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

[countingme]

[ Towards Zack: ]

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

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

[ To Alastor: ]

Hey thanks for helping out!

[superstylishsquid]

I think they had his hands. But, sure. I was worried about him myself, and besides...I promised Charon.

[countingme]

[ There's a little pause. ]

W-wow!

[ It sounds a bit... choked up, maybe? But goes on more cheerfully. ]

I'm glad he's got more people who can understand him!

[superstylishsquid]

Not the words, at least not yet, but it's not that hard to get the gist of what he means.

...Then again, I guess I am pretty used to people whose speech is limited to specific sounds.

[countingme]

All I know is most people find it really tough to communicate with him! I don't really see it. Sure, he doesn't say much, but I never have any trouble!

Are you some sort of god?

[superstylishsquid]

I'm...something called a demon-god. A devil with strong enough power over important aspects of the world that we might as well be gods as far as mortals are concerned.