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Post by kilnarak on Oct 24, 2022 16:59:29 GMT -6
[ Ash thanks John, and asks August to pour the boiling oil. Once it's poured, he'll add the jar John brought to the pot for round two. ]
Ash flinches with each sound of a rock striking home, his ears and crest pinned flat against his head. He was glad for the distraction of the fox rolling over anotherjar of oil. "Thank you," he murmurs to the beast, righting the jar of oil and getting it ready to be added to the pot.
"Aug... August? The oil is bubbling, I think you can... can use it now," he calls to the vampire, looking up at him. Once the deed is done, he can add the jar John brought to the pot to prepare a second batch.
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Post by indeath on Oct 24, 2022 17:27:48 GMT -6
((August fails to drop a rock on another and pour the oil. 5, 12. Items: balm, spade, shame.))
August took a third rock and attempted to drop it on one of the beast but maybe his heart wasn’t quite in it before it went wild. It did not hit a beast. Right. Then Ash asked him to pour the bubbling oil.
“No worries… She’ll be right.”
But it wasn’t. By this luck, they’d all be beast food. Hopefully Vince had his head screwed on. Someone had to take them out so they could grab that key.
They were out of rocks. It was down to arrows and oil. While the oil heated up again, he grabbed his spade, ready to whacka-mole these terrors down if they made it up.
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Post by tsukikoko on Oct 24, 2022 19:36:59 GMT -6
[OOC: John fetches yet more oil.]
It was a good thing he'd taken the time to grab extra oil, John thought to himself, as the first pour was thoroughly wasted. While some of the beast's had been dealt with, the fox would rather heighten their odds with further fuel; while the rest of the group could be sacrificed as food before himself, John didn't fancy his chances should he need to engage in combat. Not like this, anyhow.
So, with an eye roll and a flick of his tail as he trotted off once again, the Kumiho made his way back to the oil store and set about rolling yet another container over to the Guardhouse.
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Post by hadopelagic on Oct 24, 2022 20:36:13 GMT -6
((OOC: Una throws her skull friend at a beast. Items; Candle)
As she finished her song, Una looked down at her hands, astonished that they'd used all the rocks.
Then, her eyes caught the empty sockets of her skull friend.
"This is your chance, my Dear," she said, picking up the skull, which seemed to grin and even laugh in the flickering firelight. "Take your revenge."
With a mighty heave, she flung the skull at the nearest beast. Una rolled a 73.
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 25, 2022 0:21:31 GMT -6
The night deepened, and the moon’s color somehow became darker, bloodier. Its light seemed more sinister, crueler, more glaring.
A crow landed near those on the guardhouse. It stared at all those gathered in the darkness, and spoke;
“Only one more is needed. Then all who pledge themselves to the Harvest will be game for the Hunt.”
The beastmen, who had busied themselves climbing, moved quickly, with the unnatural speed and jerkiness of lizards. Even as the moon’s light ebbed, their eyes shone with the same lantern-like intensity. Their heavy breath could be heard in the darkness as they drew near.
August dropped another stone, aiming for the second Beast. This stone bounced against the side of the fortress and tumbled wildly into the ground, creating a sizeable dent there. The oil, which he had aimed at the fifth Beast, also went wide, pouring all over the side of the fortress, and burning the already badly wounded fourth Beast, which howled with pain and anger.
John and Ash and the mummy helped refill the boiling oil in the cauldron, which reheated quickly.
Vincent’s first arrow goes wide, the second sinks deep into the 5th Beasts’ mottled, dark hide. The arrow buries itself deep in the Beast’s flesh, landing about where one might expect the lungs to live. The Beast makes a soft gurgling, coughing growl, and pauses in its ascent, snarling. Blood bubbled from the nose and mouth in the too-squat face of this creature.
The second beast, left front limb dangling limply, climbed quickly, avoiding Una’s stone. She was struck instead by Una’s skull. It must have been dramatic irony to have her skull strike theirs squarely, and this Beast too slid backwards.
The two wounded beasts on the wall exchanged a look, lamp-like eyes wide. They then turned to survey their comrades. Perhaps they saw they were at a disadvantage, all of them wounded, at least two dead or mortally wounded, for they all growled, groaned, and then howled. Their voices intermingled into a chorus, half-human, half animal, and they began to back away from the fortress’ wall.
“You… We will be back…with more…”
Said the second Beast, though the threat was as empty as their leader’s skull. With that, the three remaining Beasts retreated, with tails proverbially tucked, and disappeared over the side of the hill, retreating into the darkness.
There was a very long silence, and then a bell began to ring. A large bell, like one that someone might expect in the town square. One could presume it was in one of the highest towers of this fortress. The sound was loud, reverberating…and the vibrations of the bell shook the entire castle, down to its foundations. Or perhaps, it was an earthquake. Was it coincidence?
The very ground they stood on swayed, objects fell over, oil spilled into the fireplace, and ash floated into the air. There was a great crash and the terrible sound of cracking. The force of the collapse they could feel through the very stone of the fortress. Stone chips fell from the ceiling to rain upon all those assembled. When all settled, they might be surprised to find the room they are in undamaged, and yet…the rest of the castle was not so lucky.
Should they look over the side, the portcullis had fallen from its hinges forward, to smash what was left of the two Beasts stuck on it. Another area to the North of the castle, the door which had been covered with detritus, was now unearthed. The other towers had fallen, collapsed either into the moat, or onto the courtyard.
The Lead Beast’s corpse should still be reasonably accessible from where it lay now, even with the castle in its collapsed state.
They now can collect the key from the South of the fortress, and have a new door available to the North of the fortress.
The mummy, which had crouched against a wall during the tremors, now rose from the ground. It paused at each person, inspecting them (was it making sure they weren’t hurt?) then picked up a candle. It traveled with urgency back down to the ground floor, and then, towards the North, past the reliquary.
It paused briefly at the previously closed Northern Door there, standing in front of a closed wooden inner door. It paused, holding the candle at a certain position (was it manipulating the shadow?) before disappearing into the door that swung open into the darkness.
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Post by hadopelagic on Oct 25, 2022 0:58:05 GMT -6
((OOC: Una opens the relic box with the leader's key, and also makes a STARTLING confession. Items: Candle.
As the bodies fell, and the birds spoke, Una wondered what it all meant.
“All who pledge themselves to the Harvest will be game for the Hunt," she repeated. "I wonder ..."
She looked at the people around her: the vampire and the clever dog; Ash, child of Aura's Spark, child of Caldera's Moss; the dead saint and the human (who might actually be a werewolf).
"You should know something," she declared. "I've been living a lie. My friends! I am not an ordinary human woman. My parents aren't even Eddie and Myrtle. Mother is a whale's corpse, and Father is the pressure of a thousand atmospheres against my back. That's right! You guessed it! I am an ordinary mermaid from the abyssal plains. Once, my voice carried power, but now it's just ... it's just a pretty tune."
She gave them a moment to digest the revelation. It must be completely unexpected.
"If I die here, please feed my remains to the ocean. I will return home as marine snow. Ah!"
She threw a dramatic hand against her forehead and ran down the stairs. Una would go to the leader to fetch the key from his mangled corpse. They had to unlock the odd box, in which something moved!
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 25, 2022 1:23:57 GMT -6
Una makes her way to the lower floor. The towers to either side of them had collapsed in the earthquake, leaving stones and debris scattered around. The wall itself appeared to have crumbled inwards in various places, causing structural instability. As she moved through the Southern door, under the Guardhouse, she sees a precarious sight.
The portcullis had fallen forward and on top of the drawbridge and the Lead Creature's body, which had been laying there inert. If they weren't sure it had been dead before, now its innards seemed to be leaking out of its now human mouth. Its torso and hips were crushed completely flat, eyes burst from its skull, and arm mangled three different ways.
The key still hung around its neck, easily retrievable.
After Una retrieved the key, she approached the reliquary. There was an unnatural quiet around her as she moved near with the key, as if her ears were ringing. When the key was brought close to the lock, one could feel the power emanating through it more vibrantly. Like a pulse, or perhaps, a heartbeat.
With a swift turn, the outer door was unlocked. Within was a small golden cage with frosted crystal windows. This box had a handle. Inside, now more visible than before, was what appeared to be a human heart, perfectly preserved, still beating all on its own. It carried a halo of flame, though the crystal was cool to the touch when held.
Una acquires The Heart.
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Post by tsukikoko on Oct 25, 2022 1:41:33 GMT -6
[OOC: John makes the best fox impression of an unimpressed raised eyebrow, gives the Heart a legitimately curious look, then goes to investigate the North door Leo went through.
Items: Blade, candle, flint.]
After his fur had settled from the raised hackles, fluffed tail shock of the castle collapsing (which he quickly pretended hadn't affected him, like a cat who's fallen off the side and pretends otherwise), John listened to the female's sudden exclamation with the closest equivalent to a flat-stared, unimpressed raised eyebrow he could manage with his foxy face.
What dramatics.
He followed down the stairs, then watched Leo as he disappeared through the North door, his sharp, animal eyes watching the mummy carefully to see what he had done. Interesting. The undead had become far more... animated with that door in particular. The fox felt his ears lay back against his head, frustrated that there still seemed to be yet more to be done in this wretched place. Surely they were near the end and he could be done with all this? Done with this group.
When Una opened the reliquary, however, the Kumiho's mood legitimately lifted. His ears came forward, head up and tail alert as he looked upon the strange, flame-wreathed heart. Still beating. While he was more of a liver man, the heart was quite fascinating and beautiful; in its own, detached body part kind of way.
Still, mustn't get too interested. Given all the other items they'd collected, this one was likely used in some ritual or another they were building to.
Turning from the Heart, John instead approached the North door. Seeing as it hadn't closed behind Leo, the fox slunk his way forward and poked his head into the space beyond, surveying whatever lay on the other side before he stepped through.
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Post by indeath on Oct 25, 2022 1:53:31 GMT -6
((August is impressed by Una. He hurries to follow Leo. Items: Spade, balm and wonder.))
August would have breathed a sigh of relief if he had breath. It had ended at least somewhat peacefully. He was glad that Una collected the key, he didn’t want to see the results of his violence.
He smiled widely at Una’s admission.
“Nothin’ wrong with not bein’ human. Not when ya can be a mermaid! That’s so bombaroo!! You must have the coolest friends!”
August bet she had a pet shark or octopus or both. Man he was jealous. Still there was an air of urgency so he jogged through the north door. He couldn’t let his friends be hunted.
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 25, 2022 2:00:08 GMT -6
The thick oak outer doors have splintered (M) inwards, revealing vaulted stone walls in this impressive religious-looking antechamber. It is difficult to discern what the mummy had done to reach the inner chamber, but there is a sundial in this antechamber with a single vertical line on the door itself, and some kind of inscription above it.
The inner doors, with their beautiful inlaid glass are opened inward. The interior of the temple stands, surprisingly and unnaturally tall and vast within. The vaulted ceiling is painted with detailed images of winged, celestial humanoids smiting bestial creatures and humans alike.
Dominating the center of the image is a massive figure of a beautiful, winged and golden humanoid, surrounded by four warriors who seem oddly familiar to the party assembled, all mounted on fine horses. The art is primitive, yet the effort and devotion put into it is tangible. The images are wrapped around the entire visible stone surface.
A stone throne (G) sits directly opposite of the entrance, obscuring your view into the chamber within. Upon the throne sits the large, withered body of a crowned man, wearing many layers of rotted robes. The figure is still, its eyeless head staring into the distance. His skin is dried and paper-like, stretched thin over his collapsed nose and thin mouth with bared teeth. Within his chest sits a brilliant red ruby, and in his right hand he still grips a mighty sword. He is massive, even when sitting, and he must have been tall, perhaps even unnaturally tall, in life.
The mummy stands opposite of this throne, staring at it, as if in expectation. Or perhaps, in recognition. It still carries the candle in its hand.
There appears to be a podium with a plaque and inscription behind the throne (B). It seems to have been there far longer than the throne has. Scrape marks are evident across the golden floor of this place of worship.
Behind the plaque and inscription, there is a very large sculpture of the winged golden being(A), coiled in a fetal position in the center of this ancient cathedral. If it were standing, it would easily be over fifty feet tall, but as she is, she seems about twenty feet by twenty feet while coiled. Beneath her is a huge, rectangular slab of metal, carefully laid into the stone.
Surrounding her in a c-shape are four humanoid statues (C, D, E, F)Map: ibb.co/tBLfSsL
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Post by indeath on Oct 25, 2022 4:12:28 GMT -6
(OOC: August asks Leo for advice and reads the inscription.))
August stepped into the antechamber and made a low whistle.There was the sense of reference like a church, should they only talk in low whispers? It was certainly impressive though the king corpse was unsettling. At least there was no more beasts or monsters around. He did half expect the king to rise and try to maim them. Still if Leo knew him, he couldn’t be too evil. Leo was a good judge of character. August had grown attached to the guy, he’d never let them down.
“He an ol’ friend of yours, Sir Leo? Do ya know what we gotta do?”
He bent down to read the inscription for a clue. Hoping it was in English at the very least.
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Post by beastly on Oct 25, 2022 5:26:33 GMT -6
(( vincent is startled by the collapse of the towers. He isn't terribly surprised by Una, but agrees to throw her body in the ocean if possible. He follows everyone down and is unsettled by the heart. Walking into the chamber with the statues, Vince inspects the giant winged statue.)) ((Items: Bow, arrows(2x), tooth, candle, knife))
When the castle shook, Vincent crouched, putting a hand over his head to fend off any falling stones. When he was not killed by fallen debris, he slowly sat upright, looking around. The monsters were dead. Thank God, they had not had time to call in reinforcements. He gave a sigh of relief, then blinked up at Una when she started speaking dramatically. He had thought from the start she was perhaps not human, just from her mannerisms and the fact that all the others weren't either. It made sense. Awkwardly, he cleared his throat.
"If the ocean is available, I will."
The hunter followed the pack out, mindful of Ash and helping him if he needed it, and when the heart was revealed a shudder ran through him. He didn't like it. A thing like that, it shouldn't be. But it was.
He watched the fox and mummy wander away, and Vincent followed along with August. Once inside, looking around, it became clear that this had been some kind of temple or church, some kind of holy place. He always feels unworthy in hallowed spaces. Something in him says not to run or talk loudly, and suggests he kneel before the curled up angel statue. He had not been a traditionally religious man in decades, and this is no Christian church, but he felt small and reverent all the sudden. He caught glimpse of the man on the throne, and resolved to see what August was doing over there shortly, but first, before he was noticed and asked questions, he crouched before the angel statue, resisting the urge to bow his head. He looked the statue over, still feeling dwarfed by her size and the beauty of the work.
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Post by tsukikoko on Oct 25, 2022 10:02:20 GMT -6
[OOC: John has a glance at the plaque (B) and then walks around the various statues (C - F) to get a look at them. Keeps a wary eye on giant dead guy as he moves.]
As he entered the new space, John felt his ears pin back against his head. He didn't like spaces like these. They were too often frequented by the kinds of people who'd torn his tails away from him; revering false gods and working 'in the name of divine justice', PAH! It set his nerves on edge.
But, clearly, there was yet another puzzle to be solved. Best get on with it.
Seeing that August had stopped to inspect some inscription or another, the fox gave it his own cursory glance, pausing just long enough to read whatever was written, before he continued on his way towards the statues.
The Kumiho began a circuit of the four statues, apprising them to see if they were going to be the same four from the first puzzle - seeing as how the 'goddess' appeared to be here. Though his gaze kept flickering to the exceedingly tall, dead... man(?), in case it had the audacity to rise from the dead and get up.
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 25, 2022 13:39:41 GMT -6
August, John:
The mummy does not answer August; of course, it cannot, but it seems nervous somehow, and skirts around the sitting corpse slowly. It nods, and then gestures at the plaque, and the figures surrounding them.
The plaque (B) is carefully etched with these words. While they were not in English, there was a faint head-ache like pain in the back of the head of any reader, and the script became clear:
The way of worship is clear and ordered. The path is as such; One gives their heart to the goddess Caermacha, then draws blood in her name, subdues all beasts who oppose her, and finally burns in the fire of her purity. No false Gods will stand in her wake.
The figures are as described:
C. A carved figure wooden figure of a large and powerful man wearing armor holds out one hand out as if grasping an object vertically, though there is no object in this space. Its head is tilted upwards as it holds another hand horizontally under it. There is an apparent trough-like mark on the horizontal hand held below.
D. A carved wooden figure of a person of indeterminable gender, with long flowing hair is holding a great dragon-like creature in a headlock, bowing it into submission. The dragon’s mouth is open and gaping dramatically. There is a spot in the mouth where a tooth appears to be conspicuously missing.
E. An empty place where it appears a wooden effigy of a man once stood. There is a thin layer of ash on the pedestal where it should have been. This place smell faintly of the Holy Balm. There is an unlit candle in front of this statue.
F. A figure of an imperious armored woman with short-cropped hair. She is armed with a short sword and spear, and both hands are raised in prayer. His chest cavity is gaping open towards the sky. Vincent inspects the Statue of the Goddess. The outside of this statue appears to be formed of solid gold, smoothed and lovely. There is no signs of disturbance here, and indeed, it feels like a place of great holiness. Despite it being the middle of the night, the light reflects beautifully off her shining skin.
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Post by kilnarak on Oct 25, 2022 21:40:11 GMT -6
[ Ash follows the others into the second fortress, taking up the rear of the group. The corpse on the throne unnerves him a bit and he moves to examine the plaque and the statues. "Do we need to put the objects we have in the statues in that order?" If Una puts in the heart first, he'll slot the ritual dagger into C, with the blade tip in the statue's palm. ]
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