Crossing uncertainly through the sea drake's fanged maw and down its gullet, the adventurers crossed the bridge to the first of the towers. This was one of the largest, a giant irregular octagonal obelisk flattened on their side. No doubt it used to be some kind of entry hall. Behind, they could see two bridges connecting it to other towers at different heights. The very top was a great glass pyramid, illuminated like a beacon-tower or lighthouse.

The double-doors were large, easily twenty feet high, and composed of a thick dark glass, clouded so they could not see within. Strangely, there didn't appear to be any handles or locks, just a flat, sheer surface.


OOC: Describe to me how you open the door when you try it.

When they arrived at the doors, Iodaem let his hands run across the smooth surface.  With a shrug, he did the only thing he figured they could - he pushed, as best he could.

[Private to GM:  Just in case the door is stuck...
05:04, Today: Iodaem rolled 19 using 1d20+3. STR. ]

Iodaem pushed at the door, but despite how hard he tried, it would not budge. The doors creaked and the glass groaned, but they would not open. Then he noticed that there weren't even any hinges. Odd.

Finally, they worked out the secret of the door. The ancient star elves had employed sliding doors, that at a firm drag slid neatly into the walls.

There came a slick scraping noise as the door slid open, then something thudded to the ground at Iodaem's feet. It was the bloody corpse of a hobgoblin warrior, covered in odd wounds. His face was a mask of horror.

The stink of carrion filled the chamber beyond, rising from the corpses that lay scattered across the glass floor. They were locked in poses of battle, armoured orcs and hobgoblins arrayed against their rotting dead kin and the skeletons of elf-kind. The fresher bodies had been struck by claw and blade, but also had hunks of flesh ripped like the one that had greeted them at the dor.

At the northeast wall there was a statue of cloudy crystal, showing a tall elven woman in flowing robes and pleasant smile. She had her arms raised and wide in a welcoming greeting. The effect was spoiled by the violent splash of orc-blood across her body.

The room was otherwise bare, but had probably once been quite impressive. The walls, floor and ceiling were the same grey cloudy glass that the adventurers were going to get very used to. A small flickering faerie fire in each ceiling corner provided illumination. Doors could be seen leading off to the left and right, the latter open.


OOC: Map later, the room is 45ft by 50ft.
Make a DC 10 Heal or Knowledge (Nature) check to see what caused the strange wounds, followed by a DC 20 Knowledge (Arcana) check to ID the creature. (You can make the checks separately.)
Also, make a Listen check if you like.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:45, Fri 30 May 2008.

Allessandra examines the orc's corpse, wondering what could have caused its messy demise.

"This place is so foreign..." she whispers.

21:47, Today: Allessandra rolled 14 using 1d20+9. heal check on orc body.

Allessandra decided that the rending wounds had been done after death, as though some creature had been scavenging the corpses. That creature seemed to have a large beak, like some kind of giant bird.

Slove move slowly getting use the the new world he is in.  A grim smile covers his face.  He keeps his bow ready for action.

He seems to like this wild and dark place.

He looks over battle that happened with interest.

Always watchful and careful he keep eye out for any danger that faces the party.

OOC:
17:08, Today: Slove rolled 7 using 1d20+3. Know Nature.
17:06, Today: Slove rolled 14 using 1d20+7. listen.

Jorn couldn't think straight yet. He seemed torn between terror and wonder. This place, the corpses, some monster that had been dining on them... all of these terrified him. But the place also held the potential for so much knowledge, and there was even beauty of a sort in the structures and the statue... Lost in thought, he stood, aimlessly OOC: The dice hate me... Heal 2, Know (arcana) 9, Listen 11

Gurgun studied the corpse of his fallen kin with some interest, but was unable to obtain more information than what they already knew. He entered the room with some trepidation, all senses fully awake.

21:46, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 15 using 1d20+5. Listen.
21:46, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 8 using 1d20+6. heal.

Authiel knelt down over the fallen hobgoblin with sadness. She recognised the rending wounds from a creature that lurked in the forests around her home-town of Silverymoon, and whispered what she knew to the others.

The creature was an owlbear, a cross betwixt bear and owl, with features of each. It had the powerful strength and endurance of the bear, as well its nose and tracking abilities. And it had the keen senses and predatory instinct of the owl. From both creatures it gained wicked claws and the tactic of grabbing and shredding its prey. And it had the savage rage and ferocious bloodlust of a tragic fusion between two unlikely and incompatible creatures with its very existence an uncomfortable pain.

Then they all heard a soft "Hoot." from within the chamber, probably from the left-hand alcove.


OOC: Rolled Know (Arcana) for Authiel: 23 to ID the wounds, 30 to know about owlbears.

You haven't quite entered the room yet, still standing at the doorway to the tower.

"Why would anyone want to cross an owl with a bear, anyway?" Iodaem mumbled, and shook his head.  "That's just wrong. . ."

"Was that a 'hoot' ? Do owlbears make hooting sounds, or would they growl? Are owlbears evil?"

Allessandra shifts uneasily, clearly unnerved by the concept of an owl magically fused to a bear.

"I would suggest the two with best armor at front.  Healers just behind and I try get round the creature and hit it with arrows from side or behind."

Slove moves around along wall away from the alcove trying to get round so he can come in from another side or if that does not work draw the creature so group can flank it.

"As for wrong.  Human cut down big trees and make silly farm destroying the land.  Some would say that just wrong.  It does not stop then doing it in their hundreds does it?"

"Feeling guilty about something, since you decided to respond by lashing out at an entire race, hm?" Iodaem replied with a smirk, and shook his head, before drawing his curved blade.  "Gurgun, you and me up front, let's have a look at this hooting abomination of nature...  and if it's as aggressive as Authiel says, we take it down before it can do any harm."

Cautious and alert, the adventurers filed into the foyer, and fanned out into formation. They tried to be quiet, but...

"Welcome to Tir'in'tiral. Be at peace and take refreshment." The statue had spoke in the archaic Elven dialect, with the crystal jaws actually moving.

There came a bloodthirsty roar from the side-room, a mangled mix of growling and hooting. Thanks to the statue, the owlbear had awoken. It was a hideous creature with the body of a bear, the face and beak of an owl, with feathers sprouting all over. Talons scratching on the glass floor, it lumbered to its feet and began to march towards its prey.



Round 1:



C - Iodaem
H - Authiel
J - Jorn
S - Slove
A - Allessandra
G - Gurgun

O - Owlbear

Effects:

Light Gravity, as seen in The Night Realm (Maps & Details) thread. Don't forget: -2 attack, double ranged weapon range.

Initiative: green means go
26 - Slove
20 - Owlbear
19 - Authiel
11 - Iodaem
 5 - Gurgun
 4 - Jorn
 2 - Allessandra
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:28, Tue 03 June 2008.

Slove moves across the room so that he near the statue (2c).  He then fire two arrows at the creature.
As he does so he answers Iodaem comment.
"If my history is correct it was some sick minded arcane human wizard that made the first Owlbear.  As for me feeling guilty.  The hardest guilt to feel is that in the eyes of the friends that love you.  The guilt they feel when they can't look you in face."
It clear part of his reason for leaving his home was is more to do with other elves reaction to him than to what he done himself.


20:07, Today: Slove rolled 26 using 1d20+7.
20:07, Today: Slove rolled 16 using 1d20+7. attack with bow.
20:08, Today: Slove rolled 7 using 1d8+3. damage.
20:08, Today: Slove rolled 4 using 1d8+3. damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:18, Wed 04 June 2008.

OOC: Slove, Rapid Shot is a full-round action, so you can't use it after a move. I'll take only one attack, and the highest damage you rolled (7). And I'm not quite understanding some of your sentences. :)


Slove's arrow buried itself in the owlbear, and it hooted and howled in rage. Shouldering it's way through the narrow door, it stomped up to Iodaem and Gurgun, and lashed out a mighty claw at Gurgun. [7 damage to Gurgun]


OOC: Owlbear moves to G8/H9

Initiative: green means go
26 - Slove
20 - Owlbear
19 - Authiel
11 - Iodaem
 5 - Gurgun
 4 - Jorn
 2 - Allessandra

OOC: I'm assigning dodge to the owlbear ASAP... grrr, damage.

Lifting his falchion over his head, Iodaem quickly slashed down at the owlbear, hoping they could down it quickly.

[Private to GM:
08:56, Today: Iodaem rolled 7 using 2d4+4. Damage.
08:56, Today: Iodaem rolled 16 using 1d20+7. Attack!. ]

Iodaem shaved off a few feathers, but learnt that owlbears didn't go down so easily. It hooted and squawked at him.


OOC: You can act now if you like, Gurgun.

OOC: On my initiative of course

Allessandra casts Spiritual Weapon. (what is Lathander's favored weapon?)

[Private to DM BadCatMan: Additionally, if Authiel moves out of the way, I will 5' step into her square, otherwise, I will 5' step back into the hallway.]


07:00, Today: Allessandra rolled 2 using 1d8+1.
06:59, Today: Allessandra rolled 16 using 1d20+5.

Gurgun barely manages to avoid the owlbear attack, whincing from the pain from the laceration. He brings his quarterstaff about attempting to hit the beast with both ends of the staff.

10:22, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 8 using 1d6+3. damage #2.
10:22, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 17 using 1d20+4. QS / FoB attack 2.
08:16, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 13 using 1d20+4. QS / FoB attack 1.

While Gurgun walloped the owlbear in the stomach with his staff, Allessandra conjured a glowing mace and bonked it on the head.

Stepping back, Authiel quickly begun to cast a spell, deciding to try one she rarely used, conjuring an orb of sound, before hurling it into the owlbear, doing great damage to it.


[Private to Authiel:  NPC'd by Annihilator.  Hope you don't mind, hon, just wanted to help out since you've been so busy lately. ]

[Private to GM:  Lesser Orb of Sound, hits Touch AC 24 for 18 damage (after Empowering it).

13:29, Today: Secret Roll: DM Annihilator, on behalf of Authiel Hannasiel, rolled 12 using 2d6+3. Damage.
13:28, Today: Secret Roll: DM Annihilator, on behalf of Authiel Hannasiel, rolled 24 using 1d20+5. Lesser Orb of Sound, touch attack.


Spells left:

              Base       Ability  Spells
Lvl    DC   Spell/Day     Bonus    Cast       Spells left
0      ?        6      +    0   +   0    =        6
1      ?        6      +    1   +   1    =        5
2      ?        3      +    1   +   0    =        4]

Authiel's ball of sound whooshed out, but the unusual magic properties of the plane played havoc on it. The noise reached a screaming pitch that left everybody's ears ringing. The owlbear staggered, bones battered and fractured, and screamed out in its own pain and rage. [Orb of Sound hits!]

Afterwards, they could still hear it. The glass walls were ringing with the sound still, gradually decreasing in pitch.

Jorn quickly fired his bow at the staggered owlbear, but the lighter gravity confused him, and the arrow clattered to the ground. [Jorn NPCed. Bow attack, miss; arrow not broken, and retrieved.]

Round 2:



I - Iodaem
H - Authiel
J - Jorn
S - Slove
A - Allessandra
G - Gurgun

O - Owlbear

Effects:

Light Gravity, as seen in The Night Realm (Maps & Details) thread. Don't forget: -2 attack, double ranged weapon range.

Initiative: green means go
26 - Slove
20 - Owlbear
19 - Authiel
11 - Iodaem
 5 - Gurgun
 4 - Jorn
 2 - Allessandra

Slove move 5ft forward towards the creature hoping to get better shot off (D3).
He lets off 2 arrows very quickly.

OOC:
17:43, Today: Slove rolled 9 using 1d20+7. attack with bow. +1 if in 30ft.
Miss
17:43, Today: Slove rolled 27 using 1d20+7. attack with bow. +1 if in 30ft.
17:44, Today: Slove rolled 22 using 1d20+7. Crit ??.
17:44, Today: Slove rolled 5 using 1d8+3. damage.

Damage = 15 with crit.