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Hugues Turner Fate Points: 3 "Ada! Less snarking and more get the gently caress out of here!" pre:Defenses: Athletics +4, Discipline +4, Rapport +1. Applicable Aspects: Clone of a WWII Warden, Protector of the Small, You Only Live Twice Physical: ( ) ( ) ( ) Mental: (X) (X) ( ) Social: ( ) ( ) Any Mild (-2) Consequence: () Any Moderate (-4) Consequence: () Any Major (-6) Consequence: () Any Extreme (-8) Consequence: () Used: Fire Gauntlet
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Aug 4, 2012 02:15
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| # ? Apr 18, 2024 13:54 |
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J.R. - FP: 1 JR is torn for a moment, whether to go after Dennis or finish off Octavian. But Dennis had made it way back to the Church, while Octavian was just ahead of him, so the choice wasn't too hard. JR fired, but the bullet went just over Octavian's shoulder. "Stop running, monster!" Guns //-- +5 = 3, plus plus 2 from the tag makes it +5, with a weapon: 3 pre:Defenses: Athletics (Dodge) +5, Armor:1 Applicable Aspects: The Last Gunfighter Ballad, The Devil's Right Hand, The Man Comes Around Applicable Stunts: Shoot 'Em Where It Hurts: Ignore armor 2 or less Physical: () () () () Mental: () () () () Social: () () () () Any Mild (-2) Consequence: (), Any Moderate (-4) Consequence: () Any Major (-6) Consequence: (), Any Extreme (-8) Consequence: ()
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Aug 4, 2012 04:24
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Elbridge Hardley - FP: 2 "No, if we run she'll just hunt us down and kill us. There's no time to explain - we all have to focus our power into a single, mighty counterspell or she'll simply vapourize us as soon as she breaks free. One of us needs to handle the channeling itself. I'm fairly good at counterspells, but if one of you is better prepared, then please step forward. I'm not joking when I say our lives depend on it."
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Aug 4, 2012 05:17
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Hugues Turner Fate Points: 3 "And then what? Which one do you think is going to wear out first, us or her? Get out of here! NOW!" pre:Defenses: Athletics +4, Discipline +4, Rapport +1. Applicable Aspects: Clone of a WWII Warden, Protector of the Small, You Only Live Twice Physical: ( ) ( ) ( ) Mental: (X) (X) ( ) Social: ( ) ( ) Any Mild (-2) Consequence: () Any Moderate (-4) Consequence: () Any Major (-6) Consequence: () Any Extreme (-8) Consequence: () Used: Fire Gauntlet
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Aug 4, 2012 05:46
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Jenny Hirsch FP: 2->3->2 Jenny frowns at Hughes, still glaring daggers at the succubus. "But - but - oh, fine. Go get Andy and Lauden, I'll pull the van around to the front." And with that Jenny takes off, putting on an extra burst of speed to make it there in record time. Hopping in, she fumbles for her car keys before slamming them into the ignition and starting the van. "Come on, come on..." Taking a Compel on Apprentice To... to make for the van, rather than sticking around. Athletics 2 +-// = 2, and invoking Apprentice To... with that shiny new compel point to follow Hughes orders. Even though we totally should have stayed and fought.
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Aug 4, 2012 07:23
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Ada duSang - FP: 0 Ada was prepared to shoot back at Hugues with another retort, but the tension in his voice as he exchanged words with the man with the tacky shirt caused her to decide now wasn't the time to be glib. Instead, she turned around and nodded. "Fine. We can't leave Andy and Lauden behind, though. Go! I'll get them out of here!" Facing the door, Ada raised the knife, but briefly stopped. "If we're running, there's no point in giving her more ammunition to throw my way." She thought. Instead, she looked up at the skies. "Good. That's it." Wind began billowing around her, before Ada clenched her fist, trapping an almost solid ball of air within it. With a cry, she threw the ball at the door, blowing it wide open as the air was liberated with a furious sound. Rolling an air evocation, Power 4. Result is --//, so from a base of +5, -1 from a supplemental to move afterward, so we get +2. Gonna have to take backlash to keep the spell going. Hopefully it's enough to punch through the door anyways! With the way forward open, Ada ventured into the burnt remains of the church. "Andy! Lauden! We need to get out of here, now!" She said as she stepped into the room. pre:Defenses: Athletics +2, Discipline +4, Rapport +2. Applicable Aspects: Sixth Generation Blood Magus, Killer Queen, Walker on the Wild Side. Physical: (X) ( ) ( ) ( ) Mental: (X) (X) (X) ( ) Social: ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) Any Mild (-2) Consequence: Healing Burns (Physical) Any Moderate (-4) Consequence: Soul Half-Snuffed (Mental) Any Major (-6) Consequence: () Any Extreme (-8) Consequence: ()
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Aug 4, 2012 07:27
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Jenny’s self-compel/FP use there might seem too cheap, but I’m extending that compel to mean that listening to Hugues’ orders prevents Jenny from doing anything to stop what’s about to happen to him. The door blows inward as the hinges give way under Ada’s magical assault. It only takes a few steps to find Cole and Andy, crouched over the headless body of Father Lauden. Andy is so furious that he’s shaking, his machete clutched in one hand. Cole's face is a mask of guilt and fear. "The curse didn't... I swear it didn't..." -- Back outside Mel is still restrained by the grenade. But not for long. She takes a deep, gathered breath and there is an audible ‘pop’. The flicker and fade of her physical form abruptly ceases. “That was quite a trick, Kemmlerite. You shall have to teach it to me.” She tilts her head to one side as if listening to something. A smile forms at the corners of her mouth and she twirls a lock of hair in one pale finger. “Mortal stubbornness never fails to be both entertaining and exploitable. It is done. Only one piece remains.” Her red eyes focus on Hugues and her smile widens. “You’ll do nicely.” Mel is forced to spend her only FP to break the block. JR and Octavian are technically up but there's some things to talk about regarding FP usage so I'll skip them for now. Hugues is up outside, Compel on "Protector of the Small" to be the last man out.
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Aug 4, 2012 17:37
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Elbridge Hardley - FP: 2 Elbridge nods in approval at Ada's actions. He was about to do the exact same thing, and he's glad to know that he won't have to do it alone. He races past Mel, charges over the flattened door, and turns around. "Turner! Get inside, now!" But Turner isn't moving. Is he...yes, he's actually standing his ground against an Arch Demon. Frustrated, Elbridge summons his energies and gets ready to pull the recalcitrant Warden inside...and then realises with horror that the threshold works both ways. "TURNER!" he yells. But there's nothing more he can do, and he can't afford to delay any longer; not with three other lives at stake. Cursing, he runs deeper into the church to search for Warden Cole.
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Aug 4, 2012 19:21
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Hugues Turner Fate Points: 3 --> 4 "Elbridge, look out for Cole, would you? He's just a kid, compared to us!" Hugues shouted at Elbridge, his youthful voice echoing out. Hugues turned back to Mel, and drew his sword. It still wasn't as good as Luccio's work...but it was all he had against the lightning. And there wasn't a clone waiting to save him this time. (And cue private fun with Mel!  Also Mistaya's escalating this for heroic sacrifice, gain another FP.) Krysmphoenix fucked around with this message at 20:55 on Aug 4, 2012 |
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Aug 4, 2012 19:46
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Mel in bold, Hugues in plain. "Going to have to disappoint you, last time I gave away my trade secrets to a demon, he caused me quite a bit of trouble." Hugues' sword was off to the side, in a non-threatening manner. Elbridge and Ada were going to take care of Cole, Jenny was already gone. Now he just had to get away. Somehow. "So the Kemmlerite is a little hero, too? I like heroes. They're so easy to manipulate. All you have to do..." she raises one perfect finger and points at the church. "Is threaten someone they love." The hot static that preceeded the last lightning bolt is nothing compared to now. Hugues feels his hair standing on end. "How many of your friends are sheltering in the house of the White God, hero? It won't save them, not from this." "You're only making a threat like that because you think you have something to gain if you don't act on it. My co-operation, is it not? What do you want from me?" She smiles. "I want you. Come with me, and all your friends live. I will do them no harm this night, nor will I hunt them down for their insults." "Don't you think I'm a little young to be making such an offer, succubus?" Hugues snarked back. Buy some time. Buy some time. "You didn't mention what would happen to me in this deal. Frozen in Carbonite to enjoy in the demonic museum for all eternity? A fluffy pillow by your throne to nap on? Death again sounds more interesting than many of the endings to your unknown offer." "Youth is relative." Mel pouts. "Not such a hero after all then, little Kemmlerite? Clinging to a pitiful shell of humanity suits you. Fine. One day and one night, and then you may go free. I will not kill you or invade your mind. Last offer." Still a lot of vagueness in that offer. But a day and a night...by then Antoine Skavis could have his way. Or Cole could stop him. And if he was able to keep Mel distracted to not appear there... It was certainly a deal with the devil. Wasn't his first one. "Alright. Let them go, alive and unharmed." Mel lowers her hand and the electricity in the air vanishes. "Done. Come to me and seal the bargain." JR is going to kill me when he realizes I just saved his rear end. Hugues put away his sword, stepped forward, took her hand in his own then gently kissed it. "Such a gentleman!" Mel grabbed Hugues under the arms and lifted him up, planting a kiss on his forehead and then hugging him like a teddy bear. She giggled. "Oh we are going to have such fun, you and I. But for now, sleep. Sleep, sleep. Hazixthos." And then they were gone.
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Aug 4, 2012 21:08
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Ada duSang - FP: 0 Ada moved through the rubble almost as if she were floating, not noticing the obstacles in her way. It all seemed so surreal. The church torched, Cole present, Lauden dead...like some sort of nightmare she just hadn't woken up from, yet. Kneeling down beside the headless body, Ada lightly put her hand where Lauden's head should have been, and touched the pool of blood forming by his neck. The sticky, hot sensation in her fingertips woke her up, like an electrical discharge. "He's dead. He's very, very dead, and you traded another's life for his." People lied, appearances lied, but blood didn't. Lauden was gone, and with him the final piece to the ritual they'd been working so hard to prevent. "But who killed him? Nobody went through this door before we did." Glancing at Andy and Cole, Ada suddenly felt very weak and tired. All she wanted to do was sit there and think about how she'd failed to prevent the horrors of her vision, but there wasn't time now. They were supposed to be running before Mel could recover. She'd failed James and Lauden already. She wouldn't fail Hugues too. Putting her bloodstained fingers on Cole's shoulder, Ada began shaking him lightly. "Cole. There's a greater demon outside. We can't stay here. Hugues bought us some time, but we can't sit around right now. We have to get going."
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Aug 4, 2012 21:26
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Elbridge Hardley - FP: 2 El skids to a halt next to Cole and...the headless body of a priest. Unless he's very much off the mark, this is likely the same priest whose tongue is needed to complete the ritual. Furthermore, there is a rather angry-looking man holding a machete. It seems quite probable that, barring intervention, this will not end well for anyone. "Everyone, we need to get up front, now! That's an Arch Demon out there, and every second we waste is a second that Turner can't afford!!!"
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Aug 4, 2012 22:07
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Cole’s head snaps up. “Turner… Where is he? You didn’t leave him with that thing…” He steps over Lauden, past Andy, past Ada and Elbridge, breaks into a run out into the parking lot. It’s empty. There’s no sign of the kid or the demon. “HUGUES!” Cole yells into the empty night, but nothing answers. Something shines in the center of the pool of light, under the lone streetlamp. Cole walks over to it, picks it up with shaking hands. It’s a warden pin. -- Octavian realizes somewhere in his broken mind that running isn’t going to work. Not against him. He turns, bares his perfect teeth and lunges at JR. A hunted animal finally brought to bay. One last attack (probably) for Octavian: Fists +/+- +4 =5, weapon:2 pre:Name: Octavian Defenses: Athletics 4+1, Disc 3 Aspects: 2 FP: 0 Mental: ()() Physical:(X)()(X)() Mild (-2): Moderate (-4): Impaled by Blood (used) Major (-6): Shattered Shoulder (used) 
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Aug 5, 2012 01:55
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Ada duSang - FP: 0 Cole's yell hit Ada's ears like a cannon blast. For a moment, she simply sat there, dumbly, not knowing how to react. She'd come to the church to save lives, but so far, all that she'd done was lose them. First James, then Lauden, and now Hugues...he wouldn't have been hurt if it weren't for him. He wouldn't have... ...Ada shook her head. "No. Don't even think about it. You'll only hurt yourself that way. Now isn't the time to break down and start crying, Ada. Stay focused. Everything will turn out alright as long as you don't give up." It was a weak shield from the dark thoughts that were swarming her mind, but it was enough for now. Wearily, Ada looked around, searching for something to take her mind off her failure. She zero'd in on the man with the tacky shirt. "How did you know my name?" She asked, standing up. "And Hugues' and Jenny's, for that matter. Who are you?"
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Aug 5, 2012 04:42
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Elbridge Hardley - FP: 2 Elbridge can't quite bring himself to look at Cole; not now. Each of them asks for me to protect the other...and I chose. Now for the hard part: living with that choice. He glances in the general direction of Ada. "Elbridge Hardley, White Council. Diviner and demonologist. I'm an old..." He looks to Cole, then back to Ada. "...colleague of Warden Cole." There will come a time, and very shortly, when Elbridge must remind Cole of his duty, and of the doom about to befall New Orleans; that hope is not yet lost, and that their job is only done when Mel'Karshok is an epitaph. Now is not that time.
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Aug 5, 2012 04:56
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Ada duSang - FP: 0 Ada shook her head. "So you're friends with Cole...he's taking this hard. First night on the town, he got hit by a death curse, condemning him to fail to help someone in a time of need." For a moment, Ada felt a guilty sort of relief. Maybe this wasn't her fault. Maybe this was all because of the curse. Or maybe the curse hadn't hit yet, and Hugues was its target. She had to fight hard to suppress a shiver. "I think he's blaming himself for this. He couldn't have done anything to help, but that's how he is." She glanced at the door through which he'd departed, before something else that Elbridge had said caught her attention. "So you're a demonologist?" Ada said, seizing upon Elbridge's words. That was the way forward. Maybe they could work something out. "You wouldn't happen to have any experience dealing with demons like her, do you? Hugues tried to fry her with his fire gauntlet, but she just made it all go poof. I've got a feeling we haven't seen the last of her yet, and if that's the case, we're gonna need a better plan than just working things out on the fly."
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Aug 5, 2012 05:21
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J.R. - FP: 1 JR grunts as Octavian slams into him, but he manages to keep the vampire from biting into his flesh. He fires another rushed shot at the vampire. Athletics +/-- + 5 = 4, for the dodge, meaning I take a 3 stress hit. Guns --/+ +5 = 4, with a weapon 3. pre:Defenses: Athletics (Dodge) +5, Armor:1 Applicable Aspects: The Last Gunfighter Ballad, The Devil's Right Hand, The Man Comes Around Applicable Stunts: Shoot 'Em Where It Hurts: Ignore armor 2 or less Physical: () () (x) () Mental: () () () () Social: () () () () Any Mild (-2) Consequence: (), Any Moderate (-4) Consequence: () Any Major (-6) Consequence: (), Any Extreme (-8) Consequence: ()
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Aug 5, 2012 13:11
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Elbridge Hardley - FP: 2 Elbridge shakes his head sadly as he looks about the parking lot. "That was an Arch Demon. Very few people have experience in dealing with them because most stories that feature them end with 'and then everyone died horribly'. But yes, if we're to have the faintest chance of stopping this 'Mel' and saving Wa- er, Turner, then we need to learn every last scrap of information there is to know about her." Unless it's too late to save him. Unless she's already killed him - but no. Even Hellfire leaves some ashes. Cling to hope. Stay strong. Don't think about any of the myriad other dreadful ways a Queen of Hell would have to destroy somebody. A thought occurs to him. "Warden - that pin...Turner was wearing it, wasn't he? May I see it?" Cole’s hand balls into a fist around the pin. For a second, Elbridge is sure he’s about to get punched in the face. But the Warden just drops it into his hand instead. “This is my fault.” Elbridge takes the pin. "No. This is exactly Mel's fault, and nobody else's. When one faces an Arch Demon, there is no such thing as a clean victory." So saying, he holds up the insignia, closes his eyes, and then opens them...ALL of them.
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Aug 6, 2012 01:50
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Octavian winces and goes for another swing. There's not a lot of life left in the creature, but the man is alone this time. Alone, he is not invincible. Octavian defends, Athletics: /--+ +5 = 4. Bumps to 4th box. Attacking, Fists: /+-/ +4 = 4, weapon:2. pre:Name: Octavian Defenses: Athletics 4+1, Disc 3 Aspects: 2 FP: 0 Mental: ()() Physical:(X)()(X)(X) Mild (-2): Moderate (-4): Impaled by Blood (used) Major (-6): Shattered Shoulder (used)
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Aug 6, 2012 06:31
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J.R. - FP: 1 The creature swings at JR again, but this time he's ready and ducks under the arm. JR spins quick, duster whirling, firing another round at the thing. JR can feel Octavian slowing down, as the major damage begins to take its toll. Athletics +/+- +5 = 6, easy dodge. Guns +/+- +5 = 6, with a weapon 3. pre:Defenses: Athletics (Dodge) +5, Armor:1 (one use) Applicable Aspects: The Last Gunfighter Ballad, The Devil's Right Hand, The Man Comes Around Applicable Stunts: Shoot 'Em Where It Hurts: Ignore armor 2 or less Physical: () () (x) () Mental: () () () () Social: () () () () Any Mild (-2) Consequence: (), Any Moderate (-4) Consequence: () Any Major (-6) Consequence: (), Any Extreme (-8) Consequence: ()
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Aug 6, 2012 15:18
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J.R. - FP: 1 Octavian hurled himself at JR, who wasn't quite quick enough to get out of the way. The pair slammed into the alley wall, JR's head bouncing off the bricks with a dull thud. JR hurled Octavian onto him with a roar of pain the ground, and slammed his boot onto the White Court vampire's chest. Octavian was barely even recognizable as something that could be disguised as a human - torn flesh and bloody muscle was all that was visible, and his mind didn't seem much better. He snapped his teeth and struggled to free himself, but JR kept him pinned. As JR raised his pistol up to Octavian's forehead, he thought about all Ada had done to save a creature just like this one. If she saw this one, saw what they really were, she'd know that killing things like them wasn't murder - it was the only thing that was right. JR's gun rang out one more time, and it was over. Time to help the others, if he could.
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Aug 6, 2012 17:48
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In which Cole and Ada have a falling out. Elbridge didn’t understand. Mel may have done the damage, but Cole was the one who’d brought the 10 year old to the fight with the Arch Demon. This was supposed to be his job, his responsibility. He’d been taking advantage of the others, using them because he was in over his head and there wasn’t any other option… but that meant putting them in harm’s way. He hadn't been ready to deal with the consequences of that choice. JR and Mitsuo, and now Elbridge, were experienced enough to know the risks. But the other three were novices, and they were going to get themselves killed. It had almost happened to Jenny when the demon took her. He'd stepped aside that time. Left it up to the others to save her. And they had. But he couldn't do that again. He had to get Hugues back. Cole touched the edge of Mel’s exit portal with his wizard senses. He knew better than to try to use it, the trap on the Winter swamp portal would have killed anything human that tried to pass through. But if he could just get a glimpse, find out where it was going... A burst of pain lanced through his skull like a steel bar to the forehead. He let the portal go. No, there would be no answers here. Ada was standing alone now. The knife twist of yet another betrayal. He kept his voice calm. Steady. "Why are you here, Ada?" Ada remained silent for a while, thinking of what to tell Cole. How could she justify her presence at the church without revealing Ruby's gift? He wasn't going to buy her just dropping by to visit, that much was obvious. Eventually, she opted for the one thing that could possibly calm Cole down: the truth. Or at least, a part of it. "I knew Dennis was going to come here to pay the priests a visit. I came here to stop him, by whatever means necessary." She averted her gaze. Needless to say, she hadn't even come close to stopping him from achieving his goals. Cole shakes his head, disbelieving. "You... you knew. And you didn't tell me. You brought JR, and Jenny. But not me." He sighs, and there's a rattle in it. "Two good men are dead. And Hugues is gone. And you're still holding out on me." "You had enough on your plate already." It wasn't a plea for forgiveness, nor an attempt at justifying her actions. Though her voice was weak and tired, Ada's words had the weight of facts. "The last thing you needed was another thing on your mind. I thought I could take care of it. Save them..." She lowered her gaze again. She didn't need words to express what she was thinking. "And I was wrong. And now they're dead because of me." For the first time the anger bleeds into his voice. She can see faint lines on his face that were never there before. Dark tribal markings under the skin. "This is my job Ada, my responsibility. Not yours, not JRs, not Jenny's. Mine. I shouldn't have brought any of you into this. It was a mistake." "Don't take it out on them." Ada said, her voice gaining strength as Cole's anger grew. "If they were here, it was because I asked them to be. My mistakes are not theirs, and they've fought by your side as bravely as anyone could have." It was one thing to face Cole's anger and disappointment, but watching him lash out against good people was a different matter. "Hugues would have wanted Jenny to be by your side while you searched for him, and JR will do whatever you ask of him. They're good people, and you'll need good people by your side if you're going to take Mel down. Don't push them away just because they trusted me like you did." "Good people." He laughs. "You ask me to trust you then lie to my face, Mitsuo makes bargains with demons, JR gets so caught up in killing he can't see anything but red, Jenny uses her power in anger and fear, and Hugues..." He looks down. "Go home Ada. Better yet, go on vacation. City might not be here next week for all I loving know." "And you want me to wash my hands of it." Ada said, her voice gaining a slight edge of anger. "So that, when everything goes wrong, there'll be someone to blame." Ada straightened up, and looked as close to Cole's eyes as she could without risking a Soulgaze. "This is my home. My city. My life. You don't want to trust me, fine. But you don't have the right to cast me out of here. Not when we owe our lives to each other. If the end is coming, I'll stick around to see it, by myself or by your side. And when it comes and you're looking up to the storm about to rain down on you, I hope you'll remember that you could have stood up to it with a few good people by your side." With that, Ada turned and walked away. After a dozen steps, however, she turned back, and looked at the Warden once more. When she spoke again, there wasn't any anger to her voice anymore - just profound sadness and loss. "Goodbye, Richter." Without another word, Ada left. "You want to help so bad, go help Andy bury his friends!" Cole yelled after her. Bitter, he turned and walked the other way.
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Aug 6, 2012 21:38
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Advancing to the next day. REFRESH! It is entirely up to you what you do now. Cole has locked himself in his office and isn't talking to anyone. Hugues wakes up in small iron framed bed. The mattress is lumpy, the blanket is wool and the pillows are goose down. It’s all oddly familiar. Not exactly, he’s never seen this room before, but it reminds him of something. He can smell pancakes and bacon. Sunlight streams in through the window and he can hear birdsong.
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Aug 6, 2012 22:31
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Hugues Turner Fate Points: 4 What. Where the Hell did Mel take him? Certainly didn't feel like Hell, which was what he was expecting. Everything he had when she took him was still there, all folded up neatly and washed. No blood on the sword, gauntlets looked fine, portable veil actually got cleaned for once. Cellphone still worked, although without reception. Only thing missing was the Warden Pin. Guess Mel must have noticed that could be used for tracking. She did also say no mind-invasions, right? Then why did this place feel so familiar? Then again this whole thing could be a dream, although he usually didn't have this much metacognition in dreams. And the smell of food...after all that running around yesterday he was rather hungry. Although it could be a trap; eating food from the Nevernever would link you to it and possibly make it so you can't leave. Of course, it didn't stop his curiosity. Hugues got dressed, wearing his freshly cleaned clothes. The cellphone he left in his pocket on vibrate. If he happened to linger in a spot with reception long enough, he'd get any messages he may have been missing. Like from Jenny trying to figure out what happened. Or his e-mail trying to sync up the phone and computer. Communication out was going to be very helpful. They were probably worried sick. Then he left the bedroom, and started wandering through the house, towards the smell of delicious food. The rest of his gear he left by the bed, but his sword he kept on him just in case. The gauntlets didn't work on Mel, but the sword's anti-magic could be very helpful.
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Aug 7, 2012 00:18
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The kitchen table is set for two. One chair has an extra cushion for height. There are two plates of steaming hot pancakes, butter already melting on top. It looks delicious. “This is an interesting choice.” Mel says from the second doorway, leading into the modest living room. She’s human in appearance, wearing a long skirt and a white blouse. A red checkered apron tied over the whole. Her long black hair is tied back in a braid, and she looks as if she’s in her thirties, not a sexy young thing. But it’s Mel all the same. She pulls out the chair in front of her place and sits down, burying the pancakes in hot syrup from the small silver pitcher and diving in like a hungry wolf. “I approve!” she says, between bites. "They're getting cold, sit, sit."
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Aug 7, 2012 01:27
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Elbridge Hardley - FP: 2 -> 3 *rrrriiiiiiinggg*....*rrrriiiiiiinggg* "This is Elbridge Hardley, calling in an emer-" "Hardley. H-A-R-D-L-E-Y." "How did I get this number? I'm bloody White Council, that's how!" "Elbridge Hardley, 5 November 1856, Demonology." "...E-L-B-look, I'm the keeper of the Blacklist!" "Yes, thank you. I'm calling to report a status update on the New Orleans assignment. The situation is more severe than Captain Bellworth knows - the plot to destroy the city appears to be masterminded by none other than an Arch Demon!" "A specialist? Yes, I'll contact them straight away. How should I get in touch with them?" "...Alright, 504-6...you imbecile, that's my bleeding number!" Compel on "Nobody from Nowheresville" for the White Council to be totally unhelpful.
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Aug 7, 2012 01:45
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Hugues Turner Fate Points: 4 Hugues had to mentally yell at his stomach to not grumble at the wonderful delicious sight. So there Mel was, she was...well, it was an improvement in his eyes. Suppose dressing as a motherly figure was the best way to worm into the heart of a child. Even if she didn't really act it very well. He sat down and studied the pancakes for a moment, but didn't even touch the silverware. "I'd rather not. I have no idea where you brought me, and the food could very easily trap me here for all eternity."
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Aug 7, 2012 01:53
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Ada duSang - FP: 0 -> 1 With a sigh, Ada opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling once again. It had been a long walk back home, but she barely remembered anything of it. As soon as she'd arrived, sleep had found her, and it was past midday when she finally woke up, even though she rather wouldn't have. At the moment, all Ada wanted was to stay in bed and sleep, and not think of anything. She felt exhausted like she hadn't after being struck by hellfire, as if she'd spent many days awake in a row. She'd tried closing her eyes repeatedly, trying to slink back into her dreamless slumber, but she'd had no luck. Though she felt tired, the bed felt uncomfortable, the blankets suffocating. With a sigh, Ada threw them away and stood up, then made her way to her mirror. The burns she'd sustained had already faded away almost completely, and the face staring back at her from the mirror looked tired, but not more than was the norm. Placing a hand on the mirror's frame, she leaned forward to rest her head on it. "You can't stay holed up inside this place forever. What now?" "Easy enough to ask, but not so easy to answer. He doesn't want to see you anymore. You failed him. You failed everyone. The others are probably just as mad at you, too. So what can you do on your own? You don't have a clue. You don't know where Hugues is gone, or what they're plotting to do with him. The tracking spell you set up with him stopped being worth a drat after you set JR on him. So what are you going to do, Ada?" "What do you suggest I do? I don't have a clue, that's right. All I've got is a trail of blood behind me and the knowledge that if I don't do something soon, we'll all be dead." "You can't help. He cast you out, and for good reason. The best thing you could do is light up a few candles and pray that they succeed. Maybe if you do that, you won't end up hurting anyone else." "Pray? That's ridiculous. I'm not the praying kind, and never have been. And if I just wait and cross my fingers, I'll go insane. I need to do something...anything, doesn't matter what it is. Even if it goes just as poorly as acting under the stone's advice did." "...The stone!" Lifting her head from the mirror's frame, Ada strode to her desk. There was the stone, as red as ever, as useless as ever. "It was supposed to help me keep everybody safe. It wasn't supposed to let people die!" Grasping the stone, Ada clutched it so tightly she expected it to leave cuts all over her hand before she let it go and headed for her drawer. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. I'm gonna go find Ruby and ask her why it did.
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Aug 7, 2012 02:36
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The hill where Ada first met Ruby looks just the same. A warm wind blows through the tree’s leaves. It’s quiet and there’s no one else around for miles. -- Mel laughs. “You are right to be cautious, but I did not create this place. You did. Nothing here can obligate you in that way.” She licks the syrup off the tip of one finger in a not-very-motherly fashion. “This is Anyplace Else. A little corner of the NeverNever I use to conduct business. Of course I want my guests to be as comfortable as possible, so I let them create the space. It’s a simple trick. When you enter, the spell asks, where would you like to be if you could be anyplace else? Over the years I’ve seen beaches, castles, cathedrals… Brothels are fairly commonplace, or restaurants or parties. But this, this is one I haven’t seen before. This is lovely.” Full name three times, Ada.
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Aug 7, 2012 04:01
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Ada duSang - FP: 1 -> 0 Had to spend a Fate Point to get here so I better write that down. Walking up to JR's grave, Ada looked around one last time. The hill was utterly deserted and at peace. Soon, that would change. But first, she'd have to summon the one she'd come for. When Ada spoke, her voice was steady, and her words were formal, designed to bring JR's granddaughter to her. "I call to you, servant of Summer, ally and guide. Upon uttering your name times three, come to me! Rubeansidhe! Rubeansidhe! Rubeansidhe!" Putting a hand on the grave of Ruby's ancestor, Ada lowered her voice until it was nothing but a whisper. "Ruby, come to me."
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Aug 7, 2012 04:29
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Hugues Turner Fate Points: 4 "Heard there were places like this in the Nevernever. Never been to one." If it was someplace he could be comfortable, then there would be no traps here. The pancakes would be safe to eat. If anything, Mel's table manners made Hugues want to eat in as polite and gentlemanly way as possible. And slowly just to annoy her. And the pancakes were heavenly. "Just the way Mother used to make them..." Hugues muttered, before continuing eating, perhaps a bit faster than before. "That's why it's familiar then. It looks like home, back when I was ten--the first time. Considering how long since I've been here, I'm not surprised there's a sepia fog in here just to enhance the nostalgia." Although that might be overkill.
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Aug 7, 2012 04:35
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“You called for me, and I am come.” Ruby answered. She was sitting in the tree behind Ada in jeans and a red flannel shirt. She actually looked kind of dirty, which was a first in Ada’s experience. “Your sorrow is great, dear one. What has happened?” -- “I wondered about the apron.” Mel flicked the string at him. “But you haven’t given me much time to indulge in pleasantries, so on to business. I am looking for a demon. You know him as Murray. He is my youngest brother and he is in a great deal of trouble.”
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Aug 7, 2012 05:33
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Hugues Turner Fate Points: 4 "I don't think there was any obligation for you to dress like my mother." Hugues said, not really caring if she heard. It was doubtful she was going to change form. Then he hesitated for a moment. Murray. Dammit. Why can't he just be done with him already? "You two look nothing alike, but go on."
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Aug 7, 2012 05:51
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Ada duSang - FP: 0 "Everything." Ada said, sighing. "Too many things to tell. So much has gone wrong, so much hasn't worked the way I planned..." Rummaging through her pockets, Ada took out the red stone. "And this is the thing that has worked out worst. This stone...it was supposed to warn me when death drew near. Why couldn't I do anything about it, then?" Ada said, her voice becoming cracked. "Last night...there was a vision in the stone, warning of impending doom, so I went there to help. But people still died, and now a friend of mine is gone. Why did this happen, Ruby? Why? I managed to stop the vision from occurring, but there wasn't anyone I could save. Am I just exchanging one kind of misfortune for another? Or..." For a moment, Ada fell into silence. When she spoke again, her voice was full of fear. "...Or was I just not good enough when it mattered?"
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Aug 7, 2012 05:53
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J.R. - FP: 3 JR sighed as he made his way towards Cole's door. Last night had been an almost total disaster. James and Lauden dead, Hugues dead or missing, and the bad guys had all the parts they needed for their spell - the fact that JR had taken out Octavian barely even mattered now. But there wasn't time to give up - someway, somehow, they still had to stop the demons' plan. And for that they needed Cole, who wasn't answering his phone. Hopefully he was still alive and just not answering. JR reached the door and pounded on it with his fist. "You there, Cole? Open up and talk to me." Aspect Change: That's One You Owe Me becomes No Sympathy for the Devil Invoke to: Face down evil creatures Compel to: Refuse to deal with monsters
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Aug 7, 2012 18:05
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Mel grins. “I think it’s rather fetching. As I’m sure, did your father.” She taps one foot on the floor and frowns. “Brother is merely a term you can understand. Demons don’t share blood, so much as concept. We are of the same circle. His is the lust for knowledge, small and hidden. Mine is more… encompassing.” She waves a hand. “It is of no matter. He is a traitor and I do not suffer traitors in my circle. Where is the little cretin?” -- Ruby frowns. “The stone shows what will be, no more and no less. The vision can be altered for good or for ill. You are not a god, dear one. You cannot expect to save everyone.” She hops down from the tree and takes Ada’s hand. Gives it a little squeeze. “Not every fate can be changed.” Ruby says. “Do not despair. You are not fighting simple misfortune, dear one. Your enemy is an old evil, from before the time of men. You cannot win if you fight her head on, as you did last night. You must be cunning. And you must work together.” -- The Cole that opened the door was barely recognizable as the same man. He hadn’t slept, or changed his clothes. He looked about ready to collapse. “What do you want, JR?” He rubbed at his eyes as if the sunlight hurt them. “I’m busy.” mistaya fucked around with this message at 18:38 on Aug 7, 2012 |
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Aug 7, 2012 18:18
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Hugues Turner Fate Points: 4 Hugues rolled his eyes. Yup, she wasn't going to stop with that, it was in her nature. "I don't know. Can't you summon him yourself?" That much was true, Hugues had no idea where Murray was, but knowing Murray he was probably still bound to Mitsuo and with him.
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Aug 7, 2012 18:47
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Ada duSang - FP: 0 "Teamwork and cunning. Guess that's two strikes against me. One more and I'm out." Ada said. Though her words were bitter, they carried no venom. Her failure to act properly still weighed down heavily on her, but it felt a little lighter now. "So I can't just fight her...I need to get around her, and not through her if I'm going to stop her. But how? I'm sure she'll be watching over her ritual. There's no way we can stop that magic without..." And suddenly, Ada's eyes went wide. Of course. That was the answer: Magic. "Mel is a big, strong demon from the pits of hell. But she and her brothers had to come from somewhere. If I can find her summoner and stop him, what will happen to her? Will that be enough to send her back where she came from?"
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Aug 7, 2012 20:36
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Mel groans. “Oh, don’t tell me you actually have some kind of affection for the worm. After he cheated you into that powerless shell? I’d thought you’d want some kind of revenge. I bet he laughed himself sick, seeing you like that. But the answer to your question is no. I cannot summon him. He is cowering behind a mortal master. Until that contract ends I cannot take him as is my right. I am impatient. Give me the mortal’s name.” -- “You sell yourself too short.” Ruby chides, gently. “And you try to bear a heavy burden alone. A mistake not uncommon among your companions.” The Sidhe woman pauses, as if cut off from saying what she wished to. Her face twists into an angry frown before becoming resigned. “I am an agent of Summer. I cannot interfere further. You have what you need, dear one.” She turns away, as if to leave but looks back over her shoulder. “Discord will be the death of you all. Make peace with the Wizard.” She shrugs in a very human gesture, and then she's gone. mistaya fucked around with this message at 21:37 on Aug 7, 2012 |
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Aug 7, 2012 21:23
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| # ? Apr 18, 2024 13:54 |
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Elbridge Hardley - FP: 3 Still fuming at the Council's utter lack of helpfulness, Elbridge decides to try his usual approach. He takes a few minutes to clear his study and re-check the wards around the Blacklist, then begins to shuffle his Tarot deck. With each movement, he reaches out with his will, feeling out the strands of probability and causality and attaching these threads of fate to the cards. The second component of the spell is easier to manage: Elbridge takes Turner's pin and uses it as a lens for his anger and frustration with the Council, with the job, with Turner, and with everything else that's been grating on his nerves lately. The Celtic Cross is one of the most commonly-used formats for Tarot readings. It takes the form of two intersecting lines of three cards each, with the middle cards of these lines crossing each other, and four additional cards in a vertical column to the right of the cross. In this format, there is only one significator, which is also the subject of the reading - in this case, Hugues Turner. Death. The card crossing the significator indicates the principle unknown obstacle to completion of the task at hand. Elbridge draws, and the trouble is revealed. Eight of Coins. Prudence. Odd, but the curator has put enough power into this spell that it should last through multiple readings, and he intends to learn everything he can before making any decisions. The third card, placed below the significator, indicates the source from which this problem arose. Some diviners use different orderings for the outer cards in the cross, but Elbridge has found that it's generally best to perform these readings as one originally learned them. He registers not even the tiniest iota of surprise when the root cause proves to be The Devil. The fourth card is the left arm of the cross, a detail from the subject's past. Inverted Two of Coins - no longer a surprise, but still unpleasant to look at. The fifth card, placed above the significator, refers to the purpose of the reading. It can, at times, also reveal unconsidered perspectives or unforeseen consequences of an undertaking. In this case, however, the Inverted Eight of Swords is quite clearly the goal. Modern, new-age interpretations of the Eight of Swords often deal with restraint, introspection, and excessive concern with societal norms, but Elbridge tends to hew closer to its original meaning: bondage and domination, or escape from such in the case of the inverted card. The sixth card forms the right arm of the cross, and is a factor that may make or unmake this future for good or for ill. The Inverted Seven of Coins denotes hasty or ill-considered action that almost invariably ends in failure. It seems that some telephone calls will be in order once he's finished here. The remaining four cards are arranged bottom to top to form a staff. The seventh and lowermost card represents the tone in which the question is being asked. Eight of Staves: urgency. The eighth card represents the influence of friends, family and allies. Six of Swords: truth, knowledge and discovery. Something to be found, or learned. The ninth card suggests either a course of action or a possible cause for concern. The Queen of Coins, as a person, represents maternity, warmth, material comfort, and friendliness. The significator is Turner himself, and the only woman of note in his life at the moment is an Arch Demon. The notion of her being gentle, maternal, and comforting strikes Elbridge as flatly absurd; far more likely that the card's other meaning of material home is in effect. Something about Turner's home...but what? The tenth card, the tip of the staff, is the outcome of the projected course of action. Judgment: in the context of everything else Elbridge knows, this can only mean Mel's Armageddon spell. With a sigh, the wizard puts on a pot of coffee and begins a new reading. Significator: Death, again. Obstacle: Seven of Coins - patience and waiting. Source of conflict: The Devil. The past: Six of Swords. Goals or other perspectives: Inverted Eight of Swords. Wild card: Five of Cups - disappointment, guilt, emotional crisis and mistrust. Context: Eight of Staves. Influence of others: Ace of Staves: passion, spirit, and self. Guidance or hopes and fears: Nine of Swords - revelation. Outcome: Judgment. So time is the principle constraint, and one or more of the others is about to let guilt and grief drive them into doing something foolish and harmful. Furthermore, Turner evidently found the crucial knowledge and hid it in his apartment. Something about creativity, or self, or...hmmm... New reading. Significator: The Hermit! Obstacle: Eight of Coins. Source of Conflict: Five of Cups. The past: Five of Swords - loss. Goal: Seven of Staves - victory. Wild card: The Tower - crisis. Context: Eight of Staves. Influence of others: The Devil. Guidance: Nine of Coins - gain. Outcome: Death. And then the coin drops. The meaning of the readings becomes clear. Scarcely daring to believe it, Elbridge picks up the phone and dials Warden Cole's number. Disc to add "Attuned to the Cosmic Vibrations" : /++/ +5 = 7. Conviction to add "Getting Hugues Turner Back So I Can Bitch Him Out Myself" : /+/- +4 = 4. Tagging both aspects to meet the 8-shift requirement for the divination. Channeling one shift at a time, can't fail the Disc rolls.
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Aug 7, 2012 21:53
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