Overview

No problem Baleringr. Best of luck with whatever it is. May you and your family be well!

May not be able to post much for a few days. Family issue has been keeping me busier than usual.

Flick HP: 27/38 AC: 20Shield raised Perception +8 Fort +8 Ref +8 Will +8 Flick sighs and raises his shield. Actions Defend

Khaine - Human Monk 4 HP: 53/60 | AC: 22 | Speed: 35ft | Hero: 2/3 | Focus: 0/2 Perception: +7 | Fort: +10 | Ref: +12 | Will: +9 StatisticsStr +2 Dex +4 Con +2 Int +0 Wis +1 Cha +0 Languages: Common, Elven Attacks: -Powerful Fist: +11/+7/+3 2d6+2 Bludgeoning • Agile, Finesse, Non-lethal, Unarmed -Tiger Claw +11/+7/+3 2d8+2 Slashing • Agile, Finesse, Non-lethal, Unarmed, Bleed on Crit -Dart +11/+7/+3 Damage: 2d4+2 Piercing &Bull Agile, Thrown 20ft -Muck Bane +11/+6/+1 2d6+2 Bludgeoning • Club, Thrown 10ft +1d6 vs oozes Monk DC: 20 Ki Spells: Ki Strike Wholeness of Body | Equipment Consumables: Wooden Shield Darts (10) Elixir of Life, Minor Smokestick, Minor Acid Flask, Minor Alchemist Fire, Minor Frost Vial, Minor Numbing Tonic, Minor Adventurer's Pack: -Bedroll -10x Chalk, Flint &Steel, Soap, Waterskin -Rope (50ft) -Rations (2 weeks) -5x Torch -Climbing Kit -Grappling Hook Cart Wooden shield Bedroll Coins : 51gp 12sp 2cp | AbilitiesClass: -Ki Spells (Divine) -Powerful Fist -Flurry of Blows -Ki Strike -Tiger Stance -Stunning Fist -Incredible Movement -Mystic Strikes -Wholeness of Body Ancestry: -Natural Ambition Skill: -Assurance: Athletics -Steady Balance -Quick Jump -Powerful Leap -Cat Fall Other: -Toughness -Rogue Dedication -Surprise Attack -Sneak Attacker (d4) -Attack Potency +1 -Skill Potency +1 Devastating Strike (2 dice) | SkillsAcrobatics: +10 (T) Arcana: +0 Athletics: +10 (E) Crafting: +6 (T) Deception: +0 Diplomacy: +0 Lore (Farming): +6 (T) Intimidate: +6 (T) Medicine: +1 Nature: +1 Occultism: +0 Performance: +0 Religion: +1 Society: +0 Stealth: +11 (T, Potency) Survival: +7 (T) Thievery: +10 (T) Conditions : Antidote (+2 Fort save vs Poison), Fury Cocktail (+2 melee attack rolls, Resist 1 to physical damage) Khaine smiled, just a little, he would get to crack some skulls after all! (I'll keep the 20)

[fieldset=Maybell Springfield][table=2,1] [r=1,1][img2=150]https://i.imgur.com/F9acM1T.png[/img2] [r=2,1][center][b][url=https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2839749][font=palatino linotype][size=4][color=Sienna]Maybell Springfield[/color][/size][/font][/url][/b] [I]Gutsy Halfling Bard 4[/I] [b]HP:[/b] 38/42 [b]AC:[/b] 20 [b]Spell Slots:[/b] 3/3 L1 3/3 L2 [b]Focus Points:[/b] 1/2 [b]Halfling Luck:[/b] 1/1 [b]Hero Points:[/b] 3/3 [b]Class DC:[/b] 20 [b]Status:[/b] Normal and Healthy [/center][/table] [spoiler=Statblock] [CENTER][table=3,1][r=1,1][URL="https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2839749"][size="4"][b]Maybell Springfield[/b][/size][/URL] [r=2,1] [B]Female Halfling Bard 2[/B] [r=3,1] [B]Neutral Good Entertainer[/B] [/table] [/CENTER] [table=2,1][r=1,1][B]STR:[/B] 8/-1 [B]DEX:[/B] 14/+2 [B]CON:[/B] 12/+1 [B]INT:[/B] 14/+2 [B]WIS:[/B] 12/+1 [B]CHA:[/B] 18/+4 [r=2,1][B]Saves:[/B] For 7 Rex 10 Wil 9 Per 9 [B]Speed:[/B] 25 [B]AC:[/B] 20 [B]Languages:[/B] Common, Elven, Dwarven, Halfling [/table][/spoiler] [/fieldset] Maybell Springfield Maybell Springfield Gutsy Halfling Bard 4 HP: 38/42 AC: 20 Spell Slots: 3/3 L1 3/3 L2 Focus Points: 1/2 Halfling Luck: 1/1 Hero Points: 3/3 Class DC: 20 Status: Normal and Healthy Statblock "And so it goes! Even as your group frays at the ends, I at least have to commend your consistency in choosing the worst option possible, Miss Selene!" says Maybell, continuing her performance to rile up the cultist woman and keep feeding the chaos within her side. OOC: Trying to use Performance as Initiative given the situation. If not, feel free to replace with Perception.

Jax the XIV "Power. It always come down to a promise of power." Jax sighs HP 42/42 AC21 F+9 (+1 vs disease & poisons. Success = crit) R+11 W+9 Per+9 Skills & Feats Actions: Init should be 16 due to Chalia's feat.

I have the Scout's Warning feat, so everybody gets a +1 to initiative.

Chalia Gremaris Elven Fighter 4 HP: 49/53 | AC: 22 (23 with shield) | speed: 25 (30) | hero: 3/3 Perception: +9 | Fort: +9 | Ref: +9 (+12) | Will: +9 conditions: none "Ready weapons," Chalia called out to her companions, doing just that. OOC

Selene Morland: "Bernard?" she says, using Jax's undercover name, Selene's eyes flash with a mix of defiance and frustration, and she fixes Jax with a sharp glare. "What was I hoping to achieve? Salvation. Renewal. Power," she snaps, her voice strained as she struggles to maintain authority. "Zharaxis was going to bring us strength—reshape this world, give us the means to thrive where others falter. Those who can’t see that… well, they’re just obstacles to be removed." But before she can continue, the chamber erupts into chaos. A sudden shout echoes from one side, followed by a flash of greenish light as two cultists collide, grappling with each other. Another cultist stumbles backward, clutching his chest where a vine has torn through his robes, glowing faintly with dark energy. Voices rise in argument, and a few of the robed figures break away from the ritual circle entirely, pushing and shoving, the tension snapping into outright violence. Selene’s eyes widen as she takes in the chaos. The cultists, once a united front, are now fracturing, some shouting accusations, others lunging at their former allies. The loss of Zharaxis’ direct influence, combined with Maybell's sharp words and the adventurers' actions, has shattered the fragile cohesion of the group. Panic and confusion fill the chamber as old grudges surface, alliances break, and some of the cultists see a chance to escape the madness they’ve been trapped in. But not all of them. Even as the turmoil spreads, a cluster of cultists rally around Selene, their eyes still burning with fanatic loyalty. They draw weapons and raise their hands, dark energy gathering at their fingertips as they prepare to strike. "Enough!" Selene shouts, raising her own hand, her voice cutting through the cacophony. "You think you can disrupt our work and just walk away?!" She gestures towards the adventurers, her expression twisted with fury. "Destroy them!" With her command, the loyalists surge forward, weapons and magic at the ready, determined to make the intruders pay for their interference. Story continued in Combat - Chapter 4: https://www.myth-weavers.com/index.php?/topic/22610-combat-chapter-4/&do=findComment&comment=433580 *Khaine may carry over the 20 stralth as his initiative if he desires.

Initiative Chalia Flick Jax Khaine Maybell Selene & cultists Encounter: Underground Ritual Chamber Round 1 - players' turn map: Khaine: Khaine... Maybell: Maybell... Jax XIV: Jax... Chalia: Chalia... Flick: Flick... Enemies: Selene: Damage Tracker: Players Chalia: Flick: Jax XIV: Khaine: Maybell: H Points 3 1 3 1 3 Enemies Selene: @farothel @Eagleheart @Rakle @omegoku @daltar: time to roll initiative!

Oh no, I enjoyed the stagemanship. I think the scenario called for it.

Jax the XIV " What were you to achieve by summoning a daemon into this world? This is for posterity, so please be truthful and as accurate as possible. More details about your motivations and methods are better than fewer details." Jax earnestly asks Selene. HP 42/42 AC21 F+9 (+1 vs disease & poisons. Success = crit) R+11 W+9 Per+9 Skills & Feats Actions He will first help Khain & Chalia. (Ward medic & assurance). Then he will do Flick if we can take two 10 minute breaks.

Khaine - Human Monk 4 HP: 53/60 | AC: 22 | Speed: 35ft | Hero: 2/3 | Focus: 0/2 Perception: +7 | Fort: +10 | Ref: +12 | Will: +9 StatisticsStr +2 Dex +4 Con +2 Int +0 Wis +1 Cha +0 Languages: Common, Elven Attacks: -Powerful Fist: +11/+7/+3 2d6+2 Bludgeoning • Agile, Finesse, Non-lethal, Unarmed -Tiger Claw +11/+7/+3 2d8+2 Slashing • Agile, Finesse, Non-lethal, Unarmed, Bleed on Crit -Dart +11/+7/+3 Damage: 2d4+2 Piercing &Bull Agile, Thrown 20ft -Muck Bane +11/+6/+1 2d6+2 Bludgeoning • Club, Thrown 10ft +1d6 vs oozes Monk DC: 20 Ki Spells: Ki Strike Wholeness of Body | Equipment Consumables: Wooden Shield Darts (10) Elixir of Life, Minor Smokestick, Minor Acid Flask, Minor Alchemist Fire, Minor Frost Vial, Minor Numbing Tonic, Minor Adventurer's Pack: -Bedroll -10x Chalk, Flint &Steel, Soap, Waterskin -Rope (50ft) -Rations (2 weeks) -5x Torch -Climbing Kit -Grappling Hook Cart Wooden shield Bedroll Coins : 51gp 12sp 2cp | AbilitiesClass: -Ki Spells (Divine) -Powerful Fist -Flurry of Blows -Ki Strike -Tiger Stance -Stunning Fist -Incredible Movement -Mystic Strikes -Wholeness of Body Ancestry: -Natural Ambition Skill: -Assurance: Athletics -Steady Balance -Quick Jump -Powerful Leap -Cat Fall Other: -Toughness -Rogue Dedication -Surprise Attack -Sneak Attacker (d4) -Attack Potency +1 -Skill Potency +1 Devastating Strike (2 dice) | SkillsAcrobatics: +10 (T) Arcana: +0 Athletics: +10 (E) Crafting: +6 (T) Deception: +0 Diplomacy: +0 Lore (Farming): +6 (T) Intimidate: +6 (T) Medicine: +1 Nature: +1 Occultism: +0 Performance: +0 Religion: +1 Society: +0 Stealth: +11 (T, Potency) Survival: +7 (T) Thievery: +10 (T) Conditions : Antidote (+2 Fort save vs Poison), Fury Cocktail (+2 melee attack rolls, Resist 1 to physical damage) Khaine would be a little disappointed if he didn't get to kick some cultists around, but he knew it would be better for everyone to resolve this peacefully. Just in case though, he slunk forward, trying to stay out of sight to get into a good position to strike if need be!

Blaeringr, I certainly talked a lot on this last post, let me know if not appropriate and I can cut it down. Message is thankfully a subtle spell so it should be easy to hide.

[fieldset=Maybell Springfield][table=2,1] [r=1,1][img2=150]https://i.imgur.com/F9acM1T.png[/img2] [r=2,1][center][b][url=https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2839749][font=palatino linotype][size=4][color=Sienna]Maybell Springfield[/color][/size][/font][/url][/b] [I]Gutsy Halfling Bard 4[/I] [b]HP:[/b] 38/42 [b]AC:[/b] 20 [b]Spell Slots:[/b] 3/3 L1 3/3 L2 [b]Focus Points:[/b] 1/2 [b]Halfling Luck:[/b] 1/1 [b]Hero Points:[/b] 3/3 [b]Class DC:[/b] 20 [b]Status:[/b] Normal and Healthy [/center][/table] [spoiler=Statblock] [CENTER][table=3,1][r=1,1][URL="https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2839749"][size="4"][b]Maybell Springfield[/b][/size][/URL] [r=2,1] [B]Female Halfling Bard 2[/B] [r=3,1] [B]Neutral Good Entertainer[/B] [/table] [/CENTER] [table=2,1][r=1,1][B]STR:[/B] 8/-1 [B]DEX:[/B] 14/+2 [B]CON:[/B] 12/+1 [B]INT:[/B] 14/+2 [B]WIS:[/B] 12/+1 [B]CHA:[/B] 18/+4 [r=2,1][B]Saves:[/B] For 7 Rex 10 Wil 9 Per 9 [B]Speed:[/B] 25 [B]AC:[/B] 20 [B]Languages:[/B] Common, Elven, Dwarven, Halfling [/table][/spoiler] [/fieldset] Maybell Springfield Maybell Springfield Gutsy Halfling Bard 4 HP: 38/42 AC: 20 Spell Slots: 3/3 L1 3/3 L2 Focus Points: 1/2 Halfling Luck: 1/1 Hero Points: 3/3 Class DC: 20 Status: Normal and Healthy Statblock "My, my, my! A masterful performance if I say so myself. It's always a shame not to have the audience realize what happened until the piece is over, but it is also a point of pride to even pull that off" says Maybell, viol in hand as she strums a little note to draw attention to herself "I mean, I rewrote your ritual mid performance and sent your benefactor to a place much more suited to his nature with barely anyone even noticing things were going wrong til the end... even as your ritualists saw their intended actions take different results" says Maybell haughtily, with the tone of a girl full of herself after pulling out her best show. Now, she has plenty to be smug about, however, Maybell is not merely trying to steal the show for her own ego. She's keenly aware that this resounding success is owed to everyone's pointers and intelligence... plus Khaine's skillful rerouting of the protective rune and finally Flick stepping in to cover the last mile in her deception, echoing the caster's voices to add in that extra bit of confusion. However... she needs to draw the guilt of events to herself, not to let Selene think that actual reason her ritual failed, the Belltowns, are responsible. "And THAT... is how you pull off a good performance, Miss Selene. I really had to hold myself back seeing the awful intent and worse execution of your conman preacher, dazzling folks to pick away at their loose change and deceive them into plowing fields of rot. Disgusting. No wonder was your slapdash community so easily to infiltrate" "Now, Miss Selene... Allow me to introduce myself. Maybell Springfield, at your service. Commissioned agent of Carisport, engaged with my forces after hearing the plea of the aggrieved Leafwalkers. Now, this world may be quite new and nobody has the strength or gall to call themselves ruler of its entire territories... But that doesn't mean you can do whatever you like. Most colonies are certain to take issue with such extensive use of mind affecting magics... and all for the purpose of consorting with fell forces of rot...? Tsk, tsk... daemonologists find themselves with so few friends that they have to recur to such swindling and deceit by nature. Now, Miss Selene... your benefactor is gone to a place only I know, your community is surrounded and the inducted are being told the truth of matters as we speak. By authority of Carisport, I suggest you and your party surrender without struggle or else your resistance will be noted in your judgement" A lot of lies, certainly, but some close enough to the truth that it should not be too outlandish. If possible, Maybell takes the opportunity during her bragging to try to sneak in a Message cantrip to the Belltowns... maybe sneak in covering her mouth with her hand in between some smug laughs to subtly send her message to them... maybe mockingly opening and closing her mouth as is mimicking Selene's reply to herself while opening and closing her hand "Well done, we were sent by the Blue Lantern Society. Stay safe, don't reveal your intentions and when you have the chance come to us and we'll protect you"

Chalia Gremaris Elven Fighter 4 HP: 49/53 | AC: 22 (23 with shield) | speed: 25 (30) | hero: 3/3 Perception: +9 | Fort: +9 | Ref: +9 (+12) | Will: +9 conditions: none "And you don't have any demons showing up either," Chalia said as she stepped next to Maybell, her sword apparently just laying on her shoulder, but those who knew a bit about fighting could see that she was ready for anything should people want to start something. "If you want, we can give you the beating you deserve, but I'm also willing to talk things through. Your choice." OOC

The room, once buzzing with energy and rhythmic chanting, now feels tense and uncertain. Selene’s sharp, commanding voice cuts through the silence, her eyes darting between the Belltowns and the cultists, searching for answers. She narrows her gaze, lingering on the spot where Zharaxis once stood, now just an empty circle of scorched and twisted runes. When she finally turns her attention to Flick, there’s a mix of suspicion and anger on her face. The cultists, still reeling from the abrupt end of the ritual, glance at each other in confusion, unsure of what’s happening. Selene steps forward, her movements deliberate, as she points directly at Flick, her brow furrowing. "Who the fuck is that?!" she demands, her voice echoing off the cavern walls. “We didn’t have any halflings present.” The Belltowns look at Selene, their eyes betraying a flicker of guilt and confusion, as if they’re only just beginning to process what happened. They exchange a brief, knowing glance, but stay silent, still swaying slightly as if caught in the remnants of the trance. Flick, now the center of Selene’s attention, can see the calculation in her eyes. She’s trying to piece together what’s just unfolded, and she’s not getting the answers she wants. The air is thick with the tension of the moment, as everyone waits to see what he’ll do next.

Disabling the Barrier: Using a pair of tools with small runes on them, Khaine crouches in the shadows next to the rippling barrier, and sets to work. Realizing that the arcane energies behind the barrier are actually feeding off of the primal energies ebbing and flowing with the ritual, Khaine finds that timing his movements to the rhythm of the chanting cultists actually makes the task go significantly more smoothly. With a soft, almost imperceptible hum, the shimmering wall of magic flickers and then vanishes, leaving a clear path to the ritual chamber. The sudden drop in energy doesn’t go unnoticed—Zharaxis' head snaps slightly in their direction, but the chanting cultists seem oblivious, still entranced in their rhythmic drone. Flick's Ruse: Taking advantage of the slight shift in attention, Flick seizes the moment. In a quiet, almost hypnotic whisper, he begins to mimic the cultists' chant, subtly altering the rhythm and tone. To anyone listening closely, it might seem like an echo—just a natural reverberation in the cave—but it's actually Flick weaving deception into the melody. The subtle changes start to disrupt the synchronization, creating tiny fractures in the ritual's seamless flow. As the cultists’ rhythm falters, the clarity of the portal, now a sphere practically surrounding Zharaxis, flickers and sputters, seeming to hesitate. Maybell's Maestral Coup: Sensing an opening, Maybell steps forward, viol in hand, and begins to strum softly, matching the cultists’ chant but with a slight, deliberate counter-rhythm. Her melody, though quiet, seems to resonate through the cavern, amplified by its natural acoustics. She weaves her melody around the chanting, like a vine threading through cracks in stone. It's a gentle yet firm intrusion, slowly shifting the cadence, bending it to her will. The Belltowns, eyes still glazed but now flickering with the faintest glimmer of awareness, begin to respond to the shift. But rather than falter or hesitate, they sense the direction in which Maybell is guiding them. Randall and Mona Belltown, keeping up the chant, but following Maybell's lead, glance around the chamber briefly, unsure of the source of these liberating changes. Mona makes a subtle move and shifts around a couple parchments arranged before herself and her husband Randall. Selene is keeping a close eye on them, but seems to still be unaware of the significance of what is happening. Randall nods as he and Mona make very slight alterations in their hand gestures. The ring of chanting cultists follow their lead. A Voyage Rerouted: Zharaxis, a towering hulk of twisted, interwoven coils, earthy colored blistering moist worm like tendrils slithering and grinding together like muscles over a skinless frame, narrows his pale green eyes and looks around the chamber suspiciously. He growls, but says nothing, eyes frantically scanning the room. With his attention on the Belltowns and the cultists, the daemon doesn't notice at first as the scene through he portal first dims, and then changes. What was once a shimmering gateway, offering fleeting glimpses of The Green’s lush, vibrant foliage, starts to distort and twist. The verdant hues flicker, as if a gust of wind is blowing through the portal, scattering the image like leaves torn from a tree. The green fades, replaced by creeping shadows, a murky darkness that spreads across the portal like ink seeping through water. Tendrils of black mist slither out from the edges, curling and writhing as if alive, reaching out into the cavern before retreating back through the tear. For a moment, there is a flash of dim, sickly red light—a glimpse of jagged, twisted landscapes, jagged rocks jutting from a ground that seems to writhe and pulse like a living thing. A low, almost inaudible growl rumbles from the portal, a sound that feels more like a vibration in the bones than something heard with the ears. The air in the chamber grows colder, the temperature dropping sharply, and the cultists’ chant wavers, their once-steady cadence now broken and uncertain. The energy tethering Zharaxis to the ritual circle seems to fray, threads of greenish-black magic snapping one by one, each break accompanied by a flicker of dark light from the portal. As the portal shifts, it opens wider, and the vision of The Green disappears entirely, swallowed by an abyssal expanse. Dark, jagged silhouettes dance in the distance, faint, glowing eyes peering out from the shadows before vanishing, leaving behind a sense of dread and unease. Whatever this new destination is, it’s a place of darkness and despair, far removed from the life-giving energies of The Green—a plane where light struggles to exist, and corruption festers unchecked. Zharaxis, still tethered to the ritual, roars—a sound filled with fury and desperation. His limbs lash out, trying to claw at the energy around him, as if attempting to tear free from the portal's pull. But as the Belltowns continue their subtle, altered gestures, the portal locks onto this new destination, pulling harder at Zharaxis, drawing him ever closer to its dark embrace. The daemon's shadows thrash wildly, and the cultists’ chanting grows frantic, their voices strained and panicked, realizing that the ritual is slipping from their control. The Corpseflower makes eye contact with Maybell as she steps out fully into the passageway into the chamber. With chin raised, and a final fierce stroke of bow on string, it's all over. The final viol note resonates around the chamber in the following silence. The cultists are still staring at the center of the chamber where their master stood just moments ago. The portal is gone, and so is Zharaxis. For the few people present who understood the final twist of events, they understand that Zharaxis did not arrived in The Green as intended. He is somewhere darker, somewhere nastier now.

Flick HP: 27/38 AC: 18 Perception +8 Fort +8 Ref +8 Will +8 Flick slips unnoticed into the crowd and begins chanting off-key, hoping to disrupt the ritual by perturbing the cultists.

I will add a roll to previous post. Not sure how to write about how he disabled it though..

Khaine just got a bad roll last time. I was initially thinking of just applying thievery to the barrier, but the rune is acting like a hazard in the area, and thievery usually works on those. I'm just looking over the rules for a Rune Trap, specifically, which is sort of what I'm going for here but not exactly, and it lists thievery as the way to go about disarming it.

I was under the impression we couldn't affect it with thievery the way things are, but if Khaine can, he will!

Well, if Flick were to make a deception check vs Selene's perception DC, he could pull of something like causing the cultists performing the ritual to think someone in their own group is messing up their own lines, frustrating the group and weakening their own effectiveness in the ritual. I think something like that should work.

I have neither of those skills. I'll probably post tomorrow, as it's my shift closing at the cat sanctuary tonight so I won't be available.