Divine Vision (DM Cayzle) Tuesday May 29th, 2018 11:39:17 PM
You begin the ritual, and you sense the dimensions shift as you work to complete the ceremony. Indeed you leave the Wold as a group ... moving not left or right, up or down, forward or back, but in directions that you cannot describe in the pitiful common speech. The best words that come close are not enough.
You [idea of movement without moving] to the dizzying [heights / depths] for the Lands of Rest. You know the Valleys of Twilight. How can some Valleys be so [large], and others so [small]? You cannot describe it, but it seems natural and right. And there is the Valley that holds the Sargrass Plains.
You sense the attention of Powers beyond mortal comprehension. Indeed, you have no context, no frame of reference, that allows you to understand what they are, and what they are doing. Let's try this:
You are all toddlers, no more than two years old. You sit on a sandy beach, or maybe stand and wobble precariously. Maybe you fall on the sand. And yet you are also still yourselves. The gentle waves move in and out. The wind plays in your hair. You have shovels and buckets -- or are those wands and swords?
You see a few big kids nearby on the beach. They are moving a sand castle down the beach, into the water, and out to a little sand bar over there. How can they carry a sand castle? Yet they are. A butterfly is fluttering around the sand castle. One of the big kids shoos off a seagull. Those big kids are scary. And strong! They can walk and talk really good. They smile at you as they walk past you down the beach.
What's that? One of them says, "Come on, littles! you can help! Don't be afraid! Help us!"
The sand is hot underfoot.
What do you do when a big kid asks you to help move the sand castle?
Gaffer (Courtney HP: 39/61 AC:21(T:16/FF:15) CMD:20 WS 0/2) Wednesday May 30th, 2018 4:57:11 AM
The big kids are surely wiser than we are, and I am afraid to make them angry. I will try to help them move the sandcastle, even if I don't know how. I stumble along the beach after them. I trip and fall, hot sand coarse against my palms. I stumble to my feet again and keep moving. Don't sandcastles belong on the sand?
Toston Lotor(Hugh Crosmun) [HP: 24/45; 6 nonlethal damage AC:22; Touch 20; FF 18- CMD 26 - [haz de plague] Wednesday May 30th, 2018 9:47:36 AM
Tiny Toston the gnome toddler does his best to help the big kids move the sandcastle.
He asks one of the big kids, "So who are you guys?"
Ethani Nellie, AC 20, HP 36/42 Status on Everyone Wednesday May 30th, 2018 4:12:15 PM
Feeling sooooo out of her element and more than a little confused, the insignificant toddler Ethani does her best to help out the big kids and move the sandcastle. She grunts a small complaint as the sand heats her delicate toes. "It's hot! How much longer is it going to take?"
Hmerrin(HP 74/74 AC:26 T:16 FF:21 CMD:24) Infected Wednesday May 30th, 2018 6:14:58 PM
Hmerrin rises at the request, and dutifully trundles over to help move the sandcastle.
Looking up at the big kids', he looks questioningly at the sand, and tentatively reaches out to it.
Lornak (Frank S.) HP:50/60 AC: 19(T:13/FF:10) CMD:19 Still infected Wednesday May 30th, 2018 6:15:12 PM
Little Lornak is out of his element. He is slightly afraid and weary, but curious. He reaches down and grabs the corner of his cloak and raises it to his mouth. He gathers it there and sucks his thumb, observing.
He shifts toward the older, wiser children through the sand particles, fore it does not scare him. They actually kind of tickle. But he does not approach with reckless abandon.
He takes a couple more little steps, waiting, watching. The large castle is so enticing! It looks like fun! But he has to learn the ways of playing before venturing over.
Lornak watches the wave, then watches how the older children hold and carry the castle then the waves again. Lornak will bide his time.
Wilford Grimly (HP:44/44; AC: 18; Touch: 12; Flat: 16; CMD: 18) d20+11=21 ; d20+8=16 ; Wednesday May 30th, 2018 6:42:21 PM
Will frowns. The sand burns. The larger children tower over him causing him to be a bit bashful. He focuses his attention on the butterfly. (Perception: 21 to try to see if that small creature is a fairy.) (Knowledge Arcane: 16 to assist if needed)
Dušan Danann (Erik) {HP:25/33; AC:17; Touch: 13; FF:10; CMD:16} d20+15=18 ; Wednesday May 30th, 2018 6:50:24 PM
Little Dušan stumbles over to the big kids and their castle. He looks back and forth with his mouth agape in awe of the what the big kids were doing. He offers as best he can, perhaps a little over enthusiastic, in joining in and hopefully proving himself capable of the older task.
(OOC: Knowledge Planes d20+15=18)
Asteria Amarante [HP: 55/71; AC: 20; Touch: 12; Flat: 20; CMD: 20; Status: Infected; Fatigued] Wednesday May 30th, 2018 9:57:33 PM
Tiny Asteria - although tiny wouldn't be exactly accurate - walks towards the big kids confidently, though unsteady on her toddler feet. Eyes sparkling, she boldly introduces herself, wanting to get on their good side and join the big kids. "I'm Asteria! I could move this all by myself, but I'll help you guys out!" She grins to the best of her ability and attempts to help however she can.
Sargrass Returned (DM Cayzle) Wednesday May 30th, 2018 11:02:58 PM
The vision continues ...
The big kids are delighted and bemused as you all work to contribute. Well, except for shy Lornak, but one of the big girls seems to think he is cute, so that's OK. Wil sees that the butterfly is really a big moth! The big kids chuckle at Asteria!
You "help" as best you can, and soon the sand castle is settled into its spot. One of the big kids draws a circle around it.
"You have to hold the circle while we do the roots!" he tells you seriously.
You are suffused with a feeling of being thanked, and you are completely cured of all diseases, all damage, all conditions. All daily uses of powers and items are refreshed, as if it were a new day. If you cast spontaneously, all your slots are refilled. If you prep spells, you cay prepare spells as you prefer. If you are a bloodwitch, you do not have to make a check to handle woldsblood -- it is done perfectly. However, all non-permanent ongoing effects are erased! All spells ended! All things with durations are expired.
Then you are travelling the planes again! Or rather, you are finished travelling the Planes!
From the Planes to the Plains! You sense that you are back in the Sargrass, and that the Sargrass is in the Wold again! The earth is shaking! As the rumbling subsides and you get your balance, you see that you are in a small clearing, and thankfully, the grass is only knee-high to a halfling here and not a hazard like it was before. The sun shines high overhead.
Interestingly enough, you're not alone. All around you are groups of well armed men and women much like yourselves. The two closest groups are about a quarter mile away on either side; too far to make out details. However, as you face into the circle, the group on your right has a number of taurs in it. Other groups are adjacent to them, forming a giant circle -- easily 2.5 miles around, with a diameter three-quarter miles wide. Each group of people are about a quarter mile from the other. The center of the circle is 3/8 mile away, call it 2,000 ft away.
You do sense and see bloodgrass around you! It is moving, and fast! It is flowing, like water, to the center of the circle! Now the center of that circle is dominated by a writhing mass of bloodweed that quickly retracts and combines into a single amazingly big humanoid shape. It is easily 150' across and 400' tall!
The creature roars! In a loud voice it screams, “MY HOME! MY HOME! MY CHILDREN!”
Sense Motive DC20: Highlight to display spoiler: {It too is confused and hurt.}
Sense Motive DC30: Highlight to display spoiler: {It is actually also insane.}
Know Religion DC20: Highlight to display spoiler: {It is an immortal power!}
Know Religion DC35: Highlight to display spoiler: {It is the Sar! The former immortal power of the Sargrass, thought destroyed in the cataclysm of the last age.}
An army of hundreds of various bloodweed creatures and other monsters erupts from the Power’s body, going in all directions to attack each of the groups.
Perception DC15: Highlight to display spoiler: {The Power itself shrinks slightly as monsters wriggle out of it.}
Some of the creatures run toward you! Of course, they start the battle royale now 2,000 ft away!
Toston says, "That's an immortal power and it is shrinking as creatures rain off or it."
He then casts mage armor on himself and draws his curveblade
Mage armor: 3 hours [1800 rounds] - +4 AC
Ethani Nellie, AC 20, HP 42/42 d20+16=24 ; Thursday May 31st, 2018 4:10:27 PM
Ethani's face twists in a mask of anger as she turns to Asteria, poking her in the chest with each word for emphasis. "I.Told.You.This.Would.Happen!"
Noting the immortal power (Knowledge Rel=24), Ethani gulps. How does one kill something immortal?! Quickly grabbing her wand of Bull's Strength, she jabs Asteria with it fiercely. "I expect you to fix this!"
The cleric mentally runs through the spells she will need to try and help the group, but it doesn't look promising. She makes note of where Lornak is, instinctively wanting to find a way to protect him.
OOC: +4 Strength to Asteria for 60 rounds.
Hmerrin(HP 74/74 AC:25 T:15 FF:21 CMD:24) Thursday May 31st, 2018 6:58:55 PM
Hmerrin's relief at the removal of the infectious laugh is short lived.
"I think we just move up to the heavyweight division," he breathes out in response to Lornak.
The young fighter unlimbers his bow, and eyes the oncoming hoard. "Oh, I think buffing spells would be a good idea" he notes.
Dušan Danann (Erik) {HP:25/33; AC:17; Touch: 13; FF:10; CMD:16} d20+8=20 ; d20+8=18 ; Thursday May 31st, 2018 7:04:27 PM
"It's hurt and confused," Dušan says as he casts Spectral Hand, "and the more creatures that spill out seem to hurt it more. Visaura, restore us, I'm not sure if that's good or bad."
Gaffer (Courtney HP: 39/61 AC:21(T:16/FF:15) CMD:20 WS 0/2) Thursday May 31st, 2018 7:29:03 PM
Gaffer hurriedly prepares his spells and summons forth a direwolf to his side. "So what you're saying, is we have to kill an immortal's worth of crazed blood beasts, and we'll all be fine... I knew we should have gotten more information."
Lornak (Frank S.) HP:60/60 AC: 19(T:13/FF:10) CMD:19 d20+11=18 ; d20+10=29 ; d20+10=20 ; Thursday May 31st, 2018 7:54:36 PM
Releasing his cloak, Lornak shuffles over to the other children as they help with the castle. He reaches out and grabs the circle like the other children do. "Circle." He says proudly.
As the planes shift around him once more, he feels everything in his being return to its glory before this whole blasted mess started. Dirt City had not crumbled. Meteorites did not rain from the heavens He had never heard of Sargrass. Memories that seem so far away.
As the ground shakes beneath him, he plants his feet firmly in the red grass. He smiles an overzealous smile. He has never felt so alive and in good health. He touches his Ioun Stone and lets it float above him.
He takes in the scene. (Perception d20=18) He thinks of the Sargrass creatures as drops of blood that spill from the colossal creature before him. In fact he notices that its power diminishes as more leave its form. "The more it expels the weaker it gets!"
He responds to Hmerrin; "If this is the big leagues Kid, it is time we fight like Warrior Kings of Old!" He brandishes his crossbow and loads a bolt into it.
As the group prepares for the fight he watches the colossal writhe. (Sense Motive d20=29) He cannot quite place what its undulation reminds him of. The throws of a fever perhaps? "I think its sick too!" He says.
"I would say that is good!" He answers Dusan as he stows his Ioun Stone. Lornak waits until all the party is buffed. When that is finished he yells; "Lets take it to him people!"
(OOC ignore the last roll I thought that previous one was a nat 20, the 20 was to confirm...it was Almost a 20=19!)
Wilford Grimly (HP:44/44; AC: 18; Touch: 12; Flat: 16; CMD: 18) d20+11=27 ; d20+7=17 ; Thursday May 31st, 2018 8:35:04 PM
(Perception: 27 - Sense Motive: 17) "Hold the circle? Ok, I can do that. Look at the crowd. Have you ever seen this many warriors in one place? Is that a dragon? This is cool." Wil cast Guidance on himself (+1 Attack Roll - 1 min) He runs forward to shorten the distance between him and the closest monster but that depends on if any one joins him.
-- 7 rounds Channel energy 3d6 Shadow amulet: SM2 1/day SM3 1/day SM2 1/day - Used 7 rounds (hp 16 - AC 14 - 20% hit chance(Shadow)) Summoned Spider (Shadow) Legacy Item
Asteria Amarante [HP: 71/71; AC: 20; Touch: 12; Flat: 20; CMD: 20] Thursday May 31st, 2018 11:31:10 PM
Asteria relaxes as all her injuries are healed and her worries are relieved, but soon it all comes crashing back. A terrifying creature roars before them, and she starts to worry.
As her sister begins to attack her yet again, Asteria raises her hands in the air in a false surrender. "Hey, I didn't want this! Besides, you can't pin it all on me! There are a ton of people here!"
Joining Hmerrin in pulling out a bow, Asteria prepares for a fight. "This is gonna be a rough one. Think we can beat it?"