Book II - Chapter IX: The Haunting of Trollskull Manor

[Ancelas]

The door seemed to stick for a moment before it was flung open, allowing the Lucky Hand to enter.

The same fog of deep shadow and dust swirled throughout the room, the rain outside creating a steady clatter against the old shutters and grimy windows that could not quite drown out the sound of someone humming to themselves. The central fireplace was lit, its light smothered by the darkness clinging to the room. The Lucky Hand would find themselves alone on the floor, and Cerys' nose would find scents leading deeper into the manor.

Upon moving into the common room, the shifting shadows along the walls seemed to resolve into a more defined shape near the doors to one of the guest rooms - a tall, spindly figure with long limbs, their edges undefined, pushing on one of the doors and reaching for its doorknob...

[redcoat]

Cerys bounded to the figure, hackles raised and snarling as her powerful jaw snapped at the creature attempting to corner her urchins.

((21 to hit, 9 damage, must succeed on a DC13 strength save or be knocked prone))

[Ancelas]

Cerys charged across the second floor common room and leapt at the gangly shadow, jaws snapping shut on its vague form - only to find the entity was not as solid as what she expected, her jaws only meeting partial resistance before her own weight carried her down to the floor, unable to drag the creature off of its feet.

The shadow around where she had bit seemed to break apart like smoke as the entity turned its head toward Cerys, the darkness of its shrouded face splitting open with a grin of crooked, all-too-real yellow teeth.

"Hush little orphans, don't cry no more," a voice seemed to hiss across the common room. "Mama Esther's at the door..."


Updated Initiative: Vincent 19, Cerys 17, Crystal 15, 8, Rey 5, Jinn 3.

[uberwulfx]

Crystal ran as quickly as possible, her grip tightening around her weapon as she cast Armor of Agathys. She couldn't get in the action that she could hear Cerys was already getting up to, but she'd be absolutely ready when she got up there.

[Ancelas]

"...Winter's quite long, and money's tight," the shadow murmured, clicking its tongue, "but Mama's made dinner for toniiiiight..." It gestured at Cerys with one hand, and the direwolf felt hot flames licking at her hide, a strong pull drawing her toward the floor...

But with a quick shake of her hide, Cerys was able to pull free of the shadows with only a bit of singed fur (6 fire damage). The gangly shadow creature clucked its tongue again and turned away, seeming to dissolve into darkness as it moved away from Cerys and the door both. Despite fading from site, Cerys could sense its presence moving away, as though it hadn't disappeared completely. (Cerys may make an Opportunity Attack at Disadvantage).


All around the Lucky Hand, the manor seemed to change. The old wallpaper began to peel and rot away, ragged curtains swept close over dusty windows, and the scritch scratch of rodents could be heard just behind the walls.

[redcoat]

((Reaction))

It tried to move away from her- that wasn't allowed. Her jaws once again went to sink into the creature's form.

((Bite. 24 to hit, 11 piercing))

[Ancelas]

Cerys lunged, her jaws closing down on something she could no longer see, tearing away more ephemeral shadow as the presence moved away. (Attack roll 24 hits!)

[Kyt]

Ok, she was definitely burning this place to the ground after they got the kids out of here.

Keeping her crossbow at the ready (for all the good it would do against a smoke monster), she called out, frantically searching for signs of the thing. "MOUSE! Where are you so we can get the fuck out of here!"

((Ready attack for if the creature solidifies again)

[Ancelas]

Rey charged into the room after Cerys, readying her crossbow and calling out for Mouse, but her words seemed oddly stifled, as though they were muffled the further away the listener was...

[opius]

Jinn's rugged brows narrowed to knit and wrinkle before his eyes. This was exactly the kind of creepy shit he was hoping to avoid by getting the supplies and helping Vinny. But now the timetable had been pushed, and the challenge issued.

"I can't see it- I feel the old bad but I can't hit what I can't see! Cherry, give us a heading!" With that he doubled down and ran, dashing to follow Cerys' lead.

[CautionCat]

Vincent summoned his ghostly blade, not sure where the shadow creature had gone, but was prepared to fight with something that might hit it better than Cerys' jaws. With his action, he would cast Light on the end of his mace, casting a 20ft radius of light around himself, with an additional 20ft more of dim light.

"Leave the children alone! They have nothing to do with us!"

[Ancelas]

Vincent's light expanded outward, burning through the shadows and fog around the Lucky Hand. As the darkness receded in the face of Vincent's light, the edges of the unnatural fog seemed to grow darker.

[redcoat]

Cerys looked frustrated for a moment, but her eyes weren't the strongest sense when she was a dire wolf. Given a lack of immediate enemies, she would continue to track Mouse and Nat- following her nose to them- not particularly caring what might be in her way.


((Tracking the kids, if they are behind a door I'm happy to make a check to knock it down))

[Ancelas]

Cerys turned her nose to the task of sniffing out her prey - or her cubs, whichever she could locate first. She snuffled up some dust and caught the faintest whiff of something acrid, like a stew gone bad, but it did not seem to have an origin. She did feel, for some reason, a faint bit of cold air leaking out from beneath the door in front of her - strange, given how stiflingly hot the manor currently was.

Of the children, she could smell that they had both come this way, but the odor she picked up seemed to be masking the direction the scents led.

[redcoat]

Did not like that. Not a bit. So, barring anything better to do, she would burst through the door, bounding into the room where the mysterious cold air was coming from.