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

[exequte]

[Well, that's as good a place to start as any.

Akane will carefully pick her way through the bloody roots and vines down towards it to look closer.]

EVIDENCE

[strangerpeople]

[There's a figure floating a few inches above the floor-the roots all curled about them like a puppet.

They don't respond to Akane. However, there is a twitch of the scythe, and a D O N G rings out in the air.






Probably goes without saying: don't touch the scythe.]

[exequte]

[Oh, she recognizes that DONG.

Hm.

Concerning.]

Can you hear me?

[strangerpeople]

[There's no response, save for a low mmmmmm. It's like he's in a stupor.




That said, there are a few other things hanging around him in the other roots. Akane should be able to grab them if she's careful.]

[exequte]

[Making sure to keep an eye on that scythe she is gonna do just that. She's also gonna keep her eyes open for ways that she might be able to help this stranger.]

EVIDENCE

[strangerpeople]

[Unfortunately, it doesn't look like there's much she can do to help the poor guy, at least for the moment. The roots here, like many in this particular location, are old. Strong. Empowered by ichor.



The items in the roots are Google maps of the Rochester, NY area. However, unlike the general map found on the Gigantic, these maps are of specific places-RIT, Nick Tahou Hots, Darien Lake, Eastman House.]

[exequte]

[.... sigh. Well, she'll collect them anyway, though why Zack remains at the center of all this, after everything else that's happened....

Is there anything else over in this corner? And is there anything unusual about the maps? Other than, you know, google maps of modern day New York hung on a blood tree next to a guy with a scythe in the greek underworld next to the nonary game ship.

Other than that.]

[strangerpeople]

[Nope, it looks like that's it!]

[exequte]

[Hm. Well.

There's really nothing she can do to get the scythe guy down, huh?

Ah well. Anything else out here something that may catch her eye?]

[strangerpeople]

[Nope! You're all good to have your existential crisis or...maybe stop Gai or something. One of those two.]