"Seems like they might've gotten the wyrwoods elsewhere then, and then started tinkering with 'em..."
Tally just shrugs, knowing that there is no way they are going to know until they've explored more.
"This pace is odd, isn't it? Let's see if any of this paperwork gives us a clue."
Tally dives into exploration mode and starts poking through things.
The books here are of personal interest to the scriveners (histories, poetry, and some collections on dice and card games).
Donovan knows he would just be in the way with the paperwork and watches the doors
None of which interest Tally. Before long he is ready to move on. He opens the door to the west and if nothing attacks him, the one to the north, and takes a quick look.
This kitchen contains a wood-burning stove, a sink, and a small pantry with shelves holding dried foodstuffs. Tidy but dusty, this room hasn’t been used in some time. A door leads east and another to the north.
do not enter and check the north door from the original room.
A round table dominates the north end of this large room, with many mismatched wooden chairs around it. Stacks of handwritten notes, books, and dice in various denominations litter the stained wood. More than a dozen doors exit from this room, most of them identical, narrow wooden doors to the north and east. Four wyrwood clerks who have no lower limbs on their arms rise up to attack with what is left of their arms.
Round 1
Tally 35/35, Walhart 36/36 (1 cp), Etgar 25/25 (2 cp), Don35/35
Etgar, green ✔
Don, Tally,
Blue
Walhart
Red, Yellow
No stranger to tactics, Tally knows it is better to be on the defensive protected by walls than rush into a group of defenders. So Tally steps back after he casts a Pale Flame spell and hurls it at the leading opponent (green).
; +4 damage if these are considered plants.
"More of those cobbled creatures in here guys."
Etgar moves and prepares a readied action. "There is no need for you die here now. We are not your enemies at this time. Stand down."
Green moves forward ready slam the intruders.
Tally greets him with fire. The construct is burned badly.
Etgar, green
Don, Tally, ✔
Blue
Walhart
Red, Yellow
with a sign Donovan moves forward and swings his hammer at the nearest foe.
"If you are alive, please stop fighting"
Blue moves to Don and slams a partial limb at him. "We must prove our loyalty to regain our hands."
Etgar, green
Don, Tally
Blue
Walhart ✔
Red, Yellow
Walhart, caught unaware, moves to the others and takes a moment to observe the wyrwood.
"They took your hands from you?"
Red replies to Walhart "They tooks them and give them to more loyal scriveners. They kill all the others but us." Red and yellow move into the fight.
Round 2
Tally 32/35, Walhart 36/36 (1 cp), Etgar 25/25 (2 cp), Don32/35
Etgar, green ✔
Don, Tally
Blue
Walhart
Red, Yellow
Etgar moves into position and pokes his spear at Red.
Green slams at Don.
Etgar, green
Don, Tally ✔
Blue
Walhart
Red, Yellow
"Well, instead of fighting us you could just reclaim your arms from the guys we just took out in the room behind us."
In spite of his words, Tally has no expectation that these guys will actually quit so he moves up and half-heartedly tries to scorch one of them.
; +4 damage if these are considered plants.
Red replies to Tally "You has our arms and hands?"
Don turns and brings his hammer to bear on the red creature.
Don destroys the construct.
Blue slams his partial limb at Donovan and takes a five foot step.
Etgar, green
Don, Tally
Blue
Walhart ✔
Yellow
"Sure look like they could be yours. But at this point I don't think this is going to end well for you."
Walhart moves into the room with the rest.
"If we want to keep them alive, we could bring them into the room with the scriveners, and let them take their arms back. I reckon it might be better to have allies rather than enemies."
Though hoping for a peaceful solution, he's not above attacking those that are attacking his fellows.
yellow says "Make up your minds. You talk of peace while you fight. What is this? He moves to a more tactical location.
Round 3
Tally 32/35, Walhart 36/36 (1 cp), Etgar 25/25 (2 cp), Don 32/35
green
Etgar (holding)
Don, Tally ✔
Blue
Walhart
Yellow
Etgar holds his action. Green slams at Donovan.
Tally will move back and wave the armless ones past him into the room.
"Up to you."
If one of the PCs tries to attack, Tally will intervene and try to stop them.
The wyrwoods scurry into the next room to find their missing limbs. You hear a scream and then one of them says "Ahhhhhrrrrrrgggg!!!! We cannot get them with no hands. You there! Help us we and we help you."
Donovan raises his hands and steps back.
A slight smile forms on Tally's face as he reaches for an arm and begins to detach it from the previous owner.
"Now, who's is this one? Is there any trick to detaching and attaching these?"
The two pairs of extra hands on each scrivener are obviously attached recently and clumsily. They can be removed with a DC 18 Disable Device or Knowledge (engineering) check. That check will also allow you to attach them to their rightful owners.
Walhart turns to Etgar. "Seems like you'd be best suited to try this one, boy."
Etgar nods at Walhart. He begins to study the limbs of these constructs.
"There!" Etgar begins removing the forearms and replacing them on their true owners.
When the repairs are complete the wyrwoods, true to their word, help you in return. The clerks describe the regime changes, including Mrs. Pedipalp’s control of Salighara’s Dream Gate (which they have heard about, but never seen), and Colulus terrorizing everyone else. They bod you good luck and farewell before leaving the scriptorium.
Walhart gives the wyrwoods a quick prayer for safe travels.
"If these figures are any indication," Walhart mutters to the party, "Pedipalp and Colulus' influence over the other denizens here is one of force and coercion, rather than one of loyalty. Perhaps we can convince any other people here to lay down arms as well."
"We can hope. Though I am becoming increasingly certain that these are bad folks and need to be dealt with in any case."
After a long search of the rooms they uncovered, Tally heads for the corridor and starts making his way onward, assumedly with the others.
A monstrous contraption of wooden beams and steel plates occupies the east side of this noticeably chilly room. Narrow shelves hold containers of ink, sheets of paper, and boxes with small metal cubes, each cube bearing a single letter. A hall leads out of this room to the north, and a door opens to the west.
Tally heads down the hall after the exploration is done.
Donovan looks at the contraption, following Tally when they move from th eroom.
Don and Tally get a feeling of dread as the contraption exudes an undefined malevolence.
Feel free to roll those dice for yourselves if you so desire.
"I say we just burn the thing. It gives me the creeps."
I think the contraption is in the room we moved to, not the room we moved from.
We are now in the same room. The contraption is visible on the map.
"What thing would that be?" Walhart asks as he follows them, and takes a look for himself.
The contraption appears to be a printing machine of some sort. Walhart notices the letters in the printing press rearrange to spell “Come Closer”.
Etgar becomes suspicious.
"It does not appear trapped from here, but I doubt getting closer is a good idea."
"Fine with me."
Hugging the wall Tally makes for the western door, not interested in examining a spooky machine in a house of nightmares that wants you to come closer. Nope. Uh, uh.
"I'm inclined to agree." Walhart follows Tally further.
As the party moves through the room the contraption's platen opens and closes like a maw.
Walhart, need a will save DC 17 or
You are compelled to hold out your hands into the gnashing platen, which deals 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage and 1d4 points of Dexterity damage
"On second thought, what's the harm, really...?" he says, and he slowly approaches the machine, hands outstretched towards it.
Taly will try to grab him and pull him away.
"Ooooohhh no you don't!"
The reposition attempt will be successful if you are fast enough.
Nice try Tally. Sorry about that :-)
Each of you may attempt a DC 12 Linguistics check (int based you do not need to be trained) to evaluate the patterns of letters in the printing press. If you succeed you earns 1 Clarity Point.
Etgar studies the lettering.
Please do, sir.