View source for Session 139 The Metal Peak's Embrace

The expedition, driven by weeks of tracking, finally led the party to a remote valley dominated by a strange '''metallic and stone mountain'''. All tracks, including fresh human-sized prints belonging to the notorious '''Lexanna Brightshore''', led into a solitary cave entrance at its base.

The party advanced, only to find the entry cave blocked by two imposing steel doors. As they approached, they realized that two similar metal doors had silently sealed the passage behind them, making retreat impossible. The twin doors ahead slid open silently, ushering the group into a large, disconcerting entry foyer. The room was dominated by a central cylindrical structure—a deep well sealed by an iris-shaped mechanism at the floor and ceiling—which they assumed led to other levels.
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=== Echoes of a Lost Crew ===
The party continued their exploration, pushing through another metal door that opened only after they pressed a pulsing black opal embedded in the frame. Inside, '''Balmaris''' discovered skeletal remains clad in brightly colored, gypsy-like clothing of an alien texture, confirming the occupants of this structure were not from their world.

Moving down a passage, '''Durmen''' and '''Nail''' found a human skeleton in armor that was desiccated like a husk of corn. Durmen then spotted a metallic figure crushed in the shadows. After Nail stood guard, Durmen carefully extracted a '''glowing diamond''' from its chest cavity, finding that it pulsed with electric energy, revealing a subtle but intense magic.

Meanwhile, Balmaris found a kitchen, its food rotted and dehydrated, and discovered a metal cook-construct slumped over a counter—another machine stopped mid-task, much like the dead humans found elsewhere.
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=== The Malfunctioning Servant ===
Soon, Durmen and Nail entered the dining hall and called out to Balmaris, drawing his attention to yet '''another metallic figure''' that had just walked into the room. This large construct carried a push-broom and began slowly sweeping the skeletal remains into piles, treating the dead like mere refuse. Durmen watched the automaton’s stiff, struggling movements and, stepping up behind it, cast ''Mend''. The spell instantly smoothed the construct's actions; it straightened up, then quickly marched out of sight down a side passage.

Puzzled by this eerie sequence of events, Durmen peeked around a corner and spotted a doorway slide open silently. Beyond lay a larger room, where a beautiful human female form lay collapsed—a discovery that instantly suggested '''Lexanna Brightshore'''. Durmen quickly pulled back as the door shut, but after relating his discovery, Balmaris immediately strode into the room, followed by Durmen and Nail.
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=== Conflict and The Strange Cure ===
As Balmaris approached, the figure snapped up with smooth, lightning-quick speed, revealing herself to be a powerful construct. In one fluid motion, she fired two rays of energy from a metallic wand, striking both Balmaris and Durmen. Balmaris shook off the ray's paralytic effect, but Durmen collapsed, instantly '''immobilized'''.

Combat erupted as the construct rushed them, attacking with a '''hidden blade''' that extended from her hand. The party’s normal sword strikes seemed to deflect off her metal frame, but '''Nail's Divine Smites''' finally proved effective, striking deep and causing the construct to leak oil and wisps of smoke. Durmen, having recovered enough to try to communicate, made gestures of peace and healing. The woman paused her attack, focused on Durmen, and uttered a phrase in a language none of them recognized.

Capitalizing on her hesitation, the party moved to heal and attack, finally succeeding in casting ''Mend'' on the powerful construct. She went into a momentary fit, but ceased her aggression entirely. With the threat momentarily neutralized, the heroes treated their wounds.

As the party regrouped, the woman's shoulders slumped. Then, she fixed her gaze on Durmen, a strange, wiry smile stretching across her face. In a final, shocking move, she jabbed him in the neck with a '''syringe''' that protruded from her index finger.