Masters of the Industrial Elements IC

[Kyeudo]

The greenskin stares at you without comprehending, then says something in a language you don't understand. His speech sounds like someone trying to gargle with a mouthful of iron bolts.

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Is Heissa going to do anything upon arriving on the scene?

[Sanctaphrax]

Well, that's inconvenient.

I turn to face the camp and cup my hands to form an improvised megaphone.

"Does anyone here speak the local barbarian language?"

If nobody does, I wake up more of our prisoners and speak to each of them in turn in both of the languages I know. Hopefully one of them will know either Taken or Old Realm.

[Kyeudo]

None of the barbarians speak Taken or Old Realm, though they do seem to recognize Old Realm. A quick survey of the village reveals noone who knows the same language as the greenskins.

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I honestly think that this is the hardest challenge that I have planned for the whole campaign arc, provided you do what I think you'll do and don't do something completely different.

I predict that you'll do something completely different and prove me wrong, though.

[Sanctaphrax]

"Okay, so we lack a common language.

This is probably going to be a problem. Any ideas on how to deal with this?

We could just have them lead us back to their camp. They've probably got a shaman who speaks Old Realm there.

But that seems risky. I mean, we might end up having to fight the whole camp. Which would not be ideal."

[Teleut]

Finally arriving on the scene, Heissa sees that most of the wounded have been well-treated under Nyklis' watch. She notes who she thinks might need more care, particularly the man who took multiple knife wounds and could use her Wound-Cauterizing Touch, and starts planning a triage order in her head.

First, however, she decides to check in with Nyklis to understand what happened and to get a closer look at the green-skins. Walking towards the Glass Knife and, overhearing his last statement, Heissa remarks, "Sad times, Eisen. Maybe we could broker some sort of peace with these tunnel folk even without speech? They must have been desperate to attack and a little bit of food might stave off another conflict. Or at least keep them from attacking when we meet again."

As she ends her sentence, Heissa tries to concentrate on the greenskin's speech, hoping something anything about their language seems familiar or recognizable. Any knowledge, she hopes, might help prevent more people from getting hurt.

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I don't know how much can be gleamed but I'm hoping that using Excellency of Steam will reveal some facts about the tunnel people, like if their language is closer to Old Realm or Taken. Some basic words or even if they are using names among themselves.

Should I roll? I just realized I don't know if the players or the Storyteller are handling that.

[Meriss]

Rolf shakes his head.

WONDERFUL!

Not only did the fools attack a camp full of people but none of them even spoke the common tongue. Which meant his usual battle patter had gone totally unheard.

Wait a beat....

"Scholar, Healer, Correct me, but doesn't everyone in the tunnels speak some variation of Taken or even the Old Tongue? And... the ones chasing me, they ran when I used my elemental. Something strange is going on here. Let me try something."

Rolf steps to center of the circle forming around the bound prisoners.

"OY! You lot! Look at me!"

Once it is clear the prisoners are focused on him Rolf motions the villagers and others back a few steps.

He was tired and cranky, his elemental nearly drained but he had to know. Was what he was thinking even possible?

He digs deep into his elemental's strength and sends a surging arc of pure electricity upward in a spectacular display of raw power.

"What'd you wogs think of that then?" he snarls at the prisoners, carefully gauging their reactions.

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I suppose it's unlikely but Rolf thinks these tunnel people might just be invaders from beyond the Great Taker's realm.
Spending my last 3 motes on a LBA
Then Rolling Perception + Awareness to read facial cues, reactions and so on.
(5d10)[7][7][6][2][5](27)

[Kyeudo]

From what words the prisoners are exchanging, you gather that the one that seems nominally in-charge is named Grok. Their language is far removed from Old Realm - you think you hear what seems like some common root words, but you're not sure if you're just fooling yourself.

Rolf's crackling bolt of lightning splashes across the cieling of the chamber, getting the attention of everyone in camp and showering all nearby with sparks. The greenskins seem intimidated, but not awestricken. You get the feeling that they've seen something like it before.

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Have two stunt dice for that. I rolled them and you got an extra success.

I think someone has forgotten the tribal tongues entry in the Linguistics skill. While all languages in Autochthonia trace their roots back to Old Realm, some have drifted farther than others.

It's alot like how English was once German.

[Teleut]

Speaking in Taken, knowing that the greenskins seem unable to fully understand the language, Heissa whispers to her companions, "I think I can make out some Old Realm survivals, Rolf... but I can only gleam a bit. See that man over there? I think he is their leader or at least something of an authority. They are calling him Grok; I'm going to try to get on his good side by checking on his people."

Heissa goes to find the local who was injured, bathes his wound in alcohol, and quickly goes about healing him within view of the greenskins. She then begins seeing to the injured greenskins, showing that they are being treated as kindly as locals are treated. In doing her healing publicly as a performance designed to emphasize her kindness, Heissa is trying build an intimacy of trust or goodwill among the greenskins and Grok in particular.

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On the injured man, Heissa uses her Wound-Cauterizing Touch and Excellency to ensure his survival and remove the possibility of infection. She rolls (3 Int + 5 Med + 3 Specialty Dice + 3 excellency dice and gets 8 successes [1,10,10,5,1,1,3,6,10,7,6,9,9,8,9,1,5]).

In helping the greenskins, Heissa will also use her medical charms and excellency if necessary but is primarily relying on Boiling Emotion Cauldron to supplement the social action by making it an unnatural mental influence. I'm not sure exactly what to roll but in targeting Heissa's act towards Grok I am aiming for Presence and Charisma.

Also, naming a character Grok in a linguistic challenge = priceless.]

[Sanctaphrax]

"Good idea.

Meanwhile, I'll look and see if they brought anything that might give a clue to what they're up to."

I take a look and see if any of the raiders brought bags or any other kind of gear beyond their weapons. If they did, I look though what they've got.

If they've got maps or anything like that with them, it could make everything much easier.

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Perception + Investigation to search the prisoners. (4d10)[3][3][3][8](17)

[Kyeudo]

The invaders' packs don't contain anything so obvious as a map. Their gear is made of a variety of materials - rubber, resin, sheet metal, cloth, leather of some kind - apparently anything they could easily scavenge. What decoration you can see on it is done in bits of polished copper or copper-tarnish green paint. Inside their packs you find waterskins, long crystals of what looks like nutrient slurry, rope, bedrolls, and other traveling gear. Their gear is simple, but well-made for its kind. It isn't as sophisticated as Tireless Cog metalwork, but more than servicable.

[Meriss]

Rolf

Rolf shrugs. A hunter's heart had to be full of hope, hope that somehow they could find one more resource, one more prey animal. What was around the bend of the tunnel was his business.

Still wouldn't that be something. Someone not of this wretched tunnel.

He contents himself with the innumerable tasks of camp life. Water, nutrient slurry, fire, back for more water. Work was never ending.

He makes a special point of glaring fiercely at the one called Grok making sure to display his throwing knives.

We are not easy prey. he mentally growls at Grok each time he passes the tunnel rat.

[Teleut]

After seeing to the injured, Heissa starts collecting nutrient slurry. Just enough to provide a small meal for each of the greenskins. After putting it all into a container, she finds her fellow Domini.

She speaks very quickly to the group without pausing, obviously a little over-excited about her plan, "I want to try and offer the leader some slurry in exchange for some cooperation. First, I'm going to take the food to Grok so he know what we're offering, but I'm not going to let him have it. Rolf, I'm going to need some backup for this. Then, I'm going to point in the direction of where they attacked and only give them meals if they seem to acknowledged that they are going to do something for it. Best case scenario, they lead us back to their camp. Worst case scenario, they scatter and our skilled hunter here can track them to their home... Okay, real worst case scenario, they immediately attack again but we have their weapons so I think it's a risk worth taking."

Taking a breath after that stream of consciousnesses, she finishes, "Does that sound like a plan?"

[Sanctaphrax]

"Yes. It sounds like a plan.

It doesn't sound like a great plan, but given the situation greatness is rather too much to ask for. Let's do it."

[Teleut]

While sticking her tounge out at Nyklis in faux indignation, Heissa picks up the container of slurry and brings it to Grok. She goes through her planned motions to make her offer of hospitality and sustinance but keeps near her fellow domini and any other volenteers to imply that the offer is conditional and that the Taken are still the dominant party invovled.

The entire time, while using her best 'bed side manner,' Heissa keeps repeating in her head "I hope this works. I hope this works. I hope this works."

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This being an attempt at wordless communication, I'm guessing this action is either Charisma and Presence or Socialize. Luckily, I have the same stats in either case: 8d10. [rollv]8d10[/rollv]

[Kyeudo]

Things go about as well as could be hoped. The greenskins look confused, both by your offering and their sudden freedom, but seem to get the idea that you want them to take the food and go back where they came from.

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The plan, as far as I understand it, is that you are going to follow them back to where they came from. Assuming that is not wrong . . .

Their confusion grows as you begin following them out, but they make no attempts to lose you. That said, they don't take any measures to make it particularly easy for you to follow them, abruptly turning down corridors, descending hatches, and climbing access ladders without waiting or signaling.

You follow them for perhaps twelve hours before the tunnel they are leading you down opens up into a huge chamber. They climb down into it, vanishing from view. When you reach the edge, you get a full view of the chamber. The room stretches out beyond the reach of your light source, with no corners or far wall to be seen. Below is a thick haze of white fog, drifting gently and obscuring how deep the chamber is. The ceiling is only a few yards above the top of the tunnel and is covered in a network of copper pipes and conduits. Here and there, pipes and tubes of various sizes dip down into the fog. From your vantage point, you can see that the greenskins are climbing down by clinging to a vine-like growth of pale blue crystal that covers the walls in patches. More of the crystalline growth can be seen encrusting the pipes and conduits in places.

Climbing down after the warriors does not prove difficult. The viney growth proves solid hand and footholds. As you descend down into the mist, you find you can only see clearly for four or five yards before your surroundings start fading into ghost-like obscurity. The mist itself is slightly warm and carries a faint odor that is both sweet and sour, something akin to rotting fruit.

You reach the floor of the chamber fairly quickly, only about ten yards below the lip of the tunnel. Around you in the fog, you see more forms of crystalline growths, ranging in size from more of the vine-like growth covering the floor to a height of a few inches to spikey bushes several feet high to towering spires that disappear into the mist overhead.

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Alright, now I need you to make some form of roll to try to keep track of your erstwhile guides.

[Sanctaphrax]

Before we leave, I give some quick instructions to the villagers. I try to get them organized so that, if they are attacked while we are gone, they don't all die horribly.

But I'm not too worried. If another group of raiders sets out to attack the villagers, they'll probably encounter us on their way. And the forces of the Machine haven't been attacking much lately.

As we set out, I call upon the power of my Stone to memorize our route perfectly.

I commit the situation of villagers to memory too, because I figure I might as well.

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Should I roll to organize the villagers?

I spend a mote to activate Perfect Memory Trick right before we leave. Which will probably help if and when we need to find our way back on our own.

My Perception + Awareness roll to keep track of Grok and company is: (4d10)[10][10][8][10](38)

[Teleut]

While Nyklis organizes the villagers, Heissa collects enough food for the group and more for a potential peace offering to the greenskins. Or for a longer journey, as she has no idea where the greenskins came from.

[FallenEco]

Diemut kept quite throughout the intergation, not knowing how she could, assuming she could help at all. She mostly just helped try to repair the damage done by the invaders and assist the wounded when someone told her how.

But when the others decided to let the greenskins go and follow them? That was something Diemut knew how to handle. She smiled as a familar thrill, one she hadn't really felt since Uncle Sigmund died, washed over her.

"Hey, don't you guys leave without me. In case you forgot, I'm nearly as good as Rolf at this. Plus I can see in the dark." Diemut said smugly. She was useful, darnit! They weren't cutting her out of this adventure, espeacially if could lead to something new/cool/good/useful!

After all, if they have a different language, stands to reason they have different other stuff. A new approach might give the Tribe an edge...

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Again, really sorry. If I am not welcome, just kill Diemut off via Environmental hazard or something.
Now I beleive the boss requested a roll to keep track of our 'guides'
If Perception/Awareness is acceptable the here it goes:
(6d10)[2][2][5][4][5][4](22)

[Kyeudo]

Through the thick mist, Nyklis manages to make out more than the forms of the crystalline foliage. Ahead, the greenskins have stopped walking and have ducked behind some of the crystal spires, but they are not all. Human shapes crouch behind the bushes and the towering spires. They seem ghostly in the fog, but not so indistinct that the shapes of weapons cannot be made out. They flank you on both sides, an even dozen. The others seem to see none of this.

[FallenEco]

"Hey what gives? Where'd they go?" said Diemut as the last of the greenskin vanished from her sight. Typical, the first my skills ae needed I chock. Unless...

Holding still for a second, Diemut contcentrates inward, towards the stone that once adorned her Uncle's forehead. Beyond the stone itself, she sought the spirit within. And then she relived the trek again.

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Calling upon my once per scene re-roll for Perception and/or Awareness tests from my Comunion background.
(6d10)[6][5][3][7][5][7](33)

I'll also be spending three motes for Seeing Without Eyes. Might only be 2 yards but...

Drawing upon the power within, Diemut's eyes flashed open. With the sympathy of visual concealment from the element of Smoke, she stood a better chance of seeing with the fog.

[Kyeudo]

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That's good enough for Diemut to spot most of those hiding as well.

[Teleut]

Less because of the greenskins stopping and more because of her companions' reactions, Heissa interrupts her wandering thoughts about tunnel people cuisine and attempts to sense what Diemut and Nyklis are concerned about. Reminded of her relatively poor vision, she calls upon the power of the elemental she has dominated to see without her eyes and feel the movements of the air around her.

She also staunches the sudden and inappropriate urge to whistles jauntily.

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I'm spending 3 motes on the charm Seeing Without Eyes to get rid of the penalty from the fog but I still don't expect much with a Perception and Awareness of 2.

(2d10)[2][1](3)

[Teleut]

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Definitely trying this one more time via Communion. I like the idea of a second set of eyes for a charm called Seeing Without Eyes.

(2d10)[4][7](11)

[FallenEco]

Outnumbered and outflanked? Boy did we mess up. Diemut's mind is racing, trying to find a way out of this ambush without losing one of her fellows. Or at least by some time for someone to come up with a better plan. This isn't like back in the village, I can't just...

Her eyes widen and a grin grew upon her face. It's crazy, but why not? Raising one hand above her head and lowering Sigmund's Legacy in the other, Diemut turned toward the group with Grok. "Sorry. Sorry about the attack. We had to defend our people. Accident, not wanting to hurt you. We followed you so we could trade. Sorry. We trade, yes? Heissa, can you help me out here?" said Diemut, turning her head slightly so she could see her fellow Stoinebearer out of the corner of her eye.

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In case it's not obvious, Diemut's making stuff up. That said a trade agreement is still a good outcome in her book. That's just not why she followed the greenskins.

Also her message is in Taken, so odds are they have no clue what she's saying but I'll roll anyway.

Manlipuation + Presence is 4 + (Asking forgiveness) is five dice. Yeah, spending a Willpower for an autosuccess is part of the plan.
(5d10)[4][4][10][2][1](21) + 1 Success

[Teleut]

While not entirely sure what her companion is getting at, Heissa repeats Diemut's words but in Old Realm hoping something gets through. More so, she clasps her hands together in front of her chest in an emphatic gesture of sincerity as she tries to communicate a sense of trust and affection. More than her words, he hopes the totality of her performance —the tone of her voice, her body language, and the power of her binding stone— will evoke sympathy among the greenskins.

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Heissa will be using 4 motes to try to create an unnatural mental influence which would build an intimacy of protective trust. The charm is Boiling Emotion Cauldron and I'm going to be rolling (if it's okay) Charisma and Presence. (8d10)[4][9][4][4][8][1][7][8](45)

[Sanctaphrax]

I just stand there quietly, holding my weapon.

I trust that my companions will handle this as well as or better than I could.

[Kyeudo]

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I'll give you both a stunt die. It came down to the stunt die for Teleut's roll, but she got no successes.

The greenskins break from cover and charge, screaming "WAAAAAGH!" at the top of their lungs.

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Join Battle
Diemut:(5d10)[3][1][8][1][6](19)
Nyklis:(4d10)[5][1][6][10](22)
Heissa:(4d10)[10][10][7][1](28)
Greenskins:(4d10)[1][1][8][5](15)
Thark:(5d10)[3][4][9][9][5](30)

Tick 0: Heissa
Tick 3: Nyklis, Thark
Tick 4: Diemut, Greenskins

[Teleut]

Still not entirely sure what's going down, Heissa raises one hand to the attackers and yells for them to stop. As they advance, Heissa sighs sadly as it's obvious to her that peacemaking has failed. On the end of her sigh, he lets loose a blast of steam from her palm at the closest attacker. She thinks to herself, "Hopeful this will make them think twice about their violence."

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I'm using Steam Bolt Attack. The to hit roll is "Accuracy + (Essence)". I know my Essence but I am not sure what the default accuracy is.

Edit: Now that I know what to roll. [rollv]8d10[/rollv]

Edit the Second: And I forgot that you can't edit in a roll.

[Sanctaphrax]

How irritating. These people seem to understand nothing except mindless violence.

Fortunately, a Stonebearer like myself can handle that sort of thing. But it's still very irritating.

I look at the onrushing horde, searching for a leader of some kind. If I find one, I head his way.

I'm in no particular hurry; it's best to take these things slowly and calmly. So I don't rush forwards. I just walk over with my guard up, hop up onto one of the crystalline growths for a height advantage, and crack the most leader-like barbarian within reach over the head with my club.

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I figure this is self defence, so my specialty applies. I'll spend 4 motes on the Excellency of Crystal, so my attack pool is

(11d10)[3][5][4][1][9][3][7][5][6][4][8](55)

And my damage is 8B + net successes.

[Teleut]

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Since I know what to roll now to hit. (8d10)[7][2][4][2][5][10][3][4](37)