Sura moves into the room for a closer view. Her fingers dance deftly in mid-air, gently plucking a rock from the many laying about near Krachxton. The rock duplicates the motion of her hand as she mimes bringing the rock up and smashing it down on the monster’s head.
◈
◈◈
Madaxa ◈◈ sprints along the wall in an attempt to get behind the creature. He slides to a stop next to the archery target and ◈ feints as if he's going to attack.
Success Your foe is fooled, but only momentarily. The target is off-guard against the next melee attack that you attempt against it before the end of your current turn.
Critical Failure Your feint backfires. You are off-guard against melee attacks the target attempts against you until the end of your next turn.
Zarzuket moves closer to the action, then casts needle darts.
Krachxton begins to retch to try and recover from the effects of the bite.
As the creature strikes, Dredd lunges himself to intercept some of the damage intended for his ally, countering at the same time.
Throwing himself in harms way though causes his mind to slip as he lets himself take the brunt of damage from the creature. Succumbing to the sickness Dredd can think of nothing other than to empty his stomach in an attempt to rid himself of this pain.
And continues to try.
And continues to try.
Zarzuket's needle darts all find their mark, but not much else of significance can be said for the remainder of the Osprey Cove adventurers.
Sura's rock sails wide and flies off the building.
The sinful bite of the sinspawn wreaks havoc on Dredd and Krachxton, who struggle to regain control of their bodies. Worse yet, Madaxa's attempt to get into position to catch the creature off-guard totally backfires, and he finds himself off-guard instead!
The sinspawn takes a cautious step away from the two sick attacks and moves closer to the edge of the roof in front of Madaxa. It tries to bite him twice, but misses once (barely).
Madaxa's head reels as the sinspawn bites him. He gags and ◈ retches before feebly trying to attack it and step away.
◈
Feeling sick to his stomach, he still attempts to defend his allies.
After attempting to lash out again, Dredd feels nothing other than attempting to empty his stomach again.
◈
Not quite rid of it all, Dredd throws up again
◈
Holding in his insides, he instead lashes out with his remaining energy at the creature.
◈
Krachxton defies his nausea. He strikes out at the creature before retching.
Krachxton finally ends the suffering. With another elemental blast, the sinspawn flies backward off the roof and lands awkwardly on the ground below in a bloody, broken mess, ending the encounter.
Up on the roof, you find that each barrel contains a composite longbow and 50 arrows inside. Captain Perrios’s head still wears his fine captain’s hat—a well-made tricorn adorned with a fan feather token.
Zarzuket looks uncomfortable as he examines the head. ”We should bring this to Janis, but of course we should try to break the news gently before showing it to her. And before we go, we should check in on the sick people in the basement again, and take the ram to bring back to Elsie.”
With heavy hearts and a deep sense of duty, the party carefully retrieves the hat, ensuring the feather token remains intact.
The return to the docks where the Swordfish is moored is a quiet journey. As they approach the ship, Janis is immediately visible on deck, her posture tense with anticipation. Her eyes search the party’s faces for a sign, any indication of what they have uncovered.
As the party steps onto the deck, Zarzuket steps forward, holding out the tricorn hat with the fan feather token and briefly explains what they've found. Janis reaches out to take the hat, her hands slightly trembling. Recognition and sorrow flood her face as she touches the familiar tricorn, a tangible connection to her lost captain.
"I... Thank you." Janis manages, her voice thick with grief. "He was a good man. They all were." She takes a deep breath, steadying herself as she looks up at the party. "You’ve done more than what was asked. I owe you a great debt."
"You’ve honored the captain and helped us find closure. This feather token." she says, gently touching the adornment on the hat, "It’s yours now."
----
As the party approaches Elsie’s place with Ida in tow, the anticipation builds. Elsie, who has been waiting anxiously for any news, spots the group from a distance. The moment she sees Ida, her face lights up with a mixture of surprise and overwhelming joy. She rushes out to meet them, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Oh, Ida! My dear, sweet girl!" Elsie exclaims as she reaches the ram, dropping to her knees to embrace her gently. Ida, in turn, shows signs of recognition and relief, nuzzling into Elsie with weak but affectionate bleats.
Elsie looks up at the party, her expression one of deep gratitude. "I can’t thank you enough for bringing her to me safe!" she says, her voice thick with emotion. "You’ve done a wonderful thing today." She stands up, wiping her tears, and smiles broadly at each group member.
"Please, let me give you something for your troubles." She insists on rewarding the party, expressing her gratitude not just in words but through a tangible token of appreciation. "How can I help? Warm meal? Hot drink? Strong beverage? Salve for those wounds?"
Generally immune to shows of emotion, Madaxa finds himself a bit overwhelmed by the gratitude expressed. He stands toward the back just smiling slightly and nodding his head, letting the others take the lead.
"Oh, I wouldn't say no to a hearty meal an mug of the local brew." he says with a smile.
Elsie's eyes twinkle with delight at Krachxton's request, and she quickly ushers the entire party into her establishment once more. "Least I can do. We all owe you a great debt!"
She ties off Ida and turns back to the group.
"Sit yourselves down, make yourselves at home." Elsie says, bustling around the kitchen with a practiced ease. She pulls out ingredients—root vegetables, a hearty cut of meat, and some fresh herbs she's kept for special occasions. "I'll fix you up something that'll stick to your ribs and warm your bones." she promises, setting to work with a sharp knife and a broad chopping board.
While the stew cooks, she bakes a batch of fresh bread. The dough rises near the fire, and soon, she's sliding the loaves into the oven. The smell of baking bread soon competes with the stew, creating a mouthwatering symphony of scents.
After some time, Elsie serves the meal. The stew is thick and rich, full of tender chunks of meat and vegetables that melt in the mouth. The bread is crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, perfect for soaking up the flavorful broth. She pairs this with a robust, frothy, cool local brew
(of her own making) that perfectly complements the hearty fare.
"Delicious! Thank you very much!"
After the meal, everyone discusses the developments at Stonehome. Xin-Edasseril. The missing Elder Ordwi. Murdered and converted the Gorumites. Lord Ragnulf's actions, Meitremar's involvement, and this mysterious rust disease seem to be affecting both people and metallic objects.
Eventually, the day catches up with you, and you all bed down for another rest, determined to get more answers the following morning.
---
After another meal in the morning, several people from Iron Harbor make their way to you as word of recent events spread through town. The citizens of Iron Harbor are shocked by the revelation and their unfriendly attitude toward the visitors from Osprey Cove shift to a desperate need for aid.
None in town are brave enough to help you directly (the revelation of the existence of chambers below the local landmark is an unnerving surprise to the locals). Still, they’ll eagerly provide supplies as best they can. . Elsie still asks for payment for her wares but generously gives you a 50% discount as long as her supplies last.
Despite the grief and chaos stirred by the revelations at Stonehome, Janis takes a moment to address the party with a mixture of gratitude and solemnity before she leaves town.
"Thank you for bringing clarity to what happened." she says, her voice steady but tinged with sorrow. "Though the news was grim, knowing is better than the torment of uncertainty. As for us," she gestures to her crew, who are gathering their sparse belongings, "we're leaving for Riddleport. It's time we started over, far from the shadows of Xin-Edasseril and the taint of Meitremar’s schemes."
Janis offers a final piece of advice to the party, her tone serious. "You should be wary in the coming days. While we have no plans to return to Xin-Edasseril—for fear of the consequences of losing our passengers—there may be others from there who were aware of Meitremar's intentions. If he kept his plans from us until we were at sea, it's likely he didn't fully trust many back home either. But should any allies of his who knew of his detour to Iron Harbor realize he's missing, they might come looking."
With that, she nods respectfully, a silent farewell mixed with an unspoken hope for peace and safer horizons.
As the party ventures back into the depths of Stonehome's basement, they find themselves navigating through a long, sloping tunnel that burrows beneath Iron Harbor. The dim light and the echo of their footsteps accompany them as they follow the faint, bloody trail that gradually becomes harder to discern.
The further they progress, the more the environment changes. The lowest point of the tunnel, directly under the harbor, is marked by walls weeping with salt water. Puddles form on the uneven ground, reaching up to a foot deep in some places, yet the structure of the tunnel holds firm, showing no signs of impending collapse or flooding. The air is thick with the smell of the sea and the iron tang of blood that lingers faintly in the damp atmosphere.
After navigating this challenging path for what feels like hours, the tunnel opens up into a larger chamber, signaling the end of their subterranean journey. The chamber is dominated by a rusted iron door set into the northern wall. The door itself is an enigma, covered in a series of cryptic symbols that are arranged around a central, more prominently gouged icon—a spiked horseshoe. This symbol, aggressive and foreboding, is bathed in a strange, brownish-red glow that emanates from the door itself. Strangely, the door lacks any conventional means of opening; there are no visible handles, latches, or hinges that offer a clue on how to proceed.
While in town, Zarzuket picks up a writing set.
"Ominous looking door, isn't it? The writing says 'Skymetal Workshop.'" Zarzuket has a feeling that there's something else he ought to remember about the door...
"Oh! The spiked horseshoe is Xar-Azmak's symbol."
"And I guess I should check whether the door is magical. The strange glow could theoretically just be from skymetal." Zarzuket casts detect magic.
"Surely we did not travel all this way just to turn around."
After assuming an all clear from Zarzuket, Dredd walks closer to the door, keeping some distance yet between him and the door, and then pokes it a few times with his Guisarme to see if there is any sort of response.
While Dredd pokes the door and Zarzuket views it with magic, Madaxa approaches with his tools, curious if it's even locked. Assuming no one warns him not to, he runs his hands over the door, looking for a seam or depression, knocking lightly a few times to determine if it's actually a door or merely a fancy wall.
Zarzuket warns Madaxa against touching the strange, glowing door bare-handed.
Madaxa nods at Zarzuket's warning and uses his tools in lieu of bare hands.
Moving up to the door, Zarzuket detects magic in the vicinity.
Madaxa studies the door and can tell that shards of rust would extend from the door and crumble off, clinging to flesh and clothes should someone attempt to open it.
He's able to sufficiently deface the runes that allow the trap to activate, allowing the door to be opened without incident.
Moving north into the room, you find a wide hallway that features a black marble floor and large murals on the east and west walls. Massive doors flank this hallway to the north. However, it is the guardians of the hall that pose the immediate threat.
Suddenly, the eerie silence of the hall is broken by the grinding sound of metal. From shadowed alcoves near the murals, two suits of armor animate into life. These are no ordinary armors; their feet are shaped like hooves and their helms are designed to resemble bull heads with an excess of horns, evoking the fearsome visage of Xar-Azmak himself. The rust on their metal bodies creaks as they move, displaying signs of wear and damage, yet their intent is clear and deadly.
Zarzuket sees the perfect opportunity to show off his deepening understanding of magic. “αστραπή!” he shouts as he uses primal magic for the first time. Lightning crosses the hall, striking at the two armors.
In the wake of Zarzuket's crackling electric arc, Dredd seizes the moment.
With a burst of armored grace, he surges forward to claim the front line, positioning himself to utilize the full reach of his guisarme effectively.
His eyes, resolute and unwavering, lock onto the animated suit of armor to his right [Red]—a silent challenge issued in the tense air of the hallway as he stares the creature down with an intimidating glare. Without a moment's hesitation, Dredd swings his guisarme in a precise, sweeping arc aimed at the creature's vulnerable joint.
Krachxton will move into the room, activating his power to slam the purple foe.
Caught unaware and distracted by her own thoughts; circling around in retrospect of all that has transpired, Sura shakes herself to reality and focuses on a quick hymn to embolden her party.
Hoping to affect a swift end to this fight, Sura casts magic weapon on Dredd’s guisarme, causing it to glow and emanate a low and menacing hum.
Zarzuket's spell electrifies the two creatures, but only the purple one seems to take the slightest bit of damage from the attack, their armor shielding them from the bulk of the scorching.
Krachxton and Dredd land their attacks but find that the enemy armor is too strong, and none of their attacks seem to leave any lasting damage. Dredd's intimidation is quite well executed, but the heavily armored foe seems unaffected by his attempts to demoralize it.
Sura starts a performance and magically enhances Dredd's guisarme.
P:1
R:0
Madaxa runs in behind Dredd, pausing in his shadow to take a quick look at the creatures, trying to draw on any knowledge that might be useful.
◈ Move
◈ K Crafting check since I assume they're mechanical?
Madaxa knows that these constructs are animated armors. They possess very strong armored defenses, which make traditional attacks quite ineffective. Once the armor has suffered a fair bit of damage or has taken a critical hit, their armor shatters, and they lose the majority of their defenses. Their reflexes are also their lowest defensive.
Each of the armors attack with their glaives. Krachxton and Dredd dodge the majority of the attacks, but one strike manages to catch Dredd and buries deep into his torso.
P:1
R:0
Krachxton builds up his power, looking for any weakness to exploit in his foe. Finding a weak spot, he strikes out with a lance of water.
Having done that, he points out the spot for Dredd. "Cut the strap under the armpit!"
Zarzuket continues to attack both statues with electricity.
Dredd stands firm, anchoring himself against the onslaught as the heavily armored adversaries retaliate. He winces briefly when a punishing strike finds its mark at his midsection. Swiftly regaining his poise amidst the clatter of battle, Dredd seizes the opportunity provided by his ally Krachxton’s maneuver. With a calculated movement, he executes Krachxton’s plan flawlessly, and follows up with a precise, punishing strike of his own on the remaining foe.
◈
◈
◈
Dredd was so caught off guard by his execution that he fumbles his remaining strike, looking a fool.
Once Madaxa learns what is required, the party makes short work of the two seemingly impenetrable constructs. Krachxton and Dredd obliterate the armor protecting the constructs with two critical strikes. With their defenses removed, it takes only a few strikes by Dredd and Zarzuket to finish them off.
When you're ready, you move northward; the atmosphere becomes increasingly oppressive, the weight of dark energies palpable in the air. They enter the grand altar room, a massive chamber designed to awe and intimidate. The soaring domed ceiling, thirty feet at its highest point, accentuates the sense of majesty and dread that permeates the room. Marble floors lead to a centralized dais, drawing all attention to the blood-stained stone altar at its heart. Upon this altar rests a twisted apparatus of strange metals, alchemically treated to mimic various skymetals, emitting a subtle yet powerful divine energy.
The motifs of a seven-pointed star adorn most doorways and the sides of the altar, complemented by images of spiky horseshoes made of rusted iron. These symbols serve as a constant reminder of the cult's dark affiliations and intentions. Over a dozen torches brightly light the room, casting long, eerie shadows and enhancing the otherworldly glow of the strange apparatus.
As the party cautiously advances, they are suddenly greeted by a thunderous voice. Lord Knurr Ragnulf, positioned as a glorified guard under Meitremar's manipulations, stands imposingly before them. Clad in battered armor, his presence is diminished from the powerful Gorumite leader he once was, now a puppet echoing the will of another. He raises his warhammer high in salute, his voice booming through the chamber, "Behold our first supplicants to grace the rusted works of Xar-Azmak!"
Without hesitation, Knurr charges forward towards Dredd. His three Rustsworn initiates accompanying him fight with blind fanaticism, echoing Knurr's fervor.
Zarzuket takes a few minutes to meditate before moving on.
"Wow, I wasn't expecting to meet him so early!" Zarzuket considers casting a major spell, but for now he attacks with electricity again; it leaps from the cultist in the middle of the hall to Ragnulf himself.
Krachxton calls forth water and freezes it around the two in the center. He then steps to intercept the one on the side.
Krachxtons spell proves quite effective, catching both enemies by surprise. Similarly, Zarzuket's electrical spell is quite effective and damages both men as well.
Krachxton's spell slows down Ragnulf enough that he can't reach the party, but he moves slowly ahead towards Dredd.
The three initiates all engage the front line, two flanking Krachxton and one attacking Dredd.
One of them manages to stab him twice with his dagger, but the other two miss all of their attacks.
8
4
2
8
Zarzuket continues to use electric magic, but as his enemies are closer now, he can cast more quickly.
He uses the spare moment to shout a single Thassilonian word, creating a small barrier of golden energy.
Madaxa takes advantage of the arcing elements to ◈ slide around Dredd to flank yellow and attack with his rapier.
◈
◈
Krachxton creates an axe of stone and swings it around in a wide circle to try and harm both foes.
Within seconds, the party removes all three accompanying gorumites around Lord Ragnulf. The blue, yellow, and pink-cloaked warriors rapidly collapse to the ground, leaving only the furious leader standing.
"Decay is an inevitability; give in to entropy!" he shouts, continuing the battle alone. Turning to Dredd, he slams his warhammer home, delivers a solid blow, and causes some trepidation in his target.
He attempts to follow that up with a second strike but misses.
4