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[pbp]Hunger of the Beast[ToA]

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  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    Victor sighs in relief when the beast that they had been fighting finally dropped and stopped moving. It had been a hard fight, fast but frantic. The Radiant quickly took inventory of the party and their surroundings. He was a little rough himself, the hits he had taken for Har as well as the one direct hit the bandit had landed on him stung a bit. Har was much worse, however, and he needed to make sure she got rest and healing.

    The area around them was probably the worst off. Whatever concussive blast that thing had fired off had blown away some of the underbrush, and worse, had lit three trees on fire. That needed to be priority one, or else they could quickly be surrounded in a major problem. "Har, Aub!" He yelled to the others as they were likely taking stock as well, "The trees! We need to put this out quickly."

    Victor focused on the tree closest to the cart. That posed the most danger to their expedition as a whole. If they lost the horses and the cart their journey would get significantly more difficult, and based on the fact that these bandits might have been waiting for them specifically, they were likely going to have their fill with difficult times without adding losing two horses and a cart to it. Besides, given his actions in the fight, Colonel had certainly earned a formal spot in the group. "I think I owe that horse a good meal" Victor said softly, turning and focusing his magic on the tree, urging the fire to stop.
    I got the tree near the cart (C5). You guys have the others

  • joshgotrojoshgotro Deviled Egg The Land of REAL CHILIRegistered User regular
    edited August 2018
    Aub rushes to the cart, checking for water or a blanket.
    "I can't put these flames out with my hands!"
    Geth roll 1d10 for supply check.

    supply check:
    1d10 6 [1d10=6]

    joshgotro on
  • XagarXagar Registered User regular
    Aub is able to retrieve the party's water and her own bedroll to smother any flames, but the question remains, how will she use them to extinguish a fire that's smoldering in the lower branches of a pair of trees?

    Victor seems to have the fire nearest the horses well in hand. One of the trees is in an area cleared by the blast, but the one closer to the road is near a stand of brush that may catch flame at any moment, should an ember fall into it.

  • discriderdiscrider Registered User regular
    edited August 2018
    Har looks around, and somewhat panics.
    It's a fire, we've got no buckets. And no sea.

    Shouting a warning, she does the only thing she can think of.
    She dashes over to the tree nearest anything else that's flammable (that Victor isn't seeing to), and attempts to knock it down towards the center of the explosion, to put it with all the other fire.

    Geth roll 1d10 for Using a hammer to knock down a tree

    Using a hammer to knock:
    1d10 6 [1d10=6]

    discrider on
  • XagarXagar Registered User regular
    I'm gonna say this is a strength kind of thing, so a Health check, which is an 8 with your modifier. Not bad.

    Har rushes towards the tree nearest the brush, bringing her hammer around. With a loud crack, a large chunk of its back face flies out, bouncing and rolling on the grass near the road. The tree lists for a moment, then falls, its upper boughs crunching half into the base of other smoldering tree, right on top of the monster's corpse.

    Since the half of the tree that was facing the pyromantic explosion was just slammed into the earth, you think that it won't ignite any time soon. The immediate danger is only from the one still-standing tree near the center of the newly cleared area, and with Victor's tree soon out of danger and Aub ready to catch any falling embers, it looks like this situation has passed.

    It's mid-morning, and there's still a good portion of the day left for travel, and there are still 3 corpses you may be able to get something off of. What Do You Do?

  • discriderdiscrider Registered User regular
    Sighing with relief, Har stows her hammer behind her once more.
    "Well that.. thing sure made a mess", she announces scanning the desolation. "T'weren't no dragon though.

    Something twigs.
    "ah! The men!"
    Har quickly moves to the bodies, such as they are, one being buried in mud.
    The men had not appeared to be fighting of their own volition, and now that the monster had been dealt with, Har wonders if they could have been saved.

    Finding no signs of life, she searches them for anything of note.

  • discriderdiscrider Registered User regular
    Geth roll 1d10+4 for initiative is searching I think

    initiative is searching I think:
    1d10+4 10 [1d10=6]

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    The fires were under control, which is one less problem for the group to worry about. Still, there were more things to worry about, things to take care of. Now that they weren't in any immediate danger, and they were able to take some time to figure out a next step.

    For Victor, however, he knew that Har was still in a bad way, and he himself wasn't all that grand. So, his next step was to sit down as Har and Aub moved about, and focus on pulling more positive emotions out to generate positive energy to heal himself as well as Har as she moved around the area.
    So, since we aren't resting, need to get HP up. I'm assuming I don't need to roll anything, as I'm just using healing skills.

    Let me know otherwise

  • discriderdiscrider Registered User regular
    edited August 2018
    The fires were under control, which is one less problem for the group to worry about. Still, there were more things to worry about, things to take care of. Now that they weren't in any immediate danger, and they were able to take some time to figure out a next step.

    For Victor, however, he knew that Har was still in a bad way, and he himself wasn't all that grand. So, his next step was to sit down as Har and Aub moved about, and focus on pulling more positive emotions out to generate positive energy to heal himself as well as Har as she moved around the area.
    So, since we aren't resting, need to get HP up. I'm assuming I don't need to roll anything, as I'm just using healing skills.

    Let me know otherwise
    Har's still at 14/18; her Support allowed her Reaction to down the beast before its final attack landed.
    So she's not that bad off.
    She appreciates the concern though :P

    discrider on
  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    Ah sorry, the map says 4, so was going off that.

    In that case....Victor's actually the worst off.

  • discriderdiscrider Registered User regular
    edited August 2018
    Ah sorry, the map says 4, so was going off that.

    In that case....Victor's actually the worst off.
    Xagar wrote: »
    Man I keep forgetting about that secondary effect of Duelist's Finesse.

    We all picked technical things and it's confusing for all of us I think.

    discrider on
  • joshgotrojoshgotro Deviled Egg The Land of REAL CHILIRegistered User regular
    edited August 2018
    Aub takes a few moments to relax her nerves, combat was always a high, then moves to examine the black monstrosity.
    "This is chaos."

    Geth roll 1d10 for maybe I can flay this thing and inspect the insides.

    maybe I can flay this thing and inspect the insides:
    1d10 10 [1d10=10]

    joshgotro on
  • XagarXagar Registered User regular
    When battle ends, everyone returns to full Health pretty much immediately as long as you aren't immediately thrust into another battle. A basic "heal yourself for 1" spell is something everyone learns as a child, and you have Victor.

    Some of the bandits' equipment is damaged, but Har salvages a good bit. She finds: 2 swords, 2 shields, 1 set of studded leather stability armor, and 10 gold. The men don't have much in the way of identifying marks on them, and they do not have any supplies besides a few flasks of water.

    Meanwhile, Aub crushes the bristles on a thick arm and heaves the corpse out from under the fallen tree with a noise of crunching branches and a wet splat. Despite its size, it's actually strangely light. Soon the earth is moist with blood, and a sickly sweet smell of meat fills the clearing. Bitsy pulls away as far as she can, pushing up against her harness and making scared noises. The strange shuddering around it stopped when it died, but it still feels totally alien to anything you've ever seen.

    The creature appears to be a mammal, with all of the typical mammal organs, but its body doesn't map to what you saw it do. Its muscle and bone seem too thin, its stomach too small to hold a person, and there's not a scrap of the singer it ate. The bristles on its skin are still sharp and hard, and, running your fingers along them, you think they may have some value as a needle, or weaved into a garment as long as the points were blunted. The teeth are almost perfect equilateral triangles that are not bone, but some sort of bright, reflective metal. These may be valuable as well.

    Wedging open its chest, you trace its arteries back to its heart, but do not find anything. Confused, you search deeper, and with a squish, you pull something small and hard out from the beast's core: a small, hard oblong, looking like the pit of a fruit. Your mind flashes back to the thing she had eaten and her boast of the "fire" inside her, and you think you've found it.

    It's then you notice it's still alive.

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    As Aub goes to work on the creature that had attacked them, Victor loads the salvaged goods into the cart and stops to try and settle Bitsy down. "There, there girl. It's dead, you're fine now."
    Still alive? Kill it with ALL THE FIRE!

  • XagarXagar Registered User regular
    Specifically the seed is alive if that was unclear, the giant caterpillar monster is dead af

  • joshgotrojoshgotro Deviled Egg The Land of REAL CHILIRegistered User regular
    @Xagar Do you want me to roll again to remove the bristles and metal teeth? If not...
    Aub gathers all the useful bits from the dead beast, the water flasks, and THE SEED.
    "No one is going to believe this happen. This isn't just bandits."

  • XagarXagar Registered User regular
    @joshgotro There's not really anything stopping you, so you can just do it. You will need to sort out your inventory because each of those will take up a slot, as they're crafting materials/treasure.

  • joshgotrojoshgotro Deviled Egg The Land of REAL CHILIRegistered User regular
    edited August 2018
    Xagar wrote: »
    @joshgotro There's not really anything stopping you, so you can just do it. You will need to sort out your inventory because each of those will take up a slot, as they're crafting materials/treasure.

    The cart man. Everything is going into the cart.
    Wait. Group decision time.
    @AustinP0027 @discrider should we take the bits and pieces and the seed?
    Seed definitely.

    joshgotro on
  • XagarXagar Registered User regular
    @joshgotro The cart only has 2 slots left and you guys just got a bunch of random equipment you may or may not actually need.

  • joshgotrojoshgotro Deviled Egg The Land of REAL CHILIRegistered User regular
    Xagar wrote: »
    @joshgotro The cart only has 2 slots left and you guys just got a bunch of random equipment you may or may not actually need.
    Yeah. I just checked the cart too.

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    edited August 2018
    Keep the Seed for sure.

    @discrider does Har want to switch out leather w/ stability for studded leather with stability? Not sure if theres actually a difference there.

    Otherwise, leave the bandit gear behind.

    I can drop my orb to pick up the metal teeth. If we don't keep any bandit gear, that would leave the bristles and seed for the cart.

    AustinP0027 on
  • XagarXagar Registered User regular
    @AustinP0027 Armor doesn't have any mechanical differences, it's simply a vehicle for armor enchantments, and looking rad because as everyone knows fashion is the real endgame.

    You also may want to consider dropping some health potions - those are mostly there for parties without a lot of healing/mitigation skills. Y'all are loaded with those.

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    I mean, personally I think studded leather is going to look way radder than regular leather. But that's Disc's call.

    I think you're right about healing. I think we can drop the two healing potions that are in the cart. I still have 2, Aub has 2, Har has 1, so I think we're ok for emergencies at the moment.

  • discriderdiscrider Registered User regular
    ...
    can I..
    Can I weild two swords at once and have both Counter skills proc at the same time as Lunge?
    @Xagar

  • XagarXagar Registered User regular
    edited August 2018
    Noooo you can only react oooonnce per tuuuuuuurn unless you're in eeeepic tiiiier and can cheeeaaaat

    Although "learning how to triple wield" as an aspirational life goal is pretty good

    Xagar on
  • XagarXagar Registered User regular
    edited August 2018
    Waiting for a final word on inventory here, or you can put it in the spreadsheet yourself (that/those tabs are unlocked so go for it).
    You got, in total:
    sword x2
    shield x2
    studded leather stability armor
    rampager bristles
    rampager teeth
    heartseed


    You are about a full day's travel out from Davittsburg, and have used about a third of your day so far. If you pushed the horses, you could make town by midnight, or you could camp beforehand.

    Xagar on
  • discriderdiscrider Registered User regular
    so how does sword and shield reactions stack then?

  • XagarXagar Registered User regular
    You pick one when you react.

  • joshgotrojoshgotro Deviled Egg The Land of REAL CHILIRegistered User regular
    edited August 2018
    @discrider @AustinP0027 Aub is going to dump her Healing Potions, her grappling hook, and her plate armor here. I'll keep the Heartseed, and Studded Leather.

    Making for Davittsburg and camping just outside to use our levels and xp before the next skirmish seems like a good idea.

    Also camp fire talking.

    joshgotro on
  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    I tossed grappling hook and plate armor in the cart since there were two free slots from taking the Heartseed and Leather.

    I agree, let's camp just outside Davittsburg.

  • discriderdiscrider Registered User regular
    Har returns to the beast after burying the remaining bodies as best she could.

    "Should we be after the other one? The men didn't ave any food on them. Can't be going further than the castle", dumping the armour and other accroutments at Aub's feet.

    "Can't imagine what the.. hang on".
    Har quickly slips her fishing knife from its holster.
    An uncomfortable sucking noise fills the air, as Har methodically wedges the knife between the thing's teeth, and wrenches them from their seating.
    "That lass should'a killed us in the inn. Can't be able to work in the open, 'suppose."

    "Davittsburg, next thing then."

  • XagarXagar Registered User regular
    edited August 2018
    The rest of the day's journey south is uneventful. Occasionally, you run into another similar pass, created with the same sloppy geomancy you've seen before. Not a single other person crosses your path all day, and there is no signage to orient yourself, either, perhaps because there aren't any other paved roads.

    As it grows dark, you're able to find a packed dirt side path, leading down towards the river the road parallels. It leads to a meadow with a large firepit in its center, surrounded by a ring of short log stools. Past the meadow is a rocky beach, leading out onto a fairly wide portion of the river. This campground seems well-used, and positioned for those who, like yourselves, are making their way down the river from the castle.

    When you rest, you can spend your time doing something useful, such as:
    -Train: Spend experience to unlock one skill, discipline, or axis.
    -Hunt/Gather: Gather ingredients or materials for rituals or other use.
    -Scout/Fortify: Explore the area around the camp, or secure it.
    -Research/Bond: Examine something of interest in your inventory, or interact with a companion in detail.
    -Use rituals
    -Do something else

    When you finish a rest, you recover 2 Spirit and the use of your ultimate.

    @AustinP0027 @joshgotro @discrider dinnertime!

    Xagar on
  • discriderdiscrider Registered User regular
    What's bond do?
    Is it just to level up the horse NPC at the moment, or can PCs bond?

  • XagarXagar Registered User regular
    edited August 2018
    @discrider I don't have any set mechanics for bonding, intraparty or otherwise, at the moment. It's just a Bioware RPG-style "talk to [x]." I was thinking if you spent time with a horse I'd give the horse some sort of benefit when you rode it. If you want me to adlib something for two party members I'd be more than happy to. Fair warning, I would probably make it take more time than one night to establish. And obviously it would take both of your time.

    Kinda thought people would want to spend some experience or investigate the book or seed instead, though!

    Xagar on
  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    After they set up camp, Victor took a moment to sit down and relax. He took deep breaths, calming himself, trying to slow down his brain from a day's worth of pushing himself forward. Yet again, his thoughts drifted towards his ability to influence Aether, and how he needed to retain his positive outlook at all times to be able to dole out the healing magics that he offered. As he sat thinking, a new thought fell forward. If positive energy and thoughts were required for his magics, was there an inverse as well? Was there something that was fueled by negative energy or emotions?

    The Radiant took the moment to clear his mind, and then focused on the negative. The creature they saw today, the destruction it wrought, the general disgust he felt that bandits were wrecking the countryside, even the dragons that affected the entire world. He pushed that negative energy harder, coalescing the thoughts and energy similar to how he would if he were looking to cast a healing spell. To Victor's surprise, it formed. Much like it did when he was focusing on the positive, something in the Aether formed form the negative that he was able to grasp at. He had no ability to do anything else with it, and so he released it, but the fact that it existed opened up new possibilities for the Radiant, giving him a potential new avenue to explore, and many other things to his general life outlook that he needed to think about.
    Victor has learned [Necromancer]!

    @Xagar Are we free to do other stuff one than one main thing, or is it a "one per rest" type of deal?

  • XagarXagar Registered User regular
    @AustinP0027 One main thing. Of course, talking is free as always.

  • discriderdiscrider Registered User regular
    edited August 2018
    Can I wake-read ritual the Seed to see where it came from?
    Is that even worth it?
    Geth roll 1d10+4 for spotting if the seed could have come from a previous fruit like the singer had

    What happens when you take a second ultimate; can you use one or the other once a day, or one and the other once a day?
    Also is examining loot how we improve the quality of our armor and weapon materials?

    spotting if the seed could have come from a previous fruit like the singer had:
    1d10+4 14 [1d10=10]

    discrider on
  • XagarXagar Registered User regular
    @discrider Since the seed is alive, this is just a normal Spirit check to examine it (that you aced anyways). I do have a couple questions, though:
    1. What exactly did Aub do with it? Did she tell the party what she found / hand it over to Har for her to take a look at? @joshgotro
    2. Did either of you let it touch your skin?

    -Ultimates are per-character, not per-skill. Basically you have one "daily" slot you can spend to use an ultimate.
    -Examining stuff won't do much for letting you craft things, since no one in the party has any crafting rituals, but it will give you information about it. If nothing else, it will increase your ability to sell it.
    -It's plain to see the bristles and teeth are a cut above more mundane materials (they are tier 2). You'll need to visit one of the towns in the area and find someone to work on it.

  • discriderdiscrider Registered User regular
    edited August 2018
    Can we learn rituals at any point?
    Oh right 20XP

    discrider on
  • joshgotrojoshgotro Deviled Egg The Land of REAL CHILIRegistered User regular
    edited August 2018
    Aub spent her time setting up camp quietly moving through the motions. That was wrong. She'd replayed the horrific scene over and over in her head. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. When camp was set, she moved to Har with the heartseed. She slowly unwrapped it and handed it over. "Tell me what you make of this?"

    Later on that night...
    As night moved in and sleep took over, Aub dreamed. The thin opalescence wall between the material word and the aether had amazed Aub as a young girl. Bright colors shifting and changing with the light and mist as it moved between the planes. The aether moved slowly, as if a slight breeze moved through it. From far off into the distance, a figure walked towards Aub. It's shape shifted, and it's energy spread and compressed, pulling at it's surroundings. The figure's arm moved forward toward Aub, it's touch cold. The barrier between planes shifted away from the figure.

    The black monstrosity from earlier could not hurt her. This figure, moving around Aub, struck out at his surroundings. Weaving back and forth with a blade made of nothing. Where it struck, energy sizzled, then disappeared. The figure, took a step back and bowed toward Aub.

    Aub unlocked Abyssal.

    joshgotro on
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