Praying beneath her breath for Desna to guide herself and Criek through this nightmare, Sharae rushes towards the pistol that had apparently been discarded, or more likely dropped by some victim of this creature... Please let this be working...
Sharae moves two steps down the hall to grab the pistol. It feels different in her hand than the Zero Gun. For one thing it doesn't seem to have a battery but instead a somewhat large canister of some sort. Still, it probably works the same way..
But from here she can't see into the room where you saw the aberration.
A ridge of fur stands up along Criek's spine as the thing speaks in his mind, and his thoughts begin to flood with images of his own helplessness or demise -- the last few days alone providing ample fodder! subsumed by the rat king wasted by plague a rust zombie in marrow's lab mindless on pink eaten by vultures captive like meyanda
Pupils wide, Criek launches a frantic volley of bombs at the thing, hoping something, anything, affects it!
Shouting to Criek that she's on her way, Sharae turns the pistol over in her hands and runs back into the room...
All three of Criek's bombs, even the very erratically thrown fire bomb, hit the hovering monstrosity as Sharae rushes back in the door with her new weapon outstreched.
The being shrieks, silently in the room but with head pounding intensity in Sharae and Criek's minds. Pinki's yowls grow louder and the figure in the corner stirs and moans as the figure get shocked, and burned by Criek's onslaught.
It flares its tendrils as if attempting to do something and then turns around to rush out of the room, it brushes past Sharae as it flees, it's touch feeling slimy and cold on the top of her skull as it turns towards its nest, struggling against Criek's bonds all the way.
"Good riddance to you... take your meals elsewhere", Sharae levels this new pistol...
The pistol whines to a quick crescendo and with a ending hiss sends out a molten ball of fire that strikes the alien sending it flaming to the ground.
Cowering against the wall, Criek whimpers in relief as the mental onslaught of the horror's shriek is cut suddenly short, taking that and Sharae's body language as indication that the thing is dead.
He scurries to scoop up Pinki and then peers suspiciously around the doorframe down the hall to where the thing lays. "Is it...? And, *what* is it? ...Anody, did you get a look at it?"
With the pistol still trained upon the dying thing, Sharae draws closer to it... holding the 'tablet' such that Anody can see, she whispers, "Any ideas what that was... it entered my mind and changed my reality. A truly alien experience... and utterly horrible".
Pinki stops yowling but, with an almost continual hiss, arches his back and walks backwards until he's out of sight of the alien being.
Ah, we could hear quite a bit of confusion, I do hope everything is alright Anody's voice comes over Now let me see here... oh... oh... oh dear
Ah, I, think you should come back here, this is, ah, quite unusual. And, uh, please burn that corpse, just to make me feel better. the gnome says eventually. He seems a bit lost for words.
"I, er, suppose I got a pretty good start on that already?" Criek jokes weakly, pulling flint, steel, and torch from his pack to follow through on Anody's suggestion.
"And...we'll be bringing Meyanda back with us."
Sharae is already looking around for flammable materials by the time Criek answers - if the professor believes that the remains of the beast ought to be burnt then she wasn't going to argue.
"We should take a look at Meyanda as well...if she yet lives, we should bind her and bring her from this place"
Meyanda? Anody says surprised. My word. Good work you two.
Sharae checks over the almost comatose figure in the corner of the room.
The Android woman is incredibly incredibly malnourished and has the telltale marks of being afflicted by quite a LOT of Wisdom Drain. It seems likely that whatever the monster did to Sharae it's been doing to Meyanda over and over and over for an extended period of time.
As Sharae examines her, Meyanda cracks one eye open More... visions? she croaks out. No. No Fear She closes the eye again to take a long shuddering breath as if a burden is lifting from her.
Suddenly her eyes shoot open and she clutches at Sharae Hellion... abandoned.. me. Rage at Torch failure, took it out on his most loyal... he fears something.. in the dead ship and she collapses back into unconsciousness.
It doesn't take much for Sharae to know that the Android's life is slipping away from her.
Sharae's hands rest on the dying android, "No you don't!!! You don't die on us without telling us what is going on here... what Hellion is..."
She stabilizes and the cleric can tell that she is no longer dying. She remains unconscious though
With the creature aflame and Meyanda stable, Criek observes, "it is definitely time we left this place and pressed that button - at this point it's the best burial we could offer these folk at this point."
If necessary to carry the unconscious Android, he'll down his mutagen to bulk up.
The group is able to set the alien corpse on fire without much trouble and an acrid smell starts to rise from the body as ugly looking black smoke rises. The odor just feels... toxic.
The two of you take the unmoving Meyanda with you to the entrance where Pinki awaits, curled up behind the clockwork dog. When all of you are a safe distance away. The red button is pressed.
There is a sudden bloom of red and yellow flame accompanied by a loud explosion. The small colony of vultures that had started to roost around the area flaps away with shrieks of outrage as the giant dish, long a symbol of Hellion's rise, and then of his wrath, starts to tilt upwards as the steel structures supporting it buckle. With an unpleasant metallic screech they finally give way and the dish, now pointing straight up falls down and through the ceiling of the squat building Sharae and Criek had just explored. The sound is that of a giant collapsing after being dealt a fatal wound.
Meyanda stirs a bit as dust rises around the carnage but soon enough she is just as still as the silence that follows. Her breathing is shallow and laboured.
With the unconscious android slung over the hound's back as they approach Spivel's hiding place, Criek whispers to Sharae, "We ought return to Dinvaya's, don't you think? Confer with Anody, now that we've found Meyanda?"
Sharae smiles mischievously as the dish comes crashing down - and then nods at Criek, "We need to move quickly... what just happened will likely attract the kind of attention we ought to avoid for now. Meyanda needs to be secured and I could do with a moment to recover from that creature's predation".
By now Sharae and Criek are getting very familiar with the inner layout of Scrapwall, if they order the Bronze Dog to go towards the Clockwork Chapel then the clockwork being will take them there incredibly quickly, but even if they don't the trek back through the path of scrap the manticore used to live in and then through Raider territory to Dinvaya's valley is becoming very familiar, especially with Spivel helping for part of the way.
I'll just give Redtooth an update on what's going on. Spivel nods as he parts ways to head to the Raider's home base as the rest continue on to The ClockWork Chapel. This is really going to light a fire under the damn Lords that's for sure!
It's very late by the time both of you get to the Chapel however and once you are inside Anody hovers around as Meyanda is gently taken ooff of the dog. It's been quite a long day for the two of you hasn't it? You look tired.
Dinvaya orders Meyanda placed on the Brigh cleric's own bed and looks at the android with a thougthful expression as the two of you explain what happened. Meyanda is a herald of Hellion and she has done much to make my life hard, which is a minor thing compared to all the other evils she has wrought and attempted but.. she shakes her head I would not wish this on even her.
Anody produces a book from his personal collection and puts it on a desk to push towards Sharae and Criek. It is a black tome with silver lettering On the Beings From The Stars And The Spaces Between.
Professor Meskovich A quite unhinged academic from Absalom insisted I take this, a copy of his work, when he heard that I was going to be heading on an expedition to Numeria. Anody says shaking his head I took it just to humour the old crank and read through it just to pass the time but... it describes a being called Rhu-Chalik or Void Wanderer which is little more than a mass of floating tentacles with an underlying eye. It can read a being's thoughts and then use its worst fears against them, eventually driving the victim into a catatonic state while seeming to... feed on them? I believe that is what you fought and, thank the forces of goodness, killed.
Anody takes his glasses off to fiddle with them Perhaps the two of you should read the book too.. .forewarned is forearmed and all that.... It's quite disturbing to learn that the things described within aren't just mad ravings to be honest.
Criek realizes that he is suddenly intensely tired himself. "The book sounds...interesting...but I shall have to leave it for tomorrow, I tihnk. After all, I awoke this morning suffering from plague, and the day hasn't necessary gone better from there! For now I think I must sleep -- and see what nightmares arrive on their own."
"Dinvaya, I trust Meyanda will be both safe and secure until morning,
when we can decide how best to deal with her?"
Assuming no objections, Criek will sooth his aches with an extract and turn in for the night.
In the morning, he will prepare his alchemy for the day before turning to Anody's book with some trepidation. ...or at least, that's his plan, as if anything goes according to plan in Scrapwall!
Dinvaya shakes her head Magic and Medicine can only take us so far. There are wounds that cannot be recovered from. I will do what I can.
Sharae too, feels the fatigue creeping up on her... she rests a soothing hand upon Criek's shoulder and wishes him a pleasant night's rest, "May the Starsong guide your dreams my friend".
Taking a final look at Meyanda, and wondering about the wisdom of having rescued her from the 'Rhu-Chalik', she finds somewhere to rest...
Sharae and Criek wake up to sad news. Meyanda has passed away in the night.
Dinvaya looks weary as she tells the others. I have seen much death in this place, but this one felt different, it felt like she didn't want to live on. The soul just seemed to slip away without a struggle at all. She kept on murmuring things about Hellion fearing... the dead ship in Scrapwall.. does that mean anything to the rest of you?
Anody wrings his hands Oh dear, this does bring back bad memories though Meyanda was a foe and not a friend Anody says with real sorrow in his voice. I do not know how she would wish for her remains to be laid to rest. Androids are almost unheard of outside of Numeria and really quite secretive within it though I have.....
Suddenly the corpse's eyes slam open and the Android sits up with a sudden jerk. The eyes are wide and alert as she looks around Hello she says in a voice that is familiar but also much more child like and innocent. Who are you? Where am I?
She looks around Is this a building? Are you my friends? What is my name?
Anody gives out a very gnomish shriek as Dinvaya's hand goes to her hammer with a muffled oath. Pinki springs back a little at the sudden motion before giving out a mrrow and nosing around the Android curiously.
Sharae takes a step back in surprise...
This... this is new? What under the heavens is this? Is it Meyanda's soul returned... or something else?
The Desnan looks to the professor with raised eyebrows, she mouths silently at him, "What's going on?" before turning to the android and taking her hands in hers... she speaks delicately and slowly, "Yes... this is a building, you cannot see the sky above from here - but you are safe and warm. Would you like us to be your friends? I am Sharae - this is Criek, Anody, Dinvaya and", gesturing to the cat, "that is Pinki ...and, what would you like your name to be?"
Anody whispers back Heavens if I know!
Dinvaya focuses on the suddenly back to life Android closely before muttering a prayer to Brigh for inspiration and guidance. She is not undead. Of that I am certain
Anody peers at Meyanda who looks back at the gnome with a cocked expression. I.. do not know, what I want to be my name. Do I get to choose? Does everyone get to choose? Do I live here?
That thing we killed must have peeled away her mind, but left her physical body basically unharmed -- she's reverting to her original state? ...Or maybe just amnesia of some sort?
"Not undead, no," murmurs Criek to Dinvaya. "More like reborn--er, re-started."
To the android, he offers, "Most are given a name by their parents--their creators--though some choose or earn additional names later. We...don't know who your creators are. ...Would you like us to choose a name for you, until you decide on one for yourself?"
Criek knows from his tutelage under Khonnair Baine that Android bodies are essentially immortal. However the mind of an android does eventually need to restart leading to the soul of the Android departing to Pharasma's river in a process much like death by old age. Then a new soul can come in to inhabit the refreshed mind and undeteriorating body. It may be that the days of mental stress Meyanda experienced at the tentacles of the Rhu-Chali hastened the process of the the artificial brain resetting as, usually, the time between an old soul leaving and a new one arriving is a few weeks.
The Android concentrates on Criek and seems to ponder the question. Do I have to answer now?
"Of course you don't have to answer now... you are your own person and may make your own decisions when you are ready to do so", Sharae turns away from the, as yet unnamed, android and asks Dinvaya whether she would be willing to look after this new guest whilst Criek and herself finish their business with the Lords of Rust...
Turning to her friends, Sharae suggests that it is time to confront the self-appointed masters of this place, "...and maybe found out what it is that Hellion is so scared of".
Criek agrees, "Seems we've had dealings with just about everyone here except the Lords? Can't put that meeting off any longer."
"And yes, I imagine our android, uh, friend must be a little confused by her fledgling soul. Perhaps you can fill her in on what she is, and how she works?"
Anody glances at Dinvaya who nods We'll take care of her. Get her established. My word I should be spending some more time with Khonnair Baine, the Android life cycle seems fascinating Anody says.
As for me, I would not be worthy of Brigh if I turned a a young construct in need away. Dinvaya says She will be safe here.
Looking at this quite wonderful map gifted to you by Redtooth Anody muses and then points at the North Eastern corner. This is the only area that you have not explored. If this 'dead ship' is in Scrapwall then that would be where it is.
Dinvaya glances over where Anody is pointing Everyone, even the most desperate of scavengers avoid that area. I know that no clockwork I have sent in has come back out with information. Perhaps someone else might know more?
"Do you believe anyone has explored this area Dinvaya? Maybe we could be the first? What do you think Criek?" Sharae smiles with a glint in her eye, "Are you ready to truly explore?" There is already an impatient pacing from Sharae as the opportunity to journey somewhere genuinely unexplored fills her heart with excitement...
The Raiders most probably know at least a little of what is on the border. Dinvaya responds. It is sure to be dangerous however so I would suggest preparation.
You seem to have built a very strong alliance with this Redtooth so she should be willing to share! Anody says with a grin while looking straight at Criek.
Sharae nods at Anody, "A good idea... Criek... a trip to Redtooth's Raiders for us first? If there is anyone in this place who is likely to have searched around - and to talk to us, I guess it would be Redtooth?" Whilst she talks, Sharae examines her weapons - she ensures that her pistol is fully charged... and offers the laser pistol to Anody for his consideration, "What do you think? Safe to use it?"
Anody gives it a quick look over Ah, quite interesting. If it's been field tested then I see no reason why you could not continue using it. You can see that it doesn't run on the battery energy that your other firearm utilizes, instead this canister here is, I believe, a container for nanites. From the information I have gathered this can be used ten times before a new caniser will need to be inserted. It's the ammunition of the weapon as it were. Now nanites are quite fascinating. They're these tiny tiny...
Criek listens to a minute or so of Anody's nanite lecture in genuine interest before his thoughts wander back, "Yes, I do expect we should pay Redtooth a visit. ...Er, for information and so forth, I mean?"
The trek from Dinvaya's bastion in the valley to the Raider's warrens is getting to be almost familiar to the two of you as you leave her, Anody, amd the reborn Android behind to make your way there.
The morning is warm and it's shaping up to be another hot and cloudless day which makes navigation easy.
THE PRICE OF FAILURE IS HIGH DECREES HELLION. THE THRALLS FAILED AND THEIR HOME IS DUST!
As you get deeper into Redtooth's territory you see a fair number of ratfolk around who seem to be settling back into underground burrows that were deserted the last times you've passed through. They point at you and whisper as you pass with Pinki and the clockwork dog following along.
When you get to the entrance Whiskifiss comes out to meet you Did ya see all the turncoats to the Lords that're coming back with their tails between their legs? Hah. With the Smilers done and dusted and Marrow mounted on a spike on our territory they got the message clear that they didn't need to hide behind the Lords for safety. You're really making them nervous you know? C'mon I'll take you to Redtooth.
Inside the warren Redtooth is poring over a map when you come in. She looks up and beams You know I ask you to do something and it just happens? I think I'd just have to ask you to destroy this Hellion and two days later it'd be done! Great work with the Dish! Spivel told me you found Meyanda hiding out in that place too? What'd you get out of that witch?
Sharae has the sudden realisation as to how much danger this new Meyanda may be in... the depth of feeling, of hate and revulsion, that was likely aimed towards the previous occupant of the android's body was surely likely to put her at real risk of recriminations, "There was little that Meyanda could tell us before her body failed... she had been preyed upon by some form of alien beast beneath the dish and her mind was nothing more than a jumble of recollections, thoughts and images - there was one thing though, she spoke of a 'Dead Ship'... and intriguingly, that our 'friend' Hellion was afeared of this thing. I wonder, does this make any sense to you? Dinvaya could not shed any light upon it".
The Desnan coughs, "There is one other thing... Meyanda passed into the Boneyard during the night but something... unusual... happened. The body had been lying still for a few hours and now it seems to have 'restarted' - as if it was occupied by a new soul? I am going to ask for your help... the woman that appears to be Meyanda is no longer her - and should be saved from harm. You have contacts... and influence... could you ensure this thing?"
Redtooth stiffens a bit and her tail lashes from side to side. A lot. And I do mean a LOT of the troubles that have fallen on Scrapwall have been directly because of the actions of that one. We've lost a lot of kin because of the Thrall and the Smilers and the Lords and she was at the center of all of that.
She takes a deep breath as she comes to a decision. I'll believe you because the two of you have done nothing but good in the few days that you've been here. So I'll keep my mouth shut about what you told me. It's better if Scrapwall believes her dead. That'll keep her safe for a bit. Rust take me but if she's really a 'droid like you say then the Technic League loves hunting them down so someone might squeal on her for silverdisks if not vengeance. So yeah, best if she becomes noting more than a bad memory
Then Redtooth moves on to the other topic obviously glad to be doing so as the subject of Meyanda seems to knock her off of her even keel.
Now as for the Dead Ship. she says pointing to a narrow tunnel of scrap at the north eastern part of the map. You've both been all over Scrapwall 'cept for two places. The Scrapmaster Arena which the Lords control and this canyon here. There's something very very wrong about it. There's thick clammy mists in there that means you can barely see five feet in front of yourself and they don't move no matter what the weather is like outside. A long way inside, and I mean it'll take a two hour or trek in there's a... door made of starmetal. The kind of which you could sell for a lot of disks in Chesed. You go inside and it's all starmetal and there's glowy lights and things get thrown at you even though you can't see what's throwing 'em.
Redtooth sudders
Raider scouts died to find out what is in there so it's only cause I really really like the two of you that I'm letting you know this. It's where we got the green stuff from. None of us are trained in magic but it doesn't take training to know that the place smells like death all the way through.
Criek pales as Sharae discusses Meyanda's fate with Redtooth -- "Yes, I'm sure many seek justice of some sort from that one -- she tried to obliterate my entire town, after all! -- but she's not only dead, but seemed to suffer more in the process than any justice worth having might demand."
Criek shoots a glance at his companion as Redtooth describes the apparent Dead Ship -- Sounds remarkably like what we found under Torch, if only in unfamiliarity!
"We've harried Hellion through every other part of Scrapwall -- if there's something left that it 'fears', that must be where we'll find it?
"It sounds as though this starmetal vault is a source of strategic materiel for your raiders -- and that you invite danger by helping us disturb it. We -- I appreciate that you put such trust in us."
It's not a source of strategic materials Redtooth clarifies with a sigh We just went in a few times to see what the heck was in there. We've not been back since we first went in the door. The scouts just grabbed what they could and ran when they started getting attacked. You're welcome to whatever is in there by right of salvage if you survive.
"We shall make sure that we are prepared - either there are machines, undead or worse down there... and they don't sound friendly at all!!!" - trying to gauge Redtooth's willingness to take risk, Sharae ponders, "I wonder, if we share the salvage... would one of your kin guide us?"
You are practically kin yourself at this point Redtooth says And you're going after Hellion which is what we haven't been able to. So no charge to get you to the mouth of the canyon. But not in, the Raiders aren't meant for that sort of fight. This is God business and maybe the power of your star lady will be what works in that place
"To of the mouth of the cavern is as much as we could ask:, Sharae bows graciously, "No time like the present... let's see if we can't give Hellion another scare whilst he is still reeling from the loss of his precious dish". Sharae barely understands what Hellion is or may prove to be... but she is certainly relishing the idea of destroying his hold over this particular area of Numeria...
"Yes," sighs Criek, "No reason to delay the inevitable confrontation, I suppose?"
Spivel takes on the duty of escorting you to the canyon. First you go through the tunnel of the recently slain manticore where you can see more signs of scavengers, no longer afraid of the beast, digging out new shelters and searching for things that can be scrapped or sold. As usual they disappear when they see your group passing by.
Then after you come out of the tunnel Spivel guides you straight North East. This part of Scrapwall still seems eerily deserted but somehow even more forolorn than before as the mighty dish whose shadow it stood in is now nothing more than a twisted and jumbled pile of metal shards and debris visible from miles away. Spivel says Scavengers will come in and settle here soon enough too, when they think it's safe. Everyone figured the Lords would move in after the Thralls disappeared, but, now? They don't have the Smilers to lord over anymore and a lot of Hawks and Raiders that jumped over to 'em are jumping right back since you two started doing your things.
Spivel gets quiet though when you approach your destination. And it's easy to see why. Even though it's close to high noon it gets darker and chillier than it should be when you get to the mouth of the canyon. He stops when you get in sight of the entrance. It's shrouded with a strange thick mist that, even from this distance, fells clammy and unpleasant.
Right, I'm getting out of here. Not hanging about so close to The Lords and to.. whatever scrapping horrors or in there Spivel says, bidding you adieu.
Quietly wishing Spivel Desna's luck in his trek back to the Raiders' hideout, Sharae turns towards the canyon... a shiver runs up her spine as she looks into the mist.
Criek attempts bravado to stiffen his resolve -- "No need to hang around, I'm sure -- considering our record thus far, you'll undoubtedly be able to see the explosion when we reach the end of the canyon?"
As Spivel retreats, he adds to Sharae, quietly, "This certainly looks unpleasant, doesn't it?" and follows her into the mist, looking for any sign of its nature.