DM themed play-by-post D&D game : STORY THREAD

[Ameena]

"It looks safe enough." replies Ameena, reassuringly. "At least, from what I can see. Which isn't much. But...well, at least we know it's not too deep. I suppose it'll be easier for me to swim anyway, so I hope it's safe."
She has been watching Petal's movements with some curiosity and now calls over to the pixie.
"Have you found something? What's in the water?" she asks, not quite sure what it is that her most recently-acquired friend is throwing rocks at.

[raixel]

"A ford, I have found" Petal calls up to the murafu. "See not I, the grak-grak. Haynuus, Deephold perhaps to that spot you should lower. To swing him against the wall, dngerous I think would be."

Petal waits hile the half-orc lowers thedwarf. As soon as he is free she rushes over to him, checking him for injury and helping untie the ropes that lowered him down.
"Now, to see about getting you and Ameena down, we need to." she calls up to the companions still on the ledge. "More spiks in the wall, I should place? Or, to climb down on your own perhaps it possible?"

[Ameena]

Ameena looks at Petal in puzzlement, wondering what this thing called a "fawd" is. Still, she can see that the pixie is obviously busy, flittering about and helping Deephold toward a certain spot in the water - the "fawd", she presumes, though she doesn't know what the word means. He is lowered down into the water, at which point Petal moves in and helps untie the rope from him. When the pixie asks about the possibility of both Haynuus and Ameena herself getting down, she speaks up.
"I can get down easily." she answers. "I can just drop into the water and swim. But...I don't see any way of getting back up here again, unless Haynuus were to throw me, so I'll wait here to see if he needs any help."
So saying, she returns to the upper end of the pit once again, sticking her head out of it to address Haynuus.
"Is there anything I can do to help you get down?" she asks. "Or maybe you can climb down these stakes well enough? I suppose the water at the bottom would be too shallow for you to just drop into from the bottom of the pit - Deephold can stand in it well enough. But Petal found something called a "fawd" - I don't know what that is, but maybe it can help?"

OOC - How deep is the ford's water on Deephold? Is that the part the grak-grak was standing in when it was knee-deep in the stuff? I just want to know how deep it's gonna be on Ameena once she drops in. Well, she'll be dropping into the deeper water directly below the pit, which I presume is somewhat deeper than that of the ford or else it would have been easy enough to just lower Deephold into it.

[beowuuf]

No,the grak-grak was in another part. The ford will only be about ankle high at its best points.

[beowuuf]

Ameena's aid is not required in the end, as Petal guides the dwarf down to the ford, helping untying him. Either he is dizzy from suspension, or still a little unsure around the pixie, for he loses his footing creating a little personal space. There is a moment where he flaps, his brain realising that even with help it would be very dangerous to fall in to the flowing river in heavy armour. At the last moment, his legs buckle and he lands painfully on his posterior, a rock of the ford digging into his leg. He winces in pain and chagrin, but aside from the wetness and temporary discomfort he seems fine.

"I have landed, Haynuus!" he yells up, and then winces again.

That left Ameena free to see to the half-orc, and get the last member of the party down safely.

As if on cue, there was a splashing and movement in the water. The grak-grak - still resembling Helm - emerged from the water and splashed noisily across to the far ledge to sit. It dangled its legs without care in the water while sitting on the ledge, and gave a broad smile across to Petal and Deephold. Ameena had been right - apparently the grak-grak had not needed to breath, there was the danger that if it chose to drown that could transfer to Helm. Certnly, Soorec was probably still happy to use that threat to keep th wayward group in line.

Meanwhile, Haynuus was alone up on top of the pit, holding a slack piece of rope, with his own shiny amour senseably by his side in a pile.

[Ameena]

OOC - Wow what happened to your fingers/keyboard at the end of that post? And Haynuus isn't on his own - Ameena's gone back up there as per the end of my last post .

[ian_scho]

"Armour first!". Immediately relieved that the dwarf is free and there's no screaming about a drowning dwarf he pulls the now free rope up. He'd already buckled bits of armour together before, but gave a couple of lassos around the thing anyway for good effect. It was then his orcish side returns and he then unceremoniously dumps it over the side again, only then grabbing the rope as it just starts to free-fall.

"Oh, you were still clinging down there still Ameena?" It was his circlet that shouted Murafu! as to be more careful - she had poked her head up over the side. He could see that she was still clung to the side of the rock face, almost wrapping every bit of her body around protrusions in the surface. "Could someone pick this stuff up before we lose it in the water!?" he adds to the dark depths.

[beowuuf]

Ugh. Wireless keyboard that just drops letters no matter how close I am nor slowly I type

[raixel]

God, I understand that. I had a wireless keyboard that did the same thing. Finally got rid of it. As far as i'm concerned the advantage of having a wireless keyboard isnt worth it if no one can understand what youre typing.

Petal flies over to the bits of armor and tries to untie them and piece by piece carry them over to the carved walkway. These things were heavy, how on earth did Haynuus and Deephold go around wearing them all the time? Perhaps that was the reason for the dwarf's surly disposition. Petal thinks she would be grumpy walking around with so many heavy and hot bits of metal sttuck to her, too.

[beowuuf]

Deephold stood unsteadily, and kept his balance. He didn't move, uncomfortable but apparently deciding to await Petall finishing her armour ferrying so he would have someone to help him move across to the safe bank.

He took the opportunity to look behind them all to where - presumeably - the grak-grak would lead them once they were all down.


All the rpecautions, the spikes, and Ameena being around should mean Haynuus can make a narratively driven descent without requiring a roll. Ian and Ameena, decide where you will place yourself, andgo accordingly. Raixel, it's up to you if Petal will help Deephold or do anything else afetr armour ferrying duties.

[Ameena]

Watching Haynuus, Ameena ensures she's out of the way the moment she anticipates his actions, remembering that the half-orc doesn't always think about what he's doing before he does it. She remains by the top of the pit, watching him.
"I'll go back down and see what's happening to your armour." she says. "Don't let go of the rope yet."
So saying, she returns to the bottom end of the pit to see Petal attempting to move the rope-bound armour over toward Deephold.
"I'm sorry I can't help you much from here." she calls over. "But when you've got all the armour moved over there, I'll go back up and let Haynuus know. Then he can pull the rope up and bring it with him when he climbs down."

[ian_scho]

"Ameena, you can scurry down the rope as well if you like, it feels like there's no weight on the end now." he said to open space however, as Ameena had already ran off back down the hole. He waited to see if Ameena's light frame would remove itself from the rope as well. He could feel her moving around on the end but it was now no problem to hold her on the end of it, especially as it was first wrapped around a wooden stake at the top.

He waited.

He thought.

He'd probably tie one end of the rope around himself, but actually lower himself down on the other end with it looped around the stake at the top while using the stakes to climb down on the way. He didn't know how far down the dwarf had hammered them in, but with both Petal and Ameena around he should make it no problem.

Just as long as he didn't lose his backpack again, it should all be 'okay'.

[beowuuf]

See, that's a pretty cool plan. You could get Ameena to tie the rope to the lowest set of spikes (saw a triangular set), then that leaves Haynuus tethered as he climbs down. At worst he slips, dangles, and releases the rope. At best he can then basically slowly slip down releasing the rope like he's abseiling.

Then he can keep the rope taut, and give Ameena a perfect path to shimmy down. Or something

Anyway, you guys going to follow the grqak-grak on the same side of the ledge, or do you want to be contrary and go to the opposing bank to see what it does?

[Ameena]

OOC - Where did you get the idea that Ameena's on the rope? She's been climbing up and down the pit wall itself - she hasn't even touched the rope. She hasn't needed to use it 'cause she's agile enough to manage to climb about on the pit wall, even without the stakes. Basically my plan for her is that once Haynuus's armour is sorted out, then he brings the rope up and either coils it around himself or (the better plan that I didn't actually think of) ties it to the stakes so he has some kind of anchor in case he slips in climbing. Ameena can then untie it from the top and let it drop down to him once he's standing in the water at the bottom. If they ever need to get back up that way, I suppose it depends on the ceiling height but maybe Haynuus could chuck Ameena up and she could grab hold of the stakes and then have the end of the rope thrown up to her in order to tie it on somewhere for Haynuus and Deephold to climb up. As far as her descent from the base of the pit is concerned, she's just gonna drop into the water once everyone else (and all their stuff) is down, because the water's deep enough for her not to hurt herself and being physically almost a rat she's a perfectly adept swimmer .

[ian_scho]

OOC - Ah ok. I assumed that she wasn't going to jump into the water. Here, have a d20 (1d20=10)!

With the rope free of 'clients' the half-orc wrapped it around his waist, and gave the knot his best attention. Next it was looped around the top wooden stake with the excees rope thrown down the hole.

"We-bee-coming!" and with that he reversed down into the blackness. Only now did he start to appreciate the innate ability of the dwarves, for their engineering was very useful in helping him down the sheer rock face. Each stake was meticulously placed to be tightly held in between rock cracks or similar and as it was a dwarf that layed had fixed them he didn't have a problem finding the next one down.

[beowuuf]

No roll needed (unless you decided to do something truly weird) just narrative on how you are going to finish. Will Ameena untie the stake at the top, then jump from the bottom of the pit? Will Haynuus? If Petal guides Deephold to a bank, he could theoretically take a rope end and see if Haynuus could shimmy down t. Though Haynuus is wuite bug, and Deephold - despite being a dwarf - does not actually seem that robust in terms of strength

[ian_scho]

OOC - I'd leave the stakes in there. We still have Petals metal spikes? I'd also leave the rope!

Haynuus arrives at the bottom of the 'pit'. There was nothing but open space here, and he could now see the running water below. As he didn't know it's depths, he thought he'd better guide himself down, little by little, using the other end of the rope that he was tied to - arm over arm. He starts off, then gets to see the others.

"Is it okay to just drop in?" He didn't know the technique how they got Deephold down. But he certainly didn't hear any splashing! "What about you Ameena? Do you want to hop onto my shoulders? Or grab the end of the rope afterwards?" The possibility had escaped him that the Murafu could be good swimmers as he mistakenly saw Ameena as merely being 'fragile'. "What did you do from here, Mister Deephold?"

[raixel]

Ok. Im confused about the rope plan. But I suppose it doesnt really matter cuz I dont have to climb it.

Petal finally finishes hauling the armor over to the walkway Im assuming its the same ledge as the grak-grak. Really whichever one is closer to Deephold is the one she would have taken bit by bit. Sweating and panting, she moves back over toward Deephold and the others.

"Haynuus, alright. Over to the walkway the armor I have brought." she calls up to him. "Help anyone needs?"

The pixie watches as Haynuus makes a slow descent down the rock face, ready to aid him id need be. Although she doesnt really know what she could do to help the large half-orc if he slipped. She couldnt catch him, thats for sure. Perhaps Deephold would be better at helping him. After all, dwarves' personal energy sounded to her sorcerous senses like the Song of YA. Sung in a different "octave" perhaps. But it was still the same. Very much the same way if she concentrated, each of her own wingbeats sent out a puff of OH mana. Perhaps the dwarf could speak to the stone and have it aid Haynuus. Or perhaps the others werent even aware of their own mana-song. Who knows how the other races percieved the Balance of Elements.

The pixie makes a mental note to ask Deephold about it sometime. If he was willing to speak with her, that is. The unfriendly glaces he gave her when he thought she wasnt looking didnt bode well for conversation.

[Ameena]

OOC - Ian, do you ever actually read my posts, lol...I've mentioned multiple times that Ameena is happy to just drop straight down from the bottom fo the pit into the water, because she knows from description that it's easily deep enough that she won't clonk herself on the bottom when she does so. Anyway, as mentioned, Ameena can untie the rope, and depending on how high the bottom of the pit is from the water (this is probably the deciding factor), it might be possible for Haynuus to stand underneath it and basically just chuck her back up there so she can grab onto the bottom-most stake and climb up, taking the rope end with her to tie it onto a higher stake so Haynuus and Deephold can climb back up. Or Petal can just fly up with one end of the rope so it doesn't risk getting in Ameena's way, and then assuming the latter has higher Dex, she can take it off Petal and tie it up. This is if they ever need to return up the pit, of course - if this rope is the only one we've got, it might be useful to keep hold of it in case we need it for something later.

BIC - Ameena moves around the side of the pit so that she's alongside Haynuus but with no chance of accidentally getting in his way, and moves with him as he lowers himself down. As they near the bottom, she calls out so the others can hear her too.
"What should we do about the rope?" she asks. "We could leave it here, or I could go back up and untie it for you. We might be needing it again later, and this place has such strange paths that there's probably another way up somewhere else. Well, there might be, anyway..."

[beowuuf]

The pit is opens about 15 feet above the river. Best to either have Ameena take the rope to tie before she jumps, or simply Haynuus keep it. Assuming you'd reposition it form the top of the pit. Might be better to leave it there. And yes, I'm with you Raixel, I keep getting a little confused

Anyway, so sounds like everyone is assembling on the grak-grak side of the river? So just need a decision on taking the rope, and confirmation that you guys will head off if the grak-grask starts moving again.

[Ameena]

OOC - Considering the grak-grak's current shape, it's in Ameena's interest to follow it in case anything happens to Helm. If anyone suggests doing otherwise, she'll find herself with a bit of a problem as to who she should stay with.

[raixel]

It doesnt really matter to Petal what side you guys end up on, so i am not gonna vote on a desicion It would probably be better for Petal to fly the rope back up than have Haynuus chuck Ameena all over the place. That could be bad. And Petal wears a rope as a harness, so it wouldnt be a giant hardship to leave this one behind. Of course, Petal could just fly up and detach the rope, then reattach it if we need to come back this way.

[Ameena]

OOC - Hehe yeah, this is true - I keep forgetting we now have a party member who can fly .

[ian_scho]

OOC - @Ameena You mentioned only in OOC your intentions, but I didn't read it IC, if you check... And yes I do!
I'd still leave the rope where it is, but have no strong opinions about the subject!

Our half-orc is now hovering about 7' above the water. And his ears pick to Petal's comment for help. "Yeah!" But then he corrects himself, "Yes please." He looks into the running water below, and from his experience the big nasty stuff tends to slop around in deep and peaceful looking water. "You could swing me across to our cacophony of a deceased friend here I'd greatly appreciate it. I'll put my armour on after that." The grak-grak still unnerved him, and even more so considering that it felt so unnatural having to follow it.

The sequinned dress of the pixie held a near magical hue as she flitted about. He was sure that with just a few good swings they could reach the edge. "And then you're next Ameena!" he happily shouted up to the darkness.

[beowuuf]

Deephold was sitting away from the grak-grak, obviously seething to be so close to the thing imitating his old companion. His eyes darted to the activity of the others, seeing Haynuus being aided in to a strange swing.

Eventually, the half-orc managed to - more or less - land close to the ledge. The water eas deep enough to cover for a poor landing, and shallow enough to allow for a quick exit. Those who were a little wet perhaps now felt the chill, for the wind in the tunnel was sucked down river as well as the water, creating a chill.

Still, Deephold came over to Haynuus with the receovered armour to once more aid the half-orc warrior into the glittering clothing. The grak-grak stood, and moved to the edge of the group, obviously eager to go.

The rope swung in the air where Haynuus had decided to leave it. All awaited Ameena's decent, and then it would be time to go.


There we go - Ameena, come on down, and leave the rope or take it with you if you want. Raixel, feel free to aid in any natrrative to phelping Haynuus, questioning Deephold while the dwarf helps Haynuus into his armour, or staying with Ameena.

We'll get underway properly tomorrow!

[Ameena]

Ameena watches as Haynuus swings over to alight on the ledge. Seeing that everything seems to be going well with regard to the descent from the pit, and that it doesn't seem that she can do anything more from her current location, she waits a few more moments, till Haynuus seems to have secured his arrival at the ledge. Then she moves as far down as she can and lets go with her front paws, pushing off with them as she does so, so that she falls backward away from the pit wall. At the right moment, she releases her grip with her hind legs and performs a straight dive into the water below, quickly turning about in the water and surfacing. This done, she swims to rejoin her friends.

OOC - Swim roll (if needed) = 29 (13+16). How close is the ledge to the water's surface? Easily climbed/stepped onto or would it require another roll? Have one anyway, in case it's higher than I'm picturing - Climb = 21 (5+16).

[raixel]

Cacophony of a deceased friend!!!! BEST.LINE.EVAR. Although im not quite sure what it means. Isnt cacophony a loud discordant sound? Still, best line ever. Mind if i put it on one of my screamer stickers?

Petal blinks as Haynuus calls "Yes, please!" to her. She flies up next to him and looks the situation over. How was she supposed to help a huge half orc move over to the ledge? "Try to push you over there, I will. Down slowly you should let yourself. Upon the mana I will call to aid us." All references to using mana are narrative, to make the story more interesting than 'Petal shoves Haynuus in the direction of the ledge'. Some of it isnt very serious compared to the tone I usually take, but I spent the day studying physics and couldnt help it.

The pixie experimentally shoves the half orc and only succeeds in bouncing backwards. She remembers some stories her father told her when she was a young se'ali Translation

Spoiler

Lit. Female no path (girl child)

of a human named Neu Tunne who spent time dropping apples from large heights, in relation to why she as a tiny pixie most certainly could not play in the elves' and centaur's rough and tumble games. Something about the resonance of YA energy in large objects being much higher than the resonance of YA energy of small things. So small things had trouble moving large things. Her father was always interested in stuff like that.

The sorceress places her hand upon the rock ledge and Listens to the mana of the rock. She feels the deep booming pulse of the YA mana, the age of the stone within the sureness of its song. She wills her heart to beat to the same pulse of the mana within the stone, thereby infusing herself with some of the strength of the rock itself. Not much, certainly nowhere near as much as a full Singing. But it should be enough to nudge Haynuus in the direction of safety. She flies back over to the half-orc and gives him another experimental push. This time, she can move him slightly.

"Haynuus, now, Push you I will. Your legs should you swing, like so." She mimes pumping her legs back and forth Like a kid on a swingset, the way young pixies practicing for their First Flight do in harness to give themselves an extra 'lift' into the sky. "So, do this and yourself you should lower slowly also, when you I will push." She steadies herself and gets ready to push the half-orc hard "Ok, now....GO!" she says, as she gives the half orc a hard shove. That, maybe with a few more pushes as needed, should be enough to get him to safety.

[ian_scho]

OOC - I see where you're coming from raixel. cacophony = a loud discordant sound. grak-grak = made up of lots of bits of dead people in a somewhat unordered way yet we still have to follow him to the end of the earth.

Haynuus is happily swinging for a few moments, back and forth he goes. Shifting his weight he realises that he aids the pixie in her own efforts and soon they can get to the side of the river. "That was fun!" he exclaims happily and then realises that he's fallen to the feet of the grak-grak. "Ugh."

He quickly shuts up and accepts the dwarf's aid in putting his armour on but now with a melancholy aura cloaked around him.

Next up was the magnificent murafu - it was a 9/10 dive!

[beowuuf]

Neu Tunne huh? Lol, Ian's writing and Haynuus's world are fun to riff on, aren't they?


A odd silence seems to have befallen the group with Haynuus's sadness. A glimpse a childhood he never had replaced by a reminder of the adulthood he had found himself in. Still, as Deephold shifted Haynuus's backpack to allow the armour acees, the squishing sound of screamer was perhaps a reminder of better days that could be ahead, should their endeavour be successful.

The silence was interrupted by Ameena's falling and splashing, as the murafu ably made her own way from the gapping pit above to the shore bank. She was wet from the rough river, but otherwise unharmed from her trip.

The grak-grak allowed thee group only the briefest of moments to recover themselves and finish preparing before it moved again, forcing the group to move with it. All thoughts of the dangling rope behind, and the wet and cold of this place had to be set to one side as the undead creature set a frantic pace. Perhaps Soorec was getting imapatient, like a child wishing the winter solstace to hasten so he could enjoy a season's gifts.

The river did not deviate too much, nor reduce in size too much. The opposing bank apparently had a blockage at one point, a low outcrop of rock that would have made the passage difficult. Sadly, there was no excuse for the five of them not to keep walking fast.

The rock walls were still natural even for the squareness of them, and there was a light sprinkling of natural dirt onthe floor. Indeed, large stretches of stonework was missing in favour of an earthen floor. Sprigs of twisted bluish grass were visible at these points, and tin twisted vines could be seen on the walls at regular intervals. For the moment, there was no life apparent in the river, but it continued to flow with no less power.

It was subtle, the change. Ameena and Petal perhaps were the first to have it intrude on their consciousness. To Ameena, the smell of an animal had never waivered, clearly some animal crossed this path. However, the smell never got stronger for the moment. And the vegitation smell was growing, as if they were coming close to a natural garden or glade. However, a third smell was growing stronger nd stronger to the point that it was now unpleasant. It was that sharp smell that had accompanied magic.

To Petal, the gentle song of this place could be understood the longer she fly undisturbed through it. However, something else was starting to encroach on her inner senses. Something that was not really a song. It was unpleasant too, and yet pleasant. It was as if intellectually she knew she was hearing a choir screaming in pain and madness, and yet her ears and heart were reacting as if they were singing a beautiful chorus. Whatever was ahead was getting louder, and louder, until the song of the world was being drowned out.

To Haynuus, there was no real kick from any of his senses. Instead, his circlet was whispering to him urgently. Trying to get the meloncholy half-orc to recall the painful lessons of living in the wild. Trying to tell him that there was something wrong about the vegetation he was seeing. Vegetation that looked perfectly normal.

"Where is the sun? Where is the source of life?" whsipered the circlet.

"Something is wrong," said Deephold, breaking the silence. He looked a little sheepish, for he was running his hand along the rock wall. "The earth of this place feels strange." Again, he seemed embarrassed to say such a thing. As if it was steroetypical for a dwarf to obsess with such things. And yet he clearly felt that, and gripped his mace handly in one hand, laying a hand on Larethian's crest with the other and mumbling for guidance.

The grak-grak pulled them on without caring abotu the comment behind it. And then suddenly it stopped.

And then, suddenly, it altered from Helm's guise to its own foul form.

There was a pause as the grak-grak stood there. Its backwards leg shifted a clawed foot to paw the earth. It shifted as if to move forwards, and then stopped. And then it walked forwards a step, and then shifted back. It utterd a quiet 'ack' twice. It shifted again.

Without looking towards the party, the grak-grsk then turned sideways, and sat on the bank. Its arms dangled on its knees, and it seemed tolook into the water. Further 'ack' sounds were uttered, but otherwise it seemed to be completely lost in its own world, not moving forward, nor acknowledging them.

If the group did not know better, they might believe the thing was scared to walk another step. However, the group felt ...something...was up ahead. Something large, and strange, and pushing against their senses in one way or another.

The light of the torch seemed to darken too quickly in the distance, as if swallowed on the outskirts. Haynuus felt as if his nightsight was not seeing as far as it should. The other heightened senses of the party were being drowned by the scent and sounds of some form of powerful magic.

The river at their side splashed and gurgled without care to their pause.


And we'll stop there. So, what's up ahead? What will you do about it? I'm interested to see Skills out, dice at the ready, and let's see youre best RP. It's taken me a little bit to get back in to the swqing of things, glad you guys managed to find the odd fun moment to play when decending. Anyway, time to get back to work

[Ameena]

After shaking herself dry, Ameena joins the rest of the group as they continue onward. She keeps her senses on full alert, sniffing and listening carefully, letting her whiskers pick up on the texture of the floor as she trots along it. She feels somewhat uncertain about the plants they pass - she once again wonders how such greenery can exist without sunlight - she is sure that it shouldn't be able to live this way, and wonders what magic these plants use in order to exist in such a dark place.
Then the grak-grak starts acting strangely. It seems somehow unwilling to continue onward. More importantly, though, it shifts back into its natural form. Although Ameena can't quite shake the thought that perhaps this is because the bond has been broken between itself and Helm, she decides it would be better to think that perhaps it's changed back simply because Soorec has become distracted, or perhaps thinks there might be something up ahead that will attack them and that the form of a human isn't sufficient to properly fight it.
Ameena herself feels increasingly uneasy about the darkness that lies beyond them. She can't help feeling that some aspects of it seem a little...familiar, and feels a faint twinge in her right foreleg when she thinks of why this might be. But if it is that same thing, surely that means that the group has failed, and that darkness has already fallen?
However, deciding that she can't be certain of these things at the moment, she pushes these thoughts aside and resorts to basic information-gathering, using all her senses to discern whatever she can about the group's current location - she sniffs, looks, listens, and whiskertouches as much as she can without moving more than a human-step or two away from her friends. It also hasn't escaped her mind that certain members of the group might want to take advantage of the fact that the grak-grak is back in its own form again. But she supposes it can always just change back into Helm's form quickly enough, were anyone to try anything.

OOC - How wide is the ledge, btw? I may have missed a description somewhere if you've already given one. Meanwhile, Perception check using all available senses = 13 (2+11). Bleh...well, I suppose Ameena's distracted by the weird plants or the scary darkness. Incidentally, does anything about this weird-magical-darkness-with-something-scary-in-it remind her specifically of a certain other weird-magical-darkness-with-something-scary-in-it that she might have encountered before?