Welcome to Ashenvale, part 3
Log Info
- Title: Welcome to Ashenvale, part 3
- Emitter: Ashes
- Characters: Aryia, Zofija, Jozi, Jinks
- Place: Alexandros Wilderness: A ruined town.
- Time: Thursday, September 29, 2022, 6:25 PM
- Summary: The dream-called adventurers continue to explore 'Ashenvale', fighting off the Flesh creatures. They slowly creep up, so the party runs into town. There they find devastation, a ruined covered market and a huge hole in the ground. A hole lined with pulsating flesh, similar to the lumps surrounding them. That are starting to move. As some pus-infected-blood explodes out of what seems to be a giant artery, they decide to retreat with this knowledge. Jinks teleports them out, and they return to the Mayor, her assistant, and their beast. Next steps will have to be determined.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Aryia 4'8" 110 Lb Shadow Elf Female A heavily scarred mul with a resolved look about her. Jinks 3'4" 39 Lb Gnome Male A gnomish fellow in fancy garb and jewelry. Jozi 5'8" 148 Lb Half-Orc Female A brunette half-orcess with a sunny disposition. Zofija 5'8" 225 Lb Hobgoblin Female A well-dressed Arvek-Nar with a big hammer. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= NPCs of Note =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Yaree Vouivre Female Vouivre front, pretending to be a Swiftclaw Retzi Vouivre Female Vouivre Tail, mayor of Ashenville Yolo Vouivre Female The vouivre's second tail, assistant -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As the GMs =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ashes 5'11" 177 Lb Hobgoblin Female A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face. Williwaw Assisting -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
Previously
The soot shifts, cracks forming as the flesh monstrosities move. They creak, like dried jerky, and leak like diseased scabs. All around the countryside is awakening, bubbling.
Three of them are close enough to strike. After halberd and hammer have struck, a ripple runs through the lump. A bone spear explodes outwards at Jozi, missing.
Another, aimed at Zofija, strikes the Arvec Nar then stays embedded. She can feel a building pressure around the point as if it's expanding, the pain of tearing flesh. The weight of it moving towards her.
Jinks is unscathed, a bone spear missing him. Just barely, illusions did not keep him safe, only the ineptitude of his attacker.
The Flesh is recovering where it was struck.
Which makes the situation clearer. These can be destroyed, but it's messy work. The oozing flesh is slow moving, dangerous, and almost anything reconstitutes it. One or two wouldn't be difficult. Dozens wouldn't even challenge Aryia.
It's covering acres.
That's going to be a lot of swinging.
Now
<OOC> Zofija says, "Try to finish off the one I was fighting" <OOC> Ashes nods, "Okay, make the rolls." GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+8+1+1-2: (16)+8+1+1+-2: 24 GAME: Zofija rolls 2d6+6+6: (9)+6+6: 21, "nonmagical bludgeoning" GAME: Zofija rolls fortitude: (13)+7: 20 (vs DC17 - Success)
Zofija, still reeling from the bone spike lodged into their side, but too enraged by adrenaline, hefts her hammer again, swinging it down into the rest of the slime creature, earning even more blood for her troubles.
"No way we're working through all these damned things, just one near killed me." The arvek-nar grumbles loudly to the others, the foe not yet dealt with yet.
<OOC> Ashes says, "it's beside Zofija, so however faar away she was from you. You can get to it in a move if you want." <OOC> Aryia says, "will move and drop kick it" GAME: Aryia rolls punch: aliased to weapon0+2: (12)+21+2: 35 GAME: Aryia rolls crunch: aliased to 2d10+strength+2: (15)+3+2: 20, "20 bldg dmg, lawful magic cold iron silver" GAME: Aryia rolls fortitude: (4)+18: 22 (vs DC17 - Success)
Aryia turns from her assault on one of the flesh creatures. Still bloody, she adds to that mess by dead sprinting through to the Nar and drop kicking that one into next week's problems, a spray of life ichor indicating her success. "Need to get rid of these then fucking haul ass to town center," she advises with gestures. <Handspeech/Tongues>
The centre of town isn't far away, it's roughly a mile and easily visible. The landscape is blasted and burnt, the charred stumps that remain are only a few feet tall. Little hills, drumlins are aligned with the town centre, indicated by a cluster of building shells.
Except, the low mounds are moving. Everywhere there is a small mound of oozing flesh with a burnt surface. The closest to the party are moving in its direction. Slowly.
It would be possible to outrun them and sprint to the centre of town, but being surrounded is a possibility. And what might be found there is a mystery.
<OOC> Ashes says, "so things are creeping up on you that will be there in 3 rounds"
The Mayor's assistant shouts "Stay, become one with the Ooze. Let yourself dissolve into the collective. Let go of your anguish and your hopes and your fears and your pains and your dreams."
The flesh is everywhere. Acres and acres of ugly, burnt lumps, charred and oozing. The more distant ones remain immobile, but the near vicinity is becoming alive with motion.
In the distance, well away from the threatened zone, the swiftclaw fidgets in the straps and takes a step forward dragging the Vardo up out of the ditch.
The Mayor, and her assistant, are on the front board in the driving and guard positions. The mayor shouts, "Hey! Have you figured it out?"
GAME: Aryia rolls knowledge/military theory: (3)+2: 5 (vs DC17 - Fail)
It should d be completely possible to get into town and out without being surrounded.
GAME: Zofija rolls knowledge/military theory: (8)+8: 16 (vs DC17 - Fail) GAME: Zofija rolls knowledge/nature: (8)+4: 12 (vs DC17 - Fail)
"Remember, they're slow moving and don't react unless you get close!" Yolo calls out, "and fire doesn't work!"
The mounds encroach.
"Maybe if you stand still they'll forget about you!"
Zofija says, "Alright, guess we'll move to the town center"
Aryia looks back to the yelling mayor, her unable to respond except with a big shrug. She turns to the others, her gesturing, "Can make it to center of town without being cut off." <Handspeech>
"What are we supposed to be figuring out?" The arvek nar shouts back. "We can kill them, but not nearly this many of them."
"Yeah, figure we can make it to the center of the town just fine. But what then? We just wait there to get surrounded and killed by them? I've got no clue what'll happen when we actually get there." She adds to the mul'niessa.
GAME: Jinks rolls Knowledge/Nature: (4)+18: 22 GAME: Jinks rolls Knowledge/the Planes: (4)+19: 23 GAME: Jinks rolls Knowledge/Dungeoneering: (8)+20: 28 GAME: Jozi rolls handle animal: (13)+6: 19
It's some kind of flesh monster, likely similar to an ooze, such as no vitals, no mind. Could be something from another plane or demi-plane. The Vouivre keeps saying it's immune to fire. The ones that are creeping up were attracted to the fighting, so movement probably draws them.'
GAME: Jozi rolls heal: (12)+7: 19 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | Name | CHP (T) | HP | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | Aryia.........| 140 | 165 | | Zofija........| 21 | 37 | | (C) Screech...| 30 | 30 | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We can check further in... but I'm not sure what we'll find." The assembled gobber-Jinkses begin to take a few steps that direction as one speaks, half-skipping, shuffling, jogging, and strolling with floppy pink ears flapping. "This might be one for the druids; their ice storms and lightning." Opines a second while a third adds, "Oozes don't usually work from a central intelligence of master-ooze. It's not a hive."
Two step out widest from the Disaster (the collective noun for goblins) and begin waving people on. "They're slow at least," sighs yet another, "and I can always teleport the lot of us away if we get surrounded."
""WE can teleport the lot of us away,"" the majority correct in unison.
"Yes, 'we,'" the original agrees with a roll of his eyes. He starts to hum, pulling his fingers through the air to strum at invisible threads of reality's harp. The two guides start clapping a rhythm, and the rest give a little dance. Zofija receives a tap and the Weave shifts over her, knitting some of the wounds.
GAME: Jinks casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 14 DC: 19 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d8+5: (4)+5: 9
The near miss from the bone loogie sets Jozi a bit wide eyed a moment, but she's still resolute.
Until Aryia puts the boots to the Flesh, medium style, solving the immediate problem. Though, with the quivering encroachment creeeeping up on them, she frowns and turns to check on Zofija, as she took a pretty solid seeming hit.
Trotting over to the Arvek, she says, "Whoa, there, sugar, that looked nasty. Any wierd sensation, tinglin, numbness?" as she starts to look the injury over.
Hmmm. "Let's try not ta take too many more of those, but yeah, if ya wanna pull back ta town, that works, lemme go get my horse an I can give that a better lookover."
Then, the half-orc rushes off to coax her, understandably skittish, rental horse into following the withdrawal... anywhere -near- the creeping meat.
Aryia puts her fists up as others talk, her glancing to and fro as minds get made up and information is relayed. There's a nod, firm one, and she advances with the others, her on her guard.
The mounds of flesh draw closer.
Jinks says, "Let's... move further into town. I'm given the impression that there are Infinite Oozes and just standing here and fighting them individually is pointless."
"So I can't promise this isn't a trap..." One Jobber explains, motioning through the familiar gestures of his spell. Another turns on his heels, walking backwards as he drops his bejeweled hands into his coat pockets. "But we can promise these things aren't the trappers.
"Not big thinkers," agrees an image with a nod. "So we'll just keep moving for now." The next. "Coyote laughs." One more.
Faster now, the first sprints off, pushing a different image in the face to get a head start. A chorus of ""heys!"" echoes out before more follow.
<OOC> Zofija says, "Guess I'm moving with the others to the town center" <OOC> Zofija says, "double move since I'm assuming it isn't entirely straight"
"I'll be fine, long as I don't get skewered by any more oozes." The arvek-nar grunts, waving away the concern. "But I don't want to be around to find out how many more I can manage. So lets get a move on, alright?"
Zofija turns and breaks into a run, the gnome's magic speeding them along to the center of the town.
GAME: Jozi rolls handle animal: (2)+6: 8 (vs DC15) <OOC> Jozi says, "not gong to abandon the horse" GAME: Jinks casts Gallant Inspiration. Caster Level: 14 DC: 20 GAME: Jinks rolls 2d4: (4): 4 <OOC> Jinks says, "Needed a 7 or 8 on 2d4. Sorry, Joz." <OOC> Ashes says, "okay, so the horse is spooking and going in circles" GAME: Jozi rolls handle animal: (6)+6: 12
"Hey, send the horse back here! We'll take care of it." The Assistant shouts, noticing the animal's distress and the party consensus.
Thw swiftclaw drools.
The horse does not like this suggestion.
Despite the illuminating influences of the gnome, Jozi, farm background be damned, can't seem to get her rental moving once she's back at the animal's side, "C'mon, boy, easy now..."
To be fair, there's squirming, inevitably encroaching meat all over the place, which is no place for an herbivore.
Undeterred, the half-orc sighs and reaches out to try and stroke the critter's neck, but has to recoil from the horse suddenly rearing and moving into a circle, looking for a way out.
"Wait, no-don't- hey, hey-hey-hey....!" Jozi tries, half spinning in place as she tries to get a handle on the reins.
<OOC> Ashes says, "the big lump of flesh moves forward and a boil of pus explodes at Aryia" GAME: Ashes rolls 1d20+14: (14)+14: 28 (vs AC 29 - Miss) GAME: Ashes rolls 1d4: (4): 4 (4 rounds before shoot again)
A nearby mound of Flesh, larger than the other lumps, rolls down a slight incline toward the group's former location. As it's bottom surface rotates into view, a large boil that was under compression swells and inflates.
It bursts!
A stream of stinking, rotting pus just barely misses the Mul'niessa. The entity ripples, drawing closer.
<OOC> Jinks says, "Pick up Jozi's horse and throw it/her!" <OOC> Aryia says, "yeah uh, she grabs jozi and hauls ass" <OOC> Aryia says, "also yes, aryia is pulling a nemori, I just never got to show that side of aryia because she was with sey all the time and had to play nice" <OOC> Ashes says, "okay so I believe, since there's generally no PvP unless the players agree and a staffer is present, that if you don't want to go anywhere Jozi, you don't. If you both agree and Williwaw is okay, Aryia can roll CMB, otherwise, she can just yank you a bit then let go and you don't move. If you want to move with her Jozi, then you can." <OOC> Ashes says, "Sorry, would handle it differently if I wasn't being examined for not following all the rules. I wasn't sure if Jozi was or wasn't, she said she's okay to be moved?" <OOC> Jozi hrm. I'm ok with it. Jozi's used to anomals sometimes doing wtuff counter to their own good <OOC> Williwaw files away 'undead horse seeking revenge' under possible scenes.
Aryia dips under the globule, her gritting her teeth as it barely misses. See the others bound off and Jozi's horse panicking, she makes a snap judgement.
The pugilist runs up, yanks Jozi free of the saddle, and half drags her along the road along with the others. The horse left for bait.
As Jozi is dragged from the saddle, a lump of flesh approaches. As she is dragged down the road, it stabs out at the horse. A long, boneless limb of muscle and gristle wraps around the animal's leg.
It whinnies in terror.
It kicks! It can't break free. It's terrified whinnies are hard as the party rushes down the road, ending abruptly with a crunch.
The Centre of Town
It's seven minutes to the centre of town, the haste wearing off after two. The road is just smooth enough to run on. In the town, there's nothing whole and complete, only frames of ruined, burnt buildings.
The flesh seems to be everywhere, oddly congregating inside the buildings. There is one larger structure that appears to have been a covered market. Like everything else, it is a charred ruin with drifts of soot and ash piled against the walls, and broken, consumed beams laying inside the wreckage.
The tell-tale signs of the Flesh are there as well, and a huge hole in the ground.
"This... might put me off foie gras," a bewildered Jobber muses as he produces a handkerchief and covers his flat and freckled gobber nose. "And sausages!" A second chimes in, helpfully.
Yup, they're still here. As much time as the maestro has spent plucking at the Weave, these things last for ages.
"We should check out the hole in the ground," a skipping image says and another walking on his hands nods in agreement before tripping on a dangling ear and falling down.
"That's easy for you to say," sighs the original. "You're just a figment."
""Rude,"" the others respond in chorus.
The disaster heads towards the chasm.
Zofija says, "I guess we investigate the chasm"
Jozi's initial protests at being dragged from trying to save the animal are little more effective than her attempts to steer it. The farmgirl of her past, at war with the somewhat hardened fighter beneath the sunney demeanor, though enough pragmatism, experience with the disparity between instinct and awareness, renders it a short one.
She falls silent as she reluctantly relents, as if forcing herself to listen to the poor creature's last moments while on the forced withdrawal. It was a logical decision, in the greater scheme of things. There was a chance the horse could have evaded the Flesh. A greater chance continuing as she had been would have cost her her own life as well.
She knows it.
She understands it.
Star Mother help her, she doesn't have to like it.
As the get to the ravaged town, her expression is a somewhat stormy neutral as the multiplicity hijinks ensue, the subtle tremble of a balled, bladed fist belies a likely desire to hit something.
Aryia didn't particularly flinch from the equestrian sacrifice, save for the flick of an ear in annoyance at the sound. Was she so cold to make a decision so briskly? Perhaps. Or perhaps the life of a person weighed heavier than that of any old horse. Particularly one that none had no attachments to.
By the time they get to town, she's already moved on. Maybe she'll apologize later, if she actually realizes it was a bad thing to do. A brow raises at the menagerie of dandies and their antics, a half chuckle, half scoff leaving her as she follows towards the chasm. Eyes glances about the place, her jaw clenching at the sight of the town. "This place is fucking disgusting," is her two coppers about it. <Handspeech/Tongue>
The town is silent. There is absolutely no noise, no birds, no insects, no sounds of industry, no conversation. Barely even the wind whistling through the structures. No, not completely silent.
There is a sound like soft leather tearing, or a flesh ripped from itself and from bone. An occasional 'pop' and a fluid flush, as an infected boil bursts on its own. And a more subtle noise, like seaweed on the shore, as the creatures slither over the ground.
The hole in the centre of the market is surrounded by a small mound of earth and mosaic stones. Something pushed up from underground. There were wight worms, they would leave something like this. A large one. The flesh coats the interior all the way down, a giant tube, like an immense artery.
<OOC> Ashes says, "perceptions and k/mil theory everyone please" GAME: Aryia rolls perception: (9)+30: 39 GAME: Jinks rolls Perception: (8)+24: 32 GAME: Zofija rolls perception: (19)+4: 23 GAME: Jozi rolls perception: (9)+9: 18 GAME: Zofija rolls knowledge/military theory: (14)+8: 22 GAME: Aryia rolls knowledge/military theory: (13)+2: 15
"Ugh," is the summary observation of Jobber-prime. The others spread out and look down.
"This reminds me of the hell of carnal indulgences that Telmentaran priest tried to scare us with--"
"I was just going to say that!" Another interrupts, shoving the previous speaker in a familiar gesture of bon mot.
"I was trying very hard not to think about that," complains one right before he bends over to void his illusory stomach. The cascade looks real enough but disappears before it hits the ground.
"Definitely think we need a druid," Jobber sighs. "Or Cesran. Miki. That Lysos woman..."
"She'd just fall in." One of them says, conjuring a gaggle of nods and grunted sounds of agreement.
Zofija was with the others in the town center, having been one of the first to leave. She does stop to at least catch the noise of the horse's demise, and the Arvek-nar scowls at Aryia when she arrives. Then she sighs. "My fault for running ahead like a scared child, thinking you could handle moving a horse."
She grunts as they investigate the entrance. "You think there's going to be some way to magically make all these slime creatures explode in there before they surround us here? Or some source to stop more of them showing up? Because the buildings aren't going to slow them down much. Certainly didn't help the people guarding this place, since they just got turned into more of them, by the looks of it."
Aryia just takes the scowl from Zofija with a shrug. "I'm a sailor, not a cavalier," she gestures back nonchalant.
She looks down at the flesh tube. Then around at the houses with lumps inside them. "We're spotted," she motions, pointing to the houses. <Handspeech/Tongues>
Jozi is actively looking around as they enter the town proper, now, and the balled fist has relented enough to at least stop trembling, though her lips are pressed into a grim line.
What sort of unhallowed abomination was wrought out here, and by what sort of demented pillock?
"Eyes open." she says softly, ignoring the jibe about her ill-fated rental, else her advice carry to unfriendly ears in the, intermittent, vaguely sklurchy silence.
The hole, though that seems to wash a bit of green out of her complexion as they troupe wander to it's edge.
With the oddly articulate gesticulations indicating that they've been made, she slips the bow from her shoulder and reaches for an arrow, "How far can them things spit?"
"We go down or we leave," decides the gobber-shaped gnome. A chorus of yays and nays behind him demonstrate the divided opinions of the duplicate images.
Nodding with the others, he agrees "We're surrounded. I can teleport us away or..." The pink-skinned gobber gestures down towards the rotting meat tunnel.
"Most of my songs are worthless here. I don't have my bow. I feel we're ill-equipped for this situation."
Once the Arvek-Nar points it out, it does seem that many of the Flesh are in buildings situated around what might have been tables, or in the charred remains of beds. A couple are located where guards would stand, at the entrance to the market, at some of the stalls. Back against the walls, as if the person retreated, was trapped, and consumed.
And then someone burned the building down on them. There may be other victims, Flesh, under the ruins.
There is definitely something underground. There's a slight breeze flowing into the tube, as if its breathing. It stops. The breeze reverses direction. The tube quivers.
A lump of flesh moves around a corner, catching itself on a burnt spear that used to be a beam. It continues, oblivious, as the point of wood digs in and tears a hole. An injury that seals itself as it pulls away.
The breeze increases with a sudden wet explosion.
GAME: Ashes rolls 1d20+14: (8)+14: 22 GAME: Ashes rolls 1d4: (4): 4 (Rounds to reload)
Blood, rotting stinking blood, bursts out of the artery and nearly spray Aryia. Instead a wet streak is left on the mosaic beside her.
<OOC> Ashes says, "120' at least, and even with darkvision you can't see what did that or how much deeper it goes" You paged Williwaw with 'this thing has a 180' ranged attack, so' <OOC> Aryia says, "im at a loss of what to do then"
Aryia's instincts make her flinch from a sudden movement, her twisting to the side as a line of blood shoots at her. Shining eyes dart around, her chewing her cheek. "... I've got fuck all for this, and I'm not fucking going down a meat tube that shoots blood," she motions, looking increasingly antsy as tension rises in the area. <Handspeech/Tongues>
<OOC> Ashes says, "What would you like to do Zofija?" <OOC> Zofija says, "I don't know" <OOC> Jinks says, "We have 19mins until Jozi has to dip. Do folks want to just delay or total defense until I can TP us away?" <OOC> Aryia says, "sure, perhaps we can do some knowledge checks while we can" <OOC> Zofija says, "I'll delay" GAME: Zofija rolls knowledge/dungeoneering: Trained Use Only: 0 GAME: Zofija rolls knowledge/military theory: (20)+8: 28
The flow of air reverses, into the tube. Down into the darkness.
Dropping bombs down on it might be a good idea, if the group had bombs. The other little fleshes are moving closer, they might push everyone in.
Zofija continues peering at the strange sight, wincing when one of the flesh creatures blow up.
"Whatever we're going to do, we need to do it fast, looks like those things are making to shove us in or something. Could come back with bombs, that might be enough to deal with, whatever it is, but I don't make a habit of carrying explosives on me."
The sound of seaweed on the shore increases, as well as the noises of ripping flesh. The town is waking up.
<OOC> Jozi says, "i'll shoot at the lump that turned the corner" GAME: Jozi rolls weapon6: (13)+6: 19 GAME: Jozi rolls 1d6+4: (1)+4: 5 <OOC> Jozi says, "look down in the hole"
It's darkness as far as the half-orc can see, with a breeze tugging at her hair. Will it get strong enough to suck her in? It might.
Standing at the lip of an enormous mouth breather is far from what Jozi imagined herself doing with her evening.
As the blob comes seeking food around the corner, she snaps a quick, "First come-" Her small, oddly re-curved bow creaks as she draws and looses in a smooth movement, burying the shaft in the seeking meatball, "First served! We ain't gonna be lonely much longer!"
The pull at her hair fro the breeze draws her attention down into the Maw, "Anyone see anythin down there?"
<OOC> Jinks says, "bard's escape to TP us 240' away from meat city." <OOC> Jinks says, "Folks can resist and stay if they want. Move 20' back towards YY's camp avoiding meat." <OOC> Ashes says, "okay. Anyone resisting?" <OOC> Aryia says, "nope" <OOC> Jozi says, "nope" <OOC> Zofija says, "no" GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+14: (8)+14: 22 (vs DC8 - Success) GAME: Jinks rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (20)+20: 40
"Too deep. We're going," Jobber grunts, scanning the horizon and sucking in a breath. One after the other the illusions fade from view, collapsing back into the altered-gnome.
With a flourish, he produces a smashed bit of delicate-looking, polished redwood from under his coat and sings
- "You can keep my things"
- "they've come to take me home..."
There's a resistance, similar to an effect the gnome has felt before, but his spell punches through.
The wood vanishes in a pink glint and reality unravels around the four bewitched and summoned mercenaries. Weightless one moment and grounded the next, they arrive in the darkness behind a hill. The fresh air is a welcome relief and there may even be sounds of distant birdsong.
"We need different skillsets... and more-experienced guildsmen," he asides to Aryia. He shrugs as he glances between Jozi and Zofija. "Sorry. I just don't know you and the last time I got too big for my britches a Lord of Hell smothered me in his shadow without so much as noticing I was there.
"I need my bow. A full night's rest..." He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, stomping. "Mulria's sideways smile, I need a fucking drink."
The anti-magic can wait.
The curtains close; the curtains open. Metaphorically, although the Jinksy Jobbers and the rest of the party have exited stage left and re-appear outside town. The flesh creatures so recently run past have moved closer to town. They stop their slow, sludge-like crawl inwards.
They are turning.
They are not fast. It's easy enough to sprint away from them. A hustle and a jog works as well, they are left behind.
Coach and the Vouivre's Vardo appear in the distance, the only impediment is a larger lump blocking the road. The horse is now Flesh, it's necessary to go around.
The swiftclaw stares at the party as they approach. The mayor looks up, at first smiles, followed by a frown, then smiles again.
"It's okay. We failed too, but you're adventurers, right?" She makes a punch in the air, "You just keep coming back again and again until you win. I've got faith in you!"
OOC
Map!
https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=mfavskgr5b2
Battle 1 continued
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
19 Zofija 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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11 Aryia 7
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>> 0 The Flesh 1 <<
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Battle 2
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
19 Jinks 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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19 Zofija 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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15 Jozi 4 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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12 More Flesh
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11 Aryia 7
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>> 0 The Flesh 1 <<
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==============================================================================
Battle 3
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
18 Aryia 7 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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18 Zofija 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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18 The Flesh
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11 Jozi 4 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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10 Jinks 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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==============================================================================
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| Name | Race | Class | CHP | HP | AC/FF/T |CMD |For |Ref |Wil |
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|Aryia |SHADOW_ELF|Mnk | 140 | 165 |30/24/29 | 47 | 18 | 20 | 17 |
|Jinks |GNOME |Bard | 79 | 88 |25/21/15 | 25 | 8 | 15 | 11 |
|Jozi |HALF-ORC |Ftr/Inq | 31 | 31 |19/17/12 | 20 | 8 | 3 | 5 |
|Zofija |HOBGOBLIN |Cav | 30 | 37 |16/14/12 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 2 |
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Post-Game
<OOC> Ashes says, "okay, so you have the option of this being the end, you go back to town, regroup, get others, never come back, or there can be a 4th scene, but you aren't sure it wouldn't go much different, ie: Lots of little and big fleshes trying to surround you, or come back with others"
<OOC> Ashes says, "I'm discussing with Williwaw regarding that"
<OOC> Williwaw says, "Thank you for running this, Ashes. It was properly horrifying."
<OOC> Jinks says, "Will save it for the exposition at the beginning of Meat Grinder 2: Down and Dirty"
<OOC> Ashes says, "Aryia is fine, but Jinks is not fully equipped."
<OOC> Jinks says, "Jinks' wants to bench the kids and bring in folks like Seyardu and Braelnoir. Maybe a Lysos, too."
<OOC> Jinks says, "These things being immune to ALL Illusions (including Shadows) just kicks me right in the pants."
<OOC> Jinks says, "Otherwise I'd have Cone of Cold, Lightning Bolt, Cloudkill, etc."
<OOC> Zofija says, "I was just painfully unprepared for this"
<OOC> Aryia mentally unprepred
<OOC> Aryia doesn't do flesh horror well
<OOC> Ashes says, "if you want to RP recruiting"
<OOC> Ashes says, "ah, I'm sorry Aryia"
<OOC> Aryia says, "thats what i was saying with 'this checks all my no boxes'"
<OOC> Jinks says, "Cross-level stuff is really, really hard. I know it's more work for Cryo but it makes sense to have a lowbie scene and a highbie scene, not two together."
<OOC> Williwaw nods. It is very hard, and I appreciate you all being good sports about it.
<OOC> Jinks says, "If Cryo wants to give me some info, maybe I could do the lowbie stuff as a one-shot and we can resolve the main threat with higher characters in another scene?"