Second Darkness: Children of the Void [IC]

[lostsole31]

And with that, the group is off ... leaving Kwava and Ganmeed to stay behind to cover and protect any other appearing survivors while waiting to flag down the Flying Cloud when it's time (if the party has not returned).

Although it’s clearly visible from the sea, actually reaching the crater site by land is easier said than done. No trails lead to the site, and once one comes within a half mile of the actual crater, fallen trees and loose soil make travel even more exhausting. The terrain here is difficult, and overland travel speeds are reduced to one-quarter normal. Moving among the toppled and scorched trees makes for a strange and unnerving experience, since the only signs of life are the wheeling flocks of turkey vultures in the skies above.

Now what?

[AggressiveBread]

Despite the rough terrain, Santiago manages to walk with a confident stride. His unshakable presence filling the party around him with similar determination

Spoiler: Using indomitable presence

Show

All Allies within 30 ft gain the diehard feat, and a +5 morale bonus on saves against death, fatigue, exhaustion, or poison effects.

[lostsole31]

"Okay, ummm...." Sol looks around. "Tsyra? Do we just begin searching the blast area for loose pieces of starmetal? Should we set up a grid system or something? I have a feeling this is going to be way longer than roam around aimlessly for five minutes or something."

[rypt]

Upon arriving at the crater, Tsyra first looks for any signs that might indicate that this area has been previously searched by other expeditions -- signs of human activity, evidence of digging, leftover tools, implements, etc. She then takes a knee and scoops up a handful of dirt. After smelling it, she lets it fall slowly through the gaps in her fingers, seeking to determine the extent to which the native soil at their current location has been intermixed with foreign material from the meteor. She then stands back up and attempts to ascertain where they are presently standing relative to the meteor's primary point of impact.

If Sol's questions come before she has completed this initial analysis, she replies, "A moment, please."

[Farmerbink]

Maggie scampers along sportingly, though she obviously struggles a bit to keep up with her longer-legged compatriots. Occasionally, as they find themselves clambering over fallen trees, she resorts to hands and feet in tandem to try to minimize how much they end up waiting on her. Before long, the irritable firebrand that somehow displaced Maggie's cheerful demeanor overnight has broken, leaving little more than an aging Gnome woman trekking through unfriendly terrain.

She catches as Tsyra is looking around, and for perhaps the first time in her adult life, doesn't immediately comment.

[rypt]

After a moment's consideration, Tsyra looks to Sol. "To your first question -- no. If there were ever any loose pieces of starmetal to be found here, they have surely by now been recovered by other expeditions. Instead, I believe any starmetal which yet remains is most likely to be buried in the vicinity of the meteor's primary point of impact. I suspect, but cannot verify, any surface sediment near to the periphery of the crater -- including the ground upon which we presently stand -- to be composed almost entirely of native earth displaced by the force of the blast.

"To your second question -- yes, I believe a grid search will prove a suitable means of ensuring a comprehensive search. But before we employ it, we must first locate the heart of the crater, that we may begin our search there." At that, she turns to the only member of their company with wings. "Visto, you are uniquely suited to this task. I would ask that you take to the sky above, and from your elevated vantage, attempt to identify the location at which the meteor impacted the island."

[lostsole31]

Visto flies out and comes back, easily noting the point of impact to the party's SSE.

[AggressiveBread]

Unless anyone objects, Santiago will start heading toward the impact sight, with his shield and flail in his hands.

[rypt]

Tsyra will likewise head in the direction indicated by Visto. Along the way, she will occasionally pause briefly to examine the upset earth at her feet, curious to see if there comes a point as they near the impact site that the soil begins to discernably change, either in color or composition.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Every few minutes, Tsyra will use the sift ability of her basic geokinesis to examine a cube of dirt.

[bcool999]

Ozlech

Staring at the large scar in the earth before them, Ozzy whistles at the overturned earth. "Looks like that rock made quite a splash didn't it Ginny?" Ozzy says aloud, "What's it look like from above?"

Ozzy walks along with the rest, keeping his eyes on the rim of the depression for any other expeditions. They are quite exposed here after all.

[lostsole31]

The party stands at the main crater. What does the party do?

[rypt]

Tsyra briefly surveys the condition of the impact site and again checks her immediate surroundings for any signs of previous activity. She then slowly moves her hand above the dirt to form a leveled area at her feet roughly four feet across. Shaping a narrow blade of rock in her hand not unlike a stone rapier, she uses the pointed end to diagram in the flattened earth a possible search pattern. She proposes that they split into two groups, each aligned north-to-south. One group will proceed to the west before doubling back to the east, progressing in a serpentine pattern that gradually moves northward. The other group will proceed to the east before doubling back to the west, progressing in a serpentine pattern that gradually moves southward.

[meemaas]

Visto is fine with this plan, and recommends that he and Ozzy are in separate groups so that both can have someone in the air. While Sol can fly too, it's not obvious like Visto and Ginny, and so could be kept as a surprise.

[Kvard51]

Lev nods in agreement with the plan and joins the group Tsyra joins.

[lostsole31]

The party searches for one hour, finding nothing of interest or value.

Do you search another hour?

[rypt]

Tsyra is insistent that the search continue. "An area this large cannot be searched quickly if it is to be searched thoroughly."

[lostsole31]

A second hour of searching yields nothing...

[rypt]

It is Tsyra's preference that they continue searching the crater for up to another 4 hours in order to be as thorough as possible without forgoing daylight on their journey back to camp.

[lostsole31]

Four hours later ... nothing. No random attacks from mutant cassowaries. No bits of starmetal. It is about 1630. Does the group agree to go back to camp?

[Farmerbink]

Maggie rapidly begins to show signs of fatigue- being simply not built for long-term walking and searching. She keeps a stoic face to it, but grumbles incessantly. "How in the seven heavens, nine hells, and everything in between, did something hit big enough to make this crater and leave not a single trace of itself in the process?"

Rather than looking for metals or ores, she begins searching the area for signs of animal life as the group continues to wander in a systematic, if ultimately fruitless, fashion.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Given half a chance, she'll cast speak with animals to take the search a different direction, but I kinda don't think we're going to find a reasonable opportunity.

She frowns deeply as the sun has clearly begun its descent. "I suppose I didn't have much to do in Riddleport, either," she gripes. "Let's head back while we're not relying on starlight to do it, yeah?"

[rypt]

Growing increasingly irritated as the hours pass unproductively, Tsyra struggles to conceive of a plausible explanation for the absolute absence of starmetal. "It defies reason. Even were one to presume the most diligent and capable efforts on the part of our rival companies, one would still expect to find small fragments or pieces of low grade ore." As they prepare for the return trip back to camp, she reflects on her knowledge of starmetal, considering the possibility that the properties of a particular variety might explain the puzzlingly desolate crater.

[lostsole31]

The party gets back to camp, greeting Kwava, and tell him about finding nothing. He doesn't know about such things, so can't offer any input.

Does the party look to do evening routine and go to bed?

[AggressiveBread]

While getting ready for bed Santiago will ask Visto.”If you fly above the trees, can you see any smoke from other campsites? Anything we might investigate tomorrow?”

[meemaas]

Visto will agree and fly upward high enough to see if there is any smoke or sign of anything of interest.

[rypt]

After conveying to Kwava the unusual condition of the crater, Tsyra asks of the Ekujae, "Did you encounter any of the other expeditions while we were away?"

[lostsole31]

Kwava shakes his head, but adds. "Every now and then, well to the south, I thought I saw the dissipation of smoke, as from large campfires."

[meemaas]

Visto returns to the ground to report what he's seen. Visto noticed smoke and what may be a camp in that direction." He says, pointing southeast. "And a tower with lights that Visto doesn't think are normal in that direction." He continues, pointing southeast (towards the tower, if it's visible). Both are some ways away from the crater."

[Farmerbink]

Maggie follows along, grumbling foully under her breath in a bizarre smattering of no less than a half-dozen languages, creating a jarring juxtaposition as she rolls from the harsh tongue of the Dwarves to the Elves' lilting, melodic phrases without a pervasive scowl faltering for even a moment. Without initiating conversation, she sees to Scruff and begins laying out her bedroll in a suitably sheltered nook.

[AggressiveBread]

Santiago looks hopeful as the group sets up camp.”I know today was not as fruitful as we had hoped, but I’m sure we will find more of what we’re looking for tomorrow. Until then, get some sleep everyone.”

[Kvard51]

Lev strums his lute by his bedroll, nodding along with Santiago. "I agree, a good night's sleep will give us a fresh outlook on the morrow. I'll take first watch." he says, getting up and replacing the lute with his greatsword.