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Escape the Dark Castle

You have no idea how long you’ve been walking, but it feels like forever. At least the pain does.

Besides the obvious pain of the occasional rough shove or whip at your back, your feet are bleeding from the hard ground you’ve been walking on.

You can’t see a thing with this bag over your head, you don’t even remember how you got in this predicament, but you know you must be chained to other people based on the sounds and the collar around your neck.

“Stop. Take their bags off.” someone says.
“What for?” another voice asks.
“I like the new prisoners to see where they’re going to be spending the rest of their short existence. It really gives a sense of hopelessness!”
“Won’t they get that feeling when they see the inside of their cells?”
“Yeah, but I don’t get to see the dread in their face by that point, I’m not assigned to the dungeons.”
“This seems pointless.”
“I’m in charge here! Take the fucking bags off!”
“For fuck’s sake, just take the bags off them son, this one always has to put on a show.” an older tired voice says.
“Fine, fine.”

You feel a set a hands take off the bag…

Well it certainly looks imposing.

Besides the four armored guards, you look around and see at least eleven other poor souls with you in chains. You’re all going to the same fate and whatever it is, it won’t be good.

“Hahaha! You see that? THAT’S where you’re going to be FOREVER! Don’t worry though, most of you probably won’t live nowhere near that long.” one of the guards mocks.
“Alright, you’ve had your giggles, we better get this lot to the cells, you know the master doesn’t like people fucking around on the job and you know the punishment.” the older one says.

With those words the bags are put back on your heads, and you are marched into the DARK CASTLE. You don’t know how many turns and corridors you walk down, but you couldn’t memorize it if you tried.

At some point you hear the guards talking about dividing you up and taking you to different cellblocks.

Eventually the bag comes off and you’re thrown into a cell with just a straw mattress and a small hole in the floor. You don’t know how long you’re in the cell, and for a long time you keep expecting someone to come for you to take you to be tortured or worse. Strangely though, you are never subjected to any torture. It’s more of a case of being almost completely forgotten. Almost forgotten, since every once in awhile some water and dirty food are shoved through a slot in the door. It’s enough to keep you alive.

Not enough to keep hope alive, of which you nearly have none until one day you wake up and see your cell door cracked open. You almost think you’re dreaming as it hasn’t opened since you were thrown in here.

You cautiously open the door and see torch light, you also see three others who seem to be in the same sense of disbelief you are. It’s been awhile, but you vaguely remember them from the first time you were brought here.

They know about as much as you do, but they’re all eager to get out like you are so you decide to join together to try to escape the DARK CASTLE.

Not far from your cell block you encounter what looks to be a small supply room of some sort. You may search here before pressing on.

If you decide to search pick a number 1-4. (Note: First come first serve and searching isn't always positive) Alternatively you can just skip searching and wait for everyone else.

When you press on, decide who is going to take the lead for the next encounter.

Name: Arnold Northwell 

Age: 35

Backstory: Born from a long line of smiths before him, he was always the bad egg of the family. Being the youngest of three siblings, he always had to scrap against his bigger and older siblings, as well as the neighborhood hoodlums. His other brothers accepted their lot in life, but he set out to be his own man, joining a small mercenary company in his youth and sowing his oats when he could. Only due to the death of both siblings, one from a bad case of rot crotch, and the other biting off more than he could chew with sleeping with a nobleman's daughter and being hung by the neck to dry like day old knickers from his actions. He only returned five years previous to his impeding peril after receiving a distressing letter from his mother. His old man had died during the years that he was away from home, and thus he was the only man left to head the anvil and chisel. Still he had occasionally had his bad moments, he figured himself a curse man after all whom only had death in his future just like all the other men in his family it seemed. But he always made it back eventually to the nagging of his wife and the curious stares of his children. One an inquisitive girl, and a boy that reminded him of himself in ways. So maybe it was one bad case of drinking that led him to his current whereabouts. 

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Arnold gets to his feet with a snort of indignation. Here he was in a shit heap of a cell with three unfortunate others he had no history or rapport with. It was just his luck to end up in a situation exactly like this one.

"From the back of the group, eh?" Arnold examined the other individual for a brief moment. Taking notice of how youthful they seemed, but he could also see a weathered look to their eyes. He could only presume that this young man had an uneasy story he could tell. But it wasn't his business to know, besides he had the business of getting out of this strange predicament that took priority. 

"I can take point. Not sure if God is with us, but I have a wife and two little ones to get back to." 

With those words spoken, The Smith moved to follow the young man, and then began to rummage through the storage room for anything that could be of use.

(1)

The Smith searched but found only a half rotten apple for his troubles. Oh well eat the good side and it might keep your endurance up.

The Hunter and Fletcher both found mysterious bottles of liquid. While they didn’t know what each of them had found exactly, the Tanner identified the Hunter’s bottle as Distilled Wisdom while the Fletcher had found a flask of Liquid Luck.

Again, I’m auto identifying this stuff for you since it’s the first bit. The Tanner has the most wisdom of the group so she can recognize the items.

Having found all you can in the supply room, the Smith decides to take point and picks a direction that he hopes will lead to freedom.

The four of you pass through a few more corridors with cell doors but you unlike the quiet cell block you just came from, you’re hearing loud noises coming from behind the doors. Some of it is screaming, some is crying, a lot of it is just incoherent babbling. The worst though are the ones with laughing though. 

You can only imagine that if these poor bastards weren’t mad to begin with, their time in here certainly drove them that way.

You keep moving hoping to get through this part of cells, and that’s when you stop and see one of the cell doors ahead opening. 

Well kicked and bashed open really…

“YOUZ GONNA GET RAPED FOR DA RAPE GOD BLEERRRRGG!”

Well, not much point in trying to reason with him, he’s making his way towards you.

The only upside to this is he’s blind so you might be able to use that to your advantage.

Either that or just bum rush him and hope for the best.

Most potions are a short term buff, you use them for the encounter and they're gone. In your case your potion gives a boost in any wisdom challenge (Hint, this one doesn't involve wisdom)

Arnold restrains himself from letting out a curse as he pockets the rotten apple. He has has never been particularly the fastest runner, whenever he tried to swipe something he would always fail. So when he's faced with a deranged man with his eyes covered, he only takes a simple step backwards as he lets the gears in his mind shift. 

"I'll slug the bastard with one good blow, and we can charge past him," Arnold says to his companions, pausing briefly. "And if that doesn't work, well... I guess I'm in for a pleasant time." 

The young man in his party already begins to move around in an effort to avoid the bastard, but how long could that work before the guy would hear them out and pin them down? 

With that in mind, Arnold jumps to the side and attempts to stun the man with a heavy-handed blow. He doesn't want to engage the man weaponless when he looked like a cross between man and beast, but he needed to create an opening for himself and the others accompanying him to get away. 

mean! 

No Means No!

Misunderstanding the group’s decision, the Smith went full retard on the cultist, screaming and yelling while taking reckless swings. While he got in some hits, he was no match in a one on one fight with an insane blindy. The cultist wildly smashed the Smith in the jaw causing him to fall to the floor.

No sooner had the Smith fallen to the floor, the cultist was upon him!

“NOW DA RAPING BEGINS! BLARGH GUAHHAHA!”

While the Smith struggled to avoid violation the other three had taken advantage of the Smith’s “distraction” and began punching at the cultist’s back. The Tanner in particular landing some good blows to his neck, but all this did was cause the cultist to start blindly flailing his arms hitting them in process.

Finally, the Tanner and Fletcher were able to get ahold of one arm a piece while the Hunter was able to get a good grip around the cultist’s neck and twist it until it made a satisfying snap.

The cultist was dead and only minor damage had been taken in the process.

The cultist’s cell is wide open, so one of you can search it if you want. You can also heal if you’re able.

When you’re ready, you can move on and decide who is going to lead this time. 

Arnold pushes himself off the ground, massaging his jaw. The cultist packed a hell of a punch, and it was probably a bit of luck and his own hard head that kept him from getting completely knocked out. Losing his life, but most importantly his pride.

"Need some nourishment after a tussle like that," he says as he bites into the good half of the rotten apple he procured earlier.

The Fletcher and Tanner both ran into the cultist’s cell to search it, the Hunter shook her head believing that he was locked in a cell, what possible items could he have had in there? From the looks of the walls, there were just more weird symbols presumably made with his own blood. Surprisingly though the Fletcher did find something though, another unlabeled bottle wedged under the mattress.

The Tanner was able to identify it as a potion that sharpened your senses, though was reluctant to do so since she wanted something as she had yet to find anything useful in this accursed dungeon.

The Smith didn’t do much except rest after being nearly knocked out and raped to death. He ate his half spoiled apple while sitting on the floor trying to gather his strength.

With the Smith resting and the other two bickering a bit, the Hunter realized none of them were going to take point anytime soon, so he took it upon himself to gather the party and venture forth.

The corridor of crazies soon came to an end at a set of spiral stairs, they ascended hoping that it lead closer to freedom…

BONG BONG BONG BONG

The noise of the bell is not only deafening, it’s having a weird effect on your mind because you all can swear you hear laughing that is urging you to give up and die.

Madness seems to be rampant in this place, you need to get out of here before you suffer the same fate.

You either need to just run as fast as you can and hope you get enough distance before the noise takes effect or try to plug your ears with something.

Arnold growls as his hands quickly come to rest over his ears. The sudden hellacious sounds are quick to begin to drive him mad. He grits his teeth and looks to see two of his party take off running in efforts to get away, before his gaze falls on the young woman that began stripping herself with earnest. He thinks briefly on whether or not the loud bells have worked it's magic of stripping her of her sanity, but when he sees her offering her own garments as tools to muffle the sounds, he eagerly takes hold of one. 

"I'll take it if you're offering, missy!" Arnold shouts as he rips the cloth in two pieces to plug his ears immediately before beckoning with his head for the woman to quickly wrap up and begin following the rest of the group. He then begins his own sprint to get away from the godforsaken sounds.

Madness and Mammaries

As the noise of the bell continued its assault on the group’s mental state, the Tanner began to giggle and strip off her clothing. While her initial goal might have been to plug her ears with strips of clothing her intentions became something else entirely. The sounds of the bell had driven her mad.

Fletcher uncorked her recently found potion and chugged it. Instantly she felt faster allowing her to run out of the bell tower and far ahead of the rest of the group.

The Tanner now with her tits completely out, began to grab at the other two left exclaiming that they needed to make the most of the time they still had left before they inevitably died. Naturally she suggested they do this in a physical way resembling a “ke-bob.”

The Hunter fearing for his vow of celibacy, immediately ran and attempted to drown out the noise of the bell by yelling and shoving his fingers in his ears. Dark thoughts and whispered words of hopelessness tried to bring down the Hunter, but he was able to avoid insanity and molestation.

The Smith on the other hand was unable to move fast enough and was busily trying to fumble with the discarded clothing on the ground and covering his ears with it. The Tanner was upon the Smith which was a feeling not wholly unfamiliar to him given his recent encounter with the cultist.

Fortunately unlike the cultist, he was able to fight her off. The Smith punched the Tanner in one of her tits and shoved her off. Attempting to run back down the stairs may not have been the best decision as the Tanner merely just leaped on his back causing him to lose balance and the pair of them tumbling hard down the stairs.

Both smacked their heads on the stone floor, temporarily losing consciousness.

Eventually the Hunter went back to check on the Smith since the bell had stopped ringing. He found the pair of them groggily coming around. There was some wariness of the Tanner, but with the ringing gone the madness that had temporarily taken her over was also gone.

The pair of them were still pretty banged up from the event though.

The three of them soon caught up with the Fletcher who had found another way to go and hopefully didn't involve bells of madness.

Pick who is going to take point and press on.

(Poor Arnold the unlucky Smith, you mean, yes? :l)

What was with this place that put his pride and dignity so close to the precipice of being rendered to shambles?! 

The Smith, Arnold had woken up from his rather harsh fall down an unforgiving flight of stairs with a pounding headache, forming bruises, and a very sore and aching body. He felt even old wounds that he obtained from his youth in his roughish mercenary days of the small skirmish here and there, and the odd tavern brawl he and his company would partake, remind him of mistakes past with their nagging dull throbbing. 

"Eh, sorry about that, lasses," he said, flashing an apologetic look over at the Tanner.  

He was unsure if it was the madness of the situation that drove him to strike the women in his attempt to escape, or if it was of his own volition. Arnold really didn't have the energy to delve into that right now as the younger man in Tristram made his suggestion of their next course of action. The Fletcher would lead with the other woman following, and him and Tristram trailing behind and keeping look out.

"Aye, that sounds damn fine to me. Gods know what next devious machinations this castle has lying in wait for us next." 

It was agreed upon that the Fletcher take point and soon the group was heading down yet another corridor, though this area seemed like it must be a very old unkept part of the castle as the bricks were mostly cracked and crumbling.

While the Fletcher lead the way, the Hunter and Smith kept an eye on he Tanner who had been fairly silent since her ordeal with the bell. (And was given a bit of clothing to cover herself up again) It was almost like she was in a daze. Hopefully she’d recover, but they got the impression she wouldn’t be the same.

Of course assuming if any of them survived, none of them would be the same after this nightmare.

The Fletcher noticed a corridor split into different paths, she was about to ask which way they wanted to go when they all felt a rumble…

Ow!

The Fletcher caught the brunt of the collapsed wall and needs help getting out. The problem is you hear the sounds of howling in the distance so you’ll have to work quickly before whatever is upon you arrives. Of course working carefully can’t be ignored since picking up the heavy stones and just throwing them aside without care could result in further structural collapse.

Work quickly

Work carefully

Arnold growled as misfortune once again reared its ugly head to them. This time it was in the form of crushing the poor Fletcher in a collapsing wall. Sounds of howling from creatures who most likely had unearthly orgins made him want to work quickly to free the woman.

But, he looks to the young hunter working carefully and the woman giving them a small plea of to be careful in their effort. So he gives a nod to the young man as kneels down.

"Yes, careful. You got it. Let's get you out of here, miss," Arnold says as he begins exerting himself to the task. He puts the distant howling in the background of his attention as not to distract him in their mission of freeing their companion.

All of a sudden, the crazy topless Tanner passed out, and when she awoke… She was suddenly a bleach blonde, orange monstrosity! “Seriously, what the fuck?” the woman asked as she looked around. “This don’t look like Magaluf.”

Name: Vikki Wag

Age: Defo 22, and not 27!

Back story: Well, literally, I was like, always interested in beauty and fashion, right? ‘Cos like, I’m a proper, professional part time model, and I’ve even been in Take a Break magazine, when I sent them that story about how I saw the face of baby Jesus in a piece of toast. But for the rest of my time, I work in my mate Stacy’s Tanning and Beauty Salon. But any ways, I kind of got in trouble ‘cos I set up a go fund me for my wedding, so I could have like a proper Princess wedding like Kim Kardashian… But then I cancelled the wedding because my boyfriend was banging my best mate Lauren, but I figured I’d keep all the money, so that I could get like a super sexy Summer wardrobe and make my ex well jel… But apparently, you’re not supposed to do that, and everyone was like, “If you’re not gonna have the wedding no more, you’ve got to give the money back.” And I was like, “Too late, I already got 10 new pairs of stilettos and I’m not taking them back because they are, GOR-GEOUS!” And so now I’m here… Totally worth it! These Gucci boots as sexy as fuck!

As she looked around the room, Vikki finally spotted the poor Fletcher trapped under the pile of rubble, and her tattooed on eyebrows were raised in horror. “Oh hunnie, you are SO pale, I can like, literally see through you! We’ve got to sort you out with a nice tan, babes. You’re gonna need a few months worth of sunbeds, but for now I can do you a nice spray tan. I’ll even throw in a super glitz vajazzle on the house. How’s that sound, babes?”

Trying to ignore the howling the group was hearing, the group carefully moved the rubble that had buried the Fletcher. Even the Tanner helped despite her personalty and identity change. Everyone just hoped her fragile mental state wouldn’t be a source of hostility again.

Eventually the Fletcher was pulled out from the rubble with just some bruising and general pain from being crushed by heavy stones.

The sounds of snarling and barking was definitely close now. The group ran towards the split in the corridor and that’s when the already dim torch lit went out. The group couldn’t see a thing and in all the ensuing mayhem and panic, they were separated.

They weren’t completely alone however as their pursuers had finally caught up…

“GET THEM MY HOUNDS! FEAST UPON THEIR FLESH AND BONES!”

“Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip!”

So there is no choice as far as avoiding this as you’re in a fight no matter what.

You’re each fighting a Dire Pom. Except for the Smith who is currently the most wounded and is attacked by two since they sense weakness.

In any case, you do have the choice to rely on brute strength or your cunning in this combat. You also have the choice of if you’re going to try to help someone else in your group or just rest after you take care of your own battle.

After making your choices and assuming you all survive this canine onslaught, you can move on to the next encounter.

"Oh, babes!" Vikki gasped as the poor pooch started attacking her. "OMG, you poor neglected puppy! Just look at all that fur. All tatty and matted. No, no, no, we gotta do something about that! Don't worry babes, Vikki's got ya. How's about a nice trim and colour? I think that'll suite you perfect!" Getting out her scissors, Vikki edged closer, being careful to avoid the dog's sharp claws and teeth as she got to work.

"There we go! Perfect! Awh, babes, you look proper gorgeous!" But as Vikki attended to her dog's grooming, she noticed how often it's sharp, sharp claws would swipe at her. "Darlin', those nails are so tragic!" she exclaimed, using her extreme cunning in the ways of beauty and fashion to deduce a cure. "I know!" she exclaimed, pulling a hyper powerful nail file out of her pocket. "This'll tidy up those nails for you. Maybe give you a nice coat of polish too. I'm thinking Periwinkle Shine."

She then turns to Hildegard the Smith and notices she's being attacked by two dogs. "Awh hunnie, I've got to sort your dogs out while I'm at it. I mean look at them. Proper rank. They look like they got fleas and all. Ew."

Arnold felt a small relief when they were able to successfully get the Fletcher out of her painful predicament. With the Tanner apparently losing all sense of mind and adopting a new personality, even a brief triumph went a long way in this tense situation that was brewing and was soon upon them all.

Absolutely adorable!  Vicious hounds of deaths were soon converging on them. However it would seem he drew the sort stick as he had two of these snarling and ravenous looking beasts to deal with.

"It is one after the other!" he snarled in anger, fists clenching as he prepared for yet another life and death battle. 

Arthur casted a glance over to his party. Tristram the Hunter so far had displayed great bursts of speed and precision in his acts before. The Fletcher seemed to have her wits about her as well from the few interactions and moral dilemmas they have experienced. The Tanner however, seemed to be losing what little grasp of her sanity she had. If she had any left at all. 

"There's too many, and they're faster than us on their four legs than we are on our two!" Arnold shouts over the chaos, as he assumes a stance. "Drive these beasts off with all that you have!" Those are his last words on the matter, but hopefully not the last that he would shout in his life is the gods of fortune would smile down on him just this once. 

Arnold attempts to fight off his two foes using every ounce of might he had to give. Fighting aggressively and trying to keep the thought of pain a foreign concept in his head as he did so. 

Upon the Tanner's offering of assistance, he at first gives a hesitant nod. 'Well..." he trails off, looking over at the other two's situation before nodding his head more earnestly.

"If you're offering, I'll take it! The quicker we deal with these mangy creatures, the faster we can lend aid to the Hunter and Fletcher!"

... Oh wait. My bad. I got Thara and Cricket's characters mixed up. Thara's the one I'm helping, not Cricket. :p

Thank you kindly :)

Fumbling around in the near darkness, the life and death struggle with the dire poms was joined!

The Smith already injured was in no condition for fancy moves and crushed both hounds attacking him with brute strength. While he suffered some scratches, he was able to rest a moment to get a much needed reprieve.

The Fletcher also experienced some scratches in her battle, but was able to rest a bit after quickly dispatching her foe.

The Hunter and the Tanner both had the best intentions of assisting the Smith but as it turned out they would have had a better time focusing on their own enemy, or in the Tanner’s case, focusing less time on trying to treat her vicious beast as if it was a pampered puppy in need of grooming.

She took several severe bites to her exposed flesh (Of which there was a lot given her recent actions) and still never snapped out of her insane whimsy. It was only the Hunter that had managed to save her from being eaten after having defeated his own foe.

All the hounds were dead, but the group was mostly still separated and the troubles were just beginning…

“EVISCERATE THEM MY UNDEAD MINIONS! AVENGE MY HOUNDS!”

Once again there is no escaping this fight.

The Fletcher and The Smith are both fighting by themselves like they did last time. They of course still have the option of helping the others after they win or resting up.

Since the Hunter managed to help the Tanner, they’re fighting the skeletons together, but since the skeletons also sense weakness, two of them are attacking the Tanner (So a three on two fight total) They can also choose to rest or help the others, but they can’t do any of that until all three skeletons are dead.

After you make your choices and assuming you all survive this bone chilling event, you can move on to the next encounter.

"That's that," Arnold says as he takes a deep breath. He deposits the demonic looking beasts onto the ground, having faired better in this encounter than he thought he would. 

However the command he hears from afar has him do a double take as now undead skeletons move in to replace the hounds they have just faced mere moments ago. Just how much more despair did this mad castle want to instill in them? How thirsty for their blood were these creatures? 

"Fight harder! It is only truly over if you hesitate to form a fist!"

Arnold shouts out, fighting through the horde of skeletons using the same aggressive brute force that seemed successful in his last encounter. Arnold hopes that with them lacking much skin and weight, they're creatures that are more for show than actual deadly practically. At least that is his hope as he makes his next course of action quickly. The smith battles fiercely with the thoughts of joining in on helping anyone that is close to danger of dying if he happens to be successful in his own encounter with the skeletal fiends.

"Ouch!" Vikki screamed as the dog got in a nasty bite as she attempted to groom it. "OMG, what the fuck? Look at this! Oh fuch, it's not gonna leave a scar is it? I can't have a scar! Scars look proper minging! ... Unless I get it covered with a nice tattoo. Something super classy, like a butterfly, or one that says "No regrets" or something." Luckily the Hunter swooped in to save her from the vicious pup. "Thanks babes!" she declared in gratitude. But it looked like rabid puppies were the least of her problems.

Suddenly, an army of shambling undead were upon them! "Oh my actual God, seriously! Just look how skinny they are! Proper anorexic, like. God, I wish I could be that skinny. Maybe I should go on one of them smoothie diet things." But there was not time to think of that. The zombies were attacking her. "Ahh!" she screamed! "You fucking bitch!" Enraged, Vikki unleashed the most dangerous weapon that any wannabe footballer's wife has in her arsenal... Her shoe! Slipping off the nine inch stiletto, she took hold of it and slammed the long, pointy heel down across the creature's skull.

Once finished fighting off the skeleton warriors, Vikki sat herself down and had a rest. "God, those skanks need anger management, like, seriously! I guess being hangry is like, a real thing."

Still fumbling around in near darkness, the struggle against the skeletal horde was joined!

The Fletcher easily dispatched her foe with quick precision, she was starting to get used to all this. After making sure her foe was truly dead, she rushed over to help the Smith who was struggling a bit with his attacker, taking a hit in the process.

Fortunately with the Fletcher’s help, his enemy was dispatched as well, which then allowed the pair of them to run over and assist in taking down the skeletons attacking the Tanner and Hunter who they were still having trouble with.

While the Hunter had a better handle on the situation due to still having his wits about him, he still suffered a few wounds due to trying to keep the Tanner from getting skewered completely. Despite the Tanner taking several wounds, she of course still went on babbling about whatever she thought was important in her own head and was not effective in battle. It was only when the Smith and Fletcher arrived that the last of the skeletons were eliminated.

The group was together again and they probably would have all taken a rest, but once again a noise was approaching…

"INFECT THEM! INFECT THEM ALL!"

You know the drill, there is no escaping this fight.

On the plus side you all get to fight the rat swarm together.

Assuming you all survive, you have the choice to search the body littered corridor. However, if you do this there is a small chance that another rat swarm will attack which means another round of combat. (There won’t be a third though so you can safely search if this happens)

Anyone not searching during this second attack, has the choice to run away and not participate or still help.

Make your choices and you can move on to the next encounter.

"Bloody hell!" Vikki exclaimed, stumbling around, extremely dazed after the attack. "What the fuck was that all about? Don't know what them crazy bitches were starting for. Did I shag one of their boyfriends or something? I can't remember."

Unfortunately, the Tanner didn't have much time to dwell on this, as a swarm of rats suddenly headed their way. "Oh fuck! Rats!" she exclaimed in horror. "Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew! Alright, everybody stand back!" She cautioned the others as she pulled out her Bic lighter and her ultra powerful GHD Final Fix hair spray. Spraying the onslaught of chemicals in the direction of the rats, she struck the lighter to set the beasts ablaze.

Once the fight was over (assuming she was still alive), Vikki completely ignored the potential booty on the floor. "Bollocks to this! I'm out of here!"

Another battle barely survived, and soon another battle in which escape seemed bleak to impossible. 

"Gods, damn it! Will this onslaught ever end?!" Arnold shouted through a labored breath of exertion as rats, creatures of many diseases and filth were soon upon them. 

The Smith doesn't let thoughts of further despair consume him, there isn't any room in the mind for such thoughts in his opinion. Because once again, their only option was to fight or meet their demise in this unforgiving castle. He didn't want to give those that were his captors that sense of satisfaction from his meeting his end here.

Arnold attempts to drive these creatures off, opting to stay behind and search for anything amidst the piling corpses that could be useful if he was successful in his fight. While he was having good enough with his hands, a weapon of some sort would be appreciated and improve future chances for any next encounter. With the way things were churning out, there were only more battles of the life and death variety in each of their futures. 

Fletcher

Life - 11

Not infected

Carrying Liquid Luck. Can be used in several situations.

Hunter

Life - 8

Not infected

Carrying Distilled Wisdom. Can be used to enhance wisdom.

Smith

Life - 7

Not infected

Carrying nothing

Tanner

Life - 6

Not infected

Insane!

Carrying nothing

NOTE: This is probably all going to change soon after resolving your rat swarm encounter

Fumbling around in the near darkness, the life and death struggle with ravenous rodents was joined!

The group, whether they were invigorated by their desire to live, their desire to defy the owner of this accursed place or just plain insanity at this point, they proceeded to mercilessly stomp on the furry ankle biters.

All of them put in much foot work to kill the swarm. Even the Tanner who had been mostly useless in battle up to this point. It was amazing that none of them were bit in the process. A testament to their choice of tough footwear before all this happened.

After they made sure every last rat was bloody fur splatter, the group took a breather and examined the carnage of blood, bones and bodies.

The Fletcher and Tanner had no desire to stick around for concern that they would be attacked by who knows what else and proceeded to hurry down another corridor calling for the others to join them.

The Hunter and Smith however, took a quick look over the dead, mostly the broken skeletons as some of them had remnants of clothing and bags on them.

The Smith grabbed a bag with a half rotten apple and a loaf of stale bread. The Hunter found a bottle of unmarked liquid. She wanted to search more, but an ominous noise was heard and the pair of them quickly joined the other two.

The Hunter asked what the liquid was where upon the Tanner immediately recognized it as an evasion brew, once again proving she was still useful to the group.

The group ran down one corridor after another until they opened a door…

There’s no smell quite like it, is there?

As disgusting as this chamber is, you’re currently safe here and if you want, you can go ahead and exchange items, heal or if someone really wants to, they can search the filth.

Also decide on who is going to take point.

When you’ve made your choices, you can move on to the next encounter.

With the last (for now) of their enemies defeated, provisions searched for and obtained, Arnold allows himself an uncomfortable seat on the cold ground to catch his breath and get his bearings. He had a feeling that this journey of escaping out of here would be an arduous one, but this had surpassed his limits of logical thought. 

"Although this place smells close to hell itself, I'll take it over the hell that was rained on us," Arnold comments in response to the Hunter's words. He gives a grunt of agreement to the young man deeming the place safe for the moment. 

Arnold deposits the loaf of stale bread instead in Tristram's palm upon his request for the apple. 

"Take this instead, you seem to still be growing, and this looks to be more filling. You more than deserve it for saving my life, lad." The Smith tells him as he takes a stand, and walks over to the Tanner, handing the young woman his apple. She seemed more worn out than him beneath her general madness. "You as well," he tells her, before turning to the Hunter.

The Smith then nods his head at the other man. "Well, I'll wait for your lead then. Although, I'd like to take point next time if there is one. Hopefully we'll be safely out of this godforsaken place and there will be no need of anyone having to take point anymore."

After the exhaustion of the battle, the Tanner passed out once more and gathered some much needed rest. Then, realizing that the whole Leather Tanner/Sunbed Tanner joke is running kind of dry, she awoke as Ariana again. Same old Tanner, only slightly less rapey. "Wow, what happened?" she asked in confusion. "Did I miss much?"

Suddenly, Arnold the Smith approaches her with an apple in hand. "Oh God, thank you!" Ariana declares in relief. "I swear, I don't know how much longer I could've lasted without something to keep me going." She then proceeds to eat the good side of the apple, careful to avoid the rotten half for fear of getting sick.

"Well, at least we're all still here," she declared as she looked over the group. "Shame we didn't manage to find any weapons." Poor Ariana was so desperate to find something useful, she reluctantly joined Hildegard as she searched through the muck. If there was even a chance of discovering something useful, it was worth it.

That could be fun! ^_^

Trying to ignore the smell, the group took this opportunity to rest in this foul chamber from the onslaught they just survived.

The Smith, while wounded himself, knew that he still would never escape this awful place by himself and it was only as a team that he would survive. So with his fellow escapees in mind, he gave the Hunter the stale bread he had found and the partially rotten apple to the Tanner. He figured they needed to keep their strength up more than he did.

The Hunter and Tanner both thanked the Smith and ate the much needed food.

The Fletcher meanwhile saw something in the filth nearby. Something metal. As she went over to investigate, the Hunter exclaimed loudly for her to not go digging into shit since who know WHAT diseases she could catch.

The Fletcher however said she thought it could be a weapon and their chances would be much better with one. Carefully she grabbed small part of metal that wasn’t completely covered in waste and pulled at it, revealing a spear!

The Fletcher smiled and tried to clean the handle as best she could, now feeling more confident that they had improved their odds. It was a cumbersome weapon though requiring two hands, so she gave her potion to the Smith seeing as the Hunter had no room and the Tanner, well she was preoccupied.

The Tanner having gobbled up her apple (rotten bits and all) shouted excitedly about seeing something in the filth as well. However unlike the Fletcher she displayed no care in her search, and went elbows deep into the shit and grabbed her treasure.

The Tanner tried to show the group, but they all just recoiled away as she held a piece of shit in her hand. The Tanner then cleared away some of the shit revealing what looked to be a small stone, but with nobody in the group wishing to examine further they just shook their heads, believing that the Tanner was off on one of her mad spells again. They all returned to discussing who would take next lead which would be the Fletcher given that she had a good advantage now.

As the group left, the Tanner followed behind looking fondly at the stone she had acquired. The rest of them just didn’t have any taste to appreciate the quality! Why they hadn’t even looked at it long enough to admire the little symbol on it.

The symbol…it was very entrancing. So much so the Tanner didn’t even initially feel the pain when the stone burned the same symbol into the palm of her hand.

The Tanner suddenly felt enough discomfort that she tossed the hot stone away, but the mark had already been made.

The Tanner has now been CURSED.

The Tanner has now been MARKED FOR DEATH.

The group moved through the corridors until they reached a door. Like with any corridor ending at a door, they opened it.

The group entered a seemingly empty room with a door on the other side, though in this place they still proceeded cautiously. Caution or not, it didn’t matter as when they had all entered the room, the door behind them slammed shut and the one on the opposite side suddenly had glowing bars across it.

“Took you lot long enough.” they heard an old crackly voice say…

“And don’t try to attack me, your shitty spear is not an adequate weapon.”

The old witch claims that you’ve all been scheduled for a fortune telling and insists on hurrying up, because she has more clients to see after you. She also implies very heavily that canceling an appointment is frowned upon.

If you choose to get your fortune told, pick a trait to test. Also choose between health or wealth.

If you absolutely do not want to get your fortune told or if you even want to attack her you can make that choice, but she’s already warned you against doing this.

Make your choices and decide who will take lead next.

Arnold accepts the potion given to him by the Fletcher with a thankful nod of his head. Although they were all strangers, and still were in plenty of senses of the word, he was growing a respect for his companions through their continued life or death experiences. It almost made him feel wistful, nostalgic, and ready to entertain fleeting thoughts of the past in which he was a young mercenary, barely surviving battles with the skin of his teeth and with reckless regard to his own health. 

So when he stands face to face with an old witch that claims to be able to see their fortunes, he takes a bite. There seemed to be only one fortune that each of them had, which leaves the Smith to stew in silence as he deliberates which to choose. 

His health, in times like these when an innocent life could be taken at a whim at a lord's boredom, it meant nothing to him. 

Wealth on the other hand, with wealth his family could live with as much relative peace as the world allowed them. His wife or children not having to worry about their next meal. 

However, did this witch's fortune have the power to alter the future? Was it right to gamble wealth over health? Arnold was becoming doubtful, and even though he often tried shouting rousing statements during the bleakest of situations, if he was being honest, there were no miracles that the Gods had in store for granting them. 

He surmised that this was merciless castle was where his life would end. An unfortunate death just like his two brothers, and his father. Cursed and unfortunate men that died pitiful and fruitless deaths. 

But if this witch was able to shift wealth, then perhaps one or two of the swords he worked countless hours on near his anvil and forge could fetch a hefty price that some famous knight or noble brat could use. His name would grow, and maybe even old swords would go up in price. He tried teaching his son the trade, but he seemed more into book reading and gazing at flowers. Arnold however liked to entertain the thought of him having seen a hidden potential in the boy, or maybe it was a delusion.

But who knows? Maybe his wife would be able to open up that sweet bread shop she always wanted to and so much stress wouldn't be placed on the lad's shoulders.

Arnold sighs, having made his decision as he folds his arms. "Wealth. I would like to see if the strength of the future wavers or not."

... Oh, for fuck's sake! >.<

Well, now she was marked for death, keeping up this extremely brief act of sanity seemed pointless. "Yippie! A fortune teller! Me first! Me first!" she squeaked as she shoved her shit-covered palm in the fortune teller's face. "I choose strength and wealth!" she decided. Considering she had absolutely nothing to call her own, and her strength was practically non-existent anyway, she figured she'd have nothing to lose by choosing these two traits... A strangely logical choice for such a crazy bitch, but oh well.

Fortune Favors The Gold

The Tanner wasted no time in volunteering for her fortune to be told.

“Ugh! You smell vile! And I don’t need to read your fortune, it’s as plain as that symbol on your hand. You’re fucked and have no future! Get the hell away from me!” the witch exclaimed and with a powerful blast, the Tanner was force pushed into the far wall smacking her head hard.

The Hunter was next and the witch took his hand.

“Hm, yeah. You’re going to have a tough decision to make soon. Next.” the witch said shoving the Hunter aside beckoning the Fletcher to step forward.

The witch took her hand.

“Hrm. Yeah. There will be a difficult choice to make in your near future. Next. Come on, come on!” the witch remarked and shoved the Fletcher aside beckoning the Smith to step forward.

The witch grabbed the Smith’s hand.

“Let’s see…ah…yes. Yes, yes, yes, interesting…” the witch said.

The Smith asked what was it she saw.

“Oh, you will have a hard selection to make down the line. Okay now for payment.” the witch replied and then with a wave of her hand the Fletcher and Hunter suddenly both felt like some of their energy had been sapped from them.

“And this is for you. Use it wisely.” the witch remarked giving the Smith a strange gold chalice. It looked rather sinister with all the skull faces designed all over it, but it was obviously a valuable relic with dark magic tied to it.

With those final words, the witch disappeared and the doors opened allowing the group to press onward. The Fletcher took point wishing to get the hell out of here as soon as possible.

The chalice allows you to perform a blood ritual. Someone’s life energy can be sacrificed for another to gain the same amount. Whether you lot are going to do this willingly or not, well that’s a choice you’ll all have to decide on in the future I suppose.

Fletcher

Life - 10

Carrying a Splinted Spear

Hunter

Life - 9

Carrying Distilled Wisdom and Effervescent Evasion

Smith

Life - 7

Carrying Liquid Luck and Ritual Chalice

Tanner

Life - 6

Cursed: MARKED FOR DEATH

Carrying nothing

Didn't I regain some health after eating the apple?

True. :(

The next area the group moved through looked a bit more well kept or at least not covered in shit or anything like that. They’d had quite enough of that for awhile.

Though when they looked upon the walls they noticed odd symbols all over them, and upon opening up a door, they had discovered a temple like area with more symbols on the floor, black candles, profane statues and an altar.

“Hello? Who’s there? Are you here for the ritual? You’re a little early. Dammit, I can’t see shit in this mask.” a voice calls out from the darkness.

“Oh, you guys brought the sacrifice, that's great!”

On top of mistaking your group as fellow cultists, he believes the Tanner is the sacrifice you brought.

So you’ve got a few choices here. You’ll probably want to take a serious vote or something.

The most “moral” choice is to just fight him. Then as usual if you survive, you may choose to search the area.

The less moral choice is to hand the Tanner over to him and leave. In this case, the Tanner will have to fight him alone. (Unless she’s all for getting sacrificed!) Though in the event she survives, she can search the area before rejoining the group. (She’s insane, she doesn’t stay angry for long)

Finally the grimdark choice is to not only hand the Tanner over to him, but also participate in the ritual since you have the chalice. 

This will result in using up the chalice, death of the Tanner (Well she CAN fight back, but it’s unlikely she’ll win)  and healing for the rest. He’ll also let you go through the temple’s lost and found box. (Meaning you can all search)

Make your choices, decide who’ll take point and possibly speak no more of this grim business.

Tristram grimaced and glanced sideways at Ariana, Vikki, whatever the hell the tanner's name was, as it sank in what the menacing cultist wanted from them: to take away the badly injured madwoman who had been an albatross around their neck for so long, and who was unlikely to survive the rest of the journey no matter what they did anyway.

To heal their wounds in the process and provide them with useful provisions to use in completing their escape. And in such a way that an argument could be made that they'd simply had no choice.

It was...so...tempting... But... "No!" he snapped, the word coming out with the force of a curse.

So many nights in his cell he'd vowed to forsake sin and withstand temptation, and the cultish and chalice represented both. This wasn't even about the woman at all, he told himself. It was about taking a stand as a man.

Regardless of how the others vote, Tristram will fight the cultist and defend the tanner, even if he has to do it alone. Sizing up the cultist, he feels like he's in for a tough fight, but he remembers his evasion potion and downs it quickly, feeling a warmth and lightness spread though his loosening joints.

He then charges at the cultist before he has a chance to change his mind. Although still without a weapon, he trusts in his dexterity and wits to see him through. That and the rightness of his cause. Whatever the outcome, one thing is clear.

Protecting the tanner this way showed plainly to all that while Tristram had sworn to go his own way and avoid entanglements of any kind, in the end he was too pure to be anything but a simp.

The Smith, Arnold, has never fancied himself some magic man or someone who understood the intricacies of it all that much. Sure over his life he's run into about a dozen or so individuals that claimed themselves to be able to bend and warp the fabric of reality as they pleased. However the man never saw anything that truly left him at stunned silence. 

However he watched as the old witch shot blasts from her hands that sent the Tanner flying, and as she waved her hand with a simple gesture and seemed to steal energy from both the Hunter and Fletcher. When this was all happening, he felt his muscles tense, unsure if whether or not this would be another confrontation. However it was strikingly obvious that if this was a confrontation, they would regrettably know. 

For some reason completely unknown to him, he is spared the same rough treatment as his companions, but is instead gifted a strange golden relic that emitted ominous energy. And although ominous, even someone like him could sense that this thing carried power that could perhaps be a benefit to them all.

"Use it wisely?" He marvels at the gold chalice, lifting his head to inquire more, but the witch was gone without a trace.

As Tristram speaks of doing away with the object, Arnold merely shakes his head in disagreement at the Hunter's words. Turning to face him as he continues to hold the item in his grasp, inspecting deeply, his smith's interest peaking.

"Sometimes to fight beings forged from hell, I feel you must become it in some way. Sounds blasphemous, eh?" Arnold then moves to follow the hastening Fletcher out of the room. Pondering deeply on just how this new item of theirs can be used to their benefit. 

-x-

Talks of sacrifice are suddenly being had. The sacrifice in particular being that of their Tanner. 

"What makes you think that we'r-- hmmm..." Arnold's words cut off as he stares hard at the chalice he's still holding. He's trying to put two and two together but quite suddenly, Tristram downs a potion and begins moving with greater agility than he's shown before. Making an attempt to batter the cultist that stood in the way of them going forward.

Whether or not to sacrifice the young woman was never a choice that was even deliberated in the weapon maker's mind. 

So Arnold throws himself into the fray, following the Hunter's lead by throwing his own blows towards what would no doubt be their next enemy. He couldn't just leave the man to battle alone with all the hell they have endured so far. 

"Weeeee!" The Tanner squealed with joy as the fortune teller sent her flying across the room, only to be silenced when she crashed into the wall, knocking herself out for a few seconds. Still, it was nothing to worry about. All too soon, the woman was awake again, and with a brand new personality to boot. "Ah, yebat kopat," she cursed "Vere ze fuck am I?" Wherever she was, it was dark and smelly and there was a crazy fortune teller freaking her out. "Oh no, I'm not staying here vith zis suka!" she quickly decided as she chased after the other three. "I vink I shall stick vith you for now, comrades."

Suddenly, a super freaky guy with a mask appeared out of nowhere, grabbing her arm and declaring her the sacrifice. "Oh, I do not vink so!" she protested, fighting off the cultist with a sharp kick to the balls. "From Mother Russia, vith love!"

And He’s Down! The Cultist Goes Down! This Isn’t a Sacrifice, This is a Slaughter! 

As tempting as the cult priest’s offer might have been, none in the group was willing to sacrifice the Tanner. They might have all been wounded and tired, and generally annoyed with the Tanner’s insanity, but she was still part of the team and they would not leave her to be fodder for some dark god, let alone participate in such evil behavior.

With several looks at each other, the Fletcher, Smith and Hunter bum rushed the priest who didn’t even get a chance to mount any sort of defense, mostly due to not even being able to see any of them that well because of his stylish yet completely vision imparting mask.

The Fletcher impaled the cultist while the Hunter and Smith brutally beat and kicked him. When he was on the floor desperately trying to recover, the Tanner suddenly yelled for everyone to get out of the way as she ran toward the scuffle. The group parted and she leaped in the air and fell on him with her elbow dropping right on his throat, smashing his windpipe. 

As he gurgled struggling to breathe, the Tanner got back up and stomped hard on the cultist’s head, killing him and then raising her arms and nodding her head as if getting applause from some large crowd.

Since nobody said if they were searching or not, you can choose if you are or not and move on with the Fletcher leading the way.

I will also search. ^_^

With an emphatic victory under their belts, Arnold rolls his shoulders to prevent any soreness from settling in his bones.

"Glad you bunch seem to have the right idea," he says, clearing his throat. "Let's see if we can find anything of use, then." The Smith then paces around their environment, trying to keeping a keen eye for anything that could be of benefit.

After successfully dispatching the cultist, the group searched the temple’s lost and found box that was offered before. 

And at last most of them had found weapons to further help them in their escape!

The Hunter took a two handed axe, it was a little cracked, but it would be good enough for a fight, she gave her potion of wisdom to the Tanner.

The Fletcher found a decayed blade though she was happy with her spear so she handed it to the Smith. The Smith however sensed even though it was rusty, it contained the very faint remnants of magic and would work better in the hands of someone wise and so handed it to the Tanner.

The Tanner was very happy to get not one but two gifts from her fellow escapees!

The Smith took the potion of Evasion which was the only thing left. Of course he could only carry so much and with some reluctance he dropped the chalice. As valuable as it was, the was apparent that the group was never going to use it in the dark manner it was designed to be used.

A shame since it would probably still be very valuable if they got out of here.

Suddenly a noise was heard and the group all readied themselves for another attack…

“Holy shit, you’re the ones they’ve been looking for! I don’t want any trouble!”

The guard says his name is Owen and he claims he’s getting the hell out of the castle because he can no longer work for an evil bastard any longer especially since the pay isn’t good enough. He says you can follow him if you want to get out too.

As Owen rambled on about how shitty the job is and further details about why he’s leaving, the Smith’s thoughts turned to his wife and children and how he really wants to get out and back to them, but he was so exhausted, if only he could replenish his vitality just a bit, it would give him that extra edge to survive this blasted place.

The Fletcher was suspicious of this stranger. There was no proof that he was going to help them. For all she knew this was all a trap or a con like the witch pulled. This place was evil and she had to be wary.

The Hunter saw no reason to disbelieve the guard, though caution was definitely in order. Still extra help was always welcome.

The Tanner thought of cake and how she would like some right now.

Meanwhile the grim chalice that had been tossed aside so freely began to work its influence in this place of dark magic…

You can choose to sacrifice the guard and use the chalice to gain more life or you can choose to follow him (He’ll always take lead as long as he’s alive) Of course you can also just decide to kill him because you don't trust him.

If you choose to sacrifice/kill him, those that don’t, can either try to stop it or just stand aside and claim a moral sense of superiority.

Make your choices.

Fortune had suddenly decided to become a kind mistress to them. The party's surroundings seemed to have been littered with items and weapons that would no doubt prove to aid in their mission of getting out of the castle in one piece.

"Guess, I'll eh, drop this chalice, then." Arnold said with some reluctance on his part. It looked to be valuable and of origins unlike the earth he usually occupied. It would no doubt fetch a pretty penny in any market, above or underground. He still had knowledge some names and contacts of the latter from his time as a lawless rogue killing for his bread and coin. 

So the Smith deposits the artifact on the ground, a potion of evasion as identified by their Tanner. Although her personalities never stayed the same for long, her prowess of identifying things never wavered it seemed. 

'Have to think practical, it only takes space. And inventory is the difference between life and death.'

A sudden new arrival from a guard immediately makes Arnold stand at edge. He tells them all a name and the reason for this apparent defection being that the pay wasn't enough for the atrocities and the hell that him and his fellow guards liked to throw people in. The man, he didn't like and he made it known with a disdainful stare. 

Ultimately however, he would be a team player and allow the sentiment of the Hunter be something that he would adopt as well. The guard would have a grater understanding of this place than any of them after all. 

Coward. Are you really someone that used to take life without a second thought?

"I never took a life without reason."

Do you forget who threw you into your bleak situation to begin with?

"No. Obviously not."

Your betrothed, your kin, they'll wonder where you are for countless nights while you're lying dead here.  Another indistinguishable corpse from hundreds that already lie here."

"I don't plan to die here."

It is a trap that this man is leading you to. How do you now know he isn't leading you back to your cells where his comrades are waiting? He can easily through an elaborate route. Him working here and all.

"You're right..."

Do you want to see your wife and children?

"Yes."

Will you take life for your own?

"Why would I hesitate?"

Arnold stops talking to himself, digging in his clothing to produce the potion of evasion that he had just picked up. He downs it and tosses away the empty potion into the dark recesses of the dungeon, stalking over to the man with his fists clenched and eyes locked dead ahead.

"Nice try, but I've heard enough. I do not believe you are any comrade of ours." Arnold turns around, picking up the chalice and giving it an affectionate pat before turning his attention back to the guard. 

He speaks to his comrades without looking in their direction.

"If you don't agree with my course of action, that is fine. If you do, even finer. However I only ask that you do not become an enemy." With those words spoken, Arnold begins his attack on the guard. Making use of his usual strength with the added evasive abilities from the potion. For some reason, words whisper to him exactly how to begin a ritual on the chance that he is able to best this man and take his life. Some part of him wants to will his body to stop, but the feelings of returning home to his family far outweighs those other feelings. 

"You may call me Ivana Humpalot," the crazy Russian lady replied to Tristram. Turning to the strange guard, the Tanner raised her eyebrow at the Hunter when he decided follow him. "You sure ve follow zis man?" she asked suspiciously. "Vell, if you zay zo. Maybe he useful, da?"

But it seemed like the Smith was having other ideas. "Not a comrade?" the Tanner declared in horror at the Smith's accusation. "Zis man iz not a comrade? Death to ze nonconformist pigs!" she declared in anger, bringing her decayed blade down in an attempt to split the poor guard's head open.

A Grimdark Moment

The Smith heard the call of the chalice and looked over at the Fletcher who was already suspicious of the guard. Without another word they attacked!

“Wha, no wait! Fuck!” the guard exclaimed and tried to defend himself.

Perhaps a little taken by surprise from the loud scream of the Tanner who leaped into battle waving her rusty sword, he failed to adequately block the Fletcher’s spear which managed to find a soft fleshy bit to sink into.

Dropping his weapon due to the pain, the Tanner then brought her sword down hard across the guard’s face. He fell back screaming not to be killed, and the Hunter just stood in shock by what her group was doing exclaiming for them to stop.

The Smith ignored everyone, he just went back to grab the chalice while the Tanner sliced the guard’s throat.

The guard’s life drained out of him as the Smith kneeled near his head trying to get the blood spurting out of his neck into the cup. It was soon full and he stood up looking into the cup of red liquid taking a moment to think about why he was doing this.

The Hunter couldn’t stand by any longer and attempted to knock the cup out of the Smith’s hand, but the Fletcher and Tanner both blocked his attempt, while the Smith quickly drank the blood.

Afterwards he dropped the chalice feeling a slight pain in his head, but definitely felt more invigorated by his choice. The pain soon passed. Yes, he would now have a better chance at surviving this dark castle. He knew he’d made the right decision.

The Hunter on the other hand was incensed by all of this. While he expected some madness from the Tanner, he was especially surprised by the Smith and Fletcher’s actions. (But ESPECIALLY the Smith.)

He couldn’t believe that the group he’d been traveling with just up and murdered a man that was trying to help them. But not only that, the Smith had drank his blood! Had the evil of the castle taken it’s toll? Had it finally taken over the minds of what he initially believed to be righteous folk?

Or were they assholes all along? Perhaps they belonged in this DARK CASTLE if they were willing to participate in such foul acts.

He didn’t know, all he knew is he couldn’t allow such an evil relic be used again, and he quickly picked it up off the floor and threw it across the room into the darkness. He then said if anyone was going to retrieve it again, he would no longer travel with the group and find his own way out.

Nobody made a move to find the chalice though. As far as the Smith was concerned, the chalice had served it’s purpose and he would move on without it.

The actions he took today were so he could see his family again. He felt the Fletcher understood that, and the Tanner…well maybe she didn’t understand, but at least she helped.

The Hunter didn’t have a family, he had no children and would never understand and so the Smith didn’t feel the need to explain himself further.

If he was going to be judged, it would be by whatever presided over the afterlife in such matters, not anything of this earth. And when that day came, he would accept judgement, but not before.

The Fletcher said nothing, her reason for helping the Smith were her own and she merely took the lead, hoping she would be out of here soon.

The Tanner sensing the Hunter’s dismay, misguidedly tried to cheer him up, by shoving her naked tits in his face, but to no avail, apparently the man was a complete eunuch as he just backed away from her, telling her to leave him alone. Feeling a little sad, the Tanner followed the other two.

The Hunter pondered if he still shouldn’t continue on by himself, but after all the horrors he’d faced, he finally decided that he would continue with the group for the better chance at survival. At least for now. Maybe he was trying to justify his own desire to escape with his morals, but he knew in his heart that he at least was a good man that tried to do something even if it wasn’t enough.

Moving on from the “incident” the group walked down more seemingly endless corridors and dim chambers. Eventually they got to a door and the Fletcher attempted to open it…

“MY BABIES!” RAAAAAAAAAWR!”

There is going to be a fight, but the creature has focused all its fury on the Fletcher since she was one that was leading the group (and crushed the creature's eggs) so she has no choice but to defend herself.

Everyone else in the group can choose to rest up rather than help her fight. Only those that engage in the fight can search afterwards though.

Make your choices, and assuming you survive decide on whether to search if you want to (or can) and decide on who will take the lead next.

Ivana was now in a huff as the prudish Hunter rudely ignored her jiggling titties. "Some men, eh? Vhat is wrong vith zem?" she asked the Fletcher with a shake of her head, expecting the other woman to relate. Instead, Hildegard just gave her a strange look. Oh... Maybe she couldn't relate. Perhaps men were never so rude as to ignore her titties. They must be exceptionally jiggly!

But unfortunately, there was no time to think on that now. A new weird slimey monster was upon them. "Babies?" Ivana asked, confused. "No, zorry comrade. Ve are not your babies." The creature didn't seem to get the message though, as it suddenly lunged at the poor Fletcher. "No, no, comrade! I told you, she iz not your baby. Now put her down. You are being vay too rough vith her." The Tanner scolded the beast, giving him a firm whack with her decayed blade.

Once the fight was over (and assuming she survives) the Tanner finally noticed the eggs the Fletcher stepped on. "Oh, eggz! Vonderful! I shall make omelettes." She declared as she proceeded to search the room in hopes of finding a frying pan.

"I'm unsure of whether or not this place has fully claimed my sanity, but I do feel as if death is at a greater distance at the moment," Arnold muses as he wipes his mouth to get rid of any traces of blood. After everything was said and done, a small part of him did feel hollow, however that was drowned out by his will of self-preservation.

He still didn't kill without reason. This was a necessary sacrifice for his continued survival. Even if he had to become a monster himself to best monsters, he would do it in this violent hellscape. The Fletcher and Tanner had his gratitude, and while the latter may have lost her grips on reality, she was a helpful ally. The other mysterious woman also didn't show signs of judging him either.

The Hunter, Tristram. The Smith figured the younger man would be slow to accept the decision they had made. If he would ever at all. There was a noticeable change in his demeanor and while it was a shame, it couldn't be helped at the moment.

Suddenly a new grotesque enemy had greeted them with violence, it's sights set exclusively on the Fletcher at first as it bellowed and attacked in hopes of killing the woman.

Arnold notices only the tanner coming to the woman's aid. It's something that makes him shoot an annoyed look at the Hunter and then at the ground. He was both angry at the man for essentially leaving who were supposed to be his comrades out to dry, but he was angry at himself for being angry.

It wasn't like the other man didn't have valid reasons. Still, it didn't sit right with him.

"Damn it! You won't be the first we have triumphed over!" Arnold shouts at the creature before springing into action to help his comrades. Using his might as usual to try and pummel the creature to what would hopefully be it's death.

If their encounter proves successful, he will search the premises afterwards.

Throw A Coin To Your Witcher

Despite the beast focusing all it’s fury on the Fletcher, she was able to prevent getting completely overrun by it. She had only suffered one hit by one of it’s massive claws before the group felled it. Once again the Tanner’s mad fury had proven the most useful in this task.

The Fletcher gave glance at the Hunter who had hung back this fight. She wasn’t surprised by the Hunter’s actions and even understood it, but it didn’t mean she wasn’t going to remember this.

The group searched the beast’s lair, the Smith found a primitive stone dagger with a strange symbol on it which seemed like a serviceable weapon and certainly better than his fists.

The Tanner found a potion of luck, but she had so many items she wasn’t sure what to keep and began literally juggling then items in glee.

Suddenly a gruff voice was heard

“Never seen a group of peasants take down an angry mother Uburk before. You’re all very lucky it was just a teenager.”

The group turned around to face who was talking…

“And no, I don’t want to play that silly card game.”

The man introduces himself as a Witch Hunter. He says he is seeking out one of the great evils in this DARK CASTLE and he feels he’s getting closer.

He mentions he knows the way out, but he needs to complete his task first. He doesn’t mind you lot tagging along seeing as he’s lost all the fellow adventurers he was traveling with and sees that you can handle yourselves in a fight. Well most of you anyway, he is seemingly dismissive of the Hunter who he noticed wasn’t helping.

The Witch Hunter can take point if you want and can also carry two objects, assuming you want to travel with him of course. (The Tanner can also put one of her potions in his bag. Either the Luck or Wisdom one)

Make your choices and move on to the next encounter.

While she didn't sustain too much damage from the Ogre, the Tanner did get thrown back during the battle, banging her head on the cold stone floor. When she awoke... "Yey! I'm gonna be sick!" she declared happily, throwing up all over the Hunter's shoes before smiling and jumping on the poor man, wrapping her arms around him. "Your head smells like a puppy!" she declared affectionately.

Suddenly the witch hunter introduced himself to the group, which was lucky, as she now had three items and only two hands with which to hold them. Reluctantly, she slipped her wisdom potion into the witch hunter's bag. "I gotta go now potion. I'll see you later," she told the potion as she closed the bag behind it... "I GOTTA GO NOW POTION! I'LL SEE YOU LATER!" she squealed, poking her head in the bag to bid the potion one last goodbye before closing the bag once more. "... I miss my potion."

The Smith counted his blessings as he stowed away his new weapon in the form of a crudely shaped stone dagger. While he would appreciate the heft and sharpness of some good iron, this would make do. It certainly beat using his bruising fists as his only weapons. Sure, he was a brute to the core, but it didn't mean he didn't have some small dignity in the way he did battle.

But regardless, victory had been earned even when they were one ally short. 

At the sounds of an unfamiliar voice, Arnold spins on his heels to face the armored man who certainly looked a hell of a lot in better condition than them at the moment. He listens to the man's offer and assumes a deeply contemplative stance. He weighed the pros and cons of the matter silently. 

The man was a survivor it seemed. Bringing up his fellow adventurers dying in the midst of their journey. And for all the Smith knew, they could be traveling in circles and haven't made an inch of true progress in this time. The man said he knew how to escape, but this involved hunting down a potentially powerful enemy.

Was this 'great evil' the cause of his comrades demise? If potentially prepared armed adventurers died on this harrowing journey the man was on in the depraved castle, how did he expect them to fare? 

"If this monster isn't far, I see no problem in accompanying you on this quest for revenge of yours. As you have already seen, it really is only the three of us still on the same page of working in unison for our continued survival. So we'll welcome another potential ally to brave this hell heap with."

Arnold turns to the Fletcher, with the Hunter on the outs with them, and the Tanner being her usual self. She's the only individual who he feels he can deliberate their next course of action with. 

"What do you say?" He asks her, scratching the scruff of his chin. "We're armed now, so maybe it wouldn't hurt? If the man can survive and lead us out of here, or should we just leave him to venture off alone?" 

Upon her decision, Arnold would allow the man to lead the way or take point once again if there were no takers for the task.

The Tanner gave a beaming smile and lifted her hand to wave a fond farewell to Tristram as he decided to leave the group. "Goodbye! Goodbye! GoodBYE! Goodbyeeee, goodbyeee! ... He's getting eaten by a shark."

Like the other two, The Smith watched the Hunter make his leave from the group. Leaving him, the Fletcher, the Tanner, and their new companion to stare at his retreating form. It was his own decision that he was making, and not one Arnold felt he could really blame him for making. Killing was one thing, but the whole ritual aspect of it all perhaps disturbed the man all too greatly. 

Needless to say, they were short one capable member of what could have been a strong group of four.

"Well, we can only help that he makes it out of this madness." Arnold turned to the monster hunter, a tired look on his face. "All the more reason that I hope this mission of yours isn't a long trek. We would like to get out of here as soon as possible, if you understand." 

Arnold then faces away from everyone, eyes closing as he folded his arms over his chest. Hoping this long night would soon reach it's end. That ending preferably being one which would be favorable for them all, the Hunter included.

With the Hunter striking off on his own, the group continued with their new Hunter associate who took the lead.

They went down more corridors and it didn't take long for them to run into trouble. Or rather trouble finding them...

"THERE YOU ARE, YOU CHEATIN (HIC) ASSHOLE! IT'S THIS BITCH WITH HER TITS OUT INNIT?"

The Witch Hunter just shakes his head and prepares for combat, muttering something about how he really needs to stop drinking so much with strange women and passing out.

You can either help fight or leave it up to quarreling "couple" to sort things out. However, since the woman is really insistent of focusing her anger on the Tanner as well, she will try to throw an axe at her if she doesn't participate directly in combat.

If you fight, you may search as usual.

Make your choices and move on to the next encounter.

Arnold is tempted to stay out of this obvious lover's quarrel. It felt like his entire time in this dungeon of terror has been a nonstop battle. Hell, it was reminding him of his younger days, however there was also another reminder.

He was becoming like his old man. Too old for this shit. He was sore, it had been hours since he had rested or eaten a decent meal and now he was standing face to face with a situation that was ridiculous. Still, the woman posed some danger while wielding two axes with vengeance in mind. 

While their new companion looked a bit tougher than their last, he didn't want to insult the man's ego by telling him that if this was a one-on-one confrontation, he would be placing his money on his scorned lover.

"Is this the great evil you were referring to? Hmph, what's another dead body to me at this poin--" Arnold catches himself mid-sentence.

Shit, maybe this place was getting to him more than he would like to admit. No wonder the other man in their group left if dark words like that were freely flowing from his lips. He placed a hand over his mouth, stifling and hiding the bemused look he had on his face the entire time during this little episode.

"People, if we all attack this woman, it shouldn't be some arduous battle. Hell, this might just be the great evil. I propose lending our new friend a hand so we can quickly be on our way. It looks like she already has unsavory plans for our Tanner anyway."

Arnold then brandishes his crude weapon, feeling more confident already with the new vigor and instrument of death in his grasp. He attacks the new foe with the Witch Hunter. If this encounter proves successful, he will search the area for anything useful to their escape out of this castle. 

The Smith's fingers were crossed for them being able to find a shirt for the women to cover herself with, or a better weapon. In that order.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a crazy woman appeared and started brandishing an axe at the poor Tanner. "Yey! We're doomed!" she squealed with joy.

But then, for some reason, Arnold kindly decided to step up and protect her. "Thank you..." the Tanner stammered with a tear of joy rolling down her cheek. "I... I love you." She then jumped into action, pouncing on the woman with decayed blade in hand, she loudly let out a fearsome battle cry of, "Chicken! Hahaha! I'm gonna eat you!" Before proceeding to smash the poor woman's skull in.

Once the battle was over (assuming she survives) the Tanner then suddenly looks down at her luck potion and is overcome by the desire to drink it. Once downed, she proceeds to search the room. Hopefully, with the aid of the luck potion, she'll be able to find some decent loot.

Once the looting was over... "I'm gonna roll around on the floor a bit, okay?" And she does just that.

The Hunter carried on solo, for he was a man that would go his own way for good or ill.

Still, the darkness of the castle seemed even worse now that he had nobody around. Not even the company of potential cutthroats.

As the Hunter moved further down the corridor, the torch light seemed to get even dimmer, but worse there seemed to be a strong odor wafting from somewhere and it was getting worse...

"F-F-F-FRIEEEEND!"

You can flee or fight.

Make your choice.

Hell Hath No Fury

The mad drunk woman attacked with both axes not giving any sort of care with whoever she hit or getting hit for that matter.

The first person she hit was the Tanner. though it was a blunt handle end rather than the blade. Still, this blow to the head of the already addled Tanner had a serious effect on her weak grip on reality.

As the group tried to take down the woman, the Tanner began to help her! Or at least get in the way to the point that the group was struggling not to hit her in the process.

The woman herself was a little befuddled by this sudden change in sides, however she took advantage of the situation.

“THAT’S RIGHT SISTER (HIC!) I BET HE FUCKED YOU OVER TOO!”

Emboldened by this extra help, the woman fought on even more viciously than before, hitting the Fletcher several times and landing her axe deep into the head of the Witch Hunter. He went down immediately, an ignoble death to survive this DARK CASTLE only to be killed by an angry ex.

The Fletcher impaled the woman as she stood laughing over his body. She joined him in death while the Smith smacked the Tanner with her rock, snapping her out of her madness.

The battle was over and the group searched the woman (and the Witch Hunter).

The Fletcher found that the woman had a half rotten apple.

The Smith searched the ripped bag of the Witch Hunter and found he was carrying a stale loaf of bread along with the Wisdom potion. 

The Tanner on the other hand rolled on the floor giggling at the warped cudgel the Witch Hunter had dropped. While it didn’t do him any good, it was a solid weapon for the strong.

You currently have more than the group can carry, so decide on what to take, leave (or use immediately)

When you're ready decide who should take point before moving on.

The Smith stared over dejectedly at the corpse of what used to be the living Witch Hunter. 

What a shame, what an absolute waste,

of their time, energy, and resources. 

The man went down as flippantly as his own described party of adventurers that had been with him before their meeting. Arnold was now considering himself disillusioned with what exactly an 'adventurer' was. The Smith wasn't dejected by the man's demise, but at the fact they lost what could have been a guide out of this madness. 

"There's no need for any exchange," Arnold tells the Fletcher as he strolls over to the Hunter's prone and lifeless body. Fortunately, anything below the neck was in good enough shape despite his brutal demise. 

Arnold strips the man of his armor, the pieces falling on the ground carelessly. He's not interested in the battered plates, it would prove little use in any continued prolonged battle at this point. What he wants is the shirt underneath, which he carefully tears off the Hunter's corpse. Well, as careful as his calloused and sore hands would allow. With that done, the Smith will stand once more and walk over to the Tanner, dropping the piece of cloth on-top of her as she rolled around. 

"You do not need help changing, do you? It's yours now, a gift. Please try it on before we get moving again, will you?"

With that little thing hopefully taken care of, he turns his head to the Fletcher. Producing the stale bread he had received and tossing it at her direction. She had taken several concerning blows for this foolishness. He felt remorseful that he didn't suggest a different course of action in just moving on. 

"I said there was no need for an exchange, and there isn't between me and you. However, do you think you can give your apple to the Tanner? I know it might sound a little mad, but outside of this one incident, she pulls her weight, wouldn't you agree?" 

Arnold faces forward, looking around before he curiously spots a potential new weapon near the Tanner that took the form of a cudgel. He felt this weapon would certainly make more use of his strength than some crudely made dagger, so he moves over to her and crouches down and switches the weapons. He's quick to give a few test swings, and he finds himself ultimately preferring this over the crude dagger he had used before.

"I can take point, if there's no takers." 

Despite taking several blows to the head during that fight, the Tanner still had so many Invader Zim related quotes to use, and so her personality stayed the same.

Once the battle was over, the poor Tanner collapsed, weeping over the lifeless body of the Witch Hunter. "Whyyyyyyy?" she wailed. "Why my Witcher? I loveded you, Withcher! I loveded you!" But her period of mourning was brief as she remembered her wisdom potion and removed it from the Witch Hunters bag. Ah, her beloved potion! How she had missed it. "I love potions," she said fondly. "I love them good."

It seemed that the Smith had a similar idea of looting the poor, dead Witch Hunter. Only her was more concerned with protecting the poor mad Tanner's modesty... Silly Smith. Of course the Tanner could dress herself! What did he think she was? A moron? You just pull the shirt over your head like so, and... There!

Close enough.

And then, an even better gift. The Fletcher handed the Tanner a sweet, juicy apple. "These got peanuts and soap in them!" the Tanner said happily, before munching the delicious thing down. She then held out her hands towards the Fletcher with an expectant look on her face, patiently awaiting more apples... Unfortunately, the poor Fletcher had no more apples to give. "But I need apples!" the Tanner declared, worriedly. "I need them or I will explode! It happens to me sometimes."

Forever Alone

The Hunter quickly swung his axe not wishing to be this thing’s “friend.”

Initially the battle went well, with the Hunter able to dodge the creature’s blows, but then after landing a glancing strike, the creature managed to land a hit of its own, causing a deep gash. 

Trying to ignore the wound, the Hunter fought on and severed an arm from the creature, but it merely retaliated back, biting the Hunter’s shoulder.

Screaming in pain and desperation, the Hunter shoved the creature off of him and brought his axe down on its head, killing it.

The Hunter leaned against a wall inspecting his wounds. They were black and warm to the touch, in fact his body in general felt hot. He took a step forward and then stopped to vomit, a mixture of bile, blood and black ichor splattered on the floor.

The Hunter has caught the PLAGUE.

The Hunter felt sick and almost wanted to just lay down and die, but he had to try to get out of here. Even if only to die outside the walls of this DARK CASTLE.

You can choose to search the body of this thing if you want. If not, you’ll move on to the next encounter.

The Fletcher happily received the bread the Smith gave her and then tossed her half rotten apple to the Tanner who was rolling on the floor near the Witch Hunter’s body and babbling to herself.

The Tanner retrieved her wisdom potion, dropping her luck potion in the process and held it lovingly before taking a few chomps out of the half rotten apple.

The Smith decided to toss away his stone dagger in exchange for the cudgel on the floor as it seemed like a better weapon to defend himself in this place. He also picked up the Tanner’s luck potion as it didn’t make sense to leave it behind.

Having taken everything of use, the group moved on with the Fletcher taking point hoping the Witch Hunter hadn’t lead them too far from the exit during his brief stay.

The group took a door leading into a room looking more like a living area rather than the usual dank chambers they had been coming across. The furniture was ornate, but looked like it hadn’t been used in years. Decades perhaps.

Moving quickly, they passed through a couple more rooms with similar furnishing. Eventually they opened the door to a bedroom and entered…

“Wait, this one drank someone's blood, are you sure I'm the evil version?”

Everyone will fight their doppelgangers separately, but you can choose to rest or help the other’s fight theirs after killing your own.

As usual, you can choose to search after the fight or not.

Afterwards choose who will take point and move on to the next encounter.

"Hi, me!" The Tanner greeted her doppleganger as it approached. "I like me. Me is my frieeeend." Apparently though, the doppleganger was nowhere near as friendly as the Tanner expected and started attacking her on site. "Awh! It likes me!" she declared with a smile. "I'm going to play with the me!" With that, she joined the creatures rather rough game by taking her decayed blade and smashing the poor creature to pieces.

Assuming she survived, once the doppleganger was nothing more than a bloody pulp, the Tanner turned to the rest of her party and proudly declared, "I made mashed potatoes!" ^_^

... And then she searched for stuff.

Arnold soons finds himself staring at a mirror image of himself that takes it's own form. A small smirk takes up residency on his features as the doppleganger makes their comment. 

"Who cares? Is that relevant? All the matters is who lives or dies in this battle."

The Smith then produces his luck potion and empties it's contents into his palate. He then tosses the now empty bottle away as he moves to wield his newly aquired clugel in his grasp. 

For all he knew, this doppleganger would know his techniques inside and out. The only real concrete advantage which he could possibly rely on having is just how lucky he could be in this encounter against this foe that shared his likeness. He immediately moves to attack with his weapon, putting all the strength he could muster into his blows.

If victorious, he would go on to search once more. He figured helping to be wrong in such a personal battle. The others would just have to prove to be the superior versions of themselves. 

Besides, Arnold figures his time better spent on him hopefully fiding something that could prove beneficiary to all of the survivals for the the next encounters that may come their way. 

The Hunter went to search the corpse of the creature, but before he could even make the attempt, one of his arms went completely numb causing him to drop his axe. The Hunter looked at his arm and saw it was almost completely black with disease.

The Hunter panicked desperately attempting to move his dead limb, but it was no use, it was completely useless.

Technically in the game this was a curse, but for IMMERSHUN purposes this seems more in line with the plague of which the Hunter just caught an unhealthy dose.

The Hunter gave further into despair. He carried on, but ultimately expected it to be futile at this point.

He turned down a corridor passing a skeleton along the way, then he turned down another, then another, then another, it all fell like a blur until he wound up passing the same skeleton he passed early.

The Hunter then realized what was going on…

“I hate mazes.” - Tristram

This is going to be a simple test of wisdom or endurance.

Choosing wisdom will be a wisdom stat test three times.

Choosing endurance will be a might stat test once and a cunning stat test twice. This is more exhausting however.

Make your choice and eventually you’ll find your way out to move on to the next encounter.

Mirror Mirror

The battle with the doppelgangers went relatively uneventful. The group at this point were growing so used to the horrors of this place that they barely batted an eye at twisted versions of themselves trying to kill them.

The Fletcher and Tanner were able to dispatch their double swiftly and managed to take a quick but much needed rest. The Smith struggled a bit with his double, but the battle was soon won with only a few cuts and bruises.

After the battle, again the act of searching the area became routine. The Fletcher found a tattered knapsack which would come in useful immediately as the Smith found a rotten shield, while Tanner found a rusty flail. The both of them could put their potions into the knapsack which was easily worn without encumbrance by the Fletcher.

The group was pretty well armed now and while things could always be better (Like being free for one thing), they were probably going to be good as they were going to be as far as equipment was concerned.

Choose who will take point and move on to the next encounter.

Can we have an update, please? ^_^

I don't have the stats in front of me right now (at work) but fortunately I remember everything.

Fletcher

Life - 9

Carrying:

Spear

Knapsack which contains Liquid Luck potion and Distilled Wisdom potion.

Smith

Life - 8

Carrying:

Warped Cudgel

Rotten Shield

Tanner

Life - 4

MARKED FOR DEATH

Carrying:

Rusty Blade

Rusty Flail

... Bugger this, I'm not going first! :p

You go first, then. lol

Maybe Briar should consider choosing the rest option if it is available next battle.

I should really do that. :p

After sorting through their items, they all decided the Fletcher should once again take lead.

The group continued through the DARK CASTLE, it seemed like there was no end to these corridors and chambers. The Fletcher though back to the Witch Hunter and hoped the direction that dead fool lead them in didn’t take them too far from the exit.

The group then smelled something awful and whatever it was, was getting closer…

“DAHHH ME GOT MUD IN PANTS! ME PUT YOU IN PANTS! DAAAAAAH!”

This is a fight or flight situation.

Fighting goes as normal, though he focuses on those that have the lowest PLAGUE level first. (Since none of you have it, he’s going to attack all of you on the first round)

If everyone runs, he’s not very fast, but you’ll all still have to pass a cunning test. Failing to do so, is an automatic hit leading to bad things (Like PLAGUE and loss of life points)

Also if you do fight him, searching him will be risky unless you already have the PLAGUE.

Make your choices

Arnold considered the Fletcher to certainly have the right idea in her current course of action. This new grotesque individual reeked of death, filth, and disease. All things that a person would like to avoid if they wanted to live a long and prosperous life. 

The Smith considered himself part of those who wished for long lives.

"To hell indeed! Let us make haste!" Arnold then took off running as well. It wasn't out of great fear of this potential enemy's killing prowess, but the fact that he'd rather avoid catching an illness.

"No wait! Come back!" the Tanner yelled after the others. "I need stuff!" And quickly chased after them as fast as her little legs could carry her.

The group decided to flee from this obviously diseased degenerate who tried in vain to chase them down.

The group was too fast for the fat man, but in an act of low animal cunning he shoved his hand down his pants and threw a huge glob of “mud” at them, managing to hit the back of the Tanner’s head causing her to fall forward. 

The Smith and Fletcher temporarily stopped to drag the dazed Tanner by her arms to safety, but unfortunately more than just a minor wound and bad smell was the repercussions of this escape.

The Tanner has caught the PLAGUE

Quickly losing their disgusting attacker down a corridor, the Fletcher continued to lead the way towards area that smelled infinitely better. Eventually they passed by a door which was slightly open and the saccharine smelling mist was coming from. 

The Fletcher quickly looked inside…

“Ugh, you used too much of the stuff, this is going to be in our robes for days!”
“Well excuse me for wanting her to smell pretty!”
“I got her lubed up, so I’m going first.”
“I dunno, this seems weird, are you sure this is right?”
“Hey, it was mom's dying wish, so I’m going to honor that request... ah yeah that's it, just like our first time.”

You can either choose to move on or try to steal something while the grieving family is distracted. This will require a cunning test though.

Make your choices then choose who will take point before moving on to the next encounter.

A bright smile came over the Tanner's face as she was hit in the back of the head with the plague ridden muck. "Yey! It burns!" she squealed with joy.

As the Fletcher took her leave, the Tanner raised her hand to wave to her before turning to the Smith. "You gonna make biscuits? You gonna make biscuits? You gonna make biiiscuiiits? YOOOOOU gonna make BISCUITS?" she asked with a hopeful look on her face. The Tanner liked biscuits.

At that point, the Tanner decided to take a nap while the Fletcher was gone in the hope of recovering some health... Though in truth, she would prefer to eat biscuits.

Arnold was glad for them to have lost their pursuer. However it seemed that they didn't exactly get off scot free without any consequence to report. The Tanner was now looking pale and even more in a bad way than The Smith had ever thought a person could look. In as liitle words as possible, things were looking bleak for their travelling companion. 

What was orignally a strong group of four, was looking to have it's number halved if things kept on it's current course.

Such a grand mess this was turning out to be. 

"Biscuits? If this is you're way of saying you are low on fuel, then please bear with it longer." Arnold says in reponse to the Tanner, scratching his chin. "Rest until then, I'm sure we'll find something eventually. Do not strain yourself too much until that moment actually occurs." The Smith hopes those words will be taken into heavy consideration by the woman.

He walks ahead, but it isn't long before they stumble upon another interesting situatuion. 

They soon stumble upon the rather interesting sight of a group of robed figures grieving in their own way. Being one that recently partook in some deranged ritual, he doesn't find it himself to be one to judge. The Smith only nods his head at the Fletcher's decision. The only thing he would probaly accomplish is bumbling around in there and dragging them all into yet another fierce life or death encounter. 

"If you're going to try and take something from them, be quick and very cunning with your movements. Although I'm sure that goes without saying. I'll be waiting to take point when you return. The Tanner isn't in any shape it seems. Hopefully some rest will do her good while we wait." 

Arnold then turned forward, looking ahead as he tried to prepare a mental map of the environment in prepartion for him moving at the helm of their escape from this wicked castle. 

Sneak Sneak Sneak

The Fletcher snuck inside and through the haze of incense to retrieve what bottles she could. It was a bit difficult holding all the stuff, but she managed to get back out without interrupting the funeral processions.

She handed them over to the Tanner who despite everything could still tell which unidentifable bottle was which in this place. She recognized one as another liquid luck potion, and the other as an evasion one, nothing that would heal though.

The group had to make a decision on what to keep as even with the knapsack, they still had too much to lug around.

Okay, so going to guess, Fletcher is keeping her spear and knapsack, and I imagine as is the Smith with his cudgel and shield.

This leaves the Tanner who is currently duel welding two weapons (The sword being more effective than the flail in her case) and the knapsack which contains a Liquid Luck potion and Distilled Wisdom potion. And you just got another LL potion and Evasion potion.

Decide on what you’re choosing to keep and since the Smith said they were already taking point, you can move on to the next encounter.

Yes, the knapsack itself doesn't count against the inventory at all, and holds two items.

All of you currently don't have any open slots, unless people start dropping stuff to hold other things.

Since the group had more items than they could carry, the Tanner decided to down the wisdom potion to make room in the knapsack for something else. "The knowledge... It fills me! ... It is neat."

(Keeping both weapons since my poor little Tanner needs all the strength boosters she can get. I'll let you guys decide what potions you want to keep.)

So I supppose I'll take a liquid luck if I have space available?

The Hunter with great effort broke up the bones on the skeleton and attempted to use the fragments as place markers to at help him not wind up in circles. 

Several times, he dropped fragments without meaning to, due to his dead arm. It was tiring, but it ultimately was working. Anytime he saw a fragment, he knew to go in a different direction.

Eventually he wound up in an area that didn’t look familiar, less twists and turns and back to the traditional long corridors. He was out, or at least out of the maze.

The Hunter almost allowed himself a brief sigh of relief, but that was interrupted…

“So you don’t like females huh? REEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

You’re either going to have to try to engage to the banshee in mental combat by blocking her out completely which will require a series of wisdom tests (less rolls but obviously harder), or outrun the banshee until you lose her which will require a series of cunning tests (more rolls but easier)

Make your choice

The Hunter fled at the sight of the woman, banshee and covered his one ear the whole time. He would have covered both, but he still had a dead arm and thus still suffered from the banshee’s screaming.

As tired and wounded as he was he didn’t stop running. He felt like his legs were going to be as dead as his arm soon, but eventually he somehow managed to outrun the supernatural horror.

Unfortunately he ran right into more DARK CASTLE denizens…

“Well, well, well, what do we ‘ave ‘ere? This one looks a bit sweet.”
“I’ll say. Let’s cornhole this one before throwing him back in the cells!”

Once again, you either need to fight or run.

Fighting of course allows you to search as normal if you wish. Running requires a cunning test.

Make your choices.

Combat is always a roll of random dice and the characters trying to match them. So you could get lucky and get mostly (or all) cunning. Or you could roll all Might and Wisdom.

The group packed up what potions they could and continued on with the Smith in the lead, they felt like they had been in this place forever, but nothing was going deter them from their goal of escaping.

As they proceeded on, it seemed like the passage they were on was becoming more like dirt rather than stone floor…

“ROOOOOOAAAAAWWWWR!”

You’re either fighting or running, but the bear is definitely attacking the Smith.

Assuming you survive the fight, you can search the diseased bear’s lair, but that risks the PLAGUE, unless you’ve already got it. (Also decide who will take point)

Make your choices.

Arnold curses his own luck as a feral looking diseased beast is upon him. He's able to make out in short notice that the ferocious animal is some sort of bear that looked like it clawed it's way out of the worst demented dreams of a crazed individual. Although this beast looked to be festering with disease, that only added to it's intimidation factor. 

"You!" Arnold tries to stave off the beast's assault with his shield as he reaches for his potion of luck, downing the contents of it quickly. He would need all the luck he could get in this encounter. 

As for the 'you' he was addressing, it was the Tanner who he stared at. 

"Do not get involved in this! I'll take this damn beast down and I'll take point again! Unless the Fletcher says otherwise! Though perhaps you can check it's corpse after I grant it it's demise!"

So with luck hopefully on his side from the potion, and a tight white-knuckled grip on his cudgel. He faces down the jaws of this damnable beast with everything he has. 

Taking the Smith's advice, the Tanner decided not to attack the bear, but attempt a more peaceful resolution by singing a beautiful, relaxing song to try and soothe the creature into submission.

"Peace is niiiiice! Peace is niiiiice! Peace is better than CHICKEN AND RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE!!! Peace, peace, peeeeeeace! Nice, nice, niiiiice! Peace, peace, chicken, chicken, rice, rice, riiiiice!"

Bitch. >.>

Hopefully the risk of a potential plague enemy doesn't attack you when you're taking point. 

The Hunter dodged and weaved, but a glancing blow to the head knocked the Hunter to the floor. He couldn’t even get up, he felt like he was near death and didn’t even care at this point.

“Hah! now for…HOLY FUCK!” one of the degenerate guards exclaimed, putting his dick back in his pants.
“What?” exclaimed the other.
“Look at his fucking arm. I was wondering what that smell was, I just figured it was you.”
“Shit. Did you touch the plague part?”
“I don’t think so. Fuck. I need to go to the apothecary right now.”
“What about him?”
“Leave this asshole, he’s going to be dead soon anyway.”

As the guards quickly ran off, the Hunter laughed at his “fortune” of having the plague. He also laughed at the guard’s words. He was probably right, he would be dead soon.

But he wasn’t dead yet, with some effort, he pushed himself up off the floor and staggered down the corridor leaning against the wall the whole time.

He didn’t even know where he was going, none of this seemed real. He just moved forward, ever forward. He even passed some other denizens of the castle, but they didn’t do anything. Some of them just made comments and moved away as the plague had started to completely take over.

He didn’t realize it yet, but he was walking straight towards the throne room and it didn’t take long before two faceless heavily armored guards grabbed him. He didn’t resist. He couldn’t if he tried.

He was soon dragged before the throne…

“Yes, another soul for m’lady.”

“Shut up and just kill him simp.”

The Hunter, with one arm, plague ridden and nearly dead, prepared for battle one last time. He just hoped he would get in one good punch before he fell to these undead rulers.

Final battles. If you somehow manage to beat the Undead King, you then get the honor of fighting the Undead Queen. Beat her and you’ve ESCAPED THE DARK CASTLE!

F

Let Them Eat Souls

The Undead King smirked at the Hunter’s pathetic attempts at putting up any sort of resistance.

“How cute, you can’t possibly believe you can win here… Oh no…it’s retarded.” The Undead King giggled.
“Will you hurry up already? Shit, I could have sucked a dozen souls while you’re standing there playing with yourself.” The Undead Queen said.
“Will you get off my fucking back already? I do EVERYTHING for you and you’re a complete fucking bitch all the time! The problem with you, is you have no joy in gathering the soul, you just suck and suck like it’s a job.”
“Because It IS a fucking job! Sure it’s fun the first few times, but when you have to suck as many souls as I do, it gets to be work.”
“Have you, I dunno, tried sucking less?”
“And be content being a mediocre wight king rather than a liche queen? Yeah no thanks.”
“YOU’VE ALWAYS LOOKED DOWN ON ME!”

While the undead royal couple were in the middle of arguing, the Hunter attempted to get in a sneak attack and smashed the Undead King in the side of the head.

“Argh! Fuck!” the Undead King exclaimed reeling back.
“Hah! That’s what you get for not taking care of business, dumbass.” the Undead Queen mocked.

Now enraged and focused, the Undead King wasted no time in making short work of the Hunter who just allowed himself a faint smile as all life drained from his body and he fell to the floor never to move again. (Except as an undead minion later no doubt)

Tristram Holmbeck The Hunter

Soul Sucked by Undead King

Survival Time: 15 Encounters

5, and you knocked him down to 4.

RIP in peace ^_^

All this could have been avoided if Tristram only overlooked the human sacrifice ritual. Now his soul has literally been succ'd so now it's not even likely he'll go to the afterlife as he wanted.

If this was a video game, this would be the worst end route that a player could receive. 

Grizzly Man

The Smith desperately raised his shield at the diseased bear’s claws. Protection was minimal though and he felt it shred through his flesh causing heavy infection.

He saw the Tanner run off singing loudly, as he had ordered, but unfortunately what he didn’t expect is the Fletcher, is to stare at him directly and then abandon him in battle! He couldn’t believe it, not after all they had been through.

The Fletcher had supported most of his choices at every turn. They had fought together many times. They even engaged in the blood sacrifice together.

Was this his punishment for that sin? He only did what he did to give him a better chance at escaping. Well it did, but apparently the chance was not assured.

The bear ripped into the Smith with such fury that he could barely mount any sort of attack. He managed to hit the plague bear once, but the beast barely noticed it. Besides the deep wounds the bear was inflicting, the infection was spreading even faster with each hit. 

Eventually the Smith collapsed to his knees, his shield finally being broken by the weight of the bear’s claws. He felt a slash across his face, sight in one eye was gone, his whole body went hot with fever and he vomited black bile and blood before his last thoughts were of his wife and children and how he had sacrificed all to see them again and it was still not enough.

Arnold Northwell The Smith

Ripped Apart by Diseased Bear (Succumbed to the PLAGUE first)

Survival Time: 15 Encounters

@Cricket

You fucking killed me!

I'm looking forward to the Fletcher also fucking dying!

Good luck, bitch! 

I'm sorry for running away and leaving you to your moosey fate.

So many Fs :'(

... So, it looked like it was just her and the Fletcher now. Sticking together through thick and thin. Two gal pals against the world! ... Well, since they were both stuck in this castle with no enemies to fight and nothing to do, the Tanner decided to make small talk. Turning to the Fletcher with a big happy grin on her face, she declared, "... I wanna be a mongoose!" ^_^

We ran away. ^_^

The Tanner suddenly stopped running (and singing), causing the Fletcher to nearly bump into her.

The Tanner began to ask where the funny looking man with the funny look hat was, to which the Fletch remarked he wasn’t coming.

The Tanner proceeded to ask why and then whimsical answering her own question of staying to pet that delightful bear, to which the Fletcher mumbled that it was something like that.

As the Tanner shrugged her shoulders and hummed a little tune while she complied with the Fletcher’s commands, the Fletcher looked back just to make sure nothing was following them.

The Fletcher’s mind raced wondering if that was the right move. 

Not the morality of it so much as the strategic one. The Smith was a good fighter. Probably the strongest one in the original group. Probably would have been more useful than the mad woman she was now stuck with now, indeed that was the whole reason she helped keep him alive with that ritual which drove away the foolish Hunter. His misguided sense of morality probably got him killed by now.

However, that diseased bear was already upon the Smith and he probably already had the plague before she could have effectively helped him. There would have been no sense in risking catching an incurable disease. It was bad enough she was traveling around with the crazy woman who had it. (It hadn’t spread much, but the Fletch was always staying her distance)

No, it was the smart move to leave the Smith behind. At best the pair of them might have lived but been severely wounded and infected anyway. The whole idea is to ESCAPE and be free of this place, not escape only to die in front of it due to being sick from the plague.

Every move she had made had been a strategic one and so far it had kept her alive and healthy. The Tanner however was too much of a wild card, she was infected and insane. At some point she might need to go, but she might still have use if only as a distraction.

The two moved ahead and the Fletcher started to smell fresh air, and a door was open up ahead, it looked like it at least lead outside. The Fletcher and even the mad Tanner both rushed for what looked to be freedom at last…

“Which one of you retards forgot to lock the fucking door? I swear I’m sick of dealing with autistic children!”

The priestess was apparently coming back from some elaborate outdoor ritual and it was just the bad luck of the Fletcher and Tanner that they bumped into her.

There was no running, if they wanted to escape. It was going to have to be through this priestess and her mob of followers. The Fletcher noted there wasn’t even a way to get TO the priestess at all UNTIL they killed all her retarded children first.

She REALLY wished the Smith was here right now and stood back as the Tanner happily went running into the mob with both weapons swinging.

Last battle, there is no choice but to fight, if you win you have ESCAPED THE DARK CASTLE!

I forget... What stuff do we have left? Do we still have any potions that might make this final battle any easier?

Which one do you want?

Aren't we drinking them for the final battle?

One of you is. 

But... But... But... :'(

Rewarded As A Traitor Deserves

The Tanner swung her weapons at the mob wildly, but was doing minimal damage. Even with all her enthusiasm she was having a tough time killing even one of the priestess’ retard strength followers. The Tanner looked desperately for the Fletcher for help, but there was none to be found as the Fletcher was still trying to hold herself back from personal danger. Hoping that maybe an opening would show itself somewhere.

Still even with not wading into battle like a mad woman and trying to keep a distance wasn’t working. She downed the potions in her knapsack hoping they would give her an edge, but they were only keeping her alive longer to prolog the inevitable as she felt the strikes against her by the priestess’ minions. The priestess herself was also standing back casting spells to enhance the minions' speed and resistance to pain.

The Tanner managed to finally kill one of them, but her wounds were too severe and the numbers too many. Eventually she fell before the mob, her last thoughts were an unfortunate temporary moment of clarity of who and where she exactly was and how she didn’t want to be there.

With the Tanner dead, the Fletcher’s hope diminished to nearly nothing. She couldn’t believe it was going to end like this. She was going to die in this place and the worst part is she almost made it.

She couldn’t die, she just couldn’t. She had to make one last try to ESCAPE THE DARK CASTLE!

Mustering up what little energy she had, she charged forward with her spear, hoping to break through the mob.

It was a futile effort however and she felt several blows to her head and body, sharp things pierce her skin and then nothing at all as everything went black.

With the danger now gone, the mob of minions parted as the priestess made her way to examine the bodies of the escapees.

“Hmm, pick this one up my retarded children. He’ll probably be interested in that one.” the priestess said.

Hildegard Acker The Fletcher

Overwhelmed By Minions

Survival Time: 16 Encounters (Boss)

Ariana AKA Vikki Wag AKA Ivana Humpalot The Tanner

Overwhelmed By Minions

Survival Time: 16 Encounters (Boss)

Group 1’s attempts to ESCAPE THE DARK CASTLE have ended here.

A fitting end for a traitor! 

I love DnD again.

... Yey! I died! ^_^