The party climbs up the stairs.
As you approach, the sound of ringing hammers and operating forges can be heard. This open space spans the diameter of the tower and, in the southern portion of the room, opens to a room above. The air is stifling due to the operation of three massive forges that burn and vent into the cluster of exposed pipes running through the center of the tower. A tangle of conduits from the southeast cuts through the room to join this cluster, forming a wall of pipes and thick wires.
Two suppressor robots suddenly move towards the party, one commanding in a metal voice, "Smiths, attack these intruders."
Three dwarven-looking creatures with flaming heads hesitantly follow their orders. They stop hammering at the forges, hefting their hammers as weapons instead of tools.
1. Everyone except Astra and Liz
2. Enemies
3. Everyone
Azers? If so, I'll tell folks to try and talk them down, they seem reluctant, and they aren't naturally evil.
In the meantime, robots are ok to kill.
Chakos will charge the one nearest him. I didn't see anything on the map.
Liz herps so much she derps.
Astra turns off her archaeologist's luck when Xoud escapes. She follows Chakos upstairs.
Astra may or may not recognize the possible azers herself, but if Chakos tells her to try to talk to them, she will do so.
"We are not here as your enemies. We are here to free you from your servitude to Furkas Xoud. Please, let us help you, and we will do our best to return you to your homes afterwards."
She also switches to her construct bane EMP pistol and fires one blast at the same suppressor robot Chakos is attacking.
After Astra says her words the azers seem even more reluctant to enter battle, though they still continue to hold their hammers.
Chakos avoids the robot's shield and scores a direct hit in the creature's chest. His blade cuts through its armored flesh.
Syvlara grins. "More dead robots, incoming!" Her bow glows a vicious red when she aims it at the robot next to Chakos. With lightning speed, she launches a volley of bright red arrows, drawing the bowstring as far back as possible with each one.
8BAB + 4Dex +3Magic +1Training +2Focus -2Rapid -3Deadly +1Robot Slayer
2Str +3Magic +1Training +2Spec +6Deadly +2d6Bane
Listen to the lady, you smiths. Help us smash this robots and overcome Furkas Xoud and we will free you!
Ibuki will cast slow (DC21) on the robots, aided by an arcane reservoir point.
Though her arrows are blunted by the robot's armor, her shots manage to pierce through the robot and send it to the floor. Ibuki's magic surrounds the other robot, slowing its movements.
Knowing that they'll be instantly crushed by the robots should they fight back, the azers keep out of the battle.
The remaining robot charges at Chakos but is unable to swing its weapon due to its slow speed.
Astra's electric pistol shocks the robot, causing it to spasm slowly.
Chakos will attempt to beat the tar out of the blue robot.
DMG to me
DMG to me
And I missed my backbite last round:
DMG to me
Depending on how many I hit, I might LOH myself.
HP 53/53
AC 16/16/15
Effects:
Hand of Apprentice:7/7,Mage Armor(+4 ac),Resist Energy-Communal(20 points) 16 minutes,
Liz casts Jolt at the robot
Ibuki will move out of the way from the robot, trying to take some cover or bring someone like Chakos between them.
GO get them! You can do it!
Chakos hacks repeatedly at the robot with two deft swings of his greataxe, easily hitting it in its slowed state.
Elizabeth's magic flies past the robot, striking one of the forges. It fizzles slightly (and looks like she's helping even though it wouldn't have done any damage to the robot if it hit).
I'm down 13 HP
8BAB + 4Dex +3Magic +1Training +2Focus -3Deadly +1Robot Slayer
2Str +3Magic +1Training +2Spec +6Deadly +2d6Bane
Syvlara slots three arrows to her bow, drawing them back until they glow viciously. Staring down the robot, she fires them directly into it's torso and watches as they rip through the other side.
Ibuki watches Slyvara loosening her arrows.
[b]It´s amaznig how that kind of barbaric device can annihilate such exemplars of knowledge, magic and technics.
Syvlara's arrows break apart the construct's weapon arm, then stab through its power core, causing it to shut down in place.
Chakos turns to the azers, "so then what's your deal?"
"Have you been enslaved by Xoud? We mean you no harm."
Totally not!
Ibuki smirks.
Except should you turn out to work for that old shadow voluntarily or have some other dirty secret...
Parla vou common?
Sprechen sie Elven? Hallit? Infernal? Abyssal? Orc?
"It was an opportunity to create construct parts and weapons when Xoud first hired us. However, after the old wizard died, we were kept here and watched, despite our contract ending. He made us keep forging these parts, not the weapons and armor that we wanted to. Thank you for dispatching the watchers. We plan to return home now that our work is finished."
The azers wait a moment, glancing at the stairs, allowing you to ask questions.
Do you know anything about Xoud is now? Does he lair anywhere specific in this tower? LIz turns to Astra. Do you know what Xoud is and how to deal with him?
What kind of parts did he let you forge? Did that change after your contract ended?
"You know, if making magic weapons is what you really want to do, you could make those for us?"
"We haven't seen the wizard but once. He was some kind of spectral creature made of smoke. He moves through the walls, but he spends most of his time upstairs. We're simple smiths, we don't know how to deal with ghosts. Prayers?"
Another azer answers, "He made us make parts for these strange construct wizards, robots that could cast magic. He had his apprentices build them, but we make the integral components. But no, for the past few years, that's all we've made."
The last azer says, and points to the dark metal around the forges, "Sure, we could make you weapons if you had some materials. All we have is this glaucite. Strong, but too heavy for any normal person to wield with efficacy."
After you finish asking your questions, the azers leave by going downstairs.
Chakos considers things before suggesting, "up then?"
Are you sure? I am mostly out of my magic and how is your healing energy?
"The question is not how are our resources, it is do we wish to allow our adversary to recharge his overnight?"
Well let us peek upwards then.
I disagree there. Resting in the right time and preparing well is better than facing something exhausted and unprepared.
"So, right now, our opponent has expended a lot of resources too. How many times can he do that wall thing? If we come back tomorrow he can drop the wall and the negative energy such that say Liz and Syvlara are in the bad side of it, with no way for them to survive, or get out. But I'm fine with pulling out and trying again tomorrow if that's what people prefer, since apparently both Ibuki and Liz want to back out and try again."
Let us see what lies upstairs before deciding to pull a tactical retreat. *Sigh* I should have purchases some scrolls that would allow me to dispel hostile magic.
I´m afraid that´s not a question of wanting something or not.
Ibuki turns to Astra.
How many spells have you left and what other resources do you still possess? I have some spells left, but it´s not much and might not be enough for a major battle, less several of them.
"My single most powerful spell was just spent downstairs when we saw Xoud, but the rest of my resources remain still full. I have plenty of healing and explosives left should we come to need them." She turns to the azers, seeming quite curious about these 'construct wizards'. "This is fascinating. Can you tell us anything about what kind of spells the construct wizards are capable of casting?"
Regarding whether to turn back or to press on, Astra is generally on Chakos' side, but a little less surely so than before after she hears of the construct wizards. "If we only had Xoud left to deal with, I think we should certainly press on, but if he has these construct wizards as well that we have not yet even encountered, I grow a little more dubious." She frowns a little in deep thought. "For now I am still inclined to go with Chakos and support pressing on. We've already turned back and allowed Xoud to heal up once before, doing it again would be galling."
I have my lightning wand still. Do you still have your boom balls Astra?
"Many different kinds, Elizabeth."
"Somehow their magic is infused with force and lightning, though it may be some combination of the technology of the components and some other arcane things. Who knows-we aren't wizards," one of the azers says.
The party cautiously moves upstairs to scout.
Moving upstairs, the adventurers see two doors and another set of stairs.
"If we come back tomorrow, we should be protected against fire and lightning."