Pathfinder 1E [LPF] Perception is Reality

[Aura]

The Kitchen

Vincenzo slips away from the table as the gnome leaves for stew. Upon the inkeeper's return, Maui engages the little man in conversation, giving Vincenzo the chance he needs. Shuffling quickly down the half-height hallway on all fours, he peers around the corner to find the gnomish cook busily chopping carrots and celery. In a fortunate break, she now has her back to the doors Vincenzo is interested in. With stealthy moves that belie his comparatively giant size, he sneaks behind her and goes for the first door, only to find it opens to the same dark grey, featureless and seemingly solid stuff that things are made of when not detailed in illuminated areas. The same goes for the second.

Meanwhile, the gnome's knife continues to cut and slice through vegetables, and she pushes the chopped product into a pot and seasons the mix with salt before setting it all on the stove.

 

[Aura]

The Common Room

[section]

Listening to Barlo, Ethane nods. "These things... whatever they are... seem to have rather limited mental facilities, to say the least. So far, they don't recognize people they have met before, and they can't seem to reference dates, speaking only in relative time." He takes a sip of his drink experimentally. "Not bad, although one wonders if it is even real," he muses. Continuing on, the priest imagines, "Is it magic? Illusion?" Taking in the rich aroma, he concludes, "Doesn't taste magical. Just a decent mug of ale."
​

[/section]


. . . . Ethan Emberdawn . . . .

When the gnome returns with the stew, he focuses his attention on the great cat before him. Serving up a particularly sizable bowl of stew from his cart, he offers, "Well, it was Captain Landis and her posse which brought Mindy in the first time, anyway. She was tried and sentenced promptly, held in the town hall connected to the North-East tower. However, she escaped before her time was up." The gnome pauses, then elaborates, "More lives were lost in the panic that followed. The child was cornered and killed by guards the next day." With that, the gnome curses under his breath and begins wiping up some unseen dirt and grime from the table, as if he had spilled some of the stew while serving it, although Barlo, Ethane and Maui see nothing of the like.

[sblock=Previous post needs fixing]There is a narrative error in the Kitchen Scene. I'm fixing that.[/sblock]

 

[perrinmiller]

Barlo Hawkins, Human Bard

Barlo ahd a wrinkled brow as he considered the words the cleric mentioned and nodded with the analysis. "Aye, that appears to be what we have learned. I wonder..." He cast a magical spell to see auras, curious if he would find any around them.

Upon hearing the gnome's tale the bard noted that it was more history on what had likely befallen the town before everything got weird. He remarked to his companions, "I guess that continues to confirm a few things about how why and when this came about. The demon-childe might be more undead than demon. Maybe she turned into a lich. That would explain the ogre mage's fear... be that true, it is scaring the piss out of me too."

[sblock=OOC]Cast Detect Magic
Updated Mini-stats since I forgot[/sblock][sblock=Mini Stats]Character Sheet
Initiative: +4 Perception: +12
AC: 22 (20 flat-footed, 13 Touch)
HP: 72 Current: 72
CMB: +10 CMD: 23(21ff) Fort: +6 Reflex: +11 Will: +9
Current Conditions in Effect: None
Current Weapon in Hand: Shortbow

Bardic Performances (lingering 2 rnds): 24/27 Remaining
Spells Remaining: Cantrips: [Message, Read Magic, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound]
1st Level 6/7 (DC16) [CLW, Feather Fall, Hideous Laughter, Timely Inspiration, Grease, Vanish, Charm Person, Silent Image]
2nd Level 4/5 (DC17) [Sound Burst, Heroism, Glitterdust, Mirror Image, Invisibility, Calm Emotions, Silence, Mirror Image]
3rd Level 3/4 (DC18) [Haste, Slow, Phantom Steed, Confusion, Tiny Hut]
4th Level 2/2 (DC19) [Dimension Door, Dominate Person][/sblock]

 

[Aura]

Barlo casts a magical spell, allowing his eyes to see the magical currents of the place. As before, he notices the background level to be somewhat elevated, although not to the point that it prevents the spell from being useful. Another quick glace, a calibration of sorts, at Ethane allows him to determine that magical devices still show up as normal. Finally, he scans about, he discovers the people have the same level of background magic as the rest of the place, from the human woman to the merfolk she entertains and the gnomes that run the inn, all seem to be shrouded in some sort of magic. However, something about Mr Emberdawn seems different, and when the little man turns to clean a table a few feet away, Barlo sees it. There is a magical tether coming from the back of the gnome and trailing off into nowhere, fading more the further it away it is, until it seems to disappear. As he heads into the kitchen, the magical line seems to follow along, having a total length of about eight feet before disappearing into nothing.

 

[perrinmiller]

Barlo Hawkins, Human Bard

Barlo concentrated as looked around, paying particular attention to the gnome tavern keeper. With the proprietor leaving the common room, he looked more closely at the food and drink before them and at the other tables.

He spoke low, "Hmm, there is something different about the gnome. He is being magically controlled. I can see the magical leash coming from him. Unfortunately, I cannot see it go more than 10 feet before fading from sight."

"I am still not sure how that helps us though. I could guess and suggest Mindy would be controlling him. But tis only a guess or hunch."


[sblock=OOC]Maintain Detect Magic to examine the food and drink
Take 10 on Knowledge Arcana +10 (=20) to check the Auras for the school of magic.[/sblock][sblock=Mini Stats]Character Sheet
Initiative: +4 Perception: +12
AC: 22 (20 flat-footed, 13 Touch)
HP: 72 Current: 72
CMB: +10 CMD: 23(21ff) Fort: +6 Reflex: +11 Will: +9
Current Conditions in Effect: None
Current Weapon in Hand: Shortbow

Bardic Performances (lingering 2 rnds): 24/27 Remaining
Spells Remaining: Cantrips: [Message, Read Magic, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound]
1st Level 6/7 (DC16) [CLW, Feather Fall, Hideous Laughter, Timely Inspiration, Grease, Vanish, Charm Person, Silent Image]
2nd Level 4/5 (DC17) [Sound Burst, Heroism, Glitterdust, Mirror Image, Invisibility, Calm Emotions, Silence, Mirror Image]
3rd Level 3/4 (DC18) [Haste, Slow, Phantom Steed, Confusion, Tiny Hut]
4th Level 2/2 (DC19) [Dimension Door, Dominate Person][/sblock]

 

[Scott DeWar]

As Vincenzo moves around he thinks to himself, 'Now this girl is associated with undead, but what if she is leaving a stain of death and this gnome innkeep can smell this stain?'

 

[Aura]

[section]

Upon hearing Barlo's commentary, Ethane begins to cast a spell as well. At the end of the spell, he looks about, to the gnome, to his compatriots, and to the group of merfolk with the human entertaining them. He then comments, "You're right, Barlo. But, not only that, but the others are not controlled the same way. They don't have that leash thing you describe at all, just Mr Emberdawn. How very interesting." Taking a moment to check his mug of ale, Ethane releases the magic and goes back to drinking.
​

[/section]

About the time Ethane tilts back his mug, Barlo's concentration sharpens the focus of his senses, and the nature of the magic becomes evident. Although he cannot recognize what spell this might be, if one at all, the origin of the magic is clearly necromatic. As the gnome busily cleans on of the adjacent tables, the end of the tether flops back and forth, responding more to the little guy's motions than whatever point of origin it might have.

 

[perrinmiller]

Barlo Hawkins, Human Bard

Barlo’s brow wrinkled in thought. The situation was certainly puzzling and he was still at a loss about what to do. But they had been still learning bits and pieces as they went.

“Hmm, the magical aura is clearly necromantic, but that is to be expected I suppose. I wonder…”

He pulled out his dagger and rose from the chair. With the cantrip still active to see the magical tether, Barlo moved to try severing it with the sharp blade.

[sblock=Mini Stats]Character Sheet
Initiative: +4 Perception: +12
AC: 22 (20 flat-footed, 13 Touch)
HP: 72 Current: 72
CMB: +10 CMD: 23(21ff) Fort: +6 Reflex: +11 Will: +9
Current Conditions in Effect: None
Current Weapon in Hand: Shortbow

Bardic Performances (lingering 2 rnds): 24/27 Remaining
Spells Remaining: Cantrips: [Message, Read Magic, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound]
1st Level 6/7 (DC16) [CLW, Feather Fall, Hideous Laughter, Timely Inspiration, Grease, Vanish, Charm Person, Silent Image]
2nd Level 4/5 (DC17) [Sound Burst, Heroism, Glitterdust, Mirror Image, Invisibility, Calm Emotions, Silence, Mirror Image]
3rd Level 3/4 (DC18) [Haste, Slow, Phantom Steed, Confusion, Tiny Hut]
4th Level 2/2 (DC19) [Dimension Door, Dominate Person][/sblock]

 

[Aura]

In an experimental effort, Barlo draws a dagger and moving behind the busy gnome, swishes through the air where the magical tether seems to be. His dagger passes through the ethereal image, and neither dagger nor tether seem worse for wear. However, he does get the attention of the innkeeper, who turns around to see a man behind him with a drawn blade.


. . . . Ethan Emberdawn . . . .

"Whoa there, man!" Mr Emberdawn exclaims, stepping away from Barlo with a fearful look. However, even as he does so, his expression softens, and then he wrinkles his nose. "Oh my gosh," he begins, back to his regular speaking voice, "Your knife, sir... perhaps it could use a cleaning and oiling in a bad way. I'd be happy to do it for you, just so you'd be safer! Yes, safer with a nice, clean, knife!"

[section]

Watching the action from the table, Ethane drops his face into his hands. "It's... not... dirty..." he mutters, loud enough for those nearby to hear but that is about it. Lifting his head, the priest elaborates, "He's never been like this. Is he unable to differentiate clean from dirty objects? Anyway, any luck there with the magic tendril, Barlo?"
​

[/section]

[sblock=jbear]It's been about two weeks since jbear's last posting, if anyone has heard something let me know. I have seen nothing in AFK thread.[/sblock]

 

[jbear]

[sblock=OOC]Sorry, I'm here. I just don't really have anything to add and repeating that Maui is watching what is going on seems redundant. I think we have found some clues, but don't think we can make sense of them yet. I have the feeling we need to move on and try and find more puzzle pieces elsewhere (of course I could be wrong), so I am just waiting patiently for when that happens. [/sblock]