Hearda "The Mystic"'s page

Yes this game was a blast! hope to see you all in other games soon!

Hearda nods in reply to the old man's reasoning, "A wise decision." Turning his attention to the strange creature as he hears the words translated by Feliks he shakes his head, "You still have not answered my questions. Who are you? Where did you come from?"

Hearda glances first at Feliks then back to the Old man his eyes steely, "The slip has shown himself as reliable as yourself, Old One. Save your accusations for those who have ensnared us here. Once we are free of this place then you may...discuss your concerns."

Hearda still is skeptical of this creature's intentions but does continue to talk to it, having Feliks translate his words.

"What is your name? You say you came from outside...from the mists, where exactly did you come from? How is it the mists do not harm you?"

Actually if you weren't paranoid then I would be worried :P

Seeing the abomination pause its attacks, Hearda steps back away from the creature, lowering his weapon but not his guard.

"You can understand...it? Can it comprehend our words Felix?"

"I have never heard such a tongue before in my life!" Hearda exclaims as he readies another swing at the speaker of the alien tongue.

As the alien language washes over him Hearda feels madness overtake him. Glaring in a fury at the foul abomination as the savage part of his nature takes over. Swinging his mace in a wide arc he drives the flange into the space above the creature's head...

light mace: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6; damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Hearda. momentarily caught off guard by the screeching demon, refocuses his efforts to cull from his learned studies what exactly this *thing* is...

Knowledge Religion (?), Inspire: 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (19) + 10 + (3) = 32

Seemingly inspired by an influx of knowledge, Hearda motions at the beast, sending a powerful wave of psychic energy at it!

Cast Mind Thrust i at it. This attack deals 3d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 3) = 7 points of damage. The target receives a Will save DC 13 for half damage. This attack has no effect on creatures without an Intelligence score. SR does apply.

"Well done Sigvald," Hearda nods, Few of us could have withstood such a foul infestation. Now I believe there is a door on the opposite side..." He cautiously peers way into the room, eying whether there is enough room to reach the opposite door without contacting the yellowish mist.

If we can't reach the door we'll need to backtrack here...the two doors in the south wall is the next place to check out.

Hearda stands back as the holy man moves towards the cauldron, ready to assist the man if need be, yet unsure what to do for him.

Hearda auto-succeeds on the Knowledge check.

Haunted memories flood his mind as Hearda raises his hand in a warning gesture, "A haunt...it will manifest once we approach closer." Glancing at the others he cautions, "We must use positive energy once it does....unless the haunt IS who we need to deal with."

That is correct.

Hearda nods slowly as more of this puzzle is revealed o him. "It seems a talk with that one," gesturing to the madmen beyond the tents, "is in order. Does that one have a name?"

Hearda is silent as he digests the information received from the Doctor. "Yes, Old man, the army poses a risk I am not willing to undertake now. They look to be pitiful in combat but as we have seen looks can be deceiving." Turning his attention back to the doctor he asks, "What can you tell us of the layout of Briarstone? We have explored much of this place yet many areas we have skipped. Where was Zandalus treated before he escaped his bonds? There may be clues we have overlooked."

Hearda nods slowly the haunted look mirrored in his own eyes as memories of his own dreams are reflected therein. "Yes we have seen much the same in this forsaken place before we found you. We do need to ask, have you seen any of us before? We were...held here against our will and only escaped a week ago. Do you know why we were...treated here?"

Hearda eyes the doctor closely, nodding slowly at the explanation provided to the dreamers.

I believe our search for the Chain of Nights is over...but many pieces of the puzzle still remain, namely why were we imprisoned? Zandalus certainly was behind this...yet WHY US?

"Your theory makes much sense Old Man," he slowly responds eying the doctor, "Zandalus is an enigma we know little of, this is clear."

Hearda manages to hide the look of surprise on his face when the Doctor informs him of Zandalus, "My mistake it seems one was calling himself the good man. Not unusual in this place I believe."

He does watch the man for any signs of deception here...

Bluff: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

"Would it be possible to...talk with him?"

One is lying to us...and I believe it is NOT the one we left behind.

On hearing the name Zandalus Hearda's eyes light up with recognition.

The insane one back at the chapel! The one who wears yellow, but he is incoherent...could the doctor be referring to another Zandalus?

"We have talked with one who called himself Zandalus earlier. Describe him for me." Hearda responds.

Hearda glances around him wondering what fresh hell was this, expecting the savages to surge forth here. Lowering his weapon, but not holstering it, he silently followed the Old Man ready for the slightest betrayal.

Hearda is about to reply to the doctor yet as he sees the old man respond with his cryptic reply he holds his tongue for the moment.

Hearda raises his weapon high then motions for Sigvald to open the door.

Hearda's eyes roll back briefly in his head as the images cavort across the wall, to be seared in his memories for all time. Moving as if in a fog he drifts over to the north doors and listens intently for any sounds.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Not sure what the lantern means, but yes return back to the dark room.

Hearda's eyes light up when he sees the lantern and its craftwork. "Clearly no ordinary lantern. May I?" Taking the lantern from the old man he carefully looks the lantern over trying to recall what stories of such a lantern exist.

Knowledge, History: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

Hearda inclines his head in respect to the old man. Well done...I would lack the patience here for honeyed words.

Hearda shakes his head, "No. There is a safer way, now that the river of blood is no more."

"The boy Brenton had a lantern back at the chapel," Hearda recalls, "Returning back there is the safest course of action."

Hearda steps out of range of the young child, while trying to recall where he had seen an intact lantern during his explorations.

Intelligence check, Inspire: 1d20 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 3 + (6) = 12

Hearda auto-succeeds on both checks.

Hearda nods sagely as he recalls such tales of undead such as these. "Attic Whisperer. Very difficult to destroy...but they do have a weakness. Light, the lantern the boy mentioned...it sounds like the key to lay the soul to rest."

Could we get a map update please?

Hearda glances around the detritus of the dayroom, looking for anything of note, before turning his attention to the double doors opposite the corridor where the group entered from, pressing an ear to the wood.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Hearda examines the empty bottle thoughtfully, "We do still have the medicine provided us by Wynter and her nurses. I see no reason not to hoard it any further..." reaching into his slingback he pulls out a bottle of the blue medicinal powder and carefully transfers it to the empty bottle. Handing the bottle back to Elska he motions towards where the apparition still waits, "Now let's see if she will take her medicine..."

Hearda nods in reply, "Yes that bottle is a key here." He turns to face the resourceful halfing Elska, "Can you remove the bottle from her hand?"

"I would not advise trying to cross the torrent of blood. It did not end well before." Hearda whispers, "The source of the blood must be dealt with."

Hearda pauses at the entrance studying the scene carefully. This is not what we encountered earlier...

"This is what we saw earlier...yet the river was a torrent. Perhaps this is another haunt," Hearda muses, before turning to address the halfling, "You can move things with your mind I have seen. Can you move the blood as well, or any of the debris?"

Once the child's toys have been retrieved Hearda draws his weapon and motions to the corridor ahead. "You will see Sigvald." He whispers as he creeps closer to their doom.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Hearda rejoins the others his voice barely above a whisper as he explains, "Brenton's room, from the chapel. Now our path grows perilous as the river of blood awaits, and the one it flows from. I see no other path from here."

Hearda shakes his head in the affirmative while still indicating silence from the others. Creeping quietly forward, knowing the horror that lay at the far end of the corridor, he slinks up quietly to the collapsed portion of the corridor checking if briefly before moving to the next door.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Map position updated. If there is an opening through the rubble then Hearda will examine it further instead.

As yet unconcerned with the slips strange reaction to him, Hearda moves silently into the room passing by the stilled flame and peering down the long corridor ahead. Once satisfies the corridor is not traveled, he glides to the first door on his left, listening intently.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

Hearda glances all around him while waiting for a minute for the caustic fluids to dissipate. He then waits another moment before finally slowly stepping into the room, eyes drinking in each detail of the room.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Hearda's face is a mass of concentration as he impels another loose rock at the remaining boilborn.

Cast Telekinetic Projectile at the remaining Boilborn.
Ranged attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20; Bludgeoning damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Knowledge Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

"A Boilborn, things wrought of diseased flesh and alchemic dabbling, this is what we faced before...not without cost! Avoid their touch if you can...even their pustules are dangerous!" Hearda exclaims as he recalls what he has studied of these unnatural creatures. Following his own advice he reaches out with his mind to grab a large rock, flinging it over the heads of his compatriots and towards the closest Boilborn...

Cast Telekinetic Projectile at the left Boilborn.
Ranged attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22; Bludgeoning damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Hearda shudders as the memories of their encounter flood his mind. "Do not let it touch you...it burns your flesh. Fire will harm it...destroy it."

Hearda is about to step further into the room yet Sigvald's reminder of Elska's strange powers gives him pause. "I will wait for you Elska, this looks much the same as the flesh beast we encountered earlier, before we met you."

I think it failed because the door was locked, Elska.

Hearda hesitates for a moment steeling himself for the task ahead before he slips silently just outside the door, making sure the yellowish mist does not react to his presence, before gliding to the door at the end of the path, pressing an ear to the side of the door.

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Hearda wrinkles his nose in distaste on smelling the urine stench from the robes yet stoically continues his search. Once finished he grimly wipes his hands on one of the curtains obscuring the window.

"There is little more we can learn here. We need to continue onward here," He waves his hand at the door leading to the other part of the asylum, "We need to risk it."

Hearda pauses for a minute allowing the battle lust to fade from his blood before silently sheathing his mace. He turns to face the newcomers, "Well done," is the only sign of thanks he gives.

Glancing around the room his attention is drawn to the corpses, "Perhaps you still have a tale to tell..."

Hearda is filled with battle lust now, the sight of the old man's transformation a curiosity to be filed away for later, as he strikes once again at the birds...