The Last Free Place

[trollthumper]

Nick Cimitiere, Sea Devil, and Artificer explore signs of Deep One activity in the Salton Sea. 

[Avenger Assembled]

Okay, let me know what rolls - if any, you'd like here! 

[trollthumper]

I'd say suitable rolls here would be Medicine, Notice, Knowledge: Arcana, and Knowledge: Theology. I'll get Nick's rolls out when everyone else is done. 

[Avenger Assembled]

Sea Devil has no Medicine. 

If she can take 20 on Notice she will and get 30. 

Arcane: 20

Theology: 15

 

Don't forget Aquaria's super-sense; and that she can actually read the prayer...probably?

[Dr Archeville]

Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 1d20+15: 20 [1d20=5]

Knowledge (Theology & Philosophy) 1d20+5: 12 [1d20=7]

Medicine 1d20+5: 24 [1d20=19]

Notice... if he can Take 20, he'll do so, getting 25.

 

(This reminds me, I've been meaning to get Artificer some ranks in Investigate.)

 

He's got Super Senses 4 (Low-Light Vision, Magic Awareness [Descriptor Frequency: Very Common, Sense Type: Visual {Default: Accurate, Acute, Ranged}])

and his goggles give him

Super-Senses 5 (adds Analytical to all Visual senses, Sonar [Ultrasonic Hearing; Default: Acute, Radius, Ranged; Enhancement: Accurate])

 

 

[trollthumper]

So, after much delay (work kicked my ass), here are Nick's scores:

 

Notice: 21

K: Arcane Lore: 35

K: Theology: 27

 

So, here are the general results: 

 

Medicine/Notice (for Sea Devil): Artificer picks up on it through his knowledge of physiology, but Sea Devil picks up on it from her knowledge of her people. There has long been talk of Deep One hybrids with the surface dwellers - usually the talk of ribald landlocked types, but there have been communities that have used such tactics for go-betweens. However, there is nothing to these people that would suggest the "Innsmouth look." They appear to be human... from the exterior, that is. 

 

Notice (for everyone): An examination of the dead reveals no shallow cuts around the wounds, indicating that the fatal wounds were made without hesitation. There are signs of broken furniture, glasses, and cups, however, as well as light signs of self-harm - skin under fingernails, hair torn out - and light petechial hemorrhaging in the eyes. It's as if they entered a frenzy of agitated movement before making deliberate, unhesitating actions to end their lives.

 

Detect Magic: Everyone is able to pick up on the presence of magic within the room. It still seems to be there, trace numina hanging in the air. Sea Devil, however, is able to perceive it as something of a faint susurrus, like radio static mixed with distant waves... and knows it extends beyond the house. It seems to hang in the air outside. 

 

Arcane Lore: Everyone here is aware that magic that can make a person kill themselves usually has to be strong enough to overwhelm every urge that makes a person not want to die. However, given Nick's roll, he has a particular insight that I will share in the IC post. 

 

Theology: Nick is able to pick up on some of the cadence, but Sea Devil is able to make out the traces around the writing that look like blood stains left by the final twitches of the deceased. They're actually an old Lemurian cartouche, an ancient practice to honor some consigned to Dagon's embrace. This one, in the ancient text of her people, reads "SILENCE."

[trollthumper]

A 32 on the Notice roll for Postcognition, with a natural 20. This is a good example of when that's a bad thing. 

 

[Dr Archeville]

Artificer is holding his action -- if it looks like Aquaria's cool-down hug is going to work, he won't do anything, but if it looks like she's not getting through to him, he'll use his Move Object effect in an attempt to grapple him.

 

[trollthumper]

And now is a very good time for Nick to roll a Will save: 

 

Yeah, a 21 should cover it.

[trollthumper]

All right, we're entering Initiative. From the Steam Monster, we will be using a modified version of my Particle Man build at PL13. We've also got two hostages effectively Grappled by it who are taking Damage each turn due to being in the midst of steam heat. So they're going to need help. 

 

Nick goes on 10.

 

Steam Monster goes on 4.

[Avenger Assembled]

https://orokos.com/roll/1012454  15 on Initiative for Sea Devil

[Dr Archeville]

Sorry, been having some internet issues at home.

 

Artificer has a 1d20+1: 20 [1d20=19] on Initiative.

 

Looks like that means Artificer goes first?  He'll open with a Blast of cold...

 

1d20 + 8 : 10 [1d20=2]

 

... and that's gonna go wide.

 

[Avenger Assembled]

Sea Devil: 

 

Once @Dr Archevilleposts IC, Sea Devil will: 

 

fly directly above the monster, high enough that she won't affect anyone on the ground. 

then she'll hit with this!

 

Damage 12 (The Golden Sign; Extra: Area [General, Burst], PFs: Affects Insubstantial 2, Indirect 2) {28/28}

 

[trollthumper]

I should at least get a response in to that... 

 

The Steam Monster rolls a 23 to resist, so it is Bruised.

 

I will hold off on further actions until @Dr Archeville gets an IC post in. 

[trollthumper]

All right, Nick's going to try to get the two people out of the grip of the Steam Monster via his Area Telekinesis effect... which will be interesting, as they are effectively already Grappled by the monster. So, tug of war it is. 

 

Nick's TK has a Reflex DC22 for its Grapple, and the Steam Monster rolls a 17. That means the hostages are Grappled. The Steam Monster, however, goes Insubstantial and unleashes its steamy might upon Artificer. Or it would, if it hadn't critically failed. It's not exactly in a good mindspace right now.

 

Artificer is up next. 

[Avenger Assembled]

@Dr Archevilleslipping ya a tag! =D 

[Dr Archeville]

Heroditus is really regretting his Visual Detect Magic....

 

Okay, going to Stunt a new effect

 

Damage 10 (sonic, "Shout"; Extra: Area [General, 100-ft. Cone]; PFs: Affects Insubstantial 2)  [22/31]

DC 20 Reflex save, then a DC 25 or 20 Toughness save.

 

And use one of his HPs (should be down to 1 now) to nix the Fatigue from the Stunt.

[trollthumper]

All right. The Steam Monster fails the Reflex save by 2, then makes its Toughness save.

 

Sea Devil is up next. 

[Avenger Assembled]

Keep chipping away with the Golden Sign! The advantage of area effects is that the thing can't hardly have a reflex save. 

[trollthumper]

This one was my bad. The Steam Monster just fails its Toughness save and is now Bruised x2.

 

Nick will use his Healing power on the first of the wounded to keep them from dying of being parboiled. The Steam Monster, on the other hand, decides to be a dick and uses his Damage 10 (Targeted Area Shapeable) to try and hit everyone who has directly attacked him - which means Nick, Artificer, and Sea Devil, but not the artists. 

 

As an Area attack, that means DC23 Reflex to avoid/reduce, DC28 Toughness if it hits in full. 

 

Nick rolls a 27 on his Reflex save, then a 26 on his Toughness save. Which is good. 

 

 

[Avenger Assembled]

DC23 Reflex = 25

with Evasion, she makes it! 

[Avenger Assembled]

I think it may be @Dr Archeville again?

[trollthumper]

@Dr Archeville Just posting a reminder, in case things have eased up. 

[Dr Archeville]

Sorry, sorry, things at school/work have been magra fahrbot.

 

First, the Reflex/Toughness save for the steam attack.

Reflex save, DC 23: 1d20+5: 19 [1d20=14]  ouch

Toughness save, DC 28: 1d20+12: 13 [1d20=1]  that fails by 15, so that'd put him unconscious.

 

... I have 1 HP left, but I think I'm going to keep it, and let the die roll stand.  Maybe knocking the Atlantean unconscious will appease this thing?  Enough for Aquaria & Nick to have better luck with it?

 

[Avenger Assembled]

the Atlantean is down, eh? 

 

<Tuxedo Mask "my work here is done" meme> 

 

Did you want to take us forward, TT?