Play@YSDC

Three of the Investigators, Ray, Nat and Julie, are reunited. They now stand near the entrance of the hangar...

Inside, the chanting continues. With each cycle of the mantra, the humming of the congregation becomes louder. Ray recognizes this as a sort of trance-inducing technique. The voices are in very near unison, so it's hard to judge the number of people involved. Ray's estimate is more than five, but less than ten people.

The lead voice (Cavendish), which was reciting the Bible verse, slowly starts breaking up. The words are still there, but sometimes the syllables are garbled, or replaced by strange guttural noises.

Nat creeps over to Julie and waves a 'hi'. His teeth gleam momentarily as he smiles. He points at her bosum where the mic is, points to himself and towards Ray and gives a thumbs up that he hopes she can see. Then he motions towards where Ray went and creeps over to the hanger door to peer in even though the voices are giving him the creeps.

Nat takes a peak inside. Heavy curtains close off the space a few steps after the entrance. They are hanging from rod suspended halfway in the space of the hangar. Above the curtains, it's open. There is a weak light source (a lamp?) somewhere between the curtains and the main facade of the hangar. On the other side of the curtains, where the congregation is gathered, there are some other light sources, giving off flickering light (like candles or torches).

The curtains are covered with dense "oriental" patterns: a cross between a psychedelic head shop and the temple of some kind of an exotic religion. As the humming and chanting intensifies and the curtains slightly move, the patterns seem to dance in front of Nat's eyes.

Julie smiles back and nods, listening while keeping an eye out to make sure nobody is walking around who might see them here.

Nat pulls his eyes away from the maelstrom, and whispers to the others. "We can't help Elizabeth right now but we might be able to get some rock samples and then get out of here; come back tomorrow to extract Elizabeth. Unless you think it's urgent we do it tonight? Jules, is she being initiated tonight or anything - you know, the point of no return?"

"Not that I know of," whispers Julie with a shrug. "For all I know they do this sort of thing every night."

"I think getting a sample of that rock for someone to analyze is important," Ray whispers. "We could very possibly get them kicked off this land, maybe get Cavendish arrested for keeping that girl you saw from getting the medical attention she needs. I think that Julie and I should go in for a better look. We'll see about getting a sample, and if someone hears us she can pretend like she just got curious and wandered over. Nat I want you to stay behind and be lookout, same signal as before. Sound like a plan?"

Nat thumbs up and positions himself for the best vantage point across the compound.

Julie nods silently and follows Ray.

Ray creeps in for a closer look.

Julie follows Ray from a decent distance back, so that if anyone does happen upon them, it will not look like they are together.

OOC,Stealth roll (40% skill) following [b]Ray[/b]: [dice]0[/dice]

Ray slowly and carefully opens the hangar's door.

Inside, it's hot, like in the desert during daytime, but, unlike the desert, it's also humid.

The hangar only has walls, but not a floor or foundation: the floor of this area is the same dirt as the courtyard.

A row of colorful, densely patterned curtains divides the hangar into two parts, creating a sort of a narrow antechamber. They are hanging from rod suspended halfway in the space of the hangar. Above the curtains, it's open.
A single lamp is standing in the left corner of the antechamber. It's on, giving some light.

On the other side of the curtains, where the congregation is gathered, there are some other light sources, giving off flickering light (like candles or torches).

Julie follows Ray inside. She makes some noise, but hopefully it's not audible over the voices in the hangar. As the antechamber is quite narrow, she cannot really make it look like she doesn't belong with Ray.

The chanting behind the curtain intensifies. The congregation hums as a single entity. They must have trained a lot to achieve such a unity. Cavendish is now speaking in tongues... All words and distinctive phrases from the original passage are replaced by weird gutturals, clicks, growls and throaty noises. The uncanny syllables are reflected from the arched ceiling of the hangar, and amplified.

The air and ground vibrate. The curtains slightly wave, and their patterns seem to pulsate.

Julie feels a sudden shiver of fear. She looks at Ray, prepared to follow his lead.

Nat sniffs the night air; at least it's fresher than what it must be like in the hanger. Those curtains gave him the creeps.

Ray registers that either he or Julie made some small sound while entering the hanger, but he is too enraptured by the sudden increase of intensity in the chanting before him. He slowly reaches for the curtains before him, and, ever so slightly, he moves them aside just enough so that he can see what is happening beyond.

Ray parts the curtains...

Ray,...and looks behind. A pool of blackness covers the ground... Like a tar pit... But its surface is completely smooth, undisturbed. The split rock, glowing with an otherworldly black light, stands erect in the very middle. The dark substance seems to flow out of its crevice. Cavendish stands before the rock, with his back to Ray. His palms (fingers extended), are laying on the surface of the massive boulder. His whole body shakes as he chants - no, shouts! - the garbled syllables into the crevice. The members of the Temple are scattered around the rock. Some are kneeling, some have fallen forward and now lay there, half-submerged in the blackness. Those still above the surface carry on the chant and the humming. Only the whites of their eyes show. --- Roll [b]Sanity (1d2/1d8)[/b]! If the Sanity roll [i]succeeds[/i], also roll a [b]Spot Hidden[/b]! --- [attachment=0]Hangar pool.png[/attachment] ---

Julie stands tense, not daring to look herself, waiting to see how Ray reacts.

Ray simply doesn't understand what he's seeing. He moves back from the curtain, and tries to make sense of what he saw.

Julie shrugs and looks at Ray, as if asking him what they should do now.

Ray gives Julie a bewildered, glassy-eyed stare. He is trying to process something... It takes him a good 10 seconds to finally gather himself and be able to speak or act.

The incomprehensible chanting on the other side of the curtain continues.

There is also a weird smell: like hot tar, heavy and acrid, but utterly alien.

Nat takes a peek through the hanger doors, "You guys okay?" He whispers, into the dark. "What's that weird smell?"

Julie shrugs again. "I'm fine," she whispers. "It smells like hot tar, but it's different."

Ray shakes his head and points back at the spot he had had Nat wait at before, and makes a "follow me" motion as he moves over there. Once away from the barn (assuming the other two follow him) he whispers, "We... The rock is a no go, and Julie you can't stay here any longer. We have to get Elizabeth out of here tonight."

Julie follows Ray back to where Nat is waiting. "Okay," she says, more relieved than anything. "What are they doing? What did you see in there?"

"Did you get a sample for the Doc?" Nat also asks Ray. "Did you see Elizabeth in there?"

Ray shakes his head again. ”We’re not going to be able to get a sample, I don’t think. I didn’t see her, and we shouldn’t go back in there.”

"You sure? I don't mind having a go - I can be pretty quick." But Nat senses rather than sees the look on Ray's face. "Whatever you say, Boss. So do we find Elizabeth and get out of here? Do you know where she is, Julie?"

"You mean she wasn't in there?" asks Julie. "She hadn't wanted to miss...whatever it is they're doing. I'm just as glad if she's not in there. I know where her bedroom is." She gives them directions. "I should go ahead of you, talk to her before she sees you if she's there."

"Okay, sounds like a plan. Although I'll hang back a bit and listen out in case they finish up inside the hanger." says Nat. "I just hope you can persuade her to leave though."

Julie and Ray,[b]Julie[/b] leads [b]Ray[/b] over to the smaller house on the West side of the compound. The darkness in the desert is all-pervasive, and soon they loose sight of Nat, who remains standing next to the hangar building. The building has a small enclosed porch before it. It is full of junk: old boxes, dusty crates. Ray almost trips over a broken bicycle. Inside the house, it's musty and stale. The front door leads to a narrow corridor, with doors on both sides. Julie opens the first door to the right - the place where she and Elizabeth slept an hour ago. In the darkness, Ray can discern that the room is void of furnishings. There are just two mattresses on the floor, and a couple of cardboard boxes. Elizabeth is not around. She is either someplace else, or Ray didn't spot her in the hangar.

Nat,Ray and Julie head towards the western part of the compound and disappear into the darkness. Nat stays next to the hangar's door, and listen attentively to the sounds emanating from the inside. After a minute or so he notices that the collective humming starts to diminish. One by one voices are getting "disconnected" from it, then fade into silence. The lead voice, the chanting of Cavendish, still holds, but instead of the flow of almost random syllables, he is now just repeating one: something between a choking cough and a throaty noise: [i]"kh! kh! kh!"[/i] Nat has a weird sensation... Is the ground rumbling under his feet? Just slightly? Like in the case of a distant or weak earthquake?

"I guess we'd better head back down and rejoin Nat," says Julie. "That hangar's the only other place she's likely to be. Is it possible she was in there and you just didn't see her?"

Ray grimaces thinking back to what he saw. ”It’s is. If that’s the case I think we’ll just hav to wait until they’re... done. Do you think that after they leave the barn, you could get her alone? Near a spot Nat and I would be hiding?”

"She'll probably come right back here to her bed," says Julie. "I can lie down and pretend to be asleep, and then pretend to wake up when she arrives. You two could hide nearby somewhere."

Julie and Ray sneak back to the hangar, where Nat is still on watch.

As they get closer to the hangar, they feel the ground rumbling under their feet. A slight tremor - like a distant earthquake, or a truck passing nearby?

Inside the hangar, the chorus of voices diminished. The lead voice, the chanting of Cavendish, still holds, but instead of the flow of almost random syllables, he is now just repeating one: something between a choking cough and a throaty noise: "kh! kh! kh!"



Julie and Ray quickly share their plan with Nat.

They need to come up quickly with a meeting point, if they go along with this plan; and also decide at which point they are bringing in Tobias.

Key,[list=1][*]Not a proper building, just a tin roof on rows of posts. There is some old farming equipment (ploughs etc.), and crates covered with tarps. [*]A single-storey house, made of pre-fab elements. There is a narrow enclosed porch with windows and a door facing the center of the compound. It has a hinged roof, with a small window on the short side: it probably has a small attic. This is where Elizabeth sleeps. [*]Outhouse. [*]A single-story brick house, with an open porch along the long side facing the center. It looks like the oldest building in the place. Two windows on the left side of the front wall are boarded up. [*]The newly- built hangar or barn. It's entrance (a double gate, currently closed) is facing the center of the compound. The place of the community's "meditation sessions". [*]In this area, the earth is ploughed, and there are some things planted - tomatoes and the like. It's all haphazardly worked. [*]A rusty trailer, a leftover from the 1950s, propped up with bricks. The pink paint is peeling of the side. Adjacent to the trailer, a tarp is stretched out to provide shade.[/list] North is up.

"If things go south," says Julie, "they'll be expecting us to leave by the main gate. What about that hole in the fence you found, Nat? Could we all fit through it? If so, we can meet there if we have to split up. What is going on in there? Can we afford to wait until whatever it is is over?"

"The only trouble with the hole is its the opposite side to Tobias. We had planned to leave by the gate and Tobias could pick us up in the car." He leans near Julie's chest, "Tobias you still with us? May have a change of plan, hang on a sec. Boss, what do you reckon? We should be able to hide behind that far shack (1) and wait for them. Or I could run back to the car for wire cutters to make a hole behind the shack while you wait for Elizabeth."

"I think we try the second one," says Ray. "There'll be places for me to hide in the shack, and I'm sure Julie and I will be able to get ahold of Elizabeth. Nat once you see Julie lead Elizabeth to me you'll have to work fast, and make sure Tobias is nearby with the car ready."

"Okay," says Julie. "I just hope I can get Elizabeth to listen to me. She trusts me, but if she finds out why I really came here, she may see it as a betrayal. It depends how much they've gotten to her here. I'd better get back into bed before I'm missed. Is there anything else I should know before I go?"

"Just be prepared to jump if she starts squawking. I'll head back to the car now and then meet you on the other side. You know, I hope that isn't an actual earthquake starting. I'll be glad to get out of here; those wired noises are giving me the willies!" Nat grimaces and points to the hanger.

The last voice in the hangar stops. The rumbling below the earth continues for a few more seconds, then ceases too. The Investigators scatter... Julie heads back to Elizabeth's room in the smaller building (2). Ray takes cover in the storage area (1). Nat quickly runs out of the compound.

Eerie silence sets in.

Nat,Nat quickly runs out into the desert. If he takes their original entrance point, he notes once more that the current hole in the fence cannot be passed through in a hurry. So indeed the wire-cutters are in order. The desert is warm, as the ground passes off the excess heat it gathered during the day. It is very dark... While running, Nat sees pairs of eyes in the darkness... Coyotes, perhaps? Luckily, he remembers where their cars are, and finds old man [b]Tobias[/b] by the receiver. [color=#000080]"Long time no see, kid. This machine has been acting up, you know. I could hear things most of the time clearly... But then there were these noises and hums and buzzes, very strong ones, drowning out all the voices. They were fading in and out. From what I gathered, they were especially strong near the meditation place or whatever those damn hippies have there."[/color] There are instruments in the car, including a wire cutter.

Julie,Julie runs back to the house, and lies down on the stale mattress. Pretends to sleep... She can hear her own heart pounding in the darkness. Minutes pass... --- Make a [b]Listen[/b] check!

Ray,Ray runs over to the south-east corner of the compound. The structure here is not a proper building, just a tin roof on rows of posts. Still, it will do as a hiding place, as there is some old rusty farming equipment (ploughs etc.), and crates covered with tarps. He takes cover behind the stockpiles. From this position, he can survey most of the compound --- although in this darkness visibility is very low. A few minutes pass. The door of the hangar opens. Two people exit the building. One of them is supporting the other. By the faint light coming from the inside Ray sees that it is Cavendish, supported by one of the Church member girls. The girl slowly leads Cavendish towards the bigger house (4). Cavendish can barely walk...

Nat,After giving the instructions to Tobias (who seems to be actually less drunk, than the six empty cans would imply - he must have a high alcohol tolerance), Nat grabs the tools and a flashlight, and jogs back to the fence. He settles down at the part behind the storage area (1), and slowly and carefully starts working, clipping wire after wire, trying to avoid making noise. He manages to make a big enough opening. After he climbs through, he notices [b]Ray[/b] hiding behind some crates, under the storage area's roof. Nat quickly takes cover next to him.

Ray,The two figures (the girl leading Cavendish) disappear from Ray's field of view, but quite possibly enter the house (4). For some time, nothing happens. But soon Ray notices a sound coming from behind him: [i]*snip, snip, snip*[/i] He turns around, and notices a shadow by the fence - and realizes that it's [b]Nat[/b], cutting through the wires with a heavy tool, making an escape route. The young man finishes the work, than quickly runs over and takes cover next to Ray.

Julie hears something.

OOC,Listen roll (40% skill) in the bedroom: [dice]0[/dice]

"I heard the hangar door open a few minutes ago," Julie says quietly into the microphone, "but Liz isn't back yet. I hope she's just gone to the outhouse first or something. I'll stay here for at least a little longer. If you see Ray and Nat, let them know what I said."

Mr. Handy wrote:

"I heard the hangar door open a few minutes ago," Julie says quietly into the microphone, "but Liz isn't back yet. I hope she's just gone to the outhouse first or something. I'll stay here for at least a little longer. If you see Ray and Nat, let them know what I said."

When Julie spoke this, Nat was just wrapping up his conversation with Tobias. Tobias relayed the message to him.

OOC,Please, keep putting your actions under spoiler tags while separated! :)

Nat and Ray,The dynamic duo is reunited behind the stacks of crates and rusting farming equipment. [b]Nat[/b] reports Julie's words to Ray ([i]"I heard the hangar door open a few minutes ago, but Liz isn't back yet. I hope she's just gone to the outhouse first or something. I'll stay here for at least a little longer"[/i] - 'here' meaning the bedroom of the smaller house). [b]Ray[/b] nods: this is lining up with what he saw, and he shares it with Nat: A few minutes ago the door of the hangar opened. Two people exited the building. One of them was supporting the other. By the faint light coming from the inside Ray saw Cavendish, supported by one of the Church member girls. The girl slowly led Cavendish towards the bigger house (4). Cavendish could barely walk. Then they porbably entered that house. A few more minutes pass. Then once again there is movement: The Church member girl comes out of the house (4), and heads back to the hangar. She spends some time there, than comes out again - this time she is carrying a motionless body over her shoulder! She walks with ease. She must be very strong - or perhaps the person whom she is carrying is very light... She goes to the old trailer (7), opens the door, and takes the other person inside.

Julie,Around five minutes pass, and Julie hears the creaking of the hangar door again. But nobody is coming in the direction of her house.

OOC - Cotton,Sorry, I wanted to move things along a bit, so had Ray recount what he saw!

Julie,[color=orangered]"I heard the hangar door again,"[/color] says [b]Julie[/b] quietly into her microphone, [color=orangered]"but she's still not coming. I don't think she will. I'm on my way back down to where you're hiding. If you're not there, I'll try the hangar."[/color] She gets up and ventures outside.

Julie cautiously sneaks out of the house, and immediately turns right, towards the storage area.

Ray and Nat notice her coming, and quickly make some space for her too in their hiding place. They lay low behind the stacks of crates and rusty equipment, and keep their eyes on the compound grounds.

Ray and Nat share what they've seen so far:

First, the door of the hangar opened. Two people exited the building. One of them was supporting the other. By the faint light coming from the inside Ray saw Cavendish, supported by one of the Church member girls. The girl slowly led Cavendish towards the bigger house (4). Cavendish could barely walk. Then they probably entered that house.

A few minutes later, the Church member girl came out of the house (4), and went back to the hangar. She spent some time there, than came out again - this time she was carrying a motionless body over her shoulder! Yet she walked with ease. She must be very strong - or perhaps the person whom she was carrying is very light... She went to the old trailer (7), opened the door, and took the other person inside.

Turns out, Julie was lucky: if she had exited the house a bit earlier, she would have bumped into her!

A few more minutes pass, and the Investigators see the trailer's door fling open. The girl comes out, alone. In the faint light coming from inside, Julie recognizes her as 'N. 'N swiftly head back to the hangar and goes inside.

Julie quietly identifies the girl. "Do you have any idea who she was carrying?" she whispers. "Could it have been Liz?"

Ray says, "We couldn't see who she was carrying but it definitely could have been. I'm going to sneak over to the trailer and see what's going on, Julie if you see that 'N girl come back out and head towards me then try and distract her if you can."

"Ok Boss." Nat watches Ray melt into the darkness. "Gee, I hope no one sees him; otherwise we"re up the creek." He whispers to Julie. "That girl, N, would you say she's super strong?"

"I wouldn't know," Julie whispers back. "I never saw her lift anything before. If she comes out, I'll make like I'm heading for the outhouse and start talking to her to distract her. In fact, maybe I should just stand watch at the outhouse now."

Nat and Julie,[color=#0000BF]"Yeah, it'll be good to watch Ray's back." [/color]whispers Nat.[color=#0000BF] "Be careful."[/color] He adds lamely.

Nat and Julie,[color=orangered]"Thanks, you too,"[/color] says [b]Julie[/b]. She moves to the outhouse and stands in front of it, poised as if to open it while she keeps watch.

Ray,Ray quickly makes his way through the courtyard, and reaches the trailer (7). The trailer is old and rusty. The wheels are missing, and the chassis is propped up with bricks. He opens the door just a crack. Inside, it's dark and silent. Ray notices that hangar door opens once more, and the same old scene is repeated: [b]N'[/b] comes out, carrying a body over her shoulder. She heads towards the big house, but then melts into the darkness, as the hangar door closes and the faint light disappears.

Nat,Nat stays at their hiding place. [b]Ray[/b] hurries off into the darkness, in the direction of the old trailer. [b]Julie[/b] heads over to the outhouse. She disappears from Nat's field of view (obscured by the smaller house), and also the night is dark. A minute later the hangar door opens, and in the faint light that seeps from inside Nat sees that [b]N' [/b]comes out, carrying a body over her shoulder. She is headed towards the big house.

Julie,Julie quickly makes her way to the outhouse. From here, she can sort of see the hangar, but anything that's further away (like the trailer) is obscured by the darkness of the night. A minute later the hangar door opens, and in the faint light that seeps from inside Julie sees that [b]N' [/b]comes out, carrying a body over her shoulder. She is headed towards the big house. Julie can approach her and meet just before the porch of the big house. If she wishes to stay hidden, she can easily do so by moving behind the outhouse.

Julie,[b]Julie[/b] ducks behind the outhouse and keeps watching, seeing no reason to reveal herself yet if [b]N'[/b] isn't heading toward the trailer. [color=orangered]"[b]N'[/b] just came out of the hangar, carrying a body toward the big house,"[/color] she says softly into her microphone. She peers at the body, trying to identify who it is. [spoiler]Spot Hidden roll (45% skill) looking at the body: [dice]0[/dice][/spoiler]

Ray,[b]Ray[/b] will slip inside the trailer a carefully search around.

Julie,[color=orangered]"[b]N'[/b] just carried [b]Do[/b] into the house, unconscious,"[/color] [b]Julie[/b] says quietly into the microphone, continuing to watch.

Ray,The coast is clear. Ray sees nobody in the courtyard. The only change is that now a light is on in the big house (4). Ray quickly covers the distance between the trailer and the hangar, and enters. Inside the hangar, it is still hot and humid. The oriental curtains are open. The black pool is gone. The spit rock stands in the middle of the hangar. Five young people, members of the Temple, lay scattered around the rock on the sand. Ray now notices Elizabeth. She is motionless, perhaps unconscious, like the others.

Nat,A light is switched on inside the big house (4). A minute passes, and Nat sees Ray. The boss quickly crosses the courtyard, and enters the hangar.

Julie,A minute passes, and Julie sees Ray. He quickly crosses the courtyard, and enters the hangar. N' is still inside the house.

Julie,[color=orangered]"[b]Ray[/b]'s in the hangar now,"[/color] adds [b]Julie[/b] into the microphone softly. [color=orangered]"If she comes back out before he's clear, I'll have to distract her."[/color] She keeps watching.

Ray,Ray enters the inner room of the hangar. The building stands on the desert ground, without a floor or foundation. Ray notices that there is a wide, circular depression in the sand, the same size as the strange shimmering black pool he witnessed earlier. It's about 7-8 inches deep in the middle, at the split rock. A quick check confirms that Elizabeth is alive. Her body twitches now and then, as if tortured by nightmares. She is unconscious.

Julie,A minute passes. Then the door of the house opens with a creek, and [b]'N[/b] exits the building. She starts walking towards the hangar.

Nat,A minute passes. The door of the house opens with a creek, and [b]'N[/b] exits the building. She starts walking towards the hangar.

Julie,When [b]N'[/b] is not looking in her direction, [b]Julie[/b] moves back around to the front of the outhouse and opens the door partway, keeping her hand on the handle as if she is just entering or exiting the outhouse. [color=orangered]"Oh, hi, [b]N'[/b]!"[/color] she calls loudly, waving with her free hand.

Julie,'N stops, slowly turns around, and takes a few steps towards Julie. [color=#0000BF]"Oh. Hi there. I didn't notice you. Julie, right?"[/color] she asks. Her voice is strained and hoarse. Quite a contrast to the youthful and spunky way she spoke earlier today. Around 25 feet separates [b]'N[/b] from Julie now. There is some light, coming from inside the house, but not enough: 'N is a shadow or silhouette against the darkness. Julie cannot make out any details, like her face. --- You can make a [b]Psychology[/b] roll!

Nat,'N exits the house, then stops, turns around, and moves a few steps back, towards the outhouse where Julie is hiding. --- Roll [b]Listen[/b]!

Julie,[color=orangered]"That's right,"[/color] says [b]Julie[/b], walking toward [b]N'[/b] to close the distance so that her eyes are focused on [b]Julie[/b] and not on the hangar, which she hopes will give [b]Ray[/b] time to sneak out of there. [color=orangered]"I was just going to the outhouse. What brings you out here?"[/color] [spoiler]Psychology roll (10% base skill) about [b]N'[/b]: [dice]0[/dice][/spoiler]

aine wrote:

Nat,"Holy crap" Nat thinks as he watches the predatory figure entering the hanger. There's no time to warn Ray, " I guess if no one has spotted him so far in there he must have found somewhere to hide." He scans all round the area for Julie and listens out for any uproar coming from the hanger.

Nat,[ooc]I'm afraid you misread something! So let me clarify: Ray was in the trailer (7), then he went over and entered the hangar (5). He is now inside. Julie hides somewhere behind the toilet/outhouse (3). 'N was in the house (4). 'N now came out of the house (4), stopped before the door. At first she wanted to go towards (5), but then changed direction, and took a few steps towards (3). Nat is hiding at (1). I hope this clears up the situation! Also, please make a [b]Listen[/b] check![/ooc] [attachment=0]Compound map.png[/attachment]

Julie,[b]'N[/b] pauses for a second. Her shoulders are slightly stooped, like that of a derby jammer during countdown. [color=#0000BF]"Evening stroll, [i]Julie[/i]. Go back to the house, [i]Julie[/i], sleep more,"[/color] she says. Her voice is pitched deeper and deeper. She pronounces Julie's name with a strange emphasis. Julie realizes, that even up closer, she cannot make out the details of 'N's face. Granted, it's quite dark outside, but even those slight rays of light from the house's windows seem to [i]avoid[/i] N'. --- Make a [b]Sanity[/b] roll (0/1)!

Nat,Nat is lucky - the mild desert wind is blowing fragments of the conversation in his direction. [i]"...Hi there. I didn't notice you. Julie, right?"[/i] says one person with a hoarse, strained voice. Can it be 'N? Nat just cannot match this strange voice to that energetic young girl he saw. At least Julie's voice is normal and recognizable: [i]"That's right. I was just going to the outhouse. What brings you out here?"[/i] [i]"Evening stroll, Julie. Go back to the house, Julie, sleep more,"[/i] the voice continues, pitching deeper and deeper with every word.

Ray,Ray carefully lifts up Elizabeth. The girl is thin and light, he can carry her without any problem. Moving quickly, or carrying her for a long time could be a problem, though. Ray sneaks over to the entrance. The courtyard is dark, not much can be seen. However, there is a light on in the long house (4). In the slight illumination Ray sees the outlines of two figures standing there. One of them is [b]Julie[/b] - the light reflects from her bright red hair. She is facing towards the hangar. The second figure is facing Julie (so stands with their back turned to the hangar and Ray). Ray cannot tell who that is - although the most likely possibility is that girl 'N. [attachment=0]Compound map.png[/attachment]

Julie,[b]Julie[/b] is weirded out by what she's seeing and hearing, but she knows she has to keep [b]N'[/b] talking and looking away from the hangar until [b]Ray[/b] is safely clear. [color=orangered]"I can't sleep,"[/color] she says. [color=orangered]"I'm really not tired."[/color] [spoiler]Sanity roll (current level 50) looking at [b]N'[/b]: [dice]0[/dice][/spoiler]

Julie,Julie's skin crawls. She feels her hairs stand on end. [b]'N[/b] is suddenly within an arm's reach. It's weird how Julie didn't see her move or take a step. [color=#0000BF]"--- I can help you sleep, [i]Julie[/i] --- dream little dreams, [i]Julie[/i] ---"[/color] The voice is not spoken. It emerges as a distorted echo from the abyss that should be [b]'N[/b]'s face. Julie's gaze is drawn towards this black emptiness... --- Make a [b]Sanity[/b] roll (1/1d3)!

Nat,Nat sees the hangar door slowly open. Somebody steps out --- is it Ray? Please, let it be Ray! It looks like Ray! Nat recognizes his boss' posture. Ray freezes, considering his options - what is he holding? Is that Elizabeth? It looks like a body, limp and motionless - is she alive? Please, let her be alive! Ray assesses the situation, then turns left and tries to duck behind the corner of the hangar as quickly as possible. By sheer luck, Nat can still hear parts of the conversation between [b]Julie[/b] and [b]'N[/b] - but the dialog is getting stranger... and more menacing. Is it really [b]'N[/b]? The voice is pitched deep, distorted... Nat cannot help but think of the mangled radio signals from Julie's wire. [i] "I can't sleep. I'm really not tired,"[/i] Julie says. [i][color=#000040]"--- I can help you sleep, Julie --- dream little dreams, Julie ---"[/color][/i]

Julie,[b]Julie[/b] hastily backs away, her muscles tense and ready to spring into action and avoid her if she tries anything, as if she were on a roller derby track trying to dodge an opponent. She screams as loud as she can, in part to alert [b]Nat[/b] and [b]Ray[/b], and in part because she's downright terrified. She tries to look away from the void, watching her arms and legs instead. [spoiler]Sanity roll (current level 49) looking at where [b]N'[/b]'s face should be: [dice]0[/dice][/spoiler]

Nat,Nat ducks back down, he really hopes Tobias is ready and waiting for a signal as it looks like showdown is imminent. Trouble is, that radio is unreliable with a) N right next to it listening in and b) those wierd distortions - which might also be N somehow. [i]'Come on, Jules, get rid of her!'[/i] He thinks. And Ray has a way to go to get back here unless he decides to escape through the eastern hole that Nat first made. Nat judges the distance back to Tobias and wonders how long it'd take him to run back and get the car.

ooc,How long would it take, roughly?

Keepers note,Edited post to put it under spoilers!

Julie,Julie screams and averts her eyes. Her body starts to tremble, and she feels her vital energies being drawn into the black void. She is almost paralyzed by fear and the deranged pull of the emptiness. A vision of the terrible alien city submerged in pitch black ground from her dream hits her again. --- [list][*]Julie's [b]MOV[/b] is halved. [*]Make an [b]opposed POW[/b] roll against the draining force! On a failure, lose 2d10 points of CON. [b]Draining force 75[/b] [dice]0[/dice] ( = Regular success) [dice]1[/dice] 5 CON point loss on failure. [*]Make a [b]Sanity[/b] roll (1/1d3)![/list]

Nat,Tobias and the car are some 300 yards away from the compound, waiting for the sign. Nat is a good runner... if he really pushes himself, he can cover the distance in 30 seconds. As Nat contemplates the possibilities, he hears a blood-curdling scream - [b]Julie[/b] is in trouble! --- If Nat tries to dash to the car, make a [b]CON[/b] check! You are allowed to [b]push this roll[/b] (rulebook, p. 84-85)

Julie,[b]Julie[/b] feels weaker and slower. She flees in terror, trying to head to the rendezvous point, though her movements are sluggish and she is not the speed demon she usually is. [spoiler]Is that halved MOV rounded up or down? POW roll (50% stat) to resist draining: [dice]0[/dice] Sanity roll (current level 48) for the vision: [dice]1[/dice][/spoiler]

Julie,Driven by the instinct to survive, Julie turns away and runs. Pain tears into her muscles with every movement. The yawning abyss is already latched onto her, and Julie's youthful energy ebbs. A black shroud floats before her eyes, darker than the dark night. Julie reaches the corner of the small house --- --- and almost collides with another person, who comes darting out from cover. The other person halts. Julie panics - is she caught between two perils now? But no - Julie realizes that this other person is [b]Nat[/b]! --- Make another [b]opposed POW[/b] roll against the draining force! On a failure, lose 2d10 points of CON. [b]Draining force 75[/b] [dice]0[/dice] ( = Extreme success... :o ) [dice]1[/dice] 5 CON loss on failure. [spoiler]MOV is rounded down. Also, please, recalculate Hit points according to the new CON value![/spoiler] [ooc]You can stop using spoilers now![/ooc]

Nat,Nat makes a quick decision, and charges into the unknown. Suddenly, a figures steps, or almost stumbles out from behind the corner. Nat stops just in time to avoid collision - and he realizes that it's [b]Julie[/b]! She is moving slowly, clearly in great pain. And her contour seems to... vibrate? How is that even possible? Nat looks over Julie's shoulder, and sees... [i]IT.[/i] Not so much sees, rather realizes a presence. A person, the strange young woman, [b]'N[/b]. Her figure is vague. Granted, it is dark here, but even the slight rays of light from the house's windows seem to [i]avoid[/i] N'. And in the place where her face should be, there is just BLACKNESS, an unfathomable void. --- Make a [b]Sanity[/b] roll (1/1d3)! [ooc]You can stop using spoilers now![/ooc]

"I feel so weak..." moans Julie, glancing behind her. "She's draining me...I think we have to make a stand and fight. I can't run very fast."

OOC,Did [b]N'[/b] chase me? Is she close enough that I can fight? I now have 11 HP with my CON reduced to 60. POW roll (50% stat) to resist draining: [dice]0[/dice]

N' didn't move, so she is some 15-20 yards away. Despite the distance, Julie can still feel the pull of the force.

"She didn't chase me," Julie says. "Maybe we should just keep our distance from her. We've got to find Ray and Lizzie, and get out of here."

San,(60%) roll: 27 %

Holy pants on fire! Shouts Nat as he just misses walloping Julie and slows to a halt by grabbing her arm and swinging around her. He's looking over her shoulder,
"What is that thing? It's hard to see, darker than black! Julie, what's wrong with you? Hadn't we better just run? Tobias! Old man? Time to roll - get down here now!"

He shouts into Julie's chest in case the radio is somehow still working. Whatever N is, he doesn't want to see any more of it,
"Come on Jules, it's time to leave. I saw Ray, looked like he was carrying Liz, let's hope he made it out. Come on!"

Nat attempts to pick Julie up bodily and run to the hole in the west fence with her.

Julie nods and lets Nat carry her. Under normal circumstances, she'd have been able to keep up with him. Fortunately, she has a small frame and he's fairly strong.

Julie almost collapses, but Nat catches and ushers her towards their escape route. Nat feels that Julie is trembling and weakened - but her body also feels heavy. It pulls downwards, like dead weight.

Julie,With Nat's support, Julie puts some more distance between herself and [b]'N[/b]... But the uncanny force of gravity is still latched onto her, draining her... ----------------- Make another [b]opposed POW[/b] roll against the draining force! On a failure, lose 2d10 points of CON. [b]Draining force 75[/b] [dice]0[/dice] CON loss on failure: [dice]1[/dice]

The thing that is 'N doesn't give chase - but lets out a growl -- no, not a growl, but an unnatural, disjointed sound, somewhere between choking and coughing.

Why isn't it following them?

What is happening?

Do they dare to look back one last time, before they duck behind the corner of the house?

The hole in the fence is already so close...

Julie barely manages to resist the drain. "She's still latched onto me!" she cries. "Can we ever get far enough away, or will she just keep weakening me until I die? We may have to confront her. Where are Ray and Lizzie?"

OOC,Opposed POW roll (50% stat): [dice]0[/dice]

Nat gives up looking for the car and hunkers down next to Julie, "I think I saw Ray carrying Lizzie away to the other hole in a the fence. Look, I'll go through the fence first and then it should be easier to pull you through; we can't fight that thing- she's crazy strong. Can't you think of flowers or kittens or something to break the hold?"

"I'll try that," says Julie weakly. "Yeah, a kitten. A kitten hanging from a tree branch. Hang in there, baby."

OOC,[img]https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/166/355/d6a.jpg[/img]

Nat climbs through the hole in the fence and then attempts to drag Julie through too. "Here we go, Jules, yes a sweet little kitten, hanging on the branch, trying to swat the butterflies."

Roll,If needed: rolled 20 (Str:60) (nice kitten!)

Julie struggles to claw through the fence. "Not trying to swat the butterflies," she says. "It needs both its front paws just to hang onto the branch."

OOC,Thanks! That poster (and others based on it) is just so seventies.

With Nat's help Julie crawls through the hole in the fence, and the duo flees into the desert. They leave the wretched compound behind, reluctant to look back - perhaps afraid that they would turn to a pillar of salt.

Julie's lungs are burning, and all movement is physically excruciating. She feels that her very essence, a part of her, is gone, siphoned into the well of darkness. But she cannot sense its power over herself any more.

Nat and Julie run blindly into the black night. Nat's torchlight quivers as he sprints, picking out random objects from the darkness - dried bushes, rocks - mundane things that barely mean anything to them anymore.

Suddenly, there is a screeching of tires. The car stops in the last moment - its lights were off. Nat's torch illuminates the puffy face of Tobias behind the driver's wheel. Ray is on the back seat, holding the motionless body of Elizabeth against his chest.

Nat and Julie jump into the vehicle, Tobias makes a hairpin turn, and drives off, as quickly as possible, no longer caring whether anybody hears or sees them.

Ray is pale as death. He is too tired to talk. Elizabeth is alive, but unconscious, her breathing is ragged and heavy.

"Boss, you made it! Is she okay? Julie's wounded. Something weird, but at least we are all out alive. There's some crazy people in that place, man!" Nat exclaims, super relieved to be the in the car. "Better step on it, old man, it won't take them long to get that vehicle of theirs going!"

"Not physically wounded," says Julie. "I can't explain it. It's like she drained part of my life force. I feel slower, weaker. I think we're far enough away that she can't do it any more now. I just hope I get better. I'll never be able to play roller derby like this. I hope Lizzie will be okay too." She examines her friend, trying to determine what might be wrong with her.

"I found Elizabeth unconscious in the hangar... The other members of the congregation were all in a similar state," Ray explains. He tries to act cool, but his tone betrays that he is shaken but what he saw. "Perhaps they were also assaulted in a way you were, Julie. Although it seems different. You are conscious, just weakened, right? Elizabeth and the others have sunk into this feverish state, almost trance like..."

Julie leans closer and examines her friend. Elizabeth's eyelids and muscles are twitching. It's hard to see in the darkness, but in the light of Nat's torch Julie discerns some sort of a dried, black residue around Elizabeth's nostrils and lips.

"What do we do now?" Ray asks. "We extracted Elizabeth, as was our task... She needs medical attention, and I'm afraid that even when she wakes up, we will have to start the deprogramming, so that she doesn't go back to the Church."

"Hey, that black residue looks like the same stuff that was around that girl's cup. I bet it's drugs of some sort." Says Nat as he looks at Liz's face. "Could we get it analysed somehow?" He looks out the back of the car.

"Boss, you got her out and that's the main thing, isn't it up to the shrinks to sort her out. Jeez, I'd like to go back and clear those crazy weirdos out before they lure any more suckers in but we'd need some back up. I did grab some stones for the Doc but I don't know if they are any good."

"We need to get her to a doctor fast, or get a doctor to her," says Julie. "We've no idea what she's taken or what it's doing to her. Yes, I was conscious the whole time, though I think she was trying to put me to sleep. I think Ray's better than just a regular shrink. They're not used to deprogramming people who have been in cults, and he is."

"Okay let's find a doctor then. We need one who won't ask too many questions though. It's a shame our scientist can't help. Hey old man, you okay to drive or shall I take over?" Nat asks Tobias.

"That's right, Julie," Ray confirms with a nod. Some color has returned to his pale face, and he is on a firmer ground now when he starts talking about the deprogramming procedure. "Elizabeth has to stay with us. We might need to restrain her, if she tries to go back to the compound. Hopefully, with the presence of a familiar person (you, Julie!), and an assessment of what happened..." here Ray's voice fades, and he pauses, clearly uncomfortable by revisiting this memory. "...of what happened to her at the church, we will be able to break the mind control techniques. She will however try to rationalize everything, prove to us that we misunderstand the situation. From what I've heard through the wire, she believes in whatever Cavendish promises wholesale..."

You don't recall a doctor at Kane Spring - the town is rather small. The nearest hospital is in Salton City, about 15 miles north. Tobias, who's been staying in the area for some time now, knows the way. "I'm good, you take care of little miss Lizzy! I know the hospital, I had to take my daughter there when she got food poisoning last week!"

There is a final bump, and the car is back on the proper road, and on the way North, towards Salton City.

Surely, there will be question asked at the hospital. The gang has some time to come up with a story or explanation while on the road.

OOC,What do you plan to say at the hospital?

Nat watches the road speed by in the lights from the car. "Hey, is it even safe for a doctor to see Lizzy? Even if we blame it on drugs we might get into even bigger trouble. And another thing, Cavendish isn't gonna just let this go; I bet he's got cronies out here on the look out for us. Maybe we should just hole up somewhere and do the deprogramming."

"We could say that we believe she's been exposed to hallucinogens," says Julie, "and that her perceptions are not to be relied upon. Hell, after what I've seen, I'm not sure I can trust mine, and I'm pretty sure I'm not tripping on anything. We could also just tell them she's been brainwashed, which is the truth. I mean, Patty Hearst's kidnapping wasn't that long ago. There's enough underhanded stuff going on there that we can make a good case. Of course, that defense didn't go over so well at her trial, but Liz doesn't have to be defended against criminal charges."

"Well okay let's take her to the hospital, just to get her checked out physically; but you won't be able to do your deprogramming until they discharge her, Boss. You two look like you could do with a check over too while we are at it. And let's all keep an eagle eye out for Cavendish and Co."
Nat yawns and falls asleep.