nevada ♔ tie your own rope

[everyredcent]

WHO || Faye, Tybalt, Miles, Jaina, Solace, and Christos
WHAT || The Knights investigate the neighborhood where the disappearances have been occurring
WHERE || Nevada
WHEN || April 17th [backdated]
HOW || Actionspam

There's nothing sinister whatsoever about Oak Street, as Christos steers the rented van onto the street and parks against a curb. Well watered and neatly trimmed lawns frame cheerful suburban houses, a paper boy rides past on a bike, a couple strolls by hand in hand eating dripping ice cream cones. Down the block, children are visible hooting and whooping as they swing from monkey bars on a small playground while mothers wait on benches and chat politely, happy to soak up the sun and get off their feet for a moment.

Christos frowns heavily through the window, as if the sight of all this contentedness is more unwelcome than an army of invading monsters would have been.

Solace speaks up first, from his place in the front passenger seat. "It may be prudent to split our group to cover more ground. At least one of the homes should be re-examined, and we ought to ask some of the locals for their take on the situation." He unbuckles his belt. "I mean to investigate the area for evil auras."

Christos nods, turning off the engine. "The sun will be down in an hour. I'll scout around the houses for access points. No point in breaking in before then."

Comments

[flyingsolo]

[ she gives his hand a quick squeeze, but her other one is already reaching for the Excalibur at her belt, which she quick draws and swings around in a threatening arc, that doesn't seem to scare the skull children whatsoever. ] Maybe a little bit of column A and B. [ she fires off a shot, but maybe it's the fact that half of their ghastly appearance is still that of a regular child that makes it hard for her to actually shoot them, because the bullet strikes the wall behind the baseball cap wearing kid. ]

[cuivre]

[He squeezes back before he rolls his shoulders back and cracks his neck and his knuckles as she's drawing her gun.

He's not sure how he feels about hitting kids, but they're not kids anymore really, right?

He sure as hell hopes so.

He goes for one standing in between them and the exit, swiping at his chest. If it's a bit of both columns, then they still need a path. (atk 21, dmg 9)]

[flyingsolo]

[ his fist smacks into the half-skeletal chest of the creature, who staggers away, but then hisses at him: clearly still alright. alright enough to leap at him, clawing with its bony fingers (attack 21, dmg 5, and attack 15, dmg 1.) it proceeds to clamp its teeth onto miles' leg (nat 20, dmg 2).

worst of all, when raked by its claws, he feels suddenly drained. a fort save of 12+ will stave off the effect... otherwise he loses one negative level. he can make another fortitude save 12+ to avoid having his energy drained by its bite, otherwise it sucks away 3 points of Constitution. o____o

another of the children leaps at jaina, who cries out after miles is assaulted, and she manages to deftly maneuver away from its claws and teeth... but as she heads towards him, another child grabs her leg and sinks its fangs into her there (nat 20 .__. but she does make the save vs. drain) she puts her gun to the top of its skull and blasts it, but the bullet largely careens off (dmg 5), and it doesn't release her. ]

[cuivre]

[Well good thing for lucky rolls, because with fort saves of 15 and 20 (not nat), he's just fucking creeped out.

It's pretty clear now that they just need to get the hell out of here.]

Jaina!

[His hand grabs for the 'kid' that's attached to him, his hand wrapping around it's neck and throwing it off of him and hopefully into the nearby wall (atk 15, dmg 9).]

[flyingsolo]

[ the kids aren't alright - the offspring

the child crumples, but then lifts it head, unleashing a horrible hissing noise at miles, apparently still good to good. the skeletal figure clinging to jaina tries desperately to bite at her again but she's fighting against it too hard for it to find any purchase. a third near the door leaps at miles, but its claws swipe through the air uselessly (atk 6). jaina shouts angrily at miles, as if afraid he's going to dawdle while she tries to catch up: ] Don't you kriffing wait on me. Go! [ she fires another shot at the thing's skull that's holding her, and tiny pieces go flying off (dmg 11), but it still hangs on for dear life ]

[cuivre]

[He debates on running, doing what she tells him to, to go along with whoever throws an order at him, but his nat 20 will save tells him to go with his gut, and he grits his teeth as he moves toward her instead of away, swiping at the disgusting creature, and dragging it off of her (atk 21, dmg 9)]

I'm not leaving without you.

[flyingsolo]

[ his powerful grip is enough to snuff the un-life out of the creature finally, but the one from near the door follows him, leaping towards miles with claws extended - and careens into another of them which was trying to do the same (crit fail...) they fall into a gnashing, clawing pile, as jaina shoots miles a look that manages to walk the line between grateful and chastising. ] Not so good with directions, are you? [ but she grabs him by the elbow and makes a break for the door ] Try this one on: let's go!

[cuivre]

[Whoa, totally lucky.

Somehow, Miles still manages a half smile.]

Usually I am. This seemed a little more important.

[Then he's racing after her as she pulls on his elbow. He certainly doesn't need to be asked twice.]

[flyingsolo]

[ as they break out into the night air, she gives him a tired sort of smile ] Yeah, well... thanks for that.

[ a spot of 11+ and miles can make out the form of solace, heading quickly up the sidewalk that way. ]

[cuivre]

[His spot of 6 means that clearly he's got Jaina blinders on mixed with the fact that he's checking the door over his shoulder to see if they're being pursued.]

Well that was...messed up. You okay?

1/2

[flyingsolo]

[ well she only got a 9, so she casts a glance back as well, and then stares at him too. ] Fine. What about you? For a second there, I thought--

[sirsolace]

[ it's ok, solace announces himself, with a very gruff: ] Step back from there! [ it's stern and commanding, and he's looking at the house like he's gonna have to fight it. ] Such waves of evil... I couldn't sense them at all before night fell.

[cuivre]

[Miles practically jumps at the noise, head turning around before he simply obeys, grabbing Jaina's arm and pulling her away from the door and down toward Solace.]

Yeah, I wouldn't go in there if I were you. Unless you have flamethrowers. Maybe we should just burn the place down.

[They're looking a bit worse for the wear. Those bites freaking hurt!]

[sirsolace]

[ he looks them over and a deep frown cuts across his features ] You went in already. [ it definitely sounds like he's calling you both out on being naughty children ] You didn't think to ask for either of the senior knights to accompany you?

[cuivre]

There was only supposed to be kids in there. I didn't think they'd be...whatever the heck those were.

[There were just going to look. Really. It didn't seem like a bad idea at the time.]

Lesson learned the hard way?

[sirsolace]

I certainly hope so. [ he looks askance at jaina too, still clearly judgmental of both their actions. ] Tell me what you saw.

[cuivre]

At first we thought the house was empty, but then there were kids everywhere. Or at least, that's what we thought they were, until the sun went down.

[He glances at Jaina, as if waiting for her to confirm the story.]

If they were kids, they were dead ones. Reanimated dead ones, maybe, with fangs. Turns out their bite is worse than their bark, so we got out of there.

1/2

[flyingsolo]

[ jaina meets his gaze, and adds: ] We could see their skulls, as if all the skin peeled back. There were flames where their eyes should have been... Pretty nasty pieces of work.

[sirsolace]

I'm calling the others. I can sense now that they are undead: and as such, they must be exterminated. [ he takes out his phone ]

[cuivre]

[Miles just nods, lets him make the call, as he turns to Jaina, looking down toward her wound.]

How is it? Is it bad?

[Just...making sure. Because what else is he supposed to do right this second?]

[flyingsolo]

You're the one who took a real beating. Shouldn't I be mothering you?

[cuivre]

[Hey, they both got bit.]

They're not even deep, promise. But if you insist...

[Smirk, smirk.]

[sirsolace]

They're on their way. [ he snaps the phone shut. ] Now line up, both of you, and I'll heal you. We're going back in there.

[cuivre]

[Miles hopes this guy is packing some serious firepower if they're going back in there.

He glances at Jaina again as he moves to stand beside her, doing as he's told.]