Feel the shiver down your spine

There was little to be done when it happened, Oberon's split second decision was of course the most obvious one; running after Noah was his only option, the one he habitually chose as he and his siblings grew. Shouts from the maid became distant, and soon Noah's laughter and paw steps grew quieter the longer he chased after his wild goose of a brother. Oberon was content where he was, he so desperately wished he was already back there; cozied up by a small fire that was lit to keep the chill of Autumn's cooling night air away, while he was chasing pages of an old tome he couldn't quite read on his own but worked to piece it together nonetheless. Instead, the damp, mossy air from the swamp and falls not too far in either direction was all he could smell in the dark as he searched for his brother's scent. He found patches of his brother's trail, heart pounding as he fought to keep himself calm and collected as he crept through the dark alone. He gave only whispered shouts for his brother, calling out his name. But he feared two things in this moment: that his brother wouldn't call back to him, or it wouldn't be his brother calling back to him. It sent chills down his spine, and he grew frustrated as panic only made his mind race even faster. Its just the dark, you know those scary beasts and tricky faeries only exist in stories, Obe. and he reassured himself, nose still to the ground. His ears perked as he caught a fresh trail, his tail wagging and his eyes darted up, ready to go grab his brother by the scruff and drag him back if he had to—somehow. But his paws froze and ears peeled back tightly to his crown as ember hues lit up at the run down structure before him. It was eerily silent, as if even the crickets and night time critters knew better than to be here or to make themselves known. But just faintly he heard rustling just ahead of him, beyond a slanted entryway into the place. It had to be Noah, or it had to be someone who took Noah. Either way, he was convinced it was his brother, and his only choice to was to go in after him. But he was still frozen, stuck to the dampened earth beneath him it seemed. He was reluctant, waging a war of pros and cons in his mind until he finally gave a huff and made a bolt for the door, shouting his brother's name as he charged into the unknown.

When he made it through the doorway, it was not Noah or a stranger that met him. Rather, a creaking, cracking piece of old rotted floor groaned beneath the sudden weight and Oberon was met with a face full of dirt and an ache that throttled his whole body as he landed on a hard earth suddenly. Letting out a moan, he shook himself, his eyes flying open and the darkness around him made his breaths grow faster and harder. Noah!! he groaned loudly, letting out a huff. As his muzzle parted once more to shout, a soft flicker began to illuminate his surroundings, and before he knew it, glowing lights faded into view around him. He took no time in running over to the closest wall of softly thrumming light, his nose meeting the peculiar sight first. It was soft, and still had an earth smell to it. After realizing that the strange glowing plants around him wasn't what he came here for, he let out another groan. Once more, in a whispered call, he calls out to his brother, hoping he really did follow his scent to this weird place. He looked above, seeing a dimly lit area above the hole he just fell through, trying to find a way back up through it, and out of this strange... place underneath another strange place.

No warning no chance to snare him lay given before the boy sprang into action. Limbs propelling him away from the watchful eye of the maid all while joyous giggles fell from his lips, leaving all he was with far behind in the encroaching darkness of the swamp. Though sign enough rose of the path taken in this haphazard dash: twigs snapping and snagging at wild tendrils of fur, earth streaked and disturbed beneath the push of oversized paws, vegetation folding or parted entirely wherever a frame burst through it. Every piece of evidence ignored as Noah clung to a single goal - escape, this was his chance for adventure! All he had to do was get away from those who may try their best to stifle it.

The maid’s cries going ignored until she faded into obscurity yet there was another more persistent than she and it was Oberon who still chased him. All of it seen as a game. One spurring him onward as a tongue lolled from pale jaws in panted breath. Flicking over dark lips as finally the youth began to slow, that sudden burst taking a lot more out of him than intended but with a quick glance around it seemed he’d been successful. No maid, no siblings, no parents. No teeth snapped about his scruff to pull him back from possible dangers. Nobody was here to stop him from poking around in whatever he pleased! Not now anyways and if he were lucky, such a moment would not come for a long while still.

Noah’s tail waved lazily behind him before finally taking in unfamiliar surroundings. This place, as peculiar as it may be, was unlike anything he’d ever seen before and that alone was enough to drum a new trill of excitement in his breast. What sort of goodies might he find here? What sort of memento could be taken back home to show off to his siblings? That the flame didn’t know but there was still ample time to figure all that out! Carelessly he pranced forth with another wag, those ever curious eyes roving over the structure that had seemingly rose before him. It’s walls crumbling, vines and other weird plants weaving throughout the stone, no flickering light dancing in what remained of windows… this was nothing like home.

Whoever lived here surely did not have much warmth in their life, if anyone lived here that is. It certainly didn’t appear to hold a soul within and yet there lingered a nagging notion of possibility. No creeping sensation would chase him away though! Nothing would stop his much needed investigations. There were things to see and exploration to be had, some silly feelings attempting to crawl into his head wouldn’t halt the path of captain Noah!

Summoning all his courage the ember youth bounded through the doorway, one kept permanently ajar in the ways it hung off its hinges. Floor boards immediately protesting to the weight upon them yet did not give way as the boy danced over them with ever shifting motions. Darting to and fro with soft giggles every time paws connected with the noisy wood. Only to freeze entirely as ears perked, swiveling toward the doorway for he could have sworn he’d heard his name. Faintly at first until those all too familiar tones reached him. Oberon. He better not be here to spoil his fun! Glancing around the room Noah scampered to hide behind an overturned table.

Peeking out only to witness his brother disappearing into the floor. The possible spoilsport had already been defeated! Obnoxious giggles fled Noah’s lungs as he bounded over to peer into the darkness, taking in the faint shape of his twin in the low light. “There you are Obe! I been lookin’ for you,” a stretch of the truth, “What are you doing aaaaalll the way down there?” Was he playing his own game? He had to be! Why else would Oberon have gone into such a dark place by himself? No thought of this being an accidental descent ever crossed his mind for why would big brother be stupid enough to fall in? Surely he wouldn’t be, so all focus clung to his own adventures, “See anything excitin'?!”

Infested Ghoul

Putrid organs dangle from exposed cavities, dripping their vile secretions with each jarring step taken by this shambling horror. Its hide writhing as maggots lay claim to a feast of rotting flesh. Despite its obvious decomposition there is drapery which looks rather… fresh. It is not until you hear the rattling hiss of death slip free that recognition hits. The appalling veil of flesh used to mask a sickening hide is one you recognize. A friend, a lover, a sibling thought lost - whoever you see worn over the ghouls face - it is they who lunges for you now with an envenomed snarl.

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There are two options for this encounter, Fight or Flee!

To engage with the monster please post in #updates.

To run simply post as normal to evade the beast and continue on with your thread. Any creature spawned after the first can be ignored entirely if desired.

Beast Engaged
The Infested Ghoul starts with 50 HP!
After both participants have posted the Ghoul will randomly attack one of them.
You may flee from the creature at any time.

Ghoul HP: 50
No guild/pack bonus
Weaponry: fangs, claws, burning vomit, miasma, protruding bones

Frustration overwhelms him, buries the sensation of a creeping danger lingering near. His brother's laughs and voice make his nose crinkle, brows furrow and cheeks heat as he shoots a burning ember gaze to Noah. "Liar, you've been lookin' for NOT me—if you were lookin' for me, then I wouldn't be lookin' for you his voice is no longer a whisper, it's a raised, angered tone now. "And thats what I'm doin allllllll the way down here!" he mimics Noah's words. Was that not obvious? He thought his brother might be in trouble or lost and here he was, (not so) bravely searching this creepy place for his brother.

When he inquires about anything exciting to see, he only scoffs. If you wanna see all the cool stuff down here, why dontcha come see for yourself. He forces a tucked tail to sway, orange orbs daring to once more glance back towards the open, dimly lit tunnel he was standing in the middle of. With a puff of his chest, he pivots, turning his tail to his brother and begins forward, slowly.

For a few steps, he still only sees the strange work of nature spread across the walls, providing little light to what may lurk. When he loosens his rigid form, he begins trotting, then calls back to Noah. "You probably won't like it down here, it's too—" he freezes the moment he hears a hiss in the silenced darkness. And then a snarl greets his face as if the creature just appeared out of the darkness. Oberon's eyes grow wide, his tail tucked as he begins to cower. He can't see who,or what, this encounter is, but he takes little time in finding out as he feels and smells the chilling yet rancid breath rolls across his face. He's turned tail and runs for the hole the fell through, screaming as he does. Its not real! Its not real! his eyes darted frantically for some sort of platform to begin his ascent to Noah. Too worried about the beast of the dark, and trying to get as far away from it as possible, he scrambles to find leverage as paws step on broken beams and boards, slipping on dampened earth that has grown over in patches. He takes one more step, trying to climb his way out, but slips and slides back down the wall and stumbles into the broken beams and boards. He hears the creature approaching and scurries to a small corner that tucks him between rotted wood and a wall of dirt. He squeezes his eyes shut, his body curling tightly on itself as if the tighter he squeezes his eyes or curls up, the faster this.. thing goes away.

Rolling combat 1d20: 16
Competent - You deal a painful blow

As the other’s volume rose it only brought further excitement to flutter within his chest. His tail wagging wildly without any restraint as the boy peered down at a rather captive audience, “Are you suuuuuure? The great Noah doesn’t lie!” Okay, maybe sometimes he did but that was besides the point, “Maybe I was looking for you and fun?” Something more enticing than the policed activities allowed by the maid even if she was only following their parents orders. Insistence to keep them away from trouble and out of harms way. Though where was the excitement in playing it safe all the time?

There was a big wide world out there to see and Noah intended to witness as much of it as possible; even if that meant leaving particular guardians or family members in the dust. At least he would always return to them, that much was promised upon a silent breath. Or rather it was always his intention to. The boy never believing that he could ever become lost for surely an adventurer’s instinct would always be able to guide him home! That was a thing… right? Yeah of course it was! On such matters there was no room for doubt especially when so many possibilities stretched out before him now.

He couldn’t see much of anything within the cavern. Only the frame of his brother illuminated in the low light, smatterings of rocky faces and out reaching plants further down the way wherever darkness did not swallow them entirely. However, it was never enough to truly see which lurked in the great beyond and Oberon’s falsified bravado only encouraged the youth to press further. A frame leaning dangerously over the ledge, wanting to slide down the embankment to join his brother and yet he stalled when the other turn tail and ran. Desperately trying to climb back up to where Noah stood with cries of something not being real.

Unsure of what he meant, it didn’t really matter as jaws snapped in hopes to snare hold of his sibling whenever he managed to draw nearer but to little avail. For Oberon slid back into the abyss before darting off into the darkness in hopes of hiding from whatever startled him so. Noah’s tail didn’t wag anymore as it stood rigid. Eyes ablaze as he scanned the inky depths until finally they settled upon a stench he couldn’t place - for decaying death was not something he’d beheld before - and a figure he couldn’t quite make out. All he knew for certain was that this thing prowled toward where his sibling and fled.

Puffing himself up boyish tones fell in a rush, “Leave him alone!” Or what? He wasn’t certain though there was no real thought behind his actions now as he lurched from where he stood. Paws skittering recklessly down the earth only to brace upon a shattered beam to launch himself toward the unknown. Little fangs hoping to catch them by the ear as what little weight he held thumped against grungy fur, the sensation as foul as it’s taste as it seemed to cling to him with its filth.

The Infested Ghoul starts with 50 HP!
After both participants have posted the Ghoul will randomly attack one of them.
You may flee from the creature at any time.

Ghoul HP: 34 (50-16)
No guild/pack bonus
Weaponry: fangs, claws, burning vomit, miasma, protruding bones

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Noah HP: 55/55
Action: jumps on/at the beast and tries to tear its ear
Injuries: none

Rolling combat 1d20: 9
Poor - You barely hurt your opponent

Oberon was not—is not—a fighting machine, he is a pup still, growing into his awkward lanky body and building muscle. His fears are never something he has to fight in real life, his fears are easily able to be felled by simply turning the page of the book he reads of them in. But now? Now he's left to face this fear, with his brother—for his brother— but he cannot do that behind a rock. These creatures simply did not exist, they couldn't—momma reassured him and she would never lie— and if they did not exist, the beastcould not harm him, right?

That was probably very wrong in this moment, but the boy didnt think otherwise, and scurried—no, charged— out from behind his hiding spot and mimicked his brother, closing his eyes and trying to hold his breath as he barrels into the foul beast, picking a front leg—or what's left of it— and starts to tug on the putrid ligament of the beast.

Obe hp: 55

Action: runs into, attempting to grab a front leg and pulling on it

The Ghoul attacks Noah with bone spurs for 3 damage.
Ghoul HP: 23 (25-2)
No guild/pack bonus
Weaponry: fangs, claws, burning vomit, miasma, protruding bones

The skin was thin, softer than he imagined it would be when compared to the chunks of flesh his parents provided them. It was nearly as if it did not truly ground itself to the very beast that sought to corner his brother, a fate that would not come to be if the youth had anything to say about it. And yet he soon found out why his grip felt weak, why it seemed little connection had been found with the creature itself as that veil peeled back. Whatever tendrils held a hide to bone peeling back from a rotting visage to expose the truth of exposed bone and seeping flesh. A sensation which sparked another howling screech from the unknown as it whirled to snare him in turn.

It’s own action jarring as another soon bid focus though the unfamiliar motion beneath Noah’s paws brought balance to shift. Weight tumbling to the earth with a cloak of putrescent fur as his prize. The way it draped over him was unnerving, a weight settling in his gut over how that stinking slime clung to him; distraction enough from how a limb now trickled with bright crimson. His own flesh snagged by one of the beast’s broken protruding ribs. Attempting to shake a false hide from his own, the boy’s path surged back toward one of rot.

Limbs attempting to spring up just enough to grab and pull on the wave of a near skeletal tail. One dripping with wriggling white creatures, those he tried his best to ignore should fangs embed into any of them.

Noah HP: 52
Action: bite/pull on gross maggoty tail
Injuries: smol cut on leg

Rolling combat 1d20: 2
Poor - You barely hurt your opponent