--- Round 2 ---
(15) NGuardian(hasted,-17), SGuardian(hasted,-41)
(8) Sidius(19), Kenji(35)
--- Round 2 ---
(17+) Arcos(10),Lubella(40)Talvek(23)
Kenji and Lubella try to take down their statue
Kenji for
Lubella for
Both manage to chip some of the granite
--- Round 2 ---
(15) NGuardian(hasted,-28), SGuardian(hasted,-41)
(8) Sidius(19), Kenji(35)
--- Round 2 ---
(17+) Arcos(10),Lubella(40)Talvek(23)
Arcos takes a step back and utters a few mystic syllables. Arcane power flows into the party, empowering them with uncanny speed.
Arcos calls a burst of speed upon his team to counter the speed the statues are exhibiting.
The two statues continue their stony assault on the party.
” TORAG!!!!!“
North on Kenji - the paladin takes a pounding!!!
for miss
for hit
for hit
South on Talvek, but the parry is not even needed to block the wild hammers!
for miss
for miss
for miss
- Round 3 (everyone hasted) ---
(15) NGuardian(hasted,-28), SGuardian(hasted,-41)
(8) Sidius(19), Kenji(11)
--- Round 2 ---
(17+) Arcos(10),Lubella(40)Talvek(23)
"Torag, yes, swell guy, I swear we're not enemies of his!" It's very likely futile, but Talvek finds it unnerving to not have some banter during a fight. He shifts his grip to bash the constructs instead of stabbing them.
Talvek destroys his stony opponent in a flurry of precise strikes.
Sidius whistles, Looks like Talvek found a flaw in that one.., and draws his crossbow, even as his tiny companion fires a blast of air at the remaining guardian.
Sidius misses with his crossbow and the bolt ricochets off the wall
The blast of air is slightly more effective.
Kenji and Lubella step up to take a few more chips out of the statue and this one drops as well.
Kenji for
Lubella for
”TORAaaaaaaggg……..,ugh! “
Round 3 (everyone hasted) ---
(15) NGuardian(hasted,-28), SGuardian(hasted,-41)
(8) Sidius(19), Kenji(11)
--- Round 2 ---
(17+) Arcos(10),Lubella(40)Talvek(23)
With the crumbled statues of Torag no
Longer barring the way, the far hallway to the south is Clear.
Talvek checks for traps before easing open the door.
Sidius casts a quick spell and looks at the crumbled statues and the magic that had sustained them, wondering if there is any lingering magical energies or special components that might be re-usable.
Talvek and Sidius search the rubble and find the statues dropped a pair of magic warhammers.
Looking into the hall to the south, definitely the path less traveled...in centuries it seems.
Dust covers the floor and cobwebs hang from the ceiling of
this vaulted, fifty-foot-long hallway. Curved alcoves flank the
hallway, four to a side. Each alcove contains a long-dry basin
held aloft by a stone dwarf. Runes are carved above the door
to the south, while the door itself bears the carved face of a
scowling dwarven man
Talvek eyes the stone dwarves with suspicion. "Hopefully not more animated statues." He examines the details of the hallway carefully. "I assume the unfriendly fellow on the door is Torag. Can anyone read those runes? My multilingual education failed to include Dwarven, alas."
Arcos shakes his head, "Mine neither, I'm afraid."
Sidius shakes his head, "Was raised to be a proper vassal. I can recite liturgies about Asmodeus, but that's about all I know of gods.... "
Lubella shrugs while Kenji searches through his backpack.
Alas, among the five of you before the door and the dozen or more ancient languages known, the runes of the dwarves escapes you.
Talvek finds no traps but the door appears to be locked with a complex set of bars.
I have it covered. One moment, as I read this scroll...
Kenji produces a scroll of comprehend languages and reads it.
“Beyond is the Anvil of Unmaking, yet woe to those who give not
prayer to the Father of Creation before undoing what his
children hath wrought.”
"'The Anvil of Unmaking'? That sounds ominous. And I expect the Father of Creation is Torag. Does anyone know any prayers to him?"
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Talvek recalls early in his youth overhearing a traveling band of dwarf miners chanting some such prayer to Torag as they marched off to the silver mines.
"Hi Ho....Hi Ho...its off to work we go. With halls of stone and ore to tow, may Torag keep us workers whole....hi ho"
As he approaches with his childhood knowledge and the utterance of this prayer,
the previously unnoticed magical trap on the stone face within the door to deactivates
and the door swings open, provided the supplicant is within 5 feet of the door.
Beyond, is a dusty room with two outsiders whom immediately snap to attention.
Thick layers of dust cover the floor of this room and the
looming contraption of stone and iron it contains. Looking
something akin to a massive, squat bell of stone bound in
iron bands, the device is connected to pillars of iron to the
west, east, and south via taut metal chains. Four iron beams
radiate from the top of the central bell, almost like the wheel
of an ancient winch.
The two outsiders, with flaming warhammers at their sides step forward:
Beneath their helmets and armor, they have pale or nearly jet-black hairless skin. Their eyes burn bright with the flames of their faith, flaring brightest when they conjure forth their hammers.
First in dwarven, then finally resorting to true speech...
HALT! Supplicants of the mighty Torag!
State your reasons for approaching the Anvil of Unmaking.
They await a response, although a raised eyebrow shows they were not expecting such a motley crew.
"Ah, hello there, may I say how much we appreciate you not attacking outright, very considerate of you. As well as speaking in a language we understand, our apologies for not mastering the wonderful Dwarven tongue yet. I shall dedicate myself to its study once we are back in the city, I promise!" Talvek grins with what he hopes is winsome charm. Now, what did they want with this Anvil of Unmaking? Could it... well, worth a try.
"You see, we seek a way to save countless lives." talking to these guardians about freedom from tyranny would be likely pointless. "So it would be great if, for example, the fortress above us could be unmade and temporarily block passage through this pass, let's say. I hope this Anvil is capable of such a feat, yes? Of course, this should happen after all living and/or otherwise sentient creatures have vacated the premises!"
The two outsiders listen intently as Talvek tries to convince them, and
We are bound here to ensure that the Anvil
of Unmaking is activated only for proper cause, and until
we are satisfied, we do not allow anyone to activate the
device.
Lubella adding her comments to bolster his claims.
As my college has stated, Cheliax has overrun the area and is using this pass to convey armies to overthrow the peoples of the land. Blocking the pass is the best means to prevent these atrocities.
We have remained here, isolated from
the world, for ages—they have no concept of this Cheliax as
you describe. However, Torag would not approve of the wonton
enslavement and destruction of the working peoples, and you have convinced us of your righteousness. You may proceed.
They bow and step aside, motioning to the device beyond.
. The Anvil of Unmaking is a mechanical
device in remarkable working condition, complex in
engineering but simple to comprehend. A PC must
succeed at a DC 12 Knowledge (engineering) check to
understand that rotating the wheel atop its character bell
one full rotation causes complex internal mechanisms to
release. The chains connected to the three support pillars
then snap taut, shattering all three pillars. This in turn
sets up a cascading failure throughout the structure that,
once it begins, can be halted only by powerful magic like
wish or miracle. As internal supports snap and shatter in
the slow-moving chain reaction, the entire keep shakes,
shudders, and rumbles. It takes a full 10 minutes for
Menador Keep to collapse, which in theory gives any
survivors within plenty of time to flee to safety
"You... don't know of Cheliax? Lucky you. Oh, have I mentioned that they worship devils?" Talvek is relieved that the guardians are willing to let them use the device, but still steps warily past them.
He takes his time carefully examining the ancient device, fearing that after all this time it would no longer be functional. However, dwarves built to last, and the mechanism is sound and surprisingly easy to operate.
"Alright, everyone, I know how to use this, but once the process is started there's no stopping it. So, let's first make sure that everyone who is not dead is safely away from the fortress, together with all the items we want to preserve. Then I can start the mechanism and I estimate that in about ten minutes this place will be a pile of rubble." He turns to look at the guardians. "Er, will you be alright? And will the Forge itself be destroyed in the process? I wish to understand all consequences before proceeding."
Sidius says, "I don't relish the thought of letting the remaining Thrunites fire at us while we try to save them, honestly -- but we can do our best while you figure this out."
The two archons bow.
The demolition of this keep will finally release us from our servitude for years unnumbered here.
Torag's blessing upon you. May thy endeavors end well.
"What is with this place and servitude?" mutters Talvek before returning the bow. "Thank you very much, may Torag bless your future paths."
Hoping that was an appropriate thing to say to immortal beings whose faith one did not share, Talvek turns to his companions. "Alright, just give me the signal when. I know what to do to get it started, but I cannot stop it so let's make sure we get everyone and everything out safely first, including those injured and unconscious."
Lubella and Kenji check the floors above and below for any stragglers and clear out wounded that were not already dead. Guards are sent to haul off their injured comrades.
Lubella sighs I wish they could be redeemed. I am sure this will harm our reputation as the collapse of this keep will not go unnoticed by Thrune, but it cannot be helped.
They return with the word the keep is clear of soldiers and a few captives/slaves.
***
Back at the Anvil of Unmaking, the Archons step aside.
Proceed...if it is your will.
The great wheel takes effort to turn, but when it finally does, it screeches a near deafening groan to be expected from a metal gear that hasn't been moved in centuries! At the rotation, the three chains wiring it to the pillars snaps, and the floor begins to rumble.
It's time to move! The party turns and rushes back past Torag's guardians, down the stairs and back outside the walls. Dust pours from cracks in the walls and cascades of gravel rain from the ceiling. Back in the courtyard, the walls have already started to come apart, with massive sheets of stone crumbling to the ground.
You retreat through the gates and rush down the steep road to add a safe distance from the collapsing fort, then turn and watch as the last of the Menador Keep comes apart, the walls crashing into the courtyard, sending tremors that near throw you off the mountain path. A thick cloud of dust visible for miles flows from the rubble. Another victory for the Silver Ravens. One that will not go unnoticed as defeated guards stand in defeat as they drag their wounded back towards the other side of the gap in fear and awe.
***
The trek down the mountain is easy, with no signs of pursuit. The wind has finally dispersed the dust cloud as the sun sets, with the last of the plume still visible in the red light of dusk.
The overland trip back to the ship and beyond to Kintargo will have mixed feelings, but the Captain will be eager to hear of your exploits.