Saoirse Morningtide's page

We're on 13 days now since any game movement or GM posts in the Gameplay thread. Everything ok? Should I stop checking this thread?

Aren't we all waiting on you to post an action, Jonuli?

After some investigation, I've discovered where the wall is. It's over near where I am! Move your tokens!

Saoirse hustles over towards the illusory wall. She can't fight an enemy that she can't see, and it's a longer way towards the enemy than she had first assumed. She just jogs, hoping not to run into a slavering beast right on the other side of the wall.

No spell, but Saoirse does use Battle Cry and otherwise just moves.

Is the wall clearly marked?

Oh, I thought the person on the map was our opponent. I understand now that it's the roper. I will submit additional movement and another action once the others have posted, since I'm actually last in initiative.

Olly-olly oxen free?

Saoirse grits her teeth. They were trying to avoid fighting, and now her companions' hastiness had cost her an arrow in the leg! She snaps off the arrow's shaft, takes a step back towards her companions, and raises the shaft up in the air. She shouts an inspiring cry, "If battle must be joined, let us be the victors!"

Then she weaves a magic spell with her other hand, breaking an incense stick and scattering the resulting scented dust everywhere. The creature that stands before her is enveloped in flashing multicolored lights and patterns.

HD: 2d4 + 10 ⇒ (1, 2) + 10 = 13 If it's HD is below this number, it makes a DC 16 Will save to avoid becoming fascinated for concentration + 2 rounds.

"Use this to prepare and maneuver!" she cries, "Attacking it will dispel the effect."

Saoirse uses Battle Cry -- allies get +1 to hit and +4 to saves vs. fear -- and casts hypnotic pattern.

Saoirse nods. "Thank you for not standing in our way," she says.

Then, bravely, she goes first. She walks through the roper cave and straight through the illusory wall on the other side. Once there, she blinks, creates a magical light, and looks around for signs of drow activity.

I totally understand! Thus, my reasoning for wanting to usher everyone forward.

A justification for us to care about Underdark politics beyond setting up a guard-post in these areas to stop drow from raiding the surface? Like, is there some approaching doomsday we'll learn about? What's the overarching plot of the module?

Im not dissatisfied so far, im just looking forward to the part where it gets climactic.

Personally, I just want to get to the part of the adventure that explains why we don't just leave and go back up to the surface tomorrow.

Saoirse keeps the roper's gaze and without hesitation, she says "I'd say that you'd better get the Hells out of my way."

When she gets no response from any of her teammates, Saoirse makes a command decision. She marches right up to the illusory wall and sticks her head through so that she can see the person she was talking to. She boldly sticks a finger straight at them, and proclaims loudly, "Hey! We're some pretty awesome bad-asses over here. We killed those bebeliths, and we've slain a vampire too, and we're just getting started! If you've got anything to tell us, just go ahead and do it, but if not, we're marching deeper to save some people and kick some drow butt!"

Her gaze is steely as she finishes her speech: "If you get in our way, we will slay you without mercy or remorse."

Intimidate: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (10) + 18 = 28

Saoirse hisses, "What is our purpose here? I should seriously not think that trading away valuable healing supplies, or bickering over attempting to get a good deal on uncertain and unreliable information, is seriously in your minds right now?"

"They just told us that the drow pay them tribute," hisses Saoirse, "That's not the same as being on a team with them. But -- if you're so eager to fight -- you lead, I'll follow."

Saoirse shakes her head, perplexed and confused. "No, I don't want to fight," she protests, "These are clearly not drow, which means they are not our targets. I agree that we should retreat for a time and discuss our strategy, but I want to emphasize that I prefer to avoid unnecessary battles."

Saoirse pulls her allies aside for a moment. She mutters tersely, "I think we should stop. These are not allies, they are unknown creatures of the Darklands. Come, we have more important tasks."

Saoirse calls out an answer. "We seek to rescue our wayward captured people!"

She thinks for a few moments before asking her own question. "Who or what are you?"

Saoirse stops, her eyebrows raising. An illusory wall? What strange trickery. "Oh?" she asks. "Do you think there might be anything interesting down that way? Any drow, or captured villagers?"

She takes a moment to step forward and call (towards the wall that Jonuli insists isn't real), "Hey drow! Are there any drow down that way?"

Saoirse turns to follow along with Elestar. "Come on, Nicodemus. Have you any way to fight without spending so much energy? If not, it might behoove you to slow down and conserve your energy for future encounters. Perhaps we will run into something truly fearsome down here, and not more of these minions."

While Saoirse talks, her vulpinal companion reaches out to heal Wintyr and Elestar. Its fuzzy hands glow with a golden light as they pulse with positive energy.

Heal Wintyr: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 6) = 14
Heal Wintyr: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 1, 3) = 9
Heal Elestar: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 5) = 14
Heal Elestar: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 1) = 4

Once it's finished, she directs it to follow Elestar closely and assist him with scouting.

Vulpinal Stealth: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (11) + 17 = 28
Vulpinal Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14 It also has access to darkvision and a constant detect evil effect.

Saoirse gestures forward. "Would you like to go first, Elestar, or are you too wounded? I can certainly take point again if you need to rest."

Ready to move on whenever!

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22

"Well," ventures Saoirse, "We have vanquished yet more vile creatures. Shall we continue on while we still have the aid of the vulpinal?"

It's also your turn, Elestar!

The vulpinal doesn't let up, pursuing the bebilith further into the cave where the celestial can see the foul creature. Once it gets a good angle, it unleashes a second burst of holy light and fire into the chamber, searing the flesh of the fiends.

Holy Smite: 7d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 2, 2, 6, 2, 3) = 20 And a second round of DC 17 Will saves.

Saoirse takes a few steps into the chamber. She raises her dagger in the air, meets the bebilith's gaze, and shouts a hoarse-but-fierce battle cry. "Go back to the pit from whence you came!" she cries.

Intimidate Red (to demoralize): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (9) + 18 = 27

Now in her humanoid form, Saoirse's ability to call for aid from the celestial planes is back in full force. "Lathander, Morninglord!" she cries. "Intercede on our behalf! Send a creature capable of scouring these disgusting beasts from these caverns!"

In response to her call, a fox-headed humanoid celestial appears. Those knowledgeable in the ways of the planes would recognize it as a vulpinal agathion, the beneficient storytellers of the planes.

The creature's snout perks up as it sees its foes -- fearsome creatures. Then it employs its greatest weapon -- its own holy smite spell, causing a second burst of light to sear through the creatures' flesh.

The bebiliths are evil outsiders, so it deals extra damage.

Damage: 7d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 1, 6) = 24 DC 17 Will for half, and to avoid blindness.

Saoirse uses summon monster V as a standard to summon a vulpinal (on her list due to Summon Good Monster). It uses holy smite.

K. Planes: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (17) + 15 = 32 Looking for Special Defenses, Special Abilities, and Weaknesses.

Squinting forward into the chamber, Saoirse nods. As a summoner, she was well-versed in the various inhabitants of the Multiverse -- the one piece of academia she excelled at. "I do," she replies. "It's a bebilith -- predators of demons. What they're doing here, though, that's beyond me. Beware, they're mighty foes to be able to survive in the Abyss as a predator."

"I say we don't want to fight in a room filled with poison!" Despite her reticence, she still draws her dagger -- Morthwyl -- and prepares to help out if it comes down to battle.

I don't think you can take 10 while moving. Taking 10 on a skill involves spending 10x the normal amount of time on the skill.

As Nicodemus heads forward, Saoirse waits behind. She didn't want to proceed into the poisonous cave without being healed first.

I am down 53 health. 9 charges should, on average, heal me to full.

Saoirse's smile is warm and kind as she replies to Wintyr. "It makes you very special, my friend. Thank you for volunteering to heal me. I want to be strong, tough, but I am learning that I don't have infinite endurance."

She turns towards the poison-filled chamber. "We should proceed quickly through this room." Squinting, she can see that there is only one way to go. "I hope these spores don't extend much further. What do you all say to a quick jog until we find someplace with no spores or until we are stopped?"

Saoirse shakes her head, putting her hand on the wand and pushing it back towards Elestar. "Sorry, friend. I'm not able to use that kind of magic. When I was taught by the elves, they taught me arcane magic, like the sort that wizards and sorcerers use."

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

"I don't know if anyone noticed, but I'm pretty badly wounded..." says Saoirse, somewhat reluctantly. "So I think I'll stay in the rear. Someone else can take the next instant-death-trap-to-the-face. I don't have much more endurance left."

Did we identify items rolled for in this post?

Hands up, Saoirse quietly and softly backs away, being as nonthreatening as possible. "I don't think there are any drow in here, friends," she says. "Let's go someplace else."

She exits the room into the hallway, and ushers her other compatriots out as well.

Saoirse ignores Nicodemus.

Saoirse walks closer to the translucent woman. She squats down on her haunches to appear smaller, and she gives the ghost a tentative little wave. "Uh, hi," she says. "I hope you speak Common, and not some ancient language. Who are you? What are you doing here?"

ooookay.

I mean, sure, at 13th level she'll have enough evolution points to dump her extra arms and gain fast healing, but that's like... "possibly never, but probably in several years" kind of duration from now, so it's not exactly something I want to count on.

Sure, I understand, but I'm still confused about this dungeon. Drow are a threat through this dungeon full of un-disarmed traps and unvanquished enemies that have nothing to do with them?

That's a good idea, Elestar -- I'm happy to let you go first in general, if "making sure we do Perception at everything" is a priority. However, as I said, living in a world where that is the case does not thrill me.

I can't say I'm excited about an adventure in play-by-post involving a lot of "make a Perception check at the door or take 70 damage". GM, any notes on how often this kind of thing is going to come up?

Any regret that Saoirse might feel is quickly burned away by frustration as Nicodemus continues to insist on talking to her as if she is his ward or child. Quickly, she stands.

"Is there something that makes you feel like you are in control of me, Nicodemus?" she asks, looking the runt half-orc right in his eyes. Even while badly wounded, without her angelic form, she remains fierce. "You are not. Do the things you wish others to do yourself, or keep quiet. At least to me."

Then she walks into the room. With the trap disabled, she has no fear of immediate death. She gazes up at the regal statue for a moment. "I wonder who this is..." she mutters quietly. "Someone so important that intruders are promised death without warning."

GM, please shrink me back down to medium size.

Fort: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

In a flash, Saoirse is reduced from fierce battle-angel ready for more battle to strong and practical sage, badly wounded. She cries out in intense pain, covers her face , and falls back outside of the door. "Awwhhhoooowww!" she shouts.

"I wish to continue on now, unless you have specific ideas for spells that would be useful in this situation. I have no currently active spells."

Presuming that no one jumps up to say, "wait Saoirse, stop! We have important things to do instead!" Saoirse kicks down the next door, her sword at the ready and a snarl of fury on her lips.

Saoirse looks very dubious. "How was I supposed to know that vampires don't die when you kill them??"

Saoirse frowns at the insults. "Ignorant perhaps. Next time, just come with me, or say something out loud that gives me a reason for why I shouldn't continue on ahead."

She has a solution for the vampire that means they won't have to come back later and deal with the creature. She suggests, "Nicodemus, if this creature is vulnerable to sunlight like you say, and is paralyzed by a stake to the heart... why not just leave the staked vampire outside?"

Spellcraft Cloak: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25
Spellcraft Bracers: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26
Spellcraft Wand: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27

Finally, Saoirse knows read magic for that scroll.

Incidentally, it's been 10 days since Nicodemus posted, and 6 days since Jonuli posted.

Everything alright with ya, buds?

Saoirse's eyebrows knit together. "What must we do to break this spell? We can't simply continue with this unaddressed."

I mean, I don't have any items made of wood, so Saoirse is reliant on other people being willing to carve up their equipment.

Sounds like you have the solution!

Saoirse shrugs. "Huh," she says. "Well, I'm going to keep going. We're looking for missing people, remember? Every second we delay is a second they're probably being tortured or something by the drow that captured them."

She looks at Jonuli and Wintyr. "Will you two come with me while we scout this mausoleum? I have no idea where to look for the drow, and we've found no sign of them so far. I'm mighty and capable of taking care of threats all by myself, but I'd feel safer with allies at my side."

It doesn't look to me like we are capable of permanently destroying the vampire at this time. Nobody has anything made of wood, nor does anyone have any holy water, and there is no river nearby.

I think we're just going to have to fight it again if we come back this way, which honestly isn't the worst consequence in the world.

Saoirse looks confused. Tilting her head, she asks Elestar, "What makes you think the vampire isn't dead? I smote it with Morthwyl, and it disintegrated into gas!"

At his comment regarding her injuries, she shrugs. "I'm not really wounded," she says, "And I don't have any healing magic anyway. This is just a temporary form... though perhaps I should give it a rest and resume my natural form."

RE: The vampire (although Saoirse won't help in-character unless someone comes and confirms for her that the vampire is in fact not dead, and that vampires don't die when you kill them): Does anyone have anything in their inventory made of wood? I'm assuming the sarcophagi are all made of stone, but is there any wood within easy running-to-grab-it range? If not, we can't really do anything about the vampire anyway.

"Phew!" sighs Saoirse. "I thought I was a goner there, for sure, but it turns out I'm just too mighty!" She booms with laughter before making fingerguns at Wintyr and winking. "Thanks for your help. That second lion might've gotten me if you hadn't frozen it."

She turns towards the sarcophagi. "Looks like no drow in here. I'm a little confused about all this, but I guess there's nothing to do but keep looking deeper, right?"

We just waiting to see if Saoirse killed it already? ;P