Session 22 Secrets on Ingenium
Eureka informs the Six of Steel that lockdown will end in an hour. At which point, Blythe’s suspects will be free to go. Guy starts a timer on his pocket watch. Sensing apathy from the elderly receptionist, Blythe first decides to question Parnella Youngbloom. Firien joins her, acting as bad cop. Dismissive of the dragonborn’s attempts to intimidate, Parnella refuses to hand over the employees’ personal files as it would be a breech of privacy. However, she does reveal that it’s Fulbert Guzzark’s job to enter commands at the warforged terminals. She claims the young dwarf was distracted ogling Jehane, the senior smith. Blythe jots this down, but remains suspicious of the receptionist’s impressive typing speed. Perhaps she could have entered the commands?
Bantonio brings a tray of drinks into reception. He approaches Norhice Nolti who rocks back and forth as Fulbert rubs her back. The anxious halfling claims she and Droop were working on the warforged just before they attacked. Bantonio does not doubt her sincerity. He tips her chin and offers his cloak to keep her warm. Norhice blushes. Alfred Bug, a junior smith, confides in Bantonio. He claims a friend in the Ministry spoke of plans to replace the resonite miners with warforged workers—a powerful motive.
Arti connects with one of the warforged and is able to see through its eyes for a moment. They discover a memory of watching Fulbert enter the commands. The young dwarf watches Jehane walk by. He is clearly staring at her legs. Blythe and Firien call Fulbert for interrogation. The young dwarf claims he works for Ivrinn Goldmask, the lead command writer. When his focus on the job is called into question, Fulbert seems uneasy. He admits to having a crush on Jehane. Blythe taps her chin. Could the fire genasi have distracted him on purpose?
Bantonio subtly questions Jehane about Fulbert’s behaviour. Rolling her eyes, she claims to know how to handle creeps. While Droop and Denys bicker about who stole the goblin’s sandwich, Bantonio approaches Ugun. The shy half-orc smith tells of how he quit bounty hunting and came to Ingenium so he might focus on his art. Bantonio coos over the half-orc’s crochet scarf.
Gomruss and Arti take the elevator to the second floor to investigate Ivrinn’s office. Gomruss retches when he discovers Fulbert’s desk is decorated with pictures of Jehane. Arti notices Ivrinn’s terminal has some kind of adapter attached. Gomruss theorises the device could be used to hide the identity of the command writer. Upon connecting to the terminal, Arti discovers the malicious command, but the writer’s identity is indeed scrambled. Furthermore, the commands sent to the fire-resistant warforged were delayed until they arrived on floor five. New evidence in hand, the pair head back upstairs.
“I want to tear my eyes out!”
Gomruss discovers Fulbert’s mural.
Guy checks his watch. Five minutes left. He guards the door, hand cannon at the ready. With everyone gathered in reception, Blythe presents the results of her investigation. Fulbert hides his face from Jehane but pleas innocent. Firien maintains that even if he didn’t write the command, he could have prevented its use were he not distracted. Eyes then turn to Ivrinn, who refuses to talk without a lawyer. That is until Firien mentions they’re a cleric of Bahamut. Recognising the dragonborn as an advocate of justice, Ivrinn requests to speak with Firien in private.
“I have friends who work down those mines. I wrote that command because they deserve justice. They haven’t been striking for six months just so they can be replaced by mindless automata.”
“I don’t know what you expected me to say. Maybe your actions will bring the miners’ plight to light… but people have been hurt and now you’re going to face the consequences.”
“What? That’s not right. I told them not to hurt the workers.”
Ivrinn to Firien.
Guy’s watch chimes. The doors open just as Firien charges into reception. Norhice begs Guy to let her pass, gasping for air. Meeting Firien’s gaze, Norhice admits that she discovered the malicious code and tried to fix it herself. That’s when the warforged attacked. The Inland Guard arrive and take Ivrinn, Fulbert and Norhice into custody. Eureka thanks the Six of Steel for their help just as Zephan arrives with Gomruss’ items. Gomruss receives a staff of enhanced arcane focus while Guy’s pistol has been upgraded to a gemlock mechanism. Finally, Bantonio receives a resonite pendant.
With the foundry out of order, the employees leave and the refinery is shut down. Zephan orders a takeaway from Justeatium, which is delivered to the window by flying taxi, and the Six of Steel take a late lunch in Eureka’s office. Though missing, Arti can feel their heart beat in their chest as Eureka rifles through her files. She takes a photo from her scrapbook and offers it to Arti. In the photo, a younger Glimback stands beside his wife, Eloise, Zephan, Eureka, Adelaide and Hadley. Glimback’s hand rests atop the shoulder of a young boy.
“That’s Glimback’s son, Arthur. He was very ill and passed away when he was very young. When it came to creating your heart, there was nothing we could do to achieve the radiance we needed to explore the Miasma. That is until—like a miracle—you came to life. Glimback was convinced his son had come back to him. Whether you choose to believe that is up to you.”
“I have a dad.”
“You always did, Arti.”
Eureka reveals Arti’s past. Arti to Firien.