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I realized we didn't actually have anyone to handle traps or hazards, so I thought I'd fill in that gap and round out the skill set! This is Colt Warwick, a noble son from Magnimar and a Falconer/Trapper/Wild Hunter Ranger. Colt's Crunch:
Male Human Ranger 1 (Falconer/Trapper/Wild Hunter)
CG Medium Humanoid (Human) Init +3; Perception +6
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Combat Gear Studded Leather, Handaxe, Longbow w/ 30 arrows
Rumi Crunch:
Male Neutral Bird (Hawk), Level 1, Init 2, HP 9/9, Speed 10', Fly 80' (average)
AC 14, Touch 13, Flat-footed 12, CMD 12, Fort 4, Ref 5, Will 2, CMB +0, Base Attack Bonus +1 Bite +4 (1d4, x2) 2 Talons +4 (1d4, x2) Abilities Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6 Feats[B] Weapon Finesse [B]Tricks Attack, Come, Distract, Down, Fetch, Seek, Stay Skills Fly (1) +8, Perception (1) +6 Condition None Equipment None History:
House Warwick has been an institution of the Magnimar elite for generations now. Renowned for their wealth, their dedication to the arts, and a penchant for documentation of history and magic, combining it with their mercantile connections to create a well oiled financial juggernaut. If you're born to House Warwick, you can expect the best education, the best influences, a favorable reputation, and the most esteemed connections to be found in Magnimar.
Coltrane Radmin Warwick (or just "Colt", as he often insists) undeniably received all of that and more... but it just never stuck with him. He lacked the aptitude for book learning, not that he could grasp arcane concepts to begin with, though he did at least figure out how to "break" magic once it was set in place. He found money matters dull and unengaging, a repetitive mess of looking at papers, constantly trying to figure out why nobody could write things uniformly, much preferring the rigid consistency of engineering. He wasn't shoddy with a blade, but he found he was much better with a bow (much to the relief of his parents... at least he picked up SOMETHING from his lessons). Luckily for his parents, Colt was the youngest of 4 siblings, two older brothers and a big sister, so it wasn't like the family's future was riding on Colt to learn these concepts, which freed him up to pursue something nobody in the family had done for years: falconry. House Warwick was once renowned for their skill at handling the birds, so much that the family crest still bears the head of a proud falcon on it, but as generations passed, they moved from hunting with the birds to simply training them for others, and finally letting it alone for more profitable pursuits. Colt proved to be a natural at the skill, training a number of the birds for other members of Magnimar's elite to have, often for hunting parties. But Colt loved his birds, his most prized being a young, light brown falcon he personally raised from hatching, named Rumi. And even more surprising, he proved to be an apt hunter, regularly volunteering to track down threats that the local watch couldn't spare men for. At first, it was hunting down feral dogs harassing locals in the slums, then bears troubling nearby farmers, until he was actually tracking down dangerous criminals for the city guard. His parents didn't care much for his cavalier choice in activities, but it kept him busy and lent the family a favorable reputation. The guard captains regularly began asking Colt to venture out to address monster threats posed to local communities when men were short or a more dedicated specialist was required. It's on these outings that Colt is at his happiest. No having to rub elbows with high profile names, no lessons to attend, no questions about when he was going to "find a proper wife and settle down?" He can prove that he is not just the trumped up son of a wealthy merchant. That he isn't some spoiled brat playing at being a hunter. Every target he brings down is just further proof that even if he wasn't a noble's kid, he'd still be on top... and that gives him a good rush. Lately, Sheriff Hemlock in Sandpoint has been requesting a bit more manpower to help secure the town. Reports of strange creatures had been on the rise, and with the upcoming Swallowtail Festival to unveil the new Sandpoint Cathedral fast approaching, the sheriff asked for a bit more muscle to keep things orderly. The guard captains have requested Colt's aid once again, asking that he ascertain whether the reports bore any merit, and if they do, is the danger great enough to dispatch a detachment of guards to help secure the town. Colt set out immediately, all too eager to get some time away after a recent spat with his father... and hey, the fact there's be a festival to enjoy is a big bonus! Personality: Colt is a good hearted young man, but a bit blunt when it comes to social matters. He's largely aware of how high society is supposed to conduct itself, with a lot of fluff and decorum, but he finds such behavior to be more exhausting than any hunt he's ever been on. What to say, when to say it, how to phrase it, interjections and manners and fake apologies and a complete lack of self-awareness, it's an absolute mess of rules and details that, by the end of it all, accomplishes absolutely nothing! It's a shame too, because with his rugged good looks, he's had a number of ladies trying to catch his eye back in Magnimar, but so far, he's not bitten, much to the consternation of his parents. Colt isn't oblivious to the come-ons, but when it comes to reciprocating or trying to match the fancy language, he just falls apart. He's oblique, but not crass, much preferring to lay things out simply and straightforward. Colt's lack of social graces has been a thorn in his father's side for years, and has been a source of tension between the pair for as long as Colt can recall. He has a much better relationship with his mother, sister (Arylia), and two brothers (Kaylenn and Harved), with his sister being the most understanding. As an acolyte of Shelyn, she has been patient and understanding of Colt's strengths and what he opposes. His older brothers regularly tease him for his lack of posterity, but often brag about how their "baby brother" may not be able to handle a legerdemain, but if any of their live cargo gets loose, they know it will get brought back safe and sound.
Colt prefers hunting to mercantile pursuits for one simple reason: it's proof. As the youngest of four, not much was expected out of him, and hunting is the evidence that shows that, even if everything is stripped from him, he could still rise to the top where he belongs. He is an alpha of the pack, and is constantly striving to prove himself resilient and reliable. Colt hopes that, perhaps one day, if he brings back a trophy big enough, his father will finally come around to his way of thinking and let him be. Until then, Colt continues to push himself to take down ever more daring targets. For all his lack of grace with other people, Colt has a remarkable affinity for animals, especially birds, as evidenced by his faithful partner, a falcon named Rumi. Rumi holds a special place in Colt's heart, having hatched and raised her by hand personally. Rumi is never far from Colt's side, and he often strokes her in times of stress to help him calm down and collect his thoughts. Colt is patient and willing to wait out enemies if it means getting the upper hand. He does far better when he has time to prepare and plan for an attack, usually fumbling when it comes time to doing things on the fly. Normally, Colt lets insults roll of his back, but implying that he is incapable because of his noble upbringing or belittling his skill quickly gets him in a brawling mood. Attacking Rumi unprovoked is also a good way to get him in a foul temperament. Despite his strained relations with his dad, Colt still cares deeply for his family, and anything that could threaten them is enough to spur him into action. Usually with profanity laden yelling to accompany it.
Personally, looking at our current team make up, my gut reaction is an evoker wizard. Aelessa has healing, some face work, and melee, Togam is dedicated melee and some strong arm work, and Colt is mostly buffing, a bit of everything else. Some heavy arcane artillery and knowledge would probably help round things out.
This is the submission for CaptainFord. A Lion Shaman Druid with a focus on buffing and tracking. I haven't gotten his inventory completely finished yet, still got about 2.5K left to spend, but his crunch is pretty much complete! ****************** "Being a noble comes with pleeeeenty of perks... and responsibilities." Crunch:
Male Human Druid (Lion Shaman) 4
NG Medium Humanoid (Human) Init +6; Perception +9
Spells Prepared
Domain Nobility (Leadership)
Combat Gear MWK Hide Armor, +1 Scimitar, Quarterstaff
History: The young noble known as Coltrane Tranias Warwick (or Colt, as he prefers) was not always the strong, hale specimen he is today. After his birth, his father, a count of Taldor, noted that his only son was sickly and weak, even crying softer than his older sisters. For years, his family spent countless coins trying to find a relief to his weary condition, to little avail. If anything, he only seemed to be getting worse and worse. Desperate to find a solution and save his only heir, Count Warwick put out a call to every connection he had, promising a reward for anyone who could revitalize his ailing son. As it so happened, the one who answered his call was a strange druid from Varisia, who told the count that his son wasn't sick, but haunted by vengeful spirits of the natural world.
After a week of rituals, communions with the gods, a host of herbal remedies and treatments, the druid found a way to counter the wicked spirit afflicting the child: he called on the spirit of a mighty lion to inhabit the boy and counteract the supernatural plague. The process worked, and Colt had felt stronger than he ever had before, his overjoyed father heaping wealth and titles on the old druid, who simply took a modest sum and left for parts unknown. Grateful for the new lease on life and set on making the most of his newfound strength, Colt has been studying to take over his family household for years. As much a leader as he is a warrior, Colt has a head for strategy just as much as he does prowess in battle... if a bit feral at times. Gregarious to a fault and something of a flagrant womanizer, Colt takes advantage of every opportunity for fun when possible, preferring to resolve things with words before weapons. Not that Colt needs weapons - every year, it becomes more clear that the influence of the lion spirit protecting him grows more prominent, even morphing his very body with features of a large feline. His senses are sharpened to a razor edge, and he can almost seem to detect a fight coming before it even happens. And if his physical might won't see him through, his magical prowess is certain to cover any gaps he might have. Much like a lion watching over his pride, Colt takes his duty as a noble very seriously, and his quick thinking has let him take advantage of opportunities others pass over easily. Colt's family, House Warwick, have a wide variety of noble friends, both within Taldor, and in other nations. One such is the Tiboroi family in Nidal, who recently sent word that something is amiss at home, though the matter in question was vaguely worded. Colt's instincts tell him that there is something wrong going on in Nidal (besides the usual), and felt compelled to travel out to see the problem with his own eyes.
I'm really sorry for going quiet for a bit, all. My little sister and parents had to run up to Philadelphia for a cardiac MRI (scheduled it for Friday morning, let us know Tuesday at 3:15... thanks, CHOP...), which left us scrambling a bit and me with a significant shortfall of time. Things should be more stable now, just wanted to let folks know. Sorry for going a bit dark. :(
Colt ached a little as the snake bite left him pained a bit. But he'd be fine... he had to be! Stomping at the snake to move it into a better position, Colt jabbed his blade into the ground, hoping to cut off the head and end it! "What's with the animals around here!?"
Hey everyone. I'm really sorry about the delay. Our company has gotten some new hands on deck, and I've been helping train them. Which is cool, but also cuts into my time to do anything. I should be back in action relatively soon.
Colt set things up for the night, offering to take first watch as he set things up for the night. As he did, a concerning thought hit him as he was working. "You don't think the dark dragons would've attacked Camlon too, do you? I mean... they were looking for us specifically, right?" A part of him fretted over the matter... they were on a peninsula, with Camlon along the route. What if they got there and... there was nobody to help them? Or worse, what if Dark Dragons occupied the kingdom? "One step at a time... " Colt muttered to himself. They'd get to Camlon first... THEN, decide what to do there. They'd get there by late day tomorrow... and not without a good night's rest.
"I dunno about me, though... I just build things. I guess that's pretty special, though... helped give Brim an arm again. So... not too shabby!" Colt crossed his arms, thinking a bit. Sarinah had a point... if the keys could be destroyed, why wouldn't they once they locked up Tyr. Maybe... it didn't work like that? 'One step at a time, Colt.' Sara's words rang in his mind, before nodding. "Doesn't matter if they can be destroyed or not. Our first step should be to get them. If the dark dragons want them, that should be reason enough. We've seen what happens when they run unchecked." Colt said, motioning around at the destroyed village. "But before we can get the key, we need to get to Camlon. Tell the magistrates we're coming and what's going on. Then we can focus on the keys... one step at a time." Colt nodded, lowering his arms and looking at the others. "Dragons or not, we can't let the dark dragons run things as they please. We need to stop them... let's get moving."
Colt smiled as he holstered his crossbow on his back, watching Wendy hug her mom. "See? Told you we'd bring her back!" Colt called out, before folding his arms at the elders. His grin diminished a little. "...just wish I could be so confident about our next step." When asked about what they knew, Colt frowned, shaking his head a bit. "Not much... Sara left us a note before she turned us all to stone. She called us 'Light Dragons.' Said we were the last. Sounds a bit... odd to me. I don't... feel like a dragon. Do you guys?" he asked, looking at Brim and Sarinah with a cocked brow. "She told us to get everyone to Camlon in the north. After that... we three move on to a place called Nanai. Need to look for something called the... uh, what was it? The 'Earth Key?'" Colt huffed and shook his head. "She said you could tell us more, but... I don't see how a key is going to stick it to the Dark Dragons."
Colt caught his breath as he reloaded his crossbow with another clip. "Well, you weren't exactly kitted out for a fight. Not to worry! We've got things well in hand! Let's get you home to your little girl." Colt moved around to quickly retrieve as many bolts as he could before nodding to the others, leading the way home. "Let's regroup with the elders and get everyone northward. Then we can start planning on striking back against the Dark Dragons."
Colt stepped up and leveled his bow at the final flea, before firing a pair of shots at the little beast to put it down. Time to end this thing!
Or not. Getting a good track on the thing without hitting his friends was a bit trickier than expected.
Sounds awesome! :D
Colt turns and quickly ejects the magazine of bolts in his bow, reaching back to get a new one to load in. "Molly, this way! Brim and Sarinah have this one!" Colt said, latching in the clip and reading it.
Colt grimaced as the other flea attacked Sarinah and Molly, before quickly reloading his bow. "Brim! Help Sarinah! I'll get this one!" he said, before aiming his crossbow at the flea and firing a couple more shots at it.
Okay, back! Sorry everyone, we've had some minor blackouts around our neck of the woods, likely thanks to the storm... maybe. Could just be folks not wanting to do their jobs. :/ But I should be back!
Sorry, got a tad distracted (we're in the path of Florence, so been a bit busy.) Bolt Ace's start with a masterwork crossbow of their choice for free. Can't believe I forgot the traits... I'll get that sorted out as soon as possible!
"Whoa!" Colt shouted, before leveling his handy crossbow at the distant purple one and firing at it. One shot. *cha-chink* Second shot. *cha-chink* Handy thinking, installing an auto-loading mechanism on this thing! Made it a little heavy, a bit harder to aim, though... "Nice one, Sarinah! Brim! One on the left! Squash it!"
Colt helps usher Molly back to the village, ready to get her back to her little girl and get an update from the elders.
"Just about!" Colt called up, finishing his drawing and grabbing the rope to pull himself out. "So weird! It looks like a bunch of moles in clothes... never heard of that before! Might wanna ask the elders when we get back about these!" Colt shouted as he climbed up.
Once to the top, Colt nods, pulling the ropes back up to untie them and wrap them up in loops. "Let's get her back home. Then we can see about heading north, get some help from Camlon."
Sounds good to me! Just glad to have site running again! Sporadic as it may be.
"Sounds like a right gentleman." Colt replied, shaking his head. "Uhm... yes. She's back at the main hall with Elder Eden. There's been a... thing that happened. She's fine, but she's the reason we came looking for you. She'll be glad to see you safe." He'd need to remember that feather, though... sounded pretty handy! Studying the wall painting, copying it to some paper, before turning back up and waiting for the rope to come back down so he could climb and rejoin with the others. "Alright! I'm coming up, Brim! Hold fast a bit longer, okay!?"
Lifting his lantern up from his belt, Colt managed to get a good look at the walls and the creatures on it... but paused when he noticed Molly's choice of clothing. "O-oh! Uhm... ah, s-sorry..." he said befuddled, trying to avert his gaze a bit and focus on the mole creatures. "A-ah... yeah, yeah, we, uhm... here." Colt quickly took of his cloak and handed it to Molly so she could get dressed a little more modestly. "That's, uhm... that's some very... light clothing for spelunking down here..." Placing his lantern on the ground and tying a sturdy loop at the end of the rope, Colt tested it before stepping aside so Molly to board the makeshift lift. " Lucky you didn't get hurt in the fall... and that you can see in the dark. Brim's up top. He should be able to lift you all the way up. I'll be up in a moment, I wanna get a good look at these images first..." Colt pulled out some charcoal and paper from his pack, placing the paper up and trying to get some etchings of the work. He'd never heard of mole people before... wonder if the elders knew about these.
Aaaaand I open my big mouth...
Looks like the site is a little more stable now...
"Whew... that's a relief. Hang on, we'll be down in a moment! And a... painting? Of creatures wearing clothes..?" Now THAT intrigued him... enough that he wanted to get a replica of it, if he could. "Sounds like she's alright. Brim, I'm gonna go down and help send her up. Think you can pull her up on my mark? I'll be up afterwards... I wanna have a good look at this picture down there." Double checking to make sure he had some paper and charcoal for sketching, Colt steadied the rope on the tree, before carefully climbing down the hole, lantern hanging off his belt to shed some light.
"Depends on if she can walk... if she can, you're a lot stronger than any of us, you'd probably have the easiest time pulling her up. If she can't, well... you'll have to climb up with her. It's a 70 foot fall... not sure how well she made it..." Colt said, finishing latching the ropes together and finding a suitable tree to tie it around. "You think you and Sarinah can shimmy down the rope and lend her a hand? She might be hurt... and Sarinah would have to be close to lend her a hand. Molly! We're sending down a rope! How banged up are you!?" Colt called, before lowering the rope down the hole.
"Ah! Good thinking, Sarinah!" Colt watches the stick fall down, judging and guessing that it was a good deal longer than the rope he had on hand. "Don't worry! We'll get you out! Just... need more rope..." Kneeling down and pulling off his pack, Colt nodded up at Brim. "My guess is she's about 70 ft. down... I've got a good 50 ft of rope here. Unless anyone has any spare strands, you'd best head back and find some more rope so we can get her out."
"Good call. We could use her magic if things get dicey." Waiting for the others to return, he nods, before leading the way to the edge of the woods. A welcome respite from the destruction of his home... Colt halts at the edge of the cave, looking down into the darkness before kneeling down and pulling his lantern off of his pack. "Tracks stop here... ah... I don't recall this hole behind here before. Let me light this up and get a good look." Flicking the lantern on, Colt closed the waterproof casing before holding it up and leaning into the hole "Molly? Molly, are you down there!? It's Colt, from the village! Please tell me you're alright down there!"
Colt inspected what was left of the shack, before shaking his head. "No signs of her here... c'mon, fates, cut me some slack on this one..." Colt pondered a bit, before opting for a different line of thinking. If she wasn't here... maybe she was somewhere else! "Stay clear... lemme get a good look at the ground. Might be some tracks through the dirt around here..." Colt said, looking through the rubble before turning his attentions to the ground around the house. Perhaps she'd run to safety...
Colt nodded, pulling out his crossbow, clicking it into a ready position before heading out towards Molly's home. The fires might be gone... but the Dark Dragons may not be. "Keep your wits about you..." Colt instructed, moving forward. His eyes peeled for any trouble or any sound, he twitches at each sight, keeping an ear out for any calls or moans of help.
Colt followed the sound of crying as Brim led the way. Outside, little Wendy couldn't seem to locate her mom... he just prayed she was missing under some rubble of something, not... the alternative. Still, he had to keep a strong facade up for her. "Hey, hey, hey, don't cry. She's just... busy." Colt said, kneeling down and fishing some old cloth out of his pocket to wipe her face down. "Here, you go keep Elder Eden company, and we'll go find your mom, alright? Ask her to tell you a story. By the time she's done with it, we'll find her!" he offered, smiling and directing the little girl into the building. Though, once she was out of earshot, he turned grimly to Brim. "...I wish I felt as confident as that sounded. They live in a small shack to the south... what say we fan out from there?" he offered, before starting towards their little shack.
Colt listened, folding his arms and thinking a bit. "Tyr? Sara... mentioned that in one of her lessons, didn't she?" he mused, trying to think back. It was a bit of a jumble... history was never his strongest point. "But why are the Dark Dragons trying to resurrect Tyr anyways? And who's Zog?" Colt frowned, looking down before turning back to Brim and offering to help. "Here, let's get your arm in place. Sara said that we need to get that Earth Key and become warriors to stop Zog... and it'd be a lot easier if you had two arms instead of one." Once Brim was settled, Colt will help do a headcount of the villagers remaining and see who was missing.
Colt takes a moment to pause, before nodding at the elder's words. Right... Sara wouldn't want him panicking. "Right... you're right. Okay... we need a plan." he replied, nodding to Brim. "The letter says we should get everyone to Camlon first... that's north, if I recall right. Okay, end product. Now for the steps. First things first... we need to make sure we have everyone. So let's do a head count, see who's missing. Once we've got everyone, we can pack up what's left and get moving. After we've reached Camlon, we can worry about that Earth key and whoever this 'Zog' guy is... because I have a looooong list of questions for him." Colt turned back to Elder Eden. "Okay... let's see who's missing, then we can find any stragglers while you all pack up... whatever's left." Once he had a chance though, he leans close and lowers his voice to Brim. "(You saw dragons fighting, right? A pink one and a dark green one? A lot of lightning all over the place?)"
Colt blinked as Sara mentioned about being sorry? But that question suddenly got answered as he felt his flesh start to petrify! Looking back at Sara, he moved to reach out and speak... but was frozen before he could even stretch out a hand. Looking around, it seemed like the place was destroyed... but they were safe! Smart thinking! Stone doesn't burn, so protect everyone by turning them to stone! But that dream... it still haunted him. "Hey, uh... did... did anyone see something while they were... uh, stuck?" he asked, before looking at the note in Sarinah's hand. "Oh! Sarinah, what'd Sara sa- SARA!" Colt forgets his question to see the note, instead running to the doorway (or what was left of it, at least) to look outside for Sara... perhaps there was a chance she was still alive! However, that dream still bugged him... was that... Sara he had seen?
"The locks aren't working!? Dammit!" Maybe he should've left those particular projects alone, and focused on the water pump. Ah, hindsight... always 20/20. "Don't worry about me! I'll be fine! Just get yourself and Sarinah to safety!" Finally finishing grabbing his gear, Colt bolted for the door and down the stairs with Brim and Sarinah, finding a number of other villagers gathered... was it all of them? It didn't look like all of them... then again, he was in a bit of a rush. Finally, Sara came in from the outside. She looked a bit frantic... no surprise. Colt himself must look like a mess. "Sara, what kind of numbers are we looking at? Can we take 'em? Just point me in the right direction! My trigger finger's itching for a target!" he said. Truth be told, he was acting much more confident than he felt... at best, perhaps they could cover the other villagers for their escape. Where could they go, though? North? Maybe... would they make it, that was the question.
"Agh! What!?" Colt fumbled out of bed as he struggled to process the variety of things going on. The dream gone bad, the fire blazing around him, the Elder ordering him downstairs. "Oh... shoot!" Colt quickly scrambled for what equipment he could. His crossbow, his bag, his gear... Putting his crossbow over his shoulder, Colt hooked up his belt and bandolier, grabbed his bag, and chased after the other two, spying Brim through the smoke. "Brim! Gimme a second, I'll help you get your arm on downstairs! Dang it! Is Sarinah up there with you?!" Son of a smelter! Why didn't he finish that water sprayer pump!? It was meant for crops, but it would sure as heck help with this!
Constructed the general alias. I left things kinda vague, but he's the town tinkerer whose inventions range from really thoughtful and helpful to "...not sure why we'd need that, but... thank you?" "Always come prepared!" Crunch:
Male Human Gunslinger (Bolt Ace) 1
NG Medium Humanoid (Human) Init +3; Perception +6
Deeds 2/2 Grit
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Combat Gear Repeating Heavy Crossbow, Studded Leather,
Appearance:
Colt is a fairly good looking fellow, about 5'11" tall with dark brown short hair. He does his best to keep himself shaven and clean, and usually keeps his equipment clean and neat. His body is toned and thick from the heavy metal work he usually does, and he always has a smile on his face, complimenting his dark green eyes.
History: Arguably Drogen's oddest member, but no less dedicated to the well being of the town, Colt has grown up with a fascination for all things mechanical. Since he was little, the adults of the town have had to take some extra precautions to keep him from escaping his nursery, since he always seemed to grasp the locks they used to keep him in, and would often either foil them, or make something else that could bypass their little security measures. Still, they could see promise in the young man as he grew, and encourage safe, but adamant experimentation with the laws of physics and all the trinkets he could get his hands on.
As he grew older, he had a space built up behind his family home to continue working on his more intricate and outlandish ideas. Physics, metallurgy, building, and tinkering all came naturally to him and he aspired to use his unique gadgets to help make life around the village easier... with varying degrees of success. His automatic gate and door locks have inadvertently locked folks in their homes and animals in their pens until he fixed them, but his water-dripping time keeper has helped keep a relatively accurate time that the villagers can reliably count on. In particular, when Old Jerrin lost his left arm in a logging accident, but Colt's prosthetic has renewed his vigor and gotten him back in action. But Colt would like to see what lies beyond the little village of Drogen. Are there other inventors like him out there? What have they made? Homes? Cities? Machinations the likes of which he hasn't even thought of yet!? While he doesn't want to abandon his home and the people he calls family... he would like to see what else is out there.
A bit late to the party, but... yeah... sorry to miss saving the world with you guys! Hope to do so in the future!
"A few weeks ago... I had to get all the way from Alkenstar to here, after all." Colt tapped a few places on his arm, before a recreation of the map he received illuminated above his arm. "The problem is thus: someone had to know that we would show up at the same time, gather in the same area... which happened to be the same place the hydra attacked us. Which is what worries me." He paused a moment, letting his display of the map shrink back into his arm before continuing. "Let me put it this way: whenever I conduct an experiment, I want something called a control group. A set of variables and circumstances that I can control to ensure that if I repeat the experiment again, I have a good chance of replicating the results I want. Reducing risk, as it were." "Here's my hypothesis: we were, in terms of an experiment, supposed to meet that hydra and the undead on the day this whole fiasco happened. That was supposed to happen. How do you reduce the risk to ensure that outcome does happen? Well, having control of a hydra and an undead entourage helps." He folded his arms, closing his eyes in deep thought for a minute. "That leads me to my chief worry: we were brought here, on purpose, at the same time... by our charming century old hostess herself. Empress Vincere."
"And none of that strikes you as strange?" Colt said, his smirk now gone as he contemplated the circumstances of their meeting. "Think about it... someone had to have not only access to the magic to make these maps, but to make sure they all found their way into our hands... from every corner of the world." He folded his arms, tapping on the metal as he continued. "And, on the same day we arrive at our collective destination, a hydra attacks, undead walk the streets, and a long dead tyrant rises from her grave to claim part of the city. I'm a man of science... I don't believe in random coincidences. I theorize someone had to know all this would happen... which raises another troubling question: how?" Arriving at the temple of Sarenrae, Colt's mind was now a pool of thoughts and concerns. Too many theories, not enough conclusive evidence. He just prayed that these archives, whatever they were, had at least a few of the answers he wanted. "Lightning. You keep running off like that, one of these days, you'll run yourself into some deep trouble."
"Hey! I pay my own way! You know. When they let me.." Caleb snips back. "Speaking of 'charm', are all Alkenstars as good at first impressions as you are?" Colt smirked as Caleb's retort. "You mean can I recall when I meet a lovely lady or not? Or do you mean is everyone as rugged, good-looking, handsome, or bright as me? Doubtful. Most folks in the Mana Wastes suffer from pretty bad mutations, so you get a lot more folks who look a little off. Like me, being born without a left arm. Not all of us can be blessed by the gods, can we?" Colt lifted up his metallic arm and waved it. "The difference with me, however, is that life handed me lemons, I handed 'em back and said 'F**k you, I want some oranges.' And when life said no, I went, picked the oranges, and made sweet, sweet juice with them."
Colt smirked, shaking his head at both Caleb and Lightning's long titles and names. Not that he didn't have one himself, but why ruin the mystery. "Siren already knows, but I'm Colt." he said, putting his regular arm around Siren's shoulder as he walked. "Nobody likes a cheapskate, Caleb. And I thought Caydenites were supposed to be smooth. When a pretty lady says she knows you, you play along. Or do you need some liquid courage before that charm kicks in?" "I hail from Alkenstar, myself. Actually came here following some kind of map... just lead from home to here. After that... I 'unno. I guess I was expecting something to happen... hehe, to be fair, something DID happen. Just wasn't expecting a baby hydra to come rearing up in the middle of town. Or undead water folks. Or a time distortion barrier. Guess it's a good thing I liked the idea of a vacation, huh?"
"Magic is no different than science. It has to follow rules. Doesn't matter who wields it or what it does. The more info we have on hand, the better a plan we can make." Colt said, taking both Siren and Kiwyn's observations into consideration. "Si has a point, though... if we knew of a way to get this lady's guard down... we might have a way in. But I'd rather learn more about this. I don't want to age to dust, so a back up plan would be nice." "Lead the way, Caleb. If our friend has tomes, I'd like a look at them."
"I wouldn't try that, if I were you." Colt said, finishing his scan and pulling back his arm. "The amount of transmutation energy in that dome is off the scale... I can't even trace it on my current equipment. There's a decent chance that if you put your hand through that barrier, it will turn into a frog on the other side. Or set you on fire. Could do anything, really. No, we need more information before we go barreling in." Colt folded his arms before turning to the Sarenrae priest. Sounded like he had some idea of who was behind this phenomenon. "Who's Marissa Vincere?"
Colt was about to say something, but Lucca took off well before he could. As the citizens asked for their help, Colt was admittedly torn. On one hand, he didn't want to get deeply involved in something that could end poor for him. On the other... he adored the attention he got! Either way, that big cloud was troubling... if someone could summon a storm so localized, they must wield some powerful magic. Theoretically, Alkenstar, located in the heart of the Mana Wastes, would be safe... but that would still leave a lot of other potential problems...
"I'm pretty quick myself. Not as quick as him, but..." Colt held up his arm as it grew a line of metal plating along his back and shoulders, before unfolding into a set of thrusters that flared to life. "I can move fast. You'd better go on ahead. HEY! Guards... my sensors are picking up a lot of necromantic energy in the area. If I were you, I'd be much less handsome, but I'd also set up a safe zone around that little hydra. Don't want it rearing up and causing more trouble." At that, he lifted slightly off the ground and hovered off after the others. ********** At the edge of the dome of strange magic, Colt retracted his boosters and approached the area, studying it. "What the hells... ACME, gimme a reading. What am I looking at?" He raised his arm, radar and lights once again roving the area as he looked at the monitor on his arm. It looked as if the area beyond had been replaced with some sort of dimensional shift... as if a hole in the planes had been opened up and switched with the area.
Colt starts a little at the contact, but certainly doesn't complain as the waves of healing wash over him. Looking back, he eyed Kiwyn before smirking. "Normally I like for folks to ask before they touch... but I can make an exception for you~" As his arm continued scanning, a little display lit up on the side, which drew Colt's attention as he nodded. "It's one of a kind, and I have to agree... it is a pretty cool arm. Not every day you meet a guy who has rebuilt himself. It's called ACME. Short for 'Arcane Configuration and Manipulation Equipment'. Though I am curious as to why you are literally greased lightning..." He nodded towards Caleb. "You chucked 12 tons of frozen fish like it was a morning workout..." He nodded back towards Kiwyn. "Nor why you have three of the lovelist tails I've ever seen~. Nor Siren over there. Not sure where she came from, but she's a new sight for me as well." Colt returned to his arm monitor for another minute, before it beeped, the red lights retracting... though the radar dish kept circling about. "Right... localize the scan. I wanna know if anything else undead decides to give us a nasty surprise." He ordered, before turning back to the others, still tapping at his arm. To say these results worried him would be an understatement. "He's flatlined. Just missed him... looks like a magical overdose, scans are picking up heavy, traces of necromantic and enchantment auras. On everyone, honestly. Didn't affect me, luckily. It looks like my personalized arcane filtration system bore the brunt of it... smart addition, if I do say so myself. But it would take a mountain of arcane energy to affect so many folks. I'm going to guess whoever is responsible for this is also responsible for that storm brewing around Azlanti Keep... and calling for that baby cryohydra. And those undead." Noticing a few folks approaching the hydra, Colt paused and looked between it and the undead undine, before shouting. "HEY! I wouldn't touch it! Not until I've had a good look at it!"
Colt finished pulling his fist free of the last undine zombie, before turning up to hear the laugh fade away. "...yeah, you'd better run!" he shouted, before the armor on his body started to fold in towards his arm, gripping to staunch the blood at his sides. "Ah... ACME, memo for later. Look at the armor fabrication pattern, see if we can't tighten it up. Can't afford chinks in the armor like that." Hearing a few folks clapping, Colt smirked and held up his hands to absorb what he could of it. "Thank you, thank you, you're too kind! Please, feel free to stand!" Noting that Lord Gyr didn't seem to be moving, and having been the recent subject of a seeming possession, Colt decided it would be a good to get a read-out on Gyr's current status. Passing by the others to the stage, Colt patted shoulders and smiled that winning smile. "Nice work. Good job. Not the most orthodox way of moving a hydra, but effective." He held out his hand once in range, a little radar dish popping out of the top of the forearm as red lights projected by his palm covered Lord Gyr's form (assuming the guards don't block him). "ACME, full body scan. Look for foreign bodies and traces of residual eldritch manifestations. Make sure he doesn't need a doctor." ['Right away, Sir.']
I just saw that. Thank you!
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