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"Rolling rocks.. isn't that one of those watered down beers they sell in the dock's district?" Stitch gives the rocks a mindful look as he draws forth his trusty can of WD40, lubing up Meat Wagon as well as his own creaky joints.
"Guess I better arm myself, just in case you guys need the help." He draws out his trusty clan pistol as Meat Wagon remains in idle, awaiting a future command.
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Nicole moves past the others, quickly draws one of her lesser alchemist's fires, and throws it to the nearest boulder. She then draws her shortbow. "Are they rocks or something? Where did they come from?!" she exclaims.
fire damage + 1 persistent fire damage + 1 splash fire damage
◆ Stride
◆ Quick Bomber
◆ Interact to draw weapon
Feeling a bit more cautious, Roark moves up enough to get a better look at these things before doing a little dance to psych himself up. He then raises his buckler, ready for whatever these things might throw at him.
Stitch isn't exactly sure what these things are but he's not too terribly worried as he greases up the Meat Wagon and draws out his clan pistol. Nicole goes on the offensive, moving up and throwing a small vial of bottled fire at Blue - but she's rather unnerved by their strange appearance and the vial slips out of her her hand much too early, impacting the ground only a few feet away. Finn hustles forward; he's not sure about these things either and resolves himself to learning more about them first-hand.
The two boulders come careening across the solid ground, circling around towards the group, but don't quite have enough speed to get in close and bite - yet.
Rain in Cloudy Day moves up a little closer and then hauls off and flings a spore pod at Blue, which sadly sails a little too high and misses the mark. "Drat! I'll get him next time! Stay strong, friends!" His words continue to fill you all with courage and inspiration.
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Rain in Cloudy Day
==============
Stitch
>Meat Wagon
Roark
Bella
>Khiari
Nicole
Finn
==============
Boulders
Active Conditions: Inspire Courage
Environmental Conditions: Green Areas = Swampy Ground (Difficult Terrain)
Everyone may act!
Roark takes advantage of Blue's lack of planning and flanks it with Bella before delivering a powerful beak strike that breaks off a large huge of the creature's mass! He then raises his buckler again.
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Rain in Cloudy Day
==============
Stitch
>Meat Wagon
Roark
Bella
>Khiari
Nicole
Finn
==============
Boulder Blue
Boulder Red
Active Conditions: Inspire Courage
Environmental Conditions: Green Areas = Swampy Ground (Difficult Terrain)
Stitch, Bella, Nicole, Finn may act!
Deciding that perhaps her bow would work better, Nicole draws it out and moves to get a better angle on Red. She then takes aim and fires...and while the arrow flies truer than her vial did, her aim is still off a bit and the shot misses.
Inspired by Roark's display Bella does a little dance of her own and then aims a kick at Blue, connecting with the boulder's teeth! Wait, teeth? Yes, these things have teeth and Bella manages to kick several of them in, leaving Blue looking pretty rough for it. More cautious than her sister, Khiari moves closer to the fray but doesn't join it just yet.
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Rain in Cloudy Day
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Stitch
>Meat Wagon
Roark
Bella
>Khiari
Nicole
Finn
==============
Boulder Blue
Boulder Red
Active Conditions: Inspire Courage
Environmental Conditions: Green Areas = Swampy Ground (Difficult Terrain)
Stitch, Finn may act!
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Well lubed and fully inspired, Stitch slams on Meat Wagon's accelerator and flies into the fray, waving around Khiari before sliding his contraption neatly between Finn and Nicole for a bumper ram into blue's rocky ribs.
After the rough ride ends with a jolt Stitch takes a clear shot into the air towards the red rolling rock with his clan pistol. Pop! Woah..
Crush, smash, smoosh, crash!
Crush, smash, smoosh, crash!
[dice=Melee (Overdrive): Bumper Ram, Inspire]1d20+7+1
[dice=Damage (B)]1d8+3+2
Meat Wagon grinds its bumper into the living rock pile like a plow vs a snow bank. With even more gusto thanks to the Rainy Mushroom guy.
Finn, with a bit of dramatic flair, draws his rapier and makes two quick jabs at Blue; the first is a solid hit and chips more pieces off of the creature while the second misses the mark.
Stitch & Meat Wagon barrel forward, slamming into Blue and shattering what's left of the boulder into tiny pieces! Stitch takes aim at Red with his trusty clan pistol but the bumpy terrain jostles his arm and the shot misses.
Undaunted, Red suddenly melds into the ground and seemingly vanishes, only to pop up next to Roark a few seconds later. The creature snaps viciously at the tengu, once and then again, both bites connecting even against Roark's raised buckler and doing a considerable amount of damage!
"Hey! Over here, you big lug!"
Rain in Cloudy Day maneuvers around the ruins and tries to throw another spore pod at Red, but once again it sails a little too high and misses. "Ah well, it's just one of them against the many of us! We can handle it!"
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Rain in Cloudy Day
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Stitch
>Meat Wagon
Roark
Bella
>Khiari
Nicole
Finn
==============
Boulder Red
Active Conditions: Inspire Courage
Environmental Conditions: Green Areas = Swampy Ground (Difficult Terrain)
Everyone may act!
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Bella hops back from the debris. "Excellent. Time to reject one more fool." She dashes to the opposite side. "Sister, if you may?"
Khiari catches up and tries to flank the pile of red rubble. "Roark, back up! We got this!" She grimaces at his wounds and then turns to the Rocky creature. "That wasn't funny."
"Indeed!" Bella proceeds to high kick the rubble in its "chin" area. "But I'm certain it will learn, one way or another!"
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Stitch drops it into low gear as Meat Wagon slogs through the swampy terrain past Nicole and Roark, mud flies all about while Stitch smiles from greasy ear to greasy ear "Whoops, sorry 'bout that!"
Once in position he reloads his pistol and hollers out to Finn "Come on young buck, flank with Meat Wagon here and stab that rolling rock!"
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Muck, mire, slop. Now time to crush, smash, smoosh, crash!
Meat Wagon hardly has to wait for the command, it slams it bumper into the rocky rear.
Ready to protect their friend and take the heat off of him, Bella and Khiari move to flank Red before Bella hits him with a little 'Sweet Chin Music'!
Though surprised by the ferocity of the boulder's attack, Roark isn't one to back down completely. He instead executes a tumble through Red's space and pops up behind the creature, attempting to strike it with his beak - but even flat-footed, the boulder manages to avoid it. Roark then raises his buckler and hopes Red decides to leave him alone!
Concerned for Roark's safety, Nicole draws out one of her minor healing elixirs and hustles after him, sloshing through the swampy water to reach him.
Stitch urges Meat Wagon forward through the soft, swampy ground, spraying mud and water in all directions as he reloads his pistol. The construct, eager for destruction and carnage, surges forward and slams into Red, breaking off a sizable chunk of its mass!
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Rain in Cloudy Day
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Stitch
>Meat Wagon
Roark
Bella
>Khiari
Nicole
Finn
==============
Boulder Red
Active Conditions: Inspire Courage
Environmental Conditions: Green Areas = Swampy Ground (Difficult Terrain)
Finn may act!
Taking advantage of Red's distraction, Finn darts up behind the creature and delivers a deep and powerful strike with his rapier! More pieces fall free of the boulder and it looks like it's on its last legs...or would be, if it had any legs. He attempts to finish it off with a second strike, but the boulder manages to avoid it before turning around to bite down HARD on the investigator's leg in retaliation!
Terribly wounded, the boulder's self-preservation instincts then kick in and it disappears into the earth. You wait for a few anxious moments to see if it might pop back up...but nothing happens. Looks like it's gone.
"Whew...that was quite intense, wasn't it?"
Rain in Cloudy Day comes hustling over, looking relieved that the battle is over. "Thank you for your timely assistance, as I certainly couldn't have handled those things alone. I'm Rain in Cloudy Day and it's quite a pleasure to meet fellow Pathfinders!"
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"Victory!" Bella and Khiari hook their arms and perform a coordinated victory jig.
Bella's enthusiasm keeps yanking Khiari off balance until they both tumble over, laughing. "Ah, sister. It's like embarrassing those awful suitors. Watching them cry as they flee the manor. All talk and no bite."
She stands up and dusts her enthusiasm off. "My apologies, Mister Gumshoe. Mister Thunderbird. We should tend to your injuries as soon as possible."
Khiari continues giggling as she stands up. "Yeah, yeah sis. They could never keep up with both of us." She walks up to the leshy. "Hey hey. Technically my sister Bella is the Pathfinder, I'm her sister Khiari. Pleased to meet you!" She squats and extends her hand for a shake.
"We've been looking everywhere for you. Let's make sure the rest of the clan is safe before we check out the ruins, okay?"
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"Hold up Feathers, lemme get a look at the bite marks. I can give a few good stitches hehe if you just bite a stick and keep still while I work." The greasy old Dwarf jumps down off his ride and drags out his medical gear.
Then he turns his attention to Pal, dumping a bit of alcohol on his blade before wiggling his eyebrows "Make like the bird and bite the stick, I don't want you flinching."
"Well, best I can do for a while, at least until some of the swelling comes down."
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"That one hurt real bad. Hey wait!" The detective cringes as Stitch's questionable antiseptic soaks into his wound. But it's not so bad.
"Gimme a swig of that too, pal. Something to sip on while Pal on Cloudy Day gives us the skinny." He finds a stump to sit on and listen in as he recovers. "What happened to ya?"
"What hasn't happened to me?" Rain answers with a sigh while Stitch works on patching wounds. "First, it was bad weather slowing down my voyage to Cassomir. When I finally arrived, I find that there's a large gathering in the city - some sort of culinary enthusiast conference, I was told. So naturally, businesses raised their prices to take advantage of the influx of travelers and coin and I was forced to spend what gold I had left on my room and board. Oh, but that wasn't even the worst of it. That night, someone made off with half of my provisions and the mule I'd stabled at the inn's stables!"
Rain rolls his eyes and flings his hands into the air. "And to top it all off, the guide I'd hired to help me navigate the swamps never showed up. So I had to brave it alone. It, erm, didn't go as well as I'd hoped," he sighs again, this time looking rather embarrassed. "I lost my way. It was pure luck that I stumbled upon an iruxi hunting party. They brought me here for questioning - apparently they've had trouble with smugglers in the swamp before. But once we sorted everything out and they realized I wasn't any threat to them, Chief Thakik gave me permission to explore the area around the enclave - that's what I've been up to since."
"And oh, these ruins have kept me busy! I was able to decipher what few markers remained and learned that it was once a settlement that belonged to Azlanti survivors from the time of Earthfall! Specifically, I believe it was once a part of Nacar-Azen, an ancient Azlanti city-state. Isn't that an amazing discovery, friends?"
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"Well, there *are* some larger sets of ruins a little deeper into the swamp, but-"
"But it's dangerous to go alone," remarks Chief Thakik as she comes striding up to you. The nearby sounds of battle seem to have died down and it looks like the iruxi have the situation elsewhere under control, at least for the time being.
"I wish your reunion could be under better circumstances." Thakik pauses and looks back in the direction of the enclave. "Our scouts report that the creatures that attacked came from those larger ruins Rain mentioned. They emerged from a partially submerged structure, meaning we have no idea of the threat within - but we assume the site is quite dangerous. I know Rain in Cloudy Day has been interested in investigating these ruins, but the risk is too great. However, our enclave can’t afford to withstand more of these attacks." She looks over the assembled group, as well as Rain. "Would you be willing to venture into this structure and find out what has agitated the creatures within?"
"Of course we should adventure! Otherwise, I wouldn't be here." Khiari grins. "I found the summoning ritual to link Bella and I outside of our manor. She found most of the ingredients."
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"Down another wet, dirty hole in the name of a solid paycheck? You got it." Stitch gives Meat Wagon a once over, making sure there aren't any rocks or sand embedded in the drive shaft grease.
"Chief, if any of your village here needs any cosmetic or medical work done be sure to let me know when we get back."
"Come on, Finn. Over here. You took those bites like a champ." Khiari offers a furry shoulder that smells like mud and parsley. "Lean on me until you get your bearings. And then we'll get drinking later and lose our footing again!"
Chief Thakik is quick to hold up her hand. "The shadows grow long and the day is nearly done. Rest here for tonight and make for the ruins in the morning. The situation admittedly makes me uneasy, but I wouldn't ask or expect you to investigate the ruins in the dark, after you've clearly had a long day."
Having had it pointed out that you look like you could use a good rest, taking advantage of Thakik's offer seems the sensible thing to do. She has bedding set up for you in one of the enclave's unused huts and even invites everyone to join the tribe for a dinner of turtle soup and a sweet dish made of nuts and berries. Being a fungus leshy, Rain's meal consists of dead leaves and decaying swamp moss, which he consumes with great gusto. Then, with full bellies, you settle in for a night of sleep that's surprisingly restful and quiet.
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The next morning you rise for an early breakfast and then set out for the larger ruins, with Rain in Cloudy Day leading the way. After about two hours or so of trekking through the swamps you come upon a skewed platform that half-rises out of the muck. At first glance it seems like any other building you've seen out here: overgrown with shrubs, tree roots, and partially submerged. But what's clear is that several shrubs have been stomped down by recent activity, making an entryway underground clearly visible.
"There's almost certainly not going to be any light in there," Rain cautions you as he pauses to pull out what looks to be an Everburning Torch. "Chief Thakik was kind enough to lend this to me, but I don't know if it'll be enough. If any of you have any additional light sources, now is the time to bring them out!"
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Bella and Khiari spend dinner acting their favorite play, Besting Beauty. A rousing tale of an ugly man stuck in a castle with a beautiful but self-obsessed woman, cursed to see everyone but herself.
The sisters are quite cheerful and manage to slip several songs, with More Guests for Me! as the highlight.
Bella and Khiari flop into their beds. "Good night, sister..." Bella falls asleep almost immediately. Khiari stays up writing a report about the Chief Thakik's tribe and customs.
In the morning, Bella stretches, Khiari recites her report as Bella proofreads and critiques it.
As they reach the underground caverns, Bella pulls out a torch. "Pays to be prepared. I do wish I had my sister's knack for magic."
Khiari grins, twinkles her nose. Pause. Twinkles her nose again. "Uh... my magic doesn't work here, sis. Maybe part of the ritual?"
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Nicole enjoys the night with a nice and healthy meal and great performance of Bella and Khiari. She even has a good rest for the night and wakes up full of energy in the morning for the day. As they trek through the swamp, she keeps her eyes open for bogs that might victimize them. Fortunately, their two-hour trek is uneventful. Upon arrival at the ruins, she reaches for her Wayfinder and activates it to light her way inside. "What do you think we will find inside?" she asks Rain.
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Stitch mostly keeps to himself and Meat Wagon during their downtime in the village, muttering and banging underneath his smoking conveyance, tossing out a few chunks of rock and frog guts that got wedged in untold places.
At the entrance to the caverns he offers up strapping the torch to the front of Meat Wagon. "With some quick rope work we can strap that thing down like a beacon.. or maybe a lantern... hrm. I think we're on something.."
"I haven't a clue but I'm sure it will be exciting, whatever it is!" Rain answers, giddy with anticipation. Once everyone has their light sources at the ready you carefully begin to move forward...and downward. The polished tan white stone stairway leads down into a large, worked chamber made of similar styled stone. Stairs ascend along the chamber’s northern end to a raised platform. Two halls branch from the raised area, one to the north covered in debris, while the other to the west connects to a wider hall heading north. A sealed stone door to the east bars access beyond. A large crack along the eastern wall of the lower section continues into a damp cavern replete with the smell of flora.
More importantly, you're not alone. Near the edge of your lights you spot a humanoid figure clad in rotting leather armor and wielding a greataxe. At the sound of your footsteps, the creature raises its head...and stares at you with empty eye sockets that glow with a wicked green light!
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Nicole
Stitch
>Meatwagon
Bella
>Khiari
Finn
Rain in Cloudy Day
===============
???
===============
Roark
Active Conditions:
Environmental Conditions:
Nicole, Stitch, Bella, Finn, Rain may act!
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"We got a thing up there, looks like it could use a new set of eyes. Er.. maybe one less great axe." Stitch sprays down all the gears and sprockets on Meat Wagon and his own creaky joints but the nozzle is clogged. "Cripes sake, who put mud in my straw again!"
Overdrive ◆:
He tries again.
Overdrive ◆:
It flows freely and copiously!
Stitch has heard tales of the restless dead that lie at the bottom of oceans, rivers, and other bodies of water. Known as draugr, they seek blood and death, much like other undead do. Stitch recalls that while these water-logged corpses tend to be resistant to flames, they wither under onslaughts of positive energy. He's also heard stories that draugr can sometimes be susceptible to reminders of their lives as mariners, such as a well-performed sea shanty or call-and-response work song that might lull them into reverie for a few brief moments.
Trying to get ready to rumble, Stitch greases up Meat Wagon but it takes a couple of tries due to trouble with the nozzle. Meanwhile, Bella warns her sister to hang back before striding forward, drawing out her mace. Armed with some useful information from Stitch, Bella hums a little ditty she heard once on a sailing vessel...and to her surprise, it seems to have an effect! Though no longer possessed with a working jaw, the draugr moans and groans along with the tune as best as it can.
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Nicole
Stitch
>Meatwagon
Bella
>Khiari
Finn
Rain in Cloudy Day
===============
Draugr
===============
Roark
Active Conditions:
Environmental Conditions:
Nicole, Finn, Rain may act!