Domnall and his guard are gathered outside the settlement’s wall to see the adventurers off as the blaze of orange on the horizon begins to dispel the last vestiges of night. To Ella, the Baron offers a leather pack. ”You do what you do to ensure our preservation,”  he says solemnly, ”We cannot offer much to aid you. But perhaps what is there will prove useful.”

Accompanied by a trio of elven scouts, Trisvyre leads the company northward, the morning air crisp as the adventurers leave the foothills behind and begin the ascent into the Barrier Peaks. Soon, light fills a sky filled with a clumps of clouds that are the color of iron and the last hints of rich vegetation depart, replaced by soil that is hard packed, and tall stone formations that the party members feel certain have only been seen by a handful of courageous souls.

The air grows cold as morning yields to midday, the trail traveled by the scouts at times difficult to discern, if it could truly be called a pathway at all. Frost clings to many of the boulders and an occasionally fierce wind snakes through the narrow passes, its steady moan like that of a tormented ghost. The horses’ breath steams as the air grows thinner and in spots, the gathering must climb slowly, picking their way carefully over the unwelcoming terrain.

As the sun grows level with the jagged zeniths of the forbidding peaks, Trisvere leads the company into a circular canyon, the walls tall on all sides. Gesturing to the northern side of the ravine, she says simply, ”There.”



The massive stones that comprise much of the wall appear to have been disturbed by some mighty force, and amid the spaces between them, the adventurers can see hints of what appears to be a dull colored metal. At the base of the wall, a wide opening in the rocks reveals a massive steel door which is closed. Its surface is smooth and at first inspection, none of the company members can see any way that it can be opened.

”It has always remained closed. None of we elves have been able to move it. Not with force. Not with magic,” Trisvyre explains. Pointing to a steep slope of rock to the left of it, she adds, ”That is the only way inside.”

At the top of the slope, the party members can see an opening, the size of a tall human. Though surrounded by rock, the aperture itself is framed in steel. From where the company stands, they can see only darkness beyond.

Trisvyre swings down from her mount. “We must be cautious on the climb. There are plenty of footholds. Just remain mindful of your steps.”

As the party is making their final preparations to leave the Baron's Stronghold, Herodian seeks out Ella, Lumwik, and Salenth. With their permission, he uses a charred piece of oak to inscribe a series of runes on each arm beginning mid-bicep and extending down to the back of their hands. He chants softly as he works and when the final rune is completed they each feel a surge of strength.

When they reach the ravine, he removes the tack from his horse and does his best to conceal in the underbrush. If the animal is threatened by anything and is forced to flee he wants her to be able to run without the risk of a leather strap catching on tree or bush and slowing her down. When he is finished, he checks to make sure his pack is well balanced and strapped securely to his back and around his chest. Then, he faces the sunset and offers thanks to Boccob for blessing him with his gifts and asking for wit to use them to their best advantage. Finally, ready to climb, he takes his place in the formation.

---

OOC:
00:26, Today: Herodian rolled 5 using 1d6+1.  Strength for Ella.
00:26, Today: Herodian rolled 7 using 1d6+1.  Strength for Lumwik.
00:27, Today: Herodian rolled 2 using 1d6.  Strength for Salenth.

For 54 turns, Ella has a +5 bonus to strength, Limwik has a +7 bonus to strength, and Salenth has a +2 bonus to strength. Herodian will repeat this ritual every morning unless something happens that prevents him from doing so. I will roll for and post the bonus each of you receives in my first post of each new in-game day.

Lumwik thanks Herodian.  As they gaze at the cliffs, he looks at the craftmanship in appreciation.  "All the beasties come from that wee hole?" he says to no one in particular.

He prepares himself for the climb up to the portal.

Ella thanked the baron profusely for the supplies, assuring him that any aid he could provide would be greatly appreciated in the trials ahead.

Along the journey, she takes stock of the supplies and considers how they should be distributed among the group. She doesn't quite act completely unilaterally, but if no one else objects, she hands the healing potions to Lumwick, Salenth, and Herodian, explaining that they should probably be saved for emergencies, such as the healers being being badly injured and needing outside aid rather than their own magic to recover. She passes the magic user scrolls to the nearest mage, probably Herodian, and suggests that he might have a better sense of what to do with them than she does. She hands the potion of invisibility to Ranzarth, suggesting that it might be loaned to someone if he needs aid in a scout type situation or for himself in a serious emergency.

Upon arriving, she looks up at the metal and stone formation and lets out a low whistle. "I don't know if that was made by engineers, wizards, or both, but I've never seen anything like it before. It can't have been easy to do. Whoever made this... the gods only know what else they might be able to do. By the flames, there could be anything inside."

Cal casts Strength on himself just before the group gets underway for the day. He makes a mental note to start preparing two such spells each day to extend the coverage. These were likely to be long days.

When they stop in the canyon, he dismounts and takes similar precautions as Herodian.

He finds himself agreeing with Lumwik's sentiment regarding the small hole. Perhaps there was another, larger entrance somewhere else. He asks Trisvyre, "How far have you explored? Is it possible there is another, larger entrance?"

As he readies his pack for the spelunking, he turns to the dwarves, "Have you ever seen such wondrous combination of stone and metal construction?"

Herodian accepts the scrolls from Ella and he gives the scroll containing the web spell to Azad, and the other one to Ranzarth.

"A gift from the Baron. Perhaps there will be time this evening to add them to your spellbooks," he says.

“It doesn’t look like such a wonderous combination of stone and metal to me,” he remarks as he checks to make sure his boots are securely fastened.  “I’ve seen goblin work that was more sophisticated.”
This message was last edited by the player at 22:24, Fri 23 Aug 2019.

Lumick declines the potion, with gratitude.  "Give it ta someone more fragile."  He says, "I'll be fine."

ooc: Lumwik has over 100 HP and a ring of regeneration.  I didn't want to hog all the clerics cure spells.

"That's why you need to carry it." Ella smiles to Lumwick. "If someone fragile gets hurt, I can heal them. If I get hurt, I need someone tough as nails carrying a healing potion on hand to get me back on my feet."

The dwarf grunts in understanding.
 "I can carry it fer ya.".

At the start of the day, Salenth allowed Herodian to cast his magic on her bicep and when the prayer was complete, Salenth felt mentally and physically strong. "Thank you Herodian," Salenth said.

Then, the trek to the ravine began. By the time they reached the top of the slope, Salenth was panting from the exertion of the climb. She sucked in a needful breath of cool, fresh air and a minute later, her breathing evened out. The cleric of St. Cuthbert then joined the rest in overlooking the strange steel cave up ahead.

Salenth was no builder, metalworker or masonworker, but whatever they was in the ravine sure looked like nothing she had seen before. Then, Ella came to her and handed her a potion, the priestess smiled and nodded at the woman, "My thanks. I'll put this to good use."

While she keeps the potion in her backpack, Salenth said, "If that's the only way in or out, we should keep an eye out for traps or an ambush. Whoever or whatever is in there might be prepared for us."

“That’s a safe bet,” Wandreck says.  “We should expect hell’s own welcome... unless the idea is to lure us in.  If so, they might make it easy for us at first.  So on one hand, let’s watch it; on the other, let’s not get overconfident if we succeed initially.” He had known plenty of adventurers who had died making both mistakes.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:28, Sat 24 Aug 2019.

Azad looks up at the unusual structure, scratching his chin, deep in thought. Finally he says, "This reminds me of some references I found to some very odd -- and ancient -- devices. Some of the least outlandish include the Apparatus of Kwalish; resembles a barrel made of steel on the outside, but inside it is an array of levers and knobs and other controls. These controls can make it sprout legs, looking not unlike a giant crab, or walk around.

"Then there's the Machine of Lum the Mad. Absolutely massive contraption, the size of a large carriage but made of strange metals and unknown crystal. Totally covered with levers to pull and knobs to twist and switches to flip. Reports say things... happen... to anyone inside the box when certain controls are moved, but what lever does what is anyone's guess.

"Or Heward's Mystical Organ, a truly complicated musical instrument last described in The Fables of Burdock. Plays like a harpsichord, but makes sound by blowing air through tall brass pipes. Certain combinations of pedals and stops, with the right tune, can supposedly create magical effects or summon beings from the various planes. But playing it willy-nilly can undo critical spells or call in unsavory things. Best left undiscovered.

"Point I'm making is: This looks like something from one of those legends. From a long-forgotten time, or a place not of this ken. Experimenting with anything unusual might carry great risk -- but might also be necessary to end the threat to the region."

Trisvyre loosens her sword in its scabbard. "We suspect that they actually emerged from that larger entrance, the one with the steel door," she says in response to Lumwik's comment, "but even when we have kept watch, none of we scouts have seen it open. We've begun to believe that something within knows when we are near."

Addressing Sir Cal, she replies,  "Istivin, Earl of Sterich, was kind enough to lend us the services of some the mountain dwarf warriors in his service. No shift in stone escapes their notice. We, and they, ventured into the mountains north of this canyon, but we could find no other entrance to this place. As best we know, these openings are the only ways inside."

“It would be wonderful to send someone in ahead of us.  Do you have any condemned prisoners you can spare?”

In his experience, a sense of humor was as indispensable to the serious adventurer as iron rations.

"Well," Herodian says looking up at the sun, "It will be dark soon. We need to either get moving or make camp here and wait until morning. If anyone is watching they're bound to have seen us already, and I'd rather not be caught partway up when the light goes."

Harkmur walks slowly towards the strange, door-like structure.  A door was just a door but the stone blocking it could tell him much.  As the others mulled their options, he casually looked this way and that, under, around and every which way he could looking for signs of aging and weathering, attempting to discern how recent the blockage had occurred.

Finishing his investigation, he slowly returns to his mount and begins unpacking the remainder of his gear.  As he begins adding new items, he groans and shifts himself around, trying to distribute the additional weight.  Finally satisfied with placement, he trudges toward the group and gazes upward at the aforementioned opening.

"I say we get up this evening.  Daylight won't matter much if we're inside anyway and we're going to need a place to camp.  A cave opening high up a rock face is certainly more secure then down here in the open."

"Good point. Whatever is inside isn't exactly going to have a hard time finding us, so in the mouth of the cave won't be more dangerous than out here as far as that goes. And we already know they're aggressive, so it's not like we have to worry that stepping past the threshold will set them off." Ella chuckled slightly at that, dismounting as well. "Any objections?"

“I object.  The only entrance to a dungeon is safer than camping out in the open?  How do you figure that?  It sounds like sending written invitations to our own massacre.”

His sense of humor was like a woman he used to know: it had a habit of departing unexpectedly.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:02, Mon 26 Aug 2019.

"We still have plenty of daylight. I think we should check that entrance and whatever is immediately behind it now. We can make a more informed decision of where to camp after that. I doubt we'll be able to investigate this whole... well, whatever it is... in a single day. So we likely will have to camp inside at some point anyway." Cal opines dryly.

Apparently convinced that settled the matter, he shucks his pack higher on his shoulders and starts walking toward the boulders leading up to the entrance.

"What do you think, Trisvyre?" Herodian asks the scout.

"Do we have enough daylight left to reach the cave before dark?"

Ranzarth eyes widened as he took the whole of the object within his view "By the gods, this is ancient, it is buried within the rocks. It looks to be a keep of some shape or form." He walked towards the great door and looked about it, examining it for any markings, signs of operations or signs things have tried to get in or out.

Ranzarth turned to the others "If what Trisvye thinks is true, we would be safer up there than down here if that door opens. I can take the lead if you prefer."

The scout nods. ”We can, provided we move at a steady pace. The slope isn’t as forbidding as it might appear. There are plenty of footholds among the rocks.”

"Let's go," Azad says. "There's no benefit to waiting. Besides, if there's some intelligence directing these attacks, we might be able to draw its attention to us instead of the town."

"Excellent," Herodian replies as he begins making his way up the slope with the rest of the party.

With the aid of his magical boots, Wandreck tries to spring up the slope ahead of the rest of the party.

The company makes their way up the enormous, sloping stones. Although the ascent must be made with care, Trisvyre’s assurance proves to be true; for the most part, footholds can be easily located throughout the climb.

As they reach the steel framed entrance, the adventurers note that silence has settled over the canyon. The wind has died down and there are no sounds from any wildlife that might be hiding among the rocks. All is still.

Looking beyond the opening, the adventurers can see that interior is dark. The floor of the cavern appears to have been crafted from metal, as have the walls and ceiling. Deep within the structure, to the north, a steady, blue tinged illumination is visible, but none of the company members can readily identify the light’s source.

Entering the dark space cautiously, with Ranzarth and Trisvyre in the lead, the party steps into a broad hallway leading northward. The nondescript passage continues for thirty feet before widening into a larger chamber, which shares the same metal walls as the entrance.



In the center of the room is what appears to be a pit. It is partially framed by a pair of curving metal walls to the right and left of it and opens into pitch darkness. Looking closely, the adventurers can see that there are handholds, akin to rungs on a ladder, embedded in two of the walls of the descent, but none can determine how deep the pit is, or if such handholds exist further down.

To the east and west, hallways, each roughly twenty feet wide, branch off of the chamber. Down each corridor, the adventurers see the outlines of doors. Northward, a third passageway leads deeper into the structure, and in that direction, around one hundred feet away, the party can see that hall becomes illuminated by the light they had observed earlier, The steady glow appears to originate from the ceiling, but at this distance, the company members can discern few details.

Behind the adventurers, a steel door slides closed, shutting off the entrance they used to gain access to the structure. It seals with a brief hiss of air. Aside from the door, the party perceives no movement from the rest of their surroundings. For the moment, all is quiet.

The sound of the hiss and movement behind her causes Ella to turn, just in time to watch the door slide closed and seal them in. "Well. That isn't ideal." She draws her sword and murmurs the magic word to light it as she steps closer to the closed door. She uses the flames as a light to examine the doors and the walls near it, looking for a handle or a lever or something that might open it again if they need to leave in a hurry.

Ranzarth kneels down before the pit, looking deep into the darkness. He gathers up a stick and looks into the pit and then shakes his head setting it down, his voice a whisper "Best not to alert further our presence. Though I am curious how far down this goes." turning to Trisvyre "How far have you ventured into here?"

Wandreck descends into the pit using the handholds he can see.  Can he tell if there are more handholds lower down?  And does he hear or smell anything?

A soft gasp escaped Salenth's lips when the doors sealed shut behind the group. As a human, her eyes took a while to adjust to the darkness of the cave until Ella illuminated the chamber with the flame of her sword.

As she scanned her immediate surroundings, Salenth couldn't help but marvel at unique architectural interior. The fact that almost the entire interior was made out of a metal was something she had never seen. And that strange blue glow... what was that?

"Do Dwarves or any other being make entire rooms out of metal? I've never seen anything like this," Salenth whispered with marvel.

Then, as the party walked further in, Salenth realized that the strange blue glow was coming from the ceiling.

"I wonder what is that glow. Magic? Perhaps we should see what that is first before checking out the pit or the other corridors and doors. If it's a magical source, perhaps we can try and discern the type of magic that might be found in this place." she suggested.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 02:26, Fri 30 Aug 2019.

Ranzarth has voiced the question that was forming on Herodian's lips before can utter it. Herodian moves to stand near the pit where he can keep an eye on Wandreck while he listens to Trisvyre's response.

Like Ella, Cal turned on the door that swished shut behind them. Unlike her, he remains there for a while to see if he can get it to open again. He shakes his head as he sees different members of the group start to split off to consider three different directions. "Whatever we investigate first, lets be systematic and stick together." he suggests.

Lumik's eyes go wide at the sheer amount of metal that surrounds them.  He taps the floor with his boot with a low whistle.

"I'll watch the perimeter while you figure things out." he offers, setting his eyes into the outward darkness.

The sudden closing of the entrance caught Harkmur off guard.

"I knew I should have checked better.", he muttered to himself.

As the realization of his situation set in, he paused briefly, taking a long slow breath.  Pulling open his pack, he retrieves a torch and proceeds to light it.  Cautiously he makes his way towards the pit, his head constantly rotating to watch for any movement from each of the corridors.

Azad simply watches everything, without comment or speculation. His eyes dart around the chamber, taking in every detail.

”Myself, I have only come as far as the doorway,” Trisvyre replies to Ranzarth. She points to the north, in the direction of the light. ”Those scouts that proceeded further went northward. From there, I do not know in which direction they explored.”

Wandreck lowers himself into the pit cautiously, grasping one of the handholds. Looking downward, the dwarf sees mostly darkness, though a great distance below, he spies hints of bluish illumination. For a moment, he catches the scent of rotting vegetation, but he sees no evidence of plant life on any of the nearby walls.

Abruptly, the handhold jerks and slides downward, lowering him about two feet, the panel of wall it is attached to moving along with it. The thief can feel the handhold wobbling within his grip, as if it is struggling to hold his weight. Glancing down, the dwarf can see that the lower handhold has descended in the same fashion. Looking up, Wandreck notices that another handhold has appeared above him, close to the lip of the pit.

From inside the confines of the pit, there is the sound of metal straining.

"Having fun down there, Wandrek?" Herodian asks, sarcastically. "Why don't you climb out of there before you get hurt?"

"Rope? We might need some rope here," he calls out to the party as he lays down and extends a hand into the pit for Wandrek to grab on to if he can reach it and is inclined to do so.

Then he tells Wandrek, "I didn't memorize Levitation, today. We're going to have to do this the boring way, ok?"

Azad steps to the edge alongside Herodian, trying to peer down into the depths. "I have a means by which we could all get to the bottom of that shaft quickly, and safely. But it would require me to be able to see our way down, at least far enough to give me time to react, and we would all have to be very close together and jump down at the same time. Probably impossible, with this many of us."

Wandreck reaches for the handhold near the rim and tries to scramble out of the pit.  He does not trust the handhold, however, and tries carefully to retain some control with his other hand.

He’s like to still have something to hang onto if the higher up handhold breaks...

A smile suddenly spreads across Herodian's face. "I almost forgot... We're going to be able to do this with style after all," he says.

Standing at the edge of the pit, his staff held in his right hand with the engraved end pointed down at Wandrek he says, "Gravitus-Denii."

The end of the staff glows with a light that is the color of the sky on a clear day and Wandrek rises up until he is standing in the air in front of Herodian.

Herodian steps back and to the side and makes a sweeping gesture with his left hand indicating that Wandrek can take a step forward onto solid ground if he'd care to.

OOC: Looking down, can I discern whether it's the actual wall peeling away/giving way or does it look different or out of place?

Seeing no sign of a way to open the door again, and hearing the conversation back near the pit, Ella sighs and turns back to the others. She stays slightly back from the pit, wary of the possibility of accidentally jostling someone near the edge. "So... is the plan to check the giant hole in the floor first, then? Are we sure we have a reliable way to get back up again?"

"No. That wouldn't be my plan for exactly that reason. I'll advocate for looking everywhere else before going down there," Herodian replies.

Harkmur examines the handholds closely, seeing that the material they are attached to is the same color as the metal walls, but of a different composition. Dense and hard, but with some flexibility. Whatever its makeup, it appears to be sagging forward, as though whatever is providing it support is buckling. Even as the warrior looks, from somewhere from within the pit, he can hear the protesting screech of metal folding.

From below, there is a hiss, not unlike the rush of air that accompanied the closing of the entrance to the steel cave. Gazing into the dark, Harkmur can no longer see the blue hints of illumination below.

As the other adventurers discuss their situation, from somewhere to the east, there is the noise of something heavy and metallic falling, the sound breaking the pervading quiet for a moment, before silence overtakes the metal cavern once more.

"This apparatus seems to be slowly breaking down. We should keep moving, we may have limited time here."

Wandreck eagerly steps back onto solid ground and thanks his benefactor.  “Where shall we go?”
This message was last edited by the player at 07:46, Wed 04 Sept 2019.

Herodian points at each of the three hallways leading from the room, one after the other, while he chants something under his breath. When he finishes chanting he is pointing at the passage that leaves the chamber to the right.

"That way," he says with conviction.

While Wandreck and Herodian were doing their thing with the strange pit, Sir Cal tried to figure out this steel door that closed on them. He'd caught it sliding sideways out of the corner of his eye. It had closed left to right, so he examines the rightmost edge of the door to see if there is any way to get fingers or a lever between the door and the wall to possibly force the thing open along the same path it used to close. The rest of the construction looked much too solid to force any other way.

[OOC: I'm assuming that can happen simultaneous with the pit exploration. I'm also assuming it's going to be fruitless...]

As the others get ready to leave the area, he speaks. "Let's make a plan before we rush deeper into this strange structure. We've already set off two traps, and the next one might prove more lethal. We need to find a new way out. We know there's another door somewhere below this one - that large door we saw outside. We don't know of any other exits. We also know that pit goes down, although it does not seem to be entirely safe. If we can't find another way down, we'll have to use it. If finding another exit takes more than a few hours, and I suspect it will, then we need to find a defensible area to set up as a base from which we can mount exploratory forays. Do we all agree?" He looks around the group, making eye contact with everyone.

Ella smiles to Cal as he lays out his thoughts. It was always good to have someone along thinking clearly and methodically through the problems, and she knew she wasn't the best suited to that sometimes. "Sounds good to me."

While the others talk, Wandreck begins searching the general area for traps and secret doors.  Ceiling, floor, walls... everything.

"Of course, Uncle," Herodian replies. "I suggest we stick to the marching order we established on our way here, at least until someone sees a reason to adjust it, and find out where these other corridors lead. I'm not advocating rash behavior, but our present location is less than ideal from a tactical standpoint."

"The scouts went along the north passage. We should seek that out first, should we not? To see if we can find them and help them return to safety?" Ranzarth speaks softly as the others try to determine the best direction. His attention is drawn to the sounds and then back to Herodain "What was it that you cast?" as he had miss the casting so could not rely on any of his own knowledge to determine what was cast.

With a puzzled expression on his face Herodian replies, "I drew upon the power stored in my staff to lift Wandrek from the pit. Why do you ask?"

"Good point about the scouts." Cal concedes to Ranzarth. He turns to Herodian, "I think he meant whatever you cast to augur our course, nephew. I was wondering that myself."

Wandreck walks the chamber, examining the steel walls, floor, and ceiling with care. His practiced gaze finds no portals that are concealed, nor any traps waiting to catch the unwary.

However, the thief notices that both the eastern and western corridors are lined with evenly spaced doors, most of which resemble the steel doorway the adventurers had entered the strange cavern from. Each of the doors appears to have an odd apparatus of some kind just to the right of it. Wandreck cannot be certain of the function of these strange panels, but he presumes that they are involved in opening the doors. All of those he can see are closed.



09:54, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Wandreck, rolled 5 using 1d100.

The dwarf does note two things of interest regarding the intersecting passageways. To the west, the dwarf is positive that the ceiling is slightly lower than in the eastern hall, but he can see no structural reason for why this is so. Roughly halfway down the eastern corridor, Wandreck can see something large, roughly the height of an average human, leaning against the right hand wall. At this distance, he cannot make out any details about the shadowed mass, but it is not moving.

Wandreck also notes that the odd panels are not present on the doors that line the northern passage. Those doorways are also much less frequent, and more widely spaced out.

"Oh, that! A simple, but effective augury. It doesn't provide any detail, but I've found it effective in situations when I've been forced to make a choice with little or no information to guide the decision."

Lumwick keeps his attention figured on the perimeter, lest something come upon the others while they do their deliberations.

Ranzarth nods to Wandreck as he moves up next to him to help scout the area "Shall we proceed north than? To see if we can secure the scouts?"

Wandreck informs him that someone or something may be hiding in the east corridor.  He recommends investigating this.

Eyeing the pit, he ponders for a moment making an attempt but decides against it.  Stepping back from the hole several paces, he listens as the others discuss; his gaze falling upon each noted direction.

"That series of doors there...perhaps old bed chambers or something to that affect?"

Ella looks over to Wandreck, then down the corridor he's indicating. "I agree. If we're being watched, we want to know who, or what, it is."

"Yes, let's check the immediate threat first, then proceed North." Cal agrees. "Who is watching our back?" he adds, not wanting the group to expose itself to a sneak attack.

Lumwik hefts his axe, and starts down east corridor.  "I'll check it out."

Ranzarth pulls his shortsword and steps in line behind Lumwick, his steps soft as he moves forward trying to keep his eyes peeled for any potential traps or issues ahead.

Sword in hand, Trisvyre falls in behind Lumwik and Ranzarth. The three adventurers creep down the eastern corridor toward the shadow, which remains still and unmoving, even as they draw closer. Ranzarth’s sharp eyes discern no traps anywhere.

As the dark figure comes into full view, the company members are struck by its strange appearance. The figure is made of metal, and as best as any of the three can guess, must have once been some manner of construct, such as a golem.



Its upper body has been smashed repeatedly, the metal that makes up its body severely crushed and dented. It does not move at all, even as the explorers draw within a few paces of it, the injuries it has suffered apparently having destroyed whatever force once animated it.

Looking carefully about, none of the trio see anything else in the vicinity of the golem. The corridor remains still.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:19, Tue 10 Sept 2019.

Wandreck joins his companions and examines their discovery, searching it for traps.

“It doesn’t look very dangerous, and that’s why it scares me.”

"The Arcana in this place is odd." Ranzarth remarks softly as he pokes at the creature with his sword.

Ella glanced over to the explorers checking the thing, then returned to watching the other corridors for trouble, just in case. She called over her shoulder, but not too loudly, trying to modulate her voice so it would carry to the rest of the group without echoing through the entire complex. "What is it?"

Azad joins the inspection of the odd construct, but keeps his distance just in case it's not truly inactive.

The golem does not respond to Ranzarth's prodding, evidencing no signs of life.

Examining the creature cautiously, Wandreck notices a rent in its metal hide, a split that is the result of one of the numerous blows the creature received. Through the crack in the metal, something glints at the thief. Peering closely, Wandreck can see a pair of jewels, rubies from the appearance of them, embedded within the strange monster.

Following Ellas' cue, Harkmur pulls one of his warhammers and stands watch over the remaining passageways.

Wandreck tries to carefully remove the rubies, preferably without losing his fingers (which to him are even more precious).

Ranzarth speaks softly back towards Ella "Some sort of construct. It's form is odd and nothing like I have ever seen nor read about."

Cal grunts, but makes no comment about the golem. Like the others, he keeps an eye out for wandering monsters from the various exposed flanks while the roguish types looted the construct.

Herodian joins Ser Cal where he is standing watch. "We have seen many strange things in our travels, Uncle, but these metal halls are among the strangest. Have you seen craftsmanship like this anywhere before?"

Ranzarth allows the dwarf work his fingers into the construct, taking a step back he looks at one of the doors and the contraption to it's side. "Strange, no handles upon the door. How do you open them?"

"Magic may be required. I have a spell that will open most doors and gates, but it will only work once. I need to make sure we really need to be through a certain portal before I resort to such magics."

Cal shakes his head. "No, nephew, I've never seen anything like this place before. It is very strange indeed."

To Azad's point he suggests "Let's wait then. We have several other directions to explore before we'd have to attempt to open the doors. Even if it comes to that, we could try brute force first."

Wandreck is able to nimbly pry the two gems free. As he does, he notices that small, blue fingers of lightning spark through the golem’s innards, but the thief is able to avoid the tendrils of energy and remove the gems without harm to himself. The jewels are oddly cut: their shape cylindrical, but the dwarf guesses that they will fetch around thirty gold pieces each.

Peering back through the crack in the golem’s metal skin, Wandreck spies two more of the rubies, which he could probably reach by stretching.

Ranzarth examines one the nearby doors, presuming that the mechanism by which it is opened is contained in the small, dark panel which is positioned to its right. Looking at the panel closely, Ranzarth sees that there is a horizontal slot, not quite as wide as his palm, where perhaps a key of some kind could be inserted.

As the remainder of the party keep watch at the junction of the corridors, several of the adventurers notice a group of five silhouetted figures move from east to west, far down the northern hallway. Four of the figures the company estimates to be roughly the height of elves. All are carrying spears. They are followed by a four legged creature, roughly the size and shape of a large hound. If any of the figures perceive the presence of the party, they give no sign before disappearing from view as they proceed westward.

Ranzarth looks back over his shoulder at the dwarf messing with the strange golem, shrugging his shoulder he reaches towards a small pouch and lays out a series of tools "Lets see if we can get one of these open? If anything it might give us a place to fall back to should the need arise."

Wandreck pockets the rubies, then takes the tools and tries to use them to get the door open.  He assumes the slot is a sort of key hole.

Cal eyes the figures in the distance. "Stay alert." he says to the other sentries.

Looking back over his shoulder he asks, "Maybe that golem is carrying a door key? Did you check the floor around its feet in case it dropped it?"

Ella raises her shield when she sees the figures moving in the distance, nodding to Cal without taking her eyes off of the corridors around them. She murmured quietly to the others. "That didn't take long. They looked like people, too. Maybe other scouts? They had a dog. I think."

Herodian moves to stand just to the east side of the entrance to the northern corridor. Using the wall for cover he peeks arond the corner watching in case the figures reappear.

In reply to Wandreck (msg # 83):

Ranzarth looks up to Wandreck as he knelt before the panel "Can I help you?" a look of increduluation on his face as Wandreck helps himself to his tools "Perhaps you should get your own."

Spying the distant movement, Harkmur replaces his hammer and pulls his crossbow from his back.  Sliding his foot into the metal brace, he slams his foot to the floor and begins pulling the drawstring backward.  The heavy cording creaks in anger as the tension increases.  With a final groan, he wraps the drawstring around the firing pin and clacks a bolt into place.

“Sorry,” he mutters, and resorts to using his own tools.

"Hopefully ye can pick locks better than ye can apologize. Don't know about where you're from but touching another's tools is just not proper etiquette" Ranzarth turns his attention back to the lock he was beginning to work on.

From his position, Herodian is able to hear the faint sound of high pitched, chattering speech, but what few words he can make out resemble no language he has ever encountered. The voices fade, yielding to silence.

Wandreck probes the slot with his picks, feeling nothing within that resembles the tumblers of the locks he is accustomed to working with. In the upper portion of the slot’s interior, the thief finds a raised area, the surface of which feels smooth, much like glass.

Abruptly, the panel that holds the slot emits a buzzing noise and a pair of ridged lengths of black colored metal inside the slot clamp down on Wandreck’s picks. A second later, the hallway is bathed in red light and a loud sound, like several blaring horns being blown in unison, fills the corridor. The horns clamor for several seconds, then go quiet, only to return seconds later, the cycle repeating.

Glancing up, the adventurers can see that the red illumination comes from several square lamps set in the walls close to the ceiling. The company can see no flame within them, leaving the source of their bright glow a mystery.
This message was last updated by the GM at 20:19, Wed 18 Sept 2019.

Azad nearly jumps as the klaxon and lights start, then again when they repeat a few seconds later. Trying to tune out the alarm -- likely a spell -- he draws his wand and watches for the appearance of guardians or monsters drawn to the noise.

Wandreck tries to retrieve his picks.  No sense in losing his tools.

Slight elven curses emanate from Ranzarth's lips as he shakes his head and rolls up his tools, quickly shoving them into his pocket "Welp we might just get to see that patrol again after all..."

"They know we're here now..." Ella thumps her sword against her shield, looking around the halls for incoming trouble. "Start moving, or stand and fight? Something tells me we don't have long to decide."

Harkmur starts at the sudden disturbance.  Alarm bells, or whatever they were, he had heard a time or two before but the lights...now that was something wholly different.  Carefully and with purpose, he places one foot behind the other and slowly begins backing towards the doorway they entered through.  His crossbow effortlessly cut through the air as he swiveled it back and forth, following the line of his vision.

"Everyone, back up!  We need to close ranks and work from a choke point.  This room is too open, they could cut us off."

Hearing wisdom in Harkmur's words, Herodian retreats into the eastern corridor and moves past where Ranzarth and Wandrek were working on the golem. Then, hugging the northern wall he keeps an eye on the open doorway to the south as he approaches the bend in the corridor. When he reaches it, he looks around the corner presenting as small a target as he can manage to anything that might be approaching.

Ranzarth nods to Harkmur, though not entirely sure they should all crowd into a single hallway that has no exit is the wisest of ideas "While it does create a choke point and if we knew what we were up against that may prove useful, it could prove dangerous if we don't and no way to exit..." Either way Ranzarth drew his sword and moves towards the hallway they others were backing up into as he considers his options.

Cal draws his sword and makes watches back and forth between the east and west, watching for where the guards will come from.

[OOC: I think we're huddling in the corridor that heads off east from the elevator room?]

Lumwick prepares his crossbow, and takes a position with the others.

Wandreck isn’t crazy about being lined up like a domino, but he finds his place in the group regardless.  There didn’t seem to be much time for discussion, even if they could hear anything over The Alarm From Hell.

At the closed door, Wandreck manages to free his picks with a few determined tugs.

As they move back, Ella, Harkmur, Herodian, Sir Cal and Trisvyre see the patrol they observed previously rush into the northern corridor. Weapons in hand, the group of figures runs for the intersection of hallways, making a series of grating, high pitched shrieks as they charge. As they draw nearer, the company members can see that they are assuredly not the elven scouts that ventured into the steel cave.



The creatures have flesh that is the color of damp soil, tendrils of green, vine-like vegetation sprouting from several portions of their bodies. Some are roughly the size of elves, but a two of the five are taller, almost as large as humans. Their weapons are crude, some fashioned by stone, others with metal, but the points of the spears they wield all appear keen. The hound that follows them shares their odd coloration, sharp thorns protruding from its thick body.

18:31, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 2 using 1d6.  Initiative - Party.

18:31, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 5 using 1d6.  Initiative - Humanoids.

The party has the opportunity to act first. Note that the creatures are not yet within melee range, but can be targeted with missile weapons and spells.

"Look sharp!"

As Herodian calls the warning he takes a crystal vial from a bandolier worn around his waist. He begins a chant invoking one of Boccob's lessser known Aspects, the Macarena.

OOC:
All allies within a 50' square centered on the entrance to the eastern tunnel from the center who are not already engaged in melee combat (That should be everyone , I believe) receive
the folllwing benefit for the next 6 rounds.

Bless (6 rounds remaining)

This minor benison raises the morale and attack rolls of any creatures allied with the casting cleric by +1 or +5% as appropriate. Any creatures already engaged in melee combat will not gain the spell’s benefits. The spell is reversible, allowing the cleric to curse his or her enemies with—5% morale and –1 to hit.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:21, Tue 24 Sept 2019.

Wandreck hurls a flask of oil at the feet of this freak patrol, hoping to cause some of them to slip when they charge.

18:40, Today: Wandreck rolled 19 using 1d20+1.  Hurl oil.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:40, Sun 22 Sept 2019.

Limerick looses a bolt, but his aim is not true.


18:50, Today: Lumwik rolled 4,2 using 1d20+1,1d4+1 ((3,1)).  even with the bless it's a miss

Uttering a string of swears under his breath, Harkmur raises his crossbow and lets loose at the group...


00:59, Today: Harkmur of the Granite rolled 7 using 1d20.  Heavy Crossbow Attack.

Since Ella has a sword and shield in hand and doesn't feel that attempting to juggle weapons is a good idea in the moment, she chooses to hold initiative in order to attack if the enemy closes to melee while keeping her position between the bulk of the party and the... whatever they are.

Cal flicks couple of daggers at the dog-thing, hoping to hobble it before it gets too close to the group.


18:56, Today: Sir Cal rolled 23,15,10,10 using D20+4,d20+4,d4+6,d4+6 with rolls of 19,11,4,4.  Daggers.

Hits ac-2 and -10. 10 damage per hit

Ranzarth steps to the side as he prepares for the creatures to close with them, wanting to try and get into a flanking position with one of the other warriors.


OOC: Hold action?

Trisvyre draws her sword, taking a position alongside Ella and Salenth, her eyes narrowing as she waits for the monsters to come within reach of her blade.

Sir Cal’s two blades slam into the thick body of the hound like creature at the head of the charging band. The monster staggers, clearly wounded, but manages to keep to its feet, dark brown fluid welling up from its injuries.

The humanoids charge is slowed when they reach Wandreck’s oil. None of the strange creatures lose their footing on the slick floor, but the struggle to keep their balance robs them of the momentum of their attack. All manage to press forward into the eastern hallway, but their ranks are scattered, their unity blunted.

The oil robs the humanoids of their charge, so their turn is burned up solely with the effort of closing into melee range with the party.

16:57, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 5 using 1d6.  Initiative - Party.

16:57, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 4 using 1d6.  Initiative - Humanoids.

The party wins initiative. All of the humanoids, along with their canine-like companion, are AC 4.

From his vantage point at the bend in the hallway, Herodian glimpses movement to the north. Squinting, against the red illumination, the elf is able to make out a pair of shadowy figures, cylindrical shaped, each with what appear to be four appendages. The figures are moving southward down the adjoining corridor towards the company’s position. As he gazes at them further, Herodian realizes that the figures have no feet that he can see. It seems that both are levitating, hovering just above the floor as they glide forward.

Wandreck unleashes a sling bullet at one of the humanoids, but his aim goes astray.

03:27, Today: Wandreck rolled 4 using 1d20.  To hit w/sling.

Discarding his crossbow, Harkmur draws his warhammers and marches forward towards the oncoming creatures.  Pulling his shoulders in and dropping his head, he narrows his vision on the first to reach striking distance.  With only a small shuffle of sound emanating from his armor, he swings around and up towards the beast...

19:17, Today: Harkmur of the Granite rolled 13 using 1d20 (Thac0 12; hit AC 1).  Swinging Warhammer.
19:18, Today: Harkmur of the Granite rolled 4 using 1d4+1.  Damage.

Ranzarth slips to the side, his movements graceful has comes up to the side of one of the creatures Harkmur is on, stabbing out with his shortsword, a stream a blood follows the blade as it returns to defend himself from further attacks.


OOC: Hit AC 3 for 8 Damage.


10:31, Today: Ranzarth rolled 13,8 using d20+3,d6+3.  Attack with Shortsword. No flank or backstab multiplier involved.

Holding her shield before her, Ella watches the creatures close the distance. Seeping brownish fluid from the wounds instead of bleeding was hardly normal, but Ella had fought strange creatures not of flesh and blood before. Whatever these were, they physical beings, vulnerable to blades and slippery floors. That was a comforting thought, at least.

When the things closed within her reach, she slashed out at one of the spear-wielding creatures. In close quarters with her companions, she tried to keep her cuts short and tight, keeping the flaming blade from getting too much in their way as they fought.

12:14, Today: Ella rolled 10,11,10,9 using 1d20+5,1d8+6,1d20+5,1d8+6 ((5,5,5,3)).

Hits AC -2 for 11
Hits AC -2 for 9

(Because she's wielding Flametongue, each hit is +1 damage if they regenerate or +2 damage if they are "inflammable creatures.")

The dwarf steps to the fore, swinging his axe Beardtrimmer at one of the creatures.



20:12, Today: Lumwik rolled 23,16,21,19 using 1d20+8,1d8+11,1d20+8,1d8+11 ((15,5,13,8)).

Hits AC -10 for 16
Hits AC -11 for 19

Herodian steps out into the corridor facing the approaching cylinders and tosses a handful of a black powdery substance onto the floor in front of him. Using the tip of his staff he traces a sigil into the black powder. When the sigil is complete it rises from the floor to hover in the air in front of him. As he utters the words "Arastianir disp lasr" the sigil disappears from in front of him, reappearing underneath the cylinders. With the spell complete, Herodian steps back behind the corner.

OOC:
Herodian casts slow on the cylinders. OSRIC pg 104

Slow
Arcane Transmutation/ Alteration
Level: Magic user 3
Range: 90 ft + 10 ft/ level
Duration: 3 rounds + 1 round/ level
Area of Effect: 1 creature/ level in a 40 × 40 ft area
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 3 segments
Saving Throw: None
This spell acts upon its targets to slow down their movements, or can be used to negate the effects of a haste spell. Any creature affected by a slow spell will find that it can only move at half normal speed and attack at half its normal rate. The spell may be cast upon up to 1 creature/ caster level, but all must be within the area of the spell’s area of effect at the time of casting. If more than one slow spell is cast upon the same subject, the effects of the two spells will be cumulative.

Cal hesitates for a beat trying to decided between doing something about the cylinders or engaging with the more immediately threatening humanoids. Once Herodian throws a spell at the cylinders (a choice Cal agreed with because he had been considering the same spell), that seems to make up his mind.

Drawing another dagger from the bandolier across his chest, he charges into the melee with the humanoids and starts slashing and stabbing with both hands. Most of his attacks are focused on the dog-thing in an attempt to bring it fully down and completely remove one of the combatants from the fracas.


Going to two-weapon fight here. I'll just focus on the dog. Hopefully I'll kill it.

09:38, Today: Sir Cal rolled 25,19,15,14 using d20+7,d20+7,d20-1,d20-1.  sword, sword, dagger, dagger.
Those all hit AC1 or better, so all hits.

09:41, Today: Sir Cal rolled 15,12,10,7 using d8+10,d8+10,d4+6,d4+6.  damage.
That's another 44 damage total.

This message was last edited by the player at 19:50, Thu 03 Oct 2019.

The elven scout closes with one of the spear wielding humanoids, slashing the creature with a pair of quick strikes of her blade.

17:35, Today: Trisvyre rolled 22 using 1d20+3.  Attack - Longsword.

17:37, Today: Trisvyre rolled 7 using 1d8+3.  Damage.

17:37, Today: Trisvyre rolled 10 using 1d20+3.  Attack - Longsword.

17:39, Today: Trisvyre rolled 9 using 1d8+3.  Damage.

Salenth engages another of the odd humanoids. She swings a heavy blow with her mace, but the monster manages to sidestep the attack.

17:51, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Salenth Ravanys, rolled 5 using 1d20+1.  Attack - Mace.

Sir Cal finishes off the dog-like beast with a flurry of attacks. Lumwik, Ella, and Trisvyre all cut down the humanoids they face. As each of the creatures fall, the rich smell of dense vegetation overtakes the corridor, and, save for the enemy slain by Ella, which is consumed by flames, the fallen forms of the monsters immediately begin to dissolve, their bodies decaying into clumps of russet colored mold.

Harkmur and Ranzarth manage to grievously wound the humanoid they are in battle with. The creature hisses as it jabs at Harkmur with its spear, but the warrior evades the attack easily.

17:58, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 4 using 1d20.  Attack - Humanoid.

Salneth’s opponent makes a gibbering sound as it swings the crude hatchet it wields at the priestess, but the blow skitters harmlessly off of the cleric’s armor.

17:59, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 6 using 1d20.  Attack - Humanoid.

At the eastern end of the corridor, the cylinders, clearly slowed, move far enough out of the shadows that Herodian is able to see them clearly.



One of the metal creatures speaks, its tone flat and strangely artificial, like the speech of a construct, the meaning of its words lost on Herodian.

[Language unknown: ”AVESHENDE NG EKILPLWHIL SIOMWAHIWA! NE NT ST UREILLKORWAS O NENEESROAL UTECOS SANATIOUN ISRO any.ne! CEFOPENT CKIE IT TIO LESMENATI T POTIPO MAEC T PAER PRFI ON K THEIS!”]

A red beam of energy originates from the first of the cylinders, pulsing through the air toward Herodian in the blink of an eye.

18:36, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 20 using 1d20.  Attack - Cylinder.

18:38, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 10 using 2d10.  Damage.

The bolt of energy cuts across the half-elf’s flank, the sensation akin to what Herodian imagines being touched by heated metal would feel like.

In the same instant, a small object, oval in shape like a goose egg, emerges from the center of the other cylinder and is propelled down the hallway.

18:46, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 11 using 1d20.  Attack - Cylinder.

It lands a few feet away from Herodian’s feet, shattering a moment later. As it breaks, pale yellow gas quickly fills the intersection of the corridor where the half-elf has been keeping watch.

OOC: Herodian, I need you to give me a roll on percentile dice. If you roll 30, or below, don’t do anything else. If you roll over thirty, give me a Saving Throw vs. Poison.

18:51, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 3 using 1d6.  Initiative - Party.

18:51, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 1 using 1d6.  Initiative - Enemies.

The adventurers win initiative for the next round.

OOC:

21:38, Today: Herodian rolled 12 using 1d100.  DM Request.

With the aid of his magical boots, Wandreck takes a running jump as he draws his sword and attempts to land behind behind the cylindrical construct in preparation for a backstab.

Pulling back, Harkmur heaves forward again with the aged, worn hammer.  Pulling with his hips, he swings wildly towards the creature...

11:26, Today: Harkmur of the Granite rolled 14 using 1d20 (Thac0 12; Hit AC 2)  Swinging Warhammer.
11:27, Today: Harkmur of the Granite rolled 5 using 1d4+1.  Damage.

OOC: Wandreck, and anyone else that is moving to engage the cylinders in melee, since the gas cloud is still present at the corridor’s corner, I’ll need you to give me a Saving Throw vs. Poison. Yes, I know you could hold your breath, but the gas also permeates skin.

If anyone of elven heritage crosses through the cloud, roll your immunity first (90% for elves, 30% for half-elves). If you roll under your immunity percentage, you’re unaffected by the gas and don’t need to make a saving throw.

Ranzarth continues to circle the humanoid Harkmur and he is on, ducking and weaving in a deadly dance to find an opportune moment to strike out with his shortsword. A quick parry to the side, opens a gap large enough for his sword to drive forward...


OOC: Attack with Short sword. If flank or backstab bonus is available it has not been added. Hitting AC -2 for 4 Damage.


11:37, Today: Ranzarth rolled 18,4 using d20+4,1d6+3 with rolls of 14,1.  Attack with Shortsword. No flank or backstab multiplier involved

Herodian hugs tight against the wall and touches the spot where the red bean struck him.

"Sederai donitan." His hand glows with soft, golden light and his wound appears to heal and emit a light matching the glow of his hand.

OOC:

18:58, Today: Herodian rolled 5 using 1d8.  Cure Light Wounds.

14:33, Today: Wandreck rolled 13 using 1d20.  Save vs poison.  (Succeeds)

Lumwick strikes out again at the remaining plantman.

21:01, Today: Lumwik rolled 17,15,10,19 using 1d20+8,1d8+11,1d20+8,1d8+11 ((9,4,2,8)).


Hits AC -5 for 15
Hits AC  2 for 19

Seeing that Lumwik and Ranzarth have the final plant-man surrounded, Cal turns back towards his nephew, the cloud of gas, and the walking cylinders. He quickly takes stock and realizes that Wandreck has already moved to engage the things in melee. A party member downrange spoiled the mage's chances of casting area effect spells, and he doubted the rogue would last long against those things alone. He made a note to discuss tactics with the dwarf when this battle was over.

Holding his breath, he bolts through the gas cloud and rushes down the hallway to back up Wandreck.

[Sorry mages, I was hoping we'd be able to give you a chance to lightning bolt or some other decent damage spell, but I figure with Wandreck already down there, it's going to prevent that. Hopefully you've got something else more targeted.

08:01, Today: Sir Cal rolled 22 using 1d100.  90% resist sleep.]

Cal makes it through the cloud unaffected. He attacks the closest cylinder using only his sword, taking measure of the thing and just how difficult it is to pierce its armor, saving the dagger in his offhand for parrying any counterattacks it might employ.

[attack twice with sword. dagger thing is just flavor text.
08:06, Today: Sir Cal rolled 17,24 using d20+9,d20+9 with rolls of 8,15.  sword attack twice.
08:07, Today: Sir Cal rolled 11,16 using d8+10,d8+10 with rolls of 1,6.  damage.

That hits AC-4 for 11 damage and -11 for 16 damage]

Ella opted to remain in her designated role of watching the less-armored members of the group rather than running down the hall at the... whatever they were. She joined Lumwick in hacking at the last plant creature. Once it was down, then it would be safer to move forward, at least. She moves with a fluid grace as the flaming sword cuts and slashes at the strange creature, slipping through its guard almost like it had none.

10:40, Today: Ella rolled 25,9,24,7 using 1d20+5,1d8+6,1d20+5,1d8+6 ((20,3,19,1))

Hits AC -13 for 9 damage
Hits AC -12 for 7 damage

OOC: Did I successfully position myself for a backstab?
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 11:11, Tue 15 Oct 2019.

OOC: Wandreck, you were able to vault over both of the cylinders and can make a melee attack before either can act. However, the “cylinders” have sensors that provide them with 360 degree awareness for a considerable distance and hence, they cannot be backstabbed.

Trisvyre follows Sir Cal through the cloud of yellow gas. Like her fellow elf, she is not overcome by its effects, and joins him in attacking the first of the strange cylinders that she encounters, but her strike does not manage the metal foe’s armor.

20:52, Today: Trisvyre rolled 78 using 1d100.  Immunity.

20:54, Today: Trisvyre rolled 12 using 1d20+3.  Attack - Longsword.

Salenth follows Trisvyre through the gas, intent on supporting her fellow adventurers. She manages to resist the effects of the yellow fumes, breathing a prayer to Saint Cuthbert as she emerges on the other side of the cloud.

21:00, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Salenth Ravanys, rolled 13 using 1d20.  Saving Throw vs Poison.

Cast: Sanctuary

[Posted by Dungeon Master.]

Landing agilely on his feet, Wandreck thrusts the point of his blade at the closest of the cylinders. Blue sparks fly as the sword strikes a field that surrounds the metallic form of the cylinder, the energy wavering at the force of the blow.

21:18, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Wandreck, rolled 20 using 1d20+3.  Attack - Longsword.

21:19, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Wandreck, rolled 4 using 1d8+3.  Damage - Longsword.

Azad stands back from the battle with the plant men, unwilling to unleash a spell with his fellow adventurers battling them in such close quarters.

With well placed strikes, Harkmur and Ranzarth quickly slay the humanoid they are engaged in battle with, the monster collapsing into a foul pile of mold. The last of the plant creatures meets a similar fate at skillfully wielded weapons of Ella and Lumwik, dying with a screech as it succumbs to their powerful blows.

Sir Cal aims a pair of strikes at the first of the cylinders. Like Wandreck, his blade first strikes a blue field of energy that surrounds the metal monster’s body, but with his second blow, the field fades, his sword marking a crease on the cylinder itself.

The cylinder facing Sir Cal responds by smashing the elf in the flank with a heavy blow from one of its tentacles. [Language unknown: ”HILO ILL NA EEIL IVICH SA ERASTRTHE ACAR ACAN STLO FI EI,”] it says flatly.

21:56, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 18 using 1d20+3.  Attack - Subdual Tentacle.

21:57, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 9 using 1d10+6.  Damage.

The second cylinder fires a beam of silver sparks at Wandreck, the stream hitting the thief in the shoulder.

22:05, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 9 using 1d20.  Attack - Beam.

Wandreck, I need you to give me a Saving Throw vs. Paralysis.

As the melee continues, the yellow gas disperses, clearing from the corridor.

22:15, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 6 using 1d6.  Initiative - Party.

22:15, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 2 using 1d6.  Intiative - Cylinders.

The party wins intiative for the new round.

The cylinders are AC -1.

Ranzarth moves back towards the eastern corridor, peering around the corner to view the cylinder creatures. As the last beam of light erupts from the creature, he dives forward, rolling up near the creature slashing out with his blade as he tries to circle the creature to gain a better position.... his blade deflects off a shield of force...


OOC: Hit AC 4, 4 Damage


10:21, Today: Ranzarth rolled 12,4 using d20+4,1d6+3 with rolls of 8,1.  Attack with Shortsword. No flank or backstab multiplier involved.

With the immediate problem dealt with, Harkmur turns to see where the next threat is.  Not exactly certain what he is seeing, he places his hammers away and again reaches down for his discarded crossbow.  He stares down the strange cylinder as he strains against the hardened cord, pulling it back into place.

Holding my action, looking for an opening on possible weakness

With the foul gas dissipated from the corridor, Herodian steps back out into it and sees that Wandrek and his Uncle have engaged the strange cylinders. It is impossible to tell which side has the upper hand. The cylinders appear to be made of metal but whether they are a construct or some sort of armored creature, he couldn't say, but since they appear to be slowed by the last spell he cast at them, he decides to try another one.

He extends his arm toward the one engaged with Sir Cal and reaches into the aether with his mind. He channels magical energy from the aether's swirling depths down the length of his arm and allows it to gather in his extended hand.

“Sihir Shirak Anak!” he says, and he releases the gathered energy in five pulses; five missiles of pure force that streak down the corridor weaving past Sir Cal to strike his opponent.

Then, cognizant that the thing may very well retaliate against him again he darts back behind the cover that the bend in the hallway offered.


OOC:

Herodian casts Magic Missile dealing 18 points of force damage to the cylinder.

01:39, Today: Herodian rolled 18 using 5d4+5 with rolls of 4,2,2,1,4.  Magic Missile damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:29, Mon 21 Oct 2019.

Lumwik turns from the decaying plant men, and sets his path on the cylinder creatures.  "I'm a comin'!" he calls.

15:57, Today: Wandreck rolled 18 using 1d20.  Save vs paralysis.  Made it

As soon as he can, Wandreck tries to leap out of the way, as he realizes that he had made a foolish mistake.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:34, Sun 20 Oct 2019.

Cal ducks and bobs, shuffles his feet, and parries a couple of times with his dagger. He grunts as one of the cylinder's whipping tentacles slips past his guard and scores a hit. Ignoring the pain, he continues to press the attack on the thing, grateful for the magic missile assist from his nephew. He follows up that attack with a couple of thrusts of his sword, aiming for the spots where the missiles just hit, hoping to punch through the thing's armor.


Two more sword attacks
20:46, Today: Sir Cal rolled 21,18 using d20+9,d20+9.  sword, sword.
both hits
20:47, Today: Sir Cal rolled 18,17 using d8+10,d8+10.  damage, damage.
35 total damage

Following Herodian’s example, Azad mutters a few words, followed by a pair of swift gestures. Eldritch bolts of energy fly from his fingertips, cutting through the air before piercing the side of the cylinder that Sir Cal and Ranzarth are battling.

Cast: Magic Missile

22:52, Today: Azad Rola rolled 18 using 5d4+5.  Damage - Magic Missile.

[Posted by Dungeon Master.]

Ella dashes to the corner of the hallway alongside Lumwik, moving to join the melee further down the corridor.

Masked from the notice of the cylinders by her prior supplication, Salenth breathes another prayer to her patron, reaching out to lightly touch Sir Cal’s shoulder.

Cast: Cure Light Wounds

23:13, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Salenth Ravanys, rolled 4 using 1d8.  Cure Light Wounds.

Trisvyre gives her attention to the other cylinder that targeted Wandreck with a beam of sparks. Closing with the strange creature, she slashes at it twice with her sword. One of the blows strikes true, causing the blue field surrounding the cylinder to waver.

23:18, Today: Trisvyre rolled 10 using 1d20+3.  Attack - Longsword.

23:19, Today: Trisvyre rolled 15 using 1d20+3.  Attack - Longsword.

23:19, Today: Trisvyre rolled 10 using 1d8+3.  Damage.

The bolts of magical force called forth by Herodian and Azad, coupled with the repeated strikes of Sir Cal’s blade serve to halt the first of the cylinders. It emits a brief, ear splitting noise as lightning emerges from several of its injuries, its movements becoming spasmodic and uncontrolled as the bolts of electricity surround it. At once, it ceases to levitate, crashing to the floor and rolling for a few feet before becoming still, rivulets of black fluid leaking from some of the rents in its metal form.

The surviving cylinder abruptly breaks away from Trisvyre, moving northward, twenty feet away from her. As it does, it unleashes a lance of red energy at the elven scout, which pierces her shoulder.

23:38, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 16 using 1d20.  Attack.

23:38, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 13 using 2d10.  Damage.

[Language unknown: ”Pa YINOUSSHE ALNOIEMAIO,”] the metal monster intones in its strange tongue.

23:42, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 2 using 1d6.  Initiative - Party.

23:42, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 3 using 1d6.  Initiative - Enemies.

The enemy forces win initiative.

From somewhere in the cylinder’s midsection, another black oval object emerges, which it hurls at its attackers. The missile strikes the floor between Trisvyre and Sir Cal before exploding with terrific force, the sound of the detonation demeaning within the metal corridor.

23:47, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 18 using 1d20.  Attack.

23:48, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 8 using 1d5+5.  Damage.

Sir Cal, Ranzarth, Wandreck, Trisvyer, and Salenth are all within range of the explosion and will take the listed damage. A successful Saving Throw vs. Breath Weapons will halve the damage.

23:53, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 2 using 1d4.  Stun.

23:53, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 1 using 1d4.  Deafen.

Whether the saving throw is passed or failed, all those caught in the blast are stunned for two rounds and deafened for one turn.

It is the party’s turn to act.

Ranzarth's fumbled about as the deafening sound of the black oval object detonates near him. He seems confused as the blood trickles out of his ears..



OOC: Failed Save vs Breath 13


12:47, Today: Ranzarth rolled 10 using 1d20 with rolls of 10.  Breath Save.


Stun: Round 1 of 2
Deaf: Round 1 of 10

Cal instantly feels better as the surge of positive energy from Salenth flows through him. He feels better still when the first cylinder goes down to the combined attacks of himself and the mages. As he's turning to the second cylinder, the black oval explodes right in front of him. He takes the full brunt of the explosion, too slow to find any cover before it goes off. He staggers towards the wall, unable to do much else than hold himself up against it.


Failed my save. Current HPs are in bio line.
I'll be stunned 1/2 rounds, and deaf 1/10 rounds this round.

The 'shock and awe' approach of the strange object was enough to drop Harkmur to the ground.  Still clutching his crossbow he curses as he has no viable shot.

When he hears the explosion in the corridor, Herodian leans out into the hallway again.

"What the heck was that?!" He wonders out loud before sending another magic missile down the corridor at the remaining cylinder and ducking back behind cover.

OOC:

10:47, Today: Herodian rolled 12 using 5d4+5 with rolls of 1,1,1,3,1.  Magic Missile damage.

That's a lot of ones.

Lumwik quickens his pace, charging forward to bring his axe to bear on the metal cylinder.


17:21, Today: Lumwik rolled 13,17,20,14 using 1d20+8,1d8+11,1d20+8,1d8+11.

Hits AC-1 for 17
Hits AC-7 for 14

Azad follows his first series of eldritch bolts with a second burst of the same, eerie blue energy. The missiles arc from his fingertips, piercing the party’s metallic attacker with deadly accuracy.

11:37, Today: Azad Rola rolled 4,4,2,5,5 using 1d4+1,1d4+1,1d4+1,1d4+1,1d4+1.  Damage - Magic Missile.

[Posted by Dungeon Master.]

Ella joins Lumwik in his fierce charge, slashing at the cylinder with a pair of heavy blows from her sword. The first strike is deflected by the creature’s metal hide, but the second bites deep into its side.

11:53, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Ella, rolled 12 using 1d20+4.  Attack - Longsword.

11:56, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Ella, rolled 14 using 1d20+4.  Attack - Longsword.

11:57, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Ella, rolled 12 using 1d8+5.  Damage.

The powerful bolts of magical force, coupled with the warriors’ furious blows, open several wounds on the cylinder’s metal form, from which strong smelling black fluid begins to leak. Like its companion, the creature is suddenly seized by tendrils of lightning that appear to originate from within itself. It trembles violently as the electricity arcs around it, then falls against the eastern wall with a loud clank. It grows still, the lights that had dotted its strange body fading to darkness.

A moment later, the red illumination that had bathed the hallway abruptly vanishes, leaving the corridor draped in shadow. The loud, horn-like noise which seemed to serve as some manner of alarm halts, and the steel caverns are silent once more.

OOC: Combat over.

Those impacted by the blast are no longer stunned. Their hearing is slowly returning, and they may be spoken to, provided that the one addressing them is in close proximity.

Ranzarth leans against the closest wall, wiping the blood away from his ears as the ringing slowly lessens. Speaking louder than he should "Wow, what were those constructs?"

Cal comes out of the daze caused by the second cylinder. Still hearing mostly "ocean" in his ears he surveys the battlefield. A few of them were hurt, but not critically.  "How is everyone? Can we push on, or do we need a rest? Those scouts are still out there somewhere. If they encountered some of these constructs, they may not have fared as well as us. I feel as though we were lucky."

Other stuff in OOC thread

"We can continue" Ranzarth responded back as his hearing slowly began to ring less and less "I will search these things to see if there are any keys to these doors."

Lumwik keeps his eyes open.  "I am unharmed." he says.  He lends his strength to Ranzarth's search of the metal monsters.

Herodian joins the rest of the group in the corridor.

"Ranzarth, Uncle, let me see to your wounds before we proceed," he says.

OOC:

Herodian casts Cure Light Wounds on each of them.

23:06, Today: Herodian rolled 2 using 1d8.  Cure Light Wounds on Sir Cal.

23:06, Today: Herodian rolled 8 using 1d8.  Cure Light Wounds on Ranzarth.

16:59, Today: Wandreck rolled 15 using 1d20.  Save vs breath weapon.

Ranzarth looked to Herodian "Thank you" his voice returning to normal levels as his hearing does as well. He then moves to the creatures and begins to look each of them over, hoping to find something of use. He knew now to look inside the creatures as well.

Slowing taking to his feet, Harkmur strains his ears, attempting to listen beyond the group.

"I say we take a few moments and not just for the wounded.  That was a lot of noise and I'm certain it carried for some distance down these halls."

The roar of the explosion slowly begins to recede from the ears of those that were in the midst of it. Those whose ears were unaffected by the blast continue to hear only silence within the adjoining corridors. For the moment, all is quiet within the strange, metal cavern.

Salenth coughed and blinked as her senses finally returned. She could smell something burnt in the air and there was a faint tang of blood in her mouth. She straightened and winced slightly but the aches dissolved quickly.

She.was glad to see that the party remained relatively unhurt and unscathed. But not the same could be said for the weird creatures. The Cleric of St. Cuthbert had been on a battlefield more than once and she had some experience in anatomy. But these were creatures she couldn’t make heads or tails of.

Joining Ranzarth, Salenth poked and and prodded at them, trying to figure them out.

Wandreck isn’t especially religious, but he thanks the gods he’s still alive.  He knows that could easily have been far worse for him.

In reply to Salenth Ravanys (msg # 168):

"It looks more like Flora than Fauna doesn't it? Some sort of plant creature."

Salenth nodded at Azad and commented by sticking a boot gingerly in the clump of dissolved looking mold, "Yes... but I've never seen anything that when deceased would lose its shape and... well dissolve into this. A botanist might be useful in this case to analyse what or who these plant-like humanoids are."


"And those constructs, they seemed to be powered by some powerful magic. Do you think the black liquid they leak could give us some sort of clue as to what they are or how they are powered?" Salenth suggested.

Cal comes over to the dissolving husks of the vege-pygmies and retrieves his daggers. "Find anything valuable?" he asks them. "I'm hoping the rogues can manage to pull some of those weapons off the constructs."

Wandreck searches the remains of their mysterious enemies, while keeping an eye out for traps.

Herodian goes to look into the door that is standing open at the turn in the corridor. He stops short of passing through the doorway, though, and looks to see what is inside.

"They resemble  no automaton that I have seen or even read about. Perhaps an alchemist could determine the properties of the black liquid. All that I can say is that it is viscous and slippery."

Having only stood but yet to move, crossbow still cocked, Harkmur remains motionless save for his eyes which continue to bounce throughout the area.

Ranzarth nodded in agreement with Azad as he continued to search through their bodies and for anything of use. Prying them open if needed to get to what was inside.

Brief bursts of blue sparks from the bodies of the fallen constructs force both Wandreck and Ranzarth to proceed cautiously with their search of the creatures. Examining the cylinders’ wounds, the two adventurers can see that metal makes up much of the monsters’ internal structure, along with numerous multicolored filaments and dark, somewhat flexible, tubes. Both thieves suddenly recognize that the fluid leaking from the fallen enemies bears a striking resemblance to the oil used to fuel lanterns, though this new liquid is thinner and possesses a stronger scent.

The cylinders do not appear to be carrying anything of value, but Ranzarth and Wandreck both find, attached loosely to each construct’s chest, a small rectangle of what appears to be red glass, though the rectangles feel lighter than one would expect glass to be. Each adventurer is able to free the red rectangle from the creature they are searching without incident.


Entering the room at the corner, Herodian observes that there are three couches that line each of the chamber’s walls and appear to be attached to the walls, or perhaps even part of them. Debris litters the floor: smashed pieces of furniture and glass are scattered into the corners of the area, along with a number of pieces of what looks like dried grass.

In the southeast corner of the chamber sits a skeleton, leaning awkwardly against the eastern wall. Its yellowed bones speak of one long dead. It is clad in a tattered garment that is all of one piece, serving as both shirt and pants. The cloth it is made from is gray in color, but faintly reflective when exposed to light.

Wandreck searches the skeleton cautiously.  If all is well by the time he’s done, he recommends trying the red rectangular objects in the ‘keyholes.’

Herodian appears concerned. "I am reluctant to support making any further attempts to bypass these locks until we have more information. Those red objects do not look like any key I have ever seen. What makes you think that they will work?" He asks Wandrek.

Cal backs up Herodian, "I have to agree. I'd rather not disturb these doors again unless absolutely necessary."

"Key's come in all shapes and sizes, this shape matches up closely with the door. It's size is similar too. I agree with Wandrek that this is likely the key to the door. And being that what ever these are they, responded to us trying to access the door, it makes sense that it could be they are the, Jailors, and such have keys for the doors." Ranzarth responds to both Herodian and Sir Cal as he shows off one of the red "key-cards" to the pair that he had found among the creatures. "Though we should better prepare ourselves."


OOC: As a note it seems the DM has noted we used the Key-Card Already unless his description is for a different room. OR perhaps we were just entering the one open door.

"We mustn't let fear dissuade us from learning more about this strange place. These automatons must be connected to the force that is driving out monsters and threatening the nearby population."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:07, Mon 11 Nov 2019.

"Very well," Herodian concedes to Ranzarth's line of thinking. "If we are all prepared to face more of those constructs I suppose it is worth checking."

OOC:
@Ranzarth
That door was already open.

Ranzarth nodded to the others "Then prepare yourselves. I will open this door over here next to the open one." Ranzarth approached the door just to the right of the open door when you look at it and taking the key he looks at it a moment and the "key-hole", he looks back to the others awaiting for them to get in position.

Salenth eyed the strange looking "key". She wasn't a woman of science or engineering, or even a scholar, and thus she thought it'd best to leave it to those who knew more than she did.

When the decision was made to try and use the odd object in what was presumably a keyhole, the Priestess took a step back to stand behind the front-liners.

"Well, whatever comes through those doors, we can only be as prepared as we can be. Cuthbert, give us strength," Salenth breathed as she braced herself for what's to come.

Herodian positions himself off to the side of the group where he can keep watch up the corridor.

Azad moved to where he could see but was a good distance away (20ft) from the door and off to the left (5ft).

Harkmur nods his approval as he slightly lowers his crossbow.

Sword still in hand, Trisvyre takes a position near the door, nodding confidently at Ranzarth. Ella joins her, likewise ready for any trouble that might await the party on the other side of the portal.

Ranzarth inserts the red rectangle into the slot to the right of the door. The gathered company hears a series of soft notes sound from the strange lock and then, a moment later, a disembodied female voice speaks softly, [Language unknown: ”Whiain'thiant erewerherast.”].

With a rush of stale air, the metal door slides open, appearing to vanish into the wall. Beyond it sits a small room, which the gathered adventurers perceive as a living quarters of some kind. A bunk, built into the wall, sits to the right, surrounded above and below by cabinets and drawers. On the left is the entrance to another tiny chamber, the function of which seems to be like that of an outhouse.

A couple of scraps of fabric litter the floor. In the center of the room sits a table and a pair of chairs, one of which is occupied by a skeleton. The skeleton is slumped over the surface of the table, a metal cup clasped in one hand. Like the corpse that Herodian discovered, it is clad in a one piece garment that clothes it completely, the fabric a gray color that is somewhat reflective.

The air in the room is stale. Nothing stirs within the small space.

What sort of ‘emotional pose’ is the skeleton in?  Terrified?  Resigned?

Ranzarth looked at the door way a moment trying to ascertain where the door went and then peered into the room and the body at the table "Perhaps trapped? Maybe we should drag one of those golems and block the door way to make sure it doesn't close on us?"

"That's not a bad idea."

Herodian goes to help Ranzarth block the door in its open position.

Cal braces for another pair of golems to show up as Ranzarth tries the key. He lets out a relieved breath when the door opens without another alarm going off. "I am happy to have been proven wrong." he says with a bit of an apologetic tone.

After the group quickly inspects the room, he suggests, "Maybe that strange key will also open the external door that sealed us in here. I'd feel a lot better with an identified exit."

"Imagine the resources it would take to make a magical talisman that would open a door so easily and give one to every single guard in a fortress. It is mind boggling! Even the Circle of Eight do not do things on such a scale."

Lumwik is interested in how the door slides into the wall, but saves his inspection, and keeps watch down the halls.

When the door slid open and "disappeared" into the wall, it no longer surprised Salenth. This place has presented many odd contractions and mysterious magic that such wonders came to be expected.

What intrigued her more were the dead in the room. Were they humanoid? And next, what killed them? The fact that one of the skeletons had a cup still clasped in it's hand suggested that the people here died while going about their every day life. Or did they drink poison from that cup?

But a more pressing question popped up in Salenth's mind and she voiced it, "I hope that this isn't the work of a necromancer. Otherwise, we'd have to battle undead too."

OOC: Salenth would like to examine the skeletons, see if there is any clue about how they did or anything else on them in the shiny suit

Trisvyre joins Herodian and Ranzarth on their errand. Unsurprisingly, the three find the fallen construct quite heavy, but with some concerted effort, they are able to carry it down the hall and insert it into the newly opened doorway. A few moments after doing so, it appears that the door, prompted by something unseen, attempts to slide closed, but the newly placed obstruction prevents it from sealing off the room.

To Wandreck and Salenth, the attitude of the skeleton seems to be one of resignation, as though the dead man had come to his quarters to quietly await a fate he could not escape. Carefully searching the odd uniform he is wearing, the priestess of Cuthbert locates two items: a rectangular piece of what appears to be black glass, of the same dimensions as the pieces of red glass that were retrieved from the cylinders, and a red colored gourd, which is mostly featureless.



The gourd is indented on one side, as if to fashion a grip. It is flat on the bottom and from the opposite end extends a small, curved neck. The neck ends in a hole. On the back of the neck is a rivet. On the bottom of the gourd is a sundial pattern with a hair marking the third of six lines in the pattern.

Keeping watch in the hallway beyond the room, Lumwik sees no movement from either end of the corridor. The dwarven warrior hears no sounds of movement anywhere nearby.

Wandreck searches the red gourd carefully, trying to determine if it’s dangerous.

"Looks like we may have found another key," Salenth said as she held up the black glass for all to see.

She searched some more and then came across a strange red object in one of the dead man's pockets. She examined it around, feeling the weight of it and also tried to understand it's purpose. But tried as might, she could not make head or tails of it

"Look at this, something odd contraption. Anyone knows anything about engineering could probably understand this better than I," Salenth said, offering anyone else to take it.

While waiting, Salenth gripped the "gourd" according to the grips and wondered about the hole at the end. She gave the odd a gentle squeeze, could it be squeezed?

Satisfied that the onslaught had been staunched, with no sounds of danger to speak of, Harkmur gently removes the bolt from the crossbow and releases the drawstring.  With it secured to his back once more, he moves closer the group, eyeing both the strange door mechanism as well as the machination keeping it from closing.

"I have seen much in my years, but this place is truly something quite different.  I'm not sure if we should be terrified of the possibilities, or entranced by the wonder."

"Both I think." Cal responds to Harkmur. He steps back out of the room as Salenth starts playing with the gourd. Like most things in this place, it was probably dangerous, and he preferred to keep watch than get hit by whatever magic that device released.

[If nobody is watching one of the two directions, he takes watch in that direction. Otherwise, he watches the hall the robots came down.]

"I have been thinking about how best to proceed since we seem to be trapped in here for the time being, at least," Herodian says addressing everyone in the group.

"I have an idea, but there may well be considerations that have not occurred to me, so I would like to know your thoughts on the matter. We have had a long day of travel. Under normal circumstances, we would be settling in for a good night's sleep right now. Obviously, that isn't likely to happen in a hostile environment like this, but we will need to rest soon, as best we are able.

Now that we have a key to at least some of these rooms that may be easier to do. I am surprised that more of those plant things and constructs have not been dispatched to apprehend us yet. That may mean that whoever is in charge here is either unaware of the battle that has just taken place, or lacks the resources to do anything about it. Of course, we don't know from how far away any reinforcements may have been sent. Since we have no way of finding out, I think it would be prudent for us to move on. If they do come looking we don't want them to find us where they expect we will be.

I am generally an advocate of careful exploration, but under these circumstances, I think skirmish tactics might serve us better. What say you?"

"If indeed there is a "They". All of the occupants we have encountered have been deceased. We have dealt with only wild creatures and automatons."

"It is quite possible that there is no guiding will behind the defenses herein at all. Merely action based on preexisting command."

"You may be right, Azad. That is possible. But, I heard those plant men who attacked us speaking, although I didn't understand the language. Still, I am as certain as I can be that it was a more sophisticated form of communication than that of any wild creature I have encountered," Herodian replies.

"No more so than Goblins. They did not build this and then choose to come at us with sticks and rocks."

"This was wrought by a sophisticated culture. I wonder if it is connected to Blackmoor or some other lost civilization."

Wandreck joins Salenth in examining the odd gourd. The thief’s gut instinct is that the item is not a weapon, nor anything dangerous, but rather a tool of some kind.

The priestess gives the gourd a pair of hesitant squeezes. She finds the object hard and smooth, much like a stone that has been shaped by decades of flowing water. On the second squeeze, she notices that the rivet at the top of the gourd depresses as she applies pressure.

Suddenly, a stream of white gas emerges from the gourd’s neck, briefly enveloping Wandreck in its fumes. The dwarf perceives the sharp scent of alcohol, along with other smells that are unknown to him. As she shifts her attention to the thief, Salenth notices that the lingering injuries that he carried from the explosion proceed to slowly close up, seemingly healed by the mist from the gourd.

12:47, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 15 using 2d12.  Wound Healing Canister.

Wandreck, that’s sufficient to heal you back to your full hit point total.

“Now that’s the sort of ‘trap’ I’d like to encounter more often!  Whatever that was, it made me feel much better.”

Lumwik continues his vigil, keep watch so the others can investigate in safety.  "Aye. a safe place ta rest is always welcome." he comments, content with the group decision.

"Well we have other rooms here alone to explore. And we are still looking for the Elven Scouts. We should continue for while we can. We now have a place to fall back to should we need to." Ranzarth remarks as he examines the inside of the room to locate the key hole to open the door from inside the room.

Herodian's expression becomes a pensive one, but he only nods his head in response to Azad. He hopes his friend is correct. The argument does stand to reason, but there is a feeling of alarm nagging at him that he is unable to shake.

Salenth looked at the "gourd" in her hands with marvel. What a wonderful device! So far, everything about this place was beyond her experience and their technology, magically doors, moving walls, magic keys and now magical healing? With artifacts like such, think of all the lives they could save?!

But a single thought scared her and Salenth decided to vocalize it.

"These people obviously were very advanced or had great magic. And yet, this man looked like he had come here to this room to accept death," the Priestess of St. Cuthbert said mournfully. "I fear to face whatever it is that caused them to give up hope altogether."

With that, Salenth gathered herself and kept the gourd tucked into her belt, ready to use it again should they need it.

"Let's continue our search for the elves," Salenth agreed and got ready to move.

Harkmur started slightly as the strange device was activated.  Far too many wonders and unexplained magics had he seen in mere minutes.  His unease with the place was becoming noticeable.

"It would appear we're in the proverbial 'rock/hard place'.  Going forward is most certainly risky and exposes us to who knows what but the thought of holding up in some...room? cell?  I don't even know but it's foolish to believe we possess the only key.  However, going back is clearly not an option.  I would suggest the middle road and leave press on simply to map our surroundings.  As already expressed, we can backtrack if need be.  There is also that hole..."

He lets his sentence end as he stares back toward it.

Emerging from the formerly locked room, the company can see that the intersecting corridors remain vacant. Both to the north and westward, nothing travels the strange passageways. Likewise, nothing stirs in what they can see of the large chamber with the pit, the room adjacent to the cave’s entrance.

As they ready themselves to explore further, roughly thirty feet down the northern corridor, the hallway becomes briefly illuminated, flooding with a bright, but not blinding, blue tinged light. It remains for several seconds, then disappears, plunging the passage back into gloom. From the same direction, there is the sound of metal on metal, like that of a heavy object falling, then silence once more.

"Well, that was loud."

Azad looked toward the sound but it was not his habit to investigate such things on his own.

Lumwik looks down the Northern corridor.  "Want me ta take a look?" He asks of no one in particular.

"Someone should I suppose."

"Let's all go," Herodian suggests.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:30, Wed 27 Nov 2019.

"A capital suggestion! Let's all go."

"Yes we should check that out, and then perhaps some of these other doors." Rasxan speaks softly as he draws his blade once again and looks down the corridor and takes a couple quiet steps that way.

Wandreck proceeds in front of the party, searching for traps.

Harkmur falls into the rear, a warhammer gingerly bouncing against his palm as he channels his nervous energy.  Caves were one thing but this...this was something he could not explain.  He glanced towards the ceiling, hoping it would simply part way and allow him to view the heavens instead.

"Aye. Let's move." Cal agrees. He readies sword and dagger as he falls into line in the pre-arranged marching order.

Keeping her sword drawn, Trisvyre falls into line with the rest of the company. The elven scout remains silent, but watchful, ready to respond to the first hint of peril.

Lifting a whispered prayer to Joramy, Ella joins the rest of the party as they venture deeper into the steel caverns.

Following the shadowed passageway northward, the company passes a pair of doors on the eastern wall that are both secured by the strange locks that the adventurers have just learned how to operate.

After almost fifty feet, the corridor turns east, the shadows still deep in the metal framed hallway. Near the point where the passage branches east, the group finds a door that is not secured with a lock. Above the portal, black colored characters have been engraved in the wall’s metallic surface, clearly writing meant to identify the chamber beyond, the meaning of which is lost to the explorers. From the thin seam at the bottom of the door, the adventurers can see bright illumination, informing them that the room on the other side is well lit.

Pressing down the eastern hallway, the party can see another door on the southern wall, which is also without one of the locks that require a square of glass. Light also escapes from the base of this door, and there is also writing above it, though in this instance, the characters are colored bright red. It is the only door in the entire branch of the corridor.

After sixty feet, the passage turns northward again. At the end of the passage is door which is secured with a lock panel.

OOC: The main game map has been updated.

"Where did the noise come from?" The dwarf asks.

"Do you think it could have been one of these doors closing," Herodian asks quietly?

"Look, the room beyond is lit," he says, indicating the door with the black symbols above. "It doesn't seem to require a key. Let's have a look," he suggests.

Herodian stops just shy of the doorway where he can provide support if they find trouble on the other side.

"Didna sound that far away." the dwarf says, shaking his head.

Wandreck searches the door for traps.

Trisvyre nods in agreement with Lumwik’s assertion. ”It is difficult to be certain in such a...strange environment. But the noise sounded close, as though it could have come from this corridor.”

Wandreck is able to examine the metal door thoroughly. The thief finds no evidence of any traps.

Ranzarth nodded in agreement with the others. His attention shifted up and down the corridor and then the door, he leaned in close to give a listen to see if he could hear anything beyond...

Shifting past the group, Harkmur takes up residence in the corner just north of the first door (#5 on map).

Leaning towards the others, he motions downward with his palms flat...

"Try and look under the door."

Azad stands ready.

Ranzarth presses his ear to the metal door, straining to hear any activity within the chamber beyond it. For the time being, the corridor where the company has ventured remains quiet. Those standing guard perceive no movement in either direction.

”What was it that you all heard? I heard nothing,” Salenth asked curiously.

Salenth marvelled at how many rooms this strange metallic dungeon had. And after finding those two skeletons, she couldn’t help but wonder what happened to them all. The dead looked like they were in the middle of their daily activities when they died.

”The scouts could be in any of these rooms,” Salenth said. Turning to Trisvyre, Salenth asked ”Have you seen anything so far that might point to where they might be or that they have passed through? Perhaps a marking made by them of sorts?”

Trisvyre shakes her head, her normally stoic elven features betraying a hint of worry. ”I have not. We have our means to communicate where we have traveled to one another. Signs. Small items left on trails.” She sighs heavily. ”But as yet, I have seen nothing. Perhaps...if we explore further.”

“We scouts are quite capable. I remain hopeful that my companions have survived.”

Ranzarth raises his hand for the others to be quiet as he listens at the door, after a moment he steps away and whispers back to the group "Something is moving metal about that room. Perhaps another one of those Golems?"

Wandreck nods, agreeing with Ranzarth’s assessment.

He reminds himself not to get in the way of the spellcasters this time.

Herodian positions himself in the hallway beside the door with his staff grasped firmly in both hands and signals that he is ready.

OOC: My intention is for Herodian to be in the square south of the door ready to cast into the room if the situation calls for it.

Cal readies himself as well. "Let's do it." he states matter of factly, making eye contact with everyone in the party.

Lumwick steps to the fore.  "I'll take the breech, in case it is hostile beyond."

Ranzarth slid to the side, pulling out the "keys" they had attained, set to try the red one first. He looked to the others awaiting for the remaining to be ready before he slid the "key" into the requisite slot to open the door.

Nodding in understanding, Harkmur holds his position.

Ranzarth examines the panel to the right of the closed door, but sees only a smooth black rectangle that provides no slot where one of the strange keys may be used. Reaching out, Ranzarth tentatively touches the dark surface, which prompts the door to slide open with a whisper of rushing air.

Immediately beyond the portal is a sitting area, which holds a number of small white tables and matching chairs. The arrangement is reminiscent of the common room in a tavern. Several pieces of the furniture, especially those close to the entrance, have been overturned, and  various pieces of refuse litter the floor.

On the other side of the seating area, centered on the western wall, is another door which stands open. In the room beyond it, five of the strange vegetable men, which the party have encountered before, are gathered around a large metal box which bears a number of dents. Two of the plant men are shaking the box violently, the sound of loose metal sliding within it loud in the relative silence of the corridor.

At the opening of the door, the plant creatures abruptly halt their activity, staring wide eyed at the gathered adventurers.

11:45, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 2 using 1d6.  Surprise.

The plant creatures are surprised. The party has the opportunity to act before initiative is determined. Any action that requires more than two segments to complete, such as the casting of certain spells, will cross over into the time when initiative is rolled and the monsters have an opportunity to react.

The vegetable men are within melee range should any of the company members wish to engage them in that manner.

Salenth sucked in a breath as they came face to face with a party of those strange vegetable men! Clearly, they too didn't belong to this strange metal dungeon too and were busy exploring their surroundings too! Salenth wished she knew how to communicate with them effectively.

She couldn't speak the same for her companions, but Salenth decided to try the more peaceful approached knowing full well that they might be hostile anyway.

"We're not enemies!" she said quickly and raised up both arms in surrender. Hoping that gestures like such were a universal thing.

OOC: Of course, if the others choose to attack instead, then Salenth will join in.

Wandreck readies his sling, but holds fire.

The plant creatures stare wide eyed at Salenth as the priestess addresses them. When the cleric has finished speaking, there is a brief silence while the vegetable men exchange looks with one another. Returning their attention to the adventurers, the closest of the plant men raises its spear over its head, shrieking what can only be interpreted as a war cry.

The gathered creatures tense, weapons in hand, readying themselves to charge the company.

09:02, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 5 using 1d6.  Initiative - Party.

09:03, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 2 using 1d6.  Initiative - Enemy

The adventurers still possess the advantage and may act first.

Ranzarth had held his position at the edge of the door waiting for others, seeing the creatures tense themselves, he wasted no additional time, his free hand arced a series of strange gestures, as he did so, a glowing light formed upon his finger tip, as he completed the gestures he pointed towards the one that shrieked, and spoke a single arcane word. Five, glowing motes of energy streaked towards the creature....


OOC: Cast Magic Missile, 1 segment


17:25, Today: Ranzarth rolled 22 using 5d4+5.  Magic Missle.

"A noble effort, Salenth. Let's see if they are more inclined to parley if they're held captive," Herodian says.

He raises his holy symbol into the air proclaims loudly, "Patcia et matahant!"

The three words carry the weight of command and the air begins to solidify around three of the plant people as if it is trying to hold them in place.

---

OOC: Herodian is targeting the three plant people who are the farthest away from the party.

Hold Person
Clerical Enchantment/ Charm
Level: Cleric 2
Range: 60 ft
Duration: 4 rounds + 1 round/ level
Area of Effect: 1-3 creatures
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 5 segments
Saving Throw: Negates
A hold person spell completely immobilises up to three medium-sized or smaller persons for the spell’s duration. The cleric decides how many of his or her foes he or she will target with the spell. If there is only one target, the saving throw is made at –2; if two, each makes the saving throw at –1; and if the cleric seeks to hold three enemies, each makes its saving throw with no penalty. If a magic item or spell operates partially to negate the effects of paralysis, failing the save will have the effect of a slow spell rather than completely immobilising the target. Creatures affected by this spell include humans, demi-humans and humanoids. Ultimately, it is in the discretion of the GM to decide if a creature is considered a “person” for the purposes of this spell. Persons held by this spell may be killed or bound at a rate of one per round, or, if the attacker chooses, may be attacked at twice the normal rate with an automatic hit, for maximum damage.

The dwarf growls lowly in return.  He strides forward, taking his axe to the closet plantman.

07:21, Today: Lumwik rolled 26,15,14,13 using 1d20+8,1d8+11,1d20+8,1d8+11

Hits AC -13 for 15
Hits AC -2 for 13

Ranzarth’s bolts of arcane energy crackle in the air as they slice toward the apparent leader of the vegetable men. The creature’s eyes widen in panic, but before it can react further, it is blasted into flaming chunks that are scattered throughout the room.

An instant later, Lumwik closes with another of the humanoids, cutting it down with a pair of devastatingly powerful blows.

11:52, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 6,11,15 using 1d20,1d20,1d20.  Saving Throws.

As Herodian completes his incantation, two of the plant creatures abruptly freeze in their tracks, their expressions confused as they recognize that they are held fast. The third creature’s movements are visibly slowed for a moment, but then it manages to pull free of the magic. Shrieking in rage, it brandishes the crude hand axe it wields.

"Yes." Cal agrees with Herodian matter of factly before dashing forward and setting upon the last paralyzed creature with sword and dagger. His blades are a blur as he slices the creature this way and that. The thing manages to parry one of his dagger strikes with its axe, but Cal's onslaught is too much for it to keep up with. He manages to land several solid blows on it.


Three hits to AC-2. 38 damage total

21:27, Today: Sir Cal rolled 15,13,10 using d8+11,d8+11,d4+7 with rolls of 4,2,3.  damage sword sword, dagger.

21:26, Today: Sir Cal rolled 15,15,4,15 using d20+7,d20+7,d20-1,d20-1 with rolls of 8,8,5,16.  sword, sword, dagger, dagger.

Although the defiant plant man manages to parry one of Sir Cal’s blows, the elven warrior removes the arm wielding the weapon with his follow up strike, then runs the monster through. It collapses onto its back, quickly decomposing into russet colored mold, in the same manner as the creature that Lumwik cut down does.

The two frozen plant creatures watch the scene in horror, helpless to defend themselves or their comrades. The sounds of the brief, but intense battle, quickly fade.

OOC: Combat over.

Wandreck searches the bodies.

"I won't be able to hold these two much longer. Does anyone have manacles or some rope that we could use to restrain them," Herodian asks?

Wandreck offers him a 50’ silk rope for this purpose, then resumes his search.

"Thank you, Wandrek. Uncle, would you give me a hand," he asks as he begins binding the prisoners?

Cal was already reaching for the rope when Herodian asked for help. "Of course." he said. He sets about tying up the two creatures before the spell wears off.

Herodian and Sir Cal are able to quickly secure the pair of plant creatures with Wandreck’s rope. A minute passes and the magical effect wanes. As it does, the vegetable men begin to struggle against their bonds, squawking angrily. They give up quickly, perceiving that their struggles against the rope are useless.

Wandreck, meanwhile shifts through the mold on the floor, on the lookout for valuables. Aside from the crude weapons that the plant men wielded, he locates nothing of interest.

Cal watches the vegetable creatures for a minute to make sure their bonds will hold, then he turns to the others in the party. "I have no magics to help us communicate with these creatures, though I know that such exist. Do any of you happen to know those spells or have them in your books? Perhaps the divine casters could ask their gods for such a spell in the morrow? I don't want to watch these creatures all night, but that might be the best we can do."

Salenth was glad the fight ended in their favour. Her attempt to parley had been met with aggression and she reasoned that it was just too bad that two of the plant like creatures had to die. But even so, the two other captured creatures appeared more warlike than ever, trying to escape their bonds.

”Unfortunately, I do not have any prayer that might enlighten me on the language they speak. I could ask it of St. Cuthbert on the morrow,’ Salenth offered before holding up the black card key, ”I feel that dragging along two disgruntled captives while we explore this place isn’t prudent. We have these glass keys. Perhaps we can find a room where it can only be accessed by these cards and lock them in there?”

"I possess such a spell, Tongues, but I have not memorized it today."

The dwarf shrugs.  "Ifin they can't talk, why keep these alive? They'll be more."

"Lumwick is right. I'll admit that I was gambling on one of you being able to communicate with them. If we cannot there is no reason to risk them bringing harm to us," Herodian concedes.

Although it’s a long shot, Wandreck tries to communicate with the creatures using his alignment language (chaotic neutral).

"Perhaps there are more around, perhaps there are not. But we were able to capture these two. It would prove wise to try to speak with them first. And not rely on finding others that we may not get a chance to surprise like we did these ones." Ranzarth offers in his low hushed tone.  He looked about the room to see if any signs of the elven scouts were here at some point and then back to the bound creatures. He will try a mixture of tongues to see if they understand him, switching from soothing elven, through a fast spoken pixie and ending with some crude but quickly spoken kobold, "We wish you no further harm, but some of your kind attacked us earlier. We merely seek information" Repeated over and over.

OOC: I speak like 9 languages not including common and alignment tongue.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:59, Mon 30 Dec 2019.

The creatures watch Wandreck and Ranzarth intently as each of the two adventurers addresses them in various tongues. In response to the attempts, all that registers on the two plant men’s faces are confusion and continued agitation over being restrained. There is a pause after Ranzarth makes his last try at communication, which is followed by one of the vegetable men letting out an angry, undulating shriek.

The Priestess frowned at Lumwik's and Herodian's comments. While they made sense, she still did not condone killing another being while it had already been subdued. "Unless they make any more direct threats, I would prefer we do not execute them. It's much different than fighting in self-defense," the Priestess stated firmly. "That is why I suggested we keep them prisoner in a room, where we only we have access via the glass keys."

Salenth did not understand the language Ranzarth last spoke in, but judging by the angry reaction of the plant-men, she could only venture a guess why.

"They sound unerringly angry and agitated. Perhaps it was a language spoken by the plant-men's enemies?" She suggested.

OOC: I think the plant folk before we killed the others were searching around the room and shaking a metal box? Can Salenth go to where the plant people were before we interrupted them and look at that box?
This message was last edited by the player at 05:38, Tue 31 Dec 2019.

In reply to Salenth Ravanys (msg # 271):

Cal nods at Salenth's comments. "I agree with the priestess. Killing in battle is different than killing helpless creatures. And these creatures obviously possess intelligence, so they are not merely rampaging beasts."

He considers their increased agitation at Ranzarth's attempts of various languages. "This increased aggressiveness is troubling. But, I still agree with Salenth about locking them up, or simply setting them free. I suspect these two will choose to flee if we allow them. Perhaps they will tell their ken of our mercy and they won't be so quick to attack us next time. Perhaps not. I'd rather take that chance than slaughter helpless sentients."

"While I sympathize with your concerns to some extent. These are not innocent captives, they are enemy combatants. They will attempt to kill us as soon as they are free to do so."

Cal nods to Herodian, "You may be correct. But at that point, they will no longer be helpless and killing them would be a clear act of self-defense. Perhaps that's merely semantics to some, but I feel strongly about it just the same. If necessary to convince you, I volunteer to battle them on my own. If it comes to that."

Lumwik stands by quietly, letting those more learned discuss semantics.   He waits for then to either be released or stuck in a closet.  "Unless ya think they was born and raised in dis room, they got in somehow and can likely get out.  Doan ferget they came out through a door when the attacked us the first time."

"I don't doubt that you are capable of besting them in combat, Uncle. I am concerned that they may catch us by surprise if we lock them up somewhere and they manage to escape. I'll admit, though, that is not likely to happen."

Herodian pauses for a moment then continues, "I won't ask you to compromise your values, though. You have kept me safe this far, I don't doubt that you will continue to do so."

“My experience as an adventurer has not made me an optimist.  I have to assume that if these creatures are freed, they will return with reinforcements and attempt to finish us.  Even if they don’t, the tales they tell of us will be about our weakness and stupidity, not our mercy.  Still, I am content to go along with the wishes of the majority, and would never expect a comrade to do battle on his own.  It’s all for one, one for all down here.”

”Although defending the Duchy and its people has often required we scouts to be somewhat ruthless in our tactics, we do not arbitrarily execute captives. Confining them in some way would likely be our best course,” Trisvyre interjects quietly.

Salenth moves to examine the damaged metal box in the adjacent room. Her sword drawn, Ella accompanies her.  As the priestess looks about, she notices that the chamber contains a long table and what appears to be a dry basin once used for water. The table holds the desiccated remains of some kind of fruits or vegetables, suggesting to the cleric that the area was once a kitchen of some kind.

Kneeling, Salenth can see that the torn metal container is full of metal tubes and colorful filaments, the purpose of which are unknown to her. However, within one partially opened compartment, the priestess sees a substance that resembles gruel or porridge, and smells faintly of grain.

The two plant men watch the remaining adventurers discuss their fate for a moment. Then, the same creature that became agitated previously unleashes another series of shrieks, leaving the company members with the distinct impression that it is expressing a mixture of hostility and defiance.

OOC: should the party elect to imprison the plant men, any of the small rooms along the eastern corridor the group first explored could be accessed with one of the squares of glass and utilized for such a purpose.

Wandreck smirks at the protests of the plant man.  He’s no sadist, but the thought of giving this shrieking foliage a proper pruning does cross his mind.  Still, he patiently awaits the verdict of the rest of the party.

Moving in from the hallway, Harkmur snarls as the creatures shriek...

"Whatever it is we're doing with them, can we do it soon?  Friend or foe that screaming is not doing us any favors."

"Let's free them or stick them in a room." Cal suggests. He moves closer to them to either push them along into a room or release. "I'd rather simply free them. Then we can be done with them and continue our search. If they attack us, then our disagreement will be resolved. If they flee, then they might return later, but I assume there are more of these creatures throughout this cave anyway. Two more won't change things much."

[To keep things moving, could we set a deadline of Jan 8 to make a response? I'll go with majority of whoever has responded by then. If majority is to kill them while helpless, I'll go along with that as a player, though RP will demand that Cal harbor some negative feelings about it. #Pragmatism. No need to revote if you've already stated your preference.]

"Creatures have apparently ran into Kobolds at some point. Nasty things." Ranzarth remarks softly as responds to their shrieking after he had finished "I concur with the others, killing them while they are helpless does not seem right. Locking them up in one of the rooms should be our best option."

OOC: If a firm course of action hasn’t taken shape by the 8th, I will tally what each of the adventurers have expressed as their preference and move forward accordingly.

"If'n youer gonna lock 'em up, at leas' search 'em fer keys.  They know how to use them."   Lumwik reminds, and steps back into the hall.

“An excellent point,” Wandreck says.  He proceeds to search the creatures for keys.

"Lock them up then, Uncle. There's no reason to make it any easier on them than necessary. Perhaps they will still be there for questioning in the morning."

Salenth rattled the metal box around curiously and she really couldn't make heads or tails what it was except that it was probably a food container since it was in a kitchen like room.

"Those people who died, they were probably really strange people. They certainly had strange contraptions, like this food-box," Salenth said casually as she replaced the metal box back onto the floor.

"I think let's go back to the rooms south and lock the plantmen in. We should lock them in separate rooms though," Salenth suggested.

OOC: So, based on the map, I'm thinking we go back to Room 4. And lock one of the plant men in there. But perhaps we should see if we can unlock the room to the left of Room 4 or Opposite room 4, with the red glass key. Maybe we can lock the plantman there.

Wandreck searches both of the creatures, finding nothing of value on the first of the plant men. The second, however, has a crude leather belt that apparently served as a makeshift holder for the hand axe it wielded. Tucked into the belt is another of the square pieces of glass, this one entirely black in color, and primarily opaque.

The angry plant man’s defiance appears largely spent as the adventurers usher their captives back to the first corridor that they explored upon entering the steel cavern. It makes no further shrieks, hanging its head despondently, a gesture that is emulated by its companion. Returning to the long, east-west running hallway, the party find it deserted and quiet. Ella and Trisvyre take the time to examine the floor closely, searching for evidence of recent tracks, but find nothing. As best either of them can tell, no one has traversed the passageway since the company departed it.

Wandreck keeps an eye on the ceiling and walls, as others are watching the floors.  He has had bad experiences with lurkers from above...

Lumwik sets his sights deeper into the cave, waiting to take his position towards the front.

Following Salenth’s suggestion, the company is able to secure one of the plant men in the room they had previously opened with the square of red glass. The same square opens the door directly across the corridor, the furnishings of which are identical to other chamber, only no forgotten skeleton waits within it. After both doors are closed, the party hears one of the plant men beat on the portal for a moment, the thumps of its fists barely audible within the passageway. In a matter of minutes, the pounding ceases and the hallway falls silent.

Herodian's eyes remain on the doors for a moment after they close. He clearly feels uneasy about their decision. He is resigned to it, though, and after a moment he asks, "I think that's probably the best we can do for now. Shall we continue to the east?"

Ever the paranoid, Wandreck also keeps an eye out for anything that might be attempting to sneak up on the party from the rear.

Their prisoners deposited, the company carefully makes their way back to area from whence they came, remaining watchful as they navigate the metal corridors. They return to the door with the mysterious black writing stamped above it, finding it closed once more. The hallway is vacant, absent of any movement, and a check of the floor by Ella and Trisvyre finds no evidence of recent passage by additional plant men or any other creatures.

The hallway continues eastward, past another closed door with more strange writing posted above it, this time colored bright red. It is the only door in the passageway before it turns north, leading into darkness.

Wandreck first searches the floor and ceiling in front of the red door for traps, then searches the door itself.

While Wandrek is checking the door, Herodian goes ahead to where the corridor turns to the north, flattens himself against the northern wall and listens for any sounds of movement further ahead.

Pressing himself to the wall, Herodian studies the northern corridor, which extends for roughly fifty feet before reaching a junction, with branches leading east and west, as well as continuing further northward. Watching closely, Herodian sees no sign of movement within the passage, but he does notice that the floor is strewn with a variety of debris, much of it metal, some of it knee high.

Wandreck makes a careful examination of the area in front of the door that sits beneath the bright red lettering, along with the door itself. In the end, the thief is satisfied that both are entirely free of traps. Wandreck notes that the door does not have a lock panel that requires one of the squares of colored glass. Like the entrance to the room with the plant men, it has a black rectangle beside it which, if pressed, will cause the door to slide open.

Wandreck moves back and reports his findings to the party.

Herodian turns and signals all clear to the party but he stays where he is.

"Curious," Salenth said with a slight frown when Herodian reported seeing metal debris that were knee high. Such large chunks of such debris only meant that something big and strong had to have caused such damage. "Should we follow the metal debris? Perhaps we will find out what happened to the people who were here. Or should we turn back and look for other passages, it's curious that we haven't seen any trace or markings left by Trisvyre's companions."

Salenth then looks at the door Wandreck examine and said, "While we decide, let's see what lies behind this door first." Salenth readies her weapon and presses the button that will cause the door to slide open.

"So far, I have seen little within these walls that is normal or right.  That the others appear to have passed without a trace is just one more thing to add to that list.  They are scouts, however, they may simply be doing what they do."

Salenth presses her palm to the dark panel. The door beneath the red inscription slides open.



Beyond the portal is a narrow room that stretches almost sixty feet back, a metal counter, somewhat like the bar in a tavern, standing in the chamber’s center. At the top of the counter, the adventurers can perceive a group of small glowing lights, red and blue in color, blinking on and off.

At the back of the area, the company members can see a tall cabinet, black in color. At the top of the cabinet are three square pieces of glass which are filled with glowing images, of the like one might see within a crystal ball or other object of scrying. To the right of the cabinet is a large metal box which is the size of a chest or footlocker.

On the eastern and western walls are metal doors, which are similar in appearance to the door the company just opened. Both feature the dark panels which are pressed to open.

Three of the metal cylinder creatures occupy the room. All of them halt when the entrance door slides open, regarding the adventurers silently.

Herodian watches expectantly as the doors slide open from further up the hallway. He's unable to see inside so he is watching the reactions of his companions.

Salenth froze as soon as the door slid open, revealing the three odd metallic creatures. They had no features that Salenth could make out and yet, the Priestess had this odd and creeping sensation that they were actually "looking" at them.

A quick glance of the entire room revealed cabinets and the strange glowing crystal ball like panels. Salenth was very curious about them - but what about the creatures?

"Hello? Salenth said uncertainly, wondering if the creatures would respond. But even then, she is readying her weapon. The last time they encountered weird metal creatures, they weren't friendly.

Cal's eyes widen in surprise as he sees the three cylinders in the room. Fighting just two of them had been a challenge, so he was concerned about three. "Three cylinders" he reports to Herodian in a loud whisper.

He treasures himself to cast his Slow sorrel in case these ones became hostile, but waits to engage in the hopes they won't attack.

After hearing Sir Cal's report, Herodian looks around the corner once more before heading back to the party. He is careful not to step in front of the open doorway when he rejoins them.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:52, Wed 05 Feb 2020.

Lumwick stepped forward, in case his axe is needed.

Wandreck readies his sling, but watches how this plays out before acting.

He also takes a quick look around to make sure something else isn’t sneaking up on them!

The sights within the room were enough to bring a man to pause, but the familiar cylindrical shapes quickly erased any thought or ponderance thereof.  Upon spying the strange, metallic "beasts", Harkmur ducks quickly backward and flattens himself against the wall.  Reaching behind him, he quickly pulls his crossbow down from his shoulder and steadies himself.

"I would rather parley with these constructs or their creator than fight them, but I doubt that is going to be an option. I have a spell that will empower us to move twice as quickly as we would normally be capable of moving; however, in doing so it will also age us a couple of years. If any of you do not want to pay that price I ask that you tell me now.  I would cast it before anyone enters the room, in case they become aggressive like the others did," Herodian says quietly.

Wandreck shakes his head.  “I don’t have a couple of years to spare.  Include me out.”

Ranzarth eyes widened at the mention of the three creatures, his free hand shifting to his sword while his other hand seemed to go in preparation for arcane spells.... He nodded slightly to Herodian

One of the metal cylinders advances toward the doorway where the adventurers are gathered. Neither it, nor its companions make any move to attack.

Nearing the party, the cylinder appears to focus on Ranzarth. Reaching out with one of its metal arms, it snatches the square of red glass from Ranzarth’s belt, holding it up as if to examine it. After a pause, it offers the square back to Ranzarth, addressing him in a flat voice, [Language unknown: ”Folosiil herwhianyand. Comvirred.”]

Once Ranzarth’s discovery has been returned to him, the cylinders appear to shift their attention away from the adventurers, each one seeming to focus on another task within the room. It quickly becomes plain that the cylinders have ceased to acknowledge the party’s presence at all, giving all of their focus to whatever work has been assigned to them.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 05:18, Fri 07 Feb 2020.

“A useful charm you have there, Ranzarth.  This will save blood, which can be a big expense.”

It isn't until after the cylinders have gone about their rat killing that Herodian realizes he has been holding his breath. He lets it out in a rush, then gulps the air greedily for a time. It is several breaths later before his breathing returns to normal.

"Don't lose that," is all he says to Ranzarth.

Wandreck cautiously enters the room and starts looking around, assuming that the creatures ignore him.  He keeps a wary eye out for traps, and checks the ceiling before going in.  (Of course, if he spots green slime or another hazard, he won’t go in.)

Ranzarth nods to the creature, unaware of what it said. Then looking to the others, nodding as he gently places the glass piece back on his belt. "Definitely keeping this visible..." He watched as Wandreck stepped into the room, taking a half step behind him but not entering himself.

With the cylinders offering no resistance, Herodian enters the room. He is immediately drawn to the scrying devices at the back of the room and goes to investigate them more closely.

The cordage of the heavy crossbow groaned with stress.  Still pointed towards the floor, his fingers hovered above the metal trigger as the others slowly began filing into the room.  With no shouts or frenzied cries, he slowly begins to ease off the wall, bending forward to attempt a glance.

"Why has it gone quiet?"

Lumwik sticks to the hall, being more the bash it with an axe than the investigative type.

Cal visibly relaxes as well, though not completely. He keeps his hands within easy reach of the hilts of his weapons, rather than gripping them. "That glass key seems to identify us as allies." he reports to Harkmur. "The cylinders are now ignoring us."

He then takes up a spot next to Herodian, helping his nephew's investigation. "Strange scrying crystals" he says, scanning them for clues about the whereabouts of the missing elven scouts.

Wandreck observes no traps in the room as he cautiously enters, followed a few paces behind by Herodian and Sir Cal. Trisvyre, hand on the hilt of her sword, also steps inside the chamber warily.

The thief and elven scout are able to approach the counter that one of the cylinders is lingering near. It is covered in levers and buttons, the functions of which is lost of the two adventurers. Several lights gleam on the surface of the counter, in hues of red, blue, and white. A few pulse, blinking on and off, but most glow steadily.

Most unusual are two pieces of glass, both square in shape, each the size of a pair of outstretched human hands. On the black surface of each square of glass, writing of some kind, the characters shining with green luminescence, appears at the bottom of the glass. As more is writing is completed, seemingly by an unseen hand, the older characters move to the top of the glass, eventually disappearing. The writing appears quickly, and is in the same strange language the adventurers have encountered elsewhere in their explorations, its meaning lost to them.

The scrying crystals are positioned at the top of a cabinet fashioned from steel and a black material that is slightly reflective. Like the counter, it features several glowing lights on its surface, most of white or red color. A circular dial, a pair of levers, and several buttons occupy the right side of the cabinet.

The crystals are all slightly convex. The one on the left holds an image from a dimly lit area: a wide room with a dark pit at its center. Both Herodian and Sir Cal immediately recognize it as the first chamber they encountered upon entering the steel cave.

The center crystal holds the image of another chamber similar to the first, only this room is brightly lit. It also features a pit at its center, but this pit is lit up within, such that both adventurers can see a few of the ladder like handholds within it. At the far end of the chamber, presumably its northern side, there are four doors, each bearing locks that require the square of glass to open.

The last of the scrying crystals shows the image of another room with a pit. Like its neighbor, it is well lit. On the room’s eastern side, there are two locked doors. Unlike the previous two chambers, this room is occupied. Five large feline creatures appear to have made their den here. For the most part, their forms are akin to that of panthers, or mountain lions, their fur black as midnight. However, each of the felines have six legs, rather than four, each featuring long claws. From each of their backs sprout a pair of tentacles which are studded with spikes of bone. As two of the creatures move about the room, their forms become blurry, their details difficult to see clearly. Slumped between the two locked doors is the body of a lone elven warrior, his garb similar in design to Trisvyre’s. On the wall above him, a symbol depicting an arrow and leaf has been been drawn with dark pigment.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:03, Sat 22 Feb 2020.

“I have no idea what manner of deviltry powers these devices, but levers and buttons can be used to trigger traps.  From here, the entire lair can be observed, allowing the operator to give the gift of sudden death to whomever he pleases.  As such, I am astonished that we haven’t been killed yet.  It might be wise to see to it that this contraption is disabled before we move on... unless we want to try to use it.”

"I'm hesitant to do anything with it. Perhaps once we are able to decipher this language we will come to a better understanding of what these things are and how they are controlled, but until then we are as likely to bring ourselves harm as we are to gain anything from the attempt," Herodian cautions.

Slowly stepping into the room, he is torn between the strange wonders that surround and the very real sense of danger from the metal cylinders.  He makes an attempt to navigate the room; his eyes dashing about while he keeps his back to the wall.  Before long, the amazement of the room overtakes him and he slowly pays less and less attention to the automatons.  He begins staring at the spectacle before him.

"I don't know what those things are...", he points towards the tentacled cats, "...but we don't need to find out either."

“A fair point, Herodian.  You’re right: we could do ourselves significant harm if we tinker with these machines.  On the other hand, if we leave them alone, they may be used against us.  Is there any way we could decipher this language?  Perhaps there is a spell that would work..”

Cal interjects himself into the ongoing conversations. Between Wandreck and Herodian, he points out, "For the moment these automaton sentries are passive. We don't know if they will become hostile again if we attempt to alter any of these machines. Deciphering the language could be very informative."

To Harkmur, he points out, "But look at that corpse. That's an elf, quite possibly one of our missing rangers. Even if it isn't, I would prefer not to leave the corpse of a fellow elf to be eaten by the likes of those creatures."

"Good sir, there is a spell for everything. That particular spell is not part of my repertoire, but unless I am mistaken either Azad, or Sir Cal are familiar with it and plan to prepare it for casting tomorrow. It would take a very compelling argument to convince me to tamper with any of this until then," Herodian replied.

Salenth too, in possession of a crystal card, follows Ranzarth's lead in slotting her black on into her belt. Perhaps if they encountered another one of those strange cylinder in a room marked by a Black Sign, they would leave them alone.

Now, the party shifted their attention the scrying crystals. While the party decided what to do, Salenth listened.

"Do you remember which room we found your red crystal Ranzarth? I was thinking perhaps these metal creatures "recognize" you, thinking you're their owner. Meaning, this same person likely worked in this room. Perhaps if we found this person's chambers, he might have left notes or clues as to what all these buttons and levers do," Salenth suggested.

Ranzarth gazes stops on the elven scout as he begins to move that way towards the scout, he looks over his shoulder at Salenth "We found them on the Cylinders that had attacked us in the hall." He stopped and knelt down next to the elf and looked towards Trisvyre "Is he one of yours?" he asks in a mournful tone.

“I am sorry for your loss.  Perhaps a dwarf isn’t supposed to feel that way, but I do.  I mean... our hearts aren’t just made of stone.  Nor are they made of flowers and moonshine as they say an elf’s is... but I’m sure you get my meaning.”

Quit while you’re behind, he tells himself.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:02, Sat 22 Feb 2020.

Trisvyre steps over to the cabinet in the rear of the room, gazing up at the trio of scrying crystals. Her expression grows somber and she nods in acknowledgment of Wandreck’s condolences.

”That is Vesryn. He is one of the youngest of the scouts. He had only been with us for a short time.”

She sighs, the only verbal expression of emotion she gives. ”That symbol is one means we use to mark our passage. I imagine that those feline creatures attacked the scouts shortly after it had been made.”

She frowns. ”Perhaps the survivors fled down into the pit.”

“Perhaps,” Wandreck agrees somberly.

And he’s relieved that he hasn’t committed a deadly faux pas.  For a moment there, he was worried.