"Palo I'll try but we might have to go through this thing first," Relas responds as he joins the battle, circling around slightly before moving in to strike at the ooze.
Blekk lashes out at the nearby ooze in a frenzy of claws and fangs.
Globlob, true to form, starts singing at the top of his lungs. Honestly, it seems a bit more like yelling most of the time, but no one has complained yet.
"Globby, goopy, gobledygook!
Smash da spider and deal with dis mook!
Turn it into jelly, jam, pie;
Slap its mama and spit in her eye!"
Whilst Biggun, Blekk and Relas focus their attacks upon the ooze, Palomia and Ravboom seem more concernd about the arachnid machine. Palomia's crossbow attack is wild, the bolt flying high and wide... but Ravboom is far more proficient with his weapon. With a starnge 'click' noise, he fires a spur at the machine...
…which, moving into a distinctly submissive stance, buzzes in a mechanical voice… similar to Andretta, it speaks a language that is remarkably similar to that of the friends, ”Assistant BR-N3R in submission protocol… BR-N3R requests communication with test subjects”.
Moving to protect Solie, Biggun slams his chain down at the ooze – his brutal weapon smears the viscous creature nearly in two… and then Blekk and Relas rush in, both getting up to their elbows in ooze gloop. Reforming, like a slow moving fluid, the ooze seeps on to Blekk's hands and forearms, it separates out into hundreds of sticky globules…
Blekk has just enough time to widen his eyes and go "Oh cra-" before freezing up.
Ravboom blinks at the scorpion. "Brainer? Why Brainer want talk? Ravboom no test subject, Ravboom is Ravboom. Why Brainer free ooze?"
"How Ravboom know, not used to statues moving and talking! Last one Rav blew up with last of gunpowder."
"Hey! Leave Blekk alone!" Relas bellows as he once again tries to rend the ooze monster.
If I die, I'm thinking either doing that new gingerbread witch archetype or this weird alchemist build that swaps out literally every base class feature for other stuff. It manages to use 4 archetypes that somehow all stack.
Very much ready to try to fire an arrow at the blob of ick, Rav's shouts about blowing up the ooze remind him of how they dealt with the last one. He drops his bow and sets to digging into his pack so that he might produce the wand of Sound Burst. Once he has it, he fires it off at the...thing.
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Solie lowers her crossbow and pulls out the wand of fiery death the human had bestowed upon her. Truly, it was a gift worthy of the Sun God she'd someday be. She'd have to remember to give Palo a place of honor at her court for such a kingly gift.
Using it now would be death for her friends, so she moves into the room to try to get a good position.
With Blekk semmingly incapacitated, Palomia and Relas continue to attack it... yet their attacks do little more than briefly disperse the oozing liquid before it reforms. Globlob though, wielding his wand, points it towards the slow moving puddle and, accompanied by a strange 'whump' sound, blows a hole in it!!! Not enough to stop it... but it certainly slows it down...
...and, whilst Ravboom tries to interrogate the machine, Biggun brings his own form of diplomacy to the table... his chain slamming down hard. But, the arachnoid device is too agile, and scuttles out of the way - repeating the same phrase as before, "Assistant BR-N3R in submission protocol, BR-N3R requests communication with test subjects".
...as the ooze continues to flow across the groups strange new 'friend'
Rav smacks Biggun on the back of the butt. "No attack yet, need information. Stupid!" Rav then looks to the golem. "Ok, Brainer, you got communication. No test subject, but me talk to you while they kill ooze. Now talk... or let Biggun smash you."
Blekk continues looking off blankly in the distance.
"Hey, ugly! Over here!" Relas snarls, continuing to bite and claw at the creature if only to try and distract it from Blekk.
Globlob rears back the wand and blasts the ooze with yet another burst of sound! Because he is a helper, through and through.
"You talk to mini-metal-thing faster! Maybe it stop this glop!"
Again Globlob gestures with his noisy wand and this time, the resultant cacophony blows the ooze into tens of discrete blobs and puddles... there is a curious squealing noise as the amorphous being squirms and undulates in its discombobulated state - and then, as the ooze finally becomes still, the fight is over...
Scuttling into the middle of the room, the arachnid machine 'speaks' to Ravboom, "Assistant machine BR-N3R confirms Melancholic Ooze test subject is neutralised... response to Test Subject 382-461a: you are escaped biological specimens and may prove hostile to workers and associated equipment at Garsilt Research Facility... Defence Protocols were accordingly initiated", with an utterly impassive voice, it continues, "Supplementary information to all Test Subjects: Assistant machine BR-N3R warns that integrity of Garsilt Research station is compromised... Evacuation is advised".
"Brainer stupid, if we be dangerous because we escape, then releasing other dangerous things not make things safer." He points out the blindingly obvious. "This place Gar-Silt. Ok, And Gar-Silt compromised? You have map of Gar-Silt? We be happy evacuate, been trying to since woke up." He grins. "Would also like to talk to whoever in charge of Gar-Silt, would like to give views on accomodations."
"Mmm, kind of like this. Don't feel like walking anyways, keep carrying."
The machine, already responding as Ravboom continues his diatribe about the ‘state of accommodations’, talks in a metallic sounding voice, ”Garsilt comprises four levels: Sub-Basement houses the Special Containment Unit, Level One is Test Subject Storage, Level Two… Clarification: this is Level Two is Research Centre and Laboratories and Level Three is Power Plant, Accommodation and Gate”, before Ravboom can complain about the lack of a detailed map, ”BR-N3R will act as guide if required… no hard-copy detailed maps are available for Garsilt Research Facility at this time”.
…and, still with an impassive tone, ”Lomrick is responsible for management of research operations here at Garsilt…Accessing: …Lomrick is currently not present at Garsilt Research Facility”.
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"This is level two... and level three has gate. Gate sounds like an out. So we climb up one more? Unless this scrap metal can show us a less difficult way up," Solie suggested, not wanting to be climbing the next time the whole place decided to rattle. "We can probably take on the Plant of Power without trouble. Solie never met a plant she couldn't burn up good."
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"Agreed, think gate sounds like way out. Biggun! Onward, noble steed!"
"What in rooms?" He asks the Brainer creature. "Any other 'test subjects' that need to evacuate? Blekk, you let dog men know we need to evacuate, and not their bowels, their bodies. You do goo dog men pantomimes."
Blekk grumbles as he gets back up. "Don't want to walk...got to try and make potion to make Blekk hover."
"Don't forget to let the other dog men out of their tubes before you come back Blekk, if dog men not already do so."
”The Research Level comprises this room… the amorphics laboratory and, accessed from the central vestibule, the xenobiology research room, the Klaven conversion chamber, the Tauslek habitat and the microbiology laboratory”, as it details each room, the machine uses its articulated tail to point in the direction of the various doors – starting with the ‘xenobiology research room’ to the west and then, moving clockwise, around to the ‘microbiology laboratory’ to the south east.
Biggun’s examination of the room doesn’t discover anything new… other than a journal, with yet more alien scribblings depicted within, on the workbench beneath the drawings of the organisms encountered around the Breakbag village.
Ravboom looks at the creature. "Where is stored sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal?"
Responding to Palomia first, the arachnid replies, "Accessing Inventory... Nutrition Feed for mammalian species is stored on Level Three of Garsilt... there are no prepared foods on sub-level, Level One or Level Two of the facility", before turning to Ravboom, "Chemical storage is temporarily relocated to the Xenobiology room" ...and emphasising the point, the articulated tail of the machine points to the west.
"Is it okay for anyone to go back down by themselves?" Relas asks worriedly. "I mean, I know there shouldn't be anymore uglies and the Bha-gra are kinda nice once you get to know them but if it starts shaking again..." he shivers.
Ravboom makes sure to take the drawings and writings and put them in his backpack.
"Long shanks pay good money for books."
"Makes sense if just me though. Dunno if I can talk to them, but if they get mad or if place starts going boom, nobody's better climber than Blekk. Can just climb to safe place. Also, be careful with those, Rav. Heard about gobbo who got his words stolen from him, even with book closed. Can't be too careful with writings."
In its monotonous voice, BR-N3R responds to Palomia, ”Garsilt was struck by an extinction level interplanetary object four solar periods ago – the seismic shock from this event compromised containment cells and all stasis chambers across the facility. Initial Jagladine assessment predicted that power could be restored and the Garsilt research facility could be salvaged however subsequent meteorite strikes have prevented the return of power and… Accessing… Evaluating… incidents of incursion by species 361-3569 have rendered initial assessment as invalid. Evacuation from Garsilt research facility is advised”
For a brief moment, the arachnid machine seems almost thoughtful, ”Further information, species 361-3569 have been encountered on 27 planetary bodies… initial research suggests that they are not evolutionarily connected to other bio-organisms on those planets… current analysis suggests that the species is seeded by interstellar bodies… meteorites, comets, etc… BR-N3R correction to record… species 361-3569 have now been encountered on 28 planetary bodies. BR-N3R advises caution, species 361-3569 are rated ‘Extreme Red Hazard’”.
…and then, as readily as if it had been delivering benign information, the machine replies to Biggun and delivers a lecture on the nature of ‘Klaven’, ”Klaven are an artificially created species, incrementally modified to serve the Jagladine. The conversion protocol begins with a creature’s infection, typically by a virus referred to as an Assimilation Strain, which introduces nanites to remap a victim’s brain patterns and overall psychology, predisposing them towards evil".
"The second stage requires a fitted mindslave harness, which conditions victims towards complete obedience, reception of telepathic commands, and eventual networking with others of its kind. The 10% of specimens that survive this experience become candidates for full conversion into Klaven, a process which involves submersion into vats of organic mutagens to amplify the victim’s strength, alter the visual spectrum of its eyes, and to grow natural claws".
"The equipment on this level”, the machines tail points to the north, ”is a facility for the third stage of the process”.
Ravboom nods. "Right, What's a Jagladine? Also, where are kept sulphur, potassium nitrate, and charcoal?" He asks the question again, doggedly. "Species Threesixerwhatever must have been that big centipede thing. We killed it." Ravboom's body moves quickly and his brain as well, filing away information without getting too upset about it right now. "How long until Gar-Silt collapse?"
He looks at Biggun. "Think maybe we no go in room with evil claw Klavan in tubes that are very breakable." He nods at the metal talking insect behind it's back as he says 'breakable', reminding Biggun of the last time the creature was in a room with a breakable tube and something nasty.
Blekk twitches uneasily as he hides his shrinking claws and his muscular build shrinks somewhat. "Uh fellas...think this goes without sayin' but...definitely not a Klavan, k? Although more mutagen sounds nice right now. Think Blekk's coming down a bit from it."
The arachnid machine repeats itself, ”Chemical Storage is temporarily relocated to the Xenobiology room… Charcoal, Sulphur and Potassium Nitrate are classified as chemicals. Supplementary note to central record: query intelligence of specimen 382-461a species… this species may prove to be purely scavenging in nature rather than capable of tool invention and manufacture”
…and then responding to Ravboom’s further question, Jagladine are a superior species within this interstellar region… typically of great intellect and with a natural disposition towards the biological sciences, Jagladine are responsible for… Error… Error… access to further information with reference: 'Jagladine' is restricted to test subjects.” For around ten seconds or so, the machine becomes uncommunicative before finally addressing Ravboom’s question about how long Garsilt will remain habitable, ”Time to total failure cannot be accurately determined without accessing mainframe – current estimates based on power reserves and utilisation suggest that Garsilt Research Facility will become uninhabitable within three solar periods”.
"Right, I think 382-461a is Goblins, and if so, you have it half right. Gobbies scavenge, Goblins create." He grins, showing sharp teeth. "Your problem is, you ain't learned the difference yet, metal scorpion." He looks around. "Let's hit Zen-O-biology, salvage what we can from the chemicals before this place blows up or out or in or whatever it's going to do, and get out of here." He pauses. "Solar periods? One Goblin Ate it, Two Goblin Ate it, Three Goblin Ate it, Four Goblin Ate it, Five Goblin Ate it. That's five seconds, sorta. Sixty seconds is a minute, sixty minutes is an hour, 24 hours is a day. You capable of translating 'three solar periods' into those?"
He taps on the west door, previously identified as 'Xenobiology'. "You guys ready?"
"Test subject 382-461a, the term 'solar period' has already been translated to your frame of reference... Supplementary Information: Garsilt solar periods are 0.24376 of your world", BR-N3R scuttles alongside Ravboom as he moves to the westernmost door.
Listening at the door, there is no sound of movement... nor of any voices and so, after waiting for a moment or two, one of the cylinders is waved against the disk in the wall adjacent to the western door. With a slight creaking noise, the door slides open... The room beyond has a light source in the form of a metal plate bolted to the ceiling that glows with enough light to see clearly. Several glass cages stand on the floor, all of them partially smashed open. The remains of plants, rocks, and feeding dishes clutter the bottom of the cages, suggesting they once housed living specimens.
A long table lines the southern wall from the eastern corner; the table is covered with smaller glass jars of powders and oils whilst at one end, clear of the jars, lies a polished steel trident.
Ravboom rolls his eyes at Palo. "I think it means Days, so 3 days, so we have some time. They use really short days in this place for some reason, like, four per day."
"Look like everything escape, either still here hiding, or got eaten by zombies or centipede." He looks around carefully. "Eveyrone keep watch, Rav going to find useful stuff. Palo, any magic in here Rav need worry about?"