Session Two (Graveyard of Empires Summary)
Session 2:
We continued from where we left off with Thorfus wounded and unconscious and Galron in possession of a restrained simian automaton. Sthorm noticed another of the monkey automatons perched on the catwalk near the ladder leading upwards but this one made no move to attack, content to merely observe us.
Thorfus was attended to and back on his feet when we heard a sound from below. Galron went to the open hatch leading downwards to look but saw nothing aside from crates. He then threw a heavy chunk of scrap down the opening and the resulting noise caused the other sound to halt but otherwise had no known effect. We decided to head down.
In this new room there were numerous crates with markings indicating that they came from the Silver Throne, the largest Dwarven trade company. Some of these crates were open and we saw they were filled with automaton parts. Galron placed the monkey automaton on a crate facing a wall before we advanced cautiously through one of the doors.
This led us to a hall with yet more doors on either side. Galron pushed at the closest one with his pole and felt a force pressing against it. He tentatively pressed it open just enough to look in and found that a cabinet had been pushed up against the door but there was nothing else of note in the room.
This was the not the case with the next room as upon opening it we immediately spotted yet another monkey automaton though this one was cruder and more simple in make than the others. It spotted us also and began to throw itself at Galron who swiftly slammed the door shut and beckoned to Thorfus, the key holder, to lock it. He did so and the simian was now safely locked away however it continued to make a tremendous racket from within its cell.
Further exploration of the lower level revealed nothing so the group decided to head upwards. The lone monkey automaton was still in the same spot guarding the ladder and watching us intently. Galron decided to restrain the monkey as he had done with the previous one but it was not to be so. Sthorm and Axel stood well back on the catwalk with their missile weapons ready, assuming this would be an easy task which would likely not require their efforts. Galron and Thorfus moved up to capture it with Ir’alle behind.
What followed was an embarrassing and lengthy attempt to grab at perhaps the most dexterous monkey construct ever created. It easily avoided all attempts to grab it and at one point even managed to overpower Galron causing the Paladin to bang his head on the ladder’s edge and leaving him stunned. Worse still the monkey had access to a number of flasks filled with acid and the clever little automaton repeatedly threw these flasks at the catwalk supports. His first attempt missed but otherwise he threw with precision and eventually that section of catwalk collapsed sending Galron, Thorfus and Ir’alle careening to the lower level. Sadly the fall knocked out Ir’alle.
Axel and Sthorm suddenly realising that this was by no means a simple battle and being the only ones still on the catwalk with the monkey decided to fire their weapons. Sthorm struck it well with his sling but this only attracted its attention and the monkey leapt upon Sthorm’s head and raked at the Dwarf’s face hurting him badly. Sthorm dropped his sling and grabbed for his long sword but with the blood in his eyes was unable to strike the monkey. Satisfied with the hurt that it had inflicted upon Sthorm the Automaton then focused on Axel and struck him down easily.
Meanwhile Galron and Thorfus were back on their feet and headed straight back up the catwalk. Galron fearlessly waded right back into the fight but Thorfus didn’t want to engage the creature in melee again and so drew out his bow but was unable to find a good shot on the small creature with his allies in the way. Hurt as he was Sthorm decided to disengage from the fight and left Galron standing against it alone. This gave Thorfus a better shot and Galron called out for him to take it.
Thorfus fired but the arrow struck Galron in the back and he went down. The situation was dire with three men down and the remaining two heavily wounded. The monkey launched itself at Sthorm who swung at it with his longsword and miraculously the blow struck, parting the automaton’s head from its body. Thorfus and Sthorm immediately went to check on their comrades and performed some basic first aid to stop their bleeding.
Relieved but exhausted the two discussed what to do next and they decided a tactical retreat was the smartest option. Thorfus first gathered up the monkey’s head and body and then they carried their fallen friends with the help of Uthrak, who had been surprisingly useless so far, to the tower’s entrance where they momentarily set the bodies down. Thorfus went to unlock the door and whilst he was doing so Sthorm snatched up the lockbox that Galron had prevented him from taking earlier and stowed it in his backpack. The door was now open and the men once again gathered uop their allies and headed back to the lucky gam.
Talessin and two of his students were in the Gam’s common room and saw them arrive immediately and his look of disappointment was obvious. Thorfus told Talessin to wait whilst he saw to getting the wounded accommodations and he generously paid for two private rooms. Axel, Galron and Ir’alle were set to bed with Uthrak watching over them whilst Thorfus and Sthorm went to talk to Talessin.
Thorfus explained the situation and showed Talessin the automaton they had destroyed. Talessin was particuarly interested in the intelligence the monkey had displayed but was disapointed that it and the Dwarven automaton had been destroyed. Sthorm suggested that they could still complete the job if Talessin would give them time to wait and rest but this idea was received coldly. Thorfus then suggested that healing could be purchased and we could get to work sooner but that our funds were limited. Talessin offered an advanced payment of 150 gold for the one automaton we had left undamaged and Thorfus gratefully took this and asked for directions to the nearest Arc temple. It was very close so Thorfus set off with the money whilst Sthorm stayed behind in his room and smashed open the plundered lockbox. He was delighted to see that it contained 300 gold which he stashed in his pack before kicking the broken container under his bed.
Thorfus went to the temple and got a priest to come back with him though the price was left unclear until the priest had seen how much healing would be required. He examined the wounded and noticed that one of them was a Paladin of his faith. He declared that the cost would be 75 gold each and that the price had been discounted for having a champion of the faith amongst our number. Talessin’s payment was nowhere near enough for all 5 men so Thorfus took all the gold he could find on the unconscious members and pooled it with his own gold and Talessin’s but still we came up short. Sthorm finally volunteered 100 gold out of the 300 he had recently accrued and we had the money. Ir’alle was brought to consciousness but the other two after healing were still out of it. Ir’alle shared some kind words with the priest and Thorfus thanked him and sent him on his way.
We rested the night and in the morning Ir’alle prayed for healing powers which he then used on the wounded and brought them to consciousness though they were still exhausted. Galron was feeling melancholic after our humiliating defeat and tried to drink the pain away but even after 4 drinks he felt no different and went back to bed. Thorfus spoke with both Talessin and one of his students asking for any knowledge or advice that could aid us but learned little of use. We slept another night and woke feeling refreshed and healthy enough to go back to the tower.
(at this point I admit I was getting tired and some of the following details are foggy in my memory)
The group went back to the tower and made our way to the double doors leading into the catwalk room. Thorfus and Sthorm listened at the door and heard some distant banging that sounded very much like the banging they had heard previously when the monkey automaton was at the table constructing its fellows. Thorfus opened the doors and we headed through into the catwalk room but fortunately nothing appeared to be different and aside from the destroyed Dwarven automaton there was no others we could see. Galron sensed an evil presence from above and immediately made for the ladder leading upwards with the group following behind.
Galron made his way up the ladder and saw at the top there a trapdoor with no discernible lock. Holding onto the ladder with one hand he grabbed his trident in the other and used it to lightly press up on the trapdoor. The door began to lift but then Galron felt a sudden force push down upon it so heavily that it knocked the trident from his hand and sent it crashing down to the floor. Galron took out his long sword and pushed back at the trapdoor but this time with as much force as he could muster and the trapdoor swung up and open. galron climbed up the rest of the way and found himself in what looked to be Talessin’s personal quarters with shelves stacked with many thick books and a bed and a desk. More importantly, in front of Galron was a sort of pedestal upon which was a clear orb topped with a circlet and what appeared to be a brain suspended in liquid within. Behind Galron was another Dwarven automaton and a human boy but Galron ignored them and charged straight at the pedestal.
Thorfus came up behind Galron and to his horror got a proper look at the boy. The top half of his head had been removed and the brain scooped out. The boy’s cranium was filled with wires and bits of metal and his stare was empty and souless. The boy punched at Galron and hit him lightly but he seemed to have no awareness of what of he was doing. Axel came up the ladder and went for the Pedestal with Galron whilst Ir’alle and Sthorm ascended and moved east towards the bed where it seemed safest.
Galron arrived at the pedestal and grabbed for the circlet, remembering Talessin telling them that without it the overseer would be unable to control the automatons, but somehow he missed it completely. The Dwarven automaton behind him did not miss however and Galron was knocked unconscious to the ground. Axel then attempted to grab the circlet and managed to put his hands around it however as he lifted it a surge of energy struck him and knocked him out cold and the circlet settled back into place on the orb.
Sthorm attempted to trip the slow and clumsy automaton by wrapping his rope around the construct’s legs and pulling its feet out from under it but the rope failed him and it snapped in the attempt. Having seen
his allies go down and having no fear of magic Thorfus approached the pedestal and grabbed the circlet and ripped it off, fortunately the pedestal had not been able to recharge and there was no energy outburst. With the circlet removed both the Dwarven automaton and the boy collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
Ir’alle used his divine powers to restore Galron and Axel to consciousness. Galron got up and for the first time saw the boy and what had been done to him and was filled with outrage. He felt certain that the brain in the overseer’s orb belonged to the boy and that the automatons could not have performed an operation as delicate as brain removal and he therefore presumed that Talessin must be responsible.
Galron went to the lone door in the room and beckoned Thorfus to open it with the key. Thorfus did so and Galron threw the door open revealing that it led out onto the balcony. Thorfus looked down into the street and saw Ethan, one of Talessin’s students, watching over the tower as he had been ordered to do. Thorfus called out and beckoned for Ethan to come up. Ethan seemed hesitant but eventually made his way up.
Ethan arrived and was immediately shocked to see what had happened to his fellow student. Galron and Thorfus questioned Ethan about Talessin’s involvement but Ethan knew nothing saying that no one had been allowed into Talessin’s room and that he had no idea about what had been happening up here.
Galron angrily left the room to confront Talessin with everyone except Sthorm following. Sthorm took the opportunity to search the nearby desk and found a locked drawer which he opened with his lockpicking skills. Inside the drawer was a book with a silver clasp, a wand, and a pouch full of coins all of which he placed into his backpack. He also searched the bookshelves but found nothing except some very thick tomes of no interest in him.
Meanwhile Galron marched into the lucky gam and straight up to Telassin’s room and banged on it with his fist. Telassin opened the door and Galron could see behind him on a table was the destroyed monkey. Galron questioned Telassin about the boy and the brain but Telassin denied having removed the boy’s brain though he did admit that the brain in the overseer was put there by him but he preferred to not reveal where that brain came from. Galron was uncertain but calmed down somewhat.
Telassin was pleased that the situation had been resolved and seemed non-concerned about his student’s horrific end. Galron asked why he should not just go to the authorities and tell them everything to which Telassin replied that not only did they have an arrangement but if the guards were to take the student’s body then he would be unable to investigate the true cause behind all that had happened. Galron still felt uneasy but suggested he would feel better about keeping quiet if they could find the boy’s brain. The group agreed to go back and look.
(I was afk for some of this next part so there may be blanks)
Back at the tower the group scoured for the brain with the exception of Sthorm who said that he felt it was a waste of time and and to come get him from the Gam once they had collected their payment, but really he was just avoiding Tallesin. The groups search took them down to the lower level where they had locked in the monkey which was now silent. They opened the door and found the monkey on the floor totally inert without the overseer to control it. A search of this room revealed a second brain which eased Galron’s suspicions. Finally with everyone satisfied it was time to collect payment.
Tallesin went to collect the money from his desk but found the drawer unlocked and the contents missing. He questioned the group about this but none of them knew anything about it. He seemed troubled by it but believed them and asked them to wait outside whilst he got the money from his hiding place. Tallesin returned and dolled out the payment, a total of 400 gold including the bonus 100 for the overseer and 300 for two preserved automatons but not for the third for which he had already given the money to Thorfus. Tallesin also noted that it would be a bad idea to dissapoint Desrick and so he would give them some but not all of his schematics so that they could complete the job for the Dwarf which would serve as a bonus payment for a job well done and not spoil their reputation.
With the money and the schematics the group then went back to Desrick and gave him the schematics. He was clearly suspicious at how few there were and questioned them about it. Galron admitted that Tallesin had given the schematics to them as a bonus reward to which Desrick asked if they had found any others whilst in the tower.The group honestly replied that they had not because they were more preoccupied with the automatons than searching for notes. Desrck seemed displeased with this as he had sent them specifically to search for the notes but ultimately he paid the agreed price of 50 gold each which came out to 300 gold.
At this point the session ended.