South Side Fires Part 2
| South Side Fires Part 2 | |
|---|---|
| Players
Spider as ST, Seth, Tilly, Elodie, Faith, Haliburton, Five, Rafe, Rachel, The Swarm |
Undercity South Side Fires Plot part 2: The Swarm Pack leads an expedition down into the Undercity with a group of accorded allies to work on suppressing the fires and the spirits that spread them. Replying to the Undercity Prince, Tillo Protz, who is looking for hands to help put out remnants a fire that he and his can't reach without risking final death or causing more problems. |
+----+ Spider +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Some news of the success might have spread after The Swarm pack returned from it's initial delve into The Wound. Surely they spoke of the horrors witnessed while they were in there, the kind of things that fuel nightmares for weeks; fiery raging spirits with hot razorblades flaying the skin off humans, you know that kind of wholesome Jeffery Dalmer stuff. Now a few members of The Swarm are going to take another trip into The Wound, but this time they got more help. Spider hangs back with the Van they arrived in, keeping an eye on the entrance into The Wound. Seth seems to be leading this expidition and he waits for the others in the Undercity not far from the entrance of The Wound. Then it begins to sleet. Sure it's a nasty combination of ice, but it ALSO contains smog and chemicals from all of the factories nearby, turning it into ACID sleet. FML right? +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:09:51 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Laughs-at-Death +-------------------------------------------------------+ There is a quiet conversation between Seth and Spider before the werewolf points to where more prowl in wolf form. Tilly, Vance, and Mac keep an eye on things between the van and the entrance to ensure the group has a clear path when they exit. Looking around to ensure they aren't being watched, Seth shifts into his dalu form, his form bulking up and his features taking on a more feral cast as he makes his way towards their destination to wait for the others. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:14:24 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Haliburton +------------------------------------------------------------+ Hal arrives here dressed for the undercity. He's wearing black BDUs and an H-harness with two blades, one of them a knife across the small of his back and the other a cutting sword slung across his back. He says little but seems quite happy to be going down in the dark to raise hell. That is...until he's no longer there. Poof. Vanished like he was never there. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:14:24 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rafe +------------------------------------------------------------------+ The Wound. Rafe is pretty sure this didn't exist when he was last in Chicago, but then again he was also not aware of supernatural things then - so maybe it did. Now that he is, he's decided to try and help do something about it. How he heard about it is anyone's guess, but the dark-haired man has shown up at the time and the place, expression serious. He doesn't appear to be armed, nor is obviously dangerous in any fashion, and yet. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:14:51 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Elodie +----------------------------------------------------------------+ There's a soft, steady tapping sound that slowly grows louder. Elodie emerges from the sleet and hail, walking placidly toward the Wound. Around her, the temperature drops even further, and the whisper of fluttering leaves runs through the air. When she reaches the others, she stops and folds her hands patiently in front of her. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:16:37 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Faith +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ Somewhere out of the shadows steps Faith, at the noted upon time for arriving for a venture into the Undercity. Dressed similarly to Hal, there's no hood in sight for a change. The sunglasses however, they remain in place. She glances aside at the space where Hal once was, now vanished, nodding to herself as she considers the group, and some of the familiar members of the Swarm. "So," she announces, not bothering with her normal social niceties. "If anyone wishes to disappear much like that, I can make several people more or less invisible." +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:17:43 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rachel +----------------------------------------------------------------+ "I like invisibility," Rachel says, as she makes her way onto the scene. She looks... different. One might be forgiven for thinking she'd indulged in one of her cosplays, the way that her eyes are solid black and she has too many of them, the dragonfly wings sprouting from her back and retractable claws folded over each finger. These features seem especially at odds given the rest of her attire is action-heroine, flak jacket and rucksack, jeans and holstered pistol, even a shotgun. "I've got my own way of going unseen. But if you want to try yours on me, I'm game." She grins at Faith. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:21:34 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Five +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Hearing about the fires from a number of sources now, the mortal known as Five couldn't resist the call for help. She's showed up, dressed in a tactical hoodie with the hood pulled over head. For whatever reason, she's a little oddly staring at Seth. Distracted. There's an upward nod toward the vampires she's familiar with. She decides to go stand near Faith and Hal, before letting her gaze shift toward the gathering group, regarding everyone a bit curiously. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:23:04 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rachel +----------------------------------------------------------------+ "Elodie, can I borrow a dollar?" Rachel asks benignly, giving her a smile. Her teeth... don't look right. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:26:33 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rafe +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Aha, somebody he knows is here. Rafe sidles up to Elodie, greeting the dark-haired woman with a quiet, "Evening." His attention then spans wider, regarding those who are here - and blinking once or twice as people then appear -not- to be here, vanishment indeed. He seems uncertain about whether to volunteer for such a thing and so refrains. Rachel gets a thoughtful look from him, as well as a brief little nod in her direction. "Nice wings," he comments quietly. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:27:53 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Faith +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ Faith's shades take in Rachel, and the Nosferatu has a ... moment. She's rather intrigued by this new appearance, and there's so many questions. But as always, the vampire is polite. Professional. Now is not the time. "Rachel. Of course. I do note, this is not a true invisibility. It is more like ... a perception filter. It only works on things that think more or less like a human would. Major 'ignore-me' vibes. And if you draw attention to yourself, well. There's only so much people can ignore." She looks around the group. "I can hide myself and two other people." +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:29:14 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Laughs-at-Death +-------------------------------------------------------+ Laughs-at-Death isn't still while he waits. The Blood Talon slips on a mask that looks like a flaming skull and dancing and chant, enacting the sacred hunt rite for himself to seek the denizens of the wounds as the target prey. It takes a few minutes but its long enough for the others to gather. Once complete he slips the mask off and crushes the mask, waving to the others and motioning for them to follow. "Come on," he growls in his gravely dalu voice, "Last time the spirits of fire, pain and death were powerful and strong." Nodding to those he knows he then adds, "I'm Seth, or Laughs-at-Death of the Swarm. Our pack will watch the exit to make sure we're clear, we can all go hidden." Nodding to Faith in agreement with her suggestion he then waits before leading the group forward. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:30:50 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Elodie +----------------------------------------------------------------+ There's a ripple in the fabric of the world as Elodie suddenly changes. Her skin is suddenly a dull, brassy color, and thin black lines are tattooed across her body at every joint, outlining the articulation in neat circular patterns. Her fingers, however, are split open at each knuckle, and instead of gore the dull gleam of metal is visible when she flexes. A small black keyhole can be seen just between her shoulderblades, no more than an inch tall, from which a tiny key protrudes, constantly turning in a clockwise spin. She turns to face Rachel and hands her a dollar with a small, grim smile. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:30:56 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Spider +----------------------------------------------------------------+ This area is familiar to Seth at least. They have gone this path and cleared it out somewhat. It delves into a catacombs with earthen walls and alcoves full of bones. The slimey substance that WAS coating the tunnel walls is still somewhate there, but at least it is no longer -alive- now and trying to touch people as they pass through. There are twists and turns as if the way was deliberately made to be confusing and deter people from following. Rats and cave crickets are constantly underfoot, and almost every step seems to crunch on something; identified as bone should one actually look. After some minutes of what feels like aimless wandering in the catacombs, Seth does finally lead them to what has been dubbed 'The Crossroads'. He has been here before. Seth knows which direction they took last time. He knows what was encountered last time. Now there is a choice to be made. Nothing can be heard but the echoes of dripping and nothing can be smelled but ozone and rot; a strange combination when paired. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:33:05 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Haliburton +------------------------------------------------------------+ Invisible, Haliburton has quite the time watching people who don't see him looking. That said though he really just wants to come along and see how many things he can stick his blades into. And quietly, for no particular reason, he hangs near Five at least at first. Not that she sees. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:35:08 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rachel +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Rachel gives Rafe a smile that would seem bright and sunny if it didn't reveal the //horror// that is inside her mouth right now. There are things moving in there that should not be. That seem at the bottom of her lips, running down towards her chin? Splits //juuuust// a little. Lke it's meant to. In case she wants to push the horrors //out//. "Sounds a lot like how my thing works," Rachel says to Faith, giving her a much more even-tempered smile, and accepting the dollar from Elodie with a nod, "Thanks, I'll pay you back," she says, drawing attention to the new debt that exists between them. Just before they leave, Rachel draws her pistol from her holster, checking to make sure the draw is clean and free from obstruction, then brass-checking the weapon before holstering it again. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:36:57 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rafe +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Moving over to stand beside Faith, Rafe decides he'll take advantage of that 'Someone Else's Problem' field she's promising. He looks to follow Seth's lead down to this crossroads, remaining quiet and moving with reasonably light feet. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:37:59 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Five +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Although she's the odd mortal out in the group, Five lets someone else take part of Faith's shadow. It's hard to see from underneath her hood, but her eyes are WIDE as she's looking at, well, everything and everyone. Her gaze doesn't rest on anyone too long, though she does her best to try and keep her attention on their surroundings. "What did you guys have to clear out last time?" she wonders. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:38:04 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Laughs-at-Death +-------------------------------------------------------+ "It was spirits of death, pain, and fire. They were strong foes." Seth replies softly to Five as they move. When they reach the crossroads he motions for the group to stop and then points in the direction the group took the last time they were down here. Looking down the various paths he shakes his head and then sniffs at the air as if seeking to learn more of the scents. "A new path is best I'd think." +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:42:58 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Faith +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ Then, there's Elodie. Faith sure is learning some things tonight. Glancing between Elodie and Rachel, she then nods to Rafe. "You'll need to stay, somewhat close to me," she says softly. The Haunt doesn't do anything dramatic. It's a few moments of concentration, calling upon the power of her blood. The predator that knows how to hunt unseen. And then, herself, Rafe and Rachel just vanish, much like Hal did previously. And then she's setting to follow the group. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:42:58 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Spider +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Turning XXXX the group continues with the rediculous twists and turns in what has soon become complete darkness. This forces them to rely on other senses and/or guide by touching the tunnel walls on each side. Not that touching the tunnel walls is the most enjoyable experience with the coating of slickness, feeling much like moistire at first, but sticky. Tthen it straightens out for a while and there is a subtle decline taking them deeper, a turn, deeper, another turn, deeeeeper and suddenly the tunnel walls are gone but darkness remains. Here they have the feeling of being in a wide open area. The scents here are strange. Cement, wood, decay, earth... and soon there are rumbling sounds from deeper in. Something awaits them in the dark, the express sensation of hatred being washed over the group. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:49:17 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rafe +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Keeping his voice quiet, Rafe speaks to Faith since she seems to have some clue what is going on here. "I can become a bat, if it is necessary for someone to scope this area out." Should she - or anyone else in fact - give some kind of affirmation, he'll do just that. Otherwise, he remains as he is. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:54:14 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Spider +----------------------------------------------------------------+ For those that can see in the dark, they see what appears to be the ruins of a grand cathedral that has been buried down here a long time ago. Within the ruins because of the wound are several materialized spirits. A couple of them appears to be a geometric shape of stained glass with many fine filiments all trailing out around it. Another is what appears like a quadrapedal thing, thousands of wooden spikes or splinters covering it, all bristling as if alive. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:57:17 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Elodie +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Elodie walks over to Five and the vampires, her feet tapping out a quiet rhythm to mark her movement. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. There's a chill in the air where she goes. The clockwork Chatelaine turns her head with only a slight clicking sound to look at Rafe. Her eyebrows go up, but she says nothing. Very curious people she's with. The sight of the cathedral brings her up short, and she tilts her head with a slight 'tick' to stare at it. +----+ Sat Nov 12 16:58:53 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Five +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Five can't see a thing and half of the people around her have disappeared from her natural sight as well. Hearing the rumbling, her brows raise and she takes a fruitless glance around her. A hand reaches into her pocket, slipping on some knuckles onto her fists. Even though she's still spooked, shaken, and distracted, she's doing her best to prepare herself for whatever the group is about to come across. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:03:45 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rafe +------------------------------------------------------------------+ With a whisper of movement, Rafe ceases to be the man stood next to Faith. There is a faint flurry of wings - those who can see in this pitch darkness can see a small bat taking flight, rising up to the cavern's ceiling to get a better view of what there is around. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:08:10 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rachel +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Of the many, //many// strange things Rachel has been doing tonight that are strange, here is another one: Still looking into the darkness, Rachel squats down and runs her claws against the cavern floor. She's looking for something; a rock. A piece of gravel. A teeny tiny stone. "See that?" She asks Faith and Rafe as she stands back up with her tiny stone clutched between her claws. "The cathedral is moving. Just like those other... things." And then she pops the stone between her lips and swallows it. A beat passes, and then tiny protrusions start emerging from her skin. Like something poking from beneath. After a moment of struggle, they rip themselves free of her flesh, leaving bloodless holes that seal seamlessly behind themselves. They're stones. Bits of grit and gravel just like what she swallowed, that seem to orbit her like the moonlets of a planet. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:08:16 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Elodie +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Elodie takes places a mechanical hand gently on Five's shoulder. Wordlessly, the clockwork woman points to a specific part of the ruins, a conglomeration of stone and mortar. Apparently she's seen something, too. Maybe it's the same thing Rachel has. Whatever it is, Elodie ain't saying. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:10:01 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Faith +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ Faith does openly watch all the strange things Rachel does, so very intrigued even as she keeps her expression as neutral as possible. She peers across the darkness, vision clearly unhindered even by her sunglasses so deep underground. "Yes," she agrees. "I see it. This cloaking may not work against some creatures like this," she warns. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:13:59 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Laughs-at-Death +-------------------------------------------------------+ Laughs-at-Death points at the same spot Rachel did and then says, "Be ready... I'm going to shift but I'll be able to understand what you all say, even if I can't answer." Trailing off he shifts into his near-wolf form, shifting with a snap of bones and the sound of stretching muscle into a large black dire wolf as he preps for potential trouble. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:16:22 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Spider +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Unless the group is making some serious noise, the spirits don't seem to notice them just yet. Truth be told, they seem to be milling about the ruins like ghosts who don't know they are dead yet. They have lost something in the ruins and are trying desperately to find it, something which is upsetting them more with passing time; so yes by now they are extremely upset! The Stained Glass Filament spirits are lingering near where they must have once lived and surved a purpose making this cathedral beautiful as sunlight streamed through them. They remain rather near each other searching together for all eternity. A thousand splinters is confused, it roams around the middle area of the ruins, trying to find it's place which also is long gone and lost to the ravages of time. It appears feral now, not that any spirit's mind is anything like that of a living being. Finally the spirit of stone tries helplessly to put itself back to the crumbled and mismatched part of the ruins where it must have broken away from centuries ago. It bumps against a side of the ruins helplessly, to no avail. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:26:10 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Laughs-at-Death +-------------------------------------------------------+ Laughs-at-Death is in his near-wolf form. Spotting the spirits he looks to the others and then looks back, slowly slinking forward and trying to stick to the shadows in an attempt to prep to attack. Trying to stay unseen he seems like he's moving to flank with a possible sneak attack if possible, holding to let the group figure out their next move. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:33:01 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rafe +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Lofting higher in the cavern so he's almost up to the ceiling, Rafe-as-Bat begins to do a circuit of the open space, to see what there is here beyond the immediately evident - things in or behind the ruins, and such. To anyone who can hear such things, his echolocation chirps very faintly as he searches. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:33:25 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Haliburton +------------------------------------------------------------+ Though it isn't visible to anyone else, Hal begins to coat his sword in shadows, painting it and himself black so that he is literally covered in black. It'll look pretty crazy when he finally drops Obfuscate. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:34:50 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Five +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Five holds any action she might have taken on her own for now. Those bright green eyes of hers are watching what she can see of the spirits before eventually glancing toward the others with a questionig look. She'll let the various supernaturals take the lead on this one. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:34:59 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Elodie +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Elodie's hand becomes a vice on Five's shoulder. There's a faint whirring sound as the woman's key begins to turn faster, and faster, and faster. With a soft click, her mouth drops open, wider than a human's has any right to be. But then again, she is not human. There's a faint pulling sensation, whispers in the air. Her mouth opens wider, the black pit of her maw gaping into an abyss that fear itself is drawn inexorably towards. The pulling sensation grows into a tearing rip, and fear itself flows from Five into Elodie's mouth, which snicks shut with the soft sound of a clock preparing to strike the hour. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:38:11 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rachel +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Rachel's not done doing strange things. She turns for a moment to face her shadow. Her shadow which //should not be there// in a totally dark cavern like this. There's no light to cast it and yet it is there, darker than everything around it. And as she focuses, it sprouts a limb. A tentacle? An arm? A something... that wraps around itself to reach back deeper into the core of the shadow. And //pull//. Yanking roughly at itself until another piece of shadow emerges. And into this, Rachel reaches. Her hand slips into the darkness, vanishing from sight. She grips something, something her shadow is offering to her, and //pulls//. And in her hand suddenly is a longbow. Arms of glossy black chiten and fresh wet bone. A string that shines wetly like a length of fresh tendon. And arrows gripped in one of her shadow's appedanges, ready for her to use. Thus armed, Rachel's dragonfly wings vibrate to life and lift her off the ground and into the air with a soft hum. It is a strange display. Beautiful. Magical. Monsterous. She fits the bow into her hand, seizes an arrow, and slips it onto the string. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:41:01 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Faith +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ For once, Faith isn't distracted by Rachel's antics, focusing on herself. She's edging closer, moving carefully and stealthily. Seth might not know it, but she's really quite close to him in the dark, hidden away. Unnoticeable, unseen. In the dark, she takes in a needless breath, reaching out with her senses to be sure of anything -- or anyone -- else that might be hidden away in the dark. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:45:33 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rafe +------------------------------------------------------------------+ With his recon done, Rafe-as-Bat returns to base and lands awkwardly on the rocky ground. There's another brief sound of chirping, and then the bat is replaced with an inky-black wolf. Not anywhere near as big or strong as the Uratha, but still. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:55:50 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Laughs-at-Death +-------------------------------------------------------+ Laughs-at-Death doesn't make any noise, stealthy, moving in the darkness to find a spot to attack from while looking at the prey before him. He knows the rest of the group is prepping and once all seems ready he launches himself from the darkness he hides within to streak across the space separating him from Stain Glass Filaments. The large dire wolf knocks the monstrous form over and tears and rends with his massive teeth. Growling he rolls free, stalking around the prey while readying for the next strike. +----+ Sat Nov 12 17:57:12 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Five +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Five starts to power up one of her attacks, trying to summon the fire within her. But then she sees that RAWR WEREWOLF burst out into her line of sight, causing her to startle and break her concentration before she any flames can burst. +----+ Sat Nov 12 18:01:37 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rachel +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Flitting up into the air over the cavern, Rachel watches Seth prowl forward, and waits for the moment he decides to strike. It doesn't really look like the direwolf needs help finishing off that... glass creature, so she takes aim on the second one, figuring even werewolves don't like being outnumbered. She draws back on her bow's tendon-string, and a glossy black eye opens above the bow's handle, looking down at the target. She looses an arrow that looks like a claw made of shadow, right into as much of the glass as she can. +----+ Sat Nov 12 18:05:47 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Haliburton +------------------------------------------------------------+ Suddenly there is a vantablack figure in the shape of Haliburton with a sword raised high and chopping into the rock-like spirit. When the blade contacts the shadows covering it stab into the thing, penetrating it and seeming to strike at it like black silhouettes of cobras. They strike, and the loud SPANG of steel on stone rings out across the cavern. +----+ Sat Nov 12 18:13:04 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Faith +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ Action erupts, and Faith moves fast at Laughs-at-Death's side, moving past him as he savages the first spirit. The Nosferatu is quick, quiet, and hidden. When she appears, with her knife in her hand -- it's a with a careful, practiced motion as he blade stabs and cuts. Out of nowhere, the Haunt is suddenly upon this splintered thing and the knife finds purchase in /something/ deep within it. There's no sound from the vampire, no grunt or shout. Quiet, methodical, and violent. +----+ Sat Nov 12 18:17:41 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Spider +----------------------------------------------------------------+ The group works well together. Laughs bites the first Stained Glass Filament spirit and it shatters in his teeth, an explosion of splintered glass in his maw. At the same time, spurred by the Werewolf's attack, Rachel looses her arrow and it hits the other Stained Glass Filament spirit dead center, shattering it as well! Then Five summons up a massive fire ball and Zzzzzt. Meanwhile Haliburton sneaks behind the Stone spirit, and attampts to assassinate it, but finds it is as hard as stone and his blade scratches the surface, but that is about all it does. Finally Faith steps up with her knife and appears out of nowhere to rip through A thousand splinters, sending it back to the ephemeral sleep. WOw, that only leaves the Stone spirit right? The very ground under the ruins, under the group's feet begins to shudder, shake, then split. Old partially decayed bones push up through the cracks forming. A thunderous sound can be heard, as if a low groan so deep it vibrates the body. +----+ Sat Nov 12 18:21:19 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rafe +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Having shifted from bat to wolf, Rafe realises he can see approximately fuck all. Releasing the four-legged form and returning to his human-looking self, he asks aloud, "Can anyone get some light going in here?" Whether he can be heard over the sounds of combat is another question entirely, but he does add, "There's a couple more tunnels out the back. One of them has a tiny bit of light coming from it." Just so people know this isn't a safe dead end. +----+ Sat Nov 12 18:36:26 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Laughs-at-Death +-------------------------------------------------------+ Laughs-at-Death shifts as combat continues, changing mid leap from a black furred dire wolf into a the massive gauru form as it attacks the stone formed Crusher. Smashing into its tough stone form he bites hard into the stony hide and cracks through its armor to bite and tear. +----+ Sat Nov 12 18:37:07 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Five +------------------------------------------------------------------+ After her fizzle moments ago, Five is definitely feeling frustrated! With the tremendously helpful assistance from Elodie, the mortal manages to focus trying to deal with everything that's going on around her into something positive. Concentrating on the crusher, her eyes narrow and her hands make a quick gesture as she manages to burst some of her fire onto the creature! +----+ Sat Nov 12 18:46:03 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Spider +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Together the group manages to make short work of the Stone spirit before it even gets a chance to react! One massive stone 'fist' the size of Haliburton is coming up, and there is no doubt it is about to come back down! However, Laughs tears into it, Rachel sends it a care package, one nasty arrow special delivery, and finally an explosion of fire from Five and the spirit dissipates, all of its corpus gone. Just when they begin to get comfortable because all of the spirits are gone, the ground shakes again, ripping in half to create a fissure that threatens to send them on their asses. In fact, Haliburton is uncerimoniously dumped on his butt, though the others manage to remain on their feet. From the fissure emerges a spirit made of earth, gathered bones, and pure hatred. There is no doubt it intends to add the group's bones to it's body as a number of them poke out from the mound of earth that makes up the spirit. It is huge. It has femurs for fingers, skulls for teeth. It wants more. +----+ Sat Nov 12 18:52:00 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Laughs-at-Death +-------------------------------------------------------+ Laughs-at-Death keeps his footing and howls in rage before attacking. It's a vicious attack, the Gauru giving it his all with tooth and claw. It's an attack that would take most creatures down but here it just barely scratches the spirit of bone and stone. +----+ Sat Nov 12 19:08:53 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rafe +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Given there is no light, and being tired of not being able to see, Rafe slips back into his bat-shape, fluttering briefly and then ascending up to the ceiling. Again looking around, perhaps pondering whether he can distract this big fucking.. whatever-it-is. +----+ Sat Nov 12 19:10:07 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Elodie +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Elodie doesn't move as the ground shakes--she looks like a statue, wholly unaffected by the tumult. She glances at Five to be sure that the young woman is well, and then she walks smoothly to where Haliburton is standing up from the ground. With an abrupt motion, she takes hold of the vampire's cheek with her hand. A draft in the cavern picks up and becomes an unnatural wind. There's a rustling of dry leaves that grows from a whisper to a roar. The roars are voices, stories of creatures built together and torn apart, stories of garments wrought of skin and flesh, stories of darkness and cold and stinking mud. With the stories comes the power of Wyrd, and fortune itself shifts on the edge of the howling wind. The sound fades back into silence, and Elodie removes her hand from Haliburton's face. She steps back and tilts her head to the side with a quiet 'tock.' +----+ Sat Nov 12 19:11:48 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Five +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Five had been very proud of herself in the moment, helping to vanquest the foe! Already distracted enough from all the supernatural fun around her, she doesn't manage to catch herself and slips onto her back. With a frustrated grunt, she scrambles back up to her feet. +----+ Sat Nov 12 19:11:57 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rachel +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Safely circling high above the skeletal spirit, Rachel looses an arrow somewhere that looks vulnerable. Unfortunately, her aim is not true. +----+ Sat Nov 12 19:16:26 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Haliburton +------------------------------------------------------------+ Since he fell, the black silhouette of a man that is Haliburton gets to his feet, eyeing the spirit made matter before them. He holds his sword out to the side, ready to strike, but does not. Instead he thinks. Hard. And eyes the spirit... +----+ Sat Nov 12 19:17:36 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Faith +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ Faith shifting around as the ground begins to shake, her knife in her hand, sunglasses somehow remaining firmly upon her face, she somehow keeps her feet as she turns to face the thing that emerges from the ground. A thin smile, quirking at the corner of her mouth at this thing. Watching the others, her knife is slipped away, and from ... somewhere, Faith instead has an actual sword, that was hidden on her person the entire time. Maybe it's more likely to be able to do something to this new enemy, but she's keeping her distance for right now. +----+ Sat Nov 12 19:19:04 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Spider +----------------------------------------------------------------+ The monstrousity, this mountain of earth and bone, fueled by rage and hatred rises up from teh fissure (which conveniently closes behind it). It makes little noise beyond the rumble of earth as it moves. Laughs launches at it without a thought and scratches a small furrow through the earth that makes up the spirit. Rafe takes flight again to get a better view and in hopes of distracting it, then Elodie is one hell of a team player. She calls on the Wyrd to give aide to Haliburton. Five jumps to her feet as quickly as she can, but Hal, he remains on the ground and EYES that monstrosity while Rachel releases another arrow that just deflects off the spirit. It barely even notices. Finally Faith prepares herself, standing back a moment well out of reach. Which means Laughs is the one who catches the blow from the spirit! A massive hand, easily as big as the Werewolf himself swings at Laughs and the femur bones acting as it's fingers and ending in sharp 'claws' of broken bone scratch into him. It's a blow that would surely have evisorated a mortal and it just rips two small slices into Laughs. Meanwhile earth from the cave floor begins to move, rolling OPPOSITE gravity to rise up and join with the spirit, filling in the forrow that Laughs had just created. +----+ Sat Nov 12 19:34:03 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Laughs-at-Death +-------------------------------------------------------+ Laughs-at-Death takes that hit and growls as his hide is torn into. Healing quickly after the attack he rushes forward and tears in deep into the stone and bone of their prey. Trying to take the spirit down he is shook off before landing and lining up for another attack. +----+ Sat Nov 12 19:42:46 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rafe +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Lacking a form that can see in the dark beyond the bat, which is unlikely to do more than get squished if it ends up in combat, Rafe does the second-best thing; keeping an eye out for more danger. Again, those with sensitive ears can probably hear the chirps he's using to navigate by, and then there's a louder sound, and he dives down to land very awkwardly beside Elodie, chittering in alarm. +----+ Sat Nov 12 19:44:13 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Elodie +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Elodie blinks at the bat, then crouches down and turns on her phone flashlight, which she leaves on the ground facing up. Fiat lux. She stands back up with... a shard of glass and a chunk of wood. Truly, everyone is in the presence of a master artisan of weaponry. +----+ Sat Nov 12 19:52:27 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Haliburton +------------------------------------------------------------+ "...I am God's holy monster. I drink from humanity. Verse...for spirits. Verse for spirits. Yes." rasps the shadow-man, beginning his litany. Which verse was it? Hal thinks...Eschaton, Chapter 5, Verse 5. In Latin. "A campestri ergo recessimus, et pervenimus ad campum in ulteriori parte montis. Amoniel me nunc in campum aequalem tulit, ubi inter duos exercitus utriusque sexus utriusque acies grassabatur; erant nudi..." He draws the edge of his black blade across the palm of his left hand and then approaches the giant spirit-monster. With a wet SLAP he puts his bloody left hand against the beast, willing his Vitae out and gushing, touching it. Befouling it in his stolen blood. His voice shouts, "...Ut vidi, duo exercitus bestiae-qui-erant-homines coniuncta in proelium et minore exercitu occisus est, et major exercitus cecidit super innocentes, modo 8and trahi eos membrum de limbo, et submersi magnum, dentes in innocents' iugula et evulsa eorum entrails, et laxos ab eis frutices et in arbore ramos!" +----+ Sat Nov 12 19:58:48 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rachel +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Rachel has a pretty good view. She's flying, after all. She had paused, wondering how the hell they were going to take this thing down with her arrows bouncing off it. She's threaded shots through gaps in armor before, but what counts //here// when you're shooting at a big skeletal thing? She sees Hal dart closer and... slap it with some blood? And that seems to help? "Hal! What did you do?!" Rachel shouts above the din of combat, stringing another arrow and loosing it, to try to annoy the big skeletal thing if nothing else. But to no avail. +----+ Sat Nov 12 20:07:11 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Faith +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ Faith is watching the creature. Watching Hal. Watching the creature. She steps forward once he's chanting, feeling certain that he's certain, the sword slashes out at the creature of bone and earth, to no avail. She barely scratches the thing, because it is entirely like trying to stab the earth. Frown. She's about to ask the question she hears coming from above, so she remains quiet. +----+ Sat Nov 12 20:08:04 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Five +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Five is totally just in AWE of Hal and his interaction with the creature. Like, WOW! The mortal tries to further discern what happened in an attempt to help but is just too dazzled to really tell! She stays back at the moment, letting the supernaturals take the lead. +----+ Sat Nov 12 20:09:05 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Haliburton +------------------------------------------------------------+ Hal takes a hard hit, flinging him back from the beast in retaliation for his touch. "My blood hurts it! Just mine, but I'm almost out!" +----+ Sat Nov 12 20:10:59 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Spider +----------------------------------------------------------------+ The fight continues with Laughs taking a big chunk from the spirit. That seems to upset it a little and it is just about to react and attack the Werewolf who it deems the most serious threat. The others try to hurt it but nothing really seems to get through the rocklike 'skin' of the spirit. This thing is one tough SOB, clearly. Haliburton runs at it and lays his hand on the spirit of Long Buried Bones, a desecration, and it sizzles like steak on a hot skillet. The spirit screams, or what one could consider a scream if not un the ultralow frequency area. It feels like superbass in their bodies. One of those massive Gauru sized 'hands' comes swinging around, the razor sharp femur bones it has for claws rakes through Haliburton in it's anger at that touch from him. Now it has set it's 'sights' on Hal, not that it has eyes, so yeah it just faces him as if ready to do serious harm. +----+ Sat Nov 12 20:17:34 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Laughs-at-Death +-------------------------------------------------------+ Laughs-at-Death catches the situation and roars as the spirit attacks Haliburton. Rushing forward the Blood Talon tries to /tank/ for the group, throwing himself at the spirit and tearing into it with his teeth once more, rending and cracking through bone and stone as his claws scratch and scrape against its armor. +----+ Sat Nov 12 20:26:33 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rafe +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Releasing the bat form for the second time - but now still able to see, thanks to Elodie's cellphone torch - Rafe calls out loudly to be heard over the sound of combat, "Don't want to alarm anyone, but the tunnel with light in it? That light is coming closer, friends, and whatever is bringing it *probably* isn't here to help." That done, he looks around on the ground until he finds a piece of bone, smacking it against the ground to break it up, then placing a sliver of the stuff on his tongue. Crunching it down - and making a truly disgusted face while he does it - he invokes an another contract. Swirls and spikes of bone begin to stab out of his skin and clothing, leaving him somewhat porcupine'd. +----+ Sat Nov 12 20:30:33 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Five +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Five's fire doesn't seem to be able to touch the spirit of bones and stone, and she knows her own mortal skills against it wouldn't do much. But, she can still offer support! Dashing over toward Hal, she calls out while she closes the distance. "I can't touch that thing! Let me help you out," she says quickly while holding out her bared wrist. +----+ Sat Nov 12 20:34:49 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Elodie +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Elodie races after Five, and she opens her mouth to speak in a strained voice that sounds like creaking gears and metal: "No. Not her. Too young. Me. Take blood. Give glamour." She puts /her/ arm out as well. +----+ Sat Nov 12 20:39:11 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rachel +----------------------------------------------------------------+ "I'm not doing shit to this thing!" Rachel says even as she strings another arrow. But Rafe's warning is ringing in her ears. "I'll check out the light, see what's up!" She shouts, before flitting away on her dragonfly wings. +----+ Sat Nov 12 20:44:14 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Haliburton +------------------------------------------------------------+ Brusquely Hal pushes Elodie's wrist away. No time to get high! Instead he grabs Five and says, "STICK YOUR WEAPONS IN ME AND THEN HIT IT!" Yes he's inviting his allies to stab him. With their weapons. Then with a ravenous look he sinks his teeth into Five and begins running while clutching her to him. It's like watching a raccoon escape with a purloined steak. +----+ Sat Nov 12 20:48:07 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Faith +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ Hunger, anger, worry, Faith's not really sure what's going on until Hal's shouting out the idea. She backs away from the creature as Seth is going appropriately crazy with it, moving past Elodie. She's fast now, and it's a quick quip, "You have my permission, at least, to take what you need," she asides to the clockwork woman. But she keeps moving, angling to Hal. She knows that he'll know she's coming, and even as he's hungrily feeding she's there at his side. A sigh, and she does the thing, plunging her sword into the Mekhet with a murmured, "I am sorry," while being very careful not to poke Five as well. +----+ Sat Nov 12 20:52:57 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Spider +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Now they have figured out the bane, what will destroy this desecration of holy ground, a mountain of earth and old bones. The blood of a pious man and Hal happens to somehow fit the bill?? Who knew? But his blood hurt it! So now comes the interesting chase as Hal snatches up Five and begins running away from the spirit. He tries to drink from her while being stabbed by Faith. If THAT wasn't awkward enough, he has seriously pissed off this spirit by pimp-slapping it with his blood and burning it with the bane. The spirit begins chasing Hal, and being significantly quicker easily stays up with the Vampire, reaching out to swipe across his back while he is running away, leaving another nice gouge... +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:02:27 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Laughs-at-Death +-------------------------------------------------------+ Laughs-at-Death doesn't have time or the speed to get in front of Hal to dip his calls in his blood. But he does rush after the spirit as it chases the vampire and the mortal he holds. Rushing from the rear he pounces, grabbing onto the large mix of bone and stone, and takes a huge bite from it. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:10:22 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Rafe +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Armoured up - in a gross kind of way - Rafe looks at the situation. Hal running away with Five. Monster chasing Hal and seemingly getting in a hard scratch. This thing needs to go down, and Rafe is not the guy to do that. What he can do is throw himself at the colossal amalgamation of bones and dirt, and try to hold it in place for -others- to kill. So he does that. He runs, picking up speed, and literally flings himself at the spirit, wrapping his arms around the thing's lower form and trying to hold it in place. This will almost certainly not last long, and will end in tears. His. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:16:19 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Elodie +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Elodie's key slows down before stopping and beginning to move in reverse. It winds slowly, laboriously, and with every turn there is a vast groaning sound of metal beams and gears, far too large for the key or the frame in which it is housed. As the key winds, there's a strange pulling sensation that tugs at everyone's mind--none more strongly than Faith's. Fear itself begins to stream from her in thick, oily rivulets, which flow towards Elodie and wreath her body in black ichor. The tarry substance writhes around the changeling's body as it works its way into the cracks in her hands, the pits of her eyes, the sides of her mouth--and then it's gone, the oppressive weight of the Wyrd no longer bearing down upon the world, and Elodie is ticking normally again. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:25:36 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Haliburton +------------------------------------------------------------+ Five finds herself dropped by the shadowy Khaibit, and he suddenly is no longer there. Instead the vampire suddenly appears in front of Laughs-at-Death and projectile-vomits blood all over the werewolf's claws, covering his talons in vitae. "Kill it!" he hisses. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:31:09 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Faith +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ Outwardly, she doesn't look it, but there is fear beneath the surface for Elodie to tap into. Fear for herself, fear for others. It's a shiver, that washes over her, and a shake of her head, and she stares up at the spirit. Faith has a blade coated with Mekhet vitae, and she's back into action with it. Advancing on the creature, this time she's sure it'll do more. It's so large. How can she miss? She has a two handed grip on her longsword, and it scores across the rock and bone thing. The pious blood of a long dead, undead priest. Funny how things work out. Her blade cuts deep, and this time she knows she's hurt the creature. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:31:53 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Spider +----------------------------------------------------------------+ The scene really is chaos. Complete and utter chaos, but it's awesome. While Haliburton carries poor Five around getting stabbed by Faith and trying not to get murdered by the spirit, Laughs-at-Death is continuously clawing at it, slowly wearing it down. Refe jumps on the mountain of grave earth and bones, holding on and trying to slow it down. Does it work? We may never know really. Faith pulled her sword out of Haliburton with a nice thin coating of blood, turned, and stuck it into the spirit. Certainly nobody really knew what to expect when she did that, not entirely. The blade slides right in like a warm knife through butter as the blood of a pious man reacts with the spirit of desecration, of long buried bones. It sizzles, much like it did when Haliburton slapped it with his blood. The spirit crumbles, dumping Refe unceremoniously on the cave floor as it dissipates. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:39:16 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Haliburton +------------------------------------------------------------+ And there stands Haliburton, covered in black shadows still and looking over his shoulder at the heap that used to be the spirit. And Seth the werewolf's claws covered in his vampire blood. "...it's the thought that counts." he says. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:41:18 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Elodie +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Elodie walks back to her phone, collects it, then turns off the light. The cave returns to darkness, but after a few moments brilliant light erupts from a ramshackle lantern the Wizened is holding high above her head. She walks over to Five and looks at the woman's wounds with evident concern. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:42:03 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Five +------------------------------------------------------------------+ The mortal stays put in her spot while she recovers from that initial wooziness from being fed on. Five's bright green eyes are WIDE as she watches the defeat of the bone and stone creature. It's clear she's particularly impressed by Faith's final blow. Rising back to her feet, she brushes her hands off on her hoodie. Noticing Elodie nearby, she offers a reassuring looking. "Tougher than I look, even if I'm human," she tells her with a faint but genuine smile. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:43:14 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Faith +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ Faith didn't expect her strike, piercing deep into the heart of the spirit, to be the one that got the job done. But's fallen. And she's there. At some point, in all the commotion, Faith's shades have naturally fallen from her face. Where are they? They could be anywhere. But now, her corpse-like eyes are on display for everyone to see. Faith's got the eyes of a dead woman. Literally. There's a huff, and she's reaching for a cloth to wipe down the sword thoughtfully, concentrating on nothing in particular for a long few moments. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:44:56 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Seth +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Seth shifts down into his human form as the spirit crumbles. Looking around he clasps Haliburton on the shoulder with his bloody hands, "It was a good move." Laughing he looks to the others to make sure they are ok then motions for everyone to follow him out. "Come on, let's meet up with the pack before anything else finds us." +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:45:52 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Elodie +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Elodie smiles slightly. "I am glad to hear it, ma'am," she tells Five. "And if I may be so bold, you are very brave, regardless of your particular specie." She turns to look at Haliburton, then at Faith. She looks around for the sunglasses before taking her knife to the fabric of her dress and slicing a makeshift blindfold from it. Wordlessly, she offers the strip of cloth to the vampire. It's sheer enough to see through, though it won't be scoring marks for fashion. She shifts her gaze back to Haliburton and eyes him with obvious curiosity. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:48:19 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Haliburton +------------------------------------------------------------+ Hal does look beat up, but he's handling it well. "Thanks." he says to Seth, chuckling as he takes the touch. The shadows dissolve from him and he says, "Excuse me..." then walks over to Five to approach her. There's a lopsided grin at Elodie, and then he holds his arms toward Five with intent to give her a hug. "...thank you." he says. He looks to Faith too and just...smiles to her. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:49:54 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Five +------------------------------------------------------------------+ It takes her only a couple seconds to realize Hal's intentions, but once she does Five is quick to move to embrace the vampire. "Anytime," she assures him offering him a warm smile. Looking toward Faith, she gives a similar smile as well, still AMAZED by watching her creepy friend. There's a look of concern, but nothing she can't check in on at a safer location. Relaxing a bit, she glances at Elosie curiously. "Thanks... You were pretty awesome out there yourself," she compliments. Then she's all too happy to head on out of there after Seth. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:54:47 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Faith +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ Faith slides the sword away, shaking her head at the thought of something or another, her gaze finding Hal across from the dark. Clouded eyes, sunken into her skull, it's not until Elodie is offering her the strip of cloth that Faith has actually realized that her shades aren't in place. "... thanks," she says quietly to the Lost reaching for it, her gaze lowering just somewhat with a hint of something self-concious, as she begins to affix that makeshift blindfold. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:55:20 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ +----+ Elodie +----------------------------------------------------------------+ "Of course," Elodie says, equally quiet in her response. She ripples slightly, and where there had been a clockwork simulacrum there now stands a perfectly ordinary human being, albeit one with an unfortunately torn dress. "We all have masks we wear, from time to time." And then she heads out of the underground, a small woman with a bright light. +----+ Sat Nov 12 21:56:51 2022 +----------------------------------------------+ | |