The Witches Huts

[travelagency]

Who: Various
What: Swamp Hunting
When: M11 D27 - M11 D29 (Feb 17 - Feb 25) IMPORTANT NOTE days have been changed to make the plot more accommodating.
Where: Three different swamps far from the Village
Notes & Warnings: See the plot post for further details. You are allowed to go to more than one swamp. There's plenty of time, to. Plotting Links: The Marsh of Sorrow | The Offending Swamp | The Witch's Den. Participation is encouraged so that we can make later plots around expanded world access, or so that characters can use potions or cauldrons they didn't turn in themselves. The Slip 'n' Slide log is still open for tagging.

The Marsh of Sorrow

Foggy and murkey, sparse trees jut out of the bog like gnarled fingers reaching to an unseen sky. There's a light mist in the air- raining again in some form or fashion as every explorer who has returned has reported. Not all have returned, though, and caution is very much encouraged. There are more wild hounds than one would expect for somewhere that apparently doesn't have free grazing livestock. They seem to be waiting around for something.

It becomes obvious when a sheep becomes mired in the mud near the border. Easy prey. Luckily the hounds have never shown any interest in people.

The good sign is that that there are few skeletons and creepers. While one might assume that they're hidden by the fog, they're generally extremely sparse. Off in the distant fog there are lit spots, areas where old huts are, glowing mysteriously. Those are the places that the museum wants to be investigated. It just requires wading through the muck to reach them.

What the museum doesn't know is when the marsh is active, emotions play a role in whether someone can make it across. Unfortunately it's the only time that the huts can be located through the fog. People that are entering the swamp with grim feelings in mind will find themselves sinking. Perseverence, ambition, joy, curiosity? Those will help people strive through, and hopefully pull others to the surface.

The Offending Swamp

The museum doesn't tell people why it provides them with face masks, but oh, they will know when they hit the border of the swamp. It's a terrible smell, not quite like being near a sewer but not far off. That unfortunate paper-mill smell. The mask given to them will allow people to speak freely and unmuffled, but it only blocks out about 90% of the stench. This is one of the situations where someone might hope that the rewards are worth it.

The ground is far more solid than in the Marsh of Sorrow, with plenty of firm areas to roam. It makes the stench more irritatingly mysterious. There are few animals, too. But the answer to that becomes obvious when bursts of flame pop out of small holes in the ground. Apparently getting through will require great care.

The museum did not provide fireproofed clothes. But when the hut is found, luckily alongside its cauldron will be an abundence of fireproofing potions. Their purpose isn't obvious so it would depend on the curious or the adventurous to figure it out. That will at least make getting back out easier.

The Witch's Den

When entered, this swamp seems the more relaxing one. The temperature is moderate, the air isn't deplorably foul, the boggy areas are not as difficult to navigate. Once someone is within its limits, making their way to the hut, the more unsettling aspects of the swamp make themselves known.

Voices of people lost or left behind speak to people over their shoulders, soft and sometimes pleading, or accusing. They mutter secrets, things about their past, fears that people don't say aloud. Sometimes they're just whispers, and sometimes they're loud enough for the next person over to hear. Often they will tell people to go a certain way, toward another object or in another direction.

If they follow, it will put them back at the edge of the swamp.

There is a single hut in this one, far towards the center. As with the ones in the Marsh of Sorrow, it will glow as the swamp's abilities are active. It lies past the remnants of dilapidated houses and landmarks, a village likely abandoned long before any of the other ruins were formed. It is best found as the sky grows dark. Unlike the Marsh of Sorrow, though, enemies will crawl out of the dark.

Comments

[ewestmarch]

[Emilia is after her, skirts hiked up to climb. After a moment, the golem comes too, barreling through branches.]

Wonder if the witch is home.

[ratkicker]

Who knows. [She steps aside for the golem as he comes crashing through.] But she might tell that we're coming. We'll have to prepare for a fight.

[ewestmarch]

I don't think we have time for subtlety anyway.

[She uses her golem's elbow as a step and climbs to perch on its shoulder. Keeps it moving, towards the light.]

What firepower do you have?

[ratkicker]

Just my staff. But I've fought hundreds of aliens before. I think I can handle one witch.

[ewestmarch]

Mage?

[A mage would be ideal. Otherwise a staff is just a stick.]

Besides the witch. The creepers could catch up when they're done eating Niko.

[ratkicker]

Me? No, those don't exist where I'm from. But I'm fast and good at avoiding hits. Most of the time I hide and crawl through places and only fight when I have to. But that's why I always go with a heavy-hitter.

[With the golem, they might just be covered.]

What can you do?

[ewestmarch]

I'm a mage.

[It's not quite true - she was never licensed, but no one here has the resources to check. "Hedge wizard" isn't a term she likes.

The geometric lines of a building can be seen ahead in the gloom, and Emilia narrows her eyes.]

There. Do you see that, or is it an illusion?

[ratkicker]

[Oh, good. Emilia can actually do decent long-range attacks.

Jade slows her pace to get a steadier view up ahead.]

Looks real to me. Let's stay hidden incase someone is really in there.

[ewestmarch]

[Emilia shoots a look over her shoulder at the golem. She could cast invisibility on him or...

She looks back at Jade.]

How quietly can you move? ...Whatever your name is.

[ratkicker]

Jade. [She shoots Emilia a quick, unimpressed look.]

I sneaked into three military bases back home and got out safe. Think that's enough?

[ewestmarch]

Better hope so.

[She rolls a spell between her hands - clear blue light, smooth, with no sparks or crackles.]

This will give you thirty seconds of invisibility. Can you get in closer and look in the window?

[ratkicker]

Now? [She turns to the house and makes a dash for the sole window in the hut. In one easy movement, Jade jumps over a final log, rolls, and ends up crouched next to the window. It takes a second for her to remember that she's invisible, so it's safe to look straight inside.

The place is empty inside, apart from the mess of chairs, herbs, and bottles. There's no one to be seen, though, and Jade takes her time to go back to the rest of the group.]

I didn't see anyone in there. But there's a ton of stuff inside. Think we should head in anyway?

[ewestmarch]

Not until - shit!

[Jade takes off, and Emilia launches the spell after her - it seems to consume Jade, but the telltale footfalls make her possible to track if not exactly easy.]

I don't know that we've got other options. Where's the door?

[ratkicker]

[Jade nods. Actual sneaking is something she does well.] I think it's on the other side. There might be someone out there, so we still have to be careful.

[ewestmarch]

I can't hide all three of us.

[She glances back at the abomination, who is still craning his neck back towards where they left Niko.]

Go in with swords drawn? Figuratively.

[ratkicker]

[Jade rests her hands on her hips, thinking.]

That' might be our best plan. Want me to go in first while you back me up?

[ewestmarch]

No. I'll send him.

[Emilia indicates the flesh golem with a twitch of her head.]

He can take hits. Gale!

[Said golem perks up with a grunt.]

Go over there and find a door. Or make one.

[And with that it starts crashing through the underbrush again, towards the house. Time to go!]

[ratkicker]

[Jade winces as Gale loudly makes his way to the hut, but accepts that whoever is living there will be aware of their presence anyway. She runs to keep up with him, careful not to put too much distance while staying far enough to avoid most of the smell.

Once she reaches the clearing, she crouches and rolls reflexively, taking out her staff in the same movement, quickly scanning the area.

There's nothing, apart from a cauldron...but there's something on the ground that's mostly blocked from her view.]

[ewestmarch]

Okay, good. Move now.

[Emilia has very sharp elbows, and uses them mercilessly to push the abomination aside now that it's done its work.]

Where is she?

[ratkicker]

[Jade stands up and points to the cauldron.] There's something behind that.

[She tiptoes her way closer to get a better look, but jumps back once she gets a good view of the skeleton lying there.]

Emilia? Take a look at this.

[ewestmarch]

[Emilia comes up beside Jade to peer over with her, then holds up both her hands as in surrender.]

She was like that when we got here. You're my witness.

[ratkicker]

[She nods in agreement.]

Let's head inside.

[Her entry into the hut passes without incident, but she takes her time to survey the various trinkets without touching any of them. Jade has not experience with magic of any kind, and she'd rather not risk causing an accident.]

[ewestmarch]

[Emilia, on the other hand, is already touching everything. And pocketing some of the more interesting things.]

Think she had any next of kin?

[ratkicker]

[At least Emilia might know what these things are. Jade, seeing that the other woman hasn't been horribly cursed, starts taking the more mundane-looking tools and empty vials that look like they could fetch a good price at the market.]

Don't know. If she did, they either don't care enough about her or they're not strong enough to come here.

[ewestmarch]

Or they don't know where she went. Maybe they don't even know she's a witch.

[She's projecting a little, maybe, but that's fine because this place is fascinating. An entire life, alone, with only magic and exploration. Was she happy with her choices? Why here, and why this? And how-?

Emilia freezes.]

Shit. We need to consider what killed her, and whether it's in this room.