As the gargoyle flees raise the alarm if her shooting a shotgun round and a cade had not done that already. She raises her Revolver, takes her time, and shoots it in the back of the nee. The join no less.
But it's too fast and her shot hits the cave wall.
With a grumble, from behind Arlo, the familiar figure of the Lurker comes whizing, floating and tumbling past the Gargoyle on Arlo and 30' further near the Gargoyle calling for help. As he passes Arlo and Lady Lyra, he whispers "I know I'm late but I've figured it out. Folks you're do it wrong, we can't fight this group, we gotta get to the room and shut off their power supply before the reinforcements arrive."
The Gargoyle that Lady Lyra fired on retreats a few steps to attempt to guard the passage you think leads to the necromantic chamber, saying "Help is on it's way, make sure they stay for their welcome" he then fires a bolt of black energy at Lady Lyra, hitting touch ACT of 18 and doing 20 points of negative energy damage (which I believe Lady Lyra is immune to). The gargoyle on Arlo hits AC 21, 21 and 24 with claw, bite, claw for 8,5 and 6 points of damage (19 points total).
"Well? Lead the way, dammit!" Arlo barked, taking a full defensive stance before moving out.
The black ray hit her in the chest, she looked down is a dark area grew and the damage was done to her nanite forms there. the ray stopped and as if by magic the area glowed and black area shrank and was gone.
Spell Craft
Kn Dunanering
She looked back at the bat, Lifted her Revolver, and took aim.
Moira keeps her inspiration going and attempts to grapple the gargoyle on Arlo.
The Lurker shoots a black ray at the skin creature in front of him, hitting for a modest 5 points of damage, the skin bat now looking fairly torn up.
The Lurker then tumbles full-speed past the creature and out of sight along the angled corridor. From out of sight, you hear first a curse, a bang-thud, as of something being hit and knocked-down and then another cry of triumph.
The gargoyle thing on the five corridor area shrieks, "not the room" and turns to pursue the lurker and you hear sounds of combat, suggesting the gargoyle connected with an attack on the Lurker at least once. The skin bat that Moira and Arlo have struggling with fruitlessly with gives something of a strangled cry and moves full down the corridor to approximately where the Gargoyle had been.
The skin bat makes it to five corridor area, Torn up but appearing to have lots of fight in it. It's eyes flicker, it's sort of panting and you can see some holes in it's "fabric" (this is the first damage you've done to it, btw).
Lyra goes past the skin back into the room of the half-dead.
Arlo runs to catch up with Lurker, who's the one who only knows where the power room is.
Moira lets her performance end and follows as well.
The sound of one of the creatures tearing into the Lurker from down the passage jolts Spencer into action. They're just constructs, he thinks to himself, they probably don't even feel pain. His eyes narrow as he pinpoints the most vulnerable spot on the nearest skin bat. Then he rushes forward, his sword flicking out in an almost imperceptible blur.
As Lady Lyra and Arlo rush past the skin bat attempting to guard the tunnel entrance, the creature swipes at Lady Lyra, missing. Rounding the corner, the two see the Lurker standing on top of an improvised doorway that he just knocked over (apparently, once Eroth escaped, some effort was made to secure the chamber). The second gargoyle is hovering above the Lurker, taking shots at him and Lady Lyra and Arlo go by, this skin bat takes a savage cut at Lady Lyra, doing 11 points of damage. As you go by, the Lurker says, "good, you'll have to slay or somehow disenchant the unfortunates in the room, I'll try to hold this one off."
In the mean time, Spencer jumps at the first skin bat as it looks to where Lyra and Arlo went. His sword finds the stichs holding the thing together and unravels them. The pieces of skin fall to ground along with the artificial guts, the bat unmoving, destroyed (I believe Spencer regains his two panache points - one for the critical confirm and one for a killing blow).
Finally, Lady Lyra and Arlo arrive in the chamber and see the sight Eroth described; Six nearly skinned but alive humanoids, barely recognizable as humanoids on six of the ten slab tables in the room. As the pair enter, all of the bodies are rigid, in something like a trance, but just at that point, one figure sits up and begins screaming incoherently (what you'd from someone in their condition).
Spencer, outside, where corridors come together, hears more footsteps approaching from one corridor.
The Lurker tumbles back to the entrance to the chamber just behind Lyra and Arlo. "Sorry for the retreat but I think this is the way I'll draw they're fire, go to it". A black then shoots from the Lurker's hand at the skin bat, cut a few more rents in it's fabric (7 points damage).
The remaining skin gargoyle indeed rushes at the Lurker, opening another bleeding wound ( 8 points to the Lurker, looks like he took damage earlier). This, the remaining skin bat, (for now) is quite cut-up too.
Lyra and Arlo, inside the room, can see the prisoners/experiment-victims are in bad shape, the room has a few strange cutting instruments on the walls, three other doors are visible. The room is worked grannite where the outside was a natural cave except for the last corridor.. The room strongly smells of iron (ie blood) and guts. Ordinary humans might break down at the sight of this but you aren't that. There is what might be a bit of burnt herbs on the ground. Looking closer you can see runes cut into the victims.
Arlo witness the inhumane conditions of the jail and the prisoners and growls, "EVIL!"
The dwarf moves to the entrance of the cell block. "We either kill them all as a mercy, or everyone escapes. I'll guard the entrance, and kill every evil motherfu<ker who comes!!"
When Lyra she does not flinch or react, but the odd thing is the 'blood' the comes from the wound is iridescent blue. She moves, as the one that sits up scream she moves to it and placing her revolver to its temple. Mercy kills the human.
Moira attempts to identify the burnt herbs on the ground.
Quick, close examination of the patterns of the herbs and the pattern of the cuts on the bodies let's Moira know which of the parallyzed bodies corresponds to the skin bat that's scream at you at the entrance to the room.
The now-impatient Lurker jumps behind as Arlo steps up to guard the entrance way.
Pointing at the skin bat with one hand and the remaining bodies with the other hand, he says "which one is he?". Assuming Moira tells him, he dispatches the unfortunate with a black ray and the remaining skin bat falls to pieces.
The three other doors in the room reveal small utility closets.
One is filled with a collection of Necromantic herbs, ingredients the spell caster readily identify but which a bit of thought will reveal to be the product of "off world" plants and shrubs.
One is filled with various scrolls and books.
One is filled with complex cutting and sewing tools and several jugs of dark alchemical liquids.
Lyra helps end the suffering of the last few unfortunates.
Then while the others looked around she reloaded her weapons and checked herself. She was damaged, she found a deep cut and black burn mark. She stood still and looked ahead. The odd designs on skin began to shine again. Then her wounds began to repair themselves. As her nineties worked to fix the damage to both herself and clothing.
Soon she was as good as new. Soon as she was she stood guard while the others looked over the room.
With every shot from Lady Lyra's pistol, Arlo grimaced. Not from the resounding sound they made, but from the ending of a life Arlo was not able to save. Too late to save lives. Am I to always be the ineffective defender. Oh, Moradin!! Why do you keep me alive, only to suffer!?
The group spends the next two hours searching the cavern system used by the Skin bats and whoever controlled them (likely the Dark Traders). Nothing attacks you.
The caverns are extensive and you believe you succeed in narrowing your search to the areas the skin bats actually used (but a return visit might be in order). The drop-off cavern is a ways further and you look at it but by itself it doesn't yield clues.
Only three caverns are used for constructive purpose (other cavern areas littered with refuse and dead animals - the skin bats seemed to hunt but not eat?).
You find another worked chamber, barely complete with six much larger slabs in it and stone working tool still laying on the ground.
You find a natural chamber with a smoother, egg-like stone in the center with a one-foot crack in it. The inside of the egg is like a geode, filled with glowing, electric blue crystals. Spencer recognizes this as "way stone" of the Dark Traders. Planted eons ago to allow entrance to them now. Spencer or whoever has the highest spell craft can attempt to disable it. (DC 25 spellcraft to permanently/indefinitely disable, otherwise it is 1-2 weeks, DON'T BOTCH).
Finally, you find a cavern in which two unconscious/drugged captives are held; a young human woman and a large male half-orc. It takes magic or a DC 25 heal check to wake them but they can be transporter unconscious back to town.
After the last shot, she walks over to Arlo.
"I know I don't feel like organics do, but I do feel sorrow for such lives destroyed Arlo, just as I know you do. We shall find the ones who did this and bring justice to them"
She placed her hand on his shoulder.
"You a good guy Arlo"
Then later when they find the egg. Lyra looks at the egg-like device with Spencer's, they talk and then move to turn it off.
Placing her hand on it, a stream of her nanites invades the thing. Then with directions from spencer, they are able to deactivate it safely so it can be removed.
Moira lets the Android finish off the cult's victims - her revolver did the job much more cleanly than Moira's hands would be able to. "We need to find a way to sever their connection to the skin-gargoyles that doesn't involve killing them. Destroying lives for the sake of expediency doesn't sit well with me when there's even a chance they could be restored to good health. Would that I had the magic to do so myself."
She helps out exploring the caverns and will use lay on hands to help heal up the captives.
Once they're back to their hideout, Moira approaches Shadow about arranging to have the caskets taken off-plane. "These beings have been tortured for an eternity through no fault of their own, they don't deserve this fate. If we can restore them, give them a place and time to heal and to cope, they could yet do some good. There are corners of the First World where they'd have all the time they need, and their chance to do any real damage would be minimal if things go wrong. What do you think"
Placing her hand on it, a stream of her nanites invades the thing. Then with directions from spencer, they are able to deactivate it safely so it can be removed.
You are able to deactivate, render it unable to be used indefinitely. HOWEVER, moving it or destroying it is beyond the skill of any of you. A highly skilled magic user might be able reactivate it given a sufficiently powerful ritual. You essentially discover this during the process of deactivation.
It is not unusual for a given plane to have "structural weaknesses" that can only be permanently fixed by mythically specified rituals.
The party makes it into town just before dawn. You deposit Eroth and the two unconscious (but healed) captives with Aria and those who are too exhausted to go home crash in private rooms at the Inn.
Some part of the next few days are spent recuperating and helping Shadow set up the temporary resting area for the cases. Still, after a day or two, it's back to routine for the group.
Aria suggests Lady Lyra and others spend some time trying to blunt the rumors about the fight by the wall that are already starting to slowly circulate. (In fact, a line five deep is at the door of Lady Lyra's newspaper that morning).
When Moira describes her plan to take the cases to first world to Shadow. He furrows his brows; "This level of magic is beyond me. Still, these immortals could be at the heart of the weakness of the this and healing them may be a step that could allow this world to heal. I suggest you research the names and natures of these beings. So far our knowledge is sketchy indeed, just 'six immortals, shredded'".
Otherwise, rumors of the "snatch squad" cease after a few days. Markus Kells sails out of the harbor the next day unless someone stop him (one more interrogation is possible).
In other news, Arlo hears a new rumor at the his club; A strange dancing master is holding rehearsals in a deserted temple - he has strange tastes in his dancers and demands movements that seem awkward and unbeautiful. He pays quite well and seems to be seeking a specific group of performers. Arlo sees a couple of the recruited dancers occasionally.
The Lurker describes scouring the docks at night for remaining skin bats or skin rats but he finds nothing.
A. Gain access to the Demoivees' library (see above). [Diplomacy, Stealth]
B. Investigate the strange "dancing master" [Diplomacy, Stealth]
C. A rumor that reaches Lady Lyra Anna: Travelers on the steep, winding road to Selium are occasionally encountering the ghostly figure of beautiful women (or maybe elf or celestial?). She sometimes cries "Free me, oh free me please. Who will be my champion?" before vanishing, pulled away. [survival, Knowledge arcana, Knowledge nobability]
D. One of the city's famous workshop, the shop of smith Mandor Pindaros, has produced an amazing devise. It is iron table with a variety of clockwork below it. There a glowing blue crystal in a cup above the table. When a person concentrates on the crystal, it floats up, moving according to thoughts of whoever concentrates on the device. [Diplomacy, Knowledge Engineering]
(earlier potentiall capter, still around)
E. Someone apparently is still digging up caskets from the Anachrion Graveyard (from older society - maybe 500 years or more old). It seems to happen on Wednesdays. Some of Teddy Blackfoot’s buddies have actually hired on to the gig at times and they say hooded, hidden figures direct them to carry to the old casket to an area of wood not far from where the party entered the plane. The hooded figure leave strange lumps of gold in payment. [difficulty 3, Survival, stealth, knowledge arcana]
F. A couple of villagers (a man and a woman) from a small village to the north of Ovium come into the office of the Gazeta. They tell the story of a beast that came to their village a couple weeks ago. It was strange and misshapen, like a very large sloth or possum but scratched at villagers doors, offering gold and favors if they accompanied into the woods. It no longer comes to people doors but they believe some other villages may have made a pact with it. [survival, knowledge nature, knowledge history].
Lady Lyra spins the fight once the odd black ship has left. An eyewitness who was there states that dark mages came on the mysterious black ship and sort to capture some magical bat-like creatures [could they be vampires?] who had been lurking around the broken city wall. With boxes and carts, they did just that, with magics and powers unknown. Then Talking what they had collected back onto their ship and left just as msyterulily has they had come.
During a recent day off, Arlo spent the better part of it hiding in bushes and the tree line along the road to Selium looking for evidence of the mysterious ghostly ladies. The paladin believes them to be evil outsiders, despite no evidence.
Three days after returning to Ovium, Arlo spends his day off searching the winding, hilly road to Selium. During that time, he does not see the ghostly Ladies. However, while investigating near the road, he overhears a group of nobles describing an encounter with the figures, who seem to repeat similar lines "free me". Moreover, a glance at the group reveals that one of the travelers is Lord Ghent, an occasional patron of the Gamora Club.
One thing Arlo does find is black stone rectangle, seemingly a door or a carving meant to resemble a door, set in a gray slate face maybe 100 yards from the road. Digging and investigating shows Arlo that the road Selium or an older road, once lead past this door - most likely hundreds of years ago or longer. But the only clue concerning the door is a mysterious sigil set in the black rectangle where a handle might be. The structure smell of some old magic. One of the group's magic experts might be able to figure it out.
Arlo growls at himself, knowing what he has to do, and hating it regardless. The bouncer does his best to make himself look presentable, then walks up to the group of nobles.
"Good day, Lord Ghent", Arlo tried to sound pleasant and friendly, both things that are out of Arlo's element. "I couldn't help but overhear your had an encounter with the mysterious spirits. I'm helping to investigate for the Gamora Club. Can you tell me anything else about the seemingly elven spirits?"
Once back and things in order, the paper running its story of the events as cover. Lady Lyra relaxed a little. The good news was that with the recent events the papers and gazette sales were up. Meetings with the two dwarf brothers and sorting out the better distribution. By allowing local show owners to buy the paper at a discount, and sell themselves at full price. Letting them keep the difference. Also sending the papers out on couches for distribution to local towns and other cities.
Then she spent a few days alone, heading out to the countryside and finding a small inn to stay in. She needed some alone time. The attack and killing human victims needed to be prossesed. She went for long walks and talked to locals.
Once that was all done she went over the information coming in and added to her files. Coming across the story of the ghost lady which she told the other about. And also the troy of one of the city's famous workshops. Owned and run by smith Mandor Pindaros. which had produced an amazing device. An iron table with a variety of clockwork below it. With a glowing blue crystal in a cup above the table. When a person concentrates on the crystal, it would float up, moving according to thoughts of whoever concentrates on the device.
She decided that she would pay smith Mandor Pindaros a visit to see this device but also to get some more ammunition made.
Also, four days after the skin bat affair, Bethia (who guided you to the plane to begin with) contacts all the characters mentally: "the planar flows will soon be aligned for us to have an extended mental contact. I will contact you tomorrow and you can give me an outline of what you have learned and done so far. Also let me know if any magical or technological tools would be helpful." (You may request a device of up to 4000 gp value, let her know why it might help)
When Arlo approaches Lord Ghent, he's a bit startled and nonplussed. "Why Arlo, small world, you must be on the road to Selium while we were just returning. It's good you're investigating those strange presences, travelers really shouldn't have to deal with such things and heavens knows we were mortified. That voice was quite disquieting" (speaks under his breath) "Reminded me of her - how could they treat her that way", now speaks again out loud. "Well, we must be going. I am sure I will see you at the club. Keep up the investigation.". and then they hustle off.
Lady Lyra arranges to get meet with Mandor Pindaros, who is friendly but slightly nervous. He tells her ruefully that he no longer works on any projects besides his machinery but he is excited to have her watch an upcoming demonstration of his remarkable new machine, which will be in two days.
When Lady Lyra arrives, the front area of the large workshop is filled to overflowing. The machine works approximately as advertised, different people taking turns at moving the gem around in the air. You notice that all of the those try the mind gem seem slightly woozy and disoriented afterwards but then recover.
Mandor demonstrates the machine for half an hour, working with an assistant who describes as an "investor", Lord Peter Ghent. With such a packed roomed, Lady Lyra never gets close enough to try the machine herself but she does get inside the device - it's remarkable; it has not just gears and air pressure conduits but a series of something like aether tubes and other devices she recognizes as coming from advanced magical-technological fusions. Clearly a red flag indicating extra-planar interference. But what exactly does it mean? Once the demonstration is over, Mandor quickly disperses the crowd and closes his workshop.
When Lady Lyra heads to the next meeting at the Inn, she tells them about the item and the "investor", Lord Peter Ghent.
Let's say it's couple days before everyone puts in their reports to Bethia.
Shadow and Aria have heard of the adventure with the skin bats and have been consulting with the organization about it. The two "inn keepers" listen to the further story of the ghostly figure, the strange contraptions and Lord Peter Ghent.
Aria speaks:
"It seems likely that you cut off one part of the dark traders networks when you sealed the stone egg and it seems just as likely that a different part of this network is behind this 'wondrous invention'. It could crucial to trace this back all the way to the Dark Trader who helped create this but it also might be important to stop demonstrations before they get out of hand - you said the item seemed to affect the people watching, Lady? I will scan the city's psychic energy. Still, my agents tell me Master Pindaros will be holding his next "demonstration" in ten days, so this gives us some time.
Arlo, you say Lord Ghent comes to your club often? The next time he appears, perhaps you could find Lady Lyra and she could claim to be represent an investor in his enterprise? In ways, it would be close to the truth. We could arrange the any currency needed. How does that sound, Lady Lyra? The plan will depend on Lord Ghent appearing. If all else fails, send our sneaks to the house of Pindaros but that's last resort.
But first, simplest thing to investigate is your black door (still speaking to Arlo). That we can visit visit tomorrow. Will you guide us?
"
Moira gets up early, heading to Gralloday Park to do perform her daily rituals to Magdh and to catch Hernard Demoivee on his morning constitutional. Eventually catching sight of the old man muttering to pigeons, she calls out to him. "Most dismiss the wisdom of the beasts of the land and sky. Tell me, Grandfather, what do they have to say today?"
Over the course of the morning, she tries to both make a friend of the old man, gauge his sanity, and get herself an invitation to tea.
"But first, simplest thing to investigate is your black door (still speaking to Arlo). That we can visit visit tomorrow. Will you guide us?
"
Arlo nods. "After noon." Once the meeting is adjourned, the dwarf makes a equipment replenishment request for his two spent potions of cure moderate wounds, another request for a holy avenger dwarven waraxe, and a climbing kit.
Despite heading out just after noon, some of the morning fog still lingered. The journey to The Black took nearly an hour. Once there, Arlo is quick to show the arcane expert the sigil on the 'door'.
Lady Lyra agrees to approach Lord Ghent in ten days when the next demonstration has been arranged. In the days waiting for this, she does some research into Lord Ghent.
Moira gets up early, heading to Gralloday Park to do perform her daily rituals to Magdh and to catch Hernard Demoivee on his morning constitutional. Eventually catching sight of the old man muttering to pigeons, she calls out to him. "Most dismiss the wisdom of the beasts of the land and sky. Tell me, Grandfather, what do they have to say today?"
Over the course of the morning, she tries to both make a friend of the old man, gauge his sanity, and get herself an invitation to tea.
The old man seems sane through a bit irascible and inclined to talk of unusual mythical ideas and forces. IE He's sane if it can believed that the pigeon really do speak intelligibly to him. Still, if she suspends disbelief a bit, Moira can get the impression that he is having a conversation with fully intelligent creatures; indeed creatures who brings interesting if odd observations.
The old man seems to appreciate Moira's charm and good manners but to also sense her skepticism. In reply to her comment he says "Ay, the 'wisdom' of most beasts might well be dismissed. Rorary here knows a few things - that is if you can past his sophistry and double talk." The pigeon makes a peep that sounds almost insulted. "That's right Rorary, just the other day claimed there are were six gates to the world but I well know there are only four. Two more are opening? Get out of here.". Hernand turns to Moira: "The vaunted wisdom? Well, I'm not sure...but humans also might well be dismissed, for the most part...
So, over the course of a couple mornings, Moira is able to observe more conversations, many of them around mythical and theological questions but occasionally around things the pigeons apparently observe flying about the city and even nearby sea.
Hernand is quite willing to invite Moira for tea but chooses a date 12 days hence - saying that this is closest day that is Astrologically propitious. Also, he says, "Now, I can sense a seeker of my wisdom, which is fine and noble. But for this wisdom, the principle of balance requires I ask something in return. I have an old clock, broken eons ago. You seem like you may a type able to fix such things. Come prepared to do that and then we will talk. You may bring assistants if you require such.