Iron Gods : Double Characters (IC)

[Sleepy Shade]

https://guildberkeley.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/torch.png
Welcome to Torch

The town of Torch has long enjoyed a singular claim to prosperity—a violet flame that burns atop Black Hill in the heart of the town. The flame burned hotter than any normal fire, making it an invaluable resource for the smelting and forging of skymetals. However recently the towns claim to fame has mysteriously been extinguished. Councilor Khonnir Baine, one of Torch’s more powerful wizards decided to investigate the mysterious disappearance and discovered a series of unexplored caverns hidden beneath the Black Hill. After that the town council posted a reward of 4000 gold pieces to who ever relight the flame. A number of expeditions have ventured into the tunnels only one of which has returned. The group that returned was led by Councilor Khonnir Baine himself and he brought back a strange construct from the heart of Black Hill. However his second expedition failed to return and the council has posted another 4000 gold piece reward for his safe return.

Your group has for various reasons decided to join together and have entered town hall to be officially recognized as accepting the bounty. As you enter a Human man greets you he has a mousy look with clothes of a scribe and asks"Are you here about the Bounties? If you are I'll need to take your Name and next of kin for the record. After that I'll take you to Miss Dolga she'll answer any questions you may have about the bounty and what's happening."

[u-b]

A young man in a comfortable leather armor, with a rapier on his side and a musket behind his back is the first to report. He reports as if it was business as usual. "Yes, here for the bounties. Name's Thony Radache. My father, Anthond Radache, lives in Olfden, Andoran." His companion, a young beautiful girl with red hair and green eyes, dressed in flashy silks, seems to be much more nervous. "Sarina. Sarina del Arcoiris. I have no next of kin."

[Continental Op]

Behind Thorny and Sarina stands a tall Kellid. He is young, but has a few scars and haunted eyes that say he has lived through some difficulties already. He smirks and says quietly, "We have been here for years, but fine. For the record I am Kallak, and this is Yarro. And we are each other's next of kin."

The shorter human-looking woman behind Kallak nods. Her hood is pulled up, so details are not easy to see, but she also appears to be a Kellid, perhaps slightly older than Kallak. "Yes, we will find my mentor Khonnor." She speaks with a flat affect.

"And relight the torch." Kallak adds.

[Sleepy Shade]

The scribe takes your names commenting " Yes Kallak I remember but after the teams started to go missing we've required people to give next of kin in case of unfortunate demises." He walks away giving the names you gave him to another scribe and quickly comes back "All right just this way please" he walks over to a wooden door in the back of the lobby and gestures for you to go inside.

Inside is the Councils meeting hall six chairs surround a large table covered in papers. At one of the chairs sits a very old female dwarf grumbling as she looks over some papers her back towards your group. The scribe from the door calls out "We got a group of volunteers Miss Dolga" before he shuts it. She turns around finally facing you.


https://db4sgowjqfwig.cloudfront.net/images/3931836/Dolga_Freddert.jpg

"Ahh good I was beginning to lose hope no one would show up. So" Despite her apperant age she gets off her chair and walks over to your group. You all notice she has a silvery war hammer atached to a belt holster. "Now then I'm sure you already know The Torch has gone out, Council man Khonnir Baine is missing and we've offered a heafty reward for both. But I'm sure you've got many questions about the details especially you two" she looks over at Thorny and Sarina.

[u-b]

Thony nods. "Yes. We'll need the information on all the other teams and all the data from Khonnir's first expedition. Then I'll think what else to ask."

I will need timing of events, beginning when The Torch went out, visual description and professional composition of all previous teams and anything Khonnir has brought back, both factual and material.

[Sleepy Shade]

Dolga Freddert takes a moment counting something under her breath and responds with "It's been about eight days since the Torch went out and seven since the first group went in. They were a group of halfling adventurers. Next was a group of local thugs. The fourth group was a group from out of town a small adventuring party devoted to the worship of Brigh. Khonnir’s team undertook the third and fifth expeditions under Black Hill, and it was on the fifth expedition—his second trip—that he went missing. Khonnir spoke at length with the council before going back in, and he confirmed what his group told us, despite how outlandish it sounded. That was about two days ago. That will make you the fifth team to go in.”

"Now About what he told us he said the caves are inhabited by several enormous vermin and other scavengers, along with some strange humanoids who had the ability to blend into the shadows of the cave walls, and a nest of gremlins. Khonnir believed this indicated a deeper connection in the caves to the Darklands, but of more immediate interest was his discovery of a wall of solid metal deep in the caves. A wall made of a skymetal alloy called glaucite. He said it was like the kind we mine from the hills and surrounding plains, but formed into a structure with doors. It was near one of these doors that Khonnir found the broken automaton that he brought back after his first expedition.”

Skill Prompts

Who are these Local thugs she's talking about? K. Local DC10
Who is the god Brigh? K. Religion DC10

[u-b]

"More questions then. Did Khonnir leave a sketch of a map? Did he decisively deal with anything animate he has encountered or did he mostly practice avoidance? Did he find any signs of groups one and two? Did he say what would be the plan for his second trip? Do you think that learning more about the automaton that he brought back could be in any way relevant to the success of our mission? What entrance, and, expecially, what exit is to be used, I mean, if we are to relight The Torch?"

[Sleepy Shade]

Dolga Freddert thinks for a moment and walks back over to the table picking up a few sheets of paper and reading them and then comes back over to you. "Well unfortunatly he didn't leave a map but the way he described it it was a pretty straight shot to the metal wall. Well as straight as a cave can be in any case.

What's in there is every thing I told you about everything he knew at least. Not sure what those huminoids he described are but the gremlins are mean little sneaks. They break anything and everything.

As for his future plans well I guess go beyond the metal wall. Not much you can do in a cave but go deeper.

He didn't mention anything about the other groups so my guess is either he didn't run into them.

As for the thing he brought out well he left it over at his house at the back of the Foundry Tavern. Maybe you can make heads or tails of it.

As for how to get in to the caves? Well apperantly There’s an underwater passage connecting them to Weeping Pond. Khonnir noticed a large number of human footprints on the pond’s banks—he was there the day the fires went out testing the water to ensure it hadn’t suddenly grown more toxic—and he realized that a sizable group of people had entered the pond but had not emerged. He took al look around making sure they hadn't drowned and found a under water cave."

Skill Propts

Gremlins? K Nature DC?
Weeping Pond Toxic? K Local DC10

[Continental Op]

Yarro looks at Kallak and says, "I saw Khonnir put something in his study after he got back from his first expedition, but I did not examine it closely. I would like to do so before we enter the cave." She then turns to include Thorny and Sarina, "And it would be good to have some cold iron in case we meet those gremlins."

Kallak nods at Yarro, then says to Dolga, "Sorry, Miss Dolga, is going through the pond the only way into these caves?".

[Sleepy Shade]

Dolga looks at Kallak "Unfortunaly yes. We've found no way in or out besides those caverns under Weeping Pond. However if your worried about getting inside the coucil has been negogiating with certain people in town to help. Joram Kyte has agreed to cast water breathing on any group to aid in entering the caves—free of charge, of course. You can find him at the temple of Brigh or up at Crowfeather Palace when you’re ready to go. Also once you’re on the job, I’ll give each of you a writ that you can show to any of the merchants in town for a flat 20% discount on any gear you need to purchase—I wish I could offer a greater discount than that, but that’s the best I can do. Further, Val, Khonnir’s adopted daughter, has closed down her father’s tavern, the Foundry, for the time being. She’s told me that any group that’s going into the caves to look for her father can use the tavern, free of charge, as a headquarters and a place to rest between forays."

[u-b]

"Water breathing? But..." Sarina stumbles there for a moment "...I mean, you've said the water is toxic? What would it do if we try to breathe it?"

"How much wather we are to cover? I think we won't have that spell on our way up."

[Sleepy Shade]

Dolga looks over at Sarina "I know it sound scary but I assure you it not that long. Khonnir estimated it was around fifty feet from the opening to the first cavern. As for the toxicity of the lake it's not so bad that you'll die from it. I wouldn't drink it but the worst that will happen is you'll feel like puking for a minute or two."

[Continental Op]

Kallak nods. "Well, that is reassuring about the pond, Miss Dolga, thanks. Do you know anything about the purple-haired woman who was in town? Apparently she caused quite a stir around town, and no one has seen her since the Torch went out."

[u-b]

"I have no more questions at the moment, just one last thing: any fees, duties, taxes, restrictions or limitations on anything we might find there and bring here? Or will we be free to deal with it as we see fit?"

Ready to complete the paperwork and go meet Val.

[Sleepy Shade]

Miss Dolga takes a moment contemplating before answering " I'm sorry dear but I haven't heard anything about a purple haired woman. Maybe a gnome? But as for any restrictions you'll be free to do things as you see fit as long as you can rescue Khonnir, alive preferably, and relight the Torch. However with so many missing teams I'm sure their loved ones would love to have their bodies back for proper burial. Now if you have any other questions you can talk to me or Joram Kyte once you are ready to head down into the caves." She returns to the desk and brings back a few sheets of paperwork for you to sign. After that she gives you a piece of paper with a special wax stamp on it. "Alright you're now officialy working for Torch, Just show that to any local shop keep and they give you a twenty percent discount on your purchases."

If you have no more questions you can leave and go where you want

[Continental Op]

Kallak nods. "Thank you, Miss Dolga. We'll probably want to head out in the morning, but we'll see." He and Yarro rise and leave the town hall.

Yarro looks off into the distance as she states "I am going to go inspect the automaton."

Kallak quickly interjects, "That sounds like a good idea for all of us, right? Sarina, Thorny, you in? We can talk to Val at the same time, and see if Khonnir told her anything about his first trip into the caves."

[u-b]

"We are with you." says Thony and follows towards the Foundry Tavern.

[Sleepy Shade]

Whith their buissness at the Townhall concluded our heros head off to the Foundry Tavern. By the time you arive it's noon. The Taven is next door to Khonnir's foundry where he is often tinkering with parts and inventing. However both buildings are closed right now. Everyone suddenly hears a girl scream and a sudden cacophany like metal hitting something. It seems to be coming from the back in Khonnir's house.

A set up of the map is here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d8sapLPSwoaoJPlqme4PkMr3rA0WAC4x/view?usp=sharing)

[u-b]

"Run!" Thony did not bother explaining who he would want to run where, but Sarina took him hurrying between the buildings towards the house in the back as an example to follow. By the time they are out of the narrow passage, Thony already has his musket in hand.

Are we round-by-round for this one?

[Continental Op]

Kallak follows Thorny, not drawing any weapons yet but getting ready to, should it become necessary.

Yarro runs around the side of the tavern, making sure her alchemist supplies are secure and available on her belt.

So Yarro goes to the left around the tavern, with her goal being to get to back and see Khonnir's house from a slightly different vantage than the others.

[Sleepy Shade]

Kallak, Thony and Sarina run up the allyway and are now standing in front of the house. Yarro decides to take the long way around and eventually is also standing in front of the house off to the side. Inside you hear something big break. Thony takes a look inside and sees that the door to what looks like the store room has been broken down into the hallway. You still hear something breaking stuff and something faintly like a voice though it's being drowned out by the constant scraping and clawing of metal on walls. You can't see what's making the noise.

Battle map here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Bf4nKG01WOl2jlzmRcAzuN3m-kS3_d9X/view?usp=sharing)

[Continental Op]

Hearing the noises from inside the building, Kallak thinks back to the couple of times he has visited Yarro here. "The main entrance is around the side," he tells the others. He looks at Yarro and points to the "back" door (the one to his left), and tells Yarro "Wait here." He then runs around to the right side, going up to the east door, stealing a quick glance into the main room if he can.

Can he peak in to the window in the main room near the door? And get ready to open the door in the same round? If we are going by rounds now, it looks like it is a move action to get within ten feet of the door, then a second move to go to the window and back to the door.
Yarro nods to Kallak, and goes up to the window looking into the small south hallway, to see if there is anything in there.

[u-b]

Thony hurries to where Kallak said the door is. He sees the door, a window near it and, through it, he sees another window on the north side, so he continues on to north side and stops near the window there, looking into the room. Sarina stops just past the door, looking into the eastern window.

I am assuming Thony carries his rifle loaded (powder+bullet). Let me know if it is not so.

[Sleepy Shade]

Thony,Kallak and Sarina all run around to the east side of the house and Thony continues to the north side. Looking through the windows you see a spidery 3 legged machine which appears to be attacking the wall trying to take pieces of it out it. The machine is sparking and vocalizing something. You can't see Val.

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8xSR4RdK-W8/V40kFRZpkhI/AAAAAAAAAqU/R38PYuQPmvkKpup1fhbSUplaq-px4dGXgCLcB/s1600/IG_repair-drone.jpg
Battle Map Here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v4mWoFgYDG-Dpc6XcAVYF6kfgLs0kKvj/view?usp=sharing)

[u-b]

"I don't see the girl, neither here nor there." says Thony, making a step back from the window to have space for his musket and takes an aim at the thing, but does not shoot. Sarina does not seem like doing much either.

Thony: step, ready a shot at the machine in case things go hot (e.g. anyone attacks anything, like Kallak vs machine), active perception [roll0] (can we make any sense of what the thing is vocalizing?) forgot we have a thread for that
Sarina: delay until Thony has taken his shot (she sees him taking the aim), then step or move to have a line of effect (requires an open door or a broken window; a window that was just shot through will do) and place a grease under the machine

[Continental Op]

Kallak slowly opens the door and steps into the building. He holds out his hands in the innately human method to show non-aggression, while still keeping his weight on the balls of his feet and his greatsword ready on his back in case he needs it. Between the scream earlier and its apparent hostility towards the wall, Kallak is not holding out much hope that it can be reasoned with. But he has to try.

Kallak speaks a low and (hopefully) soothing Androffan. "Situation normal. Non-hostile detected. No immediate threat in area." Kallak has only done this once or twice before growing up in his parents' shop, but he uses his natural "reprogram"-type empathy to try to calm the robot down.


Meanwhile, Yarro is peeking into the window of the southern hallway, near the other door to the house. If she does not see anything, she opens the door and tries to sneak to the door on her right - the other door into the main living area. Her left hand unconsciously taps the reagents on her belt, itching to make a bomb.

[Sleepy Shade]

Kallak's attempt to calm the creature at first seems to be working as it stops attacking the wall. However it turns and moves towards Kallak the machine sparking and stumbling as it moves the few feet towards you on only three legs. It stops in front of you either unable or unwilling to move around Kallak. It looks at him with it's single glowing eye. Kallack now also hears someone else, hiding under the table and out of sight is the girl Val. Shes trying to keep quite with the large machine so close.

Battle map here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p9m_ShdceSwVGETnE9y7Mnb-B_FswyMs/view?usp=sharing)


"Detection fail rerouting to.... Error orcanic susssstrate blockering covine remotal"




https://db4sgowjqfwig.cloudfront.net/images/3931756/Val_Baine.jpg

Skill prompts
Know. Engineering Identifying the creature: DC11
Diplomacy Convince Val to leave her spot: DC10

[Continental Op]

Kallak sees that the robot-thing is not exactly hostile, at least not yet. He does not want it to escape outside, so he stays where he is. "Yarro!" he shouts, hoping she can hear him. "We could use your help with this thing!" Then he points to the other door, and says, trying to be calm and soothing again. "Val, girl. Go to the other door. This thing will not get you. Out you go, now."

-------------------------------------

Yarro opened the south door and was standing in the south hallway. If she hears Kallak, she will open the door to the main room.

[u-b]

Thony stands still, keeping his aim and ready to pull the trigger. Sarina steps to the left, getting herself a clean line of effect and also stands ready.

Ready a shot and a grease.

[Sleepy Shade]

The robot takes a swipe at Kallak, it's hostility confimed Thony lets loose a shot and Sarina casts grease. The robot misses Kallak its claw hitting the floor, Thony's shot misses, his bullet hitting the wall near Yarro. Sarina's grease coats the floor behind and under the robot and the robot falls to the ground it's malfunctioning limbs slipping in the grease.
Val rushes out the door but keeps close to the fight.

Battle map Here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XPv1EGoybPzjbOQtnWT75JhTbwOPDxrd/view?usp=sharing)

[u-b]

Thony grabs and tears down a paper cartrige. The contents go down the barrel - the powder first, then the bullet. Thony slams the stock of the rifle against the ground to move the bullet down where it should be and takes a second shot at the robot. Meanwhile, Sarina steps back, but otherwise seems to do nothing much.

Sarina only has the acid splash attack for a little damage, but it is now at heavy penalty: soft cover, melee and target prone. She will stay ready until at least two of those no longer apply. Thony shoots right away.

[Continental Op]

Kallak is surprised by the grease, but collects his wits and tries to take advantage of it. He whips out his greatsword in a flash from his back and brings it down full-force on the robot.


Meanwhile, Yarro gets her first good look at the struggling robot, and tries to identify it. She is semi-hopeful that if she can identify the malfunction, she could fix it.

[Sleepy Shade]

Thony's paper cartridge quickly refills the gun and he takes aim the prone creature, the table make for a difficult shot but he makes it. Thony's shot hit's the back of the machine and it's stops moving. The light of it's eye dims and fades. Yarro takes a look at the now deceased machine and can tell even before Thony's shot the machine was a malfunctioning mess. One leg was missing and many parts were either rusted through, missing, or broken.
Val tentatively makes here way back after the noise stops and looks inside "It's dead right?". Seeing the now destroyed robot lying on the ground she walks in and thanks everyone for saving her.

Everyone gets 50XP You can now talk to Val and explore the buildings

[Continental Op]

Yarro immediately walks up to the robot, trying to avoid the greased area (if it is still there) by walking around it. She starts picking through the remains to see if she can salvage anything from it, or learn its purpose. She is basically ignoring the others, but not intentionally; she is clearly focused on the mechanical debris.


Kallak gives a thumbs up to Thorny through the (now broken) window, and steps away from the robot to give Yarro room. He turns to Val, "Val, are you hurt?" If she is not, he continues, "Khonnir brought that back from the cave, right? But I thought it was wreckage. How did the thing come alive?"

[u-b]

Sarina dismisses the grease. She stays near Val and Kallak, but does nothing much. Thony would usually start reloading the rifle as soon as it's empty, but taking into account the plans to do some diving, this time he does not. He comes closer to Yarro and the robot and tries to help as much as he can. Which is, initially, not much, but there is a room fro improvement. "Seems to be a repair bot of some kind. Can you make sense of it? We might encounter more of those where it came from."

Of interest:
1. The robot's DR and the ways to overcome it, if any
2. The robot's normal hit points and current hit points (and if it can still be restored instead of, or even after, the ongoing disassembly)
3. Anything else optional

[Sleepy Shade]

"I'm not hurt Kallak it startled me yeah but it didn't hit me. As for how it got up and started moving around I have no idea. I was doing my chores and suddenly I hear this scrapping and banging coming from the store room. I opened the door expecting a rat had gotten in and was somehow knocked over the robot or got tangled in something. When that lunged at me and I barely closed the door in time. I panicked and hid under the table when it busted through and started attacking the wall for some reason."

Yarro and Thony examination doesn't turn up anything as salvageable. However they do learn somethings from the examination. The robot is a Repair Drone and is usually seen repairing or fixing technology. They're tough despite their low combat abilities. This comes from their ability to quickly repair minor damage. This one seemed to only have a partial charge and is missing many pieces and tools. It's fundemetaly destroyed and canot be repaired into full working condition. Your not sure how it charged up however since no one, not even Val, has gone into the storroom since Khonnir left.

The robot is missing the following

Fast Healing Nano bots
Tools it uses to repair other robots.
It's net it uses to subdue intruders.



This robot had only 11 Hp normally they have 31Hp.
I'll also add Robot traits into the third ooc post.

[u-b]

Since Sarina and Thony were living in the tavern for some time now, and have met Val, they have no need to introduce themselves. They seem to have a need to explain themselves, though. "Val, we have contracted to go look for Khonnir and relight the Torch, so we are going down the pond some time today. If there is any information that you think could be in any way relevant, please do tell us. Also, we'd want to know how he transported this from there to here, I mean, it seems heavy enough, and whether he also brought here anything else." Suddenly, Sarina looks shocked. "Thony! I... we... We haven't asked anything about Khonnir's team! Dolga did say he, too, had a team. I've just remembered it when you've said this thing is heavy."

[Continental Op]

Once Yarro is satisfied she has learned all she can from the repair bot, she joins the conversation. "I am glad you are unhurt, Val. In addition to Sarina's question, did Khonnir bring anything else back with him? Or leave any record of his first trip, say in a journal."

While the others are talking, Kallak sheaths his greatsword, and moves to the inside door to see the damage caused by the robot in the workroom.

[Sleepy Shade]

Val answers Thony "First thank you for looking for him. I'm sorry I had to close the tavern down when you guys came around but with how things are going I didn't want so fight to break out with only me around. As for anything relevant? I think he transported it using that disc spell you know the one Yarro? "
"Umm... he didn't really talk about the team he left with. I think that guy who was gonna get married might have been part of it but I can't really remember their names. As for a journal I think he was studying the machine in the back room but didn't get far."
"Well umm also ... some weird goop started to leak out of where the torch used to be. Two dwarves went up there to try it. One came away alright the other almost died." It seems very evident that Val doesn't know much about the trips Khonnir made.
Kallak looks around the destroyed back room noting a ruined book it seems to be a couple notes Khonnir made about the robot. He also finds what looks like the remains of a polymer net apparently from the the broken robot.

[Continental Op]

Kallak tries cutting the net, just to see how difficult it is. He then brings what he can salvage of the notes back to Yarro and the others. Yarro looks them over, gleans what information she can from them, and then hands them to Thorny.

Kallak then says to Val, "Don't worry about the bar, Val. You just take care of yourself while we try to find Khonnir. I'd help you clean up here, but I'm worried about him and we should probably get going." He looks at the others. "Should we check out that sludge coming from the torch? I also want to see if we can buy some things before we head out."

[u-b]

Thorny takes Khonnir's notes and gives them a look. He is not into trying to read them in full, but mostly trying to get Khonnir's own account of what Yarro mentions as deserving interest. "I need some time to make the special bullets, but that should not take long. I'd say would be done by the time you finish the shopping. Buy some light if you need it. We don't, so we don't carry much. Do we need a rope to mark the way down the pond and back up to the surface? Other than that, I have what I need for the first trip and she" Thorny nods at Sarina "does use much of anything." "I will ask those two dwarves about the sludge, both what they did and what happened. Maybe they weren't competent chemists and haven't exerted much care."

[Sleepy Shade]

The pollymer net seems much sturdier than a nomal net taking longer to cut through and it's harder to pull apart. Val looks over at what Kallak is doing and says"I think he took it out of the robot but it was already broken. But I guess it doen't much matter anymore." When Sarina mentiones the dwarves she says "They probably wen't to Brigh's Temple for the unlucky one."
Val looks over at the robot's corpse and ask's "So are you going to get rid of it? If not I'll ask one of the neighbors to help me take it to the dump."

Skill propts
go looking for a list of previous parties:Diplomacy DC15
What made the dwarves take a drink of weird fluids: Know. Local DC15

[Continental Op]

Kallak readily jumps in, "I'll help you clean up, Val." Yarro looks flatly at Kallak and arches an eyebrow. Kallak shrugs. "What? She needs the help. If you want to go to the temple and talk to the dwarves, and look at the sludge or whatever, I can't really help with that anyway. I'll go to Kollison's store or maybe Dolga's for a cold iron weapon, and we can meet up in say, an hour or two?"

Yarro nods and looks at Sarina. "Does that sound good to you? Where would you like to start?"

[u-b]

Thony admits he has no idea about the dwarves and the sludge, so he proposes to meet with Sarina at the temple of Brigh. He says he won't need any other preparations, so proposes everyone meet there ready to dive. He borrows ten gold coins from Sarina and goes to buy some cold iron bullets on his way to the temple. After being told to come to the temple of Brigh ready to dive, Sarina goes to the appropriate room to change her set of clothing to something more adventure-frienly and drop the excess gear. Then she, presumably accompanied by Yarro, goes to Dolga to get the list of local people that were part of the previous teams, and their local next of kin. Then she checks with those kin people, starting with those of Khonnir's team, to find out if they have anything to say to those going down, either about those previous trips, preparations to them, or in general.

[Sleepy Shade]

Yarro And Sarina
Heading back to the Town Hall is a quick trip for the two ladies and once inside the meet the same human scribe that had greeted them before " Hello If your..." He looks surprised that the two of you are back. "Did you forget something? Because we already have you listed and gave you the writ." He looks back at a small mound of paper work covering one of the desks and sighs seems the torch going out has increased the paper work load in town hall as well. He turns back to you and explains "Miss Dolga is currently going over some records so If you need asisstance I'll help you."

You already rolled I'll just need some roleplaying.

Thony And Kallak
Val tells Thony and Kallak that they can stop by the Torch Guildhouse on the way to the dump. "They got lot's of stuff there and cold iron might not be for sale in Kollison's store he usually just does supplies."
Kallak, and Thony if he goes along, head out after borrowing a mule and cart from a neighbor. Val rides in the back of the cart after Kallak gets the robot in the back. At the Dump your greeted by a Bleaching Gnome, Garritt Burrwaddle honorary Junk-master and professional scavenger. However he seems to be talking to a human after a bit of what looks like haggling the reach an agreement and the gnome hands over some parts and the man hands him several small silver disks. After that the gnome walks over to you "Here to dump?" He looks into the cart at the robot and points over at a pile close to you "Over there"

[u-b]

Sarina explains why she's back. "We thought we better find out more about the previous parties. In particular, the robot Khonnir has brought back proved to be quite interesting. We thought maybe others of his team also brought something from their first trip or gave a more detailed account of the expedition. Did Khonnir say how he acquired the robot? Or maybe you can give us contacts of people who knew his team? So far we've only talked to Val, but it turns out Khonnir did not discuss business with her between his trips."

[Continental Op]

Yarro backs up Sarina. "We can see all of the records you keep here, any information you can give us would be helpful. We all want to be successful in relighting the Torch."

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _________________

Kallak nods. "Thanks. Hey, while we are here, I heard that something happened here a couple weeks ago?" He watches the gnome carefully.

[Sleepy Shade]

Yarro And Sarina
The scribe responds with "one moment" he looks through the papers and notes on his desk selects a few and proceeds to write them down. He comes back to you and hands you a list of teams that had gone inside. "From what I can tell the two earliest teams were not recorded after that they started to record names and next of kin. As for the robot from what I've heard he found it down there next to a big metal wall or something. As for group four they were all outsiders so contacting their next of kin will take awhile."

#1 3 Halflings- Status unkown- presumed dead
#2 Group of 6 Ropefist gang members (race mixed)- Status unkown- presumed dead
#3 Status: Returned
Khonnir Baine: Next of Kin: Val Baine,Yarro And Kallak
Sulema: Next of Kin: None
Gerrol Sonder:Next of kin: Emelia Otterbie
Victor Otar:Next of Kin:Mechelle Redshaw and Horace Otar


#4 Status unkown- presumed dead
Chandel: Next of kin Temple of Brigh
Gus Kingsberry: Next of Kin: Temple of Brigh and Mother Wren
Ute Autrey: Next of Kin: Church of Brigh and Marcus Autrey
Claude Flechson: Next of kin: Church of Brigh And Flechson's Family Estate


#5 Same as #3 Status: unkown
#6 your group


Thony And Kallak
The gnome thinks for a bit and shuggs "Yeah it was weird that those two were out here. But it's not my place to judge.Or are you talking about something else?" He helps move the robot on to the pile. "I'll give it a once over later for now need to help with all the trash."

[Continental Op]

Yarro says to Sarina, "It looks like the team that went with Khonnir the first time also went with him again, so they are all missing." Then she points to group #4. "If we want to learn more about this group from out of town, maybe we should try the temple. We could also ask about the dwarves that drank the liquid from the torch." She turns to leave, then remembers what Kallak's family taught her about manners. She turns back to the scribe "Thank you for this information. It is very helpful, and validates the work you do."

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _________________

Kallak grunts while moving the robot "Thanks for the help. What two were out here?"

[u-b]

"Do you know if the robot seemed defunct when Khonnir's team found it or if they had to neutralize it first? Because it started moving again, and damaging the property, before we had a good look at it. We had to deal with it by force. Also, do you know any of..." Sarina reads from the paper "...Emelia Otterbie, Mechelle Redshaw and Horace Otar? Would if any of them be likely to talk business with, respectively, Gerrol or Victor? If that seems likely, we might want to know where we can find them."

Thony has no business at the dump, so he is ready to move on when Kallak is.

[Sleepy Shade]

Yarro And Sarina
The clerk shrugs "From what I heard it was non-functioning so if it turned back on that's a bit concerning. I don't get out much so only one name really sticks out, Otterbie. I think their is an Otterbie who works up at the Guild House I think he works as a weapons smith. The other two well I'm not sure." He smiles at Yarro " Thank you Miss for the compliment."

Do you want to spend time looking for the other names on the list?

Thony And Kallak
The gnome off handily says "Carl and Sandy their families are having a bit of a spat right now so I guess they wanted to meet up for some reason. None of my business though"
After dropping of the robot Thony and Kallak stop at the guild house to pick up the cold iron bullets Thony wanted.

[Continental Op]

Yarro looks at Sarina. "Should we try to guild house or the temple first?"


Kallak reluctantly parts with 20 gp to buy a cold iron planson. But it looks well-made, and could save his life. Strapping it to his back alongside his greatsword takes a little doing, but once it is done Kallak asks Thorny, "Well, I think we should meet up with the others. At the temple of Brigh, wasn't it?"

[u-b]

"Let's go to the temple. If the whole team listed it as their next of kin, there should be a good chance of them talking business before the trip." Sarina and Yarro head to the temple and so, from the other direction, do Thorny and Kallak. They presumably meet there and ask if they can see Joram Kyte himself.

[Sleepy Shade]

Both groups are late to the meeting Yarro And Sarina are the first to arive at 1:30pm while Val drops off Thony And Kallak at 1:45pm. Val takes the cart back to the neighbor you borrowed it from and leaves the group at the temple. The Temple is a large stone and metal building though in places the metal has been crudly repaired with plates riveted together. Over the door is a symbol of the goddess metal female mask and higher up you see and hear bronze wind chimes. As you open the door inside opens to a circular domed room (A domed portico). In the center is a statue maded of metal and stone in the shape of the goddess Brigh. There are several well used pews and a raised platform in front of the statue. On the other side of the room you see some door leading to the other areas of the church. As you are about to close the door you hear someone say "Hold please Hold"


https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f4/8d/4c/f48d4c5cf409ff6c6840ffde06e2accf.jpg

[u-b]

Thorny holds the door open while simultaneously looking at the speaker and trying to determine if that is or is not what the speaker means.

[Continental Op]

Yarro studied the statute of Brigh with interest. She wanted to know more about this goddess for awhile, but stayed away from the temple so as not to draw attention to her nature. In addition, though a "clockwork" creation herself (at least to some people), she found Brigh's areas of concern too limited. Yarro is almost insatiably curious about all knowledge, not just mechanical inventions.

When they hear the voice, Kallak quickly throws his arms above his head. Yarro looks at him and shakes her head slightly in disapproval, then looks for the speaker.

[Sleepy Shade]

Thony keeps the door open looking out he see's no one but you all soon here a "Thanks". Looking down you see a raven the bird hops along the ground apperantly not interested in flying. He stops at the right most door looks at the group and says "Open?"

[u-b]

Thorny checks for any reasons not to open the door (a "Staff Only" sign would be one), then, presuming no reason is apparent, opens the door for the bird. "Sure, no problem."

Taking 10 on laws, rules and customs check.

[Sleepy Shade]

Their is a sighn on the door "SHOP OPEN 9-5". As you open the door the raven again says "Thanks" hops inside and then flies over to the counter. At the counter is a curly haired human male he looks to be about 18. He looks up from his book see Thony "Sorry if he bothered you he likes coming in from the front. Were open if want to check out our selection" He then spots the rest of the team and adds " Are you the new group? Jorams in the back I'll get him." The curly haired man gets up closing his book and steps into the back of the shop returning moments later with an older man.
"Hello sorry for not being out front."He smiles and leans over the counter " I was expecting you to be here sooner. But I guess you were preparing." He gives the raven a few scratches under his beak as he asks "Are you ready to go?"

https://64.media.tumblr.com/793261ee0e8a134129ad4b704546e6ee/tumblr_nvvyuaJBRe1utyn51o4_1280.jpg

[Continental Op]

Kallak looks at the others and scratches his head. "Well met. Joram is it? I'm Kallak. We are preparing to go try to relight the torch, if that is what you mean. Were you expecting us?"

[u-b]

"It seems we are as prepared as we could be, given the information we have already, but we certainly could benefit from more information. Thony Radache. This is my friend Sarina. You see, we hope to have more success than the previous teams, but, right now, I don't see why this would be the case. I believe one of the teams was closely associated with the church of Brigh, and it was not the first team. So, I rather expect they did their fair share of investigations and preparations. I hope that if they worked with you closely you would be able to provide us with adequately detailed account of the information they had at the time, and also their capabilities and general plans. Are we in luck?"

[Sleepy Shade]

Joram smiles "Yes I was expecting you Kallak and it's a pleasure to meet you Thony and Lady Sarina. After you accepted the request Dolga sent a messenger over here. I worried you migh have just gone over to the Pond and tried to swim down into the caves with no help. " The raven makes his way over to the boy and climbs on his shoulder. "Well unfortunatly I didn't get to know them very well before they wen't down there. Lets see Ute I think was very devoted to the faith she channeled powers of Brigh and seemed the dependable sort. She was human. As was Claude he seemed to know his way around weapons. The other two wern't human. Gus was a halfling and finally a Half orc Chandel. They were pretty eager to get down there and explore so they talked to some people purchesed some stuff and headed down. I think they expected to find undead down there or abberations not sure to be honest. Sorry I can't be much help in that regard"

[Continental Op]

Kallak nods. "Well, thank you, Joram. It sounds like you have something else in mind? Why were you waiting for us?"

Yarro chimes in, from behind the others, "And are there some dwarves here? We heard some strange liquid came from the torch, and wanted to ask about it. Thank you."

[u-b]

"If there is nothing else to be learned, then I think we are mostly ready. Just give me a moment to water-proof the things."

The powder horns should hold on their own, but more sensitive things, like scrolls and paper cartriges, require some care. Thony puts them, including Sarina's two scrolls and the discount papers into an empty waterskin. Then he declares he's ready.

[Sleepy Shade]

" She didn't mention me? Dolga must have forgotten to tell you but for those that are traveling down into the caves below I offer my services to help you get to the caves free of charge. I've prepared Water breathing and with some eqipment I can make it so you'll be able to breath under water for six hours that should be enough time to swim in and explore for a bit and then return."
When the Yarro chimes in about the dwarves he gestures to the youg man "Otto can introduce you to them if you want to talk to them they're in the guest rooms." The young man Otto, gets up from his seat ready to help you.

[u-b]

"Yes, we'll talk to them. This wouldn't take much time." says Sarina ready to follow.

[Continental Op]

Kallak smiles at Joram and says, "Thank you, that sounds perfect. We'll speak to these dwarves and be right back."

Yarro nods as she and Kallak follow Otto, Sarina, and Thorny to the next room.

[Sleepy Shade]

"Splendid I'll get ready while you talk to them " Otto and the bird lead you across the hall to the door opposite of the shop it opens to a long hall way leading to individual cells.
"You know them or something" Otto asks "your the first visitors they have gotton since they came here." He stopps at a room near the end of the hall and knocks.
A voice frome inside responds with a gruff"Come in were decent"
Otto opens the door and two dwarves playing cards with another human at the table look over at your group.
The human seems to be another alcolyte of the church dressed in brown work clothes. The two dwarfs are dressed in simple clothes one in a green vest while the other has a blue shirt.
"He finally kicking us out?" The one in the blue shirt asks "we'll be gone tomorrow back home"
"You got visitors"
"Oh well come in."
The green vested one replies " We're not for hire right now if thats what you askin"

[u-b]

"Uh, no, that's not what we are asking." "Though we might well ask as to why." "I mean, greetings. I am Sarina and this is my friend Thony. And these two are Kallak and Yarro. We are going to make an attempt to relight the Torch and rescue anyone still alive of the previous teams. And we came here because we've heard of some accident with some substance and would like to know more, if you do not mind."

[Sleepy Shade]

"Oh yer gonna go down there well best of luck. If your talking about this" The dwarf in the blue shirt lift it up showing a large patch of pink new skin on his left side " Nothing to special just a bad luck draw from the Drippins." He plays a card still interested in there game.
The human male chimes in with "Can't believe you drank that stuff. Yer lucky to be alive"
"Well them high felutin up in Starfall drink it."
"Yeah but they get the good stuff" The Dwarf in the green vest finally replies "They got alchemist to weed out the duds"

Skill propt
Diplomacy Dc10 Try and keep them on track and tell you why they drank it.

[Continental Op]

Kallak chimes in, "That looks very interesting. What are drippins?" Yarro adds, "I know a little about alchemy, maybe I can help if you describe it."

[Sleepy Shade]

"You explain Clarance I've had enough talk about drippens for awhile" The blue shirted dwarf draws from the deck on the table.
The green vested dwarf Clarance throws down a card and starts talking "The Drippens,Chaos juice and a dozen other names. They all are talking about that sludge that's coming up where the torch was."
Another round of cards and once it's back to him he resumes speaking "Alot of people try it it opens up your mind and has weird effects on the body some good some bad mostly temporary."
Another round "But to the lucky few it permenatly changes people they say the top official under the black soverighn got to drink some special stuff makes them immortal. Not sure about that."
Final round and the three show their hands the blue shirted dwarf. you finally learn his name is Lumin, wins. " Lumin over there convinced me we should try it. See if we could live forever and ended up nearly killing himself. Any more questions?"

[Continental Op]

Yarro says, truthfully, "That is interesting. How did you know it was drippings?"

Kallak adds, "Yes, how would we recognize it?"

Yarro speaks softly, mostly to herself, "I wonder if it can be refined. Or if good or bad drippings can be identified in some way..."

[Sleepy Shade]

Lumin chuckles and explains "Drippins like my uncle explained are usually some sort of muti color sheen on it like when oil contacts water an bubble and smell like a dozen different things. You know when you've found it no two ways about it."
Clarance shakes his head "Not sure if you could refine it or at least make it more stable. That's something beyond us."
Otto pipes up with "I think Joram might be ready by now. Do you have any more questions?"

[Continental Op]

Kallak says, "No, I think we are good here." He smiles and nods at the dwarves. "Thank you for your time, master dwarves."

Unless Sarina or Thorny have anything to ask, he and Yarro follow Otto to Joram.

[Sleepy Shade]

The whole group: Thony,Kallak,Yarro, Sarina along with Joram exit the temple and head off to the Weeping Pond. You travel along the road passing the Crowfeather Palace and then follow the river leading to the pond. The it's about 3:00PM when you arrive. The pond and river have a pungent and noxious sulfur smell along with several other chemical scents. It reminds Kallak and Yarro of Yarro's chemical experiments. When you reach the pond you see that no plants or animals live in the pond or at it sides. The pond is tranquil and surrounded by cliffs. Joram remarks "It be a lovely place to go swim if it didn't stink to high heaven." He grips the strange rod he has been carrying and casts water breathing on the group. "Alright now the caves are through there" he points to a place near the cliffs.
You now can water breath for 6 Hours.
Skill Prompts
Swim :DC 10
Every one needs to make fortitude save Vs Poison

[Sleepy Shade]

Yarro, Sarina and Thony have trouble at first swimming while Kallak swims around with practiced ease.Thony starts to get the hang of it but Yarro and Sarina struggle. Yarro finds her armor is impending her movements and Sarina's limited body strength is not cut out for swimming. Still with the spell in effect you are able to make it to the first cavern. It still takes you twice as long because of Yarro and Sarina but you make it in two minuets.As you finally walk up the sandy beach in the first chamber a wave of nausea hits you Kallak and Sarina get hit the worst.

Kallak and Sarina are now sickened for 1 minute: –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.

The air stinks of mold and vinegar a biter taste compared to the air outside. Surprisingly there is a faint light in the cave but you see that it emanates from three house cat sized beetles that are chittering around the cave. You see a small ledge leading further into the cave system and a large passageway that the water is flowing out of. The water your standing in is about two feet deep. The bugs are the only illumination you have in the room.

Skill propt
Knowledge nature: Dc 10 to Identify the creatures
Battle Map Here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uBNu9ooOyfmScgdleSfQhbc7nb_SwRSa/view?usp=sharing)

[Continental Op]

Kallak spits the disgusting water out of his mouth, trying not to retch and empty his guts entirely. He wants to take a drink from his waterskin, but these glowing beetles command his attention. He takes a 5' step forward in front of his companions, and readies his greatsword in case any of the creatures approach him. "I don't know what you are, but if you let us through we will be on our way," he says in a calm, (hopefully) soothing tone. He knows he cannot sooth these vermin like he sometimes can with animals, but familiar habits are hard to break.

Kallak failed his knowledge check, but I think Yarro succeeded. I will wait to post her action depending on what she knows about these beetles.

[u-b]

Thony draws the rapier and hands the musket to Sarina. "Let's stay right here for the moment, I have to get my weapon dry. Also I wonder if these are good swimmers and would like to get wet. That said, if no earlier group bothered to kill them, probably harmless anyway. I think I've read something about this sort..." Meanwhile Sarina casts Prestidigitation and starts to remove the remaining water from Thony's musket.

Thony is standing still with an attack ready.

[Sleepy Shade]

Thony and Yarro both reconize the creatures as Giant Fire Beetles they're Vermin and they don't look happy. However they don't come closer they seem to be waiting for the group to get on dry land.
Taking a moment to observe the cave you notice the stony beach seems to have scorch marks as if someone tried to burn something here. Seems you can either take on the fire beetles and climb the ledge to go further in or continue following the river.

Ooc: The battle map dosn't depict it accuratly but you can follow the river through the North east exit. It's not that small.

[u-b]

"I wonder which way would be more "forward". We can shoot these beetles from where we stand, but there is no point if Khonnir went through that passage." says Thony as Sarina finishes draining the musket and hands it back. Sarina then proceeds to drain all the clothing while Thony sheathes the blade and loads the musket. The draining of the clothing was going to take some time and might, at their option, include Kallak and Yarro too.

[Continental Op]

Yarro responds to Thorny, softly, "Why don't we follow the river? If Master Khonnir destroyed fire beetles here before, I doubt they would come back so quickly."

Kallak nods at that. "Yeah, and we can always come back and go the other route if we have to. Save our strength for whatever got the other teams. It certainly wasn't these bugs." He shoots a glance at Sarina. "And that's a neat trick drying the weapon, lady."

[u-b]

After she has finished the draining and has mostly recovered from the poisonous effect of the water, Sarina takes one of the scrolls and casts a spell stored in it. This does not have much visual effect. She then declares that she is ready to go.

Mage armor on herself.

[Sleepy Shade]

Deciding against engaging the with the Fire Beetles the group decide to continue following the river but find that out side of the initial area of the fire beetles glow the cave is pitch black.After getting a light source (I'm assuming you light a torch or sun rod) your able to see the cavern you've wandered into.A shallow creek runs through the middle of this cavern, while to
the south a stony bank rises up from the water. Thick carpets of green and gray mold and fungus grow on the bank, particularly around a trio of three-foot-high, foul-smelling mounds. You also see that poking out of the mound clossest to you a desicated foot.

Battle Map Here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1z4pfxfnQMhAcilkFuSfLLUg0KDHdZiaj/view?usp=sharing)

[Continental Op]

Yarro, holding a torch, looks at the fungus and mounds. "That is very interesting," she states in her flat way. "Do you think each of those mounds was a person?" She looks hard at the fungus, trying to identify what it could be.

"Yeah, interesting," Kallak responds, slightly sarcastically. He is looking all around to make sure there isn't some creature who caused those mounds in the first place. As usual, his hands are free, but he makes sure his bow and sword are not obstructed by his backpack.

[u-b]

"Just perfect. Some carnivorous fungi. Needs some fire and I would prefer the bugs anyway. Move on, shall we?" says Thony ready to continue east.

[Sleepy Shade]

Yarro notices that something is off that while the mold here seems to all be natural there seems to be too much of it. Kallak notices that the mounds are not just fungi as he spots one moving. He warns the others and suddenly the mounds unfurl "looking" at the group with a psudopod. Yarro recognizes that they are slimes but young ones. The slimes start to maneuver towards the group unafraid of the water as the beetles were.

Your in a battle

Skill propts
Know Dungeoneering DC 11

Battle Map Here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mH9MVq29EAl3jF0EecuubIPJ00o5wqnd/view?usp=sharing)

[u-b]

Sarina steps behind Yarro and raises her hand ready for a magical gesture. "Step aside, Yarro, please. I'll try to burn them." Thony moves forward a bit and when he has a clear line of fire to the farthest thing, makes a shot.

Sarina: step to NE, ready burning hands S
Thony: move two squares E, shoot at SE

[Continental Op]

Yarro nods and quickly steps back behind Kallak. She continues holding her torch high as she deftly grabs the necessary reagents from her belt and make an alkahest bomb. She aims the bomb for not the nearest slime, but one where the splash damage hopefully will not harm her companions.

Kallak unsheathes his greatsword, and brings it down with all his might on the nearest mound creature.

Yarro 5' steps diagonally so Kallak is between her and the nearest mound before mixing and throwing her bomb. Hopefully she has a clear line of sight to one of the slimes that is more than 5' away from one of the other PCs.

[Sleepy Shade]

The three slimes converge on the group. One takes a swipe at Yarro and missis. The two others focus on Kallak one manages to hit Kallak and gives him a nasty bruise.
(Kallak -3hp)
Sarina prepares to unleash a burning hands spell getting into position and waiting for Yarro to move. Yarro moves out of the way and Sarina unleashes her burning hands spell scorching the two slimes in front of her. However the flames have no effect on the masses of mold. Yarro grabs one of her bombs and decides to go for an area of effect against the slimes instead of a direct hit. She tosses it so it hits the body behind the slimes. The bombs contents quickly dissolve a good portion of two of the creatures and injure the last one.
(A-5hp,B-5hp,C-3hp)
Rather than risk getting hit by the slimes Thony stands his ground and fires quickly obliterating one of the slimes.
(Slime A is Dead)
Kallak unsheathes his weapon and again obliterates a slime.
(Slime C is Dead)

Battle Map Here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gzcHQY5o3QtH2IZlnFwOzPrnNeWAEDX7/view?usp=sharing)

[Continental Op]

Yarro steps to her left to get a clear view, draws one of her daggers and throws it at the slime. Kallak tries to defend himself from the slime with his blade until he can effective attack the creature. Then he tries to sweep his greatsword along the ground and sever the slime in half.

Yarro 5' steps to the east and throws a dagger. Kallak is using combat expertise to get a +1 to AC but a -1 to his attack roll, assuming the slime is still alive when it is Kallak's turn to attack.

[u-b]

"What? They are..." Sarina apparently has trouble accepting the fact that the fire spell did nothing good. She does not finish saying aloud just what she thinks about that, instead quickly casting a spell while clutching to a sturdy flask carrien in a bandolier. She shoots a small globe of liquid that misses the slime by no small amount. Thony tears down a paper cartridge to reload the musket and shoots at the one remaining slime, aiming hastly, but hoping that'd be good enough.

[Sleepy Shade]

The slime takes another swipe at Kallak hoping to get a taste of the rangers blood but it only hits his armor. Sarina tries to finish off the slime but misses completely the acid ball hitting the wall. Yarro tries to strike the slime by drawing her dagger and throwing it but miss judges the distance and the dagger only hits the rocky shore.Thony loads and fires a shot at the creature but missjudges the angle and misses the shot taking a bit of the rocky shore instead. Kallak tries to bring the sword down on the lucky slime but it dodges out of the way and trys to strike him again. The slimes psudopod only hits air however.
(EVERYONE MISSES)

[Continental Op]

Kallak exclaims, as he narrowly avoids getting hit by the slime, "By the gods, this one is slippery!"

Yarro furrows her brow in concentration, draws her second (and last) dagger, aims at the acrobatic slime, and releases.

Once Kallak recovers his balance, he brings his greatsword around in a full arc, aiming for the center of the slime.

[u-b]

Sarina mumbles some magic again and throws another small ball of liquid at the thing. Not willing to waste more alchemical cartriges on what seems not to be a major threat, Thony draws the rapier and moves closer to stab it.

Sorry. I kind of figured we have won and forgot it's still my turn to post. And the rapier is not touch, of course, it's just an error left from editing an earlier roll.

[Sleepy Shade]

Sarina again attemps to hit the slime but it doges only to be pinned by Yarro's thrown knife the slime disintigrates into a foul soup.

With the slimes vanquished you finally get a good look at the corpses that they covered. Three halfling corpses rest on the rocky beach covered still in molds and fungus. The river continues on but the path ahead is much more narrow you'll need to walk single file.

Combat END
Everyone gets 105XP

SKill propt
Perception:DC20
Heal: DC15

[u-b]

Thony takes some time to reload the musket, then proceeds to examine the dead halflings. Of particular interest are questions of what they have died from and whether they have been looted alteady by the following groups. "The fate of the halflings was still listed as unknown, despite them being the very first group, so maybe Khonnir did not go through here. Shall we return to the bugs now or continue on?"

[Continental Op]

"Nice shot, Yarro!" Kallak remarks, belatedly trying to hide his surprise. He cleans his blade of the slime in the river, and looks around at Thorny's comment. "Yes, I see your point, Thorny. Yarro, you don't think Khonnir would have left them here to mold, do you?"

Yarro finds her two daggers - the one in the slime, and the one that went astray. As she also cleans her blade, she ponders the questions asked by the men. "Perhaps Khonnir did not report his findings to the temple, but I doubt he would have left these beings here. Of course, maybe he meant to bring them back on his second trip, but of course he did not return. I do not believe we have enough evidence to know either way, except that either route is dangerous. I propose we keep going in this direction, at least for now. But if any disagree, please speak. I can see arguments for both ways."

[Sleepy Shade]

Their is something Thony notices about the bodies the way the bodies are positioned it looks like they did not meet their end in this chamber. The bodies are in unnatural positions and look as if they were dumped here. A cursory glance of the bodies also reveal everything of value has been stripped. The bodies have neither weapons or armor. The slimes make it difficult to tell anything about the bodies condition most of the torso and limbs are badly degraded though Thony notices what looks like something besides the slimes were eating the bodies from the nibble marks you can find.You'll probably need a sack or something to carry the remains back to the surface if you choose to do so. Do you forge on ahead through the tunnel or return to the entrance to confront the beetles?

[u-b]

"They have not died here and have been already looted. So, likely some other team also went this way, maybe intending to pick them up on their way back. I doubt local inhabitants would have bothered. Not Khonnir's first trip, but maybe his second. Let's go and see what has happened to them?" After seeing the bodies, Thony is somewhat inclined to continue along the stream, if only to retreat at slightest provocation. Assuming everyone agrees, Sarina makes the following remark. "But if we don't come back, would it be useful to the following party to know where we went?" To which Thony just comes closer to a wall next to the nearest body and, on about the eye level, scratches "Thony ==>" using his spiked gauntlet.

[Continental Op]

Kallak grunts at Thorny leaving a message for others. "Well that's a grim thought, but not a bad one." Once Thorny is finished and ready to go, Kallak again takes the lead following the stream further into the cave. Yarro continues behind him with the torch.

[Sleepy Shade]

The narrow cavern takes time to traverse and it's slow going but it finally seems to open up into a cavern. You can see the shore nearby and think how great it will be to get out of the water. However your still in darkness and can only see about 20 feet out thanks to the torch.

Skill prompts
Percption check DC?

Battle map here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pJisqHf3cRg-K7OjwzI_rvSY6yAc6zje/view?usp=sharing)

[Continental Op]

Kallak pauses a beat, but after (presumably) hearing nothing, starts to lead the way up to the shore...

[Sleepy Shade]

The large cavern seems to echo with the sloshing water as you make your way to the shore drops of water falling from the ceiling. Yarro does not catch it but Kallak Sarina and Thony hear something scraping around on shore but it is only Sarina that initially spots the beast. A small child sized creature moves toward the group. It's body resembling something of a hairless scaled monkey and the face of a frog with two white seemingly blind eyes looking forward. It's eyes start to glow.

Battle Begin!


Sarina
Monster
Kallak
Thony
Yarro




Skillpropts
FORT SAVE: DC13
Know Arcana: DC13 Specify what you want to know

Battle Map here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GRz_O8R9cw2dcEhjvYhI-M_k9bcfWLyu/view?usp=sharing)

[u-b]

Sarina moves south-east until she's close enough, then mumbles something and gestures with her hand towards the creature. A vivid cone of clashing colors springs forth from her hand hitting the hairless scaled monkey and everything around it.

Three squares SE, than color spray (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/c/color-spray/).

[Sleepy Shade]

Sensing something wrong Sarina leaps into action running towards the creature. As she closes in on the beast it reflexively illuminates it's eyes. Sarina is caught by the blinding light but manages to get the color spray off stunning the beast with a blinding array of colors. The creature shakes it's head stunned by the multitude of colors it just witnessed.

The Blindhiem is now stunned for 4 rounds. Sarina is now blind for 1 hour. The creatures gaze is active.

Battle map here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k6fim6rEeTixUHV96W-xhlc1bg47OfQn/view?usp=sharing)

[Continental Op]

Yarro shouts, "Don't get too close or look directly at its eyes! It can blind you!"

Taking Yarro's advice, Kallak pulls his bow and circles to the south to get a clear shot around Sarina, trying not to look a the creature directly. However, when he takes aim he must look in the creature's direction.

Yarro does the same as Kallak, but circles around the other way, moving east until she can clear line of sight around Sarina to throw a bomb.

So Kallak would need to move at least 10' south, I think, to have a clear shot at the frog creature. The question is whether he would also move 5' away from the creature or not, since Kallak doesn't know the creature's gaze range (which I assume is the lighter cone area). Yarro did say to not get close to the creature, but I don't think Kallak would necessarily take that to mean "stay as far away as possible." I leave it to you, Sleepy. I will make the attack rolls, just in case Kallak is not blinded.

As for Yarro, if the water is difficult terrain she would move 15' east, and also still be in the creature's gaze attack. If it isn't, she would move 25' east to be slightly behind the creature before she throws a bomb.

[u-b]

Thony moves just enough to the east to avoid hitting Sarina. He is too busy not looking at the creature he targets to keep his aim straight, but this is of no consequence as the weapon misfires. Meanwhile Sarina, somethat aimlessly, tries to withdraw to north-west. "I can't see! Can't see!"

Two squares to the east. A misfire.

[Sleepy Shade]

Kallak decides to keep away from the beast whose eyes now shine like bulleye lanterns and takes the shot with his bow, The arrow grazes the creature but it dosn't cry out. Thony steps to the side but his gun jams. Yarro quickly moves around to the side of creature the slow moving water hardly impeading her gait and tosses a Bomb hitting the Blindhiem but while the flesh sizzles from the acid the creature still dosn't utter a sound. Sarina however finds she can't see anything and finds moving around blind disorienting.


Count down 2/4 turns left on the stun.
Battle map Here
(https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nrocN_kRZvmLtcrnzkg99D3K_3BtKZO0/view?usp=sharing)
Hope I got Yarro's postioning right.

[Continental Op]

Kallak shouts in consternation, "Are we even hurting this thing?! And someone needs to help Sarina!"

Yarro responds, "I think Sarina's spell paralyzed the blindhiem. And we need to neutralize it as soon as we can. Sarina, can you duck down? The blindness is temporary, and we will get you as soon as we can."

Kallak takes Yarro's advice, and puts everything he has into firing another arrow at the frog-thing's eyes. Yarro moves a bit closer to the Blindhiem, mixes a bomb and tosses it.

Kallak is using deadly aim this round. Yarro moves 10' south and 5' diagonally southeast before throwing her bomb.

[u-b]

Thony clears the rifle and loads it again, with fresh powder and bullet. Sarina moves a bit away from where the bombs are exploding, enters the water, and does her best to defend herself against things unseen.

Spending a point of grit to quick clear as a move action, then load as a standard. Sarina moves NW and takes a total defense action.

[Sleepy Shade]

With Kallak's comment about whether they were hurting it Yarro remembers Blindhelms are usually very quiet beings even in a fight. It would explain it's quiet reaction to being burned by acid.
Thony quickly clears and reloads the jammed gun while Sarina takes cover. Kallak takes a shot with his bow but misses the creature only by a hair. Yarro however hit's the creature again acid seeping into the creatures skin it's breath starts to become ragged but it is still standing strong.

Count down
1/4 turns left on the stun.

Battle map Here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/14WEA4KCTOf7J1UJHotEFs-ZRsy94wCia/view?usp=sharing)

[u-b]

Thony aims at the creature and shoots, then he moves a bit further away. Sarina just keeps defending herself.

Thony makes two steps north.

[Continental Op]

Kallak grits his teeth and tries again with another arrow. Yarro hesitates, then mixes her second-to-last bomb and throws it at the Blindhiem.

[Sleepy Shade]

Kallak let's loose his arrow and it hit's the Blindhelm in the chest finally knocking the creature down. It's eyes fade and the cavern it thrust back into darkness. Yarro still holds the torch. The creature is dying and after killing it you see some oddities about it. It wears a ragged and shredded hood that might have at one point covered it's eyes. Also something has been burned into it's flesh on the hip. A cursory glance around the room now that its safe you find the half eaten body of a man in the pool in the back you also see a glint from something around his neck.
There are two exit's from the cave one leading back towards the entrance and another that seems to lead deeper into the mountain. And the way you just came.
With Sarina blind what will you do?

Skill prompts
linguistics: DC 20 What's that weird writing?

[Continental Op]

Yarro moves to help Sarina. "I believe the blindness will wear off in one hour. I am sorry I did not recognize the creature and react fast enough. Your spell saved us, Sarina.". Yarro helps Sarina back onto land.

Kallak kicks the frog-thing to make sure it is dead, then looks closely at the hood and the apparent brand on its hip. "Yarro, are these things intelligent? Or do you think it was trained somehow?"

Once Sarina is on shore and resting, Yarro moves to examine the body and the strange writing. "Hmm...I am not sure..."

[u-b]

Sarina sits on the stone floor of the cave not doing anything much. She still seems somewhat shocked by what happened. Having ample time now, Thony proceeds to examine everything that he can see, including the strange writing, which he takes some time to describe to Sarina as best as he can, the thing about the corpse's neck, the corpse itself, and just about everything else that is in the room.

I think Sarina won't say anything definite about the writing unless Yarro helps by providing a more informed insight.

[Continental Op]

Yarro looks over Thorny's shoulder as he describes the writing, and interrupts to correct his description whenever it does not convey the complete picture.

Kallak says in an undertone to Thorny, "Sorry for Yarro, it is just the way she is. She does not seem to understand that interrupting is rude."

Yarro hears him, and responds "I do not interrupt anyone, unless they are incorrect. The truth is more important than manners, is it not?"

Kallak grins, and shakes his head. He takes the torch from Yarro (being the only one who needs the light, apparently), and examines the body and the rest of the cave.

[Sleepy Shade]

Unfortunately neither Sarina nor Yarro knows what the burned word is but Sarina guesses it might be undercommon. With nothing much else in the cave expect a couple of corpses you search the one in the water. Unlike the gnomes this one seems to be untouched. However the Blindhelm seems to have eaten a lot of the flesh. It takes an hour for Sarina's eyesight to return during which you need to light another torch since the first one burns out.

Belt Pouch
-21GP
A Silver holy symbol: A Pick axe made of a femur, a human skull & a large rib
2 Water tight potions


Skill propts
Know Religion:DC 20 To identify the weird Holy symbol
Identify the potions:DC16
Yarro: Craft (alchemy)
Anyone: Perception

You have about 5 hours and 40 minuets of water breathing left

[u-b]

Sarina and Thony examine the potions. Thony thinks he has encountered something like this in the past. Meanwhile, Sarina comments on the burned word: "I don't know the language, but the writing seems to be not unlike Undercommon. Might be someone has marked their slave or something. I wonder if it has escaped or was put here to guard."

[Continental Op]

Yarro responds to Sarina, "Probably set here to guard, I think. And do Gremlins speak Undercommon?" She shrugs at the holy symbol, but takes her time examining the potions in turn, before handing them to Kallak. Kallak also takes the belt pouch and holy symbol. "I don't mind carrying these for the group, unless anyone objects. I figure we can settle up accounts back in town. Could anyone tell which group this might have been part of? I guess the holy symbol could maybe tell us something, but I don't know what it is."


A little while later, before the torch goes out, Kallak also offers, "Hey all, if I really am the only one who needs to light, I can do without it a while while we wait for Sarina to recover. So longs as you two (motioning to Thorny and Yarro) can keep a lookout, I can wait to strike up another torch until we are ready to go on."

Yarro nods, and adds, "And I think we should go on, but you all should know that I have only two bombs left. I can switch to my crossbow after that, but I will be less effective."

[u-b]

"Sorry, not an expert on religions. Not one of Cayden's, that for sure." "Me neither. I doubt it's one of our major faiths. At least, I don't remember anyone with this symbol."

No objection to spending some time in the dark and then coninuing on.

[Continental Op]

After examining the potions, Yarro states "This is lucky for us. These are potions of cure light wounds. I have this spell memorized, so I suggest two others should carry these, just in case." She hands one to Thorny and one to Kallak.


During the down time, Kallak feels out Thorny and Sarina a bit about their feelings on the Technic League. "I know you both have said before that you are not from Numeria, but have you had any dealings with the Technic League? They basically run this country."

[u-b]

Thony puts the potion in the bandolier. "Had no real contact with it and no dealings. Taking this town, they don't seem too active running it, as far as I can notice, and we have not been anywhere else." Thony shtugs. He apparently couldn't care less about the Technic League. "Southwards?"

[Continental Op]

Yarro chimes in, "Maybe we should go back towards the cave entrance by this path to the west, to cover our escape? I believe it would be better if something behind us, like those fire beetles, does not move in while we are exploring and block the way back, when we are tired and depleted. I am guessing we will need to explore this cavern in stages, like my mentor."

Kallak shrugs. "I'm fine, either way."

[u-b]

"Well, yeah, I suppose our goal is somewhere to the east, but no objection to playing it safe. That is, as safe as this could be played with the statistics at hand. Lead on." Thony seems to be fine with the plan. The Torch could well wait and the man is not a close friend of Thony's to rush saving him ahead of the man's own friends, even for a reward. Sarina seems to have no objections either, if only because she normally relied on Thony for decisions like that and did not have a strong opinion.

[Continental Op]

Once Sarina regains her sight, Kallak strikes a torch and hands it to Yarro. He then takes the lead on the path towards the east, with Yarro behind him.

[Sleepy Shade]

As you head down the west passage you see a collection of stalactites and stalagmites choke this low-ceilinged cavern, making it difficult to squeeze between them. Matching stalactites close in from the five-foot-high ceiling, giving the impression of a maw of needlelike teeth bearing down on one another. A dead half-orc sprawls on the ground near the cave’s eastern entrance. You can faintly hear the beetles skittering around beyond the west exit.

Battle map here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sDFEOpfaXHkcz8yddywaTwa7_jiHPLhB/view?usp=sharing)

Skill prompts
Know local: DC 10
Heal :DC12

[Sleepy Shade]

Turning over the half-ork Kallak and Yarro are able to recognize a long time patron of the bar and a minor friend Parda Garr. She was a brawler who was well liked by everyone in town. However lately she started hanging out with the Rope Fist gang. Seems she paid the ultimate price for associating her self with them. However you also notice that on her back are a number of wounds too clean to be made with claws. You can tell that they are most likely knife wounds and were done by an experienced combatant.

Continue on and clear out the beetles?

[Continental Op]

Kallak shakes his head, pointing to the knife wounds in Parda's back. He then leads the way forward, towards the fire beetles. On the way he looks behind the stalagmites, making sure nothing is going to leap out at them.

[Sleepy Shade]

You quickly move through the small forest of stalactites and stalagmites as you near the west entrance you can see the flickering lights of the beetles.
Are you gonna go charging in or attack from afar?

[Continental Op]

As soon as they start to get close, Kallak quietly pulls out his bow and starts trying to sneak up on the beetles. His hope is to get off an arrow to two before they get in melee. He also fervently hopes they do not breathe fire...

[u-b]

Thony sneaks some distance behind Kallak. Sarina lets them go with the assumption that they will either eventually fall back or win without her intervention.

[Sleepy Shade]

Kallak sneaks up on the beetles easily as they seem more interested in scrounging for food than keeping a lookout for predators. They seem interested in what looks like a patch of burnt ground. Behind him about 20 feet is Thony ready to help out if needed.

You're in battle
You have the surprise round.


Thony
Sarina
Kallak
Beetles
Yarro


Battle map here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/14Q9ywM2i0AVxWgJJiewfZ1pqsnST0hTX/view?usp=sharing)

[u-b]

Thony is all ready for Kallak to start a fight. He might be able to get one shot straight, but then the rifle misfires again.

For the surprise round Thony will ready an action. A shot if he can see a target, a move if he cannot. On his normal round the rifle misfires. Sarina is not participating.

[Continental Op]

Kallak nocks an arrow and aims for the beetle to the north, furthest from the water. He releases just as the beetle pauses in its movements.

Edit: For Kallak's action after the surprise round, he quickly draws another arrow. If the first beetle he shot at is still moving, he fires at it again. Otherwise, he moves on to the next beetle in the line, the one northwest of him and shoots it.

[Sleepy Shade]

Kallak fires at the closest beetle skewering it. Thony realizes that he'll need to move up as he can't get a good sight on the enemy. The beetles now alerted to Kallak's presence focus on him. But kallak loosed another arrow and pins another to the cave floor. Finally with a clear line of sight to a target Thony brings his rifle up but it again misfires. The final beetle opens it's shell and flies toward Kallak. It tries to bite the young man but is not able to get a good grip.

Battle map here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RKjETMi8t0y4Luxk5GYObketBccdKDxO/view?usp=sharing)

[u-b]

Not wanting to waste time clearing his rifle, Thony draws the rapier and attacks in melee. He pierces the beetle right through and keeps it that way until it stops moving. He then lets it fall to the floor, wipes and sheathes the rapier and takes time to clear and reload the rifle. He then looks around for anything noteworthy (a close view of scorch marks and what not).

[Sleepy Shade]

With Thony's stab the final beetle finally falls silent. With a new vantage point everyone can see the scorch marks near the shore of the stony beach. A more through look might be needed to make sense of tracks you see in the soot.

Combat is complete
Everyone gets : 105 XP

Climbing up and down the 5 foot cliff: DC 10
Survival Making sense of the tracks: DC20

[Continental Op]

Kallak nods at Thorny in thanks for dispatching the last beetle. He then carefully climbs down the embankment and examines the track.

[Sleepy Shade]

Kallak climbs down the 5 foot cliff and takes a look at the tracks while he can tell some are human like tracks and various animals as well there are to many crossing over each other to get a clear picture. With both entrances clear the group must make a decision. Continue into the cave or return to town and rest up?

[u-b]

Thony looks as Kallak tries to make sense of numerous tracks. "Seems to be a popular place. Shall we move on deeper inside?" "Can we wait for a moment? I want leave a message here." Sarina takes a blank (formerly mage armor) scroll and writes a chort recap of what the party did and encountered so far. Then whe puts it near the dead beetles, places a small stone over it so that it stays put, but is still clearly visible. Then she is ready to go.

[Continental Op]

Kallak stares at the tracks a little longer, then gives it up as a lost cause. "I can't make anything out down here. As you say Thorny, the palce is too popular."

Kallak comes back up, and looks a little askance at Sarina. "You don't think we're going to make it back?"

Kallak has a small smile on his face, but Yarro either does not see it or it does not register. So she states in a matter-of-fact way, "It is always best to prepare. And Sarina's note is really for the town's benefit. I, for one, approve." Kallak just nods, and does not correct Yarro.

"Yes, I think we are ready to proceed. I will take point again, and we can take that path to the south now. Hoepfully there are no more of those weird frog-things."

[Sleepy Shade]

You return to the cave with the dead blindheim and start down the south exit. You find it leads to a long tunnel heading deeper into the mountain. You exit into an odd room that from Thony and Kallaks perspective reminds them of the dump. A collection of crates, boxes, rubble, and scavenged metal lies heaped in the northwest section of this damp cave. Several strange chalk drawings of twisted, spiny plants, a strange three-legged creature, and emaciated four-armed humanoids mark the walls.

Battle map here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/18XT0ru8o6lIQyKzcL3xC5_DvkzvrqBYp/view?usp=sharing)

You have 4hours and 20 minutes left of water breathing.

[Continental Op]

Kallak whispers to the others "What could have gathered all this trash? Those gremlins?". Kallak hefts his cold iron planson and cautiously approaches the garbage pile, waving the others back, listening for any sounds of movement.

Yarro takes the moment to examine the strange drawings (from where she is), to see if she recognizes anything.

[u-b]

Thony just watches the passages. He is not particularly interested in a pile of garbage. At the moment, at least. "Is that the depiction of the same robot we have seen for real?" says Sarina pointing at the drawing of a three-legged creature "If so, maybe the rest is to await us too."

[Sleepy Shade]

The drawing of the three legged creature is very much the repair robot you saw earlier. The others however your not sure about the four limbed one. The garbage it's self seems to be just garbage but you notice that among the garbage are a number of technology items ruined but the sight gives you hope more tech is further in the mountain.
While Kallak is looking over the garbage pile Yarro takes note of some of the pieces he digs out and between the two of them you find 7 silver disks.

Knowledge local DC20 to identify the four armed creature.
Which way? Southeast or west?

[Continental Op]

Kallak keeps out his planson. "Southeast?" Unless there are objections, he starts heading down the tunnel.

[u-b]

Neither Thony nor Sarina have any objections. They follow Kallak and Yarro in the same previously established order.

[Sleepy Shade]

As you enter the passage way you feel something is off. The air is colder and you even see a rim of frost lining parts of the walls and floor of the passage way. You soon enter a cavern your standing on a small cliff overlooking the cave and about ten feet below you see the cave floor and what seems to be a light layer of brown dust carpets the cave floor. a body of some sort sits slumped against the eastern wall.

Skill propts
What is this stuff?
Knowledge dungeon: DC 12
or Survival: DC15
Battle map Here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MnPRLgniAqGZ6u4n-oh2D_DFw3QxZfaC/view?usp=sharing)

[Continental Op]

Kallak stops and whispers to the others "Wait a moment, I know what this stuff is..."

[Edit]: "I've heard of this! It must be brown mold, and it causes the cold we felt on the way down. If we get near it, the cold is so intense it can knock people out. I don't think we can go down there."

Yarro responses, "Maybe my bombs can kill it? Though they do not cause fire."

"Actually, fire makes it grow, for some reason. I've heard cold can kill it, but I have no idea why. Your acid might be able to, as well. I'm not sure. And rather than risk it, I suggest we go around. It looks like it is spread around this cave quite a bit."

Yarro nods. "Alright. Should we double back and try the other path?"

[u-b]

"Give me a couple of minutes. I want to estimate how long it would take to get rid of this mold." says Sarina. With one hand she grabs a flask she has in her bandolier, with other, she starts to gesture, casting Acid Splash again and again, sending tiny globes of acid towards the brown mold. She does that for about five minutes, then estimates how much is done and how mush is still left to do.

50 attacks of 1d3+1 acid at +2 touch.

[Sleepy Shade]

Sarina starts the task of trying to remove the brown mold using acid. However after a minute she has cleared about half of a five foot square. But before you get ready to take a short break while Sarina continues to blast the mold with acid you here behind you "That's going to take forever" As you spin around to find who said that you hear the voice speak again "I'm gonna make you an offer you'd be wise to accept." Focusing on the voice it seems to come from a wall from the cavern you just came from to your right. Focusing on the spot you can make out a rough female humanoid shape but it's tough to see as the skin perfectly matches the cave wall. The female humanoid seems to only have a few crude pieces of clothing but caries a sword thankfully undrawn. "Two of you are going to follow me and speak to our... leader. Yeah that sounds right. The other two stay. Be good and don't make any trouble and Brath and Yardiss wn't hurt you. We're not interested in fighting." You can tell she is eyeing you ready to defend herself if she see's you making any hostile moves.

[Continental Op]

Kallak puts his hand on his planson, but does not draw it. Yarro responds, "Why just two of us? You could be trying to divide our group, to make us easier prey. What assurance do we have that you will not attack us? We are not looking for trouble, just one of the men who came down here before us."

While Yarro talks, Kallak looks around for the other two this humanoid mentioned.

[u-b]

Thony and Sarina stay silent for some time, then Sarina asks "Have you made this offer to anyone else lately?" while Thony just continues to watch this person.

Sense motive rolled.

[Sleepy Shade]

The humanoid addresses Yarro first .She fumbles with some of the words as it seems common is not her first language. " Two only because we need a garantee you won't attack us. I'm in more danger than you. If your looking for one person from those past intrusions our leader might know which one and where they went. if you need further assurace you may take my blade wile we go to the leader."
To Sarina's question she responds with "Your the first group we're trying to talk with we need allies right now not more corpses."
Both Sarina and Thony sense she is rather uncomfortable though your not sure if it's because she is speaking to people she doesn't know or the threat of battle that seems to hang in the air. However you don't get the feeling she is being evasive or trying to trick you.

Skill prompts
Locating the other humanoids: Perception Dc 23
What is she? Know local Dc 20
Do you need more info or what some sort of explanation? Diplomacy DC varies

[Continental Op]

Kallak does not see anyone else, and relaxes a little. In a low voice, he says "I don't know, Yarro, what do you think?"

Yarro ***** her head slightly. "I think it may be worth the risk. But which two of us would go?" She glances at Thorny and Sarina, then turns to this humanoid, and asks "How far is this leader? Would we be separated long?"

Edit: OOC: Apparently I should have said Yarro TURNS her head slightly to the side. Sheesh.

[u-b]

"We'll go. I and Sarina." says Thony looking past the strange humanoid famale at some exact point in the surrounding darkness. "Maybe she can even leave you some company more lively than just a blade." Then he shrugs. "Whatever. Should not be problematic."

[Sleepy Shade]

Thony can see just at the edge of the dim light a figure another humanoid like the one talking to you but with a bow and arrow he has one arrow knocked ready to fire at a moments notice. He seems to be a male and like the girl is completely bald you can't see any more but Thony guesses they are in the darkness beyond the dim light.
The girl thinks for a moment and answers Yarro's question "Our leader is about one choes away from here or closer" The odd measurement confuses you for a second but you recognize it as a water clock measurement of two and a half minuets. "As for how long you'll be gone well that will depend on you" She looks to the group after Thony volunteers him and Sarina " Final answer?"



https://www.scabard.com/user/DarthToddy/image/Skulk.PNG

[Continental Op]

Kallak looks to Yarro, who shrugs and nods. "Please ask about Khonnir, and we will not make any progress on the mold while you are gone," she says to Sarina.

[Sleepy Shade]

With every one agreeing to let Thony and Sarina go the girl takes her blade out and hands it to Thony "Remember to be have once we get there I'm taking the sword back" With no more delays she walks Thony and Sarina down the cave passage. As you get to the previous chamber she goes down the other passage way the south east one you passed up before.

Kallak and Yarro watch as the others walk away following the woman but soon see one of the friends she mentioned. Emerging from the gloom is a male much like the girl you met. However he looks more grumpy he has a arrowed drawn ready to fire if you make any sudden moves. "Just stay put Luepel will bring your friends back." He looks back into the darkness and says something but your not sure what. He keeps watch on you.

Sarina and Thony enter into a much larger cavern. The ceiling of this vast chamber rises nearly thirty feet overhead. A five-foot-wide ledge runs along the western wall, sloping down to the cave floor ten feet below. Four ramshackle huts made of what appear to be strips of metal, hides, and some sort of fibrous plant matter sit in the cave, while to the south yawns a dark pit. She guides you through the small village and directs you to another passage way. On the way there you catch a glimpse of the large metal wall Khonnir described in his report to the council.

Battle map here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sx46LvSb3NLD-3NhiS_NP0gMBJGx8Z4p/view?usp=sharing)
The red mark was your path through the cavern.

[u-b]

Thony keeps his eyes open, but does not slow down to have a better look at anything, including that metal wall and that pit. Sarina just follows. Neither one says a word.

[Sleepy Shade]

With no real comments on any thing the group continues in awkward silence. Thony and Sarina enter into another dumping ground of a cave. This cramped cave is filled with metal junk covering almost every inch of ground. The precarious pile rises up in a heap like hut to the northwest. Luepel goes up to the hut and calls out "Sef!" You here some one moving aroud for a bit and finally the leader Sef appears. She looks a lot like Luepel however her clothes manly consists of straps and knives.

https://i.pinimg.com/236x/ef/10/20/ef10205a20c508eba122d9fed63f7ec1--pathfinder-rpg-character-ideas.jpg?nii=t

She speaks to Luepel for a second and seems to thank her for bringing you here. Luepel walks back over to you and holds her hand out for her sword.
Sef starts speaking "Ok Hello I'm Sef. I wanted to talk to who ever comes through here. We need help and you seem to want to move through the cave unimpeded. We'll let you through here without attack but you need to help us first. There is a nest of Jinkin Gremlins to the north and they have been a pest to us for too long. If you clear them out not only will we allow you to travel here but we'll reward you. Just don't attack us and every thing will be good." She pauses waiting for you to speak.

Map Here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Gtzyq_WSyumdbGmutCC3VODf0UayH0Gu/view?usp=sharing)

[u-b]

"Hello Sef. Thony. Sarina." Thony points who is who."That is a potentially interesting deal, but why would we ever want to go through your part of the cave? We are following previous teams and if none of them went through your part of the cave, it is not clear why would we. At least, not without a map of this cave system. If we do want go through your part of the cave, how many of yours would accompany us for the attack on the gramlins? It's not like you expecting just four of us do whatever the lot of you are struggling to do."

[Sleepy Shade]

"There is good reason to believe you came here and need to get through our cave at least four groups of you outsiders have come here and all seem to want to travel through the metal wall. At least three groups have gone through it and if your following previous teams you'll need to go through our cave. As for help were are short on hands besides you seem capable."

Skill propts
Get her to give you some help: Diplomacy

[u-b]

"That's pretty interesting, I would tell. What were the arrangements for the previous groups' passage? Did they have to run errands for you too?" Thony does not seem hugely interested in the deal as presented, but knowing more is certainly another matter, especially since it could be resolved on the spot.

[Sleepy Shade]

"They don't matter right now what I'm talking about is our deal now. If you want more details I happily provide them if you agree to our request. But I need to know I can at least rely on you not to attack us and are willing to help."Sef responds.

[u-b]

"No deal at the moment. We are not interested in attacking you, nor we are interested in attacking anyone. We are not doing it without your skin in the game, for sure." "But Thony, we need a passage through their cave!" "Maybe we need a passage through their cave. I don't remember Khonnir reporting on deals with them." Sarina turns to Sef. "Maybe you will accept a material payment instead? Healing scrolls? Potions? Coins?"

[Sleepy Shade]

Sef shakes her head "What little skin we got is stretched to thin. Me and Luepel that is half of everyone. So no I can't just send someone to help you clear out the gremlins. Besides as your companion so put you NEED passage. Everything in these caves just narrows down to this cave so your either going to go into the gremlin nooks or are going through the iron doors and going further in. If it's so important that I have skin in I'll give you half of your reward up front if you'll get rid of the gremlins. But what we need is someone willing to take action and help us. Material payment right now is useless to us." You can detect that Sef is starting to get annoyed.

Skill prompts
Sense motive: is she telling the truth?
Knowledge Nature: DC 11 Jinkin Gremlins

[u-b]

"Any hope of providing the help after doing our primary business? I mean, you are not in hurry, are you? We don't mind working for a reward later on. If you impede and delay our progress now, whether by wasting our resources or otherwise, that would not be good for anyone." "Please! We must save Khonnir! And the others, if they are still alive! We cannot just spend our last spells and bombs for today on those gremlins! But we will come back tomorrow to relight the torch and might be able to help you!"

[Sleepy Shade]

"I've seen what is on the other side. Their is a desert larger then this entire cavern and could fit at least three more. Undead walk those dunes. If you go on past here exhausted and get yourselves killed then we're still stuck with gremlins and have to ask the next group which may not be so peaceful next time. I have to look out for my people now and we can't make progress here until the gremlins are taken care of. I can't wait for you do traipse across a killer desert find some one that MIGHT be alive and return here. I'll allow to you return tomorrow but you have to help us first before we allow you access." Sef doesn't look like she is in much of mood to negotiate any more.

[u-b]

"Okay, I understood your proposal." says Thony "We will discuss it." he then turns to leave.

[Sleepy Shade]

With an annoyed huff Sef asks Luepel to bring you back to your group. "Sorry about that but were all tense and on edge" She explains as you walk through the cavern.

Soon enough your back at Yarro and Kallaks position and see one of the other hominoids. She says something to them and they both retreat into the darkness.

You have 3 hours and 50 minuets of water breathing left.

[u-b]

"The situation is as follows. There is a nest of jinkin gremlins they want to have cleared. Like, above of all else save for their personal safety. They say they'll let us pass unimpeded through their part of the cave to where three previous groups went, but only after we clear the gremlin nest. Whether the previous groups went through them impeded or ran some other errands for them they have declined to comment. If we agree and, especially, succeed, they might be more forthcoming with the information. They are promising some reward, but are not open to any practical negotiation in the way we would like it. The bastards. We won't be getting to Knonnir today because past their cave is the metal wall mentioned and past that is a bunch of wandering undead we won't be able to handle after we're done with whomever we'll handle this side of the wall. I am not sure which bunch we should take on. Likely the gremlins, even though I would have preferred both sides roasting on a stake." Thony is apparently not in a very good mood.

[Continental Op]

Yarro gives a short nod as she states, "If there is no way around their cavern, that makes sense. Even if we fought through these chameleons, the gremlins would still be behind us and might attack. Whereas if we help these humanoids and take care of the gremlins, they likely will not bother us again. This female seems sincere, and they did not attack us while we were divided."

Kallak shrugs. "So we should ask them to lead the way, and expect trouble with these gremlins?"

[u-b]

"The gremlins are somewhere north of their cave, so if you need no preparations we just go there and expect them to point the correct way. I doubt they are going to lead." Then thonny remembers something. "Speaking of preparations..." He aims his musket at the ceiling somewhere in a distance and shoots. Then he reloads. "Cold iron bullet." He explains. "Just to be sure." He then takes a full powder horn out of the backpack instead the one half-expended.

[Continental Op]

"Alright. Lead the way," Kallak tells Thorny. Yarro gets up from where she was sitting, and shoulders her backpack. She nods.

[Sleepy Shade]

With your minds set on exterminating the gremlins you head down the corridor back to the previous room. You soon find Luepel and explain your ready to start the extermination. She takes you back through the village and soon you find your self near Sef's hut. Sarina and Thony remember passing this are on the way to Sef hut. Two openings in the rock lead further in but it's a bit of a tight squeeze the openings are about five foot high and you'll have to duck to enter. It also might be a bit hard to attack with something like a great sword while in the tunnel. Still you can head left or right.

Skill prompts
Perception DC16
Knowledge Nature: DC 11 Jinkin Gremlins +2 to roll for knowing about gremlins in general.

[Sleepy Shade]

Yarro and Sarina notice something just past the entrance of the right tunnel a long thin tripwire. Yarro knows that the Jenkin Gremlins probably set it up. The gremlins are conniving and love to play pranks on people especially pranks that result in blood shed. There especially hard to pin down as they can teleport and when in groups they can curse magical items (or people) if they can get their little hands on them though cursing stuff takes awhile.

Skillpropt
Disable Device DC16 to get rid of the trap


At will—prestidigitation
1/hour—dimension door (self plus 5 lbs. only)

Tinker (Sp) A group of six jinkins working together over
the course of an hour can create an effect identical to
bestow curse on any living creature. This effect functions
at CL 6th and has a range of 60 ft., and the target
creature must be either willing or helpless (but still gets
a saving throw to resist). The save is DC 14 + the Charisma
modifier of the jinkin with the highest Charisma score (DC 16
for most groups of jinkins). Alternatively, the group of jinkins
can attempt to infuse a magic item with a curse. The nature
of this curse is determined randomly; half of these
curses make the magic item unreliable (each time the item is
used, there is a 20% chance it does not function), while the
other half give the item a random requirement (see page 537
of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook). A jinkin can take part
in a tinkering only once per day, and may only tinker with a
creature or object that isn’t already cursed. Once a tinkering
curse is in place, it is permanent until removed via an effect
like remove curse. All jinkin tinkerings function as a curse
created by a 6th-level caster.

[Continental Op]

Yarro puts a hand on Kallak's shoulder and quietly but firmly exclaims, "Wait. There is a tripwire (sigh). These are probably Jenkin gremlins, they tinker and curse people. They can also teleport, but not all the time. I think they need to rest after teleporting...Anyway we probably should remove the tripwire in case we have to double back quickly, or anyone else has to come in here. I think their curses can be nasty."

Kallak nods, Yarro gets out her tools, and the pair of them approach the wire. Kallak looks at the wire and the mechanism attached to it. "This doesn't look too bad." They appear to be practiced at working together, and get to work without much communication between them.

Can Kallak aid Yarro's roll (or vice versa) using one set of tools? Also, one character can aid another even if the other is taking 10, right? If so, I think their standard practice would be Yarro aiding Kallak's taking ten on a Disable Device roll.

[u-b]

Thony did not initially notice the wire, but he takes a good look and, of course, it's there. "I can cut it out safely if you are not sure." He notes. If Yarro is sure, he'll just be at the other entrance. Sarina is more curious and will watch the process regardles who would be doing it.

[Sleepy Shade]

Yarro and Kallak quickly work out the mechanism of the trip wire and disable it making sure the jagged junk it was connected to is safely secured. At the back the cave splits again to the right seems to be another entrance into this mini cave system to the left it seems to lead further in.

Skill prompt
perception check

[Sleepy Shade]

Sarina and Yarro hear something moving around in the left cavern and you do not see any string or traps near the entrance.

[Continental Op]

Yarro gestures for everyone to stop, holds her finger to her mouth, then points to her ear and down the left hallway. Kallak nods, quietly unsheathing his planson. He starts to sneak forward, until he realizes that he cannot see without the torchlight.

Kallak, looking somewhat rueful, shakes his head and points at his eyes and torch. He whispers, "Sorry, I can't scout ahead if I can't see. Does anyone else think they can, or should we prepare for whatever is there and face it head-on as a group?"

[u-b]

"I'll have a look and be back. Or something." Thony whispers in response. He starts to sneak along the left cavern, but does not advance too far for the moment. Sarina follows at some distance.

Thony is taking 10 on stealth for a total of 16.
Thony is taking 10 on perception for a total of 18.
He is advancing no more than 40 feet in.

Sarina is taking 10 on stealth for a total of 12.
She is 20 feet behind and is advancing no more than 20 feet in.

[Continental Op]

Kallak and Yarro join Sarina and follow Thorny. Kallak is being stealthy, and Yarro is attempting to.

[Sleepy Shade]

Thony rounding the corner in darkness sees a small humanoid creature picking it's teeth with a sharp piece of metal. The creature is right now looking at another entrance and seems to be slacking off. However Sarina makes a feels something crawling over her hand as she follows Thony she flings it off but the sound of the bug hitting the stone wall is enough to perk the gremlins ears he looks over at Thony who only just manages to duck back. The gremlin is now actively searching and is reading himself for intruders.


https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5f/9a/e7/5f9ae7c6d9531a3a62cce9e067923128.png

[u-b]

With the gremlin alerted, Thony does not wait any further and soots. Trying not to be seen before he pulls the trigger, Thony does not quite gets the aim right.

[Sleepy Shade]

Thony tries to take aim at the tiny fey but he misses. The shot hits close to the gremlin sending up a shower of rock shards. The gremlin startled by the shot scream "intruders!" and runs. The cave your in has three entrances. you came from the south and the gremlin ran through the west entrance. To the north the cave seems to open up to a larger area.

[u-b]

Thony takes some time to reload the musket with another cold iron bullet. He then intends to proceed to the intersection and take a look into the northern cave while Sarina covers the way to the west.

[Continental Op]

Yarro, holding the torch, and Kallak stay with Sarina. Kallak has his bow out and an arrow notched.

Edit: Arrow nocked, I meant.

[Sleepy Shade]

Sarina finds that the path the gremlin took splits into two path ways one heading north the other going west. As Thony looks into the noth cavern he see's that there are several different passageways converging on a narrow ledge overlooking a rubble-filled cavern. The far wall is made of a smooth, dark gray metal. A single circular door, tightly closed, sits on the metal wall just above the upper level of the rubble. It seems this is where the gremlins have made a nest.
Skill propt
Perception checks for Sarina and Thony.
Oc: Will try and get the map up next post.

[Sleepy Shade]

Thony suddenly hears something clambering out of the trash heap another gremlin by the looks of it. However he suddenly feels a sting in his leg and looks down at a gremlin that wasn't there before pulling out a small bloody sword from his leg. The wound is shallow but he was lucky it didn't hit something bigger. another gremlin comes in from the side tunnel it was the one he shot at. Suddenly it seems Thony is surrounded by the little fey. Sarina as she looks down the tunnels sees another gremlin probably brought out by the shouting of his comrade.
Your in battle
Thony is hit and takes -2 hp from gremlin boss

Sarina
Boss gremlin
Gremlins
Yarro
Kallak
Thony


Battle map here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JIUS608oq09O0fLdgR24veOhJpOxIRv_/view?usp=sharing)

[u-b]

Sarina makes a step away from the gremlin and casts a spell, shooting a multicolored cone at him. One gremlin should not be too problematic. The problem is she did not see or hear him until really close, so she does not know how many more are sneaking around.

One step east.
Color Spray (Will 17 negates).

[Sleepy Shade]

Sarina deftly knocks one of the gremlins out with color spray it will be awhile before they get back up. The small swarm of gremlins converge on Thony but the Gremlin's knives don't find their mark only the large gremlin manages to hit Thony again another cut that stings but is shallow.
Thony is hit for 3 damage

Battle map Here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ziIHLw_pOJgNqitoq-ZtpWvZhTJKOugp/view?usp=sharing)

[Continental Op]

Yarro, seeing Sarina drop the gremlin to her left, runs up past Kallak. Yarro starts to prepare her last bomb but stops, not wanting to hit Thorny with it. "Thorny, get out of the way!"

Yarro stops in the square north of Kallak and readies an action: to mix and throw a bomb if she can target the gremlins without hitting Thorny.

Kallak sees Yarro preparing her bomb, and decides to stay out of the blast radius. He slides to Yarro's left, and shoots an arrow at the largest gremlin.

[u-b]

At Yarro's suggestion, Thony gets out of the way. Sarina instead gets in the way, but not really that much. She turns left as she passes Yarro and shoots another multicolored cone from there.

Thony withdraws one square south-east then one square east.
Sarina moves to a spot west of Yarro and casts Color Spray from there. Will 17 negates, just like the last time.

[Sleepy Shade]

Yarro calls out to Thony to move and he's able to shake off the small pack of gremlins and moves out of the way. Kallak let's loos an arrow at the big gremlin but it misses the arrow sailing over the gremlins head. Yarrow tosses her last bomb at the trio of gremlins but misses the large one but they all get some of the acid on them. The Boss gremlin and gremlin #1 are able to avoid most of it. Gremlin #2 however gets it all over him the acid eating nasty holes in his flesh. Sarina runs head long it to the crowded fight and blasts color spray over the three imps however Gremlin #2 stays conscious from the pain and the boss shrugs it off only one gremlin falls under the colorful shimmering sleep of the spell. Clearly enraged at the group storming his home the Boss gremlin goes after Sarina in a last ditch attempt. He makes a small cut on her but not much else. The other Gremlin horribly hurt and seeing that things are not going their way bails on his boss he turns and pulls up the stone floor scurrying underneath gone. The other two gremlins are unconscious due to the spell Sarina cast on them

Battle map here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EJu8E1odnHhqStIGdUiI6rJ-Hd3SqO7d/view?usp=sharing)

Gremlin #1 is knocked out for 2 turns
Gremlin #1 took 2 points of acid damage
Gremlin #2 took 5 points of acid damage and fled
Gremlin boss took 2 points of acid damage.
Sarina got cut for 1 point of damage.

[Continental Op]

Kallak drops his bow, and in one fluid motion draws his planson and slashes at the large gremlin in front of him.

Seeing how hard it is to hit these creatures, Yarro draws her dagger and moves up next to the passed out gremlin north of her. She crouches down and puts her dagger next to the gremlin's throat. She shouts, "Stop this now, or more of your followers will die!"

Yarro moves NE one square, and N one square, to stop east of the sleeping gremlin. IIRC, she rolled pretty high on her check to identify the gremlins. Does she know anything about their alignment or intelligence? Does she think they can negotiate?

[u-b]

Thony was not going to just wait and let the spells expire. No way in hell. He makes a step towards the gramlin boss and aims at him. Meanwhile, Sarina takes a step to the south-east and casts the same spell third, and last, time. Then Thony shoots at the gremlin.

Thony: step, ready, then shoot.
Sarina: step, Color Spray at gremlin boss and maybe the unconscious gremlin too, if it does any good and does not affect Yarro. Will 17 negates.

[Sleepy Shade]

Yarro runs over pulls the unconscious gremlin up and puts a knife to it's neck yelling "Stop this now, or more of your followers will die!" however the gremlin boss has more immediate problems as Kallak swings a mace but misses him. Yarro remembers that while Jinkin might pick up the occasional common word they speak undercommon and the creature might not know what she is saying. Thony lines up a shot and once Sarina moves fires but also misses the gremlin. Sarina now out of the little creatures reach turns and fires her color spray at the creature knocking it unconscious.

The boss gremlin is knocked out for 6 turns

With this the battle is pretty much over do you kill or capture the gremlins?

Battle map here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NvTIQ23vaT71F5a1RLypIBzN-8uqcKR7/view?usp=sharing)

[Continental Op]

Yarro moves to plunge her dagger into the gremlin's neck (the one she is crouched next to). But Kallak shouts, "Wait, what are you doing?! Couldn't we just, maybe tie them up and deliver them to those chameleon creatures?"

Yarro looks surprised, and replies "They will just kill them anyway. Why waste the rope and the time? We do not know how long they will be vulnerable, so we should act now."

Unless Thorny or Sarina speak or move to intervene, Yarro uses her dagger to end the gremlin under her.

[u-b]

Sarina looks at Kallak expectantly. She's ready to cast a spell, but is not doing that at the moment. Thony reloads the musket, approaches the gremlin Sarina has knocked out first and shoots him in the head. Then he reloads the musket again and comes to the gremlin boss. He also looks at Kallak expectantly. "You know, this kind of proposal better brought up before, or instead of, accepting the mission. Should I do it for you?"

[Continental Op]

Kallak frowns. "I thought we just had to clear them out. That could mean anything...like convincing them to leave, maybe...I don't know, it is just different when they are helpless and not attacking us..." he trails off.

Yarro responds, "Kallak, these are gremlins. I know I just tried to reason with them, but that is only because their leader was hard to hit. These creatures delight in mayhem and cursing people. I seriously doubt there is any way to clear them out of here for any length of time other than what we are doing."

Kallak nods. He turns to Thorny, and tells him (a little heated) "You can save the shot." He brings his planson up over his head and brings it down, hard, on the lead gremlin. If he does not think that did the job, he does it again. "There. Are we worried about the one that ran away, or are we done here?"

[u-b]

"I wouldn't say we are worried, but we are not going anywhere else today, so might just as well have a good look through here." Having said that, Thony does that while Sarina covers him with a ready cantrip.

Thony starts searching all over the place, including corpses, junk, etc., but first looking for more gremlins, whether escaped or not. Taking 10 and then 20 on perception for a total of 18 and then 28. If people are to assist, that would eventually be 30+.

[Sleepy Shade]

Their is nothing on the gremlins except their short swords. To you however they might as well be shanks. looking through the trash pile you see most of it is either broken pieces of tech, rubble or trash. You do see a few small items that the gremlins must have stolen. However the immediate thing you notice is a large metal wall with a circular door on the other side of the cavern. Investigating it you find the door is tightly shut and won't budge. Your sure that their is nothing else you can loot from the cavern and you still need to collect your reward from Sef.

Stuff you find
A small wood carving of a ship.
A metal smoking pipe that has been damaged.
A metal bracelet depicting a serpent.

[u-b]

Having found some meager loot and not found the escaped gremlin, Thony thinks it is a good time to turn back. "Now we report to Sef. I'd rather leave her the pleasure of digging through this pile of trash to get the last one." He packs the findings and gets out of the gremlin cave. Sarina follows.

[Continental Op]

Kallak is interested in the metal pipe and bracelet. If no one else shows any interest, he pockets them to take back to town.

Yarro was examining the metal door, when Thorny makes leaving noises. She immediately speaks up, "Is anyone injured? Thorny? I can heal someone in case we run into any trouble on the way out."

[u-b]

"I have a few shallow stabs. Can wait until we are back to town cleric, but if it won't cost you anything, then sure go ahead."


He packs the findings and gets out of the gremlin cave.
If no one else shows any interest, he pockets them to take back to town.
Well, Thony has packed everything but does not show a slightest interest. He intends to sell it all at earliest opportunity. Let me know if you have other plans.

[Continental Op]

Yarro nods and casts Cure Light Wounds on Thorny, healing him.

Whoops, I missed Thorny pocketing the things he found, sorry. Kallak's idea was to take them to the town to see if they belonged to anyone who is missing. But if Thorny found and kept them, I'm not sure Kallak even knows the trinkets exist. No worries.

[Sleepy Shade]

With nothing more to be gained in the caves you make your way back to Sef. You see the Gremlin Sarina knocked out in the caves is gone. Back at Sef's hut you see her sharpening a dagger. She looks up and smiles "Ah your back. Thought you weren't gonna go in until tomorrow. So you got rid of them?" She continues to sharpen the knife as she talks to you.

[Continental Op]

Kallak responds, "Yes, we killed most of them, including their leader. They won't bother you again." He gestures inside the hut, "So can we go inside and we speak to..." and he looks to Thorny, "Sef, is it?".

[Sleepy Shade]

Sef looks at you in confusion "I am Sef and no we won't go inside. But Luepel came back and told me you went in there So i'll give you your reward those gremlins have been a pain in our side for to long." Sef gets up sheathes the dagger and enters her hut for a moment she comes back out holding a small sack and hands it to you.
Inside the sack is some silver disks and some strange cards. The cards are made of a f lexible, smooth material and have a brown stripe their are five of them.
"I know you have questions so now that you got rid of those gremlins I'll answer them."

[u-b]

"Just go ahead and give us the answers you gave the previous groups. We'll let you know if we want to clarify anything else." Thony does not seem any more friendly than at the end of his earlier interaction with Sef. He does not move to take the reward either. When it becomes too obvious that he's not doing it, Sarina staps forwards and takes the bag. She takes a look into it. "What is that?"

[Sleepy Shade]

Sef shakes her head "Only one group interacted with us before you on friendly terms. I didn't talk to them our leader at the time Kerrilk did. What question do you want answered?"
At Sarina's question Sef just shrugs "I'm not sure but the lady that came through before asked us to search for those weird cards so they must be important"

[Continental Op]

Kallak looks from Thorny to Sef, with a little surprise showing on his face. "Oh, you are Sef. My apologies. My name is Kallak and this is Yarro. You already met Thorny and Sarina, obviously. What group talked to you before? And what lady talked to you? Was she shorter, like a halfing?"

Yarro steps up next to Sarina. "What cards? May I take a look?"

[u-b]

Sarina takes one card out then hands Yarro the bag with the rest. She casts a spell then, and looks at the card in her hand.

Detect Magic for...
Know (arcana) [roll0]
Spellcraft [roll1]

[Sleepy Shade]

Sarina holds up the card and tries to detect any magic it may possess however the card is entirely non magical and no aura shines forth. Yarro however immediately knows what the card is an Access Card. The brown coloring denotes it as the lowest grade of card.
Sef answers "The first group that we meet when we came here struck a deal with our leader. It was mostly Half orcs and rat men but they followed a pink haired woman. She was about as tall as you" She gestures to Yarro "She wasn't a short person. She wanted us to keep anyone from following her that came through here but I've decided that was a crap deal we're to few and we can't go home." Sef spits on the ground annoyed.

An access card is a small strip of stiff plastic with a color-coded stripe on one side. Some access cards are further decorated with names or titles, or even photographs. An access card functions as a key—when swiped through an electronic lock (a move action), an access card unlocks any lock of its color code or a color code of a lower rating. Although access cards do not consume energy themselves, they work in only electronic locks that currently have power. Among certain societies, access cards are also used as decorations, worn as affectations, and incorporated into ceremonial regalia.
Access cards must be encoded to specific locks before they can function. Often, all of the doors in a complex are keyed to a unique set of cards that don’t work on doors found in other complexes, much like a skeleton key might open all the doors in one castle but none in another. Coding an access card for specific locks requires a lock coder.

Access Card colors Low to high->
Brown,Black,White,Gray,Green,Red,Blue,Orange,Prism atic

[u-b]

"How did they pay you? And will you elaborate about interactions with the other groups?" Asks Thony, putting just minimal effort to not sound outright interrogating. Sarina intervenes. "Where is your home and why can't you go there?"

[Sleepy Shade]

Sef just shrugs "They paid Kerrilk with what I'm not sure but everything of value was taken from his place when he was killed. After they paid him and went through the metal wall we encountered two groups. The first seemed to be a bunch of thugs their were a lot of them but they went down easy for the most part. But then a smaller group came by had some sort of spell caster." Sef pauses for a moment thinking "There were about a dozen of us we've survived some tough stuff and had Kerrilk's magic. But they slaughtered our defenses and destroyed almost everyone only the four of us remain" Sef pauses taking a moment to collect herself. "Another group soon came by they had some heavily armed people and weird symbols they went through the metal wall as well we didn't interfere with them they looked like they would have attacked us at a moments notice.The third group came again but we hid no hope in fighting them. They went beyond the metal wall only one came back we were not going to let some revenge slip by and chased him into fungus room. Finally we decided to greet you when you came through and you've proven more helpful than I expected." When Sarina bring up her question Sef responds with "You saw that big hole in the floor near the metal wall? It's long and runs deep Kerrilk used some sort of flying spell to transport us from the deep below to this cavern. This cavern we thought would be safer than down there. You can see how that has turned out for us. Now with no way home we're stuck here as the hole is to deep for us to climb back down."

[u-b]

"Do you know what is behind the brown mold or anything about the blinding-eyes critter called blindhiem and how it ended up where we had to kill it?" Thony is ready to explain where exactly was that and what the critter was like. "As for the thugs, do you still have the bodies and stuff?" Then, while he thinks what other questions to ask, Sarina adds some. "Do you have everything you need to survive at the moment? We'll be back to town soon enough and back here tomorrow, we can buy stuff for you, if you need anything, food and the like." Neither has brought up the topic of how people in town would feel if and when they learn about the fates of the previous expeditions and how this would relate to these folks' survival. Sharing the things just learned will require some thinking, to be sure.

[Continental Op]

Kallak and Yarro listen to this exchange with interest. If the question is not answered in response to Thorny, Kallak picks an appropriate time to chime in about the brown mold, asking "Yes, about that brown mold. Do you know how to deal with it? We would like to reach the person who was caught in it."

[Sleepy Shade]

Sef looks at Thony with some surprise "Pet was still around? When we came up we brought Pet to help us hunt or act as a guard we had lost him in the fight he must have been hiding in one of the caves. The mold we have encountered it before it feeds off heat you'll need some sort of spell or alchemical stuff to kill it with cold. We threw some torches to grow it when we first got here to block off any sort of ambush."
When the topic of the thugs come up she looks hesitant "The bodies were disposed of down the hole not much use for them. Their items we stripped from them. Kerrilk told me to sort them before the attack came so I still have all that stuff. I'm willing to trade but I want stuff in return."

At Sarina's question she thinks for a moment before answering "For now we don't need anything we lived underground for ages we know how to live here. The gremlins were the biggest nuisance we had down here."

At Kallak's question about the body she scoffs "You want that corpse you can have it. Just ask one of the others to fish it out for you tell them Sef's orders."

[u-b]

Neither Thony nor Sarina have any more questions. They now intend to get the body from the brown mold, search it, then take it to the surface.

[Continental Op]

Kallak looks surprised, and follows up with, "Can we look at the stuff from the previous groups? What would you want in trade?"

[Sleepy Shade]

Sef considers kallak question and answers "You can look for now but trade later." She walks over to her hut and grabs a crudely made box made of scrap "This is the lighter stuff don't feel like dragging other stuff out right now. Maybe next time"
If Thony and Sarina want to ask the humanoids to help get the bodies they can.

You have 2 hours and 50 minutes left of water breathing.
Skill prompt
Appraise on the stuff in the box


Gold coins in a small bag
Two bottles of some liquid
Two sets of tools
two unidentified scrolls.

[Continental Op]

Yarro takes a good look at the items in the box. Kallak looks over her shoulder and points out a thing or two in an undertone to help her.

When she is done, she nods and says, "Thank you. We may be interested in some of these items. What sort of things would you like in return?"

And Kallak chimes in, "Yes, and when we return we would be interested in anything else you have. Specifically any personal items from anyone who died. Even if it does not look like it has any value to you, someone on the surface may want it because it is personal."

[Sleepy Shade]

Yarro and Kallak have some trouble identifying the items however Sef allows you to take them out of the box and take a closer look.
The two sets of tools are thieves tools but you can't get a good look at them to asses their quality.
The bottles Yarro figures are cure moderate wounds potions after examining them for awhile.
The scrolls you can't make sense of. You might need to cast read magic to get a better understanding.
At the bottom of the box you do see a sunrod you overlooked initially.

"Thank you. We may be interested in some of these items. What sort of things would you like in return?"
Sef considers for a moment looks back at her house and responds with "Something to sleep on might be nice and some of us need better clothes, food is always welcome but if you can find us some way to learn magic that might be worth alot."

"Yes, and when we return we would be interested in anything else you have. Specifically any personal items from anyone who died. Even if it does not look like it has any value to you, someone on the surface may want it because it is personal."
"The gremlins would come around and steal from us on occasion if you found anything around their lair it's most likely thoise personal objects you want. Odd stuff might turn up on occasion we might find something we'll let you know."

[u-b]

After the examination of the stuff is complete, Thony goes to get someone to fish the corpse out of the brown mold.

[Continental Op]

Kallak goes with Thorny to check out the brown mold and the body.

If Sarina stays, Yarro turns to her and asks, "There are some scrolls here. Would you be able to identify them?"

[u-b]

Sarina casts a spell and looks at the scrolls. She cannot make much sense of them beyond establishing whether they are magical. After some time of trying to make sense of the writings, she hands the scrolls back to Sef.

Detect Magic is all that Sarina has at the moment.

[Sleepy Shade]

Thony soons finds one of the male humanoids of the group he by one of the huts scratching something into some small bones using the tip of a dagger he looks up at you and puts the bone away waiting for you to speak.

Sarina reads the scroll auras and finds that one has a divination aura and the other abjuration.

Skill prompt
Identify the scrolls : Spellcraft Dc 21

[u-b]

Thony explains what he wants. "Sef orders the corpse lying in the brown mold fished for us so we can take it back to town. Can do?"

Meanwhile Sarina comments on the scrolls. "They are magical, all right, one divination, another abjuration, but I can make no conclusions about which spells those actually are. We can try buying them if Sef calls her price and then have them identified in town."

[Sleepy Shade]

The humanoid stands up and speaks " Sure give us a bit"
After about 20 minutes of getting a rope around the corpse and dragging it out you can now examine the corpse. However Brath (the huminoid you spoke to) tells you you'll have to drag it back to the entrance yourself.

The body is a human male
Skill Propt
Identify the body: (Know Local: Dc12)
Examine and determine cause of death: (Heal: Dc15)

[u-b]

Thony looks the corpse in the face. He thinks he recognizes this one. He fails to make sense of any damage that might have occured before whatever the mold did that supposedly finished this person. He then proceeds with a thorough search, just in case.

[Continental Op]

Kallak tries to help Thorny, but does not accomplish much. "You recognize him? Hmmm...nope. I don't think I know who he is, or how he died, sorry."



Yarro nods at Sarina, and looks at Sef. "When the boys get back, we will be going to the surface. We will come back tomorrow with some of the supplies you want."

[Sleepy Shade]

Thony while not a native of the town recognizes the body is that of Gerrol one of the people from Khonnir's team. While you can't make a definitive prognosis as to what killed him you do notice some strange green spots on the body.
The body is currently wearing a masterwork chain shirt and you also find a few things on the body of masterwork thieves’ tools, a masterwork hand crossbow with 5 bolts, several empty vials and a bag with 37 gp. The clothes are torn and it looks like he was in a fight before he was killed.

Skill prompt: Know Nature to identify the green stuff

[u-b]

Thorny reports his findings to Kallak and is ready to gather everybody and head back to town, dragging the corpse there too.

[Sleepy Shade]

Kallak tries to remember what he can about the various types of fungus he read about in Khonnir's books as he examines the body and the mold and a sudden chill goes through his body. The mold is Russet Mold a parasitic fungus that will eventually kill its host and birth from the body a group of vegepygmys.A patch of russet mold is unharmed by all effects save for acid, alcohol, or remove disease (or a similar magical effect, such as heal), all of which can kill a single patch of russet mold on contact. Luckily this patch of mold on the body is still fairly young you might have a full 24hrs before the russet molds matures enough to release the vegepygmys. It's odd though this type of mold usually exists in tropical climates what it doing here?

[Continental Op]

Kallak stops and explains this to Thorny. "What in the nine hells is this this doing here?! Thorny, this fungus is bad. It will start to spawn creatures in a day if we don't get rid of it. Sarina can conjure acid, right? We should get this to her quickly. Just - don't touch any of the green."

[u-b]

"Yes, she can conjure acid. Thony nods. I'll tell her, just be aware that the end result will not be pretty." Thony then goes to fetch Sarina, who, if indeed instructed to apply acid to the body (part of it), does that to the required extent.

[Continental Op]

Kallak points Sarina to the green spot (or spots) on the body. "Can you target just the green fungus for now, Sarina? We'll see how it looks after that."

[u-b]

Sarina nods and starts casting acid splashes targeting the green mold until she sees no more of it. "Like this?" The resulting sight is indeed not pretty and Sarina is even more reluctant to touch the corpse from now on, but if Kallak says this should be enough, she's willing to let him transport the corpse as he sees fit.

[Sleepy Shade]

With some casting of acid splash on the body the green spots of fungus are soon removed. The skin in large patches is burned away and muscle is exposed. It isn't pretty but the russet fungus is destroyed as far as you can tell. Now comes the problem of dragging the body back to the mouth of the cave.

You have 2 hours and 20 minutes of water breathing left

[Continental Op]

Kallak volunteers, "I'll drag it up, but I may need help once we hit the water." He uses some rope to wrap around the body, and then around his shoulder (like a deer drag). The rope should also help hold the body together.

Yarro watches this in silence, but her typically impassive face registers some uneasiness watching Kallak. "Okay, I think it is time we go to town, regroup, and prepare to come back tomorrow."

[u-b]

"Yes, let's go." On the way back Thony and Sarina will repeat the whole procedure of making sure the things stay dry. Sarina will also take her note, since the team is not missing in action and should have no problems reporting their progress to authorities. The first authority to report to would be the cleric, whom she advises we hand the corpse, along with explanation about the condition thereof.

[Sleepy Shade]

It takes a while getting back up to the mouth of the cave with the body from the fungus cave. You also collect the other intact body you discovered. It takes a bit of hard work but you're able to get both bodies outside into the dusky night air. The time is 8:30pm and as you drain the water from the belongings and those of you that got sick stop dry heaving you hear a small familiar voice "Alive, alive win Bet." It seems that Otto's familiar (the crow from the church) was watching over the area and has spotted you.

[u-b]

"Good for you, bird. But as you see, of those previous groups, not everyone is. Can you inform Joram Kyte? It seems like he'll have work to do." Thony sees if the bird agrees to fetch Joram Kyte before moving the bodies or himself. Meanwhile, Sarina casts prestidigitation and spends some time drying and cleaning people's clothes.

[Sleepy Shade]

The bird flies off possibly to deliver your message. About half an hour later you hear a couple of people pulling a cart. As it approaches you see that there are two large men and Otto pulling the cart. After they stop the men pull out some sheets and start to wrap up the bodies. Otto walks over to you ""You're back! What happened down there? Did you fight any monsters? Did you go beyond the silver wall?" Questions seem to pour from the young man eager to hear about what happenedd.

[Continental Op]

Kallak thanks Sarina for the help, then says to everyone, "Well, at least the bird thought highly of us."

Yarro responds, "I think the question is who would bet with a bird?"

Kallak grunts. "Thorny, I think you have the right idea. Let's wait to get some help with these remains. Like with a wagon or something."