Toe 10

[F2006] Morning comes with the smelll of freshly cooked breakfast and a reminder that you slept in a real bed; a welcomed change from camping out for days at a time to be sure.
Sohl‘ affects a long yawn and double-arm stretch as he wakes up in the morning! He meanders downstairs to see what’s for breakfast!
Shuu has been in the breakfast area for a while now before anyone else appears, there's a cup of coffee and a bagel beside him as he intently focuses on a small device on the table that he tinkers with tiny tools
PseudoGM: Mosrly thick cut bacon and eggs, though there's a good deal of fruits in baskets and a few different types of breads spread out across the table. There don't seem to be any other guest here at the moment but you, so you've got the table to yourselves.
Wrench lays her elbows out wide, shoveling mouthful after mouthful of food into her maw. She cracks her shoulders.
Sohl‘ takes an overly-long, held, inhalation over the bacon and eggs. He’ll get a spread of a little of everything- astute watchers note that he eats a little bacon and egg with every bite, including with each piece of fruit.
Wrench: "HELL, I needed this."
Shuu: "I agree"
Shuu: "Long trips are taxing, but they make the steps all the more enjoyable"
Yin comes out from the room later than usual and once again noticibly changed, as is expected from an If-ys. Her hair is a much lighter shade-bordering into ashen where before it was dark and her eyes are a radiant golden color. The scattering of feathers have been replaced by shining patches of blue-green scales. The most noticible change though is the bow and full quiver she is carrying
Yin strapped in easy reach on her pack. She sits down with the group and begins digging in to the food "Morning all"
Shuu looks at Yin and smiles, before turning back to his small machine "I will be honest I am a little envious of how easily If-Ys shift between disciplines. Would have been useful at some points"
Sohl: "Mornin' Yin!" He mops up some bacon grease with a piece of toast. "Did you do something with your hair?"
Wrench smiles a fanged grin at Shuu. "Couldn't ya just rip your head off and replace it with a buddy's?"
Yin smiles as she bites into the bread laid out, " Oh I'm so glad you noticed, Solh. Yes though, it is a wonderful gift to be able to change. I can't really imagine a different way of being"
Shuu: "Unfortunately no, that's around the only part you can't change around" he says, packing the small object he was working on in his bag
Shuu: "I can get a limb exchanged, but a Maxwellian's mind is pretty difficult to impossible to alter, so getting a quick shift of disciplines isn't possible"
Shuu: "Not like there wasn't someone who tried"
Wrench shrugs, already partway through licking a plate.
Shuu: "She honestly thought changing the head would be sufficient to be oneself with a different set of skills"
Shuu: "Surprised she was, when she figured it she just was on a different body instead"
Harino waves as she comes and sits down at the table, her own gear looking like a proper set of armour, her tail wagging at the fairly full plate she sets down with herself.
Sohl: "Oh! So-… you -can- change parts?"
Yin: "That sounds like an overall less than fun time for the previous owner of said body"
Sohl: "That's somethin' I didn't know."
Shuu: "Well… They certainly had fun with that attempt"
Shuu: "Not as easily as a Familiar can, Sohl, but it is possible"
Sohl: "Huh." A piece of bacon vanishes into the void, with the faint sound of crunching.
Shuu finishes drinking his coffee "Well, are we set to go?"
Sohl: "Probably once Harino's done. Which, by the way- you're looking very, uh, armored this morning."
Harino chuckles softly after swallowing some of the bacon. "Well, I figured I'd put some of the reward I got for that Hobgoblin to good use, considering how much everything likes hitting you and me, Sohl."
Yin stands from the table and readjusts her pack with the new, unfamiliar weight. "I'm ready."
Shuu: "It's a good idea to be well armored when in the thick of things"
Harino: "Oh, and there's a couple jobs like that on the way up. Some kind of War Tortoise causing problems on different floors, despite being too big for the stairs…?"
Harino: "And on the next floor up, they'd like someone to check on a power relay station and make sure someone named 'Ryu' hasn't made a mess of it."
Shuu stands up, putting his pack on his back "Means the tortoise likely found a different pathway through floors, which might be important on it's own"
Shuu blinks "Ryu?"
Shuu: "A Maxwellian?"
Sohl: "War Tortoise and a wandering vagrant. Sounds like we'll have our hands full."
Harino shrugs. "Didn't have any details, just a name."
Shuu crosses his arms "He wasn't supposed to be breaking anything… What is he doing…"
Yin: "How common is the name? Think it could be your friend, Shuu?"
Shuu: "It's probably not him"
Shuu: "It's… It's not a common name at all"
Harino snaps up a few more pieces of bacon to snack on after cleaning off her plate. "Well, the sooner we get up there, the sooner we can check, right?"
Shuu nods "Indeed"
Sohl: "Sounds like a plan!" He pushes back from the table and prepares to leave, settling up with the innkeeper.
Shuu waits until Harino has returned her plate to head on outside, as soon as everyone has gathered for such
Wrench sits up with a start, slinging her packs up on her back, her massive gun included.
Yin: "Lead the way"
Sohl: "We know anything else about the upcoming floors?"
PseudoGM: The town's a little livelier in the morning than it had been when you came in last night, and it's easy enough to do any last minute shopping if someone forgot to pack enough ratios or potions or what have you. And from the town it's only about an hour out until the stairwell up, and even a moderately well maintained pathway leading up to it..
Shuu: "I haven't found a map of the higher floors, sadly"
PseudoGM: Floor 2007 is probably one of the densest forestest floor you've ever seen. It looks like there's a handful of pathway that cut through the trees, and venturing outside of them would be… difficult at best. Luckily, there's a director located near the stairs, giving you a map of the floor, and the pathways through it. So it's easy enough to make a note of which way you'll need to go to find the relay station, and the next set of stairs up from there.
Shuu stops by the directory "Well, no wonder there was no map, there's one right here" he looks at the pathways "If we follow this here we should pass by the relay station, then make our way to the stairs" he looks at the jungle ahead of them "Interesting change of terrain"
Yin: "Hmm, very handy. One of the other nice things about being near the town, besides the bed that is, is everything overall seems pretty well mapped already."
Wrench sniffs the air a few times, peering about. "Gonna slip ahead to scout…" [Navigation]
Wrench rolled 5d6 and got 5, 4, 3, 4, 5 ( Total: 21 ) for 2 + 1 Ranger + 2 Skill
Shuu patiently waits for Wrench to return, that's her wheelhouse here
PseudoGM: There's a lot of birds in the area, but it doesn't seem like there's much of anything that would pose a notable threat. Seems like anything aggressive is steering clear. As far as you can tell the dictory is up to date as well, and following the trail should get you to the relay station in about hakf an hour.
Shuu: "Not a long walk, thankfully"
PseudoGM: And when you arrive, well. It looks like someone's been busy.
Wrench: "Clean shot," she says. "Let's go."
PseudoGM: Generally they just have a small chain link fence around them with something to cover the electronics for when it rains and a simple lock to keep any monsters or monkeys from getting in…
Sohl: "Great!" He hefts his pack and trundles forward…
PseudoGM: But the simple lock has been ripped off at some point and replaced with a particularly sophisticed looking electornic one, and large rocks and sheets of steel have been used to reinforce the fence.
Sohl: "Hm."
Shuu headscratches as he looks at the relay station "It's been heavily reinforced, for certain"
Yin: "That looks an awful lot like a bunker to me and less like a relay station"
Sohl: "Well, it's… diligent?"
Shuu starts looking around, before trying to break in or anything. Any signs of someone being around and damaging it?
Yin joins in the search, checking out the other direction and keeping an ear out for maybe anyone talking inside
PseudoGM: Not that you can see. Just a lot of excessive reinforcement. Though now that you're looking around the area, you can see some kind of… I don't know, shed or something about a mile out from here? The pathway leading towards it looks a bit more recent than the others, too.
Shuu: "Harino did they inform about something in particular to look out for?"
Shuu: "Either way, seems like they have a keeper, may well ask" he starts heading over to the shed
Harino shakes her head. "Just to make sure it 'hadn't been messed with'."
Wrench: "Don't seem like it's default and natural state, if y'ask me."
Yin: "Yeah, mission accomplished. We can verify it has been messed with"
Sohl: "Yeah, I mean… this is definitely like it's keeping something out. Everything out, really."
Harino: "Yeah, just a little…"
PseudoGM: It's definitely nothing like any of the other three you're familiar with, no, Wrench.
Wrench: "So we bust in, right?"
Sohl: "Obviously!"
Sohl: "Who knows what they could have done to the relay itself?"
Shuu turns to Wrench
Shuu: "Not even bothering to knock on the door?"
Wrench rolls her claws and walks up to the electronic lock. "I mean, I'll knock." [Operations, right?]
Shuu walks over, puts a hand on Wrench's shoulder "Can you let me handle this one, then?"
PseudoGM: Yeah that seems reasonable.
Wrench stands up and backs off. "You got it."
Shuu nods, kneels down beside the electronic lock to have it at eye level and starts messing with it, let's see how to open it
Shuu rolled 6d6 and got 6, 1, 3, 4, 4, 2 ( Total: 20 ) for Operations 4
PseudoGM: As you're poking around at its guts and code, it seems kind of… familiar? +1 die to your roll.
Shuu rolled 1d6 and got 5 ( Total: 5 )
Shuu: "This can't be serious…" he mutters to himself as he tears the front open and starts examining the wiring
PseudoGM: And it seems like that familiarity is what eventually lets you wrap your head around it and get the lock open. Still as needlessly complicated as normal. Probably could have something roughly as secure with a third of the effort.
Shuu sighs "It's definitely serious. This is your work, after all"
Shuu shakes his head "Obscurity is not any amount of security…"
PseudoGM: There's a light source set up inside, which kicks on as the lock pops open. Takes a while to look over the relay, but it seems like it's still functioning perfectly fine. … You do notice something that's sending off a wireless signal near the end of performing your checks though.
Yin: "Hmm, hey Shuu, sorry to bother you, but didn't you say something about your previous group splitting on bad terms or some such? If this is your friend… will he be friendly?"
Shuu silently looks around, until he comes across the wireless transmitter "That I did… And I couldn't tell you"
Sohl: "-That's- a philosophical dinger."
Sohl: "If they're not friendly then you call 'em enemyndly."
Sohl‘ says this all matter-of-factly and then just meanders about the relay.
Shuu checks the transmitter "He clearly messed with it. No doubt this transmitter is connected to a reciever most likely on that shed back there"
Wrench snorts. And looks over her shoulder.
Yin keeps an uneasy eye out by the door.
Shuu: "Let’s leave it here for now not to alarm anyone while we go check the shed"
PseudoGM: You get the distinct impression that's something is watching you when you peek outside.
Yin pulls her new bow out of its straps from her pack to have it at hand "Something feels off"
[OOC] Yin: Are the birds still around?
Sohl: "We have the chance to alpha-strike the shed."
Shuu starts heading outside, stops as he sees Yin pull out her bow "… Step outside carefully, and let's head onto the shed"
PseudoGM: Not anymore. And as soo as Shuu steps outside a low, unnerving howl comes from the nearby treetops, shortly followed by a voice muttering to itself. "oh no. oh noooo. no no no no no no NOOO!"
Shuu blinks, he looks up "Show up"
PseudoGM: There's a rush of motion from above, and then a loud thud as a massive, dirty silver Maxwellian lands near the party, with an axe in hand and a shoulder mounted gun arcing over in the party's direction. His eyes look dull and unfocused as they sweep over the party, before stopping on Shuu. "No… no! This cannot be! IT CAN'T BE!" The the unmistakable sound of a Maxwellian's combat systems fully coming oline.
Sohl: "Oh boy!"
[Round one] - A Bubble (10) forms around the Maxwellian as everything begins to kick in.
Sohl‘ says that in a ’get ready' kind of way.
PseudoGM: Yin, you're up first!
Shuu blinks, he draws his axe and immediately puts it on a defensive stance "Dammit!"
Harino draws her blade, shaking her head. "…Even I can tell there's something not right with him." [Quicken 2 from Driftin Speed]
Shuu: "He's on full charge hyper mode, get ready for a a hell of a salvo!"
Shuu: "Dammit, Ryu what's going on, calm down!"
Sohl: "He a'int making friendly noises" !
Yin pulls and arrow from the quiver and draws back her bow, firing a shot imbued with crackling elemental energy at the new maxwellian
PseudoGM: "NO! no no no no. Why? Why Shuu? That's not Shuu! YOU WON'T FOOL ME!"
Yin rolled 1d10+12 and got 10 ( Total: 22 ) for Divine arrow
Shuu: "It's actually me, Ryu! … Dammit… Who's trying to fool you?!"
[OOC] Yin: derp
Yin rolled 1d100 and got 47 ( Total: 47 )
Sohl: "Oh it's Shuu. Because of the face. You can't change a Maxwellian's face!"
[OOC] PseudoGM: 12]! The shielding around the Maxwellian dampened the hit, but still deals [12]!
Yin: it fractures into two as it strikes
Yin: leaving glowing fragments embedded in his metalic frame
PseudoGM: "Nnngh! I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE, DAMMIT! DAMNIT DAMNIT DAMNIT ALL!" Ryu's back opens up, revealing numous small missle pods, a number of which light up and begin spiraling into the party. [OD - Missile Barrage]
PseudoGM: True Striking the entire party for 12 supreme damage!
Wrench is thrown to the ground by the explosions. She steadies herself on her gun.
Wrench: "Shuu! I'm gonna rip your pal to shreds!"
PseudoGM: He then jumps back to put some distance between the party, pulling a small device with his off hand out of a compartment and hurling it at the space between the party and himself. [Motion Mine - Rush]
Shuu shields himself as much as he can with his axe "Just knock him about a bit, something's messing with him!"
Sohl: "Ughh-!"
PseudoGM: The [Chain Gun] on his shoulder then swivvels and points itself in Shuu's direction, opening fire.
PseudoGM rolled d100 and got 43 ( Total: 43 ) for 80
PseudoGM rolled d8+16 and got 6 ( Total: 22 )
PseudoGM: Dealing 22 ranged physical damage.
PseudoGM: …Whew! What an opening salvo.
PseudoGM: Sohl?
Sohl‘ rolled 3d4 and got 3, 3, 3 ( Total: 9 ) for fire water earth air
[OOC] Sohl: I love you too sugar
Shuu continues taking a beating "Ryu freaking stop that, or i’ll have to knock you down"
PseudoGM: "It's only five… i can take five shadows…! I don't need Kyo!"
Sohl‘ points at Ryu and sics two earth motes on him- they collide with the Maxwellian and create cracks in his armor! [Quick - Break 2] [Long K-Shatter]
Shuu blinks "Kyo? They’re okay?"
PseudoGM: "Gaaaah!"
Sohl‘ then starts recovering Shuu a bit- there’s a swelling of energy beneath his comrade! [Swell]
Sohl‘ rolled 1d100 and got 36 ( Total: 36 ) for 25
Sohl` rolled 1d8+12 and got 5 ( Total: 17 ) for hp recovery
Sohl` rolled 1d4 and got 2 ( Total: 2 ) for fire water earth air
PseudoGM: Harino!
Harino shakes her head, eyeing Ryu to see if he has just the one trick or not [Overdrive Read] before slamming her katana into the malfunctioning Maxwellian! [C-Pin Whallop]
Harino rolled 1d100 and got 43 ( Total: 43 ) for 70
Harino rolled 1d10*2+12*2 and got 5 ( Total: 34.0 ) for K-Shatter figured in
PseudoGM: …Right, people are the little more complicated than monsters. Well, you’re already familiar with [OD - Missile Barrage], but with the way he's moving… you're pretty sure he's capable of performing something similar to your OD, too.
[OOC] PseudoGM: 34]!
Wrench revs up her gun and fires a thunder-crack loud shot into Ryu. [Roaring Carbine]
Wrench rolled 1d100 and got 8 ( Total: 8 ) for C80
[OOC] Wrench: -1 LP!
PseudoGM: Crits!
Wrench rolled 2d6+22 and got 1, 6 ( Total: 29.0 )
[OOC] PseudoGM: 29]!
PseudoGM: Shuu?
Harino: "…I think someone's going to be a world of hurt soon, that's not his only trick!"
Wrench cranks parts of her gun into position, toothed wheels picking up the drive chain with a massive, ominous roar.
Shuu cracks his knuckles and drops his axe, pulling out the sword on his back "Alright Ryu, going to have to hold you down a bit so I can figure out what's messing with your head" he raises the blade above his head "Full drive!" he lowers it to his side and dashes ahead with vanishing speed, he doesn't seems to reappear but slashes appear around Ryu, five fast cuts stearing into space
Shuu around him in a star formation "Chill out!" the spatial tears collapse upon themselves and explode, the formation condensing all of the explosive force into Ryu as he reappears above him [OD - Dimension Cutter] [https://youtu.be/h_n6E8Hcg8I]
Shuu rolled 1d100 and got 69 ( Total: 69 ) for 90/50
Shuu spins in the air as he comes crashing down and through Ryu [2 LP]
PseudoGM: Crits!
Shuu rolled 3d8+29 and got 6, 2, 1 ( Total: 38 )
[OOC] PseudoGM: 38]!
Sohl: "Heh, y'all are goin' all out!"
Shuu crashes for [38] Supreme damage, plus the [Q - Crashing Exit] causing another [8] Physical as he reappears behind the party [Distortion]
PseudoGM: And that's the end of round one!
[OOC] Wrench: Hope you added Shatter to the Supreme and the Phys hits there!!
[OOC] Shuu: I forgot the Shatter to the Phys hit
[OOC] Shuu: So that should be [10] instead, I did add to the Supreme, though
PseudoGM: And that's the end of round one! Ryu's breath a bit heavily, but it looks like all the hits are just working him into even more of a frenzy. "I WON'T LOSE I WON'T LOSE I CAN'T I CAN'T!!"
[Round two]! The shielding around Ryu reforms - Bubble(10)! The [Motion Mine - Rush] is still on the field, as well.
PseudoGM: Yin?
Yin rolled d100 and got 94 ( Total: 94 ) for Flame
PseudoGM: Neutral!
Yin rolled 1d10+12 and got 1 ( Total: 13 ) for Yin uses her off hand to pull her orb from a pocket and uses it to focus a spell through it causing one of the stuck shards to burst into [Flame] with an influx of magic, sending fire racing across Ryu's armor
PseudoGM: "Wh -?!"
[OOC] PseudoGM: 13]!
Yin: (Short burning)
PseudoGM: He then busts into flames! Which he prompty ignores, suffering the [6] damage as the [Chain Gun] continues to fire into Shuu first -
PseudoGM rolled d100 and got 82 ( Total: 82 ) for 80
Shuu tilts to the side "You know you can't hit me like that"
Yin: "Shuu, I don't think he's going to stop! He's going to force our hand"
PseudoGM: But it seems to be having trouble keeping its lock through his gravity distortions.
Shuu: "He can take a beating, knock him out"
Shuu: "There's something messing with him"
PseudoGM: He then pulling out another device and tosses it between himself and the party, this time a [Motion Mine - Launch]. And then he dashes forward at Harino, hefting his axe high over his head as it begins to glow with a bright silver light. [OD - Bunker Buster]
PseudoGM rolled d100 and got 28 ( Total: 28 ) for 90/20
PseudoGM rolled 2d10+20 and got 6, 1 ( Total: 27 )
PseudoGM: Inflicting 27 supreme damage!
PseudoGM: The Axe rips through a chunk of the ground before he swing it around, using the follow through mometum to perform a [Beat Down] on Harino.
PseudoGM rolled d100 and got 97 ( Total: 97 ) for 90/10
PseudoGM: But misses!
PseudoGM: …And it looks like his action's finally done now.
PseudoGM: Sohl?
Sohl‘ rolled 1d4 and got 4 ( Total: 4 ) for fire water earth air
Sohl` holds his action… [Reposition]
PseudoGM: Harino!
Harino grimaces after hopping out of the way of the second blow, before slamming her blade into him with a flourish! [Rally Strike]
Harino rolled 1d100 and got 64 ( Total: 64 ) for 80/10
Harino rolled 1d10+12 and got 4 ( Total: 16.0 )
PseudoGM: As Harino approaches, the Rush mine gets trips and explodes, True Sriking her for 15 physical - and then Ryu’s slammed into for [16]!
PseudoGM: Shuu?
Shuu steps backwards and disappears- He appears again behind Ryu "Calm down, dammit!" he comes out with a massive amount of momentum, he spins his axe and strikes with the flat of the blade against the center of Ryu's back, sending him upwards [Warp Strike]
Shuu rolled 1d100 and got 75 ( Total: 75 ) for 90/20
Shuu rolled 2d8+28 and got 5, 2 ( Total: 35 )
PseudoGM: "C…calm? CALM?!? aaaaaahaha ahahah haha hah aaaaAAAAAAH!" He tumbles forward a few paces before catching himself without falling over. [35]!
PseudoGM: Wrench?
Shuu then grabs the remains of flames from Yin's spell in his right first and spins and punches Ryu again with them [C-Fire]
[OOC] Shuu: It was just another 6 damage alraedy accounted for
Shuu: "You come down bearing arms and shooting everything, you're very uncalm"
Shuu: "You know me, you know i'd really would rather talk"
PseudoGM: "Damn… shadows…!"
Shuu: "Shadows? What kind of shadows?!"
PseudoGM: "You haven't beaten me yet! I'll show you!" Ryu shakes his head roughly, before wiping blood from his mouth.
Wrench dashes forward and crouches at Harino's side, firing a blaze of Semi-Auto shots. [C-Rush] [M-Rush] [Semi-Auto]
Wrench rolled 1d100 and got 72 ( Total: 72 ) for 80/20
PseudoGM: "You almost… got me last time, but I… know better now -!"
Wrench rolled 1d6+15 and got 4 ( Total: 19.0 )
Wrench: Blazing for 19 physical damage!
[OOC] PseudoGM: 29]!!
[OOC] PseudoGM: 19] rather
PseudoGM: Much quieter: "not yet…"
PseudoGM: Sohl!
Shuu: "Last time?"
Shuu: "What time?"
PseudoGM: "The last time you attacked!!"
Sohl‘ rolled 1d4 and got 1 ( Total: 1 ) for f w e a
PseudoGM: "Can’t even keep track of which ones of us you're hunting down?!"
Shuu: "… I don't know who those shadows are, and I had no idea you were being hunted"
Wrench: "Machine's going nuts. Gonna keep firing."
Wrench cracks a nasty smile in Shuu's direction. "…No offense."
PseudoGM: "Heh…. heheh."
Shuu shakes his head "Hold it down just a little bit, please, Wrench"
Sohl‘ eats a floating Fire more [Pure Mana] and cherry blossoms fall all around Harino, how proper. They then take flight and streak across Ryu’s body! [C-Rush Petal Shower]
Sohl‘ rolled 1d100 and got 72 ( Total: 72 ) for 35
Sohl` rolled 1d8+14 and got 8 ( Total: 22 ) for hp recovery
[Long Shock]
PseudoGM: "Guuuuuuah!"
PseudoGM: And that’s the end of round two!
Sohl: "Now, while he's stunned-!"
[Round Three] Ryu's shielding comes back up - Bubble(10)! And the [Motion Mine - Launch] is still on the field.
PseudoGM: Yin?
Yin quckly activates her Mystic's beads, generating a bit of [M]water for herself. She then focuses once again through her orb before the remaining shard embedded in Ryu morphs into a large lead spike that is embedded instead [Metal, C-Water]
Shuu haven't picked his axe back up yet "Yin, knock him down!"
Yin rolled d100 and got 17 ( Total: 17 )
PseudoGM: Bursts into a Resistance!
Yin rolled 1d10+13 and got 3 ( Total: 16 ) for earth+5 true strike with the combo and short toxin
Yin: "Please… be still and listen to your friend"
Shuu readies up to rush him as soon as he falters
[OOC] PseudoGM: 1] as the Bubble pops! [1] from the extra hit! And Short Toxin.
PseudoGM: His silver coloring takes on a bit of a greenish hue, before the [Chain Gun] continues to fires off on Shuu -
PseudoGM rolled d100 and got 48 ( Total: 48 ) for 80
PseudoGM rolled 1d8+16 and got 5 ( Total: 21 )
Shuu: "Ryu, you've always been one resilient guy" he raises both arms to block what he can of the bullets
PseudoGM: Nailing him for 21 physical damage, before Ryu rushes at him in a [Frenzy]!
PseudoGM rolled d100 and got 78 ( Total: 78 ) for 90/10
PseudoGM rolled d8+20 and got 3 ( Total: 23 )
Shuu grabs Ryu by the arms "No!" he falls back, puts a foot on Ryu's belly and circle throws him away [2 LP]
PseudoGM: Dealing nother 23 physical as he Quickens to the top of the init list! … He staggers as he tries to dash back after his attack, but winds up coughing a few times and then collapsing as he takes toxin damage. … [KO]
[OOC] PseudoGM: +8 EXP
Shuu immediatelly runs over to Ryu, turns him around to make sure he's facing up and starts taking care of him "Ryu, what happened" he's gotta make sure his friend didn't get too beaten up, and is in no immediate danger
PseudoGM: "…Shuu…?"
Shuu: "Ryu! Hey there"
Shuu: "Man it's been forever…"
Harino lets out a sigh of relief, hopefully Shuu can help his former companion now. [+12 HP from Indomitable]
PseudoGM: "…Huh, I guess that really is you…?"
PseudoGM: "Why're you with…"
[OOC] Yin: Mp from Last rites and Will= +6
Shuu: "I'm… Hunting down a fault, I think it's in the core"
Shuu: "We were going up, after it"
Shuu: "Never a good idea to travel alone, eh?"
PseudoGM: He tenses up noticable when you mention the core.
Shuu: "Ryu… What happened to you?"
Yin steps up quietly and offers some healing if or when Ryu needs it, trying not to intrude
PseudoGM: "I… ugh, my head." He groans, before slowly starting to sit up.
PseudoGM: Blinks a few times, glancing over the rest of the party.
PseudoGM: "…That's just a dwarf, not… one of them, right?"
Shuu sits down beside him "Slowly now…" he looks at Sohl "Yeah, just a dwarf"
Sohl: "Heheh! At least yer' eyes are workin' better now!"
PseudoGM: "And an… If-ys…?"
Shuu: "Yeah"
Yin bows slightly
Shuu: "That's Yin"
PseudoGM: "…Guess that was still *close* then, heh."
Shuu: "I guess I got some pretty whispy companions right now, yes" he chuckles
Wrench discharges an overheated fuel rod from her gun. It hisses, searing the grass where it falls.
Shuu: "And that there's a lot of wanton destruction" he mentions as Wrench makes noise "You… Said yo uwere being hunted?"
PseudoGM: "Sorry about that I guess. … It… wouldn't of been then frist time they've come at me pretending to be you, or Lenna."
Shuu closes his eyes for a moment, and shrugs "It's okay. We're all alive, that's what matters"
Shuu: "Who are those, though?"
Wrench: "Wanton?" A laugh. "I wish."
PseudoGM: "I don't know. Some kind of anti hacker intrustion system or something? They're just… shadows. Ever since that day."
PseudoGM: "…We shouldn't stay out in the open." Ryu slowly begins pushing himself back up, looking a little unsteady.
Shuu: "An anti-intrusion system?" he helps Ryu stand up "Okay" he looks in the direction of the shed
Shuu: "That's yours I take it? Let's go there" he starts helping his friend
PseudoGM: He nods, hobbling in its directino.
Sohl‘ brushes off his clothes and follows behind.
PseudoGM: "As near as I can tell. They haven’t been after you? Ever since we made contact with that… think. They've been following me. Chasig me. Attacked me a few times. I don't think we were supposed to know that thing was there, Shuu."
Yin follows along behind, still at the ready in case anyone calls for assistance.
Shuu sighs "… Ah, I see…"
Shuu: "The truth is…" he looks at his companions "And I was hoping to not have to share this but…"
Shuu: "Hrm… I've apparently lost that fragment of memory"
Shuu: "I know there's something, because of the lost time. But I don't actually know what happened anymore… Just a vague necessity to resolve something up there"
PseudoGM: The shed's not really much to look at. Kind of small for a person to live in, but it looks like he makes due. There's thick fencing with barbed wiring surrounding it, and you can see it's hooked up to some kind of generator as well, probably electrified. A sign proclaiming "NO ENTRY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES" in front of it and…. it looks like a dozen or so more or those mines scattered around the yard.
Shuu is very cautious in heading inside in that case "I can see they've been hunting you for a while now"
Sohl: "Probably better that we didn't fire off any errant attacks, huh?"
PseudoGM: "I don't really remember much either." He looks around the group, scowls slightly, then hunches over a device in front of the gate so that no one else can see as he pushes a few buttons on it. A couple of seconds later the hum of electricity disappears, the gate opens, and he cautiously begins to navigate through the yard towards the shed.
PseudoGM: "Just that we found that weird… whatever it was, and when we touched it… just…" Ryu shivers.
Yin mutters to Sohl, "By the looks of it, I'd say he may have done us a favor to meet us at the relay. Less precautions in place…"
Shuu: "Quite clear it didn't want us there, then…"
PseudoGM: "And then all the arguing about what to do, before Lenna and Kyo stormed off. And shadows, following me, ever since then."
Shuu considers, then sighs "I'm sorry, Ryu"
Shuu: "I should have been around to help you out"
PseudoGM: There's not much inside. A bed that looks like it was old and worn out a few decades ago, a small portable stove. Bookshelve with a number of credit sticks and information drives scattered over it. A stack of rations, mostly prepackaged MREs and cans piles up in one corner, and then a small computer and diagnostic system set up away from the stove.
Sohl: "What do the shadows do- aside from uh, try to kill you, of course."
Yin finds a spot against a wall, out of the way, to get more comfortable and begins retrapping her bow to its place on her pack
PseudoGM: "Follow, take notes. Try and steal research. The attacks are newish."
Shuu tilts his head to the side "Steal research? … If they just wanted to stop you, they'd have attacked sooner…" he shakes his head slightly "Maybe they wanted whatever you learned"
PseudoGM: "Maybe. I don't know. I don't really understand them."
Shuu: "Don't seem like they're the kind that wants to be understood either"
PseudoGM: "I tried capturing one to interogate one once, but it didn't go well." He pauses, rolling a shrug. "They haven't bothered me much since I set up this bunker and sealed up the relay, though."
Sohl: "They uh… hm."
Sohl‘ leans against a wall and studies the floor, idly playing with the brim of his hat.
PseudoGM: He briefly gives Sohl a warry look, before refocusing his eyes anywhere else.
Shuu sighs "So the relay’s involved, too, apparently. No wonder you were monitoring it"
PseudoGM: "Yeah."
Shuu looks at Sohl
Shuu: "This feels like the mystical aspect here, and you're the specialist here"
Sohl‘ shakes his head. "Sorry, I got nothin’."
Sohl: "I mean, there's hostile spirits 'n all,"
Sohl: "But this sounds like something way past that."
Yin: "…What happened that made the capture attempt go so poorly?"
PseudoGM: "Well it -"
Sohl: "Though I mean, if you take tack with just general boogeymen that you use just to hush fussy dwarven children with-"
PseudoGM: "They disolve. They're shadow. Only solid when they wanna be."
Shuu crosses his arms "Well, what are those boogeymen, Sohl?"
Sohl: "Then I mean I -guess- I know something, but it's far less credible than even a fairy tale. Just sort of somethin' that's always been there and has been carried down from generations, to where I'm not even sure it had a proper name."
Shuu: "Dwarven mysticism was one of the most important tools in creating this tower… Maybe something of true resides in fairy tales still"
Sohl: "'Shade o' the bed'll eat the bad juju of bad dwarves'." He shrugs and chuckles half-heartedly. "That's about what it'd sound like, except maybe yellin'."
PseudoGM: Ryu looks increasingly nervous as Sohl talks, eventually moving over towards the electonics in one corner and flipping a switch. It's a *lot* brighter outside now.
Sohl: "(And then, y'know, it'd eat the bad dwarf, too.)"
Sohl: "(That was always the implication.)"
Shuu puts a hand on his chin, he looks at Ryu "Something happen?"
Shuu looks outsider, is there something out there?
PseudoGM: "Flood lights. Just in case." With some squinting, you notice there were about six of them set up strategically around the… compound, I guess. Cover the entire thing in blindly bright light.
Shuu nods "Makes sense…" he looks at Sohl "It's nothing that's too interesting but… 'Bad juju'? That refer to something in particular?"
Sohl: "I gotta ask- is the directory at the entryway your doing?"
PseudoGM: "No, that was here before I was."
Yin: "Seems to me brighter light makes denser shadows. Do they try to talk to you Ryu, or only attack?"
Shuu: "If they're just shadows… They're unlikely to be able to get close in this state. But… Hrm…"
Sohl: "Slang term for magic, depending on the context it can have a connotation with 'magic relating to items or objects,' or just something close to… like… cosmic justice."
PseudoGM: He turns towards Yin, eyes wild for a momentum before they refocus. "Well, maybe outside the light. But they can't get in when it coveres everything. Do they talk? Talk…" quieter, to himself, "…do they talk…?" Another few momentums, and he shakes his head. "I don't think they talk? Sometimes they… whispers? But I don't think it's words exactly…"
Shuu looks worriedly at Ryu, he's probably been through far too much at this stage "Whispers that aren't words? It's almost like trying trying to drive you crazy"
Sohl: "So, y'know. Crowbar juju, a really strong thing for breaking things apart. Bad juju- you've done evil things and evil will come to you."
Yin: "Then it's real easy to tell who's a friendly and who's a just shadow. No whispers in here" yin put her back solidly on the wall to make sure he has space.
Sohl: "Y' mentioned that you tried to capture one once."
Shuu: "As he said, they just vanish when you do that"
PseudoGM: "Maybe - yeah. Yeah." He nods to Sohl.
Sohl: "That's real interstin'. Just in general. Wonder where they go?"
PseudoGM: "I had it for a couple of seconds and then it just - fell apart."
Wrench looks between Sohl, and Ryu, and back.
Sohl: "Ryu… do you know about the core?"
Shuu: "Weren't you paying attention, Sohl… We… Went there, i'm certain of it, now that i've heard what he remembers"
Shuu: "Whatever was in there… There's a reason I need to get back up there, isn't it"
Sohl: "Well, yeah- but I'm pryin' for more details."
Sohl: "Though yeah, I guess there won't be much more to tell for now."
Sohl: "Been a long half-hour!"
PseudoGM: The maxwellian rubs at the back of his neck.
Shuu: "Hrm… We'll have to keep moving at some point, Ryu"
Shuu: "I'd… Ask you to come along. But I get the feeling you're not really up for it"
PseudoGM: "Not much. Just that… that's what Shuu started calling that… thing. We were doing… maintence work, somewhere. Can't remember where."
PseudoGM: "Found some weird lines and starting trying to hook into them, figure out what they were and then…"
PseudoGM: "Just…"
PseudoGM: "Noise, all over. Noise and shadow. And static. Static and shadows. And then everyone split up, and the shadows started following me."
Harino: "Maybe whatever you guys found in the past just… doesn't agree with Maxwellians?"
Sohl‘ nods. "’s at least somethin' we can throw out feelers over."
Sohl: "Start asking around, read news, poke about."
PseudoGM: He nods slowly.
Shuu: "Maybe it's got a problem with us, yes"
Sohl: "Because I'd bet a hard ten-creds we're gonna end up dealin' with them sooner, rather than later, givin' yer mission, Shuu." He tips the brim of his hat up.
Shuu: "Hopefully that's all there is"
Shuu: "But we're going to end up figuring it out, yes" he nods at Sohl
Yin: "How far down have you come to get set up here? Like, how many floors? We might be able to find the source of all this a bit more quickly if we know that"
PseudoGM: "It was -"
PseudoGM: "…It was…" Ryu looks confused, before shooting Shuu a questioning look.
Shuu looks at Ryu, tilts his head to the side "It's just logical we don't remember that part…"
Shuu: "If whatever that was messed with our memories, first thing it'd mess with is where it actually was"
PseudoGM: He looks a little relieved that Shuu doesn't seem to remember either.
PseudoGM: "I don't know, I was hoping around pretty erratically for a couple months. Snuck onto the lift a few times."
Shuu: "Best we can do is keep moving up at this stage, and keep an out for… Shadows"
PseudoGM: "- You're really trying to find that thing again?"
Shuu: "Whatever it did, it messed us up, and it wasn't right"
Yin nods "Yeah, makes sense. Maybe… How far down since your memories are in tact at least then? Maybe we can bribe our way on to the lift if it's too far up…"
Shuu: "Even if it is something that's supposed to be there and nobody's supposed to mess with. I really don't like what it did to all of you"
Shuu: "Plus the tower's breaking down… No matter what we're staill maitenance crew. And I just know it's all related"
Shuu: "So I have to"
PseudoGM: "I'm… not sure. The last thing I clear remember was stumbling into the town one floor down. Sorry."
Yin: "Don't be sorry. You getting on the left was great help. Tells us we have a ways to go. Thank you"
[OOC] Yin: Lift
PseudoGM: Ryu sighs. "You were always a little too serious for your own good, Shuu."
Shuu smiles "Of course"
Shuu: "Someone has to be"
PseudoGM: "Well… I guess maybe I'm keeping the shadows distracted for you then, at least…? Heh."
Shuu: "Good enough job" he nods "Plus, you're still looking into things, right? Maybe you'll figure out something important too"
Shuu: "Stay safe, though"
PseudoGM: "Yeah. You too, Shuu."
Shuu looks outside, looks at the others "Well… Come on, we better get moving before it gets too dark outside"
Sohl: "Take care, brother!"
Sohl: "You definitely make fightin' you a terrible life choice."
Sohl: "That's -like- a compliment!"
Sohl‘ waves as he turns to leave.
Yin makes her way gingerly through the literal minefield outside. "Do we have more of these to look out for in the trees…?"
PseudoGM: "Naw, they should all be around here and the relay. Rest of the floor is clear." He nods, while seeing the group out. You can hear him going through the process of rehooking up various traps as you take off,in the distace.
Shuu waits until they’ve got a bit of distance "Sohl"
Sohl: "Mm?"
Shuu: "If we run into one of those shadow things… I know there are runes for warding, and sealing, i've been studying that in my spare time. But you're good with them"
Shuu: "We should try to actually trap one of them. To see if you can do better, see what they are"
Sohl: "Heh! No guarantees, but you can bet I'm definitely thinkin' 'bout how best to do it from here on out."
Shuu: "I've the feeling that dwarven magic is deeply related to what is going on… I remember stories about some nebulous 'price' being paid for what was required to make the tower"
Harino 's ears droop as she contemplates whatever those shadows are. "I get the feeling we'll end up running into them eventually, whether or not I wish it was just a figment of his imagination…"
Sohl: "It'd help if we can find a magic shop or three at any future towns. We'll cross those bridges when we get to 'em."
Shuu: "Yeah, That's the bestr we can do"
Sohl‘ shifts the weight of his pack around on his shoulders. "…probably a good idea to keep the fires goin’ all night, too."
PseudoGM: Well, in any event. It looks like there's remnents of camp grounds having been set up near the base of the stairwell going up, so that'll probably be a good place to set up for the night. Doubly so considering how geerally quiet this floor's been.
Sohl‘ rolled 5d6 and got 2, 6, 6, 5, 4 ( Total: 23 )
[OOC] Yin: Can we try to use magic to fortify the camp as well against magical attacks or intruders?
Wrench slips out into the night to go hunting. [Foraging 4]
Wrench rolled 4d6 and got 4, 6, 5, 4 ( Total: 19 )
[OOC] Yin: Also -1 LP to heal 8 from undying
Sohl is extra careful to set up the campfire for tonight. [The night passes uneventfully.] He passes out some mint chocolate pressed candy- ’It's hard but it won't sit well for longer than a week'- while whipping up a savory glaze to apply to any meal tonight. It's slightly salty, and smells of open air. [+10 HP] [+4 MP]
PseudoGM: You sure can! Mystism for wards and the like, or you could rig up a ring of fire or a light source that keeps bright with sorcery.
Yin rolled 4d6 and got 1, 6, 3, 2 ( Total: 12 ) for Sorcery
[OOC] Yin: hrm, -2 LP
Wrench returns, messy-mawed, a weird beast slung over her back and bags full of mushrooms and forest-fruit. "We're eatin' like kings tonight!" [That's a full meal for everyone.]
PseudoGM: Yeah, you can definitely rig up something that'll give you peace of mind for the night, Yin.
Yin sets up a ring of conjured flame around the campsite to keep the whole inside of the ring comfortably lit up in addition to Sohl's campfire in the center.
Sohl: "Heh, good job, y'all!"
Sohl: "Shapin' up to be a good night."
Harino wags her tail at the bounty of food, nodding her head. "Looks like it!"
PseudoGM: You'll almost definitely not all be killed in your sleep THIS night!
Julian: Okay that was fun
Julian: Also this time Dimension Cutter felt good
Yin: "Indeed, there's a lot to think about…" Yin pulls her little leather notebook out from her pack and begins scribbling and sketching while munching on some of the goods brought back to camp by Wrench.

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