⇨ HELL

[ringleaders]

Who: Vampire prisoners and rescue squad.
When: Evening Day 67 - Day 68
Where: Vampire Hell
What: The rescuers go to hell. Top levels are in approximate chronological order.
Warnings: Violence, torture, tryhard demons who aren't very creative.

RESCUE MISSION: HELL↴ The air smolders as you travel through the star-shaped portal the Ringmaster has opened - the gateway to the hell dimension that has taken so many if you. Ahead, you can see the grand entrance to Morningstar's fortress, a single point of civilization in the center of a barren, lava drenched hellscape. Of course, you won't be entering from the front. That would be stupid. The Ringmaster's plan is simply in explanation but far more difficult in execution. Her instructions are that she will attack the fortress directly, and that the rescue team is to enter inconspicuously and rescue who they can while she engages Morningstar. She has provided you with silver weapons - daggers, swords, and some projectiles - which you may or may not choose to use. Shedding a trail of orange and green embers, the Ringmaster will sprout her dark, feathery wings and take to the air, leaving the rescuers to contemplate their instructions now that they've arrived. The fortress is large, and as such there are many potential side entrances to find. It will take some doing, but the group will be able to accomplish it. Meanwhile, many of the vampires within will be distracted by the Ringmaster's now very audible arrival, and don't seem to be expecting a secondary attack. The initiative is yours, and the captives are there to be found... but will you succeed? ► GATEKEEPING: For those who don't trust their mettle enough to travel all the way to hell, there is an important job to be done back at the carnival. The Ringmaster's obsidian daggers have opened a portal there, but while the rescuers enter that portal must be protected - both to keep it from collapsing and stranding everyone there, and to prevent anything demonic from escaping onto the carnival grounds and causing havoc. If you need to take it easy but still want to help, this is a good place to be. It's also a good place for nervous hand-wringing about whether any of your friends will make it back alive. ► PLAYPEN: The cavernous pits where the neonate vampires are dumped, in order to engage in a survival of the fittest style battle royale where only the strongest and most cunning will emerge. Those that were turned during the masquerade were dropped down here a couple days ago, and so someone needs to go collect them. Try not to get eaten by the hordes of other starving neonate vampires down there while you're at it. Maybe you could even try to save some of them, if any seem worth redemption. ► CAPTIVES: While the supervisors were initially all caged together in large cell surrounded with a moat of lava, it seems that most of them have now been moved elsewhere. Where they have ended up is a puzzle you'll have to solve quickly - there are plenty of vampire sentries about to try to get in your way, and some of the prisoners may already be significantly worse for wear. If anyone has any powers that help them find people, this would be the time to use them. ► MINIBOSSES: Unfortunately, the enemies here aren't only capable of damaging the body, but the mind, too. In these particular cases, that corruption of the mind has been used pointedly to Morningstar's advantage - two of the carnival's most dangerous members have now been turned against it. If you want to get out of here alive, you'll have to go through them. If you're really lucky, you'll get them out alive, too. ► BOSS FIGHT: Before the rescuers and the rescued can escape, Lord Morningstar will arrive to corner them, with an entourage of elders. Let's hope that she gloats long enough for something to turn the tables.

Comments

[periphrasing]

Come on Lapis. The fact that Peridot didn't immediately come sprinting over to you and start chattering excitedly like she usually would should be an indicator that's something is off here.

But in the case that Lapis needs another hint, Peridot's more than ready to provide. More fire is forming in the palms of her hands now, balling up into projectiles which she's going to go ahead and chuck at her roommate now, while slapping her thick tail noisily on the floor.

[mirrortide]

Again Lapis makes a movement with her hand like she's about to defend herself with water. Thankfully this time she realizes before she gets singed, though it's a pretty narrow dodge.

"Is it because I said season 2 was weak in character development before you went missing?" Lapis is, unfortunately, not even thinking about the fact it could be mind control, because that just isn't a thing that happens normally.

[periphrasing]

Well this is frustrating. The only reason Peridot isn't falling on her with tooth and nail is because of that sword Lapis is holding. She's keenly aware of it's presence here, and she does not want to get within range of it.

She slaps her tail against the wall with another loud crack, trying to warn this intruder off from getting any closer, and makes threatening slashing moments in the air with heated claws. Piss off.

[mirrortide]

Judging by the reaction, it's probably that. There is literally nothing else it could be? Why else would Peridot be so grumpy?

"I'm sorry but you know it's true, Peridot. Season 2 was the weakest character arc for everyone." It's also no reason to spit fire at her, but Peridot has always been on the more dramatic side, she guesses.

She takes a few steps towards Peridot.

[periphrasing]

And Peridot takes a few steps back. She's snarling like an angry dog, the tuft on her tail all puffed out. She's about two steps off from turning tail and flying the coop.

[mirrortide]

"Come on, Peridot! Everyone was worried about you." More steps towards her, because really, it's not like she's going to attack Peridot with a sword. Or at all, because it's Peridot.

She might smack her upside the head later for making her worry though. "Let's just go home."

[periphrasing]

That's more than enough. In this state Peridot's really not much more than... well, a bunch of fight or flight instincts. Not much better than a corruption, really. And right now, she's choosing flight, because she can and she doesn't want to get any closer to this weird woman or that weapon.

So yeah. She turns tail (literally) and scampers off on all fours with a surprising burst of speed, aiming to find some place she can climb to safety.

[starseedling]

Darnit. Why do him and Amethyst have to have such short legs!

Lapis, with the power of flight, managed to outpace the two of them. But that doesn't meant they won't be relatively quick to catch up, Steven yelling after her in concern in a moment of stupidity (what is stealth?) as they make their way up the dungeon hall. He just barely sees the bright green of Peridot's form running away as they turn the corner, his eyes immediately going wide.

His shield is already out. He doesn't stop to look at Amethyst or Lapis as he bolts forward to pursue her.

"Peridot!" he calls.

[drrdrrdrr]

"Is that her??" Amethyst didn't catch the glimpse of Peridot fleeing that Steven did because she only has one available eye, but she takes off after him immediately, whip in hand. "Lapis, what happened–?"

[mirrortide]

"I don't know! She just spit fire at me when I went near her-" But more importantly, "After her!" Again, she doesn't wait for a response before she's flying after Peridot as well. Literally, because she doesn't want to somehow lose her.

[periphrasing]

Oh dear god there's more of them there's more of them and they're all chasing her now--

Peridot sprints out into a more open space, momentarily startled by how exposed she is. Immediately she makes for the nearest structure, hopping and scrambling up it with hooked claws to try and reach higher ground. NO WAY THEY CAN FOLLOW HER UP HERE!

[starseedling]

Except, Steven just keeps running without even pausing to assess the situation - which includes using his high, floating jump to bounce right up the structure with her. He allows himself to hang in the air ahead of her, putting his hands out in an attempt at pacification. Though Peridot doesn't have to take them, she will be able to feel Steven's feelings of worry and compassion through a gentle empathic link.

He can feel her anger and confusion right back through it, and he isn't even really sure what he's feeling at first. Is this really Peridot? Why is she so mad?

"Peridot, please!" he begs. "It's us! We're here to save you!"

[drrdrrdrr]

Amethyst hangs back a little, eyes wide. It's -- some kinda brainwashing crud, right, she's pretty sure, it's gotta be, but -- she doesn't want to see what'll happen if shetries to talk her down. But that's okay. Steven's got this, right? This is, like, his whole area.

Still.

She loosens the cord of her whip and tightens her grip on the handle, watching anxiously.

[mirrortide]

Unfortunately for Peridot, Steven floats, and Lapis can fly, and that means that her efforts to avoid them by getting to higher ground is all for naught. Lapis zips upwards to cup Peridot off from getting any higher than eye level with Steven, but ultimately she's going to let him handle it.

Steven tends to have a way with people after all?

[periphrasing]

Fear is coming off of Peridot in waves now, too. The three of them effectively have her cornered where she is crouching now, wild-eyed and frantic, tail lashing. She viciously rejects Steven's empathic touch, actually physically recoiling from it with a snarl. The very essence of it is reprehensible. What reason does this interloper have to be kind to her?? He's not one of the pack, she doesn't answer to him...

With little other option available to her, she lashes out again with super-heated claws at the closest target... which is, in this case, unfortunately... Steven.

[starseedling]

Unfortunately, unlike the power of actual flight, Steven's trajectory is either staying where he is or going down - so when Peridot lashes out, there is no way for him to just move back. He'd already put away his shield so he could approach her (he knows how scared gem monsters tend to react to weapons) so there's nothing in between him and her claws.

He knew she was angry and scared, but he didn't think she would react like this so quickly. Yet, he feels that surge of fear before she strikes, so maybe he should have seen it coming.

He curls away from her claws when she goes for him, feeling the burning bite of them but not really registering what part of him was struck. He's quick to let himself drop after she attacks, falling out of reach and hitting the floor, the way he's shielding himself making it hard to tell how badly he's actually been hurt.

[drrdrrdrr]

As soon as Peridot takes a swipe at him, Amethyst's arm is drawing back to strike; her whip lashes towards the terrified green gem in an arc intended to wrap around her –- even just her arm or her tail -- hell, even just one of her stubby little horns.

A split second later she realises Steven's hit, that he's falling, too late for her to do anything like try to catch him.

[mirrortide]

"Steven!" Lapis abandons her spot above Peridot as soon as she realizes that Steven has been hit. She can't understand why, but she's quickly crouching down next to Steven, looking between him and Peridot with increasing worry.

"Steven!? Are you okay?" Why would Peridot hurt Steven? Of everyone currently present, why Steven?

[periphrasing]

'Why' indeed. Simple answer is, she just doesn't know any better. Not even a single shred of guilt makes it through the volatile emotions that she's under the influence of.

Amethyst's whip snags the arm that Peridot struck out at Steven with, eliciting a strangled yelp of sheer animal terror. She immediately starts to bite at the coils that are lashed around her forearm, and blindly claws at the reachable length of it in a bloodthirsty frenzy.

[starseedling]

It only takes a few moments to get himself together, but things seem to be moving so quickly. He gasps with the pain he's feeling, opening up once Lapis is at his side and he knows that he isn't going to get any follow up attacks - Peridot's claws had caught him across his bicep and onto his chest, probably because he defensively curled it towards her when she started lashing out.

There are four red cuts, and the skin around them is bright pink - it will probably look a bit worse later. His adrenaline is up, though, and the heat at least prevents the wound from bleeding much. He puts his other hand on Lapis's shoulder for support, and then is immediately trying to get up again and help.

"It-It's okay," he says, trying to stand. Moving his shoulder makes it hurt worse. "She's... She's really scared right now, Lapis, we have to help her. I don't think she can remember us."

It really is like a corrupted gem. She even looks different, with those new growths of green crystal all over her body.

[drrdrrdrr]

Okay. Okay, Lapis has him, he's okay –- Amethyst hopes. She doesn't have more than a second to make that call – she needs to focus on what's on the other end of her whip.

She yanks the whip back with a sharp jerk of her arm to haul Peridot back to the ground. She doesn't want to hurt her, or make her more scared, but as far as she can see the easiest way around that is to get her restrained. And besides, Peridot's pretty durable...

[mirrortide]

What Steven is saying makes sense in the terms of how she's acting, but it doesn't make sense because Peridot knows them. Why would she be afraid?

Lapis steadies Steven with a small wince when he moves, because that really looks like it hurts. "Let Amethyst and me handle it." She doesn't want Steven to get hurt. She doesn't want to have to choose between protecting Steven and Protecting Peridot. "We'll figure it out, okay?"

[periphrasing]

Peridot plummets off of her perch with a squawk, Amethyst's yanking sending her face first at the ground. She staggers back to her feet, shaking her head rapidly, and immediately launches herself towards Amethyst next, claws scything through the air with rapid slashes of her hands.

[starseedling]

Steven jolts when he sees Peridot go for Amethyst, but he doesn't dash ahead himself quite yet. His eyes flash over to Lapis, and he swallows, and then nods. He knows that it doesn't help to try to argue with people in a situation like this - he's just gotta help in the ways that he can.

"I'll watch your back," he says, and brings his shield up again with his good arm. "We gotta get her out of here."

It's starting to seem that the easiest way to do that would be to poof her, but that's not really something he wants to do today. But if she really is like a corrupted gem, do they really have any other choice?

[drrdrrdrr]

"Don't worry, Ste-man, we got this," Amethyst agrees, although she isn't sure at all that they do. If they really are going to have to poof her, that'll be a heck of a job. Nothing she or Steven have at their command is as powerful as Garnet's gauntlets, and Vampire Hell isn't exactly moist –

Her train of thought doesn't get far before Peridot's going for her too. She flinches back, ducks a swipe from those claws, and uses the whip that's still wrapped around Peridot's arm to pull her off balance, and yank her closer – a risky move that could either get her decisively clawed up or give her the opportunity to sock her it's-complicated-facebook-status-friend in the jaw.