previously... Keshka's Sidebar — The Crash

[iantruesilver]

 

08 Arodus, Fireday. Following a recent lead from some travellers delivered to her through Father Joram Kyte's congregation at the Temple of Brigh, Keshka has travelled nearly a week on foot to reach the area just north of the source of the Dagger River known as the Gorum Pots.

An area full of stinking coloured pools and geysers, each of which belches and pops with a thick muddy slurry of heated volcanic ash, clay and other fine particles that give the mud a slightly bloody rust colour.

 

Unfortunately for any would-be bathers, the mud's temperature and acid content are just too much to stand for comfort, and so the area just doesn't see much visitation at all, save for perhaps the occasional pilgrim of Gorum's faith that hold the place to be sacred ground.

 

 

After a week worth of searching, you finally manage to find the poorly described crevasse from the travellers' tale about some supposed ancient crash of some technological thing.

 

Approaching slowly and cautiously, you follow a track at least five or ten feet wide, looking as though something heavy had been dragged across the ground here, until you finally see it. A grey and metallic looking lump with red markings, almost the shape of some giant egg, large enough for a humanoid to fit within, just laying there at the end of the rut, inert and motionless.

 

 

[[ Map — Crash Site ]]

Edited November 30, 2023 by iantruesilver (see edit history)

[athedia]

Keshka

Keshka sighed in relief at finally finding the object. Leads were always risky, especially from new sources but this one had sounded good. This egg probably held something inside as long as she could figure out how to open it. She approached it, kneeling down and examining it for any depressions or seams that indicated a way to open it. "Come on, don't make me try to crack you."

Statblock

[b][url=/sheets/?id=2857070]Keshka[/url][/b] [i]Changeling (Winter Hag) Galvanic Saboteur (Ranger) 1 NN[/i] [b]HP[/b] 12 / 12 [b]Speed[/b] ft [b]Init[/b] 3 [b]AC[/b] 17 [b]Fort[/b] 3 [b]Ref[/b] 5 [b]Will[/b] 1 [b]CMB[/b] +3 [b]BAB[/b] 1 [b]Claw[/b] +3 (1d4+2, x2) [b]Longbow[/b] +4 (1d8, x3) [b]Str[/b] 14 (2) [b]Dex[/b] 17 (3) [b]Con[/b] 12 (1) [b]Wis[/b] 13 (1) [b]Int[/b] 10 (0) [b]Cha[/b] 9 (-1)

Keshka Changeling (Winter Hag) Galvanic Saboteur (Ranger) 1 NN HP 12 / 12 Speed ft Init 3 AC 17 Fort 3 Ref 5 Will 1 CMB +3 BAB 1 Claw +3 (1d4+2, x2)
Longbow +4 (1d8, x3) Str 14 (2) Dex 17 (3) Con 12 (1) Wis 13 (1) Int 10 (0) Cha 9 (-1)

Rolls

 

Perceive the Egg (+2 if this is a construct)

Commonly Used Skills/Special notes

Favored Enemy: Constructs +2
+X Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks
+X bonus on weapon attack/dmg
Can make untrained K skill checks to identify creatures with type

Perception: +5, +7 vs constructs

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by athedia
Add Perception roll (see edit history)

[iantruesilver]

Getting close to the strange metal egg, you see that it isn't so much of an egg at all, unless its purpose was to perhaps hatch some kind of humanoid, which, judging from some of the features on the exterior of this egg's shell, isn't entirely so likely. There are circular things, and rectangular things of various kinds jutting out from the surface of this egg, as well as some grooves along its surface that just look way too straight and angular to be anything truly organic in nature.

 

Without much difficulty, you manage to find a seam that has been partially opened, but only for just a crack about an inch or two wide.

Edited December 1, 2023 by iantruesilver (see edit history)

[athedia]

Keshka

Keshka pulled her pack off her back and retrieved some tools from inside. She set out her crowbar, drill, a piton and a hammer all within easy reach before putting the pack at a safe location. She kept her bow strung hanging it off her shoulder as she worked for easy access. She knew from experience that some scavengers preferred taking the easy way to finding valuables, and sometimes those valuables awoke unexpectedly.

 

Hoping she could avoid destructive entry, she poked at the circles and pulled on the various extrusions she could find, hoping to get the object to open itself without damage. But she would use the crowbar if she had to.

Statblock

[b][url=/sheets/?id=2857070]Keshka[/url][/b] [i]Changeling (Winter Hag) Galvanic Saboteur (Ranger) 1 NN[/i] [b]HP[/b] 12 / 12 [b]Speed[/b] ft [b]Init[/b] 3 [b]AC[/b] 17 [b]Fort[/b] 3 [b]Ref[/b] 5 [b]Will[/b] 1 [b]CMB[/b] +3 [b]BAB[/b] 1 [b]Claw[/b] +3 (1d4+2, x2) [b]Longbow[/b] +4 (1d8, x3) [b]Str[/b] 14 (2) [b]Dex[/b] 17 (3) [b]Con[/b] 12 (1) [b]Wis[/b] 13 (1) [b]Int[/b] 10 (0) [b]Cha[/b] 9 (-1)

Keshka Changeling (Winter Hag) Galvanic Saboteur (Ranger) 1 NN HP 12 / 12 Speed ft Init 3 AC 17 Fort 3 Ref 5 Will 1 CMB +3 BAB 1 Claw +3 (1d4+2, x2)
Longbow +4 (1d8, x3) Str 14 (2) Dex 17 (3) Con 12 (1) Wis 13 (1) Int 10 (0) Cha 9 (-1)

Rolls

 

None atm

Commonly Used Skills/Special notes

Favored Enemy: Constructs +2
+X Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks
+X bonus on weapon attack/dmg
Can make untrained K skill checks to identify creatures with type

Perception: +5, +7 vs constructs

 

[iantruesilver]

Following and tracing the seam with your fingertips, you are able to find a section of it that's wide enough for you to jam the end of your crowbar into.

 

While you're touching it though, you notice that the edge of the seam is extremely smooth, not at all like what you would expect with a cracked egg. There also seems to be some amount of a softer material along one of the lips, but some of that looks to have worn away, perhaps from age.

 

Prying into the seam with your crowbar, you reef the split open and a section of the egg lifts, still attached to the remainder of the body on some kind of hinge.

 

Inside is a tight space, the inner face of the egg's shell looks to be lined with some kind of thick padding, occasionally dotted ther and there with some kind of technological doodad.

 

Semi-seated in the middle of the padding material is a skeleton, the head shielded by some kind of dome but with busted glass at the front. The rest of their clothing looks tattered and aged to obscurity.

 

 

(( Perception check immediately please ))

Edited December 1, 2023 by iantruesilver (see edit history)

[athedia]

Keshka

Keshka's lip twitched in minor disgust. She hated finding dead bodies but at least this one wasn't fresh. Was this a coffin? She knew sometimes the people she went on scavenges with liked to document stuff like that. She should remember to tell them about this one. She considered which item to go for first before deciding on the strange dome. It obviously hasn't worked but still, it was a fascinating piece. She would dig through the padding for the other items later.

Statblock

[b][url=/sheets/?id=2857070]Keshka[/url][/b] [i]Changeling (Winter Hag) Galvanic Saboteur (Ranger) 1 NN[/i] [b]HP[/b] 12 / 12 [b]Speed[/b] ft [b]Init[/b] 3 [b]AC[/b] 17 [b]Fort[/b] 3 [b]Ref[/b] 5 [b]Will[/b] 1 [b]CMB[/b] +3 [b]BAB[/b] 1 [b]Claw[/b] +3 (1d4+2, x2) [b]Longbow[/b] +4 (1d8, x3) [b]Str[/b] 14 (2) [b]Dex[/b] 17 (3) [b]Con[/b] 12 (1) [b]Wis[/b] 13 (1) [b]Int[/b] 10 (0) [b]Cha[/b] 9 (-1)

Keshka Changeling (Winter Hag) Galvanic Saboteur (Ranger) 1 NN HP 12 / 12 Speed ft Init 3 AC 17 Fort 3 Ref 5 Will 1 CMB +3 BAB 1 Claw +3 (1d4+2, x2)
Longbow +4 (1d8, x3) Str 14 (2) Dex 17 (3) Con 12 (1) Wis 13 (1) Int 10 (0) Cha 9 (-1)

Rolls

 

Rolled in above post

Commonly Used Skills/Special notes

Favored Enemy: Constructs +2
+X Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks
+X bonus on weapon attack/dmg
Can make untrained K skill checks to identify creatures with type

Perception: +5, +7 vs constructs

 

[iantruesilver]

Combat — Surprise Round

Initiative Order

PCs: Unaware

Enemies: 13

[[ Mood Music ]]

 

As Keshka looked around inside the egg-like coffin, trying to decide what to scavenge, she's too late to react to an purplish, orange-banded thing that suddenly jumped out from beneath the tattered boots of the corpse, its long thin body barely thicker than a hempen rope.

 

One end of its length, with a slightly bulbous part leading to an orange tip lashes out, but slams ineffectively against the armour at the young woman's chest, but that's not to mean that its first attempt will be its last…

 

[[ Map — Crash Site ]]

 

(( Roll initiative please, and proceed to Round 1 actions ))

Edited December 2, 2023 by iantruesilver (see edit history)

[athedia]

Keshka

Keshka reacted immediately, her claws lashing out to slice into the ... Snake? This egg coffin thing was sealed. And snakes can starve. She stepped back, if this unknown thing had killed the dead person she did not want to be next.

Statblock

[b][url=/sheets/?id=2857070]Keshka[/url][/b] [i]Changeling (Winter Hag) Galvanic Saboteur (Ranger) 1 NN[/i] [b]HP[/b] 12 / 12 [b]Speed[/b] ft [b]Init[/b] 3 [b]AC[/b] 17 [b]Fort[/b] 3 [b]Ref[/b] 5 [b]Will[/b] 1 [b]CMB[/b] +3 [b]BAB[/b] 1 [b]Claw[/b] +3 (1d4+2, x2) [b]Longbow[/b] +4 (1d8, x3) [b]Str[/b] 14 (2) [b]Dex[/b] 17 (3) [b]Con[/b] 12 (1) [b]Wis[/b] 13 (1) [b]Int[/b] 10 (0) [b]Cha[/b] 9 (-1)

Keshka Changeling (Winter Hag) Galvanic Saboteur (Ranger) 1 NN HP 12 / 12 Speed ft Init 3 AC 17 Fort 3 Ref 5 Will 1 CMB +3 BAB 1 Claw +3 (1d4+2, x2)
Longbow +4 (1d8, x3) Str 14 (2) Dex 17 (3) Con 12 (1) Wis 13 (1) Int 10 (0) Cha 9 (-1)

Text

Hide this

 

 

Commonly Used Skills/Special notes

Favored Enemy: Constructs +2
+X Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks
+X bonus on weapon attack/dmg
Can make untrained K skill checks to identify creatures with type

Perception: +5, +7 vs constructs

 

[iantruesilver]

Combat — Round 1

Initiative Order

PCs: 13

Enemies: 13

[[ Mood Music ]]

 

The one zhen worm had smacked itself against Keshka's chest, and inadvertently got ripped and gouged, one end of its excessively long body torn completely off by the changeling's claws.

 

Zhen worms thrive in warm, wet environments such as the Gorum Pots, where they often lie in wait beneath mud or water, springing on their prey only when they approach close enough for the worm to attack. They're somewhat strange in that they have no eyes with which to see, and lack any visible signs of a mouth or digestive tract with which to consume their food, yet they seem perfectly capable of making their way in the harsh environments here in the swamps and geothermal baths of this region.

 

If Keshka had expected the worm to go limp and die by her initial attack, she would be surprised, for the remainder of the creature uncoiled from underneath the long-dead body, but yet again managed only to whack helplessly against the young woman's leg, before flopping down like a dead snake at her feet.

 

Before she could relax though, another worm slithered out from underneath a crack between the metal egg-coffin and the rocky feature it was wedged up against, but had missed with its own attack against the would-be scavenger.

 

[[ Map — Crash Site ]]

(( Proceed to Round 2! ))

Edited December 3, 2023 by iantruesilver (see edit history)

[athedia]

Keshka

Zehn worms. Of course they would worm their way into any crevice given the chance. She considered retreating and attempting to use her bow but decided against it. Hopefully this next was the last, and she would make sure they were both dead before she continued scavenging. She turned and slashed out again, this time holding her ground instead of retreating.

Statblock

[b][url=/sheets/?id=2857070]Keshka[/url][/b] [i]Changeling (Winter Hag) Galvanic Saboteur (Ranger) 1 NN[/i] [b]HP[/b] 12 / 12 [b]Speed[/b] ft [b]Init[/b] 3 [b]AC[/b] 17 [b]Fort[/b] 3 [b]Ref[/b] 5 [b]Will[/b] 1 [b]CMB[/b] +3 [b]BAB[/b] 1 [b]Claw[/b] +3 (1d4+2, x2) [b]Longbow[/b] +4 (1d8, x3) [b]Str[/b] 14 (2) [b]Dex[/b] 17 (3) [b]Con[/b] 12 (1) [b]Wis[/b] 13 (1) [b]Int[/b] 10 (0) [b]Cha[/b] 9 (-1)

Keshka Changeling (Winter Hag) Galvanic Saboteur (Ranger) 1 NN HP 12 / 12 Speed ft Init 3 AC 17 Fort 3 Ref 5 Will 1 CMB +3 BAB 1 Claw +3 (1d4+2, x2)
Longbow +4 (1d8, x3) Str 14 (2) Dex 17 (3) Con 12 (1) Wis 13 (1) Int 10 (0) Cha 9 (-1)

Text

Hide this

 

 

Commonly Used Skills/Special notes

Favored Enemy: Constructs +2
+X Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks
+X bonus on weapon attack/dmg
Can make untrained K skill checks to identify creatures with type

Perception: +5, +7 vs constructs

 

[iantruesilver]

Combat — Round 2

Initiative Order

PCs: 13

Enemies: 13

[[ Mood Music ]]

 

Keshka's claws slash the worm's body, but seem to slip across and off its surface, dragging with it a little trail of thick slime, instead of digging into it as much as she thought it really should.

 

As the one worm lays motionless on the muddy ground, the other lashes out again, this time missing the changeling entirely.

 

 

[[ Map — Crash Site ]]

(( Proceed to Round 3! ))

Edited December 3, 2023 by iantruesilver (see edit history)

[athedia]

Keshka

That was not a good feeling. It was days like this she wished she had been sensible and used some tool, anything really that would separate her from the weird substance on the worms. She reassured herself that there would be water to wash herself before she returned to Torch. Even if it took a detour.

 

She struck again at the moving worm hoping to eliminate it

Statblock

[b][url=/sheets/?id=2857070]Keshka[/url][/b] [i]Changeling (Winter Hag) Galvanic Saboteur (Ranger) 1 NN[/i] [b]HP[/b] 12 / 12 [b]Speed[/b] ft [b]Init[/b] 3 [b]AC[/b] 17 [b]Fort[/b] 3 [b]Ref[/b] 5 [b]Will[/b] 1 [b]CMB[/b] +3 [b]BAB[/b] 1 [b]Claw[/b] +3 (1d4+2, x2) [b]Longbow[/b] +4 (1d8, x3) [b]Str[/b] 14 (2) [b]Dex[/b] 17 (3) [b]Con[/b] 12 (1) [b]Wis[/b] 13 (1) [b]Int[/b] 10 (0) [b]Cha[/b] 9 (-1)

Keshka Changeling (Winter Hag) Galvanic Saboteur (Ranger) 1 NN HP 12 / 12 Speed ft Init 3 AC 17 Fort 3 Ref 5 Will 1 CMB +3 BAB 1 Claw +3 (1d4+2, x2)
Longbow +4 (1d8, x3) Str 14 (2) Dex 17 (3) Con 12 (1) Wis 13 (1) Int 10 (0) Cha 9 (-1)

Text

Hide this

 

 

Commonly Used Skills/Special notes

Favored Enemy: Constructs +2
+X Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks
+X bonus on weapon attack/dmg
Can make untrained K skill checks to identify creatures with type

Perception: +5, +7 vs constructs

 

[iantruesilver]

Combat — Round 3

Initiative Order

PCs: 13

Enemies: 13

[[ Mood Music ]]

 

Keshka rips her claws into the worm's body again, this time managing to make it twitch a bit before it falls limp.

 

 

[[ Map — Crash Site ]]

(( End of Combat ))

[athedia]

Keshka

"Disgusting." Keshka dragged the corpses of the worms away from her worksite and used some of her water to scrub the slime off her hands. Taking a deep breath to calm herself down she started retrieving the dome again, this time keeping a close eye out for more of the creatures.

Statblock

[b][url=/sheets/?id=2857070]Keshka[/url][/b] [i]Changeling (Winter Hag) Galvanic Saboteur (Ranger) 1 NN[/i] [b]HP[/b] 12 / 12 [b]Speed[/b] ft [b]Init[/b] 3 [b]AC[/b] 17 [b]Fort[/b] 3 [b]Ref[/b] 5 [b]Will[/b] 1 [b]CMB[/b] +3 [b]BAB[/b] 1 [b]Claw[/b] +3 (1d4+2, x2) [b]Longbow[/b] +4 (1d8, x3) [b]Str[/b] 14 (2) [b]Dex[/b] 17 (3) [b]Con[/b] 12 (1) [b]Wis[/b] 13 (1) [b]Int[/b] 10 (0) [b]Cha[/b] 9 (-1)

Keshka Changeling (Winter Hag) Galvanic Saboteur (Ranger) 1 NN HP 12 / 12 Speed ft Init 3 AC 17 Fort 3 Ref 5 Will 1 CMB +3 BAB 1 Claw +3 (1d4+2, x2)
Longbow +4 (1d8, x3) Str 14 (2) Dex 17 (3) Con 12 (1) Wis 13 (1) Int 10 (0) Cha 9 (-1)

Text

Hide this

 

 

Commonly Used Skills/Special notes

Favored Enemy: Constructs +2
+X Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks
+X bonus on weapon attack/dmg
Can make untrained K skill checks to identify creatures with type

Perception: +5, +7 vs constructs

 

[iantruesilver]

After touching the worms' mucus, you can't help but admit that there's a bit of a tingling, even mildly stringing sensation on your fingers. Could it be that there is some use or purpose to this stuff? You could only imagine.

 

Back to the metal egg, the inside of the wreck is cramped. A single chair made out of what looks to be the same strange metal faces the hatch, dozens of straps hang inside the device, and an array of levers and buttons lines the interior on one side. Several dozen palm-sized metallic discs lie scattered across the interior over the body. There is also an unadorned silvery bracer on what used to it's left wrist.

Edited December 4, 2023 by iantruesilver (see edit history)