(IC) HtV STL by Night

[Bennosuke]

"Very well," Bill says... or maybe he said, "very good." But now Jen's head is really swimming. Whatever it was that she had drunk was really starting to take over now. Bill's words had sounded far away, or had maybe just been hard to attend to. As Jen is struggling with this thought, she realizes Bill has started to walk away. The others are staring at her, and Jen can't read any of their faces; are they waiting, or watching ruefully, or staring on in utter excitement. Like with Bill's words, it was getting hard to focus on any one person's face, getting hard for Jen to organize her thoughts. Bill's voice breaks through the confusion, commanding, "Follow me." But Jen had not seen Bill's lips move. He hadn't stopped to wait for her either and was now halfway down the transept, walking past the stage with its pulpit and into a rounded hallway that seemed to disappear behind the congregation.

Despite her growing anxiety, Jen follows. Even if she does not want to, she finds her feet disobeying, dragging her unsteadily after Bill. He leads her down the hallway, never looking back. Through a door, the two find themselves in a room without any windows. The same candles that had lit the congregation have been scattered along the floor; a hundred little orange blossoms filling the dark room with light. Though Jen can't place why, there is something specific about the arrangement of the candles on the floor, something organized though she can't appreciate the pattern.

The room would otherwise be empty were it not for a large porcelain bathtub in the center of the room. It looks like an antique; ornately curved like the shape of a boat, and held above the ground with brass legs molded in the shapes of lion's paws. The tub is filled with water, as if a bath had been prepared for Jen, it's dark mirror surface gently shimmering with the yellow and orange light from the candles. "Baptize yourself," Bill commands, his voice echoing through the room, "you may leave your robes on if you choose." For a moment, Jen could swear he were holding a large ornate knife in his hands, but the weapon is gone when her eyes refocus.

[Thundercracker]

"Very well," Bill says... or maybe he said, "very good." But now Jen's head is really swimming. Whatever it was that she had drunk was really starting to take over now. Bill's words had sounded far away, or had maybe just been hard to attend to. As Jen is struggling with this thought, she realizes Bill has started to walk away. The others are staring at her, and Jen can't read any of their faces; are they waiting, or watching ruefully, or staring on in utter excitement. Like with Bill's words, it was getting hard to focus on any one person's face, getting hard for Jen to organize her thoughts. Bill's voice breaks through the confusion, commanding, "Follow me." But Jen had not seen Bill's lips move. He hadn't stopped to wait for her either and was now halfway down the transept, walking past the stage with its pulpit and into a rounded hallway that seemed to disappear behind the congregation.

Despite her growing anxiety, Jen follows. Even if she does not want to, she finds her feet disobeying, dragging her unsteadily after Bill. He leads her down the hallway, never looking back. Through a door, the two find themselves in a room without any windows. The same candles that had lit the congregation have been scattered along the floor; a hundred little orange blossoms filling the dark room with light. Though Jen can't place why, there is something specific about the arrangement of the candles on the floor, something organized though she can't appreciate the pattern.

The room would otherwise be empty were it not for a large porcelain bathtub in the center of the room. It looks like an antique; ornately curved like the shape of a boat, and held above the ground with brass legs molded in the shapes of lion's paws. The tub is filled with water, as if a bath had been prepared for Jen, it's dark mirror surface gently shimmering with the yellow and orange light from the candles. "Baptize yourself," Bill commands, his voice echoing through the room, "you may leave your robes on if you choose." For a moment, Jen could swear he were holding a large ornate knife in his hands, but the weapon is gone when her eyes refocus.

Addled as her brain is, Jen isn’t really listening to Bill, at least not consciously. She kneels down in front of the tub and dunks her face in, water dripping down onto the robe as she lifts up.

[Bennosuke]

The water in the bath is perfectly warm. For a moment while her head is under, she catches sight of something far far away; an impossible hallucination even if her eyes are closed. The woods. Jen's face flushes with cold as she brings her head out from the warm bath water. There is the soft patter of water dripping onto the floor and onto Jen's robes, and the act seems to have brought the world back into a sharper focus.

Behind her, Jen can here Bill say, "I'm uh... you will need to get all the way into the water for the ritual to be complete. It is simply how it is done." Did Bill know what Jen had seen? Is that why he was asking her to climb into the tub?

[Thundercracker]

The water in the bath is perfectly warm. For a moment while her head is under, she catches sight of something far far away; an impossible hallucination even if her eyes are closed. The woods. Jen's face flushes with cold as she brings her head out from the warm bath water. There is the soft patter of water dripping onto the floor and onto Jen's robes, and the act seems to have brought the world back into a sharper focus.

Behind her, Jen can here Bill say, "I'm uh... you will need to get all the way into the water for the ritual to be complete. It is simply how it is done." Did Bill know what Jen had seen? Is that why he was asking her to climb into the tub?

Curious about what she’d seen when she put her head under for that brief second, Jen turned her back and dropped her robe to the ground, then climbed into the tub and ducked her head under to submerge completely.

[Bennosuke]

For a moment, the warm water surrounds Jen. The heat is invigorating, and she reflexively closes her eyes as she finishes submerging her entire body, head dropping below the surface of the dark water.

But when Jen opens her eyes, she finds that she is no longer under the water in the tub. In fact, she finds that not only is she standing back out in the woods, but that standing on her naked feet, dripping warm water in the cool night's air. She is in an all too familiar clearing, dark woods surrounding her in every direction. Scattered in the rough grasses is a blanket of black bird's feathers, sprinkled with the tiny white bones and skulls of long since decayed vermin. The great grandfather tree known as The Crone looms over Jen. When she had last visited, only a day or so ago, the space had been empty, and the Crone itself had seemed sapped of vitality. But somehow this Crone seemed shockingly alive, there was almost a heat emanating from it's surface.

As Jen comes to grasps with her surroundings, she also realizes that there is a certain impossible silence hanging over the area. This feels more like being on The Wytche's island where its black magic twisted reality itself. Somewhere off in the distance, Jen thinks she hears laughter, and a strange scuffling noise, though both might be coming from deep within the tree.

[Thundercracker]

Jen shuddered and tried to convince herself it was just some hallucination caused by whatever she drank. She took a step towards the tree, as that seemed to be the focal point of this vision.

If nothing happens, she continues walking until she’s right up in front of it.

[Bennosuke]

As Jen refocuses her eyes, she sees that The Wytch is actually in the tree. Dark rough bark grew around the creature, covering it from the waist down, so that the Wytch's torso and were suspended in the air about fifteen feet off of the ground. Big round yellow eyes glowed, staring down at Jen from behind a long hooked nose. "Did you think I was dead," the thing shrieks, speaking in a cadence that was too natural, too human, "Did you really think you could hurt me?" It pointed a long finger with gnarled and curling nail down at Jen, as it mocked her.

[Thundercracker]

As Jen refocuses her eyes, she sees that The Wytch is actually in the tree. Dark rough bark grew around the creature, covering it from the waist down, so that the Wytch's torso and were suspended in the air about fifteen feet off of the ground. Big round yellow eyes glowed, staring down at Jen from behind a long hooked nose. "Did you think I was dead," the thing shrieks, speaking in a cadence that was too natural, too human, "Did you really think you could hurt me?" It pointed a long finger with gnarled and curling nail down at Jen, as it mocked her.

“Yeah,” Jen replied. She cast her gaze about looking for something to attack the Wytch or the tree with, even a large rock would do.

[Bennosuke]

A cackle echoes throughout the clearing, though it does not seem to come from the Wytch specifically. However, the haggard impossible thing opens it mouth and replies in a creaking animal voice, "My kind are deathless. I roamed these woods before the settlers, before the dark skinned natives, before the rabbits and deer walked through this land." The bark of The Crone seemed to be climbing up the pale flesh of The Wytch, pulling the creature with its pallid skin and hanging withered breasts into the tree.

The forest floor is littered with small skulls and desiccated bones, though most of them look rather light and unlikely to have much "stopping power". Jen could perchance go rummaging through the scattered feather for the likes of a large stone, but that might mean taking her eyes off of the Wytch for an extended period.

[Thundercracker]

A cackle echoes throughout the clearing, though it does not seem to come from the Wytch specifically. However, the haggard impossible thing opens it mouth and replies in a creaking animal voice, "My kind are deathless. I roamed these woods before the settlers, before the dark skinned natives, before the rabbits and deer walked through this land." The bark of The Crone seemed to be climbing up the pale flesh of The Wytch, pulling the creature with its pallid skin and hanging withered breasts into the tree.

The forest floor is littered with small skulls and desiccated bones, though most of them look rather light and unlikely to have much "stopping power". Jen could perchance go rummaging through the scattered feather for the likes of a large stone, but that might mean taking her eyes off of the Wytch for an extended period.

“Before the deer and the rabbits? Where the hell did you come from?” Jen asked.
She stopped looking for a weapon momentarily, as her interest was piqued.

[Bennosuke]

"That is a good question," The Wytch replies, throwing back its head to cackle. This time the noise does come from the creature, and although not deafeningly loud, the peels of crazed laughter seem to fill the entire clearing. Returning its attention to Jen, The Wytch says, "So you wish to join my Hunters? Do they understand that they can never truly win? Do they see I will never truly die?"

[Thundercracker]

"That is a good question," The Wytch replies, throwing back its head to cackle. This time the noise does come from the creature, and although not deafeningly loud, the peels of crazed laughter seem to fill the entire clearing. Returning its attention to Jen, The Wytch says, "So you wish to join my Hunters? Do they understand that they can never truly win? Do they see I will never truly die?"

"If you're alive, that means you can die," Jen said as she resumed her search for a weapon, "there's always a first time, after all. And even if I can't kill you, I'll settle for imprisoning you until the end of time."

[Bennosuke]

"Your mortal understanding of existence is... pathetic," the Wytch sneers. Its eyes glowed round and bright and yellow under the dark starless sky, turning the clearing the color of urine. As the thing mocks Jen, she continues to scan the are for anything that could be turned into a weapon. She was relying on the light from its eyes. But when Jen looked back up at the thing, she saw that now more of its body was pulled into the tree. It has sunk past its abdomen so that now only its upper torso, arms and head were free. There was something frantic in The Wytch's gestures. Though she could not see it actively happening, she got the sense that The Wytch was somehow being pulled deeper and deeper inside the tree.

(OOC: Wanna give me Wits + Survival)

[Bennosuke]

The process of sublimation appears to move faster and faster, the Wytch suddenly being pulled back and down as its body sinks into the tree. Tendrils of bark and fingerlike vines stretch out over the monster's arms as it suddenly shrieks in horror, the noise akin to the yowl of some feral cat. Soon, there is little more than the Wytch's face visible behind the growing bark, as if the thing were looking through an owl's hollow. Yellow eyes stare at Jen with terror.

As the last bits of tree plaster over The Wytch, Jen is suddenly struck by sudden cold. There is the splash of water as Jen's face, neck, then torso crest through the water of the tub. Her eyes open to reveal the room, much as she had left it before the vision; though perhaps the world was in slightly sharper focus.

Bill is standing by the door, turned away from Jen as if for once respecting her nakedness. Without turning he says, "The vision I assume you had; it was for you, and you alone." The air in the room is frigid against Jen's wet skin. The candles still flicker all over the floor, like a reverse starry sky.

[Thundercracker]

The process of sublimation appears to move faster and faster, the Wytch suddenly being pulled back and down as its body sinks into the tree. Tendrils of bark and fingerlike vines stretch out over the monster's arms as it suddenly shrieks in horror, the noise akin to the yowl of some feral cat. Soon, there is little more than the Wytch's face visible behind the growing bark, as if the thing were looking through an owl's hollow. Yellow eyes stare at Jen with terror.

As the last bits of tree plaster over The Wytch, Jen is suddenly struck by sudden cold. There is the splash of water as Jen's face, neck, then torso crest through the water of the tub. Her eyes open to reveal the room, much as she had left it before the vision; though perhaps the world was in slightly sharper focus.

Bill is standing by the door, turned away from Jen as if for once respecting her nakedness. Without turning he says, "The vision I assume you had; it was for you, and you alone." The air in the room is frigid against Jen's wet skin. The candles still flicker all over the floor, like a reverse starry sky.

Jen, eager to be out of the tub and get as far away from the vision as quickly as possible, all but leaps out and throws her robe back on, dragging it over wet skin and ignoring the water dripping down her back.

“That was messed up,” she said, “what happens next?”

“Should I go back and destroy that tree?” she thought.

[Bennosuke]

Bill twists his neck around to look over his shoulder. Confirming that Jen has her robe back on he points uncomfortably over to the wall, where a dirty looking bath towel hangs unevenly. He turns all the way around to answer. "Well, that's basically it," he says with a shrug, "finish drying yourself up, and I will bring you out to the group as our newest Sister." He tilts his head slightly to the side, and scratching at his neck-beard, says with concern, "How are you feeling?"

[Thundercracker]

Bill twists his neck around to look over his shoulder. Confirming that Jen has her robe back on he points uncomfortably over to the wall, where a dirty looking bath towel hangs unevenly. He turns all the way around to answer. "Well, that's basically it," he says with a shrug, "finish drying yourself up, and I will bring you out to the group as our newest Sister." He tilts his head slightly to the side, and scratching at his neck-beard, says with concern, "How are you feeling?"

"Really, really weird. What the hell was in that drink you gave me?" she asked.

[Bennosuke]

Jen's reply brings a grin to Bill's face. "Honestly, you don't want to know," he says with a chuckle, clearly relaxing now that Jen is no longer naked, and seems to relatively cogent. He takes a step closer, careful not to knock over any of the meticulously placed candles. In a hushed voice he says, "Well, that's basically it. We're gonna go back out their and you'll be one of us. I'm so glad you came around. I hope that maybe Frank will reconsider." He pauses for a moment, perhaps hoping Jen will give him some good news on this front. Regardless of if she replies, he will add, "Anything else you want to ask before we go back out there? It's basically gonna be a party the rest of the night. Hope you are feeling up to it."

[Thundercracker]

Jen's reply brings a grin to Bill's face. "Honestly, you don't want to know," he says with a chuckle, clearly relaxing now that Jen is no longer naked, and seems to relatively cogent. He takes a step closer, careful not to knock over any of the meticulously placed candles. In a hushed voice he says, "Well, that's basically it. We're gonna go back out their and you'll be one of us. I'm so glad you came around. I hope that maybe Frank will reconsider." He pauses for a moment, perhaps hoping Jen will give him some good news on this front. Regardless of if she replies, he will add, "Anything else you want to ask before we go back out there? It's basically gonna be a party the rest of the night. Hope you are feeling up to it."

“Ehhh… now that you mention it, there is something,” Jen replied, “a guy who helped out against the Wytch says something is after him. Something unnatural. He needs a place to hole up for a while. I’m thinking he can crash here and tell us his story… maybe we can help figure out what it is and or kill it. He’s agreed to trade some weapons, so it’s not like it’s charity. Plus we never would have gotten the Wytch if it wasn’t for him, so…”

[Bennosuke]

Bill frowns, his chubby lips pursing as if he had sucked a lemon. "Well that's a big ask," he says, pausing to take a long sigh. His hand comes up reflexively to scratch at his beard, and he sighs a second time before replying. After he finishes the exhale he says, "To be honest, I'm not sure it's a good idea your friend stays... here at the church. It's kind of where we keep a lot of the secrets of our Brotherhood... but if it means a lot to you, I'm sure we can find him a place to stay. I mean, I've got an extra couch at my place, but I guess I gotta know what he thinks is after him."

[Thundercracker]

Bill frowns, his chubby lips pursing as if he had sucked a lemon. "Well that's a big ask," he says, pausing to take a long sigh. His hand comes up reflexively to scratch at his beard, and he sighs a second time before replying. After he finishes the exhale he says, "To be honest, I'm not sure it's a good idea your friend stays... here at the church. It's kind of where we keep a lot of the secrets of our Brotherhood... but if it means a lot to you, I'm sure we can find him a place to stay. I mean, I've got an extra couch at my place, but I guess I gotta know what he thinks is after him."

"Okay, seems fair. Let's talk to him first and figure out what to do next," Jen replied, "sound good?"

[Bennosuke]

"Sounds good," Bill replies. He gives Jen a moment longer to finish drying off, and preparing however she needs, then offers to lead her back out of the room. When the two get back to the sept, the rest of the Brotherhood cheer and greet Jen as if it were a surprise birthday party. She is offered hugs and handshakes and someone drops a pair of cold Bud Lights into her hands, whether or not she really wants them. Despite their prior conversation, neither Bill nor anyone else seems willing to let Jen out to go get Seth or Frank.

(OOC: Happy to let you RP out anything during the party you might like, otherwise moving things on)

Only after an hour of real redneck celebrations do things start to die down. Bill has gone from pale and flabby to flushed and sweaty. He throws an arm around Jen's shoulder as if she were "one of the boys", so that she can smell all of his smells (and feel them setting into her skin), and hollers over the blasting country music, "Do you want to go talk to your friend now? You said you left him outside somewhere?"

[Thundercracker]

"Sounds good," Bill replies. He gives Jen a moment longer to finish drying off, and preparing however she needs, then offers to lead her back out of the room. When the two get back to the sept, the rest of the Brotherhood cheer and greet Jen as if it were a surprise birthday party. She is offered hugs and handshakes and someone drops a pair of cold Bud Lights into her hands, whether or not she really wants them. Despite their prior conversation, neither Bill nor anyone else seems willing to let Jen out to go get Seth or Frank.

(OOC: Happy to let you RP out anything during the party you might like, otherwise moving things on)

Only after an hour of real redneck celebrations do things start to die down. Bill has gone from pale and flabby to flushed and sweaty. He throws an arm around Jen's shoulder as if she were "one of the boys", so that she can smell all of his smells (and feel them setting into her skin), and hollers over the blasting country music, "Do you want to go talk to your friend now? You said you left him outside somewhere?"

Jen, still wearing the robe, has one beer out of politeness and hangs out for a bit until Bill suggests getting the others.

“I think we should tell everyone first,” Jen said.

She heads over to where the music is playing and makes a motion that she wants to speak.
“Thank you everyone, for having me, I’m looking forward ti learning more. If it wasn’t for y’all, that witch would still be running around, so.. thank you,” she said.
She waits for any reaction to die down.
“things are moving now. There was someone else who helped us out, and he says something unnatural is after him. I owe him one because if it wasn’t for his connections, the Wytch would have killed us. He’s just outside now, I’d like to invite him in so we can hear his story, and maybe see if we can help him out, or at least figure out what’s going on.”

[Bennosuke]

No one pays much attention to the fact that Jen's taking it slow with the beer. That said, something in the very very light beer, seems to send pulses of poison she had drunk back to her head every now and then; not when she immediately takes a sip, but still, the intoxication lingers.

Bill looks hesitant when Jen says she wants to tell everyone, and even opens his mouth; though nothing comes out.

The conversation between the members of the Brotherhood dies down when Jen gets up and begins speaking, all eyes slowly drawn to her. There is some low chatter and someone even hoots when Jen thanks everyone, but they all quickly become silent as she keeps speaking. The crowd remains silent, even confused looking after Jen finishes. The gathered cult members begin to look around, trying to gauge how to react based on everyone else. Finally, Alexandra steps forward and with a stern glare says, "What do you mean? Other supernatural? There's only the Wytch, and we killed it. What other supernatural?"

Others murmur in agreement.

[Thundercracker]

“That’s what I want to find out,” Jen replied, “should we talk to him, or leave him outside?”

[Bennosuke]

The gathered cult members break into a low uncoordinated chatter at this, and at first no one replies to Jen's question. Many don't dare look at her, and there are hints of disdain and disapproval in their whispered tones. Finally Bill steps forward, offering a weak smile. "Why don't you and I go. I don't think it's a good idea to bring him in here, especially tonight."

Mumbled words of affirmation roll over Bill and Jen at this, and he loops an arm around Jen's to begin leading her down the rows of pews towards the lobby. When they are all the way down the congregation Bill says in just above a whisper, "Sorry. Despite everyone's willingness to believe in the Wytch, we're really a group of skeptics. Probably better to get some more information before making a big deal of this." His words are a little forced, perhaps even a little annoyed.

Pushing through the lobby, Bill opens the door and a cold rush of air floods into the lobby. Outside, the sky is near starless, and the street is empty, except for Frank and his car. Jen's friend is seated on the hood of his car, looking cold an uncomfortable. Even from across the street, Jen can see that Seth is still in the back of the car. Frank looks up from his phone, a confused look on his pale and tired face.

[Thundercracker]

The gathered cult members break into a low uncoordinated chatter at this, and at first no one replies to Jen's question. Many don't dare look at her, and there are hints of disdain and disapproval in their whispered tones. Finally Bill steps forward, offering a weak smile. "Why don't you and I go. I don't think it's a good idea to bring him in here, especially tonight."

Mumbled words of affirmation roll over Bill and Jen at this, and he loops an arm around Jen's to begin leading her down the rows of pews towards the lobby. When they are all the way down the congregation Bill says in just above a whisper, "Sorry. Despite everyone's willingness to believe in the Wytch, we're really a group of skeptics. Probably better to get some more information before making a big deal of this." His words are a little forced, perhaps even a little annoyed.

Pushing through the lobby, Bill opens the door and a cold rush of air floods into the lobby. Outside, the sky is near starless, and the street is empty, except for Frank and his car. Jen's friend is seated on the hood of his car, looking cold an uncomfortable. Even from across the street, Jen can see that Seth is still in the back of the car. Frank looks up from his phone, a confused look on his pale and tired face.

Jen walked up to the car.
“Bill wants to hear your story, why don’t you tell all of us at once and then we can figure out what comes next,” Jen said.

[Bennosuke]

Bill follows Jen up to the car. With the introduction he puts on a smile, thought its tight and forced and he says, "Uh, hey. Bill. Nice ta meet ya." He leans over the side of the car where Seth is sitting. "Jen told me you might need protection, and that something... strange has been happening to you?" he says, his voice rising up in a question as he tries not to sound judgmental.

"I don't. I need a place to hide," Seth replies from inside the car, his bloodshot eyes staring up at Bill, "There is... something after me." He leans over and pushes the door open. Bill steps back to let Seth out of the car. Bill was a big guy, both in height and in girth, but Seth was almost a half-head taller. He adds, "I can defend myself, but I'd rather not have to, and hopefully it doesn't know I'm here."

"I see," Bill says slowly, shooting Jen a questioning, maybe even nervous glance.

[Thundercracker]

Bill follows Jen up to the car. With the introduction he puts on a smile, thought its tight and forced and he says, "Uh, hey. Bill. Nice ta meet ya." He leans over the side of the car where Seth is sitting. "Jen told me you might need protection, and that something... strange has been happening to you?" he says, his voice rising up in a question as he tries not to sound judgmental.

"I don't. I need a place to hide," Seth replies from inside the car, his bloodshot eyes staring up at Bill, "There is... something after me." He leans over and pushes the door open. Bill steps back to let Seth out of the car. Bill was a big guy, both in height and in girth, but Seth was almost a half-head taller. He adds, "I can defend myself, but I'd rather not have to, and hopefully it doesn't know I'm here."

"I see," Bill says slowly, shooting Jen a questioning, maybe even nervous glance.

"Can you tell us anything about what's after you, how it got stirred up in the first place, and how you know it's after you?" she asked, "even if it sounds crazy.. we're uhh, used to that kind of thing."

[Bennosuke]

Seth gives Jen a blank stare, and replies, "I don't think you'll believe me." He turns to Bill and adds, "But I'm willing to pay, so even if you don't, it hopefully shouldn't matter."

(OOC: Wanna give me an appropriate roll to get Seth to spill the beans. We'll use his Composure as a -3 modifier)