Snowmelt 23rd

Minutes

• Grydda asks those of the surface to share their findings
• Tetsu takes the stand
• Tetsu claims to have papers for a board display to showcase a map
• Tetsu fumbles for a moment attempting to display the map and ultimately chooses to pass around copies as he sets the largest on the floor
• Map is of the portions of the grand hall the red team managed to file before they vacated
• Grydda asks which floor the hall is located on
• Tetsu remarks it is on the first floor and the team has little information beyond the “all-covers”
• Upper right of map is supposedly where necrophage huddle is
• Placed a marker on the center of the map denoting a construct discovered
• Andromeda confirms there is still necrophage presence and team managed to sneak past to look at construct
• Yellow machine believes there are sarloths around the region as well
• Grydda confirms another horde encountered during second expedition from Yon’soon’s party and the sarloths
• Captured Sarloth named Beef Boy
• Tetsu’s team learned that feeding Sarloths stop them from being aggressive, can be subdued or distracted
• Second Team discovered a key, fuel rod from Grydda, might be part of it, the ‘floor boss’ construct might have another part of the key or be the key
• Sarloths will not be exterminated
• Grydda theorized the crystal recovered is the construct’s core, though it’s a suitable size for something smaller
• Grydda intends to remove any obstruction in the way, but will be open to using the Sarloths to the team’s advantage if possible
• Cylinder is roughly hexagonal in shape, clarified for Andro
• Tetsu notes there are hexagonal imprints on each floors’ external doors to the lift, possible they utilized a readily available component to power the keys given the arcane nature of the locked doors
• Entire facility has a worrying amount of arcane energy which is why the doors can’t be forced open, needs a magical component somehow
• Grydda confirms the whole complex is surrounded by a dampening field, which preserves the structure and living or formerly living things
• The field is faltering in some areas
• Tetsu also clarifies attempts to inspect the runes on the support pillars
• The ‘eye’ is the catacombs’ ability to steal a soul from its body upon death. Origin of the phenomena and the eye entity is a being of the Ether called the Waking One, imprisoned by the Aedall ages ago. When someone dies it steals the soul, specifically the anima within them to grow stronger. Also what is causing the fungus outbreak as it /is/ the fungus. People who ate the bad meat are likely infected.
• Aedall built the catacombs as a prison for it, but it’s failing
• Tetsu confirms it wasn’t a prison at first, states the dampening fields make the catacombs more like the ether and the first floor predates when the Aedall had started utilizing the crystals as an energy source
• Yellow machine clarifies the Aedall built the place upon a nexus of energy
• Andromeda states the team got fairly close to exploring the grand hall but not close enough to make much out, lots of ether and artifice magic surrounding it
• Tetsu believes the catacombs were a mine first, then made into catacombs afterwards and there are more floors that the group hasn’t seen yet
• States a construct was made to excavate and maintain the catacombs, also used for mining purposes
• Grydda asks if construct hostile or friendly
• Andromeda is not sure, thinks its standing guard or possibly hostile
• Yellow machine imagines it to be delusional like the Archimedean was
• Clarified to be operating off of programming and is still “lucid”. Claimed other constructs don’t respond to its prompting
• Archimedean could be a danger if it chooses to be such
• Yellow machine is named Tamerlane
• Asked to send a construct and test the waters so to speak and come prepared for whichever scenario
• Archimedean does not recognize Tamerlane’s constructs as being from the outside and could be plied to the team’s advantage
• If anyone dies within the teams, no one should try to resurrections
• The more fighting and spent resources that can be avoided the better
• The failing of the dampening fields within one of the camps did disturbing things to the age of a body, would be horrible attempting to revive someone within those boundaries
• Death is worst case scenario
• Lockdown is currently in place and the floor boss must brought, the Archimedean needs to gain control possibly
• Unless the construct can regenerate, the fight/damage can happen in cycles
• Harrison has threatened the people of the undercity and the circus most of all, he wants one last celebration with Arielle as hostage
• Enzo asks how it affects the undercity
• Harrison is a vessel for the Waking One
• Harrison could be dealt with via dealing with the Catacombs
• Grydda wishes to kill Harrison and see if Arielle can be saved to fix the remnants of the circus
• Tetsu states both teams are going in, one will be vanguard and the other on point in the next delve
• Goal is to shut the construct down or try not to blow it up
• Emphasis on working together or much bigger issues will arise
• Some pillars are noted as unstable and may give a boost
• Tamerlane wants to spend more time to research the Archimedean’s schematics to combat the bigger one
• Each pillar is part of a root that transfers arcane energy, which keeps the field going
• Destroy too many and the entire place might shatter or unleash the Waking One
• Construct can cover distance very fast
• Take out necrophages before dealing with construct, lure them away maybe
• Attempt maybe to devise a contraption to immobilize the construct
• Attempt to target the power source in the chest or head maybe
• Best case plan; take out its power, medium case plan; smash it, worst case plan, drop a pillar
• Necro’s not friendly towards construct, avoid it
• Grydda can fight construct
• Try something to act as bait, bigger group and bait could reduce risk
• Plan set
• Tetsu ends the meeting
• Enzo asks for name

• Good portion of the undercity is likely infected, mostly those around the merchant district. Likely still some carriers. Most obvious symptoms are Ether stained eyes, fungus attaches itself to the lungs and intestines upon consumption. While in those places it can still be removed thru surgery or magic. Later stages moves thru the body and attaches to the spine, which point it becomes incurable. Symptoms range from sudden improvement in health to constant sweating and trouble breathing, best way of identifying is Ether stained eyes. Burning fungus with fire causes it to spread but disintegrating with lightning will stun it, though it agitates it to retaliate with full force. Ice, water, medical alcohol neutralizes it, but won’t fully stop it and caution should be used. Fungus absorbs Ether magic but is opposed to Force magic. Using magic weapons with amethyst or citrine crystals will create enough of an opening for a core to be exposed if there is one. If you see eyes, look away and don’t make contact/communicate with it. Makes promises of salvation but wishes to subsume all into its kind. Hearing voices is a common symptom as well.