In the confusion, the [two] surviving and still in the saddle cavalrymen fumbled about for a Round or Two before one raced off for reinforcements, sounding a bugle. The other sought to tend to the thrown riders, and was attacked by Phlavius' improvised grenade, but was not incapacitated.
General milling about and kibitzing by the PCs provided ample time for the cavalry -- er reinforcements to arrive. Prior by a few Rounds, Zalder of the Winds took skyward to spot encroaching trouble, and spotted it in the form of a heavy dragoon lancer (actually wielding a Bright Metal lance crackling with + Lightning) charging into the fray at great speed.
Fretting over the heavy calendar stones, Raylyss' reptilmalian friend sacrificed himself and his bonded pet so that Raylyss was able to become a quadruped and bear away the weighty stone artefact. The transformation was near instantaneous, and R found himself with 20 additional discretionary DP while in that form.
--The largely incapacitated Osyl was borne along as well. As they departed from the charging horsemen, a tornado formed too nearby and caused a great distraction as the lancer bore down upon the cart and hapless Snappy.
For while Osyl's bleeding form lay upon the gory rushes, she was contacted again by Lady Arctise, her Elemental Patron. In these remote experiences Osyl and the Lady were outside the Nahzar Et’an <‘The Blessed Chapel’> which houses the Yirinn mountain-top arcology of Iirkys Lemharn, the Empire's premier Locomotive Station. The Lady gave Osyl a tour of the poor destitute who huddle tucked into corners of the massive black structure in the hope of staving off hypothermia and frostbite.
--"Your life is mine now, to do with as I please. Is that understood, Osyl?" --"Yes my Lady."
---:: A tour brought forth the chill spirits of those who had perished under Arctise' tender care, who inhabited the station seeking some wan warmth and comfort in immaterial undeath. It was here that the Lady purchased Osyl's ticket on a Ghost Train that would one day bring her spirit to Arctise' frosty mountaintop lair. It was from these visions that Osyl awoke from near-death, colder than normal, but still with a languid and belaboured heartbeat.
----(the tornado was accidentally formed when Osyl used the Lady's power within her to rapidly cool the local air-mass in the hopes of staving off the lancer).
Phlavius attempted to start a grassfire with alcohol, but found that the wet grass (it had been raining) didn't take-to, well. A brief flare-up projected an image of the lascivious Pant the It, ruler of Steam, but the weather's fouling gave the Yellow Ghoul more to worry about, and he then Cloaked and raced off Westward (as did the Cloaked quadrupedal Raylyss).
Zalder then experienced the sound he had heard at the Grinder's unveiling: wings, too close, above and behind him, and when he looked, Zalder saw to his concern a much larger specimen of the reptilavian they had brought down for the feast. This led to cool aerobatic manoeuvring and the plucking of two plumes from the creature as it flew in and picked-up two horses and riders before losing one due to its squirming, and the great flyer's returning to the higher, colder altitudes. All of this as the tornado threw about debris, including the bulk of the cart to which Snappy had been yoked.
The group headed from the plain into a hollow where a nice pond/lake was bordered by scattered copse of trees. Zalder secured a riderless horse, and managed to drive it down the slope toward the water.
--As Raylyss entered the water, his new hindquarters sloughed-off and dissolved into Silt. He searched his mind and found that he was not entirely certain if he could activate the quadraform at will. The bonus DP was reduced to 10 points.
---Snappy arrived late but basically unharmed, trailing the cart's bench still hooked onto its train.
The Nomads appeared from the trees and returned the girls and the eggs in the sealed trunk, and then explained that they had already been killed by West to East expanding Vrun moving to meet-up with the Eastern forces.
--The party were admonished to care for all trees they would encounter, as the last echoes of the slain Nomads could possibly aid them if they did as was bid of them.
The group took shelter in the woods, only to find that they hid subducted or overgrown subterranean ruins (perhaps a sunken tower), which (in the morning) were initially explored (a Simplex Push-button lock sort of affair). Phlavius' and Raylyss' Players both departed and Osyl and Zalder's remained. A room was entered, but Osyl was unfortunate enough to fall into a watery pit occupied by a tentacled creature.
--Melee (and one triple-strength TK Blast by Osyl) ensued and the dumb beast simply could not fail its Resolve Test to withdraw or cease fighting in whatever capacity, so both Osyl (clenched in two tentacles), and Zalder (almost stripped of the Air-crystal) took a good beating, but emerged victorious.
---Parts of the creature were salvaged: six fleshy bulbs connected beneath the things cartilaginous brain case, which appear to be its Water nodes. Zalder plans to collect the Quaternary Elemental Nodes for a gadget of some sort.
We held it there.
At some point in the session, it was revealed that the Lancer was in possession of a powerful Lightning artefact and as long as she wielded it and aberrants or magickers would use the Elements, powerful side effects would occur.
--It was apparent that the woman who wielded it was an Anti-Shre crusader, making it increasingly likely that the PCs would hear from her again.
---
Baroness Averdyn's mini-adventure and planning sessions went well both last week and on Wednesday night.
Key Words: Confections shoppe, Wireless Telegraphony, Heavy Weapons Master.
