2022/11/09

Last time in the Iron Kingdoms, the party escaped the Convergence Temple.

The party continued pushing forward through the temple, avoiding more magical traps that were left for them. With their goal to either find another exit that wasn't impeded by roots and vines or to find the cause of the vines and to deal with it. As the party went on they felt the hum of the geomantic generator coming from beneath them and with having no luck finding anything else decided to take a look there. Shakes scouted away from the party to make sure that everything was safe in the generator room before the whole party went in. Inside the generator room there was the generator that was still humming along, though surrounding that was a circle of stones that was arranged around the generator. Shakes wasn't able to determine what the stones were for though they didn't respond to the rock he threw at them. The party then went into the generator room to examine the circle with Hector, Abe, Xavier and Cycles going down to get a closer look at the stones. Hector was able to determine that the circle was some sort of transportation beacon, designed to make it easier for someone to travel here. As they were looking however the defenses of the room activated, with more of the mannikins from earlier emerging from the walls on the catwalks above, while a large golem emerged from the rock below to attack the party. The ensuing fight was difficult for the party, who found themselves wishing that they had taken a small break while exploring the temple. The party was victorious however, and after noticing that one of the stones seemed to be controlling and reanimating the mannikins brought the fight to a close by smashing the stone.

With the roots and vines receding with the destruction of the stone, the party then began their journey back to Five Fingers. The journey was uneventful, with the party reaching the south shore settlement about three days after leaving the temple. Once back in Five Fingers the party began modifying the Convergence warjack that they had obtained. Retrofitting a cortex onto the machine so that the Vengeants could use it regardless if they had a warcaster or not. When the modifications were complete they sent off the hawk to arrange a meeting with the Vengeants and were told to meet again on the East Porpoise Island. There the party was met with the full size of the Vengeants, who stated that they were just making sure that everything stayed above board. Brais looked over the convergence warjack that the party was offering and eventually declared it to be sufficient for them. With the Stryker class prototype stepping out from behind the rock. With the trade completed, the party wished Brais and the Vengeants a safe travel home and then set off to give the jack to Cygnar to keep Lady Ashcroft off Charlotte's back.

It took a little bit for Lady Ashcroft to respond to the party's message. Though eventually she gave a location at the docks for Cygnar to take possession of the jack. As the party began their trek through the night time streets of Five Fingers, they were interrupted by a large explosion from the North Rivergrav docks of Chaser Island. The blast had a strange effect on the Stryker warjack as well as on Xavier's storm chamber powering his armor and his storm glaive. The warjack immediately broke free from the party and began sprinting towards the explosion, much faster than any the party thought was possible from the machine. Charlotte tried to exert control over the jack but was met with the deafening sound of thunder as her connection was broken. Abe was running after the jack instead, though was unable to keep up with the hastened warjack, and eventually lost the trail and began making his way back to the party. The rest of the party had deduced that the jack was seeking to draw power from the explosion as they realized that it stayed close to Xavier's storm chamber when possible. With that in mind they began making their way towards the glow on the horizon that seemed to be the center of the explosion. When the party reached the epicenter of the blast they were met with a strange sight. There was a building that was throwing out the light and a dazed man that was stumbling around the only surviving building, mumbling to himself that it worked. The party then questioned the man, finding out that he was one Alexandr Padorin a tinkerer that was working on energy production and apparently succeeded far more than he was expecting. Alexandr said that he knew how to shut off the steam engine that was powering this though stated that the inside of his lab was dangerous when he stumbled out. Alexandr also mentioned seeing the Stryker entering the lab. The party then grabbed Alexandr and prepared to enter the lab.