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IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 8:36 pm
by Mephistophilis
Shirley gingerly pokes the wooden stairs, while they've certainly seen better days they seem sound enough. Shaking the handrail she's less convinced by that but apart from a little give it holds firm while she slowly climbs the stairs. Each step elicits a dissonant note from the boards, like a shriek, almost as if it is in pain.

The condition of the house on the top floor is possibly even worse than the ground floor, there is water trickling down the walls and great patches of staining across the peeling wallpaper and exposed plaster. There is extensive green mildew, and even patches of rot where some of the wooden floorboards are exposed. There's a damp, mildewy smell to match. But that's overpowered by something else, ammonia, strong, musty, and bitter - more than rat urine, something more, bat guano perhaps. And another smell, putrid and sweet, like rotting food.

At the top of the stairs, Shirley can see a number of door off the landing, and somewhere the sound of stomping about, Roger. Looking to the south the only visible window is boarded shut with the external shutters closed and little light penetrating through the cracks. Shirley can't make out much more in the dark.

Roll a Notice Stuff to make anything more out in the gloom.


Image

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Shirley

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2022 2:06 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Not wanting to step into something gross, Shirley continue to poke and prod with her metal stick.

"How are you even seeing anything in here?" she asks Roger though doesn't really expect an answer back.

She tries to look through the doorway closest to her, by the top of the stairs.


Notice Stuff (60%):
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Shirley

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2022 1:14 pm
by Mephistophilis
Shirley reaches the top of the stairs at the southern end of the landing, opposite the window. Peering into the dense gloom she can just about make out the ceiling, where there are sagging patches of damp plaster and areas of bare wooden boards. The smell of guano or whatever it is reeks pretty strongly, overpowering any other odours. Immediately above her head she can see a ceiling hatch, it's closed and there no sign of any pull cord or ladder to reach it.

There are two doors off this end of the landing. From the one on her right, with the door slightly ajar to the west, she hears the sound of crashing and banging. There might even be the slightest glimmer of something coming through the thin gap between the door and the frame. On the south wall, just to the left of the window, to the east, is a full-length antique mirror in an elaborate metal frame. As Shirley stares into the tarnished glass, just about discerning her own reflection, something seems to pass behind her, at the top of the stairs, too quickly to discern anything about it other than the sense of movement. She whirls around but there's nothing there.

Then she hears the groaning of the stairs, and voices, as Darren, Ian, and Harry carefully make their way up. Harry's flashlight beam swinging up and down the stairs, illuminating green, mildewy wallpaper, rivulets of leaking rainwater, and sagging patches of plaster over rotten wood. Darren shouts up, 'We're coming up now Shirley can you see anything?'

Sorry, I should have made it clear, you're at the top of the stairs at the bottom of the map by the window. So you can peak into either of the rooms at the bottom of the map.


Image

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Shirley

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2022 5:46 pm
by Mr. Handy

The map isn't displaying. It's giving a 503 error because the server is busy. I've tried multiple times.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Shirley

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2022 8:39 pm
by Mephistophilis
Coming up for me. Have you tried refreshing the page?

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Shirley

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2022 10:19 pm
by Mr. Handy

I had, and was still doing it then, but the map is displaying now. The server must not be busy any more.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Shirley

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2022 7:00 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

This house was definitely starting to give her the heebie-jeebies, but the movement was probably a rat, or another possum.

She decides to look in the room to her left. She didn't particularly care to get in Roger's and whatever he was destroying in the room on the right, and she was secretly glad the attic hatch was lacking it's opening string. She couldn't think of a worst place on this house than that moldy and rainy attic.

"Just more nastiness," she answers the boys.

Oops, no worries. It was actually clear enough from the map but my brain decided that the arrow meant up the stairs.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Shirley

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2022 11:45 am
by BoyBlunder78
Approaching Shirley "Right then, which room do you wanna take?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Kyle and Louis

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2022 9:21 pm
by Mephistophilis
The door to her left is closed but the knob turns easily and she opens the door without any difficulty or even the usual screech of rusted hinges. Inside is a small bathroom. The smell of damp and mould is overpowering. It is very difficult to make anything out in the darkness but she can just about see the outline of an old-fashioned claw-footed tub, porcelain toilet, and the reflection from a mirror mounted on the far wall, maybe on some kind of cabinet.

Although she can barely see her own reflection in the cracked mirror, after a few moments of peering through the dark Shirley notices a shadow behind her. As one of Harry's flashlight beams sweeps past and lights up the mirror for a second she can see that the shadow is a figure. An old woman. Stood directly behind her. There's something familiar about her. And her expression is odd. She's smiling. Smiling, but not in a good way.

OOC:   Hard POW roll please. And SAN roll, 0/1 loss for seeing this.  


Image

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Kyle and Louis

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2022 11:24 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Should we see what's in the medicine cabinet?" asks Harry, shining his flashlight around the room.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Kyle and Louis

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 12:32 am
by BoyBlunder78
Darren walks forward and uses the crowbar to open the medicine cabinet from a distance.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Kyle and Louis

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 1:01 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"It probably doesn't need that," says Harry. "You should be able to just open it by hand, and if not, then you can use the crowbar."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Kyle and Louis

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 1:22 am
by BoyBlunder78
"After rats chewing through wallpaper and dead raccoons falling out of fireplaces. Who knows what could be in there.Im taking no chances!" and proceeds to open the cabinet.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 9:34 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

Hard POW (65% / 2 = 32%):
d%
SAN (63%):
d%


Shirley squeals loudly when the figure appears in the mirror, taking a few steps back and bumping into Darren as he tries to open the cabinet. "Sheesh! Did you see that?" she grabs Darren's arm shaking it vigorously. "I swear I saw someone in the mirror! Like an old woman!"

With a bewildered expression, she looks over her shoulder toward the spot where a person would need to be to cause a visible reflection.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2022 12:26 am
by Mephistophilis
Image

Shirley sees the old woman immediately behind her, clearly in the mirror. She has a sense of familiarity but she can't put her finger on why. The old woman's mouth curls up in a semblance of a smile. But it looks cruel, leering. Darren and the others are stood behind the woman, in the doorway to the bathroom. Spinning around Shirley sees nobody behind her except Darren, Ian, and Harry.


As Shirley spins around, staring wildly at him, Darren leans forward with the crowbar and flicks open the mirrored cabinet which smashes into the wall in a shower of silvered-glass fragments. Inside the cabinet the shelves are mostly empty apart from a couple of plastic caps and lids, a few cracked jars and empty bottles. The little detritus that remains from the toiletries of the last residents.

The cabinet door rebounds off the wall and half closes again. The mirrored surface cracked and veined, great chunks of glass missing and now shattered in the grubby sink. With Harry's flashlight shining inside the bathroom they can see more clearly the claw-footed bath filled with rings and patches of unidentifiable stains. The toilet encrusted in all too identifiable muck, with a pungent stench to match.

In the glass of the half-closed cabinet, Shirley can only see herself, and her friends.


Kyle comes up stairs and stumbles on the four of them crowded around the small bathroom.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2022 12:36 am
by BoyBlunder78
" Woah! Woah! Shirley calm down I never saw anything!" Darren says.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2022 4:46 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I didn't see anything in the mirror either," says Harry, "and now nobody ever will again. It's probably just some dumb trick by Roger. He must have put a picture of an old woman's face on the mirror beforehand to try to scare us."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2022 6:00 pm
by kabukiman
"What are you doing in that place? Did you find anything interesting?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2022 6:33 pm
by BoyBlunder78
" Where's Louis?" Darren turns to Kyle "Wasnt he with you?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2022 7:48 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

"Uggh! This house is starting to give me the hibby-jibbies," Shirley says as a shiver runs down her back. She takes advantage of Harry's flashlight beam and looks around for any spots that might have been recently disturbed or where the key might be hidden. If she doesn't spot anything worth checking out she walks back out into the hallway.

Leaning over the staircase rail, she calls out for Louis. "Hey! Louis! Get up here!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2022 8:09 pm
by kabukiman
"No, I was just following Harry. Wasn't he with you?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2022 8:50 pm
by Mephistophilis
There's nothing in the bathroom that looks like it would be hiding the key.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2022 3:33 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Was there anything in the medicine cabinet?" asks Harry.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2022 4:46 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

"What's that dork doing?" Shirley says out loud when there is no answer from the boy. "Louis!" she tries again.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2022 10:17 pm
by Mephistophilis
Shouting down the stairs, Shirley doesn't hear anything from Louis. Then there's a crash of thunder, a flash of lightning through the landing window, and the wind roars, howling through the boards and shutters on the window, slamming doors. As the wind dies down again there's a moment of quiet. And from somewhere nearby there's a sound of scuttling and scratching, coming from the wall by the bathroom, or above the wall, overhead. Something scuttling overhead.

Image

The silent reverie is broken by the west door bursting open, and Roger striding out. 'So you freaks finally made it up the stairs.' He pokes Ian in the chest, 'I hope you didn't piss yourself, little Baby Pickett.' He says the last bit in a sing-song baby voice and Ian quails. Then Roger looks around. 'Hah, where's Shitburger gone? Hiding in a corner crying for his momma I reckon.'

Roger looks twitchy, the skin on his face even twitches, you can make out some scars you hadn't noticed before.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2022 1:04 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Hard Notice (60% / 2 = 30%):
d%


"He's coming right up," Shirley covers for Louis. "What happened to your face?" she frowns and tilts her head as she takes note of the weird features.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2022 3:53 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry thinks to himself that maybe Roger was born with his face looking like that, but he's smart enough not to say so in front of him.


Notice Stuff roll (40% / 2 = 20% skill) upstairs:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2022 10:12 am
by kabukiman
Notice stuff: 40%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2022 10:13 am
by kabukiman
Kyle as soon as sees Roger simply hides behind Harry and don't notice anything.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2022 11:42 am
by BoyBlunder78
Notice 40:
1d100

Darren is too busy calming Ian down."its ok, dont listen to him, he'll get whats coming to him."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2022 11:46 am
by BoyBlunder78
Facing the bottom of the stairs Darren shouts down, "Louis!!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2022 12:43 am
by Mephistophilis
Image

'Nothing compared to what's gonna happen to your face if you don't shut up,' he spits at Shirley.

Image

Ian clings to Darren, 'Why's he so mean?'

Roger just laughs harshly, 'You ain't seen nothing yet crybaby,' and he kicks the wall as hard as he can, his sneaker punching through the plaster and sending a few startled brown rats scurrying out of the wall space. 'Anyone want some?'

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2022 1:43 am
by BoyBlunder78
"Because he's a jerk and a bully!" Darren tells his.brother.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2022 6:10 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"We should go find Louis," says Harry.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2022 10:13 am
by kabukiman
"Y-yes, let's go find Louis"- says Kyle that just want to leave Roger and goes to the stairs.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 2:11 pm
by Mephistophilis
Image

Clearly rather pleased with himself, Roger stomps off to the other end of the hallway and opens a door to the north, slamming it behind him shouting 'I hope Shitburger didn't get eaten,' with a cruel laugh.

-----

From the top of the stairs, Harry, Darren, and Kyle don't hear anything from downstairs, certainly not Louis. There's no movement from the entry hall, and any sounds are faint and unidentifiable.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 8:10 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

Shirley shuts her mouth with a frown not wanting to antagonist Roger any more. "Does he seem more of a jerk than usual?" she asks the others as she turns to head back down the stairs.

It was weird that Louis was not answering back. He was right behind them and the house is not big enough for him to not hear their calls.

"Hopefully, Louis didn't fall through the floor or something."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 9:04 pm
by BoyBlunder78
"im getting worried about Louis he should've answered back, maybe we should go get him?" Turning to Shirley "He always a big jerk, a right turd burglar!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 12:25 am
by Mr. Handy
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"I think he's always been like this," says Harry, following the others down the stairs. "He has gotten uglier, though."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 8:34 pm
by kabukiman
"He is getting a teenager maybe? You know, with holes in the face. But I doubt any girl will be interested in him."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 9:17 pm
by Mephistophilis
The four of them start down the stairs. The creaking wooden steps shriek in protest at the weight. There's another crash of thunder and blinding white flash of lightning that starkly lights the entry hall, the lush plants and battered grandfather clock. At least the stench of guano is gone, only to be replaced with the acrid smell of Roger's candles, sizzling by the front door, emitting little puffs of dark smoke. There's a howling gust of wind and the shutters rattle, the boards shake, the candle flames quaver and sputter but do not go out.

Darren looks around, where's Ian got to? He sprints back up the stairs and just catches sight of a door closing, beyond the bannister to the north of the staircase, on the west side of the house. It's a room they've not explored yet, beside the door to the north where he saw Roger storm through earlier, but that door's now slightly ajar, with a weak light spilling out.


Ian is nowhere to be seen, but Darren doesn't notice until he gets to the bottom of the stairs.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 9:33 pm
by BoyBlunder78
notice stuff:40
1d100


Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 9:37 pm
by BoyBlunder78
"Ian!ian! where are you?!! Why have you gone there?!" Darren sprints down the corridor and kicks the door open to the room he hopes he saw his brother disappear into.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis and Darren

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 11:00 pm
by Mephistophilis
Halfway down the stairs, Darren suddenly cries out and rushes back upstairs.

Darren is moving here.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis and Darren

Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2022 12:49 am
by Mr. Handy
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"We'd better go help Darren find Ian before we head back downstairs," says Harry. "One thing I've learned from Dungeons and Dragons is never split the party."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis and Darren

Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2022 10:06 am
by kabukiman
"Ok, so let's go all together"- says Kyle

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis and Darren

Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2022 5:58 pm
by LiviaBlue
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"What about Louis?" Shirley asks lingering on the bottom step, her brows furrowed. As the other three boys rush back up the stairs, she takes a moment to look around from her spot, calling for Louis once more.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - All Except Louis and Darren

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2022 12:10 am
by Mephistophilis
She's moving here.


Harry and Kyle run back up the stairs after Darren. Thundering up the steps, flashlights waving in all directions, they reach the upper landing out of breath. There's a crashing noise from the north west corner room where the door is wide open. The door straight to the north where Roger previously shut himself in is now slightly ajar and the weakest of lights is filtering out.

Image

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry and Kyle

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2022 7:09 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"That way!" says Harry, hurrying to the northwest door.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry and Kyle

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2022 9:59 am
by kabukiman
Kyle just follows Harry and shout to Shirley "Come with us, don't stay alone!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry and Kyle

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 12:20 am
by Mephistophilis
Image

Striding across the hallway from the opposite room to the north east, Roger intercepts them and reaches in and pulls the door shut in front of Harry and Kyle. 'Don't want to go in there. It's dangerous. Floorboards are rotten.' He gives a saccharine smile.

There's a nasty smell. It seems like it's coming from behind the door Roger is holding closed.

You got a look inside the room before Roger closed the door. Darren is standing in the centre of the room near a manky looking double bed. Something in the far corner gives off a flash, like a reflection, near that there's a figure in the gloom, but it's too hard to identify who it is.


The smell is some kind of rotting animal.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry and Kyle

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 6:35 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Darren and Ian are in there," says Harry. He can't identify the smell. He thinks that maybe Roger farted, but again he's too smart to say so.


Notice Stuff roll (40% skill) in the hallway:
d%
Nature roll (10% base skill) in the hallway:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry and Kyle

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 10:18 am
by kabukiman
Kyle:
Notice stuff: 40%
Nature: 10%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry and Kyle

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 8:23 pm
by Mephistophilis
Image

Releasing his grip on the door handle, Roger steps back, holding his hands in the air. 'Don't say I didn't warn you.'

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry and Kyle

Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2022 5:39 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry opens the door and looks inside.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry and Kyle

Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2022 11:18 pm
by Mephistophilis
Pushing open the door, Harry peers inside the room, shining his torch around. And Kyle looks over his shoulder, while Roger just shrugs and strolls down the landing towards the stairs.

It's a big room. Maybe the master bedroom of the house. In the centre is the mouldering remains of a queen-sized bed, torn and stained. Darren stands beside this, his back to the door. Looking into the far corner of the room. There stands another figure, it looks like Ian, and he's staring into a fine mirror in a brass frame hanging beside the window.

Opposite the mirror there's what looks to be a large closet door, shut. And on the other side of the window there's a ceiling hatch with an attached rope dangling down a few feet.

With the door open that stench is even more overpowering, and repulsive.

There's pools of water and patches of damp on the floorboards, several look black and rotten, a few are bowed. A few feet into the room there looks to be a piece of broken board, a small opening into the room below which appears to be the dining room - the dining table with Roger's stubby yellow candle glimmering weakly.


Image

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry and Kyle

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2022 5:39 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Hey, Darren," says Harry. "Everything okay?"


Notice Stuff roll (40% skill) in the master bedroom:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry and Kyle

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2022 3:27 pm
by BoyBlunder78
"Careful guys, whatcha step, the floors all funky! I think there'ssomething up with Ian" Darren places his hand on his brothers shoulder. "You ok bud? What ya doing in here? Why did you leave me?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry and Kyle

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 5:12 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Yeah, Roger mentioned that about the floor," says Harry, staying in the room's entrance and not going inside. "Shirley went on downstairs to look for Louis. If we had a rope, we could lasso Ian and pull him out without risking stepping on the floor. Looks like he's transfixed by the mirror. If you could cover it with the bedsheets or turn it away from him, maybe he'll snap out of it."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry and Kyle

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 9:30 am
by BoyBlunder78
"Theres something about theses mirrrors, the broken ones foen stairs, the one in the bayhroom that freaked Shirley, saying that she saw something in it!" Darren takes his crow bar and swings ot the mirror, aiming to push it over and hopefully break it.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry and Kyle

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 3:51 pm
by Mephistophilis
Darren swings the crowbar over Ian's head, straight into the mirror, which shatters in a shower of splinters and chunks of silver-backed glass shards. As the sparkling fragments rain down onto the floor, there are several high pitched screeching sounds, and a number of little black and brown shapes scurry away into the shadows in the corners of the room.

Image

Ian shakes his head, and turns to look at his brother. 'Darren, why is grandma in the mirror? I thought you and mom said she was dead?' Then he wrinkles his nose. 'And what's that horrible smell?'

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 5:52 pm
by BoyBlunder78
"What are you talking about Ian ?she's been dead nearly two years now! Why did you come i here by yourself? You know this house isnt safe, you could've fallen through the floor or anything!!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 8:58 pm
by kabukiman
"Maybe I can point my flashlight to his eyes to see if I can distract him?" - says Kyle.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 9:29 pm
by Mephistophilis
Image

Kyle shines his torch into Ian's face and he blinks, and shakes his head some more. 'Ow, quit it Kyle.' He shakes his head again and looks around. 'I, err, I...I think I came in here because Grandma was calling me Darren. Yeah, she was calling me. She said "Come here Ian, come and see Grandma." And she was there, in the mirror, it was Grandma.'

He shudders and stands a bit closer to Darren. He looks scared. 'Was that really Grandma Darren? Why's she in the Barnaker House?'

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 10:32 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Darren puts his arm around his brothers shoulders, "No it wasnt, i don't know what it was but it wasnt Grandma.From now on you dont leave my side! There's something spooky going on in this house and i dont like it! Harry, Kyle lets get Shirley and Louis and get outta here. I dont care about Rodger he cant do anything worse to us than than this Amityville house can!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2022 12:19 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Let's go downstairs and find Shirley and Louis first," says Harry, thinking that Darren seems to be making a habit of breaking mirrors. Good thing that didn't really bring years of bad luck; that was just a superstition. "We can decide what to do once we're all back together."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 10:56 am
by kabukiman
"So, let's go down and find the others"
Kyle feels very relieved with the idea of leaving this house, so he starts the descent.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 11:26 am
by BoyBlunder78
Darren holds Ian's hand tightly, determined not to lose him again and follows the rest.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:05 am
by Mephistophilis
Image

When they reach the bottom of the stairs, Roger is standing in the middle of the hallway. He has a disconcerting grin on his face like he knows something they don't. But he doesn't look too good. He looks a bit battered, like he's been in a fight or something.

-----

Then there is a sound, a dull thud. It seems to be coming from the front porch. There it is again. A thumping sound. Someone, or something is pounding on the door. Roger starts at the sound and stares at the door, he seems genuinely surprised. 'You expecting one of your loser friends to turn up late?' he asks.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:22 am
by BoyBlunder78
"Whats up Roger scared?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 6:48 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I wasn't expecting anyone," says Harry. "It's probably not the squatter. Someone who lives here wouldn't bother to knock."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 11:20 pm
by Mephistophilis
'Bite me barf-face,' Roger scoffs at Darren. He pulls a key out of his shirt and walks calmly to the front door and unlocks it. The hammering continues against the door. 'Whoa, chill-out you lamo, I'm...'

The door flies inwards, knocking Roger back into the hall. Framed in the open doorway is a man, dripping with rain, silhouetted by a flash of lightning. It's not a man, it's Ace Simmons, Roger's older brother, soaked to the bone. He looks pissed.

Ace grabs Roger by the collar, lifting him off the floor. 'Where the fuck have you been, you little shit?' He slaps Roger across the face. 'All week without any word. Mom's been shitting herself with worry you puke-eating dick-bag.' He slaps him again, not so hard this time.

'Ace, Ace, I dinna mean it,' he mumbles out of swollen cheeks. 'I've had to go asking round your loser friends where you were. Pissing about in the old Barnaker house...' he pulls his hand back again.

'I dinna mean to worry you or mom, I c'n explain everyfing...Gimme a minute...'

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 5:03 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry stays out of this, standing behind Darren for protection and concealment.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 10:25 am
by kabukiman
Kyle stays behind Harry to try tpo avoid that Roger older brother notices him.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 7:49 pm
by aine
Louis ducks back into the kitchen and peeps round the corner to watch.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Harry, Kyle and Darren

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 7:58 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Darren moves Ian behind him, trying to shield him from the two bullies.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 8:31 pm
by Mephistophilis
Shirley rushes out the living room, calling out, 'Guys! Louis is not downstairs,' until she catches sight of Louis peering out of the kitchen, and sees Darren, Ian, Kyle, and Harry all standing around the open front door. Ace Simmons silhouetted by flashing lightning, hoisting Roger by his collar. He seems to whisper-beg, 'Please don’t hit me,' but Ace strikes him hard across the face with the back of his hand in a staggering blow that leaves his face misshapen and swollen. Roger gurgles something incomprehensible.

A sudden gust of wind blows the front door shut. Ace turns to look at it, dropping Roger onto the floor. Roger pulls himself up from his hands and knees and stands. His face transforms from a look of terror and hurt to a growing, hideous snarl. In one fluid motion, Roger pulls a large knife from the back of his waist band and plunges it into Ace's gut. His brother stumbles back, blood spreading across his t-shirt from the wound. Roger withdraws the blade and Ace clutches at the gash in his abdomen, futilely attempting to staunch the bleeding with his hands.

'Why?' Ace asks his brother pitifully, as the colour drains from his face. Roger grins and holds out the knife, the blade smeared crimson and dripping onto the floor. 'I said, don’t hit me,' he replies. Ace drops to one knee, then collapses onto the floor as the life fades from his eyes, a pool of glistening blood spreads out around him and soaks into the floorboards.

Roger turns and looks at the others, holding up the blood soaked knife, shaking it at them. 'You want some too?'

Image

Witnessing Roger’s horrific murder of his brother requires a Sanity check for 1D4/1D6+4 points of Sanity loss. Let me know if you lose 5pts or more, or if you've lost more than 1/5th of your SAN today.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 9:24 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image


SAN (63%):
d%
Sanity loss:
1d6+4


Shirley doesn't even have time to process that Louis is standing just across from her or that she is no longer alone downstairs as the fight escalates quickly before her eyes. She gasps loudly before covering her mouth with her hands, instinctively stepping back until she is pressed against the door frame of the living room.

"You stabbed him!" She shouts the obvious, panicked and shocked by what just happened.

Her eyes dart from Roger to Ace, looking back and forth frantically, horrified by how much blood is pooling on the floor but being too scared to get close enough to try to help in any way.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 9:55 pm
by BoyBlunder78
sanity:64
1d100
Pass. So is it 1d4 for the loss?

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 10:00 pm
by Mephistophilis
Yep, if you pass still 1d4, you just saw a young teenager try and murder his brother

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 10:15 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Mephistophilis wrote: Wed Nov 23, 2022 10:00 pm
Yep, if you pass still 1d4, you just saw a young teenager try and murder his brother
Thought it was, just wanted to make sure.
1d4

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 10:23 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Darren holds Ian's hand tighter keeping him behind. Trying to keep him from seeing the carnage that was before him. Starting to back away slowly telling the others to back up the corridor. Trying to pit as much distance between Rodger and themselves. Eyes darting looking for any way out. Raising the crowbar up in defense.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 11:08 pm
by Mephistophilis
I've posted the Sanity rules - now I look they're slightly different to the usual CoC ones. Anyway - if you lose over 5 SAN then you must test INT and if you pass then you will Freak Out - run away, freeze, or attack someone (if you attack it is random - I'll give an equal chance to everyone in sight including 'baddies' if you choose to go that way) for 1d10 minutes. Lose more than 1/5th of your SAN in one go it is a Total Freak Out and I'll suggest what happens.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 12:11 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

INT (55%):
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 6:20 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry's mind shuts down for the first time ever.


Sanity roll (current level 39) for seeing the stabbing:
d%
Sanity loss:
1d6+4
INT roll (75% stat) to avoid Freaking Out - failure is good:
d%
I'm Freaking Out! I've also lost 8 Sanity since the beginning, which is exactly 20%.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 10:36 am
by kabukiman
Kyle sanity: 53%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 10:38 am
by kabukiman
Kyle is surprised with what he saw... but somehow he half was expecting it.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 5:40 pm
by kabukiman
Mephistophilis wrote: Wed Nov 23, 2022 8:31 pm Shirley rushes out the living room, calling out, 'Guys! Louis is not downstairs,' until she catches sight of Louis peering out of the kitchen, and sees Darren, Ian, Kyle, and Harry all standing around the open front door. Ace Simmons silhouetted by flashing lightning, hoisting Roger by his collar. He seems to whisper-beg, 'Please don’t hit me,' but Ace strikes him hard across the face with the back of his hand in a staggering blow that leaves his face misshapen and swollen. Roger gurgles something incomprehensible.

A sudden gust of wind blows the front door shut. Ace turns to look at it, dropping Roger onto the floor. Roger pulls himself up from his hands and knees and stands. His face transforms from a look of terror and hurt to a growing, hideous snarl. In one fluid motion, Roger pulls a large knife from the back of his waist band and plunges it into Ace's gut. His brother stumbles back, blood spreading across his t-shirt from the wound. Roger withdraws the blade and Ace clutches at the gash in his abdomen, futilely attempting to staunch the bleeding with his hands.

'Why?' Ace asks his brother pitifully, as the colour drains from his face. Roger grins and holds out the knife, the blade smeared crimson and dripping onto the floor. 'I said, don’t hit me,' he replies. Ace drops to one knee, then collapses onto the floor as the life fades from his eyes, a pool of glistening blood spreads out around him and soaks into the floorboards.

Roger turns and looks at the others, holding up the blood soaked knife, shaking it at them. 'You want some too?'

Image

Witnessing Roger’s horrific murder of his brother requires a Sanity check for 1D4/1D6+4 points of Sanity loss. Let me know if you lose 5pts or more, or if you've lost more than 1/5th of your SAN today.
"No Roger, what you in you family is none of our business. Just leave us alone"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 11:36 pm
by Mephistophilis
For some reason the Kid-thulhu rules only worry about a 20% loss if it is in one go so you just about avoid that Mr Handy. So Shirley and Harry are Freaking Out. You choose run, freeze, or attack.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 12:08 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry does the only sensible thing. He runs.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:08 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

Shirley on the other hand is frozen in spot. Her hands, still clinching the iron poker, are white and shaky, and she seems unable to look anywhere else but at the scene in front of her.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 8:06 pm
by aine
Louis melts back into the kitchen, his heart hammering. “Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap.” He whispers, and he starts backing towards the basement stairs, ready to dart down them should Roger come this way.
San 61 roll: 7 1d4 roll: 4

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2022 5:23 pm
by kabukiman
Kyle with will grab Shirley by the hand and bring her to the kitchen.
"Come on, don't stay here"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2022 11:43 pm
by Mephistophilis
Image

Roger steps over Ace's prone body, his foot plopping into the ever growing pool of blood leaching from his brother's unmoving form. He marches down the hallway, pushing Darren out of his way. Harry turns and runs into the kitchen in panic, Louis ducks inside as well and closes the door. Roger just strides up to the kitchen door and pushes it open. He's still carrying the knife in his right hand, held up in front of his face, his eyes glinting menacingly, the blood running down his hand and leaving a little trail of drips along the floor.

Kyle needs to roll Be a Pal to persuade Shirley to come to the kitchen (or anywhere else) with him


Tucked into the back of Ace's pants, Kyle notices the handle of what looks like a revolver. Pulling it out reveals it to be a snub nosed revolver with five rounds chambered.

OOC:   It does 1d10 points of damage and it is base 20% to fire (or half BB Gun skill which would give Shirley a 25% to hit  



Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 4:47 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry keeps running. He screams too for good measure. Not wanting to get trapped down in the basement, he proceeds at speed through the door leading in the direction of the dining room.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 10:00 am
by kabukiman
Kyle
be a pal: 40%

notice stuff: 40%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 10:02 am
by kabukiman
Kyle screams at Shirley and manages to convince her to come with him, but he doesn't notice anything else, he is too busy saving her life.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 7:35 pm
by aine
“Quick, follow me!” Louis turns and runs through the basement door and down the steps as fast as he can without tripping up in the dark.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 8:00 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

Kyle grabbing at her is what finally gets Shirley to move. She turns around and follows the boys without a second thought, dropping her poker as she fumbles to pull out her BB gun.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 11:11 pm
by Mephistophilis
In the kitchen, Harry scrabbles around in the dark until he finds the handle and hauls open the door that seems like it leads towards the dining room. Meanwhile, Louis disappears into the staircase down towards the basement.

Roger continues to stride into the kitchen. Darren, Kyle, and Shirley watch him disappear into the dark. Cautiously, Kyle pulls Shirley along with him into the kitchen.

Pulling out his flashlight, Harry illuminates a small antechamber, some kind of preparation room for taking meals out to the kitchen he presumes. But now it contains little but a broken side table and some empty shelving. He can see the faintest flicker of a candle coming through the cracks of a two sets of doors in the north wall. He pulls one open and finds himself back in the dining room again.

It looks mostly like it did before. The yellow candle stub still flickers on the wooden table, a misshapen mass of wax. But around it there are fragments of plaster and looking up at the ceiling he can see that there's a corresponding small hole, the size of a foot. He can't see anything in the room above, no light, but there's that smell again, the one from up in the master bedroom. It reeks.


Running at full speed through the doorway into the stairs, Louis thumps down the steps in complete darkness. At the top of the stairs he hears a thud, and another, like slow, careful footsteps. He turns to look but it is complete blackness.

OOC:   That's a Gym Class roll to avoid tripping up again.  


Flicking on his flashlight and very slowly sweeping it across the kitchen, Kyle illuminates a door in the north wall swinging, like someone's gone through to the dining room. And disappearing through a doorway beside that, they see the back of Roger going down some stairs into darkness.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2022 4:55 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry runs through the dining room and back toward the entry hall.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2022 7:58 am
by BoyBlunder78
Keeping Ian close and the crowbar raised, Darren cautiously follows into the kitchen, looking for any signs of his friends while keeping Roger in his vision as much as he can.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2022 7:54 pm
by aine
Louis races down the stairs and slingshots around the corner at the bottom. He ‘hides’ in the total darkness and waits just inside that doorway south of the stairs, his heart thudding.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2022 11:17 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

Shirley runs through the door into the dining room, not wanting to be anywhere near Roger at this moment.

"Is the front door open?" she shouts in panic, knowing it used to be locked but Roger's brother had to come in through somewhere.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2022 12:34 am
by Mephistophilis
Sprinting through the dining room and sliding through the door back into the hallway, Harry finds it empty. Lit only by the uneven glow of Roger's candles.


Stepping into the kitchen, Darren sees Kyle standing alone in the centre of the room, swinging his flashlight back and forth between a a door in the north wall that is still swinging shut, like someone's gone through to the dining room, and an adjacent doorway that leads down some steps into darkness. The sound of slow, methodical steps comes from the stairs, Thud. Thud. Thud. Getting quieter, moving away from them. Then a shadow seems to detach from the darkness of the doorway. Low down. Kyle illuminates it with his torch and it spits out an aggressive hiss.

Image

It arches its back and yowls, before sitting back down on the floor by the door. It's a big, grey-furred cat. The fur matted and criss-crossed with scars. The slightest of turns at the corner of its mouth, a sharp tooth showing, like a sneer. Both Kyle and Darren realise there's something familiar about the creature. Wasn't it on that top shelf in the living room? Wasn't it stuffed? But now those glazed eyes are focused, it calmly considers the three boys, conveying a sense of malign intelligence.

OOC:   That's a SAN check and 0/1d3 loss for realising the stuffed cat is alive.  


OOC:   Louis needs to roll Gym Class to avoid falling again as he comes down the stairs and he needs to roll Be Sneaky to hide in the darkness. He can have a bonus die for the Be Sneaky since it is dark.  


Exiting the kitchen, Shirley enters a small antechamber, some kind of preparation room for taking meals out to the kitchen she presumes. The occasional sweep of Kyle's flashlight shows it now contains little but a broken side table and some empty shelving. She can see the faintest flicker of a candle coming through the cracks of two sets of doors in the north wall. She pulls one open and finds herself back in the dining room again.

It looks mostly like it did before. The yellow candle stub still flickers on the wooden table, a misshapen mass of wax. Fragments of plaster and a corresponding hole in the ceiling. She can't see anything in the room above, no light, but there's a smell. It reeks.

OOC:   Shirley can roll Nature to identify the smell  


The smell is some kind of rotting animal. It wasn't here before, presumably it is filtering down from the room above.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2022 3:07 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Nature (80%):
d%


Shirley will attempt to catch up with the other boys, not wanting to be alone again. She crinkles her nose at the smell but doesn't stop to think too much about it right now, her main concern is the front door.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2022 4:52 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Wondering why Ace is no longer here, Harry runs for the front door and tries it.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2022 7:54 pm
by aine
Sorry, I did roll but forgot to write it in: gym 40 rol: 10. Sneaky: 40 roll: 6, 0 and 3 so: 3

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2022 10:23 am
by kabukiman
Sanity: 52%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2022 10:25 am
by kabukiman
"Wow, that cat really knew how to pretend he was dead!"- says Kyle not tealizing what the cat was. He quickly closes the door of the kitchen and then says:
"Let's see if it is possible to open a window here".

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2022 7:05 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Sanity 61%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2022 7:11 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Keeping ian close he follows kyle. "Never liked cats, sneaky animals can nevee tell what they are thinking! Good idea, my crowbar should help with any windows!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 3:37 pm
by Mephistophilis
Shirley and Harry gingerly step into the pool of congealing blood in the centre of the hallway. They realise it's oddly smeared, the trail leading into the Parlour. Like someone dragged Ace's body in there.

Harry immediately tries the door handle. It turns easily and he pulls on the door but it doesn't budge. It feels weird, there's no give at all. Shirley helps him pull at the door as well. But it doesn't move. And yet, every time they pull on the door there's this strange sort of blue flash or sheen just visible through the cracks and holes in the wood.

OOC:   Roll Notice Stuff to take a closer look at that smear of blood  


There is something else, just about visible around the edges of the smeared blood. Little marks, star shapes, like animal footprints.


In the kitchen, Kyle firmly closes the door to the basement and shines his flashlight at the window so that Darren can get his crowbar in behind the planks. He yanks a few out, the nails bending and squealing until the planks tumble onto the worktop and sink with a racket. Then he tries to lever open the sash window itself but can't seem to get a purchase. He jabs the sharp end into the remaining glass, figuring he could just clear out the frame. But instead of the satisfying shattering of the glass he was expecting the metal tool just ricochets off. He jabs again, more controlled this time, but with the same result. It's like the glass is made of something tougher, like plexiglass or something yet the crowbar doesn't even scratch it. He stands back and takes a swing at it, but the crowbar bounces off and transmits a jarring pain into his hands and wrists. Both Kyle and Darren notice a weird blue flash or sheen that seems to appear just outside the window every time Darren hits it. 'Err, Darren, what's that weird blue light?' asks Ian.

There's a sort of yowl from the cat. If you didn't know better you might say it sounded like laughing.


Hiding behind the door, in the pitch black darkness, Louis is holding his breath as he hears the slow, methodical footsteps coming down the stairs. Thud. Thud. Thud. Getting nearer all the time, louder. He can hear, feel even, that there's someone, something right beside him, all that stands between them is the door. Is that ragged breathing he can hear? Then, a little more muffled, the footsteps begin again. Thump. Thump. Thump. Moving away from him. It's impossible to tell in the darkness but he thinks that whoever or whatever it is has moved through the Pantry into the Workroom beyond. He can no longer hear any footsteps. Just the scuttling, the rustling, the scratching that he heard before down here. In the dark.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 9:02 pm
by BoyBlunder78
" No idea Kyle this whole house is just wrong! We need to get outta here, we need to find the others! Screw Rodger! " Shirley! Harry! Louis! Where are you???!!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 10:39 pm
by Mephistophilis
Everyone can hear Darren's shouts

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 10:45 pm
by aine
Louis hears Darren’s shouts muffled through the floor. Be quiet, Darren!He thinks, Don’t call Roger back upstairs again. If it is Roger, but the others wouldn’t come down here, it’s too dark surely.
He creeps back around the corner and back up the stairs, hoping hoping that was Roger that’s just gone into the pantry. Now, can he get the basement door closed and locked… although in the back of his mind he’s hoping Roger doesn’t find his furry little friend.
Sneak 40 roll: 29

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 11:18 pm
by Mephistophilis
Louis creeps painfully up the stairs, every creak setting off a rush of panic. But he makes it to the kitchen door without any sign of Roger or anything else. He opens the door to see Darren and Kyle ineffectually attacking the kitchen windows. They've got off a lot of the planks that were hammered across the sash panes, and timber lies scattered around the kitchen. But they seem unable to smash the remaining glass, it seems inexplicably tough, the heaviest swings of the crowbar bouncing off with an odd blue flash of light. When Kyle tries to poke a wooden spatula through a missing glass plane and between the gaps of the shutters it doesn't go - something resists, not a hardness but a sort of unyielding resistance prevents him pushing it any further. And a blue sheen briefly flashes across the whole window. A strange electric blue, with veins of more intense colour, like forks of brilliant lightning.

Louis turns his attention to the door. It has a lock bit there's no key. Maybe he could try and force it to lock somehow.

OOC:   With a knife or a piece of cutlery you could probably try and turn the lock. It'd take a hard Fix Stuff roll. With a bonus die if you have help.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2022 2:36 am
by BoyBlunder78
OOC:   If he wants to try i can try snd aid him with my crowbar.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2022 3:48 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry doesn't want to give away their position to Roger by answering. He follows the trail of blood, hoping to find Ace.


Notice Stuff roll (40% / 2 = 20% skill) in the hallway:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2022 7:14 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

In that moment, standing in the pool of cooling blood, pulling on the front door with no success, all Shirley can think about is how glass she is for her black rain boots. She is almost transfixed by the blue light shining through the gaps around the frame and her mind scrambles to explain them. At first, she hoped it was a police car, but no red light followed. Maybe lightning from the storm, but it lasted for too long. Was there someone with a flashlight out there? If she could get their attention they would surely help them!

She notices Harry leave her side out of the corner of her eye, and since the front door was still locked, Shirley turns around to follow him. The last thing she wanted right now was to be alone.

Hard Notice Stuff (60% / 2 = 30%):
d%


"Harry! Harry!" the girl's voice only gets more high pitch. "An animal got Ace!" she grabs the boy by his elbow and points to the strange prints. "We need to get out! Maybe a window."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2022 10:16 am
by kabukiman
OOC: Is there anything in the kitchen that Kyle can grab as a weapon? Fork, knife?

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2022 5:52 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I don't know of any animal that makes tracks like that," says Harry, stopping to take a look. "There's no window in this hall, but we can try the back door."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2022 7:58 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"The back door is all barred over." Shirley reminds Harry, her BB gun held tightly in her hand. "We can't be stuck in here! We need to get out!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2022 11:40 pm
by Mephistophilis
There's a few forks and a small table knife (all 1d2 damage). Roll Luck and Notice Stuff to see if there is something bigger.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2022 2:50 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"Ace might have had a key," Shirley suddenly realizes, "he got in through the front door!" she tells Harry and looks back over her shoulder at the room the trail of blood leads in.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2022 4:30 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Roger unlocked the door for him." says Harry, "but you're right, he could have one too. Let's follow the trail of blood."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2022 6:31 am
by aine
Louis closes the basement door quietly and leans against it, relieved to have got here. He examines the lock.
“Kyle, Darren pass me a knife, we need to get this door locked and trap Roger.” He whispers hoarsely.”
Fix stuff 60 roll: 63 and 5 so a fail for hard success.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2022 10:03 am
by kabukiman
Kyle grabs a pair of forks, gives a knife to Louis and then try to find something bigger.
"Here Louis, take this knife. Meanwhile, I'm trying to find something bigger ust in case...".

Luck: 55%
Notice stuff: 40%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2022 10:08 pm
by Mephistophilis
Lois fiddles about with the tip of the knife, trying to trip the levers and turn the mechanism. He feels the tension of the blade against the spring, twisting it hard and feeling a click as the bolt slides into place just before the end of the knife bends and then snaps, leaving a chunk of metal poking out the keyhole. He tries the handle, the door seems to be locked but he doesn't think he's going to be able to unlock it again.

While Lois is working on the lock, Kyle goes through the kitchen drawers and cupboards, looking for something a bit more dangerous than the cutlery he's found so far. Head buried in a cupboard, sorting through various smashed pieces of crockery, he's engrossed in his task. Not noticing the cat leaping up onto the worktop and then the tops of the wall-mounted cupboards. He doesn't see the mangy creature nudge an old saucepan off the top until he looks up to see it plummeting towards his head...

OOC:   Those forks and knives will do 1d2 damage, no damage bonus applied. Kyle roll Dodge to avoid 1d3 damage - that's for the fumbled Notice Stuff  


Harry and Shirley follow the smear of blood into the Parlour. The crimson streak goes across the wooden floorboards, the little footprints along the edges more visible here. There's odd sounds, a sort of low thumping noise, Thump. Thump. Thump, and scratching, and skittering, and screeching. Their eyes track towards the fireplace where they're met by the grim sight of Ace's lifeless face. Upside down. Blood running in rivulets, dripping off his nose and hair, spattering onto the ground. Only his head is visible, in the fireplace, his body somehow up inside the chimney, his head repeatedly bashing against the hole in the damper, too large to squeeze through the hole. Thump. Thump. Thump. And swarming around Ace are scores of little brown creatures. All scaly tales and tiny claws. Little brown rats. Scratching, and scurrying, and screeching. Seemingly dragging Ace's corpse up into the chimney.

OOC:   That's a SAN roll - 1/1d3 loss.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2022 3:43 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry's jaw drops.


Sanity roll (current level 32) for seeing the body:
d%
Sanity loss:
1d6/2

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2022 5:40 pm
by kabukiman
Kyle dodge: 18%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2022 5:49 pm
by kabukiman
Kyle damage: 1d3

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2022 5:59 pm
by kabukiman
Kyle made a scream when he cut his hand in something very sharp.
"Something bite me!"- he said with his hand bleeding.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2022 11:51 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

SAN (54%):
d%
SAN loss: -1


Shirley physically recoils at the gruesome sight and resizing there was no way they could search for a key she pulls Harry out of the room and back into the hallway. Those were not normal rats, or any kind of animal she knew about – and she knew about lots.

"W-what's going on here?" she stammers gripping her gun tightly when Kyle scream comes from the kitchen. "We need to get the others! We need to get out!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2022 5:26 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry numbly follows along. "We have to be quiet," he whispers. "We can't let Roger hear us."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2022 6:25 am
by BoyBlunder78
b]Darren[/b] clamps his hand around Kyle's mouth "Shh, quiet! We need to find the others, this whole house is out to get us!"

1d100
Roll to seeing Kyles scream has disturbed/alerted anything.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2022 7:45 am
by aine
“It’s locked.” Louis breathes a sigh of relief and turns to Darren and Kyle.
“Roger’s not getting out of there in a hurry.” He leaves the basement door and goes to look at Kyle’s hand.
“Did you see what it was?” Louis will look for some padding to use with some of his bin liner to attempt a bandage.
First aid 40, roll 8. 1d6: roll 1

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2022 10:27 am
by kabukiman
"No, I didn't, wasn't interested to try to see and get my face eaten. I just want to go home. I will probably be grounded for a week but that will be heaven compared with this place".

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2022 10:39 pm
by Mephistophilis
As Kyle's screams die down and the others gather in the kitchen a hush falls over the house. There is only a faint wheezing - the wind, infiltrating through the house. Probably.

Then, Ring, ring. Ring, ring. Ring, ring.

The old yellow wall-mounted phone is ringing again. The phone cable is still trailing on the floor, unconnected to the receiver.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 4:58 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"That's a neat trick," says Harry. "There must be a tape recorder inside the body of the phone or something."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 10:26 am
by kabukiman
"Guys, what do we do if Roger appears? I mean, We know now what he is trully capable to do."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 7:15 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Darren moves forward, remembering what he saw inside the clock when that chimed. " Only one way to find out Harry." He swings the crowbar at the phone.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 5:42 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Well, Darren's pretty good with that crowbar," says Harry. "And the rest of us can help. Roger can't beat all of us if we work together. He only took down Ace because he wasn't expecting it. We're expecting it." He looks around the kitchen for knives.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 6:57 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

As she and Harry walk to the kitchen, Shirley picks up the poker she dropped earlier by the staircase and hands it to him. "Take this and swing hard if you need to."

Her whole body felt tense and she struggled not to jump at the slightest sounds, especially when the broken phone started ringing for no reason. "This house is hunted!" she whispered in a half-panicked voice. "How do we get out of here?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 8:56 pm
by aine
“Oh no!” Louis stares at the phone and then he tries to grab Darren’s arm s he swings the crowbar. “Don’t break the phone!”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2022 12:54 am
by Mephistophilis
If Louis wants to grab Darren's arm they'll need to roll opposed Fighting.

The poker does 1d6 damage.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2022 2:57 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry grips the poker. "Thanks," he says. "Roger has a key. If we take it from him, we can unlock the door. We can try to find the other key he said he hid here. Or we can try to pick the lock. It could be done with a coat hangar or something."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2022 4:52 am
by BoyBlunder78
Fighting 40%
1d100

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2022 6:34 pm
by aine
fighting: 30 roll: 40

Louis tries to stop the telephone being smashed.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2022 8:59 pm
by Mephistophilis
Louis grabs at Darren's arm, but the experienced batter slams his crowbar into the phone before Louis can stop him. The plastic splinters and cracks, and fragments of the wall-mounting fall to the floor, exposing the inner workings, while the receiver swings free to bob from the coiled cable. It continues ringing, Ring ring. Ring ring. Ring ring.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2022 9:12 pm
by BoyBlunder78
"See, just like the clock!!! I told you there is something wrong with this place!!!!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2022 9:16 pm
by Mephistophilis
Ring ring. Ring ring. Ring ring.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2022 9:49 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Darren swings again at the phone.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2022 1:15 am
by Mephistophilis
Darren's blow smashes into the telephone again. It shatters and practically disintegrates, shards of yellow plastic, pieces of electrical circuitry, black speaker cones, and metal bells tumble to the floor. The coiled cable holding the receiver pings out of the main body attached to the wall and the handset clatters to the ground.

Ring ring. Ring ring. Ring ring.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2022 6:57 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I don't think that's going to stop it," says Harry, examining the ruined phone trying to work out how it can still ring.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2022 6:37 pm
by aine
“Nooo! Grams!” Louis wails in anguish and, sobbing, he kneels on the floor trying to piece the telephone back together.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry!” He picks up the remains of the receiver and puts it to his ear.
“Hello?” He says, wiping his eyes with a grubby hand.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2022 10:18 am
by kabukiman
"Louis, Henry is right, there must bee a recorder somewhere in the house. Roger is probably laying tricks in us." - says Kyle.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2022 9:51 pm
by aine
Louis shakes his head vehemently and listens to the receiver.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2022 10:35 pm
by BoyBlunder78
" Whats wrong Louis?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2022 12:31 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"Loius! Stop it!" Shirley tries to pull up the boy and comfort him.

"Whatever we do, we stay together!" she demands of the others. "Let's try to pick the lock first. Who knows how long it will take us to find the key and I don't want to mess with Roger. Where is he anyway? We gotta watch out for him, he's mental."

Shirley starts to try to move everyone toward the front door, looking around, especially at the broken remains of the phone and clock, for any stiff wires or pieces of metal that might be used on the lock.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2022 3:49 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Yeah," says Harry, looking in the wreckage of the phone for a suitable fragment to pick a lock and helping to guide the others to the front door.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2022 7:18 pm
by aine
Louis is reluctant to drop the receiver. “But it’s my Grandma on the phone. She’s in the basement and now I’ve locked Roger in there with her. What if he hurts her too?”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2022 7:58 pm
by Mephistophilis
The phone continues to ring, Ring ring. Ring ring. Despite the wrecked shell being far too damaged to work, and it isn't even plugged into the wall. There's no sign of other wires, tape recorders, nothing that would explain what is going on. Then Louis raises the receiver to his ear and the ringing stops.

'Louis darling, Louis my dearest. What have you done to your Grams?'.

OOC:   Can I get a POW roll  


Plenty of bits of wire and shards of metal to try and use to pick a lock

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2022 9:04 pm
by BoyBlunder78
OOC:   Do any of us know that Louis's Gram is dead?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2022 3:47 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"There must be a device inside the receiver, then," says Harry. "They do it in spy movies all the time. They're always putting bugs in phone receivers. Only instead of a bug, it's a transmitter. The receiver already has its own microphone."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2022 10:44 am
by kabukiman
"Yeah, remember the old tv show, "mission impossible"? They even could put images of apparent dead people speaking!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2022 7:37 pm
by aine
“Louis whispers, “I, I think she’s okay. D-Daddy used to call her an old battle-axe so I think she’s strong enough for Roger. A-are you the rat man?” He turns to the others,
“It’s not a recording alright? It’s real.” He listens again.
POW 65 roll: 63

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2022 5:23 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Right!" says Harry, nodding. "Just like Mission: Impossible!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2022 8:45 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

"Stop talking and get that lock open!" Shirley snaps at Harry and Kyle not carrying for their technobabble.

"There's no way your grandma lives here," she keeps trying to get Louis away from the hunted phone. "But you did a good job locking Roger in the basement. Come on, let go of the phone."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2022 9:20 pm
by BoyBlunder78
There's something wrong with this house, Ianvl when i found him he was staring into the mirror saying he saw our nan in there and was talking to.him. But she's dead!! Who did you see in the mirror Shirley?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2022 3:14 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"I saw something, I know it! A creepy old lady! I just wanna get out of here, we're in so much trouble!" she continues to try to get the other to the front door to try to open it while also looking over Louis.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:57 am
by BoyBlunder78
"Did you recognise her though?" Darren asks Shirley as he walks over to the door to try and help her get the door open.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2022 11:41 pm
by Mephistophilis
Shirley pulls on the front door, it's not locked and the handle turns freely. But the door won't open. Even with Darren's help it is just like the time with Harry. It doesn't move, it doesn't even shift the tiniest amount. And every time they tug on the door there's a flash of blue, a sheen that shimmers past the outside of the door, visible through the cracks and holes in the wood.


That voice, it's not your Grams, it's lower, gruffer, but still female. You don't know why you thought it was her. 'Louis, you've been a bad boy. Open the door and come and come downstairs to get your punishment.'


I don't know if Louis's Grams is dead but if aine says if she's dead or alive I'll let anyone make a Be a Pal roll to know that fact.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2022 7:59 am
by aine
Yeah, Louis’ granny died about three years ago.

Louis says over to Shirley, “She’s not creepy, she’s my grandma, she’s here, in the basement.” Then he concentrates on the receiver and his face pales as he listens,
“Roger- is that you? W-where’s my Granny, what have you done to her?”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2022 9:04 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

"See, it's coming from a transmitter," says Harry. "If that's Roger's voice, he obviously set this up as a trick. Although I never thought he was smart enough..."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 5:58 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Can I get Louis to abandon the phone?


"No, why would I know a random woman! Is the door locked? Can you get it to open?" she asks losing her patience and worrying about the way Louis was acting.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 7:31 pm
by BoyBlunder78
be a pal 60%
1d100

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 7:35 pm
by BoyBlunder78
LiviaBlue wrote: Sat Dec 31, 2022 5:58 am Image

Can I get Louis to abandon the phone?


"No, why would I know a random woman! Is the door locked? Can you get it to open?" she asks losing her patience and worrying about the way Louis was acting.
" Because who or whatever is doing all this seems to be using people we loved who are dead now to try and...i dont know...trap and trick us. Our Gran is dead, so is Louis's, so it makes semse that you probaly know the woman you saw!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2023 12:35 am
by Mephistophilis
The voice turns harsher and more irritated, 'Roger is here with me. Now get down here now or I will come up there and rip out your tongue...'


I usually let player vs player disputes be resolved by roleplay unless it gets physical

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2023 3:49 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"Harry! Just pick that lock already!" Shirley snaps again, the situation escalating quickly, getting tenser and tenser.

"And you! Look at me Louis! Don't listen to that! Snap out of it... please!" she pleads with the boy, holding him by his shoulders and making him face her.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2023 4:05 am
by Mr. Handy

I was trying to find something to use to pick the lock, but I never saw the results of my search.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2023 10:30 am
by kabukiman
"No wonder Roger wanted that we came here. Do you imagine all the work he had to prepare the house the way it is?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2023 8:03 pm
by aine
Louis shoves the receiver at Shirley,
You listen. There’s someone else and Roger down in the basement- and you can hear them on this! They want me to go down to the basement or they’ll rip out my tongue.” He shakes his head. “But I’m not going back there.”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2023 10:52 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

"No, you're not," Shirley agrees with Louis, we're all gonna stay together and watch each other's back." She continues to try to calm down the boy, taking the receiver from him but not putting it to her ear, hoping she can distract him from it.

"Let's keep working on getting out of here."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2023 5:31 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"If we go down there, they'll rip out our tongues for sure, or worse," says Harry. "Roger knows we saw him commit murder. Maybe he'll come after us, but then we'll face him on our terms."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2023 5:18 pm
by Mephistophilis
Harry fishes out a bent piece of metal from the fragments of the phone. He inserts it into the keyhole of the front door and tries to unlock the door. He wiggles the metal about and feels some of the levers trip, and he is able to turn the cylinder with a satisfying click. He turns the handle and gives the door a hard pull. It doesn't move. And there's that blue sheen that seems to ripple through the cracks and holes in the wood.

He peers through the gaps in the doorframe, the storm outside is raging now, rain battering down, the lawn practically a pond. But there are odd lights visible, at first glance they seem to be candles.

Anyone wanting to try and get a better look at the lights can roll Notice Stuff

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2023 5:55 pm
by kabukiman
Notice stuff: 40%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2023 8:10 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Notice stuff 40%
1d100

All Darren seems is that blue light "Thats the same blue light i saw when trying to get the other door open!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 5:34 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"That's strange..." says Harry.


Notice Stuff roll (40% skill) about the lights:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 6:06 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

Notice Stuff (60%):
d%


"Maybe there's someone outside who can help us," Shirley says with panic in her voice, hoping that those odd candles belong to someone other than Roger.

"And what's going on with the door?! Why doesn't it open!!" She lets go of Louis for a moment to grab the handle and pull over and over again, even bracing her foot against the frame.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 7:35 pm
by aine
Louis drops the phone and goes to help Shirley, putting his not insubstantial weight to good use.
Notice stuff 80, roll:63. Strength 40, roll: 43

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 9:52 pm
by Mephistophilis
Peering through the gaps in the door, everyone can see that what initially appear to be candles are more like motes of light, flickering in a colour somewhere between blue and lavender. They float free above the lawn, slowly gathering in number around the house.

Louis and Shirley heave on the door once more, but it still doesn't move even a millimetre. That blue shimmer washes across the door again, this time everyone notices that the strange floating lights seem to flash the same electric blue simultaneously, before returning to their more purple tinge.

These floating things remind you of stories of corpse lights, will-o'-the-wisps. They're supposed to be ghosts or spirits that appear near where a body is buried.


That's a SAN check and 1D3/1D6+1 sanity loss to see the floating ethereal lights


While he's pulling on the door Louis looks right out into the front yard as a streak of lightning illuminates the whole garden in a sharp and painful white light. He sees that there are more than just those purple lights floating above the ground. Around each one is a thin nimbus of faint blue light that seems to form the outline of a shape, like a body, a child’s body. Enveloping the flickering light, a light that floats where the heart would be if the shape really was a child. As he watches the spectres turn their blank, mournful faces towards him.

OOC:   Seeing those lights as but a portion of the shade of a dead child is a SAN check for 1D4/2D4+1 sanity loss  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 5:53 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Maybe they're fireflies," says Harry, "but they don't glow those colors. I don't think we'll be getting out this way."


Spooky Stuff roll (5% base skill) about the lights:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 6:07 am
by BoyBlunder78
Holding ian's hand, "Fireflies,
you might be right Harry."


spooky stuff 5%
1d100


Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 5:54 pm
by kabukiman
Spooky stuff: 60%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 5:56 pm
by kabukiman
Sanity: 52%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 6:01 pm
by kabukiman
"I don't think those are fireflies. They are moving in a strange ways. Maybe they are the spirit of Roger's brother?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 7:26 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image
Spooky Stuff (5%):
d%
SAN (53%):
d%
SAN loss:
1d6+1


"Those are not fireflies!" Shirley rebukes Harry's explanation with the conviction of someone who has seen thousands if not millions of fireflies in her life already, even though she has no idea what the lights could be.

Letting go of the door like it burned her, she grabs Louis' hand and starts heading into the dining room to the left. "Come on! Let's try a window in here," she tells the other boys waiting for them in the doorway.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 3:44 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry is more than a little disturbed by the lights.


Sanity roll (current level 30) for seeing the lights:
d%
Sanity loss:
1d6+1
I think I just completely lost it. That's 20% of what I had left.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 3:32 pm
by Mephistophilis
Those little flames, scintillating, floating above the lawn. They're so pretty, the purple flame flashing before him, Harry feels himself drawn into the flickering light. The scorching flame. Burning away his fear. That's what I need. That's what we need, he thinks. Fire!

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 4:50 pm
by aine
Holy moly, this could go pear shaped….
Spooky stuff 5, roll:39. Sanity 61 roll: 46 1d4 roll: 1 phew.

Louis pulls away from the door and flattens himself against a solid wall, eyes as wide as mill wheels.
“No they’re not fireflies; can’t you see the ghost children? Tonnes of them, all blue with flickering blue hearts! They looked at me!” He squeaks.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:10 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry takes out the matches he still has. He knows they won't last long, but if he can get a good fire going, it'll stay lit. He heads for the fireplace to do just that.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 11:58 pm
by Mephistophilis
Harry walks into the Parlour to see about lighting the fire. As he steps through the door there's an unpleasant pop, and he just catches sight of the end of Ace's head disappearing up the chimney accompanied by a scratching, skittering sound. Unperturbed he looks at the fireplace, there's a few pieces of chair leg. Harry's not sure how he's going to light the fire with just some matches.

OOC:   To light a fire would usually be a Play with Matches roll which despite only being 5% seems reasonable in the circumstances. However, Harry can also roll Notice Stuff or hard Idea for a hint.  


By the battered knapsack is that can Louis brought in from the shed. Harry unscrews the cap and gives it a sniff. Kerosene. With the thick stick and bundle of rags Louis left he could easily make a burning torch - that'd light those bits of wood.

OOC:   No need to roll to light the fire if Harry uses the kerosene.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2023 12:56 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry tries his best to get a fire going, but it doesn't seem to be working.


Notice Stuff roll (40% skill) about how to start a fire:
d%
Play with Matches roll (5% base skill) to start a fire:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2023 2:57 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"Harry!" Shirley calls after the boy as he disappears into the parlor. She crosses the hallway to go after him when he doesn't turn around, dragging Louis after her and signaling for Kyle and Darren to follow. She doesn't even have time to fully process what Louis said about the lights as she is desperately trying to keep the group together, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes.

"What the hell are you doing?!" she grabs Harry by his shoulder turning him away from the fireplace. "We need to figure out a way to get out and I need your help, Harry! You're the smartest kid I know! If someone can do it it's you!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2023 3:12 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I'm trying to start a fire," says Harry, though he'd have thought that was obvious. "Here, you're good at lighting fires. They teach that in the Girl Scouts. You get the fire going, and I'll work out a plan to get us out of here. I know we're going to need this fire, though. It's one of the most basic technologies, yet one of the most powerful. Fire provides light and heat. It can cook food. And it makes wild animals and enemies afraid. And if they're not afraid enough, it can burn them. Like whatever dragged Ace up the chimney. We don't want it coming back, so we need the fireplace lit."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2023 4:12 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"Check the windows in here and don't run on your own like that again!" Shirley instructs Harry, worry almost making her voice tremble but the girl seems to hold it together, for now.

The fire wasn't a terrible idea, especially remembering those little creatures and the sight of Ace's body hanging down the chimney. And while food wasn't on her mind right now, the light was going to make things a little easier. She had to hope nothing was blocking the venting or the whole room would fill with smoke.

"Hand me those broken paintings," she tells Loius as she takes the matches from Harry and starts working on building a little log cabin structure using the remains of the old fire and some of the wood from the broken chair and frames nearby. She keeps it small, just in case she'll need to put it out quickly. The canvas of the paintings will help her start it and she can add more wood to it to keep it going later.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2023 7:36 pm
by aine
“Something pulled Ace up the chimney?!” Louis’ eyes boggle at the chimney breast but he starts breaking up the paintings and passing the pieces to Shirley, glad to be doing something positive.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2023 9:03 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Darren tells Ian to use the baseball bat and start smashing up any furniture. Darren follows suit with the crowbar. "We are going to make the biggest fire in the world!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2023 11:42 pm
by Mephistophilis
Ian takes great relish in wielding the baseball bat and attacking the furniture in the Parlour. With the paintings and splintered shards of wood there's a good amount of fuel in the fireplace and Louis sloshes on some kerosene for good measure. Shirley lights a match and drops it onto the kindling and it goes up with a whoosh. Soon there's a good fire going, most of the smoke is wafting up the open flue but a little lingers in the room, lending it an ominous foggy quality and leaving a strong smell of smoke, burnt wood, and kerosene in the air. Initially there's a desperate scrabble and high pitched squeaking coming from up inside the chimney but that soon subsides. The room gets a bit of warmth. It'd be nice to sit down and enjoy it but there are only a couple of damp couches left now the chairs have been smashed for firewood.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 5:47 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Yeah!" cheers Harry in response to Darren, helping to break up the furniture. He looks admiringly at the fire. "Good job, everyone! Now, I've got an idea what happened. This house and everything in it must have been transported to an alternate dimension. Scientists believe that there are an infinite number of them. That could explain all the reports about it being haunted. The barrier between dimensions must be thinner here. Somewhere in the house is where the barrier has been breached, and we'll have to search it thoroughly until we find it. We should use some of the extra wood to make torches we can carry with us. We all need to stick together the whole time. Once we find the breach, and we'll know it when we see it, we can get back to our dimension. What we're looking for is an Einstein-Rosen Bridge, or wormhole in layman's terms. I've never seen one, just pictures of what it's supposed to look like, but it will probably look like a round tunnel. It may be glowing. It'll be the weirdest thing you've ever seen."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 7:10 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Shirley's eyes widen as the boys around her seem to completely go nuts on the furniture - just like Roger was doing earlier. At least Louis seemed to be doing better.

"There's some kind of critters in this house. Not surprising for an abandoned building, but I wouldn't mess with them if you see them." she tells Louis as she gets up and stops the addition of wood to the already too-big fire.

"Y'all are going to burn the house down! Be careful! And you, Harry, stop with all that nonsense! All we need to do is break a window and get out! You were supposed to help me with that!"

Clearly getting more upset, Shirley goes to check the windows herself, hoping they can pull off whatever might be covering them at the moment. "Darren, bring that crowbar over here."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 11:22 am
by BoyBlunder78
Darren pauses, staring slacked jawed at Harry.Hearing Shirley calling to him he shakes his head and goes towards her. "Whats up?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:00 pm
by kabukiman
"Harry, can we try to burn the windows to see if it shatters the glass?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 8:55 pm
by aine
“Er, I’ve met one of the critters and he was very cute. I hope they all escaped out the chimney safely.” Louis says to Shirley.
“I think Harry has the right idea- do you remember that episode of Startrek and there was that dimensional gate that they had to close? I bet it’s one of those.
“If we all stick together we should be okay so long as we don’t open the basement door and let Roger out.”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2023 5:54 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Right, Louis, kind of like Star Trek," says Harry. "Fire won't break glass, but it's useful for other things. But glass should break just fine by throwing stuff at it. Still, let's try to just open the windows first. I don't expect it to work, though. It'll probably be just like the door. It's unlocked now, but it won't budge. I don't think our world is on the other side any more." He inspects the nearest window.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2023 7:12 pm
by Mephistophilis
There's one external window in the Parlour. It's an old sash window but there are a number of planks of wood nailed across it, both on the inside and the outside. Harry can't lift the sash, the boards and nails prevent that, although there's the smallest of shifts as he pushes it, unlike the rigidity when he tried to open the door. Looking closer, peering through the boards, many of the panes of glass have been smashed already. He's able to break a few more by poking something between the boards, but he can't get it any further, that familiar blue sheen and absolute resistance stops it just beyond the glass. Through the window he can still make out those blue-lavender lights, floating a few feet above the grass, drifting very slowly but inexorably towards the house.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2023 7:19 pm
by aine
Louis goes to peer through the window with Harry. He shivers,
“Look at all those creepy ghost-children. I can’t tell if they are coming closer or if it just looks that way.”
He turns round and says to everybody,
“I really don’t think we want to go outside. And even if we did, it wouldn’t do any good. Home isn’t that way. We need to find Harry’s gate.”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 5:14 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Just like I thought," says Harry, nodding. "They're not really ghost-children, they're extra-dimensional entities. Let's make those torches and then search for the wormhole. We'll have to go through each room thoroughly. We can start with this one."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 10:10 pm
by Mephistophilis
Harry takes a chair leg and wraps around some upholstery scavenged from an old settee. He douses it in petrol and lights it from the burning fireplace. It makes a pretty effective torch but gives off a lot of smoke and a nasty smell like burnt plastic.

Do you want to tell me what you're looking for specifically and roll Notice Stuff?

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2023 12:06 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"You are freaking me out, guys!" Shirley whines as she listens to Harry and Louis exchange. "There is no wormhole or whatever and we need to get out or Roger will get us! You all saw what he did to Ace!"

Seeing that the other two are not really interested in getting through that window, Shirley approaches it herself. "Darren, come help me remove these boards, or just hand me your crowbar."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2023 2:58 am
by BoyBlunder78
"Ok! Ok!! Shirley keep your panties from getting in a twist!" Darren says as he strides forward and starts attempting to pry the boards from.the window. Shaking his head and muttering "Nerds" under his breath at Harry and Louis"s conversation.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2023 5:29 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry searches the room for anything that looks like it doesn't belong to reality, especially something that could be the entrance to a wormhole.


Notice Stuff roll (40% skill) searching the parlor:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2023 5:35 pm
by kabukiman
"Ok, so for some reason it is not possible to destroy the windows. But can we try to make a hole in the door? By usng a table or a chair as a battering ram? Like in the old medieval times?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2023 9:34 pm
by aine
“Harry, what does a real wormhole look like, do you think?” Louis looks carefully in the dark corners and listens in the cracks. (He’s also a bit curious about what happened to his small friend.)
Notice stuff 80. Roll: 59

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2023 4:58 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I've never seen a real one before," says Harry, "but on TV and in movies they're usually round black holes in the fabric of reality surrounded by glowing light of one color or another."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:18 pm
by Mephistophilis
Darren is able to pry several of the boards off the windows, revealing them to be mostly smashed glass and half-rotted wooden sashes behind. He tries to get his crowbar through the holes in the glass to force off the external boards but that same resistance and blue sheen prevents him.

While Darren and Shirley work away on the windows, Harry and Louis move methodically around the room looking for anything out of the ordinary, any signs of black holes or flashing lights. Harry's flaming brand lights the room up nicely, although the smoke is getting a bit thick, but as far as they can tell there are no hidden wormholes. In one corner, by the fireplace, there are several holes in the skirting board that look like the rats might have used them to get into the Parlour. Alongside them the floorboards are rotted and there's something slightly shiny visible underneath. Louis gets down on his knees and manages to pull up some of the rotted wood, revealing part of what seems to be a sheet of metal with a thick loop attached, a hatch of some kind, or a trapdoor.

If you want to open the hatch you'll need either a hard STR check if just one person does it, a regular STR check for 2 (from the strongest), and try and come up with a reason for me to give you a further bonus, particularly if you fail that.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 12:52 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Look what we found!" says Harry. "Darren, I bet you could pry this trapdoor open with that crowbar! The leverage will add to your strength. Louis, maybe you could give him a hand."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 1:08 am
by Mephistophilis
Okay, fair enough, using a crowbar and help that's a standard STR roll with a bonus die.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 1:16 am
by BoyBlunder78
OOC:   Hard success with 20? Is that right?  
55%
1d100
1d10


Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 1:44 am
by Mephistophilis
With Louis and Ian's help, Darren is able to wedge his crowbar under the lip of the hatch and slowly lever it open, ripping out great chunks of crumbling floorboard in the process. Louis and Ian struggle to flip it over onto the floor, leaving a gaping hole into darkness. There's a musty smell that wafts up from the black hole, tinged with the ammonia of urine and faeces, and other, unpleasant, unidentified odours.

Harry shines his torch into the blackness, at first it is hard to see anything, the darkness has an odd quality, seeming to swallow up the light, but eventually he can make out the floor a few metres below, unmortared stone slabs laid over bare dirt. The room is quite large and Harry can't make out all its dimensions but at least three of the walls are lined with bookshelves.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 2:27 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Well, it might not be a wormhole," says Harry, "but something tells me those books are important. We're going to need a rope or something that we can tie off up here and lower down the hole. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to get back up later."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 12:04 pm
by kabukiman
"We are descending there? I bet with that smell it is full of animals! Wild animals"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 7:24 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

With Darrel going over to help Harry and Louis with whatever they were doing, Shirley finds herself standing in front of the broken window, hands still vaguely touching the space between the broken panes of glass, the space filled with that blue light that seems to be separating them from the outside. Disbelief, confusion, and fear churned inside of her, and for someone who has been able to solve her way out of problems her whole life, Shirley finds herself helpless.

What was even going on?

She had never once read, heard, or seen anything like this. She knows about stuff like the magnetic field, she dreams of getting to see the Northern Lights, but this was weird and strange and maybe Harry is right. Harry is a smart guy, the smartest, even smarter than her, and there are not many kids she would say that about.

"Have you found anything?" she asks in a small voice, so much meeker than before, when she hears the ruckus behind her, still looking at that infuriating blue light.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 7:28 pm
by aine
Louis peers into the dark hole.
“The only thing is… that’s somewhere in the basement and Roger and the old lady and my Grams are down there. Somewhere.”
Can Louis roll to guess which room the trap opens into/next to or shall I make a guess from memory?

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 11:53 pm
by Mephistophilis
Having been down into the basement, Louis can make a good guess as to where this hatch opens onto. The stairs go down from the kitchen, which means the Pantry and Workroom must be under the Hallway and Family Room. That places the room beneath the Parlour towards the front of the house. Looking through the trapdoor he can't make out the whole room, particularly the west side, but that's his best guess.

As he's peering into the darkness, Louis hears that familiar screeching and skittering noise, coming from nearby, but inside that room. He calls over Kyle who shines his flashlight into the hole. The beam moves across the mildew-rotted sofa and two equally decayed stuffed chairs, there's movement on the rough flagstones and several dark, furry bodies scurry out of the light. Swinging the beam up and down illuminates the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Everything on the lower shelves has disintegrated, destroyed by the damp or maybe eaten by rats or something more unpleasant. On the middle shelves are several odd-looking crucibles, melted candles, and other strange occult paraphernalia. Several volumes visible on the upper shelves are similarly gnawed or damp-damaged but the spines just about retain their structure Most of these decaying tomes are leather bound without any lettering except one that says Cultes des Goules, another Speculum Alchemiae, and the last Liber Iuratus Honorii.

While there's not really much left intact in the study, whoever owned these books and this equipment was interested in black magic, alchemy, demonology, and other very dangerous and scary topics. This is all real, not props or the sort of stuff you can get at normal bookstores or libraries.

OOC:   SAN check, 0/1 sanity loss to realise there is some real spooky magical shit in here.  


As Kyle slides the flashlight beam to run along the tops of the bookshelf beside the fireplace, a very large black book becomes visible. As the light passes over it there's a half-hissing, half-grunting noise and a large rat-like creature climbs on top of the book and stares directly into the light without flinching.

It's not just a rat. It's squat, monkey-like face, the nose, the eyes, the lips, they're all too human. And on it's face is a contrivance of wire and glass, a pair of tiny spectacles.

OOC:   That's a SAN check and 1/1d6 sanity loss to see this unsettling rat-human hybrid thing  


Louis immediately recognises it as another rat-thing. The monkey-like face, the almost-human expression. And this one has a tiny pair of glasses, wire and glass, perched on its long nose.


Image

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2023 5:55 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Yeah, a trapdoor with a whole new part of the house below it!" says Harry. "There are shelves full of books, and some rats down there."


Spooky Stuff (5% base skill) about the books:
d%
Notice Stuff (40% skill) about the rat:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2023 7:21 am
by BoyBlunder78
OOC:   oh dear.....  
Spooky stuff 5% 1d100
Notice stuff 40% 1d100

1d6
Now 56%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2023 10:29 am
by kabukiman
Spooky stuff: 60%
Notice stuff: 40%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2023 10:31 am
by kabukiman
Kyle only see some old books without interest, and really needs to change glasses because he doesn't notice anything wrong with the rat...

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2023 7:48 pm
by aine
spooky stuff 5 roll:56

“I think this might be a different part of the parlour to the bit with Roger in.” Remarks Louis.

“Oh, look- it’s Ratty! Here boy!” And then he realises this one is wearing spectacles. “Oh, it isn’t him. Might be a pal though. Try not to blind him with the light.” He clicks his tongue at the creature and holds out his hand.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2023 9:33 pm
by Mephistophilis
Image

Ian peers over Darren's shoulder, pointing into the darkness. 'What's that Darren? It looks weird.'

That's 5 Sanity lost - roll INT, if you pass you Freak Out (Temporary Insanity) at the realisation that there are tiny human face rat-people in the house - feel free to come up with an appropriate reaction or I'll suggest one.


Ooh, that sounds like a Luck roll. In addition roll 1d100 and tell me your Be a Pal and Dodge stats. Which one counts will depend on whether you pass Luck!

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:14 am
by kabukiman
"This house is affecting your eyes. It is just a normal, ugly rat"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2023 5:18 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"It's kind of too dark for me to be able to tell the different rats apart," says Harry. "I think we need that book. We'll need something to get down there and be able to get back up afterwards, and we'll probably find what we need as we search the house. A rope, a stepladder, something like that. Or maybe we could tear the bedsheets into strips and tie them into a rope. That was the solution to a puzzle in a text adventure I played."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2023 5:50 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

Shirley finally snaps her eyes away from the broken window and joins the boys around the trapdoor, looking down over Harry's shoulder.

Spooky Stuff (5%) for the books:
d%
Notice Stuff (60%) for the rat-creature:
d%
SAN (49%):
d%
SAN loss:
1d6


"Maybe we can find out what's the blue light in one of those books," Shirley says looking around the shadowy room, a little weirded out by all the strange objects but much more concerned with figuring out how to escape this damn house, and books were always a good source of information...

That is until her eyes land on the rat with its very human face and its very real spectacles. "What the hell is that?!" she points at it as she gasps out loud, squeezing Harry's shoulder a little too hard as she tries not to freak out. "Louis! Don't call it over here!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2023 7:58 pm
by aine
Luck 65 roll: 20. Be a pal 10 roll: 17 dodge 23 roll: 39

“It’s okay, Shirley. They’re really quite friendly.”
Louis replies.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2023 9:15 pm
by BoyBlunder78
OOC:   :shock:  
Int 50%
1d100

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2023 11:20 pm
by Mephistophilis
Image

Louis leans over the side of the opening in the floor and holds out his hand to the strange rat-like creature. It looks at him for a moment and then sniffs at his fingers with it's ugly monkey-like nose. Then it hisses and bites with sharp, distinctly rat-like teeth, and draws blood.

Take 1 HP damage for the bite.


What the hell is that? A tiny human-faced rat. In glasses. This is wrong. That thing is wrong. It's unnatural, an abomination. It shouldn't even exist. It shouldn't be alive. Kill it! Kill it!


Bite: 1d4-2 1

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2023 6:45 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I don't think this one's friendly," says Harry. "We'd better look at that bite. Rats carry diseases."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2023 4:30 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Darren pushes Ian back. " Keep back!!! Its a monster!!! Its got a feaking human face!!!!" His eyes wide and wild, looking at the rest of the group, thinking about the phone, the clock, the creepy reflections." This house is full of monsters!!! Louis is seeing ghost kids outside, Ace was pulled up the chimney by these...things!!" Pointing at the Creature with the crowbar. "I've gotta kill it!! Yeah! That will stop everything, that will get us out of this house!! Gotta save us! Gotta protect you lil brother!!" With that Darren goes down into the room, swinging his crowbar hitting anything and everything in sight." C'mon you furry lil shit!! Leave my pals alone!!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2023 8:54 pm
by aine
Louis yanks away his finger and shoves it in his mouth, his eyes welling up.
“Mine was friendly, he really was. He lay in my lap and I stroked him.” As Darren has his outburst with his crowbar, Louis sits there rocking backwards and forwards, sucking his finger as the tears roll down his cheeks.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2023 4:14 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"Told you not to mess with it!" Shirley whines, gripping her BB gun tighter and pulling Ian behind her, but not doing much else with the low light and awkward angle.

Turning her head back towards the window, this time she doesn't look at the blue light but at the curtains that might still hand by its side. If they weren't too rotten they could use them to climb down without having to jump.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2023 6:37 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Don't go down there!" calls Harry, too late. "We don't have a way back up yet!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2023 11:41 am
by BoyBlunder78
OOC:   How far down is the drop to the floor?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2023 7:49 pm
by aine
Louis wipes his eyes and looks over the hole.
“I don’t suppose we can reach the bookshelves and climb down?”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2023 11:42 pm
by Mephistophilis
Darren leaps down into the hole, it's a good six or seven feet to the floor. There's an audible thud as he hits the ground.

Ian tries to push past Shirley to see where's he's gone, 'Darren!'

That's a Gym Class roll - failure and he'll take 1d3 damage. Roll your Fighting attack with the crowbar to try and hit the rat-thing


Shirley eyes up the curtains, they're little more than rags but perhaps gathering some from a few rooms she could construct a makeshift rope strong enough to take someone's weight and lower them into the room below. Louis peers into the dark hole, where, enveloped in the gloom, Darren is smashing up the shelves, screaming something unintelligible. He reckons it'd be possible to get onto the shelving against the east wall of the room and climb down, but it'd be risky, and that's where the weird rat-thing is sitting.

It'd require a successful Gym Class roll to climb down the shelving. And I can't say what the rat'd do about it


-Hdd45%d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2023 1:23 am
by BoyBlunder78
gym 80%,fighting 40%
1d100
1d100


Landing with a Rhuddlan in the gloomy room, swinging wildly at where he last remembered the rat thing. "ARGHH!! You keep away from my brother you lil shit!! This is biting my friend Louis! Stay still you freaky lil furball!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2023 5:41 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Seeing as the curtains were too rotted and that she wasn't even going to entertain the thought of looking into the other rooms alone, Shirley turns her attention to the couch with its damp and moldy cushions. They would work in a pinch, breaking a fall that big, but that still left the getting back up problem to be solved.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2023 7:52 pm
by aine
Gym: 40 roll: 38
“Darren, stop breaking up the shelves- we can climb down them- at least I think so.”
Louis sits on the edge of the hole and kicks his feet towards the Eastern shelves. He can then straddle the gap and swing his whole body onto the shelf. He tries to avoid the rat man.
“Okay, fella. I’m not going to annoy you this time.” He says to it as he tries to cling on.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2023 10:44 pm
by Mephistophilis
'Go on Darren, hit it, hit it,' shouts Ian down the hole. But Darren's swings crash ineffectually into the shelves, sending rotted books and metal bowls flying in all directions. And making a lot of noise. The rat thing sits on his book peering over the edge of the shelf at him. It looks neither scared nor impressed.

Then Louis starts to lower himself through the hole, half-leaping across to the shelving against the east wall. The rat-thing begins to stir as Louis grips onto the top shelf, his hands not too far from where it sits. It leans forward and creeps towards him, human-like nose sniffing the air.

That's another Luck roll!


Strength roll to move a couch and push it down the hole - make sure no one is underneath and it is going to make a hell of a noise - you can have a bonus die if you get help. Then I'll let you jump down onto it without a check (if it has landed upholstery and cushions upright - either a Luck roll or Darren/Louis can just push it the right way round).

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 1:02 am
by LiviaBlue
I wasn't thinking the whole couch, just the couch cushions. Those should be easy to pick up if they're removable (usually the sitting ones are) and toss down to have a softer landing surface.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 5:48 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"If we get the curtains from the other rooms too, we can make a strong enough rope," suggests Harry.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 7:23 pm
by BoyBlunder78
OOC:   Howl long is my bout?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 8:08 pm
by aine
Luck 65, roll: 94

Louis forgets all ideas of a new pet.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 12:15 am
by Mephistophilis
Image

While Louis is hanging precariously off the side of the wooden shelves, the rat-thing slowly strolls over to his tightly gripped fingers and then lurches forward, teeth bared. Louis barely has time to snatch his hand away as the unsettling creature gnashes at the air impotently.

Okay, you can chuck them down and if you jump it'll still be a Gym Class roll to land safely but if you fail it is 1d3-1 damage


A few minutes - I'd say until the rat-thing is dead or somehow out of the picture


Attack 35%: 1d100 61

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 12:56 am
by BoyBlunder78
Hearing his brothers cries ignites the the fire and anger on Darrens eyes, gritting his teeth, wild eyed spinning round to face the vile creature who had dared to trap them in this house, who had the gall to attack his friend. Screaming ARGHHHHH!!" spittle foaming and flying from.his mouth he swings the crowbar again at the creature.
1d100
OOC:   oh dear.....  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:54 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I hope it's not rabid," says Harry.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 5:00 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Shirley tosses the couch cushions down one by one, trying to get them at least close by Louis in case he loses his grip and falls down. She also picks up the fire poker if it's still by Harry and reaches down to hand it to Loius.

"Here! Don't let that thing bite you!" she tells him as she's laying down on her belly at the edge of the trapdoor. Darren seemed to have the right idea even if he was going at it a little too hard to be effective.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 10:37 am
by kabukiman
"I swear , I'l burn this house as soon as I'm out of it. If the curtains are not strong enought, maybe we can use our coats to make a rope?""- says Kyle.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2023 6:46 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I'll help you burn it down," says Harry eagerly. "The curtains will be strong enough, we just need more of them."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2023 6:44 pm
by aine
Louis gets his feet wedged in between the books so he can grab the poker. He uses it defensively against the rat man.
“Come on, climb down if you can.” He says to the others as he eyeballs the creature.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 12:32 am
by Mephistophilis
Darren continues swinging his crowbar, pounding the wooden shelving where Louis hangs on for dear life. Each blow splintering wood and sending mouldy books and assorted ornaments crashing down around him. The last strike cleaves straight through the back of the shelves and it starts to tip, Louis feels himself falling backwards, his arms flailing helplessly as the whole set of shelves topples away from the wall, down onto Darren still pummelling the wood even as it looms onto him.

So Darren needs to pass Dodge. And Louis needs to pass Gym Class.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 6:33 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"We need to be able to get back up before we can climb down," says Harry, helping to gather the curtains.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 6:58 am
by BoyBlunder78
1d100
Hard success

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 7:23 pm
by aine
Louis feels himself falling backwards and tries to jump clear of Darren.
Gym 40 roll: 26

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:06 pm
by Mephistophilis
Louis manages to leap free and land on the cushions that Shirley has thrown down into the room before the whole set of shelves crashes to the ground, narrowly missing Darren who deftly steps out of the way. There is an almighty smash and rotten books fly in every direction. The fallen shelves reveal more normal looking rats skulking behind and beneath it and they scuttle off. The ugly rat-thing with the glasses falls to the ground beside the large black book. It glances up at Darren wielding his crowbar and then turns and runs after its compatriots, clearly deciding that discretion is the better part of valour.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:10 pm
by Mephistophilis
The ragged scraps of curtains in the Parlour only make enough of a 'rope' to get halfway down to the floor below. To get something he would be confident using Harry reckons he'll need about the same amount of material again. He thinks he saw some curtains in the kitchen, they weren't long but they were in better condition. There were probably some in the other rooms, he just can't quite remember.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 2:41 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Come on, there were more curtains in the kitchen," says Harry. "Let's go get them. They're not very long, but they're stronger."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:57 am
by kabukiman
"I'l go with you looking for more curtains. Shouldn't someone stay here up in case something goes wrong to help those downstairs?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 1:49 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Feeling like she was herding cats, Shirley protests. "We got to stick together! There has to be another way." Looking back down through the trapdoor, she tries to come up with something - a table they could move to give them a way to step down, anything down there that could act like a rope.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 6:08 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"All three of us can go to the kitchen together, then," says Harry. "That way nobody's alone. The others can stay together in the room they're in until we get back with the curtains. We can't do much to help them anyway without going down there ourselves and getting stuck."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 11:22 am
by BoyBlunder78
Holding his crowbar like his favourite baseball bar Daren frantically looks around for any signs of the creature. Looking at all the damage he's caused, dismayed that he cant see the dead body of the beast. "YEAH! Dont come back ya furry lil turd or they'll be more where that came from!!"
As he's looking around he sees the black book the thing was reading. "Right, lets see what you were up to." Andgoes to pick it up.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 9:56 pm
by Mephistophilis
There's the remains of the bookshelf collapsed on the floor inside the room, maybe it could be propped back up again and serve as a makeshift ladder. A successful Fix Stuff roll could sort that out but it'd need to be someone already inside the basement room.


Darren picks up the book. It looks very old. Handwritten script on uneven cut pages, bound in mouldering black leather. Most of the pages are stuck together, and many flake right out of the binding in large, brittle chunks when Darren opens it. But there are a few pages where the script is still discernible, whether it's possible to read it is another matter. The spidery handwriting is unfamiliar and hard to make out.

That book is real old, like two hundred years old!


Anyone reading the book can make a Reading, Writing, & Arithmetic roll to try and make out what it says on one of the few undamaged pages.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 10:00 pm
by BoyBlunder78

1d100

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 10:22 pm
by Mephistophilis
With a bit of help from Louis, Darren is able to prop the collapsed wooden shelves back up again in the centre of the basement room, bracing them against the wall with the plank from a stray shelf. It's a bit rickety but after a shake, Darren concludes it is strong enough to take the weight of a few kids.

Going back to the book, Darren flicks through the crumbling pages. While he can tell it is English, and make out the occasional word, he can't discern anything useful from the scratchy letters and odd, abstract diagrams.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2023 5:31 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Now that there's a makeshift ladder in place, Harry climbs down to join the others and check out that book. "This book is about two hundred years old!" he exclaims, handling it carefully as he studies it. "This country was brand new when it was written."


EDU roll (35% stat) about the book:
d%
Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic roll (60% skill) looking at the book:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2023 6:56 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Shirley lingers on the floor uptop, now sitting just at the edge of the trap door her legs hanging down, her black rainboots brushing against the toppled bookshelf with each swing.

"Does it say anything about the blue light?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2023 3:16 pm
by kabukiman
Kyle is near Shirley and asks:
"Is there any book about the owner of it? A diary or something like that? Maybe there is some information of how to get out of here. Like a secret door!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2023 7:29 pm
by aine
Louis looks over Darren’s shoulder at the book. He’s not normally interested in books but he wonders what the rat man was reading. “What’s that bit say?” And he points:
3 Rs: 25, roll: 18

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2023 10:32 pm
by Mephistophilis
Only one page is both legible and makes any sense. Harry opens up the book and runs his fingers along the text, Louis following over his shoulder.

Image

OOC:   That's a SAN check and 1/1d3 Sanity loss.

If you can't read that fragment let me know and I'll copy it out  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2023 10:39 pm
by Mephistophilis
Now that you're down in the room you can see that there are actually two doors. One is a plain wooden door to the west, and it is ajar, to the south there is some odd sort of hinge arrangement built into the shelves, like a secret or hidden door, but not really that well hidden, like maybe this is the other side. But it is definitely shut. There's no source of light other than what you've brought with you. The air has a damp, mildewy aroma.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2023 1:14 am
by BoyBlunder78
"Soòoo, can , like anyone read this? Mudt be kinda important if that thing es reading it[."/color]

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2023 5:24 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I can read it, it's just hard," says Harry with a shiver. "The writing is atrocious, and it's got those Ss that look like Fs, but the worst part is what it says. This is some sick stuff. It's about cooking and eating children. I know that's in Hansel and Gretel, but this seems to be for real."


Sanity roll (current level 24) for reading the book:
d%
Sanity loss:
1d6/2

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2023 7:36 pm
by aine
Sanity 61 roll: 54 san loss: 1

Louis shivers. “I don’t want to read any more, it’s too creepy.” He turns away and looks at the doors, thinking.
“I might be wrong but I think that that west door is okay but that south door might lead to the cellar where you-know-who is. And we should try to be quiet.” He looks at Darren.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2023 9:28 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry nods. "We need to barricade that south door," he whispers. "Then we need to search this room, and then try the west door."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2023 9:41 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Darren looks around for big pieces of wood or anything big enough to help barricade the door. "Ian! IAN!! Where are you?! Come down here!!!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2023 7:35 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

Shirley finally relents and even though she just hates everything about this situation, about this house, she is ready to join the others in the creepy library. "Come on, just be careful where you put your foot," she encourages Ian and follows after him.

Once down there, she looks around at all the books and weird objects, some scattered all over the floor from Dylan's outburst, some even broken.

"But nothing about the blue light?" she asks Harry.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2023 12:34 am
by Mephistophilis
Darren strips out some of the shelves from the other walls and tries to jam them into the mechanism of the south bookcase.

That'd be a Fix Stuff roll to jam the door.


What's that noise? A sort of shuffling, scraping sound. Is it coming from under the floorboards, coming from somewhere in the basement, beyond that south door? Roll me Luck.


Shirley helps Ian to clamber down into the basement. The ceiling is low, only six foot or so, and the floor is covered in rough cut slabs of stone laid over dirt. There's a rough wooden door to the west that stands ajar while the bookshelf to the south has a strange mechanism that suggests it might conceal a secret door. Or at least it did until Darren got to it.

The basement is very dark, the only light comes from the flickering flames of the fireplace in the room above which cast shifting shadows across the walls. Now and again Harry and Kyle shine their flashlights down to illuminate a patch of the room in stark relief.

Shirley scrabbles around on the floor looking for any readable books, trying to get some kind of insight into the blue light. But most of the books are just mouldering leather covers, the paper long since dissolved into an indistinguishable pulp by years of moisture and mildew. The few others she is able to actually open disintegrate into dust at her touch. The few pages that she is able to get a look at are completely unintelligible to her. Random squiggles and indecipherable writing, half of it not even in English.

But she does find a soggy cardboard box shoved into the corner of a lower shelf. It's been gnawed by rats but still looks in better condition than most of the rest of the stuff in the room. There are old newspapers, magazines, all twenty years old or more. One item catches Shirley's interest. A battered scrapbook with several newspaper clippings from the 1860s.

Roll Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic and also Spooky Stuff


Are Harry and Kyle going to get some more curtains or are they going to chance the rickety makeshift staircase assembled by Darren and Louis?

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2023 12:46 am
by BoyBlunder78
1d100

Fail :cry:

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2023 1:25 am
by Mephistophilis
Darren jams several planks into the workings of the mechanism in the south wall. He's not really sure how it works having not observed it in action but he hopes he's gummed it up enough to prevent it opening.

Image

Ian watches him with interest. 'So we definitely don't need to get out that way?'

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2023 6:57 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I hear scratching beneath the floorboards," says Harry. "Must be the rats. I have a bad feeling about this."


Luck roll (40% stat) in the basement:
d%
I'll trust the ladder, but I'm not going back up yet.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2023 9:58 am
by BoyBlunder78
His breathing hard he looks st his brother, hisxeyrs wide as he's still coming down from the adrenaline rush." I think so, it'll stop anything creeping up on us. Harry says to block it and his head is screwed on
Besides ive got this if we need to get through this way in a hurry."
Darren says as he brandished the crowbar.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2023 7:26 pm
by aine
“That box looks much newer than all these books. It might belong to the last owners.” Louis looks over Shirley’s shoulder and then goes to look at the west door.
“Everyone quiet while I try to listen.” He whispers, and he puts his head to the gap.
Notice stuff 80. Roll: 19

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:08 pm
by Mephistophilis
Louis listens at the door to the west. He can't hear anything and peaking through the opening he can just make out a bed and mattress in the darkness.

From the south wall of the main room comes a scuffling sound. Then a screeching, like metal scraping against metal. The bookcase starts to quiver and move, but the pieces of wood that Darren has wedged in obstruct the mechanism. It vibrates and rattles for a few seconds then there's a banging sound. Something crashing against the wall. Bang. Bang. Bang. The wall itself shakes at the impact.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2023 6:46 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Let's climb back up, and pull up the ladder after us," whispers Harry.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2023 7:33 am
by BoyBlunder78
I think thats a good idea. Ian get back upnthre with Harry QUICK!!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2023 7:33 pm
by aine
Louis’s eyes widen in alarm and he leaves the west door to go back to the shelf-ladder.
“Come on, hurry!” But he waits for the others to go first and looks at the other shelves- could he bolster the secret door with them?

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2023 12:28 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"But some of it still looks really old," Shirley tells Louis as she picks up the scrapbook.

Roll Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic (30%):
d%
Spooky Stuff (5%):
d%


Once the banging starts she grabs what she can from the box and follows back up the bookshelf.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2023 1:14 pm
by kabukiman
Kyle will help the other to go up.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2023 11:00 pm
by Mephistophilis
Everyone starts scrabbling up the bookshelf-ladder, the banging from beyond the wall getting louder and louder, rats rush out in all directions from cracks and holes in the skirting. The shelving shifts and shakes, making it even more difficult to climb, and the planks of wood bracing the door shut begin to twist and splinter. A crack appears in the wall and beyond it the faintest of glows silhouettes as shape. A human form perhaps.

Shirley glances through the scrapbook before hurrying after the others, unable to make out anything specific but seeing several mentions of the Barnaker House in the clippings.

Everyone trying to get up the makeshift ladder roll me Gym Class


Roll me Luck as well


He can roll Fix Stuff to try and bolster the supports holding the door closed

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2023 11:41 pm
by BoyBlunder78
OOC:   before i roll, can i help Louis?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2023 6:41 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry, whose idea it was, scrambles up the ladder first.


Gym Class roll (20% base skill) to climb the ladder:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2023 11:22 am
by BoyBlunder78
1d100

1d100
OOC:   May i push my gym roll?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2023 12:55 pm
by kabukiman
OOC: What can I roll to help people get up? Kyle never went with the others to the "library"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2023 6:25 pm
by Mephistophilis
OOC:   You can always push a roll! But it might bring down the stairs if you fail.

I'd say Gym Class to lean down and help people up - success and you can convert one failure into a success for the others. And Darren can help Louis and give him a bonus die on his Fix Stuff roll.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2023 7:06 pm
by BoyBlunder78
OOC:   I'll assist Louis and give him a bonus die.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2023 4:14 am
by Mr. Handy

Can two people assist at the same time, and is there any risk to those of us helping? Not that I'm likely to succeed at Gym Class again, of course.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2023 3:45 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Gym Class (40%):
d%


In a haste, Shirley rips the few pages that mention the house and scurries up the make-shift ladder with the practice of someone used to climb many trees and fences and pretty much anything that can be climbed.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2023 2:31 pm
by BoyBlunder78
OOC:   wheres Ian?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2023 7:37 pm
by aine
Louis uses any spare shelving to brace the supports. It’s a two-man job, wedging the wood good and tight and he’s glad of the help.
fix stuff 60. Roll: 99 and bonus die: 4!

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2023 9:55 am
by BoyBlunder78
8-)
1d100

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2023 10:27 pm
by Mephistophilis
Louis and Darren desperately grab the few remaining planks of broken shelving and manage to wedge them in tight between the east wall and the bursting mechanism to the south. Louis doesn't quite know how himself but he manages to get something in against the hinges and as much as the hidden door bulges and reverberates with increasingly frustrated blows, it holds firm.

Darren shoves Ian up the precarious ladder and follows himself, joining Harry, Shirley, and Kyle on the floor above. Only Louis remains, in the dark of the basement. Kyle's flashlight illuminating him from the trapdoor above. 'Come on Louis,' shouts Ian.

The thumping and banging from below stops. As the cacophony of shouting and banging ceases they are able to hear the sounds of the storm outside. The rat-a-tat of raindrops pounding the shutters and what's left of the glass. Cold air whistling in through every crack and gap, causing chilling-paroxsysms like someone walking over their graves. The whole house seems to be a hellish symphony of popping wood and pounding rain. A flash of daylight-like brightness outside precedes a peal of thunder that rattles the whole of the house.

OOC:   So the Luck roll for Darren was to see if Ian makes it!

Only one person can lean down and help someone up - no harm if you fail (unless you fumble). Gym Class to help. And Louis needs to roll Gym Class to get up. He can have a bonus die since there is now less of a time pressure since he shored up the door.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2023 10:51 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Darren leans down. "Louis! Grab my hand!!"
1d100

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2023 10:57 pm
by Mephistophilis
OOC:   So unless Louis fumbles he'll make it up okay with Darren's help  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2023 7:44 pm
by aine
OOC:   … Louis is a portly chap, however…  
Gym: 40 roll:76 bonus die- if needed: 8 :/

Louis climbs the shelves and reaches for the outstretched hand.
“Got…to…reach…..”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:59 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Darren lying on his front leans further forward, stretching his arm out as far as he can go."Come on Louis you can do it
Just a lil further!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 10:47 pm
by Mephistophilis
Louis scrabbles up the half broken bookshelf, using the shelves themselves as steps, reaching up to grab Darren's hand the top shelf shifts ominously under his foot and there's a crack. He stumbles forward and the wood completely gives way, falling and ricocheting off the other pieces. His arms wheel in the air as he feels himself fall.

Then something grips his hand. A solid grip, then another. Leaning precariously over the lip of the hole, Darren holds Louis's arm with both hands and with a great roar of effort he hauls him up into the Parlour as the whole rickety set of steps and shelves collapses into a heap below.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 12:02 am
by BoyBlunder78
Rolling onto his back, heart nearly bursting out of his chest and breathing rapidly Darren turns his head to Louis "PHew! That was a close one. You ok buddy?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 1:45 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Shirley breathes out a sigh of relief as she accounts for everybody. "You think that was Roger trying to get to us?" she asks the boys listening carefully for any signs of immediate danger coming from bellow.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 6:22 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I don't know of anyone else here," says Harry, "although who knows what strange creatures inhabit this other dimension?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 7:27 am
by aine
“Ahh man, my arms.” Louis lies on his back breathing hard. “I thought I was a gonner there. Thank you, Darren.
“I think that was Roger and that door went to the cellar I explored earlier. He’ll find a way out at some point and he’s gonna be real mad. So we’d better hurry getting out of here.”
He lapses into silence, enjoying the still being alive but.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 12:51 pm
by kabukiman
"You think he may try to get out of there? Maybe we should cover this part so he cannot get out of there? By putting a table reversed or something?"- Says kyle

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2023 2:05 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"I found these," Shirley turns to Harry nest to her, still sitting on the dirty floor. In her hand are the crumpled pages she managed to rip out of the journal but didn't get a good chance to look at them. "They say something about the house."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2023 6:53 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Let me see," says Harry, examining the pages. "If Roger breaks into the room below us, we can drop heavy stuff on his head."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2023 10:23 am
by BoyBlunder78
Good plan, plus ive got this, if he pops his ugly face up outts the hole!" Darren says brandishing his crowbar.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 4:28 pm
by aine
“Do the papers say which dimension we are in or how to get home?” Louis sits up. “I say, you don’t suppose all those kids outside are ones who never made it home again?”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 9:54 pm
by Mephistophilis
There's no immediate sound of any noise from the basement or anywhere else in the house, beyond the creaking of the walls, whistling wind, and rattle of rain.

OOC:   You guys closing the trapdoor, putting anything over it?  

Shirley and Harry look through the handful of pages Shirley has ripped out of the notebook. There's the title page, Property of David Briggs. Then there's a facsimile of an article from 1885, it concerns the disappearance of an Evelyn Barnaker, the original owner of the house. There are a number of illegible handwritten notes in pencil, crammed into the margins of the page.

A wealthy widow, Barnaker had moved to town in 1866 from Massachusetts. She had apparently been a benefactor to the local orphanage and school for 'feeble-minded' children. The old woman, who had been acting 'out of sorts recently' vanished overnight on the 2nd of February. One of her servants, Miss Eliza Fowler, was questioned and released, having been away visiting family. Another servant, Mr Erastus Bishop, could not be located. Foul play was suspected but never proven.


There are several newspaper articles about unusual sightings at the Barnaker house, either while it was occupied or, temporarily, abandoned. Most involved lights in the empty house but no cause was ever found. Another story reports a renter fleeing the house and being, temporarily at least, committed to an asylum. They complained of voices being heard in empty rooms, strange infant-like wailing at night, and a feeling of being watched.

A few pages have notes, again written in pencil, taped onto the leaves of the notebook. Based on the handwriting on the title page these were also written by David Briggs. Several include mention a John Rawes and wife, of Arkham in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, being charged with witchcraft and jailed but released without trial in 1693 when the Salem trials were ended by Governor Phipps. In one account, no source given, unfortunately, Mrs Rawes's name is given as Ellen (Lynn) Rawes.

The last sheet seems to be a page torn from another book. Apparently from 'Witchcraft and Black Magic' by Rev Montague Summers, the page discusses various methods for detecting and harming witches. A section discussing a witch’s aversion to iron and silver is underlined in pencil, as is a section on the efficacy of flame.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 11:21 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Nothing about other dimensions in here," says Harry, "but it's still fascinating." He shows the papers to the others. "If we're going to leave the room, we can move some heavy furniture over the trapdoor to block it. It's good to know that witches are vulnerable to fire." He hoists his torch. "Iron and silver are good too. We should check our pocket change. Any coins minted before 1965 are ninety percent silver."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 12:46 am
by BoyBlunder78
"Louis!Help me.f8nd somethimg to place ontop of this trap door. Harrydo you think this crowbar could.be iron?" Asks Darren.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 1:37 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"It might be," says Harry. "The poker too. If you have a magnet, you can check to see if it sticks to the metal. If it is, it's probably iron, which is magnetic. So are cobalt and nickel, though."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:56 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"It's probably cast iron," Shirley adds, looking around for it since it was probably dropped on the floor before going through the trap door. "Candle holders could be silver too, or silverware if it's extra nice." She also checks her pockets and pack for any coins like Harry suggested.

"This house is so much older than I thought. And all those books and stuff were ancient too. What if this place is really hunted?" she throws the question out there, almost ready to believe in it. "Roger was messing around before we got here. What if he performed a ritual or something?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:56 pm
by aine
Louis helps Darren push the heaviest piece of furniture across the trapdoor.
“Is Roger clever enough to be a wizard?” He asks doubtfully as he pushes and heaves.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 12:44 am
by Mephistophilis
After sliding an armchair over the trapdoor everyone checks their pockets for change.

OOC:   Anyone passing a Luck roll can have 1d3 silver coins. The poker and crowbar are certainly heavy and look like they're made of iron or steel - at least as far as a kid can ascertain. In order to know whether they're definitely made of iron one person per item can roll a Science Class to confirm.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 6:17 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry's coins are all too new, but he is able to determine if the poker is made of iron.


Luck roll (40% stat) to have silver coins:
d%
Science Class roll (80% skill) to see if the poker is iron:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 6:31 pm
by BoyBlunder78
1d100

Darren pats his pickets down and only has Lint and a couple of shiny new cents.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 9:01 pm
by aine
luck 65, roll: 82

“I wish I had any coins.” Moaned Louis.
“There might be a cast iron pan in the kitchen.”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2023 6:30 am
by LiviaBlue
Image


Luck (65):
d%


"Bummer, this one's from '68." Shirley puts back in her pack her one quarter.

"Maybe it's the old woman who's behind this and Roger is doing her bidding."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 12:28 am
by Mephistophilis
OOC:   That poker is definitely iron, cast iron.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 6:22 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Yep," says Harry. "I was right. The poker is made of cast iron."


Can I roll for the crowbar too, or does someone else have to try?

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 9:47 pm
by Mephistophilis
OOC:   Someone else should try or you can roll but at hard difficulty this time  

While everyone is going through their pockets and extracting various pieces of loose change there's another flash of lightning and crack of thunder. Something dark looms against the window and there's a loud thump. The wall seems to flex slightly at the impact.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 1:06 am
by BoyBlunder78
" What the fudge was that?!" Darren shouts as he flinches at the impact.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 5:14 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I can't see it, it's too dark out there," says Harry, brandishing his torch at the window.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 5:58 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

The sudden noise makes Shirley jump out of her skin like the others, and as she regains her composure she rushes to the side of the room where the thumping made the wall shake and starts hitting it back with her small first.

"Maybe there's someone outside who's trying to get us out!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 11:35 pm
by Mephistophilis
As Shirley runs to the wall to pound it ineffectually with her fists she glances out the window, through the boards and shutters. There's a shadow, large and dark, and as the flashlight beam illuminates it there's an ear-splitting shriek.


Both roll Spot Hidden and Shirley roll Dodge

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 2:16 am
by LiviaBlue
Image


I'm assuming you meant Notice Stuff instead of Spot Hidden ^^

Notice Stuff (60%):
d%

Dodge (33%):
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 5:45 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry can see clearly thanks to the light.


Notice Stuff roll (40% skill) looking at the window:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 7:42 pm
by aine
Louis runs away from the wall and stands there shaking.
“Look out, something’s out there- it’s a monster!”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 8:14 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Darren moves Ian behind him holding the crowbar in both hands, his knuckles whitening. "Don't think thats anyone comingto help Shirley!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 11:34 pm
by Mephistophilis
Shirley and Harry get a good look at the thing in the window.

The creature is coal-black even in the torch light. It's like a massive bat, the size of a vulture or condor, wings stretching out to a span of nearly ten feet. The body hairy and dark with powerful legs ending in clawed feet that perch on the outside windowsill. It stands about four feet tall, the torso has evident pectoral muscles through the hair and there are two shrunken vestigial arms in front of the powerful, leathery wings. As it emits the unearthly shriek they get a good look at its head. It's neither human nor bat but some unwholesome hybrid of the two.

Image

That's a SAN check - 1/1d4+1 loss.


But the others do see a pair of spindly brown-black clawed legs that jut through holes in the window and grab Shirley. Pulling her violently into the frame, face first. She slams against a plank that is nailed across it.

The hot, foetid breath of the creature in her face. A look of malevolence in its eyes as its lip curls up in a snarl, revealing sharp and pointed teeth.

OOC:   Shirley is grappled and held by the creature.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 4:52 am
by LiviaBlue
Image


SAN (49):
d%

Sanity loss:
1d4+1

Freaking Out Roll - INT (55):
d%


As the terrifying creature grabs her, Shirley starts trashing against its grip trying to break free.

"Let go of me, you monster!"

With her other hand she reaches behind her, trying to grab something she could use to hit the human-bat.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 6:33 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry screams in terror and swings his weapon at the monster's legs.


Sanity roll (current level 22) for seeing the monster:
d%
Sanity loss:
1d4+1
Fighting roll (25% base skill) attacking the monster:
d%
Wow! :o Critical hit!
Damage to monster from critical hit:
1d6+6

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2023 7:42 pm
by aine
Louis looks wildly around for something- anything to use as a weapon.
Luck 65 roll:49

“Silver! Fire and silver!” He shouts.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2023 8:13 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Darrenruns to Shirley's aid swinging the crowbR at the creature.
OOC:   What roll[ shouldi roll? Fighting or gtm.class? Seeing as though he's a basbeball player and swinging his crowbar like a bat....... 8-)  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 11:15 pm
by Mephistophilis
Shirley doesn't even have time to think about what this creature is, only that she needs to get away as she struggles against the clawed feet that are gripping her tightly and pulling her harder and harder against the window. She reaches behind her for a weapon but grips only empty air.

Standing the closest to Shirley and seeing the creature attack her, Harry swings the poker hard at one of the legs which gives a sickening crunch and loosens its grip. Darren follows up with a heavy blow from the crowbar that shatters the planks nailed across the window frame, sending the jagged ends to bite into the bat-thing. Finally, Louis grabs a fragment of splintered wood and jabs it into the other leg.

The creature gives another ear-splitting scream, even louder this time, it seems to penetrate into their very bodies, inducing a feeling of nausea and dizziness. Then it leaps up from the window sill and disappears into the night.

OOC:   You've managed to defeat the creature but it gets a shriek attack in - everyone roll for CON  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 11:26 pm
by BoyBlunder78
1d100

:cry: :mrgreen:
Darren drops to his knees, screaming, clutching his ears.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2023 12:11 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry is barely able to withstand the shrieking.


CON roll (35% stat) from the screech:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2023 4:12 am
by LiviaBlue
Image


CON (55):
d%


Shirley is just glad to be free, her wrist hurting from so much twisting and pulling but nothing too bad. Once the creature disappears into the night, she looks through the hole it got to her, a glimmer of hope that the blue light is gone.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2023 7:56 pm
by aine
Con: 75, roll: 87

Louis drops his plank and slams his hands over his ears.
“Make it stop!” He wails as the screech reverberates through the room.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2023 12:12 am
by Mephistophilis
That scream. It is so high pitched, ear-splitting. It hurts, it physically hurts and then...pop. Less pain but now everything sounds dulled, quiet, muffled. And there's something dribbling out your ear. Wiping it, is that blood?


Shirley peers through the hole in the boarded up window frame. Outside she can see the lavender-blue lights floating above the grass, they're really close to the house now.

Up close she can see that around each floating light is a thin nimbus, a faint blue glow that seems to form the outline of a shape, like a body, a child’s body. Enveloping the floating light, a light that flickers where the heart would be if the shape really was a child. The spectres turn their blank, mournful faces towards her.

OOC:   SAN roll, 0/1 Sanity loss.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2023 3:52 am
by LiviaBlue
Image


SAN (44):
d%
SAN loss: 1


Shirley startles seeing the children shapes of light watching her from the yard. "I don't think we're the first to be stuck in this house," she tells the others, her face pale, her voice a little wobbly as she wonders if they used to be really children. "If we don't do something we'll end up just like them."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2023 4:45 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Then let's be the first to get out of it," says Harry. "We go room by room and do a systematic search. Let's try the kitchen next. We can get the curtains there while we're at it to finish making a rope."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2023 7:45 pm
by aine
“I did tell you about those blue kids in the garden ages ago.” Louis complains, wiping his ear. He looks at the blood on his finger, puzzled. He shakes his head to try to clear the fuzziness.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 2:10 am
by BoyBlunder78
"What the......?" Shaking Darren looks at the blood on his fingertips, looking to Ian "You ok lil bro?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 2:12 pm
by kabukiman
Con: 45%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 10:16 pm
by Mephistophilis
Darren looks around for Ian. His head feels fuzzy and his vision is a bit hazy but he can't seem to see him. He starts looking about more desperately now. The others look around as well. He was just here. But Ian is nowhere to be seen. Both Darren and Louis struggle to make out what the others are saying, their ears just a constant ringing. But they can tell from their faces it isn't good.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 10:28 pm
by BoyBlunder78
[b]IAN!!! IAN!!!![/b] WHERE ARE YOU??!!!" Looking frantically at the blurry images he presumes are the rest of the gang.Reaching out, Grabbing at the person closest to him "Where is he° have you seen him? You must've seen him, he waa right here!!!" His voice cracking slightly as he pleads with the otjers.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 4:37 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"He didn't fall in the hole, did he?" asks Harry, shining his light down there.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 4:24 pm
by kabukiman
"IAN! Where are you?"- shouts Kyle

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 8:00 pm
by aine
Louis sees everyone looking frantically around so he does too. Ian? “He was standing just behind you!” He says in too loud a voice.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 9:08 pm
by Mephistophilis
Everyone looks around but there's no sign of Ian anywhere in the Parlour. But there is a sort of banging noise. It's not nearby. It seems to be coming from upstairs.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 5:23 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Maybe he went upstairs," says Harry. "Let's go take a look, but we have to stick together. We can't split up any more."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 10:15 am
by BoyBlunder78
Looking up at ceiling, a look of panic spreading across his face, eyes wide Darren shouts "IAN!! I'M COMING BUDDY!!" Grabbing the crowbar he turns and starts running to the stairs.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 10:39 am
by kabukiman
Kyle follows Daren
"Don't go so fast, or you may get lost!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 5:15 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Here we go again..." says Harry, hurrying after them.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 7:33 pm
by aine
Louis grabs his plank of wood and follows after.
“Come on, Shirley!”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2023 12:10 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"I helped him down in that library," Shirley recalls, "did he get out? Everything was happening so fast." She moves away from the wall and follows the others not wanting to be left behind.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2023 12:47 am
by Mephistophilis
At the top of the stairs the odd bangs continue, less frequently now. There's little light up here except the occasional flash of lightning through the boarded-up windows. It is hard to localise the sounds, despite being closer now than downstairs. It seems like they're coming from the Master Bedroom where you found Ian before, but there also seems to be noise from the loft hatch to the south of landing and maybe even the room to the south west.

Image

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2023 3:02 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Let's look inside the master bedroom first," says Harry, "but be careful. Remember the floor."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2023 9:34 am
by BoyBlunder78
Walking slowly down the corridor Darren approaches the master bedroom door. He slowly turns the handle, hearing the soft click as the catch retracts inside the door before pushing it slightly ajar. Closing his eyes, taking a deep breath he uses the crowbar to push the door wide open.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2023 12:50 pm
by Mephistophilis
The door glides silently open. It is as dark as before, apart from the weak light through the hole in the floor there is only the occasional peak of moonlight through the storm clouds or the flash of lightning to illuminate the room, glistening of the thousands of fragments of broken mirror in front of the empty brass frame. Rain continues to batter relentlessly at the windows, dribbling through the cracks in the panes.

The mouldering bed broods in the centre of the room, torn and stained. There's a faint odour of mildew that seems to come off it but that is overwhelmed by a putrid stench, like a rotting animal, that seems to be emanating from the large closet in the south wall.

But what catches Darren's immediate attention is the ceiling hatch with the few feet of rope hanging down. As Darren enters the room there's a thick rectangle of darkness along the edge of the hatch, like it is ajar, then after a crash of thunder and the blinding lightning, there's a click and the hatch is closed.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2023 2:17 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Does that go up to the loft?" asks Harry, close behind him. "If it does, there's another way up there from the landing."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2023 9:47 am
by kabukiman
"Why don't he answer? You think Roger captured him?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2023 7:55 pm
by BoyBlunder78
"Cant be, Roger is in the basement, must be someTHING else."
OOC:   Is the hatch rope within Darrens reach?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2023 11:07 pm
by Mephistophilis
OOC:   The rope is dangling a few feet down from the ceiling. Darren might be able to jump for it (Hard Gym Class) or he'd need to get a boost from someone else (Regular Gym Class roll but the person doing the boost needs a successful STR roll first to avoid dropping him - they can have a bonus die if someone else helps them to lift Darren).  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2023 6:37 pm
by aine
Louis hasn’t been upstairs yet so he stays close to the others. “Wow, what happened to that mirror?” He asks, remembering the one in the basement. This one must have been a lot bigger. He looks at the hole in the floor and avoids it carefully.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2023 1:46 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"If it was anything like the one in the bathroom, it's better that it's broken." Shirley tells Louis remembering the strange woman. Maybe she was a witch. And the mirrors were how she kept an eye on her house. The more she thought about it the more absurd the situation became, but at this point she was willing to believe pretty much anything.

"Maybe give me a lift up there, there's no way I'll be able to hold you."


Gym Class (40%):
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2023 11:18 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Darren laces his hands together for Shirley to step in. "C'mon, Ian could be up there!"
gym class 80%
1d100
OOC:   extreme!!  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 11:07 pm
by Mephistophilis
With the boost from Darren, Shirley is able to pull open the loft hatch, which is on some kind of sprung mechanism. She pulls herself up inside, her upper body spread across the floor of the attic, her legs dangling down through the hole.

The attic space has been roughly boarded and seems to consist of about half the roof space, with the eaves dropping away to one side and a half-finished lathe and plaster wall on the other side. In that wall is a small unpainted four foot door that is shut. There's not much in the attic, a few old cardboard boxes, mouldering and disintegrating, some moth eaten blankets, old-looking leather suitcases and empty wooden trunks, a few children's books.

There is a thin layer of black-brown dust covering everything in the attic and it makes Shirley sneeze and choke. This isn't helped by the nasty ammonia-like odour that permeates the space.

From beyond the door, Shirley can hear squeaking and fluttering.

Up in the rafters there are several bats sleeping. One of them seems bigger than the others...


Image

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 3:10 am
by LiviaBlue
Image


Notice Stuff (60%):
d%


"I can barely see anything, but I think there's a crawl space up here," she calls down to the others after a coughing fit. She keeps low on her knees nest to the opening, not wanting to risk standing up and tripping or hitting her head.

"Definitely some animals too. I can hear and smell them. Ahhh...one of the bats looks really weird."

Shirley pulls out the paring knife she picked up earlier from the kitchen and grips it tightly, a little worried that she might have disturbed the creatures with the presence.

"I don't see Ian, but I can try to check the crawl space. I just don't like being alone here guys."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 4:04 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"There should be another way up there from the hall," says Harry.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 8:48 pm
by BoyBlunder78
"Stay there, we'll find a way to you! Be careful!" Shouts Darren.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 3:33 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"Ugg... I knew I should have brought my rope ladder. Always be prepared." Shirley grumbles to herself keeping her eyes on the bats, squinting in the lowlight.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 2:07 pm
by kabukiman
"If anything goes wrong, just get out of there!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 6:29 pm
by BoyBlunder78
"I'll stay here if you need to drop down quick Shirley!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 9:32 pm
by aine
“Do you think the bats are weird like the rats? With faces too?” Louis looks around for a bedroom chair or similar with which to reach the landing trapdoor.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 2:30 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"They better not be. They give me the hibby hobbies." Shirley answers to keep herself from freaking out up there, in the dark, with the bats, alone.

"Y'all think we'll have to fight Roger to get out of this house?" she asks the boys that stayed down below the attic opening with her.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 6:41 am
by BoyBlunder78
Darren's knuckles turn white as he grips the crowbar, staring up into the hatch."i think so, might be the only way out, and if he's got my lil bro im gonna cave his frickin head in!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2023 6:51 pm
by aine
Louis looks at Darren,
“Then you’ll be as bad as him. Don’t worry, we’ll find Ian.”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2023 7:47 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Looking at Louis, " He's already killed his brother without a thought!, there maybe no other choice, if he's hurt a hair on Ian's head......." Darren leaves the end of sentence hanging, leaving Louis in no doubt what he wouldn't hesitate to do.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2023 2:02 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"He was actin' all kinds of crazy. What if... what if there's something else behind all this, someone else, like the witch in the books from the basement. Louis heard an old woman on the phone when it was already smashed to pieces, I saw one in the broken mirror when there was no one behind me..." Shirley gingerly voices her theory. It was sounding absurd to her own ears, after all, witches weren't real, but everything about this house was absurd.

"Something more has to be going on here. Not even Roger is that evil."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2023 9:52 am
by BoyBlunder78
"Ian saw something similar in the mirror in this room when we found him all hypnotized like! You maybe right, Roger could under her spell pr being controlled by those little man faced rat sucka's. Something in this house wants kids like us!!! It's like that fsiry tale with the ids in the forest....argh! Whats it called....?'

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2023 5:55 pm
by aine
“Yes! The kids shoved the witch in the oven- I remember. The witch had a house made out of gingerbread and candy…” Louis looks around at their surroundings, “I don’t think this is the same witch.” He finishes, somewhat disappointed.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2023 8:48 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I don't think so either," says Harry. "You're thinking of Hansel and Gretel. That story wasn't true, and even if it had been, that witch burned up in the oven."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2023 11:08 pm
by Mephistophilis
Louis can't see any easily moveable chairs in the room. Up in the loft, Shirley looks at the mass of furry brown bodies in the rafters, shifting slightly, breathing maybe, but not making any noise. In amongst the press of bodies is one that is slightly larger than the rest. Shirley sees the glimpse of eyes looking down at her. A disconcerting face, not the rodent-like visage of the bat but something altogether more human.

San loss 1/1D4 to realise it isn't a normal bat

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2023 5:01 am
by LiviaBlue
Image


SAN (43):
d%
Sanity loss: 1


"Hurry up and get here already! One of these bats is looking at me all weird and it's like that other creature." Keeping her voice as leveled as she can, Shirley calls down at the rest ready to defend herself if needed.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2023 10:24 pm
by Mephistophilis
The weird bat seems to bury its head in amongst the other bats, like it's trying to hide. The others shift their positions in response and there's a ripple of movement and then they settle down to a rhythmic breathing.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 4:27 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry checks the ceiling out in the hall to see if there's a pull rope that will open the hatch to the loft.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 6:27 pm
by aine
“Cripes, hang on up there, Shirley! Can you guys give me a boost? I might be able to grab the edge of the loft hole and haul myself up.” Louis might be kidding himself though, he’s the chubbiest of them all.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 8:43 pm
by Mephistophilis
In the Upper Hall, Harry shines his flashlight along the ceiling. The loft hatch has no pull cord or other way to open it from down here. But it is close to the bannister. Someone could probably clamber up onto the bannister rail and reach the hatch, but falling down the stairs from there it would be a long way to the ground!

As he lower his flashlight the beam illuminates the elaborate-framed full-length mirror on the south wall.

In the tarnished surface he sees something, it looks like. No. It couldn't be. It looks like Ian. He's running away from the surface of the mirror. Deeper into the mirror. Harry can't make out anything else in the mirror but it certainly isn't reflecting what he can see on the landing. There's no sign of Ian in the Upper Hall.

OOC:   That's a SAN 0/1 for seeing Ian in the mirror.

You'd need to try a Gym Class roll to get up on that bannister to open the hatch. A failed Gym Class roll and I'd look for a Luck roll to see which way he falls.  


OOC:   For someone else to get up after Shirley it's a regular Gym Class roll for the person climbing up and they'll need a boost from someone else with a successful STR roll - the person doing the STR roll can have a bonus die if someone else helps them to lift  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 8:57 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Turning to Louis , Darren says, "I can give you boost of you want?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 5:11 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I saw Ian in the mirror!" calls Harry. "It wasn't just his reflection, he wasn't in the real hallway, and there was nothing but him in the mirror. He was running away. I know the mirrors in this place can mess with us, but what if they're also a way between worlds?"


Sanity roll (current level 19) for seeing Ian in the mirror:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 6:55 am
by BoyBlunder78
Upon hearing Ian's name, Darren runs towards Harry, shouting "WHERE!! WHERE DID YOU SEE HIM!!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 11:01 am
by Mephistophilis
Darren rushes up beside Harry. He stares hard into the mirror but he can't see Ian. There's something strange about it. A full length mirror with an elaborate antique frame and tarnished glass but it isn't reflecting the Upper Hallway, when Harry's flashlight beam moves across the surface it seems to penetrate into the image. The room it reveals is small, crowded with cardboard boxes and wooden frames. There's a metal grating in the stone floor just beyond the glass. As the light shines on the ground several small brown shapes scuttle away into the piles of junk.

Anyone looking into the mirror for the first time check SAN 0/1 - Harry's already done the test.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 7:18 pm
by BoyBlunder78
56% 1d100

Phew ;)

Darren reaches out with crowbar and touches it gently against the glass.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 4:35 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Let's not break this one," says Harry. "If he is in there, we wouldn't be able to get him out again."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 11:34 pm
by Mephistophilis
As the crowbar makes contact with the surface of the mirror Darren feels the initial touch but it doesn't seem right, instead of the sharp tap of metal on glass it feels spongy. And the crowbar keeps moving, slowly, it seems to slide through the glass, into the mirror, or at least through the mirror. He peers around the side but there's nothing between the mirror frame and the wall of the house.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2023 12:17 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"It is a gateway!" says Harry. "Let's get Shirley back down, and then we can all go through together. There's no point searching the loft yet when we know where Ian went."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2023 4:43 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Shirley awaits by the edge of the attic access, going through some breathing exercises she learned in camp. The bats were still making her nervous but hopefully, it won't be much longer until the boys find a way up.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2023 9:38 am
by BoyBlunder78
Darren runs into the room, under the hatch. Shirley! we've found another way, dont need the attic now. Lower yourself down and I'll catch you. " He says with his arms outstretched.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2023 10:24 pm
by Mephistophilis
OOC:   Shirley can drop down without a roll  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2023 4:22 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"If you drop me..." Shirley warns before jumping down, eager to be out of the attic and away from the bats.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2023 10:10 pm
by Mephistophilis
Shirley lowers herself from the hatch and drops into Darren's arms, he staggers and gives a most unmanly grunt at the unexpected weight.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 6:42 am
by BoyBlunder78
As he lowers Shirley to the ground he tries to move his head out of the way of her swan cape, as ot attempts to drape itself over his head.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 6:59 pm
by aine
Louis stares hard at the mirror, frowning.
Sanity 59 roll: 13

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2023 9:55 pm
by Mephistophilis
The view through the mirror is strangely familiar to Louis. It takes him a few seconds to realise that he's looking into the basement. There's that metal grating in the floor. The boxes. The rats. The configuration is all wrong, he's looking at the room from a different angle. He might...no...maybe...he might be looking into the room from the south wall. Where the mirror was hanging.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2023 1:56 pm
by kabukiman
"Are you ok Shirley? Let's join the others before anyone else get alone"- says Kyle

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2023 3:44 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"Yeah, I'm alright," Shirley confirms, straightening her dress and cape and following Kyle out of the room and to the others.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2023 5:43 pm
by aine
“I think these might be warpholes, look this one’s goes to the basement, which means…” He trails off.
“Er, I think we might want to smash this one.” He watches the scene in the mirror very carefully for movement other than the rats.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2023 7:20 pm
by BoyBlunder78
"We can't smash it!!! Ian's in there!!!!" Darren says as he walks towards the mirror.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2023 9:44 pm
by Mephistophilis
Louis can't see any more movement through the mirror, no more rats, no other creatures, no figures, no Roger.

As Darren walks towards the mirror and reaches out his hand he feels that same odd moment of contact followed by his hand moving slowly through the surface of the mirror, slowly, meeting some resistance, like pushing his hand through treacle.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2023 12:34 am
by BoyBlunder78
Eyes wide he turns his head to look at the others before taking a deep breath closing his eyes then steps.into the mirror. " Im coming to get you lil bro" Darren mutters under his breath.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2023 5:59 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"That's one small step for a kid," says Harry as he follows Darren. "One giant leap for kid-kind."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2023 4:58 pm
by aine
But….. that’s where Roger is.” Louis says weakly. He turns to Shirley, “Best stick together- are you coming too?”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2023 10:53 pm
by Mephistophilis
Darren pushes through the mirror, that same treacly resistance flows up his arm and across his body, eventually hitting his face. Keeping his eyes screwed shut he forces his whole body into the spongy sensation that marks the limits of the mirror. As his whole body is swallowed up by the disconcerting sensation, like floating in water, he can't help but gasp a breath, but instead of air something thick and viscous clogs up his mouth and lungs and he feels himself choke.

As the other watch Darren push through the strangely viscous surface of the mirror they see him pass through the frame and then...disappear. He's no longer visible. The room beyond is still there as they saw it before. But there's no sign of Darren.

Opening his eyes in terror, everything around him is pitch black. Darren claws at his mouth and throat, gasping for air, a wave of panic surging inside him, his heart pounding in his ears. Then he sucks in a lung full of air, it feels wet, smells of mildew, with notes of decay.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2023 5:25 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry hesitates, then experimentally feels the surface of the mirror.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2023 6:35 am
by BoyBlunder78
Darren doubles over, wheezing and coughing as he gasps for air choking on the acrid stench. His body racking with coughs.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone but Darren

Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2023 8:08 pm
by Mephistophilis
Harry runs his hand across the surface of the mirror. It is smooth, and hard. He pushes and it feels firm to the touch. Like glass.

Moving here.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2023 5:26 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Fascinating," says Harry, raising an eyebrow. He has to think like Spock, has to keep it together. Logic, not emotion. What would Spock do now? He would scan it with his tricorder. Harry doesn't have a tricorder, but he does have a PKE meter. He points it at the mirror and activates it. "To change from a semi-liquid to a solid state like that..."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2023 7:57 pm
by Mephistophilis
OOC:   What's Harry's PKE meter do? Does it have any functioning parts?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2023 2:25 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"This is breaking my brain," Shirley watches with eyes wide and mouth open as Darren moves into the mirror and disappears.

When Harry attempts to do the same but only encounters the hard surface of the glass a little panic enters her voice. "Wait, that's not good! He's gone!"

Shirley walks around, taking a look at the back side.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2023 5:46 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"We must think this through logically," says Harry. "The mirror showed us Ian in the basement, and Darren went through after him. If we're going to find them, and we cannot follow them through the mirror, we will have to go down to the basement by the stairs."


When you press a button on the PKE meter, the two arms up front in the middle swing out to the sides, lights flash, and it makes a sound.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2023 5:50 pm
by Mephistophilis
Harry's PKE meter activates and the arms wing out. It bleeps and flashes for a moment then the sounds trail off discordantly and the lights dim. Batteries must be gone.

Looking around the back of the mirror all Shirley can see is the hook it's hanging off and the narrow space between the back of the mirror and the wall. There's nothing unusual there. Which doesn't explain how Darren was able to walk through the mirror!

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2023 7:14 pm
by aine
“No way, Jose.” Louis shakes his head vehemently. “I’m not going back into the basement, not that basement anyway; Roger will be waiting for me.”
He points into the mirror.
“The basement is in several parts and I’m not sure they’re connected. How do we know which one we want? Or even if they are downstairs.” He adds cryptically.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon May 01, 2023 12:15 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"It looked like the room we were in before," says Harry, "below the trapdoor."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon May 01, 2023 4:21 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"The library? There was a bunch a weird stuff in there. Maybe we need to look for another mirror. He went in in this one, he should come out another one."

Trying to apply logic to the current situation was getting more and more difficult.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon May 01, 2023 6:14 pm
by aine
“The room that Roger was bashing the door down to?” Louis says. “We could just look down the trap door, see if we can see them. Let’s find something to use as a rope in case they need pulling up in a hurry.”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 5:17 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Yeah, let's go," says Harry. "We can make a rope out of those curtains."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 6:28 pm
by aine
Louis has one last look in the mirror and then follows Darren.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri May 05, 2023 6:49 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"I don't think we'll be able to get it through the trap door. All those bookshelves fell over." Shirley follows as well, worrying that they might need to go down the kitchen stairs and face Roger.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat May 06, 2023 12:02 am
by Mephistophilis
Back in the Parlour an armchair sits over the trap door. There's no sounds from below. There's a peal of thunder and flash of lightning. The house itself groans and seems to shift slightly.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat May 06, 2023 5:55 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Let's get that rope made and have a look down there," says Harry.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat May 06, 2023 7:12 pm
by aine
Louis gets the curtains, tears them into wide strips, twists them and knots them together.
“Sheet bends- get it?” He tests the rope for strength.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat May 06, 2023 11:01 pm
by Mephistophilis
Shoving the chair off the trapdoor, they haul it open and look down into the darkness of the basement. The splinters of collapsed shelving piled on the floor. Shining the flashlight around things seems like they left them earlier. Knotting together curtains and tying them off on the fireplace, they throw the makeshift rope down through the hole.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun May 07, 2023 4:10 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"If he was in that room before, he's not there now," says Harry. "He has to be down there somewhere, though, and Ian too. They couldn't have climbed up through the hole before, and the other exit is still blocked from here."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue May 09, 2023 5:27 pm
by aine
“I don’t think it’s a good idea going this way.” Louis exclaims. “Who was bashing down that door earlier? Someone or something we don’t want to meet. And you’re only guessing Ian’s down there.”
Louis stands up. “I’d rather try going through the mirror. That’s where Ian went.”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed May 10, 2023 4:07 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"We don't know that's what happened to Ian and the mirror stoped working after Darren went through. We don't have a lot of options and I'd rather be ready when facing whatever and whoever is down there rather than be taken by surprise and snatched away."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed May 10, 2023 5:36 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Shirley's right," says Harry. "We have to find Darren and Ian, and they're down there. As long as that door holds, Roger can't get to us, and the only chance we have against him is if we all stick together."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri May 12, 2023 9:10 pm
by aine
Louis shrugs,
“Maybe we’ll find something to eat down there.” He says sullenly. “Come on, let’s get it over with.”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun May 14, 2023 5:51 pm
by Mephistophilis
OOC:   So who wants to go first?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 3:48 am
by Mr. Handy

I don't. My Gym Class skill is poor. I'll want someone who can catch me down there first in case I fall.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 4:35 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"If I'm left alone again, I'm gonna be pissed," Shirley says as she takes initiative.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 10:33 pm
by Mephistophilis
Once again it falls to Shirley to take action. She grabs a handful of the curtain rope and gingerly lowers herself off the lip of the trapdoor into the basement room below. As she swings free of the floor above she feels an intense moment of panic, the only thing holding her weight the tenuously assembled pieces of moth-eaten cloth in her hands. She swings back and forth precariously, suddenly feeling very exposed, very unsafe.

Wrapping her legs around the makeshift rope she slowly, very slowly, starts to lower herself down. Still swinging backwards and forwards violently and uncontrollably. Fearing the rope will tear or untie at any moment and she'll plummet to the floor. But she gets low enough that one of her feet makes contact with the wreck of the shelving and she manages to stabilise herself and the last few feet is a lot easier. Scrambling down from the pile of timber she is able to look around her. There's very little light down here but in the light of the flickering fire from the Parlour above she can make out the same features she saw before: Low ceiling, floor of rough-cut stone. A door to the west ajar. The strange mechanism in the south wall is gummed up with planks of wood and seems twisted and broken. Half the shelving has fallen to the ground and sits in a pile in the centre of the room revealing stone walls behind. There are also the remains of the mouldering books and boxes she looked through previously.

Securing the rope to some of the broken timber, Shirley is able to make the descent much easier for anyone who follows her.

OOC:   Notice Stuff please Shirley  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed May 17, 2023 2:44 am
by LiviaBlue
Image


Notice Stuff (60%):
d%


"All clear," Shirley lets the others know with a tug of their improvised rope that it's secure.

While looking around she keeps an eye out for a mirror.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed May 17, 2023 5:33 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry shines his light around through the hole, then follows her down the rope.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed May 17, 2023 6:12 pm
by aine
Louis follows reluctantly. He looks around.
“I vaguely remember seeing a small mirror down here but it was in the cellar that leads to the kitchen- not this part.”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu May 18, 2023 10:10 pm
by Mephistophilis
Before the others get down, Shirley hears something. It's very faint, whispered even. Like a word, something like Ian.


The others manage to scramble down without too much difficulty now that Shirley has secured the rope. With the torches they can get a good look at the room but the light seems weak, like it's struggling to penetrate through an invisible fog. The mildew-rotted sofa and equally decayed stuffed chairs are the only items left standing. They cast long shadows that seem to bleed and ooze into the corners of the room. The ceiling is very low, an adult would struggle to stand up in here. The rough-cut flat stone slabs that make up the floor are laid directly onto the earth. The walls to the north and east are also made of rough stone while those of the south and west have rotting wooden slats covered with horse-hair mixed mortar. A contraption of wood and metal is incorporated into the south wall to make some sort of door mechanism, but that is now stuffed with planks of wood and the mechanism itself has twisted and sheared apart. To the east is a high window, well out of reach. And to the west the half open door.

There are a few bookshelves still standing against the walls but most has fallen into the centre of the room and shattered into planks and splinters. In amongst the jumble are boxes, metal bowls, old candles, twisted crucibles, disintegrating books, and the assorted detritus of the years.

There's a smell, the sharp stink of mildew and the earthy notes of dirt. Beneath that, other more unpleasant
things, urine, and more. As they all blunder about in the room the thud of their footsteps is swallowed up by the oppressive atmosphere. And any other sounds are muffled or drowned out.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri May 19, 2023 4:47 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Let's check that door," says Harry, pointing to the one on the west.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat May 20, 2023 5:34 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"Ian?" Shirley calls out softly while the others make their ways down.

"I swear I heard his name," she tells them. "I has to be close by."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun May 21, 2023 5:42 pm
by aine
Louis looks for a handy piece of wood to use as a bat. “Let’s hope he’s just through that door.”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun May 21, 2023 10:15 pm
by Mephistophilis
There's plenty of fragments of wood on the floor and Louis picks up a piece the size of a chair leg which sits comfortably in his hand.

OOC:   Louis's bat is 1d4 (no DB applied).  

Cautiously, Harry pushes open the door to the west and shines his flashlight into the gloom. He's hit by a musty waft of stale, cold air. Opposite the door his light shines on a broken bed frame with a rotted feather mattress, its contents spilling out onto the floor. Elsewhere a nightstand, bookshelf, and small dresser look half-rotten and crumbling. There are high windows in the north and west walls. And a low doorway to the south that seems to be a small closet.

Against the west wall there is something half-hanging, half-standing against it. Like the back of a picture frame, a big old one. It's still attached to the wall with a length of wire but is hanging at an angle and one corner is resting on the ground. Whatever the picture might show it is not possible to tell as the face is against the rough stone surface of the wall.

Image

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun May 21, 2023 11:16 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry shines his light into the closet to see if there's anything inside it.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue May 23, 2023 5:28 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Shirley moves to inspect the picture frame. It wasn't a mirror but maybe it worked like one.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue May 23, 2023 10:47 pm
by Mephistophilis
Harry pulls open the cupboard door. As he does so there is a foul stench released and he instinctively covers his nose. The smell is nasty, putrid and sweet, with notes of shit and rancid meat. The smell of the charnel house, the smell of rot and death.


Inside the low closet, crumpled against the back wall, is a body. Clad in a heavy jacket and trousers, it has been gnawed by rats. The face, what is left of it, is that of a white man in maybe his fifties, skin leathered by the sun, his appearance haggard and prematurely aged. He has lost both his eyes and his lips have been mostly chewed off as well, giving him a horrific sort of smile.

A rough cord is draped over his shoulders, like, maybe he was strangled? The left hand is missing, it's not obvious where it has gone. Underneath him are the remains of a couple of ratty women's dresses piled on top of each other. The floor itself is slick with blood, and there's little footprints in the crimson smear, little rat footprints.

OOC:   That's a 1d4/2d6 SAN check for seeing a mutilated body. You can also roll INT to see if you recognise him.  

Image


Despite the horrible mutilation, Harry can still recognise the man. It's Old Danny. He sleeps rough around Northfield, moving around a bit, doing the occasional odd job or picking through rubbish at the curb. Your parents always said he was harmless and "a bit slow."


Looking at the picture frame, Shirley realises it is just turned against the wall. She struggles to twist it back around again and reveals what seems to be an oil painting. The canvas is stained and a little battered but the thick paint is still mostly intact with only a little water damage to the corner resting on the floor.

It's a portrait of a striking middle-aged woman with salt and pepper hair. She's smiling benignly out of the picture but gives an odd impression of furtive secrecy, perhaps even malice, but Shirley's not sure where she gets that idea from. Behind the woman is a large library of books and sleeping on her lap is a large black cat.

Image

There's something familiar about that woman. Shirley's seen her somewhere before. In a mirror.

And that cat. She's seen that before as well. Stuffed.

OOC:   That's a 1d2/1D4 SAN check for seeing a painting of the woman you saw in the reflection and the stuffed cat. I don't think Shirley saw the stuffed cat move did she?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed May 24, 2023 5:17 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"It's Old Danny!" cries Harry.


Sanity roll (current level 18) for seeing the corpse:
d%
Sanity loss for seeing the corpse:
2d6
INT roll (75% stat) to recognize him:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed May 24, 2023 8:11 pm
by Mephistophilis
Gasping at the mutilated visage of Old Danny, Harry can't take his eyes off the lips, glistening, slick with blood, torn with strips still dangling off. The teeth exposed by the loss of tissue lending the man a sort of leering grin. The edges of the mouth twitching to accentuate the look. Teeth parting slightly to reveal a swollen and purple tongue. Head twisting slowly to fix Harry with the dark, empty sockets.


There's a crash from the other room, like more planks of wood or shelving falling to the ground

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu May 25, 2023 4:58 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"He's still alive!" shouts Harry. "Shirley, help me with him, he's in real bad shape!"


Notice Stuff roll (40% skill) in the basement:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri May 26, 2023 1:41 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

No, Shirley hasn't seen the cat move. I think it was Darren and Kyle.



SAN (43):
d%

Loss:
1d4


Shirley let's go of the portrait started, not expecting to recognize the woman.

"That's who I saw in the mirror! I think she a witch." she tells the others as Herry opens the door.

When she turns to see what he discovered, Shirley can barley manage to cover her mouth and muffle a scream. The sight of the man was the most horrifying this she has ever seems. Even worse than what Rodger did earlier.

"Oh gosh, oh gosh! He is?" she steps besides Herry, fumbling with her backpack and pulling out her water bottle. First aid class never covered something like this.


Notice Stuff (60%):
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri May 26, 2023 5:45 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry does whatever he can to treat Danny's injuries.


First Aid roll (40% skill) treating Danny:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat May 27, 2023 10:31 pm
by aine
Louis comes into the bedroom,
“Hey guys, this is where I shut Roger in, he’s here somewhere and I just heard a crash in the other room; someone’s coming!” He squeaks, hopping from one foot to the other.
“We gotta get out of here! What are you doing?”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun May 28, 2023 12:54 am
by Mephistophilis
Inside the low closet, crumpled against the back wall, is a body. Clad in a heavy jacket and trousers, it has been gnawed by rats. The face, what is left of it, is that of a white man in maybe his fifties, skin leathered by the sun, his appearance haggard and prematurely aged. He has lost both his eyes and his lips have been mostly chewed off as well, giving him a horrific sort of smile.

Despite the horrible mutilation, when Harry says his name, Shirley can still recognise the man. It's Old Danny. He sleeps rough around Northfield, moving around a bit, doing the occasional odd job or picking through rubbish at the curb. Your parents always said he was harmless and "a bit slow."

A rough cord is draped over his shoulders, like, maybe he was strangled? The left hand is missing, it's not obvious where it has gone. Underneath him are the remains of a couple of ratty women's dresses piled on top of each other. The floor itself is slick with blood, and there's little footprints in the crimson smear, little rat footprints.

Although the man is clearly dead, and beyond help, Harry is attempting to bandage the stump of his missing hand and place strips of material over the empty eye sockets in a gross parody of first aid. The poking and prodding displaces the body which falls forward into Harry.

OOC:   That's a 1d4/2d6 SAN check for seeing a mutilated body.  

Image


Old Danny looks to be in a bad way.Harry rips some tattered strips from an old dress and tries to bandage the bleeding stump of his missing hand. Then he balls up some more material and places strips over the empty eye sockets that weep rivulets of blood.

The man leans forward and embraces Harry. Softly he whispers, 'Help me, Harry.'

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun May 28, 2023 3:22 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Of course I'll help you, Danny," says Harry as he does what he can. "What happened? Who did this to you?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun May 28, 2023 5:34 am
by LiviaBlue
Image


SAN (41%):
d%
SAN loss (1/5th: 8):
2d6
INT Freak Out (55%):
d%


Once close enough to get a look at the mangled body, Shirley finds herself at a loss of words for a long moment, her water bottle forgotten in her hand, the painting ignored behind her, even Roger didn't seem that important at the moment.

Her shock is only broken when Herry desperately tries to pack the corpse only to cause it to topple over.

"Herry! He's not alive! He can't be! He's so... so... just no one could survive that." She pulls the boy by his shoulders, starting to freak out and wanting to get both of them away from it.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun May 28, 2023 8:40 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Of course he's still alive," says Harry, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Dead people don't talk."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon May 29, 2023 4:24 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"He's not talking, Harry! He doesn't have a mouth!" Shirley only becomes more agitated at the nonsense coming from Harry. The boy was the most logical and analytical person she knew. What he was saying was so not like him.

"Think about this! He's... he's dead."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon May 29, 2023 9:06 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

"But I heard him!" insists Harry. "You just couldn't hear him because he was whispering."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon May 29, 2023 11:41 pm
by Mephistophilis
Shirley pulls the corpse off Harry and it rolls onto the floor, face upwards, rictus smile across his face.

Then through ragged lips he hisses, 'It hurts...'

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue May 30, 2023 12:04 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Careful, you're hurting him!" protests Harry.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue May 30, 2023 5:36 pm
by aine
Louis can see the other two wrestling with something in the wardrobe but he’s getting freaked out by the noises coming from the south so, clutching his bat, he turns and creeps towards the noise, determined that he, Shirley and Darren not be ambushed by a crazed Roger; a Roger who has grown into monstrous proportions in Louis’s imagination.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue May 30, 2023 5:48 pm
by Mephistophilis
Louis moves cautiously to the door and peers into the darkness. There's the sound of movement in the room to the south. Something pointed thrusts through the crack in the wall and mass follows it, squeezing through the gap and slipping out into the centre of the room

OOC:   Roll Notice Stuff  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed May 31, 2023 5:34 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry is too preoccupied with Danny to notice anything.


Notice Stuff roll (40% skill) to see something enter:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed May 31, 2023 5:50 pm
by aine
Louis’s hair starts to rise, what on Earth is it? He can’t quite make it out yet. He peers closer even though he’s wishing he was running in the other direction.
Notice stuff: 80. Roll: 79!

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2023 10:59 pm
by Mephistophilis
Raising the bat above his head, Louis slips into the doorway, sneaking a look at whatever has squeezed through from the adjoining room. He sees movement and a figure flits through the shadows and into the light. A thin forked shape thrusts out of the darkness and Louis begins to swing the bat with all his strength at whatever hides in the blackness.

-----

Before his blow can connect the figure emerges fully into the light and Louis brings the bat to a shuddering halt before making contact. He recognises the face before him.

Image

It's Darren.


-----

Old Danny reaches up with his bloodied stump towards Harry. With his other hand he grasps at the hem of Shirley's costume. 'Why's it so dark. Why's it so dark Harry? I can't see anything. Turn on the light.'

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2023 4:56 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I'm sorry, the lights aren't working," says Harry, who doesn't have the heart to tell him he's blind. "How did you end up here?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2023 8:50 am
by BoyBlunder78
Darren recoils in shock, bringing up the the crowbar in defense. "WOAH!!!" He shouts as his eyes become accustomed to the light and spots his would be attacker."Louis it's me!!

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2023 6:13 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

As what she was sure was the corpse of Old Danny grabs a hold of her, Shirley screeches at the top.of her lungs, letting go of Harry and jumping back, leaving behind a handful of soggy paper feathers.

She struggles not to fall on the messy room in her panic, reaching with shaky hands for her BB gun.

"He's a zombie!!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2023 10:23 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

"He couldn't be," says Harry. "While I acknowledge that it may be scientifically possible to reanimate the dead, zombies don't tend to hold conversation, and he hasn't once tried to eat me."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2023 8:51 pm
by aine
“Daz! Holy crap!” Louis drops the bat down to the floor and touches Darren just to make sure. “I thought you were Roger, sorry. But… where did you go?”
He calls back to the other room, “Hey, guys! Darren’s here.”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2023 10:05 pm
by Mephistophilis
Bracing one bloodied arm against the ground, Old Danny tries to lever himself up into a kneeling position. He stretches both hands out in front of himself and waves them around blindly. 'Help me see Harry. It's so dark.' He lurches forwards and grabs Harry by his collar. 'Give me your eyes!'

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2023 5:06 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry quickly backs away. "Okay, now he's acting more like a zombie!" he says.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2023 8:49 am
by BoyBlunder78
"I dont know, i remember walking through the mirror, then it all gets a bit fuzzy, i remember floating in water, then nearly drowning as i saw a huuge minster eye!! Then i was in the room," Darren points back to where he'd just left.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2023 6:13 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Lifting the BB gun, Shirley aims at the moving corpse of Old Danny and shoots.


BB gun (50%):
d%
1d6/2

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2023 11:37 pm
by Mephistophilis
In her excitement, Shirley closes her eyes and squeezes the trigger several times, firing multiple pellets in the direction of Old Danny. Harry pulls back from the man's bloodied grasp and seeing and hearing the shots he screws his eyes shut and braces for the impact of a high velocity ball bearing.

But the hit never comes. And when they both open their eyes they see Old Danny's corpse, sprawled on the floor just in front of the closet. The mutilated arm that ends with the missing arm stretched out in front of him, almost pointing towards Shirley who is huddled at the far end of the room gripping her BB gun in two hands.

OOC:   Either or both of you can roll Spooky Stuff  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2023 5:11 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Must have been some sort of dimensional shift between parallel universes," says Harry.


Spooky Stuff roll (5% base skill) about what just happened:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2023 3:06 am
by LiviaBlue
Image


Spooky Stuff (5%):
d%


Shirley is left blinking in confusion.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2023 3:13 am
by BoyBlunder78
"Whats that noise Louis? Where's everyone else?" Darren says worriedly.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2023 10:27 pm
by aine
‘Shirley and Harry are just back there, looking in a cupboard, I don’t know about anyone else- what was that?” Louis says to Darren and then turns as he hears a bang.
“Come on!” He hurries back to where Harry and Shirley are.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2023 11:30 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Holding the crowbar tight in his hand Darren hurries after Louis.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2023 10:51 pm
by Mephistophilis
Back through the door, the air is cold and stale. Harry is standing in the middle of the room, the flashlight in his hand illuminating a body beside him. Huddled against the far wall is Shirley, her BB gun gripped tightly in her hands. Both have looks of fright and confusion on their faces.

The body seems to have tipped out of the closet in the south wall of the room. Clad in a heavy jacket and trousers, face down on the rough floorboards. What skin is visible seems to have been gnawed by rats. He's a white man, skin leathered by the sun, his age difficult to determine from this angle but likely fifties, sixties, or even older. A rough cord is half draped over one shoulder. One arm reaches out in front of him, almost like he's pointing at Harry, but instead of a hand there's just a mutilated stump.

Behind the body, in the closet, there's a few ratty women's dresses piled on top of each other, sitting on a slick of congealed blood, little footprints in the crimson smear, little rat footprints.

That's a 1d3/2d4 SAN check for seeing a mutilated body. Either or both can roll Spooky Stuff.


The rest of the room contains a broken bed frame with a rotted feather mattress, its contents spilling out onto the floor. There's nightstand, bookshelf, and small dresser, all half-rotten and crumbling. High windows in the north and west walls shed little light with the storm outside.

Image

Against the west wall, beyond the bed, there is a big old picture frame still attached with a length of wire, one corner resting on the ground. The oil painting is stained and a little battered but the thick paint is still mostly intact with only a little water damage to the corner resting on the floor. It's a portrait of a striking middle-aged woman with salt and pepper hair. She's smiling benignly out of the picture but gives an odd impression of furtive secrecy, perhaps even malice, but it isn't clear where that idea comes from. Behind the woman is a large library of books and sleeping on her lap is a large black cat.

There's something familiar about that cat.

OOC:   So Harry, but not Louis or Darren needs to roll 0/1 after realising this is the same cat as was on the cabinet. The other two have seen it move and know it is...not normal.  


Image

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 2:48 am
by BoyBlunder78
1d100.1d6/2

1d100
OOC:   san 54%  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 2:52 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I've seen that cat before..." says Harry when he studies the painting.


Sanity roll (current level 11) for recognizing the cat:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 6:18 pm
by aine
Louis:
“Agggghhhhhhhhh!”
San roll: 97 (fail) idea: 60, roll: 59 oops. Sanity loss roll: 4,4. Double oops) spooky stuff 05, roll: 25

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2023 11:31 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

It didn't matter if her shot was true or not, at least the body stopped moving. Lowering her shotgun, Shirley tells Louis and Darren about what just happened and how that used to be Old Danny.

"We'll end up just like him if we don't get out of here. Where did you come from, Danny?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2023 9:51 pm
by Mephistophilis
As Shirley describes what just happened, Louis is staring around the room wide eyed. He's breathing very quickly, hyperventilating really.


He doesn't know why everyone is just standing there so calmly. That mutilated body Shirley called 'Old Danny' is moving, pulling itself along the floor in a smear of blood, slowly edging towards Harry!

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2023 10:30 pm
by Mephistophilis
Shirley knows Old Danny sleeps rough around Northfield. People find him in their outhouses and garages and he quickly moves on. He probably found his way into the Barnaker House for a bit of shelter. What happened to him? Well, she's not sure about that. Something attacked him, killed him she supposes.

Scrabbling back to her feet again, BB gun still held tight but at least lowered a little, Shirley looks at the body of the old vagrant, at the ragged stump of his hand, something nags at her. She looks over to the closet - there's no sign in there of the missing hand. Then something touches her elbow...

She jumps.

Spinning round to face whatever it is behind her she raises the BB gun and points it into Kyle's face. He's white as a sheet already but doesn't seem to notice her threatening gesture. He just points at the stump. 'Hand of Glory,' he mutters. Then, louder, 'Hand of Glory.' He points at the cord over the man's shoulder. 'Hanged man. Hanged man, criminal. Makes a Hand of Glory.' He stops speaking and for a few seconds just stares at the body. 'Magic. Locks doors. Unlocks doors. Long as the candle burns.'

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2023 4:10 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"That sounds like something out of a game of Dungeons and Dragons," says Harry. "You think his hand might be able to open the front door? Or that it'll open if a candle stops burning?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2023 5:51 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"Kyle! Don't scare me like that!" Shirley lowers her BB quickly, still terribly shaken by what is going on.

"He's... he's dead. Dead-dead. Stop looking at it it won't do any good," she tells both Louis and Kyle.

She can't quite remember is Kyle has been with them all along or if he just showed up right now like Darren did, but the way he was acting was very worrying.

"What are you saying? Are you alright?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2023 6:28 pm
by aine
Louis isn’t taking a blind bit of notice of Shirley. He stares very hard at the body and then jumps, straight at Harry, pushing him backwards.
“Get out of the way, Harry!” He screams.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2023 9:59 pm
by Mephistophilis
In response to Harry's question, Kyle just repeats, 'Hand of Glory.' Then after a second he shakes his head. 'I mean, maybe someone made a Hand of Glory. Out of Old Danny's hand. They could be using that to lock us in the...oof' As Louis thumps into Harry, pushing him out the way, he crashes into Kyle and sends him reeling backwards.

Harry's now out of the range of the creeping body but Old Danny continues to drag himself forwards, more towards Louis now, staring at him with empty eye sockets. Leaving a streak of blood behind him. Why is no one doing anything?


She thinks Kyle was with them when they came down through the trapdoor. But it's a bit hazy. Was he with them? She can't remember. Everything is moving too quickly. It's hard to keep it straight in her head.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2023 3:37 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry straightens himself after the collision and backs away. "What are you doing?" he asks Louis.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2023 8:22 am
by BoyBlunder78
Darren watching on as all this unfolds shakes his head in confusion and goes to place a hand on Louis's shoulder, pulling him back.Louis! Whats up?!! What are you doing!!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2023 6:28 pm
by aine
Louis jumps out from under Darren's hand like he's had an electric shock, he looks wildly round at eveyone,
"Are you crazy? What are you doing just standing there?! Can't you see?" He looks at the body of Old Danny and starts backing fearfully away towards the west wall.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2023 11:16 pm
by BoyBlunder78
"What do you see Louis? What are youl scared of?" ,l Pointing his crowbar at the body, "He aint moving!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2023 3:42 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Yeah," says Harry. "He was moving before, but he's dead now."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2023 9:43 pm
by aine
In tears now, Louis sobs, “He’s still alive, can’t you see the trail of blood?” He swings his bat to and fro as he stumbles backwards.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2023 1:14 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"This place is messing with us," Shirley tries to tell Louis gently. I thought I saw it too. Maybe I did. Maybe he was. But not anymore. Let's get away from him."

Turning her attention back to Kyle, she tries to make sense of his words.

"How did you find out all of that? and do you know how we can break the spell?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2023 2:39 am
by BoyBlunder78
Woah now buddy! Watch where your swinging that thing!!! Look buddy, if he was moving before he aint moving now" Darren says trying to reassure Louis raising his crowbar up defensively.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2023 2:46 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"They're right," says Harry. "This place messes with your mind. Don't believe everything you see."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2023 8:41 pm
by Mephistophilis
Picking himself off the ground, Kyle shakes his head and his eye seem to clear a bit. 'Uh, the Hand of Glory, I read about it. In a book from the library. It's the hand of a hanged man, uh, sometimes they say it's the left, sometimes the hand that did a murder. There's supposed to be magical powers in a Hand of Glory if, uh, if it's used like a candlestick, a lighted candle, they say, eugh, a candle made of the fat from the same dead body the hand came from. It can freeze people and open any door. Or lock it. That's all I remember!' He shakes his head again. 'I guess, uh, maybe if you put out the candle it stops the magic. Maybe.'

OOC:   Anyone one wants to calm down Louis that's a Be a Pal roll  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2023 9:17 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

"It's okay, I understand," says Harry. "That trick even had me fooled for a little."


Be a Pal roll (10% base skill) to calm Louis down:
d%

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2023 9:41 pm
by BoyBlunder78
1d100
OOC:   hard success!  
"Its ok Louis we are all here. He aint gonna get you because we've all git your back. We have got all our backs covered. Nuthing is gonna get us while we stick together." Darren says as he stands infront of Louis, placing a hand on his shoulder and looking him square in the eye.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2023 10:11 pm
by Mephistophilis
Taking a few deep breaths, Louis returns Darren's gaze. The words give him a lift. He shakes his head and blinks his eyes. Looking back at Old Danny he's surprised to see he's not where he thought he was. The body is now lying just outside the closet, like it fell out. No smear of blood across the floor. No movement. He blinks again. Nope. No movement. Just a rat-eaten corpse.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2023 6:26 pm
by aine
“Oh- I thought…” Louis looks hard at the corpse.
“Thank you, Daz.” He gives a sheepish grin. “It was messing with my head.”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2023 6:32 pm
by BoyBlunder78
"No problem pal, we are gonna get out of this heck hole together. Has anyone seen any sign of Ian? That mirror took me through to that room theough there but i couldn't really see anything, thought i heard someone saying his name though. Maybe we could have a better look there?" Darren asks the group hopefully.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2023 9:16 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

"We haven't seen him down here yet," says Harry, "but he has to be here somewhere. Now that we have light, let's search that room more thoroughly."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2023 9:52 pm
by Mephistophilis
OOC:   You guys squeezing through the hole in the wall back into the Workroom?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:01 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image


Yes, though the rest of us haven't been there yet.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:57 pm
by Mephistophilis
Back in the room under the Parlour, what is left of some kind of occult library, the criss-crossing flashlight beams show that Darren has managed to force open the door mechanism. Beyond the pile of planks and splinters of wood in the middle of the floor, there's a break in the south wall almost a foot across. Enough room to squeeze through one by one.

Darren leads the others back into the Workroom. It takes a few minutes for them all to squeeze through the gap, Harry in particular finds that his model proton pack wedges into the space and it crumples and dents as he struggles to force his way through.

-----

This new room is much like the one they've left. dirt and stone slabs on the floor. Rough stone walls to the south and east, rotting lathe and crumbling plaster to the north and west. The north wall they've come through is cracked, pitted, and chipped, like something has battered against it. In the west wall there's a doorway leading into gloom that Louis knows connects to the Pantry and the stairs to the Kitchen.

Harry and Kyle's lights illuminate the piles of junk littering the floor. Extra storm windows, boxes of plumbing supplies, and so on. Furry brown shapes scuttle into the safety of the boxes and junk as the torch beams alight on them.

On the south wall a small, dusty mirror hangs and in front of that there's a metal grating set in the floor. Darren eagerly tries the mirror but it just reflects the contents of the room back to him, and everyone moving about around him. Alongside the metal grating there's a smear of something, shining the flashlight on it reveals it is blood as they all suspected. Louis shudders, he doesn't think that blood was there before.


Image

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2023 11:28 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry shines his flashlight into the grate to reveal whatever's beneath it.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2023 5:26 pm
by aine
“I’ve been here before!” Louis remarks and points westwards. “The stairs to the kitchen are just back there and…. I thought Grams was in here but maybe it was that nasty old woman instead.”

He also looks at the mirror. “I thought maybe she was in the mirror- but I’m not sure.

“And Roger? We locked him in down here, I wonder what happened to him?” He eyes the blood suspiciously, “That wasn’t here before.”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2023 6:28 pm
by Mephistophilis
Shining his flashlight down through the solid metal grating reveals a shaft of earth that seems to have been dug out from beneath the basement proper. About ten feet below there's a muddy floor, dank and dripping with water. It is difficult to see from here but Harry thinks it might open up into some kind of narrow tunnel at one end. Running the flashlight beam down the packed earth walls shows narrow recesses cut into them, like handholds.

Some the blood that's smeared around the grating seems to have dripped down inside.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2023 2:49 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"We could climb down there," says Harry. "Maybe there's a way out from that tunnel."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2023 8:32 am
by BoyBlunder78
Hearing Louis say that blood wasn't there before Darren's head is suddenly filled with one thought, one image....Ian!!! He runs to the grate and starts prying at it with the crowbar.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2023 11:02 pm
by Mephistophilis
However hard he presses on the crowbar, Darren can't get it to budge more than a millimetre. He leans across the metal bar with his full weight but it barely shifts at all.

OOC:   So - this is a hard Strength check. You're going to need some help to shift this. For everyone who helps Darren he can get a bonus 1d10. So if one person helps he can roll 1d100 and then an additional 1d10 to replace the tens die to see if he gets below half his strength of 55. If two people help, he rolls two lots of 1d10 and picks the best. And so on.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2023 3:25 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Though he isn't very strong, Harry will help as much as he can. His knowledge of physics means he's aware that leverage can multiply strength. "Give me a lever and a place to stand, and I can move the world" was what Archimedes had said.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2023 9:19 pm
by Mephistophilis
OOC:   I suggest Darren rolls against half Strength (27%) then each PC that helps rolls 1d10 to see if that improves the tens for the roll. You can stop when you pass or run out of help!  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2023 10:12 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Here goes. 1d100
OOC:   Critical!!!  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2023 11:01 pm
by Mephistophilis
Harry points to a narrow gap between the bars of the grating and the metal rim of the hole. Darren slides in his crowbar and leans heavily on the bar. To his surprise the grate lifts easily and pivots across the mouth of the hole and he flips it off with the minimum of effort. Kyle watches proceedings with a look of admiration.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2023 11:24 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Well done," says Harry. "Let's get down there."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2023 11:49 pm
by BoyBlunder78
" Right, we've gitta be careful, there's lots of crazy shit going on here. Roger is still here...somewhere....and so is Ian", looking at Kyle he asks, " When we find this 'hand of glory' thing what do we do?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2023 8:11 pm
by aine
“Whoever put that grate across on the first place must have been pretty strong.” Louis murmurs, and he hefts his plank-bat, ready to follow the others.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2023 10:37 pm
by Mephistophilis
Giving Darren a look somewhere between confusion and panic, Kyle shrugs his shoulders. 'Blow it out?'

-----

It's easier than it looks for the children to use the narrow handholds to climb down the earthen shaft. The walls of compacted soil are firm and secure but the ground beneath is boggy and wet, and there's a pool of what looks suspiciously red and viscous in the centre. The drop is about ten foot and a narrow tunnel slopes down to the east. The air down here is heavy and saturated with mildew and damp.

Once everyone has assembled beneath the grating they walk cautiously through the tunnel which is barely five foot across with rounded walls of dripping soil. The tunnel opens up into a small room with more squared and regular looking dimensions. Another earthen passage leads off from one comer, in the distance the sound of trickling and a faint scurrying can be heard.


Image

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2023 4:33 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"There's only one way to go," says Harry.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2023 1:47 pm
by BoyBlunder78
"Everyone hold each others hands. We arent getting lost and seperated again! Ian must be down here! C'mon!" Darren Grabbing Louis's hand in the other the crowbar held tightly he slowly made his way down the tunnel.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2023 4:52 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry goes next, holding the hand of whoever comes after him and carrying his poker in his free hand.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2023 11:14 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

"I don't wanna be last." Shirley grabs hold of Harry's hand and reaches back for the next person.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2023 6:05 pm
by aine
Louis takes Shirley’s hand and, with a last look up to the grate, he edges around the pool that looks like blood and follows the others.
“More ratmen down here.” He whispers.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2023 4:57 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"If we find Roger I don't think we can reason with him," Shirley whisper just to fill the silence. "Remember what he did to his brother."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2023 8:29 am
by BoyBlunder78
"Yesh! And he didnt seem to bothered about finfing away outts hete, he seemed happy to stay here!" Darren says.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2023 5:49 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Logical," agrees Harry.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 5:23 pm
by Mephistophilis
Slowly, cautiously, they file through the tunnel. Drips of freezing water occasionally splashing onto their heads or hands, giving a chill fright. Harry and Darren walk abreast, each gripping their weapon tightly, holding it out ahead of them to ward off the darkness. Louis and Shirley come next, holding each other's hands and the hand of one of the two leading them ahead. Finally, Kyle follows behind, the dull yellow beam of his flashlight flitting from wall to wall of the tunnel, reflecting the occasional glistens of rivulets of water or an opalescent shard of rock, and just catching blurry movement just ahead of the light, like a swarming mass of little furry bodies, retreating further down the tunnel away from the five children.

Eventually the tunnel starts to widen out and leads into a large irregular room, roughly 30 feet across and 45 feet long. The walls are packed dirt, perhaps 10 feet high but the roof isn't even and undulates from 10 to 15 feet above the ground. Bats nestle in amongst the trailing roots and chunks of earth and rocks pocketing the surface. The air is musty, and dank, and rich, like the smell of soil or peat. Thick and cloying.

At the centre of the room is a heap of bones, perhaps three or four feet high and almost ten feet across. Some of the bones are clearly animal, little rodent skulls and even larger creatures. But many of the bones look more human, and the skulls, human-like skulls. Smaller than fully grown people, like the heads of children.

There is a small pool of standing water along the eastern side of the room. A steady seep of water feeds the pool from a patch of exposed bricks. Rats can been seen scurrying about the pool. And the rats don't all seem normal, some have oddly misshapen heads, as do many of the bats. Tiny little human-like faces leering and sneering, even as they sleep.

On the western side of the room is a sort of alcove. Kyle slides his torch along the floor to light up the space. From behind they hear him give a strangled gasp.

OOC:   Okay - I'm going to need a POW roll against 120 - I think that's going to need to be an Extreme success (one-fifth your POW) for you all.  

Sitting in the alcove on a pile of bones is the naked form of a vile-looking creature. A bloated distortion of the woman depicted in the portrait under the basement stairs, eyes long rotted away, bloated and glistening like a hellish grub.

Horrible vermin - rats, spiders, worms, snakes, and insects of all types - scuttle, writhe, creep, and crawl across and around her body.

She is gnawing on something, a piece of bone still with some flesh hanging off, the length of a thigh bone. She holds it between her two claw-like hands and tears at it with jagged, razor-like teeth. Blood drips down her chin and across her fingers.

Visible in the alcove are several niches carved into the wall. They seem to hold various bits of occult gear, mouldering papers, a book, human skulls... There's something else as well. A shrivelled human hand with a thick black candle rising from the palm, its flame cracking with an unnatural violet shade.

OOC:   The Sanity loss for seeing this hideous abomination of a woman is 1D3/1D10  

Image


Sitting cross-legged on the floor of the alcove is the naked form of an old woman. She is filthy, pale, and bloated. But you recognise her well nonetheless. It is your own grandmother.

You recoil as you see things writhing across her naked body. Vermin - rats, spiders, worms, snakes, and insects of all types - scuttling, writhing, creeping, and crawling across and around her.

OOC:   The Sanity loss for seeing this unsettling transformation of your grandmother is 1D2/1D6+1  


ImageA is the alcove. X is the pool of water.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 6:30 pm
by aine
“I think we might be under the garden.” Says Louis as he enters the space and looking at the ceiling. And then he brings his eyes down…
POW 65. Roll:98. That would be a fail then.

Sanity:51 roll: 66 1d6+1: !3

“Nooo! Grams!” And hides his eyes in his hands.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 6:38 pm
by Mr. Handy

Extreme POW roll (40 / 5 = 8% stat) in the tunnels:
d%
Can I spend 3 Luck to make that succeed?

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 6:40 pm
by Mephistophilis
OOC:   You can spend Luck on the POW roll  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 6:46 pm
by Mephistophilis
Louis doesn't know why his Grams is down here, all naked and filthy. But he knows it's her. The old woman fixes Louis with an unsettling smile, 'Come here my little sugar lump. Let Grams take a look at you.'

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 6:53 pm
by aine
Sorry; I was mid post inbetween bedtime story- The Hobbit. Hence the accidental edit.

Louis peeps through his fingers, she looks pretty awful but still; it was his Grams. He takes a step towards her.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 7:16 pm
by Mr. Handy

3 Luck spent.

Sanity roll for seeing the woman (current level 10):
d%
Sanity loss:
1d10
Oops...I just hit 0 Sanity. I think I'd have been better off if I had failed the POW roll. I probably shouldn't have been able to spend the Luck anyway. I remember we weren't allowed to do it in this scenario.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 7:27 pm
by BoyBlunder78
65%5=13%
1d100
OOC:   That would be a fail.....  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 8:21 pm
by Mephistophilis
I'll let you decide if you want to conclude you failed the POW roll and take that SAN loss (just roll again) or if you want to go out in a blaze of insane glory

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 8:35 pm
by BoyBlunder78
1d100

1d4/2
OOC:   Dice Gods are merciful  
San:53

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 9:12 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

"She's not your grandmother, she's mine!" gasps Harry. "This must be another trick of the house." It's still very disturbing for him, though.


I'll fail the POW roll, in that case. I have an idea for how I might go completely insane if it comes to that, but I'll hold off on that for now.

Sanity loss:
1d6+1

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 9:23 pm
by Mephistophilis
She's not Louis's grandmother, she's mine! My Grams...Grams, my Grams. That's not Louis. I'm Louis! I'm Louis Ravensburger.

OOC:   Still managed to lose over half your Sanity in one go! Time for a bit more insanity...  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 10:09 pm
by BoyBlunder78
" Granny......but you died ages ago ...what ate you doing here?" Darren asks,his head in a daze

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 11:09 pm
by Mr. Handy
Image

"She's not your granny either," says Harry. "She's mine." He looks over at Louis and does a double take. "How come you look like me? Who are you really?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2023 12:12 am
by Mephistophilis
It's that Harry Enslin, insufferable know-it-all. Pretending he's you when he's got that big house and mom and dad looking after him...

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2023 3:36 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Oh, it's you, Harry," says Harry. "That's a really good costume. I didn't recognize you in it."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2023 9:40 pm
by aine
Louis looks askance at Harry,
“What? I’m Louis. Just a minute, Grams.” He stops, taking his eyes off the old woman, and walks over to Harry, grabbing his arms.
“Don’t lose it now, Buddy!” He looks hard at Harry and then wildly around at the others, have they lost it too?

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2023 12:25 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Real funny, Harry," says Harry. "Dressing up in a costume to look like me doesn't make you me, though. I don't know why you'd want to be me in the first place. I'd have thought you'd want to be someone smart, like Albert Einstein or something."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2023 9:03 am
by BoyBlunder78
Darren looks over at the pair, frowning at what he's hearing. "You ok Harry?"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2023 5:53 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry looks at Louis, waiting to hear his response.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2023 10:05 pm
by aine
Louis shakes Harry again and calls to Darren,
“Help! Harry’s doing the loop!” He looks hard into Harry’s eyes,
“Look, buddy. I’m not you; I’m 3 sizes bigger than you even after a night of starvation in this hell hole. And, and… I can’t even begin to remember what my Halloween outfit was, but it certainly wasn’t a Harry impersonation.”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2023 5:25 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Of course it wasn't," says Harry. "Why would you impersonate yourself? You're dressed up as me."


A Be a Pal roll might be in order here.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2023 10:50 pm
by Mephistophilis
In a rumbling voice several octaves lower than you'd expect from your grandmother, she coos, 'Let’s have a look at you sweeeet children…' Suddenly lurching off her her muddy seat she trundles towards you. Her voice sounds all wrong, almost cackling, dripping with malice, she growls 'Come to granny, dearie! Let me give you a great big hug!'

Everyone stops their bickering to see that Kyle has approached the bloated form of your grandmother. 'Granny?' he asks tentatively as the old woman leans forward to embrace him.

OOC:   Everyone gets another chance to roll against an Extreme POW roll again, but this time with a bonus 1d10. Anyone who hasn't passed cannot attack her.

Feel free to roll Be a Pal to help out our not so sane Harry  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2023 4:13 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry looks at the old woman, wheels turning in his mind.


POW roll (40 / 5 = 8% stat) to resist:
d%
Bonus die:
1d10
If I spend 7 Luck to make that an extreme success, would I have to make the same Sanity roll as before?

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2023 7:45 am
by BoyBlunder78
1d100

1d100
1d10
OOC:   Hmmm...bonus.... :shock: :D  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2023 7:14 pm
by aine
Be a Pal: 10 roll: 3! POW roll: 64 fail.

Louis and Harry never had anything in common; Harry was in all the top grades, Louis the bottom. But still they were friends. Louis looks into Harry’s eyes,
“Harry, remember last Spring when we found that wounded deer in the trap- and together we freed it? Remember how you felt then? You were Harry and I was Louis? And we were a team that kept that deer alive?”
Harry knew he was rambling but he hoped that his voice, the one he used for his rescued animals, and the fond memories might just bring Harry back to normal and back with a bright idea to save them.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2023 3:28 am
by LiviaBlue
Image


POW (65, 1/5=13):
d%

SAN (34, 1/5=7)
d%

SAN loss:
1d10


At the sight of the horrifying woman Shirley totally loses it.

"Witch! Witch! That's the witch!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2023 5:35 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry puts the fingers of his hands on Louis's temples, closing his eyes. "My mind to your mind..." he says. "My thoughts to your thoughts...I...I understand now." He opens his eyes again. "I'm Harry. You're Louis. Our minds must have melded, and I thought I was you. Repeating the mind-meld set me straight. I understand you better than I ever did, and I'm glad we're friends."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2023 6:17 pm
by aine
Image
Louis grins at Harry with profound relief,
“Welcome back. Now get us the hell out of here!”
He turns, picks up his bat again, ready to follow Harry’s orders. And then sees Kyle…
He jumps, hoping to push Kyle away from the witch’s grasp.
POW: 65 roll:18 and bonus :2 so 18 is best roll, need 13. And we can’t use luck? Boohoo. Do we need to roll Sanity again?

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2023 9:32 pm
by Mephistophilis
OOC:   On the second roll no need to roll Sanity again if you pass or fail. I'll post later with the consequences for Shirley. I will let you spend Luck for these POW rolls if you like. If you're sure you want to pass?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2023 10:31 pm
by Mr. Handy

I'll spend the 7 Luck to get an extreme success as long as I don't risk losing Sanity again. Please let me know when I can act.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2023 6:36 am
by aine
I’ll use 5 luck to get an extreme success for Louis’ POW roll.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2023 12:34 pm
by Mephistophilis
Shaking your head and blinking your eyes, the form of the woman comes into better focus. Sitting in the alcove on a pile of bones is a vile-looking creature, not your grandmother, not your grandmother at all. This is a bloated, misshapen distortion of the woman depicted in the portrait under the basement stairs, eyes long rotted away, bloated and glistening like a hellish grub. The same vermin scuttle and crawl across her naked body.

She is gnawing on something, a piece of bone with flesh hanging off, the length of a thigh bone. She holds it between her two claw-like hands and tears at it with jagged, razor-like teeth. Blood drips down her chin and across her fingers.

Visible in the alcove are several niches carved into the wall. They seem to hold various bits of occult gear, mouldering papers, a book, human skulls... There's something else as well. A shrivelled human hand with a thick black candle rising from the palm, its flame cracking with an unnatural violet shade.

Reaching for one of the crude niches behind her, the old woman plucks something from a dish, it's round and white with a trailing back of dripping red, like a fresh eyeball. She pops it into one of her rotted sockets. In a low voice, harsh and grating, she says 'Let Granny take a closer look at you children.'

She's right in front of Kyle now but he seems frozen in place. Just muttering 'Granny?' again. The old woman stretches out for an embrace. And scoops Kyle into her arms, lifting him up in a grotesque approximation of a hug. Lifting him higher, above her. She opens her mouth wide, jagged teeth glistening with blood, and her jaw widens, snake-like. Pulling Kyle in towards her mouth rows of razor-sharp teeth unfold from the ever-lengthening gullet, and his feet disappear into her maw, her neck muscles compressing and releasing to pull him further in, engulfing his body. Only as the teeth start to slice into his flesh does Kyle snap out of his reverie. Expression of benign confusion transforming into a look of pure fear as he emits a piercing scream.


Image


Sitting in the alcove on a pile of bones is a vile-looking creature, bloated, a misshapen distortion of the woman depicted in the portrait under the basement stairs, eyes long rotted away, bloated and glistening like a hellish grub. Vermin scuttle and crawl across her naked body. Rats, spiders, worms, snakes, and insects of all types - scuttling, writhing, creeping, and crawling over the pale, distended flesh.

She is gnawing on something, a piece of bone with flesh hanging off, the length of a thigh bone. She holds it between her two claw-like hands and tears at it with jagged, razor-like teeth. Blood drips down her chin and across her fingers.

Visible in the alcove are several niches carved into the wall. They seem to hold various bits of occult gear, mouldering papers, a book, human skulls... There's something else as well. A shrivelled human hand with a thick black candle rising from the palm, its flame cracking with an unnatural violet shade.

Reaching for one of the crude niches behind her, the old woman plucks something from a dish, it's round and white with a trailing back of dripping red, like a fresh eyeball. She pops it into one of her rotted sockets. The single eye seems to fixate on Shirley. Staring right at her. 'Let Granny take a closer look at you little girl.' The voice is low, harsh, grating. 'Why should I let you go? Why shouldn't I just eat you like all the other children who have visited me? Like I'm going to eat your little friends.'

She's right in front of Kyle now but he seems frozen in place. Just muttering 'Granny?' again. The old woman gives Shirley a grotesque smile and stretches out for an embrace, scooping Kyle into her arms, lifting him up in a grotesque approximation of a hug. Lifting him higher, above her. She opens her mouth wide, jagged teeth glistening with blood, and her jaw widens, snake-like. Pulling Kyle in towards her mouth rows of razor-sharp teeth unfold from the ever-lengthening gullet, and his feet disappear into her maw, her neck muscles compressing and releasing to pull him further in, engulfing his body. Only as the teeth start to slice into his flesh does Kyle snap out of his reverie. Expression of benign confusion transforming into a look of pure fear as he emits a piercing scream.


Image


She's right in front of Kyle now but he seems frozen in place. Just muttering 'Granny?' again. 'Let Granny take a closer look at you children.'

Your grandmother stretches out to embrace Kyle, scooping him into her arms, lifting him up in a big hug. Kyle hanging slack in her arms.


OOC:   Everyone can act but obviously Darren wouldn't do anything to hurt his grandmother  


Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2023 6:03 pm
by BoyBlunder78
Looking confused at Granny, why is she holding Kyle? shes not his Granny she's his. KYLE!! That's my Granny not yours!!" Darren shouts, looking around frantically, thinking that if she's here then so must Ian. ["IAN!! IAN!!! where are you?? GRANNY'S HERE. YOU WERE RIGHT!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2023 4:16 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry rushes toward the burning hand, taking his ghost trap off of his belt and pushing the catch to open it. He designed it himself, and it's functional and airtight when it's closed. Holding the trap in front of the hand, he uses the poker to push the hand into the trap, not wanting to touch it with his own hands, and activates the catch again to seal the trap shut. He knows that fire needs oxygen to burn, and once the little air inside the ghost trap is gone, it should be extinguished.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2023 7:05 pm
by aine
Louis swings his bat in a rage at the woman, maybe he can keep her distracted from a) chewing and b) Harry’s strange plan.
Fight? 30 roll: 28, any damage- not sure what die…

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2023 6:35 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"She's no one's grandma! She's the witch from the mirror, and the painting... And, and the book!!!" Shirley continues to try to make the others understand while at the same time trying to recall what little she read from the pages she found earlier.

When the monstrous woman grabs Kyle she follows Louis' lead and starts shooting her BB at her.

BB (50%):
d%

Damage:
1d6/2


Should I roll something to recall that the book.said witches might be vulnerabile to fire, iron and silver?

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2023 6:55 am
by BoyBlunder78
Looking on in horror as he sees both Shirley and Louis attacking his poor defenseless granny, Darren cries out. " WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!! GET AWAY FROM HER!! YOUR HURTING MY GRAMMS!!" Looking around frantically for Ian as he's sure that he must be here, surely he must, after all he saw Granny upstairs so it makes sense that he must be here with her.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2023 11:37 pm
by Mephistophilis
Kyle screams, and screams, and screams. Embedded within the unnaturally distended throat of the huge slug-like witch, buried up to his shoulders, all he can do is twist and shake in the crushing peristalsis. Sharp needle-like teeth rending and tearing skin and flesh.

Harry slides the candle into his ghost trap, the flame flickers with the movement. He activates the mechanism which engages with a satisfying click. The little flaps flick closed but their movement is arrested by something thrust into the cavity. Looking up, Harry sees a shadow emerging from behind the quivering bulk of the monstrous Jabba-like crone.

'Oh my God, Enslin, you idiot. Did you think that was going to work?' It's Roger. His fingers blocking the closing mechanism, he calmly grips the shrivelled hand and burning candle, lifting them out of the ghost trap and placing them back on a shelf. He looks all wrong, bulging in strange places, skin taut over lumps and protrusions that seem to writhe underneath. His gestures odd, joints slightly off, movements awkward, like a marionette.

Pumping her BB gun, Shirley launches several ball bearings into the mammoth flesh of the old woman, each round firing with a pop and impacting with a sickening plop. The witch winces with each impact and there is a small indentation as each round strikes her. But the amorphous flesh quickly regains its smooth, blubbery surface.

The old woman's neck continues to squeeze and pulsate, sucking Kyle deeper into her gullet. The top of his head disappearing into the giant, distended maw. There's a loud crack and the screams stop. The writhing body goes limp. For a brief moment the last glimpse of his face and eyes, they're lifeless. And then Evelyn slurps him down, inside. Licking her lips, blood dripping from her teeth, cascading over her shrivelled lips, and dripping down her chin. She smiles a wide smile, jagged, red teeth exposed between those bloody lips.

As the BB rounds thud into her body, the old witch shrieks, 'You little bitch. I'm going to kill you next...'

OOC:   No need to roll to recall stuff. You can recall it if you heard it or read it.  




Desperately scanning the cavern, Darren can't see any sign of Ian. He just can't understand what his Grandma is doing or why his friends are trying to hurt her.

OOC:   Test extreme POW again but with two bonus dice this time  


Louis's lump of wood does 1d4 damage, do not apply any damage bonus.



Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2023 4:37 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"I know this will," says Harry as he strikes the witch with the iron poker. "Use fire, iron, or silver!" He knows that there's no point in attacking the puppet Roger. If they can bring down the puppet master, his strings will be cut. He doesn't believe in magic, but he assures himself that this is some super-advanced science that is known to very few. After all, Arthur C. Clarke said that sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. He doesn't understand how it works himself...yet. But he will master it.


Fighting roll (25% base skill) attacking the witch with the iron poker:
d%
Damage to witch:
1d6

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2023 10:34 am
by BoyBlunder78
  Here goes.  
1d100 My Pow is 65 not 60 so need 13
1d10
1d10
OOC:   Squeaked it!!  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2023 2:29 pm
by aine
Louis hits with the bat. “Yes! Silver, iron and fire!”
Bat damage: 3. I can’t remember what Louis has in his pocketses- can I roll for luck for either a box of matches or a silver knife from the cutlery drawer?

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 4:21 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

As always, Herry was just a little quicker than her, especially when it came to recall stuff from books.

With no weapon of either iron or silver, Shirley looks around the cavern in a desperate attempt at finding flammable materials, all the while trying to put some distance between herself and the witch.

"She's coming after me!

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 5:04 am
by Mr. Handy

We're carrying homemade torches. You can borrow mine if you don't have one of your own. I also have matches.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 7:32 pm
by aine
“Shirley, Harry’s got matches!” Louis shouts. “Light the torches!”

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2023 1:10 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

Shirley grabs the matches and hastily lights up a torch for herself and whoever else wants one, her BB still hanging around her torso at the ready.

"The books and papers behind her!" She points out the flammable objects. Though with the witch between them, they needed a way to light them up from a distance.

If we have a sling or a baseball bat with can make and light up some guano balls.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2023 9:19 pm
by aine
Louis ain’t great at cricket but he’s holding a bat….

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2023 9:37 pm
by Mephistophilis
With an arcing swing, Harry brings the iron rod to strike against the bulging blubber of the old woman's chest, the small hook on the back of the poker snags her skin and the force of the blow rends a hash in the flesh which leaks a sluggish trickle of blood. She definitely feels the wound as she recoils from the blow and her lip curls in a snarl of pain and anger. At the calls from his friends he takes a step back and shoves a hand into his pocket, his fingers close around the matches and he holds them out for Shirley who snatches them desperately from his hand.

Shirley attempts to strike a match which snaps off between her fingers. On the second attempt the phosphorous crumbles and flakes off the tip of the wood. On the third try it flashes into flame and she puts it to the rags tied around a splinter of wood and the end of the torch catches and splutters into life, giving off a smoky and uneven flame.

While Shirley is lighting her torch, Louis follows up on Harry's blow by swinging his makeshift club which slams into the naked, quivering flesh of the old woman. The blow connects squarely and he feels the impact delivering a hefty thwack, but she barely seems to register it, her face seemingly transfixed on Shirley and her flaming brand.

'Don't even think about it you little shit. I'm going to eat you like your little friend. Suck the fat off your bones and then I'm going to make a pet out of you so I can play with you every day. Pluck your little legs off one by one.' The witch laughs, her voice low and disconcerting. 'I've been doing this for more than a hundred years. Crunching the bones of little children. Giving me immortality!' She hesitates just for a moment, seemingly looking down at her own bloated form. Then she continues, a sort of wild look of glee on her face. 'But you? This is what you have to look forward to...'


Blinking your eyes, shaking your head, the naked form of the woman comes into better focus. Sitting in the alcove on a pile of bones is a vile-looking creature, not your grandmother, not your grandmother at all. You don't know how you could have thought it was her. This is a bloated, misshapen distortion of a woman, a distortion of the woman depicted in the portrait under the basement stairs, in one black eye socket it seems the globe has long rotted away, in the other a fresh, bright eye fixated on you, blood dripping from around the socket itself, like the eyeball has been freshly inserted. This creature is bloated and glistening like a hellish grub, vermin scuttling and crawling across her naked body.

She belches and stretches into her maw, drawing out a piece of bone with flesh hanging off, the length of a thigh bone. She holds it between her two claw-like hands and tears at it with jagged, razor-like teeth. Blood drips down her chin and across her fingers.

Visible in the alcove behind her are several niches carved into the wall. They seem to hold various bits of occult gear, mouldering papers, a book, human skulls... There's something else as well. A shrivelled human hand with a thick black candle rising from the palm, its flame cracking with an unnatural violet shade.

Making direct eye contact with you she grins, exposing those sharp, bloody teeth. Then her expressions changes for a few moments. It's odd, pained even, like she's straining. She shifts her vast bulk to one side and then, with a pop and a small splash, another rat-thing is birthed by the witch onto the muddy floor. A cascade of bloody fluid and afterbirth splattering across the little creature and spattering at your feet. Sauntering round the old woman's bulk the mangy grey cat sidles up to the slick rat-thing and licks it clean. The newborn monstrosity is quickly swarmed by rats and other rat-things, who carry the little monster towards one of the many rat-sized tunnels lining the room.

Before it can disappear into the hole you catch sight of the creature's little face. Human-like as you have come to expect. Little eyes, an all too human nose, lips revealing teeth that sit somewhere between the rodent and the human. And that face, the face of a child. Torment writ upon his features, pain, distress, confusion, animal-instincts to run, and hide, and devour. Looking right at you. Tiny expression of...of what? Recognition? Remembrance? And that face...a realisation slowly dawns. I know that face. The face of your little brother, the face of Ian. Your brother. The little boy you failed to protect from this witch. Who has devoured him and transformed him into another of her little rat-things.

Then he's gone. Into a tunnel. Into the darkness.

OOC:   For witnessing this most unnatural birth and the transformation of your little brother that'll be a SAN test at a cost of 1D3/1D8 points of Sanity.  


The old woman's expression changes for a few moments. It's odd, pained even, like she's straining. She shifts her vast bulk to one side and then, with a pop and a small splash, another rat-thing is birthed by the witch onto the muddy floor. A cascade of bloody fluid and afterbirth splattering across the little creature and spattering at your feet. Sauntering round the old woman's bulk the mangy grey cat sidles up to the slick rat-thing and licks it clean. The newborn monstrosity is quickly swarmed by rats and other rat-things, who carry the little monster towards one of the many rat-sized tunnels lining the room.

OOC:   Roll Spot Hidden  



Before it can disappear into the hole you catch sight of the creature's little face. Human-like as you have come to expect. Little eyes, an all too human nose, lips revealing teeth that sit somewhere between the rodent and the human. And that face, the face of a child. Torment writ upon his features, pain, distress, confusion, animal-instincts to run, and hide, and devour.

A realisation slowly dawns. I know that face. The face of Darren's little brother, the face of Ian. The little boy you all failed to protect from this witch. Who has devoured him and transformed him into another of her little rat-things.

Then he's gone. Into a tunnel. Into the darkness.

OOC:   For witnessing this most unnatural birth and the transformation of Ian that'll be a SAN test at a cost of 0/1D6 points of Sanity.  


No chance of a silver knife but if you pass Luck you can have picked up some matches.


Darren had a baseball bat but I think he might have given it to Ian. You want to try batting with something improvised (like Louis's wooden plank) then that'd be a hard Gym Class roll to smack a flaming ball into the books and papers.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2023 4:41 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Something snaps in Harry's mind, and suddenly everything makes sense. Everything. "Euclid was wrong!" he exclaims. "Two parallel lines can intersect!"


Notice Stuff roll (40% skill) when the rat-things go:
d%
Too bad I couldn't fail the roll on purpose.

Sanity roll (current level 4) for seeing the rat-thing's face:
d%
Sanity loss for seeing the rat-thing's face:
1d6
And that's zero Sanity.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2023 6:00 pm
by BoyBlunder78
1d100
1d6/2 now 52%
OOC:   Clearly he wasnt as fond of his Brother as he thought......  
Tears streaming down his face..." Ian......I'm soo so sorry i couldn't keep you safe" the sound barely audible as watches the creature disappear. The last time time he would ever see his brothers face.
Using the sleeve of his costume to wipe the tears and snot from his face his eyes lock on the disgusting bloated creature infront of him. Raises his crowbar. Screaming at the top of his lungs he charges towards it.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2023 6:50 pm
by aine
Luck 65 roll: 47. Gym 40 roll: 2

“Take that, you old bat!” Whilst the hag is busy watching Shirley, Louis uses his simple plank to good effect….

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 5:07 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry focuses his attention on the witch. Now that he knows the secrets of the universe, he has deduced how to use the power of his mind to start fires. It's easy, really. He doesn't know why he didn't think of it before.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2023 11:35 pm
by Mephistophilis
Harry feels indominatable. Everything has clicked into place. There is nothing that he doesn't understand. The whole universe is his plaything. Able to reach beyond himself, his own senses, and mould reality like it is mere clay. He is more than human, he is superhuman. But before he can focus on his higher calling, on the universe itself, on the fundamental building blocks of reality, first of all, he must help his friend. He stares at the profane mound of tissue and flesh that confronts them. The witch is nothing more than fat and sinew and offal. He sees that now. All he has to do is focus, focus his mind, focus on that pile of rotting effluent and will it to burn...

-----

Feeling in his pockets, Louis pulls out a box of matches he picked up earlier. Grabbing a handful of bat guano, twigs, straw, and who knows what else he squishes them together into a ball of mush. Striking a match he places the flame against the ball and it catches alight. The single eye of the amorphous witch is drawn to the flame. Louis gives her a grin a flings the flaming ball into the air and swings his shard of wood like it's a baseball bat. He strikes the flaming ball of dung with a thwack and sends it soaring over the head of the hideous old woman, past the shambling form of Roger, and smack into the middle of the alcove, right into a pile of crisp yellowing papers that crackles and flares into flames, spreading to an adjacent mouldering tome bound in pale leather, the flames licking around the thick black candle in the shrivelled palm, potentiating the spitting violet flaming from the wick. The fire spreads across the alcove behind the slug-like bulk of the witch and before too long there are spits of flame and splashes of burning liquid, fat or oil or something else, that splash against her quivering flesh, searing and charring the pink tissue and giving rise to little spurts of steam and smoke, the smell of charred meat, seared flesh, burnt hair.

As the flames touch her skin the decaying witch shivers, then shakes, rocking her vast bulk from side-to-side. Recoiling from the flames and the pain. Her face transforms, no longer just cruel and sly, it is anguished and angry, beyond human she becomes something more primordial seeming, an ancient evil challenged and defied, no humanity left, just a bright coal of burning hatred and infernal will.

The house itself seems to groan, to shift, the very bones, the rafters and floor boards emit a sound like screaming as the building twists, shudders, writhes against the foundations.

'It burns, it burns...' The witch's self-satisfied boasts transform into plaintive screams. 'Stop, stop. Granny Evelyn will let you go, let you all go if you stop the fire.'


-----

Projecting the flames directly from his mind, Harry watches the foul witch begin to flare and burn, patches of fire catching across her body. He smiles, nothing can stop him now...

-----

As the giant grub-like shape of the naked witch writhes in the flames, Darren heaves his crowbar and charges full pelt at her. And the jerky, puppet-like form of Roger steps between them. The oddly-bulging teenager swinging that same big knife, dark blood congealed along the blade. The blade that slew his own brother in the last hour of this interminable night.

Image

'Oh boo hoo. What're you crying for loser? Someone are your stupid little brother. No one cares. You're gonna be next.'.

You can roll Darren's Fighting to hit Roger or pass a DEX check then roll Fighting to slip round Roger and attack the witch.


Feel free to keep roleplaying Harry's insanity



Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2023 12:37 am
by BoyBlunder78
The shambling form of Roger catches Darren's attention, stopping him in his tracks, the image of blade reflecting in his eyes as the fire rages. "You! You! You killed my brother!! You trapped us all here! Its your fault Kyles dead! Your the reason all this is happening!! and he swings the crowbar with all his might.
OOC:   Here goes...  
1d100
OOC:   Can i spend 2 luck to make that a hard success?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2023 3:56 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Yes!" exults Harry, bending his arm at the elbow, holding a clenched fist up, and pulling it down. "Did you see what I did? That was awesome!" Now he focuses his will on Roger to stop him with the invincible power of his mind.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2023 11:42 pm
by LiviaBlue
Image

There was nothing in Shirley's mind that could convince her the witch was not evil incarnate. A grotesque aberration of the natural world with her creatures and minions and she needed to be stopped. Not just for their own sake, but for every kid who lost themselves trapped in her horrifying layer.

Shirley keep helping Louis with starting fires. The more the better. Like a diseased forest being cleansed by a wildfire this place deserved, no, needed to be burned to the ground.

"Never! You will burn here! You will never create a monster ever again!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 6:28 pm
by aine
Louis has spent the whole night fearing the return of Roger- and here he was, only not, not anymore; he was something else. However, Louis tried to concentrate on his job with Shirley, parcelling away in the back of his mind that somehow Harry was also changed….

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2023 11:21 pm
by Mephistophilis
As Darren starts to swing his crowbar at Roger his snarling face twists into one of mirth, he practically laughs in Darren's face as he hefts the large bloody knife and swings it in an arc over the bar of metal, slashing at Darren's face.

-----

Harry focuses hard on Roger who is swinging his knife menacingly towards Darren.

-----

There's a little bulging in Roger's black eyes as Darren ducks under the blade and the crowbar impacts across his midrift with an unpleasant sound somewhere between a thud and a squelch. His body seems to ripple or compress as the blow strikes home and the feedback Darren gets from his hands is odd, and unsatisfactory, like the blow didn't properly connect.

-----

Eschewing anything as vulgar as fire this time, Harry attempts to affect matter itself. He strikes Roger in the stomach with a blast of telekinesis that causes him to double over. Briefly a thought flashes through Harry's elevated consciousness, If E=mc-squared then how much power can I generate just using my mind?

-----

Roger doesn't even seem winded and quickly regains his composure. He grins at Darren, he seems to be enjoying himself. 'You seem to have found some balls Pickett. Let's see if I can cut them off for you...'

Spending those 2 points of Luck you got an extreme success which does full damage with a bludgeoning weapon like the crowbar. Otherwise it would do 1d6 damage. Assuming Roger doesn't have any resistance...


-----

Desperately, Shirley rolls up little balls of bat guano, twigs, and whatever other detritus looks like it might burn, she uses matches to light them and throw the flaming spheres to Louis to bat towards the writhing witch with his plank of wood.

You'll need to roll Gym Class again to hit the flaming bat guano at the witch or whatever other target you choose. Take a bonus die for Shirley's help.


-----

The fire behind the witch is spreading, devouring the wooden shelves in the alcove, the black candle in the shrivelled hand streaming with wax, running down the sides in great rivulets, a deep purple flame rising a great distance from the wick, flickering and spitting in the heat.

The old witch seems to swell, to grow and take up more and more of the space in the chamber. She barely seems human anymore, a quivering tower of corrupted flesh writhing and twisting in the flames. Her shadow projected from the flickering fire to cast giant, shifting blankets of darkness all around her, reaching out to touch all the corners of the room, inner evil probing for more innocent flesh to infect and corrupt. Her malignant expression of hatred and loathing casts around the room but seems to alight on Shirley who feels the woman's anger and animosity burning into her with an intensity that feels almost physical.

The witch's slug-like bulk lurches from side to side, striking against the earthen wall of the cavern, sending clods of dirt and showers of dust into the thick air. She opens her mouth filled with razor-teeth and her thick, blood-coated tongue slowly begins to emit a low sound. A rhythmic chant that grows louder and faster. The deep, booming voice echoes around the chamber, the earth walls themselves seem to shake and out of little holes all manner of insects, spiders, worms, grubs, and other pests stream through and spill onto the floor. The mangy cat pulls something along the ground from behind the witch, from around a corner of the cave. It's hard to make out what it is but there's a smear of blood left behind as it's dragged along the floor. The vermin swarm around whatever it is and as the old woman's inhuman howling reaches a crescendo something starts to rise from the middle of the writhing pile of insects and rodents. Spiders run criss-crossing over the surface as it continues to rise like a slowly inflating balloon.

The crude form of a human body begins to take shape, skin-underfilled, and head flapped behind and trailing down the back so as to render the figure unrecognisable...or, at least, unidentifiable. Because there's something familiar about the figure. And as the deflated limbs begin to fill with something, something writhing and rippling to fill them out, and the head pops up to rise above the shoulders. And standing before them is the body of Ace Simmons. Smeared in blood, bulging and out of proportion, standing awkwardly and ungainly, moving stiffly. His skin seemingly crudely stitched together to contain whatever writhing and wriggling material fills his skin and animates him. He looks like a bigger, meaner version of Roger. If there was any animosity left between them it isn't evident as the grotesque remains of Ace's face stretches into an awkward attempt at a smile and he lumbers beside his brother, his arms stretched out ahead of him towards Darren.


Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2023 4:57 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Realizing that the witch is still a terrible threat despite being on fire, Harry concentrates on her now, as attacking her puppets will do no good. Better to bring down the puppet master and cut the strings. He unleashes the full power of his brilliant mind, holding back nothing.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2023 6:12 pm
by aine
Where should he aim? Louis bats the balls of guano with deadly accuracy, straight at that hideous dried hand…
Gym: 40 roll: 2 again :)

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2023 8:04 pm
by BoyBlunder78
OOC:   Whats the damage dor the iron crowbar? Would it be the same as the baseball bat?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2023 8:13 pm
by Mephistophilis
OOC:  
BoyBlunder78 wrote: Wed Aug 23, 2023 8:04 pm Whats the damage dor the iron crowbar? Would it be the same as the baseball bat?
1d6 damage, no damage bonus.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2023 6:31 am
by BoyBlunder78
OOC:   Ahhh right, just thought id check as the bat did 1d8 damage according to the sheer, rhought it migh've been similar, Question is....do i spend the 14 luck to make it an extreme success?  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2023 9:48 pm
by Mephistophilis
OOC:  
BoyBlunder78 wrote: Thu Aug 24, 2023 6:31 am Ahhh right, just thought id check as the bat did 1d8 damage according to the sheer, rhought it migh've been similar, Question is....do i spend the 14 luck to make it an extreme success?
My advice, for what it's worth, is hold on to your luck.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2023 5:07 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

After helping Louis lunch an assault of flaming balls Shirley grabs for her BB again attempting to stop the witch from getting closer.


Attack (50%):
d%
Damage:
1d6/2

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2023 11:26 pm
by Mephistophilis
Scrabbling in the dirt, Shirley struggles to find anything to set light to. Eventually she manages to squish together some stinking white guano with something that could be bark, leather, or even skin. Striking match after match it fails to light until she jams several matches into the little ball and sets fire to each phosphorous head, the combined heat and flames igniting it and singeing her fingers as she tosses it to Louis.

Getting into his groove now, Louis swings the plank of wood to strike squarely and cleanly against the flaming ball. The witch gives a shriek as it flies towards her but her expression is replaced with one of triumph as it sails past. The ball of fire lands centrally in the withered hand, like it's been caught by some undead baseball mitt. The flames engulf the shaft of the black candle which bubbles and twists. The wax melting and deforming until there is little but a misshapen lump smeared all over the charred palm of the hand. The fingers blackened and curled in the heat.

The wick flops and the candle flame is extinguished. There is a shudder they all feel through the ground. The wooden boards of the house springing back against some force that had been restraining them, now suddenly released. The mud walls shake and crack, crumbling lumps of earth flaking onto the ground revealing little wriggling insects and worms deep beneath. Everyone knows something has changed with the house, something.

-----

Opening his mind to his full potential, to his full power, Harry lets rip with everything he has got. He simply reaches out with his mind - a mind that he now feels is completely at one with the universe - stretching through the atoms and electrons, the quarks and the superstrings - slipping between the very fundamental building blocks of reality. He sees the witch looking at him with her single eye, it swivels to focus on him, a look of arrogant triumph on her face. He feels her malevolence. Oh how this hideous creature has misunderstood the situation. Has underestimated you, who you are, what you are! Harry curls the force of his consciousness around her eye like it was his own hand stretching out to grab it. Then, then he squeezes, squeezes with his mind...

-----

Holding out her BB gun in front of her and pumping the mechanism, Shirley fires out several more ball bearings that thud into the witch's face, one impacting right in the centre of her eye...

-----

His emotions hardening, rage at this wicked old woman and what she has done, Harry just squeezes some more and the eye suddenly bursts, a spatter of fluid and tissue escaping from a rupture in the tense membrane. The old witch writhes and shrieks some more, blindly impacting again and again against the walls of mud and soil and tree roots that make up the chamber. Books, and implements clatter to the floor. More clods of earth hit the ground, and little rivulets of water start to break through the cracks in the dry mud, pooling on the floor of soil and guano.

-----

At the cries of their mistress, the twitching, sagging forms of Ace and Roger lurch forward like marionettes. Stretching out to slash and pummel Darren who stands between them, iron poker clutched in his hands. Ace is the faster of the two, his two hands clutch for Darren's neck but he ducks back with ease. Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, Roger uses the chance to thrust forward with the knife and Darren just sees it flashing towards him...


So he got a successful attack with the knife. You can Fight back but will need to get a hard success or better to beat him. Or you can Dodge and just need to get a success.



Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2023 11:56 pm
by BoyBlunder78
  Cmon dodge...  
OOC:   Well.....whaddaya know...... :shock:
Must've firgotten to roll that furst one. Oops.  

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2023 4:37 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

Shirley feels the ground around her shake, the air change, and for the first time tonight she really thinks that they were going to make it out.

Even with her hands blistering, she holds tight to her BB and turns to help Darren.


Attack (50%):
d%

Damage:
1d6/2

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2023 5:38 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Intoxicated by the sheer power of his own mind, Harry directs his will at the witch. All he has to do is think, and it happens.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2023 6:42 pm
by aine
“Oh cripes, was that the best target- had he just really pissed the witch off now? Louis tries to keep his balance as the ground shakes. “W-what’s happening?” He shouts and spies Darren’s calamity.
“Noooo!” Without thinking, he launches himself at the nearest marionette, hoping to topple it and give Darren a fighting chance.
Roll: 64

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 4:57 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"Now I know how Dr. Manhattan felt!" cries Harry as he unleashes the full extent of his mental prowess.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2023 11:29 pm
by Mephistophilis
The glinting blade slices towards Darren, he ducks back, to avoid Roger's reach. But he can't get far enough away. The knife...darting at him, then...crunch...Louis impacts into Roger and knocks him to the side, the two boys crashing to the ground locked in a struggling embrace. Fists ineffectually pounding against a disconcerting, intangible, body. Writhing and wriggling in Louis's hands. He struggles to get a firm grasp, the limbs seeming to contract, like the contents have slipped from beneath his grasp leaving nothing but elastic, pliant skin. Thrashing on the floor, Louis feels something sharp in his ribs, a searing burning pain, deep, tearing, hurting... He rolls off Roger and puts his hand to his chest in disbelief, his fingers come away wet. Blinking his eyes, Louis's vision blurs, he holds up his hands to see the blood dripping from his fingers.


Louis suffers 7 points of damage, that's a Major Wound. Tick the Major Wound box. Roll CON to remain conscious.


-----

Seeing Louis and Roger go down, Shirley screams, 'No!!!' and fires several more ball bearings at the swaying, blank eyed figure of Ace he stands between her and the witch. The tiny metal pellets spatter across his face and he raises his hands dumbly against his skin. The little rips in his skin stretch and tear, the splits coalescing to form a break across his face, beneath one eye and running down to the corner of his mouth. He staggers backwards probing the gap with clumsy fingers as something begins to spill out of the hole. It looks like little insects and worms, dropping from the wound and dropping down to the ground where they scurry and scuttle away. He opens his mouth in a silent scream and the break in his skin tears open to run across his open mouth all the way to his ear as his whole head begins to dehisce and fall apart. Toppling backwards, the disintegrating form of Ace Simmons collapses into the bulk of the witch and propels her back into the wall of flame that has engulfed the books, papers, and shelves in the niche beyond her.

-----

This is the moment. Harry is completely at one with his surroundings. He can feel every tendril of existence, vibrating, humming around him, the eternal symphony of the spheres. There is no time, there is no space. There is only Harry Enslin. The alpha and omega. The all. And the nothing. The everything. He looks at the witch. Truly sees her. Sees her pathetic attempts to cling on to her tortured half-life. She does not deserve to live. She does not deserve to exist. And with a single thought he snuffs her out.

The flames roar and the witch is consumed in an inferno, her sagging flesh charring and melting, the fat liquifying, spitting and dripping to pool in the mud. Her face is nothing but a blistering, distorted mask of pain and hatred.

'Now I Am Become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds.'

-----

As the witch burns, Darren watches with a grotesque fascination as the prone form of Roger starts to lose its definition, seems to come apart at the seems, flaps of skin becoming disconnected from the whole. And from inside centipedes, wriggling earth worms, maggots, earwigs, beetles, cockroaches, even mice and little rats seems to spill out and spread across the dirt floor.

Above their heads the bats and bat-things emit an unearthly shrieking scream. And from the tunnels in the earthen walls, and among the scurrying rodents rushing across the mud, they all stop for a second and raise their little whiskered snouts to join in the screeching, howling lament.


Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 2:37 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

"We should go now," says Harry, once the adrenaline drains away. He considers teleporting all of them out of there but decides that the risk of materializing inside a solid object is too great.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 5:51 am
by aine
CON 75 roll: 68. 8-7= 1hp

Louis leans back against the wall looking in bewilderment at the large gash in his bin-liner top. Everything blurs and goes dark… and then he hears Harry’s voice, only it sounds like Harry is three rooms away.
“Urrrrgh.” Louis mumbles

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 4:21 am
by Mr. Handy
Image

Harry goes over to help Louis. "The witch was keeping this place together by the force of her will," he explains. "Now that she's dead, it's going to start collapsing. I've solved the equations and unlocked the power she used, but I'm not as experienced with it as she was. I'll keep it standing as long as I can, but we'll have to hurry and get out of here."

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 6:37 am
by BoyBlunder78
Darren snaps out of ot as he glances over and sees Louis and Harry. "LOUIS!", he shouts in horror seeing his friend bleeding and rushes over to help Harry putting his arm around him, supporting his weight. C'mon Louis I'm not gonna lose anyone else in this shit hole! SHIRLEY LETS GO!!"

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 5:23 pm
by aine
Louis allows himself to be lifted up and stands there, swaying. He puts his hand to his chest; it comes away dripping red.
“I’ll try.” He says with a grim smile.
In my last post, I should have written: “1 hp left.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2023 6:17 am
by LiviaBlue
Image

"Be free! Get out of here and be free!" Shirley shouts at all the insects amd critters that emerge as the witch is finally losing control.

When the boys call for her she goes to them and immediately helps Louis stay upright.

"Here, hold this and put a lot of pressure. We can't stop now." She hands him her swan cape. The once pristine white feathers are stained with ash, mud and now blood.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2023 7:23 pm
by BoyBlunder78
"Thank you Shirley " said Darren, as he helped Louis apply pressure with one hand and his other arm supporting him as they started to move out of the cellar.
Looking back at the writhing mass that was once the witch he thought,
"We got the bitch [b]Ian[/b] thinking:   she won't hurt any more kids. im soo sorry for leaving you, losing you, letting you down. What a shit big brother I am, should've sent you away at the start!No idea what im gonna tell mom and dad!"  
He could feel the tears welling up behind his eyes.

Re: IC -2 - Yesterday Upon the Stair - Everyone

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2023 5:56 pm
by Mephistophilis
Harry strides ahead, using pure mental energy and force of will to hold together the fabric of the crumbling house. The others stagger after, Darren and Shirley unsteadily supporting the wounded Louis between them, gripping a ball of blood stained feathers and cloth against his chest, fingers slick with congealing blood. Head fuzzy, eyes swimming.

Behind them the remnants of the witch are a misshapen puddle of fat, gristle, and bone, like the nub of candle wax when it's burned through. The insects, rats and mice, lizards and snakes that were under her command are scuttling and crawling away, tunnelling into the earth.

On the faces of the children as they walk towards the camera there's a mixture of emotions, horror, pain, fear, and even triumph.

FADE TO BLACK

OOC:   Epilogue here.