strangerpeople: (Default)
The Fifteen Strangers Mods ([personal profile] strangerpeople) wrote in [community profile] 15strangers2023-07-20 09:54 am

FINAL INVESTIGATION

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!))


superstylishsquid: (pic#16578229)

[personal profile] superstylishsquid 2023-07-21 01:25 am (UTC)(link)
[He mutters something under his breath in Greek, then looks over at his dragon.]

Hey, c'mere a sec. There's a Cerberus in here.

[The dragon's claws and fangs aren't likely to work any better, but he does take a bottle of water out of a makeshift saddlebag and take a deep breath.]

This is probably going to get me smacked across the room, so...pray I don't spill any on myself.

[Because yes, he's about to pour some holy water on the roots.]
hatesdeerstalkers: (HOW DARE YOU)

[personal profile] hatesdeerstalkers 2023-07-21 01:32 am (UTC)(link)
[WAIT, HANG ON-]

Alastor, is that Holy Water?!

[BRITAIN WAS MOSTLY CATHOLIC IN HIS DAY HE FUCKING KNOWS THAT'S A BAD IDEA]

Stop, you fool!
superstylishsquid: (That's just painful.)

[personal profile] superstylishsquid 2023-07-21 01:36 am (UTC)(link)
It usually hurts the vines more than a quick splash would hurt me. Besides, it's safe for me to handle as long as it's contained.

These seem to be able to recover so fast that they don't even care, though. We're gonna have to do something else, I'm pretty sure he can feel the tree feeding on him.
hatesdeerstalkers: (EHHHH)

[personal profile] hatesdeerstalkers 2023-07-21 01:40 am (UTC)(link)
That DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T BE INJURED!!!

[Sorry, with Moriarty's full memories unlocked, he is now Mother Hen Mode. Enjoy.]

Graah....I'm not even certain my own abilities could help in this circumstance, given the vines are directly feeding off of the divine, nor do I wish to accidentally injure the pet of a God of the Underworld.

...Perhaps all we can do is help the poor soul feel more at ease for the time being.
superstylishsquid: (pic#16578234)

[personal profile] superstylishsquid 2023-07-21 01:46 am (UTC)(link)
Holy burns suck, but they're nothing I can't recover from.

[He scratches lightly at his chest, as though reminded of a discomfort there.]

But I think you're right. I could tap into my weapon's full power, but it'd risk hurting the Cerberus too. Unless you think your portals can get the poor guy out of there, comfort is all we can offer.

[If he can, he'll reach through and offer a pat on...whichever head will move to accept it.]
superstylishsquid: (pic#16578238)

[personal profile] superstylishsquid 2023-07-21 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
[It's...weird, seeing it just communicate in dog noises. He looks to Hermes.]

Think he'd feel a bit better with something to eat?
somuchshipping: (Default)

[personal profile] somuchshipping 2023-07-21 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
[Hermes fetches some of the fish from the fridge and offers then to the trippoggo. Triple doggo.]
superstylishsquid: (pic#16578230)

[personal profile] superstylishsquid 2023-07-21 02:53 am (UTC)(link)
I know, it sucks...we'll get you out soon, okay?

[Looking around...is there anything that looks like it might provide a proper distraction to a huge dog?]

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somuchshipping: (Frown)

[personal profile] somuchshipping 2023-07-21 01:33 am (UTC)(link)
[Hermes comes rushing on over to Alastor.]

Hey,There'sSomeFish InTheFridgeDo- Wait,WhatAreYouDoing?

[That bottle in Alastor's hand... could it be what Roland used? Hermes will try to stop Alastor by picking him up and putting him back down a few feet away.]

The roots will kill you!
superstylishsquid: (Oh yeah...)

[personal profile] superstylishsquid 2023-07-21 01:37 am (UTC)(link)
I can handle being smacked across the room. Besides, I already used it, and the root didn't even care.
somuchshipping: (Worried)

[personal profile] somuchshipping 2023-07-21 01:40 am (UTC)(link)
I don't think you can handle getting repeatedly stabbed to death...

...But why didn't it work?


[Hermes gets a good look at the entrapped beast.]

...Is... is that Sir, Burr, and Risk all fused into one being...?
hatesdeerstalkers: (why 2: why harder)

[personal profile] hatesdeerstalkers 2023-07-21 01:43 am (UTC)(link)
.....Yes. As the name of the dog is Cerebrus.

[THE DEVS OF YOUR GAME, MAN.]
somuchshipping: (Playful)

[personal profile] somuchshipping 2023-07-21 01:47 am (UTC)(link)
[Hermes attempts as carefully as he can to reach through two roots to scritch Cerberus on the chin.]

That's kiiiiinda weird, but I think I can see the appeal in a three-headed version of them. Still, do they unfuse whenever they all want to go do their own thing?
hatesdeerstalkers: (mmhmm)

[personal profile] hatesdeerstalkers 2023-07-21 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
Er, no, not normally. Cerebrus is, traditionally, always like that.

[Which is kinda awful for the puppos, but it is what it is.]
superstylishsquid: (Oh yeah...)

[personal profile] superstylishsquid 2023-07-21 01:48 am (UTC)(link)
Doesn't look quite like the Cerberus I know, but...different underworld, I guess. Any Cerberus from my Hell would be yelling right about now.

And the tree just backhanded Roland both times he used holy water. I don't think it's enough of a threat to provoke a serious attack.
hatesdeerstalkers: (mmhmm)

[personal profile] hatesdeerstalkers 2023-07-21 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
Of course, given you seem to be considering it as a Species and not a single Divine Beast.

[He sighs.]

I was more worried about you, you idiotic devil. You'd have the equivalent of a severe burn if it'd spilled on you, would you not?
superstylishsquid: (Oh yeah...)

[personal profile] superstylishsquid 2023-07-21 02:18 am (UTC)(link)
Depends on how much of it and how concentrated the spill, but...yeah, it's a bit like acid to devils.

But seriously, I'm not some low-tier devil that can be wiped out with a single splash. Stronger devils have more tolerance to it.
somuchshipping: (Wat)

[personal profile] somuchshipping 2023-07-21 02:20 am (UTC)(link)
Wait... We're devil arms. Would it affect all of us?
superstylishsquid: (Huh?)

[personal profile] superstylishsquid 2023-07-21 02:24 am (UTC)(link)
I don't think so. You're all still mostly mortal, and Roland's been able to wear his rosary without a problem.