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Alpha and Lewdon quickly put an end to Birdfood as Alpha shield breaks the Smiler's neck. He falls against he throne laying in an awkward position while the grup makes quick work of the remaining hawks.
Peeking back outside it seems that the loyal orc guards have run off.
Searching through Birdfoot's belongings you find.
- +1 Human Bane Arrows (5)
- +1 Studded Leather
- +1 Comp Longbow
- Longsword
- Silver disks (12)
- 100 GP (25 ea)
Taking the time to search the remaining rooms turns up a few additional items as Birdfoot managed to keep a small stash of treasure that once belonged to the Steelhawks. Small baubles and trinkets mainly except for a dented metal footlocker containing:
- 200 GP (50 Ea)
- Silver Disks (4)
- Battery (1)
- A slippery wand
DC 16 Spellcraft:Wand of Grease (11 charges)
- A scroll with the image of a glass shattering
DC 18 Spellcraft:Scroll of Sound Burst
- Masterwork hand Crossbow
- +1 Bolts (7)
- White Access Card
- Timeworn Fire extinguisher
Kharax (36/38)
Richard (20/35)
Lewdon (38/45)
Alpha (29/35)
Alpha will hand both the wand and the scroll to Richard telling him what they are. "You are the logical choice to use these. We have completed this task and should report back."
After blasting the last of Birdfood's henchbirds with another spread of pellets, Richard sings a spell of healing upon himself.
Still suffering from a few scratches, and seeing that others are as well, he looks to Kharax. "How are you with healing magic? I think we could all use a little."
He then peers out the door, and shakes his head at the thin courage of Birdfood's orc bodyguards. Cleaning his pistol, checking the barrel, and reloading another handful of pellets and wadding, he puts the weapon back in his haversack, then collects and stows Birdfood's possessions as well, nodding at Alpha's identification of the wand and scroll.
Looking through the rooms of the Palace, Richard says, "This might be a good place for us to set up in, though we should probably let it sit empty for a day or two to make sure no one is sent to replace Birdfood. For now, lets go report back to the lady at the gate."
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Returning to the butch blond woman Sevroth she smiles widely as she claps her hands on the metal wall unable to hide her excitement.
Well, It seems you upheld you end of the bargain splendidly! So I shall uphold mine as well. Deals a deal.
She goes on to explain the many factions that move about the city.
Smiler Territory The headquarters are built around a mostly medical facility that was once part of the larger module that crashed here long ago, a facility to which the gang’s leader, a vile hobgoblin necromancer named Marrow, has taken quite a liking.
Redtooth Raiders This region of Scrapwall is the territory of a gang of ratfolk—Redtooth’s Raiders. Once the second most powerful gang in Scrapwall, Redtooth’s Raiders have fallen on hard times of late, and their territory is a mere shadow of what they once held.
Lords of Rust: This gang comprises a motley group of creatures, but the majority are orcs, androids, and ratfolk. The bulk of these gang members dwell in the rubble and ruins throughout the Lords of Rust territories or in the nooks and crannies of Scrapmaster’s Arena—few actually live in the gang’s headquarters, but as long as the Lords of Rust remain dominant and the PCs don’t threaten them, these low-ranking members will certainly rush to bolster the headquarters’ defenses. In all, the Lords of Rust number several hundred strong.
Scrapmaster’s Arena: Every few days, the Lords of Rust invite those who have caught their attention to audition for membership in the gang. Such auditions consist of fights in Scrapmaster’s Arena, usually against groups of gang members or captured monsters, but sometimes against the troll Helskarg herself. Those who survive these fights are granted membership in the gang, while those who don’t are generally eaten. The arena fights are known to be unfair and cruel.
Draigs: The ettin Draigs wields two spiky chains with unnerving grace in combat. She’s the thug and executioner for the leadership—the one Hellion calls upon to mete out punishment to those who sin against Hellion. Helskarg: The troll Helskarg is a garrulous creature and something of the front face of the Lords. She guards the entrance to the gang’s lair, but more importantly, she orchestrates the fights in the Scrapmaster’s Arena. Kulgara: After Meyanda’s loss, Kulgara seized control of the gang as its commander, and now ranks just under Hellion. She increasingly sees the Lords of Rust as her own gang.
Meyanda: This android was once the high priestess of Hellion and the leader of the Lords of Rust, and her loss has thrown the gang into disarray—though none outside of the gang miss her cruelty. Her leadership duties have been split between Kulgara and Nalakai. Nalakai: With the loss of Meyanda, Nalakai is the most powerful cleric of Hellion remaining in Scrapwall. Vexed by Kulgara’s cocky attitude and growing hunger for power, Nalakai hopes to find proof that Kulgara intends to betray Hellion so that he can engineer her demise and replace her in the role of commander of the Lords of Rust. Zagmaander: The most mysterious Lord of Rust is the crimson-skinned monster Zagmaander, who is something of a local bogeyman. Zagmaander serves Hellion as an enforcer and assassin, and even the other Lords of Rust leaders fear her.
Hellion: Hellion is the lord and god of the Lords of Rust. Many have heard its voice or have seen its fiendish visage on the monitors found throughout the excavator, yet none can say they’ve seen Hellion in the flesh. Most believe Hellion to be a powerful fiend (a demon or devil), while others suspect it of being a Technic League agent using a fiend’s facade to sow fear. Others believe it to be an alien, the ghost of an ancient crew member from the Silver Mount, or even a trickster posing as a god. None have yet come close to the truth.
Looking over the group sees a small silver raven sitting on a piece of rusted metal. The small bird chirps as it releases a small missive curled in it's claw. As it does the raven disappears with a small trail of smoke.
Richard listens to Sevroth's advice about Scrapwall and the denizens that call it home. He tries not to show much interest in her words, lest she learn too much about why they have come to the town, but in his head he is committing the information to memory with a lyrical trick he has developed in his bardic performances.
Smilers in the healer's hall,
A necromancer, Marrow, rules them all.
Redtooth Raiders, ratfolk tribe,
Once the Second, but now cast aside.
Lords of Rust, the First of these,
But scattered like wind blown leaves.
Scrapmaster's Arena, where battle one must,
To prove their worth, and join the Lords of Rust...
Upon receiving the note from the bird, Richard suggests taking their leave of Sevroth before addressing it. Outside, he says in a low voice. "We should meet with Dinvaya as soon as possible. She might prove to be a valuable ally in this place."
"It sounds like a logical thing to do. We need more allies."
Kharax uses his magical energy to heal the group outside of the reach of the fallen foes.
"More friends the merrier, amirite?"
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Leaving, the group makes their way north, winding through the maze of wreckage until you reach what looks to be the Clockwork Chapel. The tumultuous sound of metal grinding on metal issues forth fro a constantly churning, grinding wall of gears that blocks of the western portion of this narrow valley. Only two larger gears remain motionless, situated at ground level in the center of the wall where one might expect to see a pair of doors.
Kharax (38/38)
Richard (32/35)
Lewdon (45/45)
Alpha (35/35)
Richard moves up to the gear-doors and looks at something for a moment. He begins to reach out towards something in them, then pauses and decides to be polite and knock instead.
"Hello!"
Kharax waits, hoping for some sort of reaction.
Richard looks at his companions and shrugs. "Well, I tried to be polite." He then reaches out to the gears and pulls the hidden switch.
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Richard pulls the switch. The gears on the wall begin to all turn as the doors crank open to a room with three stone steps leading up to a pair of gear doors entering the chapel.
Opening these redundant doors leads to the Chapel itself. This gear shaped room contains four artfully carved statues of Brigh built from junk and rubble, each depicting the Goddess in the act of creating a different clockwork creature- A clockwork giant spider, a clockwork boar, a clockwork lion,and a clockwork wyvern. A gear shaped central altar sits in the middle of the room, while three regular doors allow access to other rooms.
"Good eye, Richard!", Kharax complimenting his companion as he follows the party into the chapel. "Well, figger Dinvaya outta be here somewhere, although hopefully friendly-like an' not riggin this place with defenses, though I won't blame her with the town like it is."
"Thanks Kharax." Richard grins at his friend. "You raise an interesting point that I hadn't considered. We don't know for certain that Dinvaya sent that bird. We should be cautious here."
Richard looks around at the statues, checking to see if they pose any threat.
He also tries calling out again.
"Hello! Hellooooo!?"
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As Richard steps into the room he has little time to inspect the statues as the southern one more or less begins to whirl to life. It lurches forward. It is a walking rubbish heap, this man-shaped creature seems to be barely holding itself together.
Alpha (35/35)
Lewdon (45/45)
Richard (32/35)
Kharax (38/38)
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Monster
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"It is a junk golem. Be wary of it."
Alpha explains before moving up and bashing the construct.
Richard pulls out the grapnel gun from his haversack and fires its adamantine spike at the golem.
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Alpha knows a bit about Junk golems. he knows that they have a reduction to most weapons unless they are made from adamantine. Like most golems they are immune to all forms of magic and their attacks can easily give someone tetanus through all of the rust. Junk golems can break apart and become a living mass of shifting metal and use the junk around it to mend itself back together.
Moving behind the junk statue Alpha slams his shield into the animated pile. His shield makes contact, knocking a small antenna off of the creatures shoulder, though it doesn't do as much damage as it should have.
Richard pulls out a autograpnel and fires the spike at the Golem. The spike barely makes it as it snaps into the corner of the junk pile. The spiked barbs take firm hold.
Alpha (35/35)
Lewdon (45/45)
Richard (32/35)
Kharax (38/38)
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Monster (-22)
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"Hey Alpha, any of my magic useful 'gainst it?"
"No, it is not. It is immune to magic."
Kharax will use his whip to distract the golem, aiding Alpha's defense.
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Lewdons flail misses his target as Kharax attempts to distract the large golem with his whip.
As Kharax's whip strikes the metal side the entire golem falls apart into several chunks of animated metal that swarm all over Lewdon and Richard. Small pieces of scrap from all around the room quickly attract to the creature and begin to repair it.
Alpha (35/35)
Lewdon (41/45)
Richard (28/35)
Kharax (38/38)
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Monster (-20)
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"Ow!" Richard steps away from the swarm. "How do we deal with it like this? Acid or lightning?!" He starts to rummage around in his haversack, then recalls something.
"Alpha, do you still have that swarmbane clasp?"
Flipping a switch on his grapnel gun, he begins reeling in the spike for another shot in the event the golem reforms.
"I am currently wearing it. And to answer the other question, you don't. I will." Alpha will walk up to it and swat it with his shield.
As Alpha goes to work destroying the swarm Richard calls out. "Dinvaya, we got your message and come as friends! Call off your golem! It would be a shame to see it destroyed!"
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Alpha's shield seems to merely bounce off of the small pieces of hard metal with no effect.
Lewdon steps out of the swarm as Richard reels in his autograpnal gun and begins to shout for Dinvaya over the sound of grinding metal and gears.
Alpha (35/35)
Lewdon (41/45)
Richard (28/35)
Kharax (38/38)
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Monster (-20)
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Seeing as not many of his spells will be efefcts Kharax steps back and defends himself.
The swarm of metal shifts back around and begins to chew through Alpha and Lewdon's armor and defenses.
More small pieces of metal seem to be dragged about the room as they attach itself to the mass, repairing the golem.
Alpha (30/35)
Lewdon (36/45)
Richard (28/35)
Kharax (38/38)
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Monster (-18)
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Alpha keeps swatting at the swarm.
"I think Alpha can handle it." Richard says, waving Lewdon back. "But just in case, maybe you should withdraw and check those doors."
Singing a note of healing, Richard moves into the swarm to Alpha's side and heals his wounds.
"Dammit!", Kharax cursing his uselessness. He does the set he can and tries to distract the repairing mass from Alpha's next attack
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Alpha slams his shield across the roiling mass of metal bits. It swipes a large chuck away though it doesn't seem to do as much damage as he thought it would.
Richard tends to Alpha's immediate injuries as Kharax tries to distract the swarm of metal to help Alpha out. Moving a bit north the golem's pieces begin to rejoin as it forms back into the shape of a statue once again near Kharax.
As it rolls along it attracts more metal that joins with its body.
Alpha (34/35)
Lewdon (36/45)
Richard (28/35)
Kharax (38/38)
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Monster (-20)
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"Give me a clear shot!" Richard calls out as he sights down on the golem again with his grapnel gun.
Alpha will slam the construct and then step back.
Kharax steps back from the junkbot and once again tries to distract it.
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Even with Kharax's aid Alpha is not able to strike the golem. Though he does give Richard just the right angle as his Grapnal gun's spike slams into the golem's chest, tearing free a hunk of rusted metal.
Lewdon smashes his flail into the mass of moving pieces and causes a good sized dent of his own.
The golem falls to the ground once again becoming a swarm of metal bits and grinds into Alpha's legs.
Alpha (30/35)
Lewdon (36/45)
Richard (28/35)
Kharax (38/38)
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Monster (-39)
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Alpha continues to try slamming his shield onto the swarm.
Richard reels in the grapnel gun's spike again.
"Ok, looks like we have a strategy that is working. Keep it up!"