Cracks In Reality [IC]

[JNAProductions]

The adventurers leave the bar, on the advice of the old man in the corner. They're heading to do... Something. Bandits or something, with vague rumours of something greater to be had. But you managed to find out who else had that encounter with... You should probably settle on a name for the entity. The words stuck with you-but the actual details? All fled your mind. Like they were scared to stay.

Regardless, you sit down at a table. Raka sets some glasses of water (no sense dulling your minds when you need them sharp) and a central bowl of stew for all to share as you find your seats. There's a brief moment of awkwardness-you've heard of one another, but you've never relaly MET. So it's high time for proper introuctions.


OOC Thread (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?628005-Cracks-In-Reality-OOC&p=24955969#post24955969)

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

Not one to even willingly drag on an awkward moment, at least not when he was one of the ones under scrutiny, Walter let out a grunt as she sat up and started ladling out some soup for himself. "Might as well get started now that the bright eyes are off. Name's Walter, you've probably heard of me, or just outright heard my work. Think it was the bright eyes three groups ago that brought back the faulty parts which made that big explosion." Walter said the last bit with a grin at the memory, or perhaps it was at how he'd told them off afterwards, still coated in soot and smoking lightly.

[Silent_p]

Seated at the table with these others she barely knows the names of - let alone their faces - Ilde studies each of the others slowly. Her gaze is focused but not intense and certainly not hostile, as she seems to be trying to take the measure of her new companions.

After looking at each, she too takes a bowl of stew and, with a sip of water, smiles at the group. She listens politely to Walter and nods a greeting as he finishes speaking. ”Well met, Walter. I am Dawngreeter Stonecrest, but please, call me Ilde. You may know of me from the nearby temple to the Morninglord.” She looks around the group again as she talks, including everyone in her words. ”Clearly there are... matters we must discuss but perhaps a meal and more familiarity among us would be a good first step.” She smiles again and gestures to the next person with a gently expectant look.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38 HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Conditions: -
Actives/Concentration: -

After quickly clearing his throat and adjusting his spectacles, Gandry spoke in turn with a cheer in his voice and a broad smile on his face. "Pleasure to meet you all! I'm Gandry Willickers, proprietor of Willickers', just off the Market Quarter. I'm certain I've seen you all at least once or twice - if not in my shop, then in passing - and if I have met you before-- well then it's a pleasure to meet you again all the same!" He laughs quietly to himself before remembering, "Ah, yes! How rude of me! This is Mister..."

He raises his hand as if to snap his fingers, but hesitates. "No, perhaps not here. A tavern is no place for an owl," he says, beaming, "but perhaps I can introduce you all outside! Regardless, a pleasure, a pleasure!"

[Estralita]

Raka

"This pub's seen worse than an owl flapping,but consideration's a nice change.'

Once she finished serving, Raka pulled up a chair. "Speaking of which, I'm Raka and this is my pub. I bought it with the money I earned hitting things. Thought I could put those days behind me and leave it to the next generation, but see how things've gone."

[JNAProductions]

You hear the pitter-patter of rain outside. A distant, faint thunderclap, barely audible above your conversation, follows not long after.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38 HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Conditions: -
Actives/Concentration: Portents (7, 20)

Gandry sighs contentedly as the sounds of the weather mesh with the conversation. Chiming in when polite to do so, he does his best to get to know his new compatriots, listening to their stories and sharing a few of his own. "It strikes me-- for all the travelers and adventurers we encounter, it is odd to have been surrounded by you fine and interesting people for so long without so much as knowing your names! I ought to be embarrassed, and yet, what a joy this is!"

The clap of thunder darkens Gandry's mood. After taking a sip of his drink, the wizened halfling opens his eyes a bit wider, a serious undertone coursing beneath his typical cheer as he addresses the group. "As pleasant as this gathering is, I suppose there's no avoiding the inevitable. We've all met or seen... how should we call him? Her? Them? As little as we know of this person, I should want to be considerate, but..." Gandry pauses, hesitating to put a proper name to it all.

"What are your thoughts on this stranger?"

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

When the introductions finished and the stories started, Walter opened up with a torrent, trying to go again after just about everyone, usually with a follow up story about the same group that was just mentioned. He was either grinning with pride as he explained a group's praise, or laughing heartily at another's failure, which usually involved some kind of explosion. "Agreed, great fun the lot of you. Maybe we should make this a regular thing? Coming down to Raka's for a drink, meal, and share the bright eye's exploits," Walter added with a hearty chuckle.

It died soon though as that one was mentioned, and for the first time Walter finally noticed the storm that had started with some confused looking around for windows to peer though. He didn't ask how long it'd been raining, but the question was obvious on his face. "Yeah, that one... the strange bright eye. First one I think I've seen that was by himself, or at least arrived by himself. There's been a few times that only one came back before, but never just one setting off. And was it just at my workshop or did he seem not interested at all in the quest at all? Just muttered something about some of us being special or something of the like and then... did they... I'm not... Huh, I can't seem to recall much else about them." Walter puzzled with furrowed brow as his chin and beard came to be clasped between fingers and thumb.

[Silent_p]

Like the others, Ilde is content to while away some time trading stories - tales humourous, tall and occasionally sobering - with the weather affirming the comfort of being indoors. She speaks with tact of adventuring groups that visited her temple and tends to emphasize the more positive, nobler traits they exhibited. Most she seems to remember fondly with only a couple that left her unsettled or concerned. She listens carefully to the others when they speak, giving them the space and time they need to regale or recall. "Perhaps Raka or Gandry might have a moment to share some words, Walter," she says patiently and with a reassuring smile to the excitable gnome on one occasion. Generally, though, the conversation appears to flow easily as the stew is consumed and the weather deteriorates outside.

It is Gandry who first broaches the topic hanging over the table of new acquaintances. Ilde nods at his uncertainty which is rapidly shared by Walter. "One of the more unsettling visitors that I have welcomed to the temple," she says, choosing her words carefully. "The world itself seemed to halt or pause in their presence which was... unnerving. I would not discount the possibility of a divine being but certainly one of power, I feel. Like you, I don't have any recall of their appearance, only their words have stayed with me. A 'spark' they said I had and that there were others the same." She pauses and looks around at the others. "All of you, it seems," she adds with a reassuring smile. "Was your experience the same, Raka?"

[Estralita]

Raka

To her surprise, Raka found herself cracking a genuine smile at Walter's chatter. While she always worked to be pleasant to customers, she had never become close to anyone in the area. Too much risk they'd ask questions about her past she couldn't brush off. But now that he brought it up, there were plenty of stories about hapless adventurer's she wouldn't mind sharing.

Too bad that wasn't what they were here for. In response to Ilde, Raka simply nodded. "Pretty much the same.Visitor, freezing, and sparks. So what do we do about it?"

[Silent_p]

"That is the question, isn't it?" Ilde says in reply. She glances at the others. "We each have responsibilities: workshop, store, tavern, temple," she continues, indicating each person in turn. "And we have all seen the various adventurers that are well equipped and motivated to handle what may well be a 'quest' but it seems to me that this is a harbinger of something perhaps greater than all of us. I think it might be remiss of us - having been singled out - not to look into the matter further."

She stops and looks at the others, appearing keen to hear their opinions.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38 HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Conditions: -
Actives/Concentration: Portents (7, 20)

"I agree with you, Ilde, most definitely, most definitely... though it occurs to me that the question is not 'what' we do, necessarily, but 'how'. How do we find this 'harbinger', as you call it?" As a force of habit whenever his thoughts required significant attention, Gandry draws his wand and begins idly spinning it in his hand, a small cloud of cinnamon dust whirling in its wake.

After a time, he smiles again, the wand spinning faster with his renewed joviality. "Well, perhaps we do not know a course of action just yet, and this is not so much a course of action as it is a different kind of course of action where the course is an action-- not yet acted upon, of course," and he pauses, losing track of his thoughts for a moment, "but however we decide to go about it, it would be a pleasure to help! I can leave the store to my sons for the time being, and Mister hasn't really stretched his wings in a while, so-- yes!" With a loud tap of his wand against the table, Gandry exclaims, "A quest of our own! To find this 'Harbinger'!" His voice leans into the sinister nature of the word, as if telling a ghost story to his grandchildren, but the verve and excitement only mask the wizard's unease on the matter.

[Estralita]

Raka

Raka chuckled. "Well, if we're starting a quest, this is the place to do it."

I'm down with a slight nudge forwards.

[JNAProductions]

Thunder booms, louder this time. The weather's upon you in full force.

Raka takes a few moments to, with your assistance, clean the table up. Once everything's nice and tidy, she kicks out the various patrons, letting them know that she'll be closed for now. And you head off, pulling your hoods up to cover yourselves from the rain.

Outside, the rain is pouring. You're quickly doused, but a little foul weather is something you can handle. But you do realize, you don't know your... village? city? town? For the past, what feels like forever and a day, your lives haven't changed. You wake up, you help the adventurers, and you go to bed. What happened? What changed?

Luckily for you, Gandry knows there's a cartographer near his shop. Name of Dan Silverton-a human. You head to his stall in the bazaar. Gandry lets you know he's usually in the back, but try as you might, you can't get his attention. You head into the stall, and find him just out of sight around the corner-motionless, ready and waiting for someone else to arrive. Have you done this before? Is this how you were? In fact... You can hear the sounds of crowds. A constant backdrop of not-quite-audible conversations and bartering. But no one is moving about-there's no haggling going on.

There are maps galore around you. What will you do?

I will say that none of you have physically touched Dan. You can see him, but no one has come into direct contact. If you want to do that, make that clear.

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

Having his workshop so far out from the rest of the village, Walter hadn't really seen the full effects of what everyone was describing allowing him some doubt about a few of the claims, particularly those related to the people stopping. His brief time as a skeptic however was already over as they came to the cartographer's home and business. "What in the nine hells... Hey Gandry, this friend of your isn't prone to long bouts of unresponsively starring off into space, is he?" Walter would ask as he looked at the motionless man, even waving a hand in front of his face. "Admittedly, this is fairly weird but possibly explainable. Anyone have a means of checking for active magical effects? Maybe Dan here's under some kind of paralysis or control spell." Walter went on with more of a hopeful statement than a true question. Turning away from the frozen figure, Walter would then begin looking about the shop for a source of the jumbled conversation he can hear in the background. Muttering "I could make something that would make this noise, but why?" more to himself as a reassurance.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38 HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Conditions: -
Actives/Concentration: Portents (7, 20)

Gandry hesitates, an expression of unnerved confusion taking the place of his usual cheerfulness. He realizes that he had never actually seen Dan Silverton before. Never. Not once. He knew of Dan, and he knew of his store, but only because adventurers would ask where they could find maps. The sound of the weather and the crowd, combined with the lack of motion from anything but the four in the group, sets the wizard's nerves on edge. In response to Walter's inquiry, Gandry mutters, "No... no he is not... but..." By all rights, he did not know.

Dropping his decorum, Gandry's expression becomes one of cold focus; snapping his fingers with a curt "Mister," his owl familiar appears just beside him, a great hunting bird with cream-colored plumage to match the wizard's robes, emerging from the aether and standing almost half as tall as him. As Mister rapidly turns its head to examine this new place, Gandry issues a command, "Find a perch," and in remembering his manners, gives the owl a quick hug before continuing, "and please keep an eye on our good... new... Please keep an eye on Dan over there." The faltering words preclude the familiar flying up to where it can best keep an eye on the stock-still cartographer.

"If you could please give me ten minutes or so, I might determine what magic may have hold of him... or this whole place... or us..." The wizard draws his wand and begins tracing sigils in the air around him, each line formed in space from a dull red dust, lightly glowing as the ritual is cast.

I would like to cast detect magic as a ritual spell, barring any need for immediate action.

[JNAProductions]

Ten minutes of casting later, Gandry has his arcane sight readied.

He sees a faint aura around Mister-which makes sense, as the owl is a familiar. But other than that, and a single quill settled into a bottle of ink, there's nothing.

The quill would appear to be a Helpful Quill-a simple magical device that automatically refills itself from nearby ink bottles and helps keep writing or drawing clean.

Outside the quill, you do recall that not all things that one might consider magic register as magic to Gandry's spell. There are things that defy the laws of the world, but do so in a natural way, inherent to themselves. A dragon, for instance, should not be able to fly, but can do so without registering as magic. Most dragons will register as magical anyway, being mighty creatures of no small power, but not because of that.

The background noise and Dan's immobility might be of the same.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38 HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Conditions: -
Actives/Concentration: Portents (7, 20) / detect magic (10 min. remaining)

The suspended writing flashes briefly in midair, each sigil erasing itself by retracing its original path, the dust coalescing and returning to the tip of the wand like a winding spool of string.

Gandry spots the quill and smiles broadly. "Ah, most handy! I shall borrow this quill from Dan with the distinct intention of returning it to him! In fact, I shall write him a promissory note using the very same-- all transactions must be submitted in writing!" Gathering a bottle of ink and a sheet of parchment by use of mage hand, the halfling clears a low shelf and begins writing with the Helpful Quill, pinning the parchment with his wand as his other hand scribbles in furious cursive, the quill moving to shape, clean, and dry the written script. His mind whirring with the influx of information and the outpouring of an IOU, he begins discussing his discovery, or rather, his lack thereof.

"It occurs to me that whatever magic governs these phenomena we have been witnessing is perhaps background noise-- like this unmoving crowd we hear," Gandry muses to the group. "Or, perhaps, it is something more akin to a lightning strike," he says, hinting at the storm outside. "It is, to a child, a magical phenomenon - a wizard driven mad, or a stroke of power from the gods themselves! - but to an adult, or to those who study nature and weather, it is no more supernatural than the calming breeze the next day... That is to say, it is not magical at all." Looking over to the frozen figure of Dan Silverton, Gandry's voice turns more serious. "As scary and intimidating as a lightning strike... oh, yes-- especially in close proximity... but not magical."

"Believe me, I wish I could tell you that this was all arcane frippery!" he says with a renewed smile and a gesture as he finishes the note and places it on the counter, "as that certainly sounds more palatable! and yet... I simply cannot."

Is there expensive enough ink in this place to cast illusory script?

[JNAProductions]

Looking around, Gandry is not able to find any ink of the right variety for an Illusory Script. And besides, it'd be rude to consume that much expensive ink.

There is plenty of blank parchment, though, with which to write an ordinary note.

[Silent_p]

Ilde is happy to assist with tidying the inn and helping ready it for the potentially prolonged absence of its owner, conversing good-naturedly as she does. Stepping outside, however, is a strange experience. From encountering this harbinger to meeting others in a similar position, her perspective has shifted in an unsettling manner. "Unsettling, a word for the day," she remarks absently at one point. Nonetheless, she can't deny that everything is peculiar. She doesn't feel like she knows the street or locality at all and, more disturbingly, had never considered that strange before now.

These feelings persist and are then heightened with the discovery of the cartographer 'known' to Gandry. The immobile form and faint sounds of trade form a foreboding picture and the vaguest sense of... repetition? No. Connection, familiarity. Ilde shudders but does not shy away from the thoughts, resolving instead to place them to one side for later consideration. Taking a breath, she waits for Gandry to perform his magic, idly glancing at a nearby map. As the wizard is penning a note, she is on the cusp of bringing his focus back to the cartographer when Gandry does so himself. As he speaks, Ilde listens intently before turning to the seemingly frozen figure.

"I must examine him then," she says. "While I cannot immediately think of a natural cause for this, it would be prudent to check, given the lack of magical energy." That said, she steps forward and, with the aid of a stool, gently takes the man's hand to begin her examination.

Ilde will touch his hand and commence a Medicine check: [roll0]

[JNAProductions]

Wisdom Save for Ilde upon touching Dan:

[roll0]

When Ilde touches Dan, she flickers. You can see her, superimposed over herself, standing at an altar, waiting. She seems in great distress, the part of her that's moving-but none of you know what you can do.

About ten seconds pass before she settles back down, her hand jerking away from Dan's.

Take 4d8 psychic damage. You can roll it for yourself.

She takes a deep breath, and continues her examination-being very careful to NOT touch Dan this time. She doesn't see any signs of him having health issues. He is not, however, breathing, and holding her ear near his chest, she doesn't hear a heartbeat. It's like time has stopped for him.

[Silent_p]

Like flinching from touching a hot stove, Ilde pulls her hand back with a jolt, dropping Dan's hand immediately she's able. The movement continues as, wide-eyed, she stumbles back a few steps. "Morninglord, protect me!" She gasps, steadying herself on a table and taking hold of her holy symbol. "May your light grace this place and ward against the unnatural," she continues, voice chanting what sounds like a familiar refrain. "May the day come forth and offer succor to the pure of heart, for there is always another dawn."

She remains leaning heavily against the table for a long moment, thumb gently stroking the image of a road leading into a sunrise that is imprinted on her symbol. Her breathing is slow as she makes an effort to recover from the shock and pain. After a moment, she offers the others a weak smile and tentatively resumes her examination. "He's... not breathing, no heartbeat... Honestly, he could be the most life-like statue in existence." She pauses, taking a deep breath. "There's also the issue that touching him gave me an out of body, existential nightmare and an immense headache." She chuckles unconvincingly, seeming to be trying to put a brave face on her experience.

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

Finally giving up on his search for a source of the noise, Walter resigns himself to wait for Gandry to finish his ritual and then Ilde to finish her examination while continuing to contemplate a possible explanation. Idle's cry of pain though is more than enough to snap the uppity gnome out of his thoughts and bring him back to the scene at hand. "Woah!" he hollers and is by her side in a moment, offering her help back up. As her explanation of Dan came forth, Walter took his turn to regard the motionless map maker and eye him suspiciously. "No magic, and nothing wrong with him... But that... that doesn't make sense? There has to be a reason Dan's acting more like one of my machines after I cut off the power. Maybe it's some kind of new monster that's moved in nearby? Or did the well get contaminated with... something?" The last had Walter pausing for a minute before rushing over to one of the windows and looking outside towards the other buildings along the street, or at least as much of them as he could see through the storm. "Hey, how much of the town do you think is like this?" Walter mused to everyone.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20); mage hand | -
Concentration: detect magic (<10 min. remaining)

Mister screeches loudly at the sight of Ilde, puffing out his plumage and doing his best to look intimidating towards the apparent threat. Gandry can only stare for what feels like minutes as his new friend seems to rapidly blink in and out of two different states of being. He does not scream, but instead snaps his fingers -- in that instant, the owl vanishes into a pocket of aether.

The wizard scoops his jaw up from off the floor, otherwise staring dumbfoundedly at Ilde well after she normalizes. Equal parts perplexed and frightened, he asks after the cleric and whether he can help; there isn't anything Gandry can really do, but it is good to ask all the same. After ensuring that she is alright at the very least, he leans against the shelf upon which he wrote the note, but suddenly jumps for the briefest of seconds in fear of touching anything. After a moment of realization, he settles into his intended recline.

"Well, this... you, Ilde, you were... That was certainly... hmm..." Gandry crosses his arms and gently strokes his chin with the mage hand, exhaling with a tone of finality.


"Hey, how much of the town do you think is like this?" Walter mused to everyone.

Gandry's eyes widened. "I suppose we have to find out... and I would not care to stay here much longer. So... where shall we go?" His eyes dart around the room in search of a map of the town. "Does anyone have any places that they remember? It seems as if Dan was the only one I know, and yet... yet we live here, don't we??" Gandry keeps his composure, but the mounting frustration is evident in the cracking of his voice. "Or-- Or! Would it be best to go to the temple of the Morninglord? Ilde, it appeared that you were both... well, there and not-there. Could it be that you are 'there' now? I am aware that such a notion makes little sense, but..." His voice trails as he continues his search.

[JNAProductions]

There's no visible maps of the town you're in, though you may find one if you search more thoroughly.

Near the front of the stall, though, there are a few maps of the local area around the town, with your home simply marked on there as a central point.

[Estralita]

Raka

Initially, Raka stood aside,unnerved but not offering an opinion. She knew her role was to tome in when someone needed to be fought or frightened. That was what she was good at,and she'd mostly be in the way of the clever people. But this...this wasn't normal circumstances. Not even by adventurer standards. How someone freezing in place could be something other than magic,something beyond magic, terrified Raka on a level she didn't know existed. Seh could fight magic, how could she fight this?

As the conversation turned towards the people of the town, Raka found her voice. I'm not much for socializing. Didn't pay much attention to people, didn't want any questions.That's what I thought at least." Raka tried to take a few calming breaths.When that didn't work,she slammed her fist on a nearby table."Damnit! What the hell is going on?!"

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

Near the window, Walter joined in the pondering as he went curiously silent for possibly the first time tonight. His brow furrowed and once more his fingers fiddled with the trim beard. "Let's... let's compile what we've seen and know," Walter started to pace in front of the window as he went on. "Yesterday, each of us was visited by an unusual bright eye who said something strange and left. We do not know if he said any such thing to anyone else, but no one seems to have mentioned it at the tavern and we weren't exactly being quiet with our stories. Otherwise, yesterday didn't really differ from any other. Then we get to today. Usual group of bright eyes visits the town, get's a few requests and jobs before setting off, all as usual except the strange feeling didn't quite leave, but that's just a feeling and possibly dismissible. Perhaps the only certain difference is that we, who were singled out by that lone bright eye, gathered at Raka's pub afterwards for the first time to share a meal, stories, and our encounter. Then continuing on this trend of branching out of the norm, we have a few somewhat startling realizations and come to Dan's shop only to find him unresponsive but seemingly not under any magical or medical effect..." Walter continued his musing, face somehow further contorting even further as he was displeased with their lack reason and fact behind the observations.

"I know you said that you didn't detect any significant magic about that could be the cause Gandry, but doesn't it sound like an incredibly complex illusion or a great many illusions all cast on top of each other. But even if you did detect something that might support this, it'd take so much power and so many skilled illusionist working together without error for so long that it's unfeasible, and even then what could be gained by someone trying to create something like this?" Walter was almost on a tirade at this point trying to wrap his mind around their situation, his questions and suggestions going quickly enough in his increasingly frustrated tone that there wasn't much if any time to actually answer. His pacing has also picked up and his tiny fists clench repeatedly as he starts mumbling to himself over the details again.

He looks about ready to punch the wall when a new look of realization dawns on him. "But wait, our acquaintance Dan here is actually something of great use in this situation. Here we have a man who some have interacted with before and possibly even earlier today when things were going along normally. Yet now that we are in his shop after normal hours, he's like this. Physically he appears fine without wound or injury and appears to be very much alive but frozen as Ilde confirmed he has no heartbeat or breath at this moment. We can see by the weather outside that time hasn't stopped, and there was a reaction when contact was made with him outside of the times of his usual interaction, surprisingly though there wasn't one when interacting with objects within the shop. Now was this reaction something born of protection for Dan, or so we don't interfere with his usual operation when it's once more normal business hours. This is something we can test and let's start with trying to interfere with his position," Walter finishes with a flourish, a grin, and without hesitation seizes the closest chair or stool and tries to push it into Dan. His intent to try and move the man, and he's careful to let go of the chair before it comes into contact with Dan's body.

[Silent_p]

“I am starting to believe that most everyone is like this,” Ilde says after a long moment spent contemplating the situation, “and, until recently, ourselves included. Was it only yesterday we met the harbinger? Can we truly say how much time has passed? I cannot recollect my days other than as encounters with adventurers.” She pauses briefly, considering her words. “When we entered and I first saw Dan, I felt a connection, a sense of familiarity with his predicament. After touching him...” She stops and swallows visibly, thumb stroking her holy symbol as she gathers herself. “After touching him, I experienced what I can only imagine is an awareness of not only his stasis but what I think was my own. It was horrifying.”

She frowns as Walter outlines his theory. “This is not living,” she states, “he has no will or life of his own and I cannot accept that what happened was ‘protection’. No, this is a curse.” She finishes, turning to Gandry as if to say something but Walter is quick to grab and shove the chair at Dan. She can only watch, wide-eyed, for the result.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20) | -
Concentration: detect magic (<5 min. remaining)

Lost in his investigation, Gandry jumps a bit at Raka's outburst, but adjusts his spectacles and presses on. Walter's theorizing pulls the wizard's mind in a few different directions as he rummages through some map drawers, doing his best to remain diligent in his efforts while also attentive to the discussion and polite enough not to interrupt until the end. As Gandry unfurls a vellum scroll, he idly chimes in at the tail end of the debate, "'Protection,' maybe, yes-- a 'curse,' no-- I would've detected that kind of magic, and this is not-- What are you doing?" He can only stare from above the scroll as the experiment comes to pass.

[JNAProductions]

As soon as the chair touches Dan, it reappears at its initial spot.

You find a bunch of half-done maps of Indos. Seems that Dan might've used them for practice-if that even makes sense, given the circumstances.

It'll be a bit of a chore to get them lined up and make a complete map, but nothing impossible-just a touch arduous.

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

As the chair disappears and reappears back at its initial spot, Walter lights up like a child just discovering what a cookie is. "Now this is fascinating," he says excitedly before going for a blank map or even the back of one if none are close enough and begins to try scribbling out various notes about what they've discovered so far. "New questions and theories but there are so many variables. Too many... we need more controlled constants to base against our observations. Raka, Gandry, Ilde, would any of you mind tossing something you have with you at Dan, preferably something that won't hurt the man too badly if the same doesn't occur," Walter goes on with brief glances up from the notes he's still scribbling away at.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20) | -
Concentration: detect magic (<5 min. remaining)

At first, Gandry simply blinks, turning his head from Dan to the chair and to Dan again, then to Walter as he expounds upon the experiment. Without so much as a word, Gandry sets down his collection of half-drawn maps and pulls a copper coin out of his belt pouch. The halfling crooks his forefinger and tenses his thumb underneath before placing the coin over top; with a quick motion and the familiar TING! of a thumbnail hitting copper, the coin flies end over end through the air towards the stock-still cartographer.

[JNAProductions]

The copper piece hits Dan and knocks off, tumbling to the ground like it something solid. It clatters to the floor, rolling around a few times before coming to a stop.

[Silent_p]

The chair instantly returning to its starting point causing Ilde to jump. She eyes it for a moment to see if its got any more surprises before taking a deep breath and turning back to Gandry. "You're right, of course. It is not a standard magical curse - I am quite familiar with those..." She watches him flick the coin and, as it sails through the air, adds, "More a curse in the sense of a terrible affliction placed upon the town." She pauses as the coin hits Dan and falls normally. Stepping forward, she picks it up, inspects it briefly, then hands it back to Gandry.

"What experiments can be done to gain some answers? And how long would they take?"

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

"Well that one right there just proved that whatever is causing this is not only affecting the people, but their possessions. Though ourselves and our own possessions, at least the ones we carry, seem to be immune to the effect in its entirety." Walter replies while adding the latest results to his compilation. Looking about for something to start testing next, Walter eyes the stack of maps that Gandry had put down. "Gandry, notice anything peculiar with those maps? As for overall answers and how fast we get them Ilde, that depends a bit on how we proceed with the tests, speaking of which. Could someone try damaging something in the shop here? Perhaps that chair I'd tried to use earlier. Also, if anyone has a means of indirectly touching him with their own personal supplies, could we see about trying to physically move Dan?" Walter continues without looking up from his notes.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20) | -
Concentration: detect magic (<4 min. remaining)

With thanks to Ilde for retrieving the coin, Gandry quickly pockets it and hands Walter the Helpful Quill. "Please, use this," he says, his politeness betrayed by a certain curtness that implies Walter's handwriting would need correcting.

"As far as the maps go," he says, turning his attention to the small pile of parchment, "they each contain different sections of the town - 'Indos', apparently... though with none of us remembering much else of the town, I suppose we will be filling in a lot of blank space if we go exploring."

At this last word, Gandry pauses and turns to Raka with an inquisitive look. "Raka, if you could please humor me-- if I, Ilde, and Walter walked into your tavern, who would you think we were? Just as a first glance. And Ilde," he continues, "if I, Walter, and Raka entered your temple, who would you think we were?-- And where would you be standing when you greet us?"

[Estralita]

Raka

Raka instinctively tensed up as the others continued to poke the weird things with sticks. "Do we really have to do this? I'm not an artificer or nothing, but if we don't even know what this is, how do we know what's safe? Like, if we break something, it won't collapse the room into the Astral Plane? Ilde's already been hurt trying to touch things."

[Silent_p]

Ilde considers Gandry question for a moment. "I don't know but I suspect it would result in much the same scenario as our new friend Dan here finds himself in. Our presence is not enough to rouse him from this stasis."

She nods as Raka speaks, suppressing a slight shudder. "Valid concerns. I will not be touching him again and will prevent anyone else from doing so," she says, a touch sternly. "Prodding Dan with a ten-foot pole is risky and leaves the man with even less dignity than his current condition." She looks at Gandry, her eyes flicking significantly towards Walter, then back. "The experiments should be respectful toward the afflicted."

[Estralita]

Raka

Raka snorted slightly. "If you showed up,I'd probably think you were adventurers. Seems like only my regulars and the "bright eyes",as Walter calls them, bother to use my pub. Them, at least..."But as she considered her pub, normally her safe haven, her memory began to blur. She certainly had regulars.She'd served them, patched them up after bar fights, nodded along with their rambling stories. But the details of those stories, along with the details surrounding their tellers, seemed shrouded in fog.

"Godsdammit, they're my regulars! I know them! I should-" Raka scanned the room,looking for something to distract from her own whirling thoughts. " It's like- Walter! I'm always sending the bright eyes to help you gather supplies for your big project. What is it? What is it supposed to do? When is it going to be ready?!

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20) | -
Concentration: detect magic (<2 min. remaining)

Gandry nods affirmatively to Ilde's request - it would not be a good turn to do anything untoward to Dan, especially in this state. Pondering the answers to his question, Gandry conjures another mage hand to scratch his chin as he folds his arms, leaning against a shelf before descending into deep thought.

"It may be... Ilde, you had used the word... but to describe-- I wonder..." He quietly mutters to himself in rapid Halfling,
"Ah! I see you have quite a brave fellow among you! What brings you to Willickers' today?" surprising himself by stumbling over the words a bit before springing back up into the common tongue, "And see, I would only ever say that-- or something like that... or maybe exactly that? and only if a Halfling like me were present..."

Gandry clears his voice before speaking up again, facing Ilde. "Forgive me, but... you had used the word 'affliction'. Please consider: we seem to suffer memory loss. We did not know what town we were in before finding its name on these maps-- or at least I did not, anyway, and that is concerning as a storekeeper of the finest spellcasting supplies in the ci-- never mind... We freely move about while others are still as stones, yet there is no magic to be discerned from it all... And yet, when interacting with Dan over there..." Gandry swallowed, channeling all his bravery to quell the horror of the sight. "Ilde, you appeared as if you were at your temple, at your very altar of the Morninglord... I suspect that if I were to touch him, I might appear as if I were at my shop; Raka, behind her bar; Walter, at his workshop..."

"I am not sure what concerns me most," the halfling says, his brow furrowed and eyes narrow, "whether Dan is afflicted... or if we ourselves are."

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

Walter eyes the quizzically, but then shrugs and begins to use it to continue writing. "Very good points Raka, which is why we're trying small and simple tests with a minimal amount of contact with Dan first. Seeing if we can touch him with objects without suffering the same reaction Ilde received. After all, while Ilde had the violent reaction, Gandry's coin which is also no longer affected by this phenomenon, just bounced off. So it seems that non-living objects can still touch him without issue. Now the question comes to mind of whether or not we can touch Dan here with another object and not end up worse for it." When Ilde stated her points and the refusal to allow any more contact with Dan, Walter looked at her dumbfounded as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard. He didn't even seem to register Raka's following question about his work or Gandry's comments. "Ilde, we have here a previously unheard of incident that has no obvious solution, purpose, or cause. The research and experiments conducted could very well provide a method of stopping, and maybe even undoing it! And we can't ignore the possibility that it might not be confined to just here! Other villages! cities! kingdoms and countries! Maybe even the world is-" Walter had been getting steadily more aggressive and agitated with this little rant, but thinking of what he'd just said gave the gnome pause and it wasn't helping.

Taking in a deep breath, Walter composed himself to re-think about what Ilde had actually said and what he'd responded with brought out a weary sigh from Walter. "Ilde, I'm-.. I'm sorry about that. You're right. We can't over look Dan's dignity, and all of our safeties in this uncertain time. In truth I had no idea what trying to move him would do, whether he would reset like the chair or be freed like we are. And if this reset was at all like teleportation, the results of having another figure where he might reset to could have been a disaster." Walter walks a for a few more steps until Raka's question came back to his mind. What was it you'd asked about Raka? My big project?" Walter's more energetic side was now slowly building back up. "Yes, my greatest creation. A clockwork airship, a means of safely traveling the skies without the need for excessive magical power or rare magical items. Why it should be done any... Wait no... I- I," he paused to pull some other papers out of his pack. "No your right Raka, something about that's off. I already did the math on it... I should have finished that project more than twenty years ago by what I calculated." He answered as he looked back over his earlier made notes before laying them out on the table for the others to view. On them were calculation of work, project scopes with time lines, materials list estimates. "And I've already had a look around the shop, I should have enough parts with adventurers almost daily bringing me more to complete my project three times over, but none of the excess supplies seem to be there."

[Silent_p]

Ilde gives Raka a reassuring smile at the woman's distress over her patrons. The conversation moves too rapidly for her to offer any words of comfort, however, and Gandry's suggestion gives her pause. "That's reasonable to consider, certainly," she muses, "We four may indeed be the ones in need of aid, rather than the townsfolk..." She appears briefly troubled by the possibility but Walter's tirade prevents any deep thought on the matter.

Ilde lets him speak, getting matters off his chest. "It's quite alright," she murmurs in response to his apology. "You're not wrong about some testing being valuable, I'm merely stressing caution and, as you said, care when it comes to Dan." As the gnome winds down, she nods, the matter settled even as he jumps on to talk about his never-ending project.

"How can we discover whether we're the ones needing rescuing or the ones who must rescue the others?" She asks after Walter finishes speaking, "The harbinger encouraged questions and I don't believe they meant us harm. Once we have gained a little more insight, we must seek them out."

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20) | -
Concentration: -

Gandry pauses, returning to the collection of half-drawn maps. "Perhaps, Ilde, there is some location indicated here that can lead us. I believe Raka his hit the nail on the head, so to speak..." He shifts and turns the maps about like pieces of a puzzle, doing his best to make sense of the overlaps and repetitions. "Consider, if you will, the purchasers of these maps... and Walter!," Gandry says with a start, "where do you usually send the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed adventurers to gather your materials? This may not lead us in the right direction, but it is a direction all the same-- 'a course of action not yet acted upon'-- and of course, more repetition..." he says with the hints of a grin growing at the corners of his mouth. "After all, three of us have adventurers come to us, but you, sir," he says, pointing a finger towards Walter, "you send them away-- to have them return, of course, please don't mistake me. But if we know where they go, we might follow..."

I'd like to take the time to put the map together and see if there are any stand-out locations where we might go for more answers. At this point, I'm all about putting together more info, inside and outside of Indos.

[JNAProductions]

It'll take more time than you've had to properly examine the maps, and see what sort of connections can be drawn.

Intelligence check. Proficiency applies if you've experience with maps, such as with Cartography tools, though other things can apply-just ask and I'll let you know if you can apply Prof.

5 or less: You mess up, and end up with a bad map or wrong idea.
6-9: You have a decent map of Indos after about eight hours of work.
10-13: Six hours.
14-17: Four hours.
18-20: Two hours.
21 or higher: Half an hour work.

You may also discover something important if you roll high enough, or you may not.

Feel free to have someone Help whoever is the primary actor on this.

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

Leaving his papers where they were, Walter strode over to where Hep was working with the maps. "Think I see what ya mean there Gandry, and I think these should go over here," Walter replies with a shoulder pat as he settles in to try helping with the puzzle of maps in order to get a more completed picture. Yet it doesn't take long for Walter to start taking over the project as his small hands rapidly dart from one map to the other to make various adjustments and toss one off to the side when a better fitting one is discovered. "Though I may have to side with Idle on her notion of searching out the Harbinger. We've too many questions with no answers and less context. All the experiments I could even think of won't do much good without a proper hypothesis or at least a little more precise a question than what the hell's going on." he added as he settled in to work. "Just in case this map doesn't pan out, do we have a plan B?"

Saw the intentions in the OOC chat a little late, Walter will cast Guidance on himself and then attempt to put the map together with Gandry's help. Looks like a 19 in total

[JNAProductions]

It takes about two hours. You snag some more parchment from Dan to make the new map, and leave a few silvers behind as way of payment.

The map's a little messy, but pretty complete. And one thing you note-there seem to be three places each map starts from. The first isn't labeled, but is in the middle of the bazaar-presumably Dan's stall. The next had a label on two of the half-maps, and is Dan's home. The final one is unmarked-simply a crossroads in the city, near the gate. But many maps start from that exact spot.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20) | -
Concentration: -

Gandry uses a mage hand to carry a few silver pieces over to his promissory note before calling the hand back to point on the map. "I suppose this would be quite untoward, but do we want to investigate Dan's home? Maybe just take a peek inside to see if anyone is there or not? We might pass by a few other residences on the way and see if the rest of the town is in this kind of... stasis, I suppose you could call it..." He hesitates, unsure of many things at present, but in this instance unsure of how to name the phenomena the group are witnessing. "Also, why would Dan regularly draw this intersection, of all things? This would also be worth investigating, I think. How shall we proceed?"

[Silent_p]

As Gandry and Walter spend time working on the maps, Ilde sits for a while in what she hopes is companionable silence with Raka. After a while, she glances at the other woman. "Do you know where your regulars live?" She asks quietly. "If we are checking the town, we could see how they are. It may be that we can gather more allies that way. What can you tell me about them?"

***

"I feel we should prepare ourselves to encounter more, if not most, folks in a similar state to Dan." She stands, looking at each of her companions. "I get the sense that we are done here for now. Let's check in on the locations from Dan's maps, stopping at any... points of interest on the way." That said, she nods and, with an encouraging smile, heads out the door and back into the street.

[Estralita]

Raka


In response to Ilde's request, Raka pursed her lips."I can't even remember their names.In any case,they're my customers, not friends or business connections.They come,they drink,they leave. Anything else is none of my business, I've always thought..."

Raka stared off for a moment, then stood up abruptly."I'm getting some air.Yell if you need something punched."

Once she was outside, Raka pulled out her weapon and began doing something she hadn't done in who knew how long: training. All the while trying to stay within yelling distance.

It was odd.She had expected to feel rusty, sluggish even, but as she swung her axe, every movement felt as sharp as the axe itself. Maybe she'd kept in practice better than she'd thought.Or maybe this place- thing- whatever- had frozen her skill same as it froze Dan. Then again,there could be some other convoluted explanation that Gandry and Walter would gush over for another few hours.The point was, Raka was ready to do her job.

Assuming it would take less than a year to get started. Hearing the first stage of Plan Find Out What's Going On was completed, Raka called out ""Doubt there'd be anyone there.I mean,why would there be? Seems to me we should head to our places for supplies, then when we're ready check out the crossroad.

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

"Agreed," Walter added in abruptly, face still scrunched up in contemplation while looking at the map. He'd worn that face nearly since it'd been assembled, his mind trying to match places on the map to memories was proving more difficult than he'd have liked. "We should all go about gathering our affects and meeting back up just before this crossroads. We might not want to enter it alone," he added already starting off towards the door.

[JNAProductions]

You head back to your respective domiciles, gathering anything you've left behind. You meet back up at Raka's bar, as you've only the one map, and with that, set out for the marked crossroad.

The sounds of Indos are always present, though not always as loud as at the bazaar. But, as you go through the city, no one else is visible. Not until you leave Raka's and go forth on a major street. You can hear horse hoofbeats, people talking (indistinct and incomprehensible), and other minor sounds... But the people milling about the street are, just as Dan was, stock-still. There are some carriages with horses, completely immobile. You take care to not touch any of them-Ilde showed that to be a bad idea.

Eventually, you arrive at the crossroad. Luckily, you don't see anyone around, and the din of Indos is quieter than elsewhere. The crossroad, on initial examination, is perfectly ordinary.

Everyone gain the benefits of a Short Rest-I don't think anyone but Ilde needs one, but she can spend her hit dice to heal up.

Feel free to make any kind of checks you feel are appropriate to figure out what makes this place special. Guidance and Help can be applied, as can Portent, if you want to use that 20.

You can also, if you like, Take 20. For those who don't know what that is (if you started in 5E), it's where you take twenty times as long to do a check to count as if you rolled a 20 on die. Only works for stuff that you can repeat with no badness on failure.

I'll say most checks will take anywhere from five to ten minutes at the crossroads, so taking twenty is an hour forty to three hours twenty.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20) | -
Concentration: -

With a snap of his fingers, Gandry brings his familiar into being. With a screech and a few sharp clicks, Mister nudges against his wizard for pets and scritches.

"Awww, who's a good bird? Who? Who? Who's Gramps's favorite bird? Who? Who? Yes, you!" Gandry chimes softly, as if talking to a cherished family pet, smiling while scratching the familiar under the chin and beak. His voice turns stern, but still optimistic, "Mister, I need you to be the eyes and ears for a few minutes. Go help the others, if you could please-- I'll put on my own eyes, and I'll join you soon!" The owl takes to the air, flying down an open street of the crossroads while gaining altitude, circling back in a low holding pattern over the crossroads, never far from his favorite halfling. As the bird takes off, the wizard begins drawing the familiar dusty sigils of his detect magic spell.

"Hopefully this time we'll find more than just a quill!" Gandry says. "Mister will let me know if he sees anything from the air!"

I'd like to take time to cast detect magic as a ritual.
As for Mister, I'll be relying on his Perception from the air, never further than 100 feet from Gandry; since he doesn't really know what he's looking for, he'll be keeping an eye out for any kind of motion that isn't of our party and should let Gandry know telepathically.

[Silent_p]

Ilde returns, having donned her armour and kitted out with her mace hanging from her belt and shield affixed to her backpack. She nods to the others as they meet again at Raka's before making their way to the crossroad from the map.

Reaching that point, she stops and looks around for a moment as Gandry looses his familiar. Until this moment, she had been doing her best to filter out the sounds of a bustling city frozen in time. Now, however, she takes the time to let as much as she can in, to piece together something about what is going on. She starts with the crossroad itself and, with a short prayer and spell to her patron, reflects on the potential significance of the place. Despite what she believes to be a longstanding presence in the city, she can recall only a little. "I think this is the place some believe Indos started," she observes, "its birthplace, if you will. I can't say how significant that may be but if this was the start, there may be a reason we now find ourselves guided back here."

After a few minutes more thought, she changes tack and starts focusing on the sounds: from an overall sense of what they suggest to a more nuanced listen to individuals and their activities. She utters another short prayer to the Morninglord for aid.

Perception check for any sounds of particular note.
Perception check: [roll0]
Guidance: [roll1]

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

As they arrive at the crossroads, Walter climbs down from the bipedal construct he'd been riding around on while Gandry begins his spell. Pulling a wrench from his pouch he set to work at a couple of the bolts on its leg, muttering about the joint sticking too much. After a few minutes of adjustments, Walter leans back apparently satisfied with his work and takes a brief look around until Idle draws his attention with her proclamation about the crossroads. "Either of you two gettin a sense of symbolism? Here we stand at a literal crossroads, while also at the metaphorical one bright eyes come to when they decide to adventure for one reason or another rather than just live a life's profession?" He asked Raka and Idle since he didn't want to interrupt Gandry's spell.

[JNAProductions]

The sounds are muted and indistinct, as always. There's nothing worth hearing there-it's literal background noise.

You do, however, see a small spot where something is wrong. A few cobblestones, overlapping each other-but one is not pushed up or down. Instead, they entirely overlap the same space. It's subtle-maybe an inch of overlap-but it's there.

As before, there's no visible magic that's not from you all. You can see Ilde casting her Guidance, but the area itself is clean.

[Estralita]

Raka

Raka blinked in response to Walter's babbling. "It's a crossroads. People walk on it. Let me know when you have a question about hitting things," she replied irritably.

[Silent_p]

Her listening proves to be fruitless, as the burble of what should be everyday life holds nothing of interest beyond being disconnected from what she can see. Her gaze sweeps the road once more as she starts to turn to the others, only her eyes are drawn to a singular point, a discrepancy in the well worn and unremarkable roadway. Those cobblestones. Her eyes narrow as she tries to make sense of what they are telling her. She blinks to clear them before refocusing. It is still present and yet still should not be.

Walter broaches a philosophical dimension to their endeavour and Ilde smiles faintly at Raka's reply, eyes still on the strange cobblestones. "I share your sentiment, Walter," she says, slightly absently. "I have noticed something odd, however, just over here..." That said, she walks slowly toward the phenomenon in question, stopping a few feet short and frowning down. She points it out to any who follow. "Take care," she warns.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20) | -
Concentration: detect magic (10 minutes remaining)

The dust of the spell rewinds itself back into Gandry's wand as he reports his findings. "No magic here, same as before, and this is in comparison to both Mister up there and Ilde's divine spell..." He looks towards Ilde's indication and furrows his brow; with no word from Gandry or screech from Mister, the owl descends from the air and shakes the rainwater off of his feathers as he huddles under Gandry's cloak. Both the wizard and the familiar adopt the same expression: wide eyes, heads cocked in the same direction, both staring at the bizarre overlapping cobblestones. "That... Hm. I apologize for my lack of... Hm. No. I'm at a sincere loss. What do we make of this?" Mister clicks his beak in solidarity.

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

Even Walter had a light chuckle at Raka's comment. "Hah, and let you have all the fun with that? I might not look it, but I can be quite the scrapper too," Walter replied with a challenging grin. Before he could continue though, Idle caught his attention and all thought about a bit of a sparing session ended on the spot as he came to stare at the overlapping stones. Walter broke his stare only long enough to race back to his construct and rummaged around in one of his bags until he pulled the eye piece, a small tube, and a small screwdriver from his tinker's kit, and ran back over to the spot with the stones. Attaching the tube to the eyewear and magically tinkering with it for a minute, Walter donned the eyewear before crouching down to get just inches away from the overlapping stone. He touched the side of the tube and a light appeared illuminating the space for a better view

"I know you said you didn't detect any magic Gandry, but the Illusion theory just gained a lot of credibility. Still, someone be ready to pull me back should the worst happen," Walter says from his nearly prone position. Then before he can be stopped, Walter reaches out with the small screwdriver and proceeds to touch each of the overlapping stones with a gentle prod. Should nothing happen, he'd proceed to try and move then closer to where they'd overlap more.

[JNAProductions]

When the screwdriver meets the overlapping point, it moves through it, then connects solidly against the cobble where the overlap stops.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20) | -
Concentration: detect magic (<10 minutes remaining)

The wizard and the familiar widen their eyes simultaneously as the screwdriver passes through the stone, yet hits stone altogether. "I... I might argue that it's an illusion beyond an illusion, at this point, as it is not magical... If I could share my sight with you, I would, please believe me, but... Hm." Pensive, Gandry steps back from the sight, with Mister's talons clacking against the stone as he hops along, staying under Gandry's cloak. "Why do they overlap?... Walter-- or anyone, really - say you wanted to put an illusory road in place, for whatever purpose. What reason can you think of for putting this kind of thing here?"

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

Even with his suspicions about what would happen with his screw driver, Walter still went wide eyed as his screwdriver went through the overlap. He barely even seemed to notice Gandry or Mister as he was quickly getting absorbed in the situation that was happening, though his reply came quickly none-the-less. "Got to know the target if we're to have any notion of that, and at the moment I'm not sure if it would be for the adventurers who would no doubt frequent this spot... Or, much more concerningly, for anyone like us that managed to break out of whatever control is established over this town," Walter replied as he prepared to do his next little experiment. As such, he'd seize another pebble and push it against the point of overlap as well and then try to poke the three overlapping stones with his screw driver to see if it would pass through as it did before or encounter the new stone.

[JNAProductions]

The pebble goes through the cobblestone overlap. You hear, a moment after it enters, the sound of it impacting a stone floor below.

Not sure if the description above is sufficient, but it sounds like the pebble dropped a good 10' or more before hitting anything.

[Silent_p]

After directing the others to this new phenomenon, Ilde stands back, allowing Gandry and Walter to investigate further. She watches with a quiet look of concern on her face as Walter, as is his way, abruptly pokes the oddity with a screwdriver. "Such a flaw could suggest that whatever is happening - to us, the town, those frozen still - that something is... unravelling," she says as the others continue their study.

She blinks as the stone passes through and the sound of it falling below can be heard. "More than a mere discrepancy, it seems."

[Estralita]

Raka

Now they were getting somewhere."Think there's something down there?" Slowly, Raka crouched, then began exploring the spot with her hands.

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

"Almost certain of it," Walter replies with a wild grin. "Here, let's see just how big an opening this is, and if we can't make it a bit bigger," Walter adds sticking a finger into the overlap and feeling around the edge to see just how much space there is. Depending on how much he finds, Walter would try to pull at the sides to make it larger, or even use his screwdriver as a wedge if the need arose. He'd even ask the others for help if the edges were big enough for multiple hands but not full sized people to fit through.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20) | -
Concentration: detect magic (<9 minutes remaining)

In the excitement, Gandry snaps Mister out of existence and joins the group near the anomaly on his hands and knees, feeling for the opening where the pebble fell through the cobbles, looking for any continuation or other overlaps nearby as well.

[JNAProductions]

The cobbles are pretty well in place-it'll take more than basic prodding and poking to gain access to whatever lurks below.

Indos seems a well-made city. The paving stones are secured in place tight.

There are, as I see it, two main ways to get in:

1) Slow and steady-pry out the stones bit by bit, and eventually get an avenue big enough to squeeze through.
2) Violent and destructive-take a maul, hammer, or some kind of potent spell to the cobble, and just blast your way through!

The first will, obviously, take a long time.
The second may attract attention.

If you can think of another path forward, or want to try something unrelated, or anything like that, you're of course free to do that. Those are just the two options I see as the most direct paths forward.

[Estralita]

Raka

Raka smiled."Finally feels like we're getting somewhere. Too bad I sold my old Warhammer, since an ax isn't the best at breaking stone." She turned to Walter eagerly. "You have any big hammers lying around? Or explosives? That'd probably be faster..."

In case it isn't obvious,Raka is in favor of going loud.Even drawing attention feels more like a benefit than a problem given how quiet everything has been.

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

"Might have something here," Walter says before making a sharp whistle. The mechanical construct lumbers over to them and Walter proceeds to pull a mace from a holster on the side of it. He hands this over to Raka before climbing into the construct himself and directs it to strike at the ground with a pair of bladed arms.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20) | -
Concentration: detect magic (<8 minutes remaining)

"Oh, WHOA!!" Backing away from the spot as quickly as he can, Gandry nearly stumbles backward on the stone cobbles, smoothing out his robes as Raka and Gandry position themselves to strike. "Forgive me, but are we sure this is... Umm..." He draws his wand and looks away from the potential carnage, instead keeping an eye out for any presence that might be interested in a group of people attacking the road in the middle of a downpour.

[JNAProductions]

If no one moves to stop her, Raka begins to smash away at the cobbles. It takes only a few minutes to smash a hole large enough for one of the smaller folk. At least, you think so-the cobblestones stay there visually, but you can feel the gap.

The sounds of smashing cobble echoes far along the roads, cutting through the background din.

The cobble visuals are cleaner than the actual cobblestones-unmarked and perfectly smooth.

Something's moving in a nearby alley.

[Silent_p]

Ilde looks a little torn as Raka opts for the direct approach but stays quiet. The effort is strange to watch as the sounds of her companion's blows reverberate down the streets even though there is the visual dissonance of perfectly shaped and placed cobblestones. She should probably be keeping an eye out but curiosity wins out and she keeps her focus on the stones. "It's like a idealized version of the street," she murmurs, despite herself.

She hunkers down, away from Raka's work and studies the stones with a brief prayer to her god, hoping to glean what she can from what she can see.

Ilde will make a history check, utilising her Stonecunning
History check (double proficiency): [roll0]
Guidance: [roll1]

[JNAProductions]

Ilde's murmured words are spot on. She can tell that the cobbles she sees isn't just how they might've been when the street was made-but how the stones are MEANT to be. A perfect world, with perfect streets made from perfect stones.

[Estralita]

Raka

Raka's grin widened with the gap she smashed through the cobblestones. "Anyone want to take a quick peek down there?"

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 38/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20) | -
Concentration: detect magic (<8 minutes remaining)

At Raka's insistence, Gandry steps forward. "I can take a look!-- Or Mister can as well!... though we may need a light to see - after all, it is under stonework-- ideal stonework! Ilde is quite right!"

The halfling stoops down and feels for the edge of the smashed-open hole. Bracing himself, he slowly lowers his head past the visual of the cobbles - a strange idea, but one that Gandry pushes past in order to see whatever can be seen beneath.

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 51 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):

"It's not much but here," Walter replies pulling the small light making cylinder from his headpiece. "What do you see?" He asked impatiently as he marveled at the similarities between the cobblestones and the pristine ones that looked to be still there.

[JNAProductions]

Gandry sees, with Walter's light, a small room, hollowed out beneath the cobblework. The most noticeable feature is a skeleton-leaning up against the wall. The skull has a substantial hole in it, near the temple, and near the skeleton's resting place, a spot on the wall is bloodstained. Beyond that, there's tally marks on the wall-more than can be quickly counted.

As Gandry takes a peek, though, you see faint figures, their forms indistinct and blurred, come out from all around you. Looking at them is hard-sort of like the Harbinger you met, but to a much lesser extent. They're vicious, though, two of them making it close enough to attack before you realize you're under assault.

Surprise round!

[roll0]
[roll1] Advantage
[roll2] Psychic

[roll3]
[roll4] Advantage
[roll5] Psychic

[roll6]
[roll7] Advantage
[roll8] Psychic

[roll9]
[roll10] Advantage
[roll11] Psychic

Each of you will eat one attack, since they can each make two. On a hit, you are Grappled (DC 15 to escape) and Restrained, as shadowy tendrils come from all around and writhe into your flesh.

Edit: I realize I didn't assign which attack to who-in order...

Ilde
Gandry
Walter
Raka

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 30/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 4/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20) | -
Concentration: detect magic (<6 minutes remaining)

Gandry reels from the attack and begins shouting a loud incantation as he turns as best he can to face the creature holding him. With a brief flash, three bolts of force blast from the tip of his wand into the strange being, leaving faint trails of cinnamon dust.

Action: Spellcasting: magic missile (L1): against the creature restraining Gandry: [roll0] force damage.
Spell slot will be burned on next IG post.

I can't move, and the DC is too high for me to take a shot at escaping, so I'm just going to start blasting.
If/when more creatures jump into the fray, I'll drop a hypnotic pattern.
Worst case scenario, I'll throw my Portent to break free from the grapple.

EDIT: Did not lower HP; fixed.

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 42 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):
Spell slots: lvl1: 3/4| lvl2: 2/2

"What in the bloody h-" is about as far as Walter gets before the blows start raining down. Thinking fast, the gnome raises one of his arms and a ring of scales from his scale mail spring up forming a large broken halo in front of his hand as he casts the shield spell. The invisible barrier wards off first couple blows, but the third one against him managed to snake around his enhanced defenses. As the shadowy limbs move in to constrict him, Walter flinches due to the onset of physic pain as the scales retract back to their prior place on his armor. "Oh this isn't over yet ya blasted beasties!" He hollered before trying to break free of his binds and throwing a punch at the thing for good measure.

Successful or not, he'd whistle for his steel defender construct to get its attention. "Oy, help us out here!" He yell at his steel defender, directing it to attack the closest figure that was restraining someone, in this instance being the one holding back Raka.

Walter's attempt to break free from the restraints, guessing a str check: [roll0]
Walter also made an attack at a 12 after disadvantage, missing his captor
Steel defender attack: [roll1]
Steel defender's damage on hit: [roll2]

[JNAProductions]

The blow strikes true, tearing a hole in the figure's shadowy form. But it doesn't stop its assault.

Raka's turn-I believe she's still up, if restrained.

Trying to escape, as a reminder, consumes an attack, but not an entire action (unless you can only make one attack for your action).

Damage Totals: -6 on one

[Estralita]

Raka

Raka didn't know what was going on. One minute she was finally making progress in breaking into whatever secret tunnel existed beneath the streets. The next,she was in blinding pain and tangled by something squishy.

That being said,she didn't need to know what was going on to guess what she needed to do. Break things. NOW!

I believe the total assault should have knocked Raka out,so using Relentless Endurance to stay up at 1 HP. Bonus action rage,then Strength Athletics to break free. Rage advantage should counter the disadvantage.



And a second attack,on one of the things that hasn't moved yet. Also using GWM. Sorry if that turns a hit into a miss

[roll]d20+3
d12+17

Is it okay to assume her ax was within grabbing distance?

[Silent_p]

Ilde leans forward curiously as the others begin delving into the stones where a hole is present but disconcertingly not visible. Her attention thus distracted, she is unprepared for the creatures that suddenly swarm over them. Indistinct and hard to focus on, they are many and they are fast. Blows rain down on Raka as Ilde finds herself struck and grappled. Despite the onslaught, the other woman remains conscious.

It takes Ilde a few seconds to process all this as her companions are also restrained. "Stay close!" She manages to call out as she readies her shield. Gripping her holy symbol with determination, she rapidly completes the chant and the signs for a spell to ward off death.

Ilde will get her shield equipped, raising her AC to 18.
She will also cast Beacon of Hope giving herself and all allies within 30ft advantage on Wisdom and death saving throws. They will regain the maximum number of hit points possible from any healing received.

[JNAProductions]

The creatures continue their assault, unrelenting in their desire to take you down.


They will prioritize Raka, till she is grappled, followed by Ilde, Walter, and Gandry. Once everyone is grappled, they'll focus on Raka until she's down, then the same order.
Not changing this.

[roll0]
[roll1] Advantage (If applicable)
[roll2]

[roll3]
[roll4] Advantage (If applicable)
[roll5]

[roll6]
[roll7] Advantage (If applicable)
[roll8]

[roll9]
[roll10] Advantage (If applicable)
[roll11]

[roll12]
[roll13] Advantage (If applicable)
[roll14]

[roll15]
[roll16] Advantage (If applicable)
[roll17]

[roll18]
[roll19] Advantage (If applicable)
[roll20]

[roll21]
[roll22] Advantage (If applicable)
[roll23]

[roll24]
[roll25] Advantage (If applicable)
[roll26]

[roll27]
[roll28] Advantage (If applicable)
[roll29]

[roll30]
[roll31] Advantage (If applicable)
[roll32]

[roll33]
[roll34] Advantage (If applicable)
[roll35]

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 30/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 3/3/3
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (7, 20) | -
Concentration: detect magic (<6 minutes remaining)

In desperation, Gandry begins twisting his hand to bend the colors and shapes about him, turning the mind's eye of everyone about him to draw them into a trance. "Friends!! Close your eyes!!" As he finishes shouting, he whispers an incantation in Halfling, casting the space about him, his allies, and the monsters, into a blurred and technicolored dream-mirage of itself.

Action: Spellcasting: hypnotic pattern, all within the combat area. WIS DC 14 else charmed (incapacitated and speed 0)
Enemy saves:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]
Spell slot will be burned on next IG post.

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 (17 temporarily) | Current HP: 42 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):
Spell slots: lvl1: 3/4| lvl2: 2/2

Walter hadn't quite expected Gandry's spell, and was nearly caught by it but thanks to the wizard's warning, he was able to get his eyes closed just before the spell started. Cracking them open a second later, Walter seized his opportunity and broke free of his binding with a grunt. "Good show Gandry, now let's see if we can't get this turned around!" he'd yell over his shoulder as he ran over towards Ilde, thinking it over if he'd have enough time to cast a spell or not. "Sorry, but I'm going to need to borrow this for a second," he says right before taking her shield and fitting it onto his other arm having come to the conclusion that he'd not be able to and so needed to hold off another assault in hopes of being able to cast it afterwards.

Soon as he was situated, Walter lets out another sharp whistle towards his construct. "Take another swipe, but then get over here and help me!" he barked at the construct that would take another swipe at one of the uncharmed shadows and then move over next to Walter and the unconscious Ilde.

Since Walter wouldn't be able to both break free and heal, he's breaking out and running over to Ilde to steal her shield for a turn to better the odds of surviving until he can heal her next round. Rolls to not be charmed and break free were done in the OOC chat.
The steel defender'll be taking a swing at the same shadow it'd hit before, unless that one's charmed. Then Walter will direct it to another on its way over to stand next to him.
Attack: [roll0]
Dmg on hit: [roll1]

[JNAProductions]

The attack just barely misses.

Four of the remaining shades continue their unrelenting assault.

[roll0]
[roll1] Advantage
[roll2]

[roll3]
[roll4] Advantage
[roll5]

[roll6]
[roll7] Advantage
[roll8]

[roll9]
[roll10] Advantage
[roll11]

[roll12]
[roll13] Advantage
[roll14]

[roll15]
[roll16] Advantage
[roll17]

[roll18]
[roll19] Advantage
[roll20]

[roll21]
[roll22] Advantage
[roll23]

Notably, this encounter was not supposed to be this difficult. But losing init hurt, and lacking AoEs to use also hurt.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 30/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 3/3/2
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (20) | Grappled, Restrained
Concentration: hypnotic pattern (9 rounds remaining)

A portentous vision comes to pass: where Walter would have fallen to vicious attacks from the monsters, fate extends its hand to guide him aside, averting two blows that would have hastened his end. Emboldened by the turn of luck, but still recognizing the struggle yet resolved, Gandry unleashes what force he can against those monsters that are still lucid and unaffected by hypnosis.

Action: Spellcasting: magic missile, Upcast to 3rd Level: two of the monsters not dazed (if the monster currently grappling me is lucid, then it goes first)
[roll0] force damage to the first monster
[roll1] force damage to the second monster
Move (if unrestrained): maximum distance (25 ft.) away from the nearest monster (all the better to blast you with, my dear).

Doing what I can here. If I can widen the gap, then they can't swing at me, but I don't know their speed, so it's yet another gamble. Not trying to abandon y'all, just trying to survive.

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 (17 temporarily) | Current HP: 32 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):
Spell slots: lvl1: 2/4| lvl2: 1/2

Bracing himself for the assault that he knows is coming, Walter grits his teeth and says, "bright it on ya bloody shadows!" With some deft shield work, the first few blows are deflected, and while Walter would have sworn the next should have caught him, the limb just seemed to turn away at the last moment. Without time to ponder it further, Walter tried to focus on the next attacks. Another blocked, but the one following came streaking in from his off side. Another sharp whistle had the defender trying to get in the way, but as if in anticipation, the shadowy attack snaked around. At the last moment, the scales on Walter's arm sprung up again as he cast another shield spell, the limb crumbling against the invisible barrier. As the next blow came to be blocked as well, Walter actually started to grin as the assault failed to breach his defenses. That was when he noticed a descending shot just a moment too late. The blow caught his shoulder before the shield or his spell could get in the path.

Still as the dark bindings resumed their hold him, Walter batted away another blow just before dropping the shield. With his movement getting more restricted by the second, Walter did all he could to say the words while reaching toward Ilde. The tip of his finger touching her arm as he cast his spell. C'mon and get up, there's still some fight in us yet!" Walter would say encouragingly while signaling his defender to take a swing at his captor but then stay close to offer what protection it could for Ilde.

Upcasting cure wounds on Idle: [roll0]
If I can try to break free, I will: [roll1]
And finally the steel defender's attack against the shadow binding Walter: [roll2]
Dmg on hit: [roll3]

[JNAProductions]

The shadows continue attacking.

I think this is BEFORE Walter's turn-ignore the last two if it's not, since that attack kills a shade.

[roll0]
[roll1] Advantage
[roll2]

[roll3]
[roll4] Advantage
[roll5]

[roll6]
[roll7] Advantage
[roll8]

[roll9]
[roll10] Advantage
[roll11]

[roll12]
[roll13] Advantage
[roll14]

[roll15]
[roll16] Advantage
[roll17]

[roll18]
[roll19] Advantage
[roll20]

[roll21]
[roll22] Advantage
[roll23]

[Silent_p]

The assault that brought down Raka rapidly comes Ilde's way as she is pummeled mercilessly from all angles. She gasps from the pain and loses hold of her spell protecting the others and can only cry out in a hopeless blend of fear and alarm before losing consciousness herself.

It is a both a moment and an eternity later that she feels life pooling back inside her as the familiar sensation of healing magic - though from a different perspective - hits her. Ilde feels Walter's light touch on her arm as he spurs her to action after his healing. Blinking, she rises and, grabbing her shield quickly takes in the state of the encounter. Raka is down. We'll need everyone on their feet, she thinks before gripping her holy symbol and silently entreating the Morninglord to restore vitality to her fallen companion. Lord of Birth and Renewal, grant my prayer. Let your divinity heal this woman. Her gaze still focused on Raka, she adds another quick spell to shield her from some harm.

I'm having a little trouble keeping up with the turn order but I believe Ilde is now up with 18hp, so she'll do the following:
Action: Channel Divinity: Preserve Life - 30hp to Raka
Bonus Action: Shield of Faith on Raka - Grants +2 to AC

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 30/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 3/3/1
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (20) | Grappled, Restrained
Concentration: hypnotic pattern (8 rounds remaining)

With another shade defeated - or dissipated, at least - Gandry fires more magical energy one of the remaining lucid monsters. His confidence grows as his friends rise up against the onslaught.

Action: Spellcasting: magic missile: one of the monsters not dazed (if the monster currently grappling me is lucid, then it's that one)
[roll0] force damage to the first monster
Move (if unrestrained): maximum distance (25 ft.) away from the nearest monster.

As before, no gambles - might as well go for the guarantees until everyone's taking swings.

[JNAProductions]

Yet another one is dissipated-but they have no fear. No signs of fleeing until they are destroyed.

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 (17 temporarily) | Current HP: 8 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):
Spell slots: lvl1: 2/4| lvl2: 1/2

Even as the oncoming assault was enclosing on him, Walter couldn't help but grin maliciously at the shadows as they closed on him and began their assault. Restrained as he was, there wasn't much to be done as the rain of blows came, but it didn't matter now to Walter. He'd managed to get his spell off before their attack and he figured even if they pummeled him into submission it wouldn't be long before his eyes would open again. Gritting his teeth, Walter braced and weathered the first attack that merely clashed against armor, and the second he saw a chance and had the steel defender impose itself on the attack, diverting it to miss as well. The following three however couldn't be avoided and Walter weathered each of them.

When the attack ceased, Walter's eyes opened again and he felt how everything now ached, but he was still conscious and he could still fight. He'd fight against the bonds restraining him and if able throw another punch at his captor while having the defender attack another of the still aggressive shades.

With the 4 attacking poised to hit him, having the steel defender impose disadvantage on the second one to cancel advantage and block the 13, and he takes only 24 damage.
Then Str check to break free:
Next a punch for a set 5 dmg: [roll1]
(At disadvantage if I don't break free: [roll2])

And finally having the defender attack as well: [roll]1d20++7
Dmg: [roll3]

[JNAProductions]

[roll0]

Just rolling for you since you added an extra plus by mistake.

The Defender's attack bites the air, the quick-moving shadows avoiding the blow.

[Estralita]

Raka

This part of adventuring, Raka hadn't missed. Blacking out, then snapping back to her feet like nothing happened. Gave her mental whiplash.But at least there seemed to be fewer things grabbing at them. But some still were,so it was time to fix that.

Raging again,then attacking one of the things that is still attacking.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[roll2]
[roll3]

Also,these things are doing necrotic damage, right?

[JNAProductions]

Psychic damage

Two more dissipate into the air, leaving only two left.

They strike, relentless.

[roll0]
[roll1] Advantage?
[roll2]

[roll3]
[roll4] Advantage?
[roll5]

[roll6]
[roll7] Advantage?
[roll8]

[roll9]
[roll10] Advantage?
[roll11]

[Silent_p]

With everyone now in the fight, though some quite worse for wear - herself included - Ilde notes that their opponents are dwindling; falling to their combined efforts. Keen to capitalise on this momentum, she steps forward, mace ready. She incants a brief spell as she moves, summoning a large, golden yet spectral version of her weapon in the air above one attacker while she focuses on the other. Both maces swing in tandem at their targets.

Ilde will cast Spiritual Weapon as a bonus action and use it to attack one creature while she attacks the other.

Spiritual Weapon attack: [roll0]
Spiritual Weapon damage: [roll1]

Basic mace attack: [roll2]
Basic mace damage: [roll3]

[JNAProductions]

One is left. It has no sense of self-preservation.

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 30/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 2/3/1
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (20) | Grappled, Restrained
Concentration: hypnotic pattern (7 rounds remaining)

More confident with his friends up and fighting, Gandry unleashes a blast of fire from his wand at the last lucid shade.

Action: Spellcasting: fire bolt: the last not-dazed monster
[roll0] to hit; [roll1] fire damage
Move (if unrestrained): maximum distance (25 ft.) away from the nearest monster.

With only one up, I'll chance a cantrip. Plus, if there's a "Round 2", having spell slots will be useful.

[JNAProductions]

The last of them are defeated. It burns up in a gout of fire.

You are alone on the street. The faint sounds of the city surround you.

Gain *mumble mumble* Experience! I am not tracking XP-I'll level you up when it's appropriate. If you feel you deserve a level up, let me know in the OOC, and we'll discuss it. :)

[Silent_p]

As Gandry's flames immolate the attacker, Ilde finds herself shakily looking around for any more. Feeling bone-deep weariness unlike anything in her recent - and, perhaps her entire - memory, Ilde tries to grip her shield tightly, mace and spiritual mace at the ready. With no immediate attacks, however, she is unable to maintain the stance and her arms fall to her sides, pained muscles barely responding to her wishes.

"We must rest... recover..." She says, voice weak. "There's little chance we can continue like this." Stowing her shield with some effort, she turns and indicates down the street. "We can go to my temple. I'll tend to your injuries there."

[JNAProductions]

Gandry sees, with Walter's light, a small room, hollowed out beneath the cobblework. The most noticeable feature is a skeleton-leaning up against the wall. The skull has a substantial hole in it, near the temple, and near the skeleton's resting place, a spot on the wall is bloodstained. Beyond that, there's tally marks on the wall-more than can be quickly counted.

A reminder as to what was beneath the road. But yes-rest good.

[Zalphier]

Walter Coppercog (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2409459)
Gnome Artificer/Fighter
AC: 15 | Current HP: 8 | Max HP: 51
[B]Initiative: +1 | Pperception: 12
Condition(s):
Active effect(s):
Spell slots: lvl1: 2/4| lvl2: 1/2

"Hah, take that you bloody shadow monster!" Walter hollered out as the last of the shadows dissipated before doubling over to rest with his hands on his knees. The older gnome wasn't even trying to hide the exhaustion that was evident on his whole frame. "By the gods and reason, is this what we've been sending out younglings to deal with," he asked rhetorically between ragged breaths as the adrenalin left his body to be replaced by the strain and pain of battle aftermath. He then tried to stand as Idle made her offer, only for a loud crack and a new pained expression to dawn on his features. "Oy, get over here Rusty," Walter would then call to his defender with a whistle.

Aye, a bit of rest and recovery sounds good," Walter said through some pained grunts as he hauled his bruised and battered frame onto the defender ready to have it follow the others. "May want to see about stocking up a bit more before hand if we'll be dealing with more of whatever that was. You lot know the town a bit better than I, there anywhere I might be able to get some better armor or a shield? Maybe even a spare weapon?"

[StoneSeraph]

Gandry Willickers (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2408590)
Stout Halfling Merchant, Diviner
AC: 12 HP: 30/38
HD: 6/6d6 Spells (1-3): 2/3/1
PPrc: 12 PInv: 16 PIns: 15
Actives|Conditions: Portents (20) | Grappled, Restrained
Concentration: -

"Rest... yes, I must say, I'm all for a rest right now, as that sounds most pleasant...," Gandry says with a snap of his fingers, summoning his familiar back into reality. "Mister, you keep an eye out for more of those things - your eyes are better than mine... Ilde, please, lead the way."

Wrapping himself up in his cloak, the halfling makes his way about the party, asking if they're still good to move. As before, there isn't much he can do on the healing front, but he does what he can to encourage everyone to stay in good spirits. "I'm not sure about weapons or armor, Walter-- I'd hazard a guess and say there's a store down my street, but we can find out after a breather... and you make a good point about those... things..." Turning to Raka, Gandry continues, "Have any of your tavern's patrons discussed creatures like the ones we just encountered?"

[Estralita]

Raka

Raka took several deep breaths,still holding her ax high until she was completely certain no more... things were going to pop out of nowhere. Once this was the case,she stowed her weapon and joined the conversation.

"In general, or specifically in town? Would have remembered folks talking about monsters in town.Otherwise..."

Raka paused,trying again to peer through the haze that had until recently, been her day to day life."Customers say all sorts of things about their adventures. Makes it difficult to sort out what's worth taking notice of. I've never faced anything like them, at least."

She groaned in annoyance and shook her head briskly. The movement only aggravataed her further, as all her recent injuries began calling for her attention. "You mentioned healing? Healing sounds good."

Can any of us make a Knowledge roll to see if, in hindsight,we recognize these thngs?

[JNAProductions]

Make a straight Int check. Advantage if you have Keen Mind.

[Silent_p]

With a slight limp, Ilde leads the group back down the street to the temple she considers home. It is a modest stone building with wooden doors open to welcome worshipers and travelers in. Engraved in the stone above the entrance is an intricate depiction of a road winding through undulating hills to a blazing sunrise on the horizon. It is excellently carved and only mildly weathered from the elements - one might suspect that some maintenance is periodically performed to have it remain so clear.

Inside, there are several rows of cushioned benches facing away and toward a shrine at the opposite end of the main hall. A wooden depiction of the Morninglord's symbol hangs prominently on the far wall, painted tastefully in browns, greens and yellows. Several wall hangings line the sides with images of people painting, running, planting and tending to babies. A few lit candles adorn the stone altar which is draped with yet another of the god's symbols.

Ilde gestures for others to seat themselves and sits down heavily herself. "I can offer some additional healing, should anyone be in need," she says after a moment spent catching her breath.