I've always felt that Nyd was the common sense person in the group.
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That's totally fair. If you do end up recruiting more people, I'd want to make a minor change to Artur, cause I know I mentioned wanting to make an Iron Man style suit: and then unearthed arcana released a subclass for artificers that is basically Iron Man.
Nice! I'm still here. Been working on a super complex character submission for a game here, but I'm still around. EDIT: Also still putting together PDFs into one mega book, but my available time has been someone...taken up.
I really dig your turn recap/typed up style. Do you think it might be possible to get a single PDF of all the turns rolled into one? I'd do it myself, but I figured If you have the files all in one location it might be faster to ask.
"Here, let me explain." Artur shows Nyd some places where structural improvements can be made.
"I was thinking something more along the lines of...construction based." Artur nods towards several places that could use construction help.
"I won't say no to a home-cooked meal." said Artur, smiling, "But I also won't eat without doing something to repay you in some manner. I'll help with the dishes when we're done." Artur took off his jacket and weapons and then, winking at one of the kids, stored all of it in his metal pack, then locked his case and set it down before sitting down himself. That was when he saw the painting. He stared at it for several moments, then shook his head to clear head as the meal came out.
Artur's eyes widen as he hears her story and sees the food offered, but he says nothing; instead, he ate what was offered. True to his word, when the meal was over, he rolled up his sleeves and got to work washing dishes. As he worked, his metal arm made mechanical noises one the dishes. As he worked, he thought. Later, Artur approached Nyd and quietly asked "Do you have silence memorized?"
After spending several minutes trying to convince Zdravko to come with them, Artur finally acquiesed and offered her the map that he had made. Eventually, the group turned back towards the Fat Tusk tribe's camp.
"Thank you for your hospitality." Artur said with a nod towards the woman.
"Before we leave, I am going to need a few hours....and Tharivol." Artur drags Tharivol back into the mound. "I need you to read aloud everything the pillars say. I don't want to miss something that we'll have to come back here later for."
At Briar's question, Artur asks her as well about travel times to various landmarks in the region.
"My guess" says Artur without looking up from his map "Is that there's a good chance he's fled there. It's his only other base of operations that we know about."
Artur considered the information then tried to remember if he knew of anything in the indicated direction that would fit the bill.
"Tharivol, ask them how long their hunting season is." An idea was already forming in his mind, and Artur cut a section of hide off of one of the tents to use as a map, then found a table to give him some workspace. He then began to draw a map of the region, including any natural landmarks. As he worked, he would ask Batal the time it took to talk to different landmarks from their location. Soon, something of a regional map was coming together...
"Nyd, do you have remaining castings of Detect Magic left? If so, you mind doing a sweep of the mound? I'll go with you if you want."
"I just want to know one thing, and I'll let the first person to tell me go. Where can we find che Haranait Koa. You can tell me where it is, or you can tell me who among you knows where it is, I don't care either way, but one of you Will talk. I can promise you this."
At Tharivol's comment, Artur smirks and says "Oh, is that why we keep you around? I thought it was for the dinner music."
"We should still talk to them and see if any of them are willing to talk, or less mind controlled." Artur said. "Batul, do you know what's in the direction the Dragon flew off in?"
Artur left without comment, glad he was spared the need to lead Veratash to this exact decision.
Artur then returned to the written information Tharivol was translating. Artur was sure that somewhere in this entire rambling there was an explanation of the intended experiement and hypothesis...Wait, was that an alusion to... "Repeat that part please" Artur said, then added "Wait, how would that even work? What the hell would a..." Tossing off his pack, Artur rummaged for a slate and began to take notes. "Okay, I think I know what's going on here..." He then went on to explain what he had discovered.
While Nyd considers the enchantment on Veratash's friend, Artur examines the enchantment on the device itself.
Not finding any notes, Artur joined Tharivol at the writing and asked "What specifically does it say?"
"Briar, keep him unconscious until we can figure out how to free him." Artur said.
Artur activated his gauntlet shield and drew his pistol before moving down into the mound. He swept his pistol from left to right and checking every corner until it was clear that the area was empty. Sheathing his pistol, he collapsed his shield and took a look around. Opting for the lab, Artur decided to Veratash and Nyd deal with the prisoner situation while he looked for any kind of lab journal or writing.
"You're a mind mage. Dominate it." suggested Artur as if that was the simplest thing in the world.
"Do you think it'll help us deal with our dragon problem?"
"Gonna guess he was always a dragon Nyd. I've never heard of anyone spontaneously becoming one." Answered Artur to Nyd's questions.
"Don't think too hard on it Veratash; he either used magic or mundane cohersion to compel her to obey. Any way you cut it, that really wasn't your friend anymore."
"Who you talking to buddy?" asked Artur when Veratash called out 'Hello'.
Artur opened his mouth to argue, then promptly closed it. Nyd just yelled at me. Good for him! Artur thought to himself, a grin creeping across his face as he looked at Nyd. "Good for you." was all that came out of his mouth with a nod of respect towards Nyd. "Okay, go ahead and rest. Everyone, drink some water and eat something small: a piece of jerkey or bread, or something along those lines. Check yourself for leeches again as well. I know we were out of the water, but this place is disgusting." "Batul, you should gather up your people. I think they'll appreciate Tharivol's playing." Artur then walked over to check on Briar and Liti, the latter of whom he tossed a piece of jerky to. "You doing ok? You need anything?" he asked Briar. After finding out the answers to his question, Artur moved over to check on Zdravko, saying "Nothing broken?" Finally, he made his way quietly over to Veratash and put his arm on his shoulder. He didn't say anything. what could I really say? Artur corrected himself. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Finally, after checking on everyone, Artur propped himself up against the wall of a hut and took his own advice: he checked himself for leeches, drank some water, and ate some jerky. It wasn't an ideal outcome, but the group lived and they enemies were dead or fled. What more could you ask for in life?
"Good point Zdravko." says Artur before levelling his rifle at the curtain and putting enough firebolts into it to set it ablaze. At Tharivol's comment, Artur said "I'd like time to rest, but I would also like to have a beer, take my boots off, and prop my feet up on a table." Artur glanced around exaggeratedly before adding "doesn't look like either is on offer from our hosts though." Artur shrugged and said "besides, you know what will happen if we wait; he'll fly down an alternate enterance and make off with something we'll need later or the like. Like in the stories." Artur added the last part with a grin.
Artur took a moment to take a few deep breaths and let his adrenaline cool. As he adrenaline fled, the litany of aches and pains all started screaming for his attention. As usual, however, Artur ignored all of them. Instead he moved over to Sorshana to check and see if she was still alive. Once he knew either way, he pulled his pistol and made sure that the Abominations were dead. Once that was done, Artur took stock of his allies: everyone was alive and breathing, each processing what had occurred in their own way. strapping on his holster and pistol, Artur called "We're not done yet. Let's go." to the group while walking towards the entrance to the mound. Turning to Batul, Artur said "Will you hold down the things out here?"
"I know how hard it can be. Mental magic is a motherf@#$er." Artur extended a hand to offer Veratash help up. "The question now is: what are you going to do about it? Me, I'd recommend kicking her @$$."
Artur scooped up his rifle, then moved forward and healed Veratash.
His shoulder cannon then fired at Sorshana.
Standing, Artur scooped up his rife, swapped mags, took aim at the Dragon's backside, and fired.
Not seeing the dragon immediately, Artur took the opportunity to heal Liti, drawing his first aid spray out and using a squirt of it on her prone form.
"It wasn't my plan to fight a dragon today!" Artur said in response to Nyd's remark. Then Sorashana smashed into him with her psionic power, and everything went dark.
Artur watched the dragon chase one of his comrades and his brain decided that he didn't have time to be afraid; it would deal with that later. Roaring something likely meant to be an insult, Artur swapped magazines on his rifle and unleashed a flurry of beams of fire at the dragon.
Artur's shoulder cannon then fired a ball of force at the dragon for good measure.
Artur began to call out...something... but his words died in his throat as the man morphed into a dragon. Only the years of training and dedication to his comrades allowed him to stand his ground, and even then it was a close battle. After sputtered for a few precious seconds, Artur finally found his voice and said "Dragons have breath weapons, we need to spread out some!" Artur then backed up a bit....not cause he was intimidated, but because he was following his own advice.
Artur dropped his pistol and then raised his rifle as he fumbled a grenade into the launcher and fired at the dragon, and his shoulder turret followed suit.
Artur awoke to find the abomination that was grappling him dead. He stood and took stock of the situation: it was going pretty okay for the moment: he did not, however, see Veratash's friend. He then watched Veratash move over...and disappear, reappearing in the sky. "Someone needs to explain to that boy what 'not draw attention to yourself' means." chuckled Artur before turning his attention to the Dolgaunt that was savaging Liti. Artur raised his pistol and then both his pistol AND his shoulder cannon fired at the creature.
Artur was caught off guard when the creature grabbed him and he felt the air forced from his lungs. Trying to maintain his momentum, he loaded a grenade into his rifle with his only free hand and then aimed it at the Dolgaunts next to each other.
Artur raised his pistol and fired at the Chuul, seeing it was the more injured of the two enemies. He also activated his turret, which popped out of the shoulder plate of his armor and began firing projectiles at the Chuul.
Artur winced when Briar made noise; it wasn't her fault, but it hurt to be discovered this early into the assault. keeping his voice low, Artur said "kill it, but quickly and quietly. No yelling please." Hanging the sling for his rifle across his body, he drew his pistol and loaded it, but did not take a shot.
Artur looked at Tharivol's signal and shook his head 'NO'.
Artur watched the Defenders pull off to meet with the Orc assault. As soon as the camp cleared, Artur said "Okay, let's go. Stay quiet as possible, and away from the fire. Veratash, lead us to the underground entrance you used."
"Noted Tharivol. You should use them once the distraction starts."
Artur checked himself and not a single leech was attached to him. It seemed that his symbiote had protected him from them. Thinking back, he had not had any issues with any sort of vermin such as mite, lice, or bedbugs.
Artur went over the plan a couple of times and made everyone who was going agree to it, especially the part about not trying to come save them.
Artur stowed his utility belt into his magnetic pack to protect it from the swamp. He moved as quickly as he was able, but it was harder with him holding his rifle above the water. When Batul announced that he was going to be accompanying them, Artur argued vehemently against it, even going so far as to say "If you die, which is a very real possibility, you'll be leaving those two in charge" he gestured towards Orshok and Krepis before continuing "and we both know that neither man is ready to take your place." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ As the group neared the mound, Artur said "Zdravko, we'll need you to pick the spot we wait for our distraction from. You seem to be the most experienced scout here, so I'd like you to take charge in that regard."
Artur listened to what Zdravko described and, while interesting from a theoretical application, he balked at using her sword to do it. Asking for the blade, Artur balanced it in his hand before handing it back to Zdravko. Then he spoke "That is a blade that literally can not be replaced. Once it's gone, that's it; the technology, the care; shoot, even the blood, sweat, and tears that went into making it would be gone forever, with no way to recreate it. He's right" Artur nodded towards Orshok "This is a treasure of your people. In all honestly, it doesn't even completely belong to you, and it is a link to the past that I can't in good conscious sever. I like your idea in theory, but we should use something else as the ammunition. I...I just can't destroy something like that."
While The Fat Tusk were preparing for war, Artur brought the group together to work on their own plan. Gathered around the holographic map, he explained: "Okay, here's how I see it: We'll want to have our Orc companinos draw them off to the South-East, away from the mound, while we move in quietly from the North-West. I'm guessing the mound leads underground to the area that Veratash mentioned. We'll want to go slow and take our time, even after the Fat Tusk engage the Bonetree. We don't know where reinforcements will be coming from, so best not to be noticed for as long as possible." Artur pauses for a sip from his canteen before continuing: "Veratash, if we can free your friends we'll do so, but that's honestly not our top priority. Furthermore, and you know I don't like to sugarcoat things, but there's a very real possibility they're either dead or have been turned to work for the enemy. You need to reconcile yourself to the fact that we may have to kill them. I know it's a shit position to be in, but it is what it is." Artur grimaced, took another sip of water, then continued: "fighting in tunnels means moving single-file, or double-file at best. We should decide on a marching order now so that when the time comes we don't have to think about it. I would suggestion the following, but feel free to make arguments otherwise: Zdravko, Briar, Tharivol, Veratash, Nyd, and me. Here is my reasoning: Zdravko and Briar are our front line, and they'll want to get into melee straight away; Zdravko seems to be pretty well suited for finding traps as well, which is good. Briar has a longer weapon, which she might be able to reach over Zdravko's head and attack with it that way. If it's not long enough, we'll see if we can get you a longspear. Tharivol, I want you close to be able to heal them if/when needed. Veratash and Nyd are casters and should be in the middle, and I am bringing up the rear as I have among the best range in our group." Artur nodded to each member as he spoke of them. "Finally," Artur said, grimacing as he clearly dreaded what he was about to say, "If someone should die while we're assaulting the base, we'll do everything in our power to bring your body from that place, as I would hope you'd do the same for me. No one gets left behind here: either we take our dead with us, or there's no one left to bring the dead along." Grinning fiercely, Artur said "Unless anyone else has something to add, let's go kill these feckers. I'm tired of their bullsh!t, to be honest, and it's high time that we were on to bigger and better things."
"We go at night. that should let us get closer to the camp, and if most of them are Human, they'll be less likely to notice us approaching." "As for you folks, here's what we need: wait until the moon is high in the sky before your attack, which should give us time to get into our stealth position. Once your attack starts, make as much noise as possible, and give us a count of 1000 or until half your forces are down to withdraw; after that, we'll be screwed either way. To be perfectly blunt, don't come try to save us. Return to your people with your debt fulfilled." |