Inside the Colossus - FERA

 

28th of  Planting Low Summer

The Fellowship looks out into a large chamber dominated by a large structure in the centre. Swarmers scuttle and move all around and about the building. Khore-1 advises this is Power module juncture. The caretaker of Fera advises and also that the insectoids have been converting them to nests all over through the body of Fera for their clutches of eggs and infected.

The areas are covered in a green fungus, similar to the bulbous pods all around the room. The green fungus seems to spread from the pods. Gothi notes the electrical / lightning emanating from the charges as the energy. Graxusas notes that some are hurt - assumedly from the electricity. One area of the power module juncture where one of these pools is.

The party arranges a gauntlet death trap after a scouting mission goes around the room:

Graxxuzzaz - after failing to activate the wand and then successfully shoots out a sticky area of webs [20'x20'] in front of the party as Doc fires his musket, Gothi shoots her bow, Kantif as well shoots while Obaz flies up using a multiple of spells. Swarmers poured out to move towards the Fellowship. [DM: it turned into a Tower defense game] Battle started, as the mass of swarmers were cut down efficiently by the heroes. JawBone - Gothi's dog/shark waits impatiently for the swarmers to get close.. it takes a while for them to.

Obaz flying over top has an excellent view to keep the swarmers at bay. Kantiff, pops out of cover and fires using his sneak attack to deadly effect. They summon a fire elemental that enjoys destroying masses of the swarming insectoids.

Gothi continues to shoot accurately and deadly shots with her bow. The foreclaimer ranger staying near Khore-1.

Graxxuzzaz fights the mental blocks to cast his spells blasting many with fire.

After some time, all the swarmers are dead as well as a larger scorpiod, and the Fellowship moves up to the large building. 

With Khore-1's assistance the party is able to gain access to the structure. Gothi notes drag marks where it seems bodies are being dragged further in to passages.

The Fellowship grit their teeth, grip weapons, and move onwards. The party comes up to an iris door that is closed. Khore-1 advises Gothi that as one of the Founders, she can access this area as the automaton gestures to a plate to the left of the door with what looks like a handprint. Gothi places her hand on this and the door slides open to reveal further passage way.

Stealthily as possible the adventurers move onwards. The party can here a humming and it gets louder as the move deeper in. Gothi has many  feelings that this is familiar to her.. she notes inscriptions and pictures on the wall that remind her of - she thinks - her childhood. The ranger feels a contentment even as she feels an emptiness at the centre of her being..

They come to what seems to be an antechamber as Khore-1 reminds the party that the next chamber is the area the insectoids have their egg pods and infected. A large round room, there is a number of pods all around the room, as well as many swarmers fill the area as well as a large number humanoid bodies. In the centre of this room is one of the leaders, it is holding one of the silver rods aimed at the party and lets loose a blast of dark energy right at the group.

The party also ready, attack.

 All the insectoids avoid the centre iris of the round room where the Master stays. Using his rod, a rolling black wave of energy hits the group as if something was trying to control them. Gothi seeming under control of the Master, fires her bow at the party. 

A blast of psychic energy rolls out from the Master knocking all the Fellowship down.

The battle rages as the swarmers and hybrids attack while the Master invokes energy blasts and more on the group. Graxxuzzaz uses his spells as best he can to hit the insectoids as well as Obaz. 

[DM: We have never seen that many NAT20s - 6 and NAT1s - 11!]

Obaz tries to cast tidal wave spell but unable to invoke the magic. The fire elemental still under control

moves in and starts to destroy more swarmers.

Gothi as well as JawBone starts tearing into the swarmers, very much enjoying the taste of the swarmers.

In the end, the insectoids and Master are defeated. Searching, they discover two humanoids that are being infected, and possible to be saved - swarmer hatchling to be extracted. Grax, and Obaz assisting the Doctor, the first is unable to be saved. The second humanoid - a BlackRune dwarf is able to be saved - removing the insectoid and killing it. The young dwarf is still in a comatose state. The rest of the infected are put to the sword before they .. turn. 

On the body of the Master a silver rod is found, which it looked to control the swarmers, an armlet that healed him as well what looks like a bandoleer - with 2 pouches. The rod - about 3' long with 3 buttons. Graxxuzzaz is unsure if magical or not.

Obaz takes a 2nd check of the Master to ensure it is dead. Looking over.. the party. Gothi comes over, and realizes this creature may be a servant of or ally of.. something called an illithid or.. mindflayer. The inside of the tentacles, are curved teeth or fangs, helpful for removing a flesh, or bone.. or similar.

Jawbone does not seem to be interested in eating the flesh of the Master, but does enjoy feasting on the insectoids which tells the parry that perhaps the Master is not an insectoid..

Doc finds markings gear or uniforms of the BlackRunes, caravans and even an elf of the Duchy of Ulek. This reminds the party of what Khore-1 had said, the insectoids had been invading Fera for 100s of years now.

Khore-1 moves to the centre of the room and shuts down, a blue glow encompassing the caretaker. Doc goes on guard, while Gothi closes the doors into the structure. Gothi notes the fungus has receded off the power module. When Gothi steps into the circle area, she feels at home.

Around six hours pass, and Khore-1 reactivates. Addressing the founder - Gothi - "I can now take you to her - Fera = Founder. I have not been there for many of your years - close to 200 years. I do not know what the status is, and suggest you prepare for any eventualities for when I transport us there." Looking at the rest of the group, the automaton, intones, "your what you call magic will be even less efficient there near Her. So invoking it now may allow it to work." 

Khore-1 stands in the centre and looks at Gothi, "Doing this will deplete me nearly of all power, Founder, so I will invoke clarity or a temporal shield on you all."

Khore-1 invokes clarity on the Fellowship [DM-equivalent of a bless spell] 

Graxxuzzaz tried to cast polymorph but the magic does work the 1st time and then is able to polymorph into a firegiant

Obaz does a barkskin

Doc calls upon his goddess and casts divine favour

Gathering around Khore-1 the party waits. Khore-1 holds out both hands over the party. A bluish glow encompasses the party and with a whoosh they are transported.

The Fellowship stands now on a high platform looking down into a long deep abyss. They stand at the top of what Khore-1 tells them is the spinal column of Fera. 2 curved walkways lead up to a set of stairs that lead up to Her. The brain of this colossus. Streaks of blue energy and lighting arc around the large space constantly. Looking down brings a wave of vertigo to all..

Looking up beyond the stairs and ramp, the heroes see a pulsing blue glow. Fera. Gothi starts to hear a voice in her head.. "Gothi..."

In the shoulder of the Colossus

A chamber inside the Colossus - Fera. A Foreclaimer god..? or construct or being...?

The Fellowship - travelling with the caretaker automaton - Khore-1 explore inside the crystalline body of Fera.

[DM: not the actual character models in use here.]

Inside a Colossus

 

27th of Planting, Low Summer

The Fellowship continue the battle with the insectoids in the Crystal tunnels infested with strange glowing bulbous carapace covered with fungus.

Obaz casts Erupting Earth on the area where the scorpion like insectoid is lumbering forward. The massive creature looking back at the automaton, walks right into the full effect of the blasting ground of crystals. Shrugging it off, it continues to move forward slowly through the rough terrain. The druid's fire elemental continues to engulf the other scorpi-pede that is in battle with the automaton. The fire seems to have full effect on the insectoids.

Graxusas flies a circuitous route to then cast Destructive Wave on all the insectoids, killing the swarmers, doing great damage to all the other creatures. 

Fortunately for the Fellowship, the two powerful spells work fine. (DM: magic seems to not be quite as effective in all respects in these crystal tunnels).

The two flying insectoids spray a burning acid that hampers movement, slowing Obaz and Doc for a little. After doing an attack on one of the flying insectoids, Kantif moves back to hide and goes near one of the glowing bulbous fungoid carapaces that are along the wall. As the rogue/monk moves by, it the carapace shudders and bursts with a group of swarmers attacking the 1/2 elf. The party comes to the rescues finishing off the two fliers as well as the swarmers.

The large automaton clanks forward. Standing over 9 feet in height, it steps right up to Gothi and starts to speak in the same language Gothi had yelled earlier.

"Founder."

Gothi looks surprised at first and realizes after some discussion that this creature - called Khore-1 - is a caretaker of the colossus the adventurers are now inside. Khore-1 advises Gothi that once his brethren
numbered over 100. As far as he is aware, he is the final caretaker of "HER". Gothi explains this is one of the Foreclaimer titans. A god-like creature. Her name is quite long probably over a page, and takes a few minutes to pronounce, but in short: "FERA". The insectoids invaded Her / FERA. They have been attacking her for over a century. The battle has raged inside the body of the colossus. The insectoids started at the feet and have been slowly gaining ground, now at the chest/neck. It seems the black 'blaster' gun the hybrids use is actually Foreclaimer 'Tech" - a word from a bygone age, referring to various types of devices and or capabilities used long ago - some would consider magic now. As Khore-1 speaks, Gothi translates and after a while, Khore-1 is learning the common tongue. Asking about the source of power and where the mind of Fera is, the party decide to explore further. It seems that the crystallin passages are inside the bone structure of Fera. The party having entered through the "thumb" of Fera. They will have to travel into the hand, then down the arm and then up past the elbow (on a humanoid

body is the humerus) to the main body then over to the neck and into the
"head" of Fera. The travel along the thumb is over 50 feet, so the party come to realize the vast distance and SIZE of this colossal Foreclaimer titan.. probably over a 1000 or 2000 feet tall... Khore-1 offers to transport Gothi - "Founder" to the heart of Fera as they discuss options. Reaching out a massive hand, the ranger takes it and with a phasing blue glow disappear from the Fellowship. Gothi and Khore-1 reappear on a wide gallery overlooking a massive open chamber  100s of feet wide. A glowing blue sphere about 50 feet across us suspended in the air, lightning arcing off it every few moments. Khore-1 raises a massive hand to point at a gallery below on the opposite side. A massive number of swarmer insectoids pour out and continue to drop onto the sphere. Each time they hit it, a spark and plume of smoke as the swarmer is engulfed in bluelight and disappears. But Khore-1 advises Gothi that Fera's power is diminishing as the insectoids continue to advance upwards and take control of the colossus. It seems the two's entry into the area did not go unnoticed as 2 groups of insectoids - swarmers and hybrids - race along the gallery towards the ranger and automaton. 

Gothi asks Khore-1 to take her back and they reappear at the party once again.

The party moves along the "thumb" and then down into the right hand, seeing a large chamber and four other tunnels - the fingers - and then down into the wrist. As they move along, the party destroy with fire the infestations - Obaz' elemental and Graxxuzazz and Gothi's flaming arrows. Slippery crystalline passages but the party are able with rope, wildshape, polymorph spell and Khore-1 offers to carry Gothi.

Moving downwards, the party makes it to the 'elbow' where the party decide to rest. The next tunnel heads upwards at a steep angle, the humerus. All are exhausted and with Doc on guard the party rest. A
few hours into the 1st watch, Doc is dozing a little arm resting on his musket. as his eyelids droop he hears the familiar - now - chittering of insectoids as they drop all around the party from above. A large number seem to gravitate to Khore-1. The insectoids seem to want to destroy the caretaker. All battle desperately as they had had time yet to regain spells and power. The insectoids are defeated but it looks as if Khore-1 is quite damaged and advises that only time and being close to the KHORE - the large sphere at the centre of Fera - will heal it, where it and Gothi transported to. Khore-1 offers to 'hide the party behind a forcefield, a useful ability it advises that allowed the caretakers to battle the insectoids. This will use much of its power for a full rest - 8 hours -

but the party are tired and supplies and spells depleted so agree. Moving close to a wall, the party look on as Khore-1 looks to shutdown while a glowing blue shield spreads out from it to the walls and all around the Fellowship. A few hours in, the party are awakened to a horrible sight, a vast multitude of swarmers, fifty, hundred, two hundred pass by even clambering over the forcefield Khore-1 created
coming from the passage way ahead towards the hand and thumb - "exit" to the upper world. A strange creature seems to be controlling them, part animal and alien like.. insectoid. It seems to hold a long silver rod that allows it to control the swarmers. The multitude move out of sight up the 'arm' and the Fellowship are able to complete their rest. Khore-1 has minimal power now, but definitely still able to travel with the party. It advises in somewhat broken common, that it can make it to Fera = the head - but will not be able to assist too much due to the massive power expenditure to 'cloak' the party. Using similar ways to travel up the 'arm' - although the inhibiting magical affect stops Obaz's wildshape and polymorph spell. Each time a spiking pain shoots through the druid's head. In the end they able to use a potion of flying to move on!

Travelling up the 'humerus' the party come to the 'shoulder after about a 1/2 hour of flight. A large chamber, a hundred feet wide and another hundred long and at least fifty feet high is seen where in the center is a round tower or large column of silver crystal that is nearly covered in fungus and insectoid carapaces. A number of swarmers can be seen scuttling over and around it.

Khore-1 advises this is one of the main Power Module junctures. It seems the insectoids are trying to convert it to a nest for their clutches of young/infected.. or other nefarious reasons perhaps..

Stealth and avoid or Attack and destroy.. next time, the Fellowship will have to decide.