black rock ♔ with my sad bones and my soiled throne

[sternshield]

WHO || Erky, Maxwell, Liam, Thoster
WHAT || The Knights track down a message from a mysterious woman in trouble
WHERE || Black Rock, Utah
WHEN || April 22nd, 2015
HOW || Actionspam

It's after noon when they arrive, a bleak, dreary day, and an ominous blanket of low, gray clouds hangs over the landscape.  A recent rain has left everything damp, giving the scenery an air of decay.  It seems there is no end to the parade of empty fields and derelict farmhouses flanking this stretch of road.   As they drive towards the coordinates of Black Rock, Thoster's phone abruptly rings.

Comments

[sternshield]

[ erky, for his part, is trying not to stare. ] That's likely because they're ghouls, not proper zombies.

[beatemup]

What's a ghoul? [He looks at Erky, curiously. Because that's more important than hurrying to save a family from ghouls attack.]

[bluffcheck]

Legend says it's what happens when a human dies but while in life, they enjoyed the taste of human flesh. Nasty things. Can paralyze you with a scratch. Happened to me with our run in with them. Thankfully, Sir Erky was here to take care of them for the both of us.

[Delicately starts writing a song in his head about Erky's triumphs over the ghouls tbh.]

[sternshield]

They've kept some real wits about them, for being flesh-eating monsters. They lured us out here, probably hoping to get us far away from you two. And we think they took out our tires.

[beatemup]

I don't think this ghouls are smart enough to make a plan like this. There must be someone controlling them. [Max ponders a bit but since he is an expert in plan brute force then that's the way the are gonna do.] Well, I don't wanna stay here too long. Let's get in and find out. [He prepares his hammer and starts walking toward the front door.] Strike the leader first if there's one, kay? [He stands by on the front door, waiting for the other to follow.] Ready?

[ex_boning176]

How will we know which one the leader is? [Liam finally speaks up, because he's kind of confused on that part.

But he is going with the flow and following everyone else's lead for now. He got claws too bitch ok. X(]

[beatemup]

[Max does a double take at the werewolf. Like, seriously? What kind of guy doesn't know which one is the boss? Were you born yesterday? Max looks at him with eyes full of those question.]

Never played an RPG before, pal? The Boss is always the most unique one. The biggest, the strongest, the weirdest, or the most whatever-adjective-you-can-think-of. Use your imagination. Unless the big bad guy is taking the form of an old feeble granny, I think you should look for those signs. [He smiles in satisfaction. Nothing is more fulfilling than successfully teaching something to another guy, and for Max, especially if it is about games.]

I'll let you borrow one of my games later, but let's finish this mission first. Any other question?

[ex_boning176]

[Liam is about to ask him what an "rpg" is but then thinks better of it because ... it's not really important.

So he just nods that ok, I understand what you mean (sort of) and gets ready to move inside with the others.]

[sternshield]

[ they push open the door of the house--

and find themselves in a living room, which seems eerily quiet. ]

[bluffcheck]

[Thoster steps inside and his eyes sweep around the room, looking for anything of interest, anything out of place (spot 22).]

[ex_boning176]

[Liam enters just behind Thoster, his eyes glowing yellow as he looks around the room (spot 26, listen 22).

He's still in Teen Wolf form too, so he's also got that scent perk working for him, I think.]

[beatemup]

[Max enters the house and looks around for enemies and since enemies are the only things he is looking for, he doesn't really pay much attention to other things. (spot 5)]

[sternshield]

[ it almost looks like there aren't any here... but liam hears and probably smells something up the steps, and when they head that way, two ghouls leap out of bedrooms in the hall. neither one particularly looks any bigger or badder than the other one tho sorry max

the ghoul on the left leaps forward, heading for liam, slashing at him with hideous claws and whiffing (atk 13) ]

[ex_boning176]

[Being small has its advantages, I guess, since it makes him harder to hit? It also probably helps that being a Teen Wolf gives him a nice little dex boost.

Liam's got claws too tho. They may not be dripping with a paralytic agent but they can slash nicely enough--which the ghoul that lunged at him might realize when bb wolf attempts to use them to slice a bitch open (attack 16, damage 10 if it hits.)]

[bluffcheck]

[Liam may be a werewolf but he's still a wittle babby, so Thoster has those big brother instincts and doesn't want to see him meet the paralyzed fate that he did when he fought these things a bit ago. So he heads in to Liam's side to go after the ghoul. Swinging his morningstar (attack 24, damage 7)]

[herebemonsters]

[ while liam's attempt to gut his foe fails, the wet line across its midsection reveals the accuracy of his assault, and thoster's clean and powerful hit creates a fatal explosion of viscera, the ghoul slumping to the ground.

the remaining one goes for max (atk 16, dmg 3) and he must make a fort save 14 vs paralysis. ]

[beatemup]

[Yeah...no... Max doesn't really do well with status effects. So, he is gonna enjoy his turn with a nice rest. (fort 6) Kinda remembers him of his time in Andres. Maybe the worse will be over once he regains his control.]

[sternshield]

[ with a 17 erky's mace impacts soundly against the other ghoul (dmg 4) ]

[ex_boning176]

[With the ghoul that had been coming for him now dispatched thanks to Thoster, Liam turns toward the one that's still standing and goes in like he's bout to claw swipe a bitch but then crit fails so. o_o Leaves the outcome in the mod's capable hands....]

[bluffcheck]

[With one ghoul down, it only makes sense to go after the other one!! (attack 19, damage 7)]

[herebemonsters]

[ liam slips on a bit of bumpy carpet, knocked to his ass, while thoster gets in a solid bash on the ghoul as well. it focuses in on him, biting (atk 19) and clawing twice (3 & 17). i think only the bite hits?? 9 dmg with penetration, and another fort save ]

[beatemup]

[Mentally, Max is like "C'mon, pal! Join me in the land of waiting." He's rooting for Thoster to be downed because he doesn't want to be the loser alone. Meanwhile, physically, he just "...."]

[sternshield]

[ erky's 13 whiffs right past the creature unfortunately ]

[ex_boning176]

[Well since Liam tripped and fell on his ass he's going to use his turn to try and get back up again.

Fortunately he's not too pissed about it, because he rolled a pretty average will against rage issues.]

[bluffcheck]

[Thoster doesn't go down this time, thankfully (suck it, Max). So instead, he goes back to attacking the creature, but this time with magic! Using the spell Sound Burst, he opens his mouth and lets out a deep, rich note that just hurts. And unfortunately is not something that can be directed at one particular creature so... everyone has to beat a fort save of 14 or you will be stunned for one round. Also 8 damage (or 4 if you make the fort save).]