illinois ♔ and the message coming from my eyes

[spellfile]

WHO || Andrew, Zero, Han, Rocket, Klaus
WHAT || The Knights investigate some strange events  around a farmhouse in Illinois
WHERE || Metropolis Kansas
WHEN || April 20th, 2015
HOW || Actionspam

The route to the Moore residence is a secluded, gavel-topped county road that meanders through fields and farmland.  The roiling stormclouds and lack of city lights make the countryside seem unusually dark and forbidding.  A battered mailbox on the right side of the road indicates the Moore farm, and a pothole-filled drive leads up to the farmhouse.  On the right side of the long driveway, nestled among the snow, lies what appears to be a small family graveyard.

Beside the dilapidated house, stands a large German Shepard tethered on a leash, barking furiously as they pull up.  An older man stands on the porch looking highly displeased.  The man says something to the dog, but the barking continues unabated.

"You can just turn right around and head back the way you came," he yells from the porch.

Comments

[asuma]

I can hardly wait to find out what awaits us on the other end.

[Klaus was here to provide the sarcasm ok. But he will head down the yellow brick slime trail first since he was probably the one here who could take the most punishment. He's keeping his eyes and ears open in case there are more zombies lurking though (spot 19, listen 24).]

[spellfile]

I doubt it's a pot of gold, at least. [ the slimy trail snakes a rambling route through the tall corn, illuminated by an occasional flash of lightning. after a few hundred yards, the corn abruptly parts to reveal a squat concrete building similar to an electrical utility shed. power lines from the nearby towers stretch to connect with it.

about two dozen yards from the bunker, two humanoid creatures apparently made of metal are standing beside a metallic utility box of some sort. they appear to be repairing something inside.

suddenly, the dull roar of thunder is overlaid with an angry buzzing sound, as though someone has disturbed a hornet's nest, seeming to issue from the shed. ]

[badexample]

[Uh... if they're made of metal can Andrew do knowledge technology on them?? Does he know what these weird cybermen mother fuckers are?? (know: tech 30).]

[parsecs]

Droids. [Or close enough. Han narrows his eyes and raises his blaster.] Probably could take at least one of 'em out before they see us. [Since it seems like a safe bet that they're bad guys. But his head whips back towards the shed at the noise.]

[spellfile]

[ well, he's not wrong! they're robots. o__o ] We get close enough, I can shut 'em down long enough for us to get inside.

[asuma]

Robots aren't really my specialty.

[Hey it was either that or shoving Andrew out toward certain death. Klaus isn't volunteering to lead the way on this one tho.]

[parsecs]

Then let's go, just you know. Quietly.

[Because otherwise they'll probably have to shut them down the old fashioned way.

With high tech guns.

Anyway he starts towards the robots (move silently 23).]

[badexample]

[Han, why do you think Andrew knows how to be sneaky? He's like 6'5" and clumsy as fuck. He somehow gets a 13 and that's by the grace of the dice gods tbh.]

[asuma]

[Klaus got 20 total. He's a vampire move silently is pumped full of skill points ok.]

[spellfile]

[ it's ok, andrew, zero's no fucking ninja vampire either, with his 12. no surprise, it's the techies that draw the attention of the robots as they get closer.

"Halt!" one says, in a flat, robotic voice. ] How about you halt? [ zero digs a couple of small computer keys out of his pocket, and chucks them into the air. a field of weird binary blue energy goes skidding out across the ground towards the robots, and as soon as it passes under them, and up their shiny metallic exteriors, the lights dim in their eyes, and they slump over, depowered. ] Come on. That'll probably buy us ten minutes. [ they move to the door of the bunker, where a small plaque hangs that says "Property of Armitage Industries. NO TRESPASSING." ] Well, that's promising. [ with a nat 20 spot, he notices the camera above, and scowls, casting burglar's buddy to loop the feed. he nods towards the door, which is secured with an electronic lock, for andrew to work on overriding with a disable device while he does that ]

[beatupgrass]

[Rocket's been here the whole time. I guess he was like offended because of all this people made of metal nonsense, since he is, you know, a cyborg. I DON'T FAIL AT EVERYTHING

He's got his guns out, as he waits for Andrew to make with the disabling.]

This shithole just got a hell of a lot more interestin'.

[badexample]

[Andrew sighs with relief when he gets a job that he's actually good at. Dealing with the security door feels so much less stressful than shooting things (disable device 30).]

[spellfile]

[ the door opens to reveal a small antechamber with a steep metal stairwell leading down. the industrial lights in the stairwell flicker and pulse, sometimes even changing colors, casting a sinister green or red glow on the interior. ] Someone's throwing a rave down here. [ zero leans in to look, but isn't eager to take point because HE'S A SPELLCASTER lol no ]

[beatupgrass]

[Rocket will happily take point, considering he's eager to get shooting, glancing around as he leads the rest down. (Spot 37 his fucking raccoon eyes see all)] Good. I love crashin' parties.

[spellfile]

[ crash is the key word here. as soon as he takes the first step, the stairs fold over, creating a steep slope in their place. rocket can make a reflex save to avoid sliding down. ] Shit.

[beatupgrass]

[well he... crit failed, which is literally the only way he can fail a reflex save, so that's nice.] Sonuva-

[asuma]

[Can Klaus make one to grab this bitch by the scruff of his neck? Because he got a 19 if so. Otherwise ... well, he tried, Rocket.]

[spellfile]

[ a 19 does not actually hit the DC so klaus grabs at air as the raccoon goes sliding down, and is dumped unceremoniously into a 30 feet deep pit that opens up at the base of the stairs. he's dealt 5 points of falling damage since he all but lands on his head with that crit fail.

the stair-slide is about 150 feet long, so the others are left looking down into this pit from far overhead. ] Are they like cats? Aren't they supposed to land on their feet?

[beatupgrass]

[One of those great "thank god you're a cyborg with just a little bit of damage reduction" moments, though it still hurts like hell and bangs him up enough to be unpleasant. He shakes it off and looks around to see if there's anything of note in the pit... like something to use to climb out of or whatever (spot 22)]

[asuma]

I suppose we'll find out.

[One way or another, depending on Rocket's state of being once they get down to the bottom. Note the lack of any actual concern despite his half-assed attempt to keep Rocket from plummeting to his possible death.

Klaus steps closer and peers down into the darkness, using that darkvision of his to see if he can spot anything that will actually allow them to climb down or something instead of sliding to their doom (spot nat 20, sorry he couldn't roll that for the save...)]

[spellfile]

[ rocket can't find anything that would help him climb up, which is unfortunate... but luckily, looking around, klaus notices a small hidden switch on the wall up by where they are. ] Hey! If you're alive, speak up.

[asuma]

[Meanwhile Klaus will just ... mosey on over and flip that switch. He makes sure to brace for fucking impact first ok, but he's half expecting to watch the rest of his team plummet to certain death. Look it was an experiment prove him wrong.]

[spellfile]

[ the switch resets the stairs, and the bottom of the pit starts to rise up slowly, bringing rocket back up to the room. zero makes his way down there, looking rocket over for bruises, but decides he looks fine, and moves to the only door at the end of the stairwell. a plaque there just reads "O.S.C.A.R." ] Cute. [ he tries the door and finds it locked, but a 42 disable device makes quick work of that. ] Everybody ready to meet Oscar the Grouch?

[beatupgrass]

[Rocket groans and rubs his back, but he's good. He's fine. Just rattled.] I didn't like Oscar when he was a freakin' dog. I ain't gonna like 'em now.

[asuma]

Might want to get that gun of yours ready. [Klaus is already over it. Are we surprised.]