Seeing Double - Journal 15b

Session 15b - 09/27/2024
***the story so far***
 
Harvoni inputs '4 5 6 5 4' into the Chest.
We find a white plate object that has a large magical effect to it, as well as:

3 Gold Ore

2 Fantasma Crystals

Ting-Triller: A custom magic item?

Having solved the puzzle, we proceed through the cave and find an underground lake. We continue conversations with our future selves.
I'm asked to again carve a tunnel through this new Southern cave. I don't think anything of importance happened.
As I prepare to carve this tunnel, Future Octavious wants me to make sure I'm confident in the decision I'm about to make. "Diaga mentioned when we were back there, that these things were related to something in the cave, related to our future selves. But why would they need an illusion?"
As I prepare to cast a modified Ice Knife, I feel perturbed by Future Roger's insistence that we get out of here. I instead cast Grasping Vine, pinning Future Roger to the wall.
Current Roger is caught off-guard, and slices my vine in twain (sadge).
Future Roger is malding over this, and asks what the heck is going on. Future Harvoni steps in, and Willow confirms the "Weirdness" of characters.
Future Willow asks politely to step outside. I pout, not satisfied with the current state of affairs.
The Future versions of R/G/O decide to chat amongst themselves.
Future Roger and Current Roger step aside. Future Roger turns, and asks Roger if they wanna kill off Harvoni. Roger doesn't really want to, but it starts to sink in what the fancy Future Roger "The Bloody", *means*. Future Roger hands the sword to Smoulder. Smoulder excitedly growls.
Roger is not amused and heads back to the group.
Octavious and Future Octavious are talking about Future self's two kids, just like he always wanted.
I adamantly just don't even try to cast modified Ice Knife. Future Harvoni re-teaches me, to a T, how to cast a modified Ice Knife.
Expertly, I defer to Future Harvoni in that *they* should cast the spell instead. For some reason, Future Harvoni breaks down, and profusely admits they __can't__ this spell. She mentions that she hasn't casted in a while. I try to see if Future Harvoni is "magically bullshitting me". <<< My Future version has an Aura literally around them, so its either latent magic from the portal they came from, but I can tell its an illusion, so either Future Harvoni is an illusion, or is bullshitting me. I *also* sense some Enchantment magic, which seems to be tying to Future Harvoni, Future Diaga, and two of the Precipice Vallation (Radio and Guy). Enchantment Magic can go to a variety of things, aka spells that affect the minds of others, influencing or controlling their behavior - Charm Person, Mind Fog, Zone of Truth, Cloud of Madness, psychically-based spells. They seem to be concentrating. >>>
I become aware that I am being Enchanted, but I'm not sure what I'm other. <<< Insight: I believe this is some kind of Charming effect, and that it has something to do with when we entered the cave - there was a strange sense of dread when we entered. Now that we're close to our Future Selves, the "dread" is masked by the good memories put above it. It almost feels very "off" talking to them, and that they're trying to charm me into liking them. >>>
Future Harvoni bonks me in the head with a pen, and asks me what is going on. I feign heart palpatations, but I secretly cast Detect Magic:
The picture becomes more clear: There's a feeling of "mind strings" tying each one of our Current Selves
 
Future Harvoni, Diaga, Radio, and Guy appear like they have a strange set of "mind strings" between
Future Roger, Smoulder, Future Octavious, and Future Willow also have a set of "mind strings" between them.
Illusion magic around *All* the Future Versions of our Party. They seem to be eminating straight from the edge of the body, and a strange, feint aura on the floor between each Future Versions of Ourselves, all around them, on the floors, its everywhere.
Future Roger has had enough of waiting - He casts Command against Current Harvoni. It Works.
I hear "CAST", as I turn to the Southern Wall, and (begrudgingly) cast Acid Knife at the wall. It sparks forward, and cuts cleanly through the rock, creating a giant 1 foot radius hole through the rock.
Future Roger, Future Octavious, Smoulder, and Roger start crawling through the hole, followed by the other Future Versions.
Future Harvoni turns back to me, and says "I don't know what lies beyond this cavern, but whatever it is, its got strong magic ahead. Will you be able to help us?"
Roger seems to ponder what he just witnessed, and thinks about the oddity of a Paladin having access to Command. All of the Precipice Vallation continues on, surprised at the forcefulness of Future Roger, feeling dejected over what just happens.
As everyone steps outside into the light, Current Roger notices - the skin of the Future selves becomes translucent, their shadows turning red. The Future Versions begin to notice this, and they make a break for it, running away from the cave.
< BEGIN BATTLE 18 - DOUBLE TROUBLE FROM THE CAVE>

Before the Future Versions of ourselves can get too far, I summon a giant stormcloud and cast down Call Lightning, striking the spot where Future Willow was.

A portion of Future Willow no longer exists, but as I look at Future Willow, the parts of the body ooze back together, gluing themselves back together.

Current Willow casts a spell at Future Roger, which seemingly seems to effect the

Current Radio pulls out a fucking bazooka and fires at Group 2, exploding as a Mortar, striking half of the entity. The Junk Gun teleports them backwards!!

The Future Versions of ourselves are melding away - clothes are melding, parts are getting pushed around as they get hit. As a GROUP, they clamor out in four separate voices "WE JUST WANT TO LIVE!", knowing that their effort to leave is futile.

I Wild Shape into a Giant Constrictor Snake, and I bite into what feels like Jelly. As the blob enters my mouth, it takes like sulfer, like rotten eggs, and a bit of a rocky carbonic taste. It does NOT taste good.

NPC Diaga manages to sink a clean arrow right through the blob, splashing into the ground beyond the blob. The tip of the arrow melts away. The group of blob signals to the other, "You've got us, but we're not going down without a fight!" The blobs all brandish their weapons and attack.

A revolver appears, containing a potion of some kind. I receive two bullets coated in magical serum, feeling the brunt of 13 force damage.

Octavious uses a Firebolt on the group of blobs in front of me - the Firebolt does not hit.

I Constrict the blob using my Giant Constrictor Snake form, as I wrap around the blobby version of Future Willow. They try to leave the center of the oozy body, but are restrained by my Constriction.

Current Willow casts Shatter, having Advantage on inanimate creatures.

I don't notice anything, but a wave of lethargy washes over Willow.

Willow pulls out the Harp Bow and fires a shot!!!!

Current Octavious hits max damage o_O and fires a Firebolt at the copy of himself. The slime itself loses all structure, hissing and screaming to back away from the fire, increasingly more vulnerable.

I Constrict the weakened blob.

The blobs slowly whittle away, as Willow, Guy, and Octavious continue pummeling the blobby figures.

Willow goes down, but Octavious heals Willow as he falls down.

I squeeze Future Willow tighter, further Constricting my giant snekky body, gripping onto barely mush.

Roger pops the blob, as it turns into a puddle all over the ground, seemingly defeated.

We move towards the second group of blobs.

I fail to Constrict Future Radio, but it doesn't matter as Willow finishes the Battle.

< END BATTLE 18 - DOUBLE TROUBLE FROM THE CAVE>
Staring at the blobs in front of us, the *real* R/G/O, exhausted, tell us to meet up with them again in the city of Heilagur. As we approach the city, there's a large pillar of ice in the center of the city. We see Octavious again, who remarks "THIS is the bastion of the Vomethndan empire, held together by strong, cold magic mages, and a fortress made out of one of teh strongest materials known to man, Everice, which doesn't melt no matter how hard you try." R/G/O head off into the city, leaving us standing at the gates of Heilagur, waiting to head on in.