Home by the Sea
Log Info
- Title: Home by the Sea
- GM: Telamon
- Place: University District
- Summary: An artist-wizard by the name of Colin Phileaston hasn't emerged from his house in several days, and the guards that went to check in on him have disappeared. Andelena, Alaryn, and Magpie are sent to investigate. They find strange ghosts that try to attack them in addition to a house that's been irrevocably changed by the spell that Colin tried to cast. The group discovers Colin's body and pry the scroll free from his hands, booking it out the door as reality unwinds.
University District Watch Post, midday
The summons brings you not to the Adventuring Guild per se, but to the guardpost in the University District, which is a bit of a surprise -- and worrisome. Things going wrong in the University District either tend to be self correcting, or very serious indeed.
The guard captain, a mustached fellow by the name of Mikhail Riverford, clears his throat once you've arrived. "Yes. Alright, let's get to business. The artist-wizard Colin Phileaston was last seen three days ago, when the refugees he'd been hosting departed his house. He didn't seem to bear them any ill will, but after that... nothing. Ambassador Atlon," and here he gestures to the tall, saturnine elf who turns to regard you, "came to us when Master Phileaston missed a lunch meeting to discuss a commission. We sent a four man squad to his house, they went inside... and they haven't come back out."
The tall elf regards you with a somewhat grim expression. "Master Phileaston is a gifted sculptor with a knack for wizardry as well -- particularly in conjuration. However, he'd been trying to purchase or expand his building for a while, with no luck." His brows come together. "His last letter to me indicated he'd located an artifact, and I quote, 'which should solve all my floor space problems for the foreseeable future'. When he didn't arrive for our meeting, I decided to throw caution aside and approach the guard about it."
"One of the watch wizards confirmed that something is wrong about the house. And he added that the city ward against summoning and teleportation was in direct conflict with it." The guard captain rests his fists on the table, knuckles down. "And I've already had four watchmen vanish. I need help to find out what's in there, and shut it down before it starts seriously interfering with the wards around the city."
"...Oh nooooo," Magpie moans, clapping her hands over her eyes for a moment. "I really, really, really hope it's nothing like what I'm worried it'll be."
Letting that rest for a moment, she glances around, then blushes, dipping her head and looking up at the Captain. "Sorry, uh... I'm kinda from Rune, so I'm pretty sure I at least have an idea why your people haven't come back, sir. And you're right, pocket dimensions aren't something to play with when there's support for them."
University. So many people think that they know so much. Alaryn learned everything she knows in the field. Practice, not theory. She has never liked the book-learned scholars who look down their noses at people who learn by doing. But hey, pay is pay.
So she eased her cart in to park before climbing down and making sure that her Crystal-Dust-Interimx-Chamber is topped off before hying over to the guard post.
She listens to the guard, and then turns to regard the elf. Her hand comes up to lift her goggles from her eyes, and up onto her half-helm with the steel rigging on it. "Okay. So he found an artifact that may or may not involve dimensional space or other such things." she says. "Yeah, no bad could come from experimenting with something like that." Okay, a little sarcasm there. "But either way, we need to figure out what is going on, and maybe bring everyone back to the Prime Material. Right?"
The redhead Sunguard known as Andelena of Selentia squints a little at the tall elf man as he's introduced, sizing him up in the usual manner that she tends to look at people. "Atlon. Huh. I know that name..."
But then Andelena seems to drop the matter entirely, or set it aside for now, a brow raised at the comments regarding the ward. "Uh, the fuck? How can there be anything that exists within the city ward that clashes with it?" She casts a look at Magpie and says, "I sure hope you can help figure that shit out, because I have no fucking clue what to do with arcane bullshit."
The elven ambassador lifts his eyebrows fractionally, and a faint smile curls his lips. "Ah, perhaps you've met my son. However, there's business to tend to." He inclines his head, the smile fading, to Magpie. "That's what I fear as well. Colin is a gifted man but his ...artistic temperament could make him impatient. He'd been trying to secure a larger workspace, or expand his current one, with no luck, and he may have done something rash."
Guard Captain Riverford nods sourly to Alaryn. "Find my guardsmen, or at least proof of their fate. We have some time, but this will work best if we can shut whatever this is down, rather than bringing in spellcasters to try and deactivate it from the outside."
Nodding her head, Alaryn turns and flexes her fingers in her gloves. She gestures, "Come on folks. Let's travel in style." she suggests as she indicates the tweaked and artifices-up cart coming into view.
"Should be room for a couple passengers." she says before climbing up onto the driver's bench. She reaches for a crystal-tipped lever, and twists it to get the motor started up. It's not quiet by any stretch of the imagination. Forty-eight individual footlong tracked struts lining the underside. "Hop in." she says.
"Son--" Andelena thinks about that word for a moment. Atlon... son... "Oh, hey, yeah, you're that guy's dad. That's neat. I know 'im. I'll try and not die so you don't feel bad about it later, how about that?"
She turns to Alaryn's cart and whistles. "Well, hot damn. Don't mind if I do. Magpie, got any more concerns, or are we rolling?"
"We got this," the riotously-colored gnome says, bobbing her head. "We'll be back soon, hopefully! If time still runs right in there, I mean!" With a wave, she turns to follow Alaryn out the door, and stops dead at seeing the cart.
"...Well that's nifty!" she says, leaning left, then right, looking for a means for a noodly gnome to climb up. "...Well now I have one concern. How do I get up there?"
With a grin, Alaryn presses a stud. She has a set of stairs that extend out from the side of the cart. "I use those to get up to the top when it's piled too high. They work on the asame function with the awning."
And then... once everyone is aboard, the cart putters along. And there are clanking sounds as the gears connect and the mana is consumed to propel the engine and treads along. Whoosh!
The trip doesn't take long at all, thanks to Alaryn's artifice-driven cart. Plus, it's good to not have to walk! The first indication you're getting close is passing through a guard cordon, where the watchmen check your bona fides before letting you through.
Soon enough, you're pulling up to a small single-story house in the area of the district typically populated by grad students and apprentice instructors. The door of the house is closed, and there's an Alexandria Watch warrant glued to the the side declaring the building off limits to everyone. Not too many people on the street, either -- mostly watchmen keeping an eye out.
The Sunguard gets off the cart and squints at the house. "Okay," she says as she turns back to the cart, making sure that Magpie gets off it safely (stairs can be perilous things going down). "Well, looks like single-story and creepy is right there. I'm assuming whatever is in that house has prrrrooooobably decided the four sorry sons of bitches that went in before us were tasty."
Andelena coughs. "So... Here's my idea. I get in front with my sword and my shield, Magpie's in the middle, and you, my artificer friend, are in the rear. Cool with that?"
Parking, Alaryn lifts her goggles once more off of her eyes. She wears them whenever she is driving after all. "Sure. I'm no tactician. I'm just here to help and shoot things." she remarks as she reaches into a small pouch and withdraws a four foot long Thunderbelcher.
She inclines her head and ponders... "I wonder if my whole storage dimensional foo will react to anything this artifact may or may not be doing." she states as she checks the make sure the weapon is loaded properly.
"Hiiii!" Magpie calls to the nearest Guard, waving. "It's okay, we were paid to go in there and get your friends out!"
Credentials established, she clambers off the cart before Alaryn can unfold her stairs. Because when the drop is small, sometimes risking it is fun! Once on solid ground, she dusts off her robes, and looks up at the house, scanning from door to roof.
"I'm good with that," she says as Andalena lays out the battle plan. "Just, like, something to keep in mind; if something went wrong with the kind of magic I'm expecting... It's gonna be weird. Not just regular weird like floating islands of rock in a starless void, but like, 'gravity gets bored and decides where up and down are individually' weird. I'm probably gonna throw up at least once, don't be ashamed if you do too."
<OOC> Alaryn would love to use either K:Arcana or Spellcraft to theorize the whole... bag of holding in a portable hole idea... basically if I think that's going to become an issue here, like walking inside will cause it to trigger?:P <OOC> Telamon says, "Make a Knowledge/Arcana check, Alaryn." GAME: Alaryn rolls knowledge/arcana: (15)+12: 27
Tilting her head, Alaryn shrugs. She reaches up and flips a catch on her 'helmet', causing the crystal embedded in the top to light up. Then she adjusts the framework of shiny steel plates so that the light angles for a sixty degree forward cone. "I think I'm as ready as I'm gonna be." she admits.
Andelena draws her sword and shield, since the other two have consented to her plan. "Okay," she says, after drawing in a breath to solidify that yeah, she's here, and this is the way forward. "Let's do this."
She tries the door. If that doesn't work, she kicks it in.
The door is unlocked. Which is kind of disturbing in itself.
Going in, though... it looks like a normal entry/living room. Light streams in through the windows, illuminating some sparse, basic furnishings. The house isn't that big, after all. However, there's several issues that jump out at you, right off the pier.
One: the air inside smells strange. Like metal, or the odor scented after an electrical discharge. Just enough to be noticeable.
Another is that there is a neatly folded pile of clothes in the middle of the hall, placed with meticulous care. Just right out there on the floor.
And a third problem is that a little ways to the right, there's a flight of stairs leading up to a second floor.
<OOC> Magpie says, "Spellcraft check! What the *hells* am I looking at?" GAME: Magpie rolls spellcraft: (11)+10: 21
"Correct me if I am wrong." remarks Alaryn. She was bringing up the rear. And in fact as such, she takes a single step back and exits the front door... her eyes traversing upwards. "Yep. Single story." she says before stepping inside. "And where do these stairs lead? I mean aside from up." she adds as she narrows her eyes, "Should I check for magical auras?" she adds. "I have three uses per day of that."
"I knew it," Magpie moans. "We're in the middle of an unstable pocket dimension, and if you look for magic here you're gonna go blind, don't even bother."
Lifting up a foot, she leans on the floorboards, as if not assuming there's a solid enough foundation to take the gnome's weight... despite clear evidence in the form of her fellow troublethumpers. "...But we ought to take a look at those clothes. Just in case there's anything actually inside them."
Andelena... looks at all of this. Squinting, of course. "In other words, shit's fucked seven ways from here to Korday," she says to Magpie. "The clothes do seem suspect. Here, uhhh. Let me... attempt to be smart about this."
She carefully uses her longsword to attempt to lift up one of the clothes, using the flat side of the blade.
"Wait. let me help." says Alaryn. She steps forward and gestures to the clothing. She activates her gloves, which give her the use of the Mage Hand cantrip. "No need to touch them, even with a sword. Just in case." she remarks as she does her best to lift the top item gently. I mean there could be a wee tiny guy in there. Unstable magic is terrifying. Almost like Alaryn's artifice.
There's nothing in the clothes -- wait. A jingle, as something shiny slides out of one of the tunics -- a handful of brass chains, each with a small stamped symbol attached to them. The badge of an Alexandrian City Guardsman. Indeed, the garments are those typically worn by such guards, though it appears the garments have been abandoned.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Need Perception checks." GAME: Alaryn rolls perception: (4)+9: 13 GAME: Andelena rolls Perception: (19)+8: 27 GAME: Magpie rolls perception: (18)+8: 26
Andelena stares at the the brass chains and badges, a brow raising in her face again. "Aww, hell. These belong to the guards--"
And then she catches sight of the windows, and she backs away from the clothes, sword held out defensively in front of her. "Daeus knows me, and He knows I'm right--so trust me when I say we are in some deep fucking shit," she hisses, her steel-grey eyes wide. "The windows are not showing the proper outdoors."
"Oh good," Magpie sighs heavily, as the Guard's badge falls out of the folded clothing. "Because of course. Well... let's take them with us, if there's a naked Guard somewhere up there they'll either be really happy to get their clothes back, or really annoyed at us for interrupting. But I--"
She stops, her eyes locked on the window outside, and falls silent as her brain tries to catch up. "...No it's the proper outdoors," she says faintly. "Just not our outdoors. Which... Oooooh, boy. Now things are so much worse, maybe!"
When attention is drawn to the windows, Alaryn glances out of them and shrugs, "Actually, that shouldn't be all that surprising. After all, the house is bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside. So of course space is messed up.
She asks, "Does anyone have a haversack to store these clothes in?" as she holds them up in her Mage Hand effect.
As the clothing is moved around, picked up, a low keening starts, coming from the walls. Like a whining moan, rising in pitch. Suddenly the walls bulge weirdly, faces and hands pressing against the surface as if it's thin fabric and not wood or stone, mouths agape in silent screams that don't match the keening. Abruptly, something comes through the walls on three sides, a low, incoherent babble rising in pitch. Shadows with no substance, in the shape of men, glaring at the heroines with blank, insane eyes.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Ghost 1 approaches Alaryn, and reaches out..." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (13)+4: 17 GAME: Alaryn rolls will: (17)+2: 19
One of the shifting, shadowy forms glides towards Alaryn, mumbling incoherently. Its babble like a constant, nonsensical stream, as it reaches out to pass a hand through Alaryn's armor -- fortunately, she seems to shake off whatever its touch would inflict.
<OOC> Alaryn will step 5ft towards Andi, and cast Shield. GAME: Alaryn casts Shield. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16
Stutterstepping abck a pace or two, Alaryn gets ghosted, in an even worse way, "Careful! Incorporeals!" she calls out as she skitters towards the Sunguard.
As she moves, she reaches to her bandolier, and plucks a vial full of glowing blue translucent liquid. She crushes the vial in her gauntleted hand, and the liquid flows through the air to form up in a translucent shield effect that floats there to defend her.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Ghost 2 homes in on Andie, moaning. Make a will save, Andie." GAME: Andelena rolls Will: (3)+7: 10 <OOC> Andelena says, "Reroll." GAME: Andelena rolls Will: (16)+7: 23 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (6)+4: 10
The second spirit keeps babbling away, as it glides up to Andelena. A groping, ghostly hand reaches for the Sunguard, but the sight of her burnished armor and bright symbol of Daeus seem to spark some vague memory, and the touch falls short as it hesitates.
<OOC> Magpie says, "5' step to 5,8 and Burning Hands on Ghost 1. And at a 15' cone, it'll stop *just* short of impacting the walls!" GAME: Magpie casts Burning Hands. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (1)+4: 5 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Magpie rolls 4d4: (7): 7
"Nope nope nope nope," Magpie expounds, as the walls cave inward and disgorge spirits that immediately fly onto the attack. As Alaryn moves to support Andelena, the gnome instead breaks cover, gathering mana from the dimensionally-warped atmosphere, bringing it to her mouth and loosing a brain-twisting word, agitating the power into a roar of yellow-purple flame that spirals out, washing over the spirit and tugging slightly at its immaterial makeup.
GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7-1: (5)+8+-1: 12
The steel-grey eyes are wide as all hell breaks loose, and Andelena finds herself doing what comes instinctually to her: using her sword. "Okay, motherfuckers, you're going to stop what you're fucking doing right now being all motherfucking creepy and fuck off back into your graves," Andelena lets loose as she swings ineffectively at the air.
<OOC> Telamon says, "OK, Ghost 3 approaches Andie, and attempts to Bad Touch her." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (2)+4: 6
The third unhappy soul glides towards Andelena, whining incoherently. Evidently it's distracted by the shiny armor and shiny sword as well, as its touch goes awry, chasing after Andie's blade rather than grasping her in turn.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Ghost 1 turns on Magpie and tries to hit her." GAME: Magpie rolls will: (8)+6: 14 <OOC> Telamon says, "That is not quite enough to avoid being fascinated by its babble..." <OOC> Telamon says, "Alright, so you're fascinated long enough for it to get a swing in on you..." <OOC> Telamon says, "(Which breaks the fascination)" GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (18)+4: 22 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (1): 1 <OOC> Magpie says, "imindanger.mp4" <OOC> Magpie says, "Oh hey Wisdom, I barely need that anyway."
The ghost singed by Magpie's flames turns on her, its blathering intensifying, causing the gnome's guard to drop at a crucial moment. Then it lashes out with a misty hand, raking it along her cheek, a tiny bit of its own madness seeping into her along with the cold.
<OOC> Alaryn says, "5ft step south. Whip out Death Ray, BLAMO #1" <OOC> Alaryn says, "oh, and Activate Titan armor for pure DEX" GAME: Alaryn activates her Titan Armor, gaining: +4 Dex GAME: Alaryn rolls ranged+1: (8)+7+1: 16 GAME: Alaryn rolls 3d6: (14): 14
Seeing the ghosts closing in on Andelena, Alaryn says, "Covering Maggie, then the two of us will support you!" to her as she draws the slender oversized wand, or maybe magic rod from its leather holster. The tip snaps out as it is released, and then whole thing telescops out to about four feet long. Her Thunderbelcher is left to dangle on its sling as she points the rod at the ghost Magpie burned... and then energy starts to collect at the base of the rod, coruscating down its length until it zaps out with electrical power towards the ghost... and you know, normally, one might be able to seen bones in the cartoon version of a shocked target. But on a ghost, it's even more dramatic. "Damn. it's still up." she mutters.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Ghost 2 will move 5' and reach for Alaryn..." <OOC> Telamon says, "(This also lets it flank with its buddy)" GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (10)+4: 14 <OOC> Telamon says, "Yeah, he totally missed."
The second spirit glares at Andelena, but then it seems Alaryn drill a beam through its brethren. It glides past the priestess, and lunges at Alaryn, only to ricochet off the shielding spell. "Hurbleburble, burbleblurble..." it mumbles, shaking in place and twitching.
GAME: Magpie rolls knowledge/arcana: (18)+9: 27 <OOC> Magpie says, "Yeah, 5' step south." <OOC> Magpie says, "Targeting 1 and 2." <OOC> Telamon says, "Rolling 1 first, then 2." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (1)+4: 5 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (4)+4: 8 GAME: Magpie casts Burning Hands. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15 GAME: Magpie rolls 4d4: (5): 5
"Hey bad touch bad touch BAD TOUCH!" Magpie says, eyes widening as the ghost goes for a gentle caress. Hopping backward, she looses another yellow-purple blast, to little avail. "So uh... I hope everyone else has a better idea, cos this is all I got for ghosts!"
GAME: Andelena rolls Knowledge/Religion: (3)+6: 9 <OOC> Andelena says, "5 foot step to 6,6 since I can't 5 foot step anywhere that's completely safe for spellcasting, cast spiritual weapon and place it to the right of me." <OOC> Telamon says, "Are you casting defensively, or going to provoke the AoO?" <OOC> Andelena says, "Going to provoke the AoO." <OOC> Telamon says, "OK, #2 swings..." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (4)+4: 8 GAME: Andelena casts Spiritual Weapon. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15 GAME: Andelena rolls 1d20+3+3: (9)+3+3: 15 GAME: Andelena rolls 1d8+1: (4)+1: 5
"I've got ideas, which is to fucking hit them with their own medicine!" Andelena bellows, followed by a short prayer to her god. A spectral longsword manifests, and it swings down at one of the ghosts that'd been singed by Magpie. It manages to connect and does a small amount of damage--which is more than could be said for the Sunguard's previous efforts.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Anyways. Ghost 3 moves to 7,5 around the weapon to try and get at Andie." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (10)+4: 14 <OOC> Telamon says, "And tags her." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (1): 1
The third ghost skirts around the spiritual weapon, clearly disturbed by the shimmering force-effect, and lunges at Andelena. Insubstantial fingers sink past her armor, starting to cloud her thoughts and bringing the chill of the grave.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Ghost 1 lunges after Magpie..." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (10)+4: 14 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (4): 4
The first spirit stalks after Magpie with a gurgling sigh, hollow and cold. Another ghostly slap, filling her mind with fog and making the walls flex in and out alarmingly as it titters grotesquely.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Alaryn!" <OOC> Alaryn will adjust SE and Death Ray #1. <OOC> Telamon says, "Roll it." GAME: Alaryn rolls ranged+1: (16)+7+1: 24 <OOC> Telamon says, "Hit!" GAME: Alaryn rolls 3d6: (7): 7 <OOC> Alaryn says, "can I reroll -that- roll?" <OOC> Telamon says, "...I'll allow it." GAME: Alaryn rolls 3d6: (8): 8
Keeping her distance, Alaryn is skirting the fight going on in their midst. Three ghosts, and she sends another pulse of lightning down-range... and she is hoping to put down at least one of these things. When the light goes away, and the ghost is still there, she growls. "This is not good. I think these guys might be the missing guards."
<OOC> Telamon says, "Ghost 2 pursues Alaryn..." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (1)+4: 5 (EPIC FAIL) <OOC> Telamon does a Jim Halpert-esque glance at the camera.
The second specter comes after Alaryn, as despite their incorporeal nature those shocks are starting to take a toll on one of their kin. However, it ricochets off her shield AGAIN, and makes a whining noise, twitching as if unhappy with things.
<OOC> Magpie simply wants to grab one of the badges, charge it with Arcane Strike, and brandish it like a talisman. Because hey, it's either that or cast Burning Hands four more times and then be out. XD <OOC> Telamon says, "Best bet might be to go to 6,8." <OOC> Telamon says, "Alright. Roll 1d4" GAME: Magpie rolls 1d4: (2): 2
"Oh man oh man oh man..." Being slapped by a ghost is awful. It's cold, gives you brain freeze, but worst of all for Magpie, it warps the tracks keeping her caravan of logic going from A to B to C. Looking around for something, anything that might serve her better than her meager flames, her eyes fall on the scattered badges.
And 1 + M = Fish!
Darting toward the scattered clothing, she snatches up one badge at random. "I hope this works," she murmurs, trickling a thread of raw arcana mana into the brass-chained ornament, in the hopes of making it more 'real' to the unreal creatures, and holds it aloft. "IN THE NAME OF THE GUILD, WE'RE YOUR BACKUP YOU IDIOTS!"
<OOC> Andelena says, "Alright. Let me know if it's smarter to wait and see what Maggie's thing does first, but otherwise, will 5-step move to 7,7 and then hit 2. Then spiritual weapon will hit 3." <OOC> Andelena says, "Not using power attack because I really want to hit on my attack." GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7: (13)+8: 21 <OOC> Telamon says, "It'll be all right." GAME: Andelena rolls damage7: aliased to 1d8+5: (5)+5: 10 <OOC> Telamon says, "Roll for your spirit weapon" GAME: Andelena rolls 1d20+3+3: (13)+3+3: 19 GAME: Andelena rolls 1d8+1: (8)+1: 9
While Magpie's attempting to reason with ghosts, the Sunguard keeps on the offensive. Andelena strikes one ghost with Deliverance while her spiritual weapon strikes another, both live steel and spectral steel finding their blows in the incorporeal beings.
"Leave them alone and come fight a real fight," Andelena challenges the ghosts.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20: (1): 1 (EPIC FAIL)
The third spirit takes a brutal hit from the spiritual weapon, and in a fit of insane anger, sputtering random babble, it begins flailing at the arcane construct. This, of course, has absolutely no effect, but maybe it makes the ghost feel better.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Magpie, make a Bluff check." GAME: Magpie rolls bluff: (13)+10: 23 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+2: (18)+2: 20 <OOC> Magpie says, "If you can't dazzle them with holy power..." <OOC> Alaryn says, "dazzle'em with BS!" <OOC> Telamon says, "Alright, so... the first ghost stops and stares at the waving medallion for a round. He is effectively fascinated."
The first ghost starts to lunge at Magpie again, but as she holds the medallion out, it checks its charge. Coming to a stop, its empty stare follows the amulet back and forth, as it mumbles to itself.
<OOC> Alaryn will try something new. Titan Fist #2 with Flanking from Andy <OOC> Alaryn says, "and I'll stay put so I give her flanking" GAME: Alaryn rolls melee+3: (13)+3+3: 19 GAME: Alaryn rolls 1d8+1: (2)+1: 3
Lowering her rod, Alaryn rolls her neck. She relies on her shield and quickness to defend her. She also calls out, "If you want to fight someone, fight me!" as she lifts her right fist, a charged aura of energy glowing about her hand as she strikes out at the ghost in her face... an explosion of sparks cascading from the impact.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d2: (1): 1 <OOC> Telamon says, "Alaryn, Ghost 2 tries for a touch!" GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (11)+4: 15
The ghost turns to stare at Alaryn, then strikes out... only to slam into the shield AGAIN. "Nyeeeah, merrrblefyrybel.." it mumbles, flickering for a moment before reasserting its strange existence. Sighing and moaning.
<OOC> Telamon says, "OK Magpie, whatcha doing?" <OOC> Magpie says, "Diplomacy check, offer the badge to it and mumble encouragingly?" GAME: Magpie rolls diplomacy: (5)+6: 11
Oh good, it did something! Excellent. Waving the badge slowly back and forth, the gnome seems encouraged when the ghost's attention is locked on it. "Blfmbl blabl blrfh?" she says, offering the badge up like a shiny toy to her namesake corvid.
<OOC> Andelena says, "Second verse same as the first. Hitting #2 with my sword, spiritual weapon is hitting #3." <OOC> Andelena says, "Flank bonus is +2, yeah?" GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7+2: (14)+8+2: 24 GAME: Andelena rolls damage7: aliased to 1d8+5: (6)+5: 11 <OOC> Andelena says, "Now rolling for spiritual weapon." GAME: Andelena rolls 1d20+3+3: (20)+3+3: 26 GAME: Andelena rolls 1d20+3+3: (9)+3+3: 15 <OOC> Telamon says, "That's a crit." GAME: Andelena rolls 1d8+1+1d8+1: (8)+1+(6)+1: 16
Meanwhile, the Sunguard keeps going. She can't afford to stop. She has to keep going. Her longsword strikes true, but her spectral longsword, delivered by prayer to Daeus, strikes even truer.
"Stand down in then name of the Shining Knight! Last chance!" Andelena roars to the ghosts, if they can even understand her.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Meanwhile, Ghost 3 screeches and goes for Andie." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (8)+4: 12 <OOC> Telamon says, "Just barely gets her." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (2): 2
The third ghost recoils as the spiritual sword rips through its essence, actually shuddering and flickering as it tries to hold itself together. With a howl of horror and grief, it twists around the weapon, reaching out for Andelena again and filling her head with more fog and the chill of an unhappy ending.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (3)+4: 7 <OOC> Telamon says, "Ghost 1 strikes at Magpie suddenly, but whiffs."
The first ghost seems to snap out of its reverie, and it snarls incoherently in Magpie's face. Only a quick dodge allows her to avoid the clutching, insubstantial fingers that whip over her head, as the spirit begins to make those incoherent gurgling words once more.
<OOC> Alaryn will titan fist #2 once more, and then adjust into the spot between 1 and 2, hopefully drawing them onto myself instead of the others. GAME: Alaryn rolls melee+3: (8)+3+3: 14 GAME: Alaryn rolls 1d8+1: (7)+1: 8
Close in combat, is not Alaryn's best thing, but the situation is what it is. Alaryn can see how things are going tactically, and she thrusts her augmented fist towards #2 once more, sparking on impact as she shifts herself to be between two of the ghosts. If only to tempt them off of the others.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Ghost 2 attempts to return the favor, taking advantage of flanking..." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+6: (15)+6: 21 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (4): 4
The second apparition whirls as Alaryn slams her fist into it, and it screams loudly, the sound echoing weirdly off the walls. Then it drives a ghostly hand into her face, the chill of the grave sinking into her thoughts and making her mind cloudy and dazed.
<OOC> Magpie says, "Welp, it's snapped the spell. Swift, Arcane Strike, bonk the ghost, 5' step north." GAME: Magpie rolls melee: (4)+2: 6
"Waugh!" Almost as surprised by the attack as the ghost was of its failure, Magpie drops the badge, imbuing the morningstar in her other hand with a similar sliver of mana, and giving the ghost an ineffectual swipe. "So uh... I think it's mad at me again! How're you guys doing?"
<OOC> Andelena says, "Okay. Can I make a Knowledge/Religion check to ascertain that these are some flavor of undead?" <OOC> Telamon says, "Go to it." GAME: Andelena rolls Knowledge/Religion: (7)+6: 13 <OOC> Andelena says, "Cool. Just gonna channel energy to hurt these undead." <OOC> Telamon says, "What's the DC on your channel energy?" <OOC> Andelena says, "DC 13." <OOC> Telamon rolls the saving throws. Uno, dos, tres. GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+6: (12)+6: 18 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+6: (4)+6: 10 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+6: (11)+6: 17 GAME: Andelena rolls 3d6: (6): 6 <OOC> Telamon says, "Spiritual weapon?" <OOC> Andelena says, "Oooh." GAME: Andelena rolls 1d20+3+2: (1)+3+2: 6 (EPIC FAIL) <OOC> Andelena says, "Nah." <OOC> Telamon says, "LOL. OK."
There's a look of realization in Andelena's eyes. "They're undead," she announces, and she presets her symbol of Daeus, holding it out as she draws on the power of her god. "Be purged in the Knight's light!" she bellows, and one of the ghosts vanishes in the holy power that emanates from her.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Ghost 3 tries to pound on Andie cause that hurt." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (5)+4: 9
The third ghost flinches as the wave of divine energy washes over it, and it almost fades into nonexistence. With an apparent effort of will, it reforms, though it looks ragged and almost vague. Then it lunges for Andelena again, but its fingers flicker out before it reaches her.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Ghost 1 goes after Alaryn..." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (12)+4: 16
The first ghost's insubstantial claws scrape along Alaryn's shielding spell. The blank, empty eyes stare hungrily at her, desperate for... something? Anything? Life? Death? Whatever it wants, she's not giving to it, and it can't seem to get at her.
<OOC> Alaryn says, "5ft east, and then blamo death ray #1" GAME: Alaryn rolls ranged+1: (16)+7+1: 24 GAME: Alaryn rolls 3d6: (7): 7
Gritting her teeth as she sees the ghost trying to claw through her shield, Alaryn takes a single step back to clear the distance and range. She lifts that staff/rod once more, and another ZAP of lightning can be heard, a light flashing as she shocks the ghost once more. "Just fade already." she remarks.
<OOC> Magpie says, "5' step south, bonk 1 again." <OOC> Magpie says, "Arcane Strike for a bit of extra damage." GAME: Magpie rolls melee+1: (1)+2+1: 4 (EPIC FAIL)
"I got you!" Magpie says, lunging forward and sweeping her morningstar at the ghost. "NnnYAH!"
The swipe goes so wide, it fails to ruffle anything.
"...Or not. This is gonna be like that fey thing, isn't it."
<OOC> Andelena says, "Hitting #3, then will also hit it with spiritual weapon if it's still up." GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7: (19)+8: 27 (THREAT) GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7: (16)+8: 24 <OOC> Telamon says, "Crit." GAME: Andelena rolls damage7+damage7: aliased to 1d8+5+1d8+5: (5)+5+(6)+5: 21 <OOC> Telamon says, "Gonna switch it to 1?" <OOC> Andelena says, "Yup, rolling to hit." GAME: Andelena rolls 1d20+3+2: (7)+3+2: 12
Deliverance. It's a thing that people often ask for--to deliver them from their sins--but it's not always given.
But sometimes it is given. Andelena finds that one moment, that one weakness, and she seizes it, driving her blessed blade through one more spectral ghost--and it disappears as she bids it farewell.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d3: (1): 1 <OOC> Telamon says, "Alaryn, for what you are about to receive, be truly grateful." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (18)+4: 22 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (2): 2
The last remaining undead spirit coils in on itself as Magpie's swing whistles past it. The spiritual blade slashes at it in passing, as it charges towards Alaryn, another ghostly blow to fog her mind and thoughts as it chatters mindlessly in her face.
GAME: Alaryn rolls 1d20+8: (19)+8: 27 GAME: Alaryn rolls 3d6: (11): 11
As the last ghost is dispersed by Alaryn's death ray, there's a blessed quiet which washes over the trio... a quiet that's broken by a faint, almost inaudible moan from upstairs. It doesn't sound like the moaning spirits, but something that has the timber of life to it.
After that blast, Alaryn was almost holding her breath. "Okay. Remind me to avoid ghosts in the future." she states before hearing that moan. Her head turns and she makes for the stairs before pausing and saying, "Perhaps you should go first?" to Andelena.
"Well that was creepy," Magpie mutters, bouncing the weapon in her hand, shaking her head to clear away the ghostly cobwebs. "So yeah... that's a greeeeeat start to this nonsense. Let's go help that whoever up there."
Andelena doesn't look like she's been physically wounded, but there's a look of ragged knowledge about her that suggests that she's probably going to need a lie-down and a self-care day. "Yeah," she says in response to Alaryn. "I'll go."
And the Sunguard goes to walk up the stairs.
"Up we go." says Alaryn, her death ray back in its holster, grounded there. Her Thunderbelcher is up and ready, stock against her shoulder as she moves behind the rest.
The stairs go up quite a ways... probably a story more than they should. Ascending to the next floor (impossible as it seems), you find yourself with a similar layout, though the area is littered with various arcane tools and sculpting equipment. And of course, windows, which... look out onto a bizarre landscape of bright crimson hills studded with yellow grasses and strange growths like shining mushrooms. Another staircase leads further up to another level, but at least there's no pile of clothes here.
Andelena squints as she looks around again, and she swallows a lump in her throat that wasn't there before she walked up the stairs. "Okay," she says, "more... creepy shit. Okay. Just... keep going."
And she makes her way to the next staircase. "Bry won't fucking believe me," she mutters.
<OOC> Magpie says, "K/Arc or Spellcraft to see if the tools are anything more than regular enchanty stuff?" <OOC> Telamon says, "Roll either one." GAME: Magpie rolls knowledge/arcana: (20)+9: 29 <OOC> Magpie says, "OH NOW YOU CRIT."
On the way up, Alaryn made a point of returning her light cap to 360 degree function. But aside from that she is fairly careful, barrel of her weapon traversing in small slow arcs. "Any idea where that moaning is coming from?" she asks. "Oh right. Up again. Of course."
"...Nice tools," Magpie murmurs upon emerging into the workshop, and seems about to pause... But Andelena is going forward, and there's no way she's about to break cover.
"Look at it this way," she says, hurrying to follow the Sunguard up. "If his tools are still here, he's got a link to his own life? Maybe we can use that if he's taken over by something awful?"
Up the stairs again, and this time... the room is smaller. And it's clear something went very, very wrong for Colin Phileaston. The room is bare, the windows look out all onto the same view -- a view of the heavens at night, but in the center is something dark. Circular. It makes one's eyes ache to look at it, the way it seems to bend at the edges.
But that's secondary compared to what's in the room. At first it just looks like a crystalline growth, an explosion caught in a moment. Then after closer examination you can see disjointed limbs -- a torso -- a head, lolling, caught in the crystal growths, a single brown eye staring blankly. Two hands jut from the gleaming 'quartz', holding a long scroll twisted into an odd configuration, like a loop.
Andelena... normally deals with things well. This gets her green, and she politely ducks around a corner somewhere to lose her lunch.
She returns once she's done with the issue, and she just looks at him. "You think if we... take that scroll from the hands, this all is over?" she asks, looking to Magpie. She's out of her element.
Tilting her head a bit, Alaryn lifts both brows. "Crystals do take on the properties of other materials as they grow near them, but that is ridiculous."
"I wonder if we can reverse the process safely."
GAME: Magpie rolls fortitude: (1)+2: 3 (EPIC FAIL) <OOC> Magpie says, "Yup. XD" <OOC> Alaryn says, "can I check spellcraft or arcana for that?" <OOC> Telamon says, "That seems appropriate." <OOC> Magpie whaaargarbl <OOC> Telamon says, "Yes." GAME: Alaryn rolls spellcraft: (8)+13: 21 GAME: Alaryn rolls knowledge/arcana: (12)+12: 24
"HRRRRBRHBRLBRLHRKRKLRHBLKBHRKLBHRKHBRLHBLKHLR--"
Magpie cannot answer. She is too busy donating her last ten lunches to the corner.
The hands quiver ever so slightly, and the eye shifts, but it's not clear if the person is alive or if it's just twitching. Alaryn inspects the crystalline horror, noting that the effects seem centered on the... thing, as well as the scroll it's holding.
Andelena grinds her teeth together for a moment as she stares at the twitching mass, caught somewhere between nervous instinct or a mind trapped in a body that it can no longer control. "Okay," she says. "I'm just going to do it. I can't stand looking at him like this."
She walks forward to the crystalline structure and lifts her head up. "Magpie, are we gonna all explode if I cut the scroll?" she asks.
GAME: Magpie rolls spellcraft: (14)+10: 24
"Hhhhwuh?" Magpie looks up, wiping the corner of her mouth, and her eyes grow wide as she sees Andelena advancing on the crystal construct. "Wait wait WAIT WAIT! HANG ON."
Hurrying to the priestess' side, she examines the scroll, trying to ignore the twitching and signs of terrible life. "So... See how it's twisted like that? That's something I learned about in Unstable Mathematics. It's like, only got one side on it. I'll show you later, you can take just a strip of paper or a piece of leather and loop it just right... And it only has one side. It is the center of this whole thing, but like... If you just changed how it works, you can clear the effect."
Andelena stares at Magpie, and then she looks at the scroll, staring at it so hard that her eyes actually cross for half a second before she sighs and strips back. "Ok," she says. "I... think I've got it? Just had to... Think about it for a hot second--I'm not exactly the brightest ray of sunshine in the Knight's choir of Sunguards, you know?"
She looks to Magpie. "So, should I try and, uh, change it? Or you?"
"It's not about smarts, it's just a weird thing," Magpie says, waving a hand. "Seriously, showing you what I mean'll be dead easy. But like... Okay. I'm only really hoping here, but... If I can change the way the scroll works without hurting him? Maaaaybe I can reverse its effects. I... don't know about the ghosts, but... Maybe we can un-awful this guy here?"
"Magpie is very, very carefully not looking at the literally exploded diagram of a sentient body, while saying this.
"We just need to get it out of his hands. Without hurting him. And if that doesn't work, well, it's right there to be cut."
Andelena takes a long look at the scroll and the hands. "Okay," she says, simply.
Then she takes in a sharper breath, nodding. "Okay."
She puts away her longsword, and she puts away her shield. She does, however, take the pendant of Daeus from around her neck and wraps it around her hand. "All that's in there is a man," Andelena says, quietly. "A man we have to help. A man I have to help."
Her gray eyes lose their steely edge. The time for swords has passed. The time for a Sunguard's compassion has arrived.
And so she takes the scroll from him.
The hands don't resist Andelena's touch. It's questionable if the man is aware, or even alive, just holding the scroll in place on reflex. It's impossible to tell what transpired here, and the University will probably be discussing it for years to come.
But the scroll comes free. More to the point, the ends that were held together by those hands fall apart when Andelena removes the paper from them. The scroll is inscribed with hundreds of small eldritch runes -- clearly more than an ordinary spellscroll.
Then there's a tremor. A quiver in the house, and a sense of something starting to unravel, erode. The window that looks onto that eye of the void makes a sharp sound, and a crack suddenly crosses it, left to right.
It seems like a really good idea to leave now.
"Shiiiiiiiiit," Magpie says, as the window cracks, and she really registers what's on the other side. "Okay, uh. Okay. Okay. Um. Okay." Snapping her fingers, the sorceress turns, and starts to sprint for the stairs. "START PRAYING. MAYBE THE GODS LIKE THIS GUY, A LITTLE. HEY DAEUS! WE CAN COMMISSION A BIG STATUE FOR YOU!"
Less than a second. That's all it takes for Andelena to look at the man and realize the worst. "There's nothing more I can do," she says apologetically, looking at him. "I'm sorry, bud. I'll put in a word with the Mourners for you."
She turns tail and runs down the stairs with Magpie, holding tightly to her pendant of Daeus. "Shining Knight, see that Justice is done this day--I have tried my compassion and it wasn't enough to save him, but maybe..."
The rest is murmurs that follow her as she tries to beat reality unwinding.
A strange, hollow sound -- not quite a moan, not quite a voice -- follows you down the stairs, as the trio sprint downward. The walls are shuddering, shaking, the tools on the second floor dancing on their benches as the vibration grows. There's cracking sounds too, of wood breaking under some kind of bizarre, inimical strain. Upstairs there's a crashing sound, as you sprint for the door. Alaryn darts past to grab the remaining guard badges up.
As you race outside, there's a small crowd of onlookers standing there, gawking, held back by the guards. There are gasps, and a smattering of cheers, as you survive where others have not. But then there's a muted THUMP inside the house you just fled, all the windows shattering at once as the roof falls in. Then a faint, barely heard sigh of relief, and a hissing sound that fades into nothing.
OOC
Map: https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=mpu15g173lo
<OOC> Telamon says, "Map reference: Swordswoman is Andie, blunderbuss is Alaryn, rabbit in hat is Magpie :)"
Playlist:
- "Home by the Sea" - Genesis: https://youtu.be/0j6d7VeYvdQ
- Black hole sound: https://youtu.be/NWBkZ3bMSV0