Chapter 8: The Vanishing

[Philulhu]

Dodge (30%),[dice]0[/dice]

Captain FitzWilliam stepped back shortly, having narrowly missed being hit by a flailing branch. ”Can we go around?!” he asked.

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye," says Alexander. "I did bring rope."

OOC,Post edited.

[Philulhu]

OOC,Could we have a map? I’m trying to get my head around where we are.

[Rooter]

Dodge,48%[dice]0[/dice]

Damage,[dice]1[/dice]

Percy is nearly knocked out by a flailing branch.

[HoneyDog]

Almost as soon as the unnatural attack has started, the trees cease their slaughter and become motionless. The snow is stained with the blood of the dead and wounded.

Several of the men, unable to move quickly enough, have been pierced or impaled upon the branches. One man seems to be standing upright, but on closer inspection this is only because a branch has penetrated his skull and has transfixed him to the spot. Another has been disemboweled, and his intestines glisten wetly in the snow.

The survivors, in a state of shock, begin to panic. Some of the injured men flee, and others, streaming blood from various wounds, stagger after them. Soon, despite entreaties, only six men are left, including the burly farmer and the gypsy man, Reuben Petulengro’s father.

McKenzie is uninjured, but seems catatonic from the attack. Smith tries to help him.

“See to your friend, there!”

He indicates Percy with a nod.

OOC,Percy is down to 7HP; please help him! There's no need for a map - the tor is steep rocky cliffs on all sides, and only slopes enough for walking in the spot where you are now. It's the only practical route up. It flattens out at the top.

[aine]

First aid,(30) [dice]0[/dice]

Isolde rushed over to look at Percy but there was too much blood on his scalp for her to see what she could do. "Can anyone else help him? At least get him on the sleigh and keep him warm. The rest of us should push on, I think." She looks rather doubtfully around at the carnage wondering if that was such a good idea.

[Philulhu]

First Aid (40%),[dice]0[/dice]

Captain FitzWilliam knelt by Percy and quickly examined his head. ”It’s a scalp wound,” he said, ”It will bleed heavily but looks worse than it actually is!”

He pulled out a large cotton handkerchief and put it on the wound, before pulling his scarf from around his neck and tying it over the handkerchief to hold it in place. ”How do you feel, Mr Stringer?” Captain FitzWilliam asked. ”Do you feel able to carry on?”

[HoneyDog]

OOC,[url=http://orokos.com/roll/751264]First Aid recovery[/url]: [u]1d3[/u] [b]2[/b] Percy is up to 9 HP

FitzWilliam manages to stop the bleeding from Percy's scalp. As the companions recover, they witness the carnage around them - bodies hanging in branches, blood running down the boughs of the trees. It is truly awful to behold.

Above, the chanting continues.

OOC,As the full horror becomes apparent, SAN loss is 1/1d4. If you pass, you lose 1 point, if you fail roll 1d4. Please keep check of your SAN, as things will probably get worse.

[Mr. Handy]

"What?!" says Alexander, startled. "What?! How...how is this even possible?" The scientific impossibility of what he has just witnessed is more disturbing to him than the death and the gruesome sight, but he recovers quickly. He can search for an explanation later. First they have to stop whatever is happening.

OOC,Sanity roll (current level 80) for the carnage: [dice]0[/dice] Sanity is now 79.

[aine]

Sanity,(50) [dice]0[/dice] Sanity now 49

Although the sight was gruesome Isolde found it more fantastical than grisly. This Druid magic was almost to be expected and Isolde was driven to see more examples of supernatural phenomenon even if it meant grave risk to her own life.
"I wish I'd bought a notebook and it's such a shame no one has one of those cameras to record this on!" She says, looking round in horrified amazement.

not needed roll,[dice]1[/dice]

[Philulhu]

Sanity (45%),[dice]0[/dice] Oh sh*t! :shock: SAN loss = [dice]1[/dice] (43/45) Can’t remember if there’s a further penalty for total and utterly failing your roll... :(

[HoneyDog]

OOC,I believe a fumble results in losing the full amount of SAN possible; in this case 4.

[Philulhu]

Captain FitzWilliam blinked. For a moment, he was back in the Natal. He could feel the heat on his face as he watched his men cleaning up after Colour Sergeant Evans had blown up a box of grenades along with himself and two young Basuto troopers he had been training. FitzWilliam remembered having to climb the nearby trees to recover enough flesh for a decent Christian burial...

He blinked again and it wasn’t the heat of the sun that reddened his cheeks, it was the biting cold. He looked around at his comrades, his eyes distant. ”Come on,” he said. ”Let’s get them for Sarn’t Evans!”

[aine]

Isolde gives Captain Fitzwilliam a puzzled look but then nods and, with a slightly maniacal gleam in her eye, looks upwards to the tor.

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye," says Alexander, staring grimly at the tor. "Let's get up there and avoid the trees."

[Rooter]

SAN,70[dice]0[/dice]

Dazed, Percy stumbles after the others.

[HoneyDog]

Although the party is much reduced in numbers, the remaining villagers and gypsies rally and press on, determined to save the children. McKenzie recovers from his stupor and with Smith’s assistance, strides purposefully up the slope. The murderous trees are quiet, their homicidal frenzy abated.

The party reaches the bare crest of the hill, to witness a sight almost beyond human comprehension. For there, cavorting in the light of the great bonfire burning before them, are a vile horde of twisted, deformed abominations. They are like human children in form, yet are horribly twisted, covered in dark, lank hair, with yellowish skin. Many grasp primitive clubs and axes, and all are engaged in what seems to be a rhythmic chant, as they caper and frolic in a most obscene way. The realisation that these creatures must have been the haunting which has plagued Bargrove Manor for the past weeks, and the brutal murderers of Sir William and the newcomers in the village puts a pause into the hearts of the most determined of onlookers.

The object of their attention is a vast shape which rears in the bonfire’s centre. It is a wicker construction with the rough shape of a man, and within it are six children, screaming in fear. The purpose of the bonfire is now very clear.

No notice has been taken yet of our heroic party.

OOC,The sight of these naked, misshapen figures in this horrific scene, and their intentions toward the innocent children is most trying to the senses. All characters have a 2/1d6+2 SAN roll to attend to. Also, roll Spot Hidden.

[Mr. Handy]

Alexander shudders when he sees the scene before him. "We have to save the children," he whispers.

OOC,Sanity roll (current level 79) for the scene: [dice]0[/dice] Sanity is now 77. Spot Hidden roll (60% skill) at the top of the tor: [dice]1[/dice]

[aine]

Ooc,sanity (49) [dice]0[/dice] SAN loss: [dice]2[/dice] +2 = 6. Sanity now 43 spot hidden (25)[dice]1[/dice]

[Philulhu]

SAN & Spot Hidden,SAN check (41) [dice]0[/dice] SAN loss [dice]2[/dice] Spot Hidden (25%) [dice]1[/dice] Well, [b]FitzWilliam[/b] has seen what there is to see, but that’s probably not much use to him...