Sigrun simply smiles as they accept the offered equipment, giving the Coffin Man a friendly nod.
Percy isn't rude enough to start identifying things in front of their host, so she carefully starts packing them away. She can't stop smiling for some reason.
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"Magic requires belief, and those who live here do not believe. In fact, they decry it as something unnatural. They have big heads here. Reasoning with them be, how you say, less fruit?"
"Is all they are knowing. Dirtlings think they are alone and there are not even other planes of existence. Have forgotten too much, I am thinking."
Percy's grin gets even bigger. I get to be unreasonable with these people then? she laughs with such expectant enthusiasm it borders on a cackle and starts clapping in glee.
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"I almost feel sorry for them already." Sigrun mutters to Lyosha.
"Da." Neverhome mutters back to his love. "So, people here, Dirtlings, look human but have big heads and are... stupid, very stupid, correct?" he asks his cousin.
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"Actually, they are looking much like you and the attractive redhead female. Heads are normal size for humans. Please to be careful when you meet them. They are having no magic, but that does not mean they are stupid. Alkenstar tinkers could learn much from them."
Neverhome smirks as the Coffin Man compliments Sigrun while admonishing him, before nodding in thanks. ”Tinkers? Weapons.” he thinks aloud, though he did not know what an Alkenstar was.
He had been silent which was almost unusual in itself. He was trying to figure out how Friend Neverhome and he supposed friend Coffin man were related... they didnt look related. Perhaps it was by marriage.
"These dirtlings look like friend Neverhome and friend Sigrun yes yes?" Not so bad then."
He said simply giving a sharp nod to no one.
"No halflings or gnomes? Just longshanks? How do you live in such a world?"
"Are we ready then?" Sigrun asks, giving the Coffin Man a smile at the compliment.
"Da." Neverhome replies, looking happily over the new swords. "Thank you again, Dearest Cousin."
Exiting the hut, you find yourselves on a snow-covered hilltop overlooking an icy river. Below you lies a devastated village, burned to the ground; the churned mud, black piles of charred timber, and splashes of bright crimson blood among the ruins contrast with the heavy white snowdrifts blanketing the ground. The cold morning breeze smells of burning cinders, and a light smoky haze fills the air. Everything is deathly silent.
Below the hill, a rutted, muddy road winds between still-smoldering charred cottages, and fire-blackened craters mar the pristine snow-covered landscape. Crows squawk from perches atop a strange, gigantic metal wagon with spiked wheels, mired among the smoking ruins. Aside from the occasional *caw* of a crow, all is silent and still.
"Well this is the pits."
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"There's been a lot of death here recently.....obviously not having magic hasn't made the people here less dangerous." Sigrun notes, looking at the carnage. Kneeling, she studies the ground for signs of activity or a direction to whatever monsters lay waste to the village.
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"what is that?"
He began leading Mule out, both he and his valiant warhorses ears flitting about and laying back after a moment. He moved torwards the metal wagon his tail slowly flitting back and forth in agitation.
Neverhome lets out a sigh as they exit the Hut and survey the village. ”No wonderful sights like last world, just cold and death. May as well be back in Irrisen.”
Going over the gifts his Cousin had given them he weighed both swords in his hands, but he had never been one to wield something in each hand. Gripping the earthy sword he offers the wavy and warm sword to Sigrun. ”Long lost sister?”
Percy moves forward the metal thing with Silence. Imagine if the Slaygon was metal. She sighs at the memory of the beloved loot wagon. I hope it survived the battle.
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There's no sign of tracks in the snow, and the entire area maintains its icy stillness as you begin to move away from the Dancing Hut.
You notice something buried in the snow ahead of you. Actually, there's a lot of somethings. The entire hillside appears to be covered with randomly-scattered metal objects hidden under the snow. This 'metal field' appears to be approximately 40ft wide.
"Uh, those don't look good." Hobbes will go up and examine one, carefully.
From what you can deduce, it's some sort of mechanical device. If it's touched, it will incite a chemical reaction to cause a large explosion comparable to one of Allie's fireballs.
Percy takes one look at that field with the knowledge of what it could do and calls the party back. Let's not even mess with that crap. She suggests and casts a spell. Everyone's body turns vaporous and translucent.
Wind Walk
Just make sure you have a few seconds to switch forms. It's not instant.
"Well that works." Hobbes states as he is turned into literal air.
"This is....different And VERY useful....nice one Percy." Sigrun says with a smile as she feels her substance thin. Taking a tentative step up she grins.
Neverhome nods and smirks as he feels his body discorporate.
Now safe from the explosives, Percy floats over to the metal wagon and takes a look around.
Massive spiked wheels nearly 30ft tall support this monstrous war wagon's heavily armored carriage, and the gigantic machine's frame bristles with multiple armored turrets.
As you approach, though, you hear shouted orders before the air erupts with explosions and rapidly-moving metal projectiles. Some are coming from the wagon's turrets, where long tubes are shooting metal at an incredible rate. The rest of the fire comes from two masses of Dirtlings south of your position. They have larger tubes that vomit out explosive metal missiles.
Dirtling Soldiers
Explosive Launcher Tube
Percy growls as the things start spitting metal. Then she gets an idea.
Follow me! She charges at the wagon and uses her new gaseous from to flow around the metal weapons and into the wagon itself!
Abrasax yelps as metal starts to fly and dashes after Percy!
"What? Okay!" Hobbes states as he follows.
Hila whines a bit and follows everyone else.
"Hai Mule to me!
He called ordering the ghost horse to follow him into the wagon.
---------------------------------------------------
Tsar Tank Layout
Top Deck: 10ft square - two soldierss
Middle Deck: 30ft by 10ft - seven soldiers
Bottom Deck: 5ft square - one soldier
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He wasnt sure of the confines withing the metal wagon that spat death, but he did see space along the top... and that was were he and Mule would reform to end that part of the the threat.
Perfect his to the middle deck to reform, followed by Abrasax. As Percy reforms she proclaims in the spookiest voice she can muster, I am the Herald of Woe and Bringer of Curses! Flee! Flee before I take your balls and cook them in my stew! And sacrifice to me one who will operate this machine in my name!
Hobbes winces at Percy's statement, though it was appropriate for this situation. "Yea. you should all vamoose. Scram."
Growling at the slight sting of the metal projectiles, Sigrun races to follow Percy's lead, Flowing to the upper deck. "Run if you want to live!"
There are ten men inside the wagon. Terrified by your unnatural ability to become ghosts and fly through walls, they shout in alarm, pull strangely-shaped metal wands from belt pouches, and activate them. Like the wagon tube weapons, these wands produce loud *bangs*, small puffs of smoke, and launch pointed bits of metal in your direction.
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"Pardon us, you seem to be on top of our metal wagon."
The felinerai spoke giving the two strange dirtlings atop the metal wagon a polite half bow as he reappeared from the smoke astride his warhorse. AS he rose his blade flashed outabout them.
Mule snorted and began his own lightning fast attacks of death.