Athraz, stood up from his default three-point stance and gazed upon the gate with excitement in his orange eyes. A tantalizing obstacle before the main course, the kobold was brimming with excitement to unwrap this present.

As the others approached the gate and started working, Athraz was tempted to draw his weapon and join in; instead however he looked at the gate for a way to climb it, should his companions efforts proof to be a waste of time. His head bobbed and moved, his silver scales glittering in the sun before a cloud moved in, as he planned his climb.

Moments later his gaze returned back to the gate and his companions, trying to gauge their progress. "Not very inviting iss it?", the barbarian uttered with glee in his eyes to his companions.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:31, Fri 08 Oct 2021.

"I like it.  It's got the vibrant look of a growing place that's all too hard to find."  Ember added 'around the living' to himself silently.  "I suppose we should begin with some general assessment before diving in."

Behind the elf, the ghostly brute silently leaned on his crook.  Its attention, as much as could be gleamed from a rune burning from deep within the cloying darkness of its face, seemed locked on Ember alone.  The elf, as usual, didn't show any sign of being aware of the ghost's presence as he cast his detection spells.

OOC: Good ole' detect magic

Elmelio watched the others with interest. His skills were necessarily needed at this point, but knew they would be eventually. He watched the ravens as well, given his small stature, they were more of a threat to him then most of the others. As he watches, he also looks at the wall. That brick there would just be right, there a perfect crack to get a toe into.

Options. Options were good.

Malcolm looked at the place shaking his head slightly and looking down towards the town the place would look down on before looking back. His eyes drawn to the birds.

The fence had plenty of handholds and wasn't terribly tall. It looked more like decoration, or a marker for the edge of the property, than an attempt to prevent someone from entering. Athraz thought it looked easy enough to climb. The sharp bits on top presented a potential issue; they wouldn't actually make it any more difficult, but they did promise pain to a climber that slipped.

But it was a non-issue. Saoirse's knife and Booker's fire magic proved entirely effective against the vines, which Ember determined were perfectly ordinary. He didn't sense any magic nearby at all, excepting that which the party brought with them.

The overgrown path leading from the front gate split into a crossroads. To the north, the path lead to the manor's front door maybe 150 feet away, while to the east, it curled around the manor's side. To the west, the path lead toward a collapsed building and an algae-chocked pond before winding around the manor as well. The rotting trunk of a fallen oak tree lay across the crossroads, almost as if forming a barrier to those who would approach the manner--or perhaps to keep something within from traveling out.

Or maybe it had just fallen over during some storm in the several decades the manor stood unoccupied.

Mezzaline never let the ravens truly out of her sight, not sure if they were omens or simply birds. "The woods; the woods; those are pearls that were his eyes - Ah." She says, mismatched eyes taking in the disrepair of the mansion now that the way had been cleared by Saoirse and Booker.

She gets as far as the crossroads before stopping and takes several moments contemplating each path before looking at the house expectantly.

"Hmm. I almost wish it could burn down, it looks... damp."

In reply to Mezzaline (msg # 10):

Booker leaves his blade out. He was not comfortable enough in this place to walk around unarmed. In fact his free hand draws out one of his ever present books. Instead of just reading it, it floats above his left hand. The book even moves like a shield, hovering before Booker's body.

"Well...let's go." He says, and begins to walk forward. His sword glows, and his floating book shield glows more intensely.

OOC-casting light on sword & activating arcane cascade stance.

He gives the fallen log a push with his boot to see if it is rotten or if it could be used for firewood in the future. Having gained that information he heads to the stump to investigate the cause of it falling. (Or if it is completely uprooted, he will take a look at what the roots have revealed.)

Elmelio follows the others, looking all around and on edge. but doesn't say anything. Perhaps its just his mindset having recently been set free, perhaps he just didn't want to be noticed by what might be watching them. A nervous tick causes him to absentmindedly pick at his clothing and adjust it regularly.

When Booker moves forward, the Halfling speaks up, "Master Booker," trying to get the human's attention, "perhaps we should check the pond first. Wouldn't be prudent to leave something to sneak up on us."

In reply to Elmelio (msg # 13):

Booker looked back at the halfling, and inhaled. "It's...just Booker. Don't call me that...other thing." His tone of voice was not insulted, it sounded more ashamed than anything else. "And you are right. We should leave no stone unturned."

He glanced back at the others. "I could electrify the pond, but that might just kill or provoke something needlessly."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:33, Wed 13 Oct 2021.

As the party got nearer to the front of the building, birds perched along the eaves of the run-down manor perked up and being to cry out in an eerie song. There did seem to be quite a few birds there, but they turned out not to be ravens--too small, for one thing.

But closer at hand than the house itself was the fallen oak...

Perception checks, please.

In reply to Pharasma (msg # 15):

Ooc-07:33, Today: Booker rolled 17 using 1d20+6.  Perception .

Malcolm takes the area in and spends some time seeing if he notices anything.



05:46, Today: Malcolm rolled 26 using 1d20+7.  Perception.


This message was last edited by the player at 16:34, Wed 13 Oct 2021.

Mezzaline notices, then begins counting the birds; if they weren't ravens, then what?...

"One for sorrow, two for joy, three for-no, no...yes?"

OOC: 11:24, Today: Mezzaline rolled 26 using 1d20+6.  Perception.

Athraz walks assisting his gait with his left hand as is typical for him. He is on guard and suspicious, he has his right hand on his sheathed sword; ready to draw at a moments notice. As the halfling and the human check-out the pond, the kobold takes a closer look at the manor, trying to peek through any windows or gaps.

OOC: 19:57, Today: Athraz rolled 18 using 1d20+8.  Perception.

"I am sorry Mah," he stops himself with a look of embarrassment, "I mean, Booker. Old habits and what not, so I can't say it won't happen again, but I will try." He reaches up and strokes his key shaped cloak pin absentmindedly as he looked about them. The symbol of his faith calms his emotions. It was extremely odd for him and he was obviously struggling with his new found freedom. The birds concerned him, given his small stature, but there was little he could do about them right now.

19:19, Today: Elmelio rolled 28 using 1d20+8.  Perception.
Nat 20 if that matters.

I have a racial +1 to my Perception DC if it matters.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:34, Wed 13 Oct 2021.

Poking around his new estate before entering appears to be just fine with him. "Let's not fry any fish just yet, shall we?" He says in response to the idea of electrifying the pond. "Wouldn't want to offend the local naiad after all."


OOC: 08:45, Today: Saoirse rolled 13 using 1d20+5.  Perception.

While not usually the most alert, Ember's interest was peaked.  The last five ghosts he had run across all called themselves 'Boots' for independent reasons, and there wasn't much that could be done for anyone called boots in this life or the next.  One of them, depressingly enough, had still been lingering in the music hall alley he had choked to death in.  Well, he'd had help in choking, but that had been the most interesting thing about him.  This place, though, was a haunted dream.

OOC: Today: Ember rolled 21 using 1d20+5.  Perception.

As they approached the fallen oak tree, most of the party noticed something strange. The wood of the rotten log was moving, pulsing slightly as though something was moving beneath it.

Not noticing, Saoirse pushed on the trunk--and his foot sank through the rotten wood. He did see several centipedes skitter across his stuck boot, but as he was extracting it most of the others noticed them.

Bugs, mostly centipeds, surging out of any crack or gap in the wood. There were so many of them, swarming together, climbing over the wood and over each other, lurid orange centipedes moving together as with one mind. In sufficient quantity that they actually posed a potential danger.


Elmelio, Malcolm, Mezzaline, Ember, and Athraz's turns. Ember has an idea that something dangerous is there and moving to attack, the rest can see the centipede swarms gathering under the rotting wood. You don't have to wait for each other to act in order.

Initiative: Elmelio, Malcolm, Mezzaline, Ember, and Athraz
Centipede Swarms (2)
Booker and Saoirse

Elmelio, not wanting the little nasty bugs all over his nice clothing, withdraws back and to one side for a clear shot. As he does so, he pulls out his sling and loads it for an attack.

Okay, new guy
I stride 20' diagonally away from the swarms.
Idk if I can draw my weapon when I move like in 1e, but I think loading a sling is one action
If I have one more left, I'll launch a sling bullet.

20:09, Today: Elmelio rolled 21,5 using 1d20+7,1d6.  Attack/damage.

As a reflex, Athraz draws his weapon before wondering if it would be much use against such a crawly swarm. After a split moment of indecision however, he hisses "Carefull; crawliess!" before mumbling some draconic words which causes his silver scales to harden and shine.

Then, with his sword at the ready, moves towards the swarms, trying to distract them from his companions.

OOC:
[1]: Draw Bastard Sword
[2]: Cast Shield
[3]: Move

Ember made a disgusted face at the sudden appearance of so many insects, to which he casually defaulted in clicking his fingers.  Sparks erupted as though fint and steel had clashed instead of flesh, from which a ribbon of electricity shot towards the bugs.

Meanwhile, Ember's shadow interposed itself between him and the crawling creatures.
OOC:
Ember:
Actions 1-2: Electric Arc (Today: Ember rolled 10 using 2d4+4.  Electric Arc. - Basic Reflex DC 10) - hits both swarms
Grey Shephard
Action 3: Movement to directly in front of Ember
This message was last edited by the player at 10:22, Sat 16 Oct 2021.

Malcolm scowls, "Oh my!"

Malcolm looks at the horde of insects and drums his fingers on his chest.
Melanie the things we get ourselves into.

He closes his eyes briefly and sings a soft hymnal focused at a swarm directing himself so as not to harm his friends. Then he backpedals away from the nasty crawling masses.


1 Haunting Hymn at a mass of insects.
2 Stride 20' away

Mezzaline recoils slightly from the mass of insects and lets a strange dirge echo from deep within her as she directs the sound towards the wriggling mass of centipedes and keeps a safe distance between herself and the swarm.


OOC: Okay, so newbie as well, so what I think I can do is this -

Cast Haunting Hymn (2 actions)

Move away from Swarm (1 action)

Elmelio's sling bullet struck in the center of one of the swarms. Singular strikes against a surging mass of tiny creatures weren't highly effective, but nonetheless he squished a few of them and set a few more scurrying away from the larger swarm.

Ember still wasn't quite able to make out what the others had seen, but he knew where they were. He wasn't quite lined up with the first group, but the electricity shocked through the second. They were quick, and scattered around the blast, but it still left some dead centipedes.

Malcolm and Mezzaline's discordant music burst through the entire mass.

As one group converged on Saoirse, it seemed already to have lost nearly half its number already, twitching under the fallen tree. The other half of the centipedes, though, charged forward as those Mezzaline's spell had no effect on them. These swarmed over Athraz.

A centipede is normally no real danger to a person. Even if they should manage to bite, the tiny pinprick is harmless and the dose of venom ineffectual.

In this number, though, the mass of creatures crawling all over the two adventurers had the strength of sheer numbers. Both Saoirse and Ahtraz felt tiny needles all over their bodies, and dozens or hundreds of tiny doses of venom threatened to overwhelm them.

Loading a sling does indeed cost an action, but I'm cool with assuming you had a weapon ready. Elmelio hits and deals some damage after resistance.
Is that a typo? Your spellcasting DC is 19, Ember, not 10. Ember fails to target one, and the other succeeds on its save.
Haunting Hymn affects an area, so you can both get both. Could you both include your spell DC and damage in the future, though? Against Malcolm's spell, the first succeeds and the second fails. Either way, they take extra damage from weakness to area damage.
Against Mezzaline's, the first succeeds, but still takes enough damage to reduce it to half HP (shorthand as "Bloodied on the Status page). The second critically succeeds and takes no damage.
I should... definitely get a map up. I suppose, since the lack of map is my fault, it's only fair to assume you're spreading out.
Swarm A Strides into Saoirse's space and uses its Swarming Bites twice.
Friendlier damage rolls this time--4 and 2--but the saves are the same for you--DC 20 Reflex for each damage roll, and Fort save against venom if either Reflex is a failure.
Since they moved out of their hiding place, everybody knows where they are now.