Patchwork Universe

Jones · Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 6:14 pm Post subject: When The Lights Went Out

Jareth Jones had been working in his study when the sky went black. Absorbed in his books, his first impulse was to turn a lamp on. It wasn't until Jebediah wailed from the next room of the small cottage that he noticed something was wrong.

Hastening to his two year old son's crib, he looked with alarm at the blackness outside. This had never happened before in his experience and he lifted up the sobbing child and held him awkwardly, wondering what was happening. Was it the doing of a God? Could a customer to the pub be causing the blackout?

Jareth had always had doubts about Jones' decision to welcome all comers to his home and now he wondered if the results of that decision were coming home to roost. But whatever was causing it, it was alarming and he stared down from the small first floor window looking out to see if he could make out any indication of the cause.

Jones · Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 9:24 am Post subject:

There were Fire Drakes outside. They were perched in a row on the picket fence of the garden like particulary red and scaley birds. A few bushes and scrubs burnt sullenly and, as Jareth watched, another was sit alight with a jet of flame.

"Monsters!" he said, reeling back behind the curtain. "Hush , Jeb."

The baby continued to grizzle and he tucked it under his arm haphazardly and rusged back to his study.
"Where it is, where is it, must be here somewhere," he muttered as he rummaged through his papers, tossing books and inkstands left, right and centre in his search. Finally he produced a thin yew wand from a drawer that otherwise held a tangle of string, three clothes pegs an a boiled sweet.
"Yes!" Jareth heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank you. Now where's that spell book?"

He looked with dismay at the ink stained pile of writing and then dug into it once more to produce a battered black tome.
"Right, wand, spellbook..." he paused, wondering what he was forgetting. "Baby!... sorry Jebby, I'm not doing very well at this."

The next ten minutes were occupied with trying to find a position in which he could read from the book while holding the wand without dropping his infant son.

Jones · Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 5:23 pm Post subject:

ooc: John A and Jessica approach from 'Midnight at Midday'

Outside in the darkness Jessica Jones and John Angelis were heading towards the shapes of the cottages. Jessica gasped when she saw the dull red flames outside the buildings, peering through the dark to try and see what had caused them.

John Angelis · Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 8:05 pm Post subject:

John ambled along behind Jessica, reloading his gun and whistling through his teeth in a not entirely un-irritating fashion.

Clicking the barrel shut, John eyed the flames.

"So, what's this going to be then? Dragons?"

A winged thing skittered overhead, and gave off a gout of flame.

"Dragons. Right. Time to get those people out before these things grow a brain and realise the roof is thatched."

John drew breath, and half-ran half-scampered to the cottage door. When he got there, he knocked sharply, three times.

Jones · Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 9:09 pm Post subject:

The door opened a crack to reveal a pair of suspicious eyes and the extended tip of a wand.
"Who's there?" a voice demanded with quavering bravado.

John Angelis · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 1:08 pm Post subject:

"The name's John Angelis. I'm here with Jones. He said to come get you and bring you back to the Inn."

John pressed himself into the doorway, attempting to avoid notice by the dragons.

"Can I come in?"

Jones · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 1:53 pm Post subject:

"Jareth?" Jessica ran forward to join John at the door. "Darling, it's me... Let us in."
As she spoke one of the red fire drakes puffed out a ball of flame which floated across the garden for a few metres before setting light to a tree as if it were a candle.

Hurriedly Jareth pulled the door open and Jessica threw her arms around him.
"Watch out for Jeb," he warned her, as she let John in and pushed the door shut again behind them. He was carrying the baby in an improvised sling around his chest and he shoved his wand into a pocket and the spell book he also carried under an arm, in order to embrace his wife. "What's going on out there?" he demanded, looking from John to Jessica. "Why is it night-time already?"

John Angelis · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 2:59 pm Post subject:

"We've not got a why yet. The countryside was plunged into darkness, and there's weird monsters about. I'm not even from around here, so I'm not even sure that this isn't normal for around here."

Jones · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 7:50 pm Post subject:

"No, this is definitely not normal," Jessica stated. "At least, there are always monsters underground. But that's where they stay. Someone or something must have let them out."

"Stupid and reckless," Jareth said, holstering the baby once more and taking a firm grip on his wand and spellbook. "I always thought your father was running a risk letting so many strangers wander around here."
He didn't seem to have spotted that John was one of those strangers, perhaps because he was distraught or perhaps because he was not a very observant person.
"So, what do we do now?" he asked.

"Dad sent us to find you and bring everyone back to the pub," his wife explained. "I don't suppose you've seen Jane anywhere."
Jareth shook his head.
"I was working," he said, a hint of petulance in his voice. Something always seemed to happen to disturb him when he was working, admittedly it was usally a squalling child or a request to lend a hand in the bar but even so...

John Angelis · Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 10:36 am Post subject:

"We need to get out of here as quickly and quietly as possible. I've a feeling that it's going to get worse out there before it gets better. It seems to me that you've got two choices here. The pub is a way southeast. It appears to be well protected, but on the other hand, it's in the middle of all this. Our other option is to make for the patch boundary to the west. It must be nearer than the pub, and I don't think the creatures could follow us there. Of course, I don't know what lies west, so it's a bit of a gamble."

He looked at Jareth meaningfully.

"Your family's safety is at stake, so it's your choice."

Jones · Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 1:21 pm Post subject:

Jareth and Jessica exchanged glances.
"Jones said its dangerous for any of us to leave without him," Jesscia said uncertainly. "But..." she reached out to touch her infant son. "I don't know."
"Where are the other children?" Jareth asked.
"In the pub with my mother," Jessica told him and he nodded.
"I think we should join them. Jones and Snark might have travelled across boundaries but the only time you or I have is when we met. The pub is warded from the monsters. If we can get there, we should be safe."

Their decision made they turned back to John.
"We'll go back," Jessica confirmed. "But there are fire drakes outside, and more monsters beyond them. We need a plan for how to get past. I have some abilities that might help. I can predict the future in a small way, perhaps I can lead us on a safe path..."
"And I'm a wizard, at least I used to be a wizard's apprentice and I've kept up my studies," Jareth added. "If we are attacked I should be able to do something. The only problem is I'm best at fire spells... and that won't do much good against a creature that breathes fire."

John Angelis · Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 6:54 pm Post subject:

"Fire Drakes? Smallish dragons? Yeah, seen them. They don't seem too bright - they're just flying about having a good time burning stuff, I think. You need to get out of here, obviously, before they find out how much fun a roof made of thatch can be, but they don't seem to be actively hunting us."

"I'm armed, and with something that ought to make short work of something that size. Unfortunately, it's rather loud, and is likely to attract attention. So here's my plan. We split up, but not far. You go fifty yards to the left of the house, and then make for the pub as best you can. I'll be taking the same course, but fifty yards to the right of the house. I ought to see these things if they're breathing flame, and my gun's accurate to a hundred yards, no problem. This way I can defend you, and attract attention away from you. I'll aim high, so I'll be in no danger of hitting you."

"That sound good to everyone?"

Jones · Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2004 3:30 pm Post subject:

Jareth and Jessica nodded.
"I see no flaw with that," Jareth said, and added belately. "Thank you for your help."
"Yes, thank you... John isn't it?" Jessica smiled at him, her prettiness coming out under the stress and worry of the last hour. "We're ready when you are."
Carefully she reached out to open the cottage door.

John Angelis · Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2004 9:37 pm Post subject:

There was nothing to do then but try.

The Jones' made their way silently through the land, experienced in matters of stealth. Drakes were flitting around, but nothing drew their attention. All Angelis had to do was keep up with the Jones'. John allowed himself a grin. It was all going smoothly, everyone was going to be alright.

And then, without warning, the baby tuned up, and started to wail.

Nothing attracts a predator like the sound of distressed young prey. Three of the drakes began circling the Jones'. Flames struck around them, and one thing was clear to John. Though Jareth and Jessica obviously had the skills to defend themselves, if it came down to that, the baby was going to die

Shots rang out through the night in quick succession. One shot caught a drake somewhere in the shoulder region, and the drake fell out of the air. There was a crunch as something suddenly un-aerodynamic hit the ground in tangle of wings.

The other two drakes looked about them in confusion - and saw John hollering, and screaming, trying to attract their attention. With shaking hands, he reloaded his revolver, scattering bullets left right and centre. The Jones' took their cue and rushed the child to safety.

The remaining drakes flew at John, strafing the ground with flame. John managed to throw himself out of the way of the onslaught, and by the time they wheeled round for a second pass, he was ready to return fire.

Three bullets caught an oncoming drake where the throat met the body, and blood and fire gouted from the wound, as it plummeted from the sky. The other drake, however, struck John savagely with its rear claws as it flew past, knocking him to the ground.

Had John not changed back into his street clothes back at the pub before venturing out, he would likely have been dead. As it was, his biker jacket afforded him some protection, though he had a gash in one shoulder that was bleeding badly - his gun hand. Where the revolver had gone in the confusion was anyone's guess.

Dragging himself to his feet, he wearily drew a shortsword. He attempted to draw breath, to hide from the drake, but with his laboured breathing, he couldn't manage it.

The drake, meanwhile, alit near him. The drake is much like a cat in some respects, and delights in toying with wounded and helpless prey. Battle commenced, if you could call it that. John was battered and knocked from his feet by the drake's claws and wings countless times, managing only a few minor strikes with his sword before it was finally knocked from his hand. On his knees now, struggling to rise for what must be the final time, his hand closed on something small, cold and smooth. The drake, sensing that playtime was over, reared up, a lambent flame in it's mouth ready to strike.

In one final, desperate, ludicrous move, John hurled himself at the drake as it exhaled, immolating him. His final defiance seemed futile, as he threw an exhausted punch at the beast.

There was an explosion. John had punched right into the inferno that was the drake's maw - and the bullet in his hand had detonated. The drake's brain exited the back of it's skull at some velocity, as did bits of John's fist. The two collapsed in a ruin of mutual destruction. Neither carcass moved.

The Janitor · Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2004 9:58 pm Post subject:

[OOC note: John Angelis now counts as Dead. For the moment, he may not post in any game forum except for Heaven, which he now has access to...]