Lolito takes the robes offered by Alyn and he gives the warrior the unidentified ones "In that case you must wear these ones. Maybe we can feign being one of the temple members if we cross paths again with these shapeshifters"
The white haired man moves into the room whistling at the large quantity of old vials "Uau! Look at these things, they are all dusty, they might date to old Azlant. Wonder if a beverage of thousands of years ago might turn you into a frog or make you lose all hair instead of feed you appropriately"
Alyn also fails to notice.
Lara is likewise unaware.
Lolito moves ahead of the group and starts examining the shelves in the room. there is certainly a lot of stuff in here. almost two dozen containers are still intact and have their contents in them. Lolito doesn't know if they are magical or not, but each container has a variety of different oils in them.
"Look, some oils here, they seem quite good for the face" Lolito opens one at random and places some of it over his skin, then smells if these are still ok products.
He casts detect magic as Lolito motions at the bottles.
Kragg still detects magic in this room as well and once discovered what Magic’s there are and seeing no exit he moves on to another area looking for the elusive Aboleth.
the various oils are all radiating magic.
Lolito picks one at random and tries applying a bit to his skin and smelling it. he believes this one is an oil of magic weapon.
The others wait outside the room while Lolito checks things out.
Kragg is ready to move on, as there is clearly no Aboleth in this room.
"Ah, seems they did not have face creams in Azlant. This one is a weapon enhancer I believe." he fits it into the groups bag, then gets out of the room.
Having a look at the corridor, Lolito moves to the double doors at the middle of it "These are the last doors remaining, the Aboleth must be here, so let's be prepared, and hope Apsu protect us"
With a strong push, the monk tries to open the double doors at the same time and readies himself for trouble.
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Lolito has deduced that they must have left the Aboleth for last, and that this big door is the end of the road.
He warns the others and opens them quickly. But he does not find an Aboleth, or any creatures waiting for him. instead there is a short flight of stairs, then Three fifteen-foot-tall cylinders of polished bronze each stand on a dais in a long, curved room. The bronze shells look sturdy and heavy, and sizzling arcs of lightning can be seen and heard dancing along the surfaces of the containers. Silvery lines set into the floor connect these containers, and tiny embedded crystals pulsate with a dim light every few seconds.
"I don't like the look of that electricity. Do we think we can either control it or stop it?"
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That is a great question Alyn. The room north of us was originally needing power in order to program the mechanical creatures there. This may be the power we need but I don't know how to control it yet. Unfortunately I was not focusing on the mechanics of this place as I was worried more about the Aboleth that seems to either have escaped us or was never here int he first place.
Kragg will also casts detect magic as normal to scan the area for auras.
"Ah, so the sparkles are giving energy to the other halls? That is an interesting idea. How can we control them?" Lolito is confident on the dwarven blood of his friend to know about everything machine done, or the other more savvy in the group to have ideas on what can be achieved here, but meanwhile, he advances himself, and tries to study the containers through what he knows.
Lara follows Lolita into the room with the pillars crackling with electricity. Seeing the bronze containers, she wonders if they could be used to power something else. That in mind, she looks about for a way to safely handle the bronze shells.
Derym pauses, "I'm wondering what else we could harness this power to do? It seems to all but be throwing lightning even without any direction."
Lolito runs through the options in his head for what this contraption might be. Unfortunately for him, this is definitely not natural, and his experience with carpentry doesn't lend much aid in figuring out ancient circuitry.
Kragg studies the magical flows in the room, and deduces that the bronze shells are definitely magical, and seem like they use ioun technology to generate power.
Lara examines the shells closer. Derym's comment helps guide her investigation. What is directing the energy coming off of these things? Lara looks closer at the lines on the ground. They seem to be pathways for the energy to pass through, but it looks like it fizzles out before going far. However, close to where the energy fizzles out is a lever on the wall near each one of the shells (three in total).
it looks like these shells are generators, probably intended to power the facility. the energy is not being allowed to leave the room because of these switches. they look like they are some sort of failsafe or protective measure to shut down the power if something went wrong, probably preventing damage to sensitive clockwork and ioun technology that is in other rooms of this temple. flipping the switches should release the energy to travel through the rest of the place.
Wait! if those levers prevent the energy from escaping, and have been switched off, that could have caused all that excess energy to be stored up inside this room and the generators. flipping the switches would release that energy, which could have explosive consequences for anyone or anything in the room with the generators! you think that maybe you need ot do something to slowly release the energy instead of doing it all at once.
“Hmmm. Well, I think these are generators. Probably, we can flip a switch in here to get power flowing to the rest of the compound. It’d probably blow up the room if we did that, though. Need to find a way to siphon energy off, first.”
She taps her chin in thought, then adds, “Throw the switches one at a time, maybe?”
Derym says, "Unless there's another way to ground them out? I suppose, worst case, we could use a mage hand to pull the switches from afar..."
Lolito scratches his head not really understanding what Lara talks about except for one thing "I don't want to be blown up. If we could do at a distance, that would be good."
Leaning against the wall he adds "Is powering up the complex going to open our way to the Aboleth? Then I say we should try."
"I do not know how that mage hand works, but if you can, please try out!" Lolito will get out of the room before any attempt is done.
Kragg hears the conversation and Lara’s valuable insight. I agree that we should try flipping just one of the switches. Since we have cleared the complex of threats and found no Aboleth, we are in no hurry. If you want to flip 1 switch I will check the room just outside this one. Previously it said no power. Let’s see if one switch does the trick. Derym you can check the room where we fought the leader and see if anything happens there. That still leaves the room with the mask and the forge. Alyn and Lolito…any takers?
So if this works out the way I hope and pray to Abadar it does…Lara flips the switch giving power to the control room. The forge is heated by electricity allowing us to make some replacement pieces. We use those on the clockwork device and reprogram it from the control room. Then we figure out what it knows and use it to help protect us or lead us to the Aboleth. We still need to figure out what the mask is for and how to get the sword free from the statue along with identifying a host of other magics items.
"I can go to the one with the mask. However, if something dangerous should activate it may be better, albeit slow, to flip a switch and all walk a loop together then repeat."
That is true.I guess I was thinking that we all would be in our positions prior to Lara flipping the switch. Then we could see if there were any changes immediately and how those changes were implemented. Maybe we should go in pairs then?
"Ok, Kragg. Let's try this." Lolito nods trusting the dwarf's wise judgement "I will go with Derym so he is not alone. I guess you stay with Lara in case things go badly. And I think Alyn can take care well of himself."
"If anything odd happens, let's just shout out ok?" the wanderer then walks with Derym to the skum leader's room, makes sure the ioun is still on place, and pays attention to anything that happens while Lara turns the switch.
Derym nods, "Seems wiser than potentially being swarmed by whatever evils this thing will release."
The party examines the levers and Lara realizes that the stored energy has to go somewhere if the switches are thrown, and it could be quite a mess.
The group moves back to give some space, but Lara stays to flip the switch.
before she does she thinks that maybe there is a way to jury rig a way to bleed off some of the buildup before flipping the switch fully.
--Make a Disable Device or UMD check, or just flip the switch--
Lara is struck by a flash of inspiration and decides to fiddle around with the components in the room to bleed off excess energy before throwing the switch.
Alyn is more than happy to take his assignment knowing everyone else is a little better protected.
The group stands back and just before flipping the first switch Lara figures out a way to do it slowly, bleeding off some extra power five or six times before finally flipping the switch when it doesn't spark quite as much.
Nothing happens to the device when Lara finishes flipping the first switch. She repeats the process on the other two switches. With a loud metallic screech, the bronze containers start opening, revealing a system of clockworks, coils, springs, and crankshafts. Arcs of electricity begin to discharge from each container, and little by little, the clockwork gears start turning, shafts start moving back and forth, and coils start buzzing with energy.
the others can hear that a gentle hum begins echoing through the temple, and ioun torches further down the hallway light up, illuminating the temple.
As the temple lights up and things starts to move, Lolito praises Lara "That was a real work. You are a true master"
Then, he comes out into the corridor and checks the adjacent rooms to see if something meaningful has changed, maybe a secret door went open or something.
you go to scout for changes. you hear a lot of noise coming from C10, sounds like a lot of clockwork machinery has started ticking and whirring in there!
"What a marvel!
Derym nods and looks impressed, "It's a pity so much knowledge was lost... and is now in the wrong hands."
"Do you notice that?" Lolito leans towards the eastern side of the corridor "It sounds like a lot of clockwork machinery has started ticking and whirring in there!"
After making sure the others are hearing him, he moves into the room and checks what has started moving. He closes by to the control panel "Does anyone of you know how to use these pins and readouts with azlanti characters to give commands to the machines?"
Lara realizes that she's holding her breath as she hears the hum start up after she threw the final switch. Exhaling deliberately in a sigh of relief that it worked, she moves out into the hallway and looks to see what the now-lit ioun torches may have revealed.
She hears Lolito call out about Azlanti characters, though, and goes to see what he's talking about.
Indeed Kragg hurries along to see the characters and if the readout that once read no power reads something else.Well done Lara. Let’s see what wonders this place holds if the Aboleth is not here.
Lolito hears clocks winding and whirring and goes to check it out. he makes his way towards the control panel, but on the way he sees that the automatons that were held in this room have activated! they step out of their alcoves and move towards the old man
Lolito luckily was entering with his guard up and is able ot act before the machines get near him. Lara hears things happening and is also quick to respond, though she is further from the action.
Lolito, Lara, Clockwork soldiers, Derym, Kragg, Alyn
Finding himself alone with three enemies, Lolito looks left and right and quickly unfurls his silver nine-section whip and extends it in both hands in a defensive stance "Did the button say it was to invite three very tall and metal friends?"
Then looking at the black one close to him, he adds "That long axe of yours is not a present for ruin explorers, isn't it?"
As the automatons start to move towards him, Lolito advances with tumbles, while swirling the silver whip up and down "Hu! Ha! Hu!" shouting with each hop until he finishes trying to entangle the whip around the legs of the creature and send it to the ground.
"Trouble!" Lara calls, unshouldering her bow and moving toward the room Lolito had gone into.
Lolito moves in to fight one of the robots while calling for help. He tries to entangle the legs of the thing and bring it down, but the metallic legs don't even budge.
The clockwork soldier in the rear moves around the pillar in the center of the room and sees Lara come in. it raises a hand and a stream of fire comes out!
[spoiler = Spellcraft DC 17]
it cast Scorching Ray!
[/spoiler]
Lara is scorched and takes a ton of damage, leaving her barely standing.
the other two soldiers focus on Lolito, stabbing at him with halberds
Lolito's defensive stance keeps him relatively safe, but he does take a slash on his leg from one of the attacks
The party may act
Global Condition: underwater, dark|Derym HP: 47/47 - AC: 22/14/18 Status:
Lara: HP: 3/47 - AC: 17/12/15 Status:
Kragg HP:61/61 - AC: 26/11/26 Status: barkskin, circle of prot evil
Lolito HP: 51/68 - AC: 26/21/22 Status: barskin
Alyn HP 57/58 42/42 - AC: 22/11/19 Status: -3 CON
Trick HP 41/41 - AC 18/11/15 Status:NPCS:
Purple clockwork mage: HP: ?? | AC: ??
Green clockwork soldier: HP: ?? | AC: ??
Black clockwork soldier: HP: ?? | AC: ??
"Lara!" Lolito exclaims alerted by the bursting fire taking her. Forgetting a bit about the black one, he spins around to try distract the green one from attacking Lara "We need help here! There is a mage!"
Then he flurries with the silver whip, trying to block as many attacks as possible.
Then spins kicking the clockwork to keep it away.
And finally strikes with his elbow.
Lara curses as she takes a burst of flame to the face, then ducks back around the corner and invokes a healing spell.
Alyn and Bat run up. Bat moves in for the attack.
Kragg moves up 30ft just south of the doors as he hears the sounds of fighting break out from the room that was shut down before. Once there he readies until Derym moves up and then casts blessing of fervor upon the party. Almighty Abadar grants us your blessing and fill my friends with your holy power that we may cleanse this place and continue our search for our lost comrades!
Lolito focuses on defense until the rest of the crew can arrive. He does not land any of his own blows but makes himself very hard to hit in return.
Lara ducks back and heals herself.
Derym moves up to join the others at the doorway with a double move.
Kragg gives the party a blessing from Abadar
Trick flies in for an attack and manages to hit between the flank and th eblessing from Kragg
the two halberd-weilding soldiers move to stand together. green steps and swings at Lolito twice, purple attacks Trick once
the other soldier makes a motion with its hand which ignites with arcing electricity. it moves towards Lolito and tries to touch him
The party may act
Global Condition: underwater, dark|Derym HP: 47/47 - AC: 22/14/18 Status:
Lara: HP: 17/47 - AC: 17/12/15 Status:
Kragg HP:61/61 - AC: 26/11/26 Status: barkskin, circle of prot evil
Lolito HP: 28/68 - AC: 26/21/22 Status: barskin
Alyn HP 57/58 42/42 - AC: 22/11/19 Status: -3 CON
Trick HP 18/41 - AC 18/11/15 Status:NPCS:
Purple clockwork mage: HP: ?? | AC: ??
Green clockwork soldier: HP: -14 | AC: 20
Black clockwork soldier: HP: ?? | AC: 20
Lolito tries to dodge side and side, but he is surrounded and outnumbered. He takes one of the blows, which breaks his right arm, and the electrical shock.
Barely standing, he steps backs, towards the group, and tries to handle the wizard construct with another array of attacks!
Lara takes the opportunity while she's hidden behind cover to cast another spell. As she completes the incantation, more of her burn wounds fade away and mend.
Kragg uses the power bestowed upon him by Abadar to protect himself as he moves in to support Lolito. As he moves he equips his shield to grant him better protection.
Once in position he attacks the green golem like construct.
Attack +1 shortsword for
Derym feels the magic flow over him with a smile, using it for additional protection as he casts a spell, shifting up to stand next to the old monk, electricity crackling down Antipatharian.
for
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Kragg moves in, giving the party the bonus to hit and smacks the green golem for a little damage
Lolito hits the magical construct twice, doing some damage and defending himself with a flourish.
Lara heals herself
Derym moves to help with the mage. he lights up his sword with a spell and hits! the blade and magic together do significant damage, and the electricity runs along the metallic frame of the creature doing extra damage.
Trick flies up and around getting to a flanking position as Alyn moves in, swinging his fauchard.
The magic-wielding construct steps back and fires off a magic missile volley at Lolito
The green construct swings its halberd at Alyn, and the black one attacks Derym
Both are hit and take some moderately dangerous wounds.
The party is up!
Global Condition: underwater, dark|Derym HP: 22/47 - AC: 22/14/18 Status:
Lara: HP: 35/47 - AC: 17/12/15 Status:
Kragg HP:61/61 - AC: 26/11/26 Status: barkskin, circle of prot evil
Lolito HP: 28/68 - AC: 26/21/22 Status: barskin
Alyn HP 57/58 23/42 - AC: 22/11/19 Status: -3 CON
Trick HP 18/41 - AC 18/11/15 Status:NPCS:
Purple clockwork mage: HP: -65 | AC: 20
Green clockwork soldier: HP: -46 | AC: 20
Black clockwork soldier: HP: ?? | AC: 20