" Your dog will run away if it becomes scared and I havent seen you use anything other than that gun. What will you do if it strikes you down from close.. much how we did to that cursed one? But go ahead.. I see nothing ahead besides the metal creature."
"As Suna said, can you trust your animal to not flee, Bob?"
"I will move behind the one in front then."
After some discussion, the group moved cautiously in. Bitha and Suna's prejudice against the metal monstrosities were tempered by the curiosity of the others.
Bitha moved in first, and a little past the thing, her sword ready to destroy it if necessary. The others followed, allowing Alyna to take a closer look at the thing with her natural affinity for such constructs.
The first thing she felt was this creature would not like lightning or other electrical effects. The fine wiring and other parts of the robot would suffer badly from that. She also noted that while some parts were armoured, there were sections of internal workings that were exposed here. Solid or well placed blows could damage this easily, unlike some of the golems she had read about in her studies
As she inspected the thing, she caught a flicker of light deep within the glass lenses that passed for its eyes. The moment her hand brushed the thing, those lights flared to life and rose fully to its feet, ready to crush the woman in front of it.
A mechanical sounding voice boomed from its head, though no throat nor mouth could be seen
Androffan
The rest of her party acted instantly, all of them fully expecting this moment.
Ksila and Zlota launched acid at the thing, Suna fired his crossbow hitting it despite the obstacles between him and the thing. Even Alyna had been ready and her hand flared with magic as she channelled the power of her goddess to damage it.
None of it was enough though. While the hits landed upon it, and sparks flew from its body with each blow, the thing still moved and responded aggressively.
It swung at the cleric though it missed her completely.
Suna grinned as he knew the creature would strike. Letting his crossbow fall to the ground he pounced climbing along the wall on Boba's left before leaping down from behind Ksila, drawing his tribal pole-arm as slamming the hammer down toward it's head. His muscles grew and the teeth extended as his strike followed.
Bitha rages and screams at the construct.
Attack
Damage
The damage ignores one point of hardness as well.
Bob took careful aim, knowing only a shot into the exposed wiring could damage the creature.
Zlota and Ksila unleash acid at the robot. Ksila managed to hit but Zlota couldn't target past her companions reliably. The robot was looking fairly damaged at this stage. With a whir of machinery and an inner hum, parts of the exposed wiring re knitted themselves back together and armour plating seemed to self weld.
Bria continues her rage and swings away at the evil construct.
Attack with flank and rage
Damage, ignores one point of hardness
Possible crit
Damage
Bob waits to see if the massive blows bring it down before firing.
Suna swings his hammer past Ksila with a mighty arch while the robot seemed distracted.
Alyna takes a swing at the robot with her light hammer before stepping back out of reach of the robot to allow her more martial companions better access.
Bitha and Suna struck the thing two mighty blows, almost simultaneously. The barbarian womans sword had all but shattered the thing and the catmans glaive did the rest. The robot fell in a sparking heap, three separate chunks of metal where once a single automaton stood.
The two warriors stood proudly over their utter destruction of a hated foe. Again, when the two of them worked together, it seemed their enemies were doomed.
Boba's dog tensed momentarily, growling and sniffing the air as some scent caught its nose. Then it settled again, shifting its feet under the small aasimar.
The fight was done.
Suna's oversized fangs seemed to retract and his eyes become feral as he nods respectively to Bitha on the other side of him. His voice brutally harsh from the adrenaline rush, " Good work, another metal beast dealt with. Warrior Bitha your strike was most impressive and met mine in ferocity. Perhaps there are more farther inside. " placing the pole-arm upon his shoulder and walking back to retrieve his Crossbow.
The thrill had passed but the experience remained. No doubt the other, more techno-inclined, would try and salvage the creature, but Suna was uninterested. He took this time to examine whatever else resided in this room. He did a little scouting ahead perhaps a few, to see how far the path lead and if there were any other doors.
"I'm sure these were the things that took the townspeople. I only hope we find them safe, but I'm worried."
Suna's fur stands up more than normal as his eyes return to their previous state, he began to smell the remains of the construct, " Hrmmm? I am not so sure, I did not smell the blood of others when we found this creature. Maybe I missed it in the heat of the Hunt "
Bob takes out his new tools and begins to work.
Bob tries to retrieve as much of the gun as he can.
"Nice work. I think there are more creatures around."
Alyna kneels down by the remnants of the robot and sees what she can salvage from the wreckage.
"Perhaps I can salvage something useful from this robot. It... was... in better condition than the previous one we encountered."
Suna gave a low growl as his nose inspects the area, " Riiiiight, and this is what happens when such a thing is left alone. It attacked you for little reason, much like I'm sure it did anyone else. We did what was needed. "
Zlota and Ksila ease themselves as the battle ends. "Alyna, a moment, please..."
Zlota waits for Alyna to approach before speaking in Androffan.
Alyna contemplates Zlota's observation.
Suna looks to the two as they exchanged words in a strange language. Which seemed odd to him considering their need to do so. It also dawned on him that, though he could not understand a word and their facial expression stayed the same the noise seemed familiar. Did the metal beast speak the same? His gruff voice announced itself to the two strange patterned individuals. " What seems so important that you both speak in that odd tongue? What is it called anyway? " He grins somewhat intrigued, like he found something.. interesting.
He looks to Bitha as is to reassure his findings " Warrior Bitha, Did they always speak like that.. it is peculiar.. I have heard something like it.. but I am not too sure. "
"I haven't paid much attention to any particular words exchanged. I've never had an ear for languages...I just assumethey were talking in elvish or dwarves or some other strange gibberish like that."
Suna nods slowly he seems somewhat convinced just confused. " Then they must both know of this.. I thought they strange Humans like yourself.. but they seem to be less... Tribal. They have markings like one tribe. Some in my pride are gifted with similar shapes in their fur " As he demonstrates with the oft-changing manipulations in his own stripes, fangs, eyes. " They do not seem anything like my kind however "
"They are different, no doubt. Maybe they have some strange bloodline in them. Spellcasters have always made me slightly uneasy."
Nodding, Zlota looks over to the others before speaking to the other Android once more.
Stepping over to the group, Zlota speaks, this time in Common. "Alyna and I believe that these cave systems are artificial. Made not by natural nor divine processes. We should be cautious for the area we may be in may be... Unique."
Bob looks up from his tinkering, his tools laid our in an orderly row on the ground.
"Well, we all are different. Makes for an interesting Golarion."
Suna sneers " Ohhh? And you had to have a conversation over there between the two of you to say that? Well then I guess I'll just be.. MORE careful. Are you both ready to continue or do you have more to speak in your.. 'native' tongue? " Suna raising a brow as he shouldered his tribal weapon in his right hands and let the Crossbow dangle in the left.
He sort of shrugs as the idea pops into his head, " What is that language by the way? I have not heard of it before, but it seems you humans speak many things. Well I have not heard what I think your language is in a conversation. "
Bob asks the group a casual question.
"It is your birthday, and someone give you calfskin pouch. How do you react?" He looks at you closely for a response.
Looking over at Suna, Zlota shrugs. "The robot that was just destroyed mentioned something in that language. Alyna and I can speak it, native or no, good Suna."
"The language is called Androffan." She says no more, not wanting to make a big issue.
Suna nods accepting the response " Androffan.. so our prey speaks this language... you will need to teach us all... so we can know our quarry better. Thank you Beastmaster Zlota. "
When Boba ass his query Suna is quick to react " I would ask how many moons they stalked the prey to hunt and craft such and gift, then promise an even grander Hunt be needed to return the favor. "
Turning towards Boba, Zlota looks at him before responding. "I graciously accept. Is there some social taboo against calfskin?"
As tension rose between the group, a noise from further down the metal rooms drew all their attention. There was loud hiss, as if hot steam escaped from a geiser somewhere up ahead. The noise was brief and succinct, but stopped as abruptly as it started.
Suna's inspection of the robot gave no clues of blood or other odours, but he did pick up a scent of blood on the air from further in the rooms. It was old though, tainted liked rusted metal. The rotten offal smell of fresh blood had certainly left the air so he wasn't concerned that a fresh kill had been made.
Even as he finished asking his strange question, Boba finished his careful removal of the robots arm. It looked to be some form of launching device. If he could find a way to power it, Boba was certain he could get this thing to shoot whatever was inside the large canister on its side. It was heavy though, and would require both his hands to use it.
Those in group with the vision to see in the dark could see the room ahead opened out to either side of the corridor they now stood in. They could make out the far wall of the room, where a set of doors of some type seemed to be closed. These were the first doors that were closed within this complex, so that meant something.
Apart from the far wall, they could see glimpses of what appeared to be ruined cages and other debris on the sides of the rooms. A clear path seemed to have been through here though. There was something marking the floor near the closed doors too. It seemed to have seeped from under those metal barriers, but was impossible to tell what it was from this distance and with the colourless spectrum that dark vision provided.
Bitha waited expectantly for some more light to be provided. "Quick, I can't see anything down here. Can someone cast that spell that makes my sword glow? I'm afraid there are more of these robots hiding down here!"
Bob tries to see if the robot has batteries to scavenge.
"A netgun!!"
Suna stalked behind and tapped Bitha along her blade illuminating the weapon with a light reminiscent of the red hued campfire, one meant to announce successful gathering. " Here you are Warrior Bitha, a light for your path. "
Using this light and his forepaws Suna search through the Debris for anything peculiar or odd, before awaiting the rest at this door, he picked through the material that bleed under the door, feeling it in his paws.
Alyna casts light on her buckler, providing additional light for Bitha and Suna to see by. She keeps her eyes peeled for anything that may be of interest to her and her fellow worshipers or anything of importance pertaining to their mission.
With the two lights now in effect, the rooms are cast into full colour. It appears as if this place held many cages at some point. The mangled remains are strewn to either side of the room, piled up and bent as if thrown from side to side in some titanic battle.
Amongst all the debris though, the group did manage to find a couple of battery packs. Both were fully charged too. Both Alyna and Boba could tell this with the experience they'd had with technological devices in their past. There was also a black e-pick and a set of grippers. The technology in this room was more than the town of torch had found in the last three years. If the technic league had found this cash, their representatives would have had conniptions.
Suna and Bitha both stood at the door, guarding against whatever might come through it. Once the light had been thrown into the room, it didn't take an expert to tell that pooled fluid was blood. It was at least a few days old, having dried hard onto the metallic surface. Unlike with stonework, this blood could scrape from the metal floor easily. It appeared as if the glaucite alloy was resistant staining and pitting from blood.
Beside the door a small brown panel blinked sporadically with a single blue light. A strange language scrolled across the panel as it flashed on and off.
Androffan
Alyna eagerly gets to work assisting Boba in rigging the battery pack up to the net launcher. A hint of excitement shows as she gets to dabble with the new, yet old, technology.
Bob smiles at Alyna and sings a little song as he works with the net gun. Although not a total bada$$, Bob had picked up the song from another gunslinger a while back.
Bob and Alyna seem to the share the moment of discovery as they get the batteries hooked up to the former arm extension of the robot. Bob adds the grippers to the masterwork tool kit, as he finds the nonfriction strange black stuff really useful when manipulating smooth metal. He also adds the black e-pick to the two brown ones in his pouch.
With the net gun ready, Bob seems reluctant to test fire it as he knows the net cartridges will likely not be reusable. edit: He goes with the net gun in both hands.
"I am sure this is the first of many treasures of technology. I miss working with Khonnir, but you definitely know your tech Miss Alyna. I sure hope we find him."
Bitha watched the two working on the net gun. She wasn't sure what the weapon did, but she was intrigued for the first time. Using the metal monsters' own weapons against them!. She preferred her sword in her hands, but if the net gun would give them an upper hand, then she was happy the others could harvest it.
"This dried blood doesn't fill me with hope. I'd suspect this comes from a villager, or more of them. We need to quickly follow through those doors and see if any of them are left."