DM Fflash |
The Sputtering Torch
The most important recent event in Torch is the loss of the town’s eponymous feature. A strange violet flame has long burned atop the hill the town is built around, and these fires burn hot enough to allow the smelting of skymetal. This has given Torch a singular source of income. Smiths, metalworkers, and scavengers from miles around come to Torch to use its flame to smelt and work with skymetals.
Now and then, the flame has pulsed and blasted a beam of fire into the skies above town, during which time it isn’t safe to be atop the hill, but until a week ago, the flame has never gone out. Now it has, and no one in town knows why.
Without the flame, the town’s primary source of income has been removed, and with a number of significant tithes to the Technic League coming due soon, the town’s leaders are growing desperate to re-light the violet fires. One of Torch’s most beloved leaders, the wizard Khonnir Baine, discovered strange activity in a number of hitherto unknown caves below the city’s central hill, and even recovered a deactivated automaton now stored in his home behind his tavern, The Foundry. But when Khonnir returned to these strange caves to try to learn more, he vanished. The town has grown increasingly desperate for answers, and now looks for the return of their missing wizard as well, but with so many other local and visiting adventurers having gone missing in the caves, fewer and fewer volunteers are stepping forward.
The Town Council has posted notices offering a 4,000 gp reward for the return of Khonnir (alive or dead) and another 4,000 gp reward for reigniting the Torch.
Feel free to discuss or ask questions of me. You are free to move about town as you wish ... it is late afternoon, but most everything is open. Once you have a DM-approved character built and avatar selected, post here by rolling a d20
Razorend |
1d20 ⇒ 15
Razorend takes a corner seat, careful to stay in the shadows behind a wooden post. He takes off his mask, revealing an otherwise nondescript human face. The only hint of his android construction is the odd way light reflects from his eyes... not quite right.
He slaps a paper onto the table, jostling drinks. It is a street bill describing the bounty for Khonnir and the torch. "It may be a fool's errand, but for that kind of coin, how can we pass it up?"
Kovax Exner |
Kovax nods, "I had heard his team didn't come back, and to think if I hadn't been out looking for another ruin myself, I may have been on that team with him." Kovax rubs his chin, "I was planning on seeing if any of you wanted to join me in going to look for him, of all the ruins I have searched, I haven't yet been able to search the ones right below the town, I am quite excited to see what is down there."
Looking around at the rest of the group, "Anyone else interested?"
Kovax Exner |
"That is true Razorend, without a trail it could be difficult. We should check with the town leaders, see if Khonnir had created any sort of a map from his first exploration trip." Kovax pauses, "His daughter may know more as well, both would be worth speaking with."
"The automaton may hold a clue as well, his daughter may know where that is as well, maybe we should check with her first."
DM Fflash |
A Starting Point
We'll assume you all are in The Copper Coin (#5 on the map). I've added a Torch Legend to the handouts that gives the info in the city for the numbered areas that you would know
Rumors you've heard this evening as you drink:
Crowfeather Palace. I’ve been drinking only rainwater and I’ve not had a headache yet!
because it’s bad for business, but I think she’s covering something up!
she showed up a few days before the torch went out, and that no one’s seen her since?
there on a dare. One of them grew a lot stronger for a few minutes after drinking the stuff, but the other one nearly
died after the fluids burnt a hole in his gut
Ridic d20: 1d20 ⇒ 20
Razorend |
"The automaton may hold a clue as well, his daughter may know where that is as well, maybe we should check with her first."
Razorend angles his head quizzically, "Khonnir has a daughter? Is she the pretty lady with the purple hair?"
Ridic Slaranack |
Ridic will walk towards the table in the corner after hearing about the rewards.
"I heard you discussing the recent bounties. My name is Ridic"
"I am interested in exploring the ruins, and of course the hefty rewards that have been offered. I think we should head up to the Foundry, sounds as they have some interesting drinks....and perhaps some information that may help us."
Urgeon Porpentine |
Urgeon sits down with the group and places his over sized tankard on the table with a clank, "I thought I might find you all here. I see you've heard about Khonnir. We've got to find him. Yes, these are all good ideas. So, we look at the automaton, and then talk to his daughter? We can visit the Foundry before going down to the ruins."
DM Fflash |
The Foundry Tavern - 1700
You head down the street, a short walk, to the Foundry Tavern, approaching from the street on the west side. As you arrive, you hear a terrible racket and crashing of metal and wood, accompanied by a shrill blood-curdling woman's scream. It's coming from Khonnir's home!
You may continue to chat or suggest options you wish to do around town (just tag it as the Copper Coin... it's around 4 in the afternoon while you're there). If you want to research more rumors, each takes a Diplomacy check and 1d4 hours. You may also visit one place per hour as well (the places are listed on the document I sent, they correspond with the numbers on the map of Torch on the Roll 20 site). I'll assume you travel together unless you specifically state otherwise. Starting with the Foundry above, obviously!
I havent built tokens for you yet, but the map is up
DM Fflash |
Tokens and Characters added to maps
Malfunction! Round 1
The party races over quickly to find themselves at Khonnir's front door. Kovax shoulders through quickly and looks left and right down a short hall. The sound is coming through a pair of serial doors to the right so he heads that way, the others following.
As he approaches, the door explodes open in a spray of splinters and iron pieces. A spindly metal contraption about 3 feet in diameter moving on 3 spider-like legs. It has a vaguely humanoid top with 4-clawed hands a the end of thin arms and a single eye in the middle of its metal forehead. It begins to rip the wall apart to the south of it, tearing stones off like they were paper with amazing alacrity.
You can see Val huddled in the corner behind the creature.
No good image right now. The token is inaccurate. Actions, please
Razorend Init: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Kovax Init: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Ridic Init: 1d20 ⇒ 12
UrgeonInit: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
Drone: 1d20 ⇒ 11
Urgeon Porpentine |
I can't access R20 currently.
Urgeon backs away from the construct and allows the others to move into melee. He studies the creature and looks for any method to disable it.
Knowledge Eng: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
DM Fflash |
Malfunction! Round 1
Razorend, Urgeon, Ridic, Kovax, Drone
Razorend moves to the window and slips it open smoothly and glides in soundlessly dropping in the shadows right behind the creature.
Urgeon studies the creature from down the hall but while he recognizes it as some sort of animate automaton unique to the area, he cannot discern any details.
Kovax steps forward and whips his polearm out, striking at the creature hard, causing sparks and clanging metal to ring out.
The little construct turns its eye from its destruction of the door and moves in toward Kovax, arms whirling with cutters, but the mechanist dodges easily.
Drone vs Kovax: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8; miss
Actions, Round 2
6
Urgeon Porpentine |
Urgeon draws his crossbow and fires past Kovax at the Automaton.
Attack: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (11) - 4 = 7
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8
Razorend |
Razorend closes in on the automaton, striking with his kukri from behind with a lightning-quick combination.
Flurry strike, flanking? Still can't move my token on Roll20.
Kukri: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8; Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Kukri: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 3 + 2 = 17; Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
DM Fflash |
Malfunction! Round 2
Razorend, Urgeon, Ridic, Kovax, Drone
Razorend sneaks up behind the thing and cuts some wires, fluid spraying out from the clanking. Urgeon fires a crossbow bolt but it gets caught up in the melee.
Ridic follows Razorend through the open window, spying the girl cowering in the corner.
But with a final step back and slash, Kovax ends the fight as quickly as it started leaving a twisted pile of metal and blackish-purple fluid on the floor of the house.
END COMBAT! Each of you receives 50xp
After a couple moments, Val emerges from the corner. "Is it ... dead?" She stammers out, peering uncertainly at the wreckage.
Kovax Exner |
Without looking up from the machine, Kovax waves his hand in a broad gesture, "Everyone, Val. Val, everyone. She is Khonnir daughter."
Rubbing his chin as he pokes around in the machine, "This is fascinating," Glancing at Val, "How long has this been active? I wonder why your father didn't tell me." going back to studying the machine, he mummers "This is really remarkable, so advanced and detailed..."
Anything of worth to remove from it?
Kovax Exner |
I mean I guess I could just take this trait but I didn't assume that by not taking it it meant that I had no interaction or have any idea who he is. I was just taking that other trait as that I don't think that an android would be all that good at forming an actually bond with anyone like that trait kinda spelled out.
Urgeon Porpentine |
Urgeon crouches down to examine automaton, "Val, your father never ceases to amaze me. Where did he find this one? You haven't heard from him yet, have you?"
Knowledge, Engineering: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
DMFflash |
The girl dusts herself off and then gives Urgeon a quick familial hug. "Super that you guys came by when you did. Dad brought this thing up 5 days ago. It was just beyond some great sky metal wall and door they'd found. He closeted himself in with the City Council to chat about it. Didn't say much to me. He said this thing was inert and that he didn't have time to examine it now. He was too busy preparing for his second expedition. That was the day before yesterday. Last time I saw him. Makes me a bit less likely to throw the inert BS flag at him next time I see him." She sniffs just a bit at that last part before glancing at you all.
"Not that I'm not grateful, but what are you doing here?"
Val Bhaine is a Kellid girl, adopted daughter of Khonnir and generally known as the one who runs the Foundry Tavern's day to day operations.
As for the creature, you note it's a robot, in particular, a repair drone. It's heavily damaged, but this thing seems to have a maintenance function of some sort.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Urgeon Porpentine |
Urgeon pauses in his examination of the repair drone, "We're here looking for your father. A sky metal wall? He never mentioned that to me. Could you take us there?"
DM Fflash |
"Father and his party have gone missing ... you've seen the reward notices, yes? He was supposed to come back within 8 hours ... but didn't. I don't know the way to his wall, only those that went with him did. You know I'm not the adventuring sort, Urgie. But if you're looking for him, take your big, strong friends down into the caverns under the Weeping Pond and go find him!"