GM Viskous presents Iron Gods (Inactive)

Game Master Viskous

"How frightfully premature," Raven mutters, shaking her head. She pulls a slender vial from one of her pockets, a vial with a stopper of soft clay. filled with a yellowish-green liquid. The alchemist pushes a slender, metal rod through the clay into the liquid, which starts to fizz alarmingly, and she lobs it over the others and over the blindheim. As soon as the foaming, vibrating vial strikes earth, it explodes with a dull roar of concussive force!

Raven throws a bomb one square beyond the blindheim so the splash damage won't affect the others. Ranged attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20, DC15 Reflex save to halve 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4 damage.

The blindheim not expecting to get hit from behind from an exploding vial is unable to dodge and takes full damage from Raven's bomb. True to its normal hunting patterns, it no longer shoots intense light from its eyes. It hops along attempting get into a position to attack lot, easily avoiding Jack's attack of opportunity. The frog-like creature attempts to bite Locke and even blinded he manages to avoid the incoming attack.

Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Attack Target: 1d3 ⇒ 3
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Round 2 Summary

Raven not being affected by the gaze attack, readies and throws a bomb behind the creature which was unable to dodge.
Lazur blinded by the attack takes no further actions this round.
Locke blinded, drops into a defensive stance.
Rywokit's Ray of Frost misses.
Analise fingers unleash electricity at the frog-like beast causing it some minor damage.please note for future, when blinded you cannot target spells other than area effect ones.
The blindheim lessens the intensity of its gaze then hops up to lock avoiding Jack's Attack of Opportunity and then misses Locke with its bite.
Finally Allen increases Locke's chances to hit with a luck blessing from Desna.

4714.Arodus.19 12:09:12PM
Round 3
Battle Map

The blindheim attacked Locke but missed, leaving it adjacent to Allen, Rywokit and Locke. The creature looks damaged, but this appears to anger it more than cause it run in fear.

The blinding will last for a long time, though you do not need to make further saves at this point.

Initiative Order

Raven
Lazur
Locke
Rywokit
Analise
Jack
Monster
Allen

Ready for actions!

Rywokit would take a five-foot step back and cast a mighty* ray of frost once again!

Ray of Frost Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17 Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 2

* Haha!
EDIT: to add my rolls, and adjust coding a hair.

Damn. It got past me. Jack reorients himself towards the foe, shifting his tower shield back onto his arm.

He attacks the creature with his pick.

Jack Attack!: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 4 - 2 = 12for..: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Lazur shoulders his musket and pulls out his long sword.

"Ttttell, me when to swing!" he stutters.

Raven reloads, sights between Allen and Locke, and fires.
"This matter is rapidly becoming farcical," she mutters as the arrow sails well past the blindheim. "Why can't the dratted thing just run away in the face of superior forces...?"

Move action to reload, standard action to fire. Ranged attack 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 for 1d8 ⇒ 6 damage.

"At the moment, it appears to be superior firepower. I question the use of the word 'forces' though! Now somebody hit the damn thing!"

As Jack demands someone hit it, Rywokit's small beam of cold does so.
"<Run: celebration> I did it!" cries Rywy triumphantly. The creature, feeling only the most minor of pinches swivels its head toward the small wooden creature. "<Process: attention> Uh-oh." the small wooden man says, thinking about the importance of fiber in a regular diet.

EDIT:

"<Process: tactical advice> Swing to your left, Locke!" calls Wicket. "<Run: correction> No, your other left!" he adds, after the barest second has passed.

EDIT 2: Technically, Locke goes before Rywokit, however since he wasn't sure he wanted to attack for fear of hitting Jack, I figure Wicket might be able to call out to him to swing at this point. Kind of like if he delayed his action.

Hearing the explosion and then the angry creature near him, Locke gives pause trying to orient himself. Then Locke hears the voice of the sentient wooden construct and swings to both his lefts (simultaneously even!) in an attempt to hit the blindheim by triangulating the sounds and projections of momentum.

50% Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 21
Swinging Blind: 1d20 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 1 - 4 = 16
Damage?: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Possible Blind Crit???: 1d20 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 1 - 4 = 8
Second Luck Attempt??: 1d20 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 1 - 4 = 16
Boo. That would have been pretty cool.

Allen decides to use the same tactic, this time touching Raven to grant a Bit of Luck.

I edited in the luck roll just before the 60 minutes were up and it looks like it hits!

Extra damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Hope I did that right...

Round 3 Summary

Raven attempts to shoot the creature with her crossbow and misses completely. Lazur shouts about trying to get directions. Locke, completely blinded, swings mightily and scores a critical hit due to Allen's Bit of Luck. The blindheim drops to the ground as its life force ebbs away, Rywokit hits it with a burst of cold energy making sure the creature doesn't get up anymore.

Combat over

"Who just hit the floor? It wasn't one of us was it?", Lazur exclaims in a panic.

"The creature is dead," Raven says. "All those blinded, please sit down and wait. The blindness will pass -- it will just take an hour. And no, I am not inclined to simply move on before your vision has returned; that would be dangerous, especially if we meet more opposition."

The Alchemist moves between the others and retrieves her arrows from where they alternatively fell or sank into the blindheim's flesh.

"I must get a specimen box!" she laments while dissecting the creature's head and back as neatly as possible. "I just do not have the room in my pack for these, and they are virtually priceless to my research...! Ah, me..."

Raven shakes her head and continues her investigation, checking for obvious mutations and such which might explain the blindheim's powers.

Jack watches Raven with interest. "We have all seemed to survived." he acknowledges. "Nice shot Locke."

"Raven is right, we should wait here until your vision returns. No sense blindly stumbling into trouble, pun intended."

"Good job everyone, let's take a break and we can get moving when we're all feeling better." Allen starts looking people over, "Is anyone hurt?"

Towards the back of this little alcove appears to be a body. Large portions appear to be missing, around the waist area there is a satchel that looks to have stuff inside.

Posting from work, don't have book access until this evening, body is visible on roll20. Raven is right, the blinding lasts for an hour.

Lazur slumps down against the cave wall and starts cleaning his weapon.

"I always thought the gun master was crazy when I was training with him. He always had us assemble, disassemble and clean our weapons blindfolded. Guess he wasn't so crazy after all."

"<Process: Victory> We won!" notes Wicket. "Excellent."

Looking around, it quickly attempts to assess or assist its friends.

"<Run: Aid Protocol> Do... you need help?" it asks.

WIS/Heal: 1d20 ⇒ 5 To help if he can at all make other comfortable.

"<Process: Gratitude> Thank you, Locke." Rywokit notes. "Excellent job, even while blind."

Aid Another: 1d20 ⇒ 16
General Aid Another checks are offered for anything anyone is doing. If no one else needs his assistance...

Rywokit walks over to the body to thoroughly check it and him out.

"<Process: Examination> I wonder who this is." Rywokit would search thoroughly for any signs of identification.

Appraise: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27 I have to use it for something. :P
Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 4 Or, if I can, take 10.

EDIT: DANG-it, why do all my 20s suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck? Looks like I can't make anyone comfortable (what would a little wooden man know of flesh-type comforts anyway?), nor can I see anything around the dead person. :/
But I know exactly how valuable the stuff that I can't find is! (Dang it.)

There is very little of the body left, by which to identify it. You think it probably was a half orc due to the skin coloring, though it is also quite rotten. In the pouch you find, 2 water tight vials with a slightly glowing bluish liquid, something that appears to be a silver holy symbol, and 45 gold pieces.

Rywokit's appraise check - the holy symbol made of silver appears to be worth 25 gold pieces to the right buyer.

The holy symbol

Knowledge (religion) 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Raven joins Rywokit in his investigation, wiping the blindheim's body-fluids off her hands with a clean rag.

"What have we here?" she asks as she squats next to the body and eyes the symbol.

It is really quite unpleasant to see. Raven blinks, and her expression changes to one of utter loathing and rage. It does not do so quickly, however, but by stages, as if the Alchemist is fitting each factor of the feeling into place, deliberately building up to a negative feeling.

"Zyphus!" she hisses, fitting her bayonet to her crossbow with a loud 'Clack!'.

Raven scoops the unholy symbol up with the tip of her bayonet and marches over to Jack, dumping it at his feet. Her expression is still full of furious disgust. "Break this!" she says. "Smash it beyond recognition! Do it now! -- Please," she amends. "This is... It is associated with one of the vilest deities in the pantheon. A blasphemy against death, against the proper order of mortality... Destroy it."

Knowledge (engineering): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11 In case that's needed.
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17 Detect magic and spellcraft on the fluid, my guess.
Wicket will leave the money alone for now.

"<Run: describe> Strange fluid here, that I am going to research. Also, I do not recognize this fellow. Perhaps we can use the funds he had on him to pay for the funerals of both himself and the half-orc."

"<Run: query> Who or what is Zyphus, and why does it matter what happens to that moderately valuable silver jewelry?" it asks the outraged android.

Rywokit after examining the fluids with detect magic is able to determine that these vials are cure light wounds potions.

Waiting on reactions to Raven's "ouburst" and what you'd like to do with the half blind party. After we get a resolution of the loot, we can skip ahead about an hour or you can continue along as is. Feel free to discuss in discussion thread as well.

Rywy is mostly treating it casually. He knows how emotional these fleshy kinds are. (Nevermind the fact that he's experiencing emotions himself.) He sees nothing unusual. He's just wondering "why". EDIT:

"<Process: value> Oh, uh, and you fleshy types might enjoy these potions. They'll heal your bodies of limited wounds."

Knowledge(Religion): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Jack takes the holy symbol and sets it onto a rock, then uses his tower shield's to hammer into it.
Break Attempt 1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Break Attempt 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Break Attempt 3: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Reference: Iron Vial has a break DC of 14

He hammers into it repeatedly, until it bends and breaks a line through.

"There. It's done. Now, can you calmly tell us more about who and what Zyphus is? Perhaps you can give us insight into what else may be lurking down here."

Jack acknowledges Rywokit, "Well done... are you a mage? A sorcerer?"

"Zyphus: deity of: accidental death; graveyards; tragedy," Raven summarizes, her expression still disgusted. "Resident of: Abaddon. Conjecture: born of the first soul to die an accidental death. End goal of clergy: cause ever-greater amounts of tragic, pointless deaths by means of: setting traps for the unwary and enabling accidental deaths, for the purpose of: empowering Zyphus so he may usurp Pharasma."

Raven actually spits on the unholy symbol. "Such a thing would rob the office of Death of its dignity and purpose! Zyphus makes lives meaningless by turning death into pure randomness. Moreover, he resides in Abaddon, where the daemons feast on mortal souls! If the lord of pointless death ever becomes the steward of souls, who is to say that anyone would ever reach their proper destination again, save that their patrons gain the favour of Zyphus?"

"<Process: answer> Thank, you, Jack. Arcanist. Taught hey Konnir himself, though he used more traditional wizardry."

"<Run: humor protocol> I have decided that I do not like this Zyphus. He sounds like a doofus." Wicket explains.

Analise sits down to take a breather. "Oi," is all she says, and waits.

"Soooo... My question is: what is a follower of Zyphus doing exploring these caves, mmmm? We may have more than two problems on our hands here."

She then stretches out like a cat, and starts writing strange symbols on the floor with her hand.

Nervous tic of hers, she tends to write out her thought processes in AnaCode-an overcomplicated amalagation of C#, Java, Binary, and HTML8-to help her think and sort out her thoughts. Plus, should make for an interesting plot device if any of the androids should recognize it as code.

The young mage's face abruptly turns pale. "I have a feeling we need to find Khonnir-and soon. Allen, divine magic can influence luck and outcomes, right?"

"Yes, of course, I am a servant of Desna, also known as Lady Luck. She can make the random a little less, uhm, random." He smiles a little.

Analise's face drops even further. "Then maybe we're in deeper #!^% than I thought we were. Oi." She rubs her face. "Okay, so if Zyphus' game is to cause accidental and pointless deaths, then his clerics probably have unluck magic of some sort to help manipulate fate to create more death. Which means that we're going to have to find Khonnir quickly, before something happens to him."

"From what I recall, they are more prone to setting traps and arranging 'accidents'," Raven says. "Boulders placed just so, toxic vermin induced to nest in specific locations, condiments switched for chemicals. But I concur that we must move swiftly -- after you have all recovered your vision. The blind have no business wandering about in tunnels which may or may not be infested with traps set by determined murderers."

* * * * * * * * * *

After conversation has died down, and while the group waits for the blindness to wear off, Raven marches over to the dead body and removes a dog-eared little book with numerous bookmarks stuck between the pages from her pack. She briefly, seriously kisses the spiral sign on the cheap, paper cover and turns to a marked page.

Possibly to your astonishment, the Alchemist starts to declaim a funeral rite in the Pharasmin tradition...

Locke listens to what the others say very carefully. After some time sitting silent while he waits for the blindness to wear off, he speaks.

"I ask that you all consider what I am about to say with rational minds. While I understand that your passionate feelings for Khonnir Baine would have you suggest further urgency regarding the matters we are here to investigate, I believe for that very reason we should move slowly and cautiously.

"I myself urged speed...until we were assured the town of Torch would provide a scroll of resurrection should anything amiss have befallen the esteemed Khonnir Baine. This means that time is not necessarily as serious of an issue, and moving forward prepared and carefully becomes more important. This is no longer a matter of trying to succeed, but an endeavor which in fact needs to succeed. We," Locke sweeps his hand in an attempt to include everyone despite his lack of vision, "May be the last hope. Unless I am mistaken, others have definitely come before us, and the evidence is that they failed. Possibly due to the influence of followers of this Zyphus. Or it could remain something else yet unknown. It is possible that this individual body found with the blindheim was the follower of said god and was here on a separate matter entirely meaning he or she was not the cause of the troubles we investigate.

"As we know, we will need to return through the same waterway from whence we came unless an alternate route is located as we progress. This means keeping mindful of the time we travel as the water breathing spell will eventually expire. As time is not as specifically our enemy in this case, I would urge that we consider that we may need to retreat to Torch periodically to rest and resupply. This will also allow us to speak with some of the local specialists regarding what we have discovered thus far. The fact we have located two bodies may provide illumination as to what we face and if anyone knows who the unfortunates are, we may even learn from that. The local clergy may be able to shed further light on this Zyphus issue as well."

Locke pauses and takes a breath. "Please, do not let your passions overwhelm your reason regarding your perceived concern for Khonnir Baine or the implications of the machinations of the deity Zyphus. Rushing headlong out of worry could in fact be exactly what is desired by any follower of a 'god of accidents'."

The unholy symbol now thoroughly destroyed is worth the equivalent worth by weight of silver coins, about 25 silver pieces.

Will wait a couple more hours to post the after blindness restart to the adventure.

Awesome. While we're waiting, if the water is low enough, Wicket will briefly - stealthily, hopefully - creep around through the water just to make sure it wraps all the way around to their entry point. There are a few nooks and crannies that are kind of dark, too, that he'd look into, checking for traps and magic.

.

EDIT: To be clear, Wicket goes veeeeery slooowwwly. He takes his time on everything. He's not interested in setting things off against his friends: he wants to stop that, not start it. If he finds anything - anything at all - he reports back to his friends asap, and does not engage, unless he has no choice.

4714.Arodus.19 13:09:30PM

Rywokit begins to explore a little, and as he heads up the north west passage another cave like area opens up with a path leading to the south. A shallow creek runs through the middle of this cavern, while to the south a stony bank rises up from the water. Thick carpets of green and gray mold and fungus grow on the bank, particularly around a trio of three-foot-high, foul-smelling mounds.

Without approaching very closely, one of the mounds seems to have a hair covered small foot sticking out. Rywokit heads back to the group and explains what he's seen. Your visions have returned.

"Hmmm... I think I am going to follow my @@@@@ instincts and go where those things are. Care to follow me?"

One of the words Analise says has no equivalent in any language (except Earthling). Analise tries to ponder about what they are...

Knowledge (nature): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

"<Process: clarify and affirm> Of course I am with you, Analise, but follow which instincts, and go to which things? The mounds? They seemed neither arcane nor technological."

GM, I don't think I said, but I certainly intended for Rywy to be using detect magic everywhere he goes (hence the Spellcraft check). Is it possible to presume that, or should he start that now?

"Did you find a cairn of some sort, Rywokit?" Jack asks, inquiring about the foot sticking from the mound.

Jack turns to regard Analise with a quizzical look, then slowly offers, "...we should investigate."

Rywokit, I assumed a detect magic with the spellcraft. And you didn't spot anything. The small hairy foot, you were supposed to assume was a halfling body under that mound. It also didn't look like a cairn, just a huge pile of molds and fungi.(DC-obvious)

Analise, it sounds like a bunch of mold and various fungus that grow in dank wet places, they do seem especially robust, you think due to the strange nutrients of the waters.

Awesome, thanks GM. Also, all: I tell you guys this.^

Lazur stretches as he stands and says "It's good to see all of you again, even you hot head." as he smiles and winks at Analise.

"Lets take a careful look in that next cavern. I'll stand on overwatch."

Jack will move up to the halfling's dead corpse and hold his breath while poking at it with his pick. "The least we can do for the poor fellow is see if he has anything we can take back to family."

After searching him for identification, he will lead the party down the remaining corridor.

"So much death down here, and we haven't been here that long. What else will we find?"

"Be careful! How did the body get in the mound? Maybe it pulled him in! Allen stays near the middle of the group, crossbow at ready, holy symbol shining light to see by.

Rywokit stays back, spell at the ready... though he's not sure if Ray of Frost would do any good in whatever situation this is.

"<Run: guesswork> I'd have assumed it grew over it when the body died... but you may be correct." says Wicket.

4714.Arodus.19 12:11:00PM
Round 1
Battle Map

As Jack pokes the pile of mold, what at first seemed to be a carpet of fungi and mushrooms suddenly stirs to life, surging forward with a reek of decay. The other two mounds also seem to awaken.
Visual

Initiative Order
Locke
Rywokit
Lazur
Molds
Raven
Analise
Jack
Allen

We will be trying to use the block initiative method, so only people in bold post actions, once those actions are resolved, we will do the next block.

Not knowing what they are, Wicket quickly tries to cast Ray of Frost!

Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13, Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 3

EDIT: fixed "[spoiler=Damage]" to "[dice=Damage]" - I'm so good at coding, you guys!

Locke moves forward and sees the sudden change in The Star Warriors' stances as some unseen threat around the corner begins to menace their investigations. To free his movement, he lowers his pack to the ground.

Locke will draw his short sword and move down the narrow channel towards the others as far as he can.

"What is the concern?" he calls to the others ahead. "Is it a new enemy?"

"<Process: threat> It seems to be some sort of living mold! It is attacking us! Beware, fleshy friend!" Wicket warns.