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Evil Mastermind
Apr 28, 2008

Jacoby

Jacoby slowly looks around, knowing where he probably is but really hoping that's not the case.

"Uh...g-guys? Hendrick? Allie? Can you hear me?"

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Ratpick
Oct 9, 2012

And no one ate dinner that night.
Allie drops the noose on the other, as of yet undamaged skeleton, and proceeds to haul the skeleton upwards. If the skeleton had a face with which to express surprise, it would probably be looking very surprised right now. The skeleton is basically immobile and out of action for now, but it can make a Strength test (I'm assuming it has a Strength of 10) each turn to try and escape.

Victor even as you skid to stop and your attack seems to go wide, the skeleton is still stationary due to being caught in the vines, and almost by accident you strike at the skeleton. Your axe strikes the skeleton in its pelvis, separating its upper body from its legs, and the skeleton immediately collapses. I'm ruling that the entanglement is enough to give the skeletons a -4 to AC, since they can't really defend themselves while fighting against the vines. No need to roll for damage, as the skeleton's hit points are too low for it to take a single strike from you. Hit Points: 1d8 3

Meanwhile, Jerald strikes at the skeleton that just cut him in retribution, driving his spear straight through its skull. Whatever dark power was animating the skeleton seems to depart as it crumbles down.

Jacoby, you're pretty sure you're exactly where you were not hoping to be: you're in the land of the dead, not a real afterlife as such, but a stopping point between the world of the living and the afterlife where the restless spirits of the dead dwell. Do you remember what Zabitha told you about what you should do if you were ever stuck in the land of the dead? Test Intelligence or Wisdom, your choice!

Speaking of restless spirits, you can hear a soft sobbing sound coming from the direction of the Weeping Widow, or at least where it's supposed to be in the real world.

Two of the remaining skeletons are still caught in the vines and struggle to get themselves out of them. One of them manages the trick and immediately starts to head laboriously for the still unbalanced and reeling Victor. (Save Vs. Entanglement: 2#1d20 8 20) The third one, currently caught in Allie's noose, begins to wriggle as it tries to free itself from the rope, and does manage to cut itself out from the rope. (Strength Test: 1d20 7) It lands on the ground at a safe distance from the vines, and turns its eyeless gaze towards Victor and Jerald.

e: For the rest of you, as Jacoby speaks out your names in the land of the dead, you can hear a barely audible whisper in your head. Those of you whose names he spoke out, being Allie and Hendrick, can test Wisdom to see if you can make out his voice through the noises of battle (this will not consume your action for the round, by the way).

Ratpick fucked around with this message at 10:55 on Jul 22, 2015

Comrade Koba
Jul 2, 2007

Hendrick

Hendrick hears something like a quiet whisper inside his head, but being occupied with the ongoing battle he shrugs it off.

Wisdom check = 13

He pulls out another arrow and aims it at one of the unentangled skeletons approacing Victor and Jerald. The sudden disappearance of Jacoby has him spooked, however, and the arrow passes far above its target.

Attack roll = 6

Cursing loudly, Hendrick drops his bow to the ground and draws his sword, preparing to rush to Victor and Jerald's aid.

Capfalcon
Apr 6, 2012

No Boots on the Ground,
Puny Mortals!

Jerald

Giving a vicious grin as the spear hits home, I shake off the whisper of what is surely the foul magic animating the skeletons as I move to support Victor by attacking the skeleton bearing down on him. After delivering a vicious thrust from my spear that shoves the skeleton back, I glance up at Allie as I say, "Come on, Victor, we've got them on the ropes!"

I can't help but laugh at my own joke as I ready my spear for another strike.

What can I say? A good fight was what I needed to raise my spirits.

Attack, Damage: 1d20+4 20 1d6+4 8

Evil Mastermind
Apr 28, 2008

Jacoby

Now what? (WIS): 1d20=7, so at least I known what I'm supposed to do. Or not do.

Jacoby slowly turns and walks to where the stone should be, but in its place is a figure bent with grief. Jacoby half-reaches out to touch...her? Him? It's hard to tell.

"Er...hello?"

Humbug Scoolbus
Apr 25, 2008

The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers, stern and wild ones, and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss.
Clapping Larry
Allie

Allie focuses on reeling in and retying her noose and the faint sound passes her by...

Did I hear something?: 1d20 15 Nope.

Selachian
Oct 9, 2012

Victor

Bending, Victor scoops up the skull of one of the fallen skeletons by its eyeholes, and pegs it at the skeleton that escaped Allie's noose, aiming for a skull-to-skull collision. The improvised missile goes wide, however.

Throwing attack: 1d20 11

He tightens his grip on his axe. "There's something going on at the Weeping Widow. Do you hear that?"

Ratpick
Oct 9, 2012

And no one ate dinner that night.

Selachian posted:

He tightens his grip on his axe. "There's something going on at the Weeping Widow. Do you hear that?"

Oh, hey, that little note was just for Jacoby. Sorry, I realize now that the paragraph break makes it a bit unclear as to who it's directed towards.

Selachian
Oct 9, 2012

Ratpick posted:

Oh, hey, that little note was just for Jacoby. Sorry, I realize now that the paragraph break makes it a bit unclear as to who it's directed towards.

ah, okay. Disregard that bit then.

Ratpick
Oct 9, 2012

And no one ate dinner that night.
Allie, you finish reeling in and retying your noose. Should you wish to rope one of the skeletons, you're set for next turn.

Hendrick, yeah, your shot goes wide and you decide to try the sword instead. By the way, at this point I'd like to tell me, what is special about the blade you found in the forest?

Victor, your attempt at throwing a skull at one of the skeletons fails, and the skeleton you tried to hit glares evilly at you.

Jerald, poking your spear between a skeleton's ribs and using it as a lever, you separate one of the skeleton's torso from its legs. It immediately stops moving. I'm not even going to bother rolling for this guy's hit points, because drat.

Only two skeletons remain, still entangled in vines, and one of them manages to break free! (Save Vs. Entanglement: 2#1d20 8 20) Annoyed by Victor's attempt at throwing one of its late compatriots' head at it, it struggles to clear the distance between it and Victor, but still hindered by the vines doesn't make it yet.

--------------------------

Jacoby, you think a bit about what it was that Zabitha told you about the land of the dead. You recall one evening when she went on a strange tangent during one of your lessons: "And should ever need to visit the land of the dead, I'm not saying it's likely, but as a witch you might have to, I know I've visited the place on a few occasions just to check on things and give the local spirits of the dead a few reassuring words, well that's not important now, but the thing you need to understand is mirrors."

"Mirrors, or just about any reflective surface, is actually a mirror to your soul. I mean, academically speaking it is the light from your body being reflected back by a surface, but at the same time on a spiritual level you're seeing your soul. Just because something is true on an academic level doesn't mean that a contradictory thing can't be equally true on a spiritual level, you know? Anyway, if you look at yourself in the mirror, then just a bit to the left with the eye of your mind, there between you and the mirror should be a gap just big enough for you to fit through. Works both ways."

"Oh, and child, should you ever visit the land of the dead, do say hello to anyone I might know!"

After recalling that one really strange lesson in your mind you approach the sobbing figure. It is definitely a she, her appearance matching the description given to you of the spirit that was haunting the Weeping Widow last night, and she appears to you entirely corporeal. The only thing off about her is the lack of any color on her: she is entirely tinted by different shades of grey.

As you speak to her she turns towards you, eyes wet from tears, and speaks. "Oh, hello child." She seems to regard your color, or the fact that you still actually have color, with curiosity. "What are you doing in this haunted place?" After that she takes a closer look at your garb, focusing especially on your hat. "Oh, I see. You are a wicca." It's a word from the older local dialect spoken here many centuries ago, which you recall from one of the many books Zabitha had lying around the house as a now extinct word meaning a magician or witch. She stands up, gives a slight curtsy, and then speaks to you. Her manner is marked by the signs of noble bearing and even as she seems to lend you a certain degree of respect considering your dress, she still has an air of superiority about her. "I am Queen Hadewig, wife of King Osric. Who might you be?"

Evil Mastermind
Apr 28, 2008

Jacoby

Jacoby stares in confusion. And here I thought Zabitha was just hitting the still harder than normal that day...

He draws himself up to his full height, trying not to tremble, and says "I-I'm Jacoby. I'm the new witch here in Neuenburg. It's a pleasure to meet you, your majesty." Jacoby bows, holding his hat on with one hand.

"I'm here because I mess...er, I was trying to understand why the village is being attacked by the restless dead."

There's a beat, and he quickly adds, "S-saving your presence, of course, your highness!"

Capfalcon
Apr 6, 2012

No Boots on the Ground,
Puny Mortals!

Jerald

Continuing his onslaught, Jerald closes the distance between the freed skeleton and his friend, complete blindsiding the skeleton with his spear.

Attack, damage: 1d20+4 15 1d6+4 9

Humbug Scoolbus
Apr 25, 2008

The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers, stern and wild ones, and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss.
Clapping Larry
Allie

Allie again attempts her skeleton fishing as she is not a bruiser like Victor or Jerald. Sadly, this skeleton is a little more agile than the first and the noose drops past them.
Dropping the Noose: 1d20 10

Ratpick
Oct 9, 2012

And no one ate dinner that night.
I'm going to make a brief aside for Jacoby here, the rest of you go ahead and narrate your actions in combat so I can determine the events of this last round.

At your mention of the restless dead the queen takes on an expression of embarrassment. You're sure that she'd be blushing if she had any color left on her face. "Oh, yes, that. I'm sorry. You see, I've been stuck in this god-forsaken realm for who knows how long, it's rather hard to tell the passage of time here. For a while now things have been different: while still bound to this world, I've been able to hear sounds coming from the world of the living, and once I even caught a whiff of fresh bread from there. I take there's a baker somewhere near my haunt? Anyway, last night, I think, I suddenly felt something tugging at my very soul, and suddenly I was standing in the realm of the living. You do understand, having been caught in this colorless world for so long, I was suddenly awash with all the emotions I last experienced when I was alive. I wasn't quite myself. I hope I didn't hurt anyone."

Suddenly realization dawns on her face. "Jacoby? Zabitha's apprentice? Oh my! Forgive me, it's just that she's told me so many stories about you, I can't believe I didn't realize it was you at first! She must have sent you in her stead while she investigates this business with the restless dead!" She is suddenly all smiles, her tears now gone. "It feels like I already know you, what with everything I heard about you! I expected you to be much younger! You were, what, ten when she took under her tutelage? How long has it been? Oh, she is most kind, visiting me regularly to give comfort to a tormented soul. How is the old hag by the way?" The way she says the word hag has no meanness or judgement to it, which is strange: mostly you've heard that word used by the city folk who occasionally visit Neuenburg on business, and they generally don't hold high opinions of village witches.

Comrade Koba
Jul 2, 2007

Hendrick

Hendrick rushes towards the closest skeleton, yelling out as he slashes his sword in a wide arc. Having misjudged the distance, his sword only cuts through the air in front of the skeleton with a whooshing sound.

Attack roll = 11


Ratpick posted:

By the way, at this point I'd like to tell me, what is special about the blade you found in the forest?

Hendrick found the sword deep in a hidden glade, wrapped in moldy sackcloth and hidden beneath the exposed roots of a large oak tree. It's about the same size as an average longsword, but the steel is of a much darker hue than he'd ever seen in any similar weapon before. In the pommel is embedded a round piece of green-colored glass bearing a strange rune-like symbol. None of the local smiths had ever seen anything like it.

OOC: Mechanically, I've just treated it as a +1 longsword.

Evil Mastermind
Apr 28, 2008

Jacoby

Jacoby can't help but feel a bit of pride at the fact that Zabitha has been talking him up. "No, you didn't hurt anyone," he says, "just...er, spooked a few people."

"As for Zabitha, she's..." Jacoby pauses, adjusting his hat; how much should he say? Then again, this is a ghost queen in the land of the dead. Probably best not to lie.

"Zabitha actually vanished a few weeks ago. I've been taking over for her in the village, but she didn't tell me why she left. She did leave her hat behind, but that's it. I guess it'd make sense for her to go find out what was going on, but I don't know where she went. And now we have skeletons attacking people! I don't understand what's going on!"

Jacoby looks around the grey landscape desperately, trying to see how his friends are doing.

Selachian
Oct 9, 2012

Victor

Closing in on the last skeleton, Victor raises his axe, but then hesitates and checks his blow.

Attack on skeleton: 1d20+5 7

Is this last skeleton still entangled? I doubt even a +4 bonus would make this a hit, but Hendrick might have hit it if he gets the bonus too.

Ratpick
Oct 9, 2012

And no one ate dinner that night.
Sorry about that, I was out of commission all of yesterday.

Selachian posted:

Victor

Closing in on the last skeleton, Victor raises his axe, but then hesitates and checks his blow.

Attack on skeleton: 1d20+5 7

Is this last skeleton still entangled? I doubt even a +4 bonus would make this a hit, but Hendrick might have hit it if he gets the bonus too.

You're right, Hendrick's last attack would've been a hit with the -4 to AC for the skeleton. So, roll for damage, Comrade Koba!

I'll make another big post later on today. I don't know what's going on, but it almost feels like that cold from a couple of weeks back has made a comeback.

Comrade Koba
Jul 2, 2007

Ratpick posted:

You're right, Hendrick's last attack would've been a hit with the -4 to AC for the skeleton. So, roll for damage, Comrade Koba!

I checked the thread for any mention of a modifier before rolling but couldn't find one. Anyhow, there's a damage roll attached to my original to-hit roll:

Attack roll = 14 (10+4), 6 damage.

Ratpick
Oct 9, 2012

And no one ate dinner that night.

Comrade Koba posted:

I checked the thread for any mention of a modifier before rolling but couldn't find one. Anyhow, there's a damage roll attached to my original to-hit roll:

Attack roll = 14 (10+4), 6 damage.

That's okay, it was buried somewhere in the middle of a paragraph, so it was easy to miss. :)

Allie fails to rope in the freed skeleton, but you've still got a perfectly fine noose!

Hendrick rushes the entangled skeleton and swings his sword at it. As the light hits the bead of green-colored glass attached to the hilt it seems to glow for a while before the sword slices through the entangled skeleton. (Hit Points: 1d8 6)

Jerald is the next to act, charging at the last remaining skeleton, once again leaving another skeleton with its skull detached from its body. The skull still dangles from the point of your spear as the skeleton crumbles to the ground.

Victor, as the last of the skeletons fall, you take in what is going on around you: the rest of the village's adults have rushed to the battlements and are currently hauling the wounded militiamen towards the inn. The mayor, who has seemingly fished out his old ceremonial plate armor and halberd from his armory is barking orders, guiding the villagers to tend to the wounded and to reinforce the battlements. You see Erik the smith running towards the northern wall accompanied by Wilhelm, the village carpenter.

The mayor stops and regards you and your friends and nods approvingly. "Well done, children. While you kept this lot busy we were able to fend off the remaining assailants from the walls. They seem to have retreated into the forest now."

"By the way, where is Jacoby? Wasn't he with you when you rushed outside?"

--------------------------------------------

Jacoby, the queen suddenly looks very worried. "That is indeed troubling news. I am sure Zabitha would know what to do now. However, I'm sure she had her reasons for leaving, and if she left her hat behind it probably means that she trusted you to be able to handle things if they went wrong in her absence."

"As for what is going on, I'm afraid I can't help you there. I don't even know why I'm stuck in this place. I swore to the gods that I would wait for my husband before passing beyond the veil..." at this point realization suddenly dawns on her face.

"Wicca. Zabitha would never tell me what happened to my husband. She always evaded the question. I now realize she was trying to spare me from the ugly truth. By royal decree, I demand you tell me: is my husband still among the living?!" Her tone has taken a decidedly sharp and pointed quality to it, but she doesn't seem angry, just determined.

Capfalcon
Apr 6, 2012

No Boots on the Ground,
Puny Mortals!

Jerald
HP 7/12

Now that things have slowed down from the deadly fight, I actually feel the nasty cut on my arm angrily throb. I clap a hand over it to try and slow down the bleeding by squeezing it, but I don't say anything. Gotta be tough, right?

I can't help but preen a little when the mayor praises us, though I do end up looking around confused when he mentions that Jacoby isn't present. I think back over the battle and say, "Well, he did some magic and entangled the skeletons towards the start of the fight. I didn't see him after that, though..."

I call up to Allie, saying, "Can you see him from up there?"

Evil Mastermind
Apr 28, 2008

Jacoby

The flash of pride Jacoby feels from the ghost queen's vote of confidence is quickly squelched by her demand for an answer.

"I'm sorry, your highness...he's been dead for years. Decades, really. I'm afraid I don't know how he died, though. It was long before I was born."

Humbug Scoolbus
Apr 25, 2008

The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers, stern and wild ones, and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss.
Clapping Larry
Allie

She looks around for their friend.

"No! Last time I saw him, he was waving his hands around and mumbling."

She cups her hands around her mouth and yells, "Jacoby! Where are you?"

Ratpick
Oct 9, 2012

And no one ate dinner that night.
Jacoby, in the world of the living the battle seems to have come to an end and your friends seem to be talking with someone. You can't quite tell by their form, but you assume it's one of the adults from the village.

Suddenly, you hear something like a whisper in your ears. You can't quite make out what it's saying. Test Wisdom.

Queen Hadewig seem rather distraught by your answer. "I... see. I suppose the gods are playing some evil trick on me then. Or that Osric did not want me to pass into the afterlife with him. I don't know. I just don't understand..." She stares at the ground morosely.

Evil Mastermind
Apr 28, 2008

Jacoby

Jacoby hesitates, not sure what the protocols are for a teenage boy/sort-of-trainee witch touching a queen, regardless of her status as a ghost. Is the reassuring shoulder pat out of the question?

"I...I'm sorry; I don't know why your king would have done this to you. Or even if he did do this."

Jacoby draws himself up and tries his best to look reassuringly confident and professional. "Still. I'm the witch of this village now. Zabitha always said that it's a witch's job to help people whenever they can, regardless if people want the help or not." He thinks for a moment, and adds,"Especially when they don't want it. Anyway, I think it's pretty safe to say that what's happened to you and what just happened in the village are related. So I'll try my dam...er, best to figure out what it is."

Oh yeah, die roll: Wisdom 16: 1d20 =6 yay more voices!

Ratpick
Oct 9, 2012

And no one ate dinner that night.
It's the faintest of voices, barely a whisper, but you can still sort of make it out in your head. It's definitely Allie, speaking to you. In the world of the living, her barely visible form seems to be on a roof, cupping her hands, yelling.

"Jacoby! Where are you?"

The queen speaks to you again, her expression somber. "I thank you. If you are right and the recent events in your village and my state are related, I am hope you can set things right. Now, I suggest you get back to your own world before the locals find you. I am quite a different beast from some of the truly tormented spirits."

Almost as if to drive her point across, the air suddenly seems filled with the moans and shrieks of the restless dead coming from some distance away. "Hurry, before they find you!"

Evil Mastermind
Apr 28, 2008

Jacoby

Trying very hard not to panic, Jacoby realizes that now he's got to figure out how to get back when he's not sure how he got here in the first place.

He closes his eyes, and focuses on recasting the Spirit Sight spell: opening his eyes, then opening his eyes again...

Ratpick
Oct 9, 2012

And no one ate dinner that night.
Jacoby, it doesn't seem to work. Getting here last time was the result of a freak accident, and you're not sure you can easily replicate that accident. What was that Zabitha said about getting into and out of the land of the dead? Something about mirrors or reflective surfaces? Where do you think you could find a mirror or another reflective surface?

----------------------

Meanwhile, in the land of the living:

Allie, your shouting goes unanswered. Jacoby seems to be nowhere to be seen.

The mayor shrugs. "He must've gone off on some witchy business. You know how they are. Witches."

"Anyway, we've got a lot of people in the village working on reinforcing our defenses. You lot should see yourselves into the inn. Get that nasty cut seen to, Jerald."

"And we shouldn't let this distract ourselves from our purpose: your father's wake is still tonight, in case you had forgotten. The preparations are almost done, and with any luck the festivities should go undisturbed."

Ratpick fucked around with this message at 22:42 on Jul 27, 2015

Evil Mastermind
Apr 28, 2008

Jacoby

Jacoby looks around for a reflective surface, but that's not the kind of thing you find in the middle of the town square. Would the water in the horse trough work?

As he goes looking, he calls out, "Allie, can you hear me? I'm in the...between the lands of the living and the dead. I need a, a mirror or something. Is there one around?"

Capfalcon
Apr 6, 2012

No Boots on the Ground,
Puny Mortals!

Jerald
HP 7/12

I look a little uncomfortable at the cut at my arm, but I'm much more uncomfortable at the idea of my friend being lost in the fighting. I say, "We'll go back as soon as we find Jacoby." I raise my voice and yell, "Jacoby! Where are you?"

Ratpick
Oct 9, 2012

And no one ate dinner that night.
Given that the battle is over, you can now hear each other easily provided you concentrate.

Allie, you suddenly hear the same faint whisper you heard during the battle, but now you're able to pinpoint the sound. It's definitely Jerald, speaking to you:

"Allie, can you hear me? I'm in the...between the lands of the living and the dead. I need a, a mirror or something. Is there one around?" Where does Allie think you'd be able to find the closest mirror?

Jacoby, you hear a voice again. This time it's Jerald. "Jacoby! Where are you?"

e: From now on you won't need me to relay discussions between each other: provided you actually address the person you're trying to communicate with across the veil by name, they can hear you in the faintest whisper.

Ratpick fucked around with this message at 10:36 on Jul 28, 2015

Humbug Scoolbus
Apr 25, 2008

The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers, stern and wild ones, and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss.
Clapping Larry
Allie

"A mirror?" she said in a surprised tone. "There's the big one at the store. Would that work?"

Evil Mastermind
Apr 28, 2008

Jacoby

"Yes! Perfect! Bring it to the Weeping Widow!"

"And, um, not to put you under pressure, but could you do it quickly? I think I'm about to be attacked by angry ghosts..."

A pause.

"Er, please?"

Humbug Scoolbus
Apr 25, 2008

The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers, stern and wild ones, and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss.
Clapping Larry
Allie

"Uh okay?"

She climbed down from the roof and grabbing Victor by elbow said quickly, "Come on! We have to save Jacoby from the land of the dead...or something."

Capfalcon
Apr 6, 2012

No Boots on the Ground,
Puny Mortals!

Jerald
HP 7/12

Unsure what's going on, I follow Allie and Victor, asking, "Wait, what happened? Where'd he go?"

Selachian
Oct 9, 2012

Victor

Victor lets out a stifled yell as Allie grabs the arm he injured in his barrow fall. "Aah! ... Whoa, wait, what? Land of the dead? Did Jacoby die?" His eyes widen.

Ratpick
Oct 9, 2012

And no one ate dinner that night.
Jacoby, you can see the shades of your friends suddenly break into sudden movement as they get to work looking for that mirror for you. You can hear snatches of their conversation as barely audible whispers.

The ghostly queen looks at you, having followed your conversation with your friends and says "I think it's best that you follow them. The dead can sense the living in this realm, and staying in one place can be potentially lethal. Even though I have some authority in this place, even I can't keep the tormented spirits at bay should they realize I am harboring one of the living."

-----------------------

I'm fast-forwarding a bit here in the real world. Should Jacoby make the decision to follow you, he will arrive at the store, or at least where the store should be in the land of the living, at the same time as you, being able to communicate with you and you with him as normal.

Allie, you shortly arrive at your father's store, out of breath and winded, but determined to save your friend. Your father's obviously out at the wake, and knowing how paranoid he is he's left the door locked. Does your father trust you with a spare key? (He probably does, I'm just asking to add a bit more color to the setting.)

Evil Mastermind
Apr 28, 2008

Jacoby

"R-right!" Jacoby starts following his friends into the store, but calls over his shoulder, "I'll come back and visit you when I can!"

Humbug Scoolbus
Apr 25, 2008

The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers, stern and wild ones, and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss.
Clapping Larry
Allie

Nimbly and with the skill of much practice, Allie slipped her knife blade under the locking bar and flipped the catch open. She had found it was far faster than bothering with opening the lock the normal way.

"Come on Victor, Jerald! Give me a hand with the mirror! We have to get it to the 'Widow'!"

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Ratpick
Oct 9, 2012

And no one ate dinner that night.
Jacoby, you follow your friends to the store and only now start to take in how different things look in this world: Allie's father's store, a very nice-looking building in the real world, has all the hallmarks of a haunted house from where you're standing: there is no actual change to the architecture from where you're standing, the building just somehow looks more menacing, its corners and angles somehow wrong. Allie does something with the door in the world of the living, and the door swings open. From where you're standing you can already see into the store, and spy the mirror, firmly attached to the wall.

Briefly looking at the mirror, you can see something quite strange in the mirror: color. Looking into the mirror you can actually see the inside of the store as it should appear, not the haunted house-like image of the store in the land of the living.

You feel a sudden chill down your spine, and as you look around for the source of the chill you spot what you believe to be one of the tortured spirits the queen spoke of: what was once probably a man is staring at you from behind one of the buildings you passed on your way here, its features twisted by pain. As your eyes meet it lets out a blood-curdling screech and begins moving towards you at an alarmingly rapid pace, but its movements somehow wrong, its arms and legs twisting in ways no person's extremities should move in.

Test Dexterity to get to the mirror really fast. I'm not going to call for a separate roll to use the mirror as a portal, I just want to see how gracefully you end up back in the world of the living and whether you accidentally bring something with you.

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