Male LG Shirren Scholar Mystic 12 | SP 96/96, HP 41/78, RP 13/13 Speed 30 | EAC 29, KAC 29 | Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +15 | Init +4; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +22 | Spells: 1st - 5/5; 2nd - 5/5; 3rd - 1/4; 4th - 1/3; | Active conditions: none
Xysh can't fail a 22 Mysticism.
He nods in agreement with Iskakii and Zefira. <Don't like this sneaking up on us. Would much rather clear out everything possible on each level before moving onward.> He moves up behind folks at the green door.
As the party gathers, Zefira slowly shifts open the 'green' doors. Moving them with force it a bit tiring against all this water; she thinks working smarter not harder with Engineering for the rest will be better Forcing them open through Atheltics too many times might fatigue you. Luckily the party's engineering checks are high enough that with aids you can open the other double-doors with that without issue later.
Inside this roughly L-shaped room is a mess of boxes and broken crates, all jumbled together from Talgradur’s fall. Much debris drifts lazily through the waters as the open doors causes a bit of new motion through the flooded room.
Around the corner three modest rooms line the north wall of this space, each with the same solid-and-runed metal doors as the others. Each of these three side rooms however does have a viewport window in them at giant-eye level, though the viewports are caked with silt and mud. Interestingly, each of these three doors are fitted with a mechanical lock that is in quite poorly and damaged shape after centuries underwater. Engineering checks to break them open
DC 22 Perception:
Looking through the viewports you see a metal bedframe through the muck to indicate they were bedchambers. There is much other debris floating around in there too, though its harder to make out.
This is a massive chamber: conducting a thorough search through all the crates, boxes, and debris will take several hours to see if there are any relics or artifacts of value remaining here.
Female CG Human Ace Pilot Operative 12 (daredevil) | SP 108/108, HP 76/76, RP 13/13 | Speed 50, climb 30, fly 70 (average), swim 30 | EAC 32, KAC 33 | Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +11; +4 Toughness | Init +15; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21 (+25 trap spotter) | Active conditions: none (reroll USED)
"Oof, this is why Torag gave us tools, Lachlan," Zefira mutters to herself after she forces the doors open through brute strength and a little leverage. She swims a quick circuit of the room to look for any obvious dangers, then pulls out one of her archaeologist's tools to scrape away muck from the viewports so she can see into the rooms beyond.
Zefira's minimum Perception result is 22. She also has clearsight goggles, if that helps at all. Perception:1d20 + 21 ⇒ (6) + 21 = 27
"Storm engine wreckage, adamantine alloy doors, runes to prevent electrical disruptions, and locked bedchambers with observation windows," she muses aloud. "I suspect that we've found another piece of that dark underbelly of Talgradur that I told you about. Take lots of recordings, and as Geiti said, stay alert. I think we should open and check these smaller rooms, but I think the rest of this mess can wait until we've secured the rest of this level," she concludes, gesturing at the massive pile of crates and debris around them.
Whether the rest of you agree with Zefira I'll leave to you to discuss, but if you do end up wanting to open the smaller bedrooms I'll need an Engineering check.
Male LG Shirren Scholar Mystic 12 | SP 96/96, HP 41/78, RP 13/13 Speed 30 | EAC 29, KAC 29 | Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +15 | Init +4; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +22 | Spells: 1st - 5/5; 2nd - 5/5; 3rd - 1/4; 4th - 1/3; | Active conditions: none
"I doubt another day underwater is going to make any difference to those things, but I also don't want to spend 4 days doing nothing but sifting through junk." Xysh shrugs and follows the team's lead.
LG death-touched kiriinta ghost operative 11 | SP 77/77 HP 70/70 | RP 8/10 | EAC 27, KAC 27 | Fort +8; Ref +15; Will +11 | Init: +9 | Perc: +24, SM: +20 | Speed 50ft, 20ft fly | Reroll: 1/1* | Active conditions: low-light vision (60 ft).
If it looks like the place is solidly closed, Iskakii may be cool with moving on. If it looks like something could get in and out, it may be better to address it in case something sneaks up on us later.
The bedrooms are solidly sealed (needing Engineering to open).
The larger room itself seems pretty sealed off - the only entrance into or out of it are the double-doors you just came through.
Female CG Human Ace Pilot Operative 12 (daredevil) | SP 108/108, HP 76/76, RP 13/13 | Speed 50, climb 30, fly 70 (average), swim 30 | EAC 32, KAC 33 | Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +11; +4 Toughness | Init +15; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21 (+25 trap spotter) | Active conditions: none (reroll USED)
"99% of archaeology is sifting through junk for days, Xysh," Zefira reminds her friend. "But it will be more pleasant if we don't have to look over our shoulders every single second of it."
She moves to the first set of doors (orange diamond), and says, "Cover me...just in case," before getting to work with her tools.
Engineering:1d20 + 21 ⇒ (17) + 21 = 38 (add +4 if thieves' tools would help)
Zefira with a short bit of work manages to disengage the rusted and warped lock and open up the first of the bedroom doors.
Inside you find a bedframe and toilet, each bolted to the floor. While the blankets, pillows, and other textiles in this room have long degraded, the remaining metal springs and fragments of the mattress drift eerily through the water. Also floating through the water - the bones of a long-dead giant.
Opening the other two doors reveal similar chambers: basic but sparse (and for a giant quite cramped) bedrooms. One of the other two rooms also has floating bones of a deceased giant drifting through the water, while the center room seems to have been unoccupied at the time of the crash.
Medicine DC 29:
Examining the bones shows evidence of multiple sets of injuries. Some were no doubt caused by the crashing fall of Talgradur, but many other markings and partially-healed damage indicate that these giants were either mistreated or lived a very violent life and suffered injury frequently. The bones are also brittle and a bit smaller than expected - these two giants were not in good health in the times leading up to their deaths.
LG death-touched kiriinta ghost operative 11 | SP 77/77 HP 70/70 | RP 8/10 | EAC 27, KAC 27 | Fort +8; Ref +15; Will +11 | Init: +9 | Perc: +24, SM: +20 | Speed 50ft, 20ft fly | Reroll: 1/1* | Active conditions: low-light vision (60 ft).
<This is just wrong,> Iskakii says in the team's minds. <The marks on these bones look like they suffered a lifetime of abuse. Some of the marks look like major wounds which healed over time, and some look like they were closer to their death. And look at these bones- smaller, more brittle than you would expect. These poor beings were not in good health before they died.>
Male LG Shirren Scholar Mystic 12 | SP 96/96, HP 41/78, RP 13/13 Speed 30 | EAC 29, KAC 29 | Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +15 | Init +4; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +22 | Spells: 1st - 5/5; 2nd - 5/5; 3rd - 1/4; 4th - 1/3; | Active conditions: none
You get the feeling that Xysh would have stuck his tongue out at Zefira, if he had one that was appropriate.
<Or related to the practices we found out about last time. The cloud giants were using storm giants to power their ship. Using them up.> His mind voice is filled with distaste.
Female CG Human Ace Pilot Operative 12 (daredevil) | SP 108/108, HP 76/76, RP 13/13 | Speed 50, climb 30, fly 70 (average), swim 30 | EAC 32, KAC 33 | Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +11; +4 Toughness | Init +15; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21 (+25 trap spotter) | Active conditions: none (reroll USED)
Can we tell what species, or at least size, these dead giants were?
Just in case... Life Science:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10 Yup, as I expected, it won't be ME figuring that out.
Zefira is uncertain - the creatures were Huge sized but that’s all she can confirm - but Iskakii believes the reamins are indeed those of Storm Giants.
Female CG Human Ace Pilot Operative 12 (daredevil) | SP 108/108, HP 76/76, RP 13/13 | Speed 50, climb 30, fly 70 (average), swim 30 | EAC 32, KAC 33 | Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +11; +4 Toughness | Init +15; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21 (+25 trap spotter) | Active conditions: none (reroll USED)
Zefira mutters a curse under her breath in Sarcesian after Iskakii shares his conclusions. "I think Xysh has the right of it. Last time, my team gathered the bones of any bodies we found, and I want to do the same here, either now or later. They're evidence of what happened in this place, and these poor souls deserve some manner of last rites." She looks over at the shirren mystic at that last part, fairly certain that Xysh will share her sentiments.
How much bulk would the remains total? That was something we had to track in the previous Talgradur scenario.
Female CG Human Ace Pilot Operative 12 (daredevil) | SP 108/108, HP 76/76, RP 13/13 | Speed 50, climb 30, fly 70 (average), swim 30 | EAC 32, KAC 33 | Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +11; +4 Toughness | Init +15; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21 (+25 trap spotter) | Active conditions: none (reroll USED)
Oof, that's a lot, but last time was just Large skeletons, IIRC. Being encumbered is rough, doubly so on operatives, so I think we probably want to wait until we find an air pocket to open the NSC in, so we don't have to make as many trips hauling stuff all the way to the surface.
Up to you.
If you are going to want to fully explore/clear this floor before doing the time-consuming relic/debris/remains examinations and recoveries, let me know which door your crew would go to and through next.
Lashunta Female LG Lashunta Pilot Solarian 10 | SP 80/80, HP 74/74, RP 6/9 Speed 35 | EAC 30, KAC 32 | Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +7 | Init +3; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15 | Active conditions: none
"It will take a while to move all this, no offense to the former owners," Geiti gestures at the bodies. "But I honestly feel like this is something we should do now, so their bodies are recovered in the unlikely chance that our bodies need to be recovered too."
Male LG Shirren Scholar Mystic 12 | SP 96/96, HP 41/78, RP 13/13 Speed 30 | EAC 29, KAC 29 | Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +15 | Init +4; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +22 | Spells: 1st - 5/5; 2nd - 5/5; 3rd - 1/4; 4th - 1/3; | Active conditions: none
Xysh nods in agreement. <These people have been here long enough. Let's bring them at least a little peace.> He goes to the piles of stuff and starts sorting through for some tarps or containers which we can use to gather up the bones of the lost.
If this would take enough time to include sorting through this pile, I would like to do that now. We can always come back down here tomorrow.
GM, do we have a time limit other than "a couple of days"? I don't think we want to be here for weeks, but I can't remember if the permit was for more than that.
Female CG Human Ace Pilot Operative 12 (daredevil) | SP 108/108, HP 76/76, RP 13/13 | Speed 50, climb 30, fly 70 (average), swim 30 | EAC 32, KAC 33 | Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +11; +4 Toughness | Init +15; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21 (+25 trap spotter) | Active conditions: none (reroll USED)
Zefira's happy with collecting the remains now, but would still prefer to put off sorting through the piles of stuff in the big room until we've secured the rest of the level.
No strict time limit - you're approved to investigate and document this specific site. The paperwork you have requires you to check in if here for over 5 days, but even then leaves open it could potentially be extended.
To keep things moving:
Zefira and Geiti spend some time carefully collecting up the bones of the dead storm giants drifting abandoned in the bedrooms. While they do so, Xysh takes the chance to move throughout the larger chamber to do some initial scans. The shirren finds the space filled with debris including several shattered boxes and crates broken from the city's fall. There are also three metal crates that are remarkably intact and seem still-sealed. Though each metal box is 10 bulk
Xysh also finds slumped in a corner of the larger room another corpse: this one 's skeleton mostly still-intact within a set of aegis armor. This dead giant also has some weapons on them and two large keys hanging from its belt one a physical old-school key, the other a plastic key card
Medicine DC 22:
This cloud giant's injuries imply he dies in the fall of Talgradur. Aside from the obvious injuries that led to their death however, this giant was strong and in good health.
the giant is wearing a squad aegis series armor - its a bit large for you all at the moment but contains a mk 3 electrostatic field upgrade in it that could slot into any of yours easily. It also bears a paragon numbing beam, a heavy sap, and a paragon needler pistol
Getting all 3 bodies collected fully and carefully will take 2 hours. Xysh can spend this time cataloguing some of the rest of the space but it would still be a few hours' more work (but you've cut down the time it'll take when you return.
Female CG Human Ace Pilot Operative 12 (daredevil) | SP 108/108, HP 76/76, RP 13/13 | Speed 50, climb 30, fly 70 (average), swim 30 | EAC 32, KAC 33 | Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +11; +4 Toughness | Init +15; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21 (+25 trap spotter) | Active conditions: none (reroll USED)
Medicine:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24
Zefira is able to tell that the armored giant was strong and in good health before the fatal injuries that they likely suffered in the fall of Talgradur. "Heavy armor, keys, and protected against electricity...my guess is this was a guard set to watch over storm giant prisoners."
I'm not interested in the weapons, other than them being part of our relics/loot. (The first one is a longarm, and none are as effective underwater as my fusioned pistol.) If someone else has a slot free for the electrostatic field, take it; otherwise I can swap out my backup generator.
And I believe the plan was to check the red door next, because it was the next-nearest one to the exit.
LG death-touched kiriinta ghost operative 11 | SP 77/77 HP 70/70 | RP 8/10 | EAC 27, KAC 27 | Fort +8; Ref +15; Will +11 | Init: +9 | Perc: +24, SM: +20 | Speed 50ft, 20ft fly | Reroll: 1/1* | Active conditions: low-light vision (60 ft).
That sounds good to Iskakii. Maybe we should proceed through the place in case we find anything time-sensitive, then return to look through the crates and whatnot?
Keeping moving to check through the full section of the ruin before delving into the time-consuming minutae of archeological recovery, you four head back into the hall. Zefira tinkers a bit with the double-doors closest to the stairs before getting them to move open through the water.
Inside the room beyond are multiple workstations, all bolted to the floor and with built-in computer consoles. Chairs, trash, and other debris are scattered throughout the room, jolted into disarray by Talgradur’s fall. On the north end of the room the 'left' of the map is a massive electrical engine surrounded by a catwalk. The engine extends forty feet up before it disappears into the shimmering ceiling of the room, with the catwalk roughly halfway up the visible portion of the engine. The east wall 'top' of the map is transparent, and through this wall two large tanks are visible, connected with cables and tubes. The clear dome on the top of the southern tank reveals the decomposed body of an adult storm giant. The northern tank holds the body of an eel-like creature, similarly decomposed.
You can also see the other set of double doors down the hall also lead into this long room.
Female CG Human Ace Pilot Operative 12 (daredevil) | SP 108/108, HP 76/76, RP 13/13 | Speed 50, climb 30, fly 70 (average), swim 30 | EAC 32, KAC 33 | Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +11; +4 Toughness | Init +15; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21 (+25 trap spotter) | Active conditions: none (reroll USED)
@Geiti: Any interest in the mk 3 electrostatic field? Otherwise Zefira will use it.
Zefira cautiously leads the way into the room, and points out the dead storm giant to the others when she spots it. "Desna's wings," she sighs. "I strongly suspected we'd find something like that here. On my first mission here, we found a whole room of dead storm giants in tanks, but the engine they once powered wasn't accessible from there. Two of the corpses attacked us, so keep an eye on that one. And I hope I don't have to remind anyone that water is an excellent conductor of electricity, so be extra careful with any potentially live power sources. Give me a moment to take a quick look around to see if I spot any obvious hazards."
She will make a circuit of the room, using trap spotter and her +25 Perception to detect traps.
Zefira slips into the room and begins checking the area for any traps. Initially she does not notice any hidden security measures guarding the space.
She does however notice a few security measures that become far less hidden. As the pilot starts moving through the room, three panels in the northern wall slide upwards to reveal recessed spots beyond. Recessed spots that contain three large robotic figures all powering up! With a blade full of points integrated in one hand and a long narrow muzzle for another, all three start emerging and moving towards you!
Female CG Human Ace Pilot Operative 12 (daredevil) | SP 108/108, HP 76/76, RP 13/13 | Speed 50, climb 30, fly 70 (average), swim 30 | EAC 32, KAC 33 | Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +11; +4 Toughness | Init +15; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21 (+25 trap spotter) | Active conditions: none (reroll USED)
Engineering check to identify the robots? I'm mainly interested in weaknesses, energy immunities/resistance, DR, and special attacks, in that order. Engineering:1d20 + 21 ⇒ (17) + 21 = 38
<Security measures incoming--three big robots>, Zefira warns the others via the team's telepathic link as she starts dodging and weaving through the water, and fires a shot at the one on the far right (red). <Focus your fire, take down one at a time, and we'll have fewer of them shooting at us.> After her shot, she takes cover behind the large workstation in the middle of the room (Shot on the Run).
(She will also share anything she learns from that ID check.)
Zefira catches her target off-guard, but the shot can’t quite slice through the water as well as she hopes – it deflects against one of the robot’s more reinforced plates A narrow miss, even w/ Flat-footed
She sizes up the arrivals and categorizes them as a type of security robot. These type of constructs are vulnerable to crits and immune to construct-immunity things, but while most droids also don’t care for electricity Zefira notices special shielding seems to have been applied to them to partially ground them, even if those adjustments probably increase overheating issues. They can be affected by Electrical attacks, but unlike most robots are not extra-vulnerable to it. They are as a tradeoff now Vulnerable to fire attacks.
Their integrated arms seem to be some sort of neddle-lanuched and a spined blade filled with injection points. Something Zefira gets to observe up close as her target’s processers whirr in the water as is advances swiftly towards her! Its blade jabs into the pilot, and the flash of pain is followed by a numbing slowing sensation as she feels herself being injected with something. a tier 3 sedative
Lashunta Female LG Lashunta Pilot Solarian 10 | SP 80/80, HP 74/74, RP 6/9 Speed 35 | EAC 30, KAC 32 | Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +7 | Init +3; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15 | Active conditions: none
Re: The Gear. I am fine with you taking the Electrostatic Field. THe Paragon Beam and Needle Pistol are level 15 weapons though, and probably better than anything any of us are likely carrying. Geiti is not proficient with the numbing beam though, it is a longarm.
Free Action: Photon Attunement 1
When the combat engages, Geiti becomes just a little more visible, and then a lot more visible as the faint blue orb around her becomes much brighter.
With a burst of movement, Geiti charges the red robot, liting it with their collision.
Stellar Rush:5d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 1, 3, 3) = 14 -- Fire damage Reflex save DC 19 for half.
The robot lashes out at Geiti as the solarion approaches, but the dense water in the way causes its strike to go just over the lashunta's head. Geiti slams into the bot, but underwater even solar flames are significantly muted and the construct is only lightly singed even with its vulnerability.
Don't forget, you can still attempt that Bull Rush check on top of the (unfortunately quite reduced due to underwater) fire damage
Initiative
Zefira 71/108 SP
Red robot 3 damage Iskakii Geiti, photon 1(though can still make the Bull Rush attempt)
Zysh blue robot
Yellow robot
Even enhanced, the force of Geiti's impact fails to shove back the large robot. Luckily Iskakii's shot also manages to strike the bot, and thrown off-guard by the operative's strike Xysh's blast hits as well. Thanks to debilitating trick
The other robot on the east side of the room advnaces through the water and stabs out with its whirring balde at Geiti but again the water density causes it to miss.
Meanwhile the third security construct begins moving towards the group and fires a needle out of its other arm at Zefira, though the shot misses and goes drifting past her through the water.
Female CG Human Ace Pilot Operative 12 (daredevil) | SP 108/108, HP 76/76, RP 13/13 | Speed 50, climb 30, fly 70 (average), swim 30 | EAC 32, KAC 33 | Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +11; +4 Toughness | Init +15; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21 (+25 trap spotter) | Active conditions: none (reroll USED)
Seeing the robots close in, Zefira dodges past the one who struck her, taking a shot up close and personal as she goes. She stops in the hallway, where the doorway forms a natural chokepoint.
Zefira has improved uncanny mobility and uncanny shooter, so doesn't provoke AoO from moving during trick attacks or from attacking with small arms.
Zefira retreats slightly away from her attacker. Juking and firing at the damaged bot her carefully aimed shot sends it into total meltdown as the construct glitches and slumps over, completely broken.
Initiative
Zefira 71/108 SP
Red robot Iskakii
Geiti, photon 1
Xysh blue robot
Yellow robot
Lashunta Female LG Lashunta Pilot Solarian 10 | SP 80/80, HP 74/74, RP 6/9 Speed 35 | EAC 30, KAC 32 | Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +7 | Init +3; darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15 | Active conditions: none
Free action: Geiti moves to Photon 2.
Geiti steps up toward the robot and 'punches' her glowing blue orb, which forms around her fist in the form of a blue holograph-like technofist. She uses this new weapon to swing twice at her foe.
