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
no subject
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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By the time he's done with that, his hands are quaking and he goes to nudge Hendrik into taking up the next injured that comes through. Eleven moves back toward Lily and takes in the magic she's worked with deep gratitude]
You are Goddess-sent. Truly. Thank you.
no subject
That's very kind of you to notice. I've always thought so.
[ It was, likely, no time for a joke, but in fraught and dire circumstances like these, something had to break the tension a little. Better laughter than the undead.
Pocketing her wand and untucking her shirt she pulled the little zippered pouch out of her jeans and opened it, reaching her entire arm inside. After feeling around for her larger bag she groped through it for the leaves she'd been using for tea. Undoubtedly she presented an odd image standing there, her arm to the shoulder inside a pouch that shouldn't be able to fit more than a hairbrush and a few essentials. With a quietly triumphant 'aha' Lily pulled her arm out of the bag and closed it, prudently sticking it back in the waist of her pants before taking her wand out to make him a cup of tea, which she held out for him with a weary smile. ]
Rest. Please? I'll be coming back here to beg you to let me do the same if this drags on.
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I'll rest. [It's a promise] After all, I need to keep up my strength if I'm going to keep this up much longer. But the same goes for all- or, well, most of us- so be kind to yourself as well.
no subject
[ When she couldn't go on and wherever position she was holding was as good as it was going to get, Lily intended to return to the infirmary to nap in her bag. For now it was Eleven who needed the rest.
Hating to be idle she returned to the door she'd come through, holding her wand up, as well as her other hand, palm open. She stood with her back to the room, murmuring the words 'Protego totalum' as a sort of haze appeared in the air closest to the door.
Dropping her hands after a moment Lily turned back to Eleven, puffing out a breath and blowing her tangled hair out of her face. ]
It probably won't hold for very long, it's not really meant for this sort of thing, but it might buy you a moment or two to call for backup. As a last failsafe, but it won't come to that.
[ She sounded convinced but she was getting tired and it showed. After giving the door one last look she glanced around the infirmary, scouting for another task. ]
no subject
Thank you. [There was plenty else to do if she so chose; the room wasn't wildly organized or efficient given the lack of time to manage it, and was still littered with books and other objects he'd had to push out of the way as much as possible to eke out space for its new purpose.
Eleven settled on a laid out blanket meant to allow patients time to rest if they needed it before they rejoined the battle and tried not to be terribly self-conscious about the mess. Keeping the area he worked in clean and rinsing cloths and bandages was about all he typically had time for.
He'd offer to have her sit and rest herself, but could recognize the anxious energy of one that needed something to do]
How are things looking out there?
no subject
It's better, there are still a lot of them but the ones coming through are easier to take down in a hurry.
[ The beginning of this siege had been brutal, and she had needed to stay on her toes to keep her head above water to meet the initial surge of them. Their numbers were slowly thinning, she believed, and it had become easier to fight them back and reclaim what lost ground she could.
Pausing by one of the study's reinforced windows she went quiet, casting the same ward she had used on the doorway again. ]
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[A part of him still longs to be out there, helping to hold the line, but in his heart, knows he's more use here, healing their wounded to keep the fight going.
He sips his tea for a moment while she casts what he guesses is some sort of reinforcement spell, then reaches over to a supply bag to pull out a few wafers of hardtack. He gestures vaguely with them in Lily's direction until he catches her eye again]
It isn't much in way of food, but it'll help keep up your strength, too.
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[ Hardtack is something characters in adventure stories eat in books, and Lily took the pieces he offered, giving them a once over before she dug back into her bag for leaves and made her own cup of tea to dunk it in.
Sitting so that she faced the door Lily put her wand in her lap where she could reach it in a hurry and looked back at Eleven. ]
I promise I'll get back to doing something useful as soon as I finish this.
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And you're telling me to rest. ..You've done plenty, already. We're well-defended. Your strength is important, too.
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[ Tilting her head she gave Eleven a pointed, but amused look. ]
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I don't know what you're talking about; I've never once overextended myself.
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It was obvious when I walked in tonight, you weren't in the middle of doing just that. Thank goodness for tea.
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You sound like Archeval. ..But I think everyone is pushing themselves; my patients too, when I try to get them to rest awhile first. Everyone with strength is fighting hard to defend this place.