To the south then. Liz follows along.
You open the door using a brown keycard. It leads to a small five foot hallway to another door. You open this door as well.
This room buzzes and hums with the sound of machinery. A long track of moving leather-like material rotates along a metal framework in the middle of the room. The eastern end of this device is connected t o a looming metal machine fitted with thrashing and twitching armatures and blinking lights.
Panels on the wall flash with strange writing and images of metallic constructs. To the west, a second track of leather, this one smeared with blood, churns through an opening in the wall to a room beyond. The entire place has an air of entropy to it-with missing parts, flashing sparks, and periodic discordant sounds of metal scraping against metal revealing how damaged the room's machinery is.
Two repair drones buzz about the room, trying their best to repair bits of damage.
There is a door to the West.
"Do we destroy them?"
"Let's not attack anything that doesn't attack us first. There is so much about this place that we don't know." Astra moves over to the moving leather-like track and tries to touch it very lightly with her fingertips, examining it curiously. She goes through the room little by little, searching for anything that might seem meaningful and trying to puzzle together the purpose of this room. She takes her time, making sure she doesn't miss anything. She does, however, keep her zapper wand at the ready in case the repair drones would choose to start attacking at any time.
Liz keeps her eyes on the drones in case they become hostile.
"I don't know...I don't trust those things. Should we start fighting something else, and they later join the combat, we'd really have our hands full. Best we get rid of those...things...now"
"They're trying to restore this place. Look", Astra points at the repair drones...repairing. "They're doing good. Let them do good."
I don't think we should waste any more of our strength unless we need to. We still have that 'priestess' to deal with.
The robots don't interact with Astra as she looks around.
There is also significantly too much damage for the repair drones to repair in this room, likely making their task futile.
Find anything interesting, Astra? We should check the other door if there is nothign here.
"I think these two will be quite busy for a long while to come...the damage here is extensive", Astra says, but doesn't relay any more information regarding whatever she may understand about this place. Perhaps she doesn't believe the others would be interested, or maybe she's arrogant enough to think they wouldn't understand. "I think we should move on." She moves over to the western door and waits a moment to let anyone else lead if they choose to, but if nobody steps up, then Astra will go through the door.
Astra's hand lightly brushes against the "reset" panel, and the two repair drones power down, their four arms sagging to the floor.
Liz looks worriedly at the now defunct drones. Astra, what just happened?
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Slow down there! What did you touch?"
"Mmm", Astra looks thoughtful for a moment when she accidentally powers the robots down. "I would guess that I accidentally triggered something commanding the metal spheres." Her eyes go back and forth between the panel and the robots. "I believe that this chamber is somehow linked with them -- perhaps all of them, even the destroyed one back at the Foundry Tavern -- somewhat like an insect queen and hive." She continues to observe for a few moments. "I do believe they are harmless for now. We should continue." She resumes moving toward the west door.
Liz follows Astra
Astra opens the door using a keycard.
An immense machine looms to the south in this room, its upper portion obscured by tangles of hanging cables and cords. The device looks something like an enormous oven, its front open with a rotating belt of green leathery material connecting to a wide metal table. Metal desks with flashing lights sit to the east, while a second rotating belt of leather moves through an opening in the east wall Two dead orcs lie at the base of this second belt.
To the west is a strange, menacing looking robot, that looks like a large humanoid in metal armor. It notices Astra open the door, and lurches forward, its strange mace like weapon glowing white in its hand. It speaks in a shrill voice.
1. Sneek, Liz
2. Robot Man
3. Astra, Chakos, Argug
Astra has vivid memories of being skewered through her torso by an undead kasatha, and instinctively jerks to the side, staying in the robot command room and taking cover behind the wall. Her first round's action is lost as she gets a post-traumatic flashback of the spear through her midsection, trembling and gasping for breath as she sags against the wall, a few steps to the side from the doorway.
That thing wants us to stand down and submit as Per some purge protocol.
Liz sends ajoly of eletricity at the metal creature. We must get this back to town so I can study it's insides.
Liz then moves out of the way, like Astra has done/will do, denying the creature a charge lane.
Liz's electricity strikes the robot and intensifies as it surges across its body. It doesn't seem to affect the creature, however.
When it comes to me, I will cast Bless, and give everyone a +1 to hit.
After seeing Astra have a panic attack and Liz move to the side Sneek decides, against his better judgment, to draw the attention of the creature to himself. The best defense is a good offense!
Metal man, it’s time to turn you in scrap metal. Sneek, mace in hand, moves to intercept the creature, hopefully catch it off guard.
1. Sneek, Liz
2. Robot Man
3. Astra, Chakos, Argug
Bravely, Sneek moves in front of the metal man and swings his mace. His weapon clinks off its armored body, nearly unbalancing the ratfolk. Liz's lightning-like attack strikes the creature, but it keeps its attention on Sneek. It repeats its warning in a shrill metallic voice.
It swings its metal gadget and fist at Sneek.
,
Sneek hears a high pitched whine come from the mace-like object as it passes by his head. Its metal fist also strikes downward, but does not connect.
Astra dodges out of the entrance path and leans against the wall. Chakos shines with divine magic boosting everyone's fighting prowess.
"I do so love breaking these stupid things!
Argug charges at the thing with his axe.
Astra will cautiously try to watch the fight through the doorway without actually entering the new robot's room. She silently observes and tries to figure out the capabilities of this particular construct, from the way it fights, the way it defends, the way it moves.
HP 16/16
AC 11/11/10
Effects: Mage
Hand of Apprentice:7/7
Liz casts Grease on the construct, hopefully makign it fall down and be more vulnerable
The metal man knocks aside Argug's axe with his mace gadget. Getting closer to the creature, you can feel its intimidating presence.
Magic grease collects underneath the robot.
Its foot slips, but it manages to keep its balance. It turns its helmet like face to Liz, and seems to glare at her with its sardonyx-colored eye.
The metal man swings its mace and fist at Sneek again. A high-pitched whine echoes in Sneek's mind as the mace hits him square in the face.
The hit to his face, besides hurting a lot, numbs his eyes and mouth. Unable to speak, he looks, through the slits of his eyes, for ways to help the others.
Using his superior quickness Sneek tries to get opposite Argug with the metal man between them.
He then takes up a more defensive stance while he again tries to hurt the creature.
Sneek's mace strikes the metal man straight on his lower leg wire. It bounces off, and the ratfolk's hands shake from the reverberations.
Chakos will switch his Life Link to Sneek.
----------------------
Ongoing Effects: Life Link (Sneek)
I think we are going to have real trouble with this if our weapons keep bouncing off.
"It looks like it is shielded by an outer casing of some highly resistant metal -- it will require immense force to shear", Astra says, still half hiding behind the corner of the doorway and peeking out to follow the combat. Mentally, she forces the memories of the kasatha spear to the back of her mind and prepares to move into the room, calling her healing spells to the front of her thoughts. "I recommend making full use of two-handed weapons. I think Argug and maybe Chakos are the only ones with hope of cracking the creature's shell. Focus on supporting and defending them. Elizabeth, can you enlarge Argug again?"
Yes!
Err...My Jolt spell did nothing!
Argug moves in with a 5' adjustment to flank with Sneek, since he's already in position, and gives the thing a mighty whack with his axe.
"Pssh, it ain't that hard to hit..."
Argug cuts through the toughened metal of the creature, causing it to turn its attention to him. It repeats its phrase in its shrill voice.
"Intrusion detected. Initiating purge protocol 11-321. Please stand down and submit, intruders. Purge protocol 1 1 -321 demands compliance per core Divinity Directive."
HP 16/16
AC 11/11/10
Effects: Mage
Hand of Apprentice:7/7
Liz uses her arcane bond to cast Enlarge on Argug for 3d6 greataxe!
Seeing Argug hurt the creature Sneek tries to distract the robot while keeping him flanked between them.
When it comes to me, I'll Life Link 5 damage from Sneek to myself.
Chakos will move up and strike the robot.
Crit confirm? No idea if it will take crits, but it can't hurt to try!
Well, if it does take crits, that will confirm it! Shame it's not for more damage.
The robot man swings it mace and fist at Argug. The light from the mace cuts a path through the air and electricity charges it.
Chakos chops into the robot through cords that look important protruding from its core.
The robot's movements seem slower, as though it is staggered.
Astra moves into the room, placing herself behind Argug from the robot's perspective, so that he should be between it and her. She prepares to heal him in case he gets seriously injured.