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As you wait for Jankain to return to Papuvin’s cave, the pouch containing the dream seeds is retrieved from your belongings. The pouch is hastily labeled "For Later Study" in elvish, and you wonder what secrets the seeds may reveal. The small paper pouch contains seven small, blackened seeds, each shaped like a small claw. A sleeping face is drawn on the pouch, and written in goblin are instructions: "Take one for visions of the firemaker. Do not take more. These are poison."
Comments
This scene will occur right after Grimsley has scribed shield into his spellbook. Jankain is currently not with the party, but could return at any time she wants. What is everyone doing? How do you prepare for the study of the seeds?
(( I might pick up a spell along with Grim, although my method of learning spells is a bit different. What is available in the spellbook, and what spells does Grim already have mastered? ))
(Grim is currently in possession of the spell books. A list of the spells available can be found under Treasures Discovered section of d20pro Session 5)
(( Ok, the spells that are in the spellbooks and that are on the Witch spell list include Unseen Servant, Detect Toughts, and Clairaudience/Clairvoyance. As written, any attempt to learn these spells must come from a scroll and destroys the scroll (regardless of success or failure of a pretty simple Spellcraft check), but, if it’s alright with everyone else, could I simply use the spellbook pages? I guess it’s not important to do so now, but I could see Sendel getting use out of Detect Thoughts and Clairaudience/Clairvoyance at some point in the future. ))
(Maybe Sendal should take one at the same time, then maybe we can help each other in dream land.)
(( If that works, then sure, I’ll go along with it. Afterwards, maybe I’ll study the seeds and see what their poison is. Maybe I can use my mad Alchemy skillz to turn them into something usable against our enemies. ))
(I have qualms with Sendal using spell books to learn spells. Just note that it will destroy the pages in the spell book just as with the scrolls.)
(there are seven seeds, so up to seven characters can enter dream land. Its a poison requiring a Fort save, you can just choose to fail. Elves are immune of course.)
(My post is supposed to read *no qualms :)
can an elf choose to allow it to happen?
Grimsley offers Sendal the captured spell books. “of the spells you are interested in, Unseen Servant is one I have mastered so there is no possibility that it would be missed. the others i have passing interest in but truth told it would be a long time before i got to them. take them if you like, if you would save ‘Detect Thoughts’ for the last, it is of mild interest to me but for the good of the quest i will pass on the opportunity to learn it if you strongly believe it would be more helpful in your repertoire than waiting for an opportunity for my attentions.”
(An elf can’t choose to allow it to happen, because they don’t sleep, they actually trance.)
“We, friends, let’s get on with this. If we look like we are taking a turn for the worse in the Dream Plane, please try to wake us. Maybe we have a cure poison scroll or spell that can bring us back. Keep a close eye on us.” Finn then lays down ready with a seed and a water flask and will chew it up and swallow when the others are ready.
When he swallows the seed, he will try to visualize the goblin’s starting the fire, the trillith and the elves we saw in the tomb.
Finn and Sendal swallow the seeds and within moments they feel the poison’s mild effect: eyes grow heavy and a large yawn escapes their mouths (Fort save – voluntary fail), before the two heroes slump to the ground in a heap and instantly experience the same wild dream…
They see a highly impressionistic version of the forest fire for a moment, before their perception begins to fly back to Gate Pass, where they witness horrifying flashes of blood and swords. A large group of Gate Pass spell users are bound and tied together, forming a line two wide, several hundreds long, and Ragesian guards violently push them through a frozen tundra wasteland.
They then see an image of their haggard troupe, battle and travel weary, with several refugees in tow. A fiery sky lets loose a persistent deluge with no end in sight and strong winds threaten to blow the party away, stopping all progress forward. The party seems to be south of Innenotdar within the northern foothills of Dassen and are trying to find the safest route to Seaquen and the mages school of Lyceum. Finally, after much hardship, they come to a small village, and a vast swamp blocks their passage.
All throughout the dream they hear a distant song is distorted Sylvan, and feel a persistent sense of someone hiding in the shadows at the ridge of their vision.
Smiling, Jankain says “Yes, my voice does need work.” A florish on her lyre, then Jankain takes her leave. She returns to the cave to watch over the dreamers.
Finn tries to go towards the song, if possible.
Jankain returns to the cave to see the rest of the party watching over Finn and Sendal, happily dreaming away.
As Finn tries to move towards the song, both the gnome and Sendal’s perception begin to haze over. Whispy clouds obscure everything, however the duo catch glances of a silvery blue serpent, antlered like a stag, stalking them.
(Init Checks for Sendal and Finn please.)
Init: 1d20 + 4 → 15 + 4 = 19
The clouds begin to clear but remain thick near the floor, undulating like waves on an ocean surface. Another serpent rears its antlered head, as if to gain a bearing on its target, and then dunks its head under the clouds. As the two serpents race toward the dreaming heroes, their long snake like bodies rise and fall above the surface of the clouds like a tidal surge readying to release its energy upon a rocky shoreline.
(Knowledge (the planes) check for more info on what you are dealing with).
Init: 1d20 = 8 )
Knowledge (Planes) 1d20 + 9 → 15 + 9 = 24
((I knew having you along was a good thing!))
(( lol, yes! We now know what the giant dream-snakey-things are before they eat us! ))
((lol codes.))
Male Dream Elemental, Medium
NN Medium Outsider (Elemental, Extraplanar)
Senses Darkvision (60 feet)
DEFENSE
Immune Elemental Traits, bleeds, flanking, critical hits, paralysis, poison, precision damage, sleep, stunning
OFFENSE
Spd 0 ft., Flight (60 feet, Perfect)
Melee Slam
Spell-Like Abilities Daze (At will), Detect Magic (At will), Dimension Door (At will), Ego Whip, Freezing Ray (3 rounds/day), Sleep (At will)
Languages Common, Telepathy
SQ Warp Reality (1/round) (Su)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Combat Casting + 4 to Concentration checks to cast while on the defensive.
Combat Reflexes (3 AoO/round) You may make up to 3 attacks of apportunity per round, and may make them while flat-footed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Ego Whip (Sp) As a standard action, the dreap elemental can inflict 1d4 points of Cha damage upon a creature within 30 ft. A Will save (DC 14) reduces the damage to half. This is a mind-affecting ability, and the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell.
Elemental Traits *Cannot be flanked,
*Can never be subject to critical hits,
*Immune to poison, sleep effects, paralysis and stunning,
*No dual nature,
*Do not eat, sleep or breathe.
Flight (60 feet, Perfect) You can fly!
Immune to Bleeds You are immune to bleeds.
Immune to Flanking You are immune to flanking.
Immunity to Critical Hits You are immune to Critical Hits
Immunity to Paralysis You are immune to paralysis.
Immunity to Poison You are immune to poison.
Immunity to Precision Damage You are immune to Precision Damage
Immunity to Sleep You are immune to sleep effects.
Immunity to Stunning You are immune to being stunned.
Warp Reality (1/round) (Su) Once per round, the dream elemental can rediriect damage it would have taken to the attacker. Spells can also be reflected, but only spells that specifically target the psionic elemental; area effect spells cannot be reflected.
Both Dream Elementals are next up in Initiative. Sendal is on deck.
Both the elementals close to within 30 ft. and lash out at Finn and Sendal with their tails, sending forth a burst of psychic energy.
Ego Whip (Sp) Sendal takes 2 pnts. of Charisma damage. Will save for Half.
Ego Whip (Sp) Finn takes 2 pnts. of Charisma damage. Will save for Half.
Sendal is next up in Initiative. Finn is on deck.
(Finn will save: 1d20 + 6 = 2 + 6 = 8.)
Sendel flinches as he is struck by the energy, but wards off the brunt of the effects (Will Save – 1d20 + 7 → 13 + 7 = 20).
Sendel responds with arcane gestures, but a chant that seems not to match the spell itself. When he finishes, he thrusts his arms upwards, causing a massive bank of clouds to shoot up between the dream elementals and himself and Finn. The bank appears 20’ tall, 40’ wide, and 10’ thick, but as soon as it is conjured, Finn notices the bank thin out rapidly until it’s a few, silvery, barely-perceptible wisps, not even visible but out of the corner of his eye, although the elementals are still clearly confounded by it’s appearance.
(( Silent Image, creating a thick, solid bank of mist similar to the dream clouds around us. It should be 5’ in front of each of the elementals and block their vision until they save against it (DC 16), but they can’t do it until they actually touch the mist, while Finn can ride into the mist and spear them with his lance without them being able to see him. ))
(( Err, they don’t get a save against the spell until they touch the mist. ))
((Just to clarify, Since Boris didn’t eat a dream seed, he’s not with Finn in this Dream Plane. Also, there is a battle map for this scene, just holding off a few posts to put it up. The Elementals are 30 ft. away, and at the moment there’s no terrain to concern yourself with.))
Finn is next up in Initiative. Dream Elementals are on deck, top of round 2.
((BTW Codes – that’s a very creative use of Silent Image, nice!))
(Also, Sendal saves and take 1pnt Cha damage, Finn fails and take 2pnts Cha dmg.)
“Warp reality, eh, Sendal. Hope I don’t regret this.”
Finn will charge the 25’ to close on the creature closest. (1d20 + 8 + 2(charge) = 10 + 10 = 20. Dmg: 1d6 + 3 = 4 + 3 = 7.)
Finn strikes the antlered serpent, hurting it, however a moment later both dream elementals manifest themselves in the waking world.
A silvery dragon, antlered like a stag, appears in the center of the cave, whirling and spinning like a demented wind.
(I need perception checks to see if your surprised for the rest of the party, and init checks.)
Coster watches his companions sleep…
Perception Check (1d20 + 9): 8 + 9 = 17
Perception (1d20 + 7): 6 + 7 = 13
Initiative (1d20 + 7): 12 + 7 = 19
Perception (1d20 + 9): 14 + 9 = 23
Initiative (1d20 + 2): 20 + 2 = 22
(Amp – Could I have a Init check for Coster?)
Torrent’s Perception (1d20 + 4): 6 + 4 = 10
Init (1d20 + 4): 14 + 4 = 18
Coster startles a little late after the stag appears.
Initiative (1d20 + 9): 3 + 9 = 12
Jankain is next up in Initiative. Dream Elementals are on deck.
((are Finn and Sendal still asleep, or did the magic that brought the elementals here bring them back to consciousness as well?))
Immediately upon seeing the stag, Jankain begins her song of courage (bardic performance)
((Finn and Sendal are still asleep and will require rousting to wake up (someone will have to spend a standard action to wake them). Everyone made there perception checks, no surprise, however you are flat-footed until you act.))
Dream Elementals are next up in Initiative. Digi is on deck.
Dream Elemental 1 moves 15 ft. to the West, it then unleashes a ray of freezing air and ice directed at Digi.
Freezing Ray (Sp)
(1d20 + 7): 2 + 7 = 9 Miss
Also seeing the elven wizard as a threat, Dream Elemental 2 holds it’s ground and unleashes a blast of freezing air and ice.
Freezing Ray (Sp)
(1d20 + 7): 4 + 7 = 11 Miss
Sendal and Grimsley are next up in Initiative. Torrent is on deck.
((Sendal is asleep so Grimsley goes next))
((Oops, sorry bout using your screen name Digi. Attacks are directed at Grimsley.))
After a moments indecision, Grimsley notices that the one creature is wounded and is hopeful that Finn and Sendal are still able to combat the elementals from the dream world and rather than rouse the sleepers, he begins the summoning of an extra-dimensional ally. (summon monster II)
Torrent is next up in Initiative. Coster is on deck.
Torrent draws her trident and shouts in a domineering voice, “Someone wake those that are sleeping.” She then charges the elemental to the west.
Trident
(1d20 + 6 + 1 (inspire courage) + 2 (charge!)): 1 + 9 = 10 Miss
Coster is next up in Initiative. Finn is on deck.
((Finn won’t be able to take his turn, unless he awakens.))
Jankain calls out to Coster, “take action if you can! i will wake the sleepers.”
((Sorry Amp… have to keep things moving so I’m going to take Coster’s turn.))
Coster moves to be just south of the sleeping gnome, and calls back to Jankain, “You wake the witch, I’ll wake the little fellow.” Coster then reaches down grabbing Finn by both shoulders and gives him a shake.
Finn is next up in Initiative. Jankain is on deck, Top of Round 3.
Finn is confused for a moment as he straddles two worlds, but then stares up into Coster’s face and, with a quick look around, figures out what has happend.
Finn says to himself “Well, well, can’t have ya here, can we.” He then attempts a Quick Mount (DC20) ((1d20 + 7 = 8 + 7 = 15.)) Having failed that, he takes a move action to mount Boris. Then he moves to the middle square between the two baddies, with a 5 ft square on each side.
Maintaining her bardic performance, Jankain moves quickly to the right of where Sendal lies. She grabs his shoulder and shakes firmly, “wake up!”
((Finn is prone, so he’s going to have to use a move action to stand up. He also uses his last move action to mount boris, having failed his fast mount attempt. Finn will have to move into position next turn.
Jankain maintains her bardic performance and is able to move and wake up Sendal.))
Dream elementals are next up in Initiative. Sendal is on deck.
Dream elemental 1 unleashes another freezing ray directed at Grimsley, trying to disrupt his summoning spell.
freezing ray
(1d20 + 7): 3 + 7 = 10 Miss
Dream elemental 2 takes a 5 ft. step to the west, and then unleashes it’s freezing ray at Torrent.
Sendal is next up in Initiative. Grimsley is on deck.freezing ray
(1d20 + 7): 5 + 7 = 12 Hit vs. Touch
(d3): 1 cold damage
“Ugh… Those seeds are horrible…” Sendel says as he staggers to his feet, forcibly throwing off the weight of his poison-induced slumber.
“I think I’ve had enough of you creatures.” With that, an unsettling buzz fills the air around Sendel, and fills the nearest Dream Elemental with a sense of impending disaster. (Misfortune Hex, Will save DC 17)
Sendal sees the dream elemental erratically squirm, cluing the witch to the knowledge that his hex has been successfully placed.
Grimsley is next up in Initiative. Torrent is on deck.
As the Summon spell comes to an end, a small air elemental comes into being in the space halfway between Grimsley and Finn. The elemental charges the west-most elemental and attempts a slam attack.
Air elemental attack (1d20 + 8): 19 + 8 = 27
Slam damage (1d4 + 1): 2 + 1 = 3
Seeing the attack drive home with satisfaction, Grimsley then casts Magic Missile and directs the bolts at the same westernmost enemy.
Missile Damage (1) (1d4 + 1): 4 + 1 = 5
Missile Damage (2) (1d4 + 1): 4 + 1 = 5
((Some nice rolls there Digi!))
Grimsley’s air elemental comes into being with a fiery burst.
Burning Sky Effect
(1d6): 6 fire damage
Torrent is next up in Initiative. Coster is on deck.
Torrent takes a 5 ft. step to the west and lunges with her trident.
Trident
(1d20 + 7): 16 + 7 = 23 hit
(d8 + 3): 6 + 3 = 9 piercing damage
Coster is next up in Initiative. Finn is on deck.
Coster will use his crossbow and attack the westernmost enemy (avoiding the penalty for the melee combat with torrent…)
Attack (1d20 + 5): 12 + 5 = 17
Damage (if it hits) (1d8): 3
(Amp – I’m not sure how you plan on avoiding the – 4 penalty for shooting into melee. I believe that without the Precise Shot feat, you have no choice but to take the penalty?)
Coster’s bolt misses its mark and makes a sharp clanking sound as it smashes against the far wall of the cave.
Finn is next up in Initiative. Jankain is on deck, top of round 4.
Finn secures his lance and says “Ya draw no blood in this place, ya foul snake!” and charges the west most baddie and end up in the square just E of the AE, courtesy of Digi.
(1d20 + 8 + 2(charge) = 8 + 10 = 18. If hit, dmg (1d6 + 3) x 2 = (2 + 3) x 2 = 10.
Ride check to get Boris to attack baddie by Torrent (1d20 + 7) = 20. Att (1d20 + 3 = 14). Probably miss, but just in case dmg (1d6 + 3) = 9.
Ride check to use shield (1d20 + 7) = 19.
OOC: I wasn’t planning on shooting the enemy near torrent, but the OTHER enemy, so I would avoid the penalty…thats what I meant. As I was not in melee, and the target was not in melee, I was thinking the penalty didn’t apply.
(The other enemy is engaged in combat with the elemental that Grimsley summoned.)
Doh! I wish the icons had labels!
((My bad, the tokens actually do have labels, I’m just not using them correctly. Tokens with the green border represent party, gray are neutrals, and yellow means hostile. I will also try increasing the size of the map so you can see it better.))
Finn Skewers the snake like a kabob and hurts it badly.
Boris miss his mark, not being able to get a hold on the slithering elemental.
Jankain is next up in Initiative, top of round 4. Dream elementals are on deck.
Moving in a little closer (moves west 3 squares diagonally…will be 1 sq southeast of Torrent), still maintaining her inspiring song, Jankain loads her shortbow and fires at creature at the far west.
Attack (1d20 + 1): 13 + 1 = 14 (+4 for attack, -4 for shooting into melee)
Damage (1d6 + 1): 1 + 1 = 2
((Jankain’s ranged attack with a shortbow is actually a + 5. She also gets a + 1 for inspire courage and another + 1 for her Point Blank Shot feat (western most elemental is 25 ft. away. She takes the – 4 for shooting into melee, bringing her grand total to + 3. This makes her attack roll a 16.))
Jankain takes a bead and loses her arrow and then watches the arrow find its mark. ((Dream elemental uses its Warp Reality (Su) ability)). Jankain then feels an immense pain in her foot and sees her arrow lodged in it. ((Jankain just shot herself in the foot, thinking it was the elemental. She takes 2 damage.))
Dream Elementals are next up in Initiative. Sendal is on deck.
With the once sleeping heroes now awake, the dream elementals fly into a panic and hastily make their escape.
The western most elemental takes a 5 ft. step to the west and then winks out of existence in a flaming burst (dimension door, suffers from the Burning Sky Effect.)
(d6): 3 fire damage
The remaining elemental does the same, however it take a 5 ft. step to the SW, avoiding any AoOs.
Burning Sky Effect (d6): 3 fire damage
((The dream elementals have left and the scene is essentially over. Please feel free to RP your speculations on the current events, plan your next move, etc. here. Next scene will be introduced at tomorrow night’s game.))
“Well now, we should finish our business on the other side. Sendal and I should take another seed to try to learn something ’cuz we had to come back too early, me thinks.”
((Can I get a Knowledge Dungeoneering, Planes, and Arcana check from Grimsley and Sendal.))
Knowledge: Dungeoneering (1d20 + 9): 4 + 9 = 13
Knowledge: Planes (1d20 + 10): 11 + 10 = 21
Knowledge: Arcana (1d20 + 10): 3 + 10 = 13
((hope that bit of low rolls is out of my system: :) ))
Knowledge (Arcana) 1d20 + 12 = 4 + 12 = 16
Knowledge (the Planes) 1d20 + 9 = 19 + 9 = 28
Between both Sendal and Grimsley, they are able to determine that In truth, the seeds are a sleep-inducing hallucinogen that, when taken in areas of strong psychic energy, induce incredibly vivid dreams. Bhurisrava probably could not experience these visions, because the elvish trance is not sleep.
It seems the seeds have the unique effect of alerting nearby telepathic creatures. Whenever a creature falls asleep because of one of these seeds, it begins to dream and have visions, and every telepathic or psionic creature within several miles feels a mild draw toward the sleeping creature. If someone was aware of the presence and nature of Indomitability, taking these seeds would attract him, encouraging the trillith’s essence to infuse the burning forest, to keep the flames from being put out.
After explaining the nature of the seeds to the party, Grimsley then speculates that Indomitability is a trillith that has been trapped into form by the Seela and may in fact be the Stag pinned to the bottom of the lake by the hero Aniariel (sp?) whose shrine we visited in the elven village.
“I bet that the Shalesti soldier that was in the unnatural sleep is the one that brought Indomitability to the forest. The Guardian said ‘the one responsible’ for the fire was in the shrine. While I still wonder what was in the glass case that had been raided, I bet that if we were to kill the Trillith while he is locked in his current form at the bottom of the lake that would bring the fire to an end.
I think we need to talk to the Seela about what is missing from the Shrine and how we might get to the bottom of the lake to take out that trillith."
Hadden’s cough has worsened and every time he tries to interject with what Grimsley says, he is cut short by a fit of coughing.
Crystin see’s to her father’s needs, offering him water and making him a comfortable place to lay down.
Torrent listens carefully to Grimsley’s word and when he is finished says, “But the Seela are an integral part of this forest. If Indomitability is killed and the fire ends, would it not end the Seela also?”
Grimsley Shrugs, “I think we need to learn more. Perhaps talking to the guy who wanted the song to end would be profitable. I also wish to learn more about the battle between Anyariel and the trillith.”
He then looks at Hadden then to Torrent and the witch.
“Is there anything your healing skills can do for him?”
“I’m like’n this trillith less and less. First he attacks us as a stag, then as a serpent. That’s sure not acting like he wants the ‘Song of Agony’ stopped by us. If the Seela don’t want the song stopped and since this trillith is a pain the britches, maybe we should just let it be. "
“But, we discussed this already, I suppose, and if you want to see it through, then so be it. I would say we need to look into trying to replace the ‘Song of Agony’ with someone on the Dream Seeds. How long do these last? Anyone have any idea? Of course, if the trillith attacks someone every time they take one, then that won’t work.”
“Grimsley is right, though. We need to talk to that seela that wants the song stopped and find out why. We need to check out the seela tree to learn what we can. Maybe the Dream Seeds came from there or maybe we can plant a Dream Seed and grow a Dream Tree. Then you could have and near endless supply. Then, we need to talk to that nutter lady across the lake.”
“So, why do you think the elementals panicked and left so quickly after Sendal and I woke up? Maybe if they die in this world, then they are really dead.”
Removing the arrow from her foot, Jankain finds it hard to follow the conversation. She thinks, “song of agony? maybe Sendal means the Song of Forms? could a dreamer replace the Song?”