Session Start: Sat Jun 28 18:05:36 2008 Session Ident: #castlevania * Logging #castlevania to 'logs\080628.Sandwich.Net.txt' * Rudyard has joined #castlevania * NinjaDebugger is now known as Biff [Our intrepid party continues its jaunt through the horror-filled ruins.] * Nyyx takes notes on the gruesome plants in her journal and takes samples. This place needs some judicious application of fire. I just wish I had enough fire to do it. * Olivia murmurs back, "I think we'll have a lot to set fire to here." * Nyyx puts the journal away. "I'm afraid I can't help much with the fire part. What do you think is feeding these things?" It's times like these that I wish I had studied magic. Yeah, me too. It's not as glamorous as you might think. Long hours, lynch mobs blaming you for miscarriages. * Nyyx shrugs. "I have flint and steel, if that helps." * Theodore spews info (( For the log: "These things act primarily like magical plants, drawing energy from the faint light from the moss, water from the underground stream and mass from the ground. You wouldn't be surprised if corpses and biomass are left around the plants to break down and be consumed as well." )) Right. Let's get out of here, then. I prefer not to be plant food. * Nyyx nods and continues through the ruins. Yeah. * Charlotte walks along [The party weaves between the mounds of flesh and crosses over the irrigation trenches to the other end of the room. At the far side of the room, a narrow doorway leads to another spiral stairwell descending into the darkness.] * Nyyx starts down the stairs. * Olivia advances down the stairs cautiously, eyes flicking about. Dungeons, they is no safe. [The dampness on the walls indicates that the party is likely below the top of the water table in this region. Nyyx watches her footing to make certain that she does not slip down the stairs.] Watch your step. [After about forty feet down, the stairs end at a landing with a large stone door closed at the far end.] Is it locked? * Nyyx tries the door. Lemme at this door, toots. I'll have it open in a jiff. [The door slides back on its hinges with a dull grinding noise. ] ...or not. [The bass tone of the door opening echoes down the long hallway beyond. ] * Nyyx peers into the hallway. "Sorry, Biff. You can open the next one." [The hallway is about 10' wide and 6' tall and reaches into the darkness. Every twenty feet along each of the two walls is another stone door with a slot near the bottom. The doors are staggered so that there is a door every ten feet as one walks down the hall.] Looks like some sort of dwarven prison. * Nyyx points at the slot on the door. "I wonder what those are for. Air vents? Mail delivery?" Food. Put the food on the floor, slide through. It's hard for anything to attack from that low. I wonder who they kept in here. * Olivia idly flips her everburning torch in her hand and replies, "Test subjects?" Shall we try to find out? * Nyyx reaches for the first door. Lemme check through that food slot first. Thanks, Biff. * Biff hops down off his ride and paws open the food slot on the first door, then peers inside. [The cell is about eight feet on a side and made of crudely worked stone. There is a figure hunched in the corner. It is a mass of hair and muscle. It is not moving.] See anything? There's somethin in there. Dunno what. It's just a big ball of hair and muscle. Worth opening the door for? Dunno. * Biff calls out to the thing, "Hey, you. You speak-a da common?" [The mass unfurls near its top and the face of a bear can be seen. It stares at Biff intently.] Yeah, you, furface. You speak? * Biff tries running through common greetings in half a dozen other languages. [The creature's lower face opens into a mass of tentacles and it advances toward the feeding slot making slurping noises.] HOLY SHIT * Biff slams the door shut. DON'T YOU DARE OPEN THAT DOOR. don't open ANY of them.l What's behind the door? TENTACLES * Biff shudders. Eew * Olivia bites her lip a moment, then replies slowly, "As I said." * Nyyx shudders. (Is there no way out of this place other than more cell doors?) * Nyyx walks down the hallway. [About forty feet down the hallway, Nyyx sees something hanging from the ceiling. It is about three feet long and resembles a bunch of oranges. It is not moving.] * Olivia follows after her to the 'oranges'. * Nyyx blinks and stops in front of it. "How interesting. I imagine they're not oranges, though." * Nyyx takes out her sword and pokes one of the "oranges" experimentally, while staying a safe distance away. [The poked oranges bursts in a gout of blood and clear fluid and drops to the ground. The remaing "oranges" open, revealing large eyes each several inches in diameter. In an instant, the bunch of eyes separate, revealing spidery legs and wings and begin scuttling down the hall away from the party.] Ugh. HOLY WHAT Oh, eew. * Nyyx sidesteps the puddle of blood and fluid and continues down the hallway. "I'm not sure we'll like anything we find at the end of this hallway any better than what we've seen so far." [About twenty feet down the hall, one of the food slots slides open. A pair of eyes can be seen through the gap.] * Nyyx stops. "Hello?" Voice from the gap: "Hello?" This one talks, Biff. * Olivia grits her teeth before she says, "They're going to report back to whoever's in charge here," before she spits out an arcane word and gestures down the hall and an electric ball flies from her hand. Oh, we've seen this before. As it flies to maybe zap them all, she adds, "Might wanna hide, Eyes." Thanks, Olivia. I suppose it's probably better to be safe, though I'd assumed that whatever lives here already knew we were coming. [The ball explodes violently in the narrow hallway, engulfing the eyes and flowing toward the party. The creature that spoke to the party quickly backed away from the door to its cell with a muffled yelp.] * Olivia sighs and lets her hand drop before saying, "As Boccob might say, 'information keeps you alive.' I'd rather they not be alive." * Nyyx nods. "Good thinking." [Nyyx pushes the party back and takes the brunt of the blast as it flows down the hall. The party is left coughing as the smoke and stench of burning abomination disperses.] * Olivia then smiles weakly, seeming embarassed, "Sorry it sorta caught you in it, though... lemme fix that." You okay? * Nyyx brushes herself off and smiles a little. "A little singed, but I'm in one piece." ffft. A warning next time, maybe? * Olivia clutches at her chest as she reaches out and murmurs some things under her breath, giving Nyyx some mad healing. As the healing goes off she adds, "Yeah, shoulda..." Thanks, Olivia. Let's keep going. * Nyyx keeps walking. [As Nyyx advances, the slot reopens.] Voice from the gap: "What was that about?" We've come to deliver pizza. This place isn't very friendly. Yeah, there was something that tried to eat us. * Olivia smiles a bit and replies, "Wanted to keep the person in charge here from getting some screechy warnings. So who're you?" * Nyyx stops by the cell holding the talking pair of eyes and waits for an answer. Voice from the gap: "I am a prisoner here. One of many." We figured. How many tentacles do you have? Voice from the gap: "None." Okay, so what's going on here? We figured it was just a huge crowd of monsters. Voice from the gap: "I was supposed to be an 'aquatic modification.' Whatever that means." Voice from the gap: "I know that there are a lot of prisoners. Most of them cannot speak. And lots of surgery." Who's making these "modifications"? We plan to kill whoever's in charge. Voice from the gap: "I don't know who it is. I have only every heard his voice. We are incapacitated whenever the cells are opened." When does he come to open the cells? Voice in the gap: "I cannot tell. Time is different here." * Nyyx thinks. "Do you know what these experiments are for?" Voice in the gap: "Power, gold, fame, pain? I wish I knew. I wish I knew." * Charlotte shivers I guess it doesn't really matter in the end. We should get going, probably. Yeah... we'll try to see if we can help you once we get to the bottom of this Voice in the gap: "You are leaving?!?" Not forever. We'll be back. Voice in the gap: "Don't go! Don't go! Let me out!" * Nyyx is now known as NyyxFeed * Skip is now known as SkipFOOD After that bear? It's safer not to have you at our backs, bub. Hey, maybe he could help us. He's been here for a while He's probably seen things and heard things, he knows how this guy operates. Our man on the inside. Sorta. You heard him, he's got nothing. Voice in the gap: "I'll help! I'll help!" Only if you take a spell from me before we let you out. Voice in the gap: "What?" Just a spell to make sure you won't turn on us. It's that or we leave you in there until we're sure you -can't- turn on us. I don't think he's going to turn on us. Voice in the gap: "Okay." He probably wants this guy to die as bad as we do You are WAY too trusting, and I am NOT going to let you get us killed. * Biff hops down so his eyes are on a level with the guy and intones a quick spell. * Olivia smiles slightly to herself as Biff casts his spell and puts a hand on Charlotte's shoulder, saying quietly, "It's the safest way, really. Besides. What if the guy has his own mind control? He could incapacitate them all." Okay, back away from the door, lemme see the cell. I guess.... We should find a place for everyone once this is over * SkipFOOD has quit IRC (Quit: SkipFOOD) * Olivia smiles a bit and lets go of Charlotte's shoulder. [The party can hear the creature retreat from the door.] * Biff takes a quick look around the cell, to see if there are any more people hiding in there, or any other surprises. [Nothing else is in the cell.[ ] Okay, let's see about opening this thing up. * Biff hops back up into the arms of his ride and takes a look at the cell's lock. * Biff pops out a claw and goes to work. [After a few seconds, Biff hears the satisfying click of the lock falling into place.] * Biff directs his ride back. Okay, someone open it up. * Charlotte opens it * NyyxFeed is now known as Nyyx [The door swings outward. The cell is empty save the creature standing at the far corner of the room. The cell smells of sweat and rotting meat. The creature is roughly man-sized. It appears to be some iteration of emaciated elf or human with grafts of rubbery tissue on its throat, scalp, feet and abdomen. It is wearing the tatters of an old jerkin.] * Theodore has quit IRC (Quit: Trillian (http://www.ceruleanstudios.com) Poor guy... * Nyyx stands by Biff, ready to take action if the prisoner pulls anything funny. Boy, are you gonna be pissed when you get a mirror. Voice: "Yes, sir." Sir, huh? I like the sound of that. You don't always gotta be so formal, though. You can call me boss. * Nyyx cracks a smile. Voice: "Yes, boss." Anyway, we're sorry we have to take precautions, but it's for everyone's safety. We'll get you cleaned up once we get out of here. Yeah, I figure a little surgery and a regeneration spell or two'll getcha fixed right up. Let's go kill us a wizard. Of some sort. Voice: "Thank you. I really just want to get out of here. Let's go." * Nyyx nods. "Let's." * Nyyx heads out of the smelly cell and further down the hallway. * Charlotte follows * Biff drives his puppet along merrily. [The hallway ends with another spiral stairwell. This one is even narrower than all of the others. Each member of the party must proceed down single file very cautiously. The scent of standing water wafts up from below.] What do you know? Another set of stairs. * Nyyx takes the lead and starts cautiously down the stairwell. [Nyyx proceeds slowly down the stairs. The damp stone is very treacherous.] Carefully with this one. It's more slippery than the last. * Rudyard has joined #castlevania * Rudyard is now known as Skip [The party marches down the stairs slowly. After several dozen feet down, the stairs terminate at another stone door.] Well, Biff, I promised you the next door. See if it's locked, first * Nyyx pulls on the door, gently. [The door is locked.] Looks like it is. * Skip looks at Biff, "Do you need any help with it?" Lemme give it a shot first. * Nyyx nods. "Go at it." * Biff gives it a quick once-over for traps. * Biff pops out a claw and goes to work. * Nyyx watches, half amused, half impressed. * Biff pops the lock. "Hokay, go ahead." * Biff steps back. * Skip looks on, "Maybe I should be taking notes." * Nyyx pulls open the door. "You're quite the talented cat." You can have the next one. [The door opens with another dull grinding noise. The large unworked chamber beyond beckons.] * Nyyx steps inside and visually sweeps the room for any danger. Looks like they didn't quite finish building the basement. They're never gonna get to, now. [This chamber is far larger than the last one although it is still lit by the same glowing fungi. The chamber is roughly circular and dominated by a large sand-filled pit in the center. Two corridors lead off from this chamber from the far side of the room.] Maybe they left it unfinished for a reason. Like a decoy or osmething? * Nyyx eyes the sand-filled pit. "I wonder what that's for." * Nyyx slowly steps inside, keeping a sharp eye out for anything suspicious. [A man in black clothing stands at a worktable at the far end of the sand pit, pouring over some large tombs. The faint glow of several spells can be seen eminating from the man.] * Nyyx stops once she sees the man. * Skip whispers to the group, "Does this remind you of anything?" * Nyyx shakes her head silently. [tombs = tomes] * Skip whispers again, "Evelyn in the library. Let's hope he's a little more sane." * Nyyx shrugs and walks forward step by step, sword in hand. Man in Black: "Hello. I suppose Gregor was right to anticipate you. Safe journey?" Quite. Is this Gregor's new laboratory, then? Man in Black: "This is my laboratory, thank you. What exactly is your business here?" We're investigating a certain curse that I'm sure you know all about. Am I right? Man in Black: "Well, mystery solved children." * Nyyx raises an eyebrow. "What does that mean?" * Olivia slowly slips a wand from her backpack out into her hand, keeping it low by her side as she gazes at the man and replies, "He was saying yes." Man in Black: "I do know about the plague, yes." Great. We sorta need you to stop it. * Nyyx nods and continues nonchalantly, "You wouldn't happen to have the cure handy, would you?" Man in Black: "Cure? No. Not my department. So, what are you going to do?" * Skip remains back in the shadows and keeps his eyes on the strange figure. That depends on whether you help us stop the plague. We're gonna make you an offer you can't refuse. Man in Black: "Then make it cat. I have work to do." It's really very simple. You cure the curse, and we don't cure you. Man in Black: "Very good from a talking cat. Let me guess. A familiar for the old man in the back. How uninspired. Anyone with something useful to add?" ...oh no, you did NOT just call me a familiar for that fatass old coot. * Nyyx smiles very faintly. * Biff hops up onto Biff's shoulders. "I'm HER familiar, you sheep-loving hairless monkey." ( Nyyx's shoulders ) * Skip maneuvers around his comrades until he is hidden from the man in black. Man in Black: "Wonderful. So you want a cure to the plague, then. Why?" Why not? People are suffering. * Skip is heard, but not seen, "Innocent people. My people!" * Nyyx motions toward Estivan. "I wouldn't call his a pleasant fate, honestly." Man in Black: "And? People suffer everywhere, every day. What makes this so special? Why is suffering wrong? It is there so we can climb above it." Because it's needless. Why cause more suffering if people are already suffering every day? Man in Black: "Yes, he suffers. And yet he made it here. He is stronger for it, isn't he. Have you seen the halflings fight now?" Man in Black: "I did not cause this suffering." Why prolong it, then? Why not use your power to cure them? Man in Black: "How? How would you cure them? How would you turn back the clock, skulker? Can you call back the dead when others fail? Well?" Man in Black: "No, you can't, can you. Take your sanctimony somewhere else." * Skip falls silent. Why are the cursed ones called here? Man in Black: "Likely the same reason you came. They are drawn to Gregor." * Nyyx murmurs, "Same as at the castle." Gregor is here, then. Who are you? Man in Black: "You are right, just like the castle. I was there, you know. You can call me Simon." Simon: "But a name says very little. Function is the point. I am an artificer. A shaper of life." I don't believe we've met. Simon: "We haven't." * Olivia presses her lips together, and then speaks up, finishing the thought, "Does that mean you're working towards, in time, being the slayer of death?" Simon: "Me, no. The infected say that don't they? Ask them." * Nyyx turns toward Estivan. I remember seeing something like that. So what is this all about? Shaping life? Simon: "It is about making people better than they are. So many wizards have tried to improve on nature. Some, create toys like your cat friend and some step farther. Creatures like the Chuul come from this. A marvel of invention...." Simon: "I go farther still." The Chuul - what are they? And what's the purpose of all these abominations you have locked in the cells upstairs? What right do you have to deform the lives of those who live in peace!? Simon: "The Chuul are an aquatic race of long-lived survivors. And the purpose of the ones above? They are rough sketches, experiments and containers of favorable traits. Raw materials and works in progress." * Nyyx frowns. Simon: "And I bet you, prone to traveling across the continent to break into my laboratory, have never hurt anyone? I suppose you don't even kill for food or clothing?" Oh great. Now we're into the great morality discussion. No. To hell with this. The plague is ending because we have decided the plague is ending, and that is that. No discussions of morality, no hedging, no hypothetical bullshit. We don't care what you think. We don't care why you did it. It stops. Simon: "I didn't do it and I cannot cure it." Then tell us who can. Or what. [He thinks for a long moment, tapping his chin.] Simon: "I don't know that it can be cured in the way you would want. If anyone can stop it at all, it is Gregor." Gregor? Simon: "Yes." Where can we find him? Simon: "He is downstairs." Thank you. What's he doing downstairs? Simon: "You can ask him if you wish." * Nyyx looks down both corridors for a way down. Wel.... thanks * Nyyx tries the left corridor first. * Biff shrugs and goes with Nyyx. * Olivia frowns a bit at the guy as the group talks their way around not killing him, but she's not going to take him on herself. FOR NOW. * Skip slowly moves past Simon and follows the rest of the group down the left corridor. * Charlotte follows along, carefully [As the party walks past, Simon watches them intently from the edge of the sand pit. The corridor leads into another stairwell. This time, it is barely a pit in the earth with crude steps.] * Nyyx , again, steps down carefully. [The party walks down the stone steps carefully. After several minutes of tense stepping, they come to a small chamber of rough granite. The room is pitch black. At the edge of the room, the party can see large metal spikes struck into the ground. At the end of each spike is a ring to which is set a chain. These may have come from ship anchors.] [The chains lead into the center of the room.] Oh THIS looks like a lovely place to vacation. * Nyyx strides purposefully toward the center of the room. Particularly the chains, don't you think? Yeah, very "Dungeon of Pleasure" vibe. So what kind of person IS this Gregor? You're about to meet him, I think. [As she walks forward, Nyyx sees that the chains are linked to manacles locked in place around the limbs of what might have once been a giant. Wounds fester and boil on its flesh and veins crawl under the dry and cracked skin.] Ooh, and that's...not him. I should hope not. [At the creature's head stands Gregor, looking intently into the creatures bloodshot eyes. His red robes are stained and torn.] [Gregor looks up toward Nyyx.] Gregor: "Good evening, children. Grandaughter, you look well." [END OF SESSION.] * Holmes has left #castlevania Session Close: Sat Jun 28 22:34:50 2008