The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

[Termite]

"Oh dear..." The nun you followed here has a rather worried expression on her face. You can't really blame her. The Guild Hall you were brought to was said to be somewhat busy but rather calm considering these were mercenaries, but once you entered you were practically thrown right back out by the overpowering chorus of boisterous men shouting at each other while chairs flew through the air and crashed against some poor fool's back. The fight all around you is spreading by the second, and those caught at the edges desperately fight against the tide while a few patrons scurry back and forth to try and find some way out of this madness.

"ENOOOUUUGH!" The yell that broke through the raucous nearly made your head split open, but once you recover enough to look around you notice everyone else clutching their head and most likely sharing the same migraine. "What's going on?!" The voice that still bellows belongs to a rather plain looking woman wearing some rather nice looking clothes. Had she not been standing on a table at the end of the Hall you may not have ever noticed her over the height of everyone else.

"I just brought some friends over for a drink..."
"Then they started touching me!"
"I couldn't help it! She's a hot little piece of-"
"Don't you dare call my friend that, asshole!"
"Shut it, bitch!"

The small battle started in earnest once more, and as it quickly grew to the massive free-for-all you found earlier you can't help but notice the woman in the back looking like she was about to kill somebody. When an errant chair flies through a nearby window you can quite literally see her snap before she takes a deep breath and yells, "SILENCE!!!" The headache you felt before would be considered a dull ache compared to the agony you feel now, but when you open your mouth to let out a scream you find your voice completely gone. The pain dies down, and as you look around you notice a bunch of other people surprised that they can't talk, either.

"I don't care who the hell you are, this is not some bar you can just come in and wreck whenever you feel like!" With the standing woman the only one with a voice everyone is forced to pay attention. "This is MY hall, for the explicit use of MY troops while they wait for MY orders! This is MY property, and anyone involved in the destruction of MY property better get the hell out of here! Now!" A few people open their moves to offer their silent arguments, but when the woman punches the wall behind her and leaves a sizable dent those same people decide it was best to simply close their mouths and walk out while they still could.

Once the majority of the people have left the woman rubs her temple a bit. "Mona, Claire." Two of the women you saw looking for an escape over in a corner shuffle over quickly and stand at attention. Now that you can see them a little better you notice that they're both twins. "You two take care of repairs." The both salute in perfect harmony and dash off to stand next to the window that now lay in pieces. "Jackson!" A rather lanky fellow steps out from seemingly nowhere. "I want the names of the idiots responsible for this mess." He salutes as well and disappears before you even notice he's gone. Without anything else on her mind she takes a quick survey of the destruction before turning around to enter one of the unseen back rooms. Just before she rounds a corner you see and hear her snap her fingers, and the moment she does the twins begin chanting to each other while shards of glass start to glow and hover in the air.

"I... I..." The nun seems to be stumbling for something to say. "I-I'm sure she's just having a bad day! ...I hope..." She seems rather hesitant to step forward, but she eventually leads you to what you guess is the woman's office. She takes a moment to compose herself before the closed door, and once she feels prepared she very carefully and quietly knocks three times. "Miss Roberta?"

"Come in." Her mood doesn't sound like it's changed much, but the nun opens the door and quickly shuffles in. She practically drags you in with her, and once inside you find the office to be rather Spartan in taste. The sister doesn't do much more than stand there playing with her hands while she tries to build up some courage, and once Roberta sees this she starts to soften a bit. "Contract for the Church, I understand. Thank you, Sister Catharine." Catharine quickly nods her head in thanks before turning around to hurry home.

"Please have a seat." Now that the two of you are alone Roberta closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. After letting out a long sigh she reopens them to look at you. Only at you. Her stare seems to bore right into your soul, and you can almost swear she's looking right through you. "So, tell me about yourself and why you're here."


((Please include your character sheet.))

 

[TentanariX]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

Spoiler

Name: Cala
Description and Basic Backstory:

Cala is a brave and courageous magical warrior. She is trained in swordplay, and use of magic. Cala is completely virginal with an un-penetrated maidenhood, while it may embarrass her or make her feel uncomfortable, if it helps further her goal/mission she is not completely opposed to nudity. She is also friendly and kind hearted and almost always willing to help those in need.
Desired Posting Speed: Moderate
Desired Posting Length: Large Paragraph or Several Paragraphs


Stats (assume a level 0 character for generic charsheet posts, or if it's a dungeon-entering request, choose the appropriate level of the character to enter the dungeon.)
Level - 0
Willpower - 18W
Combat and HP - 6C/20HP
Explore and Stam - 5E/10S
Spirit and Magic - 4S/30M
Tech K-H and Knowledge - N/A
Naughty and Lewd - 5N/10L


Skills and Fetishes - None at present

Cala felt uncomfortable with the woman staring at her like that but steeled her nerves the best she could and found her ability to speak, "Well miss Roberta, My name is Cala Windcastle. I have just been released from the Hero's Guild and was assigned to this particular quest. They said they needed my help in investigating the disappearances of young ladies and priestesses. Do you know who or what has been taking them or why? Is there any information you think would be helpful or vital in my quest?"

 

[Termite]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

Spoiler

Cala Windcastle

Willpower - 18/18
Combat and HP - 6 and 20/20
Explore and Stam - 5 and 10/10
Spirit and Magic - 4 and 30/30
Naughty and Lewd - 5 and 10/10

"The Hero's Guild..." Roberta pulls back and closes her eyes while she seems to mull over that little fact. When she looks back your way she no longer stares right through you, but you get the distinct impression she now pities you. "Guess it can't be helped." She lifts herself and sits straight once more, but before she continues she motions to the door you entered. It closes on its own, and what noise you could hear drifting in from the nearly empty hall is now silenced.

"A while back a few disappearances around a small village named Helmoth caught the attention of someone within the Church. The person proved to be Corrine, one of Temteir's priestesses, but more importantly she is one of their top Battle Maidens. She left to investigate, and the Church hasn't heard from her since. They don't want knowledge that one of their fiercest warriors has suddenly gone missing, especially while they're at war with the heathens from the Southern Islands. So they've hired me to run the investigation as I see fit.

"Problem is I'm a bit preoccupied with a few other clients, so I need to hire some outside mercenaries. I can tell that you're a match for some of my better agents, so I'm confident you can locate the wayward Priestess. The problem is going to be payment and equipment. I'm the only one commissioned to work for the Church in this matter. All payments will go through me. If you were freelance I would simply hire you as a temporary Valkyrie and give you a cut of the commission. My fees are a little steeper than most, but the contact is large enough that your portion would still be substantial. But since you're from the Hero's Guild they'll definitely want their own piece. My fees will still remain the same, and once your employers get their cut I feel you'll be left with something that will seem like a disservice to your efforts. If you're fine with this then I'll gladly hire you and come to an agreement with the rep from your guild, but you'll need to tell me that much. Do you still wish to investigate?"

 

[TentanariX]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

Cala thought about it for a bit before replying, "A top warrior? If someone of that kind of power and talent has gone MIA I'm not entirely sure how much better off I would possibly be. But I already came out here, and I would be out even more money if I spent the necessary travel fees, and etc. and would be a waste of my time to just head back to the guild. I won't more equipment then a decent sword and a sturdy shield, and I won't get any better jobs or good enough to strike out on my own if I don't get more experience. I'll gladly take the job, Miss Roberta; I'm sure your fees and compensation will be adequate enough." She said with a straight serious and determined look on her face.

 

[Termite]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

At your answer the woman actually smiles. "That's a rather sound bit of reasoning, Miss Windcastle, and if you can reason that well under stress I have no doubt you'll do just fine. As per your requests, all you'll need to do is step outside and speak with the twins. They'll lead you to our armory. We may not be the largest of Guilds, but we make sure all our agents have access to some of the best gear money can buy. Anything you find should be more than adequate, and you're free to keep anything you borrow for as long as you wish."

With her spiel said and done Roberta rises from her seat and straightens her outfit. Once she feels she looks presentable she extends her hand. "Welcome to the Valkyries, Clara." After shaking your hand she takes in a quick breath and releases a small sigh. "Now, if you'll excuse me I need to have a talk with a rather unpleasant fellow." She bows her head as she passes, and once she opens the door the noise from outside starts to seep into the room once more. She nearly disappears around a corner before she slows to a stop and turns. "One more thing. We've sent a couple scouts to Helmoth, and what they found was a bit...unsettling. You'll understand once you arrive."

~~~~~~~​

Your trip to the forest village is rather uneventful. In fact you could say it was downright pleasant. When you first entered you noticed a few freshly cut stumps that were obviously the work of some local lumberjacks, and you could see the tracks in the ground from where the timber was caught and dragged back to town. But as you proceed nature begins to reassert itself. The trees grow larger and larger. The canopy overhead grows thicker by the step, and only faint flecks of light manage to peak through the leaves to bathe the landscape in a soft and inviting glow. You can hear the birds above you singing to their heart's content. You spot a pair of squirrels chasing each other around the trunk of a tree before you pass a little too close and cause them to scamper to safety. Had it not been for the road you traveled you may even doubt that people actually wander through this forest. Thankfully the worn tracks of horses leading wagons and carts has carved a path in the earth. At the very least you know you're on the right path.

After some time you spot the very edge of the village. You've reached your destination. But as you get closer you suddenly get this odd feeling. You feel as if someone is watching you, but should you choose to look the only thing that greets you are shadows dancing along the ground while a breeze ruffles the leaves of the branches all around you. That feeling returns once you break the treeline, but as you step into Helmoth what you find is rather depressing. The clearing that the village sits in is far larger than it would need. It only adds to the rather empty sensation you get as you start wandering around. Had it not been for the handful of people walking around you swear this place would be a ghost town. Even then the people you see moving about look dead. They stare at the ground before their feet, their eyes are filled with despair, and they only shuffle forward instead of walk. It looks like their will to live has been drained out of them. The more you look around the more broken souls you find, and that's when you realize why it sounds so dead. You hear nothing. No children, no mothers gossiping to one another, no men working or even regaling each other with tall tales spun from whatever life they may have lived. All you can find are women. Young, attractive women who seem ready to welcome Death.

As you walk a little farther that feeling returns a third time. It feels stronger than before, and you quickly ship your head around until you finally find it. Past the clearing, nearly hidden by the shadow cast by the tree it leans against, you find a figure. The soiled hooded robe that covers its body doesn't let you make out any details, but you can tell that someone is intent on watching you. But the moment it notices its discovery the figure is gone.

They shady character that was watching is intriguing. If you hurry now you may still manage to catch them before you lose their trail. But would that be worth it? Whoever was there now has a head start, and they most likely know these woods far better than you do. Searching would take time, and wasting it on a fruitless chase would be would be just that, a waste. You need to find information on the missing Priestess, and the people around you should surely know something. Then again they seem utterly defeated. Speaking with them will be a trial, and you seriously doubt you can find anyone with the motivation to answer a few questions let alone help you find Corrine. They person that ran may not want to be found, but they would definitely prove to be more lively.

Either way a decision needs to be made. Your window for following the mystery figure is short, and if you hesitate for too long you won't be able to track them.


Option 1 - Speak with the distraught women - Spirit
Option 2 - Pursue the fleeing shadow - Explore

Spoiler

Cala Windcastle

Willpower - 18/18
Combat and HP - 6 and 20/20
Explore and Stam - 5 and 10/10
Spirit and Magic - 4 and 30/30
Naughty and Lewd - 5 and 10/10

 

[TentanariX]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

"Thank you, MIss Roberta." Cala said as she rose up from her seat to follow the twins to the armory, where she picked a good bastard sword and a small steel shield. Once upon reaching Helmoth Cala stepped out of her carriage to feel an odd cold chill run down her back. She looked around but saw that there was no one around save her. Chalking it up to nerves she steeled them as best as she could and proceed down the streets of the eerily empty city. Cala was greatly unsettled by the sight of the near zombie looking citizens of the town, just shuffling around like mindless corpses with no spark of life in them. It was truly a terrible sight. Further down the streets she manages to find a group of young attractive women who have no desire to continue living, a haunting sight and a mot soul crushing and depressing look upon their young feminine faces. As she begins to step up to them to try to ask them something she gets the uneasy feeling of being watched yet again, and turns to see a mysterious shadowed figure against the shilouettes of trees, before it quickly dashes off. The mysterious figure that just disappeared must have been the feeling I was getting this whole time. She thinks Realizing she would likely not get any answers from the broken looking women in the town she decides to rush off after the hooded figure and maybe get some answers from him or her.

Option 2 - Pursue the fleeing shadow - Explore

 

[Termite]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

Stage 1
Option 2 - Pursue the fleeing shadow - Explore - 15 vs 25 (

You must be registered to see the links

+ 5) - PASS

~~~~~~~​

You quickly sprint past the clearing and enter the forest where you last saw your target. For someone carrying a sword and shield your speed is nearly miraculous. It takes nearly no time at all to catch sight of your target. They clearly didn't expect you to follow so quickly, and they make a mad dash for safety once they spot you.

Your pursuit has you scrambling throughout the forest, but not once do you lose sight of your quarry. They jump and dive behind cover. They pull on branches in hopes that one will strike you in the face. They even surprise you by whipping their body in midair and throwing a pair of knives for your body. But your instincts are more than a match. You anticipate each evasion and cut into that distance. Your body manages to bend around each simple trap laid in your path. When those knives fly you arm rolls forward just enough to catch them with your shield and leave them harmlessly bouncing over reinforced steel.

You know you can run her down. When she turned to make her attack you clearly say the outline of her body, but it was her face that caught your attention. You could see a hint of desperation in her eye. She was not expecting this hard a chase, and you can tell the pressure is starting to wear her down. Running forward while trying to slow you down is diverting her attention, and it'll only be a matter of time before she makes a mistake.

It comes sooner than you would have expected. She spins once more to launch another volley of knives, but she lingers too long while she aims. Her attention is focused on you, and she doesn't spot the exposed root until her foot clips it. Her balance is thrown off, her blades fly wide, and when she inevitably falls to the ground you hear her land hard. She lays only a few steps away. The sudden impact has left her momentarily dazed. This is the time to strike.

 

[TentanariX]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

As the knives fly past Cala harmlessly, she sees the cloaked figure fall flat on her back and her head hit the ground hard, leaving her dazed and defenseless for the few needed moments that Cala would need to take advantage and get her apprehended in order for her to question her target. As her target falls to the ground, Cala closes her eyes, steeples her fingers and begins to chant a spell causing vines and tree roots to come out of the ground and entangle themselves around her adversary. "Oh, great mother Earth, please come forward to my aid, lend your arms and limbs to ensnare our foe, and make movement and escape impossible." As the vines, plant and roots begin twisting and entangling her target, Cala walks determinedly over to him or her and confronts her prey. "Why have you been following me since I left the tavern? Do you know anything about what has happened here in this town? Why are the civilians, especially the young women so lifeless and defeated looking? Who are you?" She accosts the cloaked figure before whipping his or her hood off to reveal the face of her detainee.

 

[Termite]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

"H-Hey! Lemme...go...!" The small woman struggles desperately to free herself from her bindings, but the vines and roots prove far too strong for her to break with her own strength. But that doesn't stop her from trying even harder. She twists and flexes, putting her whole body into breaking at least one of her arms free. All she gains is a slowly tightening hold until she's practically held directly to the forest floor.

When she realizes she can't escape she stops struggling and pants a little after having exerted herself so uselessly. The questions that follow don't receive a response until you flip off her hood and see her sitting there utterly embarrassed. "I don't know anything about any tavern! I saw the carriage enter the forest and thought I'd follow! I just didn't think you'd be heading...there..." She pauses for a moment to collect her thoughts. Her eyes seem to be measuring you as well as the compromising situation she's in, and she eventually decides to continue. "I guess you're going after that church lady that came through a while ago. She asked the same questions about the people at the village. I didn't and still don't know what's wrong with them, but I have noticed fewer people heading through there. With so few people passing through it's getting harder to find a..." She pauses once more, and this time she seems to be struggling with herself over something. A tug from one hand makes up her mind for her, and she looks you in the eye and practically screams her answer while managing to look extremely guilty. "It's getting harder to try and steal anything valuable!"

With her confession to being a thief out in the open the woman turns her head away and blushes. "Look, I haven't been in town for a couple days, so I have no idea what's going on. All I know is that some really strong lady from the church came through and brought a few other girls with her. I saw them doing something in town, and next thing I know that place is suddenly missing all its men and children."

 

[TentanariX]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

Cala has a feeling the thief is telling the truth, and begins to release the spell, letting go of the woman. "Okay, I believe you. You're free to go. I'm on a mission so I can't turn back now, but from the looks of things, if I were you I would looks for some other place to loot. Whatever is going on here seems to be targeting young women the most, and if you stuck around too long the same thing could likely happen to you." Once she releases the thief Cala decides to head back to the part of town where she found the empty zombie like women and try her luck questioning them hoping against hope she could manage to get something out of them that may possibly help her in her quest.

 

[Termite]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

As the thief is freed she holds very still until her limbs are completely free. She then bolts away from the mass of plants that held her down and sits in a crouch ready to jump at the slightest move. But she doesn't. She sits and listens to what you say, her face a mish-mash of hurt pride and slight curiosity.

When you finish and start to walk back toward Helmoth she finally stands and finds her voice. "Hey wait!" She takes a few steps forward, her path quite clearly avoiding the patch of growth that held her down just a few moments earlier. "If it's really that bad then why go back to town? You look like as much a target as I do. And I kinda know where they went."

When you look at the girl her face holds a measure of contempt that makes you wonder just how badly she wants her revenge, but behind that look of scorn you feel something that says she genuinely does want to help. "There's a game trail if you follow this path. It heads North deeper into the forest. I watched your nun and her followers head that way, and I followed them for a bit. But after a bit the forest becomes...dark..." The young woman's gaze starts to shift toward the ground, and as she continues you find an almost palpable fear starting to overcome her. "It feels like something is in there...watching your every move... It's like some dark shadow just waiting for you to drop your guard so it can jump out and drag you to its lair..."

 

[TentanariX]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

Cala considers the woman's words for a bit, "I've already given my word that I would at least try to help them, besides my wagon has already left and I don't have any way back to where I came. No point in heading back now. I understand if you don't want to head in there to help, but I do appreciate your information. Though if there is anything else you can tell me that would be helpful I would greatly appreciate and would be willing to split half of my payment to you should we survive if you would assist me. If not, that understandable and I'll let you be on your way to do whatever you wish. Thank you." She awaited the woman's answer before heading off into the forest.

 

[Termite]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

The mention of payment catches the girl's attention. "...How much?" When you give her the number you catch one of her eyebrows rising slightly before it forces itself to get back in position. But you can tell she's struggling. Even if she doesn't move you can see her becoming more restless, and her eyes shift ever so slightly. Something tells you there's a small war brewing inside the thief, one side fighting for self-preservation while the other fights for the love of money. Thankfully the battle ends only after a couple seconds, and after her eyes suddenly focus. "I can agree to that, but if things are looking bad I will just turn and run."

As you head deeper into the forest you find your new companion is a rather skilled woodsman. You also find that she's not the most talkative of people. Whether it's because she's normally a quiet person or the uneasiness that seems to grow the further you move you can't quite tell, but at least you manage to catch her name. "Abigail." For a while you begin to wonder why she's so on edge, but after a bit you start feeling something. The forest itself is thicker and darker, but the signs of life one would expect cannot be found. All that remains is this unsettling silence that bears down on you, surrounds you, makes you wonder if something sinister is waiting for you to drop your guard. You can almost feel something quietly crawling through the underbrush, moving inch by inch until you swear you can feel the very atmosphere digging its claws into the pit of your stomach.

A sudden rustling of leaves in the distance breaks through this air of oppression. Whatever it is you hear is getting closer, and by the sounds of all the thrashing you can tell it's quite the large beast. A moment later your guess is confirmed when a massive bear breaks onto the trail and practically barrels down the path straight for both you and Abigail. For a moment it looks like the thief is about to get run over, but at quite possibly the last second the bear screams and slams itself against a nearby trunk. From there it continues to roll around the ground crying in sheer agony. Shortly after you can see the creature starting to bite and tear into its own flesh.

The bear continues to wrestle with itself, and Abigail is forced to crawl and jump to avoid being crushed. When she is finally free you notice that the creature could have easily killed her at any time, but it seems far more preoccupied with its own pain. This could be your chance to escape untouched. But this animal is being driven mad. It may not notice you now, but there's no telling what could happen once it does. Perhaps it would be better to strike it down before it gets up and tries to do the same to you.


Option 1 - Sneak away - Explore
Option 2 - Kill the bear - Combat

Spoiler

Cala Windcastle

Willpower - 18/18
Combat and HP - 6 and 20/20
Explore and Stam - 5 and 10/10
Spirit and Magic - 4 and 30/30
Naughty and Lewd - 5 and 10/10

 

[TentanariX]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

"Abigail!" Cala cries out she sees her new cohort nearly get crushed by the giant bear. Something is causing this creature pain, and causing it to go wild. I don't think it's honestly trying to harm us and is not entirely it's fault. But I have to deal with it or it could end up harming another innocent citizen or by-passer, if not one of us. she thinks as she begins to chant in an ancient forgotten language before she releases a wave of ice towards the bear hoping to freeze it solid and therefore for some time at least dealing with it with as little bloodshed as possible.

Option2: Kill the bear (combat)

 

[Termite]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

Stage 2
Option 2 - Kill the bear - Combat - 17 vs 23 (

You must be registered to see the links

+ 6) - PASS

~~~~~~~​

As you begin to chant the bear starts to slow in its self mutilation and begins to pick its head up to look around. Once it eventually focuses on your form a look of pure madness and rage twists its face until it lets out a blood-curdling scream that could wake the dead. It then starts bounding forward, the intent to kill clearly visible in its eyes. But its too late. The energies gathering at the tips of your fingers manifest, and the wave of pure ice crashes against the hulking beast and quite literally freeze it in its tracks.

With the threat dealt with you take the time to take a breath, but a sudden outburst catches you offguard. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" You look to find Abigail slightly cowering behind you while she peeks out and stares at the frozen creature. "I've never seen anything that pissed! I've never seen anything try to tear itself apart! I knew this was a bad idea...!" For a moment you start to wonder if she'll turn and run back to whatever she calls a home in these woods, but after a while she calms down and returns to her relatively silent self.

Of course the thief is still staring at the bear, but now she seems more focused and attentive. Something catches her eye, and she leaves her meat shield to get a better look. She seems to slowly circle the beast until she finds what she's looking for. Should you decide to follow her you find her staring at a raw piece of flesh that neither claw nor teeth could fully reach. It's hard to see through the ice encasing it and the multitude of scratches and tears nearby, but within that mess you notice a raised lump of skin that looks as if it were heavily infected. "That doesn't look right."

 

[TentanariX]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

Cala walked over to where Abigail was and looked down at the strange wound on the bear, "No.... It's certainly not. I don't know, it's certainly not normal or natural behavior for a woodland creature, but I have a hunch if we follow the trail where it came from, we will eventually find out. Or even if we simply continue traveling these woods." She says, as moves forward following Abigail down the game trail, her original objective was to find the priestess, but now she feared she needed to find the cause of the bears madness and put an end to it as well.

 

[Termite]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

Abigail looks at the entombed bear for a few more seconds until she notices a few drops of water starting to fall down its side. She immediately starts to pick herself up and heads down the game trail before she even acknowledges what you say. "Good idea, let's go!" The nervous laugh she lets out is enough to tell you she doesn't want to be around when that frozen coffin finally thaws. You know the thing is dead, it was frozen solid by your attack, but maybe you shouldn't wait around to find out...

As your trip further into the woods continues your journey is rather uneventful. But that ominous feeling returns. You feel like you're being watched. You have this nagging sensation at the back of your neck, like some stalker is breathing heavily, waiting for you to make one little mistake, to misstep and fall so it can rush out of the underbrush and pounce your prone body. It's almost distracting, enough so that you don't notice Abi suddenly stop until you bump into her back. She lets out a small scream and scrambles back until she realizes it was only a bump from you. She fear in her eyes is replaced by indignation, and even through she remains as quiet as the forest surrounding you the look on her face says she is still quite pissed.

After a few seconds she manages to calm herself down. She catches your attention and points to something in the distance. You follow her finger and eventually spy a body slumped over itself as it rests against a fallen tree. Abi decides to investigate, and she pulls out her knives and quietly crawls forward, each step keeping her hidden from view until she's nearly straddling what appears to be a man. "He's dead..." At that she pulls herself upright and motions for you to come to her. When you approach you can see that this definitely is a dead human. His body has a number of wounds all over, most of which look like some forest animals have been gnawing on the body as it lay there. But some of the injuries don't match. There are a number of small holes over his body. He looks like he's been attacked from all sides by a number of spears.

You sense movement. You dive to the side and pull Abi with you, and when you land you spy a vine suddenly running through the dead body. It suddenly pulls itself out, and the body jerks a bit before the vine is free and starts pointing in your direction. The tip of it looks incredibly sharp, and if that wasn't enough a number of vines run all up and down its length. When even more start to pop out of the ground you soon find yourself surrounding on all sides, Abi and yourself back to back as the vines seem to be waiting.

"Too many!" She's right. There are far too many for the both of you to fight. Taking them head on would be madness. You need to find some way to escape, some way to distract or preoccupy them while you rush toward safety. But how? You could try some more magic. A proper spell would be able to push them back or even simply hold them for a second, but these vines are not natural. Some unknown power has turned them into killing machines, and your own magic could react with these creatures in unpredictable ways, some of which have been known to be...unpleasant. But you may not have a choice. The things are starting to gather, and as you look around you can't find...no. There is an opening. Even as they start to surround you for some reason they don't approach the already dead human. If you are fast and lucky enough you may be able to break through their numbers before they have a chance to reach you. But you have a feeling they'll react the moment you make a move. You may still have to fight your way out, but at least they wouldn't be attacking from all sides. But either way you'll need to act now. They look like they're preparing to strike.


Option 1 - Use magic to defend yourself - Spirit (Naughty)
Option 2 - Run before you become another corpse - Explore (Combat)

Spoiler

Cala Windcastle

Willpower - 18/18
Combat and HP - 6 and 20/20
Explore and Stam - 5 and 10/10
Spirit and Magic - 4 and 30/30
Naughty and Lewd - 5 and 10/10

 

[TentanariX]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

Cala had a horrible feeling in her gut as she walked down the game trail further, as the feeling of being hunted that she had when she first arrived at the town crept through her soul and body. She was too overwhelmed by the paranoid feeling she did not notice Abigail stop until she bumped into her back. As the thief girl screamed out aloud and panicked scrambling backwards, she promptly turns over to her, "Abigail! Please calm down! It's me! I apologize for startling you, but I've just been getting a horrible feeling of being watched by someone or..... something through here!" she saids as she tries to clam the girl.

Cala walks down to the body that Abigail directs her to, bending over the dead body examining it until she gets a spike of prescience. "ABBY! GET DOWN NOW!" She cries out as she picks up the slight movement, jumping out of the way, dragging the thief down with her. "WHAT THE HELL!?" Cala cried out as she saw the vines spring up from the dead body. She gets a horrible feeling of dread as the spear like vine points directly towards her and she sees several more of them rise up, trapping Abigail and she back to back. She ponders a plan of action, her mind racing until she notices the small gap, thinking quickly she grabs Abigail by the scruff of her outfit and makes a mad dash jump trying to get through the gap. When and if she makes it through, she quickly shoves abigail aside to give them both room for an attack before using her magic to try to put a wall of magic to shield them with, when the vines attack and are hopefully rebuffed, she would she would quickly drop the shield for a moment and take a swipe at them with her sword, trying to sever some of them at least.

(If possible 2 then 1, Run, then throw up shield and try to fight the vines.)

 

[Termite]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

Stage 3
Option 2 - Run before you become another corpse - Explore - 16 vs 19 (

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+ 5) - Pass

~~~~~~~~~~​

Your hand finds Abi's collar, and with a strong pull you nearly toss both her and yourself through that one small opening you found. A couple of the nearest vines immediately give chase, and it's only thanks to a well placed jump from the both of you that you manage to remain untouched. But they quickly react. Those that missed and pierced the ground quickly start to pull themselves free, and as they do so the rest of their length rushes forward. It causes them to coil slightly, and once the tip is freed it whips forward, the entire thing cutting through the air as it speeds toward your back. Those that had not hit the ground simply change direction and rush forward to catch you where their brothers failed.

Abi tries to scramble to her feet once the both of you land, your shove sending her a small distance away and making her the primary target. You can see her panic, her limbs desperately trying to find purchase on the ground and fumbling at the worst of times. All she can manage to do is scream and throw her arms and legs forward in one last effort to protect her center from being impaled. An odd thunk catches her attention, and when she opens her eyes she finds your magical shield protecting her from certain death.

The shield itself is a wonder, a wall of pure force so concentrated that it actually acts as solid barrier. It does well in holding those vines back, a couple of them stuck within the wall itself as it formed around them. They struggle and flail wildly, their sharpened ends nearly cutting into you with each swing, but your sword proves stronger and severs them before they can do any damage. But a disturbing crack catches your ears. One of the spears had reared back and struck with as much force as it could muster, and from that point small slivers of energy start to crumble and fall away as very faint but quite noticeable lines start to form.

"We've gotta run!" Abi's words ring with an unmistakable truth, and you join her as she quickly starts dashing farther into the forest. You manage to clear a good distance before you hear your shield shatter, and once it does you catch the rustling of something rushing along the ground. "This way!" The young woman grabs your wrist and starts leading you in a slightly different direction. "There's a mine nearby dug into solid rock! If we can get inside it should keep the plants from reaching us!" That sounds as good a plan as any, and you follow closely while running for your life.

As you get closer and closer to this mine Abi mentioned you start feeling something odd. The darkness, the oppression in the atmosphere gets stronger and stronger, but underneath that lies something...bright. Something pure. Something that comforts you within this forest of death and seems to call and beckon. The cave appears, and as you dash inside that feeling only grows. The plants outside no longer give chase, and now that you're safe you focus on that feeling. A pit of darkness has grown all around it, and it smothers what little light remains, but no matter how hard it tries a small sliver still manages to escape. And it feels closer than ever. Something is drawing you in, and it lies only a little further within this abandoned mine.

 

[TentanariX]

Re: The Beast of Helmoth (TentanariX)

"This mine feels very..... odd. Threatening, yet safe. Foreboding yet welcoming. Inside this oppressive darkness lies a..... light. I wonder if it's my fellow sister? Any ways, it would seem that we have little choice but to investigate and explore this cave further. Stick close to me Abby. There's no telling what evil might be lurking in this cave." Cala says warily as she take Abigail's hand and proceeds to slowly advance through the cave.

(Advance through the cave.)