Blackacre skillfully descends hand over hand down the rungs of the ladder. His approach is cautious, but his footing is sure.
Quinn's jump absorbs most of the impact for Phoebe. She lets go of him, takes a short hop like a deer, and lands on her feet. The soles of her boots pit-pat on the surface of the roof.
Move, move, move!. Sandru continues to fight against the controls.
"Do you need help reaching the roof safely?"
Still a bit shaky, Blackacre picks his moment and leaps down from the ladder.
He hits the roof with an ungraceful Oof! and tumbles across the surface.
Quinn runs over to Pheobe. "You OK?"
The monk then runs over to Gaston. "You OK? Can you walk?" Quinn tries to get him on his feet.
Torn by indecision, Caromarc wavers at the ladder.
"Go Jornel! I have this!" the manservant's voice is clear
Caromarc nods, then starts to descend the ladder. As he approaches the ground he shifts, and is upon the roof of the police HQ.
The manservant half-walks, half-climbs to Sandru. he puts one hand on the fixed seat, and one upon Sandru's shoulder.
"I'm not abandoning you, Sandru. We'll go together."
Sandru exerts all his strength and keeps the zeppelin in airspace over the police station.
Phoebe, wide-eyed, gives a thumbs up at Quinn.
Elspeth casually flies over the edge.
There's a loud creak. The dirigible inches forward...away from the station. If anyone wants to disembark, now is the time!
As he struggles to his feet, Blackacre puts a hand up toward Quinn and nods.
Yes, yes. I am fine. Must have hit an uneven patch over there somewhere. He straightens up. And the rest of our squad?
He looks for Phoebe, sees Elspeth flying casually , spots the Earl as he re-emerges on the roof, then looks toward the tilting zeppelin, hoping to see the others.
I might be able to trust this lot. Can't go losing them now.
The monk gives a thumbs up to Gaston then he moves over to check on Caromarc. The man seems ok.
Quinn begins to jog the perimeter of the roof looking for an easy way down or for any possible threats.
Ianez slides down the sloping deck towards the ladders and clambers down the nearest one, dropping into space when he reaches the end of the rope. He drifts downwards, coat flapping about him, and comes to an easy landing on the rooftop. "Is everyone all right?"
The front entrance is located at the east wing of the building.
The back entrance is located at the west wing of the building.
This means that offices and jail cells are located in the north and south wings. You don't know which is which exactly. There are no doors to access these parts of the building from outside.
There are a couple windows on each wing, but they are small and barred.
There are no threats in the immediate vicinity. The way is clear for you to proceed.
La Siréene gazes at Sandru and the Mechanical Manservant. "Fish-girl, Sandru?" For a moment, she crouches cradled in the tipped gunwale of the ship. She remembers a time that wasn't so long ago, but after everything you've been through seems a lifetime away. In her mind's eye, she sees the hospital of Pharasma, remembers wondering about her memory of Original. Endbringer...gargoyles...Hareton...
A new beginning. A world to explore.
She laugh sardonically and casts air walk on herself. "Come, Sandru. This vehicle is out of control. Leave 'out of control' to Doctor Grey."
She stands at the edge of the ship and holds her arms out. The wind lifts her blonde hair. She rises up on tiptoe, then steps off the side, gently treading air as if it was solid ground. She makes her way down to the roof with the others.
I release a ladder, taking the recently secured end and giving it to the machine-man. Let's go, I'll be a few rungs down.
The zeppelin drifts forward and downward, slowly losing altitude with each passing second. As Sandru fights the wheel, he can see that it heads into a populated area of town towards a two-storied chateau. The sign on the building reads: HOME FOR UNFORTUNATE ORPHANS. A group of small, round-faced, rosy-cheeked tots in pyjamas, holding cute white fluffy kittens, come streaming out the doors onto a balcony. At first, they hop up and down, excited to see a zeppelin in the sky. But then their delight turns to horror as they realize it's coming straight towards them!
Thank Pharasma there's an abandoned lot next to the orphanage.
Wait... WHAT? HELP ME!!
The zeppelin scrapes the corner of the orphanage, and comes in for a hard landing in the center of the field. Hard-packed earth, sparse gray grass, puddles of mud...
The gondola and balloon crash to the earth sideways, accordioning the balloon and demolishing the engine. There are several huge explosions......followed by a massive detonation......a sonic clap that rocks the air. There's a white-hot blinding explosion of light. A mushroom cloud of smoke rises high into the sky. The remains of the craft are a blackened, charred husk wrecked in a raging inferno of fire.
Quinn see the devastation and leads everyone to the southwest part of the building to the service ladder.
The monk then jumps from the roof to the ground floor; using monk ability slow fall 30'.
Once on the ground the monk uses his increased speed and runs towards the crash sight; 50' base.
Phoebe climbs down the ladder and clambers after the policeman. She is far behind him. Her pupils fade and her eyes turn bright orange with gaze of flames. She points at the wreckage. "There, Quinn!" she yells, her voice small and far away. "Sandru is just inside the perimeter of fire. The Manservant is there too, near the engine. They look very hurt!"
At the sight of the zeppelin teetering, scraping the orphanage and then exploding in the field, Blackacre rushes down the ladder, then runs after Quinn. He looks ready to kick his superhuman speed into gear , but thinks better of it and stays with Phoebe.
The groaning of steel as a piece of burning frame it throw off of us... We emerge from Hell on earth, silhouetted against the fire, each leaning upon the other. It is difficult to say who is holding the other upright.
JORNEL! He wouldn't leave me, fool! Stubborn bucket of bolts...
In his battered state, Sandru barely avoids catching on fire. The stinging smoke burns his lungs. He holds his breath, staving off further injury.
The manservant is eerily weightless as Sandru helps him move away. Every move brings up grinding and discordant shrieks as gears strip, cogs break and cables sing with strain.
When he speaks his voice is distorted, and fades in and out, worsening over time.
"Sandru. Not ... make it. Left torso compartment ... and stim... Elspeth inside... Go. Live well... so sorry... sorry..."
His face white Caromarc runs to the edge of the building and flings himself into space - then vanishes.
La Siréene stares at the flames... then she starts running, rising into the air, above the rooftops, and heading straight towards the crash site, searching for her friends in the inferno.
The fire roars too great. The smoke is too dense. You can't make out Sandru or your Mechanical Manservant among the flames!
You just make out the hulking outline of Sandru...his body is bloody and bruised, his bones stick out of joint, the remaining hair that hasn't burned off is matted in patches. He stumbles agonizingly through the fire, dragging the banged up, melted-down body of the Manservant.
La Siréene smiles. He survived. And he's saving the mechanical man. It is as should be.
La Siréene casts on herself, so the rising heat will not impair her and looks around to find the closest place to Sandru that is relatively safe from the heat and debris of the inferno.
Then, she approaches Sandru and the manservant.
"Sandru. Follow me out of the flames."
I hear a familiar voice and follow it. Supporting the machine-man, and ignoring his words.
Caromarc tries to approach the fire, but cannot. Calling through to the plane of water he summons lesser servitors and orders 滅火
The water elementals whirl like dervishes around the crash site. "あなたの要求として."
SPLOSH! SPLASH! The elementals quench the fires.
Sandru limps towards La Siréene's voice from a wasteland of smoldering metal. His body is bloody and bruised, his bones stick out of joint, the remaining hair that hasn't burned off is matted in patches. He stumbles agonizingly from the wreck, dragging the banged up, melted-down body of the Manservant.
Quinn tries to see if he can spot Sandru. "Sandru....where are you?"
He sees Lady LaSireene enter into the fire.
You're able to hear movement and guess pretty accurately where Sandru is.
COPPER... How is Phoebe?! Bring Jornel we are here! I hear La Siréene's voice... We will follow it. I plod towards what is familiar, a voice here, a voice there.
Smoke, flames, debris, ashes fill the air on all sides. It fills the world, making it seem like nothing exists other than the inferno. As she walks, La Siréene becomes aware of Sandru's disorientation, and turns around, comes up besides him and grabs him by the arm, attempts to lead him through the inferno, attempts to calm him.
"We are almost out, dear Sandru. Almost out. I'll fetch the others when you are safe, don't worry. It'll be fine.
La Siréene, Caromarc, Quinn, Sandru, and the Mechanical Manservant reconvene in the open field. Blackacre and Phoebe join them, with Ianez and Elspeth gaining from a distance.
The freaked out, but thankful, children are herded back into the orphanage by their caretakers. Some of the kids linger on the balcony, looking on at the fate of their saviors. You hear them cheering faintly in the distance. As well as the grateful mew of their cats.
Caromarc looks with horror at the Manservant
"Don't worry old friend..."
As Caromarc speaks and gestures parts of the Manservant start to pull themselves together slowly. Cracks slowly heal, a few cogs roll out of the scorched ground towards the body, then hop and skip in side, seating themselves.
The monk approaches Sandru and shouts at the man. Quinn slaps Sandru on the shoulder every time he says the word "stupid". "You stupid....stupid....brave....stupid..." There is a pause as he stares at Lady LaSireene then whispers "...Half-orc." The monk glances over at La Sireene again to make sure she did not hear him.
The monk offers the half-orc a tight hug regardless of the many injures the man has suffered. "It is good that you are alive."
After all of the pleasantries are offered, the monk states, "We should get back to the police station. There may be some supplies to help Sandru."
Phoebe steps forward. She never worked as closely with Hergelund as did Quinn or Agnes, but in this moment she assumes some of the dwarf's decisive mien. "Not to be heartless, soldier, but we need you back on your feet." Her brusqueness is awkward, but then she melts, winks at Sandru, and says, "Oh, Sandru! I'm glad you're okay." She approaches him and examines his wounds carefully, as if he was a fragile thing that might break. "We really do need you healed up though."
She inspects his injuries again. Then, she stacks her left palm against the back of her right hand, and holds them forth as if pushing against the air. The oracle casts cure serious wounds. Her hands brighten with a pale glow, which flares, then shrinks into a focused beam. It zaps at Sandru like an ion charge. FSHHHHVVVOOOOMMWAAP!! His arms are flung back as the light absorbs into his chest.
Phoebe finishes the spell. "There...that doesn't fix you up completely, but at least it gets you back in action." She doubles over, racked with a hacking cough. She wavers unsteadily on her feet, and spits up blood. Her face is sweat-drenched and feverish. "Don't worry about me," she gasps. "Just the cursed side-effect of my powers. Quinn is right...let's go to the police station." Despite her assurances, it's unclear whether the episodes of acute tuberculosis are having a cumulative effect on her health.
She shakes her fist at the orphanage. "Dang orphans and your needing rescued..."
Quinn says to the group,"Pheobe is right. We need to get to the police station....continue as planned."
The monk gathers his belongings and proceeds to head to the station.
The building is shaped like a large cross. There's a metal service ladder affixed to the southwest side of the building (on the west side of the southern wing, which you climbed down). It is 20 ft. from ground to roof.
The front entrance is located at the east wing of the building. It is unlocked.
The back entrance is located at the west wing of the building. It is locked.
There are no doors to access the north or south wings of the building from outside.
There are a couple windows on each wing, but they are small and barred.
There are no threats in the immediate vicinity. The way is clear for you to proceed.
Upon arriving to the police station
"OK. Gaston and I will head in first. Those of you who can enter the station undetected will come right behind us. The rest will wait outside. We will either give an 'all clear' sign for you to enter or you will be entering from the rear enterance."