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

[superstylishsquid]

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?]

[strangerpeople]

[Well, nothing that you can-wait.






There's some movement at the blood pool at the far end of the room.]

[superstylishsquid]

[Movement, you say? That definitely draws his eye, technically a predator and all, and he looks to Moriarty and Hermes.]

I'll be right back, there's something down the hall.

[And so he will head off to see what's moving down there! Presumably it's not just a tide, right?]

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes watches Alastor go investigate. Then, he turns to Moriarty.]

If he's in danger, portal him back over here. I don't want him dead.

[Huh, that was very direct and not at all passive like the Hermes that Moriarty knew!]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Of course!

[He'll follow after Alastor, just in case - he's pleased to see Hermes is also much more direct now!]

[strangerpeople]

[As Alastor and Moriarty get closer, they find that the noise is splashing. From the blood pool.




The roots are holding something down in there.]

[superstylishsquid]

[Concerning! Fortunately, he still has that serrated knife from earlier, so...going to try to cut those roots and see what's thrashing about.

...And just to be sure, he'll be keeping most of his body dry, and thinking about things that keep him tied to the physical world.]

[strangerpeople]

[These roots are new. Thin. Enough to hold whatever is down there, but it's nothing to Alastor's swords, and they instantly calcify to dust.







Immediately a hand bursts out, flailing and splashing. Then a second hand. And bubbles.



Someone is alive in there.]

[superstylishsquid]

I've got you!

[He's going to put the holy water bottle down at the edge of the pool and grab hold of one of those hands to pull. If any more roots become visible, he'll cut those away too.]

[godspiousjasper]

[ He'd come just to see how things were going but is close enough when those hands suddenly came from that pool of blood.

Alastor has his literal hands full here so he raced forwards to grab that other hand. Going to pull as much as he can. ]

Here! Let's get them out of there!

1/2

[strangerpeople]

[The hands immediately grab on with a vice grip, and the person underneath is pulled out, covered in blood.

Their face emerges from the pool, and-]

2/2 EVIDENCE

[not_a_lego_maniac]

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-

[Immediately Zack Prince, the One, is pulled from the pool, alive.



And very clearly shaking and traumatized.]

Can't breathe...can't m-move...

[countingme]

Oh!! There you are!

[ The sheep was... asleep on the sofa nearby. Turns out floating down the hall got a little too taxing.

Now it floats up, bobbing happily. ]

What were you doing? You're not supposed to stay in there, you know!

[ Oh you. Silly! ]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

....So he is, indeed, Zagreus?

[TIME FOR MORIARTY TO JUST DROP THAT NUGGET HE'S BEEN HOLDING ONTO, I GUESS]

[superstylishsquid]

[Going to pull him onto dry ground, hefting an arm over his shoulders to support Zack's weight.]

It's alright, you're out of the pool. You can breathe now.

[Then, looking at the sheep.]

He didn't have much choice, there were roots holding him down there.

[not_a_lego_maniac]

Wh—Zag what?

I-is that a talking sheep…???

[countingme]

[ Towards Zack: ]

Did you try pullin' them off you...?

Well, nevermind! You're back! Welcome back!

[ To Alastor: ]

Hey thanks for helping out!

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes takes a brief moment away from Cerberus to go and fetch some towels to dry Zack off with, and tosses them over to Alastor. OKAY NOW RETURNING TO THE DOG.]

1/2

[somuchshipping]

2/2

[somuchshipping]

[Being in control for once feels... good. And nothing bad's happened to him! Yet.

Hermes will keep the weird conglomeration of Sir, Burr, and Risk company.

WHO'S A GOOD DOGGIES? WHO'S A GOOD DOGGIES???]

[strangerpeople]

[The doggie stares at Hermes, even as the heads whimper.

Art thou a chew toy?]

[somuchshipping]

[Do you need more chin scritchings? Hermes will provide!]

[strangerpeople]

[One of the heads starts to lean in, even as the other heads whimper.


Hermes looks very chew toy-...y.]

1/2

[somuchshipping]

Don't worry, Sir, Burr, and Risk, you'll get out of here soon.

[And then Hermes spots the commotion. Is... is that Zack!? Uh... Hermes rushes off to get some towels for Alastor, then rushes back to the dog.]

2/2

[somuchshipping]

Just a little while longer. We've got to go and find a way to kill a tree.