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Ashe C2 Episode 62 - Exatron Saul and his Airship

Previously on Liters of Tomorrow...
Over a year ago our strange band of adventurers faced off against a powerful Lord who lived in the great city of Westinox.  Our team had obtained a valuable box after stopping some thieves on the road to Porsk.  Lord Vedemire Darkhorse sent waves of foes against the adventurers to reclaim the box.  This Lord Darkhorse was one of the fallen, people who have pledged themselves to the Dark One in exchange for immortality and great power.  Over the next several months the team eventually fought and killed Lord Darkhorse and had the box and it's contents dismantled. 
  Over the last year the team has run in to more of these fallen and their forces, uncovering the greater threat.  The Dark One himself is weakening his prison of the last 4000 years.  He plans on returning to the material plane and ruling over this planet.
  Now our team travels back to Westinox after months of moving about the continent.  Finn wanted to upgrade his armor with the help of the talented and beautiful blacksmith, Genesee Red.  The main reason was to contact the Eyes of the Basilisk.  A mysterious cabal who desperately want to stop the Dark One's Rise.  They helped you out before but none of you know the reason why or what their goals are.  
Last time you were awoken in the middle of the night in the Fiend's Delight, a local Inn and brothel where you had rooms. Several creatures and dark friends attempted to assassinate you in your sleep.  Crashe and Mausim were the first to realize something was wrong and leapt into action.  Demaia had run off from the inn to grab Finn to help. When she looked back she saw that this Finn was a dark copy of the real one. Archos, Mausim, and Nuth found themselves up against one of the doppelgängers who had copied Archos. Dark Archos, or Darchos, as he liked to be called, attacked them with his star motes, immovable object spell, and his gravity changing powers.
A ranger appeared as well looking exactly like Wes he began to rain down arrows upon the party and brought forth a Black furred demon. This demon’s coat was charged with electricity and he tore forward to attack Demaia. Archos ran down to the street to help her destroy the Dark version of Finn. With him gone the tide of the battle turned in your favor. Mausim used his sword lunge ability to take down the demon and the man who looked like Wes fled into the night.  You have seen these strange doppelgänger creatures before and now they seem more determined than ever. 
With the battle finished the team headed to the Lodestone Inn and met with Thurlis Stem who had taken up residence there as he recovered from his grave injuries. Mausim remembered the underground passage leading into the Silver Lion’s Den. There you found a mask lying on the sofa. A mask of the eyes of the Basilisk. Nuth donned the mask and attuned with his characteristic recklessness. It whispered a code phrase into his mind “ It grows dark at twilight…”

Plot points/Scenes

Finn has been captured by Exatron Saul and brought aboard the airship. Currently the airship hovers above the city and is pumping out a fake cloud to mask it's appearance. During the day the engineers often move it over the water to hide it from prying eyes or flying creatures.
  The idea is to have Finn given a chance to escape custody and for the players on the ground to notice the ship or finn and attept a rescue. Use the super adaptoid golem and Sauls forces to fight against the players.
  He has also captured Sava Cogson and has removed his lower legs. Sava is strung up against a metal frame in a crucifixation pose. His green eyes are low powered slits and he is held in a magnetic field as well as metal chains and cords.

Finn


  You awake in some kind of cargo hold on your knees. It takes a moment for the pain to reach you. You feel an electric charge prickling all over you skin and your muscles held taut in a cramped position. Your arms are outstretched on either side of you and your body bent over with your head held parallel to the floor. Your armor clings to you but is separated from you by six inches all around. It hovers in pieces over your various body parts like an exploded diagram. Though you are wracked with pain you glance at the skin on your arms and legs and find it to be undamaged. Your HP remains the same. You see a shadowy figure in the corner of the room light up a cigarette. He sees you awaken and says
"Haven't figured out a way to separate it from you yet, but the journey back to Eberron is long. We've got plenty of time to experiment don't we bruv."
You take a moment to scan your surroundings. Your eyes slowly come into focus, whatever they drugged you with must have been powerful stuff. You also feel a warm puffiness around your eye, clearly Exatron Saul took a shot at you as well. You find yourself in large storage space the walls have a curvature near the floor. Large metal joists hug the ceiling like a ribcage and several crates and chests lay scattered about. The room is lit with dull red and orange lights. On the wall to your right is a macabre scene, the body of Sava Cogson hangs in a mock crucifixation pose his arms stretched wide. You see that his legs have been forcibly removed below the knee. His eyes are tiny slits and they have a low glow that pales in comparison to his usual cheery bright green.
The shadowy figure in the corner sees your eyes move to Sava and he remarks "Yeah, your friend Cog here has a strong kick, some kind of combat programming. We figured he would be easier to transport if he can't get up and move about, yeah?"
You look to the left and you see the figure of Genesee Red bound with manacles and chains. She has a leather gag tied around her mouth. Currently she looks to be either unconscious or asleep. You see her still breathing, though, A few bruises and cuts but otherwise undamaged.
The familiar accented voice continues "Looks like you found some tail on this little mudball, you always were a rooster weren't ya? No worries she's just here to make sure you behave."
The figure walks forward and you get a better look at his face. The orange mohawk drapes over the left side of his head and the cyan eyes peer down at you.
"You see me dear mate, I got the automaton now, and that means the bounty! But wait there's more! The old gaffer has a nice little pot of gold for yer head too! Something about prices on one's heads fer not doing the job or something like that. So you and me are going to take a nice trip into the black beyond the sky. Soon as this ship is powered up we head back home! I get a fat paycheck and you get yer head and body separated." He laughs maniacally and grabs his eldritch cannon and swings it onto his shoulder. He flicks his cigarette at Sava as he leaves the room. You see a wooden staircase beyond.
Perception Check [1-10 You feel groggy and try to focus but you only feel the blood pumping through your veins and the pain of your body. 11-15 - you feel a bobbing sensation, some motion, perhaps you are aboard a ship. 16 - up As you collect your thoughts you feel a sway in the room around you, a bobbing sensation. It seems as if you are floating on air.]
What would you like to do?
[DM Note: Finn needs to free Sava from the magnetic Field and free Genesee Red.  Once he has done this as he attempts the stairs up to the deck of the Airship he will be met by mercenaries and the Super adaptoid Golem.
Example Dialogue of Exatron as he taunts Finn and the team: "Oi, if it isn't my long lost countryman! You look like you got lost amongst the locals bruv! Gone native, the folks back home won't miss you. I'll have the prize money though, once I hand over this pathetic talking toaster back to Rico and the boys."

Themes

Notified by Ned Reddle, the baker that Genesee Red wasn't seen at her shop all day, Thurlis Stem heads west to check in on her. He finds Genesee Red's front door blown off by an arcane cannon. He searches out the rest of the team immediately to tell them what happened.
The Team on the Ground After the battle you retired to the Lodestone Inn. It sits in the wealthier part of town, within the old city walls. it seemed like a safer bet than the Fiend's Delight, the inn where the strange mimic creatures attacked you. Around 11 pm as you finish your last pints and begin to say goodnight to the barkeep a panicked Thurlis Stem shuffle through the door on his crutches.
"I just heard from Ned Reddle that Genesee Red wasn't seen at her shop all day. I stopped by her apartment and found the door blasted off. Couldn't find either her or Finn, It looks like they were dragged out!"
He offers to lead you to her apartment building so that you can all look for clues. "Since the run in with Lord Vedemire and his creature I'm not as spry as I used to be. I can still track but it will be faster with you lot doing the legwork."
Once they get to the top of the building they will have a strange run in with the Tatterdemalion. A spiderman like hero who lurks in the night and protects the city. His voice is raspy and hoarse, as if he was strangled at some point.  The Tatterdemalion fights against a few of the Aarokocra mercenaries.  They attacked him when he discovered the anchor of the airship resting on the top of a church of Corsun.  He looks to be holding his own but is outnumbered. Have the team do perception checks to see the anchor and the rope ladder leading up to the disguised airship.

Structure

Exposition

Exatron Saul and his Airship

  Using The Super Adaptoid Golem:
these are expensive and difficult to repair, and as such are typically kept in reserve until lesser automata have failed to subdue a magical threat. Once deployed, they generally attack the creature with the highest level unexpended spell slot that they can see, first attacking with their Magebreaker Fist, then using their Spellpurge Glare for as long as they have available charge counters, then switching back.
  They use their Overcharge only on their second attack, and only if they have seen their target make use of a magic item, and use their Dampening Field immediately whenever they start their turn with 9 or more charge counters. They use their Waste-Magic Cycling at each opportunity, even if doing so puts them in danger of a Supercritical Overload.
  The Adaptoid Golem starts with five Charge Counters. Any spells fired at it recharge it's Charge counters by one.
The Fierce Stargazer
Captained by Exatron Saul himself, he had help from the Ghora's mask mercenaries to build an actual airship. It's powered by steam and shardrock that fill a nacelle of lighter than air gases in a bladder underneath the ship.
It is currently crewed by several Aarokocran mercenaries from the Lion's Wing. Also a few trained fighters from the Ghora's Mask.
  Members of the Lion's Wing - They are all fighters and barbarians:
  • Chaffinch Brightwing - Fairly hawkish female Aarokocra with bright white feathers on her arms and wings.
  • Ouzel Bluefeather - Male Aarokocra with a bluejay shaped head with blue and black feathers.
  • Carrion Crowntail - Thinner head with dark grey, orange bands cover her arms and wings. Oriole looking colors.
  • Caspian Tern - Finch like head with dark blue feathers, a bright pink group of feathers on his chest.
Human and dwarven Mercenaries -
  • Trusfal Dredge, Human man and fighter
  • Bulsifar Copperwedge, Dwarven Fighter
  • Natali Irkinthand, Human woman fighter
  • Polorian Peppersnort, Dwarven woman and fighter
  • Danuli Copperbeard
Crew of the Fierce Stargazer:
  • Navigator - Mevi Flashfoot, halfling woman
  • Pilot - Bevenar Font, human man with brown skin and a shaved head.
  • Cook - Pelly Portnut, half orc man with a large belly and a topknot of black hair.
  • Engineer - Gnome man by the name of Tumtum Brushnickel
  • Assistant engineer - Firbolg woman named Sippi Cashelhorne
  • Squabbie - Halfling man by the name of Nock "Gaffer" Littlefoot.
Example Dialogue of Exatron as he taunts Finn and the team: "Oi, if it isn't my long lost countryman! You look like you got lost amongst the locals bruv! Gone native, the folks back home won't miss you. I'll have the prize money though, once I hand over this pathetic talking toaster back to Rico and the boys."

Conflict

The team is looking for the Eyes of the Basilisk, the secretive organization that was created to fight the Dark One. It is led by a demon who is trapped in a mansion in the center of the city. They will be pleased to hear of the team's victory over Vernabogge and may reward them in some way. Their leader, Anak Kovara, may decide to meet with them. He is close to his goal of freeing himself from his velvet cage and may need the Arcane Focus that they left in the carriage in Warshaw. The team will get a chance to see through his illusion and may sense that he is a demon with a singular agenda.
The Dark Friends in the city will also be tasked with stealing the rest of the team's identities and memories with more Tannelmimics. They were informed by Lord Vedemire Darkhorse that the team may return and that their goal remains. Steal their faces and memories and then kill the originals. Genesee Red will be able to help Finn with his armor project. She should have access to rare metals for a price, she will also be amenable to renewing a romance with Finn.
Thurlis Stem is still in the city recuperating, one of his legs was amputated and he lost his left eye. He is Currently staying at the Lodestone Inn in Central Westinox.
The Daughters of Light -
A religious order dedicated to Vellenox, they only accept females. They are a backlash to the Adherents of Iron, the religious zealots who said they were clerics of Eigeralon. The truth is they were devoted to the evil creature known as Anaxis. When the deception was revealed the order fell apart. After the battle of Penthos many of the higher officers were arrested.
With Vellenox being the last god targeted by the Adherents of Iron, the Clerics devoted to her rallied and recruited thousands of new acolytes. One of their main temples is in the city of Westinox.
This organization has been radicalized especially against males. There are rumors that they have been castrating any men that they deem criminals or heretics. They have also set up an adversarial relationship with the Clerics of Eigeralon and the EMP.
  • Notable Members:
  • Acolyte - Kellin Cross, A human woman in her 20s with tight cropped blonde hair.
  • Priest - Mariah Tellenborne, A tiefling woman in her 40's with light purple skin and long black hair.
  • Acolyte - Rithia Force, A half elven woman with short black hair and one ear clipped.
  • Cleric - Opela Barn
  • Cleric - Qesa Huss
  The Silver Lion Den -
The headquarters gifted to the team after their defeat of the Gingerbread Dragon and Ionn Castaliogne. When they arrive they will find their butler still stationed there and a white mask on the couch in the center of the room. The rest of the castle above seems deserted, all valuables have been removed and it looks like no one has been in residence in months. It has taken on a winter chill and the fireplaces have only ash residue in them.
[DM Note: The mask has been given to them so that they can identify other members of the Eyes of the Basilisk. By placing the mask on your head and attuning with it, it quickly turns invisible and disappears. The wearer can still feel it however. It allows the wearer to see others wearing the masks in the city. These are the secret members of the Eyes who are always in positions of power. Let the mask transmit the Code phrase to the wearer "I see that it grows dark at twilight...". Other mask wearers will have a sigil glowing on their foreheads, a purple blue basilisk that hovers an inch off of the skin. The imprint on the front of the mask.]
When the other mask wearer is identified the team can try to get information out of them. The member will set up a meeting and at the meeting Anak Kovara will allow a meeting. He wants the Arcane Focus in return for his help.
  • DM Note: Prominent members -
  • Geddelin Retera - An officer with the East Tellenheim Company, Human Man
  • Bella Marvolo Durrilan - The count's eldest daughter, human woman
  • Verus Chreleton - owner of Mattock Prison, Half Elven, half orc man
  • Mistress Surrilan Piccolo - Headmaster of Trevalyan Bard College, Water Genasi woman.
  • Zendaran Pendagon - Half elven man who owns several shops and real estate in Westinox
  • Herod Dicen - Dwarven man who owns several mining operations nearby.
  • Fredeil Montoya - An elven woman who has inherited wealth.
  • Argona Rasperdann - A dwarven woman from Clan Raspgrinder

The Red Wulves Fighters Guild-
At the Fiend's Delight Crashe met one Robar Foxhelm a captain of the guild. He was present when Crashe was inducted into the guild.

Rising Action

Archos and the Black Web Gauge -
If Archos seeks aid to remove the Gauge he must go to the Daughters of Light. After careful examination the clerics will ascertain that they need a combination of Druidic and Cleric magic to remove the Gauge. A mere restoration spell would not be powerful enough to cleanse the taint of the Dark One from the Guage.
[DM Note: the 6th Level Druid Spell Heal combined with the 8th Level Cleric spell AntiMagic Field will break the Gauge and destroy it. The Druid and Cleric would have to work together on the ritual taking approximately one hour. During that time Archos would face excruciating pain and would have to fight the Gauge itself. The black webbing would slough off of him and form a duplicate archos. It would then attack him to gain full control of the tiefling body.]
The Year SF3, 3029 the month of Echoloron (Feb)
Campaign one ended in the year SF3 2998
Reddleberry's Bakery -
The owner of the bakery and head baker is a Halfling man named Ned Reddle. He was a former thief who went straight. He was being blackmailed by the Vestal Moth to maintain his bakery as a front for their back room dealings, but our team helped him by dismantling the guild.
His wife Eartha has just given birth to their newborn son, Radish.
There is a secret door in the oven room that leads to an underground passage which is the entry 2 point on the Vestal moth map.
Related Organizations
Related Locations

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