"Placid reply: Contruct, golem. Potaytoe, potahtoe. Part mechanical and part magical, but all anger and loathing."
"Oh? So you survived the raven. Don't worry this little raven here isn't for you yet."((Reason with a wild animal, why don't you. It only understands a few words of your language, it has never been given a reason to forgive in it's life, and it just so happens to possess deaemoaemonic powers.))
He taps the red silouhette of a raven on his right shoulder.
"Besides, I didmy best to help you, but the feed back from that demon. Well, I may well have a bit of his hunger in me. But I digress, it was a team vote. I simply honoured that vote."
"You see, that's what I like to hear. You gotta lo- wait, I remember you! Didn't you get inducted along with me? You went on the other mission, right? I got the festival, and you got the one where the corporal got her promotion.""Reply: Yes, the mission with the goop. The very emotional one may have gotten a promotion on that one, but this on got to drown the uppity alchemist in his own creation and got introduced to the brute squad as a result.
"Reply: Yes, the mission with the goop. The very emotional one may have gotten a promotion on that one, but this on got to drown the uppity alchemist in his own creation and got introduced to the brute squad as a result.
Statement: This one feels he got the better deal on that one."
Don't think the bird can speak. It understands just fine, but I suppose it lacks the necessary anatomy for speech. Not without some magical tinkering at least.
What can you tell us about Katha, and why is the priesthood our enemy?
Don any armor that fits. Take a few swords and a looting sack.
"Query: what kind of resistance can we expect? Merely armed militia or something more fierce? Special magics?"again, what kind of armor would you like? it is possible that some armor will be of benefit to you. Just because you are made of metal doesn't mean you are invulnerable. Each of the weapons you guys get will be or has been enchanted for certain effects. Mostly resistance to the holy word of Katha. If you have a specific additional enchantment you'd like to try out, give me specifics and we'll try it. It'll require your magical ability to activate, probably, unless you develop a workaround. Either way, how does a nice, massive maul sound? Whooosh! Bam! Smash! That's how.
Grab some armour if there's anything that will benefit me. If there's any weapons that use magic, I'll grab one. If there's not, grab something blunt, like a staff or hammer.
If Corvo the bird tries anything drink potion and focus on his mind and making his worst memories surfaceA veritable genius, this one. Yes, you will be provided with a cart full of destructive bits. The glass globes you will find in there will act as greek fire, burning and clinging. Handle with care until you wish to use them. as for the alcohol: No.
if he does nothing do the following.
See if I can leave my pike here to pick up later. Find some armor that fits. If I can leave my pike look for a long sword.
If we are going to be destroying everything we can't keep and carry may I request a couple torches, rags, and bottles of highproof booze?
"There's something beautiful about an objective this straightforward."You get the shield. Tower shield or regular? You get mail. Chain? Ring? E-? Snail? There will be glass spheres of greek fire in the mission cart. enough for everyone who wants it. You get your sling, and twenty explosive bullets. it's a minor effect, but could take off someone's fingers, or blind them. Maybe more. Please keep track of these and remind me how many you have. otherwise, they may end up 'falling out of the bag' on the way back.
Armor. Preferably mail. And also a shield suitable for someone of my stature. Strap the shield across my back for now. We're gonna have a good time. Oh, and a sling. No ammunition needed for that unless you have something explosive I can get for free.
Oh, and see if I can't get some alchemist's fire for the mission. Or, for that matter, a tanglefoot bag or three.
Grab some armor, assuming that wouldn't interfere with magic. Make *sure* the Omega brand is covered in such a way it'd be difficult to accidentally reveal. Any scrolls lying around, or books with pre-transcribed spells?Leather armor would be fine for spellcasting. Certain other typse too, if you can convince me to allow them. Ask one of your creative teammates to make a suggestion.
"CAW"Indeed. The stone man throws you some meat. It smells great. He also removes your restraints.
Corvo calls loudly, as if to inform everyone that it's important.
The crow spares a deadly glance at varion, before turning its gaze to the stone man. It tilts its head slightly to indicate that it barely understood a word that he said.
🐦: Wat?
"Are there any prominent illegal elements we could try to pin this on?"Again, what kind of armor? Chain, scale, plate halfplate, spiky, reactive, sapient? Don't choose that last one. it's .... cranky. You get a fine, enchanted broadsword.
Ask the above, grab heavy armor and a better broadsword if there is any. If the vials of blue pain are shatterproof, bring one with me.
Leather armor will do fine.
"Well, for one, something to use against their holy magic, if they have any; secondly, something that could help disarm potential traps, mundane or magical, around the artifact we are being sent to recover- I doubt they're leaving it up to the priests entirely to defend it.
Apart from that, does anyone have any other ideas as to what might be useful?"
SO! Crow-sized and fitted Plated Mail (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plated_mail).
Korvash goes hunting through the supplies for scale armor and a halberd as well as a better long sword.Also look for some rope and a hook to tie onto it. Also grab a fire globe.You exchange your pike for a halberd, your short sword for a long sword, and your naked scales for scale mail. You get an actual grappling hook with fifty feet of rope. You attempt to loot the cart of it's globes, but are waved away by the stone man, and a ... not a dwarf, not a halfling, but a little person wielding twin daggers.
"I finally get to go on a raid, This is going to be fun."
After getting the armor on try to get the crow to ride on my shoulder using bits of food. Magical support could be useful in the temple.
(Hey Egan want a meatshield?)
Leather armor will do fine.leather it is. Comfortable enough, though it smells a little ... leathery.
"Well, for one, something to use against their holy magic, if they have any; secondly, something that could help disarm potential traps, mundane or magical, around the artifact we are being sent to recover- I doubt they're leaving it up to the priests entirely to defend it.
Apart from that, does anyone have any other ideas as to what might be useful?"
I would like to find some lqeather armor. Also you being generous? Hmmm time to look for a bleeding short sword, or rather a short sword dripping blood. For the edginess factor of course. To trade in my normal short sword. If I can get this sword, I shall dub it Sin.there is a short sword. it is sheathed in thorned vines, which scratch your leg when worn. the belt is barbed wire. The grip is lined with small thorns, and you will have to grasp firmly to draw it, at which time, the thorns will extend, fully piercing your hand. it will drip blood as long as it is drawn. You will be unable to do anything with that hand but wield the sword until you sheathe it, at which point, your hand will bleed and you will be come lightheaded and dizzy. the effects worsen over time, but are diminished by bloodshed.
Actually, how about a brigandine? That plus some leather to guard the old limbs should be enough (failing that, plain old chain mail with appropriate padding ought to do). Oh, and a metal helmet. No horns. And make that a tower shield, actually. Munchkin tower shield, but a tower shield nevertheless. Better be decently armored for this.brigandine and leather works just fine. the helmet and shield too, but beware, the shield will be bulky, and the armor will weigh you down a bit as well. it won't reduce your combat effectiveness, but it will limit your options in any given situation.
As for other stuff, how about blasting charges? Best to vary your explosives so it's not just the burny screamy kind but also the break walls and collapse passages kind. Maybe give those to the killer robot, though, since he's a kinda-sorta alchemist.
Unless someone bothered to make specialty crow-sized equipment, nothing here is going to help Corvo. But I won't let that keep me from being ‼creative‼you could get metal tips for claws and beak, but the armor won't work. You can get yor feathers enchanted to do one of two or three things: to harden into spikes when threatened and activated, or to harden into a shell for a time. Both will require you to be grounded, perched, or otherwise secured, or risk falling, as flying will be impossible while so hardened. as will blinking. the enchantment will have a limited amount of use, for now. say, five activations, each of no more than five or ten minutes.
...Not Corvo's suggestions, obviously. Even if it could speak, it wouldn't know anything. This is just my suggestion on how I think to equip a magicalgirlbird.
SO! Crow-sized and fitted Plated Mail (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plated_mail).
Many small plates on the back, four larger ones on the breast, and mail on the sides under the wings. Armoring the legs is theoretically possible, but would have to be so thin that it's not worth it. No armor on the wings to keep flight possible, head is left unarmored for comfort and visibility.
A pair of small bags behind the wings, big enough to contain some small objects, like coins.
In this case, the bags could be filled with small bombs for dropping on heads.
Possibly enchanted blades on the feet, but not mission-critical.
((I'm not planning on fighting with the swords, they're more of a tool in case I need a sharp edge for something. Also, I'm kind of pushing the limits on what I'm getting, so telling me what I need to leave anything out.))Sure thing. A gambeson and chain mail. No spikes, no horns, no sonic resonators ... a big fluffy shirt, and some metal links. Heavy war hamer sounds good. You get all these things.
Get a gambeson that covers as much of my body as possible. Wear chainmail over the gambeson, also covering as much as possible. If I can, get the mail enchanted to improve protection against magic. Just in case I encounter any armored opponents, take a heavy war hammer.
Full plate, preferably with a helmet that doesn't obstruct biting. Leave the vials at home. See if I can obtain a necromantic spellbook, preferably filled with some offensive magic.You get the plate armor with helmet. You can bite with ease, though that means your face will be exposed. Hmm. You can have a book of necromatic rituals, sigils, and resources. Not a spellbook, per se - that's a whole other discipline - but directions for necromantic magics. You get a set of potions that will turn your deathblows and bites into a sort of charge system, where each death you deal directly will charge power for a magical blast of sorts. this blast can take a variety of forms, and might be risky around your living friends. it will also be weaker than normal, simply due to the nature of the enemy you are targetting. you get some skins of blood and some sacks of entrails and the like for some of the necro rituals, which could come in handy to counteract some of the sanctity of the place you are going. Your goal in general will be either direct slaughter, or corruption.
Guys should I take this neat sword? I mean it has its downside, I'll become dizzy if I put it away
"Oh, one thing, if we have to interrogate anyone, I call torturing them!""Query: Why? Information gained from torture can hardly be called reliable.
Also grab a thing for carrying valuables, thanks for the reminder Zormod((I have my mind fuck stuff))
((Can anyone else think of any useful spells besides the anti-holy and anti-trap spells? I'm trying to think of any, but Ebony already had a decent variety))
((Apart from the spells I'm asking for, I have Bind Wounds, Freeze, Lightning Arc, Identify Magic, Unbind Magic- which come to think of it might deal with magic traps?- and a "Find Item" scroll which is one-use.
Also! Before the mission starts for real, using the 10 unspent skill points to bring Magic to +2))
I guess I will store away my pike and short sword taking the long sword and vine sword. get ready to move into the place and drink potion. See if I can manipulate emotions to make corvo feel happy(1)You attempt to make COrvo happy. Corvo feels the stirring s of emotion, and fears ana ttack. Corvo goes into defensive mode. Defensive mode on a teleporting, demon summoning wild bird with no sense of forethought involves teleporting and summoning demons. (5, darn, this mission was about to get interesting before it started) Fortunately for everyone in the room, especially you, Corvo simply blinks away. You, on the other hand, sit down and cry.
"Hya! Hwah!" You swing your shield into place, crouching behind it and bracing. Mongo gives a cursory swipe against it, and you weather it. He gives a more serious swipe, and you bounce back a couple feet, but remain upright. He gives it a good bear powered whack, and you are lifted of the ground and fly back a few feet, landing on your back, stunned a bit from the blow, and from the landing. This was a good test of the defensive capabilities of the shield. Once you recover, the stone man directs you to a set of weighted barriers. "rush them. Try to shove them backward. start with the smallest one, on the end, and work your way up." You comply, and are able, on the first, which is about your own weight, plus a little, to shove it back to the wall with some continuous effort. One you get to the human sized ones, you are able to drive them back a few feet before they sort of dig in and stop moving. Larger ones barely budge. Mongo is again gracious enough (thanks Mongo!) to allow another go at him, and you charge a prepared bear, only to find yourself bouncing back on your ass. Alright, now I know what to expect." Mongo resists the urge to climb up on the shield and bounce.Guys should I take this neat sword? I mean it has its downside, I'll become dizzy if I put it away
"What does it even do, aside from constitute a public health hazard? Do you have any plagues you could transmit by blood?"
Ready the shield! Practice with it a little bit before we move into the fray.
All righty then. One padded cloak with magic dampening effect and one clockwork staff.recorded.
Clunkers puts on the Deep purple cloak with bronze gears woven into it and and throws back the hood for now. No need to have that covering his head in here. Then he picks up the Clockwork staff, fiddling with the gears and knobs and opening and closing the irises at the top experimentally.
"Statement: This seems rather top-of-the line."
He then turns the gear that activates the gyroscope in the middle of the staff, allowing it to stand upright on its own.
"Amused statement: Neat."
Carrier pigeon bag and steel claws are fine.Well, damn. Now you are talking. In a small pouch on your other leg are a set of five seeds. Eat one when you want to make your voice terrifying. you get the tips and the bag as well.
If we're talking enchanting my body, I'd rather get something for my voice. In particular, something that makes my CAW momentarily shake the faith of whoever hears it.
Make sure everyone remembers to get something to carry the valuables. I'd like an extra sack. Is the stone man handing out bags of holding, or something similar?There's a cart. it has explodey glass balls, rope and grappling hooks, torches, and enough bags that everyone could load up their fill. So more than enough loot bags, even if you weren't being chased by an angry mob on your way out. Maybe a few more provisions if you think of them.
Would it be possible to get a fur enchantment similar to what you mentioned to Corvo? If so, what options might be available instead of the armor? Also, is there anything that would benefit my lute-playing?What options are available? Surely you know by now that I am open to just tons of stuff, provided it is balanced, reasonable, inventive, and specific. the more creative you are, the more likely I'll say yes.
Also grab a thing for carrying valuables, thanks for the reminder ZormodYou climb into the cart and rub the loot bags all over your body, giggling and dreaming of sacks of gold, mounds of silver, and goblets of wine.
((Can anyone else think of any useful spells besides the anti-holy and anti-trap spells? I'm trying to think of any, but Ebony already had a decent variety))
((Apart from the spells I'm asking for, I have Bind Wounds, Freeze, Lightning Arc, Identify Magic, Unbind Magic- which come to think of it might deal with magic traps?- and a "Find Item" scroll which is one-use.Wait. did you already ask for some specific spells? Did I miss that? and magic is at +2 now
Also! Before the mission starts for real, using the 10 unspent skill points to bring Magic to +2))
((I think everyone gets a sack))He puts the barbed wire around his waist and winces, pricks a thumb on the sheathe, and avoids touching the thorned hilt. Then he looks at the bird, sits down, and cries.
Refill my bag of bandages and healing supplies then Watch the idiot with the thorn sword hurt himself and enjoy a pre-raid drink while waiting for everyone else to be ready
((I did. I asked if there was anything to use against holy magic if the priests had it, and if there was an anti-trap spell since it seems unlikely they'd leave the artifact with only the priests as guards.((Apart from the spells I'm asking for, I have Bind Wounds, Freeze, Lightning Arc, Identify Magic, Unbind Magic- which come to think of it might deal with magic traps?- and a "Find Item" scroll which is one-use.Wait. did you already ask for some specific spells? Did I miss that? and magic is at +2 now
Also! Before the mission starts for real, using the 10 unspent skill points to bring Magic to +2))
For twinwolf, and everyone suggesting for her/him: a) her magic is versatile, and has no real genre limits. b) her magic, if she uses it, will be powerful comparatively to what anyone else in the group can do (even Clunkers) c) the cost of this is concentration, specificity, and use of a spellbook or scrolls. the more rigid a magic is, the more power it can have. fluid magic, guided by whim and the moment, can do a variety of things, but is not directed enough to give it that special oomph.
there are dozens of useful genres of magic you could use:
perception
attack
defense
restoration
information gathering
communication
area effects
access granting/denying
summoning
movement
control
"Guess iam not mde for making pothers happy, guess I can live with that, I'll just have to continue harming a few a lot for the good of the rest of us."((He says while crying profusely.))
You caw mockingly, but no, the fedback link is already broken. As for opening a portal ... the branch of magic you use can do that, but you cannot, as you are now."Guess iam not mde for making pothers happy, guess I can live with that, I'll just have to continue harming a few a lot for the good of the rest of us."((He says while crying profusely.))
See if I can intentionally increase the feedback to make Varion feel even worse about his failure life.
One question: does the demon summoning branch of magic let me do anything other than summon demons? Make a connection to a hell, for example?
((A crossbow would be nice for use when the magic should not be used or cannot be used, but I don't expect one given that I'm already asking for spells))
You can get a spellbook containing: Detect Mundane Trap, Detect Magical Trap, Spring/Disarm Mundane Trap, Shadow Observer (Clunkers has spy drones if he remembers) and Obscuring Mist. those are a thief's themed spells, so they run together. This spellbook is mission equipment, but may be kept if used well. You can have a hand crossbow as well, no biggie.
I asked if there was anything to use against holy magic if the priests had it, and if there was an anti-trap spell since it seems unlikely they'd leave the artifact with only the priests as guards.
As for ones besides those, in order of priority: Something to *detect* traps (can't disarm them if you don't know they're there), Something for scouting an area undetected (do we have anyone who'd be decent in stealth already to use this on?), a defensive spell of some sort (perhaps creating cover for our ranged or magic users), an AoE offensive spell (preferably ice based), something to detect enemies nearby.
A crossbow would be nice for use when the magic should not be used or cannot be used, but I don't expect one given that I'm already asking for spells
I'd like to see if I can get a more minor version of the hardening enchantment that was less immobilizing. The idea is that it would only make my fur harder when I got hit or immediately before, so I could move around normally when I wasn't actively being stabbed at. Consequently, it would also both be less protective, and it would occasionally fail to activate correctly, so I would take the hit as I normally would. However, this only matters if the fruit's effect lasts longer than a couple turns, if it's just a single turn buff then I'll just take the normal fur hardening.The kind of protection you are asking for would be quite versatile indeed. Perhaps on the next mission you can have something like that. For now, the other kind it is. The song of the Crow ... well, I'll give you a hint: Caw Caw, motherfucker.
Also, what does the Song of the Crow do?
stop crying and come to terms with not being good and helping people and just being a sadistic bastard. Grab stuff and prepare to get ready for goingmon mission, store bormal short sword and pike for retreival when we return if I haven't already. Prepare to drink potion when we get to the place.test it's effects on any hostiles we encounter or, if there are none, on killer hound and mongo specificaly scare them hakf to death, or until they shit themselves..There will be hostiles. No need to fight among yourselves. You are strapped and ready to go.
Play a bit with my mechanical spider, to pass the time. Also calculate how effective the magic dampening enchantments on the cloak are, and if using the correct foci with my spells gives me extra oomph.Click clack, skitter skit. The dampening could take the edge off a particularly nasty spell, or could brush off some minor stuff entirely. Some spells, it will have simply no effect on at all. Magic is funny that way. It's useful, but don't rely on it as a first line of defense for every encounter. Using the correct foci makes a notable difference in your spell ability and power.
You can't turn as quickly, for one thing. the tower shield snags on stuff, you are weighed down, so will tire somewhat easier, running requires a more concentrated effort to avoid tripping and the like. Juggling is right out, equipping and unequipping the shield takes a turn. The effect on the brass knuckles is a permanent property, though somewhat variable in strength and effectiveness. it always has a positive effect though, unless acted on by an outside force (like some sort of magical contamination or something)((A crossbow would be nice for use when the magic should not be used or cannot be used, but I don't expect one given that I'm already asking for spells))
((It's way easier to find a humanoid-appropriate crossbow (in fact, that's the whole point of crossbows, at least mundane ones) than a magical spell.))
Move about in my armor. How exactly am I inconvenienced by it?
Furthermore, how do my brass knuckles function? Is it a power that is discharged, then recharges? A permanent property? A once-only effect?
Fill a flask full of alcohol then go with the group to the temple.Ready to go.
Ask Mongo
Bet you a beer that the idiot with the thorn sword dies.
Hmm. From the description of Katha, I am not sure what sort of spells would weaken magic involving them. It seems to be a generally 'anti-chaos' god. I cannot think of a spell that would be useful against priests of Katha that would not also endanger teammates.Ammo, quiver, rope gotten. The supplier grunts his acknowledgement and chews on his cigar.
Grab some ammo for the handcrossbow and something to hold the ammo in. Don't want to forget that.
Grab rope, because rope is useful.
Other than that, I think Ebony is ready. Thank the person who's giving supplies and go where the rest of the ready people are.
((Sounds like you're not going to let me live down letting Ebony go braindead last mission, eh? :P ))
Take a grappling hook along. Never know when that'll come in handy along. And it'll go well with the rope!Yes, everyone gets rope and grappling hooks it's in the cart. Killing will commence in the morning
Other than that, READY FOR KILLING.
I'll take the armor then, and ignore fur enchants for now. Before we go, I begin to play the Song of the Crow, directed at nobody in particular.aw, that enchantment was going to be fun. ah well. Armor it is. Gambeson and chain, right?
"We're from the Right Honorable Guild of Go Fuck Yourself, good chap. You a member, or do we need to induct you?"Varion aplaudes this glorious man.
Statement.
Stab killer hound with my long sword and use my powers on him if he tries anything on me. Better yet, just stab and lash out at anyone doing anyone to me.Oh. Okay. this turn will be interesting.
Try and keep others from doing anything to the man (with out putting my self in physical danger) until he has confirmed if he is a friend.
If he is a foe then do the following
chug potion if I have not already, welcoming to the guild by trying to bring back all his repressed memories at once and all his bad non repressed ones .
"I take it you are here to help us? A sorta type of guide?"
Take a cloth and gag Varion's mouth shut nothing good has come out of it before and I douht anything will soonYou attempt this, but the above happens. You are in pretty bad shape. Dying.
No more magic till we get to the place or I'll shove a halberd up your ass
"We're from the Right Honorable Guild of Go Fuck Yourself, good chap. You a member, or do we need to induct you?"The best possible introduction, if someone hadn't one-upped you by stabbing a teammate.
Statement.
Clunkers glares angrily at Varion for answering the man in a way that could be taken as an admission to being from the legion. Though since his face has no moving parts, it can be kind of hard to tell.You don't get this far before Varion stabs Korvash.
"Statement: As this one's good associate said, we are from the Right Honorable Guild of Go Fuck Yourself. Either identify yourself or fuck off."
Say above.
Corvo simply ignores the man and blinks past him, and goes to casually inspect the target building from above. The room holding the Icon itself could probably be accessed by window, right? May be best to loot, then burn.The man ignores you as well, heading doorward as you blink on by. Yo ufly out and up and circle around the area for a minute, getting your bearings. A largish building a couple blocks over attracts your attention, with it's pinions and gargoyles. It has a two sotry wall, a courtyard with several lamps burning brightly, and a few balconies on the second floor and a few windows on the third. You land on one of the window sills on the third floor and look in, but it is dark inside so you fly to another. this one shows a wide room two stories tall and filled with benches and decorations. You attempt to fly right in, and are stopped by some sort of invisible forcefield. You make a satisfying THUNK sound when you hit it and rebound.
If the dude somehow prevents me from getting past him, welcome him to the most honorable guild by tearing him a few new assholes.
Just stand around. Be ready to induct this guy into our esteemed guild.I mean, what's a little knife fight among friends, right?
Ebony sighs at the person who's already admitted to being an Omega.Shadow Observer creates a link between the caster and the shadows nearby. the shadows take form and can be directed by the caster, who goes into a trance when this spell is in use. The shadows can not lift or carry, nor open doors or anything like that, but act as eyes and ears for the caster until the spell wears off. they are good at hiding, except in sunlight and other bright lights. magical wards might detect them.
Take a closer look at the specifics of Shadow Observer and Obscuring Mist spells.
"This requires drastic measures."
"if you fuckers don't want me to keep stabbing you then don't fucking touch me! Focus on fucking killing the other guy. Priorities dumb asses!""Furious statement: Says the one who ran his mouth despite specific instructions, and stabbed one of our own. Dumbass."
Two results could've hapoened andwe were going to have to kill him anyways, and the other tried to gag me, so no, I simpy tried to defend myself. Now focus on killing the fucker!""Sarcastic statement: Of course, the correct response to someone trying to make you stop talking is to stab them in the belly, potentially fatally. How silly of this one.
Ugh, they must keep their windows cleaner here than in Omega. Make sure nobody's looking inside and blink in. Then find a nice hidden perch on a chandelier or something, and take a farlook around for shinies.Your first attempt to blink inside is met with a n odd sort of soft push, plopping you back outside the "magic barrier (I mean, window)." It was an unexpected resistance, but you think you can overcome it and blink inside, if you try again. You tilt your head quizzically, wondering, as much as a crow wonders, what that was all about.
((Well, that was amusing! :DYou see a number of humans and other sapients inside, doing inscrutable things. the largest group is in the hall, all facing the icon, but with their faces to the floor. They are alive and awake. Maybe they are hunting worms or picking grains of wheat out of the ground or something. Other sapients are doing more routine things - things with the feel of long routine - caring for the nest, patrolling the nesting grounds, gathering food. You estimate about a hundred sapients altogether. You notice the head bird is on the highestlevel, as it shold be, and is sleeping in it's own nest, while several lesser birds move about in it's little nesting area.
It would be doubly amusing if you all died or got ko'd in that room, and I had to snatch the Idol on my own.))
[crowthinky: 4]
Hmm. Seems like blinking through this could break something, and that tends to be loud and alarming to humans. Perhaps it's best to wait until the squad of idiots are in place to distract them.
For now, just farlook around the inside from this perch.
Continue trying to patch myself upThat +2 is keeping you alive, buddy. Varion got you real good. And people tend not to live through disembowelment for long.
Can someone please help me not die hell I'll take someone holding my guts in
(So much for a +2 in constitution if I die to the first real injury)
NICEYou are unconscious. Stay tuned for the exiting conclusion of "Am I alive?" (hint: you are)
Now don't die. Am I still conscious?
Clunkers looks at the carnage, and then at the pieces of Varion sticking to him.You go over and clinically begin to work. You push Koprvash onto his back, telling him to lay still, and gather up the spilled bits. The robot begins poking them back inside him, holding the edges of the wound so as to prevent everything from squirming back out. It is slow work, as organics seem to be under a lot of pressure, and you have to stitch up the holes in the intestines before closing the belly wound, and clean out teh gross stuffthat got out. and do something about the blood. But you make progress, even administering a sedative that helps dull the pain.
"Disgusted statement: Even in death, the little blighter manages to annoy this one. This one will be picking pieces of bone from its joints for weeks, it bets."
He then goes over to Korvash.
"Concerned statement: Try not to scream, this will quite probably hurt. A lot."
"Commanding statement: Ebony, snap out of it. Go and check on Fiddler how he is doing."
Go and help Korvash. Keep his guts pushed in. Then commands the spider to patch up his wound, using calculations and checking my databanks for medical literature to guide the little robot to the correct course of action to ensure Korvash's survival.
IF nobody checks up on fiddler, do so myself after helping Korvash
If and only if it does not involve medical skill, play a slow, instrumental piece, to help Korvash calm down. This is intended to help reduce pain/struggling, and possibly reduce his bleeding as his heartbeat slows down.You play a soothing melody, and it seems to aid everyone in the room, allowing them to focus without fear. Korvash's movements slow and become more controlled, though he is still in obvious pain.
Is Varion's head still a thing that exists? Grab that, and the other guy's head. Stay away from everyone else and search through the ritual book to see if there's anything in there that could help either Fiddler or Korvash stay out of the afterlife.You walk around the back of the little surgery being done and look around. You see about half of Varion's head off to a side a bit, one eyeball still partially lodged in a socket. The top and front are intact, but the lower back is gone, along with some of the best parts of the brain. There's still a bit in there though. You shrug and stuffit into a loot bag, and walk back around to the other loose head. You pick it up, and it drips black goo. curious, you flip it upside down and look. that's not blood. Least, not like any blood you are familiar with. And then the head begins to laugh. Startled, you fumble the head and do a little juggling to keep hold, ending up wit hyour thumb in its mouth. You turn the head face up toward you, and it looks right at you.
"...I... I don't think I'd actually started casting. Something else... happened, before I could."With Clunkers working on Korvash, who is awake, yu dash over to Fiddler, and roll him on his back. His nose is broken and bloody, but his eyes are moving behind his eyelids, and he is breathiung through his mouth. You turn his head to keep him from choking on his own bood and turn back to Korvash. (1)The sight makes you dizzy, and the spell fizzles three words in. "Focus! Focus! I can do this!" You try again, (1) but as you open your mouth to speak, the smell hits you hard, and your eyes roll up in your head and you fall over next to Fiddler.
Let's try this again; Bind Wounds on Korvash or Fiddler, whichever is closer to death
((I have been having the *worst* luck this mission))(I've been nearly killed on the first turn, you have nothing to complain about)
"Statement: The subject seems to have calmed down, Doctor Legs. We can save him, we have the technology!"I appreciate the bedside matter doc even if it hurts to laugh.
Continue working on Korvash with my mechanical spider, henceforth called "Doctor Legs, M.D."
"Annoyed statement: Ebony, this is no time to take a nap. Wake up and check Fiddler's vitals. Maybe just lightly slap him on the cheek if magic isn't really going well for you right now."
Play a rousing tune to gently wake Ebony and Fiddler from their slumber. Something a little bit like this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YexQcXnVSzg).This made me laugh so hard, you don't even need a roll (or a complete turn)
(I really didnt expect a mad mage to stab me near death through armor. What were the rolls?)((6 and 2 for the stab and avoid, 4 and 3 for the magic and resist. Being stabbed in the gut kinda overrides feeling bad about a memory, so the second set was irrrelevant.))
"What did I miss? How long was I out?"Still holding in Korvash's guts as the spider does his work, Clunkers replies in his usual monotone. Not because he's bored, but because he's physically incapable of intonation, mind you.
"Hey, everybody. Take a look at this. My lunch just turned into a map after telling me we should leave."Occupied statement: That is all fine and dandy, but this one doesn't think we can safely transport Korvash yet, not before he's properly stitched up. Can one of you take a peek to see if anyone is approaching this location? We'll make a swift exit if absolutely necessary, but this one would rather not move the patient if this one can help it."
"Statement: The subject seems to have calmed down, Doctor Legs. We can save him, we have the technology!"Something in their goes wrong, and you are rewarded with a spray of blood. Korvahs goes still and limp, but you can tell that his heart is still beating.
Continue working on Korvash with my mechanical spider, henceforth called "Doctor Legs, M.D."
"Annoyed statement: Ebony, this is no time to take a nap. Wake up and check Fiddler's vitals. Maybe just lightly slap him on the cheek if magic isn't really going well for you right now."
Fiddler screams for a little while longer, then turns to look around. He calms down soon enough, then is silent for a moment.You stand unsteadily and look about. You take a step and find yourself three feet further than you expected. You hold up your hand in front of your face and wiggle the fingers, and occasionally one or more of the fingers blurs, making a nice humming sound. Weird. but you are ready to head out.
"Hahahahah!" he starts to laugh. "Hohohahah! What a trip!"
Get up and get ready to move out if I am able.
"What did I miss? How long was I out?"
"Very well."God thing you have that +1 in memory. too bad about the intellect though. You stare at the map for a while, puzzling out the strange squares and lumps and bumps. "Does anyone read trollish?"
Memorize that map, and then do some guard duty.
((Is Ebony able to act without particular penalty this turn even though she just got up or would their be some kind of penalty? Don't want to risk a bad misfire.))You cast Bind Wounds, and Korvash' bleeding stops. His innards go inside, and his outards go outside. The stab wound closes, but imperfectly. He opens his eyes, and slowly sits up, wincing in pain. You turn to conemplate the map. Looks simple enough. The target is there, go down three streets, cross the river there, up one street, third warehouse on the left.
If there's no penalty, then Bind Wounds Korvash. If the map is in view try to memorize that too.
Finally, Ebony is able to knit your guts into something resembling their original form. You sit up and feel a stabbing pain in your stomach. This is going to be a good day, you can tell.((I have been having the *worst* luck this mission))(I've been nearly killed on the first turn, you have nothing to complain about)
Stay still and focus on staying calm to avoid messing anything up
(I really didnt expect a mad mage to stab me near death through armor. What were the rolls?)
Continue playing what I had been playing. The soothing instrumental piece, that is, not the rousing vocal solo."Mellow, everything is melllooooowwwww. the bloodbath is oooooveeeeerrrr r, for nooooowwwwww. All good? everyone? Good? Let's go kill some people."
Hmm. These humans seem pretty unaware. Does it seem like I could quickly nab the Icon and get out without being noticed?Well sure, if by "quickly nab" you mean "perch on top of." The thing is far too big for you to carry. Perhaps you are along for ... other purposes.
"When we get close I'll be able to check for any kind of magical barrier. Might be able to scout or detect traps too, depending on how much time we have."line of sight at least. Unless you want to try to ram it through some farseeing contraption.
Follow the group. Was there a range on how close Ebony needs to be for Identify Magic, Shadow Observer, Detect Mundane and Detect Magical traps?
Hey, it looks like we're moving. Let's get moving. Make sure to bring the cart.You toss Varion's half face into the cart and wheel it outside.
Follow the group being careful not to pull anything in my still healing gutsGuts remain internal for the moment. Ugh. battle's gonna suuuuuuuuck for you.
"Time to stop fucking around and move out, I say."You are along a dirty alley, trash and debris littering the sides. There is enough space for the cart to get through, though it's a bumpy affair, rolling over strewn bits of flotsam and jetsam, the occasional discarded leg, and one very ugly painting of one very ugly noble ... person? You approach the unobstructed end of the alley and peer out. There is a bright glow coming from one street over and two blocks down - probably the temple. You look about, but can't think of a good idea as to where to set up from here.
Head on out. See where we are and where we can go from here. Find a slightly less compromised staging point.
"Statement: Good work Doctor Legs. Your medical malpractice has gone unnoticed due to the magical healing. That's a succes in this one's book."Are you even capable of blinking? Nothing catches your eye. not a big deal, since it remains in it's socket, or firmly mounted to it's sprocket, or however it is normally attached to your head.
Follow Fiddler for now. Keep my eyes peeled for anything dangerous/interesting
Alright. Summon a nice, big... lets say a furry, ferocious demon, right behind where the head hooman is sleeping.okay Leeroy.
"Looks like a diversion's in place. Move in, people. No time to waste. Korvash, you good to be the vanguard?"Hell no I still feel like my guts are on fire. I can still fight but I'll go as rear guard and focus on getting the loot back to the cart.
To the temple! How many entrances? How many windows? How many fire escapes?
Sooooo,
nobody wants the thorn sword, then?
"We're gonna need to do this sneaky-like, then, since you're fucked up, I'm not exactly fresh, the rest are casters and I accidentally killed the guy with the dumb sword."Yeah that will be more useful if I'm not going to move around much
"Remember, take shit that you can stuff in your pockets first. We go for a first pass to get the Icon. If that works, we go for a second pass to steal anything heavier and clean up stragglers."
"Oh, and Korvash, you want this tower shield? Bit small for you, but might come in handy to deflect shit for the rest of us. I might need both hands here."
Hand over shield to Korvash if he wants it.
((I have no intention of charging in myself. It's more like summoning Leroy. :P))You hop up to fly, but don't get airborn. Your wings feel odd. your fur itches and you really want to bite something.
Well, that was fun. Find a nice perch to watch from afar.
"Looks like a diversion's in place. Move in, people. No time to waste. Korvash, you good to be the vanguard?"Fire escapes? hahahahahahahahahahah.
To the temple! How many entrances? How many windows? How many fire escapes?
Eh. The gutters here are street-level. You are trying to sweep an ornate looking weapon downa rubble strewn depression in the side of a trash strewn alley. You give up and shove it under some rubble. "No one will ever know." You mutter. (this takes place before you head out to the temple)Sooooo,
nobody wants the thorn sword, then?
Sweep it with the shield down a gutter to dispose of evidence unless somebody volunteers to grab it.
You stay at the back with the shield, doing Devon's Devine Darlings poses and looking all suspicious. What? They don't have Charlie's Angels in this universe."We're gonna need to do this sneaky-like, then, since you're fucked up, I'm not exactly fresh, the rest are casters and I accidentally killed the guy with the dumb sword."Yeah that will be more useful if I'm not going to move around much
"Remember, take shit that you can stuff in your pockets first. We go for a first pass to get the Icon. If that works, we go for a second pass to steal anything heavier and clean up stragglers."
"Oh, and Korvash, you want this tower shield? Bit small for you, but might come in handy to deflect shit for the rest of us. I might need both hands here."
Hand over shield to Korvash if he wants it.
Equip the shield and leave my halberd in the cart. Then follow the group at the back watching for anyone trying to sneak up on us
Follow the group. Try to analyze what kind of magic they're using by doing some robutt calculations at the enchantments and spells on the tower, then set my staff to that type."They are doing demon magic and using the power of dance! beware their deadly samba! Watch for their Terrible Tangos! Avoid their flash mobs at all costs gang!"
Stay with the group. Look for anything that looks like it might be a trap.Yo usee a guy in a side alley, momentarily distracted by the goings on on the third floor of hte temple up there. He is quickly stuffing a deck of cards into a pouch, lifting his little table, and moving away. "Watch out for that shill!" You scream at passersby. "He's a card sharp if I ever saw one. You'll never find the red queen1 He palms it during the second shuffle!"
Move with the group. When in sight of the church, use Detect Magical Trap.You cast detect magic trap. "I don't see anythign, guys." You say, then attempt to scratch your head. Both your hands come up together and you nearly clonk yourself in the face . "Whu?" Your forefingers are locked together in one of those obnoxious finger trap thingies. "Oh, very funny, universe. Very fucking funny indeed." You quickly free your fingers and pocket the trap "for later."
Follow group with cart.It has a squeaky wheel. Neat!
((The cheek quotient in these turns is off the charts! Also yeah, non-notable actions is why I felt comfy doing three this turn.))Cheek. It's what's for breakfast. Take that as you will. :P
"Other guys, does this look like the MO of the goddamn bird? Seems like some of you might know."
What about the sides? Are there side windows?
"Anyway, let's not fuck around and just move in. Looks like stealth's not a legit option."
Unless there's side windows (in which case we go in through those), lead the group toward the entrances. Don't blunder into the crowd, approach from the side and stay away from the thick of the masses.
I imagine that whatever that thing in the window is, the bird summoned it. It seems to like that sort of thing.Maybe Fiddler, in the right mood. Clunkers, probably not. You speculate wildly about Korvash's hobbies and interests. The zombie seems ... well, what happens in Unknown city stays in unknown city, am I right? Ebony would almost certainly fail a saving throw - it's been that kind of week for the poor girl. the bird seems more a danger to itself and everyone around it, so probably it wouldn't be tempted.
Stay near Korvash as I follow Fiddler into the temple. Ponder whether or not the "trap" outside posed a threat to any of my comrades.
For future reference if something monstrous appears and it isn't part of the mission. Blame the damn bird.You start pushing the cart up the stairs. It's a little slow going so you put your back into it, head down. Suddenly, it gets a lot easier to move. "Wait!" One of the group says suddenly, just as you lose your grip on it and watch helplessly as it begins rolling down into the courtyard. "That can't be good." You hunker down behind your shield and idly wonder how much jarring those explosives can take before breaking.
Move the cart up to the doors to allow easier looting then follow the group inside
Oh. Alright we ca-You launch yourself into the street. Your teeth sink so satisfyingly into the flesh of some humanoid in the crowd. A loud scream follows, and an attempt to dislodge you, which fails. A lot of shouting happens and some sobbing. You snarl and gnash.
"WOOF"
Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!
Leave my staff on general magic for now and move up together with Fiddler. Be ready to block incoming magic if either of us gets targeted.You set yourself next to fiddler and watch as the cart rolls on into the courtyard. You turn to a cowering Korvash.
Follow Fiddler, with broadsword ready."I hope these guys have more brains when we are finished than the last two guys did. I'm still hungry."
Outer wall|
.............courtyard..............................|temple wall|.........| stairs out here
..........................................|.......x<] x is the cart, rolling into the courtyard.
..........................................]o........]<you are here
..........................................]o........]
..........................................|.........] the o are the guards in sight.|.........|
....................................................|outer wall|
Charge a guard and maul them. Try not to get hit by anyone in my team who tries to atta k the same guard.You run right in to the courtyard, far outpacing your friends. Did you know hat bears are much faster than people? Well, you are quite fast, and the guaerd barely has time to see yo ubefore you are pouinding on his corpse to hear the squelching sounds.
You are flung violently against a wall and slide down, dazed. An angry, fearful crowd is gatheringOuter wall|
.............courtyard..............................|temple wall|.........| stairs out here
..........................................|.......x<] x is the cart, rolling into the courtyard.
..........................................]o........]<you are here
..........................................]o........]
..........................................|.........] the o are the guards in sight.|.........|
....................................................|outer wall|
"Grwarr!"
Kill! KIll! KILl! KILL!
((Ffff... did my post not go through or something? I could have sworn I posted ;-;))((must not have gone through. :( ))
Freeze on the guard that is directly ahead, unless the majority are attacking them. Try *not* to hit a teammate. Hopefully Ebony's luck will change when using one of her specialties...
Pick a guard and violently get his attention. If he tries to ignore me, just stab him in the throat."Hey. Hey you! Come on, I'm talking to you!" You shout at the corpse. Eh you shove your blade into it's neck anyway, carefully avoiding Mongo's claws. Looks like he left an entire head for you.
pick one of the guards and, using the puppet as focus, stop his heartah well, there are more where that one came from, for sure.
"Split up, gang. One big guy and specialist for each guard at least, quick and clean. Korvash, you secure the cart."You slap the frozen guy gently on the cheek. Brr, man, cold.
Into the courtyard, instruct team to efficiently go for both guards at once. Go with the team with the fewest members and assist with strangulation and joint locks.
Damn cart was lighter then I expectedYou chase after the cart, which rolls gracefully right up to the entrance, sliding into a little alcove to the right of the entrance just before Mongo barrels past. The cart comes to a rest against the wall, dislodging a rope which was holding back a curtain, which falls gracefully down in front of the cart, hiding it from view.
Go get the cart and move it to the entrance the others are clearing after the guards are dead
Hand Mongo my speed potion.Into the foyer you go, on high alert. Mongo has your potion.
"Take this. If shit really hits the fan or we get pegged by Godbotherer Extraordinaire, drink it. Two swigs left. Gives you super speed, but can mess you up in return. Now let's move in. The game's been given away already."
Move in, keep an eye out.
Try to get inside and out of sight with out being seen then begin lootingYou giggle a little as you begin sweeping trinkets and coins off the tables into your loot sack. "Goody goody goody. I'll take one of these, and one of these, and two of those and ..."
once inside
You guys grab the Idol I'll loot down here and keep the escape clear
((Hope I get a chance to use the speed potion, looks like it might be a bit interesting.))You head in and approach the double doors, just as they fly open, revealing a nice little swarm of enemies. You roar your famous battle cry: "These guys are a danger to me and my party!" And grab one guy by the head, then smash him skull first into the post of the doorway. Oh, and by ice littel swarm, I mean there are a lot of them and they are armored and have polearms and swords and stuff.
Thank you Fiddler, though with any look I shouldn't need this.
Head inside. Ignore looting for now, and search for anyone or anything that might be a danger to me or the party. Kill anyone I find.
Head inside, keeping my staff above me (between myself and the people looking down at us) in case of magical attack to absorb.You cross the courtyard, ignoring the man above, except to protect against magic. He calls out to you, but you pass below without a word. Inside, you refuse to let Mongo have all the glory of the only good battle cry, and raise your voice as well: Statement of intent to do harm: You are vaguely hostile, and are not part of [organizational name omitted!, while holding up a puppet and wiggling it's arms at them. You press on the puppet 's chest, and the five beings in the front of the group all clutch at their chests and drop, some leaning against the walls, others on their knees, before their eyes go dull and they fall.
Once inside, either stop the heart of anyone vaguely hostile (omega legion comrades not included). If nobody hostile presents themselves, stop the heart of any non-hostiles that present themselves (again, omega legion comrades not included). If they cower or plead for mercy, finish them with my bare hands.
Get inside and get looting. Watch that guy wrestling an angry furball.You step in and start bagging stuff before stopping and looking at the crowd of hostiles at the double doors. "You want in on this?" Not sure which guy and which furball you want to be eyeing.
What is even happening to me. Blink out of the way.You must be becoming awesome! Yo always knew you were. probably gonna have hippo ears, a little hippo tail, a huge hippo ass. it'll be sweet. You'll be able to swim like a motherfucker, and eat boats full of people like screamy little candies.
Head inside as well. Freeze any surprise attackers, use the crossbow on any less surprising attackers.Not to be outdone by Mongo or Clunkers' fabulous battle cries, you cry out "Yeah! What they said, only better!" And cast. the hallway the men are in goes blinding white for a moment. The sound of ice crackling ominously echoes through the room, and the temperature drops a good twenty degrees in there. the hallway is blocked by a wall of ice, mere inches from Mongo's outstretched paw.
((Well, this is as good a chance as any.))
Sip the potion. Swiftly eliminate all threats, then go sit down somewhere near Ebony, and hope she can heal any injuries I get.
((I misread, sorry about that. I thought there were quite a few more guards than there were, and Clunker's spell had hit a few, but there were a ton more left.))Read Ebony's action.
I'm on my way! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTJwOLCunzY)I'll remind you that the crow probably doesn't know that there's a kind of fish that shares the name. A mind acts on ideas, not words.
"This I like! Clear the side rooms! Waste anyone who gets in the way! Half takes one side, other half takes the other."
Command, then help clear the rooms. Quick and dirty, kill anyone within rooms, make sure the first floor is secure before proceeding upward.
((Well, this is as good a chance as any.))Sip the potion. Swiftly eliminate all threats, then go sit down somewhere near Ebony, and hope she can heal any injuries I get.
Mongo pauses at Fiddler's words, and looks around in confusion. In the heat of the moment, he had failed to realize that all his foes had collapsed. Without saying anything, he lowers the potion and calmly begins searching the rest of the downstairs.
Search side rooms for any guards or worshippers, and kill any I find.
Clear rooms together with fiddler. Stop hearts of anyone who resists/is hostile (and not omega), and choke the life out of anyone who cowers.You all find a few people cowering in one side room, which looks ot be a washroom of some kind. You stain the room red and move across the foyer to the other, hearing shouting and movement upstairs. The other room is a supply room, and not particularly lootworthy. Unless you have a fetish for moldy mops or rickety chairs or folding tables.
Also find something to put loot in if we encounter nothing to kill and grab some shinies.
If any of the guards are unfrozen and their gear is intact start loading there gear onto the cart
Continue gathering loot. Heads count as loot. I want to be watching the armed, armored, and liveried figure that fell into the courtyard.You clear out the foyer and grab a few bronze washbowls from the washroom, And heads. This part takes some effort, as spines are difficult to sever.
A wild joke flies by, it ruffles your feathers on the way through.I'm on my way! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTJwOLCunzY)I'll remind you that the crow probably doesn't know that there's a kind of fish that shares the name. A mind acts on ideas, not words.
I- where the fuck am I? Oranges? Humans? A gutter? Nope, don't want to be here.You summon something to stand on. A puff of gritty grey smoke and a low, deep hum later, and three small grey sticks fall to the ground before you. They right themselves, look at you from beady eyes located on the ends of what look like crossbars at their tops, and scamper off, hopping over the downed woman and skittering around a corner out of sight. On the positive side, you can hear the commotion of a largish crowd scattering in the otherwise quiet night, from the direction opposite the one the stick jerks went.
I just need a good Perch. Wait, what did I just think? Surly I can't just summon a perch?! Can I?
Enter the doors then charge up the stairs and attack the robed figures with the ancient turtle style AKA Walk up to them cowering behind my shield the entire wayleft stairway, or right? (makes a difference, you see) Both descend into the foyer (or, form your perspective, rise up from the foyer you are in, to the balcony). the doors are the entrance to the first floor, via a hallway that is currently frozen solid.
Korvash goes to the right to flank the priestsKorvahs gets right up to the second set of doors on teh balcony before they fly open. He grabs them and slams them shut in the face of a half dozen surprised men. Well, large sapient beings, anyway. "Shit."
Play the Song of the Crow, hopefully targeting the chanters if I have any control over who it affects.You play the song, and an ominous aur settles over the room. The chaners seem slightly fazed byt it. You strike a chord including the string of discord, and the sound drowns out the chanters' voices for a moment. They falter, and the wind dies. And then begin again.
Set my staff to absorb divine magic and hold it close to my body, between myself and the chanters.You cast your spell, but you feel a strong resistance, and the chanters continue as if nothing happened.
Then, using the action figure as focus, cast Direct Control on the casters (all three if possible, one at a time if not) and take control of their tongues, making them swallow and choke on them. That should shut them up nicely.
If there is cover available, move there and then fire the crossbow at one of the chanters. Else, run to the group of Fiddler, Mongo, and Clunkers and use Obscuring Mist.You step behind the door to the outside and lean out. You fire a bolt, striking the one on the left in the leg. He grunts, clutches his leg, and then rejoins his fellows in their chant. His robes are bloody now.
((Guys, you might want to take cover from the song of the crow. Y'all are closer to Mongo than the priests, and I'm pretty sure it can't be targeted.You hop down and scamper off around the corner, still unable to fly with your funny shaped wings.You huddle there for a few minutes behind some garbage while people mill about out in the street, but are chased off by a handful of angry rats. Or maybe possums. You hop and scurry on down the alley.
GM, please use [tt] for the maps? It makes it so much easier to read.))
Uh, ok. Go find a corner to rest in.
Stay out of the priests' line of fire, continue looting if possible.Well, there is now the commotion up at the other door too, but you head over to the area below the balcony, and begin sweeping things into a sack.
Clunkers, amplify my voice.You get their attention as you charge the stairs. All six eyes turn to you, and one holds up a hand in a "shoo"ing motion. You go tumbling across the room.
Subtly distract the chanters, by roaring at max volume and charging them. Aim for intimidation more than actual damage, but attack them if I get close enough.
"Statement: Understood."This proves unfortunately ineffective. the sounds of battle seem to disrupt the rhythm as you try to create the link.
Using the sound of the ticking of my watch/metronome as a focus (The way it keeps going from quiet to loud with each tick should be an adequate focus, yes?), amplify the sound of Mongo's roar.
Open the door and throw the glass flame into the room then quickly close the door then continue charging the chanters aiming to cause damage while Mongo distracts themYou step back. The door swings wide, banging on the wall. You chuck glass balls full of fire in the faces of the surprised men rushing through. The fire erupts on them and three of them shriek and start running into the room. You slam the door on the ones behind.You hear alarmed noises from behind the door. You can't rush the chanters this turn, though. Yo ufeel pressure against the door again. You'll have to let the rest through next turn to get to the chanters.
Join the murder party.I mean, it's murder here, murder there, murder up top, murder down below. You're gonna have to be more specific here. Meanwhile, one of the burning men tumbles over the railing right above you!
Complete the flanking maneuver and get the chanters from any side they're not being approached from. Aim for the knees, utilize wrestling techniques to make them buckle.((sorry about the missed turn. I can't answer whether it would have helped or not. IC knowledge and all.))
Try a Lightning Arc on the priests.You fire lightning at them. The flash whitens out hte room for a few seconds, leaving an after image on everyone's eyes and a harsh ringing in everyone's ears. Tbhe chanters remain as they were, chanting - well, at least their lips are moving - and with little electrical discharges racing around their limbs and out along the floor, ceiling and walls. that's ... probably not a good sign.
Retreat back toward Ebony and hand her the sling and explosive bullets.Afterimage burned into your eyes, you stumble through the wind which is whipping through the room, and reach Ebony's side. You hand her the sling. She looks troubled. Maybe a little disconcerted.
"Try these next. Aim for the eyes. Or their mouths, whichever's easier."
Fix the godsdamn wings, motherfucker.You perch, and begin gnawing on the fur on your arms, tearing chunks of it off a beakful at a time. It tastes like smoke, ash, and hatred, and dissolves in your beak, bringing an acrid stench to the air around you, and a cloud of reddish black.. After a while, you begin getting feathers along with the fur. Finally, you are able to stretch the wings out properly to the side instead of that weird forward and backward motion they were doing before. A few test flaps suggest they are in working order.
Hold the door closed and look around for something to jam it closed. If one of the dying soldiers dropped their weapon use thatTry as you might, the door bursts open, flinging you aside. You take your second sword to the gut in this mission. Your armor takes most of the blow, but you are stunned, and drop in pain.
Try to dodge that guy, and run my sword through his chest while he's down. Then find someone who isn't an omega or one of the chanters.You jump to the side, and the fellow drops head first to the floor. You yell "hold still, bacon!" and stab him through the back. He doesn't move, just continues crisping up nice and delicious like. "Oh bacon, if only I had time ... " You lament as you head up the right side stairway to where Korvash is fighting for his life.
Since nobody seems to have an objection to it, sip the speed potion and attack the chanters. Try to dodge any attacks from them or my teammates as I do so.Only one portion? Not both? Aww, I wanted to see what happened to you for that. Oh well. You take a drink of the potion. It tastes like moonshine cut with tar and motor oil. It feels like fire, mixed with commercials for energy drinks, one after another, blasted straight past your eyeholes into your brainhole. Everything is moving super fast, and super slow at the same time. You attempt to stand, to concentrate, and to move toward the enemy, but you find yourself on the carpet, face down and twitching.
Find something fairly heavy, and throw it in one of the chanter's stupid face.You grab one of the chairs from the storage room and chuck it up at the chanters. It ricochet's off the wall, shattering in the process, and causing the chanter on the left to flinch and step out of position a little.
when I've found a day to die((Well that isn't ominous at all))
when I've got no haven
I'll call upon my kindred spirit
my good friend the raven
she'll alight upon my weary head
and pry from my rotting skull
a great and ancient cry
so wretched and so lovely
it'll wake up all the dead
"Gah, fuck! Shoot one in the face as we move out, Ebony, I'll use the sling on second thought. Say, you ever considered lightning rod crossbow ammo?"You fire into the wind, and instantly regret the choice, as the bullet flies forward, gets caught up in the twirling debris, and gets sent right back at you. You duck, and Ebony dives for cover outside, slamming the door closed just in time. The bullet explodes on the inside of the door, denting the metal outward. The door sits kinda awkwardly in it's track now. Gonna be tough to move. At least you are outside though. You'd sure hate to be the half of the party that's inside there right now.
"Everyone else, get the fuck back, let their meat get into the collateral damage area at least."
See if I can manage to get one of the chanters with an explosive bullet while I retreat back toward the entrance. This may be a time for precision, but it's also a time for concentrated fire.
Bad news, bear. The door just exploded, sealing you in. You do manage to crawl into the side room, and push the door closed a little. Not like that's gonna stop the enemy for long, but maybe, if you have enough time to recover ...Try to assess how badly I'm hurt. If I'm mostly fine, try to make sure everyone else gets out of the room before I flee. If I'm seriously wounded, just try to get out of the room.
If I'm at all able to fight, stumble my way over to Korvash and try to help him. If not, try to crawl away to "safety".
Activate Turtle style defense AKA crawl backwards while holding the shield in front of me(1) aaaand you fall through the broken railing. (4) at least you land flat, with a dull whump, and have the wind knocked out of you, rather than, you know, dying immediately.
Little help here guys
Put my staff on either divine or electrical absorbion, depending on wether it absorbs according to source of magic or magical effect (we never really stated which one it was.). Then holding the staff in front of my with one hand like a lightning rod, throw something relatively heavy from my vicinity with my other hand at one of the chanters using robot computing to calculate the trajectory.We'll say electric, since "divine" depends on the divinity in question, more than being a specific type of magic. Some of the gizmos on the staff begin to whirl. that's a good sign, right? You grab a marble table, icking one of the legs off it. You hold the leg up, calculate, wait for a moment when the wind is in your favor, and hurl the leg along an arc defined by the whirlwind and some fun maths and stuff. You strike one of the chanters in the face, and he falls backward, head wobbling and hands splayed, looking for support. he finds the wall and drops to his ass. He's out of the chant, but it doesn't look mortal.
Help Korvash by trying to kill any zealots who get too close.You rush the zealots, four of which come through the door. You lose your grip on your weapon as two of them stab you in the limbs and one stabs you through the chest. "I've had worse" You gurgle, as you die.
when I've found a day to dieMeh heh. Eh heh heh. AhahahahahahahAHAHAHAH
when I've got no haven
I'll call upon my kindred spirit
my good friend the raven
she'll alight upon my weary head
and pry from my rotting skull
a great and ancient cry
so wretched and so lovely
it'll wake up all the dead
Crawl under the overhang and hide. Try to stop the bleeding without removing the sword.You push yourself up against the slowly melting ice wall and play dead. The wind whips around you, and debris comes at you in force, but you deflect with the shield and remain unmolested for the moment. You have a bad feeling that these guys might not be in a reasonable mood, though.
If found surrender offering to give up the name of our employer exchange for medical attention (Don't say names)
Try to rest long enough to catch my breath and be able to fight againOh, man, you just can't catch a break. the twitching and other effects from the potion increase, and you seize, blacking out in the process. Good thing you have that +1 in constitution, and are notably bigger than Fiddler, or you'd probably be dead now. As it is, next round you might be.
"Huh. This is kind of fucked, I gotta say."
Fortunately we have grappling hooks and explosives.
If me and Ebony can roll the cart together over to the back of the temple, do that. If not, use a grappling hook to get into one of the upper floors.
Help out with the cart if we are able to do that. If we are not, attempt to follow after Fiddler (that is HB's character right?) is up.You guys roll the cart around the side of the temple, all the way to the back of theside. The courtyard wall meets the temple wall here, so you can't get behind it. But you do get your grapple hooks firmly planted on some crenellations on the roof, and climb up to a window on the third floor. You raise the window with surprising ease.
Will I be needing a new character, or is this only a tempdeath?See for yourself. Read the next post
🐦C̷̴̛͢͟A̶̷͟͠W̵̕͜🐦A rumbling is heard throughout the temple foyer, and Solam's head begins to writhe and pulsate. The corpse of the man that Mongo crushed rises, along with the ones killed by Clunkers. The frozen man nearby begins to move, ice shattering and cracking along his limbs. Even the wall of ice begins to crack and groan. Solam's skull splits, and an ugly black glob of pus, brain matter, and feathers climbs out, cawwing. Solam himself stands slowly, staring blackly at the guards who rushed in to the room. They recoil momentarily in horror, but quickly raise their weapons. The dead in the foyer begin moving up the stairs toward the chanters and zealots. You hear a banging on the door to the outside as well.
That table has three more legs right? I see not reason to stop now, so keep throwing table legs aided by computing at their stupid faces until I run out of legs or they're all out of the chant.You chuck your second table leg. it has less effect, but the two chanters do dodge a little. They target you, and fire a small bolt of lightning, which is absorbed by your staff. One of the gismos glows like a plasma lamp (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Plasma_globe_60th.jpg)
Also do a quick check if my staff is absorbing anything and if has anything stored inside of it already.
Also also, if I could get a reminder of my position, that would be great.
_________________________
| o o x x x | ^
| Cv x | |
|________________S_______| --Fiddler and Ebony
|VVx K VV|
__|VV xVV|__
| | | |
| [ ] |
|M [ C ] |
|__|___________--___________|__|
x
o=chanter
x= zealot or zealot corpse
your initial is you.
VV is stairs
the line across the middle is the edge of the balcony.Made me smile.when I've found a day to die((Well that isn't ominous at all))
when I've got no haven
I'll call upon my kindred spirit
my good friend the raven
she'll alight upon my weary head
and pry from my rotting skull
a great and ancient cry
so wretched and so lovely
it'll wake up all the dead
I'll wait till tomorrow afternoon tow post, so TwinWolf has a chance to post.((I helped ruin everything, yay?))
Harry, I don't recall if we had sticky bombs or fused things. I only recall thrown bombs. I.e. impact bombs. If someone links me a post, or finds a decent enough justification, you might get away with something else. But there are plenty of them, and you can put multiples in the windows along the fist/second floors, as I have already claimed that they are barred or some such on the lower floors.
Egan. You walk a dangerous path, taunting the GM. those revenants aren't necessarily on your side or under your control, you know.
But yes, I liked the poem, and I had just gotten through claiming that I reward creativity (in the original thread). PlusMade me smile.when I've found a day to die((Well that isn't ominous at all))
when I've got no haven
I'll call upon my kindred spirit
my good friend the raven
she'll alight upon my weary head
and pry from my rotting skull
a great and ancient cry
so wretched and so lovely
it'll wake up all the dead
((Both work for me))Korvash is trapped by the wind and cannot move. However, he successfully crawls behind his shield and huddles in a corner. Debris constantly bounces off the shield, and some gets by, causing minor scrapes and bruises, but as long as he stays tucked in there, he is doing okay.
Try to reach Mongo's side room to get out of the rising storm, using my shield to deflect anything sent at me.
Try to help him using my bag of medical supplies.
Try not to die.(1) I'm sorry, but the potion takes it's toll on Mongo, and his heart speeds up beyond his body's ability to handle, and he dies of a heart attack.
((Edit: Both of the maps look fine to me.))
((Hahaha! I can lure the GM into letting me do impossible things using bad poetry!))Corvo is worst affected, both being a bird, and having rolled a 1. Only a 5 on a constitution/speed roll will save him now. (4) Corvo Is slammed roughly against the walls, and crumples lifeless, to join the whirling debris, becoming one more hazard in a room full of pain. (I guess it was good that you were planning on ending this character before long anyway. Yuo can take back the title for "most characters played in Omega Legion" now, being tied with spaz currently.
Swallow a seed, and give those chanters a c̡̧͖̥͈̞͉͘͞͞à͟͏͇̞̝ͅͅw̶̷̧̖͙̦̗͚̱̘͖̩̻̣̘̹͔͢͝ͅ.
Once they're sufficiently distracted, claw their eyes out.
Take a step toward the zealots and do some wide slashes at the waist.Remarkably, the tornado works in Solam's favor. He is completely unfazed by his sudeen change in orientation, and uses the momentum to wreak havok on the living zealots. Only one of the dead zealots, revived by Corvo, shares his success. the rest are smashed to redeath.
((Both maps work.))
Two table legs left, keep throwing them. Also keep the staff between me and the chanters, just in case. It can absorb more than one attack, right? If not, discharge it towards the chanters.Clunkers quickly alters the focus of his staff's absorbtion to handle wind and debris, creating a counterrotating whirlwind around himself, forming a second eye of calm in the storm. He hurls the third table leg into the wind, but even he can't compute the proper trajectory, and the leg comes back at him. Fortunately, it loses most of it's momentum before it hits, and merely dent's his torso. You still have two table legs on hand.
I recall we had explosives. As we ascend, can we get those planted in decorative elements in the walls? Including on the first floor? Don't skimp on the boom, we gotta make this good. Get Ebony to help with that.
((EDIT: Both are good for me.))
The building shakes under her, and Ebony is too busy trying not to die to help with the explosives this round.
Help with the explosives. Magic seems like it's not going to help with the zealots and there could be more, so anything that could lower their numbers or make us not need to deal with them is appreciated, or otherwise make the mission easier. That and Fiddler seems pretty rational compared to some.
Impact bombs are good too, just place them in the appropriate spots to create a chain reaction detonation (since I assume shockwaves work as well as simple impacts).You get the bombs set in the windows across the back half of the side of the building you are on. looks good. You've used up about two thirds of the bombs for this.
((A potion weak enough to leave a munchkin pretty much completely unharmed is powerful enough to stop the heart of a creature ~10 times as large as him? Can't say it makes sense to me, or that I won't bitch about it a little bit, but GM's word is law, I suppose.))I'll pm you about it.
((A potion weak enough to leave a munchkin pretty much completely unharmed is powerful enough to stop the heart of a creature ~10 times as large as him? Can't say it makes sense to me, or that I won't bitch about it a little bit, but GM's word is law, I suppose.))
(('Scuse me, Ozark For clarification, Ebony's regained her footing, right?))Yeah.
Take another step, do some leg slashes.You seem to have missed the fact that Solam is airborne. I worded it a little oddly, so that's understandable. Still, that doesn't stop Solam from attacking. Oh, and his mind clears this round as well. Aaaaand Solam calmly reaches out of the storm and slices the head clean off one of the chanters. the debris hardly inhibits him at all. Zombnado is a huge success. You make one more rotation before being chucked out of the whirlwind back up on the balcony, which now has one standing chanter, and one zombie zealot, which, like yourself, is advancing on the chanter with a look of pure, mindless automation on it's face. it's movements are beginning to stutter and halt though.
Allright, new plan. Using the metronome as a focus (the way the little bar/hand ticks and tocks and the way the wind bends around it) aided by some robut computing, attempt to use clockwork magic to influence the mechanics of the wind/hurricane that's blowing to make it blow the debris it's picking up back towards the chanters.Well, the staff is in a state of equilibrium, taking in and redirecting the storm energy, so it isn't actually charging off that. The lightning gyro holds enough for a shot though. But you remember all to well how that turned out for Ebony. Your attempt to direct the wind is marginally successful, sending debris away from yourslef and reducing the volume of thestorm by a bit. It's hard to see what is happening on that side of the balcony though.
Also check on how much my staff is charged by now.
Keep moving along the wall to Mongo's room using the shield to protect myself from the stormYou inch your way around the wall, and just as you get to the door, something heavy slams you against the wall pretty hard. Your head rings like a bell and your vision goes dark for a moment. It hurts too much for you to believe you are dead yet. You barely manage to collapse into the room and kick the door closed, gasping, laying on your side, staring into Mongo's vacant eyes.
((I really doubt I will be getting out of this alive)
Okay then! Climb down from the building and move the cart a slight distance away. Then see if I can't start the detonation with my sling and explosive bullets, or perhaps just lobbing an impact bomb like a shot put into the wall.
Well then. Time to get the hell away from the building so I don't get blown up then.Ebony and Fiddler back up against the outer wall of hte courtyard and get ready to fire. Tehn, realizing their situation, being directly in front of the blast zone, tey move off toward the front of the temple. A bell sounds in the distance. Sounds like a city alert. Fiddler fires an explosive bullet, but it fails to detonate the bombs, so he throws a bomb, which dislodges a small handful of the bombs from the lower level to explode rather harmlessly on the ground. "Where's the kaboom? there was supposed to be an earth shaking Kaboom!"
Ebony sighs. She's no scientist, maybe Fiddler's right.(2) (1). The bolt goes wide, and you miscast the lightning. it fizzles. Believe me, i want this to succeed as much as you guys. RNJesus don't give a fuck.
Shoot the explosives once with a crossbow bolt. If it doesn't work, try a Lightning Arc.
"Well, that's pretty shit. Ebony, try crossbowing one. Oh, or send some lightning through them! Stone is conductive, right?"You look incredulously at your partner for a moment, then shrug and plant new bombs in the holes in your formation. "Come on, universe, it's like the gods don't want us to destroy this sacred site and steal the holy relic, while killing the saints. What's that all about?"
If that doesn't work, replant the bombs lost in the first explosion.
Try again to redirect the wind towards the chanters.(2) man, you'd be a great wizard, if the universe didn't hate you so much.
Mongo, Oh hellYour breath comes a little easier now, and you get your sword tucked away. Your head feels like it's being squeezed repeatedly by an angry stone golem. You feel around your head to make sure that isn't actually the case. it hurts like hell when you touch it.
You were one of the best mate I'll raise a glass in your honor
Take a minute to catch my breath and to wrap the sword so it doesn't move and cause more damage.
Better stab that chanter while I still can.Yo uswing your sword, but he dodges. Fortunately he dodges into the other zombie, who guts him, crumpling to the floor at the same time the chanter does.
Throw the remaining two table legs at their faces aided by robot calculations. No chanting face shall be left unbroken.(they are already dead and the wind is dying)
(they are already dead and the wind is dying)((Isn't there one left?
Exit the room and head outside to the cart. Hopefully the others can patch me up againYou go and sit next to the cart and close your eyes. just for a moment ... just a moment is all.
Observe my surroundings.The room is a wreck. Nothing living remains. Literally, as neither you nor Solam are alive. Oh, except the unconscious chanter in the corner of the balcony. Everything is very still and eerily quiet. a strange calm has settled over the temple. You hear the sound of alarm bells in the distance. They are, judging by the sound, over a mile away, but within the city.
Hey, it looks like people are trying to blow things up. Stay the hell away from that. Load up the loot, if it's safe.You are completely unaware of the plot to bomb god. Well, I mean, aside from the fact that you came with this group, and knew they had bombs with them, and were part of the plot to kill a temple. But the current specifics are outside of your awareness. You start hauling loot bags out to the cart.
"Huh. Well."You play a soothing, electric melody. You stand well away from all the explodey things. You are suddenly aware of how dark it is tonight. Not, like, unnaturally dark just, like, it's late night and even most of the street lamps are out now.
Break out the fiddle for moral support to get Ebony to hit the damn thing with lightning already, geez. NOTE: MAKE SURE I AM OUTSIDE THE BLAST RADIUS.
((Does the universe hate Ebony?You kneel, take careful aim, and slowly pull the trigger.
The answer is yes, yes it does.))
Once more, shoot the damn things. Seriously, stationary targets, how could you miss with a +1 in ranged ;-;
((Huh. How'd they get out? I thought the door was screwed, no?))((between Clunkers, Solam, and Korvash, they managed to pry it open. there's a bit more strength in that group than in the group of Ebony and Fiddler.))
"MUCH BETTER. Now then, floor 2, was it?"
Take a look inside the temple's second floor. Carefully move up the rubble.
By Tiamat's breath What the hell did you just do?The Two of you climb up the shifting rubble without too much effort, though you dislodge a bit of rubble which slides down behind you, further dislodging something. You spot a bronze arm, sticking up out of the rubble near the back of what was probably the main hall/ a ceiling beam rests across the pile on top of it. You spot a corpse along the left, up near where the altar was.
Seeing the devastation Korvash follows Fiddler into the second floor and looks for the idol as well as pockets any interesting loot
Go and murder the unconscious chanter by bashing him with one of those table legs while he's out, no survivors.You kill the guy, as per your orders, and, instead of walking outside and around, then up the rubble, you just open the doors in front of you. The back half of the right half of the room is wrecked, and the altar is buried under rubble. what's left of the back half of the ceiling looks unstable. You can freely move on the left side of the room. The windows are shattered and there is some debris, but it is not enough to hinder movement over there.
Then join my compatriots in checking out the second floor.
Follow the team to the second floor.You climb and stumble your way up the shifting rubble and grab hold of hte broken wal to pull yourself into the room. Your footing feels very unstable.
"Clunkers has the right idea, people. You listen to him."Mongo's dead I dont know what happened to him but it ended in his death
"By the way, what happened to the bear? Don't see him around right now?"
Stay away from the damaged wall and search though the altar rubbleYou manage to pick your waythrough the rubble to the altar. The arm is attached to a big heavy statue. It's gold or gold plate.
Lets just find the idol and leave before the town guard get here
"I wonder if this is it."You doubt sucjh a silly looking statue would be what you are after. the re's an idol in a wall sconce on the back wall, to the left of the altar. looks like there was another one to the right, before the incident. Bet that's what you wanted. anyway, you go run that guy through. He's dressed for bed. looks important though.
Are these bronze arms what we're looking for? If so, get the crew excavating.
In any case, go and double tap that corpse and check who it belongs to. If a priest or a chanter, harvest alchemical ingredients.
"If these are the arms, dig 'em out and get them to the cart."
Head into the place with the other Omegas. Cast 'Detect Magical Trap' on the area around that arm if it seems to be part of what we're looking for.You cast detect magical trap. You detect the residue of some magical barrier, recently broken, and a few other shattered spells. nothing is active though. "Magic is clear, guys. Now, as ong as the ceiling doesn't fall in on us, we should be good to go. Anyone know what we were after here?" You don't see anything that rings a bell, but Fiddler is eyeing an idol in a wall sconce. It has three arms.
"Query: Is that bronze arm sticking out of the rubble our objective?If you work carefuylly and qwuickly, you can get the statue out without collapsng the building. However, the ceiling is pretty unstable, with or without your digging, and could use some propping up. Might want to get someone on that. As it is, you and Solam manage to shift the beam off the pile, so the statue is no longer pinned by it. Should take [one turn] to unearth.
Statement: This one is going to take a moment to try and analyse the structural integrity of the room. please hold."
Go and check out that bronze arm sticking out of the rubble. Use robot computing to see if we can unearth it without collapsing the entire building on us, and if we can, begin doing so. If not, inform the rest of the team of this.
Assist in looting the bronze arm, if Clunkers declares it safe to do so.You help Clunkers move the big broken beam enough to freethe statue from under it. It loos big and heavy. You think you see a second arm down there.
Fiddler nods to the back, speaking in a low voice so as the fuzz don't hear the thing.You didn't quite have time to get started on the harvesting before the fuzz showed up. Probably for the best, as, holding a pair of bloody ears and a sack of nuts while trying to convince the city watch that you have a good reason to be at an exploding temple in the middle of the night, with weapons and dead people all over, miiiiight not go that well. as is ... "What's the issue? The weapons, and all the dead people in the mess out here, that's the issue. drop your weapons, stop what you are doing, all of you, and come with us." these guards are starting to advance into the room, weapons out. They are being cautious.
"Bigjobs get the idol. Korvash, Solam, that's you. Clunkers, Ebony, follow my lead. We're gonna bring the house down on the fuckers."
He then turns to the police.
"Eh? What? We're makin' a rescue effort here! What's the bloody issue? There's people buried in here, dontcha know!"
Delay the police for the moment. Get back a bit and hand Ebony the sling and explosive ammo.
Also, did I harvest ingredients from the dead guy (looks like the leader fella, seeing as he's in bedclothes, so where exactly does divinity hide - ears, tongue, sweetbreads, testicles, the idea was to grab as many as I could)? Or did I at least get some junk from his pockets?
Clunkers walks up next to Fiddler in a slightly more robotic, jerky way than usual.does anyone remember what the idol looked like? I forget if any of you made a point to know that. Anyway, the bots locate point out as idols: the statue you are digging up, the statuette in the alcove, several statuettes in the bags already loaded onto the cart, and a few odd looking pieces of equipment. they report no other hostiles but those before you, and several more in the foyer, armed and ready for trouble. Your claim to be a rescue bot makes hte guards pause for a moment, but, upon looking more closely at you, they seem unconvinced. "A mechanical. Bring the stunners."
"Statement: Rescue bot 6000 has analyzed the building. Structural integrity is at a critical level, currently at thirty, one, percent.
Reccomendation: This one's parameters indicate that the local constabulary should cordon off the area in case the building collapses so that no further injuries occur. Please keep civilians at a safe distance. Rescue bot 6000 and the other professionals of the rescue team will scour the building for survivors."
Say above. Release my two bee bots and have them fly through the rest of the building, looking for the idol, the leader and other hostiles, in order of importance.
KorvashWell, your atempts have two results, one good and one bad. the good result is that the entire guard force moves back hurriedly to the entrance. But, that's in reaction to the bad result: (1)the ceiling falls in on you. (1) and you die, buried under the rubble alongside the statue that everyone is more and more convinced is the idol you are here to take.
This place could go at any time be careful what you move
Unearth the idol moving the beams and stuff to attempt to prob up the roof
Continue removing the debris, as safely as possible.(5) you manage to avoid Korvash' fate by being in the right place at the right time, as the ceiling comes down. You sidestep a flow of debris, grab hold of the edge of the ceiling, and vault up onto the sloping third floor. Dust billows up thick and dark, filling the room below. You spy an exit in hte back corner of hte temple - what looks like a private staircase for hte priests.
"You must've heard the explosion, and the crater's right here. We're lucky it's not fallen down *already*."You take the sling and ammo, but you don't get a chance at the saying, as the room begins to fall apart behind you guys.
Say this, take sling and ammo.
The Holy Symbol of Katha. It is a copper, bronze, gold, and wooden icon, abut three feet tall, two wide, and a foot and a half or so deep. It has three arms, and a wide basin on the top for fire. it is likely to be mounted firmly to the altar in the center of the shrine.
((If we're all obscured by the dust, I could try to change Clunker's voice to something angelic and try to impersonate the temple's deity? Maybe?))
((Might as well, I suppose.))((If we're all obscured by the dust, I could try to change Clunker's voice to something angelic and try to impersonate the temple's deity? Maybe?))
((Couldn't hurt to try?))
First and most important: The Holy Symbol of Katha. It is a copper, bronze, gold, and wooden icon, abut three feet tall, two wide, and a foot and a half or so deep. It has three arms, and a wide basin on the top for fire. it is likely to be mounted firmly to the altar in the center of the shrine.
The idol - that bronze, copper, gold and wood statue, bolted to the altar - is now buried deep under the rubble. retrieving it now is going to be a nightmare.
Help my teammates get up here.
"Oh hey, time for plan B. Everyone, to the third floor."Definitely the thing that is buried under the rubble. gonna take some time to dig out, by mundane means.
Let's quit fucking around and get to the third floor.The Holy Symbol of Katha. It is a copper, bronze, gold, and wooden icon, abut three feet tall, two wide, and a foot and a half or so deep. It has three arms, and a wide basin on the top for fire. it is likely to be mounted firmly to the altar in the center of the shrine.
That's what the goddamn idol looks like. Did anyone see it on this floor or at least its corresponding architectural elements? Ask. And can I get to the third floor from here?
Head up to the third floor, thenSolam quickly hoists Ebony and Fiddler up to the third floor while Clunkers makes a last go at scaring the guards off.
You shout that litany at the guards. Your voice rings out a tad hollow though, as if something is off a bit, and you doubt that it quite portrayed the image you wished it to portray. You turn to climb up to leave with your team. A figure stands in the dust before you. it glows yellow, but flickers with blue, as of lightning scattering from it, racing across the surfaces it touches. It bends to examine something in the corner - the dead priest, probably, and it's attention turns momentarily to the rubble pile before turning to you. You stand frozen in it's presence. "YOU SPEAK MORE THAN YOU KNOW, AND LESS THAN THE TRUTH. GIVE ACCOUNT, FOR JUSTICE WILL BE METE."((Might as well, I suppose.))((If we're all obscured by the dust, I could try to change Clunker's voice to something angelic and try to impersonate the temple's deity? Maybe?))
((Couldn't hurt to try?))
Clunkers vocal components whirr and buzz for a moment, changing his voice to something angelic and amping up the volume, adding some reverb for added effect.
"HALT, MEN OF JUSTICE. THE DESTRUCTION OF THIS TOWER IS MY DIVINE PUNISHMENT FOR THESE HERETICS. THEY ATTEMPTED TO BIND MY DIVINE BEING TO AN IDOL. AND FOR THAT TRANSGRESSION, I HAVE BROUGHT DEATH AND DESTRUCTION TO THEM. THESE MEN ARE HERE ON A DIVINE MISSION TO RECLAIM THE FALSE IDOL AND BRING IT TO A HOLY PLACE, THAT I MIGHT BECOME WHOLE AGAIN. RAISE YOUR HANDS AT THEM, AND YOU WILL BE PUNISHED JUST LIKE THE HERETICS. BE WARNED!"
Rearrange vocal cords to something loud and angelic and shout the above out of the mist. Then skedaddle to the third floor with my comrades.
((I'm aware this is a horrible idea, but if I were Clunkers I'd have a very difficult time resisting the urge to correct the God's grammar.))What? the entity's grammar is spotless. What are you talking about? Also, who says it's a god?
"Huh. Bit late, isn't it?"The front has a couple of what look like servants or guards quarters. teh back is mostly obliterated. There are no living things up here besides you three.
"Anyway, you lot, come with me. Hopefully Clunkers distracts the damn thing."
Check the third floor. Anything worth stealing, or people who need finishing off? Seems like the sort of bollocks that'd need a summoner on hand.
Clunkers buzzes and whirrs for a second. He then gives a small bow to the being. He speaks fast, though clearly.Upon finishing your statement, the being frowns, looks directly at your companions, through the celing and everything, and then at you. His eyes glow brilliant white, blinding you temporarily. Then, your Omega Brand begins to burn with an intense heat. you hear three different screams from upstairs simultaneously. This goes on for a short time that feels much longer before you feel an odd, sudden release.. Upon examining yourself, you see that the Omega Brand has become completely visible. It glows, in fact, though this appears to be fading.
"Statement of compliance: Understood, this one will give a sumary of what happened. This one will answer as truthful as it is possible. This one functions to serve. This one's official designation is Unit 02: Clunkers.
Statement of regret: This one is unable to provide complete details. This one and its compatriots are under a powerful geas, making them unable to divulge certain information, on punishment of death. Please understand.
Summary: This one and its compatriots arrived in this town with a cart of supplies. This one and its compatriots wanted to acquire the idol in question. This one and its compatriots also wanted to cease the functioning of the leader of this tower, as well as destroy pretty much everything inside. However, the only goal that this one truly watned to complete was the acquiring of the idol, everything else was secondary, because.
Upon getting to the tower, this ones compatriots disabled the guards at the entrance. At that time something must have happened inside of the tower, resulting in a hole in the wall several floors up and two entities crashing towards the pavement, though this one knows nothing more about it. Once inside, several organics accosted us, and battle ensued. About three organics used chanting to summon up a whirlwind. This one used it's staff to create a safe space and threw table legs at the chanters. This did not prove particularely effective. After the whirlwind died down, this ones idea was to grab the idol. However, at that point part of the wall exploded violently. This one believes this is the result of explosives, placed by a couple of this one's compatriots who got stuck outside. As a result, part of the tower structure collapsed.
During all of this, several of this one's compatriots ceased functioning as well. Unfortunately, due to them being organic, repairs and reboots are off the table. Then the local constabulary arrived, threatening violence. This one attempted to bluff by trying to imitate the deity of this tower to scare the constabulary away, which failed. Then the one standing before this one asked for a summary of events. Thus, we come full circle.
Statement of regret: This one realizes that this ones summary lacks a certain depth, and is also missing certain information. This is because this one has omitted both superfluous details, and information that falls under the geas. This one apologizes for this fact.
Query: Is there anything else this one may have forgotten to mention that the one standing before this one wishes to know? This one is more than willing to divulge any information that is required of this one, barring the information that falls under the geas, regardless of the fact that the local constabulary is making its way over to kill this one as we speak."
Clunkers bows again, waiting for further instructions.
((Finally Ebony has some luck.))Ebony examines Solam for signs of life. there are none. For a moment, she panics, but then she remembers "Oh yeah, undead. duh." So she checks for signs of undeath. He's got that telltale unhealthy 'glow' about him. a slight gurgle, an automatic reach for her brains when she approaches just at teh right angle. Still undead, just ... shock, maybe? that was a pretty painful and powerful jolt.
As Ebony's scream dies and the pain subsides to a dull throb, she looks around at the others. Fiddler looks like he'll live, so she examines Solam, seeing if they are still alive.
"Surprised statement: Organics, this one is still alive. Also, this one has found the idol. For your information, the gaes is gone now."You can lift it. it 's quite heavy though. It'll be all you can do to carry it by yourself. your scouts report that the constables are still in the foyer, staying well the hell away from the doors to the nave (where you are). the rubble pile is unstable and wold be difficult to get down. Looks like up and out the back its your best bet. You'll need help getting the idol up there though.
Grab the idol, see if I can lift it by myself. Send my two bees on a brief scouting run to the entrance and hole in the wall, to see if the local constabulary is still blocking our route out of here.
"Oh man," Fiddler coughs, "this isn't good. This isn't good at all."Sure you are. you hop on down the broken bits of the floor and lean over to chat with your big metal murderbuddy.
Get to Clunkers if I am able.
"That was supposed to be the real thing? And it... broke the geas, huh."
He thinks.
"Well, hopefully whoever gave us this job gets to die screaming in that case. Even if the same happens to us."
Help move Solam if possible.You go over and push on the undead. He steps in the direction you push him.
"Up you go..."Well, you a re a tiny little elf girl and he is a big, dead ... human? You think. You wonder how you are going to pick him up. You idly lift a hand, and drop it. it stays outstretched instead of falling to his side. You lift the other hand. it stays outstretched. You put one on top of his head. It stays there. You curl all the fingers of one but the pointer, and stick that one up his nose. it stays there. You giggle.
"I remember where we're supposed to go. Let's get downstairs and meet with Clunkers."
Pick up Solam as well.
"I believe I can carry myself, at the moment."You are mistaken in thinking you can move yourself. Yo are able to come to consciousness. You are vaguely aware of your fellows, and of being dead but not dead. there's something in your nose.
So, the Idol is covered in debris? Better help with that, if I'm not hoisted into the air.
((Did I roll a one or is this just you saying I can't help :P((you can help. this was my way of saying "you can't pick the guy up, he's way to heavy. lucky for you, you don't have to. He was standing, and his eyes were rolled back in his head and he was unresponsive. but, as yo uare now discovering, he reacts to being pushed around.")
I thought that he was unable to move, or prone or something.))
"...Maybe the pain messed with my head a bit."
I thought it was me we were waiting on, but it is harry and twinwolf. oops.
Oh. Try gaining control of my body again, then.You struggle to regain some semblance of control, but at best you can twitch your eyelid. Don't feel too bad, you're kinda like the Man in Black before the castle raid. You wonder idly why this keeps happening to you.
Meet up with Clunkers, bringing Solam as well.you lead Solam about by the hand. He is sluggish, but cooperative. You tell everyone to go easy on him, as he's been mostly dead all day.
"I've got a spell that could help with the scouting, if you need the help."
"Statement: Greeting again, fiddler organic. This one has found the idol, as you can see. Also, this one has scouted out the surroundings. The constables are still in the foyer, staying well the hell away from the doors to the nave. The rubble pile is unstable and will be difficult to get down. This one believes going up and out through the back would be best.
Request: If we do go up, this one will need some help getting the idol there. This one is able to lift it alone, but only just."
get the idol upstairs and out the back with the help of fiddler if possible, and scout out our escape route at the back with the bees.
the two of you hoist the idol up the ruined floor. it tilts over and lands with a thud. Ebony helps drag it alongthe floor up tehre until it is in no danger ouf sliding back down.I thought it was me we were waiting on, but it is harry and twinwolf. oops.
((Whoops, I thought I did post an action.))
"Let's just get the thing out through the back. Hang on, we should have a grappling hook somewhere."
"We also ought to see if we can dispose of the corpses of our ex-comrades. Maybe lob some explosives into the foyer."
Keep my voice down as I relay the things we gotta do.
See if I can get the grappling hook and rope from the cart reasonably safely, then get the hook onto the side of the building. Use the rope to help people get down along the back.
Well, at least I don't have that persistent itch that occurs whenever you can't scratch your face.yeah, you left that behind with that blue stuff.
((How'd the cart get to the front? I thought we specifically moved it to the back.))I might have forgotten about you moving the cart to he back. That being the case, it's rather buried under the rubble, upended, with most of the loot scattered across the courtyard on that side. I'll allow a couple grappling hooks and a couple bags to the team.
"It's either the back exit or going through Ogre Team. I think we'll take the back, thanks. Scout ahead, and we try and kill anything that stands in the way. Ebony, detect traps."
Onward and out through the back, that's the way we exfiltrate!
EDIT: Oh, and do help with carrying the idol.
"Statement: Understood.The first thing the bees notice is that, upon turning the corner ahead, they enter a very short, covered hallway which is narrower than the one you are in. this hallway ends in a gated fence, which leads out into a rather normal street -one that now contains several sleepy looking onlookers in their nightclothes and boots, staring at the sky above the temple, and talking about fire.
Query: Where is our extraction point, anyway?"
Go out the back towards our extraction point. Make sure to grab the idol with me. Use bees to scout ahead so we can detour to avoid the constabulary if needed.
"Right. I saw the map to the extraction point, by the way. I'll try to help with that."Ebony gets a faint sense of a minor magical trap somewhere off to the right. As for mundane traps, the lock on the fence ahead glows ever so faintly in her mage sight.
Ebony uses Detect Magical Traps as she follows the others. If possible, also use Detect Mundane Traps.
Either regain control of my body, or try to borrow Korvash's. If I gain access to an arm or two, do my best to recreate the map.you lose the ability to communicate, again. And your efforts to recreate the map, even for yourself, fail. You vaguely remember that head dissolving into a puddle though. What a waste of perfectly good food. And you are pretty far away from all the corpses, so borrowing any of them will have to wait. Don't worry, someone is sure to become a corpse before long, the way these things go.
"Figure out what the trap is. Ain't safe to have one around without knowing what it is. And Clunkers, you can stop hearts, right?"You do your best to see around corners, through walls, back the way you came, and ahead into the public areas all at once. your head starts to ache and your eyes cross wit the effort.
Keep an eye out.
"reply: This one theoretically is able to do so, yes."It could be anything. It's out of sight, and you have no connection to it beyond what Ebony has described to you. It could be a time bomb, or a proximity weapon, just waiting for you to get the idol to a certain range before detonating and killing you all in a horrific orgy of tentacles, eyeballs, and action hero one liners.
Have the bees be my eyes in the sky, circling overhead to alert me of any incoming police.
Use robot computing to figure out what that magical trap is about
"I can deal with it unless my magic decides to fizzle."You cast this, and for a moment, nothing happens. Then the lock falls to pieces. And then the gate falls outward with a loud clang. Behind you, one of the doors opposite the temple does the same. You step out calmly and return the looks of the locals with cool indifference. "The apocalypse is coming. The constables are at the temple now. They will be evacuating the people. Get there now. take your children." Eyes go wide, but no one moves. "What are you waiting for? NOW!" a couple of people start to move about, and it's as if a dam breaks, and suddenly, everyone is running, either inside, or off toward the guards, or elsewhere at a dead run. Apparently apocalypses are big news in this neck of the woods. the street clears of people surprisingly quickly.
Disarm Mundane Trap on the lock
Focus on being able to do things.You regain control of your eyes, half your mouth, and all four pinkies.
Assuming that trap is in range, Disarm Magical Trap. If it is not, report this."I can't disarm the magical trap. it's over in those buildings over there, behind the wall? I can't see it, and have no idea what it is. it's probably not a thing we need to worry about, though - it wasn't in the temple, nor attached ot the idol. Let's just leave it, unless you want ot go break down some doors, accost some more temple workers, and risk having the watch on our asses while we are still at the epicenter of destruction?"
Keep bees on lookout. Use robot computing to figuren out where we need to go. Go with team if we moveYour robot computing reminds you that you never really got a look at the map that came out of that guy's head. Solam and Ebony did though.
Fiddler sighs at this latest maneuver leaving so many witnesses. Oh well. Too late to kill them all now.It's striped and patchwork, and you have to break a supporting staff to get it free, but the cart's awning thingy works well enough to cover the idol. I mean, it won't fool someone who knows what it is you have, but it'll keep your average person from concentrating on it too much.
"Disarm that magical trap as well, would you kindly? And then we move the hell out."
Once the trap is disarmed, move out as quickly as we can. See if there are any tarps available in the near vicinity (such as from the upended cart) so that we may cover up our loot and get the hell out to the extraction point.
((Funny thing is Ebony did already tell them the trap was not in the way. So she might have been a bit annoyed at being asked again :P ))
Onward, for more bodily control!(2) you just are having the best day.
((Funny thing is Ebony did already tell them the trap was not in the way. So she might have been a bit annoyed at being asked again :P ))I assume you mean the location where you will be moved back to Omega. luckily, your memory of the map is spotless.
Herd Solam to the exit area.
"Right, time for a strategic de-assing of the area. Ebony, you take zombieman. Me and Clunkers handle the statue."It was more a "break curse" than a turn undead. this is just backwash.
Me and Clunkers take the idol, Ebony herds Solam out of the area until that Turn Undead wears off.
"Statement: Murderbots, rolling out. Beep boop."the four of you scuttle away, Ebony pushing a drooling zombie, and the murderbot and little thief hauling a big heavy thing under a tarp. "Good day for a picnic" one of you says, nodding at a passing thug. He doesn't even make eye contact. Well, even the noblest of us have secrets we want to keep quiet, I guess.
Grab the idol together with Fiddler and de-ass the area.
"I have a spell to scout around. Probably would be harder to notice too. But you guys would need to guard my body while I did it.""Statement: this one will look after your mortal vessel."
Must... Regain... Control!(3) at least yo uare conscious and able to contribute to the conversation. Your limbs still move without you, but you can bite and cast.
"Whispered query: So, how do we handle this?One bee scouts along the shore of the river for a ways. It notes that the river banks are not steep, nor is the river significantly guarded. There are a few late night people down about there though, river ratmen, a few surly looking dwarves, you know the lot. Bridge trolls. tHE other bee doesn't detect any hostiles approaching, unless you count the surly river dwarves.
Concerned statement: This one feels it wise to avoid further fighting and simply getting the hell out of here, but we really need to cross that bridge. Our fighting force is also down a lot since the beginning of this mission, so we may simply get overwhelmed.
Suggestions: This one could send its scouts in the air to find an alternate route, but there is no guarantee that there is one."
Guard Ebony, keep an eye out for hostiles. Have one bee look for alternate routes and one bee for approaching hostiles.
"Look for a boat we can steal. Gotta have some piracy to round out the day."looks like eight to ten on this side. They look to be in varying degrees of wakefulness. There are two trolls, and some kind of floating thingum. It looks wispy.
How many guards, and how alert are they?
Ebony sits down- doesn't want to fall over and break her head when she casts- and casts Shadow Observer.Okay. You cast, and see the shadows nearby flicker and shimmer, occasionally lifting from the ground or walls or what have you, before settling back. You're tapped in, and you see strange glowing points, like eyes, appear and disappear seemingly randomly among the shadows. You notice that you get flickering visions of nearby places when the eyes appear. your awareness of the nearby region is expanded dramatically, though your awareness of yourself is, as you suspected it would be, limited.
Try for a limb or two, now.(1) Your body becomes stiff and immobile. Nwo it doesn't even respond to the others' pushing it or pulling it. You are undeadweight.
Ebony, through the spell, scouts the area to see if there's an ideal spot to cross the river- preferably one where they could cross unseen and easily, but not too far from the extraction area- and then trying to find a good route from that crossing too the extraction.The nearest other bridge is about a mile upstream, and there is enough activity around that area that you would be seen. the shadows seem reluctant to cross the river itself, for some reason.
Could we easily cross this river by foot?you could not. it is deep enough for river traffic - barges and the like. You find a canoe tied to a dock, quarter mile down stream. Looks like it could hold two of you and the idol.
In any case, keep one bee looking for hostiles and one bee looking for a raft or a boat to cross the river unseen by the guards on the bridge.
Keep a lookout. Maybe poke Solam to help him get back to his old murderous self again.You poke him, but get no reaction. He stares straight ahead, eyes unmoving, mouth slightly agape. His skin is hard and unyielding to the touch. Still, no one accosts you guys. so that's good.
((So, how do you expect Ebony and Solam to get across if it's too deep to be easily crossed? I don't think Ebony has a spell for that. Unless maybe she freezes a part of the river.))((Place zombie in water, detach one of zombie's arms, use arm as paddle for your makeshift raft. Problem solved.
((So, how do you expect Ebony and Solam to get across if it's too deep to be easily crossed? I don't think Ebony has a spell for that. Unless maybe she freezes a part of the river.))
To the canoe! Me and Clunkers take that route, leave Ebony with the task of making sure Solam gets out of here in one piece.
Indeed, to the canoe! Have both bees scout ahead as we make our way there. Once there, see if there's anything around we should take not of. Make sure to bring the idol.You make your way along a twisting back alley and cross the avenue next to the river at a reasonable distance downstream, then work your way back along the shore. It gets quiet, so that you feel that every move you make is amplified a dozen times. You look around and notice that the ratmen have disappeared from your area. even the bridge trolls up ahead are quiet, hiding in the recesses under the pillars. The water doesn't look particularly swift, there is an oar in the boat, and it isn't tied particularly tight.
Oh, that's even worse. Try to fix that whole "Unresponsive" mess.(2) well, at least you haven't gone feral yet.
Ebony ends the spell so that she returns to her body in time for what Fiddler said. Recalling how the shadows had seemed oddly hesitant to cross the river, cast Identify Magic on the river around the canoe that will be used for crossing.you'll have to make your way down to where you have direct line of sight to do it.
Hey, body, quit ignoring me and let me do do zombie stuff.(1) I simply cannot believe it. You've gone feral. That was a long line of failures. I mean, I just ... (your mind still works, locked somewhere in the dim recesses of your body, but wow) Okay, Ebony is literally the only person nearby, so this is gonna get ugly.
Ebony directs Solam towards the others as she goes to them. "The shadows wouldn't cross the river for some reason. I'm not sure whether it was something mundane and nothing to worry about or magic." Identify Magic on the river, specifically around the canoe. Also cast Detect Magical Trap if the former does not reveal anything. Better safe than sorry.Remember how last round, he went perfectly rigid, and you couldn't direct him? at all? Well, now he lurches toward you with his mouth agape and his arms coming up to grab you.
"Dunno about you, Clunkers, but I get the feeling that something else wants to fuck with us yet. Let's get Ebony over here, then."Ownership? What's that? possession is nine tenths of the law, right? But yeah, someone probably owns it. Nothing abnormal nearby, except perhaps the lack of screaming eels.
Examine the canoe. Any signs of ownership? Anything abnormal in the area?
"Statement: This one feels the same way. Something is clearly out to get us."the bees detect one ratman, hiding under some boulders, nose barely visible outside, twitching slightly in the air. Hard to see under the water - it's typicallky murky, and it's night, so the bees can't get a read below. Otherwise, the villains and heroes of the riverside community are content to ignore you for now. You check the boat. it's old, it's hard used, but it's sturdy.
Have both bees sniff out hostiles in the vicinity. Inspect the canoe together with fiddler.
where is everyone?
Body, why have you betrayed me?! We should be working together!(2) still nothing. Wow, yo ureally are a train wreck since the Incident. I suppose you're lucky the encounter with the Divine didn't incinerate you on contact. Eh, maybe that particular deity has no ill will toward undead?
She's not.where is everyone?
((Fiddler has lost faith!))
See if Ebony's coming. If not, go check the canoe. Poke it. Splash the river a little. Anything horrible happening?
((Sorry about that, I was going to post yesterday after dinner but I fell asleep before getting to it.))
"Statement: everything seems quiet enough. Shall we cross the river, Fiddler organic?"
Have the bees buzz around our location looking for potential threats. If Fiddler also agrees, get into the boat with the idol and go to the other side, but only after making sure the boat can actually handle the weight.
"Yeah, let's do that."just a little "boat handling roll" here. Nothing dangerous. Only Omega Legion's arch nemesis. Well, you put the idol in the boat and start to push it into the water. When Clunkers goes to climb in, he tilts it a bit too far and water splooshes over the side, making a significant puddle in the boat. Lucky you were testing it before just leaping out there, I guess. Gosh, this brings back memories. It's like that time when Cluinkers had to walk on the lakebed to get to town that one time. On second thought, why doesn't he try that this time, he wonders.
If Ebony doesn't turn up, just cross over to the other side. Leave Clunkers on the other side on lookout, then cross back with the canoe and look around for our wayward teammates.
Are the guards reacting at all to the feral undead?so far, no. But I am about to roll his action. We'll see if he does anything noteworthy.
Body, why have you betrayed me?! We should be working together!(5) hey, look at that, you regain, momentarily control over your body. You can feel yourself fading quickly. better act fast!
"Statement: Perhaps this one shall take the alternative route, just to be sure?"You weren't yet in the boat, as truyng to get in was causing you to tip it. You start walking into the water, only to discover that the bottom is very muddy - worse than the lake. You slip right off your feet with a loud splash and land, hard, on your back. A quick system check shows no damage though - nor to your spiderbot.On the other hand - the water is even darker than the outside.
This one is fairly water resistant right? Last time went well enough, and now I've got redundant systems.
So, carefully get out of the boat and then make my way across walking along the bottom.
"Don't rock the boat, Clunkers. That's how you get exiled!"It's slow going, what with the boat being a tad waterlogged now, the idol being oddly unhelpful for a fellow with three arms, and the current pulling you downstream, towad one of the guarded bridges. You get about a third of the way across this round.
Well, let's see if I can paddle out to the other side. Maybe don't take Clunkers on the boat if he turns out to be water resistant.
Wait, I suppose. See where this goes.Solam seems to regain consciousness for a minute, and staggers back to you before he goes dull and unresponsive again. a gentle push tells you he will, once again, respond to guidance.
Keep on slogging, paddling, humming. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNb54rwDQJM)You paddle along, but end up floating down under the bridge before you can make it all the way across. you are spotted from above. "Evenin' officers" you call out. One of the m waves at you, but others are more suspicious. "Bit late to be on the river. What's your business?" You are close to the far shore, and a couple of the guards are making their way along to meet you when you land. Well, at least you caught a snippet of your song being hummed on the bridge as well. Catchy.
In for a penny, in for a pound. Slog myself a way to the other side.You slog your way along, and up out of the river, to be confronted by Ebony as you step onto the river bank.
Direct Solam towards the dock to wait for them to come back. Try to stand a bit away from him this time.You arrive at the dock in time to see a very muddy construct haul itself out. it turns to you and says the above.
((So, did I somehow end up where I started, or am I missing something?))I suppose you could ask IC ;D
((School's just started back up for me, so I've been a bit distracted. Sorry!))no probs. I'm in no hurry. It's fun watching you guys suffer like this.
where is everyone anyway? Did I finally put you guys in a situation so boring and frustrating that you got tired of it and left?
((I could have sworn I posted an action with that question.))Fiddler's downstream with the statue, chatting with the guards, you are on the shore with Ebony and Solam, where you started. You sigh, turn around, and walk back through, telling those two to wait until Fiddler returns with the boat. You arrive on teh far side, and walk south to meet Fiddler with the boat.
Look around, also have bees scout around my location. Where am I, what's around me and what happened to Fiddler and the statue?
((Fair enough. Each was the result of a roll, but I could have auto'd a few of them, I think, upon reflection. I was pretty surprised that Solam has failed as many recovery rolls as he did, and I really expected at least one of you to be across the river by now. I've not been proactive enough in moving this along, I guess. As for feedback, I will try to be more clear and complete in my responses.))where is everyone anyway? Did I finally put you guys in a situation so boring and frustrating that you got tired of it and left?
((Not so much frustrating as incredibly boring and monumentally difficult to give any shits about, really, I'll be perfectly honest. I think the complete lack of feedback might be at least part of it, to the point where I just kinda wanna throw my hands up and let whatever happen, since pretty much whatever has been happening anyway.
EDIT: er, not to be overly harsh or anything. Just really sick of all the speed bumps and time-wasting twists.))
Fiddler looks rather tired as he looks at the guards.
"Something I can help you with?"
Don't land yet. See if I can boat a ways upriver.
((Hold up, I distinctly remember posting an action after Harry. Am I losing my mind or did my post get eaten somehow? Gah.))You've been losing posts, apparently. Oh, and the arms are spaced around the statue, rather than all on one side. If you place the statue sidewasy, it looks like one hand will line up though.
"Statement: One would assume we have to put the statue sideways. The circle is about as wide as the statue is deep, and the handprints will most likely line up with each of the arms."
"statement: this one was instructed to call upon the godlike being from the temple once we returned here. This one thinks it likely that this is the summoning of said being. Perhaps pushing him off will anger the being, which would be bad considering what we saw of it in the temple."
"You what? God-fucking-dammit, are we gonna need to push you off as well?"
"I doubt it's going to go through all this trouble without vaporizing a few fuckers in the process. But that's mostly just me trying to talk myself into helping you out."
Fiddler stops trying to push Solam off the cliff.
"Yeah, now that you mention it, there is the part where it seems to be doing something with our brands, so let's just say we were under magical compulsion and had no responsibility over our actions. And the parts we did have responsibility over were your fault, since you so graciously volunteered to take the blame."
Actually, don't push Solam off the cliff. Whistle for Ebony to stop as well. Let it happen, I guess. Hopefully we can get a few people with whatever's gonna happen next!
Right then, no cliff-pushing. Still going to stand back though.Yo two stand back and attempt to resist the urge to chant, instead of doing in your mindless fellow, like the creepy portal to the divine that he has become. Time for a will roll. Fiddler clamps down, puts his fingers in his ears, and pushes back against the gaes, which is now sending small trickles of light along his brand. Ebony, however, begins to mutter along in the rhythm of the chant - not quite chanting, but not quite keeping out of it.
"statement: this one was instructed to call upon the godlike being from the temple once we returned here. This one thinks it likely that this is the summoning of said being. Perhaps pushing him off will anger the being, which would be bad considering what we saw of it in the temple."Your computing yields no results, so you go with your current expectations, and begin to chant along. it feels natural, though the words are foreign and you are a step behind, as if you are listening to the chant and then echoing it.
Use robot computing to see if this chanting might be summoning the deity. Unless I have good reason to believe that this is not the case, chant along.
"Well, guess it's time for standard munchkin protocol. With me, everyone. Gonna try and survive this yet."You make tracks. Wanna disappear into or behind the monastery, or try to find a way down to the canyon floor? or something else?
Be tiny, insignificant and put in distance between ourselves and nascent divine avatar.
"Relieved statement: Well met again. Welcome to the Omega Legion Canyon. What is thy bidding for this one?""WELL MET, EMISSARY. I SEE THAT THY MASTERS APPROACH TO GREET ME. THEY APPEAR LESS THAN PLEASED AT MY PRESENCE. PRESENT MY SUMMONS TO THEM, THAT I MIGHT RECEIVE ACCOUNT FROM THEM FOR YOUR DEEDS."
Say above to the being.
((Sorry about dropping out for a while there, lost internet for a few weeks.))"huh? Where am I? What am I currently doing?" You look around in a daze. it is slowly coming back to you: after you went feral, you managed to come back to your senses for a little, and then went dormant as you were guided back to Omega. And now you are on the plateau, at the edge of the cliff down into the Omega Canyon, and a god of storms and justice stand before you, ready to take names and kick ass. Clunkers is chatting with it like they are old friends, and Fiddler is doing the sane thing and getting the fuck out of there. Ebony is ... considering her options carefully. she seems relieved that you are yourself again, at least, and that you haven't eaten her brains.
Find out what I'm currently doing. See if I can actually move by myself, if doing so won't cause a dangerous spell fizzle.
Don't go into the monastery, instead just put some distance between myself and the current happenings. Make sure to watch the fireworks, though.
Yeah, put some distance. Don't want to be in the blast zone if things get violent.
Oh, the storm god again? It must be a sign. A sign that I am not following Fiddler's example fast enough. Run, and do not stop running.Okay. I want to caution you a little - you are headed out into a barren wasteland. There's a storm brewing. Deserts and storms are not a fun combination. there are sheltery bits out there though - picture the American Western badlands, rather than the Saharah.
"Acknowledgement: As you command.", Clunkers responds, bowing his head slightly.Neither of the figures you speak with appear to have the most diplomatic of skillsets. One of them is simply massive- easily twice your height and eight times your weight. It looks like it eats rocks for ... well not really for anything, just because. The other is smaller, has an abundance of limbs, and carries and wears various trinkets and artifacts. it's serpentine head darts forward on it's long neck as it strides forward, powerful legs eating the distance with ease. the two come to a halt in front of you, eyes darting between yourself and the figure behind you. The leggy serpent tilt's its head toward you. "Katha - that's the god's name. It was born for violence and destruction. it is most famous for destroying its great grandmother in tempest and gale." Head tilts to the other side. "Oh, a vast improvement, that, to be sure. but gods can be rather ... set in their ways. hrmmm. Emissary, eh? a fortuitous development. Request from the god a few minutes of patience. One worthy to make an answer will come.
Clunkers will approach the omega personnel cuatiously in a non-threatening manner until he is within their hearing distance, and say the following loud enough to be clearly heard.
"Mission report: The organics and this one have succesfully laid waste to the temple, rendered its head priest non-functional with extreme prejudice and have brought back the artifact that was requested.
Addendum: Also a few legionnaires may have died. This one is unsure of their number or identity, as this one was not keeping track.
Grand statement: Now this one stands before you as an emissary to the being you have no doubt spotted already. It is a god of justice and the herald of storms. In its infinite grace it has aided our mission by keeping us from certain doom, delivering to us the idol which was out of our reach and clearing us a way to return the idol here.
All it asks in return is an audience with those who issued the mission, so that they might tell it the reasons for our attack on the temple. It is in this one's calculations and humble opinion that this request should be granted, for the being is clearly just and fair.
Addendum: It also didn't seem to particularely mind the destruction of the temple, so it is this one's opinion that its intenions are peaceful enough so long as it is not needlessly angered.
Clarification: What this one is trying to convey is, basically: Don't be a bitch and have a chat with the being.
Get to a sheltery bit.
"Right, did anyone bring something to munch on?"
On second thought, perhaps as a living individual running into a wasteland as a storm is brewing is a poor decision.
Get to the furthest bit of shelter I see.The three of you huddle in a cave, up on a weathered hillside. It's not a deep or extensive cave, but there is some protection from the elements at least.
"Response: Very well. This one will ask it for time. You may want to tell command to hurry it along though, in a tactful manner."the god merely nods acceptance of your report and stands. the storm grows in intensity around you, but you and he are in a calm place. The two Omegas that have come are visibly affected by the wind, with cloth whipping about and the like, but they remain standing still. Their ability to weather the storm seems extraordinary.
Clunkers then returns to Katha, bows and says the following
"Report: Your grace, the omega legionnaires that came to greet us ask for a scant few minutes as they go fetch those in command. This one urged them to hurry it up, but your grace knows as well as this one that the organics can be slow at times.
Conjecture: The omega base is a fairly large place, and command might be far away. This one feels it best to grant the organics some time before resorting to more drastic measures. Unless your grace deems it otherwise, of course.
Glad statement: This one exists to serve."
"I guess it's not really surprising they have a contingency for that if they're gonna send people to plunder temples and shit."It's getting a little dicey, but you are safe for now, if a bit wet. if the storm grows much in intensity, who knows what might happen though.
Watch as long as my bacon remains unthreatened by this storm.
Well, this has been an interesting adventure. Make sure I still have all of my parts, now that I might be somewhat safe. Also, try to remember if we brought the cart.the cart got wrecked, yo. you do have all your parts, and your brain back, yay!
((I'd actually meant by that that Ebony would be staying on the plateau instead. Hence the "on second thought".))if you'd have stayed where you were, you'd either be in huddling behind clunkers right now, or have been swept away by the water and wind. I had assumed you meant "Don't hang around or run into the open exposed land, but find shelter" instead, and had you follow those guys since shelter is what they were after. I can retcon you to either Clunkers' side, or the monastery, if you prefer.
"Pleading statement: Now now, your grace. No reason to get upset. The Legion isn't exactly known for its social graces. You must forgive us mortals our shortcomings, we cannot help it. Allow me to do the introdcutions.""Katha is fully aware of the reason behind our attack. What Katha is after is not explanation, 'Emissary,' but a target for his wrath. You see, his sanctuary has been violated, and the Old Laws do not allow him to overlook the infraction, nor to simply let it pass. Katha's Justice will come to pass. Omega Legion will be honored to serve in carrying Katha's Name to the heretics who have called down misfortune on his people, and have forgotten his Glory, in the proper time, at the decisive moment. Until such time - the Time of Katha's Retribution - Omega Legion is honored to provide a sanctuary wherein Katha's Name might be proclaimed. It is but a poor place, not worthy to be called Katha's Final Resting Place, but we offer our guest the finest we have, until that Day arrives."
He turns towards the Omega representative.
"Statement: It is good to be home.
Mission report: We have assassinated the head priest, laid ruin to the temple and brought the idol, as per mission parameters. Doing so would have been impossible without the help of the being before you, though it has a request in exchange.
Explenation: The one before you is Katha, god of justice and harbinger of storms. Katha would like an account about the reasons and details of our mission on his temple. It seems like the least we could do in exchange for the help he has given."
Clunkers takes small bow and steps back again, hoping the god and the man will play nice. If robots could sweat, he'd be as slick as an oilspill right now.
Say the above, hope for the best. Also rearrange my staff to absorb lightning in a discreet way, and pull on the hood of my magic resistant cloak.
Clunkers shrugs off his hood and puts his staff back into a neutral position.
"statement: Well, that was awkward. Still, Fiddler organic, you must acknowledge that all's well ends well.
Sad statement: still, this one is disappointed that the god did not tell this one the whole truth. Even beings that seem superior at first glance have their flaws, it seems.
Melancholic statement: A shame. It seems this one's search for a worthy master is not over after all."
"Eh, serving gods is a mug's game anyway. You're better off finding somebody who can't invoke the omniscience license, however incorrectly.""Acknowledgement: True that. It would have been something if god's were just silent beings that you never interacted with directly, but seeing one up close really takes away the magic of it all."
Constitution +5, General Knowledge +5no new tempdeaths, no. You do have a strange affinity for crows now, and have become allergic to lightning.
((So I've got a -5 CON tempdeath, any others?))
Clunkers shrugs off his hood and puts his staff back into a neutral position.
"statement: Well, that was awkward. Still, Fiddler organic, you must acknowledge that all's well ends well.
Sad statement: still, this one is disappointed that the god did not tell this one the whole truth. Even beings that seem superior at first glance have their flaws, it seems.
Melancholic statement: A shame. It seems this one's search for a worthy master is not over after all."
"Eh, serving gods is a mug's game anyway. You're better off finding somebody who can't invoke the omniscience license, however incorrectly."
Make a full report of our excellent adventures when appropriate. Where we went, who we killed, what we demolished and how it all ended.
Sounds like things might have gone better if that nutter hadn't turned on you all before he had a chance to stab someone we wanted dead. Too bad about his vampiric sword though - a useful tool. One of you might have benefited from it. Probably Mongo. the bird at least fulfilled his part. That's unexpected. RAvens are smart for birds, but they are still birds. Rewards? What did you have in mind, beyond the equipment you received to do the job?"Eh, serving gods is a mug's game anyway. You're better off finding somebody who can't invoke the omniscience license, however incorrectly.""Acknowledgement: True that. It would have been something if god's were just silent beings that you never interacted with directly, but seeing one up close really takes away the magic of it all."
Fill in the blanks of Fiddler's report if there are any, be sure to mention the parts where I was alone with the idol/katha. Ask if we get any rewards.
"That's the problem with employing fuckwits, sir, you can never predict what they're gonna do."True. But we take what we can get. And we tend to send the reliable ones on our more useful missions. To be honest, this one turned out far better than I expected, minus the death toll. He looks out a small window for a minute. It hasn't rained in Omega Base before. Did you know that? Never. He turns again to you. Oh those knuckles? Sure. We had a watchdog keep track of your excursion. He'll retrieve your original set, along with that sword, if he hasn't returned them already. We don't like leaving that kind of thing lying around.
"As for rewards, may I request a replacement set of those brass knuckles I got? I'm a man of humble needs and miniscule size, you see, and I do believe they'd make me a touch more effective at more than just telling other people what to do."
+5 Constitution, +5 Skill Specializations (new specialization: Potion Use).
levelup: +5 to int, +5 to specialization.Hmm. That is a challenging request. Ibelieve we would have to substantially upgrade your clockwork to make such a system effective. ((i.e. seems like a specialization or modification of a magical ability, so a stat up in the proper plae would be needed)) On the other hand, we do have some items that carry a stored magical charge. They regenerate over time, if not overused. The magic in each functions in a specific sphere, so you'll want to think on what types of magic you want to call upon before selecting the totems.
"Statement: At least he managed to get himself killed before doing further harm.
Query: This one wouldn't mind an upgrade to itself. Perhaps some kind of system that allow this one to take magical energy from magical items or living organics, store it in itself or a battery and then use it for its spells?
Statmenet: having to use exlusively its own energy to power its magic is terribly inneficient."
"Statement: The totems seem like an adequate stopgap measure. This one mostly uses the arcane magic that fuels this one's clockwork magic, so a large or several small totems of that would be helpful. A small totem of electricity and ice that can charge this one's staff would be nice as well."You get a set of three gears that are interlocked and rotate together:
Clunkers shrugs, a strange movement for a being without muscles.
"Statement: This one will take what it can get."
"Many thanks, sir. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some rest and recuperation to catch up on."Off you go. it's wet down there. Watch your step.
Out into the encampment with me then!
"I'll be heading off as well."Level up noted: Ding! also, you can keep that spell book you were given as mission equipment.
Same here.
Also, level: 5 points into Constitution (no squishy wizard here!), 5 points into Specializations. New specialization healing magic.