Black Stars Rising MnM3e IC

[LimSindull]

It’s humid out tonight. There’s a soft wailing from wind ripping through cracks in the house. It sits in a abandoned field and the grass seems to grow like a jungle around the outskirts of the yard. Large pecan trees span all around the old house, their branches create the upper canopy to a dense forest. They whisper and groan of times long ago when the plantation bustled with life, some of it forced into labor for hundreds of years. One can almost feel a warning when approaching the house. Things have happened here.

Around the house sit a few shacks. They were meant for people, but clearly not people of any importance to the house. Though kept from crumbling in on themselves, they have received no protection from the encroaching forest. A few have holes underneath where animals have made nests, and a few of these are out exploring the yard.

The house itself is a towering three story manor. It has been rebuilt over the original house. There are a few distinctions that allow a trained eye to notice gutters missing from the center of the house, or the way the style changes to match the new builder's preferences. It has watched the land around it change and towns bloom up. It’s smelled the change in the air as power plants have grown up and spewed forth their acrid breath.

Judy Hall was pleased that someone was willing to buy the house. It had sat on her listing for a decade before anyone showed interest in it. She didn’t like going out there even in the daytime. There was just something about that place. It had belonged to the Thompsons in the Seventies, and they were really great folks. They were a large family and had about eight kids. There was plenty of space for them before they renovated and expanded, but it wouldn’t hurt as the kids got older to make some more room.

The listing was untouched for every year after the youngest son was found cut open and crucified to the only oak tree on the plantation. James Thompson had walked outside, just like every other morning, and strolled out to look at the big Oak tree that sat a hundred yards out the back door. Judy will tell you that she had written the house off a long time ago. No decent folk that got wind about the incident will ever want to stay in that house. That’s why she’ll tell you how happy that she is to finally have gotten someone in that house.

“I normally don’t come out for houses at night, but seeing as you drove all the way down here, I figured it wouldn’t hurt nuthin to let yall in.” Judy shoots a quick glance over her shoulder and back at the house. Her flowery dress seemes to have the opposite effect that it had earlier in the day and makes her seem incorporeal.

The people in front of her are buying the house, and she is getting a big commission off of the sale. They don't have jobs or anything, but thanks to the banks new lending laws, they don’t need “no job no income”.

“What was it you said brought you to town again?” She smiles her beauty pageant smile.

[AmberVael]

Anyone with superstitions would no doubt be put off by the house, spooked by its history. The malevolent, vile air it maintained would drive out any decent person even if they couldn't put their finger on why. Dr. Gray was neither superstitious or decent, and after making her pact with the devil, the house suited her perfectly.

Dr. Gray examined it with clinical detachment. Her gaze was unwavering, whether she was looking at the very well priced manor or the storied oak tree on the grounds. The ramshackle huts were all that provoked a reaction from her, and only a slight upturn of her nose. Her pace was brisk, and she stopped only when Judy did. "I appreciate that the time didn't deter you. I work odd hours, it didn't occur to me."

Her gaze slipped past Judy towards the house, but refocused on her soon enough, at least to answer her question. "Anthropological research." She gave Judy a tight smile. "Its rather dry, I'm afraid, but we're looking into the history of the area and need a quiet place to conduct our studies. If you're interested, you could stop by tomorrow; we will need to get the local perspective, after all."

[SilentSilas]

The air was sweet tonight, ripe with the scent of sun-baked earth, thick grass, and the rich odors of the forest. Lucas inhaled deeply with an appreciative smile as his associate talked business with the woman in the floral dress. Such mundane matters were important to their mission, he knew that, but he had a certain distaste for the exchanging of money. Pages of fiction stamped by little men who had no idea what truth-

Lucas grinned, he caught himself rambling again. But when you experience the most sublime of epiphanies, when you experience the great knowing that there is something deeper to this world... Well, you can hardly blame him for feeling introspective, succumbing to the desire to wax philosophical. Returning to the present, he focused on Dr. Grey... She was articulate and had a certain charm, he had to admit. Obviously if she was chosen as well by Navin she had to be special. Nothing happened because of random chance. Everything was part of God's plan.

"The faster we can get the paperwork and payment handled, the better I feel. I am... So anxious to get to work." He smiles languidly, "And yes, Dr. Grey is so right... You must come over tomorrow, or as soon as time permits, so that we may interview you." His smile might betray the vorfreude he felt oh so deeply in his soul... OH how he longed for this! Oh God, he delighted in the knowledge of the future. What machinations he would unleash, yet he knew not... But he knew they would be the terrors of the Earth.

Having said his piece and practically giddy with the entire atmosphere of the present situation, Lucas wanders away to find the tree the young Thompson boy had been crucified upon. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVpl-RNzdE4) He strolled around the house, knowing his every move would be watched by eyes unseen, following his intuition. Lucas saw a tree out behind the manor and strode through the grass, his unsteady hand trailing over the peaks until finally coming to a halt at the foot of the towering Oak tree.

"I bid you a warm hello..." He reaches forward and touches the tree, imagining he could feel the cloying stickiness of drying blood, "I hope you tell me your secrets. I want to know... Who did this to you? What soul saw such beauty in the carnage of your death? Did they know you? Did... They love you?" He leans forward to press his forehead against the bark, listening to the whispering breeze.

[LimSindull]

Dr. Grey

“Well bless you, that sounds like quite the undertaking. We don’t get a lot of excitement around here, so I wouldn’t mind talking with you when I come over to finish your paperwork tomorrow.” Judy Hall turns and walks the steps with one hand sliding along the wooden handrail as Lucas moves around the house. She pulls out a few keys from her purse, hands them to Dr. Gray, and uses another to open the lock.

“If you need, I can...” Judy opens the door and flicks on the lights. Unlike the outside of the house, the inside seems to have been cleaned recently. There are no covers over the furniture and there is a nice warm feeling. Welcome home Navin’s voice whispers as Dr. Grey enters the house. “...Hmm, The cleaners must have already come and made your accommodations livable.” There is an obvious expression of surprise on Judy’s face.

From the doorway Dr. Grey can see a large ornate grandfather clock sitting almost out of place beside the stairs. “You know,” Judy seems to be collecting herself “I had forgotten about that clock. Doesn’t it seem to pull the room together. I can bring someone to move it out of the way tomorrow if you’d like?” Judy almost pushes into Dr. Grey as she tries to back out of the door.

Lucas Lee

Having made his way to the large oak tree behind the house, Lucas can barely make out much detail from the lack of light. As his hand reaches out and touches the tree and the area lights up. The house lights had jumped to life when Dr. Grey and Judy entered the house. Now Lucas can see a small indent in the tree next to where he presses his head. As he scans the tree the tree he sees two more similar indentions just a few feet above the one at his head. They are spread out to about arms length for a child. It creates a recognizable pattern.

The wind picks up a little and the tree’s mighty limbs gently rock high above Lucas. Burl, Scurf, and Bower The tree smells clean and seems to block almost all the wind from reaching Lucas. Even without its history, the tree would be magnificent. It looks like it was older and stronger than everything else around it. Lucas can feel the urge to try and climb up into the tree, just to see its kingdom.

[AmberVael]

Dr. Gray was not averse to letting Judy leave, but her sudden change in demeanor was a little unusual. She glanced towards the clock that had suddenly become the topic, a suspicion entering her mind. Navin definitely had a presence, and it was possible that someone else might notice and react to it. What mattered to her was whether the reaction was conscious or unconscious, just what was going on in Judy's head. "That won't be necessary. I'm particular about my environment and I'll be furnishing and rearranging the house myself."

She stepped out of the way to let Judy leave the house, then followed her to the door. The doctor positioned herself carefully, blocking any view of the grandfather clock as she watched Judy closely. "It's late, so I won't keep you. But Judy - there is nothing to fear here, by day or by night. The only thing haunting this house is the fear people associate with it, and I intend to banish that. Come back tomorrow and we'll make a start."

While she spoke, she remained attentive to Judy's reaction, looking for any tells or signs of what she was thinking. Had she noticed something, and if she had, would she dismiss it? Did she know or believe something more, that would make her more certain in her reaction? Or was she just spooked by being in the house at night, perhaps aided by the passive influence of Navin? Dr. Gray wasn't sure what she would do if Judy posed a problem to their secrecy, but preventing her from leaving might just make problems worse.

Insight roll! What's up with Judy?
[roll0]

[LimSindull]

Dr. Gray

Judy doesn’t wave as she hurries to her car. Her rudeness is not expected from her earlier self. She slams the door and speeds off. Rocks ping on the road and the sound of the car fades. Heat gathers in the dark. Light burns through the windows; it paints the yard. High grass sways to the wind’s song and a faint wail cuts through the shacks’ walls.

Navin pulls the last tendrils of fear from the air and uses it to heave energy into the room. The grandfather clock’s pendulum begins its journey. He pushes harder until a tick echoes in the room. The tock is his smile. Dr. Gray let his plaything slip away, but she will bring plenty more. Her aura of rot tingles, she will bring many more.
Why not bring her to me?

Lucas Lee

Lucas’s hands burn from clawing the tree. It’s too wide to wrap his arms around, and bark tickles his skin. He couldn’t make it to the indentions in the tree, and he needs to rest. A wash of wind pushes on him; grass dances in the dark around him.

[AmberVael]

Dr. Gray closed the door after Judy fled in her car, locking it before turning to Navin. "I wasn't aware you wanted me to, primarily. It is better to leave her alone though; she has too many connections to us already, and if she disappeared near the creepy house at night immediately after it sold, I suspect someone would notice. Particularly if her car was still out front and we never finished our paperwork. Traumatizing her would end similarly, I suspect." Dr. Gray explored the immediate area as she spoke, running a hand over the banister, peering through doorways, and lightly trailing her fingers over the furniture. She paused for a moment, looking out the window towards the shacks before speaking again in an idle tone. "If you need a sacrifice, I will see what I can arrange."

Then she turned to face Navin once more, her focus settling on him as her arms folded behind her back. "Are some of the other spirits you mentioned here, in this house? The oak tree's story had the right sound to it, and I imagine the fears surrounding the house are well-founded."

[SilentSilas]

Lucas became enamored with the spirit dwelling within the tree, following the urge within his mind to try and climb the trunk. However, his frame had grown rather pathetic in his years on the move, and try as he might, scrambling up the bark was not getting results. Bracing his foot against the trunk, Lucas launched himself upwards to grab a branch, only for his loafer to slip off, sending him to the ground in a heap.

He laid on the ground in surprise. The pain of his fall, felt most expressly in his buttocks, had cleared his mind somewhat of the heady feeling the night had instilled in him. He blinked languidly, staring up into the rustling leaves, before a laugh suddenly broke through his lips.

"HA!" He covered his mouth as a wide grin spread across his lips, and then he covered his eyes instead. "AHAHA! Oh... Ohho... Ahahaha! Lorena, if you could only see me now." Lucas pulled himself to his feet and dusted off the rear of his trousers. He headed back across the field, glancing back every so often at the tree with a wryly amused expression.

Lucas opened the back door of the house, walking through and looking for his compatriot. "This place is quite extraordinary!" He said with boyish glee. "I can't wait to see what other surprises it holds."

[LimSindull]

Dr. Gray

The room Navin occupies is part of the original house. The wood floors are smaller timber, hand crafted together. The paint holds its eggshell white despite decades of neglect. The lights hang from the cling and give off a flicker like candle light.

Navin extends his tendrils out and caresses the doctors aura. He pulls back, ”I do not want… if you do not seek her power, let her go. I only require a sacrifice to grant you my will.” His voice hisses in Dr Gray’s mind.

”Her flavor was refreshing” he interjects as Dr. Gray asks about other spirits.

”That one will not enter here, and others cannot cross his threshold. This keeps me secret from others. They will not see us. Others move in the towns and cities, some have priests, easy to spot, others are like us.”


Lucas Lee

When Lucas looks back at the tree he can see the marks from the boy’s death. His vision expands as he gains distance and he can see more marks further up the tree. Soon, he is out of distance and in the orange glow of the house.

Grasshoppers jump aside and berate Lucas with a cacophony of chirps. His pores fill with sweat on the short walk. There’s a murky warmth to the air. He makes his way through the back door and into the old kitchen. Past the kitchen and into the main room, he meets his companion, who stares at the old grandfather clock.


Anabela

Tom Shepherd waits on Anabela to join him at his family’s diner. It holds an air of the good old days. Its glamour style bar with metal rotating seats and checkered countertops reminds him of his grandfather working the room. Everyone loved his pops, and he tries to live up to the big man’s name. There are a few people waiting to be seated, and he hopes that his new Spanish teacher will show.

He always does his after school work here instead of his office at the school. It’s better to work and eat than be stuck in that old run down place.

He thumbs through the resume a little more and jerks his head at his daughter across the room. She scans the entrance and turns to look at the parking lot.

[Darkstorm]

Anabela parks next to the diner and gets out in a strict and composed pace.

Appearances were the most important thing, especially when education was at stake. The correct impression had to be shown, inside and above what people were expecting.

The years had taught her that. As a latina child, as a student back at Mexico, as a teacher back in her country, as a bruja dealing with… Entities. She had been a lot of things, and she always knew what she had to be.

She was dressed in a simple, but well cut, white shirt, dark blue jeans and a black coat. Not formal for the place, but formal enough for the interview. She had her black raven hair in a ponytail and she had her black mass glasses on. Yes formal, but not quite. Strict, but not overbearing so. Capable of maintaining discipline and of engaging students.

Inside her mind she focus and tries to hold the darkness there, the light there. The voices, the paths, the links, fate, places. She was connected. She felt connected. The doors were closed now, but maybe if… when she… She takes the thought of her mind. This was a complicated path of thought to take, especially now.

She enters the dinner and stops for a second scanning the room. When she sees a man that matches Tom Sheppard, matches his job, she goes towards him.

[AmberVael]

Dr. Gray is distracted from her conversation by the arrival of Lucas, who seemed slightly worse for wear and in one of his incorrigible moods. "Other? You found something? Elaborate." She glanced over him, making sure he hadn't injured himself in any meaningful way while she mulled over Navin's answers.

Nothing Navin had said was quite what she expected, and the implications of his words gave her more to consider and question. She summarized for Lucas as she put her thoughts in order. "Navin informed me that the spirit connected to this house won't trouble us inside, but will keep others out. And then implied that there are a number of spirits in the vicinity, and they're not necessarily allies." She turned to Navin then, her eyes distant as she thought. "Why are we after them then? Can we bind them to our will? Make them into something useful?

[SilentSilas]

OOC: Pardon my lateness, I have had a rather busy week :smallredface:

Lucas nods with a pleasant smile, running his hand across the wall as he approaches his compatriot. "There's a spirit of some kind living in the tree where that boy was murdered... The boy himself? I'm unsure, but it bid me to climb the tree and find out." He glances down at his scraped up hands. "Ahaha... Unfortunately for it, I'm not the most athletic of people." He gave a casual shrug, not worried at all about the condition of his body or his mind.

He walked past her, looking for a bathroom or kitchen where he could wash off his minor injuries. He was practically giddy with anticipation - all of his life he had sought this sort of knowledge, and now like a dream it had all come true, within his grasp. So many spirits to become acquainted with, some who might have the answers he sought, so little time to chat with them all!

"Even if they're not necessarily allies, there's much we can learn from them nonetheless... And perhaps indeed, we can use them against those rubes in town. They only need to be scared enough to do as we say, so we can put them in the clock. I think these are opportunities worth exploring."