'Where's he going?' Seeing Hastur retreat from the spectre, Angus steps out of the barn, while he unjams his pistol, "We come back when were done and finish this thing." Mumbling to himself, "can't just leave undead running around willy nilly." Closing the doors behind them. Angus follows his large partner.
assuming the ghost doesn't follow, A12, A14. A10
Going past the wagons and the mining carts, Angus nods at the blacksmith shop, patting his pistol,"Good to know we can make repairs, it doesn't jam this much most of the time."
As they approach the cheerily painted building, Angus points with the pistol, "wonder who lives there." Tuning to Hastur, "Shall we find out?" Angus quickly and carefully enters the building, finding upscale living quarters and a medical office, he quickly opens the medicine cabinet and adds the healing kit and tinctures to his gear. As he walks out of the doctors office he asks Hastur. "Do you reckon that the person who was mixing these tinctures is the same person who injected the four-armed monkey?" Heading out of the small neat abode he heads to the tool shed.
A9: Hastur notices that the door to the tool shed is warded by an Alarm spell. Touching it is going result in the alarm being set off.
After Hastur's warning about the alarm, Angus observes, "If you figure a way to turn it off we'll inspect their tools." Shrugging his shoulders he heads on to the next wood and stone building. A17
'This is probably the commanders...yep, this is the commanders cabin.' Looking around the nicely decorated cabin Angus realizes its the commanders after he found the letter, "Shall we go on?" Angus leaves and cabin headed toward the stone building with the tall fence. having been warned by Hastur about the trap, Angus smiles holstering his pistol, "Well lets give it a try shall we.A15
disable device: trap:1d20 + 20 ⇒ (5) + 20 = 25
hhhmmm, did it blow or do I get another crack at it?
The party hears the click of a triggering mechanism and a cloud of foul smelling greenish yellow gas emits from the building.
DC 19 fort save or nauseated as long as you remain in cloud and nauseated:1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 rounds after you leave it for you and Hastur.Any creature that succeeds on its save but remains in the cloud must continue to save each round. Yeah you blew it.
The building continues to emit gas for a 20 ft area spread unabated.
For A9, I'll give you a DC 30 Disable device to disable the alarm
choking back bile, Angus steps out of the cloud, "Shall we wait until this dissipates?" Shrugging his shoulders he walks back over to the tool shed and shimmying the alarm trap, pistol in hand, he opens the door.
Angus carefully shimmies the alarm trap and unlocks the sturdy padlock. Take 10 for DD
The tool shed contains dozens of mining picks, shovels, work gloves, hammers, rope, chisels, spikes, knives, and pitchforks. A box here also contains all of the tools used at the smithy when it was in operation.
The cloud has dissipated by the time he gets out of the tool shed.
Warning: Trying to touch to the building without DDing will result in more gas. Taking 10 won't work since the DC > 30
In the 'herbalist's building', Hastur wordlessly takes half the healing supplies. He responds to Angus' question with a casual shrug.
"Probably not, I don't see any of the fungus around here, do you?"
A15:
Fort: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 17.
Typical.
Once Hastur has stopped being sick, he sighs.
"Let's check-out the other buildings, whilst we wait. By the way, there is an Alarm on the tool shed. I mention this, in case you want to disable it."
Note: You can 'Take 10' on Disable Device checks to disable traps. You only trigger if you fail by 5 or more.
I am also happy to try and finish-off the shadow. The problem is, it can attack us from total concealment, and there is nothing we can do to stop it, since, RAW, we can't target it whilst it is within the wall, despite it being able to target us (albeit with a 50% miss chance).
Hastur casts Guidance upon Angus, providing him with a brief, unsettling glimpse of an apparently abandoned city on the verge of a massive lake, in which something massive is moving.
Somehow, this inspires Angus, as he finds an alternative, illogical way of looking at the trap.
Now he has a +21 on his Disable Device attempt.
Nevertheless, not quite trusting Angus' ability with traps, he backs off to a safe distance.
'Well at least I can use the smithy if I need to.' Angus shrugs, turning to Hastur, "tools in the tool shed, who would have thought?" Seeing the gas cloud had dissipated angus returns to the stone building. "I'll try the stone building again." Attempting to remove the trap he sets off the cloud again, this time not able to help himself he begins to puck, holding his pistol high so he doesn't ruin his powder he runs out of the cloud until he stops wrenching.
disable device:1d20 + 21 ⇒ (5) + 21 = 26 fort:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
edit: we can finish the ghost horse after the job is done, business before pleasure right?gave me a + 1 not a +21 I need to pay better attention, editing now.[/ooc]
[ooc]edited again, so he
DC 19 fort save or nauseated as long as you remain in cloud and nauseated:1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 rounds after you leave it for Angus.Any creature that succeeds on its save but remains in the cloud must continue to save each round. Yeah you blew it.
The building continues to emit gas for a 20 ft area spread unabated.
Hastur waits patiently for Angus to finish with the trap.
Since there doesn't seem to be a long-term penalty for failure (apart from short-term nausea), eventually, he will disable it; Hastur will just keep being thoroughly amused by how long it takes ;-)
Re: The horse, in that case, I am happy to try finishing it off before leaving; I have a nasty feeling that if we don't, when we come back, the woman will also have been 'shadowed'.
Seeing the gas cloud had dissipated angus returns to the stone building. "I'll try the stone building again." once again running out of the cloud again, puking!
After the cloud abates, Angus tries again, but this time doesn't set off the trap. He tries again, and this time he manages to disable the devilishly tricky trap. DC was 32 Angus DD:1d20 + 21 ⇒ (18) + 21 = 39
Then he is faced with a building without any doors or windows. Thoroughly infuriated after puking most of his breakfast on the ground, he kicks the wall randomly, yelling, "Open Sesame, you b@stard!", and the section of the wall slides open to reveal a warehouse.
In the warehouse are a stash of glimmering yellow crystals, which look quite attractive. Worth 5,000 gp, you can use these crystals to substitute spell components that require cost, I.e Restoration, raise dead, stoneskin. Angus figures that these crystals have extremely sharp edges, and could be useful to enhance melee weapons and ranged weapons. If ground into a paste and coated to a weapon/ammunition, they will give the weapon 1 bleed damage per round for 10 rounds. Each blanch can coat 10 bullets/arrows. A melee weapon made out of these crystals would permanently give 1d6 bleed damage, but would have the fragile property. DC 30 Craft(Weapons) to create such a weapon. Hastur on the other hand, realizes that the crystals have magical properties. Being attuned to the crystals can grant greater insights.Gives a +1 competence bonus on checks with any one skill you choose, and you can change the skill modified once per day. Slotless.
DC 25 craft alchemy check and 1h of work to make a dose of yellow crystal blanch. Reduce value of yellow crystals by 100 gp per dose you make.
You'll get it as long as you have 100 gp worth of it on you. And no, more crystals do not give you more skills bonus. Unless you find a way of "Separating" the crystals per se, making them into different manufactured products, I.e a ring, earring, belt ornament etc. With the relevant DC 30 craft(relevant) check, and 1 day of work. Also takes up relevant magic item slot.
Your speculation on the woman and the shadow is 100% accurate ;) You'd get 1 more shadow to deal with on your return
'Impressive, I wonder if I can make bullets or pellets out of these, I've heard of "rocksalt" being used should be able to figure out something with these.' Nodding his head in agreement with Hastur, "Yes, delightful indeed!" As Hastur asks about the horse, "Always ready to re-dead something." smiling he heads back to the barn.
'Ok time to use Pharasma's help' Just before opening the barn door Angus uses his gods power on his pistol 'touch the spirit world.' Opening the door one handed his prepared pistol in the other he looks for the spirit.
The shadow pops out of the water trough, and as it drifts closer to touch Hastur with it's shadowy hooves, Angus takes a shot at it, before it can strike. It gives a mournful whinny, then dissipates.
Angus finds a small locked room which he "persuades" the lock to cooperate. Opening it yields normal riding gear and grooming tools and a special a masterwork saddle with silver-and-gold filigree and an ivory saddle horn, together worth 2,500 gp.
Readied action, combat's over. Sigh. I never got to use fly-by attack :(
Next time, I'll have all my shadows hide in the ground ;)
ooohhhh, Readied action, why didn't I think of that...
'I don't think the horse is going to the boneyard, but I'm sure that Pharasma wouldn't want a spirit running around no matter the species.' Angus quickly looks around, finding the tack room he tickles the lock to look inside.
'That's lovely, looks like it's for a parade not mine work, to bad there's no horses left to ride to the mine.' After admiring the parade saddle Angus closes the door behind him and as they exit asks Hastur, "did either of the sites Stygia or Caina strike you as the better place to start?" Angus headed back to the office to look at the maps again.
The party is not too far from the colony when a horrible stench fills the air, wafting from the remains of a herd of indigenous animals. More distressing than the horrible odor of death and decay is the condition of the animal carcasses. All of them are so mutilated as to seem far beyond natural predation. The party notices slight movement or twitching in some of the carcasses. Thousands of larger-than-normal maggots infest the decaying flesh.
'Stygia seems to be isolated it may be a good place to start.'Looking at the maps in the office, seeing that Stygia was by isolated He points at it's location on the wall map, "May as well start at "Stygia" it's isolated enough that I'm not worried about someone sneaking in behind us." smiling at his associate, "Not that they would like the surprise they received.
As they leave the office Angus asks Hastur, "Those gems in the lock down, would any of those be immediately useful to you, or will they need altered?"
depending on the answer, we may or may not grab a handful of gems.
Angus then heads out the northern gate, turning west and staying on the left branch he heads toward Stygia.
shoot GM Mort you ninja'd my post
Seeing the maggots, Angus holsters his normal pistol and draws his dragon pistol, and asks Hastur: "Do you want to deal with those now or when we head back?"
"The gems have potential, but not anything that I need right now."
Outside:
Seeing the writhing mess on the road ahead, Hastur starts giving it a wide berth.
"I don't see that we need to; we have been employed to make sure that the spice crystals keeps flowing, not clean up a mess."
Unless Angus can provide a particularly winning argument, I see no benefit to us in fighting what looks suspiciously like a possible swarm encounter...
The party gives the mutilated animal corpses a wide berth, and comes into a forest. Along the path, they both see that someone has crudely rigged a log to fall on the path, and they both notice some movement in the bushes.
...we have been employed to make sure that the spice crystals keeps flowing..
does this meant that Gurney Angus can bring his baliset next time?
Angus shrugs his shoulders, "I don't mind leaving the local flora and fauna alone." Leaving the maggots behind as they head to the mine, keeping his dragon pistol out well past the possible swarms, he eventually reholsers it and draws his trusty pistol.
you ninja'd my post again ;) don't worry I'll catch up
Realizing that Hastur has began pursuit, Angus follows after!
Angus runs into a shaggy haired, wild-eyed Halfling with half his teeth rotten, his leather armor in tatters and smelling like an open cesspool. In his hand is a dagger. ”Argggh you persistent Cheliax devils! You’ll never catch me and take me back to the colony!”He howls, then goes for your throat, but Angus easily sidesteps the first strike, shoots him in the shoulder while dodging the second strike.
Dagger:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22 Dagger AOO because Angus is shooting in melee:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Bushes are DT. You can assume rest of terrain not on map is bush.
’tough little hobbit halfling, not that it will matter in the end Angus steps back from the haflling giving him room to bring the pistol into play moving like lighting he fires at the attacker.
just realized no 5 ft step, Guess he’s giving up the AOO, please only fire however many it will take to drop him, ;) Full Attack: +1 pistol, point blank, rapid shot attack:1d20 + 16 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 16 + 1 - 2 = 23fordamage:1d8 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 1 = 16 attack:1d20 + 16 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 16 + 1 - 2 = 22fordamage:1d8 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 7 + 1 = 15 attack:1d20 + 11 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 11 + 1 - 2 = 23fordamage:1d8 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 1 = 14
The wild-eyed halfling lashes out at Angus's gun arm, hoping to disrupt his aim, and opens a small gnash in Agnus's forearm.
dagger:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
confirm:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
DMG:1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Despite the sudden pain from his arm, Angus's aim remains true, and he shoots the halfling in the chest. The halfling gasps once, in shock, then topples over.
Should you wish to cdg him, please describe the execution
On searching the halfling:
The following items are found: black adder venom (7 doses), leather armor, stone dagger, spear, backpack, bedroll, hemp rope (150 ft.), hammer, trail rations (4 days), waterskin, 30 gp
The party continues on their journey, across the forest, coming out into grassland, with sparse trees. The party notices that there are wooden notices propped up next to the trees saying "Dragon Territory, Keep Out!". Strangely enough, the words on the notices seem to be carved out by a creature with claws...
since I am counting how many bullets did it take to put the little guy down?
'How did Leon put it? Two to the chest, one to the head. Don't really want to waste a bullet.' Angus holsters his pistol and watches Hastur search the little guy, casting detect magic as Hastur tosses the items on the ground, "That's an awful lot of rope for such a little guy, now we know what he used to drop the log on us."
Once Hastur has finish Angus kneels beside the now clean unconscious Halfling. Turning him on his side, placing his arm under his head. 'He looks like he is asleep.' Angus draws his shortsword and placing it at the base of the little halflings skull he thrusts the blade into the brain, severing the spinal column and spinal cord. wiggling the handle slightly, to scramble the brain, Angus removes the blade wiping the blood and grey brain matter on the bushes that the halfing attempted to hide behind.
Angus looks up at Hastur and shrugs, "No need to waste a bullet, there expensive." Then continues following the gentle giant.
At the sign 'Dragons? Would they be interested in the crystals' Angus shrugs his shoulders. "You would think anyone smart enough to write a sign would be smart enough to go to the fort and acquire those stones." Pointing down the trail, Angus smiles. "I'm right behind you big guy, If we capture one maybe we can use that fancy saddle on it." winking, "We can break it after were finished, business before pleasure right."
The party sees a speck on the horizon, getting gradually larger and dragon shaped. As it closes, the party realizes they are looking at a large bronze dragon. "Mortals, you're tresspassing. Did you not see all the notices I left behind?" It thunders.
Its a young bronze dragon.Bronze dragons have been known to ally with travelers and adventurers if the cause and reward is right and just.
Electric breath (6d6, DC 18) 80 ft line.
Repulsion Breath
Instead of a line of electricity, a bronze dragon can breathe a cone of repulsion gas. Targets must make a Will save or be compelled to do nothing but move away from the dragon for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per age category. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.
No DR or SR.
Angus' sense motive is + 16 so he is going to "Take 0" ;)
'What makes it think it's talking to mortals.' Resisting the urge to put one hand over his brow to see better, Angus keeps them casually placed on his pistols, leaning closer to Hastur he whispers "It's not as confident as it sounds" calling out to the Dragon "Were not trespassing! We were hired by the mine owners to check on them, and this is the way to get to them!"
"The little one speaks the truth. We were contracted by the government on the mainland to find out why the enclave here had gone dark; we suspect that it is something to do with the mines themselves, so we are heading there (via the path that the miners themselves used) to find out what has happened."
Hastur then shrugs.
"We mean you no direct harm; we simply wish to be on our way. However, if you get in our way, we will not be gentle. Your choice."
"I hate Cheliaxians. All they know how to do is abuse their power and subjugate others!" It roars angrily. "There are no mines in operation here and no miners to be found, so get off my lawn territory!"
Angus or Sense Motive DC 15:
Dragon is telling the truth. Maybe it knows something you don't?
'well at least it's honest' Angus keeping his hands on his weapons, calls out "We appreciate your honesty. Neither of us are Cheliaxians and I have no love for Cheliaxians myself. But our employers are the legal owners of the mines and they have the right to have them inspected. It would be wrong of you to interfere with properly hired individuals such as ourselves. Besides we will be off of your property when we arrive at the mines. If you have an issue with the mine owners take that up with them. If not you are doing exactly what you are accusing the Cheliaxians of; abusing your power and subjugating us."
making a request? diplomacy:1d20 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 uh oh
"Look. The mines are no longer in operation, because a bunch of foul little things marched chained up miners up North East. You're barking up the wrong tree mine. I bear both parties no love, so I just watched from above, and claimed the territory after both sides had vacated. Will you be getting out now?" It growls.
