Heroica RPG - Quest #86: Gaiden

[Kintobor]

Karie cringes. The whole place seemed like a bad dream. The ominous green flame illuminating the walls, the various vials and the axe hanging on the wall. A jitter races up her spine. It felt like the kind of place the green garbed Apprentice would've taken her. She moves to the loose parchment on the paper, removing her hood as she picks it up to read.

"Damn this place gives me the spooks."

Edited November 19, 2013 by Kintobor

[Endgame]

Karie picks up the loose piece of parchment, chills beginning to rac eup her spine.

Devil Project: Eubric Location (Basic Notes)

Entry 01

The lab has been established. All of the equipment from the Citadel has arrived succesfully, and we are set to begin conditioning. Such a small lab being tasked with the Claytonic project... This will be do or die here, quite literally. If we fial, our master will slaughter us without hesitation. We do not simply crumble under pressure, however. We will produce what our master has asked of us.

Entry 02

We have abducted our first two victims from the hovels - a warlord driven into poverty, and his equally sturdy wife. Physical testing has gone well enough; theoretically, they will be able to handle the modifications we have planned for them. In reality, however? We cannot gauruntee. We have drugged and hexed the couple into complacency. Experimentation begins tomorrow.

Entry 03

The warlord died of cardiac arrest the second we attempted an amputation - it seemed like the abuse had proven too much for him. The wife has managed to survive basic surgery, but prospects are bleak. Her emotional conditioning is continuing entirely according to plan, however... The human mind is such an easy thing to manipulate.

Entry 04

As we suspected, the wife did not survive the process, either. She died from a stress-induced stroke. We'll have to obtain more subjects.

Entry 05:

Hmph. It seems that my cohorts were occupying themselves by adding chemicals into our firepit. "Make it burn green, just like the flame we originated from!" Pah. Incompetent fools. Can't they see our lives are at stake here? If we do not acquire more subjects... If we fail... No. Perish the thought. I've heard what has happened to the others...

Entry 06:

The second pair of abductees seems marginally more promising then the last. One we simply had to kidnap to eliminate the witness; the other is a chi monk, who gave up all of her possesions... And promptly landed herself behind the hovel wall. Idiot. Both are currently hexed out of their minds, hanging by their wrists from some chains. Tomorrow we begin their transofrmation. The Master will get what he requested. Nothing more, nothing less.

Entry 07:

Basic preliminary surgery beginning on the Chi Monk. The witness, suprisingly, managed to shake off the mental stupor we induced: perhaps the witness is a more interesting prospect then we once considered. The witness began screaming louder than any human I've ever heard; We promptly silenced it. For now, we're calling that victim the Banshee.

Entry 08:

Chi Monk progressing well. The blood transfusion went well, and the monk's arm is beginning to soften and develop a membrane. Just as intended. The mental and emotional conditioning is going according to plan as well: We've managed to break down some of her moral barriers. Hopefully we'll be able to make her subservient without completely shattering her mind. The Master wants the Devils his labs are producing to be combat efficient, and that means being able to analyze a situation; something a hexed person cannot do. The witness we caputred refuses to be silent; it obeys all of our over commands, but refuses to stop screaming. perhaps a side-effect of an emotion poiton overdose? My crew has always been too trigger-happy with the syringes.

Entry 09:

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. One of my colleagues - though none of them will fess up - have killed our greatest prospect. Got too overzealous with the syringes, clogged her lungs and suffocated her. Fantastic - can those drones not see that our lives are on the line? I intend to be able to serve my Master as long as possible. We will have to use the remaining human... The Banshee, as we have nicknamed it. This last human, someone we captured just to eliminate a witness, is our last hope...

Edited November 19, 2013 by Endgame

[Kintobor]

Karie's gut begins to clench and churn as she reads the article through, her thoughts racing about. She'd hope to stay out of the demon's path... but it seemed fate had other things in store.

"Guys... I think I know who's kidnapping the civilians... as well as what this place is: a lab. A lab for testing on humans."

[Waterbrick Down]

"From one horror to the next it would seem. I've seen posessions before, but to induce them on purpose..." Skrall hefted the axe from it's place on the wall.

[Endgame]

Karie's gut begins to clench and churn as she reads the article through, her thoughts racing about. She'd hope to stay out of the demon's path... but it seemed fate had other things in store.

"Guys... I think I know who's kidnapping the civilians... as well as what this place is: a lab. A lab for testing on humans."

"...Ehat? Who's doing all this, then? You know...?"

Skrall picks up the sharp axe, a fine layer of white poweder and red stains running across the top of the blade: It seemed to be made for clean slices, but was too small to be an effective weapon. Perhaps this axe was meant to perform surgical amputations?

"There is still plenty more to be investigated in this room... Perhaps those chemicals would be a good next step..."

[Kintobor]

Karie rubs her arm. It was hard trying to muster the courage needed to say what she was about to.

"It's only a hunch, mind you, but... they're called Oculoids. Demonic, floating squid like creatures, who apparently originated from some live giving fire. Danad or some god left it.

And they can suck souls out of people apparently, too. And they can control people, sort like... well, that's another long story..."

She felt as if there was a pit in her stomach, as her head felt as if it was spinning. The Apprentice... it had almost been a year since the day it happened... and it still wouldn't leave her. Karie edges over to the chemicals, looking them over, but careful not to touch them.

Edited November 19, 2013 by Kintobor

[Waterbrick Down]

Setting the hatchet down, Skrall examined the set of syringes above it. "So slimy things that go bump in the night, huh? Wonderful."

[Kintobor]

"Like I said, only a hunch."

Karie straightened her outfit, and secured her belt and rapier. The Oculoid's had already left enough scars to last her lifetime, each complimenting her dual pronged scar nicely. She hoped for no more.

[Endgame]

Octavyn murmurs, tapping his foot.

"It'd explain the lack of general entrance and conventional door. Demons usually don't have to abide by such corporeal rules..."

Octavyn taps his foot in thought as the others continue their search.

Karie heads over to the chemical rack, reading the notes pinned up to it...

NOTE:

No more than five of these potions injected into test subjects within 12 hours! It is gaurunteed to drive their heart rate up to lethal levels - use for emotional conditioning only.

Love Potion x2: A dangerous chemical used to create sudden feelings of romance. Can be used on an enemy to make them Enamored with the user for 3 rounds.

Blind Fury x2: A dangerous chemical used to stir sudden feelings of absolute rage and hatred. Can be used on an enemy to make them Blind and Enraged for 3 rounds.

"H-heh... Did you use that pink one on Masson, Karie?"

Karie could tell what Octavyn was attempting: easing her worries by drifting her thoughts to more pleasant ones. Still, it was a half-hearted attempt at best... That, or perhpas he just couldn't resist a joke. Likely a combination.

Octabvyn goes over to Skrall.

"Just standard syringes, probably to inject that emotion-altering stuff Karie found."

Edited November 19, 2013 by Endgame

[Cryos]

OoC: Sorry for the late post, been a bit busy.

Baradock stood, a stone expression on his face. No amount of training in the battalion could prepare him for this.

Demons? Human lab rats? The sudden weight of an emotion unknown to Baradock forced down on him... fear.

He paced around the emerald fire, dimly lighting the room, which granted everything a more nightmarish glow.

His foot nudged something tough on the ground, leaning over to pick it up he could feel that it was a...book? Or had his imagination played tricks on him...

OoCx2 : Can Baradock do that? weathered books were in the description of the room but not in the picture.

[Waterbrick Down]

"Barbarian, ya want to take a look at that bookshelf over there?" Skrall moved over to inspect the crate Karie was at.

[Cryos]

Baradock stopped mid grasp, somewhat Relieved. Giving a falsely confident nod to Skrall he made his way to the Bookshelf, at random he removed a book from the middle section and dusted it off before flipping through the pages.

Edited November 20, 2013 by Cryos

[Kintobor]

Karie picks up the items and hands a Blind Fury to both Skrall and the barbarian, keeping the two love potions for herself. Karie shakes her head at Octavyn's comment, but gives an honest smile.

"Octavyn, what do you think the answer is? I wouldn't dare use on of these on Masson... however, that doesn't mean they aren't going to be handy later."

She turned and looked over at the barbarian. How old was this guy? He was probably older than her, but that didn't matter. Had the party listened to him, she'd probably be some thing's lab rat, this time for real. She gave somewhat of a melancholy look his way before continuing looking about, inspecting the fire.

[Endgame]

Baradock stopped mid grasp, somewhat Relieved. Giving a falsely confident nod to Skrall he made his way to the Bookshelf, at random he removed a book from the middle section and dusted it off before flipping through the pages.

The books seemed to consist mostly of technical jargon... Some sentences seemed comprehensible, others not, intricate and foreign words making the meaning of the book unknown to Baradock. He simply couldn't understand it. However, a sheet of papyrus tucked in one of the books slips out...

"Octavyn, what do you think the answer is? I wouldn't dare use on of these on Masson... however, that doesn't mean they aren't going to be handy later."

Octavyn gives a chuckle, forced through a noticeable anxiety. Octavyn clearly didn't like it here.

"Hey, if you didn't use it, then I'm even more impressed about what you did to him!

Just a little pyschology trick, that's all... Thought I'd cheer you up by remdining you of him. Worked atleast, huh?"

The ominous green flame crackles from a smooth stone firepit. An odd incense sits at the base of the flame, covered in smoldering embers - touching it would likely be a poor idea. That is what seemed to give the flame its color, though. It did not seem to possess any mystical properties; especially not properties that could ever even match an iota of the Lifespark's power.

[Kintobor]

"Well, it sort of helped. Thanks."

Karie's eyes, looked about the flames, the greenish light almost intoxicating. She got up and noticed the mute looking over a piece of paper. Looking over her side, Karie cringes.

"Just... just great. Dopplegangers, mimics, changelings. Creatures that can change their appearance."

Karie suspiciously eyes the party, her palm twirling about Sexy's hilt, clenching her fist again and again, her tattoo becoming restless. Could the creature... already be here?

[Waterbrick Down]

"Ya, know we could always check and see if anyone's home..." Skrall tried pushing the door at the other end of the room open.

[Cryos]

Baradock slides the book on the waist high counter. It was filled with intricacies he quite frankly didn't care about. His eyes widen once he's finished reading the paper. Slowly he looks at the party.

His eye's finally landing on the witch.

His subconscious rang loud, 'a witch cannot be trusted, Baradock. We both know that.'

He quickly diverts his gaze to the ogre. Walking to the door. Motioning the others to follow.

Baradock echo's the caution silently. 'a witch cannot be trusted...' tightening his hand around his club.

Edited November 21, 2013 by Cryos

[Endgame]

The party skulks through the doorway, forging deeper into the nightmarish experimentation complex.

This room seemed even more twisted then the last: A plinth made out of hard rock, presumably for the patient, sits in the middle. Behind it sits a table, two documents haphazardly strewn out atop it. Rope can be seen underneath the operating table, likely to tie down the subject. Various syringes and a bottle of black plasm sits to the tables right, along with a variety of sealed boxes. Some other tools sit near the doorway as well. Bits and pieces of skeletons, likely the poor souls who were killed by the experimentation, where simply swept into the corner. The room was musty, the scent of blood in the air. Mold seemed to gather in the corners, the cieling dripping in some place. Poorly lit, only a green torch kept the room visisble. Without it, it would plunge into darkness for sure.

[Kintobor]

"Gentleman, if you'll... excuse me for a second."

Karie lurches to the doorway, leaning on the frame and begins to hurl. It was awful to listen to, and somewhat fitting. There went lunch...

"Sorry... I can't stand blood... or bones... or corpses really for that matter... ugh." She sniffles.

Moving sluggishly and cradling her stomach with one arm, she moves to examine the documents.

[Waterbrick Down]

"Ya probably picked the wrong line of work then, miss." Skrall moved over to examine the axe and tool next to it.

[Kintobor]

"It's not everyday you witness corpses swept into the corner like dust." She mumbles.

[Cryos]

Baradock makes sure to sidestep the aftermath of the witches retching. Grimacing at the nauseating stench.

A witch that didn't like bones or blood?

'An inferior witch is still a witch, Baradock.' his subconscious said. It was even beginning to take on an actual vocal tone inside his head.

Baradock sauntered to the syringes, before he could even inspect them he sees a glint of something in the corner of his eye. A vial filled with some kind of black liquid. He picks it up to appraise it. Shaking the liquids around.

Edited November 22, 2013 by Cryos

[Endgame]

QM Note: I apologize for the delay: the next week should be nothing but smooth sailing.

Karie, still getting over her episode in the ahallway, reads both documents:

Experiment Log: Project Claytonics (Doppel), Subject 4

Entry 01

After my colleagues so foolishly murdered our supposed prime candidate, we have decided to use the loud-mouthed witness we abducted as our last ditch attempt. We must complete this project, or our lives - and our careers - are at an end. They are kind of the same thing, really... We live to serve our Master.

Entry 02

Physical testing has gone well. The subject should be able to handle the improvements we intend on making on a physical level, but obviously the brain itself may be an issue. It doesn't take too kindly to having it sunder structure rearranged, unsurprisingly.

Entry 03

Gnnrgh. My patience on this project is beginning to run thin. The subject refuses to be silenced, even after being sedated several times. The screams will surely attract attention... Nothing we can't deal with, however. That necromancer, with, and raider may have made mince meat out of one of the Master's more favored Chiefs, but if those maniacs think they can barge in here and put and end to this, they are sorely mistaken.

Entry 04

After almost a full 24 hours straight of a sedative drip and hexing, we finally managed to put the subject in a state of mind that won't result in incessant howling. Hopefully it'll stop the issue entirely... Maybe than this debacle would blow over.

Entry 05

We have performed the first amputation, severing the subject's left arm. We have removed the bones from the detached limb and have placed them in a mold of spare plasm: essentially, this project is to create a hybrid of both Oculoid and human: Right now, we are performing some minor blood transfusions. Pump the old blood out, pump the black plasm in. Simple.

Entry 06

We attached the subject's new arm into place, and already it is demonstrating the properties we have desired: The subject has already began molding its new appendage into basic shapes, as well as changing its color and physical appearance. The right arm has been swapped as well: we will be performing th same operation on the legs tomorrow. After that, the plasm should spread virally into the torso. We're getting close.

Entry 07

After all of the limbs were fixed and the plasm has essentially taken over the rest of the subject's body, we now simply have to do a basic rearrangement of anatomy. It shouldn't be hard; we've hexed the subject (Which we now call Doppel) into a comatose state. Waking up and coditioning the weapn will be our main concern.

Entry 08

We have awakened Doppel and have immediately begun its emotional conditioning. It can no spend no more than 3 hours a day not hexed: The rest of the dayw ill be spent molding Doppel's pysche into what we desire.

Entry 09

Emotional conditioning has been going surprisngly well. Due to a combination of emotion-inducing potions and basic hexing, Doppel is now associating compliance to his handlers with happiness and bliss; human interaction with hatred and fury.

Entry 10

Hm. It seems that Doppel is more like an Oculoid than we originally antipated. When we instructed the subject to try to mimic us, it seemed he peered into our memories as well. This will simply not do: It knows far, far more about what "Doppel" is, where we are from, and who he shall serve - it is too early for him to learn about the Citadel and our master. He isn't mentally stable. This may not bode well...

Entry 11:

Doppel has regressed to an inferior state of mind, and is once again a howling madman He displays no control over his actions or emotions: He has been forcefully chained up to a wall, a raving pyschopath. What he thinks, feels... His mind is no longer his own, or anybody's, for that matter. The knowledge he acquired from copying us drove him past the breaking point.

This is bad. Very bad.

Karie, horrified, move son to the next document...

So it seems that our Master has caught wind of the Heroica Hall posting involing our little operation. He must of done it personally: All of the Oculoids in Eubric have been cramped up in this lab for weeks. This assignment does not bode well for us. Needless to say, the Master paid our humble little establishment a visit. It is so odd to see someone caapble of blowing the entire lighthouse sky high with a snap of his giners to simply cordially walk through the door; though, no matter how tranquil his entrnace was, his aura of pure terror and authority remained. There is no mercy or kindness in his eyes... Only hatred.

He "requested" to see Doppel. Requesting being the wrong word; if any of us even attempted to disobey him, he would've annihlated us without a moment's notice. We had no choice; we brought him to the back of the lab and showed him the deranged Doppel. He seemed almost amused at the tortured creature's suffering: He could only chuckle as the subject writhed in agony, trapped in his own little terrifying world. Doppel grows worse by the minute: The second he shakes off the iota of contro, we have over him, is the second wher ehe breaks free. We assured the Master that we had the situation under control, but I know he didn't believe it: I really don't either. I fear the worst at this point.

After what seemed like an eternity, our Master left, just as quietly as he entered. Completely undetectable as always, of course: If a being of his magnitude wanted to remain undetected, he remained undetected. And not from fear: In his current state, he could raze most of the city in a matter of minutes - the entire thing in less than an hour. It simply wasn't time for him to reveal himself so utterly yet.

However, apparently he still has business in Eubric he'd like to conduct in person, apparently: Some foolish paragon has the schematics for some machine locked up in his skull. It'll take our Master a mere second to pluck them from his pysche while he is sleeping, but I almost feel bad for the poor fool: The paragon will probably have nocturnal PTSD for years just from the master intruding his mind. Even if it just takes one moment from one night, his dreams will be haunted for quite some time. Like I said, almost sorry, but not quite.

I do find the Master's surveillance of Heroica interesting, however. I imagine they are just blips on his radar, another set of pawns to be used, abused, and disposed as he sees fit: Those fools so willingly dance at the end of our Master's strings. And before long, the puppetstrings that bind them will become the nooses around their necks.

Baradock goes over to the black vial, carefully inspecting its contents. Black plasm swirls inside of the clear glass, small sparks of color dancing in the darkness... But Baradock can't get a true read on what it really was.

Skrall inspects the tools in the corner: Both of them surgical equipment. It seemed this place was ill armed, in terms of actual weaponry... The axe looked like it was made for incisions, while the sceptre for magically reattaching severed limbs.

[Kintobor]

Karie's breathing becomes heavy, her whole self seemingly being turned into cement. Another Harvester, out on the streets, out in the world, this time being wielded by some psychotic demon. She begins to crease the papers, her fingers gliding across the pages, turning into fists.

"This Doppel... it was human... at one point they took a man, and turned him into... this thing. Using that... black liquid you're holding, barbarian."

She points to the vial Barradock was holding.

"And I was right. We're dealing with Oculoids."

Karie takes a moment to observe her surroundings and take the note in. She hoped she was finished with the demons. It seemed she was only getting started with them. She moves to the crates and looks inside them.

Edited November 24, 2013 by Kintobor

[Endgame]

Karie's breathing becomes heavy, her whole self seemingly being turned into cement. Another Harvester, out on the streets, out in the world, this time being wielded by some psychotic demon. She begins to crease the papers, her fingers gliding across the pages, turning into fists.

Octavyn had not yet gotten to read the documents.

"...Something you read, Karie?"

Kair elooks at the boxes: Each marked with an emotion, seemingly going with the potions from earlier. They were marked Curiosity, Confusion, Sadness, and Happiness: all of them empty. It was likely they wer eused to tiwst Doppel's emotions into something they could use against humans: mold him into a ruthless killing machine.