FINAL INVESTIGATION

[strangerpeople]

FINAL INVESTIGATION


[Fifteen X-Passes. Six weeks. Freedom at last.



But it's not the end. Of course it's not. There are questions to answer, and souls to save. And now that the group is outside, they can see where they are.

They are inside a massive cavern, illuminated in an eerie green light, standing on a stone path. On one side is the ship-or rather, a massive, ship-shaped tangle of bloody branches, the trunk-like roots snaking out and into the river its buoyed on, as well as into the ceiling of stalactites. Said river is wine dark, but it's clearly not water. No-it is blood.

And on the other side of their little pathway? A root-encrusted palace. It sits over a labyrinthine city, bathed in emerald, and all is eerily silent save for some sounds coming from within the castle. It's clear the infestation somehow started here. And it is here that answers are likely to be found.

The doors are right in front of the group-and they are already open, covered in branches. From the outside, it seems little more than a ruin. Once everyone goes in, though?




It's even worse. The tree has taken over. Whatever lives here is no longer in charge. There's no easy way to disentangle the Qilphoth from this place. But there is life here, somehow. You can see figures entangled within the roots as you explore. And-they are still, somehow, alive. More than alive. They are beings that bleed ichor instead of blood-beings of incredible divinity and power. They are gods. And they are hostage to the tree, forever and ever, trapped in induced ennui, unless something is done.


So welcome, Strangers, to the House of Hades.]







[Once you enter, the investigation shall begin.


Good luck.]



((OoC: And here are team assignments!))

Comments

STRATEGIZE

[strangerpeople]

[This is for anything else not related to the investigation. Gathering supplies, talking between teams, anything that wouldn't fit into finding evidence.

Once the Final Investigation has finished, everyone will be barred from entering the House of Hades until the Final Trial has concluded. Besides, whoever owns this place would be pretty mad if you stayed and messed up their house without stopping the tree.]

[pegasinister]

[Welp, that sure is a big ass building. It's look, outside the roots and the green light and the blood, though, isn't that exotic to Hubert. Finally we're getting into his fantasy setting aesthetics!!]

Shall we split off and search for the source then?

[exequte]

What are we looking for, do you think?

[pegasinister]

If this follows a tree's usual structure I would suspect a main root or trunk. But we can not assume even that much. Perhaps something more like a core...

[somuchshipping]

Should we try to get rid of a few of these roots?

[pegasinister]

If they get in our way it's an option- but I would rather not be lashed out at if the tree feels threatened.

[somuchshipping]

If we're splitting up, I choose Alastor and Roland.

[voidseeing]

I know what the core looks like. I saw it in the vision I had the other day, so if we run into it, I'd recognize it right away.

[pegasinister]

Then thankfully we have some guidance.

[voidseeing]

Thank Nero, not me. Even if the experience was rather unpleasant to feel like I was reliving.

for alastor

[pegasinister]

[HERE COMES BERT, with one of those creepy white beasts, stuffed and taxidermied, under his arm, on the hunt for Alastor between/after investigations]

[superstylishsquid]

[He's in area 3 after he's done rescuing Zack, meandering around and occasionally taking glances toward the desk.]

[pegasinister]

Alastor, may I ask you a few things?

[superstylishsquid]

[He stops pacing when Hubert addresses him, and looks over at him instead.]

Huh? Sure, shoot.

[pegasinister]

First, do you recognize this symbol?

[He goes through his notes and offers the image he meticulously copied]

[superstylishsquid]

Sure, any old devil would. It's Umbran, a symbol used in Witchcraft. You find that in the alchemy lab?

Welp

[not_a_lego_maniac]

[At some point, Zack collapses onto the floor near the entrance to...his? bedroom, pulling a bit as his hair with both hands. He's.


Just a tad overwhelmed.


Also, hey there people who didn't see him emerge from the blood pool/pet the good boy, he's alive.]

[unpossibilities]

[Floating over here...]

Zack?

....Is this the possession? You can fight it, bud!

[not_a_lego_maniac]

Um.




Possession? What...?

[unpossibilities]

You're possessed by a thing from down here, right?!

You can keep control. You're stronger than the evil, whatever it may be! Even if it's...

[Swallows dryly.]

A...g-g-ghost. Even if it's that!

[not_a_lego_maniac]

I. Ah.



No, mate, I'm not possessed. I.

I think it's worse than that.

[pegasinister]

[Ohhoho another bedroom what's going on her-

-ah. HI Zack]

Well. It seems we both refuse to die.

[not_a_lego_maniac]

!

[He jumps to his feet.]

YOU!

[pegasinister]

Me, indeed.

[not_a_lego_maniac]

You killed me!! What gives, mate!?