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<blockquote data-quote="Pell-Mell" data-source="post: 3625004" data-attributes="member: 50273"><p><strong>CASE FILE 001: THE CASE OF THE MISSING HOLYMAN</strong></p><p><em>Session 6, Part 1: ELECTRIC SOUL FUNK</em></p><p></p><p>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. </p><p></p><p>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."</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">* * *</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>The battle over, Mere mended the damage to Case Nine as Dirk and Meepo looted the bodies of the fallen, finding little of value.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">* * *</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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."</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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. </p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Pell-Mell, post: 3625004, member: 50273"] [B]CASE FILE 001: THE CASE OF THE MISSING HOLYMAN[/B] [I]Session 6, Part 1: ELECTRIC SOUL FUNK[/I] 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. [CENTER]* * *[/CENTER] 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. [CENTER]* * *[/CENTER] 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. [/QUOTE]
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