The sworn band soon find themselves ambushed by a collection of human thugs they easily dispatch. Only a few more minutes' searching narrows down the source of the humming to a heavy crate. Groomahk smashed it open to discover a large metal box with many thin metal wands sticking out of it, all oriented around a rounded metal plate. Glass panes on the device held shifting squiggles just as the ruins below had.
"We will likely need Khonnir Bhaine's help with this device. However, let us see what we can determine."
"More vile machine magic. Do you think it is safe to carry to Bhaine, or should we send Groomahk to fetch him?"
Groomahk pounds his chest and lifts his axe, ready to strike the metal monster if it strikes.
Aye. Best let those who know about these things look them over." Karek agrees with Rikal.
"I'll go fetch him. You tough guys keep it safe."
Spidre runs off to get Khonnir.
"We will likely need Khonnir Bhaine's help with this device. However, let us see what we can determine."
[dice=Knowledge (engineering)]1d20+9
Rikal can tell that it's something very complicated and unusual, but nothing further. Fortunately, Khonnir returns with Spidre in short order and immediately falls to examining it.
"Oh my...this is very interesting. I've read of these, but never thought to see one outside the clutches of the Technic League. It's very advanced... Yes, it is... A power relay. This was transmitting the energy from the ship below off to somewhere far more distant. It could be... I think it must be at near the limit of its range, to judge from these readings. It seems the woman who troubled us had use for Torch's energy elsewhere."
”Can you tell where the transmitter is sending the energy.”
”Can you tell where the transmitter is sending the energy.”
"I believe so. This is a much more precise device than the one below. Necessary for the greater range, you understand. It's to the northeast. The ancients don't use our measures and there's some dispute over the correct conversion, but I believe the distance between one hundred and one hundred five miles. That would place it in Scrapwall."
"What do you mean? There weren't any ships underground. Or water for that matter."
"I think Khonnir is saying that we were in some kind of long-lost sunken ship. That's what that weird metal place must've been."
"I think Khonnir is saying that we were in some kind of long-lost sunken ship. That's what that weird metal place must've been."
"Just so. Imagine if the sky were a sea. I think the ancients sailed it like one."
Spidre puts a hand to her mouth in awe. "That must be why they perished. They wandered much too far from the land and its spirit."
Chotka grunted. "Considering their ship is under lots of rock and dirt, I don't think they were very good sailors."
Karek wracks his brain trying to think of something intelligent to say, then shrugs and gives up the struggle.
"These creatures must have had strange thoughts - perhaps their minds were corrupted by lack of reverence for the land. Regardless, warleader, we will find more clues in this Scrapwall. I suspect it is to there we must journey - to find the cause of what is behind this, and perhaps signs of your tribesmen."
"I agree. If this was really sending energy to Scrapwall, it'd make sense that they took my brothers and sisters there as well. Orc blood has power and isn't tainted like the metal blood. Do you know the path to this place?"
"I agree. If this was really sending energy to Scrapwall, it'd make sense that they took my brothers and sisters there as well. Orc blood has power and isn't tainted like the metal blood. Do you know the path to this place?"
"Well... it seems so far away to be our problem, but if Chotka's family is there, I'll help you rescue them." Spidre says with a half-sure nod.
Groo snarls, and pounds his chest. He doesn't understand what's going on, but he sense the group's resolve to battle, and shows his willingness to fight with them!
[dice=Knowledge (geography)]1d20+6
Rikal knows the general location and the best way to get there. It's not the direct path at all, but if the Sworn Band set out down the Seven Tears river and then went up the Sellen. That would take them far out of their way, but consume the least amount of time courtesy of the river traffic. Otherwise, they should strike out across land, potentially more hazardous and slower, aimed at Aldronard's Grave. The Grave is a small, partly ruined fort directly opposite Scrapwall on the Sellen. It's not a permanent community, but people pass through often and sometimes stay a spell. If any are present, then they might know more about the latest goings-on.
** spoiler omitted **
Groomahk pounds his chest and roars, hefting his mighty bone-beak above his head. His roar shakes the very mountains, with its power!
"We have a choice, Warleader. The quickest path is longer - traveling down the Seven Tears river and then up the Sellen river. If we wish to avoid the water, for a more direct route, we can travel across land. This will hold more danger, which warriors do no shirk from, but will take longer as we go to a fort known as Aldronard's Grave. Which path do we follow, Warleader?"
"Ride across the water like a lazy Taldan frilly-man? No, our legs and hearts are strong. We march straight to face our enemies and take back what is ours."
Spidre tries to hide the fact that she became temporarily excited about riding a boat.
"I will probably need a pony..." She mumbles quietly.
"Then we should waste no time. Let us gather supplies for a long march and set out. We may need some sort of pack animal, as well."
"I hear that there are many dangers on the rivers. Pirates raiding the boats and strange creatures in the water." Karek says temptingly.
"Then we should waste no time. Let us gather supplies for a long march and set out. We may need some sort of pack animal, as well."
The Sworn Band started for Scrapwall overland. The hundred and five miles go by without much difficulty, save for a few clashes with hostile wildlife that they swiftly dispatch. At length they come to the ruined fortress opposite the place, Aldronard's Grave. It's a walled keep, the keep long since burned to a shell stained with smoke and ash.
The outer wall stands intact, its gatehouse closed by an iron grate. An ugly column of black smoke, far more than a simple campfire or two would account for, rising from within.
Rikal, seeing the plume of black smoke, says, "Let us be on guard - that fire is not for cooking. There may be hostile foes within." He unlimbers his longspear and cautiously advances forward behind Groomahk and Chotka.
Chotka nodded, his eyes squinting against the sun's light. "We will speak to the travelers with our tongues, but if they do not want that, we will speak with our axes." He marched boldly to the gatehouse and sniffed the air before testing if the gate was unbarred.
Chotka nodded, his eyes squinting against the sun's light. "We will speak to the travelers with our tongues, but if they do not want that, we will speak with our axes." He marched boldly to the gatehouse and sniffed the air before testing if the gate was unbarred.
Chotka smells smoke and shed blood. His strong arm tells him the gate is indeed barred.
"The battle started before we arrived, and now something hides inside. Two options, we throw the little one over the gate and she moves bar, or we throw Groomahk through the gate, and there is no bar."
"Let me at least figure out what's going on in there before you toss your heads at it." Spidre says with a measure of exasperation.
She then scales the wall with astounding panache.
"So option one then, though I'm surprised that it was the little one that did the throwing."
Karek will inspect the gate from the side so he's not visible. Trying to work out how much force would be needed to break it if needed?
Groo follows with a growl and keeps his weapons at the ready.
:"Still, we should be ready to break the gate down if the little one is in danger. Groomahk, ready your mighty bone beak to shatter the gate if we must."
Karek thought the gate would take some breaking.
Spidre ascends with ease, arriving atop the wide battlement and looking about. She stands between one of the two watchtowers that flank the gate and a third, larger one to her other side. She can't tell about the tower on the far side of the gate, but both the one nearer her and the one to her other side have doors shut against her. In one corner stands the keep, a ruin with some sort of campfire still burning inside. She can see something cooking over it, but is too far away to make out what. Below, the courtyard holds the remains of destroyed tents strewn about. Across from her stands a building of unclear purpose, its wooden doors shut, and a burning stable.
"It looks like whoever was here has either gone inside or moved on. But something bad happened here, and not too long ago." She calls down to the others, still opting to remain as quiet as possible. "Throw up some rope! If you all come up here we can have the high ground."
Rikal pulls out his rope and tosses it up towards Spidre so she can tie it off and they can climb up.
The Sworn Band, strapping sorts all, have no difficulty climbing the wall and joining Spidre atop it.
Rikal looks over the fort's state, then looks to the towers to either side. "Should we investigate these watchtowers first, or see who might be around that campfire in the ruined keep?"
"It looks like whatever fought here did not care for walls and towers. We should go to the keep."
"You know, it wouldn't kill us to do a little salvaging first. In fact, with any luck, it might save us." Spidre prompts with a sly smile. "Unless you're in some kind of a hurry."
"Your eyes see value. Go ahead."