everyonelives | why is it you always get to sit in the shade

What is she?

( In pain, but recovering, Ryan gets to his feet. )

Don't know. I've never tasted that before.

[She reaches a hand forward to try to grab the handle of the axe and knock it back into the owner's face (9 vs. 4), and the other woman winces in pain, before shifting to try and use Caroline's momentum to throw her over her shoulder (2 vs. 4), but Caroline manages to fight her off.]

But maybe something to do with magic? Bonnie said she felt a ritual.

["Oh, so you brought a witch too?"]

Probably magic.

( Back in it, Ryan attempts to wrest the axe away again, but mid-pull thinks it's better to knock her back in the face with the handle. (15) )

[The handle smacks backwards (2), striking her dead in the face and causing blood to leak out of her nose. It is a bit of an odd consistency, a darker red than normal human blood, but Caroline doesn't seem to be reacting adversely.

Yet.

Caroline attempts to slam her head forward into the wall (6 vs. 19), but the owner manages to hold her ground, recovering some of that power from earlier. Her eyes glow briefly for a moment before she lifts a hand and attempts to blow both Ryan and Caroline backwards (20).

Caroline goes flying (3), slamming back into the opposite wall of the hallway.]

( Ryan is still in pain, confused about what she is and is in too close proximity to do anything but be blown back down the hallway. (5). )

She has to be a witch.

( He sneers. He tries to see if there's anything recognizable, a necklace, a talisman, something that could be giving her power but (2) he's not as knowledgeable. Pulling out a pocket knife, he opens it and tries flinging it at her (15) )

["Please. I'm not that basic." The knife does land (9), and the owner snarls, before wrenching it out and shaking her head. "And I have better things to do than fight with you."

With that, in a blink, she disappears.

Caroline scrambles up onto her feet, listening for any sign of trouble, but finds nothing - at least not on this floor. She then turns and moves over to Ryan.]

You okay?

Yeah. You?

( He would retrieve the axe, but she's disappeared with it. He collects his knife, wiping the blood on his pants. )

We should find Bonnie and Isaac.

[She nods.]

Yeah. I think they were heading downstairs.

[And as they move, she will pull out her phone and send a text to Bonnie:]

Staff isn't human. Where are you?

Edited 2022-11-02 03:02 (UTC)

( Ryan follows.

Bonnie pauses, fishing her phone out of her sleep pants.

"It's Caroline."

First floor. Avoid the girl at the desk. Something is happening NOW.

[Caroline reads the text as she turns and heads towards the stairs.]

Whatever you do, avoid the receptionist. Bonnie says whatever's happening is happening now.

[And with that, she turns to head downstairs to meet up with the other two.]

( Nat (20) to avoid the receptionist.

"It's warm." She tries to determine what she should do. "Caroline says the staff here isn't human. I feel magic, but I don't feel witches. What are they doing?" )

[Aww they match (20). ~Romance~

The receptionist clearly thinks the problem is solved (3) and doesn't stand a chance against their super vampire stealth. And as the two of them arrive at the door, Isaac raises an eyebrow.]

How not human are we talking?

["Not sure. But their blood didn't taste like human blood or witch blood - but it also wasn't gross like some non-humans can be."]

( And bloodshed. )

What if they're not human because they're not human?

( Well, everyone blinks at that. )

What if they were made. What if whatever is in there is powerful enough to make them.

( "That wouldn't be basic," Ryan says. )

["No, that wouldn't. But whatever this is, we need to stop it. Now."

Isaac nods, before looking down at the door.]

Are we trying to recon first, or are we just trying to move as fast as possible?

We don't know what's in there, but whatever it is, we can't let it finish.

( She decides. )

Let's hit them fast.

Okay. Let's do this.

[And with that, we go into initiative as Isaac opens the door, revealing a staircase. Oddly colored lights pulse from the bottom and they can hear chanting and the familiar pulse of magic from where they stand.

Bonnie (18)
Caroline (16)
Isaac (11)
Baddies (10)
Ryan (1)]

Phasmatos silentium.

( She attempts to cast a spell to silence their steps, but the chanting, the magic already there and her wavering intent backfire. Instead of her and the others' steps quieting, they reverberate and echo as if they were running down a metal stairwell in an office building.

So much for getting the drop on them. )

[It does, but it is enough to distract from the chanting. Two heads snap to the sounds of footsteps on the stairs, and as a result, Caroline is able to zip down and get a better look at the room. There are three witches total, one the owner of the B&B who axed Caroline in the back, in addition to what looks like a large stone construct - the big guy Ryan saw earlier in the evening moving the luggage.

In the middle of the room looks to be some kind of ritual sacrifice, sigils carved into the floor and stained with old blood. Two bodies are dangling over the pit, blood draining into the glowing lines. Isaac is not far behind her, and as he scans the scene:

"I've got the big one."]

Works for me.

[Caroline zips forward to the first witch she can grab (15 vs. 4) and decks her hard across the face.

Isaac ducks around the second witch, launching himself off the wall and trying to full on tackle the construct (14 vs. 5). It seems like at first that he's hitting a brick wall, but the wolf had enough momentum that the construct does take a slight step backwards.

The witches rev up their magic, Witch 1, the one Caroline's tangling with, raising her hands for a telekinetic neck snap (14 vs. 20) but Caroline snaps forward with a headbutt, breaking her concentration. Witch 2 aims for Bonnie raising a hand to blow her backwards (18).

The owner starts lifting her hands, bringing up a shimmering of magic to shield herself from outside attacks.

In the meantime, the construct brings his heavy fists down on Isaac (3 vs. 14) but Isaac is too fast, darting neatly out of the way.]

( Bonnie is unable to escape the blowback, the amplification of all sounds has overwhelmed a witch who was never anything but, and she flies back into the wall.

Ryan attempts to sweep Witch 2's feet from under her (16) and Bonnie tries to light the construct (but not Isaac!) on fire. "Incendia!" she yells as she flings her arm. (4) )

[Caroline rounds on Witch 1 again (10 vs. 12), but the witch manages to catch wise and dodge the blow. The construct somehow manages to dodge the flames (13), but Isaac slashes down with his claws, drying to find a place of give (2 vs. 3), but his claws spark and glint off the stone.

Witch 1 attempts to grab hold of Caroline's arm (1 vs. 11), but Caroline slips free before she can cast the spell. Witch 2 goes down hard when Ryan comes after her (5), but she extends her arm to try and cast her own fireball in the vampire's direction (15).

Owner mutters another spell under her breath and attempts to erect a barrier between Bonnie and the rest of the group (18). The construct attempts to slam at Isaac again (18 vs. 9), and Isaac grunts as the wind is knocked out of him.]

( Ryan goes flat and the fireball flies past him (18). Bonnie attempts to outrun the barrier spell but a (15) isn't enough. She was flown too far back and she's out until she can bring down the barrier.

Ryan attempts to wrap his legs around Witch 2 while covering her mouth (17). Can't chant if your mouth is covered.

Holding her hands up, Bonnie tries to overpower the barrier with magic so that it and the owner's spell to shield her from magic will be tested. Ideally, she'd love to bring them both down, but even defeating one would be a win.

... (Nat 1) )

[The owner can't help but smirk. "It's just not your night, is it sweetheart? Don't worry. After we take out these beasts, we can have a little chat."

Caroline goes for her witch again (12 vs. 13), and still she manages to illude her. Caroline gives a frustrated huff.]

Stay ... still!

[Isaac recovers, trying to slam his fist into the stone structure, and it does not go well for him (10 vs. 17).

Witch 1 claws at Caroline with a frustrated cry (17 vs 1), and she summons fire that sends Caroline back screaming, her vampire instincts going into a frenzy as she tries to get the fire off. Witch 2 breaks Ryan's pin (18), and attempts to do the same, slamming a flaming hand down into his chest (15).

The construct attempts to slam into Isaac again (4 vs. 7) and Isaac manages to dodge this one, pushing him closer to the owner. Owner reaches out, now that there's some security in place, and tries to take control of the werewolf (3 vs. 9), but she has to touch him and Isaac manages to step out of her reach, but now she's got his attention.]

( Ryan is too close, and has gripped onto Witch 2 that her flaming hand slams into his chest hard. He's burned and it hurts but it gives him the best chance and taking her arm and breaking it outright. Burned, and in pain, he tries his best (8).

Bonnie thinks... and pulls out her phone, putting it on speaker. This is middle of the night so Freya is hopefully on her way to Baltimore if we're following the timeline right.

This is her action this turn. )

[Freya answers, a smile entering her voice. "Bonnie Bennett. What can I do for you?"

Caroline is still freaking out, but manages to regain enough of herself to stop drop and roll, doing her best to put out the flames (17), when she finishes smoking out, her eyes fix angrily on the witch that set her on fire.

Isaac turns his attention to the witch behind the barrier, and brings out his claws to try and get past it. If she can touch him maybe he can touch her (13 vs. 19). Claws spark against the barrier but he can see the flicker of fear on his face that he tried.

Witch 1 tries to come at Care again to finish her off (4 vs. 12), but Caroline is faster and angrier, and she sinks her teeth into the witch's neck to try and help herself heal.

Witch 2 manages to yank her arm back before he can break it (15), before lifting said arm to try and snap his neck (10).

Construct tries to strike Isaac again (3 vs. 12), but the werewolf deftly dodges out of the way. Then the owner reaches out to try again (7 vs. 17), but Isaac is not about to be turned into her werewolf puppet.]

Nice try. But no.

( Sorry, Freya, this call probably sounds like she's in a wind tunnel, but, that's a backfired spell for you. She yells anyway. )

I need to bring down a barrier. Preferably in a way that might nullify any magic connected to said barrier.

( Ryan snaps his head back, but just barely (12), and he tries an elbow to the ribs next: (17).

Bonnie, meanwhile, is waiting on Frey's input for her own turn.(

Edited 2022-11-07 03:29 (UTC)

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