No Gnomish

*Hired by*: Rosaria

*Mission Request*: Takeover the Strandbeest

*Rewards/Loot*: Relics and Money (300GP each?)

*Discovered Places*: The Whorl, Strandbeest motorcade (discovered last session)

*Caravan Allies*: Gromlo (antiquarian), Caliban (cook)

*Enemies Encountered*: The Clockwork Ecclesiarchy

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## Summary

The day was scorching hot as Arco stepped onto the strandbeest, donning his new splint armor. The chest piece, composed of stripes of dull brown metal attached to a leather backing, was covered by a monastic scapular of stained linen with the symbol of the Archeofuture in the center. To complete his outfit, Arco wore an ochre leather headband with intricate turquoise designs sewn in. He stepped out of hte caravan as the image of a true warrior-preacher of Onema.

He met with the rest of the party met up and after no words of admiration were said of his attire, they met with Rosaria, Leader of the Rust Bastion at the bow of the Aaarworf. The wind was alive and savagely tussling with the unbound of cloth of everyone's garments. Eira's hair flapped violently. Raxis's hood was blown back a few times before he fastened the bottom ends tightly to his leather spaulders. Christopher Clark stood stalwart against the clawing winds and Arco looked fabulous, but in a understated, humble sort of way. Rosaria went over the mission with the Consortium one last time: Take over the strandbeest controlled by members of the Clockwork Ecclesiarchy, another one of the Gnome Whorl faction, by any means necessary (read: murder indiscriminate). The moral implications of the task at hand were not lost on any of the members of the Dziyiri Nakkar, but they were quickly set aside with minimum consideration.

Rosaria pointed ahead at the squadron of jagged, whirring shapes of ramshackled metal tearing through the sands of the Whorls and kicking up plumes upon plumes of dusty clouds that evaporated into the sweltering air above. The largest was the size of a small town. An island of prickly iron surrounds by a swarm of twisted steel carts. A few of the vehicles part of the Rust Bastion drove up from behind, assuring the DNC that they would not be alone on this mission. The wild gnomes pilots pulled up in formation in front of the Chi 4 Aaarworf screeching battle cries and laughing maniacally. As soon as the vehicles finished formation the combat began. Arrows flew and the wailing of dying gnomes began. Flame potions were hurled and harpoon-shooting ballistas were readied. Raxis hopped off the Aaarworf and onto an adjacent metal rider with Arco following soon after. C2 summoned giant eagles that began picking gnomes off enemy carts and dropping them into the fast-retreating ground below. Their screams lasting only fractions of a second before their bodies scrapped along the ground and into the inner machinery under the Aaarwhorf. Eira sent sacred flames that descended upon the enemy gnomes. Raxis summoned a spectral hand that drove one empty rider into another, cashing a huge explosion that was left behind in the distance behind. Raxis and Arco continued began to make their was forward. Eira was preparing to follow before a lone Junk Gnome surprised her with a molotov-fire blast. Arco blasted some poor gnome who denied Onema off his ride with a Gust of Wind. Raxis was hopping onto another metal ride when another war-rider gnome threw a fire potion. Arco was caught in the blast and used his command of the wind to blow out the fire. Meanwhile, C2's eagles were on a rampage, picking weak gnomes of their carts and dropping them into the garburator sort of mess under the Aaarwhorf. Unfortunately a hobgoblin shot one of the eagles into nothingness.

The head priestess stepped out to the edge of the enemy Strandbeest and summoned a pair serpentine Clockwork abominations with wings who made everyone's job more difficult. More enemy mini-strandbeest carts appeared and the wreckless junk gnomes started shooting more arrows and throwing more fire bombs. Raxis and Arco were caught in a blast as a Clockwork monster rushed them. Arco lost unconsciousness and Raxis was able to retreat successfully. One of C2's eagles wrestled a Clockwork monster into the shredding underside of the Aaarwhorf. The mechanical druid also summoned his trusty unicorn and began healing everyone.

One of the Clockwork snake things were EARTHBOUND by C2 who was later pinned in a small room by a Clockwork Snake monster. Eira and Arco were on a metal rider close to the Aarwhorf. when the Clockwork priestess flew into the air and, to everyone's surprise, she cast fireball...

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Eira was unconscious on a metal rider with Arco barely holding on. C2 was pinned in a corner and Raxis was missing all his shots. Were they doomed? Well find out now!

Arco taunted the flying priestess with his superior God, Onema and called lighting over and over until the Flying gnome was barbecue. C2 healed Eira and Raxis dealt the final blow (i think). Rather than surrender, a new leader of the Clockwork Ecclesiarchy emerged and declared more war but, he was subsequently pushed into the fast-flowing earth.

The Rust Bastion took over the enemy Strandbeest and the left over junk gnomes of the Clockwork church heard Arco's teaching. Oh yes, indeed. They too are now believers in the Archeofuture after a week of preaching by Arco.