Earthen Rite's Alone Against the Flames IC

[EarthenRite]

(1d100)[28](28)

And when she leaves Victor will get out of bed as quietly as possible and get low to breathe better. Fire was a dreaded danger in his profession.

[zingbobco000]

Sorry are you putting out the fire or are you just kinda letting it be and breathing it in?

[EarthenRite]

Basically getting low, so I don’t breathe as much in, then going over to try to tamp it out, them going back to the bed to continue the ruse of still being asleep to see what happens.

[zingbobco000]

You continue to lie down for fifteen minutes or so, but at this point you're unsure what exactly will happen. You're getting rather tired, but you feel like if you wanted, you could stay up for the entire night.
----

Shall you get some sleep so that you're well rested? Or stay up for the entire night?

[EarthenRite]

I will sleep but I’m collecting some of that powder before I do so, and keep it hidden.

[zingbobco000]

Emberhead, 8:37 AM, September 3rd, 1921

You awaken to the sound of feet in the street outside. Your night’s rest has brought a new determination. Today, you will meet Emberhead on your own terms.
----

You regain 1 hit point if you've lost any (which you haven't).
----

The Ledbetter kitchen is empty, although bread and eggs have been laid out for your breakfast. There is a note from May explaining that she has taken Ruth out for a few hours.

You make a quiet circuit of the village, pausing in unobtrusive places to watch the villagers. It is rather busy for this time in the morning. Yawning locals stream back and forward along the roads, carrying bundles of split logs to the site of what you’ve heard referred to as the Beacon. You see two figures already up in its superstructure, arranging the wood. The Festival bonfire will be most impressive. But do you intend to stay to see it? You suspect by now that something is amiss here.
While the villagers are distracted, you may do quite a bit illicit investigation. Or you may simply leave town without looking back.
----

Some things that may cross your mind could be: Searching May's bedroom after that stint with the powder, checking that weird boarded-up building in the Artisan's courtyard, going alone to the village hall after talking with Mr. Winters, or spying on activity at the beacon.

Alternatively, you could also just get the heck out of here.

[EarthenRite]

Alright, so I’m going to take some of that stuff she dumped in my fireplace and dump it in hers while I check out her room.

Then, after that, I’m getting out. This place would be definitely starting to creep Victor out.

[zingbobco000]

Despite her hospitality, you do not trust May Ledbetter. You return to her house quite openly. Where else would you go? Inside, the dwelling is still empty. You rap on the bedroom door and wait. Silence. You ease it open.
The Ledbetter bedroom is in marked contrast to your own, neat space. Dirty clothes are piled about the floor. On a rough quilt lie schoolbooks and cheap novels. You notice a raggedy old doll discarded down the side of the bed. You dump the strange powder into her fireplace and begin to look around.
----

Please give me a Spot Hidden roll.

[EarthenRite]

Spot Hidden - (1d100)[60](60)

[zingbobco000]

You go through the Ledbetters’ drawers. The only item of interest you find is a wedding photograph. May’s husband was a wiry man with a square chin. Despite the formality of the pose, you can see the affection between them. You feel a pang of guilt at your intrusion, but then again, she did try and put something in your room. Also, May might return at any time.
----

If you would like, you may Push the roll by spending more time here and rolling your Spot Hidden (you consider yourself an amateur in this field) again. However, if you fail again, the result will be worse than just normally failing.

[EarthenRite]

I’m going to try it. I’ll push. Fortune favours the bold, right?

(1d100)[25](25)

[zingbobco000]

You notice scrapes on the floorboards corresponding to the legs of the bed. With effort, you slide the bed away. There is a rug spread beneath it, and beneath the rug, a trapdoor. You ease it open. The dark space beneath is some kind of cellar.
----

Shall you delve deeper...?

[EarthenRite]

Oh absolutely...its the closest I’ve come to answers so far!

[zingbobco000]

Yes... answers... definitely not terrifying answers...
----

The daylight barely offers enough illumination to see, but a hot lantern during daytime would be very suspicious. You squeeze beneath the floor and glance around.
Your first impression is that May keeps her junk here, for there are many boxes of different sizes piled in untidy heaps. It takes a few seconds before you realize they are all traveling trunks, or suitcases. There are about twenty of them.
The implication hits you hard. Yet you maintain enough control to check the luggage tags. You count eight or nine different names before you stop. Scrambling back up to the bedroom, you close the trapdoor with trembling fingers, returning the bed to its place. With a mad dash you get out of the house... something is wrong here.

Emberhead, 10:02 AM, September 3rd, 1921

As you make it back to the center of town, you feel a deepening unease about Emberhead and this day in particular.
----

To repeat some of the things I mentioned: Checking that weird boarded-up building in the Artisan's courtyard, going alone to the village hall after talking with Mr. Winters, spying on activity at the beacon, or just getting out.

[EarthenRite]

Ohhh running. All the running. Victor has now put this together. Racing away!

[zingbobco000]

First you look off, and you realize that the only way out of this town, unless you want to fall to your death, would be out the roads. As you approach the southern road that descends to the lower ridge, you see four villagers blocking the route, with farm tools and clubs. You veer off and head towards the west road. Your heart sinks as you see exactly the same scene at the other exit from the village. You are trapped...
----

Uh-oh...

[EarthenRite]

Have I seen those villagers before? If I *haven’t* ...I’m going to try to talk my way past them. I can charm them maybe? I know I can’t fight them.

[zingbobco000]

Have I seen those villagers before? If I *haven’t* ...I’m going to try to talk my way past them. I can charm them maybe? I know I can’t fight them.

You have not seen the villagers before, so I guess you're going to try and talk to them.
----

The southern group appears less sharp than the western group. However, despite you not noticing them, they seem to recognize you, so you're not sure if just charming your way past these buffons will work...

[EarthenRite]

Do I think any social method will get me by them?

[zingbobco000]

Do I think any social method will get me by them?

Well, again, like in D&D anything will theoretically work it's just a matter of difficulty. Nevertheless, I'll go over each of the methods:
Charm - using flattery or trying to befriend someone (or seduction)
Fast Talk - Basically bamboozling someone, whether you're telling them the truth or lying (although normally it is deceptive in nature)
Intimidate - using aggression or threats of violence
Persuade - taking a long time (30 min.+ normally) to use rational arguments and debate (normally honest in nature but not necessarily)

[EarthenRite]

Fast Talk looks like my best option then!

I’ll provide a roll... (1d100)[91](91)

Edit:...I’m going to die!

[zingbobco000]

You stride up to them and explain they are needed at the Beacon. They look dubious. You offer to watch the road for them and hold out your hand for a pitchfork.
“Nah. You come with us,” says the first one. His ape-like brow bends into a frown.

These locals are not as stupid as you think. They grab you and march you back into the center of the village.

The fading light from a narrow window tells you afternoon is giving way to evening. Your hands are shackled behind your back so you cannot even lie down on the rough bed. A woman you have not seen before comes in. Her face is wrinkled and her eyes dull. They do not meet yours, but she puts a cup to your lips.
----

Shall you accept?!

[EarthenRite]

No, Victor will resist in all ways possible. Whatever they are doing cannot be to help him. And, of course, he’s looking for a way out.

[zingbobco000]

You turn your face away, and when she tries again, you dash the cup from her hands using the side of your head. The clear liquid spills across the floor.
The woman gives a half-shrug and turns to leave the room. You shout after her, but she gives no reaction.
You find absolutely no means of egress in this damp, dank chamber.
You soon become thirsty.

As the light fades outside, your little prison becomes dark. You can hear much activity around the building. Occasionally an orange glow passes the window. The only comfortable position in the shackles seems to be to sit against the end of the bed with your arms hanging behind you.
You need to concentrate and come up with a plan. There is clearly no escape from your bonds. You do not know exactly what your captors want from you, but you cannot ignore the fact that they have spent the entire day constructing a massive bonfire.

The door scrapes, wrenching you back into the moment. Orange light spills into the house from blazing torches held at the threshold. Two large villagers step in and grab you. At least, you assume they are villagers. They wear heavy black cloaks, and their faces and hands are painted entirely black, save only for a red triangle centered on their left eye.
You try to drag your legs, but they reach under your arms and lift you bodily from the bed. Outside, it seems that the whole village has congregated to see you. Every single one has a blackened face with the red triangle motif. Torches sputter and spill fire.
You struggle, but you can see physical resistance is hopeless. You are marched to the central street and turned to face the Beacon.



The procession down The Approach is slow and formal, save when you sense weakness and yank at your captors. A chill touches you when you see three human shapes carried ahead of you, draped in red cloth. The Beacon looms larger and larger, its dreadful silhouette a black triangle pointing to the stars. A low drone begins among the cloaked figures—unbidden, the word mourners comes to mind. Smoke from their torches makes you cough. You feel heat on your face.
As you reach the cleared area around the Beacon, three dancers break from the pack: young girls swinging balls of fire in spectacular arcs, drawing circles in the night air. One by one, they draw close to you and touch your forehead with sooty fingers. Each kisses you three times: on the left cheek, right cheek, then forehead. Then they whisper in your ear. The smell of kerosene fills your nostrils.
----

Please give me an Appearance roll!

[EarthenRite]

Appearance... (1d100)[67](67)

[zingbobco000]

“Through your sacrifice the village will be reborn,” says the first dancer.
“You pass from earth to air for all our sakes,” says the second.
““Through incandescence may you find rapture,” says the third.
Their dance weaves off and disappears behind the buildings.

As you arrive beneath the beacon, ten villagers close in on you. Working with surprising coordination, they immobilize you and lift you up the blackened iron stairs to the raised platform. You cannot help but shiver at the sight of the central framework, twisted from past blazes, and what you can now clearly see to be fastening points for chain. None of the eyes meet yours as they lash you to the metal.
The village sings now, something rhythmic and ancient, carved from odd syllables. A second group ascends to the Beacon, carrying the three red-draped bodies. With reverence, they arrange their burdens in a triangle around your feet. Then they withdraw, leaving you alone with the dead, shin-deep in a sea of kindling.

It seems the entire village is gathered around the Beacon to watch you burn. Behind the face paint, you recognize May Ledbetter, and—yes, that is Silas the coach driver standing at her side. The audacity and scale of the deception staggers you. A man steps up on a dais and raises his hands with quiet authority. The frame of his spectacles obscures the red triangle on his face.
“So we draw here together again on this night, as we do each year, and we give thanks to the one who will preserve the village against the fire of the void. You will be taken by the Ones From Above in our stead. Your death will bring life to our streets and bounty to our fields. It will safeguard our children and our elders alike for another year. We salute you.” He bows his head.
All around the Beacon, bearers step forward and lift their torches to the edge of the raised platform. A ring of tiny flames flicker up around the perimeter. As they wink, the singing of the villagers drops into an unearthly rhythm. They stare at you, and you stare back, watching as you are held clearly in their vision.
----

Would you like to throw all of your remaining strength against the bonds right now or wait for a moment and see what happens?

[EarthenRite]

Nope, not waiting in the slightest. Victor is going to throw everything against those bonds and try to get some adrenaline to help push him through.

[zingbobco000]

Please give me a Strength roll then.

[EarthenRite]

Strength roll - (1d100)[27](27)

[zingbobco000]

You’re tired, and your flesh ought to be insufficient against the dark iron of the chains. Yet you can feel them give a little. There is a weakness in one of the links.
----

I realize now that this was actually a Hard strength roll, my apologies.
----

The flames snake across the kindling, catching and rising. Smoke rises and it becomes difficult to see the villagers. The three bodies surrounding you catch fire, blazing with sooty red flames. You begin to cough as the smoke enters your lungs, and fight down the urge to panic.

Flames lick at your legs. Your eyes water. You are shrouded in smoke. It might be your imagination, but you think you can feel a slight give in the chains. You throw yourself against them, giving no thought to how they bite into your wrists.
----

You take 3 damage from the flames. Give me one more Strength roll (this one is normal)