MAYHEM!!!
It's Korday, Aestry 14 21:59:20 1018. The full moon is up. The tide is low and ebbing.
The night is warm and sultry, and dark clouds hide the stars in patches. Elsewhere they shine brightly. Dew forms on the ground.
Alexandria is one of those cities. THOSE cities, where rumors fly swift over mugs of brown ale. This time, the rumor mill isn't needed. In the Lower Trades, the sound of titans clashing is soon heard. Fleeing war golems pinpoint its location as Old Clunk's--they arrive with arms shredded, hobbling on half-legs, and with eyes, were they human, you would say were haunted.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* A02: Old Clunk's Junkyard *>-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
If you're around Alexandria long enough, you would hear about Clunk's. Run by one of the oldest functional golems in Alexandria and his crew, some of whom are mechanical and some of whom are meat, Old Clunk's Junkyard resembles a cross between a tumbled-over mechanical morass from a gnomish birthday party and the spilled-over contents of a Kulthian closet, preserved from a bygone era. Scraps of metal, gears, canisters, and parts of every description appear tossed into piles between the metal-and-broken-wood fences.
A few ramshackle buildings jut upwards from the piles, not unlike jagged teeth. Each has a purpose. Some are built closed and some are plain, open-sided cataloguing or welding sheds; if not for the painted murals on their sides, it might be hard to tell them from the junk piles.
To those who know what they're looking for, though, this place is less a junkyard than a treasure trove. Old Clunk finds everything an artificer or artifice-born could want, and has a keen eye for quality. The random piles are actually neatly classified by a complex system. Any artifice-ready part imaginable might just be somewhere in one of them. There's always someone around to help; if the crew is busy, there's always a few war golems around; the area would appear to be a congregation point. There's even an oil barrel and dipping cups around, as if their presence is welcomed.
=
Yelrona is both intrigued by the signs of chaos and mayhem, and confident in her preference for engaging in both on her terms rather than Fate's. So while she approaches the apparent source of clashing titan noises, she does so stealthily and quietly.
It could be the rumors.
It could even be the small, yelping gobber on FIRE as he runs past you.
But it's subtle.
Very subtle. The important thing is though, you're HERE. HERE, and the first thing you hear is the sound of screaming metal. The second thing is the death of souls. Golems scramble frantically to find shelter in the Junkyard. Others work frantically to reconfigure themselves, to bring weapons online. Amid the jung--the Junkyard at its heart is the half-rotted body of a city guard. His eyes stare up into nothing. In front of him, a War Golem has doubled, then tripled in size. It glows with demonic light, ethereal chains hanging from its form and glowing with Hellfire.
It swings its canons around, taking aim at Old Clunk. A voice buzzes, "LASERS. ONLINE!"
As the screeching buzz-saws rend your ears, pieces of shrapnel seem to take to life. Pieces of 'golems, left over. A guard who'd been wandering nearby. Possessed and angry.
So Smythly /had/ been buying something oiutside. But he heard, you know... /stuff/. So he's peeking into the junkyard.
Jacob grits his teeth as he hides next to Yelrona. "Wonderful..." He shakes his head, continuing to mutter under his breath. "Don't have to assume what's causing this. Just need to isolate and simplify."
Yelrona absolutely endorses her choice to remain hidden while she sizes up the situation. She loosens her rapier in its scabbard and wonders whether she can even damage a demon-possessed war golem.
Myrana is currently a little black spot up there on her broom, soaring overhead and peering down at the chaos below. Because going down there sounds like a terrible, terrible idea.
Munch isn't to blame for the mayhem and destruction! ...not this time, anyway. Magicite eyes blink with a click, taking in the situation. Well, acting quickly without thinking is sorta his thing. FAster than it takes to describe, the metal man is moving, mithril feet digigng into the turf with a swirl of rainbow sparks, adding haste to his motions. His massive axe glows with arcane power, swelling up to twice it's former size, and enlarging Munch as well. Roaring like buzzsaw though sheetmetal, the TerrorMaw charges, heading for the massive war-golem with all the force of... of... well, all teh force of Munch. Really, someone needs to get around to invention a locomotive, so we have a standard unit to work with.
The shouting of 'FIRE!' could be heard from all across Alexandria, and word certainly spreads like wildfire too. Which Brings Sorscha, who happened to be nearby. She is able to spot Yelrona, but her attention is focused upon the larger Golem. "This...could be a handful." She says as she draws her rapier.
'May you live in interesting times' may be a curse to some peoples, but for Alba it tends to serve better as something to look forward to. While the demons infesting the city may be a point of irritation, her mind has lately been on the poor, poor assaulted spider farm, and its poor, recently-free-range giant spiders, the little lost dears. Still! Now her leaf-on-the-wind roaming of the city has borne fruit, in the form of something *really needing a swift kick or five.* Excellent.
Eeling down off the rooftop across the street, the masked Witch lurks behind a junkpile, eyes darting between possessed golems and magitech detritus.
Jacob smiled. "Nothing is too much for the gods." He placed a hand on either lady's shoulder. Confidence, bravery, resolve. "Go for one of the smaller ones, it appears we have our distraction." GAME: Jacob casts Bless. Caster Level: 4 DC: 14
Miles started farther out and has been following the trail of damaged War Golems back to the source of the noise; where he can, he's stopped and made repairs, or at least, what repairs -can- be made on without some time in the shop and a full set of spare parts available. So basically, he shows up right as all hell literally breaks loose, hears "Lasers online" and says something completely vulgar and possibly anatomically improbable in Kulthian. Mostly because Kulthian is the only language with a fairly short word for "Chainsaw."
Ga'Elian comes galloping into the junkyard as fast as his griffon can carry him. As they reach the chaos, the mount comes toa stop as his rider shouts, "Erithamiel, DEFEND!" The ranger dismounts, casts a spell, and draws his bow.
"LASER. FIR-FIR-FIRING--" The immense golem at the Junkyard's heart brings a canon to bear, a canon as large as a man is tall. Hellfire buzzes around it, interacting with mana. No, burning THROUGH mana as he takes aim at old Clunk. He FIRES.
...and Munch intervenes. The giant-sized golem collides with the giant, demonic construct. Metal groans as the two are locked in combat.
Old Clunk, the respected, beloved old war golem goes flying into the earth. Where he'd just stood is a pile of melted scrapnel. "DON'T JUST STAND THERE!" He yells! "KILL'EM! KILL'EM DEAD!"
By now, several of the golem-demons have noticed the rest of you, and are headed your way fast. Their mechanical legs scrape, skitter as they race across the Junkyard. And leap! Most of them seem set on attacking with rending claws, but one glows. Its arm transforms, and it aims a smaller version of the canon that had just struck Old Clunk upwards, at Myrana. Another, recognizing the language Miles' speaks, registers him as a threat. Two of the smaller ones drop to fours, metal screaming as they run his way. More take off after Ga'elian's griffon since it's well, know--LARGE!
GAME: Ga'Elian casts Gravity Bow. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14 GAME: Alba casts Sands of Time. Caster Level: 8 DC: 17 GAME: Alba rolls 3d6+8: (11)+8: 19
Sorscha looks pointedly at Yelrona, and holds her hand in front of her eyes....like some sort of signal, before she goes after one of the smaller golems.....and keeping it's attention to stab it, or try to as she attacks.
Tatyannah had been on her way to Goblintown, for her occasional ego boost on the height thing, when she saw the poor gobber running, on fire. Well, now, that's interesting and fun. She climbs to the roofs and starts taking that way to get to the junkyard more quickly. Oh. Golems. Possessed golems. With weapons of mass destruction. Ok, less fun. Still, there's always time to do something stupid. What's today's stupid act? Leaping on to the shoulders of a golem and trying to thrust her spear into it's neck. Thank goodness for that lightning enchantment on her spear.
Munch doesn't think. Doesn't consider. Just acts. Fluids lethal to most life forms blast into artifical muscles, giving a power boost that have made demi-gods pause. Reaver, the massive battleaxe, tears though metal at a blur, the adamantine blade barely slowing as it connects. Adamantine fangs flash, tearing into the demon giant. Serious, when it comes to wonton destruction, Munch is in his element.
Yelrona is startled by Sorscha's pointed look... apparently she's not as well-hidden as she thought! She looks for another place of concealment while she watches the combat, paying particular attention to what weapons seem to be affecting the golems.
Ga'Elian then casts another spell and prepares to shoot! GAME: Ga'Elian casts Aspect of the Falcon. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14 Ga'Elian's eyes spread to the sides of his head where his hair morphs into feathers. He takes aim at the nearest possessed golem and fires two shots. GAME: Ga'Elian rolls Bow+1+1-2: aliased to Weapon6+1+1-2: (6)+11+1+1+-2: 17 GAME: Ga'Elian rolls Bow+1+1-2: aliased to Weapon6+1+1-2: (9)+11+1+1+-2: 20 GAME: Sorscha rolls weapon1+1: (8)+7+1: 16
Now that the battle is joined, and chaos has truly erupted, Alba has to worry about priorities. Stupid priorities... With a rough sigh, she pushes off the ground again, streaking toward the massive possesstd golem. As she flies around to its rear, she reaches out with her razored hand, gently scoring at the possessed construct's outer shell as she whispers an almost loving benediction... albeit one if words it hurts the eyes to hear. In the wake of the hair-thin lines left by her hand, rust blooms, tarnish spreads, and metal creaks and whines as thirty years pass in an instant, in a very small place.
Miles sees two things running screeching for him, and continues swearing, which, mostly just makes them run -faster-. He fumbles what...well, it looks like a large red button out of a pouch, holds it out in one hand, then slams down on it as a faintly green translucent field of energy expands around him, just in time to ward off the slightly faster member of his duo of attackers. "You don't work here, do you? If so, this is -very poor customer service-!" GAME: Miles casts Shield. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14
Jacob has no issue with joining the battle. In fact, he offers his support by attempting to secure a flanking route on the golem Sorscha attacks. He pulls forth his gauntlets and attempts to, upon first clear opportunity, smash into the construct.
Myrana zips off, waaaayyyyy up there, and dissapears for a little bit behind some chimmneys. Then later reappears (THE RETURN OF THE TINY WAY UP THERE DOT). A splash of water falls down onto the fires, dumped out of a regular-sized bucket.
GAME: Tatyannah rolls athletics: (15)+17: 32
GAME: Munch rolls 1d20+15+2: (7)+15+2: 24 GAME: Munch rolls 1d20+15+2: (18)+15+2: 35 GAME: Munch rolls 1d20+10+2: (12)+10+2: 24 GAME: Munch rolls 1d20+9+2: (20)+9+2: 31
GAME: Munch rolls 3d6+12+1d6: (8)+12+(6): 26 GAME: Munch rolls 3d6+12+1d6: (16)+12+(3): 31 GAME: Munch rolls 3d6+12+1d6: (9)+12+(2): 23
GAME: Smythly rolls 3d6: (12): 12 GAME: Munch rolls 1d6+5: (5)+5: 10 GAME: Jacob rolls 1d20+BAB+Wisdom+3: (7)+3+3+3: 16
SPLOOSH.
Smythly manages to nearly get hit by Mana's water. HE looks up, slowly, and sees a woman on a broom. Did that happen? Yes, yes it did. "Reos, heal these wounded souls. Let the flames of your forge mend those hurt..." And it does. A pulse of warmth radiates off him.
Smoke takes to the air as water pours down from above. Though it makes it hard to breathe in some places, those of you who LOOK can see fires dimming. Tatyannah on her journey sees part of it still creeping towards unknown devices. Cans that smell like oil, that crackle with artifice. Whether it's an obvious danger is uncertain, but it can't be GOOD.
In the midst of the smoke, Old Clunk lets go a hoarse cry: "REOS TAKE--" The aged golem is on his feet, waving his hands. By now, spells are flying thick and fast. One of his helpers comes running out from a shed, a dirty, harried-looking gnome covered in grease and oil. "WE HAVE CRUSHERS! SOMEONE MAN THE CRUSHERS!"
Who and WHAT the crushers are is anyone's gu--oh. They're probably those machine-like things over THERE. Large, metal boxes with larger, sweeping arms that end in great-sized discs. Miles knows exactly what they are--but there's a small sea of golems between him and the machines.
The demons themselves do not let UP. They scree, one of them fell'd by Ga'Elian's shot. Two more fall from Alba's 'tender' ministrations, and the central golem is held up by Munch's jagged, dripping teeth. It brings its great fist around, slamming into Munch's side. Its other clangs against the golem's chest, "LASER..." it grates out, gears churning. Against Munch's side, the hellfire-mana begins to glow.
Then, Smythly channels, and golems who had fallen begin to stand. THEY join the fight. Soon, Navos' ravenswift blessing hits the field, adding to your efforts. The tide COULD be turning.
GAME: Jacob rolls BAB+Wisdom+3: (3)+3+3+3: 12
Ga'Elian fires two more arrows, but this time uses a pair of COLD IRON arrows. He shouts, "For THE SILVER HUNTRESS!" and releases. GAME: Ga'Elian rolls Bow+1+1-2+4: aliased to Weapon6+1+1-2+4: (18)+11+1+1+-2+4: 33 GAME: Ga'Elian rolls Bow+1+1-2+4: aliased to Weapon6+1+1-2+4: (3)+11+1+1+-2+4: 18
GAME: Alba casts Lightning Bolt. Caster Level: 8 DC: 17 GAME: Alba rolls 8d6: (20): 20
This will not do *at all.* Flickering to Munch's side, Alba hovers over the great crusher's arm. Power gathers in her hands, great, crackling gobbets of unhealthy green electrical power. Bringing her hands together, she lifts them over her head.... she shoves them forward at the shoulder bearing up the hellfire cannon, screaming a wordless cry of defiance.
Tatyannah yells, "Danger incoming, the cans, and something is heading for the thingys!" She tries to point it out as she goes sailing through the air to attack one of the golems. She reaches for her spear, looking for the best part to jab the spear into. GAME: Tatyannah rolls disable device: (15)+30: 45 GAME: Tatyannah rolls 1d20 + 18: (16)+18: 34
Miles smiles. There's something a bit off about that smile, really. Tapping a rune on his armor, which starts to glow, he then reaches into another pouch, producing an oversized syringe filled with glowing green goo that he promptly jams into his neck...and as he breaks into a run towards the demons between him and the crushers, he grows with each step, until he's very nearly as large as the raging Munch. Apparently, the plan is to just try and bowl right through the enemy to get to the Crushers. Admittedly that's probably a fairly apt description for him right now, really. GAME: Miles casts Enlarge Person. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14
Sorscha tries to fight her way towards the larger golem by punching through the smaller golems. "YELRONA! COME AND HELP ME!" She yells out.
Yelrona isn't exactly sure what's going on, but Talyannah's shouted warning almost makes sense. She sneaks through the battle towards the spreading whatever-it-is and invokes her arcane connection to lift the exposed cans out of the way -- then is interrupted by Sorscha's shout. Tarien's Laugh, that woman should make up her damned mind! She lets the spell lapse and attack the golem the paladin is attacking, approaching it from behind.
GAME: Yelrona rolls rapier+1+2: aliased to 1d20+7+1+2: (10)+7+1+2: 20 GAME: Yelrona rolls 2d6+1: (6)+1: 7
Jacob is right next to Sorscha, his armored fists smashing into the stray golems in their way. He prepares yet another spell even as they advance forward, trying to gain more momentum...
Tatyannah manages to jump away as the golem goes down, before pivoting and heading for those boxes. She's not an expert at tech, well, outside of thieving stuff, but she does know enough how to dismantle things. Except! Son of Tarien, that HURTS. Right! She is so stealing stuff from these things and selling them for parts when done here!
Turning point. The stories, the history books all talk of these times. That point in a war when all seems lost, and the heroes arrive. And hereos you ARE, turning the tide. Old Clunk is on his feet. You saved him. You're saving the Junkyard. You're--
Fire races towards Tatyannah with unnatural speed, but the giantborn is quicker. Whatever the 'something' is seems to have been delayed. It falls, crumbling to her feet in crackling, yet fading hellfire. The enemy's advance is cut further by Alba's timepy intervention. The witch's sickly lightning slams into his form. Munch staggers, but is able to regain his feet, and bring Reaver back around.
Ga'Elian watches Miles to see what the heck is going on with him, and says, in his beautiful Elven accent, "What the F***?" GAME: Ga'Elian rolls perception: (17)+18: 35
Miles pulls up short- this takes a moment, since he's now much heavier-, and squints at his destination, frowning the Crushers, which look...off, glowing with the same light as the big War Golem Much and Alba are engaging. He sighs, takes a deep breath, and "THEY'RE POSSESSED! THE CRUSHERS ARE POSSESSED. THAT'S JUST...INCREDIBLY UNSAFE!" He punctuates this with armored fist-swing at a demon.
As the cannon's internals begin to slag away and drip through cracks in the plating, leaving a *truly* unholy stench, Alba flits away, cackling wildly. Miles' warning draws her up short, and she drops down to examine one of the crushers, mask tilting to one side. Then, she leans in close, and utters the single most damning thing she can think of, in the heat of the moment: ".....Your master cowers before Arendt's virility." GAME: Alba casts Crushing Despair. Caster Level: 8 DC: 18
Tatyannah turns at the mention of Arendt and has her spear ready to throw. She hates that jerk.
GAME: Jacob casts Spiritual Weapon. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15
Munch snarls, shifting focus a moment to send Reaver through the hellfire cannon, or whatever it's called. WAS called. When it's weapon verus weapon, Reaver wins.
Ga'Elian then utters "<something you don't understand in abyssal>" and fires two shots at the fiend from which the cannon is falling--again with cold iron arrows. GAME: Ga'Elian rolls Bow+1+1-2+4: aliased to Weapon6+1+1-2+4: (5)+11+1+1+-2+4: 20 GAME: Ga'Elian rolls Bow+1+1-2+4: aliased to Weapon6+1+1-2+4: (18)+11+1+1+-2+4: 33
Golems fall. Demons fall, between spells and beak and arrows, with rending blade and the might of your blows. In front of Munch and Alba, the greater demon's gaping maw trembles...and he topples, falling from wounds and despair. It's a turning point. A TURNING point, and it should be victory. It SHOULD.
...then Miles' warning snaps out like a gobber's fireburst. Seeing the jig is up, the two crushers begin to stand, also glowing. Metal screams as they stand--becoming hunched-over behemoths with grinding death-gears that glow in hell-light.
It's that moment the small, begrubbled assistant shouts, "IT ISN'T MUCH, BUT HERE!" ...at his words, the Junkyard goes still. Those of you with experience, if you've ever been inside a tornado, recognize it as the calm before the storm. The eye of the tornado. All of the magic, all of the energy you have been throwing around--EACH OF YOU is sucked into this vortex...
...and then thrown out again. A glow of strengths emanates from your person a golden glow--just as it's coming from the gnome. "FOR JUSTICE! FOR ALEXANDRIAAAA!" ...and fear dissipates.
Ga'Elian fires a couple more shots using standard arrows. No talking, no distractions, just archery. GAME: Ga'Elian rolls Bow+1+1-2+4: aliased to Weapon6+1+1-2+4: (3)+11+1+1+-2+4: 18 GAME: Ga'Elian rolls Bow+1+1-2+4: aliased to Weapon6+1+1-2+4: (11)+11+1+1+-2+4: 26
Tatyannah doesn't seem to need to kill anyone at the mention of Arendt. However, the warning from Miles and the glowing gets her attention. She starts to move as the Hero thing washes over her. Time to go stealth and start back stabbing things repeatedly. When in doubt, stab something. It almost always helps.
While the golden glow looks *terribly* out of place on Alba, the gifts are well appreciated nonetheless. Sadly.... they're immediately used to craft a barbed blade out of shadows and blackly glowing force that bobs of its own accord near her, whereupon she falls on the nearest crusher to hand, utterly savaging the metal behemoth with the twin threats of sharpened adamantine and holy might, the dagger slipping into place across from her to seek joints and structural weaknesses galore.
Bathed in holy light, even the rapier Sorscha is carrying is literally lopping off legs, and heads as she hacks her way to the....now defeated...larger golem. They're also such clean strikes that they could easily be reattached.....if a skilled Artificer did it. Somehow, Sorscha doesn't think that's in the summoner's bag of tricks.
Jacob doesn't know where that came from. Still, the point is made. It's time for the push. Alongside the fierce lady of war, he strikes with both his fists and his spiritual aide, his hands just about tearing through the metal constructs. "Time to end this."
Yelrona doesn't really understand what's happening, but truthfully, she no longer cares. Light flows through her and around her and her blade, and the golem in front of her stops seeming quite so much like an enemy, and more like a target. It is an unusual feeling for her, and she rather enjoys it as the point of rapier enters through a seam in the construct's... er... construction, coming out the other side in a glare of light.
For his part, Smyhtly is staying focused. Staying focused on the glowing, but he's got one eye clsoed as he does his best to continue to provide radiant, healing life to the injured.
So between the forcefield, the paladin's heroic blessing, the runes on his armor, and... whatever horrible thing is going on with his veins after dosing himself with the enlargement contraption, Miles is lit up like, well, whatever the equivalent would be to the Las Vegas strip. He focuses on the golems still between him and the Crushers, grabbing one in one giant armored fist, one in the other, and smashing them into each other before resorting to more normal blows afterwards.
...shambles. Metal screams as they fall. Chassis crack in two and hellfire escapes into the ether. When you are done, that's what's left of the...the demons, really. War golem parts and shrapnel left scattered across the Junkyard. They glow faintly with hellfire but that will fade in time. Or so you hope. The assistant is standing there, smoke pouring out his ears, his jaws partially slack. Whatever had happened had taken a lot out of him.
Old Clunk has a wrench in hand. He staggers over...slams it into the golem-demon that Alba and Munch had felled. "..." he says and if golems could sweat, or develop tremors, he would be at that point.
For now, the ground pulses oddly. ...oddly.
But it's quiet.
"...Alexandria?" someone asks.
Yelrona withdraws the narrow blade rapidly through the same gap, dodging a blow she didn't even know was coming and whirling around to face... a startlingly quiet battlefield. "So... did we win?"
Jacob maintains his stance, his eyes gazing across the battleground. "Best not to assume anything right now. Be wary."
Ga'Elian calms from his battle frenzy and takes a vial from his pocket. He walks over to one of the hellfire hotspots and pours the contents of the vial onto it. GAME: Ga'Elian used a Holy Water.
"If you're not dead, that's generally a win," Tatyannah says conversationally. She goes poking through the remains looking for any precious metals that can be melted down.
Sorscha says, "Keep your eyes open Yelrona. I'm betting your eyes are better than mine right now." She says as she looks about."
Yelrona chuckles. "Easier to be wary when we know what to be wary _about_... but I hear you." She approaches Jacob and takes a position back-to-back with him.
Ga'Elian carries his bow back to his griffon, then looks around and asks, "Is everyone alright?"
Yelrona gives Ga'Elian a victory gesture. Or maybe that was directed to Erithamiel. With her it's hard to be sure.
Alba hangs in midair above the smoking junkyard, breathing ragged and savage as things begin to -- apparently -- settle down. "Demons have taken the bodies of machines-with-souls, and came a hairsbreadth from loosing themselves upon the city," she snarls in answer to the Ga'Elian's question. "No, hunter. Nothing is okay."
Old Clunk buzzes and clicks. He stands there for a moment before walking, woodenly, towards his grease-covered assistant. Around you, the ground ...buzzes. Like static electricity.
Ga'Elian nods at the witch, "Thine words are true enow, but that is a different matter."
Jacob glances toward Ga'Elian with a slight smile. "We are fine, but we need to secure the area. Find out how this happened. For the safety of everyone outside of this place, no one gets in or out." He glanced toward Old Clunk. "As for that one... what to do...?"
Miles offers, way too brightly, "To be fair, I'm reasonably certain that these demons would have done the same to more...organic corpses had they manifested like this in a cemetary or catacomb." A pause. "Has anyone checked out the local cemetary recently? Though the combination with artifice could...actually what I need are some proper measuring tools. Maybe a compass."
"I suspect no one has examined that area yet." Jacob finally settled down from his stance. "I'll volunteer. Who will come with me?"
Yelrona doesn't turn around, but adds over her shoulder "I'm with you, for whatever that's worth!"
Ga'Elian hands his compass to Miles then answers Jacob. "I'm in."
Ordinarily, exploring graveyards in the aftermath of a diabolical infestation is the sort of thing Yelrona would file under Very Bad Ideas. But in the afterglow of Heroism she is almost eager!
(New BB message (7/18) posted to 'IC: Rumors and Gossip' by Lahar: DEMONS AND ARITFICE! (and rp bonus)