The Balance of Power

[at]

All that holds the bones together are scraps of clothing, the figure uncovered appears to have been pinned under the metal object long ago. Uncovered with the body are a variety of odd looking tools, a necklace with a curious looking cylindrical ornament, and more of the 'hovel' - the two metal protrusions that extend out infront of it are shaped like the claws of a scorpion.

With most of the front uncovered the group get some idea of the size of the thing. It will take half an hour and another spell or digging until around mid-day to uncover it completely.

Garrot notes that the bones belonged to someone quite short, a dwarf perhaps.

[harknail]

Vadania will examine the odd looking tools, then cast detect magic on them and the necklace.

[at]

Neither the tools nor the necklace are magical, though the tattered vest worn by the skeleton has a faded magic to it - likely inoperative given the condition.

[harknail]

Vadania will gather the belonging and bones into a bundle, then put it aside for now to be reburied once the device is freed. She'll cast her second soften earth spell as needed.

I thought it would take 3 hours to excavate without the spells, now it's taking all day with them?!?

[at]

Jun 23, 2014 18:06:36 GMT -5 harknail said:

I thought it would take 3 hours to excavate without the spells, now it's taking all day with them?!?

Not all day, just most of the morning (it's late in the seasons and the days are short, and the group has already spent an hour preparing spells at at least half an hour uncovering what they have already)

It's quite a bit bigger than it first appeared - the protrusions out to the front and either side were not visible before and are sunk well into the ground.

[harknail]

At some point Vadania wants to try a couple of mending spells on the rusted hinge and latch for that panel Garrot found. Might do nothing, might make it easier to open.

"Does anyone recognize what these tools are? They aren't magical, but they look strange to me."

[(George) 3.5./ ZEM ( 4.0)]

george would have much experiance with odd tools would he know what they are for?

[at]

Jun 23, 2014 18:34:36 GMT -5 (George) 3.5./ ZEM ( 4.0) said:

george would have much experiance with odd tools would he know what they are for?

Craftsmans tools of some sort, differently shaped metal objects for levering, poking, twisting and gripping. Some odder than others.

Further inspection of the back hatch reveals what could be a keyhole, a circular hole matching the necklace on the corpse. It would still appear to require some force to push open with the rust though and only two of the group would be able to stand inside the object which - now revealed - appears as some oddly shaped barrel bodied metal scorpion without a tail.

[(George) 3.5./ ZEM ( 4.0)]

" I do what most of them are. They are craftsman's tools, but some of the others are way to odd even for my best ideas as to what they are for. This looks very handy if we can get it up and running. we may be able to brake the sige with this. Garrot are you up for putting a key in place i know that is not as fun but still you get to be inside. Just to be carfull, we should all be staying back from the claws. I don't want to get clawed to bits, when it turns on there is no telling what it will do." He has the group give the claws a wide birth so none of them could be hit or grabed. Ready when you are buddy."

[rhinobullet]

Garrot looks at the scorpion, then looks at George and says "Are you kidding? Of course I will do it! Let's do it now!" Garrot is actually hopping up and down in excitement at the idea of somehow activating a metal scorpion.

[at]

Garrot hops into the scorpion and tries and would-be key - it fits but the hatch is still rusted shut and makes very little sense as it is, as far as Garrot can tell, a door mounted on a solid wall. Even if it was unlocked and freed of rust there isn't anywhere for it to open out to... and Garrot is fairly sure he hasn't missed any hidden joints on the back of the frame.

He does remember however that pushing the levers caused movement the previous night without any need for a key.

[rhinobullet]

Garrot will stare at the levers and randomly start pushing them, though he will try and watch closely to see what each one does. He will keep the key turned in the wall in hopes that something works. He pulls his goggles down over his eyes, and scrunches up his face as he pushes the levers, making "scorpion" sounds as he does so. He has no idea what a scorpion really sounds like so he simply makes a bunch of clacking sounds and the occasional "grrr......whooooosh" sound.

[harknail]

Vadania will keep everyone at a safe distance and shout out anything that's happening on the outside.

[at]

Pulling the levers causes the scorpion to lurch around, though without the terrible grinding sound of metal heard earlier. The movements are erratic and difficult to match to the movements of the levers which seem to function in combination and the contraption bumps and scrapes against the sides of the pit threatening to bury itself once more.

Outside Vadania can see that one of the legs is not moving as freely as the others, seemingly damaged but not impeding the movement to any great degree - though perhaps the reason that the devices movements appear to be causing it to turn as it moves rather than advancing and retreating in anything resembling a straight line.

Cables, bits of rotten wood, and other debris also hang from the right side claw though they do not appear to be part of the original construction.


Inside Garrot peers through one of the spyglasses, banging his head against it as the metal scorpion bumps into the pit again - though the goggles prevent him from getting a black eye. Reaching for more levers he hears the hatch clunk shut above him pitching the whole contraption into darkness and as he fumbles for the lever to open it the ground seems to briefly drop away pitching him off the seat into the shallow water.


Vadania, George, and Ka'lion watch on as the scorpion wobbles forward in an uneven path and then stops before dropping to the ground with a thud as it's limbs snap up against it's sides, a muted splash and a squeak heard from inside.

The damaged leg does not retract fully however causing the barrel-shaped object to begin to tip forwards and sideways threatening to roll away down the forest hillside, liable to crush anyone in it's path.

[(George) 3.5./ ZEM ( 4.0)]

" Cast Entanglement now! that is going to kill a lot of people if you dont."

[harknail]

Vadania prepares to cast entangle if the thing rolls into a vegetated area. Meanwhile she shouts "Put the legs out again before you roll!"

OOC: Ready action to cast entangle if it starts rolling. Is it out of the pit now?

[rhinobullet]

Garrot, laughing to himself, tries to get up from the water and get the scorpion back under control. He is still trying to figure out which pedals work which appendages, but he really wants to know how to work the claws! At this point his self-preservation concerns are overridden by pure joy.

[at]

Garrots first problem is figuring out where the levers are in the darkness - he can feel the thing starting to roll and isn't even entirely sure which way is up.

The object is out of the pit and starting to roll towards the trees. The odds of it killing a lot of people are pretty slim as the group is in the middle of nowhere but Garrot himself may be at risk if this thing picks up speed.

[(George) 3.5./ ZEM ( 4.0)]

" buddy you ok in there? I need to let you know your on the very edge so don't pull any levers. We have set up a safty net of entangle incase it slips. we can't climb in cause its will take us with it. Now first things first, stay calm ok. next try to find the hatch out if you can."

[harknail]

Once the big can starts rolling close to some greenery, Vadania will have the tree's catch it (Entangle spell). Realizing it must be dark in there she asks, "Do you have a sun rod with you?"