1.0 The Wyr River: Ambushed

As each of you stir and wake up, you feel like you've lived through a stampede of Aneen while drinking that rotten ale (-2 points to all three pools). It takes you a moment to get your senses, but when you do, you carefully sit up. You take a quick inventory of your possessions and find nothing, your weapons and ciphers are gone. Searching around, you find the most of the members of the caravan are dead, blood coming from their ears, eyes and noses. You reach up and find some dried blood yourself. You are lucky. Searching the bodies finds nothing, not even a shin.

A casual search of the wagons, you see the wagons and carts appear to have been stripped bare as well. Walking to the river, the mud bank you remember seeing the mud men dive into has hardened in the mid day sun, but the impressions are still visible. It is two days travel back to the trading post, and the same amount of time to the destination. either way, the trail bosses are not going to be happy. Losing an item or crate is one thing, but the entire shipment...you are sure heads will roll.

What are you going to do?

Everything we have is gone (tools, shins, armor not worn) or just the weapons and cyphers?

Tools, ciphers, weapons, though they left any armor being worn. As you examine the bodies of your company, you find the captain. You did not not speak to him much (his station was a few higher than yours). His armor is missing, and you know it was good quality and most likely had some cypher enhancements. Most everyone else still has their armor on, including yourself.

1d20 roll
(Speed check)
1d20 roll
(Intellect)

You find a few shins (1D10) when you search the mud/clay, but nothing more. Searching the body reveals no visual wounds. All the bodies have blood, now dried, coming from the eyes, ears and nose. You had less, but some.

"I can't believe this! Iri! Everyone! Utazó, see if you can find the inventory and the rest of the books. I have to check the others, I have to make sure they're really gone."
Osred goes over the other members, making sure no one else survived. Even considering the fight from his homeland and the previous weeks, nothing ever came close to this slaughter. There were good friends here.

After taking time to search, you find a few muddy foot print and mud droppings (you hope it is mud) near the trees. They appear from no where coming from the mud wash. They lead into the camp and back to the wash. However, as you are studying the area that one of the individuals stopped in, you notice a glint from inside the bush. Pulling back the branch, you see a piece of mud covered Numenera.

Rolls from above:


Afterwards I will join Osred to see if anything has turned up.

(Good Rolls, both of them)

Scouring the wagons, you find on the captains wagon a secret compartment under the wagon. It is very well hidden and locked (lvl 6 lock). You search the body of the captain and while they stripped him of his armor, weapons and valuables, they managed to miss the key. Opening the compartment, you find some cyphers and a small weapons cache.

There are two swords, 4 punch daggers, one razor ring and a razon net (like a gill net, this one will attached itself to its prey and cut into the soft flesh to snag it). There are 137 shins and 6 cyphers.
There is :
A level 4 Cat's Eye that looks weird.
A level 5 Sleep Inducer, wearable patch.
A level 3 Stim, Injector
A level 4 Spatial Warp, large device attachment
A level 4 Speed boost, pill
A level 9 shocker, wearable device

As to what they were, you have never seen these creatures before, though you recall having heard vague stories. There were folk tales and campfire stories told to you when you were growing up of men made of mud and dirt. They would come from the ground and return there, leaving little to no trace. They would ambush travelers and disappear into the dirt like they were walking through air, or water. Very few ever lived to talk about it, which is why most people (including yourself) thought they were just a myth.

Searching, you find little...a shin or two missed or dropped. The bodies of some of your comrades are warm still, but still dead. As you reach the outer edges of the massacre, one body seems to be moving, twitching. Give me an intellect roll, saving him would be a heroic task.

Osred takes note of the owners of the two shins he finds. "I try to make sure your families get this and the rest they deserve. I... Demeri is not dead! Utazó bring me some water!" He uses Healing Touch immediately, and a heal skill check.

Sorry about the wrong kind of dice. It's late here. But a 1 is a 1.
Osred will use a level of effort to heal.

Turning his head, the dried blood turns wet (the d10 roll...oops) and you know that is not good. Still, his body is warm and you know there is something you can do. You look closely... his lips are starting to turn blue and his skin is getting clammy. If only you had the root your grandmother used, maybe.... maybe its too late. Perhaps water, and making him comfortable.

As you cradle his head in your arms, you feel a warmth spread to him and he licks his lips. His eyelids flutter a bit and then open. He stares out into the light above you, his eyes bloodshot and empty. His life force seems to be returning, slowly. He blinks and his eyes focus on you. For a moment, you see panic, then recognition and his body shudders. He raises his hand to yours and his lips move, "Thank you", though no sound comes out.

The cyphers (listed above) come straight from the core book. You will spend maybe 10 minutes or so looking, but they are common ones you (or your party) has seen before (or similar).

The other cypher, found in the bush, it is covered in mud and gunk. You take some time to clean and examine it. This is a challenging cypher to crack. (Give me a 1d20 intellect roll, let me know if you are using esoteries, knowledge, specialization or effort you are spending).

Osred hears the words, **Thank you** in his mind. **What happened? I feel so weak!** The unwanted intrusion into Osred's brain does not feel unpleasant, but it is unnerving and surprising. You sense it wasn't intended, but as a direct consequence of Darazen's extreme injuries and lack of control. You know Darazen has never communicated this way with you before. However, if you embrace it you sense the link will be permanent.

The person lying on the ground is looking in poor shape, severely injured and bleeding profusely from his head, although the bleeding seems to have abated. The water revives him somewhat, and Darazen sits up slowly and looks around in shock, blinking in disbelief at the carnage around them. Darazen appears to be tall and slender, even when sitting. His head is clean shaven, or maybe it is naturally so, and he wears large gold loop earrings. His skin is dark as night, but in contrast his eyes are azure blue blazing with intelligence even in his bemused state. A blue gem stone is curiously embedded in the center of his forehead, the color of which exactly matches his eyes. He wears dark green robes adorned with apparently random slashings of finely made golden cord and rope that binds the robe tightly to his body, revealing a youthful, well shaped masculine form.

Just remember, you are ALL injured, one more than others.
You can recover as an action (usually done in combat, or when rounds are taken into account), a ten minute rest, one hour and one day. And you recover at 1d6+1 (your tier ). I suspect that you all (or at least one of you) will be recovering.

That being said....

---

Khoren looks over the other cypher that he found. Anyone looking will see that it is mud covered and he is trying to clean it and learn its secrets. As he turns it over in his hands, it looks more complicated than a traditional cypher, like someone took three or four cyphers and linked them together. As he turns it over in his hand, a piece of mud that has not completely dried causes the device to slip from his hands. As he fumbles as tries to catch it, his hand hits one of the buttons and he activates the device. For a brief second, you see those sights, colors and sound you heard before. The device hits the ground and piece breaks off. The colors stop, but not before doing two (2) damage to your intellect pool.

Khoren: If you want to try to fix or identify it again, it IS indeed a difficult artifact, with three cyphers and each needs an intellect rolls to identify, and one (standard) roll to fix it. It lowered one level from challenging since you took the time already to study it.

Darazen rises to his feet and breathes in deeply as the pain pulses on his head. He closes his eyes and focuses his powers to relieve the pain. (Action: recovery 1d6+1). (1 might, 1 speed, 2 intellect.)

Khoren shakes his head trying to clear the rainbows from his vision, then recovers the artifact. Gritting his teeth and bracing himself, he continues focussing on the intriguing find.

---

Khoren spends effort on all three checks (Intellect Edge, so 3 x 2 = 6 from int pool. Afterwards, he will rest.

Khoren looks exhausted from the effort to figure out this artifact. He puts the object down for a few minutes and rests.

---

PM (Private Msg) sent to Khoren on his find

Feeling a little better, but not much, Darazen looks around uncertain about what he'd missed.

He notes a few people have survived, and each seems active searching the area. Not sure what to do, he says, "Found anything useful or informative? Let me know if I can be of any assistance."

While waiting for a response he looks around for anything of interest, knowing he is late to the party, and feeling really, really sick.

Darazen views the object in Khoren's hand with extreme curiosity. "Very impressive, my friend. You certainly know your stuff! Perhaps I can offer some more insight?"

(Darazen Scans the object. 2 int-1 edge = 1 int) Too weak to use effort.

With Darazens help, you all are pretty positive this will help you pursue your attackers. You are pretty sure it might be able to used to get you in, but without finding a way to recharge it, it may not get you back.

The question is, it is approaching evening and are you recovered enough to go after them?

I ask to rest overnight.
(I've changed my post)

Osred was the caravan's physician and he can heal by touch alone. This is common knowledge, and even if no one ask for his services, he will offer to take care of each one's injuries before and after the 10 hour rest.

Osred hears a voice in his head. **I know there's a lot going on, but I really don't feel well at all.**

After Osred tends to everyone's injuries and after a nights rest without incident, every one is recovered fully and ready to go and sounds like they want to pursue their attackers.

Everyone gets 2 XP and they don't have to share it. When you all ready to move, to return home, head to your destination, or pursue... Set up your party and let me know.

Next morning, Darazen asks the group, "As we plan to pursue these madmen, I mean mudmen, do you think we should share the cyphers? It might improve our chances of success."

"Well, as I was late to the party I'll take just one cypher. Maybe I can take the Stim Injector?"

"Oh, and I'd like to grab a punch dagger too."

You acquire several that when cooked, steeped, dried, combined, etc will give you more aid.

(2) Might Oil: Restores Might 1D6+4 (cannot be used in a combat action)
(2) Caf-Pow Energy Drink (Yes, from that show): Increases Speed Defense by 1 level per dose (Action) for 2 hours
(1) Grey Oil: Restores Intellect Pool (1D6 + 3) (cannot be used in a combat action)