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

[trebond]

Looks like we had quite the paranoid homeowner. [ Building secret passages and all. She claps Stiles on the shoulder and moves past his incredulity over to Gus. ] As criminal behavior goes, it's the next best thing to a "this way" sign. [ and she'll lead the way down inside because it's a habit to bear the brunt of whatever might be waiting and protect others. ]

[druidisms]

If you've got a creepy house and no secret passages, you're just not trying hard enough. [ gon' follow alanna ofc. mellie waits in the room, eyeing the smokey painting bearishly. ]

[allmydreams]

[Felicity pats Mellie's side gently as she makes her way past, heading down to follow the others, with her gun still up just in case.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ it just seems??? to be? a cellar??? as described above. it's a little musty. ]

[druidisms]

[ dryly, ] Well this was anticlimactic. [ and gus is just going to head back, disappointed with his find. national treasure is a sham. ]

[trebond]

[ Alanna will hunt around a bit before heading back up, looking around for anything significant down here (spot 22). ]

[killingtodeath]

Cool creepy murder basement. [Stiles pokes his head in and is just like nah. Gonna go back up and hang with the bear.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ alanna grabs hold of that old broom as the others go back upstairs and... finds its actually attached to the wall? when she pulls it, there's a loud grinding noise, as it's actually a lever, and the entire western wall swivels 180 degrees, taking her with it into a simple dressed-stone chamber that lacks furnishings save for a single large antique portrait depicting a gloomy library. in the library, a stern-faced man with a thin dark beard and striking blue eyes wearing red and gray robes sits in a plush, high-backed chair. he holds a staff across his lap and one ringed hand rests atop a small table holding a crystal ball.

beside the painting, a large suit of armor stands, that looks a little more... robotic than the ones they just fought. when she enters, it slowly turns its helmeted head towards her, staring her down. ]

[allmydreams]

[Felicity, who had been bringing up the back of the group, still has her eyes are still focused on the contents of the room, which means she gets to see as the wall slams around and Alanna suddenly disappears (spot 28).]

Shit!

[So eloquent, this one.]

[trebond]

[ WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT THE FUCK, ARDEN. I WASN'T EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TODAY.

Alanna looks up wildly as the wall swivels around, thrusting her into an alcove of a room. Her eyes catch the painting, and she watches the man as if to see him move, but she's quickly distracted by the turn of a helmeted head.

Oh. Fuck.

With a will save of 22, she's going to ... pull on that broom again to try and spin around and get back up because this looks like exactly where they need to be judging by that painting tbh. PLEASE TURN AROUND AGAIN, WALL. ]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ annnnnnd

around it spins slowly, the armored creature watching her as she leaves ]

[trebond]

There's another armor suit in there waiting for us, but a painting as well, with a man holding a crystal staff. He— [ She cringes, something head-splitting striking her. Her hand tightens around the crystal sword in her hand. He looks familiar—not like she does know him, but like he reminds her impossibly of someone she did, once. ] Might be who we're looking for. We need to go this way.

[mordsith]

[Cara is just like 'Man, this mission is ridiculously complex. Paintings that are alive. Walls that hold secret caverns.'

Still, she's gonna follow wherever someone tells her to and hope there's something she can hit.]

[killingtodeath]

Does this feel super Scooby Doo to anyone else?

[I am stiles. Stiles is me.]

If the bear starts talking, I'm gonna lose my freaking mind.

[trebond]

[ Alanna stares at Stiles like ? ?? ? ? because that all went over her head. She grabs the broom and indicates for everybody to crowd in so they can come with. ]

[druidisms]

[ this is cozy. ]

She's gonna run you through when she finds out about Daphne.

[killingtodeath]

Who said she's Daphne? Just because of the hair! Racist. Felicity might be Daphne. You're Shaggy. As much as I wish I was Fred, I'm more of a Velma here. So that leaves our lady badasses to share the role of Fred, I guess. Time to invest in ascots.

[He hops on the platform as he says all of this.]

[trebond]

I don't understand what you're saying. [ So she's just going to wait until everyone's near enough and pull the broom again. ]

[allmydreams]

I will plus one that assessment.

[Anything that let's her be Daphne, to be honest. And there will be no dumb blond ginger stereotypes here. She'll make her way over to Alanna and get in close so they can make the turn into the other room.]

Cartoon TV show. We can explain once we get back to the castle.

[killingtodeath]

Yeah, mission now, pop culture lesson later.

[behindcloseddoors]

[ annnnnnd around they go back into the chamber, where the robotic figure stands guard over the painting, which all still looks as described above ]

[allmydreams]

[Felicity's eyes narrow at the large suit of armor for a moment before raising her gun as she very slowly starts to take a step into the room, letting her eyes wander over the scene and keeping her ears open for any sign of trouble (spot 28, listen 19).]

[trebond]

[ Alanna marches over to the painting to investigate it more closely, meanwhile (nat 20 investigate), even reaching out to touch it. ]

[killingtodeath]

[Stiles stands back and eyes this shit super warily.]

So this room exists to just be creepy? Cool.

[behindcloseddoors]

[ before alanna can get near to the painting, the armored soldier turns its head... and raises its weapon. time for init! ]