"Vikkan, this is certainly the chain that comes with a black flame. I don't know what else I can tell you, but hopefully knowing what you've lost will help you to regain it."
Tablets? With writing on them? Let's translate that shit!
Think about this shit:
If I cut out a section of wall material, could it then be sharpened to have a decent edge? How thick is it? If I thinned it down to the thickness of a sword blade, would it retain its strength? How heavy would said blade be, compared to a normal steel blade?
If the wall material wouldn't be weapons-grade, do I see anything around that would? Maybe the crystal knife can carve that solid black block? I bet that material would make a neat weapon.
If I used structural junk originating from crystal barrels to make a standard sword, would said sword magically be made from normal metal? Or are we keeping track of the junk's origin?
If we're supposed to tinker, let us tinker.
Name: Wiellste Gunsmithy
Description: A young Ethral, no taller than 4 feet. Her fur is unpatterned and a milky white. Usually wears a rather plain quilted brown silk cloak, and a polished copper mask with symmetrical, spiraling lines etched on the sides.
Goal: Wiellste is like many Ethral in that she seeks to gather knowledge about the world before all else. Though being an Ethral from Knot, her skills are largely more on the practical building side than the scholarly side. She isn't particularly invested in the teachings of the Tenebrous Church, but the idea of the spheres intrigues her, especially Balarim, with it's writings and technology.
Stats:
Str: 7
Dex: 12
Spe: 10
End: 8
Awa: 7
Cun: 15
Kno: 13
Ner: 11
Skills:
Weaponsmith 2
Diving 2
Pistol 1
Bore 1
Translate 1
Stealth 1
Inventory:
Silk cloak
Copper mask
Ethral revolver 6/6
1 Fathom
[5]
You grab one of the tablets and start running your fingers across its surface. Your exoskeleton means you don't have the best tactile sense but you quickly figure out some patterns and connect them to the Late Crystalline Braille you've learned in the past. You go through the tablets one by one, translating each. The translation isn't perfect but you think you get the gist of each. There are three distinct subjects: the first is a diary...or maybe a record of current events of the time? Hard to say since they make no reference to themselves or any of their thoughts, they just record whats going on. The second is instructions for the use of an "Obedience rod" a tool for manipulating specific kinds of stone. The third is a short list of objects, apparently an inventory.
The wall material is stone or crystal. You're not really sure of the properties of it but you think it could be made to hold a decent edge. You don't know anything specific without testing it, but you think it could probably be honed into a sharp, albeit maybe a bit brittle, blade.
You don't know about that black material unless those guys told you.
If you're using it as "Junk" it becomes sort of generic and we don't track the origin unless you want to. So you could either track it as "Crystal chunks:Junk" or just "Junk" and it could be either crystalline looking or metal.
Good! That was easy. I don't know what took those guys so long. Now all I have to do is... to get... down... there... Oh crap, that's really high, why did I get up here?
"Uuuh, can somebody help me get down now? Please?"
Meow?
Very carefully climb down from the shelf. Hopefully someone will catch me if I fall.
Name: "Kara" is what most humans call her, though the closest pronunciation would be Kr'ra-Kax
Race: Corven (advantage for climb, disadvantage for falls)
Appearance: She is a crow-like Corven with matte-black feathers. A bit short. Constantly moves her head around, examining her surroundings. Moves her tail up and down whenever she's excited.
Age: Adult, but just barely
Goal: Wants to find artifacts and experiences that she can use to make an (under)world-famous museum. Wants to prove herself to her mother and piss off her brother with her success (both financially and socially).
StatsStr:8
Dex:13
Spe:13
End:6
Awa:12
Cun:10
Kno:8 + 3 = 11
Ner:10
SkillsRifle: 1
Medical: 1
Translate: 1
Acrobatics: 1
Caving: 1
Machine Control: 1
Stealth: 1
Geology: 1
Archeology: 1
Navigation: 1
InventoryEthral Rifle (rifle 3, pierce 3) 7/7
Field Lighter (Fire 2)
Simple Clothes (no shirt)
Kara's Diary
[7]
You clamber around till you get a better hold on the structure and then swing back and forth, building up some momentum before throwing yourself towards the wall. You hit it with both feet, jump off and then roll as you hit the ground, easily making it down unharmed.
"Ta-DA!"
"Nope, this isn't a chest at all, it's completely solid." Alex sighed in frustration. "Let's find something else to loot."
Find some crystal barrels and smash them open.
Name: Alex Wells
Description: A middle aged man standing 5'7" feet tall. He has short brown hair and an unkempt beard.
Goal: Exploring the depths and collecting its wealth.
Stats:
Str: 11
Dex: 10
Spe: 10
End: 10
Awa: 10
Cun: 12
Kno: 10
Ner: 10
Skills:
Explosives 2
Mechanical 1
Survival 1
Caving 1
Chemical 2
Geology 1
Inventory:
Dynamo Lantern
Field Lighter
3 TNT
Bladed Shovel
Mail Shirt
8 Fathoms
[17]
You walk back to another unsealed room and take aim at a crystal barrel sitting low on a wall. You hold your shovel on both hands and slam it down on the container with all your might. Not only does the container not budge an inch, but you must have snapped a weld or a rivet because the head of the shovel separates from the handle. It slides off uselessly, clanging to the ground.
”Alright lads, I’m itching to get out of here now. If anyone’s inclined to get at the stuff in that barrel, I’ll lend you my special gem cutting knife. In return, I want what ever’s left of the obsidian snake thing. And I want my knife back when you’re done. Other than that, you’re welcome to everything else, as far as I’m concerned”
Offer to temporarily lend my knife to anyone still determined to open the entombed barrel, in exchange for the remains of the snake.
Other than that, I’m going to start eyeballing our escape rope, does it still seem intact? And does the giant worm still seem to be ignoring everything?
Name: Harmony “Harm” Li
Description: Lean and broody looking. This woman has short black hair and is partially covered in interlocking black tattoos. She wears simple black clothes, with a knee-length Maggot Wool Coat overtop.
Goal: Overall, Harm would like to find a place where refugees and travelers could seek refuge without dealing with the dogmatic influence of the church. Right now, though, she just wants to get away.
Stats
Str:10
Dex:11
Spe:10
End:10
Awa:10
Cun:12
Kno:10
Ner:10
Skills
Weapon smith (3)
Mechanical (2)
Lucky Shot (1)
Inventory
Crystal cutting utility knife
Silver/Tin wire spool
3 gold cubes
7 Octahedrons
5 Large branches of crystalline lead
Several large chunks of blue crystal
Lucky Shot (6 rounds)
Field Lighter
10 Path Markers
8 units structural junk
2 units mechanical junk
You offer your knife in return for a cut of loot and then walk out onto the balcony. The rope and harness are still there, waiting patiently. And the Worm is still over on the other wall, dutifully grinding away.
"I thought so, it doesn't look like a chest...And even if it is possibly a valuable material, we are in no condition to carry it. I will check on the others for now."
Return to the area with the rest of the group-Or if everyone is too scattered, just wait for them near mustachio for now.
Name: Garos Ellon
Description: Garos is a 4 feet moth-creature, with a black fur coating his body, the only different colors standing out on his form are located on his wings; blue circular marks that do give him two "eyes" on the back. Aside from the mask his kind naturally wears, he is also wearing a worn kettle helmet, which while doesn't provide the protection it normally should due to its current condition works like his lucky charm. The mask Garos wears is somewhat plain looking, all black aside from some blue marks along the "cheeks" and a crudely drawn star on the forehead area.
Goal: He is just hoping to gather himself a fortune and hopefully some fame too, just in case the hiring-and-shooting business becomes a necessity.
Stats
Str: 7
Dex: 12+2
Spe: 10+1
End: 8
Awa: 7
Cun: 13
Kno: 13
Ner: 10
Skills
Weapon Skill: 2
Stealth: 2
Acrobatics: 2
Defense Skill: 1
Inventory
(40)Ethral Rifle [7/7]
Silk Cloak
You return to the entrance and hang out with Mr. Mustache.
I've been told to stop handing out recipes. Instead, we're supposed to tinker.
Instead, we're supposed to tinker.
tinker.
I am always willing to be your tinkermaster, Piecewise! :3
Nyw turns to Harm and chuckles. "How amusing. You feel that allowing the use of a tool you discovered by chance entitles you to the remains of a dangerous creature which presents no risk to you, if it is dispatched. Not a particularly selfless one, hmm?"
Is there a 'crystal friend' somewhere unattended nearby? If it wouldn't be upsetting anyone, go grab it and show it the barrel with the snake inside. Generally just poke the barrel with it until something happens.
Name: Nyw'geuq Otin Sunam; calls himself "The Lords' Child"
Description:
((Without the murakumos.))
Goal: Inscrutable, which is code for "Explicitly stated goals are a boring way to get across what should be plain by roleplay".
Stats:Str:14
Dex:8
Spe:10
End:14
Awa:13
Cun:8
Kno:6
Ner:10
Skills:Unarmed: +1
Defense Skill: +3 (Full Plate)
Vehicle Skill: +1
Caving: +1
Navigation: +1
Inventory:
Full Plate Armor (Protective 4)
Ornamental Mask of the Child
You pick up Kara's crystal friend and carefully poke the barrel with its tip. The barrel... well a seam appears on the top of it, as though opening (or becoming) a lid. Hm. You don't open it for the moment. Snakes and such.
Follow Kara, try to get bearings.
You are currently in the entrance room, right next to the balcony that everyone climbed down onto when they left the bore. And I would attempt to have you try and follow Kara's lead by doing sweet ninja flips off a wall but I'm a nice guy so I won't.
Be clueless. What am I even supossed to help with? AsHul hasn't said anything yet.
Name: Lokam Pilgrim
Description: Lokam is an Ethral Aspirant of the Tenebrous Chruch currently on pilgrimage. His soft fur is pale yellow, his large and fuzzy mane is golden and antennae and wings are dark purple with white details. His antennae, unlike most Ethral, are also very long and fluffy. Most of the time, he's wearing his silky church robes, which also have a hood included. His mask is very dark purple, with bright yellow spirals and curves, similar to tentacles.
Goal: His goal is to just complete his pilgrimage and ascend in the chruch. He wishes to go as deep as possible and someday become a Living Saint, Stygian or even a member of the Council. But his dream is to someday go deeper than everyone, reach the center and finally find God.
Stats:
Str: 7
Dex: 12
Spe: 10
End: 8
Awa: 7
Cun: 13
Kno: 13
Ner: 13
Skills:
Diving: 3
Caving: 1
Navigation: 1
Survival: 1
Translate: 1
Inventory:
The Black Book (Real)
Black Flame
Bag of Path Markers
Silk Aspirant Gray Robes
Purple Mask
You look around in abject confusion as to what the hell is both going on and what this madman wants you to do to help with HIS dive.
May as well do this spell, as the Aspirant seems disinclined to participate.
Akhmah -> Es -> Hel (2 rolls)
Reinforce Akhmah 3x, reinforce Hel 2x (5 rolls)
7 rolls + final nerve + final Akhmah roll
Transmute a portion of the bridge into aluminum. Goal is to make several long rods to help with structural integrity.
Name: AsHul
Description:Former human. Awful, ugly, indifferent
Goal:To find God
Stats
Str:9 Dex:8 Spe:8 End:10 Awa:12 Cun:10 Kno:10 Ner:16
Skills
Diving: 3
Animal Handling: 2
Survival: 1
Inventory
Relic Fragment
Black Book (copy)
1 Silent Night - calming. gives advantage on diving rolls
4 Worm Blood - steadies nerves
2 Occult Junks
2 Fathoms (One magnetically welded to the wall of his room in the Bore)
One Brass sphere with clockwork innards (From Balaram)
Book of sheet music (from Balaram) [stack of about 100 pages bound by three brass rings along the top of the sheets]
[2, 17, 2, 8, 1, 2, 20] [-1 Nerve] [1,9]
You close your eyes and reach out. You return with greater force than usual, enough to knock you back a few staggering steps. The transmutation is not perfect, but it is effective: the supports of the bridge are Covered in a mesh or framework of aluminum, converting part of the stone into metal, but not all of it. Still, it does reinforce pretty effectively.
Examine those tablets my allies are acquiring. Can I figure out what they say where Adam failed?
Name: Auft Kindheart
Description: Standing 3'10", with even fluffier than usual snow-white fur, this Ethral radiates adorable innocence even by the standards of her kind. Her porcelain-white mask is a circular shape carved into slices, each bearing a smiling face with eyes and mouths arched in joy, and adorned with pink blush marks. Her cloak is similarly pure white and a little too large for her, adding to her cute and defenseless appearance.
Goal: To amass and improve loyal pets and slaves.
Stats
Str: 7
Dex: 12
Spe: 10
End: 8
Awa: 7
Cun: 16
Kno: 13
Ner: 10
Skills
+1 Medical
+1 Translate
+1 Acrobatics
+1 Persuasion
+1 Stealth
+1 Animal Handling
+1 Archeology
+1 Biological
+1 Chemical
+1 Occult
Inventory
2 Fathoms
Ethral Rifle [7/7]
Doctor's Bag
Dodecahedron Spider-Thing: Fist-sized dodecahedron body, long unjointed legs that move in very slow cascades. Ceased moving upon being picked up.
[8]
You take the tablets and translate them too, right after the other Ethral is done. No harm in redundancy and checking of results, after all. You both compare notes and agree with the translation. There are minor differences but you assume those are just due to subjective interpretation and it does nothing to detract from the overall translation.
I skipped the "Help X" posts that didn't get used.
Author
Topic: DIG: Heresy (Read 410609 times)