Raising a Monster
- Thread starter LinkOnScepter
- Start date
- Original
Ghostdevil
The Devil of Ghosts
- Location
- United States
Even if you don't continue this, your alert let me find the quest.
LinkOnScepter
The One who Strangles Concepts to death
- Location
- Interwebs
Thanks. I shall endeavor to do so.
The Assault Part 2
LinkOnScepter
The One who Strangles Concepts to death
- Location
- Interwebs
You sit on your knees in front of a circle of white chalk on the living room floor. Your eyes are closed and breathing even as you meditate. You keep your heart rate at an even pace…though it's mostly to remind you when to breath.
After all, you are Anastasia Craft.
You can do literally anything if you put your mind to it.
That's not hubris, that's a fact.
Within your mind's eye you see six bright dots against the pitch-black backdrop. A cluster of stars deep within the unloving blackness that is the night sky. You chuckle inwardly at the fitting imagery. You came from the stars, after all. They are what fill the eyes of the form you have chosen to look out upon the world. They are where you have come from, and where you will eventually return to.
But today, you must focus on these lights. You've assigned each a different color and shape to better understand the situation from your bird's eye view. Chester and his family are light blue diamonds that tend to prowl the edge of your vision. Ms. Rivauld is a yellow triangle who sticks by the remaining star like a conjoined twin.
And your dear, precious, fool of a father is the only actual, shining white star on the mental map of the building. That isn't because you're playing favorites, it's just the easiest way to make him out of the group. Especially considering that your mental map is mostly white lines.
You had memorized the layout of the blueprints more times than you could count. As of now, you have created a 2D model of Crossroads with 100% accuracy. Everything down to the hidden locker in the janitor's closet is outlined in white squares. Most of the rooms were empty, with any other remaining living person in the lower levels of the Academy. You had chosen to indicate them using a dark, purple circle due to how most cults around the time you came into being had something of a…what was the word? Fetish? You believe that is it, for that color.
However, the one exiting the room your father is watching doesn't match those criteria. You can tell he isn't a cultist with a cursory look through his mind. It doesn't have the same mental barriers as those who follow the Eldritch…but there is something there and it feels familiar. You wish you had time to observe them more, but you can't. Your father is counting on you to get them through this haphazard plan of theirs'. You mark the new signature with a red rhombus to indicate an unknown variable. Your father has the same idea, as it moves past everyone without glancing in their direction. It has a definite destination, but you remove it from your mind once it leaves the immediate area.
And the moment you do, you see what's wrong.
Two purple dots are making their way to the first level of Crossroads.
Your concentration wavers a bit as the cultist make their way into the halls. If they find out where father and the others are, the entire team would be discovered and the alarms raised. A reach into their minds finds several locks already being formed by your adversary. They are fast, creative, and know how to stonewall your progress. However, you've been able to find one small vulnerability. You won't be able to make them turn back and directing them to another part of the building is out of the question. Their patron would inform them of your intrusion and your mission would be jeopardized anyway.
The only course you can think of…is to let one of the teams get discovered. If that happened, the team could defeat the cultist before they could report to their master or could at least keep them occupied while the other team went after the patron itself.
You do not like that option.
Because the logical course of action would be to let your father get caught.
The Harrowmonts are the ones with the most experience in these matters. If they went below, they could certainly destroy the patron and be done with it. Their powers and knowledge would be a deadly combination, that few could possibly stand against
…But…but father would be in danger.
The two circles are in the hallway with the teams now. Both are converging on one position to meet up. The cultists are heading the same way.
You…you…
You sigh deeply, before deciding and directing them toward one team.
Here is where the plan fell apart.
Well, partially anyway.
It wasn't as much of a problem as it could have been, thanks to the Harrowmonts' actions.
When you and Olly rounded the last corner before you would have a straight shot to Barton's, you almost ran into two purple robed figures. The one on the left only had a plain, solid purple, while the other's was more intricate with black sequins inlaid in the image of a bleeding hand. You and Olly skidded to a stop to avoid crashing into them. It wasn't until you saw one raise his arm that you noticed he had his back to you.
Before you could question why the left one shouted the answer…
Going Deeper
Team Craft: 63(Howard) + 83(Olly) + 20(Creature of Darkness) – 26 (???) + 13 (???) + 30 (real information) – 45 (Five Cultist) + 15 (Teachers) + 88 (Ana Support) = 241
Team Harrow: 90 (Volk, Bar, Mae) + 92 (Chester) + 15 (Werewolf Bodies) + 10 (Young Werewolf Body) – 45 (Five Cultist) + 30 (Real Information) = 192
Cult and ???: 97 (Cultist) + 45 (Five Cultist Left) + 15 (???) + 26 (???) + 65 (???) - 10 (Ana Far Range Interference) - 15 (Sneaking) = 223
"Infidels! Sound the—" Chester slammed into his head before he could finish. The boy snarled and clawed away at the cultist, who kept trying to swat the child off his face.
His partner tried to turn to help, but the rest of the family jumped onto him. Barbara held his arms to his back, while Maeve slid in and took his feet from under him. Then Volkar, snarling like a maniac, slammed the man into the ground by his torso. He held him down as the human's body started to convulse. You could smell something acrid again this time like burning asphalt mixed with bleach. Smoke began to rise from the man who Volkar kept on the ground like his life depended on it.
He turned towards you with something wild in his eyes. Without a word, he tossed something to you underhanded. You fumbled with it before securing it in your palms. The werewolf nodded down the hall towards your destination. Before you could protest, Olly grabbed you by the shoulder and started running towards Barton's. The sound of fighting slowly gets quieter until you have crossed the threshold between the school and the daycare.
Olly stops while you quickly examine your surroundings, looking for any other occupant. Thankfully, those two were the only ones to come out. You breathe a sigh of relief while Olly starts to check the walls. While she does that you look at what Volkar gave you.
In your hands is…another amulet. It…looks almost exactly like the one he gave you before, but…you can tell this one has a different purpose. You can feel something…coming off it. And it has the same imagery as the inlaid robe wearing cultist had. The black stone it's made of is smooth to the touch and you spend a few seconds just turning it over in your hands.
Olly's voice breaks you from your reprieve, "So, got a new plan?"
"Huh?" you start, shoving the amulet in your pocket.
The lamia continues, "Your plan kind of failed, Howard."
"Only partially," you retort, cursing yourself for sounding like one of the children you teach, "the rest of them still don't know we're here."
"But for how long?" is the reply that you can't answer back to. She feels her way around a wall, stretching higher than you think her human form should be able to, before moving on to the next one, "We may have their plans and names, but we don't have any clue how they work. They don't have a mental connection, that's obvious from how one tried to scream a warning to the others. But what do we do when those two don't come back for a long time? They'll know something's up and come running. We still have the element of surprise, but not for long."
You hate it when people make good arguments against you. Stops you from thinking up any kind of comeback. You know that everything she says is right, but right now you're just trying to get everything sorted out. Your head starts looking at the floor as you try to think of a way forward, but nothing comes to you.
That is until Olly walks over and lifts your chin up with a single finger. She smiles at you and says, "No need to get discouraged, Howard. Your plan got us this far, and Volkar must trust you if he gave you that amulet.
She points towards the hand with the object in question, "I don't know what it does, but it must be something bad to whatever's below our school. We just have to get it there. So, Mr. Craft, what's your plan?"
You nod, encouraged by Olly's speech, finally coming up with your next course of action.
[] "We stick to the plan. Use the element of surprise we still have left and get to the Eldritch Monster. The Harrowmonts should meet up with us at some point. Just gotta have faith in them."
[] "We wait here for the Harrowmonts. They'll probably be mad and we'll lose the element of surprise. But they're the Eldritch Slaying Werewolves here. If we go in now, we'll probably be killed."
[] "Remember what I said? Plan Silent Rat failed. It's time for Plan Assault. Let's go kick some cultist ass."
[] Write in….
Welp, looks like I'm back at it.
After all, you are Anastasia Craft.
You can do literally anything if you put your mind to it.
That's not hubris, that's a fact.
Within your mind's eye you see six bright dots against the pitch-black backdrop. A cluster of stars deep within the unloving blackness that is the night sky. You chuckle inwardly at the fitting imagery. You came from the stars, after all. They are what fill the eyes of the form you have chosen to look out upon the world. They are where you have come from, and where you will eventually return to.
But today, you must focus on these lights. You've assigned each a different color and shape to better understand the situation from your bird's eye view. Chester and his family are light blue diamonds that tend to prowl the edge of your vision. Ms. Rivauld is a yellow triangle who sticks by the remaining star like a conjoined twin.
And your dear, precious, fool of a father is the only actual, shining white star on the mental map of the building. That isn't because you're playing favorites, it's just the easiest way to make him out of the group. Especially considering that your mental map is mostly white lines.
You had memorized the layout of the blueprints more times than you could count. As of now, you have created a 2D model of Crossroads with 100% accuracy. Everything down to the hidden locker in the janitor's closet is outlined in white squares. Most of the rooms were empty, with any other remaining living person in the lower levels of the Academy. You had chosen to indicate them using a dark, purple circle due to how most cults around the time you came into being had something of a…what was the word? Fetish? You believe that is it, for that color.
However, the one exiting the room your father is watching doesn't match those criteria. You can tell he isn't a cultist with a cursory look through his mind. It doesn't have the same mental barriers as those who follow the Eldritch…but there is something there and it feels familiar. You wish you had time to observe them more, but you can't. Your father is counting on you to get them through this haphazard plan of theirs'. You mark the new signature with a red rhombus to indicate an unknown variable. Your father has the same idea, as it moves past everyone without glancing in their direction. It has a definite destination, but you remove it from your mind once it leaves the immediate area.
And the moment you do, you see what's wrong.
Two purple dots are making their way to the first level of Crossroads.
Your concentration wavers a bit as the cultist make their way into the halls. If they find out where father and the others are, the entire team would be discovered and the alarms raised. A reach into their minds finds several locks already being formed by your adversary. They are fast, creative, and know how to stonewall your progress. However, you've been able to find one small vulnerability. You won't be able to make them turn back and directing them to another part of the building is out of the question. Their patron would inform them of your intrusion and your mission would be jeopardized anyway.
The only course you can think of…is to let one of the teams get discovered. If that happened, the team could defeat the cultist before they could report to their master or could at least keep them occupied while the other team went after the patron itself.
You do not like that option.
Because the logical course of action would be to let your father get caught.
The Harrowmonts are the ones with the most experience in these matters. If they went below, they could certainly destroy the patron and be done with it. Their powers and knowledge would be a deadly combination, that few could possibly stand against
…But…but father would be in danger.
The two circles are in the hallway with the teams now. Both are converging on one position to meet up. The cultists are heading the same way.
You…you…
You sigh deeply, before deciding and directing them toward one team.
Here is where the plan fell apart.
Well, partially anyway.
It wasn't as much of a problem as it could have been, thanks to the Harrowmonts' actions.
When you and Olly rounded the last corner before you would have a straight shot to Barton's, you almost ran into two purple robed figures. The one on the left only had a plain, solid purple, while the other's was more intricate with black sequins inlaid in the image of a bleeding hand. You and Olly skidded to a stop to avoid crashing into them. It wasn't until you saw one raise his arm that you noticed he had his back to you.
Before you could question why the left one shouted the answer…
Going Deeper
Team Craft: 63(Howard) + 83(Olly) + 20(Creature of Darkness) – 26 (???) + 13 (???) + 30 (real information) – 45 (Five Cultist) + 15 (Teachers) + 88 (Ana Support) = 241
Team Harrow: 90 (Volk, Bar, Mae) + 92 (Chester) + 15 (Werewolf Bodies) + 10 (Young Werewolf Body) – 45 (Five Cultist) + 30 (Real Information) = 192
Cult and ???: 97 (Cultist) + 45 (Five Cultist Left) + 15 (???) + 26 (???) + 65 (???) - 10 (Ana Far Range Interference) - 15 (Sneaking) = 223
"Infidels! Sound the—" Chester slammed into his head before he could finish. The boy snarled and clawed away at the cultist, who kept trying to swat the child off his face.
His partner tried to turn to help, but the rest of the family jumped onto him. Barbara held his arms to his back, while Maeve slid in and took his feet from under him. Then Volkar, snarling like a maniac, slammed the man into the ground by his torso. He held him down as the human's body started to convulse. You could smell something acrid again this time like burning asphalt mixed with bleach. Smoke began to rise from the man who Volkar kept on the ground like his life depended on it.
He turned towards you with something wild in his eyes. Without a word, he tossed something to you underhanded. You fumbled with it before securing it in your palms. The werewolf nodded down the hall towards your destination. Before you could protest, Olly grabbed you by the shoulder and started running towards Barton's. The sound of fighting slowly gets quieter until you have crossed the threshold between the school and the daycare.
Olly stops while you quickly examine your surroundings, looking for any other occupant. Thankfully, those two were the only ones to come out. You breathe a sigh of relief while Olly starts to check the walls. While she does that you look at what Volkar gave you.
In your hands is…another amulet. It…looks almost exactly like the one he gave you before, but…you can tell this one has a different purpose. You can feel something…coming off it. And it has the same imagery as the inlaid robe wearing cultist had. The black stone it's made of is smooth to the touch and you spend a few seconds just turning it over in your hands.
Olly's voice breaks you from your reprieve, "So, got a new plan?"
"Huh?" you start, shoving the amulet in your pocket.
The lamia continues, "Your plan kind of failed, Howard."
"Only partially," you retort, cursing yourself for sounding like one of the children you teach, "the rest of them still don't know we're here."
"But for how long?" is the reply that you can't answer back to. She feels her way around a wall, stretching higher than you think her human form should be able to, before moving on to the next one, "We may have their plans and names, but we don't have any clue how they work. They don't have a mental connection, that's obvious from how one tried to scream a warning to the others. But what do we do when those two don't come back for a long time? They'll know something's up and come running. We still have the element of surprise, but not for long."
You hate it when people make good arguments against you. Stops you from thinking up any kind of comeback. You know that everything she says is right, but right now you're just trying to get everything sorted out. Your head starts looking at the floor as you try to think of a way forward, but nothing comes to you.
That is until Olly walks over and lifts your chin up with a single finger. She smiles at you and says, "No need to get discouraged, Howard. Your plan got us this far, and Volkar must trust you if he gave you that amulet.
She points towards the hand with the object in question, "I don't know what it does, but it must be something bad to whatever's below our school. We just have to get it there. So, Mr. Craft, what's your plan?"
You nod, encouraged by Olly's speech, finally coming up with your next course of action.
[] "We stick to the plan. Use the element of surprise we still have left and get to the Eldritch Monster. The Harrowmonts should meet up with us at some point. Just gotta have faith in them."
[] "We wait here for the Harrowmonts. They'll probably be mad and we'll lose the element of surprise. But they're the Eldritch Slaying Werewolves here. If we go in now, we'll probably be killed."
[] "Remember what I said? Plan Silent Rat failed. It's time for Plan Assault. Let's go kick some cultist ass."
[] Write in….
Welp, looks like I'm back at it.
Last edited:
Ghostdevil
The Devil of Ghosts
- Location
- United States
[X] "We stick to the plan. Use the element of surprise we still have left and get to the Eldritch Monster. The Harrowmonts should meet up with us at some point. Just gotta have faith in them."
Believe in our friends!
The One true method of defeat the Eldritch
THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP AND FAITH!
Believe in our friends!
The One true method of defeat the Eldritch
THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP AND FAITH!
- Location
- United States
[X] "We stick to the plan. Use the element of surprise we still have left and get to the Eldritch Monster. The Harrowmonts should meet up with us at some point. Just gotta have faith in them."
kinigget
Best Demon
- Location
- People's Republic of Portland
[X] "We stick to the plan. Use the element of surprise we still have left and get to the Eldritch Monster. The Harrowmonts should meet up with us at some point. Just gotta have faith in them."
Adjustments to the plan aside, I value speed over pretty much all else. We can still do this
Adjustments to the plan aside, I value speed over pretty much all else. We can still do this
JustinTim3
Lost soul of Ashes
- Location
- iowa
[X] "We stick to the plan. Use the element of surprise we still have left and get to the Eldritch Monster. The Harrowmonts should meet up with us at some point. Just gotta have faith in them."
- Location
- U.S.A.
[X] "We stick to the plan. Use the element of surprise we still have left and get to the Eldritch Monster. The Harrowmonts should meet up with us at some point. Just gotta have faith in them."
globalwarmth
ruining the weather.
- Location
- Polar ice caps
[X] "We stick to the plan. Use the element of surprise we still have left and get to the Eldritch Monster. The Harrowmonts should meet up with us at some point. Just gotta have faith in them."
- Location
- Fabulously Rainbow Ireland
[X] "We stick to the plan. Use the element of surprise we still have left and get to the Eldritch Monster. The Harrowmonts should meet up with us at some point. Just gotta have faith in them."
Yessssssss I always enjoyed how we basically set a baby Outer Goddess on the path to becoming a protector goddess of humanity via being an awesome dad
Yessssssss I always enjoyed how we basically set a baby Outer Goddess on the path to becoming a protector goddess of humanity via being an awesome dad
LinkOnScepter
The One who Strangles Concepts to death
- Location
- Interwebs
Stick to the plan.
LinkOnScepter
The One who Strangles Concepts to death
- Location
- Interwebs
Rolls Results:
Howard:
Volk, Maeve, and Barb:
Chester:
Ana Support:
Olly:
???:
Cultist:
???:
Howard:
Volk, Maeve, and Barb:
Chester:
Ana Support:
Olly:
???:
Cultist:
???:
