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Night Wanes On
Sep. 22nd, 2011 10:13 pmFirst blood has been spilt. The scent of death hits the air. And then something new emerges out of the gloom, in the waning hours of the night.
At first glance, these creatures look like dogs. Big dogs, sure, but dogs nonetheless. They travel in packs of four or five, seemingly uninterested in anything in their path. On occasion, they can even be found lounging in rooms with big windows or access to fresh air.
The moment someone is injured, however, they don’t seem much like mere dogs anymore. The scent of blood changes them, and it is only then that you realize if these were ever normal dogs, that ended a long time ago. Their flesh rotting and mouths smelling heavily of decay, the hellhounds hunt down the injured, killing anyone who gets in their way once blood is spilled. They will attack for any injury, even something as small as a paper cut--as long as it occurs within the house. Anything that occurred before the person arrived is ignored, as is degenerative illness unless it causes damage that they can scent.
For the remaining, dwindling hours until dawn, anyone injured inside of the house will be hunted. They will not enter the safe rooms, but they will quickly overcome any other door in their way. They will also drag the corpses of the dead away and attack anyone who interferes.
Ask a mod if you want hellhounds in your thread. In the meantime, the bestiary has been updated.
Have a good rest of the night. It will be morning soon.
At first glance, these creatures look like dogs. Big dogs, sure, but dogs nonetheless. They travel in packs of four or five, seemingly uninterested in anything in their path. On occasion, they can even be found lounging in rooms with big windows or access to fresh air.
The moment someone is injured, however, they don’t seem much like mere dogs anymore. The scent of blood changes them, and it is only then that you realize if these were ever normal dogs, that ended a long time ago. Their flesh rotting and mouths smelling heavily of decay, the hellhounds hunt down the injured, killing anyone who gets in their way once blood is spilled. They will attack for any injury, even something as small as a paper cut--as long as it occurs within the house. Anything that occurred before the person arrived is ignored, as is degenerative illness unless it causes damage that they can scent.
For the remaining, dwindling hours until dawn, anyone injured inside of the house will be hunted. They will not enter the safe rooms, but they will quickly overcome any other door in their way. They will also drag the corpses of the dead away and attack anyone who interferes.
Ask a mod if you want hellhounds in your thread. In the meantime, the bestiary has been updated.
Have a good rest of the night. It will be morning soon.
Midnight Update
Sep. 19th, 2011 09:26 pmThe soulful tones of the clock again stir the house, breaking through the unwelcome din of construction and striking the midnight hour.
The monsters that had once been spread to all corners of the house now concentrate themselves to rooms. Most will not follow you out of the areas stated.
In all the Hallways, the Chestmouths and Wallcrawlers wait to snatch an unwary house guest; it makes it difficult to move from location to location and anyone leaving a room should be prepared to run. The Wallcrawlers seem particularly interested in the window to the Study, at least one wallcrawler is stuck to the window at all times. It seems to be watching anyone inside it and waiting for them to step into the hall.
In the Parlor and the Dawn Room, the Chestmouths congregate in large numbers, the only way to avoid them without triggering them all is to hug the walls and hope one of the wall crawlers doesn’t use your caution to grab you.
The Shadows and the Echoes can be found anywhere a lack of light allows them to linger. Though the shadows seem to have taken particular interest in the coat closet, anyone opening the closet will find themselves quickly consumed by the living darkness.
In the kitchen, the Unnatural Servants finish their work. Though they seem to have another task in mind for themselves now, as a corpse has appeared, face peeled away, making it impossible to identify. The poor creature has been stripped almost completely naked and is in the process of being disemboweled, though it still seems, somehow, to be breathing. Two of the servants will remain in the kitchen to deal with their kill, and the others spread once more into the house. They are now armed and hostile, and any house guest coming within reach will be quickly killed. There are only two sets, and they should be easy to avoid so long as you are cautious.
In the Doll Bathroom, the Faceless Mirror Man would like your attention; even someone avoiding looking at the mirror will find it hard to not pay attention, as he seems to be tapping, soundlessly on the
inside. Once you turn to look at him, it becomes harder to look away.
The monsters that had once been spread to all corners of the house now concentrate themselves to rooms. Most will not follow you out of the areas stated.
In all the Hallways, the Chestmouths and Wallcrawlers wait to snatch an unwary house guest; it makes it difficult to move from location to location and anyone leaving a room should be prepared to run. The Wallcrawlers seem particularly interested in the window to the Study, at least one wallcrawler is stuck to the window at all times. It seems to be watching anyone inside it and waiting for them to step into the hall.
In the Parlor and the Dawn Room, the Chestmouths congregate in large numbers, the only way to avoid them without triggering them all is to hug the walls and hope one of the wall crawlers doesn’t use your caution to grab you.
The Shadows and the Echoes can be found anywhere a lack of light allows them to linger. Though the shadows seem to have taken particular interest in the coat closet, anyone opening the closet will find themselves quickly consumed by the living darkness.
In the kitchen, the Unnatural Servants finish their work. Though they seem to have another task in mind for themselves now, as a corpse has appeared, face peeled away, making it impossible to identify. The poor creature has been stripped almost completely naked and is in the process of being disemboweled, though it still seems, somehow, to be breathing. Two of the servants will remain in the kitchen to deal with their kill, and the others spread once more into the house. They are now armed and hostile, and any house guest coming within reach will be quickly killed. There are only two sets, and they should be easy to avoid so long as you are cautious.
In the Doll Bathroom, the Faceless Mirror Man would like your attention; even someone avoiding looking at the mirror will find it hard to not pay attention, as he seems to be tapping, soundlessly on the
inside. Once you turn to look at him, it becomes harder to look away.
Dusk falls upon the house suddenly, without the gradual darkening that would accompany a normal day. The clock in the parlor moves itself again, slowly chiming the hour. Six o'clock.
The little girl dances there, her skirt flying as she spins, lips pulled back into a ghoulish smile. Her laughter rings counterpoint to the clock’s chime as shadows dance around her; evening has dyed her dress red, though night itself will soon change her dress to black. As the last of the light fades, she stops mid-spin, lifting a finger to her lips before vanishing completely. Everyone in the house will hear a soft "shhhhhh," though the source of the noise will remain unseen. Those who have spoken to her will recognize her voice.
In the kitchen, the locked door opens, allowing something unknown to enter the house proper. The noise of construction begins, and can be heard throughout the house. It’s distracting and constant, making it hard to communicate with your fellow guests.
As the last of the light fades from the horizon, a swarm of fireflies moves into the house. They are soundless and painfully bright to look at-- especially for the sensitive. Anyone touched by these creatures will feel as though they have been burnt, a sensation that leaves no mark, but does not ebb as time goes on. They vanish up the stairs and will not appear again.
And as the echoes fade and the night darkens, the servants appear at last, and take up tasks long left undone. Dead blooms will be replaced with fresh cuttings, the house will be dusted, and all dust covers will be removed. It would be normal, if the creatures resembled anything human. There are six of them, each dressed in a well-pressed suit: each has the head of an animal, though they walk and act like any normal servant. The servants will not speak to you, if they can speak at all, and merely go about their work.
As strange as they look, however, they are not the true threat. Other creatures slink into the house, hunting the guests and seeking out their newly delivered prey. This night brings with it many dangers and very few safe areas. The very shadows seem to take on a life of their own, seething and surging into any place where light is lacking. Unfortunately, while the lights themselves don’t work and candles are limited, light is the only thing that might protect you from the darkness.
Night is here, you will need your wits to survive.
Rooms: Several new rooms have become available with the opening of the door. See the Setting page for more information.
Safe rooms: Nothing supernatural will follow you into the light of the following rooms:
-The Study
-The Dollhouse Room
-The Dollhouse
-The Crack In The Wall
Creatures: With the darkness, several creatures have appeared:
-Chestmouth Monsters: These monsters, though slow, are gruesome and strong, with long blood-stained arms and thick legs. They're not headless, but they are faceless... faceless, that is, save for the massive, gaping maw in their chest, with a thick slobbering tongue and lined with multiple rows of razor-sharp teeth. If they catch a victim, they immediately try to cram them in their mouths and tear them to pieces with their vicious teeth. If more than one chestmouth is present, they may even fight over the victim.
-Echoes: The echo has no physical body, so the victim won’t feel a thing. They will experience a burst of deafening static in their head, and then they fall unconscious. Then the echo either steals the victim’s voice or infects the victim.
In the dark areas it usually inhabits, the victim will wake up unable to speak and the echo will use their voice to lure their companions into danger.
-Faceless Mirror Man: This ghost seems to be trapped, almost like an imprint of memory, in the prolific mirrors that dominate the house. Though he seems unable to leave the mirrors, it does not mean he is incapable of harming those who exist outside of his prison, or encouraging them to join him. An unwary house guest might find themselves frozen in place while their reflection slowly lifts a knife to slit their throat.
-Shadows: These creatures lurk in every corner of the house. They form a seething mass wherever the shadows fall. They’re feral, animalistic and will swarm and consume someone without warning. They flee from the light, though it is impossible to know if a seething mass is harmed. Often so many conglomerate together that they become little more than flashes of eyes and teeth. They do not seem to have any understanding for anything, simply creatures of hunger, cold and teeth.
-Unnatural Servants: These beings drift from the Maid's Hallway, dressed impeccably in the black and white of hired help. Their faces are fixed in too wide smiles, arms and legs moving stiffly and unnaturally, almost mechanical, as though their limbs are forced to bend in a way they find themselves at odds with. They seem stretched, as though what they started out as was much smaller than what you see, and the missing bits have been filled in by whatever might have been laying around. But even then, you might be able to forgive them their oddness, were it not for the fact that their faces are those of rabbits and foxes, and their arms end in padded paws. Touch them and they feel warm, their fur soft under your hand, you can feel the steady beat of a living heart, though it races with fear or excitement. Their eyes are wide and glassy, peering at the house guests with an uncertain, but curious stare, watching everything that moves around them. If they turn just right you might catch sight of an almost unnatural movement beneath their skin. They live by their own rules of engagement, at times they're almost helpful, and others they attack viciously and without a single pause. These uncanny servants do not speak, nor do they seem particularly engaged in their tasks. A strange sound becomes apparent the longer you remain in their presence, a slow ticking, but it seems to have no cause.
Whatever they are, and whatever their purpose might be, the other monsters will not harm them, though they certainly might harm you. Or perhaps they'll only take your coat.
-Wallcrawlers: These creatures look wrong. To the point that it makes them uncomfortable to look at, they have no eyes, and no space where eyes should have been, merely a blank stretch of skin. They hunt by scent alone. Their limbs and bodies move unnaturally, and many are missing fingernails, leaving bloody trails where they cling to the walls and bloody hand prints as they run along the ceiling. They cling and climb, seemingly without any regards for gravity. They can often be found above doorways and staircases, waiting to drop at a moment’s notice. They’re incredibly strong and very quick, following easily down hallways and through large rooms, they cannot see, so hiding from them does little if they can smell or hear you. They tend to travel in groups of three or four, though some of the stronger ones seem to prefer hunting alone.
See the Bestiary for more detail.
((ooc: Night lasts until September 24th. ICly it will last one week. Do ask any questions you may have. Creatures will reveal their communications and weaknesses as you interact with them-- but general NPCing of basic monsters maybe be done by the player.))
The little girl dances there, her skirt flying as she spins, lips pulled back into a ghoulish smile. Her laughter rings counterpoint to the clock’s chime as shadows dance around her; evening has dyed her dress red, though night itself will soon change her dress to black. As the last of the light fades, she stops mid-spin, lifting a finger to her lips before vanishing completely. Everyone in the house will hear a soft "shhhhhh," though the source of the noise will remain unseen. Those who have spoken to her will recognize her voice.
In the kitchen, the locked door opens, allowing something unknown to enter the house proper. The noise of construction begins, and can be heard throughout the house. It’s distracting and constant, making it hard to communicate with your fellow guests.
As the last of the light fades from the horizon, a swarm of fireflies moves into the house. They are soundless and painfully bright to look at-- especially for the sensitive. Anyone touched by these creatures will feel as though they have been burnt, a sensation that leaves no mark, but does not ebb as time goes on. They vanish up the stairs and will not appear again.
And as the echoes fade and the night darkens, the servants appear at last, and take up tasks long left undone. Dead blooms will be replaced with fresh cuttings, the house will be dusted, and all dust covers will be removed. It would be normal, if the creatures resembled anything human. There are six of them, each dressed in a well-pressed suit: each has the head of an animal, though they walk and act like any normal servant. The servants will not speak to you, if they can speak at all, and merely go about their work.
As strange as they look, however, they are not the true threat. Other creatures slink into the house, hunting the guests and seeking out their newly delivered prey. This night brings with it many dangers and very few safe areas. The very shadows seem to take on a life of their own, seething and surging into any place where light is lacking. Unfortunately, while the lights themselves don’t work and candles are limited, light is the only thing that might protect you from the darkness.
Night is here, you will need your wits to survive.
Rooms: Several new rooms have become available with the opening of the door. See the Setting page for more information.
Safe rooms: Nothing supernatural will follow you into the light of the following rooms:
-The Study
-The Dollhouse Room
-The Dollhouse
-The Crack In The Wall
Creatures: With the darkness, several creatures have appeared:
-Chestmouth Monsters: These monsters, though slow, are gruesome and strong, with long blood-stained arms and thick legs. They're not headless, but they are faceless... faceless, that is, save for the massive, gaping maw in their chest, with a thick slobbering tongue and lined with multiple rows of razor-sharp teeth. If they catch a victim, they immediately try to cram them in their mouths and tear them to pieces with their vicious teeth. If more than one chestmouth is present, they may even fight over the victim.
-Echoes: The echo has no physical body, so the victim won’t feel a thing. They will experience a burst of deafening static in their head, and then they fall unconscious. Then the echo either steals the victim’s voice or infects the victim.
In the dark areas it usually inhabits, the victim will wake up unable to speak and the echo will use their voice to lure their companions into danger.
-Faceless Mirror Man: This ghost seems to be trapped, almost like an imprint of memory, in the prolific mirrors that dominate the house. Though he seems unable to leave the mirrors, it does not mean he is incapable of harming those who exist outside of his prison, or encouraging them to join him. An unwary house guest might find themselves frozen in place while their reflection slowly lifts a knife to slit their throat.
-Shadows: These creatures lurk in every corner of the house. They form a seething mass wherever the shadows fall. They’re feral, animalistic and will swarm and consume someone without warning. They flee from the light, though it is impossible to know if a seething mass is harmed. Often so many conglomerate together that they become little more than flashes of eyes and teeth. They do not seem to have any understanding for anything, simply creatures of hunger, cold and teeth.
-Unnatural Servants: These beings drift from the Maid's Hallway, dressed impeccably in the black and white of hired help. Their faces are fixed in too wide smiles, arms and legs moving stiffly and unnaturally, almost mechanical, as though their limbs are forced to bend in a way they find themselves at odds with. They seem stretched, as though what they started out as was much smaller than what you see, and the missing bits have been filled in by whatever might have been laying around. But even then, you might be able to forgive them their oddness, were it not for the fact that their faces are those of rabbits and foxes, and their arms end in padded paws. Touch them and they feel warm, their fur soft under your hand, you can feel the steady beat of a living heart, though it races with fear or excitement. Their eyes are wide and glassy, peering at the house guests with an uncertain, but curious stare, watching everything that moves around them. If they turn just right you might catch sight of an almost unnatural movement beneath their skin. They live by their own rules of engagement, at times they're almost helpful, and others they attack viciously and without a single pause. These uncanny servants do not speak, nor do they seem particularly engaged in their tasks. A strange sound becomes apparent the longer you remain in their presence, a slow ticking, but it seems to have no cause.
Whatever they are, and whatever their purpose might be, the other monsters will not harm them, though they certainly might harm you. Or perhaps they'll only take your coat.
-Wallcrawlers: These creatures look wrong. To the point that it makes them uncomfortable to look at, they have no eyes, and no space where eyes should have been, merely a blank stretch of skin. They hunt by scent alone. Their limbs and bodies move unnaturally, and many are missing fingernails, leaving bloody trails where they cling to the walls and bloody hand prints as they run along the ceiling. They cling and climb, seemingly without any regards for gravity. They can often be found above doorways and staircases, waiting to drop at a moment’s notice. They’re incredibly strong and very quick, following easily down hallways and through large rooms, they cannot see, so hiding from them does little if they can smell or hear you. They tend to travel in groups of three or four, though some of the stronger ones seem to prefer hunting alone.
See the Bestiary for more detail.
((ooc: Night lasts until September 24th. ICly it will last one week. Do ask any questions you may have. Creatures will reveal their communications and weaknesses as you interact with them-- but general NPCing of basic monsters maybe be done by the player.))
