Looking behind you, you see no sign of the path on which you had been treading. Tzal is the first to realize what has happened. You've stumbled through a thin place in the world and have stepped into the faerie realm! And getting back out again will likely be much more complicated...
Chapter 4: Trip the Light Fantastic
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Looking behind you, you see no sign of the path on which you had been treading. Tzal is the first to realize what has happened. You've stumbled through a thin place in the world and have stepped into the faerie realm! And getting back out again will likely be much more complicated...
One really had to wonder where he'd learned baking, and why he was spending so much time on it. He walked over to one of the trees, offering some to a nearby squirrel. "Trade proposition. I provide these cookies. You bury our remains after we have been eaten alive by the faeries."
Watching R3N-L3 with eyebrows that questioned his sanity, Lauretta stepped closer to Wolfram. In a land such as this, it brought her some comfort to stand next to who she perceived to be the most normal of her companions. "I don't think faeries can eat the steel you're made of, Renly. We'll want to stick together if we're to make it out of this damned place. Whatever you do, don't trust anything."
Wolfram noticed Lauretta's new proximity and felt a little taller. Whether it was that she found him a comfort as they entered into battle yet again, or something else, he wasn't sure, but it was nice all the same.
"Let's see if our cookie baker can convince these faeries to leave us be and tell us where we are before we get too hasty with weapons."
That didn't stop Wolfram from placing a hand on his enchanted dagger.
"Ah! Greetings, mortals and automaton. It seems you've stumbled into our little realm here," he says cheerily. "My name's Myxlix, and this here is the Sky Pillars, named for the tall trees that hold up the heavens."
"Pastries do not require trust or a lack thereof, however."
Wolfram was of course delighted to be among these odd trees and this strange looking faeire with the tufts of bright hair piqued his interest.
"Greetings, Myxlix. It seems as though we have entered your world unexpectedly. What is this place whose trees have faces that come and go? Don't mind Renly here. He knows no better, being an automaton as you seem to know already."
"This here is the edge of our great faerie kingdom," the little man says to Wolfram. "A great and wondrous forest, it is. But not for mortals or constructs such as yourselves. You may not find everybody here as accommodating as me. They'll seek to trick and pester you for sport. Some may out-and-out try to kill you! So be on your guard!"
The Preceptor's guard did not break throughout their jaunt, and it certainly did not do so when they bumped into Myxlix. She considered arguing that pastries do require a degree of trust, but she thought the better of it. "I'd rather not have to spill blood if it can be avoided, but that won't stop me from defending myself. If these other denizens you speak of can be so hostile, would you be willing to show us the way out? My automaton friend can be rather goal-oriented if something gets in the way of his objectives. It wouldn't end well for anyone."
"Do these five things, and I shall reveal the way home for you."
"Oh, I doubt that, Lauretta. I'm sure your tales have and will raise many eyebrows. I look forward to more." As to leaving this place, it appeared that would not be easy.
"That's a little much, don't you think?" Wolfram asked Myxlyx, realizing that they probably had entered into a negotiation. "What if none of us can swim or dive to the bottom of a body of water?"
He watched the fairy Myxlix and his otherworldy demands about random things. Who is even the Great Mean Man? Or the Old Man Time? It all sounded like elaborate pranks and tricks. He silently bowed to the fairy and then walked out of earshot distance with his friends and spoke, "This all seems jumbled and smells of pranks. Maybe we should find another fairy and talk about their version of the story. Or we could just proceed and ask around about these things and probably find someone more understanding and manageable in their request."
"It's all absolute nonsense. Can't trust any fey to give a straight answer, but we're stuck here without a clue otherwise. Other than blindly asking questions and pressing on, the only thing I can think to do is to quietly wrangle one of them and force it to speak plainly. That'd just be a matter of picking our target carefully."
You know all about the Church’s ordinary and magical enemies. You can recall information about cults, heresies, demons, faeries, fiends, spirits, and undead. You also know how to question prisoners to get them to reveal secrets.
Would she be able to tell what kind of faery Myxlix is? Or if any of the things he spoke of sounds familiar?
As far as faeries go, korrigans are among the most benign you could hope to encounter.
"Eh? What's this? A metal man?" asks one of them
"And mortals beyond him!" another says with a little grin.
"Oh, my! It's been an age since we've had mortals visit us, hasn't it, me brothers?" the third faerie says.
"You must be hungry! Won't you all come in and have a nosh?" the fourth one says, eyes gleaming.
Lauretta recognizes these faeries as powries. Sometimes called redcaps, these faeries must keep their hats drenched in mortal blood or be destroyed by a curse that afflicts their kind.
"We are on a mission of great importance, and the only way we can stop to eat is if our mission is advanced. If you give us information on the Golden Bird, the Great Mean Man, the Starry Pond, Old Man Time, the swimming hill, or Ompha, then we may come in and dine with you, but that will depend on how much information you can give us here. I hope you understand." The monotone of her voice was approaching that of her clockwork companion's, but it was better than immediately slamming her axe into the nearest tricky bastard.
Her offer was all a lie, of course. The Preceptor's eyes stabbed down at the nearest of the creatures, looking to spot any falsehoods it spoke for what they were. Once she got the information she was looking for, she'd unleash judgment upon them.
Rolls
A Redcap's Luck Roll vs. Dire Attention - (1d20-1d6)
(6) - (1) = 5
The four faeries reach to the long, wickedly sharp razors tucked into their belts, their faces twisted into eager sneers!
Now clutched in Lauretta's fist, the silver skull of flames that rested on a chain on her neck began to glow. As orange light emanated from the amulet, it began to emit smoke between the gaps of her fingers. It did not burn her, but the air around the redcaps grew hot. Flames erupted around them, trying to cling to the devilish faeries.
Rolls
Luck Rolls vs. Castigation - (1d20-2d6h1, 1d20-1d6, 1d20-1d6, 1d20-1d6)
1d20-2d6h1 : (16) - (52) = 11
1d20-1d6 : (18) - (6) = 12
1d20-1d6 : (12) - (5) = 7
1d20-1d6 : (11) - (1) = 10
Castigation Damage - (1d6)
(5) = 5
A creature that takes damage from an attack you make with the weapon must succeed on a luck roll or catch fire (luck ends). If you get a failure on your roll to attack, one different enemy in reach must make an Agility roll. On a failure, it takes 1d6 damage from the flame
Rolls
Agility, Trickery boon - (1d20+3, 1d6)
1d20+3 : (17) + 3 = 20
1d6 : (1) = 1
Dagger Attack, boon damage - (1d6, 1d6)
1d6 : (5) = 5
1d6 : (6) = 6
Rolls
Intellect roll (corrosive globule) - (1d20+4)
(11) + 4 = 15
boon - (1d6)
(4) = 4
damage roll - (3d6)
(222) = 6
The burning faerie shrieks in anger and attacks Wolfram with his razor, scoring a horrid cut! As blood pours from the deep wound it soaks the powrie's cap, healing him. A second redcap moves in and delivers another horrible wound that takes the rogue down! The other two faeries rush up to attack Lauretta. One scores a devastating slice, but the last one fails to get past her armor.
Drench the Cap: If a flesh-and-blood target takes 10 damage or more, the powrie heals 1d6 damage.
Barring any reactions from R3N-L3, Wolfram takes a total of 41 damage which makes him incapacitated. Lauretta takes 21 damage.
@Lcythas R3N-L3 may act now before the round ends.
Rolls
Luck vs Catching Fire - (d20)
(4) = 4
Horrid Cut - (d20+4+d6;d20)
(1) + (5) + (6) + 4 = 16
Damage - (6d6)
(142434) = 18
Drench the Cap Healing - (d6)
(3) = 3
Horrid Cut - (d20+4+d6, d20)
d20+4+d6 : (16) + (3) + 4 = 23
d20 : (10) = 10
Damage - (6d6)
(152456) = 23
Horrid Cut - (d20+4+d6, d20)
d20+4+d6 : (15) + (4) + 4 = 23
d20 : (14) = 14
Damage - (6d6)
(262443) = 21
Horrid Cut, Weakened - (d20+4, d20)
d20+4 : (9) + 4 = 13
d20 : (10) = 10
Rolls
Luck - (1d20)
(7) = 7
"Operational parameters exceeded." R3N-L3 grated out, an errant spark and burst of steam emanating from his helmet. Something inside him ground to a shuddering stop, as the sapphire light faded from his helm's eye sockets.
Rolls
Luck roll - (1d20)
(7) = 7
Rolls
Luck Ends: On Fire, Cursed and Weakened, Cursed and Vulnerable - (d20, d20-d6, d20-d6)
d20 : (13) = 13
d20-d6 : (13) - (5) = 8
d20-d6 : (11) - (6) = 5
Luck Ends: Recharge Horrid Cut - (d20, d20, d20-d6, d20-d6)
d20 : (19) = 19
d20 : (2) = 2
d20-d6 : (19) - (5) = 14
d20-d6 : (19) - (3) = 16
On Fire Damage - (d6)
(2) = 2
Rolls
Agiity, Trickery boon, 2 Enchanted Dagger boons - (1d20+3, 1d6, 1d6, 1d6)
1d20+3 : (19) + 3 = 22
1d6 : (6) = 6
1d6 : (1) = 1
1d6 : (5) = 5
Boon Dmg, Reg dmg, Enchanted Dagger dmg - (1d6, 1d6, 1d6)
1d6 : (4) = 4
1d6 : (5) = 5
1d6 : (1) = 1
Rolls
Luck Ends (Dire Attention) - (1d20)
(14) = 14
Luck Roll vs. Dire Attention for Another Redcap - (1d20-1d6)
(6) - (2) = 4
Great Axe - Attack - (1d20+4+2d6h1)
(7) + (15) + 4 = 16
Great Axe - Damage w/ Holy Smite - (9d6)
(342524263) = 31
Recognizing Lauretta as the biggest threat, the three remaining redcaps circle her and lash out with their razors.
Rolls
Razor vs Lauretta, Weakened - (d20+4)
(19) + 4 = 23
Damage - (4d6)
(1134) = 9
Horrid Cut - (2d20h1+d6)
(1120) + (2) = 22
Damage - (6d6)
(544565) = 29
Horrid Cut - (2d20h1+4+d6)
(520) + (4) + 4 = 28
Damage - (6d6)
(451563) = 24
"You believe that friend Lauretta is the greatest threat. That is erroneous. You cannot kill me. Therefore, I am the greatest threat." He lectured the redcaps calmly as he struck out with a flickering blow at the one whose blade he'd parried.
Rolls
Attack roll - (1d20+5+2d6H1)
(10) + (52) + 5 = 20
Damage, first 4d6 is base, 5d6 if crit - (5d6)
(44363) = 20
Rerolling damage if crit - (5d6)
(56155) = 22
Rolls
Luck Ends (Cursed and Weakened, Cursed and Vulnerable) - (d20-d6, d20-d6)
d20-d6 : (10) - (6) = 4
d20-d6 : (6) - (1) = 5
Luck Ends (Horrid Cut Recharge) - (d20-d6, d20-d6)
d20-d6 : (11) - (4) = 7
d20-d6 : (12) - (4) = 8
Rolls
Intellect (Black bile poison) - (1d20+4)
(18) + 4 = 22
boon - (1d6)
(3) = 3
damage roll - (3d6)
(225) = 9
Rolls
Dire Attention Used (Luck Ends) - (1d20)
(20) = 20
Great Axe - Attack - (1d20+4+2d6h1)
(10) + (43) + 4 = 18
Great Axe - Damage - (6d6)
(222334) = 16
Using Flame Kiss again.
Rolls
Agiity, Trickery boon, 2 Enchanted Dagger boons - (1d20+3, 1d6, 1d6, 1d6)
1d20+3 : (8) + 3 = 11
1d6 : (6) = 6
1d6 : (1) = 1
1d6 : (3) = 3
Boon Dmg, Reg dmg, Enchanted Dagger dmg - (1d6, 1d6, 1d6, 1d6)
1d6 : (6) = 6
1d6 : (6) = 6
1d6 : (5) = 5
1d6 : (2) = 2
Rolls
Razor vs Lauretta, Weakened - (d20+4)
(19) + 4 = 23
Damage - (4d6)
(3341) = 11
The large, imposing warform took a long moment to inspect the wound he had suffered, oil trickling down his side, before shrugging philosophically and raising his blade for an executioner's strike.
"You did not accept my advice. Please die." He said calmly.
Rolls
1 Bane on the Redcap's attack - (1d6)
(2) = 2
Sword attack - (1d20+5+2d6H1)
(14) + (46) + 5 = 25
Damage, first 4d6 is base, 5d6 if crit - (5d6)
(33362) = 17
Rerolling damage if crit - (5d6)
(56661) = 24