[Mafia] Witch Trip 2: The Witch is Back

[noodlesnook]

“Where I come from, there's many songs about the moon. I've always wondered why about them specifically, but I guess it makes sense…” Phikul trails off and tilts his head upwards, to where the moon must be. 
Silence, then the melody of a song, one in a language only he can understand, a song of golden moons and the nighttime dew gathering on leaves and hidden valleys a world away, steadily growing clearer. He continues singing into the darkness, as golden, antlered figures only he can see begin to appear, then fade away like smoke.

[Kennifer]

"It's a pretty night, if you didn't know any better..."

[Despair's Archon of Memes]

Jenny extends her hand out...

I... I used to live here...

[Oggy123]

"You live at the moon?"

[NebulaChimera2211]

Ting-Lu looks towards Dorothy.
Honestly, I might need time to recover as well... Hitting yourself with a tidal wave is detrimental to the constitution. I have been fortunate thus far; I doubt this will be persisting.

It briefly looks at the moon before adding to the conversation about the moon.
Where I am from, there are creatures that can call upon the power of the moon, either to heal themselves or to hurt others. There's even one that can turn day black as night.

[TenOfSwords13]

The moon... I don't know all that meowch about it... all I know is it's power over tides, over wolves... and its beauty.

Dorothy starts staring straight at the moon.

[PointMaid]

Powerful, alright.

She rifles through her stash of crystal amulets until she finds one that's roughly the same pale color as the moon, and hangs it around her neck.

Moonstone, she says, grinning. Best to harmonize with the existing energies, I think. Nature is already so powerful.

[wingedcatgirl]

"The moon's neat," Maryann says. "... I could go there someday. Wouldn't even need a suit."

[Whistle]

This... Moon... looks selfish. For the light it gives off, it shouldn't keep its materials to itself.

[Kennifer]

"My science teacher said it doesn't have light of its own and just bounces off light from the sun. Or something like that. I was trying to make my pencil spin with telepathy when he was talking about it."

[Mr. Lee Hammer]

The moon itself is hard to distinguish due to the gray skies. But they're not gray enough to prevent one from telling nighttime is approaching. After a few more hours, the darkness looms over the camp as everyone has settled for the night. As you all sleep, you get a vision....

ELEANOR VILLAGE, LATE 17TH CENTURY

The small, colonial town of Eleanor Village, located around New England, has had a breakout of witches terrorizing the area. People falling sick to mysterious illnesses and dying. Unexplained murders. Homes and businesses vandalized, some even burnt down. While there were several cases of witchcraft reported around the small part that formed early America, Eleanor Village itself seemed to be a hotbed for witches. But thanks to the efforts of Agatha Bancroft, a housewife who immigrated from England 10 years prior, several witches were found and turned into the authorities and executed. She became a town hero, in an area where the Church is more liberal with women and their activities.

At the town hall, the mayor of Eleanor Village, Abe Dutton, a short, pudgy older man with glasses, is presenting an honorary ceremony for the work Agatha has put into the town to help free it of witchcraft. Mayor Dutton addresses the crowd. "My fine residents, Eleanor Village has fallen under attack of witches in these last few years. Like most of you, I too had feared we would be taken over by Satan himself as he sent his workers to curse our town. To kill off everyone, to bring Eleanor Village to turmoil and ruin. We must remember, however, not matter how much our plight worsens, God will always find a way to save His faithful servants. And the Lord has blessed us with this wonderful woman. She has only been in America for 10 years. But she has helped our town out just as we have all begun to lose all hope. To unite us all under God, to learn not to fear the evil that dwells into this world. Now, it is time to give our attention to Agatha Bancroft, one of the finest women God has given us."

Agatha, a tall-dark haired woman, walks to the center with her husband, John, by her side. John himself is slightly taller than his wife, with long brown hair tied back and of a slight muscular physique. "Thank you all for the praise," Agatha opens her speech. "I am humbled by the praise you have all given me. I feel a sense of relief and accomplishment as my efforts have helped this wonderful town. But most importantly, do my best work serving as a child of God. Every day, I do all I can to serve the Lord, and though I may stumble on my daily journey, I take great joy in the love He has for me as well as His children. And I urge you all. As God gives eternal life for all who seek salvation, we all must do our part to spread the word. And to work together to make the world the best possible place it can. Only then can God's unconditional love spread to our hearts and bring a lifetime of harmony and peace. Praise be unto the Lord. Amen."

Agatha and her husband begin to leave the town hall to the applause of the citizens. Mayor Dutton approaches the couple. "Mrs. Bancroft, I thank you for your words as do the town. You are correct, we must stay vigilant in our journey, maintain the faith that God will bless us all in the end. Thank you once again." "The pleasure is all mine, Mayor Dutton. I would not have thought esteemed leaders such as yourself would have crises of faith." "I may be the mayor, but I am human just as much as you are, Mrs. Bancroft. My official duties does not rob me of that. But onto the matter. The town will be having a gathering at the park later on tonight. Many festivities are planned. And we would like you and your husband to attend, to be our guests of honor." "Mayor Dutton, I am flattered you would honor me in this way. But I would prefer to spend my day with my husband. He has been rather busy the past week. And we would ever much like to have our time together alone." "I understand, Mrs. Bancroft. Perhaps you can be involved in more town festivities in the future." "I would very much love that, Mayor Dutton." "Excellent. I will see you around town. Thank you very much for all you do, Mrs. Bancroft."

Agatha and her husband depart from the gathering as the rest of the town talk among themselves with a renewed faith in God. Something which has been lacking ever since the increase in witchcraft cases. But Agatha's efforts have given the residents of Eleanor Village hope for the first time in what seemed like forever.

---

Back to the present day, as the group sleeps, the three possessed hear in their heads Arise. It is time for you all to strike. Plan together and choose one victim for the night. For they will be the first soul I will claim. Do not fail me...

---

NIGHTTIME IS HERE, DAY WILL RESUME AROUND SUNDAY-MONDAY. PLEASE PM ME YOUR ACTIONS

[Mr. Lee Hammer]

DAY TIME IS HERE...

---

You all wake up and look around. You all feel lighter than normal. You look at yourselves and find you're all transparent and glowing blue. You look around and see your bodies. All of them with their throats slit, lying over puddles of blood. Before you begin to process whether or not you're all dead, dark souls rise out of the ground and fly at you. They go through your ghostly bodies, which actually burns a great deal. As if the sun itself passed through you all. All the souls circle you all and drag you all underneath the ground where you all fall through pure blackness for several minutes. But it might as well have been over a hundred years because that's what it felt like.

Eventually, you all land as the darkness slightly lights up with the giant head of Agatha Bancroft, the woman you all seen in your dreams before you. She just gazes into you all for a full minute before she opens her mouth, releasing a snake tongue with several heads that wrap around all of you. The snakes pull you in as the head melts away from the skin, down to the flesh until there is only skull. You can hear the Witch laughing at all of you as the skull pulls you all into its jaws. The mouth swallows all of you whole as you all fall into a pit of fire. You all feel your skin bubbling from the flames before it evaporates off your bones. You all scream so loud, it pierces your hearing until you go deaf and black.

Now you all wake up back at the camp. Must have been one of those psyche-out nightmares.You all stand and look around, making sure you're all not dead. Your bodies are solid, you all feel normal. And everyone is alive. Well, most of you anyway. You all get the feeling one of you did not survive the night and browse around the camp. Then you've found the scene of the crime.

Before you all is a tree, with all the bark on the trunk blackened and soiled. A few of the branches weakened and also blackened. You all notice smoke billowing into the air as you all examine the tree closer. As you all look your way down the trunk, you all found the source of the smoke. A smoldering pile of ash rests against the bottom of the tree. While examining what the ashes are, you all feel the presence of the Ranger right behind you all.

And now the fun has begun. One of my possessed took care of the cremation. Now you all need an urn to put the remains in. She was the one who thought her pithy little magic can defeat me. But she was a mere toddler compared to someone who has mastered the black arts for over 300 years. What a foolish girl. Yes, the ashes used to be Claudette St. Cloud, who was The Huntswoman. Please, everyone find who killed her. You might have a chance to weaken the Witch. You have too much faith, Ranger. I think these mortals may be over their heads.

[Kennifer]

"Aw damn, she was really cool too..."

Veronica is going to

> Get a look at the scene; anything around that could've been used to start the fire?

[Mr. Lee Hammer]

> Get a look at the scene; anything around that could've been used to start the fire? (Veronica)

Hard to tell what caused the fire at first glance. Although you do notice a rope at the scene

[Mr. Lee Hammer]

The Ranger shows up once again, looking like he/she wants to make an announcement.

Apparently we were supposed to have one more among the group. But he missed the ride over here. But fear not. I have made arrangements so he can join the fun.

The Ranger raises his/her arms and a portal opens. A little boy in a stocking cap and winter clothing falls from the portal and lands on his face. The portal dissipates into the sky.

Now go forth, boy. Engage with the others. The others who will die alongside you soon...

[Kennifer]

"Real friendly way to greet a new kid..."

[Dookie]

“Hey guys,” Stan says, sighing. “So my dad made me go here to go outside or whatever, but I don't wanna do that, and I tried ditching the bus, but they made me come here anyway, so I'm just gonna play on my Switch in my b-“

He looks up.

“W-wait, what are you guys looking at?”

[Mr. Lee Hammer]

"Real friendly way to greet a new kid..."

I must apologize. Perhaps next time, I gather people to kill, I shall throw a formal ball, where everyone dresses up in their best evening-wear and supply food and festivities. People will be talking about it for ages to come until they die. Would that satisfy you? the Ranger says in the most scornful sarcastic tone.

[Oggy123]

"Oh my goodness!" said Ai. Popo hides behind her.

> Investigate that rope.

[Kennifer]

Veronica just rolls her eyes and goes back to investigating.

> Get a better look at the rope. Is it burned or frayed or anything?

[Mr. Lee Hammer]

> Investigate that rope. (Ai and Popo)

You can tell the rope is definitely burned.

> Get a better look at the rope. Is it burned or frayed or anything? (Veronica)

You however need to not tear at the threads like that. That'd really bad if you keep that up.

[Whistle]

Konji stirs awake, not very used to the light. He stumbles around, somewhat tired, before noticing everyone gathered at the tree.
What...
He might have noticed the portal as well, with the boy dropping out.
What.

[Despair's Archon of Memes]

... I... Where did... What happ-

Jenny looks in horror...

NO... NONONONONOONONONONNONONONONONON-

>rush for any evidence... primarily anything that could be used to burn...

[Mr. Lee Hammer]

>rush for any evidence... primarily anything that could be used to burn... (Jennifer)

You go on your rush and look all over the camp and you think you found a possible source of the fire: it's this lighter you found in one of the bushes. It belonged to one Claudette St. Cloud. As in the one you can vacuum up if you wish. You also come across her crafting knife, which was close-by as well.

[Dookie]

Stan follows everyone else to the pile of ashes.

"What's going on? Why is the counselor talking about death so much? What does he mean 'the others will die alongside you soon'? Are we doing a murder mystery game or something like that?"

He looks down to see the pile.

"Oh...that's...that's not dirt, is it?"