[Krazincharun Dwemer Outpost, Skyrim] An idiot....an idiot in the deep. (closed)

Rolling her eyes at the so-called "Adopted Son of Skyrim's" cowardice, Asren cleared her throat loudly enough for all to hear.
"Sorry, I thought I heard you had a better idea. Or did I mishear that among that pathetic whimpering you call 'smarts'."
The nord deadpanned before getting serious again.
"Now, if you or anyone else has an alternate suggestion for getting Arla out of here I'm all ears, otherwise we'll just have to tough it out with whatever we find in there."

"Well, we can go through the path that way." Seeks-Many-Secrets gestured toward the path that Asren and Amalin used to come in.

"Asren, enough." said Amelin, trying to nip a confrontation at the bud, especially in their current situation. "We got lost just trying to get here. We didn't exactly expect to find a Dwemer ruin in here of all places. Either way, we're not really going anywhere until we get this damned gate open, and right now, I think pulling the lever may be our best option available."

"Damned dwemer." He crossed his arms, looking to his fellow Argonian. "Seeks, get some fire ready in case that lever sends some sort of... doom machine after us. After what just happened, I wouldn't be surprised at this point."

He then looked to the shorter bosmer. "I'm puttin' a lot of stock in this, elf."

"Right! I'm doing it."

She yanked down as hard as she could. Besides her little yip of a grunt, the area was filled with the sounds of ancient machinery turning. Clanking, hissing, and grinding. Arla pulled back from the lever, holding her bed roll up. She could see the hundreds of gears in motion above her.

The gate began to lift then stopped. It shook in it's place, the gears locked up on something. A quick glance around would reveal a human skull lodged in the gears.

Arla kept watching the gears move when she saw the wall behind her coming down. A small opening was revealed. She squinted and looked closer to see something rolling out of it.

She panicked and ran to the gate, reaching her arms through. "Nine! Gods! Something is coming!"

Behind her, three little spheres emerged from the opening. They landed with a thud, dust rolling off them. Legs unfurled and like horrible mechanical spiders they began crawling towards the young Imperial at the gate.

"What do I do? Help!!!!" She was tempted to ball up and hide inside the bedroll, hoping she would wake up back home. To her credit, she didn't. Her senses sharpened a little. She could run.

As quick as can be, she shed her bedroll, sprinting away as the skull finally splintered and snapped. Each of the spiders turned to the adventurers and rescuers, ready to defend their absent masters home.

Asren snarled, as she took on a fighting stance, sword and shield at the ready in a defensive stance.
'Shockingly the argonian was actually right. Funny that.' she thought to herself before putting herself between Arla and the spiders themselves.

Seeks shot a fireball at one of the sentries. "Lay off, nord. He's seen his fair share of dwemer ruins and was rightfully concerned."

"Less arguing, more fighting!" Amelin shouted at the Argonian whilst taking aim at the nearest group of sentries. Having selected her target, she released the arrow.

Kennek didn't bother with words, though he did shoot Seeks an appreciate look (maybe. Argonians are hard read).

Charging forward, he swung his hammer into the chassis of one of the spider creatures. Steel, however, cannot so easily pierce dwemer metal. Instead of destroying the thing, it was left with a rather large dent, steam shooting out of the "wound". "Seeks, spear it! Or... fill it with fire!" He grunted as he held back two of the claws on the spider. Suddenly, it zapped his chest. "Bzzztgag!"

She cast flames at the sentry that Kennek damaged while drawing her spear, making it overheat and burst. She then skewered one and swept flames across several more.

This is why I hate caverns!

Amelin shot several more arrows at the drones, they hit the marks, but it seemed more of them were coming every second.

"We're not going to win fighting like this!"

Asren simply roared and knocked another construct aside, having away at the thing with her sword in an effort to leave it with as few limbs as possible. Thankfully the spiders' limbs were fragile compared to the armor plated abdomens elsewhere, and the mechanical device's mobility was severely weakened enough for the Nord to hammer away at a gap in its armor with her shield. Unlike Kennek, she could at least stab at them as well as smash them away.

"Rope! Does anyone have any rope!?" shouted the argonian mage as she cast a rune near where the automatons emerged, blowing up a good chunk of them, but even more took their place.

"We can shut the gate from this side and lock them on the other!"

Kennek reaches into his pack, pulling out said rope. "Got it!"

Suddenly, spider guardian on his back. "PISS OFF!" He roared out, backing into the gate and smashing the machine into it repeatedly.

Meanwhile the automatons kept pouring out. Each time the adventurers killed one, a machine deep in the depths of the outpost fulfilled its purpose. Assembling and pumping out new machines each time one was dismantled. The clambered towards the adventurers, hissing as steam vented from them.

Down the dark tunnel, Arla sprinted. She was running as fast as she could. The spiders were going to kill them and kill her. Her feet slapped against the damp ground. She kept running until the only thing she heard was her heart. She took a few deep breaths, feeling the chill of the water start to soak into her feet.

It was darker down here. Freaky too. Just a stupid dripping sound. Or was it foot steps?

As Asren hacked another three machines apart, she saw Arla sprint off in the corner of her eye. "NO!" Even she didn't know why she screamed that, but she pressed on after the girl regardless. Asren had lost sight of Arla once, she'd be damned if it happened again on her watch.

Seeks used her spear to pry the centurion off, then bashed it with the blunt end. "I'll hold them off of you! You prepare the rope!"

"What about Arla?!" Amelin yelled as she unsheathed her dagger to fend off an approaching automaton, the corner of her eye spotted Asren running into the tunnel after their quarry. She did not want to just leave the pair behind the gate, trapped with these mechanical demons.

"Then go find them! We can only hold them off for so long! I'm already starting to feel drained, soon I won't be able to cast spells!" called Seeks, her voice dripping with annoyance.

Kennek quickly knotted the rope into a lasso and tossed it through the bars. As his luck would have it, it caught around the lever and he pulled with all of his not inconsiderable might, the lever switching back and the tide of animunculi being stemmed for the time being. He quickly drew his warhammer, smashing one of the spiders aside - not destroying it, since dwemer metal is far stronger then steel and it was only by virtue of the hammer being heavy that it even dented the things.

He stood in front of Seeks protectively, looking back at her. "I'll cover ya."

The tide of dwemer creations was indeed stopped, unfortunately the gate closed behind them. As long as the gate was down, the mechanical beings could not keep attacking.

Asren could feel the chill of the depths start to sink in as she ran after Arla.

Arla herself sat quietly, listening to the dripping water. She was going to die down here. Her only chance at rescue were gone and probably eaten by mechanical spiders! She didn't even know why she deserved this! She said a few more prayers when she felt something glide into the room.

Asren paid everyone else no mind. Instead she proceeded to continue sprinting after Arla, calling the girl's name in a panicked tone.
"Arla! Arla! Where are you?"
Eventually she slowed to a steady walk, but Asren knew that Arla would be too far ahead and she herself was lost in the cavern. In a shout of rage and frustration, the towering Nord slammed her shield against a wall. At this rate, she'd never find Arla in time...or even find a way out of this pit. The worst part? It would be her own damn fault, to die alone and tired in a Dwemer cave because she was too stupid to take a hint.

Asren slumped to the floor, her sword dropping to the floor with a loud clatter, and began to mournfully pray to the Nine for a sign...that somehow she'd find a way to rectify this situation. But nothing came, nothing immediate at least.