An Old and Broken World

Game Master Simeon

With only a moment to spare, Sprig finishes his summoning circle and ducks out of the line of fire.

The surrounding electronics sputter as what looks like a tiny storm cloud manifests itself. The creature's instincts kick in immediately, attacking the robot with crackling excitement.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Electricity Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 1

Bump for Kat

Katheryn tried to line up a shot but shook her head as there was no way to get anything clearly. "Alright Bas, get up in there and I'll follow behind."

Ready action to step into step into Bas' square once he moves.

The robot raises it's arm and fires a blast of electricity at Bas, though it doesn't do too much.

The storm cloud's electricity does seem to affect it more, but it still manages to shake off the damage thanks to it's hardened metal chassis.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 1

The party is up!

Ronan braces for something deadly, but when it doesn't materialize he finishes the incantation he has been chanting and snaps his fingers. Drawing on the lingering power within the research structure, he causes a bolt of electricity to coalesce above the robot before striking down.

Electricity Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 4) = 9

The robot can make a DC 18 Reflex save for half damage.

"Damn bucket of bolts," he curses, standing back to allow those who need line of sight to act closer.

He roared out as the electricity stung his flesh. He took two powerful steps to teh robot and swung with all his might at it.

powerattack: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 9 - 2 = 22
damage: 1d10 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 6 = 19

As energy surges around the room, the Small elemental sparks with delight. It floats lazily towards the side of the robot, attacking the machine's flank.

Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Electricity Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 2

It's summoner, however, takes time to duck behind the furniture of the room, hoping to the gearsman would lose track of him.

Stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32

Saraon lets Sprig cast his spell, then makes his move into the room and around the corner so there's some space between him and Bas and a clear shot for the ones outside the room. Then he strikes at the gearsman, knowing it probably won't be that effective against its metal hide, but needing to try anyway.

Masterwork Cold Iron Elven Curve Blade: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 91d10 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Katheryn moved into place and took aim. "T'is even gonna work on a metal man?" She asked mostly to herself before she took the shot.

Musket Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Damage: 1d12 ⇒ 9

Been walloped by a cold. Hopefully I’ll have the wherewithal to update tomorrow.

The robot swings a metal arm at Bas, hitting the burned warrior for 8 damage!

Do we have a sense of whether any of our attacks hit and did damage?

Ronan keeps his distance and snaps the fingers on his left hand as another bolt of electricity surges out of the growing maelstrom and strikes the gearsman.

Electricity Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 3) = 14 DC 18 Reflex for half

3/5 bolts remain

Sorry, totally spaced on that. Sick brain still kickin' around.

Saraon missed. Sprig's attack didn't do anything to the robot, but everyone else who attacked managed to get at least a few points of damage in.

Bump!

Seeing new allies attack the metal man, the sparking cloud of elemental energy moves to flank the robot, attacking once again.

Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Electricity Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 1

Sprig maintains his cover, not wanting to get himself in the other's way.

Saraon strikes at the gearsman again!

Masterwork Cold Iron Elven Curve Blade: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 81d10 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

"Any tell iffin' making a dent?!" Katheryn called as she popped off another shot.

Musket attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Damage: 1d12 ⇒ 10

Still just waiting on Bas.

He heared kat call out about whether her gunfire was doing anything and he couldnt really tell...

"Just keep hammering it! these damn metal monsters its always hard to tetll if you hare doing anything or not!

To back up his words he struck again ahard!

power attaack flank: 1d20 + 6 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 2 - 2 = 14
damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
sneak attack if applies: 1d6 ⇒ 4

If giant tobot can be snuck attck 14 points of damage if not 8 damage

Ronan’s blast of electricity throws the robot off guard, allowing Kat to fire and hit it’s glowing eye before Bas comes in like a battering ram and slices a grievous blow into it’s chest. It sparks and sputters for a moment before collapsing to the ground, unmoving.

Ronan steps forward into the room. It was unfortunate seeing old world technology run amuck like that, but there was little to do. Not everything from the past could be preserved, even if his eventual goal was to restore things to the way they were before. If it was bad before, or if it had become bad, then it could not be part of a stable design for the future. Some things just couldn't be helped. Too bad, though.

"Y'all right there, Bas? Need any mendin', or good to press on fer now."

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33

Anything else worth noticing in here, or can we move into the next room?

"I"LLbe okay it did get me a little though guess i should have been quicker..."

"A gearsman ain't nothing to sneeze at, I'll tell ye that. You were mighty quick, but a robot ain't a robot if it ain't jus' as quick."

Ronan claps a hand on the man's shoulder. "Later, though, I'll take a look."

"That, was not bein' what I expected." Katheryn said as she properly entered the room. "He gonna be 'kay Ronan?"

Saraon sheathes his sword as the robot falls and then turns to Bas.

"You may be okay, but I'd feel more comfortable knowing you're more than just "okay," Bas," he says, looking him over for anything serious.

Heal: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

The room beyond might have been a meeting room, once. A long table with several chairs around it sits at the center, as well as a couch at the far end. Oddly, scattered around the room are piles of ancient blankets, suggesting people might have used this as a makeshift bunkroom for a time.

At the far end of the room the door to the office where the access code will be stands ajar, though an unearthly flickering light can be seen as a low, keening wail kicks up from within the room.

"Well that sounds bad," Ronan says, swirling his finger around so that the thrumming aggregate of electrical charge summoned by his previous spell keeps up with the group, ready to strike again. "Let's try not to break any screens if we can. I'd still 'preciate seein' the code we came fer."

The seer locks his shield ahead of him and looks at Bas and Saraon. "Goin' in or lurin' out?"

"I'd rather it come to us," Saraon replies, readying his own blade.

"Dat ain't right." Katheryn said with a shake of her head. She looked at Saraon with a smirk and said "Why I let ya go gettin' me inta this I don't know."

She readied her musket though. "Think it'll come?"

Sprig cocks his head, listening to the sound. "Most of the junk around here seems broken, might just be one 'o these doodads acting up. Ah can take a look if y'all think it'd be better."

"We don' need ye gettin' yerself hurt, Sprig," Ronan says. "But yer welcome to send one o' yer monsters in if'n ye think it'll come out."

Ronan stands firm where he is, shield raised and ready for what may come next.

Ronan is willing to wait no longer than a minute for the thing to join us in the larger room, at which point he'll encourage us moving in. Until then, we should all move our tokens on the map so that we're in the conference room.

What's the plan for drawing it out folks?

Ronan is not a provoker and doesn't have particular abilities geared towards that behavior. I assumed that since Saraon wanted it to come to us that he had a plan. Maybe Sprig can make a distraction with a Bluff check? If not, let's just move in. I have the highest AC, so I'll tank and just move in first.

Sprig had about four rounds of the summoned elemental after combat ended, If it's still around he could try to direct it to investigate.

That sounds best.

Sounds like a plan!

Sprig's conjured elemental lumbers forward. A few tense seconds pass as the wailing stops before the sound of clattering stone can be heard through the room.

A spectral being steps out from the room, looking like a elf woman dressed in a long white coat and glasses, a gunshot wound in her forehead billowing smoke that dissipates into nothingness. She reaches out a hand and resumes her wailing.

Bas and Kat are up!

It probably won't matter, but Ronan is going to use temporal celerity to roll twice on that initiative.

Initiative, Temporal Celerity: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Aaaand it didn't matter.

Ronan watches as the woman steps out. Well she certainly seemed undead, but anything was possible in this complex.

Just gonna sit here and wait my turn.

"whoa there pretty lady.. calm down..."

He said in placating tones before he slashed hard at the ghost. he didnt think that would work... but he didnt have a lot of other options either.

power attack : 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 9 - 2 = 23
damage: 1d10 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 + 6 = 22

"Oh dat ain't right." Katheryn said as she quickly shoot her head quickly.

Musket: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
damage: 1d12 ⇒ 11

Yay for 12 hour days... uha...

Just as a reminder, you all have automatic bonus progression so your attacks with a chosen weapon will count as +1 weapons.

Kat's not quite able to hit the ghostly figure, but Bas brings his bardice down with a mighty swing! It does less than expected, but as his blade passes through the woman's spectral form he sees it's cohesion weaken slightly.

She reaches out her hand and phases it through Bas' chest and he feels a horrible, gut-wrenching cold shoot through him, filling him with the aches and pains of old age, dealing 12 damage!

The party is up, and Bas may make a DC 15 fort save to halve the damage he took.

I definitely forgot about the automatic bonus progression. I have adjusted my character sheet accordingly.

Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24 I assume incorporeal and undead immunities, but if I have to burn questions to know that, I'll accept it so that I can cast my spell. What I'd ideally like to know is whether there is any way to prevent her rejuvenation, but that's probably not covered by a Knowledge check so much as investigation and accomplishing other objectives. So if I can, I'd love to get special attacks (perhaps other than the observed corrupting touch), special defenses (other than incorporeality and undead immunities), and any weaknesses she might have (if I rolled high enough for that). Trying not to metagame too hard having fought plenty of ghosts in other games.

Ronan watches the ghost--he's almost certain she's a ghost of some sort--wreck Bas. He recognizes that sort of attack. He was a born a fairly hearty, hale man, but the weathering of time had begun its inevitable work on his joints. Bas was far too young to experience that sort of thing. Ronan had to imagine that it was a veritable shock.

"Now, ma'am, I'm awful sorry 'bout this, but I can't have ye harmin' that feller. We'll figure a way to put ye to rest, but ye need te stop."

Ronan's fingers twitch and his hand thrums with the electricity he still holds at the ready. He contemplates what he knows of spirits such as the one before him. The lightning strike wouldn't not hurt her, but it wasn't the best option. No, that would be...

The samsaran reaches to his back pocket and pulls out a mangled piece of metal that probably used to be a wonderful piece of technology in the before times. He holds it forward high in the air and it begins to glow as he prays, his usual twang faltering somewhat. "Saints of ages past: look on this humble servant and guide him with your strength so that we may restore that which has been lost." He swings the hunk of metal down, and a sword of pure light coalesces near the ghost and slices at her.

Casting Spiritual Weapon. This spell can strike incorporeal creatures without the reduction in damage associated with incorporeality. I looked back at your materials to see if the Rust Saints had a favored weapon, but didn't see one. Since they're lawful neutral as a pantheon, the spell specifies that the lawful alignment produces a longsword (for the purposes of critical range/multiplier).

Spiritual Weapon: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Force Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Also apparently last November while we were fighting the Rust-Risen, I cast Bless, which was supposed to last for 5 minutes. I don't have any sense of how long it has been in the game since then, but I figured I'd put it out there in case anything is within 1 of striking or if there are any fear effects.

I'd say bless is still up. Let's see, I'll say that the rust saints use a heavy mace as their favored weapon, though I'm always partial to players choosing whatever manifestation they want for spiritual weapon.

Ronan's quite sure that this is a ghost. Without seeing the body that produced it, it's hard to say what would put it to rest, but the smoking wound in the forehead might be connected to her lingering here on the physical plane.

His blade of spectral power cuts into the ghost, not doing as much pure damage as Bas' swing but seeming to cut directly into her incorporeal being!

fort: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

"Oh light that stings!

He hissed out his voice coming out just a fraction of a higher pitch. He hurt in ways he didnt know hw could.. at least it was his supposed girlfriend dousing him him in oil and lighting him on fire again. His tumbeled to he side trying to put the ghost between friends and himself.He shifted his weight and swung the bardiche at eh ghost again. He knew it wasnt doing as effective damage as some others . . . but it did look like it was doing something at least so there was that.

acrobatics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
definitely provoke and AoO

power attack, bless: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 9 - 2 + 1 = 28
confirm if possible: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 9 - 2 + 1 = 18
damage: 1d10 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 6 = 13
bonsu crit damage is possible: 1d10 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 6 = 13
sneak attack if applicable: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Saraon gulps, but approaches and tries to strike at the spirit.

Masterwork Cold Iron Elven Curve Blade, Bless: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 = 131d10 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Sprig ponders aloud as he reaches for his pistol. "A gunshot wound... maybe..." The kobold leaps atop a nearby table and takes a shot.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

[ooc]I always forget Automatic bonus progression! It never fails I'm starting to wonder if my mind just doesn't register it! XD[/occ]

"Don't know, but I'mma aimin' ta find out!" Katheryn said before she took aim at the creature pulling the trigger.

Musket attach: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
Damage: 1d12 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

Only Ronan and Bas are able to do any damage to the ghost, but it's form seems fairly damaged, only about half of it able to keep cohesion.

It lets out a dreadful wail, filling the party with terror.

The party is up! Everyone will need to make a DC 16 will save or be panicked for 3 rounds.

@Everyone: Don't forget the effects of Bless, especially for this Will save!

Ronan Will DC 16, Bless: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 10 + 1 = 28

The force of the dreadful wail ruffles the Speaker's hair and he squints through the waves but does not falter. "Hol' fast, y'all!" he exhorts. "She'll hafta do better'n that!"

Electricity Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 2) = 13 --> 6
DC 18 Reflex for half/quarter (i.e., 3 dmg); from a corporeal source
2/5 bolts remain

Spiritual Weapon, Bless: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 8 + 1 = 28
Force Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
Crit Force Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Spiritual Weapon rd 2/5

In the Old World, there used to be things called conductors that used to be involved with music rather than trains, standing before a group of musicians all playing instruments. Ronan seems to channel these paragons of high culture as he snaps his fingers and gestures vociferously, commanding another bolt of lightning to spark out from a nearby crackling machine while his ethereal weapon swings at the ghost once more. The broken mechanical bits jangling around his body seem to come to life, old cogs whirring around as the power in the room surges.

Will Save: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 1 = 17

Saraon takes a deep breath as the spirit wails at them, striking back!

Masterwork Cold Iron Elven Curve Blade, Bless: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 1 = 211d10 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

will save dc 16: 1d20 + 1 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 + 1 + 1 = 11

He hit it twice as hard as he could and the thing still stood there howling in fury. He wouldnt lie he was absolutely afraid of the thing. It wasnt right or natural. It was time to go. The hallways were narrow. his Bardiche woud make things difficult so he dropped it and ran... as far away from the howling creature as he could. . . .