Pathfinder 2e: Legacy of Nex (IC)

[Anyr]

Sachni crossed the bridge with trepidation. When her feet reach solid ground again, she audibly exhaled. Safe! At least by local standards. No enemies had taken the chance to ambush her. There was just a single, lonely mine cart.*Less cautious now, Sachni approached from the side.

"Some sort of powered mechanism? I wonder where it's supposed to go."

She also wondered whether it had been activated accidentally, or deliberately.

[Inspector Valin]

Sachni, Raka, Belginabo

The minecart trundles cheerfully along as Sachni approaches. A brief placement of her hand to its side confirms that there's some active force propelling it forward though - if the group want to examine it more closely they'll have to either stop the cart, or move with it.

[Xacha]

Zarrachia smiles at the older homunculus. "Glad to have you and your 'sunny disposition' along for the ride. This system is a bit beyond what we have up above; we'll need a native guide."

She looses her new rapier in the sheath and settles Goopy across her shoulders. "Just how extensive is the irrigation system, anyway? The whole idea of underground agriculture is a new one on me. How many people do you think it could feed?"

[Gwynfrid]

"Fascinating! It doesn't seem to be a trap but someone is operating the mine or something within it that's weird I wonder if can find out who that is and why?" The excited gnome appears ready to follow the cart just to see where that will lead him.

[Inspector Valin]

Zarrachia, Ellie, Adria
Yara hums at Ellie's suggestion. "I mean, possibly. But the facility's emergency sluice gate has been brought down too. Maybe so they could test the filter after they were done repairing it?"

It's shooting in the dark. With a sigh, the weathered old homunculus turns to Zarrachia. "Fewer than we'd like. The ideal was that if the agricultural experiment worked, Hekephra could be self sustaining, that we could relocate your entire city down here if need be. We could dig out for more space, redirect the water for irrigation's sake. But that was all a theory before they closed the gate: things worked out well for the farms we've got, but that's just the fields you've seen already. We don't have the mining equipment or the light needed to expand the farms beyond the central shaft chamber."

Yara waves a hand up, in the vague direction of the great crystal set in the cavern's ceiling. "The Fulcrum up there works about as well as sunlight for plants, but lesser magical lights aren't enough. Give us miners, and a mage who can replicate proper sunlight, maybe we'll be feeding a whole city in a year or two. As it stands we could probably sustain a few thousand, given good rationing."

[DigoDragon]

Zarrachia, Ellie, Adria
Yara hums at Ellie's suggestion. "I mean, possibly. But the facility's emergency sluice gate has been brought down too. Maybe so they could test the filter after they were done repairing it?"

Ellie Sprocket

"Hmm, an emergency sluice would be intended to stop the flow because something is in it. And since all the workers and sentinels sent in to repair it have not returned, that something could be a lethal substance," Ellie says. "Good thing you have me around to test that. Alternatively, theory B is that a water-borne creature got caught in the system and that is the reason for both the sluice and the missing personnel. In that case, good thing I made some explosives!"

Ellie mentally pats herself for being prepared this time. She tugs on the side straps of her armor to ensure it's on right. She rarely wore armor since the dangers she was accustomed to were of her own making. Literally.

She holds the ever-burning lantern up higher and proceeds forward. "Well, these theories don't test themselves."

[Anyr]

"I suppose it's worth checking. A technically minded survivor might be using the carts as a signal."

It wasn't as if Sachni had any better leads.

[Estralita]

Raka grudgingly nods at Sachni's comment. She had never been a full tracker, but what skills she had picked up seemed to have deserted her. Still, that didn't mean she had to trust mysterious carts that moved by themselves.

[Xacha]

Zarra, still trying to wrap her brain around the scope of this underground infrastructure, nods and follows close to Ellie.

... then makes the mental connection with the word "explosives" and gives Ellie a great deal more space.

[Gwynfrid]

Belginabo happily takes his companions' lack of an objection as an endorsement of the idea. He begins to follow the cart, crouching behind it and trying to make himself as silent as possible.

[Inspector Valin]

Ellie, Zarrachia, Adria
Yara shrugs, "You're the expert. I'm just here to hit the levers you're too big to reach."

The far side of the room presents the party with three hefty looking metal doors, each opened via lever. According to the signage, one leads to the personnel barracks, another leads to parts and supplies, while the third leads straight ahead into the central chamber of the facility, following the channel carved for the water. Yara tries the last door himself, heaving on the lever before sighing and turning to the group. "Locked. Guess we're not going..."

There's a click. A hiss from the door. Yara glances at it, trying the lever again. This time it starts to move, ready to open. He glances between the group, clearly unnerved by this.

With a wrenching, godless clang of metal, the front gate slams shut. There's a hiss of release as a blue seal flares up above the newly closed entryway- magical security to reinforce the metal. Somewhere deeper in the facility you can make out a faint, high pitched laugh, and then, much closer, the stomp of iron, coming from behind the central door.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

If you're either staying in this room, or moving forward to the central chamber, I'd like to ask you to roll initiative.

Sachni, Belginabo, Raka
This minecart seems to be going a long way. As the three of you proceed along after it, you leave the yawning cavern behind you, lanterns fixed to the side of the tunnel lighting up one by one as the strange procession keeps moving onwards. After a couple of minutes, they come to a brief split in the path, one that the slimes have seemingly been using. The mine tracks bank right, but a new tunnel, sloping down has emerged to the left.

Raka catches a glimpse of something down the slime path, darting ahead of the group to confirm it. Sure enough, her instincts were correct. In the chamber just ahead, trying to make their way upward. Tracks! Three regular, one human - that fit Belginabo's description of the missing group. They've got a lead on the survivor's path! It's a bit faded, much longer and she might not have picked up on them, but it's finally a start.

But just before Raka can voice this aloud, a voice echoes, a cry coming from the upper cavern - the one the minecart is heading towards

"But why? I'm telling you, we've got intruders in the mine! They've been through all of Master Azariah's things! I sealed off the shaft with the bats but we need them killed now, before they get out and warn the Guard. We all need to start searching..."

Cadenza. And it sounds like she's talking to someone. The minecart rattles merrilly onward down the track towards the little doll. It'd make decent cover to sneak into the room and eavesdrop - provided they acted quickly.

[DigoDragon]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

If you're either staying in this room, or moving forward to the central chamber, I'd like to ask you to roll initiative.

Initiative (1d20+6)[17]

"I heard a laugh, did anyone else hear a laugh?" Ellie asks. The laughter unnerved her a bit. She pets Widget for comfort. "Well, I'm not a fighter... should we move? I see logic in moving."

[Anyr]

Sachni tensed. She'd expected a reunion with Cadenza at some point. But the circumstances still came as a surprise. Whilst trying to evade the little doll, Sachni had accidentally followed her instead. Was this fate? She didn't have the luxury of pondering that question. The mine cart rolled onwards. If the group wanted to preserve stealth, they had to act now. Crouching down, Sachni used the vehicle as cover. How close could the group get before they were spotted?

[Gwynfrid]

"Oooh, this one is going to get what she deserves..." Without hesitation, the gnome draws his trusty rapier, and jumps into the cart, trying to hide between the barrels.

[Xacha]

Zarra draws her rapier and mutters, "Just once I'd like to get the drop on something first."

She starts edging towards the shadows before Mr. Stompy gets here.

Spoiler: Init.

Show

(1d20+8)[24]

[Inspector Valin]

Belginabo, Sachni, Raka
Swiftly, Belginabo jumps amidst the barrels as Sachni kneels by the cart, following its slow pace as the vehicle draws into the approaching chamber. This room is brightly lit, and hefty iron pillars support the ceiling - this looks like a central junction point for the mine. The cart slows down, to avoid colliding with the one in line before it. To the left and right, and even up above them, Sachni can make out perhaps half a dozen additional carts, filled with similar looking barrels. There's plenty of cover here. Up ahead, Belginabo and Sachni can make out a turntable, with hunchbacked, sallowskinned figures at the controls. Carts are trundling onto it one by one, before the track is rotated and they're sent speeding down a tunnel right in front of them.

Standing back from the shambling labourers on the turntable platform, seemingly absorbed in their conversation, are the higher ups. Cadenza is quite distinctive - the little pink haired doll is hovering at eye level with a humanoid figure, slouched against the support beam. Getting closer allows the party a better angle on the man - a pale looking human with a formless beaten up cap atop his head, a patched rough jacket over his shirt and tired black rimmed eyes. He snorts in response to something the little 'knight' had just said. "It sounds to me as if you just didn't measure up, dolly mixture. Couldn't fight a few random passersby, even with help. And now you want me to let my job slide and go chasing about the mine trying to fix your mistake before Az catches on."

"I'm telling you, they're dangerous. They took down big guy in seconds. They don't stand a chance against Master Azariah, but if they slip by us..."

"They'll what?" Cloth Cap crosses his arms. Cadenza sputters, but doesn't have an immediate retort. The pale man whistles, seeming to believe his point proven. He waves a hand down the direction of the far tunnel. The one the minecarts are all being sent through. "It's too late for anyone to get help. By the time they get past the bats, we'll have the breach point set and ready to go. We might've had to scramble a bit to pull this off without the wand-key thing, but from here on out? All easy sailing. Unless you're saying these three berks off the street can the point on their own?"

A minecart zooms off down the tunnel as the man's laughter echoes after it, loud and booming. Slowly Belginabo's cart pulls forward, inching onto the turntable.

Spoiler

Show

Stealth check for Belginabo, and Sachni and Raka if they want to get close to spring an ambush.

[Syless]

Adria, scimitar drawn, follows the others. "If you want to try sneaking around, be my guest. It just tends to fail if you do it for too long. I'd rather be ready to cleanse whatever comes."

Spoiler: OOC

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Initiative- (1d20+8)[15]

[Gwynfrid]

Hearing this conversation, Belginabo crouches inside the cart even more, trying to make as little noise and make himself as compact as possible. He chances a glance above the edge, looking for a way that he could disrupt the ongoing operation.

Spoiler

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Stealth (1d20+7)[12]
If he sees some sort of way he could jam the turntable, derail the cart, or otherwise cause a diversion, he'll go for it. If not, then he'll stay hidden and wait for his comrades to move in closer.

[Inspector Valin]

Adria, Zarrachia, Ellie
Yara glances between the three adventurers, but nods, flitting back a few feet off from the door and readying his bow. Peridora stands back behind Adria, trying not to shudder as she raises her hands, ready to bring magic to bear against their foes.

With a clack and a hiss, the door draws back slowly into the wall. It's hard to make out what's in the room beyond though, because the doorway is already occupied. Three suits of hefty plate armor stomp slowly forward into the room. Ellie's blood runs cold at the sight - the glow around these three is distorted, a fuzzy half formed green instead of crisp blue, but they seem all too similar to the being she encountered with Koma in the upper ruins. One is covered in in veins of sicky green metal, another one's torso seems half rusted away, and the third has lost its helm entirely - leaving only a faint glow of pallid emerald flame rising out of its neck stump

They march forward in formation, spears raised, pointing at the group. The trio don't look interested in conversation.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Virdigris Sentinel - (d20+6)[21]
Rusted Sentinel - (d20+6)[26]
Headless Sentinel - (d20+6)[20]

The three sentinels are standing between you and the doorway to the central chamber. There's two other doors out of the room - one over a small bridge over the channel, 40ft left of your current location, leading to parts and supplies. The other's 20ft from you on the right, leading to the barracks. Both doors are closed and locked with a lever mechanism - it'll take an action to get the door open.

[Inspector Valin]

Zarrachia, Ellie, Adria
The rust covered construct takes an early lead, glancing around the room. Zarrachia had found herself a near ideal hiding spot, crouched behind a hefty looking pipe. However, it was not enough to evade the sentinel's detection. It advances slowly, towering above her hiding spot. Once in range, the attacker brings its glaive down, striking repeated smooth blows against the spot where it'd detected an intruder. Before it could go too far however, there's a sound to its right. Glancing to the side, the creature brings its off hand around in a rusty brown backhanded punch, aimed squarely at a certian unfortunate alchemist.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Moving to 10 ft distance of Zarra
Attacking Zarrachia (d20+11)[24] - (1d8+4)[10] Damage
Secondary attack on Ellie (d20+5)[11] - (1d6+4)[6] Damage

Zarrachia's up first, then the other two sentinels, then Adria and Ellie.

[DigoDragon]

Ellie Sprocket, Alchemiss

"Eep! I seen these things before. But, these have a green aura, not blue... like... corrupted?" Ellie runs for the closer alternate door to open it for her party. "We should bottleneck them, they're otherwise really tough to hurt!"

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Alright, so...

1a: Disengage with the armor so Ellie isn't punched in the face.
1a: Move over to the Barracks door 20-ft away.
1a: Manipulate the door to open.

[Xacha]

Zarrachia

Zarrachia swears loudly as the blade cuts through the pipe and into her flesh. This has really not been her week.

"I don't think a stabbing blade is going to do much good against something without internal organs, and I don't know how to lie to something without a brain. I'm looking for ideas here, people!"

Zarra staggers away, trying to figure out how to approach the situation. Surprisingly, the first suggestion comes from the slime on her back ...

Spoiler

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1. Move 10' away.
2 & 3. Acid Splash. Spell Attack: (1d20+8)[14]
Possible acid damage: (1d6+1)[3]

[Inspector Valin]

Zarrachia, Ellie, Adria
The rust coated guardian's glaive glows as it twists around, cutting Goopy's acidic projectile from the air. Meanwhile, Ellie reaches the barracks door, swiftly wrenching the lever to bring the metal gateway down. Unfortunately for her, the headless sentinel has followed her across the room. It brings up its polearm, lunging forward to try and skewer Ellie against the chamber wall.

Spoiler

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30ft - Advance on Ellie
(d20+11)[12] - Damage (1d8+4)[6][/roll]

The verdigris veined guardian does not disperse with its allies - instead targeting the main threat remaining with the group. Stomping forward, it lunges at Adria with the butt of the glaive, from there bringing up a hefty iron grieve and kicking at the priestess.

Spoiler

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Advance on Adria
(d20+9)[14] - Damage (1d6+4)[10]
(d20+5)[13] - Damage (1d6+4)[9]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Let's switch to block initiative to make this flow a bit better. All PCs feel free to act - the 3 armors will then respond, as will your NPC allies.

[Inspector Valin]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

(d20+7)[8] Perception check

[Inspector Valin]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Oh yeah, two checks!

(d20+10)[18] For Cloth Cap

[Xacha]

Zarrachia

"Let's hope there's nothing worse in here. Come on!"

Zarrachia hunkers down and darts towards the opening door. As she nears the headless sentinel, Goopy decides to lend a pseudopod by heaving a bit of sticky goo at the armor's feet.

Spoiler

Show

1. Move her full 25'
2 & 3. Tanglefoot. Spell Attack: (1d20+8)[15]

[Inspector Valin]

Belginabo, Sachni, Raka
Sachni keeps low and close to the cart, even as it pulls up onto the turntable, while Belginabo remains concealed within. She must be in the zombies' line of sight, but the mindless creatures only understand their assigned task, once more beginning to rotate the wheel. Off to the side the two servants of 'Master Azariah' continue talking, Cadenza only growing more defensive

"You haven't seen them, Maha! Maybe they could take down the breach point. Even damaging it would slow us..."

"Hssh."

The man in the patchy jacket raises a hand for silence. The doll's eyes widen at the impudence, but she obeys with a final harrumph. Maha Zane turns, looking around the cavern. He starts to walk across the turntable, even as the zombie's continue slowly rotating it, lining up the cart with the passage out. Bel and Sachni can hear the boards creek as Maha slowly walks away, towards the zombie workers.

And then he is back above the minecart, as if in an instant, the man's face looming right above Belginabo, looking down at the gnome trapped amidst the barrels and cart walls with a predatory grin. This close, Bel can make out Maha's unreasonably sharp teeth - glinting in the lantern light as he meets his pray's gaze, before cracking his knuckles in anticipation.

"Well well, Cadenza! Guess your intruders came to us, eh?"

Spoiler

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Sachni, you've got the drop on them. Raka's at the tunnel entryway, 40ft out. Everyone else is close enough to enter melee without moving. (technically, there should be some movement, but I'm gonna abstract it out 'cause it's late and I don't have a map prepared. Two of you, two of them, take a move if you want to flank.) Between the barrels and its height, Belginabo's gonna have to make an Athletics check to jump if he wants to get out of the minecart. On the bright side, it's still enough for Standard Cover, even after the fight's started. Initiative order is as follows.

Sachni 22 (With cover bonus)
Maha Zane 18
Raka 14
Belginabo 14 (With cover bonus)
Cadenza 8

And the wild card.

(d20)[12] Worker Zombies

[DigoDragon]

Ellie Sprocket, Alchemist

Ellie curved her body out of the way of that polearm. "Gah! The probability of 'worse' depends on what you had in mind, but, you know..." She backs away from the animated suit of armor and grabs a flask from her shoulder strap. She throws it at the armor.

"SorryImportantBusinessHoldThisPlease!"

Spoiler: Actions

Show

1a: disengage from the armor.
1a: Quick Bomber--ready & throw an Alchemist Flask at the suit of armor.
Attack (d20+7)[10], damage (1d8)[2] fire +1 persistent fire.

1a: follow Zara into the room.

[Anyr]

The group's stealth lasted just long enough. They managed to reach melee range before one of them got spotted. Sachni launched herself from behind cover. Thanks to the earlier fight, she knew the priority target: Cadenza. That little doll could fly. She'd have to be downed quickly, before she could escape again.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Action 1: Tiger stance.
Action 2: Cast Ki Strike; Flurry Cadenza.
Action 3: Strike Cadenza.

Flurry 1: (1d20+9)[29]; Damage: (1d8+3)[5]; Positive energy damage: (1d6)[4]; Bleed damage {only on crit}: (1d4)[2]
Flurry 2: (1d20+5)[14]; Damage: (1d8+3)[11]; Positive energy damage: (1d6)[1]; Bleed damage {only on crit}: (1d4)[2]

Strike: (1d20)[15]; Damage: (1d8+3)[9]; Bleed damage {only on crit}: (1d4)[3]

[Syless]

Once the others are clear, Adria's eyes burn red as her holy symbol glows. "Everflame, purge my foes!" A blast of fire comes out from her holy symbol, encompassing the three constructs.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Casting Burning Hands for (2d6)[4] fire damage, DC 18 Reflex save, then moving back to stand in the doorway in front of the wounded Zarra.