DeTess
 The Empire, Long Divided, Must Unite; Long United, Must Divide
-Ashtaran historian, 3437 

The year is 3462 of the Imperial calendar, the 25th year of the interregnum. Since the death of the last Tyrna emperor the Ashtaran empire has been divided into hundreds of independent kingdoms. From these kingdoms three major factions have arisen. The Crimson Throne seeks to restore what once was, blind to the failures that led to collapse. The Jade Wyverns seeks reform, but can't decide what shape that reform should take. The Golden Falcon seeks revolution, unaware that they are being treated as pawns on a larger board. Caught between these three behemoths dozens of independent kingdoms yet strive to live in peace, even as the conflicts of this age of strife become ever more bitter.

Among these independent kingdoms is the kingdom of Espen, the kingdom of the Needle mountains. Nestled in a mountain range separating a region of independent kingdoms from the Wyverns, their gaze must ever be pointed south, ever vigilant for an incursion by their powerful neighbor. Therefore, when calamity strikes in the north and a fortress is wrecked, the few survivors only speaking of a terror in the night, the leader of clan Espen is forced to rely on a mercenary company to investigate the cause.

This mercenary company is known as the Iron company. It was founded by remnants of a fallen kingdom, and now plies their trade all across Ashtara, their three mechs giving them strike capability not far short of a kingdom's military, making them highly sought after. Our tale start as, early in the afternoon, the iron Company establishes camp several miles south of the destroyed Zoran fortress.

***
"Is everyone here? Then let's begin." The deep voice of Darec Vanzier rang through the command tent. Once clan Vanzier's top military commander, age and the ravages of the battlefield had robbed him of his ability to pilot a mech. His keen tactical insight remained intact however, and he now served as the Iron company's second in command, advising his young niece and providing structures to meetings like the oen that was about to begin.

Besides the grey-bearded Darec, the meeting was attended by four more people. First among these was Tyri Vanzier, the current leader of the Iron company and pilot of the Enuma. She was accompanied by two companions, Isra, the feline ferryman of souls, and Umar Briton, the escaped weapon. These three piloted the company's mechs, and where the the companies main strike force.

The last person present was Evar Ironblood, the head of the iron Company's scouts. While the rest of the company had set up camp, Evar had led eight companions to take a closer look at the fortress. It was to him that all eyes now turned, as he began his report. "The fortress is placed atop a large column of rock, nearly 300 foot high." Evar spoke in clipped tones, sticking just to the facts as he rekayed his observations. "The only way to get up there is through a causeway snaking around this column. It's wide enough for a mech, but extremely exposed. The whole fortress is badly damaged. Nearly a third of the column has come down, and the remainder is pockmarked with deep craters. As far as we could tell from our vantage the fortress is abandoned, though scout Sheera spotted several man-sized winged creatures perched on the fortress walls. I'm afraid we could tell little more without scaling the path. I have sent scouts Sheera, Ireal and Varger down the pass to see if there is any movement from Espen's neighbor, the kingdom of Peskar. They should be back with news by sunset."

Evar paused for a moment, one hand reaching up to the burn scars covering his left cheek, but stopping before it could do anything about the old wound's persistent itch. "I would like to note that the craters I mentioned looked unlike any I have seen in the past. They are far deeper than any thing I have seen before. Scout Argerd speculated that they might be tunnels left by some kind of burrowing creature instead, but if so, said creature is big enough to swallow a horse and rider whole. I have heard of creatures like that inhabiting the western deserts, but I've never heard of anything like that in the mountains." With that uncharacteristic bit of speculation, Evar finished his report. Darec gave a tiny bow towards the three pilots, indicating that the next step was theirs to decide.

 OOC thread 
Elbeyon
A small 5’ 2”, what looks like a catgirl, is attending the meeting in her magictech armor. One tail on display as it slowly sways behind her. The bottom half of her face is covered, and her cheeks have magitech mechanical disks on them. Her ears twitch when Darec’s voice calls out and she pays attentive attention. Her sharp eyes look to Evar. 300 feet. That fortress is not too high. That’s a lot of damage to the column, however. Such a fortress would have been impregnable in the past, but now man’s weapons are such that they can tear down a mountain. She listens as he describes perched creatures and, perhaps, nearby burrowing creatures as well.

Isra volunteers her thoughts to the group. Her voice is soft, bright, and pleasant. “The large burrow holes make approaching on foot ill-thought. I agree with the caution about not opening ourselves to encounter whatever made those holes on foot. Even if our information is incomplete, being caught in our Mecha unprepared is better than the alternative.”

“As for the tunnels, that may have been how the fortress was approached by the enemy. They burrowed into the column and up into the fortress. However, if we were to dive into the tunnels ourselves, we may have to face an enemy in disadvantageous terrain. That may be better than receiving artillery fire, if the attackers have already turned the fortress to their control. We’ll have to keep our wits while we approach.”

“It would be best to approach the fortress undetected. I am able to cover our mecha in an invisibility sphere, but if we are unlucky, any burrowing creature under the causeway may be able to detect our footsteps. The hope is that all of them are in the Column. Controlled thrust jumps may help go undetected by any tremorsense. An issue with the sphere is that it covers a very small area. We’ll have to stay packed together. Anyone that goes farther than two steps away will be revealed.”

She presented her thoughts. She is feeling pretty stoked! A small smile appeared. Wielded-people and large burrowing somethings. This sounds fun!

 
 Spoiler: Armor 
 
 
YuweaCurtis
Tyri was standing over a table with her flowing clothes with light plates of armor over it. "I like this plan. How do you intend for us to aim the jumps?" she inquires.
Elbeyon
She was expecting more discussion and sharing ideas. Was Tyri's simple agreement because she thought the plan was adequate, or was there some deeper meaning? Tyri's few words left her speculating the cause. How is a good question. "Our thrusters will give us finer control over the jumps and allow us to travel together. The magics will allow us to still see each other, so we can direct ourselves through hand signals. Sheera's scouting party won't be returning until tonight. If we wanted we could take the time to refit with cable wire. It'd take time, but we'd be able to talk without sound. That would leave us wanting to equip for nighttime, or to leave early morning."
Nightraiderx
Umar silently listens as Isra explains her thoughts on the plan, his hand on his chin. Nodding slowly he replys, "I think the plan is good, minus using thrust jumps,
Mech are known to make noise, so we should lessen our reliance on our flight systems. Luckily I know levitation and we can use that
to stay in the air and use the momentum of our first thrust jump to reach the fortress. It'll last a little over an hour and a half, so we'll
have to move enough to make use of it. The fortress is likely to have anti-mech weapons in the air, so we should be using this at low altitude, they may have
other ways to detect us that are not vision based that may give away our location. Underground would probably be best as we would be able to avoid these weapons, but
I think with low altitude, with the sphere of invis and levitating at low altitude we can escape tremor sense and hope that the anti-mech weapons are in disarray."
Elbeyon
She gives a cocky smirk when Umar joins in praising her plan. She might be better at this than she thought. She was sure someone was going to upstart and try to ruin her idea. "Nyan, Levitation would match well with my invisibility. The thrusters were always a risk, even against whatever these burrows are, purple worms maybe. All this is to get closer. Invisibility and flying will not hide us against any type of decent sensor. My invisibility will fade as soon as anyone attacks as well. That should be enough to get close and learn what to do next. I am good with our plan." She says in approval and ready to begin.
YuweaCurtis
"Hmm," Tyri says, thinking over the information Umar shared. "Sounds we're as sure as we can be about the situation. Good job you two!" Though it was mostly Isra's plan, Umar did add a good bit into it.
DeTess
With the plan established, the meeting was adjourned until the return of the scouts. The Iron company continued to set up camp, while the maintenance crews prepared the mechs for action. By the time the sun set three riders returned, and the pilots gathered back at the command tent to hear the report.

"Peskar has a fort of their own near the foot of the pass, though it is nowhere near as impressive as what we have here." The report was given by scout Sheera, an elvish woman renowned for her sharp eye-sight. "Just a wooden square palisade with towers at the corners. The garrison consists of a single mech, a slow model with long range weapons, supported by about 50 cavalry and maybe 200 ground troops. The garrison seemed very busy with creating a large camp outside their fortress, so it seems they are expecting significant reinforcements. We saw no sign of said reinforcements though, so I don't expect them to be at the camp before dusk tomorrow."

"Thank you, Sheera." Darec replied, then turned to Evar. "Make certain we have round-the clock watch over the Peskar fort for as long as we're here. And prepare one of your men to send a message back our employer. I will write a preliminary report to inform them of potential further trouble at their border." After that, Darec turned back to the pilots. "Will you stick with the plan to go tomorrow morning?"
Elbeyon
Isra hmphs in a good mood for the praise. "I would have been bored staying quiet. I'm helping myself by speaking up." She justifies why she'd give tactical advice when she'd get paid the same for simply being a hired gun.

She leaves the command tent and tries to bum around to trade some alcohol from her endless mug for some smokes. She finds a few mechanics and tells them she wants some auxiliary weapons installed for the mission. While they're busy getting ready Isra grabs the harness from her mecha's cockpit and rides up. She sits herself on Pyre's shoulder and smokes while watching the camp.  She'll drink a little wine from her endless mug too. She lazily watches with a smoke in one hand and a wine mug in the other.

While she waits for the mechanics she practices her magic. She curses and trails evil hexes. Anyone that can hear her down below might shiver from the sheer evilness. A dark omen as Isra casually practices. She sees Tyri and Umar down below. The mission isn't until morning. She scratches her ear as she considers a booty call. Her feline instincts make a herself a fool before she pushes the bad idea away. Tyri and herself need to be in top form and who knows what might happen tonight. When the mechanics get to her mecha she joins them in installing the auxiliary weapons. No one touches her mecha without her being around. They might mess up the arcane sigils empowering her mecha.

When she is summoned again to the command tent she wipes grease and arcane components from her hands. She puts out her smoke and rides the mecha harness down to the ground. She hops off and rejoins the tent. She smells of smoke and very lightly of booze. She listens to the report. She picks up that Darec is only talking to Tyri and remains silent. He must be grooming his successor. Isra stays out of family matters. God knows she has no room to speak.
YuweaCurtis
Tyri would set up her personal tent after the netting is ended. She would get a bite to eat and watch the maintenance crews for a little while before going off to do some exercise and training. Some physical sparring and resistance training against her own magic. The magic wasn't wild, but she knew ways to shape it that gave it more power in exchange for detriments to her own body.

When the scouts return she makes her way back to the command tent to hear the debriefing. When her Uncle speaks up, it doesn't take much for he to realize that he has an issue with the plan. "We should attack them at night, to give them less chance to get a foothold." She says confidently, keeping an eye on Darec to gauge his reaction. Even if she was wrong, she wasn't going to look unsure in front of her company.
Elbeyon
She says to Sheera and extension to the other scouts, "Good work. It's nice not being blind to the world." She chuckles at the poor joke. She trusts Sheera as her eyes.

Ah, there it is. Family moments were so sweet. She looks to Tyri, "Yes, my Lady." She will wait for the meeting to end.
Nightraiderx
Umar leaves the tent, not really saying much as he goes back to his mech.
Umar meditates cross legged in front of the mech, as the crystals on the mech seem to glow with him.
Vorax was a very strange kind of mech, with some parts alien to the mechanics.
After some time he gets up and returns for the second debriefing.

Umar makes himself as small as possible, just absorbing the information as he mentally thinks to himself.
Upon hearing Tyri's suggestion he just gives a gentle nod to agree with her.
DeTess
"I'll have everyone make ready then. Good hunting." Darec acknowledged his niece's command, a sparkle in his eyes the only hint of approval regarding the changed plan.

The three mechs where quickly  made ready for combat, while the Iron company's cavalry readied their horses. While the mechs would be the main fighting force, the cavalry acted as reserve. They would either help secure the fortress once the pilots gave the all-clear, or in the case one of the mechs was taken down, they would rush in to evacuate the pilot.

The plan the three pilots had settled on was a solid one, and between Isra's invisibility magic and Umar's levitation ability the mechs arrived above the fortress about half an hour later.  From their vantage point the destruction was even more obvious. About a third of the fortress had collapse to the floor of the pass, while the buildings of the remainder of the fortress had been smashed to pieces, with not a single building left intact. More of the tunnels were apparent, deep dark holes tunneled straight through the solid rock of the pillar the fortress stood on. The fortresses defenses had all been smashed to pieces.

The stark moonlight revealed a number of tiny winged creatures scuttling among the remains, lesser demons who might have arrived here after the destruction, as they certainly lacked the power to be the cause. Of slightly more note where two human-like figures, a man and a woman with bat-like wings whose beauty was somehow even apparent when glimpsed form a distance with only the moonlight to reveal their features. The two had been lounging on the wall, yet with the arrival of the mechs they had gotten to their feet and where now scanning the horizon and air above the fortress.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

The demons (the succubus and incubus, plus maybe a dozen quasits and dretch) currently within sight would be very easily dispatched, as they are (mostly) unaware you're there, and also just not that strong. If you wish you can simply narrate how you dispatch them with a volley from your weapons, though doing so would require ending the levitate effect (for full maneuverability) and would break the invisibility sphere. It would also be a fairly noisy affair.

You could try to take the demons down while not making too much noise, in which case I want a move silent roll and everyone to either spend a 3rd level spell slot, or roll a d20 + their BaB. You will still succeed at wiping out these demons, but you might take a little damage this way as you keep your flashiest moves back.

Or you could do something else beyond these two suggestions, of course.
 
Elbeyon
Isra's ears flick and she gives a small bow. "Thank you, my Lord." She will wander away after being dismissed. She focuses on her mecha while others focus on their part. When it is time to carry out the plan, Pyre raises a finger and traces air in sulfur/fire runes. "Knowledge desired yet undeserved. I seek to spark hell's fiery inspiration." She casts her spell. She will attach a cable wire to Tyri and Umar if they accept. She will raise her hand and cast another spell. "My god rays pass through our bodies as we avoid the accursed light." Invisibility cast. They execute the plan.

Isra keeps Tyri informed of what she sees over the cable wire since Tyri has limited vision. She tells them what she sees and what she knows. "They're no match to us. I suggest we try to keep our noise to a minimum while we send them back to the abyss."
YuweaCurtis
Tyri nods, both acknowledging the mission change approval as well as the well wishes. She would immediately go to Enuma and spend some prebattle preparation time to meditate and set her magic provide some more appropriate enhancements.

When she sees and hears the destruction she is amused. "That's a lot more through all than I thought." she says over the cable. Seeing the demons, she continues. "I don't think they did this, but their presence here is likely to be from a summoning." Isra put her two cents in about the enemies. "Right, the real enemy is still around. We should dispatch them quietly as possible. I have l some short term invisibility of my own. So I can break off and attack before we drop Isra's. I can also stay invisible while I attack."
Nightraiderx
Umar looks to Isra and then to Tyri as if trying to guage everyone's reaction before bowing nervously to Darec quickly and following them out.

Umar would focus his psionic energies while feeding it into Vorax once they got into the field. he would stay inbetween them but a step behind as he
touched both of their mechs as they rose up in the air, weightless. Upon seeing the demons Umar jumps alittle bit. "d-demons? why are they out here?"
Hearing Isra's plan he nods, yea lets just rid of them." He aims his hard towards the demons, as shards begin to peek out of the barrel on Vorax's wrist,
ready to fire a quiet shot.
DeTess
The pilots quickly dispatched the demons. The succubus and incubus died to the initial volley, and the quasits and dretch followed soon after, falling to blades and small arms fire, though a couple of the demons managed to get into Enuma's knee joint and cause some minor damage before being summarily crushed.

The battle had been quick and, as far as battle's involving giant magitech engines went, pretty quiet. As the last demon was sent back to the abyss silence settled once again over the remains of the fortress. Up close the damage did not seem to be any less ruinous, though as of yet there was no sign whatsoever of the thing or being that tore the fortress apart.
Elbeyon
Isra coordinates with Tyri, “I will go after the succubus. She is my type.” She says to Umar, “Someone paid a heavy price for these demons.” When they’ve established targets and timing, Pyre’s cable wire disconnects from Enuma and Vorax. Her wires reel into an open chest panel.

She moves closer and raises her scythe. She charges forward as she cuts through the air in a 30 mu line.  Her blade lands on the succubus’ stomach as the mecha meets through flesh and bone. She cleaves through as her blade sends out a ghostly slash 65 mu long cutting into the quasits. Her feet landing on the ground. After the battle, she will look over Vorax’s damages but decides it doesn’t need to be healed yet.

With the obvious threats moving towards them out of the way, she gets a chance to look around the fortress. It was a mess like the lord said. Her eyes narrow when she spots a corpse pile that the demons had been stacking. They smell delicious. She will grab the corpses with her mecha hand and carefully place them in her corpse pit. A few bones as well as she tries to take their skulls for speak with the dead. The small pit neatly folded up and stashed on her mecha. She says, “I can sense more in the ruins.”
Nightraiderx
"I really don't like it, they need to die..." Umar is a bit shaken and annoyed as Vorax begins shooting a volley of crystals at the Quasits and Dretch,
a bit of madness gleams in Vorax's eye, reflecting the old Umar beginning to surface. He snaps out of it a bit as the last of his crystal shots end the majority
of the left over demons.

As Isra looks over Vorax, it seems to be undamaged, as if something was healing it during the combat. Umar notices Isra staring at his mech. "I-it's ok Vorax can heal himself somewhat!"
Umar quickly turned his mech a bit to the side, beginning to scan the fortress and the ruins. He was more concerned to confirm the destruction of the anti-mech defenses he theorized might
still be here but not activated.
YuweaCurtis
As the cable detaches, Enuma goes invisible under Tyri's own power. Using stealth enhanced by her family's magics she brandishes her large beam saber and silently cuts down her share of demons.

Invisibility fading, she would land back beside Isra gesturing for her to reconnect the cable. "Let's move forward quietly as possible." She directs when they are reattached.
DeTess
Isra's search for more bodies turned up three more that were within easy reach for her mech, the last of which looked suspicious. Half buried beneath rubble just outside the wall was a corpse of a man. Unlike the other corpses who were wearing either a uniform or their bedclothes, this man was dressed in a hooded robe. There might be more to the unusual body, but that would be hard to determine without investigating the body in person.

Umar's search for the fortresses defensive weapons turned up a lot of scrap metal. Whatever it was that had torn apart the fortress had destroyed the defensive artillery as well. However, mostly buried beneath the rubble of the main keep was a single weapon of unusual quality. Its long adamantine barrel was inscribed with runes imparting an ability on the wielder to more easily find weak spots in its targets. There where some minor dents in the weapon from the keeps partial collapse, but nothing the engineers in the Iron company wouldn't be able to buff out.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

The weapon is a Hv Impact Cannon (III) with a +2 enhancement bonus to hit and damage, and the keen property. It can be mounted on one of your mechs provided you have the appropriate arsenal space.
 
Nightraiderx
Umar looks over the weapon. "heh pretty nice loot, anyone got arsenal space for this Cannon?"
He would bring it back over to the group.
Elbeyon
Isra notices Vorax’s odd behavior but says nothing since he shortly returns to ‘normal’. She does look over everyone’s mecha. “I saw,” she says vaguely, possibly hinting at his moment. She looks at Enuma. The panel on her chest opens as she fires a magic link onto Enuma. She offers the same link to Vorax. “How is she holding up?” The damage looked small, but devils can be tricky creatures. She didn’t want to underestimate them. Their danger was why she wanted to fight the succubus. Her mind was the strongest against her influence.

Isra will collect the two easy to reach bodies when possible. She says over the wire, “We should be able to draw out the tunnelers with noise. That may scare away whoever remains in the ruins, however. Our investigation will have to be on foot, so be very aware that the tunnelers may flank us.”

She looks over the weapon as Umar shows it off. “Good find. Such weapons are not within my specialty, but it is worth a pretty coin.”

She alerts the others when she notices the third body is different. “I may have found an enemy corpse. Watch my back while I retrieve it.” Prye walks over to the wall and exposes its cockpit outside the wall. Isra will grab the pit harness and lower down. She has her scythe at the ready. She sniffs the air to see if the robbed creature is undead. If they appear simply dead, she will move to collect the corpse.
DeTess
The corpse proved to be just a corpse, not an undead monstrosity ready to leap into action. Based on the wounds, it seemed the man had died when part of the wall collapsed on him. He was wearing simple clothing beneath the robe, nothing that betrayed his allegiance. A knife was belted at his waist, as was a purse with a handful of gold pieces. In an inside pocket of his jacket was the remains of a spellscroll, though most of the words and diagrams  had faded and part of the scroll had been burned away. There was also a simple map of the fortress, with one of the armories and the central keep circled in red, with a line connecting the two. A line of seemingly random letters and numbers was on the back of the map. The man carried a small leather pouch a round his neck, and inside the pouch was a small bronze amulet, showing an owl's head within a pentagram.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

You can roll a spellcraft to try and identify the kind of spell the scroll might have held. A knowledge (local) can identify the amulet, and a decypher script could break the code on the back of the map.

the purse contains 12 gp.
 

 
 Spoiler: nightraiderx 

You don't have to bother with the knowledge(local). The owl's head is the symbol of the organization that made you what you are. You know they are organized in a variety of different cells with different purposes. The pentagram indicates the bearer was a member of a cell specializing in magical sabotage, while the bronze material indicates he was a lower-ranking member. You yourself where never given an amulet like that, as you hadn't joined willingly. Instead you had a tattoo with the owl's head in front of a pair of crossed swords. Whether you still have it or had it removed after escaping I'll leave up to you.

As you have some familiarity with this organization's codes you can add +5 to the roll you make.
 
YuweaCurtis
"See anything of note?" Tyri asks when they are linked back together. "I'd prefer to be topped up just in case a difficult enemy appears. But I can manage and it might be better to reserve your magic." She turns to Vorax, "Stealth communications, use the wire. That is a nice find though. It's a bit big for me to equip without serious moving something around."

When Isra hops out, Tyri watches her immediate area. She trains her Vulcans in anticipation to fire on anything moving that's not the catgirl.
Elbeyon
She trusts her nose more than her eyes. She holds her scythe in one hand as she uses the other now free hand to turn the corpse. She works to free the body and any information it may have on it. She ignores the juicy smells on her magitech greaves. She searches the man with her scythe leaning against her shoulder. A ruined scroll. Gold~ A lovely find. She finds the map in his pocket and curiously looks it over now. She says up to the mecha watching over here. "I might have found something." She shows them the items before she hogs them to examine the map. A 'treasure map', such fun. It reminds her of her old ruin diving days - old being subjective for the twenty-one year old.

She chants, "Darkness untold, belong to me devil's sight."

 
 Spoiler: Rolls 
Decipher Script 30
Kn. Local
 (1d20+15)[ 26 ] 
Spellcraft 27
 
Elbeyon
Isra's eyes become pure black as she loses her pupils.
Elbeyon
Unable to identify the scroll, she chants another spell. "Layer upon layer, eyes unbound by ignorance." She'll sniff the air for the type of magic they might have used. Her search concluded, she uses the hand-hold to raise up to her mecha's shoulder and grab the corpse pit off it. "The man used a very powerful calling spell. I was unable to identify it, but whatever was called was not the demon's we fought. There is something bigger around here." She lowers herself down and opens a dark pit filled with corpses. She puts a foot on the dead man and pushes him into the pit. She rolls the pit up.

She will start her trip back up as she steps into her mecha's stirup. "I was able to find their target. They took a route nearby the armory to get into the central keep."
Nightraiderx
Umar would flinch a bit hearing Tyri reminder covering his mouth and using the cable. "Sorry about that got too excited over the find." As Umar watched Isra recite her spells he would still feel uneasy on the way they were casted. He was glad that his magic only needed his willpower to activate it, without having to say silly lines or wave his hands around.

Umar eyes casually scanned the pendant, going pale as he recognized the symbol. "No... It can't be... damn it the last thing I wanted to see." He muttered under his breath as he nervously itched at his left shoulder. Despite his best efforts, he could rid of the scar left behind by that organization.

Vorax's pod would open and Umar would climb down. Umar would awkwardly walk up to Isra after she attempted her second spell. "Th-that pendant, I know which organization it's from." He would wait for her reaction before continuing further.
Elbeyon
She wraps the pendent in cloth and offers it to him. "Careful. Who knows what is cursed when dealing with demon summoners." She is a bit wide-eyed at Umar being so shook. She isn't sure how to respond so she tries to let the awkward moment pass and hopes that he'll continue without her comforting him. "Which?" she asks him.
YuweaCurtis
Tyri watches vigilantly from her mech. She leans over her controls and sighs.
Nightraiderx
"They aren't cursed it's a ranking symbol from O.W.L. you guys remember
it was one of your early missions and you attacked that depot? It was an
O.W.L. outpost and I was trapped deep in the mountain, I got free due to the destruction
of the generator." He would take the pendant from Isra and point to various parts.
"The pentagram here would represent the division they were in, they were tasked with summoning demons for
magical sabotage. And the bronze material is their ranking within Owl. The instructors would inform us to look
out for other sections symbols so there wasn't friendly fire. Though  I wasn't quite a member," He would show
a tattoo poorly covered up of an owl with twin swords on his shoulder. "This was the marking of the weapons of war
division to artificially create pilots..."
Elbeyon
"That's good." She agrees. "Cultists and curses go hand in hand, and I don't want to die to a piece of cheap jewelry in bed."

She lightly nods to his question. How could she forgot. That place was evil.

She isn't sure how to respond. She knows she should comfort him or say something at least, but nothing comes at all. "I see." She stands there awkwardly. Why couldn't the attack be some nobles in mecha? Why does it have to be so messy? This mission is already a headache and probably going to be the death of her. she doesn't want involved with people that perform tests on people. She shivers at the thought of her taking human form. Such an ugly night.
Nightraiderx
Umar would notice Isra's awkward reaction and wave his hands in front of her. "I mean it's in the past can only work on the future and weaken their forces. but now the question I have is who took this guy out?"
DeTess
Observing the body from up close now, Umar could see part of the man's skull was caved in, and his arm and leg on the same side were broken. Given where he was found it seemed likely a collapsing wall had done him in, rather than a deliberate attack.
Elbeyon
Isra looks at Umar like he's a weirdo. She wasn't that out of it was she? "It looked like the wall fell on him." Good. Umar kept talking. "I don't think there is much else to find here. We found their target. Let's retrace their steps and see what else we can learn." She grabs her mecha's stirrup and raise to the cockpit. She gets in and grabs the controls. The cockpit closing.

She talks over the cable wire to Tyri. "We have a solid lead. The man down their is an O.W.L. Cultist. They summoned something big which likely summoned the smaller demon's around here. They died from the wall collapsing. They were after something in the central keep. They got in through the armory. We should head there now and try to find their secret route. We can retrace their route while moving towards their target." Isra will pilot to try to find the armory. If/Once they get to the armory she'll peek around with the mecha to make sure they're in the clear before she goes on foot to better search the area.
DeTess
The armory was found easily enough  while following the directions on the map, though like most buildings in the fortress, it had been reduced to little more than a ruin. The front half had collapsed, but the back portion pof the armory the map mentioned could be reached by clambering over the rubble. No threats revealed themselves, though Isra would notice three bodies mostly burred under the rubble. All of them seemed to belong to inhabitants of the fortress, and it would be a bit of work to dig them out.

In the back of the armory there was indeed a crate marked with an owl's head, behind which a narrow tunnel led deeper into the ground, in the direction of the main keep. The tunnel was just barely big enough for a man to pass through while crawling.
Nightraiderx
Umar nods, a bit relieved she wasn't dwelling on the subject and scrambles back to Vorax to follow them to the next point of interest.
Umar kept thinking to himself if something fell on them what crumbled this fortress this much? I've never though summoning demons would
cause so much rucku- then Umar just palms his head like an idiot. Probably was the creature digging that caused all this.
YuweaCurtis
Tyri follows Isra as she makes her way to the armory. She helps clear the rubble as they look. Seeing the hidden tunnel revealed she sighs. "Should we all go in? Maybe have someone stay in a mech topside?"
Elbeyon
Isra sticks her head in the tunnel then raises back to look at the others. "No, I'll be the only one that goes in the tunnel. It's too small for any to safely enter. I'll follow the tunnel and signal the group at the keep. The tunnel likely doesn't contain any information. I want to be through. You can follow along the tunnel from above, but I am not sure how I would get your attention if something were to happen."
Nightraiderx
Umar thinks to himself, "that' the problem, I'd rather not send just one person into the unknown, I can fit in that too.
I've learned to manipulate my body for small crevice. Also you aren't quite the stealthy kind, Isra." He'd rub the back of his head.
YuweaCurtis
"Basically my thought, just I approached it from the other side." Tyri says. "Though there's probably no reason for more than one person to go in the tunnel."
Nightraiderx
"I think I should be the one to go, I was trained for Recon. Yea the tight space will be annoying but I don't really need hands to counter attack anything that did attack me."
Umar would get down from his mech and utilize his escape artist skill. "I can make it just will be alittle tight that's all." he would whisper.
Elbeyon
Isra shrugs in her mecha. Umar seems eager to do the dirty job. "Alright. We'll walk at a slow pace and hope we can hear you if you sound like you're dying."
YuweaCurtis
Tyri looks over at Isra and shrugs. "Alright then. Be careful. Well keep an eye out topside."
DeTess
Umar easily made his way through the tunnel. By some minor miracle it had not collapsed during the violence that wrecked the rest of the fortress, and after a tense few minutes Umar made it out the other end. The tunnel had been leading slightly downwards, and the area Umar found himself in looked like a large storage basement of sorts. Crates and barrels lined the walls, but in the middle a giant magical circle had been drawn. In the darkness it was hard to make out what it was drawn with, but the three corpses in the attire of soldiers lying next to the diagram with their throats neatly slid made a  sinister suggestion. The diagram was easily 20 foot across.

Right above the diagram was a hole in the ceiling, about the same diameter, and this hole re-occurred in every floor of the main keep above that, including the roof. Whatever caused this damage must have been moving up from the diagram, as there was surprisingly little rubble in the basement.
Elbeyon
Isra sees Tyri visible shrug while Isra kept her's contained in her mecha. Isra connects her cable wire to Vorax and carries it along as they try their best to follow Umar from above ground. It was stupid to go in the tunnel, but if it makes folks happy to risk their life she will send them off to the afterlife just the same.

She eventually stands by the central keep and waits for Umar's signal. Hopefully, he didn't die. It'd make more work for the Iron company and herself.
Nightraiderx
Umar searches some of the crates and barrels to get an idea what kind of storage room it was. After doing so he would
cast levitate on himself at the center of the diagram and slowly rise through the hole in the ceiling keeping an eye out for any straggling, left over
people/demons.
DeTess
The crates contained dried foodstuffs, steel bars and rivets, leather and many other provisions that a fortress would need during day to day operations. The barrels held water, beer and wine, though neither the beer nor the wine seemed to be anything special.
YuweaCurtis
Tyri will help support Vorax as they move along, trying to minimize any excessive noise. They would travel the spot and wait. She hopes if there's any fighting she would be able to hear it so she could go help. However she hopes it wouldn't be in the tunnel as only really Isra could fight in there and that really wasn't her forte.
Elbeyon
Isra sees Umar and releases the noose around Vorax's neck and lets the mecha back to the ground. She turns to Enuma, "Thanks." She  turns to Umar, "What did you discover?"
Nightraiderx
Umar would float back into Vorax and reconnect his link.
"Found the fortress's food/supply storage, and then 3 more dead bodies, most likely soldiers.
A large pentagram in the center made with blood sacrifices and the demon summoned broke through the ceiling."
Elbeyon
She asks him, "Did you conduct a thorough search? Were you able to find any traces of the ritualist?"
Nightraiderx
"Figured I'd let you study the circle, I don't know too much about magic." He sheepishly replies.
YuweaCurtis
"I'm assuming the demon is bigger than that tunnel." Tyri says, Enuma looking around. "And it's what caused the majority of this damage. But where is it?"

She shakes her head. "You should have let her go in the first place."
Elbeyon
She says to Tyri, "It's alright, Lady Tyri. We can enter from the ground floor. Let's explore from there." She will walk around the central keep to try to find an entrance. She will use the map and Umar's guidance to try to find the summoning room.
DeTess
The keep as a set of large double doors, partially open, the ground outside si strewn by rubble, but nothing that would slow Isra down much. The inside of the keep is a mess, the massive hole torn through the centrals structure having destroyed many of the rooms. However, it also makes it easy to get to the basement by dropping down two floors from the edge of the hole, and soon enough Isra finds herself in the same room Umar had entered through the narrow tunnel.
Nightraiderx
"Sorry lady Tyri... I'll just stay in the mech and keep an eye out." Umar just scans the horizon for any incoming enemy forces in Vorax.
YuweaCurtis
Enuma moves around to be closer to the keep's entrance. She keeps watching from there. "Be careful," she tells Isra before she gets out of her mech.
Elbeyon
Isra pulls a light-filled glass orb from her backpack and offers it to Tyri. "That should help. I may need to see color anyway."

They enter together. Isra looks around as they explore. She will note bodies but plans to pick them all up later. Unable to find a nearby staircase, Isra pulls a 100 ft./20 lbs rope from her backback and ties it off. She will free descended from the rope. She will touch down and wait for Tyri. Once they're both down there, Isra searches the room, not for mundane objects, but for clues. She studies the summoning circle and sees if there are any clues to the ritualists whereabouts.
YuweaCurtis
Tyri takes the glass orb from Isra and follows her inside. She is mindful of her surroundings, keeping an eye for anything that feels out of place. When they get over the hole she'll wait for Isra to descend before releasing the flaps on her clothing, releasing her wings, and gliding down.

"What are we looking for?" she asks, as Isra was more suited for these sorts of things.
Elbeyon
Isra is silent as she works. She recognizes Tyri's words but Tyri might suspect that the answer is coming after Isra concludes her search.
DeTess
The parts of the scroll Isra had found before that were intact had shown part of a summoning diagram. Those parts matched what was on the ground here perfectly. Given the information she had found, it would not be unreasonable to assume that the owner of that scroll, maybe with some compatriots, had been responsible for this summoning, with the scroll providing the final impetus of magical power faster the diagram had been drawn.

Isra could tell that, among the arcane symbols of the full summoning circle, a name was written, though a portion of it seemed to have been deliberately erased. Given that such an erasure would have had consequences for the spell, chances are that it was done after the spell was cast. The portion of the name that was still readable was was "X'tr**** ***elrender". The inclusion of a name in a circle like this was very telling. It meant that they knew exactly who they wanted to bring in for their goals.
Elbeyon
Isra will wave her hand in her backpack. Sand floats behind it as she shapes the sand over the writing. She puts the print in her backpack. "They called the demon by name. Let's look around to see if we can find any cultists or clues. Look for anything that might have been used to ruin the bloody magic circle." She will check the guards before she pushes them into her corpse pit.
YuweaCurtis
Tyri looks around as instructed. Even though she wasn't as knowledgeable as Isra about the arcane, she knew enough to know what she was talking about. "You think someone messed up?"
Elbeyon
"In a way. It looks like the spell was purposefully spoiled. It could have been a traitor, or perhaps, a guard was able to ruin their spell. Either way, they messed up."
YuweaCurtis
"I see." Tyri confirms her understanding. "But I'm not seeing anything that seems to be the culprit."
DeTess
The guard's bodies had a couple of oddities. None of them where bound, and there where no signs of a struggle or wounds beyond the slit throat. The expressions on their face in death were not of agony, but ecstasy.  All three had the emaciated look of someone who had been subject to an energy drain effect as well.

Isra found no further traces, but Tyri found several bloody bootprints leading towards the narrow tunnel in the direction of the armory.
YuweaCurtis
"Looks like the work of a succubus to me." Tyri says as they check the guards. She will point out the footprints. "There's those, but Umar has already been in that direction."
Elbeyon
Isra looks over Tyri's findings. "I'd like to  go back to the armory to take a look at the guards." She will climb her rope and put it back in her handy backpack. She will dig out the corpses by the door to add to her collection. She waves to get Umar's attention and tells him their findings. She tells him as well, "I would like to take a look at the guards at the armory." She will take her stirrup up to Pyre and depart again at the armory. She searches the dead armory guards she passed up earlier for clues. "Is there anywhere else you'd like to investigate?"
DeTess
Of the three bodies buried beneath the rubble at the armory, only one seemed to have died due to rubble collapsing on them. The other two have black burn marks all across their body in thin, criss-crossing lines, the characteristic wounds of someone having been hit by a very strong lightning-based attack.
Elbeyon
She searches their boots for blood.
Nightraiderx
Umar smacks his head, "I should have tracked for blood marks ugh. alright I'll go with you and see if we can't find any leads. Show me to the bloody footsteps if you want to follow them."
DeTess
The soldiers where wearing chainmail armor, though it was reduced to little more than scrap metal in the attack. Isra did find about 8 silver pieces and two still intact daggers though.

Umar finds that the bloody tracks quickly disappear into the narrow tunnel, where the blood no doubt gets rubbed away by the rough floor. It seems reasonable to assume that the bootprint belonged to the member of O.W.L. they had already found, or an accomplice who would likely have long since left already.
Nightraiderx
Umar sighs slightly disappointed. "The footsteps belong to the first guy we found under the rubble or there was another member besides him that has been long gone.
A bit of a dead end..." Umar furrows his brow.
Elbeyon
This time Isra will stand guard in her mecha. "That should be plenty. We should have all we need for our employer. Shall we draw the demon to us and send its essence back to the abyss?"  It's technically not their job to clear the fortress, but she images their employer will give them a **** storm on the excuse of never "seeing" the demon. She doesn't care about that as long as they get paid, but it could damage the iron company which would make jobs less profitable in the future.
YuweaCurtis
Tyri listens to their reports on the findings. "I see," she says nodding her head, though no one can see her. "I think we've checked the scene thoroughly." Isra speaks about getting rid of the demon. "Well we were just sent to check the area out, but I could definitely go for a fight!" She cracks her knuckles inside the cockpit.
Nightraiderx
Seeing the both of them so gung-ho to fight the demon, Umar resigns himself a bit. "I-if that's what you guys want to do, t-then i'll do my best to support."
Elbeyon
That's Tyri. She should have expected her to be hotblooded and ready to fight. She says to Umar, "You can find a place to snipe. We can draw out the creature with noise. I don't mind being bait and conjuring the creature from the earth. Is everyone alright with that idea?"
YuweaCurtis
"I was thinking shooting the ground or a piece of building to make a ruckus myself." Tyri explains. "But if you would prefer to be the bait you do you. I'll back you up." She waits for Umar to get into position.
Nightraiderx
Umar nods and separates from the two, flying to a positiion about 80 mu from where they planned on disrupting the area for the demon. He gives a thumbs up though Vorax.
Elbeyon
"Very well. I shall make preparations." Isra puts a fully glowing light orb on the ground to the east.

Isra walks to fort's southern side by a tree. She puts her scythe behind her. The tree blooms cherry blossoms that spin around Prye. The flowing sounds of water rush around her as she conjures a gondola beneath her. The boat seems to manifest its own wave as it hovers above the ground. Isra chants through Prye. "What is withered my not rot. My organs atrophied and dead. My flesh rotted and my organs shriveled. My flesh protected from my own flames and the sins others dare to thrust upon me." Isra's flesh takes on a more pale color, like a thirsty vampire.

She raises her scythe above her head and cleaves through the ground as she sails across the courtyard. Three spirits raise nearby her.

 
 Spoiler: Casts 
Sheltered Vitality
Living Undeath
Protection from Evil
Scythe of Wandering Spirits

Spirits: Your spirits that share the space with you or an ally disappear, healing that creature for an amount of HP equal to a Profession (Ferrymen) check from you.
 
Nightraiderx
Umar watches Isra make preparations and panics a bit, Vorax seeming to understand Umar's desires begins to glow a faint blue aura
as if reinforcing itself with a shield to protect Umar. Umar readies his hand to fire a bolt as soon as he sees enemy movement from Isra baiting out
the demon.

 
 Spoiler: Actions: 
Umar manifests Force screen on his mech giving +4 shield bonus, AC is now 27 and prepares an action to fire an attack.
 
DeTess
A moment of silence settled over the fortress after Isra's blow. The moment stretched out for 5 seconds. 10.... 15.... Then the ground started to tremble. The tremors increased, came closer, them the ground next to Enuma burst open! A long, metal figure tore its way out of the ground. Its hide was made from massive, interlocking plates of dark grey metal with glowing red runes carved into them. Its shape was akin to a truly massive snake or worm, but its head was replaced by a collection of interlocking drills, at the center of which lay an ominous glow, flickering between a cold white, fiery red, noxious green and luminous blue. As it rears up, more than half its body still beneath the ground, it lets out a deep, metallic howl.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Anyone who is proficient can roll a knowledge(planes).

If anyone beats an initiative of 26 they can go before this creature strikes. Otherwise it is up first.
For any buff durations, it has been 3 rounds since Isra struck the ground, and I presume everyone buffed before that.
 
DeTess
The iron worm lunges forwards, striking at Enuma and Pyre in quick succession. It then kept going west, diving into and out of the ground as it went, the coils appearing and disappearing like great sea-serpent cutting across the ocean, the glow of the runes on its armor increasing as it does.

Near the western wall it reared up again. Bolts of lightning leaped between the rapidly rotating sawblades and drills of its mouth, before leaping out in a blinding burst of electricity, striking towards Tyri's mech.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

The abyssal creature uses a special maneuver, so no attacks of opportunity trigger for its movement.

the creature strikes at Enuma wit its drill head but misses.
It then strikes at Pyre rolling a  32  to-hit, assuming that hits (remember that you are flat-footed until your first turn starts), Pyre takes  29  bludgeoning/piercing damage, ignoring half DR, and needs to roll a strength check against being bull-rushed west.
It then strikes the boat rolling a  21  to-hit, assuming that hits (remember that you are flat-footed until your first turn starts), the boat takes  25  bludgeoning/piercing damage, ignoring half DR.

It moves 40 MU west, before striking at Enuma with a ranged lightning attack, rolling a  33  to-hit against power AC ( ignore half the target's Natural armor, Armor and Shield bonus to AC, rounded up) (remember that you are flat-footed until your first turn starts), dealing 59 electricity damage.
 
Nightraiderx
Umar begins to scan the subject "I'm scanning the Demon now, relaying the information to you now."
Umar's nervousness is gone, as if hyper focused. "Locking on target." Vorax starts eyes start to glow as psionic energy fills his
hands, pointing his fists at the creature and begins firing off a series of crystals, the crystals seem sharper and larger than what would
be feasible from the wrist slots.


 
 Spoiler: Ooc: 
Free Action to Scan, burning 7 spirit points. Swift action boost, augmenting it for full attack, having it count as a heavy crossbow, and two size increases for 7 power points.
Full attacking with dual shards.
Three hit so the wurm has 1/8th move speed.
16 piercing for the first attack
20piercing for the second attack
10 piercing for the last attack

penetrates half-DR
 
Elbeyon
Pyre bobs up and down on the boat as the earth shakes. Prye looks up at the worm as it raises up. She says on comms, "That was unexpected." Half-unexpected. She wasn't sure what type of creature was digging below but she expected them to be a large creature or a digging mecha, not both. Its quick too! She barely has time to raise her scythe to parry the creature as the worm pushes her and her boat boat across the fortress. Her armor sparking as her servo's struggle. She slides back and out of the way as the worm continues without her.

She gets Umar's info as she is tapping screens. "Information confirmed. Engaging in melee." The boat pushes forward as Prye holds up her scythe. Red and black flames burst around her scythe as it grows four times its size. She rides and ducks under the creature as she tries to cut its hide. "Aaaaah!" She will sail past it and let off a 65 mu. slice with her enlarged weapon. Gold coins flying with the blade as she pays for services. Ghosts raise out of the ground near the worm blocking sight/effect and a huge 65 mu and 20 mu tall ghost wall appears where her large blade slashed.

 
 Spoiler: Rolls 
A Human Spirit Passing By
65 mu and 20 mu. spirit; 2 rounds

Spirit Sign "Abundant Floating Spirits"
Attack vs Power AC plus Pinning (1/4 speed)
 (1d20+19)[ 25 ] 
Damage (Rending)
 (1d10)[ 3 ] + (1d6+26)[ 32 ] 
Crit 6 to 20 / x3

Spirits: Your spirits now block line of sight and effect and count as difficult terrain for all other creatures but you.
 
YuweaCurtis
Looking over the scan information, she nods and Enuma's cannon folds out its side and mounts under the left arm. She watches Isra do her thing. "Providing cover fire." she flies until she's 55 feet away from the enemy. Her cannon is covered in magical glowing runes and it shots two quick spreads of icy shrapnel ahead.

 
 Spoiler 
Using;
Light Sign "Luminous Strike"
Love-Coloured Magic (Boost)
Level: Ordinary Magician 3
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: See text
Target: Weapon held by you
Duration: 1 round
Save: 13+Int mod

Using a shaft or blade as a gun barrel, fires large and high speed magic bullets. It's a different flavor than lasers.

As part of this maneuver cast a spell that deals HP damage with a casting time of a standard action or less.
The cast spell is imbued in a weapon you're holding, temporally turning into a magicannon and for the duration you can cast the spell normally from the item as an attack action whitout expending spell slots while this boost lasts.
If you have a Magical Furnace, you may temporaly fuse it with the weapon for the maneuver's duration.
If you have a Magical Grimoire, you may temporaly make it float around you for the maneuver's duration.
Either way the class item grants you its benefits while holding the magicannon.

To use this twice;
Gibarta
Evocation [Cold]
Level: Arcane Pilot 3, Ideal Idol 3, Magic Knight 3, Steel Soldier 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: See text
Range: 60 feet
Area: Cone
Duration: See text.
Saving Throw: Reflex for Half damage.
Spell Resistance: No

Intermediate ice technique. Quickly cools the atmosphere, producing icy shrapnel in front.

This spell deals Cold damage to all enemies in the area, Slows them for 1 round and has a chance of Fatiguing them for 1 round, but any damage they take ends the Slow.

Standard: 1d6 damage per CL, 60% chance.

 (11d6)[ 40 ] 
DC 15 Reflex for half

60% chance for Fatigue
 (1d100)[ 57 ] 
 (11d6)[ 34 ] 
DC 15 Reflex for half

60% chance for Fatigue
 (1d100)[ 36 ] 
 
DeTess
The iron wurm was hit by a barrage of blows, effectively pinning it in place. Though the crystals and ice shards did some chip damage, the main blow was struck by Pyre's scythe, and so the mech's full attentions was turned on pyre. It vomited out a stream of acid down on the smaller mech, then struck down with blinding speed, the saw blades on its head biting into the plating on Pyre.

Yet despite all the fury in its attack, Pyre yet endured. The snake-like make reared back in surprise as it failed to crush its foe. And then the glow of magic on its plating went out. For just a split-second the whole contraption froze, before it started moving again, though with less elegance and purpose than before.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Pyre takes 41 acid and then 23 bludgeoning/piercing damage with rending.
 
Elbeyon
Prye rattles as it is bathed in acid. Isra unconsciously hisses at the unwelcomed bath. She grips her controls as she fights for pyre to obey her command and thrusts forward to parry the snake's maul. Her mecha sparks as it is knocked back from the blow. The parry mostly falls as Prye flies back and acid flies off her armor. The acid and styx water mixing below her with a hiss. She notes the change in the runes muting for a moment but in the battle's noise she figures the display might be the slow or some type of stun her company did. She regains her footing on her boat as it bobs back then surges forward. The water underneath raising as she counter attacks! "Aaah!" She yells inside her mecha as she continues her headless charge. A quick slash releases a burst of spiritual energy in a 65 mu cone. Spirit lilies sprout up to try to siphon a bit of the mecha's energy away. Prye sailing under the beast again before the lilies fade away as the maneuver ends.

 
 Spoiler: rolls 
Scythe of Wandering Spirits
Attack (19/x3) vs Power AC plus Pinning (1/4 speed)														
 (1d20+19)[ 32 ] 														
Damage (Rending)														
 (1d10)[ 10 ] + (1d6+35)[ 40 ] 	

Spirits: Your spirits that share the space with you or an ally disappear, healing that creature for an amount of HP equal to a Profession (Ferrymen) check from you.
 
Elbeyon
A humanoid ghost appears in the lilly field as it dances 30 ft. away from the demonspawn. Isra's charge has her standing next to the ghost as the women floats up and hugs Prye's head. The ghost disappearing as battle damage reverts away off Prye.
Nightraiderx
Umar seeing Pyre taking major damage angered him a bit.
Umar locks in, and rapid fires 4 crystal shards as he screams out.
"Just die already you damn annoying machine!" Forcing a bunch of energy. The crystals seem to just rip through the metal carapace of this digging mech, exposing large streaks of exposed wire battered.

Umar pants angrily a bit before cooling himself down and double checking the scan. "W-wait a minute .. the status changed where's the damned pilot?!"

 
 Spoiler: OoC 
Dealing 27, 28, 21 and 24 piercing damage, the damage has Rending. along with 15 spirit damage.
 
YuweaCurtis
Enuma's eyes glow and she charges ahead. Her beam sword ignites and is surrounded in a cold darkness. She lands out of normal arm's length and swings, her blade extending.
 
 Spoiler 
Using Shadow Flurry as a swift action to gain a extra attack action on full attack for four turns. 10 motes

Charging and using Dark Blow and Mashin Burst
Attack (5 en)
 (1d20+21)[ 39 ] 
Downfall Check
 (1d20+16)[ 32 ] 
Weapon Damage (Slashing, Rending, 25 en)
 (4d12)[ 21 ] 
Mashin Burst Damage (Cold)
 (1d4+10)[ 13 ] 
Dark Blow Damage (10 motes)
 (10d6)[ 41 ] 
 
YuweaCurtis
A crystal and metal magic casing with runes on it ejects from her sword as she readies to punish it if it tries to move.

 
 Spoiler 
 Forgot to spend another 1en on my attack for the increased range.

Spending a Cartridge
Cartridge Boost: When a cartridge is expended to fuel this effect, enemies who enter spaces she threatens provoke attacks of opportunity from the champion. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the champion’s Charisma modifier.
3 rounds
 
DeTess
Tyri's charge struck the iron worm head on, the blade burying deep into the creature's head. The tear in its structure was deep, yet it was not yet down. Once again a threatening blue-purple glow started to build in its throat as sparks of lightning started to play around its head.

Then the magical charge on the beamsword detonated, sending another shockwave through the abyssal mech. It spasmed as secondary explosions rocked all along the length of its body, before finally collapsing to the ground, still and unmoving.
Elbeyon
Prye's scythe cools as Prye switches to a one-handed hold on the weapon. She reaches up and grabs Enuma by the shoulder. She shoves the mecha through a ghostly fog. "What did you say Umar?" She looks at the large mecha and thinks that moving it is very unlikely by herself. She asks the group, "Is everyone alright?"
Nightraiderx
Vorax flies over to the rest of the group and lands.
"I was saying it's status changed, there seemed to be a pilot but when it turned off and on again, the pilot was gone..."
Elbeyon
"I heard you." She was more surprised that it ran. It could have teleported away, but it might also still be in the tunnels. "I'll send in a cat to check for the demon. It could still be in the tunnels. If we're lucky the tunnel the mecha made during the battle does not connect to any other tunnels." Prye moves over to the last tunnel, not currently blocked by a destroyed mecha, as it charged/pushed her out of the way. She opens her cockpit and throws one of the less important guard corpses out of the way. Isra chants, "Serve me in death." The corpse writhes in pain/screams and bursts into hellfire. Isra tosses 15 gold coins into the fire. A cat familiar jumps out out of the flames and hisses. Isra tells it, "Go into the tunnel and search for a demon. If the tunnel splits in different directions," she gives it instructs on how to reach the mecha's corpse, "find the end of the mecha and think sad thoughts."
YuweaCurtis
"H-hey!" Tyri says, Enuma stumbling into the healing spirit. She walks into the next one. She sees her send out her scout. "Hopefully the pilot didn't get that far."
Nightraiderx
Umar checks around the remains of the destroyed mech to see signs of the pilot physically leaving the mech.
DeTess
The cat left to scout as Isra asked it to, though the proudly lifted head and elegant tread of the small feline suggested it believed itself to be above such matters. It returned after about 10 minutes, having found nothing but dirt, rock and some burrowing insects.

Umar found no signs of anyone having left the mech, nor did he find any signs of a cockpit at all. The salvage team might find it once they started taking the massive mech apart, but right now the position of the mechs cockpit remained a mystery.
Nightraiderx
"I don't even know how the hell the demon got inside the mech to begin with... this is confusing."
Umar keeps looking for some way to actually open up the mech.
Elbeyon
Isra grunts in amusement when Enuma complains.

She says to her yet unnamed cat, "Good work," and dismisses upon its completed task.

Prye tries to put a hand on Vorax's shoulder. "The creature is no longer here. Leave this task for the Iron Company. Our mission is almost complete. All we have left is to ask the dead what information they know."
YuweaCurtis
"Well get to it then! Afterwards we can call in the company for clean up." Tyri says. She'll leave her cockpit. "I'll escort you. Just in case." she says with a wink.
Elbeyon
Prye's cockpit opens up with a hiss. She grabs the stirrup and rides to the ground. She has her corpse hole at the ready. "Very well," she answers Tyri's call to protect her. Isra takes out her scythe and does five quick slashes. Her scythe lets out ghostly sashes as she cuts lines in the ground. The spell underway. A circle forms around the slashes. Isra grabs a guard's corpse out of the hole and tugs it out onto the pentagram. She says to the corpse, "I'll need you to remain with us for a little while longer." She sits by the magic circle. Her eyes turn black. "Dead. I command you to serve me." She simple asks it one question. The corpse's back arches as it's head points to Isra. The dead answers a beautiful man and women. Disappointed Isra stops the seance as the guard never saw the cultist. She stands and walks into the circle. The corpse drops lifeless once again. Isra grabs the corpse and shoves it in the hole. This time she grabs a different corpse.

She pulls the cultist out by a limb and tosses him onto the circle. Her eyes turn black again as she speaks. "Blind eyes. Chattering jaw." Isra reaches into a pouch on her belt and raises it near the cultist head. She forces the corpses mouth open and pours the pouch into the man's mouth. A molten golden stream (240 gold) comes out as Isra forces the gold into the corpse. Hellfire flames light around the circle. Soot and ash shape into candles around her. "Dead tell your tales." Isra questions it. The corpse's eyes look to her as its mouth chatters. The corpse answers what they called their boss "Mr. Gray." That their boss was not very tall. That the man was a powerful mage. That the man gave him the summon scroll. That they met in a private location in Highrock, the capital of Espen. The corpse says his own name is "Jian He." Her questions expended the corpse falls flat and the seance ends. The magical components of the ritual fade. Isra will grab the corpse and toss it back into her corpse pit.
DeTess
after the dead had been thoroughly questioned, the rest of the company came in to search and secure the site. For the first hour the pilots had to remain to keep watch, but aside from a few lesser demons, easily dispatched by the company's soldiers, no other threats manifested themselves.

Once it was established no further dangers lurked in the ruins, the pilots were send off tog et some rest, while the salvagers set to work, dismantling the extraplanar mech.

The next morning Darec called a meeting once more too discuss the findings of the salvage team. Besides the three pilots and Darec, four more people attended the meeting.

Hilgur was the woman in charge of the salvage and maintenance team. She was an incredibly big woman, easily 7 foot tall, broader than most dwarves and strong as an ox. Despite working through the night there was little sign of fatigue on her face. In addition to leading any salvaging efforts she also assisted with mech maintenance, specializing in armor. Accompanying her were Doran, a dwarven artificer who was in charge of maintaining the mech's weapons. His brown hair and beard were neatly braided, but traces of soot seemed perpetually present from his work in the forge. The last representative from the maintenance crew was Xao, a half-elf who specialized in matters of the arcane. She helped maintain the mechs magical controls, as well as any other magical components of the hulking war machines.

The last person to join them was Venna Vanzier, Darec's daughter and the woman in charge of the company's finances. She was a strict woman, but her keen eye for trade and contracts kept the company running at a profit.

"We're mostly done butchering that big worm." Hilgur began her report once everyone was present. "We have a lot of abyssal metal plating, too much to take all of it with us, but if anyone wants a refit with some abyssal metal right now, we can take care of it. More interesting is the fact that we found these banks of strange black shards all along the mech's length. We..." she gestured towards Doran and Xao "...Theorize it was some kind of weapon, but its exact function is unknown. What we have found out is that the shards are extremely conductive and receptive to electricity."

"Now, we have significantly less of these shards, but still enough that we can make something useful out of them." Hilgur continued after a moment. "I could work them into armor for a single mech, making the mech significantly more resistant to lightning, and even convert such damage into useable power for your mech. My colleagues have some other ideas though, and we don't have enough to do everything, so I'll leave the choice to you." She nodded towards the pilots, then gestured for Doran to present his idea.

"We can also forge these shards into modules for your weapons." The dwarf began. "These will be bulky and require a bit more energy, but will enhance your weapons with extra electricity damage. I reckon we have enough material to enhance 5 weapons this way."

"I think these shards were meant to be some kind of attack drones, and I think I can restore that functionality." Xao explained. "However, to control these will mean you'll be connecting your mind closely to something made in the abyss, which is not without risk."

"These materials are also valuable enough that we could earn a good amount of money by selling them." Venna chimed in. "If none of these options appeal to you I'll reach out to some of my contacts to get them sold off."

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Abyssal metal plating:
these can be included in an armor module, or incorporated directly in the mech. Either way, you'll get resist 5 to cold and fire damage, but if it is directly incorporated in a mech (instead of via an armor module) the mechs DR can then be overcome by good or lawful aligned attacks. There si enough to provide this to all three mechs.

electric shards: you have four options, but can pick only 1:
 
 armor for 1 mech: as with abyssal metal plating this can be part of the mech structure or part of an armor module. It confers either 5 resist electricity or 5 +5xmodule tier when used as part of an armor. Half the damage prevented this way (rounded up) is turned into energy for your mech. If you upgrade to a different mech or armor module the shards can be moved. 
 weapon modules: you get 5 upgrades that can be installed on weapons. Each upgrade causes the weapon to take up 2 more armory space and consume 2 more energy on attack, but provides the shocking burst property. The upgrades can be moved between weapons and mechs during maintenance. 
 you will get one magic item )either head or neck slot) that provides the wielder with one funnel feat per 5 pilot levels. However, the item is an intelligent item with an ego score of 5 +5x the amount of feats it provides. The item is chaotic evil and hates all that is good and noble, and desires destruction of mortals above all else. 
 the shards are sold off to one of Venna's contacts. The pilots share of the payment will be 6000 gold each. 
 
 
Elbeyon
The group says its probably safe for the company to come in and what they said proves to be true. Isra wouldn’t directly complain to the bosses but she does grumble and mutter a bit in general when told to stand guard for an hour in the middle of the night. Isra didn’t think she was above guard duty but she still didn’t enjoy the job. However, she does her part and puts her full ability into being a guard despite any drops in her own morale. After any fighting she would perform a group heal with mass vigor, and if anyone was seriously injured she would heal them with the spell named after such a task (aka Heal).

Prye stretches at being relieved and will return to camp. Isra leaves Prye in the Iron Companies very capable hands and retires to her tent. She flops in bed and conjures a spirit (unseen servant) to pour her wine and rub her feet. Tyri stops by for a few minutes and Isra offers her a drink as they talk. Shortly, Isra is alone and falls asleep while her servant massages a very tired cat. A cat needs their nineteen hours of sleep a day.

Isra is sleeping in and is forced to wake up to attend any meeting. Isra had a habit of lazing about a bit and sleeping in so someone probably knew to wake her up early. She will perform her morning rituals to prepare her spells but she does leave a few spots in her mind open given the day has yet to be planned. She comes into the tent looking hungry, tired, and like she just got out of bed, despite being awake for half an hour or so. She yawns as she listens to the Vanziers and maintenance crew.

Being good with money was always a respectable skill, and Venna was very good with money. The tent was all around filled with people she respected. Skilled armorers, weapon smiths, and especially the arcane arts. She remembers Lord Zaahir teaching Isra spellcraft and politics. Isra had gained some innate skill in magic and education from her death and the ritual that conjured her from death, but her shaky knowledge was honed with Zaahir. He never dabbled in the dark arts but his general knowledge in spellcraft was very admirable. Maybe, that is why she found mages such a respectful job. She herself had grown to love magic and its study. The ability to read made her so proud and now she can weave godly runes into magic.
Nightraiderx
Umar keeps a perimeter around the edge of the workers. He could never get used to large groups,
and preferred the company of Tyri and Isra. Nonetheless, the reappearance of signs of O.W.L. distracted him a bit.
He kept his direct interaction minimal and was relieved to be let go of guard duty. From that point he tried to go to bed
but more questions and memories flooded his head. He didn't like the implication that O.W.L. would be desperate enough
to start getting mech riders from hell. Umar eventually falls into a sleep, a shallow one that had him wake up early the next morning.

Rather than try to get back to sleep as the sun was close to rising, he instead decided he would spend the time to meditate.
He was then fetched for the meeting and he awkwardly walked behind the stewart not really saying much. He sat in the meeting,
feeling quite overwhelmed. The people that attended were higher ups, people of considerable skill and prowess. He felt that he didn't
belong to such a meeting and wanted it to be over already. He kept staring at a wall at the opposite end of the room, still contemplating his next
steps about the O.W.L. organization until Hilgur spoke directly to the pilots about mechanical upgrades to the mechs. Umar snaps out of his stupor a bit and looks over
to Isra and Tyri not sure what to make of the development. He liked Vorax as he was and didn't want to give up any of his speed for small elemental resists, although the electric resist armor was sounding slightly tempting... but then again how often are they assaulted by elemental damage?

"The... funnels." Umar gulped a bit and resolved himself to speak his mind. "I think I can make good use of them, I'm going to need any bit of power I can get since O.W.L. is developing new things."
YuweaCurtis
Tyri leaves her own cockpit to watch Isra while she casts her magics. When the crew is called in she is a little disappointed they have to babysit, but she understands fully why it is so necessary. She will make small talk with Isra until they are relieved of duty.

She stops by Isra's for a night cap before heading to sleep. Tyri gets up relatively early in the morning and will make sure the lazy cat is awake before doing her own morning exercise. She does some meditating and basic magic stuff herself. Even though Magic Knight's powers were more natural and less academic, she had taken a different approach to make sure she was strong enough to take the seat of her father. Additionally she dabbled in some questionable arts that was designed to directly augment martial prowess at great risk.

She didn't too sure which one she wants, but it seems the abyssal plate didn't play too nicely with her current set up. She perks up curiously when Umar requests the funnels. She chuckles. "If you think you can handle it I'm all for you getting them! It seems to be the strongest choice and you have the willpower and psionic might to handle them."
DeTess
Xao nodded. "I will start making my preparations then. I will try to have it finished before the week is done."

Darec nodded. "Then all that's left is deciding what we do from here. We have done our duty as outlined in the contract, but I expect our employer will want to extend our employment, at least until they have had a chance to reinforce this border again and discourage any aggressive movement by their neighbour. This is why I send a preliminary report their way,  but I don't expect a response any earlier than sometime tomorrow, and that's assuming they send their fastest rider to get a new offer to us."

"First, we could hold position here, or better yet, at the remains of the fortress itself." Darec listed the options he saw. "But if the Peskarites make their move before we get a new offer from Espen, we'll be fighting for free."

"Secondly, we could fall back to Highrock, our contract completed. If we meet with a messenger with a new offer we can always turn around, but if the Peskarites move in quickly when we retreat, we might face having to fight our way up that pillar again."

"We could also decide we have no interest in getting further involved in this potential conflict, of course, but I personally don't like the kind of opportunism the Peskarites are showing here. If they do attack Espen then I expect this kingdom won't last another year, as they can't hold off the Jade Wyverns while fighting off a back-stabbing neighbour."

"This is how I read the situation and our options at any rate. Does anyone else see other options?"
Elbeyon
Umar's sheer awkwardness wakes her. The thought that she should ask for extra pay since Umar is getting a special reward does weigh in her mind, but the company's good relation with her is worth more than 6,000 gold in the end. She will be able to use their good will for a larger reward in the future, such an amount of gold isn't worth causing any faults in their relationship. She says to Umar, "I shall keep a protection from evil sell in reserve should the need arise." She didn't like a hostile entity being in the group but the harm it can do should be able to be mitigated. In the end, the item may prove more helpful than harmful.

She says to Xao, "I would like to be around when you do make the funnels and object, if my presence would not distract from your work. The work sounds... interesting." She smiles at the half-elf.

She listens to Darec and says, "We could defend the fortress and use any battle spoils around to compensate any lacking payment." Isra is leaving to the imagination what battle spoils might include when their fighting in a castle filled with a stocked storehouse.  "The Peskarites might route if they see the fortress manned. The Espen will keep their fortress, and we don't work for free. If we receive payment everyone is happy, or in the end if employment is lacking we are all satisfied. The worse case scenario that the fortress is lost is avoided as long as we stand."
Nightraiderx
"Thanks, I should also make a few preparations I had found a +2 arsenal weapon if we could sell it off I could improve my cloak."

After hearing all the options,
"I also vote to stay here it would be a waste of a mission if our employer suffered further attacks at the border. I'd like to see if there's any further movement from O.W.L."
YuweaCurtis
"A waste of mission?" Tyri says with a eyebrow raised. "We completed our mission. What happens afterwards is no business or fault of ours." She relaxes a bit. "However I believe we should move to the fortress and defend it. It would behoove them to continue to pay us. Maybe our initiative could earn us a reward as well. Beyond that, I agree with Darec. I don't appreciate the backstabbing and don't want to see this kingdom fall."
DeTess
Darec nodded. "Then it seems we have reached a decision. I'll have the camp moved to the fortress and get our people to make some makeshift repairs to the fortifications."

"It's a good thing we hadn't dragged most of the abyssal metal down from there then." Hilgur announced. "We could use it to throw up some barricades in the holes at least."

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Is there anything you want to/ can do to help with the fortification, or otherwise with securing the fort against a potential attack by the Peskarites? Otherwise we'll move on a bit to the next time something happens.

@nightraider, could your roll me a profession: mercenary?
 
Elbeyon
Isra gives a small bow, "Yes, my lords." Isra held no real rank in the iron company but she was happy that the company valued her input. Though, she isn't against simply being a scythe on the battlefield and sometimes being a follower gave her more time to relax. It is not always a bad thing to help plan. Isra takes a smoke break to help wake up. She then talks to Umar and whoever else is planning the defense. She offers spells available on mecha scale. She will put the spells where they determine it is best to put the spells.

She grumbles as she eats a ration in her mecha. The sudden shift in camp meant there was no time for breakfast and Isra loved breakfast. It's the the most important of the five meals of the day. She yawns as she munches on some jerky and potato. Ugh... She will hide in her mecha a bit to snack on some of the corpses she recovered yesterday. That's more like it see feels. She breathes a satisfied sigh and covers her breath with some alcohol.

When it is time to work, she will wave her scythe through the air and conjure 10 medium mecha-size 2 str Unseen Servants, Mass (spirits). They need her guidance so she'll be too busy commanding them how to haul their camp and too busy to haul she thinks to herself. Sadly, she gets caught slacking and does actually help haul the camp. Since she has to travel with the spirits its no actually trouble for her to haul something at the same time. "Bound to serve. Your master calls you to fulfil your oath."

Assuming the Symbol of Sleep is deemed helpful, she will stand where they tell her to perform the ritual, likely on the land path to the fortress. She will spend ten minutes drawing the circle, chanting, and ritually cutting herself as she uses her own blood to power the spell. The ground covered in blood and evil runes. The sight looks diabolical. Isra will cover the symbol with an illusion and prepare the trap. "Sleep eternal. Night filled with terrors. May you stir yet never wake." And, for the illusion, "Eyes deceived by faith. Blind to the world. These honey-words piece your heart."

She is able to patch roughly 25% of the wall, at most, with a Wall of Stone spell. The patch covers a lot less if directed to fill a hole or repair more than only the wall. The wall is also thin. She raises her hand as if commanding the stone to raise. "Underworld risen. I command grave dirt to raise to the surface."

When most of her casting is done, she adjudicates and will switch back to commanding her spirits to help rebuild the fortress. This time the servants require enough supervision and direction that she actually has to micromanage them. And, she gladly does so as she commands/bullies them around. A few curse words are lanced into her commands as the dumb spirits don't follow her orders as well as desired. Isra herself is mostly being directed by others as they tell her to move what and to where as she moves around a lot.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
 Wall of Stone &amp; Unseen Servant, Mass 
Help set up defenses

 Wall of Stone 
This spell creates a wall of rock that merges into adjoining rock surfaces. A wall of stone is 1 inch thick per four caster levels and composed of up to one 5-foot square per level. You can double the wall’s area by halving its thickness. The wall cannot be conjured so that it occupies the same space as a creature or another object.

Unlike a wall of iron, you can create a wall of stone in almost any shape you desire. The wall created need not be vertical, nor rest upon any firm foundation; however, it must merge with and be solidly supported by existing stone. It can be used to bridge a chasm, for instance, or as a ramp. For this use, if the span is more than 20 feet, the wall must be arched and buttressed. This requirement reduces the spell’s area by half. The wall can be crudely shaped to allow crenellations, battlements, and so forth by likewise reducing the area.

Like any other stone wall, this one can be destroyed by a disintegrate spell or by normal means such as breaking and chipping. Each 5-foot square of the wall has 15 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 8. A section of wall whose hit points drop to 0 is breached. If a creature tries to break through the wall with a single attack, the DC for the Strength check is 20 + 2 per inch of thickness.

 Unseen Servant, Mass 
One invisible, mindless, shapeless servant/level

 OOC Talk  The sleep symbol is not meant to negate any part of the mecha battle. The symbol is meant to reduce casualties amongst the iron company and is mostly meant to serve as a story element. Help reduce casualties &amp; help capture non-mecha threats. I am not trying to negate the fight. The idea is to use Hallucinatory Terrian to hide the Symbol of Sleep then use its dismissible duration to uncover the symbol to trigger it on the enemies.

 Hallucinatory Terrain 
You make natural terrain look, sound, and smell like some other sort of natural terrain.

 Symbol of Sleep 
This spell functions like symbol of death, except that all creatures of 10 HD or less within 60 feet of the symbol of sleep instead fall into a catatonic slumber for 3d6×10 minutes. Unlike with the sleep spell, sleeping creatures cannot be awakened by nonmagical means before this time expires. Unlike symbol of death, symbol of sleep has no hit point limit; once triggered, a symbol of sleep simply remains active for 10 minutes per caster level.

 Wall of Stone 
 Unseen Servant, Mass 
 Symbol of Sleep 
 Hallucinatory Terrain 
 
Nightraiderx
Umar would begin to strategize a bit, he knew that the border fort would soon be visited by the neighboring countries' forces. But seems that O.W.L. wasn't hired by them. Seems someone wants to open up the border for different reasons.

He would help with the wall and do alittle advising on how things are usually done with negotiations and rates with the higher up to help smooth over further employment.
YuweaCurtis
Tyri was not the type for laying down static defenses. She will help relocate camp after a quick as simple breakfast however. She uses Enuma to carry things. Once they get there she wouldn't really do much is anything unless someone asks for help. It's likely reaching something, as she has the wings to get t further heights.
DeTess
Though it would take many months of work to restore the fortress to its former glory, the repairs using battlefield scrap and magic was still moving apace, closing up the gaps in the outer wall and making the whole area more defensible.

That evening, word got back from the scouts watching over the Peskar fort. Significant reinforcements had arrived, including a force of several thousand infantry, three mechs, and a division of roughback infantry. The scouts had not been able to get too close to the mechs, but one of them was richly decorated, suggesting its pilot was a member of the Peskar royal family.

"They'll be here by tomorrow afternoon at the earliest." Darec announced. "It will be more likely the day after tomorrow though, assuming they take the time to scout out the current situation first." A meeting had been called as soon as the report from the scouts came back. "Right now, the Peskarite forces should not have much information about the state of the fort, though they will know some kind of fight happened last night. We could try to suppress and hunt down any scouts they send our way, but sooner or later they will learn about the current state of the fortress and its defenders. Our strength might give them pause, but numbers are on their side by a significant margin. We could try to hide or send away some of our mechs to try and make them overconfident, but that is not without risks either. Does anyone have any suggestions?"

 
 Spoiler: Roughbacks 

Roughbacks are large creatures, somewhat similar in appearance to a rhinoceros, or more like its furred ancient ancestors. They are widely used as beasts of burden, including by the Iron company, but they are sometimes used as mounts for specialized cavalry as well (the iron company's cavalry is horse-based). They are not as fast or manoeuvrable as horse-riding cavalry, but make up for it in bulk and strength, and Roughback cavalry is generally used as an anti-mech unit, using ropes and grappling hooks to try and pull mechs down, where a massed charge by the horned beasts can do real damage.

 
 
Nightraiderx
"I think it may be best if we employ hit and run tactics to thin their numbers.
And that just the three of us go far ahead of the fort to route them, that sound ok?"
DeTess
"That is risky..." Darec considered for a moment. "The Peskar combat doctrine is fairly traditional, focussing on their mechs to make the push and ground troops to secure ground afterwards, so if you can damage their mechs it'll stop their attack, but if you attack thema way from the fortress you will have to content with their ground troops as well. Do you think you'd be able to ambush them? Or..." Darec frowned, then shook his head. "I don't know enough about the Peskar royals to predict how their commander will react."

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Anyone who is trained may roll a knowledge(nobility)
 
Nightraiderx
"hm, well it makes it alot easier to fight if they are going to isolate themselves like that for us.
do we have any information on what kind of mechs they are employing?"
DeTess
"As we reported before, the mech from the garrison is a long-ranged variant. Slow, heavily armored, lots of guns." The elvish scout, Sheera, reported. "The other three are more mobile variants. No clearly visible heavy guns, so expect mid and close-range weapons, but we couldn't get close enough to determine more than that."