Ghosts of Saltmarsh (cbaer8) - Campaign Thread

Kei 

He wakes like a child on their birthday. Eager and excited. The spirits trapped in his cards were about to share even more secrets. He clears an area and begins laying out his cards. With them strewn on the ground in a haphazard pattern he waits to see if his invite is acted upon. 

If the two do join him he begins tracing symbols on the ground between the cards, pausing at times to chant in a quiet hum.

If they do not he simply repeats the same motions as he had the day before.

The night is uneasy. The horses have difficulty settling, the slight smell of smoke is troubling, and a sense of foreboding is in the air. Nobody sleeps well. The first and second watch come and go. The third watch, too, is quiet. Kei and Peri are awake; so is Lankus, who hasn't slept much. (Qivys, Boko and Gerrard are awake if they choose to be, or have been awoken by one another.) It is still very dark, although a gray twilight is expected to arrive soon.

Gerrard:

Gerrard is awake for the middle shift, but sleeps until at least  dawn assuming he is not awoken before then.

Boko returns and relays what she found, both relieved and concerned. She nods at the quiet proposal, and volunteers for second watch, waking when Qivys finishes 

Peri:

Peri is awakened by Qivys at the end of the first watch, though in truth he hadn't been sleeping well anyway. You're about to attack a friend; d'ya think you should be sleepin' like a baby? He sits up and sees Boko is also awake, but the rest of their camp remains asleep. He motions Qivys and Boko to put their heads together and whispers, "I'm gonna stun him. Qivys should probably try to take the ring off him, unless you have an animal shape you think would work better?" When his co-conspirators are ready he will creep over to ready a series of Stunning Strikes to the unconscious bard. Stop feelin' guilty; you're doin' it for his own good!

"Are ya sure tha ring is tha problem?" Qivys asks. 

Boko quietly whispers. "I could try to dispel magic that my be active on that ring. Unclear if it will work. I could also heat metal in the ring and he may try to take it off himself. I doubt even my octopus form would be helpful in removing it but I can try if you think it wise. I would hope that he, deep down, wishes us to free him of this... attachment. The other question is what we do with the ring once it is off. Even if he snaps back to sanity, we do not want it near us, I would assume. I might be able to summon a companion to take it off into the wilds, which would help if it is being tracked. Or we could throw it in the stream tied to a branch, carrying it away in the current. Let me know which spell, or perhaps both, to prepare and I can cast while he sleeps."

Peri:

"I hope it's the ring," he mutters in reply to Dwal's question. Don't wanna think what it might mean if it's not the ring. He nods at Boko's suggestion. "Okay, I'll clobber him, Qivys, you take the ring. If it comes off, Boko can try to unspell it; if not, she heats it up. We can figure what to do with it when the time comes. Good? Okay then, one... two... three!" And with that countdown, Peri pounces on Kei's sleeping form, aiming three sharp blows to nerve centers in the hope of freezing him.

Attack #1: 25 for 10 non-lethal, but very real, damage
Attack #2: 18 for 10
BA Attack: 17 for 5
All 3 use a Ki point for Stunning Strike (DC14 CON save or be stunned until the end of Peri's next turn)

((Also, Initiative for once Kei is awake: 23))

Once Peri strikes, Qivys will grab the hand the ring is on and attempt to pull it off. 

Kei 

Sleeping soundly in the knowledge he was to make a breakthrough with his ancient set of cards he is oblivious to the plot against him. Then suddenly...one punch, two then three. He wakes feeling as though a herd of cattle have run him over. Grunting and wincing as the blows come in rapid succession he tries to tuck himself into a ball. "What....uuugh...."

Constitution Saves 16; 11; 7

He looks around as best he can through the pain only to see Peri and Qivys standing over him. "What....I.....deserve...this..?" The wind knocked from his chest he speaks in broken gasps.

Kei is stunned. Qivys slides the small gold ring off Kei's left hand with only a little difficulty. It's an old, unadorned golden band with no markings or stones. Finely crafted, and Peri confirms, emitting no arcane signatures.

Kei is disoriented and in quite a lot of pain.

Bokonitiative: 18

The druid looks at Kei directly in the eyes and casts dispel magic, attempting to halt whatever effect may still be placed on him from the vampire.

With an arcane word and gesture, Boko removes any low-level spells affecting Kei. Whether it was successful, she does not yet know.

Peri may act next.

Initiative:
   Peri: 23
√ Boko: 18
X  Kei:  22 (stunned)
√  Qivys: 11
X  Gerrard (sleeping)

Peri:

Peri leans over the stunned Kei and lightly slaps his cheeks to help rouse him. "Wake up! Are you yourself again? What is Bela?" He readies another Stunning Strike in case the bard tries to cast a spell. 

((Kei is no longer stunned at the end of Peri's turn.))

Gerrard:

Perception at disadvantage while sleeping:  4

Qivys will move away about 30 ft. away and drop the ring onto the ground and return to the gathering of the group.
On his way back he will kick Gerrard's foot.
"Ya best get up so we can sort this out." he says to the sleepy noble. 

Qivys leaves the comfortable dome, drops the ring into the snow near the horses, and returns to the warmth of the magical hut to wake Gerrard.

Meanwhile, Kei, prone and now ringless, comes to his senses with Peri readying a strike above him.

Kei 

With the pain finally subsiding, at least to a point that he can talk, he looks at the heavy handed halfling hovering above him. "Zagyg's britches! What have I done to deserve a beating whilst I sleep?" He sits, gingerly, and takes in the scene around him. Everyone awake and staring at him Kei shifts on the spot. "WHAT?!" It's then he notices his new man-ring is missing. "Who stole my ring? I bet it was you!" He fingers Peri square in the chest. "No matter. 'twas but a trinket anyhow. Nothing magical about it." 

Still with eyes only for Peri he continues. "So do you want to tell me why you thought it'd be amusing to beat a sleeping man?" He reaches a hand into the pouch on his belt containing his cards but does not remove it, instead looping his thumb through his belt. He stands ,defiant, waiting on a response.

"You have been charmed. Or influenced. By a vampire. Who takes children. We are not being invited to a real party. You have to know this, right?" Boko says. "Your assertions that this 'Bela' is just a nice new friend are unconvincing. I do not wish to walk into a death trap with one of my companions eager to jump in."

Gerrard:

Waking up at Qivys' insistent prodding, Gerrard props himself up on an elbow and takes in the situation.  He says solemnly, "Master Kei, you attacked me physically and with a spell as I tried to defeat the vampire who had just admitted to murdering and drinking the blood of that poor girl we found near our cabin.  Master Fenwader speaks truly--I cannot believe that you would act in such a way without supernatural or magical compulsion."

Persuasion if needed:  18