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Escape the Dark Castle

Wherever you go, there you are...

You wake up once again in your cell.

You have no idea how long you’ve been here, but it feels like forever. And who knows, maybe at this point it is.

You don’t even know how or why you’re in this terrible place.

Maybe this is hell. It certainly feels that way.

You have brief visions that you’ve died. Sometimes very horribly, but yet here you are breathing. The air you’re breathing isn’t great filled with the scent of who knows what, but you’re still breathing.

You glance and find that you’re not alone. Three others are here in the cell with. They’re all a motley bunch looking as dirty and ill kept as you probably look right now. Somehow some of them seem familiar but then you can’t remember much anymore everything is always a blur now.

"Hey, don't I know you?"

In any case, after a brief moment of talking, someone notices that the cell door is slightly ajar. Your captors forgot to shut it properly.

Wasting no time, the four of you leave the cell…

Yep, off to a great start already.

Having gotten yourself lost deeper inside the bowels of the Dark Castle, you now have one extra encounter added to your escape.

All is not lost however since you also found a storeroom. Your group grabs as much as you can as you hear the distant sounds of presumably guards shouting.

You’ve found:

2 Elixirs of Insight: Discard before combat to change any chapter die to show the trait of your choice

1 Liquid Luck: Discard to re-roll your character die and apply that result

1 Cunning Concoction: Discard to apply a single cunning at any time

1 Effervescent Evasion: Discard whenever you would lose HP to lose none instead

The Healing Verses: Whenever you roll a double you may restore 1 HP to any character

The Replication Stones: Whenever you roll a single it counts as two singles of that trait.

1 Partially Rotten Apple: Discard to gain 1 HP

In addition to this loot, your incarceration in this place has resulted in some interesting character trait that may come in useful ONCE per game:

Abbot - Stubborn: You can ignore the effects of something happening to “YOU” when leading the group or the effects of a combat special. (This doesn’t apply to the end boss)

Butcher - Desperate: You may change the result of a die roll to the result of your choice.

Fletcher - Cowardly: You may draw an item card and flee from a combat encounter. (Doesn’t apply to the end boss)

Shepherd - Defiant: During combat you can change any number of chapter dice to the results of your choice

Divide up the loot as you all see fit and pick the person to lead the group for the next encounter.

Not seeing anyone to stop her, Shepherdess Ellen grabs the Cunning Concoction and chugs it immediately, realizing in disappointment only afterwards that it is not alcohol.

She'll then pocket the Healing Verses while no one else is looking. Being an illiterate peasant missing three teeth she of course can't make heads or tails of them, but they look valuable, maybe she can sell them once she escapes from this place and buy a pig.

***

The Butcher is the strongest so I vote Malk takes point.

And is abusing Defiance something I can leave to the DM?

Yeah I can use the ability when it seems like it would be the most effective again unless you say otherwise.

I hope I understood correctly that the potion was a stat boost and not a one time encounter boost or anything. If not...whoops.

Yeah it was for an encounter so you just wasted it. Lol.

Gah

ALL I KNOW HOW TO DO IS SHAVE SHEEP OK

How many items can we individually have in our possession? In order of personal priority, depending on how many she can take, Fletcher takes the Healing Verses, Replication Stones and Effervescent Evasion.

Fletcher, named "Fletcher," rolls her eyes at Ellen.

2.

I mentioned that in the rules thread.

Anyway, you got the other two since Shepherd already took the Healing Verses (After she also drank the cunning potion)

Sorry about that. I'll pay more attention from here on out.

I'll take whatever's leflt all the floor and  kiester it in front of the others, jailhouse style. A man's gotta do what it takes to survive on the inside. Then I'll go first because I am the only true alpha here. 

Guess that leaves me to pick up an insight and liquid luck.  And I am deeply disappointed that we haven't found any ale or wine.  However, unlike my companion I choose to not chug a potion without reading the instructions.
 

I agree that Malk takes point.

Burning Man

Having witnessed the Butcher’s power move of shoving items up his anal cavity when he still had clothing with pockets, the rest of the group decided that he might be the best one to lead the way.

The group ended up fumbling through darkness until the Butcher saw a fire ahead. Likes moths to the literal flame, they moved towards it.

“This really hurt a lot and now I have to start all over again!” - Burningman’s spirit

As a group you can decide to try to take the sack nearby that hasn’t been completely consumed by flames.

If so then nominate a person to try to grab it. They’ll need to pass a WISDOM check to succeed.

Of course you all could just ignore it and move on to the next encounter.

I'll grab the bag. 

Liquid Beats Fire

The Abbot decided to risk the flames in the hopes of gaining the contents within. He tried once, but the flames were far too hot at this point and he nearly burned himself.

Thinking quickly, the Abbot took his liquid luck potion and doused the flames on the sack, and managed to get the contents.

You've found:

Rengorn's Rune: Whenever you roll a double, you may change it to a single of any kind, (The double does not apply obviously)

Warped Cudgel: Once handed weapon. Once per round when you roll a MIGHT, you may roll again and choose which of the two results to apply.

Currently Abbot and Shepherd have an open inventory slot. Unless you're going to do some rearranging with folks.

Distribute items as you wish and choose who to take lead.

I'll pick up the cudgel, and leave the rune for shepherd. I nominate Malk to continue the lead.

I don't remember all these runes and verses being in the game, I feel like I'm playing a wizard.

Malk didn't seem to mind taking point.

Seconded. The "alpha" should lead.

I only have the vaguest idea of how combat works on the mechanics side, but I assume there are scenarios where the rune would be useful. Although, most of the time I'm likely to need my doubles to heal someone with the verses.

Ellen thanks the Abbot, turns the weird rune carving around in her hands with some puzzlement, then looks at the others. "Anyone want to trade? I'm open to anything useful. 'Long as it don't need to be pried from his arse," she saus, jabbing her thumb at the butcher. "Y'know, really makes me wonder now. Lord knows what happens to all those innocent lamb chops that pass through his shop."

O Captain! My Captain!

Leaving the burning corpse behind, the group way their way into less lit areas lest it attract attention to them.

A logical idea, but given that this place was crawling with horrors, it was only a matter of time before something found them. It just happened a lot sooner than later.

"Ah four of you! I might actually have to break a sweat!"

The captain wasn't just a skilled warrior, he was also heavily armored. The group fought fairly well considering the lack of weapons, but they suffered several wounds in the process.

Every time they seemed to get the captain on the backstep he somehow managed to turn the tide back in his favor. It was only thanks to the Abbot getting in a strategic strike and stubbornly hitting the downed captain repeatedly with his cudgel until he was sure that his helmet was dented into his actual skull and brains were leaking out the side.

Abbot lost 4 HP

Abbot lost Elixir of Insight

Abbot lost Stubborn Trait

Fletcher lost 4 HP

Shepherd lost 4 HP

After recovering a bit from the fight, they found one item in the captain's possession.

Crumbling Spell Book: Two handed. Whenever you would roll your character die, you can try to cast a spell instead. Pick the spell and roll

Obliterate - Can be cast during combat and choose a target (Still leaves you open to attack regardless of the outcome)

Revive - Can be cast during combat and choose a target (Does not leave you open to an attack)

Manipulate - Can be cast to resolve a non-combat challenge. (If the spell fails, you also suffer any negative consequences of the challenge)

Decide who gets the book and whatever else before picking who leads the way to the next encounter.

I discard Effervescent Evasion to regain the HP I would have lost in that fight. I would also like to take the Revive if no one else objects.

Alright.

The Revive spell is part of the Spell Book. All those spells are, I just listed them and their effects.

You'd have to give someone your stones to get the spell book.

Gotcha. Thoughts, team?

Can I use my Rotten Apple on whoever is missing health? If Butcher yanks the apple out of his ass and hands it to the person with the lowest health, and stows the stones in his prison wallet. 

Yeah.

Mizal and DB have the same amount of health, so it depends on whichever one of those is going to have the courage to eat it I suppose.

I'll offer it to Miz first. 

"Go on, mate. 'Ave a nibble." 

...thanks, but Ellen will insist that the brave Abbot accept this boon instead.

Nah, Im good. Let the fletcher eat it.  

Fletcher looks on in amusement and horror.

Also, does anyone want the stones, or would they prefer the spell book?

Malk said he was taking the Stones, and since Mizal didn't want the apple, that means DB eats it for 1 HP.

You get to keep the Spellbook

Guessing you lot want Malk to continue to lead?

EDIT: Well nevermind all that, DB doesn't want it either.

Well continue to sort it out I guess.

Ugh, fine.

Ellen wipes down the apple, cuts away the bad parts, and PEELS it.


This bitch has probably eaten sheep intestines and rooster testicles, and had the plague a few times, she'll survive.

Watching Ellen choke down the apple, Butcher leads the party forward. 

As nasty as this prison has been.  I am not touching and especially eating anything that has been in the Butcher's "prison wallet". There is no telling what all has been up in there since we've been in here.

A Moment of Peace

Having rested a bit from their encounter with the captain, the group moved on with the Butcher leading the way as usual.

The man made passages started to become rougher looking in this area and resemble more of a natural cave appearance. Maybe they were very deep under the castle now? Either way, they only hoped this was still leading further towards an exit rather than another dead end.

A giant evil stone face with an altar inside the mouth. Sure let's go in!

While it was probably expected to have a bloody heart or bowl of blood on the dish, the only offering here a simple piece of food.

You've found:

1 Stale Loaf of Bread: Discard to gain 1 HP

Decide who's getting it (And probably eating it immediately) and choose who leads the way.

While the other members of my group look at each other trying to decide.  I snatch the loaf of bread and eat it immediately - not really worrying about any potential side effects.  After I gulp it down, I look to the Butcher to see which way he will lead.

If I had known there would be BREAD I'd have tried a lot harder to make the Abbot eat the apple!

Glub Glub Glub

The Butcher continued to lead the way as was the norm at this point. Wasn't long before the group noticed that the passage way they were walking along was wet.

And then soon they were walking through a thin layer of water until...

Deep breaths people.

It had been a long time since any other branch had been seen so going forward was the only thing for it, they were going to have to do some underwater swimming. (There was no choice)

The Butcher took a swig of his insight potion to prepare himself completely for this underwater adventure. He made to the dry side without problems.

The Abbot despite his size also didn't have too many issues other than getting his robe caught as one point and suffering a wound against a jagged rock.

The Fletcher and Shepherd had the hardest time and nearly drowned in the process, but managed to barely make it.

Butcher lost Potion of Insight

Abbot lost 1 HP

Fletcher lost 3 HP

Shepherd lost 3 HP

Pick who is leading (Butcher I'm guessing) and move on to the next encounter.

"So there I was, balls deep in a Chinaman, with the Turk getting ready to go balls deep in me. Luckily, I remembered what they taught me back in the circus, so I --" Butcher's story gets cut off by his effortless five star freedive. When he surfaces on the other side, important details seem to have been lost. "Anyway, that's how I saved Duke Obama," he concludes, leading the way as usual. 

This Water Smells Funny

While the group might have been out of the submerged part of the area, they still had water to wade through. It didn't help that the water seemed to be getting darker and it wasn't long before the smell became unmistakable.

This had to be where the castle's sewage was going.

Most of the group was trying hard not to vomit every other minute of wading through the foul muck. Well other than the Butcher who just mentioned something about how this reminded him of when he destroyed a nobleman's bathroom after being invited to a big feast for the peasants. The young noble never did learn who did it, but the act had thoroughly ruined his idealistic views of the common folk.

The Butcher was about to regale his group with another story when yet again something interrupted.

IT'S SHITZILLA!

Even the Butcher was taken by surprise by this brown beast that managed to get a good swipe at him before the group prepared for battle.

Butcher lost 1 HP

It's going to be a fight, though you got the option of taking him head on or trying to fight more defensively.

You can state what your preference of attack is as a group and still hang back to rest if that's what you mean.

Butcher is going to attack Shitzilla with his fists. 

Ima join the butcher with the cudgel.  

Despite the Fletcher's usual cowardly nature, she will attempt to cast Obliterate at the reptile using the spell book.

A World of SHIT

Butcher and Abbot rushed at the creature while the Fletcher attempted to cast a spell. They did a bit of damage though the Abbot was slashed across the face during his efforts.

The Fletcher unfortunately found that it wasn't as easy as just saying a bunch of weird words and making a hand gesture to cast a spell. All he succeeded in doing was creating a small explosion in his hand. While he was clutching his hand in pain, the shit lizard took the opportunity to get a free hit on him.

Seeing as magic wasn't helping here, the Fletcher assisted the Butcher and Abbot in their attack, however once again he took the worst of retailation. Feeling like he was at death's door, he stepped back to try to recover from his wounds.

Meanwhile the Shepherd who had been resting this entire time, stepped in and defiantly refused to have anyone die in this sewer, she and the other two finally downed the beast.

Shepherd Lost Defiant trait

Abbot lost 3 HP

Fletcher lost 6 HP

And after all that of being covered in sweat, blood and shit, the only thing of note that was nearby in the brown sluge was a rusty flail if anyone wants to take it.

Make your choice and pick who leads (Though I can guess who most likely)

Butcher takes the flail and executes a series of sick Kung Fu moves with them, then he takes the lead. "That reminded me of when I fought Pisszilla..." 

Well after that refreshing nap, Ellen's feeling on top of the world!

She'd tsk a little at the Fletcher and tell her to do better.

Deeper SHIT

As soon as the Butcher grabbed the shitty flail a burning cold sensation went up his arm. It was a painful feeling not unlike that time he caught a case from the girl with two butts back in the circus.

The Butcher dropped the flail which got lost in the sludge and echoing voice could be heard in his head.

“Free! Free from that retched prison of filth! Who are you? It doesn’t matter, I don’t care. But you’re getting me out of here! Get going you degenerate!”

The Butcher head was now in constant pain from the restless spirit that has invaded it. It continued to pour negative energy and a general feeling of misery. (You’d be grumpy too if you’d spent eons in shit)  For now he could deal with it, but who knows for the long run.

The Butcher now has a CURSE!

Restless Spirit: You cannot rest in combat. It cannot be removed.

All that and it doesn't even let him keep the item?

That was my own flavor text really. What would have happened in a real game is someone would have picked from the item deck and just got a cursed card.

Here I actually gave an opportunity to NOT pick up the flail and just move on.

Am I at 5 or 6 hp right now?

5 HP

Well shit.  I'll lead the way again. 

Lead on, i need a nap

More Fun Than A Barrel of...you know the rest

Hampered with this spirit constantly whispering negativity in his head, the Butcher took the lead but he wasn't happy about it.

After a bit more walking the group seemed to be in some sort of dumping spot. Mostly barrels. The Butcher actually hoped maybe there was some alcohol in these barrels to try to drown out this spirit. Maybe more like a long drink.

But as it turned out he wouldn't need to go to one of the barrels, one of them came directly to him.

"LOOK OUT YOU FUCKING DUMB ASS!"

Butcher lost 2 HP

"Warned you." sniffed the spirit.

After helping the Butcher to his feet, the group noticed some items still in the now broken barrel.

Liquid Luck: Discard to reroll your character die and apply only that result

Distilled Wisdom: Discard to apply a single wisdom at any time

Divide how you wish and pick who to lead for the next encounter.

I'm still unsure of the value of the rune I have, mostly because I'm not sure what situations would make a single better than a double. Especially when Ellen can heal somebody with her double. (Make it the Butcher if that ever happens, nobody else here wants to have to take point lol.)

Anyway, Ellen MIGHT set the rune down for anyone who wants it and take the wisdom potion, having the wisdom now to not waste this one.

Example: You might have an encounter that requires a might and you roll a double wisdom.

You could turn that double wisdom into the single might that you needed.

Hmm.

That still seems unlikely to come up, I haven't rolled any doubles at are so far and this would need it to be happen in a very specific situation.

Unless somebody else really really wants that Wisdom potion, I'll have Ellen take it so that whatever mushrooms it's brewed from can infinitely expand her mind if needed.

Abbot looks at the contents of the barrel and considers.  I already have this cudgel, but what I really need is some health and to rest. The Fletcher is already at carrying capacity with his spell book.  The butcher has been taking point and perhaps might need some luck now that he is possessed by an evil spirit. Having him go off the rails would not be so good for our group. And the shepherd really keeps eyeballing that wisdom potion.  

"Go ahead and grab that potion," he says to the shepherd.  "I'm in pretty bad shape and the group will need someone with some brains if I don't make it far. I'll carry that rune even though I don't know what good it'll do us. Let's let the butcher have the luck, I'm sure he could use it about now, we all could."

 

Ellen will offer to give him some pointers at fainting like a damsel when the next fight breaks out. "The first and most important thing is to place your hand on your forehead while gazing uoward, then you sort of sway and fall to the side. But, you still need to land a certain way to not injure yourself, unless you're very certain the Butcher will catch you in his strong arms."

"You'll feel so much better when you get up again though, trust me! But, er... maybe don't trust me to catch you."

Butcher stands and cracks his neck. "Blimey, reminds me of when I had to fight that gorilla to rescue Princess Peach." 

He takes the Liquid Luck and leads the team forward. 

"What on earth is a gorilla?" Fletcher asks himself, having his life contained to a small village with no books.

Darkest Doctor

Despite catching the brunt of the injuries lately, and a spirit whispering poison in his ear constantly, the Butcher insisted on leading. Wasn't easy though.

"You ain't the brightest, but you're clearly the strongest. Why are you still travelling with this pathetic lot? You'd do better on your own obviously. They're just using you to soak up most of the damage y'know. As soon as you're too weak from your wounds, they're going to stab you in the back, take your shit and throw you down the nearest hole. And that will be the story of YOU."

The Butcher angrily told the entity to shut the fuck up just as another being of sort appeared though this one was entirely corporeal in nature.

"Pardon? What seems to be your boggle today? It's okay, trust me I'm a doctor!"

The plague doctor normally cures random folks of the plague that is a major issue in this place and seems surprised that none of you seem to have it. However, the doctor is still willing to part with some items which may be of use as long as you trade one of your own.

It's a one for two deal though the doctor won't tell you what the items are.

Of course you could also try to negotiate with the doctor to convince her to just give you something for nothing because its the right thing to do.

The other option of course is to just keep it moving and press on past the doctor entirely.

Make your choice.

Abbot considers the doctors terms, and hopes there is something to help him heal up. "I'll trade these runes for what you've got," he offers.

Are we as players empowered to try to kill the Plague Doctor for what she's got?

Im not fighting her.

Wow! The only person in the place who hasn't attacked us, and instead offered a generous two for one deal?

Sorry, just an intrusive thought. Ignore me.

I mean you're free to try to kill her by yourself if you want.

I'm more surprised that it's you of all people out of everyone playing that wants to go the murder hobo route. Hell, not even Corgi or Ben have done that (Yet).

Ellen may never have been educated, but "two is better than one" is something anyone in the livestock business knows.

"We ain't got the plague but we've got enough other problems, lady. What can you give me for this potion?"

A healing item more effective than the Healing Verses, hopefully.

"Hello love, I picked up an evil flail and now I got a strange burning. Like what I got from the two-assed woman, but meaner. You got any injections or tinctures I can take? I have a... preferred method of delivery," Butcher says. He offers her the lucky stones (from his ass) as a trade. 

"Hold on now, I don't have that much. I just need one item from one of you and I'll give you two and you can divide as you wish. Also I can't cure curses, I'm a doctor, not an exorcist."

Decide if you're giving the doctor the Rune, the Stones or the Potion

The Rune still seems too specific to be worth much, but if the Abbot would rather hang onto it, Ellen will offer the wisdom potion again.

I agree, hand her the rune

Give her the Rune, and I have first dibs on whatever healing item she produces. 

We might have to discuss that. I'm almost dead

Fair Trade

The Abbot gave the rune to the doctor who handed out a potion and apple in return before leaving.

Effervescent Evasion: Whenever you would lose HP, discard to lose none.

Partially Rotten Apple: Discard to restore 1 HP.

Divide (or use) your new items and pick who is leading next.

Since I'm pretty low on HP, I'd like to take the potion, If nobody strongly objects. 

Better drink it fast before it goes up somebody's ass.

Malk doesn't have any more room up his ass.

In fact nobody has any extra room for the rotten apple so it's a case of someone either eating it now (Most likely) or rearranging inventory and leaving something behind (Extremely unlikely)

He can take the potion and I'll eat the apple. 

I was half expecting a fresh batch of curses.

Going Down

The group continued on with the Butcher leading again despite the Fletcher briefly mentioning how they could easily just smash the plague doctor's head in together and take back what they just traded.

When he realized his comment wasn't received well, he quickly responded that it was "just a joke."

Eventually the group faced yet another potential challenge common to this place.

Watch your step...

While going down didn't seem like it would lead to an exit any quicker, they had already come this far and they certainly weren't going to back through the sewers and submerged rooms again.

The group proceeded very carefully down the crumbling stairs in an effort to not fall down them. Most of the group succeeded in this endeavor, but once again the Butcher perhaps distracted by the spirit constantly bothering him was unsuccessful in his attempts.

One of the steps gave way to the Butcher's foot and he fell to the next piece of crumbling stone under him. He probably would have continued falling had he not desperately managed to grab onto a more solid piece and lifted himself up. From that point, the Butcher managed to continue a safer decent to the bottom.

Butcher lost the Desperate trait

Butcher lost 1 HP

Pick who leads next

The apple fell out and rolled away :(

"Butcher has had a rough go these past couple rooms.  If you don't mind, I'll take a turn at the front and spare him a little.  Perhaps he can make peace with the voices in his head, like I did with the voices in mine." 
 

Abbot steps forward ready to lead the group.

Ellen scoffs, "Does all that self sacrificial bravery have anything to do with that potion you just got from a WITCH?"

"...er, that's fine with the rest of us actually. We promise we won't tell the bishop."

"Of course it does, I'm not actively trying to die, even if it is the most likely outcome.  However, the Butcher is the strongest of us and he almost fell to God knows where.  Realistically,  I am probably more expendable than him at the moment.  And while we argued about it for a while,  my voices convinced me that I should try this now."

"We appreciate your courage, Abbot," said the cowardly Fletcher.

Bloodhorn 4: Blind Beast Blues

The Abbot took the lead though this didn't exactly give the Butcher any rest considering he still had a spirit nagging at him, but it at least changed things up a bit.

It wasn't long before the group encountered another horror in this place, though something seemed to be a little different about this one since it didn't attack immediately.

Little known fact that the late great Minotaur BLOODHORN once sired a blind calf which he disowned years before his death. It can only be wondered what he might have thought to have seen it not only survive to adulthood, but apparently thrived.

The initial attempt was to sneak past the large creature which despite being blind looked extremely tough. This might have worked, if it weren't for the Butcher getting a particularly annoying comment by the spirit at that moment causing an outburst which then predictably caused a loud roar followed by an attack.

The group quickly tried to dispatch the beast, but it wasn't going to be that easy. The blind beast struck with frightening accuracy now that it had their scent. The damage it caused, made the Fletcher bow out of the fight completely, he thought about even running, but he was so beaten that all he could do is rest.

The Abbot downed his effervescent evasion potion and the Shepherd did likewise with her distilled wisdom to give her an edge on anticipating the creature's next move.

It was a hard battle, but the three active group members managed to put an end to another one of Bloodhorn's spawn.

Abbot lost Effervescent Evasion

Butcher lost 2 HP

Fletcher lost 1 HP

Shepherd lost Distilled Wisdom

Shepherd lost 1 HP

After the battle, the group noticed the bones of presumably less fortunate prisoner that had encountered the beast in its stomping grounds. Also found was the remnants of an old spear.

Splintered Spear: Two handed weapon. During combat whenever you hit, you also block.

Arrange your inventory how you see fit and pick who to lead next.

Butcher, smiling the smile of head trauma, takes the spear and nudges Abbott forward with it.  

I think I'm only carrying one thing? If not I'll drop the stones. 

You're carrying two things, the stones and liquid luck, but you'd be dropping both since the spear is two handed and is taking up two spaces.

The Abbot and Shepherd both have an inventory slot open if you're giving anything to anyone.

That's fine, I'll give one to each of them then. 

"I always heard the blind weren't human, but never thought to have it proved so painfully," Ellen complains, bandaging a scratch on her arm with a scrap of dirty minotaur hide and thinking this was some fine and dandy physicianing. "I heard one time that minotaur blood was a good cure for goiters too!"

Abbot picks up the liquid luck and glares at the Butcher, "No need to poke me with that thing, I've no problem continuing to lead."

Seemingly to himself he says, "No we can not shove that thing up where he keeps all his... yes, I know he looks like he would be tasty if cooked properly... stop it.. we've got to get along for now... I know.. so which direction should we go?... oh, oh yes... I do agree".

Abbot laughs and then leads the way.

 

 

 

Death Guard

After some equipment rearranging, the Abbot lead the way again towards a very faint light in the distance.

Wasn't long before the passage that they were traveling through had a noticeable foul stench. Granted this wasn't an unusual thing in this place given they walked through a literal sewer, but still one never gets quite used to the different types of foul stenches in this place.

Particularly when the said stench is attached to something moving and dangerous.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't some of the prisoners that escaped recently. Well I got something that's a lot harder to escape from than a prison cell. Grab 'em!"

These two guards are obviously infected with the PLAGUE. Fortunately their condition makes it so they can't move very fast, so you can choose to run.

Of course you can always fight them as normal.

Make your choice.

Despite the fact that it's a spear, Butcher is going to make the decision to bash the first guard over the skull with it. 

Abbot giggles, "yes, yes, yes... these need judgement... i know... I'm not planning on cooking them.... ok... we shall help then." Readying his cudgel for a fight, he positions himself slightly behind the butcher to stay out of the way of the flail.

Ellen took the replication stones after carefully wiping then off, noting that they didn't seem to have replicated any while the Butcher had them stored up there despite the ample space he seemed to possess.

She is actually disappointed he doesn't seem to know any circus tricks with the spear.

Anyway, hoping these stones help in combat given her companions keep dragging her into it. And that with the Abbot starting to say worrying things.

Ellen however, with neither the strength nor cunning for combat, and no desire to catch the plague, will spend this fight resting and tending her wounds. "Should've just run, " she'd complain. "Or what, are you two gonna punch the bad humours out of the air they're breathing on you?"

Abbot looks at Ellen, "Yes, running or resting would be smarter, but the only way we stand a chance is doing things together, hopefully luck is on our side."

To himself he says, "Oh... yes... stop it now I need to focus... Brilliant!".

Looking at the Fletcher Abbot says, "I see you hiding there.  Make yourself useful and cast one of those spells or I will hold you in front of me like a shield.  One way or the other, you get to participate."

Chuckling the Abbot continues to nobody in particular, "yes... I know hes a little scrawny... no, if we cook him properly Im sure he wont be too tough... heh, well hes got a chance now."

 

Well did he say what spell he was using? In the case of combat he can either cast revive or obliterate.

I am channeling Milton's spirit right now, and I strongly sense he wants to use obliterate on the guards.

Plagued

Seeing the Butcher and Abbot rush into battle with the diseased guards, the first thing the Shepherd did was step back and try to rest. She also hoped they'd take care of the guards since she wasn't eager to catch anything.

The Fletcher once again turned to his spell book believing that he understood it a little better than the last time he used it. He said the word with conviction attempting to destroy the guards before they could even do any damage.

Unfortunately he hadn't quite enunciated every word perfectly. Magic is a precise thing after all. The book exploded in his hands causing him to fall on the floor screaming with his bloody stumps. Seizing the advantage, one of the plague guards put the Fletcher out of his misery by stabbing him in the throat with a spear. His screams became gurgles and then nothing.

Meanwhile the Abbot and Butcher were having a bit of trouble of their own since while the guards were slower due to their diseased status, they also shrugged off anything that would have caused a normal human pain. The Butcher and Abbot both suffered injuries before the Shepherd had to step back in to assist.

After a bit more struggle the remainder of the group managed to bring down the guards, though it wasn't without a high cost.

Abbot lost Liquid Luck

Abbot lost 4 HP

Abbot has caught the PLAGUE! (Current level 2)

Butcher lost 4 HP

Butcher has caught the PLAGUE! (Current level 2)

Shepherd lost 2 HP

Shepherd has caught the PLAGUE! (Current level 1)

The Fletcher

Stabbed in the throat by plague guards

Survival Time: 10 Encounters

The group has also found a potion of Liquid Luck. Give it to whoever (Fortunately you all have the plague so there's no further risk of infection from it) and pick someone to lead the way.

Butcher spits out the last of his teeth and wobbles unsteadily. He tries to tell a tall tale, but it comes out as: "Mrhrhrrnr....." 

He leads the way into the next room. Also his dick falls off. Maybe it's just a chunk of rotted flesh, who knows. Probably not though. 

Well so much for our streak of good luck.

I'm not sure the potion can quite replace it...

Am I at 10hp though? That's not so bad.

Mute with horror, Ellen will stumble nauseated away from the Fletcher's gory corpse, and rapidly exit the room, accidentally doing the thing she'd tried to avoid all this time and leading the way.

Once her panic subsides, the nausea still lingers, as well as a flushed feeling of fever, and she realizes that time is running out for all of them.

Y'know you guys could have asked for a status check at anytime.

You currently have 6 HP though.

Butcher has 3 HP

Abbot has 1 HP

Oh, I thought I had healed up and then lost 2.

I mean in a perfect world yeah you could just sit back and heal the entire time. The problem is Butcher and Abbot were getting their asses kicked and without Fletcher to help it was just 2 dice being thrown and it wasn't really taking down the guards quick enough for them not to soak up any more damage before you'd be healed completely up and facing the guard all by yourself which would have certainly resulted in your death.

Each combat encounter has a number of pre-determined "chapter dice" in addition to an extra number of chapter dice rolled depending on the number of players. In this case 4.

So in this case, the plague guards had one wisdom symbol showing and the remaining chapter dice were to be rolled. (So there were 5 dice in total for this challenge)

All characters have 1 die specific to them. For example, the Malk is more likely to roll Might while the DB and you are more likely to roll wisdom (And Milton was more likely to roll cunning)

What you're trying to do is match the chapter dice to get rid of all the symbols. So the more dice being rolled the better. If someone's resting, well that's taking away more chances of defeating the enemy. Every round you don't clear all the enemy dice, they automatically hit everyone who hasn't blocked or wasn't resting (And you're only healing 1 HP per rest round)

Now what makes this even more difficult, is this game I'm using the new Death Dice instead of the regular chapter dice which makes clearing them a lot harder. Especially since there's 4. The regular chapter dice only have a single symbol on them. The Death Dice either have shields which require a double or two singles with the same symbol to clear them OR they have "split doubles" which means they have two different symbols on them and you need both to clear them (And this typically means you need at least two characters unless you got a character that has their own chance at rolling that exact split double)

I see.

.....so, after this very special episode of Dark Castle, anyone up for a do over?

Oooh, pick me! Pick me!

Me too! Me too! ^_^

After a moment Ellen realizes the others have not followed her, and backtracks awkwardly to see the Butcher hallfay down a different hall. Breaking into a jog to catch up to her gross, insane, very homosexual companions, who despite all their flaws were the only thing she had right n-- "Holy SHIT, whose dick did I just step on?"

Hey guys, I'm sorry for my recent online absence. I definitely would have used the obliterate spell, and possibly have burned myself and died anyway (lol). Life has been difficult on the other end for me recently, but that's no excuse for forgetting to participate. My bad. Still, thank you End for organizing this. It was neat to try this out with you all.

No worries, hope things settle down for you IRL.

So at this point are we all dead or mostly dead?

There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, with all dead there's usually only one thing you can do.

Mostly dead, except for Milton, he's all the way dead.

Anyway, I'm guessing you're taking the Liquid Luck since you're the only one who can carry it and nobody else said anything.

Looks like Mizal's leading.

Yes, I will take the luck, and follow Mizal.  She is the smart one, and ive been mostly dead all day.

Not Quite Human Centipede

The Shepherd lead the way as the group began to feel the effects of the plague. It was minor for now, but they really had to get out of here. If only they could bump into that doctor again.

The next area the group went through might have been gorier than what was left of the Fletcher. All sorts of bloody body parts were laying about. A lot of them looked like they were of animals, some human and others completely unknown.

The Butcher thought this might be a slaughter room at first since it certainly looked similar to places he'd worked at (Minus the human parts) However, it was soon apparent from the sudden movement in the body part pile that this might have been worse than a simple slaughter room.

"KILL MEEEEEEEE!"

The Shepherd didn't need to be asked twice and instantly hit the creature which didn't even flinch from its new wound.

The rest of the group followed the Shepherd's lead in trying to kill this hideous abomination. While the creature seemed to desire death, perhaps some sort of automatic instinct survival kicked in whatever brain it had and weakly struck back at the Shepherd.

Though that was the only resistance it put up as it was brutally put out of its misery. The Butcher started hacking it apart thinking that it might regenerate (Never know with things like these after all)

Shepherd lost 1 HP

Having dealt with the creature a quick look at the room and there were symbols drawn on the floor along with bloody surgical instruments and a table with some notes written out. The main thing that stood out though was a fairly sinister looking cup on that same table.

Ritual Chalice: Discard to perform the BLOOD RITUAL

Any number of players may choose to lose any amount of HP (Cutting themselves and draining their BLOOD into the cup obviously) and then the amount of HP lost is gained by the person who drinks the BLOOD.

Decide on what you're going to do and pick who leads next.

"If only we had found this room while the Fletcher still had all that blood inside his body," Ellen observes mournfully. Keeping her hand real close to a scalpel should any of these others get any ideas.

After considering the hopeless state of things a few moment, she grimaces and picks up the scalpel, drawing blood from her own arm and offering the cup to the Abbot. "I'm thinking the Church might disapprove, but who's telling, right?"

(Sacrificing 2 hp, should leave us all at 3 now.)

Abbot grabs the cup greedily,"OOoohh... this looks tasty... Yes, yes, yes...". He greedily gulps the mixture down and moans in ecstacy.

Looking at Ellen, "Thanks.  Ive been fading and I appreciate your sacrifice to help me out a bit.  I think I can make it now for a little while longer. I can follow whoever wants to lead now."

Abbots eyes lose focus, "Weeee... yes, that was nice... shhhhhhhh, I don't want them to know you guys are still here... no, I dont think that.... why yes...just be quiet... stop... please.... ok, we can do that later"

Ellen regrets everything.

"MMmrm.... mramrrmrm...., mrmrmra... ho ho ho," Butcher says. He's doing the finger-in-the-hole gesture with a meaningful expression on his face at the other two. 

He leads the way into the next room. 

"No, no, no crazy Butcher.  Nothing like that. Being locked up here We have missed eating tasty flesh.  Sure, We had some insects, and once we caught a rat in my cell, but no tasty flesh. Well, at least since that first cellmate they gave us.  He was rather nourishing. But nothing since then."

Slumming

The Butcher went back to leading the way with his annoying passenger still nagging him the entire time.

"You're a fucking idiot, you realize you could have just easily killed the other two, drained their blood in that cup and healed yourself? Instead you're dragging your dickless ass around like a dead man. Shit, if I didn't need you to get out of this place, I'd tell you to just end it all. Great, here's another asshole up ahead. This one looks like a buggerer of boys."

"Ugh, here, you can have something worth more than all your lives put together, just stay away from me. You lot look like you're rotting. You certainly smell like you are."

The nobleman will give you a single item and be on his way, unless you're intending on attacking him for more items.

Make your choice.

Butcher gives the man a congenial thumbs up and an exaggerated shushing gesture. 

"R'ward!" he sputters. 

Everyone here except maybe the Abbot is used to being looked on with disgust by the nobles, and he looks more like a crazed beggar in rags than a man of the church right now.

Ellen is therefore completely unphased by this and eagerly holds a hand out for a bribe, not knowing or caring what the man was doing here in the first place.

Abbot ignores the man and giggles and spins around like a helicopter even though he has no idea what one is. "Weeeeeeeeeeee... fun fun fun... yes.. fun and done..."

One Man's Trash...

The noble tosses an ornate looking rock at your feet and leaves. At first you think you've been mislead and pick it up in order throw it at the back of his head, but then you suddenly sense there is powerful magic within this rock.

The Living Stone: Upon death, discard the stone and roll the die to see how much HP is restored. (Note: Entirely possible for it not to work at all)

Going to have to drop something in order to carry it though. Arrange your inventory how you wish and pick who leads next.

Ellen drops the replication stone for this MUCH shiner one that, as far as she knows, has never been up anybody's ass.

(The Butcher can only carry the spear and she just gave her blood to the Abbot dang it.)

"Mrmrmrm.... mrmrmrmrmr.... rah!" says the Butcher. You understand this to mean "I'll lead the way -- forward, my stalwart companions!" 

Ellen considers that maybe she should be the one to take point while she holds this stone and is the least plague-ridden, but the Butcher makes a sound argument.

The Peasants are Revolting

The Butcher lead the group gaining more insults along the way.

"Oh wonderful, you're leading the way again to get killed quicker. How the hell did you even survive this long by being this shit all stupid? That's why you're mumbling with three teeth left and no dick. Oh look there's a massive amount of assholes up ahead this time. Sure, let's just walk right up to them! I'm sure they won't mean us any harm at all! Fucking dumb meatsack."

"See!? They all got it! And they probably got it by fucking bats! Kill the bat fuckers!"

Under other circumstances, this would have been an excellent time to question these peasants exactly how to get out of this place since they had to have come in from somewhere. Unfortunately they weren't in the mood to talk.

Besides being incredibly outnumbered, the worse thing was the group was separated from one another and had to face multiple opponents alone.

The Shepherd and Abbot took some lumps but prevailed, the Butcher even with curses and plagues afflicting him, he easily took down the remainder of the mob with no issues.

Abbot lost 1 HP

Shepherd lost 1 HP

The only item of note that was found among the bodies was a crude net. Fortunately they didn't get to use it.

Frayed Net: Two handed. Discard to prevent an enemy from attacking one round

Useful, but it would require discarding other equipment in place of it.

Do as you wish and pick who leads next turn.

Ellen bends over and pukes on a corpse, aiming for the mouth. "We could've worked together you know."

She'll wait for the Butcher to lead, noting he seems a bit more spritely even with his parts falling off.

Before leading the way, the Butcher finds the healthiest looking of the dead villagers and confiscates his dick and teeth. A good alchemist can graft those babies on later. You can guess where he's storing the body parts in the meantime. 

Just don't get them reversed.