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Post by EloHim on Jul 17, 2019 18:33:00 GMT -8
The nail exited the flesh and stone with relative ease. The man seemed to not even notice, as if he didn't feel any pain. But he suddenly stopped rambling and then raised his head to look directly at Valeria...with the face witch had no eyes. The eyes were seemingly gouged out when he was placed like this, for the blood was flowing out of them.
"DONT! THEY ARE CURSED! PUT IT BACK! THEY ARE MINE! PLEASE!"
[He screamed] at her as the nail in Valreia's hand started heating up, fueled by some unknown dark magic. And subsequently the other three nails started visibly reddening as the man started screaming from pain. The nails were burning him with each and every second passing by, bringing more and more pain.
-For Taas-
The darkness of other tunnels didn't gave any clues to what it may conceal. These tunnels probably stretch all over the grounds, running under the forests and Estate itself, bridging over into the Warrens and Coves near the shore. The cultists gathered here from all over...for their unholy celebration.
The lit tunnel also seemed to be barren, if not for a small piles of sand tucked near the corners of it.
-For Talea-
The sight allowed to see beyond the simple mind's illusion. Nails were steeped in blood and bound by unseen chain to each other and to the man's very body, piercing it trough like a pin cushion. Despite seemingly haphazard nature of curse it was hard to tamper with for even such a simple intrusion as removing one nail sent the whole thing on fire.
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Post by Spookery 💉 on Jul 18, 2019 6:31:10 GMT -8
“Ah--” In a moment of panic, Valeria pressed the nail back in place roughly, apologizing as she did it. She knew it was not much like a paladin to re-nail someone to a floor, but the sudden glowing of the other nails...It seemed to be for the best. After pushing it back through his hand, she rose to her feet and took a wary step back. “I--I didn’t realize,” she stammered and reached for her halberd again, clutching it tightly, then lifted her head to look at the tunnel beyond. “...Perhaps we should continue forward, and come back for him.”
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Post by Kidney on Jul 20, 2019 7:06:53 GMT -8
Semyon stared, mouth falling agape as he took a step back. The man's screams upset him greatly, and he agreed with the angered and screaming madman. "Put back! Put back!!" He yelled, aiming at the various tunnels with a half-drawn bow. "Put back!"
He looked back to the madman, "Give him red spike!"
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Post by EtherealNoire on Jul 20, 2019 13:56:22 GMT -8
Talea whirled towards the tunnels, splayed fingers racing to insulate her ears from the pining of the damned, lest the darkness pair its voices with malignant screams. Yet, there was none who could restrain it, nor its echoes quaking through endless corridors garbed in fear. For so too its taint found purchase in her heart’s trepid beat, and like the remnants of those souls, her warnings faltered beneath the flames of sorrow.
“Know this. Nay shall mortal acts dispel malisons forged in gore. Fetters transcend that which is perceived. All must remain wary, lest our adversaries bind our vessels to Malice as this being; forever bound in blood.”
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Post by Bloodtrailkiller on Jul 20, 2019 14:25:37 GMT -8
/Taas/
"Oh for the love o--" She winced as the man started howling; her curious observation raised inquiries aplenty but the man's sudden and venerable wailing pulled her attentions back to Valeria and the pinned man. Taas' grip on her ax tightened and she looked between the man and their flank before scoffing; she'd a mind to stomp over and kick the man's head before Valeria finally put the nails back.
"Well, Bonehead's got a point; best not poke about any of the weird and the strange lest you got proper magicks to kick it off rightly." Taas brought a hand up to cover a sensitive ear, sighing,
"How's bout you don't go playin' Saint t'ill we got a plan next time, eh love?" Taas looked over her shoulder to the man, however returning the nail might aide or hinder,
"Might be best if we wait here and prepare ourselves, set a trap, ask the git a query or two..." She muttered, nigh to herself as she set her attentions back to the possibility of a fight.
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Post by Capster on Jul 20, 2019 14:41:42 GMT -8
Sarak was suddenly startled at the screaming, a vile and sickening noise of a man begging for him to be renailed, he looked about, his bowstring only tightening as he began to pull back as the others spoke while the screaming continued.
"I don't know if you happen to remember but we are hear to help people, now it is good their is a saint among us, and I'd hope you'd pull that nail if the paladin were not here." He commented, his ears still ringing from the scream.
He then shook his head. "No it's best we start moving. Now that he yelled I am sure everyone knows we are in this area, no use setting up traps if they have the advantage." Sarak then commented.
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Post by EloHim on Jul 20, 2019 16:17:41 GMT -8
The man’s screaming ceases and so does the pain, only wimpers remained.
"Come back? Don't come back, don't stop, only forward, into the abyss, either on your feet or on your knees. What they did to me is nothing...Nothingness...Warning off any wanting to disrupt the ceremonies. The grand procession, the axe to break the coffin, ancient tradition revived for the end of all. Blood and bone for the Heart, beating, shaking, contorting with horror and laughter endlessly, father of life, accepted of death, bringer of darkness and madness, gifter of ends and beginnings... these words are not mine, not mine... they put them in my mouth, forcing my tongue to praise him...oh no..."
[VoiceClip]
Something seemed wrong about those particular words, as if they were not meant to be said, but were forced out of his mouth, seeminlgly by the curse he was put under. By the end of his rant the slave reduced to quivering crying mess, not willing to raise his head no more,mumbling to himself.
-The tunnel, well-lit with torches, beckoned. The sand on its floor was a mix of yellow...and red. Was it the blood, or the sand itself was red to begin with? On further examination a good tracker could determine that it is in fact both... Another giant hall seemed to loom at the end of the tunnel, pungent smell of decomposition and blood feeling the mouths and nostrils of anyone coming closer to it.-
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Post by EtherealNoire on Jul 22, 2019 16:28:42 GMT -8
Talea gazed past the gathered mortals, yonder towards death's looming abode, her sight no more than empty heavens beneath her russet tresses, though fire wove living copper from each tangled strand.
It was her voice, foreign and melodic that broke the silence first. And between each pause, the man's whimpers kept time.
"Carnage bathes the sand afore us, and should we feign to act without discretion, so too will our carnage become sand upon the earth. A plan must be forged in these fleeting heartbeats."
She turned her head towards Ven as though entreating, yet ne'er her eyes alighted on the woman's visage.
"We cannot proceed as time foregone, Avenger of Light. We cannot shoulder another demise."
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Post by Kidney on Jul 23, 2019 12:44:14 GMT -8
Semyon stared. This was quite the display, enough to make him consider running. Though, in his stalwart mind, he tried to understand the Boogeywoman once more, and understood a small bit more. He was quite certain of what she said, indeed. "Yes." He said, looking up at Taas and the rest of the group. "Bone. Head has that, bone in head."
Looking more content than ever, the Rus walked to the bound man, and poked him with an arrowhead. Not enough to draw blood, just enough to test if the man would jolt or move. "Give me your secrets." He said, serious.
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Post by Spookery 💉 on Jul 24, 2019 8:54:00 GMT -8
Valeria shot a hard look at Taas for her comment. Sarak defending her actions softened the blow a bit, but it was still irksome to be spoken to as such. She was not trying to be a saint--only a helping hand. That was, after all, what they had been hired for. The paladin looked back toward the hallway and the darkness at the end of it. It was impossible to tell what they'd find beyond this entrance, or at least anything more than what they were coming to interrupt; she wasn't keen on finding out what the ritual sacrifices would look like. Hopefully they would be able to make it in time to stop them from happening.
Valeria rested the butt of the halberd on the ground and stood it next to her, looking to Taas again. Her expression was more grave than annoyed this time. "Have you any suggestions? I'm afraid I'm not exactly suited for stealth in this armor."
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Post by EloHim on Jul 24, 2019 17:12:33 GMT -8
Alas, the time lost never tends to return back... like sand escaping through the loose fingers.
The sudden flow of air snuffed out all the torches on the walls of the tunnel, leaving heroes in the dark. The only light now was at the end of the tunnel leading forward.
The man who was mumbling until then fell completely silent, no answer to any nudging.
In the dark the sand moved slowly towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Stalling more would sure mean something horrible will happen.
-For Talea-
The darkness was not that welcoming to the priestess. On the contrary, it felt alien, biting, unwelcoming...and also revealing. Talea could see that now they were really close to the gateway leading into the guts of the being that felt so much bigger than the Night, one could feel himself an ant in comparison. There it was beating rhythmically with hunger and desire...ready for the feast.
-For Taas-
As the darkness descended, the woman could hear the growls of her inner beast at the back of her head. It wanted to get out. Claw its way out and kill them all. Feast on them all. Suck the marrow out of their broken bones, tear the flesh away from their carcassess. It would be so sweet,so tasty. The hunger... it was there, in the darkness... clawing at her sanity.
-For Sarak-
In the darkness of the tunnels Sarak could hear the crying, which sounded so familiar it couldn't be ignored. The darkness betrayed a silhouette of a sickly looking woman. His mother was there. Looking at him from the dark of the side-tunnel.
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Post by Capster on Jul 24, 2019 17:52:53 GMT -8
His bow, trembled, his eyes watered at the sight and the imagery scared him more than one hundred lashes. His mother before him crying out. Ill and sickly.
Sarak sharply inhaled and looked about for release of some sort, something as his hand was shaking so hard it nearly dropped the arrow. "What do you see....friends." He says, his voice wavering, almost to tears from the sight.
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Post by Kidney on Jul 25, 2019 7:10:21 GMT -8
Seeing that the once raving madman was no longer an actual help to the expedition, Semyon kicked him in the ribs quickly, stealthily, in his eyes. With a quick glance, he looked towards Sarak, noticing the troubled man's look, his eyes watering, his hands trembling, Semyon advanced.
Sarak would find himself suddenly touched by a callused hand, which sought to pull him closer than he was now. Next, Semyon placed a hand on the man's upper back, rubbing softly. Semyon spied a glance to the group, then to the hallway. He spied...nothing. His voice, low and suddenly fraternal sought to comfort Sarak. "Nothing. A...обман. I do not see what you do."
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Post by Bloodtrailkiller on Jul 25, 2019 20:36:21 GMT -8
/Taas/
She winced at the Wolf within, the hunger biting into the back of her mind, into those Primordial instincts and base desires; eat, breed, die, repeat. It was a familiar pain, but a pain she knew she'd forgotten more than not... such was the nature of Beasts.
But it haunted her naught; she clenched her teeth and took a step forward, drawing a torch from her supply pouch and striking it alight as she made to take the helm of the group with a sobering sniff. Rubbing the back of her ax-laden hand against her nose.
"Seems your Singer's got plans already; I'll take lead, Vengeance hold the rear... Your longarm's got better reach than my ax." She huffed, her tone sobered from its mirth of before as she pawed at her burn scar.
"Keep an eye out for hidden alcoves, branchin' tunnels, the works. Sand thereabouts in the corners..." Taas motioned to them with her ax as she made to march on,
" ...Not seen its like in the Estate before. Means these chucklefucks came from all over... and no one likes using just one bloody hole." Her words were tense and tight, as if she'd a bone clenched in her teeth,
"If I fucked us with that delay... I'll buy you a drink when we get back home."
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Post by EtherealNoire on Jul 27, 2019 10:41:50 GMT -8
Talea lingered nigh the BeastSinger, so near her tresses batted at the mortal's arms when air stole through the passage, yet her true presences seemed to abide yonder in the gloom.
She cast her sight o'er each crimson grain that tarried beneath their soles, listening to them hiss as though vying for egress, and stealing with them their balance. In that forsaken den, time shifted, whilst the rythym of the realm itself beat with a Heart of Malice.
It called to them. Below stone and earth it hungered, and in the sudden darkness Talea drew a solemn breath.
Ne'er had darkness hunted her as this being dared: scorning, vindictive, thirsting to rend and taint her till Night was no more a silent memory in the dark.
Its touch stained her, and repulsed, she raised her hands to its vile essence, poised to fight.
And deeper still in the gathered shadows, Night stirred. Thorns blossomed across her wrists, laced through her fingers and coiled about her neck as he intwined his might with hers. His presence soothed her, closer still than he had pressed in any war before. For in blood their strength had been reforged, and in possession, none may taint what had been claimed as his.
As she moved to take her place amongst the group, dusk flowed about her pale figure, ebony against white before torchlight swallowed her ivory glow. Yet at the edges of vision, something lingered within her shadow. Something none but she could truly perceive. A creature born from darkness itself to face the gloom below.
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