Kreo, Frack, Procz: I put one last wrap-up post in your thread before locking it. The transition here is probably still a little jarring, but I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to get everyone together.

Veracity, in the moments before the crane smashed into the staircase, traced with a keen eye the intricate chain of belts, pulleys, and gears that drove the cranes. There! and there! she was able to point out to the others, including three newcomers who had just burst through the door. She could only hope they were allies. Her pointing purple finger indicated two critical cogs which, if bent or destroyed, should render the cranes inoperable.

Unfortunately, none of the others could act on the information quickly enough to spare poor Vecaal. The dangling cargo smashed into the stairs right where the dragonborn dangled, and none who saw the impact could help grimacing at the brutality of it.

To make matters worse, a second crane was converging on the staircase as well, ready to ram it next round.

That's a 20 to hit for 9 bludgeoning damage, and in case that's not good enough, Vecaal also has a -2 to AC due to his precarious position. Vecaal, you'll then have to make a DC 15 Athletics or Acrobatics check to maintain your grip. If you fail, you'll fall for 12 damage unless you use your action to fly, as we discussed.

Everyone else: Veracity has pointed out two gear trains that could be broken to shut down the cranes (she already failed an Investigation check to look for a way to control the cranes without breaking them, so I didn't include that in the result, but someone else could use an action to Investigate for this if they wanted). The nearer set of gears is 25' from the staircase. The further is 40'.

Kreo, Frack, and Procz have just entered and are 40' from the stairs or 60' from either of the attackable gears. I rolled initiative for the three of you, badly :-). So everyone can post actions now (including Veracity, for next round), and our order is:

Vecaal
Baern
Frack
Kreo
Procz
Veracity

Vecaal, I have you acting after the cranes because it's more convenient for me :-). But I also think it will be better for you, as you won't have wasted your movement if they do knock you off. I've been deliberately vague about the height of the stairs but I'll tell you now it's 100', so even a Dash action wouldn't get you to the top this round.

The dragonborn braced as best he could for the impact but the cargo sling slammed into him with such momentum that his efforts seemed almost laughable.  The impact swung his body out off the twisted stairway, only one taloned hand maintaining contact with a twisted handrail. Vecaal flailed precariously for a moment, his body almost parallel to the ground below, before gravity brought him back into the damaged metal structure.  Banging hard against the stairway, he barely managed to hold on and avoid disaster.  Grunting in pain, he secured his grip and searched the ceiling for whatever Veracity was pointing out.

Spotting the closest cog, the dragonborn reached one hand down by his waist and then flung out his arm with full extension.  A glowing golden dagger flew from his hand toward the mechanism.  Using his momentum he swapped his grip on the stairs, spun, and sent another golden dagger spinning toward the cog.  Then, with what appeared to be a grin or grimace (it was always hard to tell with a dragonborn) his slithered up the stairway, hoping to get ahead of the next crane barreling his way.

OOC:
10:46, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 15 using 1d20+3.  Acrobatics.  Just made it to hang on to the stairs!

Attack 1 hits AC16 (augmented by bardic inspiration) for 6 dmg.
11:04, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 10 using 1d20+5.  Attack.
11:04, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 6 using 1d6.  Bardic Inspiration.
11:11, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 6 using 1d6+3.  Damage.

Attack 2 misses.
11:13, Today: Vecaal Alifras rolled 11 using 1d20+5.  Attack.

Climb 30 ft upward with Move action.  Successful roll already provided.

Die roller is toying with me already...

Procz still had the image of the workers in his mind's eye when he entered the factory, thinking about their injuries. Normal factory work wasn't that dangerous, was it?

His attention was soon caught by the cranes attacking the people inside. This trio did not look like workers, he thought. His keen eyes wandered along chains and gears and mechanisms, analyzing their design and function. His kobold heritage beared with his uncanny mind wasn't always reliable, however. The noise and the turmoil was distracting. He was looking for a control panel or at least some way of shutting them down.

Investigate 14.

Frack watched with mouth agape as one of the cranes nearly pulverized the unfortunate dragonborn on the staircase. While he didn't know who or what was controlling the cranes, he thought it best if they didn't attack anyone.

Cast Sanctuary on Vecaal. Not sure it works. Depends on whether the attacker is a creature. Regardless, Frack will give it a shot.

"Hang on, Vecaal!"

Baern raced towards the nearest gear and arrived with Bessie in hand, ready to do something.... he just wasn't sure what it was yet.

Veracity looked up in shock at Vecaal being smashed by the crane's heavy cargo, and broke character to exclaim to Baern, "Shit!  Why can't we ever have fun surprises?"  Just then she spotted a trio of newcomers approaching from the factory front, and recognized the kobold constable and the armored goblin who had confronted the Steel Resolve earlier!  They had only spied the start of that conflict from afar, but it seemed that this group had somehow gained entry despite the lockdown.  This situation had already gotten dangerously out of hand, so any worries about being caught would have to fall by the wayside now.  Time to improvise!

Returning to character as Roxie the laborer, the tiefling cried out to all present, "Machines are on the fritz!  Gear trains are there, and there.  Jam 'em, smash 'em, whatever ya gotta do!"  She put a hand on the big newsboy cap and dashed toward the further gear train, purple tail curling behind her.  The tiefling 'laborer' snatched up the biggest broken tool piece she could find along the way in hopes to jam it into the gears!

---

Moving to the gear train 40' from the stairs.  If 30 feet of movement gets me close enough to literally throw a wrench in the works then give that a try, or otherwise Dash to close the remaining distance to try next turn!

Kreo pushed towards the gears that the purple tiefling pointed out, and motioned with his hand, speaking arcane chants as fire formed on his fingers, flicking it towards the gear

OOC: fire bolt, attack roll 11, damage 10 fire if it hits

"As I live, I think that purple tail might be familiar! Say miss, have we met before . . ."

He knew full well Veracity was among Baz's crew, but one didn't want to assume

Couple mid-round updates with new information:

Baern: I'm assuming you're approaching the nearer of the two gear assemblies. As you do so, a welding torch pivots away from whatever it was working on and, as if possessed of a mind of its own, attempts to torch you. DC 12 Dex save or you take 5 fire damage. If your passive Perception is 15 or higher you can roll with advantage.

Once past that hazard, you can attempt to disassemble the gears with your wrench. DC 12 Tinker Tools check.

Procz: Your eye follows the train of gears and belts back to a pair of booths from which you believe the cranes could be operated. They are roughly 90' from you stand now.

Vera: DC 19 Sleight of Hand check if you want to attempt this. Success will disable the mechanism, no damage roll required. If you miss, the knife will land by the gears, 10' from where you are now, so you'd still be able to recover it and take an action next round.

Also, as you approach the gears, a buzz saw lifts up from a table and attempts to give you an impromptu haircut. DC 12 Dex save of you take 5 slashing damage. If your passive Perception is 15 or higher you can roll with advantage.

No new actions for anyone yet, though I believe Procz still has movement coming to him this round if he wants it. Just resolving some stuff from the previous batch of actions.

Baern reached the assembly, Bessie in hand, and stared at the multitude of spinning cogs and spooling belts. "Alright. I'm listening. But you'd better speak fast."

He felt the heat before he fully registered the blow torch pivot from the assembly line. Maybe one of the gearspirits had called out to him in unspoken warning. Maybe it was just deep rooted svirfneblin instinct. Either way, somehow Bearn knew to drop away. The flame sputtered fitfully above him as he rolled out of reach.

Clamping Bessie's hookjaw on one of the nuts bracketing a gear shaft he wrenched it back and kicked the gear free of the assembly. Immediately the downstream gear-train seized to a halt.

"I think.... I think I did it!" he called out. Then, suddenly remembering that the torch was still close by he backed away guardedly.

Baern has advantage on the dex save due to Danger sense.
Tinkering check 20

13:45, Today: Baern Snagglehorn rolled 20 using 2d20+1, dropping the lowest dice only.  Tinkering.
13:43, Today: Baern Snagglehorn rolled 17 using 2d20+2, dropping the lowest dice only.  Dex save.

Procz signaled Zúm to head for the booths at full speed! The mechanical dog sprang forward and Procz clutched the reins tightly in his hand.


Zúm takes a Dash action 80 ft.
No movement from Procz himself.

'Roxie' the totally legitimate factory laborer did a double-take toward the voice, and realized that the third member of the approaching party was more familiar than the shorter duo leading the way.  Somehow she'd missed a particular jaunty satyr on the scene!  The tiefling said in the rough voice of a hard-living tradeswoman, "Hmm, could have done.  You've a fine eye for a lady's tail, mister!"  She gave Kreo a side-eye wink that wrinkled false crow's feet.  Though Veracity was in disguise and playing a role, the look was close enough to her own to be recognizable.

The tiefling dashed toward the further gear train and spotted a buzzsaw rising up from a nearby worktable.  She grumbled, "Gotta be shittin' me..." as she ducked underneath the whirling sawblade and avoiding it entirely.  Vera flung a bent length of pipe, but it clattered to the floor instead of jamming in the gears.

Baz had been right to have a bad feeling about this place, because this was absolute madness!

---

• Dex save succeeds with a 24, go away buzzsaw
• Sleight of Hand check fails with a 12

10:35, Today: Veracity rolled 12 using 1d20+5.  Sleight of Hand.
10:33, Today: Veracity rolled 24 using 1d20+6.  Dex save.

Vecaal continued his ascent despite the best efforts of the crane to dislodge him. He was within sight of the top now; one more mad dash would do it. The first crane drew slowly back, making ready to smash the stairs again next round as the second one careened toward the dragonborn for a more immediate collision.

But it came to a sudden, screeching halt as Baern, dodging around a rogue welding torch, managed to disable one of the many gears instrumental to its movement. The crane's cargo swung wildly, raining metal components upon the factory floor in a din that briefly drowned out even the roar of the machines. Fortunately, no one was caught in the cascade.

Frack threw up a protective aura around the scrambling dragonborn.

A firebolt flew from Kreo's fingers but was not hot enough to melt the gears at which she'd hurled it.

With the aid of his mechanical mount, Procz dodged and weaved through the factory's many hazards, drawing near the central control booths without getting scalded or decapitated.

Veracity ducked a saw blade of her own as she drew near the second set of gears. The pipe she tossed clattered harmlessly off them.

The second crane shot forward again, but this time it missed the stairs entirely and slammed its improvised cargo weapon against the wall of the factory. Dust and shards of brick filled the air as a crack splayed along the wall.

The commotion finally attracted the attention of the distant workers, who abandoned their stations and began walking toward the intruders. They were still some 200' away, so only their profiles could be seen in the dim, dust-filled distance: there were four of them, the size and shape of gnomes, patting pipes, wrenches, and hammers menacingly into their open palms as they advanced.

You're all up again. I know there's a lot going on so please let me know if you need me to clarify anything.

Baern has disabled one of the cranes and is close to enough to move and attempt to disable the second this round. Vecaal is 40' from the top of the stairs.

"GO!" Baern yelled, racing ahead to the next gear mechanism. "I've got this one, Vera!"

Already on the look out for the next irate machine spirit, Baern tucked in against the spinning cogs and made a quick assessment of which one needed to come off. Setting Bessie's hook jaw once more he wrenched it free and let it fall to the factory floor with a clatter. The gears spasmed for a moment and then fell idle.

"Right," he said, looking up at the approaching workers. "Lets have a go at it then."

Tinkering check to disable second gear train, 20.

09:49, Today: Baern Snagglehorn rolled 20 using 2d20+1, dropping the lowest dice only.  Tinkering.