Mack

ID: 63111
BD: 9
MD: 7 (6+1 [Negative EVA])

STUNNED: Inner Demon #4: 12/167 (Base DMG: 117) (Mit: 13) [Screw Dimension: 4x3x14=168-13=155 DMG]
Mack: 189/222 (32/48 EN) (117-84=33 DMG)

As he had the previous time, Mack stood still and silently as he strained his senses to try and pick up on where the assault from the demonic beast might be coming from. As had happened the three previous times there was absolutely no indicator of where the demon might have been, until it struck him. This time, the beast hit considerably harder than its predecessors and there was a noticeable dip in Mack's Health bar, even as his hand shot out and latched around the invisible, but wriggling creature. With a roar, he slammed it into the ground and, even though he couldn't see it he knew right where it was as he pummeled the thing several times with Invictus.

OOC: Out of Combat, +1 EN, +6 HP

Alert: 1/3

Once again, the axe man found himself in what could only be described as 'nondescript' if one was feeling especially generous. The tunnel was, essentially, featureless. There weren't even any random accumulations of special mushrooms to pluck or tiny wildlife to examine and cross his path. Sighing, and muttering to himself about lazy game programmers, Mack kept his axe at the ready and moved at a steady clip through the hallway. He assumed that, since he had been found once, there was a strong likelihood that he had set off some kind of programmed alert which meant it would only be matter of time before he was discovered again by another group of bandits and had to fight his way out.

ID: 63110
BD: 1 (Miss)
MD: 3 (2+1 [Negative EVA])

Inner Demon #4: 167/167 (Base DMG: 117) (Mit: 13)
Mack: 222/222 (46/48 EN)

Seating on the unforgiving stone floor of the granite cavern with his legs crossed and storm cloud eyes closed, Mack murmured and unceasing string of made up and imaginary words. The gigantic red-headed man was doing his best to meditate, really he was, but this kind of activity just wasn't something that he engaged in all the time. Or, really, ever for that matter. Suddenly, there seemed to be a sharp decrease in the air pressure in the room. Opening his eyes, and wrapping his hands around Invictus, Mack rose to his feet and dropped into an easy combat ready stance. The creatures had, so far, grown progressively more difficult, so there was no reason to think that this final demon would be a pushover.

ID: 63109
BD: 9 (6+3) (Concentration: 1/5)
MD: 4 (2+1 ACC+1 Neg. EVA)
LD: 3 (No Loot)

Guard 2: 0/14 [DMG: 16, +1 Acc, +2 Eva, +20 Mitigation] (Ultimate Breaker: 3x1x13=39, 39-20=19, 19-14=-5)
Mack: 220/222 42/48 EN

With a roar, Mack continued to press his assault on the considerably outmatched guards in the small room. Charging into the remaining man, Mack wrapped a hand around the guard's throat and slammed him savagely backward against the wall. The man's eyes rolled for a second in his head as the axe man flung him on the ground and delivered a single vicious chop directly into the guard's chest. Unsurprisingly, the bandit exploded into a shower of blue pixels. Grunting in a satisfied sort of way, the towering soldier looked around and, spotting and exit to the room left and continued moving through the bandit caverns.

Three turns out of combat, full Energy

Unlike with the previous three rooms, Mack took his time with this one. Surely there had to be some kind of reward in this final room. No fantasy-themed role playing game ever had four subterranean rooms without at least one of them having something good to be found inside. It was a cardinal rule of these kinds of games. Slowly, the hulking man prowled around the perimeter of the room, probing with his fingers and booted feet as he searched for nooks and crannies that might hide a little col or a few crafting materials or, maybe, a powerful weapon, amulet, or piece of armor. After several minutes of searching failed to turn up anything, Mack snarled and flipped the wall the bird before moving to the center of the room and settling into a seated and cross-legged position.

OOC: Typical, when I want a high LD I can't get it, when I need a high LD I still can't get it.

ID: 63108
BD: 11 (8+3) (Concentration: 2/5)
MD: 6 (4+1 ACC+1 Neg. EVA)
LD: 16 (16 > 10, DETECTED SOLID SNAKE STYLE (!))

Guard 1: 0/14 [DMG: 16, +1 Acc, +2 Eva, +20 Mitigation] (Whirlwind: 2x1x17=34, 34-20=14, 14-14=0)
Guard 2: 14/14 [DMG: 16, +1 Acc, +2 Eva, +20 Mitigation] 
Mack: 220/222 45/48 EN (16-84=1x2 = 2 DMG)

After what seemed like a forever journey passing through the corridor, Mack finally noticed a spill of light up ahead. Moving a bit faster, and readying his axe the burly red-head went tearing out of the end of the passage and slammed into the first of the two guards so quickly that the spear wielder was reduced to pixels before he even knew what hit him. Only the fact that his compatriot had pointed and raised his own spear allowed the first guard to raise his own weapon in time. As a result, Mack literally impaled himself on both of the weapons, but he also eliminated one of the attackers at the same time, so it wasn't for nothing.

+1 EN out of combat

Silently, the shadowed figure led Mack deeper and deeper into the cave system while the burly blacksmith kept up his running strong of commentary about whether or not they were really on the classic game show Let's Make a Deal. "So, this is my last chance to make a deal, right," Mack asked as they came to a stop before the fourth, and final, of the stone doors. "I can keep all the nothing I have won so far, or I can go in this last little room and see what I win, right Monty," Mack asked, clapping the shadow figure on what he assumed was its shoulder again as he moved past the creature and into the granite room, the door closing and sealing behind him.

+1 EN out of combat
Stealth Check: 2/3

For several minutes Mack made his way through the subterranean lair of the bandits. The hallway he was in seemed to go on and on forever. Really, it didn't even seem to have all that m,any twists and turns in its layout. "This is just poor dungeon designing," Mack grumbled to himself, plodding down the corridor and becoming increasingly more noisy as he moved. This was supposed to have been a nice and easy quest, especially for someone at his level. There was definitely no way that this should have consumed as much time as it had already taken up. Mack had specifically allotted four hours to knock out this quest and earn the rewards and he had already blown straight past that time limit like it was sitting still.

+1 EN, +6 HP out of combat

"Well, Monty, it looks like we're almost done playing Let's Make a Deal," Mack rumbled, passing the shadow mob again and clapping it on the shoulder for a third time. Falling into step just behind the creature as it led him deeper into the cave system near the waterfall, Mack kept up his conversation. "I suppose you're keeping all of the really good stuff behind this last door, eh," he asked as the shadow led him up to the fourth, and final, door which was still closed. "Everything must be behind this one, right? New weapon, new gear, a war horse, and something I can use to get Takao and Seul to compose wonderful ballads about the great and mighty deeds I have performed in this place, right?"

"No, this would be a blast if we could find dungeons on the fourth floor, or if we were anywhere else other than this floor. Or the fifth floor. Or the sixth floor. I hate the heat and the humidity," the Vice Commander groused, crossing his arms over his chest as he fell into step immediately behind Seul. "I'll tank the beasts and I also lead the Knights of the Blood Oath, so if you're interested in joining us feel free to speak up. After all, there's strength in numbers," the Vice Commander continued as they passed through the gates of the town and out into the volcanic landscape. Drawing his axe, Mack held the weapon over one shoulder as they moved further out into the wildnerness.

+1 EN, +6 HP out of combat
Stealth Check: 1/3

Holding Invictus so that the axe rested against his right shoulder, Mack set off through the only door and down the only hallway that led away from the holding cell in which he had been imprisoned. No doubt this hideout would turn into some kind of maze at some point. But, in the mean time, since there was only one direction that he could travel in that made the entire ordeal considerably more simple. Moving as quietly as his heavy armor and significant size would allow, the ginger headed man moved along through the hideout, keeping his storm grey eyes peeled for any other bandits that might cross his path. Just because he was significantly stronger than they were didn't mean that he wanted to blunder blindly into an ambush.

ID: 63106
BD: 8
MD: 6 (5+1 [Negative EVA])

Inner Demon #3: 0/111 (Base DMG: 78) (Mit: 7) [Dynamic Violence: 4x3x13=156, 156-7=149 DMG)
Mack: 220/222 (26/48 EN, 39-2 EN [Miss]) (78-84=1 DMG)

Mack fell silent and began to listen for his assailant. Invisible or not, there had to be some kind of telltale noise that the thing made before it attacked. It couldn't possibly be both invisible and silent. When he felt another attack slam into his chest, the ginger giant's massive hand shot out and latched onto the thing. With a roar, he slammed it into the ground and then hammered on what was, for all intents and purposes, nothing over and over again with Invictus until there was a confetti-like explosion of blue pixels denoting that the creature had been defeated. Even as the stone doors were being opened behind him, the Vice Commander was turning and heading in that direction. Three down, one more to go.

ID: 63102
BD: 6 (3+3+1 Concentration) (Concentration: 5/5)
MD: 7 (5+1 ACC+1 Neg. EVA)

Guard 1: 0/14 [DMG: 16, +1 Acc, +2 Eva, +20 Mitigation] (Ultimate Breaker: 3x1x13=39, 39-20=19, 14-14=0)
Mack: 221/222 44/48 EN (16-84=1 DMG)

With deceptive speed, the remaining guard lunged forward. Mack, for his part, made no attempt to dodge. The ginger man had absolutely no fear of the bandit peons and, if he let himself get hit would provide a wonderful opening that he could exploit to eliminate the remaining guard. "Ow," the red-head remarked in a dry tone, his cape swirling around him as he moved in and delivered a series of quick and decisive blow with Invictus that reduced the guard to free-floating pixels. "Now, if I was the exit to a poorly designed bandit camp, where would I be," Mack asked, talking more to himself than to anyone else in particular.

ID: 63103
BD: 4 (Miss)
MD: 9 (8+1 [Negative EVA])

Inner Demon #3: 111/111 (Base DMG: 78) (Mit: 7)
Mack: 221/222 (37/48 EN, 39-2 EN [Miss]) (78-84=1 DMG)

Slowly Mack turned in a circle on the spot where he stood with his axe at the ready, Invictus held in a defensive position across his chest. He couldn't see the demon he was supposed to be fighting at all. "I suppose this means that my inner demon is the unknown or the unknowable," the soldier muttered to himself, coming to the realization as he continued looking for something that clearly couldn't be seen. Suddenly, the axe man flinched as a hammer liked blow rained down on his back from somewhere behind him. Whirling around, Mack looked for his assailant and swiped out with Invictus, but he missed cleanly once again and then glanced at his health gauge. It was down by exactly one point. "Well, if you can get me two hundred and twenty-one more times then you win."

ID: 63102
BD: 6 (3+3)
MD: 4 (2+1 ACC+1 Neg. EVA)

Guard 1: 14/14 [DMG: 16, +1 Acc, +2 Eva, +20 Mitigation]
Guard 2: 0/14 [DMG: 16, +1 Acc, +2 Eva, +20 Mitigation] (Whirlwind: 2x1x17=34, 34-20=14, 14-14=0)
Mack: 222/222 46/48 EN

Moving to the side of the doorway that led to the hallway that the guards were coming down like a thundering herd of cattle, Mack bided his time. When both of them had entered the room, the ginger giant launched a sneak attack from behind and quickly made short work of the second of the two guards. His compatriot whirled about and jabbed out with his spear, but Mack merely batted the spear head wide and away from him with the flat of the axe head as he circled and looked for another opening to attack the second of the two guards. It wouldn't be too much of a chore to eliminate them, just as he had suspected.

ID: 63101
BD: 4 (Miss)
MD: 3 (2+1 Negative EVA Score)(Miss)

Inner Demon #3: 111/111 (Base DMG: 78) (Mit: 7)
Mack: 222/222 (38/48 EN, 40-2 EN [Miss])

Moving into the smooth stone chamber, which looked suspiciously like the previous two chambers, Mack surveyed his surroundings with storm grey eyes and commented. "You know, Monty, if I didn't know any better I'd swear you were leading me in circles and I want my money back. Takao said this place had a map to the lost city of El Dorado," Mack groused as the doors to the chamber slid shut behind him. Seating himself once again Mack waited and closed his eyes and rambled on with a string of nonsense words until he felt the presence of the unknown demon. This time, though, both of them missed in their initial assaults on one another and when Mack opened his eyes there was nothing to be seen at all. "Interesting..."

Guards Arrive: 1/2

Standing outside the cell now, Mack could clearly hear the voices of his erstwhile jailers as they made their way back towards the cell to, no doubt, investigate the serious amount of noise that the Vice Commander had made in escaping from his imprisonment. Moving to a large crate near the cell, Mack began to root around and one by one he re-equipped his missing items and added things back to his inventory. Eying his two axes for a moment, he at last settled on Invictus before selecting to equip the Golden Axe Amulet in place of his standard equipment which was St. Michael's Fingers. Given the floor that he was on, he had serious doubts that these bandits would pose any kind of real threat to him. Instead it would be a much larger hassle to find his way back out of their hideout.

+1 EN, out of combat

Once again, the heavy stone doors of the small cavern that Mack had been led into whooshed open. It was a bit creepy how quietly the shadow guardian could open those doors. "You know, Monty, I fully understand that there aren't any cars in this world... but if you keep giving me empty rooms, I'm going to start thinking you don't like me," Mack rumbled, brushing past the shadow creature and clapping it on the shoulder again before stepping back and allowing it to lead him to yet a third door which, most likely, led to a stone chamber beyond. "So, do you have a war horse for me behind door number three," Mack asked, continuing his chatter as they headed for the opening of the third chamber.

4/4 - Gate Destroyed
0/2 - Guards Arrive

There was only one way to solve this. Mack was aware of the fact, now, that he could slam his shoulder into the gate enough times to break it down. That much was obvious. He was in the middle of a quest and so, logically, there had to be some way out of the predicament in which he found himself at the given moment. It was no longer a matter of if the gate could be broken down. It was, instead, a matter of when the gate would be broken down. That meant that what it really boiled down to was force. Brute force. Sheer, overwhelming firepower. Mack understood that concept quite well. Back up to the farthest he could get in his cell away from the gate, the ginger man growled and exploded into motion. At the same time he activated his charge skill. Slamming into the gate like a charging rhino, Mack easily plowed through it and into the room beyond. "Now, where's my gear?"

Thread Over:

+1 SP to Everyone
+400 Col (KoB Coffers)
+Planning Table Bonus

ID: 63098
BD: 6
MD: 5 (4+1 Negative EVA)(Miss)

Inner Demon #2: 0/74 (Base DMG: 52) {Crimson Blood: 3x2x17=102} (74-102=-28+5 Mit= -23 HP)
Mack: 222/222 (38/48 EN)

As the doors hissed shut behind him for the second time during this ordeal Mack spun on the spot a couple of times before drawing his axe and seating himself cross-legged on the ground. Closing his eyes, Mack began to quietly chant nonsensical words for a second time. It was really more like random made up magical words. Within a few moments, the desired effect took place, but this time as the unknown demon attacked Mack ducked his head to scratch at his nose and the attack went sailing over his head. With a nearly identical roar to earlier in the first room, Mack whipped Invictus around his body in a series of punishing attacks that reduced the demon to blue confetti before the axe man could even identify what it was supposed to have been.

ID: 63097
LD: 9 (Fail - Lock Jammed, unable to pick)
3/4 - Break Down Gate

Stepping back from having slammed into the gate for a second time, Mack considered the gate for a moment. Wrapping two massive hands around a pair of the sturdy wrought iron bars, he shook the gate and noted, with some satisfaction it must be said, that the hindrance was noticeably more loose on its hinges than it had been moments before. Shrugging his shoulders, he tapped the lock for a third time and to nobody's surprise it failed to unlock yet again. The only difference was now the lock said "Unable to Pick" when he tapped it. Stepping back from the locked gate and scowling, Mack flipped the gate the bird seconds before slamming his shoulder into it for a third time.

+1 EN, out of combat.

No sooner had the demon been dispatched than the stone doors that led to the small chamber whooshed open making considerably less noise than Mack would have imagined such large and imposing doors made of granite would make. Sheathing his axe at his back, Mack narrowed his eyes at the shadow guardian of this place and followed the creature back out the set of doors and down a short corridor to another set of doors. "That wasn't much of a prize, Monty. I think I'll trade it in for whatever you've got behind door number two here," the Vice Commander groused, clapping the shadow creature on the shoulder hard enough to produce a purple "Immortal Object" message to appear as he brushed past the monster and into the second room.

ID: 63096
LD: 6 (Fail)
2/4 - Break Down Gate

"Sturdier than I thought," the crimson headed Vice Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath grumbled to himself. Growing, he worked his shoulders in a few circles to loosen them up and then decided to try his luck at picking the lock again. Reaching out his right index finger, the burly axe man tapped the locked door again. For a second time, it steadfastly refused to open to allow him admittance to the wonderful world outside of the cell where he could see his gear waiting to be reequipped. Grumbling, the ginger warrior took a step back and slammed his shoulder into the wrought iron gate for a second time.

ID: 63095
BD: 7
MD: 10 (9+1 Negative EVA)

Inner Demon #1: 0/56 (Base DMG: 39) {Crimson Blood: 3x2x17=102} (56-102=-56+5 Mit= -51 HP)
Mack: 221/222 (42/48 EN) [40-84=1 DMG]

Slipping into the small stone chamber Mack examined his surroundings with storm grey eyes even as the shadow creature sealed him inside the room for the time being. "I doubt this room is air or water tight," the gigantic man grumbled, seating himself cross-legged on the ground and muttering several nonsensical words under his breath. Mack may have been many things, but a yogi was most assuredly not one of them. For several minutes he passed the time with his eyes closed doing his best impression of the meditation that was always seen on television. Finally, a figure coalesced in the room as an Inner Demon.

Of course, Mack missed this crucial moment and didn't realize he was under assault until the thing actually hit him, given that his eyes were closed. When he felt the impact of the demon's strike there was a savage roar and even as he was rising to his feet the axe was already in motion, passing several times through the unknown creature and reducing it to pixels before it could even be identified.