Jamros blasts the remaining golem, which catches the full force of the blast and ignites.
Still up (and burning), the golem pursues Jamros (5 foot step to -M15) and strikes him with its pick .
Gareth swings at the flaming golem. "Stay away from my halfling friend, you piece of s@+*!"
Attack:
Damage:
The remaining golem drops.
Gareth lets out a large sigh of relief and turns to Jamros, "You alright? Here, c'mon, let's help the others pull through." He takes care to retrieve his dropped bow, sheathe his greatsword, and hands Jamros back the wand.
As he starts to walk towards the unconscious Pygrado and Martin, he briefly turns back towards the unscathed Caladrius and shakes his head, "Coast is clear, bud."
When everyone is gathered around, he kneels on one knee, closes his eyes and mutters a short prayer, "To Cayden Cailean, may you lend us your strength, so we may live on to laugh in the face of evil and tyranny. May we never let any force deprive others the grand pleasures of life. In these trying times, shall we keep our tankards filled with ale and our hearts filled with hope." He pauses and opens his eyes, then adds softly with a smile, "Help get us back home, you crazy divine bastard."
All allies around are healed for points of damage.
Beneath the north middle table (in -U10) hides a small, spherical construct. It is clinging, motionless, to one of the table legs near the rear wall. The red gem in its center is dark. A small tab extends from the side opposite the gem.
Martin coughs awake, rolls over and surveys the seen.
I really need to stop making a habit of this falling down bleeding thing. Has happened far too much recently off of everything we run into.
Pulling himself up onto his feet.
"What was that about anyway?
Caladrius comes forward dragging the captive by his injured arm none too gently. I was wondering if you guys were going to need some help. Also, why did they think that I was in charge of this group?
Gareth eyes over Martin, "Sorry this keeps on happening to ya Martin. Here's to hoping you'll stay on your feet for the rest of the way back home."
He then shrugs his shoulders at Caladrius, "Beats me. But those golems were searching for Visran's Drone, whatever that is. So when you guys feel up for it, let's take a good look around and see if we can find it."
Gareth looks around somewhat carefully, but isn't able to find anything:
Perception(Take 20 for 20-2=18)=Failure[/ooc]
Hold him for a minute.. Caladrius foists the prisoner off on another member of the group and begins searching for whatever this drone is.
Ae you sure that there is in fact anything here to find?
Gareth tends to the prisoner. "Based on the fact that they were breaking tables everywhere to find it, I'm gonna take a guess that there is, or was, something around here."
Well hopefully it didn't get away while you were flailing at that golem.. Caladrius begins pushing all the tables and remains of tables to the side in a less cursory search of the room.
He lifts up a small spherical clockwork critter from beneath one of the smashed tables. This must be the little bugger
Martin pats the dust off himself and gives Caladrius a mean look,
"Excuse me? Flailing around? Have you even looked at the things we just fought against. They nearly took my head off. I say next fight, you can take the front line, and I'll guard the prisoner. Sounds like you might learn a little bit about 'flailing'."
Martin then moves in to get a closer look at the clockwork object.
Gareth stares coldly at Caladrius, then takes slow, deliberate, steps towards him until he is standing right next to him. He says in a soft but scathing voice, "Look, pal. Martin's right. I don't know who raised you, or what your problem is, but while you were off pleasuring yourself in the corner, we were fighting for our lives. We pulled through alright, but it wasn't pretty. And hearing you make fun of our efforts makes me really want to teach your prissy little mouth a lesson. But we've got enough to deal with that's much more pressing than teaching a prick like you how to speak like a human being. So if I were you, and I think all of us can agree on this, next time I'd choose my words a little more carefully."
He takes a step back to get out of Caladrius' personal space, then looks over the clockwork object with a face of childish wonder, as if he had completely forgotten about what he had just said to Caladrius.
The spherical construct is about six inches across, but feels much heavier than you would expect such a small thing to weigh (it weighs about 25 pounds).
Jamros heals himself CLW: to 17/22 . He examines the drone breifly and then detects magic around the room.
Unofficial list of health (Assuming I'm reading things right):
Caladrius: 34/34
Gareth: 22/32
Jamros: 17/22, Up to 4 CLW, 1 CMW to spare
Martin: 8/35
Pygrado: 6/35 --> EDIT: 15/35 after my last LoH
Gareth uses his last LoH of the day on Pygrado for points.
Jamros heals Pyg once and Martin thrice, leaving one 2nd lvl spell for (and almost completely useless in any combat):
Pyg:
Martin:
Martin:
Martin:
Pyg life: 23/35
Martin Life: 34/35
Caladrius takes Gareth's tongue-lashing like a man and does not back down from his glare, muttering something in draconic which could be part of his examination of the strange sphere, or a reply of some sort to Gareth.
After a moment, he winds the tab on the construct several times and holds it out dramatically in both hands as it wakes up. State Instructions. he orders, clearly giving it a standard command.
As Caladrius turns the tab and issues the command, the red gem lights up. The construct begins hovering in thin air and turns to look around the room, before turning back to Caladrius. After a moment of looking him over, a shrill voice emerges from the thing, "Run, for Desna's sake, run! Tell them... ah, crabapples," the voice pauses, and you can hear muffled cursing. "Evade: mining golems, Goldcrest troops. Locate: mithral guard. Deliver message: Helmhammer made off with the golem control orb. Turned golems against Silverkeep, miners slaughtered. All of the golems have been moved from the main shafts into the escape tunnel. Heavy diggers are blocking palace and mine access. Holing up inside office with guard staff. Block off the mines, barricade the palace basement, and mobilize what forces you can for tunnel fighting. This siege will get a lot worse if Goldcrest forces can come up through the palace or mining complexes, or if they use the golems to undermine the city." With that, the drone falls silent and hovers near Caladrius.
Visran Upplyte, a gnome, is one of the two administrators of Silverkeep's mining systems, and the golems you encountered earlier are his inventions. His co-administrator, Dülff Helmhammer, a dwarf, manages finances and trade routes for the mine. Helmhammer is the junior partner, and was appointed by King Heric himself as a means of further reinvigorating Silverkeep's mines.
"Well F*&@!"
"Hoooooo boy." Gareth looks a bit overwhelmed. "So that's how they're controlling those golems." He scratches his stubble, then suggests, "Well, that leaves us with a couple of options. Our biggest priority is to deliver that message back to Silverkeep of course. So we could try to fight our way past those heavy diggers blocking the palace entry. Or, if we could find a way to take back that orb, we could turn the golems on the Goldcrest forces."
K(Nobility):
"I don't know about you, but I'm in no proper shape to fight anytime soon. I suggest a quieter method, because I can only take one fight like that in a day."
Helmhammer has always been a very honorable, honest, security-conscious administrator and businessman. You don't think betrayal is in his repertoire.
Gareth seems to ignore what Martin is saying as he remains deep in his own thoughts, "Wait, that makes no sense at all. That drone just said Helmhammer stole the orb? He and Visran run the mines. But Dülff would never betray Silverkeep! His family has deep roots in Silverkeep and he's very tight with the king. He's one of the most honest, honorable nobles that I've heard of around these parts. Hell, I've met him myself. A good dwarf. Something fishy is definitely going on here."
Gareth finally addresses Martin's comment, "Yeah. I'm pretty spent too. But we need to keep on moving. The drone said the golems are now crawling all over the side tunnels, eh? In that case, we could move back to the main passageway. Could buy us some time maybe."
We can make up time in the main passage, but we are still going to have to get around the Goldcrest forces.
Sense Motive:
Gareth whips around towards Goram (prisoner) to see him try to conceal a smirk. He doesn't look too pleased as he says, "Alright buddy, what's so damn funny? You got anything to add to this discussion?"
"It sounds like you've already lost. With the golems and the army in the escape tunnel, you don't stand a chance of getting through. I'd bet the gnome and his guards fall before you could lend them aid, even if you could get through." He pauses, before continuing "Your best bet is to turn yourselves in. Really, it is. Stronginthearm isn't known for treating prisoners harshly." Goram looks pretty smug.
Jamros casts guidance on himself before each spellcraft check:
Spellcraft wand 2:
Spellcraft scroll:
Gareth bellows out a hearty laugh. "Ah, see, that is where you are mistaken, my friend! Sure, the odds may seem to be stacked against us, but I know we can pull through. And in your smugness, I've come up with an idea!"
He then turns towards the group triumphantly, "See, everyone in the army knows that we want to head straight to Silverkeep, right? They're blocking the palace entrance with heavy diggers and the sort. They're expecting us to try to fight or sneak past them. And they're prepared to stop us. So what if we didn't go to Silverkeep immediately? If we rescue Visran, maybe he could tell us more about what's going on. And to boot, there are some guards around, so we'd get some more manpower to fend off what stands between us. And if things go very well, we find a way to snatch back the orb."
He adds, "Visran's the kind of gnome that always has his wits about him. I'll bet he has more tricks up his sleeve than you think he does."
Knowledge local to where visran is located"
Pygrado slowly rouses himself, despite all the healing.
Knowledge(Local) on the same thing
He speaks from his still-reclined position. I think I remember something about this Visran fellow. Any tactical advantage he can give us is something we'll need. Any assassin knows not to gamble in unfamiliar territory if you don't have to.
Visran referenced an office. He may have meant the offices in the main mine headquarters, but this strikes you as unlikely for several reasons. First, those offices are above ground, and any golems seen blocking access on the streets of Silverkeep would raise a lot of suspicion. Second, he said that mine and palace access were blocked, suggesting that he, too, is trapped underground somewhere between the two. He likely has another office below ground in which he has hid. It is likely near the base of the palace and the bigger (or at least more technical) workshops, as those would require more immediate attention.
You recall hearing rumors of a large foundry hidden deep beneath the palace. A relic from before the city's foundation, this foundry could have been repurposed and used as a secret workshop. It could also be part of or near the escape tunnel from the palace.
If I had to guess, he'd be in his offices directly under the palace, near the bigger workshops and that "secret foundry" the rumors tell of.
He hauls himself to his feet, testing the now-mostly-healed wounds in his side.
It sounds like he's also blocked from getting to the surface, but if we can find him and break him through the blockade...
Gareth finishes Pygrado's sentence excitedly, "Then we turn the tide of the battle right on Goldcrest when they don't expect it! But we still don't know where the offices are." He almost immediately switches focus to the drone, somewhat jokingly. "Hey little buddy, can you come alive and tell us which way to go?" He laughs.
Well, I know they're under the palace. He gesticulates broadly at the room. [b]Not that I have the faintest idea how to get there from here. I don't suppose Jamros or Caladrius can "divination" us our way there, right?[b]
The drone turns toward Gareth and hovers around him, looking him over much as it did Caladrius. After a moment, it hovers off down the right passageway.
Right on cue with Pygrado saying "divination", the drone comes to life and starts moving.
Gareth laughs at Pygrado, "How's that for divination! C'mon, let's go!" He follows the drone.
Well, I don't like it, but let's follow it for now.
Martin says starting to walk after the little drone.
As you navigate the corridor, you realize that the stonemasonry is much smoother and more professional in this area than it was leading up to that first workshop. You soon come to a large, iron-studded wooden door. Blocking further progress, it is closed and barred from the other side. The drone hovers in front of it, apparently waiting for it to open.
As the drone waits for the door, Gareth looks around for anything of interest (keyholes, traps, panels, etc.).
Perception:
He asks the drone, "Where are we? Is this the office?"
There is a small (about one square foot), barred opening in the door at roughly head height for a human. The drone does not respond to Gareth's query.
The area you can see beyond the door appears to be the lower levels of a workshop, with mechanical parts and workbenches all around. The corpses of dead silver guards litter the area. You see a large, closed and barred metal door a level down, marked "Mine Access - Open with Caution." Several metal horses move around the area by the metal door. Metal catwalks and stairs lead to other levels.
Male voice 1: "Good work with the guards, everyone. They won't be raising any alarms."
Female voice: "You took care of the gnome?"
Male voice 1: "Yeah, here's his ring."
Female voice: "Good. Now then, as the golems failed to eliminate their targets, that task falls to you three. After that, take this spike and use it to destroy the golem control orb. Then kill Helmhammer and Stronginthearm."
Male voice 2: "I just stab this into the orb and that will do it?"
Male voice 1: "That's correct. Be sure the dwarves know it was your guild that did the deed. That should prevent awkward questions."
Male voice 2: "Speaking of awkward questions, our payment is...?"
Female voice: "Already deposited with your guild. Here is a tip for your exemplary services, however: fifteen thousand gold pieces worth of diamonds."
Male voice 1: "Any further questions?"
Male voice 2: "No. That should cover things."
Male voice 1: "Then we're done here. Get into position to kill Caladrius and the others, and then proceed with your next objectives."
Female voice: "Come on, let's go kill the king."
Gareth immediately signals to the others to keep their voices down. He whispers, "Shhhh. I can hear people saying something on the other side, but can't make it out." He motions for someone else to try to eavesdrop.
Caladrius motions for everyone to be quiet, a reasonably redundant gesture as he listens to something. Other side of the door he whispers. Three people. Two assassins, probably more.
Gareth draws his bow and detects evil through the door.
Martin also readies his sword and whispers "What do you suggest we do?"