Iron Gods Gameplay

Koda nods to Dazja, smiling. "Hey Dazja! Thanks for keeping me alive in there, honestly without you I'd be face-down on that cold metal floor, bleeding out in front of a terrifying carnivorous mushroom or something." He grimaces and adds, "Gods what a terrible way to go...I honestly doubt that Khonnir survived those caverns."

Joram frowns, and shakes his head. "Khonnir's made of stern stuff, and the town needs him. It would be a measureless tragedy for him to have left his children behind."

"Well, I hope I'm wrong. Khonnir was always kind to me, even when he knew I was just drifting through." Koda says sadly, "As to where he's at, the only thing I can think of is that we didn't go deep enough into that metal tunnel network. His group was seen just before the locked metal hatches though, and from what we saw its possible that those metal tunnels are extremely expansive. Hells there was a small desert down there, with light and everything! Anything is possible in there."

"There were signs that people had been around, I think?" Dazja thinks for a moment. "I haven't given up hope yet. Still, though, the things down there are definitely dangerous. And we're going to have to fight those skeletons again..." She shudders. "That was rough the first time around. I'm not looking forward to the second."

"The four-armed skeletons, aye... well, from what it sounds like, you made their attempts to reanimate a mite difficult at least," Joram says with a sparkle in his eyes. "Binding and burying the bones. Genius!"

Lyza is frustrated.

Finding Khonnir in a day was probably wishful thinking. But having to turn back so soon, and not feeling much closer to finding him... The annoyance pervades Lyza's thoughts as she emerges from the water.

She had hoped to complete this rescue as soon as possible, hopefully fixing the Torch's flame in the process. Lyza now wonders what there would even be left to rescue at this rate.

With a gruff sigh, she shakes her head and heads towards Cindy's house. Seeing her was always comforting, at least.

A stinging pain brings Lyza out of her headspace, an acute reminder of the injuries she had sustained while exploring and fighting. Mmm. I should get these fixed up before seeing Cindy. She has enough to worry about.

Lyza then changes course towards the temple, seeking Joram. Asking the acolytes inside for his whereabouts, she opens the door to the workshop to find Dajza and Koda alongside Joram.

"Oh, er... I'll come back when y'all are done." Not feeling conversation at the moment, Lyza starts to close the door.

”No, no, come in!” Joram calls, hurrying towards the door. ”You’re wounded, are you not?”

"Ah... Yeah, I am." Lyza relents and enters the room. She gives a cursory nod and awkward wave to her adventuring companions as she pulls up a chair. Her leg starts fidgeting on its own after she takes a seat.

Joram runs his hands along her wounds, emitting soft light as he does, the wounds slowly knitting themselves shut. ”And there we are,” he says after a short moment, Lyza now totally cured. ”Anywhere I missed?”

Elsewhere in the town, Narek arrives back at the inn, where Val has been waiting near the door and poring over a thick tome. ”Oh! Thank Gods, you made it back... I guess dad’s still down there though, huh?”

"Dad's still down there," Narek confirms stoically. "We had to return for the day because we ran out of healing magic. I did not suffer very many wounds, though. Those who fought up close took the brunt of the injuries."

”That’s... reassuring, I guess...” Val says, with a sigh. ”Narek, why did dad have to go down there, anyways?”

"Why did Dad have to go down there?" Narek repeats. "For the same reasons I have to go down there. To save whoever might still be down there. Or to bring back their bodies. And, if possible, bring the flame back to Torch." Narek hesitates a few moments before he adds "We did find a few bodies and brought them back. One from Dad's group, the other from a different one. I know that isn't good news to hear."

Val grimaces. ”No kidding,” she says, thimbing through her hefty book. ”I wish I could help. It’d make me feel better to be able to... know what’s down there. And to help you. These last few hours were the longest of my life, you know?” she says. ”If... if you go missing, I won’t have anyone left.” She bunches her knees close to her chest quietly.

"If I go missing," Narek echoes. "I won't. I promise. I'll make it back to you."

Val gives a sullen nod. ”Your group knows they’re welcome to stay here if they need a place, right?”

"Right," Narek confirms. "I think they wanted to do other things in town first. Selling some of the items we found. I just came straight back here."

”Didn’t have anything to do?” she teases. The girl closes her book, and brushes off her dress, impatience with the text reaching a boiling point. ”I’m gonna start a roast. Could you help me chop the vegetables?”

"Chop the vegetables," Narek says with a nod, heading towards the kitchen. "Got it."

Koda makes his way to the merchant square, hoping to get some shopping done before dinner, and to see if Sanvil was looking to buy some junk.

As he was not long ago, Sanvil waits at his stall in the square, idly tinkering with a spherical gizmo.

"No, I think that's it," answers Lyza. "Thank you. I'll, er, be going now, then." Shuffling out of the temple, Lyza returns to her original path towards Cindy's house.

---

Upon entering, Lyza is almost immediately greeted by a pair of arms getting thrown around her. "You're back! I was beginning to worry you wouldn't make it back before dinner."

Lyza returns the hug, embracing Cindy tightly. The fighter feels her exhaustion ebbing upon reuniting with her girlfriend. "Heh, of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

The pair took their seats at the kitchen table, Cindy placing a cup of piping hot tea before Lyza. Grateful, Lyza takes a sip and loudly exhales, attempting to unwind.

"Well? How'd it all go? See anything cool down there?" Cindy asks, eager to hear a story of grand exploration.

Lyza scratches the back of her head and looks to the side. "I'd like to think we made it pretty far, and everyone made it out, but... No Khonnir yet, much less any way to fix the torch." She rests her chin on her palm and sighs.

Cindy shrugs. "Well, you can try again tomorrow, right? Don't be too bummed out." She gives a bright smile to cheer Lyza up.

"I know, I know... I just want to get everything back to working order already." She pulls out her keepsake metal chunk and twirls it in her hand. "For everyone here... you especially."

Pursing her lips, Cindy ponders for a moment. "Of course. I appreciate it. It's not like I'm not worried. I'd just hate if you missed out on enjoying the exploration, is all." She shakes her head. "How about you tell me about all the cool stuff you found? There's bound to be a lot down there, right?"

Lyza feels her smile returning at Cindy's words. "As always, you know what to say. Thanks." Mood refreshed, Lyza goes on to recount her adventures. "So there were these freaky skeletons... And later, we found these tubes that had goop in them, and they smelled like SHIT! And further down another hallway..."

Eyes practically sparkling, Cindy sits attentive the whole way through. "That all is so... dang... COOL! Where do you think it came from? Who made it? What was it all made of? So many questions!"

"Heh, beats me. I'll let you know as it unfolds, or something."

"What, can't even tell me what metal the halls were? Some smith you are!" teases Cindy playfully.

"..." Lyza's face shifts to mock annoyance. "Alright, you got me there." She finishes her cup of tea and leans her chair back. "Thanks, Cindy. For everything."

Cindy giggles and grins. "Of course, Lyza."

Koda walks up the stall with a half-grin, "Sanvril, long time since I've seen you! Are things going well for you...other than the fire going out and that mess?"

"Ahh, Koda. Always a pleasure. Things are a bit hectic with everything going on, but I can't complain. Business is doing alright, I'm comfortable..." Sanvil gives a polite smile. "All things are going fine."

The pair chat for a while, and onlookers would comment that the scene was strangely chilling. The two spoke using words that few around them understood, laced with some dark undercurrent. Koda's hand flickers to his sword, and Sanvil gives the man a wan smile.

They're looking for you.

Koda's face drains of color, and he spits an argument. Sanvil shrugs, and says nothing else.

That night, Koda would leave town, leaving no note in his wake.

The group is again granted a water-breathing spell by Joram, and they make their way back into the strange metal caves without much issue. They come upon a scene of fungus-covered bodies strewn throughout several adjacent rooms.

Lyza crouches down to investigate when a noise catches her attention. She quickly jolts up, brandishing her hammer. "Did... Did you guys hear that? Those footsteps?"

She cautiously makes her way back to the hallway she had come from, hammer at the ready.