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

[lovedthemost]

Ow, ow, ow, ow--! [yep that'll get him in that head lock, and Brain is flailing, wriggling around to try and get out of it]

Let me go, you geezer!

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Admit you were wrong, first! And stop calling me geezer!

[This has devolved into a schoolyard fight between children, good god. He attempts to hold on, with surprising strength.

Hey, remember when he had his shirt off at trial and showed he's weirdly ripped for someone so old, especially in his arms and shoulders?]

[lovedthemost]

Never! You're the one who fell off the bed and complained about your back!

[you may be strong, Moriarty, but Brain is a twink, and a slippery one at that. He's going to try and use one of his invisible elbows to try and just elbow Moriarty in what might be the solar plexus region???? Just so he can maybe wiggle out from that grip]