Alpha bashes his shield into the robot, knocking off a piece of its metal casing!
"And dat's for tryin' ta kill me!", the half-orc smiles as the robot falls apart. Seeing Richard get injured, Kharax puts life energy into his palm, this time and moves to press it against agile android's wound.
"'ere ya go, buddy!"
"One down! Looks like lightning is the key!" Richard laughs as one of the robots falls, then cries out as the other stabs and injects him. He feels a numbing burn around the wound, but his android anatomy is not easily affected by toxins.
A moment later Kharax heals the wound completely. "Thanks!"
Assuming a more defensive stance, Richard slashes at the robot, but his lucky streak seems to have left him.
Kharax heals Richard!
Richard tries to stabs the remaining robot, but fails to connect!
Maruf steps over and stabs the robot!
The robot moves over and attacks Maruf, but misses!
Alpha steps into the flank and slams his shield again.
Knowing his rapier inflincted damage upon the last robot like this, Richard switches weapons and lunges. This time, however, his strike misses completely.
Kharax draws his sword and swings it before stepping back for his own safety.
"Fine then!" The Cobbler throws his longspear to the ground and savagely claws at the robot!
Alpha and Kharax both strike the robot, taking it down!
As the room's noise drops to only your heavy breathing, you all hear cires for help from a pod like device in the back of the room!
Clutching his wounds, Kharax moves over to the pod object, trying to look and see what or who is inside. "Hey fellas, I ain't the smartest one here, but how do you open this damned thing?"
Kharax examines the pod and sees no lever or opening device, but notes a card reader on the side, colored black.
"Hey, didn't we find some strange card or pick thing earlier?", knowing that he doesn't have much of these new-fangled devices the party has been scrounging up.
"Affirmative." Alpha will try the black access card on the reader.
As the others check the pod, Richard moves to the door and keeps watch, in case their fight has drawn other dangers. While there he also checks the door to see if it can be locked.
Using the black access card, Alpha manages to get the pod open. As it opens, a human man stumbles forward and falls to the floor. You see that it is Khonnir, the man you were looking for! Staring up at the ceiling, he glances ovcer at Alpha. "T..th...thank you!" He croaks.
"Baine. Are you functional?" Alpha nods to his mentor before helping him up.
The wizard rubs his head. "I feel quite...dull witted and uncoordinated, but yes, I think so."
"It would be logical to leave quickly then."
"Khonnir!?" Richard's head whips around as he hears his mentor's voice. Leaving the door, he rushes to lend his aid as well, singing a charm of healing if the man looks injured.
"Thank the fates we found you. When your team didn't return the Council asked for more volunteers. We've been searching down here for two days. What happened?"
Khonnir rubs his head. "We...we were attacked by....I...dn...k..." The man mumbles, his faculty of speech seemingly leaving him. He stares around the room in confusion.
Richard glances at Alpha. "I think you're right. We should get him out of here before any more trouble finds us. However..." He looks around the room. "Let's make sure there isn't anything else stowed away in here. Khonnir might have written down notes or kept a journal, which could be here too."
Searching the room, Richard finds several technological items of interest, as well as Khonnir's gear scattered about.
"Wizard!" Maruf shouts at the man. "Get the f%@+ing fire going again! I've got work to do!" When the others seem concerned over his condition, Maruf just rolls his eyes and steps back.
Alpha is only able to identify the medlance for the group.
Alpha's knowledge, or rather the lack thereof in regards to the items found in the chamber, means that they are either very rare or very complicated. The scroll of technomancy might help discover their purposes, but it belongs to Khonnir and Richard doesn't feel right using it outside of an emergency. If Khonnir was in better health he would ask him his opinion, but the wizard's keen mind seems to be jumbled from his experience.
"I think we should gather all this up, make for the exit, and get Khonnir to Joram Kyte."
"Agreed, we can try and come back down here if there's somethin' we missed, but we gotta get Khonnir checked out first.", the half-orc helping to retrieve Khonnir's gear and doing a quick examination to make sure the man can handle the return trip to Torch.
"We should ensure that Khonnir is fully functional." Alpha agrees.
With a little difficulty, but still manageable, the party escorts Khonnir out of the cave and back to the Foundry Tavern. Khonnir's daughter is astonished and relieved to see her father, though fraught with concern over his condition. She quickly sends word to fetch the priest.
As news travels around town about the rescue of Khonnir, Joram Kyte and Dolga Fredderrt come to the tavern. Dolga thanks you for Khonnir's rescue and presents the scroll of ressurection and 4000 gold pieces. Joram spends the day casting restorative magic on Khonnir to the point where the man can speak.
Khonnir tells you of his explorations and the attack of the robots that overcame his party and led to his capture. Begging rest, Khonnir retires for the evening, but the next morning finds he has lost the faculty to speak once again. Joram Kyte is called in and he shakes his head. "It appears something is attacking Khonnir's brain. I can restore him, but not cure him. Something must be found out about what is causing this." He says gravely.
Kyte attempts to speak with the dead half-orc woman, but finds out nothing of use.
"What could do such a thing?"
Joram shakes his head. "I do not know, though I would wager it was something technological....something from under the hill...."
"So we must travel back there to find it."
"Well, ya wanted to do that anyway. Plus with the reward, we can get some more supplies. Gear up for a longer trip so we can find what crazy things they did to Master Khonnir."
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With Khonnir safe back at The Foundry, Richard spent half the night composing a story to celebrate their rescue from the Black Hill. A melody had begun forming in his head and he considered the purchase of an instrument to accompany the song.
Kharax of the Lightning-hand,
Alpha armed with Aegis steel,
Maruf the Cobbler...
He was having trouble describing the Cobbler in heroic terms, and eventually set the song aside to study some of the items found in the Hill, particularly the stungun. He adjusted the holster on his belt for a time, finding a comfortable spot that didn't interfere with his sword, and practiced drawing and aiming, getting familiar with the odd weight and design. In a spontaneous moment, perhaps influenced by his thoughts of a certain tiefling, he pulled the trigger once while aiming at a chair.
*FWAMMP!!*
***
The next morning, when he heard the bad news that Khonnir's affliction had returned, he knew Apha's words were true.
"With the reward from the council, along with the treasure found in the Hill, we have a sizable fortune from which to outfit ourselves better. I don't require much myself, a better sword, perhaps a chain shirt, a wand of healing, or more scrolls if a wand cannot be found. We also have quite a few technological artifacts that might come in handy. Khonnir had a scroll that could help there."
Alpha spends his time training in a secluded spot. His skills were deteriorating, he just knew it. There were too many times when he failed to hit his target.
"If we ever get more downtime and tha fire goin' again, I can make some of that stuff for ya.", Kharax comments. "Though to make something that'd be worth it, I'm goin' ta need a week or two, and don't think we got that time."
"As much as I'd like ta get back to the forge, Khonnir still being sick like dat ain't gonna do anyone sum good."
Maruf gets back to town and takes out some of his lab equipment. He works quickly and you notice that his technique is quite sloppy, spilling reagents on the floor-and on his own feet and hands-and he doesn't tend to make precise measurements, working more like a baker who can feel the amount of each ingredient as he goes along.
"Thanks for the offer Kharax." Richard replies with a grin. "The Cobbler's itching to get back to the forges too. The town needs those fires going again, and I suppose we'd best get back to the Hill as soon as possible and try to relight it somehow. For now, let's see about those supplies."
Heading out into the town, Richard puts on his best face and attempts to haggle with the local merchants for a good deal.
@Richard: You can use PBS with it, but Deadly Aim cannot be used for touch attacks (firearms aside).
After resting, making some puchases, and leaving Khonnir unders Val's watch. The party heads back under the hill.
Returning to the latest explored area, stopping in the front entry area to get your bearings.