 |
| I'm just going to assume that's a mucus explosion at the bottom there. |
But, hey, the tentacle exploding out is rad as a talking animal in sunglasses!
"Ew!" I cry as the thick, ropy flesh engulfs my leg. Memories of terrifying foodstuffs on trips to my mother's seaside home fill my mind.
I draw my sword to hack it off.
Round 1
I love how this rhino monster is pigeon toed. I also love that Nicholson went with a rhino-man, when the description doesn't actually say that. In fact, as it describes a horn coming from the forehead, it's pretty much exactly how rhinos are not.
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| AAAAAAAAAAAAGH! Ground Squid! |
I draw my sword to hack it off.
Choice: En Garde: 71
The sword clears the scabbard, and thrust it back down again, this time sheathing it in the muscles of the tentacle. The tentacle, pinned to the ground, begins to panic. It squirms and thrusts, but I hold it fast to its place. It's horrible suckers unhook themselves from my leg. As soon as they do, I lift the sword from the ground, and pull it back towards me. The whole tentacle topples at the jerking force at its base. I twist the sword upwards, cleaving through half the tentacle's trunk on the blade's egress. I let the momentum go up, my arm pivoting like a windmill, and bring it back down the other side. The other half of the tentacle is severed, the flesh parts and the whole upper half of the tentacle falls to the courtyard. Acrid gray blood oozes out.
I wipe my blade clean and examine my leg. The suckers tore a host of holes on my left trouser leg. Right through the leather armor. With a sigh, I head on.
See how much smoother that was! One roll, compared to an Attack power, it's so much cleaner! I can't believe they did it and didn't stick with it.
I quite like the use of a modified combat rule to represent a different situation.
Choice: Victory: 218
I rap upon the door and wait for whatever new horror is to open it. I try to clean up while waiting for the answer, but it's hard to get blood and mucus out of clothing.
 |
| "Times have been tough since Robin Hood." |
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| "I give you a hint, it's the name of a fish." |
"The password..." I say slowly. The creature grunts. "Well," I continue, "I'm new here. Just a herbalist here to help with an ill subject of the great Balthus Dire."
He stiffens at the name, but his eyes narrow at my lack of password.
Choice: Bluffing: 198
What amuses me here is that even if you got through the gate on a different lie (presuming that's possible), you still have to claim herbalist here.
Luck: 7-1=6
"Why is a herbalist covered in blood and," the guard sniffs the air, "Ground squid mucus?"
"Because..." I shrug, "Oh, just forget it." I toss my sword up from the scabbard and catch the handle.
Choice: Unlucky: 290
Ah, yes, he is a RHINO-MAN. Because Rhinos are famous for having horns in the middle of their foreheads. That's why we call them rhinoceros, meaning "Nose-Horned".
I suppose ELASMOTHERIUM-MAN would have been a bit of a mouthful.
Dirk drew his sword before we got to this pae, so let's go to 325.
Choice: Fight: 325
 |
| Wait, am I snorting furiously, or is he? |
Ah, back to this clunky combat.
Round 1
It is the simplest thing in the world to duck and weave under the clumsy pike movements of this crude beast. However, my first sword thrusts fail to penetrate his thick hide.
Round 2
Rhino-Man: 9-2=7
The problem is controlling the fight. If we go too far out into the courtyard, he may attract support from his fellows, and I dare say I don't look enough like these monsters for any to come to my aid. But, with his reach it's difficult for me to gain ground.
So, remove the pike.
When he thrusts at me next, I turn and thrust it aside with my left hand. My shoulder screams in pain, but I keep my focus. With his pike pinned to the wall, I thrust my sword to his eyes, he flinches backwards. I bring my leg up, and kick down again as hard as I can on the pike. The haft breaks. The creature staggers back with the force of his own pull. I step past the threshold to fight in the antechamber. Out of sight of his allies.
Round 3
Dirk: 9-2=7
Rhino-Man: 7
My victory is short lived. No sooner have I stepped into the antechamber, then the creature lowers his head and charges me with remarkable speed. I manage to twist away from the horn itself, but the creature's massive shoulder is enough to send me staggering back, winded and vulnerable.
Focus, Dirk. I just have to tire the beast out. Nothing that large can cool itself efficiently. He'll reach his limit first if I just keep the pace up.
Round 4
Dirk: 7
Rhino-Man: 7-2=5
The creature charges again, and so it begins. I step aside, using his own momentum to send him into a nearby wall. I keep my motions short, economical, and let his wild charging instincts cause him to expend his strength.
Round 5
Dirk: 7
Rhino-Man: 5-2=3
The temptation here is to trip him as he charges. To have him sprawled and helpless on the ground. But that won't do. It would be too exhausting to my own strength to actually pierce his armor and hide. In all likelihood, the fall would simply give him a breather to regain his composure and think more clearly.
Instead I simply keep his anger up with well placed jabs, and avoid his blows with small, fluid motions.
Round 6
Dirk: 7
Rhino-Man: 3-2=1
There is a rhythm to the fight. It becomes easy enough to follow the flow. And it becomes even easier as his blows slow. The creature's skin is dry. No sweat. It must be boiling inside, with no evident mechanism to stop the heat. Still, its rage drives it on.
Round 7
Dirk: 7
Rhino-Man: 1-1=-2
He falters in a charge. His fist, as large as my head, swings out, and he staggers with it. He takes a moment to try and breathe. He's trying to suck air in, but can't get enough of it. Can never get enough.
"You can tell them I had the password," I say, forcing myself to be calm and not pant. "No blame for what happens will fall on you."
He looks back at me, only to find the point of my sword within a hairsbreath of his eye. "Or," I continue, "We can see this through to the end."
He slumps backwards, breathing in those great gasps, and nods. "You knew the password."
"Damn straight." I sheathe my sword.
I enter the Citadel of Chaos.
Choice: Victory: 177
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