A City of Sinister Delights IC

[Smeggedoff]

While the others are buffing themselves Isobel takes the opportunity to weave some magic of her own, toughening the skin of herself and Donna and surrounding them with a rustling cloak of sand

She doesn't react to clovers change, shapeshifting is nothing new to her after all but she is somewhat intrigued by the mechanical creatures

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Halo of sand - 90 mins
Barkskin - 90 mins
Freedom of movement - 90 mins

Knowledge arcane (1d20+3)[16]

aaaand I have never used this map site before, so I do apologise if I end up needing help with it
Such as not realising I needed to relink the map for instance

MAP

[kinem]

Travis has his misgivings from the beginning of the quest. If I had known we were going to do this, I could have prepared better.

When the group enters the strange complex, and the others cast protective spells, Travis casts a couple of spells as well. Hmm ... Should I go high or go low?

His appearance first changes to that of a Raptoran, with wings spreading behind him. Then his skin reddens and becomes scaled like that of a dragon.

Upon seeing the constructs he thinks back on what he's read about such things ...

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Cast Alter Self (90 min; raptoran; glide 40', fly 3 rnds 40' (avg), +2 spot, +2 climb, +10 jump)
Cast Dragonskin (90 min; red; +4 natural armor, fire resist 10); Current AC is 26

Knowledge (Arcana) (1d20+17)[22] for the strange pool
Knowledge (Arcana) (1d20+17)[36] for what happened to Clover
Knowledge (Arcana) (1d20+17)[21] for the flying construct
Knowledge (Arcana) (1d20+17)[21] for the wheeled constructs

Spot (1d20+10)[16], Listen (1d20+2)[7]

I can see the map, but most of the icons don't load. They appear as gray squares, but if I mouse over one on the map it tells me what the icon is supposed to be.

[Niwrad]

Woaahh! Robots!

Raikou is fascinated by the mechanical constructs, and he is even more intrigued upon hearing them speak.

He seems to largely miss Kyrich and Clover's sudden apprehension, and continues to stare at the things. Cyrus rises ten feet into the air and the halfling rider calls out to the robots.

Sorry Mr. Clanker, I'm new around here. What's this ordinance 2B-A? And who's property is this?

So far, Raikou wasn't really frightened by these guys. They seemed frail enough that one or two blasts would easily put them down.

MAP

[AlanBruce]

@Isobel: So that's why Donna was barking at the piles of metal.

He knew there was something wrong here since you descended.

It would seem everyone here can shape shift to a degree, but that comes as little surprise to you: That is second nature with Beory's Blessings.

And so, calling on The Earth Mother, you surround yourself with scraps of metal which turn into autumn leaves that surround your body and that of your faithful hound, strengthening your skin as the sound of the ocean washes around the compound and both of you feel as nimble as fish.

But these clockwork machines... what exactly are they?

Then you remember a tidbit about Halmathan's history and how these things are connected to it.

In an attempt to automate police services, a cadre of experienced crafters, under the auspices of the Skylarios Metalworks Corporation made attempts at binding lawful and insane elementals into clockwork bodies. These attempts were less than successful, and one such result was the "Falchion Police".


@Travis: Your trek through The Mercy has not been uneventful, despite not facing opposition along the way.

It may be that this guy Seti is well known and the other cutthroats won't engage. That and because who would be foolish enough to jump on a bunch of heavily trained people such as yourself?

But there are some things that do catch your attention.

That cesspool at Green Meadows Apartments... that's raw arcane sewage. You have seen these accidents happen in Runestone, usually in the lower labs, and the Headmasters are quick to send the apprentice fools that caused it to clean up their mess.

Now and then, some of it has seeped to the upper ground on campus, causing unexpected results in the surrounding area. Those too were quickly disposed of, thankfully and major catastrophe was avoided.

But here in The Mercy, this arcane spillage has ran unchecked for who knows how long. The effects on fauna and flora would be devastating at this point, never mind irreversible.

It is impossible to predict what effects it has been doing to The Mercy now. Closer analysis may be necessary.

As for Clover's seizure, that is usually a result of attempting to divine a source of power that overwhelms the caster attempting to divine it. Whatever the source of the spill was, it was strong enough to send Clover into a near comatose state.

And when you reach the compound, you watch your new allies all adopt several forms and, taking a cue on Raikou, your skin becomes red and scaly, with vestigial horns on your forehead, resembling the mighty red dragons of legend.

And because some of these automatons are at inaccessible spots right now, you take a look at Aren and Ketra and your body suffers yet another radical transformation as grey feathers spring from your back and your face takes on more finely chiseled features, akin to an avian creature.

And then, you take a look at these constructs.

There are those that came out of the metal heaps, with their blades and wheeled feet.

In an attempt to automate police services, a cadre of experienced crafters, under the auspices of the Skylarios Metalworks Corporation made attempts at binding lawful and insane elementals into clockwork bodies. These attempts were less than successful, and one such result was the "Falchion Police".

The Falchion Police use their namesake weapon to attack. Their commands are simple: subdue law breakers, but given the elementals bound to them, what actually constitutes as "Law" has been twisted by their faulty programming. It was said that these machines were quickly removed from the City of Halmathan by the King's orders, stating that they were a lot more of a problem than a solution.

In combat, The falchion Police is straightforward, swinging their masterwork blades at an amateurish degree, given that they were so cheaply made.

What they do have and can make them rather annoying is an implanted Police Siren, concealed in their helmets. This siren can blare a deafening sound or attempt to blind you, or both.

Or at least that was the intention. At best, they can dazzle anyone that isn't a construct within thirty feet. Enough to gang up on the law breaker and bring him to Justice- which usually entails butchering the poor sod with their blades.


Then your attention goes up at the floating machine.

The SMC had formed several lucrative contracts with Halmathan military and police forces, and in its development, constructs inevitably took over the roles associated with scouting and recon. As spies which needed not food, nor rest, and the reliability of science and magic backing it, they were used in all manner of functions.

The SkyEye-767 Autonomous Scout is a craft capable of flying for days at a time with no rest, keeping track of things and working in shifts with others of its kind.

If it has powers other than scouting, these would have to be field tested at this point.

@The Party: The flying machine watches Isobel and Travis ignore her claims to comply as they too cast a multitude of spells in succession and its lens face focuses on all of you as spurts of steam below from her feet as it struggles to maintain aloft.

"Request for compliance ignored. Arming defenses and raising alarms. Level 1...""

The entire compound begins to shake as a heavy metal door begins to whirr and gears seal you behind as the Falchion police look down at you and nearly disassemble for years of disuse as they aim their blades down at all of you.

Kyrich begins swinging his chain and looks around.

"It's a welcoming committee, alright.""

Clover's hands begin to glow with golden arcane light as she looks at all of them.

"We blast through all of them. Ellen must've sent them to stop us.""

Spoiler

Show

Roll Initiative: Companions and familiars go in the same initiative count as their masters.

Map

[kinem]

Travis says "Falchion Police. Beware their sirens. If anyone has some kind of authority, try ordering them to stand down."

Travis readies himself to shoot a blast of acid at any of the constructs that comes within 25' of him.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Acidic Splatter to hit (1d20+9)[29] ranged touch, acid damage (5d6)[14], not subject to SR

Map
ooc: Still can't see the icons except as gray boxes.

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: One has to wonder if these things would actually survive out at sea... or even in the desert.

With their rusted frames, these piles of metal can barely stand on their own, speak of staying aloft and airborne.

The Autonomous Scout fixes on you as Cyrus takes you ten feet off the ground.

"Ordinance 2B-A: Only authorized employees of the SMC may have access to factory grounds. You are not identified as SMC employees and so, you have been issued orders to comply and leave.

Repeated use of magic identified as threat to SMC property. Intruders shall be neutralized.

Have a good day.""


Round 1

@Travis: You warn the others about these constructs, especially about their sirens, which can be an annoyance, and then tap into the vast fonts of arcane power within your mind and prepare a globule of sheer acid to strike one of these creatures should they wheel in closer to you.


Map

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Autonomous Scout
Falchion Police x 5
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Clover
Aren
Kyrich
Ketra

[Niwrad]

Raikou crosses his arms and frowns as he addresses the autonomous scout.

Factory? I don't see much of a factory here.

And uh... we're not intruders. We're guests of the Skylarios Company. Here to talk to your boss. So I really don't think you want to be trying to neutralize us.

Spoiler: Becuase why not

Show

bluff (1d20+20)[26]

Assuming that doesn't stop them, Cyrus flies higher and forward. Now at fifteen feet, the halfling shrugs.

Eh well. Worth a shot. Time to start blasting?

With a few simple gestures, the halfling begins to gather electrical energy towards him. At the same time, the crystal shard around his necklace begins to glow with arcane light.
After a few seconds, the electrical power condenses into a small sphere in his hands, which he launches at the scout.

Hey Clanker! Enjoy!

Spoiler: Empowered lesser orb of electricity

Show

Cyrus uses move action to fly up.

Raikou uses standard action to cast lesser orb, and uses swift to activate his empowered spellshard.

Ranged touch attack (1d20+10)[22]
Damage (5d8)[23] (35) electricity damage

MAP

[kinem]

OOC: Travis also moved 5' forward and left. This was visible on my map link but I guess I should have mentioned it in the post.

MAP

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: The flying contraption's many arms begin showing you around the ruined heaps of metal.

"This is the SMC's Prototype Headquarters. Created by...""

And it is then that you have Cyrus ascend until you are almost at eye level with this chunks of bolts and cup your hands together as the automatons look up and your entire body begins to sizzle and crack with a monstrous maelstrom of arcane surge, unseen in these areas of The mercy... probably ever.

The Autonomous Scout is blast straight in the lens face as its entire frame convulses with sparks for a few seconds as its thrusters begin to fail and struggle to keep it aloft...

And then the Scout machine twitches and stabilizes itself as gouts of smoke spew out of its feet with increased strength, looking at you with the tiniest of cracks running across its glass orb of face.

That blast should've killed anyone! Fried them on the spot and yet...

This thing seems to have resisted your storm by a large amount.

@The Party: The Autonomous Scout twitches one last time as two of its rusted metal arms assume the position of prayer as the other two extend, pointing towards twelve o clock and three o'clock, maintaining its body almost perfectly symmetrical.

"Threat confirmed. Intruders are to be neutralized immediately. Initiating Hermes Program...""

And just like that, The Autonomous Scout's gears begin to grind at incredibly fast speed as steam pours out of its delicate frame and bronze colored sigils representing cogs appear around her and the Falchion Police, who also begin to emit steam and twitch uncontrollably.

Spoiler: Autonomous Scout's SLA

Show

Haste

And with renewed speed, the scout looks at all of you and darts deeper into the compound, disappearing from sight as sirens blare in the distance.

Kyrich watches it go and shrugs.

"Last time, I just hit it hard enough with my chain. I had no idea they could do that.... but we aren't done with these yet.""

And it is true, as the Falchion Police wheels around the scraps of metal and descend in a zig zag manner through the metal debris and touch ground as their renewed speed wheels them towards all of you, heading for a few choice targets and immediately opening their helmets to release a multicolored red and blue siren.

Spoiler: Police Siren

Show

As a free action on its turn a falchion police can turn on or off its police siren on its head, producing a klaxon noise as if using ghost sound and bright flashing lights which illuminate the area as a torch. The light and sounds are dazzling, and creatures in a 30 ft area around an active police siren are dazzled, no save, for as long as they remain in the area.

Reminder on the dazzled condition:

Dazzled

The creature is unable to see well because of overstimulation of the eyes. A dazzled creature takes a –1 penalty on attack rolls, Search checks, and Spot checks.

@Seti: One of the Falchion Police wheels towards you and slashes you across the chest with its signature weapon.

Spoiler: Falchion

Show

9 damage

@Travis: You watch your city guide get slashed and immediately, your own attack comes into play, having Seti so close to you and covering the automaton in acid as its rusted carapace corrodes a little, but it isn't enough to bring it down.

@The Party: Clover and Kyrich are both attacked by a pair of Falchion Police and the ilumian shows off why nobody messes with him and his company in The Mercy as the spiked chain bashes both of their shields and causes massive oil and steam to leak off their nearly ruined bodies.

This doesn't stop the machines from stabbing Clover once and standing.

@Travis: One of the Falchion police wheels above the debris and zig zags its way down towards you, getting a face full of chain courtesy of Kyrich on its way down, but not enough to drop it.

And then it goes straight for the soft underbelly between your dragon scales.

Spoiler: Falchion Slash

Show

8 damage

@Seti: The last of these broken machines comes wheeling down and rushes at you...

But this time, you are prepared, as your leg is raised in a reflexive and circular motion, nearly parrying the Falchion police's blade out of its hand and causing it to almost lose its balance.

@The Party: Clover looks at the gash across her chest and her eyes ignite with golden light as she places her index finger on the Falchion Police's blaring forehead and discharges a single eldritch beam that utterly destroys the automaton's head and leaves behind a wheeling carcass that drops on the ground covered in smoke.

"I cannot waste my time with these machines. Kyrich! Follow me!""

The ilumian rips down the construct with him and kicks the broken husk aside.

"But what of the others? Clover, wait!""

"They can handle this. That flying one will lead us to her!"

Kyrich looks at all of you and then at the runaway warlock and sighs.

"Catch up once you're done here, ok?"

Map

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police x 3
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Clover
Aren
Kyrich
Ketra

[TankLaser007]

Seti rocks back as the machine strikes him, he then stagger to his left almost tripping over Donna before bending backward as if he is about to fall on his back, he slips on a rock and takes and leans forward then lurches right before bringing the cloth wrapped bottle down on the constrict constable the movement is fast and almost at the same tim the bottle is being brought down his other arm snakes out trying to catch the contraption with a rapid palm strike.

Spoiler: OCC

Show

Using Dodge & Swaying Waist against the Clanker in front of me +3 AC Effective AC 24
Attack the clanker in front with Flurry of Blows (Dazzled penalties included):
Flury1 - (1d20+6)[13]
[roll=Flury2]1d20+6/roll]
Damage Flurry1 - (2d8+3)[12]
Damage Flurry2 - (1d8+3)[8]

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: Donna keeps barking at the machines as several more can be seen starting to crawl out of the metal heaps above.

Very soon, these Falchion Police are going to flood this area, unless you start to leg it onward, since the door out is shut.

It is an apparent slip up to the untrained eye as you arch your body in a way nobody could without seriously damaging their back permanently and immediately wrap the bottle given by Nana in a cloth as momentum brings you forward and you begin your assault on the Clanker Constable as your palm seeks to punch through his rusted breastplate of a body...

These machines may not be very sturdy and accurate with their blades, but their constant twitching gives them some fluidity as the Falchion police twirls his upper body and parries every single one of your strikes!

You need to take these guys down before more join them in the fray!

Map

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police x 3
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Clover
Aren
Kyrich
Ketra

[Smeggedoff]

Donna lets out a deep bass bark as he rams forward shoulder-checking the nearest bot before attempting to drag it to the ground with his teeth

Isobel meanwhile, seeks open space before concentrating for a moment and surging upwards in a grisly blossom of fur and fang

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Donna
Full attack (-1 to attacks due to police siren?)
Strike (1d20+9)[22]
dmg (1d3+4)[6]
Strike (1d20+4)[20]
dmg (1d3+4)[7]
Bite (1d20+7)[10]
dmg (1d6+2)[4]
Trip (If bite successfully hits)(1d20+8)[25]
Isobel takes a 5 foot step and transforms into a bear as a standard action

MAP

[AlanBruce]

@Donna: You growl at the metal man in front of you and lunge at it with paws and bite, nearly dropping the machine as your paws scrape its chest, revealing old rusted pipes and spurts of oil and steam...

But the construct isn't down yet and it its a quick butt on your nuzzle by its falchion's hilt that prevents you from biting it and dropping it to to the ground.

@Isobel: With Clover and Kyrich having ran further down into the compound and sirens blaring in the distance, you know these won't be the only enemies that will stand in your way.

You don't need to be careful at this point...

You need to be huge!

Calling on Beory's Infinite Power, what natural powers may still drift in this patch of urban decay answer your call and your body swells in size and your posture becomes slumped as thick fur grown all over your body, massive claws replace your hands and your mouth turns into sharp fangs as you growl louder than the sirens and the remaining Falchion Police look at your new form and then at each other.

"Large threat confirmed. Requesting reinforcements...""

Map

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police x 3
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Clover
Aren
Kyrich
Ketra

[Syless]

Ketra stares with a look of barely-disguised disgust as Travis and Clover take on Raptoran forms. It's strange enough to see Aren being a Raptoran with no knowledge of the species, it's another thing entirely to see two non-Raptorans steal their nature. But she doesn't have much time to fume before the attack sets upon them- mechanical creatures. Mechanical creatures of unknown origin, accusing them of being trespassers, resistant to lighting. Joy.

Watching Seti's barehanded strikes fail to find their marks on the constructs, Ketra steps forward while chanting a prayer to Tuilviel Glithien in her native tongue. <Goddess of the skies, grant this fool the dexterity and strength of Your talons so that he may tear our enemies asunder!> A brief glow appears on her hands, then a shimmering outline of birdlike talons appear around Seti's hands, and she smirks. "Try it again, and hit them this time!"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Taking a 5 ft step forward, casting Greater Magic Fang on Seti for +2 for 9 hours.

Map

[AlanBruce]

@Ketra: With Clover gliding a few feet off the ground and away from you in Raptoran form and Kyrich in hot pursuit, you shake your head as Travis takes on the noble features of your estranged kind in the City of Power.

But chastising those two will have to wait- automatons have taken on this part of The Mercy and they seek to bring you down, evidenced by Travis and Seti getting slashed across the chest.

And by the sounds of the metal heaps rumbling around you, you won't be alone for long.

Your "cousin" needs a well deserved boost if you plan to get back home to The Wyvern apartments and meet up with Celitas and the rest. No way you are getting killed by these machines in the middle of the night, in some dark and dank subway!

And so, you reach out to Seti and ask Tuilviel to grant upon this alcoholic fool but a sliver of her predatory grace and ask him to try one more time. For you.

@Seti: Who knew buying drinks for a girl would pay off this way?

Well, not really- this actually sucks. You're trapped with a bunch of crazies fighting even crazier robots and your kicks and punches aren't really doing the trick.

And that's when tribal tattoos form on your legs and hands, resembling dark blue talons and your entire body tingles as a surge of strength courses through your body, honed to be a weapon over the years, but now.. a much deadlier one.

Map

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police x 3
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Clover
Aren
Kyrich
Ketra

[AlanBruce]

@The Raikou:From your higher altitude, you watch Clover hold on to Kyrich's arm and both are surrounded by a golden purple nimbus of energy, disappearing from sight and leaving only Clover in place, her head down in abject concentration.

Spoiler: Clover's SLA

Show

Flee the Scene

If your knowledge about these casters is right, that isn't Clover. She's taken the big bald guy who knows how much further into this place. Then again, she does seem in a hurry to catch that other witch, Ellen.

As for the group below, they are doing good, but not great. You could use Cyrus and fly deeper into the compund, in hot pursuit of Clover and Kyrich, or you could stay and provide aerial support.

Speaking of aerial support...

@The Party: The ceiling of this place lights up with tiny bulbs of energy, in blue and red color as tracks can be seen on them and heavy chains start carrying large metal containers, which are dropped with a loud metal clank in different areas of this compound.

With one right where your entrance was, blocking it even more. The containers are ten feet tall and twenty wide, with a russet color and signs of rust and age.

A gear logo painted white with the letters SMC are barely visible on the side of the metal crate as several clanking sounds can be heard from within.

Something's trying to get out...

Map

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police x 3
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Aren
Ketra

[Niwrad]

Raikou glances nervously at the container with the clanking sounds.

Seems like they had woken up something nasty. Best to get out of here as quickly as possible.
He could go fly after Clover and Kyrich, but who knew where they were now. It would be safer to stick with these people.

Alright Cyrus, enough playtime, lets finish these police off shall we?

With that said, Cyrus flies down to ground level, and the halfling begins to charge up for another blast.

Once ready, he points at the two falchion police lined up in front of him and unleashes a potent line of electricity.

Spoiler: LIGHTNING BOLT!!

Show

Cyrus move action to fly down to ground level.

Raikou standard action to cast lightning bolt, targeting police 5 and 3.

both take (10d6)[33] electricity damage; reflex DC 20 for half.

MAP

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: Clover and Kyrich better be able to fend for themselves in this mechanical maze...

You need to keep these people safe first and foremost and so, you ask Cyrus to descend and watch both Falchion Police engaged with Seti and Isobel's dog, Donna.

Both are badly busted- especially the one engaged with Donna- that dog can sure maul and swipe people around.

And then there's Isobel as well, turned now into a big grizzly bear.

This almost looks like Choralia's Island when she gets drunk and decides to turn everyone into animals for a single evening.

But no time to reminisce. That flying bot was able to resist your orb, merely causing a crack over her reflective face. But that machine acted as some form of leader. Protections are usually expected on caster types- even if they are constructs.

But these wheeling machines should not be graced by the same.

This time, the power flows through you at a much quicker and natural pace, causing both machines to electrify as a massive golden lightning bolt courses through their copper skeletons and the one with Donna begins to twitch more than usual as its siren shatters due to the electric surge and its body collapses in electrified scraps of blackened metal at the dog's feet.

The one with Seti faces a similar fate, as the electricity surges through its body and causes the Falchion Police to perform donuts in place as portions of its body begin to drop from its main frame until only the single gear used for locomotion clanks on the ground, releasing a curtain of steam carrying the scent of ozone and oil.

As for the crate that has dropped, who knows what's inside. Right now, there is only one Falchion Police seen engaged with Travis, but chances are these aren't the only ones.

Map

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Aren
Ketra

[kinem]

Travis watches as the situation takes several turns for the worse, and Isobel changes, and Raikou shows what he can do. I can see why time is of the essence, but sticking together would have been wiser.

He's not actually hurt, but the construct's blade did erode some of the protection his heart of earth spell gave him.

He looks with interest at the crate. Bad news for sure ... maybe more falchions in there ... but I wonder if it would be possible to re-program such constructs?

Travis backs 5' away from the construct that struck him and shoots another blob of acid at the thing.

ooc: ranged touch attack (1d20+8)[22], acid damage (5d6)[12]

MAP

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: With Clover and Kyrich gone into the compound and most likely lost, you watch Isobel show her true power and turn into a massive bear as Raikou demonstrates his powers as a feared Stormcaster, frying two of these constructs with a single spell.

Who knows what is inside the fallen metal crate- most likely more of these machines. If you can find a way to control them, navigating through this place should be a lot less hazardous.

But first things first.

You sidestep away from the Falchion police and once more conjure forth a caustic glob of acid that strikes the automaton, but does not melt him all the way, as his blank helmet face is partially melted away, revealing old rusted copper pipes and whistling steam fumes arranged in an almost skull like manner.

@Isobel: The last remaining Falchion Police sizes you up and looks at Travis, but chooses to slash your large bear body instead... a brutal slash, aimed between the ribs and puncturing the kidney.

Spoiler: Falchion Crit!

Show

22 damage. If Isobel has some degree of fortification, please let me know so as to roll against it and possibly negate the critical hit.

Satisfied with its meting of Justice, the falchion Police attempts to wheel around you and slashes you once more, confident in the airborne machine's earlier "Hermes Program".

But luck only favors someone so much. That second slash bounces off your fur and armored clasps as the automaton's siren keeps blaring and steams escapes its face in uncontrolled gouts.

Map

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Aren
Ketra

[TankLaser007]

Whao! Seti instictivly makes an evasive roll back as the halfling lets a thunderous bolt of lighting strike, uttler detroying the two creatures and a shower of sparks and oily spray. These magic types are useful but unpredicatable, and a halfling mage -- maybe some of the more whimsical races shouldn't be taught such devestaing magics Yet there was little time for such thought now, not while there was still one of those things attacking them.

Carying the momentum from his previous roll away from the blast Seti stumbles off towards the bear, rolling and bouncing along his path like some matty haired rubber ball, he skips along the wall behind the sword wielding construct attacking the bear landing opposite the beast and donna on the bias and unleashing another flurry of strikes to the machine's flank. Hoping to put his "cousin's" gifts to good use.

Spoiler: OCC

Show

Staggering Charge, and Acrobatic Backstab -- can make non-linear charges.
Acrobatic Backstab - (1d20+17)[35] vs. DC15 enemy is Flat Footed and Looses Dex to AC, can move through threaten space without provoking AoO
Flurry1 - (1d20+9)[18]
Flurry2 - (1d20+9)[29]
Damage Flurry1 - (2d8+5)[12]
Damage Flurry2 - (1d8+5)[6]

Spoiler: Modifiers

Show

Modifiers:
+2 Attack for Charger
+2 Attack for Greater Magic Fang
+2 Attack for Flanking
+4 BAB (Flurries)
-1 Attack for Siren (Dazzled)
Total Attack: +9

+1 AC Dodge
+2 AC Swaying Waist
-2 AC Charge
AC This Round: 21

Map

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: It is well known that many factions in The Mercy would pay heavy coin to have a caster amongst their ranks. The Society has a few, but many are refugees from the City after Connor's oppressive laws and the ones working for the Society are barely able to light up a room when it gets dark.

But these guys... these are loose cannons, to say the least.

Travis has so far demonstrated he can melt these guys... albeit slowly, chucking globs of acid at them.

Isobel can turn into a massive bear. These animals are definitely not found in The Mercy. Rumors say that plenty of them can be found in Glenndale Park in the city, but chances are that those, like this lady and her faithful hound, are druids in disguise.

Ketra has demonstrated a less flashy but no less deadly power of her own, honing your body into a feral weapon.

And then there's the halfling- this little guy fried two of these machines with little effort, nearly frying you and the St. Bernard.

If they chose to gang up and form a faction here, independent of the Society... who could stop them?

But that will have to wait for later- right now, you have to put down that clanker.

And so, putting your training to impressive use, you climb over Isobel's hairy hide and use her as a trampoline, somersaulting over the Falchion Police and sliding down the uneven piles of metal as this one turns to look at you, oil squirting down his broken face plate and before he has a chance to react, it's an elbow to the face, breaking his inner plumbing, followed by a steel knee thrust into its chest, that caves it in as the automaton releases a tremendous gout of steam and oil leaks from every conceivable part of his rusted body...

And yet, twitching and rattling, it stands!

This one is one flick away from going back to the junkyard it crawled out of as it manages to mutter some preprogrammed words:

"Requesting repairs... re...re.. repairs...""

The large metal crate definitely has something inside as clanking sounds can be heard from within. It will be awhile before whatever is inside gets out, but so far, you have been able to deal with these lowly appliances with little effort.


Map

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Aren
Ketra

[Smeggedoff]

Isobel roars as the falchion slides painfully through her fur to lodge in her borrowed flesh, it'll be a memory later, but it bloody hurts right now
She barely (bearly?) notices as Seti uses her as a springboard and turns her bulk, rearing up to her full 9 feet and slamming her immense paws down on the mechanical man the pugilist had failed to put down for good
Donna meanwhile, circles his master, barking at the construct

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Nope, no crit negation or DR, oh for levels in warshaper

Isobel
Full attack
Claw (1d20+15)[29]
dmg(1d8+8)[13]
Claw (1d20+15)[34]
dmg(1d8+8)[9]
Bite (1d20+10)[13]
dmg(2d6+4)[11]
Grapple (if a claw hits and the bot lives)
(1d20+19)[35]

donna takes a move action, but otherwise does nothing

edit: forgot to process the size change to large on my sheet, please note that these attack rolls should be 1 2 lower (doh, forgot the siren too)

MAP

[AlanBruce]

@Isobel: You turn your massive bulk at the diminutive toy soldier and roar from the pain inflicted by his blade as Donna rushes closer and begins snarling at it too, but quickly realizes that you got this...

@Seti: You have heard of beasts out in the wild, rarely if ever seen in The Mercy. Especially the dreaded grizzly bear, said to be able to decapitate a grown man with a single swipe of his claws as Isobel's shadow envelops you and the Falchion police, who begins to trickle oil down his wheeled foot as his entire body rattles and steam escapes in whistles of agony as the druid roars and brings down lightning strikes of fur and claw and fang on the automaton, with the last bite chomping the construct's head clean off as a splatter of oil washes over your face and body and the bear that was once Isobel snarls at you before spitting the crushed helmet at your feet and the mess of metal that was once a brave law enforcer collapses on the ground and twitches a few times before a last faint whistle of steam escapes one of its many dents.

@The Party: They are all dead now. All that remains of these guys are their signature weapons- masterwork falchions, five to be exact.

The compound is still rather large and you can hear the sound of Clover's blasting much further ahead.

She and Kyrich have likely faced some opposition of their own, and at this point, the decision is yours:

Go and aid them or examine the large metal crate that has dropped not too far from your location.

Map

[kinem]

I should have taken the threat from those things more seriously. Travis glances at the well-made falchions and sees spells that he could buy for his spellbook if they were sold, but there's no time for such things now.

He casts another spell to further protect himself, at least for the next several minutes.

ooc: shield, 9 min, AC 30

"We should go help Kyrich" he tells the others.

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: You look at the five falchions, smeared in oil and blood and immediately your mind reels with the amount of spells and arcane materials you could purchase from selling these blades.

For now, given the alarms going off all around this compound, it is better to have an even greater measure of safety around yourself.

And so, you outline a translucent shield in front of you made with glowing white runes that cover your body and disappear from sight.

The shield is nowhere to be seen, but you can feel its protective abjuration flowing through your body.

@The Party: With someone picking up the swords, assuming they have the room to keep them safe and secure, you follow Travis' advice and head deeper into the metal compound, as the sounds of Kyrich and Clover fighting draw ever near, accompanied by the smell of oil and the sounds of thrashed metal.

There is something else that catches your attention. Hastily glued to the walls of metal junk all over this place:

For Seti and Travis, this is a familiar sign: The Rooster Gang.

Some within their crew have taken a fancy to mass print these and paste them all over The Mercy, as a sign of ownership. None in The Society takes them seriously, of course- the Roosters are at best, lowly thugs with way too big aspirations for their own good, but the fact they have marked this place bodes ill...

It seems they may have secured these constructs for their own use. Not a good sign. Not all.

And yet, no Rooster thug can be seen as you spot two more large rusted metal crates watching you walk past as Donna barks at them, but no sound comes forth.

And then you reach what seems like the end of the compound and watch Clover and Kyrich fending off against half a dozen of the Falchion Police and the Autonomous Scout, who looks at all of you and its cracked lens face glows red as a pair of large heavy metallic doors grind fast and shut, preventing your access further in.

Something seems written on a side of the massive door.

Clover is quick to turn her head around to look at all of you as Kyrich swings his massive chain around, but the door block passage entirely.

The warlock is quick to yell from the other side, as the sound of blasting echoes beyond.


Find a way inside and join us! We are heading down! Hurry!

It is then that a diminutive round hole opens on the highest section of the door and a curious little creature peeks its head out, thirty feet above from all of you:

It's like some sort of cuckoo bird... no. It's more than that.

@Travis: You have seen these back in Runestone, far newer models, of course. This must be one of the first ones ever made years ago.

The Nixie-1080 Cam Drone.

The Skylarios Metalworks Corporation did not devote entirely to "consumer products", but the Nixie-1080 Cam Drone ended up being just that. Originally a drone for police, rescue, and other fields where autonomous photographers were required, they were rapidly co-opted for civilian use as a photographer on the go and the master of taking what many wildly refer to as "selfies", as the drone can fold up tightly on the arm or leg as a band when not in use thanks to its flexible plastic arms and safe bladeless dyson fans which keep it afloat. When in operation, it gives off only the soft woosh of moving ionized air.

Cam drones are about the size of a large bracelet and weigh practically nothing.

Lately (before the SMC's shutdown), some wizards redesigned the Nixie Cam and gave it a more familiar look- usually, that of a bird.

This extremely small construct is not designed for battle, unlike the Autonomous Scout. It has the ability to capture an image and, if a lab is nearby, develop it onto paper. The idea is quite novel, but due to their price, few in Halmathan- let alone The Mercy- are able to purchase one.

The only minor side effect is that sometimes, these things cause temporary blindness with its flash, but that was reported to be the case back in the old days, when the first models were introduced into the market. Today, for the lucky owner of a Nixie Cam, that is a rarity.

The humming bird sized machine turns its head sideways and its eyes begin flashing and shutting really fast and then it speaks, in a very high pitched voice.

"Initiating Heracles Program

Initiating Minos Program

Initiating Thanatos Program

Any SMC employee and registered product must present ID and proof of ownership before accessing Executive Offices."

And having said that, the Nixie Cam shuts its eyes and dives back into its hole in the wall.

Map

[Niwrad]

Raikou grins as the scrawny police-bots are completely demolished by his lightning bolt and as the giant bear finishes off the last one without mercy, the halfling turns his attention to the surroundings.

First he looks at the large container with the clanking sounds. Content that by the time the thing inside got out they'd be long gone, he then turns to look at the walls, the rooster images catch his eye.

Huh. Is that a rooster...?

Looks funny. I wonder what it's for. Anyways, lets keep going.

Oh, and is there any way to shut off that infernal alarm?

Once everyone is ready and they start moving towards the other end of the compound, and when Raikou sees Clover and Kyrich, he grins and quickly flies forward, only to be stopped by the large door.

Well, I wonder how else we're getting through there.

He knocks on the large metal door a few times to see how sturdy it was. Then he begins to examine the area around the door.
Then he sees the little bird robot and shouts out to it as it dives back into the wall.

Hey wait! I have ID and proof of ownership! Come back here and let me show you!

Besides, what are all those programs anyways?

Of course, he had a bad feeling that his questions were soon to be answered...

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: Satisfied with having brought down two of these mechanical minions with the power of the Storm, you watch the single metal crate close to your newfound allies and follow Travis' advice to rendezvous with Clover and Kyrich.

The rooster poster is an odd thing. Those animals are somewhat common in your homeland, especially in the rare spots where oasis allow the scorched sands to grow green.

Back in the Ossian Way, Lady Choralis has an entire flock of them running around the windy cliffs, usually wearing fowl custom made clothing, resembling knights, rooks or pawns in a chessboard as they flutter awkwardly from grassy stone to grassy stone, careful not to plummet towards the raging seas below.

But a place like this? Who knows... maybe there are farmers here.

And then the door leading towards Clover and Kyrich shuts and you can tell that incessant blaring sound is heard stronger beyond the metal door.

Whatever has roused these machines from their slumber must be beyond it, but how to get in there?

You then watch the teeny tiny robot bird issue commands and retreat back in its hidey hole, ignoring your claims to ID and get closer towards the door as Cyrus ashes away a thin layer of rust off it and specific words can be read on one side of this impassable metal barrier:

216 Heavy Loader Area Access

What is that supposed to mean? What's a heavy loader?

@The Party: It's a distant sound as something large breaks through metal, coming from the area you were fighting before as sparks of electricity can be observed extending through the corner and a loud hollow bellow echoes through the compound.

Something has broken free, but whatever it is, it hasn't come towards you yet.

Map

[kinem]

Travis says of the poster "The Rooster Gang again. Apparently there's more to them then I'd thought."

At the door, he ponders what kind of mechanical monstrosity might have just emerged from the crate.

OOC: Knowledge (arcana) (1d20+17)[36]

"I have an idea that's so crazy it might just work. Don't follow me, yet."

He casts a spell to disguise himself as a winged version of the flying construct with the glass face that had confronted the party earlier.

OOC: Disguise self in 3.5 should allow this, you just can't change your body type, in this case a winged man. Note that the Pathfinder version of the spell is much stupider, and instead prevents you from assuming a form of a different creature type, which makes no sense for an illusion spell.

ooc: disguise (1d20+17)[23] Adjust to 21 as it's a different race.

Thus disguised he flys back to where the crate was and attempts to bluff the thing. The following words depend a bit on the result of his Knowledge check. He tries to stay well out of its reach just in case the ruse fails.

"Heavy Loader, here is the situation. Some of the older models are malfunctioning. Your first task is to move that crate aside in case officers and guests of SMC desire rapid egress through this route."

OOC: Bluff (1d20+7)[11]

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: You hear the broken crate way back where you fought the Falchion Police and veil yourself in an illusion, doing your best to mimic the form of the Autonomous Scout and ask the group to stay put...

You're going solo.

Why are The Roosters here? Yes, they are a nuisance and it's about time someone showed them what's coming to them, but they are idiots- how could they get ahold of these machines and use them?

Casting those thoughts aside from now, you employ the Raptoran wings to help you glide back towards the area where the Falchion Police were dropped rather easily and halt in your tracks as stampeding sounds and metal hooves destroy the remnants of the battered Falchion Police and the air charges with electric energy, not unlike the one Raikou used to dispatch a few of them earlier.

But this isn't a loader that has broken free of its metal crate. Not at all:

This is a Clockwork Bull, most likely the Minos Program the Nixie Cam mentioned.

Back in the early days, when Halmathan was still partly rural, farmhands faced a disease that claimed the lives of their livestock. A plague brought as a result of poor sanitation.

The city faced a famine induced winter... until a few gnome crafters came up with the most obvious solution: make construct bulls.

As automatons, these would not suffer the plague and could work the land tirelessly. At first, the clockwork bulls did just as intended however, as things are prone to go with magic, especially back in those days, the constructs malfunctioned and these machines took on a hostile demeanor, breaking loose of their restraints and rampaging through the city and farm villages before the very mages that built them had to put them down.

As far as everyone is concerned, the clockwork bull is a discontinued product: The SMC claimed that they would never make more of these, but some people spoke rumors that their blueprints were not destroyed and so, someone must've built at least one and kept it in storage over the years, hidden from view until now.

Like their flesh and blood brethren, a clockwork bull lacks the intelligence to heed orders and understand them. They are known for having a savage and destructive demeanor, which may be the reason why the gnomes who crafted them were so quick to blast them to bits.

In combat, a Clockwork Bull is straightforward: Charge and gore anyone in its way. In fact, the clockwork bull amasses a potent electric battery within its body, making it able to not only impale anyone unlucky enough in its way, but also discharge a nasty electric shock.

Oddly enough, they themselves are not immune or resistant to any kind of energy- it's their extremely tough body that made the mages back then nearly deplete their spells when a herd of these began their stampede.

Also- and this is important- the reason why this beasts were taken down by mages and not the city guard is that a Clockwork Bull's body is so tough, that only adamantine weapons have chance to actually hurt it reliably.

You speak to it from a safe distance and the mechanical bovine's eye lenses turn deep red and his horns become charged with electricity as you attempt to speak to it and have him open the door for you, a valued SMC employee and bellows loudly as it lowers its head and gouts of steam escape his nostrils.

Map