Chapter 4: Trip the Light Fantastic

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Sep 16, 2025 11:55 am
The bird happily pecks at the tart.
Sep 16, 2025 3:50 pm
"Looks like that's that, then," Wolfram announced as the ogre hit the ground. "I wouldn't mind a piece of that blueberry tart, too."

Despite the heat of battle, Wolfram's stomach protested being empty, so he appealed to the clockwork for some sweet sustenance. Blueberries were some of his favorite fruits.
Sep 16, 2025 5:55 pm
R3N-L3 turned his head to look at Wolfram, before looking down at the bird. "Do you believe that your fellow organic is deserving of blueberry tart?" He consulted gravely. Waiting a second, R3N-L3 nodded sagely before pulling out another blueberry tart from the physics-defying phenomenon that was his pack.

After a second, he decided to pull out a bag of cookies for the others too, reasoning that if one organic needed refuelling, the other models had similar mileage.
Sep 17, 2025 7:27 am
Tzal watched the ogre fall finally from the combined assault of all the others and his arcane spells. He then eyed the bird in the cage quizzically as R3N-L3 fed it tart. "Well, we have got the golden bird from this ogre. The next task is to fetch a mirror from the bottom of the pond. I don't know how I can survive swimming all the way down the pond but it seems a task fit for R3N-L3. Then again, we will have to find this said pond."
Sep 17, 2025 6:50 pm
Hanging the bow up once more, Lauretta moved up beside R3N-L3, assessing him. His resilience seemed never to cease impressing her. "Please don't try to feed the bird human flesh. I don't want to have to kill it if it gets a craving like Wolfram's sweet-tooth." She waved off the bag of cookies. It wasn't the first time she had partaken of the clockwork's baked goods, but there wasn't a strong appetite with the smell of the ogre's sick in the air.

"Yes, let's focus on our next objective, Tzal. Renly may not have any trouble fetching something from the bottom of water, but he might have trouble getting back out. We'll need to figure it out when we get there. For now, I suppose we have to cart this bird around until we see Myxlix again. Maybe we'll find the swimming hill at the pond while we're at it." Lauretta took a cursory glance around at the ogre's former collection while waiting for the others to continue moving.
Sep 17, 2025 8:49 pm
Gently picking up the cage, R3N-L3 clipped it to his armor. "It would be unkind to leave the avian in a cage." R3N-L3 noted, looking down at the bird...Before unsheathing his sword.

"However, the bird cannot promise to not fly away." The warform reflected, resheathing his weapon.
Sep 18, 2025 3:09 am
Wolfram grins at Lauretta's sweet tooth comment through a set of blueberry-stained teeth and then turns to Renly. "It might not have known any other life but a caged one. I think for now we should keep it there."

Thinking about the retrieval of the mirror, should they find it, the rogue has an idea. "Well, Tzal, we can use some rope and fashion a loop on the end. Maybe we can hook the mirror and pull it up from the bottom that way. A clockwork might get rusty after a swim, as Lauretta suggested, and we'd never see him again."
Sep 19, 2025 10:40 am
The golden bird continues to chirp and sing as you proceed through the woods. Several hours pass, and the sun sets, plunging the forest into a gloomy twilight. Finally, ahead the trees open into a small clearing. A perfectly circular pond, 10 yards across, stands in the center of the clearing. Thick green grass grows in clumps on its shores around bramble bushes. The black water is still, but flecks of white appear all across its surface. It gives off the odor of rotten eggs.
Sep 19, 2025 11:52 am
After putting the bird and the cage aside, in Lauretta's keeping, R3N-L3 knelt by the pond's edge, slowly dipping the tip of one metal finger in.
Sep 19, 2025 12:03 pm
As R3N-L3 kneels by the pond, ripples begin to appear on the surface. Moments later, a furry creature surges up out of the water with a gurgling roar! The faerie's short, squat body is covered with dripping yellow fur dripping with slime and clotted with mud. It has thin membranes between its long fingers and toes, each of which ends at a sharp black talon. Its long, thick tail lashes back and forth, sharp spikes adorning its tip!
OOC:
Anybody who wishes to take the initiative may do so now and act!
https://i.imgur.com/1RxszR2.png
Sep 19, 2025 1:56 pm
"I don't suppose you've seen a mirror down there?" Wolfram asks nonchalantly, hoping to disarm the creature with an unexpected reaction that wasn't harmful to the faerie. Truthfully, he could have used a break from all the fighting, and perhaps this creature would understand the question. None of this precluded Wolfram from subtly sliding his hand over his enchanted dagger, though in anticipation of a fight.
Sep 19, 2025 2:13 pm
Unfortunately, the faerie seems to be consumed by malice and spite, and its only answer to Wolfram's inquiry is a furious snarl!
Sep 19, 2025 2:15 pm
"Working Hypothesis: This is the negative afterlife of a major organic religion, and we are currently within it." R3N-L3 droned out.
OOC:
R3N-L3 has heavier armor now, so he always goes last
Sep 20, 2025 1:15 pm
Tzal eyed the slimy creature and sighed, "I was naively optimistic in thinking that the pond will not be inhabited. Now, what do we have here." He pointed out his stuff and hurled a corrosive globule at the creature.
OOC:
That's a critical success with boon.
Last edited September 20, 2025 1:17 pm

Rolls

Intellect (corrosive globule) - (1d20+4)

(11) + 4 = 15

Boon - (1d6)

(6) = 6

Damage roll - (3d6)

(212) = 5

Sep 20, 2025 10:33 pm
Lauretta had walked up alongside R3N-L3, watching him and considering what to do with the pond. Her own growl was likely not loud enough to be heard over the snarling of the disgusting faerie that had emerged after. "No talking with these nasty things, Wolfram! Slay it!" Her shout was punctuated by a vicious swing of her weapon.
OOC:
Doubt a 12 will hit, but I'll roll damage if it does.
Last edited September 20, 2025 10:35 pm

Rolls

Creature's Luck Roll vs. Dire Attention - (1d20-1d6)

(12) - (1) = 11

Great Axe Attack - (1d20+4+1d6)

(2) + (6) + 4 = 12

Great Axe Damage + Holy Smite - (9d6)

(622431124) = 25

Brutal Reroll - (6+2+2+4+3+1d6+1d6+2+4)

(1) + (1) + 23 = 25

Sep 21, 2025 2:37 pm
Lauretta didn't have to tell him twice. To Tzal he quips, "That would have been too easy, and we've had none of that since the very beginning."

Wolfram launches himself at the faerie, his enchanted dagger bursting into an impressive orange/red flame.
OOC:
Such miserable rolls! 😩
Last edited September 21, 2025 2:37 pm

Rolls

Strength attack enchanted dagger (2 boons)/dmg - (1d20+1, 1d6)

1d20+1 : (1) + 1 = 2

1d6 : (4) = 4

Trickery boon/dmg - (1d6, 1d6)

1d6 : (1) = 1

1d6 : (1) = 1

Blade regular dmg/Flame Kiss - (1d6)

(2) = 2

Sep 23, 2025 12:24 pm
OOC:
Ha, its Defense is 12, so Lauretta hits!
As Tzal launches himself towards the faerie, the thing reacts by whirling and slashes him with its tail, wounding him and knocking him to the ground!

The furry faerie snarls as Tzal hits it with acid, then it screeches in agony as Lauretta smites it! Turning its attention from R3N-L3, the monster assaults Lauretta with teeth and claws! Fortunately, she fends off its attacks.
OOC:
Bad dice formatting, but that first attack is a 15 and the second one is a 9 so both will miss. Tzal takes 9 damage and falls prone. @Lcythas, R3N-L3 may act before the end of the round now.
[ +- ] Enemy Status

Rolls

Teeth and Claws, Two Attacks - (d20+2+d6;d20+2+d6)

(10) + (3) + (6) + (1) + 4 = 24

Tail Slash Reaction - (d20+2+2d6h1)

(12) + (62) + 2 = 20

Damage - (3d6)

(333) = 9

Sep 23, 2025 2:23 pm
As the creature swung its tail towards Tzal, R3N-L3 grabbed it with both hands, anchoring the swipe down to smash against the Clockwork. Sparks flew as spikes and scales scraped against burnished steel, but the steel held.

Then R3N-L3's blade stabbed towards one of its eyes, a quick flicker of silver steel against the noonday sun.
OOC:
Luckily, R3N-L3's defense is 21!

Rolls

Attack - (1d20+5+2d6H1)

(9) + (25) + 5 = 19

Damage - (5d6)

(42221) = 11

Reroll if crit - (5d6)

(21333) = 12

Sep 26, 2025 7:44 am
R3N-L3 slices into the fairy as Tzal's acidic globule continues to eat away at its flesh!
OOC:
Sorry, I thought I had posted earlier! Anybody who wants to take initiative may act first in the second round.

Rolls

Corrosive Damage - (2d6)

(21) = 3

Luck Ends - (d20)

(2) = 2

Sep 26, 2025 1:57 pm
OOC:
Sorry for the delayed post. Been slammed with work today. The faerie is cursed and vulnerable (luck ends both) since it failed its roll against Dire Attention.
The gnashing teeth and rending claws are held back only barely by Lauretta's great axe and armor. Her baleful glare cuts right back at the monster after shoving it away. Without delay, she rears back and swings her weapon at its midsection.
Last edited September 26, 2025 6:41 pm

Rolls

Dire Attention Used (Luck Ends) - (1d20)

(10) = 10

Faerie's Luck Roll vs. Dire Attention - (1d20-1d6)

(2) - (3) = -1

Great Axe - Attack - (1d20+4+2d6h1)

(6) + (41) + 4 = 14

Great Axe - Damage - (6d6)

(624665) = 29

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