kansas ♔ you have too much fun breaking all the rules

[cigam]

WHO || Gus, Zatanna, Adam, Dawn, Dimitri [closed]
WHAT || The Knights investigate a multiple homicide that seems linked to ritualistic magic use, in backwater Kansas
WHERE || Black Bottom Ridge, Kansas
WHEN || April 8th [backdated]
HOW || Actionspam or prose

Know what's even worse than Kansas? Kansas after a long winter that just won't die. Everything is creepy and flat and the grass is struggle-bussing its way back to life, and the trees are still skeletal, which just lends an eerie semblance to everything as they drive by. Drive by with a U-Haul attached to the back of her their rented vehicle, because they're bringing a fucking bear along. Luckily Gus was able to coax her into this arrangement, but man, I would not to be the one to draw the short straw opening the doors to that trailer when they arrive.

It only took a single stop at a crappy diner for Zatanna to get someone to spill the whereabouts of the survivor of the night they're looking into: she's being kept at a hospital in the nearest actual city. Zee drops off Adam, Dimitri, and Gus near the crime scene, and takes Dawn with her to go see what they can learn from the girl (after telling Gus to behave).

 

Comments

[watcherjunior]

[ Much coordinated. So graceful. Dawn gets out of the car as well to join them. Middle of nowhere gives her the heebie-jeebies. ] Not only them but our possible unfortunate human turned beastie?

[ex_psionic439]

So are we shooting on sight, or...?

[Since one or more of them are actually people?? Nevermind that Adam doesn't currently have a gun with him. It seemed like something that was important enough to justify clarification in advance for the people who did ok.]

[cigam]

Unless you know a ritual to verify whether they're human or not, because I didn't learn that one in magic school. [ a listen check of 15+ is enough to pick up... distant screams from that house tho ]

[watcherjunior]

[ Dawn's attention shoots to the house at the sound. (listen 17). ] Did anyone else hear that?

[ex_psionic439]

Well would they still have human thoughts? [Apparently he was too invested in not accidentally killing some kids to hear that shit (listen 14). So Dawn just gets a look like what are you smoking?] Hear what?

[likeagod]

[Barely, but his listen check of 16 picks up the sound. His head turns toward the house, his expression growing grim. He nods to Dawn.]

There's no time to waste. There are screams coming from inside.

[And he's...already moving toward the house rather purposefully.]

[watcherjunior]

[ Since he basically just confirmed she isn't hearing things, Dawn's gonna just follow the tall Russian guy. But you know, let him stay in front. ]

[cigam]

[ zee didn't hear it either, but when dimitri says as much, she starts after them ] We might be too late... [ a second scream follows the first, and as they get closer to the house it's easier to hear (listen 10+ picks it up). ]

[ex_psionic439]

[Adam follows them because he doesn't want to get left in the dust wants to keep up with the group. He hears that shit now too (listen 14). Dimitri can take point, he ain't even mad about it.]

[druidisms]

[ gus will just take up the rear, insert gay joke here. he sends mellie around back in case bitches try to escape. she knows not to kill people but she won't hesitate to eat to bitch.

even if it looks like glowbug. ]

[cigam]

[ as they get closer, they see a strange light emit through the windows, like a flash bomb going off inside, followed by gnashing, yowling noises and growls. zatanna nods to the two entrances - one in the front porch, and a side door. ] Let's split up! Move! [ and she heads for the front, throwing a hand out in front of her: ] Nepo! [ the front door flies open, allowing her to charge in with... whoever is coming behind her. ]

[likeagod]

[Dimitri picks up the pace, doing as he's told, heading for the side door as Zatanna heads for the front.

He doesn't even try and open the door, instead kicking it open with a booted foot (str nat 20).]

[watcherjunior]

[ Dawn sticks with Zee at the front door, though staying back. She draws her gun as the door opens, keeping it pointing at the ground to avoid any accidents. Anyone or anything that's in there and isn't immediately set to attack and kill them could be useful here.

Given the screams and sounds and weird flashes of light? This is probably an overly hopeful thought. ]

[ex_psionic439]

[No offense, y'all, but Adam is sticking with the giant human meat shield. That would be Dimitri, for the record. It seemed like the next best plan to following Mellie tbh.]

[druidisms]

[ gus casts and holds call lightning (concentration 27) to use once they are inside. he follows dawn and zee simply so he doesn't have to veer off path to get in the door. ]

1/2

[cigam]

[ zatanna and gus burst into the living room, dawn hanging back on the porch with mellie at the bottom of the steps, and they're greeted with a grisly sight. a sleek, large, feline-shape with purplish fur seems to be directly in front of them, between the couch and glowing light of the TV, and there's the distinct sound of crunching on bones where it has its head lowered. a spray of blood extends along the carpet beside it, and it's probably clear exactly what it's munching on.

dimitri kicks open the door into the kitchen, and finds another large blood stain on the tiled floor in front of him - as well as the remains of the body of a flannel-wearing farmer, also being munched on by another hideous cat-monster. its tentacles twitch as it chews through muscle and bone, and then looks up at them with terrible, glowing eyes. ]

[rituals]

[ ♬ trekka - puscifer

dimitri would see, and adam might glimpse, that there's someone about three-quarters of the way up the staircase between the kitchen and the dining room, visible between the wooden bars. the man looks vaguely like a young sting, if sting had had a few dozen cases of gin, with hair the color of dried straw, a long beige trenchcoat over a white shirt, and a thin black tie. he seems to have been the source of the flare, because he's holding up one hand that's got a bright light emanating from it, which seems to have temporarily blinded the extra large displacer beast crouched on the bottom few steps, snarling with closed eyes. in his other hand, he holds up what looks like some kind of scroll, and he's chanting off from it in a language that sounds vaguely like latin, but not quite. he looks up when the door is kicked open and stops chanting for half a second-- at which point, the beast shakes off its stupor, and snaps out a giant paw, shredding the scroll in half with its claws.

the cigarette he'd been artfully clenching between his teeth in the corner of his mouth and murmuring around falls to the steps as he mutters: ] Bollocks.

[cigam]

Romra! [ zatanna utters the incantation, which causes a blue glow to emanate around her body, granting her a +4 defense. She also owned both her spellcraft and truespeak checks, which allow her to reduce casting time by one step, which means she follows it up with a flick of the wrist that sends the tv hurtling at the beast. And...it misses (attack 14). Shit. It shatters against the couch and the beast turns to snarl at her. ]

[druidisms]

[ mellie surges forward like GLOWBUG, I MISSED YOU and tries (and fails) to slash at the beast's face (atk 10)

gus casts faerie fire to outline the displacer beast's actual position in green bc fuck your displacement, that's why, and lets go of the first lightning bolt on the beast's current visual position. (concentration 26, atk 22, electricity dmg 10) ]

[watcherjunior]

[ With the beastie helpfully outlined, Dawn lifts her gun and takes aim (atk 14). It's a miss, hitting the wall instead. ] Dammit.

[ex_psionic439]

[Adam just freezes behind Dimitri like oh fuck. That thing's eating that guy. Not something you see every day ok. Give him a second to not piss himself. He feels a little better with Dimitri sort of acting as a human shield though. Thanks, bro.

But with random bums holding up flares and tentacles squirming and televisions crashing into walls and gun shots on top of Mittens eating Farmer John, it's any wonder Adam's able to manifest a power at all (Concentration 25).

He focuses on demoralizing the enemy (and any others within thirty feet, I dunno how big this place is). So unless Mittens makes a will save of 16 or higher, he/she/it's going to become shaken for the next four minutes (Adios, psionic focus).]

[rituals]

[ with a 13 will save, the displacer beast is shakin' in its kitty boots. constantine scowls and tosses the defunct scroll aside, casting a glance at dimitri and adam and deciding they're not here with the evil killer tentacle panthers, so he tosses out: ] Don't suppose either of you fine gents brought any banishment scrolls along for the ride.[ he rolls up one sleeve and out drops a vial, which he hastily dumps out around him in a circle that cuts between him and the beast as he chants something else. the powdered silver glows blue and bright, creating a magic circle against evil that blocks further access up the steps to evil summoned things. ]

[likeagod]

[Dimitri glances up at the stranger.]

No, not that I'm aware of.

[And Dimitri will stand here and play meat shield for Adam while he spends his action pulling out his stake.

...I need to buy this guy some feats, clearly.]

[herebemonsters]

[ well, get ready meat shield, because kitchen beastie is pouncing at you. with... a nat 20 oh god i'm sorry. it brings one of those nasty looking tentacles around, smacking him right in the face with its barbs (16 dmg). the living room beast goes after zatanna, smacking her with two tentacles and barely missing her with a snap of its jaws (14 dmg).

the pack leader charges forward at constantine up the steps, and... seems to hit an invisible wall where that blue line cuts across the steps. it wastes its turn angrily snarling at him and frothing, tentacles whipping around in a frenzy.

zee takes a step back and raises both hands to attack again but bombs her concentration check and is interrupted by that tentacle smacking her in the face. womp womp. ]

[druidisms]

[ ADAM IS IN DANGER OH NO. mellie uses her action to trot into the kitchen with a huge growl as gus' second lightning bolt streaks down (concentration 24, atk 17, dmg 18). he follows it up with a sweeping blow from his quarterstaff (atk 18, dmg 2). stay away from his girl, bitch. and enjoy this mosquito bite damage wtf. ]