*377*
You open the upper western door. Nothing separated this room from the wolves chamber but a thin plywood wall. This room smells like a stable...horses. The same smell wofted from the Headless Horesmen's carraige.
This room smells foul, it's a wonder we didn't smell it befor... How peculiar. I'm not getting a good feeling about this discovery though, I'll only follow you into this I would rather avoid it.
Rattus tilts his head and clutches the blunderbuss.
Oblivious to Antoni's and Rattus's rebuttals, the black bear turns his back to the group and starts sniffing around the hay in the wolf pen, as if it were smelling something odd or seeking something, and it carries on with it as the group goes out.
It was about to leave the place when it hears their voices across the wall, so it tries to move past it, as that seems to be one of the moving wooden walls commonly used by the humans. It then proceeds to push it, just as it had learned to push doors.
[dice=SKILL, to push a "heavy door", i.e., the plywood wall]2d6[/dice]
Feeling the resistance to of the wall, the bear employs more strength in the endeavor, but, as it turns out, a bit too much.
That bear does not find anything under the hay but more wolf fodder. Turning his attention to the wall however, the slatted plywood sheets that separated the stalls does indeed bust off. There is a bag as the sheets fall flat on the floor of the horse-smelling stall. The bear steps into it and sees the others standing at the door, Rattus holding hid gun tightly. now the bear definatly smells something under the hay. It must have been what he was smelling in the wolf pen. Only it's much stronger now, and is coming from the threashold of the stall right in front of his friend's feet...
There is something under the hay, right ahead of you, says the black bear to the rat-werewolf, it emits a strong scent.
The horses are clearly distressed to be trapped in stalls with a black bear walking around them.
Horses: there are 3 of them. They appear under-nourished and under exercised. They also have gashes or deep cuts down their flanks. Dried blood which has oozed from these cuts sticks to their coats. They spook easily and prance in the corners...
The black bear stands on its two hind paws and breaks through the poles delimiting the stalls. As it does so, the three animals shriek and snort in desperation, cowering even more at the corners, but the black predator does not assail them. On the contrary, it turns its back to the horses and moves towards the courtyard through the door to the wolf pen, and as it reaches the threshold, a fresh wind sweeps the rooms. The wolf-rat, at the threshold of the horse pen, experiences a feeling of comfort, and the others, on the courtyard, can hear the pine trees to the outside, rattling as the wind sweeps it.
The wounds of the three horses seem to partially close, and they regain some of their vigor. Their shape is far from ideal, but the healing breath of life that came from the woods gave those animals enough strength to leave the castle, if they so desired.
Even before the spirit has completed it's healing task, the horses, regaining enough strength, make a run for it, through the broken wall and out the wolf pen door
As the wind from the spirit swirls the air the straw does indeed scatter from across the threshold...revealing a large pentagram painted there. Surely this is a diabolical trap of some kind. Perhaps it is made with horse blood; none of you can't tell. Accept maybe the bear.
Those poor creatures... Grim is going through a melancholy stage it seems.
Looks like it was made with those horses blood...hPerhaps we should make haste too. We now have proof against the count other than the villagers words. The count must rely on truly dark energy and must be stopped...
Rattus steps around sniffing the air. The hairs on the back of his neck and tail are standing straight up.
A pentagram...is that blood? What do you make of this?
@ Rattus:
Odors that you smell include animal fodder, the rainy cobbles of the courtyard, a musty smell from the crypt.
Sights that you see include 3/4 moonlight illuminating everything in a sickly pale light, and a weird green moss growing in between the cobbles here and there but nothing special. Looking closely reveals tiny, almost microscopic white flowers growing, which the moss produces.
Sounds include the squeeking of the occasional bat, the hooting of the occasional owl. The soft blowing of the cold night breeze, the creeking of roof tiles high above your head.
Feelings: your rat skin is crawling...three distinct personalities each clawing around inside you vying for superiority.
Taste
Rattus looks over at the bear and stares intently.
Come on, out with it Bear! We're curious, we can see that you know something about this!
He then looks back at the bloody mess on the floor.
It did not occur to me that it was not obvious, states the black bear. The form does smell of horse blood, indeed, but it reeks much stronger of another serum, one which I do not recognize. That form, too, is a wall to a pen, but one in which dwells a foul beast not of this world. I can see its eyes, lusting for devouring us, it stares at you, rat, and also at me, with anger and thirst for blood. It is not welcome in here, so it does not enter, but that wall is but a fragile one, and just as the wind from the woods swept the straw from over it, so too will any of you, by stepping on it, sweep the wall away, and free the beast's way into this place, it threatens.
It then adds, do as you wish, but it will be a fool's errand to call forth that monster. Then it moves into the courtyard (through the entrance of the wolf pen) and waits by the entrance of the crypt.
I agree, even I know when something's too bad of an idea. I sense bigger discoveries also I'd rather live to find them than be attacked by every thing in this rotten place!
Rattus turns and follows the bear out.
The crypt has a stone entrance with steps leading down. Hideous gargoyle heads and feindish grins stare balefully down at you, and the heavy, iron-railing gates are firmly locked.
try to force the gates to the crypt? 141
open the southern door in the courtyard, if you have not done so already? 18
head back in and explore the castle beyond the brass doors?
do something else?
As you all stand pondering whether to attempt to enter the crypt you hear the squeeking of rats coming from somewhere in the vicinity of the south door across the courtyard.
The black bear gains some distance, and attempts to trample over the locked door of the crypt.
So the blood on the ground was a portal possibly to another realm? I agree we would do well to stay away. Sir bear if you would be so kind to make a passage into the crypt...
The bear hits the 2 inch thick bars of the gate. There is a loud rusty bang! Then silence falls. The night creatures, disturbed by the noise, owls and bats and rats, all stop their clamor. And something else has noticed your attempt to penetrate the gate...
Drifting up the steps comes a tiny, dwarf-like spectral figure, black and almost featurless. You can sense the chilling evil in the atmosphere which cloaks it; its tiny black claws reach out for you. Will you:
Fight the Shadow? 292
Run to the south doors (since you
have not done so already)? 18
Run to the northerly brass doors which you went through before? 2
Do something else?
I hear my lesser brethren... I don't speak their tongue but they sound distressed something must be forcing them out of their holes. Perhaps we should force our way into the crypt but I fear if we don't take care of what's causing problems for those rats it may find its way down to the crypt anyway... I'm too conflicted I sense danger around every corner in this place.
Rattus motions to the bear to attempt to ram the door again.
we may as well attempt to confront what is in the crypt, we can't get a sneak on it, anything would have heard that initial crash down there
Antoni draws his sword. "Come face us, Shadow!"
We shall end your suffering poor soul! Grim draws his sword.
Shade laughs nothing can kill me...I shall suck the life energy out of each of you, feeding upon your souls!
Do you guys have the magic sword yet? Nope. Your weapons have no effect on this particularly evil thing. It lashes at you with it's shadow-claws. Everyone takes -2 stamina.
We do not have the means to fight this thing yet friends! Retreat through the brass door hopefully it will not be able to pass. This spirit guards something of power we will come back to slay it.
"What of the south door, Grim?" Antoni says, as the group makes their retreat.
Rattus easily detects the sound of his brethren rats as comming from that south door. Whether they are normal rats or denizens of the count, he can not say.
Sounds as good as any, I'm sure a bullet to a spirit wouldn't do much anyway! It seems to be draining us of energy!!
The spirit rears back to take another swipe.
South door hurry! It should not follow.
*18*
You open the door. It is very dark within. Pitch black. You will need a light source to see by.
There is no light, then the bear enters, then there is light.
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As the pale spirit light illuminates the room you make out a room full of grain sacks and some scurrying rats. There is a door in the west wall of the storeroom. As you are exploring the rats become more and more agitated. Eventually they become down right freaked out. They begin to form a mass of rat-flesh behind you between you and the exit door...Their bodies contort and twist together, holding on to eachother with teeth, tails and claws, and then a half humanoid half ratnoid figure emerges completely composed of rat bodies.
The demon ratinoid figure speaks: Rattus, my old friend...It's me Mouskalin you cousin...do you not recognize me? I know it's been years since our father discarded me into the trash....a failed experiment. But now i've come back from the afterlife, a gift from my NEW father the count!
the creature sniffs rattus. my, brother, what is that which I smell? You almost reek of Canine scent!
will you:
fight the ratnoid?
talk to it to find out more?
try to escape through the western door in the store room? since your path back to the courtyard is blocked.
do something else?
We've never been kin!! You should have stayed in the trash where you belonged! Your Ratking body is weak we can all see that, I'll end your life you useless thing!
A wolf howl fills the room, echoing all around and filling everyone's ears. Rattus emits a high pitched squeal that turns into a loud basso baying. A full moon lights up his eyes and he collapses to the floor where his body contorts and flays about. Rattus' hair grows darker and longer, his snout extends with a snarl, hind legs bow and his claws get sharper. The sound of bones cracking an popping as his spine elongates and new joints form in his fore arms and hands.
A vicious scream and a 3'8" Rattus is now a 6'3" dire wolf
A voice speaks from within the wolf with what sounds like three people speaking at once one low and menacing the other middling and old the last bright , high and squeaking.
There was nothing to gain from you! We tossed you out because you were useless and we weren't! We obviously weren't thorough enough in disposing of you so we will clean up our mess!
Head down snarling staring directly at where the 'head' may be Rattus leap in to attack with tooth and claw.
Grim gathers Rattus's equipment and falls back to support.
Antoni draws his sword, looking on at the strange scene with some confusion.
the creature pauses. then it's eyes grow dark and hatefull.
M...Master Gargelon...I can hear your voice...is it truly you? The one whom both Rattus and I called 'Father?'
The creature glances at Antoni and Grim, sizing up whether or not it might be outmatched. Then it hisses and calls upon it's brothers:
rats of the underworld,
rats of the night,
come to aid me in my plight
bite them, curse them, snarl and chew!
feast on their meat,
turn their bones into GOO!!!
Rats come out of the woodworks, the walls, the sacks of grain. They attack with vicous red eyes and 'long pointy teeth.'
RAT HORD skill 5 stamina 6
RAT KING skill 8 stamina 7
Grim attacks the Rat Horde.
Grim slashes and stomps all around him as the Rats swarm everywhere. they die by the dozens but still keep coming!
Again Grim is a fury of blows slaying the vermin. I shall send you back to hell vile creatures!
Grim kills enough rats that the remaining flee. Covered in Gore he stands back to see if any other threats come out that would prevent this struggle between Brother vs Brother!
the creature pauses. then it's eyes grow dark and hatefull.
M...Master Gargelon...I can hear your voice...is it truly you? The one whom both Rattus and I called 'Father?'
The creature glances at Antoni and Grim, sizing up whether or not it might be outmatched. Then it hisses and calls upon it's brothers:
rats of the underworld,
rats of the night,
come to aid me in my plight
bite them, curse them, snarl and chew!
feast on their meat,
turn their bones into GOO!!!Rats come out of the woodworks, the walls, the sacks of grain. They attack with vicous red eyes and 'long pointy teeth.'
RAT HORD skill 5 stamina 6
RAT KING skill 8 stamina 7
The black bear stands back from combat, lest the large vargulf goes berserk and attacks the remainder of the group. Though not in a threatening stance, it is poised and ready to charge at any misbehaving minion of evil that attempts to attack it.
Something prevented Wolf Rattus to move, perhaps some kind of internal struggle between all the minds trapped inside the one body. A constant shaking ad fidgeting during the fight was all that seemed to have happened.
A horrific scream bellows out of his mouth and he takes his frustration out on the grain supplies and barrels throwing a cascade of wheat, barley and wood all across the room.
NOOO!!
A contortion takes over his body throwing him to the ground. His body begins to shrink and bones are heard snapping and sinew cracks as its pulled tight.
Finally a normal Rattus emerges, much more 'nude' than he was before. Rattus vomits a little and looks around the room in a daze.
Ugh... What happened here?!