Session Eighty-Seven (Graveyard of Empires Summary)

Session 87 – Of Worm Robots and Monkey Business

18th Farilden at Dawn

During the two weeks, we discuss the viability of having Lupaa cast Glyphs of Warning to deal with any hangers-on. Possibilities include holding them, putting them to sleep and blinding them, but it will be difficult to get them if there are multiple hangers-on. We bring up to Lupaa, and she opts to place a Glyph to Cause Fear to protect the entrance to the gear area irregardless of our plans.

Axel continues to ensure the supply cache at the end of Raptor Tunnel. Thorfus’ commands to the automonkeys seem to be bearing fruit as the contraptions attempt to steal the armour of any adventurer wandering to close the tunnel entrance.

Early in the two weeks, Finklemur requests we head down to the worm chamber. Chuq shadowsteps the wizard, Axel and Thorfus over and we head to the tunnels. We hear a single source of banging when we arrive, similar to the gorilla automaton’s hammering. We check it out, and see two automonkeys working on plates to modify the suit of power armour we found in the labs. Leaving them to it, we head over to the gear chamber and meet Lupaa.

The naga instantly knows what Finklemur plans, the thoughts so obvious in his mind. She doesn’t attempt to stop him, and even approves, as do the monkeys. Finklemur casts Protection From Evil on himself and approaches, Thorfus, Chuq and Lupaa all listening intently in a mental capacity. We say goodbye, and he steps forward, giving permission for the worm to take hold.

The old man instantly feels pain, and but for a stroke of luck comes close to dying. He does pass out from the pain though, as the worm bodily removes his legs and attaches cables all over his body. The monkeys begin singing in thier strange whistling fashion. Eventually he awakens again, weak, but able to begin to move his new body. His old body itself is still vulnerable, but ensconced within the worm safe enough. Derich and Lupaa heal him up again, the former a little appalled, but congratulates him on being brave enough to turn the enemies weapons upon them.

Before we leave, Thorfus sets the automonkeys several new tasks, repair a bag full of monkeys and build an exo-suit to bolster Chuq’s abilities.

We leave him to get used to his body, Finklemur entrusting Socrates to Chuq for now, allowing us to communicate from above using the familiar connection. It takes him a couple of days, but is finally ready by the 13th. In order to enact our plan of Finklemur digging his way into the bioforge, we decide to attempt to bring Socrates down into the still-safe engineering section so he can find it easily with the familiar bond.

The dwarves and monk sneak down again, being sure to avoid the Silver Throne group below, and head to the temple. We open the portal, Axel stepping through first to deactivate the defence mechanism. Once through, Socrates is able to communicate his location to his master, and Finkleworm begins digging. Unfortunately, as fast as he is, Finklemur believes it may take a couple of weeks, even with the five day headstart on our return to the lower city.

The night before we are officially due to leave, there is a knock at the door from one of Marchmain Sivis’ personal guard, the dwarf himself has come to see us. Chuq is quick to scarper, looking for some place to eavesdrop out of sight. Marchmain shows up with Reinhold and a pair of Silver Throne militia.

He makes note that our work below needs to remain unimpeded, though he surprised that one of us has been noted to have been throwing rocks at a hawk. He hints that any sudden disappearance of our party would undoubtedly be us heading back to Vargen to look at hiring more hirelings. It seems obvious that he knows about our newly uncovered tunnel.

We posture the value of having control of the bridge automatons to him, and although he maintains finding the sphere remains priority, he does not think it would be a bad idea. He would pay for any information.

Marchmain also offers to look into ancient records regarding the standing of the Ironhands when Thorfus brings up stories of Xen’Khel from his family.

We ask after the number of patrol groups being sent down into the lower city. Reportedly, Dorea has only been sending a single party of around fifteen down at a time.

He leaves after this, and the next morning the Starchy Boys head to the lower city via the Raptor Tunnel, and make for Lupaa’s holdout. When we arrive, the newer, upsized power armour is complete. The Midmark armour looks to have most of its locomotion parts removed, but the monkeys are keen to get Thorfus to wear it regardless. He passes for now, but gets the monkeys to pack it into a sack. Oddly, despite repeated commands to sort gears, at least five monkeys keep getting into the sack and insist on whoever is wearing the circlet wear the armour.

Further checks show pegs on the inside, but nothing that could cause any harm to the user. As time goes on, a pair of monkeys begin hugging his legs. Eventually, he relents and lets the monkeys place it on him. We all watch apprehensively has they adorn him, standing to attention around him. Once worn, they leap, crawling into the armour and wrapping around him.

Once done, they go silent, but when Thorfus begins moving, they allow him to lift his arms. The monkeys are functionally acting as the suits locomotive mechanisms. One of his arms involuntary raises, the gauntlet flying off like a missile. When it lands, a monkey runs out to retrieve it and reattach it. He is able to replicate it with the other arm. He calls a sixth monkey, and it wraps around his shield arm, holding the shield for him and leaving his hand free. Eventually, he decides he will retain his magical armour, much to the automonkeys disappointment.

We decide to go and see what we can do about the crystal within the collossus. We head up, and with the monkey’s assistance make it up to the crystal platform. As before, the complaints of pain in the left leg remain. Thorfus touches the platinum key to it, and actually gets a response asking; ‘Who is there? There’s someone else.’

Thorfus begins conversing with the voices, who reveal themselves to be the Western Bridge. Only they are in pain, and need repairs. Chuq is able to see images of gears with his skullcap. The other bridges are all in working order it says, seemingly it is able to communicate with the other collosi, and this one is last, as the ‘little ones’ have been repairing them. Their function is to protect Xen’Khel.

They ask again who we are, and how many, noting that we carry keys, though they seem to glean some answer from surface thoughts perhaps. We learn that was once many other similar bridges around the the Empire. They ask if we have brought the ‘little ones’ too finish repairs, and will respond to our command, and have spoken to nobody else recently but Axel on our last visit. We can speak to this crystal and activate all the bridges at in Xen’Khel, though this would kill all upon them, but they are willing to do so at any time.

Thorfus asks some further questions about the crystal’s abilities and the Rebellion, they are aware of the Crystal Tower’s destruction. When he asks if the bridges would listen to anyone else in the Upper City, they reveal that they would respond to the Architect (almost undoubtedly Marchmain Sivis), who has been present for months perhaps, and was last here before the Rebellion.

We ask after Bryce, remembering hearing her name last time, but the bridges do not know who that is, and reckon it’s unlikely we would’ve heard the name.

Chuq announces he can smell flowers again, but at this we have nothing else to accomplish here, unless we can think of any more questions, and begin thinking of our next moves.