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Author Topic: DIG: Heresy  (Read 388208 times)

syvarris

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Re: DIG: Heresy
« Reply #3285 on: October 18, 2020, 08:16:50 am »

"I'll stick with you boss"

Nyw nods.  "Brave, little one.  Do stay away from the door; I intend to grab the monster myself.  And be careful with your aim; I wish to capture it alive, even beyond the risk to any other children it may have brought back."  He pauses for a second, looking over the corven.  Then he pulls out one of his knives and offers it to her.  "Here, take this.  Keep it.  You should not have to use it here, but... it is better to be safe."

Pancaek

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Re: DIG: Heresy
« Reply #3286 on: October 18, 2020, 04:17:41 pm »

"Kra! Yeah, sorry! I guess I'm a bit nervous, that's all."

"Don't get me wrong, I still believe what we're doing is the right thing. More species in our underworld community will make for a richer underworld (both figuratively and literally). We will be better together. But I'm not naive enough to believe that once we solve this problem everything else will magically work itself out. I'm not naive enough to think everyone else will think like we do."

"What you described is probably the best outcome. The Crystal People's settlements could act similarly to those of the Molepeople, isolated communities with only certain ambassadors and traders venturing out of them. But will the Crystal decide to go for something like that? And if it does, will it be able to? The Ethral have pillaged their cities for years. What if they are unwilling to let them go? And what if the church knows about the Crystal's past war with organics and decides they're a threat to humanity that should be exterminated before it's too late? What if there's some sort of misunderstanding or accident as the Crystal wakes up that leads to hostility and fear that will take years to dissipate? There's so many things that could go wrong..."

"I guess what I'm saying is, I hope we can make the right decisions that lead to a good outcome for everyone. But without knowing what the right choice is... It's stressful. It's a lot of responsibility."


All valid points. I'm not too worried about the church. The crystal was around long before them, and will be around long after them. As for its hostility, that was (ironically) because it got impatient. It has had time to think about that, and I think with the advice of "half-breeds" like myself, it will not make such rash decisions again. After all, when it comes down it, what are a couple extra centuries for a being as old as the Overmind?
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m1895

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Re: DIG: Heresy
« Reply #3287 on: October 18, 2020, 04:30:10 pm »


Nyw nods.  "Brave, little one.  Do stay away from the door; I intend to grab the monster myself.  And be careful with your aim; I wish to capture it alive, even beyond the risk to any other children it may have brought back."  He pauses for a second, looking over the corven.  Then he pulls out one of his knives and offers it to her.  "Here, take this.  Keep it.  You should not have to use it here, but... it is better to be safe."
"As you say Boss."
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piecewise

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Re: DIG: Heresy
« Reply #3288 on: October 19, 2020, 08:04:07 am »

"Hmm.  I wonder if this the church's work, or simply a... misguided follower.  These children are our goal, in any case.  Gus, Baxter, you will take the children back to the surface, bringing them to the local law enforcement.  Swis, Wiellste, you may accompany them if you wish.  I will stay here until the monster that did this returns, and then I will capture it.  You are welcome to stay and assist as well, though mind that it may take some time."

The two NPC adventure kids will take all the kids back into the city, and to police, turning them in and getting our bounty.  Nyw will stay here, closing all the doors so that it's not obvious someone broke in, and wait for the... inhabitant to return, however long that takes.  He'll try to grab them when they come through the door.

In the meantime, look around and make sure every part of this little workshop is explored.  How inhabited is it?  Is there a bed?  Foodstuffs?  Are there any particularly neat weapons lying around?

Edit: Also give Swis one of Nyw's spare knives.


"I'll stick with you boss"
Stay with Nyw, help clean up the place and take an ambush position
EDIT: also take the knife Nyw offered
Spoiler: Birb (click to show/hide)

Nyw and Swis check over the room. There are no cool weapons, no bed or sleeping area other than the cages if those count, but there boxes of food. Not good food or anything though: fungi derived rations. They taste, from what you know, like savory shoe leather and have about the same consistency. But they basically never rot and will keep you alive so they are useful things to pilgrims.  Overall this place seems like it isn't the home of whoever was doing this, but just their laboratory.

You both set up an ambush and wait for several hours. [5] Nyw suddenly remembers something as he's sitting in place. After he first announced himself before coming into the room, he heard a clang. Could that have been the door on the other side closing? Maybe the man was here and left...Its true he never asked the kids when they last saw the guy. But if the monster fled with the knowledge that his lab was compromised, he might never return...or when he does it will be with sufficient force to take the place back.


Investigate the bodies, leave the birdy ones for Kara first if she wants dibs. In case we can gleam any hints or info regarding the conversion process from them, and also general archeological interest. And see if they had any items on them, but don't touch anything yet, don't wanna ruin these by accident.
 


Spoiler: Adam Blavatsky Darvaza (click to show/hide)

"Caw! That's so cool! I wonder what things you must have seen... Though it does make me wonder... From what I knew the Korax were supposed to be friendly and averse to violence. I find it unlikely that they were the enemies of the Crystal People. True, one can't expect every member of a species to be the same. Maybe those Korax were criminals. Maybe they had offended the Crystal People somehow. But I can't help but feel uneasy. Maybe the Crystal finds it hard to understand how hurting an individual could be bad, when they are all interconnected. Or maybe it is simply due to the fact that they are all interconnected, that they act like a single entity. If I become desperate or angry or hateful or mad, I am just one Corven. My agency is limited and there will be others with stronger morals or better circumstances that can help me or hold me back. With the Crystal, it's more scary, because sure, it may be more resilient, less prone to change, but if it devices you are an enemy, then you are an enemy to all of it. If grows desperate, then all of it is ready to discard its morals more easily. If it goes mad... If the minds that make up the collective were ripped from their bodies and stored somewhere... Those are the same minds that caused all this death. If they are released from their prison, will they go back to doing what they were doing? Making a weapon that robs organic life of choice? Or have they perhaps had enough time to calm down and think things over? Or... If they were trapped for so long without a body, without any senses... I would had certainly gone mad. Or maybe they had their collective flooded by tortured and confused organic minds of those they killed... Before they could induct them and orient them those minds... What kind of horrible amalgamation that would create..." Kara rambled into her radio as she went from room to room, examining the bodies and their surroundings. She simply said what came to mind without much thought, sharing her worries in an effort to calm herself and focus on her work.

Investigate the cells for any clues. Maybe if I'm lucky one of them carved something on the walls or left something else I can use my translate or archeology skill on. Also examine the bodies. What state are they in? Have any of them been mindripped? Do they appear to have died calmly, suddenly, starved to death?

Generally I'm looking for a story of what happened here. Was it something sudden or gradual? Was it something that affected organics too, only certain organics, only Crystal people? Was it purposeful or accidental? Did any of them manage to escape, perhaps reach the food stores? How large were their food stores? Large enough to show that these people were kept here for a long time

Of secondary importance is other stories I could glean from them, who they were, what species they were, what were they wearing and carrying, what could I guess about who they were and where they were taken from, things I could write in my diary and keep as personal treasures.

Finally, see about any passages that could lead further towards the weapon's control room or some sort of lab. Maybe they needed passages to bring the organic test subjects close to the weapon to test it.




Spoiler: "Kara" the Corven (click to show/hide)
[15][13]
Adam can't make much of the scene, but Kara gets more from the bodies. They are naked, with no possessions, their cell walls clean of any carving or scratch marks, though judging by the damaged talons a few of them may have attempted to carve into the stone. They seem to have died of starvation or something of the sort: they have no obvious injuries and are not crystallized at all. Hard to say exactly what killed them without dissection, but she'd hazard a guess that they were effectively abandoned in their cells when whatever happened to the crystal people happened.

The bodies here reflect some of the species found in the records from the other crystal city, at least the more mundane ones. No sapient bacterial colonies. No humans either.

There is a passage leading from these cells further on towards the center area, but it seems to end in a wall. Likely the crystal version of a door, as seen before. 

syvarris

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Re: DIG: Heresy
« Reply #3289 on: October 19, 2020, 02:09:35 pm »

"...Suddenly, I remember hearing the inhabitant of this place leaving, when I first knocked.  And now, it is likely long gone.  Hrm.  This makes my plan much less likely to succeed."  Nyw stands up and looks at Swis, then shrugs.  "I will see if there are any tracks left.  If not, I will stay here for the rest of the day, in case it brings allies to reclaim its laboratory.  If there is no trail, could you run to the police and report this?  It would be good to have more allies if it returns in force, and if it does not, they should still be warned that this monster is loose."

Check the far door for a trail that can be tracked.  If it can be tracked, follow the trail until something happens.  Have a light rifle out, and ready to fire, in case there's an ambush.  The other hand will wield a man-catcher.

If there's no trail, continue to wait in the room for... a day, I guess.  If it does come back with allies, well, Nyw just has to punch more people.

m1895

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Re: DIG: Heresy
« Reply #3290 on: October 19, 2020, 04:28:22 pm »

"...Suddenly, I remember hearing the inhabitant of this place leaving, when I first knocked.  And now, it is likely long gone.  Hrm.  This makes my plan much less likely to succeed."  Nyw stands up and looks at Swis, then shrugs.  "I will see if there are any tracks left.  If not, I will stay here for the rest of the day, in case it brings allies to reclaim its laboratory.  If there is no trail, could you run to the police and report this?  It would be good to have more allies if it returns in force, and if it does not, they should still be warned that this monster is loose."
"okay boss, I'll still go with you in case there is a trail."
Help Nyw follow this guy's trail, if we can't follow them then go contact the police
Spoiler: Birb (click to show/hide)
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Re: DIG: Heresy
« Reply #3291 on: October 20, 2020, 02:12:13 am »

To the power core! Unless my allies want to wait a bit more, in which case, consider if using my wizard eyes to remove the crystal blocking our path would be possible or if it seems like too much.

Spoiler: Adam Blavatsky Darvaza (click to show/hide)
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Parisbre56

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Re: DIG: Heresy
« Reply #3292 on: October 21, 2020, 06:04:37 am »

"Well... At least we can be reasonably sure that the weapon, at least in its current state, doesn't affect organics. We should be safe to approach."

"Hmm... Let me try something first..."


I know it's a long shot, but the control rod seems to allow organic minds to 'communicate' with the Crystal and order it in a very crude function. Assuming I can use it to force my will into the Crystal and my mind is enough to replace the part of the Crystal's consciousness that was in charge of the doors, I might be able to use it to control this door.

Leave my Crystal possessions behind (including Crystal Friend) so as to not damage them if my theory is wrong, then approach the door as much as I can without entering the danger zone, with the control rod in hand. Then point at the door and say "KINAKOVER : UNLOCK !" while focusing as hard as I can on the door opening. If that doesn't work, try stabbing the door with my rod and yelling at it some more.

If that doesn't work either, then just follow Adam.




Spoiler: "Kara" the Corven (click to show/hide)

Pancaek

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Re: DIG: Heresy
« Reply #3293 on: October 22, 2020, 07:46:18 am »

Observe Kara's attempt to use the rod.

If she's succesful, wait for her to take a look around first, then head to the power core. If unsuccesful, let's all head to the power core right away.


Spoiler: Clate (click to show/hide)
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piecewise

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Re: DIG: Heresy
« Reply #3294 on: October 22, 2020, 10:58:37 am »

"...Suddenly, I remember hearing the inhabitant of this place leaving, when I first knocked.  And now, it is likely long gone.  Hrm.  This makes my plan much less likely to succeed."  Nyw stands up and looks at Swis, then shrugs.  "I will see if there are any tracks left.  If not, I will stay here for the rest of the day, in case it brings allies to reclaim its laboratory.  If there is no trail, could you run to the police and report this?  It would be good to have more allies if it returns in force, and if it does not, they should still be warned that this monster is loose."
"okay boss, I'll still go with you in case there is a trail."
Help Nyw follow this guy's trail, if we can't follow them then go contact the police
Spoiler: Birb (click to show/hide)

"...Suddenly, I remember hearing the inhabitant of this place leaving, when I first knocked.  And now, it is likely long gone.  Hrm.  This makes my plan much less likely to succeed."  Nyw stands up and looks at Swis, then shrugs.  "I will see if there are any tracks left.  If not, I will stay here for the rest of the day, in case it brings allies to reclaim its laboratory.  If there is no trail, could you run to the police and report this?  It would be good to have more allies if it returns in force, and if it does not, they should still be warned that this monster is loose."

Check the far door for a trail that can be tracked.  If it can be tracked, follow the trail until something happens.  Have a light rifle out, and ready to fire, in case there's an ambush.  The other hand will wield a man-catcher.

If there's no trail, continue to wait in the room for... a day, I guess.  If it does come back with allies, well, Nyw just has to punch more people.

Nyw and Swis check outside the opposite door for a trail they can follow. At first it appears that there's nothing, but Swis moves a bit further down and notices something: The guy must have gotten his cloak wet as he moved across the mostly drained water ways because there's a trail of wet patches where it drags.  The two set off, following the path through the disused tunnels and connection tubes until they find a long ladder down to a metal hatch. They make the climb and, to their surprise, emerge onto the top edge of one of the inverted roofs of a building. About 35 feet away, on the corner of the roof, is a figure. Its tall, maybe 7 feet even through its hunched over. Most of its body is covered in a black cloak and robe but its arms are too long for it, and hang out, nearly dragging the ground. Its covered in black fur, with long fingers tipped with claws.

It turns to look at them as they emerge; its face is that of a wolf or a dog, but drastically exaggerated. Its muzzle is huge and rectangular, a jutting box of fangs so large it cannot close its mouth. Its eyes are bulging and glow faintly. They are a strange pastel blue with yellow irises. Steam is rising from its nostrils and hissing out between its teeth. It doesn't seem to breathe normally; the steam never stops.


To the power core! Unless my allies want to wait a bit more, in which case, consider if using my wizard eyes to remove the crystal blocking our path would be possible or if it seems like too much.

Spoiler: Adam Blavatsky Darvaza (click to show/hide)

You're not sure if you could remove it all in a nice clear tunnel, but you might be able to bore a hole large enough to crawl through.

"Well... At least we can be reasonably sure that the weapon, at least in its current state, doesn't affect organics. We should be safe to approach."

"Hmm... Let me try something first..."


I know it's a long shot, but the control rod seems to allow organic minds to 'communicate' with the Crystal and order it in a very crude function. Assuming I can use it to force my will into the Crystal and my mind is enough to replace the part of the Crystal's consciousness that was in charge of the doors, I might be able to use it to control this door.

Leave my Crystal possessions behind (including Crystal Friend) so as to not damage them if my theory is wrong, then approach the door as much as I can without entering the danger zone, with the control rod in hand. Then point at the door and say "KINAKOVER : UNLOCK !" while focusing as hard as I can on the door opening. If that doesn't work, try stabbing the door with my rod and yelling at it some more.

If that doesn't work either, then just follow Adam.




Spoiler: "Kara" the Corven (click to show/hide)
[3]
Your attempt actually succeeds! Well, partially at least. The stone wall doesn't slide nicely up like you'd expect. It sort of half breaks half retracts, crumbling and pulling away and leaving a rough vertical gash in the stone. Its wide enough for you to squeeze through sideways, even in the protective suit.

Parisbre56

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Re: DIG: Heresy
« Reply #3295 on: October 22, 2020, 04:25:08 pm »

"Caw! It worked! Well, partially, but it still worked. I... suppose I could go through and tell you what it's like in there in the hopes that it could give us some clues?" Hopefully it's not full of Crystal corpses. That would be super creepy.

If nobody objects, go through the crack and let the others know what's on the other side through radio.
Leave my Crystal possessions with Adam so as to not damage them, take the cannoli Crystal rod in case I can use it to do more stuff.




Spoiler: "Kara" the Corven (click to show/hide)

m1895

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Re: DIG: Heresy
« Reply #3297 on: October 24, 2020, 02:46:44 pm »

"If there's one thing I can do, it's make a difficult shot."
Shoot Canid faced guy in the kneecaps, stay behind Nyw
Spoiler: Birb (click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: October 25, 2020, 06:10:30 pm by m1895 »
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Re: DIG: Heresy
« Reply #3298 on: October 25, 2020, 08:53:57 am »

While waiting, and if I can draw on/with something, make some detailed anatomical drawings of the corpses here (using wizard vision so I don't need to dissect).

If not possible, go check how easy/hard it is to get to the power core.



Spoiler: Adam Blavatsky Darvaza (click to show/hide)
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Quote from: you know who you are
21:26   <XYZ>: I know nothing about this, but I have strong opinions about it.
Fucking hell, you guys are worse than the demons.

Pancaek

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Re: DIG: Heresy
« Reply #3299 on: October 25, 2020, 05:44:41 pm »

Well done, Friend Kara. I had not expected the rods to work under the effect of the shattering machine.
Please keep in regular contact over the radio while you go forth, so we can know should things go awry and come help.


Observe Kara's further exploration from a safe distance.
Also help out with Adam if he needs any extra help/info figuring things out about this place.


Spoiler: Clate (click to show/hide)
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