|
"I would recommend refraining from launching the flame-retardant canister unless presented a clear rationale. It may have adverse effects, or it may prove to be a useful tool if presented with a flame-based foe."
She takes notes of all findings and discussions, logging them into her computer via her datajack. Once she's content, she paces through the room and collects any loose items that may be of interest.
Once content that the room is secured, she heads to the room on the far right to repeat the process.
|
"I agree on that. While it might be satisfying to run through all the switches on their system, I think we should wait until we understand it better. We are hear to recover as much as we can." She reviews the holographic displays another moment before stepping from the uncomfortable console. "I'm certain the Venture-Captain would love anything we can find on Rhols and what happened to him. However it seems this place is older than I had thought. We need to look closely and see if this Solarian Stone is something we need to protect or some nasty evil relic."
With the room and computers secured, searched Teka joins Fexia on the other side to help search the door.
Indeed, when reading the instructions, the mechanism launches a canister into the lava below. It seems the measure is in place to calm the lava down in the event of dangerous levels of activity.
There is a fair amount of activity in the area. It wouldn't be unreasonable to assume flair ups may happen.
Leary of Deurgar traps, Elfa gives the door a once over. She doesn't seem anything insidious here, so she gives the nod. Inside this room looks the same as the other. The only difference is that the lights here indicate that there's no crucible in place to restart the machine.
Thankfully, the party watched the tutorial on how to do that.
Malaak thinks that the ancient tech at play here makes remote access unlikely to work.
|
Elfa, if it's possible, seems rather excited at the prospect of more investigation. "These control rooms are of no interest at this point. We need to move on to that apparatus down the gangplank. We are really operating on borrowed time here." She makes a move towards the center of the room but hangs back a little hoping another will take point.
Direction indicate preventative.
|
|
After hearing her compatriots analysis of the situation Fexia nods.
"It seems as though this 'solarian stone' may be of great interest, and given that we have located information on how to restart this device and an indication of periodic fires, it may be best to deploy the cannister and investigate the stone, then consider executing the procedure for restarting it."
If her allies agree, Fexia will lead the way towards the aforementioned apparatus.
|
|
"In that case it seems prudent to launch the canister now. I have been enough fire fights over the years and this is even a bit more boiling than those other times."
Teka moves forward on the gangplank as she concurs with Elfa and Fexia, "We are short for time, we should search the area quickly before giving a bit more thought about activating this relic." She watches the path carefully keeping an eye out for near dormant security systems passing along the bridge, "We should be especially wary since we may very well fall before duergar defenses anything set in place by Rhols when he was here."
The party looks over the two control rooms, and nothing new jumps out.
The party also launches a canister in to the molten rock below, cooling it a bit.
Shimmering hexagonal plates cover this large sphere that hangs over a deep pit. From the north and south, a gangway leads to the interior, which houses a large forge-shaped dynamo and network of conduits. A heat-singed hammer rests at the edge of the dynamo. The hammer is clearly something of great import. Inscribed over the sphere’s entrances are images of a stone arch containing a flame.
The image of the arch and flame is the symbol of Droskar.
You identify that the iconography and construction of this facility includes elements of duergar and very old dwarven engineering. Through context clues, it’s reasonable to assume that the dwarven features date back to the Gap, indicating that this area—and perhaps the whole asteroid—might contain previously unknown clues about life during this mysterious period.
|
As he observes the device, Malaak becomes more and more excited!
This, this technology predate the Gap! I'm sure that we could find some clue about the gap or at least some information from this period here!!!! We will need to convince the dwarf to not destroy this place!
He also shares the other informations he has found about the place with his comrades
|
|
"I must agree, at the very least we should get them to stay their hand long enough to recover it." Teka moves to take a look at the systems, but holds herself short of laying a pay on any of the depictions in favor of the dark deity. "We need to research more about this relic though. Identify the potential use, any history we can find regarding the history of the dwarves that may have survived the Gap, and how the duergar may have modified it. I doubt they would have any inclination now to save a relic that the duergar have tainted."
It looks like once the device is activated, the hammer could be removed with a little work.
|
|
Slowly patrolling the area (read pacing nervously) Fexia scratches her chin. "Our orders are clear. Recover anything of historical significance... and this most certainly would apply. We must attempt this ritual and relocate the hammer. If the Ulrikka Clanholdings is unwilling to relocate the solarian stone, at least we can retrieve this hammer-relic."
Fexia will make a full patrol around the center apparatus before allowing her compatriots to come forward to begin work.
|
|
"I recommend haste on executing the procedure. An hour may not be much within the confines of days, but we do not know what else lies before us. I have the means to directly connect to most computer systems, and a small degree of expertise in such rituals. If however you believe my skills as a defender to be more important given the potential risks of disruption, I would also make an effective first line of defense. I shall defer to our subject matter experts on the matter."
The party stops and takes the time to restart the amazing machine. After nearly an hour of work from everyone, the machine is running! The device hums audibly and charges the space around itself with energy. It does have one unfortunately side effect. Your communicators produce nothing but static.
|
|
Teka taps her comms a few time to get in contact with the ship before turning it off to communicate with the others, "I was hoping to be able to share this with the ship immediately, but it seems that this old relic has a bit of power I hadn't expected. Good for it." She uses the datapad and radiation sweeper as she is able to get as many readings from the machine. "The duergar may have already collected a lot of information, but I don't wish to rely on that when we offer our explanations why this shouldn't be turned to star dust."
With the sweep, recording, and examination done Teka will follow Malaak to the next set of door as she helps inspect them.
|
|
Elfa loses that glint of youth that briefly showed as the Starfinders went the technological route to start the machine. She slowly makes her way to other side of the of the contraption to wait out the process.
Once the process is done and the group finds that their comms are not working, Elfa quietly says, "Should have gone my way." and then a bit louder says, "Looks like there is nothing else to do here. Let's get going." She then looks over the doors ahead of her while the others make their way forward.
The party, satisfied with their work, moves to go deeper into the complex. The door on the far side, made of a dull metal, looks solid. Thousands of convoluted geometric protrusions rise from the door’s surface, between which wind various runic inscriptions to create a labyrinthine trail of prose. A faintly shimmering hologram of a burning flame within a stone archway hovers a few feet from the door. Small piles of rubble have accumulated near the door.
It's tricky for anyone not a dwarf to read, but thankfully you've got on.
The Star Margrave has changed. Just as I thought a creature could not be viler, he, no it, is. Its eyes sear, its breath chokes, but worse still is its burning chain. It stalks us, and takes us one by one to that damnable furnace, and there it takes my clan and severs the link between the Forever Queen and us. Cry for our salvation, I can no longer reach their souls, their spirits do not heed my calls, I fear they are lost forever in those burning links.
-Hinchin-Kuran, Hylax hive caller
Most of the rubble appears to be spoil from a
large tunneling creature that has previously burrowed to the east
and west through now-collapsed tunnels.
|
|
Before leaving the Solarion stone, Fexia inspects the equipment to discern the function performed, and secure any of the remaining tools, particularly the hammer if it seems to be removable now.
"A Hive-caller? Among the Duergar? Or was it settled by Dwarves at the time? Was this site once governed by the Hive? Or Shirren? Or Dwarves who worshipped Hylax? This community structure is confusing to me..."
It doesn't take a lot of work to get the best parts. With the defensive measure powered down, it seems like the only way forward is through the door.
|
|
May be? Anyway, it’s difficult to say at this point. Lets explore furthermore may be some answers will be given?
Nevertheless what’s worries me the most is the warning inscribed on the door. Something evil is behind these door. I hope that it will not change us for the worst...
Malaak help in opening the doors.
|
|
Fexia will, as per usual, lead the way forward. Better to risk the brawn than then brains after all.
"Per our mission parameters, we should take photographic evidence of these inscriptions."
Using her personal comm, she takes several pictures of the dwarven prose. She tries to upload them to her contact onboard the ship but gives a looks of moderate annoyance when unable to get through. Once content that the mission experts have performed adequate surveillance, she opens the door leading forward.