Thame found himself entangled in a net, of all things, his panicked motions to try and escape only seeming to end in his becoming even more helplessly enmeshed. In a brief moment of clarity he realized this was probably a best-case scenario, as it hadn't actually launched a weapon at any of the group. The wizard struggled against the net comically as the battle raged on.
Trieste begins the arcane motions associated with summoning an ally.
Jobert moves to protect her should any of the constructs head this way.
Kragg found himself ensnared by the net and the only 1 in the room. Hopefully Kaldan would enter quickly to occupy them while he removed the net.
5ft step to south to allow others to enter
Attacking automaton while in net with morning star for
Kaldan moves passed Kragg and swings at the Automation closest to the Dwarf.
Round 1
Thame -Miss
Clockwork Servants net: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20 the nearest one returns Thame's attack with a net launched from its shoulder leaving him tangled in it. (entangle)
Clockwork Servants net: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13 The other fires at the nearest person in the room. Ranged touch to entangle.
Kaldan -Miss
Kragg - Hit 9 dmg
Lara - Hit 7dmg
Trieste -summon nature's ally
Thame-? tries to remove the net
Round 2
Clockwork Servants
Clockwork Servants
Kaldan -
Kragg -
Lara -
Trieste -
Thame-
Kaldan swings hard trying to put these things down.
Kaldan's swing dispatches one of the servants leaving it broken on the floor.
Lara lets fly with another arrow but it goes wide.
Trieste finishes her spell, summoning a lightning elemental next to the automaton (damn, I don't think I can put him in flank). The creature, which looks like a living storm cloud, smashes into the metal servant with vaguely defined appendages, crackling with energy.
+
Meanwhile, Trieste slashes at the net entangling Kragg while Jobert tries to bite through the net around Thame.
Thame continued to thrash about, especially as the little reptilian started trying to snap at him on top of everything else, until the wizard realized Jobert was trying to bite the netting surrounding his person. Seeing Kaldan smash one of the things to bits did ease Thame's mind somewhat, and he settled down and started trying a more methodical approach. Somehow the crocodilian managed to catch an end of the net, stabilizing it as the illusionist slowly pulled himself out of it. Good as new!
Still entwined in the net Kragg can just barely move close enough to the machine to reach it. As such Kragg took the opportunity to threaten the creature and hoped Kaldan could land another solid blow.
Aid attack Kaldan
Round 2
Clockwork Servants Fast healing 2 slam: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10dmg: 1d4 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Clockwork Servants Fast healing 2 slam: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10dmg: 1d4 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Kaldan - Breaks one
Kragg - Aid(fails)
Lara - Miss
Trieste - Miss
Thame- Escapes
Round 3
Clockwork Servant: @Kaldan
Kaldan -
Kragg -
Lara -
Trieste -
Thame-
Lara continues her string of misses.
Kragg tries once again to aid his brethren in destroying the robot.
Aid Kaldan
Thame sees Kragg is in the same situation he himself was in just seconds earlier, and shook his head in commiseration. Maybe they could talk about their time trapped in netting later over a nice, cool mug of ale. For now, the wizard dropped his crossbow and drew his dagger and joined Trieste in trying to free the dwarven priest from his entrapment.
The elemental attacks the construct once more.
+ electric.
Kaldan finally feels happy about something as he smashes one of the tin men. Smiling in satisfaction as he swings at the other.
Soon losing his smile as his blow went wide.
Though fate seems to be stacking the deck against you all, the second construct falls to a few sure blows leaving the mangled metal remains scattered across the floor.
Beneath the table is a metallic chest of drawers that contains countless gears, cogs, springs, and other parts and pieces to any number of clockwork contraptions. The equipment here is nonmagical, with one exception: nestled among the parts on the table is a single
gemstone with a faint transmutation aura. This is a recording gem used in clockwork spies.
About bloody time. Damn metal bastards. Trieste stretches her weary muscles. "I don't know about you folks, but I could use a good night's sleep. Or even a crappy night's sleep at this point." She nods to the north. "But I think we'd best check that last door before we get too comfortable. No telling what's in there."
The faint coppery tang of blood wafts out of this room when the door is opened. A gleaming metal table covered in blood stands in the northeastern corner of the room. Just south of the table is a smaller table covered in surgical tools—some of them obviously used. A body lies in a butchered pile in the center of the room.
The body in the room has been stripped of most of its meat, but the carcass is otherwise intact. A set of bloody and torn men’s clothes sits in a pile near the smaller table.
A metal sheet attached to the eastern wall of this room is etched with anatomical diagrams and brief instructions of incision length and depth for various parts of the human body.
Kragg frees himself from the net in tmie to see Kaldan drop the last robot. Thanks Kaldan. That was annoying to say the least being trussed up like that. Now let’s check no that last door..
Perception
Getting a single look at the room though was enough for Kragg. He did not need to study the butcher room. Instead he bowed his head in respect of those that died and backed his way out. Lets go put that gem in the device upstairs, listen to what it has to say and get out of here and go home.
Trieste feels her gorge rise as she looks into the room. "Any way we can figure out who this is?" She looks around the clothes, hoping for some sort of identifying material. "Huh, what's this?" she asks holding up a couple of bars of... soap? She waves her hand briefly over the bars, noting a magical aura about them. "Here guys, magic soap. See what you can make of it," she says handing it off to Kragg. She extends her detection spell to the rest of the room.
After they've inspected the bloody room, Lara takes out her clockwork servant and inserts the recording gem into it. Once that is done, she orders it to play the recording.
Thame grimaced as the group came upon the bloody scene, wondering which of the original colonists was lying upon the table in a bloody mess. After a quick looksy around, he was all too eager to agree with Kragg, stepping out of the room to watch the recording as Lara plunks the gem into the clockwork device.
“I want it on record,” begins the first voice, “that I, Albrust of Havenvine, stand opposed to this decision to send this facility’s golems—“
“We don’t have time for this, Albrust!” a second voice interrupts. “I know you’re committed to protocol, but they can’t even estimate the potential damage!”
The speaker suddenly lowers his voice. “They don’t know if the bunkers are going to do a damn bit of good, my friend. We may be lucky to survive at all. That survival could depend on the golems being able to dig us back out. They need to be redeployed where they might do some good. Our scouts report the elves are… evacuating.”
After a moment, the first voice says quietly. “What about the spy? We still don’t know for sure.”
“And we’re never going to know, Albrust. He’s likely going to die like millions of others. They only difference is that he probably deserves it.”
Kaldan listens to the unknown language and blinks hopefully at the other party members.
Having no idea what the voices are saying, Trieste begins to clean the surgical tools left behind. Something like this may come in handy some day. And these kind of tools probably aren't easy to come by out here.
Thame listened to the recording with interest, translating the short argument between Albrust and the mystery speaker while he thought about what they were discussing. He arched a brow after the recording was done. "If I didn't know any better, I would say those men were discussing Earthfall. Very interesting! And there was some kind of spy they were worried about? No matter, he probably died long ago with the rest of them." The wizard shrugged his shoulders, ready to get some much-needed rest before heading back to the colony to warn them of Eliza and Rayland.
Trieste rubs her hand through what's left of her hair, the left half having been burned off. With a sigh, she flips the right side over to cover the bald spot. "I'm not sleeping in that room, that's for damn sure. If nobody disagrees, maybe we could set up camp in the library. I wish we could chase after those jerks now, but I'm spent. I'm also not sure we'd be up to facing them again."
"At least they won't have that damned mirror thing saving them!" Kaldan grumbles, still feeling cheated.
Kaldan will take as many watches as needed to let the casters recover their spells.
Thame understood the feeling that Trieste and Kaldan had, their frustration at being beaten, the feeling of impotence as those two enemies made their way back to the colony under the guise of friendship. They were both right, though...the group needed to rest, and the duo would be deprived of at least one major asset they had had during the fight in the tower.
"I'm ok with staying in the library. Just long enough so we can replenish our spellcasting capability, then off after that pair with all haste! Hopefully Ramona will listen to our wisdom...I don't know about Eliza, but Rayland's words will carry weight, I'm sure."
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Kragg yawns fitfully, Let's get some sleep soon and then head back to the colony. We came looking for answers but just have more questions at this rate. Perhaps in the morning we can understand this better. I am tired but can take a first watch still.
spellcraft on the soap
Kragg looks at the soap but can't figure it out at the moment. Clearly it is magical but how it works or what it does is beyond me in my tired state. Perhaps once we get back to the colony I will have time to look at it closer.
A night in the library leaves you feeling refreshed but concerned for the lost time. Packing quickly and making your way back to the colony with all due haste still takes most of the day. When you return everything seems to be as it was left. Apart from a few eager eyes that have been watching for signs of your return with news of your expedition north.
Thame managed to spare a smile and friendly wave for those who were in their path, but otherwise walked with his companions towards the town hall building, likely where Ramona would be, in the wizard's estimation. He kept his eyes drifting about, looking for signs of Rayland and Eliza, though he was unsure what he would do in this populated place should he see them.
Just seeing people moving around the colony, and not having that 'see-through skin' thing, made Trieste relax just a bit. "Although, we should still be on guard lest some of them have been dominated in some way." Ahh, paranoia, my old friend. She smiles sadly as they head to find Ramona.
While they make haste to return Kaldan still tries to see if he can find the tracks the two would have left behind them?
Kaldan manages to find their trail in the morning, despite her departing words seems they traveled east tot he shore rather than south to the colony.
Ramona is eager to hear what you discovered but looks a little dishearted to see your battered state, and unaccompanied approach.
"Perhaps it will be best to speak inside my home rather than the hall. "
Trieste walks along with the others following Ramona. "We have much to talk about," she says. Please don't be mind controlled.
Kragg takes the opportunity after the rest to pray to Abadar for guidance and inspiration. Clearly they were outmatched last time and not aware of the situation. They would not be caught unawares again but had to make some careful plans for the fledgling community. In all his long years he had not come across such a problem and did not know exactly how to solve it immediately. As such he spent most of the way back in brooding silence. When Kaldan mentions the tracks Kragg finally speaks,We need to get back to warn everyone and prepare for whatever else is to come. the colony was lost last time because they did not kow the situation. We can't let that happen again. Besides while we are tracking htem down who is to say that something didn't arrive to dominate anyone else in our absence.
Back at the colony Kragg goes witht he others to se Ramona and gives here a full detailed explanation of what happened. We are going to need to finish the walls immediately and have 3 people on watch together at night. Any trips into the island is gong to need multiple people. Otherwise people could get picked off 1 by 1 until it is too late. Anyone that does leave or is alone needs to be screened t make sure they are not under some compulsion as well.