The Creeper 2010 - Tundra Train

[AlexFili]

HOUR TWENTY-SEVEN RESULTS
=========================

[A] Furlong shoots at Right Tentacles with his Arctic Vulture. 5 - Target takes damage
3 of 3 Right Tentacles destroyed. All Right Tentacles have been destroyed.
Destroy All Right Tentacles Objective Complete! Furlong: +25 XP!
[E] Unit 23 uses a Medical Kit on Randy.
Randy: Injured -> Very Healthy
[A] Unit 23 stabs Right Tentacles with his Blitzknife. 4 - No Target
[E] Randy uses a Medical Kit on Zalik.
Zalik: Critically Injured -> Healthy
[A] Randy attacks The Creeper with a Rocket Launcher. 3 - Target takes damage
The Creeper: Very Healthy -> Barely Injured

[A] Sentry Turret Bravo tries to shoot The Creeper. 5 - Target takes damage
The Creeper: Barely Injured -> Severely Injured

[A] Kipricat fires a rocket at the Creeper with his rocket launcher. 6 - Direct hit
The Creeper: Severely Injured -> Enraged
The Creeper gives out a mighty roar as it recoils from the damage. It reforms, it's slime now reforming and giving off a hot steam to all those close to it.
[A] Enraged Creeper tries to attack Chag with a jet of hot steam. 2 - Target missed
[A] Enraged Creeper tries to attack Kipricat with a jet of hot steam. 5 - Target takes damage
Kipricat: Injured -> Critically Injured
[A] Enraged Creeper tries to attack Zalik with a jet of hot steam. 2 - Target missed
[A] Enraged Creeper tries to attack Randy with a jet of hot steam. 2 - Target missed
[A] Enraged Creeper tries to attack Unit 23 with a jet of hot steam. 3 - Target takes damage
Unit 23: Injured -> Critically Injured
[A] Enraged Creeper tries to attack Furlong with a jet of hot steam. 5 - Target takes damage
Furlong: Injured -> Critically Injured

[A] Zalik attacks The Creeper with his Blitzknife. 4 - Target takes damage.
Enraged Creeper: Very Healthy -> Barely Injured

[QH] Furlong shoots at The Creeper with his Arctic Vulture. 6 - Target takes damage.
Enraged Creeper: Barely Injured -> Dying
[QH] Kipricat fires a rocket at the Creeper with his rocket launcher. 5 - Target takes damage.
Enraged Creeper: Dying -> Obliterated
Destroy the Creeper Objective Complete! Kipricat: +50 XP!

The evil has been cleansed. It's all over.

HOUR TWENTY-EIGHT
=================

IC: With a final moan, the Enraged Creeper fell to the ground, it's slime being unable to reform itself and instead bubbling away under the immense heat. The damaged caused was unbelievable. Bullet casings and rocket shells lay everywhere.

Furlong looked around, the team was battered but alive. Randy helped Unit 23 to his feet. Unit 23 said "It's over", before walking around the room. Furlong withdrew his weapons and sighed. "Okay team. Good work, now let's get out of here and onto that train" OSU's final act was to set the charges for the demolition of the Blarg Corps facility and subway lines. All the rockets and gunfire probably rendered the subway useless now, not to mention the prowling creatures.

[M] Furlong moves to the Delta Subway Line (H).
[E] Unit 23 uses a Medical Kit on Furlong.

OOC: Zalik, Kipricat and Chag all have medical kits. Might be a good time to use them before the RPG ends

Congrats everyone! That's all of the fighting take care of. Now to wrap up the story. The game will officially end at the end of Hour Thirty. Until then, you are welcome to chat in-character to everyone else. I'd like to hear your summary of the game and what you thought it was like. Feel free to tell me what you liked and didn't like. I would like to host another game in March. Maybe just for 7 days.

I'd like everyone to check this topic again in a few days to see the Shared Experience Points everyone got and what new bonuses await you on your next adventure.

It's been a real pleasure to play this game with you all for the past month. Thank you for your dedication and support throughout. New suggestions are always welcome and I am happy to welcome anyone into this RPG. Special thanks to: MeechMunchie, Oddey, Scrabtrapman, Slig #5719, Itxi and Arkaznor. I really hope to see you guys in a few months for another quest and I wish you the best of luck for this year.

[Oddey]

OOC: It has indeed been quite a pleasure. I enjoyed this one, more so than the last, and I say we do this again next time. There is something rather nice about a short quest RPG. I wonder if it would be possible to do an Oddworld version of say... The Thing or something.

The way I remember most of this is like this: We came in with a big team, along with two slogs. We met skelesligs, hellhound slogs, zombie big bros, mudokons and all kinds of sick creatures. Along the way, we lost some team members and some roleplayers, good chaps, all of them. And then we found our way to the lab, where we through simple error released the Creeper. We beat him with superior firepower and numbers, and we're getting out alive.

Personally what I did not like was the general choice of creatures. It felt "haunted house"-like with skeletons, zombies and the like. Personally I would have liked some kind of really strange grotesque creatures unknown to anyone. Even if it was just some kind of Vykker's experiment. Skeleton sligs just don't float very well in the waters of believability, if I do say so myself.

What I did like was the much more organized and simple combat methods. Rather than have to go through long OOC discussions regarding how one should attack without godmodding, you just roll a dice, and that pretty much solves all combat related problems normally encountered with other RPGs. True, this way is a tad more simple, but that is the beauty of it. Actually I pretty much like everything about The Creeper, except the choice of foes.

IC: 'Oof,' thought Kipricat as he recovered from a jet of steam straight to the face. That was the last thought that passed through his mind for a few minutes. At that moment, Kipricat finally let his legs cave in. It was over, and he was alive. Lying back and relaxing for a short moment, he suddenly felt a sharp pain nearly everywhere. With a somewhat shaky hand, he pulled out his medical kit and again used whatever he could find to help himself. Feeling a lot better after another few minutes, he got up, and followed Furlong to the Delta Subway line.

'Thank odd... This is over. It's really over,' he thought. He murmurred something aloud, which not even Kipricat could remember, due to the mind-dulling effects of the medical kit. Rubbing his forehead for a bit, he glanced at the rest of the team. Chag and the other intern were there. So was Furlong. And so was the rest of the team. Except for... Someone they had left behind... But who, Kip could not recall. The team simply felt a lot smaller. Bonded by trauma, the survivors would always be. 'If I'm ever with these guys again, I'll get to know them,' he promised himself. Talking aloud now, he said "We made it... We did it... We're alive... And we're going to get out of here..."

The realization had at first occurred as natural. But after he said it aloud, he realised how unlikely it really was that they were still alive and on their way out of here. There had been some close calls. It could easily have been more than close. They could easily have died... But they hadn't... Kipricat kept pondering as he walked.

[M] Kipricat moves to H.
[E] Kipricat uses a medical kit on himself.

[slig# 5719]

OOC:
Most of my thoughts pretty much mimic Oddey's. This RPG was definetly a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it, although I can't really compare this Creeper to the last one as I wasn't part of it but I do think this was an improvement on the last one, mainly because of the battle system.

This was the first time I have taken part in a RP like this, although that's not surprising since this is the third RP I've taken part in, not including my own one. My most favorite post to write was in Hour Thirteen, I just went for it and after posting it I was thinking to myself 'oh crap I didn't go too overboard did I?'

My summary is pretty much the same as Oddey's as are my likes and dislikes of the RP. The only enemy I thought was a tad out of place was the SkeleSlig but I didn't think too badly of the other's apart from most of them were just Zombies. I do agree with Oddey in including Vykker experiments, like having a Paramite + Scrab merged together scuttering around the cieling would have been interesting. For some reason I sometimes found myself relating this RP to the first Resident Evil film.

I did enjoy the battle system it was simple, easy to roleplay with and it was easy to know what could or could not be done during an hour without having to ask constant questions. I usually found myself setting up my posts like this:
*detailed versions of action from the last hour requiring a Dice Roll*
*getting in Zalik's head, communication ect*
*the current hour's actions*

That's about all I can think of for now, would the March RP be another Creeper or more likely something entirely different?

IC:
Zalik managed to awkwardly dodge out of the way of the Creeper's jet of steam and sliced through the creature's flesh. As the creature fell to Kipricat's rocket Zalik felt the gripping within him fade away, whether it was temporary or not he couldn't say. "So it's finally over" he said relieved, Zalik had originally signed up with the OSU for excitement but he had never expected to have to endure anything like this.

Zalik noticed his friend 23 had been badly hurt during the recent fighting, "Hey! 23!" he yelled out hobbling towards him and pulled out his medical kit. "You need this more than I do" he smiled behind his tentacles and started to apply the kit on 23. "That's that all done, k'mon let's get out of this place" he tapped 23 on the shoulder and began to make his way to the Delta Subway Line "I'm not gonna be able to sleep for weeks after this." Joking aside Zalik was worried, he himself as well as the other's had almost died today and he hadn't been prepared for anything like that. He lowered his head in thought as he continued on.

[E] Zalik used a Medical Kit on Unit 23
[M] Zalik moved to H

[MeechMunchie]

OOC:
Sorry I couldn't make it for the final fight!

I agree with all the comments on the more organised fighting and movement, and thematic value. If I could make one criticism it would be this: I don't care how long it is, but we need to put it at a calmer time of year! It's not your fault, but I was really busy at Christmas and I was disappointed that I missed all the action.

I think we should have a brainstorming thread in March as well, so we can put more ideas in the pot nearer the time. Maybe we should have a roll call of where all the characters are every turn? I still think there's room for the 'deadly outside conditions' idea, as well.

IC:
As the Creeper slowly died, screeching and blasting steam across the room, Chag finally snapped out of his necrotic trance. As the lifegases flowed across him, the sickly green of his flesh receeded back towards the scar on his wrist. Chag coughed up a little green ooze, and was cured. More or less, anyway.
"Thanks, people. Really. I'd be dead - worse than dead - if you hadn't come back for me. Now, who needs a medical pack? We'll barely make it out the door at this rate!"

[E] Chag offers a Medical Pack to anyone who needs one
[M] Chag moves to H

[AlexFili]

HOUR TWENTY-EIGHT RESULTS
========================

[M] Furlong moves to the Delta Subway Line (H).
[E] Unit 23 uses a Medical Kit on Furlong.
Furlong: Critically Injured -> Healthy

[M] Kipricat moves to H.
[E] Kipricat uses a medical kit on himself.
Kipricat: Critically Injured -> Healthy

[E] Zalik used a Medical Kit on Unit 23.
[M] Zalik moved to H.
Zalik: Critically Injured -> Healthy

[E] Chag offers a Medical Pack to anyone who needs one. (Randy)
Randy: Healthy -> Very Healthy
[M] Chag moves to H.

HOUR TWENTY-NINE
================

H - Delta Subway Line
This is the Delta Subway Line. It appears that a train is waiting in the station, with a few minutes the train could be used to make an escape.

IC: Randy was surprised to be offered a Medical Kit by Chag. He took it and thanked him. Furlong reached the platform. He noticed a diesel train which was currently at the station itself. It had several passenger carts and a cargo cart at the back of the train. "Okay, time to get this up and running... I need a Technician (Kipricat) to come up to the front and help me start it. Randy, help me plot an route on the map will you?" Randy looked towards Furlong and nodded, rushing over with a pen in his hand. Unit 23 was standing in a corner of the station. It looked as if he was whispering something into a portable microphone.

[E] Furlong enters the Train Engine cabin and studies the buttons.
[E] Randy plots a course on the map.

OOC: I apologize for the lack of monster diversity. I felt that at least I did a decent job with the monster placement, objectives (kennels, etc) and final boss. It looks like I'll need to brainstorm for some new potential enemies for the next one.

If I can, I'd like to keep The Creeper running around October time on the cusp of Halloween. Currently I'm considering doing a short RPG based on some of my fanfictions. a Prison OtherSide or a Four Dominions game would be quite fun, and Silpher's Pack would make for some interesting characterization. Competitive games (as well as Co-operative games) is another possibility, for interesting player vs player conflicts.

I can see a couple of Oddities that need reworking and a few other things that need a little bit of extra development. Of course, if anyone has any other opinions or pieces of advice they are welcome to post them here so I can prepare better for next time!

[MeechMunchie]

IC:
Randy took the Med Kit from Chag's hand as he held it out and mumbled some thanks. As the group pressed forward, the claustrophobic tunnels ended at last, leading to a fenceless platform. Inky darkness descended below, and tiny specks of light at each end of the station flickered across the grimy surface of the enormous cargo train that was docked there. Technicians set to work, fighters kept a lookout, and Chag rose into the air to make sure the way for the train was clear.

[E] Chag flies a short distance down the train platform, making sure there are no obstructions.

[Oddey]

IC: Kipricat looked at the train. This was their ride home? Not quite the gloriously, fabulous and extravagent transport he had in mind, but at least it could run. And it was a train. Trains made Kipricat feel much safer. No insane driver capable of turning it off the road. You could always tell where you were going, or where it was possible you'd go to.

Kipricat heard Furlong's orders, and happily obliged. 'Finally something that doesn't need to be blown up,' he thought as he headed up to the front. Kipricat reached the front of the train, and took a minute to look at the controls. Then, Kipricat pressed a button.

[E] Kipricat follows Furlong into the Train Engine cabin and attempts to start the train.

[slig# 5719]

IC:
Zalik stopped as he caught sight of the train and his hopes finally lifted but they still had to get out of the subway yet.
Now that there were no enemies around Zalik felt pretty useless, he had no special skills so he decided to keep a look out for anything that might decide to jump out and eat them.

As he kept watch Zalik's mind began to wander to the mission they just accomplished, the fumbling of the Slig Mask and finding the Blitzknife, to the battles and eventual collapse of the subway system. Zalik could tell that all of the events that took place had changed him. If he had any sense he would quit the OSU the moment he returned but he knew he wouldn't be able to cope as a lowly guard after the things he'd seen. He held his Blitzknife in front of him, this weapon and his teammates had seen him through the worst moments he had ever had and he felt that he had begun to feel an attachment to the blade. He waited and kept his eyes to the surroundings until the train was ready.

[AlexFili]

HOUR TWENTY-NINE RESULTS
=======================

[E] Furlong enters the Train Engine cabin and studies the buttons.
[E] Randy plots a course on the map.
[E] Kipricat follows Furlong into the Train Engine cabin and attempts to start the train.

HOUR THIRTY
===========

IC: The train engine hummed for a while and then roared into life. The lights of the train came on and the doors of the carts automatically opened. Everyone came on board and took their seats. Two little barks could be heard as Scrap and Ruff jumped into the train. They started licking some of the Sligs and jumping up and down playfully.

The train whistle sounded and the wheels of the train started to turn. Slowly the train left the station and then picked up speed. Once the train was far along enough, Furlong hit the detonator and a blast could be heard in the distance.

The train passed through snowy mountains, some quiet towns and along a busy road. A few hours later, the train came to a stop in Arigato Central, one of the largest train stations in Mudos. Furlong directed the train into an empty platform and the team disembarked. Briefing of the OSU team would happen soon, but first it was time for coffee at the headquarters while they waited for the high command to assemble. Furlong took one last look at the train and smiled.

OOC: I'll start working out the Shared Experience once I get the data from my backed up hard drive

[MeechMunchie]

IC:
This assignment had been too much. Monsters, disease, explosions, and he'd only just managed to pull himself into the train in time. Now he was safe inside though, with the rest of the team. He looked across their faces... Injured Mudokons, scarred Slig captains, stitched-up Interns... They looked so strange, as a group, but they had somehow managed to pull through. As he lay back in his seat, watching the titanic but bizarrely peaceful scenery rumble by, he thought back to the events of the day. He'd forged new friendships, fought for his life, as almost ended up as a zombie.

If that didn't get him some sick leave, he didn't know what would.

OOC:
Great playing with you everybody!

[Oddey]

IC: Kipricat grinned as the train started up. Blowing the whistle himself a few times, he flipped a lever sending the train roaring off to Arigato Cartel. The house of horrors was slowly left behind in the snow. The skies were completely clear, and the surrounding countryside slowly returned to a much healthier green and white. Moving into the room where his teammates were, Kipricat busied himself with his board of wires. Quietly moving them around, he glanced up. Everyone alive was here. Survival of the fittest was something Kipricat had heard of, and he had never expected to be the fittest. But this adventure pinned him as one of the fittest.

Making room for more thoughts, Kipricat looked up from his board and considered it. Things weren't too bad. He'd probably be well within his rights to ask for a pay-raise now. A job transfer wouldn't be too bad either. Maybe something peaceful like making sure fuzzles didn't escape. Glancing at his rocket launcher, SMG and chainsaw that had served him faithfully, he knew that was not going to happen. Why, he couldn't explain, but he knew it could not happen.

A paise-raise on the other hand...

OOC: Ah... The wondeful feeling of having survived yet again.

[slig# 5719]

IC:
Zalik was staring down the railway into the darkness when the train came to life. The sound of the engine starting up made him jump, his first thought being that they were under attack again. Luckily that wasn't the case, Zalik sighed with relief and boarded the train with the others.

Zalik picked his seat and sat down, he was still uneasy until the Slogs started licking him, "Hey stop that!" he laughed, the Slogs had calmed his nerves considerably but he didn't start to relax until after the train had left the tunnel. He looked around, everyone was sitting silently which wasn't a surprise given what they had all just been through. Then it suddenly occured to him, he hadn't eaten anything for ages and he suddenly aquired a craving for Paramite Pies. He promised himself that the first thing he would do when he returned to the headquarters was to eat as many Paramite Pies from the Mess Hall as was physically possible.

OOC:
That was fun, we should almost die again sometime

[AlexFili]

THE CREEPER RESULTS
==================

I'm going to give out some shared experience for everyone for completing the objectives.

Turned the warehouse power on. +50 XP!
Shut down the kennels. +50 XP!
Activated the two door locks. +50 XP!
Destroyed Lab Machines. +50 XP!
Destroyed The Creeper. +50 XP!

That comes up to a total of 250 XP for everyone.
I shall now post the final XP results for all players.

Player Name......Character...........Level...Experience
AlexFili.............Furlong..............4.........166
MeechMunchie...Chag................4..........54
Oddey..............Kipricat.............4..........218
AlexFili..............Randy...............4..........94
Scrabtrapman....Unit 23..............4.........132
Slig #5719........Zalik..................4.........150
Itxi..................Scrap................3.........0
Itxi..................Ruff..................3..........0
Arkaznor...........Yuv..................3..........0

I'm giving Itxi and Arakaznor a small penalty for not participating as much as the other members.

[STM]

EPILOGUE

Unit 23 looked at the horror in front of him, he slung his weaponry over his back and withdrew a small two way wireless intercom from his pocket. The rest of the team were looking around at the creeper, breathing heavily, dropping kit and realising that they had each survived. Unit 23 slunk back into the shadows and pressed a button on the walkie-talkie, a quiet static poured from the contraption and the slig silenced it with his hand before speaking in a hushed monotone,
"Unit 23 reporting to 1042 - weapons facility...do you read over?"
After a short silence a chronicler on the other end spoke up,
"Codename 23, cleared to speak on secure channels, go ahead,"
Unit 23 drew in his breath and spoke his story,
"The creeper has failed, subjects one to eight each showed signs of high level training, utilising limited and poor quality equipment to defeat waves of test subjects and eventually CREEPER 12. I expect that the test facility was appropriately masked as an abandoned feeco line, none of them could tell as far as I am aware - All enemies engaged were hostile, all signs of self restraint, control and basic intelligent function are depleted or non-existant. We can therefore conclude that GORMAN DISENZA test patients are not cured, tell the Vykers that the serum needs work."
And with that, the slig threw his walkie-talkie to the floor and stamped it out with his mechanical foot.

He returned from the shadowy tunnel to face the group,
"Oh, thank goodness I found you all!" Unit 23 breathed, assuming the role of the scared survivor, "I thought I was really a goner, the creatures chased me away from the group...but I managed to find this..." the slig allowed the team to gather round and showed them a neatly drawn map, folded at the sides but bearing the authenticity of the RF cartography department.
"So, let's get out of here, I'm pretty sure we're not done yet.

This epilogue authorized by AlexFili

[AlexFili]

OOC: Very nice Scrabtrapman. Now I can work on some conspiracy theories xD

[Oddey]

OOC: Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho! A sneaky little plot eh? Well, it doesn't tell a whole lot. Gorman Disenza almost sounds like an anagram of Gordon Freeman. Unfortunately, this is not so.

[AlexFili]

OOC: According to the wiki page, it's a disease affecting only the rich.

[slig# 5719]

OOC:
That's a nice piece of Epilogue you've got going on there. Back when the lab machines were destroyed I started to suspect that the release of The Creeper was something the OSU was planning but this mysterious third party is very interesting.

[STM]

Ooh la la fancy fancy aye?

[AlexFili]

Excellente. See you all in a few weeks chaps. Pip pip.