Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Weirdsound]

I guess that's my vote. Quietly order Diode to stand between Gray and the dweller there.

You quietly gesture to Diode and Jameson, directing them into a tight formation that is hopefully capable of hiding Gray once they round the corner.

Not wanting to look over your shoulder and potentially give up the game via bodylanguage, you lock eyes with the strange dweller. A few seconds pass in tense silence, before you conclude that things must have worked out; If Gray's cover was blown, you would have been attacked by now.

The dweller decides to break the silence.

"The silent type, eh? I like it, dude. But seriously, surely I can do ya for something. Name's Chihuahua Joe, master of all drugs: recreational and medical, man. I'm also something of a collector and fence; If you are looking to sell stolen goods, or don't mind buying them, I'm your guy. Just don't come crying to me if those partisan assholes come after you for using the shit I took off em."

He snaps his fingers and his pet Mantis approaches you with what appears to be a restraunt menu. It offers the item to you, which upon closer inspection is a list of the goods and services Chihuahua Joe offers.

Chihuahua Joe's Drug Den and Thiefstravaganza:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Drugs:
Moth Powder - 1 Dub Per Hit - To the moooooon!
Hornet Powder - 3 Dub Per 2 Hits - Upper. Move fast. Restore Spellslots. Weeeeeee!
Slug Powder - 3 Dub Per 2 Hits - Downer. Feel less things. Feel less pain.
Homemade Hospital - 1 Dub Per Hit - Fix you up reaaaaal good, baby!

Fence:
Hulk's Heroes Sportsballer Kit - 5 Dub - Padding. Helmet. Baseball Bat.
Rasputin Society Warlock's Kit - 5 Dub - Magic Jewelery for offense and defense.
Singularity Force Gauntlet - 3 Dub - Avaible in Melee or Ranged flavor.
3 Dub - 2 Faction Affiliated Weapons - That's right, I buy shit too!
5 Dub - 2 Full Faction Affiliated Kits - You thief, you!

Thieves Tools:
Stability Beacon - 4 Dub - Single Use, prevents the belongings of all dead dwellers in the room from breaking down into base components when looted.
Scroll of Limited Impersonation - 1 Dub for Individual Size, 3 Dub for Party Size - Disguise people as members of the Rasputin Society, Hulk's Heroes, or the Singularity Force.

Specials:
Rasputin Society Runner's Kit - 2 Dub - Magic Boots. Hand Crossbow. Burner Phone. Original owner may have been sold to a bugbear for eternal torment, so expect to be in extra deep shit with the society if they catch you with this stuff.

Note: Do to a marked increase of theft, Joe does not carry most items on his person. Moth Powder and Homemade Hospital are always on hand. Other items can be shipped within 24 hours to any non-faction controlled area within the school or the connected dungeons.

You quickly put together that the listed 'special' must be Gray's belongings, and despite the note suggesting the Joe does not carry his goods on his person you spot items matching the printed description in the nearby pile of loot.





How do you Proceed?

Assets by DALL-E, Playground AI, and Midjourney. Character Sheet. Minimap.

[King Zultan]

Given the last fight it might be a better idea just to buy Grey's stuff back.



And what about buying the warlock kit as well?

[ZBridges]

I'm for just buying Gray's stuff back, but I think that the Rasputin Society would get pissed off if they found out we bought more stolen goods from this guy, so I don't support buying the warlock kit.

[King Zultan]

but I think that the Rasputin Society would get pissed off if they found out we bought more stolen goods from this guy

I'd figured they'd be glad we got their stuff back that's why I suggested it.

[ZBridges]

If we were planning on not using the kit and instead returning it to the Rasputin Society, I would support that.  I assumed you meant to use the kit rather than return it.

[IronyOwl]

Given the last fight it might be a better idea just to buy Grey's stuff back.



And what about buying the warlock kit as well?

+1

And ask him what's up with the factions anyway. Why bother, why do they hate each other, and why do the unaffiliated hate all of them?

but I think that the Rasputin Society would get pissed off if they found out we bought more stolen goods from this guy

I'd figured they'd be glad we got their stuff back that's why I suggested it.

If we were planning on not using the kit and instead returning it to the Rasputin Society, I would support that.  I assumed you meant to use the kit rather than return it.

I feel like they'd disapprove but not severely. We're one of them and doing so to equip one of them, after all.*

*By which I assume we're going to give the jewelry to Gray. If not... well, we're one of them too, right?


If we did want to recover gear for points I feel like going ham on the whole dungeon would be the correct move, though. I don't really want to grind rep going full action movie hero on an entire stoner bug dungeon.

(This is assuming Gray doesn't blow our cover once he realizes this is the bastard who kidnapped and sold him. Having thinking companions is turning out to be a very different experience than having mindless servants.)

[IncompetentFortressMaker]

Given the last fight it might be a better idea just to buy Grey's stuff back.



And what about buying the warlock kit as well?

+1

And ask him what's up with the factions anyway. Why bother, why do they hate each other, and why do the unaffiliated hate all of them?

+1

[Weirdsound]

Given the last fight it might be a better idea just to buy Grey's stuff back.



And what about buying the warlock kit as well?

+1

And ask him what's up with the factions anyway. Why bother, why do they hate each other, and why do the unaffiliated hate all of them?

You produce 7 Dubloons.

I think I'll take some Rasputin Society stuff. Both the warlock kit and your ultra hot runner special.

"A most excellent choice, my dude. The society are turds like the rest of them, but they know their magical gear. I have the special on me right now, in that pile, and I can get the warlock stuff shipped. You're Level Up Club, right? I can, like, send it to your homeroom my man."

Joe snaps his fingers. The Mantis collects the money from you, and heads over to the loot pile where it begins to gather up Gray's belongings.

-7 Dubloons

You decide to make some small talk in the meantime.

So what is with these factions anyway? What's with all the hate towards and between them?

"Honestly, dude, it makes sense that they exist. Us dwellers are popular targets for those who would, like, exploit our 'immortality' to subject us to fates worse than death n' stuff. Grouping up is, like, smart. But the hate, I never got that. I suspect Mr. Levy and the Heartkeepers might be stiring the pot on purpose. To make sure you human folk can't, like, become friends with all the dwellers and just waltz through every dungeon in the school unchallenged. As for why everyone else hates the factions; Well, unless you can hide in a dungeon with a protector like this one, the factions will rob or forcibly recruit you at the first opprotunity they get. Each group figures the others will exploit us first if they don't, so if someone like me sees someone in a faction, we got no choice but assume they mean trouble... Its all kinds of fucked up, dude."

The Mantis returns, having deposited your gold in the pile. It silently hands over Gray's stuff.

+Boots of the Runner
+Magicaim Crossbow
+Outdated Smartphone



How do you proceed?

Assets by DALL-E, Midjourney, and Playground AI. Character Sheet. Minimap.

[IncompetentFortressMaker]

Now we just gotta get outta here. Trouble is, do we know how to do that?
I know we were told how to get in, per Frostseeker. But I'm not sure we were ever told how to get out.

[IronyOwl]

...huh, good point. Guess we gotta just keep exploring.

Ask Chihuahua Joe where he got the bugs from, and if there's a way for us to add a bug minion to our own retinue. If there's not a lot to do with the answer, bid him farewell and head back to the horned lady. Use Theology of Milton on her.

[IncompetentFortressMaker]

Ask Chihuahua Joe where he got the bugs from, and if there's a way for us to add a bug minion to our own retinue. If there's not a lot to do with the answer, bid him farewell and head back to the horned lady. Use Theology of Milton on her.

+1
Also ask for clarification on "protector" if we have the time: is Joe referring to himself, or to something else?

[Weirdsound]

...huh, good point. Guess we gotta just keep exploring.

Ask Chihuahua Joe where he got the bugs from, and if there's a way for us to add a bug minion to our own retinue. If there's not a lot to do with the answer, bid him farewell and head back to the horned lady. Use Theology of Milton on her.

Also ask for clarification on "protector" if we have the time: is Joe referring to himself, or to something else?[/b]

So where does one go about getting pet bugs like that?

"Huh... That is, like, actually a really good question, dude. Dark Lord Hercules usually just gives them out to the Dwellers who live down here, free of charge. I'm not sure if that offer applies to humans, man. You could talk to one of, like, the Lord's emmisaries. You can't miss them. Scary winged undead things with insect parts. Usually pretty chill folk when they are not protecting us from the tyranny of the factions.

You could also check out the community kitchen. I think somebody graffitied the recipe for bug pheromones on the wall there. Could be helpful Just go, like, back the way you came man. It should be the Easternmost entrance from the big central chamber."

Dark Lord Hercules?

"Yeah, dude. He's the protector of this dungeon. Powerful necromancer... probably undead himself. Not sure exactly. He lives on a lower floor of this dungeon and none of us dwellers have ever seen him. Has a thing for working with bugs though. Cool guy. Gives us free pets and is scary enough to keep the factions from trying to take this place over and run us out."

You nod.

Well, it was a pleasure doing business with you.

"Same. Keep it righteous dude, I'll have the rest of your shit sent to your Homeroom."

---

You turn back into the corridor, and head back to the large room with many exits. You give the fiendish looking woman in the distance a good long looking over, before concluding that she is indeed a Succubus. Information about her person and abilities floods into your head.

As you ponder the situation, you are interrupted by Gray.

"So... didja get my stuff back from that asshole?"



How do you proceed?

Assets by DALL-E, Midjourney, and Playground AI. Character Sheet. Minimap.

[IronyOwl]

Oh dear. Probably don't want to mess with the succubus, lest we anger the groom.

...that said, literally none of our party are valid targets. We're immune, none of our minions are properly equipped. We could probably waltz up to her and strike up a conversation without incident.

...at which point she might try to harvest or recruit us for something.


Yes, it cost us 2 Dubloons. Here you go.

We also bought a set of Rasputin warlock jewelry. Is now a good time to discuss loot distribution?

[King Zultan]

Yes, it cost us 2 Dubloons. Here you go.

We also bought a set of Rasputin warlock jewelry. Is now a good time to discuss loot distribution?

+1

[IncompetentFortressMaker]

Yes, it cost us 2 Dubloons. Here you go.

We also bought a set of Rasputin warlock jewelry. Is now a good time to discuss loot distribution?

+1

+1
Hm, so the winged bug-zombie-things are emissaries of the necromancer guy who apparently rules this place? No wonder they hit so hard.