Session 17 Report

Orshi Vyashlanova attempted to scoop up the disintegrated remains of Arnark Fistfist. While this was happening, Taegan Theralai healed up Aris Salthollow, who was busily assisting Orshi. Inquiry (Unit-011) looked on.   At this point, the air crackled with energy and in a shower of sparks, Arnark Fistfist reappeared, reconstituted from his disintegration at the hands (eye-beams?) of MODEL 83401d34. Luckily, everyone had darted behind the wall near the hole left behind during the same fight, though Taegan Theralai had earlier hidden behind a nearby pile. Seeing he was cut off from the group, Taegen used Misty Step and managed to teleport beyond the explosion, narrowly avoiding a spray of shrapnel that'd perforated the chamber.   Arnark was back, but changed. His fur patterns had grown distorted, as if glitched and pixelated. He was also nude. Taegen supplied him with a cape, and a set of clothing was produced by Orshi, who was closest in stature. While finer than usual for him, they fit well enough to keep Arnark decent. Inquiry (Unit-011) watched, as if taking notes.   Arnark quickly scrounged around, hunting down a large metal block that he found that he could weild like a great club. While it would likely get him by, it wouldn't survive much abuse, and could fall apart (careful if you roll a 1 on the wrong thing).   Everyone regrouped, and discussed what they felt had happened, and how this bizarre tower plays into it. In the process, Arnark felt his consciousness touch chaos and his vision shifted. Taegen's recently transmuted quarterstaff was glowing, as were a number of small magical items intersperced throughout the group. A mysterious lump appeared at the bottom of Aris' bag, a dull glow. Arnark suspected his bag may still be safe, considering other magical items had survived the recent events.   They marched upstairs, weary from the recent skirmish, and hoping to find safety long enough to recover. Crawling through the hole left earlier, they found a ramp leading up the side of the tower, switching back. It led to another door, this one rusted through and riddled with holes, as if it'd been there for decades, untouched (I know I said hundreds, but then I realized metal doesn't need that long to get very rusted).   The door screached open, and the light was blinding. The walls appeared to be lined with hand-sized holes, inside a large forge, long derlict. By all appearances, this chamber had been used by the clockwork as a forge, the holes in the wall serving as ventilation. Inquiry knew this space to have been actively in use as recently as a year ago, but this appeared to have been decomissioned well over a hundred years ago based on the thick layer of dust and general decay. Large wooden crates had long rotted apart, dried remnants all that remain.   The group set up camp in this area. Orshi worked on summoning a protective hut as Muttonchops stood guard, listening for anything that may have followed the group up the ramps. Aris and Arnark wandered off together, poking through the various crates for anything of value as Inquiry quietly wandered through the forge, curious about the significant gap in time. Taegen, in the meantime, began preparing a meal from the dried mushrooms and various bits he kept onhand for this. The light coming in was definitely morning light, but time had evidently lost it's grasp. Aris and Arnark found a long wooden box still in curiously decent condition, and Aris quickly checked it for traps. Finding nothing, he carefully slipped his pick along the tumbler, sliding them delicately into place. It lcicked open satisflyingly, and the lid popped open to reveal some contents of apparent value, a sword, a ring, and a set of masterfully made tinkers tools.   They returned the items to Orshi, who quickly identified them magically, drawing the information about the various items from the arcane. Each had arcane properties easily gleaned, and the sword appeared valuable, well made and a number of gems inlaid into the hilt. Silver filagree lined the green scabard of the quick blade (finese property, let me know what you want it to be in form).   The group quietly ate as the sun streamed in, catching the ancient dust.   It'd been a relatively rough day, so the group all decided to call it good, setting the usual watch in place. While sleep came easily, nightmares did to. Each member of the group had the same nightmare. The massive forge room is dark, and you are alone, waking in the pitch. As your eyesight begins to focus into view, you realize every one of the holes that was filled with sunlight was suddenly blinking, an eye staring as you find yourself paralyzed on the ground, staring back at the walls. The eyes ranged from plain and humanaoid to cat-like to glowing eldritch to dead and milky.   The next morning, everyone was quiet as they started their morning routine. While Orshi prepared spells for the day, having learned the clockwork were impervious to fire, Taegen was mid-meditation and prayers, when Aris suddenly blurted out that he'd experienced the nightmare he'd had. The rest of the group immediately chimed in, having experienced the same dream.