Caden

Well, at the very least this mess is heading in the right direction. Can't believe things could switch from a sleepy, sunny day to outright disaster so damn fast. No, wait, that is believable — seen it in your profession more than enough.

You yell at the top of your lungs that there's even more problems, that Alric's dog Mal is in danger. Paralyzed, stiff like he's dead, but barely has life in it yet. You jog to keep up with this madness (40'), hoping at some point when it fixes itself they'll be able to help.

Especially since you need Karnath's expertise. It's so unlike her to be given to petty outbursts, and right when you need her medical knowledge more than ever. But given her rate of speed, and the coming sharp slope, you worry if she'll end up needing attention herself.

Time and distance is running out...
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Bright Feather

Nice arc, should show I mean business. Better run & Dash to keep them in range. Next round I can keep them in threat range while intimidating.
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Hanalee

/arrow arcs overhead, clatters in the distance and disappears.

{Ha! A wide shot. Couldn't even hit a broad side of a barn! Dammit, fool! Let go from these legs, you're slowing me down!}
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Karnath

/arrow arcs overhead, clatters in the distance and disappears.

{Oh shit, and they're shooting at us! We're all gonna die! I gotta get to my brother. He shouldn't come here, nor the little ones, too. I gotta run to them!

Oh to tell maw-maw I'm sorry for running off to make my fortune early and buy my own homestead. Oh to tell Sue Ann sorry for all those promises I made to save her from marrying that old man. I'd even take that silent, staring down from our paw-paws.

I gotta make it out of this! I gotta run!}
---------------

Alric

Think it was "'something, something', foul demon!" Well that's just odd. Cursing is not an everyday thing to say, unless you really mean it.

/sound of arrow clattering to the ground up slope.

Turning to look you see an arrow careen off the slope edge and continue clattering on down the steep grade, resting about halfway. Fighting? Oh no! What's going on up there! What of Caden and your other friends?!

Karni:  1D20+4 =>   13  using wis

anything possessing her she looks at as evil.

Alric curses under his breath, "Damn it all"

Mal's condition does not seem to be changing and I need them to help. Alric turns from Mal and starts up the slope. Knowinghe is slower than Caden but still he does his best, Making it halfway before his chest tightens and the world spins around him. He pushes on though probably not as fast.

Con check was a total of 6.

Karnath

(OOC: I don't know what to say. I could tip my screen to let you know the challenge, but that would seem cruel at this point. The dice apparently hate you right now. Do your best!)

{Aah! So there are demons chasing me, shooting at me! Run! Run! Oh my dear family, how wrong I was!}

You run heedlessly for another 90'.
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Alric

(I would make you roll for STR to get up to sprint, but let's just waive it as you have a growing sense of panic. You reach the slope easily (125' away). You will go full tilt — up a 40% grade — going over 60' a round. This will still take time, but we're looking at least 2 more round to crest this slope.)

Gracious! Mal's down, your friends might be in trouble, everything's falling down around you! You must try to salvage something, someone, some help at all!
------------

Anyone else doing anything different?

OOC: What the fuck is the terrain and where is Bright Feather in relation to Karanth and the guys? If Aldric and Mal are closer she's out of this circus enough is enough. Give me how far am from Hani and Karni please.

OOC: Caden would yell about Alric & Mal being further down mountain, past this large level stretch (which includes the New Graveyard AND where you found the snakebite victim rock), and down a steep slope to another "terrace level" below. It is impossible to see Alric & Mal, you are completely working off of Caden's word.

As for Karnath & Hanalee, here's the math:

10' of curb from Main Trail to New Graveyard. New Graveyard is roughly 230' long. Altogether 240'.

The extra 'leveled stretch' (which gradually slopes down) is where you found the snakebite victim. The gentle sloping & distance is why others off the Main Trail took little notice. This is in excess of 200'.

Afterwards comes the sharp 40% slope, 100' down to another level, but narrow, stretch of mountain. From the Main Trail to this sharp slope is about 486'.

You all were by the ritual 1/3 the way inside New Graveyard (from the Main Train side), essentially >76', along with +10' for the curb, so starting this scene >86' from the Main Trail.

When Caden had to reach the women at the ritual, it was 400' from the edge of the sharp slope to them. So 486' if we add the previous >86' from the ritual point. >486' - 240' leaves >246' to the sharp slope edge.

That leaves 154' + 246' = 400' from the ritual to the sharp slope. The same 400' Caden sprinted to the women after that killer slope.

Karnath & Hanalee both move 3x Spd, or 90' a round. They have moved 3 rounds so far. That is 270' so far. 400'-270' leaves 130' left to the sharp slope edge. So in two rounds all inside those bodies will face a steep decision.

I assume Bright Feather took her 35' after shooting the arrow on the second round (you were leaving the graves & shaking off influence on the round they failed) and will use up your action to Move+Dash another 70' on the third round. This will give you a better chance to Intimidate & mean it on this coming 4th round.

You traveled 105', bringing you to 295' of the sharp slope edge, and Karnath & Hanalee are 165' from you. You will still shoot at them with disadvantage, but soon those spirits will have a tough choice, especially if you choose to Dash & close the distance instead.

Wholly unknown to everyone else, Alric has reached the base of this sharp slope and is about to scale it as fast as he can, regardless to how much it will hurt lungs. This will be at 60'/rd up a 100' slope, taking two rounds — just as the two possessed characters will reach the crest of this same slope at high speeds, under threat of being shot at.

Soon, in about 2 rounds, something spectacular might happen.


There is also a train of apples leaving Chicago at 11:15 AM traveling at 70 mph on a 3% grade... sorry, math humor.

Whatever else happens, Hanalee will continue to fight the possession from the inside.

Quote from: Mr. Kent;788813Whatever else happens, Hanalee will continue to fight the possession from the inside.

Do you keep attempting to mess with STR? Struggle with muscle control?

Yes, with STR. Hanalee tries to lock up her limb muscles as to run no farther nor take any actions against her friends.

still inside 11:46 AM

Hanalee

{Dammit, she's gonna reach that edge before me! Aha! If I sprint a little harder this round I can push her off next round and watch her tumble on down! That'll show who's best!}

You gotta save your friend from that push! That's 100' slope down to the next level! Karnath could be seriously injured if you don't do something NOW!

/left knee locks hard in the bent position

{NOOoOoOOooo! Give me back that leg, you fool!}

Here comes the ground. This is going to hurt.
--------------

Caden

Jogging closer, giving your lungs a break, traveling another 40' towards the sharp slope. At least we're still heading towards your little buddy.

Why are they all acting weird by this place? First Bright Feather started to veer into the graves as she was outpacing me during the snakebite emergency. Now Karnath & Hanalee are acting insane. Nothing bothered you at all here, you think.

Oh, and down goes Hanalee. Nasty spill at that speed. Good thing she's armored, no sharp stones scraping up her sides. But that still looks painful. Might even wake her up from being crazy.
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Bright Feather

Gotta get closer, gotta let them know you're close enough to mean business!

Dashes another 70', picking out the best place to skid to a halt & take aim. Oh, Hanalee just went down? Ouch!

Yes, seems like that first intimidation worked on someone at least!
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Karnath

("Out foul demon, out!")

{Oh no! What're we gonna do! — wait, what's that noise?}

Looks behind and sees Hanalee has taken a nasty spill. Faces ahead again to race on.

{Oh, I'm spared at least one demon! Thank you!}

("Out foul demon, out!")

{Wait, who are you talking about?}
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Alric

Here comes the hard part — oof! This is a killer slope. Gonna have to hard scramble up it on all fours at some point.

Another round and I'm over the crest. Dust, pain, sweat. Can't think, everyone I know is in danger! I'm coming, my friends!

Alric Scrambles up the slope crawling when needed.

Please don't let this go wrong, please spirits above!

OoC: Personality Trait: I see omens in every event and action. The gods try to speak to us, we just need to listen
Ideal: Faith. I trust that my deity will guide my actions. I have faith that if I work hard, things will go well. (Lawful)


Karni, her hair now sweated to her face and lines of dirt smeared, falls to her knees, she removes her vambraces and takes her knife, beginning to savagely cut her arms. "Spider Woman, as the dew in your web are the stars in the sky, let my blood on the earth purify this evil place and drive out the demonic spirits! Let me die before I take another step in this foul land of evil!" As her blood running down her arms flecks the ground around her.

Near the Sharp Slope towards the NE corner of the New Graveyard

still inside 11:46 AM

Karnath

You rip off your wrist armor, pull out your dagger, all while your legs are pumping, ever closer to the edge you see coming. It is a struggle as it takes twice the concentration to do previously trivial bodily actions — you must be fighting with Evil Itself. Throwing yourself fully into the command, you drop upon your knees, skidding so close to the slope edge (around 10' away), and start the sacred blood drawing so well understood among your people.

Stabbing at your wrists you implore your Goddess, "Spider Woman, as the dew in your web are the stars in the sky, let my blood on the earth purify this evil place and drive out the demonic spirits! Let me die before I take another step in this foul land of evil!"

{Woah, woah! Hey! I'm no demon! Holy shit, what're you doing?!}

Karnath, 2 damage, blood flecks around you.

{Oh my god there's so much blood! You're crazy! You're crazy! You're stabbing yourself! You'd probably stab my family to death, you monster!}

Karnath, 2 damage, it begins to pool by your knees, you are splattered about in the sacred spray. Cleansed, be cleansed!

{Aah! Crazy murder woman! I gotta warn my brother! I gotta warn my family! Aaahhh!...}

Your head is starting to clear, you can now focus better. You look up just in time to notice a panicked Alric has crested that slope to stare at you in sheer abject terror.
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Bright Feather

This is it, now or never. Break out the Short Bow and notch an arrow, moving and taking aim with what precious seconds are left. To shoot a friend to save her life...

Her arm armor is strewn from her, she draws a dagger?, drops to her knees just before the edge, and — starts slashing at herself!, calling out in anguish.

.... Ancestral Bear, protect us. What am I seeing? She is no longer hurtling herself to that edge, but can she take another wound? Can I still shoot the evil out of her? This possession will be the end of her!

What Intimidating threat can shake the hold of this? Your mouth dries at the thought of speech. (Bright Feather, I shall insert either your silence or intimidation threat here. Let me know what you want to say.)

Another 180' to reach Karnath (190' to the slope), a disadvantaged shot to be sure. Alric? He stands before her, arising from the slope — in the line of sight! Now what to do?
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Hanalee

Hanalee, 4 damage, your body aches from the scrapes and bruises.

{You fool! Ruined the chance to prove who's best. Ruined!}

Groggy, you lay upon the ground feeling a sense of clarity bubble up within. With that clarity comes a greater awareness of the pain you just put yourself through.

{They're better than us. They beat us! And instead of fighting back, instead of showing them a winner, you quitted. Quitted! Quitter!}

Slowly your body is returning to you, by next round you should feel in control again. Ow... Don't feel like celebrating yet, but you've endured worse.

{Loser! You are a loser! You will always be a loser!...}

Voice fading away, good. Mmm, ground is comfy. Body aches.
------------

Caden

Jogging another 40' closer, as you did the last two rounds, so you are now 280' to the sharp slope, no longer winded and ready for action. Bright Feather is a mere 90' away, Hanalee further, and so on.

What the... What is going on? Before you thought it couldn't get any weirder. Yet now Karnath threw herself onto the ground and is crying. Feint visual as she's farther away, but she seems to have drawn her dagger?, and is slashing at herself? What the fuck?!

Hanalee is still crumpled on the ground. And Bright Feather is drawing a bow on Karnath? She has no talent for threats, what does she think she's doing? And there's Alric!, facing down Bright Feather pointing an arrow in both Karnath's and Alric's direction! Oh, this can get uglier, fast.

Your ribs are still sore from all this running... but it looks like you might have to do something here.
--------------

Alric

Scrambling up the last 40' of the slope at a speed you didn't think you had in you, lungs burning, head pounding with blood, rising panic in your throat. Alone! Alone! Everyone attacked and alone! You catch pieces of horrible oaths between heartbeats as you reach the top. You crest to a nightmare, stopping you flat.

Dear spirits above, where am I, and what has befallen my friends?

Hanalee is down and dusted up, seemingly still — you don't know if she's even alive anymore.

Caden is far off and nursing his side, trying to close the distance. Was he too late? Attacked?

Bright Feather is with bow drawn, aiming dead at you — well, you right after Karnath. Where's the enemy? Are we the enemy? Is she now the enemy?

And Karnath, like info your brain rejects until the last what it least wants to believe, kneels before you spattered in blood, it pooling small by her knees. Her wrists, exposed, are all bloody, a dagger in her hand; she has been in a fight for her life. At your eye level you see imploring desperation and relief as she stares at you, like coming to from a nightmare. A nightmare.

Have my friends befallen my friends? Where am I? Who can I trust? Without them or Mal, I am alone. Alone.
-----------

Let me know what you do! :cheerleader:

Bright Feather arrow nocked will stand impassively studying Karnath.

Like many times during a hunt, standing alone waiting for the moment to strike. Alric will take a deep breath and read everything he can in the situation he does not clearly understand. No enemies are visible perhaps something unseen, he hunts for swirls of dust gathering around the invisible. Something must be attacking his friends but what?


Alric would assume it is something physical not Metaphysical