switzerland ♔ the words tightening around my throat

[silverguardian]

WHO || Nyna, Cara, Felicity, Stiles
WHAT || The Knights are sent to hear about a prospective job from an art collector
WHERE || Bern, Switzerland
WHEN || April 13th, 2015
HOW || Actionspam

The streets of Bern swell with the myriad sights and scents of its industry: the wood and polish of carpenters' shops, tantalizing aromas wafting from dozens of bakeries, and the heavy oil scent of artists.  Meanwhile, hundreds of rich colors give the district an appearance of a holiday festival.  The townhouse of Asheron Coyl comes into view, perched on a small rise that overlooks the street.  A low fence covered in vines abuts the street.  A gate opens onto a flagstone path that wends past frozen flower beds, fountains, and sculpted shrubs to the front doors.  A bell hangs next to the gate, reading "Please ring bell" in several languages.  With an 11 disguise check, Nyna didn't really bother to dress all fancy, opting instead for her paladin armor, sorry guys.   She can be the sexy bodyguard.  

Comments

[mordsith]

[Cara doesn't like the idea of trusting a servant with the lives of her team.]

Can we anchor ourselves before going in? We treat it as if we are scaling the face of a cliff.

Or one of us remains behind to ensure nothing else comes out while the others go in.

[killingtodeath]

[Stiles returns with his new fancy bat! And catches the tail end of what cara says.]

What? No. You guys aren't seriously thinking about going in there, are you?

[allmydreams]

Mildly contemplating.

[Felicity makes a face as she raises a hand to scratch against the back of her neck.]

We can't leave the guy in there. And we're not exactly sure how to get him out from here. It's a bad plan, but right now collateral damage is the worse plan.

[Because right now it's either go in and get the guy or burn it and kill him.]

Also since whatever this is didn't pop out to come and get us, I'm guessing that in order to beat it, we have to go to it.

[mordsith]

And if we all enter only to learn that we cannot escape? [Cara shakes her head. It sounds foolish.]

I don't trust magic enough to think that placing all of us into something unknown is a wise choice.

[silverguardian]

We might not have enough time to debate this. Who knows what's happening to that poor man in there? Send a message back to Wynnefalshond, if you believe it necessary. If we don't alert him to our return within a few hours' time, he'll know where to seek us.

[allmydreams]

[Felicity weighs both of the options for a moment and yeah, informing Wynn is a good idea, so she's going to send him a text: "Possibly running afoul of a magical kidnapping painting. Investigating further, if we don't report back send knights to (insert dude's address here)."

Then she looks up again.]

Cara's right about something unknown though. I wish there was a way we could scope it out before we just jumped in there.

[There's a beat.]

What do you think would happen if one of us just ... stuck our head in or something?

[silverguardian]

If you're going to do it, do it. We're wasting enough time here.

[killingtodeath]

I'll do it. [Stiles says, stepping up towards the painting.] You guys are better at fighting than me anyway. So just... come in after me if this gets weird, alright?

[Maybe it's the comfort of finding a baseball bat, or maybe he just realizes that this is gonna happen so he might as well get the party started. He can't really be too helpful with a lot of stuff but he can do this. So he steps closer to the creepy painting and gently touches it...]

[allmydreams]

[Felicity is making unsure faces about it but it's mostly because it's Stiles, not because she doesn't think he can do it. She takes a step forward, placing her hands on his shoulder.]

We'll hold your legs. You're just getting a look around. When you're done or if you get into trouble, kick us and we'll pull you out. We're not going to be able to communicate with you otherwise. If you find the guy in question, see if you can get a hand on him and we'll try and pull you both.

[mordsith]

[Cara moves forward to assist with this endeavor. He is the smallest one here - it is smart to allow him. He will be the easiest to pull out of there.]

[killingtodeath]

Right. Got it. One kick means pull. Two kicks means pull harder. [He tries to smirk and joke through it before turning back to just get this show on the road. Gulp. Time to dive into a painting???]

[silverguardian]

[ what stiles sees when he finds himself half in the painting is nightmarish. the painting itself was disturbing enough, but here, in this strange space between spaces, is a clearing maybe a hundred feet by a hundred feet, around which darkness encroaches, that looks like... nothingness. everything visible in the painting stretches out in front of him, wandering this clearing: the horrible crone on a black warhorse, the hideous chained creatures with emerald eyes and gaping maws. those large fat worms crawl all over the cart that the two creatures are chained to, and more squirm across the ground in all directions.

the painting sucks at stiles, and the girls have to make strength checks to hold him. nyna takes one of his legs, but with a 9 str, the pull is greater than she imagined it would be and he starts to slip from her. ]

[allmydreams]

[Felicity doesn't exactly have a whole lot in the strength department, but she manages to hold on tight as she can which hopefully will at least keep her tethered to Stiles if nothing else (strength 15). It's Stiles, she's not going to let him go through this alone.]

If you start to feel him slipping and can't hold him here, try to follow after him - I don't want him stuck in there on his own.

[That's to everyone and she'll do the same. It's better if they're in the unknown as a team then all of them stuck here with no idea what's happening to him.]

[killingtodeath]

[I'm guessing that Stiles can't hear that, because it would send him into a straight up panic. He scans the terrifying scene to try to look for someone, anyone that might be the guy they're trying to find. (spot 17).]

[silverguardian]

[ the crone turns her head and sees stiles, and lets out a hideous squeal, before reeling her horse in his direction and starting his way... ]

[mordsith]

[Cara's GOT THIS, YO. She doesn't understand that reference, but her strength check was a NAT 20.]

[killingtodeath]

[uhm he's not okay with the whole crone riding at him thing!! Stiles kicks his foot. get him the fuck out of here please!!]

[allmydreams]

[There's the signal. Felicity tightens her grip and pulls as hard as she can which is unfortunately not very hard but hey, maybe Cara's nat 20 can save them if it still counts (strength 14).]

Pull!

[silverguardian]

[ they yank stiles back out and he practically rolls on the ground with the force of it. ] Are you okay?

[killingtodeath]

[Scrambling back up to his feet, Stiles' hands run over his frame, as if to confirm that he is in fact here and alive and not about to die by weird painting creatures. He then spreads his arms out to get them to back up.]

She was coming right at me! [He glances back to the painting to see if the crone is about to crash out after him.]

[silverguardian]

[ nothing comes after him at least????? ] "She"?

[allmydreams]

[Felicity's wisdom roll was abysmal so she puts two and two together and gets five. That being said, she's just going to wait for Stiles to continue and clear it up, keeping her eyes on the painting just in case (spot 27).]

[killingtodeath]

Her! The old lady! [He points to the painting.] Jesus... I couldn't see him. It's all just... [He gestures at the painting again.]

[silverguardian]

Maybe it's too late. Maybe he's already--

[mordsith]

[Cara doesn't really speak panic-stricken teenager, so all she hears is that he didn't find the man in the painting.]

If he is not easy to find, we could suffer the same fate as he within the confines of that painting.