Keldor follows behind the others, picking up the remainder of the group's finds as they go, whispering prayers over the corpses and dust of those lost on this ship...
Let Erastil's hope guide you through Pharasma's spiral to your final destination..."
...but Gauntlet's raspy voice rings somewhat hollow in his ears.
"I suspect their emergency landing was not successful, based on the lack of appended further reports. Of course, he stated this would be the "final report" so he did not expect to make it to begin with. Which suggests that he sacrificed his crew in an attempt to spare them a worse fate?"
Basil looks around, then adds:"I dare say he failed."
Basil has a fleeting memory of no god or religious references in any of her studies of Androffan culture. That could be because of their own gods, or maybe a taboo, or even possible Atheism.
As you take your time looking around the ship, nothing more of interest, or at least useable, shows up. Though, as you look at the front opening you do see that the mists and fog are gone. The necromantic energy has dissipated in the area as well. Whatever this ship was holding, has been cleared.
Seeing the mists gone causes Keldor to smile inside of Gauntlet.
"I think we are done here. We can only hope these people's rest has been achieved. Let's pack the explosives carefully and head back. Let's keep an eye out however, with the mists gone, the scavengers will be attracted to this place fairly quickly."
Lifting up some of the group's haul, Keldor then moves outside to check for approaching enemies before the others exit the ship's remains.
"Hold. Exactly because scavengers might be attracted. We promised your choosen mate some repayment for the services rendered. Those suits seemed interesting, and some of the other items in the ship might also remain a limited amount of functionality that might further her studies. I will take a look at what seemed to be an reactor of sorts. Maybe I can secure some fuel that she could use." Basil states, then heads towards the locale where they found the wisp.
Thawm hesitates.
"I'll uh- I'll be a little distance away." she says.
"Helping." she explains.
Whatever fuel was in this ractor seems to either have gotten destroyed or deterorated over time. You do find 3 oozing green liquids that are seeping out of the reactor. It has a strong costic smell to it.
This ship looks pretty beat up from the crash. Given enough time you could try to set up shop here and break it down, but it might take months. Maybe with help. Though there might be other issues here. You now have the explosives needed.
Collecting the oozing liquids in whatever container seems to be able to hold them, then scouring for loose technological gimmicks - even if they are broken - one last time, Basil gets ready to leave as well.
Their time frame, after all, was limited, especially if Redtooth managed to spread the news that her raiders would take the array in force.
The explosives would definitely have to be set by the time the Lords of Rust make their move.
Basil is able to collect a few trinkets to bring back. Very careful with the liquid. It is oozing from various cells in the back of the ship. Trying to avoid touching the liquid.
As the group leaves, they must decide. Where are they going? To Redtooth, To the Array, or back to the temple. They are currently on the opposite side of the city from everything. The Array is between them and the everything else.
Thawm concludes that the party should have the detonators on hand when they assemble and place the bombs so that the bomb locations only have to be approached once. She leads the way to Redtooth and her gang.
As the group makes their way back through the Canyon. The mists have cleared out and you can see much better. Not enough time has transpired for new things to filter into this area, just yet. But you imagine it will happen soon or later. As it might be a new safe space for creatures to live.
As you make your way past the array, you do not see any major activity. You see it basically as you left it, but as you move closer to Redtooth's area you notice a few red flags in the rubble. Signifying a scout is hidden near by. Do you wish to stop and talk to them?
Stopping at one of the red flags in the rubble. With a small ratfolk pops out. "Sir Gauntlet, Lady Basil No Number, and Lady Uhturj.. I have a report for you. Information has been spread. A few of the Lords of Rust are coming to check on it later tonight. Likely after nightfall. I also have the detonators you will need. Redtooth wishes you the best of luck. If you succeed it will be a great victory to keeping our people safe."
"Excellent." Thawm replies with a predatory grin.
"Sounds like we have plenty of time until they show up." She explains unreasonably cheerfully.
As the group gathers up near the array.
Basil walks around the array, running very accurate calculations about the stability of the structure in the back of her mind, methodically choosing spots where damage to supporting parts would place critical strain on other parts of the building, hopefully leading to a chain reaction of collapsing walls and ceilings.
Basil is able to determine 2 locations that will need explosives. 1 up high on the array itself will destroy the array and fall down into the lower building, but another down below that will help the array collapse the structure. When this happens it will seal off anyone inside, or crush them, depending on where they are at the time.
Basil pinpoints the locations needed, then ascends the Array to place it in an exact location. Handling the explosives felt...oddly familiar.
After climbing down, she places the second charge, making sure to keep it well hidden in a mundane way, so not to give anybody moving around any warning something might be amiss.
Lounging around downstairs, watching Basil work, Thawm says a few encouraging words about Basil's bomb laying skills.
Basil first fails to climb, but eventually makes it up to where the explosives need to go. Everything is good to go.
Waiting for the right time to blow the explosives will be the tricky bit. Your hope is that some group of Lords of Rust show up soon..
As you bunker down, waiting. After a few hours a group of 8 Orcs and 1 human show up. The Human seems to be leading the group. They head inside the array looking, for you.
It is time to blow the explosives. Which is easily done. With 2 loud high pitch explosions. The array dish falls and crushes the entrance. The explosion was a strange light blue color as it caused a strange sphere. It seemed focused and not a wild explosive fireball. Though fire does erupt from the debris.
Without difficulty these 9 members are dead. Shorly after a ratfolk walks out near you "Well that went well" It is Redtooth. "Sorry I had to see this for myself"
Basil seems unfazed by Redtooth's arrival: "Yes. It worked splendidly. I had hoped to catch more of them, but here's hoping those were some veteran assault troops they won't be able to field against us when we confront Hellion directly."
Basil scans the horizon line for any reserves, reinforcements, observers or simply technicians or other workers that may have tagged along with the assault group:"We should use our momentum. But unless we find any stragglers here, we should probably return and plan our next moves."
Thawm nods in agreement. "That sounds like a good idea."
Keldor nods and waves at Redtooth.
"I think we're done here then. Take note...the haunting of the crashed ship nearby may be dissipated for good. If you or your people intend to explore there, it is still best to be careful. I'm sure other... normal... dangers await there that we might have missed."
Basil does not notice any new groups coming. Likely a small segment of the troops where sent. They did not seem extremely organized.
Redtooth listens "Yes, you are welcome to stay with us the night, but we have our own work to do to keep ourselves going. And thank you for the tip of the ship. We can maybe relocate or at least salvage some of the goodies." She rubs her hands together somewhat greedily.
"We'll return to the clocktower for now, thank you, Redtooth."
Redtooth nods "Yes of course. Working on a large litter after all." with a wink to Keldor. She turns and starts to walk way "Please let me know if we can offer help. We don't really have a fighting force, but if you can help make our life easier here, we can try to help" She moves into the rubble and disappears.
As the group heads to the clocktower, they are given a wide berth by people in the city. Their notoriety has spread quite a bit. It seems these new travelers in the city have made a name for themsleves. Even in their attempt to stay quiet.
Arriving at the temple they are allowed in as usual. Dinvaya nods over something she is working on at the group "Well I heard something out there. I assume it was you. Went well I assume?"
Letting Gauntlet dissolve back into the aether, Keldor responds and emphasizes by throwing his hands in the air.
Big-bada-boom!
She laughs at that "Well it echoed around the scrap mountains for awhile. Pretty impressive"
As she stands there is a alarm that rings. She looks up and puts a finger up "Someone is here. Let me check". She walks over to her guard robot and cranks a gear "Go check on it please"
There is a pause. "Not an attack. Just someone at the gate"
The geared machine walks back with a note in its hand and hands it to the cleric. She looks it over than hands it over. "Looks like The Lords of Rust want your attention"
The note itself reads You have made yourself known to us. The Lords of Rust invite you the the Scrapmaster Arena. Show what you are worth, and you maybe invited into our fold
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"Insufficient Information. Can you add additional contextual information to this note? Such as:'What is the Scrapmaster Arena?'?", Basil inquires of Dinvaya, handing the note to Thawm or Keldor.
Not liking the sound of things once he reads the note, Keldor can only sigh and raise a pointed eyebrow.
"That is a good question dear Basil. Also: Can we trust such... monsters...to hold to any thing they say? Should we trust them at all? We have eliminated the array, and therefore the threat to Torch. Correct? Theoretically...should we even stay here now? Although, I can't say I like the idea of abandoning...innocent people, I guess?...to whatever these people are and their strange agendas and delusions of godhood."
Thawm wrinkles her nose in annoyance with herself and the extra errand. "Well, I have grown attached to the cute li'l rats. I say we go into their fold and destroy that too. I second Basil's question, Dinvaya: what do they want?"
She nods, "Well first, no you can't trust them. But to be more specific about the arena.. They invite people there to do battle. Depending on how things go they can invite you in. Have you join them. As far as how safe Torch is.." she pauses and grabs some notes.
"You said that power was being sent from torch to here.. The Array was receiving that power. Do you have any idea where that power was going? That much power seems dangerous. Personally I would want to know where the power is going. I am also curious about this Hellion character they talk about and worship. If your android friend back in Torch was receiving power from it, it sounds almost like a demi god of some kind. There is a rumor that Hellion has some sort of powerful weapon. Likely powered by torch, at least initially."
She gestures to the group, "You have their attention. Might be the easiest way to get in and deal with them. Which would be my vote.... if we are voting" Grabbing her hammer, "I will join you if that is your vote."
Keldor glances at the pretty cleric, shrugs, and throws up his hands.
"One side of me relishes the idea of confronting these villains directly, but the other tells me this is a bad idea...and probably a trap. I am willing to go too, if that is what we all decide we want to do. Gauntlet and Erastil will be with me either way."
"I came here to eliminate the threat that the entity Hellion presents. The array's destruction means no remote transfer of power is possible. All that does is complicate plans for our opponent - whatever he was trying to link up with the Torch reactor, given a sufficient power base, he could decide to move to Torch and opt to directly connect it with the power source there. And given the state of Scrapwall when we arrived, he was close to achieving local hegemony making such a project more likely than is acceptable."
Basil considers the note again: "I say we prepare with means to evade and escape pursuit, then go there. It seems this is a normal modus of operation for them, that would be disrupted if they try to utilize it as a trap. We should attempt this approach because it could simplify our access to Hellion - over a brute frontal approach. If it turns out to be a trap we should still be able to make our exit by diverse means."
Thawm nods. "Gauntlet can grow wings, right Keldor? I can cast a spell to give myself and Basil flight as well. Perhaps I should prepare a third for Dinvaya..." Thawm considers aloud.
Noddding "Yes, if everyone else can fly. I would prefer to have that ability as well. I will mostly stay back, unless needed up front. We can all rest here and get into it tomorrow. I do know we should prepare to deal with a troll. They have some sorta troll guard they like to throw out sometimes."
Gesturing her room "Well.. Keldor, shall we go rest for tomorrow?"