Richard checks the far door and finds it safe. Opening the door, you see a large domed chamber. A balcony runs around the edges of this domed chamber, the curved walls of which are covered in blinking lights and unidentifiable machinery. A few steps lead down from this balcony in the middle of the room. Just north of these steps sits a large machine with a pink glass tabletop-like surface above which float semitransparent images of some sort. The balcony is wider on the south side of the stairs, where a strange statue stands that seems to have been cobbled together from broken machines into the shape of an upraised claw or talon.
A mound of junk lies in a heap before the claw, while two smoking braziers burn softly to each side. To the east looms a pair of immense black metal doors framed by a rotating arch of pulsing red lights.
You also notice a horned and winged humanoid seemingly made of stone with bits of metal, wiring, and dismantled tech adorning it body. It looks up as you enter and makes ready to attack!
Richard searches his memory for any helpful knowledge about the creature.
"Yes! Yeeesssss! A nasty to kill!" Maruf decides not to rush ahead of the group and simply takes a quick extract to protect himself.
extract of shield
Richard recognizes the creature as being a gargoyle. He knows they are resistant to all, but magical weapons.
Maruf draws an extract and drinks it.
"That's a gargoyle." Richard says, grabbing for one of the vials of acid in his haversack. "We'll need magic weapons to really hurt it. Or maybe this." He adds, throwing the vial across the room.
Richard grabs a flask and hurls it the gargoyle, breaking it on the creature. The things howls in pain as the acid begins to eat away its stony flesh!
With a roar of anger, the gargoyle flaps its wings and lifts into the air, landing next to Richard!
As it lands, it tries to take a swipe at the android, but misses!
"Ragh! Magic weapons? I don't have any magic weapons!"
Alpha will rush the gargoyle with his magic shield.
Retreating a step from the gargoyle, Richard grabs another flask from his haversack. "Hold out your spear Cobbler! I bought an oil for just such an occasion."
Kharax moves up, tries to give the metal-reinforced gargoyle to prepare to give it a bad touch.
Maruf tries to spear the gargoyle, but misses!
Alpha steps up and slams his shield into the creature!
Richard applies some oil to Maruf's long spear!
Kharax casts a spell, but waits for an opening!
The gargoyle unleashes it full fury on Alpha, but only lands one blow against the almost human man!
Alpha, strikes back with much machine fury.
Richard sings a healing for Alpha, then steps back to the doors, drawing his rapier as he moves.
"I hope this is a shocking experience!", taunts Kharax as he aims his electrically charged fist at the gargoyle.
"Hah! Magic spear it is!" Maruf lunges forward with his spear!
Alpha swings hard, but misses!
Richard heals Alpha!
Kharax tries to give the gargoyle a jolt, but just misses!
Maruf lunges with his arcane charged spear, but misses as well!
The gargoyle turns its fury on Kharax, missing with its claws, but biting and goring the half-orc!
Alpha bashes again.
"Kharax! Deliver that spell and step back. I'll cover you!"
Richard prepares to swap positions with the injured half-orc. Once there, he will jab at the gargoyle, trying to give the Cobbler an opening to strike with his magic spear.
Kharax tries again before stepping back, clutching his shoulder afterwards.
Maruf steps down but continues to stab at the gargoyle!
Alpha whips his shield around and smashes it into the gargoyle!
Richard tries to distract the gargoyle, but its fury has centered its focus!
Kharax reaches out and touches the gargoyle, delivering a mighty shock to the creature.
Maruf tries once more to stab the beast, but misses!
Obviously fatigued from it wounds, the gargoyle attacks Alpha, but misses with each strike!
"RAAUUUUGAARRRRRGGGGOOYYLLLEEEE!!!!!"
Richard thrusts again with his rapier, trying to aid Alpha's shield bash.
Maruf and Alpha both strike the gargolye, bringing it down!
Searching the room, a pile of junk before the altar is mostly composed of useless but interesting-looking scraps scavenged from the ship, but a search of the rubble reveals several useful items including 48 silverdisks, a pair of goggles fitted with a black strip, a timeworn medlance, two rolls of ion tape, a zipstick, and a helmet.
"It's a good thing we came better equipped. That could have gone a lot worse." Sheathing his blade, Richard lets Alpha look over the tech and moves to examine the strange features of the room, starting with the glass tabletop-like surface with semitransparent images, then looking over the claw statue.
"The helmet is a Proxmity Helmet. When activated it alerts the user to moving targets within 60 feet and helps detect them. It becomes less useful when doors are involved."
Maruf grunts as he watches the oil wear off of his spear. "Should get some permanent magic soon." This seems to be his way of thanking Richard for the oil. "One of you keep the helmet. Let's go this way." He walks over to the northeast.
Alpha will put on the helmet and follow the Cobbler.
"Hold up a moment. For all we know this tech controls something connected to the fires." Richard says as he points to the glass tabletop-like surface with semitransparent images.
Making a thorough search of the room, none of the controls seems to be of any consequence.
"This is weird." Richard comments on the statue. "I mean, it appears religious, but I don't recognize anything about it. I think it might be some new God..."
He glances again at the metal-adorned gargoyle. "Or perhaps something made up by this creature?"
Shaking his head at the mystery, he readies his stungun and joins the Cobbler, gesturing for him to proceed.
Kharax heals up his wounds before following the party.
Two taps of his wand is enough.
"Yeah, beats me on what this stuff is; dat's why I hang out wit you guys!"
Moving through the northeast door, the party sees cushioned chairs and metal tables are situated throughout this small room. To the north are several doors, while a few broken machines lie against the walls. Broken panels cover the ceiling, and mounds of what look like shattered glass have been pushed under the tables. Two half-orcs and four ratfolk men, sitting in the room, all look up in surprise, then begin drawing weapons!
The half-orcs and rat folk all stand up from their chairs and draw weapons
Alpha moves up and bashes the nearest half orc.
"Thieving? Is that what you're doing here? Or is it something more nefarious that's got you all down here, huh?"
Maruf is not terribly interested in the answer and doesn't hesitate to toss a bomb in the middle of them.
Stepping up behind Maruf, Richard takes a shot at a half-orc.
Alpha steps in and smashes his shield against a half-orc!
Maruf tosses a bomb in the midst of the ratfolk, hitting one, and splashing two more!
Richard takes a quick shot at a half-orc, but misses!
Kharax, unable to enter the fray , yells at the half-orc next to Alpha. "Surrender so we can talk this out or I'll let them continue what they're doin'!"
Kharax tries to scare the foes, but they merely snicker!
The half-orcs swing jagged pieces of wreckage at Maruf and Alpha, but miss!
The tiny ratfolk swarm towards the party, attacking Maruf and Alpha, but they miss as well!
Alpha swings back at the horc.
Unable to pull out a bomb now that the ratfolk have closed in, Maruf tears savagely at the two ratfolk in front of him.
Kharax cracks his whip at the ratfolk in front of Maruf, aiming at its legs.
With the enemies crowding in so close Richard abandons the idea of trying to get another wild shot off with his stungun.
"Maruf, I'm going to try something! If you have another bomb, this should give you a chance to use it!"
Raising a hand and singing a wavering note, he touches the Cobbler and causes him to vanish. He then steps back next to Kharax to give his allies more room to maneuver.
Alpha misses!
Maruf misses!
Kharax trips one of the ratfolk!
Richard vanishes Maruf!
The half-orcs keep swinging at air!
The tripped ratfolk stands.
The ratfolk continues to swarm!
Alpha tries to not miss.
Maruf stays still and invisible. Until....
"HHHYYYYAARRRRRRR EXPLOOOOOOOSSSSSSION!" The crazed tiefling comes back to visibility as he hurls a vial of volatile material at the purple ratfolk.
Richard springs past Maruf and stabs at any injured enemy, hoping to take one down.
"Now sit down and shut up!", Kharax yelling from the back to try and convince the enemies to stand down.
Alpha slams his shield into the half-orc, dropping it!
Maruf comes out of invisibility, hurling a bomb and hitting the purple ratfolk! The creature hisses as it burns, then collapses from it wounds, as two more collapse as well!
Richard stabs out, dropping the last ratfolk!
Kharax yells at the remaining half-orc, shaking him!
Though shaken, the half-orc swings at Richard, hitting the man!