Night 028

[allthekeys]

|| THREAT DOWN

|| NIGHT 028: GENERAL The storm fades as night falls, and as the sun passes below the horizon, there is the heavy sound of locks clicking open as all of the doors to go outside the castle unlock. Outside, the air is oppressively hot and humid, with the courtyards, town, and gardens partly flooded from the storm. The constant screaming drone of cicadas fills the air, although anyone trying to find the insects will find the source impossible to locate. The great gate remains locked, the ruins of the city visible outside. || CASTLE The Grey Maids are on edge, as if sensing another storm brewing. They move quietly and fearfully, jumping back even from the other servants. They don’t appreciate surprises at the best of times, but tonight they are especially nervous; surprising one of them could be dangerous. Though they perform their usual duties, they are not as competent as usual. As the doors open, water begins seeping in from the outside, trailing along hallways and walls; occasionally dark shapes can be seen slipping through it, Shadows that the Guards try to pursue and remove with mixed success. The door to the Steward’s Quarters is once again locked. Loud footsteps can occasionally be heard coming from within the room, but the headless ghost himself does not emerge. || THE TOWN The doors of the town are largely locked and sealed, as the townsfolk hide from the disturbance outside after weathering the storm; those with dwellings may find their homes somewhat damaged from the lightning and flooding. All of the buildings show signs of clawmarks and other scarring, as if something had passed through taking frustrations out on the walls. || GARDEN AND YARD The Gargoyles are agitated, circling the walls and occasionally prowling the grounds; their ability to recognize the ‘servants’ is intermittent, and those outside will occasionally find themselves pinned to the ground, knocked down in a swoop, or pursued by the stone creatures. The Crows also seem to be on edge, never staying in one place for long, breaking up the cicada screams with loud, harsh caws; they will occasionally swoop at anyone wearing grey, and harry the gargoyles ineffectually, ignored by the great stone beasts. The servants, however, will most certainly find them to be a nuisance—at their very best. They will attack without any provocation whatsoever, attempting to steal anything they can manage in the process. Their claws and beaks are lethally sharp, and they are rather keen to aim for the eyes. The Tyger hunts the outside, snarling and animalistic; while it shows distaste for the larger patches of water, the flooding does not seem to be an impediment for the fiery creature, and it will attempt to ambush and torment anyone in the courtyard and road area.