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(PrP) Nightmare At Large, Pt. 3

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  1. #61
    InvertedMonkey's Avatar


    "I know, I know..." comes a faint, gravely voice from before them, as the Changeling proceeds. It mumbles and mutters, unintelligibly for the most part, interspersed with the sound of trickling and running water, and the repeated impact of one hard object against another hard object. The light in the tunnel grows at the same pace as the volume of the noises, and the tunnel slowly broadens. The damp becomes stronger, and soon the party's feet and shoes are splashing in... not puddles, but the edge of a body of water. A new and growing body, trickling past them back towards the entrance of the Hollow ever-so-slowly. The scent of decay and alcohol and sickly-sweet lessens, overpowered by the smell of cool water and... some sort of mineral? They are soon wading calf-deep through the water as they proceed onward, following the sounds and the light. As the eyes of the Lost adjust, they can see that beyond them, where the light is brightest, there are greens and blues, growing things and sky, and the whistle and twitter of birds. It is the mouth of a cave, surrounded in thorned briers. It opens at the far end of a large cavern that the tunnel flows into, about the size of a small apartment. Chipped right out of the rock-candy mountain.

    This may have been where the Sandman once slept to carry out his onieromancy, but it would be impossible for most people to sleep here now. The cavern is flooded, with water so crystal and clear that it's breathtaking. Refraction and the constant movement of the water makes it difficult to tell how deep the pool is, but it must be at least a couple feet. Loose objects, the Sandman's sodden possessions no doubt, drift forlornly on the random currents. More water flows into the room... from an unexpected direction. It runs down every wall, as if you were standing inside a fountain, and drips from the ceiling, where it runs too in a glistening sheet, seemingly in defiance of gravity. It's beautiful, the way it all plays with the light, some drips creating miniature rainbows that then scatter their colors in reflections and refractions all across the room. "I know, I know what she's afraid of, I know," the ragged voice mutters, then there's a grunt and the sound of cracking rock candy. At the far end of the cavern, where it opens to the sky and the green beyond. He is balanced on what look like plastic milk crates weighted with hunks of rock candy, so that he can reach up to the top of the cave's mouth. In his hand is a shank that may once have been a pie server at one point, sharpened and chipped, that he uses to chip away at the rock candy above him, splattering himself with water as he does so. The way the water is running, it is clear after a moment that he is broadening some sort of stream, a stream of water that defies gravity, flowing down from the mountain, and instead of pouring like a waterfall over the mouth of the cave, inverting and flowing across it's roof, then down it's walls.

    The man himself, for it is a man, could be mistaken for any member of the homeless population, but for his too-large eyes, and his long, pointed ears, and the fact that the light thrown up on him from the water paints shadows where there should be none. The multiple sources of light throw these shadows up against the walls, unnaturally dark on the glistening water. And the shadows are arguing. Their conflict is silent, but their gesticulation is obvious and wrathful. Fingers point, hands slice, fists ball and shake. Then one turns, facing the intruders, and as one shadows and man turn to follow. He is... hollow. Not literally, but there is a sense of emptiness about him. A creature sunken-into himself, as if with famine or mummification. His teeth are rotten, hair and beard overgrown and scraggly. His flannel shirt dirty and torn in multiple places, and his pants more like the suggestion of what slacks would be before moths made a seven year feast of it. How did this man ever get children to approach him? Glamour, probably. His eyes lock on Ava. "I know you. I know you, Ava Marie Campbell," the voice is different, but the cadence, the emphasis, is identical. "I know you, I know what you're afraid of." The shadows make angry, enraged gestures, and the Sandman giggles, a horrible, drunken sound coming from him instead of the little girl.

    He looks... sick. Starving. Weak. It takes two tries for him to get down off the egg crates, and he slips anyway. He reaches a hand out to catch himself on an egg crate, still making a terrifically huge splash. None the less he rights himself, brandishing his shank before him in his right hand. His left drips blood into the pool, hot and red, bleeding from where the egg crate left a gash. An empty green booze-bottle passes and he snatches that up in his injured hand, breaking it against a rock-candy boulder. "I know what you're afraid of. I know what you're afraid of. I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE AFRAID OF!"" His scream echoes hugely in the room, spittle flying from his mouth. He thrusts the shank into the air, pointing toward Ava, "You ruined it! You ruined it again!" His sunken chest heaves, sweat mingling with the water glistening on his body, "You ruined it and you're going to ruin it again! I'll kill you!"
    Whoever this man is, he is clearly insane and violent. You may all try to speak to him, if you wish. Or, you may roll initiative immediately. The cavern is about the size of a small apartment, and he is currently at the opposite end of it from you. It would only take a single movement action from anyone to cross the space and be touching-distance from him. However, because of the water and the slick candy floor, before each action characters must make a Dexterity + Athletics roll to keep their feet, barring mitigating factors. Failing this roll means you slip and fall in the water, losing your action, but succeeding your roll on the next turn means you stand as a free action. Additionally all physical rolls, including that previous one, are going to be penalized by 2 due to the slippery footing and the necessity of wading, and your Defense will be penalized by 1 if you're in the water, barring mitigating factors.

  2. #62
    S
    Saeyer

    As the water rose, the Nix slowed. Unease rippled over her skin with each step, sneakers letting out a fine trail of bubbles as her feet squished the last of the air out of them, finally soaked through. Ankle deep was alright, it was like a lightly flooded basement's worth of water, or a deep puddle. And calf deep, that was a pond, a shallow pond. Small fish, frogs, not a lot could live or hide in a pond. Maybe some newts. Calf deep, totally fine. Focus.

    Slipping through the mouth of the cave, Ava's sharp teeth clamped down around her tongue. The water was clear, but there was too much movement, there was no way of knowing how deep it got. A hand reached out to steady her against the wall but jerked away as cool water swept over her fingers, wetting the cuffs of her sleeve. There was their man, right in the middle of all that mess, a dried up husk of a person; it was almost commical, him perched on those crates attacking the ceiling with some sort of silverware. But the involuntary shock that ran through her as their eyes met was not, nor the fact that he yet again knew things he shouldn't. She hadn't mentioned her fear of water to anyone, even Mal. This pathetic, skulking thing had been wriggling around in her dreams, touching things that didn't belong to him.

    Lips curled up in a sneer, she stayed up out of the main pool of the cavern. If he was so excited to kill her, surely he would wade toward them; there was no reason to subject herself to his spite, or give him the satisfaction.

    And, after her earlier words to Coco, she had nothing to say to him.

      Initiative 11
    Date Action Roll Result
    2015-10-21 22:08:28 Ava rolls 1 die for initiative 6

  3. #63
    Trickster's Avatar

    Lynn Mills

    Lynn followed after Ava, wading through the water and trying very hard not to think about what might be lurking under the surface. But upon reaching the cavern she realized that the dagger in her hand was going to do less than no good if she couldn't get close enough to use it. Which meant letting a few people more know about her secrets.

    Sheathing the dagger at her side, Lynn pulled her violin case around, flipping it open and pulling out an ornately carved Bone Fiddle. Bringing it into the Hedge had revealed it for what it truly was, it was quite horribly clear to anybody who looked at it that it had been carved and Spun from human bones.

      Init = 14
    Date Action Roll Result
    2015-10-22 19:34:26 Lynn Mills rolls 1 to get things started! (10 Again) 8 1 success

  4. #64
    Coco's Avatar
    Coco!
    Presence
    (Fierce)
    Dexterity
    (Agile)
    Coco

    Mask: A slim, young woman with dyed hair, a mischievous smile, and laughing brown eyes.

    Mien: Coco's eyes are split into four facets that give a kaleidoscope appearance to her irises and two delicate antenna are perched on her forehead. Her nails are also like pieces of black carapace.

    Additional Identifying Features:
    A tattoo of a jeweled wasp sits perched atop a thick and gnarled white "branch" that stretches several inches upwards from her left wrist, though the branch is clearly a scar.

    A tattoo of a frayed, torn, and dirty golden banner trails around her right wrist, with another long scar forming the "mounting" for the banner.
    Coco's Mien

    Coco's eyes are split into four facets that give a kaleidoscope appearance to her irises and two delicate antenna are perched on her forehead. Her nails are also like pieces of black carapace, and her waist is tapered much like a wasps.

    Mantle:
    Surrounding Coco is the subtle sensation of warm sun and the smell of fresh, floral growth.

    3
    PRE

    Wyrd
    ••
    Dancer Skitterskulk

      init 12, 3 successes not to slip, 8lethal before minus defense
    Date Action Roll Result
    2015-10-22 19:35:09 Someone rolls 1 die for initiative 5
    2015-10-22 19:34:35 Coco! rolls 11 to Dance towards death! (Dex4+weap4+spec1+cane2+AoA2-2slippery) (10 Again) 8, 7, 4, 10, 9, 7, 9, 9, 9, 7, 10, 8, 6 8 successes
    2015-10-22 19:30:49 Coco! rolls 7 to Dance above waters! (Dex4+ath3) (10 Again) 10, 3, 7, 9, 3, 1, 9, 2 3 successes

    Teeth gleaming bright, her quarry within sight, the Wasp darted forward, feet springing across the water, her stinger flashing forward to teach them all what true mastery meant...

    Forgot to roll init, but feel free to slot this action into the proper init slot...or make me reroll...either way, Coco will be spending one WP to activate fencing 4 Moulinet to add 4 damage to the attack.
    Pres 3 (Fierce), Dex 4 (Agile), Fairest Dancer/Skitterskulk. Mantle 1: Scent of Pollen

  5. #65
    Malcolm Green's Avatar
    Freehold Pledge: Winter
    Allies (Clubs) 1
    Allies (Emergency Services) 1
    Allies (Unions) 3
    Malcolm Green, the Mountain

    WP: 4/4
    Health: 10/10
    Giant
    Mantle: Bubble of crisp, cold, air surrounds him. Frost rimes his head and shoulders, tracing icy epaulettes.
    Malcolm Green

    Sun Banisher's Oath

    (+1 Investigation, +1 Intimidation) - Winter 2016

    Freehold Pledge

    (+1 Streetwise) - Winter 2016

    Dragon's Bane Pledge

    (+3 Faerie Favour) - Spring 2017
    Greens Scenes

    Dragon Giant|

    3
    PRE

      Green's initiative of 9
    Date Action Roll Result
    2015-10-23 07:12:53 Green for initiative rolls 1 die for initiative 5

  6. #66
    InvertedMonkey's Avatar


      The Sandman's Initiative: 3
    Date Action Roll Result
    2015-10-23 11:17:24 The Sandman rolls 1 die for initiative 3
    Initiative proceeds: Trickster, Coco, Ava, Green, Sandman.

    Trickster

  7. #67
    Lynn Mills's Avatar

    Lynn Mills

    Queen of the Verdant Court
    Darkling Nightsinger/Minstrel
    Presence - 2 Mantle (Spring) - 3 Wyrd - 3

    1
    FAME
    2
    PRE

    Lynn let loose one soft breath, already accepting the pain she knew she would feel momentarily. With a thought, she pushed a precious bit of Glamour into the fiddle, one moment of perfect love that she'd happened to be lucky enough to witness. The air in front of her clouded, what looked like bits of fog drawing themselves out of the fiddle and forming the shape of a man in front of her. It was hard to tell what he might have looked like, all color had been washed from his features long ago. But it was clear what he had meant to Lynn, as a small gasp of pain torn itself from her lips and her eyes filled with well remembered sorrow.

    Lynn pressed her bow to the strings of the fiddle and started playing a dirge of sorrow and rage, fingers dancing as lightly as if she stood on a sunny street corner. This pain, this moment of loss was the price of the fiddle and one she would pay if that's what it took to keep the children of Sacramento safe.

    "For blood my love." She whispered. "To the death."

    The figure before her raised it's hands, sharp claws gleaming for just the briefest moment before it flashed across the cavern and struck at the Sandman.

      2 successes before Defense
    Date Action Roll Result
    2015-10-23 17:41:02 Lynn Mills rolls 7 to attack the Sandman [Dex (3) + Weaponry (2) + Equip Bonus (2)] (10 Again) 2, 6, 1, 10, 5, 2, 3, 10, 2 2 successes

    Inverted - In the past, we've always regarded any damage done by the fiddle like it was a projectile, since ghost claws isn't listed for some reason. For the rest of the scene, Lynn will suffer the mild Derangement - Depression


    @Coco - next up!

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  9. #68
    Coco's Avatar
    Coco!
    Presence
    (Fierce)
    Dexterity
    (Agile)
    Coco

    Mask: A slim, young woman with dyed hair, a mischievous smile, and laughing brown eyes.

    Mien: Coco's eyes are split into four facets that give a kaleidoscope appearance to her irises and two delicate antenna are perched on her forehead. Her nails are also like pieces of black carapace.

    Additional Identifying Features:
    A tattoo of a jeweled wasp sits perched atop a thick and gnarled white "branch" that stretches several inches upwards from her left wrist, though the branch is clearly a scar.

    A tattoo of a frayed, torn, and dirty golden banner trails around her right wrist, with another long scar forming the "mounting" for the banner.
    Coco's Mien

    Coco's eyes are split into four facets that give a kaleidoscope appearance to her irises and two delicate antenna are perched on her forehead. Her nails are also like pieces of black carapace, and her waist is tapered much like a wasps.

    Mantle:
    Surrounding Coco is the subtle sensation of warm sun and the smell of fresh, floral growth.

    3
    PRE

    Wyrd
    ••
    Dancer Skitterskulk

    Water sprayed in arcs from the soles of the Wasp's shoes as she charged the Sandman, her feet flying with such surety that even her high-knee dash through the crystal waters seemed to be the graceful opening steps to a dance. An exquisite, fleeting dance, for as soon as the Wasp was upon the Sandman her stinger flashed out, a sublime line of steel sinking into the demented man's chest, a line that was withdrawn and transformed into fatal arc as the Wasp's wrist swept the blade in a slash towards the man's throat.

    In those moments, all that Coco cared about was achieving perfection in form, elation in motion, artistry through action, all flowing through a moment of pure oblivion outside of the moment...

       7 lethal before defense and the +4 lethal from Moulinet
    Date Action Roll Result
    2015-10-25 00:50:38 Coco! rolls 11 to Dance towards death! (weap4+dex4+spec1+cane2+AoA2-2slippery) (10 Again) 6, 9, 10, 8, 5, 10, 3, 6, 1, 8, 9, 7, 9 7 successes

    -1WP to activate Moulinet, adding +4 lethal to the total damage after defense.
    Pres 3 (Fierce), Dex 4 (Agile), Fairest Dancer/Skitterskulk. Mantle 1: Scent of Pollen

  10. #69
    InvertedMonkey's Avatar


    "You." The Sandman hisses in recognition, as Lynn fits bow to string. He takes an angry step forward, sloshing through the water, and gesturing angrily at her with the broken bottle, "Who is that? Is that the one that's important to you? Old boyfriend? How did you fail him-" before the words are fully formed, the spectre has raced across the cavern to meet him. Shouting in alarm, faint lines of red appear across the Sandman's chest and face as he assailed by the ghost of romance past. Sharp bottle and shank are waved, trying to throw off the phantom, a perfectly exploitable distraction for the Wasp. There is a wet sound, and something like suction, as the sword splits his skin and muscle, and slips between his ribs. With shocking abruptness, the madman freezes, shards of razor-sharp glass mere inches from Coco's face. "Ah," he gasps, pain evident. He might have breathed more, had the blade not swept up and into his throat. Blood flows, hot and rich and red, down from his neck, quickly soaking his shirt. Bubbles form in it, the Sandman's mouth working, face surprised and confused. How is it he cannot draw breath? He's done it before. Every moment of his life. Why should now be different? Then, like a puppet with it's strings cut, he collapses backward into the water. He thrashes a while, kicking up waves and ripples of water. Not very long though. Soon, he grows still. His eyes stare blankly. Every muscle relaxes. Yet he seems smaller even than he did before. Like a bird, thin and bony. Fragile. And now, broken.
    We are out of Initiative. The Sandman has been slain.

    Sorry if this is a bit of a let-down. As I said, we already had the climax of our story, and Pt 3 has all been falling action and conclusion. I hope you've enjoyed yourselves, and it didn't drag on too long. Thanks for putting up with my insanity.

    RP at your leisure. I will remain on-station to continue providing you with whatever information you require. I would like to close the thread in 7 days time.

  11. #70
    Malcolm Green's Avatar
    Freehold Pledge: Winter
    Allies (Clubs) 1
    Allies (Emergency Services) 1
    Allies (Unions) 3
    Malcolm Green, the Mountain

    WP: 4/4
    Health: 10/10
    Giant
    Mantle: Bubble of crisp, cold, air surrounds him. Frost rimes his head and shoulders, tracing icy epaulettes.
    Malcolm Green

    Sun Banisher's Oath

    (+1 Investigation, +1 Intimidation) - Winter 2016

    Freehold Pledge

    (+1 Streetwise) - Winter 2016

    Dragon's Bane Pledge

    (+3 Faerie Favour) - Spring 2017
    Greens Scenes

    Dragon Giant|

    3
    PRE

      
    Date Action Roll Result
    2015-10-27 03:03:29 Green to keep his footing rolls 3 to Dexterity + Athletics - 2 (10 Again) 1, 3, 9 1 success

    The mountain continued lumbering forward, water sloshing thickly around his mighty legs and trunk. He nearly went, flinging out a great arm desperately to purchase the slick walls.

    Green grunted in surprise at the appearance of Lynn's ghostly companion and the undoubted prowess of the Wasp. Carefully placing his feet, he continued to stare at the pair and at the broken Sandman as he slid beneath the watery floor of his habitation.

    "Is it over? Or do you need us to search this place?" The mountain directed his question to Ava.

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