"I've been spent since the first few fights. I can always practice my crossbow work, but..."
Coen also does a quick sweep with detect magic over the room and gear.
Nothing in the room appears to be magical.
"The Technic League calls this weapon a Neural Inhibitor. It shocks your very mind, making it hard for you to think clearly, in addition to being a seriously painful weapon. I speak from recently gained experience."
He raises an eyebrow at Holg's evangelizing.
"Gorum's not the only god in need of capable warriors. The Inheritor smiles on any sword-arm who wants to swing theirs for justice in this world, and not just for fighting's sake," he says with a smile. He wasn't planning on debating theology with Holg, but he couldn't let that slip without some good-natured ribbing.
Then he turns to Kaska.
"Would you like to use this, or may I keep it? I'll admit to enjoying the irony of using a weapon knowing firsthand what it can do, and using it against its former masters."
Then he frowns.
"That reminds me. How did a Gearsman get DOWN here? Sanvil Trett didn't bring it with him, or we would have fought it back when he ambushed us, and he's the only agent of the League IN Torch, as far as we know."
Holg laughs kindly at Fireday "I guess there are many wars to fought in this world. Well done for the Inheritor too" the Kellid offers to cross his sword with the warpriest.
Appreciating Coen's ware despite his visible effort and not willing to place the weight on the young man, Holg points back to the entrance "I actually feel tired myself. We have seen a corridor there on the entrance. Perhaps we can find a quite place to rest for some hours"
"I wonder myself what is all this stuff we found here. Including that machine the robots are working on. I fear it has nothing to do with Sanvil Trett, these ruins seem to have been here for long time now"
Fireday extends his swordstaff to cross it with Holg's sword.
"Should we try to make camp down here? Our enemy may decide to go on the offensive and strike while we're vulnerable."
All of the sudden attention makes Kaska shy and tongue-tied. It's not something she's used to, and she doesn't know how to respond.
She simply expresses her conviction "we were lucky this time, Desna guided my hand."
"We need to find better ways to pierce machine shells. Coen can you do that with magic? If you can, I think we should wait until his magic fills up again."
When Fireday asks about keeping the club, Kaska nods affirmatively.
Holg nods to Fireday "We should look for a hidden place and try to avoid leaving any track they could otherwise follow"
The Kellid does not know the place as well as his mates, but he is sure they have past through some calm and hidden areas of the ruins where they can rest safe enough.
"Are you suggesting that Gearsman has been down here this whole time? I thought the Technic League made them. Were they just something else the League stole and re-purposed for their own ends?"
Fireday secures the neural inhibitor to his belt.
"In time we can probably figure out a way to fix this thing up. That way we can continue to use it instead of melt it down for scrap at the end. You're right that we should see about securing adamant weaponry, though. If we'll be fighting these things often, and I expect we will, they'll be essential."
Holg shrugs at Fireday "I guess they could have stolen that knowledge. I am in fact curious about all this. It is my believe all those creatures are gifts of the Lord in Iron sent for us to fight and enlightenment to reach a new order in his life"
"I think we should make shifts while we rest. I can take the first one." the Kellid brings up a package with cheese and wine and offers it a bit to the others.
Holg casts magic weapon and opens the door ready to keep the fight going.
"We should rest, either here or back in town. The cantrips I've been using aren't as effective as normal spells against machines or anything else."
Thinking for a bit Coen continues, "About the gearsman, the skinks and townspeople never mentioned one being with the orcs and gnolls earlier. So why would you carry something this size when it walks by itself? That means it either came in through a different route, or it's been here."
Looking for a good place to rest, you take the elevator down to the lower level and choose one of the rooms that have only one entrance. You barricade the doors and set up watch shifts to make sure no enemies attack, but fortunately, the night passes without interruption. You awaken refreshed and ready to finish your quest.
While you are down on this deck, you remember a security bin that needed a white access card to open. Now that you have a card, you are able to unlock it and claim the treasures inside. There are four grenades (two of one type, and one each of two more types), a suit of armor, and timeworn gun.
Fireday identifies one of the single grenades as a flash grenade, while both he and Kaska recognize the armor as neraplast armor.
A flash grenade blinds all creatures in a 20-foot radius (Fort DC 15 negates).
This lightweight, formfitting bodysuit features a variety of pockets, straps, and a built-in interface for automatically adjusting the various colors and patterns on its fabric. Selecting a color or pattern is a full-round action that consumes 1 charge and provokes an attack of opportunity. Capable of cycling through dozens of hues, the armor can even be used to adopt sophisticated camouflage patterns that grant a +3 competence bonus on Stealth checks. Whenever the wearer enters a terrain of significantly different coloration and background patterns, the armor must be recalibrated to its current area to maintain this bonus.
After waking up refreshed and restored, Fireday approaches Coen.
"Coen, can you cast the prestidigitation cantrip? I was hoping to clean up a bit before we continue to fight."
After examining and identifying some of the treasures they've found, he thinks a bit.
"While this armor is interesting, I'd prefer something a little more substantial. This only provides protection equivalent to a suit of leathers. In fact, I think most of us prefer sturdier armor, apart from Coen, whose casting it would interfere with it."
"We can sell the armor once we come back to town then" Holg hands the grenade to Viv "You say you can make this explode? I would love to see that done" he grins.
After finishing his shift but before going to sleep, the Kellid channels the rest of the remaining energy to fully heal the party.
Once the group comes back to the inner ruins, and before venturing in the next section, Holg casts some spells on the group: first, magic weapon on his greatsword, then shield of faith on Kaska, and finally bull's strength on Fireday "With this you will be more powerful in combat for a time. But let's speed up because it will not last"
Fireday nods.
"Thank you, Holg. With both Gorum and Iomedae granting us their blessings, we will truly be a force to fear."
He takes the opportunity to cast his own spells to bolster himself and the others.
Coen is more than willing to clean anyone using prestidigitation early in the morning.
"I'm not really sure how to make this explode," says Viv, "but I can hurl it with great force. If Kaska understands how to trigger its innate properties then maybe she can tell it to go BOOM after I fling it with my kinesis," says Viv with her lopsided grin.
"I could maybe use that armor though," she adds. She purses her lips. "Hmm. Probably not a favorable comparison to what I have now. But it looks so smoooooth." Her nose wrinkles in the throes of a fashion crisis.
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Once you are ready, you return to the upper deck. The persistent thrumming sound grows louder as you approach the final set of doors. After casting various spells, you use the white keycard to unlock the doors.
Panels of blinking lights and machinery line the walls of this chamber, but the true spectacle here is the massive machine of metal that looms against the far wall on a ten-foot-high platform. Two immense cylinders of pulsing violet light throb at the machine's core, while above a thinner cylinder extends through the ceiling. Ladders to the north and south provide access to the machine's platform, while at the center, a smaller machine with several metal spikes protruding from its heart extends from the larger one. The entire room vibrates with a roaring thunder, and the air feels strangely alive, almost as if it were vibrating as well.
One of the flying robots you encountered before is in here, alongside a purple-haired android. She wears a chain shirt and brandishes a glowing red pistol. This can only be Meyanda, the architect of all of Torch's troubles.
"I have been waiting for you to finally arrive!" she shouts over the roaring machine. "You who have dismantled our operation here, piece-by-piece! You who threaten my sacred task! It's time I put a stop to your interference! By fire, you shall be cleansed, and the power will flow once more. In the name of the one true god, Hellion!"
Before you can react, she grasps a holy symbol of a clawed hand about her neck and chants a prayer. A burst of sound blasts you all, the tremendous cacophony thratening to stun you! She then moves to take cover on the platform. The robot flies in front of the android and fires at Holg with its stun gun, blasting the cleric with sonic energy.
"Gah!" says Viv as the team is blasted, apparently having decided that she's fine with her current armor.
Apparently the sudden vertigo is no good for her aim.
Hold is surprised by the impact of the sound blast followed by the stun pistol push.
The Kellid greatsword falls to the ground as he gets stunned trying to hold his head by the ears with visible pain.
Fireday grits his teeth, reminded of the noise back in the warehouse in Torch and he's ready for the blast of sound. What strikes him is the symbol she's wearing, matching that odd shrine the gargoyle had. And now he had a name to put to it: Hellion.
"It is androids like you that cause humans to fear and hate us! They already fear us as infiltrators and spies, even while the Technic League butchers us to study us! Of all the gods you choose to serve, you choose something literally named "Hellion?!" Whatever god or demon it is, Iomedae's righteousness burns hotter!"
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Fireday touches Kaska's shoulder.
"Inheritor! Help my sword-sister to open her war mind!"
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"You worship a god of the very same humans who hate us! I choose to serve a god created in our own image. An iron god! Soon the promised day will come, when the scourge of flesh has been wiped from this world and machines will rule! Too bad you won't be around to see it!" Meyanda shouts.
Kaska starts to run for the ladder, but is stopped in her tracks by the blast of sound.
Fireday holds back to support Kaska. If they advanced, they'd advance together.
Coen winces and staggers as blood leaks from his ears
While most of you are stunned by the sound burst, Viv and Fireday manage to resist. The former fires an errant blast into the ceiling while the latter grants Kaska Iomedae's blessing of war.
Meyanda casts another spell, blasting Fireday with a ray of searing light. She directs the robot to change targets as well, and it fires its stun gun at the android.
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Coen will continue to clutch his head and concentrate readying a flight of magic to interrupt Meyanda's next action.
Although her ears are ringing badly, Kaska sprints for the ladder.
"Brr! That was terrible!" Holg still grimaces trying to clean his head from the blasting sound "You must be the woman we are looking for. I do not give a s&*& for your god dealings, but you must stop draining Torch's torch now!"
Sure the words will not be enough to convince her, the gorumite presents his holy symbol of a mountain crossed by a broad greatsword and casts burst of radiance. A flash of light appears just over the machine engulfing also Meyanda and the robot overloading their light sensors.
The Kellid kneels a moment to pick up his greatsword from the ground, then steps to the front ready to advance with the others.
While most of you are stunned by the sound burst, Viv and Fireday manage to resist. The former fires an errant blast into the ceiling while the latter grants Kaska Iomedae's blessing of war.
Meyanda casts another spell, blasting Fireday with a ray of searing light. She directs the robot to change targets as well, and it fires its stun gun at the android.
[dice=Searing Light (Touch)]1d20+6; 2d8
[dice=Stun Gun (Touch)]1d20+5; 1d8
Fireday grunts in pain as he's hit by both attacks, but keeps going, following after Kaska to climb after Meyanda and the robot.
As is her wont, Viv concentrates and fires another small ball of lead that speeds through the air toward the angry android cultist with a crack.
As he climbs the ladder, Fireday mutters a prayer to Iomedae to steel his body for the fight to come.
As Kaska clambers up the ladder and moves in to attack, the robot slams into her with bone-crushing force.
Viv hurls another sling bullet at Meyanda, but a shimmering field of magic around her deflects it at the last second!
As Coen readies a spell, Fireday lays hands on himself to mend his injuries before hustling to keep up with Kaska.
Holg picks up his sword and casts a spell, filling the upper level with blinding light. The robot's optical sensor darkens as it is briefly overwhelmed. Meyanda shields her eyes but grunts as the light singes her synthetic skin.
Meyanda commands the robot to attack Kaska again. It lands another solid blow before moving to provide cover for Meyanda. The android then backs into the corner by the thrumming reactor and casts a spell, but Coen casts his own spell and sends two magic missiles streaking towards her. They burn into her, but she maintains her concentration and completes her prayer, trying to confuse Kaska!
Observing Kaska's and Fireday's bad shape, Holg presents his holy symbol "Gorum give us back the strength to keep this fight 'til tha end!"
The positive energy wave reaches up to Kaska without touching neither robot, nor android, healing most of the group's wounds. Holg's skin seems to shimmer and suffer under the healing burst.
The Kellid then moves forward and starts his own climb of the ladder after Fireday "Don't be shy Fireday! This is our turn to overwhelm them!"
Viv purses her lips, concentrates, and hurls another bolt, but this time she spins and twists her torso as she does so, coming down into a hunched pose like someone hurling a rock with all their might. Her sling bullet scorches through the air toward the enemy android.
Kaska shakes off the android's attempt to cloud her mind, but can't get past the flying robot to her. Worse, she can't land a blow of the robot.
Fireday finishes ascending the ladder and leaps into the fray with Kaska, spinning his weapon to strike at the robot.
Attempting to stifle a stray thought about whether it matters if your combat style is predictable if everyone who has ever fought you is dead... Coen moves closer and continues to focus his fire on the android.
Kaska fends off the confusion, but the robot's gyros whir as it dodges her swing.
Viv hurls a bullet that strikes Meyanda like a bowling ball. She grunts and staggers back, but maintains her footing.
Fireday climbs up the ladder and swings his monk's spade at the robot, clobbering it and knocking it off-balance.
Holg channels positive energy to heal the group.
Coen blasts Meyanda with a pair of magic missiles, badly wounding her!
The robot swings at Kaska, but its blindness causes it to miss!
Meyanda takes aim with her pistol and fires. A blob of molten, red-hot material glows at the end of the gun and shoots a burning pellet of fire with a soft hissing sound. It strikes Kaska, burning her badly!
"Remember to take Meyanda alive!" Fireday cries as he takes another pair of swings at the robot. The sooner they could get it out of the way, the sooner they could take out Meyanda.
"Sorry Viv, I have to get on spot!" Holg smiles bravely and climbs the stairs to reach the robot with his greatsword. He raises a prayer to Gorum as he slashes through the blinded construct "Give destruction to this heretic iron creature!"
The burn from the pistol forces a yowl from Kaska. She tries again to bat away the robot so she can get at the android woman.
PWING! Another lead bead bounces off the hull of the ship.
"Oops! Sorry Viv" shouts back Holg again as he notices he is hindering Viv's aim.