[20:21] <DM_Tol> * When we last met, our newly endowed heros had andwered the call from a mysterious, other-worldly Neoma.
[20:22] <DM_Tol> In her mysterious dome, she challenged you to accept a new destiny, to embrace her ritual of empowerment, and transform from being a common person, onto a path of extraordinary ability.
[20:23] <DM_Tol> An evil and corrupted force has planted in the countryside. Strange deaths of nearby flocks. Disappearances of some youth. The signs were beginning to grow.
[20:24] <DM_Tol> After embracing the ritual, she sent you back to Azod. To gather travelling things, and in the morning, equip yourselves, including the mysterious task of claiming an item that you�re drawn to with a signet.
[20:24] <DM_Tol> Evening has passed and you awake in the morning *
[20:25] <Theriand> (I have not selected the 'marked' item yet… wasn't sure if there was any restrictions or whatnot…)

[20:21] <DM_Tol> * When we last met, our newly endowed heros had andwered the call from a mysterious, other-worldly Neoma.
[20:22] <DM_Tol> In her mysterious dome, she challenged you to accept a new destiny, to embrace her ritual of empowerment, and transform from being a common person, onto a path of extraordinary ability.
[20:23] <DM_Tol> An evil and corrupted force has planted in the countryside. Strange deaths of nearby flocks. Disappearances of some youth. The signs were beginning to grow.
[20:24] <DM_Tol> After embracing the ritual, she sent you back to Azod. To gather travelling things, and in the morning, equip yourselves, including the mysterious task of claiming an item that you�re drawn to with a signet.
[20:24] <DM_Tol> Evening has passed and you awake in the morning *
[20:25] <Theriand> (I have not selected the 'marked' item yet… wasn't sure if there was any restrictions or whatnot…)

[20:05] <DM_Tol> When we left off, the newly formed band of heroes-in-the-making left the abode of Neoma, the otherworldly creature that summoned them to this life of intrigue.
[20:07] <DM_Tol> After discussing the presence of a an other-dimensional evil being taking residence in a castle to the south, you were sent first to investigate the unnatural animal sightings, which include the slaughtering of herds of cattle sheep and goats.
[20:08] <DM_Tol> You mission is to find the unnatural beasts causing the harm, and bring back a specimen, dead or alive, to Neoma to help her ascertain what we’re up against.
[20:08] <DM_Tol> The group gathered info from farm to farm south of Azod, when they arrived at on stricken locale. You spied a goat drug under the tall grass and bleating as you hear in the distance it being carted away.

[20:05] <DM_Tol> When our new heroes of Azod last left off, they survived (barely) a fight they picked with a foursome of corrupt animals. After resting at the nearby farm, they collect the corps of the rat and head back to Neoma’s Dome. After a three-hour journey they see the rise on the hill where Neoma resides, just an hour south of town.

[20:35] <DM_Tol> The group last session adventured the day’s journey and found the abandoned castle of which Neoma spoke. Just in the distance it rose from a hilltop, but before approaching, you were set on by a couple creatues Neoma identified as Quasits.
[20:35] * Ryu is now known as Theriand
[20:36] <DM_Tol> This confirms for here that it is in fact an other planar Demon that has made its nest in these lands.
[20:37] <DM_Tol> Neoma cast another enhancement ritual upon your party. You sleep through the night and awaken with your abiliteis enhanced once more.

[20:09] <@Tolman> The castle is clearly within ruins… some 130 ft across at the front, the entrance’s gates have long since been removed.
[20:09] <@Tolman> You do not see or hear any sign of activity.
[20:10] <@Tolman> As you move to the gate, the wind perhaps blows, and the two trees flanking you move in the breeze.
[20:10] <@Tolman> …on second look, the trees attack you with swift fury.
[20:10] <Khophus> (The dwarf was right!)
[20:10] <@Tolman> The two trees flanking the gates animate and come alive as they fiercely attack two party members.
[20:11] <@Tolman> <[DM_Tol's 3d6(16)+4 'bludgeoning damage Khophus']: 20
[20:11] <@Tolman> <[DM_Tol's 3d6(7)+4 'bludgeoning damage Dylan']: 11
[20:11] <@Tolman> Khophus flies limply through the air, landing in a crumpled heap.
[20:11] <@Tolman> Theriand slowly backs away, trying to put some distance between himself and the trees
[20:12] <@Tolman> (any questions about the scene before we begin?)
[20:12] * Tolman is now known as <DM_Tol
[20:12] <Khophus> (No – I'm at 0, so…help? Help, I say?)
[20:13] <Theriand> (Last sessions log if anybody needs to rescan it: http://grovewoodsaga.com/doku.php?id=campaigns:k4:session_5_-_7-16-2017_-_castles_and_trees )
[20:14] <DM_Tol> (on the map, the TR are the only two trees that animated.)
[20:16] <Theriand> (kk)
[20:17] <Theriand> (assuming we're still in init, what was the order)
[20:18] <DM_Tol> (that was just a surprise round, so didn’t do init yet)

[20:09] <DM_Tol> The party made it to the castle ruins, to begin the search for what otherworldly evil presence has taken up residence. At the entrance, two trees animated and attacked.
[20:10] <DM_Tol> All members fell in the conflict, when Khophus coming to, drug each party member behind trees and rocks, collapsing in exhaustion.
[20:10] <DM_Tol> Out of sight, the trees returned to their posts. After an hour, each of you regain coinciousness.
[20:10] * Khophus plops down, looking at the others…then back to the trees…he whips his shield off of his arm…

[20:12] <Ash> (We are weaklings, we discovered that when trees kicked our asses!)
[20:12] <DM_Tol> The group rested from its beating from the animated trees, and crawled back to Neoma near their home town of Azod.
[20:12] <Dylan> (lvl 2 characters go their asses kicked? shocking)
[20:13] <DM_Tol> After receiving oil from Neoma, she suggested seeking in town what you can about the castle�s history, and then return to the dome for rest tonight to heal up.
[20:13] <DM_Tol> The group leaves the dome and heads into Azod.

[20:25] <DM_Tol> The group of adventurers stocked up on oil and preparation and travelled back to the ruined ancient castle south of Azod.
[20:26] <DM_Tol> They attacked the magical trees at the gate of the still-standing walls.
[20:27] <DM_Tol> The action resumes 24 seconds into the battle.

Was a backtrack story, see log for details.

[20:08] <DM_Tol> Our band of mighty, newly created heroes ventured to the ancient castle ruins, in search of the Demon Lord�s influence and where it has come from, or how.
[20:09] <DM_Tol> They found that the main central building of the castle grounds was an abandoned , long ago, series of barracks and living spaces and communal spaces.
[20:10] <DM_Tol> Three of the group then investigated the two-story building to the left (last week�s side adventure), and then the whole group examined the large and tall intact tower at the back of the castle grounds.
[20:10] <DM_Tol> The group then noticed a couple corpse back and to the left in the rubble of a fallen structure. Both look eaten on, one actually still alive.
[20:11] <DM_Tol> The barely-still a man winces and screams silently, as ancient curses constrict at the holy magic.
[20:11] <DM_Tol> He muttered: �� below �. must seal the � �
[20:12] <DM_Tol> And then, honoring his wish of �kill me�, his entrails hanging out, Miri and Khophus ended the creature�s life, as a demon above shrieks and then plummets toward you.

[19:52] <DM_Tol> The adventureres fought their way through the animated trees to enter the castle walls.
[19:54] <DM_Tol> They explored the central, large building that was a common living space with barracks, supply stores, living quarters, etc. All long since picked over and abandoned, long as in decades.
[19:55] <DM_Tol> They left corner building revealed a coded image entry dais with stairs leading up to a storehouse of gear, seemingly untouched and perhaps forgotten, as well as carvings giving clues to the partnering buiding in the other front corner.
[19:55] <DM_Tol> After moving towards the large and tall and menacing tower at the back of the grounds, they found a couple bodies picked on by small demon bat creatures.
[19:56] <DM_Tol> Upon exploring the front building on the right side of the gate, they begin to unravle the clues of the ruins of stone, and remaining symbols still on th epieces.

[18:04] <DM_Tol> The group discovered much at the castle grounds, including a hidden hatch with stairs leading down to the depths below the castle.
[18:04] <DM_Tol> They returned to the outskirts of Azod to visit Neoma in her magical dome.
[18:05] <DM_Tol> After sharing their knowledge, they began to piece things together.
[18:06] <DM_Tol> Then, in the evening, Neoma once again was able to induce her empowerment ritual. As before, you go unconcious from the force of magic and incantation and incense.

[20:11] <DM_Tol> The group repoorted what they had to Neoma, and spent the evening putting their heads together.
[20:11] <DM_Tol> They decided that the Demon Lord and the bulk of its horde must be living in the castle tower.
[20:13] <DM_Tol> But between wall etchings, rumors, and the words of a dying humanoid, the group has decided to investigate if a Pillar of Phyrdo that Neoma spoke of, is active and hidden somewhere in the depths below the castle grounds, providing a catalyst for hwo the Demon Lord is staying in this plane.
[20:15] <DM_Tol> They received another of Neoma�s empowerment rituals, and woke yesterday morning feeling stronger and more powerful than ever before. They journeyed to the cave a half hour from the castle, sleeping with the now amusing and regular companion, the brown bear.

[19:51] <DM_Tol> The group of adventurers made there way down into the tunnels below the ancient castle grounds. Two of the group remain at the top of the last flght of stairs, watching the rear.
[19:52] <DM_Tol> On the first level, you encountered a door that seemed to require a password, but had already been opened.
[19:53] <DM_Tol> You then entered a long hall, with a pit in the middle, a trap floor, which seems to have already been sprung.
[19:53] <DM_Tol> It is a pit that spans nearly the whole width of the tunnel, and goes for 15 ft. Down 35ft below is a wet bottom of the pit.
[19:54] <DM_Tol> As you peer into the pit, you see a couple skeletal figures, presumably the ones who knew the previous password, as the scent, acidic in nature, is strong.

[20:23] <DM_Tol> The party began its descent into the dungeon tunnels under the ancient castle grounds.
[20:25] <DM_Tol> They found a magical door where the password has fortunately already been spoken.
[20:25] <DM_Tol> They encountered a large acid pit trap that had already been sprung, the skeletons and equipment of two adventurers lying at the bottom of the pit.
[20:26] <DM_Tol> Convinced they needed more appropriate tunnel and trap traveling gear, the left the stairwell and ascended back up to and out of the castle grounds.
[20:27] <DM_Tol> The group gathered wood for a ladder and assembled at the cave a half hour from the castle that has been their shelter many a night now.
[20:27] <Khophus> (not to mention a cohesive plan…)
[20:27] <DM_Tol> They decided that they, now seeing the tunnel below, should venture back to Neoma one last time before continuing on.
[20:27] <Miri> (a plan would be nice, not being stupid dips that can'at figure things out would be good too lol)

[20:05] <DM_Tol> When we last left our band of adventurers, they were reentering the hidden tunnel underneath the ancient castle grounds.
[20:06] <DM_Tol> After previously devising a plan to cross the acid pit on the level below, they retreated to the nearby cave, leaving Theriand and Dylan at the cave to assemble ladders while the rest returned to Neoma’s dome near Azod for supplies.
[20:07] <DM_Tol> Neoma introduced the group to the three additional “worthy” heroes she had recruited.
[20:07] <DM_Tol> With the new reinforcements, the whole group came back to the cave, where the friendly bear had been nearby.
[20:08] <DM_Tol> And now, in the morning, they came to the castle, opened the magical opening in the floor, and fought off the respawned Manes that dwell at the entrance.

[20:13] <DM_Tol> The group of adventurers, including the new recruits, made their way to the castle grounds.
[20:14] <DM_Tol> Under the surface, they made their way down the stairwell tunnel, making their way down and down, across the acid pit, and through closed doors, and to the second level, where they encountered rockmonsters blocking their path?

[20:07] <DM_Tol> The group made it to the next level of the tunnels below the castle grounds in their search for the planar obelisk that is allowing the Demon Lord to rule in this world.
[20:07] <DM_Tol> This level had a larger, roughly hewn cavern, occupied by rocky formations, three of which attacked the gropu earlier on, and one larger one that blocks their progress.
[20:08] <DM_Tol> Embattled and wounded, they retreat from the snare of its tentacles.

[20:14] <@DM_Tol> The adventurers continue their descent under the ancient castle grounds, in search of the mysterious obelisk that Neoma has surmised is allowing the Demon Lord of the castle tower to inhabit this plain. [20:15] <@DM_Tol> Through and acid pit on one level, and rock monsters on the next, they made it to a long, narrow, dark level with a magical trap of slicing and flying blades. [20:16] <@DM_Tol> Damage has been taken, but Miri and Kayalia have made it through the gauntlet and stand before a stone door well over 100ft from the rest of the party, searching and wondering.

[20:06] <@DM_Tol> The party continues its trek in the tunnels beneath the ancient castle grounds. The defeated, with much pain, the level with spikes and swords, and opened the door using a blade they found earlier with the same enigmatic symbol. [20:07] <@DM_Tol> As anticipated from the wall etches on the surface, they came to a level that at first seemed filled with torchlight, only to find it was rings of flame, intense heat, scattered along the hallway. The dragonkin Khophus ran through the flames, suffering a great deal of damage, but surviving where others surely would perish. [20:08] <@DM_Tol> Khophus continues to search the door at the other end and the area around it for some mechanism to turn off the trap. [20:08] <@DM_Tol> The rest of the part looks on, 100ft away, watchings the flames burn brightly.

[19:58] <@DM_Tol> The group makes its way descending through the tunnels below the ancient grounds, in hopes of reaching the place where an ancient artifact is being used to keep the Demon Lord and its horde on this material plane. [19:59] <@DM_Tol> After making it through a hall of fire, the group descended to a new chamber, large and for once dimly lit, with sporadic patches of luminescent moss on the walls. [20:00] <@DM_Tol> After over an hour of experimenting, much of the cavern seems filled with random streams of alternative gravity.

[20:37] <@DM_Tol> The group made it past the difficult cavern of gravity streams, and descended to the 6th level. [20:37] <@DM_Tol> At the bottom of the stairwell was a simple wooden door with carved: “ | | | | | | “ [20:39] <@DM_Tol> After opening the door, inside you see a well-lit room. It is finely hewn, even with some decorations you’d expect in a castle hall, small tapestries, etc. [20:39] <@DM_Tol> Theres a table, a chair, a rug, etc. [20:40] <@DM_Tol> Along the walls, you see a few nonmoving figures—a suit of plate armor, a skeleton, a scarecrow, a stick figure, etc.

[20:08] <@DM_Tol> The group of adventurers, in their quest to save the region from the demon lord invasion, make their way through the tunnels below the ancient castle grounds. [20:09] <@DM_Tol> Reaching the 6th level, they find a an oddly nicely furnished room. Upon lighting the candles, animated creatures spring to life and begin to individually challenge members of the party, one by one. [20:10] <@DM_Tol> Miri finds herself challenged by a strong stone figure. [20:10] <@DM_Tol> Dylan finds himself challenged by a quick and dextrous stick figure. [20:10] <@DM_Tol> Ash, by an arcana master skeleton [20:11] <@DM_Tol> Terres by a scarecrow who alluds perception with quickness. [20:11] <@DM_Tol> Khophus fronted by an animated suit of armor with a spinning sword. [20:11] <@DM_Tol> Kayla advanced upon by a dancing and performing stringed puppet

[20:11] <@DM_Tol> The group finally makes it to a level under the castle marked with 7 marks on the wall. “ | | | | | | | “ [20:12] <@DM_Tol> A static electricity feeling is in the air, as well as the sound of buzzing. [20:13] <@DM_Tol> As you pushed through the normal door, you see a round or oval shape space, 50-60ft in diameter. The walls are a silver color. The floor a deep red. The ceiling is eerily difficult to make out. It is not that high, maybe 20ft, but dark or elusive. [20:13] <@DM_Tol> In the center of the room is an object glowing with orange light, large pillar shaped obelisk, which you presume is the pillar you’ve been in search of. [20:14] <@DM_Tol> Surrounding the obelisk are four vicous and menacing looking magical humanoids, robed and old, hands raised towards the center object, with constant streams of greenish blue lighthing or magical stream connecting with the pillar. [20:14] <@DM_Tol> From any arcana examination, they look to be doing deep, dark, otherworldly magic. Related to portals and planes and containment. [20:15] <@DM_Tol> Kayalia makes a brief attack on one as Dylan pushes another, and in that instant, the room changed. [20:15] <@DM_Tol> It seems you were transported to a room that is the exact same size, shape. [20:16] <@DM_Tol> In the new room of the same shape, you saw small benches all around. There are windows. [20:16] <@DM_Tol> Lots of windows, and you can tell that you are high up in a tower. There is a raised platform on one end of the room. [20:16] <@DM_Tol> On the raised platform you see a large winged demon leaning over a chair. [20:16] <@DM_Tol> And on the benches, are a dozen or so various shaped demons. [20:17] <@DM_Tol> Several of them turn to look at you as you start making sounds talking out loud. [20:17] <@DM_Tol> As they begin to near your, the light flickers again and you are back in the first room. The fourth caster has resumed her stream upon the obelisk.

[20:10] <@DM_Tol> The group of adventurers made their way to the seventh level of the tunnels beneath the castle grounds. [20:10] <@DM_Tol> At the lowest levels, luminescent moss covered teh walls, revealing a plain chamber, with a glowing obelisk in the center, which must be the Pillar of Pyhrdo they sought for so long. [20:11] <@DM_Tol> Surrounding the obelisk are 4 evil ancient summoners, each with a ritual of dark magic streaming at the obelisk. Whether they notice the gruop or not, they do not deviate from their concentration. [20:12] <@DM_Tol> Upon attacking, a mystic teleport spell transported them into what they have come to assume is the top of the castle tower where the demons had taken up residence. [20:17] <@DM_Tol> Battling through numerous demons so far, they keep transporting between the obelisk room and the tower room with a large menacing demon lord and numerous minions. [20:20] <@DM_Tol> Upon teleporting below, you begin attacking the 4 evil summoners, when you have a chance. two of which have now fallen, breaking their streams. [20:20] <@DM_Tol> As the room flashes and the group finds itself up high once more in the tower room

[21:18] <DM_Tol> The heroes from the city of Azod took their quest to the end.
[21:20] <DM_Tol> After finding the level beneath the castle grounds that contained the Pillar of Phyrdo, the ancient other-wordly obelisk that allowed the Demon Lord and its horde to remain in this plane, they took down the 4 evil summoners that were keeping the pillar in the space through dark, ancient magic rituals.
[21:20] <DM_Tol> A defensive spell transported the group to the very heart of the Demon horde, as they were attacked by various types of demons, blinking between the two spaces.
[21:21] <DM_Tol> Coming back from the brink of death, the group took down one large demon in the under chamber that guarded the final summoner.
[21:21] <DM_Tol> Upon felling them both, the Demon Lord itself came upon them, but the powerful pillar blinked out of this plane. Quickly, the remaining demons blinked away.
[21:22] <DM_Tol> The Demon Lord, transported with the party back to the top of the castle tower, remained in this plane for several minutes seemingly out of sheer will.
[21:23] <Dylan> (resetting web brb)
[21:23] <DM_Tol> It disabled the group and hurled them from the tower, flying throught the air. Their deathly fall was lightened at the last moment as they seemed to fall under the effects of a more friendly force.
[21:24] <DM_Tol> Hitting the ground, they found themselves outside the cave they often slept in on their way to the castle. A visage of Neoma was seen atop the clif face.
[21:24] <DM_Tol> Not out of harm’s way, the Demon Lord flew to them and prepared to murder-kill indiscriminantly with fierce anger.
[21:25] <DM_Tol> But slashes from bear claws from behind distracted the Demon Lord, as it blinked out of this space, returning to whatever dark plane of evil from which it came.
[21:25] * Atreyu (Dylan@sorcery-3ovrp7.ca.charter.com) has joined #grovewood