You know, you guys don't have to protect me all the time!
[ like, he appreciates the intention, but ]
I mean, you two [ to bradley and zuko ] are hurt way worse than I am!! I know I'm not good at any of this, but I haven't been totally useless either! Stop acting like you're the only ones who have to do all this stuff!
All those weapons and murderous attention at it doesn't go unnoticed. The malice ripples before a deep, bassing sound comes from down, deep into the chamber: the sound of the malice hitting the walls. The doorway they all came through locks up, blocked by a slad of stone. The platform they're on right now trembles as well.
Perhaps you didn't notice before, but the platform everyone is on extends downwards, down into the base of the chamber, unseen by all the goop. That's how everyone can feel it vibrating, the malice attacking the base. A noise of ripping metal echoes, a piece of pipe into the pillar holding the platform being torn apart. Looks like the malice is targeting the base.
If the platform ends up within the malice's reach...they likely will die, overtaken and torn apart by it. Maybe they can defeat it? Maybe they can't?
No one's being the distraction! Now come on, we all need to get out of here.
[She takes one of the bomb arrows to aim at any of the eyes or mouths, and although she doesn't know how to use a bow, she rolled a 17? Amazing. But she doesn't stick around to see if her shot lands or not, because she's running towards the valve with another roll of 17. Will it turn if she tries it?]
[ oh god okay forget trying to protect them against whatever might come down from the open valve if THIS is how things are going to go ]
Y-yeah! Right!!
[ despite kind of fumbling around a little with his arrow collection tucked under his arm, he at least manages to aim the fire rod and shoot off a few fireballs at one of the monster's eyes — with a 12, so i guess we'll see how effective that is! ]
[ Bradley does not have as much experience in bows than he does in guns. But when you get a weapon, you have to use it, don't you? He lets loose (11) the fire arrow that he's notched, and loads the bomb next.]
[ zuko has no firebending and no ranged weapons, he's only got the glowing guardian spear. the malice is getting closer, and he can't risk that. he runs towards the valve, spear outstretched, stabbing at the malice -- ]
[ but honestly, he's a bit woozy from the blood loss and still has the robot arm clasped to his leg, so he loses balance and trips with a rolled 2. ouchies. ]
For a brief moment, very brief, the malice begins to ooze underneath the valve. The pipes it used to reach the surface of the platform were empty, after all! It was a prime way to reach it! Between Zuko stabbing at it with a spear more powerful than it has any right to be, and Sheila handling the valve, it's forced to retreat for a moment, to gather and get enough of itself to burst up the valve or destroy the base of the platform. Zuko losing his balance and tripping gives it the chance to grab him, though. Taking the ankle of the leg without the robot arm attached to it, the malice pushes it, making him slip forward, smacking his forehead against the valve. Zuko falls to the floor, dizzied. Not a concussion, thankfully, but he certainly is seeing double right now. That's going to make things harder for him for a bit!
Sheila will find that yes! She can turn it with her hands! She manages to turn it a little, and when she does...
Many things happen at once. Water begins to leak from pipes on the walls -- metallic pipes, heavy and sturdy -- leaking droplets towards the bottom of the chamber. At the same time there's a hissing in the inner workings of the platform beneath, like air rushing through. It's faint, but it's there. You hear pumps working underneath you.
Sebastian and Bradley may have seen the malice get pushed out of the pillar, the pipes full of wind. It doesn't get to try to get in there again before Bradley fires a, well, fire arrow at it, blazes appearing on the surface of the malice, enraging it! Sebastian over there aims at eyes, hitting it with balls of fire, making the malice retreat before a surge of it leaps forward attempting to reach, but it's useless, they all are too far away right now.
No, this won't do. Attack the pillar again, destroy it so the platform falls and everyone is easy pickings, sneak again into the valve if at any moment the wind and water stops, it wants to reach up there no matter what! Some of the base is ripped apart more, the malice looking for weak points to exploit, anything so it can reach and tear everyone apart!
Given the roll of [1] it doesn't attack them directly, too focused on its current plan to make a secondary attack of any sort at them all.
[She reaches out to steady Zuko if he happens to be nearby. But as long as he isn't passing out, she won't leave the valve just yet. And it is going to suck if she ends up breaking the valve, but—
She has an idea? A questionable idea.
With a roll of 20, Sheila uses her rune on the valve before she quickly starts to "rotate" it with her hands, hoping to store enough kinetic energy that it will turn on its own in on in one big, fell swoop before the monster can sneak its way inside again.]
[ oh jeez... okay, while sheila does that sebastian's going to go run over to zuko to try to defend him while he's down and fire back if the malice starts coming at him again!! and. i rolled an 8 because the dice still hate zuko. ]
[ rip to zuko. at least mom and sebastian are there to help!! also bradley with the meat skewers. this meat is probably sketch, but zuko eats it anyway. he'll be useful next tag round ]
The meat skewer is effective! Zuko's double vision and some of the pain is relieved, good!
The beauty of four people fighting the same target at once is that so much happens at the same time.
Sheila's stasus on the valve allows her create a lot of inertia, and when the stasis wears out the valve opens! It spins half open and spins 3/4 open and spins fully open and spins too open, because the round handle breaks from its place, rolling on the platform and over the edge, falling into the malice down below. Maybe someone will catch a glimpse of it sinking.
The results of the valve opening are immediate and chaotic! The pipes on the walls, unbridled now, are open so wide veritable waterfalls begin pouring in, pooling at the base of the chamber! The malice floats, gathers together and tries to get settled, but it's impossible for it to get stable anywhere. Inside the base of the platform, the pumps work overtime, a system using the water to bring air pressure underneath the platform. They all can feel it -- the platform vibrating while the air pressure begins to increase. It will take a while for the pressure to reach its critical point -- six turns.
Waterlogged, the malice changes tactics. Attacking the base and its constant water and air rushing inside won't work, it can see that. Brute force and attacking from as many fronts as possible will have to do -- is all it decides before a bomb arrow hits it, chunks of goop splattering on the wall and pillar. A loud wrathful roar, and the round valve that got disloged reappears, flying towards Bradley's head with a [14 roll]! Careful!
The success at launching a strong metallic object emboldens it. Throwing all of its strength at the walls, making the entire chamber tremble, pipes dislodge, more water gushing out for a brief moment before only some of the malice crawls in. They all can see some of the waterfalls go dry, something blocking them, before from where water used to gush, malice appears, spreading on the wall, fanged mouths replacig the ends of the pipe, roaring at them, four different fanged maws forming, what can be seen of the goop rippling, threatening, preparing something!
[3] needs a moment to prepare an attack, though. Even the air itself feels denser, you're surrounded from all sides, malice down in the bottom of the pit, malice in the walls getting ready to attack, it's everywhere!
With rolls of 9, 16 and 16, Sheila fires off three more bomb arrows at the mouths. While she does, she also glances around the room for anything that could help them get some altitude.]
Any ideas on how to get to that opening all the way up there?!
[She's uses her staff to fire some lightning magic at the water below, too, with a sweaty roll of 14.]
Your ice pillar things don't go up that high, do they? If we got on top of one and blew up some bombs underneath it do you think that'd make it shoot up out of the thing or just, like, explode and kill us?
[He manages to catch the valve that the malice attempted to launch at his head (20). It gets pocketed away for later, or at least, as one less weapon for the malice to use.]
It's made outta ice. It'll shatter if there's too much impact.
[HMM...] If we can rip up some metal 'n pause it, we might be able to launch ourselves up.
[Throwing somebody up there would be terrible, considering their combined strength.]
D'ya want a pillar?
[If Zuko says yes, he's getting a pillar under his feet, while Bradley turns to attack the malice's maw with another bomb arrow (9).]
[ zuko tries to rip out a bit of metal with a 4--- he's really bad at magnets, so it doesn't work. maybe it smacks his head cartoonishly, i don't know. he sucks at this. ]
Plan B. I'll get up there.
[ with a 9, he jumps on the pillar and skitters a bit, barely keeping upright. that robot hand is ruining his life. this is going great! ]
[ anyway, here goes nothing!! he tries to parkour up to attack the malice with the spear -- ]
Two of the mouths are destroyed thanks to very good aim with bombs! Fangs fly down into the goop, probably to get assimilated and reused, but what matters is that two of the mouths got broken. The other two, though, release flying skulls, large and grotesque, floating in the air towards Sheila, tackling her [16]! They're trying to push her towards the edge of the platform so she falls in!
In better news, though, Sheila's lightning hits the water, spreading in the area! It doesn't cover the entirety of the pit, but they can see sparks everywhere, the goop trembling, suffering paralysis for a moment! Looks like lightning magic causes the malice to stay paralyzed for a few seconds, defenseless!
The bomb arrow Bradley launches explodes beside some of the goop, missing it mostly. The malice reacts! Braiding itself, it begins to rise in the air, until it's up to eye-level with Bradley, and rushes forward, slamming on top of him, holding him onto the ground! The contact with it makes Bradley's skin burn -- not really with acid, but with some kind of dark magic, not leaving any marks behind, and the malice rears up again, slamming down again, bludgeoning Bradley! [16]
Zuko manages to rip heavy pipes out of the wall, water gushing out before getting plugged by malice. The pipe accidentally drops down into the watery pit of malice down at the bottom, carried around, perhaps for future use in attack! His jump onto the malice for parkouring works, he manages to climb up, and the malice grabs him by the handle of the spear, its blue blade held away due to Zuko's roll, and he's held over the pit. He's going to be dropped in a moment!
Five turns for critical pressure under the platform
[The dice have finally said fuck you, Mom, because she's rolling a 6 for holding her ground! She also rolls a 12 for trying to murder these skulls with her sword.
[ gfshjgksks looks between all three of them like HELP WHAT DO I DO but sheila falling off the edge is like the one thing he has any immediate plan for so ]
No!!!! H-hold on!!
[ runs over and reaches out to try to grab sheila's hand and pull her back??? i got an 11, does this mean she's safe or did he just grab her lightning wand away from her ]
[Unfortunately this is very familiar to him, but it's not like he can peace out of this situation the way he normally would. He attempts (5) to hit the malice with the butt of his gun, but with the way he's being manhandled by the malice, the attack goes wide.]
[ zuko's suspended over the pit by his spear -- but he can see in the corner of his eye that everyone else is, well, fucked ]
[ he tries the magnet again, to bring up that bit of a pipe to come up under sheila as sebastian reaches out for her, hopefully helping her get back on the platform. hell yeah 18. ]
[ in quick succession, he tries to rip himself away from the malice about to drop him, spear and all. he rolls a 15 for that, then throws himself towards the malice overwhelming bradley, spear out. 12! ]
[ final roll is 20, which just means zuko himself doesn't land horribly. unless you want to reverse it and say 20 helps brad, 12 for landing. i leave it in ur hands nick ]
Sheila would have fallen in. Her powerful guardian sword swings, missing the skulls, and that's all she got to do before losing her footing, falling backwards. Below the malice seems to roar, victorious, that woman was the one who had dared to shoot at it with electricity, it would get its comeuppance--
--or that was how it would have been, if Zuko hadn't made a pipe float and catch Sheila. That move is enough to push her back, and Sebastian's help saves her balance -- although he did grab the rod instead of her. Better move from the edge, you two! The skulls, not satisfied with the lack of success at throwing her into the pit, decide to attack them directly, to bite them, one for Sebastian and one for Sheila!
Not done trying to save people, Zuko lands on the one holding Bradley just when it had grabbed and lifted him in the air, the butt of the rifle missing completely. Under Zuko's feet the malice ripples, Zuko's weight making him sink a little into it, with some very unpleasant noises. An eye pops up from it to look at him right when Zuko attempts to stab the malice, it all slithering away from Bradley, leaving him on the platform feeling exhausted due to the contact with evil magic. This bunch of malice, with Zuko on top of it, whips around attempting to throw him off [13] right onto the edge of the platform.
Look down, though, everyone: the water level is beginning to rise. The pumps inside the pillar with the platform are working overtime, the vibrations of the platform feel a little stronger now, but it's too much water to deal with, it's beginning to fill the pit and lift the malice upwards. It will get up to everyone's level in two turns!
[Because she rolled an 8, Sebastian grabs Sheila's staff instead of her! Oh, no. Looks like mom is going to fall anyway— except Zuko rolled an 18 so she is saved. Boo. She steadies herself again, just in time for one of the skulls to chomp down on her arm after she rolls a 2.
Sheila doesn't look so much like she's in pain, so much as she is deeply offended by this.]
Oh, motherfucker!
[She tries to punch the skull off to yeet it back to the goop monster, but she rolled a 7, so.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
guestservices) wrote2022-06-26 02:36 pm
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[ like, he appreciates the intention, but ]
I mean, you two [ to bradley and zuko ] are hurt way worse than I am!! I know I'm not good at any of this, but I haven't been totally useless either! Stop acting like you're the only ones who have to do all this stuff!
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Sebastian looks like he wants to cry, but Bradley can appreciate somebody trying their best, even when they're wildly out of their depth.]
Keep on guard. Be ready to fire at the bastard when it begins to approach. You have range, so you can attack it before it gets close to you.
[Once they've made it to the valve he trains his arrow on the monster.]
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[ but zuko gets it. ]
I wasn't saying you were. Just... if you're scared, you don't have to rush headfirst in. You're doing fine.
[ thanks zuko for this incredible peptalk ]
I'm fine being the distraction. That thing is already staring at me.
[ and sheila but he is also protecting mom. ]
[ zuko's holding out his guardian weapon!! ready to stab monstah ]
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Perhaps you didn't notice before, but the platform everyone is on extends downwards, down into the base of the chamber, unseen by all the goop. That's how everyone can feel it vibrating, the malice attacking the base. A noise of ripping metal echoes, a piece of pipe into the pillar holding the platform being torn apart. Looks like the malice is targeting the base.
If the platform ends up within the malice's reach...they likely will die, overtaken and torn apart by it. Maybe they can defeat it? Maybe they can't?
Regardless...the objective is one: Survive.
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No one's being the distraction! Now come on, we all need to get out of here.
[She takes one of the bomb arrows to aim at any of the eyes or mouths, and although she doesn't know how to use a bow, she rolled a 17? Amazing. But she doesn't stick around to see if her shot lands or not, because she's running towards the valve with another roll of 17. Will it turn if she tries it?]
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Y-yeah! Right!!
[ despite kind of fumbling around a little with his arrow collection tucked under his arm, he at least manages to aim the fire rod and shoot off a few fireballs at one of the monster's eyes — with a 12, so i guess we'll see how effective that is! ]
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[ Bradley does not have as much experience in bows than he does in guns. But when you get a weapon, you have to use it, don't you? He lets loose (11) the fire arrow that he's notched, and loads the bomb next.]
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[ but honestly, he's a bit woozy from the blood loss and still has the robot arm clasped to his leg, so he loses balance and trips with a rolled 2. ouchies. ]
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Sheila will find that yes! She can turn it with her hands! She manages to turn it a little, and when she does...
Many things happen at once. Water begins to leak from pipes on the walls -- metallic pipes, heavy and sturdy -- leaking droplets towards the bottom of the chamber. At the same time there's a hissing in the inner workings of the platform beneath, like air rushing through. It's faint, but it's there. You hear pumps working underneath you.
Sebastian and Bradley may have seen the malice get pushed out of the pillar, the pipes full of wind. It doesn't get to try to get in there again before Bradley fires a, well, fire arrow at it, blazes appearing on the surface of the malice, enraging it! Sebastian over there aims at eyes, hitting it with balls of fire, making the malice retreat before a surge of it leaps forward attempting to reach, but it's useless, they all are too far away right now.
No, this won't do. Attack the pillar again, destroy it so the platform falls and everyone is easy pickings, sneak again into the valve if at any moment the wind and water stops, it wants to reach up there no matter what! Some of the base is ripped apart more, the malice looking for weak points to exploit, anything so it can reach and tear everyone apart!
Given the roll of [1] it doesn't attack them directly, too focused on its current plan to make a secondary attack of any sort at them all.
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[She reaches out to steady Zuko if he happens to be nearby. But as long as he isn't passing out, she won't leave the valve just yet. And it is going to suck if she ends up breaking the valve, but—
She has an idea? A questionable idea.
With a roll of 20, Sheila uses her rune on the valve before she quickly starts to "rotate" it with her hands, hoping to store enough kinetic energy that it will turn on its own in on in one big, fell swoop before the monster can sneak its way inside again.]
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Here, it'll numb the pain some.
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The beauty of four people fighting the same target at once is that so much happens at the same time.
Sheila's stasus on the valve allows her create a lot of inertia, and when the stasis wears out the valve opens! It spins half open and spins 3/4 open and spins fully open and spins too open, because the round handle breaks from its place, rolling on the platform and over the edge, falling into the malice down below. Maybe someone will catch a glimpse of it sinking.
The results of the valve opening are immediate and chaotic! The pipes on the walls, unbridled now, are open so wide veritable waterfalls begin pouring in, pooling at the base of the chamber! The malice floats, gathers together and tries to get settled, but it's impossible for it to get stable anywhere. Inside the base of the platform, the pumps work overtime, a system using the water to bring air pressure underneath the platform. They all can feel it -- the platform vibrating while the air pressure begins to increase. It will take a while for the pressure to reach its critical point -- six turns.
Waterlogged, the malice changes tactics. Attacking the base and its constant water and air rushing inside won't work, it can see that. Brute force and attacking from as many fronts as possible will have to do -- is all it decides before a bomb arrow hits it, chunks of goop splattering on the wall and pillar. A loud wrathful roar, and the round valve that got disloged reappears, flying towards Bradley's head with a [14 roll]! Careful!
The success at launching a strong metallic object emboldens it. Throwing all of its strength at the walls, making the entire chamber tremble, pipes dislodge, more water gushing out for a brief moment before only some of the malice crawls in. They all can see some of the waterfalls go dry, something blocking them, before from where water used to gush, malice appears, spreading on the wall, fanged mouths replacig the ends of the pipe, roaring at them, four different fanged maws forming, what can be seen of the goop rippling, threatening, preparing something!
[3] needs a moment to prepare an attack, though. Even the air itself feels denser, you're surrounded from all sides, malice down in the bottom of the pit, malice in the walls getting ready to attack, it's everywhere!
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Well. This is fine!
With rolls of 9, 16 and 16, Sheila fires off three more bomb arrows at the mouths. While she does, she also glances around the room for anything that could help them get some altitude.]
Any ideas on how to get to that opening all the way up there?!
[She's uses her staff to fire some lightning magic at the water below, too, with a sweaty roll of 14.]
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[ a glance to bradley ]
Your ice pillar things don't go up that high, do they? If we got on top of one and blew up some bombs underneath it do you think that'd make it shoot up out of the thing or just, like, explode and kill us?
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It's made outta ice. It'll shatter if there's too much impact.
[HMM...] If we can rip up some metal 'n pause it, we might be able to launch ourselves up.
[Throwing somebody up there would be terrible, considering their combined strength.]
D'ya want a pillar?
[If Zuko says yes, he's getting a pillar under his feet, while Bradley turns to attack the malice's maw with another bomb arrow (9).]
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Plan B. I'll get up there.
[ with a 9, he jumps on the pillar and skitters a bit, barely keeping upright. that robot hand is ruining his life. this is going great! ]
[ anyway, here goes nothing!! he tries to parkour up to attack the malice with the spear -- ]
[ a 9. ]
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In better news, though, Sheila's lightning hits the water, spreading in the area! It doesn't cover the entirety of the pit, but they can see sparks everywhere, the goop trembling, suffering paralysis for a moment! Looks like lightning magic causes the malice to stay paralyzed for a few seconds, defenseless!
The bomb arrow Bradley launches explodes beside some of the goop, missing it mostly. The malice reacts! Braiding itself, it begins to rise in the air, until it's up to eye-level with Bradley, and rushes forward, slamming on top of him, holding him onto the ground! The contact with it makes Bradley's skin burn -- not really with acid, but with some kind of dark magic, not leaving any marks behind, and the malice rears up again, slamming down again, bludgeoning Bradley! [16]
Zuko manages to rip heavy pipes out of the wall, water gushing out before getting plugged by malice. The pipe accidentally drops down into the watery pit of malice down at the bottom, carried around, perhaps for future use in attack! His jump onto the malice for parkouring works, he manages to climb up, and the malice grabs him by the handle of the spear, its blue blade held away due to Zuko's roll, and he's held over the pit. He's going to be dropped in a moment!
Five turns for critical pressure under the platform
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This is fine.]
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No!!!! H-hold on!!
[ runs over and reaches out to try to grab sheila's hand and pull her back??? i got an 11, does this mean she's safe or did he just grab her lightning wand away from her ]
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[ he tries the magnet again, to bring up that bit of a pipe to come up under sheila as sebastian reaches out for her, hopefully helping her get back on the platform. hell yeah 18. ]
[ in quick succession, he tries to rip himself away from the malice about to drop him, spear and all. he rolls a 15 for that, then throws himself towards the malice overwhelming bradley, spear out. 12! ]
[ final roll is 20, which just means zuko himself doesn't land horribly. unless you want to reverse it and say 20 helps brad, 12 for landing. i leave it in ur hands nick ]
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--or that was how it would have been, if Zuko hadn't made a pipe float and catch Sheila. That move is enough to push her back, and Sebastian's help saves her balance -- although he did grab the rod instead of her. Better move from the edge, you two! The skulls, not satisfied with the lack of success at throwing her into the pit, decide to attack them directly, to bite them, one for Sebastian and one for Sheila!
Not done trying to save people, Zuko lands on the one holding Bradley just when it had grabbed and lifted him in the air, the butt of the rifle missing completely. Under Zuko's feet the malice ripples, Zuko's weight making him sink a little into it, with some very unpleasant noises. An eye pops up from it to look at him right when Zuko attempts to stab the malice, it all slithering away from Bradley, leaving him on the platform feeling exhausted due to the contact with evil magic. This bunch of malice, with Zuko on top of it, whips around attempting to throw him off [13] right onto the edge of the platform.
Look down, though, everyone: the water level is beginning to rise. The pumps inside the pillar with the platform are working overtime, the vibrations of the platform feel a little stronger now, but it's too much water to deal with, it's beginning to fill the pit and lift the malice upwards. It will get up to everyone's level in two turns!
Four turns before critical pressure is reached
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Sheila doesn't look so much like she's in pain, so much as she is deeply offended by this.]
Oh, motherfucker!
[She tries to punch the skull off to yeet it back to the goop monster, but she rolled a 7, so.]
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