He's a Chain-Smoking Detective. He's a Robot on the Lam. Together, They Fight Crime!

[Pell-Mell]

First, thanks for all the comments and interest!

About Mere: For those not familiar with the Sunless Citadel module, there is a gnome fighter 1/cleric 1 named Erky Timbers who is prisoner of the goblins. Gnomes are not native to the setting, so Mere Bertiks, who is human, was created to replace him. She is a NPC and has been pretty much acting as the healer for the group since they found her.

There will be more on Meepo in the next write-up.

 

[Arkhandus]

Entertaining stuff!


Re: Meepo: I figure he's probably a 1st-level sorcerer, or even 1st-level psion perhaps? Though I'm not sure if he has the intelligence or charisma for either.

 

[Americano]

I always love reading new story hours with Meepo in them. Good stuff, keep it up.

(I also love your Tilly avatar)

 

[Pell-Mell]

CASE FILE 001: THE CASE OF THE MISSING HOLYMAN
Session 5, Part 1: System Failure

She woke with a start, rolling to the side and instinctively reaching for a weapon that was not there. The fight was already well underway and it was still dark, Big Moon and its little sister, Aerdrie, bathing everything in pale silvery light.¹ The invaders were small, no bigger than a goblin, and made of what looked like loose bundles of sticks. The monsters rattled and scrapped their way forward, twig-claws held forward and grasping.

Case Nine crushed one as another futilely scrapped its claws against his armor. Soon the second joined the first, as the robot brought his heavy hammer down again. Dirk roughly hacked at another with his short sword and then kicked it into the campfire. The fire flared, illuminating the camp in a stark flash of light. There was one more and Mere sprung to her feet desperately searched for a weapon, but Meepo was already on the move. Leveling his spear, he charged the little monster. The spear plunged through the twig thing, but lacking any sort of guts, it did little harm. The creature raked the kobold with gnarled claws, drawing blood and yips of pain from Meepo. Mere found a short piece of wood next to the fire and kicked it up into her hand, ran forward and struck the monster. It flew apart, broken branches pattering softly on the sands of the waste.

The girl dropped her club and tended to Meepo, who mewed and rolled in pain. "What the hell were they? And why didn't you wake me?" Case Nine was silent as he strode past her, his sensors sweeping the desolate wastes for any more of the creatures. Seeing none, the Lud-Man answered, "We were waiting for them in ambush. I sensed them lurking about, but they did not apparently spot me." He knelt down beside Meepo, who had stilled as Mere mended the kobold's wounds. "Apologies Meepo, I do not sense the fourth one." He then turned to Mere, "In addition, you are not armed."

Mere made a face and was about to say something, when the trunk of the Orion slammed shut and Dirk called out, "And it is time we fix that." Walking across the campsite, he held out a rifle, "You know how to use this?" The New Lud girl glared at Dirk as she took the rifle, expertly slid the breach back and then slammed it closed, "Haagenti Munitions Dragon Rifle ..." She squinted in the dim light, "Sorry, this is a knock-off. They never get the logo quite right."² Dirk held up his hands, "Sorry, just asking. We also got a couple rounds of ammo, a chain shirt and a long sword. All courtesy of Braford's dead friend." The priestess nodded and took the items, "It will do." She then pointed at the remains of the little monsters, "Now, what about those things?"

Case Nine gathered the remains, putting them near the fire, which Meepo had pushed several pieces of wood onto. In the flickering light, the group took a look, but there was not much to see. Mere glanced up at the others, "If I had not seen them, I don't think I would have believed these had moved on their own." Dirk rubbed his scruffy chin as he dug a cigarette out of his pocket. Lighting up, he got to his feet, "Seems like maybe those magic apples that everyone seems so keen on might do more than just cure what ails you. It's too convenient that these tree things are wondering about out here." Case Nine stood as well, "Agreed. However, we will have to wait until the morning before we move out. I will keep watch." Dirk patted the robot's shoulder and returned to his sleeping bag. Meepo and Mere hunkered down near the fire, swaddled in worn, patched blankets.

* * *​

The sun rose red and bloated on the horizon, outlining the distant mountains that lay dreaming to the west, beyond the Vast Waste. Long shadows stretched out as the group awoke and went about their morning rituals. When Mere finished her adorations, they piled into the car and drove to the ruins. Making their way down into the citadel, the group entered the kobold territories, Dirk stopping and making a hand gesture to the others. Cocking his head to one side, he listened. Distantly, he could hear cries and screams.

They entered the room that held the ice dragon. The cage was empty, its battered door open wide and a rusting padlock lying on the floor. Dirk gestured for Meepo to call out a greeting. No response. Weapons came out and they moved further into the home of the kobolds. Now, they could all could hear what Dirk had heard: screams and cries of pain. Exchanging glances, they moved quickly though the deserted halls, following the clamor. The cries grew louder and echoed weirdly in the ruin, and they soon found its cause.

In a great chamber outside of the kobold territories, the kobolds were butchering the goblin tribe. The floor of the vast chamber shone crimson as goblins, old and young alike, were run down by kobold warriors. From a side chamber, a great cry came, and then there was a hissing sound and a plume of ice crystals shot out of the room. The cries fell silent. In the center of the slaughter was Yusdrayl, Queen of the Kobolds, resplendent in war paint and gear. Spying the group, she called out, "The way you seek is through that door." She pointed across the room with a claw splattered with gore. "Beyond it, the Goblin King bars your way to the caverns below." She turned to fling scarlet darts of energy at a goblin that was running at her, dropping him. Her eyes blazing with eldritch light, she shouted, "Go! The way is open!"

The robot was already in motion, the others following close behind him, trying not to look at the carnage. Case Nine began to batter down the door with his greathammer, knowing that it would surely be barred from the other side. The door proved more resilient than anticipated and it took the Lud Man several tries before it finally gave. The robot was greeted by a barrage of javelins, most shattering on his armor, but several striking true.

Case Nine on point, the group poured into the room. In the center of the large octagon-shaped chamber was a yawning pit. Strange knotted vines, thick as arms and pale as ghosts, choked the hole and sprawled into the room. Across the pit, standing in front of a large stone throne, was a massive hobgoblin, a long sword held out and pointing at the invaders. Around the Goblin King was his retinue: a robed goblin who danced about, holding a symbol of its blasphemous god high; three hobgoblins with blades and shields out; and four goblins with javelins. In addition, another of the strange twig-things lingered behind the throne.

The Goblin King gave a mighty shout and the goblins swarmed forward. The robed goblin held its symbol out and drew on the powers of its dark god. Black energies played around the symbol and for a moment, the group felt a sensation of doom and hopelessness come crashing down on them. However, the incantation was weak and all fought off its effects. The hobgoblins came running forward, meeting Case Nine head on; blades striking and sparking, hammer swinging and crushing. The goblins hung back, tossing their javelins as Dirk and Mere returned fire, their guns thundering in the enclosed space.

Striding forward, the Goblin King called out to the hobgoblins, and they disengaged the robot. His sword held high, the king charged into the warforged and the two exchanged blows. The robed goblin and twig-creature scrambled up behind the Goblin King, the goblin cleric mending the king's wounds and cursing Case Nine. However, the foul magics of the goblin where not quick enough, for the robot, sparking and smoking, swung into the Goblin King and crushed him with one final blow. Using the momentum of the strike, the Lud Man carried through, smashing into the robed goblin and sending it crashing into a wall, where it crumpled to the floor.

Dirk, Mere, and Meepo fought a desperate battle behind the robot. The hobgoblins who broke off from Case Nine charged them, one falling under a hail of bullets. The goblins, emboldened at the sight of the hobgoblins entering melee, drew maces and came screaming in. Pressed back, guns were dropped and blades drawn as Dirk and Mere stabbed and hacked at the goblins. Meepo darted underfoot, his spear jabbing out and catching a goblin in the side. The goblin assault was relentless and Mere was the first to fall, Dirk second. Cornered and suddenly alone, Meepo frantically thrust his spear and stuck out wildly, fear and panic consuming him. The enemy loomed over the hysterical kobold, grinning at the impending kill. Then the smiles faded, for Meepo had gone still, and bloodlust turned to confusion.

Meepo's eyes shown with a deep crimson light and for a moment, he seemed large and terrifying, a thing out of nightmares. His blood caught fire, ancient power streaming down unseen lines of linage and blood, the might of Ashardalon, Destroyer of Worlds, filling the kobold. The light grew brighter, painful to look at, then Meepo roared with a voice that was not his own. Crimson beams stabbed out of his eyes, lancing the skull of a nearby goblin. The goblin fell back, his mouth still agape. As the corpse hit the floor, the trance was broken and a goblin clubbed the kobold down.

Case Nine, ignoring the twig monster, ran forward and slammed into the remaining goblins, which were turning to face him. His hammer swung, taking lives, but he was heavily damaged and the goblins were fast. They struck at him and at first he staggered, warnings flashing across his consciousness ...

* SYSTEM FAILURE IMMINENT *
* GESTALT MATRIX ENTERING D-4 LEVEL PROTECT MODE *
* GRAVOETHERIC CELL ENTERING MINIMAL GAIN MODE *
* SYSTEM FAILURE IMMINENT *
​

The Lud Man struggled to right himself, but he fell to one knee. The hobgoblins, sensing victory, rained down blows on the robot, and broken he crashed to the ground ...

* SYSTEM FAILURE * SYSTEM FAILURE * SYSTEM FAILU--
​

* * *​

Dirk woke with a grimace, his eyes blinking open, but he could see only darkness. Somewhere, someone was weeping. Although he could see nothing, he got the sense he was in an enclosed space, as the air was stale and thick with the stench of sweat, blood, and ozone. He rolled over, croaking, "Case, you there?" The crying stopped and something came close, "No, it is Meepo. Case Nine is broken!" Dirk spat, tasting blood, "All right, is Mere here?" The kobold responded, his voice rising as he began to edge toward hysteria, "Yes, but I can't wake her!" Meepo then drew close and whispered, his voice high with panic, "You can't tell HER I used magic! She will kill me! KILL ME!"

He shoved the kobold away and got to his feet, instinctively checking for his gear. Much to his surprise, everything was there. He fished out a sunrod and cracked it, the chemicals reacting and light flaring. He found he was in a small room with a single door out. The ruins of Case Nine were slumped in a corner and Mere laid to one side, covered in a ragged blanket. He peered down at Meepo, "Get it together, Meepo. Do you know where we are or how we got here?" The kobold fought back tears as he answered, "I'm not sure, but I think we are in my people's prison, but I just woke here a little bit ago too." The rogue nodded and kneeled beside an ashen Mere, holding his hand above her mouth. Still breathing.

He rifled through his pockets and eventually found he was looking for: A flat, scratched vial with a worn away label. Saying to no one in particular, "Hope this works", he popped the lid with a filthy thumbnail and ran the mouth of the vial under the cleric's nose. She gasped and came up swinging. Dirk held her down by the shoulders, "Be quiet and lay still." The cleric choked and made a sour face, "What did you give me?" He shrugged, "Smelling salts. Your family's brand if I remember right. I've had it for years and wasn't sure if it would still work." Mere glared at Dirk for a moment, but her face grew pale as she saw Case Nine, "Is he still ... alive?"

Dirk shrugged, trying not to look at the broken shell, "I don't know. I've seen him worse and he has been able to be reactivated. Old Lud knew had to build things. Can you use a repair spell on him?" The priestess nodded and got to her feet unsteadily. She kneeled down and put her hand on the ruined warforged, calling out to the All-Knowing. There was a slight whirl and Case Nine jerked to life, systems cycling up, and Mere stumbled back. Servomotors whined as the Lud Man stood up, "I am within tolerable limits of functioning. Thank you, Mere." The cleric nodded and turned to the others, "Well, we are all alive. I guess that is something."

Suddenly, there was the sound of something heavy being lifted from beyond the sole door of the prison. Reaching for weapons, the group prepared to fight once more.


Notes:

¹ One of several small moons collectively known as the Little Sisters. Aerdrie is almost perpetually covered by clouds and mists. When the cloud cover does break, great expanses of green and blue can be seen.
² Haagenti Munitions is a smaller holding of Haagenti Industries, a conglomerate with interests in weapons, alchemics, medicine, and several other obscure scientific and magical areas. Their corporate logo is a brass bull head with stylized feathered wings.

 

[Silver Moon]

Fun. By the way, great title.

Agreed, best Story Hour title I've seen in a long time. Good approach to the narrative too and a fun story.

 

[Pell-Mell]

CASE FILE 001: THE CASE OF THE MISSING HOLYMAN
Session 5, Part 2: Rogue on Fire OR The Worm Burns

Guns out and trained on the door, the battered and weary group readied themselves for battle.

There was a booming thud on the other side as something heavy fell to the ground. The door opened slowly, many tiny claws suddenly appearing and grabbing the edge. In the widening crack, the group could make out the reptilian form of kobolds and they lowered their weapons. A large kobold with a bloodstained bandage covering one eye appeared and gestured at the group with his spear, saying something in Draconic.

Dirk stuck his pistol into his belt, "Come on. The queen wants us." They were led out into the hallway filled with draconic columns and back into the Yusdrayl's chamber. The Queen of the Kobolds sat upon her throne and looked down, her eyes glittering with arrogance and her mouth set in a fanged smirk. She made a broad, mock-welcome gesture, "The Children of Ashardalon have purified this part of His House of the goblin scum." She moved her glare from one of the group to the next, her stare finally settling on Meepo, who cowered behind the massive Case Nine, her eyes narrowing as arrogance gave way to malice. Meepo gave a moan and clung to the robot's leg.

"As you have assisted our holy cause, we saved you from the goblins when you fell before them." She extended her claw and pointed at Meepo, her voice trembling with restrained rage, "We have even spared lowly Meepo, who has used sacred magics, even though he is not worthy of them!" Yusdrayl sank back into her throne, "But our benevolence is limited. I have been blessed with a vision from holy Ashardalon. He has told me to allow you pass through into the lower chambers." Her voice quivered with anger, "And I am stay my hand and allow Meepo to live. However, he is forever exiled from this House of Ashardalon!"

Dirk thought for a moment, "Sounds fair. But we are going to need a day or so before we go down to lower level." The Queen of the Kobolds nodded, "Agreed. But know that my patience with you is at an end. Once you exit from the halls below, I will allow you to pass though our territories only once."

* * *​

Two days later, the group now whole and healthy, returned to the octagonal room that had once been the lair of the Goblin King. The room had been swept clean by the conquering kobolds and only brown stains marked the site of the pitched battle. They made their way to the pit in the center of the chamber and looked down. The shaft was choked with thick, pale vine-things. Below, the shaft appeared to open into a large chamber bathed in an alien violet light.

Case Nine was the first to make his way down, the vines straining under the weight of the robot. Clambering down, the Lud-Man found that the shaft opened into a vast natural cavern, the walls studded with odd fungal growths that shed a weird purple light. In two of the walls were large rents that lead into darkness and against another was a door. The floor of the cavern had been covered in soil and a strange garden of sorts had been cultivated. Unhealthy and wilted plants were laid out in neat lines and four creatures tended to them: Two humanoid skeletons and two of the twig-things. Spotting the descending robot, they ran over to intercept him as he approached the floor.

Risk algorithms and previous experience determined a minimum level of threat from these assailants and the robot made no attempt to strike from a distance. Instead, he lowered himself to the ground, the claws of the skeletons and twig monsters useless against his thick armor, and methodically dispatched them with his greathammer. By the time the others had reached the floor of the cavern, the four creatures had been destroyed and no harm had been done to Case Nine.

As the group began to get their bearings, a mighty roar suddenly came from one of the cave entrances and a massive bugbear could be seen. A helm adorned with great twisting horns sat upon the head of the bugbear and in his hands was a morningstar graven with stylized dragons.¹ At the bugbear's feet were two snarling dire rats and with a gesture, he set them upon the group. Meepo screeched, "It is Baslag, the Great Hunter!"

The robot was already moving, his greathammer swinging back as he charged into his foes. The rats scattered, scrambling out of the way of the Lud-Man and seeking the more palatable targets behind. Baslag met Case Nine head-on and the Great Hunter swung under the robot's guard, the morningstar crushing his side and the warforged staggered back. The Lud-Man recovered, sending the bugbear sprawling with a massive blow with his hammer. Spitting blood, Baslag came up and the two traded blows. But in the end, metal proved stronger than flesh and Case Nine was victorious.

Behind the warforged, the two rats scrambled toward Dirk, Mere, and Meepo. Dirk calmly leveled his pistol at one of the monstrosities and shot. The creature stumbled and crumpled to the ground, one leg spasming uselessly. Mere shot the other dire rat with her rifle and though wounded, it continued forward. Meepo stabbed it with his spear, finishing it off.

The battle over, Mere mended some of the damage on Case Nine as Dirk and Meepo investigated the cavern Baslag had emerged from. Within they found the lair of the Great Hunter and they quickly rifled though his meager belongings, finding some coin and baubles among the nests of the dire rats. Meanwhile, Mere determined that Baslag's morningstar was enchanted and the bugbear had a curious potion. Drawing upon her knowledge of alchemy and magics, the priestess postulated that the potion would protect the imbiber from fire for a short time. Case Nine took both.

Regrouping in the central chamber, Dirk took off the horned helm off Baslag and placed it upon his head, "Not bad, eh?" Mere rolled her eyes and Case Nine ignored the question, "Which way now?" A bit crestfallen, Dirk tossed the helm to the ground, "Let's take the door. I'll have a listen." Pulling out his short sword, the rogue made his way to the door, and after he determined it was not trapped or locked, listened intently.

* * *​

Dirk held up his hand and gave a signal for silence, a confused look on his face. He then made his way over to the others, "I hear something, but I can't figure out what it is. Sounds like somebody stomping around in water. The door isn't locked, so I am going to sneak in and see what we got. Get ready if you hear something." The others nodded and the rogue padded over to the door, listening first, then opening it slowly and peering in.

The hallway beyond was short, with high vaulted ceilings and columns carved with dragons, similar to the halls above. More of the bioluminescent fungus clung to the ceiling and pillars, bathing the hall in the queer light. Six open doorways, three on each side, could be seen and a large stone door stood at the far end. The hall itself was choked with worktables and haphazardly strewn farming implements.

Seeing no one, but hearing the strange sloshing sound, Dirk crept in, his short sword out and ready. Stealthily moving forward, he peeked around one of the open doors and found the source of the odd sound. Two goblins were stomping in a mashing-tun, occasionally stopping to catch their breath. Dirk quickly surveyed the other equipment in the room and determined they were making liquor. Leaving them to their work, the rogue made his way to the doorway across the hall. In here he found several bunk beds and after letting his eyes adjust to the gloom, discovered that two of the bunks were occupied by sleeping goblins. Moving silently and quickly, Dirk smothered these two and then continued down the hall. In the next set of rooms, he spied two goblins repairing armor in one and two more goblins examining a sickly looking dire rat that had been strapped to a table in the other. The last two rooms in the hall appeared devoid of goblins and looked to be for storage, although the rear of one had collapsed, leaving a rent that led to a dark, irregular passage.

Dirk made his way back to the others undetected by the goblins and told them of what he had seen and done. After some discussion, they decided they would surprise the goblins and barge into the chamber, hoping to slay them before they could organize. Putting word into deed, Case Nine kicked in the door and made his way in, surprised goblins darting from side chambers. Moving quickly and methodically, the group easily defeated the goblins and soon were alone in the hallway. They examined the rooms, but found little of interest. The rat that been lashed to the table appeared to have been an experimented on and Mere suggested that the poor creature would soon expire. Case Nine quietly put the creature out of its misery.

Moving forward, Dirk listened at the stone door at the end of the hall, hearing nothing. Finding no lock, he opened it slowly. Through the crack, Dirk could see another vast chamber, this one constructed rather than natural. In the violet fungi light, he could see great fading frescos of dragons holding dominion over the antediluvian world. The floor of this vast chamber had also been converted into gardens of stunted surface world flora. As the rogue surveyed, a large creature lumbered into his line of sight, evidently heading for a stone door across the chamber.

It was another bugbear, but this one wore the clothing of a farmer and held a scythe over his broad shoulders. Dirk held his breath, but it was clear that he had not been spotted. Suddenly, the bugbear stopped, held up its face, and began to turn this way and that, its broad nose quivering as it caught an unfamiliar scent. The rogue closed the door slightly and retreated, scampering back to the others, telling them what he had seen. Taking up positions behind workbenches, they leveled their guns at the door and waited. A moment later, the bugbear, his scythe at the ready, kicked open the door and glared about. The guns thundered and the bugbear was shot down, his body hitting the floor before he could even enter the chamber.

Waiting a moment to see if reinforcements would appear, but seeing none, the group moved forward and entered the vast garden chamber. Several thick stone doors were evident and the group picked one. Dirk checked it for traps or locks, but found neither and heard nothing on the other side. Waving the rogue back, Case Nine opened the door and revealed a large octagonal room. Like the other rooms, its floor was covered in a dark soil, but here strange underworld plants flourished: great pale mushrooms, quivering fungus stalks, and the ubiquitous glowing growths. However, it seemed that something had burned a part of the garden, for many of the plants bore mysterious scorch marks.

Seeing nothing untoward, the group ventured into the room and looked around. On one side of the chamber, Dirk made a discovery: several peculiar holes in the wall, including one that seemed to be glowing with a warm yellow-orange light. Going to one knee to investigate, he gave a scream as something sprung from the hole. The creature was worm-like and about two feet long. It blazed with flames, the air around it wavering in the heat. The fire creature darted toward the surprised rogue and hit him square in the chest. Immediately the rogue caught on fire and dropped to the ground, writhing in agony. Mere shook off her surprise and shot the fire worm with her rifle, but it was Case Nine who killed it with an overhead slam with his hammer.

Grabbing the smoldering rogue, who had passed out from the pain, Case Nine and the others retreated to the hall of the goblins.


Notes:

¹ A nice illustration by Claudio Pozas is available here

 

[ragboy]

Great concept and characters. Subscribed.

 

[Pell-Mell]

CASE FILE 001: THE CASE OF THE MISSING HOLYMAN
Session 6, Part 1: ELECTRIC SOUL FUNK

Dirk came around screaming, finding himself on a long workbench, the harsh light of a sunrod glaring in his eyes. Mere stood next to him and channeled healing energies into the scorched rogue. The smell of burning flesh hung heavy in the air as the cleric of Boccob repaired the damage with spell after spell. Case Nine laid out items Mere requested from his pack: unguents, tinctures, gauze, and a roll of grimy duct tape. Meepo watched all with wide eyes.

Her magic spent, she switched to conventional methods, cleaning the remaining wounds with disinfectants, whose stinging touch caused Dirk to groan in pain. She then applied soothing ointments and wrapped the burns. Mere took a step back, running her forearm across her sweaty brow, "Well, that's what I can do for now." She nodded at Dirk, "He should live, but I have no more spells. I don't think he should move anymore today." Dirk leaned back on the workbench and lay down, giving a weary thumbs up. "You're the boss."

Case Nine secured the goblin's chamber as best he could, barracking the doors and throwing a table over the back of one room with a rent that led into darkness. The hour crawled by in the changeless underground, but they made the best of the situation, sorting through the goblins' possessions for useful items and taking turns resting.

* * *​

Sometime later, Dirk awoke and rolled himself off the workbench with some effort. He felt better, but he was still hurting. Case Nine awoke Mere, who examined the burns and changed Dirk's bandages, wadding the spent dressings and tossing them into a side chamber. She looked at the others, "Let me meditate and I will see what I can do for Dirk." The others nodded, having a breakfast of trail rations and tepid water as they awaited the cleric. When she was done, she applied another healing spell upon the rogue, who declared himself fit. Gathering their gear and what supplies they had salvaged from the goblin hall, they moved out to further explore the ruins. They made their way to the stone door that led deeper into the complex, Dirk listening at it but reporting nothing untoward.

The rogue opened the stone door, stopping dead in his tracks as he revealed an ambush. Outside the door, behind overturned tables, crouched two bugbear farmers with their scythes at the ready. They gave a guttural cry and pushed forward their foot soldiers: a handful of skeletons and goblins armed with shovels and clubs. The horde scrambled forward, clawing and swinging, but the fleet-footed rogue dove back into the hall. Case Nine took Dirk's place, looming above the goblins and skeletons. His greathammer already in hand, the robot commenced to slaughter all before him, relentlessly moving forward, crushing the broken and dying.

Dirk and Mere took shots when they could, but soon all that stood were the two bugbears, who engaged the Lud-Man in melee. Throwing all his weight into one his attacks, one of the bugbears was able to damage the robot with his scythe, but Case Nine did not hesitate. Within seconds the two bugbears fell as well, either crushed by Case Nine or shot down by the others.

The battle over, Mere mended the damage to Case Nine as Dirk and Meepo looted the bodies of the fallen, finding little of value.

* * *​

The group found the vast chamber where they fought the goblins and skeletons was mirrored by another, this one converted to a subterranean garden as well. Several octagonal side rooms were also found in both chambers, each devoted to various ecosystems from above and below the surface. All were bereft of fireworm infestations. However, one of these side doors led to a hallway that snaked further into the complex. At a bend, a strange crimson light could be seen, but it source was not obvious. Case Nine took out his greathammer and started down the hall, the others behind him.

The hall led into a great room that was lit with a hellish red light that seemed to bleed from the air itself. Against the far wall was a tremendous statue of a rearing dragon, its eyes smoldering as it gazed out across the room. At its taloned feet, a half circle of ancient runes had been carved into the stone floor. In the side wall, another hall led into darkness.

Meepo gave a startled cry as he entered the chamber, bowing his head and giving a word of prayer to the King of All Dragons. Dirk started toward the statue, curious to what treasures it might guard, but Case Nine blocked his way with one metal arm. "I will investigate this. You have had ill luck with such ventures." Dirk started to argue, but as he began to dive under the arm, a fresh burst of pain from the last of his burns shot up his trunk and he stopped. "I hear you. Go ahead. Make sure you check in the back."

Case Nine nodded and strode forth, his greathammer ready and his sensors sweeping the area for signs of sabotage or enemies. Finding neither, he moved over the circle of glyphs and stopped, his senses noting anomalous fluctuations in the electromagnetic spectrum and ambient temperature. The robot was ready when a thing of shadowy darkness emerged from the base of the statue. His hammer swung, but it passed through the apparition with no effect. The gossamer creature floated before the Lud-Man and all could see that it was the shape and size of a man, although its form was wavering and few distinct features could be seen. It hesitated, its eye-voids seeming to survey the warforged. Then it plunged a claw made of shadow-stuff into the chest of the robot, passing through the thick armor with ease.

Mere shouted, "Its a shadow! Case Nine, use the enchanted mace! Meepo, use your eye beams!" She moved forward, one hand gripping the All-Seeing Eye of Boccob that hung around her neck, while the other began to glow with a pale white light. The cleric shoved her shimmering hand into the inky darkness of the spirit, releasing a burst of positive energy. The creature gave an unearthly screech and shuddered, tendrils of shadow recoiling from the white energy. Meanwhile, Meepo summoned the power of Ashardalon and a crimson beam lanced from his eyes, boring a hole in the apparition.

Although Mere had discounted Dirk, the son of Asheril was not unprepared for battle with restless spirits. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small bottle, its wrapper adorned with poorly mimeographed holy symbols and grim cherubs. He unscrewed the cap and chucked it at the apparition. Its contents sprayed in all directions, but most splattered on the shadow, causing it to wail in agony as the holy water burnt ragged holes.

Case Nine drew his enchanted mace and swung at the shadow, but the weapon sailed harmlessly though the apparition, his attack slow and clumsy. Although he had suffered no external damage, the gestalt matrix that was the synthetic soul of Case Nine struggled to maintain coherence, as the touch of the shadow drained his vital energies. The shadow stuck again, the thick armor of the robot no defense against this assailant and he suffered further spiritual degradation. Systems began to shut down as all power was shifted to maintaining his soul and the warforged crashed to the floor, unable to support his own immense weight.

Mere called on Boccob the All-Knowing again, channeling positive energy and striking at the core of the dark thing and Meepo blasted with his eyebeams, venting the fury of Ashardalon. Even with the vitality it had stolen from Case Nine, the shadow was soon destroyed under the relentless assault, dissipating into the natural shadows of the room and leaving only a lingering chill. The danger gone, the group knelt beside Case Nine, but found that while he appeared to be functioning, he seemed unable to move.

Unsure of how to proceed, they found a wheel barrow in one of the garden rooms and it took both Dirk and Mere to roll the disabled robot into it. Once more they retreated to the hall of the goblins.

 

[Pell-Mell]

CASE FILE 001: THE CASE OF THE MISSING HOLYMAN
Session 6, Part 2: Feed The Tree

"I think he is going to be okay."

Mere glanced back down at an open panel in the back of Case Nine, a tiny glowing screen filed with arcane glyphs and graphs, reporting the intricate workings of the robot. "I am no expert on Lud-Men, but my sister has done some work in archaeoautomatronics.¹ I think his power cell has been depleted, but it looks like it is cycling back up." Dirk looked over, "How long till we know one way or the other?" The New Lud girl shrugged, "No idea." Dirk rubbed his stubbled chin and took a deep drag on his cigarette. "All right. Well, we can't leave him and he is too heavy to pull up that shaft that got us down here. I guess we just have to wait and see if he fixes himself." In response, the panel closed, dull clicks heard as unseen locks slid into place. Dirk smirked and raised his eyebrows, "Well, it looks like someone is still home."

As they waited to see signs of progress with Case Nine, the others made good use of the downtime. Mere set up a makeshift work area in the hall of the goblins, scavenging enough equipment to allow her to create some potions. With Meepo in tow, Mere and the kobold gathered herbs and other raw ingredients in the adjoining subterranean gardens. Dirk took this time to venture down some of the side passages previously noted, but in the group's haste had not been explored. Creeping silently down dark halls and caverns, he found several empty rooms. In one of these chambers, he noted several holes in the wall, including one that shimmered with a fiery light. Remembering his previous run-in with a fire worm, he beat a hasty retreat.

They spent what seemed to be several days in the underground, Case Nine gradually increasing in strength and vitality. Soon he reported that he was at optimal operations and the group moved out, anxious to be done with the ruins. They made their way back to the room where there the shadow had lurked and moved down a passage they had seen earlier. Delving further into the complex, the group found more twisting halls and a room that appeared to have been a library of sorts. Stopping only to pilfer a few choice scrolls and books from among the damp-swollen mess, they continued on.

At the end of a long hall, two doors were found. The group picked the first one and Dirk examined it, detecting no traps but finding it was securely locked. Fishing his picks from the inner pocket of his jacket, he went to one knee and set to work. The rogue made quick work of the lock and soon the door was open, revealing what appeared to be a workroom. A chair, several rough wooden tables covered with stained papers and books, and a mostly empty bookcase were the only furnishing in the sparse room. Another door in the wall to right could also be seen. Dirk and Meepo set to tossing the place, finding several mystical scrolls and a book bearing an enchantment, as well as other mundane books and records. Dirk opened the enchanted tome and it suddenly burst into flame, a magical trap triggering. The rogue quickly dropped the burning book and threw his arms in front of his face, his leather jacket scorched but leaving him unharmed.

Finding little else of value, Dirk went to the other door in the room, checking for locks or subterfuge. Finding only a lock, the son of Asheril quickly picked it and pushed the door open. Looking out into the next chamber, his eyes went wide and he muttered "Huh".

* * *​

The cavern beyond the door was truly vast, the expanse bathed in violet fungal light. The floor of the cavern had been transformed into a grove of spindly briars, saplings, and other sickly looking plants. In the distance, barely visible in the half-light, a massive leafless tree loomed. Its branches seemed to sway slightly, although there was no breeze evident in the underground. At the edge of the grove near the group, four goblins were working, but they stopped as they saw the human at the door. The goblins gave a shout and swarmed toward the doorway.

Case Nine, hearing the goblins, pushed Dirk aside and met them head-on. Charging out of the room, he slaughtered the goblins with ease, sending broken bodies flying in all directions. The others filtered into the cavern as a second wave of defenders approached. Pulling themselves from the ground or shuffling in from deeper in the grove, more of the twig monsters came forth with stick claws held out and grasping. The group fought with hammer, blade, and spear; no guns for fear of alerting others in the massive cavern. Hacking and smashing, they made short work of the little monsters and suffered few wounds in the course of the battle.

When no more creatures appeared, Dirk took a pair of binoculars from the pack of Case Nine and glassed the cavern ahead. "Looks like we got about a hundred or so feet of these half-dead trees, then that big one at the end." Dirk paused, "Weird. I think there is a huge frog in the big dead tree. Anyway, I can't see the base of the big tree. There is some kind of wall around it." Dirk replaced the binoculars in the robot's pack. "Let's stick close to the walls and see if we can't sneak up and see what we got." They moved forward, weapons at the ready, but found that approaching quietly was not going to be an option. The grove grew so dense that only the smallest creatures, such as Meepo, could navigate it successfully. Using Mere's long sword, Case Nine began to hack his way through the undergrowth. Far ahead, the frog in the tree gave a warbling cry as it spotted the approaching interlopers.

They came to the low ruined wall that surrounded the dead tree, passing through a massive rent in the ancient structure. Across a meadow of patchy, stunted grass stood the great black tree, soaring high into the cavern. No breeze stirred the quiet air, the branches high above twitching slightly on their own. Beneath the quivering braches of the tree stood three souls. The one in the back was clearly a Seeker, as he was dressed in their traditional garb: black clothing and a wide brimmed hat. He was a slender man, his skin pale and his hair as dark as his clothing. In front of him were two humans, one clad in baroque armor and holding a long sword that sparked with eldritch energies and the other was a thin woman dressed in a faded denim dress. Mere shouted, "Its Braford and Sharwyn!"

The Seeker spoke, "Welcome friends! I see you are already acquainted with my two supplicants! I am Belak of the Twilight Grove and I welcome you to my home." He nodded at each, but ignored Case Nine, "Your machine man is not welcome here, as is the way of my people." The lost paladin and woman stood silently, neither giving greeting or acknowledging their presence in anyway. Dirk took a step forward, "Names Dirk Chance. We have been hired by his cult" He gestured at Isaiah Braford, "to find him and bring him home to Asheril. I don't know what this place is about, but I want no more trouble. How about you just hand him over."

The Seeker shook his head, "I am afraid that will not be possible. Sir Braford has found a new faith." Belak gestured toward the black tree that stood behind him, "Behold the glorious Gulthias Tree, which sprung from a still green wooden stake used to destroy a vampire named Gulthias in the olden days.² The stake took root here, becoming something completely new in the process." His eyes glittered, "Is it not amazing how nature finds a way to grow even in such strange conditions?" Belak did not wait for an answer, "Now it bares miraculous fruits; some that cure and others more poisonous than anything I know. Its seedlings walk about own their own, spreading its glory across the face of the world." He paused, "But such miracles require a sacrifice. Both Braford and Sharwyn have given themselves over to the Gulthias Tree, allowing it to draw strength from them and give them a new existance." And now that they looked closer, they could see the eyes of the paladin and woman had no spark of life and their skin had a peculiar gray cast to it. "Join the tree and it will provide you with rewards beyond measure."

Moving with blinding speed, Dirk leveled his pistol at the Seeker, "Yeah, I don't think we will be doing that. Case grab ..." Belak roared as the robot approached, "Vile abomination!" He made a gesture with his hand and suddenly the grass beneath the feet of the group sprung up, growing and becoming thick vines that bound them. "If you will not be reasonable, I will have to show you the way by more forceful means. Isaiah, strike down the machine man!" Case Nine pulled the grasping vines from the ground and struggled forward and met the charging paladin head-on.

The paladin came in, his eldritch blade spitting sparks and struck at the Lud-Man. Distracted by the enspelled vines, Case Nine was unable to deflect the blow and the sword struck true, discharging a massive bolt of electricity into the robot. Overwhelmed by the unexpected shock, Case Nine staggered back, multiple systems failing and wisps of smoke evident as polymers burned. The Seeker laughed, "I will finish this affront to nature!" He pointed at the beleaguered warforged and immediately the sensors of Case Nine reported anomalous temperature readings. The others need no such sensors to see what was happening: the metal armor of Case Nine had begun to smolder and turn red, waves of heat emanating from the robot.

Meepo struggled with the entangling vines, but seeing Case Nine in dire need of assistance, channeled the power of Ashardalon. Drawing on his experience with the ice dragon Calcryx, he opens his fanged maw and a beam of cold lanced out, striking the Lud-Man. Immediately, the hot metal began to cool and steam. Case Nine used this time to stagger back and draw forth the potion they had found on Baslag the Great Hunter. Pouring it on him, the magic took hold and he was warded against damage from fire. His sensors returned erroneous temperature readings and his armor began to glow an intense red, but he suffered no further damage from the spell.

Meanwhile, Dirk dove out of the grasping plants and rolled onto clean ground, taking a shot at the Seeker. The shot went wide, but it drew the attention of Belak. The Seeker held out his hand and spoke a word of magic. A ball of fire suddenly sprung up in front of Dirk, but the son of Asheril was quick and rolled out of the way of the small fireball. Belak cursed and called out to the woman in the denim dress to strike and she responded by throwing a bolt of magic at Mere, who was still struggling in the mass of vines.

Case Nine hammered at the paladin, striking while deflecting the sparking blade of the warrior with the heft of his greathammer. Mere and Meepo managed to struggle free of the vines and Mere moved in behind the warforged, calling on the All-Knowing Boccob and repairing the damaged Lud-Man. Meepo blasted Belak with crimson beams and Dirk dove about the field, ducking the ball of fire which rolled about after him, taking shots when he could.

The paladin was the first to fall, crushed by Case Nine. The woman mage was next, gunned down by Dirk. The Seeker, seeing his warriors defeated, summoned monsters from the outside world, first a mighty hippogriff than a dire rat. The giant frog the group had seen earlier, and who had spent the battle so far lurking in the Gulthias Tree, sprung down in defense of its master. The summoned beasts were hastily defeated by the group and it was Meepo, with several savage thrusts of his spear, who killed the giant toad.

His minions defeated and his spells spent, Belak drew a dagger from his belt and made his stand at the foot of the Gulthias Tree. Case Nine charged the Seeker, shattering bone with a massive bow of his great hammer as Dirk dove to the side of the Seeker and drove his short sword deep into the man's chest. The dying Seeker fell back on his beloved Gulthias Tree and sunk to the ground, leaving a trail of bright blood on the trunk. The blood disappeared quickly as the vile tree hungrily absorbed it.

* * *​

It was Mere who asked for the Gulthias Tree to be hacked down, wanting nothing to do with the evil thing. Case Nine did the work, the tree oozing thick, black ichors as he cut it down. After looting the bodies of Belak and Sharwyn, they put the corpses atop the ruined Gulthias Tree and set the whole thing ablaze. They watched silently as the vile tree burned fitfully and when all was ash, they left the grand chamber and headed back to the goblin halls.

They spent several days in the underground, recuperating from the fierce battle. The group thoroughly looted the place, searching every nook and cranny, determined to leave nothing of value for Yusdrayl and the kobold tribe above. Meepo, with the help of Mere, spent this time turning the hide of the great frog he defeated into a hooded cloak.

Once recovered and ready to leave the ruins, they took the corpse of Isaiah Braford and headed for the upper level of the citadel. As Dirk was about to climb up, he saw the discarded horned helm of Baslag the Great Hunter and on a whim picked it up. He looped it to the pack of Case Nine and the group ascended, several kobolds waiting for them at the top. A runner was sent for Yusdrayl and Dirk told her of what had transpired below. The Kobold Queen nodded and then dismissed them, glaring with hatred at Meepo. After picking up some of the tools that Case Nine used to repair himself from the kobold territories, the group left the ruins. Once on the surface, they were relieved to see the Orion was still where Dirk had parked it and the group hastily packed up.

Their long-sought quarry stuffed in the trunk of the Orion '23, the group set off for Asheril, Dirk flooring it as soon as they hit the highway.


Notes:

¹ A new Knowledge skill has been created for the campaign. Knowledge (Technologica) covers current, obsolete, and ancient technology and some constructs (such as robots). Mere has several ranks in it.
² Vampirism is not native to the campaign world, but rather bought from another dimension ages ago by a godling known as Kanchelsis. Almost all vampires on the Continent can trace their curse to Kanchelsis, who has long since left this world for new ones. Views of vampirism vary widely with location. In the Protectorate and New Lud, Kanchelsis' curse is treated as an incurable disease and sufferers viewed as parasites only fit to be destroyed. In the city of Asheril, vampires, as well as number of other post-mortal creatures such as liches, are explicitly exempt from the No-TraSH Act of '17 and treated as other sentient beings.

 

[Pell-Mell]

CASE FILE 001: THE CASE OF THE MISSING HOLYMAN
Illustration: On The Road

The gang on the road back to Asheril. Dirk Chance at the wheel, Case Nine in shotgun, and Meepo hanging out the back. Mere not pictured, but presumed to be sitting behind Dirk but blocked from view by Case Nine. Drawn by Dirk's player.