Well, the thing is still slowly bursting out at you.
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No problem mate, I'm not very active these days either what with my job and all so I'm on Zen Mode.
As soon as the warmth of your hand touches the crystalline surface, shards of the black material burst forth to cover your hand.
Luckily, you manage to tear your hand away just in time. However, the mass begins to buckle and shake and more of the material begins bursting from the "infected" cryo pod and slowly begins moving toward you.
I'm still here, just had a crazy week with over 400 campers so I've had very little time. Expect a full post either tonight or tomorrow. Thanks for being patient!
The strange crystal doesn't respond in any way... but the screeching gets louder the closer you get.
@Edmund: You don't see anything else out of the ordinary.
The screeching seems to be coming from darkened shape at the back of the pods. Getting a little closer, you see that some black crystalline substance has pierced through one of the pods from the outside and the body inside is screeching ever so slightly. @Chronis: Organic.
Sounds good.
As you enter the eight digit code into the door, a loud whirring noise echoes from within. The doors slide open revealing a mist filled room. And it's freezing. Hundreds of cryopods lie in rows, frost glazing the glass. A loud noise from the far end of the room catches your attention. It sounds like loud screeching.
I'll be posting tomorrow night. Paizo wasn't loading all night and I just got back from a long day of work. Rest easy friends.
I'll be at my girlfriend's graduation ball so I'll be back Sunday evening.
With deft fingers you sever the wires emitting the sparks. You maneuver yourself so as to reach inside and manage to unlock the doors. The black stuff isn't moving. Who enters first?
You all arrive within a round's distance of the pod chambers. You see they are relatively stable. Some parts seem damaged however. You come across the entrance to the inner chambers... however, sparks are fritzing around it.
@Gunny: A long grey flying worm, no wings, just a flying worm. No mouth was seen. Probably digs through earth for all you know. It came from beyond the pods however.
I'm off for the evening but will return later tonight. Fear not, fear not.
The creature wings itself closer and closer... and is gone. It continues its odd flight away from you now.
@Jack: The creature appears to be about the size of a horse. (Large) It is indeed headed your way.
At its current range its outside the kilometer range.
Using binoculars, the "thing" resembles nothing more than a worm. A large, gray, flying worm. And it's headed straight for you.
@Gunny: It's a bit early trust me. You barely have supplies for yourselves, let alone for more.
The dark crystalline mass looks similar to one of the unidentified elements detected with Edmund's jitney. Meanwhile, out of the corner of your eye (those who are outside), you see a strange shape on the horizon. A blackish smudge in the distance, but it appears to be moving closer. It looks to be currently farther than the pods but is fast approaching.
Yeah I know, same here.
Those checking the instruments still note the signal is pointing far off, but the pods are definitely just an hour up ahead.
Currently we only have Yogh and Aden who haven't posted very recently. Everyone else has been intermittent but it's summer and people have things to do I'm guessing. And that works well. Yogh and Aden are currently working on some research doodad alright?
Glad to hear from you again Jack. And no issues, we seem to have a loss of PCs at the moment so we're making due with who/what we have.
Funnily enough, the cryo pods seem much closer than the signal seems to indicate. In fact, after a mere two hours you are able to spot the jettisoned pod bay. Edmund: You also spot what appears to be a large black mass to the right of the pods. It's crystalline in shape, but isn't moving.
@Gunny: From what you can read up on, the pods themselves would barely fit in one trailer. However, there's bound to be wreckage in any case, and for the most part the pods should be intact and the people inside should be able to be awakened on site.
EN ROUTE TO THE STASIS PODS As you make your way across the rocky fields, an hour in you spot a promontory in the distance. Its location is higher and would give a good view all around. You needn't head there right away, but it might give a good look around as well as perhaps make for a good HQ location.
As the day passes, the temperature finally returns to normal. By calculations and assessment the phenomena looks to be this planet's equivalent of thunder and lightning. The four jitneys are constructed and ready in the airlock, as are the trailers. The signals of the nearby locations beep, calling forth the brave and the bold.
In any case, feel free to pass the day and head out. I've got the exterior all set up.
I won't be offing anyone. Worse case they fall ill to space plague and you lock em in the cryostasis chambers.
Ah there you all were... though Aden and Yogh are still unaccounted for. Alright, who pushed them out the airlock?
Polo! Indeed we do seem to be missing quite a large number of people at the present moment eh?
@Dr. Williams: Mostly Calcite: CaCO3 but there are definitely unknown elements in there. And it's mainly unknown material. @Gunny: Structural is usually for buildings, but I'll allow it. The 3rd and 4th Jitney will be done by the end of the day. The signals are still strong. As the day passes though, the sensors read an increase in temperature and around noon (well, the time when the star in this planet's sky is at its zenith), the temperatures begin rising dramatically, rising every couple of seconds. Thankfully the shelter seems to be able to take the heat, and just around 1 hour past noon, the temperatures have reached over 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Anyone looking through the sensors sees an unbelievable sight. Spoiler:
A burning blue arc of fire sears across the sky, covering most of it in a fiery cerulean haze. As it passes, the foggy sulfur atmosphere seems to have dissipated and a clear view of the sky, a pale beige, can be seen, the sun shining above. Minutes later, the temperature drops back down to the normal levels.
@Williams: The soil has trace elements similar to earth like rocks, but some materials are unidentifiable.
I vote "aye"
I did drop the plot bomb =_= "Unrecognized Signal" wasn't big enough? Alright, where's my portable black hole generator...
Lucky man, but I feel you for Game of Thrones. Today is my Season 3 day so I'll be viewing ep. 1 to 9.
@Edmund and Williams: The Space-Trike (until an official name is coined) works perfectly. Gravity on the planet seems thankfully normal, though slightly heavier, but not enough to make a difference. (no penalties stat wise.) As far as the surface goes, it's hard rock but some fine dust leaves a trail.
I was also at a training weekend for camp, I imagine this has been a busy weekend for everyone.
@Jack: You will have managed to construct an electric powered "cycle" type vehicle, but I believe Aden was attempting to think up the Rover. In any case, it won't take that many DCs of construction material to build. I'd say 25 is fine for this. I imagine pedal power drives the battery?
When I ran Rise of the Runelords our party really became quite enmeshed with the citizens of Sandpoint. I ran a couple of subplots set in and around the town between Burnt Offerings and The Skinsaw Murders. This allowed the party to get to know the natives a bit better. They put trophies of monsters they killed on the wall of the Rusty Dragon, started to add shrines to their deities in the cathedral, held parties in the Hagfish and even got the local Sczarni thugs onside during the attack by the Stone Giants. Once the party started to get a bit more famous Cyrdak started writing plays about them and was forever pestering them to star in them (to the point that the party sorceress became almost as famous for her performances on stage as for her adventuring!). When Cyrdak was killed later on in the Adventure Path they moved heaven and earth to find a way to raise him from the dead, if only to assuage the grief of Jasper. It doesn't take much to get the party thinking of the town as home, just little things and interludes during down time really helps it come alive and makes a huge difference to the campaign on the whole. |
