Heroica RPG - Quest #99: Six Thousand Feet Under

[Endgame]

"STATEMENT: I lack a name. "Minoid' is technically my brand. If there was another one of myself to be created, they would also go by the identity of "Minoid." If you are contemplating who devised the name of my product line, then you would be inquiring about Masson Cour. QUERY: Have you heard of him?"

"Hmm, quite. Good point. After all, we won't know for sure until we get in there and have a poke around... unless something has a poke around at us first.....

But, in any case, let us proceed."

"To quote one of Edwin Aidan Goe's most famous short stories, QUOTE: "Adversary surely awaits us ahead. Just as it always as, and always will be." END QUOTE."

Edited May 25, 2014 by Endgame

[Flipz]

"Indeed. We shall press forward."

[Endgame]

The party descends the stairs that lay before them, the cave getting more chilly with every descending step. Each footstep echoes in the gargantuan cavern, their every action being played back to them by ther ominous cavern. Walking across the barbed bridge, they soon find themselves in front of the fortress.

The party walks up in an attempt to open the door, the silver tiles sinking into the ground as they stepped over them. A mechanical hiss is heard has two more Dauntlets, covered in rust and emitting ethereal sparks from age, emerge from the swirling water below them.

". . ."

". . ."

Wordlessly, they each grab a door handle, and slide open the front gate. Without anything resembling hostile intent, they simply open the door and submerge themselves back into the murky depths...

"STATEMENT: Not all Dauntlets seem to be for security purposes..."

The party proceeds into the breach, not knowing what lies ahead of them.

The party soon finds themselves wrapped in silence, the only noise being the steady crackle of the mystic green flames. The twin torches illuminate the room. The foyer housed two doors: A large one front and center, and a small one to the side. An elevator rests in the middle of the room. The party gazes down the shadowy shaft it was suspended over, and can't see the bottom.

What will the party do?

[The_Customizer]

Erdathcath examines the doors, walls, and elevator to ensure there are no traps. "Which way should we head first?"

[Endgame]

The naked eye is incapable of discerning if there are any traps. However, Erdathcath notices something about each door:

The big door was password locked. It seemed to be an eleven character long password.

Password: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The other, smaller door was locked from the other side.

Edited May 25, 2014 by Endgame

[The_Customizer]

Erdathcath tries the first password that comes to mind. "Opensesame!" If that fails, Erdathcath just ponders on what the password could be. "Have you guys noticed or seen anything that might give us a hint as to what the password is?"

[Endgame]

The password is rejected.

"STATISTIC: There are 26 ^ 11 possible combinations, or 3,670,344,486,987,776 possible combinations. Of all of those, only 1 is the correct password. We should find something to indicate the password before we resort to guesswork."

Edited May 25, 2014 by Endgame

[Flipz]

"Where's XX when you need him?" Arthur mutters, examining the doors and elevator with his Magnifying Glass.

[Endgame]

QM Note: A little atmosphere.

The Magnifying Glass conclusively proves both doors are locked - one from the other end, one via passcode - but were not boobytrapped. The elvator seemed to be free of traps as well.

[Flipz]

"Hmm...what would The Regret choose as his password...?"

[Endgame]

"STATEMENT: It is entirely possible that the password by just be a randomized alphanumeric string. Or, to use some human colloquial, "gibberish." Forcing the door is unlikely."

[Flipz]

OOC: Your music is too cheery. Try

. (Apologies, there doesn't seem to be any version of this music online without sound effects. )

"Hmm...let's try the elevator and come back later."

Edited May 25, 2014 by Flipz

[Endgame]

QM Note: Because you're not in danger yet.

The party steps onto the elevator, deeming the other paths unusable. The silver tile in the center of the elvator sinks down in response to the weight of the party, beckoning more Dauntlets.

". . ."

Wordlessly they descend from the cieling, these Blue Dauntlets apparently doing some of the labor around this nightmarish place. One closes the door the heroes entered in, the party feeling like they were being locked into a birdcage. As the Dauntlets grab hold to the elevator and begin to make it descend, an ominous blue smoke pours into the room, suffocating the two torches. All light is instantly snuffed out, the enigmatic fog pouring in from underneath the password locked door. The smoke even billows down the elevator shaft the party was descending, cloaking the heroes in a dense smog. A loud stomping can be heard, something approaching the shaft. That something grabs onto the cables of the Dauntlets moving the elevator. With one swift motion, the elevator is jolted upwards, the tendons inside the Dauntlets hissing and screeching as something overpowers them. The green light source in the room had been snuffed out and replaced with a new one:

The party comes to a realization, realizing where they had seen such a mokse before: This was the eye of the giant... The beast had managed to pull up the elevator after it had been shut, holding the cage of puny heroes at eye level. The party shrinks back at the sight of the monster - it was every bit as gigantic as it was described. Its head alone was larger than even the tallest hero. The giant holds the cage with an iorn grip: the hand that had grabbed the elevator cords had shifted to blocking the door, trapping the heroes inside. The other was presumably holding the giant's gargantuan spear. Only three sounds could be heard in the room: The breathing of the heroes, the Giant's heartbeat... and the Giant's scratchy voice.

"Heroes. You have a choice. Please, leave this place. I will put down the elevator. I will let you out, and you can leave - but never return. Otherwise... I will slash at the Dauntlets and let go of the elevator. You will plummet, and I will leave you to your own fate. Only death awaits in the basement of Nevermore. So, please, heores - don't make me have your blood on my hands."

What will the party do, face to face with the cloaked form of the Giant?

Edited May 26, 2014 by Endgame

[Flipz]

Arthur's eyes narrow, but he speaks diplomatically. "Who or what are you? Really?"

[Endgame]

"My name is Mo-"

At that moment, the Giant struggles to keep a grip on the cage, but manages. He jolts back in pain and howls, electrictiy coursing throguh his body. He soon regains his composure, grunting as the electrical shock wears off.

"Pardon the... seizure. It seems that giving that information is beyond my capabilties, Let us just say that I am a servant."

[Flipz]

"You're being controlled, aren't you 'Mo'? Tell us how to free you, and then let us down below."

OOC: Going back through the Quest to tally up Overkill, I found out that Erdy is short 4 Gold for killing the left Magic Dauntlet.

OOC 2: Also, you forgot to account for Grimwald's Noble Mask earnings, so he should have 12 more Gold.

[The_Customizer]

"What can we do to help you? Just put us down, and we will end the threat of whoever is controlling your mind."

[Endgame]

"That is merely the first syllable of my name, and I'm afraid I can't tell you the rest without... repurcussions."

I... can't say. It's not that I am being censored... I don't think I can b- AUUUGGGHHH!"

The electroshock kicks in once again, "The giant" lurching back.

"Every electroshock denies me more and more of what little will I have left. So, please... Phrase your questions carefully..."

Edited May 26, 2014 by Endgame

[The_Customizer]

"Are we considered a threat?"

[Endgame]

"You are considered pawns."

Another bolt of electrictiy ravages The Giant's body. The Giant once again moans and groans, heaving painful breaths as he desperately attempts to regain his frayed composure. Even cloaked in this dense smog, the party notices the electricity erupted from his heart, and spread through his entire body.

[Flipz]

"That is merely the first syllable of my name, and I'm afraid I can't tell you the rest without... repurcussions."

"I... can't say. It's not that I am being censored... I don't think I can b- AUUUGGGHHH!"

The electroshock kicks in once again, "The giant" lurching back.

"Every electroshock denies me more and more of what little will I have left. So, please... Phrase your questions carefully..."

"You are considered pawns."

Another bolt of electrictiy ravages The Giant's body. The Giant once again moans and groans, heaving painful breaths as he desperately attempts to regain his frayed composure. Even cloaked in this dense smog, the party notices the electricity erupted from his heart, and spread through his entire body.

"I refuse to risk your free will any further. Drop us into the basement. Now." Arthur addresses his team, gripping the bars of the elevator tightly by way of example. "Minoid, scan the giant if you can--and brace yourselves!"

[Endgame]

"You will die in the basement. You know this, correct?"

[The_Customizer]

"Drop down a deep dark tunnel into who knows what could be down there? Let's do this! It's time to kill us some oculoids!"

[Flipz]

"You will die in the basement. You know this, correct?"

"No, we won't. And frankly, if I did, it would be a blessing compared to the alternative. Do it."

Edited May 26, 2014 by Flipz

[Endgame]

"How does the gnome weigh in on this?"

The Minoid finishes his scan.

"SCAN RESULTS... At this range, I have determined him to be almost entirely inorganic. What percentage "living" is uncertain, but he is almost most definitely a machine.

OBSERVATION: He appears to be choosing his wording carefully - likely to evade electroschock torture. QUERY: I assume this is the work of "The Regret?""

The Minoid pauses for a second.

"A machine... capable of... feeling pain? Guilt? QUERY: How?"

Edited May 26, 2014 by Endgame