"Aye, c'mere lassie, let's have a see," Vallan says, motioning Dahlia over to the robot. He pokes it gently with his sword first to make sure that it stays motionless. If nothing happens he approaches it and studies it closely.
Dahlia walks over to the robot and thoroughly inspects it. "Interesting. This one is far more complete than any of the specimens that Khonnir has returned to the lab," she says. She then starts fiddling with plates, wires, and buttons on the thing.
<< | | | >>
As Vallan lightly pokes the machine, it suddenly lurches to life, surprising the group. It speaks in a dull, monotonous voice in an unknown language as it aims its shoulder-mounted cannon at Vallan. ”Praesent monendo infestantur unitas. Initializing modo se tutandi: alpha et sex ad octo. Domate et eliminare .”
Before Vallan can act, the robot shoots a net from the cannon, entangling him with a mesh made out of some strange material that is stronger and flexible than rope.
Acting with far quicker reflexes than the previous machine they had encountered, the robot then aims its shoulder cannon at Dahlia, who had approached the machine in hopes of fiddling with it before Vallan angered it. Like before, it entangles Dahlia in the same type of mesh that Vallan is currently covered by.
_____________________________________
21
13.3
Hoots groans, "Vallan, it thinks you're trying to molest it. You don't do that kind of thing to robots, do you? I know you non feathered types have unusual habits. Not that I judge."
Then to the robot, "Hey robot. APSTRAHO sese defendendi modus. Artifex est, hic ad auxilium!"
Meanwhile he works to cut Vallan out of his net, starting to undo one seam.
Groog walks in expecting a friend, but instead hears metal man yelling and cover Lady in string. Lady did not look like she liked the string.
"No string Lady! Lady no like!"
He then rushes up and wildly swings his axe at the machine.
__________
"Why you...!" Vallan says scrambling about in the net until his arms are relatively free. "You kinnae stop me with no wee net, bucketbrain!" he says to the robot, raising his glowing greatsword. He steps into a flaking position with Groog, and swings at the robot. His attack is somewhat clumsy. Maybe you can stop me with a net, but I'll never stop fighting! The dwarf breaks into a vigorous bout of cursing in his native tongue, then he notices the owl trying to free him and holds still. "Thankee."
Wil has no sooner cleared the entryway than the sound of swords and axes clashing against something else metallic ring out in the room. "The cat strays far from the hen in the appropriate season, indeed. I'm beginning to think you guys are destructive." He pulls out a dagger and begins helping to free Dahlia from her own entanglement.
"Ionsaigh!" Dahlia shouts, pointing at the robot. In response Snow leaps forward attempting to bite the thing. Meanwhile Dahlia tries to extricate herself from the net.
As Vallan lightly pokes the machine, it suddenly lurches to life, surprising the group. It speaks in a dull, monotonous voice in an unknown language as it aims its shoulder-mounted cannon at Vallan. ”Praesent monendo infestantur unitas. Initializing modo se tutandi: alpha et sex ad octo. Domate et eliminare .”
Before Vallan can act, the robot shoots a net from the cannon, entangling him with a mesh made out of some strange material that is stronger and flexible than rope.
Acting with far quicker reflexes than the previous machine they had encountered, the robot aims its shoulder cannon at Dahlia, who had approached the machine in hopes of fiddling with it before Vallan angered it. Like before, it entangles Dahlia in the same type of mesh that Vallan is currently covered by.
Hoots groans, "Vallan, it thinks you're trying to molest it. You don't do that kind of thing to robots, do you? I know you non feathered types have unusual habits. Not that I judge."
Then to the robot, "Hey robot. APSTRAHO sese defendendi modus. Artifex est, hic ad auxilium!"
Meanwhile he works to cut Vallan out of his net, starting to undo one seam.
Groog walks in expecting a friend, but instead hears metal man yelling and cover Lady in string. Lady did not look like she liked the string.
"No string Lady! Lady no like!"
He then rushes up and wildly swings his axe at the machine, missing.
"Why you...!" Vallan says scrambling about in the net until his arms are relatively free. "You kinnae stop me with no wee net, bucketbrain!" he says to the robot, raising his glowing greatsword. He steps into a flaking position with Groog, and swings at the robot. His attack is somewhat clumsy, but strikes true, cutting a nasty gash in the machine's metal body. Maybe you can stop me with a net, but I'll never stop fighting! The dwarf breaks into a vigorous bout of cursing in his native tongue, then he notices the owl trying to free him and holds still. "Thankee."
Wil has no sooner cleared the entryway than the sound of swords and axes clashing against something else metallic ring out in the room. "The cat strays far from the hen in the appropriate season, indeed. I'm beginning to think you guys are destructive." He pulls out a dagger and begins helping to free Dahlia from her own entanglement.
"Ionsaigh!" Dahlia shouts, pointing at the robot. In response Snow leaps forward attempting to bite the thing. Meanwhile Dahlia tries to extricate herself from the net but fails to do so.
<< | | | >>
”Lorem ipsum! Lorem ipsum! Unit accepit damnum! Sui cura ad operandum Nanite!” The gashes where both Vallan and Snow struck the robot begin to glow red along their edges and seem as if to regrow slowly, as if they were flesh. At Hoot’s command, the robot almost appears to glare at the gunslinger for a moment. ”Principiare voce praeceptum, voce recognitionem Dei. Campester of securitatem accessum habet alienum, monimentum. Vocem mandatum Dei. Hostis auctioris periculum, ad flavum gradu. Destinatum tellus.” The machine aims its cannon at Hoots and fires another net, entrapping the gunslinger much as it had Vallan and Dahlia. It then recognizes its precarious position between hostiles and steps back into the corner of the room.
”Initiating voice command: Voice recognition failed. User has unauthorized level of security access. Voice command failed. Target threat level increased to Yellow. Prioritizing Target.”
__________________________________________________________
Groog watches as Hoots gets covered in string just like Dorf and Lady. He then snarls at the Metal Man and swings his axe at it again furiously.
__________
Hoots squawks as the net hits him.
"Hey metalhead, now you've done it! Just wait. Groog is gonna smash you into a pile of pieces, aren't you Groog?"
Meanwhile he starts to work at his own net, finding the seam more difficult to cut apart than he'd anticipated.
Vallan will not let his hard work be undone by some gibberish speaking machine. So he swings his greatsword at the net, determined to get it off himself. Aint no bloody fish ta be trusled up innae no net!
Snow continues to try to savage the robot, raking a claw across the thing's face. Dahlia continues to try to escape the net, knowing that her walking staff will do nothing to it, but only succeeds in entangling herself further. "$%^# #@$% !%^# !@#$ ^%$@" she says, seeming to have picked up a few colorful words form her companions.
Wil continues sawing and hacking furiously at the strange net that keeps Dahlia restrained. "We should find who makes these things and get some for ourselves. Could someone ask the machine where he acquired them?"
”Lorem ipsum! Lorem ipsum! Unit accepit damnum! Sui cura ad operandum Nanite!” The gashes where both Vallan and Snow struck the robot begin to glow red along their edges and seem as if to regrow slowly, as if they were flesh. At Hoot’s command, the robot almost appears to glare at the gunslinger for a moment. ”Principiare voce praeceptum, voce recognitionem Dei. Campester of securitatem accessum habet alienum, monimentum. Vocem mandatum Dei. Hostis auctioris periculum, ad flavum gradu. Destinatum tellus.” The machine aims its cannon at Hoots and fires another net, entrapping the gunslinger much as it had Vallan and Dahlia. It then recognizes its precarious position between hostiles and steps back into the corner of the room.
Groog watches as Hoots gets covered in string just like Dorf and Lady. He then snarls at the Metal Man and swings his axe at it again furiously, missing. Again.
Hoots squawks as the net hits him.
"Hey metalhead, now you've done it! Just wait. Groog is gonna smash you into a pile of pieces, aren't you Groog?"
Meanwhile he starts to work at his own net, finding the seam more difficult to cut apart than he'd anticipated.
Vallan will not let his hard work be undone by some gibberish speaking machine. So he swings his greatsword at the net, determined to get it off himself. Aint no bloody fish ta be trusled up innae no net!
Snow continues to try to savage the robot, raking a claw across the thing's face. Dahlia continues to try to escape the net, knowing that her walking staff will do nothing to it, but only succeeds in entangling herself further. "$%^# #@$% !%^# !@#$ ^%$@" she says, seeming to have picked up a few colorful words from her companions.
<< | | | >>
The robot, taking more damage from the group, begins to beep and sputter in alarm as its structural integrity goes below 50%. It swings its arm at Vallan and connects with the dwarf’s face, knocking a few teeth out and knocking him unconscious. ”Hostis periculum gradu reducitur ad album. Transfiguratus peltas.”
_____________________________________________
Groog sees Dorf get punched. His face goes expressionless for but a moment, then contorts with rage.
"You no hurt pets!" he screams as he buries his axe in the things metal chassis.
He then calms, seeing it stop moving, and catches his breath before setting into it with his bare hands, tearing parts away and throwing them about the room.
__________
Pass
Vallan grunts softly and unconsciously lets out a long fart, rolling over to drool on the floor.
The moment Vallan hits the ground, Wil is up on his feet, eyes clouding over with a faint, vermilion sheen as his hands begin navigating unseen currents and threads. It's a simple exercise, despite the complex display, leaving most with the impression that he's playing a massive and invisible string instrument of some sort. The light around him begins to dampen momentarily, and then an imperceptible pulse washes over the room.
Vallan sits bolt upright. "Yaggh! My bonnie face! Where is it!? Lemme at it!" he blusters, rising to his feet in as quickly a manner a dwarvenly possible. Seeing that the robot has been Grooged already, he deflates a bit. OW! F%!+ing thing broke me jaw. Feels like half me teeth are missing. Despite being awake again, the dwarf's face is a swollen mass of green and purple bruising. "Dahlia love, you reckon you could give me a hit offa that wand we threw in fer? I don' exactly feel like I'm in fightin' form right nae."
As Groog buries his axe in the machine, the last of its beeping stops and it falls into a heap of metal, unmoving.
Dahlia steps forward after Bonnie channels and says, "I have him from here, can you help Hoots out of his net Bonnie?" She then pulls out the wand and activates it, infusing the devilish blood into Vallan, which causes his wounds to stitch together. She then walks over to Snow, scratching him behind the ears, and praising him in a 'baby-talk' voice, "You did great, Snow! Oh yes you did!"
With the machine dead, the group take a minute to recuperate as Vallan slowly heals. Dahlia searches the north, while Vallan searches the south; Meanwhile, Hoots searches the southern closed door.
Amidst the tangle of machinery and metal that was the robot, Dahlia finds two more nets; Along with the one Hootsible climbed out of, that leaves three workable ones remaining. While none of the group are able to appraise the nets’ value, one can easily see that they are made of higher quality material than your standard net.
Vallan, meanwhile, searching the southern rubble, finds a few interesting oddities. The first are a set of Grippers; powerful, long-handled tools not unlike a blacksmith’s tongs. The second item, Vallan can’t figure out, however. It is a small, handled device with a black grip and a long, pointy bit that ends in a very odd assortment of gadgets and widgets. Its quite obviously technological in nature, but isn’t a weapon. The third item on the list are a pair of silver disks; These silver disks, unlike normal ones, glow with a faint blue light along their inner lines. Despite his technical know-how, Vallan isn’t sure what this means.
Hootsible, finding the southern door closed, takes a good long examination of it and finds no way to open it. There appears to be a panel next to the door on the wall, but touching it does nothing, and trying to open the door with force proves difficult for the weak gunslinger.
____________________________
(Failure)
(Failure)
Vallan walks over and pulls out the key cards. "Maybe these keys work here..." he says, rubbing the cards over the panel and door, and trying to stick them into any cracks he sees.
Vallan realizes that the access cards should work here; The panel next to the door requires a simple touch by the access card to function. However, since there are no lights coming from the panel, perhaps there is something wrong with it?
"It's broken. Groog, SMASH!" Vallan says, pointing to the door. Sure hope he has a sharpening stone. That axe may as well be a club with that that boy puts it through.
Groog does as he's commanded and begins battering down the door with his axe. The metal is stronger than steel, but Groog's strength is even stronger. After nearly a minute of hacking and bashing, the door finally rips away enough for someone to get through.
Inside, they find naught but a collapsed chamber that ends shortly after it begins.
Vallan sighs as the work leads to nothing but rubble. He looks to the others to make sure they are ready and then moves into the next room.
Two strange machines sit to the north and south against the walls here, their faces appear similar to coils of metal tubes with several nozzle-like protrusions pointing into the room itself. Beyond, to the east, is a short stone tunnel filled with sand that curves northwards until it reaches a cave exit. Past the exit is more sand - and some sort of coral-like rock formation just outside the exit.
Vallan takes a moment to examine the machine, seeing if he can determine what it was meant to do. Having no clue, he shrugs and motions the others onward. He creeps forward as quietly as he can, hoping to get a better view of the chamber ahead.
Unable to understand what the machines on either side of the room are for, Vallan shrugs and heads out into the cavern, moving as quietly as he can - which isn’t very quiet. Nearing the exit of the cave, Vallan suddenly feels the sand go mushy beneath his feet. For a briefest of seconds he spots a tentacle amidst the coral formation, but it’s gone before he can examine it. Meanwhile, he begins to sink in the mushy, gooey sand..
<< | | | >>
Vallan shouts out a warning as he sees something in the coral formation, but it quickly hides itself.
__________________________________
11
15.3
(Failure)
(Failure)
(Failure)
(Failure)
(Failure)
Vallan quickly moves into the room. "There's summat in the coral! Careful, the ground is soft." He calls upon the power of Gorum to bless himself after making room for others in the chamber. What have you sent me to battle now, Lord? Vallan shouts at the coral "Will ye fight?!"
Groog will blindly walk opposite Valan, peeking into the coral as he does so, axe at the ready.
__________
Vallan quickly moves into the room. "There's summat in the coral! Careful, the ground is soft." He calls upon the power of Gorum to bless himself after making room for others in the chamber. What have you sent me to battle now, Lord? Vallan shouts at the coral "Will ye fight?!"
Groog blindly walks opposite Valan, peeking into the coral as he does so, axe at the ready. As he gets closer to it, his heavy weight causes him to sink into the sand, where he finds it sticky, gooey, and slimey. Although entangled, he wades through the slime and goes around the rock formation, giggling as he does so.
”Uh, Ah don’ see anythin-” Hoots manages to say before numerous tentacles burst forth from the coral formation. Having readied a shot, he fires, striking the creature in an exposed tentacle.
The creature, in pain, swacks at Groog with its uninjured tentacle, hitting him across the face, before withdrawing in pain back into its carapace.
______________________________________________
Fail
Vallan curses as he sinks into the mud, and then tries to crack open the thing's shell with his greatsword. "Come out you cowardly squid!"
Hoots grabs another bullet and packs it into his revolver with more black powder, preparing to fire again.
"Where'd that varmint go? I'll shoot 'im again as soon as he pops up!"
Groog stops giggling the moment he gets slapped by a worm. He roars at the shell, and then proceeds to drive his axe down into the shell.
__________
Vallan curses as he sinks into the mud, and then tries to crack open the thing's shell with his greatsword. "Come out you cowardly squid!"
Hoots grabs another bullet and packs it into his revolver with more black powder, preparing to fire again.
"Where'd that varmint go? I'll shoot 'im again as soon as he pops up!"
Groog stops giggling the moment he gets slapped by a worm. He roars at the shell, and then proceeds to drive his axe down into the shell, destroying it and revealing the soft, chewy center within.
Bonnie shuffles his way towards the newly revealed.. thing made out of tentacles and avoids an attack from one of the tentacles. He then brings his mace down and smashes the creature’s slimey body with his mace.
The creature, injured by its assailants, lashes out with its two largest tentacles, attempting to hit both Vallan and Groog, who are both entangled in the slime. However, due to its pain, it misses both attacks.
<< | | | >>
___________________________________________
Groog slips further into the sand, but roars in defiance and pulls himself free.
__________
Trying to end the thing, Hoots levels his pistol at it, aims carefully, pulls the trigger...and hears the ugly bang of his gun misfiring.
Brushing the powder from his face, Hoots curses up a storm as he prepares to clear out the jammed bullet.
"Ah! It's probin' me arse! Tentacled terror in me bleedin' anus!" Vallan cries as tentacles invade his nethers. He takes advantage of the fact that Groog has shattered its shell and attacks with all he's got. Ye coulda at least bought me a pint first!
With Vallan's stroke of his sword coming down upon the creature's unshelled tentacles and soft flesh, the creature gurgles in its death throes and goes limp, no longer a bother to anyone. With a few moments, Vallan drags himself out of the slimey, sticky sand and finds himself covered up to the waist in it. Groog, meanwhile, had gotten covered up to his shoulders and has sand chafing everywhere.
"Ack!" Vallan says, rubbing his bum. What 'ave we got here? It's a bloody desert. Vallan spits on the tentacled beastie, and then takes a good look around, trying to ascertain the size of this apparent desert.
The cave opens up into what appears to be a vast, open desert with a starless night sky. To the west, a rock formation rises to about fifty feet before ending; after that, Vallan can only see a short ways, and all he sees is a grey-metal wall that rises beyond his darkvision. To the north, east, and south-east is naught but sand, with the occasional bit of spiky metal or dead fronds that look like branches jutting up from time to time.
What appears to be a path lays before them, as well; the path in the sand starts from the cavern they just left and snakes eastwards. It appears relatively recent.
"What in all the hells!? How can all o' this be unnerground?" Vallan wonders alound, before wandering down the path. He assumes the others will follow, and he's too curious to wait for long. This is certainly the strangest day I've ever had.
<< | | | >>
As Vallan leads the group further into the desert, following the trail laid out before them, he is surprised when a figure rises from the sand. The four-armed creature is missing almost all of its flesh beyond a few bits of leathery sinew. Its head is elongated and although humanoid, it is unlike any humanoid the group has seen. As it rises, its eyes begin to glow with an eerie green light.
__________________________________________________________
(Success)
(Failure)
(Success)
(Success)
(Failure)
(Failure)
17
12.3