@everyone (cw: pit shrine related gore)

[unwings]

It’s time we address the behemoth released from the shrines.

For those who weren’t in the pit, we shared the cavern with 4 occult shrines that produced a steady flow of blood. When the exterior of each was removed, a second was beneath - an armored figure with a spiked halo knelt in prayer, bleeding from empty eye sockets. Save for one other - a standing, armored skeleton-like humanoid carrying the upper half of an iron maiden, and wielding a spiked ball at the end of what appeared to be a chain of its own small intestines.

When the last of these shrines were opened, pillars of writhing flesh struck through the pit’s ceiling. Later, it was apparent these were the monster’s legs, and some were crushed underfoot when it began to retreat from its cage.

Proximity to the shrines caused a flood of sinister whispering and visions of a shadowed figure, and those of us succumbed to the ritual’s effects felt a certain draw to them. It’s unclear if the acolytes were hoping we’d interact with these shrines, as they never intervened, but the monster’s escape caused the eventual collapse of the pit and did them no favors.

Did anyone in the rescue team see where it went, after it broke off from the cavern? Best we learn what this creature is and what it’s capable of before we encounter it again.

There will be a cross-faction book exchange and research effort hosted in Istredd's domain regularly. Please come by if you’re interested in helping with this, sharing books not available in your faction, or any other pursuit of this world’s knowledge.


And, if anyone’s seen Dean Winchester - in the Horizon or otherwise - Sam, Jo and I would appreciate a word.

Comments

[nomnoms]

[ Somewhere in the real world, Nanaue is smashing every single surface nearby and shouting in a vain attempt to banish the scribbles. ]

[unwings]

[ rip every table, chair and wall in solvunn ]

[magicalarchaeologist]

Thank you for including that, Castiel. My domain appears to be a stone tower with red brick at the top, it is a large library on the inside. You can pick books off the shelf and fill them in with your memory of texts. I have included Academic Magic books I have memorized from my time in Thorne.

In the main entrance, I have stacked many empty books if people both from the pit and on the search teams would like to fill in the knowledge that they learned during it. As a historian, I know all too well how important it is to have accurate accounts wherever possible.

[unwings]

I've heard journaling a traumatic event can be cathartic.

When there's time, I'd like to learn about the magic from your world as well, Istredd.

[thedevilwhorose]

Was the blood human, or something else?

[unwings]

No. It was neither human or animal. It was something else, something I couldn't place.

not here

[righteously]

( somewhere in aquila, a demon is silently stalking the scribbles. )

[itookashot]

What? You've seen Dean?

[ He's shocked. ]

[unwings]

No. I'm hoping others have.

private.

[gynvael]

Explain what you mean.
"Seen him."

private.

[unwings]

Laid eyes upon?

[familysucks]

Castiel, did you have a hand in releasing this monster?

[Text carries none of his tone, but know that he'd look and sound exhausted if they were having this conversation in person.]

[unwings]

A hand, perhaps.
None of us were in our right minds.

[ FUCK OFF, MICHAEL ]

[ushiri]

[ Welp. That's dark, and he comes from a place that makes oracles out of living bones.

He doesn't have much to add on the topic at hand, but he writes: ]

It could be worth petitioning the factions for access to the island.

If anyone hasn't heard, I was told that they did a search for survivors and found none alive. The dead they've recovered have been all natives.

[ For whatever their word is worth to people here. Don't shoot the messenger. ]

[unwings]

Agreed. Perhaps a movement could be put forth from one of the factions, now that we have their ear.

Interesting. I don't imagine anything could've survived the cave in, but perhaps some of our missing are still out there.

[mobezon]

I will see if there's anything in Solvunn regarding books, unless some others have already tried their efforts. Then please let me know how I can assist?

{ mostly to everyone else: }

Don't blame Castiel for the monster being released.

{ look, what stays in the pit stays in the pit. he's not going to snitch. }

[unwings]

It’s alright, Louis, I don’t mind. Ignore my brother.

[ he’s been actually responsible for worse, and what are big brothers for if not giving you shit (after you damned them to an eternity in a hell cage) ]

Thanks for your willingness to help. Istredd’s also requesting those from the pit record their memories of it into books in his domain. It’ll help to consolidate all we experienced.

[earthborn]

I would assume that unless it drowned in the caves that it got washed out to sea, when the cavern flooded. I'd have said that something like that might not agree with saltwater and marine life, but hell if I know how anything works on this insane planet.

Creepy imagery aside, there's no reason to believe it's hostile, just big. Even a Thresher Maw only attacks what bothers it first.

[unwings]

It's escape was what caused the cavern's collapse and flooding, it was larger than the entire structure. I doubt it could've been washed anywhere with that size.

The shrines seemed like ritual totems meant to seal it in. If it were as simple as drowning it in the sea, I doubt those before us would've done to such lengths to cage it.

[frontlinetitties]

You think it survived? I figured it got crushed and drowned when everything went to shit.

[She's unsure how to feel about it potentially roaming around somewhere. On the one hand, it didn't seem to dislike them. On the other...it was hella fucking big and did trample a bunch of people to death. Not ideal.]

[unwings]

I'm positive it survived. The creature's body was much larger than the cavern. If anything it's the structure that held the pit together.

It's escape is what caused the collapse. It was days gone by the time the pit finally caved in.

[carmesi]

Perhaps this line of question about what this creature is should spread past us Summoned.
I don't know about the other places, but perhaps the elders in Solvunn might know about it. Stories, legends, whatever is being spread about. Likewise in Nocwich.

Perhaps if... someone could make sketches of it? The shrines? Make it so we all have the same kind of descriptors?

[unwings]

Agreed. Any information is more than we have now, and natives would certainly be more familiar. Solvunn's far more connected to the ancient lore of this world, it'd be a good place to start.

Art is not a skill I possess, but if an artist could meet me in the Horizon, I can transfer my memories of the shrines and what was seen of the creature.

[obiwanofthosedays]

...I'd seen some of the aftermath of this trouble, spoken to a few of the taken, but I had no idea it was anything this visceral. Have you had an opportunity to recover?

[unwings]

You've joined us in a tumultuous time, my sympathies. Unfortunately, the descriptions here are only a fraction of the horror. Perhaps when Istredd's compiled the accounts from those in the pit, you'll have a more accurate record.

We were given medical care through Nocwich and our factions, yes.

[assembles]

It seems like there's nowhere it could have gone other than into the ocean, and given that we saw no sign of it when we were on the turtle's back, it must have gone deep underwater.

Still, if it surfaces anywhere near civilization, there's no way it doesn't attract attention.

[unwings]

Agreed, something of this side would've been spotted if it went inland.

I suggest we learn what it is and what threat it poses before it surface again.


Wanda recommended your art skills when we discussed having illustrations done of elements of the pit - the shrines, altar and monsters. Would you be willing?

[communish]

[ somewhere in the real world, Bucky mutters what the fuck kind of place is this while stabbing a soggy potato(?) with his fork ]

What's he look like?

Dean Winchester. Not the pit monster.

Unless Dean Winchester is the pit monster's name, then I guess you can still tell me what he looks like, but I got a feeling I'll know him if I see him.

[unwings]

Approximately 6’1”, short cropped dark haired, often wearing flannel, 175 pounds, green eyes, of English, German and Scottish descent, with nearly symmetrical features, not typically bearded.

No, all we were able to see of the pit monster was it's legs, pillars of writhing flesh that were caught up in rotting vegetation and decaying corpse remnants. Dean is slightly more pleasant to behold.