“Within the shadowy depths of the Vault of Secrets, our band of brave souls kicked off their assault. Scarlet, a gunslinger with a flair for the dramatic, let loose a mighty Fireball that lit up the dark like a blazing sun, catching both friend and foe in its fiery embrace. Stirmi and Buddy, his trusty bird companion, managed to weather the storm, standing firm amidst the chaos. In the midst of it all, Scarlet conjured a thick smoke cloud, shrouding two enemies and giving his comrades the upper hand.
The battle heated up when a crooked Shield Marshal took aim at Fulminyx, calling him out like a sheriff in a dusty town, but luck was on Fulminyx’s side as the attack went wide. Jace, the sly gunslinger rogue, pulled off a critical double kill on two Leadsmiths, his aim as true as a rattlesnake’s strike. Stirmi dug his claws into a Shield Marshal, leaving him bleeding, while Fulminyx retaliated with a crackling Static Shock, charging himself up and raising an Elemental Shield like a gunslinger ready for a showdown.
Scarlet wasn’t done yet; she let loose another Fireball down the corridor, scorching foes, and followed it up with a Poison Bolt that found its mark on another Led Smith. But trouble brewed for Fulminyx when a Shield Marshal struck him with a longsword and then delivered a critical shot, though his own attempt at Retributive Shock went wide, like a missed shot in a high-stakes poker game. Buddy, brave as ever, took the fight to the Led Smith but got shoved back, not without a fight.
As the skirmish raged on, Jace pushed the frontlines, delivering serious damage to a Shield Marshal. Stirmi struggled to follow up his earlier success, but Fulminyx unleashed a finger-gun blast of electricity, hitting another Shield Marshal with a critical jolt. Scarlet, trying to keep up with the fast-paced brawl, faltered for a moment but quickly rebounded with a critical Blazing Bolt that sent a Led Smith packing.
The climax of the fight came when Buddy executed a critical peck, putting an end to another Led Smith. Fulminyx cast Polarize, dealing ongoing electrical damage like a storm rolling in, while Scarlet cast a healing spell that mended her allies and incinerated the last Led Smith, sealing their victory in the vault. With the chaos behind them, the party rode the carriage lift up, leaving the tumult below.
Back at the Barrel and Bullet Saloon, the adventurers gathered ’round to brief their contact, Phoebe, on their findings. They discussed the looming hanging of a river merchant named Rhangyl Foruza and the invitations to a high-society soiree. Fulminyx presented a broken heart pin he’d taken from an enemy, which Phoebe recognized as a mark of Angelique Loveless’s goons. The group hatched a plan to forge duplicate pins, though they knew they wouldn’t be ready in time for the gala.
As preparations rolled on, the gang donned high-fashion attire for the gala, with Fulminyx opting for a flashy lightning-themed outfit that would turn heads. Their inquiries revealed the event would unfold at Graeson’s Fingers, hosted by Christia Tombend, a wealthy art collector with ties to Angelique Loveless. They learned of Christia’s controversial support for mandatory conscription in Alkanstar and her recent donations of firearms to the Shield Marshals.
The evening reached its peak at the Ironmakers art gala, where the party mingled with a colorful cast of guests, including the loquacious Irvine and the jovial Powle Guthroy. Scarlet and Stirmi approached Christia, who bragged about her contributions to the Shield Marshals. Fulminyx, eager to impress, dazzled a bored scholar with his manipulation of electricity, while Jace slipped into the back halls, lifting a gold chimera statue and two sapphires faster than a coyote in the night.
As the gala continued, Christia introduced the party as esteemed art critics, prompting them to critique a large jellyfish sculpture. Jace and Fulminyx laid on the compliments thick, while Stirmi and Scarlet charmed the crowd with their insights. But the mood turned sour when Leadsmiths began escorting Christia away, accusing the party of being enemies of Angelique Loveless.
In the chaos of the elevator descent, Jace’s Battlecry rang out, demoralizing a Led Smith like a sheriff’s call to arms. Fulminyx unleashed a Polarize spell, and the party fought valiantly, with Stirmi transforming into a giant tarantula to deliver a venomous bite. Fulminyx’s Electric Field burst forth, wounding multiple foes, and Jace fired off a swift double shot, clearing the way for Stirmi to finish off the last guard.
With the elevator fight wrapped up and Christia still breathing, the party emerged victorious, ready to face whatever the Wild West had in store for them next.”