Thanks GM Barcas!
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Off to GenCon. I'll be away until Monday 8/3/15.
"Isn't that what we just did?" asks Artemios, holding his head and squinting. "I feel like I've been kicked by a mule." The gunslinger looks around. "Umm... 'draining the reactor' sounded bad. I think we'd best get a move on. I wish she'd said more about Hellion. Or herself." He takes the lead and moves out further into the complex.
Class: Gunslinger
Abilities:
[ooc]Round 3, Initiative 19
"Dryth!" calls Artemios. "Can you drag Valarius out of there?" Meanwhile, the gunslinger continues to fire at the advancing monster. <- vs. Touch AC
Artemios recoils in disgust, involuntarily taking a step back before raising his pistol and firing.
<- vs. Touch AC
Yeah, sorry. I'm back, but still busy.
No. I would have but it in quotes and bolded it.
Are the rooms more like jail cells or more like, oh, coffins?
"Nope. Let's keep exploring this place. There's got to be something here about Hellion."
Artemios looks to Dryth for a translation.
"Does it say where this 'reactor core' is? And what's a kasatha life form? Is that who built this place, or the stuff in the desert? or both? Can this machine talk to us?"
Seeing that the team has the technical aspects of the room somewhat in hand, and knowing that his skills did not measure up in that regard, Artemios moved to the center of the room, from where he could view the screens and the doorway. His pistol rested lightly in his hands. "Can you see anything that would tell us who or what Hellion is?"
Unable to resist, Artemios does likewise, fascinated by the paradoxical effect of the light. "So... it's only magic after all," he said, mostly to himself. Magic, to him, had become an almost commonplace idea, even if its actual practice was rare. The promise of technology from beyond the stars seemed somehow more fantastical to him than "mere" magic.
You and my son. Happy Birthday!
"This stuff has been here a long time," said Artemios. "I think something recently woke it up. Probably the Expedition. Our job might be to put it back to sleep.". He watches the desert sands warily as he goes.
I'm good with staying on if you can recruit more players. As for clues, I think that we just sort of wander around until we have enough if the pieces to begin to form a coherent picture. I'm not dismayed at the clues nor really the pace all that much; it's the nature of PBP. What we need are players who will let regularly. But if you should decide to call it, I will understand and say thank you!
"Could be," agreed Artemios, who really had no information to go on. "Keep your eyes open. Let's go." He led out into the desert.
"Recreation? Maybe they liked deserts and brought their own with them."
"I've done a bit of amateur reading on these old mounds found here and there throughout Hermea," said Artemios. "Ancient legends speak of a Rain of Stars that littered the area with debris from the sky. I think we're looking at something that came from beyond Golarion."
I just thought maybe you had a gun type I should get for Artemios!
"I guess that's our answer," said Artemios. "Good job, Simeon." "Let's go." So saying, he headed deeper into the complex.
Out of curiosity, Simeon, does your revolver really do 5d8 (instead of 4d8) on a coup de grace?
Artemios fires again. <--vs. Touch AC
Artemios's attack: <-- vs. Touch AC
"And if it is dangerous," said Artemios, "I don't want it occupying our route of egress. Everyone get ready." So saying, he stepped back and leveled his pistol at the machine, ready to fire. When everyone was ready, he nodded at Dryth. "Do it."
"Good job, Simeon," said Artemios. "Wait a moment." "Think we might be able to communicate with the Maton if we reanimate it?" Artemios asked Dryth.
"For Unity," repeated Artemios as they took their leave of Khonnir. Later, Artemios regarded the automaton with curiosity, but did not touch it. Turning to Dryth, he asked "What can you tell me about this thing? Is it dangerous?"
"I'll always be there when you call," said Artemios. He wanted to touch her, to sweep her into his arms, and he would have if not for the look in her eyes. He didn't much care what it would do to his own career, but endangering her career wasn't what he wanted, either. He gave her a smile that looked easier than it felt and turned back to his team. "Can you get them out of him?" he asked, indicating Tannaris. "Or neutralize them somehow?"
Responding to Khonnir, Artemios said "I can't say that I have a plan, having just learned of the situation now. But I suppose that we'll find the signal generator and blow a hole in it. And figure out who this 'Hellion' is." He looked past the officer's shoulder at Althea for a long moment and then back at Khonnir. "Would you excuse me, sir?" With Khonnir's permission, Artemios approached Althea. "It's good to see you," he said in a low voice. "You didn't have to go to all this trouble if you wanted to see me." He smiled to show he was joking.
Artemios watched Althea go, a wistful look crossing his face. He dragged his attention back to Khonnir. "Do you think you precipitated this...this signal? Or was it merely a side-effect of whatever brought you here?" asked Artemios. "And who in Promise's name is Hellion?"
Well, God bless you for doing the hard work, and be careful.
Are you a police officer? ...or a werewolf?
Artemios holstered his weapons and signalled everyone else to do the same. He nodded to Dryth. "Send it," he said, leaving the details up to the engineer. "Sorry, sir," said Artemios, without a trace of remorse in his voice, "My men have already come under one attack. I had to be careful.Now then, do you have medical facilities? Archelaos is injured." Having said this much, he allowed his gaze to travel back to Althea. He regarded the love of his life for a long moment during which no one else existed for him. Then he wrenched his attention back to the matters at hand. "Can I ask what your situation is here, sir?"
Nah! Artemios is the stubborn one, not me! Personally, I'd be standing with Simeon!
Doing his best to adopt an I'm not with Stupid posture, he slowly sidles away from Artemios' immediate proximity...
Artemios looked into the older man's eyes and held his gaze for a while. "You can have my weapon," he said evenly, "If you renounce the works of Hellion."
If Khonnir does so renounce the cult's apparent god, Artemios will put away his weapon and submit to his authority, signaling his team to do likewise.
"Yeah, that's not happening," said Artemios, whose own weapon is pointed skyward. "We don't have time for that. But we are here to help. You'll have to settle for that. I'm Artemios. That's Dryth, Simeon our doctor, Soractus and Valerius. The injured man is Archelaos and the other man is our prisoner. Stand back. We need to get inside and lock up now. Do you have medical facilities?" Artemios doesn't wait for Khonnir to respond, but simply moves inward unless the gunman physically blocks him. "Are you in charge? If so, tell me what's happened. If not, take me to your commander."
"If we were with them we wouldn't be in a hurry, you fool!" Artemios snapped, feeling short on patience. "We'd have all the time in the world to dig you out. But we don't because those bastards are coming back and they're going to kill us if we're still standing around out here. Let us in or your one chance of rescue will be gone." "Is Althea ex-Diocles in there with you? Tell her it's Artemios ex-Lucarus. Tell her I came like I said I would," he said, remembering his promise to her at their last parting. He'd promised that if she ever needed him, nothing would stop him from coming to her aid. And now here he was, arguing with a frightened scientist through a closed hatch.
"Listen to me," said Artemios, loudly. "We are a team sent from Promise to rescue you. We are not under the influence of this Hellion creature and we will keep you safe. But we don't have much time. Open the door now, please."
Artemios's eyes narrowed as he squinted up at the too-close rooftops. "You might need those drugs shortly. This smells like a trap. The streets are too narrow. This is where I'd set up an ambush." "Dryth, slow down. Everyone, eyes open. Let's look for a better route."
His heart urged him to rush to find the entrance to the caves, hoping to rescue Althea ex-Diocles. But Artemios knew that Dryth was right. This antenna would need to be destroyed first. "As ever, speed and surprise are our best allies. If we assault this antenna now, we may destroy it before they manage to reinforce it. How soon can we have the wounded ready to go?" he asked, looking over at Simeon. Turning back to Dryth, he asked "What kind of god needs an antenna to transmit his will?"
Artemios nodded gravely. "I will," he said. "I wouldn't want to live in bondage, either. But tell us more about Hellion and Meyanda. Did she tell you anything about this 'god's' philosophy? Or where he came from... it's a he, right? And what about her? What race is she? How is she armed? Did she show any powers?"
** spoiler omitted **
"What the...? Artemios turns off the display. "Yeah. We have a problem. Heretics with some sort of mind-control signal. We need to get into Torch immediately."
Artemios considered, then shook his head. "No, we came here to do a job and we're going to do it. Now, before we lose the element of surprise." "Doc," he continued, speaking now to Simeon. "Can Archelaos move on his own? If not, you and he have to get back to the carriage. And how is the prisoner? Will he live?" "Dryth, get a sample of their blood and whatever else you think we'll need, but we can't take those bodies with us. We're moving out in just a minute."
"Marvellous," said Artemios. "A cult. I say we hustle and get in there before any resistance has a chance to organize. Other opinions?"
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