[Alliance] Chapter Five: Session Twenty-Four
Appearing Characters: Arcturus Mechagon, Elissa Cross, Gilveradin Windrunner, Gulan, Kelsey Steelspark, Liiraluma, Motah Tallhorn, Oki Overspark, Ordos, Ressa Shadeshine, Riff, Samia Inkling, Scabbs Cutterbutter, Seria, Teemo Manabrake, Thal'ena Dawnseeker, Uther Menethil, Velameestra Windrunner, Zagarra
Time-Lost Day 190
As the battle continued, the Gunker flailed and thrashed around. Acidic gunk splashed across the group and the sanitizer bots. One of the sanitizer bots was destroyed. Vel tried to use [Toll the Dead] on the Gunker, but it seemed to be completely unaffected by the necrotic magic. Thus, she withdrew her longbow and started to fire from her position on the ceiling as an arrow sunk into the ooze.
Gil also fired his bow, and the flaming arrows dug into the Gunker, which released toxic fumes. The water continued to surge over the Gunker as it struggled to get out of the sleet storm that was still raining down on it.
A rusty ventilation fan began to spin wildly and chunked into Vel as she darted out of the way, but the wounds began to immediately heal. Uther ran to the last tank of water and cut a hole in it with his axe before jumping down into the spray of water and redirecting it with his shield toward the Gunker.
Luma summoned three more sanitizer bots next to the Gunker which promptly armed their spray guns and began to release streams of water. The Gunker continued to flail and a line of sludge was sloshed up out of the river over Seria and Uther.
More gunk continued to stack on Vel as Seria ran at the Gunker and started to peel sections of ooze from it. Luma summoned more sanitizer bots which also started to spray.
Vel and Gil were dragged to the Gunker by the gunk covering them and Gil tumbled into the water stream while Vel was dropped into the thick sludge. Uther got blasted by gunk from behind him and also pulled forward as the Gunker slammed its pseudopods around.
Vel was entirely covered in gunk and became gooped as she was petrified and sank into the toxic river. Alarms started to go off.
Gil swung his bow into the Gunker with a [Green Flame Blade] coupled with [Shillelagh], and the fire leaped to the gunk on his sister and started to burn some of it away. More toxic fumes were released. Sanitizer bots continued to spray the Gunker.
Seria opened her mouth and released a blast of lightning over the Gunker before she continued to tear at it. Uther also wound up and struck his axe into the Gunker with two strong strikes.
The nearby sanitizer bots started to spray the gunk on Vel, which freed her from the gunk but also burned her with the holy water as the liquid washed over her flesh. The Gunker thrashed around and nearly smacked the newly released Vel, but she was able to block the pseudopod with [Shield]. Uther was able to once more redirect the holy water and the streams continued to wash over the sentient sludge. The ooze separated into rancid piles of sludge and evaporated as it was completely destroyed.
Luma strolled over to the group from the sanitation center.
Vel pulled herself out of the toxic river and promptly set about cleaning herself off with [Prestidigitation].
Vel shot him a glare as the sanitation bots continued to waddle around and spray down the gunk before returning to the sanitation center to refill and continue their job. The overhead sprinklers turned on one more time as Vel finished cleaning herself off. She was steaming as her flesh once again was seared by the water and left her drenched. She sighed angrily and then dried off her hair again.
She then noticed a stain and angrily repeatedly presti’d it until it was finally gone.
Ressa shot Gil a glance that said “I’m getting to it” before she strolled towards the turbine with Luma to set up the explosives in the most advantageous positions.
Vel noticed some rats that were talking amongst themselves as they looked on in awe at the defeat of the Gunker before they took their leave.
Some of Ressa’s comrades also entered and started to collect the gunk. Gil asked her what she was going to do with it, and she said that they were going to simply ensure it didn’t go up with the explosions.
Vel had started to frustratedly presti a stain in her hair. Some of the sanitation bots had started to spray the leper gnomes, which did nothing, but it was annoying.
Luma had taken a look at the sanitation bots.
She then grinned as she shut one down and started to see what others she could get. They were stashed in both her bag of holding and Vel’s portable hole.
The group took a moment to catch their breath before continuing, but they got a message Kelsey Steelspark via the sending stones.
The group made their way to Election Heights to try and spread some counter propaganda. Vel used the [Seeming] trinket to disguise themselves again and Gil used his spellweaver shot to help mitigate some of the mana expenditure.
Vel managed to isolate a building hub with the loudspeakers and broke Uther into it so that he could get on the vocal projection technology while Luma was roaming around tagging riot statements on various buildings with Teemo to continue instilling riots.
Vel set Uther up at the vocal speaker and used [Minor Illusion] to directly translate him into the gnim language with his inflection.
Uther’s voice rang out through Election Heights, and the crowd started to echo the sentiments and ask questions. Some patrol drones started to try and deactivate the loudspeakers, but it was too late as the crowd had already started to get very stirred up. Gil, who had taken a place in the crowd, started to shout.
People started to cheer alongside Gil while Seria began to flip trash cans and setting fires. The group then set off to the Ampvolt Arcade, which was one of the most populated areas.
Vel looked around a the magical illusory billboards that were all over the arcade and she used her magical expertise to effectively overload and replace the illusions to start project calls to battle, riot, and images of gnomes helping each other as a flashing crown was broken.
Gil used [Grasping Vine] to tear patrol drones out of the sky and smash them on the streets.
Luma used [Arcane Hacking] and used their magic to hack various bots to go around flipping things while repeating “down with Mechagon” and “power to the people”.
Uther managed to find some people that seemed to be scared and unsure amongst the rioters..
Uther gave them a big thumbs up.
Suddenly, an old mechagnome started to approach and spat out his cigar.
He directed the unsure gnomes and got them in on the rioting.
Meanwhile, Seria used [Nature’s Curse] from her staff to start decaying some of the anti-riot bots and break down the riot shields and metal.
Mechagon broke out into a full-out revolution with the majority of the populace rising up against their king.
The group then teleported to the Bowelworks to try and get some additional sabotage in. It was the location of a lot of the infrastructure for the Arcforge, and there were combats actually happening in the streets.
Vel used her eidetic memory of the map they had been presented with and managed to direct the group to the key boilers and power plants that could be taken down or controlled and turned against the Arcforged. Luma worked with Vel to get inside and shut off security systems, open doors that were sealed, and otherwise grease the wheels on the entire operation to get everything in control of the Rustbolt Resistance.
Gil, meanwhile, managed to sneak around and redirect or intercept reports and communications. He was also able to interfere with controls and managed to push a lot of buttons that made the Arcforged angry. There was a large red button that he was not leaving the room without pressing it. He popped up near Vel after he was done.
Uther, still in his gnomish disguise, had run into a group of soldiers that were trying to guard a door.
The soldiers started to leave.
The Overseer went to pull out a weapon and pointed it at the other mechagnome’s back and fired. Uther was able to deflect the blow, and the soldiers all rounded on the Overseer in rage and ripped the mostly mechanized gnome apart as they dogpiled them.
Seria shifted into her mouse form to sneak in and then turned into a bear in the midst of the riot defenses and started to rip everything she could get her claws on apart.
As the group wrapped up the operation at hour 7 and prepared to head toward the Arcforge, every single screen, projector, and bot including the devices the Rustbolt Resistance were carrying started to get static, and then the image of a gnome appeared. They were fully encased in steel with bright, glowing eyes. He was sitting on a throne of gears and metal. It was Arcturus Mechagon.
The image transformed into a clock. There was one hour, 49 minutes and 49 seconds. It started to tick down.
The timer continued to tick down.
The forces of Mechagon in a combination of righteous fury and fear at the fact their king was willing to sacrifice anyone that did not suit his vision began to disperse in fear and an attempt to hide. However, the majority of the forces continued to fight and began to charge upon the Arcforged forces with all their might.
The group fought through the streets and punched their way through defensive lines, security mechs, and great war machines as they got to the front of the Arcforge facility. The siege had already begun with the Rustbolt Resistance pushing in as hard as they could.
Kelsey’s voice came over their sending stones.
Elissa met the group at the Arcforge and joined them in the push to the throne.
Vel nodded in acknowledgement. Luma summoned their turrets.
Elissa pumped her fists and threw the Death Adders sign just as Riff flew down to throw the sign and show his support.
Before Vel could even begin to say something, Luma called out that it was an entire thing that Vel claimed wasn’t a thing but it was definitely a thing. Gil mused there were a lot of things that Vel claimed weren’t things that were not things, but Elissa kindly explained the origination of the Death Adders.
The group pushed forward and there was a sizable force of fully mechanized gnomes. However, the Rustbolt Resistance allies were laying into their defensive line, which had been weakened by the sabotage and other machinations. Suddenly, there was a loud whistle, and a bunch of gnomes pointed upward. It appeared to be the HK-8 Aerial Oppression Unit, but as it came down, beams of energy carved a line through the Arcforged.
Another beam charged up and blasted through the front door of the Arcforge. The party was told to get in the facility along with a surge of other allies.
Inside was a massive facility that was equal parts rehabilitation, foundry, and barracks. There were conveyor belts all around that were full of deactivated Arcforged gnomes. Scabbs Cutterbutter leaped from the shadows and broke the neck of one of the activated guards.
The group passed by larger area that appeared to house large mechs that had already been deployed. One chamber was closed, and as they passed it, there was an alarm and the containment doors raised. Inside was something truly ghastly. Curled up and sitting up straight with mechanical wings folded back, was the long steel snout of a mechanized dragon. Its two eyes lit up, and the mechanized monstrosity started to activate.
It opened its mouth, and released a twisted mechanical roar. But then there was a massive crash from the ceiling and it fully collapsed as a fireball careened in. As the meteor flew in, they realized it was a massive, flaming yaungol. It was Ordos.
He slammed into the side of the dragon and they started to wrestle and fight. Ordos laughed with a bellow as other yaungol poured in. His translator called out over the sound of crashing metal.
The group pushed forward as the fight unfolded between the yaungol and the dragon. Kelsey hacked the next door remotely, and they entered the throne room. Arcturus Mechagon was there upon his throne. There was a long bridge with metal rings rotating around the walkway, which the group rushed across. At the very center of a device up ahead was a disk. It was encased in arcane magic with more rings rotating around it. Off the edges of the walkway was a liquid coolant that glowed a bright blue. Heat came from many things in the room.
The walkway opened into an audience chamber before the throne, and on either side were two large statues of figures unknown to them, but they appeared to be mechanical. They had cowls with long beards, but they weren’t quite gnomes. One held a lightning bolt, and the other held a gear.
Beneath them was the throne and Mechagon, and behind him was a large pillar that was gyrating and scintillating. A device was suspended in what appeared to be an arcane field, and it had the countdown on it, which now read 13 minutes. It appeared the be the origination device Mechagon had referred to.
Mechagon didn’t move.
Uther cocked his head to one side.
Mechagon looked at Uther with a face that betrayed no emotion.
Arcturus pressed two buttons on his arm. The countdown started to countdown exceptionally fast, and the minutes started to pass akin to seconds. The group readied to attack, but Mechagon’s form disappeared. As the group ran forward to try and intercept him, a massive land landed on the lip of the platform. And then a second one. A massive, bipedal monstrosity of a machine stood to its full size. It had a glass window where they could see Mechagon inside, where he seemed to be controlling the machine with his body. However, it appeared that it didn’t have legs. Instead the machine’s lower body was jets.
Small motes of plasma lightning appeared up from the ground around the platform.
Gil summoned his magic and then used [Illusory Dragon]. It opened its jaws and released a cone of lightning over two of the plasma orbs and the Omega Buster. The plasma orbs seemed to take no damage, but they were pushed back by the force of the blast. They seemed to be indestructible, but they were moveable, and they appeared to be unstable. The lightning crackled around the Omega Buster, restricting its reactions. The Omega Buster raised a fist and brought it down on Uther. He then fired a number of arcane blasts at Luma.
The countdown that was rapidly counting down started to countdown even faster. The termination sequence was seconds from going off. Three terminals raised as the arcane turret from the Omega Buster fired on Uther. However, the blasts bounced off his [Shield].
At that moment, the ceiling started to heat up and melt away as Vaelastrasz then flew in with the members of the Scales of Azeroth on his back. They all leapt down.
Thal’ena started to weave Quel’delar in the air with red dragon magic into a great blast of energy as Samia slammed her hands together and channeled an arcane force. Ruptures of flame and earth joined in with the fire. Motah started to channel the magic of the green dragons, and vines curled into a great flower that sprayed acidic pollen into the symbol. Zagarra thrust lightning into the attack as Teemo went down to one knee and started to charge energy into a weapon, and a blast of spellfrost pierced the center as the amalgamation of magic burst forward and slammed into the Omega Buster.
The Scales then held their hands out to Gil and charged the rest of their magic into Gil who lined up a shot and fired it into the Omega Buster. The flame caught across the exposed wires. Alerts continued to sound, and the Scales were dispersed into handling other threats that were racing into the room.
Seria rushed at the Omega Buster and slashed into his huge form as she roared. Her claws ripped into the metal and wires as the sound of screeching metal could be heard. Arcturus looked over at Vel and Uther and held out his hand. The hand was launched at them and grabbed Uther, Vel, and Luma’s nearby turret as it pinned them to the ground. He then disappeared and reappeared a small distance away. The cog that made up the Omega Buster’s eye began to rotate and blasted through the pinned group and Seria. Luma’s force ballista was destroyed.
Vel’s eyes immediately went to the nearest terminal and she started to get ready to get herself out from under the hand. But then the entire room started to shake.
The field around the origination device started to warble, and then broke. The entire device started to fall. Mechagon went to try and catch it, but one of his arms was used to pin Uther and Vel. He recoiled his hand to try and catch it, but missed as the device fell into the coolant and short circuited, effectively destroying it.
The Omega Bust tried to [Purge] Gil’s illusory dragon, but Vel used [Counterspell] to interrupt the dispel.
She then used her bladesong and got to her feet. She reached out and used [Slow] on the Omega Buster and one of the plasma orbs. The spectral chains that materialized wove around the plasma orb, and also started to strain around the Omega Buster. However, with a surge of energy, the Omega Buster broke the spectral chains, disrupting the effect of the spell on it.
Luma looked at the Omega Buster and managed to analyze it to get a list of its weaknesses and strengths. Their surviving turret then unloaded a series of shots at the Omega Buster, which then punched Seria and she was sent rolling across the platform. Some of the plasma orbs started to discharge and Seria was knocked around more.
Uther stepped over to the plasma orb by Vel and hit it with his axe, sending it sailing towards Mechagon. He then activated the boosters on his armor and charged at the Omega Buster, slamming his axe into the mech. The Omega Buster launched his magneto arm, but Uther shield bashed the hand back into his face and he had to reconnect the hand.
Elissa ran forward to backup Uther and then raised her ring of shooting stars into the air. They were all launched at the Omega Buster.
The star blasts barraged into the mech and then she put her hand on Uther and a surge of healing rushed through him. The plasma orb that Uther slammed next to the Omega Buster discharged over the mech.
