Halloween: Room of Angel (Harvest)

[tsukikoko]

[OOC: John watches the proceedings, then heads for the now broken tomb door.]

If this man didn't give such good, gentle scritches, John would have bitten his hand. The Kumiho felt himself teetering, warring with his furious embarrassment and how nice it felt to have the sensitive area around his ears tended to, after having been deprived so long. There was the matter, too, of not revealing himself.

So the fox sat and had his ears scratched, until August moved away, at which point he glared daggers at the man's back from the gloom.

The fox merely watched the proceedings, after that; even if he'd had hands instead, he wasn't about to involve himself with such manually laborious task. No, no, no, that just wouldn't do.

He did, however, casually take note of the dagger presented to one of their number by the foul, undead creature that rose up. A pity it hadn't stabbed anyone. But, perhaps now they could leave, John could see about the demise of those around him and they could all be done with this terrible business. Had they all been dragged here just to deal with some undead squabble between old battle-mates? The nerve of these creatures, thinking they could just drag him from his bed, somehow rob him of his tails even...

The fox found he had a prickling between his shoulder blades though, a notion that they weren't yet done with... whatever this all was. Which was frustrating in and of itself.

With a huff, John made his way to the now open tomb exit, poking his long face out into the moonlight and having a look at whatever lay on the other side. If it seemed safe enough, the fox made his way out.

[jarahamee]

As you emerge from the darkness of the tomb, you are greeted with a somber sight. A dimly lit moor stretches out into the expanse of night before you. Dark, murky water reflects the ambient light of the blood moon broken up only by the occasional clumps of foliage rising from the depths. The shrubby, low brush around the tomb casts deeper shadows around you.

A broken marble path made of irregular slabs of marble leads from the tomb out and around a low hill, beyond your line of sight. The white marble is yellowed by the moonlight, ice cold to the touch. A gentle, chill wind brushes against your clothes, like a ghostly touch, drawing you down the road.

The wrapped man moves with intent behind the group, pausing as they pause, never approaching too closely. Its dried remains are paper-like where they peak through. Though its eyes are undoubtedly sightless, it must perceive in some manner.

From somewhere in the distance, behind the burial mound you have left, you hear a baleful and bone-chilling howl.

The stone path leads to the top of a gentle knoll, one of many that punctuate the landscape. From this vantage point, you may look down towards the dark shadow of the tomb, and out, across the black expanse of water. On the other side of the bog seems to be the low, dark shape of a forest, which is now visible.

The hilltop itself seems to have been cleared and plowed, though whoever performed this act seems to have abandoned this prospective farm, leaving only mulled, moist earth.

There is a small, octagonal hut made of densely packed sticks and small tree trunks in the far corner of this flattened area of earth (F). A small, dirty stream flows through the top of this small farm, before passing onwards and down the hillside below (G).

The stone path you ascended continues winding on, beyond it and up an even higher hill with what appears to be a structure settled upon it (H) .

Map: ibb.co/WsJnVFF

[hadopelagic]

(OOC: Una keeps an eye on the wrapped man and then investigates the stream - in the process, she glances at (G)
ITEM: Flint)

As they walked, Una regularly glanced over her shoulder to ensure that the undead saint was behaving. There was no obvious reason to fear him. After all, he'd relinquished his dagger to Ash, a universal sign of "I mean no harm." However, Leopold had betrayed his friends and goddess, and until Una knew why, she couldn't let down her guard.

This was a very vexing situation. Now that they'd solved the riddle, were they expected to walk all the way home to Wathais? She hoped not. Maybe the path would lead them to a town, somewhere with the internet, where she could Google a taxi. Judging by the howl, there were other lifeforms in the area. A good sign!

When they reached the hilltop, Una noticed the stream, and her spirits lifted. "Fresh water!" She lifted her tunic up to her thighs and scampered over to moisten her feet. Before jumping in, she tested the temperature with her big toe and peered into the dirty water, checking that it wasn't filled with broken glass bottles like that big puddle she'd nearly jumped into last week. She also looked down the hillside, hoping to see more houses. Where water flows, life gathers.

[kilnarak]

[ Ash takes the dagger. When they are outside, he asks if the others would like him to fly up and look around? ]

Ash flinches when the lid falls and shatters on the floor, uncomfortable with the sudden silence after the loud noise. He takes a step back as the mummy inside sits up, then climbs out of its tomb. He's a bit startled to find it prostrating itself to him, but after a moment's hesitation he crouches down to take the dagger from it, then backs up. He examines the golden weapon carefully, then considers how he might best carry it. After a moment he finds his discarded shift and takes it to tie about his waist in a makeshift belt to 'sheathe' the dagger.

"You... you think so? I don't understand the creature at all. I suppose the knife will be useful?" He glaces at August, offering a little smile. Movement drew his gaze away from the man, and he turned in time to watch the fox slink outside. "I... suppose we should follow. Perhaps we can see where we are?"

He glances back to August and the mummy, then moves to follow the fox out. Once outside he breathed in deep, glad for the open sky above him. Caves could be cozy, but that one certainly hadn't been. He paused just outside, stretching his wings. "Should I fly up, look around? This place is unfamiliar to me..."

[beastly]

((Vincent notices August's fear, doesn't like it. He feels kinda bad for Saint Leopold. Vince then follows the group out, agrees that Ash should fly up, and then looks at dirt.

Items: flint))

Ah. After he spoke, there was recognition on the vampire's face. It had not remembered him before. Now, it seemed almost afraid. The audacity of the monster, his brow furrowed. He was unarmed, the vampire could easily kill him, that made no sense. This vampire in particular made no sense...He scowled, hand ghosting over where his weapons should be. None. Vulnerable.

Vincent stood back, watching events unfold as the lid was removed. His eyes widened as the mummy emerged, presumably the mummy of Saint Leopold. His hackles were up at first, this was the animated remains of a traitor, but the dead man seemed... remorseful. Weeping, giving his weapon up. Vincent had never come across something like this, a few ghouls, yes, ghosts, of course, mindless animated servants of those dabbling in the occult, sure. The others seemed keen on mercy, and Vincent found himself slightly pitying the dead Saint. He would keep an eye on him.

He followed the group out, quietly looking around and observing their surroundings. They were no longer trapped underground, and that itself was a weight off his shoulders. The howl caught his attention, though. Dog? Wolf? Werewolf? Who could say.

They seemed to be approaching a farm. Or what would have been a farm? Nothing appeared to have been actually planted here. He looked over to the hut in the distance, and some kind of larger building of some kind.

The scaled man, Ash, offered to fly up. Vincent gave a hesitant nod. It would be good to get a bird's eye view.

"...If you would?"

The scruffy hunter watched as Una made a dash for the stream. He decided to hang back, to keep an eye on the fox and the vampire. If Ash was to leave, then the vampire would be left alone with the fox....And Saint Leopold, but his blood was dry long ago.

He wanted to see if there was anyone living in the hut. People, civilization, these things were all good. Instead, he walked just a short distance away to look over the dirt field, keeping one eye on the vampire.

[tsukikoko]

[OOC: John tries to convince August to go with him towards the small hut.]

Oh wonderful, fantastic, simply incredible, John thought, a bog. Well, moorland, but still, basically a bog. Nothing close to anywhere he knew in or around Wathais. Not only that, a filthy dog or wolf or whatever it was, howling somewhere and one of their number was dipping her FEET IN THE DIRTY WATER, WHY?!?

While John's horrified shrieking was only inside his head, the look that crossed his vulpine muzzle was as though he had just smelled something particularly foul.

Ash's question snapped him back to the present; the fox turned his muzzle to the sky, but the scruffy man answered anyway, John saw no reason to do anything else. Though he did feel a stab of envy that he couldn't currently fly, like he normally would be able to. Yes, he could float, but that would potentially reveal too much about him, now that there was no gloom to obscure what he was doing. Better to.. ugh, walk. Pretend he was relatively normal.

The Kumiho's attention turned to the rest of his surroundings, with a small hut catching his attention. Much as he despised the idea of trudging through this sorry excuse for farmland, he couldn't just sit here and do nothing. But with his body so vulnerable and his surroundings so unknown, he wasn't about to run off without a meatshield.

One eye glanced sidelong at the man who had pet him and though he was nearly sick in his mouth at even the notion of what he was about to do, John focused on the end result. He whined softly and pawed at August's leg, before pointing his muzzle towards the hut of sticks and logs (F).

[kilnarak]

[ Ash flies up and looks around. ]

Ash's crest lifted a little in smile and he nodded to the scruffy human before crouching and then leaping up. His wings beat hard, disturbing the air around them as they propelled him upward. Once he reached a decent height, he cupped his wings to find a breeze to glide on, then circled, surveying their surroundings. His eyes sought movement, anything alive in their vicinity, as well as landmarks.

[jarahamee]

Una puts her foot in the stream. It might be muddy but the water is relatively clean. She can see that the stream originates somewhere from the hill above, probably from a glacial source up high on the mountain. The mermaid can deduce upon studying this little stream that at some point it was probably diverted to provide water to the crops in this farm plot. Embedded in the mud is an empty clay cup and a shining piece of metallic stone pokes out of the mulled mounds of earth. When held up towards the moon, it shines like a celestial body (A).

As Vincent wanders in the field, he finds a small, easily crumbling ball of chalky earth (C). When any pressure is applied, it creates snow-like powder. Otherwise, the grounds seem still and silent. There is no signs of life within the hut.

From Ash’s vantage point, he is able to see the ascending path snaking up the peaks. On the hill nearest to the farm is the shadow of a ring-shaped structure with several hut-like buildings within it. The outside of the ring bristles with sharp projections. On the mountain beyond is the silhouette of a huge crenelated structure, framed by the blood-red moon.

As Ash flies, he hears the piercing cry of an animal, loud but currently distant. Far above him, half-hidden by moisture-laden clouds, is the underside of a very, very large flying creature. On first glance it looks as if it might be a bird, though the way it tilts and catches currents of wind seems not-quite bird-like. It is unclear if it has noticed him yet, but the space between them seems to be decreasing the longer he lingers in the air.

The mummy wanders towards the hut, pausing to pick up (D) something that appears to be a dried heart. It almost looks like a human heart, though on inspection it seems too small to be human. It holds it in front of his face, as if to inspect it, but looks up with concern at the strange animal's cry, staring directly into the sky.

[indeath]

((August goes with Mummy and John to check out the hut. Items: Flint, Graveyard stick.))



August walked out in the field, enjoying the feel of moonlight on his skin. He grinned at Una enjoying the stream, he was tempted to join but the presence of the hunter had him at unease. He gaped when Ash took flight, was there anything this guy couldn’t do?

He grinned when the fox pawed at him to explore the cabin. It seemed like a good excuse as any to move away from the hunter.

“What a good boy ya are! Let’s check it out!”

He glanced at the mummy, holding a small heart? It seemed to want to check out the hut too.

“Let’s go Sir Mummy! Maybe uh we’ll find out where that came from…”

Hopefully not.

[jarahamee]

August proceeds inside the hut. Cobwebs hang low across the open wooden door of the wooden shelter. A kettle sits abandoned by a stone chimney on the North side of this dwelling. Cold cinders are scattered around the floor, either by the wind or small pests.

The mummy shuffles in after them, holding the heart in its hands as it inspects the surroundings with sightless eyes.

The inside of the hut is mostly empty, save for some farm implements piled in a heap against a wall(I) and a table in the middle of the hut (J). On top of the table sits a single large, luminescent seed and a mortar and pedestal. A stone slab sits on the floor (K).

[beastly]

((Vincent inspects the dirt, and heads toward the hut. He digs his fingers into the dirt as he walks.

Items: Dirt, flint))

Vincent held the earth in his hand, puzzling over the ball of dirt. He wasn't sure what he had in his grasp, but it was... something? It produced powder. That made him uneasy, coupled with the dead quietness of the farm. What to do with it, though? He contemplated, for a brief moment, licking the powder. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the monster heading for the hut. If there were people there...

He started walking toward the hut, still holding the dirt. He looked down at it as he waled, before digging his fingers into the lump, trying to puzzle out it was.

[hadopelagic]

((OOC: Una acquires a beautiful rock - she takes a quick break to sit in the water and sing to her new jewel
ITEMS: shining piece of metallic stone and flint))

How beautiful! Una turned the stone over in her hand and then held it toward the moonlight, pleased by its luminescence. The others were busy around her. August and the dog went into the hut. Ash, child of Aura's Spark, child of Caldera's Moss, was soaring overhead. How she envied that power: flight! It was not unlike swimming, but riskier. The ocean was a cradle; if Una stopped swimming, she'd float gently in its embrace. If Ash stopped flying, he'd plummet earthward. 

Una noticed that the human named ... um ... what was his name? She really should ask. In any case, he was heading toward the hut, too. He seemed fond of August, always glancing toward the curly-haired man and following him like a baby duck follows its mother. Humans could be so ... cute.

Perhaps Una should join them indoors. There might be food and other goodies. But she wanted to take a quick break to play in the water. Just a couple minutes! Satisfied that she was virtually alone, Una sat in the middle of the stream, letting it flow around her, and sang. She'd been learning human songs, using them to practice languages, and decided to serenade the pretty stone with a haunting rendition of O Virtus Sapientiae. 

[indeath]

((August is glad the hut is corpse free. Chats to Leopold and inspects the seed. Items: flint, seed.))


August was relieved there were no dead bodies in the hut. That was the last thing this weirdness needed. The hunter would probably blame him. It was nice to not have his eyes on him.

He looked at Leopold with a comforting smile.

“Aww buddy. Is it your hut? Maybe we should bury that ol’ heart. An’ maybe this seed too. Seems important, right?”

He put his stick down and went over to the seed and picked it up to inspect it. What did it need to grow? The mortar and pestle seemed to suggest it should be crushed but that sounded kinda mean.

[jarahamee]

As Vince manipulates the ball of chalky earth, he finds it looks a lot like snow, or maybe glitter. Maybe it could be used to make something. As he wanders towards the hut, he finds a second object of interest; a small vial of dark liquid half-embedded in the soil (B). It glows faintly with a golden sheen when held up to the moonlight. When he turns it around in his fingers, appears viscous from the speed that it moves when the bottle is shifted.

As August puzzled over what to do, the Mummy places the heart in the mortar, and then picks up the stone slab off the floor, before handing it to August.

The stone slab is as follows: ibb.co/17bkyQY

The mummy then steps back and looks up at the sky from inside the hut. Was it nervous?

[kilnarak]

[ Ash nopes out and descends. He lands near the hut and Vince and informs Vince of what he saw. ]

Ash tips his wings, soaring a little nearer the ring of spike-surrounded huts, but the piercing cry from above stops him. He jerks abruptly, twisting in the sky to look up toward the sound. The creature above him is massive, worryingly so; and more worrying, it appeared to be descending slowly toward him. It was certainly too big for him to fight, even in this form, and he wasn't much of a fighter besides. He folded his wings and dropped, angling in a stoop back toward the ground - specifically toward the hut that the friendly-man had gone in.

He landed a bit heavily and shook himself, his scales clicking against one another as he settled them back into a less frightened set. They still stood up a bit, making his body look a little larger than it truly was. The scruffy man was nearby, walking toward the hut as well, and he turned toward the man. "There's-There's something big up above. You heard it? It seemed to be descending, so perhaps we should take cover? Ah, there are also more buildings, surrounded by a wall of spikes - perhaps that is meant to ward off the beast?"