The Core (JtA 4)

The Core (JtA 4)
Date	4/23/23
Storyteller	Zoro
Tier	Expert, Easy
Player Characters	Sade Myrsky, Bright Eyes, Vreal Leethal, Bodrukk the Undwarf, Hiromi Hiroaki
Rewards	196 xp, Poisonous Dagger, Dagger of Venom (Sold), Thunder Crasher (Sold), 132gp, 5sp
Result	Success
Author	Markis

The party continues to cross the Ashlands over the course of several weeks. The party finally came to a tunnel and a path up the mountain. They decide to go up, and good thing too, as the tunnel they decided against started overflowing with lava.

The heat became to difficult for Bright Eyes to bear as he became fatigued. As we finally came to the lip of the mountain, we saw a large swath of black smoke hurtling down the mountain. Bright Eyes decided to sit down as Bodrukk picked him up and tried to run for cover. Bodrukk didn't make it in time and was hit hard with the heat of the smoke, but was able to protect Bright Eyes from the heaviest of the hit. Everyone else, except Hiromi, also suffered the effects of the smoke.

Soon after the mountain begins to rumble, the smoke begins to clear as we hear the whooshing of wings as we peer up and see nothing other than a Dragon!!! The party begins preparing for battle!

The Ruby Dragon swoops down to the lava covered land and begins to sink into it. Vreal recognizes it as a Ruby Dragon and points out that it doesn't seem to notice us. He warns us that this beast is very strong and would easily overpower the group. Even with the strength of Bodrukk on their side, there would be no hope.

The Ruby Dragon managed to clear some of the area making it easier to see without the ash blocking the way. The party managed to sneak past the Dragon and soon after the Core once again brings to lay the blue line on the ground for them to follow.

The party finds themselves before a strange site. It looks to be a metal hatch with a bolder on it. We find two pillars, about 3 feet tall made of plain metal that stick up near this hatch.

The Dwarves; Vreal, Bright Eyes, and Sade, begin to examine the metal. Alas, the fatigue makes this too difficult for Bright Eyes. However, Vreal and Sade notice that this is heavily worked metal. Something special has been done to this to reinforce this metal to withstand the amount of heat that is around. Vreal, being a master alchemist, begins to try and decipher what alchemical properties would do such a thing. Even with his knowledge, he is unsure how these craftsmen made this. The craftsmanship is immaculate. Vreal did mention that it was odd that it wasn't painted, though with how nice it still looked, it may be coated with something similar to an organic matter like a wax, though it would be much more complex than that.

Bodrukk knocks. The left pillar begins to hum as an eye of sorts emerges from it. A light comes from the eye and scans the area. A familiar voice emerges. The same voice that greeted us and lead us here from Voml's Core. At first the voice doesn't grant us entry as they don't have any information on Voml, however as Vreal looks at the corpse of Voml, he finds a sequence of numbers which he recites to the voice from the pillar. They recognize it, and opens the hatch for the party.

Gears begin to grind as they try to open the door, but the bolder is blocking the way. Sade and Bodrukk begin pushing on it. It budges a little bit, but doesn't roll with ease. Bodrukk decides to use his Greatpick for it's original purpose and begins picking away at the rock. After some time, he manages to break it apart.

With the hatch cleared, the voice attempts to open the hatch again. The hatch moves to each side revealing a brightly lit set of stairs, made of marble with a very fine red carpet lining them, leading downwards. The party enters.

Once inside, the hatch closes behind them. The air here is old. It's been many years since this has been opened. Its cool in temperature and has a sort of peace to it. Ambient lighting comes from everywhere in this structure.

Vreal calls out: "Anyone Home?" A voice replies, welcoming us to the manufacturing plant. They offer food and refreshments, though the party hadn't left the main hallway yet. As they continue throughout the first door, they see an area that once held food, but has been long neglected. The group moves to a nearby room, and finds a woman made entirely of metal, who lets them know that one of her assistants will be by shortly to great everyone. She appears to be one of the management team here. She calls for Mirabell.

The party gathers in this dining room and waits for Mirabell. While waiting, Hiromi investigates one of the nearby potted plants, but can't identify it. It's leaves feel like fabric, and is bright green. It's dirt is completely dry. It seems like it should be dead. It, at the very least, is very unnatural. Who knows how old this plant may be? Hiromi remarks on the beauty of the area, but doesn't fail to mention the lack of life around here.

The manager once again calls for Mirabell, but we don't get a response. The party grows impatient and begins to travel around a bit looking for her, making sure to stay close to the entry room though. Sade finds some rather interesting statues that have lava pouring from their hands to a small receptacle below, but it is not hot at all. The party finds two other mechanical beings behind a short wall that don't seem to be moving. Maybe Mirabell is one of them?

As they begin traveling further from the entry hall, the manager asks over some sort of intercom to return to it. As we return, she asks if we have seen Mirabell, she describes her as similar in appearance to her, but with a blue tinge to her metal. Sade points to the collapse in the corner of the entry hall, but the manager seems to waive it off. They mention how Mirabell tends to wander off occasionally. Hiromi mentions to the manager the obvious collapse in the corner again, but they don't seem to realize there is a problem, as their readings say otherwise. Sade begins walking on the rubble of the collapsed wall, and the manager asks him to stop playing on the tables.

The manager mentions some sort of delay with trains? Whatever that means. The party informed her that we travelled on foot, and the manager seemed to be confused. They explain the thousands of factories outside, as if they don't know that the world outside has become an ashen wasteland. They've been programmed to stay inside. Hiromi tries to show the Manager a mirror. They don't seem to change their mind about the collapse. They don't see like the 'mortals' do.

Bodrukk asks her name, and she introduces herself as Andrea. Bodrukk asks her to take him to the furthest table, but she just walks into the wall, and continues to walk into the wall. Andrea notices that Mirabell hasn't come yet, and offers to do the tour herself. The party follows.

She mentions an automaton and explains it as a mechanical creature powered by a core, which is powered by a shard of divinity giving them the ability to understand reason, execute orders, and even have a sort of soul. She continues down the corridor. She brings the group to the next room where she claims there are several accounting and servant automatons, but there are none. She asks for everyone to take a seat so she can show them one of her live demonstrations.

The 'Live Fire' demonstration begins as the two mechanical creatures from earlier spring to life. One is wielding a greatsword, the other has a sort of mace and gun contraption in both hands. The one on the left scans and begins to fight us.

Initiative.

Bright Eyes starts us off with a song of defense, and then gives Bodrukk divine guidance. Finishing off with a defensive maneuver and shields himself.

The Gunslinger creature stomps through the walls and raises it's weapons at Bodrukk. He shoots from the mace hitting Bodrukk in the arm. It reloads and swings at the same time, fortunately it misses.

Hiromi flips over the couch and stands behind Bodrukk, She offers Bodrukk some magical defense and gives him a shadowy cloak, making it harder to hit him.

The champion creature's sword is covered in a black ichor, striding forward it strikes at Vreal, missing.

Bodrukk yells in anger as he pulls the greatpick off of his back and swings at the gunslinger.

Sade springs into action as he moves in and tries hitting the gunslinger, who dodges out of the way.

Vreal begins instinctively throwing acid flaks at the creatures, hitting and covering them in acid. However, the champion creature commands him to kneel. Vreal knowing that his honor would be in question if he kneeled before anyone but Bright Eyes, refuses to kneel and takes mental damage for it. Vreal ends by throwing a thunderstone at the creatures, hitting once again, the noise is so loud, it deafens Hiromi.

King Bright Eyes seems that we need some courage as he changes his tune. He spits an insult at the champion, but they appear to also be deaf.

The gunslinger begins to repair itself quickly, but the heat of battle prevents it from doing so. It swings again at Bodrukk. The gunslinger moves back and forth and throws him off guard and his cloak fails Bodrukk as he hits. He then shoots at Vreal, but misses.

Hiromi steps away from the creature and summons her deities divine weapon, which begins swinging wildly, which causes it to miss.

The champion's sword continues to drip with this black ichor. Moving forward it strikes at Vreal, however the black ichor doesn't seem to affect him. The creature swings again and connects.

Bodrukk grows to incredible size as he puts his full weight behind a swing at the gunslinger again, connecting a dealing a fair amount of damage.

Sade closes the distance again and misses again. These creatures seem quite difficult to engage with in hand to hand combat.

Vreal throws another acid flask, this time at the gunslinger, which seems to have a very good affect. Though the acid seems to stay contained to the creature. He draws a frost vial and throws it at the gunslinger again, hitting and bringing it to a resting state of sorts. The group believes it to be damaged and inoperable currently.

Bright Eyes soothes Vreals injuries with great effect, and continues his song of courage. The moral of the group raises.

Hiromi sustains her spiritual weapon and swings again, this time it connects. She tries to send a divine lance with good energy, though it flies right past it.

The champion steps away from the group, but begins to swing at Bodrukk. The ichor still lingering on it's blade. It critically hits dealing a good chunk of damage to Bodrukk.

Bodrukk gains renewed vigor, and strikes at the champion with anger in his heart, dealing a significant amount of damage to it.

Sade strides behind it and swings, bringing the creature to the ground with but a flick.

The encounter ends.

Sade begins patching Bodrukk up, healing a fair amount. Andrea mentions the creatures are rising again to fight, but they remain on the ground. Lifeless. Hiromi begins to focus again.

Andrea lets us know to inform her when everyone is ready to move on. After about 20 minutes, the group continues. She leads the group to a larger room, with large doors on the other side, leading to the manufacturing plant. However, Andrea warned that if the groups goes through there, they would be crushed by 15,000lbs of metal. She brings them to a desk. She says the core and the chassis could be possibly used. She seems confused as to why he was covered in meat. Bodrukk explained that they found him like that. Voml was said to have been a man-servant. There seems to be some damage to the core receptor. She thinks that there was some tampering done to it. Bodrukk cuts to the chase, and asks for it to be repaired. Hiromi asks about personality, and fortunately it seems to be attached to the core. However, Andrea recoils at the core Bodrukk tried to hand her. It seems this core might be something special.

The core is known as the C-Core. Originally the Crisis Core, now known as the Carnage Core. She shows a video of sorts about what it was originally meant for. It helped power a 5 mile wide flying structure that would prevent cataclysms. It would shoot lasers much more powerful than the ones shot at us earlier. The structure was bought by an emperor, but it was soon overthrown by a group of dark wizards who used it to attack villages and threats to them. It was then corrupted again by another cataclysm, the effects of which are still a mystery. The C-Core was lost to them.

Andrea is very surprised that the group got their hands on this artifact. She asks them to destroy it. However, she also claims that there is a modular chassis that would be able to contain the core, though it would dissipate it's power via magical discharges. Andrea says she will get this modular chassis. A few moments pass as the vault door opens, bringing the chassis out. It is folded and bent in odd shapes, but it still quite large. Unfolded it would stand over 9ft tall, but in it's current state, it is closer to 6ft. Bodrukk asks Andrea to activate the chassis.

Andrea places the core into the new chassis. A silence comes over the room. Vreal moves forward in an attempt to assist the fusion. A light begins to glow faintly in it's one large eye. The group begins to back up, though Vreal stays there. The eye turns to Vreal and begins to get brighter and brighter. A hissing noise comes from the chassis. It begins to speak. "Bodrukk"

Bodrukk speaks with it, reminding it of their time together in the mines. At the mention of the Keepers, the group that enslaved both Voml and Bodrukk, the creature summons a large flame from it's hand. After calming him down, he begins to remember the others. Speaking Bright Eyes by his true name, Gareth.

He introduces himself as the Lord of Carnage, L.O.C for short. He remembers being Voml, but is not Voml. He begins taking steps forward. The group reassures him that he will be welcome in the clan still.

Andrea asks Hiromi if she is staying with the 4 of us. She warns her to be careful.

We were told to take things from the gift shop. Poisonous Dagger, Thunder Crasher, Dagger of Venom and 132gp and 5sp were all that the group managed to find.

Andrea wishes us well on our long journey home, but L.O.C tells her to open the portal. Andrea then opens a one way portal to Onadbyr.

We return to the Clan Ashenforge Hall with Voml reborn. The Lord of Carnage has arrived.