The Planewalkers' Journies

[ChristianC]

Magpie found the gemstones peculiar indeed, and asked if she could keep any of the stones should their damaged state reduce their worth. She remained otherwise quiet as she worked through the 'innards' of the constructions, looking if possibly somewhat grim at the undertaking they were doing.

Finally, once things were truly, fully done, she rose to her feet, "Do we make camp here, or do we return to the village? I find it prudent to remind us about this matter, as it might be approaching nightfall outside, making it hard to find our way back."

[Idran1701]

Just apologizing for the delay here. With Bes being swamped and Jak gone for the weekend, I don't want to push on without them right now. Things'll pick up once things clear up for everyone.

[Jak Snide]

Kongunvir had been quiet until now, watching Magpie root around inside the broken machines and taking note of what she found. The value of careful observation was a lesson that had been ingrained upon him when he first took up arms. These constructs were alien and fascinating, devices beyond the own mechanical marvels his own people had created, and while he had no doubt they were an instrument of something foul they were worth understanding.

"Do you think the energy is magical in nature?" he asked Asp as the halfling speculated on the purpose of the wired gems while running over their potential worth in his head.

To Magpie he responded "No sense in travelling at night and battling frostbite. Best to set a watch and catch some rest. There should be somewhere defensible within these walls."

[Shinigori V2]

"I can watch for the night." Thirteen says simply. "I have enough power to last me until morning, easily."

[Idran1701]

? - Abandoned Complex

It's a short search before Kongunvir manages to find a room about 100 feet off from the control center, with doors that, while damaged, are still working well enough to close. With a bit of force, at least. Stacks of materials line the walls of the moderately-sized storeroom, and the doorway marks the only way in or out; well-defensible indeed. During the search, Phelan returns, passing along his discovery to the others while they set up camp. Night seems wholly unwilling to fall here, but this was little impediment back on Ice, and it's little impediment here, especially given the lack of windows.

Thirteen and Magpie trade watch, neither having any special need for sleep. It's four hours into their rest, with Thirteen currently on watch, when the first sound catches her note. The clatter of something sliding across the floor and the sound of claws scrabbling on metal, down the hall towards the central hub of the complex. Past a curve, it's out of sight, and a precipitous approach at that - past the corner, it's straight down a 50-foot hall to reach the control room, with plenty of shadows but no solid cover.

[Shinigori V2]

Thirteen blinks off the after images of whatever was going on behind her eyes, and glances towards the control room.

She activates her antigravity unit, floating quickly towards the control room to investigate.

[Idran1701]

? - Abandoned Complex

Thirteen slips forward, floating above the ground and nearing the control room. She continues to hear the sound of some sort of creature's claws clicking against the metal floor; a relatively good-sized creature at that. Continuing forward, she doesn't get a good look right away...but eventually it passes across the doorway.

A reptilian creature, four-legged, its scales a glistening white that catch the light like ice crystals, with wide wings trailing off its shoulders. A crown extends back from its head, with fringe down its spine and along its leg joints. Its tail drags across the ground behind it as it peers around the room; though not immense in size, it's still larger than Thirteen.

A puff of mist blows from its nostrils as it examines the room, before Thirteen piques its notice. It turns its head towards her while she's still perhaps halfway down the hallway, staring at her for a moment in what seems to be surprise, too shocked to do anything right away.

---

This thing here, about 7 feet long with about a 7 foot wingspan.

[Shinigori V2]

Thirteen simply floated there, trying her best to look non-threatening.

Given her uniform, stature, and size, that hopefully shouldn't be an issue.

[Idran1701]

? - Abandoned Complex

The creature tilts its head at Thirteen, folding its wings behind it and stepping into the hallway. It speaks to her in a hissing, grating voice that's more than a bit hard on the ears. "This is my home. Who are you? What are you doing here?" It squints its eyes, its tail sliding back and forth on the floor behind it, continuing to step forward with an utter lack of fear.

[Shinigori V2]

"I am Thirteen." Thirteen says simply. "We did not know this was your home. I appologize for the intrusion."

To emphasize her point, she bows.

[Idran1701]

? - Abandoned Complex

"...Oh."

It gives a small growl, again tilting its head in befuddlement.

"...I'm hungry. Why shouldn't I eat you right now?"

[Shinigori V2]

"Because I am made of metal, and would hurt your teeth very badly." Thirteen says simply.

[Idran1701]

? - Abandoned Complex

"...Like the dead bugs all over here?

...Then I should keep you for my hoard like the rest of them!"

[Shinigori V2]

"Having a girl as part of your hoard? That would raise questions among the neighbors."

[Idran1701]

? - Abandoned Complex

"What neighbors? What questions? What are you talking about? You're metal that talks, you're valuable and that's all that matters. I'm keeping you and that's final!" It gives her a glare as it snorts with frustration at her perceived obstinance, shrugging its wings.

---

Just to note: Magpie can hear the conversation, and it manages to awaken Phelan as well; Kongunvir and Asp are still asleep.

[ChristianC]

Magpie's green eyes lit up as Thirteen's conversation with the strange lizard-thing continued, and slowly she rose to her feet, green-blade in her hands as she moved up towards the two, not that interested in bringing attention to herself until:

"Thirteen, is there something wrong?" she turns her head to the lizard-thing and nods her head, "Good evening, my name is Magpie. How do you do?"

[Idran1701]

? - Abandoned Complex

It stares back at Magpie, startled by the new appearance. Its nostrils flare in anger as its eyes narrow, aghast at the size of the intrusion. "More trespassers! You're both part of my hoard now, no arguments! Understand?!"

[Shinigori V2]

Thirteen cups her chin in thought. "I suppose it can't be helped."

From behind her back, her blades hover into view. "But these have a mind of their own. What shall we do with them?"

[Idran1701]

? - Abandoned Complex

Eyes widening in fury, the reptile howls in rage. "You trespass and you threaten me in my home? You don't need to be talking to be valuable!" It sucks in air, giving the two a moment to act before it does whatever is coming next.

---

The creature's roar wakes up Asp and Kongunvir now as well. Just as a reminder of the set-up, the storeroom's about 100 feet from the control room; 50 feet down a hallway to a corner, then another 50 feet down a second hallway to the control room. Magpie and Thirteen are in about the middle of the second hallway, with the creature at the far end in the doorway of the control room.

[Shinigori V2]

"Actually." Thirteen says, holding up a finger, "My calculations indicate that my over all value would decrease by eighty-five percent if damaged or incapacitated in any way."

[Jak Snide]

Kongunvir woke with a jolt, startled out of his rest by the roar of some creature.

"What's going on?!" he bellowed, looking around groggily and grasping for his weapon.

[ChristianC]

Magpie's brow creased about as much as it could at the lizard-creature's indignant showing of... of... whatever it was. It looked angry, anyway.

Still with her sword in hand, Magpie decides that the creature's sucking-in of air might indicate some kind of breath-attack... but what, she can't tell.

"I do not wish to fight or harm anyone, and I do not believe Thirteen wants to either. Why do you want us for your horde?"

[[Magpie's readying to throw herself out of harm's way should her suspicions prove correct and if the angry little reptile doesn't change it's mind]]

[Idran1701]

? - Abandoned Complex

Without responding to the comments of either, the creature exhales, sending a frigid blast of cold towards the two constructs. They both leap back out of the way, but aren't quite fast enough to avoid the cloud of ice crystals; Thirteen especially feels the sting of the blast as her innate armor whines as if bent.

"Because you are valuable, and you are trespassers!" It glares down the hallway at them, stepping back into the control room. "Even if broken, you're valuable. Just like the dead bugs here. If you don't want to fight, stop fighting, and be part of my hoard!" Snorting, it hops onto the platinum carcass and watches them through dark, beady eyes, almost daring them to try and strike at it. Of course, with the control room the sole way out of this hallway, this does put the party in something of a bind.

---

Magpie and Thirteen both attempt to dodge; both fail their saving throws and take 13 cold damage. Thirteen gets a 1 on her saving throw - her "armor" is damaged by the creature's breath attack, giving her a -1 to AC until it can be repaired.

Magpie: 39/52
Thirteen: 39/52

[ChristianC]

Magpie was in something of a pickle. On the one hand, the lizard-thing reminded her of one of the young cats back at the Guild, who was just starting to figure out that he could bully his siblings to get the best pieces of tuna (which he usually never got, since she was there to make sure he kept in line), on the other he'd... or she'd(?) just attacked both her, which wasn't so bad, and Thirteen, which was a lot worse. The ice hurt a lot, but Magpie knew some creatures bit out when cornered or scared, so she was still not quite ready to give up.

"That hurt a lot." she said as she tried to remain calm, approaching the ice-lizard, "But I forgive you because you are scared and because I am bigger and should therefore be nicer. We did not know this was your home, and we are sorry that we scared you. Please calm down so that we might reach a peaceful solution."

It had not dawned on Magpie that she was still holding her green-hued blade, ready to defend herself.

[Jak Snide]

Magpie and that other construct weren't here. Their absence, combined with the roar that had startled him from sleep, gave him a pretty good idea of what was up.

"Wake up, we've got trouble." he shouted, giving Asp a nudge with his foot before heading for the door.

[Besyanteo]

Phelan had actually woken up before Asp or Kongunvir, but hadn't moved yet, trying to listen in on what was going on. The roar gave him a fairly good indication that it wasn't a friendly conversation, whatever it was about. He kipped up and darted into the hallway, intent of helping his companions. What he saw out there made him skid to a halt. That was a dragon. Not a great big dragon, but still a dragon. He wasn't so sure he wanted to fight now.

(no action at this time)

[Idran1701]

? - Abandoned Complex

Listening to Magpie's words, it lowers its wings in a slump, still disgruntled but apparently calmed some. Snorting, it reclines its head on its arms, still keeping them well in sight. "This is my home. I found it. And I found you two too. So I get to keep you."

As Phelan emerges from behind the corner, the creature raises its head again, staring. It licks its lips, and looks back to the two constructs. "...A gift for me?"

---

Magpie passes her Diplomacy check with a 25 total; the creature (that may or may not be a dragon) is still upset, but doesn't look as battle-happy anymore.

[Shinigori V2]

Thirteen scowled for a moment, then checked to Phelan, before turning back, softening some. "...Are you hungry?" She asked. "You cannot have him. But, if you will allow me, I can retrieve food for you that is much sweeter."

[ChristianC]

Magpie was not at all pleased with the idea of giving Phelan over to the dragon, and she was fairly sure he wasn't either.

"Indeed, it is as Thirteen says. Phelan is a friend of ours, so we cannot give him to you. But we have food, and we should be able to get more for you. How long have you lived in here?" She tried to delicately move the subject of the discussion to something that would preoccupy the dragon-like-creature some more and buy the others time should it decide not to be civil after all. It seemed to be a fairly spoiled creature.

[Idran1701]

? - Abandoned Complex

Though replying to Magpie, the dragon doesn't move its eyes from Phelan, gazing hungrily. "...I found it weeks ago, but the metal bugs drove me off. Then I came back after the walls erupted, and everything was dead inside. So I took it, and it's my home now."

It pauses, turning its gaze back to the two constructs. "What kind of food can you get? Because I do not need help hunting! I am a great hunter."

[Kelne]

"Trouble?" Asp asked enthusiastically, rousing from his sleep, "Great! What kind?" Without waiting for an answer, he headed out into the corridor, intent on finding an answer to that question himself.

[Idran1701]

? - Abandoned Complex

Just as the dragon finishes its declaration, Asp emerges from behind the corner, drawing its gaze straight away. It looks back to Thirteen and Magpie, confused and a little disappointed.

"...Is this the much sweeter food? It seems...small."

[Kelne]

"Wow, that is trouble," Asp announced, cheefully wandering closer to the source of trouble for a better look at it, "But you don't want to eat me, mister dragon. For I am crunchy and taste good with ketchup. No, wait - wrong old saying. I'm subtle and quick to anger, that's the one. Very old, well-known fact about wizards," he went on, not looking the least bit quick to anger.

[Shinigori V2]

"I am sure you are a great hunter." Thirteen says calmly. "But I will need to leave- Just momentarily- To get you the treats I promised."

[Besyanteo]

By way of example, naturally, Phelan was slowly backing out of the room. Being dragon food wasn't something he was looking forward to.

[Jak Snide]

Kongunvir had just managed to hold back from rounding the corner at the mention of "mister dragon." All he knew of them came from old tales which were all to clear about the nature of giant, intelligent, magical, flying lizards. It took a few more seconds to overcome his wariness and stride around the corner into plain view, standing alongside his fellow guildmates.

[Idran1701]

? - Abandoned Complex

The dragon stares at Asp for a bit before harumphing, narrowing its eyes at Thirteen. "...You can go, but the treats had better be great!" It seems to get rankled as Kongunvir emerges, growling. "Why are there so many trespassers?! This is my home, not yours!"

[ChristianC]

Magpie, despite not feeling like a diplomatic genius, hastily replied to the dragon as it seemed to get more annoyed.

"It is a magnificent home you have, that is why we came here. Had we known it was occupied, I assure you we would have found some other home to stay in. Did the metal insects ever bother you?" she smoothly slid into another subject, once more!

[Shinigori V2]

And with a flash of light, Thirteen is away!

[Idran1701]

? - Abandoned Complex

The dragon looks back to Magpie, shifting itself. "...I stayed away until they were dead." It leaves Magpie's actual question hanging in the air, but it does give one of the other wreckages in the room a brief glance.

And as Thirteen disappears, it jumps, bounding back from the platinum "corpse". "What happened? Where did she go? Was that a trick?!"