Enola Yarn – blogpost 39

After a nice study session figuring out what kind of spells Drivvin learned from Hallaster, I have a well-deserved nights-sleep in the tiny hut. I did not wake up at all, the others took a watch during the night.

In the morning, the party discusses what they heard last night. Of course, someone listened to the mechanical worm gnawing through the tunnels. Furthermore, they saw metal wasps that took dead wasps to the big rusty pile and some hobgoblins. Luckily, we were pretty concealed, because the party also heard battle sounds.

We eat some breakfast, and before we take off, I stretch and put Drivvins’ books in my bag. I am still thinking about everything I’ve read: all spells are very powerful… So, Drivvin is difficult to beat in a battle. He might have learned a lot from Hallaster, but I reckon he was already much stronger than I am when Hallaster started teaching him. I’m feeling a bit insecure and distracted. I even fail to see three metal wasps flying toward us. Luckily, the party distracts the wasps and kills them with some eldridge blasts.

After a short walk, we find hobgoblin bodies. Ew, something went really wrong here. I can smell burning flesh, and not even from fire, but from something else. Smoke on the Water runs towards the bodies, and investigates them, but cannot find the cause. Calyx arrives shortly after and concludes: “They are electrocuted.”

We investigate some more, but I am just standing in a corner, still reminiscing my findings. As struck by lightning, I am hurled back to reality when Valentine, Smoke, Calyx, and Farryn are standing next to me again, with frightened looks on their faces. “Oh my god, it is like a big disk with three turrets on the top…” says Valentine.

“Yeah, and those turrets are shooting their ammo at US,” adds Farryn. 

“There is a weird kind of panel on top, I want to check that out,” says Smoke, readying his claws for a climb. 

“But, Smokey, that thing is HUGE – almost 20 feet high!” exclaims Calyx. “Are you sure you don’t want to fly there?”

However, Smoke on the Water already turned around to go to the top of the giant disk.

It turned out to be a heavy battle. At first, we succeeded in staying concealed within the ridges of the cavern, but when I stepped around a corner, the thing targeted me and came on to me – arms blazing. Of course, I did not stand a chance against the big militaristic-looking disk with fire-arm turrets and was knocked out by the attacks.

As Calyx revives me, I open my eyes and hear: “GET TO SAFETY” from Valentine. I see Smoke on the Water about 20 feet above me punching the panel. Suddenly, I get a great idea: to get away from the thing, I can just teleport myself onto it, and help Smoke – avoiding the attacks. I use misty step and appear nest to Smoke. I help him to bash the panel. I see Smoke is trying to get some kind of crystal out of the machine. Maybe that is something that gives the disk animated powers or something. ENOUGH THINKING, ENOLA. HELP YOUR PARTY.

I start pulling the crystal out of the panel together with Smoke. Finally, we succeed, but not without getting electrocuted: apparently, on the panel, everything is connected through an energy that flows like a shocking grasp. I smell my own hair, which is standing up because of the electrical energy. Then, I hear a ‘tssshhhhuuuu’ from the disk, and it stops moving and collapses to the ground.

Smoke helps me climb off the disk and get to Valentine. However, she is nowhere to be found. She has run away. HOW DARE SHE, you cannot just run off: maybe something’s happened to her!

We start looking for her, and I find her near the place we spent the night. Valentine is very angry: “PLEASE tell me WHY we didn’t leave that disk alone when we still had the chance? DO YOU GUYS HAVE A DEATH WISH or something?!” 

I am gobsmacked. Is she mad we attacked that thing? We managed to kill it in the end, right? No guts, no glory. And without challenges, how are we going to fight other things in here? How will I become stronger and Hallasters’ new apprentice? During my time being ABSOLUTELY surprised by my sisters’ response, Farryn already took the lead disputing her arguments.

After a while, I interrupt – now it’s enough. “Valentine, okay, I agree with you that we could’ve left when we had the chance. It was NOT responsible to continue the fight.” 

“Thanks,” she says. “Can’t we resume playing to our strengths instead of just encountering everything without a plan?” 

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.” we agree.

We have a short conversation about our strategy. Valentine says she’s quite powerful, but that her asset is convincing and charming people. Farryns’ strength is his muscle power, and Grond, of course. He is our tank, deflecting attacks to protect the ones without armor. Calyx is our healer and concealer – he can turn into animals and he knows a lot of ways to create potions in all sorts and sizes. “And Enola? What about you?” asks Farryn. I am lost for words. “I… I have powerful magic…” I say. “I can affect a whole area if I want to…” 

“Okay, okay. So Enola is our powerful spellcaster. Great, ” says Farryn. “Can we create a plan now? What shall we do next?”