sticksandbones | MINI EVENT: GHOST RESCUE

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MINI EVENT: GHOST RESCUE

A HEARTBEAT BENEATH THE STAIRS

As the season turns, and blood sinks into the ground of the Grove, as monsters with your face haunt the halls, waiting to pounce, something else is creeping into light. Distantly one might see a light in the forest at night, and the next it comes closer. And closer. Until in the treeline you can see it: a pitch black manor that looks as if it’s covered in ash. The trees act as its gates, rebuffing anyone who tries to investigate, and the air smells like rot. Something watches in the windows, but vanishes when you blink.

… But not even this dark manor can stand in the way of one very angry grandfather skeleton, who will, eventually, rattle his teeth and bones in a rallying cry and urge others to follow him, sword in hand. It’s time to storm the castle, and Mr. Bone-Jangles has had enough.

The air within the manor is frigid and biting, and the inside itself is as decrepit as you may expect. Lights and candles can light the way… but only for a few minutes. The wood creaks as if the building is breathing slowly, and sometimes you here a loud thum-thump, as if its unseen heart beats while you explore.

For an already imposing building, inside seems even larger and there’s almost no end in sight as it feels like the halls wind on forever and more and more rooms, from libraries to studies to bedrooms to- … is this room dedicated to WWE Wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson? … Needless to say, there’s a lot to work through, but Bone-Jangles urges you onward.

Wisps of color drift through. Are they your friends? Or something else?

A NIGHTMARE ON YOUR LIPS

And to those who have been locked away for days, perhaps weeks, nothing in this house feels real. Is it a dream? Is it a nightmare? The mere mention of a potential addition from your lips manifests another new room within the manor, but you cannot touch anything. Light hurts and makes you dizzy, while the night is painfully cold. How long has it been? How long will it be?

The burst of life is- new. Exciting. Distantly, you know these people, but the urges of death are whimsical and cruel. Part of you wants to guide them to the attic, where your souls are chained in full to a portrait of you. Break those portraits, and you're free, coming back to life outside, which is what you want, isn't it? Another part of you wants to chase them out, how dare they intrude upon your afterlife? Another yet thinks it’s time to play, but no longer remembers what ‘play’ is- so surely they can dodge the plates and books, right? Right!

And another yet wants the intruders dead. And if not by your hands, then by the demons guarding this world alongside you.

(CODE)

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...She did seem a bit.. off, some of the things she said I thought seemed strange from her but I just thought..

[ It was the stress. Or showing a side of her he was just not aware of, so he didn't try to look too much into it. Not when he was promptly distracted with "Siffrin" and.

Again. He failed again, didn't he? Arms come to a cross, expression pinching as his fingers dig deep into his sleeve. He takes a deep breath, some of that tightness loosening just a little as that blanket shifts on him. Right, can't get distracted by it now. It just means they have to try harder. A glance back to the mirror, trying to catch a quick glance of her and when he does - ]

Sorry M'dame. We'll fix it, I promise.

[ He stands a bit taller, trying not to hunch up into himself too much. Can't get distracted. Gently, a hand touches against Loop's blanketed side until he carefully steps towards the door. ]

Let's keep going.

[As expected, they're both getting caught in that same self-blame spiral... they jolt a bit at the unexpected touch, but it's grounding. They pull the blanket around their shoulders tighter.

...

Stars, they should just make this easier for themselves. They pause to tie the ends by their neck together, making a tight knot. Officially a blanket-cloak now! Since the Researcher seems to insist on their comfort.

They're taking this thing back with them when they leave, their's now.

Loop nods, glancing back at the mirror one more time before turning to the door... they don't apologize, because they can do that when they rescue her. Whatever it is that's trapped her here, surely they can find a way to stop it.

They go for the door again, opening it slowly with a loud creak.]

[ She isn't sure why Isabeau is apologizing. It's her own fault she's here, jumped and defeated by her own shadow. She remembers that part clearly. But it's still reassuring to hear that promise to help.

What horrors and trials await in the next room? It's...

Stairs! A huge foyer, actually. To the left you can see an office of some kind, the walls lined with bookshelves. To the right, a stylish but uncomfortable-looking living room. A narrow hall leads past the stairs next to the office, and railing lines another hall at the top of the first set of stairs. A second set above that disappears into the ceiling halfway.

There's another massive chandelier in this room, but the foyer is lit only by soft moonlight. One story above the door they just opened is a window that stretches the whole width of the room and two stories up. Outside is certainly the forest they started in, but in the dead of night.

There are a lot of directions to choose from, but Odile feels that the correct route should be obvious. ]

...Huh.

[ That is. A lot of places! Does it make more sense for it to suddenly complicate now instead of stay as simple as it was before? He glances to the office room, catching glimpses of the bookshelves. They could try to find some books.. maybe they'll find some hints there? Something of what they're meant to do.

But he addresses the rest first. The right, hmm.. Oh but there's a set that disappears into the ceiling? Is it a bad idea to consider the option of always going up? Kinda like they did with the House, floor by floor. He chews on this information, before peering down at Loop as his arms cross with thought. ]

You think it's any worth checking out for books with useful information on them?

[ Unless they have a better idea of course. He's just putting in his own thoughts. ]

[They've looped back around the way they came, almost. Loop looks down one of the hallways to see if they can spot all the kitchenware they smashed earlier... but that wouldn't be the way to go right now, anyway. They follow Isabeau's gaze to the office instead.]

I don't think the books here would be all that useful. There's a lot of junk all over the place... but that does seem like somewhere the Researcher would go.

[Maybe she can find a way to communicate with the books? Hmm.

They head towards the office, poking their head in to look around.]

[ Luckily, she doesn't have to try too hard to communicate. Loop's blanket yanks them away from the office, back to the foyer proper. Somewhere on the second floor a picture falls off the wall and shatters. A light briefly appears from where the third floor must be, then goes out with the sound of a lightbulb exploding. ]

[she gets a tiny yelp out of them ALRIGHT ALRIGHT MADAME BE GENTLE THEY'RE LISTENING—]

Not the office! Okay! To the stairs, Fighter! [Turning right back around, sorry but they're not filing the Forest's taxes today... heading towards the stairs instead.]

[ The way Isabeau agreed readily, it would be useful! A much easier method to communicate, right? He follows along like a puppy only to watch as Loop's steps towards that office get pulled back away by the force grip on their blanket. Isabeau reaches out to steady them briefly. ]

R-Right! Sorry M'dame.

[ Listen, it was a good idea! Just.. not the RIGHT idea. But yeah, just quickly following after them and up the stairs. Though he stops at the second floor. ]

Hmm.. the light went out on the third floor so maybe not there either?

[ Do not give them mixed signals, his delicate heart can't take being wrong so many times!! ]

[ Another two lights turn on and explode, one after the other.

Keep going up. She doesn't have a lot of materials to work with in this part of the house. ]

... I think we should just keep going until she gives us a different sign.

[So, continuing to go up. Keeping one hand on the rail and watching for anything out of place... come on, dowsing blanket, don't let them down.]

[ The sudden added light explosions surprises him but that is definitely answer enough. Okay, wrong train of thought, maybe he should just keep quiet and let the signs point their way.

He follows after, ignoring his nerves to remain looking mostly composed. At least going up is easy enough as they step onto the third floor, looking around once they reach it. Though his gaze naturally drifts up to the ceiling for anything else that might stand out. ]

[ The third floor- this part of it, at least- is very different. It's almost like they've wandered into a jungle. There are dozens of large planters filled with varieties of fern, begonia, and the sort of shrubs and trees you would find in undergrowth. Sprinklers have been placed strategically to cover every single planter. Every few feet is another dim LED lightbulb, just enough to keep the plants alive. The three nearest the door are destroyed.

The place is barely above freezing, which is unfortunate, because the air is also palpably wet. There's an overwhelming smell of dirt and rot, and somewhere in the room is the buzzing of flies.

There's a clear space around the opening of the stairs, and four paths pointed in opposing directions. The blankets point them directly forward, but after a few feet the path is blocked by a wall of planters. ]

[ Oh hey, it's like a greenhouse of sorts? Which Isabeau takes in curiously, why here of all places? There has to be something to it. But brr, his arms cross and rub at them with a shudder. ]

Shouldn't stay here too long.. [ If it isn't the cold temps, it's definitely the smell. He doesn't exactly want to see what could potentially be rotting (it's probably just some plant!! ..Hopefully.) But the blanket guidance helps keep them moving for the most part. And while he may have pondered on the opposing paths, he's relieved as Loop implied that their kind Researcher is guiding them along.

..Until they come to a blockage that is. He looks up and down, peering around at the assorted wall planters. ]

It definitely wants us to go forward but... [ They're blocked? A hand comes to rub at his chin, pondering. ] Maybe there's some kind of secret switch? With how this house is set up, I wouldn't be surprised if there was some secret passages built around.

[ Or they can just brute force it with Rock Craft. ]

[A greenhouse if it were freezing... they clutch the blanket a little tighter around them. Maybe the Researcher grabbed these for another reason after all.

But for now, they have to find the path forward. Loop pauses to take in the scene, looking for anything that looks odd or out of place... a hidden switch, maybe? A door, a pattern? It's been awhile since they've been on trap duty, but they can at least feel out the walls and surrounding plants for anything unusual.

Or, yknow. What kind of planters are these? Can they just like... move them.]

[ The planters are made of heavy stone, covered in places by moss. In fact, there seems to be a wide variety of shady, ground cover plants filling in what free space there is on the soil.

It's not clear how far they are from the nearest wall. Looking at the ceiling, the room might stretch on forever. There are blooming flowers here and there, but the arrangement seems mostly random. Nothing seems any more odd or out of place than everything else.

The blankets give another gentle tug. Why did you stop? ]

[ Isabeau acknowledges the tug, sheepish as he tries to look around in where he might have to guess she's probably standing. ]

Sorry M'dame, we can't exactly just.. go through the wall?

[ Unless...? No, he just looks over to Loop, perking up a little. ]

Find anything? If we're really desperate, I can try to give it a good hard smack?

[They don't find anything but more planters... they stand up after checking the floor, eyeing the planter-wall again.

...

Okay, they are prepared to look stupid for trying this. They take a breath and just... try to walk through the barricade?? If they smack into it like an idiot at least they'll know for sure.]

[ Watches this happen like ???!! ]

[ The planter is certainly real and solid, and Loop bangs their knees, breaks a few small tree branches and falls face first into a bush.

It's not the best look, but at least the planter is deep enough that they don't land on their head on the other side. ]

[Loop bangs their knee into a planter and goes NYA

but! there is another side!! So before Isabeau can try to help them back out they wriggle the rest of the way through. This is obviously the intended solution.

Probably should've just gone with the "smash it" option but close enough!]

There's more path through here, it's not too deep! [They'll try to tug Isabeau through if he tries to follow them, c'mon big guy you can fit probably.]

L-Loop..?!

[ did you nya???? No wait, are they okay!! They're right in that he almost tries to help them out but he pauses, watching them wiggle a little and.

Huh! At that reassured comment, he laughs a little. ]

So there actually was! Smart thinking, Loop.

[ All credit to the bright star! Though he squeaks a little as he's tugged, right okay let's see how this goes. It probably isn't as nice a squeeze as it was for Loop, but it's probably fine??? Maybe. ]

[ It's not exactly comfortable, but it is certainly possible to make their way through the maze and across the room by simply climbing over the planters. The plants are thick, but the containers are only about 3 feet deep. If it wasn't obvious before, it will become clear as they make their way that this room is laid out as a maze.

The blankets don't get stuck on anything for long, though! Odile doesn't understand why this is causing so much trouble, but she will still pull them free from the foliage.

Though, I wonder... Is this a good idea? ]

[Yeah, they can both probably figure out its a maze from here... but why solve a puzzle when they can obviously brute force it?? There will be no consequences to this.]

Cutting through would be faster. Stand back for a second.

[They bring up their new dagger, channeling the Craft through their other hand—and slash, black blades shearing clean through a large length of the plant-wall. It's enough to take out several feet of wall in front of them and slice a dent in the next wall over. There are chunks of shredded bush all over the ground now.

... so, just do that a few more times! Easy!! They might need a moment to cool down, though.]

[ Is this cheating? This is probably cheating? But, you know, Isabeau's obliviousness always makes him the perfect teammate! Rather than stop Loop, he gives them the space they need with a glance up, allowing them to make quick easy work of the shrubbery and anything else that may be blocking their direct path.

Thanks for the extra help, M'dame. They would hate to lose these blankets that are so useful in her guidance. But he will without fail check on Loop, especially once the Craft usage starts to tick up. ]

Don't forget to cool down, we're making good on time here! [ ..He hopes. ] Too bad I didn't keep any tonics.

[ Alas, no tonics to decrease cooldown. Nor handy Scissor craft to help take turns with. ]

[ Good news! The room isn't quite as endless as it looked. The maze was big enough to be a challenge, but it doesn't take too long for them to cut their way through. They seem to have approached and passed the buzzing sound without actually seeing what got those flies so excited. Probably a plant... right?

As they move away from the flies, they might notice another sound under the buzz... a rumbling of some kind. The atmosphere grows tense, slowly at first, then faster. A sense of anger starts to press on their minds. ]

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