Topic: Steeple and Heldric - Pillars of Salt (Read 238418 times)

Drakilian · « **Reply #200 on:** July 20, 2015, 02:58:30 am »

The girl just gives Steeple that same ghastly smile.

Brother Feliks looks at Steeple strangely, "Seems that's what the ritual was for", he mumbles.

Just then, Heldric bursts into the room, looking somewhat bewildered. Andreas just barely looks up from where he is, terrified. Heldric cannot see the ghost now.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #201 on:** July 20, 2015, 05:28:35 am »

"Oh, Heldric old boy; we were just talking about you," Steeple says to Heldric casually.

Then turning back to the ghost girl, he grins playfully - "Seems you were haunting him after all, haha! Such a naughty girl!"

"But anyway, we need to know what Kasimierz was working on, before he left for the mines; and what may have become of him. Do you know?"

Forge · « **Reply #202 on:** July 20, 2015, 11:25:40 am »

Heldric stares for a moment, there is no mirror for him to look through however Steeple is clearly addressing her. "She said she knew things and about where Kazimerz real room was but it seems after a few tests she was trying to trap or kill me."

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #203 on:** July 20, 2015, 12:12:17 pm »

"Such wicked behavior!" Steeple huffs at Heldric's report.

"Is any of this true?" he asks the ghost girl with a wink.

Drakilian · « **Reply #204 on:** July 20, 2015, 02:43:13 pm »

"Of course not!" she says, pouting.

"He's just a scaredy-cat, he won't play with me." she crosses her arms and looks for all the world like a child being told she can't play with her favourite toy. The image is somewhat marred by her gruesome appearance.

Forge · « **Reply #205 on:** July 20, 2015, 04:48:14 pm »

Heldric simply watches Steeple for a response or new information, he is no longer actively afraid of the ghost girl, just quite confused and angry. Slightly relieved though that it seems Steeple is her new target.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #206 on:** July 20, 2015, 06:16:24 pm »

"Hmm..." Steeple thinks aloud - "We really must attend to the business at hand," he says to the girl, "which is finishing Kasimierz's work if we can."

"You obviously know him; being that you appear to reside with him in his haven."

"Tell you what; If you help us, I promise to come visit you after our business is concluded, and we can play any game you like. Maybe I can even convince Prince Maurice to play with us too."

Drakilian · « **Reply #207 on:** July 21, 2015, 02:04:35 pm »

She looks about, seemingly confused.

"Who's Prince Maurice?"

"Bah, of course she cannot see me!" The good prince retorts; "Steepleton, take me out and let them all bask in my glory!"

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #208 on:** July 21, 2015, 07:56:57 pm »

"Anyone who's anyone, knows the great and mighty, magnanimous master of sophistication and suave, the enigmatic pinnacle of cerebral apogee, the one and only imperceivable preponderance of unequivocal proprietary provocation - did I mention he's solid, like a rock? - I present to you the Grand Eminence that he is - Prince Maurice of..." *cough *cough "Avalon..." *mumble... *mumble... "... lantis."

Here Steeple just smiles and bounces his shoulder, where a sconce in his armguard holds (to all who would care to look) a smooth flat river stone.

Forge · « **Reply #209 on:** July 21, 2015, 08:28:40 pm »

Heldric inclines his head slightly to the madman's rock. It is best to keep people like this happy and friendly, especially if they are rich.

Drakilian · « **Reply #210 on:** July 22, 2015, 02:56:52 pm »

The girl just kinda looks at Steeple like "What were all those big words I just heard?", and then stares at the rock in confusion.

Then, a look of realization comes over her face.

"Ohhhh, you're crazy!" She says, before bursting into a series of giggles.

Prince Maurice is absolutely livid. "THIS MAN IS THE SANEST MAN I HAVE EVER MET YOU ABSURD SHREWISH LITTLE WITCH! STEEPLETON, LET ME AT HER!"

The two monks look at Steeple strangely.

Forge · « **Reply #211 on:** July 22, 2015, 03:47:07 pm »

Heldric realizes that the monks might turn on them if they believe Steeple to be possessed, it was the kind of thing you heard about when you grew up in small rural villages. He cuts in on the monks behalf having not heard the ghost, he moves over to them quickly "He is somewhat versed in dealing with Spirits and this one is particularly tricky so he might say many eccentric sounding things in order to trick the spirit. It is best that we simply go along and pretend to agree with him as non of us are as adept as Kazimerz was."

Drakilian · « **Reply #212 on:** July 22, 2015, 03:51:47 pm »

The monks look unsure, but they nod.

Heldric would do well to realize that these are no rural townfolk, however - these are century old monks who served as ghouls to a notable necromancer.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #213 on:** July 22, 2015, 05:02:29 pm »

Steeple sighs loudly with a hint of exasperation in his voice. He should have know that no mere dead girl could handle the awesomnimity that was Prince Maurice.

"Of course not," Steeple then replies to the girl between her giggles, "I'm talking to you aren't I? Though, perhaps you are just a girl, wasting a grown up's time."

"Ah well. But without Kasimierz, once we leave, who will you have to talk to or play with?"

"I'm willing to come back, but only if you begin to show proper manners and are willing to help us now."

Drakilian · « **Reply #214 on:** July 23, 2015, 03:52:15 pm »

The girl laughs again and - before Steeple's eyes, vanishes!

It appears she's done talking with him.

Out of the corner of Heldric's eye, he sees something move in Kazimierz' room.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #215 on:** July 23, 2015, 04:36:50 pm »

Steeple moves to step into the room.

"Heldric, what did you find out whilst in here with her?"

Forge · « **Reply #216 on:** July 23, 2015, 04:55:52 pm »

"Not very much I can make sense of for the moment at least. Although I am taking that mirror with me when we leave."

He heads inside to see what the movement is, and if he can still see the Girl/ghost, while he does so he re-checks the fireplace for that trapdoor.

Drakilian · « **Reply #217 on:** July 23, 2015, 04:57:58 pm »

There is a gaping hole in the ground where the fireplace used to be. Heldric sees no sign of any sort of movement.

Forge · « **Reply #218 on:** July 23, 2015, 05:35:21 pm »

"Hmmm" he simply makes the noise as he heads for the hole to examine it. Keeping his eyes to the monks and using his protean vision if needed.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #219 on:** July 23, 2015, 05:54:01 pm »

Steeple is right beside Heldric, inspecting the hole in the fireplace. If need be, he'll activate Heightened Senses to facilitate a finer search.

"Looks like she decided to help us after all..." Steeple remarks.

Drakilian · « **Reply #220 on:** July 23, 2015, 06:33:40 pm »

Lo and behold - the hole in the floor is yet another passage, a set of stairs leading down into who knows where. Heldric no longer feels the dread he felt looking down when on the other side of that mirror.

Looking at the top of the trapdoor, Heldric sees that it is expertly disguised - and that it cannot be opened from the top, only from below. Curious.

Forge · « **Reply #221 on:** July 23, 2015, 06:42:50 pm »

"So she opened it for us?" He has survived her once and she doesn't actually seem to directly want to kill them just... Play, so for now the risk seems worth it.

He heads down

Drakilian · « **Reply #222 on:** July 24, 2015, 03:22:36 am »

Prince Maurice speaks to Steeple, still kinda pissed.

"Steeple, maybe the monks shouldn't go down there? They might not like what they see."

And indeed, the monks look bewildered at the fact that there's a hidden trapdoor in their old master's secret room. Clearly they've never seen it before.

(Taking a liberty with Heldric here to move things along)

Heldric - not wanting to mess with whatever's going on with Steeple and the monks - uses Vanish from the Mind's Eye on himself, Andreas and Mr. Whitey. Everyone forgets that Heldric is/was here. No one sees him go down the stairs. No one sees Andreas walk down terrifiedly after him, holding mr.Whitey to himself as he does so.

After using Gleam of Red Eyes in the lightless area, Heldric finds that the room below looks almost like a textbook example of a evil sorcerer's dream. Human skulls line shelves on the wall, a pentagram has been painted in blood around a stone covered in tiny names painted in blood. A quick look identifies Steeple's name to Heldric.

Candles of various size and colour also litter the place, along with bones.

Another obsidian mirror is down here, though this one is small and is so sharp as to cut flesh.

Of particular note is a strange, ancient looking decorative helm on the wall, as well as an old skull decorated with old vitae around the eye sockets and teeth.

Having examined it from the outside, Heldric steps into the room.

The strange skull's mouth drops open and a piercing, horrifyingly loud shriek sounds forth, loud enough to wake even a vampire during the day - and surely the other monks of the abbey.

Andreas bawls like a baby, hugging Mr.Whitey so tightly as to almost crush the poor crocodile.

From above, Steeple winces from the sudden blast of sound. Nadia hugs Steeple's arm fearfully.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #223 on:** July 24, 2015, 05:24:20 am »

"Hooo Damn!" Steeple remarks at the sound.

"This place is truly haunted, something fierce!"

"Best you all stay up here and I'll check it out myself," he directs to Nadia and the monks.

With that Steeple heads down to investigate the area below.

"Hey ghost girl," he calls as he goes, "is that you making the unholy racket?"

Forge · « **Reply #224 on:** July 24, 2015, 03:43:05 pm »

"Andreas, back upstairs! Take Mr. Whitey with you and look after him, he doesn't like ghosts." he says to get Andreas out of the way before he flips out.

Heldric then decides that he wants the help and small mirror, he however does not know what might happen so he prepares to flee.

He heads for the heads intending to grab it, the mirror and anything else looking small qnd relic like before heading for the stairs again.

"I'll tell Steeple to take the screaming thing and the rock if he can." he mumbles

Drakilian · « **Reply #225 on:** July 24, 2015, 05:46:59 pm »

Steeple receives no reply.

The monks huddle together on their knees and pray at the entrance.

Andreas flees, though Heldric's obfuscate has been broken and now everyone is surprised to see Andreas storm out while holy shit is he holding a white dragon what the Fark is that oh my god.

Heldric rushes in despite the hellishly loud screams coming from the skull smashing into his ears. He snags the helmet and then goes to the mirror - only to cut his hands on the edges. Swearing briefly at the pain and healing it away with a blood point, Heldric grabs the mirror carefully by the face and back before practically running into Steeple, who comes stomping down the stairs.

Steeple takes a good look at Heldric, holding a relic-y looking helmet in one hand, an absurdly sharp obsidian mirror in the other, while a skull among a row of skulls screams almost like an alarm in the back, the Nosferatu looking for all the world like a horrendously incompetent thief just having been caught red-handed with a large collection of ill-acquired jewelry.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #226 on:** July 24, 2015, 06:00:42 pm »

"AHH! HOW DO YOU TURN IT OFF?!?" Steeple yells, drawing upon Strength of the Earth and heading over to the skull to try to smashing it with his mace.

Drakilian · « **Reply #227 on:** July 24, 2015, 06:04:30 pm »

Steeple clubs the thing with his fake arm and it shatters, though the wooden shelf on which it rests with several other skulls also breaks, throwing all the heads to the ground where they break collectively.

The horrid scream slowly begins dying down, though it is nowhere near done being absurdly loud yet.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #228 on:** July 24, 2015, 06:14:04 pm »

Steeple looks around. When he sees all the names written in blood on the stone in the pentagram, he'll take a moment to think through his occult knowledge about what they all could mean, before getting close enough to cross the pentagram.

Forge · « **Reply #229 on:** July 24, 2015, 08:57:36 pm »

Heldric heads back up the stairs to leave Steeple to it. At the top "Very strong possession there, Steeple is handling it." if they are still nearby he indicates for Andreas to head all the way out back into the church and re-casts obfuscate over Mr. Whitey.

Drakilian · « **Reply #230 on:** July 27, 2015, 04:25:17 pm »

Steeple occult knowledge fails him, he has no idea what the thing does.

What he DOES know, on approaching the thing, is that his name is among those scrawled onto the stone.

"Well, that can't be good." Maurice says, stating the obvious.

---

After recasting obfuscate, mr.whitey's appearance is smoothed over. Though Heldric knows that the priests will remember it later, which might be problematic - to say the very least.

As if on cue, as soon as Heldric "explains" the situation to the priests the screaming begins to die down.

Brother Jakubs looks suspiciously at the things Heldric is holding, but Brother Feliks grabs him then - "Hurry, brother, we have to explain things to the other abbey priests. They will no doubt have been woken up."

The two monks leave the area then. Nadia looks concernedly at Heldric.

"What have you done to Steeple now?"

Forge · « **Reply #231 on:** July 27, 2015, 05:58:25 pm »

Heldric grumbles to himself "I dislike dealing with people at the best of times never-mind lying to the smart ones."

Then out loud to Nadia "I didn't do anything but there was an alarm triggered, I have no idea how to deal with it but Steeple has done so by the sound of things."

Then then more closely examines the two objects in his hands. He knew he was going to try wearing the help at some point and the mirror is unnaturally sharp if nothing else. He quickly takes some cloth (From the room if there is any, tearing his own clothing if not) and makes a sort of bag/sling for the items, carefully placing the mirror so it wouldn't just cut it's way out.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #232 on:** July 28, 2015, 06:54:50 am »

Perplexed, Steeple huffs - "Damn! I knew that 'Occult Studies Correspondence Course from Cameroon' was a sham! Worst 30 gilders I ever wasted!"

"Ah well, might as well go straight to the source," he muses, just knowing he is about to get screamed at some more.

Casting Wooden Tongues, Steeple queries the stone with the names written on it, "Hey you! What was the necromancer meaning by writing my name on you?"

Steeple braces for the ensuing maelstrom.

Drakilian · « **Reply #233 on:** July 28, 2015, 09:48:21 pm »

Steeple is hit with no maelstrom - in fact, he is hit with nothing but an astonishingly underwhelming "I dunno".

Upon further inquiry, Steeple finds out that Kasimierz (or at least, someone he assumes is Kasimierz) would paint blood onto the rock, chant a few words and, well, that's the extent of what it knows. No spooky lights, no explosions, no demons summoned from the nether realms, no horrors the likes of that little girl.

"Well that's boring." Maurice comments.

---

Wrapping the two objects in Kasimierz' bedsheet, Heldric packs them away into his bag, presumably while carefully looking away from the obsidian mirror that, to him, seems to dominate the room now. He gets the uncomfortable feeling something wants him to look back into it.

By now the wail has spluttered down to a low shriek, to the monks upstairs it could very well be nothing.

Nadia looks at him unpleasantly.

"What are you doing with those? If I didn't know any better -" this last remark is not said with complete confidence - "I'd say you just robbed a grave."

Forge · « **Reply #234 on:** July 28, 2015, 09:53:07 pm »

"Well this is a crypt and I AM dead" Heldric replies grumpily "If you want to leave possibly powerful necromancer artifacts lying in the creepiest room I have ever seen be my guest. Why not go down and check on Steeple while you see for yourself?"

He then heads for the door, he doesn't wants to be anywhere near the mirror and what might be lurking there anymore.

Drakilian · « **Reply #235 on:** July 31, 2015, 01:28:34 pm »

Nadia harumphs but makes no effort to stop the Nosferatu. Andreas waits with mr. Whitey still clutched within his brawny arms. The crocodile appears to be suffering.

Forge · « **Reply #236 on:** July 31, 2015, 08:37:33 pm »

Heldric sighs "Andreas, stop crushing mr. Whitey. The spirit is gone for now." He says, but in a way Andreas would know is a softly spoken order. Heldric took the on long breeding and training Mr. whitey.

Heldric prepares to leave as soon as Steeple returns, they should really be dealing with the mines and getting back to his city, being with Steeple brings up too many interesting situations.

Drakilian · « **Reply #237 on:** August 01, 2015, 06:52:24 pm »

Andreas reluctantly releases Mr.Whitey, then goes a step further and apologizes to the crocodile for his behavior. Mr.Whitey's response is unheard by Heldric, though it seems to satisfy Andreas.

Forge · « **Reply #238 on:** August 02, 2015, 11:52:07 am »

Heldric shrugs, Andreas and Mr. Whitey were more than capable of sorting it out themselves without him ordering them around anymore. "Right, let's wait for Steeple. Then get out of here." He announces before finding a place to sit down.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #239 on:** August 04, 2015, 09:13:49 am »

Annoyed at the rock, Steeple picks it up and rubs his name off it.

Drakilian · « **Reply #240 on:** August 04, 2015, 03:15:14 pm »

Steeple's name stays solidly on the rock, despite attempts to remove it. Steeple hears steps coming from upstairs.

By now the screaming has died down completely.

Nadia appears, holding a femur bone threateningly.

"Steeple? Where are you? Are you okay?"

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #241 on:** August 04, 2015, 05:16:35 pm »

"Gah! Darn magical whatsits!" Steeple huffs, dropping the stone in his pocket and looking around for anything else of immediate interest.

"Ah Nadia," Steeple replies, "I am fine; and over here; just about ready to head out."

Drakilian · « **Reply #242 on:** August 04, 2015, 07:20:58 pm »

There are a hell of a lot of things of interest, it's a necromancer's lair. But if Steeple intends to leave now...

It also occurs to Steeple maybe they should find a way to shut this thing closed, before the monks saw it. That would not go down well.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #243 on:** August 05, 2015, 05:55:58 am »

"I suppose we have what we need for now," Steeple says to Nadia, ushering her back out.

Once back up himself, Steeple uses Animate the Unmoving to warp the trapdoor shut - rendering the secret passage down into the lair inaccessible for now.

Forge · « **Reply #244 on:** August 05, 2015, 10:31:18 am »

Seeing that Steeple has emerged, Heldric waves him toward the door "It is time we were leaving and getting to the mine, you can return here at your leisure after we are finished."

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #245 on:** August 05, 2015, 10:46:02 am »

"Perhaps," Steeple replies cryptically.

Drakilian · « **Reply #246 on:** August 06, 2015, 10:33:08 pm »

The trapdoor twists and molds itself along the passage way so that one would have great difficult breaking through to the chamber below - though Steeple recognizes immediately that it will neither be enough nor will it be as secure as the hidden trapdoor was.

BerkaZerka · « **Reply #247 on:** August 07, 2015, 05:38:43 am »

"MUTHA FARKING PAIN IN MY ASS!" Steeple screams in rage at the bullshit worthless 'why the fark bother' results of his less than stellar use of what is supposed to be his "great powers".

"You all just go along without me," he waves at the rest. "I'm just going to stay in this crypt and sulk in the darkness for the next few centuries..."

Steeple the used Animate the Unmoving once again - this time on the fireplace itself, to make it 'close its mouth' (completely blocking itself up entirely).

Forge · « **Reply #248 on:** August 07, 2015, 11:32:34 am »

Heldric just sighs as he heads for the door "Nadia, we shall meet you and Steeple outside once he uses his powers to fix everything and cheers up."

He signals Andreas and Mr. Whitey to follow, making sure the crocodile is invisible.

Drakilian · « **Reply #249 on:** August 07, 2015, 02:32:03 pm »

Much better.

The mouth of the fireplace stretches and closes shut. The stonework is noticeably irregular but solid, and if the monks want to get through they'll have to destroy the whole floor. Eventually they might find it, but certainly not before both Steeple and Heldric have made their way out of the abbey - and their memories - forever.

Heldric hears the sounds of a confused argument going on once he reaches the base of the stairway, it's going on between the ghouled monks and the other abbey-dwellers.

News:

Author Topic: Steeple and Heldric - Pillars of Salt (Read 238418 times)