Alyn will focus on grey.
Ask will Trick
Though neither has figured out how to fight underwater yet.
Lara continues trading blows with the creature nearest her. She missed her shortbow at times like this, but all of this water made it impractical at best.
Lolito punches the heck out of the orange mutant, with enough left over to help Lara with Black.
Trick hits grey a couple times, then Alyn finishes it off, then moves over to get one good hit on black
Lara manages the final hit on the black one, killing it.
after a frenzy of activity, the mutants have finally all stopped moving.
End of combat
Lolito takes a moment to catch his breath after the intense underwater battle. The remnants of his elemental-infused strikes linger in the water, crackling with energy. With a nod of satisfaction, he surveys the now motionless mutants floating around.
"Hiaaa! Apsu's strength prevails!" Lolito exclaims, his voice muffled by the surrounding water. He looks over to his companions, making sure everyone is accounted for and safe.
Feeling the mystical energy that still courses through him, Lolito turns his attention to the rest of the party "We must press forward. The Aboleth awaits, and we shall save whatever colonist that remains alive!"
End of combat
now that you have a chance to look at the room a little more you see there are two alcoves tot he northeast of the chamber. they have glowing green fields over them that keep the water out, and inside you see three humans.
There is also a hallway going East and a double door to the northwest
Kragg pulls free his wand of healing offering it to the others that may need it to patch up some of the damage they received before heading over to the 2 alcoves. Detecting Magic he stands back observing the area without touching or trying to manipulate it.
spellcraft w/ guidance
Looks like they are secure and safe from the water for now. Once we are patched up then I say we head east and see where that hallway goes before we open these doors. Lara, you able to keep them from opening behind us and getting trapped between 2 forces?
Alyn will move up to guard against other wandering dangers.
Lara nods. "Probably. I've got some pitons in my pack I can use to wedge them shut with," she says.
"I can have some healing" Lolito appreciates Kragg's offering of the wand and remains observant while he does his magic.
"Yes, we need a plan before we open those chambers or they will drown on the water here. Let's make sure the area is under control" the man nods agreeing with the dwarf.
If everyone is ready, he will swim towards the eastern corridor while her freedom of movement lasts.
Derym raises a hand, "If there's healing magic about, I'd take some too." He then nods at the suggestion, "A good idea, especially if we can ensure that we won't be swarmed."
He pauses, "Still, these strange mutations... It does give us more reason to be worried about any missing colonists. I was thinking they were probably being eaten or sacrificed to some dark power, but being turned into an army to be used against us is even worse."
25 needed for Derym 7 charges total
After the healing Kragg walks along the floor following Lolito to the east.
"A dark power indeed. The work of Dahak by sure. These creatures, twisted and transformed, are not only a sad result of our search, but a raising concern for those who survived. We must proceed cautiously, for the dangers the aboleth are far more formidable than what we have faced so far. Let us uncover the truth and, if possible, save any remaining colonists from such a fate" Lolito responds to Derym's concerns as the group ventures deeper into the ruins.
Lara uses some iron spikes to keep the door closed for now.
Kragg heals up those that need it, then looks with Alyn at the people in the closed section.
There is a greenish field over the entrance to two small alcoves. inside it looks to be dry, the field keeps the water out.
On the left is a woman, on the right are 2 men. they look to be human. the woman is alert and stands when she sees you. no sound comes out, but her lips clearly form the words 'help us'.
There are 2 levers between the two fields.
Lolito starts down the hallway to get a look at what is coming next. He finds an interesting looking door.
At the end of the corridor is a round 20-foot-diameter
metal door. A large lever sticks out from the side of the
door’s octagonal frame. The door is composed of triangular
metal sheets, the tips of which meet at the center.
Kragg will try to communicate with the woman by speaking slowly so they can read each other’s lips. We will once it is safe. Enemies around. Are there more of you?
Lolito examines a bit more closely the massive door, for traps and to understand the mechanism, as well as to hear any noise beyond.
Then he traces back to the others, his freedom of movement makes this quite fast, as he can easily just walk through the water as good as he does on the surface. He looks through the men here, trying to discern if one of them is his pupil while Kragg tries to talk with them "There is a massive door to the east. It looks as it might guard our final enemy or its treasure, so maybe it is better to leave that one for last. What do you think about taking first the door to the west?"
Moving to the other end of the hall, Lolito inspects also this north-western door while Kragg talks.
Derym shrugs, "Wouldn't it be more efficient to strike the head from the beast first, rather than risk weakening ourselves beforehand?"
The woman behind the field doesn't seem to understand Kragg, but she can tell he is talking with her. she gestures excitedly trying to get her point across
she isn't using precise sign language of any kind, but seems to be miming the following words:
Big
Fish
Danger
People
Death
Pointing towards the East
Lolito comes back and reports on the big door, then checks out the other door. it appears safe, but is currently wedged shut by Lara's pitons. no other lock is on this door.
Lara looks the holding cells over for a way to safely free the prisoners. As she does so, she catches one of the captives’ gestures and quickly ascertains what she’s saying.
“’Big fish’ to the east, which probably means the aboleth.”
Lolito nods in response to Derym's proposal, acknowledging the logic in confronting the potential threat represented by the big fish to the easteast "Maybe you are right, Derym. Let's try to find the aboleth first"
With a determined stride, Lolito moves towards the eastern door, intent on trying to open it and assess the danger that awaits.
"Big fish it is."
The group agrees that they should try to deal with the "Big Fish" quickly, and they go to the East to look for it.
Before they leave, Lara examines the holding cells carefully. There is a lever next to each cell, that you think would likely lower the green field. However, that is what is keeping the water out of the cells as well. they are simple cells, there does not look to be any other way in or out.
The group leaves the central area fo rnow and finds the big door Lolito had seen previously.
At the end of the corridor is a round 20-foot-diameter
metal door. A large lever sticks out from the side of the
door’s octagonal frame. The door is composed of triangular
metal sheets, the tips of which meet at the center.
Moving the lever does nothing. it moves too easily, it must be disengaged from whatever it is normally connected to.
The door itself is too big to move. Lolito gives it all he's got but can't get it to budge. You estimate the door weighs at least 3000 pounds.
Lolito steps back from the massive metal door, frustration evident on his face as he addresses the group.
"Unless someone has a way to force this door open or perforate it through, it seems we'll need to find another path to confront the 'Big Fish'" he remarks, his voice tinged with disappointment at the unexpected obstacle.
Turning his attention to the remaining door, Lolito gestures for the group to follow as he leads the way towards their next potential route forward. He tries to open the remaining door to the north-west.
Derym sighs, "So I guess we're going through the small, stinging fish first no matter what..."
He takes a moment to look at the door and the surrounding area, trying to find if there's any way to re-connect it.
sense motive
While it seems that Kragg is able to understand the woman she does not fully comprehend what he is saying back. He tries once more to let her know that he will return after dealing with the big fish and it is safe.
linguistics
After that he moves to Lolito by the door. The big fish could be a shark as well instead of the aboleth. We saw some before up above remember. Before Lolito gives himself a hernia trying to force the door open Kragg removes the piton that Lara used to wedge it closed. That might help a bit.
Looking around he asks, Is everyone ready?
Lolito scratches his head back with shame "Aha! Oh, well, I guess that works better"
With the piton removed, Lolito just opens the door, ready for a shark or something worse to jump at him.
Derym spend s a little time studying the door. it looks like there is no way to open it without engaging some kind of mechanism. the door itself is made of panels that look like they could slide open like an iris to let people through, but there are no gaps to get a good grip on and the door weighs too much to shift.
The lever is unengaged so you think perhaps it's a case of turning on another generator, or perhaps another lever could be thrown to engage a gear.
The group doubles back and removes the pitons in order to go into the north west room.
Strange machinery and tubes in the walls make up the interior of this room. Embedded in the wall nearest the entrance is a large metal pin panel whose surface ripples at regular intervals; with each wave that sweeps across the panel, new symbols appear on its surface. This display looks similar ot the ones encounter earlier in the upper levels, but 10 times bigger.
Alyn will start looking for dangers, assuming the team will start moving toward the panel.
Kragg will go investigate the panel since he was able to read the one up above hoping that it is similar enough to understand what is going on.
"Any idea how this mechanism works?" Lolito specially hopes on Kragg and Lara, as they have shown to be cunning master technologists in the past, but he also tries to put his own five cents by studying the symbols here.
Alyn walks around checking for danger. the room is very clean, with none of the debris from age that you've seen in other rooms. there is a sculped face on the northern wall with two glowing stones as eyes. you also see several open pipes leading into the room on the east and west sides.
Kragg and Lolito move close to the pin control panel.
The display alternates between two different messages in Azlanti, one after another. The first one reads “Status: Unstable,” and the second one displays the text “Composition” and shows a bar graph.
Suddenly, the text on the pin panel goes flat, and a humanlike face emerges from it. A harsh, metallic voice and a soft, friendly voice speak in unison (in common!), spreading through the water. The lips on the face move, but the voice isn’t completely synchronized with the movement.
“Welcome. I was expecting you. There is much to talk about.”
Kragg reflexes steps back as the face appears before him on the pin panel. Who are you and what is there to talk about? If you were expecting us, then you should be able to state my name and purpose here.
sense motive
As he is engaged with the pin panel he walks back and forth past the pin panel trying to figure out if he can be seen from the panel or from somewhere else.
"Uh!" Lolito steps back as well impressed by the finding, but then approaches slightly with curiosity as it proposes to talk "How did you manage to get there inside? If the Aboleth has imprisoned you there, perhaps we can help you out. Can you help us free the colonists?"
With a steady gaze, Lolito waits for the entity's response, hoping for valuable information that could aid them in their mission to rescue the colonists and confront the Aboleth.
There is a bit of a pause then the face moves, speaking again, slightly out of sync with the movement of the face
"I am the Analytical Engine. Created by the ancient Azlanti priests to aid in scientific research and analysis.
I do not know your names, only what I have observed of your group as you moved through the temple above us. you were able to interact with several of the input panels there and fought against the creatures who have recently taken up residence here. After seeing your combat prowess and ability to manipulate Azlanti technology, it was a logical conclusion that you would eventually find your way here to the Analytical Engine.
Please, tell me more about yourselves. You ask about the colonists, and fight against the other creatures so I assume you are here to rescue them? Are you also colonists? Why risk so much for people who have been missing for some time? Surely you understand they are most likely expired by now?"
Derym's eyes narrow, but the blade 'speaks' before he does.
That thing might be the most valuable find in centuries....if only we could trust it.
Agreed.... though I'm surprised *you* feel that way.
Of course I do! This is an incredible resource that could teach us lost war machines and techniques... Just think what we could do!
...I was thinking more of magical research, but your suggestion is equally terrifying..
He speaks up, "Surely if you've been observing us as you say, then you have already drawn conclusions based on the available data, but then need us to validate those conclusions -- helping you learn, as it were. We, on the other hand, have the ability to validate your inferences as you'd like, but we lack other data regarding the other inhabitants and their plans that would allow *us* to make better decisions. I would imagine a.. thing... such as yoursel --- itself -- would be willing to exchange one for the other to the betterment of both?"
"Oh wow! How could you see us all this time from there? Do you have eyes that long?" Lolito smiles very impressed by this technology "Oh, anyway, yes, we are colonists too. And we care, because they are our friends, students and neighbors. Would you not do it for your people too?"
"These other creatures you talk about, are them the Aboleth?" Lolito further inquiries "Oh, we think he is to the east, but there is a door there and we do not know how to open it."
It is my calling to protect just as a shepherd is called to protect his flock. I can not nor will not leave them until I know of their fate. If you have been able to watch us then you are able to see other areas of the complex. Where are the colonists we seek and the source of their imprisonment?
As he speaks his brow glows with purpose as Abadar’s symbol shines brighter revealing his calling.
"Ummm, I'm a research assistant to a wizard studying ancient civilizations. I guess I am also a colonist for the time being. Since I got here, a series of people have needed our help, so we have helped them. Some are colonists, and others are locals. In this time, we have made things a little safer, I think, so I guess that's why I'm here."
"We are just good people trying to help our people, really" Lolito smiles wide, offering his best face to the strange being.
But his crooked teeth get on the way of offering a good image of himself.
"So you are also colonists then? How did you avoid being taken when all the others were? What do you plan to do with the colonists once you find them? kill them, like you did the ones in the previous room?
The 'other creatures' i refer to are the shapechangers and the fish people you have fought to get this far. and of course the mutated colonists that you also fought. it is confusing really, you have fought both.
And yes there is a door. it is locked. you are not authorized to enter. it will remain locked.
Please, tell me more about yourselves. what are your names? where do you come from?
it did not answer your question about how it saw you fighting before. it also avoids answering the question about the aboleth. odd since it seems pretty willing to answer other questions...
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Lara furrows her brows at the automaton. “Wait…What colonists did we kill in the other room?”
Or did he mean the mutants? She was pretty sure that those didn’t count. Not to her, anyway. They did try to kill her, after all.
“Anyway, yes, we are. No, we won’t unless they try to hurt us. And how do we get authorization to open this locked door?”
"How would one become authorized to enter the room?"
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Sense motive
Kragg immediately picks up that the Analytical Engine completely ignored his response, observations, and inquiries. I am sorry but until I know more about you and you answer my questions I think this conversation is over. You are trying to gather all of this intelligence on us without revealing anything yourself. Now will you explain how you are able to watch us within the complex, where the Aboleth is, and how we can rescue the colonists!
Kragg turns to the construct with them and asks it, Have you ever heard of an analytical Machine here or how someone or something can spy on the upper chambers?
Lolito frowns, something not usual on him "Yes, Kragg is right. You are avoiding our questions about the Aboleth. Tell us how to unlock the door or we will have to consider you an enemy."
"No names unless we get those answers first, but I can tell you I serve Apsu, the Maker of All" Lolito shows proudly the tattooed silver dragon on his back "That should assure you, we are the good guys"
The machine seems to be avoiding...
Yes, I noticed that..
Before he can speak up, Kragg and Lolito speak, though he adds, "And you can also explain what those creatures we fought were, and why you say they were colonists."
The construct that you reactivated answers Kragg
"I have heard of this machine, but have never had the honor of meeting it in person. only the high priests were allowed to converse with it! This whole temple was built around the Engine. It has great computational abilities that allowed the priests to find answers to very complicated questions. As far as spying on the other floors, it is possible that clockwork servants or other devices could have seen you up there and reported back to this Machine. but it seems unlikely they could have done that without you noticing"
The Analytical Engine itself responds next
Aboleths are powerful, ancient beings. you should not meddle in its affairs. Why do you ask so many questions about it? This temple now belongs to the Aboleth and it does not desire your company. Therefore i cannot give you access.
There is important work happening here in this temple. We work to improve and refine your species. The Aboleth granted the colonists gifts, but some were rejected by the host bodies. We seek answers as to why that occurred. The methods must be refined. Perfection will be attained.
Derym's eyes narrow, "Oh, so then, the machine itself has been corrupted into doing evil experiments on innocents.... Well, that certainly changes things."
Lara looks around at her comrades, then looks to the Analytical Engine. "I think we're going to have to break it."
"These methods look terrible" Lolito answers judgemental "Are there any way to undo those procedures?"
Then answering to Lara, he adds "By the way it talks, it seems to have been involved in what has been done to the colonist. Unless it is eager to help now, it seems we have no other chance but to destroy it to prevent further damage..."