Zeke prays to his god while he checks over the old man, making sure Khonnir Baine hasn't sustained any lasting injuries. He wonders what his adopted father has been eating and drinking while held inside the machine, and tries to get him to swallow some clean water from his waterskin.
As Zeke begins attending to Khonnir, LaRA stares in the distance. Memory extrusion: Query: local lifeforms. Warning: Account must be taken of evolutionary vectors due to presence of vessel. Calculating... Staring at the wall, she remains motionless for a good while.
Garfaulk was relieved to find they had finally found the long lost wizard, and was glad he hadn't accidentally blown him up. But he knew they were only halfway out of the woods,. "Alright, lets see then what we can make happen ere..." He started looking around, trying to figure out what could be used to get Khonnir out of there.
As well as looking around for anything to make a pouch. He gets an idea looking at Zeke's waterskin, wondering if it holds water in that well, maybe they could fashion something similar, looking over the material of the sheets and everything they could find.
Charles ponders stories of swimmers and divers he's heard ...how do they stay under for so long?
round 1 attempts:
1. Heal: Zeke: PASSED
2. Nature: LaRA : FAIL!
3. Engineering: Garfaulk: FAIL
4. Arcana: Ton: try it!
5. Swim: Wulf: Try it!
6. Keep Khonnir & LaRA breathing: Charles, by default, can give this a shot. Give me a craft check, Charles, probably just a d20 but I will give you a bonus +2 for the knowledge local roll. Roll that good again and you will be fine!
So the group quickly hurries about the room, scavenging material. There is a good amount of soft flexible tubing, and you are able to remove the two heads of the medical robots and pull out the wiring. By tightly fitting one helmet on Khonnir and connecting the tubing with the second helmet, you should have an waterproof head covering that connects to a trapped air source. Charles has seen underwater swimmers try to make something similar in the past. Should work if all the connections are tight.... Unfortunately Charles is left to put the finishing touches on it as Garfaulk tries to help stabilize Khonnir.
round 1 attempts:
1. Heal: Zeke: PASSED
2. Nature: LaRA : FAIL!
3. Engineering: Garfaulk: FAIL
4. Arcana: Ton: PASSED (don't need aid)
5. Swim: Wulf: Try it!
6. Keep Khonnir & LaRA breathing: Charles, roll a d20 and pray
Calculating..., LaRA continues staring at the wall. Estimations complete. Information ready for dissemination. Turning around she blinks a couple of times more. "I am now available for inquiries.", she notifies the others.
ROUND 2
All set:
1. Heal: PASSED
2. Arcana: PASSED
3. Swim: PASSED
Someone needs to do:
4. Nature:
5. Engineering:
6. Keep Khonnir & LaRA breathing: Mechanical skill or Knowledge Engineering
4. Nature: LaRA + wulf aid
5. Engineering: Garfaulk
6. Keep Khonnir & LaRA breathing: Mechanical skill or Knowledge Engineering: Zeke
Someone can claim Ton's aid before their roll. And Charles can give an aid too someone too.
"Thanks, Mr. Wexley, just hold that base steady and I'll bend the other side to fit," Zeke thinks to Ton while constructing the crude mask, praying to his deity to let this work.
So far, you have managed to make your way back to the underground cave, and have carried Khonnir to the beach where you fought those fire crabs several days ago. Wulf is getting ready to swim the tunnel while carrying Khonnir, and he is stretching and flexing his muscles. Ton'iel has carefully checked over Khonnir, and done his best to determine that the cause of Khonnir's ailments don't seem magical in nature. Zeke has done a thorough exam as well; as far as he can tell, Khonnir has lost nearly all of his strength, constitution, and manually dexterity. His brain seems affected too... and he can't form words, and drifts in and out of consciousness .
Garfaulk and LaRA are also leaning over him, trying to figure out why he is in this condition. And at the same time, the party is trying to piece together a breathing contraption... so far with no luck, as it keeps leaking in all of your tests. You start to wrap different pieces of flexible plastic around the holes, in hopes that plugs the leaks, but so far to no luck.
Taking a moment to think about their failing device, Garfaulk inhales deeply, trying to push through his headache. Focusing, he started murmuring,looking over the various problems with their device. Looking at Ton, he grinned "Ton, I think I've got an idea. Tell me if you think this'll work..." as he goes over a way to fold the edges of the plastic and melting it with his spark spell to make a water skin but backwards.
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The elf shrugs and just says: "Maybe."
Garfaulk adeptly finishes the water breathing device. He tests it- it works! You fit the helmet on Khonnir's head, and all of you minus LaRA begin going through the tunnel. Wulf swims while carrying Khonnir, and before long, gets Khonnir through the cave! He unleashes the machine from his head, and Wulf dives back down to give the device to LaRA. Everyone else picks up Khonnir and heads toward the temple of Brigh. Wulf and LaRA catch up on the way.
Things are going well, though you still don't know what caused Khonnir's condition.
4 successes, 4 failures.
Needed:
Nature Roll: (LaRA needs to roll yet)
Another Engineering roll: Wait til next round.
I will have mercy on Charles and let him simply aid another on the k nature roll.
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Five successes, 4 failures.
I need one more roll! Another Knowledge Engineering! And take Charles aid on that roll.
Garfaulk, as they're priming everything for the short term journey to get Baine back up safely, realizes that the strange device they've constructed might need one more bit of help, making sure the tubes are perfectly aligned. "Charles, need yer help here, ya got a keen eye, this look straight and lined up properly?"
Wulf resurfaces on the other side of the cave after dropping off Khonnir. "We got through with no problem, Khonnir made it now it's your turn LaRA." He walks over to her places any other though out of his mind, he just wants to get this done and get everyone out before he can clean himself up and get a change of clothes.
"Don't worry I know the way just hold on to me and you'll be fine." He takes her hands and leads her into the water and starts to swim with her.
---
Breaking through on the other side finally out of the cave he helps LaRA out of the water while helping her take the device off. "See no problem, welcome to the outside." He smiles at her sweeping his hand out to show her. "They have gone to the temple we should move quickly to catch up."
As LaRA catches up and inspects Khonnir again, she realizes that his symptoms could easily be a combination of both a disease and poison together! And Garfaulk understands that the strange device the robots were keeping him in was keeping him stable, but removing Khonnir caused an immediate deterioration!
When you reach the Temple of Bright, Khonnir is barely breathing anymore. But Father Joram springs into action! Once you tell him the cause, he quickly pulls out the proper potions and administers them immediately. He follows it up with several hits of a cure light wounds wand, most of which seem to have no effect. "I feel like he is at his maximum health for his current constitution... It is simply going to take days of rest to bring him back into a healthier state. I am a low ranking cleric, and don't have the divine power to do more at this time. I can keep him here and watch him day and night, keep him comfortable, and let his body heal itself. Whewww... Without your information, I wouldn't have known to give him those potions. He surely would have died... I have some extra potions left over. Here, take these " He hands you a potion of cure poison and cure disease.
With the immediate threat over, you all take a sigh of relief. The town is again open to your activities. Feel free to shop, talk to people, and rest as you would like.
As Wulf helps LaRA take off her helmet, she stops to look at 'the outside', for a brief moment. A primitive settlement., she notes, then rushes down the hill as assisting Khonnir is mentioned.
Standing next to Khonnir's bed in the temple of Brigh, LaRA looks at the rest of the party. "Primary directive: Acquire data on current state of Golarion.", she says after a while. "Future actions unclear. This unit is ready to assist in exchange for nourishment and shelter. In the event such an arrangement is unsuitable for your organisation, please inform of direction of an entity or a group that would.", she relays, before stopping. "It is also customary to express gratitude to others post-factum receiving assistance in circumstances unsurmountable by solo abilities. Thank you.", she says, her head snapping to observe Torch.
Ton runs a hand through his soaked hair and breaths a sigh of relief so deep he feels a quiver run through him.
"We made it! I didn't think we would at times there but you all did damned well." he says. "Well, most of you..." he adds under his breath as he takes a sidelong glance at Charles.
Elves are long-lived, and they can hold a grudge for almost as long - at least Ton could. It was one of his less enamouring traits.
"As much as I wouldn't mind taking a break and finding out what Baine knows, as well as collecting that reward money, I reckon we should have some choice word with Ulreth before much longer. He's into something big and I reckon these headaches we've been experiencing might be part of it."
Following the rest of them to the temple with Khonnir, he was relived to hear that his recovery was more a matter of time than anything else at this point. Taking a swig from the bottle of bourbon he liked to carry around, he grins at the rest of the group-they were getting pretty good at this whole adventuring thing. Looking to LaRA, he chuckled. "And thank you! I doubt we would've done half as good as we did if it weren't for ya. Come on, I think we need to take this party back over to Val's, and have a drink ter celebrate!" As soon as he said that, he took another swig of his drink, only to immediately spray it back out as he made the connection. "Cadswallop! Val! Someone ought to let her know we found her Da! I'm slow as molasses, someone, go, run, get er!"
Charles nods and runs off.
"Celebrate while we can." Ton agrees. "But if Ulreth hears we are celebrating, he might then know that Baine is back. And then might further suspect we know he's involved - just that we don't know what he is involved in."
Ton scratches at his chin as he thinks and then shouts; "Charles, hang on a second."
"I say we keep this quiet so he doesn't find out we got Baine back, we rest up and then we go celebrate at his place tomorrow night - after closing."
Getting to Temple, Wulf finally takes a moment and catches his breath. "I'm glad we got him out in time then, thanks for the help Father. Should we take him back home?" He asks looking around.
Then looks at Ton then LaRA. "Ton is right Ulreth will need to be dealt with but I need a good wash, drink, and a sleep. So we take LaRA back to the Bar now and let Val know, she will want to know we found her dad." He smiles to himself then.
"I hope to get my reward from Val, but the reward from saving Baine will also be big too."
Charles' forehead knots. "Contact with Ulreth's a bad idea. Walking into his place of power worse. He already knows too much. If he finds out what my family does ...direct approach a bad idea. Just want to tell Val. Ulreth ...a more complicated problem than a robot or skeleton or squishy thing."
"Wrong." Ton replies flatly. "The longer we leave it the longer he has to prepare, or worse, come after us first."
"That casino, or any other property he has around town, has got to be where we can find evidence of what he's involved in."
"I'm not talking about going up against him directly - yet. I'm talking about breaking in there and sneaking about, isn't that what you do? You said yourself, you're a second storey man."
"Yep. From a family that has worked hard to keep under his radar. A family that is here and will feel consequences, real ones. You got family? Adventurers. Drifters. This? Home for some of us. Priority should be Khonnir. Find out what he knows. Doubt we're done in that ship, too. You wanna recon the most secure spot in town? I get that. Good concept. Especially if it really is just recon. I grew up here. Trust me, we don't have the resources to go against Ulreth yet. Got to be done right. If you're dead set on it, tomorrow night we don't step foot in. We watch. All night. Pure research. Then we make the call."
Turning away from looking at Torch, LaRA nods at Garfaulk. "I was simply following my programming. While this unit is incapable of experiencing the standard biological response to alcohol, a maintenance and arcanostructural rest cycle would be beneficial."
LaRA blinkers often, listening to the conversation with intense interest. A conflict of interests occuring on a tribal level. Current resolution suggestion appears to be intelligence collection. Evidence suggests above-baseline societal structure on levels of social morality. Casino - translating... games of chance. Her eyeballs continue to turn towards both Ton and Charles as the discussion continues, studying both. ...Data insufficient for further situational analysis.
"Query: What is the current political state of Torch in relation to your group of individuals?", she asks during a break in the conversation, before adding. "Observation: If unintended dissolution of information is a consequence to be avoided, I would advise discussing potential breaches of property rights in a less public environment."
Charles nods. "Talk at base."
The group does indeed head back to the Foundry Tavern. As you walk in, you see Val at the bar, cleaning yet from breakfast. She is moving really slowly, but looks up as you come in, a hopeful glint in her eyes.
Ton strides quickly across the bar. Despite the pain in his leg it takes only a few steps and he takes Val gently, but firmly, by the arm, his mouth close to her ear.
"Val. We got him, ok? We think he'll make it. Quiet, now!" he hushes as he feels her tense and the excitement build in her.
"There's something going on in town and Ulreth is involved. Somehow, it's connected to all of this. I think we should keep the fact we have found Baine between us, and only us you understand?"
"We don't know what your father knows and we don't want him to become a target."
He smiles then, and for once beneath the cynicism and gruffness he looks somewhat like his old. handsome self.
"But yeah, we got him."
"Where is he? I have to see him! I won't tell anyone!"
Ton and the others let her know, and she gives Ton a hug and scurries out the door. "I'll be back! But I have to see him! You understand, right?"
Zeke only reluctantly leaves Khonnir Baine at the temple, and instead focuses his nervous energy on LaRA. "I forgot, you're a stranger to this town, aren't you Lara? I came here when I was very young, but I'm familiar with the feeling of being new to a place where no one is like you. I was fortunate that Mr. Khonnir took me in. I think he'll like you too, and for my part I reckon you're always welcome at our home. Did you have any other family before, well, before you fell asleep in there?
When Zeke gets in, he silently brings Val up to speed on what happened and where Khonnir Baine is now, and subtly introduces LaRA as "the newest member of the family."
Zeke adds to the others, "We've still got to finish what Mr. Khonnir started-- figure out what happened to the torch. If we want to get the full reward, of course."
Thinking back at Zeke, LaRA nods, then her brows furrow in concentration. "Memory regarding family unavailable. Corrupted emotional data suggests that this unit was part of the late crew of the ship. As for family in the biological meaning of the word, I do not have ancestors in the strict meaning of the word." She blinks several times. "Data on biomechanical sentient constructs, colloqually known as androids, available."
"Greetings, entity Val. I am Library and Research Assistant, Inventory #3. This unit will respond to 'LaRA'.", she turns to Val just before the girl leaves. Turning back at Zeke, she blinkers. "The membership of your societal cell. What duties does it entail?", she asks, as she lifts her hand at the uncleaned mess from breakfast. A wave of light begins emanating from her palm, as grease and burned crumbs begin evaporating, cutlery begins to shine, and plates slowly begin ordering themselves in neat piles.
GM - as we hit level 3, and I got an extra spell-slot for most spells, would it be possible to assume I prepared Prestidigitation over any fifteen minute break?
prestidigitation?
Zeke considers LaRA's question before responding. "What duties? That's a hard question." He watches Val leave, twitching his lip in thought. "I guess it mostly means we look out for each other? Family means no one gets left behind, I guess. And we all pull our weight, if you understand what that means? Everyone's supposed to chip in and ensure the family prospers."
He grows pensive and after a little while communicates in a more subdued fashion, "If family calls, I guess we're supposed to come running, that's the sum of it. Unless it's just a dream. Or maybe one of Groetus's affectionate pranks. And even if we haven't seen or heard from them for years and years. Family," he sighs. "As you say, a societal cell."
"Family's who you trust."
Ton falls silent when talk turns to family. Instead he goes behind the bar and helps himself to a drink. Not the customary gin he has been indulging in recently, but the hardest, dirtiest whiskey he can find.
He pours himself a measure and swallows it in one gulp. A slightly trembling hand rubbing at a temple although he had suddenly developed a terrible headache.
Ton is not comfortable talking about family. In fact, he seems both furious and anguished in equal measure.
"Family ain't always sunshine an' roses Lara."