Bloody Grave: A Fangs in the Night RP

[Ru_]

Miriette made a point of not changing her stride as she spotted what looked like two more. She cleared her throat loudly enough for Hugo to hear, and with a simple "We've got company" alerted him to their presence, but, at this distance, the two hopefully wouldn't be able to hear it.

Her logic was simple. If she changed her movements, even at a distance they would notice that, and they would know both that they had been spotted and that the people who had spotted them knew to be wary. Assuming they weren't complete idiots, that would be worthy cause for paranoia. If she stayed the course, however, they might think they hadn't been spotted, or, perhaps, that Miriette and Hugo simply didn't care that they had spotted them.

It was a gamble, to be sure, but on the other hand it wasn't as if they could avoid a confrontation even if they turned away immediately. Worst came to worst, it was a brawl where nobody had the element of surprise. Miriette alone was confident in her chances there, and she knew Hugo knew his way around a scrape, too.

That being said, a small part of her did want to just cut and run - the more people who saw her right now, the worse of a spot she was in. If she could just bail at 'vague figure in the distance', the only person who she was sure would know would be Hugo, and he wouldn't be dumb enough to blab. In all honesty, if she had an out, that would've been her immediate course of action. But, with no idea where the exit was, she had to risk it.

 

[KnightDisciple]

Sam supposed he could understand this Oliver's concern, but somehow he got the feeling that if he went back to his wife, it would not go well for anyone. And that was even before he logically considered the consequences of a vampire (whatthefuckwhatthefuckwhatthefuck?!?) walking into his mortal home and trying to talk to his wife. Could vampires even enter homes without permission, or was that just superstition? (@Terrabrand)

Standing, Sam was able to keep himself steady, having had some inkling of what his new body was capable of. "Wait," he said, gesturing to the countless other bodies. "I think we should look around here: if we survived, there might be others." It hurt to lie to Oliver: the chances of there being more like them was slim, but Sam had to try to give him time to calm down, think about things rationally...

"I'm Sam, by the way. Sam Nielsen."

Click to shrink...

"I...okay. Yeah. Others. More people is good, this whole place is jsut...yeah."

He held out a hand that his mind said should be shaking but was as steady as a rock to shake.

"I'm....I do accounting."

He seemed to be grasping for something to say right now. Clearly he felt lost, and was willing to follow Sam's lead.

 

[Azrael]

The two set out across what could reasonably be called a wasteland, with any interesting tools or creatures or structures concealed by the battle damage, assorted rubble, and sight of massacre. As they go, they slowly become aware of a pair of creatures moving with intent and not the mindless shambling of the zombies, heading in the same direction as them yet closer to the massive metal object off to the side from their destination.

Click to shrink...

Catherine paused as she made out the figures, observing the situation.

It was highly unlikely to be the monsters who caused the carnage, they had proven themselves quite intent on their counterpart's utter destruction. Still, just because it couldn't be both didn't mean it couldn't be one of them, accompanied by either a more sophisticated minion or else a freshly Turned Vampire like herself and Matthias.

Even as rare as she had heard it to be, there were comfortably enough bodies all throughout the chamber for Catherine to believe there were a number of fledglings making their way into their Unlife.

@always_confused
"You see them?" She whispers, "Speaking realistically, we are likely about to come upon more monsters. If they are victims like us perhaps we can join forces, but... if its one of the Vampires who did this, we might stand barely more of a chance against them now than we did before."

She glanced to the side to watch the man briefly, waiting for Matthias's opinion. She didn't feel comfortable taking her eyes off the other pair for long.

 

[Terrabrand]

Sam supposed he could understand this Oliver's concern, but somehow he got the feeling that if he went back to his wife, it would not go well for anyone. And that was even before he logically considered the consequences of a vampire (whatthefuckwhatthefuckwhatthefuck?!?) walking into his mortal home and trying to talk to his wife. Could vampires even enter homes without permission, or was that just superstition? (@Terrabrand)

Standing, Sam was able to keep himself steady, having had some inkling of what his new body was capable of. "Wait," he said, gesturing to the countless other bodies. "I think we should look around here: if we survived, there might be others." It hurt to lie to Oliver: the chances of there being more like them was slim, but Sam had to try to give him time to calm down, think about things rationally...

"I'm Sam, by the way. Sam Nielsen."

Click to shrink...

"I...okay. Yeah. Others. More people is good, this whole place is jsut...yeah."

He held out a hand that his mind said should be shaking but was as steady as a rock to shake.

"I'm....I do accounting."

He seemed to be grasping for something to say right now. Clearly he felt lost, and was willing to follow Sam's lead.

Click to shrink...

Body after body is found freshly killed, some dry, some bloody, all motionless. Some are cut, some are burned, some look scarcely human, but nothing moves among the rows of corpses save the pair.

Farther afield, zombies can be spotted wandering, and sounds can be heard, but nothing identifiably intelligent in sight at this point in time.

 

[always_confused]

Catherine paused as she made out the figures, observing the situation.

It was highly unlikely to be the monsters who caused the carnage, they had proven themselves quite intent on their counterpart's utter destruction. Still, just because it couldn't be both didn't mean it couldn't be one of them, accompanied by either a more sophisticated minion or else a freshly Turned Vampire like herself and Matthias.

Even as rare as she had heard it to be, there were comfortably enough bodies all throughout the chamber for Catherine to believe there were a number of fledglings making their way into their Unlife.

@always_confused
"You see them?" She whispers, "Speaking realistically, we are likely about to come upon more monsters. If they are victims like us perhaps we can join forces, but... if its one of the Vampires who did this, we might stand barely more of a chance against them now than we did before."

She glanced to the side to watch the man briefly, waiting for Matthias's opinion. She didn't feel comfortable taking her eyes off the other pair for long.

Click to shrink...

Matthias stops and glances warily at the incoming duo for a few moments, weighing his options...before his undead eyes light up with more life than most ever experience in a full lifetime. Striding forward and placing his massive frame in front of Catherine, he then promptly calls out to the incoming duo in a very LOUD VOICE.

"HO THERE! BE YOU FRIEND OR FOE?!" He practically bellows.

"Best get that out of the way soon enough. If we can talk things out, we'll know soon. If its one of our 'sires'...I have 'business' with them and I'll see it to its conclusion, come what may." The giant explains cheerfully. He has his strength back and then some and the gears in his mind are slowly creaking and shaking off the decades worth of cobwebs. He went down pitifully fast in 'confrontation' in his mansion. But this time...the odds are more even. If it really is one of the Vampires that made them, Matthias will have his pound of flesh, even if it cost him his unlife.

 

[SoaringHawk218]

"I...okay. Yeah. Others. More people is good, this whole place is jsut...yeah."

He held out a hand that his mind said should be shaking but was as steady as a rock to shake.

"I'm....I do accounting."

He seemed to be grasping for something to say right now. Clearly he felt lost, and was willing to follow Sam's lead.

Click to shrink...

Sam nodded and shook the offered hand, forcing the gibbering panic further back in his mind. "Traveling scholar," he said before smiling weakly. "So if there are any weird math puzzles in this place, I can rely on you, and I'll take the language ones."

Okay, that attempt at reassurance sounded terrible even to his ears.

Farther afield, zombies can be spotted wandering, and sounds can be heard, but nothing identifiably intelligent in sight at this point in time.

Click to shrink...

"... Let's head towards the sounds: maybe we can find a way out of here," he said, ducking into the cover of shadow to try and avoid the zombie's eyes. Even though he was pretty sure his... new form... would be able to evade them if they proved hostile, he didn't want to have any kind of confrontation if he could avoid it.

He tried to ignore the way his eyes were drawn instinctively to the blood on some of the corpses.

 

[Ru_]

"HO THERE! BE YOU FRIEND OR FOE?!"

Click to shrink...

Welp, it seemed like the other two did not share Miriette's thoughts on the ideal approach here. Hoo boy. She gave Hugo a look, one which conveyed a mixture of annoyance, resignation, and an indication to get ready for a prospective fight. Then, without conferring with him further, she opened her mouth to call out a response.

"How the fuck should I know? I don't know who you people are!"

If she had been a slightly more tactful person, she might have considered phrasing that a bit more gently, or perhaps just lying and say they were friends or didn't intend any harm or what have you, but Miriette and tact did not get along so well. She didn't slow her approach any, still, and was getting close enough that she could get a slightly better look at the two. One of them was a big guy - like, big. She'd fought some big people before, and this guy was still noticeably large in comparison. He seemed to be standing in front of the other one, so she couldn't see much about them, but hopefully they wouldn't be too tough to take out, if that was what this came down to.

( @Another Amoeba @Azrael )

 

[Another Amoeba]

Miriette made a point of not changing her stride as she spotted what looked like two more. She cleared her throat loudly enough for Hugo to hear, and with a simple "We've got company" alerted him to their presence, but, at this distance, the two hopefully wouldn't be able to hear it.

Her logic was simple. If she changed her movements, even at a distance they would notice that, and they would know both that they had been spotted and that the people who had spotted them knew to be wary. Assuming they weren't complete idiots, that would be worthy cause for paranoia. If she stayed the course, however, they might think they hadn't been spotted, or, perhaps, that Miriette and Hugo simply didn't care that they had spotted them.

It was a gamble, to be sure, but on the other hand it wasn't as if they could avoid a confrontation even if they turned away immediately. Worst came to worst, it was a brawl where nobody had the element of surprise. Miriette alone was confident in her chances there, and she knew Hugo knew his way around a scrape, too.

That being said, a small part of her did want to just cut and run - the more people who saw her right now, the worse of a spot she was in. If she could just bail at 'vague figure in the distance', the only person who she was sure would know would be Hugo, and he wouldn't be dumb enough to blab. In all honesty, if she had an out, that would've been her immediate course of action. But, with no idea where the exit was, she had to risk it.

Click to shrink...

Hugo acknowledged Miriette's observation with a curt nod, and almost reached for his knife before arresting the motion. Some caution might be appropriate, but he wasn't going to be the first to draw a weapon, and if what he'd gleaned about the undead was true, a mundane blade wouldn't be much good here regardless. He inspected the pair of shadowed figures opposite them. One seemed to be a woman going by her heavy-looking robes and silvery hair worn long. The other, well, seemed to be a golem of sorts, easily standing a head and a half taller than he and very heavily built. Still, the woman didn't carry herself like a vampiric killer, and that helped set his mind at ease.

Matthias stops and glances warily at the incoming duo for a few moments, weighing his options...before his undead eyes light up with more life than most ever experience in a full lifetime. Striding forward and placing his massive frame in front of Catherine, he then promptly calls out to the incoming duo in a very LOUD VOICE.

"HO THERE! BE YOU FRIEND OR FOE?!" He practically bellows.

"Best get that out of the way soon enough. If we can talk things out, we'll know soon. If its one of our 'sires'...I have 'business' with them and I'll see it to its conclusion, come what may." The giant explains cheerfully. He has his strength back and then some and the gears in his mind are slowly creaking and shaking off the decades worth of cobwebs. He went down pitifully fast in 'confrontation' in his mansion. But this time...the odds are more even. If it really is one of the Vampires that made them, Matthias will have his pound of flesh, even if it cost him his unlife.

Click to shrink...

Breezing by Oakbender's seemingly characteristic tactlessness (she was a low-level bruiser, he had to admit,) Hugo stepped forward with a calculated laugh to say his piece. "We are survivors!," he responded with a shout, "I trust you are as well?" For now, he didn't break off his walk: forward, easy, slow and steady. His eyes scanned the room. Anything with hearing in this chamber must have heard that giant, and Hugo was more concerned for the things he hadn't yet seen than the pair he had.

 

[Terrabrand]

Matthias stops and glances warily at the incoming duo for a few moments, weighing his options...before his undead eyes light up with more life than most ever experience in a full lifetime. Striding forward and placing his massive frame in front of Catherine, he then promptly calls out to the incoming duo in a very LOUD VOICE.

"HO THERE! BE YOU FRIEND OR FOE?!" He practically bellows.

"Best get that out of the way soon enough. If we can talk things out, we'll know soon. If its one of our 'sires'...I have 'business' with them and I'll see it to its conclusion, come what may." The giant explains cheerfully. He has his strength back and then some and the gears in his mind are slowly creaking and shaking off the decades worth of cobwebs. He went down pitifully fast in 'confrontation' in his mansion. But this time...the odds are more even. If it really is one of the Vampires that made them, Matthias will have his pound of flesh, even if it cost him his unlife.

Click to shrink...

The voice booms through the room, echoing off the far walls and back several times. Vampiric lungs can go far when one tries.

And vampiric hearing is sharp enough that all in the chamber hear clearly and can pinpoint the angle the sound originated from, even those far away.

@chocolote12 @SoaringHawk218 @KnightDisciple @Floom

And, after a few minutes, the ground trembles, ever so slightly. And then again, seconds later, but ever so slightly more. And again, and again, hitting a stride as if some vast giant approaches.

Sam Nielsen feels his sense of doom sharpen, and point to the 'south', where the vast metal object is to the 'north'. He cannot shake the feeling that something very, very dangerous approaches from the south.

 

[SoaringHawk218]

Sam Nielsen feels his sense of doom sharpen, and point to the 'south', where the vast metal object is to the 'north'. He cannot shake the feeling that something very, very dangerous approaches from the south.

Click to shrink...

@KnightDisciple @Terrabrand

"Faaaackkkkk..." Sam groaned, making a mental note to set whatever idiot just shouted on fire at the soonest convenient moment. Reaching back, he grabbed Oliver's arm. "Alright, new plan, go north fast. Fast is good. Come on, run run run!"

 

[Azrael]

Matthias stops and glances warily at the incoming duo for a few moments, weighing his options...before his undead eyes light up with more life than most ever experience in a full lifetime. Striding forward and placing his massive frame in front of Catherine, he then promptly calls out to the incoming duo in a very LOUD VOICE.

"HO THERE! BE YOU FRIEND OR FOE?!" He practically bellows.

Click to shrink...

Catherine winces and claps her hands over her ears, futilely attempting to block out the booming voice coming from the man right next to her.

If she didn't know better she'd suspect him capable of rendering a man deaf with a single bellow, but regardless of whether that was true, she supposed it wouldn't cause much of an issue to a Vampire such as herself.

"Best get that out of the way soon enough. If we can talk things out, we'll know soon. If its one of our 'sires'...I have 'business' with them and I'll see it to its conclusion, come what may." The giant explains cheerfully. He has his strength back and then some and the gears in his mind are slowly creaking and shaking off the decades worth of cobwebs. He went down pitifully fast in 'confrontation' in his mansion. But this time...the odds are more even. If it really is one of the Vampires that made them, Matthias will have his pound of flesh, even if it cost him his unlife.

Click to shrink...

"...I suppose." She finally answers, pulling her hands away from the sides of her head slowly and cautiously.

Even if it was their creator and he saw fit to end them, she supposed that just cut through her cowardice and weakness, even if she'd prefer a death a little less painful than the first.

Welp, it seemed like the other two did not share Miriette's thoughts on the ideal approach here. Hoo boy. She gave Hugo a look, one which conveyed a mixture of annoyance, resignation, and an indication to get ready for a prospective fight. Then, without conferring with him further, she opened her mouth to call out a response.

"How the fuck should I know? I don't know who you people are!"

If she had been a slightly more tactful person, she might have considered phrasing that a bit more gently, or perhaps just lying and say they were friends or didn't intend any harm or what have you, but Miriette and tact did not get along so well. She didn't slow her approach any, still, and was getting close enough that she could get a slightly better look at the two. One of them was a big guy - like, big. She'd fought some big people before, and this guy was still noticeably large in comparison. He seemed to be standing in front of the other one, so she couldn't see much about them, but hopefully they wouldn't be too tough to take out, if that was what this came down to.

( @Another Amoeba @Azrael )

Click to shrink...

Breezing by Oakbender's seemingly characteristic tactlessness (she was a low-level bruiser, he had to admit,) Hugo stepped forward with a calculated laugh to say his piece. "We are survivors!," he responded with a shout, "I trust you are as well?" For now, he didn't break off his walk: forward, easy, slow and steady. His eyes scanned the room. Anything with hearing in this chamber must have heard that giant, and Hugo was more concerned for the things he hadn't yet seen than the pair he had.

Click to shrink...

As the pair continued their approach, Catherine poked her head around Matthias's considerably distended girth and narrowed her eyes, picking out what she could from this distance.

Relatively sturdy sorts, she could tell. A man and a woman, if the voices were anything to go off of. Neither resembled their abductor or his assistant-cum-rival, which was probably a good sign.

What was less certain was whether, when the man claimed to be a 'survivor', he actually meant the pair had... well, survived.

In but a few more steps she had her answer. She still couldn't make out what she would consider highly probably visual signs of Vampirism, but now they were closer Catherine could feel the same familiar, comforting air around them as she had just noticed wrapped Matthias.

Unholy Aura, no doubt. She had never really felt it when she was still human, being a lowly initiate, and while it was described to her as feeling unnerving and wrong, she knew that was from the perspective of a living thing possessing a Holy Aura.

"I see!" She called out to the pair, "Well, we're all damned now, so I'd wager we all have more pressing concerns than getting into a pointless and dangerous fight. If you wish to band together, I at least would be glad for it. If you wish to pass us by, so be it!"

 

[chocolote12]

"Hmmph. Quite lively for a corpse. Perhaps a bit too much for your own good, but I suppose it is better than being torn to shreds by a corpse with fewer wits about them. To answer your questions, in order: It seems we were both made into snacks for these two former corpses-" Gunther gestured to the corpses near his feet "-and now it seems they are now corpses in truth. Vampires, the lot of them. And it seems we have joined them."

Turning back to the two corpses in front of him, Gunther calmly began to search the two bodies for any items of interest, continuing to speak as if he were adjusting a vase of flowers.

"As to where we are, I'd quite like to know myself."

And once more the cave was silent, save for the rustling of cloth as Gunther searched the corpses of the two former Vampires.

@Terrabrand @chocolote12

Click to shrink...

Ah. She stared ahead with unfocused eyes while her thoughts turned inwards. Well, she'd suspected it, but having confirmation at least helped her feel like she wasn't going crazy. The old man didn't seem inclined to do her any harm, and she didn't feel particularly inclined to eat misbehaving children, which was the context most of the Westernly family talked about vampires in, but she did have to admit that the onset of an unhealthy paleness, and what was looking more and more like the ability to just see in the dark, were probably natural indicators. And, of course, that other thing.

She rubbed at her throat again.

The voice booms through the room, echoing off the far walls and back several times. Vampiric lungs can go far when one tries.

And vampiric hearing is sharp enough that all in the chamber hear clearly and can pinpoint the angle the sound originated from, even those far away.

@chocolote12 @SoaringHawk218 @KnightDisciple @Floom

And, after a few minutes, the ground trembles, ever so slightly. And then again, seconds later, but ever so slightly more. And again, and again, hitting a stride as if some vast giant approaches.

Sam Nielsen feels his sense of doom sharpen, and point to the 'south', where the vast metal object is to the 'north'. He cannot shake the feeling that something very, very dangerous approaches from the south.

Click to shrink...

Lucy Westernly had been content to sit and stare at her new partner in demise as he went about his business, half focusing on the subtly inhuman motion and slight sounds that were the only activity in sight and half dozing with her eyes open, but when the shout went out, loud enough it felt like it could scrape the dust of the walls, she shot up like a worried hare, or someone shaken out of bed by an urgent task.

The sound of calling voices, less distinct then that initial outburst, served as a backdrop as she turned to the old man and realized she had no clue what she should have been calling him. She opened her mouth and made a few half hearted noises before getting the words out. "Ah, I just realized, we haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Lucy Westernly, a M-mason. I, uh..." She looked off to the side. "I would say 'nice to meet you', but I think it might be more accurate to wish that we'd met in better circumstances." If meeting people is still something vampires do, she prevaricated in the privacy of her own thoughts. A surprisingly helpful corner of her mind trotted out a few aunts and uncles who would have gone for the obvious 'nice to eat you' pun, and she felt herself lightening up, just a touch.

And then, ever so slightly, the ground began to tremble.

@Floom

 

[Another Amoeba]

"I see!" She called out to the pair, "Well, we're all damned now, so I'd wager we all have more pressing concerns than getting into a pointless and dangerous fight. If you wish to band together, I at least would be glad for it. If you wish to pass us by, so be it!"

Click to shrink...

@Ru_ @always_confused

Hugo drew close enough to the pair that he reached out to offer a handshake to the giant, though he kept his head turned to address the woman who spoke. He could sense for sure they were both Vampires, now. They had an aura of menace about them. Could humans sense it too, he wondered, or did the just unholy know itself? "You're only damned if your dead, and I say I've got a pretty good record on the up-and-up. Thirty-two and oh's pretty good." For a moment his smile wavered, "Eh, thirty-two and one ain't the worst."

The voice booms through the room, echoing off the far walls and back several times. Vampiric lungs can go far when one tries.

And vampiric hearing is sharp enough that all in the chamber hear clearly and can pinpoint the angle the sound originated from, even those far away.

@chocolote12 @SoaringHawk218 @KnightDisciple @Floom

And, after a few minutes, the ground trembles, ever so slightly. And then again, seconds later, but ever so slightly more. And again, and again, hitting a stride as if some vast giant approaches.

Sam Nielsen feels his sense of doom sharpen, and point to the 'south', where the vast metal object is to the 'north'. He cannot shake the feeling that something very, very dangerous approaches from the south.

Click to shrink...

It was then the ground started trembling seemingly with the force of a small earthquake. Hugo whipped himself around to face the oncoming threat, drawing his dagger on reflex, for what little good it would do, "But I think your friend just gave God another go at it. Since it looks like we've got our fight, I wouldn't mind being on the same side."

 

[Ru_]

"Well, we're all damned now, so I'd wager we all have more pressing concerns than getting into a pointless and dangerous fight. If you wish to band together, I at least would be glad for it. If you wish to pass us by, so be it!"

Click to shrink...

Miriette simply shrugged that one off. The girl's phrasing rankled her somewhat, but hey, everyone had their own superstitions, if she wanted to get all mopey about their current predicament it was no skin off her nose. "Well, if you don't have a reason to fight us, I suppose we don't either, so, what the hey. You got any idea where the way out of this place is? I'm not particularly keen on sticking around here."

Then the ground began to shake, and she suddenly became even less keen on the prospect of remaining in this place.

"Yup, pretty sure that's our cue to leave. Either this place is about to collapse or, I dunno, there's some kind of weird necromancy flesh monster thing about to burst from somewhere, and either way that's above my pay grade. I mean, I suppose that might be a chance to test out that unnatural strength vampires are supposed to have... No. Nope, stupid plan. We're already in a rough enough spot as is, no sense courting needless danger even further."

At least now she could get a solid sizing-up on the other one. She looked pretty flimsy, in all honesty. If she didn't know she was a vampire, Miriette was pretty sure she could've snapped her in half. More importantly, the big guy definitely could, which meant that he wasn't inclined towards random hostility. Probably. It was never good to act like you could be completely certain with things like that.

"So, that being said, we should make the introductions speedy. The name's Miriette."

@Another Amoeba @always_confused

 

[Floom]

Ah. She stared ahead with unfocused eyes while her thoughts turned inwards. Well, she'd suspected it, but having confirmation at least helped her feel like she wasn't going crazy. The old man didn't seem inclined to do her any harm, and she didn't feel particularly inclined to eat misbehaving children, which was the context most of the Westernly family talked about vampires in, but she did have to admit that the onset of an unhealthy paleness, and what was looking more and more like the ability to just see in the dark, were probably natural indicators. And, of course, that other thing.

She rubbed at her throat again.

Lucy Westernly had been content to sit and stare at her new partner in demise as he went about his business, half focusing on the subtly inhuman motion and slight sounds that were the only activity in sight and half dozing with her eyes open, but when the shout went out, loud enough it felt like it could scrape the dust of the walls, she shot up like a worried hare, or someone shaken out of bed by an urgent task.

The sound of calling voices, less distinct then that initial outburst, served as a backdrop as she turned to the old man and realized she had no clue what she should have been calling him. She opened her mouth and made a few half hearted noises before getting the words out. "Ah, I just realized, we haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Lucy Westernly, a M-mason. I, uh..." She looked off to the side. "I would say 'nice to meet you', but I think it might be more accurate to wish that we'd met in better circumstances." If meeting people is still something vampires do, she prevaricated in the privacy of her own thoughts. A surprisingly helpful corner of her mind trotted out a few aunts and uncles who would have gone for the obvious 'nice to eat you' pun, and she felt herself lightening up, just a touch.

And then, ever so slightly, the ground began to tremble.

@Floom

Click to shrink...

As a voice rang out in the darkness and the ground began to rumble, Gunther ceased inspecting the two emaciated corpses, taking care to stow the book in underneath his arm.

As he stood, he turned to face the large iron door that seemingly barred his way, before abruptly replying to the oddly dressed Mason.

"Name's Gunther. And it seems that trouble is nearing."

And with that, Gunther approached the heavy iron door, and attempted to open it.

@Terrabrand

 

[always_confused]

@Ru_ @always_confused

Hugo drew close enough to the pair that he reached out to offer a handshake to the giant, though he kept his head turned to address the woman who spoke. He could sense for sure they were both Vampires, now. They had an aura of menace about them. Could humans sense it too, he wondered, or did the just unholy know itself? "You're only damned if your dead, and I say I've got a pretty good record on the up-and-up. Thirty-two and oh's pretty good." For a moment his smile wavered, "Eh, thirty-two and one ain't the worst."



It was then the ground started trembling seemingly with the force of a small earthquake. Hugo whipped himself around to face the oncoming threat, drawing his dagger on reflex, for what little good it would do, "But I think your friend just gave God another go at it. Since it looks like we've got our fight, I wouldn't mind being on the same side."

Click to shrink...

"Matthias."

The Glutton shakes the proffered hand, although his attention is taken up entirely by whatever is approaching the group.

Battle is joyous in its own for the soldier, as much as it is horrifying, but it's not just about getting into a fight and 'feeling alive' or what have you. For Matthias, the true joy is in the sensation of having a chance to engage in the martial arts once more, whether it involve bare-handed wrestling or the unsophisticated but effective melee of a life-long soldier. That was always what got his blood pumping in the old days. Learning and using techniques, ever practicing and ever mastering the many many combat arts of the battlefield. He never thought of it that way, what with only having awoken to his unlife for less than an hour, but as an immortal...he now had all the time in the world to practice, didn't he?

 

[Terrabrand]

As a voice rang out in the darkness and the ground began to rumble, Gunther ceased inspecting the two emaciated corpses, taking care to stow the book in underneath his arm.

As he stood, he turned to face the large iron door that seemingly barred his way, before abruptly replying to the oddly dressed Mason.

"Name's Gunther. And it seems that trouble is nearing."

And with that, Gunther approached the heavy iron door, and attempted to open it.

@Terrabrand

Click to shrink...

The metal doesn't budge. By mundane means or otherwise, even the superhuman strength of a Vampire isn't enough to move the object at all. One would have to go another route if one wishes to escape.

 

[Azrael]

Hugo drew close enough to the pair that he reached out to offer a handshake to the giant, though he kept his head turned to address the woman who spoke. He could sense for sure they were both Vampires, now. They had an aura of menace about them. Could humans sense it too, he wondered, or did the just unholy know itself? "You're only damned if your dead, and I say I've got a pretty good record on the up-and-up. Thirty-two and oh's pretty good." For a moment his smile wavered, "Eh, thirty-two and one ain't the worst."

Click to shrink...

If Catherine claimed to not be somewhat confused by the statement she would be lying.

They had, quite literally and his tally acknowledged, died.

And then risen as Unholy monsters to whom the majority of the local population, including any of their friends or family, would wish only death.

Damned, figuratively and literally.

"Well, if you don't have a reason to fight us, I suppose we don't either, so, what the hey. You got any idea where the way out of this place is? I'm not particularly keen on sticking around here."

Click to shrink...

"If nothing else," Catherine responded, turning to look in the direction towards the broken scaffolding she had awoken in, "we didn't see one back there. My apologies."

It was then the ground started trembling seemingly with the force of a small earthquake. Hugo whipped himself around to face the oncoming threat, drawing his dagger on reflex, for what little good it would do, "But I think your friend just gave God another go at it. Since it looks like we've got our fight, I wouldn't mind being on the same side."

Click to shrink...

"Yup, pretty sure that's our cue to leave. Either this place is about to collapse or, I dunno, there's some kind of weird necromancy flesh monster thing about to burst from somewhere, and either way that's above my pay grade. I mean, I suppose that might be a chance to test out that unnatural strength vampires are supposed to have... No. Nope, stupid plan. We're already in a rough enough spot as is, no sense courting needless danger even further."

Click to shrink...

As Catherine felt the rumbling, particularly its consistency, her stomach dropped. Or well, she felt it had. How inconvenient Vampires still had to deal with symptoms of panic.

"If its size is anything like those steps suggest, it should be some sort of Golem. There's no telling what its capable of, and it seems to be more proactive than the zombies..."

Catherine wracked her brain. If it was shoddily built, four Vampires could likely rip it apart even bare-handed with their unnatural strength, but given the cavern and their abductor's ability to kidnap hundreds, if not thousands, she held no illusions it was the work of some amateur.

Gritting her teeth, she pointed the direction all four had been headed initially.

"It galls me, but with no way of knowing where an exit is, our best chance if it comes to a fight would be to ensure we are in our top condition. For a Vampire, that means blood. I'm sure the two of you smell it as surely as we did, there is blood there. As long as we have it and that... thing, doesn't somehow kill us instantly we can try to wear it down, outmaneuver and escape it, whatever."

It really did twist her stomach into knots. Deep down, she knew she was still in denial about what had happened. If she actually drank the blood of a hodgepodge of corpses, she would prove beyond doubt she had truly become a monster.

Still, she couldn't stand it. The thought of these poor people, given some semblance of a second chance after an unimaginable tragedy, simply being torn apart by whatever war-machine that bastard had been constructing in the bowels of the earth.

The desire to render aid to others is what drove her to the Church in the first place. Now, more than even indulging in her basest nature as a Vampire, she felt that betraying that desire would be acknowledging she was nothing but a selfish monster undeserving of grace.

"So, that being said, we should make the introductions speedy. The name's Miriette."

Click to shrink...

"Catherine." She responded to the woman's introduction.

 

[KnightDisciple]

@KnightDisciple @Terrabrand

"Faaaackkkkk..." Sam groaned, making a mental note to set whatever idiot just shouted on fire at the soonest convenient moment. Reaching back, he grabbed Oliver's arm. "Alright, new plan, go north fast. Fast is good. Come on, run run run!"

Click to shrink...

Oliver had turned his head at the echoing sound of the shout. Then Sam just...panicked. Oliver started running as Sam grabbed his arm, somehow keeping pace with him as if it was a casual walk in the park.

"Wait what? What's going on? Sam, what's wrong?"

Clearly Oliver's sense of his surroundings wasn't as sharp as Sam's, and he didn't fully grasp the danger they were in. Yet.

 

[Terrabrand]

@KnightDisciple @Terrabrand

"Faaaackkkkk..." Sam groaned, making a mental note to set whatever idiot just shouted on fire at the soonest convenient moment. Reaching back, he grabbed Oliver's arm. "Alright, new plan, go north fast. Fast is good. Come on, run run run!"

Click to shrink...

Oliver had turned his head at the echoing sound of the shout. Then Sam just...panicked. Oliver started running as Sam grabbed his arm, somehow keeping pace with him as if it was a casual walk in the park.

"Wait what? What's going on? Sam, what's wrong?"

Clearly Oliver's sense of his surroundings wasn't as sharp as Sam's, and he didn't fully grasp the danger they were in. Yet.

Click to shrink...

The two eat ground quickly and Sam's sense of being utterly doomed abates somewhat as they head north, rushing past a large metal object not even noticing the pair lingering there. That pair however does see the two vampires rushing past in a hurry. As for Sam and Oliver, it takes mere seconds for them to leave the familiar in the dust, and their eyes begin to pick out the far northern wall, as well as the grand gate set within it, however dimly. A gate that may just be open, and if not, Vampiric strength may be able to fix that.

@chocolote12 @Floom

Gunther O'Dimm and Lucy Westernly see a pair of vampires run blindly past in a hurry, and could if they so choose immediately follow.

@Ru_ @always_confused

Hugo drew close enough to the pair that he reached out to offer a handshake to the giant, though he kept his head turned to address the woman who spoke. He could sense for sure they were both Vampires, now. They had an aura of menace about them. Could humans sense it too, he wondered, or did the just unholy know itself? "You're only damned if your dead, and I say I've got a pretty good record on the up-and-up. Thirty-two and oh's pretty good." For a moment his smile wavered, "Eh, thirty-two and one ain't the worst."



It was then the ground started trembling seemingly with the force of a small earthquake. Hugo whipped himself around to face the oncoming threat, drawing his dagger on reflex, for what little good it would do, "But I think your friend just gave God another go at it. Since it looks like we've got our fight, I wouldn't mind being on the same side."

Click to shrink...

Miriette simply shrugged that one off. The girl's phrasing rankled her somewhat, but hey, everyone had their own superstitions, if she wanted to get all mopey about their current predicament it was no skin off her nose. "Well, if you don't have a reason to fight us, I suppose we don't either, so, what the hey. You got any idea where the way out of this place is? I'm not particularly keen on sticking around here."

Then the ground began to shake, and she suddenly became even less keen on the prospect of remaining in this place.

"Yup, pretty sure that's our cue to leave. Either this place is about to collapse or, I dunno, there's some kind of weird necromancy flesh monster thing about to burst from somewhere, and either way that's above my pay grade. I mean, I suppose that might be a chance to test out that unnatural strength vampires are supposed to have... No. Nope, stupid plan. We're already in a rough enough spot as is, no sense courting needless danger even further."

At least now she could get a solid sizing-up on the other one. She looked pretty flimsy, in all honesty. If she didn't know she was a vampire, Miriette was pretty sure she could've snapped her in half. More importantly, the big guy definitely could, which meant that he wasn't inclined towards random hostility. Probably. It was never good to act like you could be completely certain with things like that.

"So, that being said, we should make the introductions speedy. The name's Miriette."

@Another Amoeba @always_confused

Click to shrink...

"Matthias."

The Glutton shakes the proffered hand, although his attention is taken up entirely by whatever is approaching the group.

Battle is joyous in its own for the soldier, as much as it is horrifying, but it's not just about getting into a fight and 'feeling alive' or what have you. For Matthias, the true joy is in the sensation of having a chance to engage in the martial arts once more, whether it involve bare-handed wrestling or the unsophisticated but effective melee of a life-long soldier. That was always what got his blood pumping in the old days. Learning and using techniques, ever practicing and ever mastering the many many combat arts of the battlefield. He never thought of it that way, what with only having awoken to his unlife for less than an hour, but as an immortal...he now had all the time in the world to practice, didn't he?

Click to shrink...

If Catherine claimed to not be somewhat confused by the statement she would be lying.

They had, quite literally and his tally acknowledged, died.

And then risen as Unholy monsters to whom the majority of the local population, including any of their friends or family, would wish only death.

Damned, figuratively and literally.

"If nothing else," Catherine responded, turning to look in the direction towards the broken scaffolding she had awoken in, "we didn't see one back there. My apologies."


As Catherine felt the rumbling, particularly its consistency, her stomach dropped. Or well, she felt it had. How inconvenient Vampires still had to deal with symptoms of panic.

"If its size is anything like those steps suggest, it should be some sort of Golem. There's no telling what its capable of, and it seems to be more proactive than the zombies..."

Catherine wracked her brain. If it was shoddily built, four Vampires could likely rip it apart even bare-handed with their unnatural strength, but given the cavern and their abductor's ability to kidnap hundreds, if not thousands, she held no illusions it was the work of some amateur.

Gritting her teeth, she pointed the direction all four had been headed initially.

"It galls me, but with no way of knowing where an exit is, our best chance if it comes to a fight would be to ensure we are in our top condition. For a Vampire, that means blood. I'm sure the two of you smell it as surely as we did, there is blood there. As long as we have it and that... thing, doesn't somehow kill us instantly we can try to wear it down, outmaneuver and escape it, whatever."

It really did twist her stomach into knots. Deep down, she knew she was still in denial about what had happened. If she actually drank the blood of a hodgepodge of corpses, she would prove beyond doubt she had truly become a monster.

Still, she couldn't stand it. The thought of these poor people, given some semblance of a second chance after an unimaginable tragedy, simply being torn apart by whatever war-machine that bastard had been constructing in the bowels of the earth.

The desire to render aid to others is what drove her to the Church in the first place. Now, more than even indulging in her basest nature as a Vampire, she felt that betraying that desire would be acknowledging she was nothing but a selfish monster undeserving of grace.

"Catherine." She responded to the woman's introduction.

Click to shrink...

The conversation is somewhat derailed by the sight of two clearly Vampiric figures racing away from the bodies like the dreaded Lich Ragnarok himself is on their heels, though nothing is in sight to explain it. All four catch a clear sight of the pair.

 

[SoaringHawk218]

The two eat ground quickly and Sam's sense of being utterly doomed abates somewhat as they head north, rushing past a large metal object not even noticing the pair lingering there. That pair however does see the two vampires rushing past in a hurry. As for Sam and Oliver, it takes mere seconds for them to leave the familiar in the dust, and their eyes begin to pick out the far northern wall, as well as the grand gate set within it, however dimly. A gate that may just be open, and if not, Vampiric strength may be able to fix that.

Click to shrink...

Oliver had turned his head at the echoing sound of the shout. Then Sam just...panicked. Oliver started running as Sam grabbed his arm, somehow keeping pace with him as if it was a casual walk in the park.

"Wait what? What's going on? Sam, what's wrong?"

Clearly Oliver's sense of his surroundings wasn't as sharp as Sam's, and he didn't fully grasp the danger they were in. Yet.

Click to shrink...

Sam slowed to a more sedate (though still quick by human standards) pace. "I'm not sure," he said. "But it was big, and it was in a place with enough corpses to fill a necropolis, so I doubt it's friendly. Maybe we could fight it, maybe we couldn't, but it just didn't seem worth risking it."

He paused. "Besides... I sensed that it was dangerous. I just knew that if it caught us..." he grunted, frustrated at his own inability to express himself and the utter feeling of doom still clawing at his mind.

 

[always_confused]

If Catherine claimed to not be somewhat confused by the statement she would be lying.

They had, quite literally and his tally acknowledged, died.

And then risen as Unholy monsters to whom the majority of the local population, including any of their friends or family, would wish only death.

Damned, figuratively and literally.

"If nothing else," Catherine responded, turning to look in the direction towards the broken scaffolding she had awoken in, "we didn't see one back there. My apologies."


As Catherine felt the rumbling, particularly its consistency, her stomach dropped. Or well, she felt it had. How inconvenient Vampires still had to deal with symptoms of panic.

"If its size is anything like those steps suggest, it should be some sort of Golem. There's no telling what its capable of, and it seems to be more proactive than the zombies..."

Catherine wracked her brain. If it was shoddily built, four Vampires could likely rip it apart even bare-handed with their unnatural strength, but given the cavern and their abductor's ability to kidnap hundreds, if not thousands, she held no illusions it was the work of some amateur.

Gritting her teeth, she pointed the direction all four had been headed initially.

"It galls me, but with no way of knowing where an exit is, our best chance if it comes to a fight would be to ensure we are in our top condition. For a Vampire, that means blood. I'm sure the two of you smell it as surely as we did, there is blood there. As long as we have it and that... thing, doesn't somehow kill us instantly we can try to wear it down, outmaneuver and escape it, whatever."

It really did twist her stomach into knots. Deep down, she knew she was still in denial about what had happened. If she actually drank the blood of a hodgepodge of corpses, she would prove beyond doubt she had truly become a monster.

Still, she couldn't stand it. The thought of these poor people, given some semblance of a second chance after an unimaginable tragedy, simply being torn apart by whatever war-machine that bastard had been constructing in the bowels of the earth.

The desire to render aid to others is what drove her to the Church in the first place. Now, more than even indulging in her basest nature as a Vampire, she felt that betraying that desire would be acknowledging she was nothing but a selfish monster undeserving of grace.

"Catherine." She responded to the woman's introduction.

Click to shrink...

Matthias brings a beefy hand to his chin and begins wracking his brains for ideas. Its been a good two decades since he last fought and his technique would most definitely be rusty...but he'd likely still be a better fighter than Catherine. The other two individuals he wasn't sure about. They seemed like 'rough' sort and 'Miriette' definitely spoke like many of his old mercenary mates did but he couldn't be sure. Tentatively he decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume out of the four of them, three had some experience in brawling.

"If its just the one golem, surrounding them and taking turns to attack it from all sides could work. Fighting more than one target at a time is not as easy as what drunks in bars like to claim. I have...had some experience as a soldier. I suppose I can face it while the rest of you strike at its sides. As for the blood, I don't feel particularly 'thirsty' at the moment. I say we 'save' it for the moment and th-"

And about that that time is when two other figures zoom past the quartet, their signatures identifying them easily as fellow Vampires. That and the fact they were moving at blatantly unnatural speeds.

Sam slowed to a more sedate (though still quick by human standards) pace. "I'm not sure," he said. "But it was big, and it was in a place with enough corpses to fill a necropolis, so I doubt it's friendly. Maybe we could fight it, maybe we couldn't, but it just didn't seem worth risking it."

He paused. "Besides... I sensed that it was dangerous. I just knew that if it caught us..." he grunted, frustrated at his own inability to express himself and the utter feeling of doom still clawing at his mind.

Click to shrink...

@KnightDisciple

"HO FRIENDS! it seems the smell of the sewers has taken a liking to you both! Did you catch a glimpse of what approaches us?"

 

[KnightDisciple]

The two eat ground quickly and Sam's sense of being utterly doomed abates somewhat as they head north, rushing past a large metal object not even noticing the pair lingering there. That pair however does see the two vampires rushing past in a hurry. As for Sam and Oliver, it takes mere seconds for them to leave the familiar in the dust, and their eyes begin to pick out the far northern wall, as well as the grand gate set within it, however dimly. A gate that may just be open, and if not, Vampiric strength may be able to fix that.

@chocolote12 @Floom

Click to shrink...

Sam slowed to a more sedate (though still quick by human standards) pace. "I'm not sure," he said. "But it was big, and it was in a place with enough corpses to fill a necropolis, so I doubt it's friendly. Maybe we could fight it, maybe we couldn't, but it just didn't seem worth risking it."

He paused. "Besides... I sensed that it was dangerous. I just knew that if it caught us..." he grunted, frustrated at his own inability to express himself and the utter feeling of doom still clawing at his mind.

Click to shrink...

Oliver slows down along with Sam. A small part of him thought he should be rather winded after that run; he felt zero need to breathe heavily.
Or at all.

"Hey hey it's okay. Look, I believe you even if you can't put it into words."

He gave a wry grin.

"You should see my wife when we're having late-night theology debates."

@KnightDisciple

"HO FRIENDS! it seems the smell of the sewers has taken a liking to you both! Did you catch a glimpse of what approaches us?"

Click to shrink...

His head snapped toward the yell, then looked back to Sam.

"Wait, there are others down here, what do we do?"

He tried slowing down their pace a bit more.

"I think we should at least try to talk to them, Sam."

 

[Ru_]

So. To review, so far this group had herself, Hugo, who she could trust in a scrap but was a figure notable enough in certain circles that when they got out of here is presence might cause trouble, Matthias, the big guy who talked about fighting way too formally for her to trust he would be good for more than brute strength when the chips were down, and Catherine, who, quite frankly, struck Miriette as the sort of person who had never thrown a punch in her life and would be quite annoying and whiny if someone asked her to.

Fucking terrific.

To top it all off, there was whatever the hell that rumbling was, which implied that the fighting capabilities of this gaggle was about to get tested quite soon. In a more normal situation she would dismiss the others' outlandish speculations offhand, but to be fair, this wasn't a normal situation and things were pretty outlandish around here. The general advice when a big fuck-off monster came around is 'don't be nearby when that happens', but lacking a floor plan or an exit or, really, much of anything, that wasn't the greatest strate-

Well, shit. There went two more, running off in quite a hurry. Either they were running away from something (probably the noise), or they were running towards something (hopefully an exit). Either way, that meant where they were going was where Miriette wanted to go, to. Maybe they could tail them, see what they could find out about-

"HO FRIENDS! it seems the smell of the sewers has taken a liking to you both! Did you catch a glimpse of what approaches us?"

Click to shrink...

Holy fuck that guy was loud. What the hell was his deal? Usually the big bruiser type went for more of a silent approach - intimidation by silence or what have you. And yet here this guy was, bellowing like his lungs were the east wind and speaking all half-formally as though it'd get him respect or whatever the fuck he was going for.

Well, fuck it. Subtlety had never been her bit, no sense trying to force it now. "Well, wherever they're headed, we probably want to know." She turned her heels towards the two, and began to walk purposefully towards them. Best case scenario, they give her the info she needs, they find a way out of this blasted place. Worst case, she gets to try out that unholy strength she's heard stories about.

@KnightDisciple @SoaringHawk218

 

[Another Amoeba]

Matthias brings a beefy hand to his chin and begins wracking his brains for ideas. Its been a good two decades since he last fought and his technique would most definitely be rusty...but he'd likely still be a better fighter than Catherine. The other two individuals he wasn't sure about. They seemed like 'rough' sort and 'Miriette' definitely spoke like many of his old mercenary mates did but he couldn't be sure. Tentatively he decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume out of the four of them, three had some experience in brawling.

"If its just the one golem, surrounding them and taking turns to attack it from all sides could work. Fighting more than one target at a time is not as easy as what drunks in bars like to claim. I have...had some experience as a soldier. I suppose I can face it while the rest of you strike at its sides. As for the blood, I don't feel particularly 'thirsty' at the moment. I say we 'save' it for the moment and th-"

And about that that time is when two other figures zoom past the quartet, their signatures identifying them easily as fellow Vampires. That and the fact they were moving at blatantly unnatural speeds.

Click to shrink...

The giant's plan seemed sensible on the face of it. Would the general rule of thumb that it didn't matter how strong you were if you got jumped by four or more guys still apply if vampires and a golem were thrown into the calculus? Well, it didn't matter much unless one of them had found a very small exit he didn't know about. In the end, it struck Hugo as surprisingly fair that the man who got them into this mess had just volunteered to take the brunt of the battering when it came to getting them out. "I'm good enough in a fight, and I'd reckon Miriette'd be useful even if she weren't turned." Hugo punctuated the statement by twirling his dagger about through the air, but his self-assurance failed him yet again and he admitted, "Don't know if this'll be more useful than just tearing at the thing, to be honest."

@KnightDisciple

"HO FRIENDS! it seems the smell of the sewers has taken a liking to you both! Did you catch a glimpse of what approaches us?"

Click to shrink...

If Miriette had the subtlety of a werewolf, this man had the voice of one. Hugo just wished this giant could be a little less jolly, considering the bellowing hadn't done him much good on the whole.

Hugo sized up the other two new arrivals, since they'd seemed rather determined to not stay 'arrived' for long, at least before Matthias had shouted them down. It made sense. Neither of them looked like the fighting type. Really, they looked like they should be in a counting house or eating braised beef in one of Seafang's nicer inns. At least the vampires hadn't been discriminatory about who they'd snatched up. Oakbender seemed to be moving to intercept them, but Hugo kept his focus on the oncoming threat.