Sarainy hears lots of rumors and information about Numeria. There's all sorts of strange creatures in the wastelands of Numeria. Some were created, some affected by strange technology, others found within the ruins. No one really knows about what you describe.
In that time you also manage to find a tailor who sews up your sleeve.
Uran decides to remain at this location and strike up some conversations with the patrons of the Inn.
Diplomacy (Gather Info):
Know. Local:
He talks to some of the inn patrons. They don't have any knowledge about the undead, though they don't think its an unnatural thing in the wastes of Numeria. You hear about a Technic League spy that was defeated by the last team that entered the Black Hill Caves. He was posing as a merchant, one with technological skills and gadgets.
Uran also hears about a strange robot in the Junkyard causing the Junk Master gnome some trouble.
Returning to the inn, and seeing Uran busy drinking and talking with the other patrons, Sarainy heads off to bed. It has been a long trip, and the thought of resting in a comfortable bed for a change is too much to pass up.
In the morning, Sarainy awakens with the rising sun. Saying her prayers to the Dawnflower, and to Pharasma for her blessing in the destruction of the undead, she heads downstairs for breakfast.
Once Uran has arrived, and hopefully not too hungover, she tells him "It seems this land is full of many such creatures, though none knew of the undead we encountered," pausing for a moment while he orders some food she adds "So, what is the plan for today?"
Uran wakes and heads down to break his fast. He comes down to the taproom, and seeing Sarainy goes and joins her.
"Well, I hope you were able to get more information than I was. There is some cave around here that might need searching, or maybe the Junkyard. Some sort of strange robot is causing trouble there."
"No not really, it seems there are so many different threats that people aren't very clued up as to any particular one."
She gives him a confused look, "Strange robot?"
Some sort of evil to be defeated I guess.
"That sounds interesting, although it would be good to deal with those undead first. They were close to the road, and could prey upon other travellers to this town. If you are okay with it, I would like to head out today and retrace our steps...maybe try to encounter them at a distance."
"Well lets go back out and see if we can locate any of those creatures wandering about."
"Right, lets do this then."
Heading off to the edge of town where they first entered, with the intent to retrace their steps to the undead. This time however, carefully, cautiously and trying to maintain as much distance as possible.
Sarainy and Uran go along the road and see four of the zombie abominations shambling along the road. Without anything to attack, they don't seem to have any purpose. The four zombies are about 60 feet away beside a withered tree. They have not seen you yet.
Uran takes aim and fires on the mechanical undead.
Attack-ranged touch:
Damage:
Uran fires at one of the Rust Risen. It strikes the unprepared zombies in the face. It growls and the four undead turn towards you. One has no special attachments, one has a torch with a flame arm instead of a drill, one has spiked tubes on its arm, and one has a set of tools instead of a regular hand.
"Nice shot! Let's focus fire and take these things down for good."
Sarainy fires off a couple of quick shots at the undead.
Sarainy's arrow strikes the first Rust Risen in the cheek. It growls loudly and starts to move towards the pair. There is no haste in their movements this time.
The four zombies move thirty feet closer to Sarainy and Uran.
"Resilient, aren't they?
Don't really fancy being burnt again...
"Perhaps fleeing and firing is in order? Let's keep moving back and shooting, hopefully we can keep them at range!"
After taking her shot, Sarainy moves back as quickly as she can - but ensuring to keep close to Uran.
Sarainy's arrow knocks out the first zombie. It falls to the ground face first and hands forward as if in fervent prayer. The other Rust Risen growl and spring into action moving much faster than a shamble.
Following Sarainy's example, Uran takes aim and fires at the undead, then backs away swiftly.
Attack-ranged touch:
damage:
Uran's bullet flies into the distance missing the undead he had intended it for.
The three remaining Rust Risen charge forward, metal jaws clanking together as they attack Sarainy and Uran with their weapons. A line of fire slices the air where Sarainy was, but Uran feels an unmoving drill stab into his side.
"No use running I guess... Let's take them down quick!"
With that, Sarainy forces herself away from the undead, and takes a couple of quick shots from her bow.
Sarainy's first shot bounces off the zombie's metal jaw. The second lodges itself in the gut of the same zombie.
Uran takes a step back and fires at the same zombie that Sarainy struck.
"I hope we did not bite off more than we can chew!"
Attack-Ranged Touch:
Damage:
Uran blasts apart the Rust Risen with his gun. It crumples to the ground, twitching ever so slightly.
The two remaining Rust Risen move closer to Uran and jab at the gnome with their drills and try to bite him with their metal jaws. One of them jabs its drill into Uran's arm, the other takes a bite of his neck.
Seeing the undead attacking into him Sarainy calls out, "You okay, Uran?"
She takes two more quick shots at the undead, glad for her time spent training to shoot into the flurry of combat.
Uran reels from the attack, blood dripping down his clothes.
"Not too sure how much more of this I can take!", he huffs as he raises his weapon and steps back for another shot.
Attack-Ranged Touch:
Damage:
Hearing Uran's dire words, Sarainy gives him a look of concern.
"Need some healing, or think we can take them?" she asks.
Sarainy's arrow bounces off one of the zombie's drill arms. The other arrow pierces through the chest of a Rust Risen, spurting blackish ichor from the hole.
Uran's shot blasts apart the weakened zombie. As it falls and its limbs split, the drill begins to whirl and dig a hole into the soft earth.
The last Rust-Risen jabs at the gnome again with its drill arm, and tries to take a bite out of its cheek.
With his rifle out of ammo, Uran smashes the creature with the butt of the weapon, then moves back.
Pistol Whip-melee attack:
Damage:
Seeing Uran's gusto Sarainy shrugs, moving slightly to get a better angle.
Finding an opening she draws back her bowstring and takes focused shot at the final undead.
Uran strikes at the last Rust Risen with the back of the gun, hoping to knock it down. It doesn't. Luckily, Sarainy fires a shot from her bow and strikes the creature in the eye. It moves its metal jaw rapidly, then moves in to assault Uran further. Uran, now a bit more knowledgeable about how the creatures move, manages to dodge out of the way.
Uran again slams the butt of his rifle into the undead.
Pistol Whip Attack-melee:
Damage:
Free combat maneuver (knock prone) if the attack hits -
Sarainy takes a moments pause, before launching an arrow at the final undead monstrosity.
Uran knocks the undead abomination with his pistol, and with some luck, Sarainy fires at the creature. It tries to lurch from its position, but is unable to, and "dies."
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Uran goes over and examines the mechanical corpses, reloading his rifle as he does so.
"These don't look like any undead I have ever heard of before, how about you? You seem more up on the local technology, what do you make of them?
"Well they seem to be a sort of mash-up of people and machines...but to be truthful in Alkenstar we do not have anything remotely like these creatures...sure undead from the Mana Wastes, but nothing like there!"
Uran sees some writing on the legs of one of the Rust Risen. It says, "Property of Marrow, Gang Leader of the Smilers. If found return to Scrapwall."
Afterwards, Uran and Sarainy head back to Torch to mull over what they found. The next day, they are summoned to the Town Hall...
Looking over at Sarainy, Uran asks, "What do you think they want? I do not think we have done anything wrong, have we?"
"Huh, well I sure hope not! Those things attacked us without provocation the first time... so it is not like we randomly attacked someone else's property."
Thinking it over further she adds, "And we asked around town and nobody had heard of them either - so it was fair to assume they were undead monsters, nothing more."
Sarainy lets out a large sigh, confused with the situation.
"I guess we head on over and find out!"
With that she packs her belongings and heads to the door, ready to leave with Uran for the town hall.
Sarainy and Uran may join the main posting, if you didn't know. Good luck.
apologies for not being around this week, RL caught up a bit ...
...bit more about RL, likely to be made redundant by April, go before I get pushed. So if I'm a bit erratic bear with me, it should be no worries, but it means there's a lot going on.
I will be unavailable on the 9th and 10th as that is my flight. I may also be busy the next few days but will definitely try to read, if not post. Just telling you ahead of time, in case I am unable to post.
At level 6 when I get another teamwork feat would it be a reasonable request to be able to select Swarm Strike? Normally it's a feat for wererat-kin and wererats from the book Blood of the Moon, but my whole theme is insects. Would you permit such a feat? It would basically go along the theme that I have going with both me and Tetsuda going after the same opponent, granting a +1 to hit and an additional +1 to hit for each ally who has the feat who threatens the same target. At least for AoO, not for attacks in general. I think I'm going to pick up combat reflexes at 5 though, just to have a bit of a boost. Basically 7 pick up bodyguard and follow Tetsuda around and give him that trick that gives him +4 AC against the first attack in any given round and just follow the beetle.
Yes, that's fine, Linpul.
Sorry I've been away, as the might be made redundant, is now a confirmed redundant so I've had my mind on other things ... Hope to be back in a more stable way in the next couple of weeks.