Post by hubertbartels on Apr 30, 2017 16:41:28 GMT -5
Having made the long trek through the cave and survived the underwater passage, the PCs returned to Torch. It was getting onto late afternoon so there was still time to take care of a few errands. A stop in the General Store provided the 300 feet of rope that they promised the skulks in order to return them to the Underdark. Then, they looked in on the Chapel of the Wanderer where Mylan Radli oversaw the graveyard. As a priest of Pharasma, he would be honored to bury the dead that the PCs recovered.
Then the PCs walked by Iven’s Livery Stable – all the packtrains that arrive in Torch stop there to offload and stabel their animals so they would know something about arrivals. A stablehand remembered the purple-haired woman arriving a week ago. She traveled from Scrapwall in the company of several orcs, ratfolk and humans. They had several packing boxes – appeared to be high-tech – that no one else was allowed to handle. After their arrival, no one seems to remember where they went to.
One more stop at the Town Hall to bring Dolga Feddert, the town councilor, up to date. While they were talking to the old dwarven woman, Erlmon Reverstoudt came in. He wanted to report a murder at the Evercandle Inn. Dolga asked the PCs to look into it.
At the Evercandle Inn, the room was trashed, the body had been disembowled and there was blood everywhere. Ashe Winterborn recognized the body as Ambruse Dobain, archaeologist and fellow pathfinder – he was supposed to be Ashe’s contact in Numeria.
Ashe searched the burnt papers and turned up a fragment that read “ey must not have it – if I can get it to the fires of Torch – I know it can be destroye”. In a hidden cubbyhole underneath the floorboards, Niferia discovered a blood-soaked cloth holding Dobian’s fieldbook and an strange object – about a foot long, 6 inches in diameter, made of some odd greenish metal and containing a transparent core in which a whitish mist or cloud could be be made out.
Bringing the items to the Foundry Tavern as everyone gathered, Quincy Logan recognized the object as one identical or similar to something last seen on Dr. Barnaby Culter’s field table before he and the rest of the dig disappeared. It was thought to be a ‘ritual object’.
At the Foundry, Val Baine asked if they had any further word on her father. She mentioned that Emeila Otterbie, a local weaponsmith’s daughter had sought for news of Gerrol Sonders, a popular rogue that accompanied Khonniar Baine into the caverns.
The next day, the PCs returned to the caves. They left the rope tied off at a stalagmite for the skulks and then entered the hull of the object though a hatchway.
Much had been damaged or looted. The PCs checked the hallways, checking that the corridors left and right had been blocked or crushed by the crash. Vader tracked the scent of the previous expeditions went straight ahead.
It was dark – there was no power. Most of the doors had been forced open and wedged. In the next corridor, they found a wall filled with shelves and cupboards – the opposite side contained repair drones in alcoves.
While they were searching the shelves and collecting modern tools – two of the repair drones woke up.
Screaming in Androffan for security, the robots began to subdue the robbers of their ship. The PCs fought back, finally knocking out the two repair bots.
The hallway proceeded through an ancient animal handling area which still contained the bones of six-legged creatures in cages – to an airlock. Then, still following the scent of the previous expeditions, they stepped out into a desert. It was cold and silent. Ashe fired a crossbow bolt which he had cast light on straight up. It traveled up until it hit a metal dome covering the entire area.
The PCs had a bit of difficulty in passing a pair of alien creatures that hid inside their stony carapaces – but they finally lured the creatures out and pelted them with ranged weapons.
Crossing the desert, following the previous expeditions scent and tracks, the PCs repeatedly were attacked by four-armed skeletons. As they were destroyed, their bones quickly fell to dust. On the far side of the desert, the PCs found another airlock spilling light into the dark desert. The outside door had not been closed – the inside door was closed. The airlock was brightly lit from the ceiling, Pressing a brown card to the grey panel next to the door – locked it. A second card press – unlocked it. Pressing the grey panel opened the door. The PCs left the airlock before the malfunctioning machinery in the airlock shocked them.
They went down the lit corridor, stopping at another door. The corridor took a short jog to the right.
Opening the door, they found themselves in a control room. In the corner was a black and purple column with a glowing golden button. Ashe pushed it with a stick. The column began to pulse with light, finally glowing at the end. A holographic depiction of the desert they had crossed appeared on a circular table.
Leaving the room to return to the corridor, the PCs moved on. A door to the right was locked and would not respond to their brown cards. The door directly in front of them did. Opening that door revealed an observation room with a view of the desert they had just crossed. It was brightly lit with a red sky. Wind could be seen, smoothing out the sand. Also in the room was paintings, crudely drawn depictions of pickaxes of skulls and bones – and prayers to someone known as “The Shadow in the Sand” and “The Poison in the Plant”. A phrase repeated over and over again said, “Only when we see the light of the red sky of rising sun, when we are under the red sky of home – will we know peace.”
From behind a column came another four-armed alien. Unlike the skeletons out in the desert, he was armed with two shortswords. As he rounded the observation table, Ashe disarmed him of one sword while Obin took a mighty chunk out of him with his greataxe. Niferia unleashed Judgement on him and Astrovel and Quincy used spells. He soon fell. Unlike the skeletons, his body did not turn to dust.
The PCs searched the room and found a black access card. The way to the Science Deck was now open.