Topic: Web of Life: A Drider's Adventure (Ended) (Read 189800 times)

Liquefied Spleens · « **Reply #2670 on:** December 30, 2018, 06:01:25 pm »

You elect to just sit down and let things go for a while. The smoke seems harmless, so you just let it puff out. It even dissipates a small distance away from the hole in the floor, so that's nice. It's kind of similar to your own brand of smoke, apart from the colour.
Need something? Pat on the back or whatever?
No no, some relatively fresh air should do the trick. I'm a tad dizzy, mind you. We should keep moving after this dizzy spell leaves me.
Right.
You make a cursory glance with your soulsight at the hole in the floor, but there's nothing that really pops up. You're not surprised, most of the creatures here seem to be constructs rather than actual undead or otherwise. Edwin looks to be in possession of... well, not a normal soul. It's a lot brighter and larger than what you're used to. Nothing exceptional, in the grand scheme of things. Just a purple glow nearly all around his body rather than the usual wisp of flame. You suspect it's more of a difference between worlds. You give him some more time to breathe as you check your magic cookbook.
...
This isn't normal.
Your cookbook looks far different from what you're used to, being a fairly ordinary book instead of the usual varying thickness. To make matters worse, the recipes inside are completely and utterly ordinary (apart from asking a few ingredients you don't recognize.). There's no magic in this thing?
Ah, a fan of cooking? Edwin says, with a somewhat confused look to him.
Yes, but this book... It shouldn't look like this. It SHOULD give me recipes for everything edible around here, not be this... weird cookbook. What the hell are "peanuts"?
You don't know what peanuts are?
Nope. Never heard of those.
A dark world you must hail from. Ah, I'm joking. They're a tropical sort of nut, used in all manner of dishes and oils.
Neat. Probably pretty cool dishes from that?
Mostly desserts, I think. I'm no chef, though. I cook, to be sure, but I'm no expert. Not really my area of expertise.
What IS your expertise, anyway? I'm guessing you don't find enough ancient ruins to be doing this for your job.
Quite right. I'm usually a professor at a university, though on occasion I take my trips to somewhere undiscovered. It's rarely been as adventurous as this, I must admit. At least not as strange. I will admit I've been in more firefights than most, but never as an instigator. Mostly a fight just broke out around my dig site.
Archaeology never seemed like a very active field of study to me. I had a short course in it, but it was mostly to discuss the ethics of resurrecting centuries-old bones.
"Resurrecting"?
Well, it's more like puppeteering it through magical energy, or mana for short.
Your world seems rather fascinating, I must say. Say, you recognized my gun, but you are wielding swords... What level of technology are you on, anyhow?
It's complicated. On the surface, which is where I spent almost my whole life, things are... well, "relatively" medieval. At least, that's what the dwarves called it. The dwarves have much more advanced technology, such as guns, computers, that sort of thing...
Dwarves? Who are the dwarves?
Humanoid species, part of the sentient alliance. Look like humans if you squashed them a bit. Thicker, but about half as tall. Tough as nails, though.
Like Tolkien? Ah, nevermind that. Next you'll tell me about elves.
How do you know about elves? They went extinct centuries ago.
...Are you serious? Wait wait wait... do you have orcs?
Yeah, magical race, taller, tend to have tusks.
Trolls?
Big, ugly, stupid? Yeah.
...Let's branch out. Vampires?
You're looking at one. Well, partially.
What do you mean?
I've been through the wringer a few times, to say the least. Was turned into some kind of vampiric abomination, got cured, kept some side-effects... Then I got into trouble with a very classic vampire. I'm talking castle, pale, fangs...
Bram Stoker. Goodness, never thought my love for books like these would come in handy...
Hm? You had a lot of writers that happened to know a bit about my world, I guess?
Perhaps. It's often said dreams bridge the gab between worlds. Looks like there's some truth to that.
Or maybe my gods were very uncreative assholes.
Mind the language, now... Well, I'm ready to keep going. Shall we?
Yep.

Heading down the tunnel, you find that the smoke doesn't really affect anything. It's kind of like mist, making things a tad more moist, but otherwise it's harmless. This staircase is very large, though there are platforms in between when the staircase has to turn to fit the room. You see a strange, almost withered-looking creature walk around slowly at the bottom of the stair, wings furled up over most of its body. Its back is to you...

How do you proceed against this creature?

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omada · « **Reply #2671 on:** December 30, 2018, 06:12:36 pm »

Don't attack the wings, get ready to jump and drop our blade on it's head, maybe our weight might prevent it from getting up or protecting itself with the wings and letting the indiana jones lifestyle guy finish it while we immobilize

Devastator · « **Reply #2672 on:** December 30, 2018, 06:39:33 pm »

We're very quick. Lets try for a quick grapple from behind, and bind it up with silk. If it's just another dumb minion we should be able to just kill it then.

Egan_BW · « **Reply #2673 on:** December 31, 2018, 03:43:26 am »

Bah, just slice its head off. If it manages to move fast enough to block that, disengage and hit it someplace unprotected.

Liquefied Spleens · « **Reply #2674 on:** January 01, 2019, 05:06:24 pm »

You take the initiative, and crawl on the walls to get the drop on this thing. You remember Edwin mentioning winged creatures, and how they are impervious to damage when furled up, as well. So, going for the instant kill like likely the best choice. They don't exactly look sturdy, so this shouldn't be too hard. You would have liked being able to pounce on it from ground level, but you're not a jumping spider. How fair is it that Francine is one and you aren't? But you don't get a choice in this kind of thing, them's the breaks. At least you can drop down from on high without too much adverse effects. Lindsey looks at you with keen interest as you sneak up on the creature and finally drop down, intent on slamming your sword right in the creature's head.
Intent was the key word here, you didn't really succeed.
Just as you are about to land, the creature hisses and unfurls a long stinger as if from nowhere! You're going to land on it! You twist to get out of the way but

A sharp pain suddenly strikes you across the back as a zombie rends its hands across your back! You yell in pain as you stumble forward, the air knocked out from the force. As you turn around to fight your enemy, the eyes of the strange mummified creature pierce into yours, as it seems to babble something you can't even fathom entirely. A piercing headache assaults you as you slash the zombie clean in two! Disoriented, you look around for the winged creature, but then you feel

A sudden shotgun blast behind you! The creature screeches in pain, and you turn around again, heart hammering in your chest. What the FUCK is happening? You see Edwin shielding his eyes as the bird-like creature slowly steps closer, and with the sound of creaking ancient parchment it unfurls its wings again. The eyes of the creature seem to go everywhere, and your headache only grows worse as the creature stares down both you and Lindsey. Then, its head explodes with a roar from both Edwin's shotgun and something else.
It falls to the floor, still flailing around. Edwin quickly finishes the creature off with another shot to the torso, causing it to disintegrate entirely. You do the same to the remains of the zombie, mostly to try and get your bearings.

W-what the hell was that!?
I don't know... That stinger seemed to paralyse you completely for a time. It just summoned that zombie as you stood there. I came down as fast as I could, but I couldn't risk hitting you. I'm sorry I could not intervene sooner.
It's... It's alright. I've had worse wounds. I think.
Any scar is just another mark of power, darling. Don't you worry.
Shut up, not now. Not now, please.
I wasn't talking? Miss, are you feeling alright?
I'm... The stares of those things, what are...
The eyes of those creatures pierce the psyche, yes. Not to worry. Finishing these things off places one's foothold in the world all the clearer. If I remember correctly from the book, too much insanity will cause their stares themselves to harm you. It happened to a boy named Anthony, even killed him at one point but... that didn't stick. The poor boy.
I'll care when this headache lets up. Let's just... Let's just keep moving.

The smoke seems to have disappeared along with the creature. They must affect the place's atmosphere in some imperceivable manner. Edwin reloads his shotgun before continuing, and then pulls out an archeologist's brush to clear away something. He finds a tablet!
Ah, Nethlek. So it means "Dispel? Excellent. Not sure what use it will have for me quite yet, but I'm sure it will come in handy.
Runes?
Magick is fairly rune-based. I can't hope to translate it on my own, I have nothing to compare the scripts to. But, some people left behind scrolls explaining them. Or, well, tablets in this case.
You keep going with Edwin. A large room greets you after going through the exit. There are two corridors, one that goes to the left and is marked with a strange purple marking. The other one goes straight, no noticeable markings there...
There's something odd about the room itself, though. Most of the walls have an extensive amount of artwork on them, hardly faded despite tthe jaws of time. But one wall is completely blank, clean, even. There might be something about this, or its a trap ready to spring if you remain here too long.

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Egan_BW · « **Reply #2675 on:** January 01, 2019, 05:18:14 pm »

sydney smash!

omada · « **Reply #2676 on:** January 02, 2019, 05:46:40 am »

Say three things to edwin
1. ask the probability of this being a secret passage or a trap, (then smash)
2. say that if we don't relax we might switch personalities, by accident or by purpose, but that is okay for him as our second personality still fight on our side, it will just be a bit bossy and brag about herself, and more violent towards enemies. Just make sure to remember her to not eat anything when killing those horrors
3. ask him on the way that in the next "safe room" if he could give us some parchment with the runes he know it would be of great help, it might give us a foothold to screw with the eldritch in our wold

MAKE A MENTAL NOTE: Nethlek = DISPEL

TWO CATATA · « **Reply #2677 on:** January 03, 2019, 09:54:29 am »

Quote from: Liquefied Spleens on November 12, 2017, 05:48:03 pm

By the time she reaches the salon again, her arms are filled with her own teeth marks. The pain keeps things real. The pain kills them faster than they kill her.
[..]
the spirit stopped struggling after the third bite. Her arms bleed, her fangs tearing into her own skin, through the carapace. No matter what must be done, these spirits will NOT BREAK HER.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGDxvB5fOTU (longer)

Quote from: Liquefied Spleens on November 13, 2017, 03:00:46 pm

Tear it down

Burn it down

Other (way of bringing down this house)

Quote from: Liquefied Spleens on November 30, 2017, 10:24:34 am

You hate the stuff, it always just stinks up the place, and the ones that use it habitually act like their brain is leaking through their ears as a slow rate.

So fucking true ughhh.

Quote from: Liquefied Spleens on November 28, 2017, 03:57:29 pm

My personal proposals for Queen names are
Canberra
Alexia
Lilith
Dentera

If any of these strike you fancy, vote on them. Really, we've got plenty of time to think about this.

LILITH

Liquefied Spleens · « **Reply #2678 on:** January 03, 2019, 05:19:47 pm »

Edwin, you think that wall's hiding something?
Could be they never finished it, is all... Though I doubt it. Likely there's something behind it. Why do you ask?
Imma break it.
...Are you SURE you want to break the wall in an unstable ruin?
Imma smack it.
There is nothing I can say that will make you change your mind, is there? You've already decided you're going to punch that centuries-old wall to see if candy falls out.
Yes.
...I'm curious myself, fire away!
Edwin takes a little distance, and covers his ears and you take a running start to punch the wall with your grossly mismatched mutant fist of destiny. The wall doesn't just crack, it outright folds like tissue paper. You have to take a step back, and end up covered in dust for your efforts, but you end up revealing...
Another wall.
What.

The wall behind the quickly constructed thin wall is a bit further away, and has the same markings as the other walls. You just spent some time breaking what looks to be a hasty patch-job. How... frustratingly mundane! This is a cursed temple with all manner of magicky crap around, what's the meaning of this? Although you do notice the reason for the patchjob. A collapsed passageway, with a large amount of bricks and other crap in the way. There's no way you'll get past it all without some serious digging, and you don't have time for that. You do note that there's room for something the size of a small dog, but you don't have your kids with you right now. What a shame.
...I feel like there must be something of value behind that if they seemed fit to hide it. And also block it off. We'll have to choose another way forward, regardless. Well, sometimes things aren't special.
Bull.
Language!
I didn't say anything.
You were implying it. Now let's just get moving already. Keep this in the back of your mind if you happen to find something that can fetch something from under there.

You're back to your old options. There are two corridors, one that goes to the left and is signed with a purple marking. The other one goes straight, no noticeable markings

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I know this is a nothing update, but sometimes you have one of those. It happens.

omada · « **Reply #2679 on:** January 03, 2019, 05:49:30 pm »

We can egg the next creature we find and have new kids, just have to make it live long enough

Soul eye first and then flip a coin (AKA: let Edwin Decide)

Just take a reminder to not look directly to the creature if possible, unless edwin says that this time it's safe

WAIT, our familiars stayed behind? If don't send then in the hole first

Egan_BW · « **Reply #2680 on:** January 03, 2019, 10:47:50 pm »

Go the purple way.

Liquefied Spleens · « **Reply #2681 on:** January 05, 2019, 06:18:14 pm »

You elect to go the way that is marked with the purple sign. Edwin was more interested in the one that was marked with something, regardless. In the interest of not having your head explode, you also let Edwin go first. You don't want to deal with those stares any more, you don't feel in great spirits.
I can take over, no harm no foul.
You doubt that sincerely. Anyway, the hallway is another one filled to the brim with traps, though Edwin is careful enough not to trip too many of them. It's also mercifully empty from living (sort of) threats, so it's even less things to be worried about. Reaching the end was a breeze, as you even helped Edwin over a particular plate that would be impossible not to press. You kind of swung him across as you climbed along the walls. This can't be what Mantorok had in mind with his prison, it's all too easy. Relatively, at least. Most likely, you've ended up in something that isn't quite what it intended, most likely because of the way you entered. Chattur'gha probably sent you to an alternate place, though that DOES open the question on whether or not your prisoners are even here. Either way, no way to go but forwards. Edwin finds another tablet as he goes, as well, though it's a spell combining runes he doesn't even have yet. Hopefully he'll find them later on.
The next room, however, is... odd. There are strange, green see-through walls. Edwin doesn't look too thrilled at touching them. What's a tad more alarming is the collection of zombies moving in. eight of them total, and they are completely unfazed by the walls. Edwin is quick to move in, though he stows away his shotgun and pulls out... a torch. A LIT torch, somehow? What.
The second one of the zombies gets close, he pushes them off with the same torch, instantly setting the creature alight and making it fall back, flailing around. He does this multiple times, as well, eventually standing before a pile of burning zombies while you look on. He keeps swinging for a time, as well, until you ask what he's doing.
Ah... Well, the zombies of Xel'lotath are incredibly flammable, as Maximillian described. I couldn't move too well, my torch is rather handy and... Well, I was holding my eyes closed to prevent them from looking.
Why even waste ammo on them?
They disappear nigh-instantly. If they got a good look into your soul, there's no recovering yourself by finishing them off.
Oh... I needed a live one for a time, actually. I can create something to look through that hole back there.
I'm sure there will be plenty of other opportunities. Now, excuse me while I try to navigate this... It's a tad too narrow for you.
Calling me fat, now?
You have the lower body of a massive spider. Don't even start with me.

Edwin walks through the maze, occasionally recoiling when an errand finger or elbow strikes the walls. After a small moment of grumbling and cursing, Edwin reaches the end.
Oh, of course. Of all the...
Edwin takes out his book and begins casting a spell. You're too unfocused to really follow what runes are used, but after a sudden explosion (pure noise, no actual exploding) all the walls disappeared with a chime.
A way to dispel an area. Probably should have figured it out myself, but I find Magick to be a tad... risky, to be experimenting with.
Great, great... Can we keep moving?
A door slowly opens to your right, indicating that there's yet more to be done. You sigh and step through the doorway, going first this time.

Wanneer je erdoor stapt, ontdek je nog een versierde kamer met wat speciale muren. Het is een uitgebreid tafereel op de muur, die Mantorok lijkt te vereren als de god van de oogst. Edwin had het daarover al gehad. In het midden van de kamer zijn er drie pilaren, elk met een andere vorm in het midden. Edwin en jij komen eerst voorzichtig dichter, maar het is duidelijk dat je er iets in zal moeten steken. Uiteraard is de eerste gedachte de kamer doorzoeken, en uiteraard duurt het niet lang eer Edwin de eerste vorm terugvind. Het is een van de runes, Edwin zegt ook dat deze verwijst naar Ulyaoth, degene die het diepst verbonden is met magie en de grootste bedreiging vormt voor Mantorok. Mantorok heeft controle over de gedachten en het lichaam, maar magie blijft moeilijk voor dat ding. Je zal nog wat runen moeten vinden doorheen de tempel als je verder wil geraken vanaf hier. Je merkt ook nog een indentatie op in het midden van de drie kleine pilaren, het teken van Mantorok. Het is als een slot. De puzzel is gemakkelijk, maar de puzzelstukken zijn moeilijker te vinden.
Er is iets dat niet volledig klopt, maar...

What is...
This.
Isn't.
Really...
Happening!

What?
Looking around, you find yourself walking back to the room with the fake wall, clearly knowing what must be done. You... You do know what happened in that room, right? It was... It was easy? You can't just go back, it'd be ridiculous. You can't. You'll remember... You do remember, you just can't quite get your mind together enough.
N-nothing. I'll... Let's keep moving.

Puzzles are going to get funky as your sanity remains a tad fringed. Better figure out what that room was!

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Egan_BW · « **Reply #2682 on:** January 05, 2019, 06:41:43 pm »

...Maybe it would be for the best if she took over for the time being. The rest just might heal some sanity, too.
Just warn Edwin first.

Devastator · « **Reply #2683 on:** January 05, 2019, 07:05:00 pm »

Looks like Dutch. As far as I can make out, there's some kind of mural to Mantorok and some kind of three-part puzzle. Apparently Mantorok can handle everything except magic here, (has control over the mind and the body) but magic is covered by some other god. Which may or may not be the same god Edwin was talking about.

Should mention that god's name, Ulyanoth to Edwin, and see if he knows it as a different god than the evil one, or another name for it. Do we know that name from our world?

Probably a good place to open if we're looking for deities. We probably should have talked to the last minion.
..although, there are multiple passages. That might be the central vault or cell thing. If we're looking for mortals or near mortals to let out, that might not be the right way to go, as that door is probably meant to not open.

In any case, I think we need to check out the other passageways first. Or find a relatively safe place to let the queen out for a time. Probably some place with a reflective surface, and a warned Edwin. This is the equivalent of us taking a break, after all, if a frightening one. Plus I'd like to get someone reliable to look at the Queen.

...

Looking it over again, I think we very much don't want to open it. Apparently there's a single thing in a three pillar thing that's got the sign of Mantorok on a hole. I have no idea what that might do. So.. don't go there, don't get the item, at least until we get our brains unscrambled and check out the other places, too.

If Edwin needs encouragement to not open it, I say that one looks like some kind of seal or prison or majorly important thing, and the people we're looking for are relatively mundane creatures, so that's probably not the right place, and that place looks like messing with it will cause something unpredictable to happen.

..in all honesty, finding our mundane prisoners, filling in Edwin about what we know, and booking it out of here might be for the best. Lets head back to the area where we killed that winged creature and see if it knows something. Do we have any ability to talk with the dead?

Anyway, that huge sanity hit from killing that creature probably implies that was a bad decision. If it doesn't recover a bit, we might have to let the queen out.

..does make me wish we had Earth marijuana or something. That'd mellow out the queen. We might be a giant creature, but we're pretty lightweight.

omada · « **Reply #2684 on:** January 06, 2019, 03:36:46 pm »

We can take a sip of coffe, assuming one would have a bit of it on his book, it will make the queen a bit lightweight, that first stage of drunkness

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Author Topic: Web of Life: A Drider's Adventure (Ended) (Read 189800 times)

Liquefied Spleens

Re: Web of Life: A Drider's Adventure

omada

Re: Web of Life: A Drider's Adventure

Devastator

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Egan_BW

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Liquefied Spleens

Re: Web of Life: A Drider's Adventure

Egan_BW

Re: Web of Life: A Drider's Adventure

omada

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TWO CATATA

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Liquefied Spleens

Re: Web of Life: A Drider's Adventure

omada

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Egan_BW

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Liquefied Spleens

Re: Web of Life: A Drider's Adventure

Egan_BW

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Devastator

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omada

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