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

[onychomance]

[And after they are finished in the garden, here he comes. At her behest.]

Hm... that chariot you're towing seems like it has plenty of space. What do you want to take with you?

[autonomousthought]

I am partial to ranged weaponry. Makima-san said the others will be useful with her ability, though.

[None of us are from RPGs. We are looting the room anyway.]

[onychomance]

So in other words... everything that isn't nailed down, I suppose.

[It's the escape room spirit! Though Kira is going to cast a glance at Makima wondering why she couldn't have just used her dang telekinesis, but assuming there are weight limits, he'll go ahead and approach the weapon that needs the most muscles to lift.]

[yesorwoof]

[Makima touches her temple to remind him that she has a headache from transcribing all the tapes, though it's not really clear why this would be so hard. She also has to conserve her energy for actually using them in swordnado. But she will now telekinetically help with something more modest in size she can find - there's a big sword as well as a javelin in the picture, why not those. They can split the five items between the three of them.]

[autonomousthought]

[Ritsu will go for the bow, first, then. It seems like the thing she'll be able to handle with the least strain on her failing body. If it's heavy, her power can help her lift it (not so much carry, but she'll make it work).]

That's about the size of it.

[Video Game protagonist mentality!]

[onychomance]

Yes, I believe these will do nicely.

[Kira hefts that big ass gun and shield, the final two left.]