The Birth Of A New Species: IC.

[ReaderAt2046]

@hoverfrog:

"I'm afraid I have little more information than you do. I didn't even really take notice until about two weeks back, when the gem shipments started coming in more infrequently. I sent a message to my counterpart at the mines, but didn't get anything intelligent in return, just a brief scrawl about the miners having another superstitious fit and not to bother him with such things. Then this last week there haven't been any shipments of gems at all, and there ought to have been three. Apart from a few rumors among the fishers of seeing demons prowling the edges of the lake, that's all I have."

@toySoldier

"There ain't nothing going on, that's the whole *boop* problem! It's been a whole week and not one shipment of gems come in, when there oughter been three, and this what we're loading is the last of the lot stored here. Dunno what we'll do if those miners don't stop jumping at boogies by the time the next ships get up here. Half the town works in the shipping, and most of the other half sells stuff to the first half."

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Marius nods sympathetically. "Sounds like this is becoming a serious problem, then. And there haven't been any strange occurrences in the local area around the town?"

[ReaderAt2046]

He shrugs, "Quoth at the Silver Dart figured out how to hard-boil an egg with no water last week."

[Korney]

The third is the Silver Dart. On the surface, there is nothing remarkable about this inn, but Flowdy spots a red-haired youth climbing in through the garret window. Something about his posture, even in such an incongruous position, makes Flowdy aware that here is a bard of exceptional skill.

Flowdy smirks and heads to the Silver Dart. Bards always have a good story to tell, and this one looks like he checks things himself instead of just hearing them from other people.

Flowdy opens the door, enters and closes it after himself. He heads to the counter and asks the owner "Greetings, I would like to rent 2 rooms for tonight. At the upper floor if possible, last time I was here I liked the views from your garret window."

[ReaderAt2046]

"Sounds good. We've got two rooms free on the second floor, they're a silver each or two if you want meals. Meals do come with entertainment, though."

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Marius shrugs. "Interesting, but not particularly relevant. Thank you for your time." Marius presses a gold piece into the dockworker's hand, then turns and leaves the pier. Maybe the others will have more luck.

[hoverfrog]

"I doubt that the common folk will have anything but red herrings for us," that was Seric's idea of a joke but she did not laugh or even smile, "Thank you for the information, I shall note your cooperation in my report. Oh, one other thing. Where would be the best place to hire a local guide?"

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OOC this might be a good place to introduce a druid but if not we could genuinely do with someone with local knowledge to show us around.

[Korney]

At the Silver Dart:

Flowdy goes upstairs alone telling the owner he knows his way. Once in the upper floor he makes sure there is only one way out and stops for listening. After a couple of seconds he begins opening doors and puts his ear on the surface of the ones that doesn't open, looking for any clue leading to the redhead bard who broke in.

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Listen (1d20)[16]
I suppose he can easily know what room is the one with the window the bard used.

[ReaderAt2046]

@hoverfrog:

"You needn't worry about guides. I've been considering sending another message to Eddard anyway, so it would be easy enough to have the messenger escort you as well. I'll get the letter drawn up this evening and you can leave tomorrow."

@Korney.

After a few moments, Flowdy hears the sounds of beautiful lute music coming from the ceiling. A quick search reveals a planked ladder at the end of the hall, leading up to an attic trapdoor.

[Korney]

At the Silver Dart:

Flowdy walks towards the ladder trying to make no sounds and listens to the tune, trying to figure out if it is a known one or an original work.

If nothing happens:

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After a while he starts climbing the ladder and salutes the bard boy with a smile. "Greetings little break-in, my name is Flowdy." he then waits to see if the bard responds in a friendly manner.

If something different than the music is heard:

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Flowdy listens carefully to the other sounds, with his mind starting to move to all known rituals that may involve music. He carefully climbs the ladder and checks whats is going on on the room.

[ReaderAt2046]

After a few moments of trying to open the trapdoor at the top of the ladder, Flowdy realizes that either it's locked or there's something heavy on it. Above him, the music breaks off and there is the *click* of a dropbar.

The trapdoor slides open to reveal a face, red-haired and with green-gold eyes. As he sees Flowdy, his eyes visibly darken to the hue of pine needles.

"Well, Flowdy, what are you doing up here? You don't work here and there's no reason a guest would want to get into the attics."

[Korney]

At the Silver Dart:

Flowdy smirks and answers "There is no reason for someone insterested in good stories to follow a little bard breaking into an inn attic and then starting to play a tune? You must mistake me for a person with no curiosity" Flowdy moves his arms up "Are you going to throw me a ladder or will you keep and old man's neck looking up any longer? I can already hear my bones crack"

[ReaderAt2046]

"I prefer not to invite strangers with dubious intentions into my room. Let's talk in the hall."

He twists and drops to the ground with a practiced tumble, landing in a perfect three-point crouch. Behind him, the door slams shut.

"So, do you have any purpose here other than pestering musicians?"

[Korney]

At the Silver Dart:

Flowdy claps at the landing "Actually my friends and I are going to the mines to see if we can help with their problem. I'm sure someone with your fine ear might have heard something that could be useful." sais Flowdy while we slowly starts walking towards his own room, and then invite the bard to come in. "And if you happen to have a good poem, it would be great, mister..."

[ReaderAt2046]

At the Silver Dart:

Flowdy claps at the landing "Actually my friends and I are going to the mines to see if we can help with their problem. I'm sure someone with your fine ear might have heard something that could be useful." sais Flowdy while we slowly starts walking towards his own room, and then invite the bard to come in. "And if you happen to have a good poem, it would be great, mister..."

"You take me for a POET!?!?" His eyes are so dark now they are almost black, and his hair is standing on end so it looks as if his head is on fire. He turns on his heel and disappears back into the attic like a spider, locking the door behind. The tune that starts pouring forth from the attic a few moments later sounds like a thunderstorm dueling an army of trumpets.

[Korney]

At the Silver Dart:

"Well, a bad mannered poet." Flowdy goes back to the counter and asks the owner about the bard living on the attic.

[ReaderAt2046]

"Oh, Quoth? He's a bit strange. Came up from the south with his lute looking for a place to work. Well, I needed a bard so I gave him the attic room and took him on. He's a wonderful musician, can play songs like you'd never believe. Plus he can do a bit of magic, I've seen him start fires by glancing at the wood or boil an egg with no water."

[Korney]

At the Silver Dart:

"I see." sais Flowdy while asking for a drink. "Say, what are the news from the mines? I'm actually traveling there to see if I can be of any help."

Flowdy take little sips of his drink as he listens to the Inn owner

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OOC: Can the Arcane Mark spell be casted visible for me and my team members but invisible to any other?

[ReaderAt2046]

At the Silver Dart:

"I see." sais Flowdy while asking for a drink. "Say, what are the news from the mines? I'm actually traveling there to see if I can be of any help."

Flowdy take little sips of his drink as he listens to the Inn owner

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OOC: Can the Arcane Mark spell be casted visible for me and my team members but invisible to any other?

"The news from the mines is that there isn't any news from the mines. Usually we get a gem caravan every other day (excellent business, by the by). For the past few weeks the mining caravans have slowed down, and all the miners are telling horror tales. Then about a week back the caravans stopped coming altogether. Nobody here really knows what's happened."

[OOC]I'll say that you can, but only if they're touching you when you cast the spell. You can always do one that only you can see. [/OOC]

[Korney]

At the Silver Dart:

"And nobody was sent there this last week to check?" Flowdy thinks for a moment if this could be robbers, but is the spymistress is interested in this, there must be something else. "Do you know anyone reliable at the mines? Someone I could ask there and believe what he sais?"

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OOC: I was thinking in marking the Inn's door so my teamates know where we are staying, I guess we will find another method later.

[ReaderAt2046]

"Governor sent a couple of messengers to the mines trying to find out what's going on, but all we got back was a couple of scrawls from the mine governor telling us not to bother him and a double earful of boogie stories from the miners. Quite good recounting in the common room."

[hoverfrog]

Seric thanks the governor for his time and goes to meet the others at the inn.

[ReaderAt2046]

The next day, the three are provided with horses and the messenger leads them out of town. The first couple of hours are uneventful, but round about 11ish, a mysterious figure smashes out of a nearby copse of pine trees and starts shambling towards the group. At a distance, it looks human, but closer examination reveals something from a nightmare. The creature’s left arm is a long, fleshy club, oozing some kind of clear pus. The creature’s right foot has been replaced with some sort of claw, and its flesh, visible beneath the tattered black rags it wears, is mottled crimson and white.
It stumbles up to you, babbling incoherently, “Oh great fire defrind me! Turn back the weave of the seven-pandered fist!” It briefly sinks into some sort of muttering that you can’t catch. Then it spots Von Pinn, and seems to recognize her!
“Oh, sister, unspeak what was said! Speak back the words that unweave me, that I might be broken and free! Oh sister, aid me!” It’s almost on top of you by now, and is staring at Von Pinn with a desperate fascination. If for some inexplicable reason someone is not paying attention to this spectacle, they might note a second figure emerging from the copse, this one clad in the felt leggings and tunic of an Easterner.

[OOC] DualShadow, you’re up! [/OOC]

[hoverfrog]

"What manner of creature is this? Defend yourselves, it means to attack." Vonn Pinn unhitches her flail, dismounts and steps into a defensive posture. As she gets into position she tries to wrack her brains for some idea of what this monster is or what ritual or spell it was babbling about.

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Out of character I'd have the greatest sympathy for this poor wretch but Vonn Pinn just sees a threat. Possibly a diseased threat. Kill it. Kill it now. There was me hoping that the name of the campaign was a good thing and we'd have fluffy bunny people or cat people as the new species.

I'm dismounting because I have no ranks in ride and I don't fancy making a DC 20 ride check each round just to stay in the saddle.

Move action to dismount.
Free action for knowledge checks and spot check.
Standard action to attack if it comes into melee range.

Knowledge (Religion) (1d20+5)[22]
Knowledge (History) (1d20+2)[4]
Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (1d20+2)[9]
Knowledge (The Planes) (1d20+2)[22]
Spot check (1d20+3)[14] to see if I notice Ogodei

I'm guessing aberration so Knowledge (Dungeoneering) is probably the one I want.

Initiative (1d20)[12]
Attack with Flail (1d20+3)[20]
Damage (1d8+2)[3] bludgeoning damage
Confirm critical (1d20+3)[5] on a natural 20
Critical Damage (1d8+2)[3]

[ToySoldierCPlus]

"Right behind you." Marius dismounts as well, unsheathing his great sword in the process.

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As Seric, move action to dismount, drawing weapon as a free action while doing so.

Initiative: (1d20+1)[17]

Rolling knowledges:
Arcana: (1d20+7)[27]
Dungeoneering: (1d20+4)[17]
Local: (1d20+4)[21]
Nature: (1d20+4)[19]
Religion: (1d20+4)[8]
The Planes: (1d20+4)[6]

Will determine attack after determining initiative order

[ReaderAt2046]

Serics's flail whirls through the air and catches the creature in the chest with a crack. Almost at the same instant, the messenger unsheathes his sword and slashes, catching the creature on the club-arm and leaving a wound that bleeds green-yellow.

Result of Seric's check:

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While Seric has never seen anything like this creature in the books of her church, she does recongize that its inhuman parts match perfectly in coloration, shape, and appearance the species of demon known as a lemure.

Result of Marius's check

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Marius, on the other hand, is reminded of a description he once read of what was produced when a teleportation spell went badly wrong and randomly jumbled together all the people being teleported.

Mechanics:

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The creature is caught totally off-guard, so you get a surprise round. Seric hits, dealing the creature the requisite damage. Marius and Flowdy can also act, and are within melee range of the creature. Ogodei also gets a turn, but he's about 100 feet out. The messenger draws his sword for a move action and attacks the creature for standard:

Attack: (1d20+2)[18]
Damage: [roll]1d6+1[/roll]

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* post roll count doesn't match database

[DualShadow]

The Easterner druid remains silent as he walks toward the fight as he withdraws his scimitar from his side. Seeing the party attack the aberation on sight make him smile for such horror should not exist.

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Ogodei uses a move actiont to draw his scimitar as he moves 30 feet forward heading to the fight which leaves him at about 70 feet away.

[Korney]

Flowdy watchs his horror as his comrades attack the creature without hestiation "wow! I now know to never ask for your help if I get transformed against my will by some kind of evil mad wizard!"
Flowdy gets his crossbow ready in case the creature decides to turn himself into something dangerous.

"If he doesn't defend himself, let him speak! ...if he can still breathe."

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OOC: I have never rolled for evere knoweledge at the same time as a free action. But as the DM said nothing I guess it is alright.

Know. Planes (1d20+9)[28]
Know. Dungeon (1d20+9)[22]
Know. Local (1d20+9)[13]
Know. History (1d20+9)[17]
Know. Arcana (1d20+9)[16]

Only in case the creature attacks:
crossbow ready attack (1d20)[15]
damage (1d8)[5]

[ReaderAt2046]

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ToySoldier, since you said you said you would be determing your attack once you knew your place in the initiative order, and it's now your turn to attack, I went ahead and rolled for you. If you don't want me to do this again, just tell me and I won't.

(1d20+4)[15]
(2d6+6)[13]

Marius's sword flashes in a tremendous arc, cleaving through the thing's shoulder and deep into its chest. It stares for a breif instant, an unreadable expression on its face, and then slumps to the ground.

[OOC]Is anyone going to try and heal or stabilize it over the next minute?[/OOC]

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Marius steps forward and swings at the creature.

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Attack: (1d20+4)[13]
Damage: (2d6+5)[13]