They are brutal thugs Valt, but they are also have just been in a losing fight, and have settled down to eat. And they are lazy. We are safe enough from them for now. But they are treacherous, so we should take care.
"Intelligent? I mean, more so than a rock. But not by much."
Kharamell goes with the group.
You head westward from the camp of giants, and see a stone tower with smoking pipes in the distance. Approaching closer, you find the tower and a strange circular door.
This towering stone structure rises high above the tops of the surrounding trees. The towers walls are made of metal and stone and stained black with greasy soot, and its roof is a metal cone crowded by a forest of pipes and chimneys belching smoke into the sky. The tower's few windows are narrow and slatted with thick metal grills, and its only door is a metal rectangle with rounded corners, twelve feet high and nine feet wide. The door bears no knob or handle-only a two-inch-wide hole in the center, the edges of which are cracked and bent as if a tremendous force wrenched something free. A large number of immense humanoid footprints mar the ground surrounding the tower.
Nyssa approaches the door cautiously, mindful of booby traps.
At the door she makes a fist and raps at the door. "Hello! Anyone home? Master Xoud?"
"I am sure that that was not a good idea." Kharamell says to Nyssa. He prepares his spells and weapons for conflict.
Alexis looks at the door.
Something was torn off. The handle?
with technologist feat
"Perhaps it was the giants." Kharamell moves up to the doors of the tower. He keeps a watch of the guardian they had encountered before.
Yeah, I agree with that too, Kharamell
Iophiel, can you take a watch over us? I don't want to get surprised by the menacing guardian.
The winged angel takes off and goes up to 100 feet above the group.
Nyssa shrugs at Kharamell's comment. "If we don't want to be taken for thieves, or assassins, we announce ourselves politely. Sneaking about sends a message, and not the sort that says: 'We are friendly.'"
No reply greets Nyssa. She also does not spot any traps at the door.
Alexis believes a circular "key" is missing from the center of the door, likely torn out from some giant strength.
Iophiel can see that the tower stretches upward for several stories, and there are small windows, with smokestacks poking out of the tower at odd intervals.
damn!
Alexis wipes her forehead.
those moronic behemoths ripped the key off. Look round for a circular object. Maybe they dropped it around here somewhere
Take ten on perception 20
"Check to see if the door is warded with magic. If not I can attempt to open it without the key."
"If they ripped it off, they probably took it with them." Nyssa dutifully searches around for an object that might have been fitted to the circular cavity.
You find an imprint of a circular device on the ground, but the circular key is gone. The large giant footprints and circular imprint head off in the direction you came from.
those bloody giants. It's with them.
Alexis looked back the way they had come.
looks like we have to kill them after all.
"Probably..." Nyssa agrees with Alexis. 'Did you have something you wanted to try, Kharamell?" Nyssa has no way to check the door for magic wards, of course.
"I do indeed." Kharamell goes up to the door and inspects it once more before pulling out a small tool set.
+2 if electronic
Kharamell disables the door mechanism, allowing it to be opened.
This grand hall is ten feet wide and twenty-five feet long. A large metal door stands at the west end of this entry, while three other metal doors stand in the walls at the opposite end. The middle door is slightly smaller than the others, and a metal wheel is mounted in the center of each door.
Kharamell, I could kiss you Alexis laughs. very well done
"Guess I'll have to test my blade against giants another time." Nyssa draws the aforementioned weapon, and peers within the tower.
Nyssa doesn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary within the hallway. Everything is silent.
Better this way, I fear we will need all our strength to meet that master Xoud.
And if I'm wrong, the better.
Said that, Valt concentrates magical eneregies around the suli, warding her and enhancing her combat prowess.
Just in case.
Tess drops heroism on herself and motions for the party to wait as she moves forward to scout the area.
Alexis moves up to the door, wand in hand, and waits for Tessara to report.
Tess comes back. "Hallway is clear, there's a few doors up ahead."
Nyssa steps into the hall. "Seems like Xoud's not home. We might as well snoop around, since the front door's open, and all."
Nyssa moves to the nearest door, checks it for danger, then sheathing her sword she tries to turn the hand-wheel and open the door.
Alexis moves in behind Nyssa.
Nyssa doesn't see any traps with the northern door, turns the wheel and opens it.
Schematics of incredible complexity, each mounted in an elaborate wooden frame, decorate the stone walls of this curving hallway. The schematics feature images of metal monsters, strange vehicles, and technological wonders. The hall curves north at the eastern end, rising to the upper floor in a staircase.
Nyssa glances at the schematics. "Hmm. Interesting." The bored tone of the suli's voice indicates that she does not really find the schematics of interest.
"He's not here. Shall we go up, or check the other doors?"
just a second,nyssa. This is interesting, and may be important.
Alexis examines the schematics.
Nyssa stands guard while Alexis studies the schematics.
Kharamell also looks over the schematic art.
The schematics seem to be of different constructs and robots, including the androids, gearsmen, and floating robots with four arms.
"Check the ground floor first, eh?"
Nyssa crosses the hall and checks the opposite door.
Then she opens the door.
A jarring shout comes from behind the party suddenly.
Standing in the tower's entrance is an grinning half-orc.
His skin has a blue tint, rather than green.
His pointed ears and tusks are visible, but not prominent.
He is leaner than most half-orcs.
Although young, has silver-grey hair.
His eyes are also a bright shade of blue-grey.
There are geometric tattoos all over his face.
His gear is all high quality: a quiver, sheathed scimitar, light mace, decorative belt, backpack and dark studded leather armour.
He is glib and relaxed. Acting as if in a pub, not a wilderness.
He speaks, making no attempt to hide an Ustalavic accent:
"Pleased to meet you."
"My name is Orgar."
"I was trying to get my bearings in the forest yonder … "
(he motions over his shoulder toward the forest with his thumb)
"… and I heard you lot talking."
"You look like an interesting lot, you do!"
"You also look like you're, well, . Like me."
"Mind if I join you?"
"I don't fancy being lost AND alone both."
As Nyssa opens the southern door, she sees a half orc appear at the entrance. In the southern room, a pair of robots wielding shields and glowing warhammers suddenly spring into action.
"Intruders in Master Xoud's tower. You will be detained."
1. Tessara
2. Enemy
3. Everyone
Tess hardly has time to address the half-orc before the robots burst in. Tess casts gravity bow on herself.
"Can I help you?"
"I can't see what's there."
"Yet."
Orgar draws his scimitar and steps into the tower, behind Kharamell
Round 1
Deal with killer robots first, talk later
Alexis starts singing the ballard of the barren fields, a song about two doomed armies
party gains +2 to hit and damage
The two robots block the doorway entrance and strike at Nyssa with their glowing warhammers. Both of the weapons bludgeon her, but leave only bruises.
nonlethal
nonlethal
Tess casts another spell on herself in preparation for the assault!
Orgar pushes his way past Kharamell, making sure not to cut anyone with his drawn scimitar …
"Terribly sorry! I can't help from the back!"
… then stops short of Nyassa and quickly makes some gestures on his scimitar, which causes it to glow and sparkle more.
… then he says to Nyssa …
"How can I help"
Nyssa hops back from the robots. "We are not intruders. Here to see Master Xoud by appointment. Why don't you stand down and let him know we are here."
Kharamell is more than willing to let the others start the fight and only aid where and when he feels is needed.
Orgar is hoping for an AoO if one of those robots comes through the door.
"Master Xoud does not take appointments. You are not in the directory of wizard apprentices. As such, our orders are to disable any intruders."
The robot takes a step forward and swings its warhammer at Nyssa in two wide swings. As it does so, bursts of electricity shoot out of its shield. The other suppressor falls back and fires its own stunning force from its shield also at the suli.
nonlethal
nonlethal
touch
nonlethal
touch
nonlethal
touch
nonlethal
Tess leans back and fires a pair of arrows, which strike and then bounce between the targets!