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Gentlecritters, I return to tabletop IRL!
Beginning this Thursday, I resume tabletop play with my long-standing crew of miscreants. This time, we have three players taking on the latest completed AP, Iron Gods.
Numerian superscience!
Giant robot scorpions!
Dark-haired barbarian kings!
Amazing sights and fantastic sounds!
Will the intrepid adventurers survive the dangers in and around Torch, a tiny outpost in the wilderness of Numeria? Will the discover why the strange skymetal melting purple fire extinguished itself? Will the Technic League exert itself and cause more problems for the area?
Stay tuned, readers, for the gory details and juicy gossip!
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A brief word on Technology:
Even in a world full of magic, wonders remain that perplex even the most learned of sages.
No new skills specific to dealing with advanced technology are necessary, but several existing skills gain new uses, as detailed on the affected skills detail pages. PCs who embrace super-science and futuristic tech can choose from a number of feats, spells, and archetypes to give them more options regarding technology, while those who want little to do with the strange and alien devices can select character options that grant them heightened defenses or offense against technology. Additionally, the technomancer prestige class unlocks the secrets of powering technology through magic, and of repurposing captured devices into forms unimagined by their creators.
Crafting High-Tech Items
The process of building technological items has much in common with magic item creation, though it uses different feats, skills, and facilities. As with magic items, the creator invests time and money in the creation process and at the end attempts a single skill check to complete construction. Since technological items do not have caster levels, the DC of this check is defined in the description of each technological item. Failing this check means that the item does not function and the materials are wasted. Failing this check by 5 or more may result in a catastrophic failure, such as electrocution or an explosion, at the GM's discretion.
Unlike magic items, which often require spells as prerequisites for construction, high-tech items require a specialized laboratory with the necessary tools for fabrication. Using a crafting lab to build a high-tech item consumes an amount of power each day. Days when the crafting lab is without power effectively delay continued construction of a high-tech item, but time already spent building the item is not lost. In addition, crafting an item requires an expenditure of time (from a character with the appropriate crafting feat) and an expenditure of money used to secure the technological components and expendable resources needed for the work.
Creating a technological item requires 8 hours of work per 1,000 gp in the item's base price (or fraction thereof ). The creator must spend the gold at the beginning of the construction process. The process can be accelerated to 4 hours of work per 1,000 gp by increasing the DC to create the item by 5. When determining the required time, ignore any fixed costs such as the weapon portion of implanted weaponry.
The creator can work for a maximum of 8 hours per day, even if she doesn't require sleep or rest. These days need not be consecutive. Ideally, the creator can work for at least 4 hours at a time uninterrupted, but if this is not possible (such as while adventuring), the creator can devote 4 hours of work broken up over the day, accomplishing a net of 2 hours of progress. Work under distracting or dangerous conditions nets only half the progress as well. If the creator can't dedicate at least 4 hours of work during a day (even if broken up or under distracting conditions), any work performed that day is wasted.
A character can work on multiple technological items at a time, or even in the same day as long as at least 2 hours net labor can be spent on each item. This doesn't let a creator exceed the limits on work accomplished in a single day, but does require separate power expenditures for each item (working on multiple projects at a time is not particularly energy efficient).
Technological items can be repaired using the appropriate crafting feats in the same way magical items can be repaired, but such methods cannot repair the more fundamental ravages of time that afflict timeworn technological items.
Crafting Laboratories
Although there is a wide range of technological items, the types of laboratories needed to craft objects are relatively limited. Crafting laboratories are, unfortunately, incredibly rare. A crafting laboratory is similar to a technological artifact, in that it cannot be assembled or built with currently available resources. In order to craft a technological item, one must secure a laboratory for use. (This allows GMs to limit the role high-tech crafting plays in any one game—make sure to inform your players of the limited availability of crafting laboratories at the start of your game so they know whether selecting high-tech crafting feats is a useful option for their PCs!)
The six types of laboratories are listed below. Each lab also lists the number of charges required for a day's work on a single project—these numbers are generally rather high, and laboratories that don't draw power from a generator can consume staggering amounts of battery power. A laboratory that uses power from a generator applies the listed charges to that generator's dedicated yield for as long as work on the item continues.
Cybernetics Lab (100 charges): A cybernetics lab is used to craft cybernetic equipment and devices that interface directly with a living creature's biology.
Graviton Lab (250 charges): A graviton lab is used to craft items that utilize graviton technology, such as gravity rifles, force fields, and magboots.
Medical Lab (20 charges): This lab is used to craft medical items like trauma packs and medlances and pharmaceuticals.
Military Lab (100 charges): A military lab is used to craft weapons that don't require more specialized laboratories.
Nanotech Lab (150 charges): This lab is used to craft devices that utilize nanotechnology, such as id rifles and k-lances.
Production Lab (50 charges): A production lab is used to craft objects that don't require more specialized laboratories.
Hybrid Items
Items with both magical and technological components, such as the null blade, use a special crafting process. The creator must first succeed at a skill check at the listed DC for crafting the technological portion of the item, and then must succeed at a check based on the item's caster level for crafting the magical portion. Any spell or level-based prerequisites not met increase this crafting DC, as described for magic item creation. The skill used for each check is based on the item creation feats required by the item. Failure on either check ruins the item. Use the item's listed price as normal for determining crafting time, and the item's cost for raw materials. If the creator has feats or abilities that accelerate item creation, only the least favorable bonus applies. In other words, to create a hybrid item faster, the creator needs to be able to create both magical and technological items faster.
It is also possible to enhance high-tech armor and high-tech weaponry with armor special abilities or weapon special abilities, including magical enhancement bonuses. One could build a +2 laser rifle, a +4 dancing humanoid bane chainsaw, or a +1 ghost touch space suit. In theory, a magic item creator could even infuse a technological item with magical intelligence. To create a magical high-tech item like this, one must first secure the high-tech item itself, either via purchase, discovery, or crafting. All high-tech weapons and armor are considered masterwork for the purposes of adding magical enhancements to them (though they do not gain the other typical benefits for masterwork items). At the GM's discretion, some magical special abilities might simply not be appropriate for application to certain technological items. When a character crafts an existing technological item into a magic item in this manner, he does not need to meet the base item's crafting requirements—a wizard with Craft Magic Arms and Armor can create a +1 arc pistol from a normal arc pistol without having Craft Technological Arms and Armor and without having access to a military laboratory. In a situation where a character wishes to craft the entire item from scratch, the non-magical technological item must be fully crafted and completed before work on magically enhancing it can begin.
Pricing And Creating New Technological Items
New technological items can and should be created, using existing items for inspiration. A new item may resemble an existing magic item, such as how jet packs function like winged boots, but there should be differences beyond just battery power to keep technology distinct. When pricing a new technological item, use the existing guidelines for estimating magic item value. There's no extra cost associated with technological items since they have extra weaknesses to go along with their advantages. Items that use charges should be priced as if they were use-activated, not as if they were charged in the way a wand or ring of the ram is charged, unless the item is disposable and has 50 or fewer charges, as the assumption is that a newly crafted technological item can be recharged with relative ease.
Other Technological Items
A large number of technological items essentially duplicate existing magic items or spells, though, and while they are powered by super-science rather than magic, their game effects are the same.
For example, a pair of anti-gravity boots would function identically to a pair of boots of levitation, while an energy sword might function as a brilliant energy shock longsword. of course, the actual effects of these items, being technological in nature, function perfectly well in areas of primal magic or antimagic. At the same time, though, such items require power to function.
As a general rule, an item of this nature has a capacity of 10 and uses 1 charge each time it is activated. Items intended to have a continual or long-term use may instead use 1 charge per minute or 1 charge per hour—exact specifics can vary. An item's capacity or charge use does not affect its pricing if the item is fully functional and can be recharged—if the item has limited charges (see Timeworn Technology), its price is halved.
When you're adding technological items to the game, remember that some abilities should remain the purview of magic. Effects that technological items should not have include summoning extraplanar creatures through summoning or calling, influencing the attitudes of others through enchantments, divining the future or the best course of action through divination, and traveling on or between other planes of existence. GMs should, however, feel free to add such devices to their games should these devices meet the GMs' needs.
Technological Equipment
to set a technological campaign apart from a standard fantasy adventure, you need a variety of unusual futuristic items. But be it a laser gun in the hands of a terrible enemy or a set of strange gravity armor found in the treasure trove of an oddly uniform metal dungeon, technology from the future (or even the present-day real world) in a fantasy setting should be handled in a manner similar to magic items elsewhere in this game.
Many technological items replicate specific spells or magical effects. However, they do not use magic in any way, and thus function normally in areas of antimagic or primal magic, and are otherwise unaffected by any effects that target or affect magic items. (See page 8 for spells that specifically affect technological items.)
To set a technological campaign apart from a standard fantasy adventure, you need a variety of unusual futuristic items. But be it a laser gun in the hands of a terrible enemy or a set of strange gravity armor found in the treasure trove of an oddly uniform metal dungeon, technology from the future (or even the present-day real world) in a fantasy setting should be handled in a manner similar to magic items.
Many technological items replicate specific spells or magical effects. However, they do not use magic in any way, and thus function normally in areas of antimagic or primal magic, and are otherwise unaffected by any effects that target or affect magic items.
This section collects dozens of new items in the following categories.
Technological Weapons: The majority of technological weapons are ranged weapons, although some high-tech melee weapons can be found in dungeons as well.
Technological Armor: Technological armor works in a similar manner to standard armor, but often requires a power source to fully function.
Pharmaceuticals: Pharmaceuticals include drugs, poisons, and medicines. They can be ingested or injected, and generally have relatively minor or temporary effects.
Cybertech: Cybertech is a form of technology that must be implanted in a body before it can function. Cybertech typically augments a character's abilities and statistics.
Technological Gear: This catchall category includes a wide range of devices, from relatively minor gizmos like zipsticks to technological wonders like clonepods.
Technological Artifacts: Artifact status refers to items beyond the means of mortals to create or replicate, as well as beyond conventional measures of value. Unlike magical artifacts, technological artifacts can be destroyed just as other items could, and indeed may be quite fragile.
Color Code
Many technological items follow a color code that organizes similar items (such as nanite hypoguns, force fields, or gravity clips) according to their overall power. The power level for each color is listed below. Note that there are nine colors in the scale—the effects of an item of any individual color should roughly correspond to the power level of a spell of the associated level. Seven of these colors are associated with the seven skymetals. The least of the colors, brown, is associated with base ores, while the greatest of the colors, prismatic, is associated with all of the skymetals. In some technological items, actual skymetals of the appropriate color are used in the creation of the object, but in most, synthetic plastics and metals are used in place of the more valuable skymetals.
Brown: Roughly equivalent to a 1st-level spell. This color is not associated with skymetal.
Black: Roughly equivalent to a 2nd-level spell. This color is associated with adamantine.
White: Roughly equivalent to a 3rd-level spell. This color is associated with siccatite.
Gray: Roughly equivalent to a 4th-level spell. This color is associated with inubrix.
Green: Roughly equivalent to a 5th-level spell. This color is associated with noqual.
Red: Roughly equivalent to a 6th-level spell. This color is associated with djezet.
Blue: Roughly equivalent to a 7th-level spell. This color is associated with abysium.
Orange: Roughly equivalent to an 8th-level spell. This color is associated with horacalcum.
Prismatic: Roughly equivalent to a 9th-level spell. This color is associated with all skymetals.
Power Sources
Most of the technological wonders presented here require energy to function. These items each have a capacity score, which indicates the maximum number of charges the item can store at any one time. The number of charges an item consumes when it is used varies from item to item. An item's capacity can be filled from any power source—like a battery or a generator—as a standard action. When an item is charged, it always takes as many charges from the attached power source as it can hold, filling as close to its capacity as possible. Note that charging an item from a generator is more efficient, as any charges drained from a battery in excess of the number of charges an item can store are lost.
Timeworn Technology
The equipment presented here is described in full working condition and priced as such. Equipment that has been damaged or degraded over time works less consistently and is worth less money than new technological items. Such equipment is called "timeworn." See Timeworn Technology Glitches for details
Glitches!
When an item glitches, its effect is hampered or enhanced, as determined by a d% roll. When a timeworn technological item is first used after a month or more of inactivity, there's a 50% chance that it will glitch. Additionally, when using an item in a way that would drain its last charge, there's a 50% chance it will glitch. If an item requires a d20 roll (such as a skill check or an attack roll) to activate or use, it has a 50% chance to glitch on a natural 1. Note: The text of the previous sentence has been updated per official errata. [Source]
Timeworn technology doesn't always work as intended. There's a 50% chance that timeworn items glitch under the following conditions.
When an item is first used after a month or more of inactivity.
Anytime a single-use consumable is used.
When using an item in a way that would drain its last charge.
When an item requires a d20 roll (such as a skill check or an attack roll) to activate or use, and that roll results in a natural 1.
When a critical hit is confirmed against the wearer of an active defensive item, such as armor or a force field.
A piece of timeworn technology may have additional aesthetic and functional differences from a new piece of the same equipment. Many of these effects are purely cosmetic, such as cracks in the casing of an arc grenade or primitive etchings on a suit of technological armor placed there by a barbarian millennia ago. Pieces of timeworn technology may also have minor mechanical effects beyond glitches (at the GM's discretion). A timeworn laser pistol might constantly hum at a low but noticeable frequency, imparting a -1 penalty on Stealth checks. A timeworn plasma grenade could be caked in a strange viscous fluid that has a pungent odor, making its wielder more easily tracked via scent. Timeworn technological items should clearly evoke a sense of age and danger, and even the most standard piece of gear can be made unique based on individual deteriorations.
Note that not every technological item is timeworn, but most technology that PCs encounter outside of the deepest and most remote of ruins will be. These items function as presented in the previous chapter, can be recharged, and do not suffer glitches.
A timeworn technological item that is still somewhat functioning is worth half of its normal listed price, though one drained of its charges is worth 1% of its normal value, as a curiosity to collectors. Timeworn technology also has the following properties.
Not all glitches are catastrophic. When an item glitches, its effect is hampered or enhanced, as determined by a d% roll. For items that can consume a variable number of charges, these additional charges do not affect the item's performance; if such an item must consume twice as many charges, the amount is based on how many charges the user intended to use. When a glitch would cause an item to consume more charges than it currently holds, the item is drained of all charges and fails to function, but any negative effects still occur. Items that fail to function simply shut down if activated, and cannot be activated again for 1 round.
Non-Rechargable
Timeworn technological items can't be recharged. When a timeworn technological item is properly identified or first used, roll randomly to determine how many charges it has left before it becomes useless.
Pharmaceutical Glitches
Timeworn pharmaceuticals have a chance of glitching when the dose is administered, even if another dose was recently used effectively.
Table: Pharmaceutical Glitches
d% Glitch
01–02 Spoiled. Treat as poisoning by dark reaver powder.
03–11 Spoiled. Treat as exposure to red ache.
12–20 Spoiled. Patient is nauseated for 1d6 rounds.
21–30 Spoiled. Patient sickened for 1d6 × 10 minutes.
31–40 Spoiled. No effect.
41–50 Less potent. Decrease all save DCs by 2*. Use minimum values for all random results (such as healing). Decrease durations by 50%.
51–60 Normal effect, but causes 1d4 points of Constitution damage (Fortitude DC 15 half).
61–75 Normal effect, but hallucinogenic (–5 penalty on Perception checks and confused for 2d4 rounds, Fortitude DC 15 negates).
76–85 Normal effect.
86–95 More potent. Increase any save DCs by 2*. Reroll any result of 1. Increase durations by 100%.
96–100 Far more potent. As above, but treat as 2 doses.
* For a cardioamp, decrease the save DCs on a more potent result, and increase the save DCs on a less potent result.
Armor Glitches
Glitching armor that loses its ability to function still provides the normal armor bonus to AC, but any charged abilities are suppressed.
Table: Armor Glitches
d% Glitch
01–02 Armor abilities don't function. All remaining charges are drained.
03–05 Armor* seizes up and abilities don't function. The wearer is paralyzed for 1 round.
06–10 Armor doesn't function, but still consumes the normal number of charges.
11–18 Armor doesn't function, but no charges are lost.
19–50 Armor uses twice as many charges as normal (or expends an extra activation's worth of charges if already active).
51–75 Armor functions normally.
76–80 Armor functions better than anticipated. Its armor bonus improves by 1 for the duration of this charge.
81–90 Armor functions much better than anticipated. Its armor bonus improves by 2 and it provides moderate fortification for the duration of this charge.
91–98 Armor functions normally; no charges are consumed by this use.
99–100 Armor functions normally and a power surge restores 1d6 charges to the item (up to but not exceeding its capacity).
* For a shield, the shield's wielder is not impeded by the glitch.
Weapon Glitches
Weapons used to make more than one attack in a turn might glitch multiple times during that turn.
Table: Weapon Glitches
d% Glitch
01–02 Weapon does not function. All remaining charges are drained.
03–24 Weapon does not function, but still consumes the normal number of charges.
25–39 Weapon consumes twice as many charges as normal and deals 1d6 points of electricity damage per charge consumed (minimum 1d6) to the user.
40–65 Weapon consumes twice as many charges as normal.
66–75 Weapon functions normally but flashes brightly, blinding the wielder and adjacent creatures for 1 round (Reflex DC 15 negates).
76–84 Weapon functions normally.
85–92 Weapon functions better than anticipated, granting a +2 bonus on attack rolls made with that weapon for 1 round.
93–96 Weapon functions much better than anticipated, granting a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls made with the weapon.
97–98 Weapon functions normally, and this use does not consume any charges.
99–100 Weapon functions normally, and a power surge restores 1d6 charges to the item (up to but not exceeding its capacity).
General Glitches
Items other than armor, pharmaceuticals, or weapons use this general glitch table.
Table: General Glitches
d% Glitch
01–02 Item does not function. All remaining charges are drained.
03–05 Item does not function, but still consumes the normal number of charges.
06–10 Item does not function, but no charges are lost.
11–18 Item uses twice as many charges as normal and jolts the user for 1d6 points of electricity damage, but otherwise functions normally.
19–50 Item uses twice as many charges as normal, but otherwise functions normally.
51–75 Item functions normally.
76–80 Item functions better than anticipated, and grants a +1 bonus on any skill check attempted with this use.
81–90 Item functions far better than anticipated, and grants a +2 bonus on any skill check attempted with this use.
91–98 Item functions normally and this use does not consume any charges.
99–100 Item functions normally and a power surge restores 1d6 charges to the item.
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Torch
Economy
Torch is a center of smithing and metalworking thanks to the Torch Hill fire's unique properties. Anything that disrupts the flame also disrupts the town's economy.[2]
Government
Torch pays a monthly tribute of gold to the Technic League in exchange for autonomy. The League's ever-changing demands have limited the town's growth and fomented increasing resentment, but the tribute remains low enough to avoid an uprising.
The town's leadership includes Khonnir Baine, a wizard who owns The Foundry tavern and has explored the caves beneath Torch Hill's central hillock.
Geography
Torch Hill
A massive mound of black scorched stone, Torch Hill takes up about a third of the town's area, and its edges are lined with buildings blackened by the Torch's intermittent surges.
The Torch
As the town's namesake, this permanent violet flame has continuously burned on top of Torch Hill since it spontaneously ignited in 4602 AR and blazed as a massive column of purple fire for nearly two years, scorching the top of the hill black before subsiding.
While it requires no fuel to maintain, the Torch—usually the size of an adult human—is hot enough to melt difficult metals like adamantine and other skymetals. The flame's properties are inconsistent, however, with some points hot enough to instantly incinerate what it touches and others unable to ignite a piece of paper.
A pillar of flame reaching several miles into the sky erupts from the Torch several times a year and melts anything on the hillock into steaming glass. These explosions are always preceded by flashes in the Torch that townsfolk learned to decipher as a warning, and its smiths and metalworkers have adapted by using mobile workshops instead of permanent structures.[3]
In 4714 AR, the Torch went out, and Khonnir Baine vanished while investigating the caves beneath Torch Hill to determine what extinguished it.
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Game Date: Thursday, February 26, 2015. Session 1.
After too long of a hiatus from real-life tabletop gaming, I once again too up the screen. This time, my players numbered 3, setting out on the opening adventure of Iron Gods, Fires of Creation.
Characters:
Quinn deJunker: Human Gunslinger (Mysterious Stranger), native of Torch, junker/scavenger, and friend of Khonnir Baine.
Ulden & Chompy: Halfling Hunter and Medium T-Rex (allosaurus) animal companion. Hyperactive, possibly alcoholic, and possessing less than the standard amount of self-control.
Kyra the Sorceress: Human Stormborn Sorcerer. Relatively quiet, and probably the most wealthy of the group. Here in Torch to potentially set up a new merchant stand/store dealing in spellcasting & magical items.
On to the adventure!
To start off the night, Ulden heard of a man who was slit sternum to groin and dumped outside the Merrymaid "dance hall." Kyra heard that the owner of the Silverdisk Hall gambling house, Garmen Ulreth may have had something to do with the recent troubles. After all, he does have his fingers in all the other pies around town. Finally, Quinn heard in passing that some kind of underground construct monsters had been bursting through the soil and attacking citizens.
The group chose to investigate the possible murder (and pay a visit to the Merrymaid), so headed off to speak with Wrennie Dalrorn, the half-elf proprietress. Quinn easily became distracted and parted from the group to accompany Miranda, one of the workers at the hall, for some entertainment. Ulden & Kyra stayed behind to chat up the madame, learning nothing new and receiving quite confused denials that any such grisly murder took place.
A bit of independent confirmation with some off duty guardsmen at the bar convinced them to move on.
Next up, the team went to Silverdisk Hall to speak with Garmen, but were rebuffed by a veritable mountain of humanity, the Silverdisk Guard Boss: Biff. Several (small) coins exchange hands, and finally Biff tells the crew that his boss usually doesn't come around until the evening. Being around 1430 at this time, they asked Biff to pass along their names and advised they would return later.
Left with no actionable leads, the group set out for the Town Hall, stopping by Khonnir's Foundry Tavern to check out the construct he had retrieved and interview Val Baine, his daughter. Upon their approach, they heard a frightened scream from the house in the back, and the action was on!
Ulden rode into the house like he owned the joint, seeing a three-legged, two-armed construct spitting blue sparks and tearing apart a piece of the furniture. Moving further into the house, the halfling secured the door into the room Val was hiding, and waited for his teammates. Kyra strolled into the house and immediately identified the construct as some kind of drone, albeit a damaged and malfunctioning one. From its continued repetition of the word 'Repair..." in Androffan (which she speaks), she deduced it was some kind of "Damaged Repair Drone." The robot itself moved closer to the sorceress, dodging Ulden's lance en route. Quinn, in a now-characteristic feat of derring-do, leapt through the window and fired his pistol, damaging the construct badly. Before it could do any more damage, Ulden ended its existence with his lance.
Speaking to Val, the team did not learn anything new, but received accommodations at the tavern while working towards retrieving her dad.
On to the Town Hall and speaking with the Council. Only Dolga Feddert was available to speak with, but she filled the crew in on the particulars. Khonnir and the flame were the top priorities, and a 4k gp reward was in the air for both to be returned. Not to mention the scroll of resurrection if they managed to bring back Khonnir alive. She also advised them that Joram Kyte would cast water breathing on them if needed, and gave them a 20% discount coupon for any of the shops in town.
Ready to proceed, the three adventurers and the lizard set off for the Black Hill Caves to hopefully bring back Khonnir, relight the Torch, and profit! Inside, the fire beetles and slime molds proved nearly no challenge, and being smart they whipped out a light spell and a torch to move further in. Ulden clearly found the tracks of the previous entrants, and pointed out their path.
Everything went swimmingly, right up until they encountered the Blindheim. Thus began a nasty, perilous fight which eventually left Chompy, then Kyra, then Quinn blind and unconscious. Only Ulden managed to save against the blinding gaze of the critter, finally putting it down with several small sized arrows. Unfortunately, that left the halfling with relatively low strength all alone to drag his friends and dinosaur out of danger. Luckily for him, the two CLW potions found in the Blindheim's lair proved to be sufficient to awaken both Quinn and Kyra, but nothing could be done for Chompy at the time.
Thus began an arduous 2.5 hour (game time, not real-time) trek to get a couple of guards, borrow a wagon or cart, then wheel an unconscious 6' long dinosaur to the Temple of Brigh for some healing. Joram took pity on the newbies, healing up their wounds free of charge, and helpfully identifying the unholy symbol of Zyphus Ulden had found. A brief knowledge (religion) lesson later, and the party knows to stay away from those guys if possible. Agreeing to meet the in the morning to renew the water breathing spell, Joram sells them some scrolls of CLW and sends them on their way.
Now evening, they decided to pay another visit to Silverdisk Hall, where they finally get to meet Garmen Ulreth in person. He reassures them he had nothing to do with any throat-slitting murders, has no extra information on Khonnir or the extinguished Torch, and has no leads on extra adventurers to assist them on their way (not that Quinn wanted to share his treasure any more than necessary anyways.) He suggests they carry on about their business, makes some snarky comments about Quinn, and offers to meet them again when they've managed to handle the quest at hand.
In the morning, the team sets back out for the Caves, some CLW scrolls in hand and ready for more beatings. Inside, they rapidly discover some silverdisks and then a brown-mold covered body, which Quinn identifies as Gerrol Sonder, recently betrothed to Emelia Otterbie, the daughter of one of the town's many blacksmiths. Leaving the body where it is for the moment, they made a note to return and pressed on.
Just past the mold cave, they encountered a handful of Skulks, notably their leader Sef. Remaining calm and speaking politely, they agreed to help Sef out with her Gremlin problem in exchange for a technological reward and free passage through the caves. Moving north, the encountered the Jenkin Gremlins who posed more of a threat than their low CR really suggested.
Quinn got bopped several times from hidden sneak attacks, and Kyra managed to get hit once. Chompy proved to be the dinosaur of the hour, however, nomming up each of the gremlins with 2 separate Nat-20/Nat-20 AoO bites. The last one was a regular attack, which left the poor dino stinging from the shooting spike trap.
The gremlin boss proved to be all too easy, succumbing to a flat-footed bite from Chompy, leaving him with 3 HP and causing him to flee post-haste. The team returned to Sef to collect their reward, some more silverdisks, 5 brown access cards, and a significant info-dump. She sketched out a small map of the rooms beyond the metal doors, and wished them well, warning of strange desert sands and four-armed skeletons.
Ended the session there, having cleared out the Black Hills Caves, with access to the Skymetal Tunnels open ahead. Everyone leveled to Level 2.
dotting.
I am looking forward to reading this as Iron Gods didn't appeal to me to warrant a $180 worth of subscription + shipping. :)
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Our adventure continues...
In but one week from today, our intrepid adventurers will continue their explorations, venturing deep under the Black Hill into the strange sky metal tunnels.
Joining our current group of Kyra, Quinn, & Ulden will be an as-of-yet unnamed Alchemist, intent on learning all he can about the mysterious technologies hidden within the caves.
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Game Date: Thursday, March 19, 2015. Session 2
Our intrepid adventurers set off to further explore the Skymetal Tunnels they have unearthed within the Black Hill Caves, deep under the town of Torch. We begin our night at the circular hole in the glaucite walls, with Quinn the Gunslinger, Kyra the Sorceress, and Ulden the Hunter starting into the Skymetal Tunnels.
Right away, the group is struck by how smooth, clean, and old the tunnels are. They also find what appears to be an inactive Repair Drone very soon in their explorations. Obviously, it activated once they started digging around in the rubble, and another robot fight was on! Out of its 5 polymer nets, the drone managed to land 4 successful hits, entangling everyone and laying a fairly good beat-down on Chompy the Dinosaur, Ulden’s companion and mount. It KO’d the critter, and was setting upon its rider when out of nowhere Dr. Barnabus ‘Doc’ Kelley showed up to lend a hand. A good thing he did, too, since Kyra’s electric jolts were doing little bits of damage, and neither Ulden nor Quinn could hit the broad side of a barn. Showing off his explosive knowledge, Doc burned the robot down with a bomb.
Quinn then proceeded to offer Doc a job as a ‘concierge doctor,’ tagging along with the team and healing them up. He offered a whopping 10 gp (which Doc was pretty sure he did not possess, having heard about the deadbeat gunslinger/scavenger back in town) and a very generous fifth share of the treasure acquired. This, despite only having 4 PCs. I smell a cheap bastard, and he wears gunpowder cologne. Realizing they were very low on resources, and keen to get access to their newly learned tricks (i.e. get their 2nd level abilities), they headed back to the Skulk cavern and bedded down for the night. Perhaps surprisingly, Sef and her band did not betray the party, and let them sleep through peacefully.
Rested and ready to rumble, the team set out in the morning to further explore and hopefully turn up Khonnier Baine, the actual goal of this mission. Moving through the skymetal tunnels once again, they were surprised to find a ‘natural stone’ cavern with fine reddish sand across the floor. Welcome to the Alien Habitat, party. And nothing says “welcome” quite like a subterranean tentacle monster with sticky/quicksand abilities. The Ghelarn, an alien aberration managed to entrap both Doc and Kyra, and eventually Ulden. Chompy and Quinn managed to keep their footing, though, luckily enough. Putting some hurt down on Chompy (this seems to be a theme so far), the monster fell soon enough, especially once Quinn finally figured out how to hit things with his bullets. All was well, except for being stuck up to knees/waist in alien slime quicksand, when the skeletons began to arrive.
Over the next 5 rounds, skeletons began appearing out of the darkness, moving silently and with purpose. Despite having 4 claws each and plenty of chances to rip the dinosaur apart, the skeletons managed to only land a handful of attacks. Chompy was more than ready to acquire new bones to chew, and even Quinn and Doc managed to drop a few. Once the 7th such skeleton fell, silent fell once more across the dark sandy area. Hugging the “natural stone” walls and proceeding to the left, Ulden managed to realize they were traversing around a general round area, before finally finding some caves set. In those caves, numerous fragments of ancient, primitive tools, jewely, and clothing abounded. The team found plenty of cave paintings as well, depicting four-armed humanoids going about their lives, hunting with spears, dancing around fires, and similar such things. At the end of the small cave system, another Ghelarn reared up, but quickly fell to sonic damage, dinosaur teeth, and bullets. In the debris, Ulden managed to turn up (and someone identified) a swarbane clasp which was applied to Chompy.
Having cleared out the Habitat, even though they didn’t realize it, the team eventually came across a lighted tunnel hidden behind an illusion of stone walls. Ulden readily saw through the image, and led the way (as usual) into more skymetal tunnels. These tunnels were lit, though, and fully powered somehow. The Malfunctioning Biolock managed to zap a couple of people for minor damage before Quinn managed to disable the “trap.”
Moving deeper through the tunnels, the team stepped into a dust-covered room with a buzzing, thrumming violet & black column in the corner, where an amber panel about waist high slowly blinked. Doc pushed the blinking amber panel and the whole room came to life. The buzzing and thrumming died down to a slow and steady hum and the room lit up with screen after screen of images. Mostly static and almost all showing androffan “error messages” in the corners of the display, perhaps most extraordinary was the pedestal table with a large, 3d projection of the habitat rooms thus far discovered. They also alerted the fellow in the next room over, the lovely, gracious, and so-happy-to-have-visitors Hetuath.
Having heard the commotion in the next room over, Hetuath stirred from his torpor and set out to find what disturbed his peace and quiet. Low and behold, Ulden, riding on Chompy, was heading up the hallway just as he opened the door from his room. Seeing the four-armed, dual-wielding, be-caped alien standing in the doorway, the Halfling chose the better part of valor and fell back to the habitat control room. Warning the team that “something is coming!” he then tried to hide in the corner, ineffectually. Hetuath progressed at his leisurely pace, finally entering the room in quite a dramatic fashion. After that, the fight was on!
This battle nearly proved the end for Chompy, Quinn, and Doc, all of whom were pretty badly chopped and beaten by the alien’s two swords and fists. His high AC, damage reduction, and good offense proved quite the challenge for the party.
Everyone pulled their weight, though, and finally Quinn put the alien down with a headshot-critical-deathblow after being force-fed a CLW potion by Doc. Pulling together and tending to the (again) KO’d dinosaur, Doc showed off his mad potion skills by “bomb healing” the crew quite handily. The party was so beat up and devoid of resources the alchemist was actually reduced to poking at the alien with his spear, something which he volunteered as,
I am down to using my pointy stick. I am not good at using my pointy stick!”
Once everyone was slightly patched up, a debate arose whether to continue on or rest for the evening. Eventually caution won out over bravery, but not before Ulden and Kyra looked through the next few rooms, turning up a Black Secuity Card and plenty of crude paintings of a bone & skull pickaxe scattered throughout the Observation Room. Ulden then set out to further explore the habitat room, determining it was actually a dome-shaped room, with walls too sheer to climb at this time. He did not stay out there long enough to find out just what they managed to do by resetting the habitat controls. After camping out the night and healing up in the morning, the crew set out to further explore the ‘caves’. This time, Chompy got the newly found, bright red cloak of resistance +1
Using the newly acquired black card, the team moves on into the Science Deck, opening the door into the nicely appointed Reception Area. After a quick search and glancing over the broken & error-code-infested terminal at the desk, they opened the closet door and turned up a flashlight, some batteries, silverdisks, and a locked Security Emergency Locker. After a couple of tries, Quinn managed to override the lock and found 2 bang grenades, a flash grenade, a soft grenade, neraplast armor, and a timeworn stun gun. First Ulden then Quinn suited up in the pocket-festooned armor suit, with it serving more to the liking of the gunslinger.
Activating its ‘camouflage’ ability, Quinn seemed pleased with himself.
Following some dried bloodstains to the north, the team encountered the remains of a battle against more robots before finding the Geology Lab. Inside, a brief conversation with the cerebric fungus ensued, with plenty of weird hallucinations and strange voices sounding in everyone’s’ heads. Once the critter began asking for more organic matter to consume, much like the delicious red liquid it had obtained before, Ulden got a little jumpy and decided to whack the creature. It didn’t last long in the ensuing battle, despite affecting most of the party with its star-soul-shriek and nauseating them. It could not capitalize on the distraction and fell to the combination of dinosaur teeth and bullets. . After dispatching the alien plant, the team tore through the information scattered across the terminals, learning lots about Kasath and some of the critters from the planet itself. They also found a bright orange, watertight case with three timeworn flare guns. Quinn seemed less enthused than I thought he would have been, what with turning up not 1, 2, or even 3, but 4 technological pistols already!
Moving on, the team found the Break Room and tasted some of the Goo Tubes therein. Ulden tried 2 separate flavors, one of which sickened him due to spoilage and the other due to its broccoli-like flavor. Quinn found a tasty blueberry smoothie flavor and enjoyed his goo. Before they packed up the remainder, Ulden purified the tubes to allow for easy ration access in the future. Too bad most of them taste like weird vegetable stuff.
Satisfied with their break in the break room, the adventurers checked out the next room, the Medical Lab where they encountered a malfunctioning Medical Drone. The droid managed to put some serious hurt on Kyra before it was shot/bit/burned and toasted right quick. That partly came about due to its critical hit vulnerability & Chompy's teeth. No-one besides Ulden was crazy/brave enough to climb up under the armature over the beds, but he managed to avoid the “emergency high speed vasectomy” sans anesthetic. Nothing much of interest in this room, they continued on to explore.
Soon enough they came across the Sick Bay, with a flying, two-armed robot someone identified as a Collector Robot and another Medical Drone. Also, crying, screaming, and trying very hard to break free from his imprisoning bed/tube/restraint system, the party located Khonnier Baine.
We broke for the evening after that (whee, what a cliff hanger, amiright?) and the party leveled to 3. Of course, that means they have HP, feats, and skills, but no rechargeable abilities such as spells, bombs, or the like. We will pick this up again soon, and see if I can’t finally manage to put one of them down for good. My money’s on the dinosaur.
[gollum] Is it tasty, m'precious? Is it ... scrumptious ... m'precious ... [/gollum]