Nox takes his purchased potion and carefully stows it in his pack. ”Welp, I’m ready to head out and become a hero. How about the rest of you? You like the title of ‘Nox’s Army’? I think it has a nice ring to it!”. It was obvious the gnome was excited about possibly finding the rest of the townsfolk, including uncle 12.
Momo smirks, "Nox's Army? I'm fine with the name." The ranger laughs good-naturedly at the idea. A gnome as the party's mascot? We certainly won't be forgotten!
Leaving at first light you follow the map as well as the trails you've blazed over the past few weeks. Not long after you cross a familiar stream, reminded of the horrible creature that had taken the life of one of the colonists.
Perhaps a mile beyond the river crossing an unusual swath of ground lies ahead. About ten feet wide crossing your path looks as if it is grooved, covered with minute depressions and trampled grass. A first impression suggests a path left by hundreds of thousands of insects marching in a tight formation, but none of the plants appear to be eaten or damaged. Where the strange trail intersects with obstacles, it either splits and goes around the obstacle like water, or veers to avoid it entirely.
You remember spotting a similar trail when traveling to the secondary landing site, clearly whatever made these tracks is still on the move.
Deth furrows his brow as he inspects the strange path. "This is strange, it seems to be a swarm of some sort, but doesn't eat anything. Perhaps its related to 'Scuttles' in some way." he muses.
Deth furrows his brow as he inspects the strange path. "This is strange, it seems to be a swarm of some sort, but doesn't eat anything. Perhaps its related to 'Scuttles' in some way." he muses.
More of my widdle Scuddle-wuddles? Curious, Momo kneels to give the imprinted ground a closer inspection. "Hmm," she picks up a bit of dirt, rubs it between her fingers, and sniffs.
"I'm not sure what made those tracks. You don't think it's a snake?" Momo stands with her bow at hand. She turns around slowly and listens to the sounds of the forest. Is it here? Nearby? Momo narrows her eyes.
"Whatever it is, it's heading for the tower. I think we should follow it. But be careful." Deth advises, letting his curiosity get the better of his caution. Just in case it is a swarm he switches his weapons from bow to a vial of alchemist's fire.
"As long as it's headed towards the tower." Aenon agrees. "But if it heads of in another direction, we're leaving the trail. We're here to rescue colonists, not study the local fauna."
”There will be plenty of time to come back and study the vegetation. I agree to follow the map with no detours at all. We need to find our peo0le.”
Striking off following the tail proves easy enough, it seems whatever made these tracks preferred smooth ground rather than rough terrain. Nearly an hour later the forest gives way to shattered fragments of rock and stone, the barest recognizable remnants of a lost civilization. Jutting from the grass and shrubs is a stone promenade, ten feet wide with intermittent flights of short steps that climb up a gentle slope—miraculously unchanged despite titanic upheaval of the past. Walkways extend east and west briefly before terminating into hills of wind-eroded stone rubble that might have once been buildings. A solitary, seemingly intact tower is visible on the northern horizon, approximately a mile away.
The elevations take the form of a series of tiers, with each slope or flight of steps ascending 5 feet. The large piles of broken stone require a successful DC 0 Climb check in order to enter the first square. The rock piles are treated as difficult terrain. There are three sets of bushes along the promenade.
Three sets of bushes along the promenade conceal small holes under their foliage, suitable for a Tiny creature—the result of underground tunnels dug by ankheg nymphs.
Suddenly you hear something strange in the distance...
Sounds
What looks like thousands of Fine steel ball bearings that move in electro-thaumaturgical cohesion, making a clicking or clinking sound as it moves comes pouring over the stone promenade strait for you!
This is a Warden Jack Swarm. Each sphere can extrude sharp spikes, which essentially transforms it into a swarm of caltrops. The creature can navigate uneven terrain, roll up hills and very sharp slopes, and flow around and between obstacles. The warden jack swarm has one severe limitation: it cannot climb a 90-degree angle.
Immune weapon damage, construct traits, swarm traits
Weaknesses swarm traits
Aenon
Delia
Deth
Nininox
WJS
Momo
Thinking the fine steel ball bearings are some sort of magically controlled mass, Momo takes a step back. "What? What is this sorcery?!" She looks desperately at Nox, expecting the gnome to know the answer. Momo looks like a deer in headlights. She isn't sure if she should stay or run.
Deth thinks Well, we know what made the tracks now, but I have no idea how something like this could be animate. Deth yells out. "Don't get close to it and watch out for those small bushes over there." Deth gestures towards three small bushes. "I think there are some more of those Ankheg nymphs lurking under ground. Let me see if a ball of electricity disrupts that 'thing' while we move away to deal with it from a distance." With that Deth chants and the air feels with electricity, condensing into a small stormcloud that Deth sends into the swarm. Seeing that Momo is the last to act he sends it into the closest part of the swarm to her. Then he moves away from the swarm and the nymphs.
As he moves he is struck by a sudden thought. "You know we might be able to use the nymphs against this thing."
Remembering how little help armor was last time they fought a swarm, Aenon decides against using the armor potion just yet. Instead he moves in front of Deth and prepares to hold the swarm away.
Perception
Know. Arcana
”I have no idea! I’ve never seen anything like that before,” he called out. Nox decided to try to figure out if Acid would have an effect on the swarm.
RTA
Acid damage
Round 1
Aenon- moves forward and tries to strike the swarm, he hits a handful of the small balls but is overwhelmed by their sheer numbers!
Delia -
Deth - Conjures a cloud. Most of the small balls manage to avoid the arcing electricity!
Nininox -Miss
WJS- The small balls roll over Aenon!
Momo-
No! No! No! This is not natural at all! Momo desperately looks for something to climb on top of... Deth's back? A tree? Perhaps a pile of rocks? Momo will double move to climb up and away from the mysterious foe. Momo screams and waves her arms wildly as she runs, nearly tripping a few times.
"Aenon, get out of there. Use Alchemist's fire or something." Deth yells as he moves away from the WJS. He continues to try to electrocute the evil swarm.
He tosses the vial of alchemist's fire he had ready into the writhing mass.
"Be ready. The ball of electricity is about to go away and that was my only vial of alchemist's fire." he yells.
Aenon manages to keep on his feet. Seeing that attacking the WJS did next to nothing, he bravely backs of from the rolling swarm. "I hope you guys have something up your sleeves, cause I'm doing nothing here." He yells to the others.
Nox throws his own vial of alchemist’s fire. After tossing it, he retreats 20’ in the opposite direction.
RTA
Damage
moves forward and tries to strike the swarm, he hits a handful of the small balls but is overwhelmed by their sheer numbers!
Conjures a cloud. Reflex DC15: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19 Most of the small balls manage to avoid the arcing electricity! 3 dmg
Miss
The small balls roll over Aenon! dmg: 1d6 ⇒ 5 Refelx DC 12 or fallprone
Runs to the western pile of rubble.
Keeps his feet and falls back away from the swarm.
Miss
Moving away from the swarm he lobs a vial of alchemist's fire... it slips as he swings causing the vial to strike the ground at your feet setting you aflame!
Miss Miss Your throw falls short splashing you and the creature!
Clearlyn harmed by the ball of lighting it chenges direction and rolls to the flaming druid. As the nearly reaches him the balls extend spikes and then strike!
Momo watches in horror, biting her lip until she draws blood. "Run, Deth! RUN!" That's definitely not an animal! She stumbles up the hill, making her way North (25 feet.) As she moves, she clumsily takes out her bow. Blood from her lip pearls into a fat droplet that eventually trickles down to her chin.
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Deth swears as he sets himself on fire and then promptly gets stabbed through the shoulder by the metal mass. Bleeding profusely and not having time to put out the flames engulfing him, he runs towards Delia screaming. "PUT ME OUT! AND THEN RUN AWAY FROM ME!" As he does the ball of lightning plows into the writhing collection of balls.
Round 1
Delia immediately begins a tune to give her companions a better chance at harming the swarm of tiny ball things...
Round 2
Delia flinches as Deth suddenly rushes up to her, awash in flames and bleeding from a wound in shoulder. Despite the distraction, she keeps up her song and places her hand softly upon Deth's shoulder and a blue glow spreads from her hands into the wound, sealing it.
"Calm yourself, Deth, we will be okay. I have a few tricks up my sleeve too!" Even so, she retreats a few steps as well...
Keeps his feet and falls back away from the swarm.
Miss 1d100 1d8
Moving away from the swarm he lobs a vial of alchemist's fire... it slips as he swings causing the vial to strike the ground at your feet setting you aflame!
Miss 1d8 Miss Your throw falls short splashing you and the creature!
[dice=Ref]1d20+3 Clearlyn harmed by the ball of lighting it chenges direction and rolls to the flaming druid. As the nearly reaches him the balls extend spikes and then strike! [dice=dmg]d6
Shouts and runs up the hill!
Singing and CLW
Round 3
Seeing no way to harm the swarm, Aenon picks up a rock from the nearby pile of rubble. He hurls it at the swarm and loundly yells out some aquan lines best left untranslated to get its attention.
Momo continues to run at the hill
"Hurry up, guys! Run faster!"
Non turns and keeps running as far form the swarm as he small legs will let him.
The discharge from the cloud acrs across the swarm leaving a faint acrid taste in the air. The small balls lie still even as a rock thrown from Aenon lands in their midst. As the swarm dies the fire smolders and finally goes out.
The tower lies to the north, however, you can see signs of more ruins to the south as well.
Momo is crouched on a pile on rocks when the party finally catches up to her. "Is- is it- dead?" Momo looks around nervously, ready to start running again if necessary.
When it's clear the danger has been eliminated, Momo stands. "Nice work, everyone. I didn't think that mercurial water demon could be stopped." Momo shudders. "Well, I think there are more ruins South and a tower to the North. Maybe we could get a good view of the surrounding area," Momo suggests.
Deth drops to the ground, rolling around to put himself out. The singed druid then rises to his feet. "Thanks, Delia. I needed that healing." He looks towards the shrubs. "We still have those ankheg nymphs to worry about, but I agree with Momo. Lets go into the tower and see what we can see." He walks over to the inert swarm and prods it with his spear. "How was this even 'alive'" he wonders out loud.
Aenon joins Deth by the remains of the swarm, and seeing no movement from it, picks up one of the creatures. ’I have no idea . I can’t say that I have ever seen anyhing like this in all my travels.’’ He replies to the druid. After studying the creature, he pockets a few more of them before slinging his backpak on and starting northward. ’I agree that we should probably get moving. The bugs will probably be on us before long if we linger here.’
Deth also picks up some of the 'bugs' and looks them over. "Yep, lets go to the tower he says as he puts them in his pack."
He walks over to the inert swarm and prods it with his spear. "How was this even 'alive'" he wonders out loud.
Momo involuntarily shivers.
"I have no idea . I can’t say that I have ever seen anything like this in all my travels."
"It shouldn't exist." Momo crosses her arms. She waits for the others to catch up so they can make their way to the tower.
It took Nox a few seconds to realize the things had stopped. He turned around and rejoined his friends. ”Well, that was pretty awful. Hopefully, not a harbinger of things to come,” he said as he readjusted his hat.
To the north, the hills give way to sharp, rocky inclines. A solitary stone structure, a tower at least three stories high is partially embedded in the rocky cliff wall behind it. The cylindrical edifice is oddly undamaged, however, as if the rock were only the tide lapping at the tower’s lower half, frozen in time. The structure has no windows or rooftop battlements. A metal double door is set in the base of the southern side and is slightly ajar.
Interesting rock formations, rubble, and boulders litter the surrounding countryside, suggesting an ancient site where stone was once quarried and buildings and monuments were erected. Catastrophe and the return of wilderness have made almost all of it unrecognizable— save for this strange building.
Approaching the doors they can see the following text carved into them in Azlanti. “Spindlelock Research Facility: a division of the Spindle Solution, making tomorrow’s humanity, today. Authorized Personnel Only.” In addition, the tower has what appear to be stone posts directly abutting either side of the door, hinting that there was at one time a walkway or some other structure attached to the tower.
Momo examines the door area to see if any sneaky, sneaky goblins have setup a trap. If she detects any traps, she will attempt to disable them. If Momo doesn't detect anything dangerous, she will attempt to open the door.
Looking at the strange writing on the door, Deth recognizes it as Azlanti. Darn it. I'm going to have to learn that language. he thinks as he waits for one of his companions to translate. While Momo searches, Deth also looks around.
Nox happily translates for the group. ”I’d expect plenty of constructs inside. What else could have lasted this long,” Nox explains.
As their rogueish friend gets to work on the doors, Aenon digs out his stash of potions. While he downs two of them, his eyes linger on the ruins dotting the landscape.
"I agree, Nox. While I'm not sure what exactly that swarm consisted of, I imagine they were likely some sort of construct at one point. We already have our little clockwork companion. We should be cautious. Especially considering this is a restricted area..."
The way ahead appears clear...
This spacious chamber appears to have been designed to awe or impress the entrant. Pale gray tiles decorated with faint, intricate geometrical designs cover the floor. The walls of the chamber are pure white, illuminated by unnatural light emanating from the ceiling in a way that makes the chamber appear slightly larger than it really is. A large double door exits to the south, and another double door leads to the north.
In the center of the chamber appears to be a lifelike statue of a man in simple black robes with a helmet that obscures most of his face.
The doors have a locking mechanism, but it is not engaged. Unless noted otherwise, all ceilings in the tower are 15 feet high. All doors are metal and swing open and closed effortlessly despite their weight. As you enter a room, the entire ceiling begins to glow, shedding normal light throughout the room.
Delia looks around in awe at the marvels of this building. She casts a simple cantrip in an attempt to determine their nature, whether magical or mechanical. "This place is fantastic! I've never seen such a marvelous place!"
Deth is fascinated by the lighting system, and like Delia casts a Detect Magic to try and figure out how the lights 'know' someone is there.
He walks into the room and looks around, finally scrutinizing the statue in the center of the room.
After standing stunned by the beauty of the room, Aenon regretfully tears himself away from a particularly interesting design on the floor. He gets moving towards the door and takes a quick glance at it before turning to the young rogue. "Think the door is safe Momo?" he asks and nods her over.
Deth tears himself away from the statue and moves over to the door. "I'll open it, if everyone's ready." As long as no one objects he opens the door.
You are unable to identify any of the schools of magic here.
While a few of you seem stunned by the magical auras...
A trident seems to sail straight through each wall at Deth and Aenon.
(R) vs Deth
(P) vs Aenon