DnD The Standing Stones IC

[the asassin]

Welcome to DnD The Standing Stones game. This is the IC thread for our game. Let us begin >=)

Three adventurers are walking through town. They are on their way to be hired by their king for a new adventure. The king has heard of these rumors of Ossington that have been going around; how it's odd that nobody from Ossington came to the fair this year. That usually Ossington folk came for marketing and fairs, but not a single one has come since three months ago. Or how it's so odd that all contact has ceased, but no one has cared to make the three day trip.

He had his messenger earlier that day tell you "The king, your majesty, request that he sees you as soon as possible. He needs you to come in to be hired to investigate these odd rumors. King Arald says 'I'm worried by these rumors of an elven pogrom just like in the Lendore Isles.'" (the Lendore Isles were Isles that were taken over by elves in a pogrom.)

When they arrive they find King Arald waiting patiently in this throne room. He gestures you to sit down in the chairs around his table at the feet of his throne. You see a delicious meal prepared on the table before you.

King Arald sighed before speaking, "I am very thankful you could get here. I've already sent another adventurer to investigate, but he hasn't come back for a whole month. I fear the worst for him. I now need you to go investigate these rumors of Ossington. I'm worried by reports of heightened elven activity in the area that the elves are about to carry out a pogrom just like Lendore Isles. If you do find out that it is a pogrom I need you to stop it. If it is just rumors I will pay you each 100 gold pieces. If it is a pogrom and you're able to stop it, I will pay you each 1000 gold pieces. Ossington is a three day trek from here. Once you're ready my men will lead you to the road to Ossington, but no further. I warn you those forest are very old, and some think it is the home to druids."

Two guards escort you outside. You go gather your belongings that you'll need for the trip. Then you are escorted to the road to Ossington. The road is fifteen to twenty feet wide. As you plunge into the ancient forest the light instantly becomes very dim and hard to see in, as well as harder to get through all the overgrowth, and un-cared for roads. The lighting slowly starts to become darker than normal, you understand it is starting to become night.

Roll for Wilderness Lore skill check.

[fifacome08]

A teenager lost a contact lens while playing basketball in his driveway.
After a fruitless search, he told his mother the lens was nowhere to be found. Undaunted, she went outside and in a few minutes, returned with the lens in her hand. "How did you manage to find it, Mom?" the teenager asked. "We weren't looking for the same thing," she replied. "You were looking for a small piece of plastic. I was looking for $150."

[LordotTrinkets]

Selim looks up at the dimmed sky, passively hoping that night hasn't come yet and that this is just how thick the branches over them are. A long time ago, even this little light would have been detrimental to his power, having needed a physical shadow back then. It was by Pelor's light that shines even in the darkness that he has been able to push past this, but even then, the moon and stars make him weaker.

He pulls out his dagger and starts cutting through the brush.

"This is the main road to Ossington, isn't it? It's awfully strange," he says to both and neither of his travel companions at the same time, "The way 'his majesty' spoke of this town and how it was disturbing that no one has come or gone from this place in three days, I would have expected this path to be a little better kept. I suspect that druids have been tampering with the natural order they hold so dear, forcing the plants to drink more of Pelor's light than they should."

[Arch warrior]

Osborn sees no reason to be seen, and seeing as how he really doesn't like the idea of people looking at him, he does some of his hide in plain sight so you can't see him on his horse. (1d20+25)[26] is his hide.

OOC. Osborn doesn't like to talk or be seen much, so not seeing him is the norm.

[Anomander]

The cheery old saint gently chides them. "Peace and calmness my children - there is no reason to ascribe foul reasons to overgrown roads. The road has obviously not been used in a very long time - the ruts are all filled with new grass and weeds. The normal passage of time accomplishes these things.

"Have faith. Dark times come and go, and there is no need to dim our days before a cloud's arrival. I seem to remember the road well enough despite my age. I am certain I can guide us along the forest road."

He confidently points off into the forest. "The way is clear enough for now. The trickiest part will be dealing with the tensions our king suspects are at play. We must hope that calmness and kindness can be stirred in their hearts. The lot of all beings is fraught with enough pain without war.

"How do you think we should work with the strife ahead?"

He addresses this question to the others as he quickly strides off, his aged frame moving quickly through the forest.

[LordotTrinkets]

"I don't know just yet, but I say that if there has been death there, we should exact death on the criminals." He looks frustratedly at the shrubs he was hacking at as he follows Semper down the actual road.

(1d20)[4]
OOC: I'm not too familiar with Wilderness Lore, but if it's survival (or otherwise wisdom based), I take a -1 penalty. If it's knowledge(Nature) and thus Intelligence, +1 bonus.

[the asassin]

So we can move on I will say that you all passed the roll check

You all have noticed that the forest is un-normally quiet, and that you haven't seen any animals. The only sound heard in this seemingly endless forest is each other, not including Osborn. The silence is defiantly not normal. It makes you feel as if you are the only alive beings for miles.

Will this forest never end? Already you've been traveling for hours slowed by the overgrowth and the roads that are in terrible shape. Still the endless lines of trees hem in the road on either side. Overhead you see a leafy canopy that blocks out most of the sunlight, letting only the occasional sunbeam through into the dim half-light of the road below. Other than the rutted dirt road, you've seen no traces of civilization since you entered the forest. Since you entered the forest not even a bird call or rustling in the undergrowth of some scampering woods-creature has broken the monotony. That's why the scream from somewhere up ahead sounds particularly loud in the silence of the forest.

Everyone roll initiative and a listen check.
(1d20+1)[16]
(1d20+1)[19]

Just at the same time you hear the screech you see a man dressed in a peasant garb come around the corner up ahead, running for his life. As he is running toward you he is blurting "He's after me! Save me! Help me! He's right behind me!"

[Anomander]

Semper sighs at the wizard's bloodthirsty approach and continues on. He would have to do what he could to head off any unnecessary bloodshed, and most bloodshed was unnecessary.

Semper had been blessed by his deity, but the truth was that he was still an old man, and the hard going was beginning to wear on him. Still, as the shout came, he reacted quickly - a being in need of help would always get his utmost attention.

"This way! We shall help," Semper calls out loudly.

Spoiler: Initiative and Listen

Show

Initiative: (1d20-2)[-1]
Listen: (1d20+11)[28]

Yeah, yeah, Initiative is bad - he's old and isn't a fighter type.

[Arch warrior]

Osborn decides to head on to the attack, this combat might allow the forest to retune to its quieter state, and that would be nice for him.

Spoiler: Initiative, Listen, Hide, Move silently check

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Initiative (1d20+5)[14], Listen (1d20+12)[22], Hide (1d20+24)[43], and Move silently (1d20+17)[37]. Though I am trying to stay hidden, I will not go slowly till I am within sight of whatever this is.

[LordotTrinkets]

Selim tightens his chest in frustration at the gaffer's guffaw. Did he really have the audacity to disagree with him, or worse, pity his foolishness? Such nerve, considering himself superior to...

"No Selim!" comes a maternal voice from within his head, "He is your friend and is only disagreeing with you. Don't let your ego get the better of you, how do you expect to rid yourself of your evil if you let it consume you." Selim hated it when that voice was right, but he quickly forgot about that when the peasant ran by screaming.

The perfect opportunity to vent off some pride was approaching. Selim runs behind Osborn and Semper, but readies himself to unleash his shadow.

Spoiler: Initiative

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(1d20+2)[17]
Readied action to cast Carpet of Shadows on the ground around the oncoming person, specifically after he has past the other two.

[the asassin]

Extra details I forgot to mention. The man is around hundred feet away when you notice him.

Spoiler: For Osborn and Semper

Show

You hear another scream. A different voice then the man currently running toward you, it sounds feminine. You can also hear that there were hoof beats right before the second scream.

You hear some hoof beats quickly after the man came around the corner one hundred feet ahead of you. Suddenly a man on a horse came around the corner, obviously trying to ride down the escape. The man screaming at you "Hurry! Help me! He'll kill me just like the others! You have to save me!" The man doesn't dare look over the back of his shoulder.

Turn order is
first:Selim
second:Osborn
third:Semper

[Anomander]

(Happens in my proper Initiative order - aka last)

Semper hears the cries and sees the charging horse - always he will stand between aggressors and their victims. Perhaps the fleeing man is a murderer and will be put together by the king's courts, but until that is determined, Semper will stand between the man and someone seeking to harm him

"Desist! Stop your charge!"

Semper runs forward quickly, past the fleeing man, placing himself between the fleeing man and the oncoming rider. He spreads his arms out, making himself a larger block. He knew a trained warhorse would charge right over him, but he should be able to make the horse stumble or fall, possibly throwing the rider.

He braced himself for the impact, knowing the pain to come, but always he would stand to stop needless harm and bloodshed.

[LordotTrinkets]

As he runs toward the marauder, he quickly discovers Semper's intent. "You old fool!" Selim shouts out. His shadow thickens and shoots out in the direction of the horseman and when it reaches its destination, it swallows the plant life. Perhaps 'cover' would be a more appropriate description, as the shadow makes the foliage become as dark as it is. Every blade of grass and every blossom of every flower grows a shadowy hand and they all grabs at anything that gets close to them. As the horse tramples on them, they only slow it down, as they lack the strength to hold on any longer than a moment.

Spoiler: Action

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When he and the horseman have closed to within 40ft, Selim casts Carpet of Shadows centered on the horseman and extends from him as a cone (the left over tile will be placed on the tile that stands closest between Semper and the would-be trampler).

[Arch warrior]

Osborn sees that the others have the horseman well in hand, but because he is not fully convinced that the man being chased is not a thief or the sort, decide to stop him. While he is still hidden, and therefor not able to be seen, goes straight in the middle of his path and trips him. Trip check is (1d20-2)[14].

OOC. I subtracted the 2 for my strength and size bonus. If I get a bonus on this because I am not able to be seen, and he is therefor not able to avoid this, let me no.

Spoiler: If I succesfly trip him

Show

Osborn then says "Boo"

to the man.

[Arch warrior]

Osborn sees that the others have the horseman well in hand, but because he is not fully convinced that the man being chased is not a thief or the sort, decide to stop him. While he is still hidden, and therefor not able to be seen, goes straight in the middle of his path and trips him. Trip check is [roll0].

OOC. I subtracted the 2 for my strength and size bonus. If I get a bonus on this because I am not able to be seen, and he is therefor not able to avoid this, let me no.

Spoiler: If I succesfly trip him

Show

Osborn then says "Boo" to the man.

Spoiler: Ignor this

Show

Ten words to talk

[the asassin]

Selim's carpet of shadows is supposed to make the terrain hard to travel through. It should be effecting the armored man and his horse's movement. The man on his horse in armor just keeps running like the spell was never cast, as if it wasn't even there, or as if he was not there.

The villager that had just been sprinting for his life was just tripped by an un-seen person or thing. He screams "AAAHHHHH!!! He has me I am dead for sure! Just like all the others I am sure to die!!!" Once he stops screaming so he can hear you say "BOO!" He passes out.

The horse keeps charging un-effected by the carpet of shadows. He is fifteen feet away, ten feet away, five feet away. You embrace for impact, expecting to get trampled on. Yet the horse makes no indication of jumping, steering around you, or dodging you. Right when you think he's going to run you over he goes right THROUGH you. Still running at full speed toward the unconscious villager, completely bent upon the death of this villager. He will let nothing stand in his way.

[LordotTrinkets]

Though the horseman phasing through him tingled a bit, Selim didn't have a moment to lose. He turned to see Osborn standing over the peasant and the ghost coming straight toward them. "Osborn, what are you doing?! Stop that rider!" he shouts as he lights the specter's path with black flame. All through the flames are eyes of massive size and elongated shape.

Action: Casts Blackflame directly on the path between the peasant and the rider, any left overs go to surround the peasant. For every tile of black flame he walks through, there is a 50% chance (for the ghostliness) that he takes 1d6 points of cold damage.

Hindsight: If this doesn't work, perhaps it is for the better that the peasant is passed out. Your killer being a specter, riding through cold, black fire sounds a lot more frightening with the cold, black fire.

[Arch warrior]

Osborn realizes that there is no chance that he can stop the horseman. So instead he decides to hide the peasant. He quickly throughs some leaves in the air and then jumps on the peasant to perform a hide another. The hide check will be (1d20-6)[7].

Spoiler: OOC.

Show

The reason my hide check is lower this time is because hide another person has a penalty of -30.

[Anomander]

Semper feels the familiar chill of the creature passing through him and shivers involuntarily. But he has dealt with undead before.

Part of his duties as a cleric have been to remove the negative energy creatures left by souls passing from the material plane. Yes, it is part of his duty, and he is good at it.

Very good.

Semper Lux - the Undimmed Light - turns to face the ghost which had just passed through him. No creature of undeath can withstand him!

"Begone! By the power of Saint Cuthbert, I Turn you from this area!"

Light flashes through the dimness and explodes outward from the old man's body. For just a brief moment, his body seems not so bent and old, but instead radiates with power.

Spoiler: Turn Undead action

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Turn Undead Rules in SRD
How big (how many HD) of an undead can I affect? (1d20+8)[26]
How many HD can I affect altogether? (2d6+15)[23]
Nice Rolls!
I affect any undead up to 9 HD based on that roll. (HD is what its hit points are based on - the creature might have 6d12 HD, which means it is affected. If it has 10d12 HD, then I couldn't affect it.
If affected, the ghost creature does nothing but run away for 10 rounds as fast as it can.

[the asassin]

Selim lights the path between the ghost horseman and the villager. The horseman stops as suddenly a wall of black flame blocks his path. The horseman pauses for a few seconds then seems to simply float up with his horse. He goes over the wall of flame flying toward the villager that he is having inconveniences to kill.

Osborn hides the villager. Hoping that the horseman will leave once he can't find the villager. Or that he can get his friends enough time that they can take care of the horseman.

Semper has had ENOUGH of this foolishness, he cast turn undead. When Semper says "Begone! By the power of Saint Cuthbert, I Turn you from this area!" The ghost has just enough time to look back, as he realizes the not so frail old man is doing something that can be very bad, then he is hit by the turn undead spell. The horseman flies off. Soon the ghost is farther then the eye can see. Despite the horseman being gone and the villager saved you have a feeling that the ghost horseman will be back soon, very soon.

(1d4)[2]
(1d4)[3]

[Arch warrior]

Osborn makes himself visible and says, "Quick, help me move him to a tree!" After the present is in a safer spot then the middle of the road, Osborn hides him again.

Spoiler: If I don't have the time to take twenty

Show

(1d20-6)[-3]

Osborn then hides himself again because he will be more useful if unseen. Hide is (1d20+24)[40]

[Anomander]

Semper Lux calls to the others, "Help him as best you can until I return. I heard other screams out here somewhere they might be wounded!"

With that, Semper turns toward the direction in which he heard the other screams and begins trotting off, moving quite spryly, at least for such an old man. As he leaves the area, Osborn and Selim feel the bolstering aura leave them.

As the shadows darken, Semper taps into the innate power of sainthood and a bright glow surrounds him, lighting up the surrounding area, banishing the gloom.

"Hello! Where are you! I am here to help!"

He pauses after going about a hundred feet and looks about, looking and listening for the source of the scream he had heard before.

Spoiler: Stuff

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As he moves 80' away, they lose their cheerful +2 bonus to Strength and Dexterity, as well as their +5' movement speed bonus.

He activates his "Protective Aura" - it combines a boosted Protection vs Evil effect (+4 deflection AC vs evil, and +4 on saves vs evil) and a Lesser Globe of Invulnerability (protects me from all spells cast toward me which are 3rd level and lower)

Spot: (1d20+11)[25]
Listen: (1d20+11)[30]

edit: Sheesh. Once again I get phenomenal rolls for checks that aren't really vital.

[LordotTrinkets]

Selim scowls at the fleeing ghost, he doesn't like feeling this useless, not one bit. It seems that it just ignores all his efforts to stop it, he cannot harm it regardless of his efforts. He looks over at Osborn as he tries to hide the victim to be. Perhaps it would be best to protect the man first.

"I can cover him with a shadow too durable to break through, the same power can be used to resemble many other effects, but I'm afraid I can only do it once. If you have any better suggestions, tell me now before I do it."

Spoiler: Actions

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If Osborn doesn't come up with any better ideas, Selim will cast the mystery shadow evocation to simulate resilient sphere. Unless the ghost can see through the illusion, he can't get through.

[Arch warrior]

"I don't have any other ideas."

[the asassin]

Osborn goes to hide the unconscious villager. Then after hearing Selim's offer he agrees. Letting Selim cast shadow evocation around the villager, both happy that you hid the villager well enough.

As Semper rounds the corner he is met by the site of a wagon and two bloodily dead villagers. One seems to be in his fiftys laying bloodily across the driver's seat. twenty feet farther up on the road is a woman, seems to be in her early twentys. She was obviously cut down while trying to run back the way they came. There's also donkey, that was pulling the wagon, he seems untouched. The donkey is simply quietly cropping the foliage, not to far away.

Semper, roll a search check. (If you decide to search)

[Anomander]

Semper curses under his breath and quickly runs to each body, touching each just long enough to lay a quick healing upon them just in case there is still a little life left in them. He then goes back to each to see if they are still living and in need of more help.

Spoiler: Actions

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Uses Belt of Healing on one and then the other.
Healing on the man: (2d6)[11]
Healing on the woman: (2d6)[7]

If either of them was at negative hit points, but not yet dead, that will heal them (part way) and immediately stabilize them. Then, I'll go back and start healing them until they're conscious.

Heal check just to see if either of them is still alive: (1d20+16)[33]

edit: The man, if still alive, would be healed up to at least 2 HP = back to consciousness. The woman, if she was still alive, might be conscious, depending on how negative her HP was. Also - this continues my pattern of rolling really well on unimportant things - I roll a 17 on the Heal check where even a 1 wouldn't fail. Sigh.

"A pox on undead - bringing more death and pain to the world. And this phantom looked to be a knight too, possibly a righteous person when alive. A pity."

[LordotTrinkets]

With a clap of his hands, Selim's shadow swirls over the peasant, becoming an indestructible tarp of darkness. He glares off at where the specter rode off, wondering how far it is now.

Selim closes his eyes and allows a second stream of shadow break off from the rest. This one has many eyes on it and darts along the ground in the direction of the murderer. To Selim's perspective, he is the shadow, and when he reaches the invisible barrier that he can see like this, he climbs to the tops of the trees to see if he can get a glimpse of anything.

"I'm not sure that either of us can fight that thing. What do you suppose we can do? Running's not a very good plan, this man cannot be moved until the power wears off, and I'd rather not waste so much energy just to dismiss it."

Spoiler: Actions

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Selim casts Bend Perspective and goes out as far as he can (40ft) upward and forward in the direction the ghost went.
Spot check if necessary: (1d20+3)[8]

[Arch warrior]

"If he is a specter, then our magical weapons and attacks should still have a chance to do some damage to him. It would be best for you to hit him from a far, and for me to strike, then disappear. At least until Semper comes back."

[the asassin]

Semper is incredible saddened when he sees that obviously both are VERY dead. The donkey the looks over at Semper's cursing and hatred, and goes back to eating the foliage.

Selim's shadow goes as far as it can in the direction of the fleeing murderer. Though still the murderer is far out of sight. Not destroyed, but simply his mission postponed.

Osborn having a terrible feeling that you'll see him again, you hope next time that you will have a means by which to destroy him.

Selim and Osborn roll listen checks
Semper roll search check if you decide to search the wagon. If you decide not to please state that.

[LordotTrinkets]

Spoiler: Listen

Show

(1d20+1)[6]

If he fails (which is pretty likely): His mind is put at slight ease, it would seem that it has gone... for now. "I am not too sure how well that would work out. What you have seen is the full extent of what I can dish out, everything else will have little advantage in combat." The shadow returns to Selim and he opens his eyes again, "Fortunately, however, I think he is gone. It might be best for us to reunite with Semper or for one of us to fetch him. Frustrating though it is, he is the only one of us who can do much against that thing."