Iesha continued her patrol, continued her soft singing but this time the folk hearing took comfort instead of unease.
You eventually are able to calm the Eurythnians and ease their worries about the strange nightmares. However, that evening, as you are just finishing setting up camp for the night, four creatures suddenly appear in your midst, having translocated themselves directly next to you! The bizarre, armless, six-legged beings tower over you, exuding pain and suffering.
Before you can react, each creature attacks once before skittering away. They then disappear as suddenly as they appeared, but you can still hear the invisible beings moving around the camp, preparing for another strike!
You eventually are able to calm the Eurythnians and ease their worries about the strange nightmares. However, that evening, as you are just finishing setting up camp for the night, four creatures suddenly appear in your midst, having translocated themselves directly next to you! The bizarre, armless, six-legged beings tower over you, exuding pain and suffering.
Before you can react, each creature attacks once before skittering away. They then disappear as suddenly as they appeared, but you can still hear the invisible beings moving around the camp, preparing for another strike!
"What the devils!?" Torisen staggers back.
He casts see the unseen and Points Out at least one of the enemies.
"I wonder if devils isn't correct." Ranek cast a spell to hopefully allow him to see through their invisibility, then woudl point out one he could see to others.
Sir Batman's blue eyes blink repeatedly at the bizarre, armless, six-legged beings towering (ha!) over him, exuding pain and suffering.
Sneaky troublesome translocators!
The Champion of Mazludah Raises his Shield for everyone! And Enters his Everstand Stance!
Unbreaking Castle
Iesha frowns as the creatures disappear, then after reaching to caress the scarf around her neck, follows suite.
Alaznist carefully tracks the flickering movements of the invisible beasts, looking before and after them as she Perceives the Threads of Fate. The energy of her spell flows around her, as she bids her corrupted duplicate to Loose Time's Arrow for herself and her companions.
Iesha disappears as well. Batman assumes a defensive stance as Ranek and Torisen point out the invisible monsters and Alaznists quickens everybody.
Two of the creatures dart back in to attack Ranek and Torisen, becoming visible as they slash with their claws. Ranek avoids the first attack but is hit by the second claw. The first claw hits Torisen, and the monster capitalizes on it by filling his thoughts with abject despair. The other two remain at a distance, becoming visible as they assail the minds of Alaznist and Iesha with telepathic wails of anguish and torment.
Success: The target is unaffected.
Failure: The target is clumsy 2, enfeebled 2, and stupefied 2 for 1 round.
Critical Failure: As failure, but for 1 minute.
Ranek quickly takes a step back from the creature, then casts a spell of flight and flies up into the air to try and put some distance between him and it.
Alaznist throws off the telepathic wail with a sneer of contempt, catching Ranek's attacker on the tip of her polearm. She quickly moves behind the beast, plunging her staff of office into its back as she attempts to unmake it from within!
Sir Batman Raises his Shield and--Quickened--Strides into the creature's personal space that was harassing Ranek!
Hey! Pick on someone your own size!
The Champion of Mazludah then Strikes!
The determined Sprite tries harder!
The bronze-colored bat-shaped Sprite looks determined....
A horrible scream of anger and confusion comes from nowhere, before a great rent rips down the back of the creature attacking Torisen
Counting on his teammates to keep him alive if things get too dire, Torisen refuses to give in to dispair.
He takes a quick step back, away from the creature, and feels mythic power flow through him.
for
for
for
After a moment of confusion, Iesha appears behind Torisen's attacker, slashing it twice. Alaznist attacks the monster that went after Ranek, though it resists the disintegrate spell she channels through her weapon. Batman goes after the same foe, critically bashing it with his shield before delivering a finishing follow-up strike! The being falls and flickers out of existence.
As Ranek takes to the skies, Torisen steps back and fires burning beams of fire at the three remaining monsters. Two go wide but the third finds its mark.
The trio skitter forward to attack, on each going after Alanist, Iesha, and Batman. Only Alaznist gets hit.
The way the others were all mixed around meant that any area spell he used on them would get them, as well. Considering a moment, he settled for firing off a stray rock at the most injured one, conjuring a shield to protect himself after.
Sir Batman--Reacts--by granting Alaznist his Champion Reaction!
The Champion of Mazludah then casually--Reacts--again by Striking the offending monster that just missed him!
Frowning at his attempt, the tiny bronze-colored bat-shaped Sprite Raises his Shield and Strikes!
And!
Faced with a visible foe, Iesha slams her massive blade into it over and over and over. One would say she would continue until she grows tired, but she is the timeless dead so that will never happen.
The power flowing through Alaznist ensures that she scarcely notices the blow, blasting her assailant with force bolts before tearing into it with a weapon and curse that turns its own body into a second gouging weapon of her will!
Torsen pulls out a harrow card and shares a dire vision of the future with one of the attackers.
Alaznist punishes her attacker as it closes, then blasts it with force and eviscerates it with an empowered spellstrike. The being discorporates! Meanwhile, Iesha tears into the monster that attacked her, hacking and slashing until its body falls into several pieces and burns away. Batman only lands one hit on the final creature. Ranek's projectile goes wide, and Torisen's spell is futile, as the being is immune to emotion effects!
The creature claws futilely at Batman, the stalwart sprite proving an unbreakable castle against its attacks!
The tiny bronze-colored bat-shaped Sprite Raises his Shield and Strikes!
Ranek continues attempting to barrage the remaining creature with loose debris being hurled at it, maintaining his own magical shield.
Alaznist retains some of her magicks against other threats, tearing into the last creature with little more than the magic already stored within her staff.
Ranek's projectile strikes true this time, and between Batman and Alaznist, the final creature is swiftly annihilated.
With its destruction, you feel the heavy feeling of dread that had settled over the caravan lift. Indeed, that night when you sleep, your rest is peaceful and free of nightmares.
***
HARROWING STORM (OBSTACLE)
As you resume your sojourn, a sudden windstorm develops into an unexpected blizzard that reduces forward progress to a crawl, but perhaps worse are the unsettling howls and strange whispers people hear in the winds that threaten to frighten refugees into fatal runs into the wilds.
Evacuation Points 2 (group); Overcome DC 31 Crafting to swiftly construct shelters for the Eurythnians most at risk, DC 33 Nature to use primal magic to fight against the storm, DC 36 Medicine to provide aid to help those injured or otherwise impacted by the storm recover swiftly.
Critical Success: The party gains 2 Evacuation Points but also manages to secure more shelter against the storm. Reduce all Survival Point losses accrued for the remainder of this round by 1.
Success: The party gains 1 Evacuation Point.
Failure: The party accrues 1 Awareness Point and loses 1 Survival Point from victims to the storm.
Critical Failure: The party accrues 2 Awareness Points and loses 2 Survival Points from victims to the storm.
The swift and sudden onset of the storm is potentially deadly, but Ranek has seen such deadly weather events before. Using both his magic and his knowledge, he lifts rocks, finds logs and twigs, and constructs shelters for the refugees to huddle in.
Iesha is not a builder or a healer, so can only continue her patrol to keep whatever the howls are coming from at bay.
With a raging beast facing outward against whatever threats the night holds, Alaznist is able to quickly and efficiently shelter the refugees in her charge. She does do so without actually touching anything with her own hands when possible, of course.
The expertly crafted shelters help you weather the storm without incident. However, once the storm passes, you find another distressing development.
MISSING EURYTHNIANS (OBSTACLE)
Several dozen refugees have gone missing. Tracks leading off into the snow suggest that a large group may have decided to try their own luck in finding their way to safety.
Evacuation Points 3 (group); Overcome DC 31 Acrobatics to take to the air to search for the missing from above (this requires at least one PC to be able to fly), DC 33 Survival to track the missing Eurythnians and rescue them, DC 36 Nature to use primal magic to converse with the spirits of the land to locate the missing
Critical Success: The party gains 2 Evacuation Points. If any Survival Points have been lost as a result of this Obstacle, the PCs recover 1 Survival Point as a group of missing Eurythnians thought lost forever are found frightened but alive, huddling in a cave.
Success: The party gains 1 Evacuation Point.
Failure: The party accrues 1 Awareness Point and loses 1 Survival Point.
Critical Failure: The party accrues 2 Awareness Points and loses 2 Survival Points.
Sir Batman begins to flaps his wings to begin searching for the lost boys!
Does anyone know if they had breadcrumbs?
MISSING EURYTHNIANS (OBSTACLE)
Torisen casts a spell and rises into the air to get a better look.
Ranek, too, casts a spell and takes to the skies to try and find the missing evacuees. "In this snow, I doubt the breadcrumbs would stand out enough to follow!"
Iesha works in the opposite direction as Ranek, searching from the skies, ignoring the cold. in truth she kind of blends in with the bleak white of the landscape.
"How long are we meant to spend searching for those who refuse our protection?"
Though Torisen struggles a bit to keep up, Ranek and Iesha soar overhead to find the missing Eurythnians and bring them back into the fold.
***
OVERSIZED BANDITS (OBSTACLE)
As the evacuees pass into lower elevations, the easier march is offset by the increased activity of dangerous monsters and predators, including an organized band of bitter stone giants known as the Kodar Kings who have long preyed upon the route as bandits.
Evacuation Points 2 (group); Overcome DC 31 Intimidation to make the Eurythnians look more dangerous, DC 33 Stealth to move ahead of the main body of the refugees to ambush the giants before they attack, weapon or spell Strike against AC 36 to deal overwhelming blows against the bandits during the ambushes
Torisen throws a starknife at the giants:
As the evacuees pass into lower elevations, the easier march is offset by the increased activity of dangerous monsters and predators, including an organized band of bitter stone giants known as the Kodar Kings who have long preyed upon the route as bandits.
Evacuation Points 2 (group); Overcome DC 31 Intimidation to make the Eurythnians look more dangerous, DC 33 Stealth to move ahead of the main body of the refugees to ambush the giants before they attack, weapon or spell Strike against AC 36 to deal overwhelming blows against the bandits during the ambushes
Aimlessly wandering about the parade of refugees, the bronze-colored bat-shaped Sprite blinks at the approach of the Stone Giants.
Doing some quick stretches, as the tiny Champion of Mazludah Strides with direct purpose to the deluded Stone Giants.
Group Coercion
A pale ghost floats beside the tiny champion of Mazludah, holding a wicked nightmarish sword dripping in the potential giant's deaths, echoing the ripping screams of their kin that once marched on a small port town.
As the champion finishes their speech, the ghost opens her mouth much wider than it should and !
Drums roll and horns blare as Alaznist shows her all-too familiar face to the giants. "Long ago, your ancestors knew better than to claim a royalty that none believe. They knew to bow and scrape and serve rather than be destroyed. Have you learned from their wise example?"
It isn't difficult to scare the giant bandits away. Iesha and Alaznist prove particularly effective at terrifying the would-be attackers!
***
With the end of the evacuation in sight as you near your destination, the evacuees are growing restless and exhausted and tempers are flaring. However, your speed at overcoming the obstacles help keep these tensions from rising too much, and you are able to keep the Eurythnians focused on pushing through the final stretch.
However, on the last day of the journey, you begin to hear reports of dragon sightings in the skies above. Fear begins to spread through the refugees. You catch a few glimpses yourselves of two large winged shapes. Alaznist recognizes them as mirage dragons and instructs you on their abilities so you can prepare for what seems to be an inevitable confrontation.
Mirage dragons are masters of illusion magic and use their powers to deceive others and further their own agendas. Their breath weapons cause mental damage and can confuse those caught in the blast, and they can cause their scales to radiate a scintillating display that can dazzle their enemies.
***
You are only a few hours away from Vekker's Corssing when bone-chilling roars rip through the air. From a cleft in the nearby mountain cliffs swoop four dragons—three whom you spotted watching from afar and another larger one that you haven’t yet seen. The three smaller dragons are mirage dragons, each of which is ridden by a humanoid figure. The larger dragon has curling horns and talons that resemble brambled branches and scales and wings of iridescent blue.
An instant after they appear, the mirage dragons swoop down at the larger dragon. One of them blasts the larger dragon with a shimmering cone of vapor as his mounted rider fires a green beam of energy (a disintegrate spell) at the larger dragon. While neither effect kills the dragon, they wound it significantly. It roars and fights back, lashing out with fangs and claws.
Panic strikes the Eurythnians, who begin to flee in all directions away from the area. While the larger dragon and its current foe continue their fight, clashing in the skies above, the remaining two mounted mirage dragons turn their attention to you. As you they get closer, you can see the two mounted men, and Ranek immediately recognizes them as risen runelords—Krenlith and Krune, once rulers of the kingdom of sloth, Haruka!
"I have killed a dragon before" the ghost says, echoing the past in her voice. "Over and over again, I hacked, and screamed, hacked and screamed, felt like hours. Too many died." her tattered skirts and ebony hair starts to rise as if the wind is picking up "Not today!!" she yells actually words at the incoming dragon. Pronouncement made, Iesha streaks through the air to let her nightmarish sword rip into the scintillating scales, splattering them with gore.
Finally she lets her rage tear out of her mouth, screaming her anger for what these men and beasts will do to the weak.
Iesha swiftly flies up into the air, rushing at the mirage dragon that Krenlith is riding and swinging her sword up in a mighty arc, scoring a critical hit! The dragon reels from the powerful blow.
With a moment to recover, the injured dragon hovers in place to strike back at Iesha with draconic frenzy! She avoids its attacks, but Krenlith strikes her with a beam of disintegration.
Krune directs his dragon to fly closer to the rest of you. It exhales a cloud of hallucinatory vapors! Meanwhile, Krune conjures a mass of shadowy snakes that try to grab you!
The mirage dragon's breath washes over him, and hallucinations begin to appear around. Suddenly, he shouts, "NO!" with a voice of two voices - one his, one Chalsardra's, and the hallucinations shatter like glass. He dances away from the shadowy snakes as they slither about him, then fixes Krune with a look. "Let's bring you down to our level."
Casting a spell, he reaches out and grabs Krune with the magic, forcing him from his saddle and down to the ground. He then shielded himself from further attack.
I will use Counterspell against the first spell cast against us.
If a spell would deal elemental or void damage, I have Sin Counterspell.
If a spell is in my spellbook, I have Clever Counterspell.
Torisen ignores the puny magic of the dragon rider. "Nothing I haven't seen before."
He draws a Harrow card and casts a spell on the runelord Ranek grounded.
Iesha pauses her hacking rampage to allow the ray of discordant energy to rip through her chest... harmlessly. It gives the wizard a moment to contemplate the intelligence of casting a spell of disintegration on a being not all together.
Then the spirit of vengeance is back to making the poor dragon regret obeying this wizard of questionable intelligence.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Sir Batman closes his eyes!
The nimble bronze-colored bat-shaped Sprite smiles!
The Champion of Mazludah's blue eyes twinkle at the Krenlith dude!
He Raises his Shield!
Sir Batman Flies straight up into the personal space of the injured mirage dragon and places himself directly in the path of Krenlith's beam of disintegration!
The Mythic Champion of Mazludah then Strikes the Rider!
Alaznist seethes at the idea of confronting the Runelords of Sloth. "How many times do I have to outlive you sluggards before others cease propping up your wretched husks in the hope that this is the time you will not utterly fail to impress."
Alaznist obliterates her image from sight, channeling that energy to strengthen herself and her ranseur for the battle to come. Rather than give the slithering masses another chance to seize her, she teleports to within her staff's reach of Krune himself!
Ranek telekinetically yanks Runelord Krune off of his dragon mount! The runelord responds with a quick spell that summons an updraft of air to slow his fall, ensuring a gentle landing on the ground. Torisen uses his magic to begin petrifying Krune, whose body slowly starts to turn to stone as the invisible Alaznist teleports behind him.
Soaring up at unbelievable speed to intercept Krenlith's disintegrate spell, Batman continues and bashes the runelord in the face! As Iesha attacks his dragon, the dragon's iridescent scales flash in an attempt to dazzle the ghost. It doesn't work, and Iesha's blade scores its flesh, though she only is able to land one good hit.
Krenlith's dragon attacks Iesha again while the runelord tries to confuse Batman and Iesha.
Krune channels his own mythic power to end the petrify effect, the stone shattering harmlessly off of his body. He then casts a spell to teleport himself back into the saddle.
Krune's mount flies to within thirty feet of Ranek and Torisen and casts a spell to envelop them in a pattern of light that pulses with intensity.
Torisen again ignores the runelord's magic.
He summons spirits around Krune and his mount, drawing on his mythic power to increase their potency.
Sir Batman--Reacts--by granting Iesha his Champion Reaction!
Flying into a Flank with Iesha , the Sprite Raises his Shield!
Was your nose always broken?