This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
{{As per the spell Aid, the duration of the additional HP is 8 hours. My understanding is that it is 8 hours of your time, not the time of the caster. So, yes, it is still up for another 7 - 7.5 hours.}}
Nalgas presses the orange crystal and ushers you out of the war chamber as the orange highlight on the illusory map fades. The group travels past the Pool of Rejuvenation and turns left at the junction. A carved symbol is on the wall, saying Level 2 in Primordial. As you travel further along the corridor, the group is met by the same mirror-like substance as the one the group has traveled through.
"It seems that there is indeed a problem with the Voidsphere," Nalgas says. "Lifting the Sphere doesn't leave this much residue. It is supposed to rid the amber barrier and equalize the flow of time between the two sides. With the amber barrier still partially up, it is no wonder time progresses albeit differently. Entering this barrier will further increase the time difference between us and the people waiting for you outside."
{{I need everyone to make a Wisdom save as they enter the barrier. Nalgas' Wisdom save: 8}}
"Will do" Dvark briefly pulls out the omcom and gives a rundown of their next steps in 25 word or less messages. ((sorry don't want to count all that out right now)) "Well there's nothing to be done but try and solve this I guess." Dvark follows the others through the barrier
The reply to the message comes almost immediately from the Om-Com. "Monitor. Proceed with caution. Hole expanded three feet since last. Rate is increasing. Camp relocated further away." Redmoon-29-2112-FCM.
As you enter through the second barrier, you immediately feel the air is wrong. You are unsure of what it is yet, but something in the air and around you is not as it is supposed to be. You can hear noises further down and it sounds muffled.
You step downstairs on spiraling stairways that lead to a corridor heading further north. The corridor itself is dim. Bodies of Footsoldiers and the occasional partially gone Ancient lay on the ground. A flicker of movement on the other end of the corridor accompanies the sound of metal bashing against metal. Yells and growls can be heard echoing down the corridor once in a while, sounding as if coming through a layer of water. The sounds become clearer and clearer as the group walks toward the end of the corridor, but you cannot help but hear some difference between the yells and growls. The closer you get to the source of the sound, the better you can hear that some of the yells and growls seem to sound slow.
As you exit the corridor, you finally discover why the place is called Bast Trench when there is no visible trench around it. Before you, an underground trench stretches north as far as your eyes can see. At a glance, the trench is probably a quarter mile wide at its narrowest point and a further 50 to 60 feet deep. A ledge runs along the right and left sides of the trench, wide enough for three people to walk abreast.
The sight before you is both macabre and fascinating at the same time. It is an active battlefield suspended in time. On the ledge, Ancients and Veistonii battled each other, some moving in real-time, while some others seem to have been under a slower time than the rest. The Ancients seem to be retreating further north to a platform that is suspended in the middle of the trench. Bodies of both Veistonii Footsoldiers, Veistonii Predators, and Ancients littered the ledge. The left ledge seems to have the densest skirmish compared to the right where a small group of 3 Ancients is making a stand against 7 Footsoldiers. The platform is about 250 to 300 feet away, holding a large black orb that encompasses almost half of the 100 feet diameter platform. Standing on it are a couple of Ancients fighting 4 Footsoldiers and a four-handed humanoid figure clad in chitinous red armor; the Ancients are slowly losing.
"That is the Voidsphere," Nalgas says, pointing at the large black orb, "and it seems that a Predator has reached it."
On the level below, on the open ground of the trench base, you can see a battlefield captured in a moment of time akin to a picture of old wars. Breakers, Footsoldier, and Predators are swarming a group of Ancients encircling a pod; both sides are seemingly frozen in motion. You notice an Ancient wreathed in fire and brimstone fighting a skeletal figure clad in a green tunic, blade flaming white hot and nearly bisecting the skeletal figure's head, and the skeletal figure itself pointing toward the platform where the Voidsphere resides with sickly green sparks of lightning coming out of its finger. A bit further away, you can see a small group of Leonin, Elves, and Fairies in the middle of a charge toward the flank of the Veistonii army. A large grey-maned Leonin is leading the charge, seemingly carving symbols of power on the air before him with his large sword.
"Chief Fiyero," Nalgas says, pointing toward the fire Ancient, "and Warrior Teranil," pointing toward the Leonin leader. "We have to get to the Predator before it can do something more to the Voidsphere. The Voidsphere controls the Sphere layers. If the third Sphere layer falls, that powerful magoi that the Necron is currently unleashing will strike the Voidsphere regardless of whether Chief Fiyero can kill it fast enough. There is no telling what will occur if that happens."
Drexon, as your eyes gaze upon the Voidsphere, you see something that none of your companions seem to notice. Almost unseen on the dark ceiling of the underground trench are tendrils of darkness coming from a small crack on the top of the Voidsphere and latching to the ceiling, to the ground, and to the dead around the Voidsphere. Your entire body shudders as you feel something looking back at you for just a moment before the feeling disappears.
"Whoa, did anyone else see that? Feel that?", Drexon asks, looking at the other's for some kind of similar reaction and finding none. He is normally in good control of his reactions, but this was something else, something altogether sinister, and it went right through him.
He turns to Nalgas, a worried expression crossing his face.
"Have you seen that crack in the Voidsphere before?", he asks pointing to the top of it. "And those inky black tendrils coming from it, what are they?", he asks even as he slowly walks closer, trying to get a better view.
"Cracks?" Nalgas asks, surprised and fearful. "Then there is no time to waste. You must reclaim the platform before the Predator can do more damage to the Voidsphere. I will help the others fend off the Footsoldiers so you can go ahead faster. Be very careful of being near the Predator."
You travel along the right ledge, dashing through fallen bodies of Veistonii and Ancients alike. Halfway toward the platform, Nalgas ushers you ahead as they help the three Ancients fending off seven Footsoldiers. The Ancients keep the Footsoldiers busy enough that you pass through unharmed.
{{Make another Wisdom save for me as you pass the halfway mark to the platform.}}
As you move closer and closer, you can see that the two Ancients that are trying their hardest to defend the platform are faltering. They manage to stab one Footsoldier through its head, leaving three Footsoldiers still standing and the unharmed Predator, but they are at their last leg. You also begin to see what Drexon has alluded to, that there is a crack at the top of the Voidsphere that is leaking thin tendrils of darkness. Some of the tendrils latch on the ceiling, while some others begin to loosely touch the dead Footsoldiers and dead Ancient around the platform.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
You are about 100 feet away from the platform when that same feeling that you get when you enter through the second barrier encompasses you. The air is wrong, and as you rush toward the platform you can feel the sound around you becoming muffled. There is a slight resistance in your movement as if you are moving against a heavy wind. Your body moves sluggishly for a while before everything rushes back and the air is right again. Your pace increases again, and you finally reach the platform just in time to see one of the two last defenders of the platform being thrown off the platform by two Footsoldiers, leaving one still standing albeit weakly.
A din ring from the Voidsphere, echoing through the trench. The hairline crack on the Voidsphere grows into a visible fracture. The predator, a four-handed creature with jagged thorns and spines covering its red chitinous body, is standing in front of a partially broken panel at the base of the Voidsphere. From your place at the edge of the platform, you can see rows upon rows of grinning sharp teeth on its face. It raises one of its arms to strike the panel again but stops to turn toward your arrival. You can see no eyes or ears on the predator's face, but you get the feeling that it knows that you are there.
Karm, as you look at the enlarging fracture, you swear that you see a flash of red from within. You only notice it because it has a familiar shade of red. It reminds you of that time so long ago when you found a piece of a fallen star.
{{I think it is a good time to roll for Initiative.}}
Eremoz takes a breath and focuses. “Let’s go.”
{{As per the spell Aid, the duration of the additional HP is 8 hours. My understanding is that it is 8 hours of your time, not the time of the caster. So, yes, it is still up for another 7 - 7.5 hours.}}
Nalgas presses the orange crystal and ushers you out of the war chamber as the orange highlight on the illusory map fades. The group travels past the Pool of Rejuvenation and turns left at the junction. A carved symbol is on the wall, saying Level 2 in Primordial. As you travel further along the corridor, the group is met by the same mirror-like substance as the one the group has traveled through.
"It seems that there is indeed a problem with the Voidsphere," Nalgas says. "Lifting the Sphere doesn't leave this much residue. It is supposed to rid the amber barrier and equalize the flow of time between the two sides. With the amber barrier still partially up, it is no wonder time progresses albeit differently. Entering this barrier will further increase the time difference between us and the people waiting for you outside."
{{I need everyone to make a Wisdom save as they enter the barrier. Nalgas' Wisdom save: 8}}
Cob WIS Save: 23
Wis: 17
Wisdom Save: 13
Olloray Dim - Limbo's Pit
Gunther Korroden - Nightmares in the Mist
“We should warn the outside before stepping through then”, Drexon says
Wisdom Save: 17+3=20
"Will do" Dvark briefly pulls out the omcom and gives a rundown of their next steps in 25 word or less messages. ((sorry don't want to count all that out right now)) "Well there's nothing to be done but try and solve this I guess." Dvark follows the others through the barrier
Wisdom:6+6 = 12
The reply to the message comes almost immediately from the Om-Com. "Monitor. Proceed with caution. Hole expanded three feet since last. Rate is increasing. Camp relocated further away." Redmoon-29-2112-FCM.
As you enter through the second barrier, you immediately feel the air is wrong. You are unsure of what it is yet, but something in the air and around you is not as it is supposed to be. You can hear noises further down and it sounds muffled.
You step downstairs on spiraling stairways that lead to a corridor heading further north. The corridor itself is dim. Bodies of Footsoldiers and the occasional partially gone Ancient lay on the ground. A flicker of movement on the other end of the corridor accompanies the sound of metal bashing against metal. Yells and growls can be heard echoing down the corridor once in a while, sounding as if coming through a layer of water. The sounds become clearer and clearer as the group walks toward the end of the corridor, but you cannot help but hear some difference between the yells and growls. The closer you get to the source of the sound, the better you can hear that some of the yells and growls seem to sound slow.
As you exit the corridor, you finally discover why the place is called Bast Trench when there is no visible trench around it. Before you, an underground trench stretches north as far as your eyes can see. At a glance, the trench is probably a quarter mile wide at its narrowest point and a further 50 to 60 feet deep. A ledge runs along the right and left sides of the trench, wide enough for three people to walk abreast.
The sight before you is both macabre and fascinating at the same time. It is an active battlefield suspended in time. On the ledge, Ancients and Veistonii battled each other, some moving in real-time, while some others seem to have been under a slower time than the rest. The Ancients seem to be retreating further north to a platform that is suspended in the middle of the trench. Bodies of both Veistonii Footsoldiers, Veistonii Predators, and Ancients littered the ledge. The left ledge seems to have the densest skirmish compared to the right where a small group of 3 Ancients is making a stand against 7 Footsoldiers. The platform is about 250 to 300 feet away, holding a large black orb that encompasses almost half of the 100 feet diameter platform. Standing on it are a couple of Ancients fighting 4 Footsoldiers and a four-handed humanoid figure clad in chitinous red armor; the Ancients are slowly losing.
"That is the Voidsphere," Nalgas says, pointing at the large black orb, "and it seems that a Predator has reached it."
On the level below, on the open ground of the trench base, you can see a battlefield captured in a moment of time akin to a picture of old wars. Breakers, Footsoldier, and Predators are swarming a group of Ancients encircling a pod; both sides are seemingly frozen in motion. You notice an Ancient wreathed in fire and brimstone fighting a skeletal figure clad in a green tunic, blade flaming white hot and nearly bisecting the skeletal figure's head, and the skeletal figure itself pointing toward the platform where the Voidsphere resides with sickly green sparks of lightning coming out of its finger. A bit further away, you can see a small group of Leonin, Elves, and Fairies in the middle of a charge toward the flank of the Veistonii army. A large grey-maned Leonin is leading the charge, seemingly carving symbols of power on the air before him with his large sword.
"Chief Fiyero," Nalgas says, pointing toward the fire Ancient, "and Warrior Teranil," pointing toward the Leonin leader. "We have to get to the Predator before it can do something more to the Voidsphere. The Voidsphere controls the Sphere layers. If the third Sphere layer falls, that powerful magoi that the Necron is currently unleashing will strike the Voidsphere regardless of whether Chief Fiyero can kill it fast enough. There is no telling what will occur if that happens."
Drexon, as your eyes gaze upon the Voidsphere, you see something that none of your companions seem to notice. Almost unseen on the dark ceiling of the underground trench are tendrils of darkness coming from a small crack on the top of the Voidsphere and latching to the ceiling, to the ground, and to the dead around the Voidsphere. Your entire body shudders as you feel something looking back at you for just a moment before the feeling disappears.
Eremoz looks around the battle before them, spending an extra second focused on Teranil. He turns to the Ancient, “Red one is the predator?”
As soon as the Ancient confirms this, Eremoz begins sprinting towards the Voidsphere.
Dvark nods to Eremos and sprints alongside him.
"Whoa, did anyone else see that? Feel that?", Drexon asks, looking at the other's for some kind of similar reaction and finding none. He is normally in good control of his reactions, but this was something else, something altogether sinister, and it went right through him.
He turns to Nalgas, a worried expression crossing his face.
"Have you seen that crack in the Voidsphere before?", he asks pointing to the top of it. "And those inky black tendrils coming from it, what are they?", he asks even as he slowly walks closer, trying to get a better view.
To time to waste, Drexon says karm as he jogs past him, trying to limit the space between him and Eremoz and Dvark.
Olloray Dim - Limbo's Pit
Gunther Korroden - Nightmares in the Mist
"Cracks?" Nalgas asks, surprised and fearful. "Then there is no time to waste. You must reclaim the platform before the Predator can do more damage to the Voidsphere. I will help the others fend off the Footsoldiers so you can go ahead faster. Be very careful of being near the Predator."
You travel along the right ledge, dashing through fallen bodies of Veistonii and Ancients alike. Halfway toward the platform, Nalgas ushers you ahead as they help the three Ancients fending off seven Footsoldiers. The Ancients keep the Footsoldiers busy enough that you pass through unharmed.
{{Make another Wisdom save for me as you pass the halfway mark to the platform.}}
As you move closer and closer, you can see that the two Ancients that are trying their hardest to defend the platform are faltering. They manage to stab one Footsoldier through its head, leaving three Footsoldiers still standing and the unharmed Predator, but they are at their last leg. You also begin to see what Drexon has alluded to, that there is a crack at the top of the Voidsphere that is leaking thin tendrils of darkness. Some of the tendrils latch on the ceiling, while some others begin to loosely touch the dead Footsoldiers and dead Ancient around the platform.
Con holds back for a second, looking where Drexon described the black tendrils. But he then points where the others are going.
”Do we want to run headlong into there? Will we just be caught in the same frozen time?”
Cob Wis Save: 15
Dvark continues dashing ahead with Eremos, in too much of a hurry to help to hear Cobs cautions.
Wisdom:7
Drexon follows behind, cautiously watching the voidsphere for more signs of the strange feeling of being watched.
Wis Save: 2+3=5
{{ What a string of bad saves!! }}
{{lemme switch it up then}}
Wisdom save: 9
{{well...}}
Olloray Dim - Limbo's Pit
Gunther Korroden - Nightmares in the Mist
Wis: 2
You are about 100 feet away from the platform when that same feeling that you get when you enter through the second barrier encompasses you. The air is wrong, and as you rush toward the platform you can feel the sound around you becoming muffled. There is a slight resistance in your movement as if you are moving against a heavy wind. Your body moves sluggishly for a while before everything rushes back and the air is right again. Your pace increases again, and you finally reach the platform just in time to see one of the two last defenders of the platform being thrown off the platform by two Footsoldiers, leaving one still standing albeit weakly.
A din ring from the Voidsphere, echoing through the trench. The hairline crack on the Voidsphere grows into a visible fracture. The predator, a four-handed creature with jagged thorns and spines covering its red chitinous body, is standing in front of a partially broken panel at the base of the Voidsphere. From your place at the edge of the platform, you can see rows upon rows of grinning sharp teeth on its face. It raises one of its arms to strike the panel again but stops to turn toward your arrival. You can see no eyes or ears on the predator's face, but you get the feeling that it knows that you are there.
Karm, as you look at the enlarging fracture, you swear that you see a flash of red from within. You only notice it because it has a familiar shade of red. It reminds you of that time so long ago when you found a piece of a fallen star.
{{I think it is a good time to roll for Initiative.}}
Footsoldier 1 Initiative: 4
Footsoldier 2 Initiative: 15
Footsoldier 3 Initiative: 19
Predator Initiative: 16
Ancient Defender Initiative 18