Through The Crack In The Wall (Wander Inn Mission)

[Nettlekid]

þ (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=561347)
Gorath Ebonfang (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=653283)

The mission description was simple enough, and it was likely for this reason that Tennick allowed the new recruit Gorath to take part with only one Wanderer as aid. Missions involving moving animals around, be it chasing lost cats or clearing out vermin, were ones with a low-risk investment but often garnered great gratitude from the client, even if the pay was usually lower than average. For this, þ and Gorath find themselves squeezed into the narrow building of a plump elderly Halfling woman who lives in the wealthier end of the residential district, not far from the library and the church. The woman herself has gone into the market district to shop, because she doesn't want to get in the way of working men doing their manly work, and she doesn't want to so much as see those horrible creatures that you're being asked to remove from her home. She's provided you with the key to the attic, which is the fourth floor of her home. You have to climb up a ladder to a trapdoor to use the key, though because it's build for a Halfling the trapdoor is within reach if you were to stand on a table or stool. Underneath it, you do indeed hear movement.

[nolongerchaos]

Here is Þ's character sheet (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=657171) for this mission.
Looking up at the trap door with a hint of a smile, Þ looks over at Garosh. This was the first time he'd gotten to go with a new recruit on their first mission since his own introduction to the guild. He hoped he would be able to make a good impression on behalf of the guild "Well, time for some rats. Would you like the honor of opening the door, or should I?".

[BluesEclipse]

Gorath looks back at the changeling from beneath his hood, his gaze involuntarily being drawn towards the bow slung across the Wanderer's back. Turning his gaze up towards the trapdoor, and trying to force his mind away from the morbid thoughts of someone using dragonbone in a weapon (though he can't help but wonder what type of dragon it came from), he nods and begins climbing up the ladder, unhooking the trapdoor as soon as he is high enough to reach it and then continuing upwards into the attic.

[Nettlekid]

Gorash pushes open the door and it swing up and over, landing with a resonant thud. Poking his head through the attic entryway, he might expect to see normal rats, or even Dire Rats by the sound of the size. What he was likely not expecting were three adult Nezumi, hunched under the low beams of the room and wrapped in what could be mistaken for rags except that they are clean and look to be of high quality cloth. Behind then on the wall is a wide, jagged hole overlaid with silver light. Traced along the edges of the wall are runes carved into the wood, likely by claw.

The three Nezumi stare at Gorath, wide-eyed. They say nothing.

[BluesEclipse]

Gorath blinks for a moment as he takes in the scene above him. After a moment, he says, loudly enough for Þ to hear, "I... I am Gorath. This home's owner was concerned about the noises from here... we expected simple rats. May my companion and I come up and speak with you?"

[nolongerchaos]

Þ sees Garoth's look, then takes a glance over his shoulder to see what upset him, then notices his bow and puts two and two together.
"Oh, right, the bow. It was a gift." Þ begins as Garoth begins to assend the ladder. "I studied for a time..."
Seeing the Nezumi in the attic, Þ pauses his story, slightly surprised. He'd been on enough missions to be expecting something more than rats, but he definitely didn't expect Nezumi.
"Um, hi there. Can we help you?"

[Nettlekid]

The Nezumi continue to stare.
"Beat it!" one cries, not to you but to its companions. It then takes a deep breath and sprays a cloud of ice shards at you two, dealing 7 Cold damage to Gorath and 4 to Þ, as well as Dazing him, before running back against the wall. It wedges itself in the silver-veiled crack, which opens slightly, then closes around it like a mouth. When the crack opens again, the Nezumi is gone. Each of its allies immediately follows suit. The crack remains, however.

[nolongerchaos]

Shivering slightly at the cold, Þ shakes his head in disappointment.
"So rude.
Are you hurt? I was hoping we could work things out without violence... but who knows, maybe we still can.
Well, I see two ways we can go with this. I'm no great mage, but we can try looking into a way to seal that crack... Or... we could always try following them." Þ finishes with a grin.

Which of us got dazed? In any case, Þ will cast CMiW on himself, and Garoth if requested.

[BluesEclipse]

"I'm fine..." Gorath growls, even as he focuses on projecting his aura. His senses sharpen, his reflexes growing sharper and his vision clearer as the energy flows from him, and he knows that Þ is experiencing the same. "We should follow, though... if we fix it, they can just do the same here, or elsewhere." A part of him wonders if that was mere magic or a dragon's breath, as he climbs up the ladder and approaches the crack. As he waits for Þ to climb up into the attic as well, he mutters an invocation in the draconic tongue, enhancing his sight further - this time to see beyond mere sight.

HP: 57/64

Activated Senses Aura: +2 Perception and Initiative (Gorath wouldn't have thought to come in with it active, though he should have - a lesson to keep in mind for the future, though.)

Invocation: See the Unseen - See Invisibility and Darkvision for 24 hours.

[nolongerchaos]

"Ah, a good point." Þ clambers up the ladder into the attic. "Into the crack it is then. Definitely the more interesting option. Now what was I saying? Oh yes, the bow. So I studied for a time under the tutalige of a druidic sect and it was they who gave it to me. The sect..."
Þ's voice dies away as he attempts to force his way through the crack.

[Nettlekid]

The break in the wall opens with surprising flexibility, stretching without warping the wood. Þ can step through, and is greeted with a strange feeling of unbalance. He's stepped out back into the same room he had been in, as dark as if only illuminated by candlelight. It's without walls or a ceiling, but instead it is six times as large as previously, divided into six floor-sized panels marked out by a seam. Further on he sees a ladder lying on its side, and an expanse of flat lands stretching out. Presumably Gorath follows suit, and the pair stands in this wide, flat land. With a little observation, the pair figure out what it is they're standing in: a two-dimensional portrayal of their three-dimensional world. The walls and ceiling have been unfolded so that they lie in only a strip, and the ladder which in their world takes a person down is useless here, as it only takes someone across. Beyond that you cannot see in the shadows.

In case the description wasn't clear, this is the kind of thing I mean.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/d6/22/11/d6221129667950f4d826a7720fc51ed1.jpg
Like the way that would fold into a 3D house shape, but here it's all flat but all sides are on the same level.

[BluesEclipse]

Gorath follows Þ through the crack, scanning the area cautiously. "This place... is very strange..." he mutters after identifying the flat expanse, before quickly incanting a spell to bolster his strength in preparation for when they locate their targets.

Casting Bull's Strength - Spell Faliure Chance 5% (01-05): [roll0]

Active:
See the Unseen (Darkvision 60', See Invisibility)
Senses Aura (+2 Perception, Initiative)
Bull's Strength (+4 Strength)

[nolongerchaos]

Rather surprised by his surroundings, Þ pulls out an arrow and casts Light on it, holding it aloft like a torch. "Well I didn't see this coming. I wonder if there are other building like this here. I wonder if we can see people in the other... world?... from here. Let's take a quick look around, see what we find."

[roll0] to spot anyone hiding/noting the general surroundings.
Also, sorry, I was not expecting to spend the holidays out of touch, otherwise I would have given you guys a heads up.

[Nettlekid]

Þ tries to illuminate the arrow, but the light flickers out immediately. Gorath is much more able to take in his surroundings, though only out to the edge of his Darkvision. It's not pitch black here, but it's difficult to see clearly. The shadows are indistinct and disorienting. Gorath does not see anyone lurking nearby, nor does he see the three Nezumi. Of course, Nezumi are notoriously quick, and you can only see out to a little more than 60 feet.

You do notice that when you look away from any segment of ground and then look back, it tends to have warped somewhat in shape or size. Not significantly, but noticeably. You also notice that even your simplest movements and reflexes are quicker, or at least have the capability to be. If you make a small movement then you move at about your normal speed. If you move a little faster, you actually move much faster. A few quick steps would be enough to take you across the span of this flat house.

[BluesEclipse]

Gorath frowns as he sees the light spell flicker out, thinking on what might have caused that. "I have never seen something quite like this..." he says, taking just a couple steps forward - making sure not to move more than 30 feet away from Þ. "Where could they have gone... Do you have any ideas?" The last is called out loudly enough to be clearly heard by his companion.

To determine what may have caused Þ's Light spell to fail: [roll0]

[nolongerchaos]

Captivated by his unnatural quickness, it takes Þ a few moments to register his companion's words. "I don't have any idea where they might have gone, but I can try to find a trail."
[roll0] to find tracks, take 10 to follow them if possible.

[Nettlekid]

Gorath's knowledge of the arcane seems somewhat unsuited to the task, where it seems like the atmosphere itself is interfering with the spell. The components of the spell which evoke light are being suppressed somehow, and it looks like stronger magic would be needed to break through.

There are faint traces of dust and splinters of wood from the crack in the wall that Þ notices drifting in one direction. Even being just traces, they're among the only three-dimensional things you can see within the hundred or so feet you can see. That's the best chance of a trail as any other.

[BluesEclipse]

Gorath nods at Þ, and answers, "This place seems to stop light from being conjured... but will normal light work?" After a moment's thought, he pulls a torch from his backpack, and brings the flint and steel from his pouch out to light it. Once lit, he holds the torch aloft and replaces the flint and steel in his pouch before asking, "Did you find anything?"