where are we again? oh yeah, we're in the cave where we think the last piece of this broken-up statuette is, and we just killed the scary telepathic giant spider boss ... are we closing in on the day we'll finally be able to head to that mysterious misty island where we think the uber-boss of the whole campaign is? hmmm!
GM Elle: Okay, so there are at least two more things we need to cover here in the boss spider's lair. First, while digging around for treasure, you find what looks like another piece of the statuette you've been trying to collect.
Ariel: Ooh! Ooh! I know -- somebody is supposed to say, "Look! It's another one!" Because Filvius had that vision where one of us said that in this cave.
Sasha: Well, Quackenscrump doesn't say that, because he's still kind of suspicious that the spidery thing that gave Filvius the vision might have been a monster.
Akane: Zedeja does not say it, obviously. If such a statue piece was noticed, she would say to the closest person, "There, the statue piece we are seeking! Pick it up immediately!" Unless the closest person was an untrustable halfling, of course.
Harriet: And Dilfriida probably wouldn't make the exclamation because as soon as she did, Zedeja would say something aggravating to her. Hmm. Although ... if Dilfriida spotted it first, she might try to distract Zedeja by pointing in another direction and saying, "Look! It's another one!" to give herself a chance at nabbing the statue piece and lording it over her nemesis.
GM Elle: I'll roll randomly to see who spots it, then. The die says ... Brandywise.
Heddy: In that case, I suppose I'll say something along the lines of, "Hey, we're looking for a statue piece, right? Look! It's another one!"
Akane: Zedeja says, "Give it to our keeper of statue pieces!" However, I don't remember who that is. Zedeja of Mind is greatly intelligent, though -- certainly able to remember better than a non-genius non-mage Akane.
Ariel: Well I don't know ... I think you're pretty genius a lot of the time, Akane!
Akane: Thank you! Still, the non-mage claim is accurate.
MSG: I've got two statue pieces marked on my character sheet.
Sasha: I've got one. Not sure why Quackers would care about carrying it, though, but I guess I had a reason to volunteer.
MSG: Maybe just because you're strong and you have a backpack?
Claire: We could look back through the notes and see if we wrote down a reason.
Ariel: That sounds like a lot of work. I'm good just as long as we know somebody's got them and they didn't get lost just because we forgot to write them on our sheets.
Sasha: Hang on ... It's on my sheet, but I put a "b" next to it, and I also wrote a "b" next to some of my money -- so I think that means I stored it in the bank.
Harriet: Ah, my memory reasserts itself at that. Most of us rented strongboxes or at least made deposits at the bank before leaving Outskirt, didn't we?
Heddy: Not me -- I haven't got enough possessions or money to be bankable yet.
MSG: I've got some "b" marks on my sheet too, now that I look. Including by the statue pieces.
Akane: No statue fragment holders asked permission for leaving such items of value with strangers at a bank! Zedeja has outrage at learning such knowledge!
Harriet: Has she actually learned it yet, though? Obviously the characters aren't standing around talking about what's written on their sheets.
Akane: She has not learned. But it is impending! With the uncovery of the final statue piece, assembling the carving can be accomplished, so she demands an attempt. When piece-holders are unable to produce them, she demands explanations of why. Roleplaying of this complete conversation is unnecessary, though. Unless others desire it.
Heddy: Wasn't there a second thing you said we'd cover, Elle?
GM Elle: Yes. Just after discovering the statue piece, the group makes another find. In one corner of the cave's webbing, a silken cocoon the size of a halfling or small human hangs several feet off the ground. Dolora is first to notice it.
MSG: I'll point it out and peer at it carefully.
Sasha: Can I roll Beast Lore to see if I can figure out whether it's a giant spider egg?
Claire: I'm guessing it's probably a --
Sasha: Hey, I didn't say I was discussing the possibility out loud! Quackers is just on high alert for monsters at all times, so if this might be one about to hatch out, he wants to decide that for himself.
GM Elle: Dolora and Sir Q can both roll Spot Hidden. Sir Q can also roll Beast Lore.
MSG: Success on Spot Hidden.
Sasha: Failure on both.
GM Elle: Dolora notices the cocoon wiggle slightly. Sir Q can't really tell one way or another whether it's an egg.
MSG: I'll say I think there might be a person inside trying to get out. Or do I have to roll Beast Lore too?
GM Elle: Roll with a Boon. I think it's pretty common knowledge that spiders wrap up their prey sometimes.
MSG: Success.
GM Elle: Then you're free to tell the group that conclusion.
MSG: I do.
Sasha: Quackers will tell everyone to stay back while he cuts it open, in case there are baby monster spiders in there eating on whoever's wrapped up.
Akane: Cut carefully! A missing child could be inside.
Harriet: And there's supposed to be a reward for finding him, right?
GM Elle: Correct. Sash, is Sir Q going to hack the webbing open wildly, or cut carefully?
Sasha: Carefully. But I'm ready to switch to wildly if something creepy-crawls out on eight legs.
GM Elle: Your efforts reveal a child wrapped up in the cocoon, unconscious but stirring somewhat. He looks gaunt and frail, as though he hasn't eaten in some time.
Claire: Once he's out, I'd like to examine him with my Healing skill. I've never come across anyone stashed as a snack for later by a giant spider, and I'm keen to see what the effects are.
Ariel: Don't you want to see if you can help him first?
Claire: Well, if I do that, I might miss out on learning about some of the changes being spider-cocooned produces in a person.
GM Elle: Go ahead and roll.
Claire: 15. Right on the nose.
GM Elle: All you really see are signs of malnourishment and dehydration, along with a bite that looks to have been made by two fangs much smaller than the Oracle's.
MSG: Meaning there's probably more than one spider in this cave.
Sasha: If anyone says that, I'm instantly alert and scanning for spiders trying to sneak up on us.
GM Elle: You don't see any. Claire, is Filvius going to attempt treatment of the child? That will be another Healing roll.
Claire: I guess that's the logical next step ... and I succeed.
GM Elle: You can revive him with a sip or two of water if you have any.
Claire: I don't, but I know Quackenscrump has that troll booze, so if I think waving the opening of that jug under the kid's nose will bring him around, I'll try that.
GM Elle: You've tried the stuff, so you know it's pretty eye-watering. Almost as soon as you get it near his nose, he starts writhing and coughing and sputtering.
Claire: I'll pull the jug back and plug it.
GM Elle: The boy sits up and starts looking around wide-eyed. His gaze fixes on some of the weapons you're carrying, and he says, "Oh no! Are you more bandits?"
Claire: I'll tell him that he's safe and there aren't any bandits here.
Akane: Zedeja points immediately at the halfling. "This one is banditly! Do not mislead a kidnapped infant!"
Harriet: Considering that he's able to talk, he's most likely somewhat older than an infant. Dilfriida snorts and points out Zedeja's mistake.
Akane: Do not contradict elders, halfling! Zedeja is aged in extreme -- even a short-memory halfling should not be able to forget it. Adjacent to her wizenedness, children must all be considered babes.
Harriet: Dilfriida says, "Well, it's for sure no one is going to call you 'babe'."
Akane: Zedeja gives a puzzled squint that includes contempt. "Of course not! I am old! Did you forget this already since I described it only seconds bygone?"
Heddy: I'll try to draw Dilfriida away from the conflict by calling her 'babe' and tipping my head in the directin I'm about to take a step.
Harriet: I give Zedeja a parting glare and step aside with Brandy.
MSG: I'd like this kid to give us more info on the bandits. I ask him to tell us what happened.
GM Elle: He describes having been playing in the fields on his family's land when some scary men came out of the woods nearby and grabbed him. He looks a little mopey as he says he wished he'd listened to his mother about not going too far from the house. The bandits put a bag over his head and rode with him on their horses for a long distance, then found this cave when it started to rain and camped inside. He was very tired and fell asleep after they took the bag off and gave him some stale bread to eat. Then he woke up to the sounds of people screaming and saw the bandits fighting with monsters. He got up and ran away, but ended up running deeper into the cave because the fight was between him and the exit. Then, as he was hiding in the darkness, something bit him and he lost consciousness until you brought him around. He begs you to take him out of the scary cave and back to his parents.
MSG: Hmm. We did find the two things we were looking for here, but do we really want to leave already without knowing what else is in this cave?
Claire: I know I sure don't!
Ariel: Well, I'm not voting because it was so much work getting here and getting in here and fighting the giant spider, so I'm kind of worn out. But it's also going to be so much work getting out and going all the way back to town. So I'm going to sit down and have a rest while you guys figure it out.
Sasha: Quackers is for exploring some more. There was one monster in here, so there may be others that need killing.
Akane: Zedeja has only one Willpower Point. Insufficient to spell any other spiders we meet. She thinks leaving is appropriate.
Harriet: I don't know if Dilfriida has any input to convey or not. What did Brandywise intend in pulling her aside, beyond the obvious goal of minimizing further strife and contention with Zedeja?
Heddy: I thought I'd use my Raise Spirits ability to remove one of your conditions. Didn't you acquire a couple climbing the web bridge and fighting the spider?
Harriet: Exhaustion and Disheartenment.
Heddy: Well, I'll tell you some funny stories and maybe tickle you behind the earlobe to get rid of whichever of those you prefer.
Harriet: So it's mostly whispers and giggles from our corner of the spider's lair for a bit.
GM Elle: Then it sounds like the consensus is pointing toward further exploration?
Akane: Zedeja disagrees overbearingly! "Consensus" requires sense! Fighting additional monsters when a senior mage is Willpower Pointless -- entirely without sense!
MSG: But if you take the "sense" out of "consensus," you get "con us," which I don't think we're keen to let Zedeja do.
Akane: No conning! Only sense and wisdomry. Zedeja insists we must not drag infants into spidery danger and death.
Heddy: If she insists that loudly enough for me to hear, I would be inclined to agree.
MSG: Well, as much as I want to increase my knowledge of these caves and spiders, it doesn't make much sense to rescue this kid and then drag him around through a bunch of unknown dangers.
Claire: Filvius has to admit that's true too. Ooh, but he's got a silver lining -- if we leave the cave and rest up, he can learn that Sleep spell. Nice! I'm definitely for heading out, then.
Sasha: Dammit. Quackers complains about what a bunch of wusses you are, but he's not going to go against the whole group.
Akane: Good! Now we must return as we came.
Heddy: My Raise Spirits ability does take a full 10 minutes, though, so it would be nice if you don't mind waiting however long we've got left on that.
Ariel: Fidu wasn't going to vote about whether to keep going in the caves or to go back out, but he's definitely voting to keep chilling for a few more minutes while Brandywise does her thing.
Akane: If a satyr can improve a halfling's attitude, it's tolerable.
GM Elle: In that case, between the treasure searching and the resting, you've spent more than a stretch here, so I'm rolling for possible encounters. Spiderlings! A swarm of the big spider's offspring skitter out from holes in the walls and attack. Let's draw for initiative.
MSG: 2.
Claire: 4.
Ariel: 10, foo. Oh, wait, that means I can rest a little longer until it's my turn!
Sasha: Unless you have to dodge spiders. Ugh. 13.
Akane: 8 for Zedeja.
Harriet: 12.
Heddy: 5.
GM Elle: 9 for Roric, which leaves the spiders on 1, 3, 6, 7, and 11. Spiders go first with a Joint Attack! They're going to crawl all over Filvius and bite him simultaneously.
Claire: I'm not injured yet, so I think I'll just take the damage.
GM Elle: Dolora's next, then.
MSG: If they're swarming all around, I'll spend 3 WP to do a Massive Blow to add an extra d8 to my Warhammer damage.
GM Elle: The spiders try to dodge and succeed.
MSG: Well that was 3 WP well spent.
GM Elle: They did use up their 3 card, though, so now it's Filvius's turn.
Claire: I'm switching cards with Sir Q.
Sasha: Thanks. Die, spiders! Hit! And I'll use my Dragonslayer ability to do extra damage. 25 if they don't dodge!
GM Elle: They dodge.
Sasha: These guys suck.
Heddy: I'll switch with Dilfriida.
Harriet: Perfect. I hit for 9 points of damage. Having witnessed their spry dodging ability, however, I do not spend any WP for my Backstabbing. Wait -- I should spend it because then it's a Sneak Attack and they can't dodge. Ah, wait again, because I'm out of WP anyway.
GM Elle: Dodge. That uses their 6 card, and on 7, they crawl over everyone in a terrifying mass of prickly spider legs. Fear checks, please.
MSG: I'm safe.
Claire: I'm not, but I Push it by getting Disheartened and make it the second time.
Ariel: Safe.
Sasha: Dragon!
GM Elle: You're so fearless with spiders swarming over you, I'll let you give someone else a Boon on their roll.
Sasha: Dilfriida. I think she's about the worst of us at resisting fear.
Akane: Success for the wise Zedeja!
Harriet: I fail even with the Boon, but at least it kept me from getting a demon. But I'll Push the roll by getting Angry that I might be scared by spiders when Zedeja isn't. Safe.
Heddy: I fail. And since I'm Faint-Hearted, I don't think I even have the bravery to Push.
GM Elle: You're shaken, which gives you the Scared condition.
Heddy: Too late. I'm already Scared.
GM Elle: Then you have to pick a different condition.
Heddy: Sickly. I'm so afraid, it's nauseating.
Akane: Zedeja strikes a spider with her staff. 6 points of spider crushing if it does not dodge.
GM Elle: It dodges, using up the last of the spiderlings' turns.
Ariel: I stab the swarm for 9 points, then!
Heddy: I timidly poke at a spider with my knife for 1 point.
Claire: 5 points of staff damage from Filvius.
GM Elle: At the end of the round, the spiderlings decide they've had enough and scurry back to their holes.
Claire: Okay, right off the bat I'm going to heal up that damage I took. Ouch! And I roll kinda bad on my Heal Wounds spell, only 4 points back. I've got plenty of WP left, though, so I'm casting again ... okay, all better.
Ariel: Does anybody besides me want to take a breather after that fight? I'm all worn out.
Sasha: Quackers just shrugs. He can't decide if we're more likely to bump into monsters heading back to the exit or sitting around waiting for Fi-Fi to get his breath back.
Akane: Only one round of fighting! Even a slothful hound can't be so tired from this miniature of battle. No sitting, hound! We must go!
Heddy: Brandy has had more than enough of this place, and begs that we please continue.
Sasha: A'right. I guess I'll lead the way back toward that web bridge.
GM Elle: You make it back to the chasm chamber without difficulty. Roric sees the webbing and becomes panicky, though. "That's too scary! I don't want to go on that!"
Heddy: I'll try to sing him a bit of a song to calm his nerves. My roll succeeds.
GM Elle: He settles down a little, but then says, "That sounds like a baby song. Sing something more fun, like the songs Papa and his friends sing when they come over to drink ale!"
MSG: Is this kid related to Zedeja?
Heddy: I tell him I'll sing whatever he wants if he's good while we cross the bridge.
GM Elle: That will be a Bartering check.
Heddy: Urgh ... Demon.
GM Elle: He changes his mind about calming down and gets mad that you won't sing right away.
Sasha: I tell him if he doesn't shut up, I'll tie him up with our rope and drag him along.
Akane: Zedeja feels this idea is good. "Quiet, boy! There is binding and a gag in your future for additional noise!"
GM Elle: You can both make Persuasion rolls.
Harriet: Almost, but not quite.
Akane: Not even "almost" in my case. Zedeja is wise but unpersuading.
GM Elle: He says you can't make him.
Sasha: Okay, then seriously, I'm going to grab him and tie him up. Somebody get the rope out. I make my Brawling roll.
GM Elle: He fails to Evade, but starts hollering as you're wrapping the rope around him.
MSG: Great. Who know what he's going to call down on us with all that racket.
Claire: I don't know ... but that means I want to know, so I'm looking around now to see if I can learn what kind of stuff comes running when a kid yells in a cave like this.
GM Elle: Actually, what comes seems to be those orcs. You notice a light down the passageway across the bridge. It draws closer with the sound of numerous booted feet, and several orcs march out onto the ledge where the bridge is attached on the far side.
MSG: I'll hail them and say we found the child, so we had to come out without exploring that much of the caves.
GM Elle: You see that the leader, Agra, is with them. She asks if you found any treasure along with him.
MSG: I've got a decent bluff, so I'll just say "no." My roll makes it.
GM Elle: She grunts and asks if the bridge is really safe to cross. "It looks difficult and unsteady!"
Claire: Filvius says, "Well, we didn't lose anyone the first time."
Sasha: I'll say, "Watch, we'll show you how it's done. Soon as I finish tying up this kid."
GM Elle: Roric squirms, but you've got him bound pretty well. The only problem is, that uses up some of your rope, meaning there's not really enough to rope two groups of you together the way you did before.
Akane: It's easy to solve. Instead of a three group and a four group, we do one five group. Then our duck knight can return to the waiting two and rope them to him to come across.
Sasha: That's a lot of climbing back and forth for me. I'm pretty acrobatic, but I get a Bane on Acrobatics rolls from my armor.
Ariel: Did you roll it that way last time? I don't remember you rolling it that way last time.
Sasha: No, I forgot. I only remembered now when I was double-checking my Acrobatics score.
GM Elle: I'll keep my eye on you better in the future. An issue with Akane's plan is that there aren't 7 of you anymore; there are 8 when you count Roric.
Sasha: This kid's turning into a real pain.
Akane: Then it is four and a child first, then a returning duck, then four again. Armor can be taken off, yes? This solves a Bane problem of Acrobatting.
Sasha: I don't like that, but I guess I also don't like falling into a bottomless pit. So who's in group 1 and who's in group 2?
Akane: Two characters of strong in group 1! Dolora and the duck. Also a child, then also a small halfling and weakish satyr.
Harriet: I suppose for once I don't argue, since Zedeja's plan gets the two of us across sooner.
Heddy: I definitely don't argue. Not because I'm entirely relieved -- I can't say I'm entirely comfortable with those orcs being over there. But I certainly don't want to be stranded on this side without either of our two strongest party members while Dolora and Quackenscrump get the first group across.
GM Elle: All right, then -- Acrobatics rolls for everyone. Roric is tied up -- how are you taking him with you?
Sasha: I say I just let him dangle from the rope he's tied up to. I'll tie one end of it around my shoulders like a harness. And I tell him if he squirms too much and throws me off balance, I'll have to cut him loose.
GM Elle: He starts crying. Everyone make your rolls, then.
MSG: I'm good.
Sasha: Same.
Harriet: Simplicity itself.
Heddy: I fail again, of course.
GM Elle: Another Acrobatics check to try to catch yourself.
Heddy: Also a failure.
GM Elle: You're dangling from the rope also. We'll say you're between Dolora and Dilfriida. Dolora's strong enough she doesn't need to roll, but I'm going to have Dilfriida make a Strength check.
Sasha: Assuming I hear Brandy give a squawk of panic at falling, can I brace myself to help out and give Dilfriida a Boon?
GM Elle: Sure.
Harriet: That does the trick.
GM Elle: Then it's slow going, but everyone gets across at last. Once you're on solid ground, Agra says for Quackenscrump to hold up for a few minutes. Seeing how you went about crossing, she sent a runner up to their camp to get some rope of their own. If you can take one end across and tie it for them, she would appreciate it, and you would have the added rope to make returning easier.
Sasha: I'm down with that.
Akane: It is good that Zedeja did not know of their rope before. She might have commanded them to bring it.
GM Elle: The runner comes back fairly soon. If Quackenscrump makes his roll to get back to Zedeja, Filvius, and Fidu, I'll say the rest of the crossing goes fine.
Sasha: Easy-peasy, I succeedsy.
Ariel: Haha, that was cute.
GM Elle: Agra thanks you again for handing the banner over to them and wishes you well on your journeys.
MSG: I will thank her and do the same.
Ariel: Are we out now?
GM Elle: Essentially. Unless you want to pick a fight with the two orcs Agra left behind to guard their supplies.
Ariel: No way in heck. I'm ready for that break.
Akane: Not yet, hound! We must return to our cart, cultist, and donkeys!
Ariel: Boo! I guess actually I can't put up a fight about that.
MSG: Do we need a Bushcraft roll to find our way back to Glinssa and the cart?
GM Elle: Yes, but it's pretty easy, so I'll give you a Boon.
MSG: Dragon! Oh, bummer. I already have an 18 in my Bushcraft, so I don't get a free mark.
GM Elle: The Dragon does let you get to the hiding place where you left Glinssa very quickly, though. She's actually surprised to see you back so quickly.
Sasha: We picked up this howling kid, so we were motivated to get him back home as fast as we can. Oh, by the way, I guess we would have untied him once we were out of the caves.
GM Elle: It's early afternoon by now. You could get in a full shift's travel before sundown if you get started.
Claire: I think if we do, we'll hear some whining from Fidu.
Ariel: I'm already pulling the tent out from the back of the cart.
Heddy: To fend off more caterwauling from Roric, I'll ask him what sorts of stories he likes and tell him some while we're making camp.
GM Elle: He says he only likes stories about Big Brockston Bickerback, a folk hero from here in the Misty Vale. Make a Myths and Legends roll to see if you've heard of him.
Heddy: Handily, with a 5.
GM Elle: Then with a good Performance check, you may get at least some temporary goodwill out of him.
Heddy: I fail initially, so I'll push the roll saying I'm so exhausted from the traumas of the cave that I had to shake off a bit of sluggishness to perform. The reroll is a success.
GM Elle: Anyone else doing anything before nightfall and time to set watches?
Claire: I'm studying that grimoire! Not only am I hot to learn the Sleep spell for the sake of pure knowledge, but now that I know what Roric's like, I want to be able to zonk him out if he gets to be too much of a pain.
GM Elle: Make a Languages roll to see if you can master it.
Claire: Seriously? That's one of my worst skills. I fail, so I'm pushing the roll because now I'm Scared that Dolora will see me blowing my attempt to improve my knowledge. Nope. Another failure.
MSG: I'm going to use this opportunity to try to wheedle Filvius into teaching me Animism, then. I took Magic Talent the last time I got a new Heroic Ability, but I need someone to teach me the school of magic before I can do anything with it. When I see him apparently struggling, I'll rib him about maybe not being so great at his magical knowledge after all.
Claire: I'll tell him that as a non-mage, you couldn't possibly judge my knowledge.
MSG: Then I'll say, "Ooh, so since I'm not qualified to judge, there's no way you can prove to me that you're any good at it."
Claire: "I don't have any need to prove anything to you." That's totally a lie -- do I need to roll Bluffing?
GM Elle: I think it's a pretty demonstrated fact that you do feel the need to prove things to Dolora, when it comes to knowledge. So you can roll, but with a Bane.
Claire: Yeah, that's not happening. I've got a 4 in Bluffing. Oh damn, and I went and wasted a Dragon by rolling a 19 on the Bane die.
MSG: Since I know I've caught him trying to gaslight me, I'll say he should teach me Animism in our downtime, if he really wants me to be able to see how far ahead of me he is.
Claire: That's obviously going to work on Filvius, but he says it will have to wait until he gets this new spell down.
MSG: Gamemaster, could I use my Languages skill to help Filvius decipher whatever is giving him so much trouble, so he gets a Boon on his next roll?
GM Elle: I'll allow it if Filvius will.
Claire: I'll complain that it will slow me down having a newbie trying to read over my shoulder, but then I'll fake a sigh and say that she can look on and tell me about what she's seeing as part of her training, which will let us kill two birds with one stone. Will it let us kill two birds with one stone?
GM Elle: No, but MSG can tell us whether he thinks Dolora buys your excuse-making.
MSG: Dolora doesn't care one way or another what Filvius thinks. She just wants to get an Animism score going so she can cast spells.
GM Elle: All right. Well, who's on first watch, then?
MSG: Filvius and I are obviously staying up. But we'll have our noses in the book, so someone else should probably watch with us.
Akane: Zedeja. Her awareness -- so mighty! Also, her desire not to sleep in a tent with a halfling. Especially if there is a satyr giggling and doing untoward activities with the scoundrel.
GM Elle: Let me check for encounters, then ... oh dear. Everyone who's up should roll Awareness.
MSG: Another Dragon! Nice.
Claire: I succeed.
Akane: Awareness rolls bow before Zedeja of Mind. Her success is accomplished.
GM Elle: In that case, you all hear something prowling through the trees, so you're ready when a huge, winged and maned form bursts forth. You've seen this before -- it's a manticore!
MSG: Oh crap. The last one put up a hell of a fight.
Claire: True, but we were a lot less experienced then.
Akane: Probably this experience difference insuffices for three characters to win, if previously six were required.
GM Elle: Draw for initiative.
MSG: 8.
Claire: 5.
Akane: 3.
GM Elle: 2 and 7 for the monster. It tries to take a razor-sharp bite out of Dolora.
MSG: I'm definitely spending 3 WP to dodge, which succeeds.
Akane: Zedeja trades with our dwarf and tells her to massively blow this beast.
MSG: If I do that I won't have the WP left for more Fast Footwork. But I will take a normal swing at it with my heavy warhammer. Got it. 20 points if it doesn't dodge.
GM Elle: It definitely attempts to dodge -- ooh, and it fails, so it loses its turn and a big chunk of its hit points.
Claire: I guess I'll take a swing with my staff, then. I'll also say that if everybody can get away from it a few yards, I can Lightning Bolt the darned thing. 16 hits with my staff, for 11 points.
GM Elle: New initiative draw. Everyone in the tent can roll Awareness to wake up, but with a Bane because no one shouted or raised any other alarm.
MSG: D'oh. That should have been obvious. I get the 7 card.
Claire: 1!
Ariel: Eek! Demon on my Awareness.
Sasha: I'm sound asleep too.
Akane: 8 of initiating.
Harriet: Snore.
Heddy: I wake up.
GM Elle: Manticore gets the 4 and the 5. Ariel, you fail to wake up because you're caught in horrible nightmares. So even though you stay asleep, it won't count as a shift rest. Claire, you're up.
Claire: I'm trading cards with Dolora.
MSG: I hit it for 13 points.
GM Elle: It dodges, moving back 2 meters as part of that reaction. That uses its 4 card. On its 5 card, it flies away whimpering in pain.
MSG: Wow. That was a ton easier than last time.
Claire: See? I told you so. Seems like my knowledge of our skills is better than yours.
Heddy: I listen fearfully for any sounds that will let me know what woke me up.
GM Elle: Make an Awareness check.
Heddy: Nope.
GM Elle: Then all you hear is the typical one-upsmanship of lore between Dolora and Filvius.
Heddy: I try to get back to sleep, then. Assuming I'm not too disquieted.
GM Elle: At the end of the shift, Filvius can make another Languages check with a Boon for Dolora's help.
Claire: Yes! Dragon. These dice are Dragonning out the wazoo for us tonight, aren't they?
GM Elle: Shift switch.
Ariel: I'm not switching out! I'm too tired from those nightmares.
Sasha: What do you think the nightmares were?
Ariel: Probably we're stuck in the caves and I'm super tired but all you guys keep saying, "No, we've got to keep going! No sleeping!" And then you keep pushing me past all these rooms where the spiders made super-cushy, comfy beds out of spiderwebs because they're actually friendly spiders, but nobody believes me and I just keep getting dragged along even though I'm crazy tired.
Sasha: Wow. I hope we don't have to hear about that in the morning.
GM Elle: All right, speaking of which, morning arrives without any further encounters.
[okay, folks, i'm breaking here because the post's getting pretty long. more of this session next post!]
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