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Post by Thorn on Oct 28, 2018 18:10:11 GMT -5
It's a fairly normal house in a fairly normal neighborhood of the Netwuff. There's a door (always a good sign), some steps (helpful if you can't fly), and a little flower box under the window. There's no dark spooky forest out the back, and the house does not resemble a haunted castle in the slightest. "Psst!" A medium humanoid figure climbs out from between the stairs. It's wearing a long red jersey with ridiculous gaping pockets and super-swishy deep-grey trousers. Everything is coated with a generous layer of dirt. It perches on the stairs for a moment, glancing furtively to-and-fro, before it hops down and dashes over to you. "Heyheyhey, my name's Thorn. Maybe I know you? I'm really bad at faces, and costumes make that trickier. Anyway, I was designing this dungeon- you know how it is- and I really really like undead. They're my favourite monster-type. But it kinda...got away from me, and now my house is full of undead creatures. If you could get rid of them I'd be so super-duper grateful!" She realises she might be invading your personal space just a teensy little bit, backs up, and nods again. "Okay! I'm not sure what kind of adventurer you are, so just let me know and I'll give you something to help in this quest. And don't worry if some adventurer before you has chosen the same item- I have so many of these things lying around. My friends like to cosplay, what can I say?" => Wizard"Here's the Staff of Major Burnification! Because sometimes what you really need is a massive fireball hurled in the face of some gross disgusting monster. Just be sure to point it away from you before speaking the command word. Which is, naturally, burnify." => Cleric"Um...I guess if any other adventurers fall it will be good to have you around? Have this Diadem of Delayed Death. If you see somebody unconscious- if you're not sure, I find a good solid kick is the best way to know for certain- just pop this on their head and they'll be right as rain! For like, ten minutes. But you're a cleric, right? I'm sure you'll find some way to extend that time even further!" => Fighter"You wanna fell some zombies the old fashioned way? I got your back, my dude. Here's a Sword of Greater Stabification. Have fun!" => Rogue"If you steal anything from my house, remember that I know where you live. Provided I'm actually correct in who I think you are. I hate Halloween, it's so confusing! Anyway, have a Scarf of Superb Sneaking. It'll make you the stealthiest rogue this side of Forum Gates! But use it to get the jump on these gross undead monsters, mind. Not to nick all my shinies. I've got my eye on you!" =>Ranger"Ooh, nice bow! You know what would look great with that? Arrows of Alarming Accuracy! I don't know if these actually work- haven't tried them myself- but they're probably okay. So, um. Enjoy?" House Notes: Like last year, a roleplay-based house. So grab some crazy and not at all dangerous item and head on in! |
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Post by June Scarlet on Oct 28, 2018 21:16:03 GMT -5
A girl dressed as a witch comes to the house. "Sure, I can try helping with that undead problem you've got going on. I guess since I'm dressed up as a witch, I'll try being a wizard, and take the Staff of Major Burnification."
She accepts the staff, and then enters the house, keeping an eye out for the undead the humanoid spoke of.
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Post by Gelquie on Oct 29, 2018 1:03:47 GMT -5
A hooded-cloaked mage with a shoestring of leaves draped around their shoulders listens empathetically to Thorn's plight. Both with the house being infested thing and the being surrounded by undead thing. They were very familiar with both aspects.
"Sure, I'll help you out," the mage promises. "Now, being dressed in mage robes and holding a mage-like staff and doing a mage-like theme this year... I'll be your resident Fighter."
They accept the sword of stabification and wield that in one hand and their staff in the raises. Then they raise their arms into the air and charge into the house. "COME AT ME!!"
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Post by Celestial on Oct 29, 2018 4:52:18 GMT -5
Jackie blinks. By now she has learned to roll with weird stuff but she still pulls away from Thorn a little. "That is...very unfortunate but I am afraid my co-workers would be best equipped to handle such a threat. In my experience, undead tend to not care so much for health and safety codes and procedure."
She realises that the girl is not listening and sighs. "Fine. I'll do what I can. It's not like I don't do miscellaneous work anyway. Everyone thinks I have so[/i] much time, surely I can handle just one more thing," she coughs and clears her throat. "I will appreciate any help. Let's see..."
Jackie looks over the items, her eyes landing on "Cleric". "Oh, I did not realise this was an adventuring class. This is perfect for me. I am indeed a very clerical person."
As Thorn presents her with the diadem, her expression falls into her usual state of perpetual doneness. "I think our definition of 'cleric' varies a little," she sighs and takes the diadem, putting it on her head. "I feel ridiculous. How anybody can wear this and not die from embarrassment is beyond me."
Seeing other adventurers charge in, Jackie sighs and follows them, keeping her distance. "On second thought, no, this is exactly the sort of cleric I am: nobody listens to me and expects me to fix the mistakes when things go wrong."
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Post by Thorn on Oct 29, 2018 7:06:12 GMT -5
June Scarlet One doesn't need to look very far to spot a trio of zombies gnawing at the curtains. With a great clatter, a twenty-sided dice drops from the ceiling and rolls to a halt at your feet. 4. The zombies don't seem to notice you at all. But those bright floral curtains seem in dire need of rescuing... Gelquie "Ah! Good!" Thorn exclaims as you depart. "You look like somebody who's seen a good few adventures, I'm very much reassured." As you charge into the house, you become aware of several things. One, you seem to have located the back entrance (+10EXP!), because this is most certainly a laundry and surely nobody would have their front door open into a laundry. The space is dominated by a large washing machine, running off into a sink which has seen better days. There is a strong smell of lilac in the air. The washing machine starts to rumble and shake, and a ghost flies out of the top with a screech of rage. Or anger? Or despair, maybe? The language of screeches is a subtle one in which you are sadly not proficient. "You dARE TRessspASSSsss on MY doMAiinnn??" it howls. "You WIllll paYYY foR youRR TOmfOOleRy!" Celestial Jackie blinks. By now she has learned to roll with weird stuff but she still pulls away from Thorn a little. "That is...very unfortunate but I am afraid my co-workers would be best equipped to handle such a threat. In my experience, undead tend to not care so much for health and safety codes and procedure."
She realises that the girl is not listening and sighs. "Fine. I'll do what I can. It's not like I don't do miscellaneous work anyway. Everyone thinks I have so much time, surely I can handle just one more thing," she coughs and clears her throat. "I will appreciate any help. Let's see..."
Jackie looks over the items, her eyes landing on "Cleric". "Oh, I did not realise this was an adventuring class. This is perfect for me. I am indeed a very clerical person."
As Thorn presents her with the diadem, her expression falls into her usual state of perpetual doneness. "I think our definition of 'cleric' varies a little," she sighs and takes the diadem, putting it on her head. "I feel ridiculous. How anybody can wear this and not die from embarrassment is beyond me."
Seeing other adventurers charge in, Jackie sighs and follows them, keeping her distance. "On second thought, no, this is exactly the sort of cleric I am: nobody listens to me and expects me to fix the mistakes when things go wrong." "This one won't be easy to scare," a bat grumbles from its perch upside-down in the rafters. "What are we going to do?" "We could always go less for the scaring, more for the killing?" the second bat suggests. "I never did get why we have to be so dramatic and vile." "Shut-up, Vlad," sighs a third bat. "Nobody asked for your opinion." A black-and-red d20 rattles its way across the floor, coming to a halt near your feet. 7. You can hear every word spoken by the offput vampire bats, and see their beady red eyes blinking at you from up in the rafters.
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Post by Celestial on Oct 29, 2018 7:14:42 GMT -5
Thorn Jackie blinks and looks up at the vampire bats in the roof, meeting their gaze. "I have a co-worker who does this exact same thing. They thought they could jump down and scare me. I've seen enough working at DEACON to not be fazed by anything, thanks. Told that to Andie and I am telling this to you now," she rolls her eyes and folds her arms, playing with her keycard. "I also have an anti-demon device in this thing so kindly let me through and maybe also get out of here? That would mean one less job I have been roped in to do. Or I could give the rest of the team a call. Aeneas is a pain in the behind but I cannot tell him that because he is stupidly, annoying good at what he does."
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Post by Liou on Oct 29, 2018 14:14:54 GMT -5
The raptor-vampire pauses mid-dinosaur walk, in a screeching pose, as the medium humanoid accosts them. "Greetings, Thorn! Oh no! Too many undead to get rid of? Good thing you have a -" they wave their hand in front of her eyes "- friendly human raptor here to help! Maybe then you will be able to invite one very nice undead into your house instead?"
They pick up the Scarf of Super Sneaking. "Oh this looks very nice! I can't see how it looks but I haven't got many scarves left, I don't often meet people who wear scarves, and my clothes often end up stained." They equip the scarf and stand there with their hands in dinosaur-claw position, grinning. "I will be your master rogue."
They stalk into the house with long, high steps.
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Post by Gelquie on Oct 29, 2018 15:42:16 GMT -5
Gelquie "Ah! Good!" Thorn exclaims as you depart. "You look like somebody who's seen a good few adventures, I'm very much reassured." As you charge into the house, you become aware of several things. One, you seem to have located the back entrance (+10EXP!), because this is most certainly a laundry and surely nobody would have their front door open into a laundry. The space is dominated by a large washing machine, running off into a sink which has seen better days. There is a strong smell of lilac in the air. The washing machine starts to rumble and shake, and a ghost flies out of the top with a screech of rage. Or anger? Or despair, maybe? The language of screeches is a subtle one in which you are sadly not proficient. "You dARE TRessspASSSsss on MY doMAiinnn??" it howls. "You WIllll paYYY foR youRR TOmfOOleRy!" The mage was taking in the laundry air and the pleasant smell of lilac when the washing machine rumbles, and they wince at the sound. Then they see a ghost emerge and shriek at them, telling them they'll pay. The mage rolls their eyes. "Do you tell every visitor that? I was invited in by the owner; I've got every right to be here. Said owner says that this is her domain, not those of the other undead. Did you bother asking her before you moved in and decided this is your forever home?" They pause. "...Or are you stuck here, maybe? I can help you get out, if need be. I know this nice restaurant that needs some livening up with a good haunting that I can recommend. They conveniently 'forgot' my order to try to make me pay twice. ...Look, here's the way it is. My friend wants her home back, and she told me to do it any way I can. Lemme help you out the easy way, okay?" |
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Post by Thorn on Oct 29, 2018 18:56:11 GMT -5
Celestial "We do not know this Andie!" one of them shrieks, flapping its wings. "Such human petty nonsense for which we do not care." The one called Vlad sways in place a moment, before squeaking a reply of its own: "Anti-demon devices will not work against us, human woman. We are quite clearly not demons." "I think Corrupto's mother was a demon?" the remaining bat offers. "We don't like Corrupto, so I don't care," counters Vlad. "I care." "Nobody asked for your opinion, Starling," Vlad retorts, with an astounding amount of smugness in its high-pitched little bat voice. It refocuses its beady little eyes on Jackie. "Look, human. We don't know who your team are. We don't care. We will pretend not to have seen you and let you go your merry way, provided you do not attempt to dislodge us from our home. There are some zombies in just a little further, they seem more your pace. Be off with you." Celes, I just realised this is the second Halloween house in a row I've given you vampires. xD Whoops.
Do what you want with these jerks, I fully expect her to attack them anyway, it's all goods. *** Liou"I vill keep only my own vitz about me!" the second vampire proudly proclaims. "Alzo, I am being a raptor, okay? Very good raptor. Vith zilver zparklez on ze purple head." They trot after their companion who, upon entering the house, finds themself confronted with a couple of things: (1) There's a lich reclining on the sofa. At least, you think it's a lich. It's a skeleton in dark robes adorned with arcane sigils, and there's green fire emanating from its eye sockets. It's currently flicking through TV channels, looking as bored as a fiery skull possibly can. (2) Beside the lich is a short scrawny human man, looking as bored as one of those possibly can. He seems to be in the middle of explaining something, with much gesturing. The probable-lich is nodding along, but you can tell its focus is really directed towards the television. Two twenty-sided dice roll across the floor, coming to land at the feet of the two vampiric intruders: 11 15Vampires are naturally very quiet and graceful creatures, even when insisting they are raptors and admiring their new clothes. The probable-lich doesn't so much as glance up. The human, however, cuts himself off mid sentence and stares. "People!" he exclaims. "I've missed people so much. Save me. This is actual torture." *** Gelquie"THEY MADE you PAYYYYYY TWiiiceeee??!?" the ghost howls. "THAT SImmply wilLL NOT DOooooOOO!" It slashes at the air with great ghostly claws, snaps jaws offering visions of demon pits and great fires, but doesn't budge from its position above the washing machine. "YOUU CANNooott HEELppp meeeEEEE," it screeches (this one is definitely a mournful screech.) "NOObboooDDDYY caaannnn! I AM TRAppped HERee until suCH TIME AS GREAT ADvenTURERSs destROY MY earthLLY REMAinSSS. SUCH IS THE WAY OF THINGS." It pauses and, when it resumes, its voice has stabilised into an overly loud, if consistent, shriek. "IF YOU COMPLETE MY UNFINISHED GHOST BUSINESS MAYBE I CAN MOVE ON. TO HAUNT THIS NEW RESTAURANT. BECAUSE I CANNOT MOVE, CANNOT REST, UNTIL I ONE-UP GERTRUDE THE WRAITH. IF YOU TEACH ME HOW TO BE MORE FRIGHTENING THAN GERTRUDE I WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL AND I WILL DO WHAT YOU WISH."
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Post by June Scarlet on Oct 29, 2018 20:56:03 GMT -5
June Scarlet One doesn't need to look very far to spot a trio of zombies gnawing at the curtains. With a great clatter, a twenty-sided dice drops from the ceiling and rolls to a halt at your feet. 4. The zombies don't seem to notice you at all. But those bright floral curtains seem in dire need of rescuing... Quietly, the girl points the staff toward the trio of zombies and mutters "Burnify." |
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Post by Gelquie on Oct 29, 2018 21:56:45 GMT -5
Gelquie "THEY MADE you PAYYYYYY TWiiiceeee??!?" the ghost howls. "THAT SImmply wilLL NOT DOooooOOO!" It slashes at the air with great ghostly claws, snaps jaws offering visions of demon pits and great fires, but doesn't budge from its position above the washing machine. "YOUU CANNooott HEELppp meeeEEEE," it screeches (this one is definitely a mournful screech.) "NOObboooDDDYY caaannnn! I AM TRAppped HERee until suCH TIME AS GREAT ADvenTURERSs destROY MY earthLLY REMAinSSS. SUCH IS THE WAY OF THINGS." It pauses and, when it resumes, its voice has stabilised into an overly loud, if consistent, shriek. "IF YOU COMPLETE MY UNFINISHED GHOST BUSINESS MAYBE I CAN MOVE ON. TO HAUNT THIS NEW RESTAURANT. BECAUSE I CANNOT MOVE, CANNOT REST, UNTIL I ONE-UP GERTRUDE THE WRAITH. IF YOU TEACH ME HOW TO BE MORE FRIGHTENING THAN GERTRUDE I WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL AND I WILL DO WHAT YOU WISH." The mage looks sympathetic. "That's too bad about that being the way of things. I mean. Knowing one's only purpose in existence is to be beaten by some adventurer with possible delusions of righteousness, and who'll definitely make that story biased in their favor later... That's rough. That's really rough." They nod to themselves. "Sure thing, I'll help you complete your unfinished business. I've got quite a few frightening things up my sleeve, really. And if those don't do the trick, then tell me about Gertrude, how she haunts people, and we can dissect it and figure out what she's doing wrong, or what you can do better. That sound good?" The mage clears their throat. "Now, first thing, and stop me if you've already heard these before. If your aim is to be really frightening, the best way is to hit right at the core of one's psyche and personal issues. Doesn't matter if that someone's fear is teddy bears; make a terrifying teddy bear and you'll scare them anywhere. But I have my doubts you can read others' minds, and it's hard to suss them out. That can require really paying attention to your audience, and changing as need be! But I notice a lot of people have some common fears that you can always fall back on. "For instance, some really common ones: Clowns with their uncanny valley expressions. Spiders with their... uh, whatever makes people afraid of spiders. Making them think they're somewhere dangerous with no escape, no matter how true that is. Taxes, not paying a bill on time, paying a bill on time but potentially having that go wrong and either having to pay again or hire a lawyer and take it to court." The mage shudders at this. "Also, a good one for most people? Make them make a phone call to a complete stranger. Or to an insurance company. They'll run away at that! Or, if all else fails, remind them that any day, at any time, when they least expect it, could be their very last." They shrug. "That's just a sample list. Basically, try to hit close to home, something that makes them think and worry. Or, oh! Another tactic! Never underestimate tension. Sometimes nothing scarier than knowing something's coming, but not knowing when, or even what. Give them a taste, then wait before the next scary moment. Just often enough that they don't write it off. Then leave the rest to their imagination. Because it can go far and beyond what's actually there." "Y'know, whatever ultimately suits you, of course; you'll wanna get into it. And if none of these help, then let me know where Gertrude is, and I'll see what she does, and if we can provide something that she can't." |
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Post by Celestial on Oct 30, 2018 5:20:11 GMT -5
Thorn Jackie folds her arms, looking completely unimpressed with the vampires, their bickering and their threats. "Okay, look, that's great and all, but the owner of this house does not want any undead in here, either vampires or zombies. I don't think she will let me out until I'm done." She scans them over the tops of her glasses, looking slightly irritated. "Do you have permission to be here? As the owner does not want you on her property, that could be classed as trespassing, a crime which is punishable by fines or prison time. I suspect neither scares you but as far as I understand, vampires must be invited inside and suffer greatly when they are are not. I must therefore conclude, since you are trespassing, your invitation has been rescinded and you are no longer considered invited. Therefore I suggest you leave or face the consequences, external and/or internal." The lanyard around her neck comes off and she swings it around. "Demons and vampires, for the purposes of DEACON, are the same thing. Therefore I have been equipped with basic defenses against both: silver. My badge has a thin silver coating across it. Don't make me thwack you on the nose with it in order to stress my point." Jackie glares up at the vampires, hoping that the threats would be effective enough on their own. She did not want to fight them: the best she could fight was a very stubborn photocopier with a paper jam.
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Post by Thorn on Oct 30, 2018 11:34:18 GMT -5
June ScarletThe zombies go up in flames. One of them moans and swats ineffectually at the second, apparently trying to put it out. The third loses a leg in its haste to drop to the floor, roll around, and extinguished its own fire. Unfortunately the curtains also go up in flames. Curtains are one thing, but if they set fire to the rest of the house, have you even really achieved what you were sent in here to do? Decide for yourself how you wish to interpret your quest! Gelquie" ooooh?" the ghost moans. "GOOD TIPS. ALL VERY GOOD TIPS. I AM ALSO SCARED OF CLOWNS BUT MAYBE SPIDERS ARE GOOD. I CAN MAKE IT LOOK LIKE SPIDERS ARE POURING FROM MY MOUTH AND EARS? I THINK THAT IS GOOD. GERTRUDE WOULDN'T THINK OF THAT! HER THING IS MICE. BUT MICE ARE SO SHY AND FURRY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE ARE SCARED." Another pause. The ghostly figure sways thoughtfully in place. "THANK-YOU. I THINK I SHOULD PLAY TO MY STRENGTHS. GERTRUDE IS GOOD AT TENSION. BUT I CAN DO ILLUSIONS AND SHE CAN'T. JUST NEED TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO SCARE. AND THEN. IF I SCARE THEM BETTER THAN GERTRUDE I AM CONTENT. WITH THE SPIDERS AND THE SOUND OF PHONES. AND REMINDING THEM THAT ANY DAY COULD BE THEIR LAST. THIS LAST ONE IS VERY GOOD." It nods towards the door leading further into the house. "GERTRUDE LIVES IN THAT NEXT ROOM. IF SHE HEARS ME GIVE SOMEBODY AN EXCELLENT SCARE, SHE WILL BE SO JEALOUS. I CAN LEAVE KNOWING SHE WILL NEVER AGAIN HAVE A CHANCE TO LAUD HER SPOOKINESS OVER ME. THEN I WILL FOLLOW YOU TO THIS MONEY-GRABBING NEW HAUNTING SPACE. I THINK IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAUNT A DEEP FRIAR MAYBE. OR MAYBE A CASH REGISTER HAHAHAHA." CelestialThe vampire bats mutter among themselves for a few moments. "Silver gives me a rash, and-" "-invitation still stands?" "-don't know, I-" "-can hear us-" At last, clearing its throat with a bright flash of fang, the one named Starling addresses you: "Human woman, you do your kind credit. You did not enter unprepared, unlike so many of these fools." "We shall leave!" the currently unnamed bat shrieks, flapping its wings. "Leave! I hope you're happy." "Good luck with the others," Vlad adds, giggling to itself. "You think we're the worst of your problems? This house is full of our kin! We shall return in the morning when it is quiet and peaceful and you have been taken care of. Hiss!!! Corrupto and Carrion shall make you pay for this unkindness!" With that, the three bats swarm out the window in a rush of wings. ( +50 exp!) Two doors stand at the end of the hall. From under one of these seeps the faintest trickle of smoke. The other is covered in writing scrawled in varied hands, but is otherwise unremarkable. Which door shall you choose? There's always the option to return the way you came and consider your quest complete.
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Post by Liou on Oct 30, 2018 13:14:08 GMT -5
"Oh, you are only wearing your wits?" the raptor-vampire tells their packmate, interrupted in their preening. "That's nice! Like, you know, a vintage accessory!" Vampires are naturally very quiet and graceful creatures, even when insisting they are raptors and admiring their new clothes. The probable-lich doesn't so much as glance up. The human, however, cuts himself off mid sentence and stares. "People!" he exclaims. "I've missed people so much. Save me. This is actual torture." The vampire-raptor in the dashing rogue scarf scoffs quietly. "Torture?" they whisper. "How is this torture? Looks like amateur work to me! We - I mean, humans disguised as raptor packs, do the torture much better! Like showing the first episode of a two-parter in a soap opera... and not showing the second!" They burst into quiet cackling and hissing, then creep closer to the television set, checking how the lich is changing channels, and wondering how hard it would be to pinch the remote. |
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Post by June Scarlet on Oct 30, 2018 15:51:15 GMT -5
June ScarletThe zombies go up in flames. One of them moans and swats ineffectually at the second, apparently trying to put it out. The third loses a leg in its haste to drop to the floor, roll around, and extinguished its own fire. Unfortunately the curtains also go up in flames. Curtains are one thing, but if they set fire to the rest of the house, have you even really achieved what you were sent in here to do? Decide for yourself how you wish to interpret your quest! "Oh shoot!" the girl dressed as a witch cries. "How do I stop fire? Unburnify? Liquefy? Stop fire?" She points the staff at the flames as she throws out suggestions, hoping that the staff came with a way to undo the damage. |
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