Imp Infiltration Initiation

//Current discovery
Rounding a bend in the mountainous foothills, you stumble upon a large and rusted iron structure belching cloying pink smoke from its tall smokestacks. A bevy of green-tinged copper pipes stem from the rear of the building, climbing up the steep mountainside and disappearing into a hole in its face. It must be some kind of demonic factory, though you've no idea what they could be pumping out. High atop the roof, you spy a huge water tower fed by smaller pipes that run down the building's side and off in the direction of the lake.

There are no windows to the hellish factory, with only a single iron door adorning the front wall.


//Add to the second paragraph
However, in front of it is a pair of lounging imps. From the looks of it, they're meant to be guards, though they appear far too apathetic to stop anybody. Still, they would pose at least some threat, if you wanted to get past them. Several approaches to doing so are already percolating in your head.
//Rest of it is moved to the end of this imp thing

[Attack] [Ambush] [Bribe] [Sneak] [Intimidate] [Rubber Ball]

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[Attack] //tooltip- Just deal with them
No need for any dithering—you favor the direct approach. You ready your [weapon] and [if (singleleg) {slide|stroll}] confidently towards the pair of imps. Their incompetence is perfectly illustrated by the fact that you're able to get almost within striking distance before either of them even notices you. However, the snap of an errant twig alerts them to your presence mere moments before you would have caught them unawares.

The quicker of the two looks up at you, shrieks, and wallops his partner on the shoulder. [say:Hey, shithead, wake up! You gotta earn your pay!]

[say:Huh?] the other, somewhat fatter imp responds, blinking a few times.

The first one is evidently quite irritated by this display of sloth, his shrill voice grating against your eardrums. [say:We're guards! There's an intruder! You can't be [i:this] stupid!]

His purple-skinned compatriot slowly turns his head your way, his eyes still half-lidded. [say:Ah, looks fine to me,] he says. [say:Probably jus' another one a' them merchants from the Boyar.]

In response, the feistier one screeches, [say:I keep telling you, it's—] but you don't let him finish the sentence, instead moving in to strike the first blow.
//Combat starts

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[Ambush] //tooltip- Since you have the opportunity, you might as well make use of your tactical advantage.
You carefully attempt to sneak closer to the guards without alerting them to your presence. It immediately becomes apparent that this task will be even less difficult than you might have imagined, as you can see that one of the imps is asleep, and the other is busy shooting him irritated glances.

//if speed < 30
However, despite your best efforts, you manage to [if (singleleg) {break|step on}] a branch that definitely came out of nowhere, and its crack is as deafening as thunder in the relative openness of these foothills. You look up to see the more alert imp poking his compatriot and pointing at you. You can't quite make out their jabbering, but it takes only a moment before the pair is scrambling over your way with hostile intent.

Looks like you've earned yourself a fair fight.
//Combat starts

//else
With grace and stealthiness, you approach the pair of guards without alerting them at all. You're able to find the perfect position to [if (ranged) {ready your aim and fire|leap out from the shadows and strike}], hitting the fatter one in the neck and instantly taking him out. You caught the lazing imp completely unawares, his face still bearing the serenity of sleep as he falls lifeless to the ground.

Seeing his compatriot be incapacitated stuns the other so much that you're almost able to line up your next attack, but with a shrill shriek, he raises his claws and rushes at you. Seems like you'll still have to do at least part of this fairly.
//Combat starts; -1 imp

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[Bribe] //tooltip- Attempt to solve this problem at least somewhat amicably.
You adopt your most winning smile before stepping out into the open and approaching the door as non-threateningly as possible. The imp guardsmen quickly take notice of you, but when you raise your hands in a peaceable gesture, they settle down a bit, visibly curious at your actions.

When you finally get within talking distance, the smaller one pipes up, [say:Whaddaya want?]

You explain that you very simply want to move past them. Nothing more, nothing less. You further say that not only do you not want to cause them any trouble, but that you're even willing to sweeten the deal if they're cooperative. They've clearly been on duty for far too long; they've done more than enough for their superiors, so now they can just sit back and enjoy the perks of living.

The silent one seems to be dozing a bit, but at the mention of a kickback, he perks up a bit, clearly enthralled by your offer. The other looks a bit more skeptical, but you can see the desire in his eyes, so you know you've got him where you want him.

[say:So what exactly are we talking about here?] he asks. A good question.

[Money] [Sex] [Bullshit] [Nothing]


[Money] //tooltip- Gems can solve any problem.
//How much?
In response, you pull out a hefty bag of gems, its fabric straining with the weight of the prize within. You give it a light shake, coaxing out a clinking sound that has the two imps very interested. You explain that you have quite the reward for their hard work—something to augment their wages—if only they're willing to let you slip by.

However, you think that this additional sweet-talking may have been entirely unnecessary, as the demons' eyes have been glued to the bag from the start. It seems that their greed heavily outweighs any fledgling sense of loyalty they may have, as when you extend your arm even a [if (metric) {millimeter|fraction of an inch}], the shorter imp quickly snatches the pouch from your hands, his eyes lighting up as he experimentally weighs it.

He thinks for a moment and then gives you a look that you think is intended to be stern, saying, [say:I think we can come to an agreement. But, uh...] He glances at the imp next to him. [say:More. We, uh, we've been watching this door for a good long time, now, and there hasn't been a single incident. So, uh, we deserve a proper reward. And, you know, it makes it a lot more suspicious, so there's that. Yeah.]

The heftier one just nods along, a dopey grin on his face. Seems that neither of them are at all concerned about what might happen if they abandon their duty, and are instead solely focused on the thought of a few more gems. Are you actually going to be extorted here, though?
[Yes] [No] [Trick]


[Yes] //tooltip- As it turns out, yes, you really will be extorted by these two.
You sigh, already regretting what you're about to do, but there's nothing for it, so you reach into your [pouch] and gather up a second sum. The talkative one wears a self-satisfied sneer as you fill up a bag before handing it over.

[say:Yeah, well, you seem like an alright [guy]. Definitely the type our fine factory would welcome. No reason for us to stop you, and, uh, in fact, we weren't even here. We were on break.] He slaps his partner on the back of the head and the two of them make a quick exit, already starting to jabber about what they'll spend their prize on. [if (silly) {Your rabbi would be ashamed of you|You feel a burning hole in your money pouch}], but at least the way's open now.


[No] //tooltip- There's no way in hell you're wasting any more money on them.
You were already being extremely generous in the first place, so you're not going to be pressured into giving them any more. When you relate this to the pair of guards, however, their expressions sour, as if you weren't going to every effort to resolve this in both your favors.

[say:You might wanna reconsider,] the little one says, [say:'cause we're—]

[say:Ah, just bash 'em,] the purple one interjects. He takes a threatening step forward, and his partner sighs, but soon follows suit. Seems that despite your best intentions, this is going to come to a fight anyway.
//Combat starts, money added to reward


[Trick] //tooltip- Convince the two that this is all you're able to give.
//Requires 30(?) int
You summon your most convincing look of consternation and tell the demons that that really was your very last gem. To go any further, you'd have to give them the clothes off your back, but since they seemed like quite the competent duo, you really had no other choice. You can only hope that the meager amount you were able to scrounge up is enough for them, because you don't know what you'll do otherwise.

The little red imp scowls, but after a few seconds nods. [say:Ah, hell,] he says, [say:since you were so generous an' all, I guess that's good enough. You're really kinda pathetic though, y'know?]

You nod in agreement, biting back whatever other response you might have given, and the two imps soon begin to shuffle away. A few jeers make their way to your ears before they disappear into the wilderness, leaving you alone with the door.


[Sex] //tooltip- Placate them in the best way you know how.
You brazenly offer to suck them off. You figure that they don't really care about dressing it up, and it's not like you're going to be able to make this more palatable. The first imp almost looks confused that you're offering this at all, but his partner eagerly rips away his loincloth, whipping out his girthy demonic member. With a shrug, the shorter one follows suit, revealing that he's lacking in other lengths too. Well, no matter, you suppose that'll just make it easier.

[say:Well, get to it! C'mon!] the little one shouts. You're not in much of a position to retort to his characteristic impatience, so you simply [if (singleleg) {lower down|get on your knees}] and shuffle closer. Both of them are already hard, so there's not much more to do than to take hold of their turgid cocks, making sure to [if (hasclaws) {not harm them with your [claws]|be gentle}]—after all, this is meant to be a bribe.

The talkative red one on your right is still impatient, thrusting his hips into your grip, so you choose him first, matter-of-factly slipping your licks over his cockhead. The taste is expectedly unpleasant, though not as bad as you might have imagined. You don't go to any particular lengths, but even the basics are more than enough for him, and he's soon groaning and shuddering, completely under your spell.

And before things can go too far, you pull back, his prick sliding out with a wet pop. He grumbles a bit, but doesn't stop you from switching over to his partner. His cock is far larger, and you struggle for a moment to get in your mouth, but the demon is surprisingly considerate. That is, until he's firmly lodged in your throat, whereupon he puts his hands on the back of your head and [i:thrusts].

You're powerless to stop him as the stout imp fucks your face, the musky smell of his crotch stinging your nostrils. You desperately try to free your head from his grip, but are unable to until—you thank the powers that be—the other imp slaps him on the arm.

[say:Stop hogging [him]!]

He silently relents, and you gulp in gasps of air until you're able to properly breathe again. Sadly, once you've recovered, you're forced to get right back into it, sucking away at each imp in turns. The two of them take a graciously short time to get close, and it's not long before the throbbing of their members signals that they're about to finish.

You pull your mouth away just in time for your [face] to be coated in demonic semen. The imps spurt out a surprising amount for their size, absolutely drenching you, until you start to feel like you might need an actual bath before you're able to continue on with your quest. You endure it all, however, solaced by the fact that you're doing this for a greater purpose as you're stained and tainted by their corrupt cum.

Finally, the salvo ends, and you're left feeling damp and degraded. [say:Thanks, [man|lady],] the bigger one says. You tell them that a proper thanks would be letting you in, now. Nodding, the two of them quickly depart, though you can hear some giggling on their way. Well, you've proven you'll do whatever it takes, you've got that going for you, at least.
//Corruption gain


[Bullshit] //tooltip- They're just imps, they should be easy to trick.
//requires 40 int or something
You tell them that while you don't have anything to give them directly, what you [i:do] have is a particular piece of information that you're sure they'd love to hear. After all, they look like they're bored to tears just standing around here, and you know a place where they'd be much more happy to spend their time.

The beady-eyed imp glares up at you, but you can tell that he's already interested. [say:What exactly are you talkin' about?] he asks. The big one next to him nods.

Why, you're talking about the couple of defenseless young girls you spotted on the way over. You were sneaking through the surrounding terrain, when you spied their camp from afar. You were able to overhear their mother telling them that she'd be away for a few hours, and that they should put out the fire to avoid detection. However, you remember exactly where they're hidden, and it would be incredibly easy for these two to head on over and do whatever they want.

He doesn't look convinced. Nevertheless, you can see the putrid greed in his eyes as the gears turn in his head, and after only a few moments, he says, [say:And why exactly should we believe that?]

Without missing a beat, you tell him that he doesn't have to. Doesn't make much of a difference to you, but you just didn't want the opportunity to go to waste. You're busy here, and their mother said she'd be coming back, so it's probably only a few hours until those two vulnerable young girls will be in the wind. Such a shame, too. Even from your far vantage point, you could see the innocence in their eyes as—

You don't even need to finish your sentence before the bigger imp tugs on her partner's arm. [say:There's two of 'em,] he says.

[say:Well there might be zero of them, dumbass!] the pipsqueak retorts.

[say:Yeah, but we don' hafta share.]

The first one pauses, rubbing his chin and appearing to think very hard on this. At least, hard for an imp. However, no matter how much he might try to overcome his base nature, his lust wins out in the end, though the suspicion in his eyes doesn't drop as he says, [say:If this was a trick, you're in big trouble!]

You somewhat doubt it, but you don't share that thought as the grimy pair scurries off in the nonsensical direction you point them in. You make sure that your directions will occupy them long enough for your purposes.


[Nothing] //tooltip- This was actually as far as your plan went.
You don't really know where to go from here. You stare awkwardly at the pair of imps, and they stare right back, increasingly aggravated. After a few moments of this, the short one pipes up.

[say:What's the deal? You came to us, you know.]

Before you can answer, his partner says, [say:I don' think they got anythin',] his dull eyes tracking you with disappointment.

The livelier one looks visibly incensed at this revelation, turning to you and shouting, [say:Nothing? Is this some sorta joke? I don't know if you're looking down on us, but I think you need to be taught a lesson.]

He rushes forward, intent on following through with his threat. Seems this tactic didn't work.
//Combat starts

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[Sneak] //tooltip- Attempt to make your way in unnoticed.
//Requires evening, tooltip- "You can't sneak right by them in broad daylight.
[if (time < 21) {The sun's low enough in the sky|The complete lack of daylight means}] that you could potentially get by the guards without them even knowing. Looking at them, you actually have some confidence that this plan might work. You don't think the dozing one will be waking up any time soon, and the other is even yawning himself sometimes. When he's not, his focus seems to be entirely on his slacking partner, so you think you'd be able to go unnoticed without a great deal of difficulty.

The only major problem would be opening the door without making a scene. [if (tallness < 60) {You're pretty small, but|You're large enough that}] opening it wide enough for you to fit would likely put it in sight of the imps, not to mention that you have no idea how creaky it is. Still, your best chance for this to work is doing it at night, so you might as well give it a shot. Your mind made up, you start your approach.

This leg of the operation goes off without a hitch. The incompetent guards probably wouldn't notice an approaching [if (silly) {wombat|minotaur}], let alone someone trying not to be seen. You're able to get right up to the entrance with [if (spe < 40) {some|little}] difficulty, leaving you close enough to catch a whiff of the imps' revolting scent.

Still, there's nothing else for it, so you slink even closer, taking great care to stick to the shadows as much as possible. You can now see that the smaller, more alert imp's eyes are drooping occasionally, so you time your final dash for when he's least aware. Your heart flutters for a brief moment as you pass right by the guards, but they don't react in the slightest.

//if spe >= 40
It takes a moment for you to calm down, but you're here. The door is actually receded a little bit, which should hopefully give you enough leeway to make your entrance.

//else
At least, that's what you think, but as you finally [if (singleleg) {move|step}] past, you suddenly feel a raking claw against your back. You bite back a shout and whirl around to see the nastly little imp with a grin of satisfaction on his face.

[say:Thought you were clever, huh? Don't underestimate me!] he shouts as he bears down on you. This is enough to wake his partner, and by the drowsy look on his face, you can tell that you at least weren't underestimating [i:him]. In any case, looks like you're in for a fight.

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[Intimidate] //tooltip- These lowly imps have no business challenging you.
They're just imps—what have you to fear from them? You're [if (level >= 10) {completely|clearly}] out of their league, and if they don't recognize that, what happens to them is their fault. All this in mind, you confidently approach the pair of imps. Their incompetence is clear enough from the fact that they don't notice you until you're almost upon them, despite the fact that you're doing the opposite of hiding.

[say:H-Hey, who're you?] the smaller one says, the slight tremor in his voice a sign that he might actually know his place. You inform the pair of guards that you'll be going into the factory, and that they'll be letting you. You don't really mind allowing them to flee, as long as you never have to see, smell, or even think about them ever again.

//if level >= 10
Something in your eyes must signal to them that you can back up your words. The little demons' legs tremble, and the one who dared question you can barely manage to get out, [say:Uh, I, yeah, uh, we'll... leave.]

He desperately pulls his partner by the ear, dragging him away from the door despite his larger size. You're somewhat surprised that this imp had a developed enough survival sense to actually get out of the way in danger, but it's at least nice that you won't have to waste any time on them.

//else
Despite how clearly outmatched they are, the two imps keep to their posts. They appear to steel themselves, though you have no idea what they think's going to happen or where their motivation for staying is even coming from.

[say:How about you fuck off, buddy?] the one who spoke up earlier says. [say:You talk big, but you wouldn't bother saying anything if you could actually back it up.]

Seems that they really don't have any sort of survival instinct. Well, no matter, this will just be a bit messier than you had hoped.
//Combat starts

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[Rubber Ball] //tooltip- Attempt to distract them.
Staring at the rubber ball in your possession, you start to formulate a plan. It doesn't seem like the most foolproof one, but as you think about it more and more, it starts to sound reasonable enough to try. Worth a shot, at least.[if (silly) { Maybe even more than one, if you can get the ball to bounce back.}]

You inch ahead as slowly as you can, taking great care not to spoil the surprise. When you're in range, you breathe in deeply to center yourself, and then wind your arm back. There's only a brief moment of anticipation before you release the tension and lunge forward, casting the ball [if (str < 30) {surprisingly }]far.

You had aimed at an area not too far from the door, and sure enough, that aim was true. The little toy sails right over the heads of the guards before striking a rock on the other side of the entrance from you. The impact sends it bouncing up in a smaller, lazier arc than the first, and the motion is conspicuous enough for even the incompetent imps to catch. The more animated of the two jabs the other in the ribs and points at it, and they both watch as it slowly bounces and rolls down the hill, away from the door.

You're briefly worried that you plan isn't going to work, but then, one of them suddenly leaps to his feet and starts speeding off after the ball. The other quickly follows in pursuit, and you can plainly hear that they're arguing about something. The words are difficult to make out, but you manage to catch some snippets.

[say:...is mine! I get first this time and you know...]

[say:...not fair at all! It's been so long since I've had one that young, and...]

[say:...just have to see who's faster...]

The two of them continue on like this until they're out of earshot. You can't imagine how they managed to lose the ball, and they certainly have, judging by the distance they've covered already, but the fact that your plan worked so flawlessly is a pleasant surprise. You're able to stroll right up to the front door with no opposition in sight.

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//Successful Imp Resolution (behind a next button)
The door to the factory stands undefended in front of you.

If you go inside, there will undoubtedly be many demons to fight and little chance to escape. Death or worse awaits should you fall into their hands.

Do you enter the factory or leave?

[b:Factory has been added to the Dungeons menu.]