No worries, this is kind of a convoluted adventure path even at a table, let alone in a a PbP.
Basically Baba Yaga in her infinite wisdom and planning left a breadcrumb trail for her Riders if anything was to ever happen to her and she disappeared. It was ascertainable that something did indeed happen to her when she didn't return for her removal of the current Whitethrone Queen and installation of a new one which she has done every 100 years for 1000+ years. The Riders are charged with following these breadcrumbs in the form of keys that when placed in the Dancing hut cauldron take the Hut and the Riders on the next step of this trail.
The original keys were given to you what feels like eons ago by the Black Rider. Putting those keys in the hut brought you to Iobaria and ultimately Artrosa where the next set of keys are. The ravens' riddles in the campaign info tab give some hint as to the nature of the keys. But that's your main reason to be here - to find the keys for the hut to continue your Riders' quest to find Baba Yaga as only she can stop the machinations of the usurper Queen Elvanna.
"Warden is Jadrenka. Jadrenka is Warden. Master of all Artrosa, title given by Baba Yaga herselfs!" He smiles a truly grotesque smile. "Hmmm, where she be...Warden can move through all Artrosa in a blink," he repeats. He taps his head a few times. "Last I knows she not in Crone. She went over to Maiden. Come, come!" You realize he just said this a moment ago, and it seems as though this strange man might be a touch unbound in the head.
He rushes past you and moves into the hallway you came from, bidding you follow.
"Strange..." Krosh intones. "We entered the Maiden statue...what oddity this creature spinning." He sighs.
Following the quilled miscreant, you are taken back to the room where you fought the three fiendish feyfolk torturers. Ungrist whistles and coughs. "Oh oh! Looks here...you did in for the Nymph's bastards, huh?" He laughs. "Good riddance! Always so loud and making Ungrist annoyed. Always squabbling and shouting. Killings them mights make their sires mad though...or maybe not. Don't think they liked them much!" he laughs again and moves through the room, once more back the way you came. On his way through and stops at the corpses of one of the torturers and whispers "not so loud now!" before skipping along.
Back through the long hallway and you are back in the partitioned room where you met Greala..or, apparently, Caegriel. Ungrist walks on his tiptoes in this room, and turns back to whisper at you.
"Shhh, hags sleep in this room. Don't want to pester hags. They mean."
He slowly leads you around the exterior of the partitions until you reach another hallway leaving this room which you have not traversed. Another flight of rough-hewn stairs leads you to a splitting path left and right, and after a second of supposed contemplation, Ungrist leads you left, passing under a stone arch. Beyond, you enter an impossible expanse of broad meadow bathed in bright daylight filled with swaying wildflowers. There are no walls, no ceiling, and the floor beneath you is suddenly grass.
Ungrist seems unperturbed, and squints, getting excited. "Aha!" he exclaims, pointing.
Out in the field you see a figure walking leisurely next to a large bovine creature. Ungrist rushes forward and eventually you get close enough to get a good look.
A striking young woman with black hair worn in myriad braids walks barefoot in the flowers. She wears a simple roughspun dress of grey but wears a mantle of raven feathers. Her pale skin his flawless and her features delicate and exquisite, she regards you with yellow-amber eyes. Her arm is draped around the muscular neck of the ox that walks beside her.
"Warden!" Ungrist calls, rushing to her. He dashes behind her legs and hugs them. "More new...friends have come. They beat up poor Ungrist but then we talk and is well. Caegriel trickses them and takes friend. But want friend and gold for stopping beating up Ungrist."
The Warden takes in what the strange fellow has to say and gives him a soft smile and pat on the head. She turns to look at you again. "My domain has been gifted with many visitors of late," she says in a sultry voice. Her eyes drift to Skäne and Byakko. [b]"Oh, but none so handsome." She smiles impishly and giggles. "I would hope that, despite your exchange of violence with poor Ungrist, your visit is for better reasons than the others that have come." She twirls a braid of hair in her finger and smiles again. "What brings you here? Amuse me."
"Shoot?!" Ungrist shouts in protest. "Shoots Ungrist?" He stomps his foot. "Bad gnome. Ungrist saves gnome from giants snack-bags and gnomes want to be shoot Ungrist?" He scowls and mutters some string of unfamiliar words in an alien tongue. "Ungrates-ful...."
He turns to Geedra and the others to implore them. "Comes now..not be shoot Ungrist. I take you to Warden, yes?"
"Whats? Whats? Does Ungrist looks like Caegriel? Hows Ungrist to know wheres Caegriel takings the elf?!" He stomps in a sort of tantrum. "Ungrist no being friend of Caegriel, nots these days. Wells, nots in old days, too." His voice lowers. "Means old hag. Thinks she ruler of all. Pah. Great Baba Yaga made Jadrenka Warden, not Caegriel, so Caegriel always angry. But Jadrenka is Ungrist friend. Want elf, talk to Warden." he adds, matter-of-factly.
To the gnome he smirks. "Ungrist save you from giant belly snack, but then these ones beats up Ungrist and keep him from makings you forever friend. At least yous a lucky gnome once today!"
Sorry all. Been under the weather this week and..processing the political climate, as it were.
Greala narrows her eyes, brow furrowing as the gnome speaks. She meets his gaze and lets out a long sigh. "Couldn't just make things easy, could you, little cricket?" Her voice is different, sharp, low, with a slight rasp. [b]"I'd hoped to make tools of you lot, but I don't think you'd be receptive to my methods. No matter, I'll at least see what I can do with one of you."
Her fingers upon Mithas's shoulder tighten and she grins. "Ta ta for now, lovelies."
There is a ripple across her, the colors comprising her being flickering and stretching for a brief second, which carries through to Mithas. A breath later, with a light pop of sound, they are gone.
Ungrist stands blinking for several seconds before he erupts in laughter. "Hahahahahaha! We weres all hoodswinked by Caegriel!" He slaps his thighs as he goes on, chuckles punctuating his words. "Should have known! Tricksy one! Good prank."
"Anyway, give yous gnome, yous get golds from Jadrenka Warden, we all friends, yes?"
Haha, hardly! But the campaign tab now has a list of NPCs and short blurbs on them and an important info spoiler that I will add to for yours guys' quick reference to pertinent bits of information you pick up.
Completely ignoring the tension of the room, Ungrist shrugs in his overly dramatic way. "Warden cans be anywhere - moves through all Artrosa as she wills. Warden is master of her domain, afer all! Ha ha! Have not seens her here, maybe back that way to Maiden," he says, pointing back the way you came. "Wardens move about like that, thoughs" he adds, snapping fingers. After a long pause he looks at the gnome. "Sooo...you still takings gnome? Or just golds for you and gnomes Ungrist have...?" he says hopefully.
Meanwhile, Krosh slinks up behind Byakko and Skäne and mutters "Truly I do not believe the woman knows the gnome...but the gnome knows the woman."
Got up a list of some importantish NPCs in the campaign tab dating back to the beginning of your time in Irrisen. Also added a spoiler for Important Info you've picked up for quick reference; right now it just has the riddles of the ravens from the hut.
Updated the campaign tab with the new loot list. It should be everything you guys have picked up that hasn't been claimed by someone/is recorded on their sheet.
Next goal is to get up a dramatis personae with all of the (importantish) NPCs you've encountered in your adventures.
"Listens," he states emphatically. "Me Ungrist. Jadrenka Warden. Ungrist - ME - is Warden's favoritest of friends. So surelys Warden give nasty tres- ehhhhh - nice guests - golds for not being means and hurts old Ungrist. Understand??"
Greala looks to the gnome, puzzled. She looks a bit taken off guard. "W-what? What do you mean? I've not seen you before." As he reaches for the dagger she moves behind Mithas even more. "What are you doing?!"
Sense Motive DC 15:
Despite Greala's state of surprise, she seems to be telling the truth about never having seen this gnome before.
aww no sweet quilled man and gnome embrace this day.
While most of the group interacts with the gnome, the quilled specimen and Geedra seem to be having a tiff off in the sideline.
Gold? Gold?! Bah on gold. What good is gold? Can't eats it, can't dead it, can't make it new friend after deading it! Wrinkly she-goblin wants gold!" the thing rants. "hope horse bits goblin's nose off and shits it on her head. Come in the Lady's house and beats up on her...oooh, ha ha ha. Jadrenka knows golds. Probably has golds. She would give gold. Ungrist is Warden's favorite friend. I bets Warden knows where golds is." he grins and claps, then near coughs up a lung, black spittle dribbling from his mouth, which he sucks back in and resumes grinning.
"please no..." Greala whimpers from the back. "not the Warden. This is obviously some sort of trap..the gnome is probably part of it, too. This place is naught but deception..."
finally finished going through the game and gathering an updated loot list. I just need to get some final totals and organize it and I'll get it posted
The quilled man looks dumbfounded. "Better? Better? Better!?" he gestures dramatically towards the unconscious gnome. "What better? Good for many things! Do what you wants with it. Make it slave? Eat it! Turn it into zombie pet. Trade it to giants? Sacrifice to Baba Yaga!"
Krosh grunts in mild disgust as he pushes past to investigate the gnome, kneeling down and putting his hands on him. After a moment, the shaman speaks.
"Not injured, so to speak. Just unconscious, maybe from an ether or nonlethal blow to the head." He rummages around in some sachets and bags from beneath his many furs and hides until he produces a small container that he uncorks and waves under the nose of the gnome.
Within an instant the gnome's eyes spring open and he awakens in a start, nose stinging and burning from the acrid, pungent stench of the contents.
Silas, you awaken to a stinging nose and surroundings - and beings - unfamiliar to you. Standing over you is a tall, sturdy form whose identity is shrouded beneath many layers of different animal hides, pelts, and furs, and whose head is concealed beneath a helmet made of a full elk skull, antlers and all. Many trinkets, talismans, feathers, and bones hang from bits of twine and rawhide strings from the antlers.
Behind this being you see a goblin woman with a toothy grin currently half-arguing with a small, grotesque humanoid covered in quills and wearing a smock made of humanoid skin. There's also a brawny, bearded human man, armored in breastplate and carrying a spear and heavy shield with a bear motif embossed on it, and a half-elf possessed of an air that is equal parts sleek and feral. Beside him is a fully grown white tiger.
Behind all of them is a lithe, bow-wielding elf in leathers and an attractive, brown-haired woman cowering behind him.
The quilled man squints at Greala and pokes his chin, advancing on her and circling her with a look of intense thought. "Hmmmm..." he muses, looking her up and down. Greala looks beyond nervous, a little frightened, moving a bit more behind Mithas. "I not sees this one before..bah, many news visitors stomping arounds here lately. Horsefolk and ginats. Crowded! Not like."
Checking the bundle, it doesn't seem to be trapped in anyway, nor does there seem to be a way to trap it. It is some sort of burlap tarp or sheet that has been wrapped a few times around something, the whole thing is only about three feet in length. A single length of hempen rope as been looped once around it with a four foot lead that the quilled man was using to drag it. The bundle is slightly lumpy, alternatively rigid or yelding depending on where it is prodded.
Cheers WS - yeah been a mad few weeks - the scars of which will heal, but it'll be in our own hus, at our own pace.
Once I'm ensconced in my new abode I'll have a home office/study (read geek station) - hopefully have more time and inclination and if so will likely take on the quarter mastering duties (did it once before for Shackled City AP here on the boards). You've enough on your plate herding us in the right direction lol.
Sounds good, friend. I won't oppose anyone wanting to take up the role, surely! I'll still continue my effort of compiling everything up until now to get things squared up; I've a long weekend next weekend for the old birthday so I plan on getting it finished up then.
The strange, grotesque, quilled specimen before you sweats and shifts his beady eyes back and forth, half-mumbling in search of an answer before he snaps his long fingers.
"Oh oh, what you get?" I know," he chirps, pointing back to the bundle he had been dragging into the room. It looks like a lumpy bedroll or other cylindrical array of fabric. "Have this! I stoles it from those nasty giants that came in. Thumping around, so loud, so loud! Stoles their little treasure right under their noses, dids I!" He grins, showing off his sharp yellowed fangs pocked with brown. "I'd give you pets too, but you deaded them all," he says with a sigh. "Hard work finding and making, now have to make more.." His eyes glaze over for a moment as he seems to be coming up with some sort of mental plan before he realizes you are all still standing there. "Oh, uhh...so, we make nice?"
Greala, from behind Mithas, half-calls, half-whispers, "are you really going to let this vile thing go? It must serve the warden...I can only imagine what other horrors...and what other victims..it will find.."
Byakko delivers another flurry of slashes at the remaining undead cat, finding purchase with one but only catching glancing blows with the others, and his feral bite coming just shy of a landing. Still, the connecting slash is a good one, opening a long gash that exposes more of the tight, necreotic musculature holding the beast together.
Enii charges off in pursuit of the strange quilled being, leaping and crashing into the vile thing with all of her weight. Fangs break through his wrinkled flesh, and in the tangled thrashing the two become, claws from both fore- and hind paws tear into him further, sending blood spraying all about the floor. The entity screams out in a tantrum, thrashing about.
Skäne marches to the fray, yelling out a threatening promise, but the creature is either too insane or too ignorant to the call due to his current predicament to offer much of a response.
Krosh takes a measured step of his own, hands gripped tight on his boar spear, and thrusts it into the final zombified panther, capitalizing on the wounds opened by Byakko. The head of the spear sinks in and twists, putting an end to the final beast of this eerie menagerie.
Mithas takes advantage of the beset enemy to fire another well-placed arrow, sinking it into the shoulder. The thrashing slackens a little as he stops fighting back against Enii so hard and starts changing his tune.
"Alrights, alrights, stops it!" he screams. "Calls off your beastie! Yous wins!" His cries are punctuated by his coughing up globules of blood.
Byakko and Enii lay into the line of undead felines with abandon. A maelstrom of katana slashes, fangs, and claws wash over the risen dead in a divine wind, cutting ribbons through their cold, bloodless flesh. The carnage puts four of the cats back to rest, with Byakko cutting a swath through two as Enii crunches and swipes her way through another 2.
Geedra turns her sight on the now-visible quilled man, pushing her dire gaze upon him. The unsuspecting creature withers under the gaze, paranoia gripping its eyes as it looks swiftly around as if for some unseen entity. Fails save
Skäne barrels into the cat in front of him, stabbing twice with hard spear thrusts. Both impale the undead, putting it on the ground.
Krosh, breathing heavily, steps away from the sudden assailant and heals himself with his hex of healing, staunching the flow of blood.
Mithas puts some distance between himself and the creature before firing off another arrow., which catches the quilled main right in the collarbone. Critical hit with the bow
The remaining zombie cat lashes out at Byakko with fangs and claws, and even a headbutt, but each of the blows fails to find purchase.
Round 3
The quilled man shrieks and dashes back towards the hallway from which he came, skidding to a stop to fling two quills from its back at Byakko and Enii. "Hate, hate hate! he screams. Both of the vicious looking quills seem to be perfectly on target before veering off and clattering to the ground. Geedra cackles in the back as her hex takes hold. Both hits negated by misfortune :)
Skäne marches forward in an inevitable advance and plunges his spear into the nearest undead cat, skewering the abomination and putting it to rest. It gives a faint moan as it collapses, the necromantic energy draining from it.
Byakko and Enii follow suit, the former becoming a bit more bestial as he invokes a spell with guttural intonations, moonlight flashing across his eyes as his speed and reflexes heighten. Enii takes a mighty swipe at the smaller feline, but it seems quicker on its feet than it appears, twisting out of the claw's reach.
Geedra starts calling up her own spell, but her tongue betrays her, fumbling the words as the Witch Tree's curse takes hold once again. The goblin can almost hear the crackling chuckle of the tree in the back of her mind.
Krosh rounds the corner to put eyes on the cats and he shakes his head slowly. "Foul things..." he mutters. A jingling talisman releases the shower of warming silver motes you know so well, though this time when they spiral they do not flutter around your wounds like pollen, but rather swarm aggressively as wasps around the undead cats. They groan as the sacred energy courses through them. Channeling to harm undead, dealing damage to all of the zombies
Mithas takes up a position against one of the grotesque totem poles and chooses out a target near Enii. He looses an arrow that streaks between Skäne and the tiger to strike one of the undead panthers in the head, ending it instantly.
The cats finally react, rushing forward with impressive speed for corpses, swarming around Byakko, Enii, and Skäne, aiming to clamp their gruesome fangs down on their targets.
Skäne batteries away a leaping zombie panther with his shield. It lands in front of him and lets out a half-groan, half hiss.
Two leap at Enii, and both look to find purchase with their bites, but at the last moment Byakko casts a dire glance at one of them, forcing it off target with a shove of misfortune. 6 points of damage from the bite that does hit
As three teem around Byakko, his enchanted agility assists him in dodging and parrying all three bites.
Round 2
With a horrifying screech, the strange quilled man reappears, right behind Krosh. "No! My pets! No sacred magics here!" He screams, lashing out with his sickle-like claws. Krosh grunts as both claws dig into his back, and when the strange man pulls them back they are dripping with blood. 21 points of damage to krosh from a pair of sneak attacks, though pretty low roll all things considered.
Back to you Map
Quilled Man: 23
Skäne: 20
Byakko: 17
Krosh: 14
Mithas: 8
Gredra: 8
Cats: 7
Congrats! Hopefully that's a load of stress off of your shoulders. Not that the physical act of moving is any fun but it's a lot less of an ordeal than the whole process of securing the home. Glad you found a place you like.
I'm (very) slowly poring over the pages of the campaign to bring all of the loot up to snuff. I know I did it once a while back so hopefully using that as a starting point will cut out some of the work. I know Mithas was tracking some of the stuff so I just want to make sure all is accounted for in physical goods and currency and all. I'm sure there are magic items in your possession that aren't allocated or being used or anything so it'll be good to take a new stock of everything and see what all is at your disposal. I'm going to redo the campaign info tab and try to make it a living document with whatever you guys come across.
Preparing yourself for another entanglement with the denizens of this strange place, you move into the room around the sides of the grotesque tent, where rancid odor in the air grows stronger. Rounding the sides of the structure, you see within the cover of the tent a perhaps unexpected sight of eight large cats - not so large as Enii but about the size of a leopard. All of the beasts are dead-eyed covered in open wounds where greyed gore hands limply, and their black fur as missing in several patches exposing yellowed bone and black sludge beneath. It's not difficult to realize that these animals are undead, their low, breathless moans. They seem, to be aware of your presence, but don't react.
Just then, you hear a shuffling noise coming from the hallway on the left side of the room, and a moment later another bizarre creature enters, muttering to itself. This small, hunched humanoid looks like a cross between an emaciated feral gnome or goblin and a porcupine. About three feet tall, its face is dominated by a huge hooked nose and a mouth of sharp, rotting teeth. It has no hair, but rather a huge mane of quills that goes from the top of its head almost down to the floor. It wears a soiled smock of what looks like stitched together skin, and is currently dragging a wrapped bundle about as large as itself with a length of rope. It freezes as it enters the room and blinks as it sees you before coming to its senses and barking out a in a high pitched squeal : "Yik! Gettem, pretties!"
Upon its command, the eight cats suddenly move into action.
Round 1
The quilled creature drops the rope he is carrying, snaps his fingers, and vanishes from sight.
Map
The green line just denotes the side of the tent that is open / accessible.
Your search of the room turns up enough components to comprise a full alchemist's lab, as well as various bloodstained tools that make up a few torturer's kits. You also find a potion of remove blindness/deafness. Closer inspection reveals that the three fiendish fey are actually identical to one another - either triplets or some manner of cloned specimens. They each carry a masterwork blowgun and you uncover a total of 24 darts for them. They also each carry 4 doses of shadow essence poison (for a total of 12 doses).
Departing from the room, you traverse a long, narrow hallway for about 100 feet before it opens up into the next chamber. To your immediate left is a fifteen foot square alcove that has seemingly been stripped of any furnishing, and the rest of the chamber stretches out as a more natural looking cavern. The air here is still and rancid, permeated with the scent of rotting flesh. At first glance, the floor of the cavern seems curiously wrinkled, but you soon notice that they have in fact been carpeted with some sort of dried flesh. In the center of the chamber, five wooden totem poles hold up a huge, angled, lean-to like tent crafted from an untold number of poorly preserved skins crudely stitched together. The backside of the structure is facing you and you can't make out the opening - or what may be housed beneath the canopy, from your vantage. The poles themselves are carved with the leering faces of old women; each face is slightly different, but all are hideous and disfigured with hooked noses, oversized warts, snaggletoothed maws, and other exaggerated features.
You see another hall to your right leading out of this chamber, but you cant see the walls opposite to you due top the tent blocking your line of site - it's about 40 by 30 ft.
If anyone hasn't benefited from Krosh's healing Hex today, you can benefit from a 2d8+8 hit from that. Otherwise you can roll off charges of the Cure Light Wounds wand for 1d8+1 a pop. I have to actually go back and see how many charges are left on it but im pretty sure there are at least 30 so go ahead and roll off what you need.
Beyond that, what's next on the agenda chaps? Search this room? You have one exit here on the left side of the map, and then the previous room where you found Greala serves as a hub with some other paths leading off of that.
Welcome mostly back Skäne, glad to have you taking up arms with us once more.
Hope the housing market and process is better across the pond then it is in the US! Good luck to you, hope you find something great that will ease the sting of the chaos.
Take care and try not to get too burnt out with work. I started a new job this week myself and it's been a weird change and I've been feeling off from it.
will:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Misfortune plagues the remaining fiend as his fates are stitched, the following cackle prolonging the malus.
Skäne looks up at the melee on the walkways and glowers, tossing his spear up a few inches to change his grip on it to ready a throw. He takes a few steps forward to put some momentum behind it and hurls it upward. It hits the fiend squarely in the side, nearly sending him staggering off of the plank with the force. Just as he reels, another jet of flame surges forth from Krosh's palm and burns into him as well. The combination is enough to send him careening off of the perch and he falls to the ground with a thud and no longer moves.
After all is still, you hear the maiden Greala from her cowered position behind Krosh. "You see..you see what horrors the Warden fills this place with!"
Krosh slowly looks at her and then to the woodland creatures lashed to the torture racks - foxes, hares, squirrels, even a fawn - and shakes his head with his trademark jingling of trinkets. "These beasts deserve better," he says flatly. "They may be beyond healing, but we should at least end the suffering of the ones still..twitching."
No worries. I've been prepping for a new job I start tomorrow so I've been a bit sidetracked as well; looks like we are all a bit MIA at the moment, lol. No worries. We truck on as ever!
Round 4
Byakko moves to assist his beset companion but the strange latticed network of scaffolding proves difficult to scale swiftly and he gets a bit tangled up, equipment catching on the many gaps. Unfortunately not a success; you don't risk a fall but you don't make any progress.
Enii, incensed by the wounds inflicted upon her, lashes out, pursuing the torturer on the planks above. Despite the alchemical concoction toughening the creature's flesh, Enii's predatory fury prevails, sinking claws and fangs into the brute and holding tight. The enemy hisses out in pain as blood runs in rivulets down his limbs and he thrashes to escape the grasp of the mighty cat.
Great turn from Enii.
I'll give a day or so for our fellows to throw out a post but I'll keep things moving if they can't make it. With this 6 on 1 I don't think this battle will last much longer :)
Second claw damage from Enii.. 1d8 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 2 = 10 finishes off the creature.
Enii's pursuit of her target, coupled with Krosh's flame jets from behind, bring the fiend down, sending it toppling off of the walkway into the floor.
I'll pick up Skäne for now :)
Skäne grimaces as he bears down on the fiend once more, putting his shoulder behind his cold iron shield and letting out a roar as he surges forward in another series of bashes. The first slam finds its target, smashing square into the creature's torso with a heavy thud. As it makes contact with the flesh of this torturer, the likeness of the mighty bear Ilvarang suddenly emits a powerful roar and the creature howls in pain and covers his ears, recoiling from the blow. All eyes suddenly shoot momentarily to the sound of the roar, never having heard it before.
Your special shield has struck a fey creature and it deals an additional 1d6 points of Sonic damage!
Bash:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 plus 1d6 ⇒ 1 sonic Though an underwhelming roll... Bash:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
The remaining fey-fiend embattled with Enii takes a step back and quickly quaffs an elixir, and his bloodstained clothes suddenly split as muscles bulge and his size grows slightly. A mutagen for this one as well.
The grounded fey, now frightened by the Mortal Terror spell and feeling the burn of the cold iron shield, breaks and run, withdrawing from Skäne and dashing left across the room to hug the far wall and making for the exit leading out to the west.
Mithas watches invisibly as the frightened fey runs by, smirking as he notches an arrow and lets fly at the back.
Skäne, sorry to hear about the familial woes. I've experienced the sort of sudden shift in relations when it comes to money and property (I was once poised to buy a property owned as a trust by my grandmother and her 3 siblings. They were going to sell it to me as is for a very agreeable sum until one of the siblings succumbed to the avarice and refused in order to instead sell it for a much higher price in an inflated market - caused much strife among mt great aunts and uncles). I understand the mire.
Certainly hope you find new and better arrangements soon and are not too painfully disrupted. Worry not about the game - we will continue and Skäne will persist with us. Same goes for everyone; all players will ever have a spot at my table regardless of any adjustments to their frequency. Oft times our offline lives must take precedent. I'm also ever grateful for the patience of this group when I myself have slipped out of habitual posting. But we've been pushing forward in this game for 10 years now despite the setbacks and rotation of players so I am not worried.
Well wishes to you and your wife, I hope she will be able to reconcile with her family, or else not be plagued with guilt should you all end up having to forge a different path for yourselves. Take whatever time you need, and I will do my best to not sully Skäne's honor as a DMPC should the need arise.
Hey guys. Never did pin down Byakko's pal for coming aboard (no worries!), so I have in fact recruited someone from my offline D&D group to join up. He has some pathfinder experience though no PbP experience, but I'm sure he will adapt to the nuances of playing on the forums. He's rolled up a new rogue to replace our boy Mithas; I'll look to inject him into the gameplay thread soon & will have him post in here as well.
Geedra dashes into the room, eyeing the battles occurring up on the walkways and below on the ground. She gains enough ground to ensure her continued ability to manipulate this battle.
Byakko presses onward as well, his empathic link with the trusted Enii causing him pain as he feels the burning of the foul creature's claws ripping through fur and flesh. With bared teeth and a guttural intonation, the oracle envelops his menacing aura around all three of these torturers. The two engaged with Enii unfortunately passed their saves...if I am correct, in this case you want to push the Mortal Terror onto the one fighting Skäne that previously failed the aura of doom save, right?"
Enii furiously lashes out at the fiend that gouged her, showing the misshapen specimen what true claws are. With a mighty shriek she sinks fangs into wrinkled grey flesh and carves trenches of sickly blood across his limbs. Bite and both claws hit, with a successful grab. You can roll damage for the second claw as well.
Another well-placed jet of flame surges forth from Krosh's outstretched arm, crashing into the back of the enemy now entangled in Enii's thrashing, slashing limbs. This guy miiight be down now depending on Enii's damage roll for second claw ;)
I'll let Skane get his action up and then update map for the end of the round.
Geedra studies these bizarre three-armed creatures, conjuring to her mind something that would identify them.
Geedra:
You realize these creatures are forlarren - unique half-breeds birthed from a nymph's union with a fiend. Their features favor that of their mothers so they are wholly fey in physicality, but they often harbor the maliciousness, greed, and diabolical natures of their fathers. The third vestigial arms are not associated with forlarren at large, so it would seem to be a unique mutation in this case. Beyond a weakness to cold iron and a set of claws, their innate abilities are lacking.
Byakko and Enii both succumb to the initial effects of the poisoned darts, the toxicity taking hold. 1 point of strength drain to both Byakko and Enii.
As Byakko advances and acts to mitigate the disadvantage of the poison, (fails will save vs aura of doom and is shaken) Enii leaps at the enemy she has been clambering after. The target shows a surprising level of agility, maneuvering out of the way of the tiger's bite and first claw before being struck by the third. It lets out a panicked wail - akin to perhaps an overbearing, uppity child getting its comeuppance - as blood oozes from the ragged wound.
It pushes the tiger away with impressive strength, avoiding being grappled. These chaps have a surprisingly high CMD.
Skäne sneers at the fey as he brandishes his cold-iron shield, the fearsome boss invoking some level of obvious discomfort in this strange being. When the bulwark is used as a weapon, however, the priomal instinct of the creature and its disdain for the cold iron takes hold, and he nimble dodges both shield strikes.
Krosh helps Enii from afar, gesturing forward, hand aflame, to send a small orb of fire speeding across the room, where it crashes into the back of the entangled with the cat. He howls once more, the blood-stained tunic and flesh beneath now burnt. 11 points of fire damage
The torturer on the left side of the room runs across the wooden plank up on the racks to assist his brethren, flanking Enii and laushing out with a claw of his own, but it clatters futilely against the tiger's new centaur-made armor.
The central figure already fighting Enii lashes out with both of his own claws and proves to be more effective in the melee, slashing the cat with both claws. Total of 30 points of damage from 2 flanking sneak attack claws!
The final of the trio, facing down against Skäne on the ground level, takes a step back and swiftly produces a vial from which it drinks, and suddenly his movements seem to increase and becomes lighter on his feet while his flesh tightens are hardens.. consumes a mutagen
Mithas once more invokes his magical talent and vanishes from sight, preparing for a stealthy sneak attack of his own.
Geedra tugs on her fickle eldritch threads bound to the whims of fate and tugs them around her target, stitching boons for the chosen. Not sure who you were hexing there but they are given the good fortune.
Byakko's spell wracks the strange creature on the right, and the sudden, violent shaking of his bones gives his body a forward jolt, causing him to stumble clean off of the perch he had claimed and toppling to the ground below.
As the enemy falls, Enii ascends, leaping from the ground to the latticed drying racks. Her nails digging into the wooden frames, she scales the apparatus until she reaches a point to threaten the centermost torturer. I'd say it'd be a full round action to move to the racks and climb up, but it puts her up at the level of the enemy. This is still turn 1's actions.
Skäne readies his shield and spear and marches through the room towards his quarry, nearing the drying racks and ladders. The stench of the dead and dying fauna affixed to the racks hangs in the air; blood and bowels and rot. Not quite a successful climb, but there is also now the prone torturer on the ground.
The grounded enemy stands, grunting as he shakes off the effects of the spell, and glares at Skane's incoming form. His eyes glow red as he waves a hand, and the red glow transfer's to Skäne's armor. Will save vs DC 15 against a Heat Metal spell
The torturer being accosted by the climbing white tiger shifts away (5 ft step) on the plank and looses a dart from his blowgun at her. The dart hits, barely piercing the tiger's skin, but as with most blowguns, the danger is not in the sharpness of the dart itself...only 1 point of damage to Enii, but have her make a DC 19 Fortitude Save or suffer 1 point of strength drain.
The third enemy of the left sends his own dart towards Byakko. This shot too lands, pricking into the oracle's skin. Swiftly the half-elf can sense the poison on its tip stinging into his blood. 1 point of damage, and a Fort Save DC 19 for you as well Byakko.
Mithas raises his bow and sends off two shots at the leftmost torturer that shot Byakko. Both hit, but the projectiles seem to barely effect the bizarre creature.
"Must be some manner of fey or demon," the elven scout announces. He looks to Skäne and calls out "cold iron!"
Back to the top for round 2. I'll update the map tomorrow.
Surprisingly, these beings do not speak any of your languages, Geedra. You can still take an action if you'd like.
The ceiling in the chamber is 30 feet high, and the walkways the enemies are on are about 15 feet up; rope ladders give access to the planks. There are no railings. It's a DC 60 for a 15 ft. high jump (dc=4x the height); Enii would likely fare better with a climb check to scale the wooden racks. Kinda weird most cats don't get a climb speed or antyhing. I'd say she could have a +4 bonus on climbing these racks though for being a cat.
Round 1
As Geedra calls out to the strange creatures in several languages trying to get a response, Byakko and Enii move into the room, the former's bestial features having taken over as enemies have presented themselves. Byakko invokes his magic, a moonlit sheen sweeping across his face as he flings a hand forward, gossamer threads of silver emerging from his digits that rush through the air and into one of these torturers before flickering and disappearing. As the oracle yanks his hand back the creature lets out an anguished, chattering scream as his bones are forcefully shunted around in his body. Failed the fort save, so go ahead and roll for full damage.
Krosh moves slightly in front of Greala, shielding her from any potential incoming blowdarts, and conjures up flames in his hand. Casting produce flame.
Geedra and Enii can confirm their actions and I'll give Skane another day or so to post before I move on with the enemies.
Are you counting Greala as an ally for Aura of Doom? Lol
Making preparations for what is to come, you advance down this changed hallway until it opens up into a larger chamber.
Like a harrowing cage woven from bone, wood, and sinew, a tangle of massive drying racks exhibit the splayed remains of dozens of woodland creatures, some dead, some still twitching. Narrow wooden planks serve as precarious walkways leading between the racks, with several rope ladders ascending to various levels. Bloodstained leather buckets filled with cruel and filthy vivisection tools hang from the hideous structures in several spots.
Perched on the wooden walkways you see three bizarre humanoid figures. Each has the legs of a goat and grey, wrinkled flesh, their hunchbacks causing them to ever lean forward. They have heads sporting thick horns that extend and curved downwards to flank their flat faces. Most strangely, each has a half-withered third arm growing from their torsos. Dressed in blood and viscera-stained aprons. They carry blowguns and have belts with many pouches. They eye you as you enter and begin snickering and glancing towards one another, before one excitedly makes an exclamation.
Assuming you mean to make for the path near to the door that Byakko had muttered about
"I promise I will not get in the way," the woman says. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
As you exit the fabric-walled compartment you see the locked door that the woman spoke of; a wall of tightly-packed wall of fieldstone stands, obviously built to block off the other corner of the room. The door itself is stone and carved with the image of a young maiden walking a deer through the woods.
About twenty feet to the right of the door is an open corridor that leads out of this chamber. You make for it, moving down the natural hallway. About fifty feet down, you feel the hairs on your neck stand up the ambient temperature in the passage suddenly drops to just above freezing. The ambient light likewise dims to levels near pitch black, and even any magical lights you carry diminish. Further, the walls of the cavern shift from the warm, light tan to dark grey or black - it is hard to tell in the weakened light.
After about eighty or so feet, you hear the noises that Greala spoke of. You hear the pained or tortured calls and screams of some manner of creatures, punctuated by the eerie laughs and banter of other beings..
Geedra and Byakko both continue their divinations, though with different goals in mind. Geedra resumes a search for the magical items present in the area, leading her to the chest near the bed. The chest yields a small trove; a scroll of flame strike, a decorative bejeweled skull, and a leather sack containing 800 gp in assorted coins. There is another leather bag within, though this container's contents are decidedly less grand. A collection of dried scalps have been stuffed in the bag...small scalps, perhaps belonging to halflings, goblins...or children.
Enii sniffs at the young woman, Greala, but detects nothing unusual. She looks back to Byakko and gives a soft grow before skulking back behind him. Smell human. Byakko's probing likewise turns up nothing of note on or around the young woman.
Greala looks to Skäne when he speaks, her lip quivering. M'lord, I beg..." she looks around nervously. "What if the warden returns? I would feel safer following in your wake as you move through this place. At least the path you walk will be made clear."
Krosh mutters from the back, "If we need bring her, I can keep guard..and eye on her. Either way, we best not tarry everlong. This cavern is quarters to something."
At first thought, you do find it peculiar that this lone beautiful stranger is plopped here in the center of Artrosa. You exchange glances as she flings herself at Byakko's feet and beseeches for aid, but in studying her words and gestures, you don't identify any reason to doubt her. She certainly seems afraid and desperate.
"I do not know...some foul fey or demon that can twist its shape. I cannot say I have ever seen its true form, but it often takes the face of a human woman. Sometimes young, sometimes old." She looks over her shoulder and points towards to the fabric walls behind her. "There is a door just past the curtains, but it is locked. There is a separate path near the door, and I have started to sneak down it before...but I heard terrible screams and noises and have not dared to again."
She then points back towards the way you came, but to the right corner, not at the exact path you took from the room with the plant monster.
"There is a long hall that way as well, but I fear monsters lurk beyond. A winged beast would come to taunt and torment me as well...but I think that is the one less fey you spoke of, judging by the sounds of fighting I heard. You must be strong and capable warriors."
She does allow Byakko to pull her to her feet, and she wipes a tear from her cheek. "Please take me with you; do not leave me here."
The woman creeps slowly out from behind the bed, eyes darting around nervously.
"I am...Greala," she says hesitantly, as though speaking it would incur some foul retribution. "The giants are new to this place...Are you here to slay the warden?"
When she registers you as armed and armored and speak of slaying a fey, her demeanor makes a sudden shift as she rushes forward and falls to her knees before Byakko and grabs at his shirt. "Please! The warden must be stopped...a malicious monster who wears a false human guise. It has jailed me in these dungeons and performs such horrible atrocities to those who inhabit Artrosa!" Small beads of tears well up in the corners of her eyes as she looks up at the half-elf, and then back to the rest of you. "There is naught but suffering here...please.."
To Geedra she shrugs. "I know not; I've learned not to poke around here...take anything you want, especially if you think it will help."
I will assume you want to continue on through the partitions; the second magical aura that Byakko detected is in the compartment ahead just ahead of you.
Satisfied with your search of the first compartment, you push through the fabric wall into another. This one is narrow across but wide, stretching about thirty-five feet left to right. The compartments' contents are similar to the last; a simple bed with covers and a trunk sit in the left side, and a small table and chair set to the right. A few cloaks and plain linen gowns hang on a few hooks. The magical aura is emanating from the trunk.
As you near the left side of the room with the trunk, it isn't difficult to spot a huddled figure hiding in the corner made between the bed and wall. The figure is trying desperately not to be seen, but the space isn't obscured enough to do much. The head is down and between the arms, a light voice trying to stifle shallow breaths.
A few moments later it is obvious that the figure knows it is seen, and slowly looks up to reveal a comely young woman with tear-stained cheeks. A tangled cascade of dark hair spills down onto her shoulders, a bit dirty, and she wears a simple homespun dress but nothing on her feet, which are rough and soiled with dust and dirt.
"You...you're not fey," she whispers. "Nor giants." She speaks in Iobarian, and then Elven if she gets no response. "Are you...here to save me?"
Greetings all. Many thanks for Black Dow for the invitation - right excited to enjoy a campaign from the other side of the screen for the first time it quite a while..and an older-school one, at that.
I don't have much experience with AD&D but from what I've gleaned from the C&C handbook so far this iteration seems roughly in tune with early 3rd edition which is where I got my start in 2000 so I think I'll manage without much issue.
I've narrowed characters down to either a human wizard with a heightened fascination for the aberrant or a dwarven ranger operating as a subterranean scout and wayfinder. I think I'll write up both and see what I'm feeling more when I flesh out the backstory and personality of each, but if anyone has any input I'm glad to take a listen as well.
Reckon I'll throw out some stat rolls and get crackin'
Fortunately, opening the chest has no harmful outcomes. The leather-covered lid lifts open easily to reveal the contents. There is an assortment of clothing; simply roughspun house dresses and similar frocks, threadbare in places and possessing the same sour smell that the bedding does. Moving those aside reveals a series of jars and vials, many of which are empty. One flask, however, holds a silvery blue liquid (a potion of protection from arrows). One of the jars contains several live earwigs and a few twigs to which many of them cling. Nestled in a small pouch is a brilliantly cut black star sapphire, non-magical but a magnificent piece.
Byakko prods the nearest cloth-panel barricade, testing both its resistance and its probability of retaliating, but fortunately both are equally non-problematic. The fabric yields as easily as any mundane cloth and can be pushed aside without issue, and this one at least houses no implements of injury. Peering beyond, you espy a roughly triangular compartment about fifteen feet across. The area is set with a bed, its coverings thrown in a loose pile and a heavy trunk at the foot of it. A small table flanked by two wooden chairs takes up most of the rest of the space, the surface home to a collection of various objects - a clay water jug, small stones, clay plates, wooden drinking cups, small bones, and knives. The wooden poles that support the cloth panels have hooks embedded in them for hanging cloaks, blankets, or other sundries. The focal point of the sour odor seems to be coming from the bedding; obviously unwashed for some time and likely belonging to an equally unwashed sleeper. Byakko senses no other beings within this spot.
Byakko's divination tugs his focus to the trunk, where a magical aura of abjuration dimly glimmers within.
This compartment is but one within this larger enclosed area, suggesting a small series of living quarters separated within the fabric walls.
Sorry guys, I can't catch a break at work. The other guys on my team called out literally all week so I was by myself. Hurrah weekend.
Indeed, anyone who has not benefited from Krosh's healing hex in the past 24 hours can get a free cure moderate wounds,and he has the light wounds wand ready to go as well.
Byakko:
You do sense some magical auras within the enclosure beyond the partitions, further in the room. After a few seconds you can pinpoint that there are 2 such auras, somewhat faint; one an evocation aura and one an abjuration aura.
Enii sniffs and shakes her head in a mildly disgusted fashion, scrunching her nose as she picks up the sour stench of an unwashed, unclean living space.
As the strange fey makes for the hallway in full retreat, Byakko swipes with his blade, catching the wounded enemy in the back as he turns. The final blow is enough to topple him from the sky and send him to the muck below, where he gasps out a final groan.
"So...close.."
You can get that spell slot back you used from barbed chains, Byakko.
Enii and Krosh make sure the plant creature does not return to fight once more and you all reconvene. Looting the body of the satyr uncovers a handsome shortbow, darkwood with silver embellishments, though it needs a good cleaning, along with a quiver of 20 arrows. +1 shortbow. You also find he wears an iron amulet etched with an open clawed hand which proves to be a amulet of mighty fists +1. Finally he carries his panpipes, masterfully made but nonmagical (unless you're a satyr, of course!).
The only path leading out of this room was the one that the satyr was making for, and with no other options, you head that way. It's a short hall with natural stone walls that descends another two shallow flights of hewn stairs, eventually opening up once more into a wider chamber, mopst of which is obscured - a series of head-high partitions fashioned from intricately brocaded cloth panels stretched over wooden frames take up most of the center of this cavern, forming a large enclosed area. There is enough room to walk around between the enclosed space and the cavern walls to give passage to whatever lies beyond (though the cloth partitions seem to have flaps that can be opened), and you also see to your left another hallway cutting back out of the room (at the 5 o'clock position, with you entering this room at the 2 o'clock).
Thanks for your patience guys. Took the weekend to R&R so good to go now; work's somewhat stable for the time being.
Round 4
Byakko takes a swipe at the retreating winged satyr but the katana flashes wide. The arrow from Mithas that tore through his wings slow his flight, however, and he is only able to swoop down just to the exiting hallway.
Byakko conjures up his bestowed lunar magic, growling in his bestial tongue and flourishing his hand, a gesture which pulls three sharpened chains to burst forth from the laden ground. Each one whirls and flings itself at the satyr, two of which lash the creature about the legs and sweep them out from under him, putting him on his back.
Tripped, but not shaken.
Enii assists Krosh in making sure the plant beast does not rise again, tearing through vegetable matter like wet paper with claw and fang.
To everyone else. Bear with me on the map; I'll get it up on the morrow.
Thanks guys. Glad the week is over. I have a new boss now, so that's helpful. I'm training him of course but it's been somewhat of a load off. I'll get us back on track.
Byakko don't forget Geedra extended her hex on you so you can reroll that AoO! ;)
Enii crouches in the thick water, muscles coiling and then releasing to send her airborne over the deepest of the pools and onto the back of the plant monstrosity where she sinks her fangs into its body and sticks her claws in the matted vegetation to keep hold. 14 damage to the plant.
Round 3
Byakko once again denies this strange fey's magic, the strength of the moon galvanizing his will against the profane intrusions. Rebuking the worst of the spell, he retaliates with another flurry of slashes. One misses, another cuts deep into the winged satyr's vile flesh again, and the third strikes but the fiend almost parries it with his arm, whatever infernal curse or blessing within his skin rejecting the bite of the katana. 7 points of damage to the satyr.
Enii continues shredding the creature's back, failing to find purchase with her fangs again and one paw's claws unable to dig through the thick, wet plant matter accumulated there, but the second set open something beneath, sending a viscous yellow-green ichor spraying from the beast's form. 11 points of damage.
Skäne all but ignores the tendril coiled around him and lets out a shout as he punches forward thrice with his magical spear. Each one drives deep into the creature's front with a moist splortch. It lets out a gurgling howl after the third blow and the tentacle's grip slackens as the brute goes limp and slowly sinks back into the pull as it collapses. Boy howdy, well struck. 40 points of damage in all.
Geedra continues to support her meatshields, further spreading and maintaining her boons with grin and snicker.
Mithas flickers into view, the vanish spell shedding from him as he fires an arrow at the satyr, catching the fiend unawares and sending the projectile straight through his wings, carving a tattered hole in each. The satyr cries out and staggers a bit in the air, looking frantically around. 26 points of sneak attack damage, also halves the satyr's speed for one round with a debilitating injury.
Krosh's stares at the half-submerged form of the giant plant with his glowing eyes, and they flash for a moment as a whirl of fire appears on the creature, putting some of the plant matter on it to burning despite the dampness.
"This thing will rise again without flames to kill it true; not unlike a troll..." he mumbles, keeping his enchanted gaze locked on the plant.
Round 4
The satyr sounds out with a worldess scream of frustration and pivots midair to fly towards the hallway from which it first came, but the injuries inflicted by Mithas make it a more difficult task than he realized...
The hampered effect renders the target unable to take 5 foot steps in addition to halving speed, so he cannot withdraw and only make a regular move for it. Byakko gets an attack of opportunity, and his move will put him just into the hallway on the left. We will see what happens with the attack; will update the map if we need it ;)
Byakko steels himself to resist the cursed energy that pulses into him from the satyr's touch. With a smirk, his teeth elongate into gnashing fangs and he presses into the fiend with a flurry of attacks. The first cuts deep into the unprepared victim;s torso, the slicing bite of the blade carving a long wound that sprays black-green blood into the muck below. Reeling, the satyr flaps his wings and flails his legs, pushing away the following slashes and shifting backwards away from the bite. Good crit! The other attacks are a bit short however. For Enii i would allow an Acrobatics check to jump over the deep water to bypass it and attack the creature. Technically you can't charge in difficult terrain in general so wouldn't get the pounce, and the Grab special ability only works on creatures up to the grabbers size and this plant outsizes miss tiger. I would allow a CMB check however to "latch on" to the plant monster since it is so big and it would allow Enii to occupy the plant's space and attack it in subsequent turns without going back into the water. You can roll for Enii; id say just a DC 12 jump check and then 1 attack + CMB if that's cool.
Skäne, now nearer to the plant, releases his own attacks in a flurry of spear thrusts, tapping into the extra attack granted by Geedra's blessing as well. Two strikes penetrate the creature's strange form, but the third fails to harm it. 28 points of damage to the plant.
Geedra further blesses Byakko, cackling from the bnack as she pulls and trugs at the strings of fortune across the battlefield.
The plant, it's soon-to-be meal having wriggled from its maw, directs its attention to Skane, the next hopeful morsel currently stabbing its side. Two tentacles lash out at the Ulfen warrior, following by the floral beast's lurching forward to snap with its jaws. He beats the tentacles away with his shield, but is unprepared for the sudden lurch and gets snapped by the horrific mouth, punctured by the twisted teeth and plucked off of the ground. 15 points of damage to Skäne with a natural 20 (no crit), and a successful grapple check.
Mithas, beneath the water, conjures his innate magical talent to turn invisible and put some distance between himself and the plant.
Krosh waves his hand in front of his eyes and his eyes suddenly crackle and seethe with bright flames as he moves a bit away from the water and the plant. Man, I pretty much only play 5E offline nowadays and I forget how much it sucks to have to wait a turn after casting so many spells before you can do anything with them, haha.
Round 3
"Too close.." the satyr spits through his teeth. "I will not be stopped." Another spell is released, and a wave of black and grey light washed over Byakko. DC 19 will save good sir, or be Panicked for 8 rounds. If you succeed you are merely shaken for 1 round.
