PrP: Of Agitation and Artifice

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Log Info

  • Title: Of Agitation and Artifice
  • Emitter: Mikal
  • Characters: Aenyn Level 2, Angrid Level 2, Conrad Level 3, Halani Level 6, Jibbom Level 4
  • NPCs: -
  • Place: Redridge Mountains
  • Time: Jul 10th, 2012
  • Summary: The Ygdrassil Union hires five adventurers to clean up the mess caused by an Artificer attempting to ressurect the Kulthian Empire.
  • APL: 4
  • Encounter 1: 4 Kobold warriors, CR 1/4
  • Encounter 2: 4 Kobold warriors, CR 1/4
  • Encounter 3: 2 clockwork giant spiders, CR 4

The spot in the forest where the local Ygdrassil Union chapter meets its contracted mercenaries is actually rather tranquil. The birds sing, the insects bite, and there may or may not be some form of amphibeans under the brush attempting to *ahem* be fruitful. An ancient tree, felled long ago makes for a natural seating area in this clearing, and it seems to be made use of by a human.

He is tall and lanky, with mud or something else on his face which acts as a kind of camouflage as he is going about his business in the forest. He sits cross-legged atop the log, unhindered in his seating by the hides of various animals which adorn his forms. He doesn't quite miss a beat, glancing around at every animal, insect and mercenary which nears him in this area.

Jibbom is not really what one would call a rugged wilderness type, despite his love of travel and exploration. The halfling seems distinctly out of place as he peers around the clearing, taking in the scenery before spotting the cross-legged fellow with mud all over him. "Oh! Hello there. Did you call for daring explorers and adventurers? Steel von Ironblood, Bane of the Night, is here to assist!"

Angrid heaves a sigh as Jibbom introduces himself. "That lad just isn't right," he comments, his heavy armor clanking as he follows the gnome into the clearing. He glances back, making sure the others are following and not wandering off.

Aenyn is probably just as much out of place in the wilderness as The Jibbom, if not moreso. He nods to the person waiting for them and adds to Jibbom's greeting, "Me too. Name's Aenyn." It's about that time that he slaps at his neck to kill/drive off some biting insect that decided half-elves taste good.

Conrad steps into the clearing very quietly, but makes sure he is seen, despite his woodland cloak and hood. His clothing is brown, gray, and black, with a few bits of green painted onto the cloak in places. He wears a Kulthian longrifle upon his back, and a satchel at one side. He clasps his hands when he is within listening distance and waits, offering the seated human a nod.

"Aha! Is this the fellow we're supposed to meet with, hey?" Halani says, elbowing Conrad to indicate that the question is mostly for him. Since she doesn't really know the others. She wipes at her brow, then goes about retying the band of cloth she keeps there to keep her hair out of her face for outings like this, then snatches a bug out of the air and flicks it away. "He looks pretty Ygdrassilly."

The man seated atop the log meets them all eye for eye, neither looking excited or disappointed for those who have risen to the call of the Union. Rather, he looks around to each and all of them and replies, "You are all noisy and distempered by the standards of modern times. I fear what I am about to do in unleashing you to walk our beautiful areas, still yet unaltered by those same modern times. Yet, you will do. The job at hand is far more important still. Listen to me, Mosslicker, of the evil which will blight our land."

He clears his throat, looking gravely to each one, "A man dealing with the unholy melding of magic and machine has risen up at the foothills of the Redridge Mountains, under the banner of dread Kulthos. He plans to enact mechinations which will rebuild the Kulthian empire. If left unchecked, our sources say he can do it. We have sent two agents, who did not return. I don't think you'll return either. Here's a map..." He retrieves a rolled up, damp piece of parchment from within the hide armor. The smell is atrocious. He offers it to the nearest mercenary with a not-all-the-way-there "Have fun."

Jibbom accepts the parchment, wrinkling his nose a bit as he catches a whiff of it. He quickly tucks it away in his robes. "Bad guy gone mad with power, going to destroy all of nature and civilization if allowed to run unchecked, and we're the only ones who can stop him. Don't worry there, Licker. This kind of thing is quite routine in the hero business." He turns to the others. "Cohorts! Let's be off! For adventure!" That's all the information Jibbom needs, it seems.

Angrid tsks. "You're all heart, lad. Have a drink while we're gone." He peers at Jibbom. "Ye might want to read the map, y'know. It's not like there's a glowing light guiding us to yon wizard's hideaway."

Aenyn wrinkles his nose as he catches a whiff of the parchment taken by Jibbom. He clears his throat and nods to the man, "Seems pretty straight-forward. Do you know what this man looks like?"

Conrad is jostled by Halani and grimaces, glancing aside, "Yes, I think that is a worthy bet..." He raises an eyebrow when the man calls him noisy, but he glances back at the rifle and shrugs with a nod, conceding the point. He leans over and whispers back to Halani, "I don't know, a ressurrected Kulthos might be interesting. Perhaps we should take out the madman and research his methods." His voice is very low, meant only for Halani.

"Did he just call me a mosslick.... oh. That's his name." So ready to be affronted, Halani at least looks a little bit sheepish before MOVING ON. Then she grins at Conrad. "Maybe. Won't know till we get there, yeah? C'mon." Seems they have all the information Halani needs, too. Or cares to have.

Giving Aenyn a long-suffering look, Mosslicker shakes his head, "I told you anyone who went to lay eyes on him has perished. Going by reputation, I'd guess he would be the one with a death ray. His kind are known for such abominations of magic and machines." He looks towards Jibbom now, shaking his head before he last glare is for Halani, "My name is Mosslicker like his name is Steel von Ironbutt or what-have-you."

You depart in peace. Following the map leads you directly to the foothills of the Redridge Mountains. The path leading to the Artificer's hideout is well marked. This is not surprising due to the origin of this map being from a druid, who knows the land better than anyone. Yet, oddly enough, the path leads directly into the side of a cliff. The supposed entrance to the Artificer's lair is scenic, with forest surrounding much of this part of the Redridges. There is game aplenty, and none of the adventurers starve. Yet, no sign of the hideout. The cliff that the map points to is pockmarked with divots and holes, making it seems as if it is quite easily to climb.

Jibbom does not take kindly to having his moniker maligned. For the rest of the trip, he retaliates by refusing to refer to the muddy man as anything other than 'Buttlicker'. With the smelly parchment in hand, it's off to investigate the mountains for signs of mad science. He eyes the cliff face with a bit of confusion and suspicion. "So... do you suppose we should climb up, then? Did anyone bring rope?"

"Well, that Mosslover guy was real nice, wasn't he?" Aenyn comments once the party is on their way and well away from the clearing where Mosslicker sits. It's not long before he picks up on Jibbom's 'Buttlicker' and can't help but grin every time the name is spoken. At the cliff he looks up towards the top and just shakes his head, "A lot of my jobs lately have involved climbing." He pulls off his backpack and produces a coil of spidersilk rope and a climbing kit. "Luckily, I practice my climbing whenever I can."

Conrad gazes up at the cliff, "I have some rope, not much. I can climb, but not with any special skill. If we are dealing with a magitech-savvy enemy, these divots and holes might well be part of a mechanism or puzzle rather than mere footholds."

Angrid stares up at the cliff, his beard bristling. "Oh for Reos's sake, not another blasted climb," he grumbles. "Can't these idiots build stairs?" He gives

Aenyn a nod, as he begins strapping his shield onto his arm, hefting his axe a bit before reslinging it. "Bloody hell, I'm a dwarf, not a spider monkey..." 

GAME: Halani rolls survival: (17)+4: 21
GAME: Conrad rolls survival+2: (10)+9: 19

Conrad kneels down and peers at a spot of dirt. He then looks over, points at a broken twig, and traces a line in the air from the twig to the dirt to some flattened grass, "...Three of them. Three-toed, each. They were small...or very light-weight. Less than the average human." He looks up, "They might have climbed, after all."

Jibbom scratches his head at Conrad's assessment of the tracks. "... Three toed and tiny? Could they be those little mechanical critters? I've heard those artificer types have all kinds of crazy clockwork stuff in their labs. If they have three toes..." He scratches his chin. "... Yes. We must be dealing with mechasloths here. I was afraid of that. Well, nothing to do but press ahead! Who wants to carry me?"

Halani helps Conrad a little bit, mostly by making sure she doesn't stomp on ground he's looking at. Though she does oh so helpfully point out a few things here and there. "Heya, ver," she mentions then to the rifleman, pointing at a particularly smooth part of the cliff. "They kinda end up there, don't they? Nasty place to start climbing, there."

Angrid hrms. "How tiny are we talking here? It just occurred to me; most of these master-planner types usually need foot soldiers, someone to carry out the trash. He might've taken over a goblin or kobold tribe."

Aenyn's brow furrows a bit at Conrad's explanations, "Three-toed? That's...odd." Jibbom's assumptions on the source of the prints brings an "Ah" from the citified rogue. He starts to uncoil his rope and prepare to climb until Halani's addition causes him to stop, "Yeah, it is. Noone I know would try climbing a wall like that when there're plenty of footholds over here." He gestures vaguely to the part of the cliff with all the divots.

Conrad rises, nodding, "Halani's right. They didn't pick an easy place to ascend. They might have wings...Birdfolk, even. That would explain their light weight." He looks over at the divots, then the smooth part of the cliff. He starts running his hands lightly over the stone. Very lightly. If there is dust, he stops. If not, he keeps going. 

GAME: Conrad rolls will: (17)+2: 19

Conrad smirks as his hand goes through, "I think I found the entrance." He retracts his hand and unshoulders his rifle, cocking back the hammer.

Jibbom looks over at Conrad, beaming when he sees the secret entrance has been uncovered. "Ah, perfect! I really wasn't looking forward to climbing. Mechasloths have a distinct combat advantage in a vertical environment. Well then, onwards to adventure!"

Angrid barks a restrained laugh at Conrad. "Well played, lad, well played." He draws his axe. "Let's go see the landlord then, and discuss the rent."

Aenyn's brows go up as Conrad's hand goes through the wall, then he grins. He starts coiling his rope back up so he can put it back in his backpack with the climbing kit. Once it's all packed up, he draws his short sword and follows into the opening.

They do indeed know how to build stairs! (You're welcome, Angrid.) There exists a short platform that serves as a warning to the existance of a flight of stairs leading deeper into the mountain. Twenty steps each carved into the stone with no real finesse or attention to artistry. However, when one reaches the lower landing, it becomes readily apparent that whoever resides here has a nice sense of interior decoration, even if the exterior was a little plain. The stairs drop into a large room or hallway, about sixty feet long and twenty feet wide. The starboard side of the hall consists of one long mural depicting a large-scale airship battle, with fleets of airships making with the combat high above the skies. The corridors are well-lit, with torches every twenty feet or so. The last twenty feet of the hall seem to be a common room or a staging area of some sort, as four small kobolds (fully armed and filty) are rising to meet the new guests with hostility. 

GAME: Angrid rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 0 = Total: 14
GAME: Aenyn rolls initiative: Roll: 18 + Bonus: 4 = Total: 22
GAME: Jibbom rolls initiative: Roll: 18 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 21
GAME: Conrad rolls initiative: Roll: 20 + Bonus: 4 = Total: 24
GAME: You roll initiative for Kobolds: Roll: 3 + Bonus: 1 = Total: 4
GAME: Halani rolls initiative: Roll: 12 + Bonus: 4 = Total: 16

GAME: Conrad rolls sense motive: (10)+2: 12
GAME: Conrad rolls weapon2+1: (14)+7+1: 22
GAME: Conrad rolls 1d12+1: (7)+1: 8

Conrad is second to last through the illusion, but he was prepared for something roughly the size and shape of a kobold. So when the small creatures turn weapons toward them, Conrad simply says, "Hi there." before the Kulthian longrifle explodes, sending a plume of flame and a streaking bullet toward the hapless warrior. 

GAME: Aenyn's inititave total changed to '13'.

GAME: Jibbom casts Magic Missile.
GAME: Jibbom rolls 2d4+2: (6)+2: 8

"Oop. It's already the blasty part of the day, is it? Okay then!" Jibbom waves his arms and points, firing a pair of glittering purple bolts of energy. They slam forcefully into Conrad's target, smashing the poor kobold to pieces. 

GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+9: (12)+9: 21
GAME: Halani rolls 1d8+7: (4)+7: 11

GAME: Angrid rolls 1d20+6: (16)+6: 22
GAME: Angrid rolls 1d10+5: (4)+5: 9

"Hah! I knew it wouldn't be that easy, yeah?" Halani claims upon seeing the hostile intending Kobolds. She claps her hands on her knees once, then together. She backs up a half step, planting a foot, then takes off even as Conrad fires his cannon and Jibbom casts his magic. As the first kobold falls, she launches herself into the air and strikes another kobold square in the face with the heel of her foot. She lands moments after the kobold falls, his face ruined.

Just like Angrid was guessing: kobolds. And then the fight is on, and he roars a battle cry in Khazdul, the dwarf charging forward unhindered by the heavy armor he wears. The kobold has enough time to go 'meep' before his right arm swings around, the dwarven waraxe in his fist splitting its skull like a watermelon under a maul. Crunch-splay. 

GAME: Aenyn rolls weapon1: (15)+5: 20
GAME: Aenyn rolls 1d4+2: (1)+2: 3

GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+1: (16)+1: 17

Aenyn sees the kobolds almost before anyone else, but he intentionally holds himself back for a few moments. No sense in charging into the middle of them and getting ganged up on. His moments' hesitation, however, leads to three of the kobolds dying and then he's moving forward into the thick of...the one kobold remaining. Pulling the dagger from his belt, he hurls it into the little creature's shoulder as a way of saying hello.

The kobold's clansmen all fall in about the blink of an eye, the final kobold more concerned about a new dagger embedded in his flesh than how the battle is progressing. Enraged, the kobold lowers his spear and steps towards Angrid, attempting to skewer the mountain dwarf on his spear. The weapon bounces off the Dward's shield, however, leaving a vulgar scratch in the paint. At this point, the whole cave seems to be waking up as howls and skittering noises can be heard. 

GAME: Conrad rolls weapon2+1: (19)+7+1: 27
GAME: Conrad rolls 1d12+1: (9)+1: 10

The barrel has broken open almost before the smoke and flame have cleared the it from the first shot, and Conrad has a bullet in by the time the others are moving. By the time the kobold has attempted to stab at the dwarf, Conrad has jerked the rifle up, snapping the barrel closed by the whiplash, and is leveling it for another shot. Blasting the Kobold dead in the chest, Conrad cracks open the barrel again, smoke issuing forth, "Looks like we've got more company coming."

Jibbom is just about to work up more magic when the last obvious foe is felled. He frowns at the sounds coming from deeper inside. "Huh. You think it's... it's not the mechasloths coming for us, is it? You know, they're faster than their name would suggest."

Angrid glares as the kobold -scratches his shield-, but before he can deliver an appropriate rebuke with his axe, the kobold falls over dead from Conrad's shot. "Why you.. hrm? Ah, thanks laddie, much appreciated." He nods back at Conrad, before turning flinty eyes towards where the growls are coming from, cave-adapted eyes piercing the gloom. "Aye. I think it's going to get a bit messy here... brace yerselves."

Aenyn nods as the last kobold goes down, then he strides over and retrieves his dagger. While doing so, he checks the dead kobold for any coin or other potential valuables he can...appropriate. Whether he finds anything or not, his dagger goes back in his sheath as he comments, "Well, I guess they know we're here. I hope this cave system isn't too large and we can find the crazy guy soon."

Indeed the cave has awakened with hustle and bustle, but there doesn't seem to be anyone coming towards our intrepid adventurers. The path diverges here, one to the right and a narrower path to the left. Just about to the bend in the path to the left, a door can be seen.

Conrad slides in a new bullet from the loops on his belt and snaps the rifle barrel shut. Cradling it in both hands, Conrad strides forward to meet up with the rest of the group, "Left, right, or bottleneck them here?" He looks over to the dwarf, for lack of anyone appropriate to ask. After a moment, he turns to look at Jibbom, "Any tricks up your sleeve that might slow them down from one direction?"

Jibbom looks back at Conrad. " I think we should try to find the leader. Usually, the minions scatter when they lose their inspiration in these whole evil mountain fortress sort of situations. What do you think? I don't suppose your super woodsman tracking skills can offer us any insight on which way we might find him?"

Angrid points with his axe towards the visible door. "Might as well knock on some doors, but watch for traps! If the little buggers have been here long enough they'll have laced this place with plenty of them." 

GAME: Conrad rolls survival: (13)+7: 20

Halani cracks her knuckles, fist in palm, then puts her hand up to her mouth to stiffle a yawn. "Well, hopefully they aren't as easy as these ones, yeah?" She dances from one foot to the other, peering down in the direction the last seem to be watching.

Conrad shakes his head after looking around at some choice pieces of floor, "Too many tracks. They go in all directions."

Jibbom frowns as he considers the options presented. "Alright. Well, let's take the largest path in. If this guy really is a mad scientist type, he probably needs wide tunnels so that his deathbots can march out to smite his enemies, or what have you."

"Whichever direction we go, I can check for traps," Aenyn offers as he glances between each passage.

Angrid nods. "Alright." He points for the wider path. "Aenyn, with me. Keep your eyes peeled, if you see something, speak up or grab me. Better that than I walk into another damned pit."

"Lead the way!" Jibbom calls out cheerfully, falling into line to let the larger folks lead the way into the lair.

Conrad chuckles with a self-nod as he remembers that pit. He strides forward with a flare of his longcoat, the rifle held sighted down the hall.

Aenyn grins and nods, "Luckily, I haven't led you into a pit yet!" Of course, he's also never scouted out traps for Angrid, but that's beside the point. He heads for the right-hand path, keeping his senses peeled for signs of traps.

The path travelled by the adventurer is never an easy one. It is often fraught with peril, and excellent art work. This hall features a brilliant painting showing off a large fortress of some kind, with stacks stretching a mile or more into the air! Each stacks emit smoke. There is a double-door to the right, a carving of some kind of wheeled machine carrying a rider upon it. Much like the entry way, this hallway is equally as well lit.

Angrid pauses to eye the painting, before approaching the doors. His bushy brows knit together as he regards the carving on the door. "What d'ye make of this?" he inquires of Aenyn quietly, gesturing with his axe at the double doors.

Jibbom eyes the doors, peeking from behind the taller members of the group. Which is to say all of them. "Noisy. I say we bust in and see what's what."

Conrad immediately tips the painting up with his rifle--enough to topple it if he can. Shouldering the rifle quickly, Conrad checks the back of the painting with narrowed eyes, if it came down. 

GAME: Aenyn rolls appraise: (11)+6: 17

Aenyn tilts his head to the side as he examines the painting, then replies to Angrid, "Bit cumbersome to cart back to Alexandria to fence, but might fetch a few platinum to the right buyer."

"We'll pick it up on the way out. Let's check the door before we kick it in." Angrid takes up a spot next to the doors, letting Aenyn have a clear view for any inspection he might want to do.

"We'll pick it up on the way out. Let's check the door before we kick it in." Angrid gently nudges the door with the haft of his axe, before taking up a spot next to the doors, letting Aenyn have a clear view for any inspection he might want to do. 

GAME: Aenyn rolls perception+1: (7)+8+1: 16
GAME: Jibbom rolls perception: (10)+4: 14
GAME: Conrad rolls perception: (2)+8: 10
GAME: Angrid rolls perception: (2)+3: 5
GAME: Halani rolls perception: (3)+12: 15
GAME: You roll initiative for Kobolds: Roll: 6 + Bonus: 1 = Total: 7
GAME: Jibbom rolls initiative: Roll: 17 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 20
GAME: Aenyn rolls initiative: Roll: 20 + Bonus: 4 = Total: 24
GAME: Halani rolls initiative: Roll: 1 + Bonus: 4 = Total: 5

Angrid nods as Aenyn checks over the door. "Alright, lads and lasses, here we go..." And abruptly he grabs the knob and twists, shoving the door open with his foot roughly. 

GAME: Angrid rolls initiative: Roll: 11 + Bonus: 0 = Total: 11
GAME: Conrad rolls initiative: Roll: 19 + Bonus: 4 = Total: 23

The door busts open just as it is opened from the other side as well. On the opposite side of the portal, two kobolds with longspears quite a bit taller than they are level them towards the adventurers. Behind them, two other Kobolds are swinging ropes above their head. Each rope features a bit of cloth on the end, no doubt holding a rock of some kind.

Also, when the door is opening, there is a loud pop by the base of the door. The floor beneath our intrepid party of adventurers is covered in a thick, slimy substance sprayed out from the door in a large cone, even so far as spattering against the back wall as the trapsmith overdid it. 

GAME: Conrad rolls perception: (7)+8: 15
GAME: Conrad rolls reflex: (7)+6: 13
GAME: Jibbom rolls perception: (2)+4: 6
GAME: Aenyn rolls perception: (14)+8: 22
GAME: Jibbom rolls reflex: (8)+5: 13
GAME: Aenyn rolls reflex: (10)+7: 17
GAME: Angrid rolls perception: (13)+3: 16
GAME: Angrid rolls reflex: (16)+0: 16
GAME: Halani rolls perception: (16)+12: 28
GAME: Halani rolls reflex: (12)+10: 22

GAME: Conrad rolls weapon2+1: (2)+7+1: 10

Aenyn sighs as the trap goes off and he slides around in order to keep his balance on the slick floor, "Guess I missed that one. Sorry about that." Upon spotting the kobolds with spears in front guarding the slingers in back, he pulls out his shortbow and gets it ready to feather some koblds. He's definitely not happy about having missed the trap, especially since it knocked two of his companions to the ground.

Conrad suddenly loses his feet when the door is opened, and an "Urp!" is all that precedes a loud *BANG* as he thuds onto the seat of his pants." Coughing as the bullet richochets off the roof, Conrad looks sternly down his newly sighted rifle, trying to pretend that he meant to do that.

Angrid nearly falls as the slime coats his boots, but prevents it by driving the bottom edge of his shield down to stabilize himself. "Yer fired, laddie," he grumbles at Aenyn, before carefully sliding to the edge of the mess, menacing the kobolds with a broad grin. "Oh, you are in such a kettle now..." 

GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+1: (5)+1: 6
GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+1: (8)+1: 9
GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+3: (18)+3: 21
GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+3: (5)+3: 8
GAME: Mikal rolls 1d3-1: (3)+-1: 2
GAME: Mikal damaged Halani for 2 points. 30 remaining.

The kobolds step back as Angrin makes his way into the room, their trap and great military planning not working as well to slow the intrepid adventurers as they would have liked. Each of the front line take a stab at Angrid, and don't quite lay spear on the dwarf. The two swinging slings behind them release at roughly the same time. One rock narrowly misses Conrad, even though it was aimed at Aenyn. The other stone thrown by the kobold grazes Halani. 

GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+1: (3)+1: 4
GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+1: (12)+1: 13

GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+9: (18)+9: 27
GAME: Halani rolls 1d8+3: (2)+3: 5
GAME: Halani rolls acrobatics: (11)+13: 24

GAME: Aenyn rolls weapon9: (16)+6: 22
GAME: Aenyn rolls 1d6: (3): 3

"Hah!" exclaims Halani, apparently not just unsurprised, but gleeful that there's more little people to beat up. She hops nimbly across the greased floor, past the longspears, and smacks a kobold int he face 

GAME: Conrad rolls weapon2+1: (15)+7+1: 23

Aenyn sighs again at Angrid's grumbling, but doesn't try to defend his failure. Instead, he nocks an arrow and shoots at one of the slingers. The arrow hits and drops the little kobold. "One down," he mutters. 

GAME: Conrad rolls 1d12+1: (4)+1: 5

Conrad carefully rises from the floor, the rifle cracking open as he does so. Sliding in a new bullet, Conrad snaps it shut with a jerk and takes aim, firing a solid slug into one of the kobolds assaulting his fellows. He says nothing, simply cracking open the rifle once again. 

GAME: Jibbom rolls 2d4+2: (2)+2: 4
GAME: Jibbom casts Magic Missile.

GAME: Angrid rolls 1d20+5: (12)+5: 17
GAME: Angrid rolls 1d10+3: (9)+3: 12

"Auuuugh!" Jibbom flails wildly and has a rather humorous pratfall. On the less humorous side of things, his flailing around also produces another pair of magical bolts of violent energy which rip Conrad's target to shreds. "Ouch. That guy learned the hard way..." Jibbom winces as he stands back up. "... There's nothing in the world more dangerous than a sexy, greased-up halfling."

Angrid may be as slow as glaciers, but he seems as inexorable as he shoulders into the melee next to Halani. Batting aside the kobold's spear, he swings underhand, the blow actually lifting the creature off the floor and sending it sprawling in a bloody mess. 

GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+3: (3)+3: 6

The last kobold takes a few steps back, what passes for little kobold fear on his little kobold face. Its hands shake as it reloads another rock and begins swinging the sling again. He releases the sling and allows the rock to fly, but its way off the mark. 

GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+7: (11)+7: 18
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+7: (4)+7: 11
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+2: (17)+2: 19
GAME: Halani rolls 1d8+7: (7)+7: 14
GAME: Halani rolls 1d8+7: (5)+7: 12

Halani looks almost incredulous as the kobold falls back and slings another stone at her. After twisting to avoid the missile, she scowls, then steps up to him, punching him once in the face and then grabbing his head and smashing it again into her knee.

The last of the sling-wielding kobolds have fallen. He was proceeded in death by one other sling-wielding kobolds and two kobolds with longspears. There are shoulds still from the other side of the cave dwelling of the Artificer who is attempting to rebuild the Kulthian empire, but there are as yet none of the sounds are getting any closer. The grease has started to disperse from the ground, losing much of its viscosity and thinning out to the consistency of water. In the hallway, the corner ahead makes a sharp 90-degree left turn. The pattern of being dimly lit, but sufficient for human sight, remains true.

Angrid shakes kobold blood off his axe. "We need to get moving. If we get cornered, things could turn ugly very quickly for us." He looks over the others. "Everyone fit to run?"

Jibbom frowns a little as he surveys the latest scene of carnage. "I wish these kobolds were more reasonable. All this bloodshed is a little depressing. I know the vast majority of kobolds are vicious would-be tyrants, but it's still sad to have to kill so many." He shrugs and looks over to Angrid. "I'm good to go. Let's just keep headed down the hall and throw open doors until we find the guy with the mechasloths."

Aenyn puts his shortbow away after no more kobolds make themselves apparent. He looks towards the 90 degree turn and hmms, "Looks like this tunnel turns to connect with the other tunnel. Unless there's a set of stairs or a wall around that corner."

As the intrepid adventurers round the corner, two things happen. First, the howling stops, leaving the cave in almost earie silence. No more than two seconds later, it starts again with the chattering of ... something. Terrified screams fill the gaps in the chattering, pulsating in tone and intensity. The second thing is the door halfway down the hallway closes, and a lock can be heard turned from the opposite side. The hallway remains lit well enough, with torches lining the wall to the right ever fifteen or twenty feet.

Jibbom eyes the door, frowning when he hears it lock. "Well. Odds are we've either got the bad guy we're here to find in there, or more kobolds. Either way, best to check." He gives Angrid a speculative look. "You think that axe of yours can chop down the door?"

Angrid raises a bushy eyebrow. "Maybe. But I figured I'd let Aenyn here take a shot at jimmying the lock first. We can always break through if he can't get it."

Aenyn pauses and his brow furrows as the sounds change. "Well, that's a little disconcerting." He nods at Angrid's suggestion and approaches the door, "Always worth a shot." He starts by examining the lock to see if it's pickable, then examines the lock and door for traps.

Jibbom frowns. "But chopping the door open with an axe is so much more dramatic... oh, fine. Let's pick the lock." He settles in somewhere he can keep an eye on the door. 

GAME: Aenyn rolls perception: (12)+8: 20
GAME: Aenyn rolls perception+1: (5)+8+1: 14
GAME: Aenyn rolls disable device+2: (20)+9+2: 31

Content with what he's determined about the door, Aenyn pulls a set of tools rolled up in leather from a pouch at his belt. He sets to work on the lock and has it open in no time. Putting the tools back in the pouch, he stands and takes a few steps back from the door. Gesturing to the door with a grin, he says to Angrid, "Simple enough lock. After you."

Angrid grins at Aenyn, letting the others secure the hallway. "And here... we... go." With that, he turns the handle, before planting his boot on the door and giving it a quick shove to swing it open, advancing rapidly with axe in hand.

The wooden double doors shoot open to reveal a workshop of some kind. Tools of all types hang on the wall, and a large table full of clockwork contraptions takes up the majority of the space in this room. A human male, just under six feet tall, is running towards the back of the room, laughing in a tone that would make one believe he isn't quite all there. Something pops as he runs, and a mist springs up to cover the back of the room. The laughing ceases only to call out, "You fools! You can't stop what has already begun. You can only delay the inevitable." The laughing continues, but then cuts off abruptly, "Just as you yourselves can be delayed. Why don't you meet one of the red delights waiting for you in my new empire. Rise, Arachnids!"

From the right side of the room, almost blended into scenary, two boxes begin to wind up, extending sixteen legs in every which direction, and then rise up on eight feet each. Obviously clockwork by nature, by the very gears which power them, the two spiders spread out. One by turning towards the adventurers, the other by skittering up on top of the table. 

GAME: Angrid rolls initiative: Roll: 3 + Bonus: 0 = Total: 3
GAME: Aenyn rolls initiative: Roll: 5 + Bonus: 4 = Total: 9
GAME: Jibbom rolls initiative: Roll: 12 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 15
GAME: You roll initiative for Spiders: Roll: 16 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 19

GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+5: (5)+5: 10
GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+2: (7)+2: 9

The clockwork spiders waste no time attacking the adventurers, as they are unintelligent and have little use for dramatic pauses. The second spider puffs up, its framework expanding momentarily as it begins to glow a sickly green. There is a pump of steam ejected from the top of the mechabeast and a slam of a piston firing. A goop of sticky white chemical emits from the creatures mouth, angling towards Aenyn and impacting against the doorway. The first spider begins skittering across the table, making a sickening skittering sound as it carefully approaches Angrid and then pounces. The gears in its mandibles rotates furiously, the resulting actuation closing the spiked "mouth" of the beast just inches away from Angrid's flesh. The spikes emit a dark brown liquid, pooling up and then dripping out of the spider's mouth. 

GAME: Jibbom rolls ranged: (2)+6: 8
GAME: Jibbom casts Scorching Ray.

"Stop! Steel von Ironblood has come to rid this place of evil with his cleansing fires! Submit, or be destroyed!" Jibbom points and fires off a ray of searing hot energy which flies straight past the spiders, into the cloud of mist. The halfling pouts. "Did that... cleanse any evil back there? Anyone smited?" 

GAME: Aenyn rolls weapon7: (8)+6: 14
GAME: Aenyn rolls 1d6+2: (6)+2: 8

Aenyn leans backwards as the web shoots at him, but it turns out the maneuver wasn't really needed. When the other spider attacks Angrid, he draws his short sword and stabs the spider through its metal skin.

All of a sudden it's OH CRAP CLOCKWORK SPIDERS in Angrid's face, and even he's a little taken aback. He manages to get his shield up to block the snapping pincers, but ironically Aenyn's deft stab throws off his own axe swing. "Blast, I hate fightin' things that don't bleed properly..." 

GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+2: (15)+2: 17
GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+5: (13)+5: 18

GAME: Aenyn rolls fortitude: (8)+2: 10
GAME: Jibbom rolls fortitude: (14)+4: 18

The screaching the metal griding on metal preceeds the altogether teeth-grating sound of griding gears as the short sword cuts into the clockwork spider and messes with its internals. In protest, the clockwork spider snaps towards Aenyn and sinks its spikes into the rogue. The brown poison seeps into the wound, causing Aenyn's world to spin for just a split second before he overcomes the power the poison. Spider #2 shoots yet another gob of gunk, this time coming much closer to Angrid than he did to Aenyn a few seconds ago. 

GAME: Jibbom rolls ranged: (20)+6: 26
GAME: Jibbom rolls ranged: (7)+6: 13
GAME: Jibbom rolls 8d6: (26): 26

GAME: Mikal rolls 1d6: (5): 5

Jibbom pouts with frustration. "Alright. Time to bring out the big guns." The halfling flexes gratuitously, then points both index fingers at the mechaspider in the back. A pair of glowing red beams pour into it, producing enough heat to melt and twist parts of its structure on the spot. "Yeah! How you like me now?" 

GAME: Mikal damaged Aenyn for 6 points. 10 remaining.
GAME: Mikal damaged Aenyn for -1 points. 11 remaining.

GAME: Aenyn rolls weapon7: (11)+6: 17
GAME: Aenyn rolls 1d6+2: (2)+2: 4

GAME: Angrid rolls 1d20+5: (10)+5t: 15
GAME: Angrid rolls 1d10+3: (3)+3: 6

Aenyn lets out a somewhat unmanly shriek as the spider bites down on his arm. He stabs wildly with his sword, sinking it into the spider once again. He nods in reply to Angrid's question, "Yeah. Just caught me off-guard a bit there."

It's bad, but manageable, as Jibbom scores one hell of a hit with his scorching rays against the other spider. Meanwhile, Angrid takes advantage of Aenyn's repeated stabs to slam his axe into the side of the monstrosity's head. "You all right, laddie?" he asks Aenyn between swings. 

GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+2: (9)+2: 11
GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+5-4: (9)+5+-4: 10

GAME: Jibbom rolls ranged: (2)+6: 8

The first spider emits a scream of metal on metal again as Angrid's axe cuts into its metal flesh for the first time. It gnashes its spikes ineffectively at Angrid, still drooling its poison. The second, heavily damaged one, spits another web at Aenyn, missing completely.

"Ah-hah! Now you know the might of Steel Von Ironblood! Prepare for the end, strange... iron spidery creature." Jibbom's boasting has taken his focus off the more important task at hand, and another bolt of fiery light sails aimlessly off into the mist. 

GAME: Aenyn rolls weapon7: (6)+6: 12

GAME: Angrid rolls 1d20+5: (4)+5: 9

GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+2: (1)+2: 3
GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+5: (12)+5: 17

"Watch the aim there, Steel!" Aenyn comments as Jibbom's latest scorching ray goes scorching past his head. He tries to stab that pesky spider in front of him again, but this time he gets the angle wrong and the sword just scrapes across the spider's "skin" instead of penetrating.

Angrid brings his shield around to block the spider's attack again, but it throws off his next swing. "This is like fighting blasted weeds," he grumbles. "The stupid bug doesn't know when to quit!"

The first spider continues to gnash its spikes at Angrid, remaining largely ineffective as the dwarf is either too fast or the dwarf's armor is too strong. The second spider emits a puff of steam again, something heavily boiling up from within. Like hocking a loogie from the top of a building, the spider lobs a large gob of web that strike Jibbom. 

GAME: Jibbom rolls 1d20 + 9: (17)+9: 26
GAME: Jibbom rolls 2d4+2: (2)+2: 4
GAME: Jibbom casts Magic Missile.

GAME: Aenyn rolls weapon7: (11)+6: 17

"Alright, you big bad spider, I.... hrrrk!" Much to what is probably everyone's delight, a bunch of webbing hits Jibbom in the face and cuts off whatever he was saying. He flails, yelling loudly enough to magic his magic words heard even through the webs, firing a pair of energy bolts that slam into the spider and blast it apart for good. 

GAME: Aenyn rolls 1d6+2: (2)+2: 4

Aenyn continues to pinprick the spider to death by stabbing it once again with his sword. He chances a glance back to Jibbom, "Need a hand back there, Steel, or are you okay?" 'Okay' being relative, of course, given the halfing's webbed state. 

GAME: Angrid rolls 1d20+5: (7)+5: 12

Angrid pauses a moment to glance back as the halfling fights inside the web. "Hang on there, Jibbom, we'll get you out just as soon as we deal with the garbage..." His next axe blow merely glances off the construct's head, and he grumbles. "Eventually..." 

GAME: Mikal rolls 1d20+2: (5)+2: 7

GAME: Jibbom rolls 1d20 + 9: (9)+9: 18
GAME: Jibbom rolls 2d4+2: (3)+2: 5
GAME: Jibbom casts Magic Missile.

Once again, the mechanical spider attempts to sink spikes into the dwarf, who proves entirely too stalwart to take the damage dealt to him! The mist in the back is starting to slowly clear out, revealing the dark shape of general humanity in the back.

The webbed-up halfling continues to struggle against the sticky strands that surround him, managing to continue working his magic. Another pair of bolts fire off and slam into the surviving spider creature. 

GAME: Aenyn rolls weapon7: (13)+6: 19
GAME: Aenyn rolls 1d6+2: (6)+2: 8

GAME: Angrid rolls 1d20+5: (16)+5: 21
GAME: Angrid rolls 1d10+3: (1)+3: 4

Aenyn continues trying to stab the thing, once again piercing its skin to damage its inner workings. He glances over to Angrid and quips, "Am I the only one feeling inadequate over this thing not going down?"

Angrid finally gets the opening he's looking for, when Aenyn rams his short blade into the spider's flank, causing it to flinch. He brings his axe up, and slams it down into the construct's 'face', sending metal bits everywhere as the clockwork horror collapses to the ground with a crash. "Nah, laddie. I feel the same way."

"HA HA HA HA HA!"

Maniacal laughter emits from the back of the room, where the shadowy human stands. His voice echos through his workshop with malicious intent, "Maybe I underestimated you, maybe I didn't. This won't be the last you see of me. The Empire will not be abandoned!" The room falls silent and the obscuring mist which clouded the back of the room fades away. The shadowy human figure in the back is revealed to be a manequin used for fitting armor. The Artificer is nowhere to be seen. Careful searching leads our intrepid adventurers to a tiny trap door about two hands wide. Further search of the cave reveals an empty bedroom with another painting in it depicting a large metal contraption of some sort, with a grate over the front. The second room reveals a number of non-combative kobolds, who cower in fear at the presence of mercenaries. Their fate is left to you. The story of the Artificer was not ended here, but his efforts were crippled. For that, Mosslicker has paid the agreed upon sum and vows the Ygdrassil Union knows of the Mad Artificer and will remain vigilant of his movements.

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