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Dot for Wayfinder :)
The ever burning violet flame in torch that has burned for over a century has gone out, leaving beihnd a strangely seeping pit of rubble and bubbling fluids where the towns livelihood had once glowed day and night.
One of the town Councilor Khonnir Baine, one of Torches more powerful arcanists and a well liked individual, went missing on his second expedition under Black Hill. He was a well known and respected wizard, everyone believed his expedition would discover what was happening in Torch but after his disappearance the citizens of the nervous town have edged closer to outright panic.
With their hands full handling the growing refuse and waste problems in town now that their primary disposal method is gone the town council is eager to find out what happened to Khonnir and rescue him-- They made a public reward of 4,000 gold pieces to any group that can recover Khonnir's body; if he can be returned alive they promise to throw in the scroll of resurrection they've been holding onto just in case they need it to revive him. Interested parties are to speak with the council at the town hall.
You awake one morning with a headache, its low grade but distracting causing -1 to all cha, int and wis based skills.
You find out that the headaches are not from an illness or poisoning, but from some other unknown source.
Aiden rushes into the room and starts tossing assorted items into his backpack. "Guys, wake up! You won't believe this! Baine's missing, they said he got lost under the Black Hill. Council says they're givin' a four grand bounty to whoever can find him!"
He digs through more piles of discarded items. For crying out loud, who nicked my hone- oh, there it is!" he exclaims as tossing the jar into the sack. "Come on, everybody, if we don't claim that reward, someone else will!"
Flynn pops his head out of a hammock hung amongst the junk in their dwelling. "I'm not completely sure what you just said, but I heard a very large sum of money..." his nose twitches as he wipes the sleep from his eyes. "Fidge! Freddie! Let's go! Looks like we have a bounty to collect!" the little guy rolls out of the hammock with a flourish, pulling on pants and boots from the floor, gathering the rest of his gear, and finishing by grabbing his rapier and using it to flick his hat onto his head.
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As you make your way across town you all notice how the population is reaching the boiling point and about to rach mass fear and hysteria as the news that another adventuring party has failed to return reaches your ears.
"Not again!"
"That makes the second one!"
"What kind of evil lurks beneath town..."
"Thats it time to move to that new kingdom I been hearin' about..."
All four of you arrive just outsides the town council's building. Your forced to wait for admittance as you appear to have come along with every other worried citizen in town...
After nearly an hour you get your chance to meet the council. Usually the council consists of five men and one woman, but by the time you gain access you find only one of them appears to still be in the chambers. In an effort to hurry things the annoyed guardsmen admits all four of you into the chamber at once. Any protests are met with an uncaring, hardened stare before the well muscled and heavily armed guardsmen returns to his duties...
The council woman introduces herself as Dolga Freddert. "Let me be blunt. I'm not into this desk riding when things need to be solved. So if you have legitimate questions, then ask them. If not. Then return to your homes and quit worrying, Khonnir will be back... Eventually."
After her announcement the ancient woman starts fiddling with a warhammer handle sitting next to her chair. Appearing by the moment to be more and more frustrated by the current situation.
Not sure if I'm allowed to go back in time, so to speak, and give my intro, but I had no internet access over the weekend and I'd hate to miss fidgets enterance.
four thousand gold!? I could finish my rare manure collection!
Fidget's rusty old gun slips out of his hammock and hits the ground
then again, there might be some better uses for the gold.....wait up Flynn I need to be sure I have all my fleas!
Fidget turns to the counsel woman and says:
You have nothing to worry about we can have this job done in no-time, we are professionals after all....by the way, have you seen my cockroach? He normally stays quite content to hide in the hair behind my ears, but I think he likes you office.....
Aiden steps up and raises a hand to try and catch the councilwoman's attention. "Excuse me, ma'am, but how do you know he'll be back? From what I heard, there's been a couple of attempts to save him already that have both failed, correct?"
He steeples his fingers and brings them to his mouth, as if delicately picking the next few words from his mouth. "But I think the most important questions we have are how do we get to underneath Black Hill?" He rotated his hands in order to point at her. "And is there still the reward?"
Fidget
Dolga Freddert is fairly old, she was young when Torch was first established, which was on the border of a century ago. She rose to a place of strength quickly and her exploits as an adventurer in Numeria is well known, especially her surviving alone in the Felldales for an extended period before coming home to retire at age seventy. Despite her comfortable position she is always seen toting that Warhammer of hers, as if she has never truly let go of her her adventuring days.
Lady Freddert smiles ever so slightly as she responds. "Hopefully you find him before I do, I heard cockroaches are good for alchemist regents. Whether or not they need to be in one piece wasn't a problem..." She pats her warhammers handle with a small smirk on her face.
Aiden
She arcs an eyebrow at your response before running a hand down her face. "Pessimist aren't ya?" She sits back resting her cheek on her hand as she answers Aidan's questions. "Of course there's a reward or else you worried citizens wouldn't be here. As for those who went down already. Meh. Rescuing people isn't for the weak of heart. If they were too weak they shouldn't have gone. Plain and simple. There’s an underwater passage connecting them to Weeping Pond. Khonnir noticed a large number of human footprints on the pond’s banks—he was there the day the fires went out
testing the water to ensure it hadn’t suddenly grown more toxic—and he realized that a sizable group of people had entered the pond but had not emerged."
Aiden stroked his chin. "Merely trying to find the truth. Now, problem here could be some form of amphibious humanoids. Or possibly some use of water-breathing magic was involved. If any shipments of potions have been bought in droves or have gone missing, it would certainly point at an explanation of the discrepancy."
"On the other hand, what they would want with a city council member is beyond me. I feel like closer investigation is in order. With a drive of people going into the water and not coming out, I'd suspect it's not entirely unreasonable that there was a conspiracy for Khonnir's death. Unlikely, but not entirely unreasonable. Has anyone compiled a list of those who have gone missing?"
Aiden
Lady Freddert was clearly concerned at the mention of Khonnir's death, apprently she wasn't about to accept such a possibility, not yet at least. At your new question she unrolls a parchment that was sitting out of view and reviewed it before speaking. "Four teams have gone down in all, but only one came back and that was Khonnir's first expedition. Khonnir spoke at length with the council before going back in, and he confirmed what his group told us, despite how outlandish it sounded. The first team was a group of halfling adventurers, the second group a group of local thugs, and the fourth a small adventuring party devoted to Brigh from out of town. Khonnirs team took the third and fifth expeditions under Black Hill, and it was on the fifth expedition-his second trip-that he went missing. Since then smaller bands have attempted but haven't returned either..."
She reviews the document before answering. "In the last eight days, which eight days ago the violet flame went out, no such purchases or strange activity was noticed. seven days ago was when the first group went down and only a few days ago was when Khonnir went down for the second time-and he has yet to return." She rolls up the scroll and slides it back down out of view.
"Well my fair councilwoman, we give no pretense of being concerned about much but the cash. We as citizens of Torch know that you are far more suited to being out in the thick of things rather than here at the desk, but nevertheless we have the utmost respect and gratitude for your steadfast guidance during such times. We intend to retrieve the councilman for you, but anything you could do to help us would be appreciated. Perhaps there are reports of the other adventurers that went below or a map of what has been discovered so far? Maybe someone could tell us why they didn't stay below longer?"
The well groomed Ratfolk speaks up, holding his hat at his chest and letting his unassuming demeanor work in his favor.
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@Flynn
Lady Freddert gives Flynn an approving smile. "Honest, polite and straightforward. Good traits to have, you'll have to forgive me but I am not used to that from Ratkin. As much as I hate to say it my days of adventure are long past, as much as I hate this desk riding it does come with the perk of guiding others onto the right path. Hopefully, you know how youngin's are, reckless and full of abandon. Much as I was back in my younger years~ Now. In regards to your question though..."
She reaches down, pulling out a different scroll, sealed with wax. Which she promptly breaks with a smirk on her face. "Khonnir reported that the caves are inhabited by several enormous vermin and other scavengers, along with some strange humanoids who had the ability to blend into the shadows of the cave walls, and a nest of gremlins. Khonnir believed this indicated a deeper connection in the caves to the Darklands, but of more immediate interest was his discovery of a wall of solid metal deep in the caves. A wall made of a skymetal alloy called glaucite. He said it was like the kind we mine from the hills and surrounding plains, but formed into a structure with doors. It was near one of these doors that Khonnir found the broken automaton that he brought back after his first expedition."
She raises her head as she answers the latter half of Flynn's question. "Khonnir is a smart man, he didn't stat the first time because his discovery was important to report however the metal wall he encounted we know very little about. He confirmed that it was an alloy of adamantine and iron, and that one of the doors in the wall was locked tight but the other was open. He had planned on exploring deeper beyond that door on his second expedition, but who knows if he actually made it that far?"
"Metal wall, eh? Interesting indeed, though seems like the lot of creatures residing down there could cause some manner of trouble. I dare say that we could put this investigation into a whole new light. More than likely, Khonnir attempted to delve past that open door. We may need to parlay his release with those scoundrels below!"
Aiden then wore an expression not entirely unlike a man who had walked off a cliff ages ago, yet just realized he was falling. "Also, if you wouldn't mind, what was that about an automaton? Where exactly is this device?!" He seemed nearly giddy by the subject.
Aiden
"I am sure he took it to the Foundry..." Seeing the giddy nature Aiden was displaying she quickly rephrased. "The Foundry is Khonnir's tavern that his adopted daughter Val and him manage. As for the machine I don't know what it is, I think he took it back to the Foundry to study it..." Her features harden momentarily, a glimpse of the rough adventurer that Lady Freddert once was emerges as she warns the group. "If ya pay a visit ya be polite to Val. Do that and we won't have any problems. Understood?" Once she is satisfied the hard look is replaced with her previous, bored but thoughtful councilwoman facade once again. "Good."
She looks to each of you as she remembers something important, adding on to the conversation at hand. “If you accept the job, I’ll give each of you a writ that you can show to any of the merchants in town for a flat 20% discount on any gear you need to purchase—I wish I could offer a greater discount than that, but that’s the best I..." It's more then apparent that she didn't negotiate the prices. "... can do. Further, Val has closed down her father’s tavern, the Foundry, for the time being. She’s told me that any group that’s going into the caves to look for her father can use the tavern, free of charge, as a headquarters and a place to rest between forays. Finally, the entrance to the caves is flooded. You’ll need to swim a bit to get to the caves. Joram Kyte has agreed to cast water breathing on any group to aid in entering the caves—free of charge, of course. You can find him at the temple of Brigh or up at Crowfeather Palace when you’re ready to go.”
A hard bang on the door signaled that your time was up and Lady Freddert rolled up the scroll and quickly slid it back into whatever drawer she had hidden before her. However she hadn't openly dismissed you yet...
Aiden turns to Flynn. "Do you really think we'll be able to see it? A real automaton! I can't wait!" It's pretty obvious that the mage only read of such things in books before.
"Also, if we see Mr. Joram and he happens to write out his spells, I think I'm going to ask about copying down water breathing. That is, as long as you don't mind the delay, Flynn."
Tugging Flynn's coat to get his attention, as he shuffles about on the floors looking for his roach:
Hey phlegm! This foundry place is going to meet my health standards, right? If not, I'm sure I can bring it up to code
At this Fidget cackles while snorting up a large amount of mucus
Flynn elbows his compatriot with a chuckle. "you're such a nerd Aiden. Of course, after all we may need the spell to get back out."
Turning to the councilwoman, Flynn bowed with a flourish of his hat. "Thank you kindly ma'am, we'll take the discount and be on our way, I trust we can contact you should troubles arise later?"
As he bowed, his nose caught a scent and he stepped to the desk and retrieved a small insect. "oh you actually did lose Frank in here. Well there you go." Flynn handed the roach back to Fidget, giving him a sharp elbow to the ribs for the mispronounced name. "and dont worry, im sure there's something there they haven't washed."
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Fidget hisses with disdain:
Ugh you used the W word!
He shudders one more time for good measure
All
Lady Freddert looked pleased that you accepted the job and when the banging came a third time she hefted her hammer and lobbed it at the chamber door. The resounding Wham was met with a bark of surprise from the other side of the door and silence as She stood up to retrieve her Warhammer. She walked around the table, writs of services in hand and a note for Joram Kyte for each of you stating the Council's promise.
"That is how you silence impatient fools." She gives a wry smile.
"If you have need of us please seek us out, I'd rather not have to send another band down there to save you lot." She arcs an eyebrow as some fleas attempt to transfer themselves over from Fidget to her hand as she hands him the writ. She brushes them off and back onto the Ratfolk with a casual hand. "I see your brother prefers an all natural state eh? Or are you adopted Flynn..." She seems to reconsider her question and hastily withdraws it. "Actually, never-mind, Ratkin ideals have always confused me."
Looking to Aidan as she hands him the last of the Writ and note from the council she shrugs. "If your nice to Val I am sure she will show it to you. Shes a sweet lass, hence why we protect her so. I think the last man to physically grab her at the Foundry took a long swim in Weeping Pond..." She smiles as she says that. "I'm interested in what you learn, takes some notes for me will you youngin'?
Being locals you all know that the Weeping Pond is known for its toxicity and at times its extremely toxic to those who enter its waters. The Violet flame once worked in conjunction with a water processing facility that Khonnir had established shortly after his arrival in town some years ago. It greatly reduced the maladies and the local taxation for a time.
That is before the Black Sovereign increased the Taxes rather heavily to compensate for the last official census by the Technic League. Only because of the local skymetal crafting industries is why Torch doesn't suffer more harshly under the Black Sovereign .
"Why thank you, and I'll take a fourth for our other sibling, who apparently decided to go back to sleep when we left. We'll be in touch. "
With a wink, he followed Aiden and Fidget out, adding over his shoulder, "And you're right to not question Ratkin ideals. For lack of a better term, we're weird."
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At Flynn's remark Lady Freddert laughs loudly and waves as you go out.
As they admit more people to see the council woman she returns to her seat, a look of nostalgia in her eyes. "Couldn't tell them I used to travel with Ratkin, some of the toughest creatures I know..."
Aiden nods. "Don't worry, ma'am, I'll be upstanding. Now, where's the Foundry again? Is that the one on 2nd Street or Canal? Either way, relatively certain I've made a visit since I've come to Torch. Perhaps she'll remember me."
"let's swing by the junkyard and rouse our missing compatriot, eh? Wouldnt want to start the fun one rat short!"
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Freddie wakes up rubbing his eyes and yawning. He looks around to see his brothers no where to be found and just figured that Fidget got into trouble and Flynn went to look for him (happens often). Freddie gets out of his hammock and starts making some grub (obviously twirling his knives around his fingers as he cooks). As Fidget and Flynn walk in Freddie asks Flynn "what happened this time!?"
"Freddie! We've got work! Four grand for finding Councilman Baine! C'mon, you're up for a little adventure aren't ya?"
Flynn can't help but jibber through his words as he excitedly rummages around in the junk looking for silver pieces and his buckler. He nabs a bite of the food Freddie is fixing as he scampers back out the entryway.
Pulls frank the cockroach out of his hair. Then Fidget smashes the bug and hands it to Freddie.
Make mine with this! It's finally ripe!
Go off to clean his musket (The Plaguerat) while whistling a disturbingly off key tune.
Aiden waits just outside the junkyard gate. "Come on everybody, we've got to book it to get to the Foundry and Crowfeather in time. And that's if Joram's not at the temple!" He gives a bit of a huff and checks around for any sundials.
"At least I think we're short for time. Why'd I ever hock that pocketwatch?"
The Foundry
The Foundry Tavern is one of Torch’s most popular venues, but since the torch went out and its owner, Khonnir, went missing, the townsfolk have had little reason to celebrate. In honor of her missing father, Val Baine closed both the tavern and the foundry until further notice, reserving the former as a place to rest and recuperate for any group heading into the caves to look for Khonnir.
Some of you already know Val to some extent, some more personal then others. Val is a young Kellid girl who shows as much enthusiasm and intuitive thought as her father Khonnir.
With Freddie in tow you all approach the Foundry, however a normal visit turns ugly when a startling moment occurs— each of you flinch at the scream of terror coming from the small stone house behind the tavern!
This is swiftly followed by the sound of crashing and mayhem which leads you all to the storeroom in the southeast corner of Khonnir’s home. As you approach the storeroom's front door, it bursts open and a robot lurches forth on its three erratically spinning rotors. The robot moves with a jerky, staggering gait, appearing to be damage from neglect and nearly hitting the ground each time over half its rotors stop spinning. Its jerky movements pause as it hears yours jingling stop. It turns with frightening speed, fixing you with the three pulsating lights on the front of its small robotic snout like head before bringing its clawed hands to bear, along with a small box like protrusion underneath its frame, before lunging to attack!
AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (+2 natural)
hp 11 (2d10)
Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0
Immune construct traits
Weaknesses malfunctioning, vulnerable
to critical hits, vulnerable to electricity
Aiden jumps back, "Okay, it's real! It's real and it's angry!"
Aiden spends a move action to draw his crossbow and a standard action to cast snowball.
Unfortunately, the conjured ice misses by a country mile.
"Haha! I knew I got out of hammock for a reason today!" Flynn reacts quickly to the robot and breaks into a sprint, sliding into the robot beneath Aiden's missed beam and looking for a chink in the armor.
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The robot's rotors fails split second before Allen's ray zip's past. Leaving the machine unscathed as it recovers and returns to hovering just as the Mouser charged it with his blade!
Flynn's blade punches through a damaged plate in the hovering robots armor. He's rewarded with a shower of sparks and a shock if electricity that left his arm tingling.
Aiden flinches as the robot shoots sparks about. "Flynn, be careful! Please try to destroy this thing in a pristine state! Or at least break it more gently?"
Freddie and Fidget, in awe of the mad machine, stand frozen as the machine lunges dangerously at Flynn.
Despite its battered state the machine slams Flynn hard nearly throwing the Mouser to the ground. It left him however with a busted lip and wounded pride in his brothers lack of assistance.
Party is up!
Aiden lines up the sights on his crossbow. "I've got ya, Flynn!" he shouts as he lets rip a bolt.
It seems like a blow to the creature's head does thorough damage. "Oh dear, I hope I didn't destroy anything too irreplaceable on that..."
The crossbow bolt lodges in between some articulating plates, burying so deeply in fact that it strikes some critical component underneath. Its Rotor's all cease at the same time as its eyes surge brightly fr a moment before blowing out a mere second before the body blows apart. Spraying its internal gears and bits of wreckage all over the Foundry's central walk area...
As the explosions echo dies down your all left standing in the now, oddly quiet area. THe Storeroom door hangs open, its broken remanants hanging from its battered hinges.
Aiden rushes to the pile of parts, examining everything he can from the creature. "Could someone help me get this chest plate open?"
Once the rampaging machine is defeated, Val Baine emerges from her hiding spot under a table in the storeroom—a little dusty for her ordeal but otherwise unharmed. She appears to be quite grateful for the timely intervention her smile beaming as she speaks. "My, My that was quick. You all came running to help me or were ya here for some other reason?" She gives a surprised look as three more individuals appear out of the woodwork, a dwarf armed and ready to fight, a woman with feline grace in her quick steps and a gnome as well. "Oh my! So many at once, please come into the Foundry so I can make some drinks and thank you all for your good will."
She leaves Aiden to kneel over the wrecked machine, Flynn's blade had pierced it so well that the resulting explosion had left the machine in broken pieces. Bits of which were scattered all around near the Foundry's Storehouse.
Val brings everyone inside but when you look the three Ratfolk brothers are no where to be seen. Vanishing quickly in the presence of the unnerving cat-like woman...
Val looked a little disappointed but brightened up as she poured out some fresh mead for everyone, using the finest horn's to hold the brew in stylish wooden holders. The Foundry's popularity made it quite prosperous, up until Vals father disappeared recently. Once she had served each of you freshly buttered bread and mead she leaned on the counter and looked to each of you as she asked. "So what else brings you all this way? Couldn't have just been little old me~" She gives a rather innocent look before chuckling warmly.
I'm sorry, He's dead Jim. :(
Nothing much remains of the machine, from what you can tell before and after the fight it had been badly damaged already and Flynn's blade was the last nail in its techonological coffin.
Oh my oh me! A metal man! the little gnome exclaims. He rushes over to begin inspecting the fallen contruct
HiI'mZatqualmieBurrwaddlebutyoucancallmeZat he buzzes as he rushes past everyone.
Oh my oh me. It is just like the... he cuts himself off and raises a particularly damaged rectangular object A shame, a shame a shame.