Successful Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks reveal further info regarding the Crawler Between Dimensions (DC 15) or the Thing Under the Balcony (DC 17).
Grimm is not totally trusting of the vile creature's words.
[Dice=Sense motive]1d20
It is difficult to read the intent of the disembodied, monstrous voice....
It is almost 4:45 PM by the time the pontoon is seaworthy again, and the marine team rendezvous with the land team again at South Lido Park at about 5:00 PM as planned, having decided to abort the attempt to circumnavigate the island until the party is at full strength again.
The marine team introduces Derrik to the land team, they exchange updates on their separate adventures, and Cpt Kermit calls for all to board for the trip back to Pandora's Box.
All aboard, mates! Let's blow this Popsicle stand, I wanna get back to The Box before midnight and get some f!$#ing beers in my belly after this b*%@*#!$ day....
BTW, as a show of good faith, the TUtB allows land team to haul off whatever they'd like in the way of TP, gardening or mechanical tools, the gas cans, etc, basically whatever they can load onto the handcart....
He offers to pay you in the form of jewelry, batteries, bullets, and other luxuries he forced his human slaves to gather for him, plus a promise of interesting information that would be considered "dangerous" to Cthulhu in some way, in exchange for the head of the Crawler Between Dimensions. The total value of the reward would be approximately 10,000 gp. Do you make a deal with the Thing Under the Balcony?
Hell yeah we do.
^
Agreed.
Back at Pandora, Rad is distant. While usually distracted, this is very different. With singlular focus,he pores through his first arcane primer, then another, and then another.
Frustrated that his vast eldritch lore was insufficient to give even the mildest hint about the ..thing.. that ambushed them in the boat, he tries to find any scraps he can to help his mind classify and quantify that which is not normally meant to be understood.
He cross-references the creature to any natural known predators of that type, then finally consults with Professor Dirge. Even if it's too late to help those it ravaged, final analysis will help soothe his guilty conscience.
Derrik fixes the Craft up good, banging the parts back into place and explaining his story to the rest though not revealing his face or skin to the rest. He uses his blessings to restore vitality into Larka and Prue
Derrik also tells the party of his strengths and exchanges stories of might. All that he knew of his travels.
As he stays at Pandora he keeps to himself unless approach, making himself useful and busy as he only knew how. The leaders allow him to use the proper facilities to Enhance any weapons they require, Sharpening blades with deadly precision and configuring bullets to combat the monstrosities in this world(making a revolver with holy insignia's and upgrading his axe to Masterwork) replace the Kevlar and plating his his helmet and armor ( Effectively making it a Breastplate that is masterwork)
He will however attempt to learn the names of he important individuals of Pandora's Box.. His muscled form generally in the background, listening to conversations rather than asking directly.
His study complete, Radsworth turns to more mundane matters. Several things caught him unprepared this day. While he was never a warrior, he most certainly considered himself able to contribute in a crisis situation. Today however, he was woefully underprepared.
Asking for Kinyame's help, he sets about fixing some of the time caused inefficiencies of Traveler. A rusty hammer was replaced. Chambers were bored clear of rust and snags. It's grip was re-polished and balanced. She was a new gun, so to speak.
Next he took to his small room, carefully scribing arcane glyphs and powers as his spellbook showed him. When he found traveler, Rad had a rudimentary knowledge of the arcane, finding single words or phrases across the country. Now he had learned to recreate a tiny portion of the vast eldritch alphabet.
12 hours of intense study and scribing; frustration, worry. When Rad eventually re-emerges for food and water, he has several new bits of lore at his command.
To further add to his general combat readiness, he works with Pandora Command and it's corp of engineers, requisitioning several magical rounds for Traveler.
"Well , I'm still not quite sure I'm going to be worth squat out there, but at least I have some gear that might help against the nastier things we might find out there. I don't want to be caught unawares again."
MW Upgrade for Traveler - 300
2x Hydraulic Push Scroll - 25
4x Mage Armor - 50
1x Read Magic - 25
1x Detect Magic - 25
1x Clw Potion - 50
3x Corrosive Rounds - 120
3x Aberration Bane Rounds - 120
2x Phase Locking Rounds - 160
2x Holy Rounds - 160
Total - 1035
(Rad still has some of his starting money remaining.)
Cost for individual rounds was figured by enhancement cost / 50. Note that ammunition does not have to have a +1 base enhancement before adding special qualities.
Upon returning to the Box, Grimm promptly cleans off and begins to make cocktails for all who care to partake trying to keep conversation going without seeming overbearing. They enjoy their meal then he speaks openly to the rest of the group about the pros and cons of accepting the deal with 'spiderman'.
Later, Grimm consults with the Professor to see if anything that he has found and known to be poisonous would be effective against their enemies. Grimm gives full description of the beast that they are to hunt, searching for strategies to try and defeat it. He asks to use the lab to create an enlarge person elixir for Koran. and
He thankfully accepts the new kevlar vest and healing elixirs that he has been rewarded with by the chiefs at the box.
After dinner, Grimm spends time talking to Kate, and then disappears back into the lab to research a new formula for improving his aim. He also asks Derrik to help him work on a silencer. He gives the Ibuprofen to Kate to administer at some other time. Then heads to bed after preparing all of his extracts for the upcoming day.
I would have liked to kill the spider thing, but it may have proved too difficult right now. Maybe later. Perhaps it is to our benefit to deal with it and procure items. We should get it to stop harming children though, because that is just wrong. I wonder if some of the more innocent captives could be brought back here to work the garden for us? I'll have to see. Then he quickly falls asleep, something that is usually very difficult for him.
While snooping around Pandora's box Mephos finds a sheet of paper with magical runes on it hidden behind a stack of crates. he then retreats into his quarters to rest and practice his magic.
Rad frowns as he hears about the details of the shore teams encounter.
"Grimm. I understand the difficult position you were in, but I would not trust that creature for long. It serves them right to be the food of that monster."
He looks troubled, then continues.
"Our entire planet has a new food chain. These cannibals feed a great beast that is kept in check by another great beast. Who knows what your new trade partner will do when his limiting restraints are lifted? We must be very careful allowing one abomination to thrive over another. We might dethrone a monster to make way for a nightmare."
Yes.
Re: poisons-- yes, Dr Hoffmann can synthesize anything you want in the chem lab.
Re: cost of silencer for rifle: 20 gp.
Team Lido has survived it's first foray into the savage nightmare the world has become. They have become sadder but wiser, and somewhat stronger for surviving their harrowing experiences on the embattled island. They have learned of a sinister chain of command that leads all the way to dreaded Cthulhu himself, and have gleaned dark hints about the nature of at least two of the Great Old One's dark minions--The Thing Under the Balcony and The Crawler Between Dimensions--and have reluctantly entered into a verbal agreement with the former to assassinate the ladder in exchange for weapons, ammunition, jewelry, and more sinister secrets....
Koran spends all day in pandoras box altering and upgrading his hammer. Dr. Hoffmann gives him 4 vials of specially designed liquids to enhance his physical prowess.
upgrade hammer to masterwork living steel - 800 gp
potion of infernal healing - 50 gp
potion of enlarge person - 50 gp
2 potions of lead blades - 100 gp
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You discover some text in a copy of a medieval bestiary called Monsters and Their Kinde discovered in the library at Pandora's Box that describes a monster chillingly similar to the horror you slew on Lido Beach--a chuul, an aquatic aberration that favors dismal swamps and subterranean lakes. They are more cunning than their monstrous appearance suggests, and Radsworth finds himself feeling even more fortunate that he and his companions overcame the beast after learning somewhat more of its evil and devious nature.
while helping radsworth with traveler kinyama works on his gun as well. He then grabs some other gear from Dr. Hoffmann.
2 potions of invisibility
potion of cure light wounds
grappling hook
mwk upgrade for gun
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It is a standard policy at The Box to give personnel returning from duty in the field no less than three days to recuperate. During these three days, Team Lido rests, trains, researches, tinkers, and socialize as they wish, and get to know each other and the others at Pandora's Box.
Derrik meets each of the chief personnel (feel free to peruse the character bios in the characters file). Jewels, a tall, muscular, buxom, bioengineered Orc teenager, takes a particular interest in the muscular newcomer, and seems to "bump into him" frequently wearing a skimpy bathing suit and too much make-up and perfume....
Kate spends a noticeable amount of time with Dr Grimm, and seems to be sending him clear signals of attraction, especially the night after their return to Pandora's Box, during a festive barbecue (at which Cpt Kermit prepares a surprisingly delicious meal of barbecued chuul). She has a few too many beers, and ends the night in Dr Grimm's bed, unless he rejects her advances....
Professor Solomon is keenly interested in questioning Dr Grimm about the Thing Under the Balcony and the Crawler Between Dimensions, and shares what lore he could find in the library with his colleague Prof Radsworth. Apparently, medieval demonologists referred to such monsters as driders (the TUtB) and phase spiders (the CBD) respectively. He warns Team Lido to be extremely cautious in dealing with either monster, and orders Dr Hoffmann to synthesize as many antitoxins as possible before their next expedition, scheduled for the morning of Friday, March 29, four days after their first mission. Dr Hoffmann produces a total of 10 antitoxins during this time, and presents them to Dr Grimm to distribute as he sees fit.
Kinyama takes his break time to train his marksmanship and perhaps give Radsworth a few pointers as well.
Kinyama takes his break time to train his marksmanship and perhaps give Radsworth a few pointers as well.
H
Kinyama is also invited to hunt in the Everglades by Hell-No Kitty, who notes that you are both noble predators in spirit. She seems to admire Kinyama for other more primal reasons as well....
Koran and Mephos are both subjected to a strange mix of theological scolding and barely suppressed sexual attraction by Sister Maria De La Rosa....
Kinyama takes his break time to train his marksmanship and perhaps give Radsworth a few pointers as well.H
Kinyama is also invited to hunt in the Everglades by Hell-No Kitty, who notes that you are both noble predators in spirit. She seems to admire Kinyama for other more primal reasons as well....
What do Kitsune Catfolk babies look like?
What do Kitsune Catfolk babies look like?Kinyama takes his break time to train his marksmanship and perhaps give Radsworth a few pointers as well.H
Kinyama is also invited to hunt in the Everglades by Hell-No Kitty, who notes that you are both noble predators in spirit. She seems to admire Kinyama for other more primal reasons as well....
Lol, one foxy cat? Or face only mom could love?
Grimm would never reject Kate's advances. He just wants to be subtle.about it.
Grimm would never reject Kate's advances. He just wants to be subtle.about it.
She seems slightly shy about it for all of a minute the following morning, and then seems to be warmer than ever....
Grimm affixes the silencer to the rifle and takes only three practice shots to assure that it works. He gives Koran a potion of enlarge person and two antitoxins. He gives two antitoxins to Radsworth and two to Kate, keeps two and
You get free poisons? Or you get poison use?
And yes, u can poison grooved bullets.
I'll let you pick what they ate within the confines of RAW, and your budget (if it costs anything to make them).
We can also assume that the chem lab at PB has a huge number of samples on file for synthesis of nearly any poison, and Dr Hoffman can assist in making suggestions and adding his expertise to help you formulate whatever you have in mind.
On the morning of Friday, March 29th, Team Lido assembles on the dock at the marina where Cpt Kermit awaits them aboard the pontoon, now christened The Chuul's Folly.
They are wished a successful mission and safe return by their colleagues, trainers, and friends at Pandora's Box, and all board The Chuul's Folly. Cpt Kermit lifts anchor and motors out of the marina and through the maze of waterways that lead through the Everglades and out into the Gulf of Mexico.
Team Lido's second adventure has begun!
Hopefully we are able to stick together this time. We are much more effective as a team. I might have not considered negotiations with the spider creep though if I didn't think we were overpowered. We'll see where this deal takes us, but we can't let this spider creep roam free for too long.
I almost forgot. Grimm gives the last two vials of antitoxins to Stonesmith.
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During Downtime
Derrik takes great pleasure in speaking to the individual chiefs;learning of the establishments history, Motive, and goals. This becomes a weird batch when he is... quite obviously.. "hit on" by what he is told is Jewels.. the scantily clothed Orcess who seems to have taken interest in him. After about the 3rd time Derrik ( Who still has not removed his facewear in public ) would play a little game of his own, acting as if he hasnt noticed. Luring her into a false sense of security when she tries once more. only to have her miss, almost plummeting to the ground before he catches Jewels by the waist. "From your.. attention.. You seem to have something to talk about with me? Jewels was it.. If you want to learn more.. you only need to say so." Not a hint of sexual innuendo in his speech but more sincerity.
However she responds Derrik puts Jewels back on the Orcess' feet and tells her the places she could find him if needed
Before Departure
Derrik comes re-equipped and having taken advantage of the facilities much stronger and prepared, with a strong force of will and a mission having found much sturdier allies.
"Do not worry, I intend not to let any of you fall before me"
Derrik nods placing the two vials in slots upon his belt
"These should prove most useful... and I agree, if we stay together would would be much more effective. I plan on slaying the foul spiderbeast as well.. but for now I do not believe we have the strength... We were lucky with the.. Chuul"
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Before final departure, Grimm carves grooves into twenty of his thirty-seven bullets. He applies the fabricated "drow' poison to ten and the taggart oil to the other ten. They rest neatly, each into there own Ziploc baggie inside his belt pouch.
Rad has prepared as well. Detailed maps and charts are stuffed into his bag, along with all of his new equipment.
He is a little surprised at how well everyone at PB gets along. Then again, considering life might end any day.. there's no reason not to embrace intimacy.
"Well, Kermit. What's the plan this time?"
He settles into a seat on the pontoon, well away from the .50 caliber he so badly handled last time.
"Well, Kermit. What's the plan this time?"
I'm just your chauffeur, Professor. You guys tell me where you want me to let you off. You want to try a circumnavigation again, see what we can see before landing this time? Or drop you at the south end again?
Due to casualties on some of the other expeditions (Jewels described in graphic detail how two of her companions were torn apart and devoured by a large pack of ravenous ghouls in a ruined church on Siesta Key), Prue and Lakra have been reassigned to other teams, but Derrik has become an official member of Team Lido, so they are only one less in number than during their first expedition to Lido Key.
Let's hit the Sandcastle and at least check out this phase spider that we have been commissioned to kill. Maybe he has a better deal.
Let's hit the Sandcastle and at least check out this phase spider that we have been commissioned to kill. Maybe he has a better deal.
Sounds like a plan, Babe--er, Doc, but shouldn't we first get the Ethereal-oil that we need to fight it from the, uh, Thing Under the Balcony?