McMorn Manor (Slight Return)

[Joajackson]

Screaming fit to burst, Father Ó Shaban ran into Manor House. Ahead of him were the two rooms that contained the ransacked coffins; to the left lay the kitchens and the stairs to the upper floors, though there was little light to see by on account of the hour and the limited aperture of the window slits.

From outside, there was the sound of incoherent shouting, followed by the flat bark of a shotgun.

The discussion was brought to an abrupt end as the sound of someone scream emanated from down below. The acoustics suggested that it had started outside but had quickly entered the building. Moments later, the flat bark of a shotgun could be heard from outside.

”Whit the blazes wus that?!” snapped Serjeant Lorimer.

The Father tried to think quickly, now he could do something somewhat original and hide between the coffins, but it seemed better to simply run stairs up, and so he did.

[Mr. Handy]

"Get the journal ready," says Bonnie, "just in case."

[BoyBlunder78]

Dr Douglas continues looking through the journal, steadying his breathing as he looks for the phrase he now knows coukd save them all.

[Snapper]

Ascot sighs briefly, draws McBride's revolver and starts racing down the stairs, hollering as he goes.

"Come on, Sergeant! We need to rescue those men downstairs! It's just like the War, the enemy is in sight and the time is now! And if I'm dead in an hour, remember this was your stupid idea!"

[Philulhu]

There was confusion on the stairs as Father Ó Shaban and Ascot collided in the gloom. Disaster was narrowly averted when Ascot realised that it was his companion he was entangled with, not the creature, and he shifted his aim just in time to avoid blowing the elderly priest’s head from his shoulders.

Both men winced at the gunshot in the confined quarters and could barely hear Serjeant Lorimer as he shouted down the stairs. ”Was that you, Mr Ascot? Did you shoot the creature?” There wasn’t time for Ascot to respond, however, for the shotgun outside barked once more, followed by a roar and a blood-curdling scream!

[Joajackson]

The Father almost feel stairs down, but with the strenght of adrenaline, and fear of wathever could be following, managed to stay standing in two feet. As his head was almost blown by a british colonialist, he was starting to feel weirdly identified with his brethen in egipt. He screamed quite clearly in his strange accent.

"Quickly, ze prredator is outside, ran upwards!"

[Mr. Handy]

"Quiet!" hisses Bonnie softly. "It can track us by sound. Doctor, let me have the journal. I performed the chant before, so I ken I can do it again, and I'm no good in a fight anyway without a long gun."

[BoyBlunder78]

Dr Douglas heart pounding, eyes wide In terror hands Bonnie the journal, nodding frantically. " Yes, yes,yes of course Miss MacKenzie!" handing over the journal, before reaching into his jacket pocket for the small bone handled knife.

[Snapper]

Ascot hollers back to the others as he pelts downstairs, his voice getting fainter and more echo-ey. "Nearly shot the Father by mistake! My fault! I'm going down to help those men!"

He continues charging down, but is determined not to mistakenly shoot anymore of the wrong people. The big revolver is carefully pointed at the ceiling.

McBride shot twice (I believe) and Ascot has just wasted another round. Normally, revolvers are only loaded with 5 bullets for safety. So, I'm guessing there are only about 2 bullets left? If Ascot gets a second, he'll check.

[Philulhu]

Not more than three bullets remaining. He won’t know until he stops to check, but events outside are about to overtake him. Speaking of which…

The scream from outside was abruptly curtailed to be replaced by the sound of two bodies colliding heavily and as Ascot emerged from the Manor House, he saw the creature worrying the body of one of the volunteers! The body hung limply so the man had fainted - or worse! Either way, the creature’s sharp serrated teeth were tearing at the man’s coat, with long strings of bloody drool dripping from its maw!

SAN check please.

If Bonnie is reading the journal, can I have a Language check please?

[Snapper]

1d%47%

Critical success.

"Get away from him, you fiend!! BAD DOG!!" Ascot has the revolver (and random number of bullets) readied but is reluctant to risk hitting the poor man with a badly aimed shot.

[Mr. Handy]

Bonnie gives an even better performance this time, her voice clearly ringing out and pronouncing every word well.

Language (English) roll (80% base skill) reciting the chant:
d%

[BoyBlunder78]

Dr Douglas clutching the dagger before him, looks in awe at Bonnies pitch perfect pronunciation.

[Philulhu]

Creature’s strength 1d100

As Ascot looked on, trying to aim his pistol so as the hit the beast but not the man, he could hear Bonnie’s clear voice from the upper floor of the Manor House. Once again, the creature was pushed backwards, compelled by some unseen force that slammed it into the nearest tree, where it writhed in screaming agony as once again it was absorbed by the tree, until only the misshapen remained!

The man the creature had attacked had a narrow escape as the creature was compelled to let go of him before they were both swallowed up by the tree.

”Well, that’s not something you see everyday,” said Serjeant Lorimer calmly, as he emerged from the Manor House behind Ascot.

Sjt. Lorimer SAN1d100

[Snapper]

Ascot breathes a loud sign of relief. Pointing the revolver at the sky, he carefully uncocks its hammer.

"No, it most certainly is not. Now, where's your other man down here?" Ascot quickly checks that the man the creature was attacking is still breathing.

[Joajackson]

The Father didnt leave the house, staying inside and pronouncing prayers in the coptic ancient language. He was not going to go outside until the beast was dead. After at least two minutes of no monster sounds, he would scream from inside to Sir Ascot and the Serjeant.

"It's ze prredator dead? Have you defeaten ze beast!?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye," Bonnie says to Serjeant Lorimer. Her hair flowing in the wind and her eyes flashing, she points at the tree. "Burn the tree! Burn it now!"

[BoyBlunder78]

" Quickly, we dont know how long the tree will hold it!! We must burn all those black abominable trees!! None should stand after this night!!" shouts Dr Douglas as he heads out to check on the men outside.

[Snapper]

Ascot is feeling weary after the long night, and as the latest of many bursts of adrenaline wears off. He tries to think of a plan.

"Well done again, Miss Mackenzie, with your strange incantation. I don't know how it works but I don't much care either, it just does work."

"Sergeant, we saw no sign of this beast yesterday during daylight hours. I would suggest we wait until the sun is a bit higher."

"And I might suggest we need some more men with shotguns in case the creature runs amok again. And fuel to burn the trees would speed the process up quite a lot. These Scottish wilds are rather damp places, after all."

[Philulhu]

We’ll draw this scene to a close.

We’ll finish here: Epilogue.