melodiesofeternity | Event || A History of Light and Darkness

Event || A History of Light and Darkness

Who: Brave Explorers and/or Those Poor Souls Being Dragged Along by Friends
When: Oct 15-30th
Where: Thilmit Border Post, inside the Old Heranean Doll Museum
What: The Heroes of Light received a strange letter, and are now being asked to investigate the strange occurrences at the old doll museum.
Warnings/Notes: OOC Post Warnings for Spookiness, Creepy Dolls. Post toplevels for each group. Please post warnings as needed for memory fragments and exploration. For random numbers, use the dice functions on Plurk or Discord.

The Old Heranean Doll Museum is a small building, but somehow the dark, dusty windows and poorly maintained roof give it a menacing feel as you approach. The sign says, "OPEN"...although, as you approached, you think it might have been turned to "CLOSED".

The door creaks as it swings open, though there is no one from the museum to greet you as you enter. A cold breeze blows in behind you, sapping any lingering warmth in the room. The building is dark, and cobwebs are starting to form in the corners of the lobby and on the velvet rope stanchions that guide the flow of traffic in and out. Out of a shadowy corner, a large centipede skitters across the floor and into a crack low on the wall.

At the reception desk, one of the antique dolls sits, unmoving, unblinking. That goes without saying. Its eyes do not follow you as you enter.... The hairs prickling up on the back of your neck are just coincidence, that's all.

There is another doll perched on the wooden brochure display stand near the door. It's strange that the curator leaves the display pieces out where visitors can touch them....

As you enter, you hear something whistling through the air toward you a moment before it makes a impact. A tiny pebble, too small to do any damage other than a brief stinging. During this moment of distraction, the door slams and locks.

When you look at the spots where the dolls were perched a moment ago, there is now just empty space. There is movement in the shadows, and the nearly imperceptible sound of tiny shapes creeping around.

As you move past the lobby into the exhibits, a sign above the entryway declares:

Welcome to the Old Heranean Doll Museum. We hope you enjoy our historic Heroes of Light displays.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[One moment, she was hurrying to the door, but in the next, she found herself being lifted off her feet and squeaked as she landed on their shoulder.]

K-Kanji-kun! Wha--!?

[But he was continuing on further, the dolls they were fighting falling behind as he just legged it - the advantage of his height making up for any deficiency in speed. Flailing for a moment, she just held on, watching Ifrit bound after them and now growl at Kanji for sweeping up his summoner.]

[The door would not survive Kanji's kick - honestly, no door was surviving either of them - and suddenly, Naoto found herself in the Employee's Only room. Strange, but again, none of the dolls seemed to try opening the door.]

... That's good. Could you perhaps put me down now?

[He was short of breath from the nerves. His pants a mess of razor cuts and holes from pens, pencils and needles, he was pretty sure he wouldn't sleep soundly considering the things he made on a daily basis adorning his shelves. Maybe he'd put them in a trunk until further notice...

He started when she spoke. Yeah, he did kind of... right. Yeah.]

Right, sorry, hang on a sec-

[He'll just set her down and shift back a step, not looking at her.]

Shit... nobody's here. Were they taken outta the building?

[Back on her feet, Naoto straightened her clothes and didn't look back at Kanji either. Instead, she took a moment to observe the room they'd entered, frowning when - just as Kanji had said - no one appeared present.]

It's... possible.

[Or maybe no one was ever here... but she shook her head before she could voice that.]

[The lock clicks on the door the pair rushed in through. The intercom system, usually used only for light background music and announcements about closing time, cuts on with a roar of static.

After a moment, a high pitched laughing begins to broadcast from the speakers. The shadows from the far side of the room shift, and the light from the crack beneath the door to the Curator's office flicks off.

The cackling laughter dies down, and it is eerily silent, like the calm before the storm.]

[What makes a man leap out of his skin? That. But his eyes narrowed as he reached for his greatsword, and with the brief song of blade on sheath, he was fully armed and ready to deal with... wh-whatever the fuck this was.

But there was silence that lingered, and he felt his body tensing. If Teddie showed up on some kind of monitor...!]

Naoto, didja see a light for a second? I swear I saw somethin'.

[Focus on that, and be ready to lay the smack down on the giggler.]

[Naoto may or may not be back on Kanji's shoulder after everything that occurred, much like a startled cat given the way she clung... but she did draw out her gun again with a scowl after it all fell silent.]

I... did. For a moment... We'll give them a minute to see if they want to come out on their own.

[The closed office door is quiet and dark. Whoever is inside seems to be hoping to avoid detection.

The shadows on the other side of the break room begin to form into a hulking shape, even though there is neither light source nor object that would cast such a shadow.

The shape is large, with a rounded body and head, shorter arms and legs, wings, and a crown shape between pointed ears.]

T͎̯̺̣̮h͈̦̻̥̙̯ͅạ̻͈t̳̣ ͙̹̰̭͚̖f̶o̠̞̠̦̼o͏̻̩̲̞̝l̴ ̟͈͖̮s҉̗̞͔̤h̩̠͠a̷̭̮͓̬̩ͅl̙̳̹͠l͚̬̮ ͏̣̤̤̖n͚̺̱̬̳̞̮o̞͙̺̲̯ͅt̨͈ ̜̞͇̗ͅe̘̻m̘̬͘ͅe̴͍̬͖r͟g̡͕e͖̮͖̫͖.͍ ̸̼̗͈̟̠̬̺S̼h̲̻̣e̫͓̬͇͕̫̯͜ ̩̫f̝̺͈̬e̥̪̖̰̲̠̬á̱̬̠̺̱̝̞r҉̦s̷ ̳͜t̷̞͎̼̱̗̥h̶ȩ̳̲̥̰̖̹ ̰̱G̪̹͖̭̰o҉͓̼͓̟o͕͚̝d ̢̲̜͇̩͚ͅK̖̮̘͇͇͉i̛͇͈̗͖̲̤ͅn̞̼̹g'̛̩̯̤̝̺͙ͅs̳͢ ͓̥̯w͖͎̰͖r̩͈̙̱a͏͍t͔̼̥̱͖͟h̵̘̦,̦̳̺̩ ͖͍͙̪̱̕
̥̱̗
̠a̞̱̟͈͍͖̕n̼̟̠̞̟̤d͔̹ ̧̲̙r̸̜̝ͅį̟̼̭͖͖g̫̩̰̜̺̼̺h̖t̻̠͖͙ͅḷ̭͖̖̣͖̞y͖̳̹̙͝ ̗͍͙ś̠̝͎̻͕̞ó͙͚̱͇̬.

[The voice from the shadows is deep and distorted, rumbling from the incorporeal darkness.]

[Hoooooo shit that's a voice that'll make the hairs stand on end. But with his jaw set and his eyes steely, he kept his gaze on the shadowy shape across the way.]

We'll see about that, punk! We're gettin' her outta here!

[He began to focus. Rather than unleash holy energy in an attack, he would instead let it gleam off of the great sword, beginning to cast a light that would steadily intensify.]

[Oooh, she doesn't like that voice, but she was already practically perched on Kanji's shoulder that climbing anywhere else just wasn't happening. Annoyed, she let out a breath.]

A 'Good King' shouldn't be wrathful and feared anyway. Kanji-kun's right; we'll be escorting whomever you've trapped here out.

[Ifrit growled while Naoto had her flamethrower ability ready.]

"K͕u͠-̶̜͖͙̣p̧̭̖o̮̖̖̣̗̱̤͠-͏̰͈p̪̬o̟-̴͈p̰͖̯̜ò̬̱̻̥͈-p͏̖̝̯̣͓̭ͅo͈̭̥͡!͓ ̜͚͍͓̺
̘
̡͔T̵̳̤͎̟̣h̪ͅo͈͎̻̣ͅu̜̙̖̺̲̭̲ ̺t̴̲h̞i̺̦̥̮ń̮͈̭̭͓k̴͈e̼̪̗̹̺̟͘th͉̱͕̖͘ͅͅs ͖͖m͖̺̖̣̣̬̼e͏̣̱͈̝̞r̼̙͉̰͔͙̤͘e̩̹̦ ͠y̠o͔̜͇̦̱̳u̧̹th͎͖̗̮̟̝͓s ͈̠̜̟̫̹c̩̥̱̣͢a͕̤̬̮̺̲̮n̲̞̪͉͕̜ͅ ̣̺̥̪s̰t̶̰͕͚͎͍̩͇a̖͓̼̮̱͎n̢͖̬d͖͓̠ ̴͔̱͈ḁ̵͖̹g̗̝̜̣̼̫̮͘ąi̵n̡͙̩̝̟s̼͍t͉͓͇͢ ͚t̨̻̹̗h̨̩̗̘̰̳͔e̶͖̮̖ ̱͎̣̫̙m̹̺͈͚̫̰i̮̟̩̲g̴͉̘͚̞̟ḩ̫̖̗t̯͕͈ ̗̝͓̘o̼̣̪̹͉̭͜f̸͔̰̻̞̤ t͔h̻̘͟e͏̲̙ ͏̫̥̜̞k͕̟̻i̵̺͙̝͕n̨͚͖͙g҉̝͔?̗̹͉̭͙"

[Within the dark office, the two might hear a whispered cursed. The door cracks open and a face peers through the sliver between door and frame.]

"What are you doing?"

[The office on one side of the break room, and on the other, the shape forming from the shadows...a choice, to fight or to retreat.]

Edited 2018-10-30 00:28 (UTC)

[He hadn't turned to face the source of the voice. Breaking his stare upon the shadowy figure wasn't in the cards right now, but as he tightened his shoulders and hardened his gaze, he opted to go straight to action.]

Gettin' you outta here, damn it! Holy Blade!

[The blade sang as it swept from right to left, striking air. But that wasn't the name of the game: The floor bubbled with holy energy before it abruptly shaped a massive blade thrusting skyward into the bulk of shadows.]

If you are really here...

[But like everything else, it's been moving about like a shadow. As such, she's not sure about using physical bullets on it... but Flamethrower was always an open, the fire following up Kanji's Holy Blade.]

[And besides her flames, Ifrit expelled his own.]

[The illumination from the Holy Blade and the fires cut through the writhing mass of shadows, revealing...

...a moogle doll with a crown and tiny scepter. It leans its head back and cackles in a voice that no longer sounds distorted. In fact, it is now high pitched and squeaky.]

Thou thinketh thine feeble skills can best the king, kupo?

[The Good King Moggle Mog doll, looking slightly singed in the wing area, raises his scepter and summons a Giant Kupo Nut to drop down on Kanji's head.]

[NO. DAMN IT, HE'S CUTE. But he must not let that get to him! The nut came crashing down and with an almost cartoonish donk, it bounces off Kanji's head.]

Ow! Ya little shit!

[His answer was to pump himself up. The War Cry left him with the timbre of a lion, bolstering his strength and defenses.]

[Naoto blinked when the Kupo Nut hit Kanji's head, wincing herself. Well then...]

[While Kanji got himself prepared with War Cry, Naoto took out her iMog slate. With a few clicks, she switched from Gunslinger to Summoner, Ifrit disappearing from their side and a staff appearing in her hand.]

[The King's tiny glass eye beads narrow. Doth these youths not fear him? He demands respect!

He raises his scepter again. The Kupo Nut did not the right impact, it seems. This time he calls forth with a cackle the ghosts of some of his long-captive moogle subjects, who wail and grasp at the two teens with chill, spectral fingers. The ghosts' mournful cries deal Psychic Damage to the party before they disappear again beyond the veil.]

Kneel before thy King before We maketh thou Our eternal subjects!

[The cries fill his head and he struggled to push them back out, granting him a fine, hefty headache for his troubles. Yet he was the stubborn sort and had to try and wear this thing down, or at least work himself into that weird state he'd found himself in a while ago... the one that let him call that card.

He braced with his blade, assuming Cover.]

You're all set, Naoto! Put a boot in his fat... cute... bastard face!

[Once the attack had passed, Naoto shifted how she was on Kanji, sitting properly on his shoulders instead of just clinging onto his back. Her own staff in hand, she avoided turning it into a gunblade for now, but she did proceed to making the motions. Sure, Ifrit was there just moments before, but a Partial Summoning was different from the Egi Summoning.]

It's not going to be a boot, but close enough...

[Emerging from his burning seal, he reared on his hind claws with a bellowing howl, knocking his knuckles together and igniting them. With both fists flaming, he charged at the King and swung them at its fluffy face.]

[The King thrusts his Scepter to defend himself against the attack, but Ifrit's hellish strength is a match for the mighty Moggle Mog. Flames creep up his sides, gradually dying down, but their embers illuminate the darkness of his souless eyes.]

How dare thee insult thy ruler! Foresoothe, I too weird the power of the Eidolons!

[He waves the Scepter above his head, summoning Dark Chocomog. The familiar summon materializes before Naoto and Kanji, yet their movements are stiffened, their smiles sinister, as the Chocobo charges at both of them for a beak strike.]

[He raised his great sword to brace for the impact and parry, teeth grit. He wasn't aware that was a summon... that had to be cute too, didn't it? But it was a little more creepy than anything.

He focused and widened his stance for the Saint Cross, unleashing that burst of energy for both Chocomog and master for their troubles.]

[That hurt, but she wasn't going down yet.]

Again, I don't recall you being my ruler.

[And if he wanted to be a brat insisting on that, she'd just call upon someone else. The next wave of her staff and the temperature dropped in the room. Again, she couldn't draw upon their full strength, but Shiva could be drawn out to use Heavenly Strike on the Dark Chocomog.]

Nay, thy future ruler, kupo!

[King Moggle Mog grows impatient at the lack of groveling before his terrible might. He shakes his royal Scepter at the two and at Shiva as his summon halts it attacks and returns to the astral plane.]

Cursed Calamity-Marked! Thou dost not comprehend the power ye face!

[He holds out his scepter before him, and another Moogle appears - this one wearing the garb of a Dark Knight. It charges at Naoto, striking her with its spear before disappearing.]

I shall make thee bow even with thy dying breath! Kuu-po-po-po!

Tch... what would you know about Calamity stuff? You're a friggin' doll!

[He shifted a step and took that to the chin, ticking a stack off of his cover. He chose to advance in a rushdown. Can't cast magic if you're too busy to waggle your dumb stick around.]

Get lost! You, and whoever the hell made ya!

[A pivot and a swing. C'mere, ya little bastard!]

[Naoto had been concerned about that attack - keyword, 'had'. Kanji was very good at having her covered.]

We do understand, and that's why we do not bow to you.

[With Shiva gone, Naoto's getting low on energy. Summoning could take a fair amount, but she would draw her guns next round if she had to. With another wave of her staff and gesture towards the King, the sigil appeared again, blue and wavering. A gateway that allowed Leviathan to emerge partially and strike back in retaliation with a Tidal Blast.]

[Kanji's attack strikes the Mog Doll in the fat face, sending it flying across the room and knocking off his tiny crown. He continues to clutch the Scepter, prepared for righteous retaliation when a jet of water smacks into him. He flutters up, his soggy body holding him down.]

You---! My power--! This cannot be--!

[He holds up his Scepter for one final time, creating a blinding flash. When Naoto and Kanji regain their vision, Moggle Mog has disappeared, though his high pitched voice is heard from a distance:]

I shall return and enact mine revenge, kupooooo…

[The party is free to enter the curator's office.]

Did you roll a relative of the red die? Is this what's happening?

My rainbow d6 is the padawan of the red die!

oh geez

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Coin flip says FIIIIGHT

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