[IC - Mexico City] The Ruins of the Villa

[Mephistophilis]

'Perhaps we can shut Leticia up without killing her, but I'll do what needs to be done. Let's go...and give me my gun' says Cam.

[Overlord87]

"Your guns are in the house, and I don't think I can recover them right now. But I have taken a couple of my own guns, so you can use them, yes? Who will take them?", Konovalov says, showing a couple of revolvers.

While you decide, Elena says: "I think I can help, too. Remember at the club, I told you about the old songs from my abuela? They are supposed to protect from evil spirits, and I know it sounds like nonsense, but I would always remember these songs when I heard Leticia singing, so maybe they can protect us... what do you think?"

Konovalov looks skeptical: "Look, kid, you might want to let the adults take care of this stuff. Perhaps you can stay back with your friend, here", he points at Ian, "He doesn't seem to be doing all that well, too".

Elena shoots a furious glance at him and snaps: "Don't treat me like a child, you goddamn psycho".

You fear for a moment that things will spiral out of control, but Konovalov seems to like Elena's spirit and bursts out laughing, before rising his hands: "You do as you want, girl. If you wanna sing, sing. But I'm not gonna shield you from bullets coming your way".

OOC:   Konovalov will make sure that Ian doesn't get a gun. Anyone with at least 1 point in Art can learn and sing Elena's song. Blasted characters (-6 Stability or lower) can't, though.

[Mephistophilis]

Cam takes a revolver, cracks open the cylinder, and checks the chamber. 'Hell, sing if you think that will help Elena, I'm gonna put my faith in something a bit more solid' he says, cocking the hammer of the gun with his thumb. 'Just keep behind me, OK?'

[Mr. Handy]

"I'll learn the song," says Holly. "I'm a good singer. It couldn't hurt, and it may help. I've seen enough not to discount the supernatural. Since there's only two guns, I'll leave them to those who are better shots than I am."

[Overlord87]

Konovalov gives the last gun to Jonathan, then says: "The song will be louder in Leticia's chamber. The earplugs won't work. That's why we take her down first, yes? Now, another important thing. There's another exit from Leticia's room, a corridor that goes downward. You don't go there. You stay away, yes? It's too dangerous there".

Meanwhile, Elena is teaching Holly her song. It's just a few words, and some handclapping at the right rhythm, but it still take some time to memorize everything - especially since it's an unknown language. After about 15 minutes, you feel like you're ready to go.

[Mr. Handy]

"Okay, I think I've got it," says Holly. "Thank you, Elena. I guess it's showtime, huh?"

[ShyberKryst]

Jonathan Cornwall
Revolver in hand, Jonathan says, "Let's get on with it, Konovolov. You lead the way."

[leonardolad]

Ian Morin

Yes. Let's go. Ian declares, his face unreadable, almost zombie-like, apparently unaware of the bites he took and his lack of weaponry.

[Overlord87]

You walk back along the corridor to the room you first met Brooks in. It's empty now, and you run across it until you reach the corridor on the other side. The song is getting stronger now, and even with your earplugs in, it's getting discomforting and it's making you clench your teeth as you force one step after the other. Elena nods at Holly and the two starts singing. It's quite hard at first to match your voices, especially against the jarring background of Leticia's song, but after a little while you finally get the song going. And quite surprisingly - you do start to get better. Maybe it's just your brain focusing on Elena's song. Maybe it's really a song that wards against evil. Who knows, at this point. You have seen stranger things.

The corridor goes on for about thirty meters, then opens up in another room - a big room. It measures about ten per twenty meters, and you just entered from one of the short sides. About fifteen meters away from you there's a sort of stone altar, massive, covered in moss. On top of that, a woman is singing. And as soon as you focus your attention on her, you realize that, in fact, you have not yet seen the worst of this place.

She must be Leticia, since she's the one singing. But she's not human anymore. Not entirely, at least. Her mouth is distorted, with no lips and sharp teeth, and drool coming out with every word of her cursed song. But it's not just that - her nose... is gone. It seems to have fallen off, and in its place, another mouth, cutting her face vertically, joining with the other one. Her entire face appears out of place, distorted, even though she must have been beautiful, once. Now she stands here, still, her limbs moving spastically as she sings.

And just below, at the base of the altar, there's Brooks. He's looking at her, and in his eyes... and this is perhaps the worst thing of all... in his eyes, there's love. When you enter, he turns towards you, surprise turning into anger in an instant at the sight of Konovalov. He pulls out a gun from behind his back.

OOC:   Everybody roll Stability at the sight of Leticia. Then you can act normally.

Spoiler:

OOC:   Every round that you can keep singing protects your friends from the effects of Leticia's song. You must pass a Stability roll each turn to keep singing. In case of failure, there's no direct loss of Stability, but you stop singing and cannot restart (from that point on, though, you may move and take combat actions as normal). If both you and Elena stop singing, everybody will be under the threat of Leticia's song again.

[Mephistophilis]

Spoiler:

Cam spends one stability and rolls

Mephistophilis rolled 1d6+1 and got a total of 2:
1

OOC:   oh dear

[Mr. Handy]

Spoiler:

What happens if my Stability drops to -6? I'm considering spending points, but I want to know first what the effects will be. Also, do I need to make two Stability rolls, or only one?

[Mephistophilis]

Spoiler:

Come, join me: If your Stability ranges from –6 to –11, your mind is blasted. At the Keeper’s discretion, you develop a mental illness that stays with you even after your Stability pool is restored to normal. (See p. 77 below for more.) You also continue to suffer the ill effects of being shaken. The only actions you can take are panicked flight or frenzied attacks on any perceived dangers. You may also choose to do nothing colorfully: gibber incoherently, chant the names of subway stations, freeze into catatonia, etc. Furthermore, you permanently lose 1 point from your Stability rating. The only way to get it back is to purchase it again with build points.'

[Overlord87]

Spoiler:

OOC:   As noted by Mephistophilis, by falling down to -6 you become Blasted. I would only add that if you fall to -6 by failing the test, it counts as a Mythos shock, so you actually lose 2 points of Sanity rating. On the other hand, if you fall down to -6 by investing points, you are still Blasted but assuming you pass the test, you will only lose 1 point from your Sanity rating. In general, getting a Mythos shock it's also nastier in terms of the mental disorders you can possibly develop. In any case, it's ok if you take only one Stability roll against the loss AND to continue singing.

Spoiler:

OOC:   You lose 4 points of Stability and 2 points of Sanity rating. You are now blasted, but can take your action and roleplay any kind of reaction you want.

[Mephistophilis]

Cam recoils in horror at the twisted visage of Leticia. 'What is wrong with her face? Her nose, it's...it's...a mouth...how, what?' Cam stammers, the blood draining from his face and his hands trembling. 'That's not possible, no...no, it's wrong...un...unnatural...evil!' His face flushes red and he takes on a fevered look as his hand tightens around the grip of his revolver and he stumbles forward. 'Kill it...kill it...kill it...' he starts to chant as he runs towards Leticia firing, oblivious to anyone else around him.

Spoiler:

Cam spends 3 points of firearms and shoots at Leticia with his revolver

Mephistophilis rolled 1d6+3 and got a total of 7:
4

[Mr. Handy]

Holly is shocked by the sight, but she steels herself and sings for all she's worth, no matter what it costs her psyche.

Spoiler:

In that case, I'll spend 3 points of Stability to guarantee I can keep singing.

Stability roll (3 points spent):

Mr. Handy rolled 1d6+3 and got a total of 8:
5

[leonardolad]

Spoiler:

Stability
.
.
5
http://orokos.com/roll/774097

Don't you die on me now, Ian!

[Overlord87]

Spoiler:

You pass your Stability test and can now take your action.

[Overlord87]

A monster she may be - but still a human being. As Cam, Konovalov and Jonathan advance, they unleash a barrage of bullets on the creature that once was known as Leticia de la Luz. And she falls. Hit by one, two, three bullets, she takes one, two, three steps back and stops singing. There's only blood coming out of her mouth now, no more words, no more songs. She falls from the altar to the ground below, and lies still. The sudden silence makes you almost want to weep for joy.

Brooks, on the other hand, only manages to fire a single shoot at you, missing the target, before witnessing Leticia's death. He lets the gun fall and run towards her, screaming like a wounded animal. He falls on his kness next to her, crying and screaming: "No, Leticia, no! My love, open your eyes! We've come this far... no... what do I have without you? Leticia...". He seems to have completely lost interest in you.

[Mephistophilis]

Seemingly unaware of Brooks, Cam stands over Leticia's body firing into the corpse screaming "kill it...kill it" his eyes burning with hatred and his face contorted into a maniacal grin.

[Overlord87]

Something snaps inside Brooks when Cam starts shooting at Leticia's body. He screams and jumps at Cam, trying to stop him and take his gun.

Spoiler:

OOC:   Roll Scuffling.

Elena is also shocked at Cam's behavior, and covers her ears, closing her eyes, crouching as if to protect herself from what's happening in front of her. Konovalov is clearly angry as he reverts to his mothertongue: "Mudak... gavno...", he is trying to take aim, but the risk of hitting Cam is high and he doesn't take the shot yet.

Spoiler:

With your enhanced hearing you hear strange sounds coming from the other exit of the room, the downward corridor on the other side of the altar. Wet sounds. You wonder what might be the source.