74: A ghost of a chance

[Ebiris]

[12:01] <@Ebiris> Bidding a fond farewell to Illie, who clutches her new hat to her head in one hand and waves happily with the other, the party leaves her little wood by the lake, free now to consider their next move with this new information. Will they stay the course and discover the secrets of the buried temple and settle an old local mystery? Will they track uphill towards the mysterious tainted valley, source of so many ills that have plagued them? Or will they seek to reach Harvenstead on the South side of the lake, to put an end to the depraved alchemist's experiments? Perhaps the lure of a lonely nymph is enough for them to abondon their quest and seek Hypathiae's cove? Only the four heroes can decide which way they will follow...
[12:03] <@Henrietta> "Well...." Henrietta pauses, regretting not having a spare hat. She can't dwell on it, however, and so she asks, "We should see about that temple now, I believe?"
[12:03] <@Rudy> "To the temple! I'll pass on talking to some lonely mopey thing," declares Rudy.
[12:04] <@Lucie> "Come on, Rudy," Lucie goads. "Maybe she's lonely enough she could use your charm right about now."
[12:07] <@Rudy> "You do it," retorts Rudy. "There such thing as a guy nymph? Never heard of that, so I guess..." He frowns. "How does that work?"
[12:09] <@Henrietta> "I am fairly certain there is no such thing," Henrietta muses. "But, well, I suppose there are satyrs? Is that what you call them here?"
[12:09] <@Lucie> "If that's so, where do new ones come from? Where do dryads come from, for that matter?"
[12:09] <@Henrietta> "Trees?"
[12:11] <@Lucie> "Sure, but they're...people *and* trees." Lucie shrugs.
[12:11] <@Rudy> "I.. guess.. maybe they sprout seeds?" wonders Rudy. "You'd think there'd be more of them, though! Maybe we could... plant some? Wouldn't it be great to have dryad gardeners? For manor houses and castles and such?"
[12:12] <@Henrietta> "Something tells me that would not be the reason people would want dryads in their gardens...."
[12:14] <@Lucie> "For charming conversation?" Lucie speculates.
[12:14] <@Rudy> "Oh. Yeah," mutters Rudy, shaking his head. "Right, right, people are scum."
[12:15] <@Henrietta> "Only some of them!"
[12:16] <@Rudy> "Enough of them!"
[12:16] <@Henrietta> "But not the people here!"
[12:18] <@Lucie> "Nope, definitely not us."
[12:18] <@Rudy> "Totallllllly."
[12:35] <@Ebiris> "The more you deny, the more suspicious it sounds," Liamae teases as the group starts heading North, the way hugging the lake already traversed, and a bit inland the terrain rising upwards to a decently large hill that according to the map is actually a circular ridge, the temple supposedly residing within...
[12:36] <@Rudy> "Gimme a sec to bring Myra back," pipes up Rudy, clapsing his hands together.
[12:38] <@Ebiris> After a tense moment, Myra returns, larger than life!
[12:38] * @Henrietta takes the chance to prepare, herself.
[12:40] * @Lucie summons her own arcane protection, because you never know what's lurking around a place like this, and walks up the hill to take a look around.
[12:40] <@Rudy> "She's growing," notes Rudy, wincing. "She used to be shorter than me. Still no sign of growing a head, though!"
[12:41] <@Henrietta> "Can you do something about that, you think?" Henrietta asks, bestowing Mage Armor upon Rudy's other self.
[12:41] <@Henrietta> roll 1d10+6
[12:41] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d10+6 and gets 8." [1d10=2]
[12:41] <@Rudy> "Beats me," replies Rudy. "Honestly, if it'd be as ugly as the rest of her..."
[12:41] <@Ebiris> It takes a couple of hours to reach and then climb the ridge, a hard slog up the steep incline once it's reached, but soon the top is nearly reached, to reveal whatever lies on the other side... "How are we doing this?" Liamae asks, "Just pop up and charge down shooting, or try to be sneaky?"
[12:42] <@Henrietta> "We can try to be sneaky and, well, use Myra as bait?" Henrietta suggests hesitantly. "Because she always comes back...."
[12:42] <@Lucie> "We don't even know if anyone's in there. Or anything's in there," Lucie says. "I say keep it quiet just in case?"
[12:43] <@Rudy> "We could start by looking," points out Rudy, walking towards the top point of the hill and crouching down to get a look at what lies beyond.
[12:43] <@Ebiris> OOC: spot check, Rudy?
[12:43] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+1
[12:43] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+1 and gets 8." [1d20=7]
[12:45] * @Lucie joins Rudy in creeping up the hill to peek over the other side.
[12:46] <@Ebiris> Crouching as he looks over the highest point, Rudy can see down into the bowl shaped depression below, uneven terrain at the bottom that's been cleared out in an area around where a great rockslide must have occured judging by the giant boulders and smaller debris spread out over the side, altogether a rather horrible mess that wouldn't have been pleasant for anyone beneath. Few buildings could have stood up to such a natural disaster, he recokons by his knowledge of architecture, particularly buildings of centuries prior. There's a few tents around the cleared area, looking like an established and long term campsite.
[12:46] <@Ebiris> OOC: spot, Lucie
[12:47] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+15
[12:47] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+15 and gets 17." [1d20=2]
[12:47] <@Rudy> "Huh. Looks like someone's been living here," he remarks.
[12:47] <@Ebiris> Rudy sees much what Rudy did, only without his knowledge of architecture to give context. Rocks! Tents!
[12:47] <@Ebiris> *Lucie sees
[12:48] <@Lucie> "Hopefully just the goons we took down with Terlonius," Lucie says. "Just to be sure, better check all the tents before we look around further."
[12:49] * @Henrietta has no objection with this plan!
[12:49] <@Ebiris> "I could fireball them?" Liamae suggests as she follows them up to peer over the edge.
[12:50] <@Lucie> "Rather not," Lucie says. "Who knows, they could have notes or something useful in 'em."
[12:53] <@Rudy> "Don't think we'll find anything 'sides the tents here," voices rudy, starting to clamber down. "Certainly not going to be digging up anything on our own, I'll bet."
[12:54] * @Lucie shrugs and follows him.
[12:55] <@Ebiris> Liamae follows, skidding and scrambling down the steep incline towards the bottom. There's no cry of alarm or shower of arrows to greet the foursome, the encampment seeming curiously abandoned...
[12:55] * @Lucie begins a thorough search of the tents, in that case.
[12:56] * @Henrietta stays with Liamae for the time being, spear out.
[12:58] <@Ebiris> Reaching the bottom allows a clearer look around. There's four tents, three looking like simple shelters while the last seems a grander affair, like a noble might bring to a tournament. A wooden lean-to by the fire in the middle also has the look of a field kitchen. And now closer, one can see supports holding up some of the rocks amidst the landslide, seeming to offer a pathway within. As Lucie plunges into the first tent to loot and pillage, she hears a voice right behind her ear! "RUN!"
[12:58] <@Ebiris> OOC: will save, Lucie
[12:59] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+12
[12:59] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+12 and gets 20." [1d20=8]
[13:01] <@Ebiris> It's a terrifying and startling noise, backed up with frightful intent, but Lucie is able to resist the primal urge to flee, turning just in time to see a ghostly glowing figure materialise behind her! It's a bearded man in heavy armour, his face lined with the beginnings of middle age and his hair thinning, but he has a look of stolid strength to him despite his ghostly appearance, sorrowfully unslinging a greatsword from his back. "Forgive me, I have no choice what I must do," he intones. The rest of the group while hanging back can see him as well, appearing at the entrance to the tent Lucie just entered.
[13:01] <@Ebiris> OOC: initiative
[13:02] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+3 ghost
[13:02] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 ghost and gets 9." [1d20=6]
[13:02] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 ???
[13:02] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+5 ??? and gets 8." [1d20=3]
[13:02] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+8
[13:02] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+8 and gets 17." [1d20=9]
[13:02] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+2 Liamae
[13:02] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+2 Liamae and gets 15." [1d20=13]
[13:02] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+7
[13:02] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+7 and gets 14." [1d20=7]
[13:02] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+5 Rudy
[13:02] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+5 Rudy and gets 17." [1d20=12]
[13:02] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+6 myra
[13:02] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+6 myra and gets 18." [1d20=12]
[13:03] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Myra > Lucie > Rudy > Liamae > Henrietta > Ghost > ???'
[13:04] <@Ebiris> OOC: Myra
[13:06] <@Rudy> "You heard the man, Myra! Run!" declares Rudy, and she does, straight towards his glowing form!
[13:07] <@Rudy> OOC: Distance? Chargeable? Attack possible?
[13:07] <@Henrietta> "A ghost!" Henrietta exclaims, standing her ground. "Yet I cannot say I am surprised!"
[13:08] <@Ebiris> OOC: 50 feet lets say, make an acrobatics check since you have to go downhill a little bit
[13:08] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+2 acrobatics, that's a thing she can do
[13:08] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+2 acrobatics, that's a thing she can do and gets 8." [1d20=6]
[13:09] <@Ebiris> Charging downhill, Myra stumbles and just barely keeps herself from falling over at the bottom, unable to keep going lest she trip and fall! She only made it ten feet away from Rudy.
[13:09] <@Ebiris> OOC: Lucie
[13:10] <@Lucie> "Been stabbed enough the past couple weeks," Lucie says, raising her palm and emitting a ray of light at the apparition's head. "No forgiveness 'til you're vapor."
[13:10] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+8 beamspam engage
[13:10] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+8 beamspam engage and gets 27." [1d20=19]
[13:10] <@Ebiris> OOC: 'tis a hit
[13:10] <@Lucie> roll 6d6 vs undead
[13:10] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 6d6 vs undead and gets 21." [6d6=2, 1, 2, 6, 5, 5]
[13:13] <@Ebiris> The spectre is rocked by Lucie's ray, stepping back and slackening its grip on its weapon, "Such holy light!" he gasps, "I pray for release, may you grant it to me!"
[13:13] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy
[13:15] <@Rudy> With a wave of his hand, time ticks more quickly for Rudy and his friends. Except for Lucie, who just isn't close enough to be included in that group.
[13:16] <@Ebiris> Sticking close to Rudy and Henrietta, Liamae throws her hand out towards the glowing blue figure, a trio of missiles arcing out and unerringly slamming into him!
[13:16] <@Ebiris> roll 3d4+3
[13:16] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 3d4+3 and gets 13." [3d4=3, 4, 3]
[13:17] <@Ebiris> One after another, meteors pelt the armoured revenant, his incorporeal figure shimmering with each impact but staying solid afterwards!
[13:17] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henri
[13:17] * @Henrietta follows suit with a trio of roses!
[13:17] <@Henrietta> roll 3d4+3
[13:17] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 3d4+3 and gets 9." [3d4=4, 1, 1]
[13:19] <@Ebiris> "Ahhh!" he grimaces after being slammed by Henrietta's roses, a rusty squeal of metal heard as he lurches into motion towards Lucie, "Not enough, I pray you survive!" he exclaims, face twisted in agony as his body moves with practiced martial skill to chop Lucie's arm and head off with his ghastly blade!
[13:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+10 melee touch
[13:20] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+10 melee touch and gets 13." [1d20=3]
[13:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 melee touch
[13:20] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+5 melee touch and gets 24." [1d20=19]
[13:20] <@Lucie> OOC: touch AC 16
[13:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 crit threat
[13:20] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+5 crit threat and gets 23." [1d20=18]
[13:20] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6 and fort save
[13:20] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 6d6 and fort save and gets 24." [6d6=6, 3, 1, 5, 4, 5]
[13:21] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+7
[13:21] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+7 and gets 12." [1d20=5]
[13:23] <@Ebiris> Her arm is pulled back safely out of reach, but the blade slashes through her neck with nary any resistance! It's a frightful chill that follows, Lucie's skin wrinkling, her posture drooping, and her hair thinning and greying as she feels her life force sucked away, leaving her looking as old as her mother!
[13:23] <@Ebiris> OOC: You've advanced 1 age category to middle age. That means -1 to all physical stats, but no boost to mental stats.
[13:25] <@Ebiris> As Lucie is so assailed, another spectral figure manifests near the kitchen, this one dressed in robes and with aristocratic handsome features that are likewise twisted into pain and remorse. "Flee! We are compelled only to guard this site!" it exclaims even while launching a glowing ball of spectral flame at the cluster of Rudy, Henrietta, Liamae, and Myra!
[13:25] <@Ebiris> OOC: reflex saves, all
[13:25] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+2 Liamae
[13:25] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+2 Liamae and gets 4." [1d20=2]
[13:25] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+7 r
[13:25] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+7 r and gets 27." [1d20=20]
[13:25] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+6
[13:25] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+6 and gets 16." [1d20=10]
[13:25] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+3 m has evasion and a +3 reflex save
[13:25] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+3 m has evasion and a +3 reflex save and gets 18." [1d20=15]
[13:26] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6 cold damage, none for Myra, half for Rudy and Henrietta. Full for Liamae, and also 1 dex damage for her.
[13:26] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 6d6 cold damage, none for Myra, half for Rudy and Henrietta. Full for Liamae, and also 1 dex damage for her. and gets 19." [6d6=5, 2, 1, 2, 6, 3]
[13:26] * Retrieving #dunes modes...
[13:27] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Myra > Lucie > Rudy > Liamae > Henrietta > Ghost > Ghost'
[13:28] <@Ebiris> The fire detonates in freezing cold that chills all except the quickly reacting Myra, Liamae seeming worst off as frost rimes her flesh, leaving her shivering and teeth chattering!
[13:28] <@Ebiris> OOC: Myra
[13:29] <@Rudy> "Scatter!" blurts out Rudy, whilst Myra picks herself up and runs towards the magic-slinging ghost with murder in her eyes!
[13:30] <@Henrietta> "Rudy! Liamae!" Henrietta exclaims, looking between the two of them. "Are you alright?"
[13:30] <@Ebiris> "B-been better," Liamae replies, rubbing her arms.
[13:31] <@Rudy> OOC: Myra won't charge this guy if it's still difficult terrain, she'll just move to him and attack
[13:31] <@Ebiris> OOC: that's fine, he's in range
[13:31] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+10 chomp
[13:31] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+10 chomp and gets 13." [1d20=3]
[13:32] <@Ebiris> Myra's chomping is to no avail, the ghastly spellcaster floating aside easily!
[13:32] <@Ebiris> OOC: Lucie
[13:32] <@Lucie> "EAT FORGIVENESS!" Lucie roars, backing away what little she can and firing another ray of light at the ghost.
[13:32] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+7
[13:32] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+7 and gets 9." [1d20=2]
[13:33] <@Ebiris> Shaking with rapidly advancing age, Lucie's ray flies errant, over his shoulder and up to strike the hillside beyond!
[13:33] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy
[13:35] <@Rudy> "Strike at the monster, if you must fight!" yells Rudy, pointing at Myra. "And before you're put to rest, tell us why you have to!"
[13:35] <@Rudy> He moves himself, opting to move to the east!
[13:37] <@Ebiris> Liamae shows no reservations, firing another magic missile at the sword wielder as she stumbles down the hill and to the West.
[13:37] <@Ebiris> roll 3d4+3
[13:37] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 3d4+3 and gets 10." [3d4=3, 1, 3]
[13:37] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henrietta
[13:38] * @Henrietta advances down the center, another trio of roses launches at Lucie's opponent!
[13:38] <@Henrietta> roll 3d4+3
[13:38] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 3d4+3 and gets 11." [3d4=2, 3, 3]
[13:39] <@Ebiris> "Betrayed, we were!" the sword-wielder laments even as he steps into the tent to corner Lucie, moving through the flaps rather than pushing them aside. "By a fair face concealing spite and misery!"
[13:40] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+10 incorporeal touch
[13:40] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+10 incorporeal touch and gets 23." [1d20=13]
[13:40] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 incorporeal touch
[13:40] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+5 incorporeal touch and gets 16." [1d20=11]
[13:40] <@Lucie> OOC: both hit. ffff
[13:40] <@Ebiris> roll 3d6+3d6 2 fort saves
[13:40] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 3d6+3d6 2 fort saves and gets 21." [3d6=1, 4, 6][3d6=3, 4, 3]
[13:40] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+6 fort the first
[13:40] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+6 fort the first and gets 18." [1d20=12]
[13:40] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+6 fort the second
[13:41] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+6 fort the second and gets 23." [1d20=17]
[13:41] <@Ebiris> OOC: lucky!
[13:43] <@Ebiris> Lucie is slashed through with a blade that rots her flesh and chills her bones, but her disease-ridden constitution mobilises to hold back the ghostly tide of advancing age! "Joel D'Telan Sah and Grigor Brehm are we," the robed figure explains, floating away from Myra, "With Breaganna the Pale made three, but yon radiant face was a mask of lies, coralling us to doom eternal!" as he ceases that explanation be prepares to unleash another spell!
[13:43] <@Ebiris> OOC: Go Rudy
[13:44] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+9 shoot!
[13:44] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+9 shoot! and gets 28." [1d20=19]
[13:44] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+9 crit!
[13:44] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+9 crit! and gets 23." [1d20=14]
[13:44] <@Ebiris> OOC: hit. Is your attack magical?
[13:44] <@Rudy> OOC: Haha! No.
[13:44] <@Henrietta> "It would not be eternal if we stop you and put you to rest!" Henrietta calls down to them.
[13:45] <@Ebiris> Rudy's bolt gets the ghost right between the eyes! But it keeps on going without seeming to impede him at all as he unleashes a pair of rays, spectral blue flames lashing out towards Henrietta and Liamae!
[13:46] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 ranged touch Henrietta
[13:46] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+5 ranged touch Henrietta and gets 9." [1d20=4]
[13:46] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 ranged touch Liamae
[13:46] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+5 ranged touch Liamae and gets 20." [1d20=15]
[13:46] <@Ebiris> roll 4d6 and 1 dex damage for Liamae
[13:46] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 4d6 and 1 dex damage for Liamae and gets 16." [4d6=2, 5, 6, 3]
[13:46] <@Lucie> "Isn't Breaganna dead?" Lucie manages, choking back a gasp of pain. "Like you?"
[13:47] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Myra > Lucie > Liamae > Henrietta > Grigor > Joel > Rudy'
[13:48] <@Ebiris> Henrietta ducks in time, but Liamae is hit right in the chest, ice freezing over her! "Nay," Grigor shakes his head sadly. "T'was she who made us thus, to protect her wicked schemes."
[13:48] <@Ebiris> OOC: Myra
[13:49] <@Henrietta> "Leave Liamae and Lucie alone!" Henrietta cries out. "I will be your opponent! So stop attacking them!"
[13:50] <@Rudy> Myra begins scrabbling away at the ghostly mage, but her attacks are no more magical that Rudy's bolts, leaving the summoner gnashing his teeth in frustration.
[13:51] <@Ebiris> "If you be too weak, then run!" Joel insists. "We cannot relent while you remain here!"
[13:51] <@Ebiris> OOC: Lucie
[13:52] <@Lucie> "Point me towards her and I'll introduce my mace to her head soon as we're done here," Lucie snarls, focusing her will on one last spell (one way or another).
[13:52] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+13 concentration, target 21
[13:52] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+13 concentration, target 21 and gets 32." [1d20=19]
[13:52] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+7 terminal beamspam, please?
[13:52] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+7 terminal beamspam, please? and gets 22." [1d20=15]
[14:09] <@Ebiris> OOC: hit
[14:09] <@Lucie> roll 6d6 Die! again!
[14:09] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 6d6 Die! again! and gets 27." [6d6=5, 5, 4, 3, 5, 5]
[14:11] <@Ebiris> Grigor's glowing form quivers and dims in the face of that holy light, but it's still not enough, his armoured form unyielding in the face of such an assault! But Liamae is quick to move, angling for a clear shot into the tent despite her freezing body, a trio of meteors slamming into his back!
[14:11] <@Ebiris> roll 3d4+3
[14:11] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 3d4+3 and gets 11." [3d4=4, 1, 3]
[14:12] <@Ebiris> And that proves enough, the ghost staggering forward at Lucie as he's hit before slowly fading away. "It's... not enough. Free us from our debt...!" he gasps before vanishing completely!
[14:12] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Myra > Lucie > Liamae > Henrietta > Joel > Rudy'
[14:12] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henrietta
[14:13] <@Henrietta> "What debt?" Henrietta asks, switching targets to Joel D'Telan Sah in response. "Tell me and I will free your spirits!"
[14:13] <@Henrietta> roll 3d4+3
[14:13] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 3d4+3 and gets 10." [3d4=2, 1, 4]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> The thus far untouched ghostly mage is pierced with roses but otherwise unbowed. "Our... debt to VanGaunt," he grunts even as he fires a pair of freezing rays at Henrietta for her asking!
[14:17] <@Ebiris> roll 2#1d20+5
[14:17] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2#1d20+5 and gets 20." [2#1d20+5 = 8, 12]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> OOC: touch AC?
[14:17] <@Henrietta> OOC: Touch AC15
[14:17] <@Ebiris> But she ducks and weaves out of the path of both, remaining untouched!
[14:17] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy
[14:18] <@Rudy> Rudy presses a hand into the ground, and with a burst of sulfur and brimstone, summons a vicious pack of smoking hounds!
[14:18] <@Rudy> roll 1d3
[14:18] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d3 and gets 2." [1d3=2]
[14:18] <@Rudy> Or two, at any rate; they lope towards the ghost, and their breathe turns his world to fire!
[14:19] <@Rudy> OOC: Hurray, an (su)! Reflex 16
[14:19] <@Rudy> roll 2d6 hound1
[14:19] <@Rudy> roll 2d6 hound2
[14:19] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 2d6 hound1 and gets 7." [2d6=2, 5]
[14:19] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 2d6 hound2 and gets 7." [2d6=5, 2]
[14:19] <@Henrietta> "We are working with Lady VanGaunt!" Henrietta calls back, happy to see that talking to the ghost focuses his attention on her. "If you want to clear a debt to her family, then you can do so by telling us about the woman who betrayed you!"
[14:20] <@Ebiris> The fire seems to have some effect, if a minor one. But it's better than Myra managed!
[14:20] <@Ebiris> OOC: Lucie
[14:20] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Lucie > Liamae > Henrietta > Joel > Rudy > Dogs'
[14:21] * @Lucie would love to hear anything the ghost has to say about this, but not so much that she'll wait around while he's trying to kill her friends. Also she really wants to kill something right now. Stepping out of the tent, she focuses her remaining magical energies on the foe.
[14:21] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+7 penultimate beamspam
[14:21] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+7 penultimate beamspam and gets 27." [1d20=20]
[14:21] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+7 penultimate beamspam crit?
[14:21] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+7 penultimate beamspam crit? and gets 23." [1d20=16]
[14:21] <@Ebiris> OOC: itisacrit
[14:21] <@Lucie> roll 12d6 ow
[14:21] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 12d6 ow and gets 44." [12d6=2, 4, 5, 5, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 5, 6, 6]
[14:24] <@Ebiris> Fueled by her rage, this beam cores right through Jole D'Telan Sah, leaving a gaping hole in his chest that only slowly refills at the cost of dimming his glow significantly. "No... that is not... it..." he moans as he reforms, just as a trio of magic missiles pelt him!
[14:24] <@Ebiris> roll 3d4+3
[14:24] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 3d4+3 and gets 9." [3d4=1, 4, 1]
[14:24] <@Ebiris> Liamae shakes her head, muttering "Not enough," herself as she flees to take cover behind a tent.
[14:24] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henrietta
[14:25] <@Henrietta> "The debt of gold, then?" Henrietta asks, remaining out in the open to present a target to the ghostly mage. Three more roses are easily summoned and dispatched at her opponent in the meantime.
[14:26] <@Henrietta> roll 3d4+3
[14:26] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 3d4+3 and gets 12." [3d4=2, 3, 4]
[14:29] <@Ebiris> "Y-yes... our debt. It must be repaid... by ourselves!" he gasps, unleashing a ball of spectral blue flames straight at Rudy... and beyond! It detonates in the ground behind him, a spray of dirt flung high into the air as Rudy is battered with freezing cold fire from behind!
[14:29] <@Ebiris> OOC: reflex save, Rudy
[14:29] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+7
[14:29] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+7 and gets 11." [1d20=4]
[14:30] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6 cold and 1 dex damage. Also your go
[14:30] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 6d6 cold and 1 dex damage. Also your go and gets 21." [6d6=4, 2, 4, 5, 1, 5]
[14:30] <@Rudy> "Mrugh," grunts Rudy, calling for another wave of dogs to unleash their supernatural fire upon his adversary!
[14:30] <@Rudy> roll 1d3
[14:30] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d3 and gets 2." [1d3=2]
[14:31] <@Rudy> roll 2d6 ref 16
[14:31] <@Rudy> roll 2d6 ref 16
[14:31] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 2d6 ref 16 and gets 7." [2d6=1, 6]
[14:31] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 2d6 ref 16 and gets 10." [2d6=6, 4]
[14:31] <@Ebiris> In a gush of flames straight from the underworld, the spectre is consumed in a harsh orange glow, immolated and undone!
[14:32] * @Lucie heaves a deep breath and leans against the nearest tent support in exhaustion.
[14:34] <@Ebiris> With no further opposition, Liamae staggers up to the firepit and ignites it with a spray of flames from her hands, sighing in contentment as she warms herself by the now brightly burning fire.
[14:34] <@Rudy> Rudy shivers, but there are clearly people off worse than he is, and who else is going to actually start searching the tents now? "We shouldn't hang around long. Sounds like they'll be coming back sooner or later," he voices. "You mages have any idea how that works?"
[14:34] * @Henrietta makes her way over as well, helping Lucie get over to the firepit.
[14:34] <@Ebiris> "I've never fought ghosts before, I don't know," Liamae shakes her head. "But lets not be here when they do."
[14:35] <@Rudy> Rudy nods curtly, and then turns his attention to the tents! There's clearly some poking around to be done!
[14:35] <@Ebiris> OOC: search
[14:35] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+1 that's still perception right
[14:35] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+1 that's still perception right and gets 16." [1d20=15]
[14:35] <@Ebiris> OOC: so it is
[14:36] <@Henrietta> "If they still have all the money that they received, then taking it back to the town might help?" Henrietta suggests, thinking about the question some more.
[14:36] <@Rudy> "I'd be surprised if the one who betrayed them didn't take it herself," remarks Rudy.
[14:36] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+6
[14:37] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+6 and gets 19." [1d20=13]
[14:37] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+12 K:R
[14:37] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+12 K:R and gets 30." [1d20=18]
[14:37] <@Henrietta> "That would really depend on why she had betrayed them, I think," Henrietta muses, deciding to help Rudy look about.
[14:37] -> *Lucie* Ghosts typically reform if their tie to the world isn't severed at midnight
[14:38] <@Lucie> "Midnight," Lucie croaks, stepping to the sudden fire to warm her hands. "Gotta stop whatever's keeping them here, or usually they'll come back midnight." Suddenly looking at her prematurely aged hands, as if just noticing it. "...What?"
[14:39] <@Ebiris> "Lucie, what happened?" Liamae asks in alarm as she looks at the oracle while Rudy and Henrietta spend some time together in the tents.
[14:39] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+2 aiding?
[14:39] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 aiding? and gets 22." [1d20=20]
[14:40] <@Lucie> "I--" She touches her face, freezes a moment, aghast. "I don't know--how bad--what do I look like now?"
[14:43] <@Ebiris> The three smaller tents are merely places to bed down, nothing of any import or value within. The larger one seems to be a meeting and strategy room. A small sum of currency is found, as well as a good deal of food and supplies and a trio of basic healing potions. But most prized of all? A map of the region is spread out on the table, marking spots you know, others you've heard of, and others even still new to you all. A knife is embedded in the map at the site of the beastman village.
[14:43] <@Ebiris> "Um... you've got a few new wrinkles," Liamae admits hesitantly. "It must be true that ghosts can steal your life away..."
[14:45] * @Henrietta looks to see if there is anything near the temple where they are that they haven't heard about yet.
[14:46] <@Rudy> Rudy checks out to see if the area is covered in a heavy layer of dust, or the like; surely nobody would camp here for long with the ghosts present!
[14:46] <@Ebiris> It's not particularly dusty, the place seems recently inhabited and well used.
[14:46] <@Lucie> "A few? A few?!" Lucie knows bullshit when she hears it, and her face contorts in a snarl that certainly doesn't help her current appearance any. "Dyin' early's not enough, I've gotta look it too?" she shouts at some offensive and unspecified entity in the sky. "I--AAGH!" At this point the only option is to vent excess rage on the nearest inanimate object with her mace, which happens to be a
[14:46] <@Lucie> tent support. Hopefully not one people are in, though she's not discriminating.
[14:48] <@Rudy> "Are we under attack?!"