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The low gravity combined with the fierce electrical storms makes it difficult, but Darkrunner, aided enthusiastically by Julakesh is able to navigate the atmospheric disturbance and fly past it without any damage to the Drake's hull or systems!
Gab and Rafikki perform scans using the Drake's limited sensor suite, confirm the information provided by Guidance during your mission briefing .
Much of the continent you head towards is a temperate grassland, but towards the edge of your sensors you detect prefabricated structures and urban terrain, complete with a heavily damaged power station. Electron-charged erratic energy fields constantly emit from this structure, causing dangerous electric fields that you think would fry your ship's power systems. However, your scanners suggest that the wavelengths of these emissions will be significantly less hazardous to your personal armor, weapons, and gear, especially traveling on the ground.
Your science officers are able to find a safe-looking place to land about four miles from the edge of these urban ruins, and Darkrunner brings the Drake in for a smooth landing.
This condition will remain until you return to a normal atmosphere.
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As they land Julakesh activates her armours environmental protections. Then she stomps outside, places her hands on her hips, and grins.
"Ah! Smells like adventure!"
But her breathing soon turns to wheezing.
"The air here... is fierce! A worthy... enemy! But, I will CONQUER! A-HAH! A...HAH!"
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With four-fifths of you activating your armor environmental seals and protections, Rafikki (botted) does the same.
As you disembark, you find that these protections are enough to sustain you without needing to worry about the thin atmosphere!
The area you traverse is brightly lit, and visibility is approximately one mile. To the east, in the direction of the strongest atmospheric disturbances that prevented you from landing, you can see a series of ravines and rocky outcroppings that contain karst topography - cave systems.
Dropping down into the caves, they seem pitch-dark at first...but once you get out of the sunlight, you can see that there is a gentle bluish glow ahead of. Rounding a corner, you come across a settlement of natives! These beings are of a species unknown to you - their skin seems to be made of a dark, shadowy substance. Their bodies seem to absorb light except for glowing eyes, and a slight blue nimbus that glows around them, outlining their tall and gaunt figures. This settlement appears to have just under 40 structures consistent with a pre-flight culture. You notice a few of the natives have projectile weapons, but upon seeing your arrival, none reach for their armaments - a decidedly non-hostile response. Many of the natives appear to be sick, with the healthy ones only using rudimentary medical techniques to help those who are suffering. Your armor's environmental scanners quickly deduce that regardless of whatever disease they have - it is not virulent enough to put non-natives at risk.
After a moment of awkward silence, two precocious adolescents approach closer and begin trying to make sounds and hand motions...
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Julakesh lets out a snort, then makes a strange sucking sound, then spits a big wad of phlegm on the ground.
"Never mind! I'm fine now! A-HAH! A-HAH!" After she's done laughing and boasting of her triumphant victory over the local atmosphere, Julakesh continues on her way.
Julakesh looks at the strange shadowy natives whose flesh seems to absorb light. Then she looks down at the black scales on her speckled hide that also seem to absorb light...
Julakesh looks at their eyes and the surrounding nimbus that seem to glow. Then she looks down at the white scales on her speckled hide that also seem to glow...
Julakesh breaks into a wide grin. The little glowing orb circling her head picks up speed. She spreads her arms wide and laughs.
"A-HAH! A-HAH! LOOK! We look the same! Come! Let us greet my blood-kin!"
Julakesh strides forward with a wide, confident smile.
"A-HAH! A-HAH! They cannot speak our tongue!" Apparently she finds this funny.
Julakesh points at herself. "Julakesh."
She points at the natives. "Kin!"
Looking quite proud she announces."There! We are friends now! The honour is yours!"
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Darkrunner watches as Julakesh approaches these fascinating natives. He shakes his head. No, they are not your kin Julakesh. The young ones are trying to tell us something...
He focuses on their motions for a few moments before interpreting...
They want to know who we are, and how we got here. Interestingly, they seem to think we might know what happened to... some giant creature?
He frowns as he tries to think of how to ask for more detail. He looks at the youths, points towards himself with both hands and simply says Darkrunner.
I think I'm pretty far from conveying the concept of an android, but we can let that be.
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Gargalus understand very well the native intentions.
Yes, lets them know the truth about us!
With some gesture, Gargalus explains they are explorers from the outer space and that with their flying car they killed the giant creature.
He continues trying to explain they are looking for an ancient site not far from their village.
Turning to his comrades he asks Is one of you trained in medicine? Could help them get better and may be get their help?
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Gab smiles at the natives, but motions toward Kima for a telepathic communication.
He taps a couple of buttons on his wrist computer interface, adjusting the calibration on his vocal modulator so his voice will fall in the general volume and tone ranges that these people speak in, so it will be more easily recognized as language, even though they will not understand the words. He then motions slowly at himself and his companions. "We are friends." He points up. "We come from the sky." Seeing that Gargalus is doing a fine job, he occupies himself with assisting his efforts. He points toward the ill people and then toward himself and Darkrunner, trying to indicate that they are offering aid, if it is desired.
Meanwhile, if Kima begins telepathic communication with him, he says to her, "Sounds like these guys might have been attacked by some big monster or something. Make sure everybody's keeping their eyes open."
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Kima will be initially confused by their attempts at communication. She will create a way for all the party to communicate given party members are willing she's not going to force anyone in.
"Perhaps I might be able to help out a bit." She thinks for a moment scrinching up her nose in concentration. "Let me try something."
vs. (DC = 20 or 10 + its Bluff modifier, whichever is higher)
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As many of you get a good understanding of what the natives are saying, Gab and Gargalus are able to ensure that this first contact situation is peaceful. Kima uses Mindlink to help communicate with them. The native child to whom Kima is linked to shares what they are seeing, causing the natives (who have some understanding of the Mysticism skill) to see this as the magical powers of a mystic.
Through nonverbal communication and Kima's mindlink, you learn quite a bit about them.
These people call themselves Tenevoy-narod, and their people live all over this continent. The creature you knew as a Besmaran Whelp is a powerful being they call Yarkost - it thrives in the electrical currents that emanate from the the ruined power plant. It is known for hibernating several months at a time, stirring to violent activity for a few days whenever the electrical discharges have built up significant charge across the continent, as they are now. Its very presence further enhances the destructive power of these energy fields, and the beast will sometimes launch itself so high in the air that they would lose sight of its body - but not its yellowish electric aura and pulses. You conclude that due to the atmosphere of this world, the Whelp's electrical discharges were visible even while the beast was in space trying to eat your ship!
Ten of their generations ago (roughly 250 years), people from the stars who looked very much like you (except there were none with four arms, or insect-like) arrived near their lands and quickly used structures that were lowered down from the sky to create a colony that quickly reached numbers in the thousands, several hours' walk to the east of this very settlement. Their interactions were usually brief, but the star-people largely left the Tenevoy-narod alone and did not interfere with them. However, five decades later and without warning, a terrible sickness came to the native settlement and the colony. Ever since, the Tenevoy-narod have carried this plague, which has stifled birth rates but appears unable to be transmitted except by those who spend time near the ruined urban terrain of the nearby space-people's colony. The Yarkost's presence seems to somehow lessen the symptoms, which has caused them to view it as the reincarnation of their race's most accomplished mystic healer who saved dozens of their people from the initial disease but then succumbed to it herself - the creature first came to their world the day after this healer's death.
Learning that the Yarkost is dead, they are clearly dismayed, but express that they are not angry. They state their understanding that even powerful beings must move along the cycle of reincarnation to eventually become one with the universe, in fitting with their beliefs.
Bluff, Diplomacy, or Medicine
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Gab begins talking to these people, doing his best to communicate with them, and quick to agree with them about the mythology they have built around this creature. He does what he can to get more information from them, giving the impression that the fall of the creature has marked a time of change, and they are destined to resolve the mysteries related to the settlement.
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Rafikki follows Kima's example, using Healing Touch (if applicable) and a Mystic Cure. When he can he will engage the elders of the "tribe" and attempt to discern where they fall within the natural world and any sort of methodology and practices they may use to interact with their environment (he's a wild warden xenodruid after all). He does this with the use of a Share Language spell.
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Gargalus' natural smile and bonhomie gives him the hability to make some friends in the Tenevoy-narod community. He shows them some videos of his fights in the blood-arena of Akiton and shows them some moves.
He also tries to explains that in the community he leaves, they accept everyone! So if one of the youngster want to travel the stars, he will help them to do that!
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Darkrunner's use of medicine inspires several of the natives to try and learn more modern techniques. Kima and Rafikki lend magical aid which the natives receive humbly and gratefully. Meanwhile, Gargalus and Gab make good impressions with the adolescents and the elders, respectively.
Meanwhile, Julakesh is loud, proud, and boisterous - the children are thoroughly entertained!
Because your team has impressed them so, the natives give you even more information and warnings about what lies ahead:
The elders warn you that one of their own kind from this very settlement, disobeyed the dangers of plague coming from the forbidden areas of the star-people's colony; teaching herself to use their technology to study the Yarkost, apparently trying to forcibly evolve herself into becoming one. When the elders tried to dissuade her from this course of action, she lashed out in anger and killed several of them before fleeing back to the urban ruins. In accordance with their ways, they banished her from their village and named her The Exile. After she left the village and took up residence in the ruins, one building began to shoot fire at all those who came too close, especially on its southern and eastern edges.
If you indicate your intentions of going there, they tell you that The Exile uses magical powers that can control or break the minds of others, and that you should be careful of her! The Tenevoy-narod maintain a scout-rotation made up of their most plague-resistant people near the ruins, just to keep an eye out should The Exile make moves towards their settlement...but the current scout is nearly 3 days late in returning, and they had decided not to risk any more scouts while the energy fields from the ruins are at their strongest.
Would you like to do anything before departing the native settlement?
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Julakesh takes great delight in attracting a crowd of adoring kin to her side. These young ones could learn from her epic exploits! She continues to laugh loudly and tell them tales of her adventures while pantomiming. ...Despite that the kids have no idea what she's saying.
At news of the Exile is translated for her, Julakesh growls and thumps her chest. "I will find this traitor and your lost scout! The mind magic never works on me!" she places her hands on her hips. "There is nothing I cannot do! A-HAH! A-HAH! I AM AMAZING! A-HAH!"
With a wide grin she asks for directions. "Tell me the path this scout took to the ruin!"
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With directions and well-wishes from the Tenevoy-narod, you trek east from the village towards the chasms and the outpost. The first hour is relatively easy going. However, as you press onward, you arrive at the outskirts of the urban ruins. Because of the density of structures, you can only see, at most, 2d6 x 10 feet ahead of you at any given time, but using stealth might be easier as a result - more things to hide behind.
The formerly advanced electrical power plant is exuding severe ionizing waves, causing low-hanging clouds that continuously spark and strike the ground and other objects with electricity! The first hour of trekking through this terrain isn't difficult or dangerous - but the hairs (and spikes) on your skin (and scales) do rise a bit. As you get closer, however, the electrical storm gets much worse, including severe wind that whips loose debris all around!
Fortitude Saves - Representing your 2nd hour of travel through the storm:
Fortitude Saves - Representing your 3rd hour of travel through the storm:
After three hours of marching into even more fierce winds and debris, you reach an area where dilapidated circular buildings dot the landscape. The tumultuous storm rages all around, strong and fierce, without any sign of slowing down. A crumbling stone bridge crosses a broad gorge, offering a pathway directly into the heart of the turmoil. The only places with any cover from the storm are the low walls of the semi-circular ledge you currently huddle behind and the ground-levels of the three nearby oval- and circular-shaped buildings.
The bridge looks severely damaged and difficult to cross, while the tempest is at its greatest strength here, almost seeming to emanate from the area you are traveling to (in the direction of the blue callout on the bottom-right corner of the map). To your bemusement, the natives told you that this was both the area their scout would likely be near and also the easiest path across the chasms that surround the region.
- To cross the bridge, a DC 10 Acrobatics check will let you move at full speed. If you fail, please move your icon half of your speed and then stop .
- At the end of any turn in which you are not adjacent to a wall at the starting area or inside of a structure, you must make a Fortitude save against the storm's effects. If you (voluntarily) move at half speed or less during your turn, you get a +2 on this saving throw.
- If you want to try taking any actions to strengthen the bridge or help the checks of your team-mates in getting across, please post those first and I will let you know what modifiers you have acquired, if any.
- Red objects on the map are thick mounds of loose debris and count as difficult terrain.
- Dropping down from the oval-shaped building in the center to the level below it can be done using an Athletics or Acrobatics check.
We are now effectively in "Rounds" -
ROUND 1
Darkrunner
Gab
Gargalus
Julakesh
Kima
Rafikki
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"Hey, Lucy, give me a quick inventory, would ya?" It is unclear for a moment who he is speaking to, but then he looks down at the computer interface bracelet on his wrist, which is scrolling through a list of items. "Dangit, I'm a little behind on picking up supplies. Been running to Akiton too much lately, and been saving up while waiting on the Society's new supply catalogue. Lucy, add some titanium cable to my shopping list." He glances around at the group. [/b]"Anybody got, uh, what ..."[/b] He looks across the bridge. "About 60-plus feet of cable? Rope'll do in a pinch."
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Julakesh laughs and taunts the storm and the planet on the journey, proclaiming loudly that she is invincible!
At the bridge, Julakesh smiles and points. "A-HAH! A-HAH! This bridge is a death trap! YES!" Turning to her companions she says, "One of you will likely die!"
Then she turns back to the bridge and strides across without a care.
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Your GM was clearly not clear on two points - sorry ^^;
1 - The Acrobatics check lets you move at full speed for 1 action...so to double move, you'd need a second Acrobatics roll.
2 - The only places you don't have to make Fortitude saves are in the starting area (or adjacent to the starting area) or if you are inside a structure. The colors on the map don't lend themselves well to seeing it, but Darkrunner and Julakesh are currently on the roof of the central building - the darker area that looks like a cut-out is where the roof has been destroyed and drops down into the structure itself. As a result, Julakesh will need a Fortitude save.
Sorry about that!
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Gab looks like he's about to help Gargalus when it looks like he's faltering, but then the half-orc seems to have gotten the hang of things and is doing well on his own. Once the reinforcement is in place, Gab takes off at half speed moving across the bridge.
Gab swears in a variety of languages and dialects as the storm lashes him fiercely, despite his effort to move cautiously.
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Julakesh and Darkrunner easily jog across the open bridge. Gargalus approaches things more slowly, reinforcing the path you need to walk on. Gab takes advantage of this, and also scampers across. Rafikki cautiously hunkers down low to the ground and begins a slow trek as well. Kima, on the other hand, starts across slowly, but is nearly blinded by a lightning strike that came all too-close to hitting the lot of you...and she falls, sliding down and winding up at the bottom of a 20 foot deep chasm!
The only good news is she is not affected by the electrical storm that continues to rage, causing Darkrunner and Gab to each take 1 point of Electricity Damage!
Kima can see that the frequent storms in this area leave the ravine's sides heavily rough and pitted, meaning that you could climb out with a DC 12 Athletics check .
ROUND 2
Darkrunner
Gab
Gargalus
Julakesh
Kima
Rafikki