In Search of the Source of the Creeping Darkness Main Story

Help had arrived, it seemed. In the form of two students on the duelling team, the duelling pair of Knights. They seemed to be willing to venture down into the well and get the two girls out. From the looks of it - and from what she had been told - only two students had fallen down. She stood, mentally cursing to herself, as she heard Henry's next words. Another student in the next room. Right. Why would this be easy? Of course it would not. She knew that the two in the well desperately needed help but who knew about the third one? If no one was there, it could get worse. Whilst she did not want to leave the young students literally responsible for the lives of their housemates, there was little choice but to trust them. "Very well, I'll check on them," She replied with a nod, confirming that she would go to look for them.

However, before she left, she spoke up to ensure that both Ileen and Henry could hear her, "Both of you, be careful. Get the girls to the wing, immediately. They are both in danger, don't drop them. If you see anyone else, take them with you," She warned them, hoping that any other students they crossed would listen to them and follow them to the wing, "I'll be there soon." She ended her instructions. Anyone they saw that did not follow them to the wings would likely end up in trouble if either, even accidentally, spilled the name. Either way, Hjørdis fully intended on following the four of them to the wing straight away.

For now, she would turned towards the other room that Henry had indicated to and quickly made her way to it, hoping that whoever was there, was not hurt - or worse.

Making her way into it, she leaned down a little to the floor, "
Appare Vestigium," She would whisper, hoping to find any sign of whoever she was looking for. She had made the assumption that they could not reply if Henry was saying he was not sure if they were hurt or something worse.

Regardless of whether or not she saw anything, she would continue, "Hello? Is anyone there?" She would say in the softest tone she could muster, trying not to scare them. If they were hurt, she was not here to punish them. She was here to help. The consequences could be dealt with afterwards.... when she expelled almost every student in the house.

ACTION: Move to 6A/B and Attempt to cast Appare Vestigium (Maintain Lumos Maxima)

Koko's brain had fogged up as she understood that whatever this spindly creature of darkness was, it was not going away. Her limbs froze momentarily as she considered what on earth would help her, and she only came back when a bright light flashed before her eyes and more pain bit through her.

Was it the lumos that had caused the pain? It didn't seem as bad as before, but it still hurt, it was still searing, Why was it happening!?

Koko didn't trust herself to fight back properly, not with her wand arm shaking and the rest of her body randomly freezing up. She barely trusted herself to breathe. Any words she wanted to say caught in her throat, and she may have begun to back away from the darkness, her brain irrationally thinking that that was a good idea.

Finally, reality seemed to catch up with the dreamlike state she was in, and her wand arm steadied for a moment. The darkness seemed to be less potent, more wispy, she thought. Had the lumos done that?

Maybe pain was worth getting rid of this evil creature. After all, getting rid of it meant less pain in the long run... And if casting lumos, if she could focus, could get rid of it...

Koko grit her teeth and took a deep breath before pointing her slightly-shaky wand at the expanding darkness. 'Lumos,' she murmured, shoving all her focus and want into that single word.

She really, really hoped that her barely proficient spellcasting skills would amount to something.

Stats:
Stamina: 15
Strength: 3
Evasion: 6
Accuracy: 6
ArcPower: 5
Wisdom: 6

Action: Cast Lumos at the creature

Room 2

@Opeila Winters was within range of Ileen Knight's desperate cries for help. She knew that everyone needed to run. She could even feel the irritation enter her lungs. Safety was just behind her if she wished to flee. Up a flight of stairs, back towards the Slytherin common room dorms. Yet she did not run, nor did she rush towards Ileen's desperate pleas for help or the noise coming from the next room where Santario had almost died minutes before.

Opeila decided to forego all three of those options. Selim could fend for himself. Santario would be totally fine, she had their Head of House and Starlee was just a heavy sleeper. The common room would be terribly lonesome as her peers were all down here, too busy dying. She would take the option where there was no nearby screaming. Dipping her mouth and nose into her garments she would barrel into the next room half-blind as part of her vision was blocked by her shirt.

Opeila enters Room 10

Room 3

"Professor, there's another student in the next room. I don't know if their injured or worse but I thought you should know."

He was referring to the pile of rags that he had sniffed out. The boy was of course a human but he also had an uncanny sense of smell, one of the few boons afforded to him when he was cursed with lycanthropy. The pile of rags that were none other than @Kaegen Deathmote, resident weird kid from house Ravenclaw. He was hiding there, a paranoid little weirdo, basically Selim Faust's twin from another life.

"Very well, I'll check on them,"

Jensen confirmed. What was it about these kids exploring the darkest recesses of the caste? Someone could have gotten heart! In fact, they already did.

@Henry Knight and @Bridget Collins had made it safely to the bottom of the well. Well, safer than @Santario Martin and @Starlee Kennedy in any case. They were both in desperate need of help.

"I could try to carry Starlee out while you carry Santario?"

Henry offered. He would reach down and scoop the flaccid girl up. He was not the strongest, but he was not the weakest either.

"Okay"

Nothing fancy, just a single word of acquiescence.

Henry attempts to carry Starlee out of the dry well.
Strength Check: (+5) 8

She was quite heavy surprisingly. Henry would find it hard to lift her, he would be forced to drag her less than gracefully back to the ground level. He had likely not wondered why there was a well in the castle, but that was a history lesson for another day. A time before running water when wells were used and a trek outdoors during inclimate weather which proved to be much of the Scottish year, wells such as these were not entirely uncommon. The well had since been partially filled out, perhaps they should have brought to to the top but who would have thought that someone would leap into a well?

@Bridget Collins was a strong girl, even if she did not look the part she was confident that she could bring Santario to the surface. This was no place for the duellist to die nd she was not going to let her.

Bridget attempts to drag Santario out of the well.
Strength Check: (+7) 6

Good god, neither of them were particularly strong on this day. Bridget would fare no better than Henry and be reduced to dragging the girl back to the surface level but her underarms, by her wrists.

"Both of you, be careful. Get the girls to the wing, immediately. They are both in danger, don't drop them. If you see anyone else, take them with you."

Nora would instruct as her gaze was set on going deeper. To find whoever it was that was deeper in the dungeon.

"I'll be there soon."

A dark pile of rags would skitter into the dark back corner of the room, low to the ground like a skunk with a smell not too distant from such.

"Appare Vestigium."

A swirling motion, a wave of glittering gold would extend from the former Professor in every which direction. The tracks she saw would be rather disappointing. A pair of tracks led directly to the well, as if some of her kids just walked to the edge of a well and leapt in. Only one set of tracks exiting the present room that she occupied, coming to and fro -- those belonged to Henry. Kaegen did not enter through this room so she would not see a second set of prints enter but she would see a set of tracks meander semi-stealthily into the room. The very back corner. No trail of blood in his wake, a good sign. Pretty stinky, a bad sign. Kaegen dear, I will do you no favors if you don't post. Dates will be very hard for you to find at this rate.

The air would develop a bitterness. The pile of rags close to the ground would get a taste of it. Nora also, the students as they carried their burdens and risked instability once again. Keeping the two of them alive in this precarious state as the dungeons filled with chloramine gas was going to be a test of everyone's mettle.

Instability caused by toxic gas
Starlee death saving throw. 1 critical failure. Failed x2.
Santario death saving throw. 8 Succeed x1

Starlee was quickly deteriorating in Henry's arms and Santario was again at risk for death. This was going to be one of those sorts of situations where it would be a conceited effort by multiple parties if they ever hoped to get these girls out of the dungeons in one piece.

Room 4

@Ileen Knight would feel it too, the toxicity that was in the air. The poison gas that burned her eyes, her lungs and her throat. Whatever it was, it was spreading that the boys, that is @Selim Faust and @Mathias Pride, were succumbing to the gas' effects.

Mathias would be hardly able to stand. Selim was in a panic, evading his housemates attempts to bring him to safety. "Hang in there! We can do this!" Ileen urged Matt to keep trying but he was not built for this sort of thing. "When we get out, I'll cast Ventus, maybe I can use it to buy us some more time." They did not have much time, the gas was spreading and everyone was going to have to get out of there as soon as possible.

Mathias would scold Selim, he was none too nice about it but he did not have time to ask nicely. "Selim, let us help you baka!" He probably heard Selim or Kazuo use it, all he knew was that from the tone it was not a nice word. yes, it meant idiot and it was presently applicable. He had run off on his own and got himself trapped. He left a girl in dire straights for no reason in particular. He might have deserved this fate but Mathias was not about to let him.

"Drag the slippery rat out by the ankles if need be, we can't stay!"

Mathias shouted, a bitterness in his words. He was not here to make nice. They did not have that luxury. There was no bigger plan. He had no discernable advantage yet it did not seem to matter. A bit of exposition here as aspects of Main Story comes to a close. Selim was a pureblood, a commodity that Mathias would go to abnormal lengths to protect. A kinship that the others would not understand.

"You don't get to stay and die."

Mathias rebuked him. The problem was, Mathias was powerless to help. To really help. He was a thinker, a planner, a reader. He could say things, he can urge him on, but he lacked the physical power to support his will. He knew this of course.

"Percival!"

"Percival! Help us!" Percival Rainwood, a big guy, at least in comparison to both Faust and Pride. Ileen cried out his name, the first and best name she could think of to try and help. As wily as Selim was, he was hard to get ahold of. It would matter little if it was not for the fact that if they failed, he would die.

"Selim is too wiggly and heavy!"

"Get out of here! Everyone!"

Ileen managed to choke out.

"There is something in the air, it is burning us!"

Ileen's call for help would summon Percival. Not Selim's near death experience. Not his dormmate's plea for help (he did not like that guy anyways). She probably did not realize how she summoned him, how much he cared when her heart could so easily wander. How Percival's little heart would one day break. He was willing to follow her into danger and unrest, not because he was looking to explore but rather he wanted to save her. Not impress her.

Warning noted -- the air is burning us.

Percival would duck his mouth and nose into the confines of his clothes and rush in. He was stronger than the two of them combined. He would see a scene - Selim... being, well Selim. The wheels are still turning, but the hamsters died a long time ago with that boy.

"What happened?"

Percival would somehow manage to ask.

Percival, Ileen and Mathias attempt to drag Selim out by force.
Accuracy (Ileen) (+9) 16 --> [25] Success
Evasion (Selim) (+13) 10 --> 23
Evasive Maneuvers. Chance to auto-dodge. 50 No effect
Accuracy (Mathias) (+7) 8 --> 15 Partial
Evasion (Selim) (+13) 2 --> 15
Evasive Maneuvers. Chance to auto-dodge. 3 Success
Accuracy (Percival) (+7) 3 --> 10 Miss
Evasion (Selim) (+13) 12 --> 25
Evasive Maneuvers. Chance to auto-dodge. 57 No effect
Strength (Ileen) (Mathias) (+3) (+3) (+8) 4
Strength (Selim) (+5) 1 (critical failure)

Only Ileen would wrangle Selim. The eel-like youth would slither and wiggle out of the other two boy's grip. But once she got hold of the boy, both Mathias and Percival would be able to latch onto him and start dragging. Percival was doing most of the heavy lifting, not that this would be a surprise to anyone that knew him. Selim would try to wiggle away but pop his shoulder out of socket trying.

The toxic gas posed the greatest threat at the moment. The three of them would drag Selim into the room adjacent.

Selim is dragged to Room 2 by Mathias, Percival and Ileen.

Room 10

Opeila would escape the strange-smelling air by entering the room adjacent. The long, narrow walkway was lined with bottles that were partially full. It was not close to the entryway that she would see it, but when she reached the T in the room that she would see two scenes play out.

Opeila rushes into room with cleaning products with cloth partially covering her face.
DC 15
Accuracy (+9) 17 safe

She would not knock over the bottles to her left or her right, she stayed to the cleared area in the center. At the T: to her left, @Flash Holmwood and @Koko Riddle. To her right, @Evelynn Decipio and @Jack Burnett standing over someone (@Alexander Varellion).

To the left --

Why did Flash have to do all the work? It was Koko that ran off on her own and then stood there like a dazed bovine. What was she thinking running off on her own if she was not gong to bother defending herself? Flash really should have went with Eve...

He could not leave her to be consumed. His wand still drawn, he pointed his weapon of choice at the darkness and claimed his word of power. "Flippendo."

Flash cast Flippendo at the darkness
Wisdom (+15) 17
Attack (+10) 4
Evasion (+10) 3

He would narrowly miss. The girl would be bit yet again.

Flash Maintains Lumos.
Wisdom Roll: 20 critical success

If it was not for his Lumos, Koko might not be standing right now. The girl was going to need to try to help herself, the chloramine gas was slowly spreading and would eventually reach here. The spider was unrelenting. If she remained passive, fortunate might save her this time. Prevent her from suffering the consequences of her foolishness. Poor Flash would likely be feeling exasperated at this point.

Just. Get. Off.

He reached out for the girl's hand. Was she reasonable enough to take it? Well, she did not post so unfortunately she lacked the sense to take the teen's hand. He needed to get her out of here. No more spiders would come, just the one on her. If there were more students near, then they might be able to knock the spider away, destroy it.

Finally Koko would snap out of it, as if she realized that she had a wand in her hand and a knight in wizarding robes trying to defend her from her dark assailant Koko would flick her wand and say a single word. "Lumos".

Koko cast Lumos.
Roll: 16 Successful

Light would form at the very tip of her wand and the darkness would star to fade. Before blackened fangs would plunge and pierce yet again it would dissipate into nothing.

In the other direction, Opeila would see @Evelynn Decipio dragging Alexander Varellion out of a far room. She would not be able to see what was wrong with him, she only saw Eve and Jack's back.

They would stagger backwards into the room from Room 11.

There were bottles on either side, fragile glass bottles and the faint smell of cleaning products. As it was likely obvious by now, it was a crude trap. They took up more space as they entered from the path through which they came.

Eve attempts to avoid the bottles.
DC 15
Accuracy (+10) 15 Success

The Seeker would carefully evade the precariously placed bottles as she carefully backed into the room with Alexander in tow.

Jack attempts to avoid the bottles.
DC 15
Accuracy (+7) 2 Failure

Jack would not be so lucky. His heel would clip a bottle and it would wobble and then it would fall. A domino effect really as the bottles were knocked over, some with poorly closed caps and others made of fragile glass that would shatter. A toxic gas, yes the same chloramine gas that Selim was contending with on the other side of the dungeon.



Room 11

The giggling, scampering, macabre toys were playing some sort of sick and twisted game. Their laugher would echo unnaturally and they would chatter amongst themselves. The want to play. The want for -them- to stay. They sounded like disparaged Victorian orphans as they lamented the truly tragic scene.

They leave us!

They do not love us!

They do not wish to play!

Make them stay. Make them stay!

Indeed they were converging on the pair, making a calculated assault. Eve would be joining Alexander for playtime.

Doll attempts to pluck a hair from Evelynn's head.
Attack 1 (+10) Critical Failure
Evasion 18 (+10)

The doll would stumble missing Eve's pretty red hair and Eve might notice something.

Eve's Keen Eye. 25% chance to automatically find something. 98 No Effect

She would be left to wonder some of the finer details. What sort of terrible truths had they just uncovered. Have they stumbled upon? Answers that were coming soon actually as this draws to a close. But for now, one could say without a second thought that this was a work shop. That there was someone very interested in a very specific face. A face she had seen so many times before. A coincidence or a connection.

But she would not notice what was a fleeting moment to realize some miniscule fact. Perhaps another time.

"Wake up!"

She demanded. Not that Alexander would listen. He could not. It was horrific -- a pair of buttons sewn over his eyes, large and black. His mouth sewn shut with sloppy, uneven stiches. Was this what she wanted to see? What she wanted to do? She knew it was dangerous and she rushed in here anyways. Alex too. Repeated transgressions that were repaid in pain.

@Jack Burnett, being in the cleaning product filled hallway would have likely seen or heard the shouting that came from Koko and Flash. The door already shut, Flash with his wand out. Eve in the opposite direction, she was stooped over, trying to pick up Alex. It was Eve's call to Flash that ultimately drew Jack.

@Jack Burnett was actually about as girly as the rest of his dorm less Flash and the Percivals. He was not made for manual labor or really labor of any kind. One would call him a lover rather than a fighter but an irate Erin Ryan would have something to say about that also.

"You have to wake up, mate!"

No response again.

Dolls scamper and attempt to pluck apiece of Jack's hair.
Attack 4 (+10) Miss
Evasion 14 (+7)

That doll would miss also. What did they want with their hair?

Jack would try to help Eve, attempting to take the opposite site of Alex. between the both of them it was possible that they would be able to drag him back to safety. At least that was the hope.

Jack and Eve attempt to drag Alex to safety.
Strength Check (Eve and Jack) (+2) (+3) 10

With their strength combined... they would just barely be able to drag Alexander out and into the next room. There was still movement in the room adjacent. The door was still open. But... there were bottles in that next room.

Alexander was dragged by Eve and Jack into Room 10.

What Happened

Room 2
Starting to fill with chloramine gas
@Piper Clark inactive account, presumed she left the thread. [Room 1]
@Percival Gray has not posted, presumed to have left the dungeon. [Room 1]
@Percival Rainwoodmoved to room 4, dragged Selim to room 2. (75 damage from chloramine gas) [-25][75][Room 2]
@Michael Miller has not posted, presumed to have left the dungeon. [Room 1]
@Søren Silverwood has not posted, presumed to have left the dungeon. [Room 1]
@Thora Larkson has not posted, presumed to have left the dungeon. [Room 1]
@Violet Carrington has not posted, presumed to have left the dungeon. [Room 1]
@Astrea Soleil Neptune has not posted, presumed to have left the dungeon. [Room 1]
@Dan Palmer has not posted, presumed to have left the dungeon. [Room 1]
@Sarah Lightwood has not posted, presumed to have left the dungeon. [Room 1]
@Hjørdis Jensen Has not posted, presumed to have left the dungeon. Due to her relevant status in communication with others, marking her present location as Room 2. [Room 2]

Room 3
Starting to fill with chloramine gas
@Bridget Collins Ascended from the base of the well via the secret passageway with Santario Martin in tow. (25 damage from chloramine gas) [-25] [510 health remaining] [Room 3]
@Henry Knight would maintain Lumos Maxima (was a Critical Success when cast, no need to roll for maintain). Ascended from the base of the well via a secret passageway, carrying Starlee. (25 damage from chloramine gas) [-25] 475/500 health remaining [Room 3]
@Hjørdis Jensen Move to 6A/B and cast Appare Vestigium. Maintained Lumos Maxima. [Room 6A/B]
@Starlee Kennedy stabilized by Nora's Ferula. Unconscious. Unstable (again) Being carried by Henry Knight. (25 damage from chloramine gas) [-25] Failed death saving throw critically. 2/3 [-25/400 health remaining] [Room 3]
@Santario Martin Unstable, unconscious. Bandaged. Being carried by Bridget Collins. Passed death saving throw. (25 damage from chloramine gas) [-25] [-25/600 health remaining] [Room 3]
@Cassandra Ironwoods has not posted, presumed to have left the dungeon. [Room 2]
@Illowy Magnard has not posted, presumed to have left the dungeon. [Room 2]

Room 4
Filling with chloramine gas
@Mathias Pride drags Selim to Room 2 (75 damage from chloramine gas) [-75] 50/200 health remaining. [Room 2]
@Ileen Knightdrags Selim to Room 2 (75 damage from chloramine gas) [-75] [425/600 health remaining] [Room 2]
@Selim Faust is inside the room and has avoided attempts to be dragged to fresh air. (50 damage from chloramine gas) [-50] 150/500 health remaining. [Room 4][/color]
@Percival Rainwood drags Selim to Room 2 (75 damage from chloramine gas) reduced by 10 for covering mouth and nose. [-65] 525/600 health remaining [Room 2]

Room 6B
@Kaegen Deathmote Never posted. He is poorly covered himself with dust and cobwebs. The dirtiest of boys. He has been visualized by Henry. [Room 6b] Because he has not posted in months he is slinking towards the exit of the dungeon. (25 damage from chloramine gas) [-25] [Room 3]
@Hjørdis Jensen Move to 6A/B and cast Appare Vestigium. Maintained Lumos Maxima. [Room 6A/B]

Room 10
Starting to fill with chloramine gas
@Opeila Winters moved to room 10. (25 damage from chloramine gas) reduced by 10 for covering mouth and nose. [-15] [450 health remaining] [Room 2]
@Koko Riddle Cast Lumos. *Cursed* (25 damage from chloramine gas) [-25] 275/1500 health [Room 10]
@Flash Holmwood Maintains Lumos. Attempts to Flippendo the spider off of Koko but misses. Koko is passively moving towards Room 2. (25 damage from chloramine gas) [-25] 675/700 health remaining [Room 10]

Room 11
@Evelynn Decipio Doll attempts to grab her hair, misses. Eve with the help of Jack drags Alex out of room 11 to room 10. (25 damage from chloramine gas) [-25] 675/800 health remaining [Room 10]
@Alexander Varellion Mouth has been sewn closed, he cannot speak (or incant). The doll sewn his eye closed and cover with a button. Doll was knocked off by Evelynn's critically successful Flipendo (destroyed). Alexander is unconscious. (25 damage from chloramine gas) [-25] Successful death saving throw x1. 0/700 health remaining. [Room 11][/quote]
@Jack Burnett Doll attempts to grab his hair, misses. Jack with the help of Eve drags Alex out of room 11 to room 10. (25 damage from chloramine gas) [-25] 575/600 health remaining [Room 10]

With his aim not getting better anytime soon, he'd be remembering this day for a long time when he'd eventually attempt to hone this hand-eye discrepancy. Thankfully before that, Koko managed to wearily raise her own wand in a second light, the combined force finding a way to deteriorate the menace. Flash could finally breathe on sigh of relief.

He'd take Koko's hand despite her not taking his willingly, no doubt she had many other things on her mind at the moment, such as the brand new burning curse inching through her veins. Staying still wasn't going to make her feel any better, and Evelynn was certainly also in distress. They needed to leave, post haste. Once turned around and moving forward back to the intersection, his wandlight easily beheld the secondary horror show in store for him on this lovely birthday evening.

Evelynn and Burnett, dragging a lifeless-looking, mangled Verellion being pursued by what looked like two animated dolls. Hideous. The two were struggling to move Varellion's prone form, which Flash would seek to remedy as soon as possible. The two of them were better casters than him anyways, whether the plan was to run out as fast as possible or get rid of the offending playthings, Flash was better put to use carrying the body.

"Allow me." He'd say, mildly confident only moments before letting go of Koko's hand, needed to cough harshly into his elbow. Something sharp and chemical had entered his nose and it burned. "Out. Out."

Flash would introduce urgency, though the need to flee would likely be news to noone. He'd bend down to attempt a swift heft of the body up over his shoulders, though seeing Varellion's face and mouth would be a surreal moment. Adrenaline was only going to last him so long, but hopefully it would be long enough.

They would scramble into the next room, he would feel as if his lungs were on fire. It was hard to breathe. It was like the was trying to breathe through a moist sheet. He was feeling woozy, the ground uneven, undulating. He would let out a series of hacking coughs as he attempted to clear his closing airway.

Percival was faster than Matt was, rushing in like some damn hero and dragging him to safety. Not that Mathias was fancying himself a hero, if anything he wanted to avoid the expectation that he would do the 'right thing' or 'any thing' for that matter happen the need arise. A rough wheeze, he would tuck his mouth and nose into his shirt but it was a far cry from keeping the poison at bay.

Mathias was not the durable sort, it was the otherwise perfect specimen's fatal flaw. Fatal being possibly the operative word. He would attempt to hurry with Selim, stumbling as his knees buckled and his blurred vision made it hard to see. He was not going to make it, a revelation he made as he round his way into Room 2. The coughs would wrack his body violently as he tightened his grip. Just a few more steps he told himself futally. A lie that optimism and hope might spur him onward. "Not going to make it," he announced, it was a mathematical impossibility. A revelation he would come to as his lips grew numb and his hands stiff.

Action: Mathias continues to try to evacuate, dragging Selim. Mathematically he wont escape the dungeon conscious at the current rate of gas progression.

The creature was gone.

Clarity didn't return to Koko just yet - her head was still swimming and her entire arm screamed for her to just lie down and give up. However, she was acutely aware that the creature wasn't there, and that Flash had saved her.

'Thanks,' she murmured, still in a daze.

She realised that Flash was pulling her along shortly after, and things began to come into focus. She wasn't going to find Sapphire. Sapphire was probably dead. If she wanted to find her sister, she would first have to make it out of the dungeon alive.

Koko numbly stumbled after Flash, her feet pressing against the floor in an uneven pattern and completely halting as Flash let go and she saw two people pulling the corpselike form of another. She was barely awake enough to gag; instead, she found she couldn't look away until the maybe-corpse's face gained a greenish hue. Actually, the entire room was a bit watery - wait, no, that was her eyes.

Koko understood the urgency in Flash's voice when he urged them to get out, and she added her still-shaky one to the chorus: 'We need to get out! Er, this way, I think!'

She would attempt to run into the room she had entered from, glancing behind her to see if anyone else was coming. Koko fought back a cough - was she sick? - and gestured for Flash, Evelynn and the two others to follow her. She glanced at the boy on the floor, who Flash seemed to be attempting to help, and frowned. She didn't think she would be of any use in this situation, between her noodle arms and the pain that might render one of them useless.

'We can make it,' she said, more of an encouragement to herself than anything.

She stared angrily at the floor before tearing her gaze away and looking at Opeila, who had entered. That hadn't been a good idea... 'Opeila, we should go,' Koko said, extending her good arm.

She would wait momentarily for Opeila to take her hand. If she did, she would - hopefully - guide them both back to the first room. If she didn't, she would make her way to the room she had come from.

Action: Go to Room 2

Interactions: @Flash Holmwood · @Evelynn Decipio · @Jack Burnett · @Alexander Varellion

Stats:

Reducio

Stamina: 15
Strength: 3
Evasion: 6
Accuracy: 6
ArcPower: 5
Wisdom: 6

Selim Text Color: #4d0f25
Aku Text Color: #614f6d

"My death has not yet quite arrived, but it is near and inevitable, as the night follows the day." - George Washington

Selim had lost his voice.

It was as if it had given out right after he attempted to tell everyone to just close the damn door.

He had tried to tell them again but all that had come out was a rasp, unintelligible, useless. So he had tried to do it himself. He tried to close the door and failed, hands slipping on its surface, nails trying to dig in for purchase. Sadly, his nails were torn, slick with red from his frantic clawing at the door before. He kept trying but he also had to fight against everyone trying to drag him out.

He was too weak, his body was failing him, it was already stressed with his lack of sleep, his constant fear and paranoia, but the gas had ravaged it, making it almost useless. All he could manage was his dodging skills, and even those had been more like stumblings that just conveniently kept him out of the grasp of his rescuers.

His dormmate's words gained no reaction from Selim, he was trying to keep the gas from continuing to waft out from the room he had been freed from. That was more important, everyone was getting poisoned because of his mistake, he needed to make up for it.

Of course, they managed to eventually grab him, his dodging skills were weakened by his fuzzy brain, and he couldn't fight back. They forcefully dragged him away, leaving the door wide open for the gas to continue to grow and spread thanks to the mixed chemicals wafting out from his once-tomb, continuing to feed the toxins already spreading throughout the dungeon.

Fools.

He gave up, falling into another coughing fit that made pain claw at his throat and lungs. His vision was blurry, he was feeling rather tired now. He was tempted to just let them drag him the rest of the way.

The thought was banished when he heard his dormmate's words. The boy misled by Selim was beginning to flag out. He wasn't used to pain, stress, Selim was, that was probably why he had lasted so long.

It would be stupid to keep using someone weaker than him in this situation as a crutch.

Still, Selim knew he'd soon be following the boy into comatose. He had weathered the poison tearing him apart from the inside out longer, yes, but he was at the end of his ropes as a result.

He forced himself to walk on his own two feet, he was still being dragged by three people at once so it was a bit awkward, he hoped they'd get the hint and let go, this was becoming more troublesome than when they were dragging his dead weight now.

The second year gave up trying to talk, his voice was ravaged, it did more damage than good to strain it. All he could do was cough and wheeze and try to see out of his damaged vision. He was worried he was going to go completely blind from this. He had contacts in, perfect for toxic gas to stick to and continue damaging his eyes. There were warnings about something like that on the boxes right?

A dry cough exerted, making him gasp for air, the pain was constant, he was fighting through it to keep his thoughts straight, but he was beginning to forget why exactly he was here in the first place. This was a bad time for his insomnia to tamper with his memories.

He wanted out, all he knew was that he wanted out, and that he wasn't going to leave the redhead to die here. He'd drag them... him... which redhead was he talking about? It was hard to see. Where was Jack?

Selim was confused. His lucidity was beginning to fail him.

He wouldn't leave the redhead behind though.

These people needed to let him go.

His throat was burning. Had he swallowed fire?

That was bad. These people needed to release him, or he might set fire to them.

Look, the walking shadows were trying to grab them. The shadows that moved were taking humanoid forms, they had three white eyes. They were frightening.

Selim needed to escape with the redhead before the shadows reached them.

Interacting: @Bridget Collins
Mentioning: Santario Martin | Starlee Kennedy | A Stranger (@Kaegen Deathmote) | @Hjørdis Jensen
Languages: _{English | French | Italian | Arabic | Russian}
Outfit

Interacting | @Percival Rainwood | @Mathias Pride | @Selim Faust
Mentions | everyone in Room 2

Ileen felt both of the boys struggle and coughing next to her. She felt the poison burning in her lungs as well and the panic threatened to overwhelm her. She managed to grab Selim but she knew that there was no way she would manage to drag both of them. She felt her body becoming weaker and weaker every second she was not the physical type.
She had screamed his name. Hoping for the one person to save them. And out of nowhere he appeared and lifted the weight. Percival.
Ileen was so grateful for his sudden appearance that her legs began to shake and she felt like sitting down, that's how relieved she was.
As she tried to answer his questions a cough shook her body and she shook her head, signaling that she would answer later. There was no way she would manage to reply now.

The trio somehow made it to the big room, but the poison was with them. As Ileen saw Matt struggle, she tried to grab him, offering him help as well since Percival was lifting most of Selims weight. If he somehow managed to get his arm around her shoulder, they would probably make it. Let's get out of here. Both of them. Everyone. There was no time to cast a spell nor enough authority in her lungs to cry for help and warn the others again. Barely enough time to run.

Action: trying to drag Mathias and Selim to safety
Ability: Sixth Sense, Prodigal Charms Learner
Stats: Sta:6 | Ev:8 | Str:3 | Wis:9 | Arc:6 | Acc:9
Location: Room 2

Selim was struggling, trying to pull away from the three of them. Futility really. By pulling himself off and away with the rising level of gas, he only placed himself as well as those that were trying to help him at further risk. The gas was spreading and the gas was becoming more concentrated in the rooms that had already started to fill. They had no way of knowing that Jack Burnett had set off another trap on the other side of that large gathering space. All those cleaning products, there was a reason why they should not have been supposedly combined or so it would seem. The gas created by that passageway of broken bottles was going to compound the gaseous effects in these chambers.

At this rate of progression, if Selim succeeded in his foolhardy attempt at freedom he would not make it out of the dungeon either. The gast creeping in from room 10 (25) plus the gas filtered from room 4 (100) described the present space alone. The gas that would take Pride to his knees. The gas had spread beyond this place up that flight of stairs already. If anyone was standing there they would have been tickled by the chloramine gas. By the time they arrive, the toxic fumes following them they would be taking even more damage (50). Selim has right this moment just barely enough to pass out once he has stumbled into the Slytherin common room presuming he had the good sense to run to a place with a closed door. That was their only change until the gas entirely dissipates.

Mathias would hack uncontrollably as she tightened his grip. He could not say much, it was too hard. He needed to preserve what little he had. He never had much to start with.

Actions unchanged.
Wants to thwack Selim.