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It is said that the Netherrealm is infinite in size, with endless levels that stretch on for eternity. The uppermost level is one of fire and brimstone, with rivers of lava and mountains of ash-covered black rock. Chasms of red stone filled with dark water flow alongside spires of obsidian that rise from the murky depths, their spikes displaying the impaled corpses of forgotten and lost souls. It is a place of fire, ruin and despair, with a blood-red sky filled with clouds of smog fed by the pillars of smoke rising from active volcanic mountains.

Otiak has never been here before, and he finds himself unsettled by it greatly. He is thankful that he is not alone; Korbin, the birdfolk scout, and Jade, the edenian assassin and personal bodyguard of Princess Kitana, are here with him.

Korbin scans the fiery horizon with his one good eye. "I am never glad to return to this place," he mutters.

"Nor I," Jade agrees. "I was last here with Kitana and Mileena."

Otiak remembers watching them from Ryan's demiplane, but keeps that to himself.

"We would do well to find someplace to hide and plan our next move," Korbin suggests. "There is always danger on the open plains of oblivion, and we will not elude the attention of Shinnok forever."

"Good," Jade says, mostly to herself. "I would have words with the former Elder God."

>A) Search the surrounding area for a cave
>B) Head towards the nearby mountains
>C) Head down the trail towards the lava river
>D) Scan the horizon for anything interesting
>E) Other (Write-in)

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>Damashi is back

>>43739435
>E) Other (Write-in)
Ask Korbin which way. The trail is already cold as it is.

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>>43740067

Otiak looks over at Korbin. "Which way would you recommend?"

"Anywhere not in the direction of Shinnok's spire," he says, pointing towards it. Otiak turns and sees, far in the distance and partially obscured by clouds and red mist, a massive black spire that rises from the ground far into the skies of the Netherrealm. "But, it may be where we need to go. When last I saw the 'thing' it was when I was outside one of the cities not far from the spire."

"There are cities?" Otiak asks.

Jade nods. "Places of demons, devils, and worshippers of Shinnok," she says. "Souls that are sent to this realm, if they are dark enough, are often given a chance to live again if they pledge themselves to the Brotherhood of Shadow. They can be made into undead, wraiths, demonkin, all manner of things--their deeds in life often determine what they become when they end up here."

"And I'm guessing that the closer we get to that spire, the more dangerous it gets," Otiak surmises.

Korbin nods. "Correct. Shinnok is building an army of darkness. I believe he intends to march on a mortal realm, though I know not which."

>A) Head towards the spire
>B) Head towards one of the cities
>C) Search along the roads and trails leading towards the spire
>D) Find somewhere to hide while you come up with another plan
>E) Other

>>43740184
>>B) Head towards one of the cities
Let's trust our bird man

>>43740184
>B) Head towards one of the cities

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>>43740184
>army of darkness

this thread is going places

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>>43740222
>>43740246

Looking at his companions, a raven scout and a beautiful assassin, and with him being a sneaky and sorcerous saurian, he decides that infiltrating one of the cities should prove no large challenge. "The nearest city, then," he says to them.

As they walk, carefully sticking to the more hidden paths along the terrain, Otiak slowly becomes aware of a subtle effect. At first he felt the despair of this place on a purely mental level, but as they continue, he begins to feel slightly physically drained.

As he stumbles, Korbin places a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know," the saurian says, shaking his head. "I feel... strange..."

Jade suddenly speaks. "You said you are a sorcerer, correct?"

"Yes," he nods.

"Of course... the Netherrealm has something of a latant effect on those who wield magic... it drains them. I have only read about this."

Otiak feels somewhat panicked all of a sudden. "Will it kill me?"

"No," she shakes her head. "But it will weaken you. There are places of protection, erected by magic users of the realm, shadow priests and so forth--the cities are protected, I remember this. Quan Chi's fortress and other places of concentrated sorcerous power serve as "beacons" for sorcerers travelling in the wastelands."

"We should hurry to the city, then," Korbin says, helping Otiak along.

Jade scouts ahead, making sure the path is clear. Otiak feels the draining effects of the Netherrealm the further they travel, making him tired, sluggish and weak. Soon, his arm is around Korbin's neck and the raven is helping him walk.

They eventually come to a ridge overlooking a nearby city. As they lay low upon the stone and look down, they can see three primary entrances.

>A) The main gate, guarded by Brotherhood of Shadow warriors
>B) The city has a side gate, leading to a port over a river of souls
>C) The sewers, constantly churning out a small stream of blood

>>43740676
>>B) The city has a side gate, leading to a port over a river of souls

>>43740676
>B) The city has a side gate, leading to a port over a river of souls
so much for magic helping us along the way i guess

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>>43740687
>>43740736

Nodding towards the port, Otiak's two companions nod and help him down the ledge. They make their way towards the port, skulking alongside the river.

Otiak looks into the water and can see the souls of the damned streaming by in an endless flow. Two rivers meet at the port--one of fire and lava, and one of black water. They run side-by-side for a short time before they branch off, and the port stretches over both and extends into the city.

As they near it, they can see dock workers unloading crates from a large ship. Otiak is reminded of legends of ghost ships, for this vessel hardly looks seaworthy, yet it sits upon the river of lava as though it were water.

The dockworkers are an ugly, unruly lot, kept in line by being whipped and prodded with spears. They are burly figures with dull faces and blank expressions, strong of arm but clearly weak of mind. From behind a group of crates, the three of them watch the ghost ship unload its cargo for the city.

>A) Investigate the ship
>B) Search for a way into the city without being noticed
>C) Attempt to incite a worker's riot amongst the dockhands
>D) Approach the guards and attempt to negotiate your way into the city
>E) Other

>>43741343
>B) Search for a way into the city without being noticed
We are have a predatore-tier camo, and in the presence of a top noch scout and an assassin. Let's live with that

>>43741409
Ditto

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>>43741409
>>43741629

Concentrating, Otiak shifts himself into a transparent state, cloaking himself from sight. It is straining, but as it is not a magical ability, but rather one granted from his natural physiology, it is not too difficult to manage.

Jade and Korbin both slip into the shadows, and Otiak prepares to make it through the gate.

>Roll 1d100+25 to see how successful he is in infiltrating the city!

Rolled 28 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>43741932
Not successful at all!

Rolled 61 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>43741932

>>43741973
Is that really the right attitude?

>>43742059
Yes, Yes it is.

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>>43741973

As he approaches the guards, the weakness gathered from his time out in the wastes causes him to stumble and accidentally knock over one of the crates. One of the guards turns his head in Otiak's direction and looks closely, but at that moment, one of the ship slave drivers, thinking it to be the fault of one of his men, strikes his underling with a multi-flanged barbed whip and berates him for knocking over the crate. The guard shrugs and turns to look back at the boat, allowing Otiak to slip inside, unnoticed.

Once inside the city proper, he feels some of his strength returning to him. Jade's word was correct--the city is protected from the draining effect of the open hellish wastes. He disguises himself in a dark green cloak and prepares to search the city for his allies, who have undoubtedly found their own way into the city.

As he walks the streets, he takes care not to disturb anyone or bring attention upon himself. The people who reside here are a macabre lot, sometimes openly displaying corpses or heads of their enemies upon their homes, painting their walls in blood or burning bodies in large firepits. There seem to be no friends in a place like this, and as he passes by an alley, he notices a man who had recently been stabbed to death lying in a puddle of fresh blood. He looks up and sees a winged demon resembling a gargoyle perched upon a roof. It shrieks and takes to the skies to join a flock of its kin.

>A) Search for your allies
>B) Head to the town center
>C) Seek out the Church of Shinnok
>D) Observe the locals and listen to conversations
>E) Head to the Slaughterhouse
>F) Search for the sewers
>G) Head to the Market
>H) Other

>>43742301
>>G) Head to the Market
We should totally buy stuff here, it's safe.

>>43742301
>>A) Search for your allies

>>43742301
>A) Search for your allies
We either need to take a look at the location Korbin mentioned, or start to gather gossip

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>>43742340
>>43742378
>>43742591

Otiak notices groups of people and caravans heading into what seems to be a market area. It seems as though a kind of bazar, in which things are bought, sold and traded in more of a haggling and bartering system. He observes a an area set aside for a kind of netherrealm dogfighting ring in which two-headed dogs fight each other for a small crowd of people placing bets.

He searches through the crowds for Korbin and Jade, but does not find them. As he walks past a row of cages and shelves containing skulls, someone whispers to him.

"Psst. Hey. You."

He turns, but sees no one. Then, he looks up into one of the cages and sees a skull staring down at him with hollow eyes. It opens its mouth and speaks by zome amazing means, perhaps magical, for it lacks all of the usual things needed to make words, like lips and a voice box.

"Hey, you! Yes, you! I need a hand. Well, more like a body, but that's not the point. I need help."

>A) Talk to the skull
>B) Ignore it and move on
>C) Leave the market
>D) Place a bet on a twoberus dogfight
>E) Look for whoever owns the skull to ask them what its deal is
>F) Other

>>43743056
>A) Talk to the skull
Listening doesn't hurt, tough be on the lookout.
"Befriending" a "local" might be useful

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>>43743056
>>A) Talk to the skull
Ask what his name is, if it's Morte buy him right there.

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>>43743131
>>43743170

Otiak narrows his eyes and approached the caged skull. "Alright, I'll bite. Who are you?"

"Look, you ever had a bad day? A kind of day where things just never ended up right and went all wrong? Well, I had a few of those in a row, and now I'm here, being sold as a novelty. A novelty! This is a nightmare. 'Oh, come and see the talking skull!' But I should count myself lucky that I didn't end up in this place's circus--now THAT place is a nightmare!"

Otiak holds up a hand to silence the verbose skull. "Who were you in life?"

"In life? Is that some kind of joke? I've always been dead! Or at least dead long enough to not know who I was if I was ever alive, anyway. So it doesn't matter."

"What do you call yourself?"

"Never had a name, never needed one, but if you buy me, I'll be whoever the hell you want me to be, buddy! Just get me out of this cage!"

"And where is the rest of your body, exactly?"

"Well, I'd like to know that, too, but step one is actually getting out of this birdcage. Ideally step two would be 'find the rest of me.'"

>A) Find the shop owner
>B) Ask him how he ended up in the cage
>C) Ask him what kind of help he could be to you
>D) Ask him what he knows about the Netherrealm
>E) Other

>>43743435
>C)
He's probably a scumbag, but just in case let's think about this.
This makes me wonder what Netherrealm is like with Liu and Kitana in charge.

>>43743435
>>C) Ask him what kind of help he could be to you

>>43743435
>C) Ask him what kind of help he could be to you
We ain't no afterlife charity. Expecially not without any money

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>>43743584
>>43743626
>>43743641

"If I buy you, what help will you be to me?"

"I know my way around! I've been in the Netherrealm all my not-life, which is a long time, trust me. I know places! Secret passages and paths! I also have friends in high places."

"Not high enough to buy you out of a store, apparently."

"Okay, maybe not 'friends' exactly, but I know people! Telsiolos, the captain of the guard! Or Shugor, he runs the slaughterhouse! I know Captain Artin, he has a boat!"

"And how well do they know you, exactly?"

"Well, okay, you got me on that one, they wouldn't consider me a friend by any stretch, but I know about them. I can help you find your way around! And hey, if we happen to find my body lying around, that'd be nice too."

>A) Agree to help him
>B) Decline his offer and leave
>C) Talk to the shopkeep and ask him about the skull
>D) Other

>>43743835
Being paragon is suffering

>>43743835
>>43743887
>A) Agree to help him

Forgot my vote

>>43743835
>>A) Agree to help him
He's a talking skull in hell, that has never gone bad ever!
He better be the Comic Relief, Damashi.

>>43743835
>A) Agree to help him
We got nothing to pay with do we? We ain't selling our soul for the skull surely?

>>43743887
I think a little shoplifting is acceptable, no?

>>43743927
>Turns out it's the Entity screwing with us

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>>43743907
>>43743927
>>43743929

Otiak sighs. "Alright, you've convinced me. How much do you cost?"

"How much have you got?"

"Nothing at all."

"Well that's just great, meatbag! How do you expect to buy me with nothing to trade?! Man, I knew I should've stopped trying to get the attention of every single bum that walks by, but nobody rich ever listens!"

"I'm no bum," Otiak replies. "And if you want my help, you'd best start giving me some ideas on how to get you."

"Well, the shopkeep has the key to my cage. You could steal it from him. Killing him is optional, and slightly preferred if I'm being strictly honest, but I won't judge if you're a softy. If you're not feeling particularly pickpockety or murder-happy, then you'd best scrounge up some koins my friend. Sapphire, jade, gold, onyx, ruby, it don't matter--but the guy who runs this place likes platinum the most. You could steal them or earn them somehow."

Otiak crosses his arms and thinks.

>A) Steal the key
>B) Murder the shopkeep
>C) Knock out the shopkeep, take the key
>D) Find a way to earn some koins
>E) Other

>>43744136
>A) Steal the key
I can imagine Kaito having to steal from time to time to make end's meet, during his wanderer years. Plus, murder is for amateurs.

>>43744136
>A) Steal the key

>>43744136
>>A) Steal the key

Before we steal the key, ask the skull which is the best escape route in case we need to leg it.

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>>43744376

"Well, I didn't come here to kill anyone, certainly not a guy who collects heads in cages."

"Not the way I would do it, but I'm not in much of a position to argue with my best chance for freedom."

"Before this goes down, if things go wrong, which is the best way out of here?"

"If I had a finger I would point to the shop behind you. It's a front. Guy sells weapons that his old man forges, but his real profit comes from smuggling artifacts from Earthrealm."

Otiak turns around to see the weapons vendor; he seems a normal, if gruff, man and his wall is lined with axes and swords. "Artifacts from Earthrealm? You mean like works of art?"

"Hell no! What does a dead soul that ends up in this city need art for? I'm talking cigarettes, booze, you know, the pleasures of mortal life!"

Otiak pauses and waits for the skull to continue. The skull then says, "I know you can't see me wink, but I'm winking at you right now. He runs a brothel. Guys who used to smoke, drink and get down and dirty like to come here to try and recapture that ol' spark of life they used to feel when they walked the mortal realm. You know, nostalgia for mortal vices and such."

"So he smuggles in women?"

"Well, not exaclty against their will. Hey, whores need a place in hell too, right? Point is, there's a tunnel under his home in the brothel that leads back to the docks. If worse comes to worse, grab me and get me out of here."

"How do you know about this brothel, exactly?"

"I know a lot of things, fleshy, and I've boned a lot of people. Let's just leave it at that."

>A) Try to pickpocket the storekeep
>B) Use Fog of Confusion and lift it from him
>C) Attempt to teleport after lifting the key
>D) Distract the man somehow and grab it then
>E) Other

>>43744584
>>B) Use Fog of Confusion and lift it from him

>>43744584
>>B) Use Fog of Confusion and lift it from him
We need to get a Frog, so we can throw it at people and call it "Frog of Confusion."

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>>43744666
No frogs for you, Satan.
>>43744652

Otiak moves inside the store and looks around. The man who runs it is a bit thin, bordering on wiry. He looks up at Otiak and gives him a smile; more than a few teeth are golden replacements.

"How can I help you, sir?"

He notices the key hanging from the man's belt. "I'm wondering if you could show me something along one of these shelves."

"Certainly, right this way," he says. As he steps up, Otiak summons a Fog of Confusion that the man steps right into. Immediately he is dazed and confused; Otiak trips him and catches him in one motion, simultaneously lifting the key from his belt.

"Careful," he says to the man. "Are you alright?"

The man shakes his head until his senses return. "What was I doing?"

"I was just leaving," Otiak says with a smile. He slips out the front entrance and makes his way over to the skull. "Alright, let's go before he realizes what is going on."

"I can already taste my freedom! Not figuratively, you understand."

With a flick of his wrist, Otiak turns the key and opens the cage, grabbing the skull and shoving him into his robe's sleeve, despite muffled protests from within.

>A) Leave the markets
>B) Search the markets some more
>C) Go to the brothel
>D) Other

>>43744584
>B
And
>C

>>43745226
>B) Search the markets some more

>>43745226
>B) Search the markets some more

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>>43745255
>>43745550
>>43745631

The markets of this settlement go on for some ways, and are a tangled mess of stalls, wagons and shops, sometimes packed tightly together. Open taverns of people drinking, flocks of imps stealing from stalls, Brotherhood guards patrolling the streets, but no sign of Otiak's allies.

After searching the markets and coming up with little results in the way of his friends, Otiak bows into a darker alley and takes out the skull. "Your robes smell. Have you washed them lately?"

"You don't have a nose," Otiak deadpans. "How would one go about getting into the brothel?"

"Easy. Walk up to the man and tell him that you're interested in his 'special equipment.' He'll let you into the basement. Why? Interested in some fun?"

"Not exactly," he says. "But it seems like a place I could start gathering info in."

"By the way, how about some introductions on your end, huh?"

"My name is K--Otiak," he says, almost letting his real name slip out. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"A name."

"You said your name was Kotiak."

"Not my name, your name! And it's just Otiak."

"I don't have one, Kotiak."

Otiak sighs. "Well, you'll need one."

>Suggest a name for our new companion!

>>43745669
Cornelius. Cornelius the skull.

>>43745669
Muerte.

>>43745669
Yorick

>>43745669
Agent Scully

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>>43745776

>>43745669
Morte

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>>43745698
>>43745708
>>43745756
>>43745776
>>43745852

"Well, a few good ones spring to mind. I'll settle on my decision later. I need some time to think about it." There will be a poll later featuring all suggested names.

Otiak puts away the skull and approaches the weapons vendor, asking to see his special equipment. The man nods and opens a trap door, and Otiak climbs down through the hatch.

The brothel is dark, musty and is part cantina and part theater. The current patrons are invested in the show, and as he enters the room, he can see why.

Jade is on the stage, dancing. To the captivating eyes of all, she spins around her bo staff and displays her assets with all the skill and grace of a master acrobat, sensually moving her hips in sway to the beating of a drummer in the corner. Her green eyes sparkle as she winks at an audience member, whose mouth is agape. Even the bartender cannot serve drinks with such a display going on. Otiak notices some of the other girls in the establishment who work here looking on in jealously.

The dark-skinned edenian beauty stabs her staff into the floor and leaps up high, spinning around it as she sinks towards the floor, throwing one leg up high as her emerald sashes twirl behind her. As she reaches the floor, she faces the audience and giggles as she flexibly raises a leg high above her head.

The men cheer and hollar, throwing koins onto the stage. Some of them draw near as Jade crawls towards the edge of the stage to whisper into their ears. That's when Otiak learns her game--he can see that she is asking them questions, getting information, playing them right into her hands.

Well, the assassin certainly knows how to use all of the weapons in her arsenal, that's for sure.

>A) Stay and watch the show
>B) Take out the skull and let him watch
>C) Search through the crowd and listen to conversations
>D) Try to get Jade's attention
>E) Talk to the bartender
>F) Talk to the other girls
>G) Other

>>43746143
>C) Search through the crowd and listen to conversations

>>43746143
>F) Talk to the other girls
time for the lizard charm.

>>43746143
>A) Stay and watch the show
>D) Try to get Jade's attention

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>>43746143

A

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>>43746183
>>43746247

Though Jade puts on a good show, Otiak knows that he should try to get her attention. The crowd around the stage is thick, but he is able to slip through the distracted patrons to the stage's edge.

As she slinks back to her staff, she makes eye contact with him briefly, and there is a subtle shift in her eyes, from the sparkling and flirtatious look she is giving the others to one of serious business, which tells him that she has the situation well in hand. She darts her eyes to the right and Otiak looks and manages to spy Korbin in a dark corner; he didn't notice the raven man when he first entered the room, speaking much of his own skills in stealth.

As Otiak slips out of the crowd, he approaches Korbin. Jade picks someone out from the crowd and takes him to the back. "She's good at fooling these witless Netherrealmers," he says. "The one she just took to the back; she thinks he knows something. She'll get information out of him."

"I bet," Otiak says. "Something tells me she can be very persuasive."

"Especially once she gets him alone and holds a blade up to his neck," Korbin smirks. "Where were you?"

"Browsing the markets. How'd you two get in here?"

"We found a tunnel from the docks that led here. The dancing was her idea, to get info."

"Clever girl," Otiak says. He hears a slight muffling from his robe's sleeve.

"What's that?" Korbin asks.

>A) Show him the skull
>B) Nothing; let's follow Jade
>C) See if there's anyone else you can interrogate in the room
>D) Talk to some of the girls who work here
>E) Other

>>43746564
>A) Show him the skull

>>43746564
>A) Show him the skull
He CLAIMS to be an informant who knows his way around the Netherrealm.

>>43746564
>A
I made a friend

>>43746564
>Show him the skull
>Maybe talk to some of the other girls that work here.
Who knows, always good to pick up local chatter.
Might point us in the right direction.

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>>43746592
>>43746625
>>43747258
>>43747268

Otiak takes out the skull. "I picked him up in a shop in the market. Says he's an informant and knows his way around."

The skull doesn't move or say anything, leading Korbin to give Otiak a strange look.

He narrows his eyes and shakes the skull a bit. "Come on, speak up. Hey! Talk!"

A few of the other patrons look over and Korbin nudges Otiak, who places the unnusually silent skull back in his robes.

"You sure you're not imagining things?" the raven asks.

Otiak decides he'll investigate the matter later, when he is once more alone with the skull.

>A) Follow Jade into the back
>B) Talk to the Bartender
>C) Talk to some of the girls who work here
>D) Ask Korbin what he thinks your next move should be
>E) Other

>>43747328
>D) Ask Korbin what he thinks your next move should be

>>43747328
>C) Talk to some of the girls who work here

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>>43747369
>>43747422

Otiak puts aside thoughts regarding the skull and turns his attention back to Korbin. "What's your next move?"

"If Jade gets a lead, I'll follow her. But someone else here might know a thing or two. The angle we're looking for is anyone who has seen or heard of anything unnusual, anything distinctly unlike the usual things you find in the Netherrealm. Madness helps; despite appearances, few people in the Brotherhood of Shadow are actually insane, but something that would make them go crazy just from looking at it--that's the kind of lead we need."

"She's on the right trail by asking a guard, but let's consider something else," Otiak suggests. "Rather than talk to one single guard, let's talk to someone who must talk to a lot of the guards."

"Who, the bartender?"

Otiak points at one of the dancing girls. She's lovely in her own right, and as she dances, she uses a minor amount of prestidigitation to summon flames.

"What's your plan for getting her attention?"

>A) Ask her for a private dance
>B) Ask one of the other girls to speak to her for you
>C) Ask Korbin for some money
>D) Other

>>43747992
>A) Ask her for a private dance

>>43747992
>C then maybe A
That or we spring it on him after the private dance.
"What, don't look at me like that, you were right here."

>>43747992
>C)
Then
>A)
We broke son.

>>43747992
Hey dick. Why aren't you on skype? D&D needs you.

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What is it with Mortal Kombat girls - Edenians in particular - and high heels?

>>43748729
Maybe due to being from a different realm the construction is sturdier?
Maybe Edenians aren't bugged by trying to run in them or whatever.
Maybe in the case of the girls they use the reduced surface areas to increase strike force from kicks.

Maybe the game designers just like the look

>>43748729
Sindel has killed two people with her's. I feel like that legitimizes the choice a bit.

>>43748729
I reckon they're magic heels that girls don't have to worry about falling or hurting like all hell.

>>43748803
When I said "Edenians aren't bugged by them" what I should've said is:
"Maybe there's enough difference in physiological construction that we don't see that the difference between high heels and not are fairly trivial. Like in bone shape, ligaments or whatnot"

>>43748729
They're kung fu strippers. What did you expect, sensible flats?

>>43749011
Yes. Also Trilbies

>>43748721

Shit. I'm still on leave, tell Freeman that I'm sorry I keep forgetting to get back on Skype for the sessions. Unless you are Freeman, in which case, I'm sorry. I'll be back soon.

>>43749409
Also, tell them I said Hi!

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>>43748063
>>43748125
>>43748714

Otiak leans over to Korbin. "Hey, I need some money."

The raven cocks a brow upwards. "Really? You?"

"I'll pay you back later. I just need enough for a dance."

The raven rolls his eye and fishes a bag out from his belt that jingles with koins. "Here you go. Don't worry about paying me back; consider this a gift."

"Thanks, friend," Otiak says politely as he accepts the money. "Because you trust me, right?"

"Because I think it might be amusing if your disguise fails in the middle of the dance," he says with a chuckle. Otiak can almost swear he hears the skull laughing too, but when he looks, the skull is silent.

He approaches the dancing girl and prepares to lay on his best lizard charm. Several minutes and one less bag of koins later, he's in a private room with her as she prepares to dance for him.

>What do you ask her?

>>43749842
You're very lovely. get much business down here in the Netherrealm?
>into
Who do you normally, uh, "service?"
>into
Anything they've been talking about lately?

>>43749842
I don't know why did we thought that getting info about an eldritch abomination from a stripper is a viable strategy, but try not to touch her. We might be able to masqurade ourselves human, but I bet our skin still feels lizardy

>>43750342
She may not have seen anything, but her clients may have, so pumping (kek) her for info would be tantamount to asking her clientele. Besides, it was Korbin's idea.

>>43750386
Well, even if she knows nothing useful, I think Kaito have earned the right for some fun, after all the crap he went trough.
He should do it more often.

>>43749842
Oh I know; ask "jokingly" if there are many "tortured" (not in the literal sense) souls seeking cure with her charms, implying if there have been any people who were setressed by in the same way as Korbin was

>>43750440
>I helped save the world about three times
>I stopped Shao Kahn, redeemed Mileena, uncovered who knows how many secret legends, and hobnobbed with royalty
>I deserve to bang at least SOMETHING

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>>43749878

Otiak sits down in the darkened room as the lovely woman prepares her dance. "Did you die recently?" she asks.

"I'm just passing through, not passed on," Otiak replies with a smile.

"Not often that I get live ones," she remarks.

"Well, you're very lovely. Get much business from the dead?"

"My best customers," she says as she sways her hips and splays out her fingers in front of her eyes.

"I bet you hear all sorts of things," Otiak says slyly. "I bet those guards get real loose tongues around you."

"Loose tongues, loose lips, loose everything," she replies.

She moves in close, but Otiak shies away from her, not wanting her to feel his skin and divine his true identity. She seems to not mind; she probably gets a lot of grabby guests, so perhaps that's why she's eager to talk when he asks his next question.

"I bet a lot of people come to you for help. It must be stressful to work in a place like hell. Might even drive a man crazy."

"I get my fair share of sleezebags, lazy guards and tortured souls, but no crazies," she says. "They don't like them here. They send them off to the Prison of Souls to scream at the walls."

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>>43750599

"All insane people end up there?"

"The lord of the realm doens't like people who can't contribute to his cause," she says. "Anyone who can't fight or help are jailed there."

He listens closely. Anyone who saw the entity would likely have gone mad from it--earning them a place in the prison, if her word is true.

"Heard of anyone recently who got sent there?" he asks.

"I knew a sweet young man who was in the Brotherhood," she says. "He never liked being in the Netherrealm much. One night he confessed to me that he got here because he accidentally shot his lover's father in the heart before he was killed; he would have been tortured but he chose service in the Brotherhood. Only a few weeks ago I heard he went raving mad and tore out his own eyes. Since he was no good to anyone anymore, he was sent off to the prison. Now he's the problem of the Keepers."

>A) Try to get more info out of her
>B) Excuse yourself from her and get to Korbin and Jade
>C) Enjoy the rest of the dance
>D) Other

>>43750617
>>C) Enjoy the rest of the dance
Then after we find korbin and jade

>>43750617
>C) Enjoy the rest of the dance
Now we have a hard objective: get to the Prison of Souls.

>>43750617
>C) Enjoy the rest of the dance
Ask about the Keepers. We are passing trough, it's okay to be curious

Alright, I'll be up early in the morning so we can continue.

>>43750807
Asking questions like that will tip off that we're heading for the Prison, so someone might squeal on us.

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Sonya bump

You know that I think about it, if we ever get our ship back and puruse the privateer's life, knowing that Earthrealm goods have a demand in the Netherrealm could come really handy.

>>43752476
We would be the best smuggler, hands down

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>>43750674
>>43750713
>>43750807

Otiak lays back and enjoys the rest of his dance. The girl is very lovely, after all. In the end, he leaves the room and finds Korbin and Jade waiting for him.

"Enjoying the local entertainment?" Jade asks with a raised brow.

"Enjoying being the local entertainment?" Otiak counters with a witty smile.

"I got some info we might want to look into," she says, "what about you?"

"Same. But with less sexy poledancing skills."

"The man I led into the other room is dead, you know. Or perhaps you'd like a private dance as well, since you're so fond of them?" Jade has a nasty habit of turning from flirty to deadly on a dime.

Otiak holds up a hand. "No thanks, I'd rather keep things professional. What'd you learn?"

"The guard told me that there's a man in the slaughterhouse who may know what we are looking for. Not what it is, but where it went."

"How would he know?" Korbin asks.

"He may work in the slaughterhouse, but his real profession is buying and selling secrets. I think I've made enough money to buy some off of him."

"I've got a lead in the Prison of Souls," Otiak says. "A man who clawed his own eyes out."

He looks at Korbin, who knows what that could mean. The raven man nods. "But which first?"

>A) Go to the Slaughterhouse
>B) Go to the Prison of Souls
>C) Other

>>43754690
Well, if we go to the Slaughterhouse first or the Prison first, we'll still have to try to beat the information back either way. But in this case it may well be better to try the Slaughterhouse first.
Might well help us narrow down who we're looking for in the Prison, or what we should expect once there.

>>43754855
>>43754690
On the other hand, that means we'll have to worry about our information broker leaking information to parties we don't want to know about our involvement.
So the Prison might be "easier" to start with after a fashion.
Thoughts?

>>43754690
>>A) Go to the Slaughterhouse
Lets start small, breaking into Shinnok's prison of souls could earn is a lot of the wrong kind of attention. Let's hit the information broker first, and then scout out the prison if we still need info

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>>43754855
>>43754896
>>43755006

"Let's head to the slaughterhouse. Get as much info as we can before we break into a prison."

They seem to agree and the three of them make their way out of the brothel without drawing much attention to themselves. Once on the surface, they head to the slaughterhouse, a massive facility of wood, stone and metal, covered in skull symbols and spikes, some of which feature impaled bodies.

"This place loves its spikes," Otiak mutters.

"How is your strength?" Jade asks.

"Good. I feel like I've spent enough time here in the city to get it all back."

"We'll need a way inside that building," Korbin says.

Otiak reaches into his robes and takes out the skull. "Excuse me one moment," he tells his friends as he ducks into an alleyway. Once out of sight, he talks to it. "Hey, you. Talk. I know you can. Why didn't you speak up down there?"

The skull animates and opens its mouth. "I'm cursed. I can only talk when I am alone with someone."

"Wait, seriously?"

"No, I just hate bird people."

"The hell, skull?"

"Alright, alright, the truth. How am I supposed to know who I can trust? You just took me out and bam, somebody I don't know, and you're telling me to talk."

"Anyone I trust enough to show you off to is someone you can trust to talk in front of, for one."

"Maybe, but I'm still not sure I can trust you too."

"But I bought you."

"And?"

Otiak sighs.

>A) Ask him if he knows this information broker in the slaughterhouse
>B) Ask him if he knows a way into the slaughterhouse
>C) Tell him to be more trusting if you're going to work together
>D) Other

>>43755190
>Fucking everything
"First off, you said it your self, I'm the best chance you got. And I'm not too prone to screwing people over. Anyway, you know anything about this guy? Or a way in that doesn't involve us getting murderized?"
"Also, for a second there I seriously thought I was going daft and contemplating just ditching you in a desert. I mean, random animate skull talks to me, doesn't in front of other people...it's not a threat or anything, I was just worried this place was getting to me. Don't do that."

>>43755190
>>A) Ask him if he knows this information broker in the slaughterhouse
Also Explain to him that allright we are in the Neherrealm, he can be distrustful, it's fine, it's fine.
But we are on a very imporant personal business here, and until it's resolved, we are running a thight ship here
He can be useful, or he can be abandoned in a ditch, that's completely up to him, we'll just adapt to the situation. He just has to know this; we never boke a promis in our life, and helping him to his body or A body isn't beyond us.

>>43755190
A or B would be nice. Hate to walk blindly in and get wrecked for our trouble. Also our skeltal needs to have a attitude change

>>43755521
Not to mention that we have to justify why stealing a talking skull was the very first thing we did in literal hell.
It's wicked cool on it's own I know, but we have to show some preacticality.

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>>43755335
>>43755425
>>43755521
>>43755562

"Next time just say so. I know we're in the Netherrealm and this place can mess with people, so instead of making me feel daft, just talk. If you want my help, I need your help. That's how trust and teams and yadda yadda. Alright?"

"Fine, fine, I got it."

"Good. Now tell me about this slaughterhouse."

"It's not a very happy place. They kill people and animals alike to feed and produce blood. And I mean lots and lots and lots of blood, man, like rivers of it. I don't even know what they need all that blood for but they use it for something. Anyway, it's got a bit of a reputation for hiring only the most surly and disreputable workers willing to get their hands really dirty and don't ask anything. That's where our guy comes in: his name is Goreman, appropriately enough, and he deals in secrets. But he's protective; in order to get to him, you'll need something of value."

"So, koins?"

"Well, he doesn't deal exactly with currency. He trades secrets, right? So if you want to learn something, you've got to give him something. So, got any good and juicy secrets?"

"Maybe. But can't we also just beat him up?"

"Maybe."

>Should we plan on giving him a secret, or should we plan on getting info another way?

>>43755815
Well I guess it really depends what we want to know from him. We don't want to depart with any valuabe secret if he has little to nothing to offer

>>43755815
I got it!
Shao Kahn's Ex-General; Reiko sometimes used to sneak into his master's room, and wear his helmet

>>43755815
I'm fine for secrets, just depends on what he considers of value.
Maybe a "Rain aided Noob Saibot in rescuing Quan Chi" would get us something? Or...hm...depends really.
Maybe we just whip him up one side of the slaughterhouse and down the other.

>>43755895
>>43755910
>>43755918
Secrets work for me

>>43755945
>>43755918
I think at first we should ask him if he has anything about [Insert Subject here] and trade only if he does.
Maybe open up with a lesser secret for that info and proceed if it's affirmative.

>>43755977
If he gets uppity we can just mind magic him.

>>43755910
>>43755918
The secrets mentioned here sound pretty groovy. Let's try to get info from him the normal route before resorting to violence, as that could make a lot of waves. Also I wonder if Meat is chilling somewhere in all of the blood

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"Alright, I guess secrets it is. I'll keep you hidden until I need you again."

"Yeah, just shove me back in your sleeve to rattle around in there, I have a real blast."

Otiak ignores the sarcasm from the skull and places him back in his robes, out of sight. He steps out and catches up with Jade and Korbin. "What's the word?" he asks them.

"Front entrance has guards," Jade says. "Big ones. They seem weak-minded, though. I might be able to get us past them."

"High windows, but not high enough to make climbing in impossible," Korbin says.

"Think there might be another way inside?"

Jade looks at some of the large pipes leading away from the slaughterhouse. "Those bloody sewers might be a way in, if you don't mind getting a bit wet with red."

>A) Front door
>B) Look for a back door
>C) Windows
>D) Sewers
>E) Other

>>43756246
>>A) Front door
we can just magic them with our mind fog

>>43756246
>A) Front door
Might as well. We'll probably exit trough the sewers, and go for the Prison afterwards.

>>43756246
>A) Front door

>>43756246
Sewers could do but might send the wrong message.
Or the right one, who knows.
I'm fine with the >Front Door
Though

>>43756246
D) lets do the sewers, getting covered in blood could help us blend in, as every thing else will be

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>>43756341
>>43756527
>>43756531
>>43756539

The guards at the front are large, dull-witted brutes. They move to block their path, but Otiak's use of Fog of Confusion causes them to slump into each other in a sleepy haze as the three of them slip by.

The main floor of the slaughterhouse is a large industrial complex of moving chains carrying bodies of meat on hooks towards large vats. One end of the room is a massive spinning death trap of whirling spikes and sawblades. There's a loud slamming noise from a giant meat grinder that bodies are thrown into and then crushed by. The workers toil unceasingly, slogging through blood and entrails, scooping up discarded body parts and throwing them into the grinder straight from the floor. Nearby, a continuous stream of blood pours from the ceiling into a hole in the ground.

"This place seems very safe," Otiak says. "Where should we start looking?"

>A) Talk to some of the workers
>B) Search the upper levels of the slaughterhouse
>C) Search the main floor
>D) Search the basement level
>E) Try and find the owner of the slaughterhouse
>F) Other

>>43756722
>F) Other
Ask Jade who this contact is so we have a vague idea where to start.

>>43756722
This>>43756753

>>43756722
>>B) Search the upper levels of the slaughterhouse
If this guy is a overseer, he might be in some of the higher levels

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>>43756753
>>43756790

Otiak looks over at Jade. "So, what's this guy's name?"

"Goreman," she replies.

'Well, at least I know the skull is right about his sources,' he thinks to himself. "Do we know where he works?"

"The guard who I got to talk spoke of something new coming to the slaughterhouse, something they were very excited about. Apparently, this Goreman paid a lot to secure it. That's how I learned about him."

"He must've traded some big secrets to get something physical in nature," Otiak says. "Maybe we should go see what it is."

The three of them follow Jade's instructions and come to the lower level of the slaughterhouse, where Goreman's work floor can be found. There, as they draw nearer, they begin to hear screams. The tormented wailing seems to be coming from a dungeon below the slaughterhouse, escaping through bars in the floor.

The stairs leading down to Goreman's work floor are guarded by Brotherhood warriors--not dull-witted brutes. They have similar facial markings that Otiak saw on Reiko and his brother Gozen.

Another series of screams comes from below. This time, however, now that they are closer to the source, Otiak can't help but feel that they sound somewhat familiar...

>A) Approach the guards and ask for a meeting with Goreman, say you have secrets to trade
>B) Use your teleport to get into the dungeon
>C) Attempt to distract the guards and sneak past
>D) Attack the guards
>E) Other

>>43757449
>B) Use your teleport to get into the dungeon
I just don't know if we should use the Enhanced version, and bring the others, or do this one solo. (since we can escape more easily alone if we have to)

>>43757449
>>C) Attempt to distract the guards and sneak past
Can we summon a larger version of our serpent?

>>43757449
>C) Attempt to distract the guards and sneak past

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>>43757528
>>43757651

With a nod towards the others, Otiak conjures a large green snake with his magic. The magical beast, wide enough to swallow a man, sweeps past both guards and knocks them to their backs with its tail. They get up and chase after it, allowing the three of them to dash down the stairs onto the work floor.

This dungeon is mostly barren and dark, with pools of discarded blood and guts in small collections on the stone floor. It is certainly part of the slaughterhouse, as there are small conveyor belts and drains for blood and bodyparts, but the center of this dungeon is what truly catches Otiak's eyes.

At its heart is a man impaled on several hooked chains to keep him in place. He has no skin, but his body constantly dripping fresh blood into a collection pan. Three workers with saws and knives are sawing and cutting off chunks of flesh from him, usually parts off of his chest and legs. It makes him scream in pain. They wait a few minutes and in that time, the flesh grows back. They take the cuts and place them on the conveyor belt to be sorted by another group of workers further down the line.

"What is that thing?" Jade asks.

Otiak knows who he is.

It's Meat.

>A) Try and find Goreman
>B) Observe the workers more
>C) Immediately attack the workers to free Meat
>D) Other

>>43757893
>A) Try and find Goreman
We'll free Meat later, once we inevitably make a ruckus and try to bail.

>>43757893
>A) Try and find Goreman
I had a hunch. Now we'll have to kill everyone. But business first.

>>43757893
>>A) Try and find Goreman

Gotta take a break for a drive. Be back in two hours or so.

>>43757893
>>A) Try and find Goreman
We owe the Meat-man one. He came to save our ass against Goro.
But first we need to get what we came here to get. Rescues second.

>>43758748
I second this, we will try and get meat on the way out, after we talk with goreman

>Quiet like
"He always looks like that. Minus the chunks he's down. Looks like leaving just got a little more complicated for me though."

Bump

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bump

Took longer than I thought. Update coming in a bit.

bump

Bumping the bump

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>>43763841
>Update coming in a bit.
>a bit

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>>43765237
>waiting for op

Sorry for that. I got held up with real life friends. I'm on a different computer so no pictures for the moment.

>>43757929
>>43757982
>>43758748

"We need to find Goreman. A few answers will help."

"You've found him," a voice comes form the side. A wirey man walks up, with two gruff guards with crossed arms and thick brows standing behind him. "And I don't believe we have an appointment."

The man, covered in black ink tattoos, waits for Otiak's response. Clearly he came into possession of Meat recently, but from where and who, or possibly who?

>A) Ask him about Meat
>B) Tell him you're interested in trading secrets
>C) Attack Goreman and his crew; beat answers out of him
>D) Other

>>43766100
>>B) Tell him you're interested in trading secrets

>>43766100
>>B) Tell him you're interested in trading secrets
Try and bargain with him. It's better if he just thinks we are another netherealmer. I believe the secrets we had thought of were rain helping Quan chi and Reiko wore Shau Kahn's helmet

>>43766100
>A) Ask him about Meat

>>43766100
>B)
Then leading into
>A)

>>43766185
>>43766325

As more workers of the slaughterhouse gather around them, Otiak looks Goreman in the eyes as Korbin and Jade cover his back. "I'm interested in trading secrets," he tells the tattooed man. "I hear you're the man to go to for them."

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not," Goreman says. "Depends on who's asking and who's telling. If you've got something interesting for me, we could always talk about it somewhere more privately."

>>43766365
>>43766527

Otiak looks over as they cut off another chunk of Meat. "And what's that, exactly?" he asks, feigning ignorance of the skinless experiment.

"Nothing more than meat on the menu," the man says with a smile. "Now, if you'll come right this way."

He waves his hand to a nearby door. "You and you alone," he says, pointing to Otiak. "We'll talk business."

>A) Go with him
>B) Insist on bringing your companions
>C) Refuse; talk to him out here on the work floor
>D) Attack them
>E) Other

>>43766642
>A) Go with him

>>43766642
>>A) Go with him
We'll have to save Meat when we're done

>>43766642
>A) Go with him

>>43766642
>>A) Go with him

>>43766642
>A) Go with him

>>43766642
>A) Go with him
I like this guy, pretty professional.
We'll most likely have to drown him in his own blood, but still...

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Otiak nods at the other two to keep on their guard, and follows Goreman into the room. His guards wait outside.

Goreman's personal chamber is more like a trophy room, with skulls and archaic weapons and displays of other brutish and barbaric might. Perhaps he finds it intimidating, but in a place like this, it's likely common. Plus, Otiak has faced down the likes of Shao Kahn; it takes more than a few torture devices and skulls to intimidate him.

"So, what brings you to my neighborhood?" Goreman asks with a wide smile. "You don't seem the kind of man who comes around here often."

"Looking for information," Otiak replies as Goreman walks behind an old desk and sits.

"I don't sell secrets for free," he says. "To get, you need to give."

>What do you want to reveal to him? And how much? What exactly do you want to gain in return?

>>43767320
What do we want to learn again? Let's remember that whatever we tell or ask him can probably bought by another later.
We could ask about the Prison, but if we kick up a ruckus to save Meat, he'll know where did we go, and can make things pretty difficult.

>>43767320
Prince Rain and Baroness(?) Tanya conspire against the Edenian throne.
>In exchange
What do you know of the "abberation" sighted here in the Netherrealm?

>>43767387
Supposedly, Goreman knows about the abberation we're looking for.

>>43767410
First confirm that he knows of the aberration before we actually give the info for more details. Otherwise, we'd be dipping into secrets for nothing.

>>43767410
If the thread is leery about dipping into Edenian politics, mention instead that Onaga has his eyes on the realms and may be making a move soon.

>>43767410
Do we actually know about that, or Kaito only followed the actions of his friends? Plus if Shinnok plans to attack Edania, maybe telling him where to find co-conspirators isn't the best thing.

>>43767320
Ask if he knows about something that was spotted in the Netherrealm, around the city in the last month or so. Something that is horrid, but obviously isn't from here, and a person acquainted that's with such thing.
Offer Reiko's secret.

>>43767474
Kaito knows about EVERYTHING going on. Everything that was revealed in the interlude quests are things Kaito - that is, Otiak - knows of.

>>43767468
Wait, maybe we should mention that a duo of Shang Tsung took interest in acquiring the Army of the Dragon King. Perhaps the Netherrealm armies will take them as a threat, and go after them instead

>>43767496
im cool with this

>>43767496
The secret has to be credible. All we know for sure is that Onaga is planning to make a move and that two of his agents - Khameleon and Chameleon - are scouting the realms. We don't have to mention the two 'meleons, but "Onaga is planning a comeback tour" might be enough.

For those unfamiliar with MK, how real a threat is Onaga, in the grand scheme of things? What's his goal?

>>43767547
he wants what shou kahn whats all the realms in his control he comes very fucking close to archiving this also shou kahn was his general before he betrayed onaga

>>43767547
I'm not too familliar either, all I know that he was Shao Kahn's boss, and he had to poison him to get rid of him. Also he has a laaargre undead army laying dormant somewhere.

>>43767618

Think of it like this: Shao Kahn is a badass, right?

He didn't take out Onaga in a one-on-one fight. He POISONED him. He knew he couldn't fuck with the Dragon King.

So we're using the "Onaga is coming" secret, right?

>>43768159
I'm rather with the Shang Tsung Duo secret

>>43768207
If a dude in the Netherrealm finds out there are two Shang Tsungs, then that means someone's catching on to the aberration's hijinks. That's a little touchy.

>>43768228
Well an entire birthday party have seen that there are two Shangs attacking, but we can say that "Shang Tsung wants the dragon army". Which is technically true

>>43768252
Technically?

>>43768467
We use a singular form of Shang Tsung instead of plural. Meaning Shang Tsung wants the Army of the Dragon King, not mentioning that there are two of them.

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Otiak leans over the desk. "The sorcerer Shang Tsung is returned and is seeking the power of the Dragon King's army. He attacked the Edenian royal family and nearly killed Liu Kang. Onaga, the Dragon King, is planning on returning. He has agents throughout the realms preparing for him."

Goreman nods as he listens closely. "Interesting. Alright, I know some people who would be interested in hearing this. Now what do you want to know?"

"Where'd you get your new source of meat?"

Goreman smiles. "Bought him off of a wandering circus. They had him as an act; kept screaming about how he is Meat. I heard about him and paid off the right people to secure him. He's great; believe it or not, that's prime edenian meat we're chopping off of him."

Otiak's eyes narrow. "Edenian?"

Goreman smiles. "It's a delicacy. They say that eating the edenians is like tasting the flesh of the gods; it's rumored to give a man strength. Don't know if it's true or not, but we can sell it for nearly three times as much and the hordes of hell will eat it up. Literally, hehehe."

Meat is edenian... perhaps a failed clone of an edenian? What did Shang Tsung intend of him?

"They used to be hard to come by," Goreman says. "Edenians, I mean. You know, if you don't want that one you're hanging around with..."

"She's not on the menu," Otiak interrupts him. "Now then, I'm interested in learning something more."

"Not yet," he says. "One secret for another. What else have you got up your sleeves?"

>What next?

>>43768601
We spent the Onaga secret on Meat.
Huh.

New secret:
>Ever since the fall of Shao Khan, Raiden's been rather itchy and standoffish. He's being more aggressive in his pursuits. It's possible he might try something soon.

>>43768601
Ask if he knows about something that was spotted in the Netherrealm, around the city in the last month or so. Something that is horrid, but obviously isn't from here, and a person acquainted that's with such thing.
Offer Reiko's secret.

>>43768662
I am as disappointed as you are

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"How about this: Reiko sneaks into Shao Kahn's chambers and wears his helmet at night."

Goreman scoffs. "I bought that off an Outworlder he killed once for learning that very same secret. I need something more substantial than that."

Otiak thinks. "Alright. There are words being spread that the god Raiden is not himself. He is growing more aggressive and dangerous. It's possible he might try something soon."

Goreman nods. "Hmmm... This could be valuable information to the right people. Now what do you want in return?"

"I'm looking for something that cannot be explained; something that was seen here in the Netherrealm not too long ago. It made a man go crazy just from seeing it."

Goreman leans in close. "I know this thing you speak of," he says. "It's not natural, and I mean it's not Netherrealm-natural. It's from somewhere else."

"What is it? Who else knows about it?"

"Not many. But I recently came to some info about a group that made contact with something similar to what we're talking about not too long ago. Seek out a clan, the Black Dragon. They're in Outworld at the moment."

"The Black Dragon? What do they have to do with this?"

"I'll say no more for now," Goreman replies. "Unless you got something else good."

>A) Enough info for now
>B) Feed him another secret
>C) Ask about Meat and his freedom
>D) Attack him
>E) Other

>>43768763
>C) Ask about Meat and his freedom
We got what we came for. Time for the bonus objective.

>>43768763
>E) Other
Tell him we got something very good. Motion him to lean closer, then bash his head in the desk, drag him out, slam into the ground (so he can't pull anything behind his desk), and tell him we can offer him his un-life.
If he doesn't budge we'll have to beat everyone and cut him for meat.

>>43769660
You are a credit to the team Bumpanon

>>43768763
We can do this >>43768839

But with magic. Make him confused about who we are

>>43770875
>yfw he thinks we are Shinnok himself

>>43770875
>>43771022

You know maybe we could combine the fog with our natural disguise, and took up the form of, if not Shinnok, but Noob Saibot

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>>43768839
>>43770875

Otiak nods and releases a very subtle Fog od Confusion. "I have something more," he says, leaning in close. "Something earth-shaking."

Goreman blinks a few times as the fog overwhelms him, causing him to lean forward into grabbing distance. "Yeah?"

Otiak motions for him to lean closer, and in his confusion, he does. The saurian reaches out and grabs him by the head, slamming him onto the desk. He then grabs him by the shoulders and drags him out so that nothing is within his reach.

"I've got your life in my hands," he says to the butchering broker. "Now either free Meat or die again."

Goreman spits up at Otiak's face. "I've got friends--you won't get away! I've got friends! Powerful friends!"

He then whistles sharply and the door is kicked in by one of the guards, who runs in with an axe. Outside, the other butchers move to attack Korbin and Jade.

Otiak smiles. "Time to trade punches instead of secrets."

>1d100 and an action!
>Note that we do have all three enhanced moves; enough time has passed since the enhanced summon serpent.

Rolled 91 (1d100)

>>43771568
"Are they powerful enough to stop me from doing this with you?!"
Spit him in the eye with acid, then throw him into the coming guards

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>>43771618

"I have powerful friends!"

"There are no friends in the Netherrealm, Goreman."

Otiak leans back and opens his mouth, dropping his disguise and spitting scid directly into the man's eyes. The poison blinds him almost immediately and the saurian lifts him up and throws him into the oncoming guard.

Otiak runs forward and kicks them both to the ground, making his way back out onto the work floor. Jade enlongates her staff and smacks two workers as Korbin throws a knife into the neck of a third before using his powerful legs to leap high up. He flips and turns around, grabbing hold of the bars running across the ceiling of the dungeon, holding himself in place upside-down. He throws two more knives, taking out two more guards.

Two of them rush towards Otiak with large meat cleavers.

>1d100 and an action!

Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>43771683
force ball into one followed by a serpent to stop the other

Rolled 29 (1d100)

>>43771683
Grab one by the leg with our tounge, and trip him. The go forth with a Rolling Snake Kick

Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>43771683
Teleport and knock them into each other with a forceball. Or goreman.

Rolled 28 (1d100)

>>43771683
Use our tongue strike as a whip to hit both of them in the face

File: oh no.gif (1.55 MB, 330x312)

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>>43771728
>>43771754
>>43771886
>>43771910
Damnit! I used up all our good rools for a spit and a throw

>>43771959
well life is like a circle it all comes around eventually
both the good and the bad

>>43771683
Shoot a force ball in between the guards and try to hit both with the explosion

Rolled 63 (1d100)

>>43772029
forgot dice

>>43771728
>>43771754
>>43771886
>>43771910

Otiak attempts to use his tongue as a weapon to trip them up, but one brings down a cleaver and nearly chops the tongue in two. He retracts it before it can be cut, allowing another worker to tackle him from the side. Otiak is brought down to the ground as the other two make it up and prepare to chop into him.

>1d100 and an action!

>>43772042

Sorry, a bit late.

Rolled 3 (1d100)

>>43772116
teleport behind them then python snap the nearest one

Rolled 42 (1d100)

>>43772116
dodge a slash, catching a kinfe-jolding hand, breaking the wrist and taking the weapon

>>43772143
thats it i quit rolling

>>43772167
Fret not anon. A good roll comes with feeling, when cicumstances are the most dire, or the potential for awesomeness reaches it's zenith!
Take a break, then carry on!

Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>43772116
Teleport above, land on one and acid puke right on him.

>>43772143
>>43772166

Otiak attempts to teleport away, but ends up taking a cleaver to the gut. He winces in pain as the man takes the cleaver out and prepares to chop into him again. Otiak reaches up and catches the wrist of the cleaver-wielder, and with a snap, he breaks his wrist, causing the man to drop the cleaver.

Otiak kicks another in the face and pull the third off of him, getting up to his feet. Jade throws her bladed boomerang into one of them, chopping off his arm. Nearby, Goreman is crawling away towards the sewer grating, his eyes bleeding from the poison acid.

>1d100 and an action!

Rolled 50 (1d100)

>>43772595
Tounge wrap around his neck and dragging him back, and leaping at him. Pin his hand to the ground with the knife if you have to.
Try not to concentrate on the taste

Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>43772595
Stop that guy this instant. Tongue his leg and drag him back.
Maybe use him as a hostage? Also wreck an arm or three like ya do with joint tension.

Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>43772595
Dash over and Python snap his eyes or what's left of them

>>43772668
>>43772685

Otiak opens his mouth and his tongue shoots out several yards, wrapping around Goreman's neck. He drags him back across the ground towards him before leaping on his back and pinning him to the ground, holding his claws to the blind man's neck. Nearby, Korbin and Jade finish off the rest of them. One of them nearly escapes, but Jade pole-vault kicks him in the back and stabs him in the spine with her bladed boomerang.

Otiak holds up Goreman as the man begs for his life.

>A) Free Meat immediately
>B) Demand information
>C) Kill him
>D) Release him under warning
>E) Other

>>43772981
>B) Demand information
What do the Black Dragons know.

>>43772981
A+B

>>43773079
>>43772981
>>43773025
Sorry meant to also say "yes" to this.
All depends how much his life is worth to him I guess

>>43772981
We're going to kill him anyway right? If he really has powerful allies he'll be back here. If not then meh.
At least it'd put one more step between him and ratting us out.
But maybe his silence can best be bought through intimidation.
We're obviously also bizarrely connected.
We'll know if he says anything.

>>43773182
I say after we extort whatever info we need from him, we turn to the others and say loud enough, that we should report this to the master in Chaos realm. Then be on our way to the Prison of Souls, or the Black Dragons in Outworld. Just have the Brotherhood of Shadow chase false leads.

Or we could butcher him. I'm fine with either.

>>43773260
As long as we say it loud enough for him to hear it'll get around as long as we don't kill him. Just say it to the other two. Maybe he catches on, maybe he doesn't.

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>>43773025
>>43773079
>>43773106
>>43773260
>>43773361

"First thing's first: Meat goes free if you want to live."

"Take him, take him!" the man says.

Otiak nods at Jade and Korbin, who seem uncertain, but go about the (admittedly messy) work of getting the skinless experiment down from the hooks.

"Next up, tell me what the Black Dragon knows. Now. Or else you die."

"They... they have a plan to enter the realm of dreams," he says. "They have some kind of device or artifact and they seek power within. But word is, one of them found something when they went into the dream realm for the first time, saw something----something unnatural. His name is Tremor. It's Tremor."

Otiak doesn't believe he's ever heard of the name.

With Meat freed, he looks back down at Goreman and speaks loudly, "Alright, let's return to our masters in Chaosrealm. We're done here."

He headbutts Goreman into unconsciousness, leaving him with the false lead.

Meat is on his knees in a pool of blood. As Otiak approaches, he looks up. "You... freed me. Why? Why?"

>A) Ask him for his help in your journey
>B) Ask him to owe you a favor and let him go
>C) Other

>>43773572
>A) Ask him for his help in your journey
"It's a repaid honor. I can't tell you more, but I'd like to ask for your help."

>>43773572
>>A) Ask him for his help in your journey
"and i wouldnt wish what was done to you on any one."

>>43773572
"You were in pain. I'd like your help if you're willing. Either on it's own was a good enough reason. I'm sorry I left you there as long as I did.That said we can't stay here. So, walk and talk?"

>>43773572
>C) "You have a friend who asked me to look out for you"

>>43773705
Sure why not.

>>43773705
I like this one. I just hope no one watches us, and connects the dots.

>>43773676
>>43773705
I'm up for both of these

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>>43773631
>>43773671
>>43773676
>>43773705
>>43773715

"You were in pain," Otiak says as he helps him up to his feet before wiping his hand on his pantleg. "And a friend asked me to look out for you."

Though one of his eyes is hanging out of his head, his other eye goes wide. "You... You know..."

"We should leave. But I'd like your help."

Meat looks towards the exit. "There's something I need to do," he says. "I cannot go where you go now."

"What is it? Can we help?"

Meat shakes his head. "Someone needs my help... But I will not forget you... lizard-person."

"Otiak."

"Otiak, I will not forget. I will remember. I will remember."

Meat begins making his way towards the exit.

Jade and Korbin look at Otiak, waiting for his next move.

>A) Try to convince Meat to allow you to help
>B) Head to the Prison of Souls
>C) Plan on heading to Outworld to find the Black Dragon
>D) Other

>>43773989
>>B) Head to the Prison of Souls
he might have seen who was with the aberration

>>43773989
>B) Head to the Prison of Souls
We got our job too.
It's also closer than the Black Dragons are.
But before we leave, ask Meat if he is heading for the Prison by any chance.

>>43773921
That's an oddly specific thing to notice that doesn't directly like to Kaito. The only one that -might- is Meat. Shinnok would've had to spent his time watching Shao watching TV. Basically, and Shinnok always thought him a bit player.

You know EVENTUALLY someone is going to figure out Otiak is Kaito backwards.
I almost want it to be Shang too late for it to help him.
Just long enough to feel like an idiot.

>>43773989
>B
One thing at a time I guess.

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>>43774098
>tfw I just realized this

>>43774253
Just realized someone would figure it out anon? Or the other thing?
>Yfw Meat figures it out first

>>43774306
That or Kitana.
She has the most exposure to Earthrealmers and Asians that speak English.
Presumably Kung Lao,Kuai, Liu Kang and Kenshi are also literate in English
Then there's Sareena and Ashrah who can just see souls.

>>43774098
>We finish him off the same as we did last time
>"Wait a minute, I know that punch"
>You sunovabic

>>43774306
No. I just figured out that Kaito is Otiak backwards

>>43774408
See guys? I told you it's not that easy to figure it out.

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>>43774008
>>43774021
>>43774116

On the way out, the three of them catch up to Meat. Otiak asks him, "Are you headed to the Prison of Souls by any chance?"

Meat seems surprised. "Yes, I am," he says.

"Great! So are we. We'll work together, at least for the time being?"

The experiment seems to consider this for a moment, but then nods his agreement. "I didn't know you were going to the same place," he says. "I thought I would have to do this alone."

"What are you trying to do, exactly?"

Meat looks away. "There is a girl in the prison... I want to save her. She doesn't deserve to be inside."

"Alright. We're after a guy who clawed out his own eyes. We'll help each other get who we're after and then part ways?"

Meat nods. "I would be happy to have your help."

Jade crosses her arms. "Alright, so now we just need to find the prison."

>"I know where it is!"

They all look at Otiak's sleeve and he takes out the skull, and to their amazement, he talks.

"I know where the prison is! I even know a secret passageway into the prison's lowest levels! Partially because I had to use it once to escape it. Never thought I'd be breaking INTO a prison, but hey, it's not the craziest thing I've done."

Jade cocks an eyebrow. "So that's new..." she mutters.

>A) Ask him about this secret entrance
>B) Ask about another way into the prison
>C) "How would one go about being imprisoned in the prison? Then busting someone out from the inside?"
>D) Other

>>43774529
>>A) Ask him about this secret entrance

>>43774529
>>D) Other
Told you he could talk!
And look at the birdman expectantly.

>>43774529
>A) Ask him about this secret entrance
Ask if he is sure they didn't start to watch that entrance since he excaped.

>>43774586
this

>>43774529
>>A) Ask him about this secret entrance
awwww yeah stealth mission part 2

>>43774586
>>43774615

"See, I told you he could talk!" Otiak says to Korbin.

"Forgive my skepticism," he replies with an amused look.

"Just don't ask about my singing voice," the skull says.

>>43774615
>>43775016

Otiak looks at the skull. "Tell us about thia secret exit."

"The prison is on the shore of the Sea of Immortality. There is a canyon behind it and within the canyon is a secret path that will take you to the bottom level of the prison."

"And is it guarded since you last used it?" he asks.

"Probably not," he says, sounding unsure of himself. "I mean, it was a looong time ago. They probably forgot it exists by now."

"Very reassuring," Jade says as she folds her arms.

"Who would need waiting for us if they haven't forgotten, exactly?" Otiak asks.

"The Keepers."

>A) Who are the Keepers
>B) How sure are you thistill route is safe
>C) Any other ways in?
>D) Suggestions from the others
>E) Other

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bump with Goreman's face

>>43776244

>errors

I hate using my phone for this. I'm on a short flight; I'll be updating a bit sporadically but that's nothing new. More coming in a bit.

>>43776244
>>A) Who are the Keepers
>>B) How sure are you thistill route is safe
>>C) Any other ways in?
Why not all three?

>>43776244
>A+D

>>43776278
Well I feel dumb bumping it a split second after Damashi posts

>>43776278

That's a bit too handsome.

>>43776244
>A) Who are the Keepers
>D) Suggestions from the others
Let's make sure we got all the angles of this operation planned out. No shinnok surprises this time

>>43776313

Don't worry, I've just got two small flights. I'll try to update as quickly as possible.

>>43776350
seconding

>>43776313
It's the spirit of keeping the thread alive, what counts

>>43776288
>>43776298
>>43776350
>>43776368

"And who are they, exactly?" Otiak asks.

"The Keepers are a strange and dark cult, overseen by the Brotherhood of Shadow to serve as guards for the Netherrealm's most well-guarded places. Not a fun lot. Only the most hardened of souls are turned into Keepers, cold and unforgiving, cruel and obedient."

"And you're certain they don't remember this passage?"

"Wellll... it's a long shot, I admit, but when I last escaped they didn't follow me. Plus, I doubt they found out in the first place. It's very well-hidden."

Otiak considers the words of the skull before turning to the others. "Anyone else have any ideas?"

"We could go in by the sea," Jade suggests. "Perhaps aboard a prison barge. I have heard of such ships."

"The air," Korbin offers. "We find a beast that can carry us or we climb the prison walls. There must be a way in from above."

"Under," Meat says. "Tunnels. Sewers. Passages. In and out before any would know."

"I know a thing or two or have ideas for each that might work," the skull says. "We just need a final say on the matter."

>A) Skull's route
>B) By sea
>C) By air
>D) By underground
>E) Other

>>43777709
>>D) By underground

>>43777711

Another bump posted right after Damashi posts. Kek

>>43777709
>Within a minute of my bumping with brown sugar.

>A)
Sea and air sound too exposed, and I have a bad feeling about the tunnels. I have a bad feeling about the skulls rout too desu but it's the closest to a proven rout we have.

>>43777709
>A) Skull's route
I want to see the investment of this skull payed back in full, because I don't think we got the recepit.

>>43777709
>A

>>43777709
>A) Skull's route
But if you're wrong about this path, you're going to get very intimate with beach sand.

>>43778266

Can we trust this thing not to get us killed? This seems sketchy.

>>43779214
Not the guy you replied too but no, I don't think we can trust it too much but he seems to offer the best option. Hell we can always smash him if he screws us.

>>43779214
We only freed him under the assumption that he knows the Netherrealm like the back of his eyesocket. It's not a question of whether or not the path is guarded - that can change. The question is whether there's a secret canyon passage at all. If his info is bad, it's not a good look for him.

>>43779258
>We only freed him under the assumption that he knows the Netherrealm like the back of his eyesocket.

Well that and we're the good guy

>>43779614
Well yeah, but we do get to be mildly put out.

>>43774098

Who will learn the truth first? And what about Turana?

>>43779258
>>43779614
To be fair, we do have a pretty good track record with saving shit and it helping us.
Look at Meat, dude paid his debt back and then some. True fucking bro, right ther.e

>>43779888
She hasn't interacted with us yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if she, Mileena and Kitana all wound up 9 kinds of suspicious. Particularly Taruna and Kitana given the length of time they knew Kaito.

is it wrong that every time we see Sonya we call her a boat thief

after we return as Kaito

>>43780256
I think we could give her a hard time about it

>>43781586

Just landed. I'll get settled in and update.

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Bump with Osh-Tek overlord

>>43781972
>>43782037
I did it again.

>>43782191
you have a talent for this anon

>>43782675
Seems like it

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>>43777824
>>43777905
>>43778090
>>43778266

"Well, it might be dangerous, but this skull is the only one among us with experience in and out of that prison and the only one with a definite route. I think we should give him a chance to prove himself."

"Great!" the skull exclaims. "I promise you, nothing will go wrong and nobody will end up missing."

"Where to first?" Otiak asks.

Following the direction of the skull, they are led out of the city and back out into the wastes. Otiak begins to feel the draining effects of the Netherrealm's open plains once more, but the skull assures him that it is not very far. Eventually, they come to a large series of cracked hills that form part of a massive chain of canyons, widening out to form a gigantic river of flowing lava from a massive volcano.

They take great care to move stealthily so as not to draw attention from demons. "This place can be very dangerous," the skull warns. "We follow the river and eventually we reach the harvesting forges."

"What are those?" Otiak asks as Korbin helps him along.

"Parts of the Netherrealm are reflections of the mortal realms, so the area around the prison is very industrial in nature. They build the armor and weaponry of the armies of hell. They harvest metal and use the lava to forge it."

Korbin speaks up. "So that is how Shinnok arms his followers. Interesting."

"Perhaps we should sabotage his factories," Jade offers, clearly interested in sticking it to Shinnok in any way she can. Otiak doesn't blame her after what happened to Smoke.

"No time! No time!" Meat says. "Too many factories. I have seen them. Hundreds. Pillars of smoke as far as the eye can see. Millions of souls put to labor in mines and torture camps. The loss of one factory means nothing to the armies of hell. We need to focus on the prison."

"On that note, we should be able to see it just over this ridge," the skull says.

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>>43783757

The group scales their way up and peers over the side. Otiak didn't know what the prison would look like, but when the skull had described it as being industrial in nature, he wasn't exaggerating. If anything, he was downplaying it.

The prison lies on the coast, surrounded by metal factories with massive smokestacks rising and constantly churning out smog, turning the skies black. The metal prison is almost like a city, gigantic and filled with towers and walkways in a grand byzantine-like scheme.

"This may be difficult," Otiak whispers to himself.

>A) Ask the skull to continue showing you the path
>B) See if you can spy another entrance to the prison
>C) Observe the prison for a while and look for anything of note
>D) Other

>>43783901
>>A) Ask the skull to continue showing you the path
>>C) Observe the prison for a while and look for anything of note

>>43783901
>>A) Ask the skull to continue showing you the path
>>C) Observe the prison for a while and look for anything of note

>>43783939
>>43784048
I'll just agree with these two.