Completed Play-by-Post: In Search of the Sorcerer

[Grimgravy]

Rhenmyr chuckles. "Madam, I like your style. Might I suggest you start as you first suggested. With his balls." Rhenmyr them moves to a position where he can intercept the horse with a spear strike should a command from the Hyperborean spur it to into action.

 

[nikolokolus]

As Sokrates comes up behind and places his hand on Ophelia, she starts to whip around with the cleaver raised and a look of anger, "Get your paws off of me!" She shouts before she's even begun to turn. However, the look on her face softens from anger to one of confusion when she apparently recognizes the half-wit paladin that's been convalescing here for the past week. She heaves a heavy sigh. "You poor simple bastard. You mean well don't ya? Look, go into the kitchen and Conn will get ya a piece of honeycomb and some buttermilk. Best if you don't get involved with this."

After Marcán drops the Hyperborean's gag, he looks up with a crooked smile, made slightly ghoulish by the dried blood on his lips and teeth. "The old man? He's literally nobody - trash that won't be missed. As for who I am and my purpose here, I take that with me to the grave. But Getik, maybe you're not asking the right questions? For instance, did you ever wonder why yonder goodwife is in such a hurry to dispatch me and my manservants? Mayhaps old Zelkor attacked me as I was setting about my business ... business he had been well compensated not to interfere with?" He winks at Marcán and utters a single phrase, "Se ad mortem."

Spoiler

I know Heron was readying a counterspell. If you want to try and intervene you can do so now.

 

[Smashing Axe]

Heron begins to chant the words to a counterspell

Spoiler

Rolled 15+2=17

 

[nikolokolus]

Hyperborean's spellcheck [1d20+10] = 11+10 = 21

Heron wisely suspected the Hyperborean might try some dirty trick - tales of their deceitful and duplicitous natures being well known in the Kasbah's and Caliphates of Acadia - Unfortunately the Hyperborean's sorcery is just too strong and it overwhelms Heron's counterspell . . . However, before the Hyperborean's magic fully takes effect Heron is struck with an uncanny sense that the foul thing is being aided by some unseen force; a pulsing, dark ley line only he can see briefly fills his mind that leaves behind a ghostly imprint on his vision from the unseen world.

Seconds later an astonishing and horrifying thing transpires. Suddenly the Hyperborean stiffens, his eyes roll up into the back of his head and he topples backward convulsing violently on the mud and straw before he goes perfectly still. As one of you moves to check him, you immediately notice the Hyperborean's skin rapidly flushing to bright crimson, then deepening to a sickly purple and finally blackening before it sloughs off in great wet chunks. His eyes burst and drain from empty sockets, bones dissolve, flesh putrifies, and less than a minute later all that remains of him is a black pool of nauseating sludge.

Meanwhile, as the horrid transmogrification takes hold, Erasmos begins shrieking and gibbering insanely through his gag while Ophelia turns to heave and vomit. As the tang of sulphur and corruption fills the air, the animals in the stable panic - bucking, kicking, mooing and neighing mad with fear. At the height of the chaos, the Hyperborean's great black charger suddenly lurches from its pen and bolts for the door, heedless of the people in its way.

Spoiler

There is a 2-in-6 chance for each character that they will be in the horse's path as it bolts through the stable, out the door and into the yard. Marcán [1d6] = 1, Borric [1d6] = 6, Sokrates [1d6] = 2, Ophelia [1d6] = 3, Rhenmyr [1d6] = 5, Heron [1d6] = 6, Ker [1d6] = 3

Horse's trample against Marcán [1d20+5] = 14+5 = 19 and Sokrates [1d20+5] = 8+5 = 13 Damage: [1d6] = 6 and [1d6] = 3 Only Marcán takes damage from the horse's mad dash.

(Rhenmyr gets to throw his readied spear, if so desired and if you were the target of its trample you can try to attack it if you wish as it goes by - i.e. Marcán and Sokrates).

 

[Siveon]

Spoiler

Didn't see that one coming. Forgot about that whole lovecraft influence there for a second, thanks for reminding me.

Combat rolls

To hit: [1d20] = 12 (+1) = 13 + 1 = 14
Damage(Bastard Sword Two-H): [1d8+1] = 1+1 = 2 +1 = 3

Screw you, RNG. Anyway, sorry for the sloppy additions but it was kind of annoying faffing with what +1 comes from where. So my first to-hit comes from the falcata's innate +1 to-hit and the second comes from my strength. The +1 on my initial damage comes from Marcán wielding the sword in both hands. And the second, again, comes from strength. Shamful dispray I know, I know.

Marcán wails a loud curse in Keltic, before hastily unsheathing his falcata and slashing horizontally, targeting the horse's legs.

 

[Grimgravy]

Rhenmyr hurls his spear at the ornery horse, hoping to take it in the neck.

combat roll

To hit: [1d20+3] = 7+3 = 10, Damage (spear/axe): [1d6+2] = 3+2 = 5

Spoiler

Rng screwing my combat rolls too. Maybe I can hit the broad side of the stable...

 

[nikolokolus]

Spoiler

Didn't see that one coming. Forgot about that whole lovecraft influence there for a second, thanks for reminding me.

Combat rolls

To hit: [1d20] = 12 (+1) = 13 + 1 = 14
Damage(Bastard Sword Two-H): [1d8+1] = 1+1 = 2 +1 = 3

Screw you, RNG. Anyway, sorry for the sloppy additions but it was kind of annoying faffing with what +1 comes from where. So my first to-hit comes from the falcata's innate +1 to-hit and the second comes from my strength. The +1 on my initial damage comes from Marcán wielding the sword in both hands. And the second, again, comes from strength. Shamful dispray I know, I know.

Marcán wails a loud curse in Keltic, before hastily unsheathing his falcata and slashing horizontally, targeting the horse's legs.

Spoiler

For future reference you can enter the modifiers in the macro as [1d20+X] and it will handle the math for you so you don't have to manually add them after the fact.

As the stallion begins its mad break, Marcán is able to unsheathe his sword and strike at the beast in one smooth motion, injuring it slightly. Rhenmyr was ready with his spear and hurls it, but misses; the spear point buries itself into the broad side of the barn a couple of feet wide of the mark.

 

[Grimgravy]

"Perhaps, I needed some sleep last night," Rhenmyr thinks shaking his head.

 

[Helly]

Ker looks, aghast, at the abomination.
"W...what is...How...Ophelia, get out of here!"

Spoiler

Can I cast faerie fire on the thing right now?

 

[nikolokolus]

Ker looks, aghast, at the abomination.
"W...what is...How...Ophelia, get out of here!"

Spoiler

Can I cast faerie fire on the thing right now?

Spoiler

I assume you are casting on the warhorse? If so I'll say, "possibly." Roll a saving throw; if you succeed, you're able to get it off before the horse is out of range.

 

[Helly]

Spoiler

Saving throw for the fleeing horse [1d20] = 4

Ker, thinking the horse would be easy to find with a red glow, starts casting at the beast but it is out of his sight before he finishes chanting.
"Well, damn... Whatever it was, it is gone. I believe the goons have some explaining to do though"

Spoiler

Do I still keep the spell ready?

 

[nikolokolus]

Answer

Yes, you still keep the spell. You quickly realize that the horse will be well out of your range by the time you finish casting so you never get started.

 

[Helly]

Answer

Yes, you still keep the spell. You quickly realize that the horse will be well out of your range by the time you finish casting so you never get started.

Spoiler

Great, thanks for the explanation. I do like where it's going. Well, in before we need to roll insanity checks

 

[Grimgravy]

Rhenmyr retrieves his spear from the wall at the first opportunity.

 

[nikolokolus]

Speaking of sanity checks, everyone who witnessed the horror inside the stable needs to roll a saving throw. If you fail, you suffer 1d2 points of temporary Wisdom damage (this can be restored with rest or healed with a Cure Light Wounds spell - as per the house rules document).

 

[Grimgravy]

save vs corpse melting horror

To Save: [1d20] = 14

 

[Helly]

save vs corpse melting horror

Saving throw - Insanity in the barn [1d20] = 15
Druid stronk!

 

[Smashing Axe]

Heron stares at the goop in front of him, he says to no one in particular in a strained voice suppressing panic "I'll take care of this, get the horse" He readies a flask of lamp oil as if to throw, and cautiously approaches the liquefied Hyperborean. He prods it with a staff, and if it shows no reaction, collects a sample from what remains stuck to the staff, putting it away in a flask, careful not to actually touch the stuff.

Spoiler

Was Heron able to sense the school of magic the spell came from?
Saving Throw: 18 (Not sure what pluses, if any. Magic save count here?)

 

[nikolokolus]

Heron gets his +2 save vs. spells

 

[nikolokolus]

Although the sight is indeed gruesome, Ker, Rhenmyr and Heron maintain their composure. Rhenmyr retrieves his spear and Heron carefully bends down to scoop up some goo - it doesn't appear to harm your staff or the flask you place it into.

Out of the corner of his eye, Heron spies a tumbled ebony box, half-covered with straw at the edge of the stall where the warhorse just bolted from.

 

[Smashing Axe]

"Of course he hid it there, wretched thing" Heron mutters. He douses the goop with lamp oil, but doesn't yet ignite it and then moves to examine the box, awkwardly squatting down on the straw at an angle where he faces the goop and the box at the same time, his two legs, one longer than the other. He looks for runes or carvings suggestive of magical warding, and if he fails to find such he steps back and tries to open the box with his staff. If this doesn't seem possible to do, and if the box is sufficiently small enough, he will pick the box up after prodding it a couple of times with his staff.

 

[Siveon]

Sanity check

Sanity check: [1d20] = 20
Aw yiss. Dat Keltic Bard mind can't be beat. But this roll, it's too good. I want to like, keep this roll for later when I want to be badass. Fuck, the one time the RNG is graceful and it's with a simple sanity check. COME ON.

 

[nikolokolus]

The box at Heron's feet appears to be a very well made strong box of some sort, about 1 1/2 feet long, 1 foot wide and about 1 foot deep. The box of oiled and polished mahogany isn't ornate, but its fit and finish is impeccable; its lid fits tightly and you doubt you could slip a piece of parchment between it and the lip of the box. Additionally, its silver hinges look strong and a stout silver hasp with a keyhole holds it firmly shut. You stand back and jab at the box with the butt of your staff, but this appears to have no effect. If the box is magical or is otherwise warded it is impossible to say at this juncture - further investigation of a more magical nature might be required.

 

[Smashing Axe]

Heron will attempt to open the box with the silver key he obtained earlier. He doesn't force the lock. If it fails, he will carry the chest with him.

 

[Helly]

Ker checks first that the old man is safe, then the two minions.
"You two... Do you have any, well, explanation? What was that?"