Adventures #7 & #8 - Jotun Valley and the Dragon Orbs -&- Bleak be the Future

As the three quirky wizards finish their chant, the world seems to vibrate around you, just as the lights dim into inky shadows. Then, suddenly, the vibrations intensify and everything around you fades to darkness.

When the vibrations stop, you find yourself "floating" in a syrupy blackness. Nearby, you see one another through the haze, obscured by the shadowy substance in which you are suspended. Somewhere in the distance (though it's impossible to tell how far), a stream of white fluid quivers and dances like a slow-moving lightning.

As your eyes adjust to your surroundings, you detect a faint blue glow nearby, surrounded by countless faint orange auras.

"Jeremiah? Gumphrey? This is...different. You okay?" Elodie tries to speak, unsure if her companions will be able to hear her. If they do not respond, she will attempt to "think" at them.

Elodie wrote:"Jeremiah? Gumphrey? This is...different. You okay?" Elodie tries to speak, unsure if her companions will be able to hear her.

To Jeremiah, Elodie's voice sounds distorted, as it echoes in the void around him. "JEremIah-ah? GuMPhrey-ey? ThiS is-is ...diFferenT-enT. YOu oKaY-aY?"

Elodie hears Gumphrey's voice calling back to her, distorted and echoing. "i'M okAy-Ay. ArE yOu okaY-ay?"

Gumphrey struggles to swim through the inky darkness, approaching Elodie at a very slow rate. As he draws nearer, his voice becomes more clear. "Are we actually breathing this stuff? It feels weird."

Jeremiah will swim towards the sound of Elodies voice.

"Yea, I'm here. You guys OK?"

Swim +17

Alpha Omega wrote:Jeremiah will swim towards the sound of Elodies voice.
Swim +17
"Yea, I'm here. You guys OK?"

Swimming in the syrupy darkness proves to be difficult,  but Jeremiah somehow manages it.
Gumphrey nods to Jeremiah. "Yeah, I'm good. What do we do, now?"

"Okay. Let's...think." Elodie closes her eyes and attempts to 'think' as hard as she can about Lazukar.

Jeremiah wrote:"We concentrate on finding the evil wizard and avoid everything else we come across."

Elodie wrote:"Okay. Let's...think." Elodie closes her eyes and attempts to 'think' as hard as she can about Lazukar.

Elodie's Concentration Check = 27 (Success), Jeremiah's Concentration Check = 24 (Success), Gumphrey's Concentration Check = 11 (Fail)

The heroes concentrate on finding Lazukar and feel themselves slipping through the inky blackness ... a sensation that feels like falling, sideways. As the sensation intensifies, Elodie and Jeremiah realize that Gumphrey is no longer with them! He must of slipped off in the wrong direction!

"That sounds like the best plan of action. Hope Gumphrey hasn't thought himself too far away..."

Elodie will concentrate hard on Gumphrey.

Elodie and Jeremiah both focus on finding Gumphrey.

- Elodie's Roll = 23
- Jeremiah's Roll = 16

The feeling of falling sideways occurs again, this time leaving the both of you feeling dizzy ... but you do manage to find Gumphrey, drifting through the darkness on a chunk of rock the size of small tower. Purple moss covers most of the rock, but Gumphrey seems to have found a spot that is free of the growth. As you hurl toward him, he stares up at you with vague recognition. "Elodie? Jeremiah? Where have you been? It's been such a long time since I've seen you!"

Jeremiah will pull rope from his explorers pack.


"Here tie this around yourselves, it should help us stay together."

Elodie grabs one end of the rope and secures herself to the line. Afterward, she will check on Gumphrey. "It hasn't been that long for us. How are you feeling, Gumphrey? Are you okay?"

Jeremiah wrote:Jeremiah will pull rope from his explorers pack. "Here tie this around yourselves, it should help us stay together."

Elodie wrote:Elodie grabs one end of the rope and secures herself to the line. Afterward, she will check on Gumphrey. "It hasn't been that long for us. How are you feeling, Gumphrey? Are you okay?"

Gumphrey secures the rope, as well. "I'm alright. I knew you two would come back for me! How long has been? Two years, I reckon?"

Elodie stares at Gumphrey for a few seconds. "Maybe for you, Gumphrey, but Jeremiah and I were only away from you for a few minutes. Are you hungry? What did you eat? What happened to you while we were away?"

Elodie and Jeremiah are able to concentrate on finding Lazukar, whilst dragging Gumphrey along with a rope. As before, it feels like you're falling sideways, through perpetually black space, as blue and white and orange auras dance all around you (some distant, others nearer). You manage to steer clear of the perpetual dangers of this realm, even as you race through it on your way to end Lazukar. It is impossible to keep track of time. A part of you feels like you've been here far too long, but you're just as sure that only moments have passed.

Eventually, your find yourself near a pond, surrounded by menacing trees with too many vines, all floating amidst the syrupy darkness. Though murky, the water does not appear to be very deep. Spotted mollusks, the size of house cats, peak through the surface of the water, staring at your approach. A small cottage-like structure, made of rock and wood, stands in disrepair, less than ten yards from the pond. Through the dirt-crusted windows, you can see light dancing inside.

"This must be where Lazukar has retreated to. Prepare yourselves!"

Cats Grace
Owls Wisdom
Bears Endurance

Jeremiah will remove the rope from his waist and draw both of his axes.

Gumphrey sneaks up to the cabin and peaks into the window. Then, he rushes back. "He looks weird ... like smaller and sort of baby-like. Plus, he's naked and floating in the air and glowing."

Elodie snorts. "Like Jeremiah when he's had too much to drink? ... Just kidding, Jeremiah. Let me have a few moments to prepare us for battle."

She begins to cast a series of spells, each designed to strengthen the party as they fight.

Cast Owl's Wisdom, Bear's Endurance, and Cat's Grace on Gumphrey and herself.

• +4 Wisdom (15 minutes)
  
• +4 Constitution (15 minutes)
  
• +4 Dexterity (15 minutes)
  

Cast Freedom of Movement and Death Ward on the whole party.

• Enables you to move and attack normally for the duration of the spell, even under the influence of magic that usually impedes movement. All combat maneuver checks made to grapple the target automatically fail. The subject automatically succeeds on any combat maneuver checks and Escape Artist checks made to escape a grapple or pin. (15 minutes)
  
• The subject gains a +4 morale bonus on saves against all death spells and magical death effects. The subject is granted a save to negate such effects even if one is not normally allowed. The subject is immune to energy drain and any negative energy effects, including channeled negative energy. (15 minutes)
  

Cast True Seeing and Stoneskin on herself.

• Ability to see all things as they actually are (15 minutes)
  
• Resistance to blows, cuts, stabs, and slashes, and DR 10/adamantine (150 minutes or 150 points of damage blocked)
  

After all of the buffs are prepared, she will cast one more spell on everyone, to give the entire party a little boost on their first attacks.

Cast Guidance on everyone.

"If we're ready, I'd like to start with a nice blast of light that may blind him, so it's important that I do it while we're all still at a distance...unless either of you have another plan?"

Once Jeremiah and Gumphrey have acknowledged and accepted her plan, Elodie will begin to summon surrounding energy into a tiny ball inside the cabin. With a final gesture, the ball of light explodes outward, filling the cabin with blinding light.

Cast Sunburst.
Damage = 21, and anyone inside the area is blinded
Reflex save = damage halved, no blindness