Archive World of Darkness: The Academy - Tearing Apart [Mature]

[Dawn OOC]

[Ravi, Blaize, Ryan only - tagged Mature, just to be safe]

Ravi couldn’t sleep. He was now wondering if he should have followed that strange music that he had heard before. Sighing, the handsome teen turned over in his bed, then gave up and got up. He moved out in the hall, restless and unsure where he was going. He just knew he was supposed to be moving.

The campus was quiet; the students were still sick in their rooms for the most part. It was eerie, and Ravi felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He had the oddest urge to spin around and looked behind him, but he ignored it as silly and paranoid. A second later, he learned that he should have listened; something heavy and leathery wrapped around him with a sharp stink, and a moment later, he was unconscious.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Blaize was sicker than she ever remembered being. Sitting up was a chore, getting out of bed a trial. So she mostly lay very still and tried not to go anywhere or do anything. She was fast asleep when something woke her up. She blinked in the darkness, trying to figure out what was going on, what was wrong when something grabbed her. She gave a small shriek as a sharp smell entered her nostrils, then she passed out.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Ryan was restless and upset. All that crap that had happened tonight was bothering him. He tried not to think about it, but it was all coming back to him every time he closed his eyes. That freak from the social disappearing into Diana, which was right in front of Lancaster. All he’d been told about Lancaster; hearing Sean say that his mother and sisters were heading toward Lancaster. It all seemed to be revolving around that building. He wasn’t sleepy. Time to do some checking.

It was a simple matter to break into the building through a window in the second-story lobby. He’s overheard someone in the car say it was in the attic; trusting that it was like his dorm, he snuck up the stairs. There was a dim light on, which didn’t seem right to him. He paused and listened, and didn’t hear anything. Peeking over the edge of the stairs, he saw two of the students lying slumped on the floor. Stifling a scared expletive and deciding that this place was definitely cursed, Ryan started to back down the stairs.

There was a sense of movement above him, then something leathery and black wrapped around him. There was a foul odor, and then blackness.

-=-=-=-=-=-

The three students woke up secured to a table of some kind. They were wearing whatever they’d been dressed in when taken. Glancing around reveals that they are in some kind of laboratory, but one that could have come straight from a black and white horror movie.

Click to reveal..

I’m taking a page from M&M; whenever I screw some players over for plot reasons, I’m going to give them some kind of reward. In this case, you can each reroll one failure at a future date.

[Blaize Fairview]

She had been trying to sleep off some part of this sickness, after taking a shower, simply because she couldn't bare to go to bed feeling grimy, though it had horrible to try and gather up the strength to clean up a bit.

Returning to bed, she'd looked at the clothing she'd dropped into floor, thinking about picking it up, and not really feeling like she had the energy. She considered putting on clean clothing, but then she simply decided she didn't have the energy for that either.

Shivering slightly, she barely attempted to dry off before struggling to hang the towel on a hook. She then climbed into bed and tried to draw the blanket and comforter around her body, not feeling up trying to struggle with her drawers to get some underwear out. So she had simply settled for the comforter, sheets and blanket, feeling quite warm, if miserable.

So, when she came too, she was stark naked, and strapped down to a table, which made her squeak in surprise and then turn bright red in embarrassment.

[Ryan Jackson]

Ryan awoke with a start, his head jerked up and then back thumping into the hard surface of the table with a loud bonk. "Ow, what the shit?" He'd heard a squeak and after a moment of taking stock and realizing he was somehow bound, affixed to a table it seemed, he used the limited range of motion allowed his head to look around. He stopped rather quickly and stared quite openly at the ravishing creature on the table beside him. Stark naked, flushed with embarrassment, trembling from cold lay a very attractive young woman. He opened his mouth to say something, something stupid that would probably not have gone over well, thought better of it and shut his mouth. No need to spoil the moment, just enjoy what you can, you aren't going anywhere anyways.

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

The moment did not last forever, alas. Ryan's reverie and Blaize's chagrin were both interrupted by the third figure on the slab, who craned his neck up and looked around, then turned it towards his fellow captives.

"Well... This is unexpected." Ravi had opened his eyes at the female cry, and quickly assessed the predicament he now found himself in. Green-gold eyes glanced sideways, taking in Ryan's prone form and, admittedly more slowly, Blaize's state of nudity. An eyebrow rose over one inquisitive eye. The young man's accent was straight from some Regency-era costume drama, filtered through the 20th Century and a hint of something exotic lurking around the edges as he asked the other two "This wouldn't be some sort of hazing for new students, would it? Not that I'm one to complain, but they might at least warn a man. Or," he smiled faintly at Blaize despite his own inner nervousness, "do seperate hazings for boys and girls, hmm?"

[Ryan Jackson]

Ryan craned his neck looking over the endowments of the naked coed to see the other voice. His head thudded against the table again, "I doubt it, I've been at Dalton for four years now. Something weird has been going on, people claiming to be from other worlds and all kinds of baloney. I'm sure this all part of somebody's sick plan."

[Blaize Fairview]

She drew herself together, and managed to keep from panicking for the time being, she was cold, somewhat frightened, embarrassed and naked, with two boys looking at her. Now, she had to admit to herself, there were ways that could be interesting, but, this wasn't one of them, the cold and the fear at least she could do without.

At least the attention was slightly flattering, even though it was embarrassing as hell, she took a deep breath, noting the attention she got from both of the boys as she did.

She pulled slightly at the bounds holding her wrists and ankles down, and they proved depressingly resistant. Still blushing, she speaks up, finally. "I'm afraid... " She swallowed, her voice had squeaked a bit high there. "That I have to agree, this isn't a hazing."

She paused a moment. "And I'm just a bit.. scared." She felt alright saying that, but she continued with. "And don't tell me everything will be ok, clearly we're all three at the mercy of whoever has captured us."

Click to reveal..

(07:22:44) ChatBot: (Blaize) rolls 7d10 and gets 6,2,4,6,9,8,9.

Three success to maintain self-control

[Dawn OOC]

Metal rattled against stone, and the three kids automatically fell silent. The door to the room opened, and tall, shrouded forms entered the room. Chains dragged the floor behind them, the source of that sound. Glowing red eyes looked at them, roving over them with all the empathy of a patron surveying a butcher's wares.

There were three of them, with one clearly leading. When it saw Ryan, it stopped and turned to the others. A strange, soft, high-pitched whine could be heard; for Ravi, the whine was not at all soft. It lanced through his ears, bringing pain straight to his brain. He flinched, and three sets of red eyes stared at him for a moment before the irritant started again. He could almost hear real noises within that whine.

Thankfully, they stopped. The one who lead them marched over to Ravi and held a hand over his chest. The black hand was short with fur on the back and appeared to have only three fingers; it also did odd things to the cloak, as if the garment were attached to the hand. Ravi felt an odd heat and every hair on his body stood upright as the hand swept over his body, from his chest to his groin, then back up over the crown of his head.

With a hiss, the creature withdrew its hand. Some short whining commenced, and the other two cowered submissively. Then it stalked past Blaize to Ryan. It did the same thing to him, and Ryan got to feel that odd heat and his body's own reaction. Again there was an angry whine, and this time, the two creatures looked like they were trying to sink into the floor.

It turned to Blaize, those red eyes mere slits. Blaize watched with trepidation as the hand rose over her body, but instead of withdrawing, the creature put its hand on her chest, between her breasts. The 'skin' of the hand felt like the pad on an animal's paw, while the short hair from the back of the hand tickled and prickled her bare skin. The whining that following brought the cringing creatures out of a crouch, and they moved forward, one to either side of her. Together, they unchained her from the bed, leaving the shackles attached to her arms and legs. Holding these tight, they began to drag her out of the room.

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

Ravi had remained frozen in horror and rising panic as the strange, sinister figures had filed in and examined the three of them. That they seemed to find him unsuitable for whatever they had in mind relieved him a little, and he started to get angry at the foul whining noise, shaking his head a little as though trying to get rid of tinnitis.

The strange heat sensation as the... thing examined him was more aggravation to his temper. Ravi was a FitzCoventry, after all. He had warrior blood on both sides of his illustrious ancestry, and whilst warrior instincts are't as appreciated in the modern age, that doesn't mean they simply go away. He started to tug at the bindings on his arms surreptitiously, thinking that if he could just get one arm free he'd show these... whatever they weres that Ravi FitzCoventry did not take kindly to being kidnapped and strapped to a table, then probed by some weird creature.

Then the foul beast actually fondled the lady. Ravi held his tongue, but started to pull more steadily and strongly at the shackles. He didn't think they'd break, rationally, but he'd be damned if he simply lay there while some disgusting freak touched a helpless woman in front of his eyes. That whining sound was really getting on his nerves, too! Like nails down a blackboard with none of the pleasant overtones. As the creatures started to haul Blaize off, the young man jerked at his shackles hard, shouting as loud as he could, his voice possessing a peremptory growl of anger.

"You! Let her go THIS INSTANT! Yes, you. The one with the hairy palms! I don't know what you have in mind but I will... not... stand... by... and... watch!" Each of these last words was punctuated with a stronger yank on the bindings, the pain in his wrists fuelling his anger and outrage.

[Blaize Fairview]

She blinked at the entrance of this three strange beings, as a part of her inside began to tremble a bit, and she took a deep breath, shivering slightly, an not from the cold as they began to inspect their captives. Her embarrassment over her nakedness now vanished in the face of an entirely different emotion, the beginnings of fear.

The sound of their soft whining somehow seemed to cause a pounding headache in her already aching body. She couldn't quite let go of some measure of hope that they might simply free them, or that somehow they could get away. When they came to each of the boys, and somehow seemed to find them unacceptable, hope began to flare slightly..

Then they came to her, and the one that appeared to be the leader put his, or was it her.. or perhaps it's? In any case, it put it's hand on her chest, and then appeared somehow... pleased. The paw and the feel of fur also did something else to her, she was now certain that these beings were not human, and that, wasn't something that seemed good either.

Her hope then died when she was apparently found acceptable, and she could only think of one reason why, the difference that was quite apparent considering her state of dress. What they would need a female for, that they wouldn't need a male for.. all of the possible answers that came to mind were... bad. Sometimes, an imagination was a bad thing. She started to struggle with them, when they began to unchain her from the slab and then use the chains to pull her along. Her resolve however, strengthened, and she drew herself up, at this point, having drew on her inner reserves to strengthen her own mind and will.

"Please, whatever happens, there is always hope.. and whatever they are going to do, I would go with courage, rather then screams and denial... with hope instead of panic and struggle." She reached out to them, attempting to offer comfort even in the midst of her own distress. She trembled slightly, but she would not give these creatures weakness, if they were going to take her, they would take her with courage, and with ever enduring hope. "Someway, somehow, no matter what happens, I shall hold onto hope. I'll see you both soon."

At this point, rather then struggling anymore, she drew herself up, and then went with the three beings, choosing to go with dignity and courage, rather then panic and struggles. Even though she did tremble a bit, for she was still, frightened, she controlled that fear, holding it down as she was taken from the room, to whatever awaited her..

Click to reveal..

Resolve + Composure, Keeping Cool

(21:28:14) ChatBot: (Blaize) rolls 7d10 and gets 4,2,10,6,10,2,8.

Rerolling 10s

(21:29:19) ChatBot: (Blaize) rolls 2d10 and gets 7,8.

[Ryan Jackson]

Ryan's head lolled from side to side, he laughed at the so called creatures. "Give me a break, evil boogey men in dark robes with gloves on? Come on! I must admit, the naked girl was a nice touch of authenticity but seriously, all of this crap the past few days is starting to get stupid." He pulled ineffectively at the bindings and then lay back, "Fine, I'll play along ... Oh no. Please don't take the girl, take me instead you ... umm, evil monsters. I'll tear you apart, you'll never get away with this." Ryan's voice was flat and obviously bored as he laid out hackneyed lines from bad horror movies.

[Dawn OOC]

Ravi's attempts to break free were as successful as a kitten's attempts to open a door. His shouts made the two hench-shrouds flinch, but the leader whined at them again and they moved faster, pulling harder at Blaize's chains. Otherwise, the two were ignored; even Ryan's laughter at them did nothing to change their actions.

The only answer to the two boys was the door shutting. The silence and darkness was absolute as they were left to consider Blaize's fate - and their own.

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

Ravi craned his neck and watched them go, his shouts dying away as he realised that, like his struggling against the bonds, it was futile. He sagged back onto the table, letting himself go slack, and looked over at Ryan.

"You think this is all a prank, then?" He tugged at one of his arm bindings, still obviously irate as he thought that over. "Whoever's responsible is going to get the rough end of my boot in their arse. Enough is enough, damn it. I'm considering pressing charges." Under the angry tone, though, Ravi's previous fear was trying to slink back in. Something had been very wrong about those three figures.

[Ryan Jackson]

Ryan barked a laugh, "Dude I swear, its like some kind of weird government mind control experiment around here. People are claiming to be from other worlds and all kinds of wackness. I think somebody slipped some acid into the ice cream or something. Alls I know is that monsters and magic and crap is kids stuff, not real, so that makes all of this a load of crap."

He paused for a long beat, "Oh, I'm Ryan by the way, and nothing like this has happened in the last three years I have been at Dalton."

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

"Ravi." He nodded his head as courteously as being tied up naked would allow. "I've just arrived, a little late I'm afraid. I got caught up with something in Manhattan and..." he realised he was babbling. "Well, you know women." he ended on a subdued note, aware that this wasn't exactly the time or place for small talk.

He craned his head and looked around the chambers they were in, wondering if there was anything nearby that might prove of use for escape. "So... People claiming to be aliens? I thought this was a school, not a looney bin. Or Hogwarts." He grinned faintly. "You're a student?"

[Ryan Jackson]

"Yeah. Though I think the headmaster thinks I'm a personal test of his patience." Ryan laughed a little, "Maybe once all this bullshit is over I can get back to that." He laid his head back and stared at the ceiling, "So, uuhh, kinda awkward you and her being all naked huh? I guess they nabbed you in the shower or sleeping or something? It's weird cause they didn't even bother to check my pockets. If I could reach I could probably get my Swiss army knife out, maybe stab them or something. This whole thing seems so poorly thought out, but then they've even got some of the parents in on it. I don't get it."

[Dawn OOC]

There didn't seem much to say to that, and the two boys fell silent. Muscles grew stiff from the unmoving position; butts and backs grew numb, then sore, then numb again. The two grew bored, and gradually began to talk about nothing just to pass the time. Then they ran out of things to say.

The door opened, bringing bright light and two of those creatures back. Squealing again, they walked around to Ravi's head. One of them held a silver band, while the other grabbed Ravi's hair. As the handsome teen struggled, the first opened the band and clasped it around his neck. Immediately, he felt a flush of heat pass through his body; then the collar started to itch.

As Ryan watched, they turned and headed for him, producing another band. Their intentions were clear. Like Ravi, Ryan put up a fight, and like Ravi, it did no good. The collar was attached, and he felt that flush of warmth, but no itching.

Then the creatures spoke again. Ryan’s ears heard the screeching, but his brain heard words. “We are going to take you outside. You will not struggle or you will burn. If you strike us, you burn.” To both boys’ shock, the creatures began to unshackle them completely.

[Ryan Jackson]

OK, that's weird. Wonder how they are doing that? "Outside, what's outside? Gonna strip me naked and make me run around the quad while I cluck like a chicken or something?" Ryan rolled his eyes but didn't resist, he just wanted this whole fiasco over so that things could go back to normal. Once free of his bonds he hopped up and off the table, "Ok, fellas, lead the way, I could use some fresh air."

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

Ravi hated the collar. The warm sensation was creepy enough, but the itching added an element of insult to injury in his opinion. As the creatures started to release him, his hauteur made an effort to reassert itself.

He didn't bluster or shout this time. Instead he made a cool evaluation of his state of undress, then focused his green-gold gaze on his captors, a scornful look in his eye.

"Yes, I suppose you should just have done with whatever game of silly-buggers you're up to. I'm sure we'll be settling accounts later." The threat was mildly spoken, but heartfelt. In Ravi's gaze, fires burned.

[Dawn OOC]

The shrouded creatures pushed and herded them through dark hallways. They appeared to be in a complex make of dark stone; it was large and they wound through hallways. A wooden door appeared in front of them, and the creatures pushed them to it and then out it.

After the darkness of the interior, the sunlight outside was blinding. And rather like Han Solo, they found that blinking the spots away didn't improve the vision. Flat, dusty earth spread all around them. The only feature were the long rows of plants growing, and the people working in them.

A hulking creature with a whip stared at them; the doors slammed shut behind them. "You," the creature growled. "You work." He jerked his head, and a slim man with white skin and black eyes stepped forward, holding two curved cutting instruments like boning knives. Ryan recognized his coloration; it was the same as Relana's. But his clothes were dusty and torn, and a bleak depression surrounded him. As he offered the knives, the sun glinted off the collar that was the match of Ryan's and Ravi's.

Given his deferential nature, the man speaking was a surprise. “Master, I should get this one some clothing.”

The creature, which could have doubled as an orc’s big brother on the set of the Lord of the Rings, scowled. “Fine,” he grumbled. “Get him clothing.”

As the Caramine turned around and headed for a stack of boxes, the hulk grunted, “You two kill snwin, before they poison harvesters. Got it?”

[Ryan Jackson]

Ryan looked at the knife and then at Mr. Biggunugly. He briefly considered attacking the guy but decided against it, even if this was all horseshit the guy was over eight feet tall and could probably snap him like a twig. Ryan ran his thumb crosswise over the blade and was shocked to find that it was actually sharp. First the weird collars and now actual knives and some kind of weird farm. What the fuck? Did they haul our asses down to Mexico or some shit? Biggunugly gave Ryan the stink-eye and the young man looked around before asking, "What the fuck is a snwin?"

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

Ravi watched the strangely colored man as he picked out a ragged pair of trousers and shirt from the boxes and brought them back over, handing them to the tall youth with a faint nod. Upon inspection, at least they weren't filthy, just tattered, and better than being naked.

As he pulled the garments on, he looked over at the large slavemaster (for the whip was a dead giveaway).

"Yes. What are these 'snwin'? And where..." he glanced around, then back at the large brute "are we?"

[Dawn OOC]

"Snwin," he grunted and pointed at the wall. A long, thin creature was dangling on a hook in the wall. It looked like a snake, but its body was covered in what looked like spines of metal. Several more carcasses were below it, thrown haphazardly on the ground. "Kill all." He pointed out at the workers, who were bending over, making repititious movements.

The two boys took a closer look at their surroundings. The building they'd just come from was a massive fortification behind them, blocking their vision behind them. Looking for the edge, all they found was more black wall, and they realized that it appeared to be some kind of black-stoned cliff-face, with the building they were just in carved into it. Ahead of them, flat, featureless land spread as far as they could see. At first, they couldn't see any plants, but then they spotted the dirt-colored moss. The workers seemed to be picking up pieces of it and putting it in baskets.

"Go, move!" Ugly barked, showing a mouthful of brown teeth.

[Ryan Jackson]

Ryan took a long look around and then looked at the knife and Mr Biggunugly. "Naw, you know what, I'm gonna pass on that. I kinda have school, and while this seems like a real nice gig I kinda ... well I'm not really the farming type. Thanks though! Hey, kid, you better run!" Ryan took off at a sprint for the cliff face and with a leap he was clinging to the stone and free climbing. In seconds he was already nearly 15 feet above the ground and looking to increase that as quickly as possible.

Click to reveal..

(13:59:34) (Ryan_Jackson): Athletics 4 + Dex 4 - 1 die (sub-optimal conditions = 7 dice

(13:59:43) ChatBot: (Ryan_Jackson) rolls 7d10 and gets 10,7,6,10,8,3,5.

(13:59:48) ChatBot: (Ryan_Jackson) rolls 2d10 and gets 10,3.

(13:59:52) ChatBot: (Ryan_Jackson) rolls 1d10 and gets 4.

Parkour 3 allows climbing rolls to add +5 ft per athletics dot with -1 die per 10 ft beyond the first 10. Moving 15' up as an initial action.

[Dawn OOC]

As the creature and Ravi watched his impressive skills, Ryan bolted, climbing hand over hand with amazing speed. He was sure he was home-free, once he got to the top, when something odd happened.

The collar began to hurt. Then the pain spread, sweeping out from his neck up and down his body. It was burning pain, as if he were emersed in fire. But there were no visible flames dancing over his body; only those terrible phantom pains.

[Ryan Jackson]

"Ahhrrrgg," Ryan gritted his teeth as his body began to burn all over. It was like standing way too close to a bonfire. Or like that time I used Icy Hot to ... no that was way worse. He held on to the cliff and ground his teeth, his face a rictus of pain, his eyes closed as he dug deep for some wellspring of inner strength. I don't know how they are doing this but I'm not going to give them the satisfaction. He opened his eyes and began to climb. In a matter of seconds he had bounded some twenty feet further up the cliff face and was now all but howling in pain, OK, this is way worse than Icy Hot on my schlong...

Click to reveal..

(09:48:56) (Ryan_Jackson): Athletics 4 + Dex 4 - 1 die (sub-optimal conditions) - 2 dice (pain) - 1 die (climbing an extra 10 ft) = 4 dice (using Parkour to treat as a rote)

(09:49:01) ChatBot: (Ryan_Jackson) rolls 4d10 and gets 1,2,10,6.

(09:49:06) ChatBot: (Ryan_Jackson) rolls 1d10 and gets 4.

(09:49:12) (Ryan_Jackson): rote re-roll

(09:49:15) ChatBot: (Ryan_Jackson) rolls 3d10 and gets 6,1,6.

1 net sux

[Dawn OOC]

Something dark shot by him, an enormous shape that cut through the air with a snap. Cursing, he twisted to watch it fly away from him; it looked like a bat as big as a car. As he watched, it turned back, zeroing in on him. This time, it bounced off the rock just above him, leaving pale marks on the stone from claws. Then it was fluttering away again, wide-yet-too-small wings snapping in the sun.

[Ryan Jackson]

"What the fu ..." Ryan's pain was momentarily forgotten as he saw something large fly by and they try to dive bomb and snatch him from the cliff. "Hnnnnggg," Ryan grunted with pain and effort as he forced himself to climb even higher, it was either up or down and down seemed like a less than stellar option given the whole slavery theme of the scene. I can do this, I know I can... With miracle determination and sheer force of will Ryan hauled himself up another thirty feet.

Click to reveal..

Athletics 4 + Dex 4 - 1 die (sub-optimal conditions) - 4 dice (pain) - 2 die (climbing an extra 20 ft) +3 dice (willpower) = 4 dice (using Parkour to treat as a rote)

(11:21:05) ChatBot: (Ryan_Jackson) rolls 4d10 and gets 9,4,8,10.

(11:21:17) (Ryan_Jackson): rote

(11:21:21) ChatBot: (Ryan_Jackson) rolls 1d10 and gets 3.

(11:21:24) (Ryan_Jackson): pop 10

(11:21:28) ChatBot: (Ryan_Jackson) rolls 1d10 and gets 3.

3 net sux

Willpower 4/5

[Dawn OOC]

The creature came back around, angling up high enough to dive at him again. But it wasn't a dive bomb exactly; instead, the bat-thing landed against him, clinging to the cliff - and him - with claws. With his body already suffering from the phantom agony, this new pain made everything worse.

Click to reveal..

Attack on Ryan: 2 sux, 2 lethal

(08:39:29) ChatBot: (God) rolls 3d10 and gets 10,3,4.

(08:39:57) (God): Poppin' 10

(08:40:06) ChatBot: (God) rolls 1d10 and gets 9.

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

Ravi watched Ryan's escape attempt, holding his breath and willing the other young man up the cliff. After all, if one could escape...

But then Ryan started having difficulties, his body spasming as though in pain. Ravi heard him cry out and remembered the words that those foul creatures in the cloaks had whined at them both.

"You will not struggle or you will burn. If you strike us, you burn.”

By what science he didn't know, Ravi knew that the strangely itchy silver collar around their necks was the reason they were prisoners here. He growled under his breath and turned on the big, ugly taskmaster, hefting the knife in one hand as though he would attack. Then he sneered and tossed the knife into the ground at the large creature's feet, folding his arms haughtily.

"We may be your prisoners, but I will be dead, damned and in hell before I will be your slave." The handsome, aristocratic youth stood tall, not dignifying his captors with futile flight or equally futile fight.

[Ryan Jackson]

"AAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!" I ... will not ... give .... up! Blood oozed and ran from his wounds, his body twitched and tried to betray him but Ryan wouldn't give up, instead he hauled himself up another thirty feet.

Click to reveal..

Athletics 4 + Dex 4 - 1 die (sub-optimal conditions) - 7 dice (pain) - 2 die (climbing an extra 20 ft) +3 dice (willpower) = 1 die (using Parkour to treat as a rote)

(09:55:00) ChatBot: (Ryan_Jackson) rolls 1d10 and gets 3.

(09:55:11) (Ryan_Jackson): re-roll (rote)

(09:55:16) ChatBot: (Ryan_Jackson) rolls 1d10 and gets 10.

(09:55:22) ChatBot: (Ryan_Jackson) rolls 1d10 and gets 5.

1 net sux

Willpower 3/5

[Dawn OOC]

The creature shrugged. "No work, no eat. No work, no drink. You will die. Enjoy." Turning, he roared at the watching Caramine, "Get back to work!" The man jumped and scrambled to obey, hefting a sack and a knife and jogging toward the other workers. Ravi was ignored as the creature turned and began to supervise the others.

Ryan pulled himself over the edge of the cliff and found himself in a town. It looked as if it had been carved from the rock, with the top of this cliff leveled to make way for it. Several bat-creatures looked at him, and none looked amused. Two of them started toward him, even as the third from below shot past him, looping about in the air again.

[Ryan Jackson]

Ryan hauled himself up over the edge of the cliff, his body feeling like he was the main course at a barbecue. His elation at reaching the top was dashed immediately upon seeing an apparent settlement of the bat things that had attacked him. Why me? What the fuck did I do to deserve this? Thoughts of explaining away all of this were long forgotten, now instead he wondered if he was going to be killed and then eaten or killed by being eaten alive. He flopped like a boneless chicken to the ground, curling around himself as the burning pain mounted further. "Somebody help me ..." he croaked.

[Dawn OOC]

The two walking toward him bend over him. "We're going to take you back, and now you know you can't run, yes?" the taller of the two asked, his black bangs hanging in his eyes. "We will take you back, and you will not run again, yes?"

[Ryan Jackson]

"What? No ... no! I don't ... are you kidding me! I damn near kill myself and you all are working for them?!" Ryan had bee trying to push himself to his feet but he felt the last shred of determination slip between his fingers and he collapsed to the ground again in a heap. "Shit, I don't belong here! I didn't do anything to you, or them, or even that guy, the umm," he struggled to remember. "The SHOVAT! Yeah that guy, umm Kitten? No, that's wrong, Kitan? Kytan? Come on!"

[Dawn OOC]

"Shovat? What do you know of the Caramine?" One of the creatures leaned down to peer at him closely. Taloned toes touched him lightly, then hands picked him up. "We will talk below, where the collars will not burn."

Ryan found himself being carried away from the cliff to a building. Once inside, he was taken down a set of stairs. It was the reverse of going up; then lower they went, they less his body burned.

[Ryan Jackson]

"I know that if I could kick him in the nuts I would. I know that he walked in a chose myself and twelve of my freinds for something which I don't think can possibly be a good thing." Ryan started to feel the burning sensation abate and the wounds on his back and shoulders began to make themselves heard. He ignored them, he was used to dealing with pulled muscles or sprained joints and after whatever the collar had done Ryan was thinking he could teach a Shao Lin Monk a thing or two about resisting pain.

"Why are you bringing me back there? I damn near killed myself to escape." Ryan tried to struggle but found their grip to be secure against his battered and weary body. "Don't do this, I don't want to be a slave."

[Dawn OOC]

"We need food," one of them said as they hopped down another few steps. "You will gather it for us."

"Could we gather it ourselves, enough to feed us, then we might not need you," the other said. They were both horribly impersonal about it, as if it were nothing for them to force others to work for them.

"As for the Caramine, you will find that we pay our tribute to them, and they will leave us alone," the first said. "It is the only way to be left in peace."

[Ryan Jackson]

"And what happens when they find out that you have stolen something that they marked as theirs?" Ryan was playing a desperate gambit but he seemed to have little recourse left to him now.

[Dawn OOC]

"What do you mean?" one of the bat creatures asked suddenly, frowning at him. He wasn't sure how he could see that twist of its face as a frown, but there it was. "How are you theirs?"

[Ryan Jackson]

They stopped. Ryan whooped in his head at the minor victory. "What do you mean? How are you theirs?" The questions weren't complicated or overly surprising, but that didn't stop Ryan from wanting to scream his frustration.

"He ... they," he stumbled on his words, stopped and then started again more calmly. "I was at a party, and the Shovat and his two, I dunno, bodyguards or something, they came right in like they deserved to be there and started choosing people. I told you that already, they chose me and twelve others to be part of, umm, what did he call it? The HARVEST! They chose us to be part of the Harvest. They claimed us as theirs as sure as I wish I hadn't wasted my time climbing that damned cliff."