Dahak GM Delta Arena's page

Mosquito

You get yourself ready to get on the offensive. Runes begin to glow on your rapier, and you can feel their energy flowing through it. But you know it is not your opening yet. You brace yourself for another blow from the birds.

We’ll wait for Kiilo’s turn before proceeding, as we had agreed to press pause for you and Vrosi to be back.

It is always super fun getting to know the stories people come up with for their characters.

Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving. Thank you for many months of gaming, and here is to many more.

Markus

You remember, from what you’ve read about Taldane royalty, that they used to keep exotic mwangi birds as pets many centuries ago. The descriptions of these “Emperor Birds” as they called them, with their multicoloured feathers and crests, closely match the birds you are seeing right now. However, whether these ones are the descendants of the emperor birds released in the Avistan forest after the nobility got bored, on whether they come from the mwangi, it is difficult to say.

Like many non-magical animals, they have no particular weaknesses or resistences.

You try to focus on the creature but, unfortunately, your vision of it is too hazy to focus on it.

Vrosi

concealed flat check to grab: 1d20 ⇒ 2

Bursting through, you manage to shove the emperor bird long enough to make your way to the other side, and into the main space of the hallway. Then, from behind the bird, you try to wrap your arms around it, but find only a mirage of the bird instead.

concealed flat check to strike: 1d20 ⇒ 3

Then, you try to pummel your fist against the emperor bird, but, once again, it is the hazy mirage of its feathery display. Wouldn't it be only +1 from rage due to the Agile trait?

Yeah, I concur with that.

Sorry about the family emergency, hope it all works out.

If Dorian is still off line thursday through saturday we could also pause for a few day and then pick it back up.

Kiilo

You phase the bolts a little too late, and by the time they phase back in, they are already past their target.

Bird (Red)

The bird struggles in Vrosi’s embrace to set itself free.

Opening its wings, the bird frees itself and proceeds to use its tails to try to cut Vrosi and Mosquito.

Vrosi manages to withstand the blow, but Mosquito, in spite of his shield and Vrosi's presence, gets cut by the tail of the Bird.

Mosquito, are you using your reaction to Shield Block?

AB: Escape*, Tail Lash**

Bird (Teal)

The second bird tries to get closer to Vrosi, in order to land an attack with its beak against him.

Once again, on guard, Vrosi has no issue defending himself from the attack of the bird.

And then, it screeches in an attempt to dissuade Vrosi from trying to grab them again.

The screech reverberates inside of Vrosi, freezing his heart for a moment. Vrosi is Frightened 1

AB: Stride*, Strike*, Demoralize*

You can all take your turns.

Tomorrow morning?

Markus

The bird screeches in defiance of your mental assault. It seems to be annoyed and angered more than anything else, but it is still affected by it.

What’s your question for recall knowledge?

I’ll wait for Kiilo’s turn until tomorrow.

Markus

Thank you, I had forgotten about the save for Cranky. Cranky is Dazzled for 1 round just like Mosquito.

From what I can find, there is no way for Cranky to do that, although right now they are Concealed to Cranky because of Dazzled. Other than spells like Sure Strike, I don’t actually remember any ways of working around Dazzled. Can anyone else think of anything I might be missing?

Vrosi

You try to get bast the bird, but it keeps forcing you back by beating its mighty wings. Tired of it, you force your arms around it, locking it into your embrace. It squeaks in shock and frustration.

The red bird is now Restrained.

However, you are holding it so tight that you can’t get a good angle to punch at it.

Mosquito

The needles fly quite close to the bird, but they whisk away past it, getting lost in the long hallway.

I’ll wait for Markus and Kiilo’s turns.

The door lacks a lock, but it is heavy. With some effort, Vrosi pulls it open, revealing a wide, empty stone hallway. There is a vague oppressive quality to the dark stonework, as if it was closing in on you. On the opposite end, to the east, the hall ends at three separate open doorways, while six additional corridors branch off to the north and south. A mass of rubble spills out of a clogged archway in the northeastern portion of the hall.

Perched in two of the archways to the north, are two birds with varying values in their plumage and long tail-feathers waving behind them. Markus, you’d only vaguely see the closes one under dim-light from your current distance. They shriek as they see the light pouring in from the hallway.

Kiilo’s Initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Markus’ Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
Mosquito’s Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Vrosi’s Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Bird (Teal)

The bird swoops in closer and begins waving its feathers in mesmerizing patterns in front of you. At this distance, and in the light, you can all see the magnificent display of colours in its feathers.

Kiilo’s Will Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Markus’ Will Save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Mosquito’s Will Save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Vrosi’s Will Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Mosquito, you are Dazzled for 1 round
Markus and Vrosi, you are Dazzled for 1d4 ⇒ 3 rounds

AB: Stride*, Dazzling Display**

Bird (Red)

Swooping in from farther away, the second bird flies towards Vrosi, its beak ready to draw blood.

The strike, however, is telegraphed by its movements, and Vrosi has no problem getting out of the way of it.

AB: Stride**, Strike*

You can all take your turns.

My bad Kiilo, I had you as songbird rather than nightglider on my notes so I missed the darkvision. I've corrected my notes.

The hall itself is clear, and you reach the door with no issues. It is closed but lacks a locking mechanism. What lies beyond, according to the goblins, would be the central hallway from which the different wings of the basement extend.

Markus, I don't have a token for Cranky, should I make one or would you like to make it yourself?

Markus

Thanks for the update on the familiar abilities.

Cranky also sees the door at the end of the tunnel.

I'm curious, does Cranky play fetch with mosquito?

Vrosi

Are you going in to scout? If so, let me know what you are doing to scout.

Mosquito

Do you try talking with Cranky as you try to get him to play fetch?

***

Markus and Kiilo, what is your lighting plan for when you go into the darkness?

Some 50ft away from the citadel, the rocky hillside begins a decline. Descending carefully for a few feet, there is a well hidden gate behind rocks and tickets, made all the more difficult to spot by the trees in the area.

The gate itself leads to a narrow passageway that fades into pitch darkness.

That is correct. The entrance to the secret passageway is in the forested slope to the west of the hill. down in the map

I have marked the entrance with an “S”

”Elven gates? Asks Helba. ”We know nothing about any elven gates.”

You can assume from last conversation that the party knows where the secret entrance is located.

Mosquito

No roasted rabbit for Mosquito then.”

”Well, yes. Kind of,” says Helba. ”We know part of it. There are three wings to the basement, and we only used to inhabit the north wing right on the map. We wouldn’t dare go to the other two. The east wing down on the map has monsters, and the south wing left on the map is home to dead people.

I have uploaded a map of what they know.

When you return to the citadel, you find the goblins in the barracks where you fought the bugbear. They have all recovered their weapons from their courtyard and seem to be getting ready to go hunting for food. Warbal and Helba are talking, catching up on goblin gossip and on what has happened in town.

They both greet you as you approach.

”I’m so glad you came back,” say chief Helba. ”I wasn’t sure whether you’d return to clear out our home below.”

”I told you they would,” says Warbal. ”They are the heroes of breachill, after all.”

The wood on the floor of the keg give a little burb, thanking you for the libation.

***

Let's go exploring!

Are you heading to meet Warbal before going down? Are you heading straight for the secret entrance to the west of the citadel that Warbal mentioned? Where are you headed to?

It seems like there is a clear plan on how to deal with the bear. Are you making any other preparation?

Leaving the minor healing potion, and the flask of bottled lightning, everything would sell for 14gp. (standard half price when selling.) The Shoddy armour shouldn't technically be sellable, but I reason someone might get it for the historical significance of the citadel at a reduced price. (one quarter the price of full plate for the shoddy armour.)

After resting, you wake up without signs of hangover, and you are feeling particularly encouraged to face the dangers ahead.

The following effect will last only for one in-game day and it applies to all four of you. When you roll a success on a saving throw against a fear effect, you get a critical success instead.

There was the shoddy Hellknight armour, a lesser glue bomb, a lesser flask of bottled lightning, a minor healing potion, a wolf fang talisman, and two flasks of holy water,

Feel free to write ooc any daily preparations you are making, things you are buying/selling, or anything else you are doing in the city as you discuss your plans. As in, "Oh, we might need some light" (ooc) I'm buying x for xgp (/ooc). And feel free to Rest.

The air vibrates with Kiilo’s magic. Everyone in the tavern is enveloped by it, mesmerized. The drunken voices fade into the background as the lyre and the goblin’s voice become clearer, crispier. As if Kiilo was mixing the sounds in the tavern to produce Mosquito’s composition.

Somewhere, Cayden smiles.

But noone can revel forever. After some time, people have dropped to the ground, pleasantly snoring and dreaming where they exhausted their energy. Brynne, her head cleared by Cayden, begins to clean the tavern.

Besides her, only the heroes remain awake.

Cayden’s influence warms even the most stoic figures in the tavern tonight, as even Markus is taken over by the spirit of the god.

Kiilo and Vrosi are you joining the height of the festivities? Would anyone else like to add anything to the scene?

The people at the tavern/temple cheer for the goblin and the wizards. Chanting "Dance, dance, dance," as they drink tankard after tankard of ale. Letting themselves fall into the Cailean frency and embracing the gradual liberation from their senses as the night progresses. One by one, people begin to pass out, falling asleep into dreams of adventure, bravado and heroics, brought to them by the god of ale.

Thank you :D

It's really quiet!!!!! My birthday was yesterday!!! I love Breachill!!! I hate Celiax!!!

Happy birthday! I hope you had a great time celebrating it.

Cayden's Keg is already lively as people drink soup, eat roasted pig and drink ale, but it does not compare with how it becomes once Mosquito begins to sing. The ale in the house begins to shimmer and shine as it slushes in the tankards. All around the tavern everyone becomes a little happier, a little louder, a little rowdier.

And through Mosquito and his song, a measure of luck spreads to him and his companions. I realized I've forgotten to give out Hero Points, so a Hero Point for everyone!

People in the tavern cheer for the heroes of Breachill, and try to match the improvised song of the cleric. And, even with their drunken, tuneless voices, the sounds fall into place, creating a chorus to back up Mosquito's song.

I'm finally back after not having had time for much of anything during my vacations!

Kiilo

You walk through the lush gardens of the dreamhouse with Kellen, who tells you that those who are constantly wandering are always under her watch, guided by the stars. Tonight, the meal at the Wizard’s Grace has a main of Wood Ear mushroom and cheese soup, with a side honey-glazed wild carrots and a palate cleanser of Savoury Plum Tart. A square meal for only 3cp.

I’ll hold on the performance just in case Cayden takes over.

Markus

Are you just spending the night healing and spending time with your sister?

Mosquito

Cayden guides your step to a place that refuses to even hear of a last call. As you open the door, you see a Human juggling nine pints, going from table to table serving everyone. She has a smile on her face and a boisterous voice.

”Come on in, Come on in, there is pork in the fire and ale for everyone!” She says. She Brynne Taithe, cleric of Cayden Cailean.

Breachill might just be that secret weapon, as it even has a temple dedicated to Cayden Cailean, the Cayden's Keg tavern, where Brynne would be happy to meet a fellow cleric of Cayden! Not only that, but knowing you just came back from your call of heroes assignment, she would be overjoyed to have a night of heroic storytelling and drinking.

As for archetype suggestions, Bastion could be a good option for a "tanky" build.

Markus, do you have any ideas of what kind of Archetype you would like?

Indeed, some passersby seem to think that it is all just an entertaining spectacle on behalf of Mosquito.

Is there anything else anyone would like to do in the city?

I will be on vacation from the 12th to the 23rd. I will have my phone and the pdfs with me but I will very likely have very little time. Apologies in advance.

Markus, yes, we can drop XP tracking. And with milestones it should be safe to keep you balanced with the encounters.

Mosquito, will you be changing your deity to someone more in-line with the measure and the chain? Or your feats? Or is it just going to be the ability scores?

Markus

”Yes, Tilandlara should be able to help you. There is usually there is a charge for it, but, since you were hired by the city, I’ll send word to her that the city will cover the expenses this time.”

Tilandlara can cast two 3rd level divine spells a day, including remove disease, as a service in the city. This usually costs 18gp, or 17.1gp with the adventurer discount.

Your sister is waiting for you at home, but goes to meet you at Shelyn’s Smile as soon as she learns what has happened to you.

Mosquito

There are a few side glances of passersby that don’t seem to understand why there is a goblin trying to look stern.

Feel free to rest and spend your money before departing from the city once more.

Seems like we are in agreement then.

As you approach the walls of the city, one of the guards notices you and run to brings Greta to meet you. As she approaches, she greets you, and Warbal tells her of her reunion with Helba.

”Thank you, heroes, for aiding our local goblin friends with the peril they were in. Here,” She says as she pays each of you 10gp. ”You have earned this. Furthermore, the merchants of the city will be informed that you are officially Heroes of Breachill.”

You now have access to the adventurer discount at breachill, which gives you 5% off at any local business.

You have also reached a milestone, you go up to level 2 after completing the task given to you by the council.

Everyone in agreement about returning to the city? Would you be taking the halfling's body with you?

"Oh, Big Bumble is our pet grizzly bear. We managed to get him to follow us into the vaults to keep him around. But we had to lock him in a room after he ate a couple of us. Now we just feed him from afar... Or, fed him, I suppose. I hope he's not too mad."

I am totally up for milestones as well. It's what I use with my main in-person table.

Speaking of experience, depending on whether you want to be thorough or not in exploring every room and facing every encounter, we could consider fast progression. Or a mix between fast progression and normal progression on a per level basis.

Any thoughts?

”Would you? Would you really? That would be wonderful! The bumblebrashers would be forever grateful to you. We used to live in the northern wing of the vaults under the citadel. That is, until the cultists kicked us out. We didn’t even have time to get Big Bumble out. Poor Big Bumble must be very hungry, stuck down there.”

You did, you got 60xp on August 6th.

Markus

”Not at all, I can show a secret way in now that the dragon thing has collapsed the stairs. It is just west of the citadel, on the side of the hill.

Mosquito

”Da high lady? So, someone sent you here to help us? Oh thank you, thank you. I bet embassador Warbal had something to do with it.”

Kiilo

I’ll assume you come in with Warbal

The goblin chief hugs Warbal as soon as she sees her. ”Thank you, thank you for bringing help when we needed it. You and your friends have saved the Bumblebrashers.”

On that not, each of you gets 120xp for saving the Bumblebrashers.

”But,” the chief continues, ”We’ve still lost our home below. We have nowhere to go now.”

Markus

It would not be unusual for a citadel of this kind to have at the very least a basement, or a crypt. Sometimes used for living quarters, sometimes for storage, and sometimes as a crypt. Given enough space, they might be used for all three.

As for the elf gates, that part makes no sense to you. Perhaps the halfling was just rambling, perhaps not.

Mosquito

”The vaults are where we used to live. In one wing of the vaults at least. We never went to the other wing. No, the other wing is spooky. But then we were run out of the vaults by cultists. They just came in threatening to roast us, and to peel us, and eat us. And they had that big dragon thing you killed. So we just ran from the vaults.”

”He was demanding for us to tell him the way down, to the vaults under the citadel. He was saying something about looking for elf gates, or something like that. But we have never seen an elf gate. We don’t even know what an elf gate looks like. We have no idea what he was referring to. I was going to tell him the way down anyways, but then he jumped me and I froze.”

Kiilo

”They are safe? That’s wonderful news. Thank you, thank you. Please, take me to them. I can’t wait to see chief Warbal.”

Mosquito

”Treasure? What treasure?”

As you examine the halfling’s body, you find his leather armour, a set of thieves tools, 17 arrows he didn’t get to fire, and his +1 Shortbow.

Mosquito

”We had no choice, first those awful monsters chased us from out comfy basement, then that dragon-dog came, and then that awful halfling man showed up talking about elves and other nonsense! No elves live here. Just us Bumblebrashers,” says the goblin that had been taken hostage. Then, she looks back at her people, and a deeply morose look settles upon her face. “I just want to protect my people. But everything—everyone—wants us dead.”

Kiilo

Yes, please take me up. Does this mean you have dealt with the arsonist? Have you found cousin Helba and the rest of the Bumblebrashers?