The Sign(for Zengar and Elvis)

[tooleychris]

good lord, the dice gods are smiling on you!

Zengars wrath is revealed as Bobby chokes on his words and a few teeth.

He falls to the ground gripping his face trying to curse "You thuck! Look wa chu thun!"
He sobs bloody pools through his fingers covering broken lips.

Sarah screaams out for him as Elvis ' blade slams her in the back knocking wind from her.
"Enough!" she cries.

[Zhym]

Evlis keeps his weapon at the ready. "Well, then. Drop your packs and back away."

[tooleychris]

"You astthole! Thuck you!" Sobs Bobby as Sarah drops their gear and drags him back a few feet, trying to comfort him.

[GronkTheBold]

Zengar takes up one of the packs and slings it around his shoulder. "Run back to the darkness, you lawless brigands, that is the only place that will have you now." When both Bobby and Sarah leave the area, Zengar will begin to empty the packs and inspect every item: "Now Elvis, let's see the artifact of power you mentioned!"

[Zhym]

Elvis picks up the other pack and waits for the inept would-be thieves to flee.

[tooleychris]

The bloody would-be bandits limp away to the north, eventually disappearing into the tall grass.

A few minutes later, when you're confident they are gone you begin rooting through their bags.

Sarahs bag indeed does carry a bunch of various gold and silver rings.

Bobbys bag contains only a change of clothes for both of them, a road flare, and a pair of rusty wire cutters that have blood stains on them.

Also in Sarahs bag is a peculiar device about the size of a hockey puck, that looks like this:

[Zhym]

"Well, not a bad haul for an attempted robbery. Zengar, do your arcane powers allow you to discern the effect of that dev—er, artifact?"

[GronkTheBold]

"Well, not a bad haul for an attempted robbery. Zengar, do your arcane powers allow you to discern the effect of that dev—er, artifact?"

"I happily agree Elvis! You were completely correct about the rings, not that I thought you were wrong." Zengar, rings adorning each finger, flexes each finger with satisfaction and then turns to look at the artifact. "Oh yes, this looks interesting! This medallion could be most handy in our future pursuits..." Zengar fiddles and experiments with the mysterious gizmo, trying to decipher its true function. "First the 'gun', and now this discovery. I think it goes without saying I am looking forward to recording these finds in my journal!"

[tooleychris]

I'm trying to think up an easy way to use the artifact recognition chart on P31 but can think of nothing except having you roll a dozen d10s. All at once to go quicker for PbP. Every roll is considered 20 min game time.

[GronkTheBold]

Rolls for trying to discover the true function of the artifact:
Trying to find out the use of an artifact: [1d10] = 10

Trying to find out the use of an artifact: [1d10] = 4

Trying to find out the use of an artifact: [1d10] = 9

Trying to find out the use of an artifact: [1d10] = 5

Trying to find out the use of an artifact: [1d10] = 4

[GronkTheBold]

"Hold on Elvis, this is taking long but if I can just take an hour or two more..." Zengar still experiments with the amulet delicately.

Trying to find out the use of an artifact: [1d10] = 5

Trying to find out the use of an artifact: [1d10] = 7

Trying to find out the use of an artifact: [1d10] = 9

Trying to find out the use of an artifact: [1d10] = 9

Trying to find out the use of an artifact: [1d10] = 4

[Zhym]

"Perhaps we'd better move on. You've been fiddling with that thing for two hours already and we still don't know what it does. Meanwhile, we're standing in a location that was already used for an ambush once—by people who wouldn't mind coming back to kill us if they could. I suggest we let the nature of this artifact remain a mystery for now. The longer we fiddle with this thing, the longer we delay investigation of the sign that sent us on this path."

OOC: Also, if our DM hasn't modified the experimentation chart, you're not much better off now than you were starting out. I obviously don't know which chart we're using, but in chart A (the simpler stuff), starting fresh gives you a 35% chance of reaching the second forward-progress box in 2 rolls. You're in a spot where there's a 36% chance of getting to that box within two rolls (and a 20% chance of getting there in the next roll). Basically, after your third roll of 9, you've been spinning your wheels in a loop (you needed a 1 or 2 to get out). On the other hand, that was an unlucky bit of rolling just now; the probability of rolling 7 times without getting the 1 or 2 needed to escape that little loop is only about 21%.

Let's hope you're not on chart B, because if so you've landed on "bad things happen."

[GronkTheBold]

"I suppose you're right." Zengar stands up and puts the amulet away, instead of continuing his experimentation. "There's always tomorrow...off to the north then! Come along Elvis, She awaits us!" The mutant mage will take up his walking stick and continue the journey, content with the knowledge there will be more peculiar items and gizmos along the way.

[tooleychris]

Zarthan tucks the trinket away and the pair head north. A ways past the tracks you come upon a vast expanse of cracked and pitted pavement. A highway of yesteryear that runs east and west. Many cars, vans, trucks clog the road, most still contain skeletal remains of their drivers, left to rot from the Terraforming event.
Rust and corrosion are also taking their toll on the steel chariots.
Across the highway and across a great field of concrete, the steel skeletons of a great amusement park can be seen through the over grown trees.
There has been no sign of Bobby or his sister.

[Zhym]

Elvis sets off across the old highway toward the amusement park. A bit more cautious about possible ambushes after the last encounter, he "listens" for any thoughts that might give away the presence of someone hidden.

[tooleychris]

The only thoughts he can "hear" is:

"Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne,In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
And I HAVE FOUND THEM ALL!"

[GronkTheBold]

"Well," Zengar clears his throat as he views the area. The many corpses inside strange machines, and the ruined amusement park both baffle and brings many questions to the wizard's delusional mind. "As long as there aren't any necromancers about," He glances at the corpses, "we should hopefully pass by unmolested. Did you hear or sense anything with your power, Elvis?" Zengar asks, with a nervous edge to his voice as he continues the quest northward.

[Zhym]

"As far as I can tell, it's just the two of us around here."

Elvis continues towards the amusement park.

[tooleychris]

You cross unmolested and reach the parking lot. There are several vehicles here as well though they all seem to have been severely pillaged.


Zengar happens to look to the comet as several pieces seem to break off and stream in different directions. The comet itself appears no smaller but the pieces are decending much quicker.

[Zhym]

Elvis figures the vehicles have been thoroughly picked through already. No point in wasting time sifting through the remains. He'll follow the main path of the comet into the amusement park unless Zengar expresses an opinion otherwise.

OOC: What time is it? How slowly is that comet moving across the sky?