Hostel California

There are clouds in the darkening sky as the sun begins to set low over the horizon. There's a brilliant smear of color, but it's fading quickly and soon enough nothing will be left but shadows and the promise of rain.

There's a low ominous rumbling.

Thankfully, theres's a small hostel off the side of the road, a warm cozy looking little place that promises a bed at the very least and respite from the weather. Besides, it's the only place to go unless you want to spend the night out in the cold and wet.

The inside of the hostel is less than desired, a little dirty around the edges where cobwebs and dust have collected over the years. Faded rugs with their colors all but gone. Pictures hung with care, but their colors too are muted, aged by years hanging in the sun. The proprietor is a thin man with dark eyes and not a lick of hair on his head. He welcomes those incoming with a warm enough smile and rubs his hands over his clean apron. "Welcome, welcome!"

Being decidedly opposed to spending the night out in the rain if he doesn't have to, Dolan seeks out the hostel willingly enough, and pulls down his hood as he enters, to reveal a face that is wreathed in a warm grin on one side and twisted and furrowed on the other. "Evening, master," he greets, with a glance at those around him. "Looking for a bed out of the rain, if there's room."

Rocky is fine staying outside in the wet. But the cold? He's a jungle lizard, cold he doesn't deal with as well. And so the greyscale seeks shelter for the night, muzzle nodding politely to proprietor and fellow guests. "This One seeks shelter as well."

Andelena's right behind Dolan as he enters the hostel. The Sunguard drops her hood, as well, and inspects the proprietor with a gray-eyed gaze that is slightly narrowed. She nods subtly. "I'm here with big and handsome," she volunteers, referring to Dolan with a slight elbow-jab to his side.

The man's first reaction is obvious surprise and perhaps a touch of discomfort at the sight of Doan's scars. "Plenty of room, plenty of room." The man offers, shuffling around the counter and motioning with his hands. "That way's the kitchen though I can't offer more than a trifle for dinner." He motions the other way down the hall and toward some stairs. "Rooms are this way and I'd be happy to show you the way if you want to get right to bed. I've got warming pans for the beds so they'll be nice and cozy in no time."

Rocky follows along, wondering what a trifle tastes like. "Warming pan is most welcome, thank you. This One is called Rocky. What is host called, please?"

"Whatever you've got is better than a campfire in the rain, my friend. What's your price for dinner and a bed?" The keeper's reaction is not lost on Dolan, and just a little of that geniality fades around the edges. He, too, follows, although with a glance back at Andelena that offers her a softer smile for her flattery. "You're a flatterer, Andie."

Andie, of course, catches the hostel-keeper's facial reaction. There's a certain kind of hardness that catches in her eyes for a moment, like she's bracing for the man to say or do something stupid that'll warrant her having to do something about it--but he doesn't. The smile on Dolan's face in her direction, however, results in her smiling again, too.

"Only because it's true, babe," she tells him. Andelena follows with him, although she keeps an eye out as they move.

The room that the proprietor leads you to is small, but comfortable. He opens the door and offers a small smile. "My name is Herman Mudgett. Rooms are five silver. Dinner and breakfast are included." His tone is light and conversational, and he heads into the first room and busies himself placing a warming pan between the matress and the bed to warm it. Once this is taken care of he nods to Rocky and motions for Andelena and Dolan to follow him to the next room. "If you like I can bring you what we have for dinner, it's not much, but it'll give the bed time to warm."

Rocky offers the coins with a nod. "In room, with thanks, ser Mudgett." The sith enters the room, peering about with idle curiosity as he slips off his pouches.

Dolan similarly produces the requested coinage, for both himself and Andelena. "Dinner would be welcome, thank you." He looks around him as he makes to follow the man, eyes landing on dust and cobwebs. "Don't suppose you get many out this way," he offers in a friendly tone.

Andelena continues behind Dolan. Her brow raises as Dolan offers his query. "Not a lot of folks like us wandering out into the middle of nowhere," she remarks. "More n' there were, though, now the wights are done with."

The gentleman takes the offered coins and leads Dolan and Andelena to the next room. It's clear that there's no one else in residence and he just stops at the room beside Rocky's and opens it. Another small - but slightly larger - room is revealed and he hastens to add more warming pans to this bed as he'd done the first. "No, not many. Had to raise my prices, particularly with the wights." He shakes his head. "Well I should get your meal. Be back in a bit. Enjoy."

The man nods politely and then hastens back down the hallway, reappearing after a little bit with meals for each of you. The fair is meager, but not bad. Bread and vegetable stew. Of which there's not a lot, but it's warm and it's clear that he doesn't have much else to give you.

Thus, it's time to settle in for sleep.

GAME: Dolan rolls fortitude: (9)+11: 20

Rocky eats with contentment, laying out his gear for the morning before laying down to rest. His shield and blade close at hand more out of habit than any real concern.

Just out of habit, Dolan settles down in a chair on the other side of the room, still in his breastplate, his pack under the chair and his greatsword leaning against the wall next to it. Warm and full of good food, it's not easy to stay awake, but a quiet hostel, especially this far off the beaten path, sometimes breeds innkeepers with sticky fingers, and he'd like to keep his purse where it is.

Andelena would leave her life in Dolan's hands in any given occasion. Since he's already volunteering to keep watch, Andelena doffs her gear and sword, although Deliverance is next to the bed in the event that she's pried from her sleep by Dolan being assailed by someone or... something. "Wake me up when it's my turn," she sleepily informs Dolan. "Promise not to bitch too... much."

Yep, she's already asleep. Zzzz.

GAME: Dolan rolls perception: (4)+12: 16
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+16: (13)+16: 29
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+16: (10)+16: 26
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d6+5: (3)+5: 8
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d6+5: (2)+5: 7
GAME: Dolan rolls fortitude: (4)+11: 15
GAME: Dolan rolls fortitude: (9)+11: 20

Rocky dreams of fish. Tasty, tasty fish, fresh from a warm river, surrounded by lush steamy jungle.

Without warning, Dolan slumps to the floor unconscious as a sharp pain lances through his head.

Dolan awakens some time later, tied to the chair, and with pain throbbing in his skull. It's not an enviable position to be in. It only takes a moment to take in the room once again, which hasn't changed really save that the proprietor of the inn is now standing over him, a knife in eager fingers whilst over by Andelena...

There's a demon. A skeleton-like thing in slimy leather armor, it's hollow eyes glimmering with joy and hate in equal measure. It's laying down on the bed beside her whilst she sleeps, it's claws gingerly touching the edge of her hair. It lifts a hand to it's lips and makes a low hushing sound. Mocking Dolan.

GAME: Dolan rolls strength: (19)+3: 22
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d100: (80): 80
GAME: Andelena rolls Fortitude: (16)+6: 22

When Dolan comes to, what he sees is enough to trigger a chain of memories - and send a jolt of adrenaline through him like nothing he has experienced before or since.

The chill of a blood-soaked altar. The bite of the ropes that bind him to it. The leering face, skin on too tight, jaws full of acid-dripping teeth.

And it's got Andelena.

There's no time to think. Suddenly, he's not in control. The cornered animal that will never run again is. The pain that lances through his head will be felt later, but right now, it fades from view as the fight-or-flight takes control - and this time, it's fight.

With strength he didn't know he had, with an awareness that shrinks down to the pinprick that is that proprietor in this moment, he _launches_ his bound self at the man with the knife, tackling them both to the floor with a terrific clatter of shattering wood and bodies. "You son of a BITCH!"

That's enough noise to rattle the Sunguard from a deep sleep--the kind of cruel and hard awakening that nobody wants. Andelena's steel-gray eyes rocket open and meet the awful claws by her hair and the hollow eyes. Demon.

Confusion is replaced quickly by anger as she lunges for the sword by her side. A snarl rips from her mouth: "Get your no-good claws off of me, you infernal fucking piece of shit."

Deliverance buzzes, but Andelena's in no mood to swear back at it. Right now, a sword that seems to live for killing demons might be exactly what she needs.

GAME: Rocky rolls fort: (16)+9: 25

Rocky's dream shifts. Away from the river, to the village, filled with sith, small huts, playing hatchlings, campfires, roof fires, blinding smoke, Charn slavers, nets, hatchlings in danger,

The sith is up, armed, moving, and awake. In that order.

GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7-4-4: (20)+8+-4+-4: 20 (THREAT)
GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7-4-4: (8)+8+-4+-4: 8
GAME: Andelena rolls 1d100: (72): 72
GAME: Andelena rolls damage7: aliased to 1d8+5: (6)+5: 11
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+8: (4)+8: 12

The pommel of Deliverance is in her grasp. Before the demon can even react, Andelena does the smart thing--she puts a defense between herself and the infernal entity that's between her and Bry. She rolls off the bed and underneath it, and with a grunt, she shoves her sword through the mattress.

Deliverance strikes true. Despite going through layers of wood and down, it finds the demon and bites into the infernal thing. It's a waking nightmare, but Andelena's not screaming or crying yet. She won't give in.

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+12: (8)+12: 20

What comes out of Dolan's mouth next would probably prompt his father to take him behind the woodshed and thrash him but good. "You slimy little goat turd. I should have known there was something wrong with you." Ropes fly in every direction, and he bolts to his feet, nimbly dodging the wild swing from the prone man. "You'll have to do better than that, you otyugh's asshole."

The proprietor doesn't seem to care much for Dolan's words, rolling to his feet and swinging a second time at the man. The attack comes nowhere near the warrior, but he's keeping Dolan away from Andelena at least for the moment.

The demon rears backwards from the strike of Deliverance, grabbing up the bed warming pan and dumping the contents on the bed. Immediately the bed starts to smoke and burn. It's a quick conflagration. Meanwhile it retreats to back up its human ally. "Which do you think will die first mortal?" It asks in a voice that should never come from such skeletal lips.

GAME: Rocky rolls strength: (11)+3: 14

Rocky is a quarter ton of motivated lizard. The door is a mere piece of wood. It stands no cha-... wait, no, apparently it's chances are pretty solid. Ow.

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+12: (6)+12: 18
GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7-1: (15)+8+-1: 22
GAME: Andelena rolls damage7+2: aliased to 1d8+5+2: (5)+5+2: 12
GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+2: (20)+9+2: 31 (THREAT)
GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+2: (2)+9+2: 13
GAME: Dolan rolls 2d6+4+5+2d6: (10)+4+5+(8): 27
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+14: (10)+14: 24
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+12: (5)+12: 17
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+12: (12)+12: 24

• Fire*. The heat on the bed is obviously something Andelena can't ignore. Her teeth grind together as she rolls out from under the bed and dodges the demon as she stands up to her full height, blade drawn.

"I'm here, babe!" she informs Dolan--just to keep him aware that she's here, she's upright, she's standing--and her sword is in the fight with him.

So she takes it to the demon, and she puts the swing in with a bit of heft to the force, striking true. A good hit.

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4+7: (3)+7: 10
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d6+5: (6)+5: 11

In some small corner of Dolan's mind, a quick threat assessment identifies the demon as the bigger threat. Ask him why later, and he won't know, but for now, he hops to the side and grabs the greatsword from where it leaned against the wall. "Didn't take the blade, you wrinkled shitstain. Holy Knight guide it, that I send you back to the Hells where you belong!" It flashes, but he turns it, and sinks it deep into the demon.

Herman steps around Dolan, grunting at his insults. "Shut up you idiot. My master will smite you!" He adds a vicious cut to his words, managing to peirce Dolan's armor and finally bleed him a little. The sight of blood seems to excite the man. Meanwhile the demon manages its own blow against Andelena, its claws digging into her flesh and the demon lets out a mocking laugh at Dolan. "What do you think? Shall I scar her face as I scarred yours?"

It seems that the demon and Dolan have history.

GAME: Rocky rolls weapon9: (3)+11: 14

Rocky hacks away at the door with his heavy blade, making enough damage to pass through, eventually.

Heeeere's Rocky!

GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7-1+2: (11)+8+-1+2: 20
GAME: Andelena rolls damage7+2: aliased to 1d8+5+2: (3)+5+2: 10

Steel-grey eyes go wide at the demon's words, more shocking than the stinging of the wounds that it gave Andelena. That's the demon? No, /this/ is the demon who hurt Dolan? Here on their trip? Has it been watching? Has it been...

Rage replaces paranoia quickly. The anger flares on Andelena's face, bright and hot like the red of her hair. "You motherfucker," she growls. "Don't think for a fucking second I'll let you hurt him again--"

Deliverance isn't even chastising her at the moment for her swearing. They act together with one motivation in this moment. The sword goes down into the demon.

GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+2: (19)+9+2: 30 (THREAT)
GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+2: (7)+9+2: 18

GAME: Dolan rolls 2d6+5+4+2d6+2d6+5+4+2d6: (3)+5+4+(9)+(9)+5+4+(7): 46
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+12: (16)+12: 28
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4+7: (2)+7: 9

"He missed me the last time." Dolan isn't feeling that stab wound yet, so deep in his adrenaline rush is he. "Go a-"

And the demon identifies itself.

His good eye narrows with holy fury. "Come and face me, you cowardly little shit." Before the demon has a chance to do so, though, the greatsword _slams_ down with all the force that adrenaline and the Knight's guidance can muster.

There's a flash of sunlight from the blade, and when it fades, the demon is - gone. Without a trace.

The demon fades into ash and nothingness, a mocking laughter lingering in the air and Herman goes... ballistic. He attacks Dolan viciously, managing a cut before he outright throws his dagger at the other man and falls to the ground sobbing violently. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

Rocky charges in, and the demon disappears... Yeah, you *better* disappear! ...ahem. The greyscale heads over to keep the bald human from hurting others or himself. "....you knew that demon?"

"Sent your buddy back where he belongs," Dolan snarls in answer to the sobbing man. "So you're one of his little cultists." There's a nasty tone there, anger and pain and vengeance all rolled into one. Blood flows freely from one arm, and from a chink beneath the breastplate, and there's a nasty lump on his head.

That and - how can you sleep when your beds are burning? The smoke and beginnings of fire from the smoldering mattress begin to fill the room, but Dolan isn't paying it any mind.

"Yeah, I knew him. That ugly little scar you didn't like. Well, your buddy did it. And now he's gone. Whatcha gonna do now?"

He takes a step forward, sword in both hands. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you where you stand, so nobody else has to suffer."

When she's traveling, Andelena prefers a light tunic and drawstring pants to bed. After all, you never know if you're going to have to camp or sleep in a less-than-cleanly bed. Which means she pads forward, sword still drawn and her tunic slashed and bloodied. She looks at the man sobbing for all he's got.

Her eyes narrow. "I'll get us both healed in a bit," she tells Bry, but her gaze remains on the mortal man left behind. "Were you bespelled by the demon? Or were you in league with it?"

The edge in her voice on the second question suggests that she's rather comfortable with Bry's suggestion if the man was fully cooperating with the demon of his own free will.

"He taught me everything. All I've accomplished is thanks to him." The man is muttering to himself, seemingly half unaware of the situation around him, and then he looks up at Dolan. Something clever in his eyes. Clever and cruel. "They'll never find all the bodies without me. Never know all the names. All those people wondering for the rest of their lives. That's suffering isn't it?"

His eyes flicker to the woman at Dolan's side and he laughs. "What does it matter? I heard his voice in my mind and then he was here as he promised he would be! He came! And he'll come for me again!"

Rocky chuffs quietly, looking to Dolan. "Because the law is a fair trail and legal execution. Death in battle is fair. Battle is over, and murder is wrong." He eyes Herman and snorts. "Wrong, but sometimes understandable."

"All you've accomplished? Killing a bunch of innocent people in this shit-hole of a hostel?" The insult bursts from Dolan in a moment of hot fury. "Coming back, is he? How are you summoning him? Who else is involved?" Freeing one bloodied hand as the pain begins to seep through the narrow window of adrenaline, he lunges down and grabs the man by the front of his shirt, turning as if looking for a place to slam him into the wall. He's clearly not minded to be merciful, but - at least he hasn't killed him yet?

GAME: Dolan rolls sense motive: (20)+15: 35
GAME: Dolan rolls intimidate: (11)+15: 26

Andelena grits her teeth together for a moment. Yes, the man is an unabashed killer and cheerful demon consorter, but he has information that could bring families peace. Victims whose relatives and friends deserve to know...

"We are Daeusites," she informs Rocky. "We are His tools of justice. The man confesses to killing innocents and consorting with a demon. My only interest in him being alive at this moment is because he has information we need."

Her eyes fix on the man. "Where are they buried?" She doesn't need to specify who. People like him always know and always remember.

"It's just me." He doesn't resist Dolan, but he does frown at the other man initially. But fear of death is there on the edges of his bravado. "Just me! He's been with me for years, no need to summon him. He's just... always been there."

Herman glances at Andelena, his eyes a little wide around the edges. "I'm not telling you anything more until I know I'm safe from this guy! You can search for the next twenty years but only I know. Me and the demon!"

Rocky chuffs again. "The Sun Dragon shines on trees and huts alike, but it is in the village that justice lives. Court. Trial. *Then* execution."

"It's damned easy to talk about trials when you haven't suffered at his hand," Dolan snarls, without looking at Rocky. "Good thing for you he's right," he turns the full force of his face directly at Herman. "If he goes free to kill again because the villagers believe him over an outsider like us, their blood is on your hands."

He unceremoniously drops the man to the floor. "Tie him up. Hogtie him."

With that, he throws his sword to the floor in the other direction and turns his back on both Rocky and Herman, moving instead to start putting out the mattress.

Andelena exhales a breath she didn't even quite realize she was holding. "I got it, Bry," she says, and she moves to do as her fiance asked. There's not a snowflake's chance in the Hells that she's letting this man run off and go free.

Rocky falls very still for several moments, then nods to Dolan. "This One forgives your ignorance. This One has good rope in the other room." Heading to fetch it, the sith pauses at the door to look back at Herman. "Ghosts know site of their bones. Easy for Shaman to ask."

It doesn't take long for Andelena to tie up Herman. Nor to put out the fire and you drag the man with you to the nearest village. He starts yelling for aid and this leads to some very awkward questions from the villagers. Even with your standing as members of the Temple of Daeus his statements that you're a band of thieves and that you've kidnapped him without reason are actually believed by the villagers who know him better than they know you. You've got no proof of his sins, and in the end... Herman Mudgett goes free. And so do you.

Dolan goes very, very still, stands up, and straightens from where he's flipped the mattress on the floor and turned it upside down to deny it oxygen. He fixes Rocky with a cold, ice-still stare, but says nothing right away.

When all is said and done, and the inquisitor's warnings proven all too correct, he turns to Rocky one last time. "I hope that one day the Knight forgives yours. Come on, Andie. I've still got a headache." With that, he turns away, further out towards the hinterlands. "We're close enough now."

-End