As the battle rages on between the Butcher’s of Pillory and Lord Kruss the dark knight is beginning to show signs of wear. Lord Kruss rests on one knee as dark blood drips from open wounds in his torso. Without mercy, the BOP continue to inflict pain, penetrating Kruss’ armor and flesh. Then, as though premeditated, Kruss stands and crushes a small red orb between his fingers. A red hue washes over his body as his stature straightens. He dramatically bends his neck as an audible crack can be heard by the group -- he raises his sword gripping the hilt tightly. He attacks. Lord Kruss’ second wind is much more deadly than his first. Three blows at a time he brings the team down again and again. Waves of purple and black energy wash over the group as Kruss shows no signs of pause. The Fey, Nom, and Mokon continue to hold their ground inflicting seemingly painless damage to Kruss. Dorus falls in and out of consciousness as he does his best to keep his companions in the fight. Alora, flying high above the group with great ebony wings, sees an opportunity to finish the fight. Taking a leap of faith and great risk she speeds toward her mighty foe. With a blast of arcane wind she attempts to knock Kruss into a wide pit in the ruin’s floor. The fates were not on Alora’s side as Kruss cuts through her magical wind. Alora giving the attack her all did not prepare to stop if her plans failed as she flies directly into the sword and chest of the dark knight. Her body falls unconscious to the floor. Kruss attacks one last time, defeating the entire group save Fey. (During the entire battle, most specifically the last half, the entire group could be heard muttering incoherently and complaining like small weak children at Kruss’ prowess and ability. It made Kruss infinitely happier than he could have even thought possible. He will never forget the way he made the BOP whine, cry, and overall just be a bunch of pussies. He thanks them deeply for the memories that he will hold close forever.)
Fey notices the sigils on the walls wavering. She quickly makes her way to a window noticing the once solid barrier is now more elastic. She makes one last attempt to contact Eldath for aid. As Kruss approaches Fey. He raises his sword high. Dark red and black flames coat the blade. As he thrusts the sword toward the rogue elf. She hears a booming female voice.
“Kruss did you really think you could escape my sight? That you could hide your deeds? Do so without my boon.”
Kruss stands mid-thrust, his sword only feet away from a potential killing blow to Fey. She watches as Lord Kruss’ overbearing stance weakens. His shoulders droop as if his armor had become heavy. His sword loses its arcane might. And the mighty Kruss seems… less… mighty.
As Fey watches in astonishment black smoke begins to appear from the very air around her until a beautiful, strong, tall woman stands between lord Kruss and herself --The Black Pearl. With a wave of her hand Fey’s companions begin to stir once more -- adjusting to their new found conscious state.
“Kruss, my dear… dear Kruss.” She kneels beside him and removes his helmet and sets it aside.
“Time and time again you have failed.” She wipes away a drop of blood on his face.
“Time and time again you have disappointed.” A look of regret takes shape on Kruss’ face. The Black Pearl sighs deeply.
“A lesson must be learned.” A tear falls down her cheek. A long slender finger wipes the tear away.
Weakly you hear the words. “My queen. I will not fail you again…my Queen… I… I assure… you”
“Shhhhh Kruss… Rest Quiet….” She rests her hand on Kruss' cheek.
“Kruss… you are my Lord no more.” Another tear falls down her cheek.
As Fey looks more closely, she now sees spidering black blemishes covering Kruss’ bare skin. The Black Pearl gently and slowly reaches toward her dark knight pulling a dark tendril from his skin. He winces as the tendril evaporates into the air.
With each of these statements Kruss’ queen removes another tendril.
“You will serve as one of the lowly.”
“You will be one of the downtrodden.”
“You will prove yourself.”
“You will obey.”
“You will rise or fall in grace by your will alone.”
Kruss’ body falls into a pile of dust as his jagged armor and sword falls to the ground empty and lifeless.
The Black Pearl wipes the tears from her cheeks as her voice once again grows strong.
“You,” The Black Pearl looks directly and points at Mokon, “Kruss will be your charge. Do with him and his belongings as you will. Make him worthy.” You watch as a ghostly apparition appears before you. Head hanging, back arched low, eyes to the ground, silent. Mokon instantly feels a strange connection to the apparition -- a pull. Mokon also senses what seems like a distant memory or voice on the edge of his consciousness -- very strange indeed.
“And you,” the Pearl points at Fey,” You have potential my dear.” She snaps her fingers as Fey feels a spark ignite inside her. “A small gift.”
To the entire group she exclaims. “You are no longer indebted to Kruss.” You feel a burning numbness as your Atramentous brands disappear.
As another tear falls down The Black Pearl’s cheek she approaches Kruss. She lifts his chin and looks deeply into his eyes. “Come back to me…” The Black Pearl bursts into a cloud of black smoke that slowly dissipates into the air.
They group hears small footsteps approach as Torin enters the ruins for the first time. “Did we win?” Torin assesses the situation as Dorus acknowledges the young halflings magic prowess during the battle. Mokon collects the once-Lord’s armor and sword, determining if he truly wants to don the potentially evil shielding. Mere seconds pass before he succumbs to the temptation giving his newly purchased platemail to his loxodon friend Dorus.
Mokon approaches Kruss asking specific questions about his past. Kruss's voice sounds less sinister than it had when he was in human answering Mokon’s questions in a manner that seems as though he had little choice in doing so. He explains he had been with his Queen for hundreds of years. He had also made bad decisions during his lifetime before. Alora attempts to ask him a few questions and is met with silence and disgust. Even Dorus’ attempt to convert him to Eldathism through a one-of-a-kind pamphlet is met with silence. Kruss then glides past Mokon waiting behind the large half-orc, and eventually fading from sight.
One last look around the ruins before they leave. Fey tries out her newly acquired gift to produce an ethereal owl to investigate the large hole in the center of the room. She finds nothing other than another new pet -- which begs the question. How many pets does one half-elf need?
The group gathers themselves and decide to forego a much needed long rest in hopes to reach B3n-Ny’s by nightfall as it is still currently early in the day. Axel and a plump Gerald follow behind.
Luckily, few surprises befall the group as the four hour journey to the automaton’s home concludes. Arriving at Benny’s they notice a few changes in the scenery in the past 2 and half years. The large illusory filled nest is no longer perched over the chasm (Nom made sure of that), there are additional large windmills scattered throughout the ridge peaks, and there is an additional grave resting directly beside Tezlo’s wife. Dorus takes the time to say a few words in memoriam.
Approaching the front door Benny greets the group from his orb-on-a-arm form eagerly (for Benny) asking them to enter. As the crew enters they notice the room looks almost identical to their memory of only a few weeks ago. Benny relays that he had not yet searched the archives to match Nom’s map, but would as he was able. Benny also tells the group they would need to acquire thicker leather perhaps from a dragon or ogre to fix the balloon and gives a more detailed location of Milbin’s ruined tower. He also takes the time to thank Nom for being his muse of sorts and then asks the group to follow him down to the lab by way of a Tezlo-bedroom-themed elevator -- of which the group had missed on their previous visit. The group walks toward the elevator -- a robotic purr sounds as Benny’s cat Socket leaps atop a closeby bookshelf to investigate the new visitors. Socket has elements of a live cat with gears, sockets, and metallic plates embedded throughout his body. Benny explains he saved Socket from death making him better than he was and states, “Organic life forms are much more frail and susceptible to death.”
The crew rides the elevator downward. B3n-Ny’s lab is large. A pile of metallic scraps lay in a large messy pile. The low hum of electricity emanates from every corner. A large forge rests against a wall to the north. A handful of small automatons meander and work at their various jobs -- Benny calls them his Struggles. One particular Struggle Version 1 approaches the group. Sparks fly and gears grind as the first generation Struggle attempts to function. It is easy to see that the others are much more advanced. “Version 1 will be melted down for parts soon,” Benny mentions in passing,”His consciousness will be transferred to a newer, more capable version.” Alora, being… Alora decides that she does not want to see V1 destroyed, persuading Benny to let her bring V1 with them to help him learn and return that knowledge to the group. Logically, this argument made great sense to Benny and he agrees. Nom, ever more so excited and impatient to get her new hand all but pushes Benny toward her goal. Just then a second elevator sounds as a teenage child named Omylia approaches. Omylia, in the same vein as Socket, looks to be augmented by Benny. Her right arm is clearly robotic as are elements across the rest of her body. Alora asks, and Benny explains that Omylia was saved from death when her entire caravan was slaughtered. “She is better than she was.”
Benny continues and explains Nom’s prototype hand and forearm is in-fact ready sitting on the table ahead. The hand and forearm are slightly larger than Nom’s organic version. Gears, small lights, and metal shielding make a very impressive robotic hand. Benny tells Nom the process to come will be painful -- Nom is ready. However, Mokon chooses to eliminate the surgical anguish by putting Nom to sleep for the duration. As Nom lay on the table the group watches as Benny’s arm retracts. Long, thin, tentacle-like tubes extend from within. The tubes pierce Nom’s skin as they snake their way up her arm. The tubes retract leaving thin blue wire. The process repeats until hundreds of thin wires protrude from Nom’s stumped arm. Benny proceeds to attach the hand in mere moments. The job is complete. With a smack to the face with her own rotting arm Nom is awakened by Mokon. With a few simple tests Benny and Nom test the arm. A successful transplant is complete.
Omelia departs as quickly and as quietly as she had entered. Although she seems to be very comfortable with Benny she seems slightly more shy with the newcomers.
Benny proceeds to tell Nom of other modifications that can be made to enhance her body. Legs can be replaced for speed or jumping for instance. “Any body part can be replaced, in theory. What would you like to do -- to become better? We, the Struggles and I, can begin to create prototypes at once.” Benny seems almost excited over this prospect -- at least as excited as an automaton can be. Nom (and to some extent Fey) begin to think about the possibilities.
Benny offers the group a place to rest for the night. The lab itself is quite loud with the constant work of the Struggles. The group opts to sleep topside in Alora’s magical and uncomfortably full hut in which currently sleeps -- two half-elves, two half-ogres, a loxodon, one giant mouse/hamster, a small halfing, one sharp axebeak, a V1 Struggle, and a backpack shaped mimic named Chester. Yep… sounds like a great night’s sleep.