Grexas pulls his goggles on and lays on the ground with his eyes closed. He slowly opens them as they stop burning and his headache starts to go away. As his vision slowly clears, things beginning to regain definition, he sees the barrel of a shotgun pointed at him. He panics some hardly able to see because of the light and the tint of the goggles. Grexas puts his hands up over his face."I guess I have no choice but to give myself up now." He says as he lays there, hoping they don't just shoot him. Grexas moves his tail back underneath his hoodie, hoping the guards haven't noticed it yet."So now what? You just take us to jail? Just because we're mutants? Who were attacked, unprovoked?...Racists..."
Xephos sheathes his katana and drops gracefully to the ground "I will come with you, but do not try to restrain me" (roll bluff 18 - 1 = 17) and with that he stands and walks next to the captain, with no visible weapons withing grabbing distance
As they move through the bare rock, they reach the bending and come upon a chamber unlike they have seen before even in their nightmares.
It is a round chamber with the tunnel continuing on the other side. but what got their attention is the scene from gehenna they behold: In the center of the room there are three pyramidal piles of rotting human brains. They look carefully set up in a triangle patern. Digested bones and human remains can bee seen all around. and in the middle of the triangle formed by the horrible pyramids, hangs a human shape, eyes fixed on the tunnel at the other side of the chamber. He is bound in spiderwbs, hanging upside down, only his head is visible...
From the tunnel at the far end of the cavern, the growling can still be heard, moving away.
Grexas decides that the screaming might just be a cry for help. rolled 17+4=21 sense motive. Grexas trys to gather his wits, and determine what the scream is for. He realizes the scream is one of terror coming from a human, and the growling a manifestation of pure hate. "Xephos c'mon we have to save them." He say quietly before making his way down the hall.rolled 16+2=18 move silently
As they move through the bare rock, they reach the bending and come upon a chamber unlike they have seen before even in their nightmares.
It is a round chamber with the tunnel continuing on the other side. but what got their attention is the scene from gehenna they behold: In the center of the room there are three pyramidal piles of rotting human brains. They look carefully set up in a triangle patern. Digested bones and human remains can bee seen all around. and in the middle of the triangle formed by the horrible pyramids, hangs a human shape, eyes fixed on the tunnel at the other side of the chamber. He is bound in spiderwbs, hanging upside down, only his head is visible...
From the tunnel at the far end of the cavern, the growling can still be heard, moving away.
The guardsmen holding the blaster rifles walk over to Xephos and toss him on the ground, face to the ground. (grapple 14) One of them keeps the nozzle of his blaster rifle right behind his neck whilst the other one tries to search him.
The officer holding the shotgun walks over to Grexas. "Loose the eye glass, son; and lie face down. This is not about you being mutants, which I personally could not care less if you had three eyes and tumors all over. And I'm not accusing you of attacking anybody. All we know is there was some sort of fight up there in Mc Gruffy's, and somehow you were involved. My job is to take you boys to Guardsmen's Keep and stand trial. That is the law that protects St. George's commune from the growing darkness. Son, if the light of the law fails, all good people will die under harrier's and raider's boots. I for one, will not let that happen." He pumps his shotgun after saying this and continues... "So lie down and come easily".
The officer holding the shotgun walks over to Grexas. "Loose the eye glass, son; and lie face down. This is not about you being mutants, which I personally could not care less if you had three eyes and tumors all over. And I'm not accusing you of attacking anybody. All we know is there was some sort of fight up there in Mc Gruffy's, and somehow you were involved. My job is to take you boys to Guardsmen's Keep and stand trial. That is the law that protects St. George's commune from the growing darkness. Son, if the light of the law fails, all good people will die under harrier's and raider's boots. I for one, will not let that happen." He pumps his shotgun after saying this and continues... "So lie down and come easily".
Xephos' body is influenced yet again by a force he knows well, he does not surrender, for this would be a sign of weakness but grabs the guard by the arm, twists it and grabs his neck, (Grapple roll 16 + 6 = 22) he then inserts the needle into the guards neck but does not press the plunger down "This syringe is full of a neurotoxin so powerful that a painful death occurs within 10 seconds" he says in a calm voice (bluff roll 18 - 1 = 17)
Both guardsmen seem terrified at Xepho‘s statement. The guard that Xephos is grappling suirms a little and sighs. The other guardsman stammered “Sir.. wha... wha... what do I do, he plans to murder him“.
The officer never takes his aim off of Grexas. “Shoot him, at the first chance you get. Now!”
The guardsmen looks for a spot vulnerable and out of the cover provided by his fellow soldier. Knowing that he might kill his companion, he mutters a prayer under his breath and squeezes three rapidly continuous blaster bolts. (25, under 50%, 7 damage) that impact Xephos (2 hp left) and unbalances him.
The grapple guard elbows Xephos in the stomach (22, 1 damage) then head butts him with the back of his head. (18, 1 damage) (0 hp) Xephos falls unconscious to the ground.
The officer fires his shotgun aiming at the floor between Grexas’ legs and pumps a fresh round. “Your call boy.”
The officer never takes his aim off of Grexas. “Shoot him, at the first chance you get. Now!”
The guardsmen looks for a spot vulnerable and out of the cover provided by his fellow soldier. Knowing that he might kill his companion, he mutters a prayer under his breath and squeezes three rapidly continuous blaster bolts. (25, under 50%, 7 damage) that impact Xephos (2 hp left) and unbalances him.
The grapple guard elbows Xephos in the stomach (22, 1 damage) then head butts him with the back of his head. (18, 1 damage) (0 hp) Xephos falls unconscious to the ground.
The officer fires his shotgun aiming at the floor between Grexas’ legs and pumps a fresh round. “Your call boy.”
Grexas backs away a bit. "Let's all just remain calm now." He says a little fear in his voice. He looks up to the Captain. "You are fighting for the light yeah? Well so are we. We have a chance to stop these psychopaths you hate and instead we're being held here." He glances around the room trying to emphasize the point.
"I'll tell you what, we were leaving St. George anyway. You let us go, and tell the boys back at the Guard that this scary spider thing ate us, and we won't come back." He says looking up to the guard hopefully. His tail twitching inside his shirt. Rolled 18+1=19 diplomacy
"I'll tell you what, we were leaving St. George anyway. You let us go, and tell the boys back at the Guard that this scary spider thing ate us, and we won't come back." He says looking up to the guard hopefully. His tail twitching inside his shirt. Rolled 18+1=19 diplomacy
Xephos awakens, partly due to his strength and partly due to his spiritual connection to something without unconsciousness, "Son of a-" he starts to say, standing and lifting his katana high before catching a look from Grexas and stopping himself "On the other hand, maybe peace is a viable option, for now.." he walks around so he is closer to grexas and notices an aura of sorts eminating from the officer, he nods his head towards that officer and says "Maybe we should spare this one, he is honourable and is not deserving of death"
The officer seems to be figuring out if that would be enough. “What guarantees do ya give that we wont see you again in St George; if we do, I’ll have to kill you to keep my honour intact; I would not be made a liar boy.” The guardsman that had been under Xephos grasp, rubs his neck; he seems to be sewating badly. He picks up his gun and stands next to his partner. They both see Xephos get up slowly, and walk next to Grexas. “Sir, the other one... the ugly one is getting up!! unbelievable!!”
The officer follows Xephos with a stare Then bows back at hearing him speak.
“I usually am a good character judge. Please, do not make me regret this. Men, pick your companion and walk out before me. This is over, we got the rioters on the vehicles up top, and down here... there is only death. I don’t know how the Murwocks can live here with all these horror. Move out! And remember boy, do not make me a liar”
They all march out of the room using the door they came in, their searchlights could be seen for some moments. Then, Grexas and Xephos were once again, left in the dark.
The officer follows Xephos with a stare Then bows back at hearing him speak.
“I usually am a good character judge. Please, do not make me regret this. Men, pick your companion and walk out before me. This is over, we got the rioters on the vehicles up top, and down here... there is only death. I don’t know how the Murwocks can live here with all these horror. Move out! And remember boy, do not make me a liar”
They all march out of the room using the door they came in, their searchlights could be seen for some moments. Then, Grexas and Xephos were once again, left in the dark.
Grexas slowly stands and brushes himself off. "Well that could have gone better." He says before lifting his goggles and heading back towards the other door. Once there Grexas presses his ear to the door, hoping to find out something about whats on the other side of the door. rolled 14+4=18 listen. Grexas hears the faint sound of an alarm siren and what sounds like tiny claws moving about. Deciding they should wait to move on, he heads back into the room. "Well, whatevers on the other side of the door knows we're here, so best be ready for a fight." He says looking to Xephos. He looks down at the spider carcass, deciding to search it. "Wonder if this thing ever ate anything useful...." rolled 15 search check
As the siren sound fades away in the distance. Grexas finds a large DC-15 Blaster Rifle, probably left by the dead guard that the wolf spider murdered.
Xephos sits down and inspects his weapons, noticing that the blood has dissapeared and that the blade of the actual katana is tinted red, his mind is back to normal now but with a mild headache and several wounds the spirit leaving his body comes as a shock instead of a relief. "Maybe we should work on that door" he mutters to Grexas he walks towards the door and taps it (search roll 14 + 2 = 16) and aims his 1911 at a greyish material "actually, i think you should do this" he says, waving Grexas forward
Grexas takes his new blaster rifle and slings it over his shoulder. He walks over to the door and pulls out a grenade. "You should get away from the door, and leave the breaching to a pro. Well... semi-pro." Grexas shoves the grenade into the packed in explosives. Grexas hooks the pin with his finger and pulls. "RUN!" He shouts sprinting away from the door. rolled 17+2=19 reflex and 13+2=15 run. Grexas runs away from the the door but doesn't get far enough to avoid the blast. He just barely gets caught at the edge of the explosion (4 damage)
Xephos, utilising all his bird ninja powers, turns and runs (roll 17 run and 18 reflex) and is unscathed
The smoke clears. Bits and pieces of the metal frame of the door fall to the ground. The smoke is acrid and waters the heroe's eyes.
Under the smoke stench, both Grexas and Xephos, after brushing some dirt and debris off their clothes, can clearly percieve a pungent familiar odor... insect like. Feeling trouble ahead, they approach the threshold and gaze in to a narrow but long chamber, at first glance it looks 50ft long and 20 ft wide, almost a hallway.... whose floor appears to be.... moving.
They can clearly hear the siren's loud wailing now, and just as they approach the new horrors ahead, it silences itself, sliwly, like not wanting to die off.
The mutants stand on the edge, taking a moment to make something out of what they see at first glance.
Under the smoke stench, both Grexas and Xephos, after brushing some dirt and debris off their clothes, can clearly percieve a pungent familiar odor... insect like. Feeling trouble ahead, they approach the threshold and gaze in to a narrow but long chamber, at first glance it looks 50ft long and 20 ft wide, almost a hallway.... whose floor appears to be.... moving.
They can clearly hear the siren's loud wailing now, and just as they approach the new horrors ahead, it silences itself, sliwly, like not wanting to die off.
The mutants stand on the edge, taking a moment to make something out of what they see at first glance.
Grexas takes a closer look down the hallway. rolled 15+4=19 spot.
Xephos also looks down the hallway (Spot 14 + 4 = 18)
Backstory of Decorus Calamitus - Epilogue
Imagine a time before dinosaurs roamed the earth, before mankind forgot its skills and became primitive again. Imagine a time of magic and dragons and heroes and objects that were so powerful they could cause the earth itself to crumble. There was once a hero of renown who roamed the earth and one day come across an ancient katana blade, he grabbed the blade, mind full of greed and set off again. He heard tale of a mighty dragon who roamed in a close land, he wanted to kill this creature so he could gain more fame… This was the point where the whole plan went terribly wrong. He was overcome by a need to slay this beast and walked for many weeks, not eating or drinking and being kept alive by a terrible force. When he met this dragon he felt himself able to do extraordinary things, and when he killed the dragon the blade glowed hot and vanished.
Decorus Calamitus was lost
As Grexas and Xephos approach the edge of the chamber, he stops. He gives a closer look to the whole place, and recognizes certain shapes in the ceiling.. at first he thought them to be outcroppings of rock, but then one of them turned and it showed two big cannons mounted on a turret, turning this way and that, with red blinking lights that go off and on in sync with some lights at the end of the chamber. There are dozens of these turrets on the ceiling. All active.
On the floor, he sees now that the ground was not moving, but thousands of huge scorpions are moving on it, crawling about, snapping their pincers and waving their stings. Under the horde of scorpions, runs what appears to be a lowered walkway, that goes all the way from end to end of the chamber.
On the floor, he sees now that the ground was not moving, but thousands of huge scorpions are moving on it, crawling about, snapping their pincers and waving their stings. Under the horde of scorpions, runs what appears to be a lowered walkway, that goes all the way from end to end of the chamber.
Grexas starts to back away from the door. "Ok, maybe that wasn't the best plan..." He looks around, spotting the tunnel off in the distance. "Maybe, we can get in through there..." He turns to Xephos. "Let's go this way." He starts to run towards the wolf creatures tunnel. rolled 13+2=15 run check.
Grexas arrives at the tunnel and looks inside. It looks deep and full of webs, but he thinks they could make it through.
Xephos sighs and holds his katana loosely in one hand before following Grexas, "Ok, but i was REALLY looking forward to harvesting those insect souls"
Backstory of Decorus Calamitus- Chapter one
In a dark and damp cave, thousands of miles away from where it was lost, the gleaming blade of Decorus Calamitus was spotted by a keen adventurer, he had been searching for the blade for years but legends told that the blade had vanished. The legends did not tell that that sword was evil, and would consume all who touched it, swapping a piece of the soul of the possessor with a piece of the dragons, linking them for life. When the katana was first used to its full extent the owner had faced a painful death of such magnitude that the first ice age occurred, the weapon had a bloody history and the only thing linking each owner was a common surname- Estonium. Decorus Calamitus can be translated into “Beautiful Disaster” and that is the swords last resort. When the owner of the sword has proven himself worthy he may commit a bloody and brutal ritual to save his comrades and even the world, killing the owner, one willing victim and emptying the blade of a potent soul, he can unleash the spirit of an ancient creature. It is suspected that this will have such power that a million fel creatures could be wiped out by it, but this was only a legend, until the adventurer found this sword.
Upon exiting the cave, Louis Estonium started to feel his arm burn and when he checked there was a burn in the shape of a dragons head on his left shoulder. He was marked and destined to carry the blade til the day he died. The blade gave him a vision of the creatures captured in the blade, killed by a long line of Estoniums that had evaded the eye of gossips and preachers and had lived their lives unnoticed, but this was a new age, one of harmony between people and abundant resources, long gone were the days where smoke polluted the air, this was a paradise, a utopia of sorts. But that all changed when Louis Estonium decided to keep the blade. Others hunted the blade, powerful blood mages with powers to summon thousands of familiars at the cost of their own or others blood and easily powerful enough to take on a lone swordsman, but he wasn’t a lone swordsman, he was Louis Estonium and he was carrying Decorus Calamitus…
In a dark and damp cave, thousands of miles away from where it was lost, the gleaming blade of Decorus Calamitus was spotted by a keen adventurer, he had been searching for the blade for years but legends told that the blade had vanished. The legends did not tell that that sword was evil, and would consume all who touched it, swapping a piece of the soul of the possessor with a piece of the dragons, linking them for life. When the katana was first used to its full extent the owner had faced a painful death of such magnitude that the first ice age occurred, the weapon had a bloody history and the only thing linking each owner was a common surname- Estonium. Decorus Calamitus can be translated into “Beautiful Disaster” and that is the swords last resort. When the owner of the sword has proven himself worthy he may commit a bloody and brutal ritual to save his comrades and even the world, killing the owner, one willing victim and emptying the blade of a potent soul, he can unleash the spirit of an ancient creature. It is suspected that this will have such power that a million fel creatures could be wiped out by it, but this was only a legend, until the adventurer found this sword.
Upon exiting the cave, Louis Estonium started to feel his arm burn and when he checked there was a burn in the shape of a dragons head on his left shoulder. He was marked and destined to carry the blade til the day he died. The blade gave him a vision of the creatures captured in the blade, killed by a long line of Estoniums that had evaded the eye of gossips and preachers and had lived their lives unnoticed, but this was a new age, one of harmony between people and abundant resources, long gone were the days where smoke polluted the air, this was a paradise, a utopia of sorts. But that all changed when Louis Estonium decided to keep the blade. Others hunted the blade, powerful blood mages with powers to summon thousands of familiars at the cost of their own or others blood and easily powerful enough to take on a lone swordsman, but he wasn’t a lone swordsman, he was Louis Estonium and he was carrying Decorus Calamitus…
Xephos awakens sharply from a flashback he just had and immediately fly's up towards the tunnel (jump roll 11 + 8 = 19), seemingly unaffected by the story he just saw happen and steps inside, spotting for any goodies (spot roll 16 + 2 = 18)
Retreating from the chamber that defeated them, Grexas and Xephos examine the tunnel on the other end of the chamber where the wolf was defeated. The creature apparently had a very deep lair, for at a glance the tunnel looks deep and with no end in sight. For a second, both men thought they could hear a sound, almost like a whisper from inside the tunnel. They both will have to climb the ancient stone walls to graba hold of the tunnel's edge.
Xephos flies in to the opening and searches about, he can see a long cilindrical shaped tunnel, with cobwebs clinging to the walls. The tunnel goes for about 40 ft then it divides to the left and right. Xephos can clearly hear some sort of humming or moaning from somewhere ahead.
Xephos flies in to the opening and searches about, he can see a long cilindrical shaped tunnel, with cobwebs clinging to the walls. The tunnel goes for about 40 ft then it divides to the left and right. Xephos can clearly hear some sort of humming or moaning from somewhere ahead.
Grexas sighs as Xephos just flies into the tunnel. He starts to climb the wall. rolled 12+6=18 climb. Once he reaches the the tunnel he moves closer to Xephos.He looks down the tunnel rolled 19+4=23 spot check. Grexas stops and listens, trying to figure out where the humming is coming from. rolled 17+4=21 listen check. he then tries to get his bearings, realizing how lost he really is.rolled 2+8=10 survival check. Grexas drops to all fours and quickly moves to the intersection moving as quietly as possible. rolled 11+2=13 move silently. He makes it to the intersection after making a bunch of noise on the way down
As Grexas reaches the intersection, he can hear his owntail giving out his location. Then he looks both ways, and notices a slight pendant going up on the left hand opening. He turns right to follow the moaning sounds and feels it inclines downwards. He can se that the tunnel goes on for about 30 ft. then turns left.
Xephos runs after him with epic bird ninja skills (run roll 14 + 4 = 18) (move silently roll 16 + 7 = 23)
As Xephos runs down the hallway, he reaches the intersection in a lightning movement and appears right behind Grexas in a flash of speed. There is no room enough for the two men to walk side by side.
After a brief second of silence, both men look ahead... they hear a very loud growling, and the moaning start to become a scream...
As they move through the bare rock, they reach the bending and come upon a chamber unlike they have seen before even in their nightmares.
It is a round chamber with the tunnel continuing on the other side. but what got their attention is the scene from gehenna they behold: In the center of the room there are three pyramidal piles of rotting human brains. They look carefully set up in a triangle patern. Digested bones and human remains can bee seen all around. and in the middle of the triangle formed by the horrible pyramids, hangs a human shape, eyes fixed on the tunnel at the other side of the chamber. He is bound in spiderwbs, hanging upside down, only his head is visible...
From the tunnel at the far end of the cavern, the growling can still be heard, moving away.
After a brief second of silence, both men look ahead... they hear a very loud growling, and the moaning start to become a scream...
Grexas decides that the screaming might just be a cry for help. rolled 17+4=21 sense motive. Grexas trys to gather his wits, and determine what the scream is for. He realizes the scream is one of terror coming from a human, and the growling a manifestation of pure hate. "Xephos c'mon we have to save them." He say quietly before making his way down the hall.rolled 16+2=18 move silently
As they move through the bare rock, they reach the bending and come upon a chamber unlike they have seen before even in their nightmares.
It is a round chamber with the tunnel continuing on the other side. but what got their attention is the scene from gehenna they behold: In the center of the room there are three pyramidal piles of rotting human brains. They look carefully set up in a triangle patern. Digested bones and human remains can bee seen all around. and in the middle of the triangle formed by the horrible pyramids, hangs a human shape, eyes fixed on the tunnel at the other side of the chamber. He is bound in spiderwbs, hanging upside down, only his head is visible...
From the tunnel at the far end of the cavern, the growling can still be heard, moving away.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please, feel free...