Into the Ruins - Exalted 3e IC

[Chowlett]

Silent Glade looks around the inn with evident discomfort at being so close to so many people in a - comparatively - enclosed space. With a woodsman's instincts, he attempts to put his back to a wall and sink into the shadows from where he can quietly watch and listen to the goings on of the locals.

 

[Eonivar]

Mercy tried to remained poised and calm, lowering her hood and adjusting her hijab. Everyone spoke a foreign tongue that she did not know, and this made her very uneasy. She continued to look about with her spirit sight, she also looked for any sort of wards or sorcery that would protect the inn from whatever it was that haunted them outside at night.

Once sat she reached for the offered food and drink and listened to the conversation of her friends.

 

[Psychie]

After everyone has gotten their food and drink order from the serving girl, you get a chance to sit back and relax as you dig in. True to the word of the gate guard, the brew is quite good, rich and flavorful, and it is very enjoyable. The bowls of stew are also quite good, and you soon find the grumbling in your bellies fading away as you eat.

As you are enjoying your meal, you can feel that the general spirit of the people in the room is getting very dark, and the amount of idle conversation is fading down to almost nothing. The older man that was behind the bar comes from around the counter and walks over to your table. In a gruff voice, he says, "It's nearly nightfall. You have your rooms waiting for you up on the third floor. I suggest you make your way upstairs and bar your doors. Trust me, you don't want to be down here before too much longer."

jaydude Rykon Sherwood Eonivar Chowlett Purr

 

[jaydude]

"You have our thanks, sir. But tomorrow morning, I would like to ask about these nightly spells of madness." Grey Stone replied, before he turned to his companions.

"I don't think there's much to do except wait, and perhaps observe as best as we can from our rooms. The way these people are acting, they may well be too agitated by the hour to talk freely." he said to them in a quiet rumble.

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 1
Personal Essence: 13/13
Peripheral Essence: 28/33
Anima: Glowing

Willpower: 6/7
Join Battle: 5
Health Levels: -0, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -3, Incapacitated
Resolve 3, Guile 1

Attacks
Faith's Pillar (10 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 18, Overwhelming 5, Bashing, Melee, Reaching, Smashing, Two-Handed)
Unarmed (13 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 15, Overwhelming 1, Bashing, Brawl, Grappling, Natural)

Actions
Rush: 6
Disengage: 6

Evasion 4, Parry 4
Soak/Hardness: 4/0

 

[Rykon]

"In my experience, strikes dealt by a blunt weapon are not quite as irrevocable as those dealt by a sharp one." Grey Stone replied, sensing an implication that they might have to deal with maddened locals. "I am also a divinely-empowered master of Earth Dragon Style. As long as we are only dealing with mortals, I have faith in my ability to subdue without death."

"If there's magic at work here, the 'just mortals' caveat is not quite a safe assumption I think. I may not be some sorcerer or shaman, but I know enough about magic to realize we should be a bit generous in estimating our potential opponent's capabilities." The merchant sighed, "That all said, we are the children of the Most High. I wouldn't expect a ritual of this scale to make them individually a match for one of us. So long as we can strategically make our stand, I'm feeling fairly good about our teamwork. It's mostly the mystery aspect that has me on edge now."

As you are enjoying your meal, you can feel that the general spirit of the people in the room is getting very dark, and the amount of idle conversation is fading down to almost nothing. The older man that was behind the bar comes from around the counter and walks over to your table. In a gruff voice, he says, "It's nearly nightfall. You have your rooms waiting for you up on the third floor. I suggest you make your way upstairs and bar your doors. Trust me, you don't want to be down here before too much longer."

Aredin gives the man a smile and nod, politely acting unphased. After having the time to give the issue a few moments thought he asked casually. "Any chance we could get a map of this town? I have a hunch we might be able to provide a quick fix of a sort... Uh, hmm... depending on your definition of quick anyway." He conceded with a slight shrug.

 

[Eonivar]

Mercy finished off her mug of beer, now a little tipsy. She babbled and spoke quickly when tipsy. (Riverspeak) "Well...then off to our rooms then. Are we all in separate rooms or together to listen to the symphony of madness all night? Do we have to share beds...I mean..I am ok if we have to share beds...but I was curious...and not necessarily curious in THAT way...but just curious if we had to share rooms and beds and such. And can we get some more drink to go? It may make sleeping faster for me anyway? Can someone ask for a bit of drink and food to go to our rooms and if we are sharing...and ah well you know what I mean...well I hope you know what I mean..." Mercy smiled wide and sheepishly.

 

[Sherwood]

Mercy finished off her mug of beer, now a little tipsy. She babbled and spoke quickly when tipsy. (Riverspeak) "Well...then off to our rooms then. Are we all in separate rooms or together to listen to the symphony of madness all night? Do we have to share beds...I mean..I am ok if we have to share beds...but I was curious...and not necessarily curious in THAT way...but just curious if we had to share rooms and beds and such. And can we get some more drink to go? It may make sleeping faster for me anyway? Can someone ask for a bit of drink and food to go to our rooms and if we are sharing...and ah well you know what I mean...well I hope you know what I mean..." Mercy smiled wide and sheepishly.

Amara lets out a chuckle, saying, "Dear sister, you can share a room with me and be assured that your virtue will remain intact." She smiles at the other woman, and then turns her attention to the bartender. "Thank you for your words of caution. We shall go ahead and retire to the rooms now, but if we could get a few more mugs of this amazing brew, it would be appreciated."

 

[Eonivar]

Amara lets out a chuckle, saying, "Dear sister, you can share a room with me and be assured that your virtue will remain intact." She smiles at the other woman, and then turns her attention to the bartender. "Thank you for your words of caution. We shall go ahead and retire to the rooms now, but if we could get a few more mugs of this amazing brew, it would be appreciated."

Mercy standing up and taking a long swig to finish off the rest of her mug of brew, about spit out her beer at Amara's comment but swallowed it and turned bright pink. She kind of tested her stability turning towards Amara and stumbling some and catching herself..now even more tipsy than before now... leaned over to Amara who was also standing and spoke (Riverspeak)..."Umm I was a slave Amara darling, there is no virtue of that sort to protect...I have been...physically used..is that a good word? since I first started bleeding. It does not bother me much anymore...If I wasn't really smart I probably would have been some sort of concubine...although I was not chosen by Alena for my smarts...she thought i was cute..it was only after she discovered I was smart...although I do miss her sometimes..." She turned a brighter pink...and stopped herself..."It's fine though...I am fine now..." Her face hardened slightly..."I am past her and past that part in my life...but I am happy I will not be alone during this...thing with no spirits anywhere and people going crazy...so very strange...you know a lot of spirits like to watch intimacy? They find it amusing. Also they like to feed on the emotions. Lust..is very tasty spirit food..."

 

[Sherwood]

Amara nods, having gone through her own abuse over her time as a slave. She reaches her hand out and places it over Mercy's own, saying, "I am sorry for bringing that memory back, and I promise that so long as I continue to draw breath, you will never be alone. I stand with you, always."

 

[Purr]

O Mighty Fat Cat eats... and eats... and eats some more until he has replenished himself to the point of being comfortably stuffed. He pays and leaves a big tip. He gives a very pleased thumbs-up to their server (and cook if present). Fatigue steals his penchant for speech and after seeing that Mercy has someone taking care of her, Da Chonk slowly makes his way to his room. He rumbles a warmhearted, "Good night, everyone! Rememba to bar your doors. I, for one, am going to put a chair lodged against the lock." Or perhaps his own bed; that should be heavy enough with him on it to bar the door and give him cover should the gravest extreme come to pass.

Despite the horrible cloak that terrorizes the residents here, this town, to Da Chonk, is like any other town he has ever visited. He treats them all as if they were part of the naked jungle - warily without showing it, always placing himself in a position where there are multiple ways out, and (if his body will allow it) sleeping with one eye open.

For what was a town but a different kind of jungle with inhabitants that could be capable of anything? At least in the jungles, one (mostly) knows what to expect!

 

[Psychie]

Once Fat Cat has eaten his fill of food and drink, the Circle makes their way towards the stairs to go to your rooms. But even as you are moving through the common room to go up, a startling change takes place amongst the patrons and staff of the inn. The flush of healthy life on the faces of those still in the place rapidly fades away to be replaced with a gaunt, deathly pallor, complete with sunken corpse-like features and a dull look to their eyes.

The transformation happens quickly, and it seems to affect the very Essence around you as the whole town is engulfed in the aura of the Underworld.

One by one, the zombie-like patrons turn to look at you, no longer showing any sign of their humanity, and instead gazing on you with an undisguised hunger.

You now have just moments to decide on if you are going to make a run for the stairs and get to your rooms or face the handful of twisted beings that are eyeing you with bared teeth. What do you do?

Eonivar Chowlett Rykon Purr Sherwood jaydude

 

[Purr]

Da Chonk is gone up the stairs and into his room!

He waits long enough to enact the plan he thought of only moments before - to pull the bed across the floor and bar it (to heck with the chair!) while waiting to see if anyone from his Circle joins him. If no one does, he slams that door shut, hauls the bed against the door, and drops into bed until next morning - just like everyone in the town told his Circle to do. =)

 

[Eonivar]

Mercy took Amara's hand at the one armed warrior's gesture and looked up at her, a tear falling down her cheek. Mercy smiled. "I...Amara...dear sister...thank you...I will try and do the same by you...woah.." Mercy swayed against Amara. "Oooh that beer was strong...ok strong for me...can you help me up to our room?"

As they proceeded to their room and the people changed, Mercy looked in shock, grasping Amara's hand tightly. "Something changed...they...are all dead..." Mercy struggled to put a decent thought together in her addled, swirling mind. "We should bar ourselves in our rooms...there are these here in this place but many more outside I am sure...we would destroy the town and there may still be some live ones barred in their own rooms. We are in no shape to fight right now." Mercy attempts to encourage Amara in the direction of their room without falling over.

 

[Psychie]

At the sight of the transformed people, Amara's blood runs cold. She knows that there is such things as the walking dead, but she's never had the chance to run into any of them before and is very much not looking forward to doing so now.

She has mere moments to decide what to do; stand and fight, or pull back and observe what is going on here? A glance at Mercy shows that she is in no shape to face these zombies (if that is what they are), so she keeps her sword in its sheath and grabs Mercy around the waist to help pull her up the stairs. "Quickly! Everyone move upstairs! Go!"

 

[Chowlett]

Glade looks with horror at the room full of transformed citizens below. There are few enough of them that the Exalts would stand a good chance - but who knows how many are outside? And with Fat Cat, Amara and Mercy already heading up the stairs, Glade joins them. He tries to guide Amara with Mercy into Fat Cat's room, hoping that the others will follow on. "Strength in numbers," he says, with a humourless smile; "and we should discuss this."

 

[jaydude]

With Glade, Amara, Mercy and Fat Cat choosing to retreat to their rooms, Grey Stone opted to look over at Aredin, wanting to see what the Eclipse was planning to do in the face of these monsters the locals had suddenly transformed into. Assuming Aredin decided to join the others, Grey Stone would follow him.

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 1
Personal Essence: 13/13
Peripheral Essence: 28/33
Anima: Glowing

Willpower: 6/7
Join Battle: 5
Health Levels: -0, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -3, Incapacitated
Resolve 3, Guile 1

Attacks
Faith's Pillar (10 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 18, Overwhelming 5, Bashing, Melee, Reaching, Smashing, Two-Handed)
Unarmed (13 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 15, Overwhelming 1, Bashing, Brawl, Grappling, Natural)

Actions
Rush: 6
Disengage: 6

Evasion 4, Parry 4
Soak/Hardness: 4/0

 

[Rykon]

Aredin detached Adorei's scabbard from his hip, intending to hold off the transformed with his blunted daiklave if necessary. While the shift was taking place he leaned over to a window, hoping to glean a bit of intel on their current crisis from what effect this magick had upon the environment itself. Typically a localized ritual on this scale would be, should be, making use of geomantic essence flow, and spill over into them even if it hadn't.

Then it became clear. The very air began to sour, rot, and thin. The floors felt brittle beneath his feet and creaked with shrieking whines. All the marks of color dulled and grayed as if washed in a stale, gray haze. Before the second breath, he'd never truly appreciated just how disturbing being pressed beyond the realm of the living could be. Now that he was attuned to the lifeblood of the cosmos, the sudden disgusting shock to his senses nearly left him reeling when it caught him off guard like this. "Agh, yuck... Death? I'da bet 5 dinars there was gonna be something animal related." The merchant said in an intentional, but authentic rural accent. "How bout it Gray Stone? I got 5 'shiny dinners' on the caster tryna resurrect a dead spouse or kid. It's gotta be that or immortality." He added, voice growing louder to attempt to draw the attention off of Mercy.

The shrouded light still gleamed from both his grin and Adorei's guard. Aredin took slow steps back pressing his shoulders against the curtain-veiled portal to the growing darkness. He waved the sheathed daiklave in broad, slow swipes to draw the rising horde's vacant gaze. "What do ya say gents? Shall we find out?" and he broke through the glass, diving out into the whirling abyss of death and chaos.

Spoiler: OOC

Aredin's just taunting the dead masses and exiting the building with a stunt. Hoping they either follow or act slowly enough to give the others enough space to escort Mercy safely. After that, I'd like to get a chance for him to discern where the magick seems to be coming from. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out, spell casting isn't supposed to be subtle in this setting, but there is a chance it could be.

 

[jaydude]

Aredin detached Adorei's scabbard from his hip, intending to hold off the transformed with his blunted daiklave if necessary. While the shift was taking place he leaned over to a window, hoping to glean a bit of intel on their current crisis from what effect this magick had upon the environment itself. Typically a localized ritual on this scale would be, should be, making use of geomantic essence flow, and spill over into them even if it hadn't.

Then it became clear. The very air began to sour, rot, and thin. The floors felt brittle beneath his feet and creaked with shrieking whines. All the marks of color dulled and grayed as if washed in a stale, gray haze. Before the second breath, he'd never truly appreciated just how disturbing being pressed beyond the realm of the living could be. Now that he was attuned to the lifeblood of the cosmos, the sudden disgusting shock to his senses nearly left him reeling when it caught him off guard like this. "Agh, yuck... Death? I'da bet 5 dinars there was gonna be something animal related." The merchant said in an intentional, but authentic rural accent. "How bout it Gray Stone? I got 5 'shiny dinners' on the caster tryna resurrect a dead spouse or kid. It's gotta be that or immortality." He added, voice growing louder to attempt to draw the attention off of Mercy.

The shrouded light still gleamed from both his grin and Adorei's guard. Aredin took slow steps back pressing his shoulders against the curtain-veiled portal to the growing darkness. He waved the sheathed daiklave in broad, slow swipes to draw the rising horde's vacant gaze. "What do ya say gents? Shall we find out?" and he broke through the glass, diving out into the whirling abyss of death and chaos.

Spoiler: OOC

Aredin's just taunting the dead masses and exiting the building with a stunt. Hoping they either follow or act slowly enough to give the others enough space to escort Mercy safely. After that, I'd like to get a chance for him to discern where the magick seems to be coming from. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out, spell casting isn't supposed to be subtle in this setting, but there is a chance it could be.

"I might be tempted to accept your wager, but I have nothing in the way of coin right now." Grey Stone replied to Aredin. When the Eclipse dived out the window, he didn't follow immediately, but instead took his own look to see what the situation was outside.

"There are times when a stone has no choice but to roll down the hill." he mused to himself.

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 1
Personal Essence: 13/13
Peripheral Essence: 28/33
Anima: Glowing

Willpower: 6/7
Join Battle: 5
Health Levels: -0, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -3, Incapacitated
Resolve 3, Guile 1

Attacks
Faith's Pillar (10 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 18, Overwhelming 5, Bashing, Melee, Reaching, Smashing, Two-Handed)
Unarmed (13 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 15, Overwhelming 1, Bashing, Brawl, Grappling, Natural)

Actions
Rush: 6
Disengage: 6

Evasion 4, Parry 4
Soak/Hardness: 4/0

 

[Eonivar]

Mercy being helped up the stairs glanced back and saw Aredin and Grey Stone all of the sudden jump out the window.

Time stopped for Mercy in her mind's eye, the world slowed and faded. She remembered their last gathering in the 2nd Age, they were all there around a table in a meal smiling, laughing, having a wonderful time...and then they parted ways to do various business...and then she watched each of them one by one die in different ways. Plumeting off a cliffside fighting, blasted by fire from several dragonblooded exalted, overrun by a leading Sideral and a group of dragonblooded...herself run through from behind from a sidereal whom she thought had been a friend.

Her vision cleared...and she lunged back towards the window in Amara's grasp, gasping, trying not to puke... "NO! DO NOT LEAVE US...YOU WILL DIE....Amara, we cannot be separated...we have to go with them...." She then proceeded to unleash the contents of her stomach over the stairway railing on the oncoming undead below...

 

[Psychie]

Inside the tavern, the four of you make your way up the stairs quickly, Mercy getting some help as she stumbles along from the strong arm of Amara around her waist. At the top of the third floor, you can see that there are eight doors here, one of which is standing open from Fat Cat going through it and getting ready to bar the door once the three of you get inside the room with him.

Inside the room, you see that there are two beds sitting inside a fairly nice room, one of which is being shoved in front of the door to block it from being opened by the zombies shuffling around below you. There is a large window in the outer wall that looks out on the front of the building.

You have mere moments to make a decision before the walking dead will move against you. Do you stay, or do you go?


Downstairs, Aredin and Grey Stone make their own exit from the common room out to a side alley next to the inn and out to the street in front of the place. At your first glance, there are no people out and about, and there are no torches lit to illuminate the streets. That is not to say that there is no light. There is a distinct purplish glow rising up from what looks to be a large manor house or mansion off to one side of the town.

What do you guys do?

 

[jaydude]

Downstairs, Aredin and Grey Stone make their own exit from the common room out to a side alley next to the inn and out to the street in front of the place. At your first glance, there are no people out and about, and there are no torches lit to illuminate the streets. That is not to say that there is no light. There is a distinct purplish glow rising up from what looks to be a large manor house or mansion off to one side of the town.

What do you guys do?

Grey Stone landed on the ground with a great crash, before turning his attention to the building where the glow was coming from.

"I doubt the presence of that glow is a mere coincidence tonight." he said to Aredin in a low rumble, his way of indicating that they should go there if they wished to investigate this mystery.

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 1
Personal Essence: 13/13
Peripheral Essence: 28/33
Anima: Glowing

Willpower: 6/7
Join Battle: 5
Health Levels: -0, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -3, Incapacitated
Resolve 3, Guile 1

Attacks
Faith's Pillar (10 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 18, Overwhelming 5, Bashing, Melee, Reaching, Smashing, Two-Handed)
Unarmed (13 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 15, Overwhelming 1, Bashing, Brawl, Grappling, Natural)

Actions
Rush: 6
Disengage: 6

Evasion 4, Parry 4
Soak/Hardness: 4/0

 

[Sherwood]

Amara looks to the other three Exalts that are barricaded in the room with her and takes a deep breath. "Ok, that was . . . unexpected. The whole turning into a zombie thing. What in hell is going on in this town?" She then heads over to the window and looks outside to see if she can spot any activity out on the street.

OOC Only two successes on a Perception roll.

 

[Chowlett]

"I know not," replies Silent Glade. "Aredin and Grey Stone have not followed us. We may not have time to plan. I will try to see where they are."

So saying, he hops lightly onto the window ledge beside Amara, turns inwards, and springs upwards to the roof, easily finding hand-holds among the brickwork and guttering until he can perch on top and look out for his circlemates.

Spoiler: OOC

Monkey Stone isn't an auto-succeed on climbing, it just grants one success, so I'd better roll that. With the free success: 8 successes.
Then rolling Perception to see where the other two are (plus anything else...): 4 successes
Finally, better give a quick Stealth to remain hidden up there. Not enhancing it - hopefully the zombies aren't paying attention to the rooftops. 1 success.
Well, that's horrid. Using Perfect Shadow Stillness to reroll... 4 successes on Stealth.

Psychie please tell me if that 4 is enough to be hidden, because the charm refunds the Willpower if so.

 

[Eonivar]

Mercy takes a long drink of water from her canteen as she tries to calm down, taking some deep breaths to try and center herself. She splashes some water on her face and tries to think about what this could be. "We cannot leave them, we need to help them. Let me think for a moment and try to get an idea of what we are dealing with. It seems familiar to me."

(OOC Mercy is going to try and put together all the clues of what they have seen and felt of this place and try to think of some possible explanation of why based on her knowledge of the occult.)

Intelligence+Occult = 5+5 = 10 dice = 5 successes

 

[Psychie]

Sherwood Purr Chowlett Eonivar

From her position at the window, Amara can catch the edge of a slight purple glow coming from somewhere deeper inside the town, but she can't get a good look since it is off to the side from where you can see.

Silent Glade, however, can get a much better view from on top of the roof to be able to see that there is a large building that is rather ornate; a multi-level mansion of some kind. In the purple glow, you can see that there are several figures stumbling about in the street that runs along side the low wall that surrounds the building.

As Mercy splashes water on her face, she wracks her brain to try and come up with a cause for the evil that have come over this town. What could make a shadowland come and go like this? A sudden flash of insight comes to you that this must be some kind of sorcery, a working that is sucking the life out of the people here slowly, to then be replenished by some means once morning has come. You are not sure just what this life energy might be going to, but whatever it is, it is at the expense of all the unwilling people of this town.


jaydude and Rykon

Moving quickly through the town streets, both Stone and Aredin are making good progress as there is, at the moment at least, unimpeded by zombies or other things that go bump in the night. That being said, the town is alive with the sounds of snarling and growling that can be heard from inside the various buildings.

By the time you get closer to the glowing house, you can see that the street in front of it has several dozen townspeople of various ages stumbling about, being kept away from the house itself by a low wall. It will be next to impossible for you to approach the manor unseen by the zombies out front.