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Post by kilnarak on Oct 6, 2022 17:17:27 GMT -6
[ OOC: Ash responds to the crows. He lets the others figure out what to do with the fruit. ]
Ash returns his attention to the crows when they acknowledge him, his crest rising slightly into a friendly/pleased expression. "My name is Ash. Do you two have names?"
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Post by indeath on Oct 6, 2022 22:03:53 GMT -6
((OOC August took the fruit, ground it up and added it to their mixture. The mummy hadn’t led them astray thus far.))
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Post by tsukikoko on Oct 6, 2022 22:30:49 GMT -6
[OOC: Satisfied they're going to do what he wants, John gives the fruit to August to crush with the rest of the items. He blinks at August.]
Well good, John thought, they'd seen sense and agreed with his idea of crushing the fruit. As well they should.
After the female asked whether the undead Leopold if he also thought the fruit should be crushed, the fox unfurled his tail and handed August the fruit to be crushed along with the rest of the mixture.
The vampire was asking if he was 'a Hau', to which again John tipped his head first one way, then the other, as though not recognising the term 'Hau'.
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 6, 2022 23:24:57 GMT -6
The two crows look at one another, as if debating with one another on what to do. Their bright, bead-like eyes shine in the moonlight, then, the first crow caws back: "My name is Ash. Do you two have names?" Before both of the crows take flight clumsily and noisily. They flap upward briefly, then fly over the side of the hill and then over the misty darkness of the moors, and then into the dark forest in the distance beyond. August takes the fruit and smashes it in the mortar with the pestle. The fruit mashes into a fine paste, creating an even blood-colored mixture in a sherbet consistency. After the paste is made, it is added to the jar, and mixed evenly.
When the fruit paste is added to the incomplete mixture, it begins to fizzle and foam. When mixed together, the compound turns pure white, glittering and emitting faint light. It is now the Holy Salve. It is unclear what this mixture does but it seems very important. The moment it is created, the gate to the North of the farm falls open, and the dark road ahead awaits them.
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Post by kilnarak on Oct 7, 2022 1:45:58 GMT -6
[ OOC: Ash suggests they move to the next area. ]
"You... repeat things you hear?" Ash cocked his head to the side, then took a step back as both birds clumsily took wing. His ears twitched at the sound of the gate opening, and he turns his head that way, his crest flattening a little. He didn't much like how the doorways here opened on their own, without someone to push them.
"The gate is open!" He calls, poking his head back inside of the hut. "I... I think that means we should move on."
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Post by beastly on Oct 7, 2022 2:16:22 GMT -6
((Vince is impressed by the salve. He agrees they should move on. The hunter ponders why they're here and if they'll get back to Wath)) ((Items: Flint))
Vincent couldn't help but look a bit impressed by the vampire's work. Adding the fruit had made something special, something important and magical. What it was for, he didn't have a clue, but there was still a small part of the Hunter that occasionally was dazzled by magic. Apparently, it was so magical that completion of the mixture opened the gate to the north.
"W-we-," Vincent cleared his throat, "whatever force brought us here, it wants us to go on. Nothing to gain by not doing so. Not yet."
Vincent started heading to the gate. Something had brought them here. Something was watching them, and it had an agenda. Things it wanted done. Once they did them, it seemed to guide them on. Hopefully, if they did whatever the power wanted, it would return them to where it had found them. Or, at least, not end up sacrificing them in fire.
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Post by indeath on Oct 7, 2022 2:47:15 GMT -6
((August pats and scratches John behind the ear. He takes the jar and the shovel. Makes sure everyone is heading through the gate before heading there himself.))
August had expected the fruit to be more… fruity. Not so sherbety, still if he could eat it, he bet it would taste great. The Hunter’s loss. Still the ending result was just… incredible. It was better than anything he’d ever done in a chemistry class. The gate opening just proved it even more.
“Shootfire! Ya were dead right, Foxy.”
He rushed over to the fox and gave it a good pat on the head along with a scratch behind the ears. Smart or not he seemed to like it. Plus you couldn’t argue with the softness of its fur.
“Let’s skedaddle then, shall we? Ms. Una or would ya prefer lady Una?”
He made a gesture to mean after you, bowing slightly. He took the jar in one arm and kept the shovel in the other. It wouldn’t hurt to keep it handy. Once the whole team was making track, he followed suit. No one left behind. Even the hunter.
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 7, 2022 3:15:44 GMT -6
Special items: Holy Salve, Ritual Dagger, ??
Uneven stone pieces mark the way up the rolling grassy hill, though the path seems overgrown. Where once so many feet had walked that the way was worn both into the stone and into the earth itself, now thorny weeds and scroungy flowers bloomed, punctuating the darkness of the grasses in the moonlight. As they approach the top of the hill, the marked stone path you have followed peters out into a goat-path cut into the moist ground.
On top of the hill is a strange structure. A round, flat wooden structure built like a very large ring. It appears to emerge from the surrounding bog. The outer fence appears to be made of closely packed stone, and punctuating its perimeter were dangerous-looking and very sharp spear-like protrusions.
Following it leads to a reinforced gate.
The mummy padded behind them, seemingly in no particular hurry. They had reached up to pick another piece of fruit before they left the farm, and had been carrying it in their hands.
The heavy door, reinforced by steel bars, swings open, and a pale and haggard-looking middle-aged man stares down at the assembled group for a moment before gesturing wildly that they should come inside. He is wearing long, ragged tunic, and seems to be missing his left arm. His green eyes dart out towards the darkness, as if he is scanning it for a threat, but he does not appear to see whatever it is he is looking for.
He does not seem surprised or alarmed by the presence of the mummy behind the group. The mummy cocks their head at the strange man, but stays where it is standing.
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Post by tsukikoko on Oct 7, 2022 5:13:28 GMT -6
[OOC: Receives pets, tries to be mad about it. John follows the rest of the group up the hill and approaches the strange man to enter the ring structure when he appears.]
John was smugly pleased to see his deduction and been correct in regards to the fruit. He was decidedly less pleased about the physical affection he received, no matter how nice it felt behind his ears. Still, he kept up appearances, his vulpine expression of half lidded eyes one of apparent contented happiness.
He was glad when everyone started moving, not least because he wanted this whole wretched situation to be over and done with, the sooner they all got moving, the better. But, given the earlier mention of some large, flying creature, he'd much rather there were other targets for it to go for, so he wasn't about to strike out alone.
If he wasn't mistaken, this new structure rather looked as though it were built to defend against something. The Kumiho didn't trust this new, one-armed man, in fact he'd rather give the scruffy, dirty looking peasant a wide berth. But there wasn't much choice in the matter. These locations, with their irritating puzzles and clear magical undercurrent, were clearly funneling the group somewhere and the fox wasn't in a fit state to do anything about it.
Though his muzzle wrinkled with frustration and distaste, the fox approached the man when he started frantically waving them inside. He extended his head, sniffing and swivelling his ears for signs of danger. The idea of trapping himself inside the reinforced walls made a prickle of unease run along John's spine, given the fox didn't have his usual avenues of fighting or escape. But, given the alternative of being outside undefended, or trekking out into that horrid moorland, this seemed the least terrible option.
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 7, 2022 13:07:43 GMT -6
When the party has entered, the guard (A) closes the door and looks all of you up and down. He considers and then seems to decide something, clearing his throat.
“You…you see… We have been ravaged by a bloodthirsty monster. And we think you can kill it.”
Within the thorny walls of the fort is a collection of five stone huts with thatched roofs.
A handful of started-looking townspeople, some wearing bandages, stare back at the newcomers, the intrusion interrupting what seems to be their tired daily routine. One seems to be collecting sap from a small grove of trees in the center of the village(E). A boy tends to pigs outside of his hut(D). A woman collects grapes in her skirt (C), and another is forming candles (B). There is another hut that seems to be filled with implements. The villagers’ dirty faces look less hopeful and more haggard, as if all optimism had long abandoned them.
The mummy wanders inside, holding the fruit in its hands, and tilts its blind head as it observes the villagers. They seem to pay it no mind.
The guard continues;
“The Beast is like a great lion with a man’s head, and the tail of a scorpion. It cries like a child and has a mouth full of sharp teeth.”
He looks forlornly at the gathered group.
“Our last strong man died fighting the beast, and I lost my arm…”
He shows off the stump of his right arm, previously hidden by his cloak.
Map: ibb.co/s2hdZ0k
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Post by indeath on Oct 7, 2022 13:25:05 GMT -6
((August has thoughts, talks to the guard. Items: Holy balm, Shovel.))
August plodded along and was pleased that the mummy had gotten another piece of the fruit. He clearly didn’t think the fruit was shonky. There was a kinship there, after all they were both undead he was just better preserved. It was a gross idea but maybe it was the blood, made him juicy. He shuddered. He looked at the hunter, hoping he couldn’t sense August thinking about blood.
He smiled at the one-armed old guy who ushered them in, guy looked a might concerned. At least he wasn’t prejudiced towards the undead like Johnno.
“Hey there Mister, I’m August. We got the potion right here. Do ya know what to do with it?”
He offered it towards the old man. Maybe it would grow his arm back? He was taken aback by the sight of a village. He listened to the guard with widened eyes. He clutched his spade looking slightly sheepish. Was he sure he had the right people?
“Ermm have ya tried reason’n with it? Maybe it’s… just lonely. Sorry about ya arm… I.. I guess we can do that.”
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 7, 2022 13:36:46 GMT -6
The guard looks back at August, and shakes his head.
“Keep that. It’s sacred and it will not help me.”
He shakes his head again;
“It does not have a reasonable mind, only ravenous hunger.”
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Post by beastly on Oct 7, 2022 13:56:08 GMT -6
((Vincent thinks the beast is a manticore and is pretty okay with this taking a violent turn. He asks why the man thinks they specifically can kill it.))
Vincent walked in, taking note of their surroundings. He made awkward eye contact with the villagers. They wanted them to kill something? He inclined his head as he listened, and scoffed aloud at August's idea. He recognized the beast's description, at least he thought he did.
" Sounds like a manticore."
Vincent grimaced, folding his arms. He knew a bit about manticores. Maneaters, terrible venom and a tendency to eat anything. Some claimed that their hides were impervious to all weaponry, and their only enemies were elephants. He'd never come across one himself, he had stuck to midwestern America for most of his hunting career, but he had heard of a few varieties. Maneaters were some of the things the group had taken care of.
"Why do you think we can kill it?"
He was much more comfortable with this situation than he was trying to understand a slab with instructions on it. He stood a bit straighter.
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 7, 2022 14:10:18 GMT -6
The guard replies, “Because we cannot. You are our only hope.”
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Post by beastly on Oct 7, 2022 14:20:19 GMT -6
((Vince decides he might as well help, asks some questions about the monster.))
Vincent blinked, then nodded. The desperation spoke to him. He'd help. If he met his demise, well. Dying fighting something wasn't ideal, but it was better than...
"I will help you," He glanced at the rest of the group. He could not speak for them. "Tell me more about it, if you can. Do spears hurt it? Does it have wings?"
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