[ BTS ] Scenario One - Into the Shadows (IC)

Started by Moraline, September 08, 2013, 11:06:23 AM

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Moraline

[ BTS ] Scenario One - Into the Shadows (IC)
This is an offshoot of the main IC thread.

Beyond The Supernatural






*GM NOTICE*
For this thread I'll be making both my GM posts and taking any OOC questions in thread.
Please drop your OOC questions into a spoiler tag 'using the hide button up top.'


Please Tag your posts with (place any dice roll links directly under it):
[color=maroon][b]Character Name[/b][/color]
[b]Location[/b]:
[b]Tag[/b]:
[hr]


Link:  [ BTS ] Scenario One - OOC

Moraline





(( @ Robert ))

Robert felt the cutting talon like sharpness of the shadows biting into his flesh as it pulled him back into the fog. It had substance and form. Cold, hard, and smooth like the carapace of an insect is what it felt like. There was no time for a shout or anything it took him.

The next moment he was standing there with his clothes torn up and little stinging cut marks all over his body. A heavy acrid smelling mist all around, it's touch cool to the skin. Trying to breath was like sucking air through a dirty soot stained wet cloth. The school was still in front of him and he was still in the parking lot but his friends were gone and things were much darker. The building, it was different as well. It had partially collapsed on one side, the stone work was crumbling, it now looked aged out and burned. If it occurred him to look around he would see the same everywhere.

(( Awareness check, Roll dice 1-100:
1-50   - and he'll notice that all around him it looks similar to the school building, plus he'll notice that the window on the second floor is lit up still where he seen his sister only moments ago.
51-75 - he'll notice all the above plus he will see a radiant glow of light coming from one of the ground floor windows of the school. It has a beckoning warmth to it.
76-100 - all of the above and off in the distance he will hear a low rumbling like a freight train coming. ))





(( @ Maggie ))

There was that moment when the Goblin stormed off in your general direction, a clumsy tripping over each others feet then the look of horror on Neela's face as she watched you be drawn away by your ankles. It happened so fast and it felt sort of surreal. The now stinging pain in your ankle though would be a reminder that it was all too real. Your ankle had taken a few good gashes and a lot of little cuts. It was a bit hard to see in the darkness though. A heavy acrid smelling mist was all around, it's touch cool to the skin. Trying to breath was like sucking air through a dirty soot stained wet cloth. The building now seemed different as well. Everyone had gone. It looked like you were still on the floor in the same spot but the stone work was crumbling, it now looked aged out and burned.

(( Random occurrence roll,  Roll dice 1-100:
1-25   - Skittering sounds like thousands of insects echoed all around her. They grow closer and closer. In misty darkness there is the gleam of tiny glassy black eyes approaching closer and closer. If you remain you will be swarmed by stinging, biting little critters that will slash your clothes all up.
26-50 - Torchlight flickers from a side hall and the sound of a bunch of feet shuffling along can be heard. Muffled voices converse from there. They/it is approaching from a distance down a hall from somewhere in front of you. You can stay, flee, or go look down that hall corridor.
51-75 - There is an inky blackness further down the hall. You're not sure but it sounds like wind blowing past an open window. If you choose to go investigate you will find the building abruptly ends in the blackness where you are only able to see a couple feet in front of you. The hall had collapsed here and the building appears to be rubble in front of you - or at least in the few feet ahead of you that you can see. You think that off in the distance might be the faint glow of windows - you must be outdoors... maybe.
76-100 - The sounds of hoofs approach from down the hall. ))





London

#2
Robert Long
Location: Outside the school
Tag: Open


At 2013-09-08 16:19:36, Robert Long (uid: 4265) rolls: 1d100 Result: 89

Sucking hard to get air in his lungs, Robert leaned forward on his knees to breath. Taking a quick note of his shredded shirt and jeans, he could feel his skin itching and sticky from the cuts. “This has to be some bad dream…” he said to himself before looking at the school. Gasping when he saw the state of the school, he could only hope that Al and the girls were safe. He remembered them all getting into the school before being pulled into the mist. Looking at the collapsed side of the school, he swallowed hard before he spotted the lights in the windows.

Looking at the light in the upstairs window, “Jessie…” he said softly remembering how his sister had been in the window. Seeing the soft glow in the downstairs window, he slowly moved closer to the school. Slowly moving up the steps, he stopped when he heard the noise of an old train. “Trains don’t run these tracks anymore,” he said slowly. Turning to look behind him, he gasped when he saw the state of the rest of the buildings. Feeling a cold chill run down his spin, he backed his way into the school. Unable not to think of the Silent Hill video games and movies, “What the hell is going on…” he screamed out as he turned and ran into the building.

Running into the school, Robert slide to a stop as he looked around the darkened hall, “Al… Jin… Anyone…” he yelled hoping the others were ok.

Ixy

Maggie Foss
Location: Lost in the school
Tag: Open


Mags winces at the sting on her ankle-- like she's twisted it in a thornbush-- a memory that seems a million miles away from this dark hallway, but one that has prepared her to tune out the pain, to scramble from the open hallway to a dark shadow and to hide, and steady herself, for whatever that... thing.  The linoleum of the floor feels oily and crackled by fire as she presses upon it, forcing herself to her feet in the darkness, and rises on unsteady legs.  She curses softly as she blinks as quickly as possible-- trying to force her eyes to adjust to the oily darkness.

Beckoned by the hollow breath of the wind, she manages a few steps forward, fighting to uncoil the knot of fear that twists in her stomach.  She stares into the black, unable to breathe for a moment-- though not because of the acrid air, just at the sheer horror of the nothing, the burned void of reality that has consumed her. 

If she can, she will pick up a few small pieces of the rubble and, disbelieving, toss one ahead of her into the cavernous void beyond.
At 2013-09-09 18:11:24, Mags (uid: 768) rolls: 1d100 Result: 69
______________________
The big print giveth, the small print taketh away.

Moraline




Robert backed into the school then turned to run down the hall calling out for people. The hallways was extremely dark, cool, and choked with the acrid fog. From somewhere off in the distance was that constant rumbling sound of freight trains or something. In the darkness of the hall he could hear a shuffling on the hallway floors. It had that vague human sound to it.

Ahead in the hall, Maggie would pick up a chunk of rubble and toss it into the darkness beyond her. There would be a dull clunk sound as the rubble firmly landed on another chunk of stone somewhere ahead. A moment after that occurred there came a sound of feet and a voice calling out. The voice rang with familiarity and the name of Robert would spring to her mind. It probably seemed silly to have forgotten that he had been with them. Where could he have gone to? Either way, he was back now and somewhere back down the hall.  If she peered closely she might see his shadowy silhouette.

To Robert's eyes the way ahead only seemed to get darker but in that darkness something moved about the same size as him. It looked like a girl. Maybe it was his sister?

As Robert passed a side hall he would catch the glow of some light source down it... but for now there was someone else ahead of him.




London

Robert Long
Location:lost in the school
Tag:Maggie, Open



Robert squinted as he tried to see through the darkness. Slowly moving forward, he couldn’t help but think about his sister. If she had tried to come down stairs and gotten hurt he would hate himself if he didn’t help her…

Looking down the side hall at the soft glow of light, Robert shook his head as he refocused on the body lying in the hall. Moving closer to the figure, he patted his pockets. “Damn it…” he groaned forgetting his phone was in his coat pocket. Wishing that he had some kind of light or weapon, he hated the Jin had lost his skateboard.

Finally getting close enough to see Maggie, he moved quickly beside her. “Are you ok,” he asked seeing the look of pain on her face. Knowing that he probably looked as bad as she did, “Where are the others?”

Ixy

Maggie Foss
Location: Lost in the school
Tag: Robert


Her nerves are firing in one storm of flight instinct that, no doubt, remained in every human deep in their DNA, the fear of the lightning and talons in the dark, and when she hears the 'tok' of the debris against stone, or concrete, further ahead-- her body jolts involuntarily and she shrinks back a half step.  Then voices-- there's terror and hope all at once, so that she stares wide-eyed into the dark with her mouth agape and her labored breath knots her chest and throat tight together.

She mouths the name silently, then makes her way carefully, long legs as awkward as a newborn foal toward that sound.  When she sees him-- it's not him, in her mind, for a moment or two.  It's the thing before, the terror and the presence, it's being caught doing something terrible by something terrible itself.  Then she recognizes him, and the relief is fleeting, but desperately strong 

"Oh my god, Robert, I'm so scared--" a smudge of grime on her pale, thin face, her hair mottled with damp patches, she reaches out with her long, chipped-nailed hands.  "I'm... fine, I'm not hurt.  I can't breathe here--" her throat feels burned, like when she'd smoked the filter of one of her mother's Newports by accident.  She doubts she'll ever smoke again... a displaced thought amid the surreal reality.  "I don't know.  There... that man," (if she can) she squeezes Robert's shoulders, her slim fingers fiercely strong, "he wasn't a man, was he?  The others are gone, this this isn't the school, I don't know where we are."  She bites off the words, making out the glimmer of his eyes in the dark, and suddenly knowing that they will need each other to survive this.

"There's something up ahead of us," she shrugs, biting back tears and settling herself with a stinging breath.  "I saw windows, or something.  It's a way out... I think.  We've got to go there, we have to find help.  Okay?"
______________________
The big print giveth, the small print taketh away.

Moraline




The clicking of hooves echoed along the halls somewhere in the shadows. At first it was faint but then it began to grow closer and louder. No images could be made out if they looked around but a glow from that side corridor would become clear. It had a flickering torchlight look to it that cast eerie shadows in the gloom. The light from the torches making the grey rolling cool acrid mist all the more obvious.

Things skittered in the dark, insect like and near their feet. If they looked down they would catch the glimpses of them large over-sized centipede things ducking in and out of the shadows of the rubble about their feet.

An ethereal ever so slightly glowing tiny form circled around them a few times with great speed. It moved out into the darkness then came back to them, circled again then back out into the dark. That's when a horn trumpeted out from down the hall. It's screech was harsh and raspy, not particularly all that loud but it was accompanied with the obvious sounds of shuffling feet running towards them.

Faces appeared among the torch light. Well, it was a face and several small flickering glowing objects, some of the little glowing objects seemed to ride the larger roughly six foot tall thing. They clung to it's horns and shoulders. They were in fact little tiny glowing pixies no more then a few inches tall. The thing with horns was a Satyr with the upper half of a man, and the lower half of a goat. It's head had large curled rams horns which the little glowing things sat on.

Satyr




London

Robert long
Location:lost in the school
Tag:Maggie



Robert had never felt so relieved to see anyone then when he saw Maggie. “I’m scared too,” he said his own breath coming in labored gasps. “I can’t breathe either. I fell like I’m in my grandfather’s study. Between his cigars and old moldy books I can’t breathe there either…” he said coughing, trying to get some of the acrid mist out of his lungs. Gasping as her hand squeezed his shoulder, one of her fingers found one of the deep cuts on his shoulder. She would feel the sticky wet feeling of the cut on her fingers as he reached up to pat her hand reassuringly. Listening to her, “We’re in the school… But it looks like part of it has collapsed. I was outside just a few minutes ago when I saw a couple lights. I was hoping that you and the others would be around one of them,” he said thinking about the pale light and the brighter one upstairs.

Taking her hand in his, he gave it a light squeeze, “I was just outside… The city looks worse then the school. We need to find the others and see if we can all get out of here.” After hearing things move around in the dark himself, which he really didn’t want to think about. “Where did you last see…” he stopped hearing the sound of hooves.

Slowly turning around when the sound of hooves reached them, Robert felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Looking around, he quickly moved to grab one of the fire extinguishers. Holding it in both hands, gasped when he saw things moving in and out of the shadows, “Maggie…” he started before seeing the Satyr walking into view. Nearly dropping the fire extinguisher, he pulled it back up as he stepped in front of her, ready to swing it in defense of them both.

Ixy

Maggie Foss
Location: Lost in the school
Tag: Robert, the satyr


Maggie's body goes rigid at the sound of the approaching steps, the skittering on the hard floor and the echoes and whispers of something not human.  When the glowing lights emerge, for the briefest moment she thinks it's a fire-- the embers of the fire that destroyed the school, swarming in a backdraft.  Then she makes out the alien shape of the back-bent legs, the curled horns on the man's head, like a god made flesh in a way that fascinates the dreamer and terrifies the mortal.

She feels Robert stepping in front of her and she doesn't let go, her pale fingers easing up not out of terror, but out of concern for what must be his pain.  The boy was like her, afraid and alone, but as he turns from her she senses his courage and responds in turn.  No... he won't be fighting alone.

Maggie steps up beside him, fixated on the terrible beauty of the beast, knowing its will to consume her and its part of this darkness.  She stands forth, too, beside Robert, one hand lingering on his shoulder, the other balled into a trembling fist.  If she can, she will call out to it, her voice cracking at first before finding her defiant assurance, her heart's own darkness and courage bringing a voice stronger than her body could muster alone.  "Who are you?"
______________________
The big print giveth, the small print taketh away.

Moraline




The Satyr and his tiny glowing companions stepped out of the shadows and into clear view before them. As far as Satyr's go he was well groomed and manicured. Strikingly handsome in a classical greek sort of way. The little glowing lights around him each shone with their own beautiful brilliance. He looked them over and smiled with warmth.

He spoke, "I am Cernunnos, you may call me Cern. Here as requested milady." He bowed slightly at the waist. His eyes watching them closely. "I suspect you are puzzled. Do not fear. We have come to guide you home. If you turn that direction we should be able to depart quickly. Clear the path for us." Cern motioned back to the blacked path ahead where only moments ago Maggie had been tossing a rock into. A small glowing figure whizzed along from that direction it flew in a quick circle around Maggie and Rob then came to rest on the Satyr's horn with the others.

"We must be quick, the darkness is pressing in on us from all sides and will soon swallow the light. Just will it clear and it will be so." He gestured for Maggie to go ahead.





@Maggie - If she decides to turn and think about clearing the path ahead she can do so through force of will. To her it would seem like something just on the edge of her mind - a thought of feeling that she could do it just like the time that she opened the door. Only this time it will come out as a wide sweeping force that will seem to sweep away some of the acrid mists and will blast back hundreds or thousands of little crawlies from in front.

Roll Dice 1-100

1-50 Total success and the path ahead is cleared out of the school and onto the grounds. It almost feels like she's physically pushing away the dark and critters.

51-90 She needs to try a few times and it's only partially successful but the path ahead is clear enough.

91-100  She almost scours the ground ahead free of all debris, crawlies, and all mist for approximately 100 feet right out to the road.




London

Robert Long
Location:Lost in the school
Tag:Maggie, Cern



Robert couldn’t help but feel relieved when she stepped up to fight with him. One part of him wanted her to try to run, but the other part was happy that she hadn’t. Taking a quick look at her, he turned back to watch the thing step out of the shadows. Nearly dropping his fire extinguisher when he got the first good look at the Satyr, “What the hell…” he said softly.

Looking to Maggie when Cern spoke to her, “Maggie… What does he mean you called him?” Ducking as the little figure flew around their heads, Robert couldn’t help but wonder again if he was in a bad video game or worse a nightmare. Looking at Maggie when the Satyr said she could clear the path, “Maggie I have a hard time believing this… But if we can get out of here give it a try…” Robert couldn’t help but think that the worse thing that might happen Might be nothing.

Turning to the Satyr, “If this is some kind of trick and you try to hurt her…” he said, lifting the fire extinguisher. Robert could vaguely remember stories of Satyr’s in his history classes and how they were tricksters.

Ixy

Maggie Foss
Location: Ruins of the school
Tag: Robert, Cern


Cern's voice is like black honey, striking a chord in her that is both familiar, comforting, and repulsive in its strangeness.  She stares at the being, uncertain that he is some hallucinatory figment just as she is uncertain of the reality consuming her, stifling her breaths so that she strains painfully for air, her lungs burning like when she fights to complete the last mile of a long run (cursing every cigarette she'd ever snuck along the way)...

"No," she says, soft enough for Robert barely to hear, "I don't--" she blinks at him, her large eyes glistening in the light of the glimmering little spirits.  Through the denim jacket sleeve, Robert can feel the long, slim arm beneath trembling as she turns to face that crawling darkness, feeling with certainty that it is a living thing-- many, in fact.  A swarm, a pestilence of things that are reaching for them in the dark, tightening upon them with every exhale so that the next breaths are harder and harder. 

Knowing that, she grows the same cold, emotional distance that she holds toward her mother's drunken insults, toward her stepfather's dehumanizing stares, toward her principals' indifference when she had still bothered trying to explain why she didn't have her homework because she spent all night carrying her possessions from an eviction to a low-income flat, why she couldn't let her little brother ride the bus alone, or why she didn't have a gym uniform because her mother had used it to clean her bong...

She's been ready for this her whole life, it seems, and the fear evaporates as surely as the venomous things in the dark part before her level stare and the cold, assured determination that, yes, they will move... she can feel her pulse in her breast and in her head, a throbbing pressure with the effort of focusing her will.

At 2013-09-11 18:05:17, Mags (uid: 768) rolls: 1d100 Result: 22
______________________
The big print giveth, the small print taketh away.

Moraline




Maggie's attempt to exert her will on her surroundings works with great success. The path ahead is cleared out of the school and onto the grounds. It almost feels like she's physically pushing away the dark and critters. 
<<Ixy, you can describe the effects of your spell based on the results. You don't normally have to wait on me for it.>>

The area is cleared away of mist and crawlies. The air is actually a bit more breathable and the glow of the little glowing pixies penetrates the darkness more. There is even a tiny little cheering buzz from them as most of them lift off and fly ahead to light the path out.  One flies over and lands on Maggie's head from behind, it appears to reach down and hug her hair. There is a little buzz of indistinguishable words, but Maggie can hear it almost as clear as day. A child like voice whispering to her, "Yay, you did it! I knew you could!" Just moments before it flies off to join the others.

Cern steps up, his hoof stepping down and crunching a small chunk of concrete. "Well done. Very well done." He turns to smile at Robert. "I am not here to trick you at all but there is something out there that we must face in order to get out." He points out onto the streets and in the direction of their neighborhood.

The low rumbling of the freight train still off in the distance.

The satyr's eyes glance around a bit nervously. "I'm here as a guide." He nods to Maggie. "She sings to us like a siren's call. We could hear her from far across the mistlands. We will always come when she calls. We don't have time to stand around talking about this though we should be moving." His head inclines to Robert, "You must choose the way, whichever way it is should be a place where you are both called to. Is there a place where the two of you are.... united as one? My words fail me. A place that is close to your souls."




London

Robert Long
Location: Ruined School, followed by the grounds
Tag:Maggie, Cern



Robert could hardly believe his eyes when the darkness retreated from her. Feeling a breath of fresher air, he took a step forward trying to get some cleaner air into his lungs. Turning to look at Maggie, he was surprised when he saw the little thing fly over to hug Maggie’s air. “Maggie… That was incredible. I can hardly believe…” he paused when Cern spoke.

Turning to the Satyr, “What’s out there? Is it the same thing that attacked us and took our families?” Looking past Cern, he tried to focus on what was through the door. “As much as I hate to say it Maggie… We might find some cleaner air out there…” he stopped when he heard the train again. It didn’t make since that a train whistle could be heard. He had been at those tracks hundreds of times. He knew that half the rails had been removed years ago.

Trying to think of what he knew about Maggie, Robert shrugged. He wish he knew the young lady better, but she was in a grade above him. “I don’t know… Maggie works at The Fresh… But everyone goes there.” Moving toward the door to look out, “I just don’t…” he stopped before turning to look Maggie. “The old railroad…” he said stepping outside of the school. Still holding the fire extinguisher, he turned to Maggie, “That’s where we both hang out… That’s where we are both called to. You remember… I’m one of the guys on the skateboards…” he said waiting for her.

Ixy

Maggie Foss
Location: Ruins of the school
Tag: Robert, Cern


Mags stares into Robert's eyes, the detachment and distance fading quickly as she loses herself in his urgency and protective insistence.  "The barrens... down by the tracks--" somehow -- and, 100%, she doesn't know how-- it all makes sense.  She had gone there for comfort, to escape the dreariness of it all, like it was cut off from everything, the good and bad, and that was what a girl needed sometimes.

"Alright," she nods as she flicks her eyes back and forth between Cern and Robert, anxious to put distance between herself at this place, but somehow she is reluctant to leave Cern, like she's run into an old friend on the streets by accident only to rush off for some other commitment.  She cradles her hand up near one of the glowing figures, but doesn't quite try to touch it.  She meets the satyr's eyes, drunk on fascination and fear, and says quietly, "thank you" before squeezing Robert's arm and, turning to the light spilling through the broken structure, takes off with Robert (if) at a slow pace that builds with their swelling confidence.
______________________
The big print giveth, the small print taketh away.

Moraline




Robert said, “What’s out there? Is it the same thing that attacked us and took our families?”

"I do not know. I only know that you must face it." Cern said.

He smiles at Maggie, "I'll not leave you alone. We are here to help." He follows right along behind them, the little glowing pixies all swarming ahead to cut the darkness. They move in fast little zig zags and often slip back quickly to buzz around Cern then out again.

The groups travel is swift with only a few pauses as Cern calls them to hide next to a wall as something moves in the shadows. "We are not meant to be here. They are trying to seize this opportunity to break through into your world. The barrier is in flux until you can get home again." He tries to communicate his understanding of what's happened to them, especially to Maggie. "We've never seen so many of you before at one time.... I.. I get ahead of myself though. I should tell you first that you are in the place known as the Mistlands. Well, one part of it. Here the barrier between our realm and yours is weak but that's because it only exists when all of you created it. The darkness is trying to spill out into it and find a path through you into the next place. Once we get you all home then the barrier will grow stronger again and stop them."

His words trail off again as he pulls them up short. It was only a few minutes travel but somehow they traveled clear across the neighborhoods and are now just across the street from the hole in the fence that leads to the old rail yards. The roaring of the freight train comes into focus with a nearly deafening sound.

"We must go there then," Cern has to shout to be heard and points to it.




London

Robert Long
Location:On the street moving toward the Barrens.
Tag:Maggie, Cern



“You’re a lot of help,” he smiled to Cern, “Sorry man. It’s just been a hell of a night.”

“The Barrens holds someplace special to us both. Hell I went there the first thing when I woke up…” Robert said. Patting her hand when she squeezed his arm, he walked with her, his own mind feeling at ease for going there.

Dropping the fire extinguisher next to the steps of the school, Robert kept looking around as they moved down the road toward the barrens. Listening to Cern try to explain what was happening, “You mean that this is some kind of limbo? We’re between our world and yours?” Looking at Maggie, “That explains why our families aren’t here. They are still in our world…” he stopped as they hide from some unseen creature. “What do you mean so many of us… You’re talking about Al and the others too aren’t you? What’s so special about the five of us,” he asked in a loud whisper while they were walking. “Is someone helping the others too,” he asked just before they stopped at the fence.

Surprised by how quickly they had traveled to the barrens, he couldn’t help but look around for signs of the train. Leaning closer to Cern so he could hear him, Robert nodded slowly before looking at the hole he had crawled through so many times. Turning to Maggie, he took her hand and gave it a little squeeze, “We can do this.” Letting go of her hand, he jogged across the road to take a closer look. Waiting until(if) she joins him, he slowly crawls through the hole in the fence.

Ixy

Maggie Foss
Location: On the street moving toward the Barrens.
Tag: Robert, Cern


Maggie doesn't seem to know what to make of Cern's presence... she should be reassured, perhaps?  He was helping, and he said she--or was it they?-- had summoned him, but something about the satyr's gaze gave her more than just butterflies.  It unnerved her in a way that little else did.

She, too, is amazed at how quickly they traveled, and she will join Robert at the gap in the chain link and take hold to help him pull it back, marveling at the coldness of the steel mesh on her fingers and the stillness of the night-- all the while, she fixes her attention on the necessity to keep the darkness (is that it...?  just the darkness?  no, it's THE darkness, isn't it?) at bay.  The roar of the train unsettles her... its headlamp burning the darkness around them into staccatoed shadows lends their movement the feeling of an old silent film, and she can smell the stagnant, meager water and diesel fumes so common to this place. 

She meets Robert's eyes once more, looking for reassurance as much as she is offering it in return, and if she can she will slip through the fence upon his heels.
______________________
The big print giveth, the small print taketh away.

Moraline

(( Just to be clear. There is no actual freight train, only the noise.))




As Maggie, Robert, Cern and the little pixies all cross through into the old train yard, they come to the building where Robert likes to do his boarding. Rounding the building to get into the fields known as the barrens the air clears up. The source of the great roaring is plainly visible.

The little lights of the pixies all grow dimmer and they rush back to hide behind the horned satyr. Cern says, "There it is. Beyond that, is the way out."

Ahead in the dark was a great swirling vortex of dirt and debris, it's appearance almost human-like as it stretched out up into the sky like a funnel then decreased it's height to something of more human-like proportions. Even in it's human-like form it was between eight to nine feet tall, it's shape and size constantly altering with winds of a couple hundred miles per hour. The base of the... thing scoured the ground clean, shattered branches and hurdled objects off in every direction. It almost appeared in pain, the expression mournful and it's winds howling in agony. The noise like that of a freight train.


Elemental

While standing together looking out at the raging elemental a chill would run up Maggie's spine. Out of the corner of her eye she would see the face of an old woman... Grace. No one else would be able to see her, only Maggie. The old woman pointed in a direction towards some large metal culvert tubes off to one side.




London

Robert Long
Location:The Barrens
Tag: Maggie, Cern



Robert’s eyes opened wider for a moment when he saw the tornado. Squinting from the dust and dirt being blown around the area, he watched as it shrank and appeared more human. Even after all that had happened he was still surprised to see something so strange. Looking between Maggie and Cern, he turned back to watch the creature.

Having to yell to be heard over the creatures howling, “Cern… What is that,” he asked unable to take his eyes from it. Watching as debris was thrown all around. He started to wonder if they could make their way past it. “Why does it look to be in pain,” he wondered out loud.

Looking at Maggie, “We need to find a way around him,” he said leaning close so she could hear him. “We can try to use the old boxcars, but I’m not sure what will happen if it gets to close…” Wondering if he could distract it, he looked around the building, “If I can find someway to distract it… You might be able to get by it…”

Ixy

Maggie Foss
Location: The barrens
Tag: Robert, Cern


After the surreal ruins of the high school and the unearthly vision of Cern, Maggie had begun to accept that this was a fever-dream vision.  Despite the sensations-- the stinging pain from her superficial cuts, the tangible soft weave of Robert's shirt when she'd touched his arm, the pressure of the tiny sprite's touch to her hair, the cold sting of the torn chain-link fence along her bare cheek as she pressed past--  she had begun to flirt with the idea that this was a hallucination, and she would awaken any moment in a cold sweat in her own bed.  She would shower before the sun came up, and she would have breakfast on the table for her little brothers in a few moments-- probably generic corn flakes, which she would try to 'dress up' with sprinkled confectioner's sugar...

That notion is vain, crumbles like her composure at the sight of the giant shape of dust, wind, and debris that looms before them.  She cries out, backwards to the ground, then clambers to her feet.  She can barely hear Robert, but she stares at him, shaking her head with her blue-gray eyes glistening and huge at the shock of it, darting from Robert's face to the titan before them.

It's then that she sees something-- she gazes past Robert's shoulder, and she remembers to breathe with a couple gasps.  She shouts to be heard over the beast's horrid din, "NO-- COME ON, THIS WAY--" and tugs at Robert's shoulders as she starts running.  She's fast-- she's not a sprinter, sure, but if she can manage it, her fear and hope will drive her to cross the rocky turf like a gazelle, her jacket flapping from her chest as she takes off running.
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The big print giveth, the small print taketh away.

Moraline




Cern yells as he runs, "It's an Air Elemental. I don't understand what has it worked up though. They are usually as gentle as a spring breeze."  Cern places himself between the elemental's flying debris and Maggie the whole way. His powerful animal legs launching him with horse like speeds. As they come to a halt next to the culverts he shields Maggie still by crouching in front, near the opening, so she is safely hidden behind. The little pixies fly into and around the interior to light it up, they appear very happy to be able flying again. Previously the winds had forced the little sprite to cling to Cern for fear of being blown away. 

"I see something," Cern shouts to them. "In the shadows down by the brook. The water appears frozen. It should not be. I suspect the way out is under that. Young man, if we distract it for a few moments could you run and see if something is out of place down there? You would know it if you seen it. I dare not go myself, I am too large and awkward for stealth but you may make it. I promise that I will not lot it harm you."





London

Robert Long
Location:The Barrens
Tag:Maggie, Cern



Looking where Maggie was pointing, Robert ran after her. Staying between her and the Elemental as they ran, he ducked down once they got to the culvert. Yelling so he could be heard over the noise, “What do you mean they are gentle… That doesn’t look anything like gentle. I’ve seen tornados that do less damage.”

Following Cern’s eyes to the frozen water, he nodded slowly. He knew he had to make sure they got back to their world. Looking at Maggie, he gave her a nervous smile, “When I give you the single throw some stuff around. It might be distracted by things flying into it’s wind… I hope…”

Running out of the culvert before he over thought the intelligence of what he was going to do, Robert ran toward on of the old stacks of pallets. Feeling the pallets shack behind him, he didn’t stay long before running toward a box car. Sliding along the gravel as he got to it, Robert held back a scream from the gravel getting into the numerous cuts on his body. Crawling under the old car, he looked at the frozen brook a short way around him. Waving to Maggie to start her distraction, he waited to see what happened before running down to the water to look around.

Ixy

Maggie Foss
Location: The barrens
Tag: Robert, Cern


Mags is both afraid of and enamored with the Satyr when he speaks to her-- she nods, backs away like a shy animal, then turns her attention to the air elemental.  A distraction-- she remembers focusing her mind earlier, drawing on an intangible that she could use her will to push back the darkness.  That raises the question... what else can she do?

With some distance between them, she will step out into the open-- fully aware of the danger of the storm winds, she readies herself to dive for cover.  She sets her feet and digs into the soil with the soles of her boots, ready to spring, and -- if she can, she will focus her mind on assailing the strange titan.  Pushing it, disrupting it, perhaps?  She imagines those lines of force she was able to direct wrapping around this column of air in its gargantuan shape and twisting it.  Failing that, she will try to imagine the loose debris-- pallets, coils of fence, loose branches or spare railroad ties-- hurling in its direction.

Finally, if all that fails, she will simply scream at it, jump up and down waving her arms-- and, if it notices her, she will run like hell.
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The big print giveth, the small print taketh away.