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Kyra taps you on the shoulder. You turn around to look at the 'troops' she's assembled. Four survivors from the third floor, including that shrill halfling. You finish buttoning the jacket of your uniform. No sense in not identifying your position at this point and your monk robes were ruined anyway.

They all look exhausted. Not from lack of sleep obviously, but spellcasters seem to take on a haggard disposition when they're out of or close to being out of the magical essence that powers them. You've experienced it a few times yourself. Feels a bit like hunger for the soul. Thankfully Quissonce and Eve have conserved most of their strength.

Ed and Quissonce begin to outfit them with the crossbows, daggers, staves and scrolls they managed to scrounge from the two floors you've cleared out. These people aren't fighters, but they're the only combatants you have right now.

Ed looks like he's doing alright for a caster who's close to bone dry. Maybe that orcish stamina and the feel of a mace in his hands helps him in powering through the mental exhaustion.

Eve is looking more bestial than ever. Her teeth are extremely sharp. Like a shark's mouth. And she assures you that she's breathing fire naturally now, no spells required.

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Rowe returns from her brief scouting with a report.

“There are fires at a couple locations in the city. Research Library, Calloway's Chapel, Main Street. Can't tell much looking from the windows here. Not to mention whatever is besieging the city. The longer we're stuck here the worse it's going to get.”

“I can feather fall you guys,” Ed pipes up. “If you need to get out there now. I made sure to save one cast of that if things got dire. I can pop you all down there and then hide myself and the rest of the casters in Quissonce's mirror.”

“That would require giving up the Circle for this fight,” Quissonce comments. “And all the resources, any potential survivors or equipment we could muster. Plus we have no idea what's happening on the uncleared floors. I haven't sensed anything magical going off recently from floors five and up. Kyra, you peak in on the lower floors?”

“Webs,” Kyra says simply. “Big webs.”

(Fifty gold says it's giant magic spiders.)

Even if you were a gambling man you wouldn't take those odds.

“Look,” Eve starts. “If we're going to spend time fucking around in this place we need to move as fast as possible. If we're salvaging the Circle, we should split up and tackle both the upper and lower floors at the same time.”

You have a lot of logistical options to consider right now and not a lot of information. But one thing you do know is that the odds of whatever you choose to do succeeding diminishes with each moment you waste. You have Quissonce, Eve, Kyra, Row, Ed and seven scared shitless, shut-in casters.

>Abandon the Circle
>Reclaim the Circle

AND

if Abandoning the Circle

>Head to the Research Library
>Head to Calloway's Chapel
>Head to Main Street
>Head to the walls of Seaside

if Reclaiming the Circle

>Tackle the upper floors together
>Tackle the lower floors together
>Split up, personally tackle the upper floors
>Split up, personally tackle the lower floors

OR

>Something else (write-in)

>>45946424
>Reclaim the Circle
>Split up, personally tackle the upper floors
anything alive in the higher levels will be far stronger than big arachnids, send eve to the lower levels to burn through the webs

>>45946424
>>Reclaim the Circle
>Split up, personally tackle the upper floors

Writing!

Roll me 2d100, best of 3.

First is a perception check, +10

Second is a reflex check, +21

>>45946825
Who really needs a tripcode?

Rolled 91, 71 = 162 (2d100)

>>45946825

“Alright, I think it would be best if we brought the Circle into this fight as soon as possible. Eve, I agree. We should split up to do this. Webs are flammable –”

“Actually it's the dust that makes cobwebs so flammable. Spider silk . . .” Quissonce trails off after she spots the unpleasant expressions on all your faces at her interruption. Eve mutters a quick 'nerd' under her breath before you begin again.

“Eve I want you to lead the casters through the lower levels and pop open that front door. Rowe, Kyra and I will make our way to the upper floors.”

“How? The stairs are collapsed.” Ed points out. Kyra flashes the grappling hook. Ed snaps his fingers. “Ooh. Wow! Never thought this spell would come in handy. I can actually animate your rope and make it sturdier or go farther.”

Kyra taps her finger on her lips. “Big open hole. Choose any floor we want.”

That's true. With Ed's help you could access either the 5th, 6th or 7th floor depending on which window you angle the shot from.

5th floor has the rooms and sleeping quarters of the mages.

6th floor has the rooms and sleeping quarters of the Circle Magisters.

7th floor is entirely devoted to the Archmage herself.

>5th floor
>6th floor
>7th floor

>>45947381
>>5th floor

Writing!

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“5th floor first.”

Eve takes her gaggle of casters and heads down to the third floor. Rowe orders Sif to accompany them, arguing that someone with some common sense needs to be in charge.

You decide that to enter from a structurally secure location rather than where the massive explosion occurred. The climb up the silk rope is easy enough, especially with Ed's magical assistance.

The private room you've entered is quite nice. Very posh. The beds are made of finer material and there are expensive rugs on the floor. It's a shame it's drenched in blood and body parts.

Rowe scowls and inspects the corpse of one unlucky caster in quite an intense and thorough manner. Kyra goes to the locked door and gingerly cracks it open to peer out into the hallway.

“He's been eaten partially. As if a wild animal got to him,” Rowe informs you. “Big one too, probably the size of a –”

“Bear.” Kyra states simply.

Rowe turns her head to look at your dedicated sentry, whose eyes are still glued on whatever lays outside in the hallway.

“Except,” Rowe continues, “unlike a bear, the way the carcass has been picked through doesn't seem to line up with a bear's mouth. More like a –”

“Owl.” Kyra says again.

“Uh, I was just going to say bird beak,” Rowe admits.

Kyra opens the door wide and gives you a good view of the burnt corpse of the giant animal laying directly outside this room.

You approach it cautiously and spot the owl-like features of the animal's head. You peer up and down the hallway to see another three or four of these deceased creatures lying intermittently along with maybe six or seven dead spellcasters. It's hard to tell with the various dismembered body parts scattered
about.

As stealthily as you can manage you make your way down the hall. It is a quick trip that reveals only that there is nothing left living in the public area to this floor.

>Search the rooms for survivors
>Ascend to the next floor

>>45948384
>Ascend to the next floor

>>45948384
>Ascend to the next floor

Writing!

You're on a increasingly strict time limit here and you doubt there are any giant . . . bear . . . owls hiding in one of the rooms. You'll find cowardly survivors later. Right now you need to clear the building.

As you approach the stairs you notice two particularly intact corpses nearby. Normally – well, not normally, but you know what you mean – you'd stride past them and glide up to your next destination. But every dead person you've seen on this floor has been ripped up and at least slightly eaten. These two look relatively intact. You can't even spot any claw wounds or marks on them.

Rowe and Kyra move past you as you dawdle behind to satisfy your curiosity.

It take you a few seconds to process why there are black scorch marks on the soles of their feet where their shoes have blown open.

As Rowe takes her first step onto the staircase you grab her by the hand and pull with all your new found strength. You can sense Muffin's fur standing on end due to the crackling charge in the air. The two of you fall in a pile as the KRAKOOM of surging energy erupts from where Rowe was standing mere moments ago. The bright yellow surge only visible in your periphery.

Kyra folds her arms and huffs in the immediate, breathless aftermath of that near-death situation. “Magic's cheating,” she comments in a terse defense of her pride as a thief extraordinaire.

As the two of you get up off the floor and readjust yourselves, Rowe begins to laugh. It starts off as slightly odd and then builds into a gut-wrenching, bent-over laugh that makes you question her sanity.

“Rowe, are you alright?” you ask, wondering if there was some other side effect to the trap.

She waves you concern away with a hand. “Yeah. Yeah. Just. . .” her words trail off as she weighs whatever she's about to say next in her head. (Should I even bring it up?)

“Did you ever play the 'floor is on fire' game?”

>All the time
>What are you talking about?

>>45949153
>All the time
But not with literal fire, so this is new

Writing!

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“All the time. But not with literal fire. So this is new.”

Your dry commentary sends her into another fit of laughter. When it finally subsides, she speaks.

“I know. It's like playing the game for keeps.” She cracks up again for a few moments. “I honestly have no idea why I find that so funny." As she finally gather her wits she gestures for you all to get a move on. "Alright, let's pull the grappling hook trick again.”

The three of you make your way to a random room on the 5th floor and shoot your grappling hook into a random room on the 6th floor.

Kyra begins climbing her way up the rope. You and Rowe wait patiently for Kyra to give you the signal that the room above is clear.

“Alan.” Kyra calls your name. You stick your head out the window and look up. She has stopped climbing halfway to the next floor. The reason for her halting is probably because of the spellcaster who is sticking his head out the window of the room your grappling hook is lodged in.

“Hello there,” he shouts to you, amicably.

“Hello,” you shout back, a twinge of awkwardness in your voice. “My name is Alan,” you tell the man.

“My name is Flid Havrang,” he reciprocates. “Circle Magister. What's going on?”

>I've read your book!
>Explain what's going on
>Can we come in?
>What's happening up there?
>We're with the good guys!
>Something else? (write-in)

>>45949957
>Oh you know, horrible things trying to kill everyone out of the blue, so just a Tuesday. I liked your book by the way! How are things up there?

>>45949957
>>I've read your book!

Writing!

>>45950015
seconded

>>45949957
>I've read your book!

“Oh you know, horrible things trying to kill everyone out of the blue, so your average weekend. I liked your book by the way! How are things up there?”

He nods casually. “Oh, y'know. Powerful wizard who studied diabolism and demonology finally snapped. Who could see that coming? Blew up a large chunk of the building I live in and murdered most of my friends. Utilized their blood to make a horrific monstrosity that is both immune to anything I throw at it and is still currently trying to kill me. This room is far from air-tight. Come on up! I've got alcohol. We can chat about my book.” His head disappears from view and Kyra begins her climbing anew.

You make it up to the 6th floor room some moments later and are amazed at how spacious these quarters must be. This room seems to be a study. There is an entryway and a bedroom. A personal toilet as well!

Flid is currently up against the wall placing pieces of parchment across sections of his wall that he keeps in place with some sort of blue, gooey glue he carries around in a jar. He turns from his work to greet you all with a quick bow when he notices you're finished entering through his window.

“Sorry about the mess,” he apologizes. “I'd have cleaned up if I knew I would be staying in the quarters of one of my deceased colleagues.” You notice a blood stain start to form on the parchment he has most recently put up. “So, what did you like about the book?”

>Let the monster through, we'll kill it
>The part where it helped draw out my super powers
>Something else? (write-in)

>>45950789
>The part where it helped draw out my super powers

>>45950789
>>The part where it helped draw out my super powers

Internet browser is having issues. Trying to fix it.

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Well here I am, using internet explorer. Have no clue why Google Chrome decided to go on the fritz.

Writing! Pic related is the room you're in.

>>45951222
>internet explorer
truly, a fate worse than death.

“The part where it helped draw out my super powers.” you tell him honestly.

“Ah,” he responds. “You're a sorcerer then.” His eyes narrow. “Please tell me you didn't do any of the gross exercises.” You shake your head no. “Good. I can't tell you how many weirdos actually tried that. Those extreme recommendations were just to pad out the book's length so Azdor would get off my case.”

As you've been chatting, you've noticed the blood stain on the parchment has been growing a darker color and has spread out. Suddenly the parchment bursts with an audible POP and blood begins oozing down the wall. Flid swivels on his feet at the sound and rushes towards the oozing blood. He pulls out a dagger and stabs at the blood, embedding the dagger into the wall several times.

You'd call the act insane and fruitless, but the faint sounds of what seems like gurgling pain and the fact that the blood begins to recede back up the wall and through the crack it came from dissuades you of that notion.

He re-applies a new piece of parchment and glue over the crack before turning back to your group. “As I was saying earlier: Blood monster currently trying to kill me. You go outside and deal with it now, right?”

>Right
>Wrong
>Something else? (write-in)

>>45951557
>>Something else? (write-in)
any tips on how to deal with it?

>>45951557
>You see any other monsters during this whole thing?
>We can help you with this but i'd rather go through a different room (this is us climbing in through another of the windows into a different room). That way its not on us the moment we open the door. In-fact I'd say you have its attention quite occupied.

Writing!

>>45951719
On that note you think its possible to get a 'back' attack on a monster apparently made of fluid? Its a deep philosophical question, what truly is the 'back'.

“Do you have any tips on how to deal with it?” you ask. Flid tilts back his head and begins to think, before being distracted by the sight of more blood oozing it's way through another crack. He gathers his jar and papers to handle the situation, before being interrupted by Rowe who sets to doing his task for him while the two of you talk.

“It is immune to magic. If you have a very big sponge or towel perhaps that is the key to defeating it.” he tells you.

“Have you seen any other monsters during this debacle?”

“Yes, quite a few. Mostly demons and devils. A few constructs. Most – on this level at least – have been killed. Quite a few thanks to yours truly. Anything that survived has most likely moved on to the top two floors to kill the Archmage. I doubt I'd still be alive if there were more of them out there. I don't see why they wouldn't bust down my door or co-ordinate their attack.”

>Open the door, fight the blood monster head on
>Enter through another room, attack it while it's focused on trying to get at Flid

Regardless, roll me 2d100, best of 3.

Rolled 25, 62 = 87 (2d100)

>>45952070
>Enter through another room, attack it while it's focused on trying to get at Flid

Rolled 60, 39 = 99 (2d100)

>>45952070
>>Enter through another room, attack it while it's focused on trying to get at Flid

Rolled 61, 100 = 161 (2d100)

>>45952070

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>>45952260

Aw snap! Wondering when we'd get another one of those

Writing!

Also,

>Fist
>Bow
>Saber

>>45952287
Cast fist

>>45952287
>>Fist

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“Alright. We'll go and kill this thing for you. Rowe, Kyra.” You nod your head for your allies to follow you back to the window.

“Uhhhh,” Flid utters as he strides towards you in a panic. Rowe starts shimmying back down to the fifth floor. “Seems like you're heading the wrong way.”

Rowe follows after Kyra as you pat Flid on the shoulder. “We're just hitting it from the side while it's focused on you,” you assure him. You point to a spot where the monster has started oozing its way through the wall again. Flid rushes to it and begins frantically blocking it out.

As you begin your descent down the grappling hook, you hear Flid's farewell.

“You better not be fucking me in the ass here, Alan.”

“I promise you I'm going round to the other side. You'll be free in a bit.” You call back.

Just to be extra safe you and your friends hurry to find another room where you can ascend from. You find it along with four cowering survivors. After you assuage their fears and tell them to remain where they are, you scurry your way back up to the sixth floor.

The room you find yourself in is lavishly decorated and in the few short moments you spend inside it, you have to pull Kyra away from nabbing something valuable three separate times. When you finally get her to focus completely on the task at hand, she manages to crack the door open and give you a peek at your mystery monster.

Sure enough it's a vaguely humanoid-shaped, amorphous blood pile that seems to clot and liquefy itself at will as it searches the walls with its tendrils for purchase inside of Flid's hideaway. A quick glance around the hall reveals it to be the only monster on this floor as far as you can see.

And thankfully this thing has a one-track mind without any form of peripheral vision.

You and Kyra stalk towards the thing as it dully tries to accomplish its task. Rowe stays back and prepares to unleash a hail of arrows into the thing's rear.

Once more, with feeling.

You lock eyes with Kyra and she raises three fingers to coordinate your attack.

Then she holds up two fingers.

Then she holds up a single finger.

And then she pumps her fist.

Kyra draws her katana and bisects the creature in one slash. It screams in pain as it tries to reform itself.

You jump in and punch it, against all your good sense for hygiene. You aim for parts of it skin that seem more solid and congealed, chunks of solidified blood shattering into thousands of pieces.

Tendrils of congealed blood, sharpened to deadly points shoot from its center of mass. As you duck and weave – avoiding its attacks artfully – you feel the gnawing presence of another voice in the back of your head.

Rowe looses three arrows into congealed weak points, the magical enchantments simultaneously freezing, shocking and dissolving the monster's body all at the same time.

The monster begins to shrink in size, but stabs at you with the ferocity of a thing that knows it is dying.

Still you move and flow with the grace of a dancer. The years of training that you've . . . no, that Kyra has had, coming to your aid.

You're Alan. Alan Rodain of Basye, Captain in the Cerilian Cavalry and your own man. You're simply adapting a bit of a friend for an edge. That's all.

As you triumph over your mental skirmish, you begin to dominate the physical one. You grab a tendril by the side and plant your boot in the chest of the construct. You rip it out by the root, throwing it away as it liquefies, turning to blood splatter as it hits the wall. The creature is now half the size it started as. It can barely keep itself congealed, let alone attack you. Kyra and yourself take turns stabbing and kicking wherever it tries to keep itself reformed.

After a few more violent moments the monster is nothing but a smear of blood on the floor.

>Alright Flid, coast is clear
>Thanks for that Kyra
>Onwards to the next floor!
>Something else? (write-in)

>>45953145
>>Thanks for that Kyra
>Alright Flid, coast is clear
>Onwards to the next floor!

Writing!

“Thanks for that Kyra.”

She looks at you in confusion. The two of you stare at each other in silence before eventually Kyra comes to a conclusion about your meaning. “Picked up more?” she asks.

“Yep. Almost had your personality overwhelm mine too. But it didn't. I . . . think that means I'm getting more control over it.” Kyra gives you a thumbs up to encourage your progress.

You lean over to Flid's door and rap on it. “All clear Flid!” He throws it open and wraps you in a hug. You hug back awkwardly for a moment before he lets go.

“Thank you so much for that. It was like I was slowly drowning for the past hour except instead of water it was blood. So this floor is clear. I assume everything below is also monster free.”

“Hopefully by now.” Rowe admits. “But we've still got to kill whatever has moved on to the 7th floor to free the Circle.”

Flid chuckles nervously and rubs the back of his head with his hand. “Yeah, you might have a problem with that.”

“What problem?” you ask fully knowing you're not going to like whatever is about to transpire.

Flid thinks about how he is going to explain something to you before giving up on the idea. “Follow me,” he says simply and starts walking down the hallway.

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You pass the corpses of a few more of those flesh golems and the corpses of eight spellcasters. Well, that's the entirety of the Circle's upper echelon accounted for, save for Flid, the Archmage and . . .

“So Stephen is the one responsible for this shit show,” Flid explains. “H. Stephen. Weirdo who –”

“I've read his book. Or parts of it at least,” you admit.

“Oh, so you know he's the type of guy who draws devils and makes his published works look like demon faces. He was a creep, but God, none of us saw THIS coming. Where he made half this fucked up shit is beyond me! He walked into the meeting we had today, said that The Master was destroying the Circle for 'our defiance' and then there was an explosion and monsters started appearing out of thin air. Guy is fucking crazy. Nobody here has even heard of somebody called 'The Master'. At least I haven't. Essentia's never mentioned him."

"So things are going crazy, we're all casting, demons are dying left and right. Pretty quickly on in the brawl, Archmage teleports to her sanctum: The 7th floor. Now I'm retreating as well because I'm running out of targets that actually die when I cast them and I see Stephen lead a whole crew of his monsters after her. Which is stupid because . . .”

As Flid gets to the end of his rant he has led you up the stairs to the next floor. Unlike the other staircases, these two floors are separated by a door. He grabs the doorknob and turns to look at the three of you. “This might freak you out a bit. But try to remain calm. Remember, it's magic. There is no proper explanation.”

You steel yourself for what you're about to see as he opens the door and brings you into the seventh floor.

. . . Huh.

“It's beautiful,” Rowe remarks.

“This,” Flid gestures in front of you, behind you, all around you.

“Is where the Archmage lives.”

>End of Thread
I will most likely run this next time on Sunday. https://twitter.com/TrickQM

>>45953971
this sunday or next sunday?

>>45953983
This sunday.

>>45954038
Eeeeexcellent.

hoping to reunite with the rest of the team.

>>45954038
Would also love to explore more of that pleasant fields.

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>>45954067

>>45954121
Mmmm... juicy goodness. Well, good night, catch you in a day or two.