[North Shore Nights] Chapter Three: Deepening Night.

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

To Anna


Adulio muses for a bit, the breeze stirring like old ghosts in the park. "Maybe they will," he says, "maybe not. No one can say, I can't even guess. Surely some of those stars truly are dead, their light some of their death sputters from years past, but not all of them. Maybe they will if whatever dwells in the city finall is driven off or killed. That depends on your Carthian Prince. His mind may be doing a political tap dance to get the message completely in his skull. This creature doesn't have a policy."

 

[Grey]

The Ourobouros


"Burn them all, Sheriff." Ourobouros says, stepping back. "I'd hate to think this ritual site is gaining power..."


Genital mutilation is typical of fertility rites and creation of homunculi - it cannot recall the specifics, but two or three aboriginal traditions state that genitalia are vital in the accumulation of power for various undead or extra-dimensional servitors. Poppycock, of course. Typical of the human obsession with their own reproduction. There again... the efficacy of these rites cannot be dismissed offhand. Some connection to reproduction or creation, whether symbolic or tapping into some ethereal power? Or both?

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

To Ourobouros


Mayhap you're right. But that doesn't matter right now, Musgrave's telling you to stand well back. One of the men is tapping a flare. A spark and a brilliant orange-red glow. Tossing it into the pile, the bodies go up with a startlingly quick whump of flame. "Thank God, done with this crazy shit already." He motions for the men to break up the pyramids and the symbols too, tossing 'em into the flame. The heat is unsettling for all the Kindred gathered, but you're well back.

 

[Hyrune]

Gavin


He doesn't even think twice - pulling upon reserves, his legs surge into motion almost without his knowledge, deep survival instincts screaming: FLEE FLEE FLEEEEE!!! His surroundings are a blur as he unthinkingly runs for the door by which he entered, not knowing if it still even exists or indeed caring. He's halfway across the park greens before he even truly realises that he's made it, practically stumbling the last two steps and grasping his knees to prevent himself from simply falling flat on his face, afraid to look back...

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

To Gavin


The last lingering, almost painful note of the song dies away with a whisper behind you.


A pity, Mr. Cosgrave, I had such things to show you...


The grass beneath you is green, the breeze cool, those trees familiar...all is well?

 

[Hyrune]

Gavin


Gavin remains in his intense examination of the neatly trimmed blades of grass for some time before chancing standing erect once more, guaging his surroundings with warranted suspicion and picking his way gingerly back towards the road. I'm getting too old for this...

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

To Gavin


Thank the heavens your muscles don't really tire anymore, nor do you need to breathe. You're almost certain you'd be lying in that grass trying to breathe and get your heart started again. Absolutely sure. Nearby Patterson-Ullis Hall is having a concert tonight. You can hear the band playing even from here. Maybe no one heard the music coming from Gillford, even if it had been alluring and rather peaceful, you suddenly recall it being very loud.

 

[Grey]

Ourobouros


It leaves entirely, standing outside the door. It has yet to master the Banes.


Roanton is proving fascinating...

 

[Hyrune]

Gavin


Gavin continues to stumble along in an uncertain direction, very slowly analysing the experiencing but still not quite taking it all in - it might be a psychological thing, that he might not even want to take it all in in the first place. Thus, he's in an understandably dazed condition, and above all slightly paranoid.


He'll certainly think twice about following little dolls in future. He might have to invest in some sort of portable, battery-powered blender of some sort...

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

To Ourobouros


Hmm, the Chapter House may be having a conclave of the Twilight Dragons, if Blake's information did go over the cellphone. But what else? You'll hear a cellphone echo in the cavernous warehouse behind you as men begin pulling out cots, sheets and personal items for the dumpsters. The deep, coughing sound of Musgrave's voice whisks out the door along with the Sherriff. "Son of a whore. We gotta problem. Valentine and his sire just got jumped by more of those wooden things from the farm."

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

To Gavin


Luckily, Carter House is not far away at all. You can spy the Red Gardens from here.

 

[Grey]

Ourobouros


"I'll join you, Sheriff." It says, following. Someone with occult expertise should be on the scene sooner rather than later. A conclave is all well and good, but sometimes rather slow to action...

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

To Ourobouros


You and Musgrave along with a brace of men get into an SUV and peel out into the night. His remaining men will put out the fire and trash the ashes. "This is turning into a nightmare," the Sherriff mumbles, speed-dialing the Prince.


Whilst talking with him, the roads pass-by quickly and very soon you're within the Drears. Minutes and more later, you're all getting out of the SUV near a diner of some sort and along the cracked and weedy sidewalk and spilled in the road are the servitors.


Wooden constructs of some sort. Very odd. They're carved to look physically fit, the bodies of classical virile males. The heads long and distorted, almost comical with two simple white eyes. All of them have been cut to up and hacked viciously. Valentine and his sire accounted very well for themselves. Blood splatter on some indicates when they got the best of them. But not enough apparently.


The Sherriff motions for his men to fan out. "Valentine and Selene are off on the way for a drink and home to lick their wounds. Damn." His size fifteen boot jostles one of their heads. "Creepy. What do you make of it, Dragon?"

 

[Grey]

Ourobouros


The Ourobouros immediately crouches to examine the closest automaton, searching for symbols, chemicals, anything


"Difficult to say, Sheriff." It says, scouring the head and chest. "I have the sinking feeling those Kindred in the warehouse died to give these things life. I'll have better for you as soon as I find... anything, really."

 

[Hyrune]

Gavin


Gavin continues to stumble onwards until he reaches what he believes to be the relative safety of the Carter House.

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

To Gavin


There lies the gate and safety.

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

To Ourobouros


Wits + Crafts, please.


No hint of chemicals other than wood varnish, to be completely honest. Most of them have a fine finish, which is perhaps an unusual amount of care. No idea.

 

[Hyrune]

Gavin


Slightly more sure of himself, one would have to be watching closely to see the slight shake in his limbs, the uncertainty of his movements, and spending slightly too long simply leaning on the gate, but he makes his way to the door with quiet dignity, absently straightening his jacket and checking his shoes for scuffing as he does so. The important thing now would be to determine the whereabouts of the Carter's ghouls on guard duty and discover what had forced them to leave their posts, and what connection their absence had with the gentleman... Fascinating, really.

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

To Gavin


Generally they're out by the door, or sitting near a covered gardener's shack out in the side yard.

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

To Gavin


You'll make it into the house, stopping in the foyer to catch your second wind, as it were. Dead silent inside, only the odd creaks that old colonial houses can make. No one's home now.

 

[Hyrune]

Gavin


Quick as he can, he throws himself down on the nearest couch with a graceless flump, staring up at the ceiling and trying to empty his mind of thoughts. He didn't want to go back to his house of barricades and caltrops just yet (after tonight he was going to have to work a chaise into the fortification somehow, or something similarly chocful of springs with which to load broken glass bottles onto) and yet it was pointless to remain uninvited at the Carters - it was unaccountably rude though he had no doubt they would not mind.


Furthermore, what was he to do with tonight's experiences? It was all a blur. For now, though, he merely needed a moment to think...to not think. With time, he will pick himself up and find his way to the local chapterhouse, perhaps. They might need to learn of these developments. Or perhaps he would be better suited to another walk - it was becoming a frequent past-time, but with the little information he had he was unsure if the locals would want him bothering them in these pressing times. His experiences could make him sound mad - it did sound like some drug addict's nightmare, even to him.

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

To Gavin


The door will open shortly after, along with all the minute sounds of someone coming home. The jostle of keys, footsteps too and fro in the foyer, muttering. Soon enough, Victarion comes strolling into the room, pausing at your prone form. "Good God, you're still here, Shadow?" He snorts and walks over to the large sideboard in the room, taking off a sifter and filling it with brandy and a mixture of blood from the lower cabinet. "I love this stuff still, even if I do puke it up." He takes a heavy pull. "It's excellent, this."


"So, my foolish friend, how find you our little town of horrors?"

 

[Hyrune]

Gavin


"Wonderfully inviting," Gavin answers shortly, one arm thrown over his eyes tiredly. "People are throwing open doors for me, imploring me to discover new places, wanting to take me places I've never been before. I'm positively charmed."

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

To Gavin


"We do that often here. Usually quite interesting what you find." The sound of liquid being sloshed in the sifter is all you really hear and then footsteps leaving the room.

 

[Hyrune]

Gavin Cosgrave


After about five minutes, he blinks open one eye and sighs. Nothing's to be accomplished lying here and listening to that mosquito. Gavin shifts and pulls himself up, and in some way together, and makes his way outside once more. He's determined to go to the local chapterhouse - there he can decide if his encounter bears hearing, and if not, well he's due a visit there anyway.