Chapter 13: We need the body

General Summary

We tried to open the chest, but we can't open it.
"Maybe there's something about the body," Ash said after a minute, "and that will open the chest? I'll be right back." He scrambled out the door and after a moment we heard, "Guys, they're making new robots." There's a short pause, "I'm gonna take care of this." There's a flurry of sounds and I come out to see him fighting the robots and the giant time travel robot is involved.
Then I got knocked out. I don't even remember what happened, I just woke up and there is a lot of arguing going on.
Ash did something and the earth launched up to grab the giant robot. We all jumped into the fight with Hemlock throwing fire, I threw a bomb. We poured on the damage and it started to shutter. I remembered how things went horribly wrong last time a machine started shuddering and making noise, so I shouted, "Get away from the machine," and we all ran further away before it exploded.
I like to think that's what kept us all alive.
I may be fooling myself.
But, Hemlock and I were able to grab the gnome's body and bring it over to the chest.
That did nothing. So we started rifling through his pockets again, and found nothing. Then DaVinci says, "Why not try the stick pin?" And we put it over the chest and it opened.

The chest was a little underwhelming

Okay, it really did have some cool materials in it, but at the same time. I was thinking for as complicated as the lock was, there was some sort of life-changing magic in the case.
Instead, there were a lot of coins, which is life-changing, so let me take this back. a pair of embroidered gloves, a silver goblet and pitcher, and a couple of potions.
"Guys," Ash said, "Remember we asked the elves to help us and told them to hid the information behind that one rock. We really should check that out." After a lot of searching we found the rock and a delicate aged scroll behind it.
I found a flat surface and carefully unrolled the scroll.

Important notes from the scroll:

• Four keys binding up and twisting reality all in quest of madman who [did not get down this part]
• forge of alchemical energy- already dealt with, that's the giant machine we accidentally blew up
• construct dances through time- just destroyed that, somewhat on purpose
• summoner bringing demons- we think this is the gnome we killed
• unknown, assume a foul creature
• Also, another source used to imprison other thing, yep that's super useful

"I guess we need to find the foul creature," Alfred said. We gathered up our stuff and headed out to the next region of the dungeon we hadn't explored yet.
"Huh," I said glancing to the side, "The weird death portal is still open, but there are no flames." I watched as a creature started to shamble towards us. The robots all moved towards the door. "Maybe we should keep going." I said nervously.
"Let me try something," Da Vinci said since he had the hat pin, "Stand down," he said in a commanding voice to the robots, but they ignored him and continued to gather weapons ready to defend against the portal.
"We should just let them defend that," I said thinking back to how they'd attacked us earlier and it had been a bit dicey.

This new area seems dwarven

I may be wrong here, but this new area feels different from the others. The doors have dwarven runes on them, and battle scars line the walls like someone had tried to breach the doors, but the bronze doors looked new, as if it had recently been replaced after a prolonged battle.
I wandered over to explore the doors and noticed a Warhammer emblazoned on the door, and studied the carvings there. DaVinci headed back towards the other side of the room and started rummaging around in some barrels at the back of the room.
"There's some food in here," DaVinci said as he started eating the food.
"Maybe don't eat the random food you found until we know if it's safe to eat," I said. "Remember some of these people are dealing with potions and stuff. It could be poisoned."
And that's when the bandits attacked. They ran out attacking DaVinci. They were  trolls covered in furs and had hammers.
"Of course," Ash said and he raged becoming twice as large. The bandits all saw him and started jabbering in excitement.
"A jotun!" they all yelled before charging towards him. I threw a spell at the creature as it started to come towards him, and Hemlock changed into a bear. There was more excited jabbering, "Two jotuns!"
They split off and started attacking the largest members of our party.
Ash breathed fire on the bandits attacking him, and Hemlock tore into them. The jotuns slashed and hacked opening up wounds and injuries on my friends.
I reached into my bag and prepped the bomb, carefully aiming my throw and a cloud of healing vapor fell on them. DaVinci ran up and started hitting the fur-covered bandits from behind, and I quickly changed up my plans and threw a spell at the bandit in the middle of them.
One by one the bandits fell and we each used the new abilities the demon had given us to take one of the souls we had to gather.
The fight was over.

Report Date

28 Sep 2023