The Root of the Problem |
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Stage 1 |
Location: | Taulin Sands (Flats) (12, 3) |
You find Frank blasting Copter Spores with abandon. He smiles at you as you approach, 'Ah dinner, you got that Sandwich on ya? |
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He takes the Chomped Sandwich and polishes it off. Frank smiles back at you, 'Excellent, the Captain knows how to make a snack. I wish a good meal was the least of our problems, we can't get across the Flats with all these Spores flying around. If one lands on or near us we will get covered in Spore Juice. Not gonna be pretty. Can you find whatever is making these things and shut it down?' |
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Stage 2 |
Location: | Taulin Sands (Flats) (4, 14) |
In the middle of a wide valley you discover a huge Bulb rooted into the sands. |
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There is something that you don't trust about the silent plant. Sigma is a dangerous place. There has to be a way that this thing can protect itself against predators. As you watch you see the top of the huge bulb open slowly, then with an astonishing cracking sound it shoots a dozen Spores high into the air. You see the Seeds spinners open as they start to descend and watch in wonder as they float away.
You then see the soft orange haze ooze out of the cracks in the petals of the bulb. Crouching down you see a thin coating of orange dust on the area surrounding the bulb. You suppose if anyone breaths that in they are not going to live very long.
You will need to find a way to destroy the Bulb at a distance. |
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Stage 3 |
Location: | Taulin Sands (Flats) (4, 14) |
You return to the Copter Bulb, you must destroy it if you are going to be able to cross the Flats. But you will need a method of killing it at a distance. |
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You hold the odd Copter Grenade in your hand. Taking a deep breath you run up as close to it as you dare. Hoping desperately it does not vomit more Spores as you do so, you throw your makeshift explosive.
To you horror it bounces harmlessly off the shell then in a slow arc you watch it fall through the air. Then suddenly the spinner on top opens up and the Grenade starts to almost hover in place. A small gust of wind blows in toward the massive armored bulb where it hits the ground its base. The small tail is pushed down into the soft sand and it explodes. The way you made the Grenade with the criss crossed lines in the shell, seems to have weakened it. So that the shell explodes rather than opens under the force of the juice inside. The Shell Fragments rip a large hole into the base of the bulb and orange Juice splatters everywhere.
You are astonished to see it eating away at the insides of the Bulb. As the orange Juice of the Grenade eats into the now exposed innards of the bulb you start to hear some popping sounds. The small popping sounds start to become louder...
Instinctively run and duck behind a large sandstone rock when an huge explosion tears apart the Bulb. You guess that the Bulb had to have some sort of fuel to propel its Spores into the air. Maybe they are stored in large sacks deep inside the Bulb. Whatever the reason, the threat of new Copter Spores is now gone. You should return to Frank and tell him the good news. |
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Stage 4 |
Location: | Taulin Sands (Flats) (12, 3) |
You hear Frank long before you see him. He is laughing manically popping Copter Spores as they float by. You wonder if he realizes that he is probably increasing the likelihood of more Copter Spores taking root due to his actions. You suspect not. 'You got rid of whatever is making these Copter Spores?' |
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Frank nods curtly, 'Ok then - there might be a sign of whatever is making these Gribblies in the Gully, lead on.' |
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Stage 5 |
Location: | Taulin Sands (Gully) (2, 2) |
An Akeesh Guard stands before you, 'None shall pass! |
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The Guard looks at you, 'The Gully is our ancient stronghold, no one shall pass through it without permission. We know those who are allowed here as they carry the Code Rod. If you try to sneak through, you shall face the consequences...
You feel anger begin to rise deep within you. You are on a journey to find where the Dahon are being taken and to try to stop the Gribbly threat that is stalking Taulin. Many lives depend on your success. You will show this upstart what 'consequences' truly are. You scan the Guard with your Datapad, with a few button presses you print out a Dahon Wrath Blueprint.
You receive 1 x Dahon Wrath Blueprint |
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Stage 6 |
Location: | Taulin Sands (Gully) (2, 2) |
The Akeesh Guard stands before you, 'Go back the way you came, or face the consequences' |
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You stride up to the Guard and hand him the Dahon Wrath. You growl, 'We Dahon know how to deal out consequences. You will let us pass or face the anger of the Dahon � personally...'
The Guard looks down at the skull with the death rune carved into it in blood. He shifts from one foot to another, he appears to be choosing his words very carefully. 'The Akeesh meant no insult to the honorable Dahon of House Raga. You may pass.'
After walking for a while, Frank whispers to you, 'You know we are pals right?' You nod, you see relief flood the Guards face. 'We should go on, the sooner we get this done, the sooner I can buy you a pint.' |
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Stage 7 |
Location: | Taulin Sands (Gorge) (3, 7) |
Frank scans the area constantly with his rifle, he is ready for an attack. |
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He momentarily stops his search, 'We must be getting close. This is the biggest Gribbly we have seen so far. But they attack anything they lay their eyes on. They are particularly viscous around the entrance to the Hollow. Whatever is in there is important to them. But we can't get in as there are just too many.'
'I noticed a sunken tank when I was retreating back here. I thought is was not working, but it tracked me as I went past. I bet if we fed it the Gribblies genetic profile the submerged tank would fire on every Gribbly within range. It might just give us the edge we need to get into the Hollow.' |
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Stage 8 |
Location: | Taulin Sands (Gorge) (4, 11) |
The submerged tank turret swings to face you as you approach. You stare down the muzzle of the huge gun. |
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You stop still at the sight if the massive barrel pointing at you. But when nothing happens you relax. Now that you look at the turret, you marvel at how is has no damage on it's surface. Apart from one small hole beside the base of the barrel. You hear a low whine as you get close. A red light comes out of the hole but does nothing.
You guess that the whine might a scanner, and the lens of the scanner has been destroyed leaving nothing to focus the targeting beam on. You take a deep breath and push the spherical Hydra Bio Profile into the hole. There is another high whine. Then a loud sharp click deep within the bowels tank beneath you.
You dive for safety praying that the turret does not target you. You watch in horror as the gun swings at you, it waits for a second - then moves on. A powerful energy blast vaporises the nearest Hydra Gribbly. Shocked you start running.
You should return to Frank to tell him you got the turret working. |
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Stage 9 |
Location: | Taulin Sands (Gorge) (3, 7) |
Frank reloads his rifle, 'You managed to do something with that Turret yet?' |
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Frank shoulders his rifle quickly, 'Right then, we should get into that Hollow and see what the Hydra is so anxious to protect. Come on - I'll meet you there.'
You should meet Frank in the Hollow now the Tank Turret is keeping the Hydra at bay for the moment. |
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Stage 10 |
Location: | Taulin Sands (Hollow) (12, 4) |
Frank hunkers down with his back to the wall expecting to be attacked. |
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Frank snaps another mag into his rifle, 'Yeah, I am at the moment. I saw a colossal Gribbly around here. It must be what birthing the Gribblies somehow. But its bigger than any Gribbly I have ever seen! Ok, I'll cover our exit, you go see if you can kill the Onmi Gribbly (Elite).' |
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Stage 11 |
Location: | Taulin Sands (Hollow) (12, 4) |
You see Franks eyes go wide, you draw your weapon and try to turn round... |
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You try to spin, but you seem to be moving in slow motion. You feel rather than see the Omni Gribbly behind you.
Frank steps forward, in his hand shines the Inkari Portable Mine. It illuminates him momentarily as coils of tentacles envelop him. He screams in rage 'Just die!'and massive maw of the Omi Gribbly bites down. The light from the Mine vanishes along with Frank.
The longest second of your life crawls past. You see the huge Gribbly cast its oily gaze at you.
Then a gargantuan thump knocks you to your feet. You stagger up and ready your weapon, to see before you the dead Omni Gribbly. Its head utterly destroyed. The rest of the body twitches and the massive tentacles quiver in their death throes.
Frank might not have been the best Guard Taulin ever had, but he stood his ground when it counted.
You have found no sign of the lost Dahon people in the Gribbly nest. Your search continues. Maybe you should go back to the Taulin Guard tower and see if you can find any more sign of the Phantom Stalkers who you have been told took them.
You receive 1,058,674 Xp + 20 Skill Points. |
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