Jeji circles around poking ineffectively at the tough foe while Drahlneep flails from the confines of the net.
Sa'rah'then'al hisses angrily and attempts to trip the big bad evil weird thing.
Reep tries to stab the thing using his bayonet! for damage!
Sarahthenal's whip licks out to grab one of the thing's tripod legs and lifts it high. The machine wobbles on two legs and then Reep launches his attack. The thing wobbles as it is hit with a bayonet. The blade barely leaves a dent, but it is a hard enough hit to knock the construct over. It falls with a clang and immediately tries to right itself. This leaves it open to another round of attacks from the kobolds that surround it!
Reep lets out an uncharacteristic roar of glee as the thing falls and stabs again as it rises! for damage!
A slight grin creeps onto Jeji's face as the critter topples over and exposes it's underbelly. She stabs her spear at the critter several times but her grin quickly fades as she comes to realize that it's underbelly is just as hard to pierce as the rest of it. Desperation begins to sneak in as the battle wages, but she tries hard to shut it out.
Drahlneep takes advantage of the thing's break in defenses as it attempts to right itself.
Then continues to stab at it with his spear.
Sa'rah'then'al chuckles and raises his whip again and attempts to drop it once more. It may be hardy but nothing can stand up to kobolds on it's back.
The kobolds swarm around their fallen foe and try their best to keep him down. This time, they are able to land slightly more telling blows on the metal man. Dents are clearly visible and the weird little healers aren't able to keep up with the damage though the try.
The construct almost makes it up before Sarahthenal yanks its leg out again. It falls and tries to rise again. The buzzing is now punctuated by a loud wailing siren.
"Die!" snarls Drahlneep as he plunges his spear into the metal monster again and again.
Seeing the fury that Drahlneep unleashed upon their foe inspired Jeji onward. She gulped down her fear while raising her spear as high as she could and brought it down as hard as she could. However the creature was not done squirming and her strike did not land exactly where she was aiming.
The kobolds pile on the fallen machine doing more damage than the tiny swarm can mend.
for damage!
Sa'rah'then'al chortles a bit and eggs on his fellow dragons "Swarm him with cuts and bruises till it reveals it's secrets to us!!!" he says as he strikes again at it's legs.
Reep takes a poke at it to little effect and the initial surprise now lost, the thing manages to right itself despite the inquisitor's whip wrapped around a leg. Perhaps it has run out of nets finally or merely grown angry with the continued kobold assault for it begins a more direct attack in self-defense. The alarm continues squawking while the upper body spins and a metal fist connects with Drahlneep.
Sa'rah'then'al doesn't like that it strikes his tribe and tries to uproot it again.
The impact of the metal beast makes Drahlneep, 'oof.' He grins, pleased to have finally caused it to become either angry or panicked and stabs at it again.
Jeji's fear of the creature was starting to well up inside her again. Her stabs with the spear became more wild as the creature became less concerned with capturing them alive and more focused on just outright killing them. She winced at the sound of the blow to Drahlneep but continued to send the tip of her spear at the metal foe.
for damage!
Things get more difficult for the war band once their enemy regains its footing. Sarahthenal recoils his whip and strikes again, but the thing seems to have a sturdier stance on its three legs. The construct spins around and around at the waist knocking aside all the attacks except for Drahlneep who manages to stab again through the netting. The machine strikes back, beating its non-compliant captive.
Jeji fights on with as much strength as she can muster, which isn't much. Her heart sinks ever so slightly as Drahlneep is walloped again by the creature. She knows that they are struggling against this for. How can they avenge their tribe if they can't defeat this foe? Her mind races while her pulse quickens as she tries to out think their opposition, but nothing that crosses her mind seems to be effective against the armored tripod.
Drahlneep laughs at the thing, despite the grievous wounding, then howls in rage and tries to stab the beast again.
Jeji and Drahlneep certainly look outclassed by the terrible construct. Its torso continues spinning on it trio of legs and multiple arms knock aside their attacks as it continues to wail its alarm.
for damage! REEP SMASH!
Sa'rah'then'al sees that his comrades need his encouragement. He tries to muster up the skill needed to take it down once more.
Reep attacks reaching nearly the level of frenzy as Drahlneep and leaves another small mark in the thin metal of the thing. Sarahthenal ensnares a leg, but can only slightly shift it. It is not enough to pull the machine over.
The metal monster swings at Drahlneep again, but the berserk kobold bounces all over within the net and the blow misses.
Drahlneep continues to swear unintelligibly and drives the spear down once more.
Jeji continues to swarm the three-legged, metal monstrosity along with her pack mates. She wanted to turn and flee more than she could ever remember in her life. She couldn't leave the others. They didn't leave her to die when the thing took her. She would not leave them. She would die here with them, if that's what was going to happen. She snarled in frustration and continued to stab at it with her spear.
for damage! Reep swings again, his eyes wide and wild.
Sa'rah'then'al sees how valiantly the others are doing and musters as much strength as he can and yanks hard on the whip trying to topple it back down once more for the kobolds to swarm it to death.
Jeji keeps poking leaving another ding in the metal skin, but Drahlneep leaps forward still wrapped in netting and drives his spear through the thin metal. Sparks shoot out of the machine. The thing is caught off balance when Sarahthenal's whip darts out again and pulls one of the legs out. It tumbles with a crash beeping and shrieking as it tries to stand up again.
Drahlneep's eyes narrow as the thing goes down. I feel my strength getting ready to leave me...need this to count! His spear plunges at the metal creature.
for damage!
Knowing that all of their lives were on the line, Jeji unleashed with a fury she didn't know she possessed. She stabbed and stabbed as hard as she could. Her hands began to ache from gripping the spear so tightly. The blinding rage began to push the fear away and for a brief moment, she was not afraid, but angry.
Reep gingerly pokes again with his bayonet. Sadly, too concerned about breaking his rifle further. Jeji and Drahlneep however, launch themselves at the fallen machine with a fury tinged with desperation. Their spears pierce the thin metal skin of the construct in a burst of sparks and smoke. The loud alarm warbles and suddenly stops as the red light of its monstrous eye fades to darkness.
The resilient thing is no more.
Drahlneep slaps the creature's remains with the butt-end of the spear, sending pieces skittering away from him. He then collapses heavily into a sitting position and starts panting to cool down. "Can someone get me out of this &*@#ing net?" he asks between gasping breaths.
Sa'rah'then'al cackled with glee as the smoke and spark show went off. When Drahlneep started swearing though, he hopped down and pulled out his dagger and started hacking away at the netting.
Reep stabs the thing a few more times, not content to allow the metal man to escape through subterfuge. Finally satisfied of its death, he sits down and mutters and begins to repair his poor musket.
"We should find somewhere to recover for a little bit. Let Reep fix his weapon, heal Drahlneep up some, maybe have some lunch." Jeji helps to free Drahlneep from the net and quietly examines the net as well as the remains of their fallen foe.
Able to again move his arms without being bound-up, causes Drahlneep to smile lightly. "Thank you," he tells the inquisitor, "Lunch is a good idea. Healing my wounds is an even better one." With a chuckle he examines the contusions and cuts left behind from the fight.
Sa'rah'then'al looks over Drahlneep and carefully places a clawed hand on where the wounds seem the deepest before settling his mind and calling forth the might of his father the blight dragon.
He sits shortly after feeling that his power has been drained. He shakes his head a bit. "Well...I am afraid that Gakzara's gift, it is spent for the day. I will be in no proper shape to draw forth his gifts till I am an stronger of spirit." he said as he admitted his fault. "But, we have vanquished a most unusual foe. Indeed, let us burrow down here and rest while we can."
"Again, thank you."
Worthy allies. I am lucky to have found a tribe with such skill and tenacity.
Once again, the net proves incredibly tough and hard to cut through, but eventually the battered and weary kobold is released. He looks a great deal better after Sarahthenal applies a burst of radiant energy. It does occur to all that the very tough nets might be of particular use in fashioning traps or ensnaring enemies.
This section of the strange metal caves have been explored and the kobolds consider whether a burrow can be found in the strange benighted desert Jeji spotted ahead or in retreat back to the Hidden Ones' huts.
Jeji spends some time poking at the metal man. She's heard stories of such things and Drahlneep confirms that it is called a ROBOT in the language of the mysterious ancients that left the weird ruins that dot the lands that the humans call Numeria.
The ROBOTS seemed to be used as slaves to toil unendingly for the ancients. Surely they were useful, but dangerous as well. Jeji believes this one was used to repair and clean things now that she think about it; the area where they first found it was one of the only areas cleared of rubble and she saw a pile of rocks at the exit of the corridor before she escaped its net. It's quite possible it was just going to dump her in the trash!
The bizarre desert beyond can wait for now though. Reep needs to repair his weapon and Drahlneep is still injured despite Sarahthenal's powerful healing. The kobolds gather the nets and retreat back to the caves of the Hidden Ones.
Back at the hut in the big cave, Reep quickly repairs his firearm while the others rest and inspect the new objects that they've discovered. Drahlneep tells them that the name for such magical, yet not magical stuff is TEK. Leupel, the first Hidden One they spotted, approaches later and waits outside the hut. The rippling textures of her skin, visible to dark vision in the unlit caves, seem to indicate a greeting and curiosity.
Jeji takes the time to refold one of the nets and set it aside. She takes a few minutes to work on an extract while Reep works on fixing his weapon and the others get some rest. She heads outside of the hut and beings to speak with Leupel in Undercommon. "Greetings. I was wondering if I could trade for a sack or backpack with you. We could use some supplies if you have any to spare. We found a few things that may be useful to your tribe."
Luepel nods. "We have plenty to trade. We are much fewer than we were". Jeji suddenly realized that the their visitor is not an adult of her species. The young one continues in undercommon, "You were not gone long. Did you see the metal ones or the bone ones? Did you fight them? What did you find?"
"We did encounter one of the metal ones. It was a sssstrong combatant, but the tribe worked together and was able to defeat it. We also found a few trinkets. I can only guess as to what they do. I think we're going back after we recover so I hope to be able to try them out and learn more. We found a few of these nets. They are very strong and made out of something I have not seen before. Perhaps your tribe could use one?"
"You would have to talk to Sef. She's the leader. I think she would trade though."