abraxasnet | ·TO EVERYONE, FROM THE HUNTER HOUSE·

[Forward Dated: First Evening]

ℍ𝕖𝕪, 𝕘𝕦𝕪𝕤, 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕤 𝕁𝕠, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔻𝕖𝕒𝕟, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 ℂ𝕒𝕤.

𝔸𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦'𝕧𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕟𝕖𝕨 𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕡𝕠𝕡𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔽𝕣𝕖𝕖 ℂ𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕠𝕟 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕗𝕦𝕔𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝕠𝕗 𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕤. 𝕎𝕖'𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕦𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕥'𝕤 𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕘𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝕗𝕦𝕔𝕜𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕖. 𝕀𝕥'𝕤 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕓𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕪 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕚𝕗 𝕨𝕖 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕥𝕣𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕡𝕠𝕠𝕝 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨𝕝𝕖𝕕𝕘𝕖 𝕨𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕤𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝕒𝕤 𝕨𝕖'𝕣𝕖 𝕣𝕦𝕟𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞.

( A second set of handwriting shows up here — hey, it’s him, ya boi. )

Here’s the kicker: it seems like they might be tourists. Monsters from back home. We hunted down a pack of Hellhounds earlier today, and unless I missed a big memo over the last year and a half or so, those aren’t native to this planet.

𝕎𝕙𝕚𝕔𝕙 𝕞𝕖𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝕨𝕖'𝕧𝕖 𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕞𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕕 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕕𝕕 𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕠𝕞 𝕒𝕟𝕚𝕞𝕒𝕝𝕤 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕪 𝕨𝕖 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕒𝕓𝕤𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕕𝕠 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕠𝕗 𝕦𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥.

No more cute and cuddly Furbies from planet Vulcan, or whatever. This could be bad, Like, lethal bad. Hell, it already has been. We’ve got a body count. It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation.

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕒𝕝𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕝𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕪 𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟𝕧𝕠𝕝𝕧𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕖𝕟𝕕, 𝕤𝕠 𝕚𝕗 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕘𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕦𝕤 𝕒 𝟜𝟙𝟙 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕗𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕤𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕤, 𝕘𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕒 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕥. 𝕎𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕝𝕤𝕠 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕔𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕟 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕖'𝕣𝕖 𝕤𝕖𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕞𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕠𝕣 𝕕𝕚𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕤, 𝕚𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕘𝕟𝕚𝕫𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕪 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦'𝕣𝕖 𝕤𝕖𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕤 𝕨𝕖 𝕒𝕣𝕖, 𝕠𝕣 𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕡𝕖𝕠𝕡𝕝𝕖 𝕒𝕣𝕖, 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥'𝕤 𝕓𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕗𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕜𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕒𝕤 𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕝𝕪 𝕒𝕤 𝕨𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕟.

The point here is to get a central repository of intel going. If you know anything, we’d appreciate a tl;dr here for other folks to reference. I’ll also start slapping notes on the Monster Board in the Roadhouse if anyone wants to swing by, but we figured it’d be good to have an open line of communication to reference on the fly in case you run into something with teeth and a bad attitude.

ℍ𝕖𝕣𝕖'𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕚𝕟𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕨𝕖 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 ℍ𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕗𝕗 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕖'𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕒𝕝𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥.

Hellhounds are ferocious, wolf-like creatures typically utilized to hunt down the damned and drag their souls to Hell. They’re sized anywhere between a large dog to a small donkey. They possess heightened senses, exceptional speed and strength, and prey may experience hallucinations when Hellhounds are nearby, used to inspire fear to either paralyze or frighten victims out of hiding.

Hellhounds will be invisible to undamned humans, but scorching a pair of eyeglasses with Holy Fire will make them visible to the wearer. For aid with Holy Fire, visit your resident Angel. In Thorne, find Lucifer. In Solvunn, Michael or Gabriel. I'm Castiel, you can find me in Cadens. A barrier of salt across all doorways and windows, or simply a circle around you, will keep Hellhounds from crossing. Typically, only Angel Blades could kill them, but it appears any conventional weapon here can work. Decapitation is advisable.

Stay safe, everyone. If you need help, call us. We’re here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I would like to bring a pair of glasses to be scorched.

[Which means he'll have to buy/steal a pair since his vision is fine, but whatever.]

I also saw an alarming creature in the badlands this afternoon. There was a

[Pause because...how does one describe this.]

enormous insect-like monster capable of diving within the earth itself.

Describe it further.

[ Because there are multiple insect-like things in the Badlands that dive into the sand, and not all of them are new. Regrettably. ]

[Would he have mentioned it if it weren't new? Have some faith.]

Large, many-legged, an unusually blue proboscis. A meat-eater, judging by what it did to some local wildlife. It wasn't one of the usual hazards I keep an eye out for.

Where are you now?

Not far from the Sarstina. I only returned from the badlands a short time ago.

Eager to go out again?

Not especially. But it would likely be best to do so.

I'll meet you at the western gates.

(no subject)

aquilus - 2023-08-20 23:20 (UTC) - Expand

[ Jo pops in a note, amid. ]

𝕀'𝕝𝕝 𝕕𝕣𝕠𝕡 𝕠𝕗𝕗 𝕒 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕔𝕜 𝕠𝕗 𝕘𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕤 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕖 𝕤𝕠𝕠𝕟.
𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕤 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕪𝕠𝕦 & ℂ𝕚𝕣𝕚 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕝𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕪 𝕕𝕠𝕟𝕖.

Leave them with the baker downstairs.

[ Easier than trying to catch one of them home. ]

Wouldn't happen to be worm-like would it
Size of a house or bigger maybe?

Possibly. Some of its body remained underground so I couldn't observe its full size from a distance.

Alright if you see one without legs that's a grand worm
Those can swallow you whole so maybe don't stick around to find out if it's got legs or not
If you do find yourself swallowed up just wander around the nose cavity and it can sneeze you back out

If it swallows me I will stab it from the inside and make it regret having done so.
Wait.
How big is this grand worm's nose?

[ text in a different script joins this conversation. ]

Stabbing it would probably be the better option. The less time you spend inside it the better...

Were there other, smaller worms flocking nearby? The ones that came through the first portals were a flying species, about a foot long. If it's a Grand Worm we're dealing with, there's no way it hasn't already amassed a network.

Not that I saw. It was very focused on a small herd of goats nearby, but seemed to be a solo hunter from what I could observe.

[From a distance, because he's not an idiot.]

boltaction - 2023-08-22 00:10 (UTC) - Expand

aquilus - 2023-08-22 00:15 (UTC) - Expand

boltaction - 2023-08-22 00:29 (UTC) - Expand

aquilus - 2023-08-22 00:33 (UTC) - Expand

Unfortunately, there are already large worm-like beasts in the Badlands native to Abraxas.

What are the defining features of the one you're thinking of?

I'm not much of an artist, but--

Hopefully that helps.

Doesn't look particularly

worm-y

Are those wings?

Oh... uh, no! The appendages on the back are like dorsal fins, and the ones on the side are like flippers.

I think the terminology is maybe what's complicating things? What we call "worms" on No Man's Land all fall under the same taxonomic family. Some of them look like birds or spores. Sorry, I know it's confusing...

I didn't illustrate the whole thing, but Grand Worms have a really long abdomen that ends in a fluke. They "swim" through sand, so they usually avoid places with shallow bedrock. The key word here being usually. Please don't quote me on that.

That is indeed confusing.

Sounds more whale- or fish-like, then. I understand your sketch.

It doesn't seem these beasts are choosing where they go. Your whale-worm may end up somewhere it can't swim.

boltaction - 2023-08-24 16:35 (UTC) - Expand

What Spikes drew is pretty accurate
I don't know if you ran into the smaller, glow-y worms from earlier but they'll be hanging around the biggest one

I've seen unusually large, glowing dragonfly-looking bugs recently.

I think your sphere may have a different definition of 'worm' than what I'm used to.

𝕀'𝕝𝕝 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒 𝕡𝕒𝕚𝕣 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕝𝕪.
𝕎𝕖 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕒 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕔𝕜 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖.

Thank you.