The Wayfinders - The Wreck of the Archon

[Shayuri]

(OOC - Argh, sorry...been having a lot of trouble keeping up with my games lately!)

Whisper holds still for a moment, her breath still coming fast as she scans the shadows around the pipes and listens for any sign of more movement. When nothing else comes, she manages to relax a little.

With infinite revulsion, she approaches the fallen creature and tries to diffidently nudge it onto its back so she can get a better look at what the Mourning has wrought upon it.

 

[SelcSilverhand]

Whisper shoves and pushes the creature until she can roll it over onto its back. The features of the creature are revolting up close. It clearly was human though its features are twisted now. The face is stretched and discolored towards the massive "tentacle" running from its guts to its neck. On closer examination the body structure looks very similar to a bot fly larvae or some sort of giant maggot. At first glance it looks like a separate organism attached like a parasite but soon your opinion begins to change. It looks too integrated for that; more like a symbiote. Near the guts it branches out to various organs that are now exposed from Kraken's scimitar. It's "head" is buried into the nervous system around the brain stem and down the spine. The muscles are over developed lending the impression that the creature has great strength.

 

[Dr Simon]

Kraken looks over Whisper's shoulder whilst he cleans his blade and wipes the muck from his face the best he can.

"I had to mention the maggots didn't I, eh?" he says. "Reckon the next thing we meet will be a giant schooner of beer, eh?" he announces hopefully to the universe at large. With a shrug he turns to Doral and claps a friendly hand on his shoulder whilst helping to pick off a few worms. "You okay mate?" he says.

[sblock=OOC]

Heal check on Doral in case of infestation. 1d20+8=10.
[/sblock]

 

[SelcSilverhand]

Kraken carefully examines Doral's wounds and finds that the wounds appear clear. The worms themselves look fragile, especially around the head. If not removed carefully they may have left portions of their bodies in the wounds similar to a tick's head.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

"I am alright for now, but these worms cannot be for the good. Perhaps this is how the symbiote spreads, which likely means I am now infected. I would appreciate any help in removing them short of taking the arm in its entirety." Doral tries to maintain a steady voice, but he is obviously shaken with the implications of the infection.

 

[SelcSilverhand]

Both Midian and Kraken do another check on Doral but are unable to locate any more of the flesh burrowing worms. A careful search of the mutant crewman uncovers a medallion with a crossed hammer and wrench on it. Other than that he carries nothing of interest.

You continue down the corridors following your map with extreme care. Once as you passed an intersection Whisper signals a halt and stares hard down the passageway into the hissing steam. She could have sworn that something at the far end moved but when your lights are turned on it nothing was revealed. After a few tense moments you move onward. The tunnel system winds its way underneath the city streets until you finally reach a sealed hatch. Doral with a flash of insight, raises the medallion to the door and presses it against a brass plate nearby. The door hisses and slowly rises with the sound of heavy gears grinding together. Beyond you can see a stairwell leading downward.
Behind you, Whisper hears a sound again. It sounds like dozens of scuttling rat feet moving through the pipes. It is accompanied by harsh squeaks and hisses as the creatures pass by. The last break in the pipe you saw was only a dozen yards away. You quickly move through the doorway and activate the medallion again to close the hatchway behind you before the hunting creatures can escape the pipes.
You make your way slowly down the stairwell until you reach the next level. A small chamber that looks something like a security checkpoint stands between you and another hatch. There is a large enclosed booth with darkened glass facing you with a closed door. A couple of slots for missile weapons faces both ways to cover enemies approaching. Something black and slimy looking is oozing out from under the booths door. Doral tries the medallion on the next hatch leaving this chamber but it just crackles and fails to open.

 

[jkason]

Truth be told, while his elemental form had its advantages, he'd been almost relieved when he needed to return to his humanity to aid Doral. Ever since entering the Archon, he'd felt as if he were being ... twisted. Even moreso than in the mournlands proper. He didn't know if it was all in his head, or some repercussion of maintaining an alternate form for so long, but it took inordinate amounts of effort for him to maintain focus.

Having "his" body back seemed to be helping. He still couldn't shake the unending sense of dread being down in the dark tunnels caused, but there was a center to him now, and he clung to it despearately. He would not let this place twist him as it so clearly had its former inhabitants.

But managing to live up to that determination meant they had to survive.

"Okay, since it seems like there's no avoiding getting you messy, Kraken, let's see if we can at least keep you from feeling some of the sting of these things that keep popping up," he whispers, and even the druid himself seems a bit startled to hear himself speak.

He pulls a bit of holly from his belt pouch, swiping it quickly across Kraken's shoulders, saying something that sounds a bit like the skittering of chitonous legs across the ground. Kraken feels a shudder up his spine, but this quickly passes

[sblock=ooc]Still struggling to get back to normal on posting, but I'm at least caught up on reading. I don't imagine it's natural, but +13 Know: Nature check to see if Midian recognizes the black gunk. Also, casting Delay Poison on Kraken: 8 hr duration.[/sblock] [sblock=mini-stats]

[b]HP:[/b] 66/66       
[b]AC:[/b] 21        [b]AC(T):[/b] 14    [b]AC(FF):[/b] 18 
Wildshape base AC: 15
Medium/Huge Animal AC: 17
Medium Magical Beast AC: 19
[b]Medium Air Elemental AC: 20, Reflex save: +8[/b]

Conditions: Resinous Skin (80 min duration. Not sure if this is expired? DR 5 / piercing). for Kraken: Delay Poison (8 hrs)

[b]Init:[/b] +02
[b]BAB:[/b] +6/+1     [b]CMB/CMD:[/b] +8/22     [b]ACP:[/b] -3     
[b]Perception:[/b] +17

Saving Throw    Base   Mod   Misc*  Total
Fort:            06     1     +2    +9      
Ref:             02     2     +2    +6       
Will:            06     6     +2    +14

* Cloak +2
Conditional: +4 vs. spell-like fey & plant effects (Resist Nature's Lure)
Resist Cold 10
 
[b]Weapon                  Attack   Damage     Critical[/b]
Shortspear................+8.....1d6+2.........x2
Shortspear, full attack...+8/+3..1d6+2/1d6+2...x2
Shortspear, thrown........+8.....1d6+1.........x2, range 20'
Sling.....................+8.....1d4+2.........x2, range 50'
Sling, full attack........+8/+3..1d4+2/1d4+2...x2, range 50'

[b]Surge:[/b] 8/9 remaining (CMB +14)

Magical Feats: Spell Focus (Conj), Augment Summoning, Natural Spell

[b]Spells:[/b]
0st Level / DC16/17 6 Day : Create Water, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Mending, Stabilize, Spark
1st Level / DC17/18 4+2+D Day : Endure Elements, Entangle, Feather Step, Liberating Command, Ray of Sickening, Faerie Fire, Obscuring mist(D)
2nd Level / DC18/19 3+2+D Day : [s]Delay Poison[/s], Frigid Touch, Lesser Restoration, Resist Energy, [s]Stone Call[/s], Slipstream(D)
3rd Level / DC19/20 3+1+D Day : Call Lightning*, Hide Campsite, Neutralize Poison, [s]Resinous Skin[/s], Water Walk(D) 
4th Level / DC20/21 2+1+D Day : Dispel Magic, Freedom of Movement, Geyser, Control Water(D)

* attuned to empowered spell shard
** Eberron shard can recall evocation spells up to 4th level: 2/2 remaining

[b]Wand charges:[/b] 27/28 remaining.
[b]Wild Shape:[/b] 1/3 remaining

[/sblock]

 

[Shayuri]

Whisper frowns as the studies the room.

"A checkpoint," she decides. "The controls to open the hatch would be..." She looks over at the oozing booth.

"In there. Of course."

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Doral puts on his goggles and studies the oozing booth. "I would hope there is a better way around, but it does seem unlikely."

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3987844/
Perception Check = 38

 

[SelcSilverhand]

Midian studies the black fluid coming from under the door. It does not appear alive though it reeks terribly. Prodding it with the tip of his weapon elicits no response. Doral comes up next to him and studies the area carefully. There is no sound coming from inside the booth and from what he can see it will be fairly easy to open.