It Came From Crystal Lake. IC

[DrMartin]

"There's a group of Gnome with a telescope downhill. I wonder if the fireworks look any different when seen through that!", Alfus says, enthusiastically, as he stands up

"Do you want to come, Lanta?"

[jakarta]

Intelligence checks, survival checks, and bard check. For our 3 non orcish characters.

[DrMartin]

Intelligence check: (1d20+1)[11]

Survival: (1d20+4)[17]

If it´s something that can be thought over, Alfus will reflect on the words of wisdom of his elders (cast Guidance before the roll), for a +1

[jakarta]

Intelligence check: [roll0]

Survival: [roll1]

If it´s something that can be thought over, Alfus will reflect on the words of wisdom of his elders (cast Guidance before the roll), for a +1

(it's a passive 'what does he know' check. not something you would have a reason to cast a spell about).

Some of their telescopes are pointed the wrong way. At the island instead of the sky. At the sky, but away from the display.

[astragalos]

Lanta Half-Elf Ranger HP: 13/13 AC: 15 Condition: Normal "I'd love to, I've never looked through a telescope before!" Lanta says excitedly in response to Alfus. She rises to her feet and follows him down the hill. Spoiler: Rolls Show Survival: (1d20+6)[22] Intelligence: (1d20)[18]

[jakarta]

Strange, though... Wouldn't looking at a smaller portion of the sky be the opposite of what you would want to watch a fireworks....

And most of those telescopes are pointed the wrong way. That silly half orcs is bent so far over to look at the Eastern sky ha she is almost standing on her head.


As the ranger and cleric walk down they hear a couple of the gnomes saying, while poking the interloper, " Hey, can we get back to our reaseach, please? We need to use it?! It's not an umbrella!"

[stanleyindraven]

The young bard perks his ears toward the telescope conversation, then looks down the hill.

Survival Check (1d20+1)[21]

Intelligence Check (1d20+1)[7]

Bard Check (1d20+1)[3]

I bet the last one is ****.

[jakarta]

Too bad you had no money on that bet.

You do notice that most of the telescopes are pointed the wrong direction.

[Jötunn]

"That firework is so pretty! I wonder why more people don't look at them like this, you can't see the big shiny leftovers hanging in the sky like that usually!"

Drip finally relents on the gnomes poking at her sides, and stands back to peer up at the skies to see if with this new knowledge of the properties of fireworks she can spot it with the naked eye.

"Fine, but we're taking turns; it's only fair!"

She turns and see two figures walking down the hill and calls to them, waving.

"Hey, you can see the last of the firework hanging in the air if you just push one of these little guys out of the way! It's all big and shiny and glowing!"

[jakarta]

A gnome reclaims the eye piece and starts talking gibberish about azimuths and eccentricies. The rest are taking copious notes and angling their golden umbrellas to over their heads while not blocking the telescopes.


The arcane fireworks display builds in intensity and variety. Bursts of color mixed with beams of light and branching lightning bolts coming from the island. Balls of light buzzing around the island. Images of fantastic creatures projected on Fog and smoke. The reports and zips grow louder and louder. (spell craft dc 15

Spoiler: peek if passed

Show

He is combining prestidigitation, Dancing lights, and several illusion effects, tossing in showy conjuration and evocation spells

)

He even has some streaks of light shooting across the sky. (spell craft DC 15

Spoiler: peek if passed.

Show

That is well out of range from the for it to be a spell of Dolfgand's reputed level.

)

These streaks also intensify, though they aren't as showy as the rest of the display.

Then two of the buzzing lights collide in the air....



[IMG]<iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/XJieiKtvblJZu" width="480" height="270" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/fireworks-XJieiKtvblJZu">via GIPHY</a></p>[/IMG]

(if the image isn't working, here is the page url.

https://giphy.com/gifs/fireworks-XJieiKtvblJZu)

A shower of sparks is released as they collide. They spiral crazily away from each other leaving glowing purple-blue trails. One goes generally upwards as the other starts skipping across the water of the lake, sometimes returning to the air momentarily before splashing again, the water glowing energetically at every point of contact.

karBOONGGGN! Turing to the sound you see the bell tower disintegrating, the bells bouncing across town towards the lake, small rocks and fragments shooting into buildings and a green fireball crashing into the lake. A multitude of smaller fireballs like green flaming arrows rip across the sky from the same direction, some disappearing harmlessly over the horizon, some hitting the lake, and some piercing rooftops or smashing into green fragments on the town's walls and streets.

Then a Huge fireball, much higher in the sky, trailing flames and accompanied by several smaller fireballs, streaks across the sky from East to west. One of the smaller ones hits the island just as the buzzing light that was skimming the lake also hits. They explode with bolts of lightning sending debris into the air.....

Another of the smaller balls crashes 1/2 way between the lake and the horizon, several miles off. The Giant one and the others disappear over the horizon. A moment later, it is as though the sun has suddenly risen in the West and you feel vibrations from the distant impact....
Another ricochets off the mountains, deflecting off somewhere….
You don't have time to worry about this, as the remaining buzzing light suddenly zips up, and detonates blindingly. When you can focus a minute later, in its place in the sky is a glowing fiery eye with lightening shooting from it at random. Around the eye lights rotate and spiral into the iris.

.. and the sky around it seems to be fractured.

Shiny, coin sized bits of metal rain down on you, followed by hotly burning larger fragments. As you try to dodge these, rocks and branches and fish and stuff starts hitting you from the direction of the island. Some of these look like candy striped tubes with cones on top and others like red paper covered balls.... both the tubes and the balls have sparkle tails that get shorter.....The rockets ricochet around the crowd and town at random and the small balls erupt into fireworks and illusions of dancing demons. Dolgalf's remaining fireworks have been spread around the entire lake region and are igniting randomly.

The turkey leg stand detonates.
Popopopopopopop papop pop pop! The supply tent shreds, disgorging a wave of pop corn…

The flock of turkeys that weren't tonight's dinner are flapping around the town on fire. Flaming cattle are stampeding at random. Several buildings are fully ablaze and others have smaller fires.
It is complete Pandemonium!

Heroes, what do you do?

[jakarta]

[stanleyindraven]

Dugan starts running, trying to keep from being hit. He makes a straight line for the gnomes, who appear to have appropriate protection. He starts singing loudly, attempting to inspire courage in those around him so that they may get out of the way and make way to safer locales.

OOC: Run Away by Chicago can come into mind.

[jakarta]

(I'll give bonus xp if you compose something.)

Everyone is either scattering, diving of cover, or trying to dig their way into the ground.

The bard reaches the gnomes, but the perception of 'protection' is weakened as one is hit in the chest by a glowing head sized rock. He rolls lifelessly away from the group.

The rock that hit him unfolds into a monster! It sniffs around, then dives onto the corpse hungerly . (10 ft from the cluster of gnomes)

[Jötunn]

"...The fireworks didn't do that last year. EVERYBODY GET DOWN!"

Drip dashes to the gnomes and tackles as many of them to the ground in an attempt to shield them with her body from the oncoming destruction with the confidence of someone who believes they can survive an oncoming meteor. Noticing the weird creature, she raises her shield over her head like it was merely raining actual, well, rain and brandishes her battleaxe at the thing.

"Godsdammit, the fireworks were better last year!"

Spoiler: rolls

Show

I presume roll for initiative? (1d20+2)[13]

And watch out, if you give extra so for music and the bard levels up noticeably first Drip will probably want some of that for herself

[jakarta]

(We are spread across varied timezones, so many times we will be going in order of whoever is awake. If you want to swing at the monster you may. It is busy eating the gnome.)

*Pink* *pink* *THUNK!* *Pink*

There are more pinks than thunks against Drip's shield. And the space between the pinks widens.

Some of the gnomes seem content to stay under cover quietly, but others are fighting to get some view of the situation and are mumbling nonstop into their collars.

There is a sickly tearing and smacking sound from the creature eating the gnome. It takes a moment to spit out the goggles, then returns to munching on the face.

[DrMartin]

Alfus was going towards the gnomes, staunch in his belief that telescope enhance your vision - but why, and how, he doesn't know. But certainly he must be somewhat right about this, as Lanta thought it was a good idea, and she seems to know her way around!

<the two streaks collide in the sky>

"oohhhh...."

<all Hell breaks loose>

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

Alfus takes shelter behind the gnomes' wagon when the supply tent explodes in a popcorn cloud.

He then pokes out, and starts taking in the situation around him.

"Fire. Not the good one. We need water"

<a meteor splats a gnome, unfurls into a nightmare beast, and starts eating>

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Angry Bird of Sarenrae, come to my help!"

Alfus starts casting Summon Monster I for a red-colored celestial eagle, that he will send to deal with the beast while he helps as he can to get people (Lanta, the guard, the other gnomes) away:

"We have to get out of town!"

Spoiler: rolls for the eagle, when her turn to act comes up

Show

talon (1d20+3)[22]
talon dmg (1d4)[1]
talon (1d20+3)[14]
talon dmg (1d4)[4]
beak (1d20+3)[17]
beak dmg (1d4)[4]

using smite evil, so if the thing is evil +1 dmg on each attack that hits

[jakarta]

Alfus was going towards the gnomes, staunch in his belief that telescope enhance your vision - but why, and how, he doesn't know. But certainly he must be somewhat right about this, as Lanta thought it was a good idea, and she seems to know her way around!

<the two streaks collide in the sky>

"oohhhh...."

<all Hell breaks loose>

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

Alfus takes shelter behind the gnomes' wagon when the supply tent explodes in a popcorn cloud.

He then pokes out, and starts taking in the situation around him.

"Fire. Not the good one. We need water"

<a meteor splats a gnome, unfurls into a nightmare beast, and starts eating>

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Angry Bird of Sarenrae, come to my help!"

Alfus starts casting Summon Monster I for a red-colored celestial eagle, that he will send to deal with the beast while he helps as he can to get people (Lanta, the guard, the other gnomes) away:

"We have to get out of town!"

Spoiler: rolls for the eagle, when her turn to act comes up

Show

talon [roll0]
talon dmg [roll1]
talon [roll2]
talon dmg [roll3]
beak [roll4]
beak dmg [roll5]

using smite evil, so if the thing is evil +1 dmg on each attack that hits

The flaming eagle and the creature grapple with each other, treating bits from each other as they tumble into the lake. The flames are quenched both by the water and the expiration of the spell. The wounded creature does not resurface.

Looking around, there are dozens of the creatures nearby, but most are voraciously consuming turkey and popcorn. (If you want to fight them, you can) . Further from you, the creatures are chasing and attacking people.

"Yes, out of town. Or maybe closer shelter?" Agree three gnomes in unison. A dozen have gathered around.

You look but don't see Lanta anywhere. Maybe the smoke is blocking your view....
(Player withdrew by Im)

The temple of Sarenrae is on the edge of town, isn't it?

[DrMartin]

Why is this happening? Does this town deserve something like this? Thoughts of divine retribution and a vengeful god cross Alfus's mind. But this is not the way of the Downflower. She's big on redemption, not retribution. Sure, sometimes the proper way to redeem the wicked is some properly fiery smiting, but still - not like this!

"The temple will offer shelter, I think - I can take you there"

He turns toward the half orc - "is that the right thing to do, officer?"

Spoiler: spoiler

Show

ok now I really gotta get to work on that floor plan :D

[jakarta]

Why is this happening? Does this town deserve something like this? Thoughts of divine retribution and a vengeful god cross Alfus's mind. But this is not the way of the Downflower. She's big on redemption, not retribution. Sure, sometimes the proper way to redeem the wicked is some properly fiery smiting, but still - not like this!

"The temple will offer shelter, I think - I can take you there"

He turns toward the half orc - "is that the right thing to do, officer?"

Spoiler: spoiler

Show

ok now I really gotta get to work on that floor plan :D

(thanks for the map. you still need to get there though...)

"Yes, sheltering at the temple sounds like a most excellent idea." agrees one of the gnomes.

"But we are supposed to collect data." objects another, a younger female.

"I want to contribute to the survival-ship data!" retorts the older one.

[DrMartin]

(Was there a water tower or other water-collecting vessel in town, as far as I am aware?)

"The temple has a great view of the open sky" Alfus says to the younger scientist "where you can maybe keep observing data without the data falling on your head!"
He holds up the splattered, eaten gnome's glasses, to make his point.

Spoiler: Diplomacy roll if necessary

Show

Diplomacy: (1d20+6)[24]

If there's no other complaints I'll gather the dozen or so that have gathered and start making way towards the temple

[jakarta]

This town has a lake and wells, so never really need water storage. They use buckets.

The gnomes, and everyone else in earshot (who isn't a PC and will make up their own minds) seem to agree that going to the temple is a good idea (or the only suggested idea and oh gods everything is on fire and those critters are everywhere ok lets go now to the temple you say?). The gnomes snatch of notebooks and grab crystals off of their instruments.

[DrMartin]

(forgot the rolls from a couple of posts upstream)

Spellcraft 1: (1d20+5)[23]

Spellcraft 2: (1d20+5)[24]

When you can focus a minute later, in its place in the sky is a glowing fiery eye with lightening shooting from it at random. Around the eye lights rotate and spiral into the iris.

As Alfus starts hurringly making way toward the Temple, corraling peole along the best he can, he can´t help but reflect on the ominous eye in the sky

Knowledge Religion maybe helps? (1d20+5)[25]

edit: daaamn those rolls!

[jakarta]

(forgot the rolls from a couple of posts upstream)

Spellcraft 1: [roll0]

Spellcraft 2: [roll1]



As Alfus starts hurringly making way toward the Temple, corralling people along the best he can, he can´t help but reflect on the ominous eye in the sky

Knowledge Religion maybe helps? [roll2]

edit: daaamn those rolls!

Spellcraft results:
Dolfgand, the pyromancer on the island was obviously using illusion spells or item to enhance the display, and was throwing in flashy evocation and conjuration spells.

Those streaks of light across the sky should have been out of range for him. These turned out to be the falling sky-rocks.

Religion: the image is a bit vague, but could be though to resemble the Symbols of an orc or death god.

[stanleyindraven]

"Not cool, not cool, not cool..." Dugan begins saying out loud. He scurries himself further to the place where the gnomes have started moving away from. He then notices the movement and decides to join the small crowd. It is better to hide in a crowd than in the open after all.

[stanleyindraven]

Dugan makes haste to get to the temple for refuge. He hopes to save his own hide, knowing he would be of little help against one of these monsters on his own.

[jakarta]

The bard gets a bit ahead of the young priest and the shorter legged gnomes.

The rock-insect things are everywhere and seem to be closing in.

The bard comes to a wagonsized crater blocking the path to the temple. A scorched hulk of rock sitting in the crater shutters, rocks, cracks, and a man in blackened platemail stands.

But is it a man? No eyes are visible through the visor. But suddenly an orange light shines though the slit. It roams from the left end if the slit to the right and back again, repeating continually as the head looks around.

It focuses on the bard, and speaks a phrase in a metallic voice.

What lanuages does the bard speak? And bardic knowledge, know: planes, know: religion, know: dungeoning, know: his, arcane...whatever you think might have a shot...digital d20s are cheap.

[stanleyindraven]

OOC: Common and Elven

Know: Arcane (1d20+1)[3]
Know: Dungeon (1d20+1)[16]
Know: History (1d20+1)[19]
Know: the Planes (1d20+1)[16]
Know: Religion (1d20+1)[13]
Know: Nature (1d20+1)[15]

[jakarta]

OOC: Common and Elven

Know: Arcane [roll0]
Know: Dungeon [roll1]
Know: History [roll2]
Know: the Planes [roll3]
Know: Religion [roll4]
Know: Nature [roll5]

Nature: it ain't.
Dungeoning: sometimes golems seek their master and can be confused
History: you have heard a tale of a knight like this, with the moving light under the visor. It served a minor Lord. Was undefeated in several melee tournaments

It sounded like wierdly accented archaic elven. "Beside you own 'first mate'" (lateral thinking is needed as much as linguistics.)

[stanleyindraven]

Dugan halts in his tracks and looks around, trying to see if anything else was near by. "Please don't hurt us," he calls out in elven, hoping it will make sense to the 'knight' and then starts to take off around the crater.

[jakarta]

Bard: Roll 3d6 and then a d20.