Picking up the weapons, Gregory continues on down the passage that the creature was attempting to flee down.
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The ceiling of this vast chamber rises nearly thirty feet overhead. A five-foot-wide ledge runs along the western wall, sloping down to the cave floor ten feet below. Four ramshackle huts made of what appear to be strips of metal, hides, and some sort of fibrous plant matter sit in the cave, while to the south yawns a dark pit.
Gathered around a small firepit, two more grey-skinned humanoids are smoking some fish. At present, they appear to be unaware of Gregory.
Gregory throws caution to the wind, and charges forward, attempting to bowl-over one of the creatures.
Gregory snarls back at the creature in wordless rage, and attempts to send it the way of its companion.
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Gregory rips the remaining creature apart, and silence once more descends upon the chamber, interrupted only by the intermittent crackling of the fire.
Suddenly, a flask sails through the air...
..smacking straight into Gregory's face!
Blinking his eyes furiously, Gregory initiates his repair protocols.
Subvocalising: Initiate Repair Protocol
+++Command Accepted. Initiating Nanite Cascade+++
+++Optimal Function Not Restored. Organic Substrate Remains Damaged. Warning: Nanite Stores Temporarily Exhausted+++
He then backs away cautiously, frantically looking for the source of the projectile.
Unable to spot what is attacking him, Gregory flees.
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Gregory flees as fast as he can out of the caves, but his pursuer (if there is one), does not appear to be willing to go out into the open.
Looking quite badly burned, Gregory his quickly directed to the temple of Brigh, where Councillor Joram Kyte listens to his story with a sympathetic ear.
"It sounds like you are meeting stiff resistance down there! I'll tell you what - I'll extend the discount you are receiving on item purchases in town to spellcasting services, as well. Khonnir is an old friend, and I would to discover what happened to him."
As good as his word, he then casting a healing spell over Gregory...
...reducing his burns to few small stretches of scalded skin.
The man then smiles.
"That looks better! I think with a good night's rest, you should be ready to take another shot at the caves."
Gregory sighs in relief.
"Thank-you, Councillor Kyte. That is very much appreciated. I think I will call it a day."
He then heads back to The Foundry for an evening of rest.
+++Stage II integration achieved. Additional shielding coming online. Speed protocol accessed+++
Feeling somewhat more robust, Gregory decides that this time, he will have another crack at the frog-thing, but that this time, he will try and sneak up on it.
Gregory pounces forward, a symphony of flesh and steel!
+++Error: Visual Field Overload. Recommend Evasive Manoeuvres+++
Groaning in annoyance, Gregory lashes out blindly at the beast.
,
,
,
+++Error: System Approaching Overload. Warning: Biofeedback Will Be Initiated To Prevent System-Wide Collapse+++
Blinded, but unwilling to retreat, Gregory continues to claw at the beast.
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Despite being blind, Gregory manages to land a solid hit on the frog-beast, which hisses in pain at a slash to its flank that vomits forth a gout of blood.
However, sensing Gregory's weakness, it presses its advantage.
However, incredibly, Gregory manages to avoid most of its blows.
Round 4: Gregory(-18), BH (-21)
Frantically, Gregory hacks away at where he thinks that the creature is.
,
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The frog-beast manages to avoid Gregory's metallic arms, but this distracts it from his bite, which reaches forward and swiftly tears its throat out.
An hour later, as Gregory's vision gradually clears, he has the opportunity to search the room.
The body he saw before has largely been eaten, with only some of the more difficult to crack bones remaining.
However, a belt pouch to one side is still intact and contains 42 gp, a silver unholy symbol worth 25 gp, and two water-tight potions.
Subvocalising: Initiate Repair Protocol
+++Command Accepted. Initiating Nanite Cascade+++
+++Optimal Function Restored. Warning: Nanite Stores Temporarily Exhausted+++
Well, that could have gone better... but then again, I suppose it could have gone worse.
"Huh. I wonder which team the Zyphus-worshipper was with? I bet he got *quite* a surprise when this thing ate him..."
Sniffing the potions, Gregory easily identifies them.
Fantastic. These *will* be put to good use!
Gathering-up his newly acquired loot, he cautiously heads back down the passageway to the chamber where he encountered the grey-skinned humanoids.
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Heading back to the big chamber, Gregory discovers that the fire is still burning, suggesting that someone is still tending it. The bodies of the creatures that he slew have also been moved.
Gregory cautiously enters the chamber, hugging to wall to avoid being attacked from behind.
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Gregory continues to steadily inch his way around the edge of the chamber...
...when suddenly, a flask seemingly appears out of thin air!
Incredibly, however, it slams into the ground at his feet, only managing to single him slightly as a small explosion occurs as it breaks.
This time, however, Gregory manages to spot what is throwing the flasks - another of the grey-skinned humanoids!
Round 1: Gregory, S
"There you are!"
With a snarl, Gregory launches himself forward!
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Gregory slams into the pale-skinned humanoid with the fury of a lion, rending flesh and splattering blood across the ground.
Heavily injured, the creature frantically draws a small object from a pouch at its belt, and throws it to the ground , creating a small cloud of smoke.
Round 2: Gregory, S(-26)
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As the creature throws the object to the ground, Gregory simply punches [through its sternum, sending it, jerking spasmodically, to the ground.
A more thorough search of the room reveals two exits to the North, another to the West, and to the East...
A smooth wall of dark gray metal bisects the cavern here, its expanse pitted and scorched but quite solid looking. A strange, circular opening pierces the wall five feet off the ground, allowing access to some sort of hallway on the other side.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Gregory whistles when he sees the extent of the wall.
"That... is an impressive feat of engineering! What is its purpose, though...?"
He notes the hallway beyond the strange circular doorway, but decides to finish exploring the caves, first.
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The temperature drops noticeably in this passageway, and a rime of white frost lines the walls and floor leading into the cavern beyond. What seems to be a light layer of brown dust carpets the cave floor beyond-a body of some sort sits slumped against the eastern wall.
Gregory begins to enter the chamber, but then stops when he realises what the 'brown dust' is.
Damn. That's annoying. Hang on a moment...
Pulling out the flask of liquid ice, he tosses it into the centre of the patch.
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The flask shatters in the middle of the chamber, sending out a blast of cold which destroys the mold, and coats everything in a thin layer of frost.
Moving into the room to explore...
want to know of Gerrol's fate.
Gregory notices the russet-colored fungal fibres, but is unable to identify either them, or the corpse.
Still, that doesn't stop him from stripping it of its equipment, before continuing on his way.
There but for the grace of the Gods, be I.
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This cramped cave is filled with metal junk covering almost every inch of ground. The precarious pile rises up in a heap-like hut to the northwest.
A search of the room reveals a pouch containing 49 silverdisks and five
strange cards made of a flexible, smooth material. These five cards each bear a brown stripe.
Scattered throughout various Numerian ruins are doors that have boxes with slits in them to one side of the door. If the right card is inserted into the box, it will open the door.
Different colored cards provide a wider variety of access; brown cards provide the lowest level, whilst prismatic cards provide the highest.
In addition, there is a pile of equipment, obviously looted from previous adventuring parties:
This consists of three suits of studded leather armor, a masterwork buckler, a short bow with 11 arrows, a rapier, two short swords, a masterwork sap, two potions, a sunrod, two sets of masterwork thieves' tools, two scrolls, and 143 gp.
"Ooo! Access cards... These *will* prove to be useful..."
Gregory's eyes light up further when he finds the potions and scrolls.
"Wonderful, just wonderful."
Crating up his new loot, Gregory moves to explore the other Northern tunnel.
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This tunnel leads to a series of nondescript, low-ceilinged chambers which force Gregory to crouch in order to avoid smacking his head on a regular basis.
Moving into one of these chambers, he easily spots a clumsily-constructed trap, which appears to be made from junk.
As he moves to investigate it further...
...a tiny little humanoid, with bat-like ears, a mouth full of needle-sharp teeth, and orange-glowing eyes suddenly steps forward, and attempts to stab Gregory in the foot!
Round 1: Gregory(-2), J
Gregory groans.
"Jinkins. Of course..."
He then tries to annihilate the wee beastie!
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Giggling maniacally, the creature flips the bird at Gregory, then steps, away, and disappears, leaving him in peace.
Gregory is then able to make short work of the trap.
After what seems like an eon, several different passageways converge on a narrow ledge overlooking a rubble-filled cavern. The far wall is made of a smooth, dark gray metal . A single circular door, tightly closed, sits on the metal wall just above the upper level of the rubble.
A slightly larger, tougher-looking gremlin tries to sneak forward, but is easily spotted by Gregory, who by now, is used to looking for threats at ankle-height!
However, it is faster than it looks...
..but its tooth-pick sword simply scratches harmlessly across Gregory's metallic shin-guard.
Round 1: Jaz, Gregory
Growling, Gregory attempts to destroy the annoying little gremlin.
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Surprisingly, the gremlin's flesh proves strangely resistant, and although Gregory manages to deliver a solid hit, it does relatively little damage.
The Gremlin responds by mouthing obscenities at Gregory, and attempting to stab him again...
...but once more, its tiny blade proves to be no match for Gregory's armor.
Round 2: Jaz(-1), Gregory(-2)
"Die, vermin!"
Gregory, however, proves to be singularly incapable of following through with his threat.
Thoroughly incensed (and incredibly frustrated!), Gregory tries stomping on the gremlin.
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This time, Gregory's claws manage to do a significant amount of damage.
The gremlin squeaks in alarm, hurriedly backing away, before disappearing into thin air.
A thorough search of the room does not turn up anything salvageable, and the portal is sealed shut; a few experimental thuds prove that the wall is *extremely* solid, with Gregory unable to scuff even the paint.
"I suppose that it wouldn't hurt to take a loot through that strange iris..."
Gregory heads back to the hole in the metal wall.
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Gregory is easily able to climb up to the doorway, and peer into the room beyond.
The walls, floor and ceiling of this slightly curved hallway are made of smooth dark gray metal. Panels of lighter material run along the ceiling eight feet above. To the north and south the tunnel is blocked by walls of metal junk and rubble, while open doorways yawn to the east and west.
As soon as Gregory starts searching the room, however, there is a loud beeping noise, and a tripedal robot, similar to the one in Baine's workshop, strides into the room, its claws whirling menacingly.
Round 1: Gregory, RD