final investigation

[arsholes]

[It's been almost a week since Orthrus' lucky escape. Almost a week, of all calls to Heisenberg going (metaphorically) to voicemail. Almost a week, to rest and recover from the harrowing losses of the previous Friday.

It's been almost a week. And the storms are getting worse.

You know the locked door on the first floor? The one that goes into the center of the tower, right across from the great entry hall doors?

Today, there's a heavy iron key sticking out of the lock. With a familiar crest on the head.

The key is sticky with wet yellow paint, and wetter blood.]

Comments

[reresurrected]

[This... does not look good at all, actually! And he is very concerned!]

From Heisenberg-san...?

[That blood definitely doesn't look good at all, but if it's wet it means it's still fresh, which means there may be a chance...]

[spitessier]

[Katsuya immediately looks around, trying to find fresh blood anywhere else in this area]

Or from one of us. Everyone should gather here.

[He doesn't rule out someone died!]

[rikonstructed]

[We're starting this day out cheerfully.]

I'll go look for the others, then.

[replacementshield]

We may as well.

[ He sees no problem with it, given he has just arrived. ]

[arsholes]

[There's a small amount of blood that dripped off of the key and onto the floor, but it doesn't look like there's been a shitshow.]

[twibeast]

[ Oh hey hi ]

Hm? What’s going on now? I can smell blood…

[spitessier]

[Once people start coming here, Katsuya feels a huge wave of relief. Oh, good...

Katsuya takes a closer look at the key]

No point in standing around, though. if this key is here, we're meant to pass through this door.

[Let's go, merry partners]

[sunshade]

[ Floating along with her grimoires in tow. ]

...well, this isn't ominous at all.

[ paint?? and blood..... ]

[ghostsguysgyuudon]

[Mei nods, popping out of the kitchen with packs folded in tea towels and with the rats and Chiffon following after her.]

To help us escape?

[arsholes]

[The door opens with a smooth turning of very heavy gears, and swings outward on its own. The stone spiral staircase beyond is lit with humming electric lights that cast an eerie blue glow on the stairs.]

[twibeast]

[ Orthrus looks down inside. ]

I can go ahead if you’d like. If anything comes at us I should be able to shield all of us.

[rikonstructed]

[Nuadha doubles back for candles from the storage room before proceeding, he trusts nothing.]

Practical. But be careful. I doubt your mana has fully recovered.

[twibeast]

[ He nods, and after fixing his harp to his back, crystallizes a shield just in case and starts to make his way down. ]

[spitessier]

I'll keep watch from the back.

[Katsuya moves to the back of the group, ready to be the one to watch out for attackers that may come from the rear, yup]

[arsholes]

[Smart move, setting up a marching order. Very important for all adventurers, as you know.

The stairs seem rather innocuous as they twist down and down. They seem to go down to about the level of the secret passage that passes by the boiler room, if anyone has been down that particular hole, before they end in an arched doorway and a plain wooden door.

Beyond the door seems to be another plain, electrically lit stone room, with one door at each end.

Looks like it might be time to split up, gang...]

MAP

[arsholes]

Team A, aka Team Fuck Around
Team B, aka Team Find Out

Team A

[arsholes]

[To your left as you exit the stairwell, there's a somewhat plain steel door. It doesn't appear to be locked, and the handle has yellow paint on it, as well as a yellow handprint about where you would put a hand to brace the door as it closed or opened.]

Team B

[arsholes]

[To your right as you exit the stairwell, there's a steel door with a relief of the Heisenberg Family Crest on it. The door has yellow paint on the handle.]

[replacementshield]

...this yellow paint again.

[ Without a single bit of hesitation, Felix will reach out and try to open it. It's do or die now. ]

[twibeast]

[ Ah...

Orthrus will attempt to open the door, again with his shield at the ready just in case. ]

[rikonstructed]

If we're being guided, it's almost too obvious to be a trap.

[But Nuadha's hand is on the hilt of his sword anyway.]

[spitessier]

Perhaps our guide is the same person the blood up there belongs to. They may be in trouble.

[Even if it may be a trap Katsuya is concerned, so he'd keep pushing forward. Someone may be in trouble]

[sunshade]

If they're in trouble, I dare wonder what from.

[ she floats along ]

[arsholes]

[The door opens to reveal a large workshop, lit by dim red emergency lights.

The smell of cigar smoke is omnipresent, but stale.

There are several tables and workbenches, and scrap metal aplenty. There's a door on the exterior wall of the room that is currently closed.]

[reresurrected]

[Likewise, Baldr stands with one hand on the hilt of his sword in case he needs to draw it.]

If you use your shield, I can take down anything that might try to attack us.