Mermaid may have put up some resistance against the boss, but that didn't stop her pretty tail from landing in jail.
Evolve Magic Sting 3, go whack-a-mole with merzombieman, then fuck off.
Seriously, tho. options suck.
Whatever evolutions you decide; and option 2. Maybe merzombie gets distracted long enough.
Enough of running away. Enough of cowering in corners, and hoping the monsters pass you by. You are the Tentacle Lord, and you will not be intimdated by a merman with some funny hair.
With a furious mental cry, you launch a Magic Sting II straight at the guard's face, your mermaid friend ducking out of the way only just in time. The spell sails through the water and strikes its target dead-on, sending the guard staggering backwards. Wasting no further time, the mermaid sprints out of the cell, but instead of swimming off into the distance, she stops over the abyss, looking back hesitantly at you.
"GO!" you call, as the guard rallies. He raises his golden trident and lunges it at you, the prongs buzzing menacingly. You twist and spin out of the way, but it's obvious you can't hold it off for long - the merman's attacks are much faster than your desperate dodges.
Trying a new tactic, you scoot backwards and launch another Magic Sting straight at the guard's head, and once again it connects. Some of the revolting red jelly is blasted off, uncovering the poor merman's face frozen in a tortured position - but now is not the time for sympathy. His eyes rolling madly, once more the trident jabs towards you, and this time a prong pierces straight through your lower half. Energy floods into your body, but not in a good way - it's more akin to a powerful electric shock.
Frazzled, you're sent spinning backwards through the water, vision flashing wildly. You try to align yourself in the water, determined to face the end with some measure of dignity...
Only to see the mermaid pick up the door to her cell, and swing it into the back of the guard's head.
He crumples down onto the narrow corridor, trident falling from his grasp. In a blur, the mermaid snatches it up and spears him through the back; once, twice, thrice. Finally she picks him up bodily and tosses the lifeless corpse right off the corridor, down into the black abyss.
"...Thanks," is all you can mutter.
"Thank you," she replies. "You did let me out, after all. And now we've got a weapon, and each other... how about we go and teach Anglerman a lesson?"
----
Option 1) No. Too hurt and too underprepared. Retreat to the nexus and deal with Anglerman when we're stronger.
Option 2) Let's go for it! Go down to the Anglerman, just you and the Mermaid, attack from both sides at once, and get him that way.
Option 3) Free all the weakened Merpeople along this row of cells, tell them of the plan to go and defeat the Anglerman. You know full well they'll just be cannon fodder, but hopefully they prove enough of distraction to give you time to take him out.
Option 4) Come up with your own plan.
Option X) (Extra) Take five minutes out to try and find a way to unlock the magically shielded cell. That office building over there might be a place to start...
Status:
HP:20/30
Energy: 46/80
Morality: 17/100 (noble)
Evolutions:
- Infest I (allows you to latch onto hosts and drain energy. Try and do it when they won't immediately notice and squash you).
- Slime Ooze I (secrete slime that can be both sticky and slippery. Further upgrades allow you to do much more with it).
- Scale Armor I (More protective against spells and phsyical attacks than Slime Ooze, but much less multi-purpose).
- Ovipositor I (Allows you to lay eggs within the orifice of a host. At low levels, these eggs are weak and may not hatch properly. Further upgrades reduces this risk. Each egg costs 10 energy to plant, but the hatched tentacle is autonomous and commanded by you).
- Magic Shield II (20 energy cost. Erects a magical barrier around yourself. It's not impenetrable, but it's a pretty close second).
- Perception II (20 Energy. Use body language and other subtle, chemical clues to put together a general hint of what someone is feeling at any given time. Is that a molecule of sweat? They're nervous. Are their fingers tapping? Clearly impatient.)
- Aura Detect 2.55 (20 energy. Your sense of auras is refined, and you can see them from a great distance and judge their power levels more accurately. Also allows you to faintly detect Cursed auras).
- Stealth II (20 energy required. Become even sneakier).
- Swim II (20 energy required. Can you guess what this evolution does?)
- Body Shock II (20 Energy required. A powerful wave of magical energy runs over your skin. Akin to picking up a live electrical wire. Obviously limited to close-range combat, though).
- Growth III (30 energy required. Grow to a chunky, 6-foot long python, complete with split heads.)
- Magic Sting III (30 Energy required. Costs 5 energy to use, but a direct hit will send most foes flying off their feet).
I say we do Blarg's first, 4X and try to get some phat lewts. Afterwards, I say we go with Minnie's 3. As much as I don't like it, It's not totally evil. We're putting the needs of many before the needs of the few. Basically Chaotic Good.
1X as much as I like too see us die so we can respawn I. Must say that fighting him is quite stupid for now 3 might work if we get more mer people besides the 2 broken ones fodder is fodder but it does take time to kill fodder we might lose our new mer buddy because of our ruthlessness unless that chest is some sort of hax loots for insta kill
I'm going to vote for the most awesome of all, 4X!
So long as merbuddy can or will go with us back to the nexus that is, otherwise switch to 3X.
Attempt for the chest, then head back and grind up some energy to splurge before our return by having a three-way. Double sided dildo scissoring style, with our head towards he succubus to DP her...since we have the split head now right?
Unless we can manage to make it a foursome with miss prissy pally...then ya know, whatever goes there!
After the sexy times, get Magic Sting III.
Magic Shield II if the lovings maxxes out our energy too.
Now the rest is tricky, we retreat now - we lose a very strong ally. We attack - we die. Hm... I bet we can't bring the mermaid back to the Nexus with us
We be great to keep her around *cough* and be well on our way to our personal harem *cough*
OK, Option X and 3/4 (no-one really offered a plan with 4, so I just defaulted it to 3).
----
"OK," you agree. The memory of your ignoble retreat from him earlier still rankles uncomfortably. "Let's metaphorically kick the ass of this Anglerman!"
Pausing only to give you a slighlty confused look, the Mermaid turns to head straight out of the jail.
"Wait!" you call. "Do you not think we need a plan?"
She stops midstroke, looking a tad begrudging.
"Maybe..." she replies. "What were you thinking?"
"First things first. You see that cell? Third one along in along the row you were imprisoned on? It's magically shielded, but I can sense something in the chest inside. Think it's worth a look?"
"Waste of time..." she mutters, but she swims over regardless. Stopping in front of said magically sealed cell, she begins eying it up speculatively. Frowning, she lowers the golden trident towards it... but when it passes through a gap between the black metal bars it sparks violently, jerking backwards in her hand.
"OK," she murmers. "Definitely shielded. This sort of thing, it normally needs a key..."
"You mean a key such as might be housed in some kind of official guard's baracks? Like that suspiciously office-like building on the other side of the ravine?"
It's true; a rectanglular, plain building stands on the opposite of the canyon, with a couple of the jelly-headed guards at the door.
"It's worth a look."
The Mermaid turns and heads off again. "Wait!" you call, but this time she pays no heed, and you relucantly watch as she swims out across the empty expanse of water.
Upon reaching the other side (and it's a good distance away, you have to squint a bit to see) you see the Mermaid doesn't even pause; once in range, she jabs out with her golden trident, spearing the right-hand guard right through the throat. He falls to the corridor below in a whirr of tentacles, but even as he does so the Mermaid frees the trident, parries the stab of the second guard, and runs him through. He too is tossed over, right into the black abyss.
It's damn impressive, you have to give her that.
She turns back to give you a thumbs up sign, then knocks down the wooden door with the butt of her trident. Immediately an alarm goes off - a keening, wailing noise fills the entire jail, and magical strobe lights flash, illuminating everything.
A stream of bubbles starts to rise from the centre of the rift.
The mermaid ducks into the barracks, and emerges five seconds later with what appears to be a small pebble - except you can see the aura on it glowing from here.
She swims back to you whilst other guards congregate around the open door, occiasionally giving it a baffled poke with their tridents. The wailing, flashing alarm persists, however, and the stream of bubbles in the centre of the jail seems to be getting thicker.
"I think our cover is blown!" she pants as she arrives, coming to a brisk halt. She takes the glowing pebble and immediately tosses it into the shielded cell - and the protective bubble vanishes with a quick pop.
"Quickly!" she shouts, and you slide through the metal bars, approach the chest - and use your new double-head to pry it open.
Inside it, surrounded by empty space, is a fairly average-looking knife. The handle is wrapped around with gold bands, contorted into the shape of an Angel, whilst the blade has two distinct edges; one dull grey, one sleek and shining silver.
"The Subtle Knife..." whispers the Mermaid, apparently in awe. The furore behind her seems forgotten. "What the HELL was he doing leaving it lying around here..."
"Does it matter?!" you shout. The bubbles in the centre are a thick continuous stream now, and you can sense (with your new-found perception skills) something stirring in the darkness. Something slimy. Something alive. Something big.
"We have to go!" you roar, peddaling backwards urgently out of the cell. The Mermaid picks up the knife in her spare hand and exits with you.
Damn. What about the cannon-fodder? Maybe there's still time to free some...
----
Option A) Nope. Lets go now, whilst we're still in one piece.
Option B) Let's free five emaciated Merpeople from along this row of cells. (25% chance of The Guardian showing up and causing... upset).
Option C) Let's free 10 emaciated Merpeople (50% chance of The Guardian arriving in time to catch you).
Option D) Free 15 emaciated Merpeople (75% chance of The Guardian arriving in time).
- Infest I (allows you to latch onto hosts and drain energy. Try and do it when they won't immediately notice and squash you).
- Slime Ooze I (secrete slime that can be both sticky and slippery. Further upgrades allow you to do much more with it).
- Scale Armor I (More protective against spells and phsyical attacks than Slime Ooze, but much less multi-purpose).
- Ovipositor I (Allows you to lay eggs within the orifice of a host. At low levels, these eggs are weak and may not hatch properly. Further upgrades reduces this risk. Each egg costs 10 energy to plant, but the hatched tentacle is autonomous and commanded by you).
- Magic Shield II (20 energy cost. Erects a magical barrier around yourself. It's not impenetrable, but it's a pretty close second).
- Perception II (20 Energy. Use body language and other subtle, chemical clues to put together a general hint of what someone is feeling at any given time. Is that a molecule of sweat? They're nervous. Are their fingers tapping? Clearly impatient.)
- Aura Detect 2.55 (20 energy. Your sense of auras is refined, and you can see them from a great distance and judge their power levels more accurately. Also allows you to faintly detect Cursed auras).
- Stealth II (20 energy required. Become even sneakier).
- Swim II (20 energy required. Can you guess what this evolution does?)
- Body Shock II (20 Energy required. A powerful wave of magical energy runs over your skin. Akin to picking up a live electrical wire. Obviously limited to close-range combat, though).
- Growth III (30 energy required. Grow to a chunky, 6-foot long python, complete with split heads.)
- Magic Sting III (30 Energy required. Costs 5 energy to use, but a direct hit will send most foes flying off their feet).
