Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror [DONE] — Legacy Forums

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#41

What d_d said! Obviously there are some time issues associated with this type of gaming. In non-critical phases such as this one, I allow you to mix a little with the flow of time. For instance: If you wanted Kiph to do something WHILE the team was speaking, well you could do that. If that would affect the reactions of the Bravo Two team, well I'd have to change my post. No biggie.

In combat, however, I am stricter and we follow a round by round sequence. If someone is lazy and do not post during combat, well, too bad.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#42

This area will be purged in six hours... That did not sound good....

Riv looked at the stanger at the window. Did he know how close he came to losing his head? Only the presense of the soldiers had stayed Riv's trigger finger...

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#43

Kiph was awake but perfectly still. The voices outside confused him at first, but he quickly realized what was happening. He decided to remain motionless, listening to the men outside and to Riv’s muted, rasping breaths. Riv was alive. Good. Anything was better than being alone. I am alive too. Is that good? he questioned himself, but then pushed back at his encroaching dementia, and tried to focus.

Still and focused, he thought. Still and focused. Like a Fatebringer!

Six hours

That didn’t sound good

Suddenly came the soft tap on the car window, and Kiph's nerves tingled.

What to do? What would Ceres do? She would talk all lady-like, and if that didn’t work, she’d probably kill the tapper. Kiph considered his options. He was confident, though not sure, that Riv was awake and coherent now. He had to be. Ceres’ “nannies” had always worked. If awake, Kiph thought quickly, Riv would be ready to shoot or torch anything that moved.

Turning his neck slowly, and tilting his head toward the window, Kiph gave the tapper a dead-eye, empty stare.

“G’Kraun” he croaked then spoke louder, finding his voice, “”We are nomads. Came to Bleak after the big Boom Cloud. Find some supplies....we want” Kiph paused. He wasn’t sure his story was making any sense. It probably wasn’t.

In any case, Kiph figured he had enough of his own tainted blood on him, to have a chance at killing whoever the hell this man was with a surprise lunge, Riv or no Riv.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#44

"Well, Nomad, What's your name?"

Seeing the disembodied head Next to the clearly shell shocked Nomad, Cormac decided to change his approach.

"Tell you what, never mind. You don't look like your with them. Right? Anyways, I'd advise you to get the hell outta Bleakwood. Not a Healthy place to be right now." Even worse in six hours he mused to himself

"Your supplies can wait. Trust me on that."

Listening again to the sounds of the night, and satisfied that the mercs who were after him would not return, Cormac holstered his stolen desert eagle.

Just my luck. He thought I find the only people in all bleakwood who aren't either trying to kill me or turned into zombies, and they've totally lost it.

"Listen. I can help you get out of here if you want. I don't like the idea of moving at night, But it looks like these bastard haven't given us much of a choice." And hopefully, the more we are, the less likely I am of getting skewered by the G'kraun He thought grimly.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#45

Kiiiiiph. Kiiiiph! Do not listen. He is not your enemy, but he is not wise. He is dumb. Man-dumb. Flee and they will catch you. They will corner you.

The voice echoed in his mind, like the words had been shouted out in a canyon.

You know them. Gambit-men. White frocks, needle docs. You knooow them as I knooow them. Enter the bowels, Kiph. Enter the bowels of the Academy. Come rescue me and salvage the equipment of the Warden in the process, and I promise you I will reward you. I will unlock the secrets of your fabulous mind. I will teach you the POWER. I will show you the road to mastery over your fledgling mental abilities!

Beads of sweat formed on Kiph's brow, his cheeks grew red as he listened to the G'Kraun voice in his head. There was fear in it's voice. Fear, not of him, but of something else. The Last Gambit perhaps. Kiph did not know.

No, Kiph. I do not fear the Gambit-men, though they would love to needle-doodle my skin, dissect my brain. Infuse me with pain. No, Kiph, I do not fear that. I fear the otherness. He who turns men and G'Kraun into mindless allies. He who creates the steel pinned drones from my people. I fear the other one, the foreigner, the one from beyond the stars. He is down here, Kiph, and he is hunting me. Come, enter his abyss of horrors and rescue me, Kiph, and I promise you I will reward you greatly. Bring your allies, your pawns, along and they will be rewarded as well. Not in mental superiority, Kiph, for that alone belongs to you. No, their reward will be the spoils of war, and what SPOILS those are, Kiph. Alien technology, spacer technology. Come, Kiph. Come get me before the alien hunter gets me, before the Gambit-men rapes Bleak Wood, the fallen nest of my tribe.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#46

Rive looked at Kiph - he seemed lost in thought or worse.

Man, what happened? The last Riv remembered was firing shots into the mini-gun carrying freak, and then waking up here. He looked into the front seat and saw ceres, and ... what was left ... of Brevil. Shit! Kiph has really lost it...

"K, and just who are you Mister?" said Riv, his hand still on his trusty shotgun.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#47

What was wrong with that nomad?

"Well, lets just say I've managed to stay alive in bleakwood for a while, and I've enough guts to stay alive a while longer."

Lets hope

"Came here as a prisoner, if it matters. Those last gambit bastard were gonna kill me. so I escaped. Good enough for you?"

Well, not exactly an accurate resume, but true. True enough anyway.

"It'll do for the moment. You wanna stay here? Be my guest. I'll be going before things get ugly."

Damn, if only I could get on that mother%$&*#^£ chopper

"Say, you don't know how to pilot a copter, do you?"

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#48

"In fact, he can" Kiph heard himself saying to the man, while pointing at Riv. Kiph himself, had had never operated anything other than a dune buggy, and that huge army truck which served as the companions erstwhile mode of transportation.

Kiph had a new muse now, and the muse was bidding him to go below..below into the bowels of the academy, to unlock his powers, to garner great reward, to--

Riv interrupted Kiph's thoughts with a timely hrrmpph. It was time to act, yet--

"What say you Riv?" Kiph asked the only member of their band left alive. He was having trouble focusing on the here and now, as his brain pulsed with the words of the Thing inside the Academy.

Beads of sweat began to roll down Kiph's pockmarked face. He could not concentrate, nor was he ready to share what he had learned from the Oracle below.

Slowly, aching all over, he opened the door of the car, and emerged, stretching his atrophied muscles.

"I am Kiph. They call me the Badblood. This here is Riv Scarlett. "

come Kiph, he heard just then. Again...come.

"We didnt come back to Bleakwood to run away again. We've fought G'Kraun before, mister, no worse for wear, and we're all still here" as proof, Kiph gestured toward Riv, Ceres, and Brevil's head. "And we'll fight them again, if need be. We have some of our--erm, belongings in there" He now pointed to the academy.

"Help us get 'em. You'll get a share."

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#49

Riv was suprised at Kiph. He couldn't bloodly well drive a car, much less a copter. Damn, he never even saw a copter close up. Maybe if it had reins and a saddle he'd have a chance, but he doubted it.

But Kiph wanted to go back in there? Damn. He figured having to hoof it would not get him out in time, so he was stuck with this crazy fuck.

Well, there really wasn't many better places for Riv. The fire likely put a price on his head so going back that way was not a good idea. Live for the moment, I guess.

Maybe it was landing on his head earlier, but Riv decided to stay with Kiph. He did apparently save his life after all.

"Yeah, sorry bout the gruff greeting, but its been a rather rough day. So, you in?"

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#50

Cormac looked at the young fatebringer from head to toe.

"You're fit to fight, you say?"

"And those in the car are fit to fight too, hu?"

Cormac caught Riv's eyes. before returning to the fatebringer.

"Tell you what. How about I patch you up before we go on. hm? That elbow of yours looks broken."

What the hell have I got into....

"Riv Right? Can you get all the gear you have together while I patch him up?"

Looking through the broken window of the car: "You must have some sort of medpack in there. right?"

Pointing to Ceres's medical bag: "Here we go... that pack there. Can I borrow it?"

"After we take care of that elbow and your stomach, we'll deal with your friends in the car, OK?"

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#51

"Well, this is pretty much all there is here. You patch em up and we're ready to go." Sure, ready..

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#52

first aid on kiph. medicine if suitable, using Ceres's doctor's bag and Brevil's gear.

Cormac attempted to patch Kiph as best he could. Dawn crept slowly while he worked. The white sunlight striking the steel grey sky in the same way as a bare lightbulb filtering through a dusty curtain.

Cleaning up, Cormac turned his attention on the corpses in the car.

"Riv. Do you want to just leave? The G'krauns will probably get them eventually. We could bury them, if you want, or just cremate them where they are. You knew them. You decide. We really don't have much time left. We better get a move on soon. We don't want our only option to be to take refuge underground, and pray to the nine gods that the air scrubbers are still online. The purge will probably be biological. Not something you want to hang around for."

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#53

Riv stopped for a moment and looked thoughtful. He walked over to Kiph and mumbled something. Kiph responded with something like souvenir.

So Riv went back over Ceres and Brevil. Removing her pack, he dropped Brevil's head inside. Next he took out his knife and went to work.
Apparently satisfied with his work, he took out her pack with its grisly contents.

"Yes, cremation is a FINE idea. " Riv then took a scrap of cloth also liberated from Ceres's stuff and poured some alcohol over it. He then opened the fuel port and stuffed in the rag. Throwing the remainder of the fuel into the backseat, he then lit the soaked cloth.

"Step away folks unless you want to join 'em"

Riv walked calmly away, and handed bag and a small object to Kiph.

It was a small horn...

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#54

Kiph smiled deliriously, and nodded in thanks as he took the sack and gory horn from Riv, then quickly backed away, to watch the man do his thing. "Burn, baby, burn" he croaked.

Kiph waited for the inevitable "Boom", then watched morosely as the car burned, thick, black, smoke spiraling upwards into the sky.

Turning to Cormac he studied the man intently, as was his wont, to determine certain things...certain things, that meant something only to Kiph.

"Six hours, eh?" he finally spoke. "Now closer to five. Are you with us? If we move fast, we can--" suddenly Kiph was lost in thought again, his new muse was calling to him.

After a few more moments of silence, he said to Cormac, "Where is this "copter" you mentioned?" whatever the @!#$ a copter is, he wanted to add but didnt.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#55

Cormac attempted to help hapless nomad, but the wound was too grave for his meagre skills. Sure, it was clean and sure it looked better, but Cormac knew it would scar badly and his arm would hurt for the remainder of his days. For now the nomad would not be able to use his arm properly for a couple of months.

The conversation carried on into the garage and the elevator. Sterile blue light shone inside the large freight elevator, whose irregular hickups caused minute stops and blackouts on the descent into the bowels of the Academy.

There were three public levels and a couple of password and iris scan protected levels: "Garage Level", "Personell" & "Finance". The two lowest levels were just named "X1" and "X2".

The elevator seemed to move slowly, or the descent was rather long, for the elevator stopped at least a dozen times before they approached the Garage level.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#56

The doors slid open to a merry plinging sound, which stood in stark contrast to the what they then saw. A corridor laid on the other side, white doors on each side of the corridor and a large, windowed double door at the end of the hallway, some twenty meters away. The once sterile white walls had been splattered with blood, decaying Sentinel* corpses littering the floor. They had been badly lascerated and mutilated, and had been gnawed upon, particularly their faces.

There were doors on each side, totalling six, plus the elevator and the double doors on the opposite side. The doors had all been marked; the first four with bed signs, the next two had different signs; one shower sign and one red cross. The last double door had a fork and knife on it.

The lights were still flashing on and off, having just been turned on as the elevator opened. Then soft piano music flowed forth from loudspeakers, shortly thereafter followed by a pleasant female voice.

"Welcome to Bleak Wood Academy, personell floor. You are our first visitors in... 28 days, 10 hours and 12 minutes. New personell please report to quartermaster Bentley, and remember to keep your weapons locker locked at all times. Thank you."

*Sentinels were the city guard of Bleak Wood before it fell

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#57

Having taken advantage of the lull to reload his shotgun, Riv looked sadly at his diminished supply of ammo. He did liberate a remaining mining charge from Ceres

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#58

Weapons lockers hu...

"I don't think its meant to get this. From previous experience, it just makes the area rather unpleasant. Plague like. Dead mofos don't really bother the last gambit. They mostly go for live ones"

"So, gentlemen, should we try and find those weapons locker that pretty girl was talking about?"

"Try and stay sharp and lively too. Lets presume these corpses didn't eat their own faces."

gun out, glasses on. shooting anything that moves and isn't moaning in pain. In the head

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#59

Stepping over the corpses, the eager ex-mercenary led Riv and Kiph into the corridor. Several of the dead men had access cards fastened to their belts, the smiling faces on the IDs quite unlike their post mortem shocked, open mouthed selves. While the access cards were not enough for the lower levels, they surely had to work somewhere.

The first four doors led into barracks of sorts, with row upon row of bunks and lockers. While all four rooms were identical, one stood out, for like in the others the aisle led to a far wall where three computer terminals stood. But here they were splattered in blood, a hapless tech having been dismembered in front of them. His glasses were crushed, his mouth locked in a permanent scream, the lips having been nibbled upon after death.

In the shower two naked men had been lascerated badly, one having lost half his penis which had slid to the grating in the drain. Other than that, and a large bottle of shower gel, there was nothing interesting in the shower room.

The sixth room was a small medibay. Surely this couldn't be what Brevil had spoken about. More likely it was a local health station where first aid could be conducted. However, upon entering they found a fully operational automated doctoring terminal, complete with a surgery table and the works. If Cormac had equipment, he could have performed implants here. For sure he could do major reconstructive surgery and the works with this baby. It even had power.

Inside the machine someone had put an elderly man, or what must have once been a man. The automated doctoring machine had been used on him and as a result his legs and arms had atrophied, his mouth had been sewn shut, removing the lips, and the eyelids had been surgically cut off.

*******************

Kiph, I want you to meet Doctor William Barbosa, a late colleague of your former friend Doctor Brevil Cornell. Dr. Barbosa did perform an exhaustive number of experiments on me and... as you can see, I always return favours

*******************

Beside the automated doctoring machine, there was a medicine locker in the first aid station.

The cantina was huge, riddled with spartan benches and tables. In the back of the room, doors led to a kitchen almost as big as the cantina itself. Behind ovens and refrigerators of brushed steel they found a freigh elevator almost hidden in a corner of the room.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#60

After checking over the non-naked corpses, he looked at the dead old man. Riv thought for a moment "Think we can fix up Kiphs elbow with this gear? We do have Cere's old doctor's bag."

He paused, "so where we wanna go? I think we need to see if we can find some food here apart from corpse-jerky. I know I don't have much left."

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#61

The cantina holds enough food to fill the army truck twice over. The still edible food comes in four variants: Refridgerated food, canned food, salted meat and high energy nutrition bars. The cantina also holds vast amounts of licquor, beer and bottled water

The automated doctoring machine can fix any wound without additional equipement beyond power (not yet anyway. When it runs empty you will need some stuff, but that is not your worry at this time).
What you need extra equipment for is implanting. To perform an implant you need the actual implant itself. The automated doctoring machine will perform the surgery, provided there is a medically and computer oriented person nearby (such as Cormac).

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#62

"Ok, there Badblood. Everybody looks dead here so while your friend Riv goes and gets us all some food, why dont we get you patched up properly, uh?" Saying that, cormac unsheathed his knife, planted it square in the chest of the old man on the operating table, and gave a strong tug, the decaying body fell on the floor in a wet thlunk, the disturbed flesh rising to the occasion with a copious odour of putrefaction.

"If I know my stuff we'll need to get us some eyes and fingers to go deeper. I'll set the terminal. Just lie down there. I'll leave you to it while I get what we need." saying that, Cormac performed the required operations on the machine, and left the room, hunting for a corpse with usable eyes, usable prints, and an ID.

Finding a likely looking body, Cormac cut the hand off, and carefully took out the eyes. It was grisly work, and had anybody watched him, the catchy sing song coming from Cormac's lips combined with his mundane expression would have made the entire scene even more disturbing.

Just whistle while you work
And cheerfully together we can tidy up the place
So hum a merry tune
Hum dum dum dum dum dum dum
It won't take long when there's a song to help you set the pace
Du du du du du du Dum

Having made sure that print, eyes and ID were intact, and his job finished, Cormac returned to see how kiph was doing.

Putting the liberated laptop that he had picked up en route on the small desk besides the medical station, Cormac cheerfully announced: "Now, let's see what's on those discs, shall we..."

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#63

Kiph allowed Cormac to patch him up, then stared, as the man, whistling and humming, examined the medical station and the disks he now was holding up in front of his face.

For some reason, Cormac didnt irrtate Kiph, and though they had just met, he somehow trusted the newcomer.

Sliding off the table, Kiph made his way over to William Barbosa. So this was one of the bastards, the fatebringer thought. The experimenter. After eyeing the corpse a few more seconds, Kiph kicked the man's mutiliated face as hard as he could, then made his way over to the cantina, and carefully examined the nearly hidden freight elevator. He tried in vain, to pull the doors open, then gave up.

Careful not to shout, he got Cormac's attention, while Riv was still stuffing his pack with food items, and asked, "Where does that go?"

checking freight elevator, and question: Can I converese with "x" (new skill)? I think you mentioned not yet, but I wanted to be sure.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#64

"Shit folks, we got a fortune in stuff if we could get outta here alive. This ain't what you came for though, right Kiph?"

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#65

I am drunk right now (office party), but I am gonna sate your curiosity before I post.
The blu-ray discs contain:
Disc 1: Software development tools
Disc 2: Operating Systems
Disc 3: Server Software
Disc 4: Critical Service Packs and Updates
Disc 5: Applications (Office and management programs)
Disc 6: Network & Security disc (hacking software suite)
Disc 7: Ancient pre-war samurai movies
Disc 8: Ancient pre-war ridiculous science fiction movies, including men in silly costumes
Disc 9 & 10: Security footage

Freight elevator: After a bit of kicking and pulling, Kiph discovers that the hinges are broken. Using a knife he is able to jerk it open, revealing a shaft leading way up (can see the sky) and down (can't see the bottom).

New skill (converse with x): It is developing. Play it out as you wish. I am open for your interpretation of the role.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#66

Kiiiph. Can you seeee meee Kiiiph? I am down here. I am looking up at you right nooow, the voice in his head spoke, its mental voice deep and quivering.

I shall lead my children to you, Kiiiph. Ask you allies to stay their guns and be not afraid. We need to get out of here, Kiiiph. We need to reach safety. The hunter is one floor below you, Kiiiph, and he is hungry for our blood.

Out of the shadows of the shaft, where an elevator had once been, but was no more, Kiph spotted graceful shadows make their way up the shaft.

One, two, three... twenty-three, aannd... DAMN, that one is HUGE!

The remaining G'Kraun were approaching fast. Somehow these normally clumsy climbers worked together, resulting in a graceful ascent. The genetically engineered horrors were not all as Kiph remembered them. Some had real hands with sharp needles protruding from below the wrist, others had four arms and two legs. There were a few normal warriors of the kind he remembered, but they were worst off, the climbing seeming horribly difficult. Finally it was he, the one in his head. He was seven to eight feet tall, of that he was sure, and he moved with a grace unlike any other. When one of his lesser brethren fell, he scooped out a hand and balanced him. He was a leader, a guardian, a mentor and a shepherd. He was the last remaining hope of this G'Kraun infestation and he was coming to them.

*******************

Riv and Cormac basked in the glory of their discovery when Kiph forced open the freight elevator door. "There are no cables... No ceiling... No elevator...", they heard Kiph mumble to himself. Then, after a minute of silence, they heard scratching sounds from somewhere inside the door. Kiph was leaning forward, looking down the shaft.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#67

"Sounds like company," said Riv, bringing forth his shotgun yet again.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#68

Kiph stared at the oncoming G'Kraun and their leader, his eyes wide as saucers. Backing away slowly, his thoughts racing through his head, he reached out to the shepherd of the flock.

"I am here. Bring your children forth."

He turned back quickly toward Riv and Cormac.

"They are coming! They come, but stay your weapons. You must believe me, they mean us no harm. They are victims. The seek naught but escape! The true danger lies below."

"Riv", he went on, turning to and focusing on the trigger-happy pyromaniac. "DO NOT shoot! If you do, we we all die." Kiph glanced again at the approaching horde, his inner fear making every hair on his body stand on end.

"The true peril, The HUNTER, is one floor below! The G'Kraun are our friends" Kiph mumbled..."Our friends" he tailed off trying to convince himself, even as he prepared to die.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#69

The scratching and clawing sounds from inside the shaft of the freight elevator came closer and closer, yet each second seemed like an eternity. The trio had clustered up in a corner of the cantina, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the genetically engineered horrors. Suddenly there was an explosion, quickly followed by horrid screams and metallic screeching. A gust of wind gushed from the elevator entrance, bearing the iron smell of blood and death.

Kiiiph! Stay your guns! For the sake of Amarokh, stay your guns! Help uuus! Heeelp uuuus, Kiiiph!, the deep voice was a baritone quiver in Kiph's head. This close there was psionic feedback and Kiph heard the voice echo itself four times, accompanied by a loud screeching noise.

The first two G'Kraun toppled over the edge, crashing awkwardly onto the floor, a pool of blood quickly forming around them. One of them was shaking intensly and the trio could see that metallic pins had been entrenched in its grey flesh, creating gaping wounds where they had entered. The other one looked less gone, but had nonetheless shrapnel wounds all over.

A couple of more seconds passed and it was during these seconds an eerie song started down below; it was like the singing of whales - so infinitely sad and forlorn. Then the main host of G'Kraun arrived, pouring over their unfortunate brethren like the host of valhalla, ripping and tearing their fallen asunder. Their brutal elimination of fallen comrades shocked Riv and Cormac to the core, for there was no mercy, there was no quarter - The two warriors were simply sliced apart.

A G'Kraun, smaller than the others, turned to Riv. "Huuuumaaaaaan", it hissed, its retracted gums clearly visible. "Huuuumaaaaan, we neeed you to cover our back. Shooot through the wiiiindooows of the cantiiina doooor". Having finished speaking, the G'Kraun joined its brethren in facing the elevator entrance.

Last came a juggernaut of a G'Kraun. It was seven to eight feet tall, standing more erect than its minions. Just like its companions, it's skin was grey and parched. It's head and shoulders were drenched in blood. Furthermore blood vessels were readily visible on the humanoid figure, which crouched as it advanced. Its face was a blasphemic mockery of humanity, the skin around the mouth horribly retracted, displaying sharpened teeth and pale white gums. There was a sense of urgency in its actions and it bolted past its herd, approaching Kiph with tremendous speed, stopping scant inches from Kiph's face.

"Weee are in trouubleee", it hissed, "and so are youuuu". It paused, then looked around the cantina, then at Cormac, Riv and finally Kiph.

"If any of us fall, either human or G'Kraun, if we fall you must kill us. If not, well, the fallen will kill you."

Rising to it's full length it held it's arms out in a crucifix pose.

"Come, hunter, we are ready"

As if in reply the main elevator* started moving.

*The one the PCs arrived in

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#70

What in HELL could scare demons themselves, thought Riv, for he could not mistake the terror in the Things.

Quickly drawing the subgun that Cancer and then Ceres had carried, Riv began hosing the windows with automatic fire. He was not skilled with this weapon, but he could hit a door with it.

Hopefully the demons would leave space in the elevator..

If not, there was always that last mining charge...

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#71

Having prepared his gun to shoot whatever was coming out of the service elevator, Cormac now stood in the middle of the cantina with it hanging by his side, his chapped lips forming a round O, his left hand lifting his glasses off for the first time and revealing striking topaz eyes.

"What the fuck is going on?" ... "G'krauns... What the hell."

placing his glasses back on, he turned towards the biggest G'kraun in the room and surprised himself by saying. "Now what on earth is going on here."

anything coming closer than ten feet (human, g'kraun, whatever) with even a hint of violence directed at me. I shoot. A nice .50AE round right between the eyes.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#72

Cormac watched Riv fire some rounds at the glass panes in the door. Aiming with the green targetting laser made them easy to hit and almost all of the bullets went home.

Theeey aree afraaaaiiid of uuus Kiiiph, your friends I mean. I can smell their fear, feel their thoughts. Can you, Kiiiph? Caan youuu feeel their doubt?, Kiph didn't have to be a mind reader to notice the obvious discomfort in their eyes, the nervous twitching of their fingers.

The giant G'Kraun didn't even turn to face Cormac, it simply replied without taking its eyes off the freight elevator shaft.

"The hunter has hunted me for daaays. Had it not beeen for Ralk-haaaaraaa, we would have been dead by now. Fortunately he saved us and has helped us since, have you not Ralk-haaaaraaa?"

Another G'Kraun, a small one standing at the right of the Prophet, replied; "Yeeees maaaasteeer, I have done my beeeest". Its eyes locked briefly with Kiph's, and Kiph saw a glimmer of recognition there.

The Prophet continued; "For now we are allieeees. Frieeends. I watch your back, you watch miiiine".

*******************

The elevator stopped moving.

"It haas arriveeed on the hunter's leevel", a strange looking G'Kraun noted. It's arms were longer than those of the rest and instead of organic blades it had long needles protruding from its wrist.

From inside the freight elevator shaft they heard the sounds of an engine, or the rotors of a chopper. Then even more.

"The choppers are arriving early", Cormac stated.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#73

"Okay, then, what are we in for then? I'm not sure it could get much worse here?"

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#74

At the moment there are only your allies and you on this level. The hostiles are, along with the elevator, a floor below you. The reason for this pause was that I wanted to give you the time to escape or hide, should you choose to do so. I will post tonight and if no one posts before that, well, I will assume that you make stand in the cantina

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#75

"Well, Ladies, Don't know about you, but it looks like we're in for an ass kicking. So just to make sure it ain't my ass that gets kicked, how about we mine the lift shaft, hum?"

"I saw a mining charge and a grenade in your pack. Gimme some wire and i'll booby trap the main lift exit for you. While i do that, fix up the mining charge in the service lift shaft, so that when we say so, it goes boooom."

"that shouldn't take too long. if while we do that you..." thinking for a minute cormac turned to the G'kraun shaman and in a show of false bravura spoke exuberantly:" What the hell am I supposed to call you anyway?"

"Nevermind. Can some of you sort out some Molotov cocktails? You do know what these are, right?"

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#76

"Sounds good. On it."

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#77

Kiph stared at Ralkhara. He did not fear anything anymore. He could not take his eyes off the erstwhile fellow Fatebringer.

Finally tearing himself away, he looked around for a weapon more suitable for the coming onslaught than his dart gun or machete. Looking at Riv and Cormac in turn, he said,

"Give me something to kill them with. When they come..." he trailed off, as Ralkhara's haunted eyes caught his again.

He approached the fatebringer, or what was left of him. "Ralkhara, it is I, Kiph. Do you remember?"

He waited ofr an anwer he wasnt sure would come, and eyed the Great G'Kraun momentarily. Ralkhara was the bieng's slave now, Kiph realized, and these are now our allies.

A bad feeling crept over Kiph. He was convinced no matter what came up from the shaft, and no matter how the bloodfest would go, one thing was now clear. No one here was getting out alive.

"Cormac", he added without turning from Ralkhara's empty stare. "What if I go "up" and comandeer one of those choppers? You know, for when we're ready to get the hell out of Bleakwood." he smiled wanly.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#78

"Hey, Badblood! You know what. That's not a bad idea! Problem is, I suspect we wont be able to get to the choppers on time."

"Well, it more like we won't be able to kill all the bastards around the choppers without taking some time, so the choppers will have buggered off by the time we're finished."

"We could try our luck, but to be honest, I don't think you stand a chance on your own. No offense, Badlood, but they got some heavy stuff up there. Not nice. Maybe if Riv and I came with you. Maybe."

Turning to the G'kraun leader and looking thoughtful, he added in a more quiet tone: "And I'm not sure if that's possible right now. You tell me."

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#79

Cormac went to work booby trapping the main lift while Riv fixed the lift shaft. The burning man hippy worked feverishly planting explosives in the shaft. There was a glimmer of light way down in the darkness, almost like a couple of cold, white eyes eyeing him with sadistic amusement.

Am I going mad?, the murderer thought and when he next looked down the eyes were gone.

Cormac had nearly stumbled on one of the corpses, a girl by the look of her. Squatting near the elevator door he rigged the exit. Anyone coming through would surely suffer.

(OOC: Rolls made - No one blew themselves up. Success/failure will be indicated upon triggering)

Meanwhile, inside the cantina, Kiph looked at his former comrade in arms.

"Ralkhara, it is I, Kiph. Do you remember?", he said, then he paused and started with Cormac, who struggled at the end of the corridor.

Ralkhara, the G'Kraun, extended his arm and dropped something into the left palm of the FateBringer.

A sketch...

A map?

As Cormac and Riv returned the G'Kraun Seer spoke in all of their minds.

Calm, my children, be calm. For even though the HUNTER is upon us, we stand strong. I sense the ones above, and I sense their need. They face a hunter too, and they have goods they are dying to secure

At that moment the mail lift started moving.

We stand strong and we shall resist this wave. We shall TEAR OUR ENEMIES TO PIECES, and then we shall escape as brother Ralkhara has planned

Kiph's eyes fell to the sketch. It seems the sketch was of this level, but something wasn't right. There were a stairwell on the sketch, and if it was correct... The stairwell was hidden behind the wall to their left.

As Kiph eyed the wall, the elevator doors slid open with a merry plinging sound, accompanied by the welcome message they heard as they arrived the first time. Piano music waved over the room, but inside the elevator there was nothing, except a mound of corpses.

Re: Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror

#80

(OOC: Is the main lift trap remotely controlled or is it automatically triggered? If it is booby trapped I need to know what triggers it)