Shadows of the Kingdom IC

[Ridai]

Nicholas' eyes alternate between the back door and the shelf for a moment, uncertain what would be the best choice, before he suddenly reaches a conclusion, no doubt also informed by his lack of tools and physical strength. "Through here!" Nicholas tries to lift the shelf (hopefully with the help of the others), revealing the hole below it. There is literally no time to see what lies below, so he can only hope that the "Security" scrawled across the shelf isn't some kind of mockery. Maybe the shelf will hide their escape route once they're through the hole, maybe it'll buy them some time before the creatures manage to break through.

Maybe it'll just muffle the screams.

[Starsign]

Sheila turns to Nicholas as she helps him lift the shelf. "Do we jump?!" She cried out to him. Her heart was racing even if she was sure this would be the best idea. Her turning to Nicholas however made her realize it was the only thing to do. She took the initiative and started crawling her way in, hoping Nicholas was coming just behind.

[Ridai]

Nicholas looks Sheila in the eyes and nods firmly, following right after her with Dave. "Don't stop, I'm right beside you!" No way left but downwards now.

[vikingofdoom]

Dave grabs some boards and planks from the store quickly before hopping into the hole. Once he jumps into the hole into the hole, he looks for an area that could provide a choke-point against the mob of creatures. Once he finds such a location, he hands over his supplies (other than the bedsheet and dagger) to Sheila, mournfully telling her "I should be able to hold them off for a while here. Take these supplies and try to escape this horror here." Afterwards, he tries to set up a blockade with the supplies he grabbed. Once he has done so, he takes his dagger in hand and faces down the oncoming mob of enemies.

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The "blockade" is going to be improvised, so creating an area of rough terrain or cover is the intended goal. Roll is (1d20+2)[9] (accounts for the improvised tools used). DC is likely to be either 5 (for a simple item) or 10 (for a normal item)

[Realms of Chaos]

The Shop:

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Wasting no time, Dave manages to assemble a makeshift barrier of debris across the opening, enough to slow down anybo... anything that enters the cobbler. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the time to move an actual shelf in front of the door.

Despite not being locked by any means, the assembled beings outside opt to knock at the door, hammering relentlessly away at it. With each knock, it feels like the welcoming feeling of the room is been tensed and torn. If it is indeed only this feeling that keeps the monsters at bay, they will be upon you in almost no time at all.

(one last round to prepare yourself).

Current Map

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"SECURITY"

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As Nicholas and Sheila descend into the pit, the air around them seems to shift drastically. Though the warm comfort of the cobbler behind you lingers in the air, everything in the pit seems somehow oppressive and raw. The walls of the pit are covered in a layer of sludge, possibly causing a faster descent than intended (no damage)

The pit seems rather simple in design, devoid of furniture beyond an earthen mound (possibly intended as a table), on which rests a single piece of paper. A bit of light filters into the pit both from above, though it is filtered into an odd shade of red.

As you look around, you notice that the lingering kindness in the air seems to take a dive, recovering for moments at a time before dropping again. It is as though the feeling of sanctity in and of itself is under attack

The pit is 10 x 10 feet. There are no other exits readily visible.

[vikingofdoom]

Dave, before the monsters come streaming in through the door, takes the time to summon an unseen servant, giving it orders to cover up the hole that the others went through with debris and shelves and such. After the spell is complete, he brings his dagger in front of him, whispering to himself "Alright, you shadows. If you want me, try to get me now."

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From here on out, if I don't post again, assume that I am using the total defense action to increase my AC to 16.

[Ridai]

As they are already descending, Nicholas can't really do anything to stop Dave, sliding down into the pit. "Don't play the hero! This is suicide!" is all he manages to shout up towards the hole before it just gets covered up by boards and the shelf again.

"Are you alright?" Nicholas whispers to Sheila, looking around for an exit. And finding nothing. A cold feeling spreads through him, fearing that his decision might have doomed them despite Dave's sacrifice, forcing him to put all hopes into the piece of paper and that the monsters won't find them here. Nicholas picks the sheet up and holds it so that both Sheila and him can see what is written on it.

[Starsign]

Sheila's lips were sealed, as if she didn't want to say anything. The atmosphere now chilled her to such an incredible degree. She could only nod at Nicholas's response and look at the paper along with him.

[Realms of Chaos]

The Cobbler

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As you stare out towards likely doom, arcane might floods back through your veins, carrying with it a hundred silent whispers, all whispering advice juuuuust too quietly for you to properly hear. As you move the shelf back over the hole, the beings rip off the door out of rage and stand before you. Fortunately, it seems that simple happy thoughts continue to keep the beings at bay, even without a single physical barrier. It seems that you can breathe a bit easier and figure another way out of this mess.

Unfortunately, things aren't always as they first seem. Lifting their hands up against the doorway, a couple of the faceless beings seem to literally tear their way through the happiness, causing all emotion and warmth to drain from the room all at once. A couple faceless beings stagger into the doorway, apparently fatigued by the effort. The shadows, hugging tightly against the floor, manage to travel just a bit further, stopping right in front of you.

map

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"SECURITY"

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Reading by the few remaining beams of light passing into the pit, it soon becomes clear that the paper is... odd, to say the least. Hastily scrawled by hand, it appears on first glance to be a rough transcription of a conversation held in the building above, although...


The Paper:

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Ill be there in a second No rush I can wait Endrian is that you No Im your other blacksmith Sorry Ive had a lot on my mind recently That seems to be a common concern nowadays Oh yes Ive heard about the wedding Hmmmph Is something wrong I dont want to talk about it Actually I came over to pick up a new pair of boots My old ones are falling apart and I need to look my best Hello there again children of Daenalus Oh and here I thought that you were sending me an invitation I suppose you could come if you really want to Most of House Adolsis will be attending and Ive got almost nobody of my own to invite Ah I think Ive found the perfect pair Try this on for size Fine Hmmm not bad Not bad at all How much is it Have you already forgotten that it is I who must kill you Consider it an early wedding wedding present dearie Hehehe Now Im really in trouble if things dont go as planned Is there something wrong I cant say Something about Rihan doesnt seem quite right Then again I guess that pups like you might need some assistance Im sure that feeling is natural My father didnt like Argun until years after our marriage No its not just that Really You dont say Im trusting you not to spread gossip bout this Dorris Even if Im right I dont want to get on the bad side of House Adolsis Fine fine my lips are sealed Bow down before me and I might prolong your suffering At first I love the idea of the marriage as much as anyone else I could tell that Rihan loved my daughter and there isnt a whif of scandal about him Even so recently

Both of you may make spot and listen checks.

[Ridai]

Nicholas reads hastily, but can't make much sense out of the contents. But he still refrains from asking Sheila about it. "Wait..." He notices passages that don't seem to... Nicholas begins to read only those ones.

"Hello there again children of Daenalus. Have you already forgotten that it is I who must kill you? Then again I guess that pups like you might need some assistance. Bow down before me and I might prolong your suffering." Nicholas clenches his teeth as the hand holding the paper becomes a fist, wrinkling the document. He lead them into a trap. He failed again. "There must be some way out," he whispers, looking around again.

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Spot (1d20+7)[19]
Listen (1d20+7)[13]

[Starsign]

Sheila reads through the letter, stopping before the last or so paragraph, knowing what it would mean. "Nicholas... It; They were..." She couldn't finish her line, but whoever wrote that letter was expecting them. She quickly looked for a way out.

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Spot check: (1d20+5)[19]
Listen Check: (1d20+1)[2]

[Realms of Chaos]

"Security"

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Looking around, the both of you spot it almost at once. A small glint of metal emerges from the earthen mound on which the paper rested. Almost just as you spot it however, a small part of the world seems to shatter around you. The wafting sensation of peace and warmth from above has suddenly ceased, leaving you in the oppressive darkness.

[Ridai]

Seeing the glint of metal, Nicholas frantically reaches towards it, trying to see what it is, uncover it, whatever might be needed to find a way out for them.

[Starsign]

Sheila, seeing the metal too, goes to grab for it, it was already in possession by Nicholas at the time though; instead she held on to Nicholas's hand, having a feel for a small part of metal she could touch as well.

[Realms of Chaos]

"SECURITY"

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Digging through the mound of earth, a pickaxe is quickly unearthed, buried in wait. The pickaxe's handle is caked with dirt but the metal itself is pristine and covered in layers of barbs.

[Ridai]

The pickaxe rests like a cruel mockery in their dirty hands. Part of Nicholas is ready to just throw it against the wall in frustration, knowing he'll never be able to get through the number of creatures above or solid rock with the time they have. Still, he lightly knocks on the walls because of the very small chance of finding a hollow wall, not knowing what else to do.

[Starsign]

Unknowing of being able to do anything else but follow Nicholas's actions, Sheila begins to lightly bang on the walls as well, slowly growing more desperate as time flew by.

[Realms of Chaos]

The Cobbler:

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The faceless beings walk forwards towards Dave as the shadows, clinging against the floor, unnerringly slide beneathe the shelf (you may make an attack of opportunity).

both faceless beings lash out at you, pounding in your ribs and setting your entire world aflame. You let out a single exasperated scream, more out of pain than of fear for what comes next, before taking in your final breath. As you let it out, you can hear the whisper of an old voice.

"Forgive me"

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(1d20+4)[16]
(1d20+4)[20]
(1d6+2)[3]
(1d6+2)[6]
(1d20+4)[5]

"Security":

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Swinging the pick into the wall, Nicholas discovers a few things. The pickaxe (a light pick for mechanical purposes) digs deeply into the wall with ease, meaning that the earth around you isn't quite as solid as it seems. As you attempt to draw it out, however, a brief stream of black ichor errupts from the wall (make a reflex save).

From up above, the two of you hear a single scream of pain before two shadows slither their way down along the walls. Both shadows depict somewhat feminine silhouettes, though they appear emaciated by all standards.

[Ridai]

As Nicholas tries to dodge the spray of black ooze, more surprised than anything else, but he soon hears the scream and notices the shadows. His eyes widen and a cold feeling spreads through him, making him slam the pickaxe back into the wall where he hit it before, hoping for some kind of miracle that would open an exit for them.

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vikingofdoom isn't around anymore, so there won't be any more actions or rolls.

Reflex (1d20+4)[23]

[Starsign]

Sheila's eyes finally open wide in terror as she makes a dash behind Nicholas. "W...What should I do?!" she called out to him.

[Ridai]

Instinctively, maybe irrationally, Nicholas moves to shield Sheila with his own body as best as he can, from the shadows and the spray from the wall he is furiously hacking away at. Primal fears drive him forward, instinct dictating that he should look out only for himself, to think only about his own survival, but the notion is firmly crushed beneath something much stronger, maybe even unnervingly so. "Stay close to me! I'll get you out of here, no matter what!"

Thoughts

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Nicholas remembers the words spoken to him, that he can't save everyone. And he will save Sheila, the only one left, no matter the cost, empowered by a terrifying resonance from deep within. He doesn't want to be alone. He doesn't want Sheila to be harmed.

[Realms of Chaos]

The two shadows glide down against the far wall, almost appearing to softly land on the ground. As they land, however, the two of them fuse together, forming the silhouette of a young, dishevelled woman. As the shadow stands against the far wall, its shadow starts casting an eerie shadow of its own across the pit, slowly stretching towards Sheila.

As the wall behind you continues to bleed, it also shrinks back away from you, slowly slinking away to reveal a passageway.

Up above, it sounds like the faceless creatures are trashing the cobbler as if searching for something; probably you.

Sheila:

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You hear a soft, familiar voice speak. Though there is no one around to talk, it feels as though the words are being whispered into your ears, if not your head.

"Why do I always run from us..."

[Starsign]

As Sheila sees the silhouette of the woman appear, she had the somehow inevitable urge to ask it, "Who... are you...?" Her voice back to solemn tone, her neutral voice. She slowly drew her crossbow and prepped it, "G...Get back..." Her voice lacked any sort of intimidation. It was almost like she felt calmer despite the continually dire situation; she didn't even try to move away for around, just backed up to the wall. Sheila then took a moment to turn around however, smashing her fists against the wall Nicholas was breaking open, in a futile attempt to assist him.

[Realms of Chaos]

As Sheila pounds against the wall, another surge of ooze splatters from the hole as the wall retreats further. It is now clear that a tunnel is being formed, a tunnel that others seem to have used. Black and white fluids have been used to draw images upon the wall. So far, the only images visible are heaps of dead bodies with xs scratched through them.

The shadow continues kreeping onwards.

Sheila:

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"I... don't understand yet..." says the voice, more of a question than a statement. "we are a... legacy... relic... just another part of his pact. We're sorry... If we say more, we won't be able to save me."

[Ridai]

Nicholas continues to hack into the wall, but once the shadow comes a bit too close, he hands the pickaxe to Sheila and fires a bolt from his crossbow at the creature, moving to shield her with his own body. His hands are trembling a little from the exertion, stress and fear, but his will isn't broken yet.

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Once the shadow has almost reached melee distance, Nicholas fires at the shadow.

Attack (1d20+1)[6]
Damage (1d8)[1]

[Starsign]

As Nicholas moved between her and the shadows, Sheila couldn't find the words to express herself; the only thing she could do was dig at the wall with the pickaxe in desperation. As she did however, she responded to the shadow's words, not through moving her lips, but somehow by thought. "Who's pact? What are you doing?!" By this point Sheila had wondered if she had gone mad.

[Realms of Chaos]

OOC: Sorry for late reply. Had the second, more extreme part of my surgery and pain meds typically don't mix with good posts.

Nicholas lets his bolt fly as the shadow approaches. Though it only taps one of the shadow's extended fingers, it seems to have been more than enough, shattering the shadow into thousands of whisps. The whisps fly across the room, harmlessly passing through the two of you.

The crude paintings on the side of the wall have now become clear. Standing in the center of the large mounds of bodies is a hulking white figure with a gaping hole through its chest. The figure cradles a single limp body in its arms and seems to be howling up at the sky.

Also, a stone stairway upwards (or the start of one) is being revealed at the edge of the tunnel.

Sheila:

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A surge of melancholy and dread, perhaps a final wordless scream, flows through you as the shadows pass through you.

OOC: you are now your shadowcaster self. It's your choice if you feel it right away or if you discover it later.

[Ridai]

Nicholas shivers a little as the motes pass through him and has barely any time to register the imagery on the walls. He uses his bare hands to help widen the path to the staircase enough for them to pass through and ascends the stairs with Sheila, heart beating fast, his skin looking pale.

[Starsign]

OOC

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Ouch man. I feel sorry for you

As the shadows pass through Sheila, she could only make a soft, painful break of a scream before lapsing into silence. She didn't read Nicholas's worry as she helps Nicholas widen the path before grabbing hold of him and hurrying through.

She had only a moment to see the imagery shown. It was almost like a symbolic term of some sort. The look of the pic, a man who sought revenge for the loss of his love... Or a man who went rampage until he slaughtered his own love? Was it even a man at all? The howling seemed like that a call of a werewolf, or a lycanthrope of any sort...

[Realms of Chaos]

The shadow is gone and, after scaling a good ten or twenty steps, a more familiar barrier is revealed as the bleeding dead end shrivels away completely. Before you rests an off-white wooden door, angled towards you. A single rusty doorknob is visible but there are no hinges in sight.