ooc: Sure thing.

OOC I have no objections to being carried in claws if that solves the dilemma.

Even with 44 years playing this game, I have to look things up and ask other GM's to guide me with rule interpretations. I've played so many versions, I get some rules mixed up due to the changes from version to version. Getting old isn't helping matters either, lol. Ok, so I'm going to say you can give the hippogriff basic commands, but the hippogriff isn't trained for riding. John will have to make a Ride check.

07:39, Today: John D'oh rolled 16 using 1d20+2 ((14)).

The hippogriff, with John hanging on for dear life, heads into the whirling reddish dust that obscures and stings the vision of the both of them. John is finding it hard to breathe and begins choking as the dust irritates his lungs. Tears stream down his cheeks as he's forced to close his eyes from the irritants that are nearly blinding him. The hippogriff seems to be struggling as well, probably because it too is suffering from the impact of the environment's abrasiveness. In a few minutes, though the magical beast has superior travel speed, it is unable to find the fleeing party in the varying landscape. If the direction the kidnappers have taken holds true, then Camber is being hustled off towards the floating citadel.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:30, Sun 28 Jan.

As Alton moves into the desolate landscape, he is glad for both the shemagh and the new goggles, he watches as the summoned creature flies low, the storm of debris obviously stirred moreso overhead.....

He tries to not outpace the others as they head in the direction of the floating citadel, having lost sight of the captors and possibly also of John at some point in the near future....

Evangeline did her best to keep up with Alton, hoping that John would be alright the moment the summoned hippogriff would disappear. Regardless, the dust irritated her throat and she used her sleeve to cover mouth and nose. Trying her best the priestess wondered how they might be able to overwhelm the kidnappers and take Camber from their hands, or chains as it were.

Zoho slits his eyes and tries to breathe shallowly -  although that is difficult as he runs to keep up with the others.

With lowered visor to keep some of the grit out, John realizes that his new technological skills could be put to use on improving his helmet. Not only could it protect his head from lethal blows, but properly designed it might allow vision to cut through the murk, and air to survive hostile environments, whether they be planar or underwater.

For movement purposes this environment is considered difficult terrain.

The hippogriff delves into the many clefts and furrows in the terrain, trying to locate your quarry, but is unable to find them. The difficult terrain is hard to navigate, and it doesn't help that the swirling wind becomes gale-like in force at times, impeding your progress even more as you try to make your way towards the citadel. At this pace, it could take days to get there.

Aego is completely unable to progress forward as the gritty debris assaults his eyes and chokes him when he steps through the portal. Frustrated, he steps back through the portal and begins to look for something that will help him. Spotting the linen bedsheet, he tears it to make a face covering type of headwrap. Looking further, he doesn't find anything that could be used as a lens, so he simply cuts slits into the makeshift headwrap so he can see out of it. He may still be blinded a bit, but at least he'll be able to breathe.

Environmental Condition

A thick haze of swirling dust and sand obscures your sight, including darkvision, beyond 10 feet.

A creature within 20' feet has concealment. Creatures farther away have total concealment. Unprotected, nonmagical flames are automatically extinguished, and there is a 50% chance that protected flames will be snuffed.

Unprotected characters take a –1 penalty to Armor Class, lose their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), moves at half speed, and takes a –4 penalty on Search checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading, studying spells, and Spot checks) have a -4 DC penalty applied. If within a shelter or protected in some other way, this condition is negated.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:00, Mon 29 Jan.

Alton slows to be close into the cleric....
"This is untenable, call back the steed, so that we do not get lost in this storm!"

"The hippogriff is long gone, Alton. Even if it was still there, it would be out of earshot." the aasimar replied, slightly irritated the otherwise well-educated drow didn't know better.

ooc: Actually the summoning lasts a mere 7 rounds, it is not a mount-like spell. And my understanding was that the chain devils didn't have a head start this big. By my counting they were as fast as a typical humanoid (30ft) and a 400ft running move should have allowed to catch up with them within that minute the hippogriff was 'in existence'. Sorry, I'm really confused about the timing here.

They had a good lead in the conditions I mentioned. They didn't get away because of distance, they got away using the terrain that they are very familiar with. They utilized the gulley's, washouts, and other landscape features to hide their progress from anyone attempting to follow them. The hippogriff wasn't able to find them.

"You are right, our course is now set."

Alton tries to keep a consistent check that he can see his companions at all times.....while scanning the storm for any land features that might allow them to move forward and have some protection from the storm....


"Look for any terrain that might block the driving winds."


Today: Alton Chasmyr rolled 16 using 1d20+3 ((13)).  Spot check
This message was last edited by the player at 16:06, Tue 30 Jan.

"We won't catch them before they get to the citadel, and we know that the portal will stay open." Zoho says, looking down at the dimensional anchor.  "If that place is the hell that it appears to be, we would be best to take a few minutes to prepare before we head into it.  With the right preparation, we might even make up any time that we will lose in preparation."  With that, the monk steps back into the room and looks around for something that will help to protect him from the harsh environment.

In reply to Zoho Perse (msg # 824):

I listed what was in the room, so I guess there would be plenty of the linen sheet left for you to make a head covering out of.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:22, Sun 04 Feb.

In reply to Alton Chasmyr (msg # 823):

I think I've best described the terrain, and there isn't anything else to add to it. You could temporarily get out of the wind by slipping into the gully's but there isn't any one place you can go to get from here to the citadel being sheltered.

Zoho makes a facemask from part of a linen sheet, and prepares to step back into the maelstrom.

Having no other choice Alton keeps trying to move towards the floating citadel...Assuming it can be seen....

With it hard to see light or dark spots through the sand, he uses the sunstone on his neck to keep the dark spot of the fortress in sight, even if it is a vague blur.

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
For those who care a sunstone is a thin slice of a mineral that allows the sun to be found even through very thick clouds.

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With no way to speak to the hippogryph, John's only hope was that it would set him down near a gulley before it disappeared.

Having no smarter idea, Evangeline does her best to keep up with Alton, holding her sleeve over mouth and nose.

Once through the rift, Zoho follows the others, as fast as he can.

Aego, Alton, Camber, Evangeline, John, and Zoho can now start posting in "The Rescue of Camber of Culdi Game Thread". Thanks!