|
Post by Admin on Jan 10, 2014 20:51:13 GMT
An older Viking steps forward from the warband. His one good eye is crystal blue, and muscle still clings to his old body. He's obviously seen his share of battles.
"You," he walks towards Psychlis. "I be Sven One-Eye. Thanks for saving the warband from this insane place."
A voice echoes through the party's minds. "Threats removed. Geothermal generators now online. Recalling automated defenses. Interruption-"
Suddenly, Psychlis feels a chill within him. "Scholarch Psychlis is no longer recognized. Control transferred to Cognitor Caldeus."
The dwarf who was previously a sheep walks forward, adjusting his helmet. "My apologizes," he bows before Psychlis. "But I must thank you for your services. You saved the world from a fate worse than you could possibly comprehend. I am Cognitor Caldeus, last of the corporeal First Dwarves of this hall."
The dominated duergar and constructs walk backwards, bowing downwards as if addressing a king. He looks at Psychlis, Leath, Jiao, and Alicia. "Some of you appear to be scholarly types, but definitely not Ionian Scholarchs... I will nonetheless answer any questions you may have regarding myself, the First Dwarves, or this facility."
|
|
|
Post by henwen88 on Jan 10, 2014 22:38:05 GMT
Leath stares in astonishment at the dwarf, who is apparently much more important than Leath realized while he was in ovine form. "That explains how you knew about the device for releasing the sphere. What is this place?" he asks. "What was that thing they summoned, and what was its connection to the sphere?"
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jan 11, 2014 21:45:14 GMT
"This place is, or was, a facility for the study of enclosed ecosystems, for preserving life. Thousands of years ago, a volcanic eruption blocked out the sun, so we built this facility to try preserving what species we could in the event of another," Caldeus explains. "Its infrastructure, repair crew, and staff was completely automated, so we could focus more time on our research."
He scowls at the sphere. "Then one day, that accursed thing was brought to us from an expedition to the far south of this world. The individual in charge claimed we could use it to resurrect extinct species and even individuals from other eras or even across worlds. We even had some limited success in those regards, until the idiot began plugging the sphere into our control systems. I protested, but the fool claimed it would improve our efficiency. This was a time of great peril, as our strongholds began to wane and war out of pride rather than necessity, so the warnings went unheeded."
He looks towards Psychlis. "Some of our kin grew desperate to escape a dismal reality. Some fled to warm lands, others used magic to travel far beyond worlds. But in the end, we realized we were but a few sustaining an empire of machines that did not need us," he removes his helmet. "So, we became the facility, instead of dwelling within it. Minds were isolated within dream worlds, some to continue research and others for pure hedonism. In time, most of their bodies atrophied. I was the only one to preserve my body in that pod, in hopes I could one day remove that accursed thing. The sphere would recognize me and refuse my commands due to system protocols, but outsiders would not. The Ionians came close, but succumbed to the traps and perils of this place."
"How do you know you could trust us?" Jiao asks.
"The facility has the capacity to scan the minds of those who enter. Your party seeks to end the damn spheres, and that's all I need to know. That thing hijacked control of my lab from under me, stranding my comrades within their machine," he points to the gnomes' bodies. "And that sphere called all manner of lunatics here, as well. Whatever made the sphere has rivals that seek to command its power. Those gnomes were followers of a rival Great Old One, Cthulhu or something equally unpronounceable. The sphere even directed this place's defenses to capture outsiders and neighbors to continue its obscene experiments on."
|
|
|
Post by jon on Jan 12, 2014 7:53:51 GMT
"So glad to help!" Hans gives Sven a good firm handshake, "This was the second of these nasty blighters we've captured." Hans pats the container under his arm. "We intend to rid the world of these but it is very perilous work." Hans sighs and looks at the ground solemnly before raising his finger and perking up as if he has just had an idea. "You wouldn't be able to aid us in anyway perchance? Any supplies, or artifacts that may help in any way? We would be oh so grateful." Hans looks at Sven with the eyes of a saint.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jan 12, 2014 19:59:19 GMT
"I would be willing to offer a substantial amount of our magical and technological knowledge as a reward," Caldeus said. "That said, I would also be able to provide an army of constructs for war and manufactured goods for trade. My primary condition is they are not given to an aggressive nation."
|
|
|
Post by kooshster on Jan 13, 2014 1:37:00 GMT
"What if your constructs and manufactured goods were used for...diplomatic negotiations? A show of strength, but purely to...establish that whatever force that held them were not to be trifled with?" Psychlis asked. One of the reasons he sought the helmet he now wore in the first place was to divine a way by which the Byzantine Empire could use diplomacy to forge a greater, more cohesive union amongst warring states.
|
|
|
Post by tengen on Jan 13, 2014 3:39:39 GMT
"I must agree having a strong neutral party in such negations probably would allow peace as an option where it otherwise would not. " She say is agreement to the others before speaking directly to the man. "Although that aid would be much appreciated given one of our next orbs happens to be in such an aggressive state with advances comparable to if not possibly greater than your own." She says looking as if the thought leaves a bitter taste in her mouth.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jan 13, 2014 20:13:25 GMT
"Armed neutrality is preferable to hostile wars," Caldeus says, his jaws dropping wide. "But an aggressive, advanced state... oh, by the Calculator, the price of remaining idle..."
He thinks for a moment. "How large is this state?"
"They control a channel isle near Britain," Jiao says. "If you know where that is."
"Approximately," Caldeus says. "But even with small territory and population, technology, magic, and malign cunning can produce no end of trouble..."
He looks at a set of flashing lights on the wall. "If this is true, we will need every factory, every production line I can muster," he says. "Far more than this facility can provide on its own. The First Dwarves had entire automated, yet self maintaining factories that could easily produce armies of constructs and supplies. The system says many of these lie idle, but still in operational condition."
"Will we have to travel to these facilities as well?" Jiao sighs.
"No, but your help would be needed," Caldeus says. "I could construct a communications device, a fusion of magic and machinery, to awaken these other factories from their slumber. In addition, I would be able to remotely determine if any are malfunctioning, so we can bypass them..."
"Wizard," Sven One-Eye says to Psychlis. "When you return to Miklagaard, tell the captain of the Varangian Guard of my name. You will not find a more trustworthy soul in that cesspit of a city."
"What about supplies? We've just trekked a long distance through this complex," Jiao says.
"The facility can provide a secure dormitory for all of you, in the Residential Sector," Caldeus says. "Including a library and workshop with access to rare materials. If you would like to assist me with the communications array, I will be in the Industrial Sector. Does your party require any supplies in particular? The constructs have stood down, and will not attack or experiment on you."
"Whatever your decision," Sven One-Eye says to Psychlis. "We shall follow. You saved our lives in this insane place."
"Imagine the potential of more places like this," Jiao muses. "Which is why I'd like to revive more of them. Now I'm going to the library, to see what technologies this place has to offer."
---
A few minutes later, Brandon wanders into the room, lead by a centaur-like construct. "Quite a remarkable place," he muses to himself. "The construct briefed me on the way here."
"Safe access ways to Residential and Industrial Sectors restored," the complex's voice announces. "I will take you to your accommodations."
The construct leads them back towards the underground forest, but there are notable changes to the room. A translucent electric shield now forms a ring the edge of the room, covering the sides and top. The bear from earlier sticks its paw at the shield, only to press against an invisible surface. The bear and its cub lose interest, and go back to eating a deer carcass.
The construct walks upwards towards a door, the symbols rearranging itself to common Latin characters. "Lodgings," it reads. The door, like the others in the facility, opens wide. There is a small, brightly lit room the party walks into. The door seals behind them, and a burst of cool gas comes from the walls. A second later, the door opens on the other side. A strangely cozy room awaits them, heated by a stove that connects with pipes emerging from the walls. Beside the stove is a well stocked kitchen, with a number of strange machines around it.
A hallway leads down from the side, with ten rooms. Each room has a mirror and washbasin with a small lever above it, as well as a bed with covers that look like they were prepared earlier that day. There is also a shower of some kind in with a water-flushing chamberpot at the end of the hall. A strange black mirror like device occupies the room near the kitchen, with a board of runic dwarven characters on each button. Beside it, a closet-like device glows with arcane runes etched into the edge. A chime comes from the closet like device, and a similar pad of keys to the dwarven one comes out, only covered in Common letters instead of dwarven runes. The construct attaches the device to the black mirror, and a light appears.
"Currency conversion and language translation complete," the construct says. "Each person granted equivalent of 10000 gp as autofabricator credit. Enchanted item production also authorized. Access granted to research database."
"How do we use it?" Brandon asks. "I was told we'd have access to a library, but I don't see a single book!"
"Enter desired item on keyboard, for fabrication or research," the construct says. "Currency from multiple individuals may also be combined or converted to equivalent coinage."
"I've given you some of the advance Newtonian firearm schematics," Brandon says. "Could I manufacture those? We need to arm the rebels in Newton."
"Expensive, given retooling," the construct says. "Improvements to firing mechanism suggested: replace percussion caps and flint with thunderstone or similar piezoelectric material. Also can suggest enchantments effective against them."
"But who has more advanced technology and powerful magic: You or the Republic of Newton?"
"Based on subject testimony and submitted technologies, varied proficiencies in different areas," the construct said. "Cognitor Caldeus states First Dwarven technology was designed to integrate arcane power from beginning, while Newtonian devices were developed under non-magical conditions and later modified when thaumaturgical power became available. Firearms and similar mechanisms largely non-existent in Dwarven technology, but integral to Newtonian."
"But Newtonian technology isn't just guns and explosives," Brandon says. "My foes combined it with perverted druidic magic. How much harm could that do?"
"Mass extinct level event," the construct analyzes. "Likely including many sapient races."
"By all that is-" Brandon never completes the sentence as he faints on the ground.
"Query database for future questions," the construct says,
The construct walks out of the room, leaving the druid unconscious on the ground. As soon as the construct leaves, Jiao casts a silent message spell to the others. "Do you think we can trust this Caldeus guy? I didn't detect outright evil, but that doesn't mean he might not have ulterior motives. He also might be able to listen in on us easily."
[The party gains a level, and gunslingers can now craft advanced firearms.]
|
|
|
Post by henwen88 on Jan 14, 2014 2:44:55 GMT
"I don't understand half of what he says, much less trust it," Leath thinks to the party using Jiao's spell. "Even this druid here knows more about this technology than I do." He shakes Brandon roughly, trying to rouse him. "Get up," he says aloud. "You left all the fighting to us. I'm not going to have you lying around here, useless, even after the battle's over." He slaps both sides of the druid's face, not gently but not seeking to hurt him. "I need you to explain this nonsense to me. Something about constructing weapons? Or enchantments effective against these weapons--fire arms? If you understand this, show me how to protect myself against these things of exploding metal."
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jan 14, 2014 6:17:57 GMT
Brandon stirs back to awareness. "I apologize, because I got excited by what I heard," he said. "As I mentioned before, my allies in the Republic of Newton are stuck in a civil war. Each side uses a combination of druidic magic and firearms, in addition to other things. The side I support with is lead by the reluctant inventor of several of those weapons, a doctor and naturalist. We combined my druidic powers with his machinery, but his rival attempted a coup. The traitor's sympathizers include one of us, a druid, who believes in survival of the fittest. As terrifying as I found firearms and his machines to be, I realize there are much more horrid things."
He touches Leath for a moment, sharing memories. Leath sees images of a strange gas leaking from a cylinder, causing animals to drop dead and trees to wilt, leaving only a contaminated wasteland behind. He sees a pump-like weapon that hurls jets of alchemical flame to set a conflagration that burns for days. He sees giant vermin, including insects and arachnids and stranger aberrations, crawling out of the ground to devour starving refugees and woodlands. A projectile whistles through the air before exploding, dropping a burning powder beneath it and drawing the vermin horde to attack those stricken by it. While he does not know what abominable magic or mad science devised such things, he knows their purpose: to kill. He does not know much on military tactics, but he recognizes that these terrifying weapons could easily clear forests and sacred groves. To add insult to injury, the weapons would poison the land for generations, leaving only vermin to thrive there. The druid way of life would be forever threatened, even more than the armies of Christianity or Islam.
The last image is perhaps the one he finds most horrid: a steel and brick building, raising out of a dirty hovel, with soot-stained clouds billowing up from within. Inside the building are starving children forced to work at weapon point, while a man in a black coat and strange hat stands next to a druid clad in the molted carapaces of giant insects. An orb, similar to the one they have just recovered, is handed between the two men. They look out over the facility, where dozens, if not hundreds of such weapons are being produced. The term 'factory' jumps into his mind, the place where the abominations are produced in. He sees other images as well: a group of rangers with fire weapons, skirmishing in hills and forests. They're added by druidic magic providing cover and magical support. A living hedge leaps to life and attacks enemy soldiers while 'riflemen' pick off enemy officers. A somber man with a white coat fires a brace of repeating pistols at the mass of enemy infantry. A corps of skirmishers and wild-shaped druids emerge from under an illusion spell to mop up whatever's left.
He even sees where Brandon's side likely gets its own weapons: instead of a 'factory,' a small group of mages and artisans deal with elementals. Some of the elementals are bound to power machinery, while others provide and shape raw materials. A variety of parts are then customized for the individual's own armor, weapon, and supplies. The manufacturing procedure is smaller in scope, but likely can be performed almost anywhere, as opposed to requiring a 'factory' to churn out hundreds of parts. For a moment, he understands the reason for the stalemate: Brandon's side has higher morale, shorter supply chains, and more popular support, while their enemies defend a fixed position in the 'factory' with overwhelming firepower. It is not unlike a king in a castle trying to subdue a circle of druids. The weapons, spells, and technology are different, but the principle is the same.
He understands Brandon's motivation: to defeat his enemies, he must rely on more supplies and better logistics. However, there is the risk of becoming more like his enemies in Brandon's strategy, something that Leath would likely find uneasy.
"Enchantments against enemy firearms would also provide my side with an edge," he says. "I know it is not your war, but my enemies have one of the spheres. If I can tip the scales with these dwarven machines, I can stop them before they figure out how to fully utilize the sphere. The reason I seek to destroy these things is that regardless of how the war turns out, they present a greater threat. I fear even my own war would be trivial compared to those things, but I try to accomplish both."
He stands firm. "What the machine told me was that if I fail to win the war, then the world is at grave risk from those technologies and perverse magic. The men behind them are certainly ruthless enough to try expanding beyond one island. Who knows if that's not part of Yog Sothoth's plan, to turn the world into something more suitable for its own spawn but not for anything natural?"
"Speaking of the spheres," Wu Jiao says. "Can you seal away this one before we get distracted?"
"Certainly," he nods. He begins casting his ritual, and the sphere vanishes from inside its case. "I must apologize for having you go on before me, but I had to maintain the wards on the stone circle. The magics are old and fickle."
"So where next?" Jiao asks. "Byzantium? Or perhaps we should finishing this war of yours, if it's as great a threat as you say?"
|
|
|
Post by henwen88 on Jan 15, 2014 15:10:02 GMT
Leath feels a sick churning in his stomach at the sight of so many abominations. Even the things Brandon's side is doing, he isn't comfortable with. Even if they won the war, would these things go away? Would "factories," once built, disappear from the earth, never to appear again? Would these weapons, once developed, be destroyed and the knowledge of how to make them eradicated, or would others seek to use them, to build others for themselves, and so enslave others and win all the wars they set out to win with their advanced means of killing?
What would happen to his immortal soul if he were to use these things? On the other hand, what chance did he have with a sling and a sword when his enemies could blow fire at him like dragons?
"I will take protection, if you can make it," he says, his head hanging. The sacred groves of his youth had never seemed so far away. But if any were to survive, he might have to sacrifice his soul to save them. "If you can craft me a weapon that feels natural, I might think about using it, too."
|
|
|
Post by kooshster on Jan 15, 2014 20:52:52 GMT
"What are you all babbling about factories?" Psychlis asks, having come in late to the party and their previous adventures. "I thought you were just after those blasted orbs. What's going on here?"
|
|
|
Post by tengen on Jan 15, 2014 21:24:48 GMT
She lagged behind taking her time to collect herself and gather the ether used to materialize her companion. She tended to have him by her side for so long that having his absence often caused her to feel ill at ease or it could simply be her apprehension over this situation and their hosts.
Moments later she joins the group with Azreal in toe, his appearance slightly shifted from his previous state. His symmetrical faux armor chitin hide seemingly more stylize in its design, It's Cloaks wrapped tight occurring it's still humanoid body.
"Is something wrong?" She says a note of concern in her tone toward the two.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jan 16, 2014 3:58:15 GMT
"We were arguing over how to deal with the horrible weapons in my homeland, and these dwarven machines here," Brandon said. "Very little is natural about them."
"Doesn't mean they may not be useful," Jiao says. "Psychlis, could you try seeing if that machine will grant us information?"
He points to the strange black mirror like device on the wall, with buttons with Greek letters beneath it.
"I will try upgrading my equipment," the cleric says as he walks towards the fabrication device. "Give me upgrades of these." He sets his pepperbox and blunderbuss within the machine, which suddenly springs to life. Metal melts as unseen forces reshape the weapons into ones similar to Brandon's schematics.
Alicia notices something about the room she had not before. There is warding along the walls, protecting from certain types of summoning spells. Willing summons, such as her spells and Azreal, would have no problem in the room, as they seem defensive in nature.
Leath considers something for a moment. As horrifying as the factory he saw in Brandon's homeland was, the dwarven complex is essentially a giant underground factory. He watches Jiao's new weapons take shape, and realizes that such machines can manufacture other machines easily. From the conversation earlier with Caldeus, the dwarf mentioned dozens of other facilities that laid slumbering, but alive. It was not merely an army of constructs that the dwarf would control, but an empire of them.
"Done already," Jiao notes, inspecting the new weapons and their ammunition. He begins rattling off a list of minor supplies and magic items, but is met by a shrill beep. "Credits expended. Will not comply."
|
|
|
Post by jon on Jan 16, 2014 8:41:24 GMT
Hans beams at the prospect of having a mechanic wall defending him. Yet a small itch lingers at the back of his mind... "How will we control the constructs? And also how will we ensure that they are never used against us?" he asks Sven.
Turning he peers as Jiao's weapons shift and transform. Tentatively he places his musket in the machine. "Same again please?" he asks.
|
|