(3.5 IC) End of Fate (B)

[DeTess]

Eria let out a quiet, affirming screech, then set out towards the village once more, keeping her body low and her eight eyes constantly scanning the surroundings for danger.

[Forsaken]

The web holds true. Holding the demonic umbrella in place as Maynard drinks the potion. His body turning completely transparent no longer able to be seen. As you and Eria escape from the umbrella you see more creatures about. Flying ghostly skulls. Chained demons. Wailing women with blood red claws. Strange giants with white eyes standing motionless. More of the undead you fought trying to rescue the captain. The closer you get to the village the numbers start picking up further.

Ten minutes pass. Then twenty, thirty as the potion still holds strong. When almost an hour elapses Maynard realizes the potions, effect is quickly running out. You also notice the grounds around you.

Eria navigating for the both of you sees the situation clearly due to her Darkvision. Maynards fingers slowly begin to flicker indicating the potions time is almost up. Looking around she sees the monsters growing. You know your roughly two hours away from the village. But midnight is quickly approaching. Bunkering down for a few hours might be the better option instead of trying to sneak past all of the creatures. You know you can always leave Maynard behind and make it to the village yourself...but then he will be all alone...

As you look around you do notice a rundown looking hunter's lodge. The roof is shoddy, but it can be enough for some protection. You can also see some larger stones. Maybe you can make a stand there and try holding off your foes. Lastly you can try to run to the village you just know combat can't be avoided with your noticeable companion who isn't the greatest at hiding.

[DeTess]

Eria tugged on Maynard's trouser leg, then guided him towards the lodge. She wasn't settled on a course of action yet, but to discuss the matter she'd need to assume her human form, and she'd prefer doing so somewhere safe.

[zlefin]

Maynard follows to the lodge and stands guard as his companion transforms. He will also carefully look over the lodge from the outside to assess options for fortifying it or concealment, in particular number of entrances and how hard they'd be to cover, and the structural soundness of the lodge, including the possibility of partly caving it in in order to make it more defensible.

It doesn't seem feasible for me to make it into town, nor to get close enough to send up a signal for help, not that I have anything notable to signal with. You're still quite wounded I believe from that things claws earlier. Its a tough call though, while the odds of sneaking are poor, they do say that trying to hide out for the night seldom works either. I've got a small amount of healing I can do, but channeling such energies would attract attention, so its best avoided except for a last ditch attempt to run or avoid death. Not sure what the best odds for your own survival are, your stealth would let you get close to town, but making it all the way would still be some risk, as there's few places to hide in the final stretch. If we both hunker down around here I suspect you'd be better off hiding nearby rather than in here, that way I can aid you if they somehow notice you, but if they only see me you can stay hidden and at least ensure my body makes it back tomorrow. Whereas if you were inside the shack as well they'd surely notice you. Though there are advantages to the hut in terms of shelter and avoiding being surrounded.

Spoiler: OOC: architecture skill roll

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(1d20+5)[25]

[Forsaken]

Peeking into the lodge you can see that there is a hatch in the floor leading downwards to a potential basement or cellar. The lodge itself isn't in as bad shape as it might have seemed from further away. There are two small windows that let you peek in on both sides. In total of 4 small windows. With some work you can either easily block it off or widen it should you choose. The front door is slightly ajar looking like the hinges need to be replaced. Lastly the shingles of the roof might need repair but should still be strong enough to hold out the rain.

(From what you can see from outside. A tiny metal stove with a small chimney. A table with only two chairs. A small collection of books. Titles you are unable to read. A pot on the stove a small bed in the corner with a few blankets and pillows tossed on it. Lastly some herbs dried by the fireplace. Looks dusty like someone hasn't been there in a while. But you can make out a cellar that's partly covered by the rug.

[DeTess]

After taking a moment to transform back, Eria looked around the hut. She quickly found the hidden cellar, and started working on opening it up. "Staying down there might be a good option, but the main issue is that if we are found, you'll have a lot of trouble getting out."

[zlefin]

Maynard will carefully look over the area and help open the cellar door, keeping wary in case something dangerous is lurking in there. He will also try to avoid disturbing the area as much as possible, though some will of course be necessary, and he's not trained to avoid leaving signs.

Aye. In the cellar is less likely to be seen, but harder to escape from. In the shack would still be tricky to escape from though. I think if the cellar seems suitable I'll choose to hide there, because if I am found I suspect I either must kill the foes or die myself, or stall until morning. Even if I could slip past them and get away, I would then be outside and running, more likely to attract further attention from which I could ill-survive. I also want to minimize the look that anyone has even touched this place, as any monsters looking in would then be more likely to pass it over if it looks long disused. Either the cellar or the shack itself features a single main point of entry, though the windows might allow some small fiend or its tendrils to sneak in. The lack of light in the cellar would be harsher, but the walls harder for anything to break through swiftly. Of course we'd need to verify the cellar has no other exits.

[Forsaken]

As you both enter the lodge. Maynard feels an odd feeling. When trying to open the cellar door. Upon casting detect evil you feel a slight evil all around you and the cellar feels almost as powerful as the caves you ventured in earlier but not as strong.

Looking around you. You notice that the door leading out of the hut has vanished as the room starts to warp and change. Seemingly expanding rapidly. Revealing a now very lavish hallway with a door on both of the ends of the hallway. Towards the left side of the hallway there is a set of stairs going up towards the large 15ft door. on the other side its flat leading towards a smaller door. The cellar is still in front of you. But now it's no longer as worn down. It's now made of strong dark wood. Looking especially appealing. Alongside the hallway corridors you see picture frames. Each of the same hallway you are in but in the frames are different people. All whom look half-starved and exhausted basically on the brink of death. On the other side of the hallway directly across from the corresponding picture frame shows their corpses mummified with all the essence drawn from their bodies. Their dead eyes ominous.

Maynards detect evil feels slight evil all around him. It feels like the entire building is alive but stronger evil is still detected in the basement.

Erias wounds are still present.

Lastly you do notice 4 stained windows placed roughly as they were in the lodge but upon looking out you notice a grey landscape with evil creatures in the distance.

(What will you do?)

[zlefin]

Maynard will stand his ground and keep watching around in all directions to see if anything changes.
He'll also toss a couple rocks to see what happens to them, one towards where the door used to be, the other toward the other newly appeared door.


Bleh, another trap, how tiring. Well, the cellar looks too dangerous, the evil coming from it is strong. I'm not sure how much of this is space-warping and how much is illusion. The real question is to what extent we're still in our world; if we are, then waiting for daybreak may be the best plan, as long as this place doesn't attack us directly or seem to be draining us of power swiftly.

[DeTess]

"Maybe..." Eria inwardly cursed herself. This was the second time she'd led them into a trap, even though she was supposed to be the one leading them to safety. "We should still explore this place though, and find a way out." She glanced towards the two doors, as the cellar was out, for now at least. "The large door seems like it leads further in, while the smaller door might lead out? But it could also be the other way around. Do you sense anything from either direction?"

[zlefin]

Maynard ponders thoughtfully, while carefully scanning each direction for any additional info.
Perhaps, exploration carries risks of finding threats though. Given how this thing is changing I suspect finding a way out to be unreliable as it may just be another trick, compared to waiting for daybreak when its magics should fade. I'd guess trying to break out through a window would be our best bet to actually work.

[DeTess]

Eria was pacing back and forth now. She couldn't deny that what Maynard said made sense, but she couldn't help but feel like she should be doing something. "So you're suggesting we just rest here for a bit and hope nothing happens?" She tried her best to keep the tension she felt out of her voice.

[Forsaken]

When the two stones collide with the objects you hear a solid thud. They seem to be solid and not an illusion. So far nothing has happened to either of you.

Spoiler: ooc

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A few hours can pass with nothing changing if you want to explore, search or talk go for it. As currently you as safe as possible lol.

[zlefin]

Maynard will elaborate on his thinking while keeping a watchful eye on the area.

It wouldn't really be 'resting' so much as waiting and watching. I'd want to stay on alert the whole time. It's not really about hoping, though I certainly do hope nothing bad happens. I just suspect that exploring this place is likely to yield a worse outcome than waiting. I assume it's full of traps meant to draw people in, and with its space warping it seems likely that it's very hard to get out of and that any path we follow or explore will result in us being further from an actual means of exit. The one thing I'd really consider trying to do here is to break out through the windows, as those still look to access the real outside. Even if we do manage to escape this thing though, what then? I'll help you escape of course if that's what you want, but I don't like my odds surviving the rest of the night with whats out there. I can't hide that well and there are many foes, nor do I like my odds at reaching town. Whatever this thing is, it seems to want to kill us itself to eat somehow rather than calling in others to do so, and it does not seem to kill fast. As such it seems like waiting here is less likely to result in us having to face more demons beyond our power. I don't know if this thing can distort time, but if it can't then waiting for daybreak should work, or at least weaken it enough that we can escape easier.

[DeTess]

Eria finally stopped her pacing. "You're making sense." She sighed. "I just really dislike the feeling of being locked up, that's all."

[Forsaken]

A few hours pass. Maynard notices Eria is getting thinner. It happened every time her injured side touched the wall. But looks like her cheeks are getting thinner. Upon inspecting the wound, you can see fresh blood dripping from it. Landing on the floor it vanishes. Looking like it was absorbed into the building. Not leaving a trace.

Your sure day break should have arrived by now. Looking out the windows you see hordes of demon's devils and undead roaming around. Alot more than a few hours ago. They aren't approaching the building you are in. Some of the more powerful ones are looking at it. A few meet your gaze sending chills down your spine, but they still don't approach just seem to be waiting.

[zlefin]

It should be well past daybreak by now I think, I've been trying to track the time carefully. If you agree then it's best we start trying to get out now, as further waiting doesn't seem to be doing any good. I'm suspicious of what we're seeing in the windows, while at the start it looked like it normally was, now it seems off compared to what it should really be like outside where we were. How are you feeling? I've still got my small pool of healing, and if you're getting weak it'd be best to restore. As to how to try getting out, hmm, the doors are bound to lead somewhere, but they feel like a trap. I'm inclined to try breaking out the windows, though they're hard to get to now. But first, since these walls seemed to absorb that blood, it stands to reason that they're connected to the fiend somehow, so perhaps we can wound it the same way. Once you're ready I'll start testing that.

Maynard will then wait until Eria is ready and try stabbing the walls in various places with his blade. If there's no response he'll then try to add a very tiny bit of blood to the walls and stab the area as the blood is absorbed.

[DeTess]

"It's mostly the.. whatever it was that that creature did to me that I'm suffering from." Eria replied. "If you can do something about that I'd really appreciate it. Otherwise a bit of help with these cuts would be nice at least."

[Forsaken]

With Maynard's first stabs to the walls but at the mention of blood and blade made contact with the walls you feel the building rumble and then stop. If you try again the blood isn't absorbed as it seems like the building learned what happened. But you do hear the cellar door beginning to rattle as if it's trying to be opened.

[zlefin]

Maynard will apply healing point by point until Eria is topped off. Then begin his aforementioned plan.

[DeTess]

"Well, it didn't like that at least." Eria considered her situation for a moment, and what kind of moves she'd need if they got attacked. "We could try wrecking the place, but I doubt whatever is down in the basement will just sit down and take it. Trying to explore for an exit would only really work if there is one though."

Spoiler: OOC: readied maneuvers

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Readied maneuvers
Shadow blade technique
Burning blade
Mountain hammer
Sudden leap
Counter charge

[zlefin]

Indeed. Though I do wonder what restrictions its under that limit its ability to exit that cellar on its own. It seems doubtful there's an exit that it would let us find, but perhaps it has some limits that require such to exist. The thing in the cellar would probably not be quite as strong if it had to break out of there than if we tried to fight it directly. So, to break through windows, try the doors, just keep breaking stuff, fight in the cellar, or wait and hope something changes. None seem like good prospects. I don't think we have enough leverage to try to force a deal out of this thing or to make it let us go. I am tempted to try wrecking all those picture frames of what are most likely prior victims.

[DeTess]

"I don't think it'll remain confined forever." Eria glanced around. "Let's put some distance between it and us at least." she started walking towards the painting depicting the remains of her and Maynard, and launched a quick jab at it, intent on wrecking the painting. After that she would continue on to the nearest door.

[zlefin]

Maynard will pile the paintings atop the cellar door, and then Maynard will join Eria and cautiously open the nearest door, after stabbing it a few times for good measure, and slashing any of the paintings he walks past, and stabbing the walls a few times.

[Forsaken]

After so much pointless Vandalism you approach the big door. Opening it causiously it reveals a large library. You see books on nice wooden tables the room is brightly lit. A big book lies facing the door you just opened in every language you know you can make out certain lines.

Leave your will in the tomes provided and you may have a peaceful death. Resist and fight and you will have a violent one.

On the tables you see some books with tear stains on the pages. The room seems to have countless thousands of books traveling up three floors. With multiple windows on each floor looking outside. No picture frames in this room though.

[DeTess]

"Nope." Eria cast a single glance at the book, then promptly turned around. "Let's try the other door."

[zlefin]

Agreed, this room shows no promise. Maynard joins Eria in going to try the other door; assuming the windows in this room are similar to the ones in the other room and don't show any links to our world in daytime.

[Forsaken]

Maynard will keep hustling, and once out of range of the umbrella demon (or if it starts breaking free) will take out and drink the invisibility potion while quietly informing his companion.

Whew, that was dangerously close, and it seems we've got more foes coming near, not sure why they aren't attacking. I'm going to try out that invisibility potion, hopefully at least it lasts long enuogh to sneak past the foes near us. Just keep moving at the same pace we've been at and I'll follow as best I can.

Approaching and entering the other room there seems to be another door on the otherside the room has a slight raised circle platform in it. After you both step into the room the door behind you sinks into the ground as the ceiling opens up with a loud clank a metal humanoid figure drops to the ground slowly rising...

Roll for initiative

(1d20+4)[8] enemy initiative.

[zlefin]

Maynard moves forward cautiously and engages the creature, striking it with the silvered blade, though whether that caused any real harm remains to be seen.

Let's assess how tough this creature is, if we can defeat it that's good; otherwise we may need to try to just get through the door on the other side without defeating it, risky though that be.

[DeTess]

Eria silently closes in on the creature, then in one flowing motion leapt up from the ground and landed a kick from above on her opponent, strengthened by her own weight as she came down from the apex of her jump.