Min/Max Boards

It should be reminded, that there are two others dragged with the group.  A bird man and a ranger-looking fellow.  They seem clearly dazed and are not responding to Wystan or much of anyone.

Drosselmeyer moved his company off to the side out of immediate earshot.  You could try listening in, but you may also need a bluff or stealth check in order not to be obvious.

"My kindred, my family, we've made it.  Please, please calm and listen.  What I speak forthwith is of great importance.  In our jubilation please do not forget that our journey continues, one step of many.  The humans who helped us are not alone; the bandits from before which slew the Baron, brought undeath to the devil, and ultimately enabled our escape.  And even now, a new face met outside here, over that way.  Look and witness his mystical armory.  These people are commonplace, and we are new and weak.  Thus, I propose we take the role of the scavenger, as our species was known for in the first place.  Though we may feel the need to exclaim and shout, once we are out there we must be subtle.  Yet, on the other hand we now have opportunity to blend in with the natural flora and fauna, to prey where we see fit. 

Look to the distance, a fleeing man.  He undoubtedly heads for civilization.  I would bid you travel that way and find shelter, comfort, and sanity.  I will see what can be gained from our present company.

Gorn.  We have had our differences, but you are still my trusted friend, and the most stable one excluding myself.  I have a favor to ask of you.  I want you to guide our kin." he spoke, addressing a particular rat with a crude horned helm.  This was Gorn, who seemed surprised at being called forth.

"Drossel, what are you saying?  You are our leader."

"I am, but I have received a task from our lord Thoon."

"All hail Thoon!" erupted cheers among the crowd.  Drosselmeyer kept a neutral expression.  "Yes, I am called to follow up on an important task.  I am mentally stable, it would make sense that I was chosen to travel.  I do not know exactly how long I must be away, but I need to discover something.  I will return, I must.  But I cannot be in two places.  Gorn, I want you to keep our kin safe until I return.  This place, this crater, our former home... it will be a meeting ground.  And I will discover the closest cities around here.  I will find you."

"Brother Drossel... I will do my best.  T-thank you." Gorn bowed his head.  Drosselmeyer nodded and turned.  "You shall depart soon, I will gather details from the others now."

Assuming no one has interfered, Drosselmeyer will return to the conversation the others are having in short order.

CRACK!

Outside of the house, ectoplasmic hammers swung into being, one of them hitting its mark and embedding itself into the wood of the doorway.  It immediately rebounded explosively, as the high pressure winds that were being held back were suddenly released.  The wind barely scraped over the half-sunken Wystan's head and he could see it visibly lash out as it carried trails of psionic pink-purple fog in its wake, sinuous tendrils of wind which seemed all too real, and whose touch tore massive gouts of dust and dirt from the ground.

Within the door was opened as well, releasing a blast of high pressure psionic wind that hurt the head with a deafening howl of wind that gave everyone a headache.  Everyone, knowingly or not, begins to accrue 1d10 temporary power points, a fact the more psionic members are likely keenly aware of occurring.  This deep pink=purple fog is rich in a powerful psionic essence whose very presence was having an effect on the mind.  Nothing could be seen beyond the howling chaos but a dim radiance in the distance, a shaft of sunlight escaping through a damaged door on the other side.  It made Drosselmeyer's job significantly easier in navigating through as he pushed on ahead.

"FOLLOW ME!"  The rat pushed forward, barely able to stand in the strong winds lashing about.  The party should be able to follow, as rats attempt to cling to your fleeing bodies in order not to be blown away or swallowed by the ever-growing maw of the abyss behind you.  The gravity shifted under your feet, turning your short but windy journey into an uphill battle, but with perseverance you will reach the door.

And for Wystan, half-sunk, the door would swing open to a torrent of feet and rats spilling forth (and 1d10 temporary power points from brief exposure).  The entire house lost its structural integrity, and with a titanic crash the walls, roof, and land buckled downward into a deep freefall.  The shift of the ground will be enough to eject Wystan who is dangerously close to the end of this new endlessly deep sinkhole in the ground.  The mists rising from the hole howled once more spiraling into the sky... and vanished.

The Marlowe Mansion had been completely eradicated from the surface of the earth. 

It wouldn't take much to recognize what it had become, an unsealed gateway into the underdark.

Fort

Will

"What th...

I thought these things were supposed to be human dregs.  What's... what's wrong with their faces..."

Yeah, I might die before meeting the rest of the party...

XD  Poor Nan.

Oh, what timing.

Matsu reaches his mind out, and as his psionic eminations ripple unseen through the world the wall softens and melts, attracted towards Matsu and away from the wall.  It was just this time that Magana was about to chow down on the unbreakable jawbreakers when they abruptly softened on her.  The tooth-breaking hardness may have been preferable, as a heavy coating of silvery quintessence is left behind on your teeth.  If any of the Arcana/Psionics knowledge buffs wish to chip in they may suggest you get that stuff off your teeth promptly, before your teeth become unstuck from time and you start taking damage.

But better news!  The door is now able to be opened!  Drosselmeyer's helmet began to glow fiercely as he activated his dark insight.  Hurry!  Behind you, the wall begins to crumble revealing an infinitely long hallway of stone, and a throbbing heavy spiritual presence rapidly growing through the room.

Wystan is quick on the case, heading towards the front door.  The door isn't locked, but an incredible pressure seems to be holding it shut.  A strength check will be required to get it to budge, DC unknown.

"Is.... is ev'rything alright?  My god what happened here!"

CRACK!  The ground began to actively shake, and fissures began to appear spooking the horses.  Regardless if he intended to or not, your driver and his cart and making a hasty retreat.  Unfortunately it's also stranding you on rapidly destabilizing ground.  Make a DC 15 Reflex save, lest the ground start liquefying under your feet and sinking you knee-deep in the ground.

One more question, are there any ground floor windows that I can see through?  (I have a line-of-sight teleport.)

Sadly all windows, both ground floor and otherwise, seem to be having some kind of cosmic Jovian superstorm going on behind it.

XD  You could try to port into the storm.  I would not recommend it, but in theory you could port to "just behind the glass".

"Alive?  In a sense.  I do not know much of the wall huggers, but they are invulnerable to anything I can do.  But I have seen them move before.  I'm afraid I have no idea how to breach this.  Maybe if I...." Drosselmeyer faded away as he tried focusing on something.  Whatever he was doing, it wasn't working.  Or didn't seem to.

Akemi can confirm that her sword does not pierce these creatures immobile flesh, and Matsu can look into the silvery substance and confirm the existence of simple organelles indicative of several species of slime.  What is unusual is that none of these organic bits are in motion.  The entire thing is completely still, as if it is frozen in time.

Well, you did confirm earlier its quintessence-like properties.  It would also explain its apparent invulnerability.  It's locked out of time.  These slimes may be psionic in origin.

The front of the house has a large and fine mahogany double door, with the sound of distant thunder rumbling somewhere from behind it.  Upon the door there is a message inscribed in chalk.

"This place is bad. Proceed with caution, even then preferably not. Love, Faith."

The welcome mat at the base of the door has been disturbed, as if something was removed from underneath it.  Clearly you're not the first to arrive here.  And if you have the means, you might be able to pick up on footprints as well.  The most recent one indicates several people have been here, including at least one with larger feet than normal.  Maybe a dwarf.

Nearby is that well which was set upon a makeshift hill of dirt that seemed out of place.  It smelled of smoke, and there was a wooden door relieved of its hedges at the side of the well, a round smoked out area on one side which seems to suggest it was used as a cap for the well, and whatever fire occurred within.  The smoke has dissipated there, and small twinkling embers can be found below in the well.

Moving around the house, Wystan can find two alternative entrances.  One is merely a back entrance, which one has to scale a fence to enter the back garden, and then the back door.  Alternatively there is a small stable with a large door, presumably for holding a cart and maybe horses.  It's silent in there.  This large door is locked, but could potentially be breached to let you in.

It can't hurt.

The substance is hard and unyielding, yet nearly frictionless.  It's like glass, but given that you had previously encountered this and confirmed it to be all be invulnerable to damage so it must be very hard indeed.

You may also recall that this isn't the only form of the slime you've seen.  And you remember it acting strangely during your first encounter with the Scissorman.

It's probably a good thing that Elizabeth warned him not to depart, for the gruff enforcer was about to stand himself up and interrupt.  Though perhaps he was looking too hard, too engrossed in this... thing before him.  What the hell was that?  Was it really their opponent?  It made his eyes hurt for some reason, and he pulled his hat over his face grunting.  The pressure faded, and soon he felt better.   His eyes burned red with fatigue.   1 Charisma damage.

"That... whatever that was.  Is it done?"

Wait, what's that sound?

Listen:

Spot:

"A noise you say?"  Whittershins shut himself up to listen and listen good.  He wasn't terribly perceptive, but even he picked it up.  "It shounds like one of 'em.... like a moving herd?  Or a storm, right?  Oh blimey, what's that in th' windows?"

It was tough to see, for the windows were clouded and foggy with soot, but there was definitely something mad going on within that house.  It looked to be a swirling storm of purple-pink mists, and a dull illumination flashing deep within the smog that hid the contents of the mansion from sight. 

And then the rumbling started.

Enter the main thread.