Are you looking for Pedro, or will you take him if you happen to see him, or is he irrelevant, or will specifically avoid him?
--M. J. Young
I can't think of a way to get his attention without compromising myself. Besides, so far, he hasn't been too helpful. I'm just going on my own. And no, if they are arresting Pedro or something, he's on his own. I wouldn't interfere no matter what I saw. If I have the chance to come back for him later, that's fine. But I got demons to kill. Pedro dropped off my radar screen.
I am not certain I would agree that he has not been helpful. He revealed the nature of the first demon to everyone, which meant that there was confusion about who were the good guys instead of a unified perception that you were an assassin after the royal family. He also told you to don the cape, which not only made you invisible so that you could stay alive against overwhelming odds and move into good tactical position, but also enabled you to see through the disguises of the other demons. However, I do agree that you have been the one to kill the demons thus far.
The room has settled significantly. There is a knot of mixed individuals, including guards and nobles, standing around the body of the demon Cathcart, apparently able to recognize that this is indeed a demon. There is no sign of Pedro at this point.
You exit through the aforementioned door into a smaller antechamber with four other doors off it; your sense tells you to cross the room and exit on the far side, which puts you in a spacious corridor with a stairway on your left. It is up the stairs that you feel drawn, and so climb to a landing and beyond to an upper floor.
Pedro is in this hall, listening at doors. Your sense tells you that the demons are ahead and to the left--and then it fails.
--M. J. Young
I thought the demons detection sense lasted for 100 minutes. Did it take me that long to walk around the castle?
Without taking off the cloak, walk up to Pedro, and slap him on the back of the head. When he turns around, say "Don't worry, it's John, the demons are up here and to the left. God is leading me to them."
Proceed in that direction. Did Pedro get the boom stick by chance?
It has not been a hundred minutes; thus there must be some other reason why you can no longer sense the demons.
Pedro did not bring the boom stick. He does follow you at a slight distance.
The door is unlocked. You enter what is evidentally the bedroom of three young ladies, based on the decor and furnishings. There is no one in it.
There is a large rug bunched up to one side near the fireplace; the floor next to it is bare, and it is evident that that is where the rug belongs.
There is a window opposite the door, overlooking a courtyard below. The mantel over the fireplace has a number of knick-knacks on it, including three small silver goblets.
--M. J. Young
Well, if the rug belongs on the floor, there's probably a secret passageway or something in the floor. Start checking the floor, see if I can find a hatch or something. If that doesn't work, play with the knickknacks on the mantel. Not taking anything, but looking for a secret lever or something.
If I still fail to find the passageway, drop to my knees and pray "God, you're supposed to be leading me to the demons. What happened?" (Yes, that's what I would be praying) Pray for 5 minutes whilst Pedro stands guard.
MJ Two posts
I know you said that Pedro didn't bring the boom stick, however I didn't see any kind of rolls on it. Would it be too much to ask for (I guess an intuition check?) on Pedro for whether or not he brought it? I would like to see that boom stick get used in combat at least once. Is it within my player's prerogative to ask you to do that?
There would also be 43 00 shells that I dropped. Did Pedro grab all of this? I really would like to see that used in battle. Would it be too much to ask for a dice roll on whether or not Pedro brought it?
Ya know something? I just realized This is an out of character post, so it would piss Adam off and he wouldn't reply for a day EVEN THOUGH it's completely relevant to game play!!!! It's not "In Character" so Adam would get mad, EVEN THOUGH it's totally relevant and even important to his player. What the hell kind of shit is that?
Stop knocking Adam. He prefers a no-out-of-character-posts approach to play; I don't. There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches.
Pedro watches all this, and explores the room some himself, apparently praying while he does so.
Suddenly he says, "They have passed through a gate into another world. We must follow them. Stand back."
He pulls out from beneath his robes something you take to be a holy symbol of some sort, and speaks in a language you do not recognize while extending his hand over the bare floor.
The floor vanishes. There is now a staircase descending from one edge of a large square opening, going down several hundred yards to a forest below. The forest appears to be lit as by a full moon, and a road leads from the base of the stairs toward a lake on which there is an island. The sky is dark, having neither moon nor stars, but faint lines across it forming squares and distorting any sense of a horizon.
The sense of the demons returns as you stand close to the edge. They are in that world.
--M. J. Young
Kneel and pray. "God, give me the courage to do what needs to be done." That's it, the whole prayer.
Well, proceed into the hole. I am holding the MAK 90 (fully loaded, 31 bullets) out in front, in fire position.
MJ, Two posts
When I get to the bottom, kneel and pray. (Assuming there is nothing threatening me, that is) "God, don't leave me alone with these demons." Pray for 3 minutes.
John, who knows if the guns will work down there? It could have different tech biases than up here. When you get down there, fire off a shot or two just to be certain. Yes, it will let them know you're there, but maybe it might put some fear into them too. If the guns don't work, go back and get the crossbow. It's an @1. Let's see what happens. Fire off 2 shots from the MAK90 into the air when I arrive. Make sure it works.
Ya know what MJ? That prayer could be interpreted a multitude of ways. God interprets prayers that we make, and answers them accordingly. You are, in a sense, God, so interpret it however you see fit. Just understand that I am hoping for positive results.
You pray and feel confidence, then you descend the stairs.
Pedro follows you, praying behind you in some unfamiliar language.
(Does Pedro's presence change that prayer at the bottom of the steps? What are your expectations in regard to that prayer?)
It takes a moment to walk down the distance. The stairs shimmer with a light of their own, but seem solid; they are unsupported by anything visible, with open space beneath them, as if they were hanging from the door. However, from this side, the door appears to be a door in the sky.
You fire a shot from the gun without any problem; the next bullet misfires, but you eject it.
--M. J. Young
When I get to the bottom, kneel and pray. (Assuming there is nothing threatening me, that is) "God, don't leave me alone with these demons." Pray for 3 minutes.
It means exactly what it says "God, don't leave me." Interpret that however you see fit.
Dumb question. If you knew that the gun would work here (which I didn't) why roll for it? I'm just shooting into the air. Wouldn't that be practice? Why roll if you already know it will work?
What's around me? Any trees?
29 bullets left.
MJ Two Posts
I'm having a psychotic episode right now.
That said, if this doesn't make any sense, that's why.
I just realized something. I love doing first aid. I would love the job of a paramedic, for the most part. However, being psychotic, it would be impossible for me to do it. I would be unable to handle the stress. My gaming character is no longer psychotic. He can do it. I just realized that. I thought it somehow relevant.
Note to self: Ask Rob how much paramedic school costs. Even if I can't use it, it would still be good to know.
I'm continuing this in John Crosses Down the Demon Rabbit Hole.
--M. J. Young