What's the frequency Kulthian?
The Guild spokesperson, a Gnomish fellow in the twilight of his life with but the one hand left to his name takes a draw from his pipe in silence as he considers the lot of you in front of a modest, low slung wall map of Alexandros.
"There have been reports of Kulthian chanting going on for the last several days in a ruin to the northwest." he says around the pipe finally, tracing a somewhat wavy route through along to a symbol consisting of a broken block with a tiny white pennant drooping at the top, "Few details matched from the different rumors except the chanting, always under moonlight. It was decided to pursue this seriously when the latest source indicated quite emphatically, that he recognized the Kulthian language."
He presses a button on the border, and the map seems to dim, before a scroll containing a small duplicate of the map emerges from the bottom edge, whence it is proferred toward the group, "There is enough uncertainty to defer to your onsite discretion, as you have proven able adventurers in the past. If this is some sort of Kulthian ritual, no good can come of it and it must be stopped, and any devices at play should be retrieved for proper disposal."
He removes the pipe from his lips and bows his head, "May Reoss give you guidance." returns it to its place, then, "Godspeed."
Glancing over his shoulder the small tool and device covered Gnome hrmmphs, then nods slowly. "We will be prepared, and I will translate any Kulthian writings or chants. All devices will also be safe in my hands." The scorch marks on his gloves and the faint bruising around his eyes may speak against this statement. However Disaster continues onwards. "Now, let us get moving, we need to stop this immediately! Foolish use of artifice by imbeciles can be disastrous."
Isaac is one of the adventurers who took this job. He's in his full gear, and he's ready to kill something. No doubt these chanters arn't exactly bringing home something nice and cuddly. He crosses his arms, and then once the speech and briefing is done, Isaac is already ready to move, the White-haired adventurer checking to make sure his swords are properly fastened to him and his other weapons are ready and able. "Agreed."
Staying to the back is a man in blacks and grays, with just a bright crimson streak in the lining of his coat. A raven sits perched on his shoulder, a creature which is oddly reminiscent of him. Perhaps it's the dark hair and dark eyes however, the latter of which glimmer with consideration though his face lacks the emotion to complement it. He is as difficult to read as is his corvid companion. He does not reach for the map, trusting it to another for the moment but offering a low bow to the gnomish man in parting. That is his only farewell, choosing instead to forget words and act, turning around and heading out of the office once the map is procured by someone.
Victor nods in understanding as he listens to the briefing. He glances at the other adventurers and then looks at Disaster. "Do you understand the Kulthian language?" he doesn't quite wait for an answer before adding, "Perhaps you can translate for us. Assuming it is indeed Kulthian."
Skribbles listens, tilting her head a little bit as she hears what the job is. She wonders what is going on out there that the Kulthian's are being a problem. She thinks for a moment but just as she's about to say something obnoxious, she stops...actually keeping control of herself. She must be sick or something.
"Indeed, I know Kulthian as well as the great Gnomeish language." The little Gnome states. Lifting the map reverently and putting it under his arm. "We shall be victorious, and save the world and learn something new." Pausing the Gnome pulls the map back up and looks it over then turns it over. "Once I know where we are going."
GAME: Victor rolls survival+2: (2)+6+2: 10
Victor takes one corner of the map without quite pulling it away, and examines it briefly. He glances up and then offers, "I believe I have committed it to memory. But it may help us to work together in navigating..."
As the navigator settles into their task, the group is soon underway. The journey is more arduous than lengthy, aided by the map and it's notations of landmarks and, in one case, a warning about a patch of sinkholes about three miles along the route. There should be some ruins nearby, if the directions were accurate (because, honestly it's always the map's fault). Night hasn't fallen just yet, though it's time is soon.
GAME: Karasu rolls perception: (4)+6: 10 GAME: Skribbles rolls perception: (14)+10: 24 GAME: Victor rolls perception: (15)+6: 21 GAME: Isaac rolls Perception: (19)+2: 21 GAME: Disaster rolls perception: (8)+2: 10
Victor walks over to a fallen tree. "I believe the path we seek is beyond this." He looks down at the tree. "I wonder if it was placed here deliberately?"
Isaac narrows his eyes. "Path is covered by fallen trees. No wonder." Isaac stands there for a moment, he doesn't have anything quick that can bypass it all, so he's just going to try and go through it with careful steps.
Skribbles walks towards the trees and looks at them, hefting her warhammer on her shoulder. She looks up and around a moment and says, "These were deliberately cut down. Someone used a sonic device or something." She leans in close and sniffs, "Oooo...me likey." She growls a little lower, "Me want one...."
As things become later in the day the raven on Karasu's shoulder takes flight, circling the ground from high above. Occasionally the sound of his voice can be heard and the sight of him caught on the edges of ones eye. Karasu himself remains unsurprisingly landbound, scanning the landscape for any sign of the ruins which they have been sent to locate. Abruptly and without warning the bird dives down from the sky and lands back on Karasu's shoulder as the man looks at the fallen trees on the path before them. "It may be an ambush, but we have little choice but to move forward." His voice is pitched low, trying to keep his voice within the range of the group but not beyond it.
The little Gnome pants as he tries to keep up with all the tall adventurous types. "Wah." Disaster says and bends forwards hands on his knees. "Tree?" A magnifying lens is brought down and forward. "Yes, it is a tree." Clambering over the tree, and then gingerly lowering himself down on the otherside Disaster peers around. "Why is it that cultists cannot pick a more centrally located address? This is very tiring." Turning and examining the tree again after Skribbles comments the little Gnome grows quiet and then rubs his fingers absently. "Sonic weaponry is an advanced understanding of Archeotech." He seems hesitant.
GAME: Victor casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 4 DC: 16 GAME: Victor rolls perception: (12)+6: 18 GAME: Disaster rolls perception: (15)+2: 17 GAME: Karasu rolls perception: (8)+6: 14 GAME: Disaster rolls stealth: (16)+2: 18 GAME: Karasu rolls stealth: (15)+7: 22 GAME: Victor rolls stealth: (8)+3: 11 GAME: Isaac rolls Perception: (3)+2: 5 GAME: Isaac rolls Stealth: (11)+0: 11 GAME: Skribbles rolls perception: (15)+10: 25 GAME: Skribbles rolls stealth: (3)+2: 5
Victor glances over at the others as if to confirm they hear the same sounds he does. Clenching a gauntleted hand into a fist and raising it slightly, he edges forward…
"Ah ha, people." Disaster says. He moves surprisingly stealthily and wedges himself against a rock as he begins to assemble his deathray. The contraption baring the name "ThaumicPulseCanonMkVI" on a bronze plate on it's side. Even carefully lowering it to the ground and foot pumping the mechanism until it engages and hums softly. "We should ask them to surrender! Or destroy them in the name of.. I forgot who was paying us."
Skribbles looks around a moment, shaking her head as her large ears twitch slightly, the gold loops jingling a bit. "No...nonono..hmm...there is something else." She sniffs the air a bit and says, "There's a hum, an underlying hum.....the other sounds are interacting with it." She looks at the others and smirks, "Ooooo....they're nasty."
GAME: Strike rolls 1d20-3: (14)+-3: 11
Silently, and with darkness working as his friend Karasu trails slightly to the side of the more noisy members of the group. He says nothing, but he gets as close as he can to the source of the noise as he can before he stops. Once there he peers ahead, waiting patiently for someone he does not recognize to pass close. A strange dagger slides into the palm of his hand, a weapon with very little in the way of handle, but he moves it with the ease of long practice that tell that it is a very dangerous thing. At least with him wielding it.
Isaac definitely doesn't hear what the others does, despite his trained senses. Nevertheless, Isaac looks at the others and just reaches for one of the swords on his back and the dagger at his side. Juuuust in case.
GAME: Strike rolls 1d20-3: (4)+-3: 1 GAME: Strike rolls 1d20-3: (5)+-3: 2
There are a handful of men scattered about the 'basin' the ruins present tinkering with assorted artifice and miscelanea, a number of prostrate figures kneeling by a large , obviously ancient contrivance still partially buried in the hillside. Some other men, three in all, are clad in breastplates over hooded workman's tunics carrying longswords and shields. The last, facing the jury-rigged artifact in the hill between it at the prostrate men is clan in full 'assisted' armor with a voluminous robe of a deep, muted green. A artifice wrapped military fork is standing from a flag base near his feet. In a language known by few, he growls, "Hurry, you fools, it is almost time for the ritual! This final step will return us to glory!"
Victor runs his gaze over the scene before him. At the sound of the growling he looks over to Disaster expectantly.
"Oh dear." Disaster says as he tilts his head listening to the Kulthian language. "They're rushing to finish a ritual that they believe will bring them glory. While I doubt that outcome I think perhaps we should not allow them to test that hypothesis." Hefting his deathray with a sling around his neck the little Gnome draws a grenade-like object and begins adjusting little dials on it. "Very unprofessional. Robes and rushing that is. Dressing properly is as important as pacing and planing so you don't need to rush."
GAME: Karasu rolls weapon1: (7)+2: 9
"Guess we better spill some blood quick then." Isaac draws his weapons proper and moves in to engage the enemy. He does look over at Disaster. "Are you going to nitpick the field of the adventure?" He seems to look quite amused by this, but he's definitely moving to engage in some measure of melee with /somebody/. Can't let all these stealth people have all the glory.
Karasu hears the translation and is already moving stealthily forward. In the space of a few moments he has pushed forward to where the guard roving is and has his blade readied for a strike. The strike falls short however, as Karasu's blade catches in the man's cloak rather than in anything vital. There is a muted sound of tearing fabric, but their position, or his at least is given away now.
Skribbles moves over towards Disaster and points towards the capacitors, "Those...they feed into the braziers. They look....blowy-uppy. I think they should be blown up." She looks at Disaster, "Take your bombity-bomb and blow them up."
GAME: Disaster rolls craft/artifice: (9)+10: 19 GAME: Victor rolls craft/artifice: (7)+11: 18 GAME: Skribbles rolls craft/artifice: (17)+8: 25 GAME: Isaac rolls weapon13+2: (16)+4+2: 22 GAME: Isaac rolls 1d8+3: (8)+3: 11
Isaac notices Karasu miss, and he doesn't waste time. The monster hunter rushes forward, looking like a ghost in the night, before he draws one of the swords on his back proper and slices the guard! Its a deep, deep cut, but the guy is still alive. Somehow. Isaac is prepared to finish the job unless someone else feels like having that honor. He doesn't much care.
GAME: Kaydin rolls weapon1: (2)+5: 7 GAME: Kaydin rolls 1: (16)+1: 17 GAME: Skribbles rolls weapon11: (12)+5: 17 GAME: Skribbles rolls 1d8: (5): 5
Skribbles growls a bit as she swings her warhammer, rocking up against the guys skull with a nice thud. When he is still standing, she blinks and says, "Well, you are a piece of work."
Disaster nods grimly towards Skribble's comment. As everyone moves into combat the little gnome huffs and puffs as his small stride rushes him over towards a vantage near the batteries his device held tightly in his hands. "There is no fear of the unknown, just of the being blown into pieces by unapproved technology being missued."
GAME: Karasu rolls weapon1: (19)+2: 21 (THREAT) GAME: Karasu rolls weapon1+2: (9)+2+2: 13 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d6: (2): 2
As everyone surrounds his quarry Karasu frees his blade of the confines of the man's cloak and sinks his blade in. It's a familiar feeling, and he quickly jumps backwards as the body begins to fall to the ground. His eyes follow the man, dark and forboding. The crow on his shoulder lets out a broad noise, the warning that death is coming. Coming.
"To the others!" Karasu motions toward the other ones. He seems less than pleased at the moment, though it's hard to determine why given that one of their enemies has already fallen.
Victor runs towards what would appear to be the leader - or at least the only true artificer among them. "We'll give you one chance to surrender!" he calls out. Despite the fact that the party has already begun whittling down the apparent cultists Perhaps that was just to show them the party is serious. He's steadily closing the distance.
As the sentry on duty is rather comprehensively SOLVED by the team of adventurers, one of his armored cohorts shouts, "KILL THE INTRUDERS!" with an awful lot of confidence as he races toward the golem threatening his master. The artificer is just now starting to realize something is wrong, as is the other armored man. The various unarmed scrubs in robes get that panicked glaze in their eyes, while the prostrate men show no sign of noticing anything.
GAME: Kaydin rolls weapon1: (8)+5: 13
Kaydin had fired a shot at a guy and missed terribly. He then looks to the man who shouts at them and tries to fire a shot at him, missing terribly. He looks to his bow, trying to see if the wood was warped in anyway to throw off his aim.
Isaac looks at the evil big bad, the doctor doom. The leader of this ritual. Isaac cracks his neck and starts charging towards him! Especially when he sees an arrow fly over his shoulder to try and strike the man to no avail. "Dammit." his position was given away, but Isaac will keep charging!
-TBC