[Game Thread] Chapter 1: Fractured Reality

[Timeless Prophet]

[Ophelia,Beau]

OOC Jinx that makes total sense now. I should of seen who it was intended for and come to that conclusion also. I guess I just assumed that no one would ever secret text themselves although it is a very intelligent idea.

Beau hurls another energy blast into the creature and it lets out a roar of pain again. Now it lumbers forward leaving itself open to attack from Ophelia. The beast whips its chains around in a frenzy striking across the chest and neck with them. Ophelia then positions herself near the creature but doesn't strike it.

OOC Beau takes 6 damage. Also Ophelia can take an AoO at her full attack bonus (because she would not of entered her defensive stance before the creature attacks). Going defensive or not wouldn't of effected the attack rolls result.

[Sydney, Emma, Allan, Damian]
Sydney looks around quickly but fails to spot anything of particular notice. There is the same vibrant foliage that was present the last time they were there and the creature is still the same odd collection of blue and black it was a few minutes before.

The creature is turning slowly back and forth in an arc like pattern. It whistles a tune for a moment before it seems to take interest in the old woman and man speaking. "Shouts dear what grannie....kerrreeekkkuuurrrrruuuuue! Hey you're old maybe you know my granny! Are you anything like her she is the grandest old gal. Always baked the best pie in the whole...kerrrreeeeeeekkkkerrrruuuuuu!" The creature seems to whip itself into a child like frenzy over its story. It seems almost giddy when discussing the pie and other baked good it rambles off after screeching. After a few more minutes of the creatures incessant speak it suddenly stops and its eyes appear to glaze over for just a minute. Suddenly the color returns and it glares hard once more at the group before smiling.

"Why would anyone want to leave here, especially Cathorin? The garden is Cathorin's? home and never beyond its borders have I ever traveled. My sweet sweet home it is....forever Cathorin's....forever mine..."

The creature seems to lose itself longingly in thought for just a moment. It's eyes glaze over for just a moment but once again the color returns.

"If the way you went didn't work you might try going that way...kekekekekekeeeeeee!" The creature points down a lone path to the west.

[Pojo]

"Old? Baking?" Emma harrumphs. "Certainly I'll bake you if that's you're after, little scamp. Ah, but I'm only kidding, one assumes." She turns to the rest of the group with a hand to her mouth and, in a voice that implies whispering but is in no way quiet or secretive, says "Should we kill it now or wait until we're not lost anymore?"

[BrokenPlayer]

Trying very hard to ignore the foul creature, Sydney turns towards the direction the creature pointed to and begins walking.

"The sooner we leave, the better," Sydney mutters to the others as she moves past them.

[LordJecks]

Ignoring the crazed creature after hearing about the potential exit Brother Damian nods as Sydney takes the lead. The cleric was happy someone else was taking up initiative for once. "Lets see if we can get out of here then or at least find this Cathorin at least" he says to the group in general as he follows Sydney.

[Jinx_Greyflower]

[Ophelia]

Seeing an opportunity, she strikes, slashing through the air with her blade.

Now, with its attention on the gnome, she sidesteps (5' step) behind it, taking full advantage of her position to strike where it is unprotected.

Round Summary: Attack of opportunity. 5' step to move to a flanking position, then attack (hopefully applying sneak attack damage)

[OwenQuillion]

Beau literally shrieks as the chains tear through his meager defenses. "I know it's going to look like I'm running away, and that's probably because I am!" he says as he bolts for the nearest cover. The monster was simply too overwhelmingly strong for him to face up-close like that, and the elf would just have to fend for herself, assuming it didn't just chase him down.

OOC If there's not anything he can effectively hide behind within the 40' of movement Withdraw gives him, he'll move to 10 feet behind Ophelia, unless there's something in the way.

Battle Info HP: 3/12 AC: 14 (14 Touch, 11 FF) Ini: 11 Actions: Full-round action of withdraw.

[EnixH]

Allan continues to follow the group as they proceeded on the path pointed out to them by the strange,spastic creature. He looks over to Sydney as she speaks "I agree, best to keep moving. Although we shout keep our wits about us...don't know how trustworthy this creature is, or if there is an ambush up ahead". He uses his staff as one would use a walking stick on a pleasant trek through the forest...except this hike was not so much 'pleasant' as it was bizzare. Heeding his own advice, as they moved, he kept an eye out for any surprises.

[Timeless Prophet]

OOC Sorry Guys. For some reason I have been thinking I need to wait for everyone to post but in reality it was just me.

[Beau,Ophelia]
Both of Ophelia's strikes bounce off the beast's hide as Beau withdraws. The creature lets out a furious howl and charges after the gnome swinging its chains wildly and the hooks manage once more to catch the gnome's hide.

OOC Beau the gods of fate have smiled upon you...2 damage...and this is not DM intervention so much as what I believe to be hacking of the dice system by you.... You're being watched. Ophelia gets another AoO.

[Damian, Emma, Sydney, Allen]
"I don't know why you're leaving to go look for me." The creature calls after Damian. The party once again travels in the direction indicated by the creature for a few moments, this time again to be cursed by fate and end up in the same clearing. The creature is no longer hanging from a tree but you can hear its chattering. The whole forest seems to be alive with it.

"Kerrrreeeeeeeeeeee....Thought it would work that time....third times a charm?"

[Pojo]

"But then, after the supply of kobold meat ran out, we had some conflicts between the rest of the little buggers, and, well, I had to move on..." Emma continues to chatter cheerily into Sydney's ear as they roundabout a second time. She surveys the scene again.

"Right, this has an easy solution. We burn the entire thing to the ground and then the right path should be perfectly visible. Who's got a tindertwig?"

In the meantime, her head bobs about, trying to track the source of the little creatures cackling.

OOC Perception Dice Roll: (as this is an older post, these rolls are interpreted by the older (more basic) dice roller code) d20+1: (4) + 1 Total = 5

[Jinx_Greyflower]

[Ophelia] HP 7/13; AC 19
[Note: Attack of Opportunity]

"Gods above!! I can't blame it for going after the gnome. He's the only one who's hurt this bugger!"

Seeing that her only ally in this abysmal place is badly wounded and likely to become even more so, Ophelia forgoes her attempts to actually hurt the creature and, instead, tries to take advantage of her position by pushing the creature off balance.

OOC: She's making a trip attempt as her AoO. Since it's an opposed check, I'm going to wait to see the result of the check.

[BrokenPlayer]

Still nodding politely, Sydney comes to a stop once she realizes that she is, once again, standing in the same spot she was just a few minutes prior.

"What's going on here?" Sydney asks as she looks around.

OOC If I can, I'd like to Take 20 on a Spot and Perception Check. Both would have a result of 20. If not, I can roll (or you can ) to see if Sydney sees anything.

[LordJecks]

The more Brother Damian found out about this place the more he wish he'd never come. Fighting down his frustration he turned to face where he thought the creature might be, "Cathorin is it then? Would you be so kind to show us the way out so we might leave you in peace, lest my companion release a fire upon your home"

[OwenQuillion]

OOC Well, whatever gamble I thought I was making sort of paid off in that Beau isn't gnome-paste just yet, but it looks like I've avoided the need for DM fiat by coaxing a max roll on my own die.

Quite sure he was going to die if he didn't either heal himself or shake the beast, Beau steps back, rummages for one of his potions, and quaffs it, praying the healing power stored in it will be enough to keep him from collapse after the next inevitable attack. A bit too busy to actually utter words of encouragement to Ophelia, he does notice what she intends to do and he dares to grin grimly.

Battle Info HP: 1/12 AC: 14 (14 Touch, 11 FF) Ini: 11 Actions: 5FS, Move Action to draw a potion, Standard action to drink it for 9 HP recovery. HP not adjusted yet in case I screwed up.

[EnixH]

Allan looks around in disbelief as after the last round of walking they ended back where they had made their landing. He leans on his staff and sighs, keeping an eye out for the creature as well. Pushing his confusion from his mind, he began to examine their surroundings, to see if something arcane was afoot.

[Timeless Prophet]

[Beau, Ophelia]

OOC Sorry Ophelia no +2 due to flanking. Beau withdrew from combat (so he is no longer in range to threaten) and the creature is leaving a square you threaten which is why you get the AoO.

Ophelia reaches out and attempts to strike at the creatures leg. It swirls around and brings its chain right into Ophelia's head but she manages to stagger the creature and it crashes to the ground. The creature growls rising to its feet after being knocked down. The gnome quaffs his potion.

OOC Alright so the trip was successful, however, the creature got an AoO on you Ophelia and dealt 6 damage to you on the AoO. I need to know how you resolve this round Ophelia before I can move forward.

[Damian, Sydney, Emma, Allen]
The tree above them shake and tremble with the movement of the beast. Sydney sees a what she thinks is a tail fly through some of the foliage but looses it again in the leaves. Emma appears to stare vacantly off into space while Allen tries in vain to discover some mystical reason for this situation.

"It's not nice to use threats little one...He doesn't like them....they make him angry" The inflection in the creatures voice seems to change with the mention of this him and the leaves of the trees once again shake and quiver under the creature's weight as it scurries around about your heads. "BUt It may NOT maTter SoOn....his friend is going to get your friends and good....KEEEERRRRRRRRREEEEEEYYYYY!!!!" The creature howls as it a huge shaking of tree limbs above you commences. Birds and creatures begin to eggress from the area and head in various directions as the howl reaches a feverish pitch. Suddenly the beast grows quiet and you hear nothing else.

A small rock suddenly drops from the tree into the center of the glade.