A combination of the cleric's scorching blast, the barbarian's slash, and the skald's arrows pummel the earth elemental until it crumbles into rubble.
Recovering from your wounds, you see that several of the other Pathfinder groups are still struggling to secure a beachhead onto the comet, but the tide seems to be turning. A loud trumpeting sound pulls your attention, as a Varisian knight riding a huge mammoth breaks towards you. Pulling the beast to a halt he dismounts, the glyph of the open road prominent upon his armor.
”Excellent work dealing with those elementals” he says as the low gravity has the knight land nicely on his feet. He pats the mammoth. "It looks like the initial surge is over, but Tiny and I have been able to get a brief look around as to what to do next."
Whatever is calling out from Aucturn's Tear is probably trapped deeper within, off the surface, and there seem to be three avenues of approach the Society has located. As we can't be sure exactly which way is the best or quickest different agents are investigating each: I trust you would know how you best want to proceed."
The rider nods towards a massive crater whose ridge is very close by.
”That crater there seems to be the most direct route into the center of this asteroid. However, it is swarming with defenders. If you choose to go there, make sure you are prepared for heavy combat."
Pointing off in the distance, towards a faint structure jutting from the rock's surface, he says, ”There also appears to be a frozen city standing on the asteroid’s dark side. Some agents are heading there to explore the place to see if we can find out more about what is trapped here and how we can free the trapped being - or stop it if need be.”
Finally, his turns his arm to point to the other side of the crater, towards the Sun.
”Then there's the sunny side. We have located the wreck of a metal craft. It might contain the same kind of objects as can be found in Numeria. If you want to explore that be aware that that side of the asteroid is bathing in direct sunlight, without any protection from an atmosphere.”
A loud screech interrupts the Pathfinder who looks up and grimaces to see several crystal dragons pinning down another group. Quickly re-mounting, he calls down ”It is your decision! Tiny and I need to go provide support. I trust you will choose the wisest course, and we can all toast to it back in Absalom!”. The mammoth gives a bellowing trumpet and both allies are off again, charging back into the fray.
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The Professor confirms Blanmieux's inquiry.
"Speak his language? Terran? Oh, err.. of course I do! Learned it from a pharaoh in Osirian nearly a century ago. Quite the cheerful lad. Dead now, probably."
The Professor hobbles around administering to Crios's and Blanmieux's injuries. .
As the knight confirms the next three possibilities for them, the Professor immediately gravitates towards one of them.. and by gravitate, he begins floating towards it in the current low-gravity environment.
"A wrecked metal craft, you say? Fascinating! I wonder if there's a salvageable propulsion system... not that I, uhh, require such a system for any particular reason."
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Crios picks up his wand and steps lightly as he practically floats over to his team. He places the wand in his wrist sheath and then takes out another wand to heal with, casting infernal healing and letting it mend his wounds.
"I am glad you are all alright. Well done everyone." he says pleasantly as if this sort of thing happens every day.
"I see the Sea of Light as an interesting option, and quite sensible as well. That is my vote as well. If there are no objections, we should be on our way. Oh...It looks like the Professor is already on his way." Crios motions for the others to come along as he moves after the pajama clad gnome.
This could be quite difficult. I do like a challenge.
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The wayang makes certain his smoked goggles are in place before joining the rest of the team.
I hope it's not too bright on that side of the Tear. Well, nothing else for it, though it would've been nice to go somewhere dim. Ow! I can already feel the burn.
-Posted with Wayfinder
After quick discussion, you begin the journey 'sun-side', steering clearing of the clanging sounds and yells from within the main crater as you walk towards the sun-facing side of Aucturn's Tear. The trek takes some time, but though you occasionally think you hear a skittering sound in the distance or a flash of potential movement, your path seems mostly clear of obstacles. Strangely, the surface of this asteroid appears to have actual, breathable air - a phenomenon that defies all natural odds on this otherwise near-lifeless rock.
Clearing a few ridges, all of you blink suddenly as you find yourselves bathed in the Sun's light. Your magic keeps you mostly comfortable, but licking at your sepll's edges you feel the oppressive ehat of this solar exposure. What's more, despite the asteroid's small size, the Sun stands almost motionless in the starry sky: Autrun's Tear is not rotation, its orientation seemingly locked. Still, there is little time to dwell on such matters, as off in the distance you see a glint of metal shining. Likely the mysterious crashed ship.
You make your way closer towards it across a series of partially burning fields in the rock. Liquid magma bubbles to the surface haphazardly throughout the area in wide-ranging shallow rivers. Some inactive tunnels do show signs of habitation, and the crackling sound of Ignan-speaking voices echoes against the obsidian formations.
Moving past a series of rocks, you come to one of these lava rivers only to see a large figure of flame and a...thing, a floating bulbous creature made of tangled legs, puffed flesh, and a massive maw, moving accross the other side. Seeing you, the fire turns and crackles.
As he hisses in the fire tongue, the being made of pure, shifting flames charges forth effortlessly across the lava and punches at the barbarian. As Blanmieux's skin burns, his clothing begins to catch on fire from the heat.
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Initiative
Crios
Keriassa
Kivuli
Professor F
Blanmieux 77/83 hp, need Reflex
Jade
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"Oh, I've read about something like these two in the archives I think." and Crios goes on to tell the others what he knows as he stands his ground. He extends his staff and unleashes twin magical snakes from the tip. The snakes each streak off and strike the large flaming creature with magical force before disappearing in a flash of light.
Balnmieux's two swings both connect, but the full force of their blows appears blunted. Crios' staff's pair of force missiles seem to have full effect however.
The Aasimar also identifies the barbarian's target as a fire elemental. Such a beast bears much in common with the earth elementals you faced before , but they are much faster and more dexterous, and their slams can set an enemy on fire as you saw. At this size, their shifting elemental bodies also partially resist weapon damage .
The flying thing is not an elemental however, but a Rast. Fire outsiders, in addition to their claws rast's bites can grab onto their targets and drain the blood of those trapped within. A rast also has a paralyzing gaze that can strike still those who close with it
Both outsiders are utterly immune to fire, but are especially weak against cold attacks.
Initiative
Keriassa
Kivuli
Professor F
Jade
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The Professor frowns as the fiery elemental turns hostile.
"Return to the Court?"
The Professor's furrowed brows are heavily magnified behind his thick lenses. He snaps his fingers.
"Aha! I have just the thing for our fiery friend here."
Pulling a rod as he advances, the Professor summons another fiery spell but somehow as it channels through the rod it becomes an icy shower.
Kivuli bravely tumbles and weaves to get closer to the fire elemental, but stumbles on the uneven terrain, leaving him exposed to a flaming slam.
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Adding insult to injury, his own stab misses. However, all of this distracts the fire elemental enough for the Professor to get up close and freeze a portion of its form.
Initiative
Keriassa
Jade
The pair of archers each launch a pair of arrows at the Rast as it approaches. Two slam into the creature's bulbous flesh, as it angrily charges towards the party.
Diving towards the closest archer, it's massive mouth widens to chomp on Keriassa.
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Surrounded, the fire elemental lashes out once at Blanmieux and once at the cold-caster before stepping back towards the lava fields.
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Initiative
Crios, need FORT save
Keriassa, need FORT save
Kivuli, need FORT save
Professor F 52/58 hp, need FORT save, need REFLEX
Blanmieux 77/83 hp, need FORT save, need REFLEX
Jade, need FORT save
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Seeing the Rast as the deadliest of the threats, Crios first swiftly focuses his mind gaining insight as to where best to strike. Then he quickly casts a spell, channels the energy into his weapon causing it grow frosty. He then steps forward to rapidly strike at the Rast with his cold infused staff.
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The rogue avoids the supernatural attack and nimbly darts his blade at the elemental.
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There have been disturbances across the planes. With portals opening linked to this comet. What nature of creature is trapped here and why does it need planar energy? Perhaps this is a discussion for another time.
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The rogue avoids the supernatural attack and nimbly darts his blade at the elemental.
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There have been disturbances across the planes. With portals opening linked to this comet. What nature of creature is trapped here and why does it need planar energy? Perhaps this is a discussion for another time.
As the barbarian begins to burn, he pushes forwards heedless of his pain. Unfortunately (possibly distracted by the smoke emiting from his flesh), both swings miss their mark.
Crios, however, is far more lucky. Pulling in elemental power of his own, the aasimar steps forward and delivers a freezing blast through his staff into the rast, which turns a nice shade of blue before falling and partially shattering.
The rast fallen, this allows both archers to turn their attention to the fire elemetnal, once again having a single arrow hit the mark. Kivuli also steps up and jabs out with his own blade, delivering the final blow that causes the fire elemental to sputter and fade.
The rast certainly does appear to be still here, albeit dead. Careful to look around as you go, you tread lightly to avoid the bubbling lava pools as you continue towards the metallic glint in the distance. After [dice=1d6+4[/dice] minutes, you come to the foot of the strange structure.
A crashed vessel of shining metal stands in sharp contrast to the lurid reds and blacks of the igneous landscape. Scorch and claw marks ravage the hull, but a fiery propulsion system seems mostly intact and juts toward the stars at an angle. You approach to see a set of other Pathfinders heading into a breach in the ship's hull. One of them at that group's rear pauses to wave you over.
"Ah, more Pathfinders. Good." the grippli states nervously. "Trek here is not simple. Got chewed at by hellhounds and some strange crab things. On top of the sun being too hot and too bright. Still, have thoughts on that part."
The grippli points upwards to the large metal engine extruding from the wreckage. "Tear isn't spinning. Very hot here, very cold on other side. But asteroid seems lighter than normal. Hollow maybe. If this ship still works, may be able to get that working too. Push Tear enough to make it spin again. We are going in, looking for controls. Or at least way deeper into the earth. You should do the same."
He begins hopping swiftly towards on of the hull breaches to catch up to his own team, looking ahead, you see the ship seems dimly illuminated by a multitude of irregularly flashing lights.
A series of metal hallways and tunnels lead you further and further into the crashed vessel. The design of this looks like nothing you’ve seen outside of Numeria, and even compared to the records of those sites all of the passages and doors seem slightly too high and levers and buttons a bit too large – as if whatever made this was larger than the humanoids you know. The occasional spark and creak or groaning metal breaks the silence as you twist through the halls looking for any signs of life or revelations.
Eventually, you turn a corner into a small room somewhat less-damaged than the others. Several tables and desks sit arrayed against walls with a series of erratically flashing screens upon them. Script in an incomprehensible tongue scrolls past, and at the front of the room there is what once was a massive window screen, now shattered with a pile of rock and rubble blocking it completely.
You have but a moment to take in this find however, and a rattling sounds draws your eyes to several slumped bodies – bodies that are slowly rising up! 8-feet tall and covered in bizarre torn padded suits and bubbled helmets, the skin or the creatures is burned beyond all recognition, but an unholy flame dances in their eyes as they move towards you with strange metal blades in their hand. One also has a red L-shaped item attached to the suit’s side.
Initiative
Crios
Keriassa
Jade
Professor
Crios darts forward around the still arising bones and delivers a solid blow with his staff. The creature looks much like the skeletal undead depressingly well-known to Pathfinders, those from the size and subtle structural differences of the bones you suspect that whatever creatures died to form these creatures are not any humanoid species you have seen before.
Keriassa notes that whatever is was, the forces animating it now are certainly evil, and so looses an arrow into it. The pointed tip seems to glance slightly off of the bone, but even blunted the one-two punch of her and Crios cause that skeleton to fall back into bones.
Examining the strange suits, the wayang sees that they appear strangely padded, likely providing insulation against extreme temperatures. The suit and ‘helm’ also are tightly seal, likely airtight – or they would be were it not for several torn gashes and crack glass in the suits the skeletons wear. Meanwhile, the one undead’s odd orange thing looks vaguely similar to the firearms coming out of Alkenstar, though much sleeker. The ‘end’ of it dimly glows a crackling blue.
Initiative
Keriassa
Jade
Professor F
Skeleton
Kivuli
Skeleton
Blanmieux
Jade's shot goes wide as she moves through the twisting control room.
Initiative
Professor F
Skeleton
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The Professor squints and pushes his thick lenses up his nose.
"Uh, hello there sirs? I do say, that style went out of fashion in Taldor several decades ago..."
The Professor looks to Jade and harumphs.
"I say, youths these days and their torn baggy clothing... oh what's that you say? They're hostile and trying to murder us??"
The Professor smooths his bathrobe and waves his hands impressively as he steps forward.
"Uh, was that the gesture for a fireba--"
A single firebolt launches ahead.
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"-all, err.. bolt?"
The elderly professor's fire bolt hits just right, further scorching the skeleton's remains. In response, it staggers forwards, slashing it's odd blade at the cleric.
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The slash continues, cleaving towards Blanmieux, but glancing off his armor.
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At the same time, the third undead lift the gun-like device and points it towards Jade. Three quick blue bursts of crackling energy shoot out and hit her despite her cover, shocking the archer with electricity damage as arcs of lightning dance across her skin.
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Initiative
Crios
Keriassa
Jade 19/48 hp
Professor F 48/58 hp
Kivuli
Blanmieux
Kivuli does not provoke from the 'laser skeleton'...but only because Blanmieux does first.
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It's claw seems to distract Blanmieux' swing, as it easily dodges the barbarian.
Crios, Jade,Keriassa, and the Professor are up!
As Jade heals, Keriassa's well-aimed shot causes her target to crumple.
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Once again, the Professor stumbles back a step, surprised to have been targeted by an attack.
"Dead are you? Well, let's see how you like my wand in your face!?"
The Professor flicks his wand into his wrist with the kind of dexterity someone his age can only obtain with over a hundred years of practice.
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The Professor wisely stays aside and shouts to Crios as he does so.
"You, there! Step up and help our Eastern friend here!" .
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Crios races to the aid of Blanmieux and slams the gun wielding skull creature with his staff, again augmenting the impact with a portion of his own magic.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Crios charges forwards against the final skeleton, but in his haste his swings too hard and the gunner dodges. Stepping backwards, he fires three more shots of lightning: two at Crios and another at Blanmieux.
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for
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Initiative
Crios 31/38 hp
Keriassa
Jade 27/48 hp
Professor F 47/58 hp
Kivuli
Blanmieux 72/83 hp