"Well, if that's the best we've got -- give me just a minute..." Criek prepares a see invisibility extract, as well as rearranging his bandoliers a touch to ensure enough acid and alchemists fire ready to hand.
He'll drink his extract just before re-entering the complex.
Criek creeps back into the alien structure. Back at the door of the second he spies the glowing ball of light that had caused so much pain flitting about.
He knows he's been incredibly stealthy. He knows it. But still the light sees him AND it's far far more agile than he is. It flies towards the ratfolk the lights within the ball resolving into the visage of a laughing skull again. It comes *right* up to Criek with a tentacle forming out of it again and then... it just hovers there.
Criek's alchemically enhanced senses however can tell that the Wisp has just gone invisible. Of course the Wisp doesn't know that he can still see it, even clearer than before it went invisible actually!
Sharae, walking some ten feet or so behind Criek has her pistol drawn... seeing the wisp move towards her friend, she brings up the gun in readiness - and her foe simply disappears!!!
Realizing the first step of the plan has worked, Criek tries to remain calm. Stepping back to give a few feet of breathing room, he chances one of his precious bombs on a direct shot before smashing an acid vial below the wisp to splash it.
Completely unprepared for Criek's calm and focused response to its terror inducing tactics, the Wisp is caught flush by Criek's first bomb and is unable to avoid much of the damage of the second, which barely misses it. Creik can see the laughing skull is replaced by a swirl of confused and chaotic images and it bobs erratically before rising up to get above not only Criek, but also Sharae and weaves back and forth to try and get out of the structure. It's obvious to Criek that the wisp is running.
Whether the party goes after the Wisp or not silence descends in the interior of the structure.
Lowering her pistol as her friend tells her that the wisp is fleeing, Sharae is full of admiration for Criek's dead-eye accuracy, "That thing had me worried... I thought it too fast, and too powerful for us to push it from its lair. But you did it!!! You did it!!!" Glad that she has no more wounds to deal with, for she had asked for much of Desna's grace when dealing with the whirling maelstrom, she looks around the chamber where they had first encountered the wisp...
The room north of where the group fought the whirling debris and were ambushed by the Wisp was obviously super-heated at some point for, here and there, the walls run waxlike, forming slag that has cooled into puddles of stell all along the floor Debris, some of which was just recently being hurled around by maddened ghosts, might have been tech of great value at one time but is now mere scraps of unsalvageable, half-melted junk.
To the east you find a room the eastern half of which is a tangle of grey metal, strange engine parts, and rubble, all of which were subjected to great heat long ago, judging by the metal's melted and scorched surfaces. Here and there, softly glowing residues are caked onto bits and pieces of the metal.
The room to the south lies unexplored.
"STAY. AWAY." Criek shouts after the Wisp, taking another volley.
Whether that destroys the thing or merely reinforces the point, he explains to Sharae afterwards, "...I don't want that thing ambushing us on the way out, when I'm no longer so capable of fighting back?"
Criek joins his companion in survey of these rooms,
, taking particular interest in the glowing residues in the room to the east. "How long can this have endured? Magic? Alchemy?"
In the northern room Criek is able to sift through the junk and come up with:
43 silverdisks
a timeworn grenade launcher (14 charges)
three concussion grenades
a timeworn emergency beacon (18 charges)
a timeworn emergency raft (3 charges)
a timeworn emergency shelter
3 charges of cylex.
The room to the south is the only opening from the corridor that Sharae and Criek have not explored yet.
Unless Sharae wants to take a closer look, Criek will grab one concussion grenade for his bandolier and stash the rest of the strange gear, then poke his head through the southern door cautiously.
Following behind, Sharae tries to remain as silent as she can...
The air in this compartment is choking and stale. The dust here is inches think - nothing has disturbed this area in years. It seems Redtooth's Scouts had been the most successful of any previous attempt to delve this deep into the Valley and they had turned back in the previous chambers.
Four large coffin shaped objects made of glass and metal sit against the walls - one to the north and three to the south. The northern pod and the central southern one are partially broken. Each contains a skeleton clad in fragments of strange bulky armor. It look like the same kind of armor the ghostly assailants in the previous room had sported when they had manifested to terrorize you. Whatever traumatic memory was driving them obviously belonged to these ancient looking beings, whoever they were.
The other two southern pods appear to be only slightly damaged. The air is think with a rancid scent, like old meat gone bad.
It does not take someone attuned to the divine to realize how heavy the stench of death is here. It is especially oppressive to Sharae.
This is a place of anger, trauma, sorrow, and death. All of those things ancient.
To the west, the wall is partially crushed and melted, leaving a five-foot-wide, two-foot tall gap that opens into another chamber beyond. There is a door here. The only one you've found thus far that's been closed.
To Sharae the aura of death feels stronger the closer she gets to it.
The other two southern pods appear to be only slightly damaged.
Thankful that it's been some time since his last meal, Criek pulls a corner of his cloak over his snout as he inspects the damaged wall and...odd sarcophagus-looking pods.
"They used these for safety, do you think? It...seems to have failed them."
Was there an explosion that caused this? From which side of the wall? Were the pods damaged by flying rubble, or did something assault them separately?
Sharae nods quietly towards Criek, the technology had surely failed the poor inhabitants of this 'vessel'... she is almost reverential as she stands near the pods with the revealed skeletal figures and silently she offers a prayer to Desna.
Even though the wisp has departed, and the fury driven maelstroms are subdued, Sharae is still tense... the sealed pods, the closed door, the overpowering sensation of death... a pointless sentiment, she whisper to Criek, "Be Careful!!!"
The pods to the south are very well preserved but they still have a stink of death about them. They look human, one male, one female but not of any ethnicity that you recognize, they have fine features, dark hair, and red skin.
Criek's knowledge of Engineering is strong enough that he can guess that all the damage he's seen throughout the ship and in this room probably all happened at the same time. Here especially it seems like noone has disturbed the place for centuries at the very least. Whatever caused the rest of the ancient damage is probably what did these pods in as well.
The door seems like a sliding type that you last saw working under Torch. Criek recalls that they need power to operate and there's been no power in this place for many many many years.
"The damage done here....some kind of crash? Wonder how long they've been here -- and where they came from."
After gawking at the odd-looking people for a moment, Criek turns to the remaining doors. He squeezes through the horizontal gap in the wall and sizes up the doors for a while, mustering his will to see what's behind them.
Well, we've seen everything else this haunted place has to offer. Come out, come out, whatever you are?
He nods to Sharae, then digs into the door's mechanisms with his tools.
Criek's increasing comfort with technology is showcased as he locates and pops a panel on the door. He deftly locates and identifies the emergency release latch and manipulates it to release the locking mechanisms that have kept the door closed for so many years.
A blast of stale, foul-smelling air hisses out of the chamber as the door slides open. Other than the maddened whirling from the ghosts in the previous room this is the first breeze who have felt since you entered the dead valley.
A massive black window, spiderweb with hundreds of cracks, graces the western wall of the chamber beyond which is half buried under rublle and twister meal.
Curved consoles of strange controls line the walls, with three chairs made of an unidentifiable white material facing them. A figure dressed in red fabric of an unusually fine weave sits slumped over the console in the westernmost chair.
As the stale air of this final room rushes out, it is replaced with the comparatively fresher air of the rest of the structure. As it does so the mummified figure at the console slumps and slowly crumbles away until nothing remains but a few brittle bones and a pile of dust within the red armor.
Criek, Sharae, and Pinki are suddenly overwhelmed with a series of powerful visions - flashes of emotion mixed with the sound of screaming and explosions. There are sudden moments of vertigo and the conviction that gravity has gone mad. The visions escalate to a crescendo until they suddenly end with a loud crashing sound followed immediately by complete darkness. Sharae is able to withstand the sensory assault as it slowly clears but Criek staggers and falls over, unable to bear it.
As the body crumbles away a dark shade rises from it and screams. It rotates from facing the console to stare directly at the now prone and overwhelmed ratfolk.
It advances on Criek and seems to manifest claws to slash right at him. By some miracle it misses and the shadowy limb of the manifestation trails smoky tendrils of dark matter as it slashes through the ground right next to his head! Pinki yowls and hisses and backs away from the unnatural apparition.
The dog stands unmoved.
Sharae, right behind Criek recognizes the shade to be a wraith! And not any wraith but one that seems more powerful than a regular one! She knows they're incorporeal but not much more than that.
Criek, prone, staggered
Shouting that normal weapons may be less effective than normal, Sharae raises her holy symbol of Desna aloft - maybe, with her companion having succumbed to the wraith's maddening vision, the friends' best chance is through the guidance of her goddess...
Criek gawks up at the swirling mass of hatred that stands over him, wracking his brain for an idea of how he can survive this -- and in the meantime just trying to dodge out of the thing's way while he gets his bearings.
The energy of the star goddess blazes through the area and seems to hurt the wraith. It seems to resist the light better than it should be able to considering how brightly it blazed.
It turns it's hate filled eyes towards the cleric and drifts forward towards her. It floats right onto Criek seemingly dismissing the ratfolk as a threat and focuses its attack instead onto Sharae.
Its swing is true and its shadowy limbs seems to cut right through Sharae's armor leaving behind no visible wound but instead a feeling of weakness and loss. The wraith swells as Sharae's life force is stolen from her.
Pinki keeps retreating as the wraith advances, now hissing so hard that spit is flying out from the cat.
Criek prone
Sharae 5 hp, 1 con
Wraith 7 damage 5 temp hp.
Getting his bearings, Criek calls "Hound, attack!" hoping for at least a moment's distraction of the wraith as he stands up and lunges into the room behind it.
Realising now that this creature is going to be a fierce, and potentially deadly, opponent, Sharae raises her holy symbol once more... this time she blesses the very ground within this strange chamber... whilst she does so, she steps way from the wraith - hoping to draw it away from Criek.
The Wraith whirls on Criek as he stands up but the attack misses the ratfolk as he rushes deeper into the Wraith's final resting place. Sharae takes the moment to bring Desna's energy into the area and most of the oppressive feeling of death that suffuses the area diminishes. The cleric steps away from the wraith and the dog obeys Criek's command by leaping into the spot vacated by Sharae as it snaps at the wraith. Its attack is good but it passes right through the wraith. The wraith screams and lashes at the dog in turn. A shadowy limb, mutated into a claw, swings through the dog as well but nothing seems to happen.
The wraith whirls about obviously disconcerted by what's happening, it seems confused in its rage at the intruders, the flash of divine light that harmed it, and the dog that seems immune to its wrath. It screams.
Smiling that Desna has heard her prayer, Sharae raises her symbol once more...
Trying to keep the undead thing spinning, Criek pelts it with bombs!
Unable to control his curiosity in the excitement, though, he cries back at the thing, "What's a Unity?!"
The clockwork dog snaps again at the wraith to no effect at all as Sharae channels Desna's energy into the wraith. It screams in agony as the full force of the star goddess weakens its very essence. Criek lets loose with two bombs. The first hits the wraith dead on but he second goes long and envelops not only the wraith but Sharae and the dog as well; the cramped quarters of the fight making it impossible for anyone to escape the bursting flames.
This time Criek is not so lucky. The wraith slashes through Criek's armor as if it wasn't even there and leaves behind a feeling of being drained and weakened.
Dog, 23+8 damage
Sharae 5+8 hp, 1 con
Criek 3 hp, 3 con
Wraith 28 damage 5 temp hp.
Her reserves are starting to wear thin now... and her connection to Desna less robust... praying that the wraith will soon dissipate, her symbol bursts with radiant energy...
"Eep!" His fear suddenly returned as the wraith drains away his life, Criek shies back against the wall and attempts another volley:
....fumbling his bombs wildly in his haste.
The clockwork dog follows its commands and leaps at the wraith again only for its snapping jaws to pass right through the wraith again. As it does so Sharae channels Desna's holy power, once more flooding the room with a moment of respite from the oppressive feeling of undeath. The wraith cringes away from it.
Criek's bombs both go long and the wraith is able to dodge one of the resulting spurts of flame but not the other. The same is true for the dog which looks almost ready to fall apart now, the smell of melted bronze starting to fill the air as the dog's mechanisms start to falter. Sharae and Criek see a spring goes sproinging through the air from the inside of the dog, taking a few gears and other small mechanical parts with it.
The wraith, now far more faded than it was at the start of the battle nevertheless seems to have fixated on Criek.
It screams at the ratfolk as it corners him and swings out again. Again the shadow limbs slice into Criek and Criek feels himself weakening again.
Dog, 42 damage!
Sharae 13 hp, 1 con
Criek 5 hp, 2 con
Wraith 42 damage 5 temp hp.
"sharae, hit it again! Hound, fall back!" squeaks Criek. Out of room to move and short on options, he focuses on not getting hit again.
Her friend is weakening, she can see it, but to abandon and withdraw now would be to let the undead recover... no, this was a fight to the end... and, beseeching Desna one fonal time, Sharae tries her hardest to stop the wraith.
⇒ (5, 3, 5) = 13
The last burst of Desna's energy is just enough to finally weaken the malignant spirit's tragic grip on the Material Plane enough to allow the natural course of the universe to take over. The spirit rears back and screams one final time before dissipating. As it goes the overwhelming stench of oppressive death and rot that has suffused the chamber along with Sharae and Criek's nostrils goes with it. All that is left is the smell of dust, disturbed for the first time in millennia and the sound of Criek and Sharae's labored breathing after the cramped struggle.
Pinki creeps up with a mrrowl. He looks far less terrified then he has been though he is still pretty jumpy.
Now that the two have time to take in their surroundings they see the wall to the west of this oddly shaped room is a massive black window, spider-webbed with hundreds of cracks. It is half buried under rubble and twisted metal. Curved consoles of strange controls line all the walls with three chairs made of an unidentifiable off white material facing them. A figure dressed in red fabric of an unusually fine weave sits slumped over the console in the westernmost chair. it is from here that the wraith had risen.
"Well, you certainly had the right idea, didn't you?" Criek says to the cat as it slinks into the room. "Next time I'm following you."
Peeling himself off the wall with a groan, he surveys the consoles around the room. "Let's give Anody a call, see if he can make sense of this? Clearly controls for whatever this vessel was -- maybe the pad can talk to them, if there's any life left in them?"
The pad has a function to detect technology of the same sort (Androffan) that's close by. It doesn't find anything. This place has had no power at all for a very very long time.
Around the room Criek doesn't find much but around the still figure on the westermost console he finds a timeworn sidarm pistol (mindburner with 9 charges) sitting to his right.
the suit itself is incredibly well preserved and looks like it could be used by someone today (it's a red scatterlight suit). As Criek shifts the armor, three things fall out from it and the dessicated corpse that wears it still. One of them looks like a mouthpiece. As Criek picks it up, it starts talking in Androffan!
The message keeps repeating until Criek presses a button on the side that he must have activated when he picked it up.
Criek translates the announcement to Common as best he can for Sharae.
"Whatever -- whoever? -- this 'Unity' is, it certainly left an impression on this man? Reasonable, I suppose, since it sounds like it attacked his ship and they...clearly didn't survive.
"Chrysalis and Divinity sound like two different ships -- didn't the constructs underneath Torch state that they were part of Divinity? I...I wonder how many more of these crashed ships there are, scattered around?"
After examining the pistol and suit for clues to their use , he'll suggest they head back to Dinvaya's. "Though I'm not sure this got us any closer to Hellion?" he says with some disappointment.
The pistol has an odd dish like attachment on it's tip. The suit seems like it can be activated in some fashion if it is worn.
The more interesting things might be the two small devices that fell out along with the mouthpiece. One is slightly curved and has vieny tendrils coming out of it. The other is a small dull rectangle that looks a bit like the security keycards the group has already seen except it's thicker. There are connectors visible on one side leading Criek to believe that they could be slotted in to some technology.
Sharae, vigilant throughout Criek's examination, is intrigued by the pistol... but, discomfited by the undead that talked this place, wants to do nothing more than get out of there. But there is something nagging, "We must be missing something? There is surely something here that scares Hellion..."
Resigned to not seeing it for what it is, "Come on then Criek, let's return to Dinvaya's..."
The group, having retrieved everything of value from the remains of The Chrysalis retreats. Whereas before the ruin of the ship was dark and terrifying and suffused with the stink of death and sorrow now it just feels deserted and the only smell is that of millenia of accumulated dust. The remains in the penulimate room are the only macabre place left.
Outside the clammy mist that you stumbled through to get to the alien structure is simply... gone. In fact it is hard to remember it ever existing as the familiar blazing hot sun blazes down over the once haunted valley just as it does on the rest of Scrapwall. The only reminder of the unnatural environment is the eerie silence as you make your way out of the narrow canyon. It will take a little while for the life of Scrapwall to grow brave enough to venture into the cleft that had been a harbringer of death for untold generations.
The four of you, with the dog creaking and clanking all the way, make your way all the way from the Eastern edge of the community of scavengers to the West where Dinvaya's cathedral lies. It takes hours, but as your route avoids the strongholds of the Lords of Rust, you meet absolutely no opposition from the people you pass. At this point they are openly staring and whispering about you. The word seems to have spread that the two of you don't attack unless provoked so they don't seem quite as frightened. They're still incredibly wary though.
The tablet flickers to life once or twice with Anody asking for updates. Assured that you are safe and heading back he does not press for details so he doesn't wish to delay your return.
On the way back the loudspeakes blare HELLION RECOGNIZES STRENGTH! HELLION VALUES STRENGTH! ALL STRONG NEWCOMERS ARE WELCOME TO THE ARENA! TWO DAYS HENCE! THOSE WHO PREVAIL WILL BECOME THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF HELLION'S EVER RISING ARMY!
****
Back at the cathedral, Dinvaya tut tuts as she sees the state of the dog. She doesn't seem angry though. Instead the way she grips her hammer and fiddles with her goggles it seems like she's eager to get to the challenge of repairing it. Of course she casts a spell to stabilize the dog's condition but she seems to leave the rest for her own hands to fix as she orders the dog to jump on the familiar working pedestal.
Her workshop seems a bit crowded now. Anody is in his corner of tech, overjoyed to see you back while Pinki curls up into a ball under one of the tables of scrap. The Andorid who was once Meyanda is sitting very still on a stool. She seems to be still taking everything in. Hello! Dinvaya and Anody told me you were going to a dangerous place. Are you well? she asks as Dinvaya settles in to work on the dog.
I have thought of a name the Android continues in her very fresh and young voice Dinvaya says that Birgh is a goddess of constructs. And that I am constructed. So I would wish to be called Constance. Is this acceptable?
Anody beams as the Android finishes speaking. She is a wonder. Inquisitive and Intelligent. I must say if she keeps this up she'll be in the running to be one of my favorite students ever
Then he turns to the few things that Sharae, Criek, and Pinki have brought back. My word Anody says, furiously digging into his backpack to bring out a few books from his very carefully selected and guarded library. Well Criek, I think we are in for a few hours of investigation if I am any judge. Of course the rest of you are welcome to join in. Uh... we will not disturb you if we go through it here will it Dinvaya?
Dinvaya just waves Anody on in a gesture of resignation.
The repeating message from the mouthpiece is what really helps guide Criek and Anody.
This just confirms again what we've been seeing clues of everywhere Anody mutters An Alien ship crashed onto Golarioan so many years ago. It must have been massive. So large under Torch, and the whole of Silver Mount... and these poor souls tried to escape? Hold on AI? Unity interface?
AI or Artificial Intelligence, A little like Ginni from under torch, but faaar more sophisticated! as Anody explains it were massive mechanical intelligences whose vast computational abilities made them critical to operating star faring vehicles. That's the theory of what they are anyway.
Dinvaya actually stops working for a moment when Anody explains the theory. That is spectacular she breathes as she seems lost in wonder.
This last creation Anody holds up the last piece of tech Is an Inhibitor Facet. Installed within an AI it should interfere with its operations.
It's pretty late at night by the time all the work is done.
"The hound was...quite helpful in distracting the wraith we encountered. We'd be the worse off if it had not been there. ....hopefully it is reparable?" Criek offers as Dinvaya inspects the construct.
Working with Anody to examine the artifacts, "So, 'Unity' was this AI, then, that controlled the ships? And...it must have malfunctioned, and endangered the crew, from the sound of the recorded message? Or even outright attacked them, if the captain's reaction to us indicates anything."
Criek pauses for a moment, furry brows furrowed in thought. "But...the ship crashed, so the crew was unable to install the inhibitor facet and regain control, so...an apparently murderous AI named Unity traveled down to here and may remain active to this day?
"...Or would it too have been destroyed in the crash?" he finishes hopefully.
Unless others suggest there's more to be done this night, the ratfolk will quickly succumb to his drained state, dreaming of crashing starships and black tendrils reaching for him...
Sharae is quite exhausted by the efforts of the day but she manages to keep a polite smile as the professor talks around the various pieces of technology that herself and Criek have brought back to Dinvaya's workshop. A lot of what he says is quite beyond her comprehension although, through carefully going each item and talking about them in turn, she does at least get a rudimentary understanding as to their purpose and roughly how to activate them.
When the android that was Meyanda announces that she intends to go by the name of Constance, Sharae smiles, "A fine name... and well chosen". Trying to expel the image of Meyanda from her thoughts, Sharae looks at the rapidly learning woman, "I do believe that your name suits you..."
Eventually, and despite her best efforts, Sharae finally succumbs to sleep... the voice of Hellion ringing in her ears as she drifts into and out of dreams....
The next morning dawns and the two of you find Anody snoring with his cheek down on one of his books covered in Androffan scripts. Just a little bit of drool is tricking from his mouth onto his beard.
Dinvaya herself looks simultaneously fatigued and energized. She gets up and cracks her knuckles. The dog looks almost brand new but there are a few unfinished bits. She yawns and looks at the two of you. There, almost done. Oh. she looks at you closer. You have drained. she casts Lesser Restoration. You really should let me know about these things she says chidingly.
In any case. I have a question for you. I can improve the clockwork dog for you. Either I can enhance the Dog's defense, or make it quite a bit more lethal on attack. Which is that you wish? I think you will be taking him along when you go to confront Hellion?
Sharae considers Dinvaya's question for a moment, "The dog, Desna bless it, was badly damaged the last time it accompanied us... I think maybe something to make it more robust would be most advisable?" Feeling well rested, she muses on the day ahead... and whether it is indeed time that Criek and herself introduced themselves to Hellion...
"I agree - the hound does an admirable job of getting in harm's way, and extra hardiness will be helpful.
"The announcement said two days hence, which is still tomorrow? We should at least scout out the arena and see if we can determine what Hellion has in mind before we walk in. "
Anody nods, looking a little nervous Do you want me to come along. I do feel bad sitting back here while the two of you take all the risks.
Constance cocks her head Would these people know the soul which inhabited the body that is now mine?
Dinvaya turns back to the Hound It will only take me a few hours to enhance the plating of the dog. As for the Arena, it does not have doors which can be closed so you can get in even when there is no fight scheduled. The champion you will face is a vicious troll named Helskarg. She rides a chariot pulled by ogres and wields some form of harpoon. Other than her, and whatever Hellion is, you will also run into Kulgara. She is the leader of the Lords now. There is also Nalakai, he is the most powerful cleric of Hellion given the... Divnaya glances at Constance previous holder of that position is no longer. Perhaps other might know more. That is the extent of information my clockwork spies have been able to provide.
Sharae nods at Dinvaya as she counts out the various threats that the group still face within Scrapwall... it sounds daunting and it was true, they still had no idea what this 'Hellion' was, yet there was no use in being pessimistic now, "Shall we scout out this Arena then? Stake our claim and make ourselves known?" A mischievous smile breaks across the Desnan's face, "Helskarg's chariot seems like a massive advantage... maybe a spot of tampering, if we can find it, on her carriage would even the odds?"
"Yes, the odds do seem....less than in our favor? Any advantage we can find would be promising." Thinking for a moment, "Are all of these...characters...found near the arena, or do they have other lairs around Scrapwall? Is there any reason we must wait until tomorrow to meet them all on Hellion's grounds?"
All the Lords come in and out of the Arena. I believe there to be an underground lair or something of that nature Dinvaya says as she continues working on the dog Others may know more. As for when is best for you to go in... I can offer no advice. You have done extraordinarily well with every other task you have set out on so I am certain that your own judgments would be best on the matter
"Well, let's scout it out and see what we find? Perhaps we can catch one of Hellion's agents unawares, but at least it would be good to have the lay of the land before engaging tomorrow.
"Perhaps after we figure out what the arena looks like, we talk to the Steel Hawks and Redtooth -- if we can secure any aid from them in tomorrow's battle, I'm sure we could use it?"
"Another fine day in Scrapwall then Criek, are you ready for a stroll? Keep your eyes open though... as much as we may like to sabotage the Lords before the competition, I am confident they would prefer we never get as far as stepping into the arena", her pistol holstered and with the image of a blue monarch butterfly painted delicately on both cheeks, Sharae is ready to explore...