Good! I'll have a cold Heineken waiting for ya back at The Box! Over and out!
The helicopter buzzes away southeastward, toward a bank of gray clouds. It appears to be raining inland.
That's what I was hoping to hear! Yep! Let's haul some ass, boys 'n girls, I'm thirsty!
Cpt Kermit pushes the gas and The Chuul's Folly begins to skip over the waves at a livelier clip.
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At about 3:45 PM, Pandora's Box comes into view through the maze of Cyprus and mangroves--Team Lido, a.k.a. The Fierce Ones, have returned home from their second foray to Lido Key, this time laden with a more impressive cargo, including three more human survivors.
They are welcomed home by friends, colleagues, and mentors, and after washing up and resting for a couple hours, they meet again in the mess hall for dinner. They are joined at their table by Cpt Kermit and Hooty the helicopter pilot, who has just returned to Pandora's Box after an absence of four months, bearing much needed supplies, and even some much appreciated luxuries, such as the Heinekens he and Kermit are enjoying.
Each member of Team Lido is again commended for their brave service after a full report is rendered to Professor Dirge and Sgt Gore Illa, and rewarded with an additional 2,000 gp worth of new gear (or upgrades to existing gear).
Go ahead and post the fluff detailing your purchases and upgrades as usual.
Mephos has been quietly watching the festivities and such. performing some minor tricks for the newly freed slaves.
Koran and Dr. Hoffmann spends several hours modifying his hammer to be more lethal and more wieldy.
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Jewels approaches the table in the mess hall where Team Lido is dining, an obviously forced smile on her face. She glowers at Amber Lynn, who is sitting next to Derrik, gawking in undisguised horror at the tall teenaged orcess.
Hi Derrik! Who's your pretty friend? Jewels bares her tusks in a not-very-friendly grin at the young redhead.
One of the engineers at PB gives Mephos a special pair of bracers that create an invisible shield around him to prevent him fro being hit.
Kinyama leaves dinner early to go work on his revolver.
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Derrik looks up to Jewels, for once glad that his helmet hides the bead of sweat that come from his brow, as he can tell why she is reacting as such. He lets out a sigh .. as eventually this could spur into an issue and he did not want to be the reason for such, with a calm and confident tone he speaks;
" Greetings Jewels, it warms my heart that you make it back alive and I am able to see you once again. But by your expression you seem to have an issue with Amber Lynn. She is one of the reformed slaves recently liberated from the Drider known as The Thing Under the Balcony. She was distraught and frightened, especially after seeing one of her fellow slaves executed in a gruesome manner. I provided her with safety and she has taken to me somewhat. This place will be better for her than the island until we have cleared it of the abominations that plague it. Do not worry, you have nothing to fear as you are strong and beautiful.. though I still say you try too hard. And No she has not seen nor touched any portion of my skin.... Would you like to sit and dine with me as well.. Jewels? "
Derrik then sticking a straw into the slit of his helmet and audibly drinking from some form of smoothie.
" Do remember.. I have given you information and access to visit me at any time ... that trust is not given lightly "
Derrik looks up to Jewels, for once glad that his helmet hides the bead of sweat that come from his brow, as he can tell why she is reacting as such. He lets out a sigh .. as eventually this could spur into an issue and he did not want to be the reason for such, with a calm and confident tone he speaks;
" Greetings Jewels, it warms my heart that you make it back alive and I am able to see you once again. But by your expression you seem to have an issue with Amber Lynn. She is one of the reformed slaves recently liberated from the Drider known as The Thing Under the Balcony. She was distraught and frightened, especially after seeing one of her fellow slaves executed in a gruesome manner. I provided her with safety and she has taken to me somewhat. This place will be better for her than the island until we have cleared it of the abominations that plague it. Do not worry, you have nothing to fear as you are strong and beautiful.. though I still say you try too hard. And No she has not seen nor touched any portion of my skin.... Would you like to sit and dine with me as well.. Jewels? "
Derrik then sticking a straw into the slit of his helmet and audibly drinking from some form of smoothie.
" Do remember.. I have given you information and access to visit me at any time ... that trust is not given lightly "
Let's have a Diplomacy check with that, please....
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[dice=Diplomacy(?)]1d20 + 6
No thanks, Derrik-Sweety, I don't have much of an appetite all of a sudden.... I'm just gonna, like, go and see what's going on at the gym. So nice to see you are taking such good care of this poor little cannibal-girl.... Better watch out, she might get hungry and take a bite! Haha! J-K! Gotta go, bye!
Jewels stomps away, bristling with barely-concealed rage....
Rad spends much of the first day back showing his new charges around the complex. He tries to be as friendly as he can, reassuring young Sun Mi and Aaron that they are in the best place for them.
"Listen you two. This complex contains everything you would ever need in a lifetime. While it's population may be small, you should realize that it is very likely this is the strongest bastion of humanity left in this world."
He pauses for a moment, looking the two over. They likely don't even understand the concept of humanity.
"Can either of you read?"
"Y-yes. My parents taught me both Chinese and Engrish. I can read and write both."
Aaron shrugs.
"Yea, just english though. I dont speak no slanty-eye or nuffin.'"
He digs his finger in his nose for a second, then flicks something small and green into the air.
"Why?"
Rad sighs.
"Chinese, Aaron. We do not refer to anything related to the Chinese as Slanty-eye. If it wasn't for the Chinese, our world likely would not have many of the amenities it enjoyed before the great doom befell it. We also do not flick boogers."
He leads the two to the library and picks out a numbers of books. The Giver, Fahrenheit 451, The Diary of Ann Frank, Schindler's List and The Lord of the Flies.
"These books all contain a very clear parallel to todays world and the society you have left. When you have finished them all, I want you to come find me and explain to me why those books are still relevant today."
He looks at the two akwardly, then mumbles something under his breath and excuses himself from the library.
As Radsworth leaves the library, Aaron calls out.
"Is it because they contain a very clear parallel to todays world and the society we just left behind?!"
Sun Mi punches Aaron on the arm.
"Cut him some slack. We owe him pretty big."
She sighs, then finds a place and cracks open The Giver, curious as to what she will find inside.
Radsworth makes his way throughout the complex back to his own room. He closes the door and begins his work.
First, he examines an old decaying sheaf of paper in front him. Purchased this from the library this afternoon, he invokes magic that allows him to read it's eldritch words without error.
..Blindness, see not the evil that consumes you...
..Deafness, hear not the laughter as they shred you...
He copies the spell into his own tome, adding this magic to his own.
He then begins to study the second spell he purchased.
..Magic, pauper to prince. Mundane to magic..
And finally the third..
..Healing, not of the gods! Of demonic boon! Vile life!..
Lastly, he unwraps a small oilcloth contains a golf ball sized pearl. It is perfectly smooth, iridescent and beautiful. He sets this next to his only other purchase. Another small vial of liquid that, as far as he knew, contained the ability to close wounds at a remarkable speed.
Pearl of Power; 1000
Blind/Deaf, 2nd; 190
M. Weapon, 1st; 50
Inf. Healing, 1st; 50
Potion, CLW; 50
Leftover; 660
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Derrik sighs, Jewels was clearly upset, much more than he thought she would. With such a powerful body he had hoped she would carry much more confidence; perhaps it is all a mask for something softer. He places the smoothie down and turns to Amber
" I must go and fix this, there should not be animosity in this place .... Amber, I want you to explore Pandora, it has many things.. books, food, amenities closer to what life once was before this. If all goes well I will join you.. for now, however ... Jewels needs to be calmed. One of her strength can do much.. and I rather there not be bad blood. "
He clanks slightly as he stands.. looking at everyone dining..before nodding and walking to the.. Gym. When he arrives there he scans to see if she is there.. and need be ask where she would have been seen by other.. inhabitants.
The rumble of thunder outside heralds the arrival of an evening storm. Rain rattles on the rooftops of Pandora's Box and swells the waters of the Everglades. It rains on and off all night and into Sunday morning. By Sunday afternoon, the storm has passed, leaving the air pleasantly balmy.
Team Lido is off duty for the next few days, so they train, study, consult with colleagues and mentors regarding their future forays to Lido Key, or just relax. Derrik, Amber Lynn, Sun Mi, and Aaron Crux become more familiar with Pandora's Box and its personnel.
On the morning of Monday, April 1st, "April Fools Day", the team is assembled at the marina once more, and Cpt Kermit is there aboard The Chuul's Folly waiting to take them back to Lido Key to continue their exploration and salvage mission.
He clanks slightly as he stands.. looking at everyone dining..before nodding and walking to the.. Gym. When he arrives there he scans to see if she is there.. and need be ask where she would have been seen by other.. inhabitants.
Oh, boy! No offense, Amber, but if there's a cat-fight, I'm putting all my money on Jewels! Heheh! Yep!
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He clanks slightly as he stands.. looking at everyone dining..before nodding and walking to the.. Gym. When he arrives there he scans to see if she is there.. and need be ask where she would have been seen by other.. inhabitants.
Jewels is not hard to find.... As Derrik approaches the gym, he sees other personnel hurrying out of the gym with frightened looks on their faces, and can hear the sounds of Jewels sobbing loudly and hacking a wooden training dummy to pieces with her claymore.
When he enters, she immediately changes her heartbroken wails to sound like ferocious battle-snarls, and pretends not to notice Derrik standing there.
Captain Kermit pilots The Chuul's Folly out of the Big Cyprus Swamp and out onto coastal waters, passing by the southernmost keys on the way to Lido Key. During the voyage, Cpt Kermit informs Team Lido of some interesting news he heard from Hooty the helicopter pilot....
Listen to this crazy shit that Hooty told me! He just came from a Hopi reservation that's still fighting the good fight out in Arizona.... Apparently, the Hopi braves have been fighting guerrilla warfare against Cthulhu cultists digging up their ancient burial mounds and poking around in their canyon tombs.... They say the cultists are looking for something, some kind of old relic that's supposed to have power to harm Cthulhu and its minions.... Instead of "cowboys and Indians", it's "cultists and Indians"! Heheh! Yep!
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Derrik knows all too well that he had caused this with his actions.. or rather inaction. This being one of the reasons he wore his helmet. As she seems to ignore him, though knowing better of her reactions, he steps up slowly until he is well within her striking distance from her right side so that he can gaze upon her and that she has him in her peripherals.
" Jewels, I know you know I'm here ... and We both know.. I have hurt you. I do not excuse the fact that my actions have done so ... And I apologize. However, I have come here to do so in person with you BECAUSE you are.. important. If you have.. issues. Let it only be with me.. and no one else ... what I said of you is not false, and your well-being is also important.. to me"
Derrik then walks ready to catch the blade of her claymore in his hand as she is about to swing back for another chop
" Know what I say is sincere... "
Derrik during a time late in the night works upon his Armor, Fashioning sturdier pieces to his current armor until the gaps are replaced with leather padding and durable alloys it having an ebony finish and giving his helmet a more intimidating appeal as it covers every weak-point upon his body. ( Masterwork Fullplate )
Derrik then walks ready to catch the blade of her claymore in his hand as she is about to swing back for another chop
" Know what I say is sincere... "
Make another Diplomacy check with a +2 circumstance bonus (she really wants to believe what he's saying).
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[dice=Diplomacy]1d20 + 8
Jewels drops her claymore and embraces Derrik, burying her face in his neck and sighing....
I'm sorry, Derrik.... I'm acting like a big baby.... Do you.... Do you like that girl, Derrik? More than you like me? Is it because she's a normal person, like you, and I'm a big, green freak?
Jewels looks at Derrik with her saddest, softest "doe eyes".
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Derrik once again pauses at the sudden embrace though this one much, MUCH stronger in pressure. He attempts to do so back though weaker in comparison. He tries to make it comfortable though that proves an issue with lack of moving room and settles upon letting her position him how she wants.
" Jewels, I can tell you without a doubt that I do not find her more attractive than you the least, Nor are you a big green freak.. Well not in the bad way I suppose. You have features and qualities that make you different just like anyone else. If anything you could be pictured next to She-Hulk and before the calamity that was an extremely attractive lady. I now know however that even with all your strength, you are still a woman with emotions just as soft and with needs for those emotions. You shouldn't feel like you need to parade yourself to feel attractive.. wear certain clothes, use certain products.. act certain ways. Being yourself is attractive enough. You didn't have to lay on the kine thick for me to see you for you"
Derrik speaks softly into her ear with a soothing, strong tone as he speaks these words
" I don't want to see her hurt like any innocent ... but she is clearly attracted to me.. and I do not think she is alone in that respect.. hrmm? "
" I don't want to see her hurt like any innocent ... but she is clearly attracted to me.. and I do not think she is alone in that respect.. hrmm? "
Mmmm, nope.... She looks into Derrik's eyes and smiles sweetly.
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Mmmm, nope.... She looks into Derrik's eyes and smiles sweetly.
" I don't want to see her hurt like any innocent ... but she is clearly attracted to me.. and I do not think she is alone in that respect.. hrmm? "
Derrik gives a wink with his right eye but they both soon become ... solemn
" Even so ... not much can happen until I have proven myself able to remove this helmet... and I have not yet done so. I once again say as I have to her.. though you shall know truly. I want to have intimacy .. but this world is cruel and I rather no misfortune fall upon you. The shame I have to carry with me still lingers."
"Hopi Indians?"
Rads concentration has been somewhat scattered, worrying about both Sun Mi and Aaron. They would be fine without him, however he worried that they would not stay vigilant with their lessons if he were not around.
Of the two, he felt a deeper connection to Sun. It was perfectly logical that the younger Sun Mi might adopt him as a father figure whereas the older Aaron, closer to adulthood when disaster struck, might see himself as an independent man. Which he was, Rad reminded himself. Still, Rad hoped that he could be a positive influence on the youth.
"What was that about Indians??
Rad considers Kermits information. What on earth could the Hopi possess that would be of any real interest to demonic cultists?
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" Even so ... not much can happen until I have proven myself able to remove this helmet... and I have not yet done so. I once again say as I have to her.. though you shall know truly. I want to have intimacy .. but this world is cruel and I rather no misfortune fall upon you. The shame I have to carry with me still lingers."
Oh, Derrik.... Why wait? Either of us could, like, totally get eaten by monsters on our next missions.... I don't know how much longer I can be patient, Derrik.... Something about you.... I just wanna tear that armor off you and totally rape you!
Cut scene to retain PG-13 rating....
Rad considers Kermits information. What on earth could the Hopi possess that would be of any real interest to demonic cultists?
[dice=Knowledge History]1d20 +11
Perhaps shamanic totems or fetishes of arcane or divine power, such as the medicine bags worn by Hopi medicine men, or perhaps a sacred spear or bow....
But Rad's intuition tells him that it could be something else....
Perhaps what the cultists seem has nothing to do with the Hopi, but it happens to be in their territory, or at least the cultists believe it to be....
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Derrik sighs.. and thinks long and hard about what Jewels says.. On one end she was right in this world there was a high possibility of never coming back from a mission and thus living life to the fullest. But on the other hand after experiencing such if he were to lose another he might not be able to handle it and vice-versa; He would also be giving up his code..that which has kept him going for this long. He was conflicted, to be significant yet afraid for it to become so. When she mentions her.. strong urge he slightly chuckles; she would be rewarded with something indeed if such were to happen.
He decides to ask something once more before,
" Do you think of me only in that way, lustfully?... Will you be able to handle me dying horribley and never able to return to you, if you see me not just physically? Answer me these - Whoa!"
Unable to get more out as Jewels pounces.
During the trip Derrik seem distant and quiet, much more so than usual shifting in his fullbody alloy suit that makes him seem like something out of perhaps Deadspace or Halo with a lower tech roof. He however humms slightly, whether out of sorrow or happiness it is unknown. Stopping suddenly to speak,
" This next area, what else do we know of it Kermit? I'd like that much as we have much to do to fix this world.. and the spider-beast known as The Thing under the Balcony eluded to those relics being real.. and he was not lying "
Well, Derrik, I really know as little about it as any of us--that's one of the main objectives for this mission--to find out what we can about the area as much as to loot any valuables we can find.... I can tell you that the area you want to go to next, St Armand's Circle, was a high-end tourist trap before the fall.... Lots of expensive shops, restaurants, and bars....
Lido Key comes into view as The Chuul's Folly coasts around the north end of Siesta Key....
And here we are, folks! Yep! Another day, another can of beans.... I'll take us up to the old public beach.... What are the odds that there are more than one of those chuul things living in the area, right? I mean, how many predators of that size could an island like this sustain?
God, those sound like famous last words, Kermy.... says Kate as she scans the water around the pontoon nervously....
You guys wanna drop in on the cannibal clubhouse and see if everyone's behaving or if its like that book Rad's making the kiddies read, Lord of the Flies? "Piggy has the conch! Let Piggy speak!" Heheh!
" A check up on the cannibals would be good.. if nothing else to make sure they haven't been waylaid by another group of better armed cannibals or creatures now that their.. possible source of protection is gone.. We can trek the rest of the way from there...
Sounds like a plan, Derrik.
Cpt Kermit pilots the pontoon to the beachfront of the Sarasota Sands Resort and cuts the motor, riding the surf in.
A brief stop at the Sarasota Sands Resort and the Helmsley Sandcsastle reassure Team Lido that the freed survivors are still alive and well, and seem to be thriving--a palisade of sharpened palm trunks has been added at weak points in both hotels' defenses, and garden boxes have been started, as well as a water collection system, and production of spears, bows, and arrows. The survivors report no monster attacks during the few days that Team Lido was away at The Box. All seems well in hand....
Well, I'll wait here with these party people until you guys are done with your shopping spree. Good luck!
A map of St Armand's Circle....
Team Lido steps onto Ben Franklin Drive in front of the Sarasota Sands Resort and turns north, trekking past hotels on the left and a mangrove swamp on the right. As the road bends to the east around the mangrove swamp, a flock of crowd bursts from the mangroves, cawing noisily....
Perception checks please....
Perception
Wow! Did you hear that croaking sound from the swamp!? I don't think that was a frog.... Kate peers with obvious trepidation at the mangroves to the right of the road....
Grimm looks around to see what spooked the birds.