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Post by kilnarak on Oct 6, 2020 6:42:32 GMT -6
[ Perception 15+1 = 16. Ari hears the clink and thump of something out there and he doesn't like it. After he takes the crystal he's gonna head for the North door and suggest the others do the same. ]
Ari flinched a little when Casmir turned toward him, but he lit the candles all the same and was rewarded with them flaring and the appearance of the gem when the light faded. He glanced to the blonde man, offering him back his lantern before reaching to take the gem and place it with the other in the pocket of his pants. "We uh, we shouldn't linger. It- It's never good to stay in one place too long..."
The sound of something thumping against the eastern wall startled him to silence, his head jerking that way as his ears did their best to prick up. That wasn't rock falling. It sounded more like a body hitting the wall. The clink of something metal followed it - armor? chains? a sword dragging on the floor? To his dismay, both Moana and Casmir made their way over toward that wall. Ari shook his head, glancing toward the other two doorways. Both had opened when he had taken the last crystal.
"Not-not that way!" He hissed softly at the others, then glanced to the doors again. The northern door was closest and it looked as good an option as the south. "This way! If-If we need to we can come back..." He hoped they wouldn't need to...
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Post by beastly on Oct 6, 2020 11:10:54 GMT -6
[Simon tries to help the others follow, trying not to attract the thing's attention(stealth 9). He tries to look a whatever is up there (badly. perception 3) and follows Aaron.]
Eyes? What? Simon got caught in some confusion, looking between Faolan, Nagi, and... Eerrric? Was Aaron Eric's nickname...? Middle name? He had bigger fish to fry, he could ask later. He froze for a moment, watching Eric's face. Simon was pretty good at reading expressions, and faces. Dead end, he was saying. He trusted him. Simon wasn't entirely sure the doc saw Eric's directions, and he knew Nagi didn't, so he tried to quietly scramble over to them and get their attention with a soft bark and a jerk of his head . He then scampered back after Eric, fur on end and ears low. Hopefully they'd follow.
He gave a quick glance up. Apparently there was something big he couldn't make out? With eyes? Was it the thing knocking stuff around up there? He didn't know, and he really was not interested in finding out. Simon was a bit out of practice and his element with this fearing for your life stuff. Well, that wasn't quite fair. He was ready to do another puzzle, or hell, even just fight something if it came to it, despite that message from the voice, granted it was smaller than a skyscraper, he just wanted to not fight a giant or get crushed by rocks. He had to get his laptop fixed tomorrow, and that was by appointment. He chuckled uneasily at his own attempt to calm down.
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Post by indeath on Oct 6, 2020 16:38:21 GMT -6
(( Grim’s perception is crap at 8, no idea what the others are hearing. He tries to sneakily move to the north door to look out with a 4+6:10. ))
“I’m with Ari, we need to keep moving. The more we linger the more chance the other teams have to gather crystals...”
They were done with this room and it was time to move on. Casmir looked like he’d been having a fine inner conversation. Hopefully that meant he wasn’t about to have a breakdown and kill them all. He really needed something to chill him out. Perhaps it was inner monsters he truly hunted. Guy seemed tense enough to jump if a kitten peaked out of one these doors. He’d be ready to tear it a new one. Grim went as quietly as he could to the north door and attempted to look out. His heart thudded loudly in his chest. It was some comfort that despite dying horribly people woke up from this nightmare alive.
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Post by NightshadeVII on Oct 6, 2020 17:39:44 GMT -6
(OOC: Edge takes the crystal, then proceeds to approach Hau and Sjira, asking Sjira What’s going on, due to Hau’s panicked state. Looks around to see if he can find any hints as to what’s going on with Hau (Insight 18))
A quiet, relieved chuckle escaped the darai’s lips when a crystal was revealed instead of some horrible trap being activated. One more down. He had no idea how slow their progress was, but at leas they were making progress in some way. Crystal in hand, he turned towards Jed and sent the other a smile. “Good thinking there, bud!”, he said, “we must be doing something right”
What the purpose of the crystals, or of gathering them, was, was still beyond Edge. Were they keys of some kind? Something they needed to get home? Or perhaps a type of currency or magic item? None of the options would be too far fetched, considering what he had experienced in Wathais over the years slowly desensitizing him to things he would have considered downright unrealistic earlier in his life. He just hoped that the crystals would amount to something good and that it wouldn’t end up turned against them in some way. Sadly, that was also something he has been taught to expect, not only from Wathais.
Shortly after, Edge’s amethyst eyes fell on Hau and Sjira, standing a fair bit away from himself, Jed and Kira, but it didn’t take long to realize that there was something wrong. Hau was failing all around, lashing out at the air, as if fighting some invisible enemy, and Sjira was beside him, hand on the other’s shoulder, obviously trying to calm him in some way. Quickly, yet carefully, Edge made his way over to the two, brows furrowed. There wasn’t anything here, was there? Hau was clearly fighting something off, but there seemed to be nothing to fight, even now, when the Darai had gotten closer, he still couldn’t see anything.
“What’s happening?”, Edge asked, the worry-tinged question directed at Sjira, “is he hurt or something?” The Darai hoped that the young dragon knew anything or had some ideas, however, just in case, he began checking around, looking for anything that might tell him what was going on with Hau.
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Post by Pearl Dragon on Oct 6, 2020 18:22:16 GMT -6
[Kira is happy Edge and Jed solved their problem, but Hau's problem is still her biggest worry. She decides to go panic-kamakazee mode and launches herself at Hau's head from behind, using Edge as a launching pad in her mad dash towards them. She will wrap both wings around his head and also push the fruit towards his mouth in hopes he'll be distracted by that. Surprise bat! If I need to roll, let me know lol]
Kira watched with a mixture of desperation and hope as Edge approached and did something to the block thing. As he did so, she felt sure what he did was right. She wasn't sure how, but it filled her with even more hope. Except, of course, when the blocky thing opened and presented a crystal while Hau continued to fight and flail at nothing.
Kira's heart sank all over again as she looked back in terror at the struggling Hau. He was fighting nothing, there was nothing there! Was he seeing things? A moment passed, an idea sprang into her mind, and panic urged it into action. Pushing off from Jedidiah's leg, Kira threw herself into an awkward sprint towards the dragon and the kitsune. She leapt towards Edge before she passed him, who'd begun to make his way towards the two youths, grasped onto his side in a brief hug before using his torso as a launching pad, kicking off into a jump straight at Hau's head. She opened her wings, soaring the short distance before colliding with Hau's head and shoulders, wrapping both winged arms around his face in a tight hug to block his sight.
She held tight, heart racing. "Stop! Please be stop, no fight nothing! Be not be scaring us anymore!" She cried as she held on. "Here, be is fruit! Sweet, yum! No fight anymore!" She pushed the fruit to Hau's mouth as she clung to him, whether he wanted her to or not, trying to get him to at least notice it was there and maybe distract him from whatever episode he was having.
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Post by Vaitris on Oct 6, 2020 20:30:04 GMT -6
[OOC: Hau gets it now (finally) and tries to destroy the remaining zombies but acquires a sudden case of face!bat as Kira leaps on his head.]
As he watched the zombie fall back into the sarcophagus and erupt into a cloud of dust, it finally clicked for Hau. Not here, not real. He sucked in a breath, steadying. If they were that flimsy, he could handle this.
"There are zombies." He said in answer to Sjira's question, watching as his fake sister coiled to attack. "Maybe ghosts?" They didn't really fall into any neat definition. Clare certainly felt like she had weight when he pushed her, but maybe that was part of the illusion. Illusions which he should never have fallen prey to in the first place as a kitsune, but that was something to dwell on later.
Hau caught the child zombie by the shoulders as she charged, catching sight of her snarling face close up. He couldn’t seem to recognize his sister there anymore, all he could see were wide, rotting eyes and gnashing broken teeth. Without another thought he thrust her back in the direction of another one of the corpses, hoping to send them both to the floor and that would be enough to dissolve them as well. The others were advancing on him still, blind to the destruction of their companion or maybe unable to grasp the danger. Hau didn’t question it, just let them close in, striking out at them as they got within reach and driving his fists through each. Since the first one had crumbled so easily, he wasn’t expecting much resistance from these.
He also wasn’t expecting an attack from behind. "Gaak!" Was all that he managed to utter as something latched onto his head and wrapped around him, blinding him. He reeled, immediately forgetting about the zombies and instead grabbing wildly at whatever was clinging to him, feeling short fur and… wings? The moment he heard the terrified voice of the bat creature, Kira, right next to his ear he realized what was going on.
"Get oomph!" He demanded, only to be interrupted as something was jammed into his mouth. Fruit? How did she think fruit was going to help him? He clenched his jaw shut, tried to resist, and staggered blindly as he tried to dislodge her.
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Post by okami1reeka333 on Oct 6, 2020 20:52:16 GMT -6
[Jedidiah Thanks Edge for the halp. had a kira on his leg for a while and heeded her when she tried to tell him Hau was in troubled. doctor concerned for Hau, hurries over towards the lad. Tries to help? call to him that whatevers messin with him is not real (rolled a 20 to buff Hau's will) surprised when Kira suddenly leaped onto Hau's face, too far to help get her off his head at the moment.]
Jedidiah:
"Thank you, I had no idea how to input the answer into this. . . Can't say I'm too familiar with magic. . . Or this language in particular. . " he replied. Though it does peak his curiosity to where he wants to learn it. . . perhaps he could help others who know only this language as well?
He glanced towards Kira when she suddenly latched onto his leg, curious what she was doing before frowning when she panickly started to tell him that Hau was in trouble. . . His head snapped up towards where the green haired lad, and Hau were, before hurrying towards them.
"Hau, are you alright?!" he called. He did not see anything in particular that was causing Hau to flail in a panic. . ."Hau, whatever your seeing, its not real, It or They have no power over you. " he continued. "Do not let whatever is messing with you win!"
He was rather taken aback when Kira sprinted off of his leg, past edge and lunged onto Hau's head, before doing something?!?-wait a flying mi- IS SHE SHOVING FOOD DOWN HIS THROAT?!
"Wait- Kira get off of his head! Not the time for that!"He was surprised and very confused how she went from what she was doing merely seconds ago to assaulting Hau with a mango like fruit. . .or a melon. . . thing's huge.
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Post by Sharei on Oct 6, 2020 21:34:01 GMT -6
[OOC: Sjira attempts to ASSIST. Wisdom roll 14. When Kira lands on Hau, he tries to pry her off to help free Hau.]
"I don't know. I think he's triggered some kind of trap, he's seeing things. Seems physically fine," Sjira called back to Edge.
At Hau's explanation, the dragon frowned. Zombies? Ghosts? Sjira tensed, muscles in his calves bunching as he prepared to move. He couldn't see these things but there was no telling whether or not they could do something to him despite that. If they were illusions, he hoped not, but it was better to be safe rather than sorry.
"Alright," he told Hau. "We don't see them, so they're probably illusions-"
Everything happened in a blur. Hau moved, striking invisible targets, and in the next instant Kira was landing on the kitsune's head and demanding a cease to the fighting. Sjira grabbed the bat-creature by the scruff, and though he was careful not to hurt her, he tried to pry her off of the fox.
"Kira! What are you doing?!" he demanded, yanking and disentangling. "Get off him!"
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 7, 2020 0:13:17 GMT -6
Group 1:
Edge, Jedi, Kira, Sjira, Hau : 5 Crystals. 1 Exotic Fruit
Group 1 map: photos.app.goo.gl/oYwoDXV1uPHp5uAa8
Edge sees what is happening to Hau and Sjira, and has the distinct sense they are witnesses some kind of test of willpower, or perhaps, more than that, a test of mental fortitude. In the brief moment of his focus, he sees to see what they see; an image of those dearest to him, aggressively hunched on the sarcophagi, waiting to strike the young fox.
Hau struck at the remaining four zombies, striking the first two easily, his sister and brother… Sending them tumbling into one anothers’ bodies. As they made contact, they seemed to fragment and crumble, breaking in half before striking the side of the sarcophagus and shattering into dust.
His other mother and his uncle were faster, and closed on him quickly, striking at his chest and face. He dodged deftly, and put his fist through his mother, dissolving her body in a cloud of ash he could feel.
And at that moment…
Kira leaps onto Hau’s head, and wraps her wings around his head, blocking his sight, and then tries to shove a fruit into his mouth.
Jedi lent power to Hau’s strike, realizing whatever he was facing was not real. For a moment, Jedi too saw something… One beloved to him, standing there over Hau like a savage animal, face withered and dried like old fruit, body turning the color of clotted blood and putrid rot.
Sjira grabbed Kira, who was still holding the fruit, pulling them off Hau’s face. For a moment, he saw the…image of whatever Hau had been fighting with. Someone he loved, ready to wrap their thin fingers around Hau and strangle him to death. He both knew this could not be real, and was also struck by the raw horror. The sight of that beloved to him in a twisted and terrible form fills him with rage.
Together, the five shove the false uncle away and to the ground, breaking his fragile dust fingers as he attempts to strangle Hau.
A single beautiful crystal, rounded and deepest blue, appears on the top of one of the sarcophagi, awaiting them.
Then, like the room took a breath, they feel the doors release with a soft click…
Group 2:
Casmir, Moana, Ari, Malgrim: 4 Crystals
Group 2 map: photos.app.goo.gl/N5yHDm2TU1A8xxYh8
Moana can hear more of whatever it is speaking on the other side of the door, farther away now. Perhaps it is moving away from them. Her fingers found the notches in its surface, and she knew immediately she could simply press them, and the door would open for her, but that was not what the group wanted to do. Nor did they seem to want to bar it. In truth, besides the stone sarcophagi, and some of the display racks across this area, there was not a great deal that was heavy enough to bar the way of anything that might wish to open doors.
Casmir struggles with self doubt, but hears the voice move farther away from them, away from the door, closer to the South and follows the suggestions of the others. Malgrim and Ari collect the crystals, and move through the Northern door.
As they leave their strange, church-like building, they find themselves in a narrow and winding corridor. To the West, there is a barred gate, chained shut, which leads onwards into more winding paths, crumbling areas of this strange underground city.
To the East, the path forks, one branch going Southwards, the other curling onwards towards the East.
A large blue set of double-doors awaits them, nearly directly outside the great unpainted wooden door they left. The walls are made of hand-lacquered tile, placed in careful patterns to cover the entire visible surface. This building is several stories tall.
They find that the ‘walls’ of this maze-like structure appear to be constructed of stone buildings, built close together. Far above, scraps of forgotten cloth and structural bridges between the buildings can be seen, but they are out of reach.
Far down the hall to the Southeast of their location, they hear something distant, but speaking loudly;
“Scio propinquum es.”
The harsh, fluctuating voice echoed slightly in the absolute silence of this place.
Group 3:
Aaron, Faolan, Simon, Nagi : 4 Crystals
Group 3 Map: photos.app.goo.gl/1ZiWXXpfVy9YTsN26
** As the group moves farther North to move around the Eastern passage, they see something move into the reaches of Faolan’s torchlight from the Northern Path. Two distant lights, shimmering in the gloom, form two dead eyes in a horrifying face.
There is something profoundly wrong about how this being moves. First, only outlined against the true, velvety darkness of the beyond, then clearer, they see it approaching. Its head is craned forward slightly, as if intent on listening, and every few seconds, it moves forward a few more feet. Its legs do not move, it does not plod along as if walking, and as it comes forward, they can see that its feet hover slightly off the ground.
And then the light touches it.
A skinless, terrible face, raw and bleeding, features effaced, or perhaps, never formed, its cruel and uneven mouth drawn away from exposed, sharpish teeth. The left eye socket was empty, near deflated, the right appeared to still hold a nonfunctional, dried and damaged eye within it. Yet both had the flicker of the candle-like light from within. A twisted metal crown appeared to be seated on the top of its head.
Raw, muscular shoulders were stripped of flesh, knotted with white, fibrous scar tissue. Protruding from the center of the chest was a long, wave-edged metal spike. Its lower body was clothed with a thick belt, supporting what seemed to be layered robes, but on closer inspection appeared to be thin, slick sheets of black leather. A flat tool pouch lay against its hip, displaying a lurid array of sharp instruments.
**
Aaron leads the group North and East, both towards the strange glowing lights, and down the narrow alley away from it, towards a wooden door which seemed to have a covering of red leather bolted onto its front. The passages snaked away beyond, but this seemed as good a place as any to duck into, and out of sight.
As he looked over his shoulder to check the group…he witnessed the terrible thing begin to appear in the light, before pausing, as if searching for them.
Faolan moved silently away from the creature, guiding Nagi on its way. As they moved, slowly but quietly, it stopped moving, turning its head slowly as if listening, raw, skinless hands held at its sides, curling up towards its chest in a neutral position. He dragged along a somewhat unwilling Nagi, who made an effort to turn into the first room with the heavy door, but instead was pulled with the others, down the hall, towards the thing that spoke in a horrible, broken voice. Then he heard it, much closer… Simon follows behind. As they pad off quietly, they see it move forward…
“Scio propinquum es.”
It speaks into the darkness, head turned in their direction, and seems as if it would pursue them East, down the alley. Then, suddenly, it looks behind it, and vanishes once more into the gloom.
The group then slips into the heavy door. As they enter this chamber, they find this room is quite different than their last. The final click of the door, and the soft pressure of its closure seems to provide some measure of security at least.
This room’s walls appear to be formed of pulsating flesh, like the interior of a body. Fibrous strands flood in from all sides. Tissues float, as if in fluid, and wrap around those who enter with delicate tendrils. Unidentifiable organs dangle from far above. There is no ceiling that can be seen. The organs and the room are deathly still and cold. Veins and arteries crawl down from top to bottom though they are quiet and dark.
In the center of this room is a great podium, topped with a huge, still heart. Behind it is a great set of two fleshy tubes that reach into the ceiling and pass through the strangely-bouncy floor.
A small blue creature, like a teardrop, floats near the still heart, circling slowly. Its body is transparent, and, at first, it seems to have no face, but as soon as it sees them, it floats down with the grace of a jellyfish, summoning two black, beady eyes and a small but pleasant mouth. It manifests two small hands and clasps them together, before bowing its…upper portion that passes for a head.
“Oh, heroes, have you come to help poor Tock? Our Master, the Divine One, Oleron, is in need of your help to restore his greatness.”
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Post by Salandis on Oct 7, 2020 2:14:46 GMT -6
[Moana advocates entering the tiled door opposite, and attempts to open this thing with a 4]
The rest of the group probably had a smarter idea than Moana, leaving through the open door opposite the one a creepy voice was emanating from. Consequently she played tail-end charlie, backing the group up as Ari and Maelgrim took the lead.
Outside was… eerie. It was as though they were in an old, dead city – which might actually be the case. The air seemed to cause a chill down her spine as she looked at the chained gate, remembering something Ari had said about a chained and bolted door some other Halloween night.
The path to the east branched south, and a harsh and eerie voice spoke unfamiliar words from that direction. “We don’t want to be on the street longer than we have to,” Moana hissed. “And any crystals aren’t going to be out here either. I suggest we keep indoors while we keep moving, wherever possible.”
She crossed the street to the doors of the tile-coated building. Somewhere on this would have to be a way to open it, surely...
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Post by MP on Oct 7, 2020 2:41:33 GMT -6
[ OOC: Aaron makes sure his group makes it inside before going in himself. He observes the room (20 perception), tries to guess motive of the blue thing (insight 6) and tries to get some info on the labyrinth and the beings in it (investigation 17).]
When the light fell over the mangled face, even Aaron's spine stiffened with terror. He saw the unmistakable marks of torture on its body - understood in that glance what would happen if they were caught. He ushered the team inside with an urgent gesture, listening for the figure and tense with anticipation. If it came this way, if he had to intercept, it could only end one way.
But he heard the thing turn back. Confirmed it with a careful check around the corner. Aaron suppressed a shudder, and when the last of his team was safely inside, slipped in after them and closed the door. Even through the hue of the room, he looked faintly ill - more so as he took in their surroundings and something fleshy twined itself over his shoulder.
"Jesus fuck," he hissed, only just remembering to whisper as he swatted the thing away.
Aaron glanced around the group, taking a head count, scanning for danger from the room or its...organs. His gaze snapped to the little blue wisp as it descended, and he stepped forward as it came, surreptitiously placing himself between his group and whatever the creature was. The agent's lips thinned as the thing spoke, but his tone was perfectly civil - as politely formal as if it was just another day at work.
"I haven't heard of Oleron before. Were they the skinned one outside?"
He knew perfectly well it wasn't. Or he damn well hoped not. Aaron became aware his hands were trembling lightly. He put them in his pockets, feeling the weight of the gems they'd collected, and tried to play it calm, gesturing at the massive heart on its podium.
"And I guess that's Tock. Can you tell us what this place is for?" He tried to sound reasonable, a responding agent requesting SITREP. "We've never seen a city with a room like this."
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Post by indeath on Oct 7, 2020 3:02:54 GMT -6
((Grim is too freaked to see anything or perceive anything, he's stopped seeing color according to his roll of 3. He heads over to where Moana is trying to open the blue doors and assists finding a way of opening them with a (16+4 =20) Asks a completely inappropriate question. )
It was hard to take anything in, there were too many options. The voice sent shivers down his spine, how large did one have to be to be heard from this distance. He was almost glad he could not understand it. Perhaps it was saying 'turkey sandwiches, anyone?" or something like that. You should never judge a book by it's cover. Though somehow he was pretty sure they wouldn't find David Bowie in very flattering tights in the centre of this labyrinth. Wouldn't that be nice. The one guy who made mullets look good. This place was not OHS at all, he chuckled to himself at that.
He headed over to the tiled wall and blue door before he completely lost himself to introspection. He hoped for a pattern or a tile slightly sticking out that he could press.
"Let's open this door then... So uh you and Casmir, huh? Sounds like you've knocked into each other before."
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Post by qhostqrowls on Oct 7, 2020 3:28:38 GMT -6
[Faolan hates the fleshroom, but thinks offering help to the blue thing is a good idea. Rolled 7 perception and 6 investigation for analysing the room, and 18 wisdom on the blue thing and how to proceed with it]
Faolan shrunk back instictively as the creature moved into the light, his heart hammering in his chest. The only relief in viewing the terrifying visage was the sight of the blinded eyes.
The doctor walked with extreme care, his hand trembling but firm upon Nagi's shoulder. He glanced between the monster and the street, scanning for loose rocks or uneven cobblestones - tripping now would mean death. The torn face and flayed body was truly a horrifying sight to behold, and Faolan scarely dared to breathe as the group slunk down the alley, only letting out a breath of relief as Aaron ushered them through the doors.
His lip curled as he took in their new surroundings - this was almost as bad as what was lurking outside. Unease prickled on the back of his neck at the sight of the hanging organs and meaty walls, and he watched the blue creature descend warily.
Aaron's courage was truly admirable - he'd been the last to enter the room, and now was putting himself between the blue thing and the rest of the group. The human gingerly stepped closer, grimacing inwardly at the fleshy texture of the floor.
"We'd really like to help, if we're able to." Faolan added politely, mustering a weak smile. He glanced nervously to Simon and Nagi, his pulse still racing from the close call outside.
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Post by Marshmallow on Oct 7, 2020 6:32:49 GMT -6
[Summary: Nagi follows everyone into the Flesh Room and is immediately made very uncomfy. He sticks close to the group for now and tries to make sense of his senses, and tries to make a guess at what the "Divine One" the New Voice is talking about might be. (Perception 8, Arcana 15, Insight 3)]
Some sort of non-verbal communication must have been happening, because rather than turn for the near door, Faolan began to pull Nagi forward. His first instinct was to plant his feet and resist. The danger was that way, every fibre of his being was sure of it! He didn't stop to question how he knew it, or where that feeling originated from. But he knew that if whatever waited ahead caught them, it would hurt them. Why would they be going toward it?! He was being pulled toward the jagged, bloody maw of a predator.
He had no choice. Without his magic, Nagi knew he was as good as dead if he got separated from the group. Jaw clenched and breath shallow, he crept along at Faolan's side. He clutched the cane to his chest and allowed the doctor to guide him as much as possible, wary of using it in case it collided with something and gave away their position.
A horrible voice growled from the alley ahead as they took a corner. It sounded much too close for comfort, but through sheer dumb luck, it didn't seem to notice them.
Together they slipped through another set of doors, and only once they clicked shut did Nagi finally let himself take a breath. He instantly recoiled. The new room had a sickly organic smell, like preserved meat. The nearest wall and even the floor beneath his feet felt revoltingly warm and fleshy, and he shuddered involuntarily. It turned his stomach and sent a chill up his spine that had nothing to do with the dangerous thing lurking outside in the alley. With his first tentative steps into the new space, he was met by something slick and flesh-like that brushed his arms, his face, his shoulder... Tendrils of some kind, thin and wiry. He grimaced in disgust and jerked away from the touch, nearly toppling into Faolan and Simon in the process.
An apology died on his lips as he tried to process a jumble of new sensory information. The unpleasant smell and feel of the room were secondary, overshadowed immensely by his watersense. Living water surrounded them in vast amounts, almost overwhelming his senses. He sucked a breath in through his teeth and pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to concentrate past the feeling. He had the distinct impression that they were inside something alive - and not even in the fun way! Despite that feeling, this place still felt worlds safer than the alleyway outside. He couldn't really put a finger on the sensation, but while incredibly unpleasant, the room - creature - whatever it was, it didn't seem malevolent.
"Well. I suppose we could do worse, but I get the feeling that blindness is a blessing in this place," he muttered with forced humor. "So, someone needs our help. Talk to me boys. What's our puzzle this time?"
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Post by luscen on Oct 7, 2020 6:52:58 GMT -6
[CASMIR follows after his troupe, closing the door behind them. After commenting on the city, he opens the door across the way, then - after a moment's deliberation - makes a noise to draw the attention of the thing chasing Aaron's team, before ushering his group into the opened path. No action rolls taken.]
Casmir decided to follow along behind Ari, Malgrim, and Moana as the trio of Supers made their way out the north door and into the outer area. The human spared one last look at the sealed entryway as he stepped out of the room they'd just left, closing the door behind him. 'Not that it'll do much,' he thought to himself as the portal closed with a low groan. But even a spare moment spent tearing a door open would buy them a few precious seconds.
Once they were out in the city (if this place could truly be called that) the Hunter frowned, taking in the sight of the buildings around them. “I saw something like this, once,” he said quietly, making sure his voice wouldn't carry around the narrow buildings that had been packed tightly together like sardines. “Though it wasn't quite this... deserted. Or as compacted. It was an underground city, like Wathais', but much older. This place makes it look positively modern by comparison, however...”
He looked over to where Moana and Malgrim were trying to figure out how to work the tile door, the woman running her delicate fingers over the intricate patterns, while the goblin began poking and prodding at various spots, likely looking for an entrance key or something, while mumbling under his breath. Casmir, for his part, simply walked up to the door and pressed his hand against the center of it, pushing. It swung inward fairly easily with a quiet groan of stone against stone, till the darkness of whatever lay beyond was visible to them.
“Sometimes it's worth eliminating the obvious answers first,” Casmir commented, stepping back. Just then, there was the sound of something speaking in Latin, he was sure of it this time- a heavy, rattling exhalation that set the hairs on the back of his neck on end, particular the words' meaning.
He was suddenly reminded that this place had drawn people from the city into itself in some form of malicious phenomenon. Why, he couldn't say, but if he was here, others could be, as well... Surely Delphi was alright, she never came out of the Safe House. And Sjira...
'Don't have to worry about him, I suppose...' came the bitter thought, along with a clenched fist.
There was one other person, however, who might have been dragged into this. A certain redheaded shifter slipped her way into his thoughts, and he couldn't help being confronted with the image of her running for dear life from whatever that... thing... was that had spoken, panicking and imagining all the horrors that had persistently hounded her over the course of her life.
'This isn't real,' came the rational side of him again. 'There's every reason to believe she's not here, and even if she is, she's not going to die. Not really. The others said as much.'
“It's real enough,” Casmir argued under his breath. He stepped away from the door, leaving Moana and Malgrim to catch it before it could close again. He wanted to head down the alley, follow the bone-chilling voice and be sure, but that would have likely gotten him killed- he had no way of knowing whether or not the door would open again once it had shut, nor what kind of abilities the unseen pursuer had. Trying to head after it and get it to follow him was patently absurd.
And yet he couldn't simply let it be, either; flexing his gloved hands, he brought his finger and thumb to his lips, took a deep breath, then let out a shrill whistle that went ricocheting around the tightly packed buildings. It would be loud enough, hopefully, to catch whatever nearby horror's attention, draw it away from it's quarry and give them time to escape.
'Coward,' the accusatory voice hissed in his ear. 'You're letting her die!'
“Get inside,” Casmir grunted, ignoring the denunciation and turning back to the group. “Now, before we have company we'd rather not entertain.”
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