The Crimson Fist reform in a darkened room full of strange machinery. Slowly they began to advance across the room. They haven't got far when the great machines stir into life and water spews into the room behind them.
They continue the length of the room until they reach the southern chamber (5).
There coiled on the steps they find the Caliginous Dyad in all his draconic glory. And behind him a glowing crystal that can only be the Claw of Yshtamar.
As it uncoils itself a wave of dragonfear hits the Crimson Fist. They are shaken but none of them are adversely affected (not even Ajax whose decision to hide behind one of the pillars is purely tactical).
The Dragon demands to know why they are here and before anybody can give a sensible answer Lorric yells out "Dragon-Scale armour".
Fortunately the Dragon seems to take this as a joke. The Dragon is intrigued by the knowledge that the group can leave the building and tries to negotiate. However it isn't prepared to hand over the Claw and the Crimson Fist are really not feeling in the mood to trust anything even vaguely lizard-looking at the moment.
It rapidly becomes obvious that the talking is going nowhere (and Ajax is feeling more tactically secure) the Crimson Fist rush the black dragon.
However as they strike at the Dragon, ANOTHER Black Dragon sweeps down from above and breathes acid at the Crimson Fist. Acid that not only burns but that clings to their bodies and continues to burn at them as the combat goes on.
The first Dragon flies away towards a platform positioned high in the northern end of the room.
A few short moments later, circular section of the floor retract to reveal pools of water beneath.
Anvil infuses Ajax and Lorric's armour and clothing with the "Whirlwind" property. Ajax in the grip of rage charges the second Dragon alone (and completely misses it).
Anvil picks up Kapek and flies into battle.
With Anvil's assistance, Kapek climbs up onto the warforged's broad adamantine shoulders in order to wield the deadly Desert Blade effectively.
In a vicious aerial battle the first Dragon is slain, the body crashing into an open pool of water.
The second Dragon flies into one of the pools and vanishes into its depths.
Lorric flies up to the platform the Dragon had fled to and finds two empty potion bottles, three full ones and a chest. Also a lever splashed with Draconic ichor.
One of the machines (4) begins to power down in a shower of sparks. A huge water elemental flows out from underneath it.
The other machine (2) begins to smoke and spark as well.
A second elemental begins to form as Ajax, Kapek and Anvil charges the first Elemental.
Lorric pulls the lever (naturally) and the floor slides out to cover over the pool of water the dragon fled into. He then flies over to aid his comrades in the fight with the Elementals.
As the Crimson Fist fight the two Elementals the sound of hammering grows ever louder as the Dragon tries to smash its way out of the pool.
Finally the two Elementals are destroyed. Anvil rushes over and grabs the Claw from out of the steam.
*Ajax comments
*Ajax comments
Ajax is happy with how the group fought. He and Kapek were the solid wall on the which the enemy battered themselves, Lorric whipped around the battlefield like a drunken dervish ripping into the rear of their distracted opponents and inflicting hideous damage and Katerina's healing magic kept them all standing long after they should have fallen.
But it was Anvil, in his opinion, who really saved the day. When the Dragons floated fifty feet above the group, breathing acid down on them it seemed an unwinnable fight. Without Anvil empowering them to fly Ajax is sure the battle would ahve had a very different outcome.
But it was Anvil, in his opinion, who really saved the day. When the Dragons floated fifty feet above the group, breathing acid down on them it seemed an unwinnable fight. Without Anvil empowering them to fly Ajax is sure the battle would ahve had a very different outcome.
The Crimson Fist gather at the overflow pipes (5), one of them is wedged half open, creating a space barely big enough for Kapek to fit. As the sound of hammering grows ever loudly and the metal covering the pool begins to groan alarmingly the Crimson Fist quickly down a combination of Reduce Person potions and mushrooms and shrunk to the right size. Quickly they dive into the overflow pipes and slide out of the Caliginous Dyad's prison.
1. Entering the Chamber
As you feel your form beginning to solidify once more you emerge into a chamber. It is utterly dark save for the dimmest of glows emanating from far to the south of the cavern accompanied by a gentle sound of rushing gas.
The air is warm and damp and underfoot three inches of water cover the floor. To each side of the room, behind great support pillars, you can see several great machines, they stand silent. Behind you to the north a giant bulkhead seals the passage, it is flanked by two 10 foot diameter pipes that slowly drip water into the dark silence.
In the centre of this current chamber you see a great machine, some 30 feet long and 20 feet wide, it stands about 7 feet tall and has several large green crystalline domes upon it.
Ahead the room narrows to 50 feet wide with a semicircular arch to the walls and ceiling before opening out again some 100 foot to the south. From this 50 foot wide “corridor”, you can see side passages, two on each side about 20 feet wide and 20 feet apart. In the far chamber you can just make out another great machine sitting silent in the dark.
After a several minutes the machines stir into life. The green orbs begin to glow gently and a beam of green crackling energy shoots between the two creating a jagged path of green light that dances erratically, spitting occasional sparks into the water with a hiss.
The water recedes slightly from around your feet and from the dark recesses ahead the sound of rushing water begins to get stronger and louder. Moments after the machines whir into life the sound of groaning metal gives way to the sudden rush of water as the pipes at the room’s northern end begin to spew water at an alarming rate.
2. The Mezzanine
This area overlooks the water chambers. On the eastern and western walls are panels and levers that seem to regulate water flow, steam pressures and water levels. All are functional but it is unclear as to what they do.
3. The Water Chambers
These are huge circular chambers, when activated water is sent spinning around them at great speed, the walkway goes through the middle of these chambers and it can be quite an unnerving sight to see the water swelling in the chamber above you. A grate crosses these chambers at the central 30 foot of the semicircular tunnel. The chambers have a radius of roughly 90 feet.
As you feel your form beginning to solidify once more you emerge into a chamber. It is utterly dark save for the dimmest of glows emanating from far to the south of the cavern accompanied by a gentle sound of rushing gas.
The air is warm and damp and underfoot three inches of water cover the floor. To each side of the room, behind great support pillars, you can see several great machines, they stand silent. Behind you to the north a giant bulkhead seals the passage, it is flanked by two 10 foot diameter pipes that slowly drip water into the dark silence.
In the centre of this current chamber you see a great machine, some 30 feet long and 20 feet wide, it stands about 7 feet tall and has several large green crystalline domes upon it.
Ahead the room narrows to 50 feet wide with a semicircular arch to the walls and ceiling before opening out again some 100 foot to the south. From this 50 foot wide “corridor”, you can see side passages, two on each side about 20 feet wide and 20 feet apart. In the far chamber you can just make out another great machine sitting silent in the dark.
After a several minutes the machines stir into life. The green orbs begin to glow gently and a beam of green crackling energy shoots between the two creating a jagged path of green light that dances erratically, spitting occasional sparks into the water with a hiss.
The water recedes slightly from around your feet and from the dark recesses ahead the sound of rushing water begins to get stronger and louder. Moments after the machines whir into life the sound of groaning metal gives way to the sudden rush of water as the pipes at the room’s northern end begin to spew water at an alarming rate.
2. The Mezzanine
This area overlooks the water chambers. On the eastern and western walls are panels and levers that seem to regulate water flow, steam pressures and water levels. All are functional but it is unclear as to what they do.
3. The Water Chambers
These are huge circular chambers, when activated water is sent spinning around them at great speed, the walkway goes through the middle of these chambers and it can be quite an unnerving sight to see the water swelling in the chamber above you. A grate crosses these chambers at the central 30 foot of the semicircular tunnel. The chambers have a radius of roughly 90 feet.
4. The Southern Chamber
The southern chamber opens out into an area similar to the northern chamber. A great machine sits in the centre of the room and several other machines stand against the eastern and western walls. Great pillars support the ceiling some 100 foot above. To the south a platform can be seen with a set of steep stairs leading upwards 30 feet. Around the face of this platform are 8 small pipes, 2 in each face. They appear to be blocked with heavy steel plates.
5. The Steam Pipe
At the far end of the room you can see an area that is elevated some 30 feet above the chamber floor. On this raised area stands a pipe that has been broken and had a section removed. Vaporous gas blasts upwards and most of it continues up the section of pipe beyond the missing section, however some is blown out into the room creating a light mist over the entire southern end of the chamber.
Hanging within this flow of gas you can make out a pale white light that seems to be emanating from something suspended there, a crystal perhaps?
Around the base of the pipe you can make out a dark form, coiled serpentine features are wreathed in scales of the blackest night, an occasional twitch reveals leathery wings that lay flat against the great lizards sides, an almost skeletal draconic face turns to look at you with eyes as white as driven snow, horns curve down framing the terrifying visage. A forked tongue licks as sickly green viscous saliva spills from its wicked maw and the creatures form begins to slither from it’s slumbering position. Stretching it huge wings wide it stands before you in all its draconic glory and speaks.
At the far end of the room you can see an area that is elevated some 30 feet above the chamber floor. On this raised area stands a pipe that has been broken and had a section removed. Vaporous gas blasts upwards and most of it continues up the section of pipe beyond the missing section, however some is blown out into the room creating a light mist over the entire southern end of the chamber.
Hanging within this flow of gas you can make out a pale white light that seems to be emanating from something suspended there, a crystal perhaps?
Around the base of the pipe you can make out a dark form, coiled serpentine features are wreathed in scales of the blackest night, an occasional twitch reveals leathery wings that lay flat against the great lizards sides, an almost skeletal draconic face turns to look at you with eyes as white as driven snow, horns curve down framing the terrifying visage. A forked tongue licks as sickly green viscous saliva spills from its wicked maw and the creatures form begins to slither from it’s slumbering position. Stretching it huge wings wide it stands before you in all its draconic glory and speaks.
