[SFS/Shifty] #2-23 The Edge of Cadascon (C) (Inactive)

Game Master Nik B.

Croaker looks at the crate with the panel.

"There is something written here, again in Triaxian. I don't think I am skilled enough to read even one word out of it."

Culture, aid another: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12The best I can do is aid ;) with my wild +5

Bar can't work out the extractor but does manage to simply examine the wound and delicately pull the crystal out - keeping it intact. Whilst the damage was pretty extensive, leaving Cailis significantly (and curiously!) fatigued, Bar is fairly certain the patient will recover with some rest and time to heal up.

The crystal seems to ebb in Bars hand, clearly 'alive' - more so than the broken pieces and traces you'd seen earlier that had been shattered by gunfire or use.

After Bar--medical pahtra--gets the crystal out as well as he can, he will put the crystal on a piece of rock or asphalt for others to examine.

Looking at the crate he attempts to use the Triaxian primer he got.
Culture: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

And shrugs...though he continues to look at the crate for any signs of a trap.

Perceptiom: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

And probably doesn't see any. "If somebody else wants to look at the crate and see what it says, go ahead, though I think I will want to just open it...."

And now we get to see the fruits of having all those good rolls earlier....sigh

Obo looks around the area. And puts away her weapons.

"Nice work Starfinders"

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 16

The writing remains a mystery, the obscure and forgotten Triaxian dialect remaining a mystery.

With Cailis now stable and secure, you struggle to raise comms - but eventually, the comm unit crackles as Zafeldrin’s voice flickers in and out. “Taking this information into account,” he says, “I hereby halt any investigation. Your primary goal now is to retrieve those agents and return to the base camp as quickly as possible so we can regroup and decide how to proceed. I’ve received troubling reports from the other teams as well. We’ll have to—” The comm unit cuts out once more, leaving only static.

The only sounds are the chilling winds carrying the falling snow and ash.

With nothing else to do, and no time to lose, you head off in pursuit of your fallen friends!

Obscured Path
A flurry of snow and ash blows through the area. Each of you can attempt either a DC 19 Perception check to keep track of the trail through the flurry, or a DC 19 Acrobatics check to avoid getting the mixture in your eyes or helmet visors.

Cesar dusts himself off and takes a rest while the others help the injured Starfinder.

Takes a 10 minute rest and spends an RP.

Feeling a little better, he steels himself against the cold and follows the group.

acrobatics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

As everyone stops to recover or help recover, Ceolor pauses and meditates for a minute. He then stands up and takes a look at the old Triaxian, this time for sure going to crack the code!

Culture: 1d20 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (17) + 9 + (6) = 32

He smiles as it finally slides into place for him, and then reads off the note in common. the red man then pulls out some bandages and helps to bind up Cailis's leg. "We should go after your friends and make sure they don't turn into crystal skeletons or zombies or something like that."

On the trail again, Ceolor keeps his helmet visor down and adds some plastics as a brim to try keeping the snow out of his face.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
...but the snow seems to blow directly from the front and he still gets it all over his visor and makes things hard to see.

Croaker is glad that they saved Cailis from the grave fate.

After they removed the crystal he begins to work his magic. He breathes in the energy and touches the wound and later the crystal.

Casting again detect magic on the crystal and Detect Affliction I am interested what those crystals are? Parasites of some sort?

"That is unusual... but you will be fine. It is good that we came here on time, I don't want to think what would happen to you if the crystal would still be in your leg."

Obscured Path

Snow! And even more snow. Croaker is not a big fan of it, his small size does not make it simpler for him.

Perception, DC19: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

He can't see the path, flakes irritate his eyes and he needs to constantly rub them. He stops from time to time to scan the surroundings with the scope but he sees nothing.

"I need to go next to Akiton, I think I liked sandstorms more than this!"

Hearing Croakers comment Bar smiles, "I was saying just the same thing earlier yesterday right after I landed to my PR person. She said she could get me to Apostae instead. The problem with Apostae, you get more computer viruses and worms there than you get insect bites in Ukulam on Castrovel. It cost me more to do a gig there on Apostae than we made, after paying for professional programmers to debug our equipment...and instruments. So I get it."

With that Bar does his best to move lithely over the snow.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25

Ceolor deciphers the information See handout in slides

Croaker once again tries detecting magic and gets no result. Curiously, trying to detect an affliction equally provides no result, and this seems very odd. Almost as though what is being observed and what is (or isn't) being detected does not align. As he holds the gem he notices it branching off sharp shards, trying to penetrate his glove.
/cough Perhaps Mysticism

Bar and Cesar begin to make good headway...

Obo looks around.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 13

But she doesn't make much headway in the snow.

- - -

She looks at the crystal.

"What's it doing?"

Croaker looks baffled at the crystal.

"It is some sort of Heisenberg-crystal. When I try to observe what is it doing I don't see it." Probing players here :P

As he observes it penetrating the glove Croaker throws it at the ground.

"What the hell? It tried to penetrate my glove."

Mysticism: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

Thanks for the help Shifty;) I always have trouble identifying which roll to make.

Obscured Path

Croaker responds to Bar

"Aposte? Never been there, but I heard some nasty things about that 'planet'."

Croaker finds the crystals are indeed mystical, they are clearly able to detect living beings and seek to feed off their energy, which promotes the rapid growth of the crystals until the host dies - at which point it appears able to animate the hosts body - facilitating movement to seek out fresh hosts. The crystals energy would, with the right technique, be able to be harvested. They are also being warded to prevent detection by magical means.

***

Obscured path
The snow and ash make progress difficult.

***

Navigate the City
The ruined city retains numerous signs of its former glory. Each of you can attempt a DC 17 Culture or Engineering check to intuit the city plan and navigate advantageously to gain on the undead creatures.

Ceolor spats as some snow melt works its way into his helmet. "I'm going to have to redo the seals on this helmet later aren't I?"

He takes a moment to duck into a doorway or some over hang and get the snow and ice off his helmet and out of his face. While he does he takes a moment to analyze the city and structures comparing their customs or road set up to other cultures he's encountered before.

Culture: 1d20 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (12) + 9 + (6) = 27 Is this check a 'custom or related topic'? Cause you could argue almost anything is. :P EDIT: Not that it matters with that roll.

Ceolor soon points out some obvious parallels with places in Castrovel where the winters get cold. "This place has cleary been designed to funnel things falling from the sky, like those cities in Castrovel that get inundated with dead leaves when the weather gets cold. Wider alleys that align with the prevalent wind to blow things away and then narrower cross streets with over hangs to prevent things from piling up in them. Now the wind here seems to be mostly north-south so we might be able to find a relatively unobstructed cross street and catch up with the undead."

Croaker puts down the crystal referring to what he learned

"These crystals are mystical, they can detect living beings and take their energy eventually killing it. When they do the crystal animates the host body and then moves it to find new hosts. There should be a way to harvest the energy from the crystals, the crystals are protected from detection by magical means. I don't know if the crystals can do something with already dead bodies." Croaker shivers at the perspective of being eaten by the crystal. And hopes that fallen Izaalgun will remain fallen, but does not share his fears with others.

The city

Croaker listens to Ceolor explanation and follows his lead in navigating the city. His rifle is in his paws, this time bayonet protected by a sheath as he runs.

Culture: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

Bar listens to what Croaker says about the crystals as they walk farther into the city, hoping to figure how to track their lost companions.

As they walk farther in, and Ceolor starts to mention about the city being designed to funnel things from the sky, Bar slightly shakes his head. "I see where you are going with it Ceolor, and you are right in a few respects. But, we are talking about a dragon...the flying kind. As Zafeldrin's lodge has shown us, they like aesthetics...and they fly. Think what this place would look like as you came in from above."

Navigate the City
Success
The city seems quite easy to navigate once you can read the signs - and you are sure you are travelling quicker than the enemy.

***

Predict the Undead Creatures’ Intentions
The trail seems to double back and move in strange ways. You can attempt either a DC 19 Sense Motive check to predict the undead’s intentions, or a DC 19 Survival check to follow the tracks and find the correct direction.

Croaker follows Bar and Ceolor how they lead them through the city. He looks at the path and tries to understand if there is some logic behind the turns taken

Sense Motive, DC19: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

But these are some mindless undead what kind of logic could they be led by.

Ysoki tries to speed up as he was left a bit behind.

Obo looks at the tracks

Survival: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

I wonder what these are

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Bar looks at the seeming erratic wanderings of the skeletons.

"Umm...how can you tell if a skeleton is walking forward or backward if they don't have toes? And they all seem to just shuffle and not actually pick up their feet.....this is so confusing...."

Ceolor nods at the suggestion, "Right I do forget people fly sometimes! Yes that would make this even easier to get around, if we take that into account!"

As the group seems to gain some on the undead, Ceolor pauses and sees if there happens to be some pattern to what the crystalline dead are doing. The organized structures of the mineral might also lead to organized movements or actions.
Sense motive DC 19: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
... he feels on the brink of a break through but not able to find it.

Cesar keeps an eye for clues (like tracks or crystals left on the trail).

Otherwise he has very little to contribute at this time. None of these skills seem to match up with him very well.

Aid another?

sense motive aid another: 1d20 ⇒ 11

There you go! Cesar helped!

Ceolor nods at the suggestion, "Right I do forget people fly sometimes! Yes that would make this even easier to get around, if we take that into account!"

Croaker continous his struggle through the snow and adds his thoughts on the matter

"Flying also requires starting and landing grounds. From what I saw Zafeldrin started to fly forwards slowly gaining height, the same with landing, he required a bit of space. City then should be built in a way to allow for easy takeoffs and landings without crushing into the buildings." says huffin and puffin Croaker

"Damn, walking through snow and talking is tiring!"

It takes a while, but eventually, you spot the likely lair.

An abandoned depot surrounds the mouth of a cave. Pre-Gap mining equipment lays scattered about in disarray. Strange crystal deposits have formed around the mouth of the cave and crept out to cover the ground and abandoned equipment indiscriminately. The crystals shine from within with an eerie, pale blue light.

You enter the mouth of the cave and the ground looks deeply rutted and unstable, but so long as you are cautious and don't do anything too wild.

Map up, north or south?

Bar looks around to see if he can figure out which way the bones were shuffling.....

Survival or Perception (add +3 more if Perception): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

100% they headed north

Obo grips her weapon. "Should we head south?"

Keeping a close eye out for any possible dangers Ceolor carefully stides into the room, gliding out and into the center of the space, curious as to what might be inhabiting this cave system, or if it's exclusively crystalline bones. "I'm sure we lost quite some time there, and we should try making sure that the life force of our colleagues isn't drained dry before we can even help!"

Perception, please no traps: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Other than the footprints going north... the caves seem to have a northern system and a southern one.

"Bar you said north right?" asks for confirmation Croaker.

Then he urges the team to move north.

"Be prepared for anything." speaks the obvious.

Yea let us move north and keep Croaker on the backend of the party ;)

"Yeah, north. And while I like looking around...and as Ceolor says, I think we have wasted too much time trying to get here....We can come back to this area after finding our comrades."

The tunnel curves and opens up into a high-ceilinged, circular cavern. The floor of the cave spirals steadily downward, and at the lowest point sits a large crystal mound-shaped, from some directions, like an enraged dragon clawing itself out of the earth. Placed atop the mound are Iko and Naveret, both unconscious, their bodies beginning to be enveloped by the mound.

A crystal-studded dragonkin watches the proceedings as the sacrifices are being absorbed by the crystal.

R1
Obo
Cesar
Ceolor
Bar
Croaker
ENEMY

Fate of the Starfinders:
The two only have a short time to live (you guess how long!)you can work to free Iko and Naveret multiple ways.

You can attempt:
* Athletics check to pull them free,
* Mysticism check to manipulate the magical energies within the crystals to slow/reverse the process.
* Damaging the crystal mound enough with a weapon (or vial of universal solvent over one of the Starfinders).

Freeing a Starfinder takes more than one success

A couple of questions, Athletics and Mysticism checks needs to be done from the space next to Iko and Naveret right? Do you have to take the round route? Or can you climb up it's slopes?

Trying to assess the immunities and resistances, Mysticism +9, Life Science +5 (Hireling). I will do one roll.

Identify, mysticism: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

"Do you see the size of that thing."

I will wait with my actions for the responses

Obo looks at her weapon. "I can smash it!"

She hurries down to the crystal.

double move

Croaker can see that you'd need to get right up next to the crystals to deal with them - whether by brute force or mystical manipulation. Each layer looks about 5' high at its worst, but could be slid down pretty easily (getting up a tougher matter).

No real idea what the giant beast might be about, but likely similar to the skeletons fought earlier - just significantly bigger and tougher.

Croaker extends his cautiousness, he reaches out to magical energy that passes through all things alike. He feels dragons rage, ryphorians suffering and some strange feeling of the crystals being so nearby. Croaker stays focused as 40 feet from him emerge from the crystal a small rat. It raises it's head and shrieks, more and more green rats show up and rush towards the crystal dragon.

They begin to climb it's body and bite his legs.

"It will be easier to hit, go, go, go!"

Standard action: casting wisp ally, 40 ft from Croaker in the direction towards dragon.
Move action: moving wisp up to 60 ft to occupy dragon's space.
Wisp provides Harrying fire: next attack each round for 3 rounds takes +2 mod to hit.

"Croaker, Obozaya, think you can get our teammates out? If you need help, get Ceolor or Cesar to help. But I think at least 2 of us need to get this dragonkin skeleton's attention."

With that, Bar does what he says, and heads towards the skeleton dragaonkin, attempting his bobbing and weaving to get the skeleton a little overextended.

Trick attack (Bluff): 1d20 + 12 + 4 - 20 ⇒ (19) + 12 + 4 - 20 = 15 Is the DC that Bar Tricked
Perforator Pistol, Diffraction (EAC) maybe tricked, 1 range increment (I think): 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 7 - 2 = 8
Damage (Sonic): 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Trick damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8

Awesome trick, awesome damage...probably didn't hit with a EAC of 8 even with being flat footed....sigh

The wisp allies start to harry the dragon.
Obo is on the move.
Bar manages to bamboozle the skeleton, but misses by miles.

R1
Obo - moved
Cesar
Ceolor
Bar - attacked
Croaker - cast
ENEMY

Cesar takes note of the trap Starfinders and hurries forward to free them double move.

Cesar moves forward!

R1
Obo - moved
Cesar - moved
Ceolor
Bar - attacked
Croaker - cast
ENEMY

Ceolor fires off a solar flare.

Attack 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
Damage 1d4 + 3 + 1d2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + (2) = 8

It hits the creature!

***

In response, the beast wanders into the pit to defend the crystal.

Attacks Obo!
Attack 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25
Damage 1d6 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

R2
Obo
Cesar
Ceolor
Bar
Croaker
ENEMY

R 8

Croaker runs towards the pit and slides one slope down. Being still connected to the force he extends his paws forwards.

Do Croaker if the enemy is undead => immune to mind thrust? If no he will cast mind thrust, if yes he would cast telekinetic projectile.

He extends his reach to touch the crystal dragon, his furry fingers stretching aiming at it. He takes a deep breath and as he exhales a soft purple mist begins to float towards it. As the mist touches the dragon hundreds of thoughts are pushed towards the foe.

Mind Thrust, DC14 will save: 2d10 ⇒ (7, 1) = 8

Croaker knows the last skeletal forms were 'undead', and could not have their minds targetted.

Ok, thanks for letting me know.

Croaker feels that his magic will not bring any effect so he rushes forwards and slides down to be next to crystal structure.

My rifle is useless and magic mostly as well, so I might try to save the captured starfinders. Telekinetic Projectile deals barely 1d6 dmg, Obo can do way more with her doshko.

Croaker gets down to help the Starfinders!

R2
Obo
Cesar
Ceolor
Bar
Croaker - acted
ENEMY

R 8

Bar moves forward somewhat trying to get a better bead on the dragonkin crystal encrusted skeleton.

Trick attack (Bluff): 1d20 + 12 + 4 - 20 ⇒ (10) + 12 + 4 - 20 = 6 Is the DC that Bar Tricked
Perforator Pistol, Diffraction (EAC) maybe tricked: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Damage (Sonic): 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Trick damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7

Critical Damage (Sonic): 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Critical Trick damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2

W00t.....got a critical...whee!!!

Though horrified by the beast bearing down on him, Cesar tries to help the trapped Starfinders.

mysticism: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

guarded step, then mysticism to free the starfinders.

Bar manages a beautiful shot!

Cesar cant make sense of the gems.

R2
Obo
Cesar - acted
Ceolor
Bar - acted
Croaker - acted
ENEMY

R 35