Rocs Fall Everybody Dies, part 2
Log Info
- Title: Rocs fall everybody dies, part 2
- Emitter: Whirlpool
- Characters: Cryosanthia, MAC-B1G, Braelnoir, Lanier, Pelka, Nels, Iuitl
- Place: Redridge Mountains
- Time: Monday, August 03, 2020, 9:30 PM
- Summary: On the mountain, the dead nestling and its nest are investigated further. There are no egg shells, or eggs. There is a path someone used to leave. Above the nest, on the rocks, are claw marks made by large individuals. Some possibilities are dismissed, a giant invisible wall of force in the sky, an airship, mechanical spiders, kittens, and while a bullsnake is a niche competitor, it isn't capable of the evidence discovered so far. The party climbs further, discovering a hunting blind above the nests. Iuitl returns from scouting, Pelka dons a bloodhound mask and scent tracks the blood trail. The party endures more climbing, more high altitude air, finally discovering a reedy figure with a quarterstaff in a narrow path, who chastizes the party for caring. Then the Ice Weasels come. Trolls! I mean Trolls! The Ice Trolls ambush the party.
-=-=-=-=-=-= -=-=-= Appearing, in Order -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Cryosanthia 6'9" 267 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. MAC-B1G 6'6" 303 Lb War Golem Neuter Drab gray primarily metal humanoid with cyan-lit optical receptors. Braelnoir 5'11" 146 Lb Human Female A tall, pale Acanian woman, branded in silver. Lanier 6'0" 245 Lb Human Male Young, lean and strong Acanian wearing hide clothing. Pelka 5'8" 140 Lb Eaglefolk Male Egalrin artificer, SKREE! Nels 3'7" 42 Lb Goblin Male Tall, for a goblin, and athletic. Close-cut black hair. Iuitl 5'2" 149 Lb Sith-Makar Female Short sith, mottled black scales, tired green eyes -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-= -=-=-= As the GM -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Whirlpool Lb Otyugh I am stinky! -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
Previously
Haywiz let the party to a dead Roc, the third carcass that had been found locally. After some forensic investigation, a large poison bean sort-or-thing was discovered. As Rocs are rarely used in warfare, this seemed more like a personal vendetta. Iuitl used a divination to determine where the poison had come from. The party travelled for a few days, entertained by Pelka, to a small mountain. Iuitl took off somewhere, leaving the party to climb. Lanier determined likely nesting spots, where a dead nestling Roc was found.
An inspection of the immediate area shows a few things: one, there are no eggs in the nest, but it certainly seems likely there were. There's no egg shells to indicate a hatching.
The second roc definitely mirrors the first in its death, though it appears to have died here sitting on the nest.
Cryosanthia has managed the climb, and the recovery. She massages at her forearms, a bit more gripping than she's used to was required. She stares, as a dead nestling in a nest is not a comfortable subject for her, even if it's the wrong species. Doing her best to ignore it, she examines around the nest for any clues, such as tracks.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls knowledge/nature: (8)+2: 10 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls survival: (6)+4: 10 GAME: MAC-B1G rolls knowledge/nature: Trained Use Only: 0 GAME: Braelnoir rolls survival: (17)+6: 23 GAME: Lanier rolls Knowledge/Nature: (19)+13: 32 GAME: Lanier rolls Survival: (10)+13+4: 27
MAC-B1G is not organic, thus does not tire, though its mass makes it slow and noisy in ascent. Its data is likewise limited concerning carbon-based units, whether avian of unusual size, humanoid, or vegetable.
Braelnoir did what she could to help with the climbing, though, despite her conditioning, she still feels it. She checks on the others as she reaches the top and spying the dead bird, covers her face with some cloth via her sleeves and starts to search for clues.
While most seem focused on the Roc, Lanier ranges out and around the Roc breeding ground. He seems perplexed and not at all happy with what he sees. One can see him looking towards one particular spot from several directions. He finally says, "Someone who is really good at not leaving tracks has been here. The signs are subtle, but they're there." He then points towards the nest, "It was fairly recent. I bet it was a poacher who took the eggs. Probably to sell them."
Pelka does his best to stay in one spot, a good distance from the nest. His head cants and swivels in twitchy motions to watch the others as they search. Occasionally he blinks and tilts his head back to take in the skies.
MAC-B1G's faceplate pans to unit designate Lanier before scanning the ground in the immediate vicinity. "This unit detects no indication of units traversing the vicinity nor signals of subtle."
Nels is attempting to be as small as possible, in case there is something here come looking for a snack. He looks puzzled at what Lanier says, but he's no scout. Or tactician. "What's that mean we should do?" he wonders, puzzled.
"It's OK, MAC B, this one doesn't see anything either." Cryosanthia says, having been fruitless in her search and appreciating Lanier's efforts. She stares at the direction he indicates, but all she sees is his finger. "Roc eggs are large, right? Head sized, bigger? That's a lot to be carrying, or getting down the mountain. There should be a hoist, or an airship, a floating disc, something."
The whitescale glances up at the sky, listens, "Do you see a good mooring location Nels?"
Braelnoir nods, "Yeah... I missed that, too." she repies, idly drumming her fingers along the haft of her scythe and she looks around, "Maybe some kind of magic bag or something?"
Nels shrugs about mooring locations. "You could drop a sandbag on a line /anywhere/ here, or tie up to any stout tree branch?" He looks around for places to tie up, or for the round divot that a heavy bag might leave. You wouldn't -need- to, though, your crew could just hold station and you could climb down on a ladder. That's if you didn't have magic for flying."
Cryo nods to Braelnoir, her expression somewhat grim, "Those magic bags aren't survivable for more than a few minutes, if you remember Pelka's stories. Story." That long, long story, "Eggs would go bad inside one. Maybe a reduce spell, and a regular bag or basket."
GAME: Nels rolls perception: (6)+9: 15 GAME: Braelnoir rolls perception: (11)+5: 16 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls perception: (20)+5: 25 GAME: Lanier rolls Perception: (8)+13: 21 GAME: MAC-B1G rolls perception: (12)+12: 24 GAME: Pelka rolls perception: (8)+20: 28
Lanier looks down towards the ground for a long moment, mulling things over out loud to no particular one person, "The mating pair are dead. Even if we did recover the eggs, there's no one to tend the nest unless we find another nest to slip them into unnoticed... We'll have to get them somewhere they can be raised by hand, otherwise." He then looks up from the ground, towards Nels, "The person who did this has a few questions to answer. I think that's a good start."
It's smart enough thinking to look for *how* the eggs were carted away. It's logical to assume they'd be large given the size of the bird and that does raise the question of how they were moved.
Searching around for quite some time for evidence, at least a good fifteen or twenty minutes to really scour the area, you eventually start to piece together what happened. Disturbances and scrape marks on some of the stones *above* the nest that doon't come from the rocs are a definite start. It looks like someone climed down from above, but there's less indication of how they got the rocs eggs back up there. Still, there's... you'd have to call them claw-marks.
MAC-B1G may possess limited data, but it is possible to differentiate between natural erosion and more direct, rapid effects on the landscape. "Hypothesis: Competition of biological units for available resources. Eradication of competing biological units to ensure sufficient resources." Its faceplate elevates towards the peak. "Probability of aggressor airborne capability: ninety-five point six seven three percent."
Pelka goes to a convietly flat wall-like portion of rock. He lays his taloned hands against it and scratches experimentally. They barely leave a mark. And he shakes his stinging hand. "Yes, but did you see those marks? It may have been something climbing. But I wonder what..." He glances around at the party member's hands, looking for any with claws.
Which Cryo has, on account of being Sith.
Cryosanthia has claws, sometimes, they're not out right now. She is also examining the rock face. "It might have been climbing gear, could be claws of some animal. They're too big compared to mine. A larger reptilian, perhaps, a competing species like MAC B suggests."
"Egg-snatchers!" Her voice switches from contemplative to angry, "Actual Egg-Snatchers, for Rocs! Pelka, do you think you could fly up and take a peek, or should we all go in case it is significant?"
Braelnoir doesn't have any at the moment. She hrm's softly, scratching the back of her neck as her search comes up empty and she gives a little shake of the head. She looks back to the golem as the percentages come out, then, "Some sorta collab'ration, then?" She looks to Pelka, "Would it be hard fer a couple winged folk about our size be able ta coordinate an fly something off together?"
MAC-B1G does not have true hands, much less claws to examine. It scans the skies about them, perhaps to identify any potential flight-capable creatures apparent which meet the criteria to be possible 'roc egg snatchers.'
Pelka slings his thunderbelcher and spreads his wings. "Yes! I'll take a look." He cocks his head slightly. "Actually, if there's enough rope I'll see if I can anchor it somewhere."
GAME: Pelka rolls perception: (5)+20: 25
At first the rope unrolls to the ground where the party is. Next Pelka returns, to report: "Well, I found a hunter's blind. Someone's been there, within a day... not big enough to have produced the claw marks on the wall, though." He lands next to the rope and gives it an experimental tug to make sure it's secure. "Who else wants to look?"
"Not really my 'thing,' but that is interesting," Iuitl replies to Pelka. She tries to identify the source of the huge claw marks. Creatures that could do this could be very distinct in the world.
GAME: Braelnoir rolls knowledge/arcana: (8)+9: 17 GAME: Iuitl rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (13)+11: 24 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls knowledge/arcana: (18)+10: 28 GAME: Pelka rolls knowledge/arcana: (9)+12: 21 GAME: Lanier rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (18)+4: 22 GAME: MAC-B1G rolls knowledge/arcana: (3)+10: 13
Cryo examines the marks further, exhales, "Well, best I can come up with is it is likely a large sized humanoid creature. There are a number of beasties that fit the profile and the claw marks alone arn't enough to answer what."
She turns around with a shrug and a smile, "But at least we've elimianted some kind of riding machine, like a robot spider, and actual spiders. And kittens."
GAME: Pelka casts Bloodhound. Caster Level: 8 DC: 17
Pelka reaches into a small compartment at his belt. He withdraws a small metallic object that almost looks a beaked mask, only with two tiny mana crystals dotting the tip, almost like nostrils.
Iuitl grunts when Cryo points out the possible source of the marks... and she agrees, "That seems right..." Then she shakes her head, and floats around, to try to follow the path of the claw marks by flying. She's slow about it, so the mountain air doesn't make her pass out in her flight.
Braelnoir ventures closer to Cryo while the search for answers continues, not able to put the clues available into anything useful at the moment. She sets a hand on the Sith's shoulder for a moment, , then lowers it as suspects start getting ruled out. There's a glance to Lanier, curious, perhaps, then Pel and the others.
MAC-B1G locates a creature whose dimensions match one of the marks in the rock and it lifts a small bullsnake from the scrub. "Competing organism candidate located."
Lanier continues to look around until Pelka's findings seem to interest him. He looks towards the rope, narrowing his eyes momentarily before he shakes his head. He turns to look towards Brae, his shoulders lightly rising and falling. He doesn't know yet either, but he seems impatient. He turns towards the rope, travelling the distance to it and then beginning the climb hand-over-hand.
The white sith sighs, relaxing a little at the touch on her shoulder. Her tail coils back and forth. "Thanks Brae." She watches Iuitl slowly fly upwards, Pelka and his mask, then Lanier start to climb. "We should all start up, soon as it's safe to be on the line."
She looks over as MAC-B1G produces the bullsnake, grins widely, "Oh neat!, Here, let me see!" She holds out her hand to take it, then waits to climb, teasing the snake in the interim.
GAME: Pelka rolls survival: (16)+0: 16
MAC-B1G confers the limbless organic into Cryosanthia's custody to free its own limbs to make the ascent.
Nels hangs back while the more investigatey people investigate things. They'll tell him if they need him to do something. He's been trying the investigation thing, but he's found like old sticks and rocks that aren't really particularly meaningful.
The party climbs up and takes some time to search about the hunter's blind. A cursory examination shows the same thing that was seen by Pelka: a hunter's blind carefully wedged against a crevice for maximal coverage. Rubble and debris were used to form a natural blind, where one coiuld observe the coming and going of the roc's from the nest.
A closer inspection using Pelka's spell results in the discovery of a small bit of blood upon the interior of the 'blind', alongside a scent leading away from it from what Pelka can find, going further along the mountain side than you've been so far.
There isn't anything further to examine a the blind, so the party decides to follow Pelka's lead as long as his scent spell endures.
Braelnoir manages to get up the rope to the blind andconsiders it for some time, layout and so on after reclaiming the ropes, because those may become important later. She sees the train of redstuff inside and, "Looks like something got a piece'v our bunny." She passes the ropes back to their respective owners, then stowes her own in her packs before taking up after the lead their tracker's started.
Pelka walks along with a hunched-over posture that keeps his beak and the artifice mask close to the ground. He sniffs repeatedly, slowly making his way along until it becomes apparent he's picked up a trail.
Cryo is virtually the last up, releasing the bullsnake to it's competitive urges. As the others have, she examines the blind and then is ready to follow as the elgarin hunches over and gets very sniffy. She starts to grin, "... good boy Pelka! You follow that scent! Follow it! That's a Good boy!"
Nels will follow along as well, he's not going to get left in this place! He peers sidelong at Cryo, but he's mainly watching the sky, in case more rocs show up.
Iuitl starts floating along with the others like some kind of colorful superheroine, sparing Cryo a look of 'not sure if i approve' when she makes a joke about Pelka's sniffing. She'll help out with her flying magic as needed, for mountain climbing and otherwise, to help follow the trail.
Following along behind Pelka as they sniff their way up the mountain, Lanier shoots a glance towards Cryosanthia. He tsks and then shakes his head, adding with a slight grin, "Careful. You'll confuse Spud." As for the wolf, he seems to be following behind Lanier well enough. He's larger, so a little more careful on the climb, but he seems to be managing well.
With Pelka leading the way, you have scent to track. That's a big help, really, and is going to save you oodles of time. It might even make this not impossible.
The mountain requires you to go higher, and higher you do.
Finally, the scent leads you to a narrowing pass on the mountainside.
It's there that your persistance pays off, but it also proves somewhat problematic. A lone figure stands towards the center of the narrow pass in front of you, leaning heavily onto his quarterstaff. He's whip-thin, his chin resting against the quarterstaff as he turns his eyes on you.
"Oh, my, oh my. Followers, at last. Did you come all this way to save the poor birds?" He lets out a laugh.
"Me thinks you should be more worried about yourselves. It's dangerous here, amongst the snow and the mountains. You never know what's lurking right around the bend, isn't that right my lovely friends?"
There's a bit of pattering on the mountainside above you.
That's when the trolls emerge from their camouflage. That's when they start their descent towards you.
Yep, that matches the claws...
