Super Smash Quest - Story - Chapter 216: Danger Canyon
Date: 6:34:51 PM, July 5th, 2005.
Editor's Note: At long last, an interesting session! Well, the first one was... kinda...
Metal Man (GM): Well, then you met Scott, who had apparently been on the planet slightly longer than you guys had been. Then some more battles went on. And now, it has been a full 3 days since the end of the second session. You're all gathered near the entrance of the village. Kales finally made up his mind as to what to do next. It is slightly before noon.
Kales Brando: "I am sorry for making you wait."
Aribar taps his foot, wondering what Kales will say.
Julian Sawyer: *Stands with his arms crossed*
Kales Brando: *Cough* "This is mainly because I had to plan out the next job."
Julian Sawyer: .oO(Took long enough...)
Kales Brando: *Hack* *Cough* "Our next destination is to some nearby canyons. There aren't too many ruins there... but..."
Charles Magellean: "Having to wait was worse than hearing we had no pay."
Kales Brando: "Our destination is across the canyon."
Aribar: "You sound a bit under the weather today..."
Azure: "Just gotta take these things. Good things will come."
Kales Brando: "I merely... *Cough* am slightly elderly, that's all."
Julian Sawyer: "And what's on the other side of the canyon?"
Kales Brando: "I believe... more ruins to explore. Follow me." *He begins walking to where the river is.*
Aribar follows.
Julian Sawyer: "We're gonna run into something, I know it..." *Follows the elderly lizard*
Metal Man (GM): The river itself is in good condition... but just now, you realize something interesting.
Scott Kane follows, his greatcoat flapping in the wind as he moves, and the wrappings of the cross fluttering as well.
Metal Man (GM): All the land north of the lizard is nice and green. Errr... Everything below the river is dry. Dry. Dusty. In fact, they call most of the land down there 'The dust fields.'
Charles Magellean walks along playing a random melody on his flute.
Julian Sawyer: "...'Ey Kales, what's up with the dryness? You guys set up a dam or something?"
Metal Man (GM): The arena you guys fight in is down there. You also walked down there to do your first exploration attempt.
Kales Brando: "It has always been dry down there... I don't know why. There is a higher concentration of ruins near or south of the river."
Scott Kane: "Unusual. That suggests some sort of blockage."
Metal Man (GM): As you walk, you notice the river being deeper and deeper sunk into the ground.
Julian Sawyer: "Yeah, like I said, a dam or somethin'..."
Metal Man (GM): You're walking up a slight hill.
Azure: "Sounds... interesting." *He rubs his hand across his chin.*
Metal Man (GM): You start to notice canyons ahead.
Scott Kane: "Hmm."
Kales Brando: "After crossing the canyons, we must go up the river... the crystal we found will open the ruins up there. I just don't know which ruins."
Julian Sawyer: "Gettin' there... Just hope those ruins aren't that far apart..."
Aribar mumbles, "Oh, goodie..."
Kales Brando: "I haven't been very far. They could all be close together, or spread far across the planet."
Julian Sawyer: "...Whatever, let's just keep going."
Kales Brando: "Until I met you people, I did not take notice of ruins away from our village."
Charles Magellean: "So what might you suggest are in these ruins?"
Kales Brando: "Ancient treasures, magical artifacts of great power, and perhaps the key to life itself."
Julian Sawyer: "Sounds like some nice stuff..."
Metal Man (GM): You finally reach the top... you're on the North, green side of the river ..The bridge across is out.
Azure: "The ancient artifact... writings... oh what information we may find!" *He seems to have zoned out.*
Kales Brando: "...This is terrible... with this bridge cut, the safe way across is gone. You're going to have to climb into the canyon and fix it! I'm too old to do it myself." *Cough* *Hack*
Aribar sighs and tries to estimate how far across it is to the other side, and also which side the bridge is on (Assuming only one side of the bridge was cut. "Hrm..."
Scott Kane thinks and says "Open" in a low voice. His mechanical wings spread out from his back, unhindered by the trenchcoat due to the slits cut into it.
Julian Sawyer: "Yeah..."
Metal Man (GM): The bridge is cut on the side you're on. The bridge is hanging on the opposite rock cliff. There's a rope ladder down into the canyon.
Scott Kane: "I might be able to fly the ladder over to the other side."
Julian Sawyer: "Shouldn't be too hard."
Kales Brando: "Flying is dangerous... there are deadly updrafts."
Scott Kane: "Mm. Damn."
Kales Brando: "There's ruins down there."
Julian Sawyer: "...Thanks for telling us before we tried it, I guess."
Aribar: "... Wouldn't that just raise him into the air?"
Julian Sawyer: "Yeah, but they could slam you into the rock wall."
Kales Brando: "Cause him to lose control... it could blow him back, or send him flying to his doom."
Scott Kane: "Not if the updrafts sent me into something else."
Kales Brando: "I'm sure the villagers will pay you if you fix the bridge. And if you find anything of historical interest down there, I'll pay you myself to boot."
Julian Sawyer: "...Well, what are we waiting for?"
Scott Kane: "...too bad I don't have a grappling hook on this thing." *Scott says, hefting the cross.*
Aribar walks over and looks at the ladder to see how sturdy it appears.
Julian Sawyer: *Checks the rope-ladder's sturdiness*
Metal Man (GM): The rope ladder is rather sturdy.
Charles Magellean isn't really sure how something like a bridge can be brought back up if it's fallen to the other side.
Metal Man (GM): You could climb down to what appears to be an ancient balcony.
Scott Kane: *How far down is it?*
Metal Man (GM): The river rushes below. 10 feet down.
Charles Magellean climbs down as well.
Scott Kane: *That's it? Oh, the ladder is.*
Azure: *Follows behind charles.*
Aribar begins to climb down.
Scott Kane climbs down with them, holding the cross carefully.
Metal Man (GM): The first thing you see is a magical floating platform moving back and forth. The ceiling is too low to fly.
Scott Kane: "You guys do this often?" *Scott asks*
Metal Man (GM): INT check to successfully use the floating platform to get to what looks like a metallic balcony lift.
Julian Sawyer: *Waits for the others to finish climbing down so the ladder doesn't snap under their combined weight, Julian climbs down* "You'll hear from us again if we make it out alive, Kales."
Aribar: "Adventuring? Yes. Climbing down steep cliffs? ... Not so often."
Kales Brando: "I shall be waiting."
Azure: "So whos going first...."
Scott Kane: "Damn." *Scott gets off the ladder, pulls out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter, lights one up, and puts it in his mouth after replacing the lighter and packet.* "Man..."
Aribar just continues down the ladder, but not climbing down other Questers, guessing that they must reach the floor.
Metal Man (GM): The ladder stops on this ledge. You all reach the ledge. The magical floating platform requires an INT check to use without falling to your doom.
Julian Sawyer: "Smoking... filthy habit." *Julian tries the platform first, making a jump*
Scott Kane: "Yeah, it is. But it keeps me calm."
Metal Man (GM): *LEAP* You get across to the metal platform.
Azure: *Gives it a go.*
Metal Man (GM): The metal platform creaks uneasily. Meanwhile, Azure leaps to his doom.
Julian Sawyer: "Wait up!"
Charles Magellean: "Just don't throw away the butts in any ruins we come across."
Julian Sawyer: *Looks to see where to go nexte*
Metal Man (GM): Azure leaps onto the metallic platform, which is now creaking and cracking. There's a rock ledge ahead.
Julian Sawyer: "No one go!"
Metal Man (GM): A simple jump attack to.... *LEAP*
Julian Sawyer: *Heads towards it*
Metal Man (GM): Scott leaps aboard the platform. *CRASH*
Julian Sawyer: *Tries to get off before Scott makes it there*
Metal Man (GM): Only Julian gets a chance to jump to safety.
Azure: *Floats for whatever it's worth.*
Metal Man (GM): The other two fall to their doom and take 50 damage, appearing back at the start where the rope bridge is.
Aribar sighs, glad he's on the ladder.
Metal Man (GM): Julian is now on the rock ledge. The platform is now gone.
Julian Sawyer: *CRITICAL JUMP* "...You people need to LISTEN."
Metal Man (GM): Thus, you will need to make a good jump check to get across the now huge gap.
Azure: "Thanks... a lot....."
Scott Kane: "Damn. I take it you don't stay dead when ya get killed."
Julian Sawyer: "No, that's a nice quirk about being a Quester."
Metal Man (GM): Julian: You should wait for the others, who must do INT checks, then jump checks to reach you.
Scott Kane exhales a puff of smoke in a ring. "Ugh."
Julian Sawyer: "Right... so I'll just be waitin' here...'till you guys make it."
Azure: "Here goes. The winds up here arent even flight capable..." *Gives it another go.*
Scott Kane jumps across after watching Azure fall, determined to do this.
Metal Man (GM): Azure leaps into the pit, taking 10 damage and being sent back. As does Scott, who takes 10 damage as well.
Scott Kane takes out 60 rings and uses them.
Azure: "Oh look... I'm back here with you again..."
Julian Sawyer: "You guys aren't very good at this."
Azure gives it another go. .oO(Better off using a full 100.)
Scott Kane tries again as well.
Metal Man (GM): You barely land on the platform. Scott only grabs the platform with his hands.
Scott Kane: "Craaaaap!"
Metal Man (GM): He must used a STR check to pull himself up. Or Azure can pull him up.
Azure: *Turns to grab him.*
Metal Man (GM): STR check for Azure to pick him up.
Julian Sawyer: "C'mon! First one to make it across gets a 1,000 coins!"
Scott Kane: "Man, don't **** with us."
Metal Man (GM): You pull Scott up. Like he weighs nothing.
Scott Kane struggles up and tries to jump across. "I'm not staying on this thing."
Metal Man (GM): Now you just have to jump across.
Azure: *Jumps as well.*
Scott Kane: "Coins please."
Metal Man (GM): *shrug* The two of you get across.
Aribar looks to see if the platform would support him. If it doesn't, he stays put. If it does, he jumps over to the platform.
Charles Magellean watches the magical platform move back and forth, and attempts to time a jump from a guess.
Metal Man (GM): The platform supports you, and you leisurely land on the magical platform.
Julian Sawyer: "Finally..." *Palms Scott 1,000 coins*
Metal Man (GM): Magellan also gets on the platform.
Azure: *Sighs.*
Scott Kane: "Thanks." *He pockets them and exhales another puff of smoke, this one in the shape of a cross.* "Ah man..."
Aribar then tries to jump to the others.
Metal Man (GM): Aribar: You need some sort of third jump to make it.
Julian Sawyer: *Hands Azure 500 coins as a consolation* "He made it like a second before you did."
Metal Man (GM): Or something. Yeah.
Aribar casts Magic Teleport to get himself across... It goes 15 feet.
Metal Man (GM): *WARP* You get across.
Charles Magellean times the jump properly and uses wild strentgh to get to the other side.
Metal Man (GM): You grab the edge with your hands. And pull yourself up.
Scott Kane: "You guys are gonna bring me to an early grave," *Scott mutters, his cigarette having been exhausted.*
Metal Man (GM): The way down is one of those climbing things.
Julian Sawyer: "Alright, everyone across?"
Metal Man (GM): With the various rocks.
Scott Kane: *Aren't we trying to go up?*
Metal Man (GM): Do you climb down the middle, left, or right side of it?
Scott Kane shrugs and heads down the middle.
Azure: "Hey you're the one that jumped when it was cracking. If anything... at my grave first by association." *He sighs.*
Julian Sawyer: "Always goes right..." *Heads thataway*
Metal Man (GM): I'll announce what happens after everybody chooses and heads down.
Scott Kane: "No life like an exciting life."
Azure: *Goes left.*
Julian Sawyer: "Got that right..."
Azure: "Guess he's right."
Scott Kane: "Hmm."
Aribar heads down the middle after Scott.
Scott Kane: "We're tryin' to get all the way down, right?"
Charles Magellean climbs downward and left.
Scott Kane: "And then where?"
Julian Sawyer: "Yeah man, there's some ruins down here, apparently."
Scott Kane: "Mm. I see. Who thinks we're boned? Raise your hand."
Metal Man (GM): The rocks in the middle immediately falls down for Aribar and Charles.
Aribar Magic Teleports to the right wall.
Julian Sawyer: "Hi Ari."
Scott Kane ...just kinda falls.
Aribar mumbles a greeting.
Metal Man (GM): Aribar teleports onto Julian's shoulders.
Aribar: "Okay... New guy's jinxed."
Metal Man (GM): Scott falls on the ground (Not too far, but still a fall) taking 20 damage. Julian: STR check.
Azure: *Starts climbing down faster.*
Metal Man (GM): Aribar is weighing you down.
Aribar climbs back onto the wall and off of Julian's shoulders.
Julian Sawyer: "You see why I always choose right? 'Cause -CENSORED- like this happens when you don't."
Metal Man (GM): You guys reach the bottom.
Azure: "I choose the right path for once. Who knew..."
Scott Kane: "Any of you guys a chiropractor? I think I busted my back."
Julian Sawyer: "No, but I can poke you in the head until you feel like gettin' up."
Metal Man (GM): ...This balcony is inhabited by miniature pterodactyls. They don't look happy.
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Scott Kane would rather not be poked, and thus stands up.
Julian Sawyer: "This is ridiculous..."
Scott Kane: "Oh, I'm starting to think this is just another day in the life..."
Aribar: "... Anyone have some steak sauce to pour on those things?"
Terrordactyls: "SCREECH! SCREECH! SCREECH!"
Azure: "This doesn't look good... where's the mother..."
Metal Man (GM): Please wait a moment.
Scott Kane: "DON'T ask that. Please."
Julian Sawyer: "This is why I have a hat."
Metal Man (GM): First, all three of the terrordactyls enter flight and go to attack you....
Scott Kane: "With our luck, she's going to come flying out and eat me."
Metal Man (GM): Questers vs. Terrordactyls.
Julian Sawyer: *Takes his hat off and squeezes the feather, extending the blade along the brim, ready to throw*
Aribar: "Don't worry... How hard can three of these things be?"
Scott Kane tears the wrapping off the cross - which comes off cleanly, without a tear - and opens the cannon end.
Charles Magellean: "...Tricerawolves, lizardmen, pterodactyls... hmm..."
Julian Sawyer: "It's like the Land of the -CENSORED- Lost..."
Scott Kane: "Or Jurassic -CENSORED- Park."
Julian Sawyer: "I don't see any cages to protect us from these things or painted SUVs."
Metal Man (GM): The Terrordactyls seem to hate Aribar.
Scott Kane: "Yeah? Let's hope there's no Big Daddy Rex, either."
Metal Man (GM): All of them attack him with repeated peck attacks. 20 damage per hit.
Scott Kane: "Unless Big Daddy Rex happens to be a lizardman pimp."
Aribar manages to dodge three hits... He dies.
Metal Man (GM): Aribar is pecked to death. I'm going to wait for him.
Scott Kane: "We lead a charmed life." *He presses a button on his glasses. A red ray streaks out and strikes on Terrordactyl in the eyes (Confused)*
Metal Man (GM): One is confused.
Scott Kane: *Then, he turns to the second and presses the trigger on the Chaos Cross three times. *(Bombardment)
Metal Man (GM): Miss miss miss.
Scott Kane: "...CRAP!"
Metal Man (GM): It moves really fast.
Julian Sawyer: *His hat ready, Julian flings it like a discus towards the opposing force, slicing each one thrice*
Aribar: "Okay... Time for some barbequed birdies!"
Scott Kane: "Hey, spikey-ears, I hope you've got something BIG..."
Aribar fires a Fire Elemental Blast at one of the birdies for 87% Fire, and then Jolt at another for 18% and possible paralyzation (Which may make it drop to the ground?)
Metal Man (GM): Your fire blast hits it... and deals no damage.
Scott Kane: "Oh ****!"
Charles Magellean slaps his face.
Aribar: "Grr... Curse you, fire-resistant birds!"
Metal Man (GM): The thing does take 18 damage from the Jolt, though. You now have a paralyzed and confused terrordactyl.
Charles Magellean: "I cannot believe you would do that against hard-skinned creatures." *He has nothing to do with these overgrown pigeons unless they provoke him. He uses all three actions to notice the flying lizard's movements.*
Aribar: "..."
Scott Kane: "-CENSORED-er!"
Azure slips his hands into the nexus guantlets at his sides (quick draw) the chambers can be heard locking around his wrists. The give a strange glow that seems to resonate with the Terrordactyls(lock on). Azure then uses them as a medium between his qi. An electrical surge crackles threw them as he rushes toward one (non para/ or confused) and attacks it with a lightning smashing rageki fist combo!
Metal Man (GM): Hit and hit. The Terrordactyls decide to fly at Aribar, trying to carry him off. Three SPD checks, Aribar.
Aribar: "Gah!"
Metal Man (GM): The dice tell it to attack Aribar. And it doesn't get a 1. So yes. Aribar is carried off by all three of them and dropped into the updraft. He's launched into the wall, taking 50 damage.
Aribar: "Gah! Damned birds!"
Metal Man (GM): Then all three terrordactyls fly high into the air, dissappearing.
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Scott Kane: "...it ain't over."
Julian Sawyer: "Where'd they go..." *Tries to spot them, so he can get a good target for his hat*
Metal Man (GM): Can't see them, unfortunately. They're high up, to look where they went is to stare straight into the sun.
Scott Kane takes a running jump across. If he fails, he teleports the rest of the way.
Metal Man (GM): You take one action to jump, then teleport the rest of the way. You're now kinda-sorta under the balcony where they roosted.
Julian Sawyer: *Wishes he had a pair of Death Sunglasses so he could see the 'dactyls and get a good target... but he doesn't.
Aribar just continues down whichever way they're suppose to go... (Assuming there is only one way.) "They're gone..."
Scott Kane: "No, they aren't!"
Metal Man (GM): Aribar: Jump check to cross the gap.
Scott Kane: "They're preparing something huge."
Metal Man (GM): ...And a teleport, I assume.
Aribar tries a Magic Teleport (15 feet) to get over.
Metal Man (GM): ...You'll need a STR check to pull yourself up ..You stay stuck on the ledge... very bad place to be., You end your turn hanging perilously from a ledge.
Aribar: "Uugh..." *Tries to pull himself up with his only arm, pretty much failing.*
Charles Magellean swishes his mouth. He spits to the side, unholsters his guns, and fires 9 shots at the first healthy bird, then the other 9 at the next healthy bird. *The healthy birds being the one without status effects.*
Metal Man (GM): Charles shoots the air. The birds are out of range... high in the sky.
Charles Magellean shakes his head, holsters them, then ends his turn.
Azure: *Takes a running jump.*
Metal Man (GM): Gonna need some third jump or something to make it across unless you're super-lucky. *SPLAT* You take 80 damage from the fall and are out of the fight unless you die.
Azure croaks.
Metal Man (GM): Then... good and bad! -1 life But you appear back on the first balcony of this level. Naturally, that toasts your turn. The Terrordactyls are apparently NOT gone. You see them flying diagonally towards you guys like homing missiles. One of them flies at Charles.
Charles Magellean: "...It begins."
Metal Man (GM): The other flies to hit Aribar while he's in a bad position.
Aribar is doomed...
Metal Man (GM): And the third one flies towards Julian. 80 damage to all hit... an extra 80 as Aribar is knocked to his doom. Aribar takes 160 damage. The other two who are hit take 80 damage.
Aribar is dead.
Julian Sawyer: *OOF*
Metal Man (GM): Oh! good point. That confused one was still on the same move from last round. It just took a while for the move to hit you. But yes, it is still confused and paralyzed. Okay! Azure and Aribar and Charles are in range of two. Whoops... make that... Azure and Julian and Charles are in range of two terrordactyls. Aribar and Julian are in range of the confused/paralyzed one.
Julian Sawyer: *His hat ready, Julian flings it like a discus towards the opposing force, slicing each one thrice*
Metal Man (GM): And a hat tossing with half accuracy could hit those far away from Julian. Confused one: Hit thrice. Nonconfused ones: All hit. Erm... Scott is in range of the two terrordactyls. Errrr.... Make that close range to the one terrordactyl. You see the HP for one terrordactyl.
Scott Kane backs up slowly and aims the Chaos Cross at it, blasting it three times. Then, he backs up some more and hits a remote, opening a portal and dropping a missile on the cliffside... under the terrordactyl, hoping to drop it into the nothingness.
Metal Man (GM): All miss. Hit.
Julian Sawyer: "...That better not do what I think it's gonna do..."
Metal Man (GM): As is the terrodactyl. The cliff underneath breaks apart. However, more of it breaks off than expected. You run to the other side of it... But that side is quicksand!
Scott Kane: "Ah, **** me..."
Metal Man (GM): ...You're now sinking into the quicksand, though you did hit the terrordactyl. Aribar: You have a choice between leaping over the quicksand to a gravelly place or backwards to the earlier balcony. Nope. You merely knocked it with debris for normal damage. The paralyze is like the pokemon paralyze. It prevents them from attacking. You hit it.
Scott Kane can't do anything. And is going to die.
Aribar leaps over the quicksand to the gravelly place and hopes it holds.
Metal Man (GM): You do so easily. Now you can try to pull Scott out. With... one arm.
Scott Kane: "Mind helping me out over here?!"
Aribar: "Can't pull you out."
Metal Man (GM): You could try a spell.
Aribar casts Magic Missile to put him a little bit above the gravel and to Aribar's right. "Can cast that, though!"
Metal Man (GM): You it the sand with the missile. It sends Scott flying onto the gravel... which he safely lands on. Though he's now wet and covered with land. And has gravel sticking to him.
Scott Kane: "Thanks!"
Aribar: "Eheheheh... Right." .oO(Note to self: Read spellbook more.)
Metal Man (GM): That it for your turn?
Aribar looks around to see how he could decend to the bottom of the canyon from here.
Metal Man (GM): You could try sliding down the gravel. It'd put you out of the battle, but get you down another level. SPD check to try to safely slide down the gravel.
Aribar does that... He wants to get AWAY from the birdies of the damned!
Metal Man (GM): *Slide* Aribar has fled the battle! *+100 EXP for what Aribar did while he was in the battle to Aribar*
Charles Magellean: "Dead to the spawn who attacked--" *He unholsters, and fires 3 actions worth of bullets on the healtier of the two dactyls.*
Metal Man (GM): 6 net hits.
Charles Magellean: *23% per hit*
Metal Man (GM): Azure: For you, two terrordactyls are in range.
Azure pulls back his palms as his qi flows into them. The energy he pours into it slowly turns red. He fires a double dragon fang toward one of the terrordactyl.
Metal Man (GM): Two misses... those things are FAST. As you noticed a few minutes ago, though, they only seem to be attacking people on this level... they didn't bother to follow Ari when he slid down the gravel. Terrordactyl turns. The two near Charles and Julian and Azure attack. First one decides to smack Charles with its wings. 15 damage per hit. The other one decides to peck at Julian.
Julian Sawyer: *Hit by all 'cept the last one*
Metal Man (GM): 20 damage per hit.
Julian Sawyer: *Pecked to death*
Metal Man (GM): The one that hit Charles repeatedly then turns around and pecks Azure. 20 damage per hit.
Julian Sawyer: "Stupid birds..." *Julian remarks as he rises from the grave.*
Charles Magellean: "Perhaps a tactful retreat is in order in case we value our lives even a bit."
Julian Sawyer: "Take this!" *Julian launches his fedora at the 'Dactyls in range, slicing each twice*
Metal Man (GM): All hit.
Julian Sawyer: *Catch* "This would be goin' a lot easier if Garrick was here..."
Metal Man (GM): One terrordactyl is in range for him. Or he can use a SPD check and slide away to escape.
Charles Magellean: "We need not his raw power. We need a plan or a way to avoid fighting these things anymore."
Julian Sawyer: "I support the escape plan"
Scott Kane stands up and stretches his wings, flaps them for a Wing Burst, and tries to slide away.
Metal Man (GM): Erm... only one SPD check. That's all that is needed.
Scott Kane: *That was an attack. Wing Burst.*
Metal Man (GM): Oh, you're attacking it before fleeing. Ok. Hit miss miss miss miss. One hit. Teleport down? Eh... with what, exactly? You'll have to switch your coat to special mode first. *shrug* You teleport down. Charles: You can try to escape, but Scott's destruction of part of the next balcony has made the gap 30 feet wide. Gonna need some sort of second jump to make it across.
Charles Magellean: "I have made a pact to stay with a comrade until the bitter end for as long as they are paying my wage."
Julian Sawyer: "Yeah, most of the other guys have left. So I'm thinkin' it's a good idea to make a break for it. Those beaks hurt..."
Charles Magellean equips the Star Rod to his back.
Azure: "Problem... is how the heck are we gonna... escape...."
Julian Sawyer: "Unless you can kill them in one super move, I'm outta here. Same way Ari did."
Azure: "Right..."
Charles Magellean prays for the power of the Star Rod to be transferred. His left palm crackles with yellow energy; he waves with his arm an arc at the dactyls an Energy Wave to paralyze them and hit all of them for 60%.
Metal Man (GM): *Paralyze and damage*
Charles Magellean defends himself on the final action. end of turn. "Might as well make an attempt to stop some of them from getting to us."
Azure: "True...."
Julian Sawyer: "Good idea..."
Azure: "Well, let's see if we even stand a chance." *He looks the two he can see from his spot thoroughly (eye spy, lemme see some hp).* "Otherwise... escape... is highly... suggested... unless someone... can... pull off a miracle...." *He mumbles through his words.* "We're nowhere near hurting those things..."
Metal Man (GM): The terrordactyls decide to split their targets... but first! All three go. First one attacks Charles with a lot of pecking. 20 damage per hit. Second one tries to throw Julian into the updrafts o' doom. Opposed SPD checks. *THROW* *50 damage*
Charles Magellean looks to the thrown Julian.
Metal Man (GM): The third one goes to slap Azure a lot.
Charles Magellean: "That's... gotta sting."
Metal Man (GM): 10 damage per hit. These monsters appear to be beating the heck out of you guys.
Julian Sawyer: "It does..." *Looks for a way out of here*
Metal Man (GM): You can try to jump that massive 30 foot gap. Or you can fall down and take damage, but get down anyway.
Julian Sawyer: "No time like the present..." *Julian pulls himself back up, and goes for a running jump to the second platform*
Metal Man (GM): Better hope for a sweet middle-roll.
Julian Sawyer: *Failing that, Julian tries a jump-jet boost to get the rest of the distance*
Metal Man (GM): You get lucky, and manage to be only a little bit too low. You grab onto a ledge. STR check to drag yourself up the ledge. Only one Terrordactyl is in range of you now. Using your whole turn, you manage to have bridged that dang 30 foot gap.
Julian Sawyer: *Pulls himself up on the ledge, and lays down to recover*
Charles Magellean: "..." ^^; *He salutes, then hightails it towards the gap.*
Metal Man (GM): Do you jump or fall?
Charles Magellean uses his lack of knowledge of his own legs to jump over the canyon.
Metal Man (GM): Well, now you just need another good jump of some kind to make it across. If you're using your machineguns as a third jump, use only one roll, not 5-6bazillion.
Charles Magellean turns around, combines energy in a recoil shot, and fires downwards and backwards from the gap of where he started to jump.
Metal Man (GM): ...You generate enough recoil to... land on the edge of the ledge. SPD check to get your balance. You're standing on the edge of it, dangerously perched near an area where you could fall.
Charles Magellean holsters his guns, only to flail his arms. Can he end this climax of quick action safe and sound?
Metal Man (GM): You manage to prevent yourself from falling.
Azure takes a running jump to a chance of survival or another body splattering defeat.
Metal Man (GM): That jump alone only covers half the gap.
Azure charges up energy in his palms cocks back and fires in the opposite direction hoping the burst sends him flying the rest of the distance "DRAGON FANG!!"
Metal Man (GM): And ironically, Azure makes the entire jump without fail.
Julian Sawyer: "...I hate you..." *Gets up*
Metal Man (GM): The terrordactyls actually retreat, seeing that you're done messing with them.
Azure: *Lands, skidding a bit. Sighs, falling out from the battle.*
Metal Man (GM): *+400 EXP to everybody else but Aribar (who left earlier than everybody else)*
Scott Kane: "That was a hell."
Metal Man (GM): Everybody who hasn't used the gravel to slide down, roll a SPD check to slide down to the next lower part of this canyon wall. Charles slides down the gravel without fear.
Julian Sawyer: *Trips and kills himself*
Metal Man (GM): Good way to put it. *TRIPPY DEATH* He falls off the cliff, into the rapids, where his corpse is shredded by the rocks.
Scott Kane: "...Bye-bye!"
Metal Man (GM): He reappears at the bottom of the slope he failed to slide down... that leaves... Scott, I believe?
Aribar waits for the others at the bottom of the slide...
Charles Magellean: "Do not disrespect!"
Metal Man (GM): Hmmm... I'll just say everybody got down the gravel hill to not waste time. Anyway... up ahead, on this balcony, is a ruined room.
Julian Sawyer: "... Hate this place..."
Metal Man (GM): The balcony above it was damaged by Scott, but miraculously, it did not damage the room below.
Scott Kane: "Man... we leave a charmed life."
Metal Man (GM): This room is recessed into the cliff. It looks old... ancient. Debris is inside.
Aribar: "I really need to learn a light-giving spell..."
Metal Man (GM): You see some soft piles of dirt near the outside of the room... something must have fallen there from the sky.
Aribar unsheaths Moonlight. The sword gives off a pale blue glow as the elf heads into the room.
Julian Sawyer: "Ruins..." *Heads over*
Metal Man (GM): The room has no doors, and doesn't go further in the cliff.
Scott Kane lights his lighter. "Hmm."
Metal Man (GM): You see the remains of candlesticks and old, rotted out drawers. All of which is worn out and hardly recognizable. The room's windows are broken and shattered.
Julian Sawyer: *Checks the drawers*
Metal Man (GM): The drawers are full of dust. Lots of dust... And termites.
Aribar: "Doesn't look like there's anything here... We should try to find another way down farther."
Julian Sawyer: *No cool stuff? Bah. Closes them*
Metal Man (GM): The piles of dirt outside appear to be more interesting.
Scott Kane shrugs.
Metal Man (GM): They're along the balconies, which do continue... a straight path ahead.
Aribar heads outside, looks about, and heads down that path.
Metal Man (GM): Do you check the dirt piles?
Scott Kane does.
Charles Magellean checks one pile.
Aribar just walks past the piles.
Scott Kane knocks one of the piles apart with the Chaos Cross.
Metal Man (GM): Aribar: you see Charles and Scott unearthing those items you thought you had left behind!
Aribar turns about and looks at them...
Metal Man (GM): Apparently it hadn't fallen much further away from you than it seemed. They're a bit dusty, but appear to be in good condition.
Aribar: "... Eh? Are those... ?" *You mean Pandora's Box, my cubes, Gems of Contingency, disk with a Holoroom mission, Holoroom Controls for Morons book checked out on 3/5/05, the Chaos Emerald Report, and a meaningless Spellbook?*
Scott Kane: "Huh. Guess so."
Aribar: "Those are the things that I left behind at the stadium!"
Metal Man (GM): Scott: The box... it looks intriguing...
Charles Magellean: "...What?"
Metal Man (GM): Like there's something interesting in it, maybe.
Charles Magellean: "Ari, if that's true..."
Aribar: "That's my spellbook... A Chaos Emerald report over there... A book checked out in my name..."
Scott Kane opens the box.
Metal Man (GM): Scott leisurely opens Pandora's box.
Aribar: "If that's true... Then what... DON'T OPEN THAT!"
Metal Man (GM): *WORLD EXPLODES* ...Just kidding.
Charles Magellean looks to Scott with an open mouth.
Metal Man (GM): However.... The box itself glows. A bunch of light escapes it... and a beam of energy flies into the sky. The box then disintegrates.
Charles Magellean: "..."
Aribar: "... That was Pandora's Box, you know."
Charles Magellean: "Once again, another Quester has shown his own idiocy."
Scott Kane: "Ah well. Not my problem."
Aribar: "..."
Scott Kane flips off Charles
Aribar walks over and collects the Cubes, the Gems of Contingency, the Holoroom Controls for Morons book, and his old Spellbook.
Metal Man (GM): The box, despite having released whatever evil was inside it, has yet to have any direct dire affects.
Julian Sawyer: "...That wasn't good, was it?"
Metal Man (GM): You all have a feeling of foreboding about it, though. As if... you feel you will regret it being opened.
Charles Magellean: "Pandora's Box. The one that the X-Naut scientists warned us not to open."
Julian Sawyer: "Yeah, I'm thinking it wasn't."
Scott Kane: "I thought you guys said those dudes were out of their gourds?"
Charles Magellean: "Unfortunately, curiousity gets the best of people and don't even ask before opening."
Julian Sawyer: "Not completely..."
Aribar: "Anyone want these Gems of Contingency? They'll help you live longer..."
Scott Kane: "Ah well. End of the world. Whatever. Let's find a way off before my mistake causes us to, y'know, regret it."
Charles Magellean: "...You heartless abomination. But as he said, let's go."
Scott Kane: "Yeah, yeah, heartless, abomination, scientist, inventor... I've been called a lot of things. Not a one of them actually matters to me."
Metal Man (GM): So then... you can continue on. You're almost to the bottom!
Aribar continues onward, his item pack bursting at the seams... The elf's slowed down due to all of the items he is carrying.
Charles Magellean goes onward downward as well.
Julian Sawyer: "You need any help, Ari?"
Metal Man (GM): Aribar, Charles: You hear a very... very... BAD noise.
Aribar finds that he cannot move, actually...
Metal Man (GM): *SPRING*
Scott Kane: "Oy. What's in the box, anywho?"
Metal Man (GM): ...Well, Aribar is saved by his immobility. Charles notices the floor flying up towards the ceiling... a spiked ceiling. SPD check to avoid a very spikey fate.
Aribar: "Yeah, Julian, hold the... Charly, watch out!"
Metal Man (GM): Charles is K-O'd by the spikes. He's also stuck on the spikes. The floor retracts into position.
Scott Kane: "...oooookay, not my fault."
Aribar looks away from the mess... And tosses 10 Gems of Contingency to Julian. He then leaves the following cubes on the ground, wanting them no longer: Haste, HP Absorb, Poison, Berserk, Fire, Astral, Sleep, Haste, Confuse, Death.
Julian Sawyer: "...Ouch..." *Catches*
Metal Man (GM): Anyone gonna grab Charles?
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Aribar walks forward up to almost where the floor flew upward.
Metal Man (GM): It doesn't look comfy up there, hanging off of spikes.
Scott Kane: "Hmmm."
Aribar: "Magic Teleport!" *The elf tries to teleport Charley behind the elf.*
Metal Man (GM): Done. The platform itself is small. So you can just step over it.
Julian Sawyer: "...I guess I'll carry him, unless you can wake him up."
Aribar: "Hrm... I hope this revives our sleeping ally... Cure!" *The elf casts Minor Healing (20%) on Locos.*
Metal Man (GM): The spikes are on the ceiling. The balcony ends, with a short hop down to reach the sand, right across the springy platform. No jump checks required ..You can just walk to the sand. Unless you're afraid of a 5 foot gap. Charles is stabilized by the healing... he'll wake up shortly.
Scott Kane walks over to the sand.
Julian Sawyer: "...Right, so I'll just carry him then." *Picks Charles up and throws him over his shoulder*
Metal Man (GM): Y'all reach da sand... you're at the bottom! Hooray! ...There's a rushing river blocking your way across the bottom! Not Hooray!
Julian Sawyer: "And we're here. ..."
Aribar: "Be careful of the spike trap..." *Takes a large step over said trap reaches the bottom.*
Metal Man (GM): ...There's another cliff wall like the one you climbed down to get back up! Ahhhhhh!!!
Aribar: "Climbing up the other side will be twice as fun."
Metal Man (GM): There's two gigantic Crocodiles who move to attack you! EEEEEEEE!!!!!
Julian Sawyer: "...dammit!"
Scott Kane swears loudly.
Julian Sawyer: *Sets Charles down and takes his fedora off and pops the blade out, smackin' each croc thrice with a Hat Trick*
Metal Man (GM): All hit.
Julian Sawyer: *Catch*
Metal Man (GM): That's... 57 damage to each croc.
Aribar hrms, wondering what spell to cast. The elf decides to fire an Ice Elemental Blast at the far left crocodile, hoping their cold-blooded nature makes the spell more deadly (87% damage). The elf chases after his blast of ice by quickly unsheathing Moonlight (Quickdraw) and following his spell with two stabs.
Metal Man (GM): Two hits. Your sword bounces off the leathery hide, dealing no damage.
Aribar: "Grr... Spoony crocodiles."
Metal Man (GM): The one you hit with ice tries to bite your arm off.
Julian Sawyer: "We need a knife..."
Aribar: "Gah! I only have one arm left!"
Metal Man (GM): It doesn't quite bite it off (Would need a crit) but it mauls you for 46 damage. The other two try to grab Julian's legs ...They bite each other instead.
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Metal Man (GM): 36 damage to each of those two crocodiles.
Julian Sawyer: "They crosseyed or somethin'?"
Aribar backs away from the one crocodile, glad that his armor took the brunt of the crushing blow.
Julian Sawyer: "Doesn't matter, they still get a beatdown." *Julian rushes the two crocs that bit each other, and hits them both with a Beatbox, and flows into a Breakdown for Croc 1*
Digifanatic: "Sorry I'm a bit late, guys."
Metal Man (GM): All hit.
Julian Sawyer: *Retreats back to position*
Metal Man (GM): Croc 1 takes a total of... 215 damage... it dies.
Aribar: "Hey! That one was mine!"
Metal Man (GM): Croc 2 takes... 102 damage.
Charles Magellean begins to regain consciousness.
Metal Man (GM): It's barely alive.
Julian Sawyer: "Finish off the second one, then!"
Aribar backs up and extends Moonlight towards the second crocodile. A glowing, pale blue orb of energy with lightning lancing around it fades into existence, and then unerringly flies towards the doomed croc and slams into its head for 31%, 18% Electric, and 87% Ice damage (Magic Missile, Jolt, and Ice Elemental Blast respectively. 50% chance of Paralysis).
Charles Magellean feels like his body was impaled by something. In fact, the deep flesh wounds prove that such an event happened.
Metal Man (GM): 106 damage total to the second croc, which dies.
Julian Sawyer: "There we go."
Charles Magellean: "Blood... dizzy... yet raged."
Julian Sawyer: "Kill the last one, then."
Charles Magellean kneels down because of blurriness, then transforms his arms into a cannon. He then fires Destructive Rockets at the remaining crocodiles. He fires three rockets at the remaining crocodile then. *50% damage each. DR Negated on each shot.*
Aribar looks back to Charley. "Glad to see you didn't die..."
Julian Sawyer: "Yeah, that would have sucked."
Metal Man (GM): Three hits.... 120 damage total. You destruct the crocodile.
Julian Sawyer: "And we're done."
Charles Magellean arms go back to their original forms. "May we please... move on."
Digifanatic: "Alright..."
Charles Magellean coughs severely for about 11 seconds before coughing up blood. He staggers to his feet, limping along the path forward.
Digifanatic: "What's happened to you, Charles?"
Aribar looks at Charles before casting 10 Minor Healings on him for 200% healed. "... We can't have you die on us."
Metal Man (GM): First thing first.
Charles Magellean flesh wounds become plain flesh.
Metal Man (GM): 100 EXP to everybody who was in the croc fight. +1000 coins. And...
Julian Sawyer: "He got launched into a spiked ceiling."
Digifanatic: "Ah... Like that insane gravity room in that temple..."
Metal Man (GM): A Greylokian Battle 'Brella, Shield of Nyrah, and Piece of Power appear where the crocs were.
Charles Magellean dives for the Shield of Nyrah before anybody else can.
Julian Sawyer: "...What's with the umbrella?"
Charles Magellean clings onto the shield.
Julian Sawyer: *Watches Charles' spectacular diving catch* "...Anyway..." *Picks up the Piece Of Power*
Metal Man (GM): We continue after somebody picks up the Umbrella.
Digifanatic waits for Ari (hopefully) to take the umbrella before he moves on.
Aribar just continues forward, leaving the umbrella alone...
Metal Man (GM): Nobody taking it? Okay then. 3. 2. 1. *POOF*
Digifanatic: "I won't... I don't really need it."
Metal Man (GM): The umbrella disappears.
Digifanatic: "Anyways..."
Metal Man (GM): You see the next obstacle on your path.
Julian Sawyer: *Moves on*
Digifanatic: "Oh, Cornelius, I believe... one of the one-mission wonders... perhaps the right term? Not to make offense, though."
Metal Man (GM): It is... a river. A raging one. It looks like an endless flood of blueness.
Digifanatic: "...Uh huh..."
Charles Magellean: "A one-mission participant then deserter would be more accurate."
Julian Sawyer: "Hope he died, then..."
Digifanatic: "Yeah... I should slap myself now that i think about it..."
Julian Sawyer: "River... great."
Metal Man (GM): You survey the area a bit, and see various rocks, a ruined wooden platform, a sandy pit (with fine sand), an old, empty treasure chest made of rusted iron, and finally, a quicksand pit.
Aribar tries to estimate how wide the river is.
Metal Man (GM): About 40 feet wide.
Digifanatic does the same thing with its depth.
Julian Sawyer: *Tries to determine if there are any evil updrafts here*
Metal Man (GM): It is very deep. You can see what looks like... some sort of building under it?
Charles Magellean sits down to recuperate.
Metal Man (GM): You can feel a lot of wind on the tip of your fingers when you stick your hands straight up. Apparently if you jump, you fly to your doom.
Digifanatic: "Wow... there's a house or something under there."
Charles Magellean: "Ya don't say."
Julian Sawyer: *Picks up a rock, and chucks it into the river*
Metal Man (GM): Digi: +100 coins for guessing exactly what is under there. It is a house. Of some kind. You can't tell, the water obscures it. The rock hits the river, and is carried off.
Aribar: "... Freeze!" *The elf casts an Ice Elemental Blast near the shore, wondering if his magic could create a bridge.*
Metal Man (GM): You turn to watch it... and realize there's a water fall down there. How much damage does the ice elemental blast deal?
Digifanatic: "Wonder who lived... or lives there."
Julian Sawyer: "...Geez, this place goes even DEEPER?"
Metal Man (GM): You make an ice bridge... which is then torn up and carried down the river.
Aribar: "Hrm... So much for that."
Charles Magellean: "That's a strong current there mm-hmm."
Digifanatic: "Anyone have any ideas?"
Aribar walks over to the wooden platform and inspects it. He tries to guess what condition it is in as well as its dimensions.
Julian Sawyer: *Tries to look for a big rock that wouldn't be carried along by the stream that he could put in the river and make a platform or something.*
Digifanatic: "Wait."
Metal Man (GM): Well, the problem is that the rock would sink to the bottom. You see a gigantic boulder, as well as rocks in almost all sizes you can think of.
Digifanatic: "Ari, do you think there's enough of a distance to Magic Teleport us across the river, or perhaps below it into that house?"
Julian Sawyer: "Wouldn't there be WATER in the house?"
Metal Man (GM): The platform is roughly cube shaped, 10 feet by 10 feet by 10 feet. It's split open, a quick bit of twine and glue might fix it. It reminds you of the floating platforms from earlier.
Aribar: "I don't think I could Magic Teleport all of us across, and even if I could someone may be taken by the updrafts when I teleport them."
Digifanatic: "Well, maybe its something watertight or something. You never know."
Aribar drinks a Blue Potion and uses the empty bottle to scoop up some water.
Julian Sawyer: "Hmmm... anyone got any Duct tape?"
Digifanatic: "Not me, sorry."
Charles Magellean: "I don't even use badges."
Aribar: "No, but I think I know how to fix this split in the platform..."
Digifanatic: "No wait."
Julian Sawyer: "You're gonna pour the water on it and freeze it?"
Aribar: "It may be able to float on the water, and then... Hm?"
Digifanatic: "Nah."
Aribar nods his head to Julian.
Metal Man (GM): You scoop up the water.
Digifanatic: "I was gonna say 'unfold' it but it's too sturdy and everything'll snap and all. And we're gonna be screwed even further."
Julian Sawyer: "How are we gonna make sure it doesn't go over the falls?"
Digifanatic: "That too."
Aribar: "We're going to have to find some way of paddling... Maybe create a rudder or something to steer it."
Digifanatic takes a better look at that tresaure chest.
Aribar: "I like Digi's idea... Maybe we should try to tear it apart and make it six separate boards."
Julian Sawyer: *How far down is that house again?*
Metal Man (GM): The iron treasure chest is made up of 3 long rectangular plates, and 2 square ones. The lid is a half-cylinder. The house is, like, 100 feet deep. You can only see it because it looks large. This is a DEEEP river.
Digifanatic: "Ari, why did you want the water sample? Looking for any strange effects or something?"
Julian Sawyer: "To fix that crack."
Aribar: "No... To freeze the crack."
Digifanatic: "Oh yeah. Hmm... can't scan anything."
Metal Man (GM): The chest is 5 feet long, and 2.5 feet wide. And 4 feet tall.
Aribar splashes the water over the crack and casts an Ice Elemental Blast on that side, hoping the whole thing doesn't get destroyed from the blast.
Metal Man (GM): You freeze the entire thing into a solid platform of ice that has a wooden frame inside. You'll have to work quickly, it looks like it could melt in the sun.
Digifanatic: "Alright. That's a start. Now what?"
Julian Sawyer: *Shrugs*
Aribar: "Let's tear apart that chest to make paddles."
Digifanatic: "Iron, Ari? We're gonna need some read good blade to slice through it, I think. Or something..."
Metal Man (GM): The iron is held together by wooden borders.
Aribar looks at the chest... "I was thinking of using those three rectangular planks and the square ones... Hrm..."
Metal Man (GM): Rotten wooden borders. It's falling apart as it is.
Aribar: "Hrm..." *He takes out the Wand of Wonder and activates its special mode. A small point of energy forms at the tip of the wand.*
Digifanatic: "I could all Port us over to the other end... it's practically foolproof as far as I know. Though you can't tell a thing with this wind..."
Aribar: "Save it for something more challenging... I'll have this chest cut up in no time."
Digifanatic: "Alright then."
Metal Man (GM): The wand is nice and powered up. Ready to be used.
Charles Magellean stands up in the midst of the action, finally sick of being stumped. "What are we supposed to do anyway? I don't really see where our next stop is."
Digifanatic: "Hmm... pit of sand... pit of quicksand..."
Julian Sawyer: "Over that river, of course."
Aribar walks over to the chest, mutters an arcane word or two, and uses the Wand as a sword, slicing down between the chest and the top to sever the two. As he slashes, the point of energy flares into a blade... A Fire Elemental Slash, actually.
Digifanatic: "Frozen wooden... thing... raging river... and a treasure chest."
Metal Man (GM): No need; you slice the top off of the chest. The top of the chest is now off; it'd make a sort of crooked rudder.
Aribar: "Good... Good... There's four of us, right? We can use the four sides of the chest as paddles."
Digifanatic: "Okay."
Julian Sawyer: "Sounds good..."
Aribar hrms, and realizes that the frame of the box is wood. The elf tires another Elemental Slash on a corner of the chest, hoping the thing catches on fire.
Metal Man (GM): The wood catches on fire, then burns away. You now have a variety of useful metal plates. One of the rectangles would make a superior rudder to the lide.
Julian Sawyer: "Alright, so who's manning the rudder?"
Metal Man (GM): The ominous silence appears to be telling you to man the rudder.
Aribar: "Okay... Here's the idea... We push the ice block into the river..." *The elf deactivates the wand and walks over to the ice block, wondering if it melted yet...* "Then someone takes one of the metal sheets and mans the back and uses the sheet as a rudder to steer us."
Julian Sawyer: "And the others paddle like mad?"
Aribar: "Next Digi and Charley uses two more metal sheets as paddles to move us along... Yeah."
Digifanatic: "Fine."
Charles Magellean: "Got it."
Aribar: "Finally I shall be casting ice spells on the water to try and create a barrier so we don't go too far down river. Any questions?"
Julian Sawyer: "Nope. But I suggest that Charles and me paddle while Digi steers."
Charles Magellean: "...What happens if we're carried downriver instead of being able to get across?"
Julian Sawyer: "Then we die."
Aribar: "... Hope that you can fly or kiss your butts goodbye."
Julian Sawyer: "Nah, updrafts. We all die."
Digifanatic: "I was just gonna say that."
Charles Magellean: "Well then I don't have much to worry about."
Aribar: "Well, time for step one... Moving this ice platform into the river."
Julian Sawyer: "Anway," *Grabs a paddle piece* "Let's get going."
Charles Magellean grabs another fine iron piece.
Digifanatic does so as well.
Metal Man (GM): Okay then! Paddlers: STR checks. Rudder person: SPD check. Digi manages to hold the rudder straight. Okay, let's do this again. First thing, everybody, STR checks to push the thing into the river.
Charles Magellean hopes the rest of the people push hard too.
Julian Sawyer: *Heads over to the ice raft* "One, two, THREE!" *Push*
Aribar tries to help pushing.
Metal Man (GM): You all push, but Charles winds up pushing it all by himself. With some sort of ungodly strength. You all leap into the now floating ice platform. Digi: SPD check.
Julian Sawyer: "...Nice one, charles."
Metal Man (GM): Paddlers: STR checks.
Charles Magellean: "Uhh... thank you! ^_^ " *He hopes his sycronization is and strength are enough to match Julian's and go against the river.*
Aribar fires Ice Elemental Blasts starting from their shore about 20 feet from down from their current position and continues to try and freeze the river as they continue down it.
Metal Man (GM): Thanks to Aribar, the river current slows to a trickle. He uses 1 elemental blast. Magellean then rows with perfect synchronization. He and Julian get the boat on the opposite shore quickly. 300 EXP to Aribar, 200 to Digi, 100 to Charles and Julian.
Digifanatic: "Oh phew, that's over. Well done, guys."
Julian Sawyer: "Fun." *Jumps off the raft onto the river bank*
Charles Magellean: "It is far from over. We must continue onward towards tougher... more unexpected challenges." *He hops off as well.*
Julian Sawyer: "Yeah, but at least that's behind us."
Digifanatic gets off and is ready to start heading forward again.
Aribar begins to follow the others.
Julian Sawyer: *Moves on*
Metal Man (GM): Okay, resuming... Now then... The next cliff face is, indeed, nice and safe. It has a rock ledge, in fact, four of them, connected by rope ladders.
Digifanatic: "Well... this seems easy enough."
Julian Sawyer: "Shouldn't be too hard."
Digifanatic starts walking towards one of the ladders...
Metal Man (GM): They're safe enough.
Aribar follows Digi and begins to head up the ladders.
Julian Sawyer: *Starts a climbin' then*
Digifanatic starts climbing his.
Charles Magellean climbs the fourth rope ladder.
Metal Man (GM): You all start going up the slope. It's easy going, slow going. You're half-way up.
Aribar continues, wondering why someone would have slashed the bridge in the first place.
Metal Man (GM): You reach the top of the canyon. Everyone does. You see... another ruined house.
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Metal Man (GM): One laying on its side, only visible when you're close to it.
Charles Magellean gets those chills down the sides again.
Metal Man (GM): It's like a square-shaped pit, but only slightly deep.
Digifanatic: "This is weird."
Julian Sawyer: "No kiddin'."
Aribar hrms, looking aroun to see where the bridge should be.
Metal Man (GM): You see... ...what appears to be another crater, as well as three star boards laying in it.
Charles Magellean: "I think I'm beginning to have a hypothesis."
Digifanatic: "Who could be responsible for this?"
Metal Man (GM): Aribar: You see the bridge, now broken... you can go drag it upwards. Though getting it across to the other side will be tricky. You can see Kales on the other side. He watches patiently.
Aribar: "Kales might know... We need to get him across, though."
Julian Sawyer: "Some bad guy..."
Charles Magellean: "Or just... a bad coincidence."
Digifanatic: "Hmm..."
Aribar tries to drag the bridge up so that it isn't dangling over the cliff.
Metal Man (GM): Star Boards. The same as Metal' s. Aribar drags up the bridge, even with one hand. The updrafts seem to be gone... thanks to the fact that it is almost night time... Creepy.
Digifanatic: "Hey, at least we can jump, hover or whatnot if we need to."
Julian Sawyer: "...Hey, aren't those like that thing Metal has?"
Digifanatic: "Yeah. Problem is, only three boards... four of us."
Charles Magellean: "Perhaps, but maybe they can more instead."
Julian Sawyer: "Like one got buried or something..." *Heads over to the crater and inspects.*
Metal Man (GM): The boards look a little dusty from landing in that crater. They do, however, look ready to use... And more high-tech.
Julian Sawyer: "Alrightm who here can fly WITHOUT a board? Only me, right?"
Digifanatic: "As far as I know, yes."
Metal Man (GM): Instead of two randomly glued on jets, you have a sleek, blue polymer-constructed skateboard with integrated jets. They do, however, look similar to Metal's old Star Board.
Digifanatic: "Now THOSE look cool."
Aribar sighs and walks over to one of the boards, picking it up.
Julian Sawyer: "Hmmm..." *Looks around to see if there's a 4th that got buried by debris or hidden or something.*
Aribar hrms and wonders how to activate it.
Charles Magellean: "Okay, this is ridiculous. Should someone give an escort to the Elder or at least signal him that it's okay to come over?"
Julian Sawyer: "You go ahead and do that..." *Continues looking for a 4th board, if there is one*
Aribar puts the board down on the ground and steps onto it, wondering if it would automatically start.
Metal Man (GM): Aribar: It glows... then...
Aribar: "Why do we need more than one board anyways?"
Metal Man (GM): *SHRED*
Aribar: "I mean... Err... Something's happening..."
Charles Magellean approaches the bridge. He signals for Kales and saying it's okay to cross.
Metal Man (GM): A vicious portal appears and rips you all from where you are.
Julian Sawyer: *WHOA ZOMG!*
Metal Man (GM): You then reappear somewhere... on the same planet, but a different area.
Aribar: "Gah!"
Metal Man (GM): It's further North.
Julian Sawyer: "...The hell?"
Metal Man (GM): You see a shack on a pier, out on the ocean....
Digifanatic: "Well then."
Metal Man (GM): ...And a man. A human. Blocking your way to it.
???: "...You worthless scum don't know how to die, do you?"
Digifanatic: "What?"
???: "It's a good thing I trapped those relics... very good."
Julian Sawyer: "...Apparently not. Who're you?"
Aribar: "... Ummm..." *The elf squints, trying to recognize this person.*
Charles Magellean gets up again. He'll never get used to violent portals that bum rush you.
Metal Man (GM): He stops talking there... mainly because whoever it is suddenly becomes covered in electricity.
Aribar backs up a step and places a hand on the hilt of Moonlight...
Digifanatic: "Now isn't this quite odd." *Follows Ari's lead in stepping back*
Charles Magellean doesn't back off.
Metal Man (GM): The weirdo morphs... and when it is done, you can clearly see that this thing is no longer human.
Julian Sawyer: *Doesn't back up, sensing a fight.*
Digifanatic: "What is going on?"
Julian Sawyer: "That's a good question."
Metal Man (GM): It has a single red eye; the rest of its face is covered by a bizarre black cloth. Upon further inspection, you'd realize it is actually wearing a shadow for clothing.
Julian Sawyer: "...Creepy."
Metal Man (GM): You'd also see the sun go down... and the moon come up. First of two moons. The other one is still slightly below the horizon. The monster's hands and feet and single red eye is all that you can see; the rest is pitch black.
Digifanatic: "I have never seen anything as strange as this."
Metal Man (GM): It creates a barrier of electricity around the shack.
Julian Sawyer: "I doubt that."
Julian Sawyer: "What's in that shack, anyway?"
Metal Man (GM): The Electric Shadow starts out by pointing at Digi. Digi is instantly paralyzed and frozen.
Charles Magellean wonders what this former human shapeshifting being meant by "You worthless scum".
Metal Man (GM): Then it thrusts its hands at Charles, and shoots dark lightning energy out of its fingertips. 45 dark and electric damage to Charles. It then opens a Portal of Darkness between itself and Aribar. Opposed INT checks.
Charles Magellean suffers 45 at the finger of this being. He pulse weakens as his chest is tightened for one instant then let go.
Metal Man (GM): Well, Aribar manages to make my script go off. You take.... 140 dark damage.
Aribar falls down on the ground, dead.
Julian Sawyer: "...You ain't so tough." *Takes his fedora off and pops out the blade along the brim, and throws at the Shadow, slicing him 9 times*
Metal Man (GM): 8 hits.
Julian Sawyer: *Catches his hat on the return and puts it back on*
Aribar is dead.
Charles Magellean: "...I will avenge thee, elf. Haa-ssune..." *He lowers to form the Destructive Man attack again. He aims... "...Ka-bbooomm!" *He fires another three rockets.
Metal Man (GM): 1 hit. The shadow bends and weaves unnaturally.
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Charles Magellean grows a curious face, as his arms transform back. "I'd rather not risk physical contact with the being."
Julian Sawyer: "Yeah, he's all electric and stuff."
Digifanatic obviously can't do a thing being frozen (except maybe items), but he could Eye Spy the shadow thing.
Metal Man (GM): You attempt to eye spy it, however you see right through it. It has been taking damage, but clearly you can't determine how much. The monster turns towards Julian, angry about that hat trick. It shocks him twice with lightning, dealing 90 dark/electric damage. Then it casts a dark spell on Aribar.
Julian Sawyer: *BZZZT! Julian goes down, but... not out? AMAZING*
Metal Man (GM): Aribar is revived with 71 HP healed. He is now undead and on the ES's side. Aribar is now also clothed in shadowy stuff.
Digifanatic: "Oh just great."
Charles Magellean groans loudly and and sobs slightly.
Metal Man (GM): Not to be confused with Shadow Aribar, this is Aribar Shadow.
Aribar gets up from the ground, ribbons of shadow wrapping around his body.
Julian Sawyer: *Coughs and gets back up.* "...That's just plain cheap."
Digifanatic: "Why must it always be him that gets into those situations?"
Charles Magellean: "He's weak. Always has been, remember?"
Digifanatic: "Ah." *He escapes his Freeziness, but still has a 1-in-3 shot of missing anything.*
Julian Sawyer: "You ain't so tough!" *Rushes the Shadow Electric and grabs him, ignoring the shocking for now, and squats, then shoots upwards like a spring and launches him sky-high, letting gravity do the rest: Atlus Toss*
Metal Man (GM): Your Atlus toss works... but you meet something... unexpected. You take 96 dark damage from touching him. You die on touching him, unable to move him before being killed by shadowy carnage.
Julian Sawyer: *Is blasted back from the contact and goes down a life, having one left. Curse you dangerous cliff-sides*
Metal Man (GM): You are unable do damage him. Because you just kinda die the minute you touch him.
Aribar concentrates for a second and a shadowy shield covers both himself and the shadowy figure... A dark Shield spell protecting against 125% damage. He then extends his arm and hand towards Charles. A black fire tinted purple bursts and consumes his former friend, burning Charley's body for 125% Dark damage as Aribar's hatred is expelled in the consuming fires of Megid. He then kneels to the ground, his energy spent on his outburst of casting Megid.
Charles Magellean is now downed... pulse down, breathing down... down to his last 50 hp.
Metal Man (GM): If he's outta MP, he can use his sword.
Charles Magellean gets up, first equpping his Star Rod. He attaches it to the back of him so he can still wield other weapons. "Julian... do you believe that this shadow thing is of an undead sort?"
Julian Sawyer: *Slipped into a generic blue portal during Aribar's turn, cannot answer*
Charles Magellean asks Digi the question instead. "Digi, based on assumption and its powers of turning Aribar into well... that... Do you believe that this shadow thing is of an undead sort?"
Digifanatic: "I think so... wouldn't be surprised."
Charles Magellean uses his final two actions to pray and wish to use Healing on the transformed figure of darkness/unholiness/Metal's latest enemy.
Metal Man (GM): Hope for a roll in your favor... The electric side of the dual elemental shines through, and it is healed by 50. It's made to stop damage, not healing.
Charles Magellean: "...Well at least we know that won't work."
Metal Man (GM): The opposite.