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Shocca sits down at the computer, setting down a rubber ducky down on the top of the monitor. "Alright, Buster, let's crack this code." The ikeshti starts typing away.
Hitting an error, she curses and looks over at the duck. "You're right, Buster, forgot the semi-colon."
She picks up the ducky stares it in the eye fervently, then smashes it against the screen. "Bad Buster! BAD!"
Ajithu looks over Shocca's shoulder, attempting to follow along and appear knowledgeable.
Oh, is the trouble that they didn't leave enough tests behind?
What Shocca finds as she starts working is that the system here has been badly scrambled, and not in a completely random fashion. It takes her some time to restructure the file system enough to dive into the contents, and over the course of her work she gets the sense that the system damage is from no random weather effect. In fact, it seems as though a computer virus of some kind has run through the system to reorganize it. The loggerbots are likely infected with the same virus. The strangest part is that she can't find the virus itself - only its effects. Either it has already removed itself from this computer, or its so advanced as to be effectively invisible to her exploration.
Shocca finds that she's able to override the automatic loggerbot control from here, if she wishes, to put the bots into a fully dormant state - rather than the "zombie" mode they're currently stuck in.
Shocca turns off the bots entirely, looking over at the team. "I suppose we don't want to fight the theme park attractions on our rescue mission, yes?" She turns to the rest of the group and explains the virus. "Some sort of self-replicating worm that hides it's own trail. Very dangerous, very advanced. Don't plug any drives you find on the ground into your datapads."
Very odd. With the lumberjane bots deactivated, I don't suppose we need to worry about the virus for now. Is it still early enough to inspect the ruins just to the East of here?
Ajithu looks out of the nearest window to check on the strength of the storm and available daylight.
With the loggerbots deactivated, you're able to take a rest in peace and quiet within one of the finished cabins. Outside the window, the snow and winds continue to whirl unabated. It seems there's no end to the storm for now. At least not until you can come to the root of what is causing it. As for daylight, there's still plenty of it - or at least, what passes for daylight under the heavy cloud cover.
After you rest, you bundle yourselves back up and head for the exposed section of ancient ruin. Up close to the excavation, the nautilus-like undulations of the exposed metal shell in the pit shimmer in the light from your flashlights. For some reason, snow isn't accumulating on the metal. You notice that the violet metal shell of the ancient structure has a narrow opening on the northern side. Though the opening, a spiral walkway descends into the structure in a steep, tight coil. However, a translucent field of shimmering energy covers the opening of the structure, blocking access to the inside. There's no obvious control pad for controlling the field or machinery that might be generating it.
Ah, I think I might be able to suppress this force field and gain entry.
He raises a hand at the end of his gaunt limb and begins tracing shapes in the air towards the shimmery barrier.
Ajithu's magic barely causes a ripple in the barrier.
Shocca examines the field then looks over at Ajithu. "Think you can dispel it? If not, we can always break through." She points at the weak points in the structure. "Apply force here, here, and here. Wouldn't be quiet though. Might alert whatever force took the first team."
Ajithu sighs and shunts mystical force towards the barrier again. This time he has a clarity as if his mind really got a running start, or to "wind up" before the "throw."
The barrier ripples, bows outward, and then dissolves into loose motes of energy. The narrow staircase winding down into the ancient ruin is now accessible.
Shocca nods in respect to Ajithu as the barrier drops. "Impressive." Before heading down, she walks around Arc and looks him up and down. "Looks like nothing permanent. If you ever start bleeding, let me know. I've got all sorts of tricks in my bag." She spends a few minutes setting her Camouflage Membrane to the look of the underground ruins. The ikeshti runs through a mental checklist, patting both weapons and her radiation badge to check that they're working before moving down. "You first, big guy."
Once you're ready, you head on in. The stairs weave tightly, claustrophobically, spiraling down at a steep angle as they descend into the earth. You descend almost two hundred feet before the staircase starts to widen and gradually transition into a winding metal ramp. The ramp descends into a circular room surrounding a transparent, cylindrical chamber filled with a blue, plasma-like substance. A hinged panel built into the central tube bears a block of holographic pictograms. The walls encircling the area are mottled red and purple with brown, scabby patches festering at random intervals around the chamber. This material is reinforced with panels of glossy metal. Arcane symbols inscribed on these panels glow and gradually fade before appearing elsewhere around the room. The only obvious exit from this room is a sealed circular aperture to the west. There's no sign of the missing explorers.
Arc definitely gets the sense that it isn't kishalee architecture - but it doesn't look entirely unfamiliar. In fact, it reminds him a little of the architecture found within the Drift Rock he came across years prior.
The cylindrical chamber is 25 feet tall and about 10 feet in diameter, is transparent and has a hinged door. The chamber visibly contains a misty, plasma-like substance that billows through the space. The hinged door into the cylinder doesn't appear to be locked, though it has a heavy duty handle that seals the aperture well.
The door to the west appears to have some kind of advanced technological lock, of a kind you have not seen in the Pact Worlds. It lacks any keypad or obvious scanning equipment. The lights on it suggest that it is functioning.
Ajithu approaches the arcane glyphs.
Well, this is a most curious arrangement. I wonder what these mean.
He types some queries on his data pad for extra info.
Eying the heavy hinged door warily, Shocca walks around the cylinder. "This cylinder feels like a 'Curiosity killed the Cloud Ray' sort of situation... Not sure we should touch it. Though it is tempting..." She looks at the pictograms with interest. "Some sort of language, perhaps?" She holsters her rifle and pulls out her pocket linguist to compare the text to known writing from other cultures.
Careful not to touch the walls of the chamber, she peers in at the plasma to see if it reminds her of any other substances she's encountered on her journeys. "Reminds me of the lava plumes I encountered in the Diaspora while searching for a gnat with supposedly miraculous regenerative properties..."
A researcher at heart, Shocca is quite interested in the new materials within the room. She barely spares a glance for the technological lock. "That's new. Shouldn't need smashing, I bet I can hack it."
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Arcalinte nods at Shocca's assesment, looking to see if he can recognize any of the symbols from his studies.
"There's similarities between this structure and the Drift Rock...the Drift Rock wasn't Kishalee in construction though...it was made by whoever the Kishalee were opposing when they stole the Stellar Degenerator and locked it behind the Gate of Twelve Suns."
To Achlyss' eyes, the western door doesn't appear to by magical or mystical in nature. More likely, it has some exotic technological means of unlocking itself. You note a small panel set in the door, almost perfectly flush with the rest of it. It seems you might be able to pry it open and fiddle with the door's technological logic.
The strange glyphs drawn upon the plasma chamber don't look necessarily magical to Ajithu or Arc, but they do look like some kind of language - though none you recognize off the top of your head. Meanwhile, Shocca is able to decipher the meaning by indexing it both using context and in comparison to ancient kishalee text. The plasma chamber is marked something like "Quantum Transporter Tube", though the specifics might be a little off. The plasma itself seems quite volatile and registers as magical. It doesn't seem like it would be immediately injurious to touch it, but there's no telling what exact properties it has.
"Quantum transporter tube... keep an eye on our backs." She points out the similarity to ancient kishalee to Arc. "Hopefully there aren't angry spear-wielding denizens of this planet as well." She takes another long look at the cylinder before shrugging. "This demands further study, but we have more important concerns at the moment." She wanders over to the lock and pulls out her datapad. "Curious, it locked behind the last group." Once everyone is ready, she works to unlock the mechanism.
The ikeshti curses at the error message and breaks out her thieves tools. "Gotta get in the old fashioned way." She comments off-handedly as she works. "Fun fact, these are very handy at helping Abadarcorp employees if they lock themselves out of their bulldozers before trampling over a haven for endangered native species."
Shocca flips open the door panel and touches her hacking instruments to the underlying metal contacts. A moment after she does, iridescent dots light up all over the room and the red beams of some kind of scanner project out in a tight web. The beams flick over each of you in seconds.
넥서스가 손상되었습니다. 검역 절차를 시작합니다. 몇 초 만에 살균.
The computerized voice sounds like an unrythmic series of guttural growls and glottal stops. It seems to come from all around you. The scanner beams halt and begin vibrating.
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Shocca
Arc
Ajithu
Achlyss
Shocca laughs nervously. "Uh... I think I hit the wrong button." Her eyes widen at the red beams. "Y'all ever encountered an eoxian anti-life trap? Cause... they itch real bad." She pulls out her rifle and takes a few steps back from the door. "Uh, Achlyss? Maybe whisper a few prayers to Abadar for me. Tell him I'm sorry. Well, sorta."
Um, do you know what the "right" button was?
Ajithu swings his ultracold ice carbine down off of his back with his scrawny arms and delicate hands. He looks all about him awaiting the appearance of some creature.
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Shocca laughs nervously. "Uh... I think I hit the wrong button." Her eyes widen at the red beams. "Y'all ever encountered an eoxian anti-life trap? Cause... they itch real bad." She pulls out her rifle and takes a few steps back from the door. "Uh, Achlyss? Maybe whisper a few prayers to Abadar for me. Tell him I'm sorry. Well, sorta."
Arcalinte nods as he readies his own sword.
"Nearly got taken out by one while infiltrating the Empire of Bones. I'll pray to Sarenrae for you as well...your apology will definitely be accepted. The Dawn Brings New Light."
He looks around to see what might be emerging to confront them.
You all manage to shield yourselves well enough to avoid being instantly vaporized, but Arc and Ajithu suffer considerable injury while Shocca and Achlyss end up less badly hurt . The beams fade, leaving glowing afterimages. The beads of light on the walls all over the room however remain glowing... it seems the defensive system might fire again if you're not fast enough to clear out or deal with it!
|||| INIT ||||
Shocca (36 dmg)
Arc (81 dmg)
Ajithu (81 dmg)
Achlyss (21 dmg)
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Achlyss no longer felt much pain given his undead state, but he could tell his flesh was being eaten away. Arc and Ajithu looked much worse.
"If we fall back, don't we still have to go through this room?!" the vanguard yells back.
He reaches out with his hand and smashes at the door with entropic energy, but then prepares to move back with Arc.
Shocca squeezes her eyes shut as the purple lights pass over her. She peeks, then smiles as her armor is only partially rotted away. Her head moves on a swivel between Arc and the door. "Uh... nobody be a hero. Get out! I'll be... right behind you." She runs back to the technological lock, hoping that unlocking it will turn off the trap. That's how it works on my home alarm system...
Ahh! I'm melting! What a world!
Ajithu tries to rush through the door to the west.
Achlyss' entropically-infused blow lands with a tremendous impact, but only slightly indents the surface of the door. Thanks to his power, he's able to damage the ancient alien construction. However, it looks like it would take many such focused strikes to significantly warp or break through the door.
Shocca gets back in to the western door and quickly attempts to bypass the door's barely comprehensible locking system. This time around, she's hit with a sudden burst of insight, recognizing that the door works on the principle of sampling DNA from anyone or anything that touches it or even stands in proximity. She selectively melts sections of the access panel to bypass the genetic scan, then delivers a small pulse of electricity to cycle the door. It smoothly slides aside!
Beyond the door stands a fairly narrow curving hallway that encircles the entire entry room. Three doors in the hallway lead out and away from the central chamber.
Even after the western door is open, the beads of light in the central chamber continue to glow. It seems the trap continues to function. However, the beads don't continue on into the curving hallway, suggesting that the trap's reach is limited.
That.... hurt... I think we could use a rest before picking one of these doors.
After they're done resting Ajithu attempts to detect magic past each door.
Shocca sighs in relief as the group gets to safety. "I'm not hurting too bad, but it could be good to check on my reagent supply." After spending ten minutes cross-legged on the ground with her tail curled up in front of her, tinkering on the mechanical ring suctioned to it, the ikeshti stands again. "Sounds good, Achlyss. But, uh, you first darlin'." She smiles, chipper.
Once you're done resting , you briefly check the three doors. None of the three doors are labeled, and all three register to Ajithu's senses as magical. It seems the walls and doors here are magically reinforced in addition to being made of some kind of advanced material.
You try the door next to Achlyss but find it doesn't budge. You notice the same subtle panel set into it - another genetic lock. It seems like the other two doors are similarly secured.
Shocca shrugs. "Seems like this dungeon has a case of racist doors." She starts typing away at the lock. "The creators of this bunker must have been from a mono-racial society. Very different from the Pact Worlds or the Veskarium."
While you were resting, the door to the entrance chamber cycled closed. An attempt to open it revealed that the lock had managed to repair itself.
Shocca works for a moment on the door, finding little success at recreating her solution from last time. Luckily, these inner doors don't seem to be equipped with the same defensive technology as the one in the entrance chamber. Shocca is able to take some additional time, patiently attempting to bypass different contacts until suddenly you hear the slight buzz of static and the door cycles open. Her impression is that the protections on this door are less secure than the entryway.
Rows of floor-to-ceiling metal shelves crowd the northern half of this oblong chamber. Packets of ammunition, deconstructed weapons, armor components, and computer parts are crammed onto the shelves. Metal crates labeled in indecipherable symbols and various discarded pieces of strange equipment form mountainous jumbled piles to the south. A sleek, metallic desk faces the southwestern wall, a sole bastion of tidiness in the haphazardly stocked warehouse. The desk’s multitiered surface supports a computer surrounded by neatly stacked data chip cases.
Shocca flinches at each failure, ready for the lasers to come back. Not feeling the burn, she keeps at it and smiles when the lock finally clicks open. "Nothing to see here, folks. Just a little bit stubborn." She jumps into the room, checking out the area.
She goes to the shelves first, picking through the foreign tech for anything interesting.
Then the ikeshti pulls out her tools and begins translating the writing on the crates.
And only afterwards does she search the remainder of the room for items of note.
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Shocca shrugs. "Seems like this dungeon has a case of racist doors." She starts typing away at the lock. "The creators of this bunker must have been from a mono-racial society. Very different from the Pact Worlds or the Veskarium."
"Given what little I've learned of the Sivv, which admittedly has a very strong bias given it was filtered through the lens of their Kishalee enemies, that's an accurate assessment," Arcalinte comments with a grimace. "Remember, this was an empire that thought the destruction of their enemy's stars was an acceptable war tactic. Or would have been, had the Kishalee not stolen and sealed away the weapon they built for that purpose."
Shocca works for a moment on the door, finding little success at recreating her solution from last time. Luckily, these inner doors don't seem to be equipped with the same defensive technology as the one in the entrance chamber. Shocca is able to take some additional time, patiently attempting to bypass different contacts until suddenly you hear the slight buzz of static and the door cycles open. Her impression is that the protections on this door are less secure than the entryway.
Rows of floor-to-ceiling metal shelves crowd the northern half of this oblong chamber. Packets of ammunition, deconstructed weapons, armor components, and computer parts are crammed onto the shelves. Metal crates labeled in indecipherable symbols and various discarded pieces of strange equipment form mountainous jumbled piles to the south. A sleek, metallic desk faces the southwestern wall, a sole bastion of tidiness in the haphazardly stocked warehouse. The desk’s multitiered surface supports a computer surrounded by neatly stacked data chip cases.
While Shocca works, Arcalinte takes time to give the items a cursory look, to see if anything in particular stands out that might be of use to them.
These doors are magically reinforced... and the entry door repairing itself and re-locking means we have the risk of being held here for a significant time. This will be interesting...
He follows the team into the next room.
This place feels as if it's laid out as a large nautilus shell. I wonder what that tells us about its former inhabitants and creators. I'm always fascinated to find nature's designs carried into technology.
He peruses the shelves with Shocca, trying to get further insight into the runes and symbols in this place.
The initial search of the shelves reveals a wide array of ancient equipment, most of it broken or degraded with time, but clearly with origins outside of the Pact Worlds. Technologically, it seems more intricate and advanced than anything back home, but also, it seems like what remains here are mostly broken scraps and useless parts. However, you suspect that if you went over things with a finer toothed comb, you might be able to recover some still-functioning goodies .
You leave the computer alone for now and start examining the crates. Although neither Ajithu nor Shocca understand the language directly, you're able to decode a few bits and pieces. It seems these are mostly labeled "World Seed Project" or "High Priority Supplies."
While you're working on decoding, you notice a sudden clatter of movement. In the south-east corner of the room, several pieces of discarded equipment start pulling closer together to one another. A light blue haze builds around the tech, solidifying into a brilliant ectoplasm. The collection of tech stands up on four legs, swiveling its armor encrusted form to face you!
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Shocca
??? Technological Spectral Being?
Ajithu
Arc
Achlyss
Shocca mutters to herself as she looks over the shelves. "Hmmm... rescue first, learn later." She looks over her shoulder at Arc. "The Sivv, that's right! I recall reading of a few mentions of them in the Gazette after your return. You think this could be a base, or city, of their people? Frightening..." She turns quickly at the new threat, dropping her scanner and reaching for a weapon. "Ghost!" Choosing to attack rather than study, the ikeshti pulls out her caustolance and steps to the side. Looking down the barrel, she smiles. "Acid is bad medicine." The glob of acid flies across the room to hit the new creature.
You see the armor starting to extend metallic blades on long, multi-jointed arms of ectoplasm. It remains behind its new cover.
|||| INIT ||||
Ajithu
Arc
Achlyss
Shocca (34 dmg)
??? Spectrally-infused Armor (19 dmg)