Ragnarok

[thatguyinthestore]

Craftsman Hut

The other paintings that accompanied the eerie depiction of the congregation in the woods appeared to be more vivid and abstract. Slashes of colors were randomly spewed about, shapes distorted and merging within one another. Whatever artistic talent the unknown artist had originally spiraled into visual lunacy, the paintings hinting at some progression.

When Li-Ming touched the painting of the congregation, she would find it to be very dry. Concurring to the leaking barrel propped against the front entrance of the hut, the splash of the unknown liquid against the stone wall would net an interesting result. The liquid, as to be expected of paint, splattered and stuck like an ooze. Yet, strangely, small, nearly microscopic tendrils of the gluttonous liquid arose from the epicenter. Spanning outwards, the liquid splat slightly expanded, its motions and expansion through tentacles giving the unknown liquid an illusion of life.

A paint, surely, but one of a strange and chemical concoction.

@Archmage Jeremiah

///

Meanwhile, the pair at the lounge would find the most striking aspect of the book to be it's cover. Arcane and occultism symbols were engraved into the aged, blacken leather. Entrancing and mesmerizing, one caught staring too long at the cover might even be filled with dark thoughts. Of course, it was hard to tell if it was some malevolent power of the book or the mind deluding itself into illusions.

Whatever the case may be, an attempt to pick up the strange book with bare flesh would left with a frightening, real response. A surge of adrenaline and phantom heat would crawl into the fingers or wherever flesh was made contact with. The unpleasant feeling of being burned would pulsate in second intervals, the intensity of the strange heat however easing with the passing of time.

The cover glowed shortly afterwards, the depiction of the eye dimly opening in real time to stare up at the dawn of a star...

@Verite @Kaykay


///

For Clare, the ironclad warrioress, upstairs would be greeted with that same, familiar veil of darkness she first encountered entering the hut. The outline of a corridor could be made, with a single door-frame present in her view. Interestingly, if still and attentive, the sound of a voice could be heard near the end of the hallway. Harsh whispers rang out, accompanied by the harsh banging of wood and the splattering of a thick, gluttonous liquid against something...

"...more...the patrons want more...my talent..."

@Takumi

---

Alchemist Shop

The silhouette stood, a gush of unnatural wind coursing through the hallway, extinguishing any light source within the corridors. Pitch blackness reigned, an omnipresent voice rang out, powerful yet without origin. A shudder coursed through your spine and bones, a noise found everywhere yet nowhere. The masculine voice hissed, sounding more reptilian and inhuman.

"Our flame is eternal and infernal
Yours is weak, divided and reckless
Greed and avarice will lead you to darkness
Our path leads us to Dawn..."

Upon the completion of the warning, torches throughout the hallway would spontaneously combust. A surge of light filled the room, and lo, the silhouette revealed itself. At least ten feet tall, the skeletal form cracked its neck. Horns, longer than any known beast and glowing a fiery red protruded from the being's skull, pointing upwards in half-circular slopes. A narrow, foul slit ran down where a face would be, some ungodly opening for consuming whatever this being at.

Strangely not attacking, the Dark Silhouette stood firm like some unearthly guard, watching your movements with no eyes...

@Yun Lee @thatguyinthestore @Jeremi @LuckycoolHawk9​

"Okay, so maybe backup was a good thing." Coco muttered over to Death's Head. While she was definitely prepared to fight this thing, the huntress would be lying if she said that she wasn't at least startled by its appearance.

But, instead of fighting this thing up front and most likely getting the most royal of ass kickings, Coco decided to ask what she could only assume was some form of Grimm a few questions. How it would have gotten on Ash in the first place is beyond her, but then again nothing really made too much sense around here, now did it?

"So.. weird Grimm thing. What exactly do you want?" She asked, deciding to keep things simple for the time being.

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @Krieg​

 

[Kaykay]

Meanwhile, the pair at the lounge would find the most striking aspect of the book to be it's cover. Arcane and occultism symbols were engraved into the aged, blacken leather. Entrancing and mesmerizing, one caught staring too long at the cover might even be filled with dark thoughts. Of course, it was hard to tell if it was some malevolent power of the book or the mind deluding itself into illusions.

Whatever the case may be, an attempt to pick up the strange book with bare flesh would left with a frightening, real response. A surge of adrenaline and phantom heat would crawl into the fingers or wherever flesh was made contact with. The unpleasant feeling of being burned would pulsate in second intervals, the intensity of the strange heat however easing with the passing of time.

The cover glowed shortly afterwards, the depiction of the eye dimly opening in real time to stare up at the dawn of a star...

@Verite @Kaykay

"Oh, hey, that book seems pretty neat!"

"Wait, Sorey!"

A boy walked past Shirou and Yuuna as if not even realizing they were there to make a grab for the strange book they were examining. Despite the warning of a boy following behind him, he grasped it with one hand but pulled back as if scalded immediately afterward. "What the--" he snapped, bringing his hands close to his face to examine them.

"I did tell you to wait." The boy behind him looked less-than-impressed. "Something tells me you're lucky you're the Shepherd."

Sorey looked at his friend with a look of shame, thankful the heat seemed to be dissipating. He turned to Shirou and Yuuna to finally acknowledge them.

"I'm sorry. I admittedly got a bit carried away there. I'm Sorey, and my friend here is Mikleo." He held out his hand as an offer to shake but pulled it back after a hesitant moment. "Uh... Maybe, just to be safe, we can skip that."

"You're the first we've seen in a while, so I assume we're in the right place. Sorey had us running late."

"Um..." The boy brought a hand to his forehead in embarrassment. "He's... not exactly wrong. But anyway, we're here now, right?"

@Verite @Kaykay @Krieg

​

"..."

Shirou merely stared at the strange book for a good while without even touching it, not even having to do so before he found himself somewhat affected by the book. For some reason, the memories of his past began surfacing to the top like a shaken bottle of pop opening up, as though triggered by the strange book, between the transformation of Sakura into a monster, the puppeteering of Julian Ainsworth and his intent on taking away everything Shirou ever had... It filled him with a grim reminder that though he may be free for now, he was in perhaps the worst place to be right now.

That is, anywhere except back in the world that he had come from. He could not fight Ainsworth like this, and if he could not, everything would be destroyed. Famine. Death. Suffering. Anguish. Such thoughts suddenly invaded his head faster than he realized, and it almost felt like time had slowed for him in that moment.

It was like the Holy Grail had come back again.

It was like it had come for him.

It was as though Ainsworth had come to take him away again.

"!"

Shirou let out a sharp breath as he was suddenly snapped out of his strange, alien thoughts, a result of two newcomers making themselves known, apparently late party members for the so-called misadventure they were all on. Though their appearance was a surprise to the orange-haired young man, one could hardly tell just by looking at him, as his face seemed to possess a blend between pensive and irritated, but at what, who could tell?

Maintaining his serious face, he simply gave a nod to the two. "Mhm. I'm Shirou. It's good to meet you two, Sorey, Mikleo," he spoke, before gazing back upon the book, his features slowly becoming a tad more troubled, "Did that book... burn you?"

A redundant question? Perhaps, but one could never be too sure in a situation like this.

Regardless of what answer Sorey would provide, Shirou only continued to stare at the book in deep thought, pursing his lips lightly. He weighed his options carefully, not wanting to be reckless in a place like this where the darkness, the unknown, could easily overtake them all.

But if dark was all around them, then no matter what move he made, it was just a shot in the dark, wasn't it?

"There's something off about this book for sure. Has to be some sort of curse..." He mumbled to himself, before clearing his throat, "Trace, on."

Raising his arm all of a sudden, making a small swiping gesture, blue energy began to form around Shirou's hand, before the magical energy was given shape and materialized into a silver, short sword, one that the young mage had conjured and projected easily enough, and without a word, he suddenly drove the sword right into the eye of the book, as though to test his theory that it was enchanted with some reactive, dark magecraft.

@Atomyk @Kaykay @Krieg​

"Ahaha, got excited huh? Can't blame you for that. I'm Yuuna Takashima. Nice to meetcha!"

Yuuna moved to accept the handshake, but when Sorey pulled back she did a bit awkwardly as well. Well, whatever the book had done to him was unknown, so perhaps it was for the best that their hands didn't meet for now. To be honest, she was a little glad that the two had suddenly stumbled in. The book had given off a less than pleasant atmosphere, which Sorey's recklessness had dispelled a bit.

After introductions, Yuuna held a pensive look as she stared at the book.

"So, how should we go abo- woah!"

Stabbing the book was not the course of action she'd expected.

@Atomyk @Verite @Krieg​

 

[Jeremi]

"Okay, so maybe backup was a good thing." Coco muttered over to Death's Head. While she was definitely prepared to fight this thing, the huntress would be lying if she said that she wasn't at least startled by its appearance.

But, instead of fighting this thing up front and most likely getting the most royal of ass kickings, Coco decided to ask what she could only assume was some form of Grimm a few questions. How it would have gotten on Ash in the first place is beyond her, but then again nothing really made too much sense around here, now did it?

"So.. weird Grimm thing. What exactly do you want?" She asked, deciding to keep things simple for the time being.

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @Krieg​

Death's Head was heading out of the room when Coco called out to him. "Can't hear you, yes? Sounds like someone jumped the gun. Must be hearing things, eh?"

@Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @Krieg @thatguyinthestor

 

[thatguyinthestore]

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @Krieg​

Death's Head was heading out of the room when Coco called out to him. "Can't hear you, yes? Sounds like someone jumped the gun. Must be hearing things, eh?"

Damnit. Coco and her big mouth.

"Where the hell do ya think you're going?" Coco called out to Death's Head, rather annoyed at the fact that he was just bailing on them like this.

@Jeremi @LuckycoolHawk9 @Yun Lee @Krieg​

 

[Jeremi]

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @Krieg​

Damnit. Coco and her big mouth.

"Where the hell do ya think you're going?" Coco called out to Death's Head, rather annoyed at the fact that he was just bailing on them like this.

@Jeremi @LuckycoolHawk9 @Yun Lee @Krieg​

"Don't want to step on toes. Did say that you could handle everything, yes?" Death's Head responded still not looking like he was going to turn around. "Implying that isn't the case after all?"


@Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @Krieg @thatguyinthestore

 

[thatguyinthestore]

"Don't want to step on toes. Did say that you could handle everything, yes?" Death's Head responded still not looking like he was going to turn around. "Implying that isn't the case after all?"


@Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @Krieg @thatguyinthestore

"..."

Growing silent for a second, Coco finally gave in as she crossed her arms begrudgingly before letting out an audible sigh.

"I need your help..." She finally muttered in a tone that was just loud enough for Death's Head to make out what she was saying.

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @Krieg​

 

[Jeremi]

"..."

Growing silent for a second, Coco finally gave in as she crossed her arms begrudgingly before letting out an audible sigh.

"I need your help..." She finally muttered in a tone that was just loud enough for Death's Head to make out what she was saying.

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @Krieg​

Death's Head's sensors perked up to the sound of that. "Wasn't so hard, yes?" Turning around his large gun pointing at the creature he'd slowly walk up to the group. "Girl asked you question, yes? Suggest you respond unless you wish to stop breathing, right?"


@Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @Krieg @thatguyinthestore

 

[thatguyinthestore]

Death's Head's sensors perked up to the sound of that. "Wasn't so hard, yes?" Turning around his large gun pointing at the creature he'd slowly walk up to the group. "Girl asked you question, yes? Suggest you respond unless you wish to stop breathing, right?"


@Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @Krieg @thatguyinthestore

"Yeah, sure." Coco said. While she was fairly certain that was a threat, and even more certain that she could take this robot in a fight, they had bigger things to worry about than their arguments.

"I heard creaking in the back when I was looking around. I went to go investigate, then you guys showed up. And.. well, you guys saw the rest."​

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @Krieg
​

 

[Krieg]

Craftsman Hut

The sword dove quick and hard into the profound eye, the book briefly resting still and quiet. Soon, however, a hissing sound erupted from the tip of the blade. Whisks of smoke danced into the air, and soon, the sword itself would slowly be set aflame. However, the flame could not survive long on silver alone, the bright fire extinguishing itself nearly as quick as it had begun. Upon withdrawing the sword, the eye facing the star would be closed, mysteriously no apparent hole driven through the entirety of the book.

A gust of mysterious wind would blow by, as if disturbed by this act of defacement. The cover of the occult tome would open, the thick hub of knowledge revealing a title and long list of table of contents. Age and conditioning had torn away bit-by-bit at the handwritten book, the tome at least sixty years of age if not centuries old. Such an age might hint at original intentions not being so nefarious. Interestingly, no publisher was indicated, nor any group sponsoring such a book.

Codex of the Cosmic Serpent: Inquiry of Universal Legends, Prophets and Gods
Portam Hue

Going to the table of contents, much of the aged text had unfortunately (or fortunately) withered and became a mesh of ruined ink. Yet, interestingly, one line at the first page of the table of contents was highlighted by an orange marker of some sorts, as if to indicate importance.

Ash: The Son-Devourer

@Atomyk @Verite @Kaykay
​

 

[Krieg]

"...my patrons, oohh my patrons, please. I am doing my best, my beautiful, beautiful little patrons...."

For Clare and Li-Ming, the hushed, harsh whispers would grow louder, the two adventurers growing closer and closer to presumably the chamber of the Craftsman. While the others below deciphered the book and general lobby of the area, the maker of such deranged works of art was still busy undergoing his corrupt craft. Upon peaking into the room, the wooden door wide open, the two would be greeted with a hunchback man clad in peasant rags, violently attacking and slashing away at a canvas with a paintbrush. That same, crawling paint Li-Ming had observed before was under work, spreading and expanding upon the canvas like a pile of infesting maggots.

"T-They always want more...more! First it was my wood, then my steel, now...uaaah~ My arrrt~!" he cried softly, the muscular, bald aged man almost frolicking in his chamber. One, judging by his physique, would assume the this craftsman had not originally taken to the arts. In fact, hammers and nails laid about, implying more of a physical trade than a creative one. With how Piper's Landing had been turning, however, dark desires may just be trades of an art not fit for a person.

Snapping his head around, thrashing in his movements, the bulky yet stout artist gazed into the darkness, a fierce snap erupting from his lips.

"Is that yoooou, my little patrons?"

@Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah

///

Alchemist Store

The Dark Silhouette did not respond to any invocations or questions by the group, taking only a few grim steps forwards, arms slowly being lifted up. With daggers for fingers and poles for arms, the lankly, slender demon let out a lowly growl of dominance. The silt on his face oozing out a dark, disgusting slime, the abomination of malevolence stared at the contraption pointing a firearm towards it. Before anything else could happen, the omnipresent voice returned, as if telepathic in nature.

"It holds no feelings, no sense of respond.
Once a woman engaged in arcane potions
Now a being of power, silent yet screaming
We gave you warnings, now....
Face Judgement."

Abruptly, the gun would be slapped from Death Head's hand, the skeletal monstrosity peering down to screech at the mercenary's face. Sounding like a bull and a crow, a powerful kick would be delivered towards Death Head's figure. Stomping and kicking at the ground, the enraged Dark Silhouette brandished it's horns, beginning to charge forward like a madden bull. Ten feet of skeletal horror came stomping down that narrow corridor, nightmares following it's stride.

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @thatguyinthestore

​

 

[thatguyinthestore]

"...my patrons, oohh my patrons, please. I am doing my best, my beautiful, beautiful little patrons...."

For Clare and Li-Ming, the hushed, harsh whispers would grow louder, the two adventurers growing closer and closer to presumably the chamber of the Craftsman. While the others below deciphered the book and general lobby of the area, the maker of such deranged works of art was still busy undergoing his corrupt craft. Upon peaking into the room, the wooden door wide open, the two would be greeted with a hunchback man clad in peasant rags, violently attacking and slashing away at a canvas with a paintbrush. That same, crawling paint Li-Ming had observed before was under work, spreading and expanding upon the canvas like a pile of infesting maggots.

"T-They always want more...more! First it was my wood, then my steel, now...uaaah~ My arrrt~!" he cried softly, the muscular, bald aged man almost frolicking in his chamber. One, judging by his physique, would assume the this craftsman had not originally taken to the arts. In fact, hammers and nails laid about, implying more of a physical trade than a creative one. With how Piper's Landing had been turning, however, dark desires may just be trades of an art not fit for a person.

Snapping his head around, thrashing in his movements, the bulky yet stout artist gazed into the darkness, a fierce snap erupting from his lips.

"Is that yoooou, my little patrons?"

@Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah

///

Alchemist Store

The Dark Silhouette did not respond to any invocations or questions by the group, taking only a few grim steps forwards, arms slowly being lifted up. With daggers for fingers and poles for arms, the lankly, slender demon let out a lowly growl of dominance. The silt on his face oozing out a dark, disgusting slime, the abomination of malevolence stared at the contraption pointing a firearm towards it. Before anything else could happen, the omnipresent voice returned, as if telepathic in nature.

"It holds no feelings, no sense of respond.
Once a woman engaged in arcane potions
Now a being of power, silent yet screaming
We gave you warnings, now....
Face Judgement."

Abruptly, the gun would be slapped from Death Head's hand, the skeletal monstrosity peering down to screech at the mercenary's face. Sounding like a bull and a crow, a powerful kick would be delivered towards Death Head's figure. Stomping and kicking at the ground, the enraged Dark Silhouette brandished it's horns, beginning to charge forward like a madden bull. Ten feet of skeletal horror came stomping down that narrow corridor, nightmares following it's stride.

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @thatguyinthestore

...Yup. This thing was definitely evil. As if she couldn't already tell by the horns and the weird slit (which was now oozing with some sort of weird slime.)

"So much for the backup." Coco muttered as she watched the beast almost nonchalantly knock the gun out of the robot's hand.

Noticing that it began to charge toward them like a bull, Coco stood in the beast's path and waited. Once it was close enough, Coco attempted to deliver a swift kick to the beast's face.

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @Krieg​

 

[Archmage Jeremiah]

"...my patrons, oohh my patrons, please. I am doing my best, my beautiful, beautiful little patrons...."

For Clare and Li-Ming, the hushed, harsh whispers would grow louder, the two adventurers growing closer and closer to presumably the chamber of the Craftsman. While the others below deciphered the book and general lobby of the area, the maker of such deranged works of art was still busy undergoing his corrupt craft. Upon peaking into the room, the wooden door wide open, the two would be greeted with a hunchback man clad in peasant rags, violently attacking and slashing away at a canvas with a paintbrush. That same, crawling paint Li-Ming had observed before was under work, spreading and expanding upon the canvas like a pile of infesting maggots.

"T-They always want more...more! First it was my wood, then my steel, now...uaaah~ My arrrt~!" he cried softly, the muscular, bald aged man almost frolicking in his chamber. One, judging by his physique, would assume the this craftsman had not originally taken to the arts. In fact, hammers and nails laid about, implying more of a physical trade than a creative one. With how Piper's Landing had been turning, however, dark desires may just be trades of an art not fit for a person.

Snapping his head around, thrashing in his movements, the bulky yet stout artist gazed into the darkness, a fierce snap erupting from his lips.

"Is that yoooou, my little patrons?"

In a split-second decision, Li-Ming spontaneously split into three mirror images of herself before swaggering into the doorway, choosing to reveal only their silhouettes and dimly glowing eyes to the crazed craftsman for the time being. "Yes," Li-Ming answered confidently, knowing she had two copies of herself to rely on if the situation went south, "we have come to check on your progress,"

@Krieg @Takumi​

 

[Verite]

Craftsman Hut

The sword dove quick and hard into the profound eye, the book briefly resting still and quiet. Soon, however, a hissing sound erupted from the tip of the blade. Whisks of smoke danced into the air, and soon, the sword itself would slowly be set aflame. However, the flame could not survive long on silver alone, the bright fire extinguishing itself nearly as quick as it had begun. Upon withdrawing the sword, the eye facing the star would be closed, mysteriously no apparent hole driven through the entirety of the book.

A gust of mysterious wind would blow by, as if disturbed by this act of defacement. The cover of the occult tome would open, the thick hub of knowledge revealing a title and long list of table of contents. Age and conditioning had torn away bit-by-bit at the handwritten book, the tome at least sixty years of age if not centuries old. Such an age might hint at original intentions not being so nefarious. Interestingly, no publisher was indicated, nor any group sponsoring such a book.

Codex of the Cosmic Serpent: Inquiry of Universal Legends, Prophets and Gods
Portam Hue

Going to the table of contents, much of the aged text had unfortunately (or fortunately) withered and became a mesh of ruined ink. Yet, interestingly, one line at the first page of the table of contents was highlighted by an orange marker of some sorts, as if to indicate importance.

Ash: The Son-Devourer

@Atomyk @Verite @Kaykay
​

"..."

Shirou merely narrowed his eyes and let out a soft, almost inquisitive sounding noise when the book had suddenly burst aflame a bit, as though it were expected, and quite frankly, to an extent, it was. This confirmed it; there was certainly something mystical about this place, but in a dark manner. It all kept tying back to the likes of Ainsworth in Shirou's head, the corruption of the black atmosphere reminding him of Sakura. It annoyed the young man how he kept thinking back to those two, and wondered if it was simply by happenstance that he kept being reminded of them, or if it was due in some part to an influence that the mysterious book was imposing upon his mind.

As the book flew open, Shirou wasted little time being taken aback, instead using this opportunity to comprehend the text presented to him. Such mentioning of "universal legends" brought to mind the Heroic Spirits that awaited within the Throne of Heroes, but unless the Avenger was involved, which he doubted if he was in an entirely different world with different rules, so all he could do now was blindly speculate what it was all about.

"... The Son-Devourer, huh?" The young man mumbled to himself, attempting to flip through the book in order to find the page, quickly deducing that it must have been of some importance, assuming that it was suddenly safe to touch now.

@Kaykay @Atomyk @Krieg​

 

[LuckycoolHawk9]

Nathan Drake

Well, screw diplomacy. Turns out the thing that looked like it belonged in a horror movie was evil. Nathan would have been shocked, if he hadn't half-expected it. He looked around to see if there was anything to help them. Hmm... he looked over at the cauldron to see if it was at the right angle to knock into the beast's path.

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @Krieg @thatguyinthestore

 

[Kaykay]

Craftsman Hut

The sword dove quick and hard into the profound eye, the book briefly resting still and quiet. Soon, however, a hissing sound erupted from the tip of the blade. Whisks of smoke danced into the air, and soon, the sword itself would slowly be set aflame. However, the flame could not survive long on silver alone, the bright fire extinguishing itself nearly as quick as it had begun. Upon withdrawing the sword, the eye facing the star would be closed, mysteriously no apparent hole driven through the entirety of the book.

A gust of mysterious wind would blow by, as if disturbed by this act of defacement. The cover of the occult tome would open, the thick hub of knowledge revealing a title and long list of table of contents. Age and conditioning had torn away bit-by-bit at the handwritten book, the tome at least sixty years of age if not centuries old. Such an age might hint at original intentions not being so nefarious. Interestingly, no publisher was indicated, nor any group sponsoring such a book.

Codex of the Cosmic Serpent: Inquiry of Universal Legends, Prophets and Gods
Portam Hue

Going to the table of contents, much of the aged text had unfortunately (or fortunately) withered and became a mesh of ruined ink. Yet, interestingly, one line at the first page of the table of contents was highlighted by an orange marker of some sorts, as if to indicate importance.

Ash: The Son-Devourer

@Atomyk @Verite @Kaykay
​

"..."

Shirou merely narrowed his eyes and let out a soft, almost inquisitive sounding noise when the book had suddenly burst aflame a bit, as though it were expected, and quite frankly, to an extent, it was. This confirmed it; there was certainly something mystical about this place, but in a dark manner. It all kept tying back to the likes of Ainsworth in Shirou's head, the corruption of the black atmosphere reminding him of Sakura. It annoyed the young man how he kept thinking back to those two, and wondered if it was simply by happenstance that he kept being reminded of them, or if it was due in some part to an influence that the mysterious book was imposing upon his mind.

As the book flew open, Shirou wasted little time being taken aback, instead using this opportunity to comprehend the text presented to him. Such mentioning of "universal legends" brought to mind the Heroic Spirits that awaited within the Throne of Heroes, but unless the Avenger was involved, which he doubted if he was in an entirely different world with different rules, so all he could do now was blindly speculate what it was all about.

"... The Son-Devourer, huh?" The young man mumbled to himself, attempting to flip through the book in order to find the page, quickly deducing that it must have been of some importance, assuming that it was suddenly safe to touch now.

@Kaykay @Atomyk @Krieg​

"Uwa, I thought so when I first looked at it but this thing really is old, isn't it?"

Yuuna stated the obvious as she kept focused on the book as the wind seemed to flip the pages for them. She wasn't the kind of girl who'd familiarized herself with the occult outside of the Hero System, Vertices, and the Shinju, so she couldn't exactly make heads or tails of anything she spotted. Though it didn't take a genius to realize something highlighted was probably important.

How or if it related to the chest they were supposed to be finding was something else entirely though. At this point she figured it most likely had nothing to do with it, but since they'd gone this far they might as well keep reading the creepy book.

"Hey, are you sure it's okay to touch? I have gloves if we wanna touch it."

A slightly concerned look crossed her face as Shirou moved to flip the book with his bare hands, but it seemed she might have been too late in her offer.

@Verite @Atomyk @Krieg​

 

[Krieg]

For Shirou and the others loomed over the book, flipping through the now docile pages would reveal artistic depictions of monsters, rituals and strange symbols. Accented with aged text with a peculiar, elaborate font, the book unintentionally expressed its age through the centuries. Turning onto the desired chapter, the observers would be greeted with a block of partially faded text on the left page. Most of the text appeared missing, unfortunately, the ink over the centuries fading and meshing against the march of time. However, a small passage could still be deciphered...

"…From the notes gathered, the Son-Devourer was once a chieftain of the numerous tribes to the north, going as far as to eventually form a formidable fiefdom near present-day Charon. Legend says that the man, with his wife deceased and three sons eyeing his throne, murdered and ate all his heirs for the pursuit of some occultist power whispered to him by entities long forgotten. The lost power, when Worlds Beyond Stars aligns, bloodlines would serve as an elixir of life and power. With the skulls of his sons as goblets, the Son-Devourer began his campaign, the workings of forces beyond even Our comprehension at hand…"

The passage abruptly ends, the artistic depiction on the right page showing a kingly man, dressed in a coat-of-plates and an army behind him. The King, with a war horn pressed to his lips, appeared to blowing the horn. Directly left of him, what appeared to be the walls of a castle were crumbling underneath the blow of the horn, archers and guardsmen failing to their deaths. The artistic style appeared bear an equal age to the anarchic text, with bodily proportions and sense of depth completely ignored. A small line of readable text could be seen near the top of the ancient drawing.

"Beware the General,
His army calls at the Gates of Dawn."

@Verite @Atomyk @Kaykay​

---

"Oh yes. Mmm~! Aaah, come in, come in~!"

The Craftsman frolicked about in the dark room upstairs of his hut, his feet creaking against the ground, causing a disturbance to those huddled by the book below. Madden and unaware truly of the those in his presence, the bulky, stout man reached down to light a lantern. Soon, a dim illumination would be cast over his horrific paintings, the paint of them still wet and expanding, miniature tentacles of the ungodly substance spreading across the canvases. For the room being so tiny, at least thirty of these paintings were thrown about, some hung on walls, some on the ground and some held up by small, wooden stands.

"How about this one? I call it...aaah, Grace. Yes, Grace! Congregation starts soon, the Bishop will adore them, don't you think?" the giddy, upbeat man spoke, acting like a child despite his rugged, bearded appearance and passing age.

Pausing, the Craftsman tilted his head, the lantern brought this his dirty, matted, crazed face. His voice abruptly went low, sinister and almost threatening.

"You will be attending Congregation, r-right? Old Jeremy did not want to go see the Bishop, we made a fiiiiiine painting of Old Jeremy. I t-think you saw it well, didncha? I wanted to put more lovely p-paint on him, mmm...~"

@Archmage Jeremiah @Takumi

---

For Nathan, a cauldron of an acidic, internally boiling substance would be found near the entrance of the corridor, back at the main lobby from whence the group originally entered. While large and potent of destructive capabilities, knocking such a cauldron over would surely doom his teammates to a horrid, uncomfortable fate. Perhaps if they relocated, however, the Dark Silhouette would be swamp in deadly acid. Other, smaller pots of strange substances laid about, their effects unknown and varied without some reference.

Meanwhile, just slightly further down the hallway, the Dark Silhouette roared, feeling an unusually powerful kick delivered to it's face. With that strange, black ooze splattering on the stone walls, the beast reeled forward, screeching down at the aviator-wearing captain. Powerful for such a frail abomination, the "bull" charged forwards, pushing back Coco and others with it's sharpen horns, trying to launch them backwards. Thrashing against the walls, shattering stone and wood, the Dark Silhouette appeared to ready for a more decisive, coordinated charge that could, if not countered, deliver more fatal results.

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @thatguyinthestore

​

 

[Archmage Jeremiah]

"Oh yes. Mmm~! Aaah, come in, come in~!"

The Craftsman frolicked about in the dark room upstairs of his hut, his feet creaking against the ground, causing a disturbance to those huddled by the book below. Madden and unaware truly of the those in his presence, the bulky, stout man reached down to light a lantern. Soon, a dim illumination would be cast over his horrific paintings, the paint of them still wet and expanding, miniature tentacles of the ungodly substance spreading across the canvases. For the room being so tiny, at least thirty of these paintings were thrown about, some hung on walls, some on the ground and some held up by small, wooden stands.

"How about this one? I call it...aaah, Grace. Yes, Grace! Congregation starts soon, the Bishop will adore them, don't you think?" the giddy, upbeat man spoke, acting like a child despite his rugged, bearded appearance and passing age.

Pausing, the Craftsman tilted his head, the lantern brought this his dirty, matted, crazed face. His voice abruptly went low, sinister and almost threatening.

"You will be attending Congregation, r-right? Old Jeremy did not want to go see the Bishop, we made a fiiiiiine painting of Old Jeremy. I t-think you saw it well, didncha? I wanted to put more lovely p-paint on him, mmm...~"

@Archmage Jeremiah @Takumi

Li-Ming silently gestured at Clare, telling her to be silent before the wizard entered with her mirror images. Each wore a charismatic grin and studied different corners of the room, while Li-Ming herself paid astute attention to The Craftsman's many details. Whipping out a ragged old wanted poster from her vest, the young prodigy never broke eye-contact while her fingers danced across the parchment.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful piece," Li-Ming responded, unfazed even by a potentially gruesome revelation, "Without question will I attend, but my concern lies with you. Even with all this lovely work you're doing, do you still remember how to get there? Wouldn't want you getting lost in your art and missing Congregation now, would we?"

@Krieg @Takumi​

 

[Jeremi]

For Shirou and the others loomed over the book, flipping through the now docile pages would reveal artistic depictions of monsters, rituals and strange symbols. Accented with aged text with a peculiar, elaborate font, the book unintentionally expressed its age through the centuries. Turning onto the desired chapter, the observers would be greeted with a block of partially faded text on the left page. Most of the text appeared missing, unfortunately, the ink over the centuries fading and meshing against the march of time. However, a small passage could still be deciphered...

"…From the notes gathered, the Son-Devourer was once a chieftain of the numerous tribes to the north, going as far as to eventually form a formidable fiefdom near present-day Charon. Legend says that the man, with his wife deceased and three sons eyeing his throne, murdered and ate all his heirs for the pursuit of some occultist power whispered to him by entities long forgotten. The lost power, when Worlds Beyond Stars aligns, bloodlines would serve as an elixir of life and power. With the skulls of his sons as goblets, the Son-Devourer began his campaign, the workings of forces beyond even Our comprehension at hand…"

The passage abruptly ends, the artistic depiction on the right page showing a kingly man, dressed in a coat-of-plates and an army behind him. The King, with a war horn pressed to his lips, appeared to blowing the horn. Directly left of him, what appeared to be the walls of a castle were crumbling underneath the blow of the horn, archers and guardsmen failing to their deaths. The artistic style appeared bear an equal age to the anarchic text, with bodily proportions and sense of depth completely ignored. A small line of readable text could be seen near the top of the ancient drawing.

"Beware the General,
His army calls at the Gates of Dawn."

@Verite @Atomyk @Kaykay​

---

"Oh yes. Mmm~! Aaah, come in, come in~!"

The Craftsman frolicked about in the dark room upstairs of his hut, his feet creaking against the ground, causing a disturbance to those huddled by the book below. Madden and unaware truly of the those in his presence, the bulky, stout man reached down to light a lantern. Soon, a dim illumination would be cast over his horrific paintings, the paint of them still wet and expanding, miniature tentacles of the ungodly substance spreading across the canvases. For the room being so tiny, at least thirty of these paintings were thrown about, some hung on walls, some on the ground and some held up by small, wooden stands.

"How about this one? I call it...aaah, Grace. Yes, Grace! Congregation starts soon, the Bishop will adore them, don't you think?" the giddy, upbeat man spoke, acting like a child despite his rugged, bearded appearance and passing age.

Pausing, the Craftsman tilted his head, the lantern brought this his dirty, matted, crazed face. His voice abruptly went low, sinister and almost threatening.

"You will be attending Congregation, r-right? Old Jeremy did not want to go see the Bishop, we made a fiiiiiine painting of Old Jeremy. I t-think you saw it well, didncha? I wanted to put more lovely p-paint on him, mmm...~"

@Archmage Jeremiah @Takumi

---

For Nathan, a cauldron of an acidic, internally boiling substance would be found near the entrance of the corridor, back at the main lobby from whence the group originally entered. While large and potent of destructive capabilities, knocking such a cauldron over would surely doom his teammates to a horrid, uncomfortable fate. Perhaps if they relocated, however, the Dark Silhouette would be swamp in deadly acid. Other, smaller pots of strange substances laid about, their effects unknown and varied without some reference.

Meanwhile, just slightly further down the hallway, the Dark Silhouette roared, feeling an unusually powerful kick delivered to it's face. With that strange, black ooze splattering on the stone walls, the beast reeled forward, screeching down at the aviator-wearing captain. Powerful for such a frail abomination, the "bull" charged forwards, pushing back Coco and others with it's sharpen horns, trying to launch them backwards. Thrashing against the walls, shattering stone and wood, the Dark Silhouette appeared to ready for a more decisive, coordinated charge that could, if not countered, deliver more fatal results.

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @thatguyinthestore

​

Death's Head was down but not out. You'd be surprised for how many people had huge hulking skeletons as bodyguards. "Hurm, caught me off guard."

As Death's Head got back up he'd pop out his hand and attached a double bladed ax on it instead. "Want to try me now, eh?"

@Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @thatguyinthestore @Krieg

 

[Takumi]

For Shirou and the others loomed over the book, flipping through the now docile pages would reveal artistic depictions of monsters, rituals and strange symbols. Accented with aged text with a peculiar, elaborate font, the book unintentionally expressed its age through the centuries. Turning onto the desired chapter, the observers would be greeted with a block of partially faded text on the left page. Most of the text appeared missing, unfortunately, the ink over the centuries fading and meshing against the march of time. However, a small passage could still be deciphered...

"…From the notes gathered, the Son-Devourer was once a chieftain of the numerous tribes to the north, going as far as to eventually form a formidable fiefdom near present-day Charon. Legend says that the man, with his wife deceased and three sons eyeing his throne, murdered and ate all his heirs for the pursuit of some occultist power whispered to him by entities long forgotten. The lost power, when Worlds Beyond Stars aligns, bloodlines would serve as an elixir of life and power. With the skulls of his sons as goblets, the Son-Devourer began his campaign, the workings of forces beyond even Our comprehension at hand…"

The passage abruptly ends, the artistic depiction on the right page showing a kingly man, dressed in a coat-of-plates and an army behind him. The King, with a war horn pressed to his lips, appeared to blowing the horn. Directly left of him, what appeared to be the walls of a castle were crumbling underneath the blow of the horn, archers and guardsmen failing to their deaths. The artistic style appeared bear an equal age to the anarchic text, with bodily proportions and sense of depth completely ignored. A small line of readable text could be seen near the top of the ancient drawing.

"Beware the General,
His army calls at the Gates of Dawn."

@Verite @Atomyk @Kaykay​

---

"Oh yes. Mmm~! Aaah, come in, come in~!"

The Craftsman frolicked about in the dark room upstairs of his hut, his feet creaking against the ground, causing a disturbance to those huddled by the book below. Madden and unaware truly of the those in his presence, the bulky, stout man reached down to light a lantern. Soon, a dim illumination would be cast over his horrific paintings, the paint of them still wet and expanding, miniature tentacles of the ungodly substance spreading across the canvases. For the room being so tiny, at least thirty of these paintings were thrown about, some hung on walls, some on the ground and some held up by small, wooden stands.

"How about this one? I call it...aaah, Grace. Yes, Grace! Congregation starts soon, the Bishop will adore them, don't you think?" the giddy, upbeat man spoke, acting like a child despite his rugged, bearded appearance and passing age.

Pausing, the Craftsman tilted his head, the lantern brought this his dirty, matted, crazed face. His voice abruptly went low, sinister and almost threatening.

"You will be attending Congregation, r-right? Old Jeremy did not want to go see the Bishop, we made a fiiiiiine painting of Old Jeremy. I t-think you saw it well, didncha? I wanted to put more lovely p-paint on him, mmm...~"

@Archmage Jeremiah @Takumi

---

For Nathan, a cauldron of an acidic, internally boiling substance would be found near the entrance of the corridor, back at the main lobby from whence the group originally entered. While large and potent of destructive capabilities, knocking such a cauldron over would surely doom his teammates to a horrid, uncomfortable fate. Perhaps if they relocated, however, the Dark Silhouette would be swamp in deadly acid. Other, smaller pots of strange substances laid about, their effects unknown and varied without some reference.

Meanwhile, just slightly further down the hallway, the Dark Silhouette roared, feeling an unusually powerful kick delivered to it's face. With that strange, black ooze splattering on the stone walls, the beast reeled forward, screeching down at the aviator-wearing captain. Powerful for such a frail abomination, the "bull" charged forwards, pushing back Coco and others with it's sharpen horns, trying to launch them backwards. Thrashing against the walls, shattering stone and wood, the Dark Silhouette appeared to ready for a more decisive, coordinated charge that could, if not countered, deliver more fatal results.

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @thatguyinthestore

​

Li-Ming silently gestured at Clare, telling her to be silent before the wizard entered with her mirror images. Each wore a charismatic grin and studied different corners of the room, while Li-Ming herself paid astute attention to The Craftsman's many details. Whipping out a ragged old wanted poster from her vest, the young prodigy never broke eye-contact while her fingers danced across the parchment.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful piece," Li-Ming responded, unfazed even by a potentially gruesome revelation, "Without question will I attend, but my concern lies with you. Even with all this lovely work you're doing, do you still remember how to get there? Wouldn't want you getting lost in your art and missing Congregation now, would we?"

@Krieg @Takumi​

Clare remained hidden and silent just outside the room, listening to each word. She made sure that the shadows kept her hidden, and upon noticing rhe gesture ny Li-Ming before the woman made herself more visible to the craftsman, the Claymore understood and didn't dare move. At least, not yet.

@Krieg @Archmage Jeremiah

 

[dalecOoOoOoOoOper]

"Um... what... exactly are you doing?"

Gordon found not the commander, but a young girl standing before him eventually. Unless, of course, she was the commander. Regardless, she looked confused for a moment but eventually smiled at the man.

"Actually, maybe you're in the same position I am. I've kinda been waiting here to meet the commander, but everyone says he's out on a very important mission." The girl gave a bit of a nervous laugh. "Seems everyone's real busy these days!"

@dalecOoOoOoOoOper​

Gordon looks at the woman, slightly confused, tilting his head. He didn't really hear what she told him very well, mainly as he wasn't paying attention. By a moment's notice, and rather abruptly, he speaks aloud "Yes, I'm Regional Bureau Chief Cole! Gordon Cole! I'm looking for the commander!" Gordon then stands up and politely takes her hand and shakes it. "You must be his assistant! I'm Gordon Cole! I was asked by the director of the FBI to be a liaison of some sort for the UN!"

Gordon's stomach rumbled quietly. He looked down at his stomach, then back up at the girl. "Do you by any chance have a donut or coffee that I can have?!"
​

@Atomyk