Plotlogs
The Maitre Dmarionettes Sr Jack 241016
In a haunted stretch of forest south of Boston, under the glow of a full moon, Ash, Syl, and Sienna converge on a dilapidated mansion, driven by their investigation into a vampiric menace terrorizing the area around White Oak. Their journey into the sinister woods is fueled by information retrieved from Hayleigh Fry, a victim ensnared by a vampire she merely refers to as "Master". The vampire's disdain for White Oak and its inhabitants remains an enigma, shrouded in the same mystery that cloaks these cursed woods.
The mansion, devoid of upkeep, stands as a ghastly reminder of abandonment or perhaps, a calculated decision to remain unnoticed. Upon their arrival, the air is thick with an unworldly oppression, a sensation that seems to whisper warnings yet entices deeper investigation. Ash, Syl, and Sienna, armed and wary, stand on the threshold of the mansion, their presence a challenge to the evil residing within.
The trio's exploration leads to a confrontation with a Cuban vampiress lurking among shadows and decay. In a harrowing encounter, Sienna's precision with her crossbow and a fortuitous compulsion spell severely weaken their assailant, allowing Ash and Syl to strike the terrifying creature with stakes. Despite their success, Ash reminds the group that staking typically doesn't result in the vampire's true demise.
Amidst the horrors of the mansion, the basement reveals a more ghastly sight: countless caskets, hinting at the scale of the vampire's sinister operations. In a panic-induced move, Sienna unleashes a molotov, igniting the crypt and sealing the fate of any undead horrors within. The flames' embrace of the mansion symbolizes a destructive purging of the evil it housed, even as the act leaves many questions unanswered and deprives the trio of potential insights into the vampire's vendetta against White Oak.
The story culminates in a flight from the inferno, the fire consuming all in its path, serving as a pyrrhic victory over the darkness that plagued the region. Ash, leading with caution tempered by pain, Sienna, driven by a desperate need to eradicate the threat, and Syl, spurred by a grim satisfaction derived from the chaos, emerge into the night. Their actions this evening have undoubtedly altered the mysterious balance of power between the mortal world and the supernatural entities that lurk in its shadows. Yet, as they depart from the engulfed mansion, the deeper implications of their encounter and the vampire's grudge against White Oak loom ominously, promising that their battle against the darkness is far from over.
(The Maitre d'Marionettes(SRJack):SRJack)
[Tue Oct 15 2024]
In a haunted stretch of forest between Haven and Boston
The stretch of forest south of Boston looms ominously, tall trees arching overhead like ancient sentinels, their gnarled branches entwined to form a dark, woven canopy. The narrow road, barely more than a gravel path, is flanked by thick underbrush and twisted roots that seem to reach out like skeletal fingers. A heavy silence blankets the area, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant call of a crow, adding to the unsettling atmosphere. Shadows flicker among the trees, and the air is thick with the earthy scent of damp soil, evoking a sense of both beauty and foreboding in this secluded, forgotten stretch of nature.
A dilapidated mansion lies off a twisting drive to the north; iron gates once closed the driveway off from the road, but now they stand open.
It is night, about 60F(15C) degrees, There is a full moon.
There are a few more who have applied, so we will give them a moment since we're not quite there. I'd wanted to do some interviewing Haley RP, but it didn't come together. Instead, I will summarize some of her information when I do the initial set.
It's evening -- but never fear. There's a full moon up, which makes it easy to see, doesn't it? Nothing wrong with going into the woods on a full moon.
someone And yet... that's where Ash, Syl, and Sienna are. Ash and Syl have been tracking the mystery of the vampires preying on White Oak for some time, now; Syl, at her computer, retrieved relevant information from Hayleigh's phone, which she had recovered in an earlier foray. Ash and Sienna ran into each other in the clinic: there, they interviewed Hayleigh Fry, who was once once of Sienna's sorority sisters.
Hayleigh is a far cry from what she was. She was taken in the final days of spring by a vampire who she calls only her Master, and her memory is broken. She lives half in and half out of her sorority days at White Oak, and half in the hunt, driven there by some madness to prey upon other students. Even in the clinic she was in the brainwashed clutches of her Master -- of M -- and she would fade in and out lucidity.
This brings our trio to this haunted stretch of woods between the full moon. From Syl, this location, gleaned from painstaking property searches. From Ash and Sienna, confirmation from Hayleigh that this place is where her Master brought her -- that this place is where her and, concerningly, her sisters were brought to commune with the abusive asshole that seemed to treat Hayleigh, at least, as some disposable tool in her master's quest against White Oak.
What Hayleigh doesn't know -- what none of them can figure out -- is why this M so hates the university. There is surely a reason, but perhaps that reason doesn't matter. Perhaps he is some force of evil, and it's so just that here, under the full moon, he just needs to be stopped. Perhaps it's that simple.
Perhaps.
It's evening -- but never fear. There's a full moon up, which makes it easy to see, doesn't it? Nothing wrong with going into the woods on a full moon.
And yet... that's where Ash, Syl, and Sienna are. Ash and Syl have been tracking the mystery of the vampires preying on White Oak for some time, now; Syl, at her computer, retrieved relevant information from Hayleigh's phone, which she had recovered in an earlier foray. Ash and Sienna ran into each other in the clinic: there, they interviewed Hayleigh Fry, who was once once of Sienna's sorority sisters.
Hayleigh is a far cry from what she was. She was taken in the final days of spring by a vampire who she calls only her Master, and her memory is broken. She lives half in and half out of her sorority days at White Oak, and half in the hunt, driven there by some madness to prey upon other students. Even in the clinic she was in the brainwashed clutches of her Master -- of M -- and she would fade in and out lucidity.
This brings our trio to this haunted stretch of woods between the full moon. From Syl, this location, gleaned from painstaking property searches. From Ash and Sienna, confirmation from Hayleigh that this place is where her Master brought her -- that this place is where her and, concerningly, her sisters were brought to commune with the abusive asshole that seemed to treat Hayleigh, at least, as some disposable tool in her master's quest against White Oak.
What Hayleigh doesn't know -- what none of them can figure out -- is why this M so hates the university. There is surely a reason, but perhaps that reason doesn't matter. Perhaps he is some force of evil, and it's so just that here, under the full moon, he just needs to be stopped. Perhaps it's that simple.
Perhaps.
As the trio collects together, Ash is ever casual, drawling to the other two before they get too close, "Syl, this is the genius I was telling you about. Y'all've met, right? Syl's my intern, and I'm sending her to outshow and outdo you, bae." They smirk to Sienna mischievously, taking advantage of the travel to try and keep spirits high.
"There's a lane for everyone," Sienna remarks neutrally toward Ash as she picks her way over the underbrush, eyes pealed and senses on high alert. A whisper quiet drone outfitted with NV sight flies overhead, canvassing the grounds with a live feed plugged into an app on her phone's screen, reliant on a steady connection. "But yeah, I've met Syl. Pretty cool, though we don't run into each other much," she realizes, eyes straying briefly to Syl with an easy-going smile curling her lips. "Maybe that'll change now going forward. Nikolai is going to work me like a dog, but I'm excited to be matched with him for an internship."
The first time Syl had found herself working with Ash on the Hayleigh case she had come without a stake and without weapons or armor. This time she looks much more ready. Beyond the sake shoved into one of her techwear outfits too many pockets she also has a black duffel bag and a long black gun case. At Ash's words she looks to her boss and offers, "We've met actually. She was at Harry's birthday party and I've seen her around campus at the computer lab." She still gives an up nod of her chin to Sienna as way of greeting.
Syl offers, "Probably will change," to Sienna, agreeing.
Combat doesn't work in mists rooms, and carrying weapons can impact RPXP. It's fine to emote weapons and armor you have in your stash.
There is an unsettling sort of keen to the wind out here in these woods, far beyond the reach of Haven's Sanctuary. Is it a distant howl on the wind? All of those here have something unnatural to them, and the part of their blood that isn't human pricks at the sense of this place being unearthly, being unworldly in that way that the outer forest in Haven can be.
Here, where Syl has located property records, this decaying mansion sits -- illuminated in silver by the light of the moon. The gates to the mansion hang a little askew; not destroyed, but run-down, with mists that seem to give only bare glimpses over the overgrown grounds beyond.
Ash drawls cheerfully as they look between the two tech wizzes, "I hope that does change - you can learn a ton from Sienna, Syl, and I'm looking forward to seeing your competitive spirit. We need more time training together, too, now that I'm mostly done with the house...."
They start to trail off, as they come closer to their objective, and the air and woods inform them - it's time to get serious. They would have a sabre on their hip, and a rifle on a strap across their shoulder. Their kevlar vest isn't stand out obvious under their scrubs, but it can be glimpsed with some movements. And, of course... they have their stake and sunglasses, though they put the sunglasses up at time so better observe their surroundings.
Syl' synthetic fibers whisper against each other in a subtle shshshsh as she moves. Her cold blue eyes peer around back in the direction of the seemingly wind-carried distant howl, she doesn't have good enough senses to tell whether it was one or not, but the noise at least catches her attention. A moment later she is looking back toward the decaying mansion. "This is it, looks creepier than it did on Google Mpas," Syl offers as she gazes past the askew and run-down gates. "Doesn't look like they have groundskeepers. That doesn't track, because someone can afford a mansion should be able to afford staff to maintain it too. If they don't have people who are maintaining the grounds, might mean their skimping on other things too." She frowns at that.
It looks a lot creepier than Google Maps, really. The street view captured an ordinary kind of place -- a little run-down, to be sure, but not... not this. This has a kind of air to it, something that chills Syl, Sienna, and Ash's bones.
Sienna knows better than to venture into the outer woods without preparation; a modified crossbow armed with wooden-tipped bolts is strapped to her voodoo doll-adorned backpack, and a thin layer of kevlar is visible from beneath her trench coat. She wrestles her phone out of her pocket, tapping at the screen to send the drone flying overhead to circle around the property in hopes of eliminating any obvious outside threats of traps lying in wait. "If they did, they're probably dead now," she remarks low under her breath toward Syl, passing lead to Ash out of habit, waiting for their mark.
Ahead of them, the mansion looms. Do they continue up the path? Back away, for when the moon is less full?
Ash glances over to Syl, then explains - in a quiet and lowbased on their perspective... "Unless they want to be forgotten, Syl. Looked over. Maybe it stayed dormant for a long time... maybe it's abandoned, and squatted in. A place hard to find, half in ruins, haunted and avoided by those who do know about it... that makes a great place for a base, when you don't want perky students coming to hunt you down and hurt you."
They pause, leaning back into some shadows near the gate, glancing over to Sienna. "Spot anything, Sh... bae?" They don't seem to have an interest in backing away... but they believe strongly in scouting.
nods at Ash's words. "Yeah," Syl murmurs. "Or could be that the master went mad. Wonder what he has against White Oak, that it would twist him as much as it seems too? Must be pretty bad."
Overhead, Sienna's drone circles. It sees the house, shrouded in mist; from above, it seems on her IR scope like it is draped in cobwebs, or like it is some insubstantial thing. It's hard not to think about Brigadoon. If there are small victories? It is that the little red dots that should indicate moving, warm things are completely absent. In the sky's eye, the mansion and its grounds are grave silent.
Ash glances at Sienna over Syl's words.
The gates loom. Sometimes, answers -- or their lack -- lie within.
Sienna remains silent while she checks the feeds from her drone, showing the screen to Syl and Ash both; from
Sienna remains silent while she checks the feeds from her drone, showing the screen to Syl and Ash both; from above, it seems on her IR scope like it is draped in cobwebs, or like it is some insubstantial thing. BUt, most importantly, the grounds read clear, and the mansion silent. For now. "Clear on the outside. Do you sense any wards or traps?" she asks of Ash, pocketing her phone, and unshouldering her crossbow.
Syl checks the grounds over for any sign of vehicles or horses implying residents are more likely to be present.
Nothing. No vehicles. No horses. Is it that no one here travels by such rude contrivances? Or is it that they are all lucky enough to be gone?
Ash moves forward, cautiously, checking on the gates, their golden-hazel eyes covering stone, soil, metal, and the wood of the mansion itself. Checking for traps, they pause, thinking, before kneeling down. Glancing around, they murmur, "...they may not have mirrors in there. But... well. Our comms work across the nightmare, but I don't actually know how well they work this far out from Haven...." They seem to be half talking to themself, half to the others, as they check for nightmare wards.
After a moment, they drawl more clearly to the other two, "This is a graveyard, even the house is a corpse. I fear that the nightmare will reveal more... but it could also empower him or trap us without a mirror. There is no scent from walking corpses... our only options are to go in blind." They glance over at the other two as they explain the risk and situation beforehand.
In the woods, there is some low squeal as the wind blows the gate to the mansion just slightly more open.
When ready, head north.
Sienna pushes past the squeaking gate, slowly advancing her way through the miasma of mist swirling through the air and toward the house. No traps, no visible signs of life, and only the oppressive atmosphere of being somewhere she shouldn't be that is enough to keep her on edge. Her fingers tighten on the crossbow, holding it snug with a wood-tipped bolt loaded as she takes out her phone briefly to tap commands into her drone to wait on standby, then moves for the front door, waiting for Ash and Syl before she tries the knob.
Ash smiles softly as someone takes their warning as a sign to move into the belly of the beast. They look to Syl before moving forward themself, giving her a chance to leave.
Ash smiles softly as Sienna takes their warning as a sign to move into the belly of the beast. They look to Syl before moving forward themself, giving her a chance to leave.
Syl nods. Sensing that they might go in she takes the time to unzip her duffel and don her ceramic plates over her clothing. She gets her katana free from it too and gets it hooked up. Wearing the techware as she does, faux tactical, there is an element to her look that is quite Yakuza-poser wannabe. She gets a headlamp on too, though she doesn't turn it on and then leaves the duffel bag now empty on the ground. The gun case she opens briefly to get a pistol from it, leaving the sniper in its foam housing. She shuts it. Gets the gun holstered up. Then picks up the case and follows Ash past the gate.
As Sienna, Syl and Ash enter the grounds of the mansion property, the mists seem to rise around them. It casts all of the grounds in shadow, making the moon-cast pools seem like strange and silvery ghosts. To Ash, this is a sign of something ominous here -- these mists are a sign of some weakness between worlds. That weakness comes from monstrosity; the presence of awful, terrible things warps the very fabric of the world, poking holes in the comfortable knowledge, the happy safety of the world.
Still nothing moves. This place smells like nothing but it -feels- like death; it feels like a little something in each and every one of their souls is dying... but in that depths of that little death, some seductive song lures, 'Deeper, Deeper...'
Ash stretches their acute senses to the limit, for any sound, any smell, any movement or ward. They motion for Sienna to stand back, pointing to her crossbow, then making a finger gun to the door so that they can be the one to turn the knob, with Sienna at their back. They lift their stake, nodding to Syl while hefting it, in silent communication.
Sienna positions herself to one side of the doors leading into the mansion, motioning Ash into position, leaning back and cutting her eyes toward Syl. The katana is stared at briefly, but she doesn't comment on the weeb vibes. Her weight shifts uneasily, grip tightening, before blowing out a slow breath. Her head lowers, mouth twisted into a troubled frown, braced an focused, motioning Ash forward.
Syl picks her gaze across the gravel driveway. She has a slightly nervous air to her as her cold blue eyes flick this way and that. The rising mists don't help with how they obscure the area. One hand goes to her stake at Ash's nod. She draws it free from her pocket and hefts it in quiet answer.
Syl picks her gaze across the gravel driveway. She has a slightly nervous air to her as her cold blue eyes flick this way and that. The rising mists don't help with how they obscure the area. One hand goes to her stake at Ash's nod. She draws it free from her pocket and hefts it in quiet answer.
Unlike the gates, the doors here are closed. They are dark wood; in the moonlight, they seem black and a little shiny, like a piece of obsidian slick with blood.
Syl gazes at the lock on the door, considering.
Ash gives Sienna a severe look for a moment before turning so that their back is at the lacquered door. From this standpoint, they turn the handle, leaning with the door and moving with it so that they have an immediate look into the house... presuming that it's unlocked. They seem to assume so... why lock the doors to a place all know to never come?
The door gives in Ash's hand -- it's no knob, but a great iron bar, worked to be twisted a little in on itself. The doors are heavy, but Ash, for all his slight form, is strong.
Syl moves to the opposite side of the door as Sienna so that she can peer along the opposite sight line as the door opens.
There is a sudden, awful squeal as the door opens.
Syl winces
Ash leans in with the door, by necessity having to step in to do so.
The sense of death is even stronger, here. It doesn't smell -- actually, it doesn't smell like anything. It just -feels-. It feels wrong, like... Stairs sweep up, down, doors open off the mansion, and while this place seems abandoned it doesn't seem entirely so. Here and there there are glimpses of life, spots of color in the cavernous foyer.
One such glimpse of color attracts Sienna's attention, for instance -- a little bit of yellow and white, discarded off to the side of the room. The same corner draws Ash's attention, but for some different reason.
Syl trails in coming around the corner and looking around the decaying mansion eyes flicking this way and that.
Ash raises a hand, then waves Sienna towards the opposite direction as the corner. They hold a finger to Syl, then starts to approach, relying on Sienna to see and handle an enemy around the corner from a distance while they come in for a closer, more detailed look.
Sienna scans over the foyer at length until something attracts her attention; that hint of yellow already attracting her attention, studying it with a squint of her eyes against the darkness. She turns her back, lifting her crossbow, finger teasing the tension of the trigger with a glance to Syl, ensuring they're okay.
As Ash approaches, they see a crumpled pom-pom lying in the corner of the foyer. It's familiar colors: white and gold. Perhaps they have seen such a thing in the hands of a cheerleader, before, hoping beyond hope that one day the Wildcats will win a game. Sienna most definitely has: she's held one, shaken it... but hers haven't been dropped here, flecked with blood.
Syl gives a nod to Sienna.
The darkness here is oppressive.
Ash exhales softly through their nose as they see that it's not, in fact, a body. So, instead, they look to see where the blood is.
The pom-poms are flecked with blood; it's as if there was some spray of it while they were being beld, to dapple the white and gold with a pattern of red stars.
Syl glances down suddenly at her leg.
Ash summons soft lighting, faint will o' wisps under their control, which they shift away from their partners, and towards the exits, where enemies may lurk.
Sienna stares down at the crumpled pom-pom as it comes into focus, holding her crossbow with a white-knuckled grip. Her gaze pans slowly across the mansion, straying forward only a few steps, scanning over for their way forward.
Syl brings down a hand to smack at her leg.
Ash looks Syl over, bringing a will o' wisp near to her legs, to see what might be happening there.
Witch-light casts the room in strange, golden-silver pattern of chiaroscuro shadow, but it gives at least some sense of the place: it shows other signs of the place being lived in. There's a bench with a whole stack of purses, stashed there, and then there is a book, half-read, in an armchair. The sense of people dwelling here creates a weird cognitive dissonance, given the emptiness of the place.
As for Syl Well. She appears to be having a little panic; the eerie witchlight reveals no reason for her upset, which plays across her face like a silent movie on the silver screen.
Syl settles down from her patting at her leg looking up toward the others in confusion and with a bit more fear on her face than before.
Ash looks Syl over, then pulls the light from her, keeping the light off of the group as much as possible, they direct one dim mote of light over to Sienna, then over to the purses, as they move over to the book, checking to see what book it might be. Could be a grimoire, could be a textbook with a library barcode... could be some vampire x werewolf erotic novel, though... doubtful, considering who lives... or unlives here.
Sienna treads the distance towards the purses, counting them briefly before she rifles through them to search for identification while Ash checks on Syl, intending to put them in her backpack for safekeeping later. She turns to look back at the pair, then paces onward, checking surrounding rooms and doors.
Ash suddenly lights up the room, moving over to Syl while looking up. The change isn't so bright as to hurt the eyes, but it is rapid. Their eyes search for something... or someone.
It's not an Omegaverse smut story -- but it's not far from it; it's a romance novel, set in 19th century Wales. For Sienna -- well.
All of the purses belong to young women. Most of the IDs in them seem real, apart from the obvious fake ones, but there's an eerie commonality: the purses feel like they belong to the young, but the ages on some of the IDs are pushing into the early 40s, long expired so that it is still twenty-somethings who peer out from fading photos. It's as if as whatever the birthdate of these purses' owners they are frozen in time, somewhere right around Sienna and Syl's age.
Syl tightens her grip on her stake and has her eyes roving about less looking at things and more looking around for some sign of someone hiding. She moves more fully into the room, trying to make a point of looking in a direction the others aren't so that all possible ways someone could enter have eyes on them.
Now Ash's witch-light plays across movement -- for the first time, something is -moving- in this dead place. A door opens, revealing stairs behind, and out of it steps a woman. A girl, perhaps: like Sienna, like Syl, she is in her her late teens or early twenties. She's dressed in yoga pants, a sports bra, with dusky skin and dark hair that suggests she is perhaps Cuban. She's not a White Oak student -- at least, not one that Sienna, Ash or Syl recognize -- and she's also not alive.
There is some sudden hiss; full lips open, her eyes go wide, and her pearly white teeth sharpen into fangs.
Ash looks relieved to not find anything on the ceiling, but it doesn't last long - they immediately act upon the woman, heading towards her, and coming in low.
There is not coded combat in mists rooms, so emote your actions and then I will resolve. If something needs clarity, feel free to stalk or tell SRJack what you are doing. We will resolve combat relatively quickly, generally in no more than 2-3 rounds of emotes, so plan accordingly.
Sienna reflexively recoils from the sudden movement as the woman emerges from the shadows. Green eyes widen in dis belief as the woman's features twist into something predatory, catching sight of those lengthening fangs. "Shit," she mutters under her breath, voice barely a whisper, as her gaze flicks between Ash, Syl, and the Cuban vampire creeping from the basement. Her crossbow is quickly back in her hands, bolt locked into place, to train them in her sights. The trigger is pulled, aiming for central mass.
Syl reaches down to the katana at her waist. Her finger brushes the top of the atsuba just off center. Katana are longer then an arm. Her hand settles backwards on the hilt with the hand not holding the stake, at least from the perspective of someone who hasn't learned the proper draw technique for the blade. The hand with the stake moves to the sheath itself. Her draw is both pulling the katana out and also drawing it forth in a smooth and practiced motion. She moves toward the vampire to engage aiming to attack from the side.
Movement; it is Syl who is charging at the vampiress, and that could be terrible for her indeed. The dark-haired Cuban girl moves like silent death, with a terrifying, unnatural fluidity. As Syl charges, she spins, beginning to leap -- only for something to catch her attention. It's some low incantation, perhaps, from Ash, as the vampire is distracted, moving instead towards something that's not there. This is perhaps Syl's salvation; as the raven-haired woman gets close, the katana in her hands is batted aside as it wasn't here. Sienna's arrow is more effective: the dark-skinned girl is a crack shot, and the crossbow bolt seems to appear in vampire's lower back. There's a cry out, as the vampire turns, focusing now on Sienna.
There is a moment, now: the vampire is likely to move on Sienna, next, but all three of them, Ash, Sienna and Syl have some moment to act. The blood that leaks from the Cuban un-dead's back drips slowly, with the consistency of crystallized syrup.
Ash pops up from their low lunge to try and stake her in her turned back, while she aims for Sienna.
Sienna quickly backpedals, placing distance between herself and the advancing vampire. Fingers fumble to load the next bolt, wasting no time in ticking it up and trying to fire a shot off into her chest as Ash goes for the back.
Syl after the probably jarring way she was casually batted aside would take great care not to hit Ash with her blade as she tried to attack again; but would only take that swing if Ash's attempting staking failed.
The Cuban vampiress is considerably better than both Ash and Syl. When Ash leaps for her, she bats him off, and it is something awful and bone crunching, hurling the faeborn back against a bench. It explodes full of splinters, and then her hand catches Syl's katana. There is a sudden crunch, and then factory-made steel just -breaks-, splintering in the vampiress' hand. She stalks towards Sienna. only for a second bolt to blossom now in the center of her chest, the iron-shod tip grazing an unliving heart.
She freezes: not quite transfixed, but close, as Ash's invitation to Sienna seems suddenly prescient indeed.
Syl letting her katana - expensive and now useless, not factory made, for what it was worth - drop from her hand. Taking up her stake she tries to stab it into the freezing up vampire's heart from behind.
Ash cries out in pain, but - perhaps surprisingly - they get moving quickly, though their face is contorted in agony. They move in an attempt to stake her from the front... surely, two fools with stakes can manage what one alone has failed?
As Ash is batted aside like a ragdoll, Sienna's breath catches in her throat. Panic flares as the vampiress shatters Syl's katana like it's nothing, and now, she's moving for her. Ash's cry of pain leaves her heart thundering wildly, adrenaline surging through her as she takes advantage of the Cuban vampire's brief pause to catch her gaze, speaking lowly, "Stake yourself with the bolt," in an effort to compulse their problem out of existence; or, at the very least, buy time as Syl goes for the killing blow.
Syl can't keep a smile from ripping out on her face mid strike as the horror and terror of the moment settles on everyone else, lifting her spirits
Two fools with stakes -- and Sienna, deploying some power in her blood. There is a moment where the vampiress freezes, and it is just enough. It is just enough for first Ash and then Syl to strike home, wooden stakes piercing the vampire's breast. The stretchy fabric of her sports bra tears under the assault, and then flesh gives way, bone... and heart. It is the heart that gives up last: unmoving, unbeating, it is still the heart of her existence, and it pops.
It pops like an overstuffed balloon, like an overripe fruit -- like some bag of blood, now splattering Ash, Syl, and Sienna with gore.
Ash blinks, wavering, then falling to their knees, bending over in agony as the pain - coupled with their current poor condition - takes its toll. They need a moment before they can wipe off their glasses, growling with gritted teeth, "More are sure to come... and staking doesn't *kill* vampires...." They look her over, and over all the blood. "...normally."
The gagging happens almost immediately, poorly suppressed as Sienna wipes her face from the gore that splattered across it. She steps through it, not minding the stain on her boots, catching Ash by the arm in an effort to keep them from hitting the floor, pushing them over into a seat on the bench nearby. "Catch your breath," she encourages. "We need you on your feet." She looks over to Syl, scanning the bloodied woman over. "You good, Syl?"
Syl showered with gore is now an icy blue eyes girl wearing red and black. She's grinning, the pain of Ash and maybe the horror of the moment bolstering her because of the suffering of others. "Great," she drawls in a cheery way. Her hand goes to pull her gun free. "Think we should run while we still can, but other then that..." She nods, bobbing her head in a happy way.
Before, it didn't smell. The place had no odor, just the sense of death, but now? It's as if all of that decomposition has advanced. This vampire, at least, is... gone. She's just a bag of blood covering Sienna, Syl, and Ash -- but the door she emerged from lies open, and behind it a set of spiral stone stairs leading down.
Ash breathes in and out, finally calming, before rising, heading their way to the door. They take their sabre from their belt, giving it to Syl to replace her katana, for now, before they begin their descent. They beckon Sienna behind them, so that the obvious MVP of the night is better protected in the middle. Witch lights, will o' wisps, fox flames... nearly pastel, faint lights mark the steps before each person, to prevent tripping, but don't go far ahead. Not that, with the scent of blood, they can really say that their group is stealthy.
Syl coughs as the stench hits her. Her eyes rove between Ash and the path down - less with the implication that they should go down it and more in a don't keep her eyes out kind of way. And as she's given another weapon, Syl follows along. Its a reluctant following.
The smell is awful, overpowering, stomach turning. Blood should be coppery, but this gore has the undertone of rot.
Sienna moves down the steps behind Ash, her crossbow already locked and loaded with another wooden bolt. She reaches into her backpack's side pocket, pulling out a makeshift molotov and passes it back to Syl. "Hey, bleed on that," she whispers. The overpowering stench has her barely breathing through her mouth, labored and careful.
Syl nods acceptance to Sienna and using the sabra that Ash provided she nicks herself in order to allow the trickle of blood to fall onto the makeshift molotov.
Syl stares above Ash's head.
Syl offers Sienna back the molotov.
Molotovs and sabers to hand, perhaps all the trio needs now is courage -- courage, if they are to brave the stairs into the dark.
As the trio descends, silence -- silence and stillness, as the weirding light plays around the room... and it's dozens upon dozens of caskets.
Syl follows the others down.
Ash motions to Syl as they reach the bottom, pulling out the bandages they have on hand, ripping off enough length, then applying it quickly.
Sienna stares ahead into the darkness, bile rising in her throat at the sight of dozens of coffins sprawled across the cold, damp floor. "Shit," she mouths, in silencee, grateful for the now demon blood-tainted molotov weighing in her hand.
Syl nods gratefully to Ash.
Shit? At least that isn't the smell down here. No, it's the prick of Syl's blood at Ash's nose, the smell of the gasoline in the molotov. No smell -- no sound, until...
There is a sound. There is a creak, as one of the coffins begins to open.
Sienna immediately throws the molotov toward the direction of the coffins, frightened by the movement, in a trigger happy and sheer, blind panic moment.
Syl takes in the numerous coffins with widening eyes.
Ash moves quickly towards the coffin - or tries to, but their leg almost gives out. Grimacing, they're suddenly glad for their illness - when demonblood-tainted explosives go launching into the path they were attempting to take. They turn to move quickly - up the stairs, shooing both ladies ahead of them. "Fucking - we needed *answers*, Sugar!" They curse, but there's only one direction for them to all go, and it's right back up.
The molotov splashes, and the flames immediately begin to lick red around the opening coffin. Fire begins to spread, racing from casket to casket -- perhaps. It's hard to know, isn't it? Unless one of them, of course, plans to stick around to see the conflagration.
Sienna does not stop to ask questions, for a change, in the midst of the terror that gripes her mind. She reaches for two more, setting them ablaze and throwing them to opposite ends of the room before she skitters back up the stairs after Syl and Ash. "Run, run, run!"
Syl has her eyes on the pretty flames as she backs away, gun held ready, covering the retreat. She isn't staying, she's backing away.
Syl comes to her senses enough to actually start running at Sienna's words.
Those who are running should sprint for the grounds, two rooms out from here.
Ash intended to have both go up before them - but Sienna is making sure the job is done right, now that this is the plan, so they simply focus on making sure that Syl is going up before following her up.
Ash is going to sprint after Syl does.
Ash says "Syl! Keep moving!"
Syl says "I'm moving! I'm moving!"
Ash says "MORE! Go! South!"
Smoke chases Sienna, Syl, and Ash as they flee up the stairs. The willow-o-wisps are drowned out now by flickering firelight, continuing to rise. They hit the grounds, and the mists begin to mingle with smoke, and then by the time they hit the road that red fire claws for the sky. It is hungry, reaching for the timbers with a gluttonous kind of evil.
Syl continues racing, heading back toward the exit and the vehicles they would have come on. Syl glances back at the beautiful flames as she runs.
Sienna paces behind Syl and Ash, far away from the ravenous flames that seek to devour and reclaim the house of death back to the pits of hell where it came from.
Thank you all for coming on 'The Maitre d'Marionettes.' I will pass you for the plot in a moment. If there is something you want as a plot award, though, please let me know first, because some things I can only give out while a plot is active. Otherwise, I will bring you all back to the White Oak front steps.
This will probably be a pause point in this storyline for a while, because I don't have any spare storyideas I think for a bit. It will pick back up eventually; the earliest parts of it trace back to some scenes in March, and it's not done. If you want to engage with it in the meantime just reach out to me and we can talk.
Ash starts making the path, while the two watch the building burn. They seem deep in their thoughts, not even thinking to congratulate them.
The mansion, devoid of upkeep, stands as a ghastly reminder of abandonment or perhaps, a calculated decision to remain unnoticed. Upon their arrival, the air is thick with an unworldly oppression, a sensation that seems to whisper warnings yet entices deeper investigation. Ash, Syl, and Sienna, armed and wary, stand on the threshold of the mansion, their presence a challenge to the evil residing within.
The trio's exploration leads to a confrontation with a Cuban vampiress lurking among shadows and decay. In a harrowing encounter, Sienna's precision with her crossbow and a fortuitous compulsion spell severely weaken their assailant, allowing Ash and Syl to strike the terrifying creature with stakes. Despite their success, Ash reminds the group that staking typically doesn't result in the vampire's true demise.
Amidst the horrors of the mansion, the basement reveals a more ghastly sight: countless caskets, hinting at the scale of the vampire's sinister operations. In a panic-induced move, Sienna unleashes a molotov, igniting the crypt and sealing the fate of any undead horrors within. The flames' embrace of the mansion symbolizes a destructive purging of the evil it housed, even as the act leaves many questions unanswered and deprives the trio of potential insights into the vampire's vendetta against White Oak.
The story culminates in a flight from the inferno, the fire consuming all in its path, serving as a pyrrhic victory over the darkness that plagued the region. Ash, leading with caution tempered by pain, Sienna, driven by a desperate need to eradicate the threat, and Syl, spurred by a grim satisfaction derived from the chaos, emerge into the night. Their actions this evening have undoubtedly altered the mysterious balance of power between the mortal world and the supernatural entities that lurk in its shadows. Yet, as they depart from the engulfed mansion, the deeper implications of their encounter and the vampire's grudge against White Oak loom ominously, promising that their battle against the darkness is far from over.
(The Maitre d'Marionettes(SRJack):SRJack)
[Tue Oct 15 2024]
In a haunted stretch of forest between Haven and Boston
The stretch of forest south of Boston looms ominously, tall trees arching overhead like ancient sentinels, their gnarled branches entwined to form a dark, woven canopy. The narrow road, barely more than a gravel path, is flanked by thick underbrush and twisted roots that seem to reach out like skeletal fingers. A heavy silence blankets the area, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant call of a crow, adding to the unsettling atmosphere. Shadows flicker among the trees, and the air is thick with the earthy scent of damp soil, evoking a sense of both beauty and foreboding in this secluded, forgotten stretch of nature.
A dilapidated mansion lies off a twisting drive to the north; iron gates once closed the driveway off from the road, but now they stand open.
It is night, about 60F(15C) degrees, There is a full moon.
There are a few more who have applied, so we will give them a moment since we're not quite there. I'd wanted to do some interviewing Haley RP, but it didn't come together. Instead, I will summarize some of her information when I do the initial set.
It's evening -- but never fear. There's a full moon up, which makes it easy to see, doesn't it? Nothing wrong with going into the woods on a full moon.
someone And yet... that's where Ash, Syl, and Sienna are. Ash and Syl have been tracking the mystery of the vampires preying on White Oak for some time, now; Syl, at her computer, retrieved relevant information from Hayleigh's phone, which she had recovered in an earlier foray. Ash and Sienna ran into each other in the clinic: there, they interviewed Hayleigh Fry, who was once once of Sienna's sorority sisters.
Hayleigh is a far cry from what she was. She was taken in the final days of spring by a vampire who she calls only her Master, and her memory is broken. She lives half in and half out of her sorority days at White Oak, and half in the hunt, driven there by some madness to prey upon other students. Even in the clinic she was in the brainwashed clutches of her Master -- of M -- and she would fade in and out lucidity.
This brings our trio to this haunted stretch of woods between the full moon. From Syl, this location, gleaned from painstaking property searches. From Ash and Sienna, confirmation from Hayleigh that this place is where her Master brought her -- that this place is where her and, concerningly, her sisters were brought to commune with the abusive asshole that seemed to treat Hayleigh, at least, as some disposable tool in her master's quest against White Oak.
What Hayleigh doesn't know -- what none of them can figure out -- is why this M so hates the university. There is surely a reason, but perhaps that reason doesn't matter. Perhaps he is some force of evil, and it's so just that here, under the full moon, he just needs to be stopped. Perhaps it's that simple.
Perhaps.
It's evening -- but never fear. There's a full moon up, which makes it easy to see, doesn't it? Nothing wrong with going into the woods on a full moon.
And yet... that's where Ash, Syl, and Sienna are. Ash and Syl have been tracking the mystery of the vampires preying on White Oak for some time, now; Syl, at her computer, retrieved relevant information from Hayleigh's phone, which she had recovered in an earlier foray. Ash and Sienna ran into each other in the clinic: there, they interviewed Hayleigh Fry, who was once once of Sienna's sorority sisters.
Hayleigh is a far cry from what she was. She was taken in the final days of spring by a vampire who she calls only her Master, and her memory is broken. She lives half in and half out of her sorority days at White Oak, and half in the hunt, driven there by some madness to prey upon other students. Even in the clinic she was in the brainwashed clutches of her Master -- of M -- and she would fade in and out lucidity.
This brings our trio to this haunted stretch of woods between the full moon. From Syl, this location, gleaned from painstaking property searches. From Ash and Sienna, confirmation from Hayleigh that this place is where her Master brought her -- that this place is where her and, concerningly, her sisters were brought to commune with the abusive asshole that seemed to treat Hayleigh, at least, as some disposable tool in her master's quest against White Oak.
What Hayleigh doesn't know -- what none of them can figure out -- is why this M so hates the university. There is surely a reason, but perhaps that reason doesn't matter. Perhaps he is some force of evil, and it's so just that here, under the full moon, he just needs to be stopped. Perhaps it's that simple.
Perhaps.
As the trio collects together, Ash is ever casual, drawling to the other two before they get too close, "Syl, this is the genius I was telling you about. Y'all've met, right? Syl's my intern, and I'm sending her to outshow and outdo you, bae." They smirk to Sienna mischievously, taking advantage of the travel to try and keep spirits high.
"There's a lane for everyone," Sienna remarks neutrally toward Ash as she picks her way over the underbrush, eyes pealed and senses on high alert. A whisper quiet drone outfitted with NV sight flies overhead, canvassing the grounds with a live feed plugged into an app on her phone's screen, reliant on a steady connection. "But yeah, I've met Syl. Pretty cool, though we don't run into each other much," she realizes, eyes straying briefly to Syl with an easy-going smile curling her lips. "Maybe that'll change now going forward. Nikolai is going to work me like a dog, but I'm excited to be matched with him for an internship."
The first time Syl had found herself working with Ash on the Hayleigh case she had come without a stake and without weapons or armor. This time she looks much more ready. Beyond the sake shoved into one of her techwear outfits too many pockets she also has a black duffel bag and a long black gun case. At Ash's words she looks to her boss and offers, "We've met actually. She was at Harry's birthday party and I've seen her around campus at the computer lab." She still gives an up nod of her chin to Sienna as way of greeting.
Syl offers, "Probably will change," to Sienna, agreeing.
Combat doesn't work in mists rooms, and carrying weapons can impact RPXP. It's fine to emote weapons and armor you have in your stash.
There is an unsettling sort of keen to the wind out here in these woods, far beyond the reach of Haven's Sanctuary. Is it a distant howl on the wind? All of those here have something unnatural to them, and the part of their blood that isn't human pricks at the sense of this place being unearthly, being unworldly in that way that the outer forest in Haven can be.
Here, where Syl has located property records, this decaying mansion sits -- illuminated in silver by the light of the moon. The gates to the mansion hang a little askew; not destroyed, but run-down, with mists that seem to give only bare glimpses over the overgrown grounds beyond.
Ash drawls cheerfully as they look between the two tech wizzes, "I hope that does change - you can learn a ton from Sienna, Syl, and I'm looking forward to seeing your competitive spirit. We need more time training together, too, now that I'm mostly done with the house...."
They start to trail off, as they come closer to their objective, and the air and woods inform them - it's time to get serious. They would have a sabre on their hip, and a rifle on a strap across their shoulder. Their kevlar vest isn't stand out obvious under their scrubs, but it can be glimpsed with some movements. And, of course... they have their stake and sunglasses, though they put the sunglasses up at time so better observe their surroundings.
Syl' synthetic fibers whisper against each other in a subtle shshshsh as she moves. Her cold blue eyes peer around back in the direction of the seemingly wind-carried distant howl, she doesn't have good enough senses to tell whether it was one or not, but the noise at least catches her attention. A moment later she is looking back toward the decaying mansion. "This is it, looks creepier than it did on Google Mpas," Syl offers as she gazes past the askew and run-down gates. "Doesn't look like they have groundskeepers. That doesn't track, because someone can afford a mansion should be able to afford staff to maintain it too. If they don't have people who are maintaining the grounds, might mean their skimping on other things too." She frowns at that.
It looks a lot creepier than Google Maps, really. The street view captured an ordinary kind of place -- a little run-down, to be sure, but not... not this. This has a kind of air to it, something that chills Syl, Sienna, and Ash's bones.
Sienna knows better than to venture into the outer woods without preparation; a modified crossbow armed with wooden-tipped bolts is strapped to her voodoo doll-adorned backpack, and a thin layer of kevlar is visible from beneath her trench coat. She wrestles her phone out of her pocket, tapping at the screen to send the drone flying overhead to circle around the property in hopes of eliminating any obvious outside threats of traps lying in wait. "If they did, they're probably dead now," she remarks low under her breath toward Syl, passing lead to Ash out of habit, waiting for their mark.
Ahead of them, the mansion looms. Do they continue up the path? Back away, for when the moon is less full?
Ash glances over to Syl, then explains - in a quiet and lowbased on their perspective... "Unless they want to be forgotten, Syl. Looked over. Maybe it stayed dormant for a long time... maybe it's abandoned, and squatted in. A place hard to find, half in ruins, haunted and avoided by those who do know about it... that makes a great place for a base, when you don't want perky students coming to hunt you down and hurt you."
They pause, leaning back into some shadows near the gate, glancing over to Sienna. "Spot anything, Sh... bae?" They don't seem to have an interest in backing away... but they believe strongly in scouting.
nods at Ash's words. "Yeah," Syl murmurs. "Or could be that the master went mad. Wonder what he has against White Oak, that it would twist him as much as it seems too? Must be pretty bad."
Overhead, Sienna's drone circles. It sees the house, shrouded in mist; from above, it seems on her IR scope like it is draped in cobwebs, or like it is some insubstantial thing. It's hard not to think about Brigadoon. If there are small victories? It is that the little red dots that should indicate moving, warm things are completely absent. In the sky's eye, the mansion and its grounds are grave silent.
Ash glances at Sienna over Syl's words.
The gates loom. Sometimes, answers -- or their lack -- lie within.
Sienna remains silent while she checks the feeds from her drone, showing the screen to Syl and Ash both; from
Sienna remains silent while she checks the feeds from her drone, showing the screen to Syl and Ash both; from above, it seems on her IR scope like it is draped in cobwebs, or like it is some insubstantial thing. BUt, most importantly, the grounds read clear, and the mansion silent. For now. "Clear on the outside. Do you sense any wards or traps?" she asks of Ash, pocketing her phone, and unshouldering her crossbow.
Syl checks the grounds over for any sign of vehicles or horses implying residents are more likely to be present.
Nothing. No vehicles. No horses. Is it that no one here travels by such rude contrivances? Or is it that they are all lucky enough to be gone?
Ash moves forward, cautiously, checking on the gates, their golden-hazel eyes covering stone, soil, metal, and the wood of the mansion itself. Checking for traps, they pause, thinking, before kneeling down. Glancing around, they murmur, "...they may not have mirrors in there. But... well. Our comms work across the nightmare, but I don't actually know how well they work this far out from Haven...." They seem to be half talking to themself, half to the others, as they check for nightmare wards.
After a moment, they drawl more clearly to the other two, "This is a graveyard, even the house is a corpse. I fear that the nightmare will reveal more... but it could also empower him or trap us without a mirror. There is no scent from walking corpses... our only options are to go in blind." They glance over at the other two as they explain the risk and situation beforehand.
In the woods, there is some low squeal as the wind blows the gate to the mansion just slightly more open.
When ready, head north.
Sienna pushes past the squeaking gate, slowly advancing her way through the miasma of mist swirling through the air and toward the house. No traps, no visible signs of life, and only the oppressive atmosphere of being somewhere she shouldn't be that is enough to keep her on edge. Her fingers tighten on the crossbow, holding it snug with a wood-tipped bolt loaded as she takes out her phone briefly to tap commands into her drone to wait on standby, then moves for the front door, waiting for Ash and Syl before she tries the knob.
Ash smiles softly as someone takes their warning as a sign to move into the belly of the beast. They look to Syl before moving forward themself, giving her a chance to leave.
Ash smiles softly as Sienna takes their warning as a sign to move into the belly of the beast. They look to Syl before moving forward themself, giving her a chance to leave.
Syl nods. Sensing that they might go in she takes the time to unzip her duffel and don her ceramic plates over her clothing. She gets her katana free from it too and gets it hooked up. Wearing the techware as she does, faux tactical, there is an element to her look that is quite Yakuza-poser wannabe. She gets a headlamp on too, though she doesn't turn it on and then leaves the duffel bag now empty on the ground. The gun case she opens briefly to get a pistol from it, leaving the sniper in its foam housing. She shuts it. Gets the gun holstered up. Then picks up the case and follows Ash past the gate.
As Sienna, Syl and Ash enter the grounds of the mansion property, the mists seem to rise around them. It casts all of the grounds in shadow, making the moon-cast pools seem like strange and silvery ghosts. To Ash, this is a sign of something ominous here -- these mists are a sign of some weakness between worlds. That weakness comes from monstrosity; the presence of awful, terrible things warps the very fabric of the world, poking holes in the comfortable knowledge, the happy safety of the world.
Still nothing moves. This place smells like nothing but it -feels- like death; it feels like a little something in each and every one of their souls is dying... but in that depths of that little death, some seductive song lures, 'Deeper, Deeper...'
Ash stretches their acute senses to the limit, for any sound, any smell, any movement or ward. They motion for Sienna to stand back, pointing to her crossbow, then making a finger gun to the door so that they can be the one to turn the knob, with Sienna at their back. They lift their stake, nodding to Syl while hefting it, in silent communication.
Sienna positions herself to one side of the doors leading into the mansion, motioning Ash into position, leaning back and cutting her eyes toward Syl. The katana is stared at briefly, but she doesn't comment on the weeb vibes. Her weight shifts uneasily, grip tightening, before blowing out a slow breath. Her head lowers, mouth twisted into a troubled frown, braced an focused, motioning Ash forward.
Syl picks her gaze across the gravel driveway. She has a slightly nervous air to her as her cold blue eyes flick this way and that. The rising mists don't help with how they obscure the area. One hand goes to her stake at Ash's nod. She draws it free from her pocket and hefts it in quiet answer.
Syl picks her gaze across the gravel driveway. She has a slightly nervous air to her as her cold blue eyes flick this way and that. The rising mists don't help with how they obscure the area. One hand goes to her stake at Ash's nod. She draws it free from her pocket and hefts it in quiet answer.
Unlike the gates, the doors here are closed. They are dark wood; in the moonlight, they seem black and a little shiny, like a piece of obsidian slick with blood.
Syl gazes at the lock on the door, considering.
Ash gives Sienna a severe look for a moment before turning so that their back is at the lacquered door. From this standpoint, they turn the handle, leaning with the door and moving with it so that they have an immediate look into the house... presuming that it's unlocked. They seem to assume so... why lock the doors to a place all know to never come?
The door gives in Ash's hand -- it's no knob, but a great iron bar, worked to be twisted a little in on itself. The doors are heavy, but Ash, for all his slight form, is strong.
Syl moves to the opposite side of the door as Sienna so that she can peer along the opposite sight line as the door opens.
There is a sudden, awful squeal as the door opens.
Syl winces
Ash leans in with the door, by necessity having to step in to do so.
The sense of death is even stronger, here. It doesn't smell -- actually, it doesn't smell like anything. It just -feels-. It feels wrong, like... Stairs sweep up, down, doors open off the mansion, and while this place seems abandoned it doesn't seem entirely so. Here and there there are glimpses of life, spots of color in the cavernous foyer.
One such glimpse of color attracts Sienna's attention, for instance -- a little bit of yellow and white, discarded off to the side of the room. The same corner draws Ash's attention, but for some different reason.
Syl trails in coming around the corner and looking around the decaying mansion eyes flicking this way and that.
Ash raises a hand, then waves Sienna towards the opposite direction as the corner. They hold a finger to Syl, then starts to approach, relying on Sienna to see and handle an enemy around the corner from a distance while they come in for a closer, more detailed look.
Sienna scans over the foyer at length until something attracts her attention; that hint of yellow already attracting her attention, studying it with a squint of her eyes against the darkness. She turns her back, lifting her crossbow, finger teasing the tension of the trigger with a glance to Syl, ensuring they're okay.
As Ash approaches, they see a crumpled pom-pom lying in the corner of the foyer. It's familiar colors: white and gold. Perhaps they have seen such a thing in the hands of a cheerleader, before, hoping beyond hope that one day the Wildcats will win a game. Sienna most definitely has: she's held one, shaken it... but hers haven't been dropped here, flecked with blood.
Syl gives a nod to Sienna.
The darkness here is oppressive.
Ash exhales softly through their nose as they see that it's not, in fact, a body. So, instead, they look to see where the blood is.
The pom-poms are flecked with blood; it's as if there was some spray of it while they were being beld, to dapple the white and gold with a pattern of red stars.
Syl glances down suddenly at her leg.
Ash summons soft lighting, faint will o' wisps under their control, which they shift away from their partners, and towards the exits, where enemies may lurk.
Sienna stares down at the crumpled pom-pom as it comes into focus, holding her crossbow with a white-knuckled grip. Her gaze pans slowly across the mansion, straying forward only a few steps, scanning over for their way forward.
Syl brings down a hand to smack at her leg.
Ash looks Syl over, bringing a will o' wisp near to her legs, to see what might be happening there.
Witch-light casts the room in strange, golden-silver pattern of chiaroscuro shadow, but it gives at least some sense of the place: it shows other signs of the place being lived in. There's a bench with a whole stack of purses, stashed there, and then there is a book, half-read, in an armchair. The sense of people dwelling here creates a weird cognitive dissonance, given the emptiness of the place.
As for Syl Well. She appears to be having a little panic; the eerie witchlight reveals no reason for her upset, which plays across her face like a silent movie on the silver screen.
Syl settles down from her patting at her leg looking up toward the others in confusion and with a bit more fear on her face than before.
Ash looks Syl over, then pulls the light from her, keeping the light off of the group as much as possible, they direct one dim mote of light over to Sienna, then over to the purses, as they move over to the book, checking to see what book it might be. Could be a grimoire, could be a textbook with a library barcode... could be some vampire x werewolf erotic novel, though... doubtful, considering who lives... or unlives here.
Sienna treads the distance towards the purses, counting them briefly before she rifles through them to search for identification while Ash checks on Syl, intending to put them in her backpack for safekeeping later. She turns to look back at the pair, then paces onward, checking surrounding rooms and doors.
Ash suddenly lights up the room, moving over to Syl while looking up. The change isn't so bright as to hurt the eyes, but it is rapid. Their eyes search for something... or someone.
It's not an Omegaverse smut story -- but it's not far from it; it's a romance novel, set in 19th century Wales. For Sienna -- well.
All of the purses belong to young women. Most of the IDs in them seem real, apart from the obvious fake ones, but there's an eerie commonality: the purses feel like they belong to the young, but the ages on some of the IDs are pushing into the early 40s, long expired so that it is still twenty-somethings who peer out from fading photos. It's as if as whatever the birthdate of these purses' owners they are frozen in time, somewhere right around Sienna and Syl's age.
Syl tightens her grip on her stake and has her eyes roving about less looking at things and more looking around for some sign of someone hiding. She moves more fully into the room, trying to make a point of looking in a direction the others aren't so that all possible ways someone could enter have eyes on them.
Now Ash's witch-light plays across movement -- for the first time, something is -moving- in this dead place. A door opens, revealing stairs behind, and out of it steps a woman. A girl, perhaps: like Sienna, like Syl, she is in her her late teens or early twenties. She's dressed in yoga pants, a sports bra, with dusky skin and dark hair that suggests she is perhaps Cuban. She's not a White Oak student -- at least, not one that Sienna, Ash or Syl recognize -- and she's also not alive.
There is some sudden hiss; full lips open, her eyes go wide, and her pearly white teeth sharpen into fangs.
Ash looks relieved to not find anything on the ceiling, but it doesn't last long - they immediately act upon the woman, heading towards her, and coming in low.
There is not coded combat in mists rooms, so emote your actions and then I will resolve. If something needs clarity, feel free to stalk or tell SRJack what you are doing. We will resolve combat relatively quickly, generally in no more than 2-3 rounds of emotes, so plan accordingly.
Sienna reflexively recoils from the sudden movement as the woman emerges from the shadows. Green eyes widen in dis belief as the woman's features twist into something predatory, catching sight of those lengthening fangs. "Shit," she mutters under her breath, voice barely a whisper, as her gaze flicks between Ash, Syl, and the Cuban vampire creeping from the basement. Her crossbow is quickly back in her hands, bolt locked into place, to train them in her sights. The trigger is pulled, aiming for central mass.
Syl reaches down to the katana at her waist. Her finger brushes the top of the atsuba just off center. Katana are longer then an arm. Her hand settles backwards on the hilt with the hand not holding the stake, at least from the perspective of someone who hasn't learned the proper draw technique for the blade. The hand with the stake moves to the sheath itself. Her draw is both pulling the katana out and also drawing it forth in a smooth and practiced motion. She moves toward the vampire to engage aiming to attack from the side.
Movement; it is Syl who is charging at the vampiress, and that could be terrible for her indeed. The dark-haired Cuban girl moves like silent death, with a terrifying, unnatural fluidity. As Syl charges, she spins, beginning to leap -- only for something to catch her attention. It's some low incantation, perhaps, from Ash, as the vampire is distracted, moving instead towards something that's not there. This is perhaps Syl's salvation; as the raven-haired woman gets close, the katana in her hands is batted aside as it wasn't here. Sienna's arrow is more effective: the dark-skinned girl is a crack shot, and the crossbow bolt seems to appear in vampire's lower back. There's a cry out, as the vampire turns, focusing now on Sienna.
There is a moment, now: the vampire is likely to move on Sienna, next, but all three of them, Ash, Sienna and Syl have some moment to act. The blood that leaks from the Cuban un-dead's back drips slowly, with the consistency of crystallized syrup.
Ash pops up from their low lunge to try and stake her in her turned back, while she aims for Sienna.
Sienna quickly backpedals, placing distance between herself and the advancing vampire. Fingers fumble to load the next bolt, wasting no time in ticking it up and trying to fire a shot off into her chest as Ash goes for the back.
Syl after the probably jarring way she was casually batted aside would take great care not to hit Ash with her blade as she tried to attack again; but would only take that swing if Ash's attempting staking failed.
The Cuban vampiress is considerably better than both Ash and Syl. When Ash leaps for her, she bats him off, and it is something awful and bone crunching, hurling the faeborn back against a bench. It explodes full of splinters, and then her hand catches Syl's katana. There is a sudden crunch, and then factory-made steel just -breaks-, splintering in the vampiress' hand. She stalks towards Sienna. only for a second bolt to blossom now in the center of her chest, the iron-shod tip grazing an unliving heart.
She freezes: not quite transfixed, but close, as Ash's invitation to Sienna seems suddenly prescient indeed.
Syl letting her katana - expensive and now useless, not factory made, for what it was worth - drop from her hand. Taking up her stake she tries to stab it into the freezing up vampire's heart from behind.
Ash cries out in pain, but - perhaps surprisingly - they get moving quickly, though their face is contorted in agony. They move in an attempt to stake her from the front... surely, two fools with stakes can manage what one alone has failed?
As Ash is batted aside like a ragdoll, Sienna's breath catches in her throat. Panic flares as the vampiress shatters Syl's katana like it's nothing, and now, she's moving for her. Ash's cry of pain leaves her heart thundering wildly, adrenaline surging through her as she takes advantage of the Cuban vampire's brief pause to catch her gaze, speaking lowly, "Stake yourself with the bolt," in an effort to compulse their problem out of existence; or, at the very least, buy time as Syl goes for the killing blow.
Syl can't keep a smile from ripping out on her face mid strike as the horror and terror of the moment settles on everyone else, lifting her spirits
Two fools with stakes -- and Sienna, deploying some power in her blood. There is a moment where the vampiress freezes, and it is just enough. It is just enough for first Ash and then Syl to strike home, wooden stakes piercing the vampire's breast. The stretchy fabric of her sports bra tears under the assault, and then flesh gives way, bone... and heart. It is the heart that gives up last: unmoving, unbeating, it is still the heart of her existence, and it pops.
It pops like an overstuffed balloon, like an overripe fruit -- like some bag of blood, now splattering Ash, Syl, and Sienna with gore.
Ash blinks, wavering, then falling to their knees, bending over in agony as the pain - coupled with their current poor condition - takes its toll. They need a moment before they can wipe off their glasses, growling with gritted teeth, "More are sure to come... and staking doesn't *kill* vampires...." They look her over, and over all the blood. "...normally."
The gagging happens almost immediately, poorly suppressed as Sienna wipes her face from the gore that splattered across it. She steps through it, not minding the stain on her boots, catching Ash by the arm in an effort to keep them from hitting the floor, pushing them over into a seat on the bench nearby. "Catch your breath," she encourages. "We need you on your feet." She looks over to Syl, scanning the bloodied woman over. "You good, Syl?"
Syl showered with gore is now an icy blue eyes girl wearing red and black. She's grinning, the pain of Ash and maybe the horror of the moment bolstering her because of the suffering of others. "Great," she drawls in a cheery way. Her hand goes to pull her gun free. "Think we should run while we still can, but other then that..." She nods, bobbing her head in a happy way.
Before, it didn't smell. The place had no odor, just the sense of death, but now? It's as if all of that decomposition has advanced. This vampire, at least, is... gone. She's just a bag of blood covering Sienna, Syl, and Ash -- but the door she emerged from lies open, and behind it a set of spiral stone stairs leading down.
Ash breathes in and out, finally calming, before rising, heading their way to the door. They take their sabre from their belt, giving it to Syl to replace her katana, for now, before they begin their descent. They beckon Sienna behind them, so that the obvious MVP of the night is better protected in the middle. Witch lights, will o' wisps, fox flames... nearly pastel, faint lights mark the steps before each person, to prevent tripping, but don't go far ahead. Not that, with the scent of blood, they can really say that their group is stealthy.
Syl coughs as the stench hits her. Her eyes rove between Ash and the path down - less with the implication that they should go down it and more in a don't keep her eyes out kind of way. And as she's given another weapon, Syl follows along. Its a reluctant following.
The smell is awful, overpowering, stomach turning. Blood should be coppery, but this gore has the undertone of rot.
Sienna moves down the steps behind Ash, her crossbow already locked and loaded with another wooden bolt. She reaches into her backpack's side pocket, pulling out a makeshift molotov and passes it back to Syl. "Hey, bleed on that," she whispers. The overpowering stench has her barely breathing through her mouth, labored and careful.
Syl nods acceptance to Sienna and using the sabra that Ash provided she nicks herself in order to allow the trickle of blood to fall onto the makeshift molotov.
Syl stares above Ash's head.
Syl offers Sienna back the molotov.
Molotovs and sabers to hand, perhaps all the trio needs now is courage -- courage, if they are to brave the stairs into the dark.
As the trio descends, silence -- silence and stillness, as the weirding light plays around the room... and it's dozens upon dozens of caskets.
Syl follows the others down.
Ash motions to Syl as they reach the bottom, pulling out the bandages they have on hand, ripping off enough length, then applying it quickly.
Sienna stares ahead into the darkness, bile rising in her throat at the sight of dozens of coffins sprawled across the cold, damp floor. "Shit," she mouths, in silencee, grateful for the now demon blood-tainted molotov weighing in her hand.
Syl nods gratefully to Ash.
Shit? At least that isn't the smell down here. No, it's the prick of Syl's blood at Ash's nose, the smell of the gasoline in the molotov. No smell -- no sound, until...
There is a sound. There is a creak, as one of the coffins begins to open.
Sienna immediately throws the molotov toward the direction of the coffins, frightened by the movement, in a trigger happy and sheer, blind panic moment.
Syl takes in the numerous coffins with widening eyes.
Ash moves quickly towards the coffin - or tries to, but their leg almost gives out. Grimacing, they're suddenly glad for their illness - when demonblood-tainted explosives go launching into the path they were attempting to take. They turn to move quickly - up the stairs, shooing both ladies ahead of them. "Fucking - we needed *answers*, Sugar!" They curse, but there's only one direction for them to all go, and it's right back up.
The molotov splashes, and the flames immediately begin to lick red around the opening coffin. Fire begins to spread, racing from casket to casket -- perhaps. It's hard to know, isn't it? Unless one of them, of course, plans to stick around to see the conflagration.
Sienna does not stop to ask questions, for a change, in the midst of the terror that gripes her mind. She reaches for two more, setting them ablaze and throwing them to opposite ends of the room before she skitters back up the stairs after Syl and Ash. "Run, run, run!"
Syl has her eyes on the pretty flames as she backs away, gun held ready, covering the retreat. She isn't staying, she's backing away.
Syl comes to her senses enough to actually start running at Sienna's words.
Those who are running should sprint for the grounds, two rooms out from here.
Ash intended to have both go up before them - but Sienna is making sure the job is done right, now that this is the plan, so they simply focus on making sure that Syl is going up before following her up.
Ash is going to sprint after Syl does.
Ash says "Syl! Keep moving!"
Syl says "I'm moving! I'm moving!"
Ash says "MORE! Go! South!"
Smoke chases Sienna, Syl, and Ash as they flee up the stairs. The willow-o-wisps are drowned out now by flickering firelight, continuing to rise. They hit the grounds, and the mists begin to mingle with smoke, and then by the time they hit the road that red fire claws for the sky. It is hungry, reaching for the timbers with a gluttonous kind of evil.
Syl continues racing, heading back toward the exit and the vehicles they would have come on. Syl glances back at the beautiful flames as she runs.
Sienna paces behind Syl and Ash, far away from the ravenous flames that seek to devour and reclaim the house of death back to the pits of hell where it came from.
Thank you all for coming on 'The Maitre d'Marionettes.' I will pass you for the plot in a moment. If there is something you want as a plot award, though, please let me know first, because some things I can only give out while a plot is active. Otherwise, I will bring you all back to the White Oak front steps.
This will probably be a pause point in this storyline for a while, because I don't have any spare storyideas I think for a bit. It will pick back up eventually; the earliest parts of it trace back to some scenes in March, and it's not done. If you want to engage with it in the meantime just reach out to me and we can talk.
Ash starts making the path, while the two watch the building burn. They seem deep in their thoughts, not even thinking to congratulate them.