Topic: Our Salvation: It Is Written (Read 259867 times)

AoshimaMichio · « **Reply #180 on:** December 18, 2015, 02:31:34 pm »

Perhaps my cellmate has found home in the ceiling? That's fine, I'm satisfied with floor.

Let evening come! Rest, meditate, bend time, distort my sense of time or whatever.

penguinofhonor · « **Reply #181 on:** December 18, 2015, 03:13:17 pm »

I'm sure nothing bad could come of this. I try to meditate or something to help the minder girl do her thing.

Xantalos · « **Reply #182 on:** December 18, 2015, 04:26:49 pm »

"Huh. Okay, thanks. Where's this circle thing?"

Go to the circle thing after getting directions.

Dermonster · « **Reply #183 on:** December 18, 2015, 05:12:43 pm »

"Well FINE!"

Time to go bribe the cleaning staff. Go see whosit what takes care of the room the mirror be held in yo.

Harry Baldman · « **Reply #184 on:** December 21, 2015, 06:53:36 pm »

Quote from: AoshimaMichio on December 18, 2015, 02:31:34 pm

Perhaps my cellmate has found home in the ceiling? That's fine, I'm satisfied with floor.

Let evening come! Rest, meditate, bend time, distort my sense of time or whatever.

You rest on the floor, curled up and not at all comfortable. It will do for now, however. At least it's dark and quiet, you guess. You close your eyes, producing absolutely no visual difference, and try to rest. It sort of works, and you begin to relax. At least nothing is going to trouble you for the foreseeable future.

At least, until something drips on you in a most dissatisfying manner. One drop... two drops... and then the third drop, which is exponentially and larger and more solid, being your cellmate who appears to have lost her hold up on the ceiling. Must have been tiring on her, really. Not that you are in much of a mood to show understanding, as she yelps as she falls on top of you, which startles you hard enough to send you into uncontrollable flailing, which she answers with more uncontrollable flailing. This causes something of an arms race as you try to outflail one another.

The resulting cascade ends only when you manage to flail each other into opposite corners of the cell. At this point your cellmate has a few moments of thinking time, and she considers her words carefully as a result.

"Er, my apologies," she says in a faltering voice between bouts of heavy breathing. "I get uneasy sometimes, you see."

Quote from: penguinofhonor on December 18, 2015, 03:13:17 pm

I'm sure nothing bad could come of this. I try to meditate or something to help the minder girl do her thing.

You're not sure how one opens their mind. It's a simple thing to envision conceptually, of course. Your mind is closed, and you must open it so a little girl can go rooting around in it for some unknown purpose. The obvious greatness of this idea, however, does not appear to translate into actual results. The girl looks at you intently. She massages her temples. She takes up a dramatic stance, as well as tries any number and combination of other impressive-looking movements she has observed her teachers do once or twice. This takes a good while, actually, since she appears to have a frankly amazing repertoire of minder choreography for someone her age.

The end result, however, can be summed up in one word: odd.

When asked to elaborate, the girl explains that your mind is not really any harder to get into than, say, that of the average random person. There is, however, something else in there, too, near as she can tell. A lot of something else, in fact. It kind of hurts her when she tries to touch it, though. That's pretty weird. She doesn't think people have that, usually.

Quote from: Xantalos on December 18, 2015, 04:26:49 pm

"Huh. Okay, thanks. Where's this circle thing?"

Go to the circle thing after getting directions.

Well, when he said "over there", he wasn't exaggerating. It's right there on one side of the courtyard, right next to an abomination of architecture spawned of the cannibalization of the nearby chapel. It's really just a bunch of similarly-sized stones placed around a central, larger stone slab that seems to have had a bit of chocolate spilled on it. Or is that dried blood? Or something even worse?

Looking closer as you step that way, you think it's a pretty crusty kind of stain. So probably dried blood. And there's a similarly crusty cobblestone-looking thing lying next to the slab, showing telltale signs of being nonchalantly dumped there. You get a slightly ominous feeling, like you're being watched by some unknown f-

"Very nice, isn't it?" asks the man with no shirt, who appears to have followed you here. He explains that there's nothing going on here presently, of course. It is not the time yet. The time is usually dusk, as it happens. Which shouldn't be too far off, actually. It's slowly starting to get dark already. Maybe gathering the group might be a good idea. By the way, would you be interested in attending? They're a very friendly group, he says, and they're always up for more attendees.

Quote from: Dermonster on December 18, 2015, 05:12:43 pm

"Well FINE!"

Time to go bribe the cleaning staff. Go see whosit what takes care of the room the mirror be held in yo.

You locate a servant, a heavyset teenager with a thin beard and an enterprising look to him. Seems as good a choice as any. They're probably mostly interchangeable anyway.

He seems to be quite interested in your gold coins, asking about how shiny they are. You show one to him, and he seems critical at first. That's not very shiny at all, says he. Well, you show him by giving it a quick spit-shine - the dust comes right off and voila! The fellow seems impressed, too! Coins like these will be most adequate, yes. Might trap a magpie or maybe even a crow! Wouldn't that be something, asks he rhetorically. You smile and nod politely.

When you ask him if he's the whosit what takes care of the room the mirror be held in, yo, he pauses a moment to wonder of his exact qualifications. He settles on "I'm probably close enough, yeah" a few moments later.

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Xantalos · « **Reply #185 on:** December 21, 2015, 07:09:49 pm »

Generic acceptance hasn't caused any negative effects for Jack as of yet.

"Yeah sure why not."

Go along with gathering the group!

Dermonster · « **Reply #186 on:** December 21, 2015, 07:59:37 pm »

Makwe sure we're talking about the same mirror. Offer him Sufficient gold to sneak the mirror out with the laundry or something. Pay half up front.

There's like ten more bags in the sewer, right? IDGAF GIVE GOLD GET MIRROR.

penguinofhonor · « **Reply #187 on:** December 21, 2015, 09:34:55 pm »

"That's certainly ominous." I think for a moment, then pull out the sticks. "Do you know what these are? There were jugs full of them in the well where we woke up, so they might be related. Also I kind of chewed on one a bit, but I spat it out."

AoshimaMichio · « **Reply #188 on:** December 22, 2015, 04:36:32 am »

"Apology accepted. I too get uneasy when something suddenly drops on me in dark small cell. Please don't drop on me again or I slap you. Who did you slap to end up here?"

Harry Baldman · « **Reply #189 on:** December 22, 2015, 08:20:34 pm »

Quote from: Xantalos on December 21, 2015, 07:09:49 pm

Generic acceptance hasn't caused any negative effects for Jack as of yet.

"Yeah sure why not."

Go along with gathering the group!

Excellent, the man with no shirt says. They will meet here within the hour most probably. It depends on whether anyone's late this time, or if anyone will need any help. He will go and gather the community. Do not stray too far, lest the man need to go look for you at the last minute. Very awkward, you understand.

He turns on his heel and starts to walk off purposefully, but turns around again as he remembers something - it would be very good if you could bring something to the meeting. Something valuable, precious to someone. Or alive. Preferably both if possible. It would be your first time, after all. An investment needs to be made.

Quote from: Dermonster on December 21, 2015, 07:59:37 pm

Makwe sure we're talking about the same mirror. Offer him Sufficient gold to sneak the mirror out with the laundry or something. Pay half up front.

There's like ten more bags in the sewer, right? IDGAF GIVE GOLD GET MIRROR.

The mercenary servant assures you that he knows perfectly well which mirror you mean. There is only one mirror in the castle. Only one that he knows of, to be exact. Maybe the minders have one, and maybe he could... ah, hm... there's an idea, yes.

You ask him what that idea might be, and he waves off the question. It will get done, absolutely. One way or another. Pleased by this reassurance, you give him six of your coins as an advance. To ensure his loyalty and steadfast adherence to the task ahead, of course. This catches the young man by surprise - never before has he been bestowed such trust. Or such easy money, though it is somewhat lamentable that it is only in circumstances like these that he should get so lucky. Now, you just wait here. This'll be done in a jiffy, he says, then sprints off immediately, turning a corner and running up the stairs.

As promised, exactly one jiffy later he comes running back. In his hands, the mirror - a full body length mirror, actually. He's holding it horizontally, and only barely manages to navigate the corner without smashing it into a wall violently. An impressive feat nevertheless, since he seems to be running this way a damn sight quicker than when he was leaving. A blissful moment of ignorance passes before the corner is rounded by no less than three royal guards, each bearing a mixed look of panic, frustration and a desire for bloody vengeance. You barely have a moment to register what's happening before your eye is drawn back to your bribed associate. He looks quite amused. Calm, too.

You're going to get the mirror in a second, you think. Do you have your coins prepared?

Quote from: penguinofhonor on December 21, 2015, 09:34:55 pm

"That's certainly ominous." I think for a moment, then pull out the sticks. "Do you know what these are? There were jugs full of them in the well where we woke up, so they might be related. Also I kind of chewed on one a bit, but I spat it out."

Oh, those! Those are for the rats. Put them in a censer, set them aflame, run like hell when the fumes start going. Make sure to ventilate the room afterwards, don't walk straight in, keep any and all material like it under regular supervision and very far from the reach of children, you know, the usu-wait, you chewed on one? That's, er, not ideal. Not very ideal at all.

The girl floats forth an inch, then about a foot back carefully. How do you feel? You don't look like you've lost control over your breathing. No blood coming out of your eyes, either. That's quite unusual. How do you feel?

Quote from: AoshimaMichio on December 22, 2015, 04:36:32 am

"Apology accepted. I too get uneasy when something suddenly drops on me in dark small cell. Please don't drop on me again or I slap you. Who did you slap to end up here?"

Nobody. She lives here. Or so she assumes. The details are a bit hazy. It wasn't dark back then. So it must have been a very different time.

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Dermonster · « **Reply #190 on:** December 22, 2015, 08:58:40 pm »

Toss coins. Grab mirror. Scream and run.

penguinofhonor · « **Reply #191 on:** December 22, 2015, 10:44:40 pm »

"Well I can't taste anymore. Kind of like my mouth is numb, but it's weird. Am I going to be okay?"

Xantalos · « **Reply #192 on:** December 22, 2015, 10:50:49 pm »

"Oh for - but I'm trying to get some other specific things so I can have an insane blacksmith give me a cool sword! That's why I was looking for a purple thing.

But I guess I'll look around."

Do I see any rats or small animals scuttering about?

AoshimaMichio · « **Reply #193 on:** December 23, 2015, 12:51:25 am »

Another insane person being imprisoned by other insane persons. Great. Who let all this mental patients loose?

"Really? Well, sorry to intrude then. The freak in the other cell was getting dangerous. I hope you don't."

I await the night.

Harry Baldman · « **Reply #194 on:** December 23, 2015, 08:48:25 pm »

Quote from: Dermonster on December 22, 2015, 08:58:40 pm

Toss coins. Grab mirror. Scream and run.

In the heat of the moment you toss the coins at your associate, which leaves him with only one option that nets him the promised payment, and that happens to be tossing the mirror to you awkwardly. The last thing you see before it smashes into you is your own robed shape reflected, your mouth shaping the start of a scream. That scream proves very applicable to what happens next, as the weight of the frame catches you by surprise and bowls you over, the glass shattering and providing you with a lacerating shower of variably-sized shards as the mirror breaks in several places upon your impact on the ground.

You scream and you bleed in equal measure as you hear the sound of footsteps rushing away - three sets, to be exact, with another stopping at your side as you roll about in pain, glass and tremendous amounts of blood.

"Are you alright?" the owner of the footsteps, a man with a singularly grandmotherly voice, asks so naively you can't help but think he's making fun of you.

Quote from: penguinofhonor on December 22, 2015, 10:44:40 pm

"Well I can't taste anymore. Kind of like my mouth is numb, but it's weird. Am I going to be okay?"

Most people would not be, the girl maintains. But it's not like anyone can help you around here, so you might as well just hope for the best. Or at least hope that your poisonous demise catches you by surprise and, more importantly, is quick and painless. It usually isn't, of course, but you shouldn't lose hope. And you're already doing better than most! So even if you keel over and die in the next few moments, know that-

The two of you become aware of a sudden slurping noise. It's Mr. Calverly. Er, you think it's Mr. Calverly. He occupies the same position, at least, and seems just as naked. The face, though, looks a little changed. For one, there is no nose anymore. Or lips or eyes, now that you look carefully. All of these seem to have disappeared down what you can only describe as some sort of facial navel - a vortex-like hole in the head placed right along the middle of the former face.

He seems to be picking at himself, his fingers digging into his flesh absently, scratching at deep scars running down the entirety of his body in a jigsaw-like pattern. More disturbingly, one of his hands is currently inside his abdomen, the movement clearly the source of the noise - one of the scars appears to have opened like a seam, letting the hand pass inside. As you and the girl look at him for a second, he turns his head toward you. Then toward the girl. You seem to have disturbed his activity somewhat. Only for a moment, though. Returning his "gaze" to you, he twists something in his stomach.

The scar running along his abdomen opens, and a long seam along his arm starts to come undone. The flesh folds outwards, the parts of Mr. Calverly coming apart at an exponentially increasing rate, membranous patches of skin shrinking and disappearing inward as the gray flesh beneath changes shape to envelop it - buds and lumps start to come out, pushing off the skin fragments keeping it contained, sloughing off the body and falling away, going from lumps of gray modelling clay to teratomas almost before they hit the ground - each undergoes a flip, elongates. Most grow limbs, hair, teeth... and tails. Before your very eyes a newly-formed legion of rats goes every which way, their peculiar talent for both disappearing from sight making itself well known when you notice that nothing is left within ten seconds of when you first looked his way. For a moment you find yourself terribly unsure if he was even there to begin with. It is a fleeting, yet profoundly alien feeling.

You look at the tower mistress. She has no idea either.

Quote from: Xantalos on December 22, 2015, 10:50:49 pm

"Oh for - but I'm trying to get some other specific things so I can have an insane blacksmith give me a cool sword! That's why I was looking for a purple thing.

But I guess I'll look around."

Do I see any rats or small animals scuttering about?

As the man with no shirt goes about his business you begin your search. You look one way, then the other. The courtyard looks largely animal-free, unless you count a small child standing by a large metal grate in the certain. And also if you don't count that sudden prodigious stream of vermin that just started pouring out of one of the corner towers. Sweet Jesus, you could confuse them for lemmings with the way they're running in an unbroken stream.

Oh crap, they're splitting up already. Better get on this fast if you want one. You already see a woman sprinting toward the rats to get her share. There won't be any left momentarily, you fear.

Quote from: AoshimaMichio on December 23, 2015, 12:51:25 am

Another insane person being imprisoned by other insane persons. Great. Who let all this mental patients loose?

"Really? Well, sorry to intrude then. The freak in the other cell was getting dangerous. I hope you don't."

I await the night.

Dangerous? She?

Well, she supposes you do have a good reason to expect such a thing. This is solitary confinement, after all. But she is completely safe for you to interact with for as long as there is no light, for her countenance can only strike you by sight. Not by touch as she had feared, either - you are alive, after all. That's really quite good. You seem like an all right sort of chap. Would be a shame if you died.

... she does not really enjoy solitary confinement, you know. It's terribly solitary. Nobody to talk to. The turnkey makes for terrible company. And the only other person down here is a bloody stoat. She kind of misses small talk. She likes to think she has quite the talent for it. Was beginning to develop a reputation before she had to come here.

... so, wonderful weather we are having, aren't we?

Needless to say, the wait feels a lot longer than it really is.

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Author Topic: Our Salvation: It Is Written (Read 259867 times)

AoshimaMichio

Re: Our Salvation: Recycled, But Formidable

penguinofhonor

Re: Our Salvation: Recycled, But Formidable

Xantalos

Re: Our Salvation: Recycled, But Formidable

Dermonster

Re: Our Salvation: Recycled, But Formidable

Harry Baldman

Re: Our Salvation: Recycled, But Formidable

Xantalos

Re: Our Salvation: Recycled, But Formidable

Dermonster

Re: Our Salvation: Recycled, But Formidable

penguinofhonor

Re: Our Salvation: Recycled, But Formidable

AoshimaMichio

Re: Our Salvation: Recycled, But Formidable

Harry Baldman

Re: Our Salvation: Recycled, But Formidable

Dermonster

Re: Our Salvation: Recycled, But Formidable

penguinofhonor

Re: Our Salvation: Recycled, But Formidable

Xantalos

Re: Our Salvation: Recycled, But Formidable

AoshimaMichio

Re: Our Salvation: Recycled, But Formidable

Harry Baldman

Re: Our Salvation: the Mind-Killer