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Dungeon of Bad Ends (Homebrew System)

Louella stares at the carcass and sighs, turning to Cassie and her outstretched hand, then putting the wadded up cloth that she’d discovered in it. “Healing magic. You need it. Likes to squeeze. Lead the way.” Seems she was feeling tired, and her short, terse speech revealed much about her condition. She was feeling the pain of her wounds, but was trying not to show it.
 
The sudden appearance of a large wad a linen in her hand was not what she’d been expecting, and Cassie blinked in momentary surprise. Lou’s brief description said much, and helped to explain why the cloth felt almost calming in her palm as it appeared to try and wrap itself around her hand. Sure, if it was good for healing she definitely needed it; but so, too, did Louella. The warrior had been bitten by a fucking big spider – no way was that going to not cause a problem.

“We both need it,” Cassie agreed wearily, as she started walking towards the front door of the building, her head turning back occasionally to make sure the other woman was keeping up with her. “I found and loosened a crank that I think will open the main door to the city, the door we came through – but I can’t turn it on my own. Together, maybe. If I’m right, we can get out of here. If I’m wrong…”She didn’t bother finishing. Cassie knew that if she was wrong about the handle’s function, then she and Lou would die in here…or be turned into permanent residents.
 
Louella nodded her understanding, grunting as she lifted her hammer onto her shoulder. “You’re worse off. You need it more.” She said as she followed Cassie. “We need more help. Maybe even a healer, if we can find one.” The red headed bruiser looked about, still feeling the wound pulse, but putting up the facade of being fine.
 
As they made their way back through the city, Louella could feel the spider's venom begin to take its toll on her. Little by little, her limbs grew heavy, and her joints stiff. By the time they made it back to the entryway, she was notably more sluggish than when they had set out.

That probably wouldn't have mattered, when they were this close to freedom, except that there was something waiting for them. A hulking figure, over seven feet tall, stood in the middle of the room, so still it could have been taken for a statue, save for the reek of decay that rolled off of it. But unlike the other animated corpses they had battled so far, this zombie was not rotting away or battered with marks of its brutal death. Instead it was twisted into a swollen mass of muscle, its heavy steel breastplate bent from the strain of containing its massive torso. Its muscles bulged so grotesquely that its neck and shoulders threatened to swallow up its head. And while the other zombies had fought with simple craftsman's tools, this one carried a sword and shield--although they looked more like a dagger and buckler in its meaty hands.

When the two women crossed the threshold, it stirred, and took a lumbering step towards them.

The venom rolled a 19 against Louella's Strength defense. Louella takes 1 Agility damage due to the paralytic effect.

You are now fighting Corpse Knight. You have the first turn; neither of you are in melee range yet.
 
The pair of them managed the stagger back to the entry room without any apparent mishap. So far as Cassie could determine, they were unhindered and unnoticed. Lou was clearly getting worse, the rogue could tell that by the time they’d gotten back to the doorway to the front room…and, hopefully, only one door between themselves and freedom.

Until they walked into the room – and came face-to-face with the biggest mass of rotted muscle they’d seen. It was way too big, to the point where its sword looked like a dagger. Cassie had the fleeting idea that, in another place and time, the thing in front of them might have been comical…but this was not that time.

She acted.

Cassie flung the cloths at Louella with her good arm then drew her sword. “Get out of here, Lou!” the rogue yelled. “Put those on, get better. I’ll buy you time!” Cassie knew she was lost anyway; this fight would be the end of her, one way or another.

As she cautiously closed the gap between herself and the oversized thing, she knew her only hope was that the thing, for all of its mass, was too bulky to move quickly, and she’d be able to keep darting in behind it.
 
“For fuck’s sake, does she want to die?” Louella mutters. The woman just seemed to refuse help, advice, and now she refused valuable healing items. Bloody hell. She ties the cloth to her belt again, raising her hammer and moving in to help Cassie. “Over hear, you rotting pile of meat!”

1st: Move Towards Knight
2nd: Attack (6)

Her blow bounces off his armor... perhaps her shout would have been more impressive if it had hurt him, but she’d take what she could get.
 
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“Damn it, Lou!” Cassie spat as the other woman completely ignored her call to get out of there. “You just killed us both!” Even as the warrior lumbered in a swung her hammer, Cassie was trying to get around the monster’s flank…and failed miserably as her weariness took a grip on her, causing her to stumble slightly, enough to make her miss her goal of flanking the thing.

All she could do was swing her blade in a small arc and watch as the blade seemed to strike true, knowing it wasn’t going to be enough to kill the thing quickly…and knowing that she’d likely fall if it landed but one blow on her.

STR (-1) -4 / AGIL +3 / WIL (+1) -4 / Purity 5
Action 1 - Position for backstab => roll + agil = 2 + 3 = 5 - fail
Action 2 - normal attack => roll + agil = 14 + 3 = 17 - hit
 
While Louella's hammer glanced harmlessly off the zombie's armor, Cassie found a more vulnerable spot and sunk her blade deep into its flesh. It was unclear how much harm she was doing to the mass of deformed muscles, but at least it seemed she had its attention. The monstrosity pivoted at the waist, reaching its shield arm towards the rogue, but she was able to dodge its grasping hand. It turned forward, reaching for Louella instead--perhaps hoping to find her an easier target. If so, its hope was in vain, as she evaded its clumsy efforts.

Louella's attack of 6 misses; Cassie's attack of 17 hits. Corpse Knight takes 1 Strength damage.

The Corpse Knight's attack of 5 misses Cassie and its attack of 2 misses Louella.
Currently, no one has inspiration.
 
It wasn’t good…but it could be worse, the rogue supposed. Her blade had struck, at least, but she had no idea how well. The creature had barely flinched. But then…did these things even have feelings? At least its attention was distracted, stupid as Lou was for not running when she had the chance. She tried again, hoping to use its distraction to her advantage.

At least her feet didn’t slip under her this time, but she knew she wasn’t getting any better. If she somehow survived this fight, she’d not be able to do it again. She was pretty sure she managed to get into a good position behind it…and she was sure her blow was enough to strike hard. Would it make any difference? Only time held that answer.

STR (-1) -4 / AGIL +3 / WIL (+1) -4 / Purity 5
Action 1 - Position for backstab => roll + agil = 8 + 3 = 11 - success (barely!)
Action 2 - backstab attack => roll + agil = 9 + 3 = 12 - hit, I hope?
 
Louella swung at the knight. She was glad she’d chosen a hammer, very effective against armor. Thank the gods for small blessings, she mused, swinging again.

Action 1: Attack (Roll 14-1=13)
Action 2: Attack (Roll 14-1=13)

She smirks, believing her blows to be sure hits.
 
While the zombie's attention was on Louella, Cassie struck again, her blade sinking deep into its back. This time, it seemed, she had hit something a bit more vital, as the creature lurched forward slightly. This only made it easy prey for Louella, whose hammer rang loudly against its breastplate, denting the steel.

Undeterred by its injuries, the foul corpse reached again for Louella, who once again evaded its massive hand. Then, without turning to look behind it, it swept its sword towards Cassie. Though she ducked under the blade, she could still feel the wind of its passage--the monstrous power of the attack seemed to cleave the very air.

Cassie's attack of 12 hits. Louella's attacks of 13 both hit. Corpse Knight takes 4 Strength damage and 2 Agility damage.

Corpse Knight's attack of 9 misses Louella. Its attack of 5 misses Cassie.
No one currently has inspiration.
 
Somehow, Cassie figured, she and Louella were doing a passable job of keeping the thing battered between them. It was, by this time, more luck than skill, she guessed – Louella was recovering from poison and she was still in a bad way…she could feel the energy slowly fade from her. That broken shoulder wasn’t getting any better, and each movement she was forced to make sent a sharp flash of pain through her left side.

Still, she had to keep going; her life depended on it. She again tried to re-position herself to the creature’s flank so she could attempt to find a weak spot on its body once more…and she gave a thin grin as she felt her blade once more strike deeply into the thing’s muscles.

STR (-1) -4 / AGIL +3 / WIL (+1) -4 / Purity 5
Action 1 - Position for backstab => roll + agil = 9 + 3 = 12 - success (a little less barely!)
Action 2 - backstab attack => roll + agil = 14 + 3 = 17 - a solid hit
 
Louella stepped away from the swing, and stumbled a bit, her next strikes were a bit off because of it, and while they tapped the thing, it wouldn’t even bruise a child. She snarled, frustrated by the Knight’s armor. “Son of an inbred mutt and a bar wench!”

Actions one and two: Attack Knight
1: 6-1=5
2: 6-1=5
 
The monstrous corpse staggered as Cassie's blade plunged again into its back. It whirled to face the rogue who had stung it so badly, completely ignoring Louella's ill-aimed hammer blows glancing off its armor. Once again, the zombie reached a massive hand for Cassie, and once again she dodged to the side. However, she did not anticipate the sudden jerk of its arm, which sent its heavy metal shield swinging towards her head. Not in time to avoid it completely, and in Cassie's state, even a glancing blow was enough to send her sprawling.

Apparently satisfied with its work, the zombie planted its sword in the ground--cracking the stone tiles with the blade--and reached down to lift Cassie's limp form off the floor.

Cassie's Backstab of 14 hits. Louella's attacks of 5 both miss. Corpse Knight takes 2 Strength damage.

Corpse Knight's attack of 7 misses, but its attack of 13 hits. Cassie takes 1 Strength damage.

Cassie is defeated.

However, since this is the only enemy and it's pretty badly injured, I'm inclined to give Louella one more turn to try and subdue it before it takes Cassie away.
No one currently has inspiration.
 
For a moment, the young rogue thought they might have gotten away with it. Not that it was easy to tell with these creatures, but it had taken several solid hits – surely it had to be running out of life force by now? At the same time, though, Cassie knew she was doing the same – running out of energy. The pain in her broken left shoulder sure wasn’t fading away.

She managed to duck out of the way of its ham-fisted grab at her, but the swing of the shield caught her and sent her already-weakened body sprawling. For a second she saw the ground rushing towards her… It wasn’t the blow that sent her senses to oblivion, but rather the burst of extreme pain that exploded from her shoulder when she hit the ground. For a moment she thought about taking a well-earned rest…then everything went blank.

STR (-1) -5 / AGIL +3 / WIL (+1) -4 / Purity 5
Actions 1 & 2 - lie very still in an undignified heap ;)
 
Louella saw her companion take the blow, and roared in anger, her first blow swinging wide, but with a quick step and spin, her next cane crashing home against the beast’s helmet, with a loud shout of “FORGET ABOUT ME!? I THINK NOT!”

1: 2 - 1 = 1
2: 16 - 1 = 15
 
The twisted corpse endured Louella's assault long enough to lift Cassie's limp body up off the ground and sling her over its massive shoulder, and for a moment it seemed it might escape with her. But then the hammer rang loudly against its helmet, and took its head clean off. What was left of the zombie stopped, shuddered, and slumped to the ground, letting its captive tumble roughly onto the floor once more. Cassie was still battered and unconscious, but she was alive, and for the moment, she was safe. The room was still, save for the sound of Louella's breath.
 
Louella stood over the creature with a snarl, taking a moment to batter the corpse before slowly kneeling next to Cassie and wrapping her with the bandages, a look of concern in her face. “Come on. Wake up.” She lightly smacks Cassie’s cheek. “Up.”
 
It took the rogue a few moments to stir while the bandages were being applied to her, and it took longer for her to respond to words. The light slap on the cheek dragged her back to a wakeful state, although she didn’t immediately open her eyes; instead she screwed up her face as she fought to stay awake…and to try and disregard the pain in her shoulder. She was aware of feeling a little…restricted. At least she recognised Louella’s voice through the haze.

“Mmrph…” she mumbled. “…I think. The door…lever…you might be able to…pull on it, open it. I can’t, not like…like I am.” She grimaced slightly, rolled onto her right side away from her left shoulder…then all-but fell onto her back.

“Go…I’ll join you in a moment. Just need to rest a moment…” Cassie wondered if her face was as pale as it felt.
 
Although Louella dutifully bound Cassie's injuries, the bandages didn't seem to be showing any of the strange properties they had when she had first acquired them--no inclination to wrap themselves more tightly around the patient, and while Louella had felt a soothing energy coming from the cloth, Cassie experienced no such power. For the moment, they were just cloth; perfectly serviceable cloth for bandaging wounds, but nothing more.

The room was largely still, and much as Cassie had left it, save for the massive corpse now spilled across the floor, and the absence of the wounded dog they had left behind. There was nothing left of the vines but charred scraps, and the metal lever still jutted from the wall where Cassie had pried it out.
 
Louella gingerly picks Cassie up, carrying her over before leaning her against the wall nearby and pulling down on the lever. If she could save someone else, then perhaps, once they got backup, she wouldn’t have to watch the green recruits on her own... at least that’s what she told herself. Truth be told she was fond of the rogue, whether she admitted it to herself or not. “I’d ask if you’re alright, but you’re clearly not.”
 
The rogue grunted with discomfort as she was picked up, a grimace of pain appearing on her pale features. She shuffled slightly as she was set down on the ground, straightening herself against the wall and trying to keep her left shoulder as still as possible. She realised that the bandages didn’t seem to be carrying the same effect as when she’d first touched them – did they require a fresh wound or injury to work properly? Maybe they were one-use items. They were helping keep her shoulder still, at least, and that was something.

She heard – and saw, when she finally opened her eyes – the warrior pull on the lever, and she had to hope it was enough to get the door opened so they could head back to Silvergate and rest properly. If these bandages did start delivering the earlier-promised healing, Cassie knew she wouldn’t be going back…and that might not be a bad thing. But then, not going back meant she would be doing nothing as the Darkness continued to spread, and she couldn’t do that, either.

“I’m about as banged up as you, I think,” she muttered with a gentle snort. “That spider bite can’t have filled you with joy.” She groaned softly as she slowly pushed herself to her feet, being careful to use the wall for support. “These bandages seem to have lost their magic, but they’re still helping. Are you okay?”
 
The metal bar moved easily under Louella's hands--now that Cassie had burned away the vines entangling the inner workings of the mechanism, the crank moved smoothly and without fuss. Even so, it took many, many rotations for the massive double doors to slowly creak open. As they did, a gust of cool evening air rushed into the room, briefly displacing the scents of smoke, fresh viscera, rotting flesh, and the faint odor of the pollen that still laced the air. The path back to Silvergate lay before them.
You can now return to the safe haven. A quick recap of what this will entail, at least in mechanical terms:
--Most ongoing effects, such as the spider poison affecting Louella, will end.
--You each recover 3 Strength, 3 Agility, and 3 Will, not to exceed your maximum.
--You each recover to your maximum Purity.
--You will have to option to trade or exchange most relics. Currently the only relic you have is the Bindings in Cassie's possession; they're dormant at the moment but they will be available to be equipped again when you're ready to go back in the city.

And of course, we have a bunch of new characters to meet and recruit.
 
Louella sighed happily, picking up the rogue gingerly and saying “damn. If I’d know the bandages were going to be that stingy I’d have put them on earlier. At least the I would’ve been able to give my best in those last two fights.” She then began to carry Cassie out, muttering “I’d say you’ve got the worst of it. Least I can walk. Now let’s get back to the city so we can get you a proper doctor. Heavens knows what I did is a patch job at best.” Lou looks down at Cassie, saying “don’t squirm, don’t complain.”
 
When the two women got back to Silvergate, the welcome they received was perhaps not the most heartening. In fact the townsfolk paid them little mind at all. It wasn't until they got back to the mayor's inn that anyone noticed them. Mayor Cartwright glanced over them and sighed. "Lost the other two?" He shook his head. "Suppose you'll want me to fetch a surgeon. Did you find anything about Everic?"
 
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