CHAPTER 12a: The Fortress of the Plain

[shaidar]

Silvestri looks at Kurot and Denslow and shrugs

"Seems like it's the corridor. Why don't we form a rear-guard while they are examining it"

[Norjax]

Fortress Interior 346D/81 (Evening)

Podo uses his great strength to slide a chunk of flat debris down the hallway and through the light curtain. Anton, Needle and Saiph all watch and wait for the results of Podo’s throw.

As the stone approaches the alcoves with the floating objects, a two-headed ratman suddenly appears and dodges into an alcove to avoid the speeding missile!

OOC: Urlando Whitefur has entered the game!

The stone passes through the light without incident.

Silvestri, Kurot and Denslow take up a rear-guard position and watch the blasted entry hole for outside intruders.

Actions?

Action Details:

Characters:

Monsters:

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Point Recovery - 348D]:

Denslow – 42/42 [13/16]
Silvestri – 60/60 [14/14]
Kurot – 50/50 [4/15]
Max - 28/28 [14/15]
Anton – 43/43 [11/11]
Saiph – 25/25 [11/11]
Needle – 77/77 [11/11]
Podo – 63/63 [12/14]
Urlando – 75/75 [17/17]

[doppelganger]

Urlando Whitefur

Urlando suddenly appears in one of the alcoves of the corridor, having returned to humanoid form from his rat state. He jumps out of the alcove the moment that Podo moves by pushing a block. One of his two rat-heads turns to the group, while the other head nervously turns and eyes the alcove.

I'm not complaining, man, but who you guys?

A moment later the other turns and chimes in.

Those metal face dudes did some nasty nasty to my mates in there. Who you guys?

Then the first head turns to the other head.

I said that dum-dum.

The other head turns again to the alcove.

[maceo_the_escher]

Needle

Needle greets the new arrival and asks, Ta friend! We don't have much time...Is it safe down that corridor? Where does it lead to?

[doppelganger]

Urlando

The left head speaks,

I didn't see what's there man. The metal face guys came from there.

The right head adds,

If you're going after them, I am too.

[GrapeApe]

Podo

Podo cautiously begins to head down the corridor toward the light, eyeing the alcoves as he passes for any changes. He also keeps a wary eye on the rat headed being, surely there is more to this rat's story than a metal faced man. Addressing the head on the right as he walks closer, Podo calls out, "I'm Podo. I just arrived as well and met these people, forgive me I haven't remembered everyone's name yet. You said metal creatures did something to your mates? How did you escape and what did these creatures look like? If they took your wives, why aren't you in there trying to save them?"

I can see now why many of my brothers and sisters don't come back once they leave for their H'vakton, it has been constant excitement since I stepped above ground.

OOC: Can I make out what the floating shapes are in the last 3 alcoves as I get closer?

[shaidar]

Saiph

The humanoid follows in the wake of the giant fungoid, using it's (his?) bulk for cover and keeping his eyes open for danger.

[Norjax]

Fortress Interior 346D/81 (Evening)

Needle, Podo and Saiph cautiously move forward to greet the ratman. They pass empty, featureless alcoves before reaching the first one with a floating object. There, each is struck with horror; a naked human body floats in the center of the 10-foot-high alcove! His hands, feet, ears, and nose have been removed, but there are no scars; just smooth stubs where they should be. Several clear tubes are connected down his spine and to ports in the back of the alcove’s wall. His pure white eyes are blank and his skin, once a light bronze, is slowly changing to a milky gray as you try to comprehend the abomination. The far two alcoves contain more humanoid-shaped objects that appear to be in the same condition.



In the corridor wall, next to the three alcoves with objects, are curios animated sections.



Anton waits and observes those in the corridor.

Silvestri, Kurot and Denslow continue to watch the outer hole for signs of intrusion.

Actions?

Action Details:

Characters:

Monsters:

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Point Recovery - 348D]:

Denslow – 42/42 [13/16]
Silvestri – 60/60 [14/14]
Kurot – 50/50 [4/15]
Max - 28/28 [14/15]
Anton – 43/43 [11/11]
Saiph – 25/25 [11/11]
Needle – 77/77 [11/11]
Podo – 63/63 [12/14]
Urlando – 75/75 [17/17]

[shaidar]

Saiph recoils at the sight.

"What are they doing to those people?" he shudders "I'd rather be dead than whatever is being done to them."

[Anton_E_Gregor]

Anton walls backwards towards the main group (east/right), still juggling his darts. Ready to provide cover towards the rear guard.

[shaidar]

Silvestri sees the reaction of the advanced group

"What? What is it you see?"

[GrapeApe]

"What? What is it you see?"

Podo

Not sure what to make of this person being mutilated in such a strange manner and all the functioning advanced technology, Podo calls back over his shoulder while keeping an eye on the ratman and the alcove. " There is a human man in some sort of suspension. It appears as if he has been mutilated and strange vines are sucking his lifeforce from him?"

[maceo_the_escher]

Needle gags at the sight of another human mutilated to that extent "Whatever is going on here has to be stopped!". He moves closer into the alcove to examine the man and see if he's alive.

[doppelganger]

Urlando turns to Podo. That's what I'm saying man, they did that stuff to my mates. Not wives, mates, pals, you know. He adds another word in his rat language, which sounds like an unintelligble high-pitched squeak. The other head adds, When those metal arm things got then, I got away. Then I sneak in here with them. The metal faces didn't see me, you know. They kept them that room back there, with all the equipments. I hide with them. The metal faces made them sleep. But they don't see me. Then the other head jumps in, Then they take them here to where we are now and do these things to them... whatever this is, I don't even know how to describe this, you know.

[shaidar]

Silvestri enters the corridor and joins the others.

Examining the contents of the alcove he finds he is equally repulsed by the state of the person inside as he is fascinated by the ancient devices that are in use.

[GrapeApe]

Podo

Completely unfamiliar with the blinking magically display of the Ancients, Podo recalls how Max was able to interact with the wall and cause it to disappear. "Max, is there a way to save them from this sorcery that is eating their souls?"

Where is Max on the map, trying to not be too loud so I don't draw unwanted attention

[doppelganger]

Urlando wonders about the similarity between the faceless metallic-masked beings that conducted these surgeries and the faceless appearance of the victims themselves.
Why not kill them? he wonders aloud. The other head adds, Maybe they make more metal face dudes this way.

[Norjax]

Fortress Interior 346D/81 (Evening)



Saiph is visibly disturbed by the sight of the first body. He has never seen such horrors in his many travels.

Anton joins the group in the corridor and continues to monitor the entry room for hostile activity. He appears unfazed by the sights in the alcoves.

Needle is joined by Silvestri and they examine the floating body. They can clearly see there is respiratory activity from the mutilated body, indicating the man is still alive at some level. Clear fluid is being pumped into the body from seven tubes connected to ports in the alcove wall.

Podo calls out to Max in hopes the neuronaut can work some of his mysterious magic.

OOC: Max’ icon was hidden under Kurot’s

Urlando continues to try and reason why his comrades were so brutally modified by the masked humanoids.

Denslow, Max and Kurot hear strange >BLIP<, >BLEEP<, >BLONK< sounds from outside of the blasted hole.

Action Details:

Characters:

Monsters:

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Point Recovery - 348D]:

Denslow – 42/42 [13/16]
Silvestri – 60/60 [14/14]
Kurot – 50/50 [4/15]
Max - 28/28 [14/15]
Anton – 43/43 [11/11]
Saiph – 25/25 [11/11]
Needle – 77/77 [11/11]
Podo – 63/63 [12/14]
Urlando – 75/75 [17/17]

[shaidar]

Saiph looks nervously up and down the corridor

"Let's not hang around, or it'll be us being tortured in those alcoves"

[shaidar]

Silvestri looks for any writing or symbols he recognises

"Maybe we can reverse whatever is being done to them...or at least put them out of their misery"