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Post by jarahamee on Sept 30, 2020 23:09:50 GMT -6
Introductory Posts [Hello and welcome to the Halloween 2020 Event! Before we begin here are a few important notes about the game and how to play it. Please message me on discord if you have any questions during the event and I will be happy to answer in a timely manner
-Please include an OOC summary at the beginning of each post. This makes it easier for others to understand what you have decided to do this round.
-Ideally, players should make one post per day. If you are not able to post on a particular day, you can also make an out of character (OOC) response as a placeholder. You can replace it with a full post later as long as your character’s actions do not change.
-I will expect you to make use of the dice provided in the Wath Discord Chat. This can be accessed in the dice rolls channel of the Wathais Discord channel by typing !roll d#.
-Powers will not work well or at all in this maze. If you wish to try to access any powers please make a note of it in the post.
-We will make use of a map that will be posted within each post. Important objects of interest are noted with letters or numbers on the map. If you investigate an object or move, I will move your token on the map for you every round.
-I strongly recommend rolling for Perception with every room. This will determine what you see, and if you find anything hidden (or hear or see anything difficult to see or hear). Your statistics and skills you determined will also help you investigate the maze and you may choose one or multiple skills or statistics to roll for every round.
You can move once and take one physical action per round, which you may roll for. You may also roll for anything that is not physical IE Wisdom rolls, Intelligence rolls, Perception Rolls, or accessing other knowledge like Survival, Medicine and History at any time as a free action, doing as many rolls as may be applicable to the situation. Please let me know what you would like to roll for. Alternatively, I may ask you to roll if you approach a challenge that requires one. I will add your characters’ bonuses on and determine their success or failure.
-Please ask me if you need any hints or if you are unsure what to do next. ]
Prologue:
It all started with a touch of restless sleep, a headache behind the eyes, and at the back of the skull. At first it was just on and off, an occasional uncomfortable brush with an uncooperative body. It seemed as though it would resolve, and then it returned. Disconcertingly, as the air changed and assumed that certain kind of seasonal crispness, it only intensified. Then, one started to remember glimpses of the dreams. Muddy dreams of a stone maze beneath the earth with many doors and many rooms. A place without life and yet alive. Primal memories of the inhuman howls of something in the darkness, tormented. Brief but powerful, looming in the subconscious. All too obscure to make sense of. It all seems to build until that night approaches. As the sounds of the trick-or-treaters and Halloween festivities dulls to a quiet hum, it descends. Whether one struggles to stay awake, or falls to sleep, they find their consciousness fading. It is late, and the change is natural. Perhaps one was not expecting anything eventful that night. Or perhaps they thought that they might avoid their ultimate fate in this way. Regardless, it comes, making eyelids feel heavy, bodies feel leaden and then, finally, one drifts away into a place between reality and dreams. Chapter 1: (GROUP 1) (Group 1 map: photos.app.goo.gl/KMoPAe79f16yEFkr6 ) Edge, Jedi, Hau, Sjira, Kira. You find yourselves in the center of this large room, laying under a huge and ugly fruit-bearing tree. It’s darkened, gnarled bark covers its thick trunk and twisted branches which hang over you protectively. The earth below you is cold and moist. Nothing has moved through this room for ages. A voice speaks in your minds, androgynous and cutting; (The message is as transmitted in your private messages) This room is nearly pitch black save for a few dimly glowing lights on the periphery of the chamber. If the light sources are inspected, they appear to have no living flames; instead having a cold, empty light to the scions. The walls are damp and covered in strange, slick mosses and the floor smells like raw, wet earth that has been moldering for ages. This room appears to be a subterranean mausoleum. There is a huge, ugly tree (D)with low-hanging fruit in the center of the room. Its vast roots wrap around the jagged rocks and under soil. There are many sets of large, marble sarcophagi here with ornate designs on their heavy stone lids. (A, B, C, E) There appear to be two doors in this large and dark chamber, all distant from you, one to the East, and one to the South. (GROUP 2): (Group 2 Map: photos.app.goo.gl/3jmCgHGZ14ffo36XA ) Casmir, Moana, Ari, Malgrim
You awaken on a cold sheet of marble, which you recognize to be a three-foot platform holding three huge sarcophagi in the center of this large room (J, K, L). The room is deathly quiet. Nothing moves, and it seems, has moved for ages in this dark space. A voice speaks in your minds, voice low and measured, like a physical presence, giving no time to respond back; (Message is as transmitted in your private messages) As quickly as it came, the presence is gone, leaving you in each other’s’ company. This room appears to be not unlike an immense cathedral. Dim stone columns soar 200 feet into the air to hold up a slanted roof. Weak and sickly red-light seeps in from an immense stained-glass window, which depicts demons, torture and slaughter. Footsteps echo in its great halls. The periphery of the tomb is filled with a variety of relics, weapons, and items of great value, placed on display podiums and racks for all to see. On the eastern wall of this room, sit 40 unassuming stones (Near J). To the South, eight dignified statues (N) clasp delicate glass vials in their stone fingers, dressed in elegant robes. In front of each statue is a tile with a symbol which those knowledgeable can try to identify. To the North are a set of five altars (M). Despite the violence depicted on the window, the interior seems to have a calm aura. (J) The first sarcophagus’ surface depicts a noble, well-built male knight with an empty hand which should be holding a sword. The inscription on his sarcophagus reads "Bring to me the greatest weapon, that kings covet, puts warriors to ruin, and ends all battles." The second sarcophagus(K) is a beautiful female knight whose hands rest serenely on her breast, hand open. Her inscription says “Bring me the most valuable gem.” The last is a relief sculpture of a child in eternal sleep (L), his small arms crossed at his chest. He wears the armor of a knight, but it is clear that he was never old enough to fight. His inscription reads ‘Bring me eternal life” GROUP 3: (Group 3 Map: photos.app.goo.gl/Y8tcwBfPdgEduUJH9 ) Aaron, Faolan, Simon, Nagi
You awaken on a golden bed of beautiful coins of all shape and sizes to the South of this chamber. Many of the coins appear to be made of gold. It is oddly uncomfortable and not as soft as one might be lead to believe. The floor has a slight warmth to it that might be comforting to some, almost like body heat. The chamber is entirely silent, lit by ornate oil lamps inset into the walls with golden cages. Silk curtains with life-like embroidery brush the shores of your small sea of riches. As you wake, you hear a voice, patient and quiet, in the back of your minds (Message is as transmitted in your private messages) On closer inspection, the entire room appears to be made of solid gold. The reflectiveness makes everything better lit than it has any right to be. Every surface seems disorientating and reflective. Every surface is covered in gold and jewels. Various items are placed upon many many shelves. Masks, apparent weapons, huge gems, all can be found here, scattered in a near clutter. There are four pedestals in the center of the room (R, S, T, U), each with something different engraved on it. There are doors North and West in this chamber.
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Post by kilnarak on Oct 1, 2020 3:01:29 GMT -6
[ Ari hates existence. He wakes up, bumps into sarcophagus L, then goes to check out the statues to the south (N). Perception 14, Knowledge (whatever) 11 ]
As it had been for the past handful of years, once the season changed to Fall, Ari only became more and more anxious. He slept less, ate less, jumped at shadows. He tried to keep it to himself - his mates had better things to worry about than a curse that hadn't killed him yet. It wouldn't kill him this time. It never did, not for real. But he still remembered it, remembered feelings of his body being burned and crushed and torn apart.
When Halloween rolled around, he paced and fidgeted throughout the day, his nerves frayed and heart pounding too hard in his chest. He didn't go to his job, took the day to barricade himself in his room in the bunker. He wouldn't sleep. It couldn't take him if he didn't sleep, could it? (But it had before, hadn't it?) He drank coffee and paced like a caged tiger, tried his best to distract himself with things that would keep him awake. But then something pulled his eyelids down all the same, muffled his ears, suffocated him in darkness.
Ari woke with a start, cold stone beneath his cheek. He shoved himself off the floor and staggered to his feet, eyes wide and heart pounding in his chest. There were others nearby - weren't there usually? - bodies slumped on the floor, rousing as he had; and then there was a voice in his head. He flinched back from it, stumbling into the sarcophagus at his side. He flinched again at the sight of the child before he realized it was only stone.
The shifter drew a deep breath and forced himself to still, to take stock of the situation. He was clothed this time at least - he hadn't stripped down for sleep since he hadn't intended to sleep - but the tanktop and loose pants he wore did little to stop the chill that seeped up from his bare feet into the rest of his body. He wrapped his arms around himself, looking around nervously. The people he shared the room with... the one man was familiar, someone he had seen in REM, the other was new to him, and then there was Moana. His heart leapt into his throat a moment, but he resisted the urge to go to her and hide behind her - she was strong, but who could say if strength would be worth anything in this hell? Instead he looked around the room - the altar to the north, the statues to the south... The statues were a little closer so he padded barefoot toward them to examine them.
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Post by Marshmallow on Oct 1, 2020 4:07:24 GMT -6
[Summary: Nagi wakes up confused, has no idea where he is, and tries to orient himself. Perception roll = 2 (so much for that)]
Nagi awoke slowly, roused from a too-deep sleep by a creeping sensation of discomfort and wrongness. Rather than the cozy cushions of the sofa he recalled falling asleep upon, he found his resting place to be uneven, hard and metallic. The soft jingling of metal met his ears as he turned over and sat up, his movements causing the bed of coins to shift and scatter. Confused, the blind man groped about himself for anything familiar. But before he could find anything, or even form a truly coherent thought, a voice spoke. It came from everywhere, and yet... nowhere; It was inside his own head. And it didn't make the tiniest speck of sense. Did someone bring him here? Had he been kidnapped?
"What... the hell?" he mumbled aloud as he sat there, puzzling about the odd change of environment. It wasn't just the dragon's hoard of coins that had inexplicably replaced his couch. The air was stale and musty, and the space was uncomfortably silent. Normally he could hear the sounds of distant traffic, night birds, the neighbor's music. No such noise reached him here. It was like being in a cellar, or some place deep underground, and all of his prey instincts kicked into high alert.
And with awareness suddenly clearing thanks to that spike of adrenaline, he noticed that something was missing from his awareness.
"Okudo...?"
No answering cry nor flutter of wings responded to his call, and Nagi grew concerned. He couldn't sense the presence of his familiar anywhere. But, that should be impossible! Okudo could fly to the other side of the city and still the kirin would always be able to sense him. Yet there was a gap where the bird's spirit should have been, and that was a thousand times more frightening than waking up on a pile of money in some unknown cellar.
Somewhere off to his right, he thought he heard movement. He could feel, just faintly, concentrations of water in close proximity - the bodies of other living things, but the sense was far more muted than it normally should be. At the very least, it seemed that he wasn't alone here. There were others that had been taken. But to what end and purpose?
"Hello? Is someone there? If anyone's here, please speak up - I can't see."
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Post by okami1reeka333 on Oct 1, 2020 5:56:32 GMT -6
[Jedidiah is lost as hell (rolled a 2 for perception) doesnt know where he is- might be stuck in the tree, might be too tall and head is submerged in the branches and leaves- either way he cant see shet. ]
Jedidiah:
He blinked. . Suddenly finding himself somewhere else that was not his own home. . . When did he . . Leave the house? . . . Wasnt he just turning the shower off? He tried to look around and saw absolutely nothing. . .
"Ahhh. . . . Hello? Is anyone out here?" He asked. The smells of this place, the sounds. Nothing screamed familar or normal to him- which was rather startling to him.
Oooi vey his parents would murder him if she found out he was kidnap. . .dont tell them- they dont need to know.
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Post by Vaitris on Oct 1, 2020 10:45:41 GMT -6
[OOC: Hau wakes, checks out the room, then looks at the tree (D). Perception 12, nature? 12]
Hau woke to the scent of decaying leaves and moss tickling his nose. Not immediately alarmed, he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to return to sleep. He wasn't sure what had disturbed him, but the woods were always full of anxious noises at night and he was still learning to tune out the harmless ones. Just one of the many reasons he hated sleeping rough. The kitsune thought these days were behind him but apparently they weren't, moving into Jedidiah's house must have been some sort of dream if he was still out here.
Though... there was something strangely off about all of this. The smells of the forest were unfamiliar, the air was eerily quiet and empty, and he could feel cold soil on his bare skin. He never slept outside in human form.
Hau shot up, heart hammering, head snapping around as he tried to make out his surroundings in the dim light. This wasn't his little patch of wilderness, wasn't his new room at Jed's, wasn't anything he recognized. There were walls of earth. Huge doors. Sarcophagi. In the murky dark above him towered a huge tree. Just the sort of nonsensical things you'd expect to find together in a dream. He wasn't alone here either. Neither of the slumbering forms next to him were familiar but Hau didn't want to wake them. There was a growing suspicion in him, fluttering at the back of his thoughts, that suggested they were better off asleep. As would he if he could still get there.
There was a rustle of leaves and a familiar "ahhh... Hello? Is anyone out here?" from above him. The kitsune craned his head back and caught sight of a figure almost as tall as the tree itself.
"Jed?" The question came out softer than he'd intended, something about the silence of this place was getting under his skin, but the presence of the giant was an unexpected relief.
Another voice, speaking out of nowhere, cut through his thoughts and made him jump. Hau surged to his feet, driven to move by fear and surprise. What was it talking about? What was this? His eyes landed on the tree next to him, scrutinizing it, before tentatively reaching out to touch the wide, dark trunk. Its bark was rough and damp and very real. He flexed his toes, felt the dirt move under his bare feet. This was a dream, wasn't it? It felt like a dream, but everything here was very much present and solid. Something distant and half-remembered teased at his memory. Cold dread and recognition shivered through him.
Not again.
"This is bad, Jed. This is very bad." He said, mouth going dry.
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Post by beastly on Oct 1, 2020 11:28:15 GMT -6
[ Simon is a loser at home. Simon-wolf wakes up and decides this isn't too bad. He looks around a little (perception, got a 5) and is happy to see Nagi. Other people in the gold get sniffed.]
Halloween was a full moon this year, and Simon would have liked it, how spooky, except for the fact that he's a werewolf. He's politely declined to attend a few Halloween parties in favor of turning into a werewolf and pacing in the enclosure he's set up there. He's transformed without too much of a fuss, and after a little bit of trying to escape, is laying on the floor listening to the radio his human self left on. He starts to drift into sleep, listening to some guys on the radio talk about something or rather.
Simon shifts uncomfortably on the coins as he wakes up, and freezes as he hears the voice. He tilts his head, unable to properly identify where it is coming from. He doesn't totally understand it, but he vaguely gets the idea that he shouldn't be violent. He stops trying to understand it pretty fast when he figures out he isn't in his apartment, tail wagging. Things are new! New smells, shiny things, strange voices? That's pretty interesting.
He sniffs around the coin pile a little, and glances at all the shiny things, but is quickly distracted by Nagi. He pads over the coins, trying not to take a tumble. He likes Nagi, Nagi is nice. Simon greets him with a short barking noise, sniffing him a little and walking around him, tail waving. He somewhat understands Nagi can't see him. Nagi is usually at Work when he sees him, but this isn't Work. This doesn't smell like Work. He sniffs at the other people in the gold too. Aaron Eric! Again, it's odd that he's seeing Eric and Nagi, but they're not at Work. He's happy they're here though!
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Post by NightshadeVII on Oct 1, 2020 15:14:16 GMT -6
(OOC: Edge rolls 20 for perception to study the tree(D). Recognizing Jed and Kira and seeing others in the room, he calls out, trying to check if everyone’s okay. Rolls 1 for nature check, 5 for survival (like an idiot))
A heavy, earthy blackness had overcome him. Stifling senses, stifling breath, suffocating and raw. Yet it was strangely warm, in an organic way. It wasn’t the kind of heat you’d find in radiators or warm water, it was a deep warmth, like the warmth that would seep through the soil on a hot day. It made every muscle and thought heavy, slower than before. A strange kind of conscious unconsciousness. Not quite sleeping, not quite awake. Instead just... drifting along, unable to fully wake or dream. A strange, incomplete disconnect. In a way, it reminded him of something he’d rather forget, a haze from the past. It was something he remembered as shackling, horrible, and yet it had been hard to fight. Panic began to rise in his mind, bubbling to the surface. Was he dreaming? Reliving some of his most obscure memories? Either way, his heart started hammering in his chest, beating deep and heavy, almost sluggish.
Edge startled awake, sitting upright in an uncoordinated jolt, body moving out of sync. Head spinning, he looked around, seeing only a cold darkness, glimpses of light in the distance. This... this wasn’t his bedroom. Or his apartment. Or Faolan’s apartment. The panic shifted, morphing into a subtle unease. What the hell? At least he was still dressed, if the pajama pants he wore to bed could be called dressed. He took a moment now, trying to calm his breath, at least a little bit. It didn’t take long before his senses began to return, allowing him to feel the dampness of the air as it coated his lungs. Without even thinking, his fingers clenched slightly, scraping against the soil beneath him. Soil? He ran a hand over the ground again, wet earth sticking to his skin. That didn’t make any sense. As his eyes adjusted, and he got a better look at the room, his confusion only deepened. Some kind of underground graveyard? That was the only way he could really describe the room, what with the sarcophagi and dark stone walls. The faint light in the room was almost the most unsettling. It was cold, lifeless really.
With a soft groan, he rose to his feet, not moving into the room just yet. Looking up, worry began to mix with the confusion. The tree he had awakened under, with its gnarled branches like emancipated limbs and low hanging fruits looked diseased, almost poisoned. “You’re sick, aren’t you?”, he murmured, looking up at the tree, “must be painful...” Almost instinctively, he considered reaching out to touch the trunk of the tree, but quickly stopped himself. If the tree was indeed sick, he didn’t want to risk anything. But even so, he took a moment to study it, wondering if there was more to the poor creature than what met the eyes.
As he scanned the room again, he noticed other figures in the dark. So he wasn’t alone afterall. He couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or not. Though, after a moment, his brows furrowed. He recognized some of these people. Kira, the sweet little bat creature he had met a while back, and Jed, the forest dwelling doctor. By Eda, what where they doing here? What was any of them doing here?
“Kira? Jed?”, he called out, keeping his voice quiet and gentle, hoping not to scare anyone, “are you alright?” Other than the two he recognized, there were two others he didn’t know, though they seemed just as turned around and confused as everyone else. So whatever had dragged him here had also dragged other people, just great. Though, it didn’t take long for him to decide what to do. Just as before, he kept his voice calm and gentle, trying to muster an empathetic smile, if anyone could see that in the low light. “Is everyone okay here? Anyone hurt?”, he asked, addressing all four now, sounding genuinely concerned as he spoke, “sorry if I startled any of you. I’m not a threat, I promise. I won’t hurt anyone.”
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Post by indeath on Oct 1, 2020 16:48:11 GMT -6
(( Grim is concerned but curious, he is checking out the room, his companions and the sarcophagus to begin. He is trying to avoid attention. Perception: 16 Investigation: 2 stealth:12 ))
Grim woke up with a sudden inward sigh, his bed felt harder than normal. Shit. Had they finally caught up to him? He looked widely around, it was a strange prison. Then he heard the voice... in his head. That changed his perspective, they weren’t that clever. This was the nightmare but it felt very real thus time. It lacked the haze of the other dreams, the knowledge it wasn’t real despite the terror. He looked around the room, three other people, all human mostly. He wondered how they’d react to his presence. It was odd, weren’t dreams part of your subconscious but he certainly didn’t recognize any of them. He studied the room and walls around him. The hoard of treasures on display definitely interested him but he couldn’t seem too keen. They may well be trapped or worse, fake. The window in its garish display caused his heart to thud in his chest. What kind of cathedral was this? The footsteps increased his nerves. Were they being watched? He waited for the one awake to move away before he quietly began inspecting the sarcophagus and their inscriptions. Some kinda riddle. Crystals. That sounded promising but somehow he felt like there was definitely more to it. The first and closest was the child, he hoped it didn’t contain an actual child. He frowned deeply at the thought.
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Post by Pearl Dragon on Oct 1, 2020 18:07:19 GMT -6
[Kira moves to stand by Jed and Edge. She asks them in her own special way if she was brought here to gather fruit for them. She is pointing at the tree and the fruit but is unsure of what else can be done. Perception roll = 13. Other than moving, she has yet to perform any significant action or investigate (she is very confused lol)]
Kira had been standing at Jedidiah's doorstep, holding a bundle of branches in her arms and standing over an even bigger pile of wood and branches she'd been gathering most of the day. They felt heavier than normal, and for many days she'd felt groggy, painful in the head, and overall not well. Zavijah had tried to help her, provided her things found in the woods, but nothing Zavijah tried seemed to work. Kira had bent over to drop the wood, when suddenly she dropped as well, falling forward onto the pile of branches.
Except, when she jerked up from the fall, surprised at her sudden black out, she did not feel the expected stab of multiple sticks into skin. Instead, the ground was wet, cold and almost spongey in texture. Kira pushed herself up, eyes wide and peering through the dimly lit darkness. Despite how suddenly she had seemed to black out and then awaken, she felt heavy. As if she'd been sleeping for hours and was finally waking up. The musk of old, damp earth overtook her senses, making her nostrils flare at the sudden aromatic bombardment. A scared noise escaped her as she looked up at the towering tree and then around at the forms of others moving in the soggy shadows.
A voice broke in her mind, making her flinch so badly she tripped backwards over a gnarled old root and barely managed to prevent from sprawling back to the floor. Although she understood the language, its words held no meaning to her in that moment, and a knot of fear began to swell in her throat as it said it's peace and disappeared entirely. Soon, she began to hear other voices calling out, but this time they were outside of her head and some even sounded familiar.
"Kira? Jed?" Kira's ears perked immediately at the sound of her name. She snapped her attention to the source, seeing a tall figure.
"E-Edge? Jed? Is be with Kira?" She replied, the tone of her voice shaking slightly. She inched towards the two taller figures, although she began to recognize the hulking form of Jed as she moved, and others who seemed less familiar to her. Around her and the tree were large blocky forms that rose up from the ground and seemed to be engraved with decorations. Overhead, the tree's limbs bore strange objects that Kira had seen Zavijah gather from other trees before and she remembered they were always quite delicious! Perhaps if the others needed it, she could gather some of the objects for them.
When she was huddled nearer to Jed and Edge, Kira looked up and around nervously before pointing at the tree. "Where is be? Is tree be for eating, Jed and Edge have Kira here, can be help Edge and Jed be eating tree sweets?" She was massively confused, stumbling over her words. Did they bring her here? Was there something she was supposed to be doing, perhaps to fulfill the voice she'd just heard in her head? She huddled close to the ground, pointing timidly up at the tree and glancing occasionally around the room to get a better idea of her surroundings.
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Post by qhostqrowls on Oct 1, 2020 18:39:32 GMT -6
[OOC: Faolan offers to guide Nagi. Rolled 10 for perception and 8 for stealth]
Faolans heart sunk as he awoke to unfamilar surroundings, a bone deep sense of dread settling in his gut as the voice faded from existence. Violence could be avoided? As if. The whole point of these halloween nightmares seemed to be violence and death. He'd been praying to be spared this year, but here he was again. And this time...with his colleagues?
Aaron and Nagi were to the left of him, as was a wolf. It seemed friendly, at least. The doctor rose on unsteady feet, paler than usual and feeling selfish for being relieved Aaron was there. He wouldn't wish this on anyone, but Aaron was an agent, he would...he would know what to do. At least he wasn't alone this year.
"Hey, Aaron...sorry to see you here." he said wearily, stepping cautiously over the gold coins, unsure of what else to say.
"Nagi, it's Faolan." He gently placed a steadying hand on the kirins shoulder. "Aaron's here too, and a wolf. You can hold onto me if you like, since...since Okudo isn't here. Is this your first halloween like this?"
He glanced to Aaron, clearly looking for guidance or leadership of some sort.
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Post by luscen on Oct 1, 2020 18:41:42 GMT -6
[Casmir wakes up and tries to assess the situation. Perception d20, roll result: 4)
Casmir woke to the sensation of a throbbing headache. He lay very still as he shifted from sleep to wakefulness, trying to recall what exactly had happened- he had been in the cave, speaking to Stella about his plans, when his thoughts began to drift, a pall of fatigue settling over him. He tried to remember what the witch had been doing... She had still been constructing his totem, he had been fairly sure, and there had been no sign of magic from here that his eye could detect. So then what had caused this strange bout of narcolepsy? It wasn't like him to pass out, especially in the presence of a potential threat- after all, just because Stella said she needed his help didn't mean she'd hold to that if her more primal nature took over.
Casmir's thoughts were interrupted by a strange, unfamiliar voice. It was similar to the way he and Delphi communicated; even though he carried a device, it wasn't a radio so much as a totem in it's own right. With it she could speak to him regardless of where he was, so long as there wasn't heavy magical or psionic interference. The thought reminded the Hunter that he was no longer in the cave, and he carefully pushed himself up to his knees as the voice went silent, frowning at the fact that he didn't have his trench knife, runes, or sidearm- the lack of weight at his hip and the multitude of empty pockets in his coat told him that much. At the very least, he had his body armor and silver-knuckled gauntlets, so he wasn't completely defenseless. Just at a significant disadvantage.
''Motivated,' huh?' Casmir mused dryly. The thought of being without weapons made his eyes widen and he slipped a hand under the sleeve of his coat, cursing as he realized the ancient dagger he kept on him at all times was missing, as well. That was certainly concerning, but it told him that where he was was likely some form of dreamscape; he'd read of shamans and planeswalkers that traversed from this realm to another, usually some fashion of metaphysical space that was both real yet not. Casmir himself had never had the “pleasure” of finding himself in one, personally, which meant this would be a new experience to tell Delphi. If he ever got the chance to, of course... But why him? And who was responsible? He immediately dismissed the idea that it had been Atol, as he doubted even the Mage could do such a thing. And even if he could, he'd likely be more aggressive, rather than playing whatever manner of game this was supposed to be.
Which only left one possible approach: complete these “challenges” and find out who or what had put him here and why. Hopefully without finding out whether this was a “special” dream or not. After all, just because he may have been dreaming didn't mean he was completely safe. Likely far from it, in fact.
His course of action set, Casmir turned his attention to the strange room, taking note of the rather grisly stained-glass window, then moving towards the other highlights; he lingered briefly on the weapons, but decided to leave them alone, uncertain of whether they were trapped or not. The stones on the eastern wall didn't warrant much attention, while the eight statues to the south caused him to frown in bemusement. He'd need to get closer to see what the writing on the tiles said, but he wanted to be sure he knew what he was dealing with, first.
He turned around, briefly noting the five altars to the north, then finally settled on the nearby sarcophagus, frowning as he noticed the inscription along the side of the tomb. ''The most valuable gem...' So, it's a riddle, then.'
Having little recourse, Casmir decided to begin his search for this gem, only to notice that he wasn't alone; to the west was a familiar-looking boy with cat-like ears and a thin, spotted layer of fur over his skin, who was currently trying to decide if he wanted to risk darting past the Hunter to hide behind the slumbering form of the girl behind him; a rather familiar, pretty little thing with mocha-colored skin and a dark curtain of hair who was still unconscious. Two of Malthiel's cronies, apparently... Was he behind this? He was certainly powerful enough, or so Casmir thought... He wasn't sure even someone like Atol would have gotten into a fight with... whatever that Victorian-loving kingpin was. Not very readily, at least... But no, he wouldn't have let his own people get dragged into this. Not unless he was cutting ties with them, presumably...
Which just left the odd one out. Casmir frowned as he looked up at the unfamiliar figure, taking note of the dusky gray skin, the tattooed head, and the deep, orange eyes. The Hunter's first thought was that it was a drow, given the skin color, but that wasn't right; the ears were too short, the fingernails too sharp. His jaw was set in such a way that bespoke a large set of teeth, as well, which made him either half-orc, or half-goblin. An further unknown, then, piled up on top of the already-sizable amount.
“Well, this is fine mess...” Casmir muttered to himself, instinctively reaching for a pack of cigarettes, only to growl in annoyance when he realized that he hadn't come here with those, either.
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Post by MP on Oct 1, 2020 19:17:20 GMT -6
[OOC: Aaron has a small panic, suggests a survival plan to the group, and goes to examine the pedestals.] [Roll perception for room: 11] [Roll investigation on pedestals: 13]
Aaron rarely dreamed. What dreams he had were half remembered - vague impressions and emotions that faded with the morning's coffee. Sometimes it was mundane. Routine. Sometimes it was the fire, and then he'd wake with a pounding heart and a sick dread that lingered hours after he'd forgotten why. Lately, the bad nights had been more common. Overwork, poor diet, lack of sleep. It could've been any of the above. Aaron didn't wonder about it, and he barely noticed when the headaches became more frequent, or when the dreams shifted from a growling voice to bestial howls in the dark. He did his work. He kept his schedule. A few bad dreams were forgotten.
He wasn't aware of the date when the warnings peaked. He was working late that night, head buzzing with fatigue and an urgent list of to-dos. Almost done, he told himself. Aaron dropped his head onto one arm. Rested his eyes. Don't do that. He pushed up from his desk and started walking. Coffee, movement, something to keep him going. If he dozed off now, he'd be out for the rest of the night.
Aaron blinked back to awareness. Had he gotten up? Dozed off and dreamed he had? No, this was...this was...
He stared blankly around at the gold-lined walls, the piled troves, features frozen as his heart started to thunder. The 31st. It was the 31st tonight. He'd been so caught up, so distracted.
I don't have time for this, he thought numbly.
He looked around him. Saw other figures against the gold. All WDSA. Familiar faces.
Sara, he thought with a drop in the pit of his stomach. His gaze snapped to the doors, the piles of coins, the corners of the room. His ears strained for the sound of her voice, dreading it. Where was she? This couldn't be happening again. Not now. When the voice sounded in his thoughts, he put a hand to the side of his head, the words chasing themselves in senseless circles.
A snuffling breath at his heels. Aaron's gaze dragged down to where a large brown dog was sniffing at his shoes. Not a dog - the features were sharper. It had hands instead of paws.
"Simon?"
His voice sounded hoarse in his ears, but that small action seemed to rouse him from his daze. Aaron took second stock of the room. Had enough presence of mind to look around at Faolan's voice, nodding a return greeting. Calm down. Focus.
"This place will probably try to kill us. Traps or hostiles." he said to Nagi, adding to Faolan's explanation. "Kiyohara, the wolf is Simon Groves from Civil Services. I'm not sure how much he understands, so keep him with you and find a weapon. Take anything useful you find. If someone can find Kiyohara a white stick, we should try to get moving. This room isn't defensible."
Poor footing. Poor cover. Too much reflection off the gold. Come to think of it, something was off with his photomancy. The play of light felt confusing, cluttered, and he couldn't seem to focus it. Steady breaths. Keep calm.
Aaron turned his attention to the most obvious features of the room. If there were tasks, tokens as the disembodied voice had suggested, these four pedestals seemed like the most likely suspects. He stepped carefully over the gold, alert for anything untoward, to look at the inscriptions.
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Post by Sharei on Oct 1, 2020 20:48:22 GMT -6
[OOC: Sjira wakes up, is too tired to give a damn, and looks around. Perception 19. He then approaches the rest of the group and speaks to them.]
Aquamarine eyes cracked open with a slowness that belied the alertness behind the gaze. Despite it, there was a calmness about the young man as he hauled himself out of the moldering underbrush and dusted the dirt from his stained jeans. Dark circles pressed like bruises beneath the juvenile's eyes, muddying the freckles that dusted cheeks and nose. Green hair, the same green as the half-dragon that had once accosted Edge on a mountaintop for his pen, spilled messily around slim shoulders. He hadn't brushed it in days - hadn't needed to, as he'd spent the majority of it sleeping the days away inside the safety of Kanagi's hidden lair. Dreams came and went, but he spent so little time awake that he'd hardly noticed.
But this wasn't the instance with its grassy fields and endless ocean, the scent of the unchanging air, and its tang of ocean spray. Even with his less-than-keen human's nose this was old, ancient earth and long-forgotten places filled with the acrid scent of sickness. How had he gotten here, and where was Sohl?
Sjira pushed himself to his feet and glanced around. There were others there, too, equally as confused. Sjira took it in with remarkable stride - he'd seen too much too recently, was too tired, to be afraid of some happenstance teleporting. Maybe it was a dream, or some trick of Archie's? Whatever it was, there had to be a way out.
"Hello?"
He raised a hand and approached the rest of the group, letting his gaze roam over the surroundings, taking particular note of the gold inlay on the sarcophagi.
"Anyone - have any idea what's going on?"
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Post by Salandis on Oct 2, 2020 0:59:46 GMT -6
[Moana rolls an 11 perception check on the room itself, followed by a horrible 9 in a knowledge attempt to understand the tiles]
Moana woke with a start as the voice whispered in her mind. It was unsettling to her, a creature that can speak so with her own kind. It was voice only, with no emotional sideband, and felt flat and sinister. Her body felt strange – she was in her normal human form, but felt sticky, as glue. It was acutely uncomfortable, and she could only imagine what it would do for her ability to change form – or call forth her natural one, for that matter. She took in the room at a glance, her mind busy. ‘So this is the Halloween nightmare that plagues the town,’ she thought absently. By now she had heard about it from Ari, over drinks, and reluctantly from the boss - and 3rd hand rumours there were aplenty. There was a taste of familiarity to it too, a memory of a stone labyrinth that almost felt as if it was lived by someone else, and a morning awoken in Mal’s vault for safekeeping. ‘At least I shouldn’t remember much at the end of it – unless we win, perhaps.’
The others were already awake and about. One of them she didn’t know at all – he was humanoid, but she could tell he wasn’t human – or thought she could. No one with skin that colour and eyes that shade would be a normal human under any usually circumstances, but Moana was having trouble making sure. Another of them she knew in passing – he was a regular at REM, after all, and she payed attention to those. Probably could even call up a conversation or two, he certainly cut an impressive look with the trenchcoat and the look of one both hunted and hunter. That one was already searching around the room, muttering as he looked over one of the sarcophagi. The last one…
“Ari!” She said, genuine pleasure in her voice as she swept over to him. “I missed you at work today, spots. Looks like we’re on the same team, huh.” She looked around the room again, looking again at all of the people there, “I guess all of us are. It’s fairly clear that working together is to our benefit, if we can manage it. If this is anything like what I have heard this may be fairly gruesome by the end of it – and there is no guarantee any party wins.” She let that sink in for a moment and then strode over to the tiles, her voice and attitude businesslike. “We have a riddle before us, apparently. By all means if you have any ideas on the topic speak out. The faster we solve this, the more likely we are to live.”
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 2, 2020 1:15:45 GMT -6
Group 1: Edge, Jedi, Kira, Sjira, Hau
Group 1 map: photos.app.goo.gl/jcuHk3txCj7tE8Qu8
Jedi finds himself submerged in tree branches. The tree itself appears to be healthy and has a deep, wide root system through the humid soil. There are different kinds of fruit dangling from this ugly tree, some within face height. If Jedi would like to try to identify the tree, he can roll Nature. Hau sees a plaque on the front of the tree. The plaque reads “Pluck the Safe Fruit.” Looking at the plaque produces an odd visual effect; they have the sense that some kind of translation spell as at play, and the original language was something alien. Examining the tree, he can see many differing kinds of fruit hanging at about eye-level. This tree must be some kind of hybrid or grafted plant. Or perhaps it is magical in nature. Examining the sarcophagi around him, he sees that there is more visible writing, either on or around the sarcophagi in this chamber. There is a hidden door to the West of this room (marked in red). Edge sees the plaque on the tree that Hau has seen, and observes the varying alien fruit it seems to spawn. He can sense this tree would have been happier in an aboveground place, perhaps with a direct light source, but instead, is here in the tomb with the rest. The fruit seems to be from many different species of tree, but he cannot identify any of them, or the host tree itself. Thus he cannot be sure which are poisonous. He also notices there is the faint outline of an additional hidden small door on the Western wall of this chamber(red). He has the feeling if he presses it firmly in the right places, it will open outwards. He also notices that there is writing on and around the varying sarcophagi. Perhaps more sets of instructions. Kira sees the plaque that Hau and Edge have seen “Pluck the Safe Fruit.” She can try to identify the safe fruit by rolling for Survival. If she wants to try to identify the tree, she can roll Nature.
The room here has a high ceiling, and she can feel this place is very still. Perhaps they are inside a cave, or deep underground. Indeed, from one who is practiced in outdoor exploration, there is not the kind of air flow that indicates this place is above ground. There is no sound outside this room. She also notices the writing around and on the sarcophagi in this room. Perhaps it is a clue. Sjira notices the hidden door to the West as he inspects the room. He also notices there is some writing on a plaque in front of six upright sarcophagi inset into the Northern wall (B). The large gold-gilded plaque reads; Four souls are interred here, a beggar, a blind man, mute and thief. Open the sinner’s sarcophagus.
There is one coffin between the mute and the blind man
There is one coffin between the thief and beggar. The beggar is on the right.
The blind man rests in the right most coffin.
There are another six sarcophagi to the West(A), set into the damp earth. Their carvings are loving and ornate, and Sjira might say they almost seem familiar, but it is difficult to see from this distance. Group 2:
Casmir, Moana, Ari, Malgrim
Group 2 map: photos.app.goo.gl/7HnXmA8HNduCDVrV6
Ari bumps into the sarcophagus with a relief sculpture of a child in eternal sleep, his small arms crossed at his chest(L). He wears the armor of a knight, but it is clear that he was never old enough to fight. The inscription on his sarcophagus reads ‘Bring me eternal life.” His hands are cupped to indicate something must be placed in them. There is something strange about the writing that he reads; it appears to be translated from another tongue to something that Ari can read. The eight statues(N) all appear to be of philosophers and alchemists, each posed slightly differently, but all holding vials filled with an actual liquid. The vials are held fast by the fingers of the sculptures. Each sculpture has a different panel in front of it with a symbol, which Ari can deduce are alchemical, but he does not know enough to be able to match them to a meaning. He has the sense that if he places pressure on the correct panel, something will happen. Casmir would find that on closer inspection, some of the ‘stones’ on the Eastern wall of this room appear to be precious stones, but in an uncut form. It is difficult to discern which might be the most valuable without closer inspection. He can roll Investigation or Nature checks to see if he can determine which types of stones each gem might be. Malgrim notices a secret door to the East of this room(red). It appears to lead outside of this room, and likely will open if pressed in the right spots. The outline is so faint, perhaps it is a flaw in the construction. The child’s sarcophagus is lovingly carved with a very realistic child of marble lying in eternal sleep, his small arms crossed at his chest(L). He wears the armor of a knight, but it is clear that he was never old enough to fight. The inscription on his sarcophagus reads ‘Bring me eternal life” There is something strange about the writing that he reads; it appears to be translated from another tongue to something that Malgrim can read. The way the hand is open seems to indicate it needs to have something placed into it. He can see two other, similar sarcophagi to the West of him and the room. Moana does not note anything special in this room beyond what is apparent. The eight statues(N) all appear to be of philosophers and alchemists, each posed slightly differently, but all holding vials filled with an actual liquid. The vials are held fast by the fingers of the sculptures. Each sculpture has a different panel in front of it with a symbol, which Moana feels have some kind of special meaning, but she cannot be sure what they mean exactly. Group 3:
Group 3 Map: photos.app.goo.gl/qibQLUD3G3BaLppV7
Aaron, Faolan, Simon, Nagi
Nagi reconnects with Faolan, Simon, and Aaron. Simon feels something like a ghostly hand touch his shoulder, and while he does not return to his human form, he feels something within him changing. Thoughts he had buried resurface. While he is still very much a wolf, he finds his mind clearer, his ability to reason sharper than it had been before. Most importantly, though he was unable to speak, he could understand what the others were saying around him. The gold clinked around him, regardless of his efforts to move through it stealthily. Four pedestals are in the center of the room (R, S, T, U), each with different writing engraved upon them. He is startled by the number and variety of valuable items around him. Faolan can see that each pedestal has something different written on it. The one closest to him, S, has an inscription on the top that says “I was carried into a dark room and I set fire. I wept and then my head was cut off. What am I?” Aaron can see there is a simple wooden crook painted in a striped pattern, leaning against the wall near them. While it once adorned the hand of a ruler, it may be sufficient for Nagi’s needs while navigating himself. Each pedestal rose from the golden floor, decorated in elaborate Greco-Roman style with different floral embellishments on their coronets. The inscription of the first pedestal (R) says “Put the most valuable item on this pedestal.” Aaron has the sense he is looking for an item from the room which must, without a doubt, be the most valuable thing here. There are so many items in this room, he would have to search with purpose to find what he is looking for. The inscription on the second pedestal (S) says “I was carried into a dark room and I set fire. I wept and then my head was cut off. What am I?” There is an indent for an item to be placed there. The inscription on the third pedestal (T) reads “ I have no voice and yet I speak to you, I tell of all things in the world that people do. I have leaves, but I am not a tree, I have pages, but I am not a bride or royalty. I have a spine and hinges, but I am not a man or a door, I have told you all, I cannot tell you more.” There is an indent for a medium-sized item to be placed in the center. The inscription on the fourth pedestal (U) reads “ An open-ended barrel, it is shaped like a hive. It is filled with the flesh, and the flesh is alive!” There is an indent for a small item to be placed in the center.
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