⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 4 PT2

[ringleaders]

Who: Anyone and everyone!
When: October 31st, 2017 HALLOWEEN!
Where: The Count of Crow's Underground Realm
What: The displaced carnival members break into the Count of Crow's underground fortress, in the hope of taking control of the ritual and maybe saving Childermass's life.
Warnings: Violence, ritual blood letting, other stuff.

DAYS OF WINTER PT2↴ The night of hallow's eve has come, and there's no more time for waiting. As Portland begins enjoying the festivities of the night, you are tasked with something darker - you must find the Count's realm within Portland's underground tunnels, and fight off those that would stop you. The ritual will be starting soon, and once it's finished the very nature of this reality will be in the Winter Court's hands... the only choice is to intervene.

Comments

[kingsroads]

Strange pauses, looks at the ice with a frown, and then very carefully and tentatively steps onto it. This whole 'bring the brat back alive' thing is more annoying than expected. Still, he can at least cut off some options. With a gesture of his hand and a brief incantation muttered under his breath, multiple spikes form from the ice around the door frame. They aren't huge but your average normal ten year old would have a hard time breaking them.

Of course, Strange isn't counting on ten year olds with weird gem superstrength. That'll make things a bit easier when Steven busts out.

As for Steven's question, Strange looks at him like it's the most obvious answer ever. "Because she asked me." Obviously there's so much more than that what with the brainwashing and all, but at least in Strange's mind, Nightshade asked him to do something so of COURSE it was going to happen! Again he reaches out to try and grab Steven, though Strange's footing is shaky at best.

[starseedling]

Strange will get Steven's arm, and Steven will pull back, shuddering with the increasing cold in the room. This is really hard for his changeling body to tolerate, and falling down on ice isn't helping. Yet, the thing that stick out most if Strange's phrasing.

Because she asked him. That's it. That's the whole explanation. It strikes a familiar chord in him, and what that fills him with dread. He pulls back his wrist, which will probably end up dragging Strange down on top of him, as they wrestle on top of the ice.

"Stop... Stop listening to her!"

[kingsroads]

Strange slips, landing on the ice with a solid thud. He tries to stand back up and yank Steven up with him, but considering the fact that they're both on ice, Strange's feet slip out from underneath him every few steps. Dammit! If he could just get the changeling to stay still then this would all be over.

"I can't!" Strange hisses, actual emotion pouring into his voice for the first time in this entire conversation as continues to deal with a flailing child and stand up straight on ice at the same time. Honestly, he's halfway tempted to just punch the kid, maybe that'll make the brat stop flailing. "I'd do anything Nightshade asked of me, of course I'm going to listen to her!"

Just from the tone of Strange's voice, it's obvious that Nightshade brainwashed him hard. She's so lovely, so wonderful, the fact that she would even pay attention to a failure of a magician like him, of course he'd do whatever Nightshade asked.

[starseedling]

He can't be reasoned with, and that's more terrifying than anything. Steven recognizes it in his voice, he recognizes the wording - this is different than before. He never tried to attack Steven before, and he let Bud go when Steven listened to him.

He's afraid for both of them, but his visceral terror of being taken again outweighs it. As Strange pulls him to his feet, something in him snaps, and his fear becomes anger.

"I'm not - going - WITH YOU!" Steven yells and punches Strange squarely across the face, his incredible strength returned.

[kingsroads]

And Strange goes down like a chump. Not only is he not expecting the kid to actually punch him, but he's certainly not expecting the punch to be that hard. Strange lets go of Steven to bring a hand up to his nose. However, as he does that, his feet slip out from underneath him due to the ice and Strange just wipes out, hitting the ground hard.

He's got to take a second to catch his breath but a moment or two later, Strange finally realizes that the ice on the floor is the main problem here and he's a magician. As he attempts to get to his feet, Strange mutters a spell under his breath to make that damn floor ice melt. Needless to say, there's plenty of time for Steven to smash through the ice near the door, kick Strange in the ribs, or do something else of that sort.