" I can't fathom what god would have a measly altar such as this. Maybe a cult?
Yvell looks to the east a bit concerned " I don't like.. the sounds of that. Prepare yourselves.. that humming is much louder than normal. " He takes his blade from his back and stands near it when everyone else seems ready.
Auehda keeps Metal ready, but stands by the prisoner. "We wait to talk to sleep rat?"
While waiting for the group to gather, they take the medlance and one of Khonnir's potions out of their pack, then pour the potion into the medlance's reservoir. "Not for rat but Valtyra if she falls."
"We can wake him. Is he asleep or does he need healing?" Val says to Auehda.
Yvell sighs an looks to them both, " He was one and now he is the other.. I put him to sleep with the flat of my blade after he was put to sleep, it shouldn't take much to get him back up... I don't have any rope however.. Ah.. I know.. Phylla.. hold this rat down while we talk to him can you? "
Good idea! Phylla, can you please do that for us?
Phylla waddles over to the ratfolk, wraps her tentacles around the creature, and seems to dance with her roots.
"Okay. Now you make Red Food come out and I will eat it." She says in your mind.
" Not yet Phylla.. you'll get Red food later.. don't you get tired of eating? Valtyra, could you please give a small burst to both me and the Rat to awaken him.. I want information before traveling any further. "
Valtyra heals the ratfolk and everyone else in the room with a burst of healing light (if she has one, or just uses some bandages) and the ratfolk wakes up.
"What do you want? I failed the priestess, just kill me and get it over with."
Yvell waves his hand dismissively and stared down at the ratfolk. His face was not kind at all but definitely affirmative. " You see, if we had wanted you dead, there would be no need for talk. Instead we simply want information from you. From what I saw of your brethren, they were quick to leave you for dead so why should you care about them? If you tell our group something we find useful as well as answer our other questions truthfully, I plan on letting you go an most likely away from here. I'm sure you would agree to that. "
"Fine. I'll speak. What do you want to know?"
The ratfolk continues to glance between Yvell and Phylla. Its whiskers twitch, and it sags its body in defeat.
Yvell ponders upon that, he rubs Phylla's tendril as one would a pet and then comes up with a few. He's sure Ibuki would have some more.
" Don't worry she won't hurt you if everything goes well. Alright, first a few I've wondered. Why did you immediately attack us? What is your group? Who is your Priestess? What religion does she lead? And what do you know about the torch of.. Well. Torch? "
"Did you kill torch?" Auehda asks, crouching down and laying their greataxe on the ground.
"We're supposed to protect our priestess in her divine mission. I don't know what it is, but it involves that room there. We are the Lords of Rust, the top gang of Scrapwall. The priestess is our leader, second only to our god, Hellion. I don't know any specifics of our task. I am just a grunt. We didn't go into the town at all."
Yvell nods taking this all into account. " You say she is in that other room? What does she look like? How does she fight? What kind of weapons? Does she have any magical abilities? What does your god Hellion teach? How did she get a Gargoyle to defend her? Which we had to kill by the way. " Adding that last part almost as an afterthought to instill the seriousness of his situation.
The ratfolk shakes his head and flashes sharp teeth.
"I will not betray my priestess. Gruethur joined because he believed in Hellion and the priestess' power."
" Listen, I know you may have misgivings about relinquishing information about her but do know I am a Paladin. I am prohibited from lying or using Deception. The information we know of the greater the chance that this will end peacefully rather than both sides reacting only to the fact they are threatened. Thus slaying each other. I only ask the barest of knowledge, if she is powerful it might not matter what we know regardless. "
Yvell placing a hand on the ratfolk's shoulder
" My promise with you will still stand. "
The ratfolk pauses.
"The Priestess Meyanda is not human. Nor is she a rat or an orc. She wields a gun that shoots flame, and has magic. She is very powerful."
Yvell gives a bare nod, and helps the Ratfolk to his feat, Phylla's tendrils still holding him, dusting him off somewhat. He looks the ratfolk in the eyes and gives the slightest of smiles. " You seem to care greatly for this Priestess and more importantly your devotion to your faith is commendable and steadfast. If she is in that room beyond I will attempt similarly as I did with you. IF it does develop into a bout.. I will try to keep her alive. Our task here is not to kill everything but to restart something that is necessary for the people of Torch. If you would answer whatever the others might want, I would be glad. Otherwise, Phylla.. you will let this one go. "
"Ooh, Auehda has question!" Auehda says, standing up in synchrony with the man. Bending down to retrieve their greataxe, they ask, "What's your name?"
"Jarrit," says the ratfolk.
Phylla pauses, then releases the ratfolk. Jarrit glances at the double doors then walks away to the west.
"No red food? Okay..."
Ibuki stands by quietly listening so far, waiting for what the interrogation will bring.
Yvell draws his blade from his back and nods to the rest. " Well then you heard the Jarrit. We know exceedingly more than we did before entering. This hinges on this Priestess of.. Hellion. I expect a fight but if not be prepared just in case. " He nods to Phylla and tosses her the last Chicken body her had left into her maw as a treat
" You did well there Phylla, I'll see to it your rewarded better once we return to Torch. Ibuki and the rest had no other questions so that must mean you have readied yourselves. She is powerful so there is risk here. "
Once everyone had cast their spells and used their abilities, Yvell switches his resounding command to Shake it Off and Opens the the double doors to the east walking inside.
Yvell opens 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.
At the top of the platform is a woman with purple hair. Pink glowing tattoos are on her face and exposed skin. She holds a strange gun with a red crystal pointed at the door. A spiked gauntlet is in her other hand.
Below her on the ground platform is a humanoid robot. A strange mace-like object is in its hand, and a magical claw symbol is emblazoned on its chest.
The woman shouts over the humming of the machine. "Leave! Now!"
Yvell shoulders his blade cautiously, to make it clear he had no ill intent at the beginning. His face however still wore the Intimidating and less than nice expression. " Priestess Meyanda follower of Hellion, we do not have to fight. I am Yvell Endymion, I am here to tell you that something is going on with the torch of Torch and what you are doing might be connected to that. We have fought your guards and have only killed when necessary. Several people's lives hang in the balance. I may not know your teachings but at least as a Follower of Ragathiel I cannot allow that if I can help. So if we fight it will be with the knowledge we have tried peace. What is your response? "
"Yes why should we fight? I'm sure we can find common ground and work for the good of all." Val says. Then she adds"My name is Valtyra Brightsong. May we have yours? She asks with a slight bow.
Auehda draws spirals on each party member, drawing a bit extra of the world's life force into their own.
--
"Don't shoot! We just want torch back!" Auehda yells over the din, waving their free hand frantically.
"I don't care why you are here! Leave or die!"
The purple haired woman fires a shot from her gun at Yvell. Swirling gray dust escapes from the pistol, suddenly igniting and striking Yvell. The robot's amber eye glows red and it suddenly lurches forward.
fire damage
1. Bran, Valtyra
2. Enemies
3. Yvell, Auehda, Ibuki
Yvell grabs his chest as the heat strikes him and holds back his anger. " Fine then, it seems you are as angry as your followers. Phylla stay by the doors I don't think you particularly like fire. We will take her alive if possible but we will fight. " Yvell sneers as he raises his weapon forward. they would need to get sights upon her quick because she was known to have magical power but the mechanical brute would sure make leaving their backline an unwise choice.
"Need to stop her, doing something to machines. Deal with purple lady, I try handle the machine man." Bran says to the group as he charges the large mechanical man.
Bran throws as much weight into his attack as he can while hopefully busying the large machine to allow the others to get around.
If possible, Ibuki will cast sleep so both the robot and Meyanda are affected.
Val moves fowards swaying slightly and speaking in a musical tone. When she stops mists envelopes then spreads around her, til it fill the space.
Yvell will move closer and up the ladders on his turn a combination of his allotted 40ft. Unfortunately with the mists his Battlefield Presence was all but useless. He moved closer to the woman in the cover of the mists.
Bran charges and smacks the metal creature with his shield. His weapon rings as it strikes the tough metal armor. Val moves to Bran and suddenly she is surrounded by a mist.
The robot screeches in Androffan.
Directive."
The robot swings its mace-like thing and fist at Bran. The fist misses. The mace connects with Bran's neck and he feels a jolting pain in his brain.
electric
Since she cannot see anything because of the mist, the priestess (readies an action and) watches the ladders for any intruders.
As Yvell climbs the ladder, the priestess skin tattoos glow fiery pink and she points her gauntlet at the paladin. Radiant light strikes him.
Ibuki begins casting his sleep spell, making motions and saying magic words.
Auehda steps backward and points their palm towards Meyanda, expelling a sliver of flame in less than a second. They pull out the medlance they loaded earlier.
Using her last bit of luck, Auehda's magic strikes the woman in the side leaving her arm blackened by the flame. The priestess does not turn to look instead focused on the climber, Yvell.
Bran feels the electricity move through his body with a jolt as the heavy stick hit him. "Damn it. Stick hurt bit."
Bran shifts a bit before ramming his shield has hard as he came into that machine.
Bran bashes into the metal creature twice with his shield. The first strike bounces off, the second manages to put a small dent in the gearsman.
The robot swings again at Bran. Despite the mist, the gearsman swings its mace and fist into Bran's shields. Its amber eye glows with menace.
Auehda hears running coming towards her from outside of the room, she turns to look and sees Sanvil Trett approaching with his sword drawn.
"Ah, I made it just in time." He glances down at the purple plant and shrugs. "...Druid pet?"
1. Bran, Valtyra, Sanvil
2. Gearsman
3. Yvell, Ibuki
4. Meyanda
The stinging rays slam against Yvell as he grits his teeth. Yvell absorbed the full effect of the attack but pushed on his holy agenda keeping him alive. He worked in tandem with Ibuki to consolidate her movement. As he reached the top of the ladder he took his blade and leaps into the air almost in a rush and came down with great force. " Urgh, You had this coming to you.. now be quiet and LISTEN! "
Afterward his hand glowed and his last gift of Ragathiel coursed through him.