The Choice Is Made For You

"Do...don't kill me."

Her voice isn't so much soft as it is hollow and you pause for a moment, watching the druegar's face now as she moves a little back and your auxillary eye-stalks whip towards her, preparing to blast her if she decides to run. "I can't...I just got to this level and this is my only character..." the small woman mutters, practically gibbering because of the fear's effect on her avatar or perhaps it was genuine fear. It was hard to tell. Something strikes you as odd about this druegar, who now seems demure in front of you and you intend to voice it, but then a notion strikes you. What is that symbol next to her name? It's sort of like a small H...

Holy shit, is she a Hardcore Character?

In an attempt to 'modernize' the game for the 'challenge' crowd, the Devs recently added the Hardcore flag for newly created characters. In exchange for a nominal experience boost and some rewards depending on levels reached or days played without dying, you got one life and one ****, that was it. It was something that vaguely poked at your awareness when certain people scurried around or past you before, but now it was a big damn deal. She was essentially at your mercy, in a way. Hardcore also restricted some teleporting and communication aspects of the game. As long as he was around she couldn't call for help from her friends or escape.

[Come.]

A plan is forming in your mind, something that will net you both your lovely druegar Scholar and the halfling Rogue, but first you need to retreat to your little hovel with them both. [Thaw her.] you order, imposing your will over the new telepathic abilities you've found...It's harder than you'd expect, like trying to will a hair to move or twist an eyelid, but it's not impossible and it works. She starts at the first order, but when you give the second she hesitates only a moment before clumsily attempting to move forward. Then, after barely dodging a spear that slices up from the ground, missing her chest by scant centimeters, she slows down considerably and begins moving to the frozen halfling. A potion finds it's way out of her pack as you come forward and the druegar tips it towards the Halfling, spilling red-orange goop over the ice. It begins to melt, slowly, allowing the halflings head to poke out and she seethes at the pair of you.

"Baehdor! What the hell are you doing?! Get me out of here faster so I can kick this sorry floating fuckball's face in and then go figure out where Argres respawned-" she starts, the druegar flinching as she steps back. Her name is Baehdor then...

"I'm...I'm so sorry Tevoy, but I'm on Hardcore and-" "IS THIS ABOUT YOUR FUCKING SLUTTY DWARF?!" "I spent seven hours in character creation! I-I don't want to lose it all-" "YOU FUCKING TWIT I'LL POWERLEVEL YOU ON MY MAIN IF YOU DIE JUST PUNCH THAT FUCKER OR SOMETHING!"

It's probably a good time to remind them you're both here. You momentarily flash as you cast Shock and aim it at the mouthy little shit of a halfling. It connects immediately, interrupting her tirade and she goes rigid as the electricity flows deep into her body, enhanced by the melting ice. It takes only one spell for her health bar to flash red and Baehdor flinches back, screaming as Tevoy goes critical in a second.

You look to Baehdor now. [Heal her.] Her response is to stare at you in bewilderment, making you rumble over the telepathic link and she hurries forward, casting a healing spell on Tevoy that brings her back to health quickly. "What...was that about...you shit colored... floating cancer..." Tevoy mumbles out now.

Shock is such a lovely spell.

As it goes off again and Tevoy goes rigid, she slumps over in the half melted prison and you watch her health go back to red. She's struggling to even pull herself upright now. You activate your **** spell and quietly send it into the shape of a hand that you use to activate the trap disarm next to the rogue.

[Push her down the hall.]

Baehdor doesn't hesitate this time. She moves quickly and efficiently to push her friend into your lair, past the temporarily disarmed traps and when she runs into the barricade you've formes, your ethereal hand moves forward to pull it upright, allowing all three of you to pass inside now.