It Quest, It Lives!

[gamebrain89]

Boulder, Colorado

Construction on a new overpass was halted today, after a bulldozer broke through into a small underground cavern. The construction worker was unharmed, and a closer examination of the cavern revealed several strange geological formations. Unfortunately, all but one were buried under rubble when the bulldozer broke through into the cavern, which appears to be the aftermath of an ancient volcanic event that forced the strange formations toward the surface eons ago. The Geology department from Colorado University Boulder was advised of the discovery, and several samples were taken for further study. Preliminary results date the formations at five to six hundred million years old. “Its unlike anything we have ever seen before.” Professor George Carlton said. “We hope to gain new insights into the time period from this discovery.” Construction on the overpass has been postponed and will resume once steps have been taken to assure the stability and safety of continued building in that location.
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Dark. alone. why alone? Mother?

It cries out to Mother, but receives no reply. No comforting whisper in its mind to sleep. No calming buzz of its nest mates’ minds. It becomes more aware, and struggles to break free of its cocoon. It slams itself against the confines of its cocoon. It is falling. A crack appears, and blinding light streams in, and it forces back against the farthest wall of its cocoon.

Bright. Hurts. Find Mother.

It hears a strange noise, and its cocoon moves around it, going up.

“Christ Jenkins, who taught you how to handle a sample? Look at this, there’s a huge crack down...Hey, this thing is hollow. Bring me a chisel.”

The sounds mean nothing to it. They are not the calming voice of Mother. It touches the thing-that-makes-noise’s mind, and sees its nest, destroyed. Its cocoon is pried open by a sharp thing, and it lets out a piercing scream, and its cocoon falls, shattering to pieces around it.

“HOLY SHIT! What the hell is that?!”

It sees two large Ugly things standing around it. One holds the sharp thing. Both are staring at it. It can smell fresh air coming from nearby.

They killed Mother and Nestmates. But It is small. Hungry. What should It do?

Spoiler: show

This idea popped into my head, and I thought it would be fun and fairly simple to try. It is currently a small quadruped, about the size of a ferret without a tail, with no real distinguishing features and no weapons to speak of. It’s teeth are sharp enough it should be able to kill something smaller than it, but it has no real threatening features at the moment. As we go, I will take suggestions for ways the creature will grow and change (Color, appendages, abilities). Stuff like wings, fire breath, acid farts and the like are possible, but won’t happen for some time (what you get depends on how you guys play this). Depending on how much attention It draws to itself, It will have to deal with attackers (Various animals, boy scouts, hunters, Police, Military and the like.) But right now, it must escape, survive and grow for that.

[Arganaut]

Play dead. When one of them picks us up, we'll bite him on the hand. When he drops us, we run. Fast!

[leon89]

Move away from ugly things, then move towards fresh air, fresh air = food, but avoid more ugly things.

[ShonenHero]

Play dead. When one of them picks us up, we'll bite him on the hand. When he drops us, we run. Fast!

Arg's plan sounds good, lets go with that.

[serbii]

RUN LIKE HELL!
TO FREEDOMMMMMMMM!

[gamebrain89]

Spoiler: show

Seems like we got a tie, so *flips a coin* Run for it it is.

It hisses at the Ugly things. They make strange noises, and come closer.

“Damn it Jenkins, grab a box and catch that thing! Its like nothing I’ve ever seen before. We’re gonna be rich!”

One of the things grabs at It with its strange paws, another moving around behind it. It screeches and bolts toward where it smells the fresh air. It sees a long, straight, square tunnel going left. The tunnel turns out of sight to the right. There are many suns above it. But the light is strange. Cold. The light hurts its eyes. Another Thing is in the tunnel to the right, bent down next to a small black hole in the side of the cave just big enough it could go in. A large metal object is beside the Thing. It is flat, with round things holding it up from the ground. It has strange items poking out of the top and sides of it, a large round yellow container attached to it. There is a space underneath it, and openings on the side. Some place to hide?

get out. must get out. get away. get away.

It can see other holes, much larger than the one next to the thing on the ground. A few are open, and it can see light inside them. More are blocked by large brown objects. It can see good light through another hole down the tunnel to the left. Warm. But high. Too high to reach. It can hear the first Things coming for it. The one crouched down hasn’t seen It yet.

They come. Go left, toward the good light? Go right, down the tunnel? Or into the dark hole near the other Thing? Or something else?

Spoiler: show

I’m trying to write this from It’s perspective. It has never seen things like these before. So if you need a clarification, just ask, and I’ll explain what is around in more direct terms. Hopefully I will get better at this as I go.

[serbii]

Good ligh- NO! Then they will see us. Me must skulk, yes, skulk in the darkness, away from all light. Wait for all lights to go away then sneak out.

[ShonenHero]

Strange cold light hurts our eyes. Cover 'em in darkness in that hidy hold!

[Arganaut]

Indeed, and hiding near these creatures seems like an equally bad idea. To the dark tunnel/hidey-hole!

[gamebrain89]

Dark, cool, small. Go there.

It’s eyes lock on the dark opening beside the other Thing, and quickly runs for it, its feet tapping loudly on the strange floor. The thing crouched down on the ground looks up as it hears the sound, and makes its strange noises as It dives into the hole and out of the light.

“GOD DAMN IT! That was a freaking ugly rat. Crap. Now I’m gonna be cleaning animal poop out of the registers for months. Damn you grad students, keep your freaking lab rats in their cages!”

It moves quickly away from the hole, out of sight, the noises outside the hole getting louder. It pays them no heed, and examines the surroundings. More metal, all around it. Dust, and strange smells. It can smell fresh air, an escape.

Hungry

But it can also hear small movements in the tunnels. a squeak. tiny feet tapping on the metal somewhere in the tunnels. It could hunt, but this place is strange.

Wait in the ventilation system and go exploring and hunting for something to eat? Or escape now? Or something else?

[ShonenHero]

Eat. Hunger is distracting, and the quicker we eat means we don't have to stop somewhere even more dangerous later if the hunger becomes overwhelming.

[Arganaut]

I'm with Spence.

[LifeOfGesture]

Sounds about right.

[gamebrain89]

Feed. Must feed.

It is overwhelmed by a need to eat as it skulks through the dark tunnels. It moves quietly, stalking the small creatures it can hear and smell. But it is difficult without Mother’s guidance, without her comforting presence in the back of It’s mind. But the creatures are small and timid, and have never encountered something like It before. So its first target, a small animal, much smaller than It reacts too late as It approaches, and its head is caught in It’s mouth, and with a sharp twist the creature’s neck is broken.

FOOD!

It devours the thing out of instinct, fur and bone and flesh and blood, all consumed in a feeding frenzy. It’s hunger briefly sated, it crouches down and freezes in place as images assault its mind.

A nest of squirming pink things, cans with food sitting in them for the taking, crumbs under the chairs. Things go away at dark time, come at bright. Stay quiet and hidden. They not notice.

It shakes it self and stands, moving in the direction it now knows more food to be. Those pink things looked easy to catch.

Time passes...
It moves quietly through the vents, doing its best to stay quiet, pausing before it passes each opening. It is dark time, but there is a Thing moving through the building, and It can hear the Thing making its strange noises as it pushes its strange metal cart around.

“Mouse traps are all empty. Must have finally gotten them all. Good riddance.”

Eventually the Thing leaves, and it can move more freely. Food has become scarce. The tiny creatures are almost all gone. But its strength has grown. It feels how it has slimmed down, becoming sleeker, faster. It’s skin shifts several shades to a dark brown color. It is time to move on. It follows the smell of fresh air to its source. There is an opening to what it thinks is open air. But there is a grating in place. It pushes against the grate, and it shifts slightly. It can get out, but the sun is rising, and the Things will becoming soon. So it curls up to wait. As it waits it feels a few faint presences appear in It’s mind. They are quiet, as if asleep, but it immediately recognizes them, and It can sense them at the nest. A new need erupts inside Its now bigger form.


Nestmates live. Find. and Join.

Time to Grow, and Move on. Where shall It go?

Spoiler: show

Alright, so you’re ready to get out of the vent system and into the city proper. Boulder has alot of parks, a marsh to the east, a couple reservoirs, one to the north and one to the east. There is also a wildlife habitat to the east and north of the marsh, and the Betasso Preserve to the west. The call from the nest is to the south east, on the Boulder Turnpike. The University where It currently is hiding out is fairly close to the eastern side of the city, and surrounded by residential areas from what I can tell from the map. It has also grown in size a bit, and I’m going to throw out the first general upgrade and a weapon (Claws, true fangs, mild poison bite, enough to down smaller animals, ect. your choice.). Based on what you have done so far, I’ll allow something stealth or speed based this time. It has slimmed down and lengthened a bit, more closely resembling a brown, fur-less, tailless ferret. Long and sleek, about the size of a small house cat now. I'm not really looking for justification, so have fun with it. But right now, keep it small. No invisibility or superspeed type stuff(Yet).Improved reflexes, a speed upgrade, the like, just start throwing out suggestions, and I’ll pop in if anything is out of reach at the moment.

[tryrar]

How much faster are we talking here? I know we aren't getting Flash-like speed boosts, but will we be able to pace a cheetah? Oh, and I'm for claws(with a mind for poison claws later on).

Also, how exotic can IT get? Can we say, eventually breath fire? Or survive in the Vacuum of space, or the deep seas?

Edit: Oh, and I vote marsh, then to the nest(eventually)

[Zankaru Zelladonii]

Go towards the nest, have to find others and keep them safe.

[gamebrain89]

How much faster are we talking here? I know we aren't getting Flash-like speed boosts, but will we be able to pace a cheetah? Oh, and I'm for claws(with a mind for poison claws later on).

Also, how exotic can IT get? Can we say, eventually breath fire? Or survive in the Vacuum of space, or the deep seas?

Edit: Oh, and I vote marsh, then to the nest(eventually)

As exotic as you would like. It is a primordial monster. Who knows what its abilities could be?

Right now, It is about as fast as a house cat. 1st tier speed boost would up him to the speed of a greyhound at full sprint. Stealth, 1st tier would get you some basic chameleon type stuff. Highest level of that would be Predator tier stuff. You get the idea.

[tryrar]

.....wow, Predator style stealth and poison claws..WIN! So my vote is first stage stealth and claws

[Tempest Kitsune]

I think we can only have one at a time. And I vote for stealth as well.

[gamebrain89]

As this is the first set of upgrades, you get one weapon, and one general ability.

[AlucardBackwards]

I vote for stealth and mild Electricity-generation like an eel.

[Wittgen]

I vote for the power of communicable existential angst. As a weapon, really, really rough, almost sandpapery skin that is crazy uncomfortable to touch.

We will never be hugged.

[ewuvi]

I vote for the power of communicable existential angst. As a weapon, really, really rough, almost sandpapery skin that is crazy uncomfortable to touch.

We will never be hugged.

This is awesome, I vote for it.

[NotreallyHere]

Let's try stealth and poison. It works for snakes it'll work for us.