[AP] Iron Gods by GM Rutseg

Game Master Balacertar

Khalia follows the others, wondering what next difficulty will arise, courtesy of the League.

"Seeing stairs, I wonder how many levels of the Compound there are. The one known as Ozmyn, do you think he prefers the heights, or the depths?"

"I don't know where Ozmyn is, but I hope he knows we are coming. I hope he's preparing a welcome for us," Rhoreen seethes as she follows along and keeps her eyes open for danger and anything invisible.

1d20 + 20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 20 + 2 = 26 Perception

"Isn't the wizard always in the tallest tower in fairytales?" Ruha considers. "Since this one looks entirely underground, I would guess at least three floors."

Touching the wall with one had she adds "Sticking to these secret tunnels might be a good idea. Though they likely know about them, they probably will think us less likely to have found them ourselves." Then with a look both ways at the T-intersection she says "Quiet upstairs, so I have no problem with your idea Yambul. Lets see what lies this way." She turns to the left toward the bubbling.

Perception for hazards: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (10) + 25 = 35

Yambul isn't sure what the bubbling might be, though he doubts it's the prison - if there is one. Still, he lines up with his chainsaw going and opens the door when everyone is in position.

"Uh, sure. Furkas and Izzkvitgrk 'fled' to the top of Smoking Tower. It doesn't necessarily mean that we'll find Ozmyn at the top, but these narcissistic types are really fond of being high up where they can oversee everything and presumably feel important. I think this compound's tower is back the other way."

He sniffs the air.

CraftAlchemy: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (17) + 26 = 43 Is someone crafting something specific?

"Speaking of traitors, we should keep an eye out for gun toting Ysoki that aren't me..."

The source of the fumes and bubbling noise becomes obvious as you open the doors to see one of the rooms you have witnessed before on remote.

F11. Acid Pits
A metal catwalk connected by two bridges spans the perimeter of this acrid-smelling chamber. Ten feet below this catwalk, a bubbling vat of pale lavender fluid churns and smokes. Gray metal chains attached to winches suspend small cages or hooks over these pools of eye-watering fluid.

The pool below is only 5 feet deep, but the fluids that fill the pool are a powerful acid, probably used to swiftly reduce the bodies of creatures with cybernetic implants for easy harvesting, and simply to dispose of biological leftovers from other experiments.

The catwalks that surround the pools are slippery DC 10 Acrobatics check to navigate (fail by more than 5 and you fall to the pool).

Two horrid, three-legged, multi-eyed beasts with a deadly and vicious bouquet of insectile claws sprouts from them.

Only Rhoreen recovers soon enough to react to the despicable view!

Party buffs: life bubble 3.5 h, resist fire (20) 13 min (+10 Rhoreen/Rūha)
Khalia: longstrider 11.5 h
Yambul: barkskin 2 h, heroism 3.5 h, bubonic plague (+1 dose), slimy doom, 1 Con damage, 2 Cha damage
Rhoreen: mage armor 23.5 h, see invisibility 3.5 h, flight 11.5 h, heroism 3.5 h, filter mask
Rūha: mage armor 23.5 h, heroism 3.5 h, barkskin 1.5 h
Zzvkgrogk: see invisibility 105 min
Round 1: Rhoreen, Beasts, Zzvkgrogk, Khalia, Yambul, Rūha

Ruha hesitates as she gazes across the room "Ah, this place." She delivers the statement flatly "We don't really need to risk our lives here, do we?"

We could fight off the foes here, but it doesn't seem critical to taking down the League. And the room does seem rather risky as a fighting location. If we do fight it might be best to do so by leading them back to us.

The door is opened, and the acrid environment hits Zzvkgrogk more squarely in the face. His beady eyes start to water a little, and his whiskers curl in protest.

"I agree," he says, wiping an involuntary tear. "This place can wait, right?"

1d20 + 23 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 23 + 2 = 26 Know (Planes)

"I see that. I just can't place it," Rhoreen hisses nastily, knowing that she should know more, but just can't figure it out. Boo.

She floats over any obstacles.

She will decline an attack at this moment, instead giving both Ruha and Yam-king a twist of good vibes from her skymetal rod.

Skymetal's Onus: The subject of this onus is infused with the unquantifiable nature of skymetal. The target can choose one attack or one saving throw during the next 2 rounds, it may roll twice and take the better result (choose before rolling).

Rhoreen focuses her rod and gives good luck.

The daemons react quickly to the opening of the door. The do turn and say demonic words of magical power.

Three wasp swarms appear around you and start to bite at you.

Swarm damage (Yambul, Rūha, Rhoreen): 2d6 ⇒ (3, 6) = 9
Fort DC 13 to avoid poison, and another Fort DC 13 to avoid 1 round nauseated from the distraction swarm ability.
And "Spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a swarm requires a caster level check (DC 20 + spell level)."

The other beast starts grinding and clicking its mandibles and chitinous plates together causing a horrific noise.
Anyone approaching to 30' from pink (Yambul and Rūha right now) has to Will DC 20 or be affected by feeblemind.

Party buffs: life bubble 3.5 h, resist fire (20) 13 min (+10 Rhoreen/Rūha)
Khalia: longstrider 11.5 h
Yambul: 9 damage, barkskin 2 h, heroism 3.5 h, bubonic plague (+1 dose), slimy doom, 1 Con damage, 2 Cha damage
Rhoreen: 9 damage, mage armor 23.5 h, see invisibility 3.5 h, flight 11.5 h, heroism 3.5 h, filter mask
Rūha: 9 damage, mage armor 23.5 h, heroism 3.5 h, barkskin 1.5 h
Zzvkgrogk: see invisibility 105 min
Round 1: Zzvkgrogk, Khalia, Yambul, Rūha Round 2: Rhoreen, Beasts

"Gaah, BUGS!! Shut the door!" Zzvkgrogk says shooting an exploding bullet into one swarm, carving out his friends. He draws his dragon pistol and fires.

MWDragonPistol: 1d20 + 18 + 2 - 4 - 3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 18 + 2 - 4 - 3 + 1 = 16 Hero, Touch, -Cover, -Deadly Aim
for Damage: 1d6 + 6d6 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (5) + (3, 3, 4, 3, 6, 2) + 4 + 6 = 36 Zzvkgrogk III Special, Exploding Bullet, Deadly Aim
and
Splash on adjacent Swarm: 10 = 10

Fort: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 13 + 2 = 26 (heroism) vs DC 13 poisoned
Fort: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 13 + 2 = 28 (heroism) vs DC 13 nauseated

As he really doesn’t want to be feebleminded, he’ll use Rhoreen’s assistance to roll twice for the feebleminding.
Will: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 11 + 2 = 19 (heroism) vs DC 20 or feebleminded
Will: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 11 + 2 = 16 (heroism) vs DC 20 or feebleminded

Sigh... He'll play his Improved Iron Will card, and re-roll his will save one more time!
Will: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 11 + 2 = 31 (heroism) vs DC 20 or feebleminded

Whew!

Yambul gets his shit together, after a long drought. He studies the green one. Then he slams the door shut (move).

Then he pulls out a grenade (move). He’s holding his chainsaw in one hand and so cannot attack with it.

Fort vs Poison: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33
Fort vs Nauseated: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (6) + 14 = 20
Will vs Feeblemind: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (1) + 20 = 21 Wow. Hero point to avoid the auto-fail. I would use Rhor's buff but you have to use it before rolling and I didn't think this would fail...

Will vs Feeblemind (hero point reroll): 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (12) + 20 = 32
---

Ruha fends off wasps, but manages to calmly assess the situation. In these close quarters, fighting the swarms might prove tricky. She draws a concussion grenade and - pulling the pin - drops it at her own feet. (it goes off at the start of her next turn)

Concussion Grenade (DC15 Ref halves): 5d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 3, 5, 6) = 23

Looks like there might be another daemon thing around the corner as we have three swarms.

1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 2 = 25 Fort
1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 8 + 2 = 14 Fort

Round 2

Rhoreen avoids the poison and the distraction, moving back out of the swarm while she draws the Ember staff.  She fires a fireball into the back two swarms and the two visible bad things.

10d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 2, 5, 4, 2, 2, 6, 1, 3) = 29 fire damage  DC 20 reflex for half

Zzvkgrogk's special explodes virulently, burning down the blue wasps and severely harming the yellow one.

Yambul and Rūha fights off the vile noise as much as they can as well as the wasps.

The Kellid closes the door, and picks up a grenade, while the Kasatha drops one grenade to the ground.

Rhoreen, as the door is shut, your fireball can only target the yellow wasps, but Yambul and Rūha are in the middle. Do you still want to cast or do you want to revisit your actions? Also, Rhoreen on her vast knowledge would have understood the wasps are the product of just one of the creatures casting insect plague :)

Yellow: 15 damage
Party buffs: life bubble 3.5 h, resist fire (20) 13 min (+10 Rhoreen/Rūha)
Khalia: longstrider 11.5 h
Yambul: 9 damage, barkskin 2 h, heroism 3.5 h, bubonic plague (+1 dose), slimy doom, 1 Con damage, 2 Cha damage
Rhoreen: 9 damage, mage armor 23.5 h, see invisibility 3.5 h, flight 11.5 h, heroism 3.5 h, filter mask
Rūha: 9 damage, mage armor 23.5 h, heroism 3.5 h, barkskin 1.5 h
Zzvkgrogk: see invisibility 105 min
Round 1: Zzvkgrogk, Khalia, Yambul, Rūha Round 2: Rhoreen, Beasts

Oh, ty, not sure about how things were going to work. Rhoreen will opt to not fireball her own team. She's smart like that.

And thanks for the spell explanation.

Rhoreen considers her options with the closed door, and decides to cast a small Burning Hands where she can target only the yellow swarm. Getting the top half of the swarm above Ruha and Yam-king.

5d4 ⇒ (1, 3, 2, 1, 1) = 8 fire damage vs. DC 18 for half

Round 1

Khalia can faintly hear something beyond the rest of the Zzvkith, her nanites thrumming uncomfortably beneath her skin. It keeps her from moving forward at least, and takes heart when she hears someone slam a door.

"Retreat, then?" The android is aware of the kasatha's grenade drop. She's also aware that she's outside the blast radius. She moves back, her bow ready, but unsure of what might pursue her companions, should they come barreling back.

ReflexSaveGrenadeDC15: 1d20 + 17 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 17 + 2 = 37

"GAaah!!" Zzvkgrogk cries, temporarily blinded by the flash.

He plans on backing up into Khalia.

"I'll stay here to keep them on me so the grenade can do its work." Ruha waves at the remaining swarm "Bigger question is what to do about the demons back there."

Ref DC 18: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Rhoreen baths the remaining wasps in good cleansing fire. Many of them fall to the ground in burning flames.

Khalia looks for a safety place.

The remaining wasps remain stationary and bite Yambul.
Swarm damage (Yambul): 2d6 ⇒ (6, 3) = 9
Fort DC 13 to avoid poison, and another Fort DC 13 to avoid 1 round nauseated from the distraction swarm ability.

The doors remain closed and Yambul does not notice anyone trying to open.

One by one retreats from the area before the grenade explodes, except for Rūha, who has no time, nor intention.
I assume you move away, as it explodes at Rūha's turn and she goes last in initiative, I assume you all except Rūha have time to move before. She will need to save against the grenade.

Ref DC 18: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
There is a big explosion and the force bursts and dismisses the remaining wasps in the corridor!

We are back out of initiative for now, while you decide if you open the door or not.

Yellow swarm: 61 damage, dead
Party buffs: life bubble 3.5 h, resist fire (20) 13 min (+10 Rhoreen/Rūha)
Khalia: longstrider 11.5 h
Yambul: 18 damage, barkskin 2 h, heroism 3.5 h, bubonic plague (+1 dose), slimy doom, 1 Con damage, 2 Cha damage
Rhoreen: 9 damage, mage armor 23.5 h, see invisibility 3.5 h, flight 11.5 h, heroism 3.5 h, filter mask
Rūha: 9 damage, mage armor 23.5 h, heroism 3.5 h, barkskin 1.5 h
Zzvkgrogk: see invisibility 105 min

Fort: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 13 + 2 = 17 (heroism) vs DC 13 poisoned
Fort: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 13 + 2 = 16 (heroism) vs DC 13 nauseated

Really dice-bot?

Yambul takes the explosion along with the swarm.

Reflex: 1d20 + 14 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 14 + 3 = 24 (heroism, haste) vs DC 15 for 11hp damage

Then he will certainly drop back with the others.

Oops! Yambul can still do a single move, which he'll do to get out of the way of the blast. Sorry, I thought nauseated meant I was stuck! Yambul moves... :)

Reflex: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26 Taking 11 dmg

Ruha shields herself from the concussive blast and observes with satisfaction when all the remaining wasps have been pasted to the wall. "So what's our plan?" She eyes the others. "Avoid these three? Or do we rush in now that we know a little of what they're capable of? I'm a little concerned about whatever mind-muddling haze that one was using."

"I think we need to get back in there," Rhoreen growls, annoyed at her inability to identify the creatures. "And I think that there might only be two. I think we rush them. I do. Gah, what a mess a few thousand insects can cause."

She will wait for others to heal and is ready to try again.

"I dunno about rushin in there with all those convenient pools of acid to fall into. But if we can coax them to the door it might work." Yambul wonders.

"But maybe upstairs is the way to go. We have a somewhat secret staircase here. The alarm has almost certainly been raised by now. It might be time to take the head off the snake before they can get organized and raise their defenses."

Yambul moves back toward the door, but is happy to go up the stairs rather than open it for now.

If they're going right back into the fight, he'll do so without delay so as to take advantage of the haste spell. If they're going up the steps, he'll quaff a CLW potion or two that he's carrying around.

CLW x2: 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (8, 7) + 2 = 17

CLW x3: 3d8 + 3 ⇒ (6, 2, 8) + 3 = 19

While the others debate the best option, Ruha asks for some help with the curing wand, so she's in better shape to face the next threat.

Khalia looks back the way they came. "There is more than one way forward. I'm with Yambul. With each confrontation, we expend more resources. I'd like to lose arrows against members of the Technic League, not their minions."

"Bugs. Why is it always bugs?!" Zzvkgrogk huddles shaking in the corner, trying to look as small as possible. He musters his courage and taps Yambul and Rūha with the wand.

"Let's avoid them for now, and go up the tower!"

D14. Dormitory workshop
You make up the stairs to find a large laboratory after another door. The benches and tables are full of experiments and projects magical and technological in nature, all at mid-work. By the disarray, it seems the handful of people that was working here left in a hurry. You also notice there are no weapons or any object useful in combat. It is like whomever was working here left ready to put a big fight.

There are two other doors here, the one to the west (up in the map) appears to be an exit to the exterior of the compound.

New Technic League Dormitory map is available!

Party buffs: life bubble 3.5 h, resist fire (20) 12 min (+10 Rhoreen/Rūha)
Khalia: longstrider 11.5 h
Yambul: 1 damage, barkskin 2 h, heroism 3.5 h, bubonic plague (+1 dose), slimy doom, 1 Con damage, 2 Cha damage
Rhoreen: 9 damage, mage armor 23.5 h, see invisibility 3.5 h, flight 11.5 h, heroism 3.5 h, filter mask
Rūha: mage armor 23.5 h, heroism 3.5 h, barkskin 1.5 h
Zzvkgrogk: see invisibility 104 min

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

"Hrm, it looks like about 7 humans were working here with a battleguard, and they all cleared out around the time we started the revolt. We might have a clear shot all the way up for the most part."

He moves to the eastern door behind Khalia.

"Excellent!" Yambul is pleased, though he wonders what kind of damage they're doing on the streets.

He crosses over to the next door. When everyone is ready, he swings it open and peers inside.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 2 = 17 (heroism)

"Battleguard, huh?" Rhoreen says, looking at Zzvkgrogk. "Well, maybe we can beat the shit out of them as we just turnt tail and ran from a bunch of insect jerks."

Rhoreen still smarts from losing that last fight. She follows on.

"'turnt tail' Calliope? Nonsense! You always win when you know when to fight and when not to fight! We will clear them out later!"

"What do you see, Yamkabul?"

"We'd do quite well to go back afterward to deal with them. I don't like the idea of demons on the loose somewhere in the depths of this place once the League are gone." Ruha mulls to over as she joins Yambul in checking the next door. "In any case, it seems like it's up to the Mockery and the Palace to handle the goons we displaced here."

Perception: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (7) + 25 = 32

"'turnt tail' Calliope? Nonsense! You always win when you know when to fight and when not to fight! "

"Sorry, <*sound*>," Rhoreen makes a sound like a dropped sword clattering to ground, dropped by someone fleeing. "I'm not sure I heard you of the sounds of us running away. No matter now, let's do what Ruha suggests."

"Yes, but we ran away heroically. That's gotta count for something!" Yambul chortles a little, but doesn't disagree with Rhoreen. They will need to come back down and deal with the outsiders.

"Let's take the head off this snake, and then we can deal with the left-over writhing."

Opening the door, you find a long corridor full of doors.

By the end of it, there is a lounge. You find hints someone has been relaxing here a day or two ago already, but again, they left in a hurry and left behind three glasses and a bottle of strong Numerian moonshine half consumed.

The whole building feels empty. No sounds. Just echo.

The set of stairs here go slightly upstairs, like to the roof of the place.

Khalia begins a methodical opening of doors, not looking into the rooms beyond until she arrives at the end of the hallway, encouraged by the quietness of this section.

If her work proves fruitless in the good way, she waits until the rest of the Zzvkith make their way past the hall rooms.

"More doors. Let's keep moving."

Bold :D

"Never met a door we couldn't defeat... if that's all we've got here." Ruha murmurs as she follows along. Unlike Khalia, she pauses at each door to check for anything dangerous or interesting beyond.

Perception: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (12) + 25 = 37

"More doors."

Rhoreen watches Khalia move from door to door.

"How does one simple walk into more doors?" she wonders as she follows.

Yambul ducks his head in each room, but only briefly to identify targets. He keeps up with Khalia.

Khalia starts opening doors in quick succession through the corridor. She finds out plenty of League dorms, with two bunks each. The dorms rest all empty. The Leaguers have gone elsewhere.

Pushing through she comes into a larger room D11, which is certainly the captain's room of this section of the compound. There are plenty of notes about medical research and how to implant cybernetic tech.

In front, there is the Kitchen D10. Food stores are kept here, and you find enough to have a reasonable meal and extra storage for a few days.

The last room of the building is the dorm foyer D9 which has a door that clearly brings outside.

This section of the compound has been effectively abandoned due to your previous actions in Starfall.

"Shall we checkout outside before heading back down?"

If no one finds anything or objects, he'll start heading back toward the stairs heading further up into the tower.

"If I remember how this place was described, it's a compound with multiple buildings. Whoever is confident in their sneakiness should take a peek out and see what else we might be dealing with." Ruha crosses a pair of arms "All told though, it seems we have most of their rank and file running around scared right now. Quite reassuring."

"Shall we checkout outside before heading back down?"

Rhoreen nods at Zzvkgrogk, agreeing. She floats along. She is not the stealthiest, and finds the idea of hiding a bit demeaning. She likes the idea of skulking around here about as much as she liked running away from the daemons.

"Ruha, I should not go. I'm liable to start screaming for Ozmyn."

Advised by Rūha, Zzvkgrogk gives a sneaky peek.
Stealth: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (19) + 26 = 45

The door opens into what seems the compound walls. A 5-food-wide platform allows defenders to move about along the walls, 10 feet over the ground. The wall itself is made 2-inch-thick plates of glaucite over a steel structure.

Zzvkgrogk quickly notices there are gearsman battleguards patrolling the walls. He thinks he has not been noticed.

New Technic League upper grounds general view map is now available!

Zzvkgrogk quietly closes the door.

Stealth: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (17) + 26 = 43

"Gearsman battleguards are patrolling here. Honestly, I'm not quite sure how they can comfortably maneuver on the five foot wide ledge. they seem kind of big to me, but then, most things do. I don't think any saw me. We can reopen the door, and we can blast them from here?"

Zzvkgrogk waits to see if someone has a better strategy.

"We should lure it to us, yes. We are only concerned about making too many enemies aware of us at the same time."

If Zzvkgrogk agrees, Khalia waits for him to reopen the door, and take a single shot, hoping the gearsman will respond directly.

Stealth: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (9) + 21 = 30

Einior...: 1d20 + 21 + 2 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 21 + 2 - 4 + 4 = 36 for 1d8 + 4 + 2d6 + 8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 + (6, 4) + 8 + 4 = 33 piercing, magical damage, including Favored Enemy, and Adamantine Arrow

"I like the idea of quietly luring it over to us. We don't know if they've been programmed to raise an alarm after all." Ruha pauses and considers the alternatives "It's a shame that none of us do a good Technic League Captain impression, to try to give it new orders. In absence of that, an arrow might get its attention."

Zzvkgrogk pulls out his arc pistol and backs up.

"Yamkabul -- can you please get the door?"