((Well, I think that's the body count contest sorted.))
Okay, maybe the trip can wait a moment.
Seek cover, probably in the same direction the forest creatures are going. Brace in a doorway? That probably doesn't apply if you're already outside.
[Chaos On The Borderlands: 2]
The earth becomes like the surface of a lake in a rainstorm, waving and shaking beneath your feet. You run with the animals, but they seem to have the strategy of running away from the source - you run about a mile back before you realize as a doe tumbles into an opening crack in the ground that they don't have any idea what they're doing either. Pores open in the ground, then close again, trees fall, water starts to flow unusually.
[Evacuation Procedures: 5]
You are back at the riverside by the castle. Quite a few more people appear to have joined the guards, and oddly enough they seem to be very well-versed in evacuation procedure, to the point where pretty much everybody seems to have gone over to this side, very few people remaining unaccounted for as the guards check up each and every one of their fellows. One of them - one of the two guard sisters you recall from before - approaches you, asking if you're all right, and more importantly whether you know anything about this earthquake.
Odder still, the rope bridge seems to be in awfully good shape. You guess having moving parts is actually a good thing in an earthquake. It looks especially nice in relation to the castle. Oh dear, the castle. It really does seem to be doing poorly. There's a giant crack in one of the walls. And the minder tower is about
this close to falling over, you believe.
Pah. I'm pretty sure I can't suffer any permanent internal damage. Best not to stick around, though.
Time to go. Out of the castle entirely if that looks practical, but getting away from the keep should be a good start.
((Hmm. Would it be a spoiler to ask if This Is The End would have happened anyway or if it was assumed one of us would set it off sooner or later?))
You get the strange feeling that when you originally saw the horrible end of the castle, the ETA on it wasn't quite "early tomorrow". But hey, it's happening! Oh boy, it's definitely happening!
[I Should Go: 4]
You duck through the nearby doorway and get out of the castle just as it starts getting serious about its collapse business. You hear shrieking from deeper within as you leap through the open doorway, accompanied by a horrific, very dubiously human shrieking coming from deep within the ground floor wings.
Out in the courtyard the buildings dance to the rhythm of the earth, bits falling off them as they do, roofs bending, walls cracking. The earth undulates and heaves in ragged breaths.
Deirdre looks very happy to see you, backing away behind you as you stumble through the doorway. Nately, meanwhile, steps back toward you as well. It takes you a moment to identify what they're backing away from - Mr. Daniels, his boneless body waving like charmed snake, trying to invite your two companions to come into himself. It's probably a good time to leave, Deirdre suggests. Very quickly. As quickly as possible.
((Dropping apocalypse fire into seams of world probably wasn't such a smart idea. But now the word very much lives up for its fame. Finally ))
"SEAM? IS THIS A PATCHWORK WORLD?"
I order a drink of liquid truth with side order of clarity, please. Alcoholic variant. Honey and blood based, if possible. Would APOCALYPSE end what APOCALYPSE started? And what the hell is going on with world so weak that it can't take a little of unnatural fire?
YES! Lee seems positive on that. IT'S THE CORNER OF THE WORLD! DIDN'T YOU KNOW?
[The Laws of the Sea: 4]
You turn toward the raging storm, liquid poetry running through your veins. And you start to discern a pattern. This is a seam - was a seam. But not a seam of the world - the world continues beneath uninterrupted, but not in any shape you would recognize. You see the flashes of light, bubbles of light forming clouds up in the sky, raining memories of a different world, taking strange and familiar shapes. It is matter, but matter abused, twisted, changed.
Where does it come from? Deeper in, you think. It is not quite from here. Its alien nature corrupts what it touches. It comes from the actual corner, many miles northward, shaped by extrauniversal voltages. You see traces of exhaustive experimentation in its architecture. It is deconstructed, broken, the waste of some massive effort undertaken by entities vastly more alien than itself.
What will it do? It will form a great river as its seal breaks. Your apocalyptic power has touched the sea, and now it responds with imitation. It will go on for some time, as your inspiration is compelling and easy for it to imitate. Not infinite, mind you. You can see it weakening even now. Why, it'll hardly go on for more than a hundred miles in either direction. Should settle down within the week. Or you could inspire it otherwise - the sea is much like the substrate, suggestible in nature, but lacking a guiding force. But certainly not with the Words you possess. Either would hasten or amplify the effect. This you can guarantee. And Words upon Words can only create horrific disaster.
"I'm not entirely sure what I am. Who are you?"
She fishes in the light - she is a fisher. Would you like to see? If you are a mermaid, you could cross to the other side. Would you like to try?
The fisher floats over to one side of the water wall, giving way. Would you like to swim? You have an aspect of the dark, now that she looks. Would you like to observe?
"Going to fucking murder whoever caused this. Probably that Eileen lady. Never leave her to wander off by herself.
Listen! This place probably not safe for long. Well is safer. For me at least. I can store you in my presence to stop you from getting hurt if need. Lay down. Don't resist."
Store the blacksmith and Diedre in my connection absorption space thing. Well, Diedre's optional, but get the blacksmith. Explain that I'm not gonna kill them or anything, in fact this'll make them safer, to make the process quicker.
Yeah, how about no, Deirdre says, backing away briskly. Quite, Nately seems to agree, he'd really rather wait for Mr. Wilde to show up and
look there he is! Mr. Wilde seems a bit confused stumbling out of the crumbling keep as Deirdre stands behind him and Nately retreats over to his side. For some reason neither of them are quite willing to trust in your good intentions. You wonder why.
Leif Erikson, Miner
- A Word: INEVITABLE
- A Word: APOCALYPSE
- Body Count: 32
- Wounds: 1
- Mead of Poetry (5 shining revelations remaining)
- Enders' Friend: The Grave of Red Clouds Parting
- Small brass box
- Body Count: 1
- Reappropriated, Clean Skirt
- Inscribed Wooden Stylus
- Iron spear
- 1.03 gp
- The Box: ?
- Induced Lucidity: the Aftermath, or the New Beginning
- Compatibility: Minding
- Tricks of the Mind: Perception, Memory
- Tricks of the Mind: Engagement, Negation, Abstraction, Prestige
- Tricks of the Mind: the Self, the Other
- Gods of the Underground: Did You Just What
- A Visit From The Stork: Is What You Yes
- The Voracious Dark: Two Deals Made
- The Voracious Dark: The Promised Sixth
- Moth's Flight: Not In Her Wildest Dreams
Eileen Minett, Vinyl Collector
- In Living Memory: Yeah She's Probably Dead Isn't She I Think She's Dead Yeah
- Wounds: 3
- The Mirror-Fisher: Mermaid?
- The Doom Guard: Consorting With The Enemy
- Exotic serrated zweihander
- White silk bandeau and loincloth
- Inauspicious Day: Off Into The Horizon
- Giant White Mushroom
- A Word: SEA
- A Word: HUNGER
- A Word: CHAOS
- A Weapon: Explosive Cysts
- The Voracious Dark: Three Connections Given
- Tower of the Mind: There's Something To Remember
- The New Queen: And Something To Forget
- Body Count: 1
- The Impromptu Prophecy: ?
- Sweet Little Children: Fond Farewell
Jack Daniels, Karate Man
- Naked
- Red and gold vest and breeches combo
- Leather boots
- Traces of Mischief: 90% Boneless
- Wounds: 1
- 14033 gp (in sack)
- The Flip Side: Uh, Yeah
- The Queen's Guard: Unusual Troublemaker
- Powers of the Beyond: Gardener of Thoughts
- Dusty Wooden Speaking-Trumpet
- Crossbow Bolt (in throat)
- A Word: REND
- A Word: SILENCE
- A Weapon: Murder-Thought
- Uncoupled: Strength
- Wooden Door (held)
- The Winding Path of Inspiration: Back To The Drawing Board
- Tower of the Mind: Endless Well of Mystery
- Induced Lucidity: A Garden Well-Tended
- Elongated Affairs: Enemy of the New State
- A Place In History: Vastly Unreliable
- Anglefork Castle: the Great Worm
- The Obsolete Class: Suggested Victims
- 2 rats, crushed
- 1 rat, strangled
- 1 rat, live
- Travels In The Fourth Dimension: Sunday ± 2 Days
- The Impromptu Prophecy: There's A Mountain Higher Than We Knew
- Doomstones: So High Up But Such A Bitter View
- The Majordomo: A Great Divide Between Us Now
- The Voracious Dark: Decreasing Demand
- The Voracious Dark: More Specific Requests
- The Good Doctor: A Recommendation
- Body Count: 3
Thomas Minstep, Insurance Agent
- Troubles In Anglefork Town: Bearer of the Sword
- Wounds: 2
- A Word: ABSENCE
- A Word: GOODBYE
- A Weapon: The Sword They Fear
- Traces of Mischief: Nausea's Depths
- A Bowl, Black and Knobby
- Anglefork Castle: From Another Time, Another Land
- Gross Incandescence: Partly Illuminated
- Tight Leather Pants (worn)
- Incredibly Tight Blue Dress (worn, mutilated, mildly provocative)
- Travels In The Fourth Dimension: Sunday, July 25th, 409 S.D.
- The Majordomo: Busy Morning
- The Good Doctor: House Call
- The Queen's Guard: A Reward Well Earned
- Make A Man Out Of You: A Crowning Achievement
- The New Queen: Lasting Gratitude
- Tower of the Mind: Advice Given
- The Obsolete Class: Let Them Be
- The One They Fear: A Satisfactory Contract
- A Place In History: A Worthwhile Associate
- The Box: Absolutely Delightful
- Body Count: 2
Oscar Wilde, Chemistry Teacher
- A Word: REVELATION
- Wounds: 1
- The Serpent's Egg: Dissemination
- Body Count: 4
- Time-ender's measure (wrapped, yawning)
- 10 m of rope
- Half a candle
- 1 rat, skinless and smoked
- 6 gp
- Poor Misshapen Dice
- Lock of Hair (unidentified)
- Iron nail, unused
- An Inauspicious Key
- Burlap Foot Wrappings (worn)
- Burlap Hand Wrappings (worn)
- Moth-Eaten Hat (worn)
- Respectable Brown Skirt (worn)
- Old Brown Waistcoat (worn)
- Bright Yellow Tunic (worn)
- A Wealth of Burlap Ribbons
- An Obsolete Class: Trustworthy Individual
- The Flip Side: The Most Dangerous Friend
- The Doom Guard: The Inquisition Moves On
- Tower of the Mind: Get Away
- The Winding Path of Inspiration: The Less Dangerous Friend