Horatio takes cover!

Ben and Horatio join the others in the relative safety of the stairwell entrance as Pud unleashes a flaming, arcane bolt at the dangerously-leaning central spire of the massive machine. But it only grazes the tower, and flares harmlessly to one side.

(Ben may choose to hurl his pedestal. Make a ranged melee attack without proficiency; damage is 1d6 bludgeoning plus his strength modifier.)

Matilda watches the wanton destruction with an expression of rapt and utter joy....

Ben:

”I hauled this thing all the way up here, and I’m going to throw it!” says Ben, ushering the others further behind shelter and winding up for a massive overhead throw at the core of the orrery!

Thrown Weapon Attack:  4

Thrown Weapon Damage:  8

Pud stands back watching. He can't help but chuckle. He looks about the room.

"...Anyone else got any ideas? I can try blastin it again?...." Pud says with a shrug.

Ben hurls the plaster pedestal, but his timing his terrible. Like a kid playing a schoolyard ball game, a massive metal crescent moon whacks it right back at him as it hurdles past on its now off-kilter axis. Ben: Make a DC16 Dexterity Save, or take 9 bludgeoning damage from the pedestal you just threw.

The good news: the pedestal has been knocked free of the lightning field, and Ben is free to try to throw it again.

Ben:

"I've got it!" Ben reacts, suddenly thinking two thoughts at once:  one; he may have invented a new game, and two; maybe catching the rapidly approaching pedestal may not be the smartest idea...

Dexterity Save:  7

Ben:

Narrowly avoiding the returning projectile, Ben picks it up on the bounce and this time whirls it around twice to build up momentum, slinging it with wild abandon in the general direction of the central spire of the orrery!

Thrown Weapon Attack (no proficiency):  7

(Damage:  9 )

Wham! The pedestal hits the damaged bottom segment of the central lightning rod and shatters explosively. The further-damaged pole bends and leans even further to the north, and several more interior struts pop. The arms hit the floor with rhythmic crashes on the north side, mangling the flying metal props and sending sparks flying from the stone floor. Electric-sounding buzzes and crackles fill the air as the massive machine begins wobbling like a giant top about to fall over. It seems at the very edge of catastrophic failure... but by the thinnest of fate's hairs, the orrery still stands, for the moment.

With a grin Matilda chucked a cleaver at the damaged pole.

Attack: 11 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.

Pud laughs hysterically as the group can't seem to put this thing out of its misery. But as Matilda steps up, he can see that she means business. He ducks out of the way and shields himself with his magical shield of expression. The magical face on the shield winces and closes its eyes to shield itself from what's to come.

Matilda's cleaver strikes deep in the heart of the central spire.

With a tearing sound, the pole begins to sag further, its revolving arms crashing against the stone floor, the lightning bolts flashing wildly.

Then it all goes at once. A blinding flash of white envelops you, together with the deafening sounds of impact. Then, complete blackness. Those of you with darkvision can see that the lights have all gone out. The Orrery is silent, smashed beyond recognition. Sections of the massive central pole lay scattered around the huge round chamber. One piece pulled part of the upper balcony railing down. Another seemed to have caused a minor collapse of the floor into the Library below.

All is dark and quiet.

Ben:

Unable to see, Ben casts Light on his shield and surveys the scene once it is illuminated.

”Now the machine will never be able to turn people into masks again,” says Ben as he looks around hopefully for the goblin he freed and perhaps some people transformed back by the orrery’s destruction.

Pud's ears ring from the blast. He sits up, shakes his head and shields his eyes as a light emerges from the room. He makes out the silhouette of Ben framed by the light.

Pud yells out to his friends. "Is everyone alright?!"

He staggers to his feet, checks on Rizzo and the looks around the room to see if he can find anyone else. He spots Titaani. She seems to be fine. He calls out to the others. "Horatio...Matilda?"

Matilda stood staring at the ruin she had wrought her face a mask of the widest smile she had ever smiled, " Matilda wins....Flawless Victory.."

" Ok, lets go!"

There are no injuries, at least among the party here. Motherhorn seems otherwise vacant, black, and silent. A small amount of dust remains in the air, kicked up by the collapse.

Then, a small, petalled head pops up through the hole in the partially collapsed floor: Amidor. "Well," he calls out, "there you are. That was quite dramatic! Is everyone all right? Have you found the exit yet?"

Ben:

"We, we seem to be okay," responds Ben, "But we need help finding the exit."  He shines his light around, investigating the area.

Pud fetches a tiny fragment of the orrery and embues it with magical light. He whistles for Rizzo to take the light  the way for him. 

He falls in line with the rest of the group. “Ya, let’s get outta here.”

"Well, an entrance is generally an exit," says Amidor, climbing up carefully through the rubble, Pollenella buzzing cheerfully around his petalled head, "except when it's not. But I suppose the tunnel from the Parts Storage off the Stage Workshop to the Brigganock Mine will do. Then I'm pretty sure I can get us from there to.... where was it again? To Hither?"

"Yes, I'd like to second that motion," pipes in Golmo, peeping out of Ben's pocket. "I'd like to go back to the mine. Not Hither, mind you, but my mine, if you would be so courteous."