open Occult in the Swamps

[Stormbringer 347]

@,

 

Stormy trotted out of his room, looking for Swiggly. "Did'ja find out who it wa-... Hello, there, mister," he said to Mr. Silver. "I presume you're the manager of this establishment?" He looked around, then back to the older pony. "Is there some sort of problem, sir?" He cocked his head to the side a little.

[Mickey Taker 347]

@, @, @, @@Twila Starshimmer

 

Golbez propped his head up on one elbow with with his chin resting in his talon as the claws in his other talon rapped rhythmically against the ground, rolling his eye's as he listened to the blue haired mare's exclamations, finally he spoke in a clam and clear tone, "Well that's gratitude for you I must say, fly all the way out here in the middle of a swamp to lend my assistance and what do I get? Criticism!...I ask you....".

 

Shaking his head his gaze turns towards Sabel as he approaches him, his mood improving dramatically with a  smile as he takes the griffoness's talon in his own and pulls himself up, "Oh don't worry about me, I've had worse spills in rehearsals," he gives a Sabel a reassuring wink. 

 

The magician raised a curious eyebrow as he watched Sabel call up to the pink mare, whom he learnt right there and then was named Twila, and calling her down to join them, "Down here? I thought you needed to get out of this hole?...or is that not the reason you had your friend here send a flare up?" Golbez raises a talon as he gestures over to the rather striking colt behind him, he recognized the ball of energy that the pony sent up moments ago just then as the same flare that Golbez noticed back at the hotel.

"I believe a Sit-rep is in order, don't you think?"

Edited December 16, 2013 by Sparx

[Umbreon 569]

Silver

 

@@SwigglySwiggly,

@,

 

The old stallion sighs with relief and smiles, relieved to see that Swiggly and Stormy were so polite and understanding.  "It's quite alright, both rooms were vacant so no harm done."

 

He turns to address Stormy as the pegasus asks his questions, the old stallion bowing his head slightly as he introduces himself.  "Right ya are, son.  I'm Mister Silver, the owner of this establishment...  And there's been a number of problems today, but I don't want you to worry about it yourself."  

 

The older stallion waves a hoof in the air as he explains himself.  "Employees disappearing and skipping shifts, a couple of doors seeming to be locked from the inside, not to mention a strange odor that seemingly none of my staff know where it is coming from...  But again, please don't be concerned.  All I can ask is that you please be patient with an old stallion and his shorthooved staff as we try and resolve these issues.  We never expected something like this on our second day of opening, hehe..."

 

 

-------------------

 

Sabellah

 

@,

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@,

@@Twila Starshimmer,

 

Sabel smirks as she waves a talon dismissively towards Skuldaf.  "I didn't have him do anything - he just kinda does stuff on his own..."  The griffoness laughs before turning back to Golbez, folding her wings against her back so that he hopefully wouldn't notice the odd shape one of them was in.

 

"As far as a sit-rep goes, the simple version is I fell in a hole.  And I want to see where it goes...  I mean, look at the floor."  She stamps a talon against the ground to emphasize her point, the seemingly solid floor of woven tree roots.  "When's the last time you saw trees grow roots like this normally?  It's almost like they're going somewhere...  And we want to see where this place leads."  She turns to glance at Wish as she says 'we', indicating herself and the mare. 

[Hive King 2,001]

@, 

"Fables dictate that to be a terrible idea" Skuldaf droned, remembering how many grave-stones had "I want to see where it goes" (About 90, only second to "hold my beer" and "I got this") Still, the gryphon seemed rooted in her idea. Of course the gryphon would be stubborn

[Stormbringer 347]

@, 

 

Storm nodded politely, understanding Mr. Silver's situation. "It's quite alright, Mr. Silver. I know how things can get out of hoof. Sometimes, on the late shift at the factory, we'll have rainstorms go out of whack. Not just rainstorms, either. Tornadoes, even." He smiled warmly, showing his kindness and sympathy for the elder pony. "If you ever need any help with anything, Mister Silver, don't hesitate to come find me. I'll gladly help you out." He continued to smile kindly.

[Mickey Taker 347]

@, @, @, @@Twila Starshimmer

 

Golbez sits back on his haunches and raises a talon to scratch the back of his neck, "I don't know Sabel, I don't think it would be wise to start such an...expedition, if you will, so late in the day, besides are you prepared eno-", Golbez stops abruptly as his eye catches a saddle bag with an assortment of supplies scattered on the ground, he slowly makes his way towards it and picks up a scrolled up map in his talon, peering at it with a raised eyebrow before turning his unchanging expression towards Wish.

 

The saddle bag would have been too small in size for either Sabel or the the unicorn behind him, so it only left the earth pony by simple elimination, "Ok so maybe "Daring Do" here might be prepared, but still I think you would be better to properly plan this excursion and be prepared for "anything"...really this habitat is not what I would call friendly," the magician drops the map into the saddle bag as he once again sits back o his haunches, folding one forearm across his chest whilst pointing another at Sabel, "I mean if either of us were to......let's say sprain a wing or something, we'd be in right pickle trying to get away from any predators and what have you...doubt we could even get out of this hole in a hurry if that were the case."

Edited December 18, 2013 by Sparx

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,

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Wish looked up towards the light that indicated where Twila was, then back at the group.

 

"Stop talking about me like I don't know what I'm doing!" Grumbled the mare in response. "I am prepared for anything... but if you all want to go then fine, I'll come back later once I've got you all back to the hotel."

 

Anything: she had read hundreds of adventure stories. Everything that she might need had been gathered and sorted into the most likely items to be useful - filling the saddlebags to the brim... and that was before taking a couple of personal trinkets as well. She was prepared - the mare thought stubbornly - how could this... this griffon even suggest otherwise? They didn't have any faith in her - none of them!

[Hive King 2,001]

@, 

"You don't know what you are doing" Skuldaf said flatly, the term subtlety not in his brain. "You have shown lack of preparation and get flustered too easily" the unicorn droned, sounding almost bored. "You also have nothing prepared" Skuldaf said, a quick glance at her bags confirming his suspicion

[Umbreon 569]

Sabellah

 

@,

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Sabel snaps at Skuldaf, stepping next to Wish.  "Leave her alone.  None of us came out here expecting to fall into a hole in the ground.  If you don't think we're doing the smart thing, why are you still following us?"  

 

The griffoness frowns slightly before turning her attention back to Golbez.  "Besides, what are we going to run into down here that we can't deal with together?  Plus, there's not much other choice than to keep going...  You said it yourself, I can't get out of the hole like this."  She extends her hurt wing so that the other griffon could see it, glancing away from him.

 

@@Twila Starshimmer, 

 

Before waiting for a response she folds her wing back up and shouts up towards the hole in the roof.  "Twila!  Is everything alright up there?"

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,

@,

@,

@@Twila Starshimmer,

 

Caught somewhere between a mixture of emotions - curiousity at their situation, annoyance at the bully and wide eyes reverence for her friend and new role model, Wish wasn't really sure what she should say. The natural solution was to mimic the griffon - calling up to Twila.

 

"Hey Twila! Are you coming down?" She shouted. "If not... can you untie my rope? I really like that one!"

Edited December 18, 2013 by Cinderscribe

[Hive King 2,001]

"I am being honest" Skuldaf said bluntly not understanding what had caused the tension. "You are right, however. We have to follow this hole, unless you want me to blast us out" Skuldaf grunted, his face still stoic. Blasting them out as not a good idea in Skuldaf's opinion, so he didn't press the issue

[Twila Starshimmer 172]

@, @, 

 

Twila shook her head, snapping out of her thoughts.

 

"Yeah, I'll come down, hold on!" Even if I'm actually afraid to...

 

Twila squinted her eyes tight and thought of where she wanted to be closeby; when she opened them, she was down in the hole, immediately in awe of all the tangled vines and the inherent darkness of the cave.

 

"You're right, Sabel, it looks like these vines are showing the way...where do you think they lead?" she asked curiously, feeling a bit of a draft from the dark tunnel. She involuntarily shivered.

 

She walked a few steps ahead, testing out the ground. Hmm, it seems pretty durable, even though the dark tunnel ahead looks foreboding.

 

"Sorry I took forever to reply, I was lost in my own thoughts, and I tend to zone out when I do so. What's the plan?"

[Umbreon 569]

Sabellah

 

@@Twila Starshimmer,

@,

@,

@,

 

Sabel grins and pats Twila on the back reassuringly with one of her talons as she steps up next to the mare.  She had decided to speak up quickly, putting a plan out there before anyone could throw out another objection.  "The plan is to follow this way until it leads to a way out!  Is it at all possible that you can keep that light going for much longer?  It's pretty dark in here, I don't want anyone tripping over their hooves on these roots..."

 

The griffoness tilts her head slightly, smiling in a friendly manner at Twila.  She didn't want the unicorn to wear herself out, but she also didn't want to ask Skuldaf to take up the task...  After his last burst of light, she figured he was as likely to somehow catch the tunnel on fire or cause a cave in as he was to light it up. 

[Twila Starshimmer 172]

@, @, @,

 

Twila smiled back at Sabel, happy that she had made a friend.

 

"Sure, but we better start moving now. I'm not sure how long I can hold this for, as I've never actually tried."

 

She looked and smiled reassuringly at Skuldaf, thankful for his contribution thus far.

 

Twila squinted her eyes shut again and pictured her horn glowing, a beacon for their destination. She heard some gasps and opened them; light was now cascading all around them, and she could have sworn she saw strange symbols further down the tunnel. When she blinked a few times, however, they were gone. She pointed her hoof toward the tunnel's opening. "Shall we go now?" 

Edited December 18, 2013 by Twila Starshimmer

[Mickey Taker 347]

@, @, @, @@Twila Starshimmer

 

Golbez approached Wish slowly, he hadn't meant to upset anyone with his opinion, but seeing as he assumed he had he instinctively wanted to make up for it immediately, "Madam, I do apoligise if I have angered you but I am simply concerned for everyones safety, nothing more."

As Golbez now stood in front of Wish, his physique would be noticeably somewhat different compared to that of Sabel's, standing a little taller than her and while her body may be somewhat thin, Golbez's limbs were much more broader.

 

Lowering his head to Wish's eye level, smiling at her in a friendly manner as he talks calmly to her, "However, seeing as most of you have your heart set on this excursion...and because I'm fully aware of Sabel being more stubborn than a mule!..., "Golbez briefly shifted his gaze to the griffoness, subtly shaking his head at her before turning back to Wish, "...then I shall assist you anyway I can, you need only ask." smiling the griffon bows his head politely.

 

Turning his gaze once again towards Sabel, Golbez address her in a somewhat sarcastic tone, "Whenever your ready Sabel, I can't wait to see what manner of mischief you got me mixed into this time, " the griffon finally takes the cake as he gives Sabel an over-reactive grin, smiling as wide as his beak would allow him.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Sparx

[Umbreon 569]

Sabellah

 

@,

@@Twila Starshimmer,

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@,

 

Sabel smirks and rolls her eyes, already starting to make her way down the tunnel.  "Who knows," she taunts back without missing a beat.  "maybe we'll meet an interesting mule..."  It was entirely a well-meant jab, of course.  She was eager to get a move on though - the longer they stood here, the more boring it seemed to get.

 

As far as she could see from the light coming from Twila's horn, it seemed...  Well, about the same.  The floor was a little wet, but she just assumed that had to do with it being under a bog.  Sabel didn't notice it, but the roots that made up the floor also seemed to be getting very gradually thinner as she walked.  They still made a solid floor, but the tunnel slowly started to get narrower in width as they walked...  Not to mention a strange odor that seemed to be coming from the puddles of water along the floor.  It was rather strange - sweet one moment, and bitter the next...

 

 

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Silver

 

@,

@@SwigglySwiggly,  

 

Before the old pony can say anything in return, a hotel employee runs up to the desk and whispers something in the stallion's ear.  The old stallion listens intently before sighing and turning towards the two guests.  "My apologies, gentlecolts.  It seems there's an issue that requires my attention...  It would appear that nopony can get the door to the cellar opened, and I need to address the problem."

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,
 
Wish almost trembled - only almost - when faced with the griffon. He was even larger than Sabel, and bulkier too. She clenched her jaw sternly and answered with a voice that was possibly shakier than it should have been.
 
"Well... o-okay then." Came her sort-of firm response. "Just don't go saying things about ponies you don't know, it's not nice!"
 
@,
@,
@@Twila Starshimmer,

 

After scurrying after her friend for a short while, the quiet mare once again piped up with her opinion on their situation: eyes wandering all about them, trying to find anything out of the ordinary.

 

"You know, this is just like a story I've read..." She reeled off in a matter-of-fact tone. "What was it they said in the book? 'Why would it be big enough for a pony if it wasn't made for a pony?'... Do you think someone lives down here? I wouldn't want to, it smells funny..."

Edited December 20, 2013 by Cinderscribe

[Stormbringer 347]

@,

 

Stormwing nodded politely. "Sure thing. Nice place you have here, Mr. Silver. Seeya around, I guess." He smiled and nodded to him. "Come find me if you need me!" He trotted off, returning to his room. He, too, began to smell the odd scent. "Ewwh.. Is that moldy eggs or what?" He stuck his tongue out and started to browse through his bag. 

[SwigglySwiggly 358]

(omg I thought this rp was dead)

Swig trotted down the hallway and to the lobby where he passed Stormwing and Mr.Silver "Alright gents, I'm going outside for a breather" Swig went through the lobby and outside to the hotel's porch and sat on the steps. "something smells like Manehattan..."

[Twila Starshimmer 172]

@,  @, 

 

(OOC: to make it easier, I'm just going to make the whole font purple, with bold being talking and italics being thought.)

 

Twila sniffed the air, scrunching her nose. "Yuck, it smells like rotten food and stale air."

 

She picked up her pace a bit, starting to get a little creeped out by the close quarters. She playfully nudged Wish on the shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, though, we have each other, right?" She hoped she sounded calmer than she felt.

 

The tunnel seemed to be slowly curving in a different direction, though she wasn't sure which yet. She walked a bit faster to catch up to Sabel, who looked almost in a trance. "Hey, Sabel, is it just me or is the tunnel changing direction?"

 

She looked up at the ceiling of the tunnel as she walked, and could have sworn she saw those strange symbols again.

I must be imagining things...

Edited December 22, 2013 by Twila Starshimmer

[Umbreon 569]

Sabellah

 

Walking down the narrowing cave, Sabel comes to a stop as suddenly the floor of intertwining roots came up to meet the ceiling in a solid wall of roots.  "What the?"  The odor seemed to be stronger here, and smacking a talon against the roots resulted in a dull, hollow sound...  There was something on the other side of the wall!  She could just barely hear a quiet thud!  thud!  coming from somewhere beyond the wall as well.  

 

Not about to be stopped by trees of all things, Sabel pulls her hunting knife out of its sheathe and jams it between two of the roots.  Wiggling the blade back and forth to try and force an opening, Sabel crouches back and lunges at the wall.  The griffoness crashes against the wall of roots once, twice...  There!  The wall was slowly starting to open up!

 

Forcing the hole open as wide as she could, Sabel pushes herself through the gap and lands in a puddle of the smelly water.  "Ugh, gross!"  Standing upright, she glances around at where they'd found.  It seemed to be pony-made, a stone room...  Though the whole thing had about eight inches of water covering the floor.  

 

Thud!  Thud!  The sound was still there...  Glancing around trying to pinpoint the sound, she notices a door at the top of a staircase.  The sound seemed to be trying to force the door open, but she could see from here what was holding it shut.  More of the strange roots had grown over the inside of it.  They seemed to be slowly giving in, it would be a while before the door was open though.

 

Savoba

 

Suddenly a laugh cut through the room - sitting on top of a table in the flooded cellar, the masked zebricorn had watched their struggle through the wall of roots.  He had started to wonder when somepony would manage to check the cellar - he hadn't expected the first visitor to come from his own path, but it didn't matter.  As his horn began to give off a pale, sickly aura, the roots consisting of the wall to the tunnel and blocking the door simply vanish.

 

With a loud crash a group of ponies fell from the staircase, the resistance behind the door suddenly gone.  Savoba recognized one of them as the old fool who had built this atrocity here in his swamp - he would be the first to go.  Savoba's horn continues to glow as he speaks, and the zebricorn's voice would echo throughout the entirety of the hotel.

 

"Ah, now de mice finally meet de serpent..."  The masked stallion laughs again before continuing.  "Chu foolish leaders of ponies, de adventurers, de ones who want ta see what nopony seen before...  Well, don't chu worry.  Savoba is gonna make chu see t'ings chu nevah forget..."

 

Savoba's eyes gleam with an insane light through the holes of his mask.  The others would have no way of knowing, but he was grinning wildly at the thought of what was to come.  "Chu come ta Savoba's swamp...  So as payment, chu are gonna feed Savoba's powah.  But dunnae worry, dere be a reward for anypony dat survive through de night.  Enlightenment!"  The zebricorn cackles, stamping a hoof against the table he was sitting on.

 

"Dat's right - all chu 'ave to do is survive de night...  And den Savoba open ya minds ta t'ings nopony in Equestria could grasp..."  Suddenly the stallion's eyes flash with a blue light, and he was gone.  Anypony still within the tunnel from the swamps would find themselves thrown out into the basement as the tunnel seals itself shut, and Savoba's voice echoes one last time.  "Good luck...  Chu gonna need it..."

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

"I knew it!" Shouted Wish - bounding towards the now hopelessly blocked passage. ""See? Adventure! All you have to do is look hard enough!

 

Her joy was marred by the fact that this was t exactly the way she had pictured adventure - in her head, she was never the one being taken by surprise, for a start. She didn't really have any other leads so instead stomped a hoof on the ground in what she hoped was a gesture of defiance, and shouted back at... wherever the voice had gone.

 

"Come back here, I'll show you! I'm Wish Scribe! Nopony pushes me around! I'll... I'll..." She hadn't really though this part through very well either. "... well just you wait and see what I'll do! You can't keep me here!"

[Stormbringer 347]

Meanwhile, Stormwing was sitting in his room when he heard the voice echoing. He jumped and just about hit the ceiling. "I-I bet it's probably just that o-old pony trying to get some kicks in.." He opened his door slowly. Looking up and down the hall thoroughly, he trotted towards where he remembered the front desk to be. "Hello," he called out to nopony in particular. "Mr. Silver? Are you here?" He spoke sort of loud, so his voice traveled a little ways away. Stormwing was going to return to his room, but then he remembered that cellar Mr. Silver was talking about. He decided to set off fhat way...

[Mickey Taker 347]

@, @, @, @@Twila Starshimmer

 

Golbez abruptly raised his head out of the water, coughing and spluttering after been launched head first into the basement, being too caught in awe at the sight of the unknown Zebra he found himself caught unaware as he and the rest of the group were 'ejected' from the tunnel.

 

Standing upright, Golbez glanced around the room, checking on everypony else, most noticeably the pile of ponies on the staircase, "Mr Silver!...are you ok?", Golbez quickly glided over to assist the work ponies, noticing the elderly pony amongst the tangled mess of limb and hooves.

 

Taking a firm hold of the hotel Manager, Golbez pulled him out from amongst the pile, hovering in the air as he held Mr Silver in his talons, he glanced over at the other wok ponies as they sorted themselves out before turning back to Mr Silver, "So..I'm assuming the in-door swimming pool wasn't your idea?"

[Umbreon 569]

Silver

 

The old stallion nodded at Golbez gratefully, thankful for the griffon's help as he tried to sort through what had just happened.  "I...  I have no idea who that unicorn was, either...  He sounded serious, though.  I'll not risk my guests' safety, everypony get to the docks, we'll evacuate for now and come back with some of the guard from Canterlot...  I'll not have anypony threatening the safety of the kind folks who came here under my invitation!"  

 

The old stallion stands on his own now, looking as proud and confident as a pony many years his younger.  He calmly starts to direct everypony towards the stairs, including his employees, waiting until they were all on the stairs and well on their way before continuing after them himself.

 

That was his first, and last, mistake.  Savoba had decided he would be the first to go - Savoba delivered.

 

As the others were making their way safely up the stairs, the shallow water around Silver's hooves suddenly starts to bubble as though something were coming up for air.  A cold, scaly hand shot from the shallow water to grab the old stallion, and in the blink of an eye, he was gone - seemingly drug down impossibly into the shallow water.

 

After a moment a bulbous head replaced where the stallion had stood, the same scaly hand reaching up as though to drag the creature out of the shallow water.  It was fairly large - logic would scream that it couldn't have hidden in the shallow water, yet here it was crawling out as though the puddle had led straight to an ocean.  The creature started to stand out of the water, coming to rest on two legs, completely covered in scales.  It would appear almost like a large fish, only with arms and legs.  The creature lets out a low croak as it turns its gaze towards the stairs...

 

One of the employees who was in the rear of the group starts to panic, shouting at those still on the staircase above him.  "RUN!"  As he shouts, more of the shallow water starts to bubble.  It would suggest that there was more than just one of the monsters...