Bel swiftly hacks through the north-east door's security, and with a tap at the keypad cycles it open. The sizable chamber beyond is mostly bare, except for a single structure that dominates the eastern wall of the room. There sits a massive archway of silvery metal, inscribed with runes and implanted with five glimmering crystals.
Bel recognizes that this arch is a planar portal and, by interpreting the runic inscriptions, she can further determine that it connects to the plane of fire. It is currently inactive.
Letting out an impressed whistle, Ordyt cautiously slips into the portal chamber to have a look around. "Nice work, Bel. Obviously we can't just leave this here though--how do we disable it?"
The mystically trained among you know that it's possible to disable the gate by carefully extracting the crystals before scratching out the runes. While within the capabilities of your team, the operation would take some finesse and therefore would take 10 minutes per attempt . Trying to rush it by breaking the device or directly damaging any component would likely lead to an energy release.
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"Well how about that--I know how the big fancy machine works for once!" Ordyt crows as he circles it, nodding in understanding and grinning. "Wow! Bel, Mari--is this how you two feel all the time?"
Jokes aside, the clock is ticking so Ordyt turns to the others to gauge their thoughts. "I don't think we should leave a functional portal intact, but disabling it safely won't be fast. Is it worth the time lost?"
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"Humility may be a virtue, but a small bit of pride at being the smartest person in the room never hurt anyone. If only because reality will quickly humble you whether you like it or not," Belmarniss replies with a knowing smirk, before following up with the qualifying statement and grimacing at remembering her own numerous gaffes.
She nods at Ordyt's assessment.
"And speaking of virtues, I agree we should exercise the better part of valor and take that time: cut off the enemy's avenues of escape...or reinforcement. Want some help?"
With Bel and Ordyt working together, you slowly dismantle the crystal array until it's possible to erase the runes attuning the portal to the plane of fire. A subtle latent hum in the air you didn't even notice when you first entered the room dissipates. You're fairly confident it won't be easy to get the portal back up and running.
Of the removed crystals, four function as relays specific to this portal and are therefore useful now only for their artistic value (300 credits) while the last crystal retains some resonant energy within it, allowing it to function as a spell gem of dimensional anchor.
Around the time you finish, you hear from Ilor over comms "A group of soldiers just came out of the elevator, thinking they were going to ambush us. We gave it right back to them. A couple injuries on our side, but nothing too serious. Hope you're making good time finding a way deeper though."
"Still no way down, but we found and disabled a portal to the Plane of Fire. Did those soldiers have anything that looks like a control rod? The elevator is locked and trapped without it." He relays a description of the relevant items.
Flint rests and keeps an eye out for any incoming soldiers. After the latest from their elevator team, he perks up, feeling much better (Spent 1 SP for Stamina).
”Indeed—they would have needed a control rod to work the elevator, right?” he chimes in.
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"No, no rods on any of this lot. Disabling a portal to the plane of fire sounds like a nice trick. Hope it messes up their plans nicely." Ilor chuckles.
"Understood. Hold the line Ilor, stick one of their guns in the elevator door--with any luck there'll be safety procedures and they wont be able to call it back up to keep sending waves at you. Clearing the last few rooms here now, stay in touch."
Ordyt motions to other to stack up on the single door opposite the portal room.
Getting up and drawing is blade, Flint prepares to follow Ordyt in.
Ilor responds "Understood, good luck." before cutting off the connection.
As you found before, the north-west door from the four-way intersection is locked.
However Bel makes quick work of it and you're able to tap it open.
The open, cross-shaped area beyond is illuminated in red-orange light from the ceiling. The walls are decorated with metallic posters that show efreeti artisans, pilots, or soldiers in heroic poses or symbols of industry or strength. Each poster is emblazoned with a short slogan, and they have a unified artistic style. Curving couches, tables that look like mahogany with brass fittings, hookahs, and VR headsets furnish the room, along with rich carpets. To the west is a bar with a clear cabinet containing various jars and bottles, while the eastern area has a trivid display with a couch nearby. In a niche stands a statue of black obsidian veined with red, depicting an imperious horned woman in fine robes. Its almost an exact copy of the statues you saw in the barracks.
The room is empty, but a cup of coffee still on the counter of the bar is still warm. The room connects to the south back to the main elevator chamber, and has locked doors to the west and north.
"It's a little reassuring to think that those other groups that came at us might be the full garrison on this level," Ordyt notes as his helmet HUD flags the coffee as being still warm.
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Belmarniss takes the spell gem with a quick "Gimme that!"
She turns it over in her hand before plugging it into an indentation on her spell-tablet.
"If we run into Nurleth, or any of the other high command, they won't be able to teleport away from us this time! But we'll only be able to do it once, so we better make it count."
After getting the group in to what appears to be a lounge, she takes a quick look around with the others, taking a moment to drink the abandoned coffee on the counter.
"...What? They probably won't be back to finish it, and I hate to waste good caffeine."
Bel and Ordyt take a look around the room but find nothing more of interest.
Motioning towards the north door, Ordyt takes up his customary position and waits for the door to be hacked.
Bel hacks through another layer of security and you open the door north out of the officer's lounge. Beyond lies a short wide hallway ending in another large set of doors. To either side of the hallway are smaller doors, both of which are currently open. If you peer into them you see a luxuriously appointed set of communal quarters on either side. Each room holds a pair of beds, a small sitting area, storage chests made of a dark material fitted with brass, desks made of material similar to the chests, and deep, plush carpeting. Everything looks meticulously tidy. Each room also includes a spacious bathroom.
The western room has a still-warm coffee sitting on the table.
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”If nothing else, they certainly left plenty of coffee for you Belmarniss,” says Flint with a lopsided smile. He goes to quickly search the open rooms for items of use, especially in those storage chests.
Starting to feel nervous about the time this was taking, Ordyt limits himself to a quick sweep of the rooms to ensure there are no hiding Legion personnel or useful objects lying around, then motions for the next door to be cleared.
Not long after you start poking around in the rooms, you hear a call of "Now!" in Ignan, before the hallway and rooms erupt with massive blasts of flame!
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Ordyt and Flint take a direct hit from the first explosive blast, while Ordyt manages to duck and cover against the second. Your fire resistances keep the harm manageable. As the smoke clears you see the now-visible source of the attack, two efreeti, one in each of the two side rooms. They're wielding serrated curved blades and have rifles on their backs. Both wear an officer's uniform as well as light armor.
Ordyt is the quickest to respond after the attack.
|||| INIT ||||
Ordyt (0SP 41HP)
Blue Efreeti
Red Efreeti
Flint (77SP 78HP)
Bel (0SP 33HP)
Picking a side of the ambush, Ordyt rushes into one of the side rooms to engage the efreet there, his mechanical legs carrying him over the beds to land behind the creature, whom he does his best to stab to death.
Encouragement from Sammad pushes you onward despite the surprise attack .
|||| INIT ||||
Flint (77SP 78HP)
Bel (0SP 33HP)
Ordyt (0SP 24HP)
Blue Efreeti
Red Efreeti
Flint's eyes begin to glow as the ambush develops, and his body soon erupts into cold flame as well, just before he rushes the blue efreeti trailing a path of frigid fire!
With a nod to his captain, Ordyt falls into their familiar fighting pattern to bring down the efreet as quickly as possible.
With a nod to his captain, Ordyt falls into their familiar fighting pattern to bring down the efreet as quickly as possible.
[dice=Attack #1]1d20+17+2-4 [dice=Damage]4d6+19
[dice=Attack #2]1d10+17+2-4 [dice=Damage]4d6+19
The remaining efreeti sends a pair of magnetically accelerated slugs at Flint, one missing and the second connecting for a glancing blow. She moves as she fires, reaching the doorway to the hallway.
|||| INIT ||||
Flint (67SP 78HP)
Bel (0SP 33HP; 1 mirror image)
Ordyt (0SP 24HP)
Red Efreeti
His eyes glowing ever brighter with the wrath of the Burning Mother, Flint stalks up to the efreeti and slashes powerfully with his blade in a sudden arcing thrust!
"Ilor, minor contact. Two efreet officers, should be over in a few moments. This floor is nearly clear." Ordyt moves over by the doorway to keep an eye on the fight but clear of any addition fireballs or other explosives, then activates his energy shield.
Over in the hallway, Ordyt gets his shield working.
|||| INIT ||||
Flint (67SP 78HP)
Bel (0SP 33HP; 1 mirror image)
Ordyt (0SP 24HP, 10thp)
Red Efreeti (79 dmg)
Flint steps up and continues his assault, slashing at the efreeti with an implacable resolve.
Breaking cover, Ordyt sprints across the room and past Belmarnis to deliver his own attack.
"Bah, surrounded by weaklings, it seems, if they cannot even delay you this long..." You hear her voice as she approaches.
|||| INIT ||||
Flint (67SP 78HP)
Bel (0SP 33HP; 1 mirror image)
Ordyt (0SP 24HP, 5thp)
Commissar Tarakah
Moving up to the location where the voice is speaking, Flint says, ”Thanks for the telemetry,” to Mari as the foe’s approximate location appears on his HUD.
His eyes now fully alight with photonic power, Flint slashes in a wide arc where he thinks the commissar is.
Cursing under his breath, Ordyt intones his own spell to let him see the efreet as well.
"That's a nice cloak," he observes with genuine admiration before ducking back out of the line of fire.
She twirls her pistol, feinting a point blank shot while bringing her baton to bear. It collides perfectly with Flint's skull, sending him reeling. She flips backward after, gaining some distance on your group.
"But I can deal with all of you. Come."
|||| INIT ||||
Flint (0SP 56HP)
Bel (0SP 33HP; 1 mirror image)
Ordyt (0SP 24HP, 5thp)
Commissar Tarakah (14 dmg)
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"Don't take it personally, we're here to 'assassinate' all of you since you won't surrender. Maybe blow up the station too." Ordyt breaks out of his cover and surges forward to the attack.
"Captain? Cap, you with me?"
Flint’s world collapses to a deafening ringing noise in his ears, with Ordyt’s question not even registering for the moment.
In just that moment, the tide has turned against her.
|||| INIT ||||
Flint (0SP 56HP)
Bel (0SP 33HP; 1 mirror image) x2
Ordyt (0SP 24HP, 5thp)
Commissar Tarakah (134 dmg)
Shaking his head groggily as Ordyt’s words finally pierce the incessant ringing, Flint answers, ”Still up and kicking,” as he circles around the command chair to engage the commissar from behind!
Sidestepping to close the trap Flint has set up, Ordyt lunges again!
Sidestepping to close the trap Flint has set up, Ordyt lunges again!
[dice=Flank Attack]1d20+17+2 [dice=Damage]4d6+19
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"The word 'assassinate' implies darkness and dishonor. THIS is a military strike!" Belmarniss retorts as she charges into the room to join Flint and Ordyt.
She casts another spell, causing her junksword to vibrate as it lashes out to strike at the Commissar!
Then she follows up with two slashing strikes, her junksword extending and retracting like a striking glass serpent!