Dr. Osiris swiftly casts a smothering spell, dousing his minions in a thick layer of carbon dioxide. Damages can be evaluated and repaired later; after all, that's what metal is for!
As for the remaining explosives. Hmn.
Don't they know that I'm supposed to make the traps? Hmph. No matter.
He then has one of his more precise steamies start digging toward the other signals, not close enough to activate them, but close enough for Dr. Osiris to start unweaving the mana for use elsewhere. He also directed three of the skelmechs to go back and locate Athena. Really, she should be here. What was the point of a research assistant if they couldn't assist you?
Those lines of thought all thought through and acted on, a section of the doctor's mind drifted to something else.
>Why, hello there, you two!
>What.
>Uh, hi?
>I could not help but take notice of your bantering-
>Identify yourself before you go off into dramatics.
>Why, of course! My apologies, it has been some several centuries since I have had to introduce myself. I am the illustrious Dr. Osiris the Wise, expert on the undead form and mechanics, and pioneer in the art of integrating the cutting-edge power of steam!
>Several centuries- how old are you?!
>Steam is not even slightly cutting-edge. Explain what you mean by "undead".
>Well, I have rather lost count, but I am at least mostly certain that I am several centuries old, based on the magic tides. Though that does assume that they have not shifted pace over time. I cannot actually see the sun down here, though I have recently resolved to get outside and do some archaeology!
>And do you mean to say you are unfamiliar with the undead? Fascinating. They are, of course, the reanimated remains of organic beings!
>...and you are integrating steam into this equation...how, precisely?
>I think I may not want to hear this.
>It is not just steam, of course not! It is intricate cogwork, allowing for the replacement and even addition of limbs, and providing a myriad of additional functions that flesh and bone are simply unsuited for. I am quite proud of it, I must say. Came up with it after a few dwarves' corpses were recovered from the labyrinth. They had these tube-shaped items that used steam pressure to launch projectiles! It was quite fascinating, and I just had to do more research into the applications.
>...a gun. They had guns - not even good ones - and you somehow extrapolated the mechanics into making mechanical limbs.
>Bye, I'm done, I don't want to hear where the rest of this discussion goes.
>Are you interested in my research methodology? Ah, it began when one of my research assistants accidentally shot their hand off during analysis, a minor mishap of course...
This continues for at least an hour, so we're clear. Thankfully, discussionspace doesn't seem to actually have any temporal connection to realspace in any of the worlds. Nothing could get done, otherwise.