2023.09.08: Abyssal Death Dagger Quest Pt 1

Abyssal Death Dagger Quest Pt 1
Iris must descend deep into the Abyss to make a deal with a death spirit, her friends rally to help her
IC Date	September
IC Time	Afternoon
Players	Pancake Ashkii Irsa Rhapsody Evan Kaz Jackie
Location	The Abyss/Epiphamy of Death
Prp/Tp	Happening alongside Part 1A, the back of the party
Theme Song	The Shallows - Adam Hurst

Cast: Ashkii: Mr. Pink, Irsa: Mr. Blue, Jackie: Mr. Green, Rhapsody: Mr. Purple, Evan: Mr. Brown, Kaz: Mr. Red, ST/Mercy: Mr. Black

---

xxxxxMercy's Messenger put out the call for help on an adventure. No beating around the bush about it, we're heading into the Abyss. DEEP into the Abyss. Posers need not apply, this will be a rough trip. Obviously the Mist Seekers are on the case, ready to back up the Ever Changing! We meet up at some cool, predetermined spot, ready to rock and roll. We can probably just sum up the meeting handshakes and introductions since that'll take stupid long and just jump straight into moon bridging.
xxxxxFast forward to the good stuff!
xxxxxStepping out of the moon bridge, Mercy looks both ways before signaling the others to come on out. It's a wide open plain rent by a massive chasm. The ground near the chasm is desolate and barren, giving way to hearty weeds a after about thirty feet, then grasses thirty feet further on, and so on as life and nature takes over. At the very edges of the chasm, dust and dirt seems pulled, slowly yet inexorably, over the edge. the crack in the world is extremely steep, and extremely dark, without any end in sight.
xxxxxDirectly ahead of the group is a bridge that spans the entire chasm, a spindly thing of stone that's wide enough for two people side by side. The stone sides of the bridge only reach up to one's knees, registering as more of a hazard than a safety feature. It seems impossible for it to be sturdy, there's no supports under it at all, but there it hangs, still and quiet.

xxxxxAshkii arrives and does his thing, greeting everyone, chatting, smoking and joking before the group takes off for adventure. Once they moon-bridge over to their destination he gives Mercy a wink and then looks to the others to ensure everyone arrived in one piece. Checking his pack, his vest and the fetish weapon at his hip he gives a nod of approval to himself and says, "I'm good to go!"

xxxxxEvan peers out into the dark and takes a deep breath like he's going to start to sing out a note but then he stops and turns to ask the senior garou "How bad an idea would an echo test be?"

xxxxx>> Stay together. Do not scout ahead, do NOT charge into battle without an order. Above all, do not listen to the voices -- they lie. << Irsa-wolf is sticking to Jackie like glue. >> All of you guard your minds, and listen to Mercy's Messenger'rhya without question. << Her fur is bristling along her spine as she speaks to her pack, but she looks confident they will all survive this place. >> The footing can be treacherous, so be careful. <<

xxxxxKaz had been mostly quiet but respectful as always. He sniffs the air after stepping out of the portal. He lets out a grunt as his nose crinkles in disgust at something in the air. He checks the new large knife on his belt and looks to Mercy for direction as this was her hunt.

xxxxxJackie tightens her grip on her spear as she follows the others, strictly avoiding looking down over the edge into the big hole. Heights are one thing, but this just seems ridiculous.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope arrived with the others, got the information, and as they went toward the moon-bridge she shifted into lupus. Better to pay attention to things! She chuffs to Irsa >> Got it Alpha. << She's bringing up the rear of this group, watching and making sure Jackie is just ahead of her and by Irsa as they go.

xxxxx"Super bad." Mercy tells Evan, but with sympathy. She understands the instinctive want to yell into holes. The elder moves to the edge of the bridge and says, "This is the Abyss. I've brought some of you here before, and what luck! Now you're trained up a bit on the exact path we'll be taking down in there. First step, as always, is crossing the bridge. We're going to walk single file. If you need to, put your hand on the shoulder or the back of the person in front of you and stare at the back of their head, or rest your snout against their wrist or flank and keep your eyes up. Do not look down at your feet. Do NOT look down into the Abyss. It wants you to look. It wants you to jump. It is one of the mouths of the Wyrm and it wants to eat you. We're going to march together." She says as people get into position. She takes the lead, and here-but-not-here people such as Branton and Stephen bring up the rear. "Think about your loved ones. Think about what you want to do tomorrow. Think about what a *nice* day it is! Think about *not* yelling into the hole!"

xxxxxAshkii listens to Mercy while he looks from her to the others. Already his gaze is moving towards that deep abyss and he looks back as she says not to look. Clearing his throat he nods and then falls into line, using the tricks she used and fighting that urge to look while keeping a hand on the person in front of him in line, or wrist near snout our whatnot.

xxxxxEvan is carrying his shiny black acoustic Fetish guitar on his back and he sighs at Mercy "Loud comes later." and he listens carefully to the instructions and follows them as exactly as he can. He's super curious but manages to some how stay focused for the crossing.

xxxxxKaz grunts and nods to Mercy. "I will not give in and be eaten by darkness." The young Shadowlord moves onto the bridge with head held high and eyes forward.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf pokes Jackie's side with her snout. >> Hold onto my ruff when we cross and descend. It is Dark below. << She sniffs at the Fenrir's weapon, growling softly with approval. She's eyeing that bridge now. it's hella suss. She latches her jaws onto the edge of Evan's flapping shirt, growling between her teeth. >> Think about the howling at our den, and on the beach and swimming and stories,<< she suggests.

xxxxxJackie keeps her eyes narrowed and locked onto the back of the one in front of her, humming to herself a bit to help with self distraction from the open air around them. Who builds a bridge like this, anyway? This place needs OSHA.

xxxxxThe crossing takes so, so god damned long. This is a bigass crack, and there's *no* rushing things. One little oopsie and someone's gonna go over the side, those 'guard rails' are basically just there to help people trip over the edge. It's long enough that one *needs* to think those happy thoughts, because this place, even just hanging over it, it digs at one's center of doubt and loss. But soon enough... We're across. Solid ground! HOORAY! "We've passed the test of the realm, now we descend into it. This is the path of soil. Probably the safest path here, but still very dangerous. Mind your footing, the path will try to spill you down into the Abyss. Keep your voices low and your ears open. We're unlikely to see attacks here, not until we've out distanced the light. Still, this place is crawling with Wyrm spirits, lost spirits, and rumor has it there's a Hive somewhere deep in there. If *anyone* has any problems, say so immediately."

xxxxxThe Soil Path is a narrow path of, of course, soil that leads down into the Abyss. It's only wide enough for one person at a time, and at first it's not very steep. The treachery of the path is subtle, slowly increasing it's grade until it's uncomfortably steep, sometimes pocked with wide gaps to jump or narrowing so much that one is forced to press their back against the wall and scoot sideways. Always there is the deep, depth-less black calling silently, tugging at your center of doubt. If you just fell in, all your troubles would cease...

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope keeps her attention forward and on the others. Making sure they keep moving. It is a long trip across but slow and steady wins the race, especially as they do not want to call attention to themselves anymore than they already might. Soon enough they reached the end of the first path, and the next test here with the wyrm around them. She's keeping there with the others, close by, but nudging them to slowly go forward and reminding them they are pack together.

xxxxxKaz pauses for a few moments as he takes in the gravity of the situation. He would not underestimate this challenge. He calls on the pack bond to will himself forward. He tries his best to remain watchful of the dark while also ignoring it and the hairs it keeps raising on the back of his neck.

xxxxxEvan stays close to his packmates and keeps a hand on his guitar as he asks "I can conjure light, should I? Or is that a bad idea too?" the question sounds a little frustrated.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf is not a fan of this place, who would be? She's as quiet as a church mouse, speaking to her pack over their link to one another. Her focus here is on keeping an eye out for ambushers, and the other on her footing and packmates. >> The darkness will swallow the light, << she growls softly at Evan. >> See with your ears and nose, as much as you can. I follow behind you. <<

xxxxxJackie stops her humming, shifting gears into quiet mode as the oppressive silence settles onto her. At least it seems better to be off the bridge, but that's probably not even really true.

xxxxxAshkii is good, even though that draw to look, to jump, to dive into the abyss is for sure an intrusive thought. It's so strong he's sweating with the fight it takes for him not to look and scream into the darkness below as they walk in a line. When they finally make it across he's drenched in sweat and breathing hard. "Tooooo eassssssy." Said with a quiver in his voice he coughs to clear his throat adding, "Tons of fun!"

xxxxx"Dingus." Mercy accuses Ashkii, but quite fondly. "Your wisps will be super useful soon," Mercy says to Evan, "But save them until we get down to the gardens. The sunlight will last just a little bit longer..." It does get dimmer as they descend though. It's so... silent. Every step seems like it's too loud. There's no bird song, no breeze sigh, no distant rocks falling. Did I mention this place is really unnerving?

xxxxxKaz 's eyes widen as the ground gives out from him. He claws at the soft ground with his hands but it just passes through. He quickly reaches down to his belt and draws the large ornate knife from it's sheath and plunges that into the ground to stop his descent. He slides only a couple more feet before finally coming to a stop.

xxxxxEvan feels his feet start to go out from under him and starts to windmill his arms wildly and drops into a crouch to lower his center of gravity. Barely managing not to shout.

xxxxxJackie quicksteps as the 'earth' shifts on her, then dances the other way as it tries again. Then she watches as the others are less lucky, and wastes a couple of heartbeats by not knowing whom to try and help back up first.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf darts forward as Evan goes over the edge, but overshoots the mark. She twists as she begins to fall, digging her claws into the earth to keep from sliding down, down, down....

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope sees the trouble happening - people losing their footing and falling. As Irsa goes to grab them, she grabs onto Irsa in the one way she can! Teeth! She grunts through the bite >> Sorry! Heal later! << Focus is on saving not taking time to shift and have you know - arms and hands! Jaws are strong and well, that bite will be healed! She pulls back, having saved the day hopefully!

xxxxxAshkii is lucky in following that path, keeping his feet and not doing anything dumb like running or losing his focus to study some interesting thing along the way. It's that focus that lets him quickly respond as Kaz slips and luckily can catch himself with that blade stabbed into the soil. "Don't you give up on me... Take my strong hand, child." His voice changes as he says that, obviously its a quote from something as he grabs on to Kaz's other hand and grunts and growls as he barely pulls the other man up.

xxxxxDisappointment, the Abyss does not get a meal just yet. No broken bodies left on ledges to mummify in the bone dry shadows, no hapless Garou falling eternally through complete sensory deprivation, unable to hear their own screams any longer. Poo.
xxxxxBeing way up at the front, Mercy cant really be of any help, it's all single file, but she's got that 'oh god I just got my friends killed!' look on her face for a minute there until thankfully her friends are gasping and panting on the loose soil of the path itself again. Thank the goddess...
xxxxxThe first safe(ish) solid ground is the Stepped Garden, which some of the party has actually visited before. Level upon level of beautiful terraced gardens with the Soil Path switching back and fourth down through them. Dusty, dry stream beds and empty fountains haven't watered the garden in... ever. The elegant stone beds are dust covered and aged, and the plants are all long dead, standing fragile and lifeless in the silent garden. Curiously, each one of them is unique, from a scrap of dead moss to a towering dead tree, there's only one of each. The air feels dry, the darkness oppressive, at this level it's as if the world were caught at the very last remaining light before true nightfall. Fortunately, solid ground has widened out substantially, so there's no danger of falling off the edge unless you actually *try* to fall.
xxxxx"We're reaching the end of natural light. I have four torches, and Evan you've got wisps, yes? Who wants a torch? It's a Lambent Flame talen. There's also fire torches if anyone would prefer that instead. Flashlights wont work down here."

xxxxxKaz takes Ashkii's hand strong or otherwise enthusiastically. After he gets his footing he nods in thanks to Ashkii. "Golden Corral must be an awful place if it compares with this place."

xxxxxJackie sighs at the bit about flashlights. But it figures that this would force low tech answers. "I'll carry whatever works."

xxxxxEvan grins and takes a few deep breaths, as he gets steady again. Trying to calm himself down as he nods and makes an odd little gesture and a small glowy sphere appears as he looks around at the 'garden' "Whoa..."

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope would take a torch, but she's not in the right form. >> I'll stick close to someone with a flame. << She takes time to look around a bit at the gardens and has a funny wolfy smile on her muzzle. >> I remember this place. <<

xxxxx>> I do not have hands in this shape. But perhaps we can tie it to string, and use it that way,<< Irsa-wolf suggests, shifting into homid briefly to do just that. She loops the thing around Protector-of-Hope's neck.

xxxxx"Mmmmm, Golden Corral. All the FOOD." Ashkii rubs his belly, obviously the coyote born shifter doesn't know anything other than it is a place with piles of ALL the food. Giving Kaz a pat on the back he looks to make sure everyone else is good to go before saying, "I'll take whatever works and can help light the way for our fourlegs if needed."

xxxxxKaz looks confused as he cleans the soil off of his knife before sheathing it again. "I will take a light as well." He says as he steps up to Mercy. He turns to Jackie and comments, "Is the food there truly that bad?"

xxxxxJackie shrugs at Kaz as she waves the torch around to test it a bit. "I don't know, the food is low grade mediocre, mostly. But the atmosphere is what drains the will to live. So you can see why this reminded me of it?"

xxxxxMercy will assist with the torch roping, make sure it's tucked and tied in such a way that it wont blind Rhapsody or go swinging around wildly. She passes torches to Jackie, Kaz, and Ashkii. "The Abyss is where things that are lost and forgotten go. Each plant in these gardens was the very last remaining of its species when it died, they're extinct things. Don't touch, they're super fragile. Now, we're going to pass down through the terraces. At the end, that's where the real danger starts. There wont be any light except what we have with us. Keep an eye on the trail and most, MOST important, do NOT separate. Not for any reason. Even if you have a super bad urge to poop, you do *not* leave the group. ... I didn't mean for that to rhyme. There are no friendly spirits here, remember that." she says, and starts them down into the true Abyss and its inky blackness.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf sniffs around the dead plants carefully, ears swiveling back sadly. >> So many lost things. And there are more than the last time we were here.<< She steps back, shaking her head. >> They lie, always. Even if they say things that sound true. Like when you were a cub, stealing a thing from your siblings, and your mother was angry. That happened, but she did not hate you and wish you to fall in a dark place.<<

xxxxxEvan listens carefully and nods, his little light sphere hovering by his shoulder. As he moves along his finger's start softly teasing at the strings of his guitar. The instructions get a shudder from him but he is paying attention and following them.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope keeps to the back of the line here, ready to get/catch/whatever as they will go along. >> Keep close. Close enough to nip. Keep safe. << She's grateful for the help with the light, and hopes they make it through this part without too much trouble. The lost garden will never leave her thoughts though.

xxxxxKaz looks around the "garden" grimly and grunts. He holds his torch low so as not to blind himself and to better watch his footing. He looks to Jackie as he walks forward. "First we conquer the challenges here in the abyss. Than if we must we shall conquer this Golden Corral."

xxxxxJackie nods as she moves along in the center of the pack, trying to not look at the sad remains in the garden. "Yeah, good thought. It's good to have some goals, something to look forward to and motivate us to make it out of here."

xxxxxAshkii figures out where to stand to make sure his torch helps with the light for the whole group, filling in any darkness to make sure everyone can see while listening to the conversation. Nodding his head in understanding the talk of the Golden Corral make him laugh.

xxxxxThe Soil Path maintains its treacherous footing as the light dwindles to nothing. A world of blackness too far down for the sunlight to reach, the outside world looks like a thin blue ribbon far, far overhead. But from here, the path itself seems to decide it no longer needs to try and throw you into the Abyss. You're already here. You're doomed. Your torches wont save you.

xxxxxThe lambent flame torches only reach so far, the Lune powering them gives off a powerful brightness that lights up a large area, but the darkness, it seems to eat the light itself. Each step down into the Abyss results in that pool of light getting just a tiny bit smaller, and smaller, and smaller. It's not too far until the group reaches the next macabre stop along the Soil Path, first noticed as OH FUCK A MONSTER! until one realizes it's just a very large, very dead skull on a bare bones neck and body. If the terraces above were a graveyard for the fallen plant species, this is the graveyard of lost animals. Now, ghostly bones of dead creatures from ages past loom in the shadows to either side of the path, their empty eyes seeming to stare at the group, resenting their life and mobility while they are lifeless and lost forever in the darkness. Again, there is only one of each animal, presumably the very last of its kind that died.
xxxxxThe whispers that Irsa mentioned, they can be heard now. What might have been considered moments of doubt or intrusive thoughts before make themselves known as true whispers. They're so soft they can barely be heard, mere snatches of words and sounds that might bring with them terrible, nihilistic thoughts, but the soft strum of music is, for now, enough to drown them out. "Almost there, we just have to reach the forgotten gods... I think that's next."

xxxxxEvan is frowning as he peers out into the darkness and he flexes his fingers as if he's readying to play something on his guitar, like now's the time for it.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf lifts her lip in a silent warning growl. >> We are being hunted.<< She's moved closer to Jackie, and sent directions to her packmates over their link.

xxxxx"Not hunted, surrounded. It's a trap!" Ashkii doesn't sound panicked. If anything he may even sound a little excited as he draws his coyote fang. "Can we shift here? Didn't you say before not to shift or was that just for you wolves?" Looking to the others as he swaps hands with his blade and torch. Lifting the fetish blade he can be heard speaking softly to it in a rough version of his coyote language, prepping the blade and himself for battle.

xxxxxKaz draws his new blade as he "hears" the warning over the pack link. He whispers to the blade and lightning erupts from it and dances across it. "Let them come!"

xxxxxSkeletons of creatures no one has ever seen before loom in the darkness, casting crazy shadows all over from the moving torches. Now that it's been pointed out, *everyone* can tell there's Something Moving amongst the dead on silent feet. Pale shapes, bony things, things that don't seem to be shaped quite right.

xxxxxSuddenly, something hurls itself out of the darkness. It's soundless as it flies at Kaz, slamming into the Ahroun with sharp, bone knives where hands should be. He takes the hit like a muscle wall and though the creature draws blood, the wound seems small. But that's all the warning there is before a god damned *flood* of these things rush towards the group from nearly every direction. They're like what would happen if lemurs were models for Silent Hill monsters. They run on all fours, WEARING the bones of the fallen like armor and weapons, crazed little bastards with mad glee and murder in their red eyes. They're eerily silent in their attack. No war cries, no growls or hisses, just speed and violence.

xxxxxKaz takes the swipe of the bone blade but barely feels it as he returns the stab with one of his own. Lightning crackles as he moves in and stabs up through where it's throat and threw it's jaw and into it's skull. The lightning burns into bone and some of the bones burst. Kaz leans in close to the creature with a feral grin. "Grandfather Thunder sends his regards!" he says before kicking what's left of it away.

xxxxxEvan grins as his pack mate cuts loose with thunder and lightning, that sort of thing. For his part he brings his spirit into harmony with with his fetish guitar and starts playing an energetic song, letting the power flow out over his pack.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf snarls and clamps her jaws on an attacking skeleton. Blood-curling snarls sound from her as she cracks bones with a loud 'crunch'.

xxxxxJackie goes into a high stance as the things pounce, spear held up over her head at an angle aiming the blade down. She steps forward as Irsa engages the skeleton, taking advantage of its momentary immobilization jumping into a lunging thrust that pierces the unnatural thing through the skull and drives the spear point straight down through every vertebrae and even shatters what passes for a pelvis.

xxxxxAshkii is in his near-man form, a little larger, a little stronger, a fair bit faster than his homid form. With his torch in one hand and his blade in the other he makes kissy faces and teases with the blade here and there before rushing in to shank one of the attackers, getting it good before taking a hit back with a laugh. "Come on! LETS DANCE!!"

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf blocks a skeleton trying to get to Jackie, snarling as her eyes blaze with fury. ~ YOU! Kill that one! ~ she snarls at the closest spirit, forcing it to fight another one.

xxxxxEvan grits his teeth and growls as he keeps playing through the pain and the blood, feeding the magic with it as he swells into caveman form so he can maybe start to heal...eventually.

xxxxxJackie pivots as blood flies out of fresh cuts into Evan's skin, twisting on the balls of her feet as she brings her spear slashing over head in an arc at his assailant. The blade crunches through bone with a sickening noise, making it at least a bit less happy. If it even knew what happy meant.

xxxxxAshkii moves through the battle as best as he can to find one of the injured foes. Tossing his torch up into the air he rushes forward and pounces on the back of one of the bone dressed enemies. Getting a good hold he stabs the knife into its neck as it falls under him. Quickly getting to his feet he readies the blade while looking for the next easy mark.

xxxxxThey don't scream in pain when they're wounded, and not like anyone can stand there studying their facial expressions or anything, but to be honest they don't look really bothered by it at all. It's damaging, but they're fine with it even as it weakens them. The fight is silent on their end, and neither the mad strumming of Evan nor the grunts, yelps, or calls from the others echo in the darkness. Like the light, the darkness eats the sound as well.
xxxxxThe violent little bastards aren't overwhelming by any means, but they just don't seem to stop coming. Every time one falls, another one zips out of the shadows as if to take its place. It's like there's a spawn point nearby or something.
xxxxxMercy, who has not been helping at all during this fight, has been sort of hiding in a bone shadow and furiously looking at a map, trying to get light on it without getting spotted, which is super tricky! "This way! This way!" she shouts at her embattled friends, waving them towards a path leading off of the bone yard and heading deeper into the Abyss.

xxxxxKaz moves to defend his packmate but his swing is just shy. He shifts his stance and swings again only to find that the skeletons sternum is much thicker than he expected. He growls in irritation and grabs it by its rib cage and drives the blade into its forehead letting the lightning course over it's skull until it explodes. He throws the bones away and stands to cover Evan as he plays.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf nudges Jackie and snarls at the others. >> Go, follow!<< She darts after Mercy, leaving those last battling skeletons behind.

xxxxxEvan pivots like a flamenco guitarist and speed walk/struts in the direction Mercy directs. Moving with quickness and purpose.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope is swiping and clawing at these skeletons trying to get everything she can! Granted despite some hits she is not doing as much damage even with the white flames on her claws. Protector-of-Hope hears Irsa and she'll head off in that direction too.

xxxxxJackie nods and runs to keep up with Irsa, with her head on a swivel and her spear held up and at the ready.

xxxxxAshkii isn't a warrior in the strictest sense of the word but he's ready to stay and kill every last one of the attackers. It takes him a moment to catch on that it's time to go but he hears his packmate's call and then notices the others peeling off and he's quick to follow, slowing to grab up his torch and follow along.

xxxxxKaz heads off with the others covering their retreat as they move deeper into the darkness.

xxxxxThe commanded violence spirit sets on its brethren with glee, though it's not the most reliable in terms of damaging its target. A few others forget the Gaians and dive on their own wounded because hey, you gotta eat where you can, you know? Others chase after the group, but they too face the perils of the Soil Path. Sliding off the edge or getting bumped by another, the ground giving way, things like that. The Gaians have it better because they're not dicks to each other and aren't ramming into one another. The chasers give up after only a little ways. They have a *little* bit of self preservation.
xxxxxThe path becomes steady under foot, but soon some ducking and scooching is required to get under a rock sticking out of the wall. Or rather, toes. Really big, carved toes belonging to some strange, carving of an eel headed man. After that, a huge carving of a tree, and then a tall bull man with a stone dagger in hand.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf flattens her ears at the sight of the statues. The Lost Gods, just as her mentor said. She sniffs curiously at the carvings the group passes, but there's no way she's touching them. Who knows what horrors could be unleashed in this dark place?

xxxxx"Lost gods." Mercy says quietly, "There should be a tunnel, and then we're *nearly* there." She manages to keep an encouraging tone, mostly, as they pass extinct gods from who knows where and who knows how long ago. The whispers are worse here, and somewhere in the darkness is a distant, muffled child's wailing. The light of the torches makes a small puddle around the holders.

xxxxxIt's not so much a tunnel as it is a crack in the wall that Mercy leads the way into, a half ruined glyph etched into the wall near it. "Okay... okay... The map says this way..." She's not panicking, shut up! She's holding her map *super* tight though.

xxxxxEvan will wind up the song once the battle is left behind and catch his breath as he stays shifted to let himself heal. Once Mercy finds the crack in the wall he's right up there to take a look, curious as hell "Suitably creepy yeah?"

xxxxxJackie lowers her spear as things quiet back down, all the way to too quiet again. She ducks under the toes, brushing bone dust off her jeans. "Seriously, maybe we should find a Golden Corral after all of this. It'll certainly feel like a step up, at least."

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope has heard of the Golden Corral but never been. >> Can we all fit through this crack in the wall? << Creepy does seem par for the course as well as the jenga to get into some places.

xxxxxKaz looks up at the statues but goes back to watching for enemies again as his large blade continues to crackle with lightning in his hand. He nods at Jackie's words and answers just to keep the whispers at bay. "Yes, those that rule the Golden Corral will also fall."

xxxxxAshkii keeps the torch up to try to make sure light banishes the darkness around them as much as he can help do that. In the group he laughs at the talk of Golden Corral, still laughing and smiling even in the middle of the whispers and creepy sounds around them in the darkness. "Mmmm, waffles with chocolate chips... butter... syrup... bacon... all the bacon... We can close the place down!" With food on his mind to keep the creepy at bay he moves with the group.

xxxxxKaz pauses as he stares at the glyph for several moments. "Death..." He follows through the crack but asks, "Mercy's Messenger, what are we walking into?"

xxxxx>> That is a stupid name. Two-legs do not eat at corrals,<< the brown wolf growls. She eyes that worn glyph and bristles. >> That is a good question. <<

xxxxx"Yeah, yeah... I bet we can fit. I mean... I mean it *says* go this way..." Iris says. Her voice sounds flat in the tunnel rather than bouncy. "Um, well, death basically. All the death realms connect to the Abyss. Don't worry though! It's not the *bad* kind of death. It's a concept realm. The idea of death, basically. Technically it's an Epiphamy." she adds to the Theurges in the group, "But all the lore I've studied says it's quite peaceful, if very odd. It's just the path *getting* there that's the pain in the ass. But we're almost there!"

xxxxxJackie shifts her weight from one foot to the other, eyeing the opening very suspiciously. "Wait, so that mean it's all downhill from here, or about to get even worse?"

xxxxx>> What dangers lie ahead? Do you go first, and we follow? << Irsa-wolf asks Mercy, as she sniffs around the area.

xxxxxEvan was about to try and shove himself in but when his alpha asks the elder if she wants to go first he draws back a little sheepishly.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope chuffs >> I'd volunteer to scout ahead, but I have no necessary lore or knowledge what I'm looking for. <<

xxxxxWith combat over, Ashkii sheaths his blade and keeps the torch out. He doesn't know the lore of the wolves so he listens, learns, looks from the glyph to the others as they discuss its meaning. Nodding his head he follows when they move, curious as always but in that learning while investigating their surroundings as they move.

xxxxx"I'll go first, just in case all is doom, that way I'll explode first and you guys can escape." Mercy says, momentarily really hating being highest ranking. But only for a teeny second. "I dunno what's in there though. But hey, you've got a spear, you can stab past people in a tunnel, right? It'll be fiiiiiine!" She does NOT say 'what's the worst that could happen' though. Like she'll press her luck, but not THAT much. Also this tunnel is really gonna suck for claustrophobic people. Like Mercy! But she heads in, cause she's got *business* to do, damn it.

xxxxxSomehow, no one freaks out about a million tons of rock on all sides, in a tunnel labeled as death, following a mad woman, with possible monsters around any corner. That doesn't stop it being creepy and scary, but still. And the light really helps. Eventually during this maze-like trek, Mercy's walking along at the front, the lambent torches steadily shoving darkness out of the way ahead of her, until it suddenly isn't and she steps through a sheet of blackness. There's no sound, no yell, and she doesn't step back through. She was looking down at her map when it happened, she might not have even noticed.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf squeezes through the passageway, well aware being caught in here would be extremely bad. She moves as quickly as she can, making sure to keep Mercy and the others in her sight. >> It is like being born all over again. But this is death, << she growls. Ragged Brown Wolf slows her pace for two seconds when Mercy vanishes. Remembering the Elder's orders, she steels herself and follows her into shadow.

xxxxxEvan will totally keep right on going, plowing right on through the curtain of blackness after the others with a cheerful grin.

xxxxxJackie isn't going to get left behind at this point, and scrambles on after the others while trying really hard to not think too much about magical darkness.

xxxxxKaz steps faster once Mercy and his packmates start to disappear into the darkness. He would not leave them undefended. "Death is part of the cycle of life," he mutters as he walks into the blackness himself.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope keeps to the back here, and nudges anyone forward as she squeezes herself through the crack int he wall and going through. The lambent torch still tied around her, she's keeping quiet with them and has no idea that Iris has bleeped out and keeps moving.

---

<OOC> Mercy's Messenger says, "I wanna take a second here before I paste the next bit to tell you all that, while I enjoy making up surrealistic shit and everything, I didn't make any of this up. All of the scenery is what is actually described in Axis Mundi, in the Habitat section of the Maidens of the Styx. The drugs were seriously kicking in when they got to that part of the book."

---

xxxxxStepping into the darkness after Mercy, you realize to your horror that you've fallen into a pit or something. Falling, doooooooom! No, wait, that's weightlessness. As you look around you in the darkness, you realize there's pin points of light. Stars? And, turning your head, you spot a... a large... D4. Well it's not actually a dice, it's a planetoid. Just, rolling slowly through the darkness of space. There's a couple others waaaaaaaay out in the distance, differently shaped but planetoids none the less. Each side of the thing (that you can see) has a fucknormously huge city of some kind in the middle, though half of each is obscured by mists.

xxxxxFor anyone that's ever been to Mercy's boat in space, you probably have an idea how flight works in the Aetherial realm. Somehow, it works exactly the same way here, as if you were in umbral space. Are you in space? What the actual fuck is going on? If you HAVEN'T done this before, well shit, time for a crazy new experience.
xxxxx"WE MADE IT!" comes Mercy's shout from close by as people just fall out of nowhere and into... somewhere.

xxxxxEvan busts out laughing as he tumbles end over end, guitar floating on its strap as he looks around "This is so cool Elder. You take me the neatest places."

xxxxxIt's all a wild ride but Ashkii is getting pretty use to this kind of a trippy experience. Dropping into the new place he grins as they all float. "Well. At least it doesn't smell of cheese like that cheese moon. Though, that guy was pretty neat. It took me what felt like forever to get the cheese out of my fur." Looking to the others he smiles as he shifts once more, this time into his hybrid man and coyote form.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf falls, and falls, and falls. She should probably be howling her death-song, but no! There are stars, and points of light, and a huge, mysterious city she's never seen before. >> You did not say we were coming to the Aetherial Realm, Flat-thing! << she growls at her mentor. >> What is that place? << She air-swims towards Mercy, kicking all four legs and steering with her tail. She doesn't need to, but hey! It amuses her to do this.

xxxxxJackie looks around in a bit of a daze as her body twists in this weird bit of space. "Uh, yeah, great... But how do we get down from here?"

xxxxxKaz is far less happy than Evan about the new situation. "Why is there no ground!" He swipes at the air a few times in futility and just makes his spinning worse. He growls in frustration and stops talking as he manages to swallows the vomit before it can come out of him.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope has seen a few things in her life and hanging out with Iris, but this... this is not something she expected. Floating here, her four legs are not sure what to do. >> How...wait...uh... What now? <<

xxxxx"Whoa, goddess, where *are* we?" Mercy says, spinning around a bit to look everywhere. There's no sign of where they came in from, it's just all... space. "IS this the Aetherial? ...Nooooo, we cant be there, I think we're uh... in an offshoot of the epiphamy reaches We could probably get there from here. But not yet, business first." Her wings tattoo unfurls off of her back into actual wings, not really needed, but she prefers them. She thinks they help her steer better or something. "Okay, we're gonna head down to that city. Just think about moving forward. All you have to do is think about it. Mind over matter, you'll go wherever you want to go."

xxxxxEvan starts making motions like he's swimming, pulling himself through space with a breaststroke. Heading in the direction Mercy indicated "Aye Aye"

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf rolls her eyes. >> That is boring. I will swim AND think. << She'll be a sure contender at the Space-swimming Olympics, just you wait. >> If we are lost, perhaps the spirits there are friendly and can help us, << she remarks on the city.

xxxxxJackie points her spear in the direction and makes that a "down" direction in her mind to charge. But she's really, really missing having a steering wheel and pedals right now.

xxxxxIn his coyote-man form, Ashkii moves his backpack from his back to his chest so his wings can unfurl from his vest. Large falcon wings stretch wide before flapping to move him in to position alongside his packmate as he looks around and then nods in understanding to where they MAY be.

xxxxxKaz growls some more as he keeps spinning in free fall and tries to listen as the Theurges talk but as usual he doesn't understand a lot of what they're talking about. "Bah! I do not like this place!" He catches the part about thinking about going forward though and before he knows it he starts to move in a direction but as he spins he starts to move back the way he came as his body spins and forward now points that way. This continues for awhile until the vomit he had held back before explodes out of him. He screams in frustration and his rage focuses him enough to start moving in just one direction with the group finally. He wipes off his mouth as he says through gritted teeth. "I.. DO... NOT... LIKE IT HERE!"

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope feels bad for Kaz, but is more concerned with trying to move forward! She doggy paddles - since 4 legs and all, and is trying to catch up to the others as they are moving forward. >> Forward, HO!!! <<

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf paddles back in a wide loop to steer the pack's Ahroun along. >> Grab onto my ruff, Brother, and close your eyes. I will guide you and bite any stars that come close.<<

xxxxx"Assuming I haven't lead us completely astray," Mercy says while flapping along with the group, "This is a city of the dead, a huge necropolis at the center of an even huger desert. We're going to be met by the Maidens of the Styx when we get there, and you've got to be on your very best behavior. Keep your head down, don't look them in the eyes, give them absolute respect. They're... practically god tier spirits and they're very, very formal."

xxxxxThe city, as they get closer to it, is something beautiful and mad. Layers and layers of Escher worthy structures made of the civilizations of old. There's ancient Greek and Mayan, Egyptian and Babylonian parts all layered on top of each other. The physics here is, quite simply, impossible, and the angled edges of things have black and white squiggles coming off them like fractal mold. And there are people, lots and lots of people, quite a lot of them human looking, but very pale. It's not silent here, this is a city after all. It bustles with your usual city type stuff. Mercy aims the pack towards a nice wide square to land in.

xxxxxWith his wings it's easy for Ashkii to flap along to follow Mercy while looking from her to the others and then to their surroundings. Motioning to Kaz after he pukes he says, "It's ok, we all puke at some point on these kinds of adventures. The good news is you know if we get in trouble you can use the force of the puke to turn yourself into a puke rocket. It's a positive thing, so save some for an emergency!"

xxxxxEvan stops laughing when Mercy mentions the powerful spirits the group is headed to meet, learning is important "Well, the traditions of my tribe's lessons on hospitality included cautions on how to be a good guest so there's that."

xxxxxJackie sets down on the ground of the city square with a loud sigh of relief following the thud of her spear's butt making solid contact with whatever passes for the earth here. "Alright, so we out of the frying pan now then?"

xxxxxKaz lets Irsa guide him but keeps his eyes open. He looks to Ashkii and nods. "I will keep that in mind." When they land he grips onto the ground and steadies himself. "Thank you, Alpha." He takes a few breaths and stands up. "I must get used to such things if we are to be coming to places such as this." He listens to Mercy's instructions and nods. "Absolute respect is the first lesson I was taught by my instructors."

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf touches down in the square, like a furry space lifeboat bringing a shipwreck survivor to port. She pokes Kaz in the leg. >> See? There is land here. When we return home, we will go find fomori to kill. You will feel much better then, << she promises him.

xxxxx"The ferryman takes the dead from the land of the living, the Maidens plant a firm boot in the ass of those that wont step up to the dock when it's their time." Mercy tells the others. The square they draw up in is part of some ancient civilization with unknown pictograph script running around a simple square basin-ed fountain (dry, of course) made of clay. Those dead nearby, regardless of whether they're right side up, upside down, or on any strangely laied surface in between, all stop to look at these odd, living creatures in their midst. There is no hostility, only cautious curiosity. They're dressed as if from all walks of life, and some show some of the damage that had claimed their lives. From all directions, their hostesses come to meet the shifters, gathering around them in a thick group.
xxxxxThey're... gothically amazing. All are women, of course, all adults, all deathly pale. Some wear simple, elegant gowns with a hood, while others are dressed as though for a masquerade ball with sparkles and feathers and puffy dresses. All of them are armed with a blade at their hip, though there's a preference for sickles (rather than scythes). All of them wear masks, dark things that are wrought by a master artisan's hands. With these there is a preference towards birds, but they're all unique.

xxxxxMercy starts things off by taking a knee and bowing deeply. "Forgive us our intrusions, Maidens of the Styx. I have come to strike a bargain with a great spirit of death. My name is.." But I'm gonna spare typing out the entire introduction, everyone here has heard it.

xxxxxEvan is one hundred percent quiet, standing there as the Elder does her business with the VERY impressive spirits.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf growls a respectful greeting and keeps her head down, keeping her eyes off the Maidens as instructed. Nope, not looking, this is how a Theurge gets in trouble with the spirits.

xxxxxAshkii easily lands when they find solid ground to hide his wings once more. Shifting his pack back around to his back he falls to a knee behind and to the side of Mercy to show she has his support in the discussion. Nothing is said by the coyote-man as he keeps his head respectfully bowed.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope chuffs her greeting and introduction with respect and keeps her eyes down and herself low to the ground. Not going to get in trouble, but going to show much respect.

xxxxxJackie glances around at the area and crowds, then back down at the ground once she realizes that the newcomers surrounding them are the Maidens she was warned about. She keeps her mouth shut, deciding it's not worth finding out the hard way how they go about putting boots in asses.

xxxxxKaz glances around as they are once again surrounded by the dead. He tenses at first seeing the weapons but he cancels the lightning on his blade. He sheathes it quickly and takes a knee with the elder.

xxxxx"What is it you seek?" A maiden in a dress of black and deep blue asks, and Mercy lays things out simply. "I seek permission to bind a Maiden into a weapon of war and death." She produces a dagger with a blade made of dark metal, and a handle of blackened bone. "I seek the ability to bring death to specters that serve Oblivion, and to strike true through the shround of death those Wraiths tht would do Gaia's warriors wrong." There's a few follow up questions, of course, the negotiation phase of things, though a main sticking point is, "I will not accept a partner whose hand heals wounds rightfully earned. If you would wield me, you will not aid in the cheating death while I am in your hand." There's honest hesitation at that, Mercy is a healer and she's being asked not to heal while wielding this fetish. "I agree."
xxxxxAnd then the catch. "I will rest in your blade, but I will not obey until you have gone to this place, and released the wrongfully imprisoned. Their captors deny death's course. Kill them." Mercy bows, and then sorta checks over her shoulder in case anyone's not keen on this. Assuming no one freaks out, the spirit touches Mercy's dagger and is sort of sucked inside of it. For now.
xxxxxA Maiden in a pale pink dress asks, "Shall we send you home?"
xxxxxAt the mention of 'This Place', an image of a spooky looking manor house pops up where people can see it.

~To Be Continued~