Heroica RPG - Quest #115: The Tale of One Bleach Too Many

[Asphalt]

If this statue was armed, I do not wish to have a potential enemy at my back.

Vindsval jams the club into his belt, turns, and Rips the weapon free of the other statue.

[Endgame]

The other, mossy statue seems almost defiant as Vindsval tries to tear its polearm away from it, the half giant struggling to pull the stafff out of the caricature's grasp. The staff snaps before the statue's arm does, rendering it worthless but the statue still intact.

Why was its grip so strong...?

Edited November 2, 2014 by Endgame

[Asphalt]

The half giant looks at the broken remains of the automaton's weapon.

The ravages or time, ... or something more.

He takes his Spark Hammer from his belt. Electricity crackles along the head and handle.

As I said, I would rather not leave a possible enemy at my back. If it could resist losing its weapon, it might resist our leaving this place.

He tightens his grip on the hammer and swings a blow at the automaton's head.

[Endgame]

The Half Gaint swings downwards, the club rending the statue's head and crushing it flat. The tin head compresses and contort, the rest of the statue crumpling and hunching over with it. The once proudly standing statue now keeled over with a zombie-like gait, even more pathetic and broken down when it was before.

Which way the party go, now that the statues were smashed: Left or Right?

[Asphalt]

Now then, It is time to move one.

Vindsval moves the the right hand door and exits the syringe room.

[Endgame]

Vindsval leads the party to the right, an odd sound of a soggy shuffling emerging from the corner of the room.

Aside from the slew of barrels stacked against the wall was an odd scrawl wirtten on the wall, a far cry from the neat and controlled handwriting of Jonathan Gryphinn.

[Asphalt]

Such a wide variety of beautiful architecture.

Vindsval enters the room and kneels to read the writing on the wall. After reading the graffiti he Searches the barrels for the Soggy shuffling noise.

[Endgame]

Vindsval reads the childish scrawl n the wall.

doc says that leechus leeches suck out alll the bad blood! im glad they do. i wonder if i have bad blood? that's why i've been playing with the leeches. theyre really nice! they make this funny sound and grab onto you and never ever let go. well, until they get tired. then i put them back in the barrel! that's where the leeches live.

doc says they're onl good for medisun, but hes wrong. leeches are great friends. i even gave them some of my toys to play with that it dont need anymore! thats how good friends the leeches and i are.cin fact, when this is done, and im done riteing writing my daily journal like doc wants me to, im gonna give the leeches this piece of chalk to play with!

Sure enough, Vindsval removes the top of one of the barrles, and several dormant leeches lay inside, their black corrugated wirthing within the barrel of their own bodily fluid. They seem to react to the sound of the half giant's intrusion, their grotesque bodies uncurling with a slushing hiss. They make a peculiar squelching sound as they begin to emerge form their wooden prison, their unsettling maws slinking up the rim of the barrel...

What would the party do?

[Asphalt]

Vindsval plucks one leech out of the barrel between two of his clawed fingertips, and pops it into his mouth. He chews it quietly as he replaces the lid on the barrel.

Mmm, earthy with an excellent crunch.

It would seen the dear "doctor" had a housemate.

It does not appear there is any more to find here.

Vindsval stands and exits the way he came. He returns to the statue room and opens the left hand door.

[Endgame]

QM Note: I'm going to give Goliath a little more time to catch up and respond before I move this along any further.

[Asphalt]

OOC: it's already been 5 days? How much time are you planning on giving him?

[Endgame]

QM Note: I made contact with him, and for the sake of plot continuity I will try to avoid yanking him. Shouled he not post in a few hours I will move this along regardless.

[Yzalirk]

I'm back, no worries.

"I haven't eaten a leech in a very long time. Let me have some, they are a good source of protein."

Edited November 5, 2014 by Goliath

[Asphalt]

The half giant points to the pile of casks.

Feel free to help yourself.

After a moments thought he turns back into the room and picks one of them up. It may be a barrel to men, but looks like a tankard in his hands. He places it in one of his pouches.

When you have finished your snack, shall we proceed?

[Yzalirk]

[salt-Upon-Wounds grabs some leeches and stuffs his pockets.]

"Don't worry, V, I'm right behind you. Keep going, I'm just going to eat a few more."

[Asphalt]

The arrogance of the small races. To shorten one to a single sound.

Then follow me, we must return to the room of automata, and take the left door.

Vindsval leaves the leech room, walks past the broken automata, and Opens the Left Hand Door.

[Endgame]

After nibbling on some leeches, Vindsval picks up one of the smaller barrels of the slimy vermin, holding it up above his shoulder like a beer keg. They begin to backtrack, a flood of smoke burning their eyes and nostrils as they enter the last room... And find two new adversaries.

The statues they had descrated earlier had torn off from their bases, animating someway, soehow. One of them was relatively normal, if not a bit mossy and unarmed, while the other was in dismal shape... Likely from Vindsval's beating of the once lifeless humanoid. It' metallic limbs were exposed from beneath the temrite infested wood, the pitiful machine dragging its broken pieces behind it like a snake's tail. It claws around on the ground, its metallic fingers grabbing into the crumbling stone floor and heaving it along.

The smoke their mechanical joints were spewing not only made the air grim and sickly, but also drove the leeches Vindsval was carrying into a frenzy, the tiny beasts warming out holes in the keg and latching onto Vindsval's arm.

The automatons approach with a clumy, childish gait, as if they've never fought anything before. Gears inside their head screech and hiss, making somthing similar to human speech... And yet, it seemed so distant and unnatrual, even more tan a talking machine would sound...

"mY sTafF... My stAFf... i cAnnOt hElp hEal pEople wIthOuT mY stAff..."

"wHY dID yoU BreAK mE? WhY dID yoU do It?"

Prepare For Battle!

"mY stAff... It'S... MiNe..."

Distraught Statue, Level 10 Mechanical

Durability: 4 (Goes down by 1 for every hit - when durability hits 0, the statue falls.)

Specials:

Stranglehold: The Statue grips the hero who rolled special damage's neck, its metallic claws digging into the skin, cutting that hero's current HP in half.)

Drops:

Smokebomb, Firebomb

"wHy... My BodY... DeStroYed... likE BefOrE... WhY?"

Destroyed Statue, Level 5 Mechanical

Durability: 2 (Goes down by 1 for every hit - when durability reaches 0, the statues falls.)

Specials:

Smokescreen: The Destroyed Statue puffs out a noxious cloud of smoke, all heroes chocking on it and recieving the Poison 1 effect.

Drops:

Potion x2, Remedy x2

The Party

Vindsval Half-born (Immune to Fire) (Asphalt) *Poison 2!*

37 year old, Male, Half Giant, Cleric (immune to Sealed effect)

Level: 5

Power: 13 (5+8) (x2 VS Aquatic, Flying, and Mechanical)

Defense: 3 (Fiery Robes of the Archmagi)

Health: 13/13 (9+4)

Ether: 14/14 (5+4+5)

Gold: 7

Equipment: Spark Hammer (WP:8, (X2 against Aquatic, Flying, and Mechanical) lightning-elemental hammer)

Fiery Robes of the Archmagi (SP:3 Bodywear +5 Ether, immunity to Sealed Effect and Fire)

Inventory:

Consumables: Remedy X3 , Potion X3, Smoke Bomb X2, Mead X2,

Tools: Bed Roll

Weapons: Broomstick (WP:7, ranged; suitable for mages, clerics, artisans and necromancers)

Artefacts: Tailored Overcoat (SP: 1; Immunity to wind-, earth-, and water- damage; suitable for rangers, rogues, hunters, and beast warriors; back wear) Barrel of Leeches (Causes Poison 2 to whomever is holding it during battle... It seems the smoke drives the leeches into quite a frnzy. Or is it the presense of something else other than smoke?)

Salt-Upon-Wounds (Goliath)

33 year old Male Hobgoblin Barbarian

Level: 1

Power: 4

Health: 8/8

Gold: 10

Equipment: Sturdy Spear (WP: 3)

Inventory: Mead, Potion

QM Note: Your first battle! if you have any questions, please ask!

Since having a party leader in a two man party is rather odd (from my perspective, anyway), if you two would like to alternate choosing the battle order every round, that'd be fine.

Edited November 6, 2014 by Endgame

[Asphalt]

Araaaggkkkllll. Vindsval lets out a soft inarticulate growl as the tiny creatures latch onto his skin. He drops the barrel, and kicks it to the side of the room. He brushes at the leeches, removing as many as he can. He looks at the automatons, now active and almost pitiable.

They seem almost alive, what did I do? Did I choose so poorly once again? Were these innocents?

He turns back to the attacking metal men, his self doubt set aside for the moment.

Salt-upon-wounds, attack the Destroyed Statue first. I need to get rid of these pests.

Vindsval removes leech barrel from inventory

From the Back row.

Edited November 7, 2014 by Asphalt

[Endgame]

QM Note: I'm afriad you just specified threee sperate actions: Disposing of the Leech Barrel (as it is an item in your iventory), handing Salt a weapon, and attacking. You must choose one of the three, or go with one different action.

[Asphalt]

OOC: taken care of boss.

Edited November 7, 2014 by Asphalt

[Yzalirk]

Sorry, I was just learning the basics of attacking.

Salt-Upon-Wounds attacks the Destroyed Statue with a Spear from Front Row.

Edited November 7, 2014 by Goliath

[Asphalt]

Battle Order

1. Vindsval removes barrel from Inventory from Back Row

2. Salt-upon-Wounds Attacks Destroyed Statue with Spear From Front Row

[Endgame]

Round One

>Vindsval disposes of the Leech barrel (back)

>Salt-Upon-Wounds VS Destroyed Statue (front): Shield: Battle Frenzy! (All enemies lose 1 durability)

>Distraught Staue VS Vindsval (back): 10/2=5-3=2 damage

Vindsval struggles and scrambles to get the blodscukers off of his skin and tosses the keg away, leaving the sloshing vermin to fend for themselves. Salt Upon Wounds enters a mlaicious frenzy, slicing both of the statues. The Distraught Statue clings onto Vindsval and refuses to let go until Vinsval struggles free.

"Mine! MINE! GiVE iT baCk beCauSE it'S Mine!!"

Distraught Statue, Level 10 Mechanical

Durability: 3 (Goes down by 1 for every hit - when durability hits 0, the statue falls.)

Specials:

Stranglehold: The Statue grips the hero who rolled special damage's neck, its metallic claws digging into the skin, cutting that hero's current HP in half.)

Drops:

Smokebomb, Firebomb

"NO... NoT AgaiN..."

Destroyed Statue, Level 5 Mechanical

Durability: 1 (Goes down by 1 for every hit - when durability reaches 0, the statues falls.)

Specials:

Smokescreen: The Destroyed Statue puffs out a noxious cloud of smoke, all heroes chocking on it and recieving the Poison 1 effect.

Drops:

Potion x2, Remedy x2

The Party

Vindsval Half-born (Immune to Fire) (Asphalt) *Poison 2!*

37 year old, Male, Half Giant, Cleric (immune to Sealed effect)

Level: 5

Power: 13 (5+8) (x2 VS Aquatic, Flying, and Mechanical)

Defense: 3 (Fiery Robes of the Archmagi)

Health: 11/13 (9+4)

Ether: 14/14 (5+4+5)

Gold: 7

Equipment: Spark Hammer (WP:8, (X2 against Aquatic, Flying, and Mechanical) lightning-elemental hammer)

Fiery Robes of the Archmagi (SP:3 Bodywear +5 Ether, immunity to Sealed Effect and Fire)

Inventory:

Consumables: Remedy X3 , Potion X3, Smoke Bomb X2, Mead X2,

Tools: Bed Roll

Weapons: Broomstick (WP:7, ranged; suitable for mages, clerics, artisans and necromancers)

Artefacts: Tailored Overcoat (SP: 1; Immunity to wind-, earth-, and water- damage; suitable for rangers, rogues, hunters, and beast warriors; back wear)

Salt-Upon-Wounds (Goliath)

33 year old Male Hobgoblin Barbarian

Level: 1

Power: 4

Health: 8/8

Gold: 10

Equipment: Sturdy Spear (WP: 3)

Inventory: Mead, Potion

[Asphalt]

Vindsval massages his throat where the machine had attempted to throttle him. He raises an eyebrow, slightly impressed with the flurry of blows the Earthbound unleashed upon the automita.

He grips his Spark Hammer and attacks the Destroyed Statue

From the Back Row.

Salt-upon-Wouds, I will attempt to finish this one. Direct your attack against the Distraught statue.

[Yzalirk]

Salt-Upon-Wounds attacks the Distraught Statue with a Spear from Back Row.

Edited November 9, 2014 by Goliath