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Winter plonks around Quasit before following Fin, at a distance.
Quasit keeps forgetting the fox is there, and instinctively reaches for a sword when she notices a small figure scuttling about near her feet, before blowing out a breath in exasperation.
"Why don't you hang around Saki? She's an actual fox lady." she grumbles before continuing her slow, quiet ascent of the stairs.
On reaching the room and seeing... a bunch of weird dolls?... her shoulders slump in disappointment and consternation.
"What the hell are these? I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it sure wasn't this."
She pulls out the blueprints and looks them over, thoroughly puzzled.
" 'Power Source'?" she says, shaking her head. Scrunching the blueprints in one fist, she then plants her fists on her hips and looks around helplessly at the others.
"Ok, well, obviously they MUST be magical. And we already know the winter witches will use soul gems to animate dolls. And this would totally fit with some wicked witch trick to trick some innocent child. But powering a machine? I mean, there was a huge amount of energy going through that machine -- like, enough to shatter reality -- and somehow it's all coming from those-- well... dolls."
She shakes her head again, chewing on her lower lip. "I mean-- this is where the trail leads. This is what Rasputin died protecting. Somehow these dolls lead to Baba Yaga. Somehow."
“Maybe they’re the next set of keys?” Maka offered as she stepped into the room.
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“Maybe they’re the next set of keys?” Maka offered as she stepped into the room.
"Maybe." says Quasit, who seems discouraged by the prospect. "I don't know. When we've found keys in the past, they've been unique items, but otherwise ordinary, not powerful magical items. And we've been tipped off by oracles in the Hut to look for particular things -- I don't think we've had any indication that we should look for little wooden dolls."
She thinks a moment longer, then moves up to interact with the dolls. She pulls out a probe from her toolkit and begins to carefully tease the wires away from the smallest one.
"You all may want to step back. If I blow up the world, you might survive a fraction of a second longer."
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"You all may want to step back. If I blow up the world, you might survive a fraction of a second longer."
Fin continues to look closely over the porcelain dolls, not even looking up. He shakes his head saying, ”I’m staying, Q, perhaps I can help. We started this quest together, we’ll finish it together…one way or another…”
Maka nodded in agreement with Fin. "We're with you Quasit!"
"If they've used souls in the past to animate dolls, why not use dolls to store souls?" Kalchine says as he watches but also keeps his distance, since he can do little to help but heal people if things go wrong.
"Souls have a great deal of energy about them. Perhaps the machine is draining them to power itself rather than letting them return to the cycle of life."
Quasit quickly learns that touching the wires while holding a metal tool gives a nasty shock, but with a bit of care and some rags it's not hard to pull some off. Not much seems to happen when she does.
Fin notices one doll that seems different from the others. Most of the painted faces resemble soldiers, but this one is an old crone, face lined with wrinkles. It practically seems to radiate disappointment and elderly sarcasm.
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Quasit remains utterly focused on what she's doing, but manages to express herself in response to her friends. "I wasn't suggesting that you should leave." says Quasit slowly and absently while she meticulously teases the wires free from the first egg-shaped doll and then begins to pluck them away with a pair of wooden sticks held in the crook of her right hand. "Just take a couple steps back in case this electricity starts arcing again."
One wire free without disaster, she begins another.
"Soul energy powering these things is as good a theory as any, but I don't think even Rasputin would be able to seriously damage Baba Yaga herself. That's why he and Elvanna decided to trap her instead. I hesitate to even wonder at how many souls would be needed to trap a demigod."
She works in silence for a few moments then muses again.
"I hope that reversing the process that trapped her doesn't require us to use the machine again. 'Cause that's definitely not happening now."
Quasit notes that this doll has thicker, more numerous wires connected to it... and as she starts working on it, she gets a sudden feeling of irritation and impatience from it. She's able to get the wires off without difficulty.
Maka watched with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, waiting to see whether the doll was about to say something back.
Quasit feels the sense of irritation grow in response. Then she gets a sudden feeling like she should go back to the Hut.
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Quasit cocks her head slightly and her eyes narrow, as if listening to something, then abruptly holds the doll out at full arm's length, as if it just tried to bite her.
"Um guys... I'm not a hundred percent sure, and I may just be hallucinating-- but I think this thing just communicated with me. I think it ... I mean, I didn't hear words in my head, the way I have when someone communicated telepathically with me, but... jeepers, I think this thing just asked me to take it back to the Hut."
She looks around at everyone else. "I think THIS is the prison. I think Baba Yaga is trapped inside this thing. And I'll tell you something else, she's not in a good mood."
"Which... I mean, fair enough I guess."
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"But maybe we won't need to face Elvanna!" says Quasit urgently as she stands up. "Maybe once we get this thing back to the Hut, Baba Yaga will be able break free, and we can actually go home!" Quasit's voice cracks a little with emotion at the prospect. "She and Elvanna can settle each other's hash!"
“Well, let’s get back to Cluckers then. If we get to go home, great. If not…” she shrugged, gently laying a comforting hand on Quasit’s shoulder. “we get some rest, send a message to Zilvazaraat, and plan our next move.”
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"Fin, come on, we're not splitting up now. We have to assume that Elvanna will know somehow that Rasputin is dead or that this machine is turned off, and is about to send a new wave of terrors to come hunting for us. Plus one of these buildings might have a gigantic undead turnip that's immune to arrows in it. We're staying together."
"So, we're taking all these dolls with us. I need a few more minutes to disconnect them. Kal, can you carry the crone doll? I'm pretty sure we shouldn't put any of them into the bag of holding."
"We still have that one staircase back in the nave to explore. Oh, and I'm gonna ransack a few of the key components of the machine. Some parts of it are made of precious metals, and some parts of it are bits of technology that could be useful to the right buyer. We're gonna need a lot of stuff to barter if we want to buy a resurrection scroll."
"After that, we go back to the Hut and never come to this miserable camp ever again. Any remaining undead turnips in the outbuildings are no longer our problem."
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Fin sighs, then nods. ”Roger that, Q. Can I least explore some of the buildings we missed while you dismantle the machine? I’ll be nearby and the danger is likely low with Rasputin dead and the machine disabled…and when you’re finished, I’ll come quietly along. I just know Z-man really liked these guns here and we can likely gear up…to include a resurrection scroll…in which case, if we buy a scroll like that for one of us, we’ll need to be prepared to potentially buy one for all, so we’re gonna need as much gold as we an manage…”
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Sakitu is about to object to Fin's suggestion but Quasit beats her to it. "Right. There's no way you're going to just rummage around this place by yourself." She grabs his arm protectively. "I like Quasit's plan. Get all this stuff and get back to the hut."
She watches the doll as Quasit hands it to Kalchine. Quasit said it 'talked' to her? How? Sakitu tries to make eye contact with the painted doll face while it's passed. Would the doll 'talk' to anyone else?
She reluctantly lets go of Fin and helps gather up the other dolls. She puts as many as can fit into her bag then carries a couple more in her hands.
Kalchine takes the doll gingerly, his ears and eyebrows rising quizzically. He also examines it warily but doesn't look directly in the eyes.
"I think it's safe enough to split into two...and a half squads," Kalchine chimes in as they discuss their next moves.
"Maka and Winter can escort Quasit as she loots the machine and explores the remaining tower," he speaks of Winter as though she were just another member of the group.
"Fin, Bulvi and Sakitu can take the bag of holding and loot what they can from outside and any of the other buildings.
"Chest Thumper and I will go outside but stay near this building. That way, if either group runs into trouble, we can get their quickly to back them up and I can provide healing as needed."
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Quasit considers this dubiously for a few seconds then relents.
"Ok, fine. But we meet up back here in half an hour. And if you run into anything monster-wise, try not to engage it -- fall back and get word to us. Maka can whoosh to you in seconds wherever you are."
"And Kal, remember, if Elvanna sends something here, or heavens forbid comes herself, she's gonna home in on that doll. If you have any doubt, err on the side of caution and get help."
Working more quickly now that she knows the process, Quasit quickly unhooks the remaining dolls, hands them off to Sakitu, then makes her way downstairs with Maka and the creepy familiar to loot the valuable parts of the machine.
Kalchine nods but says. "Let's make it 10 minutes," he says to everyone. "We can make more trips if needed."
Maka followed behind Quasit, offering a helping hand where she could. Her golden eyes scanned the shadows, alert for any last-ditch threats or valuables.
"Ready to finally have a chance to relax?" she asked, her voice low but warm.
Quasit sorts through the wreckage and collects about 6000 gp worth of valuables. More interesting are several components which still radiate magic: a pair of matching iron rings about 18 inches in diameter, a rod, and a circle of black cloth.
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"Ready to finally have a chance to relax?" she asked, her voice low but warm.
Quasit breaks into a vulnerable smile and nods. "Oh my gosh, I hope so. It still hasn't really sunk in that we finally managed to crack this nut. But I think when we finally get out of this camp for good, it might take my anxiety down a few notches. I feel like I could sleep for a whole day."
She plucks out a cylindrical piece of the machine, taps it on the stone floor a few times, and touches it to her tongue. "Look at that. Pure platinum. Near as I can tell it was just being used at a strut separating two different parts carrying arcane current. I could practically retire off this thing."
She works silently on her knees for a minute or so, reaching behind two of the columns at the north side of the room, then settles back on her haunches.
"You know Maka, I've never believed in fate, or destiny or anything like that. I think the gods mostly keep their hands off our affairs. I think Desna kinda sets the tone for the universe -- luck of the draw; some days you win, some days you lose. The odds always catch up with you in the end."
She turns to look at her friend. "And yet somehow we keep defying the odds, and accomplishing things we shouldn't be able to do. That's part of what's had me so nervous, I think. We just have no right to still be alive at this point, if luck is really random. Somehow we were all just going about our lives, and we all somehow managed to just bump into each other, and we've had this totally serendipitous and perfect alchemy for taking down interplanetary ancient dragons and aspiring demigods. Although I suppose Selena's luck actually did run out. But more and more I'm starting to believe that we might actually succeed and go back home. If that isn't fate, it's at least highly improbable."
"And then what? Is that when the universe decides to balance the odds? Or do we go on living charmed lives and accomplishing things that we have no right to expect to? I'll tell you this, there was not a lot that was particularly charmed or special about my luck before we all met up. I mean, I'm technically still a fugitive from the law back in Taldor, with a modest price on my head. I might finish saving the world, then get home and end up in an Eagle Knight cell the next week."
"I can see it now. Dragged in front of the magistrate, accused of espionage against the Taldan navy, about to be sentenced to hang, and I elbow my lawyer and say 'Hey, is this where I bring up the part about saving Baba Yaga and killing Rasputin and that dragon on Triaxus?' and him telling me to pipe down and stop embarrassing him."
"Well I'm definitely still wanted in Taldor, so we'll just make sure to bust each other out." Maka chuckled as she slid a coil of scorched wire into her pack.
"Master Isa always said that luck is just when preparation meets opportunity." She glanced sideways. "But he also said, 'all life is chance,' so... who knows?. What I do know is that sometimes bad things help prepare you for good things. And sometimes, a bad thing can seem good, once you've got some perspective."
She smiled faintly. " And sure, sometimes a bad thing is just a bad thing, but that's what friends are for!
"I'm not sure if I ever told you, and if I did, we were probably drinking." Maka gave a toothy grin. "Anyway, yeah. Hace was really good at telling people to be nice. More importantly, he was really good at pointing out all the ways city officials and nobles weren’t being nice. Which made a lot of them want to kill him, which meant a lot of fights and fires for me."
She smiled fondly at the memory. It all felt so far away now, even though it probably hadn’t even been a year. Still, all the extradimensional and extraplanetary chaos had thoroughly ruined her sense of time.
"Dealing with the city guard was one thing. But eventually the price on our heads got too big, and mercenaries just wouldn’t leave us alone. That’s how we ended up in the Borderwood. We’d been running for days, and the winter portal seemed like our best chance at getting away."
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Quasit grins broadly at all this, more than she had in days, and actually giggles.
”Well, maybe we should just stay out of Taldor.” she says briskly. ”Gosh, it’s funny. You, me, Saki, Fin — we were all running away, and ran into each other. And here we are.”
She hands Maka two iron rings, about 18 inches in diameter. ”Can you carry those? They’re kinda heavy.”
She sticks a rod and some black cloth into her backpack along with a coiled ring of golden wire.
”I think that about does it. Let’s check that stairway.”. As they walk, her thought changes. ”Do you miss him? Hace?”
Maka accepted the rings with a grunt and tucked them under one arm, her smile dimming slightly at the question.
"Of course I miss him. But I’m still mad."
She shifted the rings slightly, more to have something to do with her hands than because of their weight.
"He just left! No explanation, no goodbye! Just a stupid note about it being ‘safer apart.’ And I could probably get over that… except the big idiot hasn’t even responded to any of the magic bird messages I’ve sent him!"
She straightened and threw up her hands with an exaggerated huff.
"‘Hey Maka, sorry for being a big dumb idiot. Don’t worry though, I’m safe.’" she said, mimicking Hace’s voice with a mockingly dramatic flair. "I mean, is that so hard? And he’d still have like ten words left to explain stuff!"
She shook her head and sighed, a low ember of frustration still burning.
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"I mean, is that so hard? And he’d still have like ten words left to explain stuff!"
"I think it is hard for men, for some reason." says Quasit sympathetically. "I had two brothers. If there's anything they hate, it's dealing with emotionally difficult stuff, especially when they know they screwed up. Avoidance is always their first instinct, even if it's more work."
Thinking quickly, she changes the subject again as they approach the steps. "You know, we've been through practically this entire camp and haven't found a drop of liquor. All those hundreds of soldiers, and nothing? I wonder if that's something about this world, or if Rasputin was a prude as well as a maniac. Maybe people don't like alcohol in Russia. The plum wine is great, but I wouldn't mind celebrating with something stronger tonight."
"Ugh, boys!" Maka groaned, though her smile was already creeping back. "We should ask Zilvazaraat for a magic flask that refills with whiskey.
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"We should ask Zilvazaraat for a magic flask that refills with whiskey.
"Ooooh, that sounds like a terrible idea." laughs Quasit. "Endless free whiskey? I'd be a hopeless wreck inside a month. Besides, I was kind of curious what Russian liquor would taste like. What sort of whiskey or gin do they like? But like I say, maybe they just don't drink much here, poor sods."
"I didn't really like the Triaxian stuff. Tasted like pine needles."
Now mounting the steps, Quasit turns to Maka and makes a sshh sign with her hands and mouth, and attempts to climb the stairs quietly, just in case.
Maka stifled a laugh behind her hand at Quasit's comments and mimicked locking her lips shut. With the rings still tucked under one arm, she followed closely behind, her steps surprisingly light for someone so bruised and battered.
Quasit and Maka sneak up into the last remaining unexplored tower... and find a rather horrifying scene. Over a dozen soldiers lay sprawled on the floor, in some cases stacked on top of each other. All of them are very pale, hardly moving, with bites clearly visible on their necks. A few of their fellows in the edges of the round room look like they might be dead and, based on the smell, starting to rot.
Fin notes as he exits the structure that the thick clouds overhead, which had once crackled with supernatural lightning, are beginning to disperse. Sunlight begins to peek through the occasional gap in the clouds.
Looking around the camp, he identifies the buildings the group hadn't explored (I believe D7 and D8?). One is an old stone building, run-down and with a large, lightning-scarred tree growing up through its roof. He could swear the tree twitches as he approaches, but after some careful exploration, he sees no further movement from it. Within he finds something quite unexpected--gold, and a lot of it. Carefully arranged atop old wine casks are a magnificent gold chalice (worth 3200 gp), a dozen golden crucifixes (200 gp each), two reliquaries (one wirth 4800 gp, the other worth 600 gp), assorted jewlry worth 2000 gp in total, and a basket which contains some smaller bits of gold... which after some inspection he realizes are from tooth fillings, worth 1200 gp in total.
The other remaining building seems, from the hairs left behind, to have been the lair of the large furry humanoids that attacked you. Most of its contents are roughly-tanned furs arranged into nests, but they had apparently gathered a handful of treasures: an enameled cameo (800 gp), a gold plate (1000 gp), a pearl rosary (1400 gp), and a pair of fine glass-rimmed spectacles with green-tinted lenses (that radiates magic when it's checked for it).
Maka’s smile vanished the moment they crested the stairs and the stench hit her. Instinctively, her body tensed, and faint curls of fire rose from her shoulders. Her golden eyes swept over the grim scene as she moved among the soldiers, checking for pulses and any signs of awareness.
Most of the soldiers still live, but they've been partly drained of blood, starved, and dehydrated. None of them are in any kind of shape to move on their own power, and they're hardly concious of what's going on around them.
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Quasit freezes and looks over the scene and quickly understands what she's seeing.
"Pharasma wept. The vampires." she murmurs. Her hesitation is overcome by her pity and she moves up into the room and begins to do triage, separating the living from the dead.
"It's like that building with Dmitiri and the others." she says, her voice cracking with emotion. "Maka, your jug, it can make just plain water right? These men need fluids."
She then speaks to the conscious ones in Russian. "Rasputin is dead and his vampires are destroyed. We're going to get you out of here."
Leaving Maka for the moment to administer water to the soldiers, Quasit leaves to rush downstairs. Her hurried walk quickly morphs into a run and she races to find the others.
"Kal! Kal!" she calls out on leaving the door of the church. "In the turret... more vampire victims, drained almost to death. Some of them are dead. We need to... Maka's giving them water... we have to get them out of there... some of them are already dead, the rest practically are." She shakes her head, and stops the muddled words falling out of her mouth. She reaches Kalchine and takes him by the wrists as tears of shock and horror begin pouring out of her. She rubs at her eyes with her sleeve, and just keeps shaking her head.
"We have to help them. I don't think they've eaten in days either. We have to get them out of that tower."
Once Findurel and the others return, Quasit quickly fills them in on what's happening and begins organizing everyone into relief efforts.
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As Quasit fills him in, Fin nods and gets to work, the treasure he found suddenly not so important. Killed those three vampires all too quickly…they got off easy…should’ve made ‘em suffer for this…
He starts looking over the soldiers and finds them reminiscent of the ones they found in the camp barracks, with the exception of Dmitri…he uses his meager healing skills to look over the injured soldiers, trying to comfort and apply basic first aid to those he can, genuflecting over those he cannot…
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Quasit had barely listened to Findurel as he described the riches he'd found in the other buildings. "Why do they make all their things into crosses?" she muses.
But the discovery of the basket of gold fillings takes her dark mood and makes it positively murderous.
"What in the Nine Hells?" she seethes. She pushes a finger through the fillings, listening as they clink and click into one another. "This isn't just from a few dead soldiers. Someone was collecting these for years. Probably all those people they buried in that graveyard." She grimaces angrily and breathes out heavy and slow. This reminded her of Taldor, in all the worst ways.
"Cripes. I've lifted the odd coin or two in my day. To live, to get by. But these rich bastards, digging the gold out of people's dead mouths-- I guess priests are the same all over the multiverse. Vampires and thieves and hypocrites. It's enough to make you want to join the Galtan Revolution."
Winter barks at Quasit, points at the dead then pantomimes a screech and bite, then looks upwards and shields her eyes as if from a bright light.
Kalchine looks up at the blue but subdued sky overhead, the squats down and runs his fingers along the snow and frozen mud and earth, contemplating the strange feel of this world like a connoisseur sampling a new cuisine.
He rises to his feet as hears Quasit calling out for him.
"Ok, stay here in case the others need backup," Kalchine says when Quasit details the horrors within.
He heads inside at a trot and races up the stairs. The sight at the top gives him a moment of pause then becomes another triage wound in a depressingly long line of such places.
He uses his magic to Stablilize any of them who are on the brink of dying immediately then uses it again to Create Water in any relatively clean container he can find to give to them.
He also quickly separates them, unstacking the ones who've been barbarically laid on top of each other like sides of meat and also putting the living away from the dead.
