Another Bloody Isekai IC: Team Heroes

[Thunder999]

Vhaak pauses a moment then thinks as hard as he can [ Telepathy, interesting I can handle my own armour, but the buffer sounds nice, I'm actually rather fond of touch range spells, so I'll be in melee on occasion] with that 'said' he casts a quick mage armour. [I don't believe I have described my abilities yet, I'm a sorcerer, I can do some damage in a pinch but am more talented at weakening foes, suffice to say that you don't touch the fog I also picked a little summoning, but the summons are very dead indeed, handy for trapspringing if nothing else. ]

[Togo]

Tzu-Tse nods at Death Fairy's words. Occasionally he glances over at Serafino and King Talthan, who seem to be having a far less awkward conversation.

Sure, sure, that's interesting.... um...

These are, despite appearances, representatives, maybe even diplomats. I need to be careful here. Subtle even...

So... this weird feeling I'm getting standing near you, and the nickname 'Death Fairy'. What's up with that then?/

After a pause, he forges on.

Would you really be less subtle than Titan here? Should we ask him?

He stops, confident he's covered the necessary ground.

Oops! Forgot about geopolitics! Sensitive area. Let's see...

And ah... Which country should we be trying to go with, if we want to be rich and gets lots of stuff? Yours maybe?

[Eldan]

Sundrop, Telepathy

Spoiler

Show

"Ooh, I've never worn armor before. What's that like?"

[RelentlessImp]

[Huh. Telepathy. Yep, definitely winning the game of Who's The Protag. Then again, Githyanki Ganker has telepathy as well and he's usually relegated to a side character in comics,] Cecie states, and her telepathic voice comes with a lot of mental imagery, flickering behind her words and giving context - a brief flash of comic book pages and a green Githyanki alongside the emotional impact of the phrase 'superheroes'.

[Well, since we're talking about things behind the other's backs, if we're looking for a patron I'm thinking we go with the Dragon's Jaw delegates. From what I understand of this world, they're the ones who actually have real, no-bullywog-BLEEP- power, and are chief exporters of things that are crucial to adventurers - to wit, magic items that we can decorate ourselves in like Christmas trees.] All of her telepathic communication is delivered at once, with her mental imagery flashing to give context rather than full words, handing over entire ideas that unpack themselves in the brain as sentences, with only the space of a couple of (human) heartbeats passing throughout the entirety. The profanity is, in fact, -BLEEPED- out in a loud ringing noise. And she continues with the rapid-fire concept-passing conversation.

[Oh, right. I lock things down and blow things up. Granted, my explodey-bits aren't quite ready for full artillery status, but a little grinding and I should be popping out murderous blasts of magic full-time. I'm looking forward to it, in fact. And really, this telepathy's going to make communication a lot easier in the heat of battle, and we'll be avoiding enemies hearing our plans. Definitely got ourselves a good protag here.] She flashes a smile within the span of another heartbeat at Livia - a smile that shows a mouthful of shark-like teeth, razorsharp and multiple-rowed.

[Thunder999]

[I am certainly in favour of the Dragon's Jaw delegates, to thrive that close to one of the greatest hazards in this world is an excellent sign. They don't seem especially unified, but that just means there is more room to carve out a place for ourselves. Oh and what precisely do you need to grind up to further your power, I carry my wealth in the form of gemstones, so perhaps I could lend you one if things go poorly?] As to the nature of his telepathic speech, it has a slight echo, reminiscent of speaking inside a cavern and, unlike his fairly cheerful vocalisations earlier, contains not the slightest hint of emotion.

[Anomander]

Spoiler: King Talthan

Show

Talthan laughs charitably. "Our kingdom is not vast, but it is large enough that we are able quite happy to attract a wide variety of talents. Naturally, at the end of the day the resource that is most precious is the ability to contain the threat of a dungeon. However... in the extreme, we can always call in mercenaries for a week or two. No, I should say, what I value most is people who don't let things get to that point. If you want to impress me, show me that you have the guile to exploit a dungeon without overreaching. And loyalty, of course, although that can only be showed and earned over time."

The king shrugs. "As to what we can offer... Haha, you must impress us before we can speak in tangibles, but shall we say... Eashen, as a result of our policies, is resource rich, if poorer in manpower. We do attract champions from elsewhere, of course, but it seems to me... For all that Teya has strong magic due to its geography, gold and curious artifacts are more plentiful here." Talthan looks over at the ruler of Teya, the elf lord Ilmadia. "Wouldn't you agree?"

The archmage opens his arms in a soothing gesture. "I would certainly agree you have a greater number of those things." He smiles, but says no more.

Talthan chuckles. "My old friend is half expecting us to be overrun by a triple S dungeon any day now. This has been his position for decades. Never mind that we break any dungeon that threatens to grow beyond A level."

The smile disappears for a brief second and he meets your eyes. "If you are useful to me and I can trust you, you will have more toys and freer reign here than anywhere outside the Deadlands."

Spoiler: Sense Motive

Show

King Talthan is looking for leaders. He is quite confident in the security of his kingdom. While he does not seem content, it is hunger and not desperation that moves him.
The last thing he said was crystal clear. If you are useful and as long as you're useful, "toys and free reign" can be interpreted as broadly as you like.
If he knows that you are a vampire he doesn't care.

'Ah, another dictator building a country based on his personal skills and abilities," Serafino thinks with an internal sigh. "If he were to vanish, it would collapse. No long term stability as it is now, but there have been worse seeds to tend. I'd need to be watching my back constantly, since he is insecure and ready to remove potential rivals at first chance. Lawlessness. Bah.'

"That certainly does have an attraction, your majesty. Perhaps I suffer from overconfidence, but I believe my abilities are more than sufficient to accrue basic wealth anywhere. Non-monetary possibilities are the more interesting to me. I look forward to further contact with you and your country."

With another bow, Serafino withdraws from the king's immediate presence. There are worlds of politics and conflicts here, far more than can be picked up in a few conversations. While he had the chance, Serafino would learn what he could, but the dungeon here was the primary focus and he needed to be ready at a moment's notice.

Seeing how his teammate, the dwarf, was faring with the being called death fairy would not be amiss if time permitted.

Serafino crosses the small area, weaving through the crowd to join Tzu-Tse. Next to Tzu-Tse, the towering 'Goliath,' as he overheard her race to be, was certainly a striking figure. She and the small, psychedelically-colored being were quite a pair, and their represented country of Tarbon was another leading candidate for Serafino's focus.

[FearlessGnome]

Tzu-Tse nods at Death Fairy's words. Occasionally he glances over at Serafino and King Talthan, who seem to be having a far less awkward conversation.

Sure, sure, that's interesting.... um...

These are, despite appearances, representatives, maybe even diplomats. I need to be careful here. Subtle even...

So... this weird feeling I'm getting standing near you, and the nickname 'Death Fairy'. What's up with that then?/

After a pause, he forges on.

Would you really be less subtle than Titan here? Should we ask him?

He stops, confident he's covered the necessary ground.

Oops! Forgot about geopolitics! Sensitive area. Let's see...

And ah... Which country should we be trying to go with, if we want to be rich and gets lots of stuff? Yours maybe?

Death Fairy grins. "Weird feeling? Weird feeling? Hmm. Oh yeeeah. That's just one of my powers. Don't worry about it. It's more of a long term thing."

At Tsu-Tze's question about Titan, the monstrous giant turns a ring on her finger and seemingly disappears. Death Fairy speaks again, but no words come out. In fact, there are no sounds at all. You can't hear the background buzz of the other gatherings or the wind or even your own heartbeat. Just as quickly she returns, and sound resumes.

Death Fairy claps his hands together. "She can be discreet if she has to. The perks of wealth."

At Tsu-Tze's final question the fairy laughs, the air around him glittering intensely. "This world is surprisingly rich, even if it is a little concentrated in the hands of rulers and adventurers. You can get 'rich' anywhere, if you are patient. If like me you want to get there as quickly as possible... Well, nobody makes quite as much money as a good healer with Remiel. The rates they charge are just disgusting... Short of that, you'll find the highest risk and reward in... the Deadlands, probably. Tarbon, of course is a wonderful place. So much posturing and maneuvering. Everyone has a sword but no one uses it kind of deal. Right here in Eashen is probably the easiest place to get land, if you care about that. Hmm... Teya is great for closing down dungeons, so you can get some real experience. Sadly most dungeons grow over time, and they don't really get a chance there, so... Well, I hear the wizards like it, but it's not really my style. Remnant does offer a lot of money to outside mercenaries, but the people there are just... nuts. It's like they pity you even as they pay you. Every meal they cook comes with a sad smile like they are handing an alcoholic another barrel of wine. The countries in Abria... Well to be honest they're a bit too well adjusted. With the exception of the royal dungeon in Qan they are pretty aggressive about shutting them down as well. Though to be fair they do have the highest populations, and one bad gate could spill over into all three countries I guess."

[Ryton]

Livia ponders Sundrop's question for a moment before responding. [To be honest, I don't know what wearing armor is like. But this won't get in the way if you want to try it out, and I can dismiss it if you don't like it.

As for our overseer, I've no real preference, and you make some valid points about those from Dragon's Jaw.
And, uh, the grinding Cecie means is less actual physically grinding an object, and more repetitively doing something ton increase wealth or power. I'm not sure if that's necessarily how things work here, but that's what I remember from my gaming days...]

[FearlessGnome]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Team Heroes~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When you walk down the right side path it is a long, narrow corridor that twists and turns. Soon there is no light left from the great hall behind you. Walking slowly and cautiously, at last you come upon a hole in the floor. The corridor seems to continue on beyond it, making this a fork in the road.

Spoiler: Darkvision or light source

Show

The drop down the fissure is about ten feet, then another ten feet of empty space, to the floor below. Climbing down looks tricky to an untrained person, but should be doable for anyone with a little experience. Getting back up without tools or flight would be harder. No signs of life or light below.

[kylelopezwms]

"looks safe enough. Careful of the drop ahead. Looks like we can go down but going back up is going to be a pain. Not for me, mind you as i got wings." Bob mutters to the rest of the party

[dragonsamurai77]

I've some rope, at least, and clearly they expect us to get out. Be careful, though; I've been smelling dead goblins ever since we approach.

Nabaru pauses a moment before continuing, I'll go first. Don't want to be first in the overall marching order, but anything that's right here shouldn't be a problem, and I can toss up the rope if anyone needs it.

Nabaru proceeds to jump to the bottom of the shaft.

Spoiler: Roll

Show

Acrobatics check to jump down, though even if I fail my Fast Healing will presumably take care of the fall damage in short order:
(1d20+9)[19]

[FearlessGnome]

Nabaru has a slightly rough landing, but recovers quickly enough.

It is pitch black down here, but with his draconic senses he is able to see through the darkness. This is a corridor, similar to the one above. It stretches out in two directions. There are not two roads in your fork then, but three.

You hear and see nothing out of the ordinary.

[Esprit15]

Tara pulls out an everburning torch from her bag and gives the area a quick once over, crinkling her nose. ”I’ll second the goblin stench observation. Unless anyone here minds, I can’t see in the dark, so... yeah.” Looking over the cliff, Tara drops the torch over. Assuming the area looks safe to head down (which it should, someone else is already down there) she begins to carefully climb down, before letting herself hang as the wall gives way to empty space, and then dropping the last few feet.

Spoiler

Show

Taking 10 on both checks since we are not to my knowledge in any rush
Athletics to climb: 26
Acrobatics to fall and take no damage: 27

[kylelopezwms]

Bob flies down the hole, "bah. Not that bad a drop."

[Unavenger]

"Well, if all the cool kids are doing it..." I sigh, and jump down the hole.

Spoiler: Acro

Show

(1d20+16)[34]

It wasn't so much that the injury would actually matter, but goddammit does pain tend to hurt - it's best avoided. "I have a grapple and a winch that can lift me back up, if needs be. Mind you, I could probably also just climb back up." I shrug. "Still, I brought... well, a load of stuff, just in case we need lockpicks, healing salves, or an actual goddamn bridge. Just letting you folks know."

[Triskavanski]

For Ted and Mao on the other paw, was a rather simple task of the larger of the two cats just climbing down the wall with their claws, and the smaller continuing to ride the larger one.


"And if we run into something that we can cook, I'll prepare it and make us something pawesome!"

[FearlessGnome]

Spoiler: Overseer's portrait

Show

After the last member of the team has finished their descent the mercenary healer, Remiel floats down to the bottom of the crack, but does not land on the floor below. A direction chosen, the party advances, and Remiel follows. The man is wearing a special monocle that relays everything he sees and hears to those still above ground. There seems to be nothing of interest in the corridors themselves here, although as you go further you notice this particular path gets more and more narrow. There is not enough space to fight comfortably here. Eventually, after a number of twists and turns you come upon a flat surface that stops your progress. There is no ordinary door here, but there is a strange handle and a trick door that has to be lifted up and slid to the side, into the wall. This definitely does not look natural. Is this normal for dungeons?

Spoiler: Scent

Show

Smells like goblins. As well as... alchemical components. Remiel has a similar scent on him, but he is far enough back that you are sure this new smell is from the other side of the wall.

Spoiler: For the brave soul who is first to open the door a fraction and peek out

Show

On the other side of the door is... The inside of a cell. Through the iron bars you can see three more cells ahead of you. All are empty. You have found a dungeon dungeon. The cell door for each cell is open. There are lit torches hanging on the opposite wall. There are muffled sounds in the distance, but you can't quite tell what those sounds are (Though feel free to make a Perception check).

[Esprit15]

”Smells like more goblins, sounds like it might be, too.” Very gently, Tara presses the door open, doing her best to slowly open it and not draw any attention. She wasn’t scared of what she might see on the other side, but... no, she was actually pretty nervous. She hesitates and adjusts her footing. “Oh, and alchemical supplies.”

Spoiler

Show

Stealth: (1d20+15)[20]

Change stance to Flame’s Blessing

[FearlessGnome]

As you enter the cell the distant sounds become slightly more clear. There are definitely several speaking creatures nearby, though probably not inside this dungeon. Inching further from the door, you see that there is a long row of cells. However, like the ones in front of you, they seem to all be empty. A sturdy wooden door stands at one end of the dungeon, while the other end in what looks like a natural cave bottom. There are no signs that any of the cells have been used, ever, and every cell door stands open.

Spoiler: Scent

Show

Smell of goblins and alchemical supplies is definitely getting stronger in the direction of the thick wooden door.

There is a keyhole on the door.

[Esprit15]

Oh good, this isn’t going to be one of those kids of worlds where monsters are hanging at every turn. Tara gives a passing glance to the empty cells before heading to the door and taking a look through the keyhole, then pressing her head to the door to listen as before.

[FearlessGnome]

As Tara bends down to peer through the keyhole, she gets her first glimpse of the inhabitants of the dungeon - and the source of the scents she has been smelling. On the other side of the wooden door is what appears to be a laboratory of some kind, or possibly an operating room. Little green creatures with flat heads, big ears and big teeth are bustling about, some carrying equipment. There are several long tables and benches with vials and other lab equipment of a huge variety. Some of the tables also hold something roughly humanoid shaped, though the angles don't allow you to make out any details through the keyhole. Some of the goblins are standing on stools, almost comically small next to the things they are operating on - almost. Whatever is going on here, it is probably not something good. There are about two dozen goblins in total.

[Esprit15]

"Goblins, around two dozen," she says in a hushed tone, stepping away from the door. "Seems like they're doing some sort of Frankenstein-type bio-engineering, can't really tell on what.

"How do you guys want to go about this?"

[dragonsamurai77]

Perhaps in this case I should go in first; try to ensnare as many as possible with my fire breath.

[Triskavanski]

"Oh! I've got it! We could knock on the door and sell some Kittenscout cookies to them!" Ted says clapping is paws together.

"Me-row"

"No.. we don't have kittenscout cookies. Oh! Be careful with fire though! While most accidents in the kitchen are caused by a blunt knife, a lot are caused by fire too! You wouldn't think it but flour could explode, and you can't put grease fires with water... Besides that there is a lot of good stuff with alchemical stuff. "

Ted thought on it a bit, "Yeah.. Probally don't wanna go throwing fire in there. What if they come this direction like fish in a barrel?"

"Mao?"

"No I don't have any fish right now."

[Esprit15]

”Do we want to assume hostility, even? Like, I’m not sure what your world was like, but back home, we didn’t just break into places and slaughter the inhabitants... well, unless we were at war with them, but that was still kinda frowned upon. Or it’s a dungeon, so maybe it doesn’t matter? They seem intelligent, worst we could do is try, right? They’re not even armed.” Tara has a look of confusion and slight concern on her face. ”And Ted has a point, there are a lot of chemicals in there. Something could easily catch fire or explode.”

[dragonsamurai77]

[COLOR="#DAA520"]In my world, goblins were monsters, preying on outlying settlements from their caves. If things got too bad, a dragon would eventually descend the heavens, wiping out the invaders to protect Bahamut's children.

Still, if you think things are different here, I would be willing to try a diplomatic approach, though my dragon blood is telling me otherwise./COLOR]

[Unavenger]

I considered. "I doubt they'll see me if I go to check out what they're doing and report back. If no-one else has any strenuous objections, Imma go do that."

Spoiler: They probably don't see me rollin'

Show

(1d20+25)[29] stealth
(1d20+17)[36] perception

[kylelopezwms]

Bob sees micah trying to pick the lock "bah, let me help. I know a thing or two about locks". Bob helps micah pop the lock open

[FearlessGnome]

The lock picked, Micah waits for the perfect moment, then opens the door a fraction and slips out. It's a pretty large room, if full of tables and crowded. About 100' by 150'. The whole room is well lit. There are two more doors, one along the same wall as the one Micah entered through, and one on the wall to your left. That last door appears to be made of metal, but the closer one is just wood, same as the one to the dungeon.

There are alchemical reactions running. One person alone could not be running all this, you definitely need a large team (Like the goblins currently bustling about). The humanoid things on some of the tables appear to be corpses, with large, terrible scarring and stitching all over their bodies. They are roughly human shaped, but the skin looks more like that of the goblins who are running this place.

With so many goblins moving about, it's only a matter of time until Micah is discovered.

[kylelopezwms]

Bob closes the door gently and then loudly knocks on the door and says something in goblinoid

Spoiler: Goblinoid

Show

"Greatings compatriots! I have come to make a business deal with your dungeon, i am a renouned smith of magical arms and armor and i and my allies would like to see if we can make a deal!