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/qst/ - Quests


Genocide.

The wholesale slaughter of a people or species til the last man, woman and child. Most view it as a disturbingly orderly thing, one group hunting down and lining up another against a wall. But not all are so impatient. Some, are more willing to wait, to throw open the gates of chaos and simply let the deformities of nature take its course.

For death comes for all, it need not hunt a single soul down, only wait until the bones and muscles can no longer outrun its gentle grasp.

---/---

You, Mathew, wake up with a start, breath flooding into your lungs as you gasp, hands out, clinging at nothing, as you fling yourself upright, and then push yourself upward to a standing position against the cold wall behind you. Your mind flashes with the words and images of your dream, mixed with the memories of the past two days, your mind swirling as it tries to recollect itself, tries to sort it all out as you yet again come to terms with the situation you are in.

The world is ending, has ended. Monsters and creatures now lurk in shadow and sunlight alike, slaughtering and devouring humans in droves, crumbling our civilization and species into dust.

And now, a new comrade, rescued only last evening, has revealed to you that at the center of the city you now find yourself within, something has sent down a gate, a portal meant to unleash even darker horrors upon your dying world.

And you only have two days left before it opens.

You finally regain yourself, eyes squeezing shut as you slid down the wall, hand clenching to your chest as you try and pull your nerves together. You recall why you are even here, a man who was on death's door, given a second chance, and power, the ability to use your own soul as a weapon, to help humanity fight back, to try and make a difference.

Yet you have no idea what to do, why any of this is happening. No clue how one man might make any difference in this new, terrible reality. You blink, and look about the small apartment you now find yourself hold up in, shaking your head slightly with a fraction of a smirk as you spot David leaned against the outer wall below the window, mouth hung open, having fallen asleep cuddling his rifle while trying to keep watch. A Man you still know little about, only that he was tired of running, and you gave him a chance to stop.

You turn, looking at your other, new companion, a young girl named Olivia, cuddled up in the corner, softly sleeping. According to her, she has seen an angel, been given a task by one, her and her slaughtered friends. You’re not sure who she really is, nor how much you trust what she has said, but she seems genuine, more than willing to help, and you have no reason to turn anyone away at this point.

(cont.)
>>
Light slowly peers into your little oasis from the terror that claws away at the world of man outside, only the occasional far off, or a bit too close, scream or gunshot, roar or screech, the little reminders of what waits outside, what you must face once daylight has reclaimed the dying city, once your fellows awake.

You shudder, mind flashing once again with words never heard, the face of a clock not real ticking down, a being whos warnings you now know to be all too real. A second chance, to face pain and loss, to see death and horrors no man should have to face. But this is what you have chosen, and what you must face.

You don't know how long you simply sit there, letting the world pass on by, but suddenly you blink, putting your hand up to block the beams of light suddenly encapsulating your eyes, grunting a bit as you hear your companions stirring, slowly waking. No rush though, not after what all of you have faced. Time may not be on your side, but breaking yourself over such a limit would do you no good either. You need all the strength you can muster, all three of you, that much is without a doubt.

“So,” David mumbles out, as Olivia sets about getting this mornings rations prepared, all too happy to keep her mind busy, her hands moving with idle tasks, “whats the plan man? Honestly, im of the opinion we turn back and get the fuck out of here. I think learning there IS a portal that landed here is good enough information for now, best to get out of here before it opens.” he starts, looking over as his words cause Olivia to stumble a bit, her head snapping towards him, but an outheld hand keeps her lips shut tight.

“Look, i get it, its bad if it opens, but im not even sure if we could get to it in time, let alone have the means to close it for good. All heading further inward would do is fuck us over when it opens. I don't like falling back or running away, but sometimes choosing the option where you're actually gonna live is the best thing you can do.”

Olivia looks down, but clenching her fists, she looks back up at him with an anger you havent seen from her yet. “You are just a coward. You would let my friends deaths mean nothing!” she spits out, hands shaking, as she turns to you, “if we do not do this, you better hope we can find a car, and the roads are clear. Because if we do not make sure that thing, that portal stays closed, hundreds, if not thousands, of miles will be lost to us for good.” she clenches her teeth, “it doesn't take a message from higher beings to know that.”

You frown, looking between the two of them. Guess you were the tie breaker…
>Go for the Portal. The Gate to worse fates. You were given a chance to make a difference, and this sounds like that chance.

>Pack up, find a vehicle, get the fuck out. This is just one city in a global pandemic, and your timeframes already fucked. There will be later opportunities to make a difference,ones where the odds are better in your favor.
>>
(Hello, and welcome to ‘Life Clings On’, a Horror/Thriller based around a time in which Humanity quickly finds themselves no longer with no competition at the top of the food chain, and a man granted a chance and the ability to fight for his species survival, and just how he might accomplish such a task. Together we shall go about his journey discovering and surviving in a world quickly shifting and collapsing, a world where hope is but fragments to be collected, and death handed out selflessly and readily. But Humanity and Life always clings on, or so we shall endeavour to find out if you can so prove it.)

(Mechanics Document;)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JK5dX0oOaPyS1G2jdzqjA2vYeP8EAUMLzzxcttjr9fY/edit?usp=sharing

(Character Sheets;)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zUfACL-duJ7PcQvZWzL6KSCJ5eLcQDei5gTqzOuLxwc/edit?usp=sharing

(Previous Thread;)
>>3316272


(with that, Voting to close in Two Hours, thank you.)
>>
>>3340710
Well shit, how far are we from the center of the city? Did Olivia and team have a plan for what to do when they got there other than "stop the portal"?
>>
>>3340710
>Go for the Portal. The Gate to worse fates. You were given a chance to make a difference, and this sounds like that chance.
>>
>>3340853
(probably over an hour away if you were driving before now. Olivia may reveal that info if asked or the right choices are made.)
>>
>>3340710
Man, this is a bad idea, and its gonna get us killed but
>Go for the Portal. The Gate to worse fates. You were given a chance to make a difference, and this sounds like that chance.
I'm going to add the caveat that we first scout the area around the center/gate and do some reconnaissance before actually committing to assaulting the gate.
>>
(writing now.)
>>
>>3340710
“We came here to try and make a difference,”you say, meeting Olivias eyes, “And thats what were gonna try and do. Were gonna make sure that damned thing stays closed.” you stand, nodding to the others as you grab your own bag. “Did we manage to grab anything useful before we backed off from chasing that feathered girl yesterday?” you ask, and quickly Olivia nods, running back to grab the stuff while David simply shakes his head, and scoops up his rations.

“You sure about this man? Once we start marching in there, aint no point turning back around.” he says, shoving subpar crackers into his gullet. You chuckle, nodding to the skinny man.

“Yeah i know, but someone's gotta try and do something stupid here, just feels wrong to let something like this go unattended, you know?” he shrugs, looking over as the young, quiet girl comes back into the room.

“Well, if you think so..” he mumbles, as Olivia lays out the items.

>Items Gained;
>>Olive Backpack
>>FlashLight
>>Rations[3]
>>Grenade(1)(This handheld explosive may be thrown for a minimum of 1 Physicality Point, up to Medium Range away. Anything within Close Range from the explosion suffers the equivalent of a 8 Physicality Point Ranged Attack, though they may try and take cover if possible.)
>>Shotgun[5/5](This pump action firearm cannot hit targets at Long Range, however is devastating at closer Ranges. At Medium it can hit up to 3 Targets in a cone infront of it, doing a 6 Physicality Ranged Attack to each. At Close Range, it may not hit more than one Target, but deals out a 12 Physicality Point Ranged Attack.)
>Shells[20]

And perhaps, the most important thing, the item that throws both you and David for a loop…

>>C-4 Brick Cluster(1)(Far too big to be easily used in Combat, this powerful, devastating explosive pack could probably bring down a building if used properly.)

You blink, mouth agape as you stare at the clay like substance, clutched in the girls arms sheepishly as she smiles.

(cont.)
>>
>>3341173
“What the actual fuck, where did you guys even get that?” David mutters, scratching his head. Olivia shrugs, looking down.

“I..our leader, Georgia, found it. Said he scooped it out of a military vehicle of some kind. We, our hope was it would be enough to either break the portal, or topple something on top of it to bury it.” she looks up, a glimmer of hope in her dulling, blue eyes, “Look, i know we dont have a map, but i think i remember the route we planned to take, i think?” she bites at her lip, clearly nervous as she tries to recall info she obviously was not meant to be the one to remember. “There should be a entrance to the sewer, large one, near where we met. Our hope was to use it to circumvent the larger creatures up top, and pop up nearly right next to where the thing crash landed. Though, i doubt nothing will be in there…” she stammers off.

David shakes his head. “Yeah, id prefer to stay above ground. We can just sneak our way close, use the buildings and back alleys to avoid anything too big or dangerous. Better then jumping into a dark, cramped pit where we can barely aim a gun or swing a weapon.” he says, but shrugs, “ill admit though, she might be right on it being a quicker route, and more of a guarantee to avoid CERTAIN creatures, yeah.”

You nod, picking up the backpack, seeing as how you were the only one without one, and the rations in order to make sure you carried some of your own weight around here. You look over the other gear, rubbing your chin as you decide the best course of Action here…

>Allocate Gear to Party Members

AND

>Go through the Sewers. Nothing down there can be too dangerous you think, and if it's quicker, then thats exactly what you need.

>You dont like the idea of getting trapped or attacked in such bad conditions, so you will keep the group up top. If your smart about it, it shouldn't be a problem, and if trouble does arrive, the conditions will be better suited to fight in.

>Write-In.

(Voting to close in two Hours.)
>>
>>3341182
rations/flashlight to Olivia, shotgun to us since we're mostly going to be in close range due to soul weapon anyway.
>Go through the Sewers. Nothing down there can be too dangerous you think, and if it's quicker, then thats exactly what you need.
>>
>>3341195
Supporting
>>
>>3341195
>>3341249
(i should note, this would be a good time to reallocate any already equipped gear aswell, which technically outside of Events can be done anytime, though of course the point is to not need to do it often.)
>>
(votes tallied, Writing now.)
>>
>>3341182
Picking up the shotgun, you hand the Flashlight off to Olivia, who shoves the C-4 into her own backpack as you stand. “It's risky, but taking the sewers is our best bet, at least with such a strained time limit.” you say, tossing David the grenade as he sighs, his annoyance plain and clear, though to his credit he nods.

“Probably got alot of things guarding it anyways, so fair deal.”he sighs, and turns to Olivia as he pockets the explosive, watching her slug her pack over her shoulder. “Well, lead the way then, lets hope you know where your taking us.” he jokes, though clearly it was an actually worry with how his mouth curved, and one you couldn't help but share.

“Ah, yes, im sure i can get us there.” Oliva nods, and with no more time to waste, the three of you creep out into the morning light, the sparse sounds of the dying city meeting you ominously, as you march towards the most dangerous destination you could imagine.

---/---

The entrance was easy enough to find, considering something had caved in part of the road to allow for quite the entrance. Inside was much like you expected, the smell of shit and decay mixing with stagnant water and putrid garbage, each shadow seemingly shifting unnaturally, the very place echoing with a taunting tune with each step, a world unknown to mankind, despite being of his own creation.

It was much roomier than you expected, a large water reservoir with two walkways on either side. You supposed the inner parts of the city may need more water flow compared to the usual suburbs, but seeing what that meant in person was a very different story.

“Uhh, this way.” Olivia say, leading you forward , beam of light illuminating the dark depths of this putrid underbelly to civilization, as you marched forward, shotgun at the ready, David behind you with Rifle chambered.

You march forward, no company but the dripping of moisture, the echo of footsteps, and the never ending smell of things best left where they are. A miserable situation, but at least it involved company, no?

“Ah, fuck.” Olivia suddenly stops, clenching the flashlight tighter as you nearly run her off the walkway.

“What? Somethin-” you curse, looking over her shoulder. The next bridge forward was gone, its smashed remains shining in the beam of the flashlight in the water below, the ceiling having half shattered down to crush the metal beneath its weight. “Er, no, i, sure there's another way around. Yeah. yes.” Olivia say, chewing on her thumb before suddenly pointing left, and moving on. “Yes, this way. For sure.”

You share a look with David, but follow nonetheless, knowing full well you were too far in to question her judgement now.

(Cont.)
>>
>>3341627
More turns and more contemplating are all that meet you however, as you continue forward, until you come to a moment where Olivia hesitates for just a bit too long, David grumbling as he pushes forward past you, looking down at the younger lady. “Look, are we lost or not? If you dont know the way, just say so, and we can find a man hole or something to climb back out of.” he insisted, by now more than annoyed at the seemingly endless wandering.

“Er, no, well, maybe? I think both these routes go the right direction? Just, one gets us closer, i think?” she says, motioning to the two pathways. One was a set of stirs that lead down to the right, into a much smaller side tunnel. The other was a long, flimsy looking walkway hovering over the middle of a slightly bigger stretch of sewer piping, the sounds of rushing water wafting up from up ahead.

Neither of these were an improvement over your current situation, that much was for sure. You were about to chime in with your opinion, when something dings off the piping far behind you, making the three of you swerve around, weapons up in an instant, hearts racing as the flashlight scanned sporadically behind you, looking for any signs of movement, though nothing came.

But upon hearing something scrape against metal piping and a hiss of some foul creature, you know something is on its way.

“Fuck, damnit. I knew we werent so lucky…”David grumples, taking a moment to look to you. “Well, now what?”

>Take the stairs down to the narrow tunnel. It might echo less and if the thing does come for you, it won't have any room to dodge.

>Take the walkway over the pit. Its dangerous, but its the quickest route out of here as far as you can see, and you don't have time to waste.

>Stand and fight here. You have a bit more ground to maneuver compared to the tunnel, however little that is, and its not as flimsy or risky as the walkway.

>Write-In

(Voting to close in One and a Half Hours, thank you for your participation.)
>>
>>3341631
>Take the walkway over the pit. Its dangerous, but its the quickest route out of here as far as you can see, and you don't have time to waste.
If it's flimsy enough, we can just make it collapse behind us to keep our pursuer from following us.
>>
(ill be extending voting til 6pm CST to see if we cant get more input.)
(thank you for playing, i hope to see you later, and have a good night!)
>>
>>3341631
>Take the walkway over the pit. Its dangerous, but its the quickest route out of here as far as you can see, and you don't have time to waste.
Attack it when it goes over the walkway. Should cause it to collapse it.
>>
>>3341884
Darn. Should have just voted instead of catching up.
>>
>>3341894
(dont feel too bad, i probably should've been in bed already anyways. i appreciate your participation regardless though!)
>>
>>3341898
I was speed reading to beat the deadline, well guess I can re-read more in depth from the start of this thread now.

See ya tomorrow.
>>
>>3341902
(Id also recommend reading the mechanics doc and character sheets if you can find the time.)
>>
>>3341631
Ok, this isnt too bad, and we could probably handle most of the less dangerous ones if we're smart, but considering we're moving deeper into enemy territory, I have a strong preference for stealth and caution.
>Take the stairs down to the narrow tunnel. It might echo less and if the thing does come for you, it won't have any room to dodge.
Also if it comes down to it, we have a way better chance in closed qaurters b/c of shotgun, plus davids rifle for midrange if we spot them from afar. Engaging with firearms in a linear tunnel is about as ideal as we can get.
>>
>>3341631
also, lets give Olivia the handgun regardless of which way we go. Shes the only one without a firearm right now, and we have a shotgun.
>>
(writing now, thank you for your patience.)
>>
>>3341631
You turn to Olivia, shoving your Handgun into her arms as you give her a stern push towards the walkway. “Keep us moving Olivia, down the walkway! Whatever is coming, we want to get the fuck out of here as soon as-” You turn sharply, hearing David curse as he takes aim while backing up, a long, shimmering white arm, half translucent and plated, claws like daggers, slowly reaches around the far off corner, and claws phasing partially into the wall, gives the brickwork a long, screeching scrape.

“Go, NOW!” you yell, as Oliva stumbles backwards onto the Walkway, struggling to both keep herself moving and the creature in the flashlight beam as you all make your way quickly onto the creaking, high flung walkway, and the thing crawls low into the every shaky view of the light, screeching loudly, its echo unnaturally vibrating the brickwork as it travels downward.

It was bone white, a long gap where its face and chest should be, like an ever hungry abyss. Its long, lanky arms pull its floaty, legless body along quickly, its entire form like a mix of skeleton and chitinous plate, strange, impossible blackness between them. It rushes forwards, its speed only that such a semi-solid being could hope to muster, as you reach the halfway point upon the walkway, eyes glued to the figure, you know it will get here before you make it all the way across.

>Mathew, David, and Olivia, the Foolish Hopefuls

VS.

>BONE WRAITH, the Stubborn Rage

>>COMBAT EVENT INITIATED

>Mathew,End 6/6
>David, End 5/5
>Olivia, End 5/5

>Bone Wraith, End 4/4
Known Info;
>Wraithful Form(Cost, Passive)
>>Your form is no longer solid, now more spirit than flesh. Physicality and Dexterity based Actions now count against you as if every 3 was 1 Point, making you incredibly immune to physical trauma. however, any Mentality Attack will harm you as normal, however rare they might be. You also have a Natural 3 Dexterity bonus to all attempts to Dodge incoming Attacks, though you must still choose to Dodge to gain this.
>Mind Scream(Cost, -3 Men)
>>a scream of potent fear, echoing through the very minds of your foes. all Targets within Close Range Suffer an instant -1 Mentality, and if they wish to continue their current Action, must spend a further -1 Mentality.


>Action Required.

(Voting to close in One and a Half Hour, thank you.)
>>
>>3343298
Lets see if I get this right?

Have everyone start running across the platform except us, we summon our soul mace to stall it for just a few seconds. When the others get across the start shooting and we try to smash the walkway with our mace.

David and Olivia use both 1 dex and 1 mental.

We use 2 dex and 3 strength plus 2 mentality an 1 endurance.
>>
>>3343358
melee combat seems like a bad idea desu
>>3343298
shotgun deals 12 physical close range which is still 4 against its wraithful form, and its pretty unlikely to miss this close, so we could oneshot this if we do it right.
>turn around, keep calm, steady your hands, aim the shot, blast it when it gets within 5 feet or so
(1 men, 2 dex for aim, I hope the shotguns spray lessens the need for more dex since were shooting close range)
david and Olivia, aim just in case Mathew whiffs,
(1 dex for each)
>>
>>3343380
david also has 2 aim if he shoots
>>
>>3343380
huh, didnt know qst had a word filter, t-b-h*, not desu.
>>
>>3343380
I'm hoping to stall long enough for the others to get across, then we smash the walkway and jump off the platform while the monster falls down.

Either way we are not going to outrun the thing and I doubt a narrow walkway has enough spacing for us to all shoot at it. There won't be alot of room to maneuver ones it gets close.

If you can put forth a bit of a better plan that addresses these concerns I'll follow your lead.
>>
>>3343436
sure. I'd like to say that im not confident in our ability to smash the walkway fast enough that it doesnt just attack us.

As for spacing, since my plan is to essentially burst it, we either need to get our shotgun blast off and that finishes, or we graze it and it gets finished by David(I doubt that Olivia's pistol will contribute much, So I'll withdraw her shot), we can easily sync this up by crouching on our knee and have David stand about a foot behind us so we both have a clear shot. Honestly the only thing that worries me is how well this thing can dodge a shotgun at close range, so I'm also going to change it to
(Matthew 1 men, 3 dex)
(David 2 dex + 2 aim)
>>
>>3343466
feel free to express any other issues you think my approach has, working out the flaws in general helps with our odds of survival
>>
>>3343466
Humble, I'd also like to ask, since I'd rather not waste dex if we dont need to, does adding dex to a shotgun blast at close range affect the chance of success? doesnt seem like we can really aim that much better when its at that range
>>
>>3343436
Thinking more on it, its to some extent beneficial for us that there isnt much maneuverability, since we can pretty much rely on the thing coming at us in a straight line.
>>
>>3343501
(Dex can be used to enhance your chances of hitting a target with a Ranged Attack yes, at any Range the weapon can be used. however if not stated, the weapon gets no further bonuses for Distance it is shot from.)
>>
>>3343513
alright, honestly I'm willing to put in 4 dex, this is a pretty important shot.
>>
Reminder to minimize Men use whenever possible, as we can't recharge it mid battle as we can with Phys and Dex
>>
>>3343521
(understood.)
>>
>>3343535
Yeah, good point, but I feel 1 men per one encounter is a fine exchange rate as long as we dont have more than 3-4 encounters per day, and if we're at that point then we've probably made a mistake somewhere.
>>
>>3343466
Whatever lets go with this, I got a throbbing headache right now.
>>
>>3343593
That sucks, hope you get better.
>>
(the plan and votes have been tallied, writing now)
>>
>>3343298
>Mathew, End 6/6, -1 Men, -4 Dex
Action;
>Shoot Shotgun

>David, End 5/5, -2 Dex
Action;
>Shoot Rifle(+2)

>Olivia, End 5/5, n/a

VS.

>Bone Wraith, End 4/4, -1 Dex, -3Men
Action;
>Dodge(+5), Mind Scream(AB)

Mathew vs. BW
Score;
>Mathew- 6
>BW- 6, Wins

As it becomes clear you wont reach the end in time to avoid a fight, You give David a shout of “shoot, wait til its close!” and quickly crouch, the mans rifle at his eyes in no time.

You watch as the spectre looms ever forward, its form snaking, smoky as it pivots side to side, zooming along the walkway towards you. You hold steady, then as it lets out a hiss, you fire, and watch with dismay as the thing lunges sideways instantly, arching its body through the railing and with disturbing precision wraps around the underside of the walkway and back on from the other side, its eyeless gaze peering into yours as you curse

David vs. BW
Score;
>David- 4, Interrupted
>BW- AB, Wins

It was at that moment you see Davids Gunbarrel point over you, but just as he goes to pull the trigger, the phantom lets out a deadly, unnatural scream, a scream not physical, but entirely inside your mind. You gag, falling backwards as David stumbles, unable to get his shot off as his mind is assaulted with a mental slash, throwing his focus and aim to the wind.

>David, -1 Men
>Mathew, -1 Men

As you clench your teeth, shotgun shaking a bit in your grip, you push backwards, staring forward as the Wraith lowers itself down, its form sinking halfway into the walkway, as it prepares to strike out…

>Action Required.

(Voting to close in One and a Half Hours.)
(for the record, incase anyone missed it, when a tie happens but both cannot succeed, the character in the most danger wins.)
>>
>>3343667
well fuck, that went poorly, but still salvageable, if its attacking, it has to either interrupt to dodge, or get hit
>summon soul mace, try to guard against attack, David reload and fire again, olivia shoot five shots
(1 end, 3 phys)
(david 1 dex + 2 aim )
(olivia 3 dex)
>>
Alright, thats going to have to be it for me tonight, good luck, see ya'll tommorow.
>>
>>3343697
I'd advocate for putting in some more points since we seem to be getting tie or failing a bunch of our encounters.
>>
>>3343769
support
>>
>>3343769
>>3343921
(this is fine, but it would help me tremendously if you would be willing to put down how many extra you wish to allocate.)
>>
>>3343697
Lets just use 1 point of stamina for ourselves for now and move on.
>>
(votes tallied, writing now.)
>>
Oh shoot. I should have put some more points into dex for David. I was only thinking about ourselves.

Also, for some reason I thought David had a semi automatic rifle like a AR15
>>
>>3343667
>Mathew, End 5/6, -1 End, -3 Phy, -1 Sta
Action;
>Summon Soul Mace, Guard Attack

>David, End 5/5, -1 Dex
Action;
>Shoot(+2)

>Olivia, End 5/5, -1 Dex, -1 Dex, -1 Dex
Action;
>Shoot x5

VS.

>Bone Wraith, End 4/4, -1 Dex, -1 Men, -3 Men
Action;
>Lunge,Wraiths Caress(AB), Attack

Learned Info;
>Wraiths Caress(Cost, -1 Men)
>>A vengeful spirits very form is a potent cold, a vile thing that ends life with its very presence. for a Base Cost, you may spend further Mentality Points in an Attack Action as a Melee Attack.

Mathew vs BW
Score;
>Mathew- 6, Wins
>BW- 5

Quickly, you summon forth your soul, forming it into solid power as you bring it up with gusto, just as the Wraith lunges forwards, its claw shimmering with an unnatural strength as it slams the limb down, but you hold steady, the claw pressing you towards the ground but unable to make you budge, unable to land a blow.

And then David works the bolt, and fires.

David vs BW
Score;
>David- 3, wins
>BW- 0

Damage Dealt;
>8 Physicality(counts as 2.)
>2 Endurance loss

The creature screams, a howl from its core, as the shot rips through it, leaving trails of white smoke and bits of bone behind it as it reels back, hissing, and thats when fives shots ring off from the end of the walkway, where Olivia has settled down to give support.

Olivia vs BW
Score;
>Olivia-1 x5, Wins x5
>BW-0

Damage Dealt;
>6 Physicality(counts as 2) x5
>10 Endurance loss

You watch as the shots fling out wildly, most only barely scraping their target, but its enough. The creature hisses as the bullets rip the creature apart, and its form suddenly seems to freeze, solidify, and then as cracks start to form, bits breaking off, it tumbles over the side, and crashes with a loud splash into the water below.

You blink, catching your breath as David helps you up. “Well, damn, guess thats that.” he whistles, giving a thumbs up back to Olivia.

>Bone Wraith, 0/4 Endurance
>Dead

>COMBAT EVENT ENDED.

(Cont.)
>>
>>3344095
As you all gather yourselves back up, quickly getting to the end of the walkway before further things can catch you unawares, you congratulate Olivia before letting her lead the group further on, knowing full well theres little time to waste.

It's not much longer before she leads you to a ladder, and nods. “This should be where we exit, i think.” she says, and points the flashlight forward, where the entirety of the piping going further was caved in drastically, now more solid stone and concrete than anything. “...yeah, very positive actually.”

You nod, and with little else to do, you get to climbing, far from upset about leaving the putrid rank of the sewage behind.

---/---

Upon pushing the manway up and to the side, you quickly peek out, and looking forward cant help but gawk.

The landscape ahead was once a skyscraper, now a mangled, deadly mesh of concrete slabs and metal bars sticking up, the ground more treacherous and deadly than you ever could imagine. While you could hardly see inside the mesh of destruction, the red hue and maroon sparks of lightning coming from over the edge was a sure sign nothing good was sitting beyond for you.

You waste no time helping the others out and taking refuge in the most intact building round the dead zone, climbing to the second story in hopes of getting a better look at your objective. It helped, but only marginally, and you could see inside was an unintentional maze of barbed metal and unstable , jagged cement, still no sight of the portal itself, though it was obvious it was smack dab in the middle of the mess, and the cause of it for sure.

“Well,” you say, turning to the others, “got any ideas?” you ask, and they both turn from their activities to answer…

>David thinks we should take some time making our way around the thing, seeing if there's a better place to enter and more stable or short path to the center, and you can't help but agree.

>Olivia thinks we dont have time to waste. Its already late, and tomorrow is your final chance to stop this. You need to just go for it, straight in, and risk a less stable path. And you agree.

>you agree with neither of them, and you will be deciding on something else.(Write-In)

(Players, ill be taking a break for the evening, to continue tomorrow near 6pm as always. thank you for your participation, and i look forward to seeing you tomorrow.)

(if you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please feel free to comment and ill try to get to you as i can. thank you and good night.)
>>
>>3344106
>you agree with neither of them, and you will be deciding on something else.(Write-In)

Rig a VIED.

Drive it in and set it off. Then book it!
>>
>>3344106
Can we make our soul weapon transform into a spear or a long pole on command?
>>
>>3344157
(As of now no, its form is set and locked.)
>>
>>3344152
(Also i am not entirely sure what a VIED is, but the terrain leading up to the portal would be impossible to bring a vehicle onto.)
>>
>>3344197
I think he means a VBIED, vehicle borne improvised explosive device.
>>3344106
>Olivia thinks we dont have time to waste. Its already late, and tomorrow is your final chance to stop this. You need to just go for it, straight in, and risk a less stable path. And you agree.
>>
>>3344215
Was there always a B in that term? If so then I derped.

>Olivia thinks we dont have time to waste. Its already late, and tomorrow is your final chance to stop this. You need to just go for it, straight in, and risk a less stable path. And you agree.

Well if we pass a remote control drone or hobby store, then we should bust in and start taking that stuff.
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>>3344106
Guys dont forget we have around a full day to handle this, we cant really afford to just brute force our way in with our already limited bullets, we have to actually leave the city after this after all
>David thinks we should take some time making our way around the thing, seeing if there's a better place to enter and more stable or short path to the center, and you can't help but agree.
>>
>>3345191
You have a point, but won't there be alot more demons at the gate since it would "almost opening" at that point?
>>
(hey players, im sorry to inform you that i wont be posting today. ive caught a pretty severe stomach bug thats basically kept me K.O.d all day. all going well, i shall hopefully pick this back up tommorow at the usual time. sorry, and thank you for playing.
>>
>>3345864
Get well soon
>>
(i apologize, but i am still in no condition to post today. however i am clearly getting better, so to make up for it, tomorrow i would like to cut down voting times significantly to get through more content, starting at the usual time, if enough feel they would be able to be around for that.)
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>>3348811
That's cool. If you want to run on the weekend instead, that's fine too.
>>
>>3348811
Do what you feel like you want to do, but I usually have to check out right before the votes that extend to 6pm next day, which is pretty convenient as I can usually participate in most of the updates that way. If youre gonna do shorter times Im less likely to be able to participate, so you know, heads up on that I guess.
>>
>>3348848
>>3348942
(my weekend will be quite busy, but if regular posting works best tomorrow that is fine.)
>>
>>3344106
“I agree with Olivia. It's gonna be a tough road regardless, so it's best to not waste more time and just get ourselves into the thick of it.” you say, turning to the others, and getting nods of acceptance, though clear reluctance from David. With that, you head back down to the street, the coast oddly clear, silent, and with a bit of struggle more climb than walk your way into the jagged landscape before you, a natural maze of concrete and metal.

You take careful measure of each step, having to constantly climb or squeeze your way into new areas, going sideways almost as often as you go forward, and never does it seem to be straight forward, the terrain a hell in terms of getting around.

Its as the sun starts to dull, its light slowly snuffing out that you wonder if you didn't jump the gun just a bit, though far too late to turn back, you only hope anything lurking within this place is having as difficult a time getting around as you are.

You continue on for some time, before pulling your group to a halt, eyes narrowing as in the dying sunlight you spot something up ahead. Smoke, and not a thin trail, wafting up from up ahead, though its source is not yet seen.

Your curiosity pipes up, as despite everything, the terrain you are in holds little flammability, nor materials to make one out of, and as far as you reckon it seems to be quite controlled.

You mull over your options as you watch the little stream of gray going up into the sky, the fire almost certainly in the quickest path you could take, though you can't be certain.

“Well, that can't be good.” David whispers, looking up from bedie you at the smoke, “wonder, that mean people? Dont reckon monsters care for a fire, but, ya never know?” he asks casually, shrugging.

You shrug back, and rub your chin, wondering the best solution to this.

>Climb some rubble and see if you cant see the source. You might get spotted though, but it's better not to move until you know just what is going on.

>Just find a longer path around. Whatever it is, its not worth the risk.

>Try and sneak closer, and spot what it is up close. Saves time trying to get around it, and getting spotted going high.(Everyone; -1 Dex)

>Write-In

(sorry for being mildly late, but im back.)
(Voting to close in one and a Half Hours, thank you for those still around after my sick spree, it was very unintentional, heh.)
>>
>>3351534
>Try and sneak closer, and spot what it is up close. Saves time trying to get around it, and getting spotted going high.(Everyone; -1 Dex)
>>
>>3351534
>Try and sneak closer, and spot what it is up close. Saves time trying to get around it, and getting spotted going high.(Everyone; -1 Dex)
>>
>>3351534
>Try and sneak closer, and spot what it is up close. Saves time trying to get around it, and getting spotted going high
>>
(writing now.)
>>
>>3351534
>Mathew, David, Olivia, -1 Dex

With a motion to your allies, you quiet down, careful of your further steps to avoid knocking around loose debris or slide, doing your best to make not a peep as you make your way towards the mysterious fire, as the lights of daytime slowly die to embers, and then get snuffed out, replaced by nothing but the half moons beams, the glow of the fire now so much nearer, and the unnatural thrum from the unseen portal you grow ever nearer too.

“Well, *slrup*, im just saying, the fat ones got more flavor, so long as you cook it into more of a jello.” you hear something say, sounding male, but twisted, mangled.

“Bah, you slob, nah, it's the average ones, they got a better blend to em.” a more feminine, but still inhuman one responds, getting a chuckle from yet a third voice, though this one does not add to the conversation.

You hold your breath, careful not to make a sound as you finally near the fire, the night hiding you well as you approach the bend, a giant slab of stone, and peer around. And immediately pull back, gagging a bit.

Before you was a damned vision. Three being obscured by the shadows and dancing firelight, feasting happily on human corpses strung up and cooking over a raging fire, big enough to engulf any one of you whole if thrown inside.

You try to stop David and Olivia from looking, but arent fast enough, having to throw a hand over the younger girls mouth and pull her back to stop her gasps of shock, the laughter of the three inhuman creatures thankfully drowning out any hiccups your group may of made in the process.

You hold the girl tight as you wait for her to calm down, though it doesn't take long, David at the ready, nervously waiting, staring, reading incase the things had heard anything, but the casual, though demented, conversation makes it clear they did not.

You all take a moment to calm down, letting nerves buzz down and heads clear, as David leans down next to the two of you.

“So, i think we can sneak around em if were-” he starts, only for Olivia to straighten up suddenly, shaking her head as she whispers out pure disgust and rage.

“No..no, we kill em. We have that grenade, right? Lets fucking send them to hell in pieces.” she demands more than asks, turning to David and holding out a hand.

>David is right, we should just avoid them, Olivia isn't thinking clearly, shes thinking back to her teammates, and while understandable, calmer heads must prevail.

>These things need to pay, and you dont like the idea of leaving them at your back. She may be emotional, but that doesn't mean no logic is in Olivias words.(Olivia -1 Phy, lose; 1 Grenade. may or may not start Event)

>They might be a threat to take care of, but you have the advantage of surprise. Why waste a valuable explosive when you can just mow them down quickly before they notice?(Starts Event, but with 1 Free Action round, Choose everyone's opening Actions.)

>Write-In
>>
>>3351891
(Voting to close in One and a Half Hours.)
>>
>>3351891
Nope, we have a mission. Theres nothing gained and no one saved if we risk it here. Thousands of miles worth of land and people are in danger because of the gate, thats our priority.
>David is right, we should just avoid them, Olivia isn't thinking clearly, shes thinking back to her teammates, and while understandable, calmer heads must prevail.
>>
>>3351891
>David is right, we should just avoid them, Olivia isn't thinking clearly, shes thinking back to her teammates, and while understandable, calmer heads must prevail.
We can come back for them.
>>
>>3351891
>David is right, we should just avoid them, Olivia isn't thinking clearly, shes thinking back to her teammates, and while understandable, calmer heads must prevail.
As tempting as it is to frag em with the grenade. We gotta stick to the mission.

Maybe on the way back....
>>
>>3351891
You softly reach out your hand, and grasping Olivias arm, slowly force it down, watching as her eyes never break from Davids, the intense anger never truly snuffing out within her blue pupils.

“I get your frustration Olivia,” you whisper carefully, “But this isnt the fight we are to to take. If we get distracted, if we dont stop that portal, much worse than that for untold miles and miles will be unleashed.” You fight as she jerks at your grip, holding her steady, not flinching as she turns to stare you down with dagger like eyes. Yet after a moment, her shoulders go limb, and she lets the tension go from her body as you let her have her arm back.

“Fine.” she mumbles, and as you share a concerned look with David, you get the group moving again, quickly but silently, using the roaring laughter and licking of the flames to mask your movements forward.

---/---

Night clings to the air as it comes into full swing, your movements now slowed as you hear stirring in the dark, shifting shadows from your perches telling you that the things of the deep, terrible dark have started to stir. Things much better suited to this time of day than you ever could hope to be.

Slinking into a crack in the grand chaos of the terrain, you sit patiently by as you wait some passing abomination, its for hidden in the dim light, but long and unnerving.

“Things getting sticky out there..” you grumble, not at all pleased by how your progress has come to a near snails crawl, as you turn to your comrades. David was full on at the ready, eyes darting between cracks and crevices to make sure nothing caught wind of you, that nothing lingered uncomfortably long. Olivia seemed far too on edge, teeth gnashing, eyes focused on the opening, ready, almost hoping for something to try and make its way inside, a sentiment you did not at all agree with.

You turn from your weary group, risking a quick peek outside, eyes peeled to the waves of red from your destination, now so much bigger, brighter, and, almost alluring, in a mind twisting, terrifying way. You blink, the red away. You were close, quite close actually. But you were also far from fully at peak performance, a situation that worried you greatly. Your allies were hardly as beat down at you, but you could tell the long hours had started to get to them too, and that worried you aswell…

>Keep pushing forward. The night will help you keep under the radar, hopefully, and even if it doesn't, time is ticking by.(Everyone; -1 Dex)

>Take shifts to keep watch, and let everyone rest up for a few hours. You may want to avoid a fight, but even without one your gonna need all the strength you can muster for this task. Time may be short, but rushing does no good.(Chance of Ambush, Stats regained with the exception of Mentality)

>Write-In

(Voting to close in two hours.)
>>
>>3352126
>Write-In
Fall back a little further someplace safer, that we passed by to rest in.
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>>3352126
>Keep pushing forward. The night will help you keep under the radar, hopefully, and even if it doesn't, time is ticking by.
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>>3352126
>Keep pushing forward. The night will help you keep under the radar, hopefully, and even if it doesn't, time is ticking by.(Everyone; -1 Dex)
>>
>>3352126
>Mathew, Olivia, David, -1 Dex

“Ready to move out? We end this tonight, if we can.” you whisper to the others, and though they dont look too sure at first, they gather their resolve and with a nod, you check the coast to be clear, and slip back out into the night.

You creep along, in the cover of mans lost fortresses, between slivers of bent beams and twisted rebar, always aware of the inching darkness, of the creeping terrors.

And then almost, somehow, without warning, you come to a sudden stop, the ground giving way to a small drop, a circular clearing, nigh three hundred feet in diameter, the only cover the deep, twisted gashes in the ground coming from the center, as it whatever hit had sent out lightning from its depths to burn away the earth itself, the things only just deep and wide enough for a person to sometimes fit in.

And so it was before you. The portal. Unopened, but thrumming like a heart, red waves of utter, incomprehensible energy washing out. And to look at it made your mind reel backwards, twist in and in on end, falling, shattering, seeing something that was not of this world. Like a thousand thousands stretched for and stacked upon eachother.

It beat inside your head, a thing not meant to exist upon this planet, a thing so unnatural your mortal mind raked at itself trying to make sense of its dimensions, its angles, it's very size or mass.

This was not a portal to hell. Hell would be a kindness compared to this things very existence. No, wherever this thing lead to, hell would cower from. You grit your teeth, struggling to stay standing ,to push your eyes to focus on what was around the thing.

>Mathew, -1 Mentality

Your mind finally snaps to look beside you as you hear Olivias knees crack against the ground, he eyes twitching and convulsing as you gasped, staring at the unnaturality of the damned portal, her hands slowly going to her throat.

>Olivia, -1 Mentality

But David gets to her first, grabbing her arms and forcing them down as he brings his body between her and the chaotic device, his eyes bleeding, teeth gritted as he fought down a primal scream.

>David, -1 Mentality

You breath heavy. You risk looking near the thing. You risk another glance. You steel yourself. And take sight of its surroundings.

And know, only one creature stands to guard it, not even the abominations of destruction daring to be near such a thing. But you, you knew you couldn’t dare, you knew the truth. You HAD to face it. To beat it. It was not a matter of strength or courage, but simple factual necessity.

And something seemed to agree.

(Cont.)
>>
>>3352526
You let out a silent, powerful scream of defiance, your body glowing with a brightness of purity, the strength of the human spirit, something beyond the limits of mind nor body.

You rage against the inevitability before you, against the damnation of a million souls yet to be lost. And the ticking of a clock grants you the power to stand up to it.

CHOOSE ONE:

>Clarity of the Soul(Cost, -1 Mentality)
>>For the Duration of an Event, or for -1 Mentality and hour outside of Events, you may replace your eyes with spiritual temporary replacements, granting you immunity to all supernatural attempts to alter your mind or inflict Mentality based afflictions or debuffs, other than those inflicted within Melee Range. You may also pay this price to give such an ability to allies, at the same rates.

>Purity of the Soul(Cost, Passive/Augment)
>>Your Soul Weapons light now glows even brighter, being its own reliable source of light within darkness, and both you and allies bathed in its light within Close Range, are granted immunity to all supernatural attempts to alter your mind or inflict Mentality based afflictions or debuffs, and you gain an auto attempt to counter any such Attempts in Melee Range with a locked in 3 Mentality Attack, but this interrupts all other Actions that Turn, and may only activate once a Turn. furthermore, the aura effect of your mace does not work while it is in light form returning to you, so getting disarmed is now much more dangerous.


(as its getting late Players, id like to ask if you would like to continue this tonight for another few hours, or keep voting open for the day to pick back up either briefly sunday, or monday at the usual time?)
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>>3352532
Maybe Sunday. What time did you have for running on Monday?
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>>3352569
(6pm like usual. its the best i can hope to do during the week, sorry.)
(Sunday isnt confirmed, but would probably be midday to early afternoon, probably 12pm-3pm starting time if i can do it.)
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>>3352577
Do you do interludes or pov from different characters?

>you gain an auto attempt to counter any such Attempts in Melee Range with a locked in 3 Mentality Attack, but this interrupts all other Actions that Turn
What happens if we are attacked mentally at range?
So if it auto interrupts, does it mean even if we would rather attack, it would override our attempts to continue attacking by forcing us to counter the mental attack instead?

>you may replace your eyes with spiritual temporary replacements
Like sunglasses or like fake glass eyeballs?
Would be for visual stuff or would sound and feelings of dread or fear also be prevented?
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>>3352600
>What happens if we are attacked mentally at range?
sorry, mixed up the wording, its similar to the eyes, in that you are basically immune to such attempts, except in Melee Range in which unlike the eyes, you get an auto Attempt to prevent the attack/ability that would effect you at no extra points cost.

>So if it auto interrupts, does it mean even if we would rather attack, it would override our attempts to continue attacking by forcing us to counter the mental attack instead?
yes it would. like an instinct or pre programmed motion in a machine.

>Like sunglasses or like fake glass eyeballs?
more like glass eyes balls, it temporarily changes what your eyes themselves are.

>Would be for visual stuff or would sound and feelings of dread or fear also be prevented?
not only visual, though natural feelings of dread or fear from your own mind would still come into play, only unnatural things influencing you from outside your own mind it would negate, for both of them mind you.
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>>3352532
>Clarity of the Soul
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>>3352614
So would we be vulnerable to mental attacks in melee range only with Purity Soul, and would trying add points stack on top of the natural 3 like if we at 1 mental to the plus 3 we would get 4 mental?
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>>3352645
(you would be vulnerable to Melee Attempts with both, but Purity gives you a chance to negate it even if unprepared to do so. but no, it is locked at 3, and cannot be altered, though like any action making their success less potent would still at least lessen its effects.)
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>>3352652
Okay thanks for the clarification.

>>3352532
>Clarity of the Soul(Cost, -1 Mentality)
Replacement eyes if we ever lose ours.
>>
(i actually will be stopping here for the night, as the things keeping me from continuing tomorrow will require at least some sleep, and i am at least responsible enough to be awake for those.)
(thank you for your participation, voting will be open until such a time as i say it closes, which ill of course let you know by sunday if i can continue that day.)
(thank you, and have a wonderful night and weekend. like always, please feel free to ask questions, criticisms, or comments, and ill try to get to them as i can.)
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>>3352532
Clarity takes multiple men points to reliably protect the party, while purity is passive on our mace. Close range is up to 15 feet according to doc, which is pretty decent.
>Purity of the Soul(Cost, Passive/Augment)

>>3352670
considering its one hour per men, and we only have 7 men, it would be pretty inefficient.
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>>3353006
I'm gonna add that it seems that clarity is a bit too situational for my preference, it more or less requires applying directly before every encounter if we want it to be useful, since we dont know which encounters are going to have mental debuffs, and we also dont want to waste valuable actions in the midst of combat. Purity on the other hand comes for free on our mace, which we've used in every encounter except john so far, it seems to me that purity is both less costly and in general has more utility imo
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>>3352687
I know this is a bit nit picky to ask but do all the protective measures and bonuses from Purity of the Soul only apply when our weapon summoned in our hand?

What about if it is not in "light form" such as laying on the ground?

>>3354269
Was going to respond but I ended up having more questions.

I'll throw in that, at higher levels the 3 men hard cap will could hurt us. I think we can level up our stats, right?
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>>3354466
Fair point on the cap, both have their drawbacks, but I will also say that since most mental debuffs are likely to be either stuns or interrupts such as the wraiths mind scream(I'm assuming there are also likely to be fear effects but I feel like those would probably be used before they got to close range, so both purity/clarity counter them), having an automatic defense is pretty useful, since a lot of other actions would probably just get interrupted(david auto losing the stat tradeoff due to mind scream). Considering that clarity is also vulnerable to mental attacks at close range without any defense, I'd say its more or less a favorable tradeoff for purity.
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>>3354466
I will also say that I'd be fine if we did take the clarity, as I am wary of the hard cap, and applying clarity on characters that arent right next to us can be useful in specific cases, but I do have a preference for purity, as resistance to mental attacks seems rare in monsters, and mental debuffs in melee range(5 feet) probably dont crop up too often.
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>>3354613
Before I deleted my response I was going to say that I sea-sawed between the two options a lot, but settled on Clarity due to it being a better long term option in hindsight after some consideration. Mainly due to the concerns that losing our weapon debuffs the entire team, the hard cap, and the over reliance on a single ability.
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>>3354466
(yes, it only applies when the weapon is summoned and solid. if you read Weapon of the souls description, you can have it return to you by de-solidifying into light, but during this time its effects will not work until back in your hand and solidified.)
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>>3354635
Yeah I understand your reasoning, what tips it for me is that clarity seems pretty expensive on average, since it costs 1 men per person, and given that men is the only stat that you cant recover with end, thats a lot to commit when you can instead just get it for free(albeit by tying it to another ability). Additionally, if we get clarity right now, we're going to have to spend 3 men, and that kinda turns me off on the ability, considering that situatutions which require willpower or quick thinking seem to crop up a lot(see john event), it would feel like we're gimping the men stat whenever we need to use clarity.
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>>3354682
>men is the only stat that you cant recover with end
>considering that situatutions which require willpower or quick thinking seem to crop up a lot
You bring up some good points regarding mentality.


>if we get clarity right now, we're going to have to spend 3 men
If I'm not mistake in reading this ability, this would be more of a positive one since it would render all the people in our party immune to fear and mentality attacks for the duration of the battle regardless of distance to us, while the other requires us all to be packed closer together, which could be bad for encounters with enemies that have a large "hit" area, and we probably need to do lots of dodging and maneuvering.

It would also allow us to split up into separate groups so we would not require them to be next to us the entire time to benefit.

Something to consider is if we have our weapon summoned while trying to sneak out of the city and we need to make a stealth kill with the mace, and the mace will likely be giving off a holy aura or at least a very bright light which can draw unwanted attention. I'm not entirely sure if it does emit a noticeable magical or holy aura or not, but it does emit a very bright light. Would have to ask QM about that.
>>
>>3354681
>>3354959
hey Humble, can we choose to let out the glow or not?
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>>3355053
(Ill say yes, you can choose, but would not get its effects while off.)
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>>3354959
You're correct about clarity having more freedom of movement for maintaining the buff, but at the same time it would cost 3 men, which we both agree is a pretty valuable stat. I personally feel that the increased freedom isnt worth spending 3 men on, considering that not that many scenarios require us to both resist mental debuffs and also be scattered(physical aoe +debuff admittedly is one, but doesnt seem like it would be common), is it better to have to spend the men for all the situations where we don't need to if we take purity, just to have a slight edge in those cases?

>>3355053
that solves the sneak attack issue, then.
>>
Sorry for the wait, been busy.

I enjoyed the conversation we've had but I've made up my mind. I'm going to stick with Clarity.
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>>3355376
alright, thats up to you.
>>
>>3352532
>The Choice Made
>Clarity of the Soul

Mathew clenches his fists as he feels his eyes turn to jello, then gas, then something pure, different, beyond physical material. The transition smooth, painless, as bhe blinks, the world now tinted blue at the corners of his eyes, the red waves of the portal now dulled almost to none existence, the device itself now looking nothing more than a dull, dimly glowing stone circle standing up haphazardly from the ground. No longer his mind wished wished to flee from its presence, but now could face it head on. With a strange, almost natural motion, without thinking, he waves his hand at his allies, and watches as their own eyes change aswell.

“I..huh? What the hell?” David mutters, looking around nervously as his perception suddenly shifts, changes to something tinged with the unnatural. You freaks a little when he catches sight of you and Olivias eyes, the girl doing similar, but you quickly keep them calm with a hasty explanation.

With that, you take a moment to look back out at your destination. Nigh open ground save for cracks more hazard then helpful, a march forward you were sure was supposed to be void of places for people like you to scurry about in. Taking a moment to reload your weapons and make sure everyone was ready, before the three of you, three near strangers, started your march towards the most follshish place you could think to be. Yet you had still chosen to be here. To see what you cant do. You suppose no matter how this ends, you can stand firm knowing you did what you needed to do.

The walk forward was one of careful footing and tension upon the nerves like a knife to ones veins, a mix of steely courage and numbing dread making blood pump fast, adrenaline more than ready to flow, eyes transfixed on the beast that guarded it, his visage growing taller and taller it felt with each step.

But it was about halfway there that you slow, then stop. Your ears perking as you hear a familiar ticking, though weaker, before you blink, and suddenly before you was a figure in green, sickle in hand, face of time peering towards you.

(Cont.)
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>>3358254
You pause, simply staring at the creature, neither friend nor foe as far as you know, a thing that feels like you last saw it a lifetime ago. David and Olivia either dont see the thing, or the fact they now moved in extreme slow motion meant they did not yet react.

“Well, it is certainly a welcome sight to see you still up and about my young man. That strength i gave to you seems to be working well.” he chuckles, his english accent still a strange one, both for him and the country. He turns, his clock face no longer ticking, the hands twitching in place as he looks over to the gate. “Dreadful thing, im both glad and proud to know you chose to come destroy it. What it would let loose would be quite a pickle to deal with, i would say.” he shrugs, turning back to you.

“This new era did not begin nor shall it end here, no matter the outcome, but, perhaps, something will start here. Perhaps hope will be planted by your actions, perhaps not.” he looks past you, to the wreckage of the city, or maybe to something beyond. “Life will cling on even if you fail, your species will not be doomed, though, i will say it will be a blow it could use without.” tapping his sickle upon the ground, he meets your face once again.

“Ive done all i can to make sure your species stands some form of chance against what has come, and what shall come. In the end, that is all i can do. Give a chance.” he laughs, a hearty, kind sorta one, “how silly, that some think me a god, yet in the end that is all i am worth. If you do succeed, i think we shall meet one last time, before i have given the last i can. With the end of the last era, it seems too, my era is ending. Ah, but things persisted before me, i do so think they shall persist after me. Stubborn thing life, in the right appendages at least.” you swear you know he winked, despite his lack of eyes.

Time started to speed up once again, the creature before you slowly fading into dust, blown away by a wind you could not feel. “Do keep in mind the goal, my friend. The gate, not its guardian. Do that, and im sure you will get done what needs to get done.”

And just like that, reality snaps back into focus, into momentum, and Olivia almost slams into you. “Oh god sorry Mathew, i, why did you stop?” she asks, her nerves coming out clear as day.

“I, no, sorry, lets get moving.” you say, turning from where the strange, yet seemingly kind, creature had once again stood, to lead your companions forward once again.

(Cont.)
>>
>>3358259
It was only a quick bout more before you found yourself before a brute of a thing, a humanoid demon with skin like stone, and a face like steel. His arms were crossed as he stared you down as you approached, surprisingly making no moves to attack, yet at least. Being over ten feet tall, not including horns, you could not help feeling a bit intimidated.

“So, three humans come before me. I am Heilo. My job is not to deal with pests such as yourself, though i do commend your bravery and skill in surviving to get here. Go, flee. You have the means to keep your lives, it would be a shame for me to be the one to take them away from you. I am giving you one last chance to live, so i would recommend you take it.” he says, his face and tone pure professionalism as he does not so much as twitch a muscle.

You stand firm before him, Olivia to your right, David to the left, as you all gulp down your fears at the task before you. The creature shrugs, looking each of you over. “Huh, neat eye trick, and i sense one of you has becomes something a little bit more than your baser kind. You should've come when you were yet stronger, when yet all of you were something more. I have strength beyond all of you together, can take more than all of you together can take. Yet you would stand defiant before me, to stop what i am built to make sure happens?” he smiles, a disturbing, respectful thing, creeping across his mouth.

“You will die with my respect at least, but not one punch will be pulled. The masters wish to feast, ill at least give you the mercy of not being their first meal.” and thus, slowly, his arms unravel, fists clenched at his sides. “Come then. Let us do our bout. Blood shall be in the air today.”

And so, it seems you will fight.

>EVENT BEGUN
>THE GATES GUARDIAN, END OF THE BEGINNING.

>End of Vol.2

(Gentlemen, sadly i do not have time to continue today, but due to already having this part written, the thread bump timer reached, and wanting to give extra time a bit for planning as it is going to be one tough fight, i decided to post this here. ill be continuing with a new thread Monday afternoon, by 6pm CST at the latest. thank you all for playing, and i appreciate the support, and hope to see you all there tomorrow. thank you for playing.)
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>>3358272
Thanks for running, see you on monday.
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>>3358272
Quick! Mace the kneecaps to slow him down! Slip one of the c4 packs to try and injure him so we can make a rush for the gate!

>>3358272
Thanks for running. Hope to see you again soon.
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(New thread is up, this one is archived.)

>>3361080
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Last post. lol

HAH Got'em



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