IC-UNDER-In Too Deep(Everyone)

[ryansommer]

Sally reloaded any spent rounds into the magazine of her pistol and topped off any spare magazines she had.

[Mr. Handy]

In the upper lab hallway-
The monster kept digesting Joe Barring. His life was slowly being crushed out of him. It also tried again to engulf Hockey, and this time it succeeded.

"No..." sobbed Lynne as she saw the tough military man get swallowed whole.

"What happened out there?" asked Jenny.

"It just ate Hockey. It's already eaten the State Trooper. I'm the only one left out here."

"Duke and I are the only ones left in the office," said Jenny. "It'll be my turn before long."

In the tunnels-
Sally's pistol was already fully loaded with an extra round in the chamber, but she used the time she had to take four bullets out of one magazine and load two of them each into a pair of magazines that had been down to five. Willie took three bullets out of one his rifle magazines with six and filled up another that was lacking three. While the lift completed its descent, Kerry finished her tale, describing how Hammond and Earl had captured her and Debbie, chaining them up in a cell and letting them starve. Then she told about how Debbie died, only to turn into a zombie this morning and try to eat her. Robert, Duke, Lynne, and the dogs had gotten there just in time to save her.

The lift finally reached the bottom of the shaft. To the left and right, a wide circular tunnel stretched off as far as everyone could see - which was not far at all, considering that the lift's light was the only source. Sally did still have her flashlight, but it would be hard for her to hold it and the canes she was using for crutches. Even with them, she'd still be moving slowly, but if she took some of the painkillers in her medical kit it would help. According to Kerry, the left branch went north towards the PMS compound. The tunnels were perfectly round and smooth, as if burrowed by a drill. They formed a straight line and were about the same size as a standard subway tunnel. It was clearly impossible for them to have come about from natural forces.

At the bottom of the shaft, only a few feet from the lift and still in the pool of light emanating from it, were two Air Force uniforms similar to the ones Sally had seen in the prison barracks. Next to the uniforms were another improvised flamer, an electrical device that resembled a cattle prod, and two M1911A1 .45 automatic pistols. Strangely, there was no sign of any bodies - not even skeletons.

Coating parts of the walls in places were streaks of black sludge that reminded the survivors of the creatures they had encountered in the lab above. Kerry in particular was shaken by the sight, having seen it before during her flight through the tunnel four days ago. Then a chanting sound echoed through the tunnels that disturbed her even further. She recalled now that she had heard it before. The chanting did not quite sound human, and it seemed to be coming from all directions. It went:

"Ce’haiie ep-ngh fl’hur G’harne fhtagn,
Ce’haiie fhtagn ngh Shdde-M’ell
Hai G’harne orr;e ep fl’hur
Shudde-Me’ll ican-icanicas fl’hur orre’ G’harne."

(Max, roll Scent Something Interesting. Everyone else, roll Idea. Kerry, roll Sanity. Sanity loss is 0/1d6.)

[Laraqua]

Ms. Foo simply stared down the tunnel, looking deep in thought. The conversation had unnerved her but she wasn't about to show it. Instead she focused on the here and now - the only time and place she could do anything about.

[Mr Zombie killer]

Kerry stared at the wall and listened to the chanting. She said, "If I will you all I would grab the weapons so we can be prepared for what we will meet down here. We have already learned that these creatures hate fire, electricity, and water." She then thought of which way to go but the writing on the walls and the chanting disturbed her too much to concentrate.
She found herself staring at the writing more. Her eyes were drawn to it and she seemed to drown in the words. Luckly she kept her wits about her.

[Mr. Handy]

In the tunnels-
Ms. Foo recalled that Kerry had said she found a flashlight in a compartment of the lift she used to escape from the PMS compound. Since the two underground facilities were similar, perhaps the lifts were as well.

[Laraqua]

Ms. Foo goes to silently check if this one were the same.

[Mr. Handy]

In the tunnels-
Ms. Foo found a compartment in this lift exactly where Kerry had described finding it in the other one. Inside of it she found a flashlight. When she flicked it on, she saw that it still worked.

[Laraqua]

Ms. Foo trundles back with the flashlight.

[ryansommer]

Sally took some of hte pain killers in her medical kit, but not so many that her motor functions would be inhibited.
Seeing how dark it was down here, and how unmobile she was, Sally offered her flashlight to Willie. "Here, take this. We can't see worth a damn down here, and I need at least one hand to use my weapon."
"I suppose we should divy up those weapons," Sally said, looking at pile of gear. "Which of us thinks we can handle those things?" she says looking at the imporvised weapons.

[Mr. Handy]

In the tunnels-
"Well, I need both hands to use my rifle," said Willie. "Anyone else want the other flashlight?"

"I'll take it," said Rosie, accepting it. "I could use one of those pistols, too, if nobody else needs them. I only have eight bullets left for my revolver. Anyone know how to use a flamethrower?"

Nobody said anything.

(The flamethrower has a base skill of 5%, though there are ways to get a bonus on this roll. It has a malfunction number of 93. The electric prod uses Large Club skill, which has a base level of 25%, and a malfunction number of 97. I don't think anyone down here has the skill at a higher level. Both weapons require two hands to use.)

[Mr Zombie killer]

well I will take the flamethrower. I can always put the rifle on my back if I need to. But I think we have these weapons here means the Gods (Mr Handy in this case) have told us there are things up here which will need killed via these. So grab ahold of all and lets go.

[ryansommer]

Sally surveys the scene her mind taking everything in and analyzing it.

[Mr. Handy]

In the upper lab hallway-
The creature finished consuming Joe Barring and began another of its expansions. It also began to digest Hockey, and started trying to devour Duke.

In the tunnels-
(There isn't actually any writing on the walls. The streaks of sludge aren't in any recognizable pattern, they are just there. Sally's Idea roll success only told her the same things that Ms. Foo got from hers. I will also remind you that the left branch of the tunnel heads to the PMS compound according to Kerry. The one on the right goes in the opposite direction. Also, the reel-to-reel recording had mentioned that the surviving scientists had headed down the shaft in the end. Perhaps this is what's left of them. Max didn't make a Scent roll, so I'll do it for him. OathinBlood hasn't posted in a long time, so I'll play Michael until he does.)

Max sniffed the air, detecting something of interest. Rosie took one of the .45 pistols, which were both fully loaded. While there was no additional ammo for them here, Sally had several additional magazines. Rosie shined her flashlight up and down the tunnels, which looked identical to the stretch of tunnel surrounding the lift and were clear of obstructions as far as she could see - which wasn't all that far. Ellen claimed the second pistol, while Kerry took the flamethrower and Michael took the electric prod. The eerie chanting continued.

"Looks like we've got everything," said Willie. "What now?"

[ryansommer]

" Well, I suppose we head off in that direction," Sally said, pointing one of her canes down the left tunnel. "That one leads to the compound, right?"

[kabukiman]

Max barks to the right and goes by the left.

[Laraqua]

Ms. Foo watches to see the other's response, following the direction they head.

[ryansommer]

"Well, we're not getting any younger, here. Let's move out" Sally said as she hobbled on her canes to the left. 'Willie, maybe you should take the lead since you are the most mobile"

[Mr. Handy]

In the upper lab hallway-
The creature lunged for Duke again as it crushed Hockey to death within itself, but it missed badly. Then it tried again, and it finally swallowed him. Jenny sniffled and closed her eyes. "It got Duke," she cried. "Oh, I can't look..."

"Wish it would just eat me too already and get it over with," muttered Lynne.

In the tunnels-
"You got it," said Willie. He led the small group down the tunnel to the left, which Kerry had identified as leading towards the PMS compound. The going was slow, but everyone made steady progress. The tunnel did not change, and after a couple of minutes the survivors came across some odd rocks on the floor. There were four of them, all identical and perfectly spherical. They recalled having seen one just like it in the geology lab. Kerry had seen them before too, the last time she had been down here. The memory made her shiver.

(I'm going to assume Kerry and Michael went with the group. If for some reason they didn't, let me know. Kerry, roll Sanity. Sanity loss is 0/1d6.)

[Mr Zombie killer]

Kerry was indeed walking with the group. She was just quiet as memories filled her head. She looked down and saw the rocks and gasped. Luckly for everyone involved however she did not go insane again.

[ryansommer]

"What is it, Kerry?" Sally said upon hearing Kerry gasp at the sight of the rocks.
Sally proceeded onward with the others, being ever so cautions. "Whom ever is in the back should keep an eye behind us with a flash light in the event that thing comes back down for us.