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The streets of Torch are extremely quiet as you enter town, though much messier than when you left. Animal waste is piled alongside the road, and barrels of garbage outside houses are beginning to smell.
Khonnir’s home is a small, modest stone building, tucked behind a pair of larger structures. The Foundry Tavern is a wooden building with a porch wrapping around two sides. The actual foundry is made of stone, with two tall smokestacks. Both have hastily scrawled “Closed” signs on their doors.
As you approach, woman’s scream and crashing noises come from the house.
Initiative
Selkania stay out of sight, waiting for his more armored companion to enter in first.
Is Khonnir Bane a woman ? She asks
Seri runs into the room, drawing his rapier on the way. He practically jumps into a ready stance, "What's going on here?"
When he doesn't see anything jump out at him, he keeps moving into the building towards the other door.
Double move.
Vaughn is as confused as the rest--perhaps more so. But when the violent noises are heard from inside, indecision is gone. He strides forward, drawing daggers on the way, giving Ser a head-jerk toward the door. Thieves or thugs might be easily scared off. Let's not announce our presence until we get a look
He swiftly moves into the house, throwing a wink at his strange doorman. He mutters Thanks Doc!. He enters, leaving room for help to come behind, and assumes his ready position: right dagger low with blade up, left dagger held in a reverse grip with the blade against his forearm, held across to his right shoulder
Ray feels the onrush of adrenaline (or its equivalent) surging throughout his system.
"I will proceed through the now opened door!"
As he approaches Seri, he unstraps the "spear" he caries.
"I have readied a weapon, as well."
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Several of you rush through Khonnir’s study, which also serves as a makeshift classroom for his students. The desk is piled high with papers, but the room is empty.
The door by Serithial swings open, and a young Kellid girl rushes out, shoving her way past the elf.
”Get it! Stop it!"
A five foot tall machine stands in one corner of the room. Its torso and arms and head are vaguely humanoid, with one blazing “eye” in the center of its head and a four-fingered hand on each arm, and it stands on three spider-ike legs.
It is grey and white, though pieces of its exterior are missing, revealing wires and circuitry underneath, and the plating that remains is mostly dented and scratched. Every movement it makes is accompanied by a tortured grinding sound. Currently, it seems particularly interested in dismantling the exterior wall, prying off boards and extracting screws and nails, ignoring you.
Serithiel lets the girl past, Gotta protect the girl! After looking at her, he turns towards the ...thing. His blade is up and held in the tierce position "What are you?"
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Selkania recognizes that this creature is a robot, a rare type of construct not powered by magic. Generally they are vulnerable to critical hits and electricity. This one seems to be missing much of its functionality.
The robot turns its red eye towards Serithial for a moment before spinning back toward the wall, not stopping its attempts at taking apart the house.
Vivilaas rushes into the opened door just as the other young woman runs out. Well that's certainly not...
Her thoughts cut off as she reaches the inside to come to a halt beside Ray. As the machine prays another board off of the back wall she concentrates as he tosses it aside. The board halts in mid-air, then flings back towards the contraption with force.
for
Once the girl is outside, Selkania risk herself in to have a look of what was inside. A robot ! What a chance ! Brigh be bless !
Guys, this creature is a robot ! A marvel of engineery ! If we need to fight this thing, which will be a shame, it's vulnerable to electricity.
Brigh bless me also with the possibility to "wounds" metal construct if needed, without arming living creatures.
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Vivilaas's board smashes into the construct's torso, cracking an already battered piece of plating. Its head spins around, seemingly confused as to the source of the attack. It approaches Serithial, swinging one of its mechanical arms at him. As it does so, a shrill, grating noise comes out of its mouth.
Those of you who are familiar with Androffan recognize that it has the cadence of that language, but it is so garbled that it's impossible to discern what the thing might have said.
"This is SO much better than a book!" Serithiel has a huge grin on his face now. He moves in with a flourish, aiming his rapier for center mass.
He then steps back a bit, ready to let a friend through or to defend if the robot advances.
ROUND 2
Vaughn steps to the robot and both blades flash out, seeking wires to sever
Wow. Horrible rolling yo!!
Ray is about to step in behind Serithial to swing at the robot with his reach weapon, but blinks a few times as the elf steps back to in front of him.
"Serithial could stay engaged with the construct as the weapon I am holding known as a bec-de-corbin is quite long."
Ray shakes his bec-de-corbin so that Serithial can see just how long it is.
Juggling the large weapon to his left hand, Ray draws and hurls a dagger with his right.
for
Sadly, it thuds into the wooden wall.
"The dagger missed the hostile construct."
"Roight! Gotcha Ray!"
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Serithial's attack causes a shower of sparks from the robot, and leaves Vaughn an opening to plunge his dagger in. The robot's red eye extinguishes, and it falls silent.
The girl, who those of you with local ties will recognize as Val Baine, Khonnir's adopted daughter, stops cowering and begins to speak rapidly. "It just started moving! Daddy brought it back from the cave and it wasn't moving, but then he went back in and it started moving. And now he's not back! Not back!" She begins to break down, sobbing.
Ray shifts awkwardly as Val begins to sob.
"Are you hurt? You are leaking..."
Ray tilts his head as if listening, then looks nervously to his new allies.
"I mean... of course you are crying, the disappearance of Khonnir Baine, scholar and wizard, would be upsetting."
Ray nods to the others.
"I am also upset."
As his expression appears unchanged, to improve his credibility he adds, ".. so very upset."
"Lemme get this striaght. When did the thing ...start? It wasn't when the flame went out was it? Which cave? If he's alive we'll get him for you, no doubt."
"Let her calm down a moment Serithial," Vivilaas says as she lightly pushes the elf away. "Not everything needs to be stabbed at." She looks down at the fallen machine and at the precise stabs from him and Vaughn. "Though you two do look quite good at that."
Vivilaas clears her throat trying to get Val's attention. "Val, it's Val yes. Do you remember me? I'm Vivilaas: I think we met briefly the last time I was in town. Your father was helping me out. He also said you two had a tavern: how about we go, grab a drink, and calm down. That thing isn't moving anymore in any case."
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Taking a couple deep breaths, Val starts to speak again, more slowly this time. She starts walking towards the door, heading out to the wooden building.
"I'm ok. Just scared. Come this way. We can sit. The flame went out last week, and everybody got really nervous. Daddy was trying to find out why it happened. He and Joram found some caves under the gross water. Lots of people went down there. Daddy went once. He brought back that thing and said he found a big metal door. Then he went two days ago with some people from town and didn't come back."
As you enter the tavern, a middle aged half-elven woman, with long platinum blond hair and icy blue eyes, rushes over.
"I heard a commotion. What happened?" Looking at Serithial, "Oh, you're hurt. Let me take care of that!"
"why thank you." Seri's smile is crooked in more ways than one. "mighty kind of you. I am Serithiel, a scholar with a blade. Let's have a round, but I smell a chance to make some stories..."
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Ray, faced with an inquiry, cannot avoid answering.
"A hostile robot was encountered in the home of Khonnir Baine, wizard and scholar."
Ray gestures as he relates details.
"The robot was engaged by Serithial and Vaughn. Serithial was injured."
Ray then gestures at the elf's newly healed wound.
"Upon arrival at this tavern, you healed the injury he sustained."
May bread and milk be always at your table. I'm Selkania, cleric of Brigh, Happy to meet you.
Says Selkania to the middle-age half-elfen woman before adding
As my comrade Ray said we were called by Khonnir Baine for our expertise in our domains. It's seems that the city face something quite unusual and that Mr Baine have found what is called a "Robot" who just happen to activate... I think it's the proper word to use... at our arrival.
Coincidences ? I don't know but something odds and when Technology is involved I'm always eager to look deeper and help.
Seri adds to Selkania's words, "Coincidences seem to follow us. That's how I met most everyone here. But we're here now."
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"I'm Jhestine. I run an apothecary across the street. I think I've seen some of you in town before. I take it nobody's filled you in yet?"
Eight days ago, the flame up on Black Hill went out. Naturally, everyone got a bit panicked. Even Dolga hadn't seen that happen before, and she's been here from the start.
The Councilors did some investigating, and found some caves beneath the surface of the Weeping Pond that nobody'd noticed before. Word got out that the council would pay out a huge reward to anyone who got the flame going again, so a couple teams went down to check it out.
The first two were a group of halflings from out of town, and some of the local thugs and drunks who thought they might make an easy buck. They didn't come back out.
Khonnir led a team down three days after this whole mess started. They brought back that thing that attacked you, though he said he was sure it was dead, and said they found a glaucite door.
Some traveling clerics of Brigh went in the day after that. Two days ago, Khonnir went back in with his team, hoping to get through that door. They were supposed to come back before their water breathing wore off, but we've had no sign of them since. The council's put out a separate reward for finding him now, but everyone who might be able to help is either scared off or busy trying to keep the town functioning.
Everyone's been doing their best to check in on Val, but we can only be in one place at a time. I've been brewing up extra medical supplies in case trade dries up."
"Well good thing we're here. I'm sure we've got the courage. If here's one thing that comes close to my desire for knowledge, it's my desire for fortune and glory. Let us take a look. I'll be honest though, the need for water breathing scares me a bit, and we've got no healing supplies. I'm not even sure they'd WORK on Ray."
Vivilaas listens to Val and Jhestine in silence, reflecting on their words.
"So not only has the Flame gone out, but four whole groups have gone missing as well. What exactly is it that lies in the caves below..."
Looking up, she puts a tentative arm around Val. "Your father's the brightest expert on these things around Val. I'm sure he's fine. Maybe he just got delayed and is waiting for someone to come with more air for him and his group." She looks up to Vaughn, Selkania and the others and nods her head slightly towards the sobbing girl as if trying to get some more encouragement.
*deep breath*"Always Technic League."
Vaughns eyes go flat at the mention of the League, and he gives a sour "huff" yeah, always
Seeing the younger girl distressed, and surrounded by...rather unorthodox flavors of sympathy, Vaughn figures he can't hurt anything. He puts a hand on Val's shoulder.
Hey..don't worry. They're right--we'll go after him, and if we can bring him back safe, we will. OK??
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Val is somewhat comforted, but clearly still distraught. "O..ok. But hurry!"
Jhestine gives Ray a quick once-over. "Oh, don't worry about him. Anything that'll fix you will work just as well on an android. Besides, the few we have in town haven't come down with the headaches that started showing up when the flame went out."
As she continues speaking, she pops behind the bar, preparing herself a glass of wine.
"Naturally I can't give you everything I have, but come by Tempting Tonics later and I'll see what I can spare. When you come back up, I can patch you up. Jorram can fix anything that's beyond my capabilities.
As to what's in the caves, I don't know too much. Let's pray it's not the League, though. The councilors might know more. Jorram and Bazlundi are usually out and about trying to deal with the waste problem, while Dolga and Serantha tend to stay at the town hall, trying to manage the crisis. You might want to pay them a visit."
"Headaches?" Vivilaas says as she turns to Jhestine. "What headaches are you..."
She trails off as the first part of the apothecarist's sentence sinks in.
"You're, you're an android? Yes, of course you are. I mean obviously. Not that it matters of course. That's fine. I have just a few questions of course, if you don't mind. Or mind - don't have to answer them at all if you don't want to. But later. Yes, later, right now the problem is Baine and the Flame. That. Yes" she says to Ray increasingly flustered.
An Android alongside you for weeks and you DIDNT NOTICE. Some scholar you are Viv. And now you're probably freaking him out. Shut up!
Ray takes a couple steps back and holds up his hands.
"What?"
Ray looks around for anyone strange that might have overheard.
"I am... human. Just, awkward... socially."
He gestures at the grippli.
"Perhaps the grippli is an android as well? It speaks even more awkwardly than I!"
Ray tilts his head.
"Plus, you've seen me drink beer. Lots of beer."
Ray awkwardly scratches his crotch as if to show he's a manly human.
"See? Crotch itched. Definitely human."
Ray looks around for anyone strange that might have overheard.
"I am... human. Just, awkward... socially."
Doctor N shakes her head vigorously.
"Nonono. Not awkward! Just prefer efficiency."
Vaughn watches Doc's "examination" with ever rising eyebrows. Nnnnnoooooo...not the least bit awkward...
Turning back to the quest...Will we need some way to breathe underwater?
Ray takes a couple steps back and holds up his hands."What?"
Ray looks around for anyone strange that might have overheard.
"I am... human. Just, awkward... socially."
[dice=Bluff]1d20-1
He gestures at the grippli.
"Perhaps the grippli is an android as well? It speaks even more awkwardly than I!"
Ray tilts his head.
"Plus, you've seen me drink beer. Lots of beer."
Ray awkwardly scratches his crotch as if to show he's a manly human.
"See? Crotch itched. Definitely human."
"Oh, of, of course. 'Human'. That's fine. Just know if you ever have some non-human thoughts or questions I'll be here."
"Just in case, I'll take some vermin repellent. I'm good with a rapier, but not good enough to stab a thousand spiders at once..."
Seri laughs at Vaughn's response, "Trust me, we're better at adventuring than nurturing. Vaughn brings up a good point though, do we need to be prepared for an extended swim?"
Don't worry about vermin Serithiel, Brigh provide me with the Fire of the Forge and some Powerful entity enlighten it.
Says Selkania.
She turns to Ray and with a amazed voice says to him True ? An Android ?! That's amazing ! I've never meet one and even wonder if such a wonderful thin... creature could exist.
I'm very happy to meet you and will try my best to not include you in my blast.
Ray effects something of a smile at Vivi.
"Non-human thoughts? I will admit I am curious about your heritage as you appear to be nearly human, yourself."
Ray seems largely ignorant of all the poking, prodding and comments.
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