Limbo Underside Log

[cancrymods]

LIMBO DUNGEON LOG

It's easy to lose track of time in Purgatory, but believe it or not, just over a month has passed since the initial wave of awakenings took place. There's been more since then, of course, with new Executors popping up left and right but other than that, things are mostly quiet. Until one day, you all wake up to find the fountain looks kind of... busted. Not broken precisely but something has impacted the bottom of the fountain from below, hard enough to jar it slightly out of place... and those of you who joined in the first jaunt down into Limbo's Underside can probably guess what was responsible. This seems to spook Rei. She spends most of the morning afterwards mulling this over before eventually speaking up to the group; "We can't put this off any longer... tomorrow, I think we need to go down there and fight." You have a day to prepare and ready yourselves... And then you descend into Limbo's Underside.

THE UNDERSIDE

Just as before, when Rei returns the sword to its place atop the fountain, the mechanism chugs to life and groans its way to the side, revealing the staircase underneath. Despite the battering it took, things seem to be working just fine. The steep staircase vanishes down into the darkness and as you follow it, it feels for a moment as though you're wandering blindly into the unknown... and then quite suddenly, before you're more than a few steps down the staircase, Limbo's Underside pops into view. While Limbo itself is mostly functional if a bit odd, the Underside is... a lot. The geography of the place is twisted and doubles back on itself in places and seems to warp in your vision as you observe it. From your bird's eye view as you descend the stairs, you can see that the general shape of the place mirrors that of the town above, with many of the same general landmarks. For example; The movie theater is offering a "late night fright fest" on all of its screens. If you're dumb brave enough to go and watch such a thing, you'll find that the description is accurate at least – all of the screens just show the attending Executors subjected to situations that play into their worst fears and anxieties. The coffee bar serves the same drink, no matter your order – a pitch black sludge that makes you feel violently ill when consumed. The pastries are fine, though. The hotel is even more maze-like than it was previously. Your hotel key won't work here. The windows won't break. The doors won't open. Wasn't the exit around this corner? What about the next? How many floors have you climbed again? How long have you been in here, anyway? The conbini is now a perfectly normal and functional convenience store. Somehow this is even more upsetting than having it become more weird. ... Among other oddities. You thought Limbo was already weird? That was baby shit. At least that horrible feeling of dizzy disorientation from last time doesn't seem to take hold again, but the ground is very much still moving around a bit. Mind your step! It goes without saying, of course, that the place is swimming with Revenants, too. No sight of the big punchy lad who had at you the first time around, but he's sure to be around. All you can do now is explore, investigate and do your duty as Executors. Good luck.

Comments

MANDATORY COMBAT ENCOUNTER: HENRICUS

[cancrymods]

A moderately dangerous Revnant, powerful enough to engage Executors solo, rather than needing a group. Wispy and airy, Henricus is a tricksy Revenant to face, as it will flitter around the battlefield at top speed to avoid any blow that it can. Fortunately for you, it isn't smart enough to just run away either, so all you have to do is bide your time...

Despite all appearances, Henricus' body appears to be made out of cold steel, or at least a material that greatly resembles it. Its limbs are sturdy and they'll hurt quite a bit if you manage to take a blow from them. Henricus does not tend to come within melee range much, however, preferring to keep its distance and attack the Executors with fire controlled by the large staff that it wields. When about to attack, it chatters very fast and very loud, though it's impossible to work out exactly what it's trying to say...

Henricus is about six feet tall and very fast and will prioritize trying to stay out of the Executors attacking range once it realizes it's under attack. Be patient, fight smart, and you'll figure it out.

Win conditions:


- At least 2 characters must show up to fight.
- At least 15 comments must be posted, over at least 2 threads.

[schardynfreude]

[Hm...no, don't like that. This thing seems to like to keep its distance and move about. Thankfully for His Majesty, he's got a weapon with frankly ridiculous range and the ability to warp to get the drop on this thing if need be.

It's strange to him how comfortable he feels in a fight, so perhaps...he's done something like this before? Still, if he's honest, he doesn't necessarily want a fight. But one's come for him anyway.]

Yoohoo! Over here! [The Revenant makes a chittering, chattering sound, readying up its staff. But His Majesty dodges with a Warp out of the way, closer, and a swing of his scythe as a counterattack.]

Does anyone else want to have a go at it? [That's his calm way of suggesting help would not go unwanted.]

[crypddyd]

On my way!

[Lion charges from the other side, flanking the creature and swinging his massive lance into its side as His Majesty has its staff busy with the scythe]

Keep up the pressure!

[schardynfreude]

[He doesn't manage to get the staff away from the damned thing as its fire spews and then sputters out, making some kind of sound at the duo of attacks. But a flanking maneuver is certainly a good start to outpacing it.]

Seems it wants to keep its distance! [Given the way it darts away from its attackers, that much is clear.] I can warp in closer again for a hit once it stays still long enough...

[crypddyd]

... perhaps I can try herding it to a specific spot so you can strike it? I am... lacking in ranged options.

[he's trying to focus but... something about the spewing flames seems to be... bothering him? Hm, it's fine]

[mementomoritz]

[She's chopping more air than... flesh? If it has any? Steel. Her scissors dart and snap, but even with their impressive length it's hard to get close enough in time.]

[And then something clicks. She remembers training, with Kingslayer.]

...throw me. [What.]

[crypddyd]

What.

[what]

[mementomoritz]

Judging by your enhanced physical strength, you're definitely capable of picking me up and tossing me at it. None of us have significant ranged attacks, and neither of us can move fast enough under our own power to help him flank it.

So throw me! [See? Perfectly logical.] I don't have projectile weapons, but I can be one.

[schardynfreude]

I won't be able to stitch you back together if you break any bones, remember!

[And yet, he's not saying absolutely not. He might be a dad incarnate, but these kids can choose their own destinies I GUESS.]

[crypddyd]

[Lion looks between the two helplessly. Then with a sigh, brandishes his lance, tilting it down so the flat blade head is even with the ground]

Stand here, it will be easier to control the launch with a lever.

[mementomoritz]

[She doesn't even wait for the explanation. She's already scrambled over the moment he says "stand here".]

Ready!

[crypddyd]

If you die again I will be very cross with you.

[Annnnd YEET.]

[mementomoritz]

I'll tr- [Nope, too late, there she goes. Yote midsentence.] AhahahaHAHAAA!

[Medic flies forward with her scissors open wide in front of her, and slams them shut just as she collides with the monster. They don't quite snip it in two, but instead sink deeply into the creature's "body", giving her a convenient anchor to hold onto as she stands on its' back and hauls on the scissors to try and steer it back towards her teammates, like the world's weirdest rodeo.]

Get ready- now!

[schardynfreude]

[By gods, it worked. Ardyn smiles in spite of himself and, with naught but a magenta afterimage, blinks across feet of space to a flanking side, brandishing his scythe of ridiculous size. It rushes through the air and into the Henricus, giving another angle to try and wrangle it from getting away.]

[crypddyd]

[Lion is much slower to follow, not having any faster movement options other than just running. But thanks to his strength he can actually run decently fast, if with little grace.

But thanks to the other two having it handled he's able to get close enough to launch his weapon with a bellow, the spearhead lodging itself deep in its side.

The Henricus starts to chatter again though, and Lion freezes, head tilting and a confused and tense expression on his face]

[mementomoritz]

[When the Henricus is downed, Medic adjusts her stance, grabs both handles of her scissors, and pulls them together with all her might.]

[Actually, it looks unsettlingly similar to Autumn activating her powers, just applied to the enemy.]

[SNIP.]

[Hopefully, it'll cut clean through, and neither half of this is getting up again.]

[crypddyd]

[Regardless of if it gets up again or not, it won't matter to Lion. Because as it falls apart it gives an inhuman scream, a few more wild bursts of fire fired from its staff that are harmless with how chaotic they are.

But once it starts screaming, Lion starts screaming too. His weapon disappears from the thing's side, likely returning to him, and he turns and bolts.]

[mementomoritz]

Huh? [At the sound of screaming, Medic turns around, ready to toss herself into another fight... only to see Lion running away.] Hey, wait-!

[She runs after him, but between the headstart and his much longer stride, she's not likely to catch up anytime soon.]

[In the back of her mind is a strangely familiar thought. Did I do something wrong?]

[pioailurophobia]

GYAAAAAAAAAAAAH! GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE BITCH! [Kingslayer roars as they chase the Revenant around, their massive sword cleaving through fireballs and ducking under swipes from the Henricus's metal claws. They casually swipe through a dumpster, a lamppost, and several other pieces of innocent set dressing as they pursue the Revenant, completely uncaring for the condition of their surroundings.

On the plus side, they're nimble enough and smart enough to not get injured by their foe's attacks so far. Less positively, Kingslayer is clearly making very little progress in actually fighting the Henricus, and it's going to wear them down eventually.

Maybe somebody should help them?]

[alcahest]

[ Mona gave up on chasing after Henricus as soon as it became obvious that it wasn't going to let anyone fight it at close range; she's no faster than any of the other Executors, and she doesn't have any abilities that would move her in close. she does have one power that seems to be perfectly suited for this enemy, but she can't make much use of it on her own. which means— ]

Kingslayer, wait...! [ she doubts that she can make herself sound assertive enough to actually stop Kingslayer, so she runs out to try and intercept their path of destruction. ] I can stop it from moving, but only for a few seconds... We should make sure we can hit it as hard as we can when it's stopped!

[ like ASK PEOPLE FOR HELP. ]

[pioailurophobia]

[Perhaps surprisingly, Kingslayer skids to a stop as soon as Cardia intercepts them, nodding along with her plan. Just because they're a dangerous, reckless idiot who'd rather rush straight into battle and beat an enemy to death with nothing but brute force doesn't mean Kingslayer is incapable of realizing something's beyond their abilities and their regular tactics aren't working. And when that happens... then they're more than willing to work with someone else.]

Gotcha. My Mana Burst only works for a few moments, but it gives me a damn huge power boost. With it active, I should have enough time to throw something big enough at it to get it distracted and land a few solid attacks once you've frozen it.

You ready to do this? [They don't wait for her response.] On my mark and I'll move!

[alcahest]

[ as soon as Kingslayer takes the lead, Mona falls in line. obedience seems to come naturally to her and she trusts, unquestioningly, that whoever's in charge knows best. Kingslayer doesn't wait for her response, and Mona doesn't even think to protest. however she's treated— is just fine.

though she does have to add: ]

Please be careful. [ she's not particularly scared for her own safety, she finds. but she doesn't want anyone else to be hurt. ] It'll be five minutes before I can freeze it again.

[pioailurophobia]

[Mona's concern for Kingslayer's safety seems to go in through one horn and out the other as they begin stretching, the ever-present red lightning crackling along their armor amping up to a full-blown storm as they count down.]

Three, two, one, [with Mana Burst now in full swing, they casually scoop up the lamppost they'd cut in twain with their sword,] ZERO! [and toss it at the Henricus like a javelin, completely taking it by surprise with an indirect hit, distracting it as they begin charging towards it like a bull.]

FREEZE IT NOW!

[alcahest]

[ as soon as she's told, Mona throws out a hand, and there is a click — the sound of gears locking into place. an overlay of transparent, glowing white clockwork appears around Henricus' base, cogs and hands stopped, struggling to move like they're jammed. it's a visual effect that communicates one thing: ]

It's stuck!

[ Henricus is startled to realise that it can't flee, rooted in place no matter how desperately it tries to move. its arms are still free, so it could attack. but in the time it takes to understand the situation, Kingslayer has more than enough of a window to make their move. ]

[pioailurophobia]

[As the Henricus flails, the street lamp nails the Revenant to the side of the building, piercing straight through its shoulder the pin it to the concrete.

It's followed shortly thereafter by a streak of steel and an ungodly yell.

Kingslayer's sword embeds itself in the Revenant's spine-heart, and the storm of red lightning blitzes after it, kicking the blade in further a half-second afterwards before taking it with both hands and tearing through the rest of the Revenant. Kingslayer's mana roars with crimson fury as they carve up the monster in a wrathful maelstrom until there's almost nothing left.

One last slice, they land past it-

And collapse to one knee, panting heavily as Mana Burst takes its toll.]