The_Black_Cat
First Post
Excellent update! I'm eagerly awaiting the next.
Modern/Delta Green - The Beginning of the End (COMPLETED)
talien
Community Supporter
Flesh for Eihort: Part 5 – Eihort's Cult
Thanks for commenting! It reminds me to visit this thread.
I'm now like 10 stories behind writing all this. But I swear I'll catch up when my job calms down, my three-year-old lets me type, and my book projects are finished...eventually.
===========
Jim-Bean led them through the tunnels. "We're close," he said.
Red robed figures slipped out in front of them at the edge of their torchlight.
"More behind us," whispered Archive.
Hammer drew both of his Glocks.
The gesture provoked them. Automatic weapons bristled as Hammer took aim. They ducked behind stalagmites, exchanging gunfire.
"This is a waste of time." Hammer squeezed off a shot and pieces of the cavern puffed in response. "If Chubb's still down here he's long gone. We need to get out of here."
"I'm telling you he's close." Jim-Bean ducked another shot.
A sibilant whisper responded very near Jim-Bean. "Very close."
One of the cultists sneaking up behind them fell to the ground, gurgling from a gaping throat wound. The other turned in shock and was rewarded with a knife in the gut.
"They can't let this pass!" whispered Chubb, slipping back into the darkness. "They'll release me from the Bargain for sure!"
"Where'd he go?" asked Archive, trying to aim everywhere at once.
The gunfire on the other end of the tunnel stopped. More shrieking, panicked gunfire, and then silence.
Chubb stepped forward into the torchlight, knife dripping with gore. "This…this will make it stop." He took a few haltering steps forward.
Hammer kept a bead on him. "I don't think so."
Chubb lunged but Hammer legged him with a shot before he could take another step. He fell on one knee, silent in his agony.
"The spider!" he growled. Chubb staggered back to his feet. "The spider…will not let me…stop!"
He lifted the knife to his own neck.
Hammer blew his hand off.
Now Chubb screamed, staring at the twitching bone that was once his hand. Small, white spiders coiled amongst the gristle.
Hammer cocked his pistol and aimed it at Chubb's forehead. Chubb kept screaming.
Then Hammer released his finger from the trigger. "Death is too good for you." He whirled, releasing his overcoat and tossing it onto Chubb. At the same time he lit it with the torch.
The coat instantly ignited in the heat, setting Chubb aflame. The pain of the fire tore him out of his shock and he turned and fled, screaming the entire way.
"Well that's done. Can we go home now?" said Jim-Bean.
Hammer squinted. The human torch that was Chubb receded in the distance. But then it stopped.
"I think that's a good idea," said Hammer slowly. "Let's go. Now."
Suddenly Chubb was returning. Faster, smoother, undulating, bobbing up and down as if he was held aloft by…
Archive gasped as a wave of fat white spiders churned at their feet."Go!" he shouted. "GO! GO!"
They turned and fled as the wave of white spiders grew into a crushing torrent, carrying Chubb's burning form aloft even as he continued to scream.
Thanks for commenting! It reminds me to visit this thread.
I'm now like 10 stories behind writing all this. But I swear I'll catch up when my job calms down, my three-year-old lets me type, and my book projects are finished...eventually.
===========
Jim-Bean led them through the tunnels. "We're close," he said.
Red robed figures slipped out in front of them at the edge of their torchlight.
"More behind us," whispered Archive.
Hammer drew both of his Glocks.
The gesture provoked them. Automatic weapons bristled as Hammer took aim. They ducked behind stalagmites, exchanging gunfire.
"This is a waste of time." Hammer squeezed off a shot and pieces of the cavern puffed in response. "If Chubb's still down here he's long gone. We need to get out of here."
"I'm telling you he's close." Jim-Bean ducked another shot.
A sibilant whisper responded very near Jim-Bean. "Very close."
One of the cultists sneaking up behind them fell to the ground, gurgling from a gaping throat wound. The other turned in shock and was rewarded with a knife in the gut.
"They can't let this pass!" whispered Chubb, slipping back into the darkness. "They'll release me from the Bargain for sure!"
"Where'd he go?" asked Archive, trying to aim everywhere at once.
The gunfire on the other end of the tunnel stopped. More shrieking, panicked gunfire, and then silence.
Chubb stepped forward into the torchlight, knife dripping with gore. "This…this will make it stop." He took a few haltering steps forward.
Hammer kept a bead on him. "I don't think so."
Chubb lunged but Hammer legged him with a shot before he could take another step. He fell on one knee, silent in his agony.
"The spider!" he growled. Chubb staggered back to his feet. "The spider…will not let me…stop!"
He lifted the knife to his own neck.
Hammer blew his hand off.
Now Chubb screamed, staring at the twitching bone that was once his hand. Small, white spiders coiled amongst the gristle.
Hammer cocked his pistol and aimed it at Chubb's forehead. Chubb kept screaming.
Then Hammer released his finger from the trigger. "Death is too good for you." He whirled, releasing his overcoat and tossing it onto Chubb. At the same time he lit it with the torch.
The coat instantly ignited in the heat, setting Chubb aflame. The pain of the fire tore him out of his shock and he turned and fled, screaming the entire way.
"Well that's done. Can we go home now?" said Jim-Bean.
Hammer squinted. The human torch that was Chubb receded in the distance. But then it stopped.
"I think that's a good idea," said Hammer slowly. "Let's go. Now."
Suddenly Chubb was returning. Faster, smoother, undulating, bobbing up and down as if he was held aloft by…
Archive gasped as a wave of fat white spiders churned at their feet."Go!" he shouted. "GO! GO!"
They turned and fled as the wave of white spiders grew into a crushing torrent, carrying Chubb's burning form aloft even as he continued to scream.
talien
Community Supporter
Flesh for Eihort: Conclusion
Okay, okay RT, let's wrap this one up...
============
Hammer leaped out of the entry to the labyrinth in Chubb's cellar, which slurped shut behind them like a suppurating wound.
A mustached police officer in a tactical vest stood silhouetted in the stairwell. His badge read: INSPECTOR BARRETT.
"Got my message already?" Hammer checked his watch. It seemed that no time had actually passed while they were in the tunnels, but he had long since learned not to trust timepieces in odd places.
"Oh yes," said Barrett. "I got your message. Where's Chubb?"
Jim-Bean jabbed a thumb over his shoulder behind him. "Toasty."
Barrett looked from the sealed hole back to the former agents. He seemed unsurprised by the warping of time and space. "That's too bad."
"Too bad?" asked Hammer, arching an eyebrow.
Then the shambling things stepped out onto the steps behind him. They were well-rotted and crawling with maggots, but on closer examination they were not maggots at all but bloated white spiders writhing in and out of their skull orifices.
Jim-Bean shook his head. "Cops are corrupt here too eh? Easy fix for that."
Archive stepped up and presented the Elder Sign. "The power of the Elder Sign compels you!"
The corpses dashed forward, surprisingly fast for zombies. Spiders leaped at them…
The eye at the center of the Elder Sign lensed open. Its all-encompassing gaze swept the room, blasting the corpses and their spiders. They burst into cleansing white flames, consumed almost instantly in a righteous conflagration.
Barrett looked left and right. "Oh shi-"
Hammer put a bullet between his eyes and the inspector tumbled down the steps.
Hammer's phone beeped with a message. Hammer flipped it open, heedless of the slack-jawed corpse he had just created at the foot of the stairs.
"Cornwell has another job for us. He thinks he found the cult's leader."
Archive frowned. "Since when did we become assassins?"
"He's offering fully automatic weapons and new identities."
Jim-Bean stepped over Barrett's corpse on the way up the steps. "Tell him we're in."
Okay, okay RT, let's wrap this one up...
============
Hammer leaped out of the entry to the labyrinth in Chubb's cellar, which slurped shut behind them like a suppurating wound.
A mustached police officer in a tactical vest stood silhouetted in the stairwell. His badge read: INSPECTOR BARRETT.
"Got my message already?" Hammer checked his watch. It seemed that no time had actually passed while they were in the tunnels, but he had long since learned not to trust timepieces in odd places.
"Oh yes," said Barrett. "I got your message. Where's Chubb?"
Jim-Bean jabbed a thumb over his shoulder behind him. "Toasty."
Barrett looked from the sealed hole back to the former agents. He seemed unsurprised by the warping of time and space. "That's too bad."
"Too bad?" asked Hammer, arching an eyebrow.
Then the shambling things stepped out onto the steps behind him. They were well-rotted and crawling with maggots, but on closer examination they were not maggots at all but bloated white spiders writhing in and out of their skull orifices.
Jim-Bean shook his head. "Cops are corrupt here too eh? Easy fix for that."
Archive stepped up and presented the Elder Sign. "The power of the Elder Sign compels you!"
The corpses dashed forward, surprisingly fast for zombies. Spiders leaped at them…
The eye at the center of the Elder Sign lensed open. Its all-encompassing gaze swept the room, blasting the corpses and their spiders. They burst into cleansing white flames, consumed almost instantly in a righteous conflagration.
Barrett looked left and right. "Oh shi-"
Hammer put a bullet between his eyes and the inspector tumbled down the steps.
Hammer's phone beeped with a message. Hammer flipped it open, heedless of the slack-jawed corpse he had just created at the foot of the stairs.
"Cornwell has another job for us. He thinks he found the cult's leader."
Archive frowned. "Since when did we become assassins?"
"He's offering fully automatic weapons and new identities."
Jim-Bean stepped over Barrett's corpse on the way up the steps. "Tell him we're in."
talien
Community Supporter
Chapter 60: Curse of the Bone
This story hour is from "Curse of the Bone" by from White Dwarf #86 by Marcus L. Rowland. You can read more about Delta Green at Delta Green. Please note: This story hour contains spoilers!
Our cast of characters includes:
Unlike the first scenario, I wanted the agents to feel like their efforts to root out this cult were escalating. Things get a bit more dangerous, but then the agents have more firepower. This was also a great opportunity to show how messy a gang war with a cult can be.
Defining Moment: The Grove brothers decide to rub out a cultist with messy results.
Relevant Media
This story hour is from "Curse of the Bone" by from White Dwarf #86 by Marcus L. Rowland. You can read more about Delta Green at Delta Green. Please note: This story hour contains spoilers!
Our cast of characters includes:
- Game Master: Michael Tresca
- Kurtis "Hammer" Grange (Fast Hero/Gunslinger) played by George Webster
- Jim “Jim-Bean” Baxter (Charismatic Hero/Telepath) played by Jeremy Ortiz (Jeremy Robert Ortiz)
- Joseph “Archive” Fontaine (Dedicated Hero/Acolyte) played by Joe Lalumia
Unlike the first scenario, I wanted the agents to feel like their efforts to root out this cult were escalating. Things get a bit more dangerous, but then the agents have more firepower. This was also a great opportunity to show how messy a gang war with a cult can be.
Defining Moment: The Grove brothers decide to rub out a cultist with messy results.
Relevant Media
- [ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0036BDUMA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=michaeltresca&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0036BDUMA]Curse of the Bone[/ame]: by Marcus L. Rowland from White Dwarf #86.
- Feast of Eihort: by James Gruetzmacher.
talien
Community Supporter
Curse of the Bone: Prologue
Sorry RT, Hurricane Irene had other plans for my wireless access. But power's back on now!
==========
"This is where he asked us to meet him?" asked Jim-Bean, skeptical. "At a used car lot?"
Hammer shrugged. "If it gets us what we need, I don't care."
"And we're supposed to kill someone else for him?" Archive frowned.
"Only if they deserve it." Hammer scanned the lot.
"I'm tired of hunting cultists. I want guns." Jim-Bean patted a sporty-looking vehicle. "And new wheels would be nice."
"You don't like Guppy's adjustments to the Phantom?" asked Archive.
Jim-Bean snorted and inclined his head towards their vehicle, a black Rolls Royce Phantom. "I'd rather not drive a car that makes me look like I'm the Green Hornet, thanks."
A black Jaguar XJ-6 roared onto the lot. Two hard-looking men in gray business suits and overcoats stepped out.
"You uh," the dark-haired man fished a card out of his pocket and read it. "Hammer?"
Hammer's fingers twitched. "Who wants to know?"
"We're the Grove brothers. He's Chris, I'm Pete," said the lighter-haired thug. "Cornwell sent us to deliver the goods."
"Here?" asked Jim-Bean. "In broad daylight?"
Chris made his way over to the trunk. "We like to think of it as killing two birds with one stone." He hefted a heavy satchel filled with guns. "Pop your trunk."
Archive popped the Phantom's trunk and Chris dropped the bag into it. "Guns in the first bag. In this one…" he gingerly handed it over to Archive, "…this one's got nightvision goggles and other stuff."
"And finally," said Pete, patting his pockets until he found an envelope. "Here's your new identities." He handed Hammer an envelope.
"Good…" Hammer trailed off as Pete went back to the car and drew an Uzi from the back seat. "Wait, what are you doing?"
"Killing the other bird," said Chris, who bristled with weapons beneath his overcoat.
"Excuse me!" A dapper car salesman in a three-piece suit charged over to them. "You can't just come in here like this. I'm going to call the police…"
Pete let his jacket fall so that the Uzi was concealed. "Are you Eric Green?"
"Who wants to know?"
Chris pointed at the salesman's nametag that read: HI, MY NAME IS: ERIC GREEN. "Yeah, that's him."
"Good. We've got a message for ya: Don't ever f**k with the Cornwell family." And with that Chris sprayed Green with gunfire at point blank range.
A second later Pete joined in, adding his own Uzi's spray to the chaos. The agents drew their own firearms but ducked for cover, unsure who to shoot at.
When the Grove brothers' clips were emptied, Green stood there with arms crossed.
"Are you finished?" he asked. "Because that was a very big mistake."
He made a double-quick gesture with both arms across his face and disappeared. The Grove brothers looked at each other in shock.
One of the cars that had suffered the brothers' wrath exploded, flipping end over end as its gas tank ignited. It landed on another vehicle, spraying flaming debris everywhere.
"Amateurs," muttered Hammer, shaking his head.
Pete asked the obvious. "Where'd he go?"
Chris didn't answer. His dumbfounded expression was frozen, but his eyes rolled desperately, trapped in a body that wouldn't move.
"Chris?" asked Pete.
Something pulsed in Chris' head, roiling like a serpent in a lake across his cheek. Jim-Bean fired a clip into his head before the thing could escape.
Pete spun, Uzi trained on Jim-Bean. "What the hell did you do that for?"
"Trust me, you don't want to see what was inside his head."
"That was my brother you stupid cu—" Pete never finished his sentence. His eyes rolled upwards as he stared at something so horrible that it contorted his features into an infant-like wail.
The agents looked up. Nothing.
Pete wet himself, staggering backwards in the grip of utter terror. He gurgled an animal-like cry and fell to a fetal position.
Archive checked on him. "He's dead."
Hammer slapped on the nightvision goggles from the bag. "This is why you hire professionals. Let's go."
Sorry RT, Hurricane Irene had other plans for my wireless access. But power's back on now!
==========
ALBERTON, ENGLAND—The agents arrived at an entirely normal lot, somewhat isolated by its location between a junk yard and a sewage farm. There was a chain-link wire fence around the lot, topped with barbed wire, with two entrance gates. Cars for sale were littered throughout.
"This is where he asked us to meet him?" asked Jim-Bean, skeptical. "At a used car lot?"
Hammer shrugged. "If it gets us what we need, I don't care."
"And we're supposed to kill someone else for him?" Archive frowned.
"Only if they deserve it." Hammer scanned the lot.
"I'm tired of hunting cultists. I want guns." Jim-Bean patted a sporty-looking vehicle. "And new wheels would be nice."
"You don't like Guppy's adjustments to the Phantom?" asked Archive.
Jim-Bean snorted and inclined his head towards their vehicle, a black Rolls Royce Phantom. "I'd rather not drive a car that makes me look like I'm the Green Hornet, thanks."
A black Jaguar XJ-6 roared onto the lot. Two hard-looking men in gray business suits and overcoats stepped out.
"You uh," the dark-haired man fished a card out of his pocket and read it. "Hammer?"
Hammer's fingers twitched. "Who wants to know?"
"We're the Grove brothers. He's Chris, I'm Pete," said the lighter-haired thug. "Cornwell sent us to deliver the goods."
"Here?" asked Jim-Bean. "In broad daylight?"
Chris made his way over to the trunk. "We like to think of it as killing two birds with one stone." He hefted a heavy satchel filled with guns. "Pop your trunk."
Archive popped the Phantom's trunk and Chris dropped the bag into it. "Guns in the first bag. In this one…" he gingerly handed it over to Archive, "…this one's got nightvision goggles and other stuff."
"And finally," said Pete, patting his pockets until he found an envelope. "Here's your new identities." He handed Hammer an envelope.
"Good…" Hammer trailed off as Pete went back to the car and drew an Uzi from the back seat. "Wait, what are you doing?"
"Killing the other bird," said Chris, who bristled with weapons beneath his overcoat.
"Excuse me!" A dapper car salesman in a three-piece suit charged over to them. "You can't just come in here like this. I'm going to call the police…"
Pete let his jacket fall so that the Uzi was concealed. "Are you Eric Green?"
"Who wants to know?"
Chris pointed at the salesman's nametag that read: HI, MY NAME IS: ERIC GREEN. "Yeah, that's him."
"Good. We've got a message for ya: Don't ever f**k with the Cornwell family." And with that Chris sprayed Green with gunfire at point blank range.
A second later Pete joined in, adding his own Uzi's spray to the chaos. The agents drew their own firearms but ducked for cover, unsure who to shoot at.
When the Grove brothers' clips were emptied, Green stood there with arms crossed.
"Are you finished?" he asked. "Because that was a very big mistake."
He made a double-quick gesture with both arms across his face and disappeared. The Grove brothers looked at each other in shock.
One of the cars that had suffered the brothers' wrath exploded, flipping end over end as its gas tank ignited. It landed on another vehicle, spraying flaming debris everywhere.
"Amateurs," muttered Hammer, shaking his head.
Pete asked the obvious. "Where'd he go?"
Chris didn't answer. His dumbfounded expression was frozen, but his eyes rolled desperately, trapped in a body that wouldn't move.
"Chris?" asked Pete.
Something pulsed in Chris' head, roiling like a serpent in a lake across his cheek. Jim-Bean fired a clip into his head before the thing could escape.
Pete spun, Uzi trained on Jim-Bean. "What the hell did you do that for?"
"Trust me, you don't want to see what was inside his head."
"That was my brother you stupid cu—" Pete never finished his sentence. His eyes rolled upwards as he stared at something so horrible that it contorted his features into an infant-like wail.
The agents looked up. Nothing.
Pete wet himself, staggering backwards in the grip of utter terror. He gurgled an animal-like cry and fell to a fetal position.
Archive checked on him. "He's dead."
Hammer slapped on the nightvision goggles from the bag. "This is why you hire professionals. Let's go."
Last edited:
RedTonic
First Post
Ha! That was a good update.
I'm glad you guys weathered the hurricane well. We in Providence also got fairly lucky, though I heard about 40% of the state lost power during the storm. Our block lost internet for half the week, but hey, that just means I had to go be productive.
I'm glad you guys weathered the hurricane well. We in Providence also got fairly lucky, though I heard about 40% of the state lost power during the storm. Our block lost internet for half the week, but hey, that just means I had to go be productive.
talien
Community Supporter
Curse of the Bone: Part 1 – The Flat
Thanks RT. I recommend never bailing water for four hours. I'm still one big ball of ache.
====================
The only building on the lot was a brick structure built in the late 1940s. It consisted of a garage and office, with a small apartment perched on its flat roof. The door was still open so the agents let themselves in.
The flat above the office was compact but comfortably furnished. A narrow staircase led to a hall linking the living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom.
The living room showed no obvious signs of any sinister activities. Shelves contained books on different models of car, a few novels (pornography, spies, and adventure) and some road maps and directories. Other furniture included a television, radio, cocktail cabinet, and a fish tank.
Jim-Bean kicked open the cellar door. "Cult sorcerer? Check. Creepy cellar? Check. All we need is…"
"A labyrinth." Hammer tried the light. It didn't work.
Archive slapped his nightvision goggles down and peered down the stairwell.
The room was packed with old tires, boxes, car components, and junk. Narrow gaps in the rubbish led to an old cupboard under the stairs.
Hammer led the way. He kneeled down to investigate the floor. There were faint brown bloodstains, and a faint damp musty smell. He knocked on the rear wall and, listening to the hollow sound, nodded. "Plywood."
He yanked it aside to reveal a tunnel.
Jim-Bean sighed. "I'm really getting sick of these tunnels."
They advanced, weapons at the ready. The tunnel behind the cupboard ran north-east for thirty feet to join an old sewer system under the used car lot.
The tunnels were damp, humid, and smelled from their former use. Rats billowed out, disturbed by the agents' passage.
Another branch of the tunnel ran past a side tunnel and entered an old arched masonry tunnel covering an underground stream. Hammer shoved the door open.
It was an old air-raid shelter. The floor of the chamber was comparatively clean, but marked in a pattern of lines.
"Eihort's symbol," whispered Archive. Two boxes, made of cunningly joined human bone, shuddered as the door opened.
"Nope, no cultists in here!"
Jim-Bean slammed the door shut, leaving whatever lay within the boxes to their own devices.
Thanks RT. I recommend never bailing water for four hours. I'm still one big ball of ache.
====================
The only building on the lot was a brick structure built in the late 1940s. It consisted of a garage and office, with a small apartment perched on its flat roof. The door was still open so the agents let themselves in.
The flat above the office was compact but comfortably furnished. A narrow staircase led to a hall linking the living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom.
The living room showed no obvious signs of any sinister activities. Shelves contained books on different models of car, a few novels (pornography, spies, and adventure) and some road maps and directories. Other furniture included a television, radio, cocktail cabinet, and a fish tank.
Jim-Bean kicked open the cellar door. "Cult sorcerer? Check. Creepy cellar? Check. All we need is…"
"A labyrinth." Hammer tried the light. It didn't work.
Archive slapped his nightvision goggles down and peered down the stairwell.
The room was packed with old tires, boxes, car components, and junk. Narrow gaps in the rubbish led to an old cupboard under the stairs.
Hammer led the way. He kneeled down to investigate the floor. There were faint brown bloodstains, and a faint damp musty smell. He knocked on the rear wall and, listening to the hollow sound, nodded. "Plywood."
He yanked it aside to reveal a tunnel.
Jim-Bean sighed. "I'm really getting sick of these tunnels."
They advanced, weapons at the ready. The tunnel behind the cupboard ran north-east for thirty feet to join an old sewer system under the used car lot.
The tunnels were damp, humid, and smelled from their former use. Rats billowed out, disturbed by the agents' passage.
Another branch of the tunnel ran past a side tunnel and entered an old arched masonry tunnel covering an underground stream. Hammer shoved the door open.
It was an old air-raid shelter. The floor of the chamber was comparatively clean, but marked in a pattern of lines.
"Eihort's symbol," whispered Archive. Two boxes, made of cunningly joined human bone, shuddered as the door opened.
"Nope, no cultists in here!"
Jim-Bean slammed the door shut, leaving whatever lay within the boxes to their own devices.
talien
Community Supporter
Curse of the Bone: Part 2 – The Crypt
A crudely dug tunnel led from another old sewer to the floor of an old crypt. Hammer kicked open the door.
There were two coffins in the crypt, and stairs led down.
"Oh great—" began Hammer, but then a rustling noise alerted them to bigger problems.
Loping down the hallway was death and its minions. The leader was a stooped creature sheathed in armor, over which lay the tattered remains of ancient robes of state. The creature's shriveled and tortured limbs teemed with writhing hordes of white spiders. The spiders moved over the creature's decayed body, crawling between the plates of its armor.
Behind it half-stumbled eyeless corpses bursting with white spiders.
Archive frowned. "Maybe we should have dealt with what was behind that door."
"Yeah well too late for that now." Jim-Bean reached one hand out and pulled. The ceiling collapsed behind them, burying the thing in armor and its minions.
"Did it ever occur to you that we may need to get out of here?" asked Hammer.
"You won't be leaving," snarled Green's voice.
He appeared out of thin air in the middle of the steps as more spider-ridden corpses shoved coffin lids aside. Jim-Bean wailed and clutched his head, falling to his knees in agony.
Archive dug out his Elder Sign. "By the power of the—"
Green smirked and pointed at Archive. His arms withered to blackened husks and he screamed, collapsing in shock.
"And now for you!" Green pointed at Hammer, but he found himself staring down a barrel.
The gunshot bucked his head and he flew backwards, smashing into the shambling corpses at the end of the hall.
The collapsed tunnel behind them rumbled. Hammer kicked Jim-Bean to the side and dragged Archive out of the way as the rock that clogged the passage was violently ejected. The corpses that managed to regain their feet from Green's impact were instantly pulverized from the force. A giant had cleared its throat.
Hammer ducked his head out to peer down the cleared tunnel. A foaming wave of white sloshed up one side and down the other towards them.
"Spiders," muttered Hammer. "Jim-Bean, get up!"
Jim-Bean blinked, clearing the mental cobwebs. "What happened?"
"No time, we have to find an exit."
Archive unsteadily rose to his feet. "Like that?" He pointed with his restored hand.
The rock blast had blown open a previously covered tunnel. "It'll have to do! Go!"
They clambered up the tunnel just as the bloated wave surged into the upper room.
A crudely dug tunnel led from another old sewer to the floor of an old crypt. Hammer kicked open the door.
There were two coffins in the crypt, and stairs led down.
"Oh great—" began Hammer, but then a rustling noise alerted them to bigger problems.
Loping down the hallway was death and its minions. The leader was a stooped creature sheathed in armor, over which lay the tattered remains of ancient robes of state. The creature's shriveled and tortured limbs teemed with writhing hordes of white spiders. The spiders moved over the creature's decayed body, crawling between the plates of its armor.
Behind it half-stumbled eyeless corpses bursting with white spiders.
Archive frowned. "Maybe we should have dealt with what was behind that door."
"Yeah well too late for that now." Jim-Bean reached one hand out and pulled. The ceiling collapsed behind them, burying the thing in armor and its minions.
"Did it ever occur to you that we may need to get out of here?" asked Hammer.
"You won't be leaving," snarled Green's voice.
He appeared out of thin air in the middle of the steps as more spider-ridden corpses shoved coffin lids aside. Jim-Bean wailed and clutched his head, falling to his knees in agony.
Archive dug out his Elder Sign. "By the power of the—"
Green smirked and pointed at Archive. His arms withered to blackened husks and he screamed, collapsing in shock.
"And now for you!" Green pointed at Hammer, but he found himself staring down a barrel.
The gunshot bucked his head and he flew backwards, smashing into the shambling corpses at the end of the hall.
The collapsed tunnel behind them rumbled. Hammer kicked Jim-Bean to the side and dragged Archive out of the way as the rock that clogged the passage was violently ejected. The corpses that managed to regain their feet from Green's impact were instantly pulverized from the force. A giant had cleared its throat.
Hammer ducked his head out to peer down the cleared tunnel. A foaming wave of white sloshed up one side and down the other towards them.
"Spiders," muttered Hammer. "Jim-Bean, get up!"
Jim-Bean blinked, clearing the mental cobwebs. "What happened?"
"No time, we have to find an exit."
Archive unsteadily rose to his feet. "Like that?" He pointed with his restored hand.
The rock blast had blown open a previously covered tunnel. "It'll have to do! Go!"
They clambered up the tunnel just as the bloated wave surged into the upper room.
talien
Community Supporter
Was just thinking of you RT! The campaign finished last weekend! I'm very far behind in write ups, but now that I know you're still paying attention I have extra motivation to finish. My goal is to wrap all that up so we can move on to our next campaign. Thanks for reading (and caring!). There should be new posts soon.
