Heroica RPG - Quest #147: Judgment Day

[Endgame]

Jinnipher crossed her arms and stares for a second, suspicious of what this might be about. "Sure."

"It's nothing bad. Hopefully."

Gabriel and Jinnipher walk a few feet off to the curb, relatively isolated from the rest of the party. Gabriel begins to remove his shirt.

"Don't get too excited, hon, it's just going to be the shirt for now."

And with that, Gabriel turns around.

"That pipe that fell off the ceiling and hit me, when you came in... How bad of a mark did it leave?"

------------------

"He's pretty resourceful. Sorry we couldn't do more to save the building, but yeh, at least we all kept it contained.

We're meeting a friend there. Surprising how difficult it is to cross the city without one thing or another going wrong." Thormanil chuckles to himself.

"Don't worry about. Would've taken an act of god - and not these fake dragon gods - to fix that one. You got Gabe out, and that's important. If you didn't, well...

Octavyn looks towards his boss, still at the fountain.

"I can only imagine what he'd be like right now.

But yeah. Eubric will be especially bad now. The only one still on the streets during this will be us and a bunch of psychos. Stay on guard."

[JimBee]

"Uh, pretty bad." She examined the wound for openings, trying to determine if anything needed stitching up. She was no cleric, but her years in the field gave her some experience with battle wounds. She gently touched parts of the wound. "Does that hurt?"

[Endgame]

The edge of the pipe had torn a gash along the upper edge of the wound, some blood dribbling out - parts of the gash were cauterized by the very same burning pipe that left the huge burn mark.

Jinnipher can feel Gabriel tense up as she makes contact. It felt, for lack of a better word, raw.

"...Yeah. That hurt."

[Asphalt]

Vindsval walks up to Karie.

During the fight against the flames, you were playing your instrument amid the chaos. I could hear the tune over the roar of the fire and it gave me strength and speed. What power is it that you control that mere notes could affect us in such way?

[JimBee]

Jinnipher frowned. "Looks like that orc forgot someone." She called out to Vindsval. "You, paladin. Heal this up right away."

[Endgame]

"Not sure if he can do much - not sure if magic can heal scars - but thanks for taking a look, Jinnipher."

Gabriel puffs on his cigar.

"We can't get away from each other lately, huh? Not that I'm complaining."

Edited April 17, 2016 by Endgame

[JimBee]

"Not sure if he can do much - not sure if magic can heal scars - but thanks for taking a look, Jinnipher."

Gabriel puffs on his cigar.

"We can't get away from each other lately, huh? Not that I'm complaining."

"Yeah, seems that way. According to the high and mighty we may not have much time left anyway. It's best to watch the end of the world together, I guess."

[Endgame]

"Oh, really? That's a damn shame. I kind of like spending time with you.

Regardless... The high and mighty also thought that Vorpalis would be unstoppable. He was wrong. We'll prove him wrong again."

[JimBee]

"Oh, really? That's a damn shame. I kind of like spending time with you.

Regardless... The high and mighty also thought that Vorpalis would be unstoppable. He was wrong. We'll prove him wrong again."

Jinnipher nodded. "I knew I liked you for a reason."

[Endgame]

"Same here. Many reasons, though.

..."

Gabriel puts a hand on Jinnipher's shoulder.

"I thought I was about to die ten minutes ago, and I may die in another ten minutes. So. Might as well say it. I love you."

And with that, Gabriel walks off to rejoin the rest of the party.

"Heading to the Albatross, yeah? Well, unless anyone plans on giving Masson a pep talk, let's not wait any longer."

[JimBee]

Jinnipher says nothing, instead just nodding and pursing her lips into something of a smile. Her almond eyes gazed into his for a moment, her thoughts perhaps unreadable. Perhaps not for someone who knew her well enough. The moment really only lasted a half-second, but it was timeless for the elf and the man.

She quickly averted her eyes to the ground as he walked away. It was impossible to tell who broke eye contact first. She stood silent for a while, letting the others decide when to leave while she gathered her thoughts.

[Kintobor]

Karie coughs her way out of the burning building, covered in soot. She looks back at the building, emotions swelling up inside her. She grimaces, brushing herself off as she watches the last bits of the roof fall into the building. She stared at the building for a long time, biting her thumb.

"...Karie, I think your husband could use you right about now..."

"I don't need your advice, captain obvious." Karie snarled. She gave Lind a dirty look before turning her back to him.

Vindsval walks up to Karie.

During the fight against the flames, you were playing your instrument amid the chaos. I could hear the tune over the roar of the fire and it gave me strength and speed. What power is it that you control that mere notes could affect us in such way?

Karie lazily looked at Vind. "What I do? Well... it's sort of what I do now, you know? I sing." Karie noticed the gash on Gabriel's back. "Hey, Vind, why don't you look at Gabe's back." Karie stated, seeming half out of it. She turned to Masson, not sure what to do. She trudged over to him, and sat beside him on the rim of the fountain. She pulls out the bottle of Falana Wine she snagged from Eschaton from her belongings. She takes the cork of the bottle and takes a swig, chugging it faster than she probably should, coughing after drinking. She offers the bottle to Masson.

[Endgame]

Karie coughs her way out of the burning building, covered in soot. She looks back at the building, emotions swelling up inside her. She grimaces, brushing herself off as she watches the last bits of the roof fall into the building. She stared at the building for a long time, biting her thumb.

"I don't need your advice, captain obvious." Karie snarled. She gave Lind a dirty look before turning her back to him.

Karie lazily looked at Vind. "What I do? Well... it's sort of what I do now, you know? I sing." Karie noticed the gash on Gabriel's back. "Hey, Vind, why don't you look at Gabe's back." Karie stated, seeming half out of it. She turned to Masson, not sure what to do. She trudged over to him, and sat beside him on the rim of the fountain. She pulls out the bottle of Falana Wine she snagged from Eschaton from her belongings. She takes the cork of the bottle and takes a swig, chugging it faster than she probably should, coughing after drinking. She offers the bottle to Masson.

Masson gently pushes away the bottle, still choosing to abstain. The former paragon places his only hand - very shaky - into Karie's, and squeezes tightly.

"Three and half years. Gone.

...I don't know anymore, Karie. I... Still have you. That's what is important to me. But I just don't know anymore."

Masson grips Karie's hand even tighter. Karie feels a warmth from the Empath Glass.

Edited April 18, 2016 by Endgame

[Kintobor]

Masson gently pushes away the bottle, still choosing to abstain. The former paragon places his only hand - very shaky - into Karie's, and squeezes tightly.

"Three and half years. Gone.

...I don't know anymore, Karie. I... Still have you. That's what is important to me. But I just don't know anymore."

Masson grips Karie's hand even tighter. Karie feels a warmth from the Empath Glass.

Karie nods her head, gripping her husband's hand in response, putting the bottle away. She notices the Empath Glass's warmth coming off, and examines it for the first time.

[Endgame]

The crystal was filled with a warm pink mist, swirling around. However, black tendrils gripped the inside of the crystal.

"Karie, do you trust me again?" says the man, turning towards his wife. He looked hollow.

[Kintobor]

The crystal was filled with a warm pink mist, swirling around. However, black tendrils gripped the inside of the crystal.

"Karie, do you trust me again?" says the man, turning towards his wife. He looked hollow.

Karie's eyes fixate on the image presented in the glass before Masson's voice drags her back. "I'm sorry, but I'm not sure where you're going with this. I trust you. Why?" Karie replied. She looked confused and worried.

Edited April 18, 2016 by Kintobor

[Endgame]

"I know things haven't been perfect between us - not bad, but not perfect - after what happened in the Citadel. I lost your trust, deservedly so. And sitting here, where we chose to get married, watching what amounted to my life's work burn away... I wanted to make sure that I had you, at least.

You're so good to me. I don't know if you know just how happy of a man you make me. I'm always trying to be half the spouse you are, but I never quite get there."

Masson stands up.

"You are my strength. I love you. Don't forget that. And... We have a dragon to take down, don't we? Let's head to the Albatross."

Edited April 18, 2016 by Endgame

[Kintobor]

"I know things haven't been perfect between us - not bad, but not perfect - after what happened in the Citadel. I lost your trust, deservedly so. And sitting here, where we chose to get married, watching what amounted to my life's work burn away... I wanted to make sure that I had you, at least.

You're so good to me. I don't know if you know just how happy of a man you make me. I'm always trying to be half the spouse you are, but I never quite get there."

Masson stands up.

"You are my strength. Don't forget that. And... We have a dragon to take down, don't we? Let's head to the Albatross."

Karie stands up, hands in her pockets. She smiles. "Allons-y, Masson."

[Asphalt]

Karie lazily looked at Vind. "What I do? Well... it's sort of what I do now, you know? I sing." Karie noticed the gash on Gabriel's back. "Hey, Vind, why don't you look at Gabe's back."

"It would seem that the tales of the bards of legend being able to influence the world with their songs are not only tales. I look forward to witnessing more of this power Mistress Karie.

I will leave you alone for the moment, and go see what I am able to do for Master Gabriel."

He moves and gingerly through the groups of individuals as he can, to where Jinnipher and Gabriel have gathered.

Master Gabriel, if you would allow, I will see what I am able to do about the damage to your back.

[Endgame]

"Go ahead."

Vindsval's efforts ease the sniper's pain, but fail to remove the mark.

"Thanks. Feels better now, and the mark doesn't concern me too much."

A reinvigorated Masson joins the party.

"Let's go."

Masson and Gabriel join the party!

Per the Dragonlord's instructions, the party heads behind the Albatross Inn.

"So what are we here for?"

[Lind Whisperer]

"So what are we here for?"

"We need to lift up that patch of cobblestones..."

The Black Knight looked inside the trash can, and dug around in the muck with his shovel.

[Asphalt]

Watch where you poke with that Whisperer. You aren't the only think interested in that trash.

[Endgame]

"All you're gonna find in there is bottles of booze and my cigar butts."

And sure enough, the Sniper was right.

Lind strikes the ground near the cobble stones with the shovel, causing just a bit of a racket.

The ground begins to shake, and the cobblestones are lifted up like a cover to some sort of hatch. Two blue claws, followed by a huge stinger, followed by what looked like the grate to some sort of ventilation shaft slithered out, all connected by a strong, crustacean-esque body. It was roughly the size of a horse, from the tip of its claws to the end of its tail.

"Would you all quit it with that damn racket - uh, oh. I see there's, uh, quite a number of you...

...What are you here for?" Says the beast, sounding slightly irked.

[Lind Whisperer]

"All you're gonna find in there is bottles of booze and my cigar butts."

And sure enough, the Sniper was right.

"It's an Improvised Weapon..."

Lind slid one of the bottles into his Bag of Holding.

"...What are you here for?" Says the beast, sounding slightly irked.

"Slaying a dragon, as usual. With no mention of overtime, either.

I take it you're the guardian of this tunnel?"

Edited April 19, 2016 by Lind Whisperer

[Siercon and Coral]

"Would you all quit it with that damn racket - uh, oh. I see there's, uh, quite a number of you...

...What are you here for?" Says the beast, sounding slightly irked.

Siercon was quite surprised when a horse sized beast wriggled out of the ground... He saw what appeared to be a flaming spider and a rat, but this... was quite unexpected. And then it spoke. 'Interesting, I hope it's a friendly tunnel gate guard of some kind.' He thought.

"We seek entrance and passage though the progg tunnels. Punii sent us here, as we have much to accomplish together if we are going to stop this Armageddon." Siercon said.

Edited April 19, 2016 by Siercon and Coral