As they came around the corner the hallway ended with an arched doorway opening to a massive cavern. Rows of ancient columns disappearing up into the darkness as far as their light would reach. The floor littered with rubble of all shapes and sizes.
"Shame they threw all this away." Vandalandius said, the titan straightening from a stoop as he stepped through the archway into the large room.
Dimitri replied, "Well I wouldn't say that, if they didn't, there wouldn't be anything here for us." Smiling he stepped over a rusted set of armor. Holding his torch high above his head he motioned to the center of the cavern. "See them? The podrikevs?"
Earlier expeditions to the ruins were more focused on the surface chambers of the caves, valuables ranging from elaborate metalwork to rare magical weapons had been abundant in those chambers. It wasn't until the wagons were full until they discovered this junkyard, requiring a second trip for possibly the the most valuable treasure in the ruins.
"Yes, I see them, there must be at least eight or nine of them. And they're probably as in good a shape as the day life was breathed into them." The titan said.
The orange torchlight glimmered on pristine steel. The large mechanical humanoid figures lay in heaps, seemingly in perfect condition, untouched by age.
Both men Waded through the refuse, boots crunching, almost to the shells of the metal figures, Vandaldius slowed his pace. "Something isn't right here."
Dimitri, a pace or two ahead, reached the nearest Podrikev. Leaning down to take a closer look he examined the metal shell.
"We really got lucky, in this condition they'll probably sell for a million platinum a piece." He said.
"Excellent, lets move them close together so we can vortex out of here. The quicker the better, this place has the stink of evil." Vandalandius said, he reached down to drag the mechanical humanoid towards the others.
It didn't budge.
Giving a grunt the titan put his weight into it. The podrikev remained where it lay, not moving an inch.
Dimitri noticed his efforts and uttered a quick incantation of detect magic. "I see, they're all glowing with some kind of enchantment."
Vandalandius replied, "Of course they are, aren't they magical pots and pans?"
"Yea pretty much, let me try something." Vandalandius took a few steps away from the podrikev as Dimitri raised his hands, tracing symbols in the air he recited something in the language of magic. An educated onlooker would know it for a dispel magic spell. Nothing seemed to happen.
Vandalandius tried to move it again with the same result. He shook his head.
"Ok, well how about this." Dimitri produced a large blue gemstone from within his robes, repeating the dispel magic spell the gemstone glowed slightly.A shimmering blue light surrounded the podrikev and slowly faded. "Ok, now give it a tr-". A blinding white light flashed with an explosion knocking both Vandalandius and Dimitri from their feet.
