Escape from Multiverse Inc (IC)

[Chimaera]

A few minutes goes by as each one of you feel sweat running cold on your spine. It must probably be a joke, a way to make the game even more immersive, they cant be really talking serious about this. Inside the blinking capsule many thoughts storm each of your but no answers are given.

Finally the long fall start to resume as you can see a floating continent with a great chain of mountains marking the limits of East, North and West, leaving a sudden edge to an (apparently) unending fall. Several cities dot the landscape, with little chimneys and pointy towers.

At the far North, you can see an otherworldly high peak, thin as a needle (at least at distance) and with a silver hue to it. You also see some valleys going around the mountian range;
To the East you can see a few kingdoms and many farmlands;
To southeast a gigantic forest with a single forested mount;
To southwest a valley can be seen with a strange darkness covering the end of it;
At the center of this continent you can see a round lake with pearl waters and a river that snake its way towards the edge of the world, falling into a misty waterfall.

The vison get all white as you pass through a large cloud and find yourselves wet from head to toe after you get to the other side of it. The moist sensation is uncanny, as if you just walked into the rain and the wind in your hair also feel real. Too real. And then you finally hit the ground.

"What the hell was that?", ask Steven, a fat little guy fan of Dungeons and Dragons since he was seven, "I aint believing this ****!", he says and you can see he start hitting some invisible panel, "I'm out of this".

"Dont!", the GM's voice can be heard but too late: you can hear Steven's muffled scream and he and his ubercharger pouncing barbarian are gone.

"Dammit, dont log off", he says and then you can hear him speaking to someone else, covering the mic for you not hear.

You can roll DC 20 to overhear wat he said.

"Okay guys. Focus on the game and remain calm. We'll sort this thing out", he says and leave the channel.

What just happened? Did he at least dropped some loot? But before you can even think twice an old goblin coffs and you realize youre standing in an acustic shell of sort. A stage? There are several stands where confused humans, elves, goblinoids, dwarves, gnomes and elves sit listening to a goblin orator (before you interrupted him by falling from the sky).

"Excuse me, lads, What nation are you from", he says again and point to the stands adding, "and more important: why are you on stage? Please go take a seat in the stand". He seems upset from being interrupted in whatever he was saying.

[Xanyo]

One of the avatar is a fire elf, sporting long bright-red hair. He is dressed in a set of prismatic clothing that hurts the eyes a little. He looks around for a moment at the old goblin and his audience.

Steven tried to log off and something bad happened, uncertain what. Situation is not under control. Something's gone wrong, an unexpected error. Meta functions are impaired in some way, perhaps. Cannot force exit safely.

We're in an auditorium of sorts, this gobbo was speaking, he doesn't realize or isn't phased by the fact that we fell out of the sky.

He looks the old goblin in the eyes for a moment, then says one word.

"Magic."

With that he whirls around and steps off the stage into the crowd.

[roll0]

[kjelfalconer]

He wants to panic. He was pretty sure he should be panicking right now. After all, being trapped in a game on a random stage with a group of complete strangers has to be a panic situation, right?

And yet, he wasn't. He feels completely calm. He can feel the panic, sat there, bubbling beneath the surface, but something was smothering it, stopping it taking form. Which in itself should probably be pretty panic inducing, but that was an issue he'd have to leave for another time. For now, best to focus on the angry goblin (Why was he so sure it was a goblin?)
"Apologies," he replies, and quickly smothers the surprise at the sound of his own voice. "It looks like our teleport spell went a little awry."

He hops down from the stage in a single fluid motion, and tilts his head to tell the others to follow suit. If he was going to have to work things out, better to not have an audience.


Listen for the gm's hidden stuff: [roll0]

Spot on the area, just to see if there's anything of note: [roll1]
Likewise with sense motive: [roll2]

[Tjallen]

Being very upset about this recent development 'Shiver' decides to just ride it out and attempt to play his character as true to it's intent as possible.
He lifts a finger and points at the goblin:
"You should respect your betters, goblin." he says as he casts a spell at the goblin.

No way to start a game is as good as throwing spells around at random goblins, as true at high as at low levels.
Casting flesh to ice at the nice goblin, DC 26 fort save or be turned into ice.

[Chimaera]

@Skyler East: something isnt right. What just happened to Stevens wasnt planned and no matter if GM James says thigns are under control they clearly arent. You need to think and being in the middle of a stage wont help.

"Magic? Sure", the goblin says as you excuse yourself and jump out of the way and dissapears on the crowd.

@Drelkyios: your heart beat against your chest hard and harder, pretty much as if a caged bird was trying to escape from its golden cage. But then... You take a deep breath and put it at ease: panic wont help. Nor will James' muffled question to his assistant.

"Is the kid really dead? Send a medical team there right away"

This game just got a lot more dangerous so you take the fire elfs cue and excuse yourself and blame it on the d100 from the Teleport spell's table. You eye the distance and see this village is made out of six large white structures, each with different architecture and style, surrounding this stage. The whole place seems to be located on the center of a grassy hill and mountains can be seen to east and to northeast, with that gigantic silver peak piercing the sky.

"A misshap? Well, those arent unheard, of course", the goblin says and you can see his mood improves a little bit, "It can happens to even the most seasoned wizard", he says before looking at kukris and armor, "Although you dont look like one. But who am I to judge from appearences alone, right? Please take a..."

@Shiver: who is this goblin? You have no idea, but his tone was uncalled for. Better to teach him a lesson as you weave your hand as bring a powerful tranmsutation spell to turn the goblin into a popsicle. However as you were mid way casting it, you feel a weird sensation: some anxiety take over you and for a moment time seen to comes to a halt and the sensation of dire punishment can be felt by you.

Something seems off as you feel immediate danger if you pursue this kind of action.
Please decide if you'll keep the course of action and roll a Spellcraft check. The results will be given after you decide however, as will the scene unfold after that decision is made.

Regardless of what you do, the spell slot is lost.

[Tjallen]

They made a block to avoid killing important NPCs... Maybe all friendly NPCs? Useful. With these thoughts the elf let's the spell dissipate and steps off of the stage, affecting and air of haughtiness.

Spellcraft! [roll0]

[In4Dimensions]

Slightly late to the partypun intended, a human bard falls out of the sky and lands among the group. Sorry about being late; I had a few issues with character gen. He turns to face the goblin. I apologize for the actions of my teammate. I promise I mean you no harm.

Gotta present a strong face. Don’t show the fear. Everything’s going to be OK.


[roll0]

[Chimaera]

@Drelkyios: "... a seat", the goblin finish his sentence as cool breeze blow and make him shiver.

@Shiver: so could this be an important NPC with plot armor? If yes, it sucks. Why allow evil character if you cant murder a whole race, one goblin at time? But then you look around and see an almost celestial aura around this small village: the End to Strife spell. Maybe notnplot armor, but definitly too much pain and trouble for a single old goblin.

Meh. You just jump out of the stage as the goblin is left staring at you and many others also frown at you.

"You dont bring your superiority complex to Alliance, young man", the goblin says as you leave, "This is neutral ground and I'll make sure King Archibald will pay for your disrespect".

Shiver takes -1 on Cha-based checks with citizens of Alliance. You can work your reputation back by doing things that please the city and its inhabitants.

He probably would keep speaking if the one with lag didnt arrived and started to sweet talk him.

@Markus: the game just started and someone is already at the NPCs throats? Thankfully you're quick to act and avoid any major damage.

"Just...", the goblin shrugs, "Just take a seat and have your friend back on leash. For Maglubyiet's sake: this is neutral grounds. Alliance was build just for that", he says and shoo everyone to the stands.

@Party: once everyone is out the stage the goblin drink a sip of water and old a talking stick, "As I was saying: the war is upon us! King Archibald promise war after his daughter went missing. The halflings went quiet and wont leave their sacred valley nor will them help. Rhyne's taxes went as high that it became plain highway robbery and those who plan to travel the Stoneshower Pass: it's actually highway robbery".

He pauses, "It is at time like this that we were promised heroes from far away lands! The profecy speak that when a great Evil emerge that threaten to destroy everything, heroes would fall from heavens, but so far only a moron and his friends fell from the sky".

He glare at Shiver, "Unless this war is somehow halted, Mundus will be dragged to an age of bloodshed and all that we so hardly fought for will be for naught".

What happens next is everyone trying to talk at the same time, which enfuriates more the goblin who raise the talking stick.
"Be quiet! I'm holding it!", he says and shake the stick like some crazy man, "I dont believe in such tales, but I do believe in Pafika's words. I think it's time we hire an adventurer party to speak with the titan on our behalf", he says and everyone get silent.

"That's suicidal".

"I dont think any realm will let go of their elites to do this with the menace of war so present".

"The last party never returned and that goliath warrior seemed very powerful".

People keep discussing and will probably remain discussing for hours to come. As far as you gather, one realm is threatening to wage war after the kidnaping of the heir princess and the political conjuncture is weakened by several minor events. You also notice that the majority of people here are old, with the younger ones being around 35 years old (human age) and that no weapons (other than your own) can be seen, unless you consider the crooked stick the goblin hold as one.

@Shiver: without much to do, you look at the six structures around the stage and you can see each seems to have a diferent architecture and each hold a different symbol.

Roll a Knowledge (architecture and engineering)

[Kevinho]

Kevin is wordless, after all it's too much information to process at same. He's just overwhelmed with the informations got so far.

"Something is dead wrong here. The stakes are real now, if I die here, I may be dead in real life... On the other hand, if this is now my reality, it's like I can actually cast spells and could be a real hero...". Thoughts are bumping on his head.

After landed, he looks to the goblin and can't say much "Sorry, my bad." and steps out of the stage.

After observing the scene that developed he starting talking with his comrades.

"Well guys, I don't know if that's real or if they are just trolling us, but for all matters this is our new reality and we are playing hardcore... Also, I think we are the heroes they are waiting for, so I think we should say something."

Kevin keeps thinking and try to understands the big picture. "If this is real, I can just hope they fix this problem... For now I think I'll have to play like this is my only life"

Listen Check DC 20: [roll0]

[Xenopax]

Bael had kept quiet for most of the time. He now speaks to his comrades.
*Who do we kill?*

[Tjallen]

At the rather grim question asked by his new companion Shiver offers up an answer as if everything is very simple and he has all the answers: "Anyone standing in our way, primarily the prime evil, secondly, the goblins."

At least they are going all in for realism. I am still going to kill the damn goblin though.

[roll0] Metagaming roll!

[Xanyo]

Skyler had moved to a less populated part of the audience, trying to avoid notice. His bright flashy clothing didn't help with that. He had his hand "casually" at his mouth, trying to hide his muttering.

"What's going on out there?" he hisses, "Be straight with me, damn it. What's gone wrong? What's wrong with the standard disconnect sequence? Software problem, or hardware?"

I have spontaneously decided that Skyler was on the team that designed the digital-neural interface; the thing that takes input from the body and gives it output while keeping the automatic bodily functions running. I've got an explanation for why finishing the game may be safe.

[In4Dimensions]

Markus bows respectfully. Is there anything we can do to help your current plight?

I’m changing Markus’s speech color b/c it’s too close to Shiver’s

[Chimaera]

@Kevin: for a moment you ponder if this is plain trolling or not. Maybe the fat guy was paid to do this whole scene, but he dont seem to be the ind of guy who would accept money instead of a thrilling RPG adventure. You excuse yourself out of stage and listen to the old guys speaking about war and titans and heroes of legends.

Taking a seat you look at the rest and speak your mind: a trick or not, you have to focus on this game and his being the first scene of the game, it probably is some intro of the game's story. Maybe you're supposed to deal with this coming war? Whatever it is, maybe it would be best if you guys speak up.

@Bael: quietly following the others, you eye the many old people gathered in this stage and look to Shivers, which seems to be the one that looks like a kindred spirit of yours. Who should you start slaughtering first? There are many but all dusty and old and feeble. Might not even be an actual warm up to massacre them all.

@Shivers: looking to Bael, you advice and point the priority of killing. They're just NPCs, data, 0s and 1s. Sadly, not XP since this game use some milestones progress for level up.

But enough for talk as your attention is picked by the six buildings: each with a different architecture style and symbol:

One is clearly elven, with pointy features and several plant and leaf patterns alongside the beams and windows. It's symbol is that of a silver timber;
Another is a sturdy construction made out of rocks and with several angry looking dwarven statues serving as beams. Its symbol is that of a hammer and anvil;
The smallest one is a crude and ugly thing, looking more like a tent than a building at all, several spears surround it forming a crude palisade. It have a wolf with an ugly face as its symbol;
A miniature white palace surrounded by a flowered garden. its symbol is a a smiling sun;
One of them is a ziggurat made with golden-colored bricks and with a few suspended gardens. Its symbol is a stylized crowned spear;
And the last one of them is a weird house with several furnaces blowing black smoke from them and with a great clockwork timepiece as its symbol.

From what you recall there was seven cities you managed to see during your fall and looking around you can see there are dwarves, elves, goblins, gnomes, halflings and humans. So who are the seventh, since this small village clearly wasnt one you saw from the sky?

@Skyler: desperaton start to strike you as you try to contact GM James to now what was wrong? Was it a software or hardware problem? If it was a hardware problem, how long will these capsules be able to sustain your body before it start dying? And if it was a software problem... Who tempered with it? Could it be a virus or maybe sabotage? But, try as you might, the line is dead and no one answer your questions.

@Markus: heeding Kevin's advice, you bow to the goblin on the stage and interrupt him further as he look mad at you.

"If there is something you can do to help?", he shout, "Stop interrupting me would be a gr...", but once again the goblin is interrupted, as an elven woman answer you.

"Are you adventurer's by any chance?", she ask and make a sign for the goblin to be quiet, "You came here with Teleport spell gone wrong and you do have those fancy clothes adventures like to wear", she motions with her hand to Skyler's colorful robes, "If affirmative, maybe you can actually help us".

She climb the stage and ask the goblin for the talking stick, which he gives with a growl and jump down, giving up on his speech.

"We of the diplomatical city of Alliance are currently facing some troubles that threaten the peace of the land", she start and this time no one else interrupt her, "Each of the Six Kingdoms are under some kind of hardship and some are threatening war. Our last envoys seeked advice from the titan Pafika, the Guardian of Infinity Peak", t the mention of this peak, everyone look to the unearthly tall and slender silver peak at distance, "But none returned and it have been a few months already. If this crisis situation remain soon enough our people will start killing each other and then all we worked will go to waste".

"If you believe you can help us, I have both a great task and reward for each of you: bring peace to the Six Realms by having each ruler sign the Treaty of Peace and then bring it back here for us to sign and you'll be rewarded with the Key of the Realms. Use whatever you can to convince them to drop this war topic and if possible refrain from using violence", she says and look at each of you, "It would also be good if you manage to find the former envoy party and also seek the wisdom of the titan".

The elven lady then make a hand gesture and the quarterstaff on her hand turn into silver dust and is carried by the wind, flying your way and materializing on your hands. For once, everyone stop bickering and arguing to listen to your words.

[Xenopax]

Bael says to the party
Gobbos pissing me off.

Bael attempts to sweep the Goblin off it's feet.
Trip attempt: [roll0]
Even if I get that warning, i'm going through with it.

[Chimaera]

@Bael: enough of this nonsense! You want action! And this goblin is stupid and was bold enough to call you morons.

Ignoring the elven lady's plea and the mystical warning of dire punishment, you bring the goblin down hard as the old fart fall on its back with strondous noise.

"HEY!", he says as you trip him, but all you can hear is the sound of bells. Many many bells. It is a surge of golden light that surrounds you and burn flesh and bone alike.

Bael takes 83 lethal and untyped damage (no save).

Bael is also considered an enemy to Alliance, taking -1 on Cha-based checks in Alliance.

"What in Baator is wrong with you? I already warnned you: Alliance is neutral ground, you stupid!", the goblin then start struggling to get up.

@Party: with clear sign of hostilities, the old men and women start booing to you.

"Put a leash on your friend or get out of here, troublemakers!", one mid age human shout to you
The elven lady just frown as she keep looking at Markus.

"Stopping hostility is also something you can do to help with our plight", she says before looking to Shivers and Bael, "This city believes in peace and that all who walks these lands are equal. We have no room for warmongers or those who believe themselves superior to others".

[Kevinho]

Kevin looks as the scene develops.

"Seriously?! They want to fight anything that moves and they are MY teammates... Am I supposed to work with them through a crysis situation like that? I don't think they bought what the developers told us.... Maybe they aren't trying to kill everything that moves, maybe they're just anxious to fight already. That would make a lot more sense." These thoughts calms him down.

Then Kevin steps up and says: "Please, don't put us on the same boat, not all of us are irrationals and seeking for fights" Kevin looks at Bael with a disapproval look.

"Let me introduce myself, I'm Kevin Nye'Ven, favored of Magavus, the God of Life, Death and Magic. Today I woke and had received a messege from Magavus itself, he told me that I was going to be put on test, and I didn't understood it 'til now." he stops a little and look to his other comrades for a brief moment, and then look at the elven woman before he starts talking again.

"As a loyal servant of Magavus, I'll prove my worth and help you. You can count on me for that job!"

[kjelfalconer]

"And some of us who are eager for a fight would rather save it for the enemy," agreed Liam, stretching, and slightly surprised by how easily the words had slid from his mouth. Not only due to the novel lack of social anxiety, but also because, until he'd said it, he hadn't realised he was eager to fight.

But he was. Now he actually thought about it, he was practically itching for it - just thinking about it was getting his blood pumping in a way nothing in his normal life did. He stretched, taking a moment to enjoy just how good it felt, as the motion rippled through his muscles. (Muscles. Also a not unpleasant new sensation. If he'd known this was how it felt to be ripped, he'd have hit the gym years ago.)

"Still, if you need outside help to get a treaty signed, that must mean there are groups lobbying for war. With that in mind, would a declaration of peace truly mean anything? Mere paper won't stop an aggressor sworn to steel." An aggressor sworn to steel? Since when did he talk like that? What the hell even was an aggressor anyway? "But you have my blades regardless." A small grin formed on his lips. "I could never refuse such a challenge."

Again, it was disconcerting. Consciously, it was news to him that he felt that way, but now he did stop to think about it it felt... right. Obvious, even. Had he always been like that? He didn't remember being, but suddenly he didn't feel as sure.

[Xanyo]

Skyler returns to the group proper, annoyance on his face.

"No response to my, ah," he hesitates, looking at the NPCs, then finds his words, "My Commune. We're high and dry, and with no easy way back. There's an, um, a sort of dimensional trap? Yeah a trap, that'll fry us if we try to, um, Teleport back. I think. I'm pretty sure there's an, um, alternate route. That we can access by completing the quest, um, that we Divined about. Have you found that quest yet? We need to accept it."

He stumbles over his words, eyes darting between the group and the NPCs, as he tries to sufficiently obsuficate the language of his explanation of the situation.

[Tjallen]

"Yes, yes, we are here to save the world. Surely anyone desperate enough to ally with greenskins will sweep any 'accidents' that might happen under the rug. Get to your bickering so we can be off to actually doing something when you inevitable declines to give us any help at all. I am sure you will be shocked and offended when some of us remembers down the line." Shiver sounds very annoyed with the whole gathering.

Ugh, I told James I wanted goblin minions, why did he have to make them be on the boring team and civilized. Kobolds, maybe? He thinks to himself, looking very elvishly peeved.

[Chimaera]

@Kevin: so this is how its going to be? Or are they just testing the system theyre trapped in? Oh well, taking the role as a party face, you ask forgiveness and made some deity of your own: Magavus, god of life, death and magic, and the mention of such deity ake some stop and discuss.

"Magavus?", the elven lady ask making some effort to recollect which kind of god it might be, "I've never hard of such god before. Death and Magic are Wee Jas portfolio, but the Ruby Lady doesnt claim powers over Life. Tell me, Mr. Nye'Ven: from what lands do you and your allies hail from? The last group said it was German and one even called his home Starbucks", she says and look more seriously to you and the party, "Do you also hail from Starbucks?"

Weird. The AI are capable of keeping memory of what was told to them? And you have never heard of another party playtesting this game. Hmmm...

@Liam: still enamorating this new found power and body, you speak your mind and the elven lady look to you.
"A treaty is no mere paper. If all rulers sign it, we'll restore peace and yes. There are some among the nations of Mundus that want the peace to be gone".

"Since it seems you arent around this world, let me explain it to you", she says and cast a simple illusion spell, weaving several lights into an illusory landscape. The veryy same you watched as you fell from the sky.

"There are Six Realms, each ruled by one of the main races of Mundus. Flowershire of the halflings", she says and point to a point in the entrance of a valley in the west part of the world, "The jolly halflings have lived in their sacred valley from centuries now and refuse to leave it, but ever since the gnomes of Rhyne raised taxes for those wanting to ship products through the ghost river they're endangered of starving and so promises to resume the Rhyne Conflicts are being discussed. Add in that Duchess Elizabeth have no much love for the Grandmasters of Rhyne ever since her father Belast died under mysterious circunstances".

She then point to a city in the very center of the map, with a small chain of mountains on its back and a pearly lake on its front, "The City of Rhyne, named after the ghost river Rhyne and lair of gnomes. They're a crafty folk and have been feeding the nations with more and more weapons as well as assaulting their pockets with ridiculous taxes for anyone who want to cross from west to east or vice-versa. They're ruled by three Grandmasters: Grandmaster Ironspark of Invention, Grandmaster Witchrain of Alchemy and Grandmaster Silverhair of Illusions".

"The goblin tribes of Goblinaria", she point to a point north from Rhyne and past the mountains and into another valley, "They're the most savage of the realms, but after Ink, a spirit shaman, unified goblins, hobgoblins and bugbears all to a single tribe, they have became a lot more civilized", she says and point to the valley they live, "But that doesnt make all of them friendly to outsiders and the Stoneshower Pass is a place of bandits and outlaws and being the only other way from east to west, commerce and even diplomatic envoys find it difficult to cross it".

"So if you want to travel from one side to another you have to be ready to get mugged by either vicious goblins or greedy gnomes", she concludes as some gnomes and goblins protest on the back.

"Now here have Mua of the elves", she points to a great forest at the southeast point of the map, "Which is ruled by the elven prince, Avaniel. Since they lost control of the ghost river, they have to pay absurd taxes to sell their mithril and silk this side of the world. They're also constantly attacked by the Old Green Brood as well as fae. Their queen, may she be with Corellon in his silvan glades, was kidnapped by King Archibald the Mad, ruler of Materia of the humans and self-appointed ruler of the Mundus", at this point many spit on the floor and shout obscenities, "Thirty years ago her niece, the queen Valindra Elmoira was taken as a prisoner and her uncle, Avaniel, became prince and ruler of Mua. After some two years trying to rescue her the news of her death arrived at Mua, who never accepted Avaniel as a king".

"It turned out that the mad king made her give birth to a bastard daughter and she died on labor. Diplomatic approaches to have her remains delivered to be buried in Mua were refused, making both kingdoms wage war over the coming years. A few months ago, princess Cecilia, heir of Materia, was kidnapped and the mad king started threatening to start a world war so that he can find her. He blame the elves as a vengeance for Queen Elmoira".

She taps the western point, "Here is Materia", and then she point at the northeast, "And here is the last of the Six Kingdoms: the Deep Halls of the Dwarves. An ancient and noble kingdom who once held the majority of the Stoneshower Pass and even the fertile lands that now belongs to Materia, they were cursed with terrible beast: Volvagia, the magma dragon. Thanks to this fiery beast, many of the nobility of the dwarves were devoured and they were forced to bring their troops back to their realm, allowing both goblins and humans to take over their lands. Worse still: the underground realms also took their sacred haven, further reducing their power".

"With a dragon on their homeland and duergars and drows on their underground domains, the only way they can restart is to wage war against the land dwellers. Add that to the insults of the mad king and you have several dwarves ready to paint the farmlands red".

She allow you to take a last look at the map before she undo it.

"This is the current scenario we are facing: six warring factions ready to go at each other throats. At this point anything can be the trigger for a war and preventing it is what we ask you".

@Skyler: long introduction and plot explanation as you tell the others about the silence from James, using cryptolanguage to avoid the NPCs to know what it is all about. But now at least you got a greater picture of what this quest is about.

@Shivers: at the mention of accidents, the elven lady sighs, "Yes. We are aware that conflict and violence cant be completely removed and that some might have to die for the land to avoid more deaths. All transgressions you made here will be forgiven and if you manage to bring peace to the land I'm sure the Six Realms will forgive of any crime. But dont overdo it, else you might never achieve the peace and forgiveness".

@Party: once again everyone get quiet and wait for your input.

[In4Dimensions]

So, what should we do first? And where should we go? I think I speak for all of us when I say that none of us want this war. Markus addresses the elven lady, while shooting quick, annoyed glances at Skyler and Bael.

[Kevinho]

"Yes, we don't want this war to happen." agrees with Markus. "I'll be helping, Marcus will be helping and I think all of us are going to help you to avoid this war to happe" says Kevin to the elven lady.

"About this other group you mentioned, from Starbucks, could you tell us a little more about them? When was the last time you saw them? Where did they go? Were they trying to stop the war too?" Kevin really don't get what's happening, this group is either alpha testers or another beta testers that were testing this game before them, but if that's the case, maybe they already knew it wouldn't be able to bring us back to reality. "How may people were in that group? Do you think we can find them alive?"

Kevin thinks that maybe he could ressurect someone and that would mean more help to finnish the quest, I mean, this quest is really important, Kevin can't take risks to die, but he has to...

[Tjallen]

Shiver nods: "I think we might disagree on how best to end the war, but peace is desirable."
He then listens to the information about the earlier group from Starbucks, PvP was not part of the original deal.

[Chimaera]

@Shiver and Markus: trapped inside this game it doesnt take much to realize that a planar-scale war wouldnt be something you want to get caught in the middle of. But where to start? There are six realms and many things to fix. How to fix them? That's where you disagree... For Shiver it's easy: kill all nations and there wont be any warmongers left.

"Where to start and how to deal with it I'll leave to you", the elven ambassador says taking out a golden ring and a scrollcase from her purse, "These two will help you and needing rest or information, we'll gladly offer it to you".

She then look at both of you and hand Markus with the item, clearly not trusing them to Markus.


https://i.pinimg.com/originals/13/b0/6c/13b06c3a9d7d06a366a1cd9407de9722.jpg

"Whoever wears this ring will be considered Alliance's envoy. If your actions turn out to be too different from our views, the ring's power will fade, so I ask which one of you want to wear it?"

Whoever wear this ring gain a +2 bonus on Cha-based checks. No one with enemity with Alliance can have this ring. Once per day the wearer an use a standart action (mental) to create a Mass Sanctuary spell effect (DC based on your character level and Charisma) that affect all humanoids within 50ft.

Should your actions become too far from Alliance's view, the ring's powers are gone.

Also, whoever carry it can speak in name of Alliance and will (possibily) be welcomed to the Six Kingdoms.

"The scrollcase carry six peace documents: one for each nation. It also have a map of Mundus", she says and then look to Kevin.

I'll have to fix one thing or two of the map (as stated in Discord, but for now this will help you).

https://i.imgur.com/9mKtRlV.png

@Kevin: the elven look at you, but the goblin is the one to interrupt her this time.


https://pre00.deviantart.net/802c/th/pre/i/2014/054/f/c/old_goblin_paint_by_twinimation-d77sm6z.jpg

"Bah! Those bastards came here pretty much the same way you did. They were five: three guys and two girls. They called themselves something like Devil Team and they left to the Infinite Peak to commune with the titan Pafika, they took a ring like the one Andrea gave you and left never to return. It was... Three full moons ago, I think".

"I'm Klirt, by the way. The goblin elder of Alliance and she's Andrea, the elven elder", he look around, "The other elders are busy in their own meetings around Alliance".

He then look at Andrea and grumble something as he leave, "But enough of me, I'm starving. Andrea can answer any questions you have".

[kjelfalconer]

"By my count the task is less daunting that it would first appear," he said, in a smooth, slightly husky voice that Liam was sure he'd never get tired of hearing. "In truth, our targets number three, four at most. The Dwarves, humans, and gnomes." He trailed off. It all seemed so obvious to him, but... why? He was acting like a leader, but that just meant if something went wrong, if he was wrong, then it'd be his fault if something went wrong, his fault if the others got hurt or worse, his fault if-

He blinked, unsure why he stopped talking. The sooner he briefed his team, the sooner they could get going. "The humans and gnomes are the aggressors in this mess. If the two of them can be brought into line, then the elves and halflings will have no reason remaining to fight. And the dwarves are unique in that their quarrel is not with any of the other races, but with a third party. For this reason, we should seek out the dwarves first. Our victory there should be contigent only on our strength of arms, and having a leader on side will strengthen our position in negotiations with the others."

Liam was completely certain im his analysis - that he might be wrong hadn't even crossed his mind.

[Xenopax]

Bael says to his team,
"Must we aid the Elves and Halflings? HFY and all that. What have they done for any of us IC or OOC. I know that they have never been friends to my race and even IRL I despised them. The Humans will be the winners. If this was built by normal fantasy standards then the Dwarves will not ally themselves with the Elves against the Gnomes because they are kin. The Elves will not ally themselves with My Kin and our cousins because of their hate for us. Humanity has none of these prejudices and hate. With Gnomish Machinery, Dwarven gear and Humanities hordes they will destroy the Elves and the Halflings. That is what they get for being weak. So tell me. What reason do we have to aid those who cannot help themselves?"
Bael's elf hate is obvious on his avatars face.

[Tjallen]

Shiver looks at Bael with uncomprehending confusion: "The elves are usually the ones with all the magic lore and my spellbook is woefully starved. And the magic items. And getting to scowl at the elves and remind them who had to save their bacon. Ooh, and taking the stuff of anyone resembling enemies. And I cannot stress this enough, I need more spellbooks."

[Xenopax]

While I would love to scowl at elves and berate them, at what cost? The Elves are not known for their kindness to their enemies. Any spells you want can be taken out of their libraries after the War is won or when we have some free time. Either you have to pay for them or you can get them for free. We can take Magic Gear off those who die in battle. I doubt they'd give us their best ones. They probably have them hidden somewhere as a last resort. If we can make them use it then we can take it off them.

[Chimaera]

@Bael and Shiver: as you discuss about the nations and where to get started, even goijg as far as discussing IC and OOC stuff, but atbthe mentioning of racial enemies and humans, one of the old men interrupt you.

"Pardon me", he says and look at each of you, "I overheard your discussion and I felt like I should correct you on one thing: I have no if Humans are pacifist in Starbucks, but here they're major racists and xenophobes".

A better look at him show he's a human himself, "There are even some of your kind imprisoned on the Imperial Zoo", he says looking to Bael, "And the queen of your race was slaved and went through hell in the hands of the Mad King", he says now looking to Shiver.

"So I dont see how my people is free of prejudice and hate".

[Tjallen]

Shiver shakes his head slightly, an amused smile on his lips: "An imperial zoo? Hilarious. I guess this is truly grey and grey morality at work. So let's go with just helping the goblins get rid of some of those bandits. We might even meet some of diplomat Klirt's family and bring them his regards. Might swing by the dwarves, that was the same direction, no?"

[Kevinho]

"Thanks for the answers" says Kevin before the Goblin goes away.

"Devil team? It seems pretty obvious that they are developers team, and they didn't reset the game before they leave, IF they've left here. Which means that maybe if we find them they could know something about our problem"

"Guys, I think we should head north and helps those in the way. which means goblins, and then head to the dwarves, they have their own problem and are not really related to this war, so they could definetly help us if we help them.

And by the way, if we're going to represent Alliance we should avoid the war at all costs, and not kill one or more entire race just because 'if no one is alive, they can't make war'. That's just stupid"

[Chimaera]

@Kevin: Could the "Devil Team" be actually "Dev Team"? As in developers? Food for thought...

@Party: you sit and discuss for a little while until there is no doubt where to start: heading north and helping goblins, problably leading to dwarves from there.

Bidding Alliance farewell, you start marching towards north, leaving the hilly landscape of Alliance and its many vineyards behind and slowly moving towards a large forest which can be seen at the horizon after a whole day marching (which thankfully seems to move way faster than you would expect for an actual march, as you can see an icon of "Overland Movement" in your sight).

The night begins to fall when you hear several howlings coming from the woods, probably some wild wolves are hunting tonight. Maybe looking for dinner.

Checking the map once more, you see you are one day and half away from Goblinaria and standing in the middle of nowhere: grassy plains all around you with not a single tree for cover nor anything. You could, of course, keep pressing forward and enter the woods still tonight, but that might take some toll on your avatar's body and put you closer to those howling beasts. So what to do?

Moving the game forward since you guys voted already.

You left Alliance around 10 AM and are currently at 18 AM (a standart 8 hour march).
Goblinaria is now at 12 more hours marching, which means one day and half more of marching unless you keep moving at the risk of getting fatigued (a sucessful Fort save each hour - with increasing DC - should prevent fatigue though). Right now you're standing in open plains, under a dusk sky.

Also, I need to kno who'll wear the ring given (whoever do can see that it carry a [Quest Item] tag).

[Tjallen]

Looking around Shiver complains mildly before launching into actual conversation: "Damn traveling is dull, I sure as hell hope this isn't in real time. I got all my spells 'cept for one, so we can continue on for a while. Oh, and I am Shiver by the way, I will be acting as support caster most of the time. CC and all that. What do you guys bring to the table?"

[Xanyo]

Skyler drifts down closer to the group, having put up his daily buffs.

"Nice flight mechanics," he comments, "I've got a mix of a bit of utility and some attack. Magic, of course. I'm also not hopeless in a mundane fight, but I'd rather not find myself in that situation.

You're role playing your character, yeah? What are you kinda aiming for?"

[Kevinho]

Kevin introduces himself after his comrades have started intoducing themselves.

"I'm Kevin, I'm not too creative with names, you know? I'm a divine caster and melee combatent, I can ressurect and heal also I can deliver some damage in melee, like a gish but divine"

"I could keep on going, but I don't think it's a very smart idea, we can force our marche tomorrow and get by goblinaria at the end of the day"

[kjelfalconer]

"Then it would appear the front line is mine to hold. Drelkyios," he added, with a nod. His eyes scanned the horizon, though he'd more or less gotten used to how unnaturally sharp his vision was by this point. "As for our sleeping arrangements, I see nothing up ahead of note.
Here is as good a place as any, and I for one have little intention of fighting at anything but my best."

[Tjallen]

Shiver nods at Skyler, before answering in a much less arrogant tone: "Roleplaying is sorta the point, no? And as my name gives away I aim to make the world shiver, with antici-pation. But for short term goals it's pretty easy: I got really lazy with gear so I hope the for some fun drops to fill all these item slots with. Making camp sounds reasonable, I unfortunately have that whole 8 hours of sleep and an hour of meditation thing going. Vancian casting sure is a strange choice for this kind of RPG, but I guess that's the point of beta testing." Shiver shrugs.

[Chimaera]

@Party: camping in the middle of the woods make some of you err on the side of caution: if there are beasts or bandits there, you would be fighting in their territory. And in the dark.

No. Better to camp in the middle of nowhere. Sure: anything coming your way would spot you, but the contrary is true as well as any attacker would have a hard time trying to sneak past you.

And so, you make your camp and install your tents and sleeping bags (thankfully the game gave each both camping instruments and lessons, as there isnt much place to camp back IRL, with all those toxic wastes and metropolis everywhere).

Sitting around the campfire you introduce each other, with some being more talky than others. Maybe theyre still waiting for the "Bazinga!" from GM James or maybe thry have their own problems to think about. Eventually everyone go to sleep, with the melees taking watch of what would be an eventless evening.

Your dreams are either troubled ones or good ones, some dreaming of home and others dreaming of being forever trapped in this realm, much like the Dungeon and Dragons old animation (where is that old wizard in red cloak when you need him?)

Day 2
The sun shine bright and quick enough warm up your sleeping bags to the point of disconfort, making everyone wake up, as the Shiver start reading and selecting spells from his spellbook, Kevin pray to some made out deity and Skyler meditate. So it falls on Bael, Drelkyios and Markus to set up breakfast and undo campment.

Once the casters are ready, you resume your travel, casting your default buffs and entering the howling woods. The place is creepy and you fell happy you didnt cross it at night.

After three hours walk, you approach a bridge crossing a rather turbulent river, but one too small to show in the map you have. Standing in the middle of the bridge, you can see three green, ugly and big trolls.

"Travellers!", one of them point out as the other two smirk and laugh. One even fart from excitment.

"Those who want pass me bridge, must pay the toll to the trolls", one of them states as each one of them draw big and poorly made weapons, "Orders from the Wolf Mistress: three hundread gold for each head", the one with a greataxe say, "Those who dont want to pay can leave their heads here though", the one with greatsword adds, as the last one just laugh while holding a maul.

"You are six, so it is...", the axe one says and start making mental calculation, "2300 gold pieces total".

[Xanyo]

Skyler drifts down next to Shiver and whispers softly.

"Got any acid? That greatsword one's a war troll. Fire's no good on him."

He then looks towards the group of idiots trolls and addresses them.

"I think you and I must be using different number bases, because three hundred multiplied by six is one thousand eight hundred. Anyway, we don't exactly need your bridge to cross anyway. Got any other reasons to pay you other than dull weaponry?"

[Chimaera]

@Skyler: you quick point out the math error to the troll, as the two lesser ones have a hard time checking the math, as the war troll laughs.

"Sure, 1800 is the cost", he says each take a step closer, "And you're already on our bridge, so you either pay in gp or in hp".

This one seems very menacing and intent on robbing you. Thankfully theyre still relatively far (90ft) from you.

[Xanyo]

Looking at the trolls, Skyler is aware that he ought to watch his words. Well, he'll watch them. Watch them as they slap the trolls.

"Ah, ah," he waves a finger at them, "I am not on your bridge. I am six inches above it. And I think I'll make that two hundred forty inches."

He rises upward as he corrects the trolls once more. He knows he really ought to shut up, but he really doesn't want to.

[Tjallen]

Shiver shakes his head minutely at the inquiry from Skyler. Drifting a bit back from the violence Justice that is sure to follow shortly.

[Chimaera]

@Skyler: Dumb troll (dumbier if he thinks you'll pay any damn tribute through empty threats such as weapons, oversized as they may be.

Surprise Round

"Let's make that six feet under, then", he says as you start raising and two green shadows fall from the trees around you and a single slice can be felt on your neck as you smell blood and feel a sharp pain.

6 damage plus 14 sneak attack.
You must make a Fort save DC 14 or die and a Fort save DC 21 or take [roll0] Con damage due poison.

You feel the cut and soon enough feel lot of blood spray out of your neck and next time you see is the ground coming closer and the screen becoming gray. A message appears on your sight:


Game Over
Please wait ressurection or disconect from game.

How could a single troll manage to instakill you so easyly?

@Shiver: you watch the scene unfold slowly as one of your spells trigger, enhancing your senses and initiative, as the second shadow fall close to you, aiming to rip your heart as well.

Nerveskitter

But although you have that magic ring AND the spell, the RNG probably rolled too bad for you, as you have not enough time to escape this poisonous claw attack.

7 damage plus 14 sneak attack.
You must make a Fort save DC 14 or die and a Fort save DC 21 or take [roll1] Con damage due poison.

Round 1
@Party: what the hell was that? Troll ninjas assassins? Whoever developed the game probably thought that vanilla trolls would be too easy for a ECL 12 party apparently, which is... Great. Time to do some real testing in this game!

But the excitment dissapears as Skyler East drop head first dead in the ground. These guys are serious!

The war troll burst in laughter as the talky Skyler fall dead on the road and take a potion from his belt and chug it down before taking a step ahead, his skin turning into living wood. "Last party managed to slay us, for a few hours of course", he says and hurl the empty flask into the river, "Let's see how well you fare against us. Better than him, probably", he says pointing to the dead player.

Raising the sword he shout, "Brothers! Attack!", but the two trolls beside him just laugh and miss the time window to charge.

War troll
Drelkyios, Markus, Bael
???

Note on Initiative: those bolded can act and theiur actions take course at the posting order. Once they act the rest of initiative is revealed.

[Xanyo]

"Da-"

Skyler doesn't finish his cursing at the game's critical failure mechanics before drifting lifelessly to the ground.



What a boring game over screen. They needed to work on that. Well, for now Skyler would try to figure out exactly what's wrong with the disconnect. Probably some error of some sort in the Disconnect class, which is extended by all the log off sequences except for the end game one, which was made separately for cool sensory effects.

[kjelfalconer]

In those first seconds, as the surprise threatened to knock the air out of his lungs, instinct stepped in, and took over completely. There was no indication. One mpment his eyes were blue, and the next they were gold, without anyone able to pinpoint the moment. Everything about him seemed sharper, more vicious, more feral, even though it was hard to say that anything had changed at all.

His mind went blank. Not the kind of blank born of fear, a blankness of paralzing chains formed of oncoming headlights. No, this was an emptiness born of freedom, of shedding all the unneeded weight that held him back. Nothing existed but the fight. He was claws, and he had his pack, and prey. Hunt. Fight. Kill. They weren't even words at this point, just a subconcious need.

A heartbeat later, his blades were flashing almost too fast for the eye to follow.

B = 0 (Blood in the water stacks)

Shift as a free action.
Use dancing mongoose as a swift action, then full attack.

[roll0]+B to hit. [roll1]+B to confirm.
[roll2]+B[1] slashing damage.
[roll3]+B[1] bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll4]+B[1] to hit. [roll5]+B[1] to confirm.
[roll6]+B[1] slashing damage.
[roll7]+B[1] bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll8]+B[1] to hit. [roll9]+B[1] to confirm.
[roll10]+B[1] slashing damage.
[roll11]+B[1] bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll12]+B[1] to hit. [roll13]+B[1] to confirm.
[roll14]+B[2] slashing damage.
[roll15]+B[2] bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll16]+B[2] to hit. [roll17]+B[2] to confirm.
[roll18]+B[3] slashing damage.
[roll19]+B[3] bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll20]+B[3] to hit. [roll21]+B[3] to confirm.
[roll22]+B[3] slashing damage.
[roll23]+B[3] bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll24]+B[3] to hit. [roll25]+B[3] to confirm.
[roll26]+B[3] slashing damage.
[roll27]+B[3] bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll28]+B[3] to hit. [roll29]+B[3] to confirm.
[roll30]+B[3] slashing damage.
[roll31]+B[3] bonus slashing damage if a crit.

Each hit causes a dc 16 fort save, or they take an extra 1d4 damage, and I heal that amount (as temp hp if full)

[In4Dimensions]

As Markus pondered the idea of a preemptive strike against the trolls, two more trolls burst out of the trees, blades slicing. He saw Skyler drop in front of his eyes, and he cursed himself for not carrying a scroll or something to revive him with. Composingpun intended himself, he shuffled away from the troll that killed Skyler, and sent a tune of death and despair towards the three trolls on the bridge.

5-foot step towards the bridge, then cast Fugue, with its 30-foot radius centered on what would be either K -1 or K -2 (depending on whether you count K 0 to be a space). This puts the trolls right on the edge, but still within, the area. They must make DC 20 Will saves. Failing means nasty things happen on their turn, succeeding means a -2 penalty to attacks and checks while within the area of effect.

For each troll that fails its save, i make a Perform check on the start of its turn. The result determines what happens to the troll. I’ll just roll in the OoC when/if I have to.

[Xenopax]

Grrrreat. We could have just paid the toll and left but noo we had to act uppity and now Skyler's dead. Whatever.

Bael makes a strike at Whichever Ogre is closer. He initiates the Elder Mountain Hammer.

Is it safe to assume I'm already in a combat stance? If so, I'm in Thicket of Blades.
[roll0]: Attack
[roll1]: Weapon Damage
[roll2]: GMH

[Chimaera]

@Drelkyios: the world turn into a blur as you feel the capsule your body is resting pump adrenaline into your system as your avatar start to hack and slash with primal fury.

The troll, resilient as it is, drop after the fifth cut as you look at the one who killed Skyler and, jumping over your dead ally's body, hack at it, but wounded as it is the troll ninja remain alive. Maybe it leveled after killing a 12th Psion?

@Markus: while you were thinking how to surprise the trolls, two of them sprout out of nowhere and do your work. Slaying an ally as well.

Dammit, time to test these guys mental defenses, as you play song of utter hopelessness at the ones in the bridge, affecting both of the lesser ones as their leader, the infamous war troll, shrug off your magic, laughing at your attempt. Worse yet: his nature seems to try to block your spell completely!

Please state your caster level for Fugue.

He saved against the spell and might as well ignore it all due SR.

"I guess I'll have you for breakfast", he dare taunt you, ready to charge you and your friends.

@Bael: damn ogres! Or trolls or whatever! Big bully brutes that know nothing but violence. Why fight when you can talk your way out of this situation? It's not like you can lose time with a random encounter: you have a genocide to promote!

Oh, screw it. They wanted to speak in Violence, you'll show how fluent you are in it, as you move to the cut troll and attack it with the weight of a mountain.

It's a hit, as the troll feel the impact and almost drop. But these giants are very resilient and this one keep his footing, ready to kill yet another PC.

Will wait for the result of Tjallen's post before posting for the Forest Troll (which is alive and kicking, clawing and biting).

If it wasnt a save or die I would gladly roll to quicken things, but this being one I'll just wait.

[Tjallen]

Shiver shrugs off the stab, very happy that he had his defensive spells up and running. As he sees everyone else springing into action he mutters something that sounds suspiciously like cursing out RNGesus. Oh right, alter fortune. Damn panic cast. At least the graphics are good.

[Chimaera]

@Party: the wounded troll smiles as he watch Skyler's dead body. With a single syllable, he vanish from sight just to reappear a couple of seconds later beside your favored soul.

@Kevin: the damn troll became invisible and went for the throat! The first claw get you by surprise, but thanks to your armor it fails to harm you, much for his displeasure.

The second claw you manage to duck away from and when he try biting you you just raise your armored arm and you're pretty sure he broke a teeth against it.

The troll insult your mother in Giant and raise his defenses ready for retaliation.

War Troll
Bael, Markus and Drelkyios
Forest Troll
Shiver, Kevin and Skyler
Standart Trolls

[Tjallen]

Looking at the trolls, Shiver decides they are in need of tentacles. That and he always wanted to see how the spell interacted with people. He flies into the air, potentially doing that whole provoking attack thing, but who cares, tentacle time.

As he flies up into the air Shiver starts casting the spell and as he finishes dozens upon dozens of tentacles covered in white-blue flames spread out covering much of the bridge.

Flying up in the air Shiver casts a cold daltim's fiery tentacles. Each of the trolls need to make a grapple check against [roll0] or take [roll1] damage and [roll2] cold damage. If they make the save they can move through the tentacles at half speed and make a dc 26 reflex to half the 12, the d6 does not have a save.

[Kevinho]

Kevin watches as the scene unfolds and seeing Shiver dropping dead from the sky hitting the ground right by his side.

"I guess it's time to see how this ressurection mechanic works in here."


Kevin moves to J22 (provoking AoO) and cast revivify on Skyler, reviving him at -1 without any penalties

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: you look at the trolls on the bridge and decide its tentacle time as several ones made of pure ice spring around them and grapple both of the regular trolls, which have been rendered dazed by Markus' earlier spell. They're hurt, yes, but far from being down. Their leader, however, manage to break the tentacles around him with ease.

@Kevin: ah damn, they killed Skyler! Those bastards! You forgot the first rule when dealing with assassin as walk away from the assassin as he take the opportunity to stab your back!

5 damage plus Poison DC 21 or take [roll0] Constitution damage.

Reminder: the damage in the spoiler dont take in consideration any resistance or DR. Apply those when needed.

It hurt, but not much, as your adamantine armor protect you from most of it.

Reaching for Skyler, your take a handful of diamond dust and cast a powerful spell as his soul is grappled and hurled back to its body before leaving further away. As a player you cant help but question who'll pay for it?

@Skyler: the gray screen suddenly flash in golden and turn black as a red counter appear in your sight.


-1 and stable

Good, you're back to the land of living, but will need some more help to get back to consciousness.

@Party: the regular trolls finally get to act... But not. Markus' earlier spell take hold as both of them remain dazed as Shiver's tentacles strangle them and keep them in check. They do regenerate some of their damage though.


Round 2

@Party: the war troll chieftain look at all of you and start walking away from the icy tentacles fields, hacking at any tentacle that try to get a hold of him.

"Pretty parlor tricks wont keep you alive, mage", he says leave the area and get closer to the party, his body starting to get blurred. Just how did he do it?

All attacks against him have 20% miss chance.

Miss chance will be always LOW: roll a d% and on a reult lower than the miss chance its a miss.

War Troll
Bael, Drelkyios, Markus
Forest Troll
Kevin, Shiver, Skyler
Regular Trolls

[In4Dimensions]

Well, “petty parlor tricks” sure aren’t helping your friends over there... Markus snaps in retort, as he concentrates on the spell he has cast, swirling the music around to fill one of the trolls with rage.

Just concentrate on Fugue.

[Xenopax]

Bael grunts as he sends another swing at the Same Troll he attacked earlier. His eyes are red with anger. He thinks to himself,
Emotions? Nice! They got those working.

Mountain Hammer with power Attack -1
[roll0]: Attack
[roll1]: Weapon Damage
[roll2]: Mountain Hammer

[Chimaera]

@Bael: younketbthe orchish artificial anger flow over you as you swing the hammer once again against the poor troll cant evade it and you're pretty sure yoi can hear something cracking inside the troll as this one fall lifeless on the ground.

War Troll
Bael, Drelkyios, Kevin, Shiver, Markus, Skyker
Average Trolls

[Tjallen]

Looking bored with the whole thing Shiver points at the wartroll and goes: "Just lay down and die already" as he shoots a ray of enfeeblement at it.

[roll0] 20< to beat blur [roll1] touch to hit [roll2] to beat spell resistance for [roll3] strength penalty.

[roll4] for grapple tentacles for [roll5] damage plus [roll6] extra cold damage.

[kjelfalconer]

The troll was never going to make it to the group. Not if Drelkyios had anything to say about it. One moment he was next to everyone, and the next he was already laying into the advancing war troll, a rush of air the only real sign of his passing.



B = 3 (Blood in the water stacks)

Pouncing charge as a full round action, then a swift action to refresh my maneuvers.

[roll0]+B to hit. [roll1]+B to confirm.
B becomes 4
[roll2]+B slashing damage.
[roll3]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll4]+B to hit. [roll5]+B to confirm.
[roll6]+B slashing damage.
[roll7]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll8]+B to hit. [roll9]+B to confirm.
[roll10]+B slashing damage.
[roll11]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll12]+B to hit. [roll13]+B to confirm.
[roll14]+B slashing damage.
[roll15]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll16]+B to hit. [roll17]+B to confirm.
[roll18]+B slashing damage.
[roll19]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll20]+B to hit. [roll21]+B to confirm.
[roll22]+B slashing damage.
[roll23]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

Each hit causes a dc 16 fort save, or they take an extra 1d4 damage, and I heal that amount (as temp hp if full)

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: petty trolls! Why dont they just surrender and let you kill them peacefully?

You point your index at him as purplish energy crackle and concentrate into a ray that weaken the troll, bypassing all his protections.

"I'll enjoy tearing you limb by limb, mage", he says with a pained smile.

@Drelkyios: enough of this, time to see what this mini-boss is made of. Still in feral frenzy you leap all the distance between you and the giant, aiming your kukri expertly at his throat as he leaves himself very open for your attack and...

Oh, the pain! Just as you attacked him he took the opportunity to counterattack! Worse yet, weakened or not, the strength behind his blow is absurd!

After the first attack (which failed to confirm being critical), he strike you for 23 damage. You're also dazed for one round, making all following attacks moot.

Note: to quicken things I rolled your Fort save (total 21).

@Party: seems like Drelkyios bit more that he can chew this time! The attack did manage to hurt the troll slightly, but now Drelkyios is at the war troll's mercy! What to do?

War Troll
Bael, Drelkyios, Markus, Skyler, Shiver, Kevin
Average trolls


Note that if Skyler is brought to positives he'll be able to act this round.

[Chimaera]

@Kevin: its a long moment of hesitation as you finally get on the move.

Reaching out again at Skyker's chest, you utter a prayer to Magavus as the psion's body glow with holy power and renewed vigor.

Heal 120 hit points and remove any poison you may have.

@Skyler: you feel a warmth inside you as a golden light remove the darkness from unconsciousness.

You're prone on the road and watch as the one who took you down is dead, with onky their chief in position to fight. Damn... Being taken down so easyly will probably have the others make fun of you. Better show them what you're really up to!

War Troll
Bael, Drelkyios, Kevin, Markus, Shiver, Skyler
Average Trolls

[Xanyo]

Skyler snaps his eyes open with a hiss of frustration. A transparent membrane forms on his skin as he complains.

"Remind me to tell James to fix the crit fail mechanics."

Skyler concentrates for a moment, then the vanishes in a flash of blue light accompanied by a sharp hum. He reappears 500' past the war troll, standing.
Standard: Vigor for 12 pp, granting 60 temp hp to me and my psicrystal for 12 minutes.
Move: Overchannel +1 Psionic Dimension Door augmented to move action, total 13 pp, I take [roll0] damage.

[Chimaera]

@Skyler: not really interested in staying into close combat, you teleport as far as you can, making sure the troll is nothing but a pixel away from you.

Just in case, you also grant yourself with a much needed boost to stamina.

@Party: the troll brothers remain grappled by the chilly tentacles and so are prevented from bashing each other heads. They keep regenerating the damage suffered, but the tentacles keep squeezing the life out of them, so eventually they'll drop unconscious.

Round 3

@Party: with only their boss being able to actually pose a threat, you get ready to finally take down this bandit: it's a 1v5 (1v6 if you consider the now far away Skyler), so it shouldnt be very hard, right?

"See? Your allies are already abandoning you", he shouts and laughs as the cut on his throat seals compeltely!

This troll is completely unharmed again. He then look at the dazed Drelkyios at his mercy, "Time for you to pay what you did to my little brothers there", he says before starting to hack and slash at him.

@Drelkyios: the war troll raise his greatsword and bring it down at your shoulder, trying to cut you in half!

39 damage

The second attack is just as brutal, as keep intent on having you dead for having hurt him. Even if only slightly.

38 damage

He then stab you once more, but this time at your chest.

21 damage

And not yet satisfied with the pain he just inflicted you, he approach his face to yours and bite half your cheek off!

4 damage

How can this monster hit so hard and be so tanky? Damn war troll OPness. At least now you arent dazed anymore.

"Come on little man", he taunts you, his stance the same as before, "Show me what you got?"

Now that you're aware of this:

Attacks against the war troll gains a +4 on attack roll and deal +4 damage.

Note: the ones you made before gained this bonus, but you werent aware of the retaliation. Now that you do, you can add the bonus yourself.

Also, for each attack you make to him, roll a Fort save DC 22 or be dazed for 1 round (IF he manage to hit the AoO, of course).

War Troll
Bael, Drelkyios, Kevjn, Markus, Skyler, Shiver
Average Trolls

[Tjallen]

"Look what I found, magic." Shiver says as he points at the troll, a lance of light forming and spearing towards it.

Lucent lance
[roll0] to hit. If it hits blind for 1 round and dazzled for 12. This part is not negated by spell resistance.

[roll1] for spell resistance for [roll2] damage.

[Xanyo]

"Hey moss skin!" Skyler yells at the top of his lungs as he rises up at a sixty degree angle and drifting towards the fight fifteen feet, "You said we can pay in hp, right?"

His eyes start to shed light of a variety of colors. He raises one prismatic fabric clad arm towards the troll.

"I've got your down payment for you!"

A ball of flame erupts from behind the troll, far enough back to avoid hitting his ally while still engulfing the arrogant bastard.

Overchannel +2 ML Chaotic Surge Empowered(spending my crystal's focus, cuz I think I lost mine upon unconsciousness) Energy Ball: Fire. Spending 14 pp. Base damage is 12d6+12, with the roll being [roll0]
Then apply Chaotic Surge. 1-25 is normal damage. 26-50 is -50%(which would negate Empowered). 51-75 is +50%, making it a total of double damage. 76-100 is maximized. The damage roll will still be used for Empowered. [roll1]
I'll do the math in a moment.

Bugger. Chaotic failed. Total 55 fire damage, Ref DC 25 for half.

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: so this guys is no big fan of magic? Good. Time to show him some more pretty tricks.

Channeling the light from the sunlight that penetrate the forest into a lance of pure light, you hurl it at high speed and right into his face, causing the big brute to growl and get blinded.

"Damn you, flying man! Once I get to you I'll feast on your heart!", he says swinging his sword around after a few moment of confusion just to calm down put his big nose to good use.

@Skyler: safely from the distance you let the chaos inside you to grow and grow until it cant be confined in your body anymore, as a rainbow explosion burst from your hands and incinerate the trolls standing on the bridge. The ones grappled have no chance against it, as they're turned into crisp.

The war troll get the full blast of it but, as proven before, he's very resistant to pain.

"And them you're next!", he shouts. "Whoever did it".

War Troll
Bael, Drelkyios, Markus, Kevin, Shiver, Skyler

[Tjallen]

"That was me too, I am quite good at magic." Shiver calls down to the troll.

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: "Then I will just kill twice!", the war troll growls, showering Drelkyios with spittle.

[Kevinho]

"Well, if everyone is ok, I guess it's time for me to jump in the action too!"

Kevin buffs himself with a divine power and get closer to the troll.

Kevin casts Divine Power on himself and moves closer to the troll.

HP: 118/120
AC: 24
Spells

0: 6/6
1: 8/8
2: 8/8
3: 8/8
4: 5/7
5: 4/6
6: 4/4

[kjelfalconer]

His ears still ringing, Drelkyios shook his head to clear the lingering fog, even as he launched back into his very rudely interrupted assault.


B = 3 (Blood in the water stacks)

Full attack, then a swift action to refresh my maneuvers. (Since I couldnt last turn)

[roll0]+B to hit. [roll1]+B to confirm.
[roll2]+B slashing damage.
[roll3]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll4]+B to hit. [roll5]+B to confirm.
[roll6]+B slashing damage.
[roll7]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll8]+B to hit. [roll9]+B to confirm.
[roll10]+B slashing damage.
[roll11]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll12]+B to hit. [roll13]+B to confirm.
[roll14]+B slashing damage.
[roll15]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll16]+B to hit. [roll17]+B to confirm.
[roll18]+B slashing damage.
[roll19]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll20]+B to hit. [roll21]+B to confirm.
[roll22]+B slashing damage.
[roll23]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

Each hit causes a dc 16 fort save, or they take an extra 1d4 damage, and I heal that amount (as temp hp if full)

Also none of those numbers include any circumstance modifiers, like from him being blind. I'm tired and refuse to change the numbers.

[In4Dimensions]

Markus, seeing that the trolls on the bridge are down, pulls out his shortsword, mutters a quick spell, and runs towards the troll, with his blade slicing the air.

Swift Action: Bladeweave. For 10 rounds, one enemy I hit with a melee attack must make a DC 18 Will save or be dazed for 1 round.

Full-round action: charge, ending at L14. -2 AC for 1 round.
Attack (with +2 from charge): [roll0] (against FF AC because the troll is blind)
Damage: [roll1]
On a hit, the troll is dazed for 1 round unless he beats a DC 18 Will save.

[In4Dimensions]

Bael, sewing the trolls on the bridge being dropped, smiles viciously. A few seconds later, he is hacking at the war troll’s throat.

Full-round: charge
Attack: [roll0] against FF AC.
Damage: [roll1]


After his attack, he yells at Drelkyos to get his act together.
Use WRT on Drelkyos.

[kjelfalconer]

Spurred on mostly by frustration, he continues the assault.


B = 3 (Blood in the water stacks)

Dancing mongoose as a swift, then full attack.

[roll0]+B to hit. [roll1]+B to confirm.
[roll2]+B slashing damage.
[roll3]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll4]+B to hit. [roll5]+B to confirm.
B become 4
[roll6]+B slashing damage.
[roll7]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll8]+B to hit. [roll9]+B to confirm.
B becomes 5
[roll10]+B slashing damage.
[roll11]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll12]+B to hit. [roll13]+B to confirm.
[roll14]+B slashing damage.
[roll15]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll16]+B to hit. [roll17]+B to confirm.
[roll18]+B slashing damage.
[roll19]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll20]+B to hit. [roll21]+B to confirm.
[roll22]+B slashing damage.
[roll23]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll24]+B to hit. [roll25]+B to confirm.
[roll26]+B slashing damage.
[roll27]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

[roll28]+B to hit. [roll29]+B to confirm.
[roll30]+B slashing damage.
[roll31]+B bonus slashing damage if a crit.

Each hit causes a dc 16 fort save, or they take an extra 1d4 damage, and I heal that amount (as temp hp if full)

Also none of those numbers include any circumstance modifiers, like from him being blind. I'm tired and refuse to change the numbers.

[kjelfalconer]

d5s, 1s miss. Only rolling twice for the first turn, since most of those were clear misses.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]
[roll8]
[roll9]

[Chimaera]

@Kevin: the frontliners need some help and since no one is dead yet, you decide to grant yourself some blessing and advance to the melee: this troll proved to be a strong enemy, but can he actually take on the effort of you all together?

@Markus: you enchant your weapon with a dazing effect and advance for the troll, who utterly ignore your spell. Could it be it cannot be dazed by the beautiful aspect of your weapon if he's blind? Or could it have been his spell resistance? Oh well, at least you hit him.

@Party: with the war troll weakened and blinded, you gang up on him and start attacking him from all directions, as the troll's resistance manage to keep him alive until the very end.

"Is that all you got?", he says, spitting green blood and grinning with a bloodied set of tooth.

But then Bael look to Drelkios and order him around.

"C'mon! No time to catch your breath: you got a troll to slay!"

And just like that, the feral warrior jump yet again at the troll, his rage invigorated.
What follows is several precise cut aimed to the troll's throat, as it finally is severed from the body, which now falls flat on the bridge.

@Bael: seeing the head rolling on the ground, you pick it up from the dirty hair and rise to meet its gaze.
Weird enough, even with the head cut off, it still seem to have some glint of life in its eyes, as very slowly the throat start to regrow.

If left this way, this bandit will eventually grow a new body and keep terrorizing this forest. So what to do? Fire wont kill it, neither will blades.

[Xanyo]

Skyler flies back to the group. Floating above them, he surveys the bodies.

"Chuck 'em all in the river. They still need air, turns out. Loot 'em first, of course. See if there's anything good."

Having said that, he rises up further and keeps watch.

[Tjallen]

"If they still need air, they are pretty dead without lungs. But let's continue on, see if it is still growing in an hour or so and if it is we can deal with it." With that said Shiver continues on towards their shared goals: The dwarves.

[Kevinho]

"I think we should just bury him, I mean, even if he gets a new body he'll be trapped under the ground and will be buried alive, or we separate the body and the head and see if both of them starts to regen and form two trolls... Although, they don't give exp... maybe just throw in the river or something like that is okay"

[Tjallen]

Shaking his head, Shiver offers an opinion: "If he doesn't die from lack of lungs, neither water nor earth will do much. And as long as we loot them first it doesn't really matter, just don't spend too much time on it. We got dwarves to help and brigands to 'arrest' after all."

[Xenopax]

I have an idea. Anyone have a Lamp or something else enclosed?

[Chimaera]

@Party: after killing the trolls, you start to argue on what to do with the corpse of the troll.

Some just want to get rid of it and stop the delaying, some want to experience and see how the regeneration works and some simply doesnt care.

While you keep yourself busy though you realize that slowly the troll's head lose any glimpse of light in its eye: no lungs, no breathing. Death by suffocation.

Looking at the beheaded corpse, same result: no way to breath, death for suffocation as well. Experiment concluded. Which is sad for Bael, who was expecting all kind of things to happen.

But nothing of that happen. Oh well, time to loot them.

The regular trolls each carried a Large sized weapon: one carried a heavy hammer and another carried greataxe. Sadly, none were magical, althought nhey were top quality made.

The assassin forest trolls fought with their claws and bite, carrying no weapon at all. One did had a wand on its crude leather belt: an oaken wand with a saphire grasped by a dragon's claw made of silver.


https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f7/ff/8e/f7ff8e35b4ac5347b79372dee357cf15.jpg

The war troll however had a few interesting items. Sadly, they're also Large sized, but at least you can sell them. He carried a nasty looking greatsword (magical in nature) and a masterwork composite longbow, but this thing is so reinforced that only a giant would be able to use it properly. His armor was a magical mithral chainshirt.

@Skyler and Shiver: Weird. No coins nor goods? But these guys are bandits, so maybe they had an hideout somewhere? You two decide to look around and manage to track some heavy steps on the side of the bridge and find a secret cave just behind it. There you can see some bodies (mainly goblins), some half-eaten, five piles of dirty fur which they probably used for beds and a pile of gold and gems!

One of the goblin's corpses carry an ebon unholy symbol of some deity: a dark goblin head with fiery eyes, which both recognize as being the unholy symbol of Maglubyiet, the god of goblins and hobgoblins, also known as Fiery-Eyes or High Chieftain. He's a War deity.


https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/forgottenrealms/images/c/cb/Maglubiyet.gif/revision/latest?cb=20070211005614

It also had a jade cameo with the photo of three goblin children, a magic pair of bracers and a magic wand.


https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fireemblem/images/e/eb/Warp_Staff_%28Artwork%29.png/revision/latest?cb=20150612122303

3400 gp
a sapphire
2 aquamarines
a jade cameo with goblin family picture
an ebon unholy symbol of Maglubyiet
a magical wand
a magical wand
a magical Large mithal chainshirt
a magical Large greatsword
a masterwork Large heavy hammer
a masterwork Large greataxe
a masterwork Large composte longbow (Str +10)

After you're done pillaging the trolls, you start hearing howlings around. Maybe the blood from the battle drawed the attention of some ferocious beasts?

[Tjallen]

Shiver quickly evaluates the situation and suggests a course of action, which he starts following himself: "I can identify the stuff tomorrow, didn't prepare four castings of identify. Kevin, you used some components for the resurrection, right? You should take the value of those out of the loot before we divide them tomorrow. Let's continue on, if anyone got a knack for scouting please do so."

[Xanyo]

"I can scout pretty well. I'll fly out front and make sure our way is clear. Split up the loot however you figure."

With that, Skyler ascends to a safe height in front of the group and begins scouting.
I have +20 Spot.

[Chimaera]

@Shiver and Skyler: you pick the loot and decide now isnt the time to divide it and spur the party away from the bridges and the famine wolves.

The woods goes on and on and at everal times the road get too muddy or too overgrown so that your speed is, at times, hindered, making the trip that would take 8 hours take even more.

Failed.
During your trips, you eventually got lost and took some time to get back on the right trails. The fact you've never been here and that the map you have is out-dated doesnt help.

3 more hours of travel was added.

@Skyler: during the whole time you were scouting uop ahead, you could see wolves stalking the party. Even after the 8 hours march end, you can still see some are lingering and trailing you. Weird enough, they didnt attacked when you got lost nor when you were in difficult terrains. What are they up to?

@Party: the times goes and you're still stuck in the forest. It's 5 AM in game, but your avatars are already on their limit: any more hour marching risk you getting fatigued, but with wolves on your wake what should you do? Sun will set in one hour and you're 3 hours away from the exit of the forest.

To rest or not to rest?

[Kevinho]

Kevin is a little upset that he couldn't get in melee combat yet, but I guess it's his own fault for getting a support character as his main role. Considering this game seems to be very long, he doesn't bother much, he'll have his time to hack and slash.


"I can identify the stuff tomorrow, didn't prepare four castings of identify. Kevin, you used some components for the resurrection, right? You should take the value of those out of the loot before we divide them tomorrow. Let's continue on, if anyone got a knack for scouting please do so."

"Thanks, Shiver, it's very thoughtful of you to say that" and he takes 1k gold that he'll then need to turn into diamonds.

"One more thing. I don't know how easy it'll be to get more diamonds. I have a decent amount of diamonds, but we'll need more in the future, for ressurection and true ressurrection. It's just something to think about for the future."

After a lot of walking and marching, the group seems to get stuck in the woods. There are wolves lurking around. It's decision time.

"Guys, I don't know about those wolves. Maybe we should stay here, I mean, unless they are some sort of guardians of the woods, they'll attack us anyway, so better not be fatigued.

One more thing, does anyone need healing? I didn't take much damage last fight and I won't bother healing myself, but if anyone needs, it's better to say now before we get attacked"

Kevin was feeling very calm, even though there are wolves around, I mean, Kevin didn't use to be brave IRL, but here, he seems like he can be much more than he actually is. Healing power and the power of attack seems to be in handy when dealing with danger. No danger seems to scare him anymore. He doesn't care about the problem in the log out option anymore, he's just too excited to go forward in the game that he really doesn't care if he gets stuck for one or two years.

[Xanyo]

Skyler pauses his slow walking, having landed some hours prior.

"That heal earlier took me to full, so I'm good on that note. My morning buffs have worn off though. If we do end up in a fight, I'll be grounded and about fifty percent more fragile than usual.

As for logistically, I spent a little under a third of my power with the trolls. Chances are that traveling through the night won't be a problem in terms of power economics for me, but in terms of physical... well, I was on the neural-digital interface team. Disassociation isn't easy."

[Xenopax]

Let's make camp here. Wolves will attack anyway. I'll take first watch.

[Chimaera]

@Party: not wanting to trying your luck and risk getting lost (again) in the dark woods, you decide to camp in a clearing. By coincidence or not, the howling intensify as everyone hit the pillow, leaving Bael alone to watch over you.

The howlings make sleeping hard but eventually you'll drift into Morpheus' arms and manage to get some rest, although some have more restless dreams than others.

@Bael: you're the first watch, which makes Drelkyios the second one. Probably.
Thanks to your orc darkvision, you manage to see several times bushes moving close to the camp. Wolves. Gripping your guisarme you remain en garde as the wolves keep playing around, circling the camp but never venturing in. Hours go by and soon you start to feel drowsy, but shake the sleep away.

Close to the end of your watch, a deformed wolf enter the clearing. It have goblin facial features and clawed hands.
He sniff the hair and make eye contact with you, grinning maliciously before turning away and leaving.

Eventually you wake Drelkyios, warn him about the wolves and go get some rest yourself.

@Drelkyios: the second watch sucks, but nothing out of ordinary happens. Eventually even the wolves seem to tire and leave you guys alone. Uneventful watch, great.


DAY 3

@Shiver: you're playing the game when you realize something: you had an appointment with your mom today! You get up and ignore the forest and the wolves, sneaking away from the camp as Drelkyios would probably just stop you. Once he is away, you dash through the woods, checking your watch every now and then. Just 10 more minutes, damn. You'll never reach her if you keep running on your legs!


https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSYDexeQ4hMt6QuzPzaZO4b7tRnhNyYG cr4vySo-8syLj1UmkBd

You try casting Overland Flight, but you prepared a single one only.

5 minutes! Damn, the forest is left behind as you trace your way back through the road.

3 minutes! I'm late, I'm late! You can already see the buildings and the local sunday market close to your house. Just a couple more blocks.

1 minute! Yo'ure running out of breath and can already see it. Godammit, if you hadnt been playing all day you wouldnt lose your schedule.

50s. 40s. 30s. Your legs hurt, your lungs are on fire.

20s. 10s. 5s. Each step you take is a pain and seen to make your house become further instead of closer. Craaaap!

Roll a Wisdom check.

@Party: you wake up from your rest and see that the morning greet you with fine rain. Of them all, Shiver is the only one who didnt woke up after being called and he seem to be having an agitated dream.

The rain eventually ruin your campfire and you feel that hateful sensation of wet socks. How did they made such thing in this game? The augmented reality they used is years ahead of everything you ever saw. You start breaking your fast with hard bread and a few fruits you started with. Looking at your starting food, you realize there isnt much: each was given 3 days worth of ration only, this being the last piece. Thankfully you can reach Goblinaria in 4 hours and buy something there. Or maybe even try and hunt some wolves or other game.

Once you finish eating, you realize Shiver is still asleep. Lazy mage will take an hour to prepare his spells and he didnt even started!

[Xanyo]

Skyler shakes Shiver's shoulder to rouse him, somewhat complaining and groaning as he does so.
"I told them they probably ought to program a pain dampener for sensual inputs over a certain threshold, but nooooo, that would break the immersion they said."
He tries to cover himself with his fancy looking magical cloak.
"When they said they wanted full immersion, I didn't think they meant it literally."

[Tjallen]

I forgot! It's Tuesday! I need to get the meat to simmer else my niece won't get to eat before bedtime! Stupid damn everything being so slow!

Using black to not be confused with Shiver.
[roll0]

[Chimaera]

@Skyler: damn lazy guy. Or maybe the guys went too far with the whole immersion thing. But this is a DnD game! You cant have some fellow sleeping for 12 hours!

And so you go.and shake the icy mage as he open his eyes and look straight at you: "I'm ******* late!"

@Shiver: you rush towards your house when you see a pair of hands holding you by the shoulders. They just sprouted from thin hair and grappled you!

Damn, you're late! You like 3 seconds to do something or else...

You have a single action before you wake up. Your house is 100ft away and you're being grappled by stupid strong hands.

[Tjallen]

Shouting at the top of his lungs: "Get the **** off of me you gingerloving creepsters!" He casts greater dimension door to get to the house, nobody interrupts family time with their nonsense.

[Chimaera]

@Party: you all are interrupted from whatever you were doing when Shiver jump to standing position, grabbing Skyler by the arms and shouting: "I've no time for your foolishness! I'm late!"

And before any can do anything he teleport out of sight. What the hell? Where did the mage go? Have he lost his mind?

One thing is certain though: he couldnt be too far, since he only cast Greater Dimension Door. But what direction he went to?

@Shiver: using one of your spells you teleport inside your home. Just. In. Time.

The air smells like lavanda: your mother problably came up earlier and decided to make some cleaning as she always do. "How can you live in such a messy place? Havent I taught you nothing?", she would more likely say.

However, instead of the midage curly haired lady known as Mom, you watch a rabbit with red robes and white fur looking at a golden clock.

"You're actually right on time", he says in a mix of happiness and doubt, "Great! Here, take this clock, so that you never be late again".

Rabbit Clock
It's a carried item that grants +2 luck bonus on Initiative

He then look at other clock and get desperate.
"Oh my! Oh my! I'm late! Late for another important bussiness! Have to go!".

And just like that a hole appear on the ground and it jumo down, disappearing as you watch the hole slowly closing and the house slowly starting to fade away and turning into some woods. Maybe this was just a dream? But it's too vivid for a dream...

[Tjallen]

"What the hell just happened?" Shiver mutters to himself as he looks around the woods, suddenly finding the dream logic fading and leaving him with a sense of pure confusion, before looking at the clock in his hand, the arms moving much too quickly to count something as simple as time.

Remembering the whole wolf-hunting-us thing Shiver starts looking for the rest of the party.

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: you watch the rabbit hole vanishing and leaving behind just tree trunk. The house is gone as are the buildings around, all of them replaced by large trees and bushes.

You check yourself and see that youre still on pajamas and that your haversack as well.as everything that you werent wearing are on the camp.

That included your spellbook and your last day worth of ration. Speaking of which... You start to feel hungry.

Focusing on your Greater Dimension Door buff, you know it have three rounds left, which might mean you spend the last nine rounds dream dimension walking, which also means the party is far far away.

Your spells werent refreshed, but the ones you didnt cast are still there. A lone mage, spellbookless, buffless in a forest with wolves: today is going to be greeeeeat!

You start hiking around, looking for any trails, but the whole DD thing make it impossible to follow back your steps.

So how to proceed from here?

What will you do? What will be your approach?

Also, roll a Survival check and a Con check.

[Xanyo]

Hissing with frustration, Skyler turns to the others.

"He seems to be hallucinating. Find him and try to talk or, if need be, smack some sense into him. That spell replaces his movement with a fifty-five foot teleport. Don't waste any resources more expensive than, say, Protection from Alignment. I don't have any convenient magical ways of fixing this. I mean, I could cast Correspond, but that'll take ten uninterrupted minutes."

Having said that, he rises into the air, searching for Shiver.

"And somebody grab his stuff!"

[In4Dimensions]

“I have no location spells. The only way I could help is by burning the forest down, but I feel like that would be a bad idea.” Markus says, with a resigned sigh. How should I help?

[Xenopax]

"Well he has to be around here somewhere,"
Bael starts thinking.
"Anyone have any telepathetic Powers/Spells that can link us?"

[Tjallen]

Deciding that a signalfire seems to gauche, Shiver instead summons up a storm of sleet several hundred feet above him. Hopefully the others will see it. Damn rabbit.

Casting sleet storm 200 ft up, a 20ft tall 40ft cylinder of sleet and storm.

[Chimaera]

@Skyler you order everyone and take the skies alongside your psicrystal. Where could that hallucinating mage went to?

Spinning around your axis, you make a 360 degree search when see something out of normal: a great blast of snow make its way through the treeline as some sort of frosty flare. You've find him!

@Shiver: you look up and hope they're looking for you, as you cast a sleet storm, breaking several branches as the snow goes up.

Now all you have to do is to wait and... There is a grinning wolf looking at you.


http://i.imgur.com/d9b6NZB.png

"My, oh my. What made a mage wander around alone in these woods? Brother and sister: we have found lunch".

Two large and almost pre-historic wolves appear from behind bushes, looking at you with hungry eyes.

Shiver
Dire Wolves and Worg

[Xanyo]

Skyler's response to a request for further orders is interrupted as he shouts urgently.

"Spell! That way, quick!"

He points frantically, then vanishes in a flash of light, reappearing a short ways above Shiver's location, having aimed for a bit above the ground directly below the flare's origin.

He quickly takes stock of the portion of the situation that he can observe. Big wolves. Not good.

"Hey! Are any of you bitches? I've been hoping for a chance to use that in correct context. Bitches."

Manifesting unaugmented Psionic Dimension Door.
Knowledge: probably-nature check to see exactly what these wolves are, and which ones are female.
[roll0]
Initiative: [roll1]
Can't act right now, of course.
Height: ~5' above the ground, directly above Shiver.

[Chimaera]

@Skyler: you look at the ground and point the direction for the others, before you focus and some math for distance angle and ...

@Shiver: Poff! Just like that your psion friend appear floating a few feet above your head. Seems like this battle become a lot less dangerous... Or as dangerous as a pair of dire wolves and a worg can be. Truth be said: unless they've got some template or character classes, it wouldnt be such a hard battle: they're at most CR 2 and 3. But the trolls in the brige werent exactly vanilla ones.

@Shiver and Skyler: you watch the wolves and goes as far as taunting them. One of the dire wolves is a bitch actually. But that Shiver already knew, given the worg called them brother and sister. The wolves just growl at the psion, with the worg being the only one who shows anykind of inteligence.

"Oh yes, another one join the table", he says laughing, "I take the others wont miss their two mages".

Dire wolves are big bad wolves that bite and trip their foes.

Worgs are goblin faced magical beast who can speak, are inteligent and mostly evil. They're usually weaker than the dire wolves, but the fact this one seem to be leading them might prove this isnt a vanilla worg.

Skyler, Shiver
Dire Wolves, Worg

@Party: and the psion is gone as well. At least he gave you a direction: go west (and hope live is actually wonderful there).

[Tjallen]

"I am a bit tired, could you just leave, I'll even give you a chance - Shoo." Shiver offers tiredly as he cloaks himself in cold, although by 'a chance' he apparently meant covering them in a cloud of freezing fog that coats everything in ice as well as blocking vision and movement.

Activating Frozen skin, +2 ac, will and cha-based rolls.
Cast freezing fog - Reflex dc 27 or fall prone, dc 10 balance to move, if failed by 5 or more - fall prone. Speed reduced to 5ft, total concealment further out than 5 ft.
And lastly: [roll0] damage, no save.

[Kevinho]

Kevin wakes up a little quiet. He's not used to wake up next to people, he doesn't have much social skills IRL.

After the scene developed and Skyler pointed out the location of the spell cast in mid air, Kevin worries a little "Shiver wented out like he was alucinating or steal dreaming, maybe he has cast this spell as a cry for help or maybe he's confuse yet and is casting random spells... not much time to try to figure out, better just act"

Kevin draws his spiked chain and run [double move] through the woods towards the location pointed out.

"DON'T WORRY, HEALING IS GOING!" shouts Kevin as he runs.

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: you are too pissed off and tired of this weird situation and decide you dont want to bother with these wolves.

You say some magical words and blanket the area in a freezing fog, as all you can hear is that all wolves and the worg fell for your spell.

"Sampeyan wong bodho! Aku arep mangan pangananmu, sampeyan taek!", the worg shout from inside the fog as he get up and fall again.

Sadly, whatever he said was in a language none of you understand. He does however finish with a powerful howl.

The trapped wolves try their best to move out of the area, but this spell is so damn good all they could do was to take a single step. Next round however they'll probably be able to flee the area. If they survive what you have prepared next for them, of course.

ROUND 2

Skyler, Shiver
Worg, Dire Wolves

@Kevin: you listen to Skyler and head straight to the direction you was given, leaving the others behind in inaction (or maybe dumbfound). The overgrown areas slow you down a little bit, but you're not one to give up as you keep heading through the woods.

Due some difficult terrain, it will take a few rounds to reach them.
They're at 880ft away and double moving allow you to advance 30ft each round (considering difficult terrain). If youkeep double moving you'll reach them in 28 or 29 rounds.

If you decide to run (x4 or x3 if in heavy armor), you'll halve (or reduce a little) that time but will lose Dex to AC during the time you run (and might as well need to make some Con check after the first minute of running without resting a minute).

@Remaining Party: you stare as your cleric run for it and your psion teleported away. Your camping stuff is there as are the missing guys' thigns as well. Raising camp will take a few minutes but then, who knows what's going on there, right?

[In4Dimensions]

Markus speaks to the rest of the party. I’ll stay here and watch camp; you guys make sure everyone is OK.

[Kevinho]

Kevin halts after thinking a little bit more.

All the camping is there and the guys know how to protect themselves, it might be a trap for them to get looted.

"I think you're right, I'll stay here to unset camping. I'm too far away to get there and it might be a trap of thieves, or event of the game itself. I'll stay too" says Kevin to Markus. Kevin turns around and go back to camp.

[Xanyo]

Watching from above, Skyler begins to concentrate. His eyes begin to softly glow a light blue, and frost forms in the air by them. He silently traces a figure eight that would envelope them and the wolves separately.

"Chill out, bitches."

Eyes flash, frost cracks. A frigid chill is felt as swirling frost rises from the ground around each group. About the mages, it blows outward. About the wolves, inward.

Wild Surge +2, Chaotic it and expend focus for Empower. Chaotic: [roll0]
Power is Energy Wall: cold.
280' of wall. I'll wrap it around the wolves pointed in, and figure eight it around us pointed out.

[roll1] + 2 cold damage and modified by Chaotic and Empowered. If they pass through, roll it again plus another 14. Fortitude save D.C. 22 for half.

Wall persists as long as I concentrate, plus 14 rounds.

I'll go mark the position of the wall and figure out the mods to the damage.

Edit: Okay, Chaotic and Empowered together result in double the rolled damage, making it 10 initially. Plus the 2. So, 12.

[Tjallen]

Calling into the fog in a more composed and patient voice Shiver attempts to reopen talks: "We can still negotiate, we're going to be hunting down bandits and the like and don't much care for their survival. You can join up and enjoy hunting down the stragglers and doing whatever you want with them."

Charisma check or whichever one seems most reasonable, for whatever it's worth, Shiver is being honest.
[roll0] also cold damage [roll1] and another reflex dc 27 check or fall prone.

[Chimaera]

@Skyler: you raise up several walls of ice and watch as both dire wolves rush through them and around the trees and fog to reach Shiver and bite him... They end biting the dust the moment they cross the second wall around yourselves. Stupid bitches.

@Shiver: you keep your cool and even try to negotiate with the worg: you're not here to kill wolves (they dont even award you XP after all). You hear it trying to speak something before he drops due the slippery sheet of icy in the fog, but he never get up or answer your question.

END OF BATTLE

@Skyler and Shiver: moments goes by until the freezing fog disperse and you watch as every wolf was turned into a popsicle, as this part of the forest have been turned into a fantastic winterland.

A couple minutes later, Kevin reach you: his face red from running and all sweaty from the morning run.

@Kevin: you keep on running and more than once you feel as there are many wolves around you at all time, but none attack you. Just stalk you.

You eventually find a snow covered area with frozen trees and Skyler and Shiver chatting around three dead wolves, all turned to iceblocks. They did it and dont seen to be hurt at all. So no healing needed. Oh well.

@Bael, Drelkyios and Markus: you decide whatever was going on it wasnt your business, as you finish raising the camp and pick up the stuff from the others and wait for them to come your way. It takes several minutes until all three of them return, Kevin looking as the more tired of them and with Shiver not looking like hallucinating at all.

@Party: once you reunite and Shiver have his breakfast, you gather your things and resume your travelling and after 3 hours you finally leave this damned forest, leaving the howlings and stalking wolves behind.

The road quality turn to nonexistent and several spears with wold, human, gnome and even giant heads impaled on them. A crude sign bears the following letters in dried blood:


"Here be Goblins. Scram!"

Seems that you're finally getting closer to Goblinaria. The land slowly begin to turn into rocky hills and the mountains seems to grow around you, with those at north being far greater than the ones to south and that impossible thin peak dwarfing all of them, almost like a needle piercing the skies.

Two hours later you start seeing several huts and tents protected by a crude wall of spears and moats.
Several goblins armed with all sort of weaponry start marchign your way, shouting in a language none of you understand, but sounds like an inquiry of sorts.


https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammerfb/images/a/aa/Night_Goblins.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150605101222

@Markus: you feel the ring in your hand start to get warm and suddenly the words start to make sense for you.

"Who dare invade Goblinaria's lands? Drop your weapons and state your business!"

[Tjallen]

"Apparently nightmares are a bit more real here, so we should potentially be careful abou- Shiver halts in the middle of his explanation as Kevin appears and waves at him. "Hail to you Kevin, as I was telling Skyler here, nightmares are VERY real. But I managed to 'just' lose some sleep. The wildlife is a bit aggressive, but ultimately not very smart, but it does highlight our lack of communications. I will try to pick some spells up if we find some funds for it."

As they spot the goblins Shiver looks amused: "Well, this is going to be fun. Anyone understand this gibberygook?"

[Kevinho]

Kevin stands still as the group of goblins approach.

"We are not a threat. We're going these lands with peace pourposes, we mean no harm." satarts Kevin, speaking in common. Kevin tries to use body language to look he doesn't mean to attack, like putting his own hands up in the air away from his spiked chain. "Do you speak either draconic or common? he says, but now in draconic.

Kevin is really excited to see how this language mechanic works, and this is the time to see for the first time.

Kevin attempts a diplomacy check. By any purpose Kevin is being honest and doesn't inted to betray or attack.

Diplomacy Check: [roll0] in case I roll under 11 in the roll, I'll cast Alter Fortune and the new roll will be [roll1]

[In4Dimensions]

Markus quickly stows his weapons. We come in peace! We travel from Alliance, and we have come to try to stop the wars currently raging in your land. Markus sweats nervously.

[roll0]

[Chimaera]

@Kevin: you try to communicate with the goblins and they just look quizzically at and as you raise your hands in sign of peace some misunderstand it as the beginning of casting a Fireball or worse.

They start marching your way already shouting before Markus intervene.

@Markus: you shout at them and express your intent for peace, but it is the mention of Alliance that make them stop. Apparently they understand what you say, despite you being unable to speak Goblin.

Probably this ring in your hand grants some sort of Tongues as well as boost your charisma skills. Interesting.

@Party: the goblins seems to halt as a big bugbear walk from behind them and approach Markus, an agressive look at his face.


https://i.pinimg.com/736x/67/a1/7d/67a17dc8d80def08c2d4041e0846d315--fantasy-monster-hobgoblin.jpg

"If you come in peace, drop your weapons and walk with me to our Elder", he says taking a look at the Alliance Ring, "And you better behave or we'll have you for dinner. And not as a guest".

[Xenopax]

Bael keeps his weapon sheathed. He doesn't hand it over until the rest of his party hands theirs over. No sense in taking risks. The Bugbear looked like a proper warrior who might be fun to fight. Hopefully they asked for an honor duel or something. He keeps his helmet on so that he remains faceless.

[Xanyo]

Skyler watches from his usual floating position, clasping his hands in front of him. He tries to look harmless, as harmless as one can in clothing that is a pain on the eyes. He looks to Shiver, whom he had decided he was able to communicate with most effectively and efficiently. They shared the Aquan language, right? He wouldn't put it past the goblins to have at least one Common speaker that keeps their mouth shut. Time to try out the language mechanics then.

"Ị ghọtaghị ha, gbanwee? Ndị ụkọchukwu ndị a anaghị adị ka udo. Eche m na Markus na-achịkwa ịkwado, ma ọ gaghị afụ ụfụ ịzụlite atụmatụ ọgụ. Adịghị ama ama. Kedu ebe na / ma ọ bụ akara nchịkwa ị ka nwere? N'ikwu okwu banyere nke a, olee otu ị ga - esi na - agwọ ọrịa? Ịhụ ka ụra gị zuru."
"You don't understand them, correct? These goblins don't exactly seem peaceful. I think Markus is managing to negotiate, but it wouldn't hurt to develop a combat plan. Just in case. What area and/or control spells do you still have? Speaking of which, how are you on spells? Seeing as you lost your rest."

OOC note: google translating into Igbo for Aquan.

[Tjallen]

Having no weapons at all Shiver simply looks bemused at the goblins as Marcus and Kevin tries their best at diplomacy, with varying degrees of success.

As Skyler starts speaking in Aquan his new elven ears twitches at the words. He responds in the same kind of whoosing language, he somehow manage to make the howling of wind sound downright annoyed though:
O doro anya na anaghị m, onye onye ọ bụla na-amanye ihe niile? Atụmatụ agha ahụ ka njọ ma ọ bụ obere ma ọ bụrụ na anyị jupụtara na ya, ma ọ bụrụ na enweghị m ọnụ ụzọ ọzọ dị ukwuu karị na ụyọkọ nke ebe ịgọnahụ. Ma ọ ga-eju gị anya ma ọ bụrụ na esemokwu abụghị ikpe ọnwụ, nke kachasị na ọ ga-egbu mmadụ otu puku. Mmetụta dị njọ mgbe ị na-emeso ọtụtụ ndị agha

"Of course I don't, who the heck picks up goblin of all things? The combat plan is more or less to die horribly if we are swarmed, if not I do have another greater dimension door and a bunch of area denial. But would be very surprised if a confrontation was not a near death sentence, mostly from death of a thousand cuts. Morale is always tricky when dealing with hordes."

[kjelfalconer]

Drelkyios fully intends to surrender his weapons, as he sheathes them. And then he simply... doesn't. All of a sudden disarming himself seems like the stupidest idea known to man, and he simply settles for appearing non threatening.

[Xanyo]

Skyler yields his own weapons. Not like he'd actually use them.

"N'etiti anyị abụọ, anyị nwere ike ibufe onye ọ bụla n'ihe ize ndụ ma ọ bụrụ na ọ dị mkpa."
"Between the two of us, we could probably transport everyone out of danger if necessary."

[Chimaera]

@Bael: you wait to see if the others will give the weapons and watch as Drelkyios give up on giving them, just putting both kukris away but not handng them. Well, if he wont, neither will you as the bugbear stare at both, grunts and take a step toward both.

@Bael and Drelkyios: the bugbear dont seem to enjoy your defiance as he move toward both, his own greatsword menacingly on his hands.

"Only goblin warriors can keep their weapons and you are peacebringers, arent you?", he says, his bad breath hitting both hard in the face, "I hate the kind of you: soft and utopic", he face Bael in the eyes, "Which smell fishy coming from an orc: I can smell your kind from distance, as meself helped many of them to meet Gruumsh".

Since when a goblin know words like 'utopic'?

"If you want to keep your weapons, you'll have a chance later if you join ritual combat, but for now: hand them and be ready to use them", several goblins shout things and bring spears and sickles and daggers closer to you as several goblins swarm you.

@Skyler and Shiver: both of you keep communicating in the primordial tongue of Elemental Water, discussing what would be a better plan if things turned south and a combat isnt avoidable. The goblins try to eavesdrop your discussion but they're clearly not trained in Common, let alone Aquan.

One however does engage in Aquan with all of you: an elder blue goblin.


https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/rythiae/images/a/ae/Blue.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20141028100927

"Ma n'ebe a, echere m na ị bịara n'udo, ma lee, anụrụ m ka ị na-atụle atụmatụ ndị agha. o yiri ka ndị okenye Alliance aghọkwuola ihe ...", he struggle for the last word, adding in Common, "Smart".

"And here I thought you came in peace, but behold, I hear you discussing combat plans. it seems that Alliance's elders became more ..."

@Kevin and Markus: seems that no matter how hard you try diplomatical approach, as long as the others dont follow along your words are mostly wind. As you watch the warrior being surrounded by many goblins and an elder goblin discussing with the casters in a weird language that sounds like sea breeze.

@Party: the elder goblin look at the bugbear and the many goblins gathered there.
"I grow tired of this world and its political schemes. I foresaw the coming of these outsiders, so let them pass, as I wish to speak with them", he then look at the bugbear, "Srok: I trust you can initiate these two warriors in goblin tradition, since they seem too fond of their weapons. Make it quick as I also foresaw death is coming my way".

He then look at Drelkyios and Bael, "You can of course refuse the challenge and give your weapons: we respect Alliance's neutrality, even though you hide in honeyed words", he shot a glance to Skyler, "But be ready to be judged by Magglubyiet if you accept though".

The old goblin point to a blue tent, "The rest of you can come with me and speak these matters of peace you came for. Allegedly".

[Xanyo]

Skyler alights on the ground and bows to the elder.

"Mkpesa, okenye. Ayi enwewo ihe ojoo nke ihe ndi ozo di ndu ma obu ndi ozo di omimi nke anyi zutere. Mbụ trolls, mgbe ahụ na-ekwu wolves. Biko mara na atụmatụ anyị wee bụrụ ihe mgbapụ, kama ịlụ ọgụ."
"Apologies, elder. We have had the recent misfortune of the last eight or so intelligent creatures we have met being hostile towards us. First trolls, then talking wolves. Please do note that our plans became those of escape, rather than combat."

Leaving his weapons on the ground where he had placed them, he follows the elder anywhere he beckons.

[Tjallen]

Simply shrugging at the elder Shiver blandly, and in common, continues with total honesty:
"Marcus is the diplomat, you can save your honeyed words of peace for him. I am here to offer violence, pure and simple. Offer me a target and an incentive and you can drop the pretenses for all I care."

[kjelfalconer]

"I'd rather we do this without false pretence. We're both warriors here, let's meet as such. Besides, if you merely intend for us to do this later anyway, we may as well get the formalities out of the way."

Was what came out of his mouth. What he wanted to say was that this was stupid and not worth fighting over.

"Ez utzi zure odolaren nahigabea gure helburua lortzeko. Guduak izan ditzakegu, baina hemen gaude bakea tratatzeko."
he adds, in Orcish. Wait. Since when did he speak Orcish?


I used Basque.

Don't let your own eagerness for blood get in the way of our purpose here. We may be warriors, but we're here to treat for peace.

[Chimaera]

@Skyler, Markus, Kevin and Shiver: "I do note several things. Some I didnt even should", the blue goblin says at Skyler in Common and then look to Shiver, "And if I can be frankly with you as well: if it's violence you enjoy, maybe you shpuld take a seat and watch the ritual fight else I might bore you to DEATH with words of peace".

He then lead you to the tent, just to have a speargoblin bar Shiver outside.

@Shiver: too much for speaking your mind. Oh well, you look at the arena where Bael and Drelkyios are being led to and see there is no seat. Thankfully you can fly and.... Ah, nevermind, cant fly. but at least you dwarf mostly of the crowd.

@Bael and Drelkyios: "Maglubyiet will show if you are worthy warriors. He'll be your judge", the bugbear speaks entering the arena and cracking his neck before starting to shout, "I'M SROK, THE BUGBEAR CHAMPION OF GOBLINARIA! EIGHTY EIGHT DAYS AND NIGHTS UNDEFEATED! PRESENT YOURSELVES, WARRIORS OF ALLIANCE!"

The multitude run and it on the rocky ground to watch the fight, with many making comments on goblin and a few climbing on the nearest tress for better view. There are at least sixty goblins and hobgoblins surrounding the arena, all very excited and many shouting "SROK!" and raising their tiny fists.

The bugbear then points up and start reciting the rules.
"THIS IS A RITUAL BATTLE: ANY OUTSIDERS SEEKING TO BE WELCOMED IN GOBLINARIA MUST CHOOSE THEIR CHAMPIONS AND FACE SROK, GOBLINARIA CHAMPION. SHOULD THEY WIN", the crowd start laughing at the idea, "THEN YOU CAN KEEP YOUR WEAPONS AND GOBLINARIA WONT DEVOUR YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS", he adds in almost a whisper for you, "Not that we would devour Alliance's ambassador, but the cerimony requires the full read of the rules".

"YOU FIGHT WITH WEAPONS AND SKILLS, IN A DUEL HAT WILL ONLY END IN SURRENDER OR DEATH!", he quickly adds in a whisper again, "Although we do have doctors here to try and avoid your deaths, as it would be troublesome if we actually killed ambassadors. It would be wise to know your own limits as well, so surrender if needed".

"WHICH ONE OF YOU WILL FIGHT ME? OR WILL BOTH OF YOU FIGHT? I FOR ONCE COULDNT CARE LESS IF YOU BOTH JOIN AS THIS WILL BE FUN".

@Markus, Skyler and Kevin: the inside of the elder's tent is unrealistic larger and confier than it look from outside, pretty much like Heward's Wondrous War Tent spell or something along those lines. Several wooden masks and decorated spears hang in walls as well as several urns made of clay (pretty much like those you keep someone's ashes). The floor is carpeted in wolf's fur and there are a few potted flowers on a glass desk.

He mention to the floor and take a seat, cursing in goblin his back. making a quick hand gesture, a fire start in a corner with a iron kettle.

"Any of you accept tea?", he offers waving towards the kettle, "I enjoy bitter ones to avoid those with honeyed words", he says and chuckles, "What happened to the last team of ambassadors? Its been three months since I sent them Pafika's way and got noword from them".

[Kevinho]

Kevin behaves himself since he doesn't mean any trouble.

"These DnD players always want to fight and fight and fight. We don't even get EXP and we're trapped in this game-dimension. I really don't see a reason to fight so much, we will eventually fight. We should consider that we could die for real in this game... Maybe they are just too excited with the plot... maybe they are too young and restless... well, I don't mind anyway"

Kevin follows the goblin to the hut and engages in the conversation.

"I would take some tea, thanks." Kevin stops to take a tea cup and then answers to the goblin "Actually, we're trying to discover what happened to the other group. That's part of our task." Kevin then stops to take a sip of the tea. Kevin likes bitter hot drinks, maybe he liked this one, makes him remind of a drink he used to drink back IRL.

"I don't mean to be rude, but would you mind if I watched the combat? I'm a healer and didn't want my friends to die just because they thought they could take it. Furthermore, I need them alive to keep helping on our tasks. Please worry not, I don't intend to cheat-heal them or get involved in the combat itself, I just want to guarantee that no one will die."

[Xanyo]

"I've had enough violence the last few days, as our healer can surely attest. As for the ambassadors, if I had to guess, I'd say they got devoured by wolves or trolls. We nearly did."

He accepts the tea politely, discovering that it tasted much better than magically conjured artificial water.

[Tjallen]

Laughing at the response Shiver walks over to watch the match, blood-sport is truly the best kind of sport.

[Chimaera]

@Kevin, Markus and Skyler: "I see. The last Alliance Party came this way and even drank the same tea you're drinking", the old goblin says as Skyler and Kevin taste it, with Markus politely refusing it. Which was a wise move as both of you can almost feel tears forming in your eyes due the bitterness of the tea.

"It's a little bit bitter, but then you get used to it", he drink a cup of it as if it was a tequila shot, "It's made of a very rare flower that grownonly on a very specific place in this world: the Dream Lotus. It's said it grant those who drink with wisdom and visions. For some its more like a drug. Peter from the Dev Team said it was lile LSD and even went as far as telling about singing band of insects and a Lucy-girl with diamonds for eyes or some very weird tale from Starbucks... You're from there as well I take it?", he says and his words sound funny as the world seems to become a weirder place. What with this tingling sensation all over your body?

Ink look to Kevin and give him a smile, "Sadly it woupd be very unwise of me to let you leave this tent now: even a sip is strong enough for... Well, you'll see".

@Kevin and Markus: the world slowly begin to vanish in many bubbles, each of them showing a different scenario: whole worlds, cities and darkened places. The tent is gone as you are floating this bubble zone, with Ink, the goblin shaman besides you, younger and riding a blue wolf.

What is this place? What did he offered you to drink? You look at each other and isntead of seeing your avatars, you see ordinary people, wearing jeans or other similar clothing: no armors nor colorful robes.

"So... What were we talking again? Ah! Peace and politics, right? No no. It wasnt that yet. Sometimes when I'm dreaming I find it hard to diferentiate the now and the tomorrow. No, we were talking about the Dev Team. They asked me advice and I told them to meet Pafika, the Titan. He lives in the Infinity Peak", he point to the one of the bubbles and you can it have that impossibly high peak, "He protect these worlds, so that no intruders nor outsiders get in here, with here being the Prime and all the worlds connected to it, like the Ether, Umbra, Feywild, Mirrorrim and this very place: Dreamscape".

"They never returned to Goblinaria though and the war threat kept growing with all sides wanting to go for tue others throat. Truth be told: there isnt much people who believe in peace this side of the world and I have my days counted", he says with a sad smile that makes the wolf he's riding a little bit annoyed, as it shakes and drop the old-now-young goblin elder in thin air, "Easy boy, truth shouldnt hurt you that much. Anyway, what can this dying blue do to help you?"

@Markus: you watch as the three of them simply fall on the carpeted floor, sleeping and snoring. What the hell was in that tea?

@Shiver: you laugh at the response and decide he's right, so you leave to the arena and find a good place to watch, as a hobgoblin soldier sit at your side.

"Last time it took three diplomats to take Srok down", he comments looking at the bugbear, "He's damn powerful. What about those guys? One seems strong and the other seems savage, but Srok is both strong and savage himself. And smart, heh".

The hobgoblin drink something that smell of alcohol from a waterskin, "Goblin spirits?", he says offering the waterskin to you, his eyes studying Drelkyios.

[Tjallen]

Accepting the spirits and taking an experimental sip, coughing a bit at the unfamiliar taste. "That one" He says as he points at Bael: "is as savage as they come, the other I think has a bit more finesse, they work well together and have some trickery to make this a less one-sided slaughter."

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: the spirits is strong, but also sweet. It's actually pretty good.

You hand it back to the hobgoblin, who seems very interested in the battle to come.

"What's taking them so long though?", he asks and take another sip, "And if that one have more finesse, I cant even imagine what how savage the orc is. I was young and didnt fight them orcs out of the Valley, but from the stories I heard from my father the orcs were brutal".

He offers the waterskin once again, "I just hope this isnt another fiasco like last time".

[In4Dimensions]

Markus turns to the blue. What— what did you do to my friends? They’ll be OK, right?. Markus is inwardly very relieved that he didn’t have any tea.

[Chimaera]

@Markus: what was in that tea? The blie did said he was going to die soon, could it be he wanted company for a suicide pact thing?

It's a voice behind you that startle you more.

"Dun wuri", the goblin lancer at the door says to you in a very bad Common, "Dey fine. Ink do it altime".

He then turn back and keep looking at the door.

"Ink old, die soon. Not now".

[Tjallen]

Declining more of the sweet drink Shiver laughs: "Terrifying the orcs may be, but skill counts for almost as much as pure power. What happened last time? Deaths or was it just super boring?"

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: the hobgoblin shrugs as you decline and take another sip of it, "Well, it was boring: three guys ganging up on one guy and almost losing. I'm pretty sure their magical-person used some shenanigan to help them from a far", he says before opening a big smile, "There, its about to start".

@Bael: you look at the hobgoblin and enter the arena, leaving Drelkyios behind. You're going to face this guy singlehanded. Drelkyios seems to not care much as he walk and sit close to the fence separating the expectators from the fighters in the arena.

You enter the arenaand both start circling and analyzing each other. He carry a big magical greatsword and is clad from neck to toe in mithral fullplate armor (probably magical as well) and he wear a silver necklace with a single black gem on it, probably an onyx or something.

He stare you down, challenging you for a duel of wills which you gladly accept as the crowd grow in silence as both veteran warriors stare each other, trying to break the other will... Until the hobgoblin finally gulp and look away. Heh, there is yet to be born someone more menacing than your big bad orc.

Bael gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and damage for the whole encounter.
Srok takes -1 penalty on attacks and damage for the whole encounter.

ROUND 1

Seizing this breach, you decide to strike first!

You're both at 30ft of each other.

Bael
Srok the Bugbear Champion of Goblinaria

[Xenopax]

Bael howls and runs at the Hobgoblin. He stops when he's 5 feet alway so that he may take advantage of his Weapons reach. He invokes the power of The Elder mountain hammer and brings his blade down upon the Goblins head.
Assuming I'm already in a stance.
Move action, 25 feet closer.
Standard action, Elder Mountain Hammer.
Power Attacking for -2
[roll0]: Attack
[roll1]: Weapon Damage
[roll2]: Elder Mountain Hammer

[Chimaera]

@Bael: running towards the goblinoid, you bring your weapon down on its head with the strength to break through rocks and stone, which manage to hurt as he's taken by surprise.

"Ouch", he says as some blood run down his cheek due your attack, "Now it's my turn!"
The hobgoblin then shift his stance taking into a more evasive one as he step forward and strike at you twice with his great sword.

The first attack hit true, slashing at your shoulder. He can pack a punch as well.

Hit you for 21 damage.

The second slash is aimed at your neck, but your reflexes and training help you avoid a critical attack.

Hit for 22 damage.

The crowd begin to cheer and shout as the fight start, amazed by the fast dodging movements from the hobgoblin. For you, he seems almost as if dancing. In full plate armor. What happened to bugbears?

ROUND 2

Bael
Srok

[Xenopax]

Bael smiles as the Hobgoblin walks into his trap. He smacks him with the dull end of the blade to halt his movement.
[roll0]: Attack
[roll1]: DC to avoid being forced to stay in place.

Bael then Brings his Blade down, this time aiming for his heart. He invokes the power of the mountain Vice.
[roll2]: Attack
[roll3]: Damage
He takes 2 con damage.

[Chimaera]

@Bael: as the hobgolbin moves forward you stop him in his tracks, unabling him to reach and slash.

"What the...", but you rudely interrut him with another attack, but this time he's prepared and parry your attack.

"Now things are getting more interesting indeed", he says as he take a deep breath and... wait.

ROUND 3

Bael
Srok

[Xenopax]

Bael seems a little bored. His opponent still hadn't breached his defences. He strikes again with his guisarme and invokes the Mountain Hammer.


[roll0]: Attack
[roll1]: Weapon Damage
[roll2]: Hammer

[Chimaera]

@Bael: bored with the inactivity of tyour opponent, you bring your weapon down at him just for wait immobile, as if accepting surrender and... He sidesteps and disarm you!

Disarm: Srok 44 vs. Bael 38

The hobgoblin smirks as your halberd fall at your feet, "I also have my tricks, orc", he says moving into melee and attacking you! The first swordcut hit you in the belly which cause searing pain to course into yourself. The second hit is a rather clumsy one and your armor block it.

You take 22 damage.
Your weapon is at your feet, but picking it up will provoke an AoO.

"This is so fun", he says thrilled by the battle.

ROUND 4

Bael
Srok

[Xenopax]

Good one! Now try this.
Bael smacks at the Hobgoblin with his armor spikes. He aims to slow down his reactions so that he can grab his weapon.
Swift action: Covering Strike
Standard Action: Divine Surge
Move Action: Grab Weapon
Free Action (Or immediate action. Cant remember which): 5 foot step after grabbing weapon
[roll0]: Attack
[roll1]: Weapon Damage
[roll2]: Divine Surge

[In4Dimensions]

Markus stares at the blue. You didn’t really answer my question, which was, what did you do to my friends? An answer would be appreciated.

[Chimaera]

@Bael: you look at the hobgoblin thag is confident he got you good this time.

Good one, indeed.

Feeling like a boxer, you jab his nose causing him to get disoriented long enough to pick your weapon and step back, leaving on the edge of your reach.

The crowd goes crazy at your move, cheering for both you and Srok. They're really enjoying this spectacle.

Srok smile atbyoi, his nose bloated and bleeding, "Heh, good one greenie". Focusing on defense now, he advance toward you, trying to reach you and out you down, but at the same time granting you the opportunity to strike him down.

Aggaisnt Srok. His actions will pend the result of your AoO

@Markus: is thag the way to treat ambassadors? You demand answer from the blue... Who just snore and fart out loud.

The lancer at the entrance turn around to look at you and reply in his stead.

"Ink", he point to the elder, "Dying. Tea: medicine".

[Kevinho]

Kevin is feeling funny, like he was on LSD.

Back IRL Kevin used to do some hallucinating drugs, like LSD and mushrooms, and this tea is like those drugs, he enjoys a lot the tea.

"I don't know exactly how this Dream Lotus works, but I'll want some for the trip. I mean, it is a long journey and I would need some to relax and keep my mind sharp."

Kevin then looks to the old-now-young goblin and with a much serious look in his face he starts talking again.

"So, the Dev team couldn't bring peace to this world and then the gods of fate had to call us upon here. Our group comes from the same world of the Dev team, and in our world we could see that a grim future is coming for people of this world, actually these worlds..." Kevin takes a deep breath and then talks again

"It's hard to explain, but I'll try. Imagina all the worlds you know. Now imagine that there are the same worlds but in another frequency, like they could exist but without interfering one another. But now, the gods of fate have called us and yet they didn't tell us what to do, we know we have to bring peace not just to this world, but to all worlds in this frequency."

Kevin stops a little, look around to the bubbles and try to get a good look to recongnize the worlds within the bubbles.

Knowledge planes check: [roll0]



"I fear the Dev Team has been vanquished... Otherwise I think the gods of fate wouldn't call us."

[Chimaera]

@Kevin: you trip hard and look at the any bubbles, what kind of worlds are they?

Hmmm... You can see red, blue and black planets on some of those bubbles, some are filled with cities, some with forests or caverns.

"Worlds? They arent worlds, young one: each of this bubbles are a dream. If you look closely, some of them pop out of nowhere and other burst and dissappear. But yes, there are many worlds in this multiverse and the original profecy of Pafika tell about all the worlds, not just the Material one, like the fools in Alliance believe".

"Alliance believe the coming of heroes from your land is meant to be when war is coming, but although that's true, it is on a much larger scale than they can ever picture. However, I might be old, but not as old as Pafika, so if you are the heroes of this unknown world, you must talk to him to know the full extent of the profecy and of your quest here in this Multivers. But beware: he like to test the skills of anyone going to his Infinite Peak, so be ready to fight his giants".

"The war might be a great menace to the Prime, but the other worlds are also suffering great crisis", he point to the horizon, toward of group of black bubbles that pop in and burst almost as quick as they appear, "During my last days of adventurer I fought a sinister figure that now terrorize the Dreamscape: Hypnox. It seems his powers are growing each night. I imagine the other worlds are in trouble as well, but havent visited any other in a long while".

"If you plan on bringing peace to the Prime, you'll need to have all kings bow down or have all to agree with Alliance's pact of peace. If you plan on having Goblinaria sing it, you'll need to convince the three goblin leaders", he then raise three blue fingers, "Ink, the elder goblin. Which is me", he laughs, "Srok, the Bugbear Champion, which is fighting your friends. And our war chief, Vaabnork, the hobgoblin".

"Please our three leaders and Goblinaria will join you in your peace".

Once he finish saying the last words, the world begin to fade away and you wake up.

@Markus, Skyler and Kevin: back to the hut, everyone wake up.
The now-back-to-old goblin complains something about his back in Goblin tongue, before looking at Kevin.

"Sadly I have very few of petals of Dream Lotus, so I wont be able to grant you some: need it to prolong my lifespan, even for a few more days. But you can fetch more for me and you and I'll gladly teach you how to make the tea: a secret only two or three people in this world know. i'm sure your quest for peace will take you to several places after all".

[Kevinho]

Kevin had a nice trip, although short.

"Well, Ink. I think it would make everyone happier if I could fetch some Dream Lotus for both of us. I'd be able to bring some to my quest, you would be able to prolongyour lifespan and teach me to make the tea, and, as you said before, you might consider signing the pact of peace. what do you think?"

[Xenopax]

You fight good Goblin. I'd advise your surrender before I get too excited and accidently kill you. It would be a waste of your talent.
He strikes at the Goblin and Heals himself. He then invokes White Raven tactics in order to get another action which he uses to strike again.
[roll0]: Attack
[roll1]: Damage
[roll2]: Healing

[roll3]: Attack
[roll4]: Damage
He takes 2 con damage

[Chimaera]

@Bael, Shiver and Drelkyios:
Due Xenopax's confusion, some turns became blurred and turned into the following sequence of events.

AoO vs. Srok: 4+24 = 28 to hit, which means it was a "Miss"

The next rounds happen in a blur, as Bael try to halt Srok once more just for the bugbear to duck and dodge the attack, bring his great sword twice at the orc's legs and belly.

The first attack was a critical and did 50 damage, the second was a normal hit and dealt 24 damage.

The first attack also drained some life and healed him for 25 hp.

Now in melee, Bael strike and heal himself as the orc feel the blow and is ready to once more attack him, but this time he's halted and the following attack is enough to give the bugbear pause.

9 hp

"Enough of it!", he says and drop his greatsword, "You won, orc".
He seems a little bit frustated, but manage to be cordial as the goblins raise in shouts (cheerful ones, not angry) and many invade the arena, dropping Bael in the ground and hurling mud at him.

@Bael: the goblins surround you and you are about to strike all of them down before you hear Srok's voice behind you: 'It's your baptism: you're a goblin now in the eyes of Goblinaria and Maglubyiet".

Once they're done dirtying you in mud, Srok's offer you a hand and help you get up.

"You fought well. It is warriors like you that will be needed to forge a peace in this world of war. Tonight I pay the drinks".

Apparently the goblins only respect wisdom and strength. You managed to single-handedly defeat their champion and so you're an honorary goblin to them.

Your reputation on Goblinaria increase to +3 (which means you get +3 circunstance bonus on Cha-based skills when in Goblinaria).

"There is someone who might be interested in meeting you tonight as well, Vaabnork, our War Chief. Hopefully your feeble friends will join after they're done communing with Ink".

@Shiver: the hobgoblin watch intently as the fight unfold and clap his hands after Bael finally finish Srok.

"Damn orc is actually very good!", he says and look at you, "What is your name again?", he ask before handing the waterskin of Goblin Spirits, "Here, you can keep it. It's a rare brew".

"I have to go now, but I believe tonight there will be a feast in homenage to Bael the orc-made-goblin, hopefully we'll meet there", he give you a pat in the back and leave, not really in mood to throw mud at Bael.

What you're going to do with this flask? Drink, probably. But then you notice it have a diferent tag on your inventory.

It's half empty. Or half fulll. Depends on the point of view.
A small tag appears on it as you check the inventory: [Quest Item]

@Kevin: "I would really appreciate if you can bring me some more Dream Lotus, but I hardly believe I'll live long enough. No... My days are counted. Also, I would never put my weight myself as better than the rest. So I cant sign the Pact of Peace for such a trivial favor to me. If you want to have my vow in this particular matter you'll have to give me your word. A promise. It is all it will take you".

He raise his finger, pointing to the tent's ceiling, "Promise me you'll bring peace back to Dreamcast and banish the vile Hypnox once and for all and I'll sign my part. Even if I'm dead, my word have power over this tribe. All you'll need to do is to call my spirit back to give it".

"Sadly I grow tired and wont be able to help you much in this task, but if you ever go to Rhyne, tell Elizeu that you was my friend. He might tell you more about Hypnox, Dream Loti and how to make the tea. He might be a gnome, but he got the spirit of a dreamer".

@Kevin, Markus and Skyler: the old blue shoo you away from his tent and the lancer in the door follow you to the exit, blocking you path back.

"Ink sleep. Tired".

@Party: once more reunited, you watch the goblins getting ready for party, as many start decorating their huts with feathers, flowers and skulls. One of them goblins even invite you to seat at his tavern and give each as much beer as you can drink and as much... roasted bugs? Yes, roasteed bugs on the stick as snacks.

Some goblins drink with you and say things in Goblin tongue, mostly honors and praises.

The day start to slowly drag itself into a night... Unless you plan to do somehting else before night falls.

The goblins are preparing a great feast / party for the ambassadors and Bael. Unless you want to speak to someone or do something, the night will fall and I'll move you guys to the feast.

The goblins that are drinking with you dont speak Common, but Markus can serve as a translator thanks to Alliance Ring. Neither Srok nor Ink are around, so attempt to speak to them will fail.

[Tjallen]

As Srok gives in to the orc Shiver claps briefly before turning to the goblin: "Surprisingly effective, yes. We we're never introduced, but it's Shiver." As he is handed the waterskin he nods in thanks at the goblin. I wonder how much the setting uses recognizable characters? I guess I will see if he is 'surprisingly' the goblin king's advisor or something like it.


Keeping his hands offf of the beer, Shiver instead spends the time walking around the camp, looking for anything interesting that might be put together to make a ballista. He always wanted siege weapons, but the space requirement is massive back home.

Search check maybe? [roll0]

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: you leave the others and set on a quest for yourself: to make a ballista or a catapult to hurl goblins.

Communication became a hindering factor, put thanks to body language and pointing fingrs, you manage to get some information you wanted: there is a great wood west that could be used to harvest the wooden needed making the body and there are iron resources on the valley. Strings and other parts could surely be crafted and adquired to make it, but without a blueprint or without enough days to plan and draw, you wont be able to make it. No flying goblin squad, sadly. Not this time.

@Party: the night falls and several campfires are lit to shoo the dark of the night away. Several wild boars, wolves and dogs are brought to be roasted as well as several vegetables and fruits are gahered in big tables in open hair. The goblins paint themselves and some wear tradicional clothings, with the skulls of their enemies, feathers and gold. Some clerics of Maglubyiet bless the feast, hurling handful of salt over it and intoning dark rites. It's an unholy deity after all. As the feast start to take shape, several hobgoblin spearmen appear and surround the area, facing the darkness as the rest enjoy the food and drinks.


https://78.media.tumblr.com/ebeda54f67a4d8cdea9aaadbfdabc648/tumblr_p1erdqwxVn1t59xqko1_500.jpg

Some of the things taste strange, like dog meat, but it is otherwise a good feast. During the feast several goblins come around to see the ambassadors and a few ones even speak with you in the Common tongue. Among them you meet with the richest goblin merchant around, the head priest of Maglubyet, Ink the elder goblin (who seems weak and is helped by his lancer doorman), Srok the Bugbear Shaman (which insist in have Bael by his side drinking heavy spirits), a family of goblin farmers that want to speak with you (but this one doesnt speak Common) and their warchief, Vaabnork the hobgoblin.


https://pre00.deviantart.net/af5e/th/pre/i/2014/347/d/f/the_dark_merchant_by_zhowee14-d89o9ls.jpg
Pax the Goblin Merchant

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/77/6e/6e/776e6ee9e969970edcd8ca7a7007cb62.jpg
Fung, Maglubiyet's Chosen

https://orig00.deviantart.net/172f/f/2011/129/e/1/goblin_preist_by_benwootten-d3fz3ac.jpg
Ink the Elder Goblin

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/67/a1/7d/67a17dc8d80def08c2d4041e0846d315--fantasy-monster-hobgoblin.jpg
Srok the Bugbear Champion

https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/015/044/large/devin-platts-111720142.jpg?1438217090
Goblin farmers

https://pathfinderwiki.com/mediawiki/images/thumb/0/03/Hobgoblin_portrait.jpg/250px-Hobgoblin_portrait.jpg
Vaabnork, Goblinaria's Warchief

For the first few hours, Vaabnork remains quiet drinking and watching you, but his personal guard keep you away, saying he'll talk to you once he decide to.

How to spend these hours then? You already had enough drinking, but the more the merrier, right?

I want to know what each of you will do during the party, while Vaabnork refuse to speak with you. The characters with pictures are the most interesting ones, but there are many many more you can try to talk with.

[Tjallen]

Annoyed with the lack of a quick and easy crafting system, Shiver admits that realism, hah, trumps convenience.
As he joins the feast he makes sure to try freezing things before eating them, his colder nature delighting in the taste of newly frozen meats.

Upon seeing Pax, he does a double take: How the hell did he get a SUIT of all things? At least he looks like a proper crazy merchant. Before walking over and greeting the goblin: "Hail Goblin, Are things always this boisterous or is it just every time a fight doesn't end in death? I am Shiver."

[Xenopax]

Bael spends the night having drinking contests with the Other hobgoblin warriors and Srok.

[Xanyo]

Skyler isn't really sure what he ought to do at a feast like this. He decides to distance himself a bit and simply observe, abstaining from drinking more than a token amount(that tea was bad enough on his senses). He pays particularly close attention to the words spoken, comparing them with his menagerie of in-game languages and the things they seemed to be talking about. Perhaps he could pick up a small amount of their language, at least enough to get a gist of the topic of a conversation and get his general point across. He was certainly able to figure out the word for 'alcohol'. Or maybe that was 'gin,' 'beer,' 'spirits,' or some other alcohol related word.

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: no much luck crafting a goblin-thrower sieg weapon, oh well. That's something you will tell the developers once you get out of this game. If you do get out of it, that is.

You then approach Pax, the goblin merchant. Weird looking guy with maniac eyes staring at you.
"This boisterous? Ah, we goblins like to celebrate and have some traditions as many other folks around Mundus", he says and you realize that Mundus might be how they call their Material Plane, "And this is a celebration for the birth of a new goblin", he point to Bael, "He got his baptism in blood and mud. There is also your visit, Shiver of Alliance".

He walk around you and put a monocle on as he keep humming and looking at your many magical gear, "Tel me, Shiver. Are you interested in selling any of those? Ah! What poerful headband, it's been ages since I saw one of such great power".

He scratch his neck and you can see a golden chain with a small platinum chest on it, "Or maybe you're interested in buying some goods? Pax have much to offer".

@Bael: you decide you worked hard enough for today and ddeserve a few cold ones. You and Srok and his friends keep drinking and drinking all night long. During your drunken night you hear a few things regarding the orchish situation in Mundus. Apparently they lived deeper in the valley, close to what is called the Giant Steps, but thanks to the combined effort of goblins, dwarves and humans, they went almost extinct. Some of them fled to live among the giants and many were captured by the humans and turned into slaves or into shows in their Imperial Zoo.

That episode was called as "Orc Purge" by Mundus' historiators.

Eventually you pass out due the many many alcohol drinks. Of course, it took loooots of beer to put you down.

@Skyler: you remain distant and just observe, drinking a few drinks only. Some goblins try to talk with you, but after a few attempts they realize you want to be alone and leave you be. Except by one: Ink.

Seeing you alone, the old goblin and his lancer walk to you.
"What's wrong, mr. Skyler? Homesick? Or just bored?"

[Xanyo]

"Just got a bit of something on my mind," Skyler replies dismissively to the elder goblin, "Nothing you need overly concern yourself about."

He stares at some point in space as he says this, mental gears turning and turning. Thinking hard, though it was not clear what about. In his mind's eye, however, is displayed a mosaic of the human nervous system, bundles of nerve endings and vital functions, relevant neurochemical reactions, thousands of microscopic nerve caps wrapped around the nerve endings, the tiny chip that would steal the signals going either way and replace them with its own, and line after line of the code that allowed it to do so. Within his mind is a seemingly infinite landscape, filled with information just floating around. A pity he could only focus on so much of it.

The techs apparently are under the impression that completing the game will allow a safe disconnect. Can't be a hardware problem, then. Probably.

If it's not hardware, it must be the software. Code isn't exactly my primary forte, but I did help with the neuro-chip's base program. That was tested though. Can't be the fault. The switch between normal and override states worked perfectly - that was tested extensively well before anyone even considered making a game for it. No, it must have been an error in their disconnect code. Overrides something it oughtn't, or maybe something that interfered with the hard code.

If the end scene disconnect might be safe, that means that it is fully separate from the disconnect class they used. Thus not suffering from the error.

The problem shouldn't be hard to find and fix but... the edits won't take effect until the code is refreshed, which is potentially lethal to do while the user is still relying on it for neural pathways.

Damn it. This is what they get for not bothering to hire another neurologist with a coding background to work on the team that did the disconnect class.

[Tjallen]

Smiling at the goblin Shiver considers for a moment: "I'm afraid I will be able to offer you no trades tonight, tomorrow we have some tidbits to sell. And depending on the way lady luck happens to be smiling, maybe some magical trinkets as well.
We ran into some trolls guarding a bridge and just had to put them in the ground, and the spoils do go to the victor."

Snapping his finger he continues on about trades and talk of gold: "Ah, right, Kevin will require at least a thousand gold worth of diamond dust and I will be happy to buy a scroll of enervation as well as 4 times the reagents for the identify spell. You wouldn't happen to have a scroll of teleport would you? They are unfortunately rare in this part of the realm, no?"

Speaking of the alliance, we met your diplomat. Is any of his family staying around here? An update on his health might be welcome news to them. Shiver asks of the quite eccentric goblin, but with power comes madness for the creatures so no wonder.

[Chimaera]

@Skyler: you give an answer and hope the blue leave you alone as you keep thinking what went wrong. Or more specifically: where it went wrong.

With so many teams and so much secrecy about the game information (to avoid someone leaking information to other companies or players), it's really hard to know for sure. You're sure you didnt screw up, but then who did? How to fix it? Could there be another way out? If the end screen is safe, what about the Game Over screen?

So many questions, so much to think and the music and chatting arent really helping. Add in no goblin or NPC inside the game will have answers to your questions regarding it.

@Shiver: you look at the weird goblin and tell him no sales tonight, whih makes frown and make a sad face, "You sure? I can buy your +6 Headband of Intelect. It would raise lots of funds to live peacefully around here. For life probably! Oh well".

He was about to leave when you ask him about a few thigns you might be interested in buying and about the ambassador's family.

"Four pearls and some diamonds? I'm sure I have those, but if you plan on idenitfying items", he point to his own monocle, "This thing might help you. Or you can pay me and I'll identify them for you. I'm sure I can make it a better deal than identifying yourself. How about... 50gp for each casting? Can do it right away if you want", he says and smile, utterly ignoring the question about the ambassador.

[Kevinho]

Kevin enjoys the feast, but no drink. The tea was strong enough for him.

"How can I fix dreamscape? I think I'll have to get more Dream Lotus, so that's not that hard. The question is, there are... many realms in this plane, and we probably won't be able to leave before we solve this... How long are we going to be trapped in here? there are around 30 planes and we're not even close to solve one plane's problem. This means it'll take at least... a few years I guess...

The more dark question to answer, are we really trapped in here? Are we ever going to get out again? Will control center talk to us again to say anything about or stituation? Or are we 'trapped' here, but not actually?

So many I don't know... I kind miss drugs, damn"

Kevin appears to be trapped in a demi plane of his mind, doesn't want much to interact with others. Maybe he realized he won't be able to go out again. He just wanted something to smoke right now, he's very anxious.

[Tjallen]

"I am loathe to trust a stranger's knowledge on things pertaining to a sale, but we may be interested in buying the monocle if it is indeed useful for identifying items, an artificer's monocle it is called, no?" Shiver smiles at the goblin, tomorrow is the time for spending cash.

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: the goblin smile back at you, "Sadly the monocle isnt for sale. I'll see if I can arrange everything you need".
He give you a slight bow and leave you be for now.

@Kevin: you start to think and, much like Skyler, isolate yourself in a bubble of thoughts and "what ifs".


* * *

@Party: the arty keep going until the bad mood looking warchief raise from his seat and make a gsture, as the whole tribe seat on the ground in a big circle, leaving you and the goblin triad on the center of it.

"Alright. You came here not to be reborn as a goblin, but to seek peace and to make a pact for the goblins to avoid a war to burn these lands. I've spoken to our wise Ink and heard Srok's tales of courage you have and both spoke well of you and your intents".

"We have but a few demands to enter this pact. Hear them ut and make sure they happen and Goblinaria will no longer fight this war. Unless attacked, of course".

Ink then walk closer to you.
"If you promise me to bring down Hypnox, the horror knight that is tormenting the Dreamscape, then you'll have my word. As I told before to kevin and Skyler, this creature is using the power of shadows and darkness to corrupt the dreams and neither Hypnos nor his oneroi have done anything yet to stop him. You may find help with Grandmaster Elizeu Silverhair, one of the three rulers of the City of Rhyne. Although a gnome, we fought together to avoid dream menaces to enter this realm and I fear that with my death and this war coming, people forget to fend off these threats".

"If I'm dead by the time you finish the threat, I have asked Fung to recall my soul to say the word".

The old blue walk to the edge of the circle, always helped by his spearman.

Srok then take a drunken step ahead and look at each of you.
"There are two rogue goblins that need to be brought to justice. Maglubyiet's justice. As long as they live and remain doing their business, the other nations wont see the goblins as the potential allies we are. Slay both of them and bring their heads to me and you'll have my word".

"One is named Troz, but she's known as the Wolf Mistress. She is a filthy goblin who worship a terrible beast of old, the Wolf That Will Devour the World. She sleep with wolves and is the evil intelligence behind their behavior in the Howling Woods. As long as she lives there, her wolves wont stop ambushing travellers, making the Northern Road dangerous".

"The second one is called Avalancher Godo, the leader of the Avalanchers of Stoneshower Pass. They're assassins and bandits who are blesse by stone, being able to call on avalanches. They terrorize the pass and wont bend to our laws. Kill him and his puny band, so that we can free the Northern Road and create a viable trade routes from East to West".

The last to step up and ask for his demands is the hobgoblin Vaabnork.
"A long time ago, a clan of goblins was captured and enslaved by the dwarves, so that they could labor on their mines. That was before Volvagia appeared and put the dwarves on the run, seven years ago. If you want us to join in peace, I'll need you to find out about their fates and, if they're still alive and enslaved, free them and bring them back to Goblinaria".

"If you all agree wth these conditions and meet them, Goblinaria will have no part in this war. I suggest for you to rest here tonight and leave at dawn".

They stand there waiting for any questions before calling the party over and having some goblin guide you to a modest hut with six beds.

Okay.
You can ask them anything and keep on talking with them. Once you're done let me know and I'll move to the next morning (unless you plan to do something else tonight).

Also, if TheArcaneCaster and KjelFalconer dont post by Friday, I'll have them removed from the game.

[Kevinho]

"Your demands are completely viable and I will give my word that those demands will be done and we all will be able to enjoy peace in a not-so-far-away future."

Kevin makes a dramatic pause.

"About Hypnox.
As we talked before, I'll reach for those Dream Loti for an easy way to reach him and kill him."

Kevin has no further question, except that he'll try to find someone capable of giving him something to smoke.

[Chimaera]

@Kevin: you speak your mind, taking the role of leader. All demands will be met, you affirm to the goblin leaders and that make them nod.

Sure, Srok and Vaabnork dont look lçike they like you, but diplomacy isnt about liking people after all.

The others remain silent, probably glad you took the leadership.

@Party: "Good. With all of those matters agreed, Goblinaria will immediatly cease any military action, keeping our army in our valley only, as defensors. We hope to see you guys again, since the last ambassadors never returned", Vaabnork says and look at all goblins, "Let it not be said we goblins tried peace. Resume your partying and find a place for the ambassadors to stay".

The party goes on for a few more hours and eventually you were all too tired tokeep going and decide to head for the humble hut you were given: a single bathtub, a modest kitchen, six beds and a small metal mirror being the only thigns there for you to peruse.

The majority of you sleep dreamless dreams... But not all of you.

@Kevin: you wake up and find yourself in the middle of a weird blue landscape: several hills welcome you. It must be very early in the morning, the sun havent dawned yet and its actually kinda cold, but not enough to harm you.


http://fibrechannel-europe.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/blue-landscape-0-wonderful-gardening-design.jpg

At the distance you can hear the sound of a car's motor as well as loud music, but it's too far away for you to pick up. For the rhythmn of it you can say for sure it's an old song.

But what is this? There is an odd feeling in the air. Almost like... Sadness?

Roll a Wis check.

@Bael: you fall asleep and a strong hand shake you to wake up just as soon as you hit the pillow. An orchish hand.

"Wake up, bro", the scarred orc says to you in a hushed tone, "Time for revenge".

The humble goblin hut is gone, isntead you find yourself in a gilded cage of sorts. There are several trees and many more cages with all kind of other creatures: ogres, giraffes and dark dwarves... Duergars? Yeah, duergars.


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/5a/9f/74/5a9f745519e2d57d57018da462d24143.jpg

The chained goblin look at you, "C'mon, help me escape here before that traitor Shakh find us".

Roll a Wis check.

@Shiver and Skyler: you sleep well and dreamless, until you hear some discussion.
Waking up in the next morning you find both Markus and Drelkyios speaking something...


Disconect? Bull****? Not paid enough?

What are they talking about. It takesw you two a few seconds to figure out what they're talking about: they're planning on disconecting!

You get up and try to stop them, but it's too late, as Markus look at you in the eyes, but Drelkyios dont even dare looking at you, as both avatars turn into a white glow and dissapear, with a muffled scream as all that remains from both players is a single white ring. Alliance's one.

Both kjelfalconer and TheArcaneCaster are out of the game due inactivity.

Their loot and equipment are gone, but the [Quest Item] Alliance's Ring is left on the floor.

More players will join, but for now it's the four of you only.

DAMN! Two others are gone! What now?
You look at the sleeping ones and you can see both are dreaming, with Kevin clearly mumbling some song as he sleep and Bael having some kind of violent dream, growling and with both fists clenched.

What could it be this time?

"Good morning", a goblin with acolyte clothes says at the door of the hut, "Master Fung asked me to bring you some breakfast". He's carrying a small basket with fruits, bread, cheese and milk, "He also said he would gladly bless you if you go wolf hunting. Most goblins think you're very brave, but honestly I find you're very stupid to go out looking for the Hungry Wolf. Very very stupid", he stop and think a little then add "Very".

[Xanyo]

That's three to the disconnect. Damn. How long will the others hold up? Hmm. What was the time compression in this thing? I think they programmed in a time compression. Anyone talks about cutting out, I'll remind them that the time's compressed, may convince them to stick around. With proper care, our IRL bodies are no concern. It's just a matter of how long we're willing to be adventurers. That and the life count.

The memory of the game over screen wasn't exactly inviting.

Skyler figured their talker was best off with the alliance ring. Good to know that quest items stuck around. Now, what were they doing? He had been rather distracted with the technical difficulties.

Bah, why sugarcoat it? It's been a 57% death rate so far. That's not exactly sweet.

[Tjallen]

Shaking his head at the cowardice displayed by the goblin and at the childishness of the quitters Shiver simply continues on as if nothing happened, happy that he made sure to be the one carrying the loot. As he plans out his morning he adresses the two other non-sleeping people: "We already killed a worg and a couple dire wolves by accident, so hopefully it will not be too much of a bother. I'll go talk to this Fung and get our items identified, hopefully they will wake up soon. Skyler could you keep an eye on them?"

[Chimaera]

@Skyler: when they invited you to join the testing team they never mentioned it wasnt a RPG game but a deathtrap.

Can this be done at all? If it was a prank, they really went too far! 3 out of seven dead! Once this is done with, you'll make sure to sue the company!

You ignore the goblin cleric and keep the thoughts to yourself until he cough to interrupt your train of thought.

"Hello? Mister? I brought food", he raise the basket again, "And I dont have all day as well. Should I just... Leave it?"

@Shiver: you mention killing a worg and some wolves and the goblin smirk at you, bursting in laughter and even dropping the basket as he laughs, spilling the milk and having some bread go rolling on the hut's floor.

"I'm sorry, but you have no idea what is the Hungry Wolf, do you?", he look at each of you and then resume, "It is said that every race and culture have a myth about the end of the world. The Hungry Wolf is ours".

He pick the bread and rub it against his robe, in an attempt to clean it.

"His full name is The Wolf That Will Devour the World. If you are going to meet Fung, maybe you should ask him about it. Or I can give you a brief resume".

[Tjallen]

Shiver waves off the laughter before answering:"We did kill them on accident, so there is that. Please enlighten me, it sounds fascinating and like something I would like to murder"

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: the goblin listen to your request and take a bite of the bread he picked up.

"Well, a long time ago there was a wolf bitch that give birth to a several wolfies. Amongt them there was the Wolf That Will Eat the World, also known as the Hungry Wolf for short".

He take a seat and keep munching on the bread, "Although he received milk from her mother, the baby Hungry Wolf was never satisfied and eventyually he decided that eating his own brothers would make him wait less for his momma's milk as well as serve as appetizers. And so he went eating one by one. When he ate the last one, his mother caught him red handed. More like red-mouthed I think. She fought his baby wolf and was devoured by it".

"Even though he devoured his entire family, the Hungry Wolf was still craving for food and so it wandered in the forests and ate all kind of animals he found there: birds, foxes, bears. No matter the creature that he found, he was never satisfied and eventually the forest became quiet and no more wildlife was there".

"So the wolf decided to leave it in search of more thinss to eat. It was on the roads that he found a goblin merchant and his caravan. The gaurds of the caravan attacked the beast and were eaten one by one. Once all guards were dead, he devoured the merchant and his daughter, then proceeded to eat the horses".

He take another bite of the bread and fetch another from the basket, "Following the road, he eventually came to a great realm and so he began preying on their farmers, the citzens, guards, the army, the nobles, wizards, heroes and even the king until the realm was no more".

"Hungry as ever, he left the desolated kingdom and wandered the world. Someday he found a dragon and although the dragon allowed him to go away, the wolf attacked and devoured him. Years went by and not even a single soul was spared by it. Once he was alone in the world, his stomach aching by the unnatural hunger, he howled and cried to the moon and to the stars. He felt so HUNGRY! So hungry he reached up to the moon and thron it aart in two bites. He pursued the stars and comets and devoured all of them, until the night sky was just a blank darkness. He waited for the sun to dawn and ambushed it, chomping it with a single bit. With nothing more to eat, he turned his famine towards the land, devouring the mountains, the plains, the rivers and forests, until the world was no more. Once he was left alone in the emptyness that was now the world he devoured his paws, his body, himself".

He take a dramatic pause, "That's its story. Always hungry and never mercyful. The young goblins find it as a fable to scary those who misbehave, but the creature is real. He control the wolves in the forest west of here and attack our cattle and even some goblins who wander too far. Right now there is a missing goblin paladin who went to the forest a couple weeks ago to slay the beast, but he never returned. Poor Paka".

[Xenopax]

"Revenge on who brother? There are so many targets,"
Bale works at freeing his orcish kin.
[roll0]

[Chimaera]

@Bael: what's happening? Who needs smacking?

You ask your fellow orc who shall you take revenge on and is about to help him when you notice great chains grab your wrists and anklets.

"Beware, bro!", he says as another one with a collar in the end trap your neck.

"Damn them all!", he shouts as you try to wrestle free, just for the bindings to grow stronger and stronger. No matter how much you try to break free, your strength doesnt suffice as several barks can be heard in the background along heavy steps.

"Wake up and shut the ****!", you hear as a half-orc drop a bucket with cold water on both of you.

You wake up on a jump, seeing there is a goblin priest chatting with the others. It was just a nightmare, but one that left marks on your wrists.

Bael is dimension anchored and takes a -10 penalty on Grapple and Escape Artist check for the rest of the day.

What kind of dream was this?

[Xenopax]

Bale howls in Orcish "Brother!" As he wakes up. He takes a second to compose himself (and hopefully get some tea)
The Dream mechanics were powerful. He could feel the chains piercing his skin right now. Who was the Orc and the half breed? All he had was a name. Shakh. He inquires around about a Half Orc/Normal Orc by that name.

[Chimaera]

@Bael: you wake up, scared and enfuriated. What just happened?

You ask for some tea, but all you get is some milk (you cant help but notice some spilled on the floor).

"Shakh?", the goblin repear after you and think for some seconds, "Nope, that doesnt ring a bell. We were at war with the orcs, so its not likeIy anyone here knew any of them, unless it was a leader or something like that".

[Tjallen]

As the goblin finishes his story and Shiver opens his mouth to ask about details, Bael wakes up and starts asking questions: "Morning Bael, how'd you enjoy your time in the dreamscape? Also, and I am sure this is going to cheer you up, but we are hunting for the goblin version of Fenrir." He offers Bael a hand and as an afterthought tucks on in a mocking tone: "Oh, Drelkyios and Marcus logged out, so they're dead and it seemed to be pretty painful judging by their screams."

[Xanyo]

Skyler perks up.

"Right, muffled scream. That almost slipped my mind."

Muffled scream... Muffled doesn't mean much, but the scream indicates pain. So, the error caused pain in some way. In attempting to back out of the nervous system processes, an overwhelming signal reached the brain. This signal may have originated from the implant, which is not supposed to happen, or it may have originated in the organics.
If the former, that means the error likely breaks functionalities, an error not that gives/gets the wrong values, but one that gives/gets nonsense values. A nonsense value would result in nonsense signals getting through to the brain, and possibly the other way as well. Static. Such nonsense signals would possibly ruin the brain, especially if continued. But going to the body as well, not just the brain, would be lethal for sure. Violent muscle spasms of all sorts, everything just going wild. Subject would spasm violently, killing themselves.
Come to think of it, that would cause sufficient pain to induce the scream even if the static is only going to the body, and body to brain directional signals are working properly.
A related possibility is that, in handling the shift, the disconnect function sends a bad signal to one or more sensitive vitals. That damages the vitals, and as normal senses are restored that is fully felt. That would also induce the scream.
I hope it's not the first. That would be a terrible way to die.

After being silent for a bit, he suddenly speaks up again.

"I've concluded that such a death is likely very similar to death by electrocution. If you don't know quite what that means, the electricity doesn't kill you, or even hurt. Rather, all parts of all muscles are randomly tensed and relaxed with varying intensity. This results in violent spasms that usually damage the body, such as broken bones and torn muscles and tendons. While that alone can quite possibly kill you, death is usually caused by the spasms of the heart. Uncoordinated, violent spasms of the heart damage it, ruin the subject's blood pressure, and may damage arteries and veins, resulting in internal bleeding. The bleeding usually isn't the killer, as after the electrocution ceases, the subjects heart stops, its rhythm broken."

Maybe a little fear would discourage further disconnects...

[Kevinho]

"What? Where am I?...

...

This song, I think I know it, but why so sad? I think there's a rave party somewhere around here."

Kevin tries to remember the song and feel the beat. He'll look for the sound and find these cars he hears.

Wisdom check: [roll0], if I the total result is 9 or less, I'll cast Alter Fortune.
If applicable, I'll roll knowledge planes to realizes I traveled through planes or to identify the plane I am [roll1]

[Chimaera]

@Bael, Shiver and Skyler: you keep talking and chatting. So there is a Fenfir-related monster? Very nice tale.

The goblin then leave the basket, but is quick enough to pick another bread from it and leave. It was a breakfast for six, so other than the spilled milk, two or five pieces of bread wont go missing at all.

Now just wait for Kevin to wake up and you're done with breakfast. That or you can leave a note and go around preparing for the departure: there are items to be identified and sold as well as food to be brought (the starter pack had food enough for the past days only, so stocking up on food would be good).

Kevin mumbles and sing while asleep, just what kind of dream is he having?
And more important: where should you go now? There were several hints of quests and sidequests, several hooks to follow! It is pretty much an open world game. A sandbox.

Srok's task: slay the Wolf Mistress Troz (forest to west);
Srok's task: slay Avalancher Godo and his band of Avalachers (valley to the east, mid way to the Giant tribe, Dwarven Kingdom and Human Empire);
Vaabnork's task: find and (if possible) rescue the enslaved clan of goblins held in the dwarven mines;
Ink's task: defeat the dread Hypnox in the Dreamscape;
Missing Devil Team: find the first playtesting team. Ink hinted that Pafika the Titan might be able to shed some light on this and on the reason you're in this game - maybe an in game revelation?;
Alliance's Diplomacy: there are five more kingdoms to travel to and to negotiate peace, Srok', Ink's and Vaabnork's task being ones to advance the goblin aspect of it only;
Dream Lotus gathering: Ink tasked Kevin with finding more of it, giving as hints a guy named Elizeu Silverhair and the City of Rhyne;

Those being the most memorable ones, but sadly the game dont have a Quest tab nor an Achievment one. That would help navigate and keep track of all the quests. The desingers really need some insight after all.

@Kevin: you keep walking the blue landscape and eventually perceived yourself as blue as well. Weird. Maybe it is a... Ah, yes. A dream. Definitly a dream.

You follow the song until you see a blue corvette driving with... Is that Ink? The younger version of him is driving and there is a blue goblin woman on his side.

"Come on!", he says offering a ride, his radio playing the song you finally manage to understand.

By Eiffel 65

Yo listen up, here's the story
About a little guy that lives in a blue world
And all day and all night and everything he sees is just blue
Like him, inside and outside
Blue his house with a blue little window
And a blue Corvette
And everything is blue for him
And himself and everybody around
'Cause he ain't got nobody to listen
I'm blue da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
I'm blue da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
I have a blue house with a blue window
Blue is the color of all that I wear
Blue are the streets and all the trees are too
I have a girlfriend and she is so blue
Blue are the people here that walk around
Blue like my Corvette, it's in and outside
Blue are the words I say and what I think
Blue are the feelings that live inside me
I'm blue da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
I'm blue da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
I have a blue house with a blue window
Blue is the color of all that I wear
Blue are the streets and all the trees are too
I have a girlfriend and she is so blue
Blue are the people here that walk around
Blue like my Corvette, it's in and outside
Blue are the words I say and what I think
Blue are the feelings that live inside me
I'm blue da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
I'm blue da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA52uNzx7Y4)

[Kevinho]

"I'll be right there"

"If Ink is here, maybe Hypnox is here as well... I probably wouldn't be able to take him down by myself, but I can definetly survive him. Better to buff me before entering any battle."

Kevin casts a protection spell on his vests and goes toward Ink to get that ride.

Cast Magic vestment upon his armor, and be aware if anything is following them during the way to who-knows-where

[Chimaera]

@Kevin: affraid if Hypnox is here as well, you protect yourself before entering the car. On the back seat you can see that blue wolf from the previois tea dream.

"Let me show you something", he says as he drive you through a blue world, "I'm the last blue of the Prime and the planes that touch it and if felt lonely. Very much so", he says pointing as the corvette passes by several blue goblins, "My brothers, sisters, cousins, lovers...", he look at the blue girlfriend at his side and sigh, "All gone. Sadly I've been waiting to die for too long and this is where I kept all of them: my own little blue world. My memories and desires, this is why it is filled with so much... Sadness. Can you think of a more sad feeling than solitude?"

He give you a weak smile and keep driving to the corner of this small world, "I see you prepared for battle, but dont worry: this is no battle. This is a goodbye".

"I hope that my soul or part of it at least will be left here in this reality so if you need my help or advice, just try to dream about this world. Lobo here", he pats the wolf's head, driving recklessly looking to the back seat, a sure traffic crash if it wasnt a dream, "Is my spirit guide and I hope he might guide you as well in Dreamscape. So if you see him, dont be affraid".

The car keep speeding and then you see: the edge of the dream, "I guess this is it. I do hope you're using the safety belt".

Suddenly the car hit something, bjt instead of being hurled from it, you just stop and Ink and his corvette is gone, as is the blue world, his blue house and his blue girlfriend. All thay was replaced by the goblin hut you were given to sleep the night.

Ink is gone.

All his speech will later be edited to blue

@Bael, Shiver and Skyler: ah! He's finally awake!

[Xenopax]

As the goblin finishes his story and Shiver opens his mouth to ask about details, Bael wakes up and starts asking questions: "Morning Bael, how'd you enjoy your time in the dreamscape? Also, and I am sure this is going to cheer you up, but we are hunting for the goblin version of Fenrir." He offers Bael a hand and as an afterthought tucks on in a mocking tone: "Oh, Drelkyios and Marcus logged out, so they're dead and it seemed to be pretty painful judging by their screams." "And we are fighting the goblin version of the world eating monster wolf why?" Bael scratches his back and asks the Goblins near him where the nearest Orc prison/encampment is.

[Tjallen]

"What do you mean why? Because it's there. Also it was one of the things the goblins wanted, I think. Their whiny voices give me a headache so I try to tune them out." Shiver shrugs.

[Chimaera]

@Bael: you ask the goblin cleric when he was almost out of the tent, halting him in place as he turn around and keep feasting on the stolen breads.

"As far as I know there are two places that still have orcs only: a group of them live at the Inifinite Peak's foot alongside the giants and others were taken to the Imperial Zoo. Probably there must be some acting as slaves there as well. We goblins make no prisoners, so the ones we fought are now resting on top of the spears around our valley, as a clear warning".

He wait some time, "Any more questions? I still have some church routine to do".

[Kevinho]

"Ink?!" Kevin wakes up kind fast, sit up and takes a while to understand.

"am I still in dreamscape?" Kevin looks around "no, definetly awake now"

Kevin stays sit for a few more seconds, when finally it rings a bell.

"INK?!"

Kevin stands up fast and run towards Ink's hut. "INK!"

[Chimaera]

@Party: with all reunited you can finally enjoy your breakfast together and... Nope, Kevin just dashed out of the place, almost trampling the goblin priest.

"That's it", the goblin say and leave the tent and head to the goblin's church.

@Bael, Skyler and Shiver: Deciding food isnt to be wasted, you stay and eat before going to the weird rich goblin merchant.

It's a quick walk around town until the goblin's miniature palace. Along the way, many goblins show signs of hangover and some are still clearly drunk.

"A-Ha! You came back to Pax!", the merchant says from behind the counter, "Please approach here. I've looked at your requested items and also rummaged through my own treasury for things you might enjoy".

He then take out several magical items from a platinum chest and put them into the counter for you to see. "But of course, let's identify and appraise your wares. There is a tax of course", he says smiling.

Identifying tax (50gp per item): 350 gp.

Inquisitor's Bracers (MiC, pg. 113): 1500 gp market price (those have Maglubyiet's symbol instead of Pelor's).

Wand of Detect Magic (14 charges left) (SRD): 105 gp market value.

Wand of Cure Light Wounds (40 charges left) (SRD): 600 gp market value.

+1 Large Mithralmist Shirt (MiC, pg. 20): 3400 gp market value.

+1 Large Greatsword (SRD): 2400 gp market value.

+1 Large Heavy Hammer (MM5): 2400 gp market value.

+1 Large Greataxe (SRD): 2340 gp market price value.

He then hand you the items back along with a small piece of parchment written "350".

"The bracers seems that belonged to a Maglubyiet's faithful. I can buy it for a better price than the rest, the Large equipment however I can buy but since this isnt a giant community I would have too much trouble selling them, so it would be at a lower price".

"Now let's check the jewels and artwork", he says analyzing them with his monocle, "Hmmm....".

Appraising tax (10% of the item price): 430 gp
Sapphire: appraised as 3000 gp
Aquamarines (2): appraised as 500 gp each
Jade cameo pendant with fovlin family portrait: 300 gp
Maglubyiet's Unholy Symbol : appraised as 1gp (no tax)

He write another number on the piece of paper: 430. "These are the cost of Pax's services. The cameo I remember selling to a goblin inquisitor some years ago, probably it belonged to him along with those bracers. Maybe the church of Maglubyiet might give you a better reward for them".

"Here is how much I would pay for your wares".


Nonmagical items: 1/5 market price.
Magical items: 1/4 market price.
Gems and artwork: market price.

(NOTE: the selling price in this game will be like this as a way to limit a little your power from items since you wont be leveling up in a traditional way, you might stay stuck longer than usual and being above the WBL would lead into trouble balancing power)

Large nonmagical items: wont buy.
Large magical item: 1/5 market price.

(NOTE: equipment not sized for the community youre selling will sell at lower price or wont be sellable at all).

Inquisitor's bracers: 1/2 market price

(NOTE: equipment of interest of the community might sell for better prices)

He look at you and smile, "And here is what I have to sell myself".
NOTE: As well as other merchants on this game, they have a few random treasures to sell as well as some popular items: a high arcane community will have more items, while a high mining community might have acess to better materials. In case of Goblinaria, there isnt an arcane community nor a great mining guild. They do have a temple where more items can be found for sale (specially potions, scrolls and wands).

Ring of Feather Falling (SRD): 2200 gp
Ring of Swimming (SRD): 2500 gp

Memento Magica (2nd level) (MiC, pg. 164): 6000 gp
Enemy Spirit Pouch (your choice) (MiC, pg. 97): 2100 gp
Tunic of Steady Spellcasting (MiC, pg. 144): 2500 gp
Tome of Worldly Memory (MiC, pg. 190): 1500 gp
+3 Cloak of Resistance (SRD): 9000 gp
Up to two +2 Cloak of Resistance (SRD): 4000 gp

Scroll of Energy Immunity (SC): 1650 gp
Scroll of Heal (PHB I): 1650 gp
Scroll of Resist Energy (PHB I): 150 gp

Lesser Metamagic Rod of Extend Spell (SRD): 3000 gp

up to six Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds (SRD): 300 gp
Potion of Invisibility (SRD): 300 gp
Potion of Lesser Restoration (SRD): 300 gp

+2 magic weapon of your choice (*): 8300 gp plus weapon base cost
Up to four +1 magical weapon of your choice (*): 2300 gp plus weapon base cost
Up to three +1 magical armor of your choice (*): 1150 gp plus armor base cost
+1 magical shield of your choice (*): 1150 gp +plus shield base cost

Unlimited common ammunition (SRD): depends on the ammunition

(NOTE: i wont have Arcane and Divine scrolls: it can be either arcane or divine as long as it show up in your spell list. Also, I'll allow pearl of powers and memento magicas to work for divine characters, but one given character is limited to one such item per spell level only. Items without unlimited or up to x are single items)

He then thinks and add his monocle to the pile, "This one is a special one for me, so I'll sell it for a higher price".
Artificer's Monocle (MiC, pg. 72): 3000 gp (twice its normal prize)

He give you his best one million gp smile and wait for your businnes.

@Kevin: you run as a wild man as fast as you can toward Ink's tent. Once you get within sight of the tent, you see there are several goblins in black robes chanting in Goblin. Thanks to the ring of Alliance*, you manage to understand some of it: funeral rites.

Thr spearman that was always beside him looks sad among the clerics. Ink's really gone!

For quickness' sake: you got the ring before you departed. It is now yours to use.

"The last blue on the Prime", you hear Vaabnork say to Srok, a little bit far from the priestly horde, "His advices will be missed".

"Yeah, it will", Srok agree, "So it means Fung's the new elder?"

"Apparently".

They notice you there and stop talking, "Greetings, ambassador. Have you and your lot decided where to proceed? Peace wont happen without your effort after all".

[Tjallen]

Taking the holy symbol and the wands off of the table Shiver mumbles something about 'damn curiosity' before takling to the trader: "We'll sell all of this. We'll also take a thousand gold worth of diamon dust as well as the monocle, very useful those. Apart from that I will take the scroll of energy resist and energy immunity."
Counting out the money and making piles for each surviving party member Shiver smiles at the goblin.
"You wouldn't happen to know of any interesting items associated with the places we are going? After all every adventurer benefits from a good connection with an... open... minded trader. Especially since we don't expect to be paid anything but information up front."


Expenses:
430 appraise
350 identify
1000 that dead guy
3000 monocle
-4,780

Gold
3,400 gp

ART:
Sapphire: appraised as 3000 gp
Aquamarines (2): appraised as 500 gp each
Jade cameo pendant with goblin family portrait: 300 gp
4,300

Magic stuff
Inquisitors bracers 750gp
+1 greatsword 480
+ greataxe 468
+1 heavy hammer 480
+1 mithralmist 680
2,865
4,300+2,865+3,400-4,780
5785

Shiver's purchases:
Scrolls
Scroll of Energy Immunity (SC): 1650 gp
Scroll of Resist Energy (PHB I): 150 gp
-1,800
Total cost after cut of loot:
-353.75



Since we are 4 people. each gets 5785gp / 4 = 1446 gold 2 silver and 5 copper

[Kevinho]

"Please, Tell me there's something I can do, I was Just talking tô Ink.. in my dreams.. or at least I thought It was a dream..."

Kevin takes a moment of silence in respect oficial Ink's Memories.

"Ink's last wish was for us to yake down Hypnox. That was what he asked us as embassadors during the party, and that was what he asked me during the dream, before he told me he was going.. off."

Kevin takes another moment of silence, trying to hold his tears. "wtf, why am I so moved with Ink's death"

"I'm sorry" Kevin can no longer hold his tears. "I wanna Join the cerimony, If that's okay"

Kevin has interest in Ink's remaining dream loti, so when there's a possibilita he'll ask for them, since it's the easiest way to reach Hypnox and make Ink's last wish true.

Kevin will also mention that to make It easier to get those loti, If any

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: "Truth be told: I have no idea where you are going", Pax answer your question, "If you heed our leaders' task I believe you would be fighting some rogue goblins: either Vaabnork's former lover Troz or the Avalanchers. I would stock some rations and as much magic items as I could if I would fight those".

"As for open minded? I have the perfect one for business. Tell me, do you believe peace is achiavable? With all the wars and msitrust each race have against each other? I find that idea utopian, but it would be nice to be able to expand business: Pax's Emporium of Magic Items. That would be nice".

@Kevin: the spearman look as you ask if you can help, but it is one of the priests of Maglubiyet that answer you.
"He died of old age. No mortal magic can bring him back to life, his soul is finally at Final Destination. As for joining the ritual: I'm sorry but you're an outsider and only goblins are allowed in these rituals".

They move the body away into the Maglubiyet's Church.

The leadersgive you a goodbye and go back to do whatever they were doing, leaving only you and the spearman.
"Ink's not dead. His soul is asleep in his Dream World. He drank all his lotus, sorry".

Thanks to the magical Ring of Alliance, you are able to understand what he says, as this goblin dont speak the Common Tongue. He bid you farewell and leave you in the street, tears in the eyes.



* * *


@Logan: the alpha team was supposed to find out any glitch and errror, as well as give some insight on the game's functions. You was also promised lots of fun, money and the entire game for you to play for free. Lies and lies. One by one each alpha tester died horribly or tried to disconect. It's been what? Almost an year? You gave up on questing in this game: there are monster out there that wasnt supposed to be fight by a single player and now that you are alone all you could do was to make a few stupid quests, fighting some underleveled monster to sell their loot and live in this world of make believe.

You wake up and get yourself some eggs along with a cup of coffee. Weird how eating this virtual food make you sated. It's almost like the traitor scene in Matrix. But instead of a nice peace of steak, it's eggs. Oh well.

You keep eating your breakfast wondering what would you fight against? maybe some ogres or some undead in a crypt, whne you hear some halflings talking.

"It's true: seven heroes fallen from the sky in Alliance. My grandma told me so: they're from that same weird place that the others came from, some months ago".

"Nah, your grandma must be getting senile".

"I'm telling you: Starbucks!"

"Then it must be some kind of outsider invasion".

"No, I'm telling you there was that profecy and..."

"Enough of this nonsense, Fred. It's still early in the morning".

They stop talking but this whole dialogue was weird: the first time you came here, your fellow paladin told the wisemen in Alliance that you were froma far away land called Starbucks. He found it hilarious at the time. Died devoured by a giant fish in Rhyne. COuld it be the company sent even more lambs to the slaughter?

@Chaunuff: the meeting with the company's executives is a little bit tense.

"There are much we dont know about the game development and what is the source of the malfunction. Are you sure you really want to try it?"

He stop and try again, talking louder this time.
"Are you sure? It is dangerous and we cant provide outside help until we figure out what's going on. Those who could know about anything are pretty much trapped inside. If you really want to do this, please sign here and here", he says handing you some paperwork. Burocracy and legal stuff.

"We'll get in touch as soon as we can. The objective is simple: find the playtesters and the Dev Team and lead them to the Game's End. Any doubt?"

Papers signed, hands shaken. They finally put you into a room with a seven capsules: four currently occupied by men of varying age, but mostly young ones. The blinking lights make them look sinister, as they sleep with their minds somewhere else.

The three dead players were moved prior to your coming, but you're glad you get to sit on the one that no dead man was using.

"Drink this and put this on. And this and this", the team says as they hand you phones, a scifi helmet and other things.

You make yourself confortable and soon feel your body getting numb, until you find yourself falling above a cloudy sky. A whole world appears below, with a single impossible high and slender mountain peak piercing the sky. You can feel the wind and can hear it loud and clear: apparently your hearing work just as when you're a young soldier. That work perfectly fine.

The fall keep going until you finally see what appears to be an amphitheater. A crowded one.

"... if my thesis is correct, the ghostly river Rhyne would be pretty much what the silver string of the Prime: in one side you there is the Material Plane while on the other bank of the river there is the Ether: a body and a soul, pretty much as the whole plane was a single living creature and, if you look at Table..."

Whatever the old gnome was saying was interrupted as fall in the middle of the stage, causing everyone to scream.
"Another one?", says an old goblin, "For Maglubyet's sake, what is this now?"

The people, old in the majority start discussing until the gnome cough, raising a simple wooden staff.
"Good morning, young man. Please, step out of the stage, will you? I'm in the middle of explaining my thesis on planar lore and find you and your friend's teleportation skill very rude".

What is these old geezer blabbering about?

[Fliggl]

Logan, a tall, long haired man interrupted his breakfast to listen to the halflings. What? New arrivals?. He ate his eggs, washed them down with a big sip of coffee, and put a few coins on the counter in front of him.
Alliance you said? he asked the halfling, the other one called Fred and left the Inn before Fred could answer.

Outside he stretched himself and said some words in druidic. He jumped into the air and flew away in the form of an eagle.

Does this never end? Why are they sending players again?

Spells Casted:

Heart of Air
Heart of Water
Heart of Earth

Primal Hunter
Primal Instinct
Primal Senses

Shapeshifting into Aerial Form: eagle

[Tjallen]

Laughing at the naive hope for peace Shiver shakes his head: "The only peace achievable is under the iron fist of a tyrant so far beyond reach that the mere idea of resistance is impossible. On a related topic that is the kind of power I am striving for, probably as achievable as lasting peace. You're right about the rations part, we will probably need enough for a month per person."

Returning to the subject of working together the wizard continues talking: "That does sound like something the world needs. Our group would be willing to enter into a trading deal with you, and by extension I guess, and the rest of the goblins. If you make it worth our while that is. Think about it, if we return from one of the tasks we will have proven ourselves worthwhile, no?" He tilts his head as he looks at the goblin, waiting for an answer.

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: the goblin smile a croocked smile, "If you can bring peace and adventurer's loot, I can buy them and expand. We can make sure that we both get satisfied with the result trading routes".

"There is a few things that must be done first though: wolves to the west and bandits to the east. I'm sure you were tasked with killing those and if that is done, then I would probably be able to make it worth your while. Another trouble I would need solved is the gnome supremacy over the Southern Pass, but strenghtening the Northern one might prove more profitable for both of us".

@Logan: new players? Why? They never answered your calls and you're pretty much doomed in this world of fantasy. Something is wrong and it certanly cant be Fred's grandma's senility. Time to find out as you soar to the skies and fly past the land, flyign high above the Treason Woods and Alliance's Wineyards.

It took you two days travelling before you reached the neutral grounds of Alliance, just in time to see yet another player falling from the sky and interrupting a gnome scholar's speech which amde you remember the time you arrived in this world: there was a dwarven explaining the benefits of a diet composed of mushrooms and beer only. The efforts they took to make a random speech everytime someone entered the game surprised you back then and still does.

So, who is this new guy and why he's alone?

[Fliggl]

There he is. And again a speech... as usual.
He ended his shapeshifting and glided because of his ring slowly to the ground, next to the new player. Persons from the sky weren't unusual these days - but landing as an eagle among gnomes... not again.
Are you okay? Do you know where you are? Do you know who you are? Logan asked the new one while he offered his hand.

[Xenopax]

Bael just grunts in agreence with most of what his teammates say. He didn't have much to say anyway. He was a more hands on type of guy. Preferably with his hands on his weapon. He figured if he just went along with whatever they said he'd find the half Orc and his Kin.

[Chimaera]

@Logan: you reach Alliance and look at the wisemen arguing and debating of all kind of matter scholar.

Weird. You was sure you saw someone falling from the sky, but it was probably just a rendering glitch?

TheMightyQuinn wknt be joining us after all, ignore the previous @Chanuff entry.

Some of the old men watch as you turn back into human form and recognize you.

"Hey, wasnt you one of the Alphas? It was like an year since we last saw one of those".

"Yeah, I remember the shapechanger", a dwarf woman says, "You just missed a new team. The third so far".

One of the ancients walk to you, "We took that with the delay your team was gone or gave up. Reason we recalled the Ring back here".

A small crowd surround you, "What brings you back here, former ambassador Logan?"

[Xenopax]

Bael inquires to the location of the nearest prison with orcs in it. He then says his goodbyes to the village and goes there with the party unless someone has any better ideas.

[Tjallen]

Upon hearing Bael start inquiring about orcs Shiver looks at him surprised: "How about we instead pretend that the bandits to east, that we will have to deal with anyways, are slavers too. That way you can deal with this newfound desire to let another plague loose on the continent. Let's go pick up Kevin and go there first, some justifiable violence seems like just the thing to do." As he leaves to go get Kevin he nods at Pax before heading out.

[Fliggl]

Logan definitely saw someone dropping to the ground. But now, nobody is here besides him and the usual talker and his audience.
He felt down from the sky but isn't here... There has to be a way to log out safely. THERE HAS TO BE A WAY!

Logan wanted to start again in the air as the dwarven woman said something about a third team.
A third team? Where? When?

And you want to know what I'm doing here? I want to save their souls. They shouldn't share the same fate as my team... his mood turned from excited to sad when he was remembered at his old team.

[Xanyo]

"Justifiable violence sounds good to me. I still haven't had the chance to give Energy Current a try."

He quickly inquires about any exact known locations of bandits, then joins the rest in getting the healstick and going East.

[Chimaera]

@Logan: you're sure it wasnt a glitch! There was someone there and now there is none!

The wisemen look at you agitation and then answer your question, "Yeah, after your Alpha Team there was another one, the Devil Team and later this other team, the Unnamed Team. The last one showed up here two days ago and left for Goblinaria".

"The Devil Team dissapeared three months ago, much like your Alpha".

@Bael: bored with inaction, you decide that if the others arent doing anytging they better go and help you find the orcs.

"Orc prisons? Those are in Materia. We goblins have no prisoners, just heads in spikes", one goblin merchant says to you after trying to find a goblin that spoke Common.

The others then listen to your inquiries and decide to vote for.the bandits. Fine: it's not like you can reach Materia without going through the Stoneshower Pass, so fighting bandits are bound to happen. It would also good to free the pass and reach the Giant's Steps, where there are orc survivors.

@Kevin: you are there talking with Ink's former bodyguard when the party shows up and let you know theyre departing to fight the bandits in the Stoneshower Pass.

@Party: after selling stuff and talking to the denizens of Goblinaria, you finnaly decide to get on moving.

As you march through the road, the mountains eventually start to embrace you, making it a very narrow pass: at some points the road width reach the minimum of 20ft wide. The steep mountain walls and the narrow path sure looks like a good place for ambushing travelers.

Two hours in the pass goes until you watch a small wooden tent and a small outpost, with a happy looking goblin sitted on top of it.

"Hail, travelers!", he greets you and repeat himself in the Goblin, Dwarven and Elven language waiting to see in which language yoh reply to him before continuing, "I'm Toby, the guide of the valley. Do you need a guide through it?"

[Fliggl]

Two days... Darn! They left for Goblinaria you said? Thanks folks!


And he was gone. A hop in the air and Logan shifted again into an eagle.

Outside in the wild, he landed besides a bush, turned back into a human and casted goodberry.( [roll0] are magical). One he ate right now, kepping the rest in his hand.
He shapeshifted again in an eagle and flew as fast as he could towards Goblinaria. He made a break only if it really was necessary and even then only for a short period of time (eating a berry again and so on).

[Tjallen]

Looking at Toby, Shiver shrugs"Depends, we heard there were some bandits in the area, would you know where they are situated?"

[Kevinho]

"Fighting bandits seems a lot of fun.. I think the best for us is to end goblin's quests because we'll have to return here to prove we done it, unlike other RPGs, we have to actually prove we have done our quest, there's no quest log and we won't get any reward from the quests for just finishing it, so if we kill the avalancheer, we'll have to return with his head to prove what we've done, and if we wander with the head, it might rotten and then we won't be able to get any reward."

Then Kevin says to Shiver [B]"I think I can understand your urge to kill sometimes, I'm getting it now. This game is so real I actually thought it was real, but let's just kills some bad guys and get unbored"/B]

Kevin wants to have a cigarrete, do some drugs and kill someone. Since he can't do the first two, he'll just kill someone.

[Chimaera]

@Logan: you're late! Hopefully you'll be able to outspeed and track them down. Maybe if you manage to join them you'll be able to get the hell out of this game!

Bidding the wisemen farewell, your shaeshift into an eagle and take to the skies, flying as fast as you can, crossing the Howling Woods.


CURRENT DAY

It took you one day to reach Goblinaria, the greatest goblin tribe in this world. Several impaled heads warn trespassers of their fates if invading their territory, but you ignore those. The city (if it can be called that: it is more like hundreads of tents spread out of the valley, with some spear walls and watch towers) is busy with bugbears trainning under the sun, goblin kids running around and even some trade. The only true construction is an ugly church that looks almost like a huge potato and it have a thick trail of blue smoke coming out of its chimney.

You scan the area, but no sign of humans, elves nor dwarves. Just goblins, hobgoblins and bugbears. If they are here still, they arent outdoors.

@Party: Toby look at Shiver and shake his head, "My job is to make you cross the valley without being robbed nor smashed by the falling rocks. Not to take you to yours and mine death", he shake his head, "No No no no. The Avalanchers! are a dangerous lot. Better to avoid them".

"And my services are just a thousand gold, paid in advance".

[Fliggl]

Logan circled the huge potato and kept looking for tracks. Tracks which were unusual for this camp - human, dwarven, elven and so on.

If the new players all had chosen goblin-avatars he would be screwed but he couldn't imagine how someone reasonable would do this.

In a save high he circled around, scanning the ground and hoping to find something.

He has the track feat
Survival: [roll0]
Subtract 5 from the result because he is looking for tracks at normal speed.

[Tjallen]

"Well, I am sure you will be delighted to hear that we are here to murder the hell out of those things. Maybe we will even survive doing it too. I don't suppose you could point us in the right direction?" Shiver says, not really expecting a useful answer.

[Chimaera]

@Logan: try as muchas as you do, this place have several goblinoids leaving tracks: from the small goblins to the tall bugbears. The fact you dont even know their numbers, races nor anything that could help doesnt... well, help.

It takes some time for you to realize tracking them wont be doable.

How to porceed from there?

@Shiver: Toby looks at you and laugh.
"Good luck then murdering them. They've terrorizing this pass for a long time. AS for a direction", he point his index towards the narrow valley pass, "It's pretty much a long corridor, just need to keep going for a whole day".

[Fliggl]

Logan sighs. He wanted to avoid any unnecessary contact - and now he has to go down in hostile territory.

He changed his shape back into his human form and glided down again. While gliding he casted barkskin - it's better to have the defense up.

He tried to land on the church, so everybody can see but can't reach him.

If needed: concentration for casting a spell while falling slowly [roll0]

[Tjallen]

Nodding at the guide Shiver offers his thanks: "Thank you, if ya need some minor murdering I'll strongly consider helping you."

[Chimaera]

@Logan: not really wanting to talk with the goblinoids but knowing they're probably the only ones who can possibly know where the new team is headed to, you land on the ugly building and eventually you start to hear shouts in the Goblin Tongue.

"Penyerang! ana sing nyerang ana ing kono!", some goblins start shouting and pointing at you making a fuss about it. Many of them start running either away or toward the church, with one impossing bugbear leading a group of twelve hobgoblins.


https://i.pinimg.com/736x/67/a1/7d/67a17dc8d80def08c2d4041e0846d315--fantasy-monster-hobgoblin.jpg

"Sapa sing sampeyan ngira? Mungkasi mlaku ing sirahe Maglubyiet!", he barks at you, pointing a nasty looking greatsword at you.

Well, that's exactly why you didnt wanted to have to talk with these guys...

More shouts come out from inside the church as a evil looking priest go out and look at you.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/77/6e/6e/776e6ee9e969970edcd8ca7a7007cb62.jpg

"Who the hell you think you are, human? These are goblin lands! Get down of there and stte your business, try anything funny and I'll blast you out of existance!"

They all look very angry. Tough crowd?

@Shiver: the goblin actually stop to think for a second before answering, "Nah, I'm good. I would say good luck on your travels, but that would be bad for business. Seeya".

@Party: leaving Toby behind you start moving through the valley, which goes winding for half hour with no events.

At some points you feel as if being watched, but it is Kevin and Skyler that manage to get a bald green head hidden behind a rock 40ft up from your position. Skyler do see a few more: at least five goblins are hiding there!

SURPRISE ROUND

@Kevin: you look at the goblin you spotted and is about to warn your allies but the goblin prove to think faster as he say something in a hurried voice and the mountain wall begin to rumble and an avalanche of rocks fall right where you are standing.

But it isnt only rocks that are falling: two small bolts also seek to pierce your heart.

Two goblins shot bolts at you, both hitting you (the second one being a critical threat that didnt confirm).

First attack deal 3 damage plus 22 sudden strike damage.
You must make a Fort save DC 15 or take 2 Strength damage.

The second strike is a more devious one: it's an assassin death strike! But not exactly a regular one...
It deals 4 piercing damage plus 24 sudden strike damage.
Make a Fortitude save DC 15 or take 2 Con damage.
Make another Fort save DC 16 or be turned to stone.

@Skyler: your reaction time is lacking as the Avalanchers! ambush you, dropping the mountain over your head as well as a single bolt at your stomach.

You took 5 plus 25 sudden strike damage.
You must make a Fortitude save DC 15 or take 4 Dex damage.

@Shiver: the walk was very tedious until you find a bolt missing your arm by a very small marging. Ambush!

@Party: the rumbling sound grow louder and louder as the whole valley threaten to fall on you! There sure was a reason they called this place Stoneshower Pass, after all.

Everybody takes 16 bludgeoning damage (Reflexes DC 15 for half damage).
Those who fail the first save must make another save (Reflexes DC 20) or be buried in rubble.

Buried or not, you get ready for a battle to come.

Uno, Duos, Trios, Tetras and Pentas
Kevin
???

[Fliggl]

Logan replied to the hooded goblin with his hands raised as a sing that he wants no fight: I'm leaving this place as fast as I came here if you tell the direction the new group left your... city? What's their destination - do you know it?

[Kevinho]

"DARN! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!!"

Kevin resists the poison [?] or whatever.

"Guys, get a cover!"

..

"Tiaki katoa aroha inaianei meinga jia tupu" as Kevin says his magic words, everyone gets involved by a sea-blue nimbus of light blossoms that spreads from Kevin.

Kevin casts Mass conviction, everyone in a burst of 20-ft. radius centered on Kevin gets +4 morale bonus on saves. NOTE THAT EVERYONE THAT GOT BURIED GET NO BONUSES.

Spells:
0: 6/6
1: 8/8
2: 8/8
3: 6/8
4: 7/7
5: 6/6
6: 4/4

[Xanyo]

Fort DC 15 vs 4 dex: [roll0]
Ref DC 15 for half Stoneshower damage: [roll1]
Ref DC 20 to avoid being buried: [roll2]
Initiative: [roll3]
Will edit after getting results.
Skyler weaves his flying path through the falling rocks, extracting and discarding the crossbow bolt while he's at it.

"That's it! From now on I'm defaulting my altitude to 'very high up'. Now, do y'all want to die in a fire, die in a block of ice, die in a blast of lightning, or die with a really, really bad headache?"

[Xenopax]

Heh.
Bael shifts into a combat stance and draws his blade.
[roll0]
[roll1]
Order Stance

[Chimaera]

@Logan: the gobli priest look at you as you ask them where the new group was headed to, making him go quiet for a while.

"The new group? What new group? And most important... Why the hell are you still standing on Maglubyiet's head!?"

You can see lightning starting to crackle in his hand, as he keep getting enfuriated, but they dissappear after one of the goblins say something to him.

"You mean the ambassadors? Who you are to them? Did Archibald sent you to stop their quest?"

@Kevin: you do your best to avoid the falling rocks and resist the poison and magic in their bolts, your torso turning to stone before you manage to shrug off whatever kind of petrifying attack these goblins have. Since when does goblins petrify?

Damn, these guys will make your roll several saving throws apparently, so you chant some made-up magical words and buff every ally. Thankfully none was buried alive so all benefit of your prayer.

@Skyler: damn! What is wrong with these ambusher-happy developers? Alright, next time you'll be flyingtwo hundread feet up! Hopefully you wont find any ambushing dragon or flyer...

Directing yourself to the goblins, you ask how they want to die, but they ignore it. Probably think they'll win.

@Bael: you are hit by several rocksbut manage to avoid being buried in pixels. Noticing the guys were also attacked by tiny crossbows, you draw your weapons and spot the enemies ahead: 5 goblins avalanchers.

Seem the bandits were as eager as you to fight. Now how to get up there and... Huh?
You feel a blade piercing your stomach, but there is no goblin here: the very thin air attaked you!

4 damage plus 16 sudden strike.
Fort D 17 or take 3 Constitution damage.

There is yet another one down here!

Uno, Duos, Trios, Tetras and Pentas
Kevin
Avalancher Godo
Skyler
End of Surprise Round

[Fliggl]

Logan jumped from the 'potato'. He had no idea what a Maglubyiet should be but he thought it was important for them and didn't want to step on their toes.

Stop your magical sparkling! I don't want to fight you - I don't want to be here right now! I just came here to ask a question.

But let me answer yours first: I know no Archibald, nor am I here to stop them. I want to keep them save and alive!

Tell me now, where are they?

[Xanyo]

Skyler scowls at the lack of response.
"Well done it is," he growls as he drifts up, eyes starting to flicker with heat, "I hope you don't mind a little heat."

At that, he raises his arms, forming a glob of flame, then smashing his palms together and flinging the glob at the "Avalanchers!".

Fly up 5', making my altitude 15'.
Empowered Energy Ball, chaotic surge, wild surge +2. Augmented to 12d6+12 fire damage, *1.5 for Empowered, * something for chaotic. Lemme math.
[roll0]
[roll1]
Enervation chance: [roll2]
Ref DC 26 half
That's 97 damage, and I'm enervated.

[Chimaera]

@Logan: you step out of hatever the potato is and land on the ground, being immediatly surrounded by many goblin spearmen.

"And why should we trust you?", the cleric says, his lightning disappearing.

They dont see plain out hostile anymore, but far from friendly yet.
One lone spearman break the formation.

"Valley", he point out, "Ink percaya kanthi tentrem".

The other goblins look at him like he said some kind of blasphemy, but he just shrug when they start shouting at him. "Go", the goblin says and leave the circle.

The others start talking to themselves a mix of anger and confusion in their voices.

@Skyler: you look at the goblins and wish them turned to ashes, focusing your mind to agitate the particules of air around them, incinerating the air itsefl around them.

Two of them are caught offguard and have no time to even scream before they're gone in a pile of dust. Theother three are more agile and manage to dive for cover. They're harmed, but not gone.

ROUND 1

@Party: after the great explosion of fire, you watch as two goblin's bodies fall from their hidding place. Both dead.

The others shout at each other and step into the stone, disappearing completely from sight!

Uno, Duos, Trios, Tetras and Pentas
Kevin
Avalancher Godo
Skyler, Bael, Shiver
End of the Round

[Fliggl]

Why you should trust me? What am I doing here? I don't want to sell something nor do I want to convince you to do something.
I just want to know where the new ambassadors were going! Why else should I come down here?

I heard that they went here... Have you seen them, yes or no!
Logan got impatient...

[Kevinho]

Godamn! O Lost almost half my Hp, time for a little healing.

Kevin casts healing circle, and, If possible, he'll immediately draw the First charge of the spell, healing [roll0]

From now on, any Ally within 30ft can draw the Power of healing circle, my CL is +12

Also, Kevin will be in full Def and Step a 5ft Step towards the enemies.

Damage took: 52 - healing

[Chimaera]

@Logan: after one of them pointed to the valley, many of them started in-fighting and once you ask once again, the goblin spearman repeat himself: "Valley" and point east toward the Stoneshower Pass.

The others stop fighting each other and look at you, "You got your answer now scram!"

@Kevin: damn sneak attackers, they sure do lots of damage! Someone call the doctor and, wait. I'm the doctor.

Creating a holy imbus of light around you and your allies, you draw forth the first charge and heal yourself considerably. You take a step forward towards Bael and his invisible attacker: the others are either dead or inside the stone walls.

@Bael: you watch in surprise as a goblin appear just in front of you.


https://i.pinimg.com/originals/dc/49/d7/dc49d7610d8340ae9f8fc6ca7778ad0d.gif

That must be their leader! The avalancher Godo, leader of the Avalanchers!, but as soon as he appears he smirk and disappear once again, as two deep cuts appear on your torso followed by yet another piercing sound coming from above.

He turned invisible as swift action (no AoO) and proceeded to slash at you with his kukri.

Both hits, no criticals.
First attack deal 4 plus 10 sudden strike damage.
Second attack deals 4 plus 10 sudden strike damage.

No poison this time since it is for a single attack.

@Party: as the battle keep going you hear two large monsters appearing above, a strange mix of crab (or maybe spiders) and rocks.


https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/dungeonsdragons/images/0/03/Avalancher.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110509040346

Apparently they're the ones causing the avalanches!

The rocks start falling in a rumbling sound and attempt to once again bury you in tons of rocks.

@Skyler and Shiver: aware this time you manage to fly out of the falling rocks path, but the same cant be said about those on the ground, Godo included.

@Kevin and Bael: another stone shower coming!

Reflexes save DC 15 or take 23 bludgeoning damage.
If failed, make another save DC 20 or be buried in rocks.

@Party: the area is filled with rocks and rubble, making it a difficult terrain. Godo was invisible, so who knows if he was buried of if escaped. The other ninjas are gone, melding into stone and fleeing the scene (or not?), but now there are two gigantic stonycrab monsters ready to fight!

Duos, Tetras and Pentas
Kevin
Avalancher Godo and 2 Avalanchers
Skyler, Bael, Shiver
End of the Round

[Fliggl]

Wait... Where? The valley you said? Thanks!
And he was up in the air again heading to the valley. Every once in a while he looked for tracks.

Flying with 50ft, tracking at normal speed
Track: [roll0] (-5 for moving at normal speed already included)

[Tjallen]

Flying back Shiver mumbles under his breath and points at the area where the Godo appeared. A multitude of brightly colored sparks forms, clinging to everything in the area.

Moving back and up,
Casting glitterdust, dc 23 will to avoid being blinded, no save to get glittery and negate invisibility as well as a -40 to hide.

[Xanyo]

Skyler blinks.

Dazed by enervation.

[Chimaera]

@Logan: you thank the goblin and take to the air before they change mind and decide to have you for dinner. As the dinner.

You fly through the valley: a very narrow path and eventually you pick up a track of two medium sized creatures. Probably heavy armored ones. There are some other tracks, but those are the most recent ones.

You fly for sometime until you see a small wooden outpost, with a single goblin sitting lazyly in a chair, singing some goblin tune. A great sign show the following words:


Toby the Valley Guide

Toby pandhuan lembah

Toby le guide de la vallée

Toby der Talführer

Toby de valleigids

Toby an treoir ghleann

He dont seem to notice you (he might have seen the eagle, but definitly not recognized it as an actual person).

@Skyler: you look as the scene unfold but no matter how much you try, the only thing you manage to do is to blink as the battle unfolds.

@Shiver: watching the goblin ninja dissapear once more, you decide you're done with their tactics and aim at where Godo vanished and send a burst of glitter to reveal his position and... Huh? Where did taht goblin went to? All you got is several sparkling stones!

Duos, Tetras, Pentas
Kevin
Avalancher Godo, Avalanchers
Bael, Shiver, Skyler
End of the Turn

[Xenopax]

Bael draws upon the healing circle before moving forward. He had the HP to tank these blows while he hopefully got out of agro range.
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Fliggl]

Once again Logan shifted back into his human form and glided to the ground in front of the goblin.

Toby I guess? Have you recently seen a group of adventures? The new ambassadors? Where can I find them?

[Chimaera]

@Logan: the small goblin almost fall off his chair as you shift back to your normal shape.

"Aaaah!", he shouts before recomposing himself, "A group of ambassadors? Sure. A hundread gold".

[Fliggl]

Logan was searching in his pockets... Here is your gold, racketeer! And now tell me: when did they arrive, how much are they, where are they going to, when did they left and so on. The important details. I'm in a hurry, if you wanna start now!
He handed over a lot of coins and waited for Toby to answer.

[Chimaera]

@Logan: Toby seems happy he got actually paid for that and is quick to bite a few of them before pocketing it.

"Right, four guys just came through: two flyers and two walking. An elf, an orc and two human. They went through the valley to murder the bandits, as they said. It wasnt long since they passed, so you can probably catch up with them and there isnt much way to get lost in the valley: its very narrow pass and although it goes winding, it's pretty much linear".

"There is of course the trouble with the avalanches and bandit, so since you're alone you might consider hiring me as your guide? It's only a thousand gold pieces and I'll guide you until you leave the valley. Deal?"

@Bael: without any enemy within range, you take your time and heal yourself, waiting for the next ambush.

Round 2

@Party: the goblin ninjas dont come back from their journey through earth and stone. Maybe they fled the scene?

Duos, Tetras, Pentas
Kevin
Avalancher Godo, Avalanchers
Bael, Shiver, Skyler
End of Turn

[Fliggl]

Since “its very narrow pass and although it goes winding, it's pretty much linear..." he quoted ... why should I pay you a thousand gold for not getting lost, if getting lost is nearly impossible?

Alright small Toby, you should reduce your prices...

Now that he knew for what kind of trails he had to search, he would find them.
In his avian form he entered the valley in a safe hight with a good view (about 50 meters / 164 ft) and looked for the mixed party of 4.

Flying with 50ft, tracking at normal speed
Track: [roll0] (-5 for moving at normal speed already included)

[Chimaera]

@Logan: "Because of the bandits and avalanches: it's called Stoneshower Pass for a reason", he explains.

Either way having a goblin slowing you down wont help find them faster and so you take to the skies and fly high into the valley.

You'll eventually catch up with them. You'll do so next round or so.

[Chimaera]

@Kevin: not sure what to do you decide to hold on for now.

Delayed to the other's Initiative.

@Party: the rubbles seems to tremble a little, but no sign from Godo: he was actually buried in their own trap. Goblins, right?

The avalanchers on top of the valley start to descenddropping themselves from the wall and freefalling as the both manifest their innate abilities and turn the stone besides you into a puddle of mud, making the path a little bit wider to allow them to move around.

They reshaped the place a little bit, flooding the area in mud and allowing them to move in a less cramped way.

The avalanchers shriek as each block one way out of the valley as well as turn the rubble trapping Godo in mud, freeing him.

"Surprise!", he shouts as he disappears and stab you once again. The mud however show a pair of footsteps, revealing his presence (even if still invisible)

7 slashing damage plus 18 sudden strike damage.

Duos, Tetras, Pentas
Avalancher Godo, Avalanchers
Bael, Kevin, Shiver, Skyler
End of the Turn

[Xanyo]

Shaking his senses back into himself, Skyler refocuses himself. Combat. Gobbos and Avalanchers. Need killing. Rising up a few feet, he visualizes the battle. That lead ninja was doing the most damage, looked like. So he needed to be dealt with. The Avalanchers were annoying, but less so, it seemed. Perhaps they could be annoying to each other. Sharpening his focus further, he mentally selects one of the Avalanchers. Time to taste some troublesome tricks. Shifting his mind into a purely factual mode, he speaks in silence to it.

Your allies betray you. You will kill them. We will help you. We are your friends. These facts are indisputable.

First a 5' upward. Then we get to the good stuff.
Psionic Dominate. Base cost 7. Augment for +2 to be able to affect magical beasts, among other things. Overchannel for +1 ML, causing myself to take [roll0] damage. Augment for +4 to make the duration 1 day/lvl(13 days) instead of concentration.
Targets: Avalancher 1.
Will save DC 26 negates.

Assuming I am successful, I take my move action to command them(which, in case it is somehow unclear, is to attack their former allies, treating us as their new allies). If all of them save(unlikely), I instead move 10' up and 5' back(from Godo).

If i am attacked, recall that my Cloak of Minor Displacement grants a 20% miss chance.

[Tjallen]

Annoyed by this places strange love for invisibility Shiver mutters the incantation for seeing through this kind of trick and flies up a bit more.

Cast see invis. Fly up another 20 feet.

[Xenopax]

Bael strikes at the place where the Goblins footprints are. He yells out in orcish "YOU WANT GOLD? I OFFER IT TO YOU IF YOU sTOP PELTING Us!"
[roll0]
[roll1]
Initiating stone vise. He takes 2 Con damage.

[Chimaera]

@Skyler: back to your senses you watch the battle below and force your conscience into one of the avalancher's mind below.

The earthen creature halt and then try to shake off your power but fail to, as you speak to his mind and it become a puppet for your to pull the strngs. He's under you complete control, good.

@Shiver: tired at their damn chepa trick, you chant a simple divination to allow yourself to see the unseen, as a single silver rune appear on your irises and you can see Avalancher Godo standing still on the mud, completely unharmed by the rocks that had fallen before. What? How is that?

You look up and try to find the others, but they're not anywhere in sight, even for your magically enhanced vision.

@Bael: tired and hurt, you shout for them that if it's gold they want, you can give it to them, only to hear a laughter ahead of you as Godo find it funny the mighty orc pleading for his life. Using his laughter to pinpoint his location as well as the footprints on the mud, you swing your weapon wildly but almost lose balance due the mud.

ROUND 3

@Party: It is then that from the very walls erupt the missing ninjas.

One of them appear in front of Godo and slice at Kevin's throat... but thanks to his armor, all that happens is a metallic ping as the kukri meet steel.

The second one appear behind Kevin (directly below Shiver) and, in flanking position, attack Kevin and just barely manage to bypass his defenses.

@Kevin: the first blade fail to bypass your defenses as even the ninja is surprised by failing his attack. The second one however send a sharp pain in your leg, as the blade manage to find a gap in your armor and threaten to poison your bloodstream.

4 slashing damage plus 24 sudden strike damage.
Fort save DC 15 or take 1 Constitution damage

@Skyler: the last one appear on top of the high ground and fire a hand crossbow at you, aimed to your heart.
The bolt stings but it is more than pain that invade your body: you feel poison trying to weaken your mind and something trying to slow your movements.

You take 5 piercing damage plus 24 sudden strike damage.
Make a Fort save DC 15 or take 2 Intelligence damage.
Make a second Fort save DC 16 or be petrified.

@Bael: The avalancher behind you (which isnt dominated) moves ahead and strike you from behind with its pincer-like claws, slamming at you twice... Just to fail twice.

Godo then reappear, smirks and dissapear yet again before he attacks you from a flanking position, slashing you with his kukris and grim satisfaction to see a man twice his size affraid of dying: they're probable more interested in looting your dead corpses than letting you leave this valley with your lives!

Thanks to attacking and the mud, you know his location: right north from you. He's still invisible so 50% miss chance if attacking him.

1st Kukri slash: 5 slashing damage plus 13 sudden strike damage

2nd Kukri slash: 4 slashing damage plus 16 sudden strike damage

@Party: it is then that something very strange happens as one of the avalanchers attack one of the goblins who stabbed Kevin!

The dominated avalancher slam at him who is caught completely offguard and have his skull crushed the monolithic creature. He then swing blindly towards Godo and is able to hit him despise his invisibility, causing the leader of the bandits to gasp in surprise and pain.

His first slam killed Duos and his second one hit Godo for 24 damage.

@Logan: you fly at high speed through the valley and hear some rumbling sounds at distance and watch with your eagle's eyes as two avalanches try to bury the party you were tracking. They're being ambushed by weird stone crab creatures and at least four... Nope, three goblins, as you watch one of them smashed by one of the crab-thingies.

They need help!

Tetras, Pentas
Avalancher Godo, Avalancher 2
Dominated Avalancher 1
Bael, Kevin, Logan, Shiver, Skyler


The map link can be found here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1F2DWexW22grFsj7nb1zrEArgCPs8iSU5oQJwtsJFStM/edit#gid=849238531

Be sure to favorite it, @Fligll

[Xanyo]

Shaking off the poison, Skyler flips off the offending goblin as he lifts himself higher - just a wee bit higher, don't want to forget the bugger below him.

More poison? I think I'm starting to regret including internal bodily matters in the digital-neural tap's capabilities. I expected them to use it to get drunk without harming their actual bodies, but I guess alcohol is just another poison. Whatever, idiots to kill. I've already spent more power than these idiots are worth, so let's play around with Energy Current. That one's oddly efficient.

Regaining the focus he lost with his first power, he turns himself into a conduit for powerful energy, a savage chill creeping up his spine, down his raised arms, out his hands, down into the Avalancher he did not control, and from it to any gobbo within 15' of the beast.

5' up - I think I'm barely in the Avalancher's reach. Move action and DC 20 concentration check to regain psionic focus: [roll0]
Manifesting Empowered Energy Current, wild surge +2, chaotic surge, augment 3 pp for +3d6 base damage and +1 DC.
Fortitude save DC 25 for half damage.
Targets: Avalancher 2 and any one visible goblin within 15' of it, if applicable.
Damage is halved for the secondary target, a goblin(if possible)
Base damage: [roll1] + 12 for cold damage bonus
Chaotic: [roll2]
Enervation chance 10%: [roll3]

Results: 48 base damage, add half from empower, and half again from chaotic for total of x2 damage. Meaning, 96 cold damage, 48 to any secondary target, Fort save DC 25 for half. I am now concentrating on the effect. I can maintain it for up to 14 rounds, and if I take damage I have to make a concentration check or lose the power. The enervation chance did not result in enervation.

[Tjallen]

Crushing a small bone produced from a pouch Shiver points at Godo as he mutters the words to a spell, leaving the goblin stunned from pain.
He then calls out to the goblins: "You can still surrender as prisoners, not all of you need to die this day."

Shiver casts fleshshiver, Godo fails his save, and is stunned for 1 round + [roll0] additional rounds, he takes [roll1] damage on top of this.

[Fliggl]

Logan flies through the valley hearing sounds of battle falling stones and an shouting orc. He spots a single goblin, which stands on higher ground, waiting to strike one of the team it seems.

While in his eagle form, he started an attack at the goblin but short before the strike starts, he shifts into a huge predator, a bear, and finishes the attack with a bite against the goblins head.

dive attack at the goblin @ N10 / Pentas
Swift action: shapechange into bear
Attack Pentas with bite Power Attack -9 [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

[Chimaera]

@Skyler: already feeling yourself a little bit drained (more than you would expect from fighting goblins), you create an arc of cold energy that damage one if the avalancher and instafreeze one of the surviving goblins, killing him.

Just three more enemies to go.

@Shiver: you ponder your options and decide to go for the safest one as you break a bone and cause the invisible Godo to drop his kukri (which turn visible) as he is stunned by the ammount of pain. This guy is as good as dead now, just need a little push from Kevin or Bael.

@Logan: seeing that one of the goblins was about to shoot again at their casters, you dive at him, caughting him off-guard as you turn into an eagle and bite half his shoulder off. He isnt down yet, but he's on Death's door.

@Party: the battke keep raging on when all of sudden an eagle charge at one of the goblins, turning into a bear at the last second. A druidic ally? Who could this one be?

Pentas, Avalancher Godo, Avalancher 2
Dominated Avalancher 1
Bael, Kevin, Logan, Shiver, Skyler
End of the Turn

[Kevinho]

After a little mind-delay, Kevin decides it's time to do some hack and slashing.

"Hey Godo! You can run, but you can't hide!"
With his spiked chain in hands, Kevin swings it and prepare to hack and slash the invisible goblin.
"Ok, Kevin. Now it's the test to see if you built right or wrong... I think I should have focused on spellcasting only... well, maybe not."

STATUS: HP: 69/120

Actions: Kevin attacks Godo from left to right.
Attack1: [roll0] Damage: [roll1] Miss chance: [roll2]
Attack2: [roll3] Damage: [roll4] Miss chance: [roll5]

[Chimaera]

@Bael: being unable to see the enemy, you just go to full defense.

@Kevin: twice you attack the air and twice you hit the invisible goblin. He's hurt, but not down yet (else you would see mud splashing around).

@Party: you watch as Godo reappear, very much stunned and hurt. He try to recover from Shiver's spell, but to no avail: the guys is pretty much dead now.

Pentas, the last of the Avalanchers! decide that discretion is the best part of valor and dissapear from sight to all but Shiver, who watch as he enter solid rock and is seen no more.

The avalancher left remain fighting, but without any support he's quickly taken down with the help of the dominated one. With no more enemies in sight, you gang up on Godo and must decide: off with his head or not?

No point keeping the fight going.
Pentas managed to escape, but he probably wont be a problem anymore.

You get the loot of four Avalanchers! and from Godo, which includes:
Godo's Kukri (magical, Small)
Godo's Handcrossbow (magical, Small)
Godo's Vests (magical, Small)
Godo's boots (magical)
Two flasks of poison (Salvo, Fort DC 15 or take 1d4 damage to a random ability score)
A potion with a green liquid with sand and small rocks inside (magical)
A masterwork poisonmaker's tools
4 kukris (magical, Small)
4 bracers (magical)
99 bolts (Small)

Despise being bandits, there was found no ammount of gold with the.

The battle is over and so the dominated avalancher sit quietly on the pass floor, waiting for instructions. There is also the matter of the newcomer. Who might he be?

[Fliggl]

Seeing - or better not seeing - his prey vanish, the bear turned to the edge and watched down the group. A mighty growl and he turned back into his human form and shouted:

What are you doing here? Why are you here? I'm stuck here for over a year now, why are they still recruiting?
He jumped down, landed softly and walked over to the group. Stay close, y'all look like you could need some healing...!

casting mass lesser vigor (fast healing 2 for 20 rounds)

[Tjallen]

Shiver shrugs at the shapeshifter: "Killing goblins mostly. We're trying to bring peace and such. Unless you mean something different?" He lifts an eyebrow before taking out the monocle bought earlier and starts examining the magical items.

[Chimaera]

@Shiver: you take out the monocle and cast a imple cantrip to help you analyze all the items. It takes a several minutes which also allow you to recover from some of your wounds.

In the end, Godo's kukri was as strong as his bandits. Which wasnt very strong at all. Same goes for their crossbows*.
Godo's vests was what surprised you the most: trying to lift it proved to be hard: it weight a ton! How did he managed to be stealthy and agile while wearing such a heavy vestment?

A closer look at the boots showed they were custom made. It even have a [Custom] tag on it!

+1 Small Kukri (x5)
+1 Small Handcrossbow (x5)
+1 Small Glammered Mithril Full Plate Armor of Nimbleness
Dragonstriding Boots of Agile Leaping
Two flasks of poison (Salvo, Fort DC 15 or take 1d4 damage to a random ability score)
Potion of Earthen Grace
Masterwork poisonmaker's tools
+1 Bracers of Armor (x4)

That ought to help raise some funds your adventures and that would explain how he was unharmed by the falling rocks. But, what to do with him?

What you'll do with him?
Take him prisoner, let him go, interrogate him or just kill him?

[Kevinho]

"Stuck? Recruiting?! This guy is too off-topic to be an NPC.. That's it! He might be someone of the Devs Team"

"Hey! You look like someone not made of 0's and 1's am I right? In wich case it raises some questions, what happened to yout group? How far have you been able to explore in Material Plane and the others planes?

Also, do you know any way to get out of here? Or we're stuck in a glitch?"

Kevin asks a lot faster than he uses to talk usually.

"Oh, where's my manners? I am Kevin, I'm a Favored Soul a.k.a. Healer of the group."

[Fliggl]

No, I am not part of this useless Devs Team! I'm playing this game for over a year now. 372 days since my login. I was part of the first group sent in here, the Alphas...
And I'm the last one alive.

I am the former ambassador Logan - Shapechanger, Tracker, Druid. And the only one who knows how to survive this long!

EDIT: And by the way, this goblin is enemy. Kill him! He attacked you I guess, so no need to be patient or so. I do it if no one wants to

[Tjallen]

Looking up from identifying the items, Shiver casts a look at the goblin suffering before mumbling a spell - a swirl of ice and snow settles on the goblin and seeps into his skin.

Flesh to ice - DC 26 or turn into ice, somehow this doesn't kill him.

[Chimaera]

@Party: Not sure what to do with the goblin before he recover his senses, Shiver is more than happy to cast a spell to turn the goblin into a ice statue. The goblin, stunned and weakened, manage to somehow resist the spell, much for the the frost mage's dismay.

He'll soon recover his senses so you better make a choice now.

You have one more day to decide his fate, else he'll recover and ninja his way out.

[Fliggl]

Logan saw the spell fizzle somehow, turned into a bear again and attacked the stunned goblin with his claws and maw. It seemed that his claws and snout grew while he was walking to the goblin.

Morphic weapon: increase size of claw and bite by one
Full attack with power attack -9 : Bite [roll0] for [roll1]
And two claws (multiattack feat) [roll2], [roll3] for [roll4], [roll5] damage

[Kevinho]

"Alphas? Have you met the Dev's? Do you know their whereabouts?" Kevin looking to the goblin slightly changes his facial expression to a disgusting one. "F*ck this sh*t! F*ck the roleplay! Let's just rip his head off"

Kevin's voice went to a lower, darker tone.

"We're trapped in this experiment like lab rats... we can't access the log out screen for a reason, they don't want us out of the game. Why? They want us to test their game to the fullest. The only way to get out without the need of logout screen is through the end game screen I think... so we should team up and finnish this bullsh*t game"

[Chimaera]

@Party: it's a fee savage attacks that drop the goblin's head in the mud. Godo is gone as is his Avalanchers!, all but one, but he's probably considering retirement now.

Picking the head you discuss with the new old player about the game and the teams so far.

Apparently there was an Alpha Team before the Dev Team came around. Whatever happened to the Alpha Team (all dead accordingly to Logan) forced the Devs to join the game itself. Maybe they were looking for a way to fix a bug from inside the game. Hmmm... Food for thought.

The avalancher slowly climb back the mountain walls (where there is more space) and follow you back to Goblinaria. On your way back you cant help but notice that the valley guide's outpost is abandoned.

It takes full two hours to reach the goblin tribe and the guards at the gate greet you in their language, some suspicious of Logan. It's Srok and half a dozen wolfriders that come by at you.

"I see you're real quick and serious on your words, ambassadors. If you keep with this pace we might actually enjoy peace on the lands", he command a wolfrider to pick the ugly head and exchange it with a bag filled with gold, "Not much, but an incentive for your good work".

The bag is filled 2000 gp.

"It's past dinner time, but I believe you can still find some food leftovers in the Feast Area", he says before giving turning back to wherever he came from.

True to his words, you find some food still warm as one of the goblin cooks watch you coming and order an apprentice to prepare some roasted lamb and bring some beverages for you to drink. Unless you refuse, of course.

It's 2 PM now in game and the food is okay, nothing supernatural nor anything.

While you eat, you have time to prepare and decide your next step: there is a wolf lady on the loose and her forest is only half hour away from Goblinaria, but the forest is very large: took you a day to cross all its lenght.

[Xanyo]

Skyler asks around for any maps of the forest, particularly of areas this "Wolf Lady" is thought to be. He begins discussing with the maps laid out before him.

"We need a plan going into this, guys. The only encounter we haven't been ambushed in so far was a mutual duel. This Wolf Lady is almost certain to try to get a jump on us - that's what wolves like to do. She also likely has plenty of minion-wolves, so we have to be ready for that.

I want to know where she is before she knows where we are. I could send my psicrystal out to scout, but its senses are very limited in range. That leaves me as the scout, which I'm not very happy about. I'm not exactly stealthy in prismacolor.

Shiver, get me a list of the spells in your spellbook. I want to know our options, even if they mostly consist of 'lower temperature until enemy stops struggling'. If I find anything I want you to prepare, we're gonna have to rest a night before going after Miss Wolf. I don't mind terribly; I used up a little more than a fifth of my power with the Avalanchers.

For the fight, I don't have a lot in the way of battlefield control. I've got a one round save-or-daze, which is only worth using when we have only one threatening opponent. I've also got a way to take one or a few people out of the situation temporarily, but it's not very reliable in terms of duration. I also have Energy Wall, which won't stop anyone determined to get to us. Id Insinuation is basically psionic Confusion, but that's like, the epitome of unreliable. Apart from that, all I've got is Dominate.

Logan, how good at you at spellcasting? I want you to find out what battlefield control you've got access to.
I got wounded pretty bad this last encounter, and I don't want that happening again."