Thirty-Third Session - All Nightmare Long

The session picks up immediately after the first fight with the Dream Devourers. Alice has vanished, and a strange rift remains where one of the creatures died. Ishaq goes towards the rift, and very cleverly uses Prestidigitation to make a telescope to poke through the rift and get a look. He sees a stone hallway, numerous doors, but no Alice.
After a brief debate, everyone goes through the rift in hopes of saving Alice, except Raul, who goes back to guard the caravan. Immediately, everyone has to roll an INT saving throw, and only Celia and Markoris pass. Lights come on within the doors as the rest of the party vanishes the same way as Alice. Ishaq invokes Luck, but has none, and Celia and Markoris roll Initiative.

INITIATIVE

Markoris - 18

Celia - 7
-sixteen doors, five with lit windows

ROUND ONE

Markoris - goes to closest lit door, can't see through window, tries to open it. It opens. He steps inside.

WITHIN: Alice, night, on a beach, buried in the sand up to her neck. The party is off around a fire laughing at her, mocking her, and eventually leave her to face the rising waters.

Markoris arrives on the beach. Looks around with his elven eyes, spots Alice in the sand. He has to make another INT save, and feels immense mental pain - 11 Psychic damage.

Celia - sees Markoris disappear into the portal, and then sees the door shuts. She moves on, opens another door and sees impenetrable darkness, hears the sound of shovels, digging something, burying something. Rather than go inside, Celia runs across the hall and opens another door. Darkness, hears the sound of an ocean at the cusp of a storm. Yells "HELLO" via used of her spore communication. No response. Just darkness and quiet. She doesn't enter.

INT save: Celia fails, 12 psychic damage.

ROUND TWO

Markoris - runs to Alice, who looks terrified. He calls out to her, but she doesn't really register him. Markoris rolls D20, Alice rolls Perception. Alice can barely hear him. Markoris starts trying to dig her out, gets shoulder-deep. Alice tries to wiggle free, fails, on verge of panic.

Another INT save on Markoris, who fails - 3 damage

Celia - Checks out another door, sees blackness, hears laughter from a group of people, yells "HELLO", and once again there's no response. She thinks. Finally she enters the room.

Ishaq - in a large round room surrounded by twelve enormous thrones with the seated divine pantheon, Ishaq is kneeling at the foot of the Lady of the Lasting Embrace. The Lady is gorgeous and immense, covered with stars and with blazing eyes, holding a silver chain and matching silver collar attached to Ishaq's neck. Lovely as she is, something is off about her. She has Ishaq in a submissive pose as he kneels before her, a plaything to her desires.

Celia can perceive that this is *not* actually her Goddess and reacts accordingly. She rushes in to Ishaq, who cannot yet perceive her amidst the horror of the gods. He feels they have been mocking him for hours. Celia manages to get through to Ishaq, he turns to her asking "What the fuck?" She is determined to save him, yelling heroically "COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE."

INT save - she makes it, no damage

ROUND THREE

Markoris - dig dig digging, still yelling, Alice can still barely hear him. The digging isn't going well but Alice almost has an arm free, asks Markoris where he is, he says he's right in front of her, she can hear him more clearly now.

INT save - 12 psychic damage to Markoris

Celia - both she and Ishaq try to break away from god-bondage, STR check at advantage, fails, gods now notice her interference, the fake Lady taking special, menacing note. He witnesses this shift, and reacting immediately Ishaq yells at the false gods that "they can't have her" because she's intended to be "part of his pantheon" and then casts Shocking Grasp on the chain, successfully altering the sputter sparks with a successful Luck reroll. It's a success! Electricity crackles up the chain -- but oh no, this causes 12 damage to himself, a strange event. LOTLE appears unharmed, but this is a dream world, and luckily the shock of his spell forces her to release hold of the heavy silver chain. Ishaq tries to break away once more, uses his last Luck, but fails.

INT save - 13 psychic damage to Celia. Ishaq succeeds on the save.

ROUND FOUR

Markoris - he and Alice get her arm free of the sand, Alice can now feel Markoris pulling her free, she attempts to use Lay on Hands on herself but it doesn't work. Alice is now only waist-deep in the sand.

INT save - 11 psychic damage. Markoris is at half health now.

Celia - RUNNING. BUT THERE'S NO FUCKING DOOR ANYMORE. Ishaq defiantly rails against this bullshit dimension, he looks around and gets a glimpse of purple light at one of the pillars, pointing to it.

-The false LOTLE stands up and attacks with black energy, but they both dodge

-They reach the purple rift, the size of an orange, so they have to stretch it open. Celia immediately shoves Ishaq in, who re-emerges back in the hall, frantically looking for Celia. She follows shortly.

-INT save on Ishaq and Celia, 11 psychic damage to both of them

ROUND FIVE

Markoris - Alice attempts to cast Misty Step, fails, keeps trying to get out, MARKORIS GETS ALICE OUT ALL THE WAY. Perception checks ensue, Markoris sees the false party is now standing at the bonfire looking at them. He starts leading Alice by the hand, away, toward the purple light he glimpses.

INT save - Markoris succeeds!

Celia - keeps pulling open the portal so she can get through. Spore-yelling with effort, she rips it open and shoves herself through, escaping back into the hall. The door that Ishaq was in is now closed and the light has gone dark.

Ishaq then enters initiative, turn merged with Celia's - opens the door closest to the one he was trapped in. Celia casts Cure Wounds on herself, regains 22 HP

-They enter a canyon filled with battle-worn, dead bodies: it's the party, all dead. All corpses. Max is on his knees with his hands tied behind his back facing 4-5 armed dudes in a semicircle around him, and strangely only one of them who has a clear face: a bald man who looks like Mr. Clean.

-Ishaq picks up a rock, reasoning that it's possible dream-rocks wouldn't inflict damage on HIM, like his spell had, but Celia stops him from doing something dumb. Max looks broken and humiliated, he exhibits signs of necrotic and fire damage and slashing wounds, like he was heavily injured by *the party* and like he's been totally fucked over. AGAIN. The man lording over him mocks him for being dumb enough to fall for the same trick twice now. Ishaq and Celia hear all of this, and thinking quickly Ishaq burns a Sorcery Point to cast Greater Invisibility on Celia, asking her to save Max. Celia approaches Max, uses a small knife to stealthily cut his ropes while sporing to him "you can't see me, but it's me Celia, and I'm cutting your rope." Max barely hears her, but he also still thinks she tried to kill him.

-INT saves - 12 damage to Celia. Ishaq succeeds on the save.

ROUND SIX

Markoris/Alice - Markoris directs Alice to help pull open the little rift, but it only opens a little, and then fake Markoris starts shooting at them as the false party advances

-INT save - Markoris passes, no damage taken.

Celia/Ishaq - The bald man kneels in front of Max and keeps ruthlessly mocking him. Celia tries to take Max's hand, but her hand passes right through his hand. She can't get a grip him. Max begins to realize that something is weird here, like he has had this nightmare before. Max doesn't notice Celia standing right next to him, and nor does Mr. Clean. She's still invisible. Meanwhile, Ishaq moves closer, close enough to be within range and casts Suggestion on Max, which succeeds. He suggests that Max should follow Celia and himself and get the hell out of this place. Max, compelled to obey, stands up just as the bald man tries to kick him back down. Max dodges, which amuses his nemesis. Ishaq moves closer still, rounding the group. Mr. Clean took notice of Ishaq's Suggestion tactic. He took notice of Ishaq.

INT save - 3 damage to Celia. Ishaq succeeds on the save.

ROUND SEVEN

Markoris/Alice - continue to fail to open the rift far enough, now torso-sized (two watermelons). Markoris tells Alice to go through, and she gets her head and shoulders through before she PASSES OUT. And then FAILS A DEATH SAVING THROW.

INT save - 10 damage to Markoris.

Celia/Ishaq - Ishaq warns Celia to get away, Celia is pulling Max, Max feels a hand on his and can perceive it's Celia. He goes along with her, and triggers and Attack of Opportunity from the guy, which Max dodges. Max flips him off. The guy sees Ishaq and makes a move on him. Ishaq dodges successfully. He looks for a purple glimmer, and Celia spots it on the other side of the enemies. After a quick tactic talk, Ishaq and Celia split up to run around them.

INT save - 20 psychic damage to both Ishaq and Celia. The maximum damage possible.

ROUND EIGHT

Markoris - shoves Alice through the portal, goes through himself, they're back in the hallway! Immediately searches her body for a potion, shoves it down her throat. Alice regains 12 HP, wakes up. Markoris tells her to heal herself right away. Alice heals herself for 15 HP.

INT save - 10 damage to Alice

Celia/Ishaq - Celia and Max are stumbling along, and Max's nemesis is focused on Ishaq. Quickly Ishaq drops Celia's invisibility and casts it on himself, then immediately casts Prestidigitation to lure the guy further away from him by faking his own voice as thirty feet away. Ishaq aces the Performance check, and Mr. Clean falls for the ruse. Mr. Clean runs back to the source of the voice, clearing Ishaq's path to make a break for it.

-They all reach the rift, starts opening, pumpkin-sized, Max wastes an action surge trying to do more

INT save - Ishaq takes 15 damage. Celia succeeds on the save.

ROUND NINE

Markoris/Alice - they go down the hallway and Markoris wisely opens Max's door. Suddenly Max, Celia, and Ishaq all come tumbling out, the urgency of opening the hole suddenly relieved. Max, having fulfilled the compulsion commanded upon him, now knows he was Suggestioned, but Ishaq is still his client so he glares while offering a potion. Ishaq, on the verge of collapse, tells Max to save it for someone who'll need it more. He knows his magic is nearly spent and he's down to 3 HP, he fears he'd be a liability. Before making a retreat, he extends a hand to grant some of his last spell casting energy on Max: Greater Invisibility. Max has a minute of this tactical protection. Celia casts Cure Wounds on herself again, heals 22 HP. Markoris leaves through the portal as well. ALICE KISSES HIM ON THE CHEEK BEFORE HE LEAVES THIS MEANS SO MUCH.

INT save - EVERYONE PASSES!

ROUND TEN

Alice casts Aid on the three of them. +5 to their max HP. Max opens the door that sounds like shoveling. Celia stays in the hall to hold the door open, Max and Alice head in.

A wood with huge trees, dark and thick. The sound of shovels. Someone who looks just like Ishaq and two other strange people with the sun-and-moon tattoos of the Host Radiant are standing over a very large hole. "Ishaq" looks up to the sky and says "we need to put her deeper. The ritual won't work this way."

Alana is at the bottom of the hole. The two Fey creatures with strangely spade-like hands are in there with her, burrowing.

Max and Alice together decide that Alice will try to get Alana out, Max will distract the fake "Ishaq" and his followers. First, Alice uses her Lay on Hands to heal 25 HP.

Looking in, Alice sees that Alana is bound and gagged and surrounded by weird beasts digging her deeper. Alice asks Max for help, he gets some rope out. Goes to edge of hole, ties one end to tree and drops other end in.

INT save = 11 damage to Celia. Alice, Max succeeds in the save.

ROUND ELEVEN

Alice hops into the hole, starts cutting Alana loose, speaks to her, Alana hears her

Max sees the door-sized exit clearly, yells the direction and distance, but he's too loud and Fake Ishaq hears him

INT save = 10 damage to Celia and Alice. Max succeeds on the save.

ROUND TWELVE

Celia heals herself for 21 HP. Alice frees Alana, but the two Fey creatures have stopped digging. Alice tugs Alana up and tries to put her hands on the rope. Fake Ishaq casts Firebolt on the rope, which catches fire. Max attacks Fake Ishaq twice, misses, but finally succeeds in shoving him to the ground with his shield. Alana casts Mending on the rope, repairing it.

INT save = 12 damage to Max. Celia, Alice succeed on the save.

ROUND THIRTEEN

Alice and Alana starts climbing the rope. Not only does Alana suck at climbing, but the irritated fey creatures are starting to bite at her ankles. Fake Ishaq casts Magic Missile at Max, misses due to the Greater Invisibility that real Ishaq had cast upon him, Max walks away, heals 10 HP with his use of second wind, eventually helps Alice with climbing back up.

INT save = 15 damage to Celia. Max, Alice succeed on the saves.

ROUND FOURTEEN

Fake 'Ishaq' is getting to his feet. Alice and Alana book it to the rift, Dash action, with Max right behind them. They burst into the hall, Celia, hurting for health, immediately shuts the door. Max fills in Alana on what's happening, Alana hugs Alice, Alana heals Celia for 11 HP.

INT save = 9 psychic damage to Max and Alice. Celia succeeds on the save.

ROUND FIFTEEN

One door left: Fin's. Max, Alice, and Alana head through while Celia holds it open once again.

Fin is close to home, on the shores of a bay that is black sand and black volcanic rock. He faces the ocean on his knees, with a line of strange creatures in front of him. They are fish-like people, two of them are especially clear. They are female (maybe) and very somber. They speak, but only Fin can understand them. Weird bubbling is heard. Fin is weeping. No one knows why.

Max's plan: Alice and Alana snap Fin out of it, he runs interference and finds the exit.

Alice and Alana approach, no reaction from the family or from Fin. Max looks real hard but can't spot the exit.

INT save = 11 damage to Celia and Alana. Max, Alice succeed on the save.

ROUND SIXTEEN

Celia heals herself yet again for 8 points. Alice looks for the door, fails badly. Alana also fails. Max can't get through to Fin, but he does catch a glimpse of the doorway, 100 feet away among the rocks.

Alana and Alice shake Fin. He snaps out of it. Fin rises to his feet, yells at his false parents (?). They immediately morph into a false vision of Fin's lobster goddess. He turns his back and starts walking away. She attacks, but Fin bats it away.

INT save = 15 psychic damage to Celia, Max, and Alice. Alana succeeds on the save.

ROUND SEVENTEEN

Celia heals herself for 16 HP. In Fin's dream, everyone dashes for the exit, pelted by javelins. Fin is able to stop Alana from being hit, Alice takes 5 damage. Everyone is halfway to the exit. Alice heals herself for 9 HP. Max turns visible again.

INT save = 6 damage to Alice and Celia. Max, Alana succeed on the save.

ROUND EIGHTEEN

Everyone runs, dodging javelins. Max and Alana and Fin take 8 damage. Max and Alana reach the door, Fin and Alice are lagging behind. Max switches to javelin, Alana goes through the door. Fin is carrying Alice.

INT save= 11 damage to Alice and Celia, Alice goes limp and unconscious again, about to die again. Alana, Max succeed on the save.

ROUND NINETEEN

Celia, about to die, leaves for the exit so they don't have to waste a Greater Healing on reviving the cleric. Alana, brimming with health, nobly takes over door-holding duties. Fin heals Alice for 5 HP, Alice wakes up from the brink of death AGAIN. Fin dashes through the door, takes 6 javelin damage. Everyone finally gets through the door.

INT save= 18 damage to Max as a final kick in the pants. Alana, Alice, Fin succeed the saves.

ROUND TWENTY

OUT THE PORTAL NOW NOW NOW

WE ESCAPE

END OF SESSION