That old chestnut?
Andras grins despite himself. Maybe some things always do stay the same.
He draws another dagger from his pack.
Always bring a spare.
"Aww, c'mon now, Awful." Bertram says sadly as the knife sails out of sight. "I coulda used an extra knife if you were just going to chuck them. Arrows are expensive."
He gives a stretch as everyone checks in.
"Could be risky to rest here if these are common hunting grounds for the bugs. Maybe we can shore up the building as a resting place. I can take a look inside and see what we're working with."
He glances to the bite mark on Awful's leg.
"You and Hokey are the worst for wear. You two work out if you want to set up camp while I investigate."
It's easy enough to locate a building intact enough to grant shelter form the cold winds and the misty spray of ocean water, though the ground is littered in tiny sharp rocks and strange sharp protrusions stick out from the walls. The protrusions would prevent anyone from leaning or resting against the wall itself, but there's plenty of ground space. If only you could clear the ground of all those caltrop-like pebbles.
You believe you could clear the ground with a small bit of effort and even set up a fire - the smoke would easily go through that hole in the ceiling over there. But the place has a feeling of wrongness that's difficult to identify.
On the plus side, you don't see any evidence of any more giant bugs - but if there are this building would provide a good defensive position.
Is it worth the risk to sleep in a place like this? Or would you rather press on, find your cousin, and get out of here quickly? Just how far do you have to go to find him is a question left unanswered.
Bertram returns to the group shortly after finding the shelter.
"One of the buildings is sturdy enough to house us. I could clear the sharp stones from the area to provide sleeping space. I don't like the idea of sleeping here, though. This entire island feels like it's waiting for us to look away. I say we take a few minutes to patch up and then press on. Awful and Hokey can take up the rear. We should find Thibad and leave before we provide anything else a chance to finish us off."
"If we pressed on into another encounter with bugs like that, it's unlikely that we would fare as well as we have just now. I'd almost count one of us out if we don't get some rest...
Don't worry, Bertram, the way this place... Is? Feels? ...it bothers me, too, but the thought of losing any of you really grinds my gears. I'll keep a weather eye out while we rest, you can count on it."
He scans the group to be sure everyone knew they were included in his statement. They were all truly precious to him, he would be sure to protect them.
He did his best to do as much of the work as he was able to do, clearing the ground of sharp rocks so nobody had to risk any skin to do so. Given the time of day, it was likely to be dark by the time they finished resting. He weighed that, briefly.
Not that there's likely to be much daylight in that old tower, anyway, I suppose...
He let the others be in charge of putting together the makings of a fire in the corner so he could ignite it if it got dark enough for Hydrand to feel uncomfortable.
Not the greatest plan to light this house up like a spotlight once it's dark; that would almost certainly draw unwanted attention.
Then he found a nice spot where he could sit within the house with a clear view of the door. Not directly in the doorway so as to be exposed, but between a fair sleeping area and the door, so any threats would need to go through him before they had a chance to harm his sleeping companions.
"Whoever sleeps closest to the fire needs to be ready to light it. I'm not going to light it when it's dark, I don't want to draw any unwanted attention here while you're resting. But, should we be disturbed, we'll want that fire lit, first thing."
Lastly, he found some loose rocks and timbers from nearby and set up a jumble of balanced wood and stone so that anyone attempting to step through the door would make a clatter.
Hydrand didn't notice how driven and nearly manic he'd become in his desire to keep his friends safe. Likely because he felt so justified in protecting their lives.
Once everyone was settled, Hydrand settled into place and propped his shield up between him and the door. He sat in such a way as to be ready to bring shield and mace to bear at a moment's notice, and then let himself relax into that familiar state where his body saw fit to begin mending.
Bertram does his best to clear the floor of the shack into something relatively smooth and comfortable for the party with a couple of spells. As the others settle in, he approaches Hydrand for a more private conversation.
"Hydrand, before we get too much farther, there's something I've been meaning to say. I haven't had a chance with all that's been happening. The others, they're here because they think I'm rescuing family. You know that isn't entirely true. I just wanted to say thank you for coming. I may not be related to Thibad by blood, but I care about the Romden family. It's good to have you here to help."
Hydrand gives a pensive pause to Bertram's remark, and then looks about at the others. Continuing the privacy of their conversation, he says,
"If I'm honest, Bertram, the thought hadn't crossed my mind. That being said, I think I'd always had a number of justifications in the back of my thoughts for why this family meant so much to you. However, now that I've had a moment to think about it, there's definitely something to be said for a family you choose, just as much or even more than a family you are born into."
He nods towards Bertram, being sure the gesture includes the whole group.
"I've not doubted your motivations for even a moment, Bertram, and I know you well enough to believe you'll never give me reason to."
He lets his answer hang in the air, letting it be a comfortable conclusion to their conversation, but also not dismissing Bertram should he wish to stay with Hydrand or desire to say more.
Awful watches Hydrand while he works, giving him a hard stare and scrutinizing the clockwork's condition. Once he finally settles, the rogue steps up behind him and whispers:
"Shhhh sweet child... Just let it happen."
With a deft hand, he stops Hydrand's key, causing the machine to lock up. He pulls out his tools and gets busy repairing as much damage as he can under their current circumstances.
He periodically grumbles to himself about the oil and grime he finds in the hardest-to-reach nooks and crannies, eventually deciding to give his companion a deep clean to help prevent rust from the salty ocean mist.
"This damn machine, always messin' up his armor plating and s~~&. And would you just look at this, how long has this filth been here? Bleh!"
After a few hours, he wipes his hands, lets out a long sigh, and turns Hydrand's key.
"You're disgusting... Well, you were. You're more acceptable now, I guess."
Hydrand recognizes the sensation and Awful's voice. He did something he knew most would be uncomfortable with and he trusted Awful.
Intentionally.
"Just don't filigree my cod-piece this time...", he muttered as his mechanisms slowed to a comfortable stop.
I hope she doesn't lose her s@%+ when she sees... Haaa...
That was the last thing through Hydrand's mind before a familiar darkness took him.
Hydrand wakes to the turning of his key, shuddering to life for the second time today. He phases in and out of vision and shudders in that impossible way he did while he dialed in his chronology. It took him a moment longer than usual this time.
I hope that's not a bad omen...
He stretches out his joints while he takes in the scene around him, detective senses answering familiar questions before he even asks them.
The angle of the light has changed appropriately, everyone seems settled, and...
He glances over his shoulder.
It seems Awful's repairs were a success!
"Thanks, boss...", he said, slipping into familiar nomenclature from a bygone time of their lives.
Let's hope we don't need it, he thought to himself.
After giving himself a once over, and checking for any extras, Hydrand once more settled down for the rest everyone was settling into, very appreciative of Awful all the while.
"A family you choose", hah! I must have read that somewhere, because there's no way I came up with that one on my own.
He heaved a very human sigh and began the long wait.
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Andras momentarily panics, but then calms down.
This is most likely a dream.
He pinches himself, trying to at least work out if he’s asleep or not.
Andras looks concerned, then pushes and kicks at the coffin, trying to open the door. He looks around trying to spot the others while he does so.
Andras is very glad that he went shopping for new clothes and shoes as he steps over the shards of glass. He looks around, trying to spot any others, or any indication of where they are.
Andras cautiously walks down the hall. He taps gently on the strange metal of the walls, trying to find some kind of hollow or unusual part of it.
Not seeing any obvious weakness, Andras looks around the room for any sign of danger, before preparing to smash the coffin. He will put some cloth rags under the weapon to try to minimise the chance of shattering the glass completely.
Andras wraps his spare clothes around his hands, reaching in to pull Jet out. The boy is struggling, and resisting, and the hole is small enough as it is. Eventually, he gets him out, but the ragged edges of the glass bite deep into his forearms. His arms are covered in blood, and his clothes are ruined.
He puts Jet down gently.
Hey Jet, it's me. You're safe now. Not going to let anything happen to you again. Let's go and find the others.
Scholars had long theorised that the world was round. Andras had read about a particular experiment including different sticks, and measuring the length of shadows at different points on the planet. But seeing it firsthand was something else.
Certainly, a win for science and philosophy. But also, no one would ever believe him.
Come on Jet, let’s go and have a look for the others.
Andras heads back towards the other glass containers he saw earlier as he was chasing Jet.
Very odd...
But there was no time to dwell on this now. There were more immediate concerns, like finding the others.
Andras picks one of the corridors at random, and marking his way with chalk, tries to see if there's any difference between the people in the coffins and the hall he just came out. He doesn't go far, maybe twenty yards or so, keeping an eye out for danger. He doesn't trust this floating door.
If we have any chance of finding the others, it’ll be right at the end of one of the lines.
Andras continues on until the end of the hall, keeping an eye out for one of the group.
They all start screaming. The screams are so loud that you cannot hear anything else. Jet curls up into the fetal position, his hands covering his ears as he whimpers.
Andras looks at the panicked people.
I doubt they can help us now.
He tries to calm the scared Jet, and failing that picks him up.
Come on Jet. We need to find the others. We've been through enough scrapes to know that they're good people to have at your side. Even Awful would be better than being alone. That boy has a survival instinct like no other.
This isn’t going anywhere...
Andras heads back towards the center chamber.
Maybe they’ll find their way there. Better hope so. I still don’t trust that floating door.
As he turns around, he sees Hokey rush towards him...
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You spend the next several hours working on Hydrand before you settle down to get some much-needed rest. The smell of oil and grease mixes with the scent of the fire smoke. The fire itself keeps the biting cold outside, leaving the whole room warm. Eventually, sleep finds you. The sleep is deep and dreamless, and while it only feels like mere moments later, you awaken feeling refreshed.
Something is off. You don’t smell the fire. You feel neither the warmth of the fire nor the cold of the ocean. You move your arms, and they hit something hard – something smooth, cold, and translucent. Glass. You’re trapped inside a glass coffin! As the realization dawns on you, you momentarily panic.
Once you focus on the outside, you see that you are in some sort of hallway made of metal walls. Laying horizontal, you begin pushing on the glass above you, at first with your hands, then with your knees as well.
Being panicked, you're quickly filled with adrenaline and break open the glass coffin, covering yourself with shards. Pushing the large pieces off yourself, they shatter as they hit the ground, but at least you're free...
You sit up and look at your immediate surroundings, down the hall, and check to see what you have on your person.
You have all of your equipment with you. You are also fully rested and heal damage and recovery any rest-based talents. You seem to be in a hallway made entirely of manufactured metal. Strange lights run along the floor, barely illuminating the place. Fortunately, you have Shadow Sight and can see perfectly fine.
The hall seems to go on for as far as you can see in either direction.
Off in the distance, you think you can see something glinting.
Having your gear with you, you are thankfully not barefoot. You tentatively put one foot on the ground outside of the coffin and easily stand; the broken glass poses no danger.
You step away from the glass, stomp the ground a few times, then kick the wall, trying to discern if the other side of the metal is hollow.
When you kick at the door, a section of the wall slides over inside the adjacent portion of the wall with a shhhink!. There's another hallway beyond with another glass coffin against the wall. It's on the same sort of pedestal yours was. Someone's sleeping inside, and they at least look like a sort of human.
The coffin is on a pedestal, laying horizontally just like the one you escaped from. The human looks to be an adult male with dark brown skin wearing plate armor with the dressings of the New God religion.
It has no lid either, so you try pushing it off the pedestal but it's stuck fast. The thought of blowing it to smithereens crosses your mind but decide it's not worth wasting the magic. After striking it a few times with the pommel of your knife, you conclude the glass isn't going to break anytime soon. You inspect the pedestal under the coffin but find no discernable patterns or mechanisms.
Peering down the hall, you see a coffin on the same side as you are. Beyond that, a bit further is another. Way down the hall, you can see more, sometimes on both sides. It's as if they are getting more frequent the further down you go.
You let out a short but very loud shout, almost like a bark. Taking cover behind the coffin and quietly listen.
A clanking sound comes echoing down the hall. You feel tense but quickly become relieved when you hear Hydrand call out.
"Oh good, I can recall my shield too. But why the hell are you yelling?" Awful says in a hushed tone...
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The sleep itself was deep and dreamless, and while it only feels like mere moments later, Hokey awakens feeling refreshed. But something is off. She couldn't smell even a whiff of Hydrand's tune-up from last night. She should feel the warmth of the fire, or the creeping cold, if it went out, but she feels neither. She moves her arms out and they hit something hard – something smooth and see-through. Glass. She's trapped inside a glass coffin.
What the...Where...
As the realization dawns on Hokey, she momentarily panics. She begins to hyperventilate and desperately struggles to open the lid of the coffin, to no avail. She beats at it, but it stays as firmly sealed as her fate. She feels around to see if she has something, anything to help her and realizes that nothing has been taken from her. She still had all her belongings exactly where she left them.
Hokey dons her trusty knuckledusters and punches the lid of the glass prison. It starts to crack and, after a few more punches, she successfully shatters the glass lid above her. She reacts just in time to cover her face with her forearms and avoids taking any damage from the deadly rain. She climbs out of the coffin and into a hallway. The walls are smooth metal and there are occasional rectangular lights dotting the ceiling. The lights do little to provide any decent illumination, but fortunately she was recently cursed and her truesight reveals all there is to see.
Where did they go, and where am I, if I'm someplace even they can't be?
Hokey's truesight allows her to see beyond the walls, as it reveals their illusory nature. She can still see the "walls," but she can also see other hallways and corridors beyond them. In fact, there's Hydrand in that one over there! She gingerly prods the wall with her shield, but they still felt real, despite being illusions. She looks towards another hall and sees Awful kicking at a wall, which actually opens for him like a sliding door.
Hokey finally turns around and sees through the "wall" behind her and beholds an entire planet beneath her. She was floating in space. These illusory walls were the only thing that was holding this entire place together. She maintains her sanity long enough for her knowledge of geography to kick in: this was Urth. She recognizes the Northern Reach and all the lands she's been to and read of. However, the entire planet is rotating on an axis that doesn't seem quite right. The side with the Northern Reach seems to be tilted in a way where the sun will hit it more. Meanwhile the southern part is getting less sun and cooling down.
That would explain the intense heat in the Northern Reach the past couple of years, and why it doesn't seem to ever cool off. And won't the southern hemisphere completely freeze over by next winter, if this goes on?
Hokey looks towards the top of Urth and sees a gigantic, amorphous being, with writhing, roiled tentacles and covetous, deadened eyes. She sees it struggling to enter Urth, probably to consume the planet, but unable to penetrate some sort of thick, but malleable world barrier. It's pushing the planet towards the sun, instead. This epic deadlock was causing the world to tilt off-axis and was weakening the barrier in many spots. Most of these spots seemed concentrated in the North, near the impression the thing was causing on the barrier. Hokey immediately averts her gaze and tries to make herself as small and unnoticeable as she could, but can't stop shaking. She grabs her doll for a bit of comfort and, after calming down for a bit, she looks around for her companions with a renewed sense of urgency.
Meanwhile, Andras manages to break out of his coffin. Exploring the hall, he stops in front of a different coffin. He tries to break the coffin open, causing Jet to wake up and start screaming. Andras continues to smash at the glass until he makes a hole large enough for Jet to get out, and he pulls the boy out of the coffin. But Jet, in his panic, doesn't recognize Andras! He slips away and starts running down the hall! Andras takes chase and finally catches him and calms him down. The two of them continue until they reach the end of the hall, entering into a circular room with many other hallways identical to the one you're in attached to it.
Bertram managed to escape from his coffin, and is currently investigating a second one. Hokey, seeing that he's alone, decides to go over to support him. She plucks up her courage and tries to walk through the wall, but finds it resisting her advance. She gives up and walks over to Bertram, as sneakily as she could, frequently looking back to ensure she's not the thing and that it's not looking at her or drawing closer for any reason.
Hokey finally makes it to what seems to be the end of the hallway. There is a framed opening the size of a door, but without the physical door in the place. Beyond it is a large circular room with many other doors leading out into different hallways. She can see similar hallways of glass coffins beyond each of the other doors. In the center of this room is a single door, standing upright, leading seemingly to nowhere. It is currently closed. There seems to be nothing supporting the doorway. No walls are attached to it. It's just standing there, alone, in the middle of the room and Hokey walks all the way around it.
Hokey continues to the door leading to Bertram's hallway, when she sees Bertram trying to wake one of the bodies in the glass coffin. He seems to be able to interact with them. Suddenly, the entire place starts shaking as if it were in an earthquake and every person trapped in a glass coffin wakes up. Their eyes are panicked and confused, they start pounding on the glass from the inside, fruitlessly. They all start screaming. The screams are so loud that you cannot hear anything else.
Hokey holds her ears, trying to deaden the screams in vain. Barely holding onto her faculties, Hokey struggles to look over at Jet who is covering his ears and collapsing into the fetal position. Andras picks him up and carries him, continuing to go further away from the center room. She grits her teeth as she makes her way over to the door leading to Bertram's hallway and crosses the threshold. She runs as quickly as she can over to Bertram.
"What the hells are you doing?! You're waking this world up! You probably don't even see the thing trying to invade our world, do you? Let's go, there's a lot to do."
Bertram gives the case now containing a struggling, conscious person a tap. Hokey call out to him down the hallway.
"What the hells are you doing?! You're waking this world up! You probably don't even see the thing trying to invade our world, do you? Let's go, there's a lot to do."
Bertram seems a bit muddleheaded, but seems to recall who she is, after a bit.
"Ah... Hokey. You're alive. Good. Lets get out of here. I have no idea what you're talking about, but I don't want to be here once it arrives. We find Thibad and leave the rest to... whatever this s+$%e is."
Hokey is immensely distracted by something far off in the distance ahead, but is already walking back in the direction she came from.
"This way, hurry. And stop whatever you're doing. It's waking this place up." she hurriedly says. Where did Hydrand and Awful get to? Did they figure anything out?
"Fortunately, I've got a little more meat to me than these poor saps." Bertram motions to the filled coffins. "We only have two directions. Let's choose one and start walking."
Bertram looks both ways, performs a quick heel turn and continues down the path in the direction he was going. Hokey already came from the other way. Might as well keep moving forward.
Hokey stops him with a sharp, "This way. Stop wasting time. Hydrand and Awful have already left."
"Hokey!! Bert-" Hydrand's tone is a touch higher than normal, possibly showing his distress. He hesitates briefly before continuing. "I'm sorry you're here, too, but you are certainly a welcome sight." He steps around the room with impossibly fast motions, embracing Hokey. She gives him an uncharacteristic squeeze back before putting up a nominal struggle. He lets go, pulling Bertram in close with a clasp of the forearm and a grasp of the shoulder. "I found Awful, I'd wager you've not seen Andras or he'd be here, yeah?" His voice slowly restores itself to his normal intonations, like he had been breathing light gas. He gives them a chance to answer before addressing the nightmare that is this place or the raucous event that had come to pass.
Bertram is visibly happier to see his companions again. There is momentary hesitance before he returns Hydrand's firm and friendly clasp."Hydrand, perfect. Just the Tin-Man we like to see when our backs are up against it. Awful, should have known you were too rebellious to simply die. No sign of Andras yet. We are two rich kids away from getting paid and leaving forsaken rock." Bertam's eyes continue to be drawn to the strange door in the room. It was ominously surreal in this place. Hydrand returns to a normal speed and Bertram makes his way to inspect the portal.
Meanwhile, Hokey nods to Awful, who casually smirks back at her. Whatever, I know you missed me, too. She stares backwards, towards the hallway and furrows her brows. "Are we supposed to be here, as opposed to the hallway? Andras and Jet are moving away from us. I can go get them, but I can't tell which way is right." She looks nervously at something further beyond the room they were in. "They're going towards the Maw. That can't be the right direction...right?"
"The maw...? What's that?" Hydrand asks with a hint of unease.
"A maw? What are you on about, Hoofs? I only see a door here." Bertram gestures pointedly to the wood frame. "What even is this place? Just... ghosts in glass boxes."
"Oh, that's right. You guys can't see everything I can, anymore. I'll explain later, but it's trying to invade our world, and those two are headed right for it." Hokey grimaces like she's swallowed a bitter pill. "I better go get them. You guys stay here. And Bertram, do be more discreet. I saw that."
Hydrand moves to go with her until she clarifies that he should not. Clearly torn, he takes another step forward and expends another casting of Swiftness, this time on Hokey. "We'll wait, but... Don't... Not come back."
B]"Ha! When have you known me to put myself in danger? I'll be back before you know it."[/b] Hokey says to Hydrand before dashing off far quicker than she normally could. She runs off with an incredibly high-pitched " I COUld get used to this." Hokey slows down as she draws closer to Andras struggling with an incredibly frightened Jet.
Andras looks relieved to see Hokey. "We’ve been looking for you. We figured the people who were caught last were further away...I don’t trust that door one bit. You found the others, or a way out yet?"
"I don't know about the way out, but I did find the others! We gotta go back this way to meet up." Seeing Jet terrified out of his mind, Hokey firmly takes hold of him as she helps Andras with dragging him back towards the center room. "I know this is scarier than anything you've ever seen, but you have to hold on, Jet. We're almost out of this nightmare." I could kill Bertram right now.
Once safely back into the center room with Andras and Jet, Hokey quickly disseminates her knowledge of their current situation.
"Alright, we gotta get out of here, and probably as quickly as we can." She glances, almost glaringly, at Bertram. "Here's what I know: I woke up here in a coffin, just like you guys. Long story short, I can see through the walls of this place and have been keeping track of you all. The walls are illusory, although they don't feel like it." She briefly pauses to let that statement sink in. "This room is the only one of its kind that I see, and that door is probably the only that doesn't lead to another hallway. I know you don't want to, Andras, and I'm curious what you meant by 'caught last', but I think we have to go through. We can wait to catch up until after we're out of here."
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Hydrand didn't sleep. He didn't need to. This time, though, he wish he had.
Awful finished up his repairs and turned Hydrand loose upon the world once more. He sat down to guard the party's rest; watching them settle down for sleep, leaning on his ability to go without as a comfort for their own rest. Hydrand was glad for it. He turned his head towards the door and undialed his chronology a bit as he relaxed. He watched the shadows crawl across the ground as the sun made its meandering journey across the sky.
He'd advised the party against the fire, but they opted to light it anyway.
Not that I don't find comfort in it, but they must find an even greater comfort that I'm missing out on to disregard me so. I'll just have to be vigilant.
He sighed to himself, and settled in further as time passed. He remained comfortable, the light from outside gave good visibility for anything that decided to join them without their consent. Hydrand sank into a peaceful meditation. Until...
He found himself adrift in his own thoughts as time passed, and decided it was time to surface, metaphorically, to check his surroundings. He glanced outside, it was dark.
It's so dark outside of the city...
It was his first night gone from civilization, and while he wasn't a stranger to making this sort of camp, it had been some time. He glanced at the party, seeing them sleep soundly was a comfort. He glanced back outsi-
No stars. It's impossibly dark.
He began to rise, taking up his mace and shield, he turns back to the party to shout the alar-
They're gone. The fire... is...
His reality bent and he nearly fell as he completely lost spatial reasoning. The room itself was gone. Replaced by a hallway made of a material similar to his own making, Hydrand struggled to come to terms with what had just happened.
I wasn't asleep. I don't sleep. I was just there, and then... here-UGHH! His head hurt as his mind buckled under the strain of coming to terms with what had just happened. I've been teleported before, but this was ju-URRRRGH!
After a few moments of deep breathing and doing his best not to focus on the violation he felt from that gods-forsaken transition, he focuses and grounds himself. He knocks gently on the wall, testing the material for... well, truth be told, he only wanted to be sure they were real.
Walls. A hallway. Empty this way and...
Turning around, he could see something glittering in the distance.
aaaand more than empty this way.
He began to walk, running his hand along the wall as he went. The grounding effect of being in contact with the wall as he walked stabilized him mentally, and his head began to clear. He begins to gauge the distance to the object. Stopping, walking backwards a few steps, walking forward a few steps, all the while keeping an eye on it to see how far it is.
Quite a bit further than I imagined... Or maybe that's a property of this place?
"Ergh" He said aloud, remembering the transition once more.
He begins to jog towards the object, only stopping when he gets near enough to make out its shape.
A box... A... Coffin?
He approaches the coffin to see a woman in a red dress with-
He stops looking at the coffin and checks his surroundings.
Nothing. Good... For now.
The woman is in a red dress. Alive but asleep, she is breathing at a regular pace for a regular person having a regular sleep. Her brown hair looks normal, well-kept, even. She's wearing a lip color to match her outfit; and the footwear, slippers, match as well.
She seems normal enough. Well-to-do, even. Let's make a friend. Maybe she knows more about this strange place.
Hydrand checks the coffin, but there doesn't seem to be any way to open it. He knocks on it softly and gives a moment for the gentle sound to roust her from her sleep. She doesn't stir, and her breathing goes unchanged, so Hydrand knocks harder. He repeats until his is absolutely pounding on the glass with all of his strength, fearful that it might break, but still she does not stir!
It must be the nature of this place. I should count myself lucky that I'm not affected by whatever spell she is under.
He began to grow some small affinity for this place. A place where anyone more organic then he was put into such a deep sleep certainly eliminated a lot of potential threats one might face...
Looking around once more, Hydrand sees a familiar glint further down the hallway. He decides to head in that direction to see who else is trapped here.
This next one is a male elf dressed in class adventuring gear - leather armor, a bronze sword at his side. Hydrand studies his appearance for a moment before continuing on. Another coffin is evident further down the hallway, but this time it's much closer.
Before he can even reach this next one, he spies another further down. And then another, and then...
It escalates until the myriad coffins grows beyond his ability to easily count. He strolls among them, taking note of their number, but otherwise just doing his best to stay aware of his surroundings.
Finally arriving at the end of this enormous, coffin-filled hallway, his hackles begin to rise. Arriving in a room with a free-standing door, he analyzes the door and the surrounding halls, checking for any sign of unconfined life before moving over to what he presumes is the correct way to enter the door. He reaches for the knob before he hears a short shout coming from one of the hallways.
He steps over to the hallway and hears, "Oh, good, my shield can be recalled, too."
"Oh, thank goodness, an ally!" Put back at ease with the arrival of his most Awful companion, he clasps forearms with him before saying, "No chance an evil doppelganger would mimic your charismatic narcissism."
He raps with Awful about what they've both seen so far before they team up and set out to find an exit. Talking as they walk, Hydrand illuminates Awful as to his experience with coming to this place. He listens to Awful's tale about waking here, with Awful's climbing level of rage. He tries to assuage him from being so angry, but Awful has some very cogent points concerning the threat to his life.
Interesting that I was feeling comfort from those very threats just minutes ago...
The threat to his friend's life now being enumerated put Hydrand on edge.
Awful is important to me. As is everyone, I hope they're safe.
Awful breaks Hydrand of his thoughts and begins noting some traits he's seen about the coffins, specifically that there appears to be some sort of timeline.
No surprise that he's got a head for this. He's not even a detective and he's delivering an excellent analysis of the minutiae. Very impress-
Hydrand is wholly struck with the shaking and the screaming. The rumbling resonates through his legs and into his being. The screaming assaults him from without while the pounding and quaking of the place assaults him from within. He gets the overwhelming sensation of corrosion from the inside of his entire being.
Amid the nightmare cacaphony, he grasps a hand onto Awful's shoulder, looks him in the eye and does his best to telepathically communicate what's about to happen.
Then he shuts off. His eyelights wink out, and he ceases to be who he was.
Awful, help...
Hydrand Awakes.
Awful... helped. Awful always helps.
He checks his surroundings, seeing Awful several strides into a sprint away from where they were standing.
So smart to have made egress, so kind to have turned my key first.
Hydrand begins to run as well, attempting to catch up with Awful.
He's made all the right choices, even under the duress of this terrible place. Even under the duress of that terrible event. Under the terrible circumstance of my shutting down. I was going to die and Awful protected me from that fate.
You know... he's not such a bad guy.
The components that made up Hydrand's vessel, his very link from his eternal soul into this life he was living bent. It skewed and it twisted and it bent.
And then it stayed that way.
Life was better this way. The weight of so many burdens on his mind were released, and all he had to do was adjust his perception. Now that he thought about it, it just made so much more sense.
This felt right
Awful was still gaining; Hydrand was falling further and further behind.
He flashes back to Jimmy skipping circles around him and he chuckles to himself.
A little eldritch push and Hydrand was free of his temporal bonds. He caught up to Awful as if he were standing still, showed off a bit by running backwards, using it as a cover to check for any threats behind them. After their rear was cleared, he formed up with Awful as they made their way back to the hall.
There, they find Hokey and Bertram.
Oh, thank whatever Gods there are, she's ok. They're ok. That Awful's ok... Where are the other two?
He found himself pulled to the other side of the room, some need for physical contact pulled him, and he was reassured of his comrade's presence by their touch.
Feeling the magic wear off as he speaks with his comrades about their experiences, their focus naturally comes to the door in the center of the room. That is, until Hokey speaks to let everyone know she's located Andras and Jet...
Hydrand is startled when she says she would like to retrieve them without their assistance, but he trusts her judgment.
Doesn't mean I can't help. This should ensure she makes it back without issue. Tell her not to do anything stupid, or to die, or to take any risks. Tell her how much that would screw you up inside.
"We'll wait, but..."
Come on, clinical detachment.
"Don't..."
Say it. SAY. IT.
"...Not come back"
UGH, GARBAGE. At least you made the point something approaching clear. Ugh.
Hydrand laments that he isn't able to assist her further before returning his thoughts to Awful and Bertram while they wait for their companion to rescue their other companions.
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As the group is deliberating what to do next, Hokey steps away from the group, taking a moment to recast some of her buffs. She starts with the familiar step of stabilizing her magic with a spell.
Can I even cast anything while we're here? I guess Hydrand did. Wait...can it see my light?!
Hokey quickly looks back towards a location beyond the room just as a familiar mote of light flashes, successfully stabilizing her magic. She freezes for a few seconds, her free hand going straight to her saber, before sighing in relief. She calls Jet and Hydrand over and embeds a warm bead of Life energy into each of them and herself. Distracted by her fear of the Maw, Hokey is barely able to maintain composure long enough to cast the spell successfully. Unfortunately, there is a flash of Life energy at the end of the cast and Hokey shrugs and looks over to the rest of the group.
"Sorry, guys, I guess that's all I can do, for now. I'm getting too distracted by the Maw. We have about a third of a day before this wears off. Let's make that time count."
Hokey quickly casts Cure while her magic is stabilized on Jet while gently patting his head.
"I know it's been hard, Jet, but you have to be brave for a just a little longer. Your uncle and I will definitely get you out of here soon."
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Something is off. You don’t smell the fire. You feel neither the warmth of the fire nor the cold of the ocean. You move your arms out and they hit something hard – something smooth and see-through. Glass. You’re trapped inside a glass coffin. As the realization dawns on you, you momentarily panic. (Make a will challenge roll with 1 bane or gain 1 insanity).
Bertram manages to force down his panic. He pushes against the glass, testing it and attempting to open the unnatural tomb. He knows he doesnt have long, and does his best to keep his breathing even. It's almost impossible with panic clawing at the back of his thoughts. He reaches to his side, feeling for his orb.
It was time to get out of here. Bertram pushes against the glass, finding it heavy. His arms quickly begin to shake and tire. A change in tactics is needed. He places his knees on the glass and pushes, forcing it up high enough to slip a dagger under the opening. It's enough to give him leverage, and he slowly shifts the lid to the side. He felt a familiar desperation for fresh air. Already the closed space was sending his mind spinning.
Bertram pulls himself up out of the glass prison. He swears he can feel weight in his chest, like heavy stones on his ribs, though nothing is there. It takes a full minute for him to begin calming himself. Now freed, he looks up and down the hall for any sign of his friends.
How did I get here? Is this a dream? A part of the tunnels I've never seen?
Without any discernable goal in the dim light, he gingerly places one gloved hand on the metal wall and begins to walk. He needed out of this place and quickly.
Who would build something like this?
Bertram shudders. This place is an uncanny reminder of his dreams. He wonder if maybe he had never woken. There is a knot in his gut as he looks down the hall. He creeps forward quietly, following the instinctual draw. Maybe his friends were in the same predicament.
Bertram peers into the glass sarcophagus and jumps back with a start upon seeing the ghostly form of a halfling. He's not really sure what he expected looking inside, but it was frightening with or without a body. There is a quick internal debate as Bertram stares inside.
It's too dangerous to open. Leave the fool to his fate.
We... I can't just leave him here.
Bertram strokes his beard in thought, then pulls out his knife. His mind was made up to at least try to help the Halfling. It's what the others would have expected of him. He does his best to wedge it into the glass and open the sarcophagus.
Bertram stares down at the unconscious halfling with the beginnings of despair.
He's an unfortunate pest in a box. Leave him. The others need us more.
Bertram strokes his beard, pushing away the insistent nagging in his head. An idea occurs to him. This place was so similar to the tunnels. Perhaps they weren't so different. If he could bring souls back with him from one, perhaps he could it from another.
You know that sounds insane, right? You saw it in a dream?
"Hydrand would at least try." Bertram mutters. Then puts his hand on the box. He focuses on his dreams. He paced endless corridors finding spirits of all sizes and shapes. Some of them, with a touch, he could bring back with him. Their memories like dreams within the dream. Once he has these firmly in his mind, he reaches for the Halfling.
You useless child! The angry voice shouts in his mind, far away amid the screams. The cries of the dead are piercing and overwhelming. Bertram tries desperately to push it out, but they drown him with crushing force. His consciousness sinks, weighted down by their anguish. Something strains in his mind, grasping at the empty space. Then, all at once, the sensation is far away. Bertram's face becomes focused and cold.
He stands up, looking down at the pitiful soul. The empathy in his eyes is gone now.
"Nothing I can do, friend. Looks like you and your like are stuck here. We shouldn't have even bothered."
He gives the case a tap while the person inside struggles. Just then, Hokey's voice calls down the hallway. It takes a moment to recognize her, like recalling someone from a distant haze.
"Ah... Hokey. You're alive. Good. Lets get out of here. I have no idea what you're talking about, but I don't want to be here once it arrives. We find Thibad and leave the rest to... whatever this s@+& is."
He collects himself once more, then follows his friend.
"Ah... Hokey. You're alive. Good. Lets get out of here. I have no idea what you're talking about, but I don't want to be here once it arrives. We find Thibad and leave the rest to... whatever this s&*~ is."
=====
Hokey is immensely distracted by something far off, but is already walking away.
"This way, hurry. And stop whatever you're doing. It's waking this place up."
Where did Hydrand and Awful get to? How did they figure out what to do, or was it just luck?
=====
"No idea. Woke up in a box myself. Fortunately, I've got a little more meat to me than these poor saps."
Bertram motions to the filled coffins.
"We only have two directions. Let's choose one and start walking."
He looks to Hokey, she was the pathfinder after all.
=====
"Hokey!! Bert-"
His tone is a touch higher than normal, and he gives an incredibly brief but pensive pause before starting again.
"I'm sorry you're here, too, but you are certainly a welcome sight."
He steps around the room with impossibly fast motions, embracing Hokey followed by pulling Bertram in close with a clasp of the forearm and a grasp of the shoulder.
"I found Awful, I'd wager you've not seen Andras or he'd be here, yeah?"
His voice is pitched high but slowly drops to his normal intonations as the magic wears off. He gives them a chance to answer before addressing the nightmare that is this place or the raucous event that had come to pass.
=====
Hydrand is a welcome sight indeed. The clockwork remained one of the most reliable assets to the group. Bertram is happy to see him again. There is momentary hesitance before returning the firm clasp.
"Hydrand, perfect. Just the Tin-Man we like to see when our backs are up against it. Awful, should have known you were too rebellious to simply die. No sign of Andras yet. We are two rich kids away from getting paid and leaving forsaken rock."
Bertam's eyes continue to be drawn to the strange door in the room. It was ominously surreal in this place. Hydrand returns to a normal speed and Bertram makes his way to inspect the portal.
=====
Hokey stares backwards, towards the hallway and furrows her brows.
"Are we supposed to be here, as opposed to the hallway? Andras and Jet are moving away from us. I can go get them, but I can't tell which way is right."
She looks trepidatiously at something further down the hallway.
"They're going towards the Maw. That can't be the right direction...right?"
"The Maw? What's that?" Hydrand asked from her side.
=====
"A maw? What are you on about, Hoofs? I only see a door here."
Bertram gestures pointedly to the wood frame.
"What even is this place? Just... ghosts in glass boxes."
=====
"Oh, that's right. You guys can't see everything I can, anymore. I'll explain later, but it's trying to invade our world, and those two are headed right for it."
Hokey grimaces like she's swallowed a bitter pill.
"I better go stop them. You guys stay here. And Bertram, do be more discreet. I saw that."
=====
Hydrand moves to go with her until she clarifies that he should not. Clearly torn, he takes another step forward and expends another casting of Swiftness, this time on Hokey.
"We'll wait, but... Don't... Not come back."
=====
Andras looks relieved to see Hokey.
We’ve been looking for you. We figured the people who were caught last were further away... I don’t trust that door one bit. You found the others, or a way out yet?
=====
"Ha! When have uou known me to put myself in danger? I'll be back before you know it." Hokey says to Hydrand before dashing off far quicker than she normally could.
Hokey slows down as she draws closer to Andras struggling with an incredibly frightened Jet.
"I don't know about the way out, but I did find the others! We gotta go back this way to meet up."
Seeing Jet terrified out of his mind, Hokey firmly takes hold of him as she half drags him back towards the center room.
"I know this is scarier than anything you've ever seen, but you have to hold on, Jet. We're almost out of this nightmare."
I could kill Bertram right now.
=====
Bertram stands in the chamber whistling softly to himself as he circles the strange door, waiting for Hokey to get back. Curiosity tugged at him despite knowing that the door was almost certainly deadly to open. Fortunately he wasnt foolish enough to risk his own skin opening it.
We should have backed Hokey up. What if she runs into trouble? Crew always works with at least one person to watch their back.
Bertram shushes the voice with a sharp note to end his lazy whistling. No need to worry about Hokey, she was quite capable in her own right. He busied himself with the knife at his hip instead. That reminded him... he waves down Awful. ( @Conman#8644 )
"Awful, good to see you're alive. Hope you're not deaf." Bertram doesnt really pause, but he does lower his voice to avoid shouting. "Did the Savage Ornament always teleport? We went through so much to get it, but... what does it actually do?"
You stand in th central chamber with hallways extending out like spokes on a wheel. In the center of a room is a door within a frame. The door stands alone, attached to no walls nor the ceiling. It is currently closed. You're capable of fully walking around it.
Hokey offers to cast Cure on others, but the offer falls on deaf ears as everyone is figuring out the situation and thinking what to do. She shrugs and shoos Hydrand and Jet away before casting Cure a couple of times on herself, removing all traces of their recent encounters.
Andras eyes the door skeptically, asking Hokey if she could spot anything weird about the door. She glances up between healing herself and doesn't see anything. Just in case, she tries to cast Arcane Sight, but the magic rushes to her head. She sees white for a moment as her consciousness is momentarily flooded with magical energy before it dissipates, leaving her dazed and a lost connection to the spell.
"That was...curious. That should've..." Hokey says in confusion.
Walking around the door, Hydrand stops dead in front of it, eyeballing the handle pensively. He watches what the others do, waiting to see if anyone is looking like a willing volunteer to open it. As he does, he notices a familiar look on Hokey's face.
It's a familiar look to Hydrand, one she gets just before losing consciousness. Anticipating this, he takes a step towards her, but he notices her countenance remaining steady and stops short.
Turning back to the door, he says, "Alright, folks, I'll go first. Move to a comfortable distance and keep an eye on me in case anything we-... in case anything else weird happens."
He waits a moment for folks to position themselves as they choose, and once everyone is more or less braced, he tries the handle until it clicks and waits a moment, planning to crack the door and peek through should nothing weird happen.
Hydrand opens the door and peers through.
On the other side, you can see yourself, exactly as you last remember yourself. There's the mechanical Hydrand posting guard by the door. Andras, Jet, Awful, Thibad, Bertram, and Hokey are all sleeping around the fire, just as you left them.
The rocks have been cleared away, the room is secure, the smoke is rising up through the old building to a hole in the ceiling. It all looks exactly as you left it.
The only difference is that you're here and not there, you're standing at a door looking into th room. You could take a step forward and walk right on in.
Hydrand stares.
If I'm... Is it a dream? Hokey was saying it's an illusion, save for this door, so... the door isn't an illusion, maybe we're all illusory?
He stops before the rabbit-hole of thought consumes him and motions for someone to peer through with him. To emphasize the need for quiet, he uses hand signals that Awful might be familiar with, but that are ambiguous enough for anyone to see he wanted a second set of eyes looking at what he was seeing.
He waits for a second and braces himself for entry...
... Or is it exit? Hmm...
... into the room.
"Wait, what the hells is that?" Hokey says with some alarm, drawing inauspicious looks from the rest of the group. Hydrand and Bertram both looked like they were about to reply, but Hokey absentmindedly continues.
"What the hells is that attached to our heads? Do you guys see the tendrils coming from the roofs?" Hokey says, her eyes are following an invisible path up and beyond the roof.
"I don't know what to expect, but we might all want to brace ourselves before crossing this threshold...We might be fighting more unseen targets." she says, preparing herself to draw her saber and cut the tendril attached to Hokey-through-the-door's head.
Good thing we've got someone who can see what's really going on... I'd rather fight something I can see.
Andras waits until Hydrand is safely across (or not), before acting further.
Bertram rubs his scalp uncomfortably, but he doesn't feel any strange tendrils clinging to his head. It still makes his skin crawl.
"Are... are we out of our bodies right now?" He looks between the the two sets of his friends. The distance feels impossibly long for only a stones throw. He steadies his nerves.
"We're here for me. I'll go fir-" Bertram stops suddenly, performing a quick head recount. "Thibad!"
He abandons caution and rushes toward his cousin, fearing the worst.
Everyone stands around the door as Hydrand prepares to step through, but Bertram shoves his way forward, barely avoiding the clockwork, as soon as he spots his cousin.
From the perspective of everyone besides Bertram, it looks like he disappears as he enters the portal. Then, the body of Bertram awakens.
From the perspective of Bertram, he passes through the door and everything turns black. Then, light shines in as he wakes up exactly where he last remembered falling asleep. Right next to the fire, in a room that is shielded from the ocean cold, with Hydrand still at the door keeping guard.
Hydrand steps through almost immediately after and finds himself back at the door, still posted guard.
The sun is still in the sky, a few fingers above the horizon, just as it was when everyone settled for sleep. Though it does seem to have moved west a bit.
Bertram scrambles to his feet and over to his cousin, giving him a rough shake. His apprehension builds every moment Thibad remains unconscious. He could only hope the trip hadn't been in vain.
"C'mon now, Thibad. Wake up, damn ya."
Thibad grabs his blanket and rolls over, back to Bertram. Complaining with a thick dwarven accent, he mumbles out, "Aech! Leave me be, cous'. I did nae sleep well. This island gives me the creeps! The Catamenia Crystal ain't going nowhere, we'll get it in the morn.
"Hah! You're alive, you f++#ing madman!" Bertram practically cheers with joy, shaking his cousin even harder. "You're actually alive! Wake up, we came to get you out of here!"
Hydrand's perception shifts and he immediately whips his head towards where he was just looking at himself from.
But... there's nothing there. Presuming that the rest of the party is actually still there, he says aloud, "Hokey, is there still a tendril-thing attached to my head now I'm awake?" He gestures to the area just above his head and wavers a hand there to test if it's halted by any invisible tendril like Hokey was speaking of.
He then steps over to between her resting body and Awful's, sitting down to wait patiently for them to return as well. He sits facing Bertram and Thibad, vicariously sharing in Bertram's unabashed joy and relief. Hydrand had many questions, but they could wait.
"Well, I sure as s&@! ain't stayin' in this not-so-fun-house."
Awful hesitated a moment. His feet betrayed him, but not for long. He felt his blood run cold taking the first step. The rest came quickly but were forced, making them more like stomps. He trudges through the door with his eyes closed, muttering a silent curse toward Bertram.
Seeing people make it through safely, Andras heads through with Jet.
He scowls, and sits in the corner of the room.
I don't like this place.
He looks agitated at the time of day.
He grabs everyone, making sure Jet is out of earshot.
We need to hurry and get whatever the hell we need and get out of here. The full moon is soon. And I don't want to be in this godforsaken place when it comes.
Thibad sits up, wiping the sleep from his eyes. Bertram, what are you ever on about? What do you mean "I'm alive"? he asks, yawning. It's only been a few hours since we've gone to sleep. Were you having bad dreams again? I know Uncle always said you slept poorly from night terrors.
He looks around and seems satisfied, See? Everyone else is still here, too. It's just bad dreams, cousin. You can relax. We are all safe. As safe as we can be on this forsaken island, at least.
"Oh, you id...! sigh What the hells."
Hokey steps through the door, preparing herself to cut at the tendril attached to her head the moment she regains consciousness.
She regains consciousness and immediately strikes above her head, but her slash harmlessly passes through the tendril.
"F+@~ what the hells are these things?! Yeah, the tendrils are still attached to us and I can't seem to hit it or get it off. Hydrand, you might want to use your explosive armor, but be careful if you do: you might pop immediately."
As conversations overlap and focus is being pulled to various "issues", Hokey gets fed up and snaps.
"All of you shut up and focus up. Awful and Andras are right: we need to get out of here fast. Focus on that and leave your family b%~%%*&+ for when you can sleep soundly."
"Who the f$@+ is this?.. Who the f!&& are you? If you don't start talkin' right the damn now, so help me I will show everyone here what you look like on the inside! Who!?"
Still brandishing his pearl blade, Awful points the menacing tip toward "Thaibad's" abdomen. He thrusts at the man, encouraging him to start talking faster.
Aah! the dwarf exclaims in fear, Awful, what are you doing! What is wrong with you? And why is everyone so on edge?! Hokey, what's wrong? What tendrils do you speak of? What is going on with everyone?
He backs away from Awful's blade while still sitting on the ground, using his hands and bottom to schooch backwards. It must be the crystal! he says to himself, trying to think he way through the problem.
Hydrand briefly debates using his explosive armor. His head fills with the image of what this house would look like from the outside as the explosion went off with everyone inside and politely but firmly decides not to give that a try just now.
He shakes his head at Hokey, saying:"Spellcraft later; we got who we came for and now it's time to go." He couldn't help feel some heebie jeebies at the thought that this thing was still connected to him.
He turns to Awful prodding at Thibad and watches very seriously, giving Thibad enough time to say enough to satisfy Awful's curiosity before saying, "Boss, I think we should leave. He can tell us all about it on the boat out of here."
He keeps his mace and shield in hand, however, following Awful's example of remaining armed in the presence of the stranger.
"Watch where you point that knife, Awful!" Bertram barks furiously. He interposes himself between the two, his own hand instinctively releases the orb from the straps on his hip. "Hes family. Put it away or I will ensure the Ornament doesnt have a hand to come back to."
He glowers at his companion, making certain the message is clear, then returns his attention to his cousin.
"Hours? No, it's been weeks since you sent the letter. We came looking for you. Look, f*!* the... crystal? Trust me, whatever it's worth ain't enough. Hokey and Hokey are right, we need to go. Now."
He helps Thibad to his feet, then pauses.
"How do you know the others? You didnt come here with us."
Weeks? Letter? Bertram, what are you talking about? We set off together from my father's home, and met your friends along the way. We've been traveling together for weeks! The crystal must be messing with your memory! I think it's been messing with our family's memories for generations; that's why it's so important we reach it! And we are so close! We can't stop now!
"Wh-what? You're talking crazy, Thibad. Pull yourself together." It was the only explanation. Bertram hadnt seen Thibad in years. He hadnt been near any magic crystals either, far as he knew. "Let's get out of here. Get a drink, come up with a new plan and come back when it's safe."
Hokey sheathes her saber says, "Hydrand, Andras, Jet, get your s@++ and move. Leave the children to argue amongst themselves. My life and soul aren't worth humoring their absolutely moronic sense of priorities."
Hokey quickly gathers her things without another word. After a few short moments she is packed and ready to leave. Turning around to the squabbling pair, she says "You idiots either walk or die here arguing. I don't need your noise attracting attention, so pick one and do it," before walking off, saber and shield at the ready for the next unfortunate encounter.
Hokey sheathes her saber says, "Hydrand, Andras, Jet, get your s!&% and move. Leave the children to argue amongst themselves. My life and soul aren't worth humoring their absolutely moronic sense of priorities."
Hokey quickly gathers her things without another word. After a few short moments she is packed and ready to leave. Turning around to the squabbling pair, she says "You idiots either walk or die here arguing. I don't need your noise attracting attention, so pick one and do it," before walking off, saber and shield at the ready for the next unfortunate encounter.
Hokey walks outside the building, presumably leaving behind the two dwarves, while the others follow.
Outside is... Strange.
The ocean has completely stopped, like someone replaced the waves with a painting or photograph, or pressed pause on a video. The waves are all there, the shoreline has water, but it's all simply stopped.
Meanwhile, the rocks are moving. They're all in the same place and none of them are actually moving, but they're flowing back and forth as if they were water held in a cup, rocking back and forth like gentle ocean waves.
Suddenly, you hear a booming laugher. It is deep and throaty and male and coming from all around you, as if you were in a theater and the acoustics were perfect. The laughter suddenly cuts off by a woman's high pitch shriek, and scream of fear and pain.
You spin around looking for the scream, but it seems to come from nowhere.
The red tendrils are still undulating from everyone, rising up into the sky to braid around each other. Then, together, they arch back down to the ground and into what looks like an opening in the island, leading downwards into the earth.
Hokey was about to set off for the boat when she froze.
Why is it like this?! What kind of trap did we fall into!?
None of the secenery before her looked real. She couldn't see through it, but everything looked illusory like the walls in the Hall of Souls. Everything except those damn red tendrils coming off everyone. Bewildered by the knowledge of being in a false reality, she tries to desperately warn the others of what to expect.
"Wait, stop, none of you leave, yet. Before you do, brace yourselves, however you can. The reality you are about to see is a complete illusion. We need to- What was that?"
Hokey looks around, trying to pinpoint where the laughter was coming from. When she hears it, she sharply turns towards the scream, trying to see what was screaming and why it was. She stops searching for the source when she spots the opening. She points to the opening.
"Once you've prepared yourselves, do you guys see the opening there? The tendrils are coming from there. I don't like this place. We need to leave. Now."
Awful rolls his eye's at Hokey's nagging.
"I'm perfectly capable of walking during an interrogation, and I want to leave just as much as you do."
Turning to Bertram, he sheaths his knife and gestures toward Thibad.
"How do you know that Bertram? Nothing on this island has made any damned sense. You're really going to trust that he just so happened to appear here at random?"
Holding up one hand to punctuate his next point, he continues.
"Can we even fit six people on that dingy?"
He listens to Hokey's freak-out, causing him to notice the unnatural movements of their surroundings.
"O-.. Okay, I don't know what you're talking about exactly but yeah, let's get the hell out of here."
You make your way to the boat. For some reason, the rocks don't seem to be as sharp; however, their swaying back and forth while also being as perfectly still as rocks is disconcerting, making the trip difficult. You keep stepping where you think you should have to step to avoid a swaying rock, only to rediscover that it isn't actually moving, causing you to step wrongly. The process repeats itself more than you'd like to admit, but you eventually find yourself back at the small rowboat.
You're unsure how exactly you are going to row out. With the ocean completely unmoving, the boat seems to be firmly stuck in place. It's as if something has turned the entire water into resin. The waves with their peaks and troughs are all there, but nothing moves.
Hydrand looks out across the still sea, investigating it for as far as his eyes would allow. Then he took one step onto the water, then a second. Then he stops.
He contemplates it briefly, then turns to the party to say, "It's possible that we're inside the jurisdiction of some being that is controlling the reality of this location, and after departing far enough we will escape, but that means carrying the boat across..."
Vaguely gestures at the land in the distance.
"...This mess. Further, I find it unlikely for that to work as it could just be our perceptions that are affected; that we are, even now, still at rest inside that house. This may be just like the place with the hallways and coffins, not real, but until we escape the thing creating this perception, even a trip back to the main land will do us no good. If we even make it. I'm not sure to what degree we are at the mercy of whatever has created this place."
He finishes his deductive statement, and then takes the three steps back to dry land.
He steps over to Hokey and, so others can see his vote of confidence, he speaks in a conversational tone allowing them to hear:
"Hokey, trusting your judgment is a comfortable place for me, but I don't really have any other choice in this case; you're the only one who can see what you're seeing. What's the plan?"
"S!++. S#!$ s#&$ s&@!. S#%~ s!&& s+~@ s+%~ s!&&." Hokey says, pacing back and forth behind the boat, like a lion in its cage. She grabs a stray board from the flotsam and floats it in the water, but her face falls when she places a rock on it and it all gets swallowed up by the "water." She nods to Hydrand after he asks her what next.
"Well, the original plan was to get out of here and beg the Tower for help. I have to talk to Jimmy about the Maw, anyway. Again, I'll explain about that later. It looks like we're going to have to confront the power-tripping retard of this barely assembled outcrop in some fashion."
Hokey takes a bit of time to search through her bag and puts some paper she pulled out into a well-crafted belt pouch. She uses the motion to inconspicuously observe their surroundings for any signs of unwelcome eyes and ears before continuing. She didn't see the black line opening up like a window, distracted by a monster that was suddenly eyeing her and undulating over to her before it melts into a rock.
"Well, we probably have a bit of time to discuss things, now that we're likely away from the bugs and the ruins. What do you guys think is going on and what do you propose we do? I do have an incredibly bad idea, Hydrand, but let's save that one for last. It's a 'do-or.'"
Hokey stops herself from finishing the last word and glancing over to Jet.
"Here're my thoughts: there is either an insane or dead wizard behind this, 'Great Moron,' for now. I think 'Great Moron' is likely using the tendrils to siphon souls out of people, not just memories. Otherwise, Bertram couldn't have cause the "Upheaval" he did, since it looks like he can manipulate souls."
Dangerous murmurs, particularly from Andras and Awful, arise from that statement. Hokey silences the budding commotion with the summoning her familiar two motes.
"Shut up and stop reacting to what has happened and start reacting to what will kill us, you idiots. Anyway, our souls are likely still being drained by these" Hokey suddenly swings her saber harmlessly at the tendril connected to her head. "stupid tendrils on our heads. Sigh We can't get off and get help, so we have to stop this ourselves. We can try to stop it by disrupting the 'Great Moron,' the tendril spell or organism, or go back into the dream world and collapse it from there. Disregarding the last option, for now, the first will involve searching this island and the second involves the hole. What do you guys think? Which would you rather do?"
Hokey clears her throat.
"This would also be a great time to introduce yourself kith of Romden. What's your story and how did you end up in the middle of our company?"
Awful darts his eyes around the area, all but ignoring the so-called "Thibad" now while Hokey speaks. With a cunning, paranoid eye, he is barely able to catch sight of something, or someone, in the sky.
"There! In the sky! We- we're being watched, for sure... Okay, okay, Hokey might actually not be bat-s!*$ crazy about all this..."
He grips the Savage Ornament tightly, becoming more nervous by the minute.
"Wha-what do we need to do to kill these... Whatever they are!?"
He mimics Hokey and slashes at the air above his head, dodging around, trying to cut through... whatever it is.
Hearing Awful, Andras looks up to catch a glimpse of the strange face in the sky.
He looks grim, and replies to Hokey.
I don't like either of those options. You're the only one who can see these things, so I'll trust your judgement here. I would prefer to stay here and search the island, but I don't know what we are up against. I'm not keen on going into the bowels of the earth. But I'll follow the group's lead.
He nervously fiddles with his swords, and checks the makeshift cloth bandages on his hands, now covered in dried blood.
"This would also be a great time to introduce yourself kith of Romden. What's your story and how did you end up in the middle of our company?"
Thibad looks at Hokey with a bit of confusion, How do you not know? How do any of you not know? We have been traveling together for weeks! What madness is this that none of you recognize me, but seem to know each other so well?! Hokey, do you not remember when we fought those lobstermen together on the shores of Hymen Caul just the other day? You saved my life! And Andras! Just yesterday you slammed your sword down into those strange beetles, dispatching them with ease! What has befallen all of you?
As Thibad questions your sanity and memories, the sky turns purple and ocean becomes a questionable shade of chartreuse.
Bertram becomes more and more agitated as the question continues. It isn't helped by the surreal environment. He had just found Thibad and was reluctant to accept the possibility of a fraud in this desperate moment.
"You don't have any better idea than I do, Awful. Don't go stabbing anyone yet." He had to admit that the events were strange and nothing added up. His head was muddled in this place. At Hokey's mention of his interactions with the dead, Bertram squirms uncomfortably and decidedly latches on to a new subject.
"Whatever is happening, we need to get out of here. The sky isn't supposed to be that color all of a sudden. If something is devouring us we can't have long. Where do we go Hokey? You're the only one of us not blind."