I'm finishing up a couple of games pre-outpost, and so are you all probably, this game will Start on the 18th of March.
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Short by the standards of his own people, Fjorn makes up for his average human height in midway heft. He is surprisingly nimble for a thick-bodied and moderately armored warrior - sporting a sturdy wooden buckler with a sapling glyph on his ample forearm, and carrying a modest ulfen axe in his right. His thick beard and full head of hair a dirty blond finds itself loosely bound into multiple moderately kept locks; a few of which are indeed well groomed and arranged neatly into ropey braids, whereas others seem to have taken on an orientation of their own, unruly, unwound, unorganizable.
Though his manners are polite, they stand in contrast to his wild eyes which dart around, as if to signify he is experiencing a mild hallucination at all times. This isn’t far from the truth, for beneath his warm furs what looks like a portable laboratory is stowed in horizontal and vertical rows across the inside of his garments and around his waist - liquids of nearly every spectra visiblly within reach of his ordinary sized hands.
He turns to the next person to arrive "I can't tell yew, I don't remember how I got here!" having made a journey lost to perhaps some alchemical trip "Did we meet yet?" he scratches around the root of one of his locks, truly confused, then shoves out his hand "Fjörn, of the Kolkind Clan, a pleasure" having already forgiven himself for (probably) forgetting, he smiles broadly, and shakes vigorously!
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A mysterious figure cloaked in all black hiding all of their features other than a black beak sticking out off their hood enters the room. The only features on them not cloaked in black are a light flanged mace and a round shield painted in colorful elaborate designs swelling around nine rectangular spaces laid out for a harrow card reading.
"Fjörn, of the Kolkind Clan at last we meet in person, I foresaw our meeting in the cards. My name is Rukotarra seer of cards and reader of the harrow. I have seen a misalignment in the cards that I believe we are here to solve or address. With a little luck, I believe fortune will be on our side."
Rukotarra looks back through the entrance they had just entered looks to see if anyone else is coming.
"If the cards are accurate we will be meeting the rest of our gathering of adventurers any moment."
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Unsure if he has actually met the hooded beak stranger - besides in "cards" or whatever nonsense he means - our mutagenic hero decides to just go with it "Ah, yeah. We uh..." he pulls out a few "pages" of his "formula book", and throws them onto the ground, staring at their arrangement with acted-out bemusement, and feigning a reading "Uh, the Rune Sticks have Spoken. Our journeys cross here, Rukotarra Seer of Cards and Reader of the Harrow" his charade complete, he gathers his rune sticks back into a satchel, and ask the tengu "What Misalignment do you, uh, foresaw?" not intimately familiar with the word, but aware of it's importance with specific individuals in many communities, the ulfen's misconjugation nearly gives his ignorance away...
...while his natural charm and cunning leave his lie a sparkling finish!
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Rukotarra places his functional but very decorative steel round shield on a table and then places nine Harrow cards one in each of the rectangles painted on the shield.
"The card representing the past is in the position of the future facing the present, and the card representing the present is looks at the past before us. a most unusual reading. Likewise, the cards for good and evil are facing each other but from the other points of view.
feeling confident with his reading Rukotarra gives some advice.
Wise would we be to keep an eye out for a paradox or two...
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A seeming "paradox" then enters the room. Though the being appears at first to be a man, when he removes his cloak, his skin is sickly pale and gold threads criss-coss the depths of his skin.
"Greetings. My designation is 7019090072452414749257838637412586730286754309," declares the android. "However, I have found that most humanoids prefer brevity to precision. Therefore, you may refer to me as 'Sev'."
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Wow, what for a big number which that makes.
A dwarf with a brown-red beard wearing a studded leather armor and carrying his clan dagger to the belt interrupts. A steel shield is fixed behind his back.
Born in a maze under the Fives Kings Mountains, in a place where forge, fire and lava were omnipresent, the dwarf kept an indelible mark. The element of fire is imprinted in him and he managed to dominate it allowing him to produce some great effects.
My own name's Benkost. I'm fire warden as profession.
“Thank you for answering my summons. My name is Aayah Stronch, and I represent the Aspis Consortium, which as you no doubt are aware oversees several trade operations throughout the Mwangi Expanse. This morning, the Consortium is scheduled to receive several shipments. We routinely hire adventurers such as yourselves to inspect incoming cargo for traps and potential hazards before theyare sent to the warehouses, which is why I’ve summoned you here. You will, of course, be compensated for your work.”
Rpg Chronicles
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”Perhaps the sender is aware their cargo may be intercepted in course” Fjörn speculates ”Is it sensitive?” he wonders aloud, before ”Where are my manners? My name is…” before promptly introducing himself (and anyone shy who omits their own introduction) and goes over to firmly shake hands with the agent.
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Rukotarra extends a featured bird-like hand as a greeting to Aayah Stronch
"Aayah Stronch, good to meet you, Rukotarra seer of cards and reader of the Harrow at your service."
Rukotarra takes out his Harrow deck from a belt pouch and draws a card.
"Let's see if the cards can tell us if cargo is trapped."
Rukotarra freezes for a bit as he first sees the card, then raises his shield to the ready position, then shows the card to everyone, before speaking in a concerned cautious voice.
"The Demon's Lantern, beware the card of traps and tricks, someone led astray by a Willo-o-wisps light to an impossible situation."
Rukotarra makes a long dramatic pause before continuing.
"But there could be a positive side to it, a guide arriving at the perfect moment to show the way."
Another dramatic pause
"The cargo is trapped or has some other hazard within it or nearby that much is almost certain. What is left to find out is, are we the guides showing up at the perfect time?"
Rukotarra looks around the room at everyone in the party one at a time. then puts the card away.
She answers questions
@Benkost "Like any notable organization, there are those who seek to undermine or harm the Aspis Consortium. The traps they set are often designed to activate in our warehouses and target our inventory.”
@everyone else "No time pressure and you will receive 10 gold.
Aayah leads the way through the winding streets of Bloodcove, which bend and twist around the sprawling roots of the looming mangrove trees. The sun, which bloomed over the horizon just minutes ago like an orange-red flower, rises in the morning sky. As she makes her way to the docks, long shadows stretch lazily beneath the orange rays and then recede as the sky awakens into a vibrant, sapphire blue. Laborers and mariners unload crates and barrels onto the water-worn docks, unaffected by the crimson waters that gently lap against the timbers.
You see 5 Crates. 1 To the Northwest, 1 to the North, 1 to the West, and 1 to the South and 1 to the Southwest.
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"I suggest analyzing each of the crates in a systematic manner. Clockwise would appear as logical as any." Sev suggests. The android approaches the crate to the north and casts detect magic.
The Pathfinder sends out a pulse to register the presence of magic, choosing to ignore the magic items and ongoing spells of his own items and those of his allies.
He then focuses his optic sensors upon it, looking for runes, sigils, or similar marks in the event that magic is present and scanning for tripwires, pressures plates, or similar mechanical mechanisms in the event he does not detect any magic.
Sev notices nothing magic, but you think there is something living in that crate.
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Rukotarra investigates the crate to the South. before getting closer draws a single Harrow card for advice (cast Guidance on himself)
"The Forage, a card of strength, perhaps through strength we will survive the day."
Then putting the card away Rukotarra approaches the crate with his shield raised and looks for signs of trap triggers or sounds of something living inside.
Rukotarra, you hear something ticking inside. Like a clock of some sort, do you wish to open the crate?
Maurice, inside is something interesting, nice plants, others who want can also try to identify them.
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"Hold"
Guzzling a green elixir, Fjörn's forehead expands to accommodate a dramatic interior shift to his grey matter, multiple veins running across it now, as blood is re-prioritized from other parts of his body to his head which swells to massive proportions, straining his neck muscles to hold aloft.
~) Cognitive Mutagen (Moderate)
"Medicinal Herbs. From Xa Hoi. Not too much at once" he sniffs some of it "Perfectly fine" holding some out for others to enjoy aromatically.
□□□ Juggernaut Mutagen (Moderate)
☑□□ Cognitive Mutagen (Moderate)
□□ Serene Mutagen (Moderate)
□□ Thunderstone (Lesser) loaded into Weapon Siphon (Axe)
□ Quick Alchemy
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"Everyone ready?"
Once everyone is ready and no one objects, Rukotarra pulls the rope trying to open the crate.
"Perhaps, it is possible to neutralize any threat without risking any potentially valuable contents within the crate." Sev posits. "Should something adverse happen to me, then you may proceed with your efforts to open the crate with a rope."
The android approaches the crate to inspect it.
Sev attempts to disable any trap mechanisms that he may find.
Rukotarra is successful
Everyone roll init Rutotarra
Map
oh right, out pops 4 rats with bombs strapped to them you can see the timers have 1 minute left on them.
Benkost is up
Oil is also spilling out of the barrel, A5.
and The rat gets hit twice for 6.
The rats go to attack the nearest creature. Two on Sev Fort Save
One on Benkost as he hurt it good
One on Fjorn Fort save
All heroes are up The barrel will spill oil out on init count 12. So before Rukotarra gets his 1st turn. Thievery or Crafting dc 18 to disable and it takes 2 actions. There are 3 holes to jam up. You can also disable the fuse. So to disable the entire barrel would take 8 actions.
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↺) Shield Block
Fjörn swats the rat away - but it knicks his arm just slightly!
Looking over at the fled dwarf, Fjörn realizes he should have been more genre-savvy "Yew buggers got me!" Reaching into his effects (read: puffy white pirate blouse with flowy sleeves), our psychonautical hero quickly pours a dark orange-ish red-ish fluid from a just-unstowed bottle into his bearded mouth, causing a Mutation: His body convulses a little from the effect, the veins in his neck visibly expanding in width and network, the ridges of his bones bulging at odd angles to protrude with increased prominence, his light colored eyes filling with a malefacient orangish-red tinge. As all the softness drains from his demeanor, all that is left is a large, wide, hulking brute!
◆) Draw Moderate Juggernaut Mutagen
◆) Inbibe
◆) Interact to Draw Axe
↺) Reactive Shield
He draws his axe!
"Dew you want some more?"
Hurt one rat hard
barely injures another.
Just curios to how much fire damage the floor took. Doesn't damage it much cause of hardness. The rats targeted actually took 18 damage each as they died as they would automatically crit fail the explosion. They can't dodge the bomb directly strapped to them, since they can't see the fire coming.
Sev, are you plugging up one of the holes in the barrel squirting out oil, or are you disabling the fuse so the barrel doesn't ignite?
That fort save is a success.
Sev plugs up a hole. Maurice is up
crit fail
Both badly hurt
The barrel squirts oil twice, bringing out oil to 10 foot radius. Reflex to avoid getting oil on you
Benkost is up