HONEY, WE’VE GOT VISITORSSa-Hareth-brand
Cassandra tries to flag the future, gets left on read.
True story — and then, the dead come.
His offer neglected, a desperate Unhalad resorts to sieging the farmhouse in search for the mirror
that was previously on the Imperious.
He’s in for disappointment, while the party prepare for... house guests over the
early-morning 16 June to 17 June period.
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Around 3:30am (16 June) of a storming night, those who are awake or sensitive to the supernatural may hear the winds and fleeing rats whisper that something comes.
At 3:45am, Karsa’s wards around the farmhouse set off, briefly shrieking. Within minutes, Unhalad’s undead infiltrate the farmhouse, with one slight creature first entering down the kitchen chimney.
A small faction of undead remain on the roof, while a swarming majority circle the farmhouse. Throughout the night, they attempt to break in through doors and windows, making slow progress. They are warier of the forest-facing back entrances.
The attackers comprise droves of undead, some clearly only recently converted in haste. They are weaker for it. |
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Over time, the undead drip into the farmhouse. They lack the coordination for a concerted effort. Attempting to exit within the first three hours of the siege will prove disastrous, as too many undead wait outside.
The undead will seek a mirror, being first and foremost drawn to Winnie, who carries a similar item on her person. Fox and Five will also be of interest. Fox can escape attention by discarding the shards.
Any character that was bound to Anurr’s tree still bears the lingering marks of Anurr’s undeath is especially perceived as an enemy. Regulus enjoys the same treatment, given his extensive recent stay with the free people.
The undead will savagely wreck the house in their hunt, striving to kill those in their path. They can be slain regularly. The older, "properly" summoned undead (identifiable because of their clear state of rotting) should be incinerated or severely amputated to avoid further resurrection.
Because of the overwhelming number of undead, it is best to keep lean, mean and mobile within the house.
Karsa joins the farmhouse around 6am. She’ll teleport in, but the density of undead outside will prevent her from teleporting out safely. Alongside three party volunteers, she reinforces some of the wards, decelerating the advance of the undead. Her group will also throw away any of Unhalad’s markings (salt and ash) out of the house and into the inner garden pond. |
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Come sunset (16 June) Unhalad himself will ride outside of the farmhouse, holding distant vigil over the hostilities with his retinue. On his arrival, unbound farmhouse animals will flee into the forest.
Unhalad will be recognisable because of the immensity of raw power he emanates — a feeling of great and overwhelming despair and hunger.
Options to evacuate the chaos include sneaking out, fighting the undead, calling on reinforcements from any local allies, or holding position until around 8am of 17 June, when Unhalad’s last-minute forces start to disintegrate because of the haste in which they were summoned.
The minority of Unhalad’s forces that were summoned back alive with the appropriate diligence will not break down and will need to be banished.
The free people will not intervene, unless they are called in. |
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If you’ve made it this far into Sa-Hareth’s worst hazing ritual, congratulations. A few more days of crud to go.
Over the next few days before the 21-22 June departure, characters will have to make do with their shattered lodgings and dearth of supplies, or can seek sanctuary back in Sa-Hareth. Any money spent on accommodations will have to come out of the travel fund. You're on your own, kids.
The animals can return from the forest, and the free people might spare some food and water, gifted to those who stood out during Anurr’s trials. The Anurr cultists of Sa-Hareth could also part with a few provisions for their good friends, Xie Lian and Xiao Xingchen.
To opt out of the event, have characters out of the house on the night of the siege. It will be difficult to re-enter. The OOC plotting floor is yours! |
FARMHOUSE LAYOUT
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westwhere2021-06-14 07:23 pm
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Just as the rough edge of Petunia’s voice calling her a freak had softened to a dull subconscious scrape Lily began to doze off where she sat at the table in the kitchen, a mug of tea cooling before her. Nearly every night that wind had found a way to get under her skin, and when the rolling, distasteful narrative it provided changed so drastically the shift was enough to rouse her from that delicate nearly-sleeping state. ’ Something comes’ - the hiss of it on the wind made her skin crawl, and the unmistakable sound of the rats, scampering along the floorboards in the dark recesses of the house only further cemented the prickling sense of anxious dread that had begun to sweep over her.
After casting a wary glance around the kitchen, her drowsiness momentarily abated Lily began to collect her things, taking her larger bag and stuffing it into an improbably small zippered pouch that in better times served as a vessel for the typical cosmetic odds and ends of an eighteen-year-old girl. It was too quiet to be comfortable staying still any longer, and she was well on her way to heading to one of the storage barns, resolving to channel this sudden surge of concern into practice.
Until the wards broke with a shriek and Lily’s anxiety bloomed into fresh, roaring fear.
Not bothering to linger for a moment longer inside the kitchen she took off like a shot, wand in hand, slamming on doors as she ran by, shouting as loudly as she could that something was coming in the hopes that it would be enough to rouse as many of the others as possible.
1b) It’s not, not a buddy cop movie (For Regulus)
They had agreed to watch each other’s backs, and it was a promise that Lily intended to make good on. Their alliance had proven useful already, and while he certainly would not have been her first choice for it, any familiar face in a place as strange and hostile as this one was a good thing.
Which was why the moment things had begun to go south she had taken off through the house towards his room, hoping to make it to him and alert him before whatever danger headed their way did the work for her.
She found him already engaged with the undead, and while part of her wanted to be stunned to the point of inaction by the sight there was no time to dither.
From behind Regulus Lily sent a Leg-Locker Curse soaring past his shoulder, immobilizing the undead in front of him. Moving quickly to get beside him Lily’s wand sent out a jet of red light, as a well-aimed Severing Charm sliced through another of the undead.
2) Even in the fray, manners matter
“Bombarda!” Her voice was loud and followed by a flash of white light and the subsequent explosion, one of the undead taking the hit right in the face, its head exploding as it toppled to the ground, exposing the one behind it to the Severing Charm she had become so fond of that evening.
No matter how many of the things she’d taken down already Lily couldn’t help but wince. “Sorry!” Decapitation was so rude. She wasn’t sorry she’d taken the thing down, but she was sorry she had to be so heavy-handed and uncouth about it.
Spotting another from the group Lily changed course, fighting her way to where they stood, sending spells left and right, working hard to keep the undead back.
“Are you alright?”
2b) Support Network (un: any fin is possible, voice)
[ Managing to stay mobile has been a blessing, though it’s clear from the rushed, breathless tone to her voice that it hasn’t been an easy task at all.
Still, Lily wouldn’t be Lily if she wasn’t trying her best - even in the thick of battle - to help everyone else around her too. ]
Can anyone hear me? Do you need help?
[ She only had enough time for a quick message, darting into one of the ruined bedrooms to use the quartz before she was on the move once again, listening for a reply. ]
3) The Aftermath
When the adrenaline had drained away exhaustion was quick to replace it, leaving Lily slouched against one of the exterior walls of the farm. She looked like hell, blood drying at her temple and her clothes more torn and singed than they had been before everything had gone spectacularly to pieces for what had to have been over a day of utter bedlam.
While Regulus had given her more than ample reason to question him throughout this ordeal - Fiendfyre, of all things - she continued to keep watch over him, propping him up against the same wall keeping her on her feet. In a pinch, he could just join her possessions in the makeup bag hidden inside her shirt, tucked securely into the top of her jeans.
Lily still hadn’t loosened her grip on her wand - nor would she for a good while. The farm was in pieces and though she desperately needed to rest, there was still work to be done.
It could wait a moment, it would have to wait a moment At present Lily could do nothing but stay right where she was, arms crossed as she bent slightly, trying to compose herself and recover enough to press on through the mess around her.
4) Wildcard!
[ prose or brackets is fabulous with me. feel free to come at me with anything that doesn’t fall under the above. lily’s here to kick ass and help out (she’s got a bag that can fit a person and she’s down to transfigure things into weapons). hit up my comment in the event plotting post, or get at me on plurk or via pm if you want to suss anything out. ]
2b
We're running out of water in the study- where we're treating the wounded. Can anyone..?
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I hear you, I'm coming.
[ Making water out of nothing was easy, getting to the study would be tricky alone, and the stretch of time between when Lily last sent a message and when she tumbled through the study door served as evidence to that.
Unkempt and a little roughed up she quickly moved to Eleven, wand in hand. ]
Where do you need the water?
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Eleven's eyes immediately scan over Lily when she enters- at first worried, then relieved. His sleeves are rolled up to the elbow and his bangs are tied back, though steadily escaping. He isn't in his element and the scattered state of the room and his person is a testament to that, but it's just as clear that he's giving it everything.
He nods over to a standing barrel, where the water is so low that bending in to reach it would be quite a task.]
Anything you can manage would be a great help. If you need it moved, I can send Hendrik with you.
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With a brusque nod Lily started towards the barrel before she stopped herself, reaching out to rest a hand on Eleven's arm, meeting his eye. ]
We're going to get through this.
[ Lily didn't know if they would or not, she didn't want to think about what failure would mean, and chose instead to throw herself into the fray, surging ahead instead of lingering on the dismal prospect of failure. She said it because she had the sense that he needed to hear it, and because voicing it aloud made it feel more concrete and plausible. ]
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Eleven nodded and breathed a careful sigh.]
Yes, we will. Thank you.
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I'll sort the water, then I'm making you a cup of tea.
[ It was not an offer. Lily likely couldn't linger long here but she would stay long enough to allow Eleven to catch his breath and have a cup of tea. Without Potion making supplies she was useless when it came to healing, beyond the basic first aid sorts of charms she learned in school. To her, it seemed as though Eleven was the one doing the work that would keep them all going, and she wanted to help him however she could. It would help her focus on the fight ahead, knowing that the wounded had somewhere to go.
Aiming the tip of her wand at the barrel's opening she fell silent, focusing as a jet of clean water began to flow from her wand into the container. ]
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1b
He didn't stop for pleasantries, he simply returned his focus on the undead scrambling after him- now them. The crowd had been bigger before Lily had shown up but these last five had been creeping ever so much closer while Regulus tried to take them out one by one while also not lighting the whole building on fire.
Angry blue light shot out of his wand at the leg-locked undead, turning it to nothing more than dust.
If only they had more room and fewer chances of incidental casualties.
But Regulus sent another flash of blue at the undead behind the one he just decimated bringing their count down to just two now.
"Good evening," he finally said, voice a bit breathless. "They're crawling all over the farmhouse, aren't they?" It was the most logical reason Lily would know to come find him. It's that or she'd taken to running mad around the farmhouse hexing random people and that didn't seem like Lily.
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"Oh pardon," she said almost apologetically as the still slowed pieces of undead thudded unpleasantly to the ground. The carp had told her the only way to help the undead was to cull them, but it was still a ghastly business made all the more unpleasant by a gruesome death.
"They came within minutes of the wards breaking," she answered. "We can't get stuck in this room. We should find who we can and help them."
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"Did you just apologize to the undead whose head you exploded?"
wheeze
"It was still a person once Regulus. I know the carp said that there's no other alternative for them, but that's not a reason to be utterly gross about it."
Patting her clothing she looked towards the door expectantly. "Ready? We could try a locking charm on your door, I don't know how long it will hold for but it's better than leaving them with an easy way inside."
Re: wheeze
"They're... dead," he said, as if he was stating the obvious. "They no longer have individual identities. It's like- it's like you're apologizing to Unhalad."
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From somewhere in the house another window broke and Lily's grip on her wand tightened. "Now, if I promise to debate morals and ethics with you as soon as we're on the other side of this will you please be so kind as to hold up your end of the bargain and watch my back?"
Lily looked over at Regulus and raised her eyebrows before looking swiftly out into the hallway and exiting, waving him after her. The sound of the intruders was becoming unmistakable, and the noise was growing closer.
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3
[That would be a pretty recognizable voice.
Xie Lian is... well, he's covered in blood and innards and unsavory bits, because he's been fighting with his bare hands and he needs to clan up still, but apart from that, he looks unhurt.]
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[ Standing up with a start Lily gaped at Xie Lian. He seemed in fine spirits, though he looked as though he'd bored a hole through an entire corridor of the undead. ]
I'm so happy you're safe, but what happened to you?
[ Frowning in concern she moved to lean back against the wall as she had been. Aiding in the control of that bloody Fiendfyre had been draining, and if she didn't have to stand up straight, she wouldn't. ]
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[And if you infer that that means he used his bare hands to kill zombies, then you infer right.
She looks very tired, but then, that's normal with what just happened. It seems they don't have too many casualties, injured people, yes, but no one seems to have died, which is nothing short of a miracle.]
I'm fine. None of the blood is mine. but I guess I really should clean up.
[he'll bend down to grab some snow from a clean patch on the ground run it over his face to at leats get the blood off that.]
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That's certainly being resourceful. [ Giving him a smile she let herself relax and actually rest against the wall that was essentially propping her up. ]
Controlling the fire took mostly everything I had, but once I've rested I'll help you with the stains and the mending, there are charms for that.
[ Something she needed to look into too, as haggard as she was. ]
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[In the undead category, he has fought much bigger fish before, as a matter of fact. A freshly made zombie is barely a blip on the radar.]
None of the blood is mine. But you should head inside, and get some rest and food.
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2!
And there were a lot of hostiles. Looked like the creepy buggers from the jail, and he wished he still had his helmet right now. Didn't want to be breathing the same air as these things, whatever they were.
Thank falleen fuck he'd gotten the knives from Eleven when he did. These things just refused to go down properly, but the knives were still cutting tendons and muscle, toppling them long enough to lay into them with one of those wrought iron hooks from the fireplace. That one's turning into a good skull-basher. The more rotten-looking ones lost whole chunks to that thing.
But the numbers getting through are a problem. If he just had a proper--
He'd just hooked a hostile by the throat when he saw the flash, ducking instinctively and yanking the critter off its feet. Who had explosives here and why didn't they tell him? Wait, was that Lily's voice?
The hostile on the floor starts trying to rise, and he gives it a full-force stomp to the back of the neck before turning his attention to the kid. Just in time to see her make somethings head fall off with that wand of hers. What?
Not enough time to question it. She's closing in on him, so he starts clearing the way. "All bits still attached. Nice work, hope you've got more of those."
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"Glad to hear it," she stopped talking to focus on moving her wand quickly, sticking the feet of one of the undead to the floor so that it stalled the others behind it long enough for her to cast Bombarda once more, causing a bigger mess than the last time when it connected with her improvised zombie traffic jam.
"I believe there are a few of us holding positions back where Eleven's got the infirmary, I've been pushing ahead to try and clear them out of at least this side, but there's so many of the little wankers."
Aftermath, crawling out of the bag
His last memory was of extinguishing the fiendfyre spell after Wei Wuxian's spirit army had finished sweeping through Unhalad's army of the undead. He remembered being so exhausted that he'd just closed his eyes right there and everything had gone dark.
Well, things were still dark.
When he first opened his eyes, it was very disorienting. The space in front of his eyes was dark, and the feel of the smooth, slippery fabric under his hand was less than comforting. He quickly tried to figure his shit out.
His shoulder bag was still across his chest, so that meant Patricia was safe. Reassuring. And he could feel all his limbs, so that was also a plus. He experienced a moment of panic when he couldn't extend his wand from his sleeve, but in moving to feel the space around him, he was relieved to notice it was actually poking out of his pocket.
He lit his wand and tried to sit up, but found that his head brushed more slippery fabric, so he fell back to his elbows. And as he did so he noticed a line of light in front of him. It was hard to see what was beyond that light, but he bent himself doubled and started crawling towards it. Which was very undignified. When he reached the edge of the light, he found a row of what looked like metal teeth above and below him that he could step over.
He poked those teeth on the ground to see what would happen, and when nothing did, he stepped over them.
The world seemed to suddenly rush at him all at once as objects and space slammed into the right size and orientation.
That was even more disorienting than waking up in total darkness. He was on the ground in what had to be the study, though it had seen some better days (which was saying something about any room in the farmhouse). He sat back on his heels and looked about the battle-damaged room to get a sense of what had just happened to him. He found Lily not far from him. And his eyes narrowed on the make-up bag nearby (which was rather much closer to him than her).
"Really, Evans?" he said in a huff. "You put me in your make-up bag?"
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The fiendfyre had answered all her questions for her, likely far more succinctly than Regulus would be willing to - but a deal was still a deal. She'd used that awful Dangling Jinx to hoist him into the air and get him out of harm's way after he lost consciousness, propping him up against one of the farm's surviving walls until exhaustion won out. In her defense, she had executed some care getting him into the bag and had made great efforts to always set the bag on something easy to climb off of, leaving it open for him to climb out of when he woke.
She had watched his back, as promised - and then some, given the picture his spellwork painted for him - and felt absolutely no guilt when he climbed out of the bag at long last and complained about his accommodations.
"Would you have preferred I just kept you floating by your ankle?"
It wasn't like a besieged and battered farm was brimming with accommodation options for the discerning unconscious wizard.
"I want to talk to you," Lily said firmly, using her wand to make them both a cup of tea out of the leaves she had foraged earlier that day. She didn't sound angry, exactly, but it was very clearly not a request.
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"Ya?" he said, sorting through his bag. "What do you want to talk about?" He was still a bit disgruntled from the indignity of being shoved into the makeup bag.
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"Are you a Death Eater, Regulus?"
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"No," he said. "I am not."
It wasn't the whole truth, but he was taking the question at its most literal interpretation. Was he presently a Death Eater? Did he currently align himself with the Dark Lord and His followers? The strictest answer to both was that he was not and he did not.
This didn't cover the past in all its grotesqueness, nor all of its heroism. He wanted to explain neither. No judgment, no accolades. Not now. Not when he could barely think about the culmination of his choices to himself. That wasn't for sharing with others.
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