YEAH!! NOW YOU SEE THE F+~@IN' LIGHT, DON'T YA!!.... CREEPY, PUNK-ASS B%&*#ES!!
Kermit fires his Glock at a fleeing sinspawn, at penalties for range....
confirmation crit! .... It falls and lies still....
Koran crushes a faceless stalker as it turns to run.
Koran crushes a faceless stalker as it turns to run.
[dice=attack]1d20+10[dice=damage]4d6+19
So he does! The sickening crunch signals a fatal blow as the enlarged earth breaker collapses the stalker's cranium!
Derrik Draws Highlander and Shoots the horribly weakened Sinspawn that Krar face-smashed as they retreat. The symbols floating around him instead fusing with the heavy Revolver.
" They flee before our might.. SECURE ONE OF THE FEW THAT CAN SPEAK! We must find out the fate of the survivors! "
Koran can run up to 200ft in a round, enough to get to a faceless stalker? if so
The Fierce Ones of Team Lido have secured a narrow victory yet again over the forces of evil and chaos!
Feminine cries of distress from near the center of the Circle alert them to the whereabouts of the captured women, and the team is quick to come to their rescue.... Altogether, there are 45 women, ranging in age from 14 to 40, gathered in a herd at the center of the Circle, each bound at the wrists with thick ropes seemingly woven of seaweed, and hobbled by short length of similar rope tied to their ankles....
The women are overcome with weeping and delirious laughter when they realize they have been liberated once again by the same saviors that rescued them from The Thing Under The Balcony and The Crawler Between Dimensions....
Koran can run up to 200ft in a round, enough to get to a faceless stalker? if so [dice=grapple]1d20+15
Is Koran jumping into the canal to grapple a faceless stalker underwater?
For defeating The Slime-Shrouded Master and his monstrous minions, and rescuing from a fate worse than death 45 human women, each PC receives 2,700 XP....
Derrik Draws Highlander and Shoots the horribly weakened Sinspawn that Krar face-smashed as they retreat. The symbols floating around him instead fusing with the heavy Revolver.
[dice=Destructive Highlander Shot at -2 vs Touch]1d20 + 3; 1d8+2
" They flee before our might.. SECURE ONE OF THE FEW THAT CAN SPEAK! We must find out the fate of the survivors! "
Another sinspawn bites the dust!
Koran can run up to 200ft in a round, enough to get to a faceless stalker? if so [dice=grapple]1d20+15Is Koran jumping into the canal to grapple a faceless stalker underwater?
Oh I didn't realize they were in the water already. my mistake.
What are we going to do with all of these survivors? Grimm anxiously questions aloud.
Kate sighs and spends several seconds catching her breath and regaining her composure....
As the adrenaline courses through her veins, she channels the positive energy of "Mother Nature" to heal her wounded friends and the women, whom she gathers all together in the Circle, making them form a great circle with joined hands to give thanks to Mother Nature for their lives, and to receive Her blessing and healing energy.... to all within 30 ft of Kate....
to all within 30 ft of Kate....
to all within 30 ft of Kate....
to all within 30 ft of Kate....
Arm outstretched with a smoking barrel from Highlander.. as he fells one more sinspawn, reaching his arm up and spinning the chamber, holstering it and Dawnbringer simultaneously. Walking towards Kate, her magicks and the women his mind focus upon.
Derrik feels the overabundance of mystic revitalizing waves of positive energy the glowing symbols fade returning into his body through his wounds. which heal; the intricate pattern upon the still sturdy armor dimming its glow. When Grimm questions thier next move.. he thinks to speak
" My fears have been realized... And this is the result of my carelessness. These women Do not even the protection of the semi-sane men from before and wee cannot simply leave and come back and expect it to go well once again. There is noo doubt some of them will be forever scarred by this event... they need shelter... The need food.. they will need Protection... I believe... Either we wipe out those creatures and ensure they never come back or we take a many as we can to your.. Box. If we cannot.. I intend to stay here and create a camp.. they need something.. anything stable. I am not even sure I qualify for that. But we cannot ignore this. The enemy shall not have another innocent.. and the same fear we instilled that battle.. is one of our few tools"
Maybe The Box can spare a few hard hitters to protect them here? Up in the Sandcastle, with barricades?
I'd guess they could spare a few guys, maybe....
Let Jewels and Prue keep watch over them.... I'd almost pity the next monster that tried to f@$~ with 'em....
The Folly's pretty taxed as it is, hauling all nine of us around.... Really can't take any more passengers back to The Box.... Maybe one or two of you can stay here with them, hole up in a safe place somewhere, 'til The Box can send some guards and supplies back?
Derrik nods at Kermit's suggestion and seems slightly hesitant at mention of Jewels being left here.. for one reason or another.
" Whoever we leave would have to stay away from the water to lessen the chance of that sea creature infecting their minds. As I said.. I will stay so that is one less person. Inform the situation to the uppers, Jewels and Amber; I am set in my decision. "
I'll stay, too. There's too many good-lookin' gals here that might tempt Shorty to take that fancy suit of armor off....
Dwayne Lee spits a big glob of tobacco juice on the ground and grins at the crowd of traumatized women huddled together on the lawn at the center of the Circle.
Kate narrows her eyes at Dwayne Lee.
Make sure you behave, too, DL.... These poor girls have been traumatized more than enough already....
Ah, you just mind your own business, Missy.... Old DL's gonna be a perfect gentleman....
Great. You want me to take the rest of you back to The Box to get them started on our little battered women's shelter?
A few minutes after the battle, Koran and Dwayne Lee feel an oily, cloudy....sliminess in their heads.... Like something invasive snooping around in their minds....
" Then I guess Lee and I will just have to watch each other during that time... let's make a bet of it.. Let's see who can go the longest without keeping ourselves off the women.. Ready.. go " said with pride destroying sarcasm from the darkness of his helmeted head
" Besides that.. " His eyes refocusing as he can sense the differing hues among even his allies now... Kate glowing an especially bright Turquoise " .. I think I tell the difference between our enemies.. now "
remember that dull red you were just talking about?
so yeah... awkward.
When Derrik sweeps through the group he notes differing hues of Yellow Green and Blue.. some not showing up at all until he sweeps over Mephos.. at first he thought it without a color.. being so dull.. but the memory of the Thing beneath the Balcony's color reminds him of the similarity somewhat.. though not as vibrant.. Mephos glowed red. Derrik visibly tenses and stares at him.
" It seems to work I believe.. Kate is brighter than her personality would make you believe... but perhaps there might be something I am missing.. Mephos.. are you yourself? Your often quiet so its hard to tell. "
Derrik showing no real hostility other than his standing there though an inquisitive nature in his questioning.
The three burnt and battered faceless stalkers that fled from battle against The Fierce Ones swim across Sarasota Bay to the mainland, crawling out dripping and breathless at City Island Park in downtown Sarasota.
They trudge wearily across Tamiami Trail to One Sarasota Tower, a high-rise commercial office building thirteen floors high, a sleek, silver tower at the heart of Sarasota, with a monstrous chimera for a door guard. The chimera's lion head snarls at the trio as they enter through the double glass doors.
They shamble through the darkened lobby to the stairwell, climb thirteen stories to the penthouse, recently consecrated as a temple of Cthulhu and furnished with the vilest trappings.
There they fall to their knees before The Daemon-Lord of the Silver Tower and pay worship and obeisance to their overlord.
Oh great and powerful Daemon-Lord of the Silver Tower, we bring woeful tidings from The Slime-Shrouded Master....
The piscodaemon they address sits enthroned upon a chair fashioned from human skulls and bones.
The island the humans call Lido Key has been lost!
What do you mean, Lido Key is lost? How is it lost? Do the masters I have placed there not have their slaves pacified?
All but our Slime-Shrouded Master have been slain by a band of creatures known as The Fierce Ones, my lord.... They are mighty indeed, strong in battle and magic lore....
Tell me all you know of these Fierce Ones.... I must know their number, their strengths, and their weaknesses....
Our Slime-Shrouded Master watches them now, my lord.... The Master has seized the minds of two of their fiercest warriors, my lord, and can now perceive through them.... They shall be as eyes and ears for The Slime-Shrouded Master....
Return when you have learned the location of their lair.... I shall send The Great Shark and his barracudas to make a feast of them.... If these Fierce Ones are made of flesh, they can be eaten!
From the shadows in a corner of the newly-consecrated temple emerges a man clad in black silken garments suited for the work of a thief or assassin. A pair of sawtoothed sabers are strapped across his back. He moves as silently and as gracefully as a cat, striding over to kneel before The Daemon-Lord of the Silver Tower.
The Great Shark is at your command, my lord.
Go with your barracudas to Lido Key, and heed the direction of The Slime-Shrouded Master.... Your targets are a band of mortals known as The Fierce Ones....
The Fierce Ones shall be as minnows before The Great Shark and his barracudas, my lord. Their blood shall nourish us.
The Great Shark rises, bows before The Daemon-Lord of the Silver Tower, turns and slips away into the shadows, vanishing among them like a ghost....
Kate steps between Derrik and Mephos and leans wearily on her staff.
Look.... Guys.... We've had a rough day by anyone's standards.... What we saw at the Sands and the Sandcastle.... The fight with those disgusting....things.... The poor women.... Lets.... Lets just cut ourselves some slack, okay?.... Um.... Mephos .... Derrik .... I know that, like, philosophically, you two might not gel.... Maybe in a less f~*+ed-up world....you could afford to be enemies.... But as things are, ah.... Maybe we shouldn't get too much in each others' business about....um, like, spiritual leanings....
Derrik looks at Kate a bit confused.. not sure what she might be speaking of.. and thus warily.. as a matter of fact.. he seems wary of everyone.. as all may not be as it seemed.
" Philosophically? What do you speak of Kate.. all I am aware of is that before we traveled most of us had no sign of.. whatever this sight gave me. But Now after the battle Mephos does.. and it is the same as those creatures. We know some have the ability to form into the likeness of us. He COULD be one of them.. I just wanted to make sure. I care little of whatever Mephos may normally be.. I cannot censure every creature and to attempt so is futile.. As long as anyone is no killer, rapist, or creature of terrible evil then I accept his help. As you said.. during this time we need all the help you can gather. "
Derrik's Helmeted face now upon Kate " Give me that bit of credit at least... Kate"
Thus a swath of checks to make sure nothing is OFF about anyone else
Correction: Only two faceless stalkers survived the battle to report to The DLotST--Mephos and Radsworth burnt a hole in one, and Koran crushed one as it tried to flee.
I'm sorry, Derrik. I guess I'm being too sensitive or something.... I just feel kinda raw right now, ya know?.... And I don't.... I don't want us to start getting paranoid, ya know? I want us to remember that we're all on the same team....
When Derrik sweeps through the group he notes differing hues of Yellow Green and Blue.. some not showing up at all until he sweeps over Mephos.. at first he thought it without a color.. being so dull.. but the memory of the Thing beneath the Balcony's color reminds him of the similarity somewhat.. though not as vibrant.. Mephos glowed red. Derrik visibly tenses and stares at him.
" It seems to work I believe.. Kate is brighter than her personality would make you believe... but perhaps there might be something I am missing.. Mephos.. are you yourself? Your often quiet so its hard to tell. "
Derrik showing no real hostility other than his standing there though an inquisitive nature in his questioning.
Of course I am myself, why do you ask.
Derrik gives Mephos a nod having checked his .. condition
" I noticed something odd is all.... Doesnt hurt to be.. careful. "
Now that everybody knows that they're whatever, what's our next move?
When talk of a volunteer to stay behind comes up, Radsworth is silent for a while. To him, Lido is as good as lost.
His original question was: Can mankind survive and recover after an event like the brain washing of Lido Key?
Apparently, no.
Not because of any lingering evil, but because the evil in this world is so pervasive that in time, it is likely none of humanity will remain. He looks hard a Derrik for a long time, then proceeds with a futile request born from his own calculations.
"Derrik, I appreciate that you are set in your course. I will ask you once however, to reconsider. Let us forget this place. It cannot be saved."
Radsworth removes his hat and wipes his brow, then replaces it.
"I think it has been proven that one untrained community cannot thrive. IF we are to rebuild humanity, we must look to history and mans last dark age. A feudal system might serve us now as it has in the past. Consider it's strengths. First, we have learned that the enemy can be anywhere. Why risk leaving any lone survivor when we can leave things to the judgement of those constantly opposing evil in this world?"
At this, Rad points to Kermit, Kate, Derrik, and then motions in the direction of Pandoras Box.
"When we can, we relocate those willing to serve humanity and swear themselves to it's rebirth to a place like Pandora that can be protected. They toil and aid how they are best able, whether through physical or intellectual labor. In return, Pandoras capabilities are increased and we can protect even more people. The only thing anyone gains by a small number staying behind is that one of these evil masters has a shot at killing you without the support of your unit. Your powers are impressive, but what if Mr. Hooker here is another faceless one? What if I am? What if you are? The only chance that those with the power to stop Cthulu have is to stay together and NOT risk themselves unnecessarily until the pay-off of that risk is the death of every vile bastard that is raping the corpse of mankind."
He stares hard at the remaining women, then looks back to the others.
"I feel for them all, I really do. But it is not worth risking any one of us for all forty of them. Let us continue any salvaging we might have to do today. Its very possible that today the salvage could simply be any of them we can bring with us now that are too valuable to let be consumed by Cthulu and his slime covered servant. Then when we return the Box can plan a large scale evacuation of Lido Key. They can be trained in whatever the Box requires."
Rad takes a deep breath and looks to the others, wondering if any of them see things his way, or if they think he is every bit as callous and detached as he fears he sounds.
I have to agree with Rad on this one fellas. We are much weaker split apart. It is a noble pursuit, but a futile one.
Derrik simply listens.. allowing Radsworth to speak and voice his opinion. When Radsworth is done Derrik does not move.. nor speak for many a moment. A slight scraping of metal as his head turns towards Radsworth and Then Grimm.
" Well then.. the choice is obvious.. Team Lido should leave and abandon these women.. for the greater good.. the ends justify the means of course. "
Derrik nodding to them in turn
" I wish you luck then... What you ask of the team is fair.. not to waste resources and focus on other things is important.. but remember I came from this place... Out here. Thus I officially was never a member. I appreciate the service you have given me thus far.. take one of the women in my place. If this is as suicidal as you say then tell Amber to stay strong.. and that Jewels.. Nothing I said about her was a lie and that i am sorry. I intend to stay. I never go back on my oaths.. and to do so to these women now.. would undo me. Rationalize it any way you want to make you sleep at night.. you would have made the logical choice. You heard him Radsworth; Not too many women will fit on the Pontoon.. "
Derrik grips Dawnbringer
" Tell, what is the point of trying to save the world.. if you must sacrifice your people to do so..? "
Rad sighs and unslings his pack, then tosses it on the ground.
He squats crosslegged and pulls his spell primer from his bag and opens it. He begins scrawling out some ideas he has had on arcane spell theory, but it is half hearted. He lowers his book for a moment to answer.
"Because if you sacrifice forty to save four thousand, or if you sacrifice four thousand to save forty thousands, the human race benefits Derrik. I know we see eye to eye on very little, other than that mankind is worth trying to save and that the Evil That Rapes Our Corpses needs to be put down. I just cannot justify throwing away the life of one who can save mankind, our most important goal, for one who cannot. Maybe in a century or two when things are back to what they were. But not right now. The number of people who can resist is too few to allow any to perish without a good reason."
Rad pauses for a moment, a realization taking him. He jots furiously in his book, his pen cap still in his mouth.
"Which is why I'm staying here with you and DL. I recommend all of Team Lido stay on the beach while Kermit ferries these women back and forth with maybe one person to escort him. Best to get it done now so we can plan our next mission without any interruptions like this one."
Rad spits the pen cap out of his mouth then caps his pen and places it in his breast pocket, he closes his book and lays it across his lap.
"I think Derrik, that may be the difference between us. I want to save the human race so that we can re-evaluate and start over again. I think you are far more interested in saving the ideals of humanity than the race from which they came."
Right before Radsworth's reasonable idea:
Kate looks at Derrik with genuine surprise, curiosity, and blossoming admiration.
Are you sure, Derrik? You would stay here and sacrifice your life trying to protect these women you've never met before, knowing that it was futile, because you're truly that stubborn and honorable?
She shakes her head, smiling with sad amazement....
I thought guys like you only existed in Disney movies.... Okay, Derrik. If you won't budge, may The Mother keep her arms safely wrapped around you, and have mercy on your noble cause....
Kate walks closer to Derrik and looks inquisitively into his resolute eyes through the visor of his steel helmet. She embraces him for a long moment.
Thanks, Derrik. Thanks for being a hero in a world full of villains. And thank you for your help kicking these monsters' asses.... You're one in ten million, Derrik, you know that?
I could take ten with me now, and come back with two more boats to get the rest of 'em in....ten hours, maybe?
Enacting Radsworth's plan, The Fierce Ones remain on Lido Key for the rest of the night, while Kermit ferries the first ten of the forty-five refugee women to Pandora's Box.
Those hours of waiting for Kermit's return seem to stretch on for an eternity, while every shadow seems to teem with unseen terrors, and every sound seems like the signal for impending doom.... The island is lulled into a nightmare-filled sleep by a nocturne of rhythmic tide punctuated by strange screams, unwholesome croaking, wild gibbering, manic chittering, and weird howls....
When the lights from a trio of pontoons appear on the dark horizon at around 2:30 AM, The Fierce Ones rouse the weary, shell-shocked women to ready themselves for their voyage to a safer existence at Pandora's Box. Three pontoons--Captain Kermit piloting The Chuul's Folly, Captain Pokey at the helm of The Swamp Queen, and Captain Rich with The Skragger--meet The Fierce Ones and their 45 female refugees on the beachfront of the Helmsley Sandcastle.
By 2:45 AM, all of the women have boarded one of the three pontoons, and The Fierce Ones are ready to return to Pandora's Box. The three pontoons motor away from the accursed island, and every mile of distance between them and the evils infesting Lido Key seems to reduce the anxiety and tension by degrees....
As dawn breaks over the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday, April 9th, the three pontoons bearing The Fierce Ones and the refugee women arrive at Pandora's Box, to a mixture of rejoicing at rescuing so many women, and debate over how best to accommodate and utilize them at Pandora's Box.
The Fierce Ones are welcomed home by their friends, mentors, and lovers with an intensity and richness of celebration they wouldn't have thought possible before the Cthulhu Apocalypse.
In recognition of their heroic service on behalf of humanity against the vile darkness that has infected the world, each member of The Fierce Ones receives 6,000 gp to spend on upgrades or new equipment, with the usual requirements.