The Selgaunt Campaign

[haiiro]

It takes the better part of an hour, but three summonings later Tal's badgers succession of badgers has dredged the object up from the chasm.

It's a torso.

Made of a mix of copper (long since oxidized to a vibrant green) and a bright metal that looks susipiciously like that used in the Netherese spears you've seen, and chased with brass inlays, it looks like it came from the same construct as the first arm you found. The proportions certainly match, as does the style of the carving and construction -- and it's covered in Netherese runes.

With everyone staying very quiet, you can just hear a faint whirring and ticking from deep inside the torso: the sound of clockwork, still active after centuries buried in the chasm. There is a large many-facted gem, purple in color, set into the center of its chest -- and this gem is glowing faintly. The glow pulsates very slightly in time with the heavier whirs of the clockwork, almost like a heartbeat.

OOC: Tal used all three first level summoning spells.

What did everyone else do during the 45 minute excavation -- and what would you like to do now?

 

[Artemis Blade]

During the excavations Artemis will keep the torch in a good spot for illumination of the work area while also keeping an eye on our weasel friends.

Artemis carefully examines the torso for more runes, trying to see if any match up. After doing so, he compares the arm to the broken torso, and tries to figure out if it can be repaired.

If he finds anything noteworthy, he'll share with the group.

After thoroughly examining the arm, Artemis states, "I think we should continue exploring the complex for a little bit longer, maybe a day or two. Lets see if we can find a closer portal back to Selgaunt."

 

[dharmabum]

Tuggle

"Let me take a look at that torso too, Artemis." Tuggle sidles over to where Artemis is examining the torso. He brings to bear his not inconsiderable knowledge of metals to try to identify of what it is made (specifically the Netherese spear metal). "I agree that we should explore here a few more days...If we can find a portal back to Selgaunt, things will get a lot more convienent! After that, I say we head back into town and regain "The promise", in order to secure all access points to this tower that we know about!"

I'd like to use Knowledge Alchemy on the torso. Tuggle is definately up for a few days of concerted tower exploration, but will go with the flow if most of the party wants to return to selgaunt.

 

[Xen]

Marduke

"Perhaps I'll have a see as well."


OOC: Marduke will run his know planes on the object. Specifically, can he figure out how/if to activate it, or how it might be used in a similar fashion as the arm.

 

[Xen]

Tal

"Could it be that this thing was taken apart piece by piece for a reason, and should be left that way? Anyway, when everyone's had their fill, maybe we could do some more exploring. Perhaps someone who knows where we haven't been can lead the way?"

 

[Artemis Blade]

"If I remember correctly, the spelleaters ripped this arm off this torso because they could reach it, and because it was magical. I think we should go up and check the doors in the cylinder room we haven't opened yet. The symbols around the doors correspond to the symbols we press on these arms. If we want to finish exploring maybe we should start there." Artemis suggests.

 

[thedangerranger]

After plying his knowledges on the newly re-assembled portal-bot Cupric says, "Well, there are the flying stone cat things in the cylinder room... Perhaps the room with no floor or ceiling instead." Cupric shoulders his pack and edges towards the door back to the portal room.

[OOC: BardicK: 19+12 = 31 KArcana: 12+7=19 KHistory: 14+8 = 22]

 

[Xen]

Both Tal and Marduke follow if Cupric and Artemis lead the way to the Cylinder room.

"So who do we know that we can trust in Selgaunt?" asks Tal, as the group prepares to leave. "It's just that, if we want to use this place for the harpers, there's a certain amount of equipment gathering and stocking we may want to do (not to mention cleaning). It's enough of an undertaking that if we go about it the wrong way, someone may ask questions. I already have the feeling that certain factions of the Multicolored Defenders of the Peace may be keeping an eye on us - and I'd hate for anyone to suspect we are setting up shop.

We may also need to set up a legitimate front - like a pub, or shop or something, where we keep the portable portals that lead to this place. It probably won't do for those who harp to find us at whatever inn we are staying at and give the secret password. Though Torm watches over us, even we may perish one day and no longer be around to make sure this safe haven comes to good use. What I'm getting at is that we may need to get others involved.... but who?"

 

[haiiro]

Putting the torso and the apparently matching arm side by side, Artemis and Tuggle spend some time examining them. The join between the arm and the torso doesn't look like it's missing any pieces, but it's not hard to tell that it would require some serious time and unusual tools to reassemble the two -- until the shoulder of the arm is brought within two inches of the torso.

The faint ticking and humming coming from inside both pieces picks up in tempo, and new whirrs and tings! can be heard. Then tiny bits of the inside of the arm reach out to the torso, where they are met by other tiny bits -- and the arm clicks seamlessly into place, firmly attached to the torso.

Then the fingers flex once or twice, almost experimentally, before the noises subside to their earlier level and the whole assemblage returns to immobility.

A brief, animated* discussion ensues, and the Follies compare notes on the partial construct that now sits before them. Tuggle can tell that alchemy was definitely involved in its construction, and Marduke senses that at its heart -- perhaps quite literally -- is something capable of communicating with portals, perhaps even doing more than just opening them.

Probing the joints and otherwise trying to examine the interior without disturbing anything, Artemis can see that nothing appears to be broken -- however old this construct may be, it seems to be functioning perfectly. This jibes with a detail that Cupric picks up on: none but a Lantanese could have built this clockwork golem -- and few among them have the art to do so.

A cleric of Gond -- or even better, a cleric of Gond with a background in Lantanese history -- could probably figure out likely builders if allowed to examine this artifact.

After this, the conversation turns to ways to make use of the tower, and the Follies make their way back to the cylinder room (accompanied by the atonal drumming of the spiral hallway). Once there, you find the cylinder room apparently empty, and it does not look as though anyone (or anything) has been through there since last you saw it.

* (No pun intended.)

OOC: For those without a lot of Realms background, the Lantanese are masters of clockwork with a tendency to build things that are both peculiar and far ahead of their time. They view this sort of craftsmanship as religious in nature, and worship Gond. Imagine a tiny island nation populated by direct descendants of Leonardo da Vinci, and you've got a pretty good idea of what they're all about. Unlike, say, most of Krynn's tinker gnomes (from Dragonlance), the Lantanese are superb craftsmen and not comic relief.

Who is carrying the partially-assembled construct, and how? It weighs about forty pounds -- lighter than it looks, but not exactly light.

Also, with no response to Cupric's meta-post about the spelleaters, I assumed that you left them alone. You can of course go back and hack them to bits, etc. as you see fit.

 

[dharmabum]

"Wonderful!" Tuggle exclaims as the torso and arm knit together independently. He is, in fact, full of wonder. "I wonder what will happen when we find the head! Oh, by the way...who do you think tore this thing apart in the first place...and why?"

Turning towards Xen, Tuggle muses, "I think appealing to Agrafion to reveal some Harper contacts in Selgaunt (if indeed there are any but us) may be the best way to build a web of supporters here. Having said this, I must add that the Harpers may need to keep very secret, even from each other, in a town that is such an enemy to freedom. Perhaps we should focus on recruiting new Harpers from the ranks of those we have encountered here. Thissiken has been to our aid in several gambits thus far, and seems to possess a spirit of independence that may predispose him to the Harper cause."

Having said his piece, Tuggle marches onward, keeping an eye open for any golem-y bits, and a ready mental hand on his quiver of spells.

OOC: I can say with authority that Tuggle will not be the one carrying the golem torso.