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Between the Shadow and the Light (Updated February 26, 2023)
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<blockquote data-quote="The Shadow" data-source="post: 8916447" data-attributes="member: 16760"><p>New Scene: Scaling the wall. Interrupt!</p><p></p><p>[The first thing I rolled was 'Move away from a thread', which I vetoed because it would be too redundant. Then came 'Move toward a thread' which just didn't fit the circumstances. Then came this: ] </p><p></p><p>Horror - NPC: Thomas. [I was originally going to reroll the NPC based on a ruling I made earlier, that only people in Shadow qualified right now... but Thomas IS in Shadow, he's just back at the Keep. Hmm.]</p><p></p><p>Q(Very Unlikely): Is Azazel assaulting the Shadow Keep right now? YES. [WOW! That's bold. And it certainly explains why he hasn't been taking more decisive action against our little band.]</p><p></p><p>ComplexQ: Nature of the horror? Inspect/Benefits. [Utterly bizarre. I'm tempted to reroll, this sounds so... unhorrific... but I think I can make it work. But how is this interrupting the scene...? Oh. Got it.]</p><p></p><p>Jon was starting to shinny up the grapple-rope again when Sir Robert abruptly pointed. "Look!" Far off on the horizon, a beam of actinic white light stabbed up into the perpetually-black heavens. It strobed on and off several times. "What is it?" Ryan asked.</p><p></p><p>Pete said in a strangled voice, "A magical beacon-flare - we use them as signals in emergencies. The signal-pattern is that of the Keep!" Jake added, "We're the only ones ranging right now; they must be letting us, specifically, know that's something's wrong!"</p><p></p><p>The group absorbed that in shocked silence. Then Jake cleared his throat and continued, "Nothing's changed; we can't do anything about whatever-it-is. Continue, Miller." All eyes turned up to follow Jon's progress... and they spotted the vampire they'd seen as an illusion before, screeching its defiance high above. It held a man limply in its claws.</p><p></p><p>The fell thing stooped like a raptor and descended at the far end of Azazel's twisted Keep. Pete said to Jake in a dead voice, "You realize there's only one person at the Shadow Keep that Azazel would want to snatch right now, right?"</p><p></p><p>Jake paled and looked sick as he thought it over. "Dad!" "Yeah."</p><p></p><p>Hezekiah cleared his throat. "It could be another illusion?" Pete shook his head. "Maybe. Let's hope so. But it's probably best to assume the worst." Sir Robert gripped Pete's shoulder in sympathy; even Paddy looked dismayed.</p><p></p><p>It was Ryan, of all people, who just said in a determined voice, "Well, let's go get him."</p><p></p><p>[And just because Azazel is proving more devious than I thought: ] </p><p></p><p>Q(Unlikely): Is he also trying to pull something in the Earth-realm? NO. [Doesn't mean he won't later, though.]</p><p></p><p>NPC List: Mark, Ryan, Goat, Billy, the illusionist/Azazel, Thomas, Fr. Leo, Jake, vampire, Jamie's memory, Teresa, Paddy, Jon, Kate, Brother Hezekiah, Sir Athanasius, Sir Malcolm, Sir Reginald.</p><p></p><p>Thread List:</p><p></p><p>Free Ryan and Jake from the darkhound curse.</p><p>Free myself, for that matter.</p><p>Either rescue Tom, or find out he doesn't need it.</p><p></p><p>Chaos Factor: 5 -> 6</p><p></p><p>New Scene: Scaling the wall, take 2. Interrupt! [Again?! Wow, they really aren't supposed to scale that wall. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />]</p><p></p><p>Ambiguous Event: Celebrate/Tension</p><p></p><p>As Jon continued to climb, Jake punched the castle wall in anger and frustration. A booming echo arose from the wall, causing Jon to freeze and everyone else to bring weapons futilely to bear.</p><p></p><p>Jake said wonderingly, "It's... hollow?" Hezekiah looked fit to be tied. "This Hellspawn is indeed a child of the Father of Lies! What is real and what is not?!"</p><p></p><p>Paddy connected the dots first. "Miller! Get down here! That spot has to be a trap - it's why I could make the grapple catch there and nowhere else!"</p><p></p><p>Jon slid down the rope. "I fear you're right. Thank God we figured it out!"</p><p></p><p>Sir Robert was looking at the distorted Keep with narrowed eyes. "This whole place is a trap. What's real, you ask, White? I say: Nothing of it."</p><p></p><p>Pete was thinking furiously. "What if... What if Reggie was telling it like it was? We're going about this the wrong way."</p><p></p><p>Jake said firmly, "We're NOT walking in the gate." Pete waved that off. "Fine, but don't you see? By treating this keep AS a keep, we're playing Azazel's game. It wouldn't surprise me if he made the entrance so appalling to encourage us to do just that."</p><p></p><p>Jake gestured to the wall. "Well, it seems relatively thin. Invictus can cut through nearly anything: Try it. Whatever else it is, it's not treating it like a keep."</p><p></p><p>Q(Unsure): I have a sudden, extremely nasty suspicion. Is it true? YES.</p><p></p><p>Q(Unsure): Does anyone figure it out in time? YES.</p><p></p><p>Who? Brother Hezekiah. [Hm, that actually makes sense.]</p><p></p><p>Pete nodded and unsheathed Invictus. He started to set its point against the wall when Hezekiah abruptly gripped his arm. "No. That's exactly what the Hellspawn wants." Pete asked, "What? Why do you think so?"</p><p></p><p>"Because we're simply reacting to the stimuli he gives us. Yon Sir Robert is right: It's all trap, there's no truth. All lies."</p><p></p><p>Ryan said hesitantly, "Didn't Reggie say something about playing games?"</p><p></p><p>Pete, having a mage's trained memory, recalled, "'Playing games with people is what Azazel does best; and you're not playing along.' But if you're right, Hezekiah, then we have been!"</p><p></p><p>The older man snorted. "You're going to take the word of a corpse who is just as much a trap as the rest of this place?" "I think he was more than that... but I see your point."</p><p></p><p>Jon asked suddenly, "Why would Azazel want us to cut into his wall? You're the mage, Peter - what could go wrong?"</p><p></p><p>Pete shrugged. "Anything, really. He could trigger all sorts of things off the destruction of..." His mouth abruptly fell open.</p><p></p><p>The disk Goat had tossed at him. He'd sliced it in two, to release the curse.</p><p></p><p>Goat, who was now in a...</p><p></p><p>Pete stared at the wall. "Oh my God." Everyone stared at him mutely. Finally Jake said, "What, bro?"</p><p></p><p>"It's... it's a huge set of wards! This isn't a castle! It's a <em>prison!</em>"</p><p></p><p>ComplexQ: Okay, that had to be a massive effort. How come Pete hasn't heard of this before? Extravagance/Anger.</p><p></p><p>Q(Unsure): Was Reggie telling the truth about the 'castle' being assaulted by the Knights and Shepherds? YES.</p><p></p><p>ComplexQ: But clearly the records of those assaults have gotten mixed up somehow, otherwise Fr. Leo and/or Thomas would have connected the dots. What's the story there? Debase/New ideas.</p><p></p><p>[Hmmm. Lots to ponder there. One more question: ] </p><p></p><p>Q(Unsure): Were the wards made by humans? NO.</p><p></p><p>[And one more oddball I just thought of: ] </p><p></p><p>Q(Likely): Is Azazel inside the wards? NO. [AHA!! This explains very much indeed!]</p><p></p><p>NPC List: Mark, Ryan, Goat, Billy, the illusionist/Azazel, Thomas, Fr. Leo, Jake, vampire, Jamie's memory, Teresa, Paddy, Jon, Kate, Brother Hezekiah, Sir Athanasius, Sir Malcolm, Sir Reginald.</p><p></p><p>Thread List:</p><p></p><p>Free Ryan and Jake from the darkhound curse.</p><p>Free myself, for that matter.</p><p>Either rescue Tom, or find out he doesn't need it.</p><p>Figure out what on earth Azazel is really up to.</p><p></p><p>Chaos Factor: 6 -> 7</p><p></p><p>New Scene: The kid gloves come off.</p><p></p><p>ComplexQ: What form does Azazel's wrath take? Judge/Fame. [Wha....?]</p><p></p><p>[I've hit something of a critical mass in understanding now, both of the characters and of where this is going. I don't think I'll need to be asking as many questions.]</p><p></p><p>A thick, choking darkness abruptly surrounded the group, almost tangible in its malice. Azazel's malevolent voice boomed out, "I weary of the chittering of you INSECTS. Do you dare to set yourselves against me? Many have tried, and where are they now? I was old when your Crucified was in swaddling clothes!"</p><p></p><p>Pete tried to cast Manifest Glory to dispel the darkness (it would take almost everything he had, but it'd give the others a fighting chance), but the words were strangled in his throat. Several voices drew breath to speak, but it was Ryan's that came out first, mockingly: "Pay no attention to the little man behind the curtain! I am the Great and Powerful Azazel!" Paddy's voice barked out a laugh. "Sorry I called you a liability, kid!"</p><p></p><p>Pete rubbed his throat and added, "You must admit, Azzie old fiend, this darkness thing you've got going is a lot less stylish than your usual chessboard shtick. Running low on juice, are we?"</p><p></p><p>Azazel's rage became deadly calm. "You worms think I am all talk? Let us find out." Ryan gave a choked scream and there came a sound of a body thumping limply to the ground. There was also a clatter as the rest of the group readied weapons without much in the way of hope.</p><p></p><p>The voice of the darkness continued, "Let us be clear. The heir to des Marches WILL work my will in this matter, or the Count his father will die by inches."</p><p></p><p>Pete, Jake, Sir Robert, Paddy, and Jon all burst out in harsh laughter at that. Jake said, "Have you MET Thomas Demarche?! If we were to cut a deal with a Shadow to save his hide, he'd have ours! He'd haunt us from his freaking grave!" Hezekiah chuckled. "I'm starting to like him too!"</p><p></p><p>Azazel was silent for a time. "Then I will snuff each of you out lingeringly, one by one, until the heir's foolish compassion gives way. Who shall be first?" Hezekiah said scornfully, "Do your worst, Hellspawn. I fear you not." The others shouted defiance as well.</p><p></p><p>Pete was about to speak when the buzzing at the edge of his awareness, down at the level of the darkhound curse, took shape in words: Ryan's desperate, agonized voice:</p><p></p><p>"Get off the path!"</p><p></p><p>Get off the path... Stop playing Azazel's game. What's the last thing he would expect?</p><p></p><p>Pete said, "Okay, you win." He was still holding Invictus, standing next to the wall. He stretched out his hand until he could feel it, judging the distance.</p><p></p><p>The whole group's voices (save for Jon's) burst out in dismay, but Paddy's was the loudest. "You give this thing what it wants, Demarche, and I'll kill you myself!" Jon's voice came more softly: "I trust you, Peter."</p><p></p><p>Azazel boomed suspiciously, "Your sincerity is suspect, des Marches. Act now, or the boy will be the first to die." Sure enough, Ryan's voice abruptly howled in agony. Pete nodded, stepping a bit closer to the wall. "Yeah, it is." He rapidly energized the words to Subtlety in his mind...</p><p></p><p>And stepped through the wall.</p><p></p><p>NPC List: Mark, Ryan, Goat, Billy, the illusionist/Azazel, Thomas, Fr. Leo, Jake, vampire, Jamie's memory, Teresa, Paddy, Jon, Kate, Brother Hezekiah, Sir Athanasius, Sir Malcolm, Sir Reginald.</p><p></p><p>Thread List:</p><p></p><p>Free Ryan and Jake from the darkhound curse.</p><p>Free myself, for that matter.</p><p>Either rescue Tom, or find out he doesn't need it.</p><p>Figure out what on earth Azazel is really up to.</p><p></p><p>Chaos Factor: 7 -> 8</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="The Shadow, post: 8916447, member: 16760"] New Scene: Scaling the wall. Interrupt! [The first thing I rolled was 'Move away from a thread', which I vetoed because it would be too redundant. Then came 'Move toward a thread' which just didn't fit the circumstances. Then came this: ] Horror - NPC: Thomas. [I was originally going to reroll the NPC based on a ruling I made earlier, that only people in Shadow qualified right now... but Thomas IS in Shadow, he's just back at the Keep. Hmm.] Q(Very Unlikely): Is Azazel assaulting the Shadow Keep right now? YES. [WOW! That's bold. And it certainly explains why he hasn't been taking more decisive action against our little band.] ComplexQ: Nature of the horror? Inspect/Benefits. [Utterly bizarre. I'm tempted to reroll, this sounds so... unhorrific... but I think I can make it work. But how is this interrupting the scene...? Oh. Got it.] Jon was starting to shinny up the grapple-rope again when Sir Robert abruptly pointed. "Look!" Far off on the horizon, a beam of actinic white light stabbed up into the perpetually-black heavens. It strobed on and off several times. "What is it?" Ryan asked. Pete said in a strangled voice, "A magical beacon-flare - we use them as signals in emergencies. The signal-pattern is that of the Keep!" Jake added, "We're the only ones ranging right now; they must be letting us, specifically, know that's something's wrong!" The group absorbed that in shocked silence. Then Jake cleared his throat and continued, "Nothing's changed; we can't do anything about whatever-it-is. Continue, Miller." All eyes turned up to follow Jon's progress... and they spotted the vampire they'd seen as an illusion before, screeching its defiance high above. It held a man limply in its claws. The fell thing stooped like a raptor and descended at the far end of Azazel's twisted Keep. Pete said to Jake in a dead voice, "You realize there's only one person at the Shadow Keep that Azazel would want to snatch right now, right?" Jake paled and looked sick as he thought it over. "Dad!" "Yeah." Hezekiah cleared his throat. "It could be another illusion?" Pete shook his head. "Maybe. Let's hope so. But it's probably best to assume the worst." Sir Robert gripped Pete's shoulder in sympathy; even Paddy looked dismayed. It was Ryan, of all people, who just said in a determined voice, "Well, let's go get him." [And just because Azazel is proving more devious than I thought: ] Q(Unlikely): Is he also trying to pull something in the Earth-realm? NO. [Doesn't mean he won't later, though.] NPC List: Mark, Ryan, Goat, Billy, the illusionist/Azazel, Thomas, Fr. Leo, Jake, vampire, Jamie's memory, Teresa, Paddy, Jon, Kate, Brother Hezekiah, Sir Athanasius, Sir Malcolm, Sir Reginald. Thread List: Free Ryan and Jake from the darkhound curse. Free myself, for that matter. Either rescue Tom, or find out he doesn't need it. Chaos Factor: 5 -> 6 New Scene: Scaling the wall, take 2. Interrupt! [Again?! Wow, they really aren't supposed to scale that wall. :)] Ambiguous Event: Celebrate/Tension As Jon continued to climb, Jake punched the castle wall in anger and frustration. A booming echo arose from the wall, causing Jon to freeze and everyone else to bring weapons futilely to bear. Jake said wonderingly, "It's... hollow?" Hezekiah looked fit to be tied. "This Hellspawn is indeed a child of the Father of Lies! What is real and what is not?!" Paddy connected the dots first. "Miller! Get down here! That spot has to be a trap - it's why I could make the grapple catch there and nowhere else!" Jon slid down the rope. "I fear you're right. Thank God we figured it out!" Sir Robert was looking at the distorted Keep with narrowed eyes. "This whole place is a trap. What's real, you ask, White? I say: Nothing of it." Pete was thinking furiously. "What if... What if Reggie was telling it like it was? We're going about this the wrong way." Jake said firmly, "We're NOT walking in the gate." Pete waved that off. "Fine, but don't you see? By treating this keep AS a keep, we're playing Azazel's game. It wouldn't surprise me if he made the entrance so appalling to encourage us to do just that." Jake gestured to the wall. "Well, it seems relatively thin. Invictus can cut through nearly anything: Try it. Whatever else it is, it's not treating it like a keep." Q(Unsure): I have a sudden, extremely nasty suspicion. Is it true? YES. Q(Unsure): Does anyone figure it out in time? YES. Who? Brother Hezekiah. [Hm, that actually makes sense.] Pete nodded and unsheathed Invictus. He started to set its point against the wall when Hezekiah abruptly gripped his arm. "No. That's exactly what the Hellspawn wants." Pete asked, "What? Why do you think so?" "Because we're simply reacting to the stimuli he gives us. Yon Sir Robert is right: It's all trap, there's no truth. All lies." Ryan said hesitantly, "Didn't Reggie say something about playing games?" Pete, having a mage's trained memory, recalled, "'Playing games with people is what Azazel does best; and you're not playing along.' But if you're right, Hezekiah, then we have been!" The older man snorted. "You're going to take the word of a corpse who is just as much a trap as the rest of this place?" "I think he was more than that... but I see your point." Jon asked suddenly, "Why would Azazel want us to cut into his wall? You're the mage, Peter - what could go wrong?" Pete shrugged. "Anything, really. He could trigger all sorts of things off the destruction of..." His mouth abruptly fell open. The disk Goat had tossed at him. He'd sliced it in two, to release the curse. Goat, who was now in a... Pete stared at the wall. "Oh my God." Everyone stared at him mutely. Finally Jake said, "What, bro?" "It's... it's a huge set of wards! This isn't a castle! It's a [I]prison![/I]" ComplexQ: Okay, that had to be a massive effort. How come Pete hasn't heard of this before? Extravagance/Anger. Q(Unsure): Was Reggie telling the truth about the 'castle' being assaulted by the Knights and Shepherds? YES. ComplexQ: But clearly the records of those assaults have gotten mixed up somehow, otherwise Fr. Leo and/or Thomas would have connected the dots. What's the story there? Debase/New ideas. [Hmmm. Lots to ponder there. One more question: ] Q(Unsure): Were the wards made by humans? NO. [And one more oddball I just thought of: ] Q(Likely): Is Azazel inside the wards? NO. [AHA!! This explains very much indeed!] NPC List: Mark, Ryan, Goat, Billy, the illusionist/Azazel, Thomas, Fr. Leo, Jake, vampire, Jamie's memory, Teresa, Paddy, Jon, Kate, Brother Hezekiah, Sir Athanasius, Sir Malcolm, Sir Reginald. Thread List: Free Ryan and Jake from the darkhound curse. Free myself, for that matter. Either rescue Tom, or find out he doesn't need it. Figure out what on earth Azazel is really up to. Chaos Factor: 6 -> 7 New Scene: The kid gloves come off. ComplexQ: What form does Azazel's wrath take? Judge/Fame. [Wha....?] [I've hit something of a critical mass in understanding now, both of the characters and of where this is going. I don't think I'll need to be asking as many questions.] A thick, choking darkness abruptly surrounded the group, almost tangible in its malice. Azazel's malevolent voice boomed out, "I weary of the chittering of you INSECTS. Do you dare to set yourselves against me? Many have tried, and where are they now? I was old when your Crucified was in swaddling clothes!" Pete tried to cast Manifest Glory to dispel the darkness (it would take almost everything he had, but it'd give the others a fighting chance), but the words were strangled in his throat. Several voices drew breath to speak, but it was Ryan's that came out first, mockingly: "Pay no attention to the little man behind the curtain! I am the Great and Powerful Azazel!" Paddy's voice barked out a laugh. "Sorry I called you a liability, kid!" Pete rubbed his throat and added, "You must admit, Azzie old fiend, this darkness thing you've got going is a lot less stylish than your usual chessboard shtick. Running low on juice, are we?" Azazel's rage became deadly calm. "You worms think I am all talk? Let us find out." Ryan gave a choked scream and there came a sound of a body thumping limply to the ground. There was also a clatter as the rest of the group readied weapons without much in the way of hope. The voice of the darkness continued, "Let us be clear. The heir to des Marches WILL work my will in this matter, or the Count his father will die by inches." Pete, Jake, Sir Robert, Paddy, and Jon all burst out in harsh laughter at that. Jake said, "Have you MET Thomas Demarche?! If we were to cut a deal with a Shadow to save his hide, he'd have ours! He'd haunt us from his freaking grave!" Hezekiah chuckled. "I'm starting to like him too!" Azazel was silent for a time. "Then I will snuff each of you out lingeringly, one by one, until the heir's foolish compassion gives way. Who shall be first?" Hezekiah said scornfully, "Do your worst, Hellspawn. I fear you not." The others shouted defiance as well. Pete was about to speak when the buzzing at the edge of his awareness, down at the level of the darkhound curse, took shape in words: Ryan's desperate, agonized voice: "Get off the path!" Get off the path... Stop playing Azazel's game. What's the last thing he would expect? Pete said, "Okay, you win." He was still holding Invictus, standing next to the wall. He stretched out his hand until he could feel it, judging the distance. The whole group's voices (save for Jon's) burst out in dismay, but Paddy's was the loudest. "You give this thing what it wants, Demarche, and I'll kill you myself!" Jon's voice came more softly: "I trust you, Peter." Azazel boomed suspiciously, "Your sincerity is suspect, des Marches. Act now, or the boy will be the first to die." Sure enough, Ryan's voice abruptly howled in agony. Pete nodded, stepping a bit closer to the wall. "Yeah, it is." He rapidly energized the words to Subtlety in his mind... And stepped through the wall. NPC List: Mark, Ryan, Goat, Billy, the illusionist/Azazel, Thomas, Fr. Leo, Jake, vampire, Jamie's memory, Teresa, Paddy, Jon, Kate, Brother Hezekiah, Sir Athanasius, Sir Malcolm, Sir Reginald. Thread List: Free Ryan and Jake from the darkhound curse. Free myself, for that matter. Either rescue Tom, or find out he doesn't need it. Figure out what on earth Azazel is really up to. Chaos Factor: 7 -> 8 [/QUOTE]
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