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Keeping his face still, Amaranti sends a voiceless whisper to his eidolon: "Amaranti confused. You understand what this about?"
Kaisharga raises up, the serpentine body now standing as high as it's master. The eidolon leans closer to the map and dials, studying them carefully.
"Small shadow-man say, apparatus needed. Apparatus in room above. Room above you get via shaft." Kaisharga sends back, and moves next to the shaft door.
Gunari and Meleren trade stories.
Miro puts his hand up to the hand-print. His hand neatly fits into the palm of the print, and he can clearly feel ridges within. They would match exactly to the strange gloves worn by the plasma skeletons.
Eventually, someone tries a glove against the hand-print. The keypad beeps and illuminates, but nothing else happens.
"My guess is you need to enter in an access code," says Meleren from behind the pathfinders, "Only the correct combination will activate this shaft." Seeing the puzzled gazes of the adventurers, Meleren adds, "I've studied engineering for as long as I can remember. Technology has always captivated me... and this and the table behind me are the most fascinating things I've ever seen. No idea what the code is, though."
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Jaender slaps his hand on his forehead. Silly me, being so excited to move along that I've forgotten to finish what we started here! He scurries over to the east room, and flings the door open, moving inside to search for clues as to the access code.
Can someone look in the other room? If our atmosphere is truly about to be nullified, we best search in haste for the trick to get to the upper level...
"Um... Jaender, is it?" asks Meleren, "I understood the message on the readout to mean that the atmosphere has already been nullified. That would explain the vacuum in every room."
As though deliberately accentuating Meleren's point, the air rushes from this room into the next when Jaender opens the door. His clothing whips into his face in the powerful winds.
"If these rooms do seal, though, and the positioning on the holographic readout is to be believed, we may run out of air to breathe eventually. I don't think we need to hurry too much, but we certainly can't stay here for hours on end."
While Meleren drones on, Jaender surveys the room he's just opened ().
Rows of metal shelving fill this room. The shelves bear the look of long disuse but are surprisingly dust-free, considering the age of this place. Most of the shelves hold assorted pieces of machinery: wires, gears, and cases of bolts and screws, though nothing seems organized in any logical fashion.
Jaender's attention is immediately drawn to a box painted with numbered buttons, broadly identical to those on the keypad in the shaft room. A sequence of numbers (9, 2, 7, 4, 6) is painted on the underside of the box lid, along with a short message:
“Komentaja tappaa seuraava vartija hän saaliinsa huomata muistaa hissin koodi. Joten käytämme laatikko ei huomata.”
The pathfinders also manage to locate two brown e-picks and a subsonic vermin manipulator .
Shortly thereafter, Mors opens the eastern door (), an action that is accompanied by the customary stiff wind. The room itself seems to be an infirmary of some kind:
Two shiny metal tables or beds stand across from one another in the center of this oval room, with metal restraints positioned at the head, foot, and middle of each table. Metal racks along the north and south walls hold assorted sharp-looking implements. A rounded hutch protrudes from the eastern wall.
The only thing of real note in the room is a hutch at the far end. There is a five-fingered handprint on it identical to that in the shaft-room. The quick-thinking pathfinders try one of the gauntlets on it and it springs open. Inside are three vials of glowing liquid - which the magically inclined party members identify to be three potions of cure light wounds and a medlance .
Brown E-Pick: An e-pick (short for “electronic lock pick”) is a small device that can be used to unlock and disable electronic locks and devices, much in the same way that thieves’ tools can be used to dismantle mechanical locks and devices. A brown e-pick is the lowest quality type, and allows a user to make Disable Device checks against electronic devices without penalty. A brown e-pick can be used 10 times before losing power.
Subsonic Vermin Manipulator: For all of its technological wonders, even the Red Redoubt was infested with vermin. This device is a hand-held disk with indentations that hum softly when pressed. A subsonic vermin manipulator helped neutralize the nuisance by attracting groups of rats for incineration. It functions as pipes of the sewers, except that it requires successful Perform (keyboard instruments) check rather than Perform (wind) check to use. It functions for a total of 60 rounds before it loses power and becomes useless.
Medlance: This wand- like device contains a reservoir at one end and a small pad at the other. A medlance can be filled with a single dose of liquid, such as a pharmaceutical, a potion, or a poison. It can then be used to administer the liquid to a creature—if the target does not wish to be injected with the medlance’s contents, the wielder must succeed at a touch attack to dispense it as a standard action. Otherwise, administering liquid via a medlance is a move action. A medlance doesn’t use charges, but after being used to administer 10 injections, its internal sterilization mechanisms are depleted and the device becomes useless.
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Miro will abstain from the treasure-divvying, as he will stay well in the back on most occasions, especially combat.
Miro will memorize the numbers on the box, then retreat back to the command center, waiting for those within to emerge before prompting one with a glove to put it on the panel after he keys in the code.
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Jaender stands in an attempt to be stoic as the wind whips his robe and hood around in his face. When the rush of air stops, he remains still, with his robe half twisted around his small frame. After a moment, without fixing his robe, he says, rather sheepishly, Already nullified. I knew that. Seems logical.
He non-chalantly fixes his robe as he peruses the room, then comes out to share his findings about the numbers. Alas, while I can speak a multitude of languages, I cannot speak this one written on this box, though I suspect it just states the purpose of the numbers, which I think we can all surmise.
After helping to identify the potions, he mentions, If you don't mind, I will take the medlance, and load one of these cure potions into it. Should our drunken priest fall for reasons not related to his mug, I will be there to help him back up. Besides, how many chances does someone as small as me get to pick someone as big as you back up?!
Once the treasure has been divvied and the part is ready, Jaender will join Miro in the elevator.
Don't worry, we can all fit right? There is always room for one more!
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"Um... Jaender, is it?" asks Meleren, "I understood the message on the readout to mean that the atmosphere has already been nullified. That would explain the vacuum in every room."
"If these rooms do seal, though, and the positioning on the holographic readout is to be believed, we may run out of air to breathe eventually. I don't think we need to hurry too much, but we certainly can't stay here for hours on end."
"I for one am most grateful for your knowledge, Meleren. I fear that without your expertise we would be pressing dials and looking at blinking lights like ... imbeciles." Finarin exhales deeply and looks around to see if anyone has caught him holding his breath these last few moments.
He walks casually into the elevator shaft, ready to prove his worth to his comrades.
Everyone crams into the circular room at the base of the shaft. Gunari holds the gauntlet up to the keypad while Miro taps in the combination that Jaender found.
With a lurch, this circular chamber begins to rise, but it jolts to a halt after a dozen seconds or so. A flashing red light appears next to the door-opening panel, accompanied by a faint buzzing sound.
Shortly thereafter the doors open.
The characteristic blast of wind ruffles everyone's hair and clothing, but stops very abruptly a split second after it began. The air is sucked out of everyone's lungs and all start to suffocate in the near vacuum that the elevator is now part of. Thinking quickly, Meleren taps in the combination again. Agonizing seconds later, the doors open once more to the bottom level and air fills the circular room again.
Just prior to the descent, everyone catches a glimpse of the room above.
A series of glassy panels form a semicircular array along the southern walls of this circular room. Some of the panels are lit but blank, while others flicker with a jarring, black- and-white dotted pattern. Many are cracked or simply dark. A throne-like chair sits before a mechanical table in the center of the room. A skeleton slumps in the chair, one bony hand grasping a large lever. Its other hand, wearing a strange, silvery glove, rests upon a glowing plate.
Arriving back in the room, the same question is on everyone's mind: How do we proceed?
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Well if you all saw what I saw, It appears that above us is certainly the monitor room this warning mentions... Jaender says, catching his breath.
How do we get air into that room? If I had to guess, I would think that the poor soul above was unaware of what he was doing to himself when he nullified the atmosphere in this place. I wonder if we could find a way to flip that lever the bones were holding? I also wonder if his hand on that panel was holding something in position?
Jaender purses his lips, tapping his finger as he thinks.
While this seems rather... brutish... Do we have anything heavy we could throw at the skeleton in the chair, to perhaps hit the lever, or knock his hand off of the panel? It may not even matter, but I figured I would just throw out an idea. He says with a wink.
That joke is only funny in my head... but at least it makes me chuckle!
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Still shaken from his near death experience, Finarin offers the only suggestion he can come up with in his oxygen deprived state. "Is there some safety mechanism on that panel we typed the security code in? Can we bypass it with the brown e-pick? I for one would not like to experience that ever again."
As a quick estimate, someone could hold their breath long enough to pull the lever. The skeleton didn't have a death grip on it or anything.
There was a hologram on the mechanical upstairs matching the hologram on the table downstairs. It is a smaller version. The skeleton's gloved hand was resting on the glowing plate that forms that hologram.
Meleren steps forwards, "If you like, I can go back and pull that lever. I'm pretty sure I can hold my breath for long enough. I also seem to be the most familiar with these technologies."
Shechera looks shocked, but steps up to Meleren and sticks out her jaw defiantly, "If you're going, then so am I. If you pass out, I'll drag you back downstairs."
"So, what say you all?" asks Meleren, "Would you like me to do that?"
"Huh. That would work, Mr Mors," says Meleren. He jots down some figures. "By my calculations, based on the relative height and width of the shaft room and the control panel room, it would take approximately 40 trips to get breathable. At current speed, that is 20 minutes."
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Well we seem to have no shortage of volunteers... I have another option that may save much breath holding and running into the room, though I would prefer to have some company to send the elevator back down, just in case something happens. I have a cantrip that is capable of opening and closing rather simple doors and devices. Perhaps we can accomplish all of this from the relative safety of the elevator. What say Miro, Finarin and I all go up, and if my cantrip doesn't work, one of you two brave souls can run out and flip the lever.
A group of pathfinders and bandits go up the elevator, taking in deep breaths as the doors open. Jaender tries his spell, but to no avail. It does, however, seem to activate some of the monitors. You get brief random flashes of the complex, including some very disturbing images showing rows and rows of dormant machine soldiers.
Seeing the spell fail to take hold, Miro and Gunari both rush forwards to pull the lever. Amaranti and the other safe-guard pathfinders tense themselves, ready for whatever may come. In their struggle to be the first to pull the lever, Miro and Gunari disturb the skeleton and its gloved hand moves away from the glowing plate. The hologram winks out.
It is several moments, with everyone literally holding their breath, before a deep humming sound can be heard. A surprisingly fresh breeze blows through the vents, becoming stronger and stronger.
Two vaguely visible mini-tornadoes appear in front of the group. They look exceedingly angry at having been trapped for so long. It looks as though they might attack the pathfinders, but instead they dip their airy heads in gratitude for freeing them before flying into another vent, never to be seen again.
Meleren points to the silvery, wire-mesh glove on the skeleton's hand, "At a guess," he says, "I would say that is the 'holographic interface apparatus' mentioned in the message below."
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In a case of drunken heroism, Gunari takes a deep breath, and rushes forward. 'Some people just talk too much! This is what Cayden Cailean would do!' He'll trigger his Travel blessing, to avoid taking penalties for difficult terrain. He rushes forward and pulls the lever.
If he starts taking damage enough to risk death, he'll use at least one Fervor to heal himself as a swift action.
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Fascinating... Jaender smiles as the whirlwinds bow and leave through the vents, and as soon as he can comfortably breath again.
To chat with one of those one day... how enlightening that might be...
Well if this is the apparatus we are looking for, let us grab it and get back down so we can re-align this contraption and get out of here, though it looks like now that the vents are open, we shouldn't have to worry about running out of air. Speaking of that... how much food do I have? He wonders as his words trail off.
Before he finds the answer to his question however, he eagerly walks over to the body and removes the glove from the bony hand, slipping it on his hand.
Shall we? He says as he walks towards the elevator.
The pathfinders cram once more into the elevator and descend to the main control room, led by the strange Wayang with the ill-fitting silver-mesh glove. The hologram on the table sits there as before.
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Jaender approaches the console, and hesitates for a moment. He peers at the hologram again, making sure he has a full understanding of where they are, and where they need to go in order to get out.
Suddenly so much pressure... I shudder at the though of messing this up, and the others here paying the price for my mistake...
Indeed Gunari, fascinating to be sure... Well, lets see what mysteries are still in store for us, shall we?
He regains his composure, and just before putting his hand on the panel he believes gives control, he quips to his companions, Hold on to your butts! and places his gloved hand on the panel.
Jaender holds up the glove, looking very much like a child putting on his father's winter clothing. The glove reacts as though the hologram itself were solid. Carefully, Jaender tries to realign the exit. The hologram flashes red and locks up as he attempts to place the machine soldier room back into place.
A new message flashes on the panel:
COUNTER-CLOCKWISE ROTATION NOT POSSIBLE.
CLOCKWISE REALIGNMENT NECESSARY.
Almost of its own volition, the glove moves the other direction and the hologram becomes green again. As with before, a loud grinding sound may be heard throughout the complex. Shortly thereafter, the sound stops as suddenly as it began. The hologram briefly shows that the room to the right of the room you entered through should now allow egress from this level.
As though this action took all of the remaining energy from the place, the hologram winks out completely. The more perceptive pathfinders also notice that the sound of the ventilation system can no longer be heard. Any closed doors open just before their hand panels stop glowing.
The entire complex is left in eerie, dark silence.
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Have I mentioned yet how fascinating this place is? He smiles triumphantly at the control he had over the holographic image.
Now I wonder if we woke anything else up in this place? He mutters, mostly to himself. I believe it is high time we exit, I am looking forward to reporting this back to the venture captain!
Jaender waits to allow some of his larger companions to filter through the door first, but is quick to follow along in the middle of the group.
Numerous alcoves are set along the walls of this round chamber, but only a few are occupied by seemingly inactive guardians. A wide archway to the south stands open.
After drinking in the sight of the alcoves, gazing longingly at the red steel coating the chamber and contemplating the wideness of the open archway, Miro realizes he is in mortal danger.
At the center of the circular chamber is a deranged robot, similar in appearance to a robed scarecrow. Its face is a transparent glass oval encasing a system of whirring mechanical parts. Disturbing imagery and light patterns swirl across this faceplate, showing scenes of abstract horror as it turns to face you all.
Meleren and Shechera quickly rush behind the mechanical scarecrow. At first, it seems as though they might be fleeing, but they move into position behind the creature to help provide easy flanking for the pathfinders.
As he moves, Meleren shouts out some warnings, "This thing is most likely vulnerable to fire, but immune to cold. If it hits you, you may be overcome by waves of fear... and if I'm correct, looking its faceplate can fascinate you! The good news for Finarin is that these constructs are not particularly difficult to damage... though they are still quite hard to kill."
Miro also recalls that scarecrows are particularly vulnerable to critical hits, and notices that this particular one should be vulnerable to electricity. As with all constructs, this one will most likely be immune to all mind affecting effects and almost anything that requires a fortitude save.
Frustratingly for the poor elf, his enchanted arrow fails to hit the mark - skating off one of the scarecrow's hard metal plates.
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Yikes! Jaender yips as the construct turns to the group. He pulls his hood a little lower at the advice of Meleran, to try to avoid looking directly at the screen.
Time for you to have a seat! He says with a smirk, as he waggles his fingers and mumbles something in draconic under his breath.
He finishes his finger waggle with a swipe of his hands through the air downward. As he completes the motion, several holes appear beneath the feet of the construct, daring him to dance and stay on his feet.
The floor lowers half a foot. Amazingly, the clumsy machine avoids tripping over. It is still, however, a little unstable on its feet and will suffer appropriately until it completely regains its balance.
Mors rushes up to the scarecrow. The distraction provided by Shechera, the encouragement from Miro and the momentum of his charge mean that Mors just barely manages to land a blow on the creature .
Reeling from the hammer blow, but disturbingly lacking significant visible damage, the robotic embodiment of all of your fears turns its glass-plated face upon you all. The pathfinders struggle to tear their eyes from the flashing images within.
Only Finarin escapes the creature's gaze, being far enough away that the images on its face plate blur together indistinctly.