny calls upon the magic of heroism to bolster his confidence.
Then, Manny decides to Inspire Defense for his friends.
Manny sets some defenses up as he prepares for battle. Bakbat lashes out at the plant and the remaining nearby mirror. The ray hits the object and shatters it, but the plant manages to avoid the bolt.
In the conference room to the left, Bakbat catches sight of himself emerging from a far far mirror. It stride across the large room, but emerging from such a distant place it only just reaches the garden as Anjo and Atae are able to react...
Initiative
Anjo
Atae
Atae lets loose a loud booming blast of sound to catch many of the beings that emerged from the mirrors.
The imposter Zabu resist all of the sonic burst but Bakbat's copy seems affected. More than affected in fact - extra cracks form across the 'wizard's skin and rather than leaking blood they shimmer like blue glass lines. The un-potted plant meanwhile succumbs to the sound and a barrage of shots from Anjo.
'Anjo' then moves up and into the fray. Moving opposite Zabu from 'Zabu' it stabs out at the gnome with an arrow in its hand. The second punch pierces right through the gnome's skin. And as it does Zabu starts to have terrifying images float through his mind once more.
for
for
Initiative
Itka
Zabu 112/156* HP, raging, need Fort save v Slow, need Fort save v Dazzling
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The world around Zabu seems to speed up, everyone else moving with a jolting quickness that is a bit unsettling.
He still has time enough to be enraged by someone impersonating him, though.
"You're not Zabu! I know, because I'm Zabu!" he roars before tackling his doppelganger.
And then trying to slash his throat.
plus
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Determined to save her good spells for Aslynn, Itka steps back and casts Telekinetic Projectile, aiming a stone at the fake Zabu. Hmp. I need to learn that mirror trick.
Zabu is deeply impeded and slowed by 'Atae''s spell, but manages to knock his own mirror to the ground hard enough to crack it - cracks further deepened by Itka's hurled rock.
Itka is then approached by 'Itka', who swings out twice with her fists that are narrowly dodged by the witch who feels inspired by Manny's words.
for
for
'Atae' then advances on the slowed gnome. Lashing out with her staff, one of her swings cracks into the gnome and sends his vision blurring again.
for
for
'Zabu' then stands up and bites back at the barbarian. It's first bite is warded off by Atae and Manny's magics but its second again bites deep into Zabu's skin.
for
for
Initiative
Inspiring Defense, 2 rounds
Manny, frightened 1
Bakbat
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"Smash all the mirrors you can find, BakBat. I dread having to hit someone as good looking as me!"
Manny takes a moment to muse about their religious significance - maybe they are reflections of his sins? In which case, he REALLY does want to know what his reflection will do.
Manny makes a critical discovery about these images. Especially their weaknesses. Any special abilities? Are these perfect reflections or do they lack a few core features?
Manny takes in all these newly-arrived copies of his Allie’s and recognizes them as a rare sort of mirrorfolk Aslynn has worked with in the past, that she cheerfully refers to as her ‘eyes’. These ‘Aslynn’s Eyes’ are fiendish creatures of dream that can take the appearance of creatures they have seen or reflected and while so transformed can travel through any mirror within reach as if it were a door.
While they look like others they are not able to replicate their target’s feats or skills . And as seen from Atae’s spell they can still shatter like mirrors.
Bakbat examines how the ‘Eyes’ move for himself. He notices they’re hardy (minor Fire and Acid resistance), but they are unique creatures who use morris rather than being spawned by them.
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"Yo Zabu! You're looking a little... uh, sluggish. You want me speed you up or close your wounds?"
Manny will Stride into the melee, right between Itka and Zabu. Then he'll strike the false Zabu.
"Alright. None of you facsimiles are as beautiful or cool as the real gang. Get out of here before I spank ya."
Manny gets Zabu’s pace rising a bit back to normal as the multiple copies of Anjo all are beset by rubble.
‘Bakbat’ then proves less magical than his other. It advances up to surround Zabu and swings twice, lightly hitting the off-guard gnome of the second one.
for
for
Initiative
Inspiring Defense, 2 rounds
Anjo
Atae
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Seeing what is going on, the cleric maintains her forbidding ward on the gnome, and knowing out of anyone he can deal with what she is about to do, she begins to sing a hymn to Calistria, her voice imploring the goddess of vengeance to strike down those who would dare attempt to replicate her and use her against a lover.
She focuses her song on the gnome as a buzzing of swarming wasps intensifies and explodes on him and all creatures with a 10 foot bust of the gnome.
Concordant Choir 2 action spell so
sonic damage
DC 25 Fort save
A loud buzze erupts amidst Zabu and the mirrorfolk. The thrumming noise cracks and horrifically damages them, leaving 'Zabu' looking barely standing and 'Bakbat' and the 'Anjo's appearing seriously cracked.
Initiative
Inspiring Defense, 2 rounds
Anjo