Arlo charges toward where Terex last had contact and ... he essentially falls victim to the same effect as Terex (see earlier)... And at the same time, you hear a maternal growl from the side where Emoree has (apparently) been scouting in parallel and it seems she too charges in the same direction ... twenty seconds later, the dwarf and the pseudo dragon wake to find the enormous bear standing over them, howling and surrounded by a dozen or more shreded zombie bodies and suffering from multiple necrotic burns across her body, at which point she scoops up the pair in one dexterous paw and goes running back to the rest of the party, in front of Azzim whimpering - she also sends an image of the "lake" and the undead camp around it...
As Arlo and Terex left, they got an image of the huge camp seeming all slowly moving in your general direction...
"I will say, that is a massive gun. It's odd- So much of what you make is silent. Arlo's sword sings loud and boisterous, about glory and vengance, and yet your gun whispers instead. Where does it's killing power come from?"Lyra chuckles,
Bella nods, quietly and desperately trying to follow along. Truth be told, all this was... *so* over her head. She could not even begin to comprehend the notion of trillions of years, the idea of an immutable cosmic constant, infinite realities in infinite layers of infinite space daunted her.
And yet you've never seen another one of you.There's divisions here- Magic vs Technology, music and noise, constant and fluid, it all bashes and scrambles together in her head as she tries to follow along, but all she can think about is that she had never seen someone like herself. But... But she also hadn't really looked. The idea of there being another of her, her not being something unique on the planes sounded beautiful.
She wondered just how many people could weave things into existence like she could. She wasn't made to do it- She was made to make someone else to do it better.
And then one day, she could.
She quietly brushed aside her thoughts as she turned to Lyra and nodded- "I don't have anywhere else to go, but even if I did, I would love to join you. Knowing that me being here would have helped you keep things safe brings me a lot of peace of mind. Thank you. It will be a honor to join you at your home."
-----------------------------------
As the day flutters by, she began to feel relaxed. She had quietly conjured herself a tiny little plinth to stand on, and had been posed in the same state for about an hour, no requests, no bothers, no stress. Just waiting and enjoying the ride, waiting for something to happen and she enjoys a moments pose stretched into eternity.
And then she felt the ping as terex goes down, and she immediately felt her stomach drop, quickly looking around to try to grab directions, as her brain snaps back to reality. She would have to do stuff herself. F*$~. She quietly begins to move to them, as she feels the memory of the incoming horde peek into her head like a traumatizing childhood failure.
Her heart begins to panic, as she desperately tries to imagine some sort of plan- Something to protect her as she desperately tries to pull something together. Her brain turns to the idols of couatl on the clock in her makers room where he fine-tuned the enchantments etched into every bit of her. Two couatl cutouts eternally chasing each other, an airship slowly lagging behind with a fire elemental flying at an almost lightning speed. She reaches into herself, pouring bits of herself into this memory, letting it leak out through her dragonmark. She remembered how safe that clock always made her feel, when she was new.
She raised up her hand, and began to channel power - First they appear as paintings on the ground, moving despite it, beautiful winged serpents of prismatic color with a detailed, intricate drawing of a odd, flat ship surrounded by a sparking wheel, and a figure of fire- In almost seconds, they rise from the ground, the couatl rising from the earth, as the airship seems to almost tilt out of the ground, the wheel turning into a ring of sparking lightning, floating barely above the ground as the back begins to open, revealing a staircase, and the fire elemental rises from the ground, bolting ahead to meet the party as she rapidly gestures for the rest of the party to climb aboard.
”I don’t know how much time we’ll have before they come in- Any idea what we’re facing? Anyone? I think they’re undead, and I remember various undead-killing things my Lady had me make, so I should be able to arm you with them. What do you need to get them back? I don’t know, usually the goal is to leave them dead, not alive.”
"Let me take a look at that"
She then sends a message to her Mech walker to join them.
"If we are going back there we need a tank, I'm a little more resilient than you being none organic, let me have a look"
She then heads up to scope the area ahead.
she comes back and tells them what she saw.
[ooc]Yeah, all those natural ones have been a real problem. XD
Terexaltherin stirs to consciousness, desperately trying to grasp at his memories of what was going on. He'd been scouting ahead, and he saw...
The recollection of what he'd seen is so intense he unintentionally broadcasts confused images of a black lake so clear that reflected images of crumbling buildings echo up and down through it at impossible angles. Then he remembers fading out as he'd been flying...
With a startled gasp the currently-raven-shaped dragon gets to his feet and looks around. Emoree? What happened? Are you okay? Arlo?
Gradually his confused thoughts settle back down to his customary focus. Did you guys have to come grab me? I'm sorry, that lake...
His little body shivers. I don't know if it's just the *wrongness* of it or if there's a magical effect on it, but looking at it's dangerous.
He catches on to what's going on and spreads his wings. Did they follow us? There were a lot of them, we probably don't want to fight head-on. If we could lead them around and leave some traps behind us or something while we regroup that might be better.
Azzim had watched Bella's painting with fascination, murmuring, "Remarkable."
After Lyra tended to Emoree, Azzim cast an expert eye over the giant bear trying to determine if any further healing was needed.
When Terex's telepathic voice contacted them he sent a reply over the link, ::Terex are you hurt? We're coming to link up you, I agree we don't want a head on fight. I have memorized the Jatambe's Ire spell, you saw that on our last mission. It has a large area of effect and should slow them down or perhaps
even destroy some of them.::
Arlo pulls himself out of the funk.
Okay..We blast at a distance until with melee range. Then Moradin Justice begins.
Quickly scouting ahead, you get the feeling this is a large but fairly standard Dark Trader camp. Dozens, maybe hundreds of zombies (this might be the fate of some who followed the Starling). At least ten Dark Traders, who are usually akin to Liches in power. They seem to be involved in some operation (mining?, covering?) on the "lake". For that reason, it seems unlikely for any but small group to break off to chase you.
Bella paused as she watched the bear approach, standing on the bow of the model airship she had woven into existance as it slowly rose off the ground. The fire elemetal's painting met them, and continued it's travel at blistering fast speeds to meet and burn the undead. It would most likely not last long, but that was what it was designed to do.
Bella would step off the boat, realizing that it had largely served it's purpose as it would continue to rise. The two winged snakes would begin to step in front, guarding the rest of the party, as bella kneeled down and tried to think about what she could do... her brain came up with nothing as everyone else seemed to come together.
She tilted her head in response to blasting them from a distance- "I should be able to drop some buildings on them, which should hit a fair number of them. Though... I do remember some ash my Lady had me make, with juniper and chesnut- That might be able to stall most of them from charging us down."
Deciding to channel her old master, she also spoke "I heard a good beer is useful when dealing with unseen horrors, I will have to make some— BY THE FLAME!!!"
She turned around and stared at the massive device in front of her, towering above her ship, intricate with tiny details at every inch, and through all this, her brain had one thought. I couldn't make that.
She looked at the ship, wondering what she could even do to improve it.
Lyra was imprest at Bellie waving.
As her Mech at last to them, she popped the entry ramp.
"It's got two basic autocannons with 2000 rounds each and a heavy mortar with 40 shells. Ranges are shot so I would have to walk close. That should give me a chance to act as one hell of a distraction while you get around the back of them. This thing is a tank and it will take them a while to even dent it. My hope is the Zombies swarm it, but there are exposed cables on the legs and other soft parts. Bellia, can you put a defense wall of some kind around it? to the height of the guns, that should slow them down and give you more time. But the main hull should hold out for a long time. That should give you, more than enough time for you to get in there and stop what they are doing. Take Bekkia with you, she is like a walking breaching tool, she may be invaluable in stopping what they are doing."
She pulls down boxes of what looks like WW1 amo and starts loading the ww1 like weapons. This hole craft looks very steam punkish, not at all like her personal high-tech gear. local tech with some improvements.
Azzim asked Lyra and Bella "How long does it take for you to get all that in position? I could fly above them and try and get as many as I can with Jatambe's Ire. It's got a 120' spread so unless they're spread out that should catch a lot of them and keep em in auto cannon range..."
"That is a good idea if we use the Mech to pull them to it, I will place it on auto and then when we them nice and dense, We hit them from above. That way we can thin them down a lot. Time-wise, I will have the mech loaded and ready in about 10 minutes, and then it's just a matter of getting it into place. For the fortifications I have no idea about, Bellia only knows that."
She says looking at Bellia.
Bella managed to turn to her, and paused- A fortification against an army??? Bella had rarely had to deal with an army in the past, she rarely had to deal with more than one person, her Lady never really bothered to bring her along against necromancers or against armies- She usually just left her in whatever safehouse she lived in.
She looked down the road, before nodding as her name is mispronounced, "Right, right- Let me get started,"
She quietly reaches out, as you see the road ahead quietly shift, almost bending as bits of it become wavy and complicated, bits of it becomes spiky, and parts of it turns into small waves.
Before she continues, you can see her body begin to falter, before she turns to another wall- she points to it, quietly letting it fall apart over the course of a minute until almost nothing remains
With another act, she'll throw her arms around and block off multiple alternate exit points with a thick layer of brambles and a big barricade to direct the horde into the autocannons fire.
"That's done- between the snakes, the autocannons, and the battlements we should mostly be good, lady Liara. In terms of what I can do... Well, it will mostly consist of dropping largely boulders on them. Or holy water. Actually, I might be able to enhance some of the bullets while we wait, but I think I should probably start to gather some materials before I do much more."
With that, she'll start using the Destroy alteration to try to destroy various walls while the autocannons are set up, each 10x10 section of wall in size.
Arlo looks on, smiling to himself as Lady and newcomer Bella work well together.
Must be nice having another artificial intelligence to talk technology with, the dwarf paladin thinks. We should have Bella over for some tea. Meet the kids. That kind of thing.
Events happened fast, Emoree rescues Terex and Arlo in 20-30 seconds and bring them back in another 12. Lyre quickly scouts ahead and then in 30 seconds, the party retreats to field just a bit to field between several tower block where they quickly set-up their large machinery, ready for hot pursuit. But then there's a pause for at least a minute...
You estimate the field is about 300 feet from the "lake", 200' square and blocked from a direct view of the thing/phenomena... The tower blocks are 350' high, about 80' x 100' wide each...
Azzim, do you think you could heal Emoree a bit more? By the way, Emoree, thanks for the save. Terexaltherin does his best to include images and feelings with the words to help Emoree connect the two, though it's obviously a strain for him to broadcast so much at once. I'm not going to be that much use in a large group battle like this, so maybe I could...
The 'raven' stops and cocks his head slightly to one side, then spreads his wings and leaps into the air. They're doing a large-scale summons! I'll see if I can disrupt it, but be ready!
He again starts up his "don't notice me" field as he flies towards the chanting he'd heard. When he gets near to where he thinks he'll have a clear line of sight, he takes to cover and pulls out his wand of silence, then peeks around the corner...
Azzim nodded at Terex's words and gently placed a hand on Emoree's hide and he used the link to reassure her, "Thank you for rescuing them! Please allow me tend to your wounds..."
He whispered the words to a powerful spell and his hand was surrounded by a strong whitish blue aura which ended in a silent flash. All visible wounds marring Emoree's hide vanished and Emoree felt a gentle warmth replacing any aches and pains.
After healing Emoree, Azzim floated up into the air and vanished from sight as he moved into attack.
"If you can forward observe for me, all start shelling them, call in distance and range"
Alya sends as she finishes loading the weapons.
"Thats good Bella, you stay with and do that to slow them, our job is to take on that army as the others deal with the traders."
She goes up to the main controls and takes a seat.
"Arlo my love we are ready, give the signal and we will open fire"
The dwarf paladin, using a hi-tech binoculars, waits until the undead horde is in range.
"Fire!"
there is a blast than a boom blast, then the sounds of a line of hot led heding to toward the undead
Bella unleashes her power, reaching out and summoning a trio of boulders, dropping them from back to front to pin the horde down.
Boulder 1: Gargantuan
Boulder 2: Gargantuan
Boulder 3: Huge
With the ground shaking from the impact, the snakes begin to flow in, striking down and trying to grapple as many as they survive.
If Lyra looks, she'd end up seeing that Bellas... Almost shaking. Her body seems to be growing wearier with each spell, and you can almost hear grinding of the teeth as she cast, staring down the army at the foot of this monstrous creature.
About 20 seconds into the "pause", Azzim and Terex stealthily and by a different route, once again approaches the visible part of the black lake... This time taking a bit more care, they avoid deeply gazing at the lake's surface and concentrate on the action around the shore. And indeed, they observes a knot of ten Darker Traders engaged in a ritual about 100 feet ahead. They then quickly relays the coordinates of the ritual creators, at which point, Lyra and Bella launch indirect fire against the casters...
The boulders, shells and creatures massively disrupt the spell and the entire camp. All zombies in about 500' are destroyed but most of the Traders are damaged a bit and knocked prone.... But from where the caster circle was, a creature like angry black tornado arises and kind of circles the lake lazily (bizarre images and objects seem to float within it). One thing Terex notices is that everything, creature or object, that even accidentally touches the shimmering black "lake" simply... vanishes. And once there's lull in the bombardment, the remaining Traders seem to leap into the lake, where unlike other the things, they don't instantly vanish. Rather, for each, a sort of tunnel opens up and they seem to slowly descend into it.
So after maybe 10-15 seconds, there is only the weird whirlwind creature and a few zombies on the far other side of the lake... The whirlwind creatures seems akin to the chaos demon you faced earlier, probably a bit stronger, but it's not doing anything currently.
See, this is why I let you guys handle fighting hordes! Nice work from you too, Bella! Terexaltherin 'says', then shares images of what he saw.
We're at a disadvantage until we figure out more about how this 'lake' works, since the Dark Traders obviously have it more figured out, he states. Probably what we need to do is find a good, defensible position next to it, set up camp, and very carefully study it. Probably start with area measurements and slowly work our way to measuring the 'lake' itself. We'll have to worry about attacks from both around the edge and from within it, though. And we should probably take care of that demon first. Not to mention keep an eye on the Dark Trader camp.
Lyra finishes off the last of the undead and then cranks the guns down.
"Billie you did good, head out to the others and Ill check the systems here"
Soaring over the battlefield, Azzim watched the events unfold with initial satisfaction followed by alarm. Both the demon thing and the nature of the lake were of great concern.
::Right, research. Let's put our heads
together.:: responded Azzim over the link.
Based on his initial observations, Azzim tried to understand what they were up against.
Bella nods, quietly beginning to walk away, until, for a brief second, she pauses. Slipping out a brush, she quietly taps a wall- In a moment, it flashes, the windows refracting as they begin to glow, the quiet marks of wear and time shining like a diamond, as in just as short a moment the light vanishes, painting the wall with a single word.
The snakes quietly follow behind, as eventually meets up with the rest of the party, looking at the lake with... Almost no idea. She leans down and tries to take a glance at the lake. If she doesn't fall into an eldritch stupor, she'll create an anvil to drop into it and watch what happens.
Bella did not notice herself screaming. Or thinking about infinite fractals where she is painted out of drawn into an endless field of void and song where matter is meaningless. Or notice the meaning or time. She was imagining herself as a plotted pant instead of something that can think.
So, party moves up to the best cover the black and gingerly observe the cloud-demon and the shiny, black lake, aware of it's disturbing potentials... The angry gray cloud indeed seems like a big-brother of the earlier demon you dispatched. However, it seems to have been released before it was given any specific direction and it's next move is uncertain. It might be enticed into going into the black lake where it most likely came from... It might be destroyed too but that would be a challenge.
The black lake itself... It's clearly some multiplanar disaster, different from what you've seen before (and you've a seen a few by now). Your best guess involves some references to long frozen tubes of interplanar protoplasm that occur when a being from the outer planes is destroyed in the process of being fully summoned to a given plane.
This is the sort of situation that can often get the attention of entities more powerful than The Organization - The Transdimensional League Of Wizard and Witches or an actual Power from the Outer Planes (and looking around and thinking back, it seems The Traders have trying to conceal the thing's existence in a variety of ways). Of course, this is still just glances and guesses.
The main problem is such a group can heavy handed - sealing off this entire plane for example. And there may be important things within the interdimensional tunnel this lake represents - areas the Traders apparently went for example. Got far enough do it and you might find a way to destroy rather than simply sealing it...
She walks up and takes a long look into the lake.
"Well that is clearly some multiplanar disaster right there. Must be hard for you organics to experience. This is the sort of situation that can often get the attention of entities more powerful than The Organization - The Transdimensional League Of Wizard and Witches or an actual Power from the Outer Planes it seems The Traders where trying to conceal the thing's existence in a variety of ways. Of course, this is still just glances and guesses. But they seem to have jumped in to get there, the Demon here has no orders so long as we don't upset it, it may leave us alone. Wish Rollo was here he could send it back."
Her voice is cold an emotionless, Arlo knows she has turned off her emotion centers.
"Hmmm" mused Azzim, "You know that gives me an idea Lyra. If we camp I can memorize a banishment spell. Getting it to stick on such a powerful entity will be tricky, but if we can find some objects or substances it hates fears or opposes then we'll have a better chance. The more the better."
Azzim then speculated about what objects of substances might be effective, he suspected things tied to law where likely candidates given it was a thing of chaos.
"I like that idea, Azzim", Arlo nods enthusiastically. "Let's see if we can figure this out!"
Terexaltherin rolls his eyes slightly at Lyra disparging organic life again... when she's not looking.
Yeah, probably for the best if we don't draw more attention to this than it's already gotten, Terexaltherin states, agreeing with her analysis. We should start figuring out what the Dark Traders have done here. Now that we have a baseline for what this 'lake' is we might be able to pick out echoes of whatever magic they've been using on it. Of course, that's going to require more careful study. Any ideas on how to fortify our minds against its effects?
When Bella drops the anvil on her foot, Emoree touches her with a giant paw that's surprising gentle, sending psychic feelings of warmth and sympathy...
Investigating the lake, you find that after a bit of acclimatization, you can glance at the lake without much danger... And Lyra takes the risk of looking quite deeply into the planar maelstrom... What she sees is several, maybe 6 to 10 planar fragments floating in it. Former planes that are now perhaps demiplanes lost in time as well as numerous smaller fragments, you are guessing these are the source of the "Dark Crystal Maps" that some Starling bearers return home. And possibly the Traders headed to one of the demiplanes - probably they have no other way out than returning to this surface and are lurking in one or more of the fragments...
The Traders built a low wooden wall around the lake (about a mile in diameter). As you examine it, you find it has a humanoid femur or other long bone attached every ten feet or so, with runes in the wood and webs of sinew in between and examining this all magically, this appears to be a powerful necromantic seal on the lake, both stabilizing it and preventing detection.
The combat, however, damaged this "seal wall" at various places and you'd guestimate it can survive for only about 1-3 days as things stand. Indeed, the wall and it's bones appear to have been constantly renewed (another disturbing detail).
In the hour of investigation you've done, the black just circled the lake lazily and you simply moved avoid. Occasionally it produces some transformation of the tower blocks but other relatively quiet...
Hmmm... so it seems like we have a few things we need to do and not a lot of time to do them, Terexaltherin suggests, practically radiating deep thought as he 'speaks'.
First, we need to take care of that summoned creature. Driving it back where it came from seems like the best option for that.
Second, we should figure out where those Dark Traders went. We should be able to sort out their necromantic energies from everything else in the lake at this point. Getting to them will require figuring out how to move in the lake, though, and they're likely prepared for us. But I don't like the idea of letting them do whatever they're doing for any longer than we have to.
Third, we need to deal with any Dark Traders or their minions left here outside the lake. If they're not attacking us at this point, they're doing something they find more important, and I don't like that thought.
So, we need a way to convince the demon to go back into the lake first...
Bella listens to them talk about the necrotic energies, quietly running her hands across the walls and listening for magic. She can feel the dead woven into the wood, the sinew reaching across, and the death echoing and calling.
After which, she'll spend some time just with her ears open, trying to listen for some sort of magic to help her determine what's there. With the escape to the lake, she's hoping she can find a copy of their teleportation stone or similar.
As they talk about the potential danger, she stops. She raises her eyes to the sky, seeing the giant demon high above, and wondering just what she can do to it.
"What do we know about it? If something is needed, I can always make it- Or at the very least emulate it."[/b]
She pauses, before saying "I'd also like to camp. That was probably the most intense barrage I've done in years, and if something is going to try to stab us, I'd like to not feel exhausted while fighting it."
After a bit more research and observation, Azzim gets more of an idea of the black-cloud's behaviors and preferences... It seems attracted to and eager to destroy the symmetry of things, twisting particularly well-formed trees or buildings into bizarre shapes... A construct with these qualities might be able entice it into the lake or elsewhere
The Traders' wood wall is fairly standard non-detect magic - just death-energy extending it. Tearing it down would likely send subtle reverberations through the multiverse... Indeed, the strange thing is that Traders would have had to have been here soon after the lake came into existence to conceal it this way and so they might know something of it's origins. The wall could be replaced but idea it unappealing...
With simultaneous, more intense observation of the lake itself, you are guessing the Traders moved through it by something like force of will. The various broken planes seem connected by lines or tubes - one with sufficient "attunement" to these tubes likely could navigate through the interdimensional protoplasm where they wished. Indeed, looking at the tubes gives you guesses about which of the planes the Traders may have gone to...
"We can stay in the Mech-walker, there are sleeping bunks and food."
She says
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Arlo's mind keep being drawn back to the black lake, especially with it's new revelations. "Is it me? Or does this lake almost act like a 'front gate' to the Dark Trader's operation? This might be the chance we're looking for to really bring the fight to them, for once!"
To *this* operation. It seems pretty major, but we don't know how major it really is, Terexaltherin responds to Arlo.
He turns his little head towards Bella. Luring that creature into the 'lake' seems perfect for your skillset, Bella. Can you make anything that flies? Something perfectly symmetrical that flies low over the 'lake' might lure it back in.
Azzim was excited by this too but with a note of caution he said, "We've no idea how many of them there are or what their capabilities are. Let's hope we don't get overwhelmed."
After this he spoke to Bella saying, "Have you ever heard of something called a fractal? It's a shape that's self similar, a bit like romanesco broccoli. There's a shape in particular called a skipinski triangle which has a three dimensional version, think of nested pyramids within pyramids. Your artistry with creations is remarkable, do you think you could make something like that? If so I bet it would send that demon crazy."
Bella hears about a recursive triangle, and quietly makes a mini-version, "Like this? Certainly, give me a moment."
She turns to the lake, and with a casual brush of the hand attempts to make the recursive triangle a reality
With a deep breath, she reaches into herself (-1 pool flex into object of force) and attempts to snap it into existence.
to make a fractal triangle, supported by a few small objects of force.
So, Bella creates the fractal triangle and positions it on the opposite edge of the black lake from the cloud - after a bit coaxing and circling, the thing heads out over the lake ... at which point, you can all the horrifying layers within the lake each glow a strange red while the thing freezes. And then like smoke sucked by a vent, it slowing descends into the lake as you avert your eyes or steel your minds...
And at that you all hear a scream and turn to see two young women dressed on traveling gear, collapsed on the ground near the entrance to Black Lake complex - they appear to be more carriers of the Starling...
After this, smoke slowly descents and the lake returns to its sinister normal.
Lyra flies over to the two woman to see how bad they are.
The dwarf paladin waits for his wife to return with any injured or traumatized survivors.
Terexaltherin leaves Lyra and Arlo to handle the Starling carriers for now--he doesn't think his help is needed with the two of them on the job--and instead focuses on the lake. There are three avenues of research he pursues--what plane the Dark Traders went to, how to attune to the 'tubes', and a survey of the sorts of planes 'within' the lake.
Terexaltherin thinks of two other things to research while he's further investigating the dark lake: first, are the planes he can sense in it truly contained within it or are they just linked to through it? Second, what is the relationship between the lake and the crystals the Starling bearers bring back? Are they pieces of the planes within it, or solidified protoplasm from the lake itself?
He also does his best to keep Emoree appraised of what they're doing and why, though the concepts are a bit difficult to explain in images and feelings even with his experience 'speaking' that way.
The dwarf paladin waits for his wife to return with any injured or traumatized survivors.
She take them onto the Mech walker and puts them in bunks before getting out the 1st aid kid and starts work on them.
"Arlo anything you can do to help them?"
Azzim glanced at Arlo and remarked "Maybe I can help them... First we need to figure out what's wrong, although at a guess I'd say that lake or the demon ravaged their minds and I wouldn't be surprised if the radiation fields in the area damaged their bodies."
He inspected their bodies and performed various tests (detect radiation, detect poison, detect magic etc).
Azzim chooses whichever of them looks to be in the worst condition and casts a powerful spell... A blue white flickers across his hands as he gently touches their shoulder, which causes their entire body to glow brightly before fading away.