Worry was an emotion Nicholas was well acquainted with. Fear. Concern. Insecurity. All these things warned of danger lurking in the edges of the night, gun barrels and holy swords at the ready, the endless cycle of violence they witnessed without cease. It was his warning to move, to vanish from the annals of history, and reinvent themselves anew. It was a hair trigger. He’d once up-ended their lives because a woman had looked a minute too long at his brother, a guard asked a question with the strangest intonation, a tavern keep showed the faintest flicker of recognition and he’d never questioned it, never paused even a moment, before their scant few belongings were whisked away, those they couldn’t bring burned or broken or scattered to the depths of the ocean. Looking at Callaghan, transfixed by whatever slept beneath words, Nicholas felt his hackles raise, a chill run down his spine, the desire to survive on wind and foot alone burning in him like a pyre to this life they’d built. There were so many people, so many places, so many ways to disappear - it would be easy…
And instead he found himself on his feet, circling around the table and bringing his hands up to still Callaghan’s head. He felt like someone else, like his body moved without him, like he could himself from the outside looking in, as he pressed his fingers gently against Callaghan’s temples and worked his fingers lightly in soft circles back towards his ears and up again. His instincts screamed at him, screamed there was danger, screamed that it was unsafe, and yet here he was, offering comfort to someone other than his brother. It was akin to a dream, that nothing felt quite real, and he found himself murmuring concerned reassurances to the dragon. His own fingers trembled as he tried to offer some succor from whatever assailed the shifter.
“I know not what things there were - I felt movement beneath the words, a brushing of strange magic I know not. Perhaps it is best we lay aside this book until we all can bring our focus to bear.” Nicholas offered softly, barely speaking above a whisper to avoid agitating the shifter’s head. He did not know what affliction the book laid upon Callaghan, so he sought to avoid exacerbating anything that may arise. “Are you alright? Do you wish for a tonic or a curative? Do you feel any strange compulsions or urges? Do you see or hear anything unexpected at the moment? Perhaps I shall call on someone more suited to curses.”
Location: Hall of Ancients, Strange Academy Grimore: Skills:
Barty had half a mind to enchant one of the Magpies that were tormenting Rohan and make it more useful, sending it to give word to someone about the passing of the student. Then again, if rumors were already spreading amongst the students about this find, then chances were the teachers already knew. Either they didn’t care, or they were holed up somewhere discussing the best course of action. Not as if they could revive the boy on a whim. There was always Death to contend with in those matters, and Death seldomly obliged. Beyond all that, Barty didn’t want to mess with something that was touched by Old Magic. That would likely invite the world to see him more so than it already did, and with eyes came Hunters, and with Hunters came sacrifice. ”Don’t bother sending word. If the students are already gossiping about it idly enough for us to hear, then you can bet those in charge have already been told several times over and are looking for a solution to this mess. If Rohan is right, and something did slip in then they needs find the weakness in the schools defenses before attending to a body, or lack there of. The priority in the safety of those that remains is more important that the ones who have already fallen.”
Franklin cut in, which was a dangerous thing to do when one of the twins were talking, especially Barty. But they were right, they needed to relocate the head before others came looking for it or worse, a professor. “If what Dysphoria says is true, then it seems that I do have the rest of Pedrito back in my lab. It seems right at least, but only way to double check their scent is to relocate ourselves.” He pulled up his leather Doctors bag that held a variety of equipment within it. All neatly placed in their own boxes or pockets to make it easier to find them. Within the bag he pulled out a plastic shopping bag with a yellow smiley face on it that said ‘Thank You’. He went to grab the head when Annika began inspecting it closer, finding more items lodged within his mouth. Surprisingly enough, Barty reached in to snag one of the beetles right out of the mouth to inspect it himself. Frankie grabbed the head by his hair and placed it within the plastic bag and then further into his leather one to keep it secure and to stop it from bleeding within the interior.
The strange cigarette still burned between his fingers, and when Barty went to take another drag as he eyed the odd find, he felt the magic wane away. He sighed, a pillar of smoke billowing out along with his frustration at the matter. ”There’s a faint trace of magic within these beetles. Not enough for me to get any real information off of them, but they seemed to work in a similar way to how familiars do. Beyond that I do not know. Sometimes magic can linger for eons, other times it wanes away in seconds. All is up to the caster and their strength within the spellwork, this clearly was weak to have such little trace in such a short amount of time. But we can study and inspect as much as we wish back at this lab of yours. Perhaps more of his magic was swallows down and now lays within the intestines instead.”
“R-right…Let’s make our way back before we get caught down here. Especially if whatever did this to him is still lurking within these halls.”
Location: The Feasting Hall, Strange Academy Grimoire: Skills: Current Outfit
"Enough, Jake. When you're in danger, the last thing you want to do is get jittery." Rohan watched them withdraw beetles from the head's mouth. Three. With skulls and other animal heads where a beetle's should be. Yeah, that didn't bold well. The Rule of Three was an old aphorism that any sensible witch or sorcerer knew to give attention. If they saw three more of an odd animal, after magpies and beetles, then that had to mean something. What, exactly, he wasn't sure. But it couldn't have been anything good, certainly not in a dark and dismal place like this. "Barty's got a point. And if an actual person got in trying to kill someone, they're either stupid or not worth fighting. So maybe we don't split up on the way to the lab? Just in case."
Rohan would gladly slip away and skulk around undetected, but the school may very well wind up in a frenzy soon. Planning for the worst, he imagined being with a herd beat being an ambush predator right now. "Alright... You birds want to earn your place with me?" He bent down near the head, where one magpie had perched. Root trotted over as his master withdrew a small pouch from his pocket.
He reached in, and withdrew three cashews, roasted over a campfire during his travel back from the natural world.
"Fly. Stay in the pocket dimension we're in around the school, and scout. Look for anybody going out or coming in, or any thing. A monster, and a witch, doesn't matter. If you see the perimeter being crossed, fly back and tell me."
Then he held the snacks out. "Go."
He watched them accept their payment, and flutter off. Then he stood up, letting Root perch on his shoulder. "Stay with us for now, friend. But be ready to fly if we need you... Let's get the hell out of here."
Location: Feasting Hall Grimoire: N/A Skills: N/A Current Outfit
Cassie fought off every conflicting instinct she felt. Part of her wanted to run screaming into the night and get away from this school she was so happy to have found and forget everything she wanted, while the other part wanted to stay, figure things out, and explore the mystery. While she didn't know Pedrito personally, she still felt saddened by his passing. Especially in the gruesome way it was carried out.
Jake warmed her heart, though, pledging to protect the others. He had a point in telling the others, even if the rumors were spreading. "The others should be told, though, even if there were already whispers going around about it. They could even help." Cal and Willow should certainly be made aware. Hell, even Nicky should be told. As much as she detested him and his brother, she didn't want whatever had slaughtered Pedrito to hurt them.
The consensus seemed to be that they would move the head to Franklin's lab. She wanted to go back to her room and fly into her magic bed and forget about all of this, but she wanted to see this through. "Splitting up in horror movies never ends well and this is about as close to a horror movie as I'd like to get". So let's stick together. And if we can find out more information about what did this then that only helps the school and us out further."
She wrapped her arms around herself in a mix of hug and protective stance. She wanted out of this creepy basement.
“As for the others,” Connie addressed Jake. “I will speak with Willow. We are roommates. She wanted an update about this anyway. So when I go back to my room, I will inform her of everything we learn.” At least it seemed that Barty was taking this seriously now. That was nice.
Connie reached over and patted Cassie’s shoulder, just once, and very softly, quickly drawing her hand back. It was clear she had only done it in an attempt to comfort Cassie; she didn’t seem to think it was a good way to comfort someone. “We will figure this out,” she said, trying to reassure her. What Rohan had said about her magic had finally caught up to her. She stared at him for a moment.
“What do you mean, what is off?” She knew that her powers were a divine gift to her bloodline, which is why Finley had told her she smelled like a church when they first met. Connie didn’t particularly believe the story, but her magic worked, and people who could sense particulars like that claimed her magic was of divine origin, so she had no reason not to believe that. But what Rohan had specifically said was that there was something else coming off of her like her magic.
Location: The Dungeon Grimoire: Fae Magic Skills:
Finley kept an eye out as the group made their way back. They did not engage in the conversations. Uninterested in the chatter of whether they should inform the others or not. They led the way back to the stairs and out of the school's dungeons. Finley was literally skipping once they had exited the dungeon.
Finley was both excited and nervous about what would soon happen. Riding the blood. Their fingers caressed a tendril from Dysphoria, bringing it to their lips for a soft kiss. They wondered if the usual potential for riding too far and too deep was still possible for them. They had not ridden the blood of a death since before... Well, before Dysphoria had joined them.
Location: Dungeons, Strange Academy Grimore: Skills: Fit
Once the head was packed up, Annika stood, brushing her hands on her legs. She turned back to the group, ready to leave with them as well. Annika watched Rohan with the magpies before she fell into step next to him.
”Making more bird friends?” she asked. She smiled, finding the birds' affinity for Rohan amusing. She fell silent, though, when Connie questioned Rohan about his earlier statement. It had something to do with the mask Rohan kept wearing. Annika slipped away, so Rohan and Connie could talk. She walked over to Cassie and smiled.
”Come on, let’s get out of here,” she said, leading the group out.
Location: Library, Strange Academy Grimore: Skills: Fit
Pairs. Seven of them. Cal tried to focus, to rack his brain on whether there was any familiarity with the strange eyes that looked back at him. He looked down, reaching for the book again when hands gripped his head. Soothing circles moved from his temples, down to his jaw, and back again. Cal blinked and looked up at Nicky.
He hummed, thinking on his choices. Cal desperately wanted answers. For himself and Mikkail. For Nicky and Barty. But Nicky was being particularly attentive.
Cal smiled, his dark eyes softening. ”I’m alright. Dizzy and a little lightheaded. There’s definitely something mysterious about this journal. However, three of us have had adverse reactions to it. I’m not sure how we are going to solve this mystery.” Cal turned his head, taking the chance to capture Nicky’s hand and kiss his palm before releasing it. ”I saw eyes. Seven pairs of them.”
What colour(s) are the eyes? Did Cal recognize any of them?
The party navigated throughout the halls of Strange Academy without much issue, encountering neither their fellow students or any members of faculty. Perhaps everyone else had gone to bed early, locking their doors and whispering a prayer that whatever fate had befallen poor Pedrito, it would come to pass them by. Or perhaps whatever monster, man or creature, stalked these decrepit halls had already claimed its next victim, with none present to hear them scream.
Above the iron door to Franklin’s laboratory were peeling and faded golden letters - IX. Identical doors to it stretched down the lengthy corridor, the flickering lights of enchanted torches illuminating their path. Dirt and debris gathered in every corner, with handprints smeared into the walls, including an amusing and mature wash me. The door to the grim laboratory was locked, with the key in Franklin’s possession, as it was assigned to him for use during the school year. All students studying reanimation and other more experimental spells were allowed to rent a lab space, under Sariel’s supervision.
Inside, Franklin’s laboratory lived up to his namesake. The walls were covered with dusty, amber bottles, their contents chemicals and preserved parts from dozens of animals. It was a circular space, with piles of books along the edges and a gigantic slab in the middle, illuminated by a series of lights glaring down upon the subject. Gigantic structures towered on either side of the slab, with strange curling coils and a blackened top, as if struck by lightning. A series of levers were located next to a makeshift desk, neat notes kept in a lab notebook left on top - and an eerie draft filtered in through the space.
The body parts sewn together on the operating table were just as Franklin had left them, untouched save for his own ministrations.
Location: the Dungeons -> Lab IX Grimoire: N/A Skills: N/A Wild Magic Build Up: triggers on a 1
Jake was both pleased and displeased. He was happy that some people were taking his warning seriously - that Cassie thought he was right and the others needed to be warned. He didn’t like it though that they were going to wait to tell Nicky and Cal and Willow. He wanted to tell them right away, wanted to keep them safe and make sure everyone stayed together. He didn’t know what a horror movie was, but if it was another reason to stay together, then he’d do his best to protect them from horror movies, too! He scrunched up his face, trying to calm himself - he knew he didn’t have to listen to Rohan, but he wanted to help people, and if being jittery was going to make that hard to do, he was going to try his best!
He muttered another one of the mantras under his breath as they walked from the dungeon back to Frankie’s lab, and once everyone was securely inside, it felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. They could hide in here forever if they needed to - and the others could come and join them! Frankie had tons of supplies and he was very smart, so he could keep everyone safe. Nothing could come and hurt them in the lab. It was a place for fun and play - nothing as dreary or sad as the dungeon.
“Are you sure we have to wait to tell everyone?” Jake whimpered softly. “Wouldn’t it be so much more fun if everyone worked on the body together? And we were all safe and sound and in this room where nothing bad could happen? I can’t keep everyone safe if they’re in different spots, I can’t be everywhere - or… maybe I can! Cassie do you think we have a spell for that? Is that in one of the letters the professor left for us - the one where he was very happy to be on vacation with his husband?” That could work. If there were more of him, he could keep more people safe!
"Whenever I look at your magic with this mask on," Rohan started, pulling it from his face with a wet snap. "It's like you're glowing gold. But something's different, I don't know what since I can barely tell, but it's like... Like seeing lights when your eyes are closed. You just know it's there." His mask wasn't perfect, and something could very well know it was able to spot things. Could something down there have latched onto Connie, maybe an immaterial creature or some sort of energy that she just walked through? This many people could theoretically take something down, and Frankie surely had things in his lab that were dangerous.
When they walked in, the beheaded corpse laid out on a slab didn't bug him nearly as much as it should have. He'd seen worse. At least there wasn't an eyeball growing out of the stump. "Can't do much here to figure out what happened to him. Is there something else you need me for, or do you want me to just sit still and wait? Root can probably get a message to the others if we can't get a phone working in here."
Connie wasn’t sure what to make of what Rohan said about her magic. She frowned. The gold part made sense if that was her natural divinely gifted magic. Rohan just didn’t have enough information for her to make any deductions about what the heck was going on.
“Uh, alright. I suppose I’ll keep that in mind and look into it. We can do some experimenting later,” she suggested, half asking. She watched as Finley wiped up some blood from the corpse and just... ate it. Connie knew that was how Finley’s magic worked. But that was not the same as seeing it.
She suddenly felt very light headed and the room seemed very dark. Connie takes a slow deep breath, and leans slightly against a wall. She doesn’t pass out, which she is thankful for. But she doesn’t think she’ll go out of her way to watch Finley do their magic in the future.
Location: Frankie’s lab Grimoire: Ride the Blood Skills:
Finley, once the group had all arrived into Franklin’s lab, did not wait long. They hurried through the door. Disliking the iron at the door, but it is a moment. They are not required to touch it.
Inside the room they swiped a finger across some open flesh collecting a bit of the congealed blood. There was no magic. Finley always had a surge of magic, belonging to the person they were Riding the Blood of. But there was none. That was... disconcerting. Often Finley would push the magic and memories aside when they were having sexual encounters. This was not the same.
It's late at night, and he is lost. He's at Strange Academy, wandering the halls in an attempt to find his dorm room. He's cold. He's dressed for the party. Poor thing just never managed to find it in the dungeons. But he's on the right track. There's a sign coming into view, one for Medean Hall. The doors to the hall are locked when he tries them - and perhaps his curiosity is piqued. It's not a problem his golems cannot solve. A bit of clever spell work later and he's inside, alone in the empty wing. He walks alone for a moment, seeing not another soul around, hearing nothing - until the sound of footsteps. He turns to greet the newcomer, but before he can catch a glimpse of a face, he is suddenly caught in an iron grip. He struggles. He tries to fight back. The memory goes dark soon after.
Finley quickly pulls themself from the memory. A shudder passes through them. They had not slipped into Pedro’s death, good.
“Unfortunately, he did not see his attacker. He tried to fight back. However, the scene took place outside Medean hall. There is potential for more information at this location. I know the humans here have cops that do investigations on such things. They are very nosy and quite rude.”
Location: Hall of Ancients, Strange Academy Grimore: Skills:
Franklin set his leather bag down onto a nearby table, opening up the clasp in order to remove the head from its contents. He took it over towards a separate metal table, wheeled it over towards the slab in the center, and began to gather instruments in order to start his investigation. “Actually it would make things significantly harder if I had everyone in here trying to work on the body. Too many hands introduce too many variables that could skew the results. For now -” Franklin watched as Finley began to ingest some of the blood left behind by the remains. That was exactly what he was referring to, though he did appreciate their help in the matters and they got more information for where to begin a new search. No attacker was a shame, but Franklin still had his own ways to get answers…once everyone was gone that is. He doubted Connie would approve of his measures, and didn’t care to have others view the skills he had so carefully crafted over the years. “Perhaps then some should investigate that Hall. Search for signs of a struggle, claw marks, blood, anything else that could help us move closer to some answers about this attack.” There was an unspoken ‘and out of my lab’ as he continued his work, grabbing a magnifying glass to look further into the physical matter.
Barty followed in after the party of wayward witches, playing with the beetle between his fingers and he turned it this way or that. He sent a message off towards his twin I hope you’re end is much more fruitful than mine. It appears our dear Pedrito was in fact the victim, the strange witch with a multitude of familiars that appeared to be made of many parts, suddenly found dismembered and beheaded without an ilm of magic within him. They refuse my aid and are attempting to figure it out on their own, and I grow bored and impatient as I begin to worry about the old magic flowing in moment before these discoveries are made. He looked around the lab, staring back towards all the others within the room before he straightened his posture. ”I’m clearly not needed here, and I don’t mean to stand around either. If you find anything of note, due let me know, otherwise I shall be working on my Covens Mystery, Connie I would appreciate it if you would do the same. You have found your missing friend, there is no helping him but there is helping us.”
Franklin looked up from what he was doing, looking over at Rohan as he asked him if there was anything that he could do to help. “Not exactly no. If you wished to you could aid me with what we discussed beforehand and I can work on both at the same time. Each of which will take time, but mostly what I need is just time and quiet to work things out. You guys don’t need to stick around it’s just going to be gruesome and boring.” He quickly set back into his work, finding not much more than what he’d seen before. He was dismembered, that much was obvious. Franklin wasn’t one to due an autopsy to discover a cause of death, he simply knew his way around bodies to make his own. But maybe with a little magic later…he’d get answers one way or another.
Barty set out from the laboratory, making his way down the halls he’d seen for so many years, as he began to think on his puzzle at hand. He made sure to keep his wits about him however. A witch who let their defenses drop was one who would soon be found dead, and he’d be damned if he was about to become another statistic. He quietly hurried off towards his dorm, entering the room before sitting down upon his bed. He needed Connie to get their head in their game, he needed her powers in order to potentially work on his thoughts about their mystery, but if she was distracted as she did it she could ruin it all. It was incredibly frustrating to have to rely on another's magic, they were seldom reliable and more times than not unworthy of it.
Nicholas frowned at the information. Seven pairs of eyes? Nicholas felt like there was something about that and a thought flitted to him, but it was gone as quickly as it came and he refocused on the shifter in front of him. He paused his ministrations as Callaghan claimed his hand and his lips pressed to his palm. He was aware he'd grown comfortable with the shifter, the long lived rarely found the luxury of like company, but he hadn't quite realized how natural the shifter's touch felt to him, even without the influence of alcohol or drugs. It felt as if he'd known him a touch longer than the scant few years it'd been but he supposed that was alright. Nicholas wasn't ill prepared if their connection went sour.
“Perhaps a sound night's sleep, the morning, and some tea will offer some insight to one of us. I'll admit, the eyes do not strike me as familiar - I do not believe any multi-eyed monstrosity involved in the tragedy my people faced, but I simply may not have been looking. They were monstrous enough.” Nicholas murmured quietly in the somber library air. “We should offer this revelation to the others. Perhaps one is more familiar with something of that nature; the chaos witch perhaps? Demons are oft known to bend the knee to their ilk.”
Nicholas cocked his head as his brother's voice wove through his mind. “Nay. Nothing fruitful certainly. Callaghan found something crawling inside the old bastard's journal that touched his mind somehow. We are to put it to our… coven on the morrow.” Nicholas weighed whether or not to include Callaghan in this discovery as weary as he may be at the hour and the ordeal, but he did not want a sulking dragon in his life so he sighed. Callaghan would be most upset if he learned Nicholas did not share this news; when in the world did he grow so soft? “It seems the familiar charmer was in fact the victim in the dungeon. Though Barty felt a rush of old, strange magic just before the discovery; it has him concerned.” Nicholas relayed, packing up the materials and carefully rucking away the journal in his bag.
“But that is for another day. I believe our mother would benefit from your tea and I have an engagement to attend this evening.” NIcholas straightened up from where he was packing up the bag. “Would you care for an accompaniment to your dorm? Or are you well enough to walk?”
Location: Frankie's Lab Grimoire: N/A Skills: N/A Current Outfit
Cassie ignored the creeping feelings as they made their way to Frankie's lab. She felt more calm with the others checking on her. Jake ever the protector, Connie, and even Annika ensuring she was okay. Part of her felt weak and stupid. She got in to this magical school on her own merits. Surely she should be able to handle a beheaded corpse and the embodiment of a body horror movie that was Frankie's laboratory.
Jake was concerned over protecting everyone which included those who were not present. It warmed her up knowing he cared, but she also didn't want him to burn out. Overextend himself and then blame himself in case something did happen. "I believe he may have used teleportation. Perhaps that is something you can do, but I think we are fine for tonight. We'll tell the others when we see them and get them up to speed. We can work on spells later."
She didn't feel like she would be of much use. Her magic wasn't beneficial for examination. It was chaos, pure and simple. "I doubt I will be of much use also. I am growing very tired and this has all been a lot. I'll stay if I need to, but I kind of want to pass out in my bed and forget things for a bit."
Franklin had gotten a few vials of Rohan’s ‘blood’ after everyone else had finally left. The ichor that was produced was labeled and stored where it needed to be as he bid Rohan farewell and began his work in earnest. Everything took time, tests took time, so running more than one was mostly to keep him both occupied and efficient. Beyond that, one of the tests was on a cadaver; there wasn’t much more to it than fixing up the appropriate pieces and attaching what needed to be in order for his spellwork to take effect later on in the night. Franklin had thrown on his lab coat, white with splatters of rusty brown coloration that was clearly from earlier work with the body from before Jake had come in. His gloves and goggles were placed, making sure no skin was fully exposed so that he had less of a chance of Rohan’s blood contaminating him somehow. He took the vial and set to the first test, turning his attention back towards Pedrito, who now was mostly put together save for the hand he had already begun to modify earlier.
“Sorry man, no offense I hope, but I could use the hand and well…it’d be rejected now that I’ve done so much to it. But now that we’ve gotten the last of those vocal chords restored and attached, let's see how well you sing.”
He reached out for an apparatus nearby. It appeared to look like Tesla Coils, but smaller, like a portable car jumper. Franklin flipped a switch on the board and the machine began to hum to life, grabbing one of the coils, sparks of blue energy began to flow through him as he felt the buzz of life and electricity course within his body. Franklin took his free hand and touched Pedrito’s chest, the same blue energy flowing through the newly restored body, as Franklin leaned down and pressed his lips against his and blew air into his mouth to fill up the lungs. When he pulled back, letting the magic do its work, the body shot up with a large breathy inhale as it tried to take in more air before exhaling it all out. The scent of death taking over the space as his dead breath radiated outwards, while the partially living corpse began to steady itself.
‘It worked! Now, you aren’t staying living for long I’m afraid to say, technically you’re not even living now more so just using the mystical energies combined with the pulses of electricity that I poured into you to help jumpstart the body in an attempt to figure out who or what murdered you. Its effects aren’t stable so, well…Who killed you? Did you get to see their face? Know who it was?”
The voice that came out of the animated body was raspy, struggling with the damage that had been done to it in the attack. There was a long inhale as it prepared to speak. “Yes! It was -” The body fell slack against the metal slab, silence falling over the room as the magic dissipated from the corpse. There was a warmth in Franklin's chest, then his stomach and as he looked down he stared in shock.
His own beating heart, cradled in a strange hand, beat once, twice, and stilled.
A hand had torn through him and he realized blood seeped down from his chest. The arm protruded through the wound and his magic had stopped because he was dying, because he was dead. He tried to turn his head to see his assailant, words gurgling in his mouth as he tried to call out for help to the one person who had wanted to offer it the most.
“Jake… get... Connie… I…” The words barely a whisper as he felt his life drain away, a smile on his face before he fell towards the slab and then backwards onto the floor, laying there lifeless, heartless.
The Statue of Ardyon showed no change since their last visit, stone uncaring of the turning of the world around it. There were two new additions on the table that offered both their protective gloves and the incense: an hour glass that flipped the moment the door opened and a note in tiny, neat cursive addressed to the entire coven.
If the muses designed to offer you inspiration in the night, one hour has been afforded you for additional examination. Should you think to linger longer, the Archivist has been instructed to remove you through any means necessary.
Furthermore, offer this letter as evidence of permissions. The librarians will afford you access to an additional area of the library that may offer answers beyond what limited sources the masses are permitted.
Either way, do not find frivolous distractions simply because I am unavailable. Your continued presence in this school is at my discretion.
Professor Varn Croan, Blood Magic Studies
A Trip through Magic
Willow, Nicky, Callaghan, Cassiopeia
Nicholas knocked softly on Mikkail’s sitting room door and pushed it open, looking around for the flamboyant Professor. It seemed he was absent for the moment but he had offered them the space whenever and Nicholas didn’t know where else to meet the coven, so he wandered his way here after breaking his fast. It was much the same: tea and cakes laid out, the chalkboard still offered the unintelligible message, and the gramophone played the same song it did yesterday. Nicholas shook his head wearily, his night later than was probably sane, but he expected little less.
Nicholas dressed far less ostentatious than the day before however. A plain brown waist coat over a linen shirt, a pair of jeans, and sensible black boots rather than the broody ensemble of the day before, with a belt pouch hanging from his left hip and a bit of gauze applied firmly to his neck. Nicholas considered his seat for a moment before pacing in front of the chalk board.
The evening before with Callaghan there had been strange, protective and caring feelings bubbling up when he’d suffered the strange magic of the notebook. Nicholas was protective over one other person and as much as he’d enjoyed the shifter’s presence, it hadn’t been him. The distraction afforded to him by a starved vampire could only keep his thoughts off it for so long and while he’d puzzled it plenty, he’d arrived at no real answers. What he did come to the conclusion was he had a choice to make here. Either get through this insane mystery and move on from it or leave and Nicholas was loath to leave a place they’d finally found a sense of stability and safety, severed head non-inclusive. There was a real sense that this was it for a while, that they could blend into the mulling students for a century before someone came knocking, and Nicholas was eager to let his roots settle for a while.
So, Nicholas came to the conclusion he would need to work with the newer witches and after turning that over in his head, he realized he likely needed to set a new impression of himself. If he considered them co-workers rather than anything else, he might be able to do it.
Maybe.
Into the Unknow
Rohan, Finley/Dysphoria, Frankie, Annika
Much like the day before, the Coven was gathered deep in the bowels of the academy where the First gate stood. Power still pulse from it into cables and the room itself felt charged with static. Sariel stood in her lab coat, goggles pushed up onto her forehead and deep set google marks lined her eyes. Her magic sparked behind her eyes despite the clear eyebags forming under them.
“Gooooood morning everyone! I hope you’ve all had your coffee, or maybe not. The Neverish isn’t for the weak hearted or stomached and today is your first jump into this horrifying dimension! Or wondrous, wondrous is also an option. It truly just depends. On what, we’re still trying to piece together!” Sariel cackled, maniacal and intense. “The Neverish, as I assume you all know, is an ever changing landscape - some think it may actually be a maze designed to hold something in, but no evidence of that has been produced. The places those diving freely beyond the surface change wildly, ignore the rules of physics and magic, and are at the whim of some unknown force, be that a being guiding these along some enigmatic path or true and genuine randomness is still to be determined, but your ability to alter what you experience will be drastically and severally diminished until you learn how the space you’ve entered works.”
“So, although I am sure you all have questions, let's review your steps and expectations and then you may ask your questions. Firstly, safety. Be prepared to defend yourself, do not under any circumstances become separated, and should you find yourself feeling lost, focus on the item you created yesterday and follow the path out. Do not reach the exit and then decide you could proceed for a little bit longer - you will get lost and we have yet to find anyone who is. Secondly, what do you do? Simply walk through the gate and when you are ready to leave, walk through the exact same opening you entered through. IF you walked through a door, memorize the door. If you walked out of a cave, walk back into the same cave. If you walked out of the eye socket of an enormous eye, walk back through the eye. Do not take any other option otherwise, you may not leave the Neverish or you may end up somewhere else in the universe.” Sariel counted on her fingers as she spoke, little sparks of lightning dancing along the fingertips. “Thirdly, you should be taking notes, details, diagrams, and sketches to the best of your abilities. We have precious little information and with more and more offered to us, we can look for clues, similarities, and threads that could help us navigate this strange and wonderful dimension!”
Sariel looked at her Coven once, twice, and then beamed. “Any questions or is everyone as eager as I am to see their first jump into the Aby- I mean Neverish!”
Location: First Gate Grimoire: Skills: Neverish Fit
His sword, check.
The Mask of Other Things, check.
Wallbiter, and a quiver full of arrows, check.
Mountain scepter, check.
Knife, Food for the road, water, note-taking implements, cord, lighter, multitool... All good.
Exploiting what sleepless time he still had before winter set in, Rohan got everything he considered ever peripherally useful for a trip into another realm overnight, spent the early hours of the morning double-checking everything and having some hedonistic work off caffeine before the day began. He made himself available on the small chance the magpie trio came back, but they never reported anything. The three possibilities to explain that, in his opinion were either they got killed, took his instructions too literally, or just got bored. He almost would have preferred them not coming back if they did so warped by his curse in a way he didn't expect. Or maybe they were just perched in the trees, posted up like sentries until they could spot something. Dealing with beasts was precarious for a man like him.
Regardless, they were birds and they could sort themselves out. Rohan grabbed his things and loaded up, artifacts on his person, and arrived at the First Gate. His staff made gentle thunks against the floor as he walked in with Root on his shoulder, both looking around. It seemed Franklin wasn't here, yet. Maybe he pulled an all-nighter.
"Just the six of us, I guess."
He listened patiently to Sariel recapping everything. Trace steps, take notes, stay together. A small part of him wasn't thrilled about going into another warped realm where things were dangerous, but nothing killed him yet. The strange heart they all created was locked away by now, where none of them could tamper with it. Or anyone else, for that matter. Even now, focusing on about it, it wasn't hard to feel his own power in there. In rhythm with the others, and their own magic. It was going to be risky. Precarious, even.
"If anyone does start wandering off, Root can find them. I've got my bow, so I can shoot something that's trying to hurt us, or break down some magic barriers. Stay near me if there's anything mind-altering, or poisonous, my staff cleanses that kind of thing."
He brought his mask too, just in case, but he wondered if it would just be overwhelmed by all the magic in there.
Location: Library | Outside Statue of Ardyon Grimoire: N/A Skills: N/A Wild Magic Build Up: triggers on a 1
Jake hadn't managed to sleep at all the previous night.
He'd been too amped up with adrenaline, too worried about his friends and whatever monster stalked the halls of Strange Academy. While he trusted that Franklin would be able to figure out what happened to Pedrito soon enough, he didn't like how vulnerable they all were. Cassie had agreed to let him spend the night in her room, allowing him to at least keep her and whatever roommates of hers were present safe. He sat on the floor at the foot of the bed, leaning up against the mattress, his eyes fixed on the door. It had been easy to hyperfocus and to fixate on his task, to only rarely stray from his post. But once morning came and the school was buzzing with life again, he was satisfied that no one would be able to hurt Cassie. He didn't know what he would do if something happened to her.
But there were others to protect, too. And given that they were supposed to meet with their covens, he knew Connie and Barty wouldn't have anyone else looking out for them, whereas the other covens were groups of four. So he'd beamed at Cassie, offered her a million goodbyes, before running off in the direction Nicky had taken him the previous day, skidding to a halt only once he reached the library, hovering outside of the door that led to the Statue of Ardyon.
He turned to the door and spoke to it, as if the frozen man inside could hear - "Hi, Ardyon! Good morning!! I'll be in there once the others get here!! I have so much to tell you though, you missed a lot. I made more friends! Cassie and I learned how to say things to be calm and then make sparkles. We went to the food place and everyone else got to eat, I think they really liked the food - and there were some new bird friends! The bird friends came with us as we went to look for a missing head and it turned out to be the rest of the body Frankie and I were working on - Frankie is really nice, he makes me feel all floaty and warm! So then Frankie went off to investigate and I've been trying to figure out who is hurting people, so I can stop it. You were protecting things, right? So you get how important it is to protect people who can't protect themselves. Connie and Barty can't do it, so I have to do it for them. And you! I'll make sure no monsters get you either! How are you today? Did you sleep well? I was up all night, but I feel fantastic, so it's okay!!"
Location: Dungeons —> Lab IX —> Dorm —> First Gate, Strange Academy Grimore: Skills:
Annika stepped into the lab behind Franklin and the others. She looked around the circular room, taking in the various instruments and the mad-scientist-like quality of the space. The body in the middle of the room left her feeling a little unsettled. As they walked closer, Annika rubbed her arms, peering at the work Franklin had done so far. After a moment, she stepped back, joining Rohan.
”Your lab is more inviting than this,” she informed him. It almost felt as if they lingered for too long, Franklin would turn his experimentation on them.
Once Franklin explained what he would be doing, they didn’t linger long. After saying good night to Rohan, she walked back to the dorms with Jake and Cassie, saying good night to them before retiring to her room. Alone. Jack wanted to stay with Cassie, which didn’t bother Annika. She was perfectly used to being on her own.
Annika remained awake for a while, not ready for sleep to claim her. After writing out her day, recapping the class lessons and the head, Annika flipped through her father’s journals. They were always a comfort to her, and she was hoping she might come across something that would help her with Sariel’s task. While Sariel spoke about the day’s task, Annika’s eyes kept flitting about. Frankie had never come back to the dorm last night, and although her roommate did seem the type to stay in his lab and never sleep, the fact that he wasn’t here was now starting to get to her.
Especially when it seemed like Sariel didn’t care. And Rohan said they were set to go. Annika looked at him and frowned.
”Frankie isn’t here. And more importantly, he never came back to the dorm. What if something happened?” Annika looked back, hoping to see Franklin emerging from whatever nighttime experiment he had gotten caught up in.
Location: Library —> Outside Mikkail’s Sitting Room, Strange Academy Grimore: Skills: Fit
Callaghan stared at the shut journal. Eyes. Eyes. Seven pairs. A thought occurred to him at the same time it did for Nicky. But just as fast as it came, it was gone. Cal stared blankly at the journal. What had him so concerned about seeing eyes in an old man’s journal? Surely they had just been drawings. Cal frowned. No. There had been something more. The thought scratched away at his brain, not quite letting go, but not yielding anything either.
Cal huffed and pushed back from the table. ”Ah, that is unfortunate. A death so soon in the school year isn’t the best omen.” As he started to gather the books back up, Cal paused to look at the journal once more. Perhaps another peek…
Nick’s mention of Willow pulled his focus back. Cal smiled at the witch, shaking his head. ”No, I’ll be more than fine. Don’t have too much fun without me,” Cal teased and waved the witch off.
Once he finished gathering his books, Cal made a stop at his dorm, dropping off everything before preparing Willow’s tea and bringing it to her. He lingered while she drank it, making sure she felt its calming effect before returning to his dorm to find a new addition. Cal looked at Jake, settled with Cassie, before he looked at Rohan questioningly.
Information for another time.
You are a good man, Callaghan. I do hope you find a way to break the cycles of history.
The professor’s words from the previous day continued to linger with Cal. Even while he showered. Even while he ate. Even when he handed Cassie the journal as they walked to Professor Mikkail’s sitting room.
It had been a mission his own family had tasked him with. A sort of break, but a preservation as well. However, with the evening’s revelation, Cal was beginning to wonder if some tasks were more important than others.
Callaghan explained to Cassie what had occurred the night before. Between him, Nick, and Willow, trying to look at the journal, not one of them had produced any real results. ”So, Nick and I, our theory anyway, is that your chaos magic might help present us with at least a better direction if you look over the journal. Of course, we won’t force you if you don’t want to. I’m willing to give it another go, but I know Willow is against looking again after her severe reaction.”
Cal stopped outside Professor Mikkail’s sitting room door, slipping his hands into his jeans' pockets. His clothes were much more casual today, but still well planned and thought out to complement his body type and colouring. The academy was always a little drafty, Cal found, so he often liked to layer with a jacket or sweater and a long-sleeve shirt. Besides, it was always best for a gentleman to have a jacket on hand to offer to someone who was feeling the chill.
Location: Dorm Room -> Professor Mikkail's Room Grimoire: N/A Skills: N/A Current Outfit
Cassie felt cold despite the warmth of her room. When she went to bed Rohan and Cal were not there. She almost preferred it. Rohan had seen her at a low moment and she didn't want Cal's opinion of her dipping any more than it already had. What comfort was there was with Jake, who had made it clear he wanted to be near her to protect her and the others. Though she figured Cal and Rohan could take care of themselves easily, she knew it was more for Jake's benefit than anything else. So she welcomed his presence. She was cautious to offer him a place next to her in her own bed, but Jake seemed comfortable sitting down on the side and resting his head against her mattress. So, tentatively aware of the darkness that permeated the school and the force that had ended Pedrito's life, Cassie attempted sleep.
And when sleep happens, so do dreams.
The lights burned in their brightness and applause filled the air. The stale scent of popcorn and sweat mingled in the dingy atmosphere, the fading colors and patchwork on a pinstripe tent speaking to rushed set ups and hasty exits. The stage bucklesd as Cassie took her place, the magician's sultry assistant, next to his table. Jake beamed as he helds his thumbs up, a microphone headset on backwards and a clipboard somehow dangling from his ear. Whispers ran through an empty theater, only Nicholas and Barty there to watch.
Frankie, the Magician, stumbled into view with wild hair and wild eyes and mouth stitched shut. They begin their act and through it all, the twins are unamused and demanding. Demanding more emotion, more energy, more life in their performance and they simply cannot. Every demand splashes grey across Frankie's flesh and Cassie's outfit trays a bit more at the edge. Cassie climbed into Frankie's box and his saw screams as it cuts through her flesh, tearing her into pieces as the box fades away into plumes of smoke until only hear head remains.
The twins are unsatisfied with their performance.
Cassie woke up with a start, catching her breath as her hands reached for her neck. She was in one piece, but the chill of the dream sunk into her veins. What did it mean? Was it a prophecy? Or was it the nightmare of the night before invading her mind?
Jake was awake also and said goodbye about a million times before he headed out. Despite the foreboding sense she felt, she was also warmed by his kindness. She got ready and dressed in a dark plaid dress with a white sweater underneath and black boots. As she made her way out to head to Professor Mikkail's room she ran into Cal. Her heart, while normally would have fluttered, remained steadfast. He had surely heard of what happened last night and she didn't really want to rehash it. So she walked and he followed her step.
As they made their way over Cal handed her something. She took it and noticed it was a journal. He confided that he, Willow, and Nick had all struggled to make any headway with it and that her and her magic may be the best way forward. She was hesitant hearing that it was partly Nick's idea and she wondered what horrors would happen at his hand if she attempted it, but she didn't feel Cal would want harm to come to her.
"I don't know. Chaos magic is inherently...well...chaotic. I guess it makes sense that chaos be met with chaos, but it could cause further danger. I mean, look what happened to Willow." She didn't want to be reeling on the ground if she could help it. But if it was the only way...
"I can give it a try. But if it looks like my head is going to explode please pull me out quickly."
She entered Mikkail's sitting room and clocked that Nick was already in. Her stomach twisted as she recalled his brother's words and antics last night. But, if she was going to do this with the journal, she could be cordial. "Hello Nicholas. Hope you had a good night." She left it at that as she took a seat, still holding the journal.
Location: Dorm -> entrance to The Statue of Ardyon’s room Grimoire: Skills:
Connie had been thankful upon leaving Frankie’s lab. She was concerned about the potential threat to the school at large. She hadn’t known Pedro well enough to be emotionally attached. Returning to the room she and Willow discussed the outcome of the search for the rumored head. Willow also discussed some of her concerns with Connie, ending with Connie agreeing to help with the egg.
Lucky for Connie she did not tend to have dreams, let alone prophetic ones. Her sleep was therefore unbothered. She woke early, as was her usual way of things. Those early hours were spent studying. It was much easier for her to study after resting. When the time to join her coven came she left early enough to be there, hopefully before their professor. She found it slightly irritating that he apparently wasn’t coming at all that day.
It made her desire to try to turn stone to flesh slip away a little. Connie was not an impulsive person. She did not come to decisions lightly, and while she didn’t like Croan she had no desire to perform a major working like turning this statue back to flesh without him present.
“Hello Jake. Good morning. Did you sleep well?” Connie spoke with practiced precision. The question was one of the standard small talk questions. Most people simply would respond yes or no, and sometimes elaborate about dreams or failing to get comfortable. “Did you spend any time studying? Or were you focused on Pedro?”
Location: Dorm -> First Gate Grimoire: Skills:
Finley, when they returned to their room for the evening, curled their fingers around a tendril from their beloved Dysphoria. Sleep came easy enough for them. They did not have concerns about the death or potential danger it spelled. Things like that did not worry them. Not from innocence, but simply from not carrying. If something is strong enough to kill them in a single hit that they cannot fight back they have no chance of surviving. If something were to try to attack them and did not kill them in a single hit, it would greatly regret that choice.
They slept through dawn, pushing the time the rose till nearly the last minute. When arriving in the labs area the smell of coffee was so overwhelming Finley considered asking Sariel if she bathed in the liquid. That was not the best way to confer the benefits of caffeine, to Finley’s knowledge, but they supposed if someone wished to, who were they to criticize such behaviors.
Sariel’s warnings and rules made Finley feel like there was a distinct risk of just stumbling back into the Otherworld. They had less than zero desire to return to that place. Finley was not concerned about protecting themself, and they supposed they and Dysphoria could keep the others safe. Would asking Dysphoria and the other two if they’d like to keep tendrils linking them together to prevent getting lost be a good idea? If this had been the day prior Finley would have without reservations, quietly excited to see Rohan respond nervously to them. Now they were less willing to offer such a thing. Whatever spirit lived in Rohan’s blood was powerful and dangerous enough that Finley now found themselves feeling unease in his presence, not that Finley let that show.
More distressing than anything else Sariel had said though was the request for notes. Ew. Actually gross. This would be a much better thing for Constance instead of themself. Could they switch covens? Finley wrinkled their nose. Glancing between Rohan and Annika. Franklin was good at notes like Constance. His absence would be an issue.
“Do you think he fell asleep in his lab? Or fell to whatever being took the other young man out?” Finley had forgotten Pedro’s name. “Should we wait a few extra minutes? Or go looking?”
Willow had hastily put on her headdress when Connie had returned, and filled her in on the evenings endeavors. She was a bit sad to hear that the head and the headless body were of their missing roommate, Pancho, but at the moment Willow did not have the time to dwell on it. Yes, the academy's mysteries were building and swelling, but she had enough on her plate as it was. She did ask Connie for her help with her egg task and Connie thankfully consented to helping. Shortly after that Cal brought her some tea, and she found she enjoyed it immensely. She bid goodnight to Cal before he left and then curled back up and went back to sleep.
The next morning left Willow with more worries. Before Connie had left she had cracked the egg and they had found it rotten, smelling up their dorm room. She had tossed it out quickly, but remember that Professor Zephyrine said she would need to bath in water exposed to the full moon. She would have to do that later after the coven meeting, and probably talk to Cal about it.
She put on her one and only outfit, and brushed it off softly, and then went to head to Professor Mikkail's office. She would have to do laundry soon, but that was another thing that was getting pushed to the background. She walked into the office and waved to her covenmates as Luna fluttered around her. "Good morning!"
She listened as Cal spoke and frowned, her head tilting a bit. "What did you two see?" She was of mixed feelings, since it seemed that the journal was effecting more than just herself. She really didn't want to have to look again, but at that point it seemed that the journal might not be readable by any of them. What had the professor sent them after?
"Oh, Cal, can I talk to you later?" Willow didn't want to explain about the egg to Cassie and Nick, but she knew that she needed to tell him soon.
