Conclusion

Gathered around the corpse of Grinner, the party realizes that they are at a crossroads.  With their quest complete, they flirt with the idea of giving up the adventuring lifestyle.  They each envision a life of peace, free from danger and possibly even “settled down” with a close companion.  However, that is not their path.  Nyridius and Defendomax announce that they are up for more adventures.  Duke chimes in with his love of ass-kicking.  Cuddlepunch expresses a desire to continue on with her friends, and she is joined by Khali.  Vagabot reluctantly agrees with a “Sure, whatever.”

So they travel on, wandering the lands of Gamma Terra, in search of wrongs to right and asses to kick!

Shadows of Gamma, Part 4

The party mentally prepares for the intense battle to come.  Realizing that their humanity may be in danger, they deliver their final instructions to each other should they turn into bros.  “Kill me,” says Duke.  “OK!” says Vagabot.  Defendomax wonders aloud if he CAN be turned into a bro, but Nyridius shudders at the thought of a bro-bot.  Sufficiently prepared, they make their way to the courtyard, and suit up for the final battle. 

The courtyard is a giant pit of bones, with Spook and the massive Muscle Milk tub in the center.  Spook addresses the group, saying, “Fools.  Did you not think I had anticipated your arrival?  Did you think I would expose Grinner’s only regeneration chamber?  No.  I knew you would follow me here.  Underneath this slab (he motions to the platform on which he stands) lies Grinner’s backup station.  How did you kill him last time, eh?  Crushing?  Hm.  Perhaps you will live long enough to see the world turn into my personal army of bros!”

From underneath the stone slab, heavy thuds shake the ground.  Spook is frightened by this, and he calls on an army of bros to attack the party.  However, the party woos the bros with accurate impressions and sick dubstep beats.  Unexpectedly, backup arrives for the party.  The allies made by the party in their travels arrive in small groups to assist in the battle.  Yetis, old versions of Defendomax, and the Paula Deen bot arrive to help destroy the bros.  Unfortunately, this shatters the party’s ruse; the bros shout, “Fuck it, let’s RAGE!” and split to engage the party and their allies.

Immediately, Cuddlepunch and Khali engage the first wave of bros.  The zom-bros assault them with various brands of cheap beer, including Icehouse, Natty Light, and Hamm’s.  Defendomax and Vagabot provide backup to the yetis while Duke and Nyridius push toward the center of the courtyard.  The earth-shaking strikes create a fissure in the stone slab, and the huge tub of Muscle Milk spills into Grinner’s cavern.  Although this precludes the possibility of anyone turning into a bro, the party collectively gulps at what it will mean for Grinner’s final version.  The crack opens to reveal a hulking, brutish “Final Grinner.“

In the background, the party’s allies valiantly attack the zom-bros, and losses are felt on both sides.  In the foreground, the party struggles to manage the swarm of bros, the psychic attacks from Spook, Spook’s elite guards, and the brutally violent Final Grinner.  After Grinner nearly cripples Nyridius with a savage hammer strike, Duke and Nyridius realize that they cannot hold the front lines alone.  They call out to their allies for assistance.  Vagabot stays behind to finish off the final bro, Defendomax and Cuddlepunch engage Spook, and Khali, Nyridius and Duke nervously strike at Grinner.  His high level attacks severely wound the party, but they fire every mutation and tech they have at him.  Once they run out of attacks that Grinner isn’t immune to, they resort to melee attacks that put them in dangerously close quarters. 

Finally, Nyridius vanquishes Grinner with a slash from a vibroblade.  Spook and his guards are defeated by the party, and the threat of zom-bros is eliminated.

Shadows of Gamma, Part 3

Escaping the throng of zombies behind them, the party heads north.  They look into the book they stole, and they find that it was filled with delightful Omega tech!  They equip themselves for the challenges ahead as they enter Deadtroit.  They quickly find that Deadtroit proper is an eerie place; block after block of open-air New Orleans-style cemeteries.  The city is unnaturally quiet.  They walk gingerly down the streets, careful to not disturb any of Deadtroit’s citizens.  They notice that there are two areas in the city that seem to be active – a mansion-like keep in the center of town, and a courtyard plaza.  Both show signs of activity and movement.  The party chooses to enter the keep first.

Once inside, the party discovers a shadowy altar room, where they are met by Spook.  Spook shares his ultimate goal – to create an army powerful enough to march across the land and seize it all for himself.  Spook confides that he first thought zombies would make a fine army, until he learned how to transform them into something infinitely more terrible… BROS!  He reveals his zom-bros; awful, rotting abominations with backwards visors, popped collars, and wielding six-packs of Natty Light.  The party is disgusted and taken aback. 

Taking the opportunity, Spook utilizes a strange piece of fear-based omega tech called the “Scary Scary Nightmare Helmet.”  It assaults the party with visions of their deepest fears.  When under its influence, Duke is surrounded by an army of Grinners.  Cuddlepunch feels ostracized and socially isolated.  Vagabot is challenged by the enemies that nearly killed her in the past.  Defendomax is usurped by a newer version and left with hideous creatures from the tower.  Khali sees his friends turn into enemies.  Nyridius is surrounded by horrible mutations that he can’t fly away from. 

 As the party fights with their nightmarish visions, Spook’s zom-bros advance.  They attack the adventurers with beer bongs and spout douchey one-liners.  As party members awaken, they shake each other back to their senses.  Cuddlepunch and Khali lead the attack against the bros, whose whey-protein laden frames resist much more damage than regular zombies.  Duke is incensed and horrified by the existence of the zom-bros, and he lashes out at them aggressively. 

In a back corner of the keep, a light “ding” is heard, not unlike that of an easy-bake oven.  The party’s attention is turned to a glass cylinder filled with murky ooze.  The containment cell opens, and out steps a freshly regenerated Grinner.  He announces his presence with a throaty “HEY BUG!!” and joins the skirmish.  Spook quietly escapes out the back entrance.  The party assesses their situation and divvies up their targets.  Duke, Khali, and Vagabot engage Grinner while Cuddlepunch and Nyridius clean up the zom-bros.  Defendomax scoots over to the regeneration station’s controls in an attempt to destroy it.  Grinner has become immune to every form of damage that has killed him in the past, and he proves to be a dangerous foe.  Khali is poisoned by Grinner’s foul belch, but Defendomax assists him with a timely healing dart.  Vagabot neutralizes Grinner by forming her nanobots into a giant fist and gripping him tightly.  Over the course of several turns, Vagabot’s tight grasp crushes Grinner into a tiny ball.  Defendomax succeeds in destroying the regeneration station, and the party celebrates their victory. 

However, as they look out the window, they see an ominous sight; in Deadtroit’s courtyard plaza, Spook is leading a small army of zom-bros, who are carrying an enormous tub of Muscle Milk.  The tub is being affixed with an atomizer – clearly, Spook intends to disperse the Muscle Milk into atmosphere, placing every living creature at risk of becoming a bro!  The party is horrified by the inhumanity of Spook’s plan, and they resolve to bring it to an end.