"I'm not sure about this settlement. I find it hard to believe that 50 something hardy colonists were run off by just some bugs and goblins."
Aenon follows Momo over to the well and stops for a minute to peer into its depths. Turned slightly pessimistic after the expeditions string of bad luck, he gingerly touches his hands to the waters surface, expecting some creature to burst out of the deep at any second.
"Unless the gnome is right, and there's a whole swarm of those things, I expect the colonists were chased away by something else. The creatures here might all be like the fuath, looking for food and shelter when they stumbled upon the colony."
At the center of the colony, in front of the Government House, is a public well. The well water is clean and potable, and the rope and bucket are still intact. Just southwest of the well is a wooden scaffold with a set of steps. It looks suitable for use as a platform to address a large crowd, though it would take minimal effort to convert it into a gallows. North of the scaffold is the remnant of a well-used community fire pit surrounded by stones, large enough for a reasonably sized bonfire. Most of the ashes in the central fire pit have been rained on repeatedly and are now mixed in with the soil. It is clear that no fire has been lit here for weeks.
A thorough search of the area reveals no clear tracks or signs of the colonists.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This wooden-framed, mud brick structure is currently the colony’s only two-story building, as well as one of the largest structures. It has the appearance of a rural courthouse or city hall rather than that of a residence. The front features a small porch supported by rough log pillars, with double wooden doors facing west. Numerous window frames with shutters, some of them open, wrap around the building on both floors. The roof is not thatched, but has wooden shakes instead. The construction suggests this building was intended to be a source of community pride, but it still has a rough, unfinished appearance due to lack of paint and coarse materials. A few small shrubs have been planted around it.
"What a nice building," Momo looks the Government House up and down. "We should go inside. I wonder if the original charter is in there." Momo walks up to the porch and tries the door. Assuming nothing out of the ordinary happens, Momo surveys the first floor of the building... then the second.
"The colonists must have been concerned about law and order to build something like this so quickly. I mean, this building looks more completed than the "
"If our exploration takes longer than expected, this hall looks like a good place for us to hole up for safety during the night. These walls should protect nicely from the creepy crawlies, once we get all the windows closed."
Momo looks a little surprised at 14's comment, but she agrees. "That's a good idea Nox. I'd feel a lot safer here than in one of the bunks."
"If there are more of those bugs around, I think we're better off together. We should probably be careful when opening doors too. I would hate for any of us to come to serious harm." Aenon joins Momo and Nox in exploring the administrative building, making sure they take their time and that they're all careful when entering new rooms.
"When we're finished here, I suggest we work our way along the south wall, move our gear in here and then check out the buildings south of the wall."
"That sounds like good idea, Aenon." Deth replies. "i can see why they built this first. It provides shelter and a sense of community. It also means they wouldn't just leave without cause."
Delia fills her canteen with water from the well, not knowing when they might locate another source of clean water. "This is a very nice building, indeed. I also wonder if it means there may have been any contact with other civilizations around here." She pauses and suddenly recalls something. "We should keep a close eye out for any kind of books or charters, journals, etc. They may have some kind of indication at what occurred here or why." She keeps close to the others, making sure to keep a weary eye on the horizon at all times.
Through the main doors is a foyer opening to a large chamber that occupies most of the main floor. This room is open to the second floor, and two flights of stairs lead to a gallery that overlooks this space, supported by columns on the main level. At the rear of the chamber against the east wall is a raised desk, like a podium. Tables and chairs are arrayed in front of it like a courtroom. The gallery above has simple wooden chairs so that citizens can observe whatever business is conducted here. Doors at the north and south ends of the main floor lead to what appears to be separate offices.
The building has not been used recently, as evidenced by a light layer of dust throughout.
While surveying the main room Momo spots what looks like a small metal sphere with a large eye clinging up near the ceiling. It shifts enough to try and keep the whole group in view.
The makeshift offices have simple wooden tables, chairs, and writing equipment including stationery, ink, and quills. The northern office also has a locked wooden coffer.
"What is that thing?" Delia asks when Momo point it out to the group.
"I've never seen anything like that before. If any of you could climb up there and pull it down, I'd love to tinker on it to see how it seems to follow us wherever we walk," Nox says as he walks to the other end of the room, seeing if that thing followed him.
Clockwork spies are about 2 feet wide from leg to leg, and weigh less than 40 pounds.
Upon being discovered the eye runs to the closest window, climbs partially up the wall, and opens the shutters with the intention of flying away.
Know. Arcana
"That thing can fly! We need to take it down now to see if there are any clues in it! Don't let it run away," the Gnome yells as he moves toward it, readying to try and blast it out of the sky.
Momo sees the one large, red eye and thinks aloud: ”Another bug?” Momo takes out her and moves to try to capture the small metal sphere. If needed, Momo pulls a chair under the critter so she can stand on it. Momo doesn't think the creature poses a threat or else it would have attacked already. "Guard the windows!" Momo holds the sack open, hoping someone can dislodge the mechanical critter. If close enough, Momo will cover its vision with the
~*~*~*~
After the encounter:
Momo offers to try to unlock the wooden coffer in the northern office. She pulls out her and sets to work on the lock.
"Hmm..."
"Some jerk removed pages from the logbook! See? Right here," Momo holds up the book and points animatedly.
All of the books date back to approximately 1 month ago, whereupon the entries become sporadic and stop altogether a week later.
Upon hearing the cries of his partymembers, Aenon runs to intercept the creature. He tries to do a walljump to make up for whatever height he is missing and then grabs hold of it.
The small clockwork creation is quickly intercepted as it futilely tries to dart around the room staying out of reach until finally being caught and secured.
You have captured a clockwork spy.
Delia lets out a small cheer as Aenon quickly secures the small spy. "Why would this be here?" She ponders. "And who would remove the last few pages of the logbook? I think our people may have been taken and this little creature has some tie to whomever is behind this. We need to be very cautious and stick together from here on forward."
Still reeling from the acid burns, Deth is late to the fight. "This pretty much proves that this was not some natural disaster or calamity that befell the colony. This was planned and orchestrated. Does anyone know how that thing communicates to its masters?"
"This thing does yield credence to the idea that something sinister happened here and that the settlers were taken. For all we know, someone might be watching us and is en route to here right now.". Nox grabs hold of the device and look closely at it. "I think we need to figure out a way to turn it off, so we can find out everything possible about its construction."
14 notices a small key in a complicated self-winding mechanism on the back of the spy.
Much like golems and animated objects, clockwork creatures can be given any number of commands; a perpetually turning script in their core records those orders and programs the rest of the machine. Only one who possesses a key to the clockwork can program it, but any commands given to the construct last until the clockwork is reprogrammed or destroyed. An individual clockwork’s potential is only limited by its creator’s innovation and aptitude. Unlike many golems, which are trapped in bodies resembling lumbering and fallible cages, clockwork constructs can be repeatedly reworked and reengineered—gears can be oiled, springs can be replaced, and pistons can be fine-tuned. The ever-adjustable framework of these mechanical beasts allows for extreme variation from creation to creation.
After handing Nox the clockwork spy, Aenon stands still in the main hall, lost in thought. 'How does all this fit together?' He takes a seat on the floor, eyes closed and legs crossed and starts repeating excecises he was taught many decades ago. Slowly driving away any superflous thoughts, he sits pondering while his companions searches the offices. As Delia mentions missing pages, a thought strikes Aenon and he gets back up.
"Could whatever outside force did this have had help from someone in the colony? I mean; All colonists are missing with no sign of anyone taking suplies with them when they left. Somehow their boat was sabotaged, someone knew where to look for these papers but took care to lock it away, and the smithy and this office were still in use until a week ago."
Momo dislikes the idea of being watched like she's prey. Momo is a hunter,
a predator.
Assuming there are no objections, Momo offers: "Here, maybe I can disable the critter." Momo uses her to fiddle with the keyhole on the red-eyed mechanical. Momo says a silent prayer as she works the lock.
Momo manages to carefully remove the auto-winding device and unwind the spy and extract the key.
Momo examines the key and then the small metal spider. Momo winds the mechanical spider with the key. "Tell me your name. If you don't tell me, we're going to have to give you a new one." Momo starts thinking of names: Blinky, Red, Scuttles...
"Show us what you recorded. All of it."
After interacting with the critter, Momo turns to start brainstorming with her companions. "This is great - we could record what we see here and show the second wave of colonists." Momo looks at her companions, wondering what they think and if they've thought of anything else.
"Could we program the little thing to go back to where it originally came, letting us follow it? If we could track it back, I bet it would lead us right to everyone! And to whomever took them," 14 suggested to the group.
Delia waits quietly, humming to herself while Momo works her magic upon the tiny device. "That is a fantastic idea, Nini! Maybe we can locate the settlers before any harm has come to them. At least I do hope they are all okay."
Deth stares in amazement at Momo's deft skills. "You are a wonder." Deth exclaims. He waits, looking over Momo's shoulder as she works with the recording crystal. 'Whatever we do, we need to see the information this thing has recorded, before determining where we go next.' he thinks.
The machine looks at you awaiting direction. When commanded it replays what it recorded...
You hear your party entering the building...
”Another bug?”
"What is that thing?"
"I've never seen anything like that before. If any of you could climb up there and pull it down, I'd love to tinker on it to see how it seems to follow us wherever we walk,"
"That thing can fly!"
"Guard the windows!" Momo's voice cutting back in
"We need to take it down now to see if there are any clues in it! Don't let it run away," the Gnome yells followed by the sounds of rapidly approaching footsteps and a rustling sound.
Seems the only thing currently in its memory is what you've done the past few minutes....
Her face flushes pink from Deth's words. Disabling Devices was just part of her Trapper's profession. It was strange, to Momo, to be complimented on something she assumed was common.
"Your name is Scuttles. When I say Scuttles, I'm talking to you so make sure you listen." Momo uses her stern voice as she instructs the party's new pet.
Momo follows Nox's advice: "Lead us to where you came from... Scuttles." Scuttles - What a silly name. "And be careful not to get injured."
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"Call it whatever you want, but if you want that thing around, you're going to have to feed and take care of it yourself." Aenon motions to the construct while moving towards the door, ready to intercept Momo's new pet should it try to escape again. "What do these sorts of things eat anyway?
"Call it whatever you want, but if you want that thing around, you're going to have to feed and take care of it yourself." Aenon motions to the construct while moving towards the door, ready to intercept Momo's new pet should it try to escape again. "What do these sorts of things eat anyway?"
Momo, who had been crouching down while talking to , straightens to her normal 5'4" height. "Of course I'll take care of him. He could be a big clue as to where the colonists went." Momo frowns, "I have no idea what he eats. Maybe nothing because he's a machine?" Momo bends down again and starts to baby-talk to the arachnid construct: "Are wu a writtle hungwry? What does wittle Scuttles want to eat?" Disappointed at the lack of emotional response from the newfound companion, Momo clears her throat. "Anyway..." It looks like an animal but it definitely isn't one.
Deth makes himself ready to follow 'Scuttles', smiling at the name. "Maybe we should try feeding him, she or it a copper piece." He rummages around in his belt pouch and pulls out a copper and holds it towards the spider automaton.
It set off moving at a reasonable walking pace to the exit. Turingin periodically to be sure you're following.
Nox looked around at the others. "Well, let's follow Scuttles the first, and see where he leads us.". Before following, Nox grabs the necklace of fireballs that no one had claimed, figuring it would come in handy if there was trouble.
Scuttles leads to the north clearly intent on leaving the colony behind...
Momo shrugs to her companions, pulls out her bow, and starts to follow
As it becomes clear that Scuttles is about to leave the colony, Aenon halts. "Wait! Shouldn't we check if the rest of the colony is clear? who knows how far this creature will take us"
Momo considers Aenon's words as they reach the colony's border. "Scuttles, wait! Come back!"
"If you all want to finish exploring the colony first, I'm fine with that."
North of the colony, but well within sight, is a small field. Inundating the meadow is a series of large holes dug in at an angle. Piles of dirt surround each hole. A large copse of trees grows due east of this location.
Two dozen or more holes in this area. A detailed search of the field, you discover fragments of leathery eggshells in a few of the holes,—and one hole that contains a human skeleton bereft of clothing or equipment.
Realizing where you must be your not totally caught unaware as a much larger and more dangerous looking bug bursts through the earth and lunges at you.
Initive Order
Delia
Aenon
Ankheg
Momo
Deth
Nininox
Momo uses her knowledge as a ranger and freezes in realization: "Oh no... eggshells! This was a nest!" Momo thinks back to the smaller insect inside one of the colony's bunkers.
Momo crouches down to examine the bones to realize they're hollow, as if exposed to acid. "Is this how they all died?" Momo stands abruptly and pulls out her bow, turning around in a slow circle.
Realizing where you must be your not totally caught unaware as a much larger and more dangerous looking bug bursts through the earth and lunges at you.
Momo whips her head around to see a Goliath of a bug. She instinctively raises her left arm in front of her face as the giant creature sprays loose dirt up from beneath the earth.
After the creature has surfaced, Momo points her bow at it with an arrow pulling the string back tight.
The feather fletching grazes Momo's fingertip as she fires the arrow at Ankheg.
Nox moves away from the creature and begins casting his Sleep spell to try to make it easier for the group to deal with.
'So it's another one of these days, huh?' Aenon thinks to himself as dirt and gravel peppers him. Seeing that none of his companions seem to be very fond of close combat, Aenon moves in to keep the beast distracted.
Delia gasps as they suddenly realize where they stumbled. She begins to hum a tune and they breaks into a full wordless song . Despite being the only one singing, an accompanying voice echoes across the open field in a counterpoint to her own that blends into a beautiful, yet slightly haunting tune. Despite the slight melancholic song, Delia's companions find their hearts strengthened against any fear they may feel rising in their hearts and empowers them for the fight!
Delia -- Delia gasps as they suddenly realize where they stumbled. She begins to hum a tune and they breaks into a full wordless song (similar to this). Despite being the only one singing, an accompanying voice echoes across the open field in a counterpoint to her own that blends into a beautiful, yet slightly haunting tune. Despite the slight melancholic song, Delia's companions find their hearts strengthened against any fear they may feel rising in their hearts and empowers them for the fight!
Aenon -- Aenon nimbly leaps at the monstrously large insect, moving in to keep the beast distracted. He lands a blow against its carapace.
Ankheg --Angered by the bkow it lashes out with its gaping maw at Aenon. Missing him by a mile.
Momo -- Fires her arrow and misses.
Deth -- Seems to be in shock at the sheer size of the horse sized insect.
Nininox -- Casts Sleep As he finishes his spell the beast collapses.
"I've knocked it out! You guys pile on and finish it! I can't be expected to do everything, you know...," 14 brags, as the monster lies splayed out, having a deep slumber.
Momo keeps out her bow, "Was... this the mother?"
"You said nothing about the mother being this big you little ..." Aenon interrupts himself by smashing his foot into the Ankhegs head.
Aenon puts an end to the mother, crushing its throat in a devastating blow. The body thrashes about before finally lying still.
the skeleton’s hands still wears a copper-colored ring engraved with arcane symbol that seems completely unharmed from the acid.
Perception
"Told you the momma was running around here and would be nasty. Thankfully I was here! There still will be a few of the smaller ones running around, so we will need to clean them up as well."
"I'm impressed Nox. That was some quick thinking," Momo smiles at her companion.
"If it's okay with you all, I'd like to thoroughly examine this area to make she there are no unhatched eggs... only the adults can lay eggs right?"