Fireday raises an eyebrow.
"Isn't this thing a greatsword? It looks like one, Kulgara wielded it like one, it felt like one when it hit me...it's like a super-greatsword!"
"It has a power cell and it makes the chain bit go around really fast, so it is, uh, the metal grinding away at you at speed," says Viv. "Like, um, a saw blade that someone's sawing back and forth, except it's on a loop and just keeps going and going."
Holg examines the room from which Kulgara emerged. The eastern half of this room appears to be some sort of workshop, with all manner of metalworking tools hanging from the walls over junk-strewn tables. To the west, a sagging cot sits against a partially crumpled metal wall next to a two-foot-tall metal cabinet. Dozens of empty tubes from which strange fluids drip lie in a heap atop the chest. What looks like a partially completed and crudely constructed mechanical orc marionette or machine slumps against a metal cage-like frame at the foot of the cot.
Among the trash heaped atop the squat cabinet next to the cot are 12 unused goo tubes and two vials of cureall. The cabinet is locked, but the green access card opens it. Inside the cabinet is a +1 icy burst dagger, a heap of 244 silverdisks, a pouch containing 17 cracked and flawed gemstones worth 50 gp each, a green e-pick, a timeworn hard light shield, and a loosely organized stack of papers held in a metal binder. The contents of this binder are part journal, part to-do list, and part notebook.
It will take some time to read over the journals and learn the relevant information contained within.
"Look, there are some things that might be of interest here" Holg passes the journals to Coen for later reading, then offers the dagger to Kaska "This seems like interesting stuff, do you want it Kaska? And there is also this shield here..."
"Ok, I think we should move on before our blessings expire" the Kellid picks up the new green e-pick "Do you think this one may open the locked room? Let's try out!"
If no one opposes, Holg will try out the new e-pick on the corridor door. If that does not work, he will try with the doors to the south and the north of the large room. As usual, he casts divine guidance before opening any door.
Fireday takes a closer look at the "puppet" in the room, trying to figure out what exactly it is and what it's for.
Fireday thinks somebody was trying to create some sort of orc-shaped robot in this room, but those efforts were doomed to failure. There's no way the poorly-constructed creation would ever be functional.
Holg lacks the technological know-how to use the e-pick on the door, but the access card taken from Kulgara works just fine. The walls of this chamber are obscured by banks of mechanical devices, flashing lights, and panels displaying messages in an alien script, images, and mysterious markings that shift and change with astonishing speed. The air is warm and smells slightly metallic, while a high-pitched drone emanates from all corners of the room.
Four small robots scurry about this room. They are reminiscent of beetle with a pair of pincers extending from the front of their bodies. They quickly orient their sensors on you and scramble to defend the room!
At the same time, Hellion's angry face fills the monitors in this room. *I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DESTROY EVERYTHING I HAVE WORKED TOWARDS HERE. YOU MUST DIE.*
"What are those now?" not knowing what to think about the new finding, Holg stays in position while casting bless. Gorum's mantle emboldens everyone's heart.
The cleric remains by the door ready to block any incoming attacks.
Coen summons an aggressive thundercloud halfway into the room and then causes it to collide with one of the machines on the southern part of the room.
Kaska squeezes past Holg and attacks the closest of the robots, trying to clear a way into the room for everyone.
Fireday advances into the room, glaring at Hellion's image on the monitors as he tries to remember if these new foes were something he'd heard of before.
Then he swings at the one Kaska struck, at hoping to remove at least one foe quickly.
"Be SILENT!" he yells at Hellion.
Fireday recognizes these constructs as observer robots. Designed for reconnaissance, observer robots are deployed to serve as the eyes and ears of their controllers. They can record audio and video and transmit them to another location. They have integrated laser torches and stun guns. Like most robots, they are vulnerable to electricity.
Holg blesses the party, then Coen summons a thundercloud over one of the robots. Unfortunately, the tiny creature dodges the blast of lightning. Kaska swings on another robot, but her blade scrapes harmlessly against its metallic shell. Fireday scores one good hit, slightly damaging the robot.
The robots scurry forward as they surround Fireday. Arms extend from their bodies and suddenly flare with brilliant light as they sear the android with their laser torches!
Hellion's face in the monitors seems to swell larger momentarily as magic washes over you, threatening to leave you confused!
Holg feels his head to spin but shrugs out the confusing ideas going through his mind.
"Damned Hellion! Do not hope to get anything good from this!" showing off his holy symbol Holg calls for Gorum's burst of radiance "I am going to try confuse those laser sensors!" A radiant blast of divine bright light fills the room taking the four robots!
As usual, Viv is unable to shrug off anything that the enemy does.
She directs one of her few remaining metal shards at one of the eyebots harassing Fireday.
Suddenly Kaska can't remember where she is, what she's supposed to be doing, or what is going on around her. She lashes out at the odd bug thing in front of her because it's shorter.
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Fireday feels the madness assaulting his mind, but stands firm.
"My faith guards my mind, Hellion! You have no power over me!"
Knowing his wounds would likely kill him if he didn't act fast, he calls on Iomedae to keep him alive.
Then he lashes out at the robot next to him, hoping to break out of being surrounded and get out of Kaska's way.
Coen shrugs off the wave of mental pressure and directs the thundercloud in another attempt to collide with a robot. He also casts magic missiles into striking the robot on the end.
Viv's bullet pings harmlessly off her target's metal shell. Holg's burst of light overloads the optical sensors of three of the robots, temporarily blinding them. Coen blasts the robot Fireday damaged with magic missiles, destroying it, but the other robot dodges his thundercloud. Fireday and Kaska attack, the latter scoring a good hit and badly damaging a robot.
The remaining three continue to focus their attacks on Fireday. Two of them hit, despite their blindness, burning the android.
Observing the lasers dealing terrible damage on Fireday, Holg casts communal resist energy versus and touches himself, then advances into the room touching Kaska and finally Fireday.
Fireday finds his strength flagging again, but is bolstered when Holg blesses him. He calls on Iomedae to keep him going.
He then strikes back at the robot before him.
Kaska continues to hack way at the shinier moving things because they are small. She is not sure why they are so offensive, but they are.
Viv draws another one of her metal shards, then stabs it into her own face.
Coen directs the thundercloud to attempt to impact the small robot closest to it.
He otherwise does not have line of sight and cannot move past Viv who is stabbing herself or closer to the berserk Kaska.
Viv slashes at her own face in confusion. Holg wards some of you against fire, and the robot Coen's cloud targets dodges its electric bolts once more. Fireday's glancing strike doesn't harm the robot he attacks, but Kaska's devastating assault destroys two of the remaining three enemies!
The final robot orients on Holg and zaps him with its laser torch, but his spell renders him immune to the burning beam!
Holg stumbles with the strange engineering controls around when the laser hits him with no effect.
"Fireday get away from Kaska before it is too late!" Holg observes with concern as the Kellid woman destroys one robot after he other.
The man grasps his sword with strength and attempts on the final one "Gorum smite our enemies!"
Hearing Holg's words, Fireday takes advantage of the opening Kaska has inadvertently made to cross the room, hopefully out of harm's way.
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Holg shatters the final robot into a mangled mess of metallic parts. With the other threats neutralized, the rest of you are able to restrain Kaska and Viv until the confusion runs its course.
Hellion glares angrily at you from the monitors in the room. *YOUR ATTEMPTS AT RESISTANCE ARE FUTILE. YOU ARE BUT INSECTS. I AM A GOD.*
Viv eventually comes to her senses. She looks over the shard in her hand, then puts it back in her belt. A moment later she touches her face, which comes away blue with android fluid.
"Why is my face bleeding?" she asks off-handedly, but pauses as she surveys the strange monitors.
"Wait, never mind. This is the machine that Hellion's trying to control. We could blow it up or put the control crystal on it to stop Hellion from being able to affect it. Um, I'm not sure how it works, so maybe shutting it down is safer?"
Holg sets himself in a defensive position and attempts to defend himself from Kaska while he shouts at her until she fortunately recovers herself "Its us Kaska!"
Once the place comes back to calm, the Kellid raises his holly symbol to channel energy and heal the groups wounds.
If anyone needs more healing, he uses the cure wand on them.
"You say this is a control machine for Hellion?" Holg observes the strange controls "Well, if destroying is an option, so much the better than any other option. Let's shatter this vile machine to the name of Gorum!"
"No, other way around, Hellion is trying to control the machine for some reason. Blowing it up might be dangerous! It might blow up this whole place, maybe a big chunk of Scrapwall! We should use the inhibitor to turn it off," says Viv.
Fireday breathes a sigh of relief as the fight ends, but then glares at Hellion's image on the monitors.
"Blow all the hot air you want, you delusional brute. You are no god."
When Viv asks about her face, he explains plainly.
"Hellion's magic messed with your head and you stabbed your own face in your confusion."
He gratefully accepts Holg's gift of healing, and listens to the discussion on what to do.
"I agree with Viv. And I can't help but feel a dark sense of satisfaction that the technology that granted Hellion power should also be his undoing."
Viv dabs the injury on her face and says, "I cut my own face?!? The only time I ever heard of someone doing that was a doxy in... well, never mind. At least I didn't cut out my eye or something."
"I'm glad you're alright as well. Let's show Hellion how hollow his power truly is. May I do the honors?"
Viv nods and moves to examine the machinery, looking for an input port for the inhibitor.
Viv discovers the proper input port and attaches the inhibitor facet to the machine's central processor. Hellion's face in the monitors distorts as he lets out an electronic groan. *NO! WH-WH-WHAT DID YOU DooOOOoo TO ME-e-e-E?* he slurs and stutters. The monitors abruptly go dark.
Viv guesses that Hellion has cut his connection to the central processor. The effects of the inhibitor should still last for a short time. If you hurry, you'll be able to confront Hellion at a severe disadvantage!
"Yes, you cut your face Viv. There is no shame on that, there were magics on the go" the man observes Viv's face for a second "And honestly that scar does you well. I find it much more attractive"
When the decision is taken he exclaims "What a lost opportunity to destroy a machine" Holg lowers his greatsword in a more relaxed position "I must explain you on Gorum's teachings on the benefits of destroying this kind of machines"
But the Kellid seems satisfied when Viv shuts down the machine and Hellion becomes angry for it "So the false god is crippled now? Let's go and find him!"
As the group agrees to continue, Holg moves to open more doors after letting Kaska or others find traps on them.
The other rooms around the central chamber here contain only stores of food and water for Hellion's minions. To the east, the doors open onto a wide balcony overlooking the cave far below.
To the west, a large, dank cave sprawls. An immense trestle of metal beams and struts extends from the side of the structure and into the wall opposite, while a stone ramp winds from a metal landing along the side of the structure down into the cave depths below.
Holg takes a hand of water and drinks, then quickly refreshes himself splashing the water onto his face "No. Hellion is not here. Let's try with the doors at the sides before our spells fade out"
The Kellid opens the door to the west and starts descending through the metal landing structure into the cave depths below. He swings his greatsword in advance, lighting the area with the flaming continual flame on the blade.
As they examine the rooms, Fireday says a few prayers to Iomedae to give him the strength to finish the fight.
After he does this, he follows Holg looking around.
You descend down the ramp to the cave floor thirty feet below. Two tunnels lead away from this chamber--one to the north and one to the south. Neither Holg nor Fireday notice anything unusual.
Coen follows cautiously using a light spell to find his way.
The flaming light of Holg's blade casts shadows on the walls of the cavern. The man looks south and north undecided "It would seem the Lords of Rust and their minions have finally realized about the falsehood of their god and left..."
"Where now?" the Kellid waves his sword trying to see far to the south "I think I prefer to start North. What do you think?" Holg casts divine guidance and then starts walking towards the northern corner of the room, letting the light guide him.
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Viv says skeptically to Holg, "Not a lot of guys find scars fetching on their ladies. There are a few... mostly the kind who like to make 'em."
She dabs at her cheek as the blue bleeding stops and then flips her steel shank around, wipes it off, and rolls it between her knuckles.
"Welp. Time's a-wastin'."
"North's as good a direction as any."
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Fireday nods. "I agree with North," he says.
The northern wall of this cave bears a crude but still unsettling cave painting of a strange, four-armed red fiend rising up from a mass of what look like dead bodies—whatever eerie pigment has been used for this painting glows faintly in the dark. A dozen real bodies of orcs and ratfolk and a few humans lie heaped against the base of the wall below the painting. The torso of each decaying carcass is split open, as if it exploded from within.
A tunnel leads to the east.
Fireday grimaces at the sight of the painting.
"What do you think? A sacrificial icon? A warning?"
He has no idea what it depicts.
Holg has had some experiences with mysteries and creatures of other planes of existence, but he has never been the kind of scholar, the man looks clueless at the paintings "Strange paintings... they glow in the dark... what would they mean?" he looks at Coen hopeful.
Convening with Fireday "Both a sacrificial icon and a warning. Did you see the corpses? It is like if they exploded from inside" Holg points at the dead carcasses.
"We have no time to lose. Hellion could soon recover from the hit Viv imparted him. Let's go!" with no other way to go, the Gorum sacred warrior advances to the east, casting light with the continual flame at his sword.
This long, narrow cavern has a twenty-five-foot-high ceiling adorned with hundreds of stalactites. The cave floor slopes downward to the east. Patches of strange fungi and lichen cling to the walls and floor—between these patches on the cave walls, strange words have been scratched into the stone. On the south wall, portions of a buried metal structure protrude from the stone, particularly in the middle where a wide metal ledge rises fifteen feet off the ground to support a nest made of bones woven together by pale strips of supple leather and cords of braided hair. Two panels of glass, both smashed to fragments, once hung from the lower walls of the metal balcony.
As you look about the cave, a creature staggers out of the shadows. This flame-red humanoid appears to be a strange mix of insect and reptile, with four arms and twitching, fanged mandibles. It wears mithral bracers and grips two longswords and a laser torch. It movements are awkward, as if it is in great pain.
"Hellion has told me you were coming," it growls in a throaty feminine voice. "But I need not be your enemy, if you can help me. I am Zagmaander. For centuries, a curse has kept me trapped on your plane of existence, causing me immeasurable pain. I only agreed to work with the Lord of Rust because their priestess Meyanda promised she could remove my affliction. But Meyanda has vanished, and with her, my hopes."
The creature gestures to the broken monitors. "Hellion will not know of our dealings. If you can lift my curse, I'll help you however you wish. I can offer my bracers and torch to you as a reward."
Kaska keeps quiet for a long time after her recovery. Having to be told by the other what happened to her and what she did leaves her both chastened and unnerved. While nothing terrible happened, it was only chance that it didn't. She has to wonder if her companions are really safe with her around. Much like the terrible and painful wounding Hellion has visited on them through the screens each time they have come to this place, Hellion might do again what he has done before.
As Kaska looks at the the four-armed demon speaking to them, she raises the birdlike zoic fetish she wears around her neck to her lips and kisses it for protection.
Holg reels at the appearance of the four-armed creature "I have never done it, but I am pretty confident Gorum would grant me the blessing to lift your curse provided there is a good reason to do it" the Kellid grasps his holly symbol and shows it to the red one "Gorum blesses those who honor clean combat, I am sure he will let me help you if you fight alongside us against Hellion. But how do we know we can trust you Zagmaander?"