Lucrezia nods in agreement with the cleric and unsheathes her sword with an easy grace. She follows closely behind Sarona.
Skikkikitikut furrows her brow in concern, and follows along behind as best she can.
"Glaucite? What is this?" Zoresk asks in a low rumble, scratching behind one ear with blunt fingernails. "Bugs and worms, they all make same sounds when you hit them, no matter how big. Men who blend into walls, we can handle." He gives a wicked grin at the prospect, showing slightly yellow teeth, already thrilled for the hunt.
His brow furrows at the mention of Parda. He remembered a few people telling him to challenge her to a brawl, with their tone implying that he was highly likely to lose any such bout. From the sounds of things, she's not the type to get in over her head, he thinks, his frown deepening. That can't be good.
____________________
Zoresk's head snaps towards the direction of the scream with an almost audible crack. He gives a low growl, clenching his fists, which begin to glow with wisps of translucent purple energy. As his knuckles whiten, the wisps coalesce and form into wickedly sharp, curved purple claws, not unlike those of a bear. He grins savagely as he admires his handiwork, turning his fists this way and that. "Good. Now we go," he growls, heading for the door Sarona indicates.
Adrien and Ozzy both spin towards the noise, with Ozymandias' piston clearly priming. "Stay sharp, Ozzy. I think we might have some trouble." Adrien stays behind Ozzy, a spell already meeting his lips. He chants quietly in Androffan under his breath, sustaining the spell's energy until he sees fit to release it.
The wooden doors swing open with ease. Within, you see a workshop with various equipment scattered around, ranging from the mundane to the fantastical. A five foot tall automaton thrashes wildly around. Standing five feet tall and made of a grey-white polymer, the drone vaguely resembles the torso, head, and arms of a man attached to a trio of spider-like legs. Bits of its chassis are missing, revealing the delicate circuitry beneath. A single eye blazes red in the machine's head as it pounds at at workshop table scattering glass and tools to the floor.
Beneath the table is a blonde girl in her mid teens, reaching for a a large metal wrench that's just out of reach. Her legs are snared in a metal contraption that's collapsed on her, pinning her to the spot. The girl turns to you and shouts, "Help!"
Lucrezia moves up and adjacent to Ozy and Sarona, and then studies the flailing mechanical construct.
And I thought these things were unnerving with humanoid legs she thinks while acknowledging the blonde girl's plea with a nod.
Having sized the machine up, Lucrezia tries to determine and basic strengths or weakness it might have, at least that she might glean with her meager understanding of such constructs.
"Ah, this one is tiny!" Zoresk grins wickedly, moving into the room and flexing his fists. "This will be over quickly!"
"Very...tktktkt...interesting. Why legs like that? Greater stability? Rocky...ktktk...ground? I wish I could get a better look at its...tkt...insides," the ratfolk muttered to herself. Then she approaced closer for a better look, being careful to stay in cover.
[ooc]Stickie studies the drone, seeing what she can figure out about it. Then she moves up to one side of the doorway (between the outer wall and the bush), trying to remain unseen.
As the door swings open, Ozymandias charges, his optical sensors flashing as he moves towards the robotic creature. Before he begins running, the large mechanized piston on his arm begins to prime, with the powered pulleys straining to pull back the large weight contained within. Adrien places on hand upon Ozymandias, completing his spell and covering Ozymandias in a shimmering wall of force.
"You will cease and desist your aggressive actions," Ozymandias says as he brings his arm around the wallop the robot holding down Val. As he swings his fist, the piston clicks loudly, with the heavy weight swinging forwards to add more power to the blow. "If not, I will be forced to disable you on my master's orders." Immediately after his attack, the piston already begins to re-arm itself, and Ozymandias stands tall in front of the robot, shielding the others in the group from possible harm.
Sarona steps into the ruined workshop and sizes up the robotic creature pinning Val to the floor.
Her eyes flare blue and her mouth twists into a frown. "You are endangering my adoptive sister. If you do not remove yourself from atop her this instant, I will be forced to tear out your inner workings. Slowly."
Lucrezia steps into the workshop and stops adjacent to what appears to be large quenching pool. She readies herself for any hostile action from the drone.
The spider-like automaton crumples under Ozy's blow, the metal warping and cracking. Sparks flying from damaged electronics, it falls back on a broken leg and writhes on the ground for a moment before going still. The young girl scrambles out from under the table and leaps towards Sarona, wrapping the android in a tight embrace.
"Ohmygoodness, Sarona. Thank you for showing up. I was just cleaning up in here when the thing dad brought home went crazy." She opens her eyes and looks around at the rest of the party, still holding Sarona in a hug. "Umm... who are these people?"
Sarona strokes Val's hair as she hugs her. "These people are here to solve the mystery of why Torch's flame has guttered out, Val." She says, her mouth starting to quirk into a 'smile'.
It promptly fades as she looks more closely at Val. "Are you injured? Is everything alright?"
Zoresk glares at the crumpled automaton, before muttering a curse in Hallit and kicking a piece of it across the room.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Excellent job, Ozzy. You can stand down now." Adrien moves into the room, examining the crumpled bits of sheet metal that were just a moment ago attacking Val. "Hmm... what a waste. I wonder if it could be re-assembled? Think of the things we could learn..." As Sarona embraces Val, Adrien moves towards the pair.
"Miss Val, my name is Adrien Belmont, and this other automaton is Ozymandias." Looking again to the broken robot on the floor, he coughs. "He won't hurt you, I promise. We're acquaintances of Sarona, and we're planning to head into the ruins to determine the reason for Torch's flame guttering out. And to see what happened to your father and the other missing search parties." After a second, his face goes red. "I apologize Sarona... I suppose I should have let you break that news to your sister."
Sarona winces and looks at Adrien. "Yes. You should have." Her tone is flat.
She strokes Val's hair again. "Yes, it is true that Khonnir led a second expedition under the town. Unfortunately, he hasn't returned. I intend to find him and bring him home, and these people are going to help me."
Lucrezia lets out a low whistle, having witnessed the devastation "Ozzy" was capable of.
Dangerous. And powerful. Might be, that the technology of Numeria could benefit more than just herself. Lucrezia would have to keep this in mind going forward.
For now, she watches Sarona's reunion with her sister. There is something stilted, and unnatural, about the cleric's movements, despite her apparently genuine emotion. She comments to Zoresk offhandedly,
"And you fought constructs like Ozymandias on a routine basis? Shame we don't have more like you in Mendev. That would give the demonic front lines something to think twice about."
That or handful of Ozzy-bots.
Skikkikitikut leaves the talking and explanations to others, and instead moves to investigate the downed contraption, once Adrien had abandoned it. Looking at the smashed pieces, she picks out any that look particulary useful...or shiny.
Zoresk crouches, pushing aside the larger pieces of the crumpled automaton in an attempt to help Stickie in her search. He grins at Lucrezia's comments, giving a deep, rumbling chuckle.
"My tribe-brothers and I fought several of these metal men. They wander the Felldales and the Wastes, broken, killing all they come across. We get to them first." He holds up his fists and watches as the strange claws fade, like mist caught in a wind. "We have the strength of bears, and fire in our hearts. Yet our 'friend' is unlike anything we have fought before. I am glad Ozzy is on our side."
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Zoresk Totem-Caller of the White Bears, son of Korskell Iron-Slayer, I am pleased to hear that you speak highly of me." For a moment, Ozymandias's sensors glow bright blue as a humming escapes from his vocal unit. "I am certain that if we are forced to engage in combat, I will be glad for your presence as well." Ozymandias moves towards the shattered remains of the spider-like automaton, grasping one of its long legs in his spindly right hand. "It is... unfort-fortun-nate that you had to be demolished."
His sensors buzz for several moments, clearly examining the wreckage in some manner. "Adrien, I believe Miss Skikkikitikut may have the right idea." He pauses for a moment, turning his body to face the summoner. "These machines come from ruins, much like... myself." A quizzical beeping echoes through the room, before he continues speaking. "It is possible parts could be salvaged to aid in my--" the audio cuts out at he puzzles over the word. "--reconstruction."
"Tktktktktkt," Skikkikitikut chittered under her breath as she worked. "You never know what you might need later, so it's best to salvage as much as possible. Are you all right, Miss Baine?" she added without looking up. "Do you have any idea what set it off like that? What were you doing when it activated?"
"I'm fine," Val says, holding her arms out in front of her to as if to check for injuries. "I was just tidyin' up in here, getting the place ready for when dad gets back. The damn bot just laid there for days, but the last time I walked past it, it jumped at me!"
She turns to Adrien, eyes wide. "Ya'll are lookin' for dad?" A grin begins to creep across her face. "The Foundry is open to ya! I've got plenty of space on the floor around the fire and I can keep you fed. Free of charge! It'll be a great base for when we get back from lookin' for him."
"We will be leaving to look for him soon," Zoresk says gruffly, folding his arms over his chest. "Your offer is generous, though. Very..." He pauses, brow furrowing as he searches for the word. "Hospitable," he says finally, grinning as if proud of himself. "It will be good to remember it."
-Posted with Wayfinder
"It is good that you are alright," Lucrezia says with an honesty belied by her even tone. "If possible, is there anything you can share with us that will help in our search for your father? Do you know anything about the caverns which that automaton was scavenged from?"
"When we..." Skikkikitikut trailed off. "Yes, of course you are coming with us, just as your sister Sarona is. Thank you for your hospitality."
Skikkikitikut returned to her task, when she abruptly realized a golden opportunity was presenting itself. "If this is the workshop, I don't suppose you'd mind showing us what your father was working on before he left? Or anything else he might have brought back from his first trip? There might be something -- ktktktk -- important in which could shed light on what we might be facing in his rescue."
Sarona blinks. "Val, your offer of lodgings is greatly appreciated."
When Skikkikitikut mentions that Val can come with them, the priestess' eyes widen. "Wait--you want to come with us?"
Val crosses her arms, defiant. "Well, sure. If you're going to go looking for dad, I want to come. It's only fair. And you might need my help."
Looking around the workshop, you notice various bits of bizarre technology, but none of it sticks out quite as much as the destroyed automaton or the tool that hangs from Val's hip. The young girl shrugs at Lucrezia's question. "I don't really know anything about the caves, 'cept that my dad wanted to show me them after they were safe. He seemed to think that there's more down there like that hunk o' junk." She hooks a pointed thumb over her shoulder towards the scrapped robot. "Far as I know, it's all he brought back."
"If there were to be more of these... truly, that would be awe inspiring. How do they still function? Do these... do these other machines not require a connection like Ozymandias?" Lost in his musings, Adrien only snaps back to reality when the discussion of Val accompanying them into the ruins begins to surface. "Val, have you every traveled through these types of ruins before? Are you familiar with the dangers?"
"It will be dangerous," Zoresk says bluntly. "We cannot promise your safety." He picks up a large sheet of metal from the remains of the creature, turns it over as if appraising a weapon, and sets it aside.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Sarona nods in agreement with Zoresk. "I will admit, I have some reservations about this, Val..."
She looks down at her feet before looking back at her little sister. "...but if you truly wish to come with us, I will do what I can to keep you safe."
It would be hypocritical of me to forbid her to go when Councilor Dolga raised the same objections towards my insistence on going.
Val straightens her back, bringing her up to the less than impressive height of slightly shorter than Adrien. "I can handle myself. When do we leave?"
"No...," Lucrezia says slowly as she regards the young girl, before agreeing with Zoresk's assessment. "We certainly cannot guarantee your safety. But an outsider like myself has no right to turn you away either. I'm prepared to leave when the rest of you are."
May the Lord's wings shield this child she thinks grimly. For I am not certain that I can.
It sat poorly with Lucrezia, but the tingling phantom sensation from her left side reminds her why she is here. No sense in wasting anymore time. The life, or death, of the previous expedition members may hinge on how quickly they took action.
"I am prepared to go as well." Sarona checks her gear, making sure she has everything she needs for the trip.
"I suppose time is of the essence, but examining this automaton could give us potentially useful information. How to weaken or disable them, or even to bring them under our own control..." Adrien looks about the group, a piece of the machine now held in his hands. He holds it up to the light, looking at it as he continues to speak. "This could save our lives, the information this thing holds." He then looks to Val and Sarona, his voice low. "But taking the time to examine it could cost you the life of your father." He looks back to the spider-like leg in his hands, then again to the pair of sisters.
"I will not prevent you from doing everything you can to save Councilman Baine. If you wish me to take time and study the remnants of this creature, I will. If not, I'll scavenge what I can and we can leave."
"Our quarry is this Baine," Zoresk grunts. "We should be leaving to find him as soon as we can. If the small one is to join us, I will keep her safe as best as able. She has the fire of my clan-brothers," he adds, with a wide grin.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"I suppose you're right. I'll scavenge what I can, and study it at the next available opportunity." Adrien moves to the broken automaton, and begins to harvest pieces of circuitry and other working pieces. Picking up one of the creature's long legs, he manages to fold it neatly on its hinge, and places it into his pack. Satisfied with what he's gathered, he looks to Ozymandias. "Are you ready to go? It seems we're to head out."
"I have no present issues that must be addressed." The eidolon's voice turns to static for a few seconds before resuming. "I am ready to depart." The piston on his arm slowly deactivates, the pulleys that crank the machine into place relieving their pressure. After a moment, Ozymandias looks to Val. "We will protect you, young one. I do not know your name, young one. What is it?"
Skikkikitikut shrugs. "I'm ready any time."
EDIT: "Although, on second thought -- we should probably look around and see if he left any notes. Does anyone mind if we take some time to thoroughly search the workshop?"
Val leads the group from Foundry complex and towards the Black Hill, Torch's second most recognizable landmark (the first being the eponymous flame, of course). Travelling north through the dusty city, you can hear the metal workers toil over hot fires and heavy iron.
Black Hill is a bald escarpment composed almost entirely of dark soul that soars above the buildings around it. Down the western side of the mound winds a path past sharp rocks and uneven gravel. Scarce vegetation begins to appear as you approach one of the Torch’s small natural reservoirs. Placid and stinking of sulfur and other chemicals, Weeping Pond, as it is called by the locals, is the spot Khonnir Baine was studying prior to his discovery of the entrance to the caves. A difficult job, considering that the fumes coming off the water make your eyes itch and water.
By the shore, Val explains that this is where her father entered the caves; that you must swim through the water for a bit while sticking to the cliffside. There is little choice in the matter. It's the only known entrance to the Black Hill Caves.
---
Eventually, your feet find solid ground in a dark, cool cave. Val lights a sunrod, still functional despite the swim and wades towards dry land. The air is stale and bitter, stinking of mold and vinegar, although it seems safe to breathe. Dampness hangs in the air, condensing into slick moisture that coats the walls. The calm, dark waters wind around to the east up north, along a stony, soot-scarred beach. A five-foot-high ledge sporting several stalagmites rises to the east, beyond which a low-ceilinged cave beckons.
”Here it is. I’m not sure which way dad went though, sooo... which way?" Val asks.
Sarona looks around the cavern and blinks, shaking her head to get the rancid water out of her hair. "...I do not know. Val, stay close to me." She rests a hand on her shoulder and looks to the others. "Is everyone well?"
As the group nears the mucky water, Ozymandias lifts Adrien onto his shoulders, keeping him from the murky water. While his joints freeze up for a moment or two, his circuits don't seem to be adversely affected by the water. As they reach the inside of the cave, the eidolon rears back up to his full height and sets Adrien down on the ground beside him.
"I believe I am well, Miss Sarona. Unless completely submerged, I suffer few ill-effects from encountering large amounts of liquid." He looks around for a moment, searching for tracks of any sort. "I am not calibrated for such tasks, Miss Sarona. I'm afraid I cannot--" the eidolon moves to continue his speech after a brief interruption, but Adrien places a hand on his side, signaling to him to stop.
"I'm afraid I can't spot anything either. Zoresk, perhaps you should take a look." Adrien moves to wipe some of the grime from Ozymandias' chassis with a cloth from his bag, waiting for the other man to survey their surroundings. "Much like Ozzy, this isn't exactly one of my fields of study, unfortunately."
Lucrezia weathers the fumes emitted by the fetid water, but finds herself uncharacteristically annoyed. This kind of work was never the best smelling, but she had vainly hoped that she could go one day without finding herself waist deep in one sort of foulness or another. She glares wistfully as Adrien is easily conveyed across the pool by his automaton.
The situation bothers her more than she realizes and Lucezia fails to pick up a trail.
Must have gotten soft during the weeks of easy travel she thinks without mirth.
"If we can't turn up any hard evidence of a trail we may as well simply enter the caves and see if any other clues await," she says to the party.
Unbothered by the fetid water, Zoresk glances once at Adrien, nods, and glances around in the gloom. He'd never been too good at the actual hunting or tracking part, but nobody else needed to know that yet. "This way," he says with conviction, following the waters to the east.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Hm, did you notice something?" Lucrezia asks Zoresk, a bit impressed that he's managed to pick up a trail.
"Mmm," Zoresk affirms with a grunt and a nod. After all, technically he saw plenty.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Well, if you've found something, I suggest we follow it. If you're willing to lead the way, Ozymandias and I will follow." Adrien pulls a book and ink pen from his bag, holding them in his off-hand, as well as a piece of chalk. "If we need to make a map." he says, opening the journal to a blank page. With the chalk, he clearly marks the entrance to the tunnel with a rune written in Androffan.