File: Starter Map.jpg (228 KB, 1022x724)

228 KB JPG

Out of the corner of your eye you see Fulvia stand up, that generator on her back humming loudly as she prepares vys for a spell. Before she can get the spell off, you hear Chryssa's voice in the back of your head through the brooch connection. {Just let it fight the other constructs. They may weaken it.} The hum cuts off sharply and Fulvia nods her head towards Chrys. You turn your attention once more towards the battle below.

You'd realized that the AI was big just from what you'd seen on the screen, but you hadn't realized it was this big. It's a towering mass of artificial muscle and steel, the top of its shell would be scraping across the ceiling had the roof not collapsed. How this thing manages to cram itself through hallways you're unsure. By comparison, the other constructs are might as well be insects.

The AI has quickly smashed its way through the crowd of constructs that had been rolling around in the grey goo, though not without taking damage. One of the breacher constructs, the vaguely dog-like ones, managed to hamstring its left leg. Its hobbling along using its left arm and right leg to support itself now. The two ape constructs, with the whips attached to their arms, managed to score some good hits but they didn't actually do much damage. One of them is still flailing away, scoring deep gashes in the metal shell that surrounds the AI's actual torso, but the AI is ignoring it in favor of the goo.
(1/2)

File: Rouge AI.jpg (208 KB, 1200x877)

208 KB JPG

It shoves the metal stump of its arm into the pool of corrupted waste, which you note has been steadily eating its way through the floor. Rather than begin melting, like the other constructs did, you begin to feel a distinctive pressure on your head. An unpleasant weight in your sinus, as if you were suffering a head cold. The only other time you'd experienced this was when your master was preparing a spell to regrow a guardsman's arm.

The AI cast whatever spell it was preparing, but it's wrong. It feels twisted and diseased. For a brief moment everything seems to be flickering rapidly in and out of existence, and you could have sworn you'd seen those three skeletal figures that were lurking above the central altar in the Vault of Anthus watching you. When reality reasserts itself you see that the AI's shell is slowly regenerating. The rents are closing, muscles reconnecting, and the jagged stumps at the end of its arms twisting themselves into something vaguely resembling a hand, except with only two giant fingers and a thumb.

{Oh fuck fuck, shit!} Wow, language. You never took Chrys for such a potty mouth. {Attack!}

>Ally Turn!
>Enemies Remaining: 1x Corrupted AI
>Neutral Party: 1x Ape Construct

>Try to freeze the clumps of exposed artificial muscle with Water magic. (2 vys)
>Try to erode its armored shell with your limited Earth magic. (1 vys)
>Cast a Ranged Poison spell to hinder its spellcasting. (2 vys)
>Cast a Ranged Leech spell to fill your reserves (2 vys)
>Cast a Fire Burst spell in its general direction. (2 vys)
>Write-in

>>32205306
>>Cast a Ranged Poison spell to hinder its spellcasting. (2 vys)
then Leech or the other way around.

>>32205306
> other
Heat up the goo until it is melting the construct

>>32205306
>Cast a Ranged Poison spell to hinder its spellcasting. (2 vys)

>>32205377
I don't think something that just happily bathes in magic plutonium is just gonna melt.

>Ranged Poison
Writin'

Oh, wait. Shit. Roll me 3d10+2 vs DC 18.

Rolled 7, 3, 9 + 2 = 21

>>32205672

Rolled 6, 9, 7 + 2 = 24

>>32205672

Rolled 7, 3, 4 + 2 = 16

>>32205672

>>32205683
>>32205685
>>32205686

First strike people, let's make it count. Anyone up for charging with 2 more Vys?

>>32205683
>>32205685
>>32205686
awesome, this gon be gud

Rolled 5, 1, 8 + 2 = 16

>>32205672


On a sidenote: You guys probably still want to go down that elevator if we survive this.. IF that shaft is actually 15 miles deep and IF this planet actually works somewhat like ours it's gonna be somewhere around 600°C down there (that's 1112 °F). I assume there'll be some sort of cooling, but still...we should at least consider refilling our vys before we go down.
Oh and there'll be a massive, hot updraft regardless of the cooling, so let's not stick our face out on the way down.

>>32205683
>>32205685
>>32205686
>21, 24, 16 vs DC 18
>Success!

You could spend 2 vys to make it a Great Success. Keep in mind your vys pool is at 15/26 after casting this spell.
>Spend
>Don't

>>32205715
>Don't

>>32205715
>Spend

This thing needs to die, fast. This is several levels above anything we fought so far.

>>32205715
>>Spend

>>32205306
>>Cast a Ranged Poison spell to hinder its spellcasting. (2 vys)

>>32205715
Spend

>>32205715
y

>>32205736
And a great success did not kill the antimage golem faster.

>>32205715
>Don't

>>32205715
>>Don't

>>32205799
We never know what the difference between a normal and a great success is, I'm just guessing here.

>>32205715
Spend, then cast a leech spell right after that.

>>32205715
>>Don't

>>32205715
>>Spend

>>32205736
>>32205751
>>32205778
>>32205790
>>32205852
>>32205859
>Spend

>>32205732
>>32205800
>>32205829
>>32205857
>Don't

Writin'

>>32205852
You want to touch that thing? You do leech has a range of touch?

>>32205852
Leech seems like the last thing we want to do to this thing. For one, we've just poisoned its vys. That will probably affect us too if we leech it. Two, it basically runs on corruption. You know, the corruption that drives people insane and turns them into zambies. I want nothing to do with that.

>>32205953
You really dont know what poison does do you?

File: Guts face3.jpg (107 KB, 654x421)

107 KB JPG

>>32205953
I'm totaly okay with that

>>32205953
That is most definitely a concern.

>>32205953
That's not how poison works anon.

>>32205979
I still would advise to not get close to the thing that fucks with our head by just casting a regeneration spell. Maybe magic is just not the right way to deal with this at all, we'll find out soon enough.

>>32205799
it might be the difference between us losing a few party members or losing no one.
>>32205852
I'd be down to cast leech afterwards.
We could likely weaken the AI considerably if we can manege a great success.

With all the delerium around should give us another small boost. And i am sure the AI's mana is huge so weaking him and powering our self up clearly the best choice.

>>32205979
>>32206013
He's actually got the right of it. Poison subverts a magic user's ability to cast by rotting their reserves. It's like a necrotizing venom that only effects magic. It will eventually kill someone, being more effective the smaller a creature's amount of vys.

>>32206036
So if we don't use magic to you want us to actually go into cqc with it?

Fire and Water will be the only way iof fighting it.

>>32206062
Uhh, you said that Poison works by punching a hole in them and letting their Vys flow out.

Like Leech without a target,

>>32206076
I mean not directly magicking at it, or against it. Something more indirect like a big ice spear might be better.

>>32206120
So magicking it.

What you're trying to say is not using effects.

>>32206105
The first time I mentioned it was in thread #2, when I said the following:
>Poison (Slowly corrupts a person's vys, can knock someone unconscious if vys drops to negative.)

>>32206144
That's what I mean, yes.

>>32206076
We need a blade to banish the shade.

>>32206177
This thing isn't a shade.

>>32206177
Shockwave sword once it gets weakened enough.

>>32206177
This thing is like the exact opposite of a shade.

Shades are generally etheral and have little direct influence on the world.

>>32206192
I think it was from 'atma's rhyme.

>>32206192
The AI is the shade and we need a sword to kill it.

>>32205261
Welp the circus sucked ass, and i got food poisoning, here is hoping something fun happens this time.

>>32206226
The AI is the Ghoul

>>32206177
>>32206192
>>32206216
>>32206218
>>32206226
Maybe the Shade is the shell around the AI, and we'll need a sword to hack the AI out of the thing?

I feel like the Shade is something else entirely.

>>32206249
Meh, if anything the AI it's self sounds more shadelike, and the construct she is in more ghoulish.

Of course this:
>>32206278

could be completely true.

>>32206291
Then we may need the sword if we enter the AIs magical realm.

>>32206309
That seems like it might happen considering the mind-fucking properties of her fuel source.

>>32206336
Good thing we brought a whole barrel for her to heal herself with.
It makes sense why the spirit told us not to fuck with it, or her brood.
>>32206309
We have a decent collection of weapons already, we just need to use them more, and see if they can handle elements being channeled through them,

>>32206392
Speaking of which what was his rhyme again about that?

You channel the spell into your palms, the veins on your right hand beginning to turn black and that discoloration in turn creeping up your arm. You feel feverish and weak in the moment before you externalize the spell, the effects vanishing as a glob of sickly green energy forms above your palm. You hurl the spell towards the AI and, slipping through a rend in the back of the AI's shell, it sticks itself to the back of the AI's body proper.

The green glob sinks into the AI's torso, and for a moment you think it will simply be overwhelmed by the force of the corrupted vys that flows through the AI. You can see the rot being eaten away, incorporated into the AI's own reserves. Just as its about to wink out of being, you push more vys into it, a lot more. The poison surges forth and begins to destroy the AI's reserves slowly but surely, however its effectiveness is limited by the nature of the AI. It has had an effect though. Immediately the regeneration cuts out and the AI seems slower and a little more lumbering than it was before.

Profectus raises his stone arm, the black rock that surrounds it cracking apart loudly and the glowing insides revealing themselves. A blast of fire the size of your head shoots out of his palm while Profectus grits his teeth and bears it. Much to your surprise though the AI curls up upon itself and the blast of fire is reflected, instead ricocheting off and searing a hole through the wall. When the AI uncurls itself, a huge chunk of its armor has been warped and melted, but otherwise it's fine.

Fulvia raises her arms and the rubble surrounding the AI begins to undulate and melt. Even the puddle of goo the AI is standing in responds to her spell. The liquid metal coalesces around the AI's legs and rapidly begins to cool while the AI struggles to freeze itself. It gets one leg partially out before the metal solidifies and traps its other leg to the floor.
(1/2, or 3)

>>32206410
{Very well, a deal it is.
I ask you this, I need a meal.
Not steak or veal, duck or seal
Only the soul of a ghoul holds appeal.

Down four floors, to the left.
You'll find a woman left bereft.
Avoid her brood and buried food.
You'll need a blade to banish the facade
Remove her heart, it holds the shade.}

>>32206392
Yeah that might not have been the smartest thing to do. I hope that what ever advantages we have from ambushing it out weigh giving her access to the goo. Or at least occupies her until it melts through the floor.

>>32206448
Told you fuckers that a great success was needed.

>>32206450
>You'll need a blade to banish the facade
>Remove her heart, it holds the shade.}
So it seems we need a blade to remove or kill her, we still don't know if this is her puppet or the AI itself.i'll laugh if this is part of her brood, and we disobeyed 2 of his commands.

>>32206535
so are you saying she made a hive mind of these fuckers, or she made children for herself, while she is in another platform?

Darzi, much to your surprise, leaps down into the pit and hits the ground with a loud clang. What the hell does she intend to do, go toe to toe with this thing? Has the armor made her cocky? Has she gone mad? Rather than rush froward immediately she sits back, out of reach of the AI. You hear her voice in your head. {If you can immobilize the arm, I might be able to rip it out of its shell.}

>Enemy Turn
>Enemies Remaining: 1x Corrupted AI (Trapped)

The AI's arm reaches behind it, snatching up the ape construct and lifting it effortlessly into the air. It clenches its hand into a fist, crushing the construct completely. It continues to twitch and spasm for only a moment before falling still. Then the AI's arm twist back and hurls the construct's shattered body towards the four of you. Elbows are not supposed to move like that.

>Duck!
>Erect a wall of ice between your companions and the construct's body. (4 vys)
>Erect a wall of ice between you and the construct's body, screw your companions. (1 vys)
>It probably won't hit you anyway, try to freeze the AI's arm in place so Darzi can get at it. (2 vys)

>>32206585
>>Duck!
>>It probably won't hit you anyway, try to freeze the AI's arm in place so Darzi can get at it. (2 vys)

>>32206585
>>It probably won't hit you anyway, try to freeze the AI's arm in place so Darzi can get at it. (2 vys)

>>32206609
this.

>>32206585
>Erect a wall of ice between your companions and the construct's body. (4 vys)

>>32206585
>Duck!
>It probably won't hit you anyway, try to freeze the AI's arm in place so Darzi can get at it. (2 vys)

We don't have that much vys left, and I think we can take a hit. The ape construct is pretty small right? Even if we get hit it shouldn't just crush us.

I forgot to mention, if you're in combat you can pretty much assume that I need you to roll 3d10 every post.

>>32206448
What is Chryssa doing?

Rolled 7, 8, 4 = 19

>>32206663
>>32206609

>>32206585
>It probably won't hit you anyway, try to freeze the AI's arm in place so Darzi can get at it. (2 vys)
Tell Prof to duck just in case, have Chryssa/Fulvia block the punch if it reach us.
If Prof's still capable of unleashing another blast have him close the distance for a face full of magma.

Rolled 3, 5, 4 = 12

>>32206663

>>32206637
>The ape construct is pretty small right?
Nope

Rolled 1, 6, 9 = 16

>>32206663
Vys pool?

Rolled 10, 7, 1 = 18

>>32206682
We don't have time to issue orders, it is already airborne

>>32206663

Rolled 10, 1, 1 = 12

>>32206585

Rolled 8, 3, 10 = 21

>>32206663

>>32206585
>>32206448
Woah, what the shit? A piece of my post vanished. It should read.

Fulvia raises her arms and the rubble surrounding the AI begins to undulate and melt. Even the puddle of goo the AI is standing in responds to her spell. The liquid metal coalesces around the AI's legs and rapidly begins to cool while the AI struggles to freeze itself. It gets one leg partially out before the metal solidifies and traps its other leg to the floor.

Huh, you didn't know Metal Vatis could do that.

With the AI stuck in place, Chryssa draws back her bow and lets loose an arrow. It thunks into the AI's torso, only barely penetrating the metal that encases it and not really doing just a whole lot of damage. The AI doesn't even really seem to notice.

Darzi, much to your surprise, leaps down into the pit and hits the ground with a loud clang. What the hell does she intend to do, go toe to toe with this thing? Has the armor made her cocky? Has she gone mad? Rather than rush froward immediately she sits back, out of reach of the AI. You hear her voice in your head. {If you can immobilize the arm, I might be able to rip it out of its shell.}

Rolled 4, 4, 3 = 11

>>32206585
>It probably won't hit you anyway, try to freeze the AI's arm in place so Darzi can get at it. (2 vys)
with a mix of duck.

>>32206585
>Duck!
>It probably won't hit you anyway, try to freeze the AI's arm in place so Darzi can get at it. (2 vys)

>>32206585
>Erect a wall of ice between your companions and the construct's body. (4 vys)

Even if it wouldn't hit anyway, the wall will still be there and be useful as a shield.

Rolled 6, 10, 9 = 25

>>32206585
>>It probably won't hit you anyway, try to freeze the AI's arm in place so Darzi can get at it. (2 vys)
And Duck

>>32206680
>>32206684
>>32206699
>19, 12, 16 vs DC 18 to DUCK!
>Regular Failure!
However, the construct may not even be aimed at you. You could get away scot free.

Spend 2 vys to make it a regular success? Your vys pool is currently 13/26
>Spend
>Don't

>>32206703
>>32206704
>>32206708
>22, 16, 25 vs DC 20 to immobilize its arm.
>Regular Success.
However, this is dependent upon you successfully ducking the construct, if it hits you the spell will be interrupted.

Spend 4 vys to make it a Great Success? Keep in mind your vys pool.
>Spend
>Don't

Rolled 3, 8, 8 = 19

>>32206826
Yes
No

>>32206826
>Spend
For duck

>Don't
For immobilize.

>>32206826
>Spend
>Don't

>>32206826
Yes
>>32206826
Whats our current Vys pool?

>>32206826
Spend both

>>32206826
Yes
No
Maybe
I don't know
Can you repeat the question?

>>32206877
13/26, or 11/26 if you spend vys to duck.

>>32206826
Spend on Duck

Don't spend one The Great Success

>>32206826
Spend on Duck.

Don't spend on freezing, success is fine.

>>32206826
Spend
Don't

So it looks like we're spending to duck, but not to cast. Writin'

>>32206905
We need to mediate real quick after this fight, also can we be carried while mediated?

Hopefully Chryssa will switch out to her earth mace and bash some sense into the AI.

>>32206944
Nope, unless you were being carried on a litter. Even then if someone tripped and jostled you it might screw up your meditation.

>>32206972
Would be better for us to use the mace honestly, we have a higher level then she does.(i don't even think she has a level in earth)

>>32206972
She doesn't know Earth magic so it's basically a normal mace

>>32206980
>we can be burning covered in flames and still be meditating but if we get jostled it ruins the whole thing

>>32207037
I think it's more the unexpectedness of it.

>>32207037
>we can be burning covered in flames
Technically, we just drew on ourselves with hot coals. That's not that bad.

>>32207037
>you can do complex mathematical operations in your head but if someone starts reciting random numbers you'll get distracted

>>32207011
>>32207028
She can probably bludgeon harder than us, even without the earth bonus.

>>32207063
no, there are mediation methods we know, that include sitting inside a pit of fire.

>>32206826
Spend for both.

with his vys all fucked up his leg stuck.
we can destroy his arm. have darzi do her thing.
and we can leech the fucker after we get rid of the immediate threats.

>>32207081
Oh, well yeah. If we become a grandmaster of fire magic. Didn't that old fire priest like, roast himself alive to meditate?

>>32207080
Earth bonus disintegrates shit, i think that takes precedence over bludgeoning damage, but it just dawned on me how we didn't make the connection between what our armour does, and what the mace does.

>>32207106
Good thing we are 2 insights away from grandmaster level of healing, here is hoping we knock 1 out before leaving.

>>32207151
You mean 4.
Or did Soma forget to update?

>>32207151
We won't have grandmaster healing until we reach grandmaster and we need achieve the special requirement to do so.

>>32207261
>>32207191
>>32207151
If you focus on healing for at least 2 out of your first 3 insights, then you'll unlock grandmaster healing early. Sort of a reward for getting halfway there, a sign of progress. Right now you've got 1 insight and it's focused on water manipulation, so you need to figure out a good high level healing technique and get two more insights with it.

>>32207341
Easy. Use the poison we have to stop our heart, then control our bloodflow purely with water magic until the poison wears off.

Could be slightly dangerous though.

File: NUyttbn.gif (3.59 MB, 375x346)

3.59 MB GIF

>>32205306
>For a brief moment everything seems to be flickering rapidly in and out of existence, and you could have sworn you'd seen those three skeletal figures that were lurking above the central altar in the Vault of Anthus watching you.

Shit.

>>32207341
Cut our throat and heal it back.

You're relatively certain it's headed towards you, and as it gets increasingly closer you're more convinced of that fact. You channel vys into your arms and legs, allowing you to hit the deck with utmost efficiency. Instead of sailing by overhead like you'd expected, you instead see Chryssa drop her bow and the arrow she had nocked and raise her hands to catch the construct before it could hit her, though she still ends up knocked off her feet by the force of the blow. The whip attached to its hand sails by right where your chest would've been and ends up snapping loudly behind her before flopping to the ground.

You push yourself up quickly and cast your spell, condensing the water in the air around the construct's joints into frost and then rapidly building that up into large blocks of ice that encase the construct's shoulders and elbows. It struggles to free itself, and you see the ice beginning to crack and break off already, but you've at least provided Darzi with an opportunity.

>Ally Turn
>Enemies Remaining: 1x Corrupted AI (Trapped, Immobilized)

Darzi sees her chance and rushes forward, taking a flying leap onto the AI's shell and wedging herself inside. She reaches behind it, starting to rip out wires and generally trying to just pry the AI's torso out of the shell it controls. Unfortunately your lock on the joints doesn't hold long enough for her to complete her task, and with a loud crack the AI frees one of its arms. Darzi tries to get away before it can grab her, but the AI is quicker. It plucks her up and hurls her forcefully into the wall adjacent, hard enough that she leaves a dent in the steel.
(1/2, or 3)

Darzi appears to be unconscious, since she's not moving at all. You're not really sure she's breathing either, but her armor looks fine so she's probably not dead. The AI seems to have finally been wounded, judging by the way its torso is writhing around inside its shell and how the left arm, the arm still immobilized by your ice, seems completely unresponsive.

Profectus lets out another blast from his arm, this one painful enough that it drops him to one knee. The blast was at least slightly more effective though, it nailed the construct in its immobilized leg and you can smell the artificial muscle cooking away. Hopefully it will still be crippled even if it frees its leg from the metal that encases it now.

Chryssa pulls her mace off of her belt and takes a running leap off of the ledge you're standing on. She sails through the air towards the AI, only to be backhanded out of the air be the construct's working arm. She also slams into the wall hard enough to leave a dent in the metal, but she wasn't nearly as protected as Darzi was. You're pretty sure arms aren't supposed to bend like that, and chest are not typically concave.

>This is bad, this is really bad! Use ranged water magic to heal Chrys and Darzi. (5 vys) (2 for Ranged metamagic, 1 to heal Darzi, 2 to heal Chrys)
>They'll live a little longer. The AI has been dislodged, maybe if you knock it hard enough with boulder of ice you'll dislodge it! (2 vys)
>Get up closer and try a Fire Burst spell, maybe you can incinerate the cords still binding it to the shell. (I'll need3 rolls of 6d10 for this)
>Write-in

>>32207673
Should had gone for great success.

>>32207646
That's basic stuff thou. We just never had to do it a lot.

Rolled 8, 1, 1 = 10

>>32207699
>This is bad, this is really bad! Use ranged water magic to heal Chrys and Darzi. (5 vys) (2 for Ranged metamagic, 1 to heal Darzi, 2 to heal Chrys)

>>32207699
>>This is bad, this is really bad! Use ranged water magic to heal Chrys and Darzi. (5 vys) (2 for Ranged metamagic, 1 to heal Darzi, 2 to heal Chrys)

Fuck, our guys are jobbing real hard. As the Designated medic, you know what we've to do.

Rolled 9, 4, 9 = 22

>>32207699
>This is bad, this is really bad! Use ranged water magic to heal Chrys and Darzi. (5 vys) (2 for Ranged metamagic, 1 to heal Darzi, 2 to heal Chrys)

Rolled 1, 8, 1 = 10

>>32207715
You know what, the last 2 times(though 1 of them we did aim for it, but it was a close vote) we didn't aim for great success in this fight, it has fucked us over.
>>32207699
>This is bad, this is really bad! Use ranged water magic to heal Chrys and Darzi. (5 vys) (2 for Ranged metamagic, 1 to heal Darzi, 2 to heal Chrys)

>>32206709
>>32207491
>>32205306
A few threads back, wasn't it mentioned that this area was a place where the boundary of reality was weak, or there was a tear in reality? Something like that.

Maybe their is a relation between that weakening of reality and the corrupted vys? We see the skelebros when the AI casts its spell using corrupted vys. The corrupted vys produced from using that element to produce power could have caused reality to weaken enough for the other side to bleed through.

That or could be the other way around; the tear was already present and the element Delirium (with its radiation of corrupted vys) could have been produced from exposure to the other side.

>>32207699
>>This is bad, this is really bad! Use ranged water magic to heal Chrys and Darzi. (5 vys) (2 for Ranged metamagic, 1 to heal Darzi, 2 to heal Chrys)
That'll leave us with 6 vys.

Rolled 1, 6, 5 = 12

>>32207699
>They'll live a little longer. The AI has been dislodged, maybe if you knock it hard enough with boulder of ice you'll dislodge it! (2 vys)

Darzi and Chrys are within the immidiate reach of the AI, do we have any magic to pull them away? If not let's only heal Chrys, and then only her chest so she can breathe.

>>32207699
>This is bad, this is really bad! Use ranged water magic to heal Chrys and Darzi. (5 vys) (2 for Ranged metamagic, 1 to heal Darzi, 2 to heal Chrys)
>Have Fulvia pin down more limbs

Rolled 4, 10, 10 = 24

>>32207803
forgot to roll, just in case.

>>32207699
>Chrys
I am tempted to let the dumb fuck die. Why would she leap into that thing for fucks sake...

>They'll live a little longer. The AI has been dislodged, maybe if you knock it hard enough with boulder of ice you'll dislodge it! (2 vys)
Let's not give it a chance to recover. Take this opportunity and then we can heal them and work towards finishing it off.

Rolled 10, 9, 2 = 21

>>32207699
6th roll

>>32207789
>>32207750
We are fucked.

>>32207802
There is a tear in the Veil at the bottom of the underground lake

>>32207862
I wonder if spending the 4 vys would had saved both of them, or 1 of them from being hurt.

Rolled 5, 3, 7 = 15

>>32207750
>>32207751
>>32207782
>>32207789
Guys, they are right next to the fucking thing, if we don't get its attention or get them out of the way it can just smash them. Healing takes time, time we don't have.

Rolled 7, 3, 1 = 11

>>32207699
>>Write-in
Focus on healing Chrys first, since she was less protected than Darzi was. Run over to her and heal her from up close, it'll be more effective than doing it at range. Do this while Profectus and Fulvia keep hammering away at the AI.

>>32207881
They are not right next to it. She threw them to the wall and is immobile so for now she can not reach them.
We really should take this opportunity to make sure it is immobile for good and then we can finish it of from distance.

>>32207901
>Profectus
He down for the count anon, he has at max did 3-5 shots, and recently he let off 2 really strong shots.

>>32207919
If I interpret the description of the corridor we're in correctly the AI barely fits in it, and it has fuckhuge arms.
Maybe soma could tell us if it can reach them?

>>32207699
>Write-in

Grab it's attention, brace our spear for its attack, then disintegrate it's arm off

>>32207919
Should have spent the 4 vys.we should have a collage of moments where we should have spent vys or spent vys for great success when we could have reasonably spent vys, since this happens so often now,

>>32207750
>>32207782
>>32207789
>14, 26, 14 vs DC 20 to heal your Allies
>Regular Failure

Your vys pool will be at 6/26 after casting this spell, it was at 11 due to spending vys on ducking. You could spend 6 vys to make it a regular success, but you would be unable to cast any more spells at all for until you next meditated or slept. You wouldn't even be able to cast leech, as even leech requires 1 vys to make a connection to the enemy. You will also fall unconscious as soon as this combat ends.
>Spend, and be unable to cast any further spells.
>Don't, and risk losing your companions.

>>32207968
Could we take a hit of Spice in exchange for god-like power?

>>32207968
>Spend, and be unable to cast any further spells.
Yep, and it looks like we shouldn't have gone hunting for it, and gave it food.

>>32207968
>>Don't, and risk losing your companions.

>>32207968
>Spend, and be unable to cast any further spells.

Time to bring out the spear and pistol then.

>>32207984
screw that

>>32207968
>Don't, and risk losing your companions.

Except if we are a master at ice magic, we could cool them down, regain vys, then try to reanimate them with Fulvias help.

>>32207968
>Spend, and be unable to cast any further spells.

>>32207968
>>Don't, and risk losing your companions.

>>32207968
It's time to have a whiff of the ol' crunka'

snort that shit like coke on a stripper's asscrack, mik!

>>32207984
You know what? Yes, you could take a hit of spice to boost your reserves to ([52]/26).

With that in mind, I'll rephrase the vote.

>Spend the 6 vys, reducing your pool to 0.
>Don't spend the vys, and risk your companion's lives.
>Take a hit of Spice, you need the boost to power.

>>32207968
>Spend, and be unable to cast any further spells.

Rolled 5, 8, 9 = 22

>>32207968
Only focus on healing Chrys.

>>32207968
>>Spend, and be unable to cast any further spells.

Rolled 2, 5, 3 = 10

>>32207968
>>Spend, and be unable to cast any further spells.

>>32208021
>>Take a hit of Spice, you need the boost to power.
As good a time and place as any. Let's get a hit.

>>32208021
you know my vote >>32208017

>>32208021
>Take a hit of Spice, you need the boost to power.

>>32208021
Before I make that vote could you clarify IF this >>32208009 could work?

>>32208021
>Don't use the spice
We know absolutely nothing about metal magic for fucks sake don't take it

>>32208009
Not a good time for complicated theoretical plans anon.

>>32208021
I'm still sticking to >>32208003, spice is a bad idea. Spear and pistol will finish the job fine.

>>32208050
Freezing them would instantly kill and we can't revive them.

>>32208050
Their blood would crystallize if we freeze them, tearing up their blood vessels.

>>32208021
>>Take a hit of Spice, you need the boost to power.

>>32208050
You couldn't flash freeze your companions well enough that there would be no damage to them after they thawed, at least not with 11 vys and not at Master level. I would consider allowing amateur cryogenics at Grandmaster level.

>>32208080
We can't go near it to use the spear and the pistol will probably will not eben put a dent on it.

>>32208021
>>Spend the 6 vys, reducing your pool to 0.
id rather do this. and let them handle themselves.

No spice.

>>32208021
>>32208067
>Spend the 6 vys, reducing your pool to 0.

Forgot the other vote

>>32208099
we can with +8 dodge

>>32208082
>>32208083
>>32208086
I never said freeze, I said cool down, more precisely to about 4°C.
10°C halves reaction speeds, going from 37° do 4 would roughly give us 8x the time to reanimate them.

>>32208021
>Spend the 6 vys, reducing your pool to 0.

>>32208021
>Spend the 6 vys, reducing your pool to 0.

>>32208129
They would die. Either way this is not the time or the place for such a trial.

>>32208080
at the end of the day.
Use our pistol.
With that alone even with our super powering it.
It should be enough to cause some serious damege.

>>32208036
>>32208038
>>32208046
>>32208085
>Snort spice

>>32208141
>>32208132
>>32208109
>>32208103
>Spend vys.

I'll do this final destination style.

Vote
>1
To spend the vys.

Vote
>2
To use the spice.

>>32208180
>1

>>32208180
1

>>32208180
>2

>>32208180
1

>>32208180
>1

>>32208180
2

>>32208180
1

>>32208180
1

>>32208180
2

>>32208180
>2

>>32208180
2

>>32208180
1

I still feel like we only should have healed Cryssas chest so they both survive immediate combat AND we have some vys left, but that's not an option now.

>>32208180
1

>>32208180
2

>people still don't know how final destination voting works

>>32208251
I thought so too, but healing only one of them was a write in vote and those usually don't win.

>>32208223
>>32208212
>>32208207
>>32208227
>>32208247
>>32208253
>1

>>32208222
>>32208233
>>32208239
>>32208260
>2

Voting Closed! Writin'

>>32208261
Half the quests ask votes with > and half of them ask without >

>>32208314
Which quests?

I'm gonna grab dinner real quick. I feel this is a good little cliffhanger.

File: 1331107759441.gif (168 KB, 256x144)

168 KB GIF

>>32208330

>>32208285
Yeah, I think we could have handled this a lot better, without throwing all our vys at it.

>>32208330
We should have snorted
Oh god we are so dead
This is the end

File: 1398588704862.jpg (41 KB, 667x721)

41 KB JPG

>>32208330

I just came back and we're gonna run out of vys. Why didn't we use that special sword we store vys in?

>>32208321
If i could be assed to remember which one asked for which way, i wouldn't be having a problem with it in the first place.
Shadow Quest, where this originates from, get votes with quote > for example.

>>32208382
Should have meditated first before even trying to hunt the dam thing, i thought we were still in our 20s, when i was reading the missed thread..

>>32208382
We still know how to fight with weapons
We still have 1 vys in tne Shockwave sword
We're not only a magical elf
I still think we have a shot on top of the fact we're getting our punch wizard and Darzi with her Stronk armor back up
Stop selling Mik short

>>32208444
It isn't going to be pretty but I do think, barring god awful rolls all around, that we got this.

>>32208444
>1 vys in the shockwave sword
>Shockwave Sword: 1 Vys Stored (Can release stored vys in a devastating arc of pure energy)

Why aren't we storing more vys in that thing?

>>32208444
Or Fulvia could start doing something useful with her metal magic and rip out this things semiconductors/transistors/whatever from inside.

In fact can't we just tell her that via the brooches? Mik doesn't actually need any knowledge of how this thing works to tell her to fuck up the squishy bits.

>>32208540
We just started/Soma just remembered a few threads ago.

>>32208528
Don't be so confident. We've got no vys now, so no more healing. Both Chrys and Darzi got their shit slapped pretty easily, and both would need to get into melee range to do anything. Profectus has to be running on empty by now, and although Fulvia can still do stuff she won't be able to solo this thing.

It might not be a bad idea to try and retreat if possible and try again later.

>>32208444
>1 vys in the Shockwave sword
Wait fuck can we draw that back out or is it a one way thing? If we can draw it out then we just won the universe

>>32208540
It's 1 vys every meditation, automatically unless Soma forgets but we haven't meditated since.

>>32208548
I think that would be useless she's a robit she knows the vitals more than anybody. If anything we should ask her for information on the vitals

>>32208584
We can't absorb anything from it right now, no. After healing, we have 0 vys. Not even enough to cast Leech.

We should have taken a dose of the Spice
We are in danger of having our entire party killed

>>32208644
We should, but we had a vote on it and were outvoted.

>>32208644
If shit goes to hell in the next update we need to snort that shit

>>32208644
We do still have it as an ultimate last ditch option.
I kinda want to meet with atma spiced out of our skull.

>>32208617
We shouldn't even need to ask, if there are any vitals she should just fuck them up.

>>32208644
Was the effect even immediate last time? iirc it took some time to fully kick in.

>>32208681
Soma said it would work.

>>32208679
>YOU ARE WEAK I WILL DESTROY YOU, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

What if getting Spice'd up makes us able to (temporarily) understand Ricky's screes?

Why do you guys rely on the spice so much? You do realize we're pretty skilled have some good armor and a party that can reck shit?

>>32208756
Because our front line just became dents in the wall

>>32208644
Soma please, give us one more chance to take the Spice before everyones gets fucking killed

>>32208679
Thing is even if it is used, if the rest of the party dies anyway then we'll probably die from the spice. There wouldn't be anyone around to look after our unconscious self, or to try and jumpstart our heart.

Though it would be pretty cool if the corrupted vys radiation brought us back as a radiation lich.

>>32208769
But everyone will be back next turn except maybe Prof if he gets exhausted.

File: 898nyjA.png (753 KB, 750x645)

753 KB PNG

>>32208726
Not sure it would, Ricky is an entity that seems to belong to the void thing (aka the Darklurker) that wants us to kill people, the last time we took the spice the dead god contacted us. As I understood it these are two different beings.

>>32208799
Yes and they won't be ten times as strong so they will still get buttblasted

>>32208774
Well hopefully if it comes down to is taking the spice, we will have a chance to heal any of their wounds. And Fulvia hasn't gotten hurt at all so far so we still have our AED.

>>32208756
>Why do you guys rely on the spice so much?
We don't.
>You do realize we're pretty skilled have some good armor and a party that can reck shit?
Except our shit is getting wrecked.

>>32208774
I actually forgot about that. If we take the spice you should all remember this. The last time we took it we were passed out for several days and DIED. Also we didn't give a shit about anyone, so even if we won there's no guarantee we would heal our wounded party members so they could look after us once we crash.

>>32208774
>>32208859
I thought that we'd just take a smaller dose.

>>32208836
Almost every time the shit hits the fan a couple of people suggest it. Also we're spending the rest of our vys to heal everybody and don't forget Fulvia is here

>>32208883
We don't know if a lesser dose will even be effective enough. Flying blind here, uncharted territory, and so on.

>>32208943
>Flying blind here, uncharted territory, and so on.
When aren't we?

>>32208916
First time I've ever suggested it.
We can handle ourselves against bandits with just a spear.
But this is a Rogue Corrupted AI bastard.
Who uses radiation to heal.
And who has also just almost killed our two heavyweights and left us with 0 Vys after we heal them.
We need to spice or we are going to get fucked

>>32208968
You have a point...

Maybe we could agree on trying a dose of about a quarter of what we took last time?

>>32208977
No we don't, a couple of good hits and the core will be dislodged.

>>32209017
Sure whatever.
But if we die I am going to be heartbroken
I Love this quest and never want it to end

So anyone mind telling me why we rushed on hunting this damn thing, when we were low on vys?

>>32208916
>Also we're spending the rest of our vys to heal everybody and don't forget Fulvia is here
And they're up what again? A giant metal monstrosity capable of TPKing us.

>>32209039

Maybe we should have meditated before entering or avoid the anti vys golem.

>>32209039
No idea. I thought it was implied that we were going to meditate beforehand

>>32209039
I dunno anon I wasn't here I would've voted for meditating.

Party status.
Horned chick- Knocked out, and maybe out of the game for a few turns.
Tortured girl-Knocked out, might come right back after the fight( knows some water magic, but probably has a low vys pool).
Profecterus-Has 1 or 2 shots left before passing out.
Fulvia-what the fuck are you doing, help more.

>>32209091
>right back after the fight(
Meant to say, right after healing.

>>32209091
>Horned chick- Knocked out, and maybe out of the game for a few turns.
>Tortured girl-Knocked out, might come right back after the fight( knows some water magic, but probably has a low vys pool).

I think you don't realize how serious it is, more like they are on the brink of death.

>>32209091
I think it's about time we whip our magic sword and our pistol out.

>captcha: cover therape
It knows.

>>32209039
I went to sleep after Soma left half way through last session.
>>32209122
Chrys, will be getting healed by a master water vatis, so she should be back up to fighting shape(not 100%, but good enough to fight) and Darzi was in heavy armour, so she probably has a concussion or a split skull..

>>32209122
Haven't we healed worse?

Back, and writing!

>>32209205
Not really.

imagine if every member of our party was as competent as we are

imagine if we stopped fucking around and properly trained them and made sure they are up to our level

>>32209168
>Chrys, will be getting healed by a master water vatis, so she should be back up to fighting shape(not 100%, but good enough to fight) and Darzi was in heavy armour, so she probably has a concussion or a split skull..

Yes they are being healed, but they got put into that condition in one hit in the first place. It can easily happen again, and we won't be able to help anyone from here on out until we get a chance to meditate. Which means if anyone is grieviously hurt in the rest of this battle, they're done for.

>>32209225
we've healed back limbs that have been utterly destroyed with not even a scar.

But I don't know about internal shit. a split head will not be an issue. But being knocked out might be why it's such a high cost.

How about we try a tactical retreat if the next turn allows it?
There were places where AI doesn't or can't go

>>32209282
This is what I want to do as well. Seeing as how two of our party members went down in one turn, I'd like to take the opportunity to get the fuck out since we won't be able to do very much with 0 Vys.

>>32209282
THIS

We have 0 vys left, no room for error now. If someone gets a lethal wound, they won't last long enough for us to meditate and get more vys, and we can't leech use leech to get more vys since we won't have enough to cast it in the first place..

>>32209267
>But I don't know about internal shit
Internal shit is much harder to fix if it gets damaged.

>>32209282
You can't run from that rape trAIn.

It's powerful enough to ignore these tight spaces I believe

Game of Thrones time now, try not to fuck up more while I'm gone!

>>32209239
well once we start heading back up. I do say we train,chys, and prof meditate by the lake.
easily get another insight, have chys and prof go up a level in their branches. It would be nice if prof trained with chyss on combat more often too/or alone if chys wants to meditate.

File: Alien Landscape.jpg (247 KB, 1215x883)

247 KB JPG

You dredge up every last remnant of your reserves, pouring everything that you have and everything that you are into one last massive spell. Chryssa's arm immediately corrects itself, and her legs and hips shift and twist back into their proper positions. Her chest is slower to heal, gradually resuming its original shape. You're relieved to see her start breathing once more, even if she doesn't hop up and start fighting.

Darzi doesn't take nearly as much vys to heal, just a touch really. You're relatively certain that she knocked her head pretty hard and that there was some internal bleeding, but this far away it's hard to tell. When she's healed, much to your surprise, she bolts upright and jerks her head back and forth in a panic. At least she's back into fighting shape. Which is good, because you feel just about dead.
>Vys Pool: (0/26)
>Status Gained: Drained-Take a -2 to all actions for the duration of this combat. Will fall unconscious once combat is concluded.

You hadn't noticed, but Fulvia had been gathering vys ever since her last spell. The generator on her back has become a glowing, throbbing ball of lightning and elemental fury. You can hear it filling the air with a vicious screech even through your sealed armor. She releases it all in one massive spell, reality warping and twisting around her. Then in an instant the world goes black.

When you're next conscious of yourself, you don't recognize your surroundings. You're on an alien world with a red sky, pillars of stone rising into the sky. Fulvia's body lies a short distance away, limp after that spell she cast to drag you into this world. Profectus is next to her, looking slightly panicked. The ground you're standing on is some sort of rough red stone, you've never quite seen anything like it before.
(1/2)

The AI's shell has vanished, instead only its torso remains. With no legs or arms it writhes uselessly on the ground, wires dangling from its back. Whatever Fulvia did, the AI is vulnerable now. You don't know how much time you have though.

>Tell Darzi to rush over and rip its head off. She's closer and that should be where the Core is.
>Rush over there yourself and extract the core, just ripping the head off might not do the trick.
>Write-in

File: 1365219059197.png (17 KB, 208x250)

17 KB PNG

>>32209435
Here we go.

>>32209435
Ah a last ditch run away spell.

>>32209464
>>Rush over there yourself and extract the core, just ripping the head off might not do the trick.

>>32209464
>>Rush over there yourself and extract the core, just ripping the head off might not do the trick

>>32209464
>>>Tell Darzi to rush over and rip its head off. She's closer and that should be where the Core is.
>>Rush over there yourself and extract the core, just ripping the head off might not do the trick.
At the same time, no room for errors.

>>32209464
>>Tell Darzi to rush over and rip its head off. She's closer and that should be where the Core is.

>>32209464
>>32209435
Wait, so... okay. Fulvia dragged us into here. Does that mean if we touch the AI's core we'll get dragged into its magical realm too? Will we go full blown inception here?

>>32209464
>Rush over there yourself and extract the core, just ripping the head off might not do the trick.
>Write-in
Draw our sword, draw our pistol

This reminds me of fate stay knights reality marble.

>>32209504
>>32209516
>>32209552
>>32209525
>Rush in

>>32209539
>>32209525
>Darzi rips its head off.

Writin'

>>32209464

do both

File: 1389845402819.gif (624 KB, 211x119)

624 KB GIF

Holy crap. Metal magic stronk.

>>32209435
>>32209464
Fulvia what the hell?

>>32209750
Not metal magic, it seems like a special AI magic.

You draw your Shockwave Sword from your cloak and rush towards the AI's torso. The closer you get, the less solid this reality seems. It flickers in and out, and you find yourself blacking out for moments at a time as you struggle forward. Fortunately you were prepared for this, you expected this sort of thing when dealing with AIs. Why the Rhynians thought keeping around creatures that bend and twist reality to their will was a good idea, you'll never know.

As you reach the AI you crouch down, flipping it onto its stomach and feeling around the back of its neck. You pop open the panel, it's in the exact same place on this body as it is on Fulvia's. Oddly enough you don't feel that corruption seeping through your armor this close to the construct, you would've expected a creature that uses corruption to heal itself would be saturated with it itself, but maybe that's simply a result of the world you find yourself in.

The core, rather than being the bright blue of Fulvia's core, is a deep yellowish-brown reminiscent in many ways of bile. You reach down to pry the core free of its receptacle but as soon as you touch the gem, the world once more fades away to black and you feel yourself falling forward, into the gem.
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXLDv-fUINM

File: Corrupted Realm.jpg (589 KB, 1397x888)

589 KB JPG

This time when you awake, you're alone. The sky above you is a roiling, tumultuous mass of black and red, likely a result of your poison spell slowly creeping its way into the AI's core and rotting the contents there-in. The ground is shifting, almost like water or thick mud but you can stand on it just fine. You're laying in front of the gates to a formerly vast city, though just beyond the gate you can see the city collapsing into a massive glowing chasm.

>Enter the gatehouse
>Run the fuck away, gods above.
>Write-in

>>32209947
>Enter the gatehouse

>>32209947
>Enter the gatehouse

>>32209947
>Enter the gatehouse

It's her mind, let's if we can get new memories.

File: John_Martin_Le_Pandemoniu(...).jpg (2.05 MB, 3224x2127)

2.05 MB JPG

>>32209947
Oh fuck, welcome to Pandemonium.

>Enter the gatehouse

>>32209947
>>Enter the gatehouse

>Enter the Gatehouse
Writin'

>>32209947
>Enter the gatehouse

>>32209947
>>Run the fuck away, gods above.
I ant out of the magical realm as fast as possible.

>>32209947
>Enter the gatehouse
>mentallife irtalks
what the hell captcha

>>32209947
any rolls?

>>32210088
Not for the moment.

You push yourself up, clenching your hand around the handle of your sword. Your legs are a little weak, and you feel a little out of it, but you have to finish this. As you take a step towards the gatehouse you hear a set of familiar voices in your head.

{He's doing it!}
{He can hear us.}
{I know that.}

You whip your head around, backing towards the gatehouse while looking for those three ethereal figures with bashed in skulls. You can detect neither hide nor hair of them, but you know they must be watching. They were in the real wor-

{Implying your world is real. HA!}
{Shut up! Let him perform his task!}
{Fine, I'll quiet down. I'm just excited is all.}

They're messing with you. That must be it. They're just screwing with your head for their own amusement. You're just going to ignore them. You push your shoulder into the gate and find that it swings open with surprising ease. There are no guards, no constructs, nothing. Merely an empty and abandoned city rapidly falling into ruin. Above the din of the city collapsing, you think you can faintly hear a woman crying. Its coming from your left, down an alley. You think you might be able to see a garden on the other side.

Just as you're about to proceed down that path, you see a shadow twist and shift. It bolts across the street, down an alley in the opposite direction. A distraction, or your target taking its chance to flee? You can't be sure.

>Follow the shadow.
>Head towards the crying woman.
>Stand by the gatehouse to guard the exit.
>Write-in

>>32210222
>>Head towards the crying woman.

>>32210222
>>Head towards the crying woman.
Those fucking shady-ass Gs
One day we will 86 em, i can feel it

>>32210222
>>Head towards the crying woman.

>>32210222
>>Follow the shadow.

This AI doesn't seem like the 'cry in the corner' type. Seriously, I'm smelling obvious bait.

>>32210222
>Follow the shadow.

Also: >{Implying your world is real. HA!}

Top kek.

>>32210324
Lets take the bait and lead with our gun