Archeotech 2 – Treasure Hunt (RPG IC)

[BadgersinHills]

"Ravia's right, we should go ahead to the site as soon as we can." Ariel said. "I'll drive if you don't mind, Kazimir?" 

[Machine God]

Varn:

 

David carried the party down the mountainside guided by the new scout.

 

Varn helped with his 'local knowledge' on occasion. They were going to the Lake.

 

David got stuck a couple of times, but managed to make it through to the valley floor. The storms had caused a lot of damage.

 

 

INT 37 +0 (Navigation) -10 (Difficulty) = 27. Result: 07, Pass 2DoS

 

 

"Aarg, watch that rock! Stupid trees, should be lookin at da sky not on the floor"

 

"No not go through puddle, go round it too deep. Try, erm over there. That big busted tree Pine has gud roots, hard ground!"

[Trokair]

GM Drive Test on behalf of either Driver

Ag: 23 or 24 +10 (Ordinary) +10 (Ravia Assist) =  43 or 44

D100: 39, Pass, 0 DoS

 

 

Traversing the windswept plain was slow slower than they would have liked. Varn, position in the observation hatch, did his best to guide them, and on occasions warn them of obstacles that would have been hiden by the landscape to those less trained in fieldcraft. Inside Ravia worked the Goliaths systems, triangulating their position on the orbital scan derived map they had been given, and working Varns guidance into it so as to pass on navigational indicators for display on the HUD.

 

Some point mid afternoon Aria, who had been keeping an eye on the landscape they were leaving behind, spotted movements in the grass, keeping pace but at a distance. First one, then another, and another until there were at least half a dozen such disturbances in the tall grass. There could well have been more, as at times they dropped out of sight, only to appear elsewhere and follow once more.    

 

During a break from studying the way ahead Varn, at Aria’s request, cast his eyes back. Their route so far was clearly written into the landscape, a trail of churned up earth and broken grass.  However it was the same destructive wake that revealed the nature of the pursuing disturbances. A shape blurred across the gap, and Varn knew, Gramin Jackals, though far larger then he was used to from home.    

 

If the local variety was anything like thos at home then they were pack hunters, had they mistaken the Goliath for a meal to be chased down? Or perhaps they were more opportunist, intending to steal a morsel form the group when they set up camp. Worth keeping an eye on, but probably not an threat to the team.  

Edited May 21, 2023 by Trokair

[A.T.]

Aria

 

Jackles... a good source of supplies perhaps. At Varns description she considered the value of hunting them, "Are they poisonous? How do they respond to loss? Retreat or attack?". Most animals would cut their losses and run but the Imperium was full of many more stubborn creatures.

[Trokair]

@Machine God Feel free to describe the versions of the Jackals that Varn would know from home. These here migth differ a little.

If player wish to engage with the Jackals in combat for any reasons I will be using Kroot Hounds (DW - Mark of the Xenos) as the baseline/starting point.  

[Machine God]

Varn:

 

Death had come.

 

Death was following him still.

 

His nightmares

 

 

But these Gramin Jackals were Bigger. This wilder area was wilder.

 

More 'Sesta tek probly. Closer to the holy sites.

 

 

"Gramin Jackals! Ar bad ju" shouted Varn, clearly rattled.

 

"Pak hunter Carrion Skavs. The storm must hav rattled them. Don't know why they'd follow noisy David. Perhaps they follow us cos of Cave, pikked up scent of dead Ursus on wheels?"

 

"Don't leave David. No one be on their own. Gramin are relentless!"

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2023 by Machine God

[Trokair]

 

Day 8 Lakeside View

 

 

As David’s chronometer dutifully marked the passing of another day a decision was reached. It had been dark for a fair while, and you had pushed on in hopes of reaching the sheltering cave that Scout Adosan had informed you off, but so far it had eluded you. David’s headlights shown into the night, illuminating a significant stretch in your front arc. Elsewhere there was just starlight to see by, both celestial and those that were in actuality ships in orbit. It was not enough to truly see by.

 

According to the map you were less than a kilometre away, and even with Davids reduced speed through the vigour grass of the plain it should have been within easy reach. On top of that the Jackals kept a watch on you, never approaching all that far they were defiantly out there. Otherwise some of you might have taken hand held torches to help in the search for your nights rest, but not now.  

 

At least David was secure in some regarded as most of you bed down for another night in the cramped condition of the Goliath while the last took a watch.

 

At dawn the irony of where you had come to rest was too much for the team member on watch duty and they had to laugh, waking several of the others.  The cave and its shelter was only a few hundred meters away, not quite straight ahead but almost, in the night the headlights had swept over it but the arrangement of the terrain and opening had neatly camouflaged it.

 

While the hours of rest had been short you pushed on, not wanting to waist more daylight after the previous day. The landscape was running to gentle hills again, but with a general downwards trend that made picking out your route far easier whenever you got to a good vantage point. A seasonal riverbed, currently dry, served as a temporary road for a stretch of the morning.

 

As before a Drive and navigation tests will be required. Both at Ordinary (+10) this time, and Ravia can assist as before.  

Edited May 26, 2023 by Trokair

[Machine God]

Varn:

 

Still rattled by the jackals, Varn tried his best to help.

 

He got out on top of David to get a better vantage.

 

"Stay away from those low branched trees on the right!"

 

 

INT 37 +0 (Navigation) +10 (Ordinary difficulty) = 47. Result: 33, Pass 1DoS 

 

 

 

"No we gotta get off this dry river. Rain could wash us away."

 

 

 

[Trokair]

When you had only been travelling for a few hours a series of yelps and snarls drew the attention of those of you who could spare it to the Jackals that had been following you. A quick sharp melee had erupted. There are far more of them then you had previously seen, and they were going for each other.

 

As quickly as it had erupted the fight breaks apart and a fair number hastily retreat. Just as David moves out of sight you may spot a dead one.  A territorial dispute, but who had won, and were the victors interested in the Goliath?  

[Lord_Ikka]

Ravia

 

"We're getting close, watch out for those jackals..."

 

Ravia readies her carbine just in case. Unfortunately, dividing her attention causes her to not be able to use the sensors as well as she should. 

 

Spoiler

Tech-Use Test

Target - 38

Roll - 47

Result = Failure, no DoF

 

[Trokair]

GM Drive Test on behalf of either Driver

Ag: 23 or 24 +10 (Ordinary) =  33 or 34

D100: 37, Fail, 0 DoF

 

Another long day trekking across the plain lay behind you. Even with the excellent suspension system on the Goliath the terrain had made itself felt and you are all sore and tiered to some extent. Aside from that however the day had been uneventful. While you still caught sight of the occasional Gramin Jackal it was mostly at a distance and not following you trail like before.

 

You hear the gentle lamping of waves from the lake before you see it, as once more you drove well into the evening. Moments later cresting another gentle rise David’s headlights sweep across water, the shore only some 30 meters away or so. A good a place as any to stop for the night.

 

 

Day 9 and proper exploration of the lakeside will begining shortly, and hopefully we can get some actual Archeotech hunting underway. 

 

[Trokair]

Day 9 The gentle lapping of the waves

 

There was an air of hope and optimism amongst you as you broke camp in the morning, you had reached the Lake, and form here finding the first site on your investigation list should not be hard. Indeed just a little over two hours later, with a carful consultation of the original mission briefing map and coordinates you find the ‘ruins’.

 

From a distance it is not much to look at, a circular wall, broken in several places, rising out of the surrounding grass. As you draw closer you spot a few other bits of stone that could have been walls, though none of them rise above the surrounding vegetation. You have to be almost on top of them to see them, or catch them unmoving while the breeze sways the surrounding.  

 

Once you have arrived and can explore on the ground you notice a few more indicators of former building and habitation, depressions that could have been paths, small mounts in regular lines suggesting unseen foundations.

 

Finding and securing a suitable place to be your base camp as you explore the surroundings takes up the rest of the morning. Unpacking crates and boxes from David with equipment inside. Setting up the two tents, another night with all of you cramped in the Goliath was not a welcome prospect.

 

 

 

Map

 

Spoiler

 

 

Going from east to west, the green (light and a bit yellowish in comparison, but is the same green issued for grass previously) is grassland similar to the plains you have travelled through for the last few days. The more intense green (verging on turquoise) is more vigorous vegetation that thrives near fresh water. Then you have shallow water (light blue) starting shallow at the shore and slowly progressing to about   1 meters debth before becoming deep water (the darker blue) which is 2 or more meters deep.

Trees and bushes are as on the previous map (the bandit ambush).

Each square is 10m by 10m.

 

The circular wall described above is in I6 and J6, it varies from about half a meter to 3 meters or thereabouts in height. There are a number of breaks and gaps, with a large one on the north western side allowing easy access to the inside.

 

The other dark brown bits are stone or maybe wall remnants as well as other places that suggest that there once might have been buildings here (unevenness in landscape, unusual patters in growth of the plants on top and so on).

 

Equipment wise you have:

• Shovels, picks, other digging material, ground and vegetation clearing tools, etc. This can be used via a Challenging (+0) Strength test.
• Metal detectors, these can be used with a  Challenging (+0) Perception test.
• Ground penetrating radar, this can be used with a Difficult (-10) Tech-Use Test, for the purpose of operating the ground penetrating radar you all are considered to have Tech-Use (so no need to test on half stat) as you will have received some training/demonstrating prior to departure. If you have Tech Use already (I think only Ravia) then this is a Ordinary (+10) Tech-Use test instead.

 

For each half day (so dawn till noon and noon till dusk) you can pick one set of equipment and one square to investigate, then make one test as appropriate. If two of you are working the same square in the same time period then you can each make your test with a +10 Assist from the other.    

 

Depending on results I will describe what is found and/or update the map if needed.

 

Instead of investigating the site with the tools as described above characters can undertake other task each half day as may be needed, appropriate and so on. For example maintenance of David or the equipment, scouting the surroundings, hunting for food, fishing, swimming, prayer, anything else that you can think of that your character might do, just narrate accordingly (and test as makes sense, for example a hunt will involve some sort of attack against the prey animal, and maybe stealth to sneak up to it for example).

 

Remember, your goal is to investigate potential sites for evidence of pre imperial human settles, which may in turn hint at Archeotech. Once you think you have enough evidence (positive or negative) you can report to HQ and if there is signs of potential Archeotech they will dispatch the proper Archaeologist with support and better tools and all that.   

 

Questions in OOC.

Edited June 2, 2023 by Trokair

[Lord_Ikka]

Ravia

 

"I believe we should start here and head south-west in our search," Ravia pointed to the I6/J6 sections. "These look like the most intact of the ruins and would likely have the highest probability of any sort of surviving items."

 

She motioned to the L1/M1 area. "Here might be a good spot to set up the Goliath/camp. it is the most stable section of ground out of our line of searching. Thoughts?"

Edited June 15, 2023 by Lord_Ikka

[A.T.]

Aria

 

"I would suggest we be careful to not allow the transport to block sight of our approach, though it would serve as high ground for a watch."

 

Aria was unsure if such a circumstance would would expect fortifications of some kind, she had seen PDF forces in the past dig in for the least of reasons but her own instincts were to grab whatever was readily apparent and move on. Best for now to shadow another of the team and provide labour for those who knew how to use the strange machinery the mechanicus had provided to them.

[Trokair]

Goliath and Tents have been set up, you can assume that there are also crates of supplies unloaded from David and that everything has been arranged so as to be as defensible as possible based on the experience of those theme members who served in the guard.

 

Map update

 

Spoiler

 

[Petragor]

Having finally reached an investigation site, Helene wastes no time in unboxing the detection equipment and getting to work, hoping that some physical labour will help replenish her fervour.

 

Helene will spend one half a day each using a metal detector on squares L2 and K3.

 

Placeholder for rolls

[Machine God]

Varn:

 

The had finally arrived at the Lake. They had left the Gramin Jackals behind, their progress must have crossed through their hunting grounds.

 

From his vantage point atop of David he could see the lake. His eyes were drawn to the waters.

 

 

"I'm going hunting!" said Varn, as he stripped off his heavy Bearskins. Shedding weight, he took only his Pig Sticker, a brace of spears and a net that he'd woven from grasses liana's.

 

He then slipped off into the bush. (Moved from L1 - D1)

 

 

 

Edited June 18, 2023 by Machine God
Crab net

[Trokair]

Day 9 Afternoon

 

I am autopiloting Kasimir and Ariel for the rest of Day 9, we will see about Day 10 shortly, as I assume their players are busy/away/otherwise engaged at the moment.

 

As the afternoon sun bore down upon the lakeside the occasional breeze was welcome relive in your various labours. With camp set up to everybody’s satisfaction a quick meal break gave you all some time to consider how best to investigate the area.

 

Ravia’s suggestion starting at the circular stone wall was met with general agreement, and now several hours later the Adept, the Mech Warrior and Ariel stood back to consider the results.

 

Spoiler

Ravia I6 Ground Penetrating Radar: Pass, 2 Dos (taken from OCC thread)

Kasimir J6 with digging tools: Strength Test, S:50, D100: 33, Pass 1DoS

Ariel J7 Metal detectors: Perception Test, Per:33, D100: 71, Fail 3DoF

 

To the west of the wall Kazimir had cleared a fair chunk of the grass and vegetation from the base of the wall, with the remains of a threshold facing towards the lake coming to light. The entrance arch had long ago been filled by debris fallen up from higher up the wall. On the east side of the circular wall structure Ravia checked through a rigorous grid system each area with the radar, but unfortunately no further foundations. However using the entrance way cleared by Kazimir to enter the inside the machine quickly revealed a solid stone floor about half a meter below the surface, a similar depth to the flagstone and entrance that had been uncovered.   

 

Meanwhile outside Aria swept the ground for any sign, lisiting intently for the telltale beep beep that would indicate that the spirit had found metallic deposits below the surface. A few times it seemed to get excited. Unfortunately in each location digging down  revealed nothing obvious, with the most promising location yielding the remains of a broken water flask, the make clearly imperial. Perhaps a hunter had camped here and left the defective bottle behind.

 

Meanwhile Helene, perhaps guided by prayer, was working closer to camp, taking a few steps, swing the detector in arcs back and forth, listening for the spirits reply before taking another few steps.

 

@A.T. feel free to pick who you are assisting, I’ll update the map after @Petragor and @Machine God God have made their rolls. 

[A.T.]

Aria

 

Detection without knowledge of the device to set sensitivity and range seemed futile, and so Aria dutifully follow Ravia to make good use of her axe-rake revealing any possible signal without slowing the sweep.

 

Machinery and servitors would have performed the task far more efficiently but she understood the value of revealing such things undamaged.

 

She had seen similar augers, or rather crude assemblies of circuitry to serve such a purpose on her home ship to locate faint power sources, a sure signal of lost omnitools, dataslates, power cells and the like. But the secrets of their construction were horded and not understood by her, perhaps the tech-adept would know of them.

[Machine God]

Varn:

 

In the Bush he was away from the Others. He could wander and listen to the world, have a wander and some fun. He stopped by a low wall hidden in the grasses, he could make out a faded picture made up of small tiles fitted very closely together. 

 

Digging at the base of the wall he found a nest of worms all wriggling, he scooped up a handful of the worms into his mouth. He chewed them happily and swallowed them down. Lovely!

 

 

Sated he carried on towards the shallow waters, looking for crabs and mussels.

 

 

 

STR 36 +0 (Swim) +20 (Routine difficulty) = 56. Result: 23, Pass 3DoS

AGL 23 +10 (Ordinary difficulty) = 33. Result: 03, Pass 3DoS

 

 

 

He returned later to camp with some crabs that he'd caught wriggling in his net. He boiled them all up in the urn.

 

 

 

[Trokair]

Varn

 

As you move through the shallows looking for a suitable place to set you trap you come across a seaweed covered stone segment that was to regular to just be natural. Scraping aside some sand and vegetation, disturbing a small shoal of minute fish in the process, you uncover more and can deduce that it is a wall or foundation that curves back towards shore. However before you get to distracted a crap scuttles out of its hiding place and you are back on the trapping of tasty dinner.

 

There is a small ruin segment in D1 that you have found, but you can tell most of it is in adjacent squares. I’ll add it to the map at end of day.

[Trokair]

End of day 9 Map update

 

Squares D1, I6 and J6 have been updated. The flagstone/entrance to the circular wall that Kazimir unearthed is marked in yellow (and yes this is now facing a different direction, I made a mistake in the description above, it could not have been facing the lake as Kazimir was on the east side and Ravia in the west and not the other way round. Moving the entrance to the south side was the simplest fix.)

 

Square J7 has also been updated, Ariel failed the metal detection test, but she would still have found evidence of the remnants of wall/foundation (similar to how Varn found a bit while in the shallows).

 

Square L2 has no building/wall/foundation bit to be found, so Helene’s outstanding roll will just be to see if there is anything metal buried there. If I had properly crosschecked on Sunday I would have realized this then and post all this earlier, my bad.   

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

Day 10 – Sun and Sweat

 

Another clear day lay ahead of you as you sat around camp and took your breakfeast. There had been some light rain during the night and the ground was damp.

 

Having gathered a sense of the surrounding area the previous day and with the successful uncovering  of the circular building, perhaps it had been a tower, you all disperse to continue your investigation. Do you continue form where you were the day before or try your luck elsewhere? 

 

 

 

@Lord_Ikka, the roll you already made for day 10 (morning) was for square J6 which already had its wall/foundation found, as such feel free to pick a different square to apply the roll to (no sense wasting a good roll).

[Trokair]

On behalf of Tech Captain as I believe he is still recovering:

Kasimir, Random square:  G10, with digging tools: Strength Test, S:50, D100: 45, Pass 0DoS

On behalf of Bagershill:

Ariel, Random Square: E8, Metal detectors: Perception Test, Per:33, D100: 28, Pass 0DoS

 

Noting Varn’s discovery in the shallows the day before Ariel wondered the shoreline looking for any indicators that there may once have been habitation. One particular indentation in the ground caught her eye. As the day before most of the beeps revealed nothing distinct, but by mid morning Ariel had cleared enough vegetation to have found part of a wall as well as littered the ground with holes wherever the detector had chimed. The morning spoils where more aged and warn then the flask the day before. A collection of metal discs that perhaps had been coins, though the sizes did not correspond to the Thrones you are all used to. There was also a rusted analogue that fell apart as you dug it out, but after looking it over with some of the others you conclude it had been the frame of a chair.

 

Kazamir mean while worked quite far from the others, perhaps he needed some space after too many days in close proximity, perhaps he had spotted something unnoticed by the other, or perhaps he had just been pragmatic, for there was good shade from the nearby trees. His diligent digging did however revel the remains of another building, similar in construction to what he had already unearthed, but with  straight walls instead of curved.

[A.T.]

Aria

 

So long since buried and rusted away that even the augers did little to detect it. Aria had long wondered why such an expedition would have been formed given the seeming lack of anything resembling civilisation or technology here. Legends aboard her ship had whispered of ancient vessels pulled intact from worlds by the might of the mechanicus but what they had found here seemed primative.

 

Taking pitons and ropes she marked out the boundaries of their finds. Perhaps a pattern of contruction would emerge, or perhaps there was no logic to their placement to be found.

[Trokair]

As Aria retrod yesterdays finds, marking the extend uncovered, and then proceeded to what was uncovered through the course of the morning she begun to get a feel for the landscape and the subtle shift in hue and vigor of vegetation that grew above building remains compared to elsewhere.

 

Aria’s work for the morning have given her a bit of an insight, a successful Ordinary (+10) Awareness test will lead her to mark out the remaining foundation of a building that has already had a part discovered (on a success pick one: from D1, J7,E8, G10).