PROLOGUE ♔ if it keeps on raining, levees gonna break

[behindcloseddoors]

♬ When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin

WHO || David Levin, ??
WHAT || David arrives through the Veil
WHERE || The shores of Lake Michigan, USA
WHEN || Monday evening, March 11th
HOW || Actionspam

[ One moment, it's the heat of battle, the clang of metal against metal, and sometimes the crack of it as it severs bone and sinew. And then there's a thin line of fog, whirling around his ankles, barely noticeable amid so much distraction. But it creeps up, higher and higher, until he can't see his sword when he extends it in front of him, let alone the faces that surround him. The battlefield winks out of existence into a white wall, and suddenly the ground beneath his feet seems to as well, as it turns into liquid, and then there's a hard smack as he feels himself splash ass-backward into a pool of water that doesn't seem to have a bottom. It fills his lungs, eats away at the air that wasn't already knocked out of him.

Roll a Fortitude check to make sure he doesn't pass out (D20 + his fort save) If he makes a 13 or higher, he can maintain consciousness.

Probably a good idea to roll a Swim check too... (D20 + swim skill total) ]

Comments

[everyredcent]

[ the man who opens the door looks anything like a hero.

his skin is a dark grey and in the low light his silver eyes flash. he wears a black hooded cloak and there's a few knives visible on the belt below it. with a shock of white hair pulled back in a ponytail, it's easy to see his pointed elven ears as well.

the woman who follows, on the other hand, looks entirely normal, human and dressed in a white shirt and black leather jacket and jeans, a gun strapped to her hip.

they're both on high alert as they walk in, and their eyes crane upwards. ]

Someone else has been here. [ the dark elf nods to the wet footprints on the floor from david's earlier entrance ]

[generaldavideus]

[This isn't David's first time dealing with elves -- they existed in Everworld after all -- but they don't quite look like what he remembered. He moves one hand back, gripping the hilt of his sword and waiting just in case.]

[everyredcent]

[ the woman starts up the staircase and the drow takes a few steps behind her, before stopping abruptly.

with a sudden flash of silver, he whirls, and one of the knives at his belt comes flying out in a swirl of cloak, slamming into the wall directly above david's hiding place (24 ranged atk) and sticking there, vibrating slightly.

the dark elf speaks in a brisk, annoyed tone. ]

Well? Show yourself.

[generaldavideus]

[Well shit.

He pauses for a moment, before slowly rising to his feet. He steps out from behind the barrels, trying to move his attention away from the girl he rescued.

He looks over at the elf with a shrug.]

If you're expecting more of a show, I think you're going to be disappointed.

[his hand doesn't come off the hilt of that sword.]

[telekinect]

[ the woman has stopped as well and has one hand on her gun... but takes it off abruptly and raises both hands slowly, saying very deliberately: ] We're not here to hurt anyone. [ the dark elf mutters: "Speak for yourself" and she shoots him a dark Look ] He's alright, Christos. I can tell he's not the one we're after.

[ A wisdom check (d20 + wisdom modifier) of 15+ can feel something very strange going on. It feels quite distinctly like a tugging in his mind, an invasive presence ghosting through, that is very definitely Not Supposed to Be There. There's nothing forceful about it, and if he notices it and concentrates, he can block it out of his head, with a Will Save (d20 + will save total) of 15+. ]

[generaldavideus]

[David's too tired and too hyper focused on the two people in front of him to realize that someone is poking around in his head (wisdom check: 6). Which is probably a good thing, because if he did know that, he wouldn't have been all that happy.

Instead he'll just raise an eyebrow at her like she's a little off.]

I didn't realize I made that good a first impression.

[everyredcent]

Then if I were you, I wouldn't squander it.

Who are you, and why are you here?

[generaldavideus]

My name is David Levin.

[he doesn't care enough to make crap up.]

And to hell if I know. One minute I was somewhere else and the next I was in the lake.

1/2

[everyredcent]

[ pure annoyance flashes across the drow's features, as he looks away in frustration ] Wonderful. Just what we needed to deal with.

[telekinection]

Christos. [ her lips set in a thin warning line as she steps in front of him towards David. ] I'm afraid this is some pretty bad timing, but I promise you, we're here to help, and we can explain where you and what's happened to you. After we deal with something upstairs.

[generaldavideus]

The weird wizard guy?

[just hazarding a guess. Then he makes a face.]

The guy is pretty oblivious.

[telekinect]

[ she affixes him with an interested look of thinly veiled surprise ] You saw him?

[generaldavideus]

[the look on David's face says "duh."]

It looks like Charybdis rising out there. I was looking for people.

[following his logic?]

[telekinect]

Well, if you did get away that easily, I'd say we'd better strike while the iron's hot.

You might want to stay in the light house until it's over. I don't think it's going to get any prettier outside until then.

[generaldavideus]

[there's a brief moment where David considers offering to come with, but a) he doesn't know these people and b) he's not going to abandon the hostage -- or "victim" as they said -- that he rescued. So he just nods.]

Got it. I'll stay put.

[they can handle magic guy on their own. Not his problem.]

[everyredcent]

[ christos heads back to the steps, apparently already done with david's life ] Good. Let's get this over with. [ tia offers david one small encouraging smile over her shoulder and then up they go. ]

[generaldavideus]

[David waits quietly for the footsteps to fade up the stairs, before turning back to the girl in the barrel. He figures he can wait and see if these "good guys" are actually good guys. He wants to try and keep her protected as long as possible.]

How're you doing in there?

[behindcloseddoors]

[

she finally pushes the lid aside and pokes her head out tentatively, looking around as if expecting the others to re-emerge at any moment ]

Who were they?

[generaldavideus]

No idea. But we'll figure out if they're good guys or bad guys soon enough.

[there's a pause]

Do you know what wizard guy took you for?

[based on the set up and his own experience his first thought is human sacrifice, but he's not going to say it out loud.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ she's shivering, her clothes clinging to her just as his are ]

H-he kept babbling on about the "Queen of the Depths" a-and appeasing the gods. I don't know, he's fucking nuts.

[generaldavideus]

[David would offer her something, but since he's as soaked it probably wouldn't help. But he's smart enough to know that "Queen of the Depths" + whirlpool = sea monster. It's just a matter of what kind.

But, if he had the sacrifice, then maybe they won't have a sea monster problem.]

I don't disagree with you there.

[behindcloseddoors]

Are they gonna kill him? [ it's hard to say how she feels about that. although not surprising, probably, if she's on board the murder train ]

[generaldavideus]

[He shrugs.]

Don't know. It depends on if they need him for something.

[back home, it was pretty much kill, but David had been known to take people back if he needed information from them.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ quietly: ] What if he kills them? [ she looks nervously, obviously afraid he's going to charge down the stairs at any moment ]

[generaldavideus]

[Well, David's answer to that is fairly simple.]

Then I'll kill him.