"Something big, huh? Intriguing... Maybe we should take a look. Not necessarily seek contact, but I think it might be prudent to know what we're sharing this island with as thoroughly as possible. Think we can spare the detour?"
To clarify - the tracks, now that Kib has pointed them out, seem to sweep back and forth across the ruined steps methodically, as if on a pre-programmed route. Back and forth, back and forth...but you can't tell how far they go to one side before turning and coming back...
Kib sets out to follow them, for once not chattering on about something inane. His focus matches his sudden quiet as he puts his skills to use.
Grunyar comes to inspect what Kib notices Big you say. Was it a dragon or just like a dragon or was it something that was large in size like you would think a dragon is?
Grunyar knows that kobolds revere dragons and doesn’t want to offend, yet is skeptical that a dragon came by this place. However he doesn’t have much knowledge or skills related to tracking or dragons for that matter so he doesn’t want to dismiss it entirely
Kib just puts a finger over his lips and leans in before whispering his reply, "Probably not a dragon, no giant claw marks gouged into the stone." He then continues his tracking.
Doing his part to leave no stone unturned Grunyar casts detect magic to see if any magical residues persist in the area
As you head along the stairs here, Kib can tell that whatever is leaving this trail is fairly methodical in nature, sweeping back and forth. It seems to always come back to this location, though. Grunyar does not sense any magical auras in the vicinity.
Kib suggests following the trail.
Tess would also like to follow the trail.
Kib continues to lead the way, following the sweeping trail that goes form east to west, then back again apparently. After some time - perhaps an hour or so, you find a part of the ground where the path...which seems to be about ten feet wide turns, and heads back in the direction from which you came. Following it back, you find that it crosses over the steps and heads in the other direction. You head north along the steps for a bit, and can now see the breaks in the trail for whatever this 10 foot wide thing is. It seems to be sweeping back and forth across the steps.
As you survey this, Kibs looks up to see what looks like a sphere - perhaps of smoke in the distance. It's moving towards the stairs, though it will cross at about two hundred feet to the north of your position.
Grunyar looks at the incoming sphere and alerts his companions I’m not sure it is wise to intersect paths with whatever that shape is in the distance there. Should we take cover somewhere?
Unfortunately, you're out in the middle of nowhere, just some scrub brush and the steps near you...
Maybe not, but maybe it is not hostile. I suggest we move to the side and see what it does. And Kib does just that, making sure he is out of its path. It seems automated to him and he wonders if it'll just pass us by.
"If we just take a few steps aside and it walks us by, it should be fine. We don't need to actually do anything with it yet, just knowing what it is and that it's here will be good to report back."
She chuckles. "And if it DOES attack? Well, we can always run like hell."
As you stand by, content to let this thing pass, it sweeps over the steps, scouring just the very top layer of dirt as it passes. Then, seemingly out of its planned path, it stops abruptly. It's hard to tell if it turns since it appears as a large cloud, but it begins to head your way!
Celaadar looks at this odd thing, and her eyes narrow in concern. I've heard of these - this is a warden of jacks - they were used as guardians, or basically a security system. But...this has to be old...like before Earthfall old!
Watch out, if it's following a programmed condition, like..."Extinguish all life in the area" we could be in for it. It acts as a swarm of little ball bearings, so it's going to be really hard to hurt with anything that isn't an area effect.
She then casts forbidding ward on Tessara [b]+1 AC and saves versus the warden jack[/ooc]
The swarm rolls towards you, not seeming to speed up in any way.
"For now, maybe it's best if we just leave it be and try to get away? If it's programmed, it might return to its patrol if we keep our distance. If so, it's easy enough to avoid for now and if we need to take care of it, we can always come back."
Run Kib agrees.
Run! As long as it is only a short distance. We dwarves are excellent sprinter, but not so much for long distances. Or is it the other way around?
Grunyar leaves the area following Kib. Though he’ll never admit to following a kobold anywhere
You do as heroes would do...and run. The warden of jacks seems to follow for a few paces before seeming to turn inward upon itself to reverse direction. It then proceeds back to its path and starts heading to the west.
Well, now we know, at least. Kib starts heading back to where they got distracted, timing it so that he doesn't arrive at the same time as the death ball.
"We can deal with that later, but while the colonists don't frequently go past here, it should be fine, I think."
Tess pauses a bit. "So! Ruins, everyone?"
You continue on, past this sweeping automaton, and heard towards the tower beyond. To the north, the hills give way to sharp, rocky inclines. A solitary stone structure, a tower at least three stories high, is partially embedded in the rocky cliff wall behind it. The cylindrical edifice is oddly undamaged, however, as if the rock were only the tide lapping at the tower's lower half, frozen in time. The structure has no windows or rooftop battlements. A metal double door is set in the base of the southern side and is slightly ajar.
Kib will sneak forward to check inside the doorway, checking the area as he goes. I'll scout, he whispers before he slinks off.
Tess waits for Kib to return scouting. "This is an... odd construction. Have any of you ever seen anything like this?"
Kib moves over towards the doors and can see what appear to be stone posts at either side of the door, hinting that there was at one time a walkway or some other structure attached to the tower.
The door has text carved into it, but it is in Azlanti.
Well let me take a look see at the writing there. It looks to be Azlanti but let me see if I can translate it?
Heck yeah Kib opens the door. This sounds like some Numeria type stuff and Kib is all about new stuff. The weirder the better.
He is, however, not a fool.
The room doesn't appear to be trapped, so Kib pushes it open. This spacious chamber beyond appears to have been designed to awe or impress the entrant. Pale gray tiles decorated with faint, intricate geometrical designs cover the floor. The walls of the chamber are pure white, illuminated by unnatural light emanating from the ceiling in a way that makes the chamber appear slightly larger than it really is. A double door leads to the north.
In the center of the chamber, there is what appears to be a lifelike statue of a man in simple black robes with a helmet that obscures most of his face. You've heard of this - other villagers claim to have seen a similar figure at a dais near the village.
I believe you still get a number of bonus languages equal to you INT modifier, and then a new language each time you become more proficient in Society (trained to expert, expert to master, etc)
Seeing the man in the helmet, Kib starts violently and finds himself back in Absalom before realizing that this figure is not one of the ones he is familiar with. Still nervous, Kib slowly enters and begins looking around, eschewing the obvious to find anything else of note in the room.
"Wow... This place is magnificent. What do you think it was used for back in the day?"
Tess takes a moment to inspect the statue more closely.
Kib moves in slowly, still a little shaken by the mask, hugging the left wall and looking for anything dangerous. He was not expecting to see that and it makes him nervous.
When you remade Tessamine, didn't you say she was blind now? Right?
As soon as you fully enter this main chamber, two creatures leap out of the eastern wall, their hands clutching tridents! These creatures appear to be the same type of creature you fought on the beach. They rush to attack, seeming to come from the solid wall itself!