Session Start: Sat Nov 15 17:08:49 2008 Session Ident: #castlevania * Logging for #castlevania started [The intrepid party finds itself next to a canal under the city of Lifebreak, trying to make heads or tails of a construct floundering under the water.] [The construct lowers its arms, turns and begins walking down the canal away from the party and against the flow.] Well what the hell. * Nyyx pulls some rope out of her bag and hands it to Skip. "Just in case." * Charlotte watches it, carefully... o.o * Skip stares at it in disbelief. "I don't really think it needs our help." He looks to the party, "What should we do?" Well... we could use more information., I've got no idea. I want to see where it's going. This cult is really big on constructs, remember? He's going against the current, but maybe we can tie the raft to him. * Skip nods, takes the rope, and ties a quick slipknot. Finished, he gets in position along the edge of the water, whirls the rope over his head, and lets it fly at one of the construct's shoulder spikes. * Skip makes a slight spectacle of his rope swinging abilities, then ruins the effect as the rope splashes in the water some ten feet off target. Skip turns bright red as he hauls in the line for a second go. * Skip has less show, more go, the second time around and hits his mark. "Quickly! Bring up the raft!" * Nyyx unties the raft and pulls it along the side of the aqueduct toward Skip. "Here." * Charlotte follows as best she can. @_@ * Skip ties his end of the rope to the raft. "All aboard." Skip smiles. * Nyyx grins and hops on the raft. * Olivia smiles slightly and gets on more cautiously, adding, "Let's hope we can keep this thing stable." * Biff hops across. we're probably gonna regret this. Probably. Not as much as we'd regret not going after it [The construct pulls the raft down the channel without complaint. Several long minutes pass and the creature makes good progress, pulling its cargo down the twisting tunnels beneath the city.] [Eventually, the creature stops before a set of stairs leading out of the canal in toward a tunnel cutting into the rock of the chamber wall. It is dark beyond the tunnel opening.] * Nyyx peers into the tunnel opening for a better look. [The tunnel heads off into the distance and opens into a rocky, unworked chamber in the distance.] Hmm. Shall we? [The construct begins to turn toward the stairs and rise out of the channel.] * Olivia looks to the construct a moment, then shakes her head and murmurs, "I wish you could talk." I guess we should undo the rope, Skip. * Nyyx taps the construct lightly on the shoulder. "Do you talk?" * Skip gives a nimble tug and the rope looses itself from the construct's spike. Skip rolls it up and hands it to Nyyx. Thank you. [The construct turns to Nyyx and shakes its head slowly.] * Nyyx takes the rope, rolls it up, and stows it away. Oh, that's too bad. It's good to know that you understand Common, though. Can you write? They usually just understand. I doubt it can communicate. [The construct turns to Charlotte and nods.] Well I'll be. We have a literate construct here. Do we... uh... have anything to write with? Sure. but I doubt my journal and pen and ink would be particularly effective for our friend so long as he is walking in water [The construct steps up and out of the water and into the tunnel. It walks about ten feet forward and then turns the the right. It places one clawed finger up to the stone and begins to drag it, throwing sparks.] * Olivia smirks to herself. "One way." * Nyyx watches with great interest. Construct [writing]: "W.H.Y. A.R.E. Y.O.U. H.E.R.E.?." * Charlotte watches... We're here to kill whoever's trying to take over Lifebreak. Of course, knowing our luck, he's the sort who won't die even if you kill him. If not kill, at least put a stop to this somehow. Contruct [writing]: "W.H.Y. S.A.V.E. T.H.E. C.I.T.Y. O.F. T.H.E. D.E.A.D.?. Y.O.U. L.I.V.E." * Olivia , while he writes, walks over and examines him carefully, finger to her lips. * Nyyx purses her lips. "Well. That's complicated." Very complciated. No it's not. They pay well. * Nyyx frowns a little. "Well, I guess it's complicated for me." Pff. Women. You always gotta make things complicated. * Nyyx shakes her head. "But anyway, it doesn't matter. Who do you work for?" * Olivia gives Biff a look, with a faint smile. "Watch it, tomcat. Seems to me this is complex because of Gregor." * Skip has quit IRC (Quit: Skip) Construct [writing]: "I. S.E.R.V.E. T.H.E. M.A.S.T.E.R. I. D.I.G. T.U.N.N.E.L.S." * Olivia adds, "And our undead friend and her father-in-law." * Rudyard has joined #castlevania Your master - is he - it? - involved with the Damacine cult? * Rudyard is now known as Skip Construct [writing]: "C.U.L.T.?. I. D.O. N.O.T. K.N.O.W." Hmm. Were those ghouls by the raft friends of yours? Construct [writing]: "I. W.A.S. B.E.I.N.G. T.A.K.E.N. D.O.W.N.S.T.R.E.A.M. I. D.O. N.O.T. K.N.O.W. W.H.Y." * Nyyx looks thoughtful. "Where are you headed now? Is your master the one invading Lifebreak?" Construct [writing]: "I. H.A.V.E. B.E.E.N. H.E.R.E. F.O.R. Y.E.A.R.S. I. A.M. G.O.I.N.G. T.O. T.H.E. S.U.R.F.A.C.E." Are you fleeing your Master or have you been ordered to the surface? Construct [writing]: "O.R.D.E.R." Do you know why? Construct [writing]: "N.O." Does the aqueduct's current lead toward the surface? Construct [writing]: "N.O." I doubt that's where we're going, then. * Nyyx turns to Biff. "Come to think of it, I wonder if those ghouls were His Eminent Remains' ghouls." What makes you think that? No, they were too controlled. I think they were wired. * Nyyx nods. "I was mostly just musing aloud, but it doesn't seem from what he's saying that this one's working with the ghouls, at least." * Nyyx addresses the construct again. "Who is your master?" Construct [writing]: "T.H.E. M.A.S.T.E.R." Does the Master go by any other name? Construct [writing]: "N.O.T. F.O.R. M.E." Are you aware of your Master's other names? Do you know anyone who might know the Master's name? Construct [writing]: "A.R.T.I.F.I.C.E.R. T.H.E. A.R.T.I.F.I.C.E.R. H.E. H.A.D. A. R.E.A.L. N.A.M.E. B.U.T. I.T. I.S. G.O.N.E." Simon? Was his name Simon? Construct [writing]: "N.O.?." Ah. Must be another artificer, then. Fft. Let's just go find him, then. How many artificers do you think there are? * Nyyx nods. "Right. If you're going to the surface, I suppose we'll go with you." ...what? He's not going where we want to go. We want to go where he was being taken. * Skip has quit IRC (Quit: Skip) I'm fine with taking either route, since we don't know which will lead to more information. * Nyyx shrugs. * Rudyard has joined #castlevania * Rudyard is now known as Skip Do we have a consensus for taking the downstream route? I've no complaints. Fft. Let's go. * Biff heads for the raft. * Olivia makes a knife and flips it in her left hand, with a faint grin. "I'm just here to keep you all alive. It's always a good time." * Nyyx nods, says goodbye to the construct, and heads for the raft. Well, it's the only real lead I see, so... * Charlotte heads for the raft [The construct continues to walk down the tunnel as the party piles onto the raft.] * Nyyx steps onto the raft. * Olivia will get on the raft too. It's fun to raft! * Charlotte hops on! [Once everyone is on the raft, the party lets the current carry it back downstream. It drifts through the tunnels that the party had just passed through with the construct and quickly gets back to the webbing obstructing the passage.] [With a wave of her hand, Olivia unmakes the webbing and the raft drifts forward.] * Olivia sees it coming and wills it away with a wave of her hand, allowing them passage. She idly jokes, with a half-smile, "I should use that more often. Maybe make people slip into it." * Nyyx smiles. "That could be helpful." [The tunnels twist and turn under the city as the current carries the raft. The tunnel itself is worked stone set with clear skill if no creativity.] * Nyyx braces herself aboard the raft and keeps an eye out ahead. * Charlotte keeps an eye out... [The current picks up as the tunnel narrows. An opening in the tunnel can be seen ahead in the distance. It appears that the canal opens into a large chamber ahead. The splashing of water can be heard.] Waterfall? better not be * Nyyx keeps a sharp eye out and prepares to take to the walls (or edge of the aqueduct) if there's a fall ahead. * Charlotte tries to look ahead. [The current propels the raft forward. There is a definite drop coming up. The chamber ahead is dimily lit with the same green ghostly lamps as aboveground.] We've got a drop! Oh great. * Biff hops up onto Nyyx's shoulder and digs in his claws. Who's got rope? I think it's time to get off the raft. I have rope. * Charlotte gets off the rafts and leaps onto one of the ledges nearby. * Olivia lets out a small sigh as she prepares to jump if it becomes clear that it's a bad drop. Great, we can use it to scale down that wasll if we have to. * Nyyx hops off the raft and onto one of the side edges of the aqueduct. * Nyyx walks up to the edge of the drop and looks down. [The raft moves forward to very nearly the edge of the fall. The drop is roughly thirty feet into what appears to be deep water. The chamber beyond appears to be a large cylinder with canals spilling in from various heights and leaving at the far end of the chamber.] * Olivia peeks over the edge, then moves to the center of the raft and looks over at the others to say with a faint grin, "Well, someone's got to stay with the transportation." [Theo pouts a bit and steps off of the raft to the ledge on the right.] I can take a look at the surroundings. Good luck, Olivia. [The raft shoots out over the edge and falls into the reservior below. Olivia ends up in the water as Skip jumps clear.] * Nyyx sees Olivia off with a wave. [The reservior is ringed by a walkway at about the water's height. Additional walkways are supended above, linking some passages above. The water is deep and sluggishly moving toward the far end of the chamber where a large canal carries it out to the rest of the city.] * Olivia , instead of falling in, quickly rolls away from the hard initial impact of the raft to a section which is a little less chaotic, as water splashes all over her. She ends up stable, in a crouch, and with a wide grin on her face before she stands back up and pushes her now wet hair back. "Whew!" She flicks water off of her as the raft moves slowly, and looks up to the others' climbing down effort. [The party can see a collection of figures on the walkway and in the water near the far end of the chamber. They appear to be pale and bloated but are still seventy or more feet away.] * Olivia hrms at them, and then starts to dig out her spare grappling hook and rope, to tie them together. Time to prepare an anchor. * Nyyx eyes the bloated figures. "Those don't -look- mechanical." Best not to tempt them anyway. * Charlotte looksdown from above. * Nyyx nods silently. * Nyyx peers down to make eye contact with Olivia and points silently toward the dry tunnels reachable by the end of the suspended hallways on their level. * Olivia looks back up at Nyyx, half-smiles, and then makes a shrug before spinning the grappling hook she just made and throwing it up to snag onto the indicated walkway. [The metal of the hook catches on one of the cables suspending the walkway with a clang. The water in the center of the chamber begins to rise and bubble.] * Nyyx eyes the bubbling. "Hm. Something tells me that's probably not a good sign." * Olivia looks down, looks up, and then leaps up off the raft to start shimmying up it. Better climb fast. Uh oh. * Nyyx has her sword drawn, and she moves toward Olivia in case she needs help. [Tentacles and a large toothy maw erupt from the water as Olivia starts to climb. The tentacles shoot dozens of feet into the air in seconds.] * Charlotte draws her bow Tentacles. Never a good sign. * Olivia doesn't look back. The noise is enough. [The bulk of the creature erupts from the water with a howl. Several of the tentacles wrap around sections of the walkways and lift the beast upward. Its body is a travesty of sea life, metal and wood. The masthead of an ancient vessel rises from beneath the beast's horrid maw.] ...wow. * Nyyx stares at it and murmurs something possibly blasphemous under her breath. [Once the masthead is level with Olivia, the carved woman opens her eyes and laughs at the struggling cleric.] * Olivia looks over at the woman, and replies, as she climbs, "Look who's laughing. You're made of splinters." * Olivia then does a good job of not struggling, but rather just climbing. Being prepared. It's not just good advice. Masthead: "Where are you going, little killer!" * Olivia smiles and replies, as she climbs, "Mainly, up!" [The figures begin advancing around the perimeter of the room toward the party.] We've got that in common. * Nyyx shoots out of the passageway, lands on the suspended walkway right next to Olivia's grappling hook, and starts madly pulling up Olivia's rope. * Charlotte points her bow at the creature and reaches for her arrows. * Charlotte fires off a couple of arrows, but neither manage to hurt the thing [With a burst of strength, Nyyx pulls Olivia up onto the platform by the rope.] * Biff does a little dance, shoving his furry cat ass in Nyyx's face, and then their image wavers for a moment and is a foot or two to the left. * Olivia gets pulled up to the platform, ending up in a crouch, and then she looks up at Nyyx with a wide grin, still fairly soaked from the raft ride. "I could not love you more right now." She licks her lips after saying that, then looks down to the beasty as she tries to reclaim her grappling hook and rope, winding it up rapidly. "Sorry about the emergency. It was fun, though." * Nyyx flashes a grin back. "Not a problem. This thing, though--" She nods at the octopus-masthead monster. * Olivia nods and replies, "She's a bit angry at me. Couldn't quite tell you why." * Skip spies the nearest grasping tentacle, says a little prayer, and disappears in a puff of black shadow. He reappears almost instantly on the catwalk near the noodlely appendage and rears back to make a chop. * Skip has his first swing glance off a metal plating, but his second finds a squishy home. [END OF SESSION.] Session Close: Sat Nov 15 22:59:44 2008