"ah, Wilfred. I... Archie is gone. She no longer resides within me, but I may still be of use, she taught me a lot about machines, her inquisitiveness and curiosity for mechanical tinkering still dwell within me." Ironmaiden seems a little down, surprised at themselves for how much they miss Archie when it is brought to the forefront of ones mind. They also have no idea that they've very much made it sound like Archie is dead, the nuance of how to approach a social situation like this utterly lost on them.
Wilfred laughs and hugs Reed back! "I'm sorry, I had some things I needed to take care of. I just... It just didn't feel right going somewhere like this when I had work to do back home. But I am here now! And unburdened by any lists of unfinished things!" He says with a smile and he tussles Reeds hair.
Wilfred lets go of Reed as Ironmaiden talks. There is a shift in his demeanor. It is subtle. The warm smile is replaced with one that is rigid, almost locked in place. And his eyes, there is something cold behind them. He takes a step toward IronMaiden and puts a hand on her... it's shoulder. "What do you mean Archie is gone?" His hand tightens. You can almost hear the creaking of metal under his grip. "What happened? What did you do to her?"
"Me? I did nothing, but you were aware if the life drain that was occuring, a transfer of her power to me, it... It escalated, it quickened past the expected rate that I was monitoring. But... Corlith performed a miracle, he was able to save both of us, by all statistical probability one of us should have died, I still do not know how he managed it... I was willing to be terminated so Archie could survive, but she shared that sentiment too, prioritizing myself over her. She is well, but malnourished and physically disabled until she can get her strength back, she is with the survivors on Elturel now, and also with Roo'stor's followers." Ironmaiden speaks, their tinny voice fast and awkward trying to make up for the misunderstanding.
"Good to have you back, Wilf, although I have no idea how you got here", is all Corlith says to Wilf as he approaches. When talk turns to Archie and the miracle he turns to Lulu.
"So these are the two, right? What do we need from them, directions?".
Wilfred's grip tightens some more. His fake smile finally falters into a frown and he pulls the IronMaiden into a hug. "I'm sorry. Thank you! I was just... I didn't want to lose... Thanks."
Stepping back, he nods to Corlith as he approaches. "It was weird, an otter sent me here. But... He missed. But anyways. You did a great job Corlith." He looks around. "Hey, where's Roo and Reya?"
A beaming smile comes over Virro's face, a rarity indeed. He walks forward and gives Wilfred a big hug as well, not sure what to do with himself and unfamiliar with these emotions. "Wilfred, where have you been! So good to see you!! We sure are glad to have you with us, we need you, we need your wisdom. And that glaive, certainly - are you okay?" Virro gives him another good hug, then stands back, fumbling and trying to figure out how to interact like normal people.
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A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
As the band reunites with Wilfred, the two Kenkus watch with mild interest. But as they see Lulu, one of the kenkus gets excited and waves in your direction as if telling you all to remain where you are. "What a deal! Patience is a virtue! Can't keep the boss waiting!" He runs off into one of the trash structures nearby.
Moments later he returns, leading a tall creature wearing a long, tattered shift covered in mud, blood, mold and worse. The hag's eyes seem to move independently of each other as she approaches, her straggly brown hair hanging in front of them. Resting on each shoulder are red-eyed ravens that scrutinize your group. Behind her, a hulking creature built of disparate fiendish parts trudges, moaning and hopping as it walks.
Then both of the hag's eyes focus keenly on your group, in particular Lulu. "My goodness!" the hag croaks, spittle dribbling from her mouth. "Where did you find such a treasure? Freddy, are they a friend of yours?"
Corlith tenses as he watches the approach of the vile hag and her abomination. When she addresses Wilf as Freddie, he is a little taken aback.
"There is no treasure for you here", he says to the Hag. "And more to the point, Freddie. You know this creature? Because it sure seems like it", he asks suspiciously.
"Ah, Wilfred, Wil - Fred, Freddie," Reed says. "I get it."
He then watches the hag's interest in Lulu.
"Yeah, she's pretty awesome, but not a treasure that's for sale or anything," Reed says.
Reed's about to just ask if the hag knows about the sword but he's suddenly not sure if that's a good idea or not. Instead he decides to let Wilfred explain what's going on first.
A relaxes a bit when he hears that Reya and Roo are alright. He didn't even realize how tense he was. "That's good, glad none of you are hurt! Oh there you are Virro-ouff. Hahaha, glad to see you too." Wilfred starts laughing as the normally stoic elf gives him a hug. He pats him on the back "I'm glad to be back. I'm a bit tired. Wandering out in the waste takes it out of you. And it hard to get where you are going. You head somewhere and then you end up somewhere else? And then they have these contraptions zooming all over, as well! I only made it to Fort Knucklebones last night."
Wilfred is about to answer Reed when one of the Kenku runs off and brings back the hag. Wilfred smiles to the hag as she approaches. "Yes, they are friends of mine! These are the ones I was looking for! Everyone, this is Mad Maggie. She's in charge here and has shown me nothing but kindness since I arrived." He says the last bit looking at Corlith. "So mind your manners. I was asking about these contraptions, and she told me that Chukka and Clonk would be the best ones to chat with."
Corlith listens to Wilf's tale and relaxes a little.
"You can't blame us for being a little on edge, bearing in mind where we are. Especially when everyone here seems to be reacting to Lulu like she is a goose that lays golden eggs", he says glancing at Chukka and Clonk and Mad Maggie.
"Assuming treasure is merely a term of endearment, then I am glad to meet you", he says as his gaze lands finally on Mad Maggie, and he inclines his head in respect.
Roo walks up as the conversation is going on, but completely ignores his friends as they work to make heads and tails of the situation down here. He listens to the squawking of the two Kenkus and returns some avian sounds of his own in reply, then steps over to Wilfred and eyes him up and down.
"Ah, Wilfred! About time you joined us in these infernal bowels." He says, bobbing his head up and down in the way he nods. "Ah, yes, Mad Maggie! I am Roo' Stor, Disciple of Fog' Horn and Apostle of Gallus! Buck! You are in much luck today!"
Since Wilf gave IronMaiden a hug and the misunderstanding was all cleared up, the strange suit of armour has been oddly missing from the conversation, though a pair of mechanical legs can very much be seen wiggling half buried in the engine mount of one of the infernal engines as gears and cogs come flying out over head, every so often an "ohhh wow" or "A-ha! that's interesting" can be heard from within the machine as IronMaiden gets fixated on figuring these machines out.
Corlith is a little surprised when Roo appears and starts conversing with the kenku, but says nothing and merely watches the exchange. He is still most interested in how Mad Maggie will respond to his suggestion that treasure is merely a term of endearment.
He watches her closely before Roo moves to speak to her.
Mad Maggie looks at Corlith for a moment, apparently trying to size him up as he questions her intentions. After an uncomfortable moment, "She's a treasure as I know she is a friend of Zariel's and I want to know more! Zariel's fall from grace is well... famous and I am a bit obsessed about the whole thing and well... this treasure you have with you, I'm hoping she'll fill in some gaps of the story!" she claps her hands together as her grin widens with delight.
The larger of the kenku that stayed by the machines while the other retrieved Mad Maggie, slaps IronMaiden's hands away as they start getting into the machinery. He looks to Wilfred with exasperation, "Who are these people? Do they know how to work our machines?"
The other kenku seems happy to talk to Roo in auran, clicking and clucking excitedly. Mad Maggie looks at Roo with a bit of amusement, "My lucky day indeed."
IronMaiden stands back a moment after being pushed away by Chukka. They look at the great machine and slowly walk closer again, the call of the machine to great to ignore. IM digs into their brain on their arcana knowledge and something starts to click. Chukka stands back a bit this time, letting the suit of armor get closer as it appears they aren't just there to pick at the gears and cogs and all the shiny bits.
"the soul cage compressor is fine, you should stop trying to pry it out, you can tell because the infernal plugs are igniting as they should, though...
There! the gearing has some flow problems. Tell me, is there a lot of haptic feedback when starting the machine? Or will it just not start at all? Either way your first port of call should be replacing that gear there, the spikes of a hezrou demon are highly complementary to avoid slippage, but the demonic energy output just floods the engine bay with demonic energy, which only dampens the effect you're trying to get from the soul squeeze. You've probably had consumption issues too right?" Ironmaiden both asks and answers themselves without giving either of the kenku's time enough to speak as they speed through the diagnoses.
Reed watches the hag for a moment as she speaks, trying to decide if she's really as friendly as Wilfred suggests or if she's really working her own agenda (Insight: 4+9=13).
While he does look for insight into the hag's intentions, his full attention isn't given as the vehicles are quite interesting.
"Wagons without horses," Reed says. "Have to be easier than dealing with horses and them not necessarily wanting to do what you ask them to."
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"ah, Wilfred. I... Archie is gone. She no longer resides within me, but I may still be of use, she taught me a lot about machines, her inquisitiveness and curiosity for mechanical tinkering still dwell within me." Ironmaiden seems a little down, surprised at themselves for how much they miss Archie when it is brought to the forefront of ones mind. They also have no idea that they've very much made it sound like Archie is dead, the nuance of how to approach a social situation like this utterly lost on them.
Wilfred laughs and hugs Reed back! "I'm sorry, I had some things I needed to take care of. I just... It just didn't feel right going somewhere like this when I had work to do back home. But I am here now! And unburdened by any lists of unfinished things!" He says with a smile and he tussles Reeds hair.
Wilfred lets go of Reed as Ironmaiden talks. There is a shift in his demeanor. It is subtle. The warm smile is replaced with one that is rigid, almost locked in place. And his eyes, there is something cold behind them. He takes a step toward IronMaiden and puts a hand on her... it's shoulder. "What do you mean Archie is gone?" His hand tightens. You can almost hear the creaking of metal under his grip. "What happened? What did you do to her?"
"Me? I did nothing, but you were aware if the life drain that was occuring, a transfer of her power to me, it... It escalated, it quickened past the expected rate that I was monitoring. But... Corlith performed a miracle, he was able to save both of us, by all statistical probability one of us should have died, I still do not know how he managed it... I was willing to be terminated so Archie could survive, but she shared that sentiment too, prioritizing myself over her. She is well, but malnourished and physically disabled until she can get her strength back, she is with the survivors on Elturel now, and also with Roo'stor's followers." Ironmaiden speaks, their tinny voice fast and awkward trying to make up for the misunderstanding.
"Good to have you back, Wilf, although I have no idea how you got here", is all Corlith says to Wilf as he approaches. When talk turns to Archie and the miracle he turns to Lulu.
"So these are the two, right? What do we need from them, directions?".
Wilfred's grip tightens some more. His fake smile finally falters into a frown and he pulls the IronMaiden into a hug. "I'm sorry. Thank you! I was just... I didn't want to lose... Thanks."
Stepping back, he nods to Corlith as he approaches. "It was weird, an otter sent me here. But... He missed. But anyways. You did a great job Corlith." He looks around. "Hey, where's Roo and Reya?"
Reed listens with a goofy smile on his face.
At Wilfred's last question, Reed turns and points up at the city in the sky in the distance, with all the chains holding it to the ground.
"They're hanging out for a bit up there," Reed says. "Lots of scared people need help."
He then gestures to the pair of kenku.
"So do you know these two? We need their help."
A beaming smile comes over Virro's face, a rarity indeed. He walks forward and gives Wilfred a big hug as well, not sure what to do with himself and unfamiliar with these emotions. "Wilfred, where have you been! So good to see you!! We sure are glad to have you with us, we need you, we need your wisdom. And that glaive, certainly - are you okay?" Virro gives him another good hug, then stands back, fumbling and trying to figure out how to interact like normal people.
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Corlith smiles at Wilfred at the praise, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.
"Well, good for us Traxigor was not accurate. Virro is right, we can certainly use you down here. It's been a lot to say the least.".
He turns his attention back to Lulu, waiting for her answer to his question.
As the band reunites with Wilfred, the two Kenkus watch with mild interest. But as they see Lulu, one of the kenkus gets excited and waves in your direction as if telling you all to remain where you are. "What a deal! Patience is a virtue! Can't keep the boss waiting!" He runs off into one of the trash structures nearby.
Moments later he returns, leading a tall creature wearing a long, tattered shift covered in mud, blood, mold and worse. The hag's eyes seem to move independently of each other as she approaches, her straggly brown hair hanging in front of them. Resting on each shoulder are red-eyed ravens that scrutinize your group. Behind her, a hulking creature built of disparate fiendish parts trudges, moaning and hopping as it walks.
Then both of the hag's eyes focus keenly on your group, in particular Lulu. "My goodness!" the hag croaks, spittle dribbling from her mouth. "Where did you find such a treasure? Freddy, are they a friend of yours?"
Corlith tenses as he watches the approach of the vile hag and her abomination. When she addresses Wilf as Freddie, he is a little taken aback.
"There is no treasure for you here", he says to the Hag. "And more to the point, Freddie. You know this creature? Because it sure seems like it", he asks suspiciously.
Freddie? Reed wonders.
"Ah, Wilfred, Wil - Fred, Freddie," Reed says. "I get it."
He then watches the hag's interest in Lulu.
"Yeah, she's pretty awesome, but not a treasure that's for sale or anything," Reed says.
Reed's about to just ask if the hag knows about the sword but he's suddenly not sure if that's a good idea or not. Instead he decides to let Wilfred explain what's going on first.
"Freddie," Reed adds with a laugh.
A relaxes a bit when he hears that Reya and Roo are alright. He didn't even realize how tense he was. "That's good, glad none of you are hurt! Oh there you are Virro-ouff. Hahaha, glad to see you too." Wilfred starts laughing as the normally stoic elf gives him a hug. He pats him on the back "I'm glad to be back. I'm a bit tired. Wandering out in the waste takes it out of you. And it hard to get where you are going. You head somewhere and then you end up somewhere else? And then they have these contraptions zooming all over, as well! I only made it to Fort Knucklebones last night."
Wilfred is about to answer Reed when one of the Kenku runs off and brings back the hag. Wilfred smiles to the hag as she approaches. "Yes, they are friends of mine! These are the ones I was looking for! Everyone, this is Mad Maggie. She's in charge here and has shown me nothing but kindness since I arrived." He says the last bit looking at Corlith. "So mind your manners. I was asking about these contraptions, and she told me that Chukka and Clonk would be the best ones to chat with."
Corlith listens to Wilf's tale and relaxes a little.
"You can't blame us for being a little on edge, bearing in mind where we are. Especially when everyone here seems to be reacting to Lulu like she is a goose that lays golden eggs", he says glancing at Chukka and Clonk and Mad Maggie.
"Assuming treasure is merely a term of endearment, then I am glad to meet you", he says as his gaze lands finally on Mad Maggie, and he inclines his head in respect.
Roo walks up as the conversation is going on, but completely ignores his friends as they work to make heads and tails of the situation down here. He listens to the squawking of the two Kenkus and returns some avian sounds of his own in reply, then steps over to Wilfred and eyes him up and down.
"Ah, Wilfred! About time you joined us in these infernal bowels." He says, bobbing his head up and down in the way he nods. "Ah, yes, Mad Maggie! I am Roo' Stor, Disciple of Fog' Horn and Apostle of Gallus! Buck! You are in much luck today!"
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Since Wilf gave IronMaiden a hug and the misunderstanding was all cleared up, the strange suit of armour has been oddly missing from the conversation, though a pair of mechanical legs can very much be seen wiggling half buried in the engine mount of one of the infernal engines as gears and cogs come flying out over head, every so often an "ohhh wow" or "A-ha! that's interesting" can be heard from within the machine as IronMaiden gets fixated on figuring these machines out.
Corlith is a little surprised when Roo appears and starts conversing with the kenku, but says nothing and merely watches the exchange. He is still most interested in how Mad Maggie will respond to his suggestion that treasure is merely a term of endearment.
He watches her closely before Roo moves to speak to her.
Mad Maggie looks at Corlith for a moment, apparently trying to size him up as he questions her intentions. After an uncomfortable moment, "She's a treasure as I know she is a friend of Zariel's and I want to know more! Zariel's fall from grace is well... famous and I am a bit obsessed about the whole thing and well... this treasure you have with you, I'm hoping she'll fill in some gaps of the story!" she claps her hands together as her grin widens with delight.
The larger of the kenku that stayed by the machines while the other retrieved Mad Maggie, slaps IronMaiden's hands away as they start getting into the machinery. He looks to Wilfred with exasperation, "Who are these people? Do they know how to work our machines?"
The other kenku seems happy to talk to Roo in auran, clicking and clucking excitedly. Mad Maggie looks at Roo with a bit of amusement, "My lucky day indeed."
IronMaiden stands back a moment after being pushed away by Chukka. They look at the great machine and slowly walk closer again, the call of the machine to great to ignore. IM digs into their brain on their arcana knowledge and something starts to click. Chukka stands back a bit this time, letting the suit of armor get closer as it appears they aren't just there to pick at the gears and cogs and all the shiny bits.
"the soul cage compressor is fine, you should stop trying to pry it out, you can tell because the infernal plugs are igniting as they should, though...
There! the gearing has some flow problems. Tell me, is there a lot of haptic feedback when starting the machine? Or will it just not start at all? Either way your first port of call should be replacing that gear there, the spikes of a hezrou demon are highly complementary to avoid slippage, but the demonic energy output just floods the engine bay with demonic energy, which only dampens the effect you're trying to get from the soul squeeze. You've probably had consumption issues too right?" Ironmaiden both asks and answers themselves without giving either of the kenku's time enough to speak as they speed through the diagnoses.
Reed watches the hag for a moment as she speaks, trying to decide if she's really as friendly as Wilfred suggests or if she's really working her own agenda (Insight: 4+9=13).
While he does look for insight into the hag's intentions, his full attention isn't given as the vehicles are quite interesting.
"Wagons without horses," Reed says. "Have to be easier than dealing with horses and them not necessarily wanting to do what you ask them to."