Sensing that this is all going downhill fast, Cesarina pivots again from defensive actions to offensive ones, re-establishing the corona of burning radiance around the hellspawn. Given they seem to be helping at the moment, she spares the Wild Hunt its effects for now.
"Eldritch, do you have something a bit more...impactful you can use?" she asks.
A fathomless cold washes over Oswald as he slips away. He immediately awakens in a pitch black plane. In the distance, a serpentine rainbow slithers through the sky, yet it’s light does not seem to go very far. Nothing feels normal here. The ground seems to have a spring to it. He feels his body go lighter with every lift of his foot and heavier when he brings it back down. He can’t help but feel at peace here somehow. It’s an unfamiliar place to him, but deep down inside, it feels as though it’s a place that he’s long been a part of. The ground beneath him roils into a mountain-like façade of a roughly human face, a face oddly familiar yet very alien to him.
”DREAM WARRIOR” the face bellows with the voice of countless ancestors. The force alone nearly sends him flying. He struggles to climb back to his feet when the face again speaks. ”DEFENDER. GUARDIAN OF THE REALM”. Oswald shields his eyes from the force but upon opening them, what once was pitch black still remains black... but within that darkness he sees so much more. Colors unfamiliar to him, shimmering in the black ichor of this realm. A rainbow of colors lost on human eyes humming with static. Atop the mountainous craggy face, a void-like silhouette. Humanoid figure yet something uncomfortably more than human. No matter how hard he tries, the silhouette never seems to remain in focus. Save for its eyes. It’s eyes, white hot holes, stares hungrily at Oswald. Oswald, hungrily, stares back.
As the team known as ELDRITCH battle forces of the apocalypse and the leader of the wild hunt, Oswald’s body disappears into the darkened corner where he’d collapsed.
Angel grabs the spectral hounds face and pulls his leg from its toothy grip, shredding his calf in the process. His leathers and his flesh are torn, but he limps toward Eldritch,
To the Hunter, he says over his shoulder, "Aren't you supposed to be on our side?"
His empty eye sockets flare again, and to Max he says, "Eldritch, you gotta be like a hunerd years old. Time to meet your maker, old man."
Famine and Plague, happy to see that their collective miasma is slowly affecting the heroes, opt to hang back and let their afflictions take hold.
Gwyn ap Nudd, master of the Wild Hunt, Fey King, and escort of the dead, laughs a throaty laugh at Angel's exhortations.
"Our agreement does not extend to the Lady Knight, with whom I have a more specific feud. All of you Demon-held would do well to heed my warnings. Leave the Knight alone, or face my wrath."
And, to Gracie, "Good Lady Knight, my quarrel this fine evening is not with your or your companions. The previous Master of this House took something from me, and it has been locked within while the place was sealed. I intend to recover it while the witch has opened the door. There is no reason for us to quarrel."
And then he unleashes his arrows on the one who is blocking the doorway, the young Eldritch.
The Hellqueen continues her assault on her enemy, opening tiny portals to hellish dimensions and channeling hellfire at the new Eldritch.
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Impaired
Save
Save
-4 ish
-1 ish
-3 ish
As the villains continue their onslaught, an eye-like orb five feet in diameter poofs into existence in the sky above our heroes. A warm golden honey in color, the eye swoops around briefly before blinking. Upon reopening, the iris becomes a rift to a dream realm of positive energy that infuses Eldritch, Cesarina and Gracie with the most comforting glow. Just as quickly as it appeared, it disappears.
Grace is impaired as she breaks out in hives. Famine affects her no further, and the strange magic eye that appears moments later cures her of her munchies.
Her ears twitch at the Hunter's words, and remembers Max mentioning the Nexus had been breached. "Opened? You're not talking about Hellqueen, are you, who's in there?"
The situation was not good. Moving toward the Nexus would only draw this unholy army along with them. She looks to Max and Cesarina, who looks a little better after the strange eye healed. "Go see what's happening to the Nexus. I'll keep dancing with my partners here."
With a roar, she leaps up and then down toward Disease, slashing with her blade.
Cesarina's first instinct is to heal the injured, but she's no stranger to the realities of triage, especially as applied to ongoing supernatural combat; taking the time to patch up some of the wounds Eldritch has taken would cost valuable time while the insane auras of the hellspawn continued to eat away at their vitality.
"We need to do something about their miasma, or we're done for!"
Again, she focuses, intensifying the light.
Eldritch arches an eyebrow at Cesarina's comment. The most impactful thing he could have done was protect the Nexus, which he did. And, he told them the Nexus was the most important point to this battle. He questioned if she was paying attention to himself, and his reply was, "indeed."
The young mage gestures and commands, “Let crack the Lightning of the Thunderer” causing white lightning to arc from his glowing hands to strike the Hellqueen.
Revised:
Angel: -4 to future saves vs damage. Staggered.
Born Loser (Famine) staggered and -2 to future saves vs damage
Cueball (War)-3 to future saves vs damage. Staggered.
Buddy (Plague)-2 to saves vs damage
HQ dazed and -2 to future saves vs damage.
For a final of:
Angel: -4 to future saves vs damage. Staggered.
Born Loser (Famine) staggered and -2 to future saves vs damage
Cueball (War)-3 to future saves vs damage. Staggered.
Buddy (Plague)-2 to saves vs damage
HQ dazed and -3 to future saves vs damage.
Her ears twitch at the Hunter's words, and remembers Max mentioning the Nexus had been breached. "Opened? You're not talking about Hellqueen, are you, who's in there?"
Gwynn ap Nudd speaks in a voice that is both powerful and alluring.
"The Greek witch, granddaughter of the sun, mistress to dragons, has opened the door, Good Knight. And the call has gone out. Many will seek the treasures within the Nexus tonight. You cannot stand against all of them. Look, another approaches now..."
As his gaze trackes to the side, you see the cobblestones of the street buckling upward as if something is moving beneath them, Bugs Bunny, perhaps, or one of those worms from Tremors.
The stones explode upward, swirling as they and the surrounding concrete and earth take the form of a statuesque woman.
Angel stiffens his shoulders, lurching toward the barrier that Eldritch has erected around the doorway. He loses his balance, leaning fully into the mystical barrier.
As the miasma of disease and famine continue to wear you down, the Huntsman takes exception to them ignoring his commands. [b}"I thought that I was clear in my declaration that you must leave the Knight alone, and yet you continue to accost her. Consider our agreement abrogated."[/b]
Gwyn ap Nudd, master of the Hunt, draws the string of his great bow, launching a hail of arrows at the two bikers. Cueball drops under the continued assault.
Angel: -4 to future saves vs damage. Staggered.
Born Loser (Famine) staggered and -3 to future saves vs damage
Cueball (War)-3 to future saves vs damage. Disabled.
Buddy (Plague)-3 to saves vs damage
Famine and Plague join Angel at the barrier. Buddy slams his fist into Eldritch's barrier.
Hellqueen continues her assault on Max, blasting him with hellfire.
The swirling bricks, stone, and sand resolve themselves into the form of an attractive statuesque woman made of sand and stone. She calls out, "Look, I'm just tryin' to get into that house, there. I got no quarrel with any of you. Let me pass and we won't have no trouble."
This is Sandstone, a woman who suffers under some sort of curse that has placed her consciousness into a sand/earth form.
Grace leaps in front of Max as the Hellfire arcs toward him, taking the blow on his behalf.
Since the others weren't heading inside to protect the interior as she had suggested. Grace switches tack. "Eldritch, can you 'port me inside so I can find this Greek witch?"
Grace takes the Hellfire, defending Eldritch as she has many times in the past 7 years.
Seeing Eldritch shake his head and figuring it's past his limitations, Grace takes the alternative and leaps over the band who have just broken the magical barrier, standing between the entrance and those who want to get inside. Recovering from Hellqueen's blast, all she can do is move for now. She knows the bad news is the bikers will likely continue to try to batter her. The good news is not only are they less likely to batter others, if they beat on her, perhaps the Hunter will continue to "help" fight their other enemies--if only to get to Grace himself.
"Thanks Gracie!" Eldritch shouts, after the Good Knight blocks hellfire meant for him. And, he suddenly feels better, but he doesn't have time to investigate the benefit. Maybe Gracie or Cesarina have developed new powers.
Then, he digests the declaration of Gracie's nemesis, Gwyn ap Nudd, master of the Hunt, "Greek witch? Medea! The Nesian Nexus is open!? We must get inside!" Eldritch focuses on the door and flies into the brownstone on the wings of the Seraphim.
The screams became many whispers in Oz's blackened mind. Animalistic hunger seems to be taking over.
the door The Door the door none must enternone must enter none must enter
A tear rips into the fabric of reality as a starving eye glares over Ditko Street. Gruesome images of horror bubble underneath the blood-red eye.
Feed me fear
As Eldritch dive through the door, the is a bright burst of light that casts him into silhouette. The last of the barriers protecting the Nexus collapse, and the façade of the building takes on a more solid, fresher, cleaner appearance.
Max is able to enter, but Gracie, standing on the elevated stoop, can't see him within. To Gracie, the door opens into an Edwardian foyer, drawing room off to the left, hall tree to the right, stairs leading to a second level and a hall passing between the drawing room and the stairs. An antique bronze bar cart stands in the hall.
Cesarina sees her chance to move, taking the advice of both Gracie and Eldritch; she sends out one last pulse of energy, then books it inside.
"Hopefully that should finish them. If not we may have to improvise some other way of keeping them outside."
Angel: -4 to future saves vs damage. Staggered.
Born Loser (Famine) staggered and -3 to future saves vs damage
Cueball (War)-3 to future saves vs damage. Disabled.
Buddy (Plague)-3 to saves vs damage
The Advocates waver in their approach under the continued holy barrage.
The HellQueen, on the other hand, is torn apart by the holy light. She vanishes into wisps of light.
Gwyn ap Nudd, Master of the Wild Hunt, observes the proceedings intently. He rides slowly toward the door, approaching you as you stand on the stoop.
"Yes, Good Knight, the Nexus is breached. It will take heroes to root out the darkness that now wriggles within it. You should make haste lest the moment be lost."
Grace makes sure Cesarina and Eldritch get within first. "Just want to be sure nothing else unwanted wriggles in," she nods at the Devil's Advocates still standing at the door and stands in a defensive posture. She narrows her eyes at the Hunter. "What is this thing you want, anyway?" She nods over to Sandstone. "Same question goes for you, Sandy."
She knows she might be approaching the option of a bargain that would undoubtedly have horrific consequences. She is also aware there are sometimes only bad and worse choices to be made--and that if Gwynn is urging her to go inside, it is also only so he might follow along with all the others. Still more information might help.
Grace pulls rear guard as Eldritch, Cesarina, and the shadow wrapped Oz slip through the doorway into the Nerian Nexus.
Gwyn responds, "Eldritch, the first one, not the pretender with whom you caracole about, took from me a spear that is dear to the Hunt. Without it we are diminished. Upon his death, the agreement which allowed him to hold it expired. I intend to reclaim it."
And Sandstone, gathering cobbles, bricks, and sand into her form, adding bulk. "I got no quarrel with you or your team, Good Knight. Medea says the Nexus is filled to the brim with magic or all kinds. Surely there is something in there that can give me my humanity back. I don't want to be trapped in this form anymore."
As you cross the threshold, reality shifts, though the appearance of the interior isn't all that different from what you could see from the outside.
The mansion is a well-preserved three-story townhouse, built in the Queen Anne style of Victorian revival. The building sports an asymmetrical facade, arched doorway, and oriel windows set among round towers.
Stepping inside the antechamber reveals wood-paneled walls and floors set with colorful tile patterns. The half-glazed doorway inside the vestibule leads to a sitting room, used to entertain invitees. Just inside the antechamber, four unconscious figures lie scattered on the floor. They are clad in ochre robes, still clutching curved daggers in their hands.
A older gentleman in a charcoal suit with salt-and-pepper hair slides down the far wall, losing his balance until he rests sitting on the floor. Blood pours from a wound on his arm. He mumbles, apparently to himself, “That… that is why we always phone ahead before a visit, yes?”
Max immediately recognizes Sallah, a Persian man who was Adrian's partner and caretaker of the Nerian Nexus. No one has heard from Sallah since the sealing of the Nexus, so it was unclear whether he had perished with Adrian Eldrich or simply stayed to serve the Nexus. It appears now that the latter is the case.
Eleldritchdritch
the howls reverberate from the longest corridors of Oswald's mind palace. The walls are darkened, everything hazy, yet he trudges forward through the blackness in hopes of making sense of whatever has befallen him.
As the heroes make their way through the threshold, an inky black smudge crawls it's way from the roof down to the ceiling and then through the doorway with an inhuman celerity. It rushes by the heroes and positions itself on the ceiling corner. It's head swivels and cracks at an impossible angle as white-hot dots for eyes dart back and forth between The Good Knight, the attackers outside, the four bodies dead on the floor, and the gentleman who produced the dead bodies. The large creature observes, making an eery throaty clicking noise while violently ticking its head about.
Eldritch glances at the shadow creature invading the foyer from the roof, like one more potential threat. "Cesarina, as a bearer of light, you might be best to deal with that creature."
Without breaking stride, Eldritch makes a beeline to Sallah and starts performing first aid. "Sallah, it's Max. What happened? How can we help?"
Gracie thinks a moment. To Gwyn, she says, "I know you're a hunter of your word, and as bearer of my blade, I am bound to keep my promises. I am also bound to protect people, and need to keep others out of the Nexus as I reckon we haven't even seen the beginning of all hell breaking loose. I'll offer you a deal, Gwyn: If you leave now, I'll go in and find the spear. After we've dealt with the other intruders, you can come find me, and if you can take it from me, it's yours. I'll do everything I am able to keep it out of anyone else's hands in the meantime." She's hoping a promised battle with her is more incentive rather than less.
Turning to Sandstone:
"Think about who told you that--a person that the whole world has heard of, above all else, as a mother who killed her children. You really think she gave you that intel to help you? You want magical aid, I work with some of the greatest magical minds in the world. They are the people most likely able to help you." She looks the elemental-woman in the eye. "If you leave us be, I'll do all I can to find a way to end your... condition. While I can't make promises on behalf of the others, I can ask them as well as search myself to find what might help. If you helped us rather than attacked the Nexus, for that matter, they'd be as likely to be sympathetic to your cause. Attack this place, though, and you will more than likely ruin your chances for salvation rather than gain them. What do you say?"
Gwyn strokes his mustache, thumb down one side, fingers down the other, subconciously straightening it while he contemplates. "I accept your deal, Good Knight, with the caveats that you must return to the mortal realm with the spear by an hour before dawn. Otherwise I would forfeit the boons that this night grants. If you have not returned to this spot by an hour before dawn, I shall enter the Nexus myself. And take care, for I am not the worst thing that seeks the spear. You will find that its head is a bronze kite, flat, with no crossbar. A staff of ash inscribed with runes."
Sandstone, on the other hand, takes no time to consider her response, "I'm not here to fight you nor no one else. I am here to find what is in there. If you want to come to some sort of understanding, put terms on the table."
Without breaking stride, Eldritch makes a beeline to Sallah and starts performing first aid. "Sallah, it's Max. What happened? How can we help?"
Max applies pressure to the cut he finds on the man's arm. Sallah is at least 100 years old, but looks like a healthy 60. Still, he is pale, and the wound shows sign of tissue damage like that from a viper's bite.
"Max...my how you've grown, but of course it must have been years for you. The beard looks well on you. The Nexus is open, Max, open early. Not just here, but all of the doors. Medea.....Medea cracked the wards, and the opportunistic are coming to pillage. The Nexus is in writhing in pain. I could not stop Medea and her champion, but this lot of cultists were less formidable..."
Cesarina keeps an eye on the door for a moment, before turning around. Finding a man is injured, she moves to lend her aid.
"Move your hands for a moment, Eldritch, I'll see if I can get this fixed up."
Eldritch watches Cesarina completely ignore his suggestion and replies, "Thanks Cerarina for healing my dear friend, Sallah. Would you please handle that shadow creature crawling down from the ceiling?"
Turning back to Sallah, he says, "Where is Medea? What's the best way to secure the Nexus?"
He continues to postpone having any comment about Uncle Adrian, hoping Sallah doesn't take Cesarina's calling him Eldritch poorly.
"It seemed the less urgent matter; it's merely observing us at the moment." nevertheless, Cesarina tries to bind it with her chains until they can figure out more about it.
Grace purses her lips. Figuring if she doesn't mean the dawn deadline probably means she's dead anyway. "Fine. Hour before dawn."
She looks at Sandstone, shrugging, trying to hide the fact that she is desperately aware of the passing of time and her teammates probably needing her soon. "What terms are you looking for other than back off, we help you? What's your plan other than 'find help?' Do you even have any idea what you're looking for? Tell me, and I can help you. But enter this place, Team Eldritch will be forced to defend it, even from you. And not only will you have to fight us to get what you want, you'll have to fight every other supervillain in Freedom City who's trying to get in here and get dibs on the goods." She waves to the cowering Advocates and Gwyn as exhibits A and B. "For someone who says she doesn't want to get into a fight, you seem damned set on getting yourself into one, and little chance of benefit."