Dilana drops to one knee in front of the children.
"Everything will be ok now, we will get you home. You kids were very brave. I am Dilana and these are my friends. Have you ever seen a gnome with a robot friend?"
She turns her head and shouts. "Figgy come here and meet these brave kids."
Figgy goes in with Dilana to see the children, some of them being taller than he is.
"good Day we are your friendly rescuer's today, we will take you back to your parents now." Figgy shakes his blue hair, "Just follow the blue hair and the flying little robot there and we will be fine." Figgy points to Springy who is still hovering outside.
Figgy then looks through the items, "Hey something my size, it is funny that a giant had this don't you think?"
Olympia cleans and sheathes her weapons before going to check on the children. Should we clean up these dead a little before the kids sees them? she asks, unsure.
It is strange they they would have small armor Figgy. You should take it if you need it. It makes me wonder though. Do you think there is more in the cave than the kids? Maybe we should search it.
You calm the children, and keep them delayed until the corpses are slowly dragged out of sight.
What are you doing now?
"Let's get out of here," Raktar says, eager to get moving before any more giants show up. "Which of you kids want a piggy-back ride?" he asks, trying to seem friendly and non-threatening.
Figgy would do the same but he is shorter than most of the kids. "Follow us and we will return you to your parents."
It is too bad I cannot give my flight powers to them. That would lift their spirits.
"Yes lets get you kids someplace more friendly. Come along."
Offering her hand to the smallest of the children Olimpia will walk with the child speaking soft words of comfort and encouragement. Yes there are bad things in the world, but there are good people too and we fight the bad things. Someday you can grow up and help with that fight...
Once it's clear that the danger is truly subsided, JJ aides in calming the kids by doing a bit of gunplay, twirling and tossing his weapon around like an expert showman. He never thought about doing it in combat situations because it was nothing but flashy, but that didn't mean he couldn't put on a show as a conversation starter or show off his skill to a fellow slinger. "Let's get you kids home. Until then, we've got you covered."
Your return to Marstol is greeted with jubilation by the inhabitants. The children are quickly gathered in the arms of tearful parents, and you are gifted with many back slaps of admiration.
Kannak Trollslayer greets you as heroes. "As I told you we have little to give, but what I can give in reward for your bravery are these."
He holds out amulets for each of you, all of them are disks sliced from a mammoth's tusk. Each has a symbol on them of an open hand. "These are a sign to all the tribes that you are a friend. Wearing these allows you to travel the lands of the tribes without being turned away or attacked."
He thanks you each personally for saving the young and invites you to stay the night. A feast is being prepared to celebrate the return of their children. You will be the guests of honor.
What are you doing now?
Raktar slips the amulet over his neck, letting the disk hang across his chest. "My thanks Kannak. If only there was more kindness and generosity like yours, maybe these lands would be safer."
Raktar gladly accepts the invitation to stay for the feast.
Dilana takes the amulet with a smile. "You are generous and I appreciate it. Safe passage is a big gift and a feast, well, who can beat a good feast."
Olimpia dons the amulet with admiration. I's beautiful. I will wear it as a symbol of mutual friendship.
At the feast she asks that the young one she walked with be allowed to sit with her and they talk and giggle at inappropriate times.
Fhingle takes one, looking it over and smiling at the much taller folk for giving it to him.
"Maybe if I get a chance I will return one day to help you build up some special defense's" Figgy says.
Taking the medallion, JJ slips it around his neck. "Glad to have helped. Only a fool would turn down such a generous offer. Let's eat and drink like there's no tomorrow."
After your friendly feast night in Marstol your reception at the walled village of Iadenveigh is a marked change in attitude. You are met at the gate by armed guards. Guards who look you over closely and carefully.
When you tell them you are not here to trade, nor are you passing travelers they give you a strong 'suggestion' that you should speak to Hunter Redfang at the High home.
What are you doing now?
Not wanting to displease the guards, Raktar keeps his mouth shut and keeps his technological items out of the way - his grippers are stuffed in his backpack, his armour remains unexpanded, and his chainsaw is stashed and hidden in their cart.
Once the group has passed through the gate he turns to the others. "Maybe we should try and start off on the right foot here and head straight to see this Redfang."
"I agree, Springy wants to get out and move around as well." Figgy says as they move away form town.
Olimpia, her features disguised by the hat, agrees.
THE HIGH HOME.
The High Home is both a tavern and a community center perched near the top of the hillock in the center of Iadenveigh known as the Brow.
Redfang is a tall Human Ranger, he greets you politely and asks your reasons for visiting the village?
Who is talking to Redfang?
Figgy looks around the room, making sure to keep Springy hidden till he knows it is safe for Springy to move around freely.
Making sure her pistol is in her bag Dilana considers the rest of her party and realizes she is the lest technology dependent. She nods and approaches Redfang.
"Are you Redfang? If so I would love to buy you a drink and talk. My friends and I have just cleared up some trouble and clues point to something at work here that may need to be addressed. It should not impact the town I would think,"
Keeping it vague she is hoping that her smile and an offer of a beer will be well received.
We are a capable group and truly are here to help.
Redfang listens to you speak, an eyebrow raises when you mention that there may be trouble in Iadenveigh. "It has always been hard to extend trust to outlanders. We are a self-sufficient settlement-we have no need for trade, and can take care of ourselves. It's the safest option, as I know you understand. It's difficult to tell who you can rely on, but there are two things you can do to earn the trust of the Deadeye Council. First, I would like some help in solving a problem with one of
our more... colorful residents. Second, there's an issue with a possible traitor in our midst that outsiders would be particularly well suited to handle."
Once he's finished with his offer he waits for your response.
Sounds easy enough. Who is this colorful person and what help might you need.
Redfang tells you that recently a local farmer named Jevik complained to the Deadeye council that a large monster was killing his pigs. He goes on to to give you directions to the farm, and this information.
Jevik's farm lies on the north edge of town outside the walls, a location that fits well with the man's sour nature. Jevik has few friends in Iadenveigh, and his surliness stems from a hard life filled with misfortune that resulted in a not completely unjustified paranoia.
Jevik's complaints about monsters, mutants, bandits, and metal men interfering with his farming are something of a local joke, but his latest complaints to the Deadeye Council seem different to Redfang-more plausible, if only because Jevik seemed unusually sober when he spoke
to the council 5 days before.
Redfang had meant to go check on the situation at the farm several times already, but other responsibilities combined with Jevik's established record of false alarms conspired to delay the task. With your arrival however, checking on the farm gives Redfang a chance to do two things simultaneously: check on Jevik's claims, and form an opinion of you after spending some time in your company.
What are you doing now?
”That sounds like a service we could perform,” Raktar says, surprised by the not-unpleasant welcome after everything they had heard about Iadenveigh. ”Has anyone else reported attacks like this recently?”
"WE can do that, if there are robots I could tell you all kinds of things about them, maybe some of the monsters too. Do you know when they come? Do we have do a camp out?" Figgy fires off rapidly.
"Whether his problem is living or not, it'll get a bullet all the same. Take us to this homestead of his." The slinger claims, inviting the task and patting his double-barrel pistol.
Redfang shakes his head at Raktar's question. "No, things are usually quiet and peaceful around here. We work to keep them that way."
Jevik's farm is one of the few located outside of Iadenveigh's Elkhorn Wall. The man, Redfang notes, is something of a godless misanthrope who never really got along well with Iadenveigh's locals, and so never felt comfortable living within the city's walls. Iadenveigh's hunters generally keep the hinterlands relatively safe, but Redfang notes that strange beasts and mutated animals are very mucha danger-in other words, a monster may well have been preying upon Jevik's farm of late.
The odor of pigs marks Jevik's farm before it comes into view. Visible from a wide break in a roadside hedge, the house has been recently painted and sports a wide porch with several chairs. An orchard is partially visible behind the house. A few sheds and two connected pens occupy most of the side yard, but the fencing of the pen has been splintered and the earth churned. As you approach, you should swiftly realize that something dire has happened here, for a great amount of blood has been splattered over the house's front porch.
What are you doing now?
Figgy stays behind Raktar, "DO you all want your potions now?" Figgy asks sorting through a few vials.
Olimpia crouches low behind some cover by instinct as she takes in the scene. Stay here. I will scout it out. With that Olimpai makes a circle of the farm, staying in the cover as much as possible. She looks for any tracks or signs of life or danger.
"What have you got?" Raktar replies to Figgy as they wait to hear back from Olimpia.
"One that will harden your skin and one that will increase your muscle mass." Figgy offers up.
"Sounds very useful, thanks Figgy," Raktar says with gratitude and takes the proffered potions from the gnome.
An investigation of the farmhouse and sheds turns up no clues, but focusing on the front porch, where the bloodstains mark the site of a tragedy, reveals a different story indeed. In addition to the blood, deep furrows and clawed tracks the size of a large shield mar the ground.
What are you doing now?
"Now what are these tracks made by? Something big clearly."
Think it best to stay to the middle of the pack, that looks unpleasant.
Dilana makes no more to follow the tracks knowing there are others better suited.
Olimpia, the tracks are very easy to follow, they head North east, deeper into the orchard.
What are you doing now?
"What do you see there Olimpia?" Figgy asks, turning to Springy "Fly high and see what you can see."
Springy jumps into the air and flies around the Orchard seeing what he can see.
I have the tracks. Easy to follow. But we better check the house before we go looking for that beast, whatever it was.
"Agreed," says Raktar. "There might be people in there who need our help." Keeping his hand near the grip of his chainsaw Raktar strides up the path towards the house, looking for a door or window.
The house is empty, and has been for several days, Springy seems to have found something though? At least judging by the furious roar and crashing sounds of something large charging towards you.
What are you doing now?
As Raktar approaches the house he hears a roar from the trees to his right. "Sounds like something has found us!" he calls back to his friends. He jogs back to them, drawing his hammer from it's boot across his back, before quickly drinking down one of Figgy's potions.
HP 65/65
AC 17, touch 10, flat-footed 17 (+6 armour, +1 natural armour)
Speed: 40 ft
Fort: +7 (+4 vs disease), Ref: +4, Will: +7
Conditions: bull's strength
Melee attack (+1 earthbreaker): +9 (+5 BAB, +3 Str, +1 enhancement, +2 bull's strength, -2 Power Attack)
Melee Damage (+1 earthbreaker): 2d6+14 (+4 Str, +1 enhancement, +3 bull's strength, +6 Power Attack)
" Something is coming!"
Dilana quickls whispers a word to Lanacelot and flies up twenty feet into the air, straight up from where she was.
Figgy moves back a bit behind Raktar, fishing around to make a bomb.
Sounds big. Olimpia notes as she casts Shield and imbues her weapon with fire, if she has time.
Whatever it is it's big and fast, it smashes through any plant life in it way, emerging and bellowing it's rage at you. This creature is a mix of different animals fused together, with a bear’s torso and head, clawed ape legs, and a furred tentacle arm.
Who was talking about Fallout New Vegas? It's a Yaoguai, a heavily mutated bear.
Yaoguai
N Huge magical beast
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +7
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 8, flat-footed 18 (+10 natural, –2 size)
hp 84 (8d10+40); fast healing 5
Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +4; +4 vs. mind-affecting effects
Defensive Abilities fortification (50%); DR 5/—; Immune nauseated, sickened; SR 18
Weaknesses polymorph susceptibility
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee bite +12 (2d6+6), claw +12 (1d8+6), tentacle +12 (1d8+6 plus grab)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks constrict (1d6+6)
STATISTICS
Str 23, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 8
Base Atk +8; CMB +16; CMD 26
Feats Blind-Fight, Cleave, Iron Will, Power Attack
Skills Climb +11, Perception +7, Swim +11
SQ maker’s gift (grab and constrict)
What are you doing now?