This quest is for Nevinyrral's character Aggron, any other characters specifically linked here, and WPLs. Those not cleared to post here will be offered up in sacrifice to the Lord of the Pit I keep on call.
Aggron skidded into the partially lit lab on the other side of the portal, slightly disoriented. The Vedalken was still in shock before he found his wits shouting, "Seekers! A creature has appeared through the artifice over here!"
The Vedalken took a few steps closer to Aggron, bending down to examine him. Apparently the portal did not carry Aggron's thought speech through. The Vedalken, oblivious to Aggron's rage, continued closing in with a look of fascination on his face.
Aggron's senses were quickly coming into focus thanks to his rage. He could tell that he was in a square room, about 15 yards by 15 yards. There was only one portal circle on this side. The Vedalken curiously examining him was within two yards, striking distance.
Just then two more etherium covered Vedalken stepping into the room pausing in the doorway, out of sight of the portal.
One spoke saying, "What is that?"
The one next to him asked, "Is that etherium?"
The one nearest Aggron answered both questions saying, "Some sort of creature that cannot be found on Esper. I've never seen it's kind! Yet, here it stands before us, covered in etherium..."
Just then the Vedalken nearest Aggron turned away to look at the other two. The Vedalken had an excited look on his face, the same one Aggron's tormentors had when they were experimenting on him. He spoke with glee saying, "It may be the key to finding Carmot!"
The shock of portal transit brings Aggron's thoughts back to coherence, for a moment anyway. He manages to take stock of his surroundings. He registers, briefly, that these vedalken are not the ones who actually did the work on him. Some part of his mind suggests that he should slow down, figure out who these vedalken are, find out where he is.
But Aggron really doesn't care. He can tell, just by looking at the vedalken's face, what kind of being it is. It's the kind that would dissect him for the secrets his body holds, and take joy in each discovery. It's the kind that would ignore his cries of pain and rip into his body with a knife. The memories of its kind are seared into Aggron's mind deeper than anything, deeper than his ability to speak, deeper than his connections to mana. Being tortured into sentience leaves an impression.
And Aggron's not drugged and half-starved anymore. His mind isn't struggling with the horrors around it at the same time it grapples with the concept of himself. He's not shackled to an operating table or surrounded by guardian golems.
He's free.
Aggron doesn't bother with mana, or tactics, or precision, or anything. His tailblade sinks almost effortlessly into the vedalken's back, sheering apart layers of etherium. But that's not enough. Aggron grabs the hapless researcher, opens his jaws, and clamps down on the vedalken's neck. With a savage ripping motion, he attempts to tear the researcher's head from its shoulders, even as he sinks his tail into the body again and again. Blood and ichor are spraying everywhere, but Aggron barely notices. To the other researchers, it must look like something out of a nightmare.
A choked gasp escapes the Vedalken as he dies exhaling the words, "Help... me..."
The other two Vedalken in the doorway look on in shock screaming, "Seekers to me!"
"We have to shutdown that artifact! We can't let anymore of his kind through!" shouted the other.
"Cut him off from help then!"
"So we can study him!" growled the other Vedalken.
Both tried to charge past Aggron heading for something on the wall by the portal. Aggron could faintly register distant shouting and running coming his way as the two Vedalken tried to pass on his flanks...
<Study this,> Aggron snarled. With a jerk, he threw the limp body away from him, hurling it into one of the vedalken. As the other one--the one who talked about studying him--tries to get to the portal controls, Aggron tackles him, pinning him to the ground and tearing into his body with his claws. With a stroke, Aggron swipes with his tailblade, slicing through the vedalken's neck. More blood fountains into Aggron's face.
It was just too easy.
Aggron gets up and slowly, menacingly, advances on the final researcher. <There will never be another of my kind. Ever. Your fellow 'researchers' did this to me. Were you conscious when your etherium was bound to your bones? Were you dragged, screaming, against your will, into the lab? Were you subjected to test after test, never knowing which nerve was about to burst into flame?>
With panic in his eyes the Vedalken lurches forward breaking a circular piece of etherium off of the portal. Immediately the portal began to destabilize, flickering and becoming opaque as the Vedalken cried out in a horse voice, "Monster, we've never seen your kind before! How could we have experimented on you!?"
The hurried steps were almost upon Aggron as the Vedalken looked fearfully into his eyes...
They're so damn weak. It's not even a challenge to kill them. And they don't even die clean. If the one they were experimenting on rose from the operating table and slew them, they would feel only surprise, maybe chagrin. Not guilt. Never guilt. Their kind don't even understand it.
Have I spent all this time trying to get a worthless revenge?
Aggron is suddenly filled with disgust. He doesn't even bother to finish the last vedalken. He just shoves the blue-skinned being away as he turns to face his new enemies.
Three groups of Vedalken spilled into the room quickly surveying the seen. Nine in total looked at Aggron with disgust and open curiosity. The lead Vedalken commanded, "Grab our newest specimen."
With that all three groups charged Aggron, weapons drawn. They intended to knock him into submission.
3x Filigree Sages tapped and attacking Aggron, six incoming damage.
Aggron doesn't bother with mana, or tactics, or precision, or anything. His tailblade sinks almost effortlessly into the vedalken's back, sheering apart layers of etherium. But that's not enough. Aggron grabs the hapless researcher, opens his jaws, and clamps down on the vedalken's neck. With a savage ripping motion, he attempts to tear the researcher's head from its shoulders, even as he sinks his tail into the body again and again. Blood and ichor are spraying everywhere, but Aggron barely notices. To the other researchers, it must look like something out of a nightmare.
So nope, two quick travels over that time period followed by that statement means reset on lands for you. Graveyard carries over as you have not had a proper rest yet.
Fair enough. Aggron with access to ten mana at the start of a fight is OP anyways.
Aggron has no choice but to suffer the incoming attacks. However, he s no longer filled with disgust. I may have caused this, but I'm not turning into a lab rat again! Time to get serious.
Aggron rolls away from the clutches of the vedalken, bruised but hardly captured. He breathes deeply, feeling the place around him, sensing its mana. Carefully, he draws out some black mana, and summons a rotten goblin to defend himself.
Dammit, I really needed a break from that last fight. This is going to be painful. Aggron flings his goblin--and his tail--in the path of one of the approaching squads of vedalken. The goblin severs the jugular of one, then Aggron's tailblade takes out a second, and finally the death cloud the goblin releases leaves the third choking on the floor and totally unable to fight. Aggron barely manages to keep himself free from the other two squads, though, and even though he keeps his mobility, they still land several hits.
With a grimace at spending such a precious resource, Aggron draws on his last elvish guide. Using the mana she grants him and his own dark mana, he forms a mana-refining signet; then he draws out a green mana orb from his own internal resources and transmutes it through the signet into a savage mongrel.
Block one sage with Goblin and tail. Use Goblin ability to finish off the sage.
There is a visible hesitation in the step of the two remaining groups as Aggron manages to slay them. They come to a complete standstill when he draws upon the forests summoning his creature. There was a look of disbelief and wonder on their faces.
The leader of the group spoke uneasily saying, "We have to capture him. Find out where that mana came from. You three delay him, we'll be back with more Seekers!"
With that the center group from before bolted out of the room while the remaining three stood in the doorway blocking Aggron's immediate pursuit.
Aggron buries one paw in the fur of the mongrel dog, even as he twines mana with the other. <Well, gentlemen? You're just as curious as the last lot, aren't you? I'll make you a deal--if you tell me all you can about this facility, I'll explain my mana to you. I can tell it's not natural here. Or you can block my path, and I set my pet here on you, and you die knowing nothing.>
Aggron finishes with his other hand; he's crafted another green mana orb and two elves to help him, and he's surrounded by a strange aura the vedalken cannot begin to understand. The elves take up positions on either side of the dog, their faces identically conveying the expression of sarcastic inquiry that Aggron's own cannot.
During first main phase, play a Forest, use both forests to make two Skyshroud Rangers and use the Swamp and the Signet to make a Dark Heart of the Wood. Not done with the turn; waiting to see what the vedalken do.
The Vedalken simply looked down the hallway after their companions that had retreated to get more help. They stayed silent and wary of Aggron as they continued blocking the doorway. One of the Vedalken said, "We just need to delay him for a few minutes..."
And that, abruptly, sends Aggron straight back into his rage.
<You're supposed to be SMART. Yet you see your death, right in front of you, and have a chance to avoid it, and throw it AWAY? How did idiots like YOU ever do this to me? Mutt! Kill!> And with a little boost from Aggron, the dog, its eyes afire, tears into the vedalken blocking the door.
Assuming no tricks...
Aggron kicks the bodies aside contemptuously and strides into the corridor, his summons following in his wake.
Discard 1x Golgari Rot Farm to give the mongrel +1/+1 and turn it red, and attack the Sages with it. That should kill them and leave the mongrel up.
There was a singular hallway that made things cramped with the summons at his side. To Aggron's left the hallway curved around the portal room. To his right, the hallway curved away from the portal room.
In both cases Aggron could not see beyond the curves of the hallways...
Randomly, Aggron goes left, around the portal. He gestures, and his summons come after him, moving so that the two elves walk behind to accommodate the hallway.
I'm assuming I don't get another turn before things happen. If that's wrong, I'll post my turn here.
Aggron hears the sound of pursuit, and turns. He's much more interested in combat than exploration. As he heads back, towards the building's exit, he cracks his claws impatiently at the elves, and they fashion their own globes of mana which Aggron absorbs and adds one of his own. Now three green globes float over his right shoulder, and three black ones over his left. Aggron pulls mana from the orbs, re-crafting the sword he found in the lair of another artificer long ago. He tosses it to the mongrel, who catches it in its teeth and absorbs the weapon into its body. The beast grows much larger, and flickers of black and white lightning run through the mongrel's fur intermittently. It looks less like a savage hound now, and more like something demonic, terrifying. Aggron has to walk behind it now; there's not room for both of them side by side in the passage, although Aggron can still see over its back.
Play 1x Forest, use elves to make 2x Swamp. Use those to make 1x Sword of Light and Shadow and equip it to the mongrel.
Life: 8
Aggron quickly comes upon a vedalken leading two other humans down the corridor. All three pause at the sight of Aggron and his summons. Falling into a defensive stance the female human calls back to the others yelling, "He's already turned back. He's coming this way!"
Aggron points with his tailblade, and the feral monster rushes forward to rip into the trio of vedalken. <Your bravery is misplaced, fools! I am FAR too powerful for you!>
Attack the Filigree Sages with the amped-up Mongrel. I'll wait till after combat to decide other actions.
The Vedalken took a few steps closer to Aggron, bending down to examine him. Apparently the portal did not carry Aggron's thought speech through. The Vedalken, oblivious to Aggron's rage, continued closing in with a look of fascination on his face.
Aggron's senses were quickly coming into focus thanks to his rage. He could tell that he was in a square room, about 15 yards by 15 yards. There was only one portal circle on this side. The Vedalken curiously examining him was within two yards, striking distance.
Just then two more etherium covered Vedalken stepping into the room pausing in the doorway, out of sight of the portal.
One spoke saying, "What is that?"
The one next to him asked, "Is that etherium?"
The one nearest Aggron answered both questions saying, "Some sort of creature that cannot be found on Esper. I've never seen it's kind! Yet, here it stands before us, covered in etherium..."
Just then the Vedalken nearest Aggron turned away to look at the other two. The Vedalken had an excited look on his face, the same one Aggron's tormentors had when they were experimenting on him. He spoke with glee saying, "It may be the key to finding Carmot!"
But Aggron really doesn't care. He can tell, just by looking at the vedalken's face, what kind of being it is. It's the kind that would dissect him for the secrets his body holds, and take joy in each discovery. It's the kind that would ignore his cries of pain and rip into his body with a knife. The memories of its kind are seared into Aggron's mind deeper than anything, deeper than his ability to speak, deeper than his connections to mana. Being tortured into sentience leaves an impression.
And Aggron's not drugged and half-starved anymore. His mind isn't struggling with the horrors around it at the same time it grapples with the concept of himself. He's not shackled to an operating table or surrounded by guardian golems.
He's free.
The other two Vedalken in the doorway look on in shock screaming, "Seekers to me!"
"We have to shutdown that artifact! We can't let anymore of his kind through!" shouted the other.
"Cut him off from help then!"
"So we can study him!" growled the other Vedalken.
Both tried to charge past Aggron heading for something on the wall by the portal. Aggron could faintly register distant shouting and running coming his way as the two Vedalken tried to pass on his flanks...
It was just too easy.
Aggron gets up and slowly, menacingly, advances on the final researcher. <There will never be another of my kind. Ever. Your fellow 'researchers' did this to me. Were you conscious when your etherium was bound to your bones? Were you dragged, screaming, against your will, into the lab? Were you subjected to test after test, never knowing which nerve was about to burst into flame?>
<ANSWER ME!>
The hurried steps were almost upon Aggron as the Vedalken looked fearfully into his eyes...
They're so damn weak. It's not even a challenge to kill them. And they don't even die clean. If the one they were experimenting on rose from the operating table and slew them, they would feel only surprise, maybe chagrin. Not guilt. Never guilt. Their kind don't even understand it.
Have I spent all this time trying to get a worthless revenge?
Aggron is suddenly filled with disgust. He doesn't even bother to finish the last vedalken. He just shoves the blue-skinned being away as he turns to face his new enemies.
With that all three groups charged Aggron, weapons drawn. They intended to knock him into submission.
So nope, two quick travels over that time period followed by that statement means reset on lands for you. Graveyard carries over as you have not had a proper rest yet.
Aggron rolls away from the clutches of the vedalken, bruised but hardly captured. He breathes deeply, feeling the place around him, sensing its mana. Carefully, he draws out some black mana, and summons a rotten goblin to defend himself.
Life: 12 (had 18 at the end of the fight with Lou)
Field: 1x Festering Goblin, Q
1x Swamp, T
Yard:
1x Moment's Peace
1x Assassinate
Exile:
3x Echoing Decay
2x Elvish Spirit Guide
By the way, will there be any problems channeling green mana? I know he's in Esper.
"That changes nothing. Bring it down!" commanded the center group's Vedalken. With that all three groups charged once again.
With a grimace at spending such a precious resource, Aggron draws on his last elvish guide. Using the mana she grants him and his own dark mana, he forms a mana-refining signet; then he draws out a green mana orb from his own internal resources and transmutes it through the signet into a savage mongrel.
Use Elvish Spirit Guide ability.
Play 1x Golgari Signet
Play 1x Forest
Play 1x Wild Mongrel with Forest through Signet
Life: 8
Field: 1x Wild Mongrel, Q
1x Golgari Signet, T
1x Swamp, T
1x Forest, T
Yard:
1x Moment's Peace
1x Assassinate
Exile:
3x Echoing Decay
3x Elvish Spirit Guide
Any special reaction to the green mana?
The leader of the group spoke uneasily saying, "We have to capture him. Find out where that mana came from. You three delay him, we'll be back with more Seekers!"
With that the center group from before bolted out of the room while the remaining three stood in the doorway blocking Aggron's immediate pursuit.
Aggron buries one paw in the fur of the mongrel dog, even as he twines mana with the other. <Well, gentlemen? You're just as curious as the last lot, aren't you? I'll make you a deal--if you tell me all you can about this facility, I'll explain my mana to you. I can tell it's not natural here. Or you can block my path, and I set my pet here on you, and you die knowing nothing.>
Aggron finishes with his other hand; he's crafted another green mana orb and two elves to help him, and he's surrounded by a strange aura the vedalken cannot begin to understand. The elves take up positions on either side of the dog, their faces identically conveying the expression of sarcastic inquiry that Aggron's own cannot.
Life: 8
Field: 1x Wild Mongrel, Q
2x Skyshroud Ranger, Q and SS
1x Golgari Signet, T
1x Swamp, T
2x Forest, T
Yard:
1x Moment's Peace
1x Assassinate
Exile:
3x Echoing Decay
3x Elvish Spirit Guide
<You're supposed to be SMART. Yet you see your death, right in front of you, and have a chance to avoid it, and throw it AWAY? How did idiots like YOU ever do this to me? Mutt! Kill!> And with a little boost from Aggron, the dog, its eyes afire, tears into the vedalken blocking the door.
In both cases Aggron could not see beyond the curves of the hallways...
The pathway continues deeper into the building as Aggron hears distant shouts, "It's heading deeper into the building!"
"Gather more forces around the exits! It'll have to fight it's way out now!"
"You three give chase! Use your mana to warn us of his movements!"
They path began to slope downward, a way that would likely take him deeper into the building should he continue onward...
Life: 8
Field: 1x Wild Mongrel, Q (4/4 pro-white pro-black)
2x Skyshroud Ranger, T
1x Dark Heart of the Wood
1x Golgari Signet, Q
3x Swamp, 2x T
3x Forest, 3x T
Yard:
1x Moment's Peace
1x Assassinate
1x Golgari Rot Farm
Exile:
3x Echoing Decay
3x Elvish Spirit Guide
1x Filigree Sages
Aggron quickly comes upon a vedalken leading two other humans down the corridor. All three pause at the sight of Aggron and his summons. Falling into a defensive stance the female human calls back to the others yelling, "He's already turned back. He's coming this way!"
The battlemages point their staffs at the mongrel, and lines of mana strike it, shrinking the dog. Simultaneously, the vedalken strikes the mongrel.
That gives -2/-2 to the Mongrel, and the Filigree Sages does 2 damage.
Untap a Battlemage using Filigree Sages, Battlemage is tapped for another -1/-1 to the Mongrel.