ICC- Episode 1 - The Fire in the Hole

[welsh]

At the Blast Site-

Ingwenya pauses a moment as he considers the questions from Shafto and Harry. "Mr Nasnas.... Ah.. he is something of a mystery, and perhaps more than he might appear or seem. I have not met this character nor do I wish to.... This may be just a delusion, you see, and imagination of people who are sleep deprived. Remember, these boys also spoke of shadow people that haunt them. These men have, well, nightmares. To them this Nasnas is not a full man but something.. mixed, a half man. I thought they meant a... what do you call them.. transexual?.. Perhaps but I think no this is something different. I have heard others speak of something moving through the Hole in the late night..a man that hops on one leg, with one arm, but moving very fast, that hides in shadows. I am told this Nasnas appears as a fully formed individual, but this is a mask. Or perhaps this Nasnas is a part man, part spirit or demon, and has inhabited the nature of a man. You see.. I think many of you would think that this is fiction, a boogeyman. But as such, this man is likely to change his shape or identity, perhaps he is a man or a woman.. who can tell. But I have been told that this creature feeds on the poor, the destitute, the lonely, the abandoned or forsaken, and as you can see, in this place, there are many that fit that description. But no, I have heard little of him as late, but rather people have become hushed. They know people are vanishing, but they prefer not to speak of who is behind this. They speak to me of this perhaps because I am a man of the cloth and I take their confessions. But It is not unlike other places in America, no, were the local community will not speak least they experience retaliation by telling too much to people who should not know. This Nasnas might be something of a gangster then, who rules by fear. All I can tell of him, is that he is of the Middle East, but he is not Muslim, but perhaps something that came before Islam, when the land was ruled by pagan cults, djinn and shaetins."

He pauses and then laughs. "Ah but you will not take this seriously because you are modern people, yes?"

Ingwenya then turns to Gonzales, "But my friend I am from Africa and we see things different. To us the spirit world is not far away, and that the ghosts of the past live with us. Where I am from, the cruel political leaders rule because people fear them, not only because they can do terrible violence and cruelty, but because people believe they are witches and control terrible supernatural forces. This is what we believe, and who is to say we are wrong, or any more wrong than any of your more modern faiths. We believe in magic, supernature and devils that walk the earth. This Nasnas may be a real person, a demon or both at the same time. What is impossible in the mind of God?"

"I am an African Zionist to answer your question." Says Ingwenya. "There are many different types of us, and sometimes we are called African indigenous churches or African-initiated churches. We are Christians but there are different types. Some are Ethiopian, others Zionist, Messianic or even Aldura Pentecostal. When Europeans brought Jesus and Protestantism or Catholicism to Africa to convert us Black Africans, that got many converts but many of the Europeans were racist bastards who thought themselves superior because of the color of their skin. Many of us Black Africans had difficulty reconciling the European faiths with our own world views and experiences, our sense of the spiritual world. If you are asking about our affiliations, our churches draw from many European faiths. Some are more Anglican, or Roman Catholic or Methodist. Mine is a Zionist Church but of Central Africa. My church draws its origins from Christian Catholic Apostolic Church found in Zion by John Alexander Dowie, of Zion, Illinois. But you can see my robes are black, and draw from Catholicism. We also draw on the Zion Christian Church from Zion City, Limpopo, South Africa and Ibandla Lenkosi Apostolic Church in Zion. But in truth, we mix the Messianic and the Zionist practices for our people who usually were not supportive of more Kimbanguist faith that is popular in my native Congo."

OCC- note for more on African Initiated Churches- for your interest- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-initiated_church

IC


Near the container

Conroy and Miranda are stepping away from container's door, moving away to fetch the protective gear, have gone perhaps a dozen steps. But even as they do so they begin to feel that the air around them seems to be drawn into the container. The door of the container seems almost like the maw of some giant beast drawing in a breath, and even as they step away, they can feel a tug in the air that seeks to draw them inside. They feel suction of the air on their skins, pulling at them even from the distance, tugging at them. Both Lapis and Dowd feel the pull and step away.

Dowd calls out, "Something inside the container?"

"Fuck if I know." Calls out Lapis.

Everyone notices that some of the particles of dust around them, on the floor are being pulled inside the container, being picked up and sucked in, as if captured by some vacuum cleaner.

Further away near the blast site, the rescue calls out, "We've broken through!"

But there too the air seems to being to be drawn into the basement. The rescue crew begin to step away as the others can see the dust around the site begins to lift, pulled as if by vacuum towards the hole."

Wade calls out. "Get away from the hole. Move back!" Even as she pilots the drone away.

Ruffino is now alert even as Salvaggio, the fire inspector, approaches and orders everyone back. Ruffino calls back, "Everyone back away now, back now. Pull back."

Even so the air begins to seem to swirl around the top of the blast sight, a funnel cloud of red dust begins to spin about, pulling the red dust around towards it and down through the narrow hole recently made.

A sound begins to emit from the hole in the blast site cavern, a high pitched whine that seems to become more of a sceam. From the cavern comes an answer that sounds more like the roar as increasingly dust seems to get pulled towards both the blast site and the open container.

OCC Everyone Role d 100!

[Philulhu]

OOC, 54/100 - https://www.dholeshouse.org/Tools/DiceVerifier?RID=6a4a2b9c-f509-4323-9948-b4a690b1e7dd

IC - Harry Shibatu

Harry’s head snapped around. ”What the hell was that?!”

[Philulhu]

OOC, 39/100 - https://www.dholeshouse.org/Tools/DiceVerifier?RID=70f1c447-708b-47fe-9be7-1625af67668c

IC - Jakob Kaminski

Kaminski was hurriedly pulling on his boots as he heard the whistling noise building and saw the sand start to move towards the container, like someone had switched on a giant vacuum cleaner.

He stood and instantly felt off-balance. ”What’s going on?!” he cried.

[Snapper]

OOC - Gonzales:

D100: 1d100 5

[Snapper]

OOC - Conroy:

D100: 1d100 8

[Snapper]

ICC - Conroy:

Conroy starts rushing all present away from the container. "Everyone get way from this thing! Some kind of chemical reaction, might be explosive! Move!"

[Snapper]

ICC - Gonzales:

Gonzales' attention is caught by the events at the blast site. "Reverend, might be a good time to take cover."

Gun-hand resting on the grip of his holstered handgun, Gonzales starts cautiously moving towards the blast site. He keeps an eye out for anyone in need of assistance.

He tries to move from cover to cover, in case anything goes bang.

[Mr. Handy]

Lee also helps the Reverend evacuate the area. He doesn't know what's happening, but he's sure it can't be good.

[Mr. Handy]

"I've got a bad feeling about this," says Miranda as she tries to flee from the container.

[welsh]

IC- Near the Container- and near the blast site

The air around both the blast site and the container becomes turbulent, as if two giant beasts were drawing in breathes, pulling in the particles of dust that are now swirling about the area. In the process, those around both the blast site and the container struggle to hold their ground against the turbulence and growing vacuum.

The air around the breach continues to swirl over the recently made hole. It is as if the rescue workers have torn a hole in the fabric of reality which now seems hungry to drag in the world into a newly created void, as a vacuum is draining the air into the hole.

Those further away that have been watching begin to hurry away least they be caught up air. Near the blast site, the rescue workers struggle to get away, but one of the men seems to be losing his battle, slipping and being pulled towards the recently breached hole. His colleagues quickly reach to grab the flaying man to pull him away, catching his arms, dragging him back, even as his legs begin to lose their grip and seems to be pulled out from under him.

Ruffino's tent is pulled away and his documents sent fluttering into the wind as he tries to keep his cap on his head. Salvaggio is rushing towards the blast site to help his workers. Both Dowd and Lapis grab the side of the container as they begin to descend and try to hang on. Wade continues to steer the drone away from the site and seems relatively still against the windstorm.

Conroy feels the tug against him pulling towards the the container, but he feels his legs tighten and strengthen, despite the muddy soil.

But he also sees Miranda seem to slip, her shoes sliding in the mud and then she's seems to lose her balance, and then it seems she is being lifted up and pulled towards the maw of the container, which seems to be almost drawing in a breath all the loose red dust around it.

Miranda is being pulled into the container, slipping and sliding backwards, being dragged back. Slipping away, being dragged away, losing her battle to escape the pull that is all around her now. The red dust stings her, scratches her, encircles her and seems to almost pull her towards the container....

Conroy sees her desperation in Miranda. He is close enough. Can he save her?

(OCC- Snapper- Conroy can have an instinctive roll to save Miranda from being pulled into the container but he has to grab her arm! Roll!)

Ingwenya also seems to be battling the pull. His arms are outstretched and he is muttler a prayer in Congolese even as it seems the skin of his face and hands are being lacerated by huge scratches caused by the whirling dust, leave slashes of red across his face and hands. He remains on his feet, legs spread to maximize his balance, and his voice gaining volume as he prays.

Then it seems a red brick, hurls from behind, hits Ingwenya in the back of his head, knocking him off his balance and breaking his prayer. His legs try to regain their grip but he is being pulled towards the hole in the ground.

Shafto, Harry and Gonzales, you are within reach of Ingwenya and can save him. You can feel the dust swirling around you, wiping and stinging your skin, pulling at you, but your legs remain strongly fixed and steady despite the pressure pulling at you towards the blast site hole.

(OCC Roll d 1/100 to pull Ingwenya back from the abyss!)

[Mr. Handy]

Lee tries to pull the reverend away from the hole, but even his great strength is challenged.

[Mr. Handy]

Miranda desperately reaches out for Conroy.

[Philulhu]

OOC, Strength check - 32/65: https://www.dholeshouse.org/Tools/DiceVerifier?RID=721565f9-4778-46b7-8b07-03d543919a9f

IC - Harry Shibatu

Harry saw that Lee was struggling to help the Reverend so he braced himself and grabbed at the man’s cassock as it flicked around him in the wind. Catching a handful of the material he pulled steadily, trying to get him away from hole.

[Philulhu]

OOC, Spot Hidden - 42/20 - nope... https://www.dholeshouse.org/Tools/DiceVerifier?RID=1b611c45-ce23-40d2-bb15-7e466418de93

IC - Jakob Kaminski

Kaminski saw Miranda struggling to escape the pull of the wind. Desperately, he looked around for something which he could use to reach out to her, like a rope or something similar...

[Snapper]

Conroy:


With a cry of "No!", Conroy lunges for Miranda, oblivious of his own safety.


Lunge for Miranda: 1d100 40

[Snapper]

Gonzalez:

Gonzalez quickly rushes to Ingwenya's aid.


Saving the Rev: 1d100 85

[welsh]

At the Hole-

Around the entire cite the red dust seems to fill the air, as if for a moment everyone is caught in a whirling snowstorm or a desert sandstorm. The world is suddenly red, and the group can feel the dust sting their eyes, slip into their mouths and noses, into their lungs, they can feel it sting their eyes.

But then the air begins to form almost a funnel, swirling, spinning, an inverse tornado, a whirlpool of sand, into both the basement of the ruined house and the container.

At the blast site, two men are fighting to hold onto one man who has already lost his balance, his legs taken out from under him, as if caught in the vortex and being pulled underground.

Miranda loses her balance as if some force is dragging her towards the container. She screams for help, reaches out, and Conroy is able to grasp her arm as she slides, and then, she too is off her feet as if being pulled into the container. Conroy struggles to hold her and can feel his feet sliding, as whatever has grabbed Miranda pulls desperate for her, towards the container. Something has seized her body, wrapped itself around her, and is pulling you into the maw of the container

The group can hear roars bellowing... for the container and from the hole... as if something alive was inside each... perhaps the howl of a wind.

Harry fights a similar battle as does Conroy, holding onto the Reverend who has also lost is balance and is being pulled, not to the container but towards the wrecked house. Both Javier and Shafto move to assist but they cannot reach the Reverend. They can only witness. Yet it seems that Harry is steady and gives no ground.

On the container, Dowd and Lapis struggle and then, with a heave, push the doors of the container, up and away, trying to close the container.

At the hole, the men lose their grip over one of the rescue worker who seems to be pulled through the air towards the hole with a horrified scream. His body seems to slip into the narrow opening the rescue workers have opened, and the man, screaming, tries to claw his way out. To those who witness it seems as if the man is desperate to escape being swallowed...

The door to the container hovers for a brief moment, and then slams shut with a massive bang just as the rescue worker is about to slip under ground.

The container seems to groan, as if frustrated, as suddenly the air stills..

Miranda's body slides to the floor, crumpled, as does the Reverend. The man at the hole desperate tries to crawl out.

The air seems cleared of the strange red dust...

The heavy metal doors swing for a moment in the air, and then they slam shut over the container's opening. There is a groaning from within the container.

For a moment they can look around. Everyone at the blast site seems disorientated, confused. Salvaggio is heading over to the hole, yelling out, "Get him out of there!" Wade is looking at the crew to check if they are ok. Ruffino looks over the knocked over tent, dragged near the blast hole, his documents scattered. The police officers and rescue workers seem confused. The rescue dogs begin to whine.

Whatever has happened had happened so quickly and suddenly, and those who have witnessed seem unsure of what they have seen, and seem to look about disbelieving what they have just experience.

Ingwenya looks at Harry, then to Shafto and Javier, and whispers. "Be ready.... It isn't over yet."

OCC- a couple of rolls need to be made. I've sent pm's out, so just give us a chance to process those before we continue this moment.

[Philulhu]

IC - Harry Shibatu

Maintaining his grip on Ingwenya, Harry said sternly, ”What’s happening here, Reverend? You know more than you’re letting on!”

[welsh]

At the blast site-

OCC- Handy, I think you received a pm. We need to work through the sanity effects for Miranda. You can roll for this and let me know what you get.


IC- The air takes on a sudden stillness and for a moment, it seems... clear, crisp and fresh. Whatever reddish tinge in the air seems to have disappeared or been consumed into the building and the container.

The witnesses look about, a bit stunned. The rescue dogs whine, breaking the silence.

Miranda collapsed to the floor and doesn't quite seems besiders herself. Conroy can offer what help he can, but he can't help thinking that the woman was nearly lost to a... container? He is still trying to get his mind around this. Perhaps some kind of vacuum existed or some mechanical reason for the event, a suction device within the container itself and the house, both triggered by... something? And if so... why only did it pull on some and not others. Conroy tries to come up with a plausible explanation for the event.

Lapis and Dowd step away from the container.

Salvaggio continues to move towards the hole dug out of the blast area even as the other rescue workers begin to pull the man free.

From with there seems to be an almost mechanical grown or grind from within.

Wade steps away, seemingly piloting the drone back towards the cite. Others are picking themselves up.

Reverend Ingwenya gets back to his feet, and glances at both the container and the house. He then looks into Harry, and seems to find something familiar. He nods. "Ah.. to understand is to be a spiritual man... Oh yes, I know you've felt it... This is an ancient thing... it has many names and the wind... "

At that moment, a sudden blast blows out of the hole in the wrecked house. The man stuck in the hole is blown out, into the air and sent flaying to earth. The others nearby are knocked down.

The container door is blasted open with a massive bang and the air fills with a deep howling as it seems a rush of dust is blown out of the hole in the basement and the container. The air is suddenly red again, dirty and gritty, but only for a brief moment as the wind funnels up into the sky, gathering both the dust from the container and the hole up above the blast site, spinning in a vortex, a tornado, a whirlwind, a wind devil.

The blast sends most moving for cover, but those who gaze up at the spinning storm seem to see a shape take forth, wings, talons, the head of a serpent perhaps. It spins and spins higher into the air, a dark cloud seems to take shape above, electrical in nature, lightning. Those below feel goosebumps form on their skin, follicle's tingle as the hair on their heads and arms and legs seem to rise. Whatever dust had remained slifts and seems to sucked up into the air, that continues to rise what seems to be hundreds of feet above.

Roll San!

[Philulhu]

Harry (55%) - 1d100
Kaminski (60%) - 1d100

Both successes!