Waking Nightmares (IC)

[Archemist]

Jeri shrieks as she gets mauled by the little things, scratches crisscrossing her arms and a claw-line down one cheek that may leave a cool scar... if she makes it out of this. She swishes her skirt to try to shake them off as she moves to get one of them between her and Quinn.

Shadows sway everywhere as Jeri swings her lit lantern-staff at it.

Spoiler: OOC

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Attack: (1d20+1)[15] (including flanking and wounded) for (1d6-1)[0] bludgeoning and 1 fire damage. She's stepped diagonally down on the map.

[H. Von Studley]

Quinn curses, shaking the creature off his arm and drawing himself up to his full height. His hands and face are covered in blood, and his normally quiet voice booms out amongst the ancient trees.

"We are the chosen of the King in Yellow, Lord of this place and all the Dimension of Dreams! Begone from us, or face his terrible wrath!"

[brandnewb]

Joe takes 3 damage +1bleed on his turn. He is now grazed.

Joe is lost to his rage and continues to blindly swing at his foes, oblivious to the peril they currently face. He takes another determined attack at A2.

Attack (1d20+3)[21]
Damage (2d4+4)[8]

Spoiler: Joe Stats

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Farmer Josephat human Spiritualist 2 HP 12 / 19 Speed ft Init 0 AC 14 Fort 6 Ref 0 Will 5 CMB +4 BAB 1 scythe 4 (2d4+4, 4)
scythe power not available 3 (2d4+7, 4)
longsword 0 (1d8+3, )
sap 4 (1d6+3, 2) Str 16 (3) Dex 10 (0) Con 14 (2) Wis 12 (1) Int 10 (0) Cha 8 (-1)

Joe is now wounded.

[Aeryk]

Jeri attempts to flank one of the creatures with Quinn, but Quinn is unable to help her and the strike just barely misses. However, Joe's rage gives him strength and he brings down another of his attackers when Quinn calls out.

Suddenly there is a series of loud, metallic bangs from ahead of the group. The creatures fall still, then withdraw, though they keep the party within striking distance. From the darkness, three more sets of eyes materialize, and enter into Jeri's hemisphere of light. The central figure is another of these creatures, but holds a gnarled staff and a robe with small jewels set into the fabric and is clearly older than the rest. The other two are lightly armored and wielding short swords (more like daggers to you). The robed creature looks at Quinn and speaks in a quick, small, voice which is difficult to hear, "And what does the King in Yellow offer for the safe passage of his Chosen?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Jeri misses C1. Joe hits A2 for 8 damage and Disables it. The creatures Withdraw from combat, but not too far...

[brandnewb]

Joe casts his eyes toward the third of his adversaries, when the creature withdraws he is on the edge of pursuit oblivious to the approach of the strange new creatures. When Joe does stop after a step forward he is evidently still unaware, "What? We should not kill?" his question is in confused conversation with an unseen entity, clearly his rage is battling with his need to obey the voice. After a moments mumbling Joe grasps his dripping scythe in front of him and casts Cure Light Wounds on himself.

CLW (1d8+2)[4]

After casting his spell Josephat nods angrilly in agreement to some unseen voice. "Yes, they are bold to demand tribute from Our Lord." Joes looks at the creature and asks threateningly "Who are you that you threaten to kill The King in Yellow's Servants? Are you more powerful than he?"

Intimidate (1d20+11)[31] Yay +4 Cause Im Bigger than him

[H. Von Studley]

Spoiler: OOC

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Damn, nice one B.

Quinn simply ignores the creature for the moment, letting Jo do the threatening. He sways a little on his feet, clutching at his wounds to stop the bleeding.

Spoiler: OOC

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Heal check, DC 15: (1d20-1)[18]

[Aeryk]

Several little surprised chitters ring out through the forest at Joe's outburst, and they all take a step back. The head creature looks from Quinn to Joe, seeing its lifeless kin at the farmer's feet and their gore spattered all over the scythe he just dropped, and decides to change tack. "Er... what I meant sir, is that the Yellow King has given us this land to use as we see fit, as well as the right to deal with trespassers. You claim to be his servants, and if so, prove it. Elsewise, perhaps you have some token that you might part with to convince me to allow you passage?"

[Archemist]

"Er... what I meant sir, is that the Yellow King has given us this land to use as we see fit, as well as the right to deal with trespassers. You claim to be his servants, and if so, prove it. Elsewise, perhaps you have some token that you might part with to convince me to allow you passage?"

Jeri has an aha moment and rummages in her pack. "Here! I still have it, after all these centuries! Here!" She pulls out a deck of cards, colorful, but faded and worn. She shuffles it, waves her hand over the deck and says, "The Fortunes and the Dreams are all one! I will show you so you believe us. See! The King speaks!"

Slowly she draws out a card for the leader of the creatures - it is the King of Pentacles. "Ah! An entrepreneur, you are! A leader, guiding his people into prosperity!"

[brandnewb]

Joseaphat ignores Jeri's card trick “Our Lord has given you these lands? Than he has sent you to guide us to him. We will show you why we are his blessed one.” The way Joe messes up his pronouns 'we are his blessed one' clearly gives the impression that the other two (Jeri and Quinn) are not included in his statement. In fact he is ignoring them all together.

Joe will summon his phantom in ectoplasmic form. Takes 1 min.

Joe steps back to stand among the corpses at his feat, the hem of his dark cloak soaking up the pooling blood from the slain creatures. Joe strikes the shaft of the scythe onto the ground in front of him, and holds the dripping blade facing to his right. The cloaked figure begins to recite some type of occult chant. The shadows around Farmer Joe begin to darken. The pace and tone of his mumbling change significantly, and the darkness around him continue to deepen. The mumbling now is a clear and rhythmic occult chanting. As the volume of Joe's invocation raises it becomes clear that a second voice has joined his. This second voice is raspy and otherworldly. Whatever incantation Joe began the second voice now leads.

The gloom around Joe continues to darken frighteningly and unnaturally. Finally when the incantation reaches it's pinnacle a shadow appears to fully tear away from the unnatural shadows that surround Joseaphat.

Stepping through from somewhere beyond the void is a dark shade, and it's raspy tone calls out, clearly the second voice. The phantom undisputedly leads the invocation. It is hooded and cloaked much like Joe, and in it's hands is a scythe. Aside from the shape, there are no discernible features. No face, or mouth just darkness. The Shadow and Joe go silent in perfect unison.

After a moment's pause the shade turns to the creature and speaks in a tone steeped in anger, "You will take us to our Lord. The King in Yellow."

[Aeryk]

The creatures regard Jeri with some interest and not a little confusion when Joe interjects. They watch in collective fascination rather than terror, and when Joe/Phantom continues to press his demands, they begin to chatter among themselves. The robed creature clears his throat and thumps his staff against the fetid earth. "Very well. Since you neither prove your claims, nor offer anything in exchange for passage, we have no choice but to bring you before the Zoog council of nobles!" At this, dozens more pairs of eyes emerge from the darkness of the forest from all the burrows and nooks and crannies that were out of sight. It's an overwhelming number, and they move in concert to surround you.

Spoiler: OOC

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If you wish to fight them, you may roll initiative.

[brandnewb]

Joseaphat looks at the creature in confusion. “It was the blessing of the King in Yellow that sent this guide. We are beckoned to find him to receive his blessing.”
Joe thinks back and remembers his first encounter with the King in Yellow, when he was blessed with the phantom. He also remembers the mark he saw on some other prisoners who were troubled by nightmares and obsessions.
Joseaphat asks the phantom across their mental link ability, this allows them to communicate telepathically. “Do we know what sign it is talking about?”

Joseaphat will focus deep within himself on the power that he has been given. Attempting to find some way to manifest his blessing. Attempt a will save (1d20+5)[7]? To activate the blessing he has been given by the King in Yellow.

[Aeryk]

In response, the phantom slowly reaches up and touches Joe's forehead. The others can see the same yellow rune from before appear on Joe's forehead as it glows in the darkness. Josephat feels a sudden mental power over several of the zoogs standing closest to him, as if they are somehow now under his command.

Spoiler: The Yellow Sign

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You have discovered a powerful ability, The Yellow Sign. There are 2 Yellow Sign spells in the SRD that you may come across, but this is a modified version. I have also created a special tab for it in the map link (sheet 4) to reference at any time.

THE YELLOW SIGN
School: Enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]
Activation: 1 Standard Action, x1 per day
Range: 60 ft Burst with Line of Sight. Targets must be able to see the symbol.
Saving Throw: Will negates (DC 19 + Cha) Spell Resistance: Yes
Duration: 10min/CL or 1 min/CL, see text
Trigger condition: Character touches the rune.
Can only affect creatures who have seen/read the King in Yellow play, creatures who have encountered the King in Yellow in person, or other creatures who have been in some way affected by the King in Yellow, at the GM’s discretion.

Description: The Yellow Sign glows for 10 min/CL (caster levels in an occult class), causing up to 150hp worth of creatures within 60ft, affecting the closest first, who see the symbol to become dominated (as per dominate monster). The glowing means the symbol is also visible in normal darkness, but does not shed any light as a torch would. Affected creatures seek to aid any obvious minions or worshipers of the King in Yellow in sight, and any true worshiper of the King in Yellow can command the affected creatures as if that worshipper had been the one to dominate them. In the case of conflicting commands issued from different true worshipers of the King in Yellow, the commanders must attempt opposed Charisma checks, with the winner being able to command the targets for that round. When affected by the Yellow Sign in this way, the effects last for only 1 round per level. If no worshipers or agents of the King in Yellow are in sight, an affected creature can act normally.

[H. Von Studley]

Quinn watches Jo with interest, slowly lifting his hand to touch his own forehead. He focuses hard, trying to draw on his fleeting memories of being inside the body of the King, being a god himself.

[brandnewb]

Joe takes a moment to process what has happened, enjoying the experience of his evident newfound blessing from his lord. Finally he turns to the creatures and says simply, "You will now take us to the King in Yellow. He has called us to him, and we will not be stopped. We must go to him."

[Archemist]

Jeri doesn't miss a beat, saying, "Oh, you meant THAT sign. Coulda just said so." She puts the cards away and waits to see if Quinn's action has an effect like Joe's.

[Aeryk]

Quinn and Jeri feel a link between themselves, Joe, and the zoogs under Joe's control right now. They can command them as well, but if they were to give contradictory commands it would come down to a contest of will between themselves and Joe.

Quinn decides to experiment and feels a similar sensation as when the beasts had dominated him on the ship before, but it's reversed. He gains sudden control over a bunch of the zoogs closest to him, though He still feels the connection to the zoogs under Joe's command.

The dominated zoogs now seem eager to comply with Joe's demands and begin leading the party deeper into the woods, but the ones on the fringe seem confused and do not move to follow right away.

Spoiler: OOC

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Joe and Quinn each have dominance over 13 creatures (as per map), though any one of the three of you can give them commands at any time one of your yellow signs is active and you are within the dominated creatures line of sight. As Studley pointed out, none of your characters know the limitations of this power yet, so RP it accordingly, and have fun!

[brandnewb]

Joe looks at the group now leading him deeper into the woods. Content with the outcome, he is fine believing that in the King’s lands (which he interprets this to be) the creatures should serves the King. Josephat and his phantom follow behind the creatures deeper into the woods.
Notable is that the nearly constant mumblings and self-directed conversations that Farm Joe usually has have completely stopped. He looks to his phantom quite frequently, sometimes nodding or mumbling agreement, or expressing sounds of anger. But no words actually pass audibly between them.

[Aeryk]

The zoogs lead you through the forest which continues to descend deeper and deeper, but you can't seem to shake the feeling that you are going up. This curious inversion is even more marked when you suddenly emerge from the forest onto a vast plateau. To your left, as you look down over the edge, you see a multi-colored, star-strewn sky. To your right, the plateau extends seemingly for miles punctuated by what looks to be a city in the center. Beyond the city, leagues upon leagues away, and nearly obscured from sight, an impossibly massive mountain dominates the horizon. You can feel your control over the creatures beginning to slip.

The elder zoog speaks, "This is where we must leave you, servants of the Yellow King. Travel to the city beyond, the forbidden Yian-Ho. The people there will aid you on your pilgrimage, but be on your guard both in travelling there, and while staying there." With that, they disappear back into the forest and out of sight.

[H. Von Studley]

Quinn turns away, dismissing his escort with a disinterested wave. He eyes the city and mountain ahead hungrily, eager to reach his goal. The wound in his arm throbs angrily.

Spoiler: OOC

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How long have we been travelling? Barring magical healing, Quinn will need to rest pretty soon. Would also be nice to be recovered from the ability damage.

[brandnewb]

Farmer Joe looks longingly in the direction they need to go. He is about to head off when he looks up at his phantom in surprise, then he looks at the rough condition of his companions. “Do you need to rest? Or can we continue? We can heal one of you once. But then we feel we will have exhausted our powers for today.”

Joe will scan the immediate area for obvious shelter.

[Aeryk]

Joe notices a large, inviting looking tent on the plateau not far from them. He cannot determine whether it was already there and simply blended into the landscape, or if it suddenly appeared there because he was looking for it.

[brandnewb]

"Lets go check out the tent." Joe says simply. If it is unoccupied he will suggest we move it somewhere much less visible for the night. And he is fine with stealing it in case that seems to be the option.

If we do rest for the night he will treat his companions wounds and use the last of his healing magic on them before bed.

[Archemist]

"But if I sleep in the tent, where were you fellows planning on sleeping?" muses Jeri. She imagines a group of three tents instead. "Three yellow tents, that's what we need, with a bright yellow campfire and some beautifully tart lemon bars. Mmmm."

[Aeryk]

Jeri's imaginative "request" seemingly goes unanswered. However her concerns are allayed once the group actually sees the inside of the tent. From outside it looks like a regular 10 by 10 windowless tent, but inside it is much bigger. Paced out, it is 30 by 30, and has 3 separate rooms around a central common area with a small fire happily blazing inside, venting through a hole in the roof. Strangely enough, there was no smoke, smell, or sound of the fire from outside. Other than the fire, the tent is empty.

[brandnewb]

Farmer Joe inspects the tent casually. Then he looks to his companions and casts CLW on whichever is in worse shape.

CLW (1d8+2)[9]

He looks at his phantom for several minutes, he is making hand gestures and mannerisms suggesting that they are having a conversation. When it is done Joe will state. "I will take first watch."

Spoiler: OOC

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I am assuming this is some type of pocket dimension. It is relevant because I don't know if Joe and the Phantom can be on separate planes. They have to be within 100ft, but that gets weird if the inside of the tent is a different plane. It might have resulted in the phantom getting banished when they stepped inside. But I would assume that the phantom would have recognized the risk before going in. It would also mean that the phantom can't patrol outside the tent if Joe is inside. This would be the discussion they are having.

Also while Joe is sleeping the phantom can't be out and about. This is what i was originally hoping to do when I started looking this up.

Anyway, if it is a separate plane Joe will call it into his consciousness when he goes inside. And when he is on guard he will re manifest the phantom and sit outside the tent and patrol using the phantoms darkvision.

[Aeryk]

Spoiler: Joe

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Joe heals Jeri, then takes first watch, not having determined whether the interior of the tent is some kind of other dimension. At the end of his shift, he recalls his phantom back into his own consciousness to be safe. When he goes in to wake the next person, he finds that both Jeri and Quinn have simply vanished.

Spoiler: Jeri/Quinn

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Quinn and Jeri get comfortable in their private rooms within the tent. Sleep comes easily enough, considering all of the bewildering things they have been through. However, as soon as they fall asleep, they awaken back on the black ship with the Stranger from Leng who stands at the prow of the ship. The ship is docked at the dark stone city, the stairway yawning open below them between the sphinx statues.

The Stranger speaks to you in his alien voice, "Welcome to the once great city of Sarkomand. I see you yet lack the skill to maintain your presence while resting in this realm. A weakness your kind possess. If you fall asleep in the Dimension of Dreams, you run the risk of returning to your point of entrance, or back into the waking realm if you do not enter physically. Beware, this land is in constant flux and many phenomenon which do not make sense to your minds will happen here. With time and practice, you will be able to overcome these barriers. You must begin your journey anew."

[brandnewb]

Joe re-enters the then, then looks around in surprise when he finds no-one there. He readies his scythe and begins searching the tent expecting to be attacked.
“They had disappeared, we can’t very well sleep in this trap now. What do we do?” Joe has a mumbling conversation with the voice in his head for several minutes then nods. “This is a sign, we must keep going. It is not safe for us to rest.”
He begins searching the tent for what he can steal. He will take a blanket, and possibly a backpack if he can find one. Enough to keep him warm sleeping outside. Also if there is any light armour in the tent he will take it, preferably a chain shirt.
Once he has taken what he can, he will step outside the tent prepared for combat. If he is not assailed he will first summon his phantom once outside. Then he will begin walking to the city.

Spoiler: OOC

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I was originally going to have him sleep under a tree so that the party is not separated. But I really do not feel like that is what he would do. He has no idea that going to sleep with transport him back, and only that his companions disappeared. He would think it is not safe to sleep, and his only safety is in reaching his goal. Since it is less difficult to have a separated party in play by post I will just have him carry on.

Carrying stuff: If he cant find a backpack to put the blanket in he will drape the most subdued color blanket (black, bown) over his shoulders. So that if attacked he can shrug it off as a free action while still carrying his scythe.