Plurk paste

Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
Okay so you have successfully found your gate! It's even in a fairly secluded area so you won't have to worry about being disturbed.
Matt [Mod, Tobias] - 12/04/2016
Tobias is keeping watch as they walk, doing his best to see if he gets a ping off of anyone that looks like they might be headed their way.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
Ryoji is watchful as he can be while he and Thanatos are actively searching for the gate, but he's realized when they find it and nothing shows up. "This is a good spot," he says to stop Tobias from wandering further.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
Nothing seems to be following them or paying any particular attention. A songbird flutters off through the bushes, etc, etc.
Matt [Mod, Tobias] - 12/04/2016
Tobias stops when Ryoji tells him to and. Probably can't see shit that indicates this is a good spot. "Okay." He still glances around, through tries not to make it look suspicious.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
Ryoji approaches a bit of lower structure- it probably just looks like a wall to Tobias, but he can tell than the gate is there. With a simple touch to the the wall, the 'gate' opens easily. Almost too easily, in some ways. He looks back at Tobias, smiling. "I don't know how long I'll be... you don't have to stick around if you don't want to."
Matt [Mod, Tobias] - 12/04/2016
Tobias considers this for a moment, and then shakes his head. "I'll make sure nothing wanders in after you. I came this far. I'm not going to just leave you alone." He pauses for a few more long moments, trying to suss out what his Beast is telling him. "Or I could come with you. Maybe. I'm not sure if I can when I start from the material world."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
"I don't know if you could either..." It's not the kind of thing non-Sin Eaters have tried, from his knowledge. "I'm not sure if it's worth it to try. I don't want you to get hurt." Or get stuck. Getting stuck would be REALLY BAD.
Matt [Mod, Tobias] - 12/04/2016
That's true. Getting stuck would probably be bad. And probably not worth the risk, as curious as he is. "... I'll watch this end. You do what you have to. Nothing will get by."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
Ryoji offers him a smile. "Thanks. I'll try not to keep you waiting!" And in he goes.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
Okay, SO. The underworld. Where Ryoji comes through seems to be the wall on the side of a staircase, with one part going up before stopping suddenly and the other going further down. There is a sound like a ticking clock from somewhere further up the stairs. Roll perception.
He does not notice the thing. The ticking kind of fades into the background after a while.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
That's probably fine! Ticking is... a thing that happens, right? Right?? Well, he'll continue walking. He needs to find at least one of the rivers to make this worth it today...
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
The stairs lead down for a while, and eventually into an open cavern. It's probably about twice the size of a football stadium, and full of what... used to be buildings? For the most part, they seem to look like houses that collapsed after fire damage. Thrown in among the burned wrecks are tall silver spires, gleaming and sharp and usually about twenty feet all, with some variations in shape. The stairway leads down along the side of the cavern.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
Ryoji's been the Underworld before, knows that sometimes spirits take up residence in these houses... but that's not really what he's looking for, and it could slow him down a lot. He doesn't know how much energy this will take out of him as is. So he'll keep going down the stairs.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
The stairs lead down to the floor of the cavern, along behind what seems to have been a church; the bell and shape of the tower are the only thing still identifiable about it. The bell, too, is silver like the spires, and dings faintly in time with the ticking if he listens closely, as though someone is tapping a finger on it.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
...Ok, still not what he's looking for, but he will try and look around up towards the bell to see if he sees anyone (or anything) tapping it.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
How close is he getting to it?
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
He starts off by just circling the church and he might try to climb it if it doesn't look like it'll fall apart underneath him.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
It seems to be in pretty good condition! Using the ladder up all the way to the top might not be advisable, but he can get to the second floor (under the bell by about fifteen feet) via the stairs pretty easily.
Perception again.
god Ryoji you're bad at this. There doesn't seem to be anyone on the ladder or any motion inside the bell on the clapper.
Teh tapping continues.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
Ryoji is the worst at noticing anything, apparently. Clearly he needs to try something else. "Hello?" he calls experimentally.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
There's one more tap before the noise stops. A really strong gust of wind brushes over Ryoji from the direction of the ladder.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
"Woah--!" Ryoji tries not to fall back, but once the gust is past he'll head towards the ladder.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
By the time he gets there, there's a shadowy shape sliding down it. It's mostly a person, though a kind of odd looking one, all the color drained and thinned out, with swept-back horns on (his?) head and robes that swirl around (his?) feet.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
That is very strange indeed. It's... ghosts aren't usually that solid (ish), are they? "Um... hi!" he says, with what he hopes is a friendly smile and wave.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
(It's probably about twice as solid as a ghost, not as solid as a human but notably more distinct - not less, as you might expect from the Underworld.)
"...Hello." The voice is male and, at most, Ryoji's age, probably younger. He won't recognize the accent, a bit lispy and breathy in weird places.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
This is a great start! "Do you have a name? I'm Ryoji. It's nice to meet you."
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
What he can see of the expression is faintly bewildered. Like 'where did you come from why are you friending at me.' "...Lirisoir." The end of it sounds vaguely French. "How did you get here?"
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
"I walked!" This is a totally valid explanation, as far as he's concerned. "Were you the one ringing the bell?"
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
"... Walked from where?" He's a little too focused to get distracted so easily.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
Ryoji waves a hand up the stairs. "Thaaaat sort of direction, I guess? There was a gate." That should explain enough, if Lirisoir knows much about how the Underworld works. ...Which he might not, honestly.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
There's a slight shift in the outlines of horns on his head - they maintain their shape, but droop downward a bit like the ears of a disappointed dog. "If you came from life, just say so."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
"...Is that not the answer you were hoping for?" Compared to most beings down here, Ryoji is pretty obviously alive. "Yeah, I did."
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
"Living things don't come down here. The dead, and the never-alive, but not the living." Why are you here, dude.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
"Well, I died once if that counts?" It probably doesn't count. "Are you... never-alive?" You don't seem dead, but he could be wrong.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
"No." Slightly emphatic. "I'm dead. And you... You're a deal-taker, right?"
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
"Sorry!" You just... seem more solid than most dead people! It's weird. "I'm not entirely sure I know what you mean by that, but I can take deals I guess?"
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
"You died. And you took a deal." He makes a gesture. "So now you're not-dead." Which probably explains how he can get down here.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
"Oh. Then yeah, I am." He supposes that makes sense given the context.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
He nods, the horns dipping down again. "I didn't. Take the deal, I mean."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
...Ah. "Why didn't you?" he asks, wondering if that's too personal. But... Lirisoir is the one who brought it up.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
"I knew someone who did. He... wasn't the same afterwards. He lost something I couldn't afford to lose."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
Ryoji blinks, watching him. He... doesn't remember losing anything, at least not something like that. "What was it...?"
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
"It's..." He stops himself, horns shooting up, and shakes his head. "You probably didn't have it to lose. Don't worry about it."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
It's probably not any of his business, but... he does still kind of want to know. "...What were you doing with the bell?"
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
"Not much else to do down here."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
"Yeah, I guess not..." Poor guy. Why didn't he even wind up as a proper ghost? "Do you know where a river is? I'm trying to find some."
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
A thoughtful sound. "You'd need to follow the Road, I think."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
"The Road?" Ryoji looks around, trying to see if he can spot anything.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
"It's... Here, I'll show you." Ryoji, I hope you weren't planning to use the stairs back out, because guess who just made his way over to the broken front window and climbed out of it.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
Well, that's fine. Ryoji shrugs and follows him, hopping out of the window after him.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
Helpfully, he's partially caught by a gust of air, so the drop isn't really bad at all.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
...Oh right, there was a drop. He sort of forgot about that, actually, but luckily it wasn't even an issue!
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
Lirisoir is watching him with his arms folded, seemingly a little amused. It's not every day he sees someone (else) just jump out of a second story window. He reaches up as though tucking hair behind... Not an ear, but perhaps a secondary horn? "Are you always so reckless?"
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
Ryoji chuckles a bit sheepishly, adjusting his scarf. "Kind of, yeah. Are you doing the thing with the wind?"
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
He nods. "I was a wind-child, before I..." he shakes himself a little. "Before I was in the city." And with that he'll turn off, in a direction about perpendicular to the church door. "It's this way."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
"A wind-child?" he asks, following Lirisoir as he turns. He's not actually sure he knows what that means.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
"My people believe that children are bound to a part of the world from the time they're born." It's kind of sad, his horns drooping again.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
"Oh, that's pretty cool..." Though it seems to make him sad. Is it just him thinking about being alive? "Where are you from?"
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
"Very far from here." It's said like a private joke. They seem to be heading for a tunnel at the side of the cavern. Occasionally, Lirisoir glances up before continuing on.
(continuing to read sourcebook, it notes that ghosts glow faintly? Lirisoir does not glow, if anything he anti-glows)
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
That is very much not helpful, but considering that he knows of places outside of Hex exist now... he's starting to wonder if maybe...
Looking up gets his attention, though, especially thanks to Tobias. "What are you looking for?"
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
"Keeping watch." He shakes his head slightly. "Come on, this way." There's another set of stairs, but these are more like the flat stairs in front of a monument, the descent much more gradual and the length of the steps seemingly designed to frustrat anyone with a normal stride.
(If Ryoji looks up, roll me another Perception.)
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
"It is good to look up," Ryoji agrees with a little smile. He follows also, skipping a bit down the stairs to avoid the weird length.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
There's something shiny in the darkness of the ceiling, but there's not enough light to be able to clearly tell what it is.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
That's a little bit concerning, but he's more focused on keeping up for the moment. ...He will look up periodically, though.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
Once they're in the tunnel, there doesn't seem to be anything in the lower ceiling. Lirisoir still glances up from time to time, though. "Too many people don't," he agrees. "Useful, sometimes, if you're above them."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
"Yeah, I guess it would be." Ryoji smiles, looking around, "Is this the Road?"
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
"No. You'll know it when you see it, trust me." Eventually a banister splits the path in two. Lirisoir glances at Ryoji briefly - or at least seems to, from the way his horns move on top of the shadows of his head - and then hops up on it, sliding the rest of the way (fifty or sixty feet) down to flat ground.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/04/2016
...ok Ryoji might be reckless, but that does worry him a little. He'll get on the banister too, but his sliding is likely slower than Lirisoir's.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/04/2016
It's just a normal banister, thankfully. Lirisoir hops off in a flurry of robes. "Keep left."
December 5, 2016
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/05/2016
"Ok!" Thanatos, while more trusting of the dead than the living, is vaguely concerned this might be a trap, but Ryoji's pretty sure Lirisoir could have at least tried to kill him already so he's not so concerned. He'll keep following.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/05/2016
The path they're on soon joins up with another, larger one, the two merging from running parallel. And in the middle of the larger cavern... "That's the road," Lirisoir says, with a gesture at the thick, black patch of ground. It almost looks like something burned away a whole chunk of the Underworld; not just the things on top of the ground, but the ground itself seems to have been torn into inky blackness. "Don't touch it, it's.... not pleasant."
December 6, 2016
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/06/2016
"Yeah, it really doesn't look like it..." What could do that to the underworld? "So do we walk next to it, then?" Since walking on it would probably be touching it.
December 12, 2016
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
"Yeah, that's the plan. It doesn't take up the whole tunnel anywhere that I know of, and some places it gets narrow enough to jump over, but we don't need to cross it."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
"Ok." That sounds like a good plan, then. Ryoji will start following it, carefully never to actually step on it as they go. Hopefully the river isn't too far...
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
Its a bit of a walk, but eventually the sounds of running water echoing in the tunnel can be heard. The black road swells slightly in size; Ryoji will probably be fine to continue as he is, but Lirisoir must have a somewhat wider stance, because he shifts to scuttle sideways along the edge of the cavern for about twenty feet, at one point ducking so his horns don't bonk into a wall sconce.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
Hmmm. Ryoji will duck a liiiittle bit further into safety, following Lirisoir's lead, but he picks up the pace some when he hears the river. He's got a lot of work to do to get what he needs, so anything towards it is a good sign.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
After the road narrows again, the tunnel soon opens into another, wider cavern, this one hung with ... It looks like giant black spiderwebs, coated in a lidquid dew that glows aintly, giving the whole place about the ambient lighting of a field under a full moon. And through the middle of the cavern runs the river, a few low-hanging strands dripping 'dew' into it occiasionally, where the splash glows briefly before disappearing.

The black road runs up to the river and continues on the other side. Nasty looking steam rises from where it seems to be crossing on the bottom of the riverbed, but the river flows swiftly enough that most of the water isn't impacted. They're on the upstream side of the road anyway.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
Like much of the Underworld, Ryoji can't quite tell if that's really cool or just creepy. He tries not to let any of the 'dew' drop on him if he can help it. He's not sure what it'll do.
He stops by the river, considering it and the black road. He needs to cross it, somewhere... "What happens if you do step on the black road?" he asks. Ryoji's still scanning the riverbed for a place he could avoid it, but if not...
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
"Burns. Really fast." He shakes his head a little. "Not like fire or hot burns, but it's horrible."
A couple of drops of the dew fall on the far side of the cavern.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
"That sounds bad." He will not do that, then. It looks like he should be able to jump across ok in the cavern, so... he does that. Once on the other side, he pulls out a vial he brought with him and bends down to the river, very carefully getting some of the 'water' within in. One down, two to go.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
The river water is incredibly chill, almost like ice, as it rushes over his fingers. Lirisoir stays by the cavern entrance and seems to fold his arms while he watches, though it's hard to tell given how shadowy he is in the dim light.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
Ryoji isn't really surprised by that, jumping back over and going back to Lirisoir. "Thanks for showing me!" he says with a bright smile.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
"You're welcome." Lirisoir nods and seems to be smiling a bit, though it's still hard to tell in the dark. Though, it seems like it's getting a bit brighter, as a strand above them swells with liquid... [roll dodge]
Ryoji is able to mostly get out of the way, though a bit of the splash lands on his foot. It seems to bypass his shoes entirely and goes directly to his skin. For a moment, he is somewhere else - it seems to be a comfortable living room, or perhaps a lobby from the size. A teenage boy in a baseball cap is talking animatedly, but before he can fully get an idea of what's being said, the drop rolls off his foot and the image is gone.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
Ryoji stops, looking down at his foot and then up at the water above him. He's sure he's never been anywhere that looks like that, and he doesn't know that boy... so why did that feel familiar? "What does this dew, um... do?" he asks.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
Lirisoir has come a step or two closer, seemingly concerned, though he doesn't touch Ryoji, and at the question, he looks up. "I don't really know. It's never done anything to me other than make me shiver. Why?"
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
"I... saw something, I guess." It almost felt like the visions he gets when he uses Oracle, but not. He shakes his head. The Underworld is a weird place, but maybe they should head back. So why does his heart ache a little. "...Anyway. Um. Thanks, again. Do you stay around the belltower area mostly?"
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
Lirisoir's horns tilt upwards in interest. "What did you see?" It seems Ryoji isn't the only curious one. "And most of the time, yes. It's... somewhere that's fairly safe for me."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
"A living room, or something like that, and there was this guy talking... but I'm sure I've never seen him before." It's very confusing. "Oh, good! That means it'll be easy to come visit you!"
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
A hum, and then... Well. Ryoji, please. "... Try not to draw too much attention to me? A lot of the things in the Underworld... don't like me very much."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
"Why not?" He thinks you're super cool! But then again, the Underworld does operate under different rules.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
"I can't be sure. It might be because I rejected the deal, or..." A slight shrug, his horns drooping a bit. "Just, I'm different from other spirits."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
"I did kind of notice that." It's obvious, if you know what you're looking for. "...Do you know why you're different?"
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
"I think it's because of where I'm from." He looks up, briefly. "Or maybe what I am. Was." Not sure how applicable that is anymore.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
"Hmm... that might make sense," Ryoji says, mulling it over, "I mean, I have no idea where you're from. It's not any place I've ever heard of, but the Underworld of an area is usually connected to the Gates near it, I'm pretty sure. If it's not too weird to ask... where did you die?"
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
A frown. "I shouldn't tell you the details. But it was inside the city."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
That's fair. That's probably not any of his business. "How did you get there?"
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
"To the city?" A headshake. "One day I was just... here."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
.....Very suspicious. "I have a friend who's the same way. One day she just showed up and she doesn't know how."
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
That makes Lirisoir alert, definitely, his horns rising up again. "Is she... No. Tell her to be careful. If she dies or runs into the wrong thing... She might forget who she is."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
"What?" That... makes no sense at all, but Ryoji can't help but be alarmed all the same. "Why would she forget who she is? How does that..." How does that even work?
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
"You don't really want to know." He's shaking his head. "But it happened to someone else, someone like us. He died and then he came back, but he couldn't recognize any of us afterwards."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
Oh. Oh that's really bad. "I'll tell her," he says, nodding, "I'm... already trying to look out for her, she's just a kid..." Now he's even more worried about her.
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
He nods. "We should head back. Eventually something's going to notice one of us."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
"Yeah, ok." Time to walk back, then. "...Do you want me to try and bring you books or something? They might be able to keep their form down here..."
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/12/2016
"You don't have to. You shouldn't take that kind of risk for me."
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/12/2016
"Why not?" Ryoji offers him another smile. "I don't mind. Besides, it sucks that you're so bored down here."
December 14, 2016
Nai [Head Mod] - 12/14/2016
A small smile, maybe - they're approaching the wider part of the road again. "Hiding is less boring than you might think, sometimes. And I can still - " He gestures, and a breeze blows over the both of them.
Bookie [Ryoji] - 12/14/2016
"That is pretty cool," Ryoji admits with a chuckle. "Still... if there's anything you'd like, I can try to bring it to you. I'm not sure how much it'll hold up down here, but..." It can't hurt to try.
December 28, 2016
Nai [Head Mod] - Last Wednesday at 9:33 PM
"...Thank you." He doesn't seem sure what else to say.
December 29, 2016
Bookie [Ryoji] - Last Thursday at 4:13 AM
To be fair, Ryoji tends to elicit that reaction from a lot of people. "No problem! I'll see you later, ok?"
January 3, 2017
Nai [Head Mod] - Today at 6:29 AM
"Okay." You are still getting a strange look, Ryoji, because you are a very strange human.
Bookie [Ryoji] - Today at 6:25 PM
He is a very strange human. He gives Lirisoir a cheerful wave as he heads back up, exiting the gate from which he came. He hopes Tobias is still there...
Matt [Mod, Tobias] - Today at 6:26 PM
Tobias is, in fact, still waiting there. He's managed to amuse himself enough by watching his Horror. When he sees Ryoji, he smiles slightly and pushes off the wall. "Did everything go okay?"
Bookie [Ryoji] - Today at 6:27 PM
Ryoji nods, walking over after making sure the Gate shuts properly behind him. "Yeah! Got the first part of what I needed, and there was a ghost that helped." Who is now his friend. That happens.
Matt [Mod, Tobias] - Today at 6:37 PM
"A ghost? Huh." He shrugs. He can't see them, so he has no idea how they act. "How much more do you need?"
Bookie [Ryoji] - Today at 6:39 PM
"Um..." Ryoji thinks, ticking off on his fingers, "Well, I need the waters from two more rivers, and then I have to find a Kerbori... Cerberis? I don't remember what they're called, but they're easy to identify." Mostly because they are big and scary.
Matt [Mod, Tobias] - Today at 6:41 PM
"... That... just be careful." He sighs, because he's not going to convince Ryoji otherwise, is he?
Bookie [Ryoji] - Today at 6:42 PM
No, no he's not. But Ryoji tries to reassure him by giving him a bright smile. "I will," he promises, "Dying once wasn't super fine, I'm not really in a hurry to do it again!"
Matt [Mod, Tobias] - Today at 6:47 PM
"Good, because I'm not in a hurry for you to do that either." ... As much as it's awkward to just say that...
Bookie [Ryoji] - Today at 6:48 PM
Awww. He cares, and that makes Ryoji smile all the wider. "Thanks for waiting," he says, "What do you want to do now?" As if this was some fun visit...
Matt [Mod, Tobias] - Today at 6:52 PM
"Maybe... we can get something to eat?" Something normal, just to make sure he's on solid ground.
Bookie [Ryoji] - Today at 6:52 PM
Good answer. "Sure! Let's go!"