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Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="El_Gringo" data-source="post: 754630" data-attributes="member: 3114">Sounds of thunder exploded all around the two young men, waking them from a deep slumber. A brief flash of light in the night sky revealed a chaotic battle between humans and false men built of steel and iron. A broad shouldered man wearing a suit of dark green chainmail rushed towards the two.    "You're awake! Good! Take these," as the man handed over strange yet familiar looking weapons. "Make your way south to the town of Asheford. You should be safe there. Go now! Do not let these men die in vain!" With those words, the man picked up an odd-shaped spear off the ground and jumped high into the air, twisting and turning his body in a fluid motion, his spear piercing through the head of one of the nearby false men.     "Which way is south?!" asked the shorter one.    "That way," the taller one pointed towards a forest. "I know not where I am, who you are, or even who I am. But I know I do not wish to die."    "Agreed."    The shorter man picked up a small torch lying on the ground, hopped to his feet, and ran. The taller one was only one step and two breaths behind. In the midst of confusion, the shorter man didn't realize how close he was to one of the false men until he heard a deafening clang as he ran right into its metal body, dropping the torch onto the ground. This one had been damaged previously. One of its arms, equipped with a large pincher claw, was sliced off and laid dormant on the ground.     Regaining his wits, the short man tried to step past the clockwork machine, only to find his way blocked by the strange beast.     " I do not think it will allow us to pass," he said.     The machine slowly lifted its one arm, of which a large hammer was attached. It dropped with the force of galloping horses, crashing into the ground right beside the shorter man.    " You have a gift for understatement, my friend," replied the tall man as he drew a short blade and an even longer one. "Why does this feel comfortable?" he asked himself as he attacked the machine. Still groggy from his sleep, he misjudged his distance, dancing his blades too far away from the metal monster.    " Are you my friend?" the short man asked, "Or are you an enemy?" He swung his spear around with great force, hitting his mark. However, the steel beast's armor held against the punishing blow. "That's not right."    The machine raised its hammer-arm again, but moved much quicker than before. Quick enough to strike the shorter man's foot, breaking at least two bones by the sound of it.     " Nothing seems to be right," the tall man replied. He stepped to his right, bringing his swords together in a scissors strike. Try as he might, the weapons could not pierce the fierce creature's metal hide.    Anger swelled up inside the shorter man as he rolled up into a ball towards the fearsome machine, emerging on his feet with an upward piercing strike. To his surprise, he had created a small hole in the monster's armor. Pulling his spear back, cogs and a strange brown liquid emerged from it.     The machine seemed to be confused, striking out at the taller man. Its hammer fell squarely upon his chest, producing the sound of ribs cracking under its massive force.    Stunned and hurt, the tall man threw his entire weight into the force of his swords, though only the shorter blade pierced the skin.     "Time to end this," the short man said. Closing his eyes, he focused all his strength into his legs. He jumped towards the machine, seemingly defying gravity for a few seconds. Only the distinct sound of metal being shredded caused him to open his eyes again. The machine had fallen, his spear sticking out of the back of its neck.     "You're a regular leap frog," said the tall one, "But we need to get the hell out of here."    The shorter one silently nodded and picked up the torch. The two didn't get very far before they dodged out of the way of a flung human body.     "The torch," said the smaller man. "It gives our location away." With that realization he threw it towards the battlefield, illuminating a false man featuring strange drawings upon its entire metal body. The men ran off into the woods, leaving the battle far, far behind.</blockquote>

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