CHAPTER 12a: The Fortress of the Plain

[doppelganger]

Urlando
Seeing Max walk over towards nearest metal-face, Urlando reaches for his morningstar. One brain is thinking about revenge, while the other keeps thinking about the powers these masked beings and the other metallic creatures showed when his companions were brought here. He follows behind the rest of the group moving counter-clockwise towards the next opening.

[Norjax]

Fortress Interior 346D/81 (Evening)

As the group moves south, Max breaks out and heads towards the nearest masked humanoid. Silvestri hangs back and searches for any overt devices similar to the alcove wall panels. Max does his best to gain the beings attention, short of any impediment. The creature continues about its business, which he now notices involves a cylindrical object in its right hand, indifferent to the neuronaut’s presence.

Anton takes cover behind one of the gold columns, anticipating an adverse reaction from Max’ interaction.

Needle and Urlando reach the first opening in the chamber’s outer wall. A featureless ten-foot wide by ten-foot-high corridor extends about 30 feet before opening into a circular room. Both are well-lit by unseen lights, and the room emits slight flashes of different colored light.



The other attendants move here and there, but remain occupied.

Action Details:

Characters:

Monsters:

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Point Recovery - 348D]:

Denslow – 42/42 [13/16]
Silvestri – 60/60 [14/14]
Kurot – 50/50 [4/15]
Max - 28/28 [14/15]
Anton – 43/43 [11/11]
Saiph – 25/25 [11/11]
Needle – 77/77 [11/11]
Podo – 53/63 [12/14]
Urlando – 75/75 [17/17]

[greyarea]

Max scans the room. Is anyone else carrying a similar cylinder that he can see? He points it out to the others.

[Norjax]

Is anyone else carrying a similar cylinder that he can see?

From your vantage point, one other carries a similar device. The closest one to the SE, by the column.

[maceo_the_escher]

Needle

Needle will move down the corridor towards the circular room. Maybe there will be something to learn in this direction, or maybe another way out.

[shaidar]

Silvestri

Realising he might get left behind, the psion gives up his search for devices and follows the wall in the direction of Needle and Urlando.

[shaidar]

Saiph

Seeing the non-reaction of the cloaked man to Max, Saiph gets bolder and heads off to examine one of the central alcoves (the one 'above' the occupied one near max)

[greyarea]

Denslow heads to the next corridor to the south (on the west wall). He will investigate it, wondering if it's a mirror of the one they just exited.

[doppelganger]

Urlando hesitates, then decides to follow Needle towards the circular room.

[Anton_E_Gregor]

Anton observes quietly from his vantage point, watching what the attendants are doing to the machines.

[GrapeApe]

Podo

Also ready for an adverse reaction to Max's antics, Podo braces himself, ready to spring into action. The obliviousness, willing or not, of the metal-faced being offers Podo a small amount of relief. Alerted by Max's identification of the capsule Podo quickly withdraws a piece of parchment and quill to draw a quick sketch of the huge tower, as a record for his cluster.
"Just one of these artifacts would bring much prestige and honor to my clan for generations to come."

Unsure if Anton is able to read Podo's inner thoughts, he refocuses on the situation at hand, hastily stows his equipment, and quickly walks to join Needle and Urlando to advance into the circular room to the left.

[Norjax]

Fortress Interior 346D/81 (Evening)

Saiph scrambles over to the tower alcove next to one Max is investigating. The recessed pocket runs the full height and is decorated with nondescript geometric patterns impressed into the metal surface. Around 30ft above is the first layer of 7-foot-long, glowing blue posts that are set into each linear notch. Upon closer observation, Saiph notices a dark blurry object suspended in the center of the 3-foot diameter translucent cylinder.

Needle, Urlando and Denslow enter the corridor, with Podo not far behind, and cautiously approach the round room. They stop their advance when two humanoids monitoring flashing wall panels come into view. A low, narrow passage exits the room to the southeast.

Silvestri trails those in the corridor while Anton and Kurot observe the occupants of the chamber move about and perform their tasks. One of the masked beings moves towards the hallway with the light curtain from where you entered this area.



Action Details:

Characters:

Monsters:

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Point Recovery - 348D]:

Denslow – 42/42 [13/16]
Silvestri – 60/60 [14/14]
Kurot – 50/50 [4/15]
Max - 28/28 [14/15]
Anton – 43/43 [11/11]
Saiph – 25/25 [11/11]
Needle – 77/77 [11/11]
Podo – 53/63 [12/14]
Urlando – 75/75 [17/17]

[Zhym]

Kurot moves to join the others, but stops just outside the hallway to the circular chamber. Well, the smaller circular chambers. Lots of circles in this tower. Anyway, he pauses to watch what the makes being does at the light curtain—knowing how to deactivate it might be useful if the party needs to pass that way to exit.

[maceo_the_escher]

Needle

Do these humanoids look like the same kind from the inner circle we just passed?

[Norjax]

Needle

Do these humanoids look like the same kind from the inner circle we just passed?

Yes.

[doppelganger]

Urlando

Can we make any sense of the flashing panels? Are they similar the ones in the hallway that monitored Urlando's companions?

[greyarea]

Max takes a look at one of the flashing panels, the nearest one that isn't occupied by the mandriods.

Artifact check [1d20+4]=8+4=12 max. complexity 5

[Norjax]

Urlando

Can we make any sense of the flashing panels? Are they similar the ones in the hallway that monitored Urlando's companions?

They are comparable.

Max takes a look at one of the flashing panels, the nearest one that isn't occupied by the mandriods.

Max is still out by the central tower.

[GrapeApe]

Podo

Advancing deeper into the circular room, very cautiously looking for any further curtains of light, Podo takes a cursory glance at the ceiling above, the walls, and a closer look to see what the two robed figures might be monitoring before affording a glance down the corridor to the southeast. Calling softly back toward the rat-man who has still not revealed his name, "How many companions did these beings take from you... and what did you say your name was?"

[maceo_the_escher]

Needle

Needle will cautiously move into the room and head toward the small opening in the southeast. He stays to the outside wall of the room and follows its curve around-keeping a close eye on the attendants and hoping they're as unresponsive as the ones in the outer chamber. If I can't be much help with deciphering the technology I might as well scout ahead, he thinks to himself.