A few of the guards near the towermake to leave their posts and inspect the tower but are drawn back to their positions by the rest of the squad. When the ball of fire shoots across the air at the next tower, everyone sees the spectacle. Before the group can be targeted they quickly teleport to their next location. From previous reconnaissance you know that there are a couple of squads in the building to the north east. With the knowledge that the vampires dominate the squads in turn at night it makes sense to investigate that building. Without being able to see inside the building you arrive just to the west of the building, away from the motorized vehicles, and peer inside.
0-25
As you look inside you see a couple small candles flickering to give just the barest amount of light inside the building. From what you can see there enough soldiers to completely kit out 2 full squads of troopers. You don't see any thing that would lead you to believe that any vampiric clerics are present.
They might be holed up in the ruins where Raputum hides. Jetro shrugs
Vasily tries the door. If it opens, he steps in and uses his breath weapon on as many soldiers as possible.
reflex saves +13 each
The first squad manages to mostly roll out of the way from the blast of cold breath that covers the room by mainly rolling out of the bunk beds and hiding behind them. The second squad is not nearly as lucky as full men are frozen in place as the cold washes over them.
So we're fighting it out it seems. Jetro readies his bow.
As Duardlara's spell of invisibility wears off, she replies, "So it seems." She is flying, above the other members of party, focusing her attention on the areas around and behind them. "I would suggest that you use the door as a chokepoint so they cannot overrun and surround you. I will watch your backs."
AS the party prepares for the oncoming response the guards in the barracks finish waking up and grab their weapons to train on the party. The tanks outside to the east don't move as of yet. The guards in the tower to the west and south begin to move the searchlights towards the barracks as they hear the sounds of screams and cursing flying in Russian.
From her vantage point Duarlara can see a light appear in the building to the east before dimming slightly as a figure emerges. At this distance you can't see what the figure is but you know that it is aware something is happening and it is getting ready to investigate.
"We have company from the east." She holds her fire until she sees what her allies choose to do.
Jetro unloads on Yellow
Vasily inhales, then launches another blast of frozen air.
reflex
The yellow squad takes the full brunt of the breath weapon this time as they were shocked that Vasily could breathe again in such a short time frame. The red squad though seemed to take the proper warning after the first blast as they avoided the most lethal cold.
Jetro adds a flurry of arrows striking the yellow squad twice. Between the icy breathe and the arrows the yellow squad is disbursed with those soldiers still able to flee doing so. The others int he yellow squad are either frozen in ice, twitching on the ground in death throws, or unconscious.
The airborne elf continues to watch the approaching indivdual, feeling that her allies have the soldiers well in hand. Aware of the spotlights, she will try to find a vantage point to avoid the towers' gazes.
So where too now?
Jetro makes red dead
Titian will rage and attack the remaining group.
Titian finishes off the squad inside the barracks ending the quick fight. However you all know that the alarm has been raised and more enemies will eventually make their way to you.
The foes that Duardlara saw exciting the building to the west and the tanks both move over closer to the party. Spotlights from the south central tower and one of the western towers train their lights upon the barracks lighting the area up!
Duardlara was trying to hide outside the building to keep an eye on developments. She's airborne and rolled stealth earlier to find a vantage point from which to hide. She's no longer invisible, not that it matters with the magic searchlights.
Titian hears a disembodied whisper, "Single party approaches from the west. Two tanks position closer to barracks. Two towers train lights on your position. I am outside and above among the beams and infrastructure."
So people want to hit another tower or bug out?
"Let's find out what that approaching party is first."
As you wait to determine the approaching party, Duardlara can see that it is now a large humanoid shape with a multitude of spikes covering its body. It is carrying a large spear. Behind it, trailing obediently, are 3 dire polar bears.
The tanks continue their trek towards you as the barrel of the large guns swings in your direction even though it has not seen the party yet behind the barracks.
Duardlara casts message to update her companions.
The whisper comes back to Titian, "Large humanoid, spikes, three white dire bears. Tanks approach separately. Engage? Draw them away?"
Draw back. Jetro says as the message is relayed.
"I can make a wall or drop some fog so the tanks can't get a beat on us. Any better plans?"
Message again after Titian's reply, "I have prepared a wall of force. Tell me where you want it when you want it and I will make it so."
"Probably best to use it to hem those tanks in, as best you're able."
Message: "Pausing has allowed the situation to change. Go inside to the east end of the building. Will set wall when tanks reach end."
Jetro heads inside
Vasily follows Jetro.
With a plan quickly set into motion the party hurries to the east letting Duardlara set the wall once the tanks have passed. The plan works well as the tanks are effectively trapped on the west side of the buildings with no space to move back east. Ther rest are in the barracks with the approaching bears and huntress moving to the door on that side. Duardlara does find herself separated from the group currently but with her ability to fly that remains just a small issue.
"Good work with the tanks. What next?", he points towards the approaching bear with a questioning look on his face. "Take care of them, or move on?"
"If we go outside, we draw fire from the towers. Let's let them come to us. Jetro, can you get the door, make them come in single file?" Vasily says, looking to the other man.
Titian take a spot near the door ready to attack anything as it tries to enter.
Jetro does as asked and opens the door to allow any ranged attacks from the party.
Vasily casts Scorching Ray at the lady that's first in line to come in the door.
Vasily you hit the woman all three times as she is not very fast on her feet doing some damage. It seems that not all of the fire damage went through as she is protected a bit from the elements. (fire and cold resist 5)
Titan has little in the way of viable ranged attack, so he lets the experts do their thing.
With Sigurd, Vasily and Titian holding the barracks door and creating a chokepoint it is a simple matter for them to keep the dire polar bears at bay and deal with the enlarged spiky woman with the spear. the fast but furious combat is over in 30 seconds with the party taking only minor damage that is easily healed up with a few healing potions that were looted. You grab the armor and the spear the woman had along with a few coins and trinkets as you make your way out of the barracks.
The next 2 minutes are ones that you will always look back on wonder just what happened as it seemed that literally hell, the abyss, and the fey realm all opened up to conspire against you. Squads of troops were positioned outside the fencing in trenches, search lights were trained on the barracks doors, and machine guns were aimed in your direction. Moving east you tried to keep the buildings between you and the withering gun fire. From there Titian and Sigurd were able to rush through a hole in the fencing that Vasily created with his spell work. Assaulting the squad in close quarters was dangerous but safer than being shot at. Duardlara meanwhile flew up and above the fray to assault the far guard tower. With the eastern flank secure and one of the trenches claimed by you it was time for trench warfare...the likes of which you could easily handle.
As the last shot was fired you looked around having swept the southern gate clear of enemies and held the 3 towers. However it was a sad realization that Jetro was not to be found upright. Bullets shredded his body as he gave a final volley at the last tower rendering its occupents dead even as he expired himself.
"Let's get Victor to the tower in the southeast and we what we can do to disrupt this technology. Let's break down whatever dimensional whatsits that are here and get out."
"Victor, allow me to give you an advantage in the dark." Duardlara cast greater darkvision on the engineer and herself.
She looks around at the party. "Ready when you are."
Viktor sets about inspecting the tower for any damage that may happened to it since the last time he was alive. He mutters to himself and tsks constantly as works the metal plate off the front of one of the machines. This is going to take some time, he spits out gruffly. Took me months to get this right. Very delicate it is. Easy to break but hard to reverse. No one appreciates true craftsmanship any more. Or dedicated scientific study and certainly not the algorithms needed to balance the converging realms. He continues on like this for about 20 minutes but since you have cleared all the threats around the tower the work is able to commence as needed.
Finally Viktor does...something...you still aren't sure what after all this time as the wires, gears, and lights look the same to you as before but the effect is immediate. The electricity from the top of the tower flashes deep red and bolts to the top of the onion dome that has now appeared where before it wasn't. The red bolt of electricity continues to the other towers until all 4 are blazing with red electrical light. There, it is done. Rasputin's realm is yours to enter. You only have a short 8 hours though to enter and do what you must before I must reset the field again.