Game Master Tea's Wayfinder Origins (Inactive)

Game Master Mr Tea

Down the metal stairs, which initially our ysoki hero "tests" with his tail, he perks his ears to listen in on the sound of the recessed lights - perhaps a low hum at a slow frequency - and into the main chamber.

When the door swings open, he reflexively points his shortbow at it, but when instead he is addressed in terms of his curiosity - and with seemingly positive intent! - instead, Bangy walks right up to the orb "Okay. What's it do?"

Delighted that these people speak common!

Zaizarс silently looks at the creatures, give the opportunity to more sociable colleagues to conduct a dialogue.

> Delighted that these people speak common!
Which is Taldan btw...

token placed.

As Bangy Piper approaches the glowing blue orb, he sees that it is a collection of glowing aeon stones hovering in the centre of the room, surrounded by discarded fragments of aeon stones on the floor below. When he gets close, it activates! The sharp fragments leap into the air, whirling around the central nexus in a cloud of electricity.

Wielding wand and hose in its hands, the other says “Extract aeon stones for imbuement!”

Initiative:

Prefect (blue) 27
Aeon Nexus 22
Meadow 22
Preserver (yellow) 20
Zoresk 19
Bangy 18
Oskar 16
Zizarc Misraria 15

Prefect's hose extends to become an electrowhip!

It ◆ moves toward Bangy Piper and lashes him twice!
◆electrowhip: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 181d10 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
◆electrowhip: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 241d10 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

The Nexus then fires out a jet of electrified, razor-sharp aeon stone shards at Bangy Piper too!

shards, piercing + electric, DC21 Reflex save: 1d8 + 1d8 ⇒ (7) + (4) = 11

Initiative:

Prefect (blue) 27
Aeon Nexus 22
Meadow 22
Preserver (yellow) 20
Zoresk 19
Bangy 18 (-13) (-11 more depending on ref save)
Oskar 16
Zizarc Misraria 15

Bold are up!

"Persnickety Wickets!" Bangy Piper cries as the situation turns suddenly violent.

Reflex vs 11 piercing / electric (DC 21): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26

Meadow cries out in alarm as the humanoids' treachery is revealed.

Oh no! They're bad guys. They tricked us! Get that one Silence. Help Mr. Piper."

◆ Hunt Prey, ◆ Command an Animal

"Screech!"

Silence lets out a piercing battle cry and launches himself at the closest foe.

Jaws: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Piercing: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

precision: 1d8 ⇒ 8 extra damage on the first hit.

◆ fly, ◆ strike

The young archer carefully chooses her target before drawing her bow and firing.

Quick Draw-shortbow: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
piercing: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9
deadly?: 1d10 ⇒ 4

precision: 1d8 ⇒ 1 extra damage on the first hit.

◆ Quick Draw

Reading over my last posts I noticed that I have not specified a target for my attacks. Meadow and Silence are both attacking yellow.

Copying Prefect, Preserver's hose extends to become an electrowhip!

It ◆ moves toward the rest of the heroes and lashes twice!
◆electrowhip at Zizarc: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 221d10 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
◆electrowhip at Zoresk: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 191d10 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Zizarc is electrocuted!

Initiative:

Prefect (blue) 27
Aeon Nexus 22
Meadow 22
Preserver (yellow) 20 (-21)
Zoresk 19
Bangy 18 (-18)
Oskar 16
Zizarc Misraria 15 (-8)

Bold are up!

Zoresk concentrates on red as he brings his crossbow up and fires.

As part of my Hunt Prey action, I get a free recall knowledge check on the thing. If it is a critical success, me and my allies get a +1 circumstance bonus to our next attack rolls against my prey.

attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33
2d10 + 2 + 1d8 ⇒ (9, 7) + 2 + (2) = 20

If that is a critical hit, Bow Specialization: If the target of the critical hit is adjacent to a surface, it gets stuck to that surface by the missile. The target is immobile and must spend an Interact action to attempt a DC 10 Athletics check to pull the missile free before it can move from its space. The creature doesn’t become stuck if it’s incorporeal, liquid (like a water elemental or some oozes), or could otherwise escape without effort.

One action-hunt prey, one action-draw crossbow, one action-strike

Whiskers twitch with frantic and erratic movements as he considers the tricksy creatures more carefully now...

◆) Recall Knowledge (if Trained in Skill)
◆◆ or ◆◆◆) ???

Is the Purple Dot the Aeon Nexus?

Alarmed by this turn of events, Oskar quickly starts trying to find a tune to match the circumstances, certain that it won't be long before this adversity is turned into his next first bestseller!

◇ Lingering Performance
Performance, persona mask: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16 Failure - composition only lasts 1 round, but no focus point is spent.

◆ Cast Inspire Courage composition cantrip
All allies within 60' of Oskar receive +1 status bonus to attacks, dmg, and saves vs fear. Duration 1 round.

Feeling a bit of a croak in his throat after not warming up sufficiently, Oskar uses his mind to hurl a stone at the yellow preserver.

◆◆ Cast Telekinetic Projectile
Spell Attack Roll, inspire courage: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 11 + 1 = 20
B dmg, IC: 3d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3, 6, 6) + 4 + 1 = 20

Zoresk shatters the chest plate of the construct with pinpoint accuracy.
Yellow is destroyed
Oskar sees his stone just go wide and Bangy thinks these creatures are magically animated constructs. He sees they have some sort of wayfinder with a stone embedded.

Scuttling close, Bangy Piper sinks his teeth in, trying to wrench the embedded wayfinder out!

◆) Recall Knowledge
◆) Step
◆) Strike

Vicious Incisors (Piercing) w/ Inspired (+1/+1) vs Blue: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 12 + 1 = 232d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3, 1) + 2 + 1 = 7

◆ Tiger Stance ◆ Step ◆ Flurry of Blows

The half-drow slowly looks at the wound, then at the enemy. In vain. He takes a step, at the same time dropping a little lower, springing on his feet and spreading his fingers...

Flurry x Tiger Stance x Inspire: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 10 + 1 = 311d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 1 = 9
Flurry x Tiger Stance x Inspire: 1d20 + 10 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 10 - 4 + 1 = 221d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 1 = 4

Crit! 22 total if second hits

As he sinks his teeth in, Bangy sees that the stone in the wayfinder is one of those from the swirling nexus.

As yellow/preserver is now dead/pinned to the wall, I have changed Zizarc's Step to a Stride.

Zizarc feels the pain and springs into action, raking the construct with dangerous tiger strikes.

Prefect (blue) then strikes back, whip lashing from Bangy to Zizarc!
◆ Electrowhip, Bangy: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 141d10 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
◆ Electrowhip, Zizarc: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 241d10 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
◆ Electrowhip, Bangy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 191d10 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Zizarc gets electrocuted again!

The Nexus again shoots out an electrified jet of razor-sharp aeon stone shards!
Shards, Bangy: 1d8 + 1d8 ⇒ (6) + (2) = 8
Shards, Zizarc: 1d8 + 1d8 ⇒ (1) + (7) = 8
DC21 reflex save versus damage.

Initiative:

Prefect (blue) 27 (-29)
Aeon Nexus 22
Meadow 22
Zoresk 19
Bangy 18 (-18)
Oskar 16
Zizarc Misraria 15 (-24)

Bold are up!

Reflex (Basic?) vs 8 Shard damage (DC 21): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

Dodging first the Electrowhip then the Swirling Nexus, Bangy wriggles his nose and focuses his eyes upon the strange contraption, wondering if there is a way to turn it off?

◆) Recall Knowledge (If Trained is Skill vs Nexus!)
◆◆) ??

Bangy realises that if he can remove enough of the aeon stones from the nexus, it will cease firing at him. Uses Thievery

Zoresk reloads his crossbow on the move and concentrates on blue before firing.

attack vs prey: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30
2d10 + 2 + 1d8 ⇒ (8, 4) + 2 + (7) = 21 piercing damage

one action-running reload, one action-hunt prey, one action-strike

Assuming that you didn't add Inspire Courage - the +1 makes this the second critical in a row for you!

Zoresk pins Prefect to the wall next to Preserver!

{ooc] Still in rounds due the hazard! [/ooc]

Initiative:

Aeon Nexus 22
Meadow 22
Zoresk 19
Bangy 18 (-22)
Oskar 16
Zizarc Misraria 15 (-24) (Ref save needed)

Bold are up!

Yep. Failed to add the +1's. Not doing too bad on this mission

Zipping over to the Swirling Nexus, Bangy sinks his teeth into it's construction, tearing at the Wayfinder powering it's core!

Joining his master, Freerat leaps out of a pocket, climbs up the mantle, and begins prying at the lodged Wayfinder with his teeth too!

Bangy to Thievery (Expert) w/ Partner in Crime (+1) Freerat vs Aeon Nexus: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 13 + 1 = 29

Oskar moves forward and starts singing a song of encouragement for his comrades.

◆ Stride

◆ Inspire Competence on whomever is our best at Thievery (I'm assuming that's Bangy?)

↺ Performance to Aid Bangy's Thievery check, mask, cooperative nature: 1d20 + 14 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 14 + 4 = 30 +2 on the Thievery check

Ref: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

Making a beautiful somersault, the half-drow easily dodges the shards.

◆ Stride ◆ Thievery ◆ Thievery

Thievery: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22
Thievery: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Unless some other threat occurs, Oskar will continue to Inspire Competence each round until we have the nexus disabled. He can do it once each round I'll roll several checks in a spoiler. He'll aid Bangy (unless there's a reason to support someone else).

Oskar will also cast Guidance (+1 Status bonus) each round, though each PC can only benefit from this once/hour - he'll do Bangy, Zizarc, and then whomever else makes a Thievery attempt

Bangy, Freerat and Zizarc manage to remove four important stones, but the Nexus still has some power left!

Initiative:

Aeon Nexus 22
Meadow 22
Zoresk 19
Bangy 18 (-22)
Oskar 16
Zizarc Misraria 15 (-24)

Bold are up!

"That looks easy enough. Let me help."

Meadow moves to the nexus and attempts to retrieve an additional stone.

thievery: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Stride, stride, interact to retrieve stone

"It's stuck!"

Meadow is untrained in thievery

Oskar continues to sing a song of encouragement. This will make for a riveting scene in my opera! he thinks to himself, all while trying to work out the best harmonies to accompany the dramatic tension.

Unfortunately for Meadow, she just manages to get zapped by the Nexus!

Electric damage, DC21 reflex save: 2d8 ⇒ (7, 3) = 10

The Nexus then shoots out some more fragments at Bangy Shards, reflex DC21: 1d8 + 1d8 ⇒ (3) + (1) = 4

Everyone is up!

Reflex (Basic?) vs 4 Shard damage (DC 21): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28

Thin sharp teeth continue to pry at the final Wayfinder stone lodges inside the contraption as Bangy's fur stands up from the continued electrucution!

Bangy to Thievery (Expert) w/ Partner in Crime (+1) Freerat vs Aeon Nexus: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 13 + 1 = 32

As posted earlier, Oskar will continue to do Inspire Competence on Bangy's Thievery checks. Rolls are above (+2 for two rounds, then +1 for the third round if we are still going at that point). He has actions remaining so if anyone starts to look badly hurt he can do some Battle Medicine but will otherwise wait until we are out of combat to Treat Wounds.

Ref: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21
Thievery: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

reflex: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31

Meadow manages to dodge the deadly shards that emerge from the nexus.

"Wow! That was close!"

Bangy expertly stops the threat posed by the Aeon Nexus.

Out of rounds

The cloud of electricity dissipates, leaving a glowing blue sphere, studded with aeon stones spinning gently in the air.

You start to look around what is clearly a workshop facility.

Fairly soon you discover a room containing a collection of clockwork tools, shattered aeon stones and rotting piles of vellum fill the shelves in a crowded workspace.

Large metal panels removed from the facility’s walls lie in the centre of the room; etched into these panels are meticulous blueprints for a wayfinder identical to the one Muesello lent you.

You also deduce something else about wayfinders that share its model, as indicated by the colour of the wayfinder’s light. The red light wayfinder has an arcane assistant which can be activated by speaking a password last updated 3,405,829 days ago. A signature on each panel reads “Preserver.”

You can chat and then let me know when you head back to Muesello.

I understand why they didn't send a less experienced group here. Yes, I understand now...

"That was interesting" Zoresk says out loud.

He begins looking at the metal panels and begins taking notes.

********

Once back on the ship, he debriefs Muesello about the doorway, the odd constructs, the aeon nexus, and the metal panels on the floor.

"3,405,829 days is..." using long division scratched into the dirt with his claws (to add, subtract, and divide) and tail (to post quotients and remainders on the upper left of the action symbol), it takes our ysoki hero 3d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 1) = 9 moments to figure out "...about 9331.03 years!"

He pauses a moment to contemplate the number while Freerat stows off with a wayfinder crystal into his pocket...

"3,405,829 days is..." using long division scratched into the dirt with his claws (to add, subtract, and divide) and tail (to post quotients and remainders on the upper left of the action symbol), it takes our ysoki hero 9 moments to figure out "...about 9331.03 years!"

Silence turns his head upside-down as he watches Bangy convert days into years. "Screech."

Meadow's eyes go wide and her jaw drops as she gapes at the owl. "Whaddaya mean 'that looks right?' You are absolutely horrible at maths. There is absolutely no way that you can do long division like that. Stop making things up."

"Screech!" Silence flaps his wings.

He pauses a moment to contemplate the number while Freerat stows off with a wayfinder crystal into his pocket...

He witnesses Freerat's theft and hoots softly.

Meadow frowns. "You are too making that up and no you cannot eat Freerat because he stole a crystal. Stop trying to change the subject. Listen here mister..." The argument continues all the way back to the ship.

Oskar contemplates the ancient wayfinder, wondering how best to incorporate it into his opera. "What if someone sings a song to it? The chorus could be 'please update your password.' And how am I going to work this 'Preserver' in? Too many characters and the audience gets confused, don't you know..."

From the safety of his master's pocket, Freerat keeps a lookout upon Silence the whole way back to the ship, ears perked and with a scowl, the lumpiness of said pocket nearly doubled having come out of the Preserver's ancient caverns...