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Dress-Up The next day, the usual crowd gathered up at Cole's office before heading over to the Bigsby Barn. Word had gotten out about the New York trip and everyone but JR (who was already there) showed up around lunchtime. Jenny had even gone and picked Hugues up from school early, which Cole did not approve of but it was too late to do anything about. Mr. and Mrs. Bigsby met them at the barn, the former sitting on a hay bale and watching the Ghoul with a glum expression, and the latter putting together the most accurate Union Soldier attire she could for so many people on such short notice. "Now you're sure this cemetery-hopping business isn't disrespectful to the dead? I won't have it, if you're going to be digging up graves of good Southern soldiers." Mrs. Bigsby was a solid woman in her sixties with stark white hair pulled back in a bun and a flower print shirt under her overalls. She waved Ada over, having already completed the look on Rupert, Elbridge, Jenny, and JR. (Mrs. Bigsby was an old pro at 'Sweet Polly Oliver' and even added a dash of light charcoal to give the women a bit of a 5 o'clock shadow.) Mr. Bigsby answered for them. "Nothing like that, Emma, they just walk up an' leave a nice bucket of flowers and pop! Off it goes. I seen that kind o’thing before. Can't even tell they were there." JR had looked at himself in the mirror inside. He looked just like his dad had, in the picture he’d had taken just after the war ended. JR wasn’t sure how he felt about that. "Good. And you all need to hurry up with that there... thing." She waved a hand dismissively at Fat Ghoul. "We wanted to bring up the Lovelins for a barbeque this weekend." "We'll be long gone before then, ma'am." Cole offered. "Sorry about the extended stay." "Oh I don't mind, so long as you clean up after it." She tucked Ada's hair under the blue cap, gave her a pat, and pondered Hugues. "I don't think I have anything in his size." “Oh, don’t worry. Just give me something that can fit Cole and I’ll do some resizing.” Hugues said, looking at the uniforms. “Just...is there anywhere to change?” Once pointed to the still, Hugues wandered off, taking his backpack with him. While Hugues was gone, Jenny took the opportunity to look herself over in the mirror. It was a pretty good makeup job, although her hair kept wanting to spill out of the ponytail she’d tied it into. A few minutes later Hugues came out, fully sized and dangling an empty bottle. “How’s it look?” asked a much older voice. Rupert raised an eyebrow at the now older Hughes as he adjusted his uniform. The outfit seemed to suit him, as if he’d worn its like before. Finally, he asked, “Alright, now that’s something I’ve not heard of a Sidhe doing. Now I’m really curious as to what the heck you are.” “Why, that’s easy. I’m a real boy!” Hugues said, adopting a horrible falsetto. “Does that make Cole Gepetto?” responded Rupert, smirking. “Hey, I have nothing to do with this.” Cole held her hands up in a gesture of mock surrender. “He was like that when I found him, I swear.” Hugues smiled, and dug through his backpack pulling out a similar bottle, filled with a slimy looking potion. “Just a simple potion. Uses ectoplasm to make a puppet suit to wear.” As he put the bottle away, he chuckled. “Okay, maybe not that simple. But sometimes being small makes me stand out more. This works for times like these.” JR snorted to himself. More like a glamour was involved at some level. “Rather impressive, young sir. I’ve known council wizards who couldn’t manage something like that. A prodigy, perhaps, then,” said Rupert with a shrug. “It’s not as complicated as it looks. I just borrowed some notes on how to make a temporary disguise, and tossed in some of Elbridge’s scotch to add a decade or so.” Alright, that’s enough exposing secret bits today. “Speaking of which, where is the old man?” “Turner, I’m right here.” A man in plain Union fatigues glowered at Hugues, and it took a second for him to realize that it was indeed Elbridge. Without his tacky shirt, he looked positively normal. His lip curled up slightly. “I knew a wizard who could manage. I must say, your costume’s resemblance is…uncanny.” If the change bothered Mrs. Bigsby she didn’t show it. “Close but this strap goes on top here… And you’ve got the hat all wrong…” She spent a few minutes fussing over Hugues. “There.” Hugues gave a childish smile, which seemed out of place on his now-adult face. “Thank you. And all costume resemblances go to Mrs. Bigsby here. I had nothing to do with it.” Hugues said, trying to not be obviously annoyed with Elbridge for saying that. While the older wizards sniped at each other, Cole leaned over to whisper to Ada. “So, should I make the joke about both of us being disguised now or did you want to?” Ada looked disappointed. “This isn’t fancy enough. I should’ve asked for a general’s uniform.” Cole facepalmed. “You’re supposed to be in disguise not on parade.” Mrs. Bigsby pointed at Cole. “Alright, last one, come on over.” “Oh, thanks Mrs. Bigsby but I’m not going.” Cole said. She’d put off telling them until now so she didn’t have to make the arguments more than once. “Wait, then who is going to make the portal?” Hugues asked. “If I do it, we might end up in Kansas again.” Or probably Missouri, considering the uniforms most of them were wearing. “That’s why I made this for you.” Cole tossed a small wooden box to Hugues. “Ada knows where the entrance is, and coming back should just be from wherever you pop out at. That should point you in the right direction while you’re inside.” Carefully Hugues peeked inside as he cracked open the lid. Whatever was in there seemed to be glowing. He opened it up all the way, reached inside the box and held it above his head to get a better look at it in the light. A compass. “Huh. Thanks. Got a map to go with it by any chance?” Cole shook her head. “Nothing that’ll work in the NeverNever. That’s only good for this trip. It has to be attuned to the individual path. But it should get you there and back if you get stuck. It was kind of a pain to enchant so try not to lose it.” (The NeverNever Compass is actually one of Cole’s enchanted items, he’s letting you borrow it for this mission. The needle constantly swings while in the real world. While in the NeverNever you can roll Disc to focus it on your destination. Create Advantage action, against a set difficulty.) “How come you’re not coming along, Warden? Worn out after a long night of work - and with age starting to catch up to you as well, perhaps - or was it play, I wonder?” asked Rupert, glancing at Ada and smirking. “I wouldn’t call it play. We wrapped up on a sour note.” Ada said, glancing away. She wasn’t going to tell the others about what Circe had done to Cole unless he felt like coming clean about it first. “Hey, I’m solidly below the average age in this group, although Elbridge skews that upwards by a few decades.” Cole smirked back. “Last night we got a visit from Circe. Just checking up, I guess, but it was enough to make me rethink this trip. If I skip across the country, she’ll know. And if she thinks I’m trying to run, it could lead to some really unfortunate misunderstandings. I don’t want to see anyone get hurt.” She pointed a thumb at Enme over her shoulder. “Besides, somebody’s got to babysit him and I think you guys deserve the chance to see New York without having to worry about who’s holding down the fort here.” “Circe sounds like… quite the character. I don’t envy you the attention, Warden,” responded Rupert, “One last thing - this portal, it’s not something that New York’s local Warden is likely to spot and trace back to you, is it? He might wonder why you never called while you were there, after all, if he thought you’d visited.” “I highly doubt anyone will notice unless you guys start something…” A passing expression of worry crossed Cole’s face. Jenny has the good grace to look faintly embarrassed. “Show your pin if you get into trouble, that should prove what side you’re on. But at least try not to set anything on fire while you’re there, okay?” “Not to worry,” Elbridge buckled the straps on his surgeon’s bag. “I’m told New York has something called ‘building codes’.” “We took after the Old Country there. We’ve got a lot to thank you for.” Ada said, nonchalantly. “By the way, Cole?” “Hmm?” “Just because you’re calling in sick doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. You’re wearing that dress sometime, one way or another.”
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Oct 24, 2013 18:42
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Tomb Jenny parked the Mystery Machine (she’d traded keys with Cole for the day) in an empty lot not too far from the graveyard and the group walked to the gates. Greenwood Cemetery was open to the public for the day, and there were a couple groundskeepers in evidence. An older gentleman with a somber beard gave their costumes a bit of an incredulous look (as he was more used to seeing Grey uniforms than Blue when it came to re-enacting visitors,) but once they set off up the path towards General Benton’s tomb he just gave them a wave and went about his work. They weren’t the only ones there, and fresh flowers were in evidence on several stones. It was quite peaceful really, since under the bright afternoon sun there was no chance of angry spirits rising up and making life interesting. --- With all of Cole and Ada's prepwork, it'll only be a difficulty 5 to open the portal long enough for all of you to pass through. But first you have to locate the exact place to open it, which will require an Investigation roll of 6. (You may use the Sight's Lore-As-Investigation for this.) Also since there's definitely people around you should probably keep property damage and noise to a minimum or you may suffer the consequences.
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Oct 25, 2013 09:18
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Elbridge Hardley - FP: 1 It's a very gentle, dignified sort of day. Cool weather, bright skies with just a hint of cloud, just enough wind for the flags hanging from tombs to flutter - as if the world itself was paying its respects to the fallen soldiers interred at Greenwood. Certainly more respect than the six mages wearing false colours, trying in vain to look inconspicuous as they search for the proper crypt to invade in order to wrench open a portal to the world beyond the world. Elbridge dips the bill of his cap a fraction lower (at least Mrs. Bigsby is an excellent seamstress) and keeps a weather eye out for their destination (or trouble; malicious spirits are unlikely on this side of the veil, but hungry ghouls or mad goddesses are another matter entirely). It doesn't take long to find it - only one mausoleum has the stars and stripes waving from its sconces, and the name 'BENTON' is still legible despite over a century of weathering. Few mourners are in evidence; before that can change, Elbridge scrapes the rust and grime out of the keyhole of the great, iron padlock with a stiff twig and lifts the tumblers with a casual flick of his wrist. The door opens a crack, and he staggers. Cole and Ada were right about the potential - the place is fairly steeped in occult power, draped heavily in layers of history as palpable as any magic. It's a bit much to take in; an intuitive portal would be right out. Elbridge takes a deep breath of less-than-fresh air and begins to calculate: the sarcophagus at the centre; the bas reliefs flanking it; the triangle between the three points; its direction with respect to the sunrise and sunset... Calling 4 shifts of Force to slide the tumblers into position: Discipline //+- +6 = 6, more than enough. Once inside, Lore gets --/+ +6 = 5 to find the portal hotspot - not enough, and I don't want to FP it. Rolling a Scholarship maneuver to generate the tag "Unliving History" instead, passing it to Hugues: +/-/ +3 = 3, just enough.
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Oct 26, 2013 02:53
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Adult Hugues Turner Fate Points: 3 (Hugues rolled a Lore -+-- +6 = 4... which with Elbridge's tag goes back up to 6 which is enough.) "Yeah, looks like you're right, I'm definitely feeling it here, El." Hugues said, taking his hand away from the mausoleum wall to start fumbling through his pockets to pull out Cole's compass. "Just need to keep this close." Focusing his will, Hugues puts his hand back to the wall and felt a small gap between the stones. With his magic flowing through his fingertips, he pulled on that gap as a whooshing sound came through sucking the air of the mausoleum into the abyss beyond. The wall slid open, or perhaps it was more like the portal to the Nevernever shoved the wall out of it's way. Holding the compass out, Hugues turned to the rest of the group. "Alright, this looks like the Way. Let's go." (Kind of just handwaving the portal since Mistaya isn't online right now, but all of us can probably handle it no problem. Rolled Discipline to use the Compass and +++/ +4 = 7!!! Welp!)
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Oct 26, 2013 03:39
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Benson's Field Hugues' doorway opened onto a field of cotton that stretched as far as the eye could see. Endless rows of white fluff, damp with dew in the dawn light. For it was always dawn here, always on the cusp of a new day without ever quite reaching it. In the distance there was a tall plantation home. Smoke rose from the chimney, the windows were wide open and inviting. Not a soul could be seen anywhere. The compass needle wavered and spun for a solid minute. There was no true North in the NeverNever, only the destination that Cole had set for it the night before. When it finally snapped taut it was pointing towards what would have been Northeast, in the real world. Directly at the plantation home. --- Approach however you'd like!
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Oct 26, 2013 06:51
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J.R. - FP: 4 JR looks around the area for a moment. This was probably the most inviting spot he'd seen in his Nevernever (not that he'd spent too much time in the place). Still, appearances could be and usually were deceiving, especially here. "Ain't no sense waiting around, I s'pose," he says to the others before shouting out towards the plantation, "Hello the house!"
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Oct 26, 2013 11:38
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Lady of the House In response, a square white bed sheet appeared in one of the upstairs windows. It waved gently in the morning breeze. Someone was waving the white flag. A woman on a brown mare rode out to them shortly after, reaching the group when they were about halfway to the house. She wore a stiff black dress and had a rifle slung over one shoulder. As she approached it was clear that she was older, maybe in her sixties, with half-moon glasses and her grey hair tied back in a bun that looked eerily similar to Mrs. Bigsby’s. She was gaunt, with sunken cheeks and pitted scars that spoke of surviving the pox. There was a clean bandage tightly wrapped around her forehead. “Hello yourself boys.” She called, as she brought the horse up about ten feet shy of them. “If you need rest and a friend to tell your troubles, you’re welcome to my home. But this is a hospital, and I won’t have any killing being done. Plenty of other folks around here willing to take a shot at a pack of Union men, I can point you in whatever direction you like.” --- You'll need to convince her you aren't here to murder the wounded before she'll let you near the place. Rapport check of 5.
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Oct 27, 2013 19:43
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Jenny Hirsch FP: 3->2 Jenny nods at the woman. "Well, I'm a doctor myself and maybe I could take a look at the men myself, or... hm," she trails off in thought. I'm look like I'm underage and I'm dressed as a private. And what would that even mean? Would I have to do some bloodletting? Do Nevernever spirits even really have blood? I know how to be a real doctor, not fake some 19th century butchering. This could get tricky. Jenny looks down, feigning contrition for the 'lie'. "Sorry ma'am, I mean I've helped in one of the field hospitals, not that I'm a doctor myself. We've no intention of starting any trouble here, and would surely like to rest a spell." Scholarship --/- +4 = 1, because the goddamn bot man, the bots. Rapport -/-+ +5 = 4, so I'll spend a FP and invoke Fool Me Once, Fool Me Twice to lie and get over the hump. Bots. Always out to get you.
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Oct 27, 2013 21:43
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Southern Hospital-ity The woman raised an eyebrow when Jenny claimed to be a doctor but lowered it when she mentioned field hospitals. "Can always use a pair of willing hands." she said. "Just be careful what you say around the goners. They don't always know... And there's no point in getting them riled up about it." She turned her horse, keeping the mare to a walk so she stayed just ahead of them, and waving back at the house. The bed sheet was pulled back into the window. "I'll ask you not to give us your names, strangers. And not to ask for ours. You're only passing through, so it keeps things simpler." There were faces in the windows of the House when they got close enough to see them. Children, mostly. They didn't seem afraid, probably due to the presence of the Lady of the House. A young man in a white shirt with the sleeves pinned up met her alongside the house and took the reigns while she dismounted. He seemed a bit worried. The woman just shooed him along without letting him say anything to them though. The young man walked the horse in the direction of the small barn that was visible now that they were past the place, but kept looking back over his shoulder at them. Hugues noticed he was walking with a limp. "Sad to say I've had a few bad experiences that soured letting soldiers into the house for me, so you can set up on the lawn past the sick-tents. There's a fire pit for comfort and plenty of space for your tents. Just this way, please." Behind the house there were a half dozen cloth tents set up, and more people laying on cots or simple pallets than could be housed in them. There were uniforms of both colors, but more grey than blue. Yet you couldn't call them soldiers anymore. Missing limbs were the most common injuries, it seemed, but simple gunshot wounds had claimed almost as many. There was a scent of sickness on the air, and many of them moaned and twitched in their sleep. The Lady shook her head. "You want to help, just stop by the large tent there in the center. The Doc will put you to use, I've no doubt." They reached the edge of the lawn, where a large circle of stones had been set up and smelled of wood smoke. She pointed at the woods just past the grass. "Plenty of wood out there, for you. Now rest easy until the Preacher comes by." After she left, Hugues checked the compass. The needle continued pointing directly at the house.
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Oct 28, 2013 00:08
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Elbridge Hardley - FP: 1 Mindful of his accent, Elbridge keeps his mouth shut all the way to the fire pit. No need to invite further mistrust for now; not with everything else they'll be doing to merit it in the near future. As she rides back to the house, El glances at the compass in Hugues' hands and mutters a few choice oaths under his breath. "We mustn't enter uninvited," he begins the instant the Lady is out of earshot. "No, there's no Threshold - but she'll know at once, veil or no, and even if we elude her for now she can make our return trip exceedingly unpleasant. It's her demesne, and she's been here for nigh on a century and a half." He frowns as he thinks the situation through. "But there's no guarantee that any other route will take us to New York. If we could change her mind..." Elbridge glances to the field hospital. "In all honesty, it might be best to simply help the, er, 'wounded' on their way. In any event, mind your words - some know that they're dead, some don't, but none of them will be happy if they learn that we aren't. The dead can be rather tetchy about their personal space." Alertness -/+- +3 = 2; Investigate +-/- = 3 to surreptitiously look for other ways in; Lore +-+/ +6 = 7! to know about ghostly demesnes. There will be a reckoning, Krysmbot, oh yes.
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Oct 28, 2013 19:36
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Adult Hugues Turner Fate Points: 3 Although Hugues' eyes were focused on the tents he wasn't really looking at them. For him, memories of his own war days were coming back, and he even had to spend a few nights in places like these. Although back during World War II, the medical technology was a little better, and the medical wizards were more capable than the mortal doctors. The smell still seemed the same, just with a few more animals around. At the very least, it was better than the Nevernever connected to Auschwitz. "I'm with El on this one. Looks like we may be stuck here a little bit. I'm going to take a look around, and gather a little firewood while we're at it." (Investigation fore firewood and maybe other neat stuff +/-- +2 = 1... welp.)
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Oct 29, 2013 02:41
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Jenny Hirsch FP: 2 Jenny raised a hand to her hair, stopping herself at the last moment before pulling the cap off and running her hand through it. The cloth cap itched strangely, even here. Especially here, really. "That makes sense, El. I'm... not really sure what doctoring here is going to entail, or what they'll expect. I think I skipped class the day they were teaching us about bloodletting." She pauses. "If they even have blood. I should be able to figure something out, though." They'd had to leave Jenny's big bag of medical supplies in the trunk of her car, against her protests. Cole had been adamant that it wouldn't work with the costume, and also faintly worried that if she had it then they would need it. Jenny had insisted on some clean gauze and surgical tape at the very least, which was currently stuffed into her pocket. "Alright, come on. Anyone who wants to come is welcome to, but follow my lead."
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Oct 29, 2013 22:25
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Ada duSang - FP: 1 -> 2 / S: OOOO (P) / OOOO (M) (-2/-4/-6) Looking around her, Ada felt a twinge of regret in her chest. These people were all long dead. She shouldn't be worried about their welfare because their time had already come and gone regardless. So why was she still wondering what had caused their spirits to remain behind in this situation? How had they died? And was there anything she could do to soothe their pains? When Jenny spoke, she broke her silence as well. "I'm in. Let's see what we can do." She said.
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Oct 30, 2013 01:09
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What Ails The Dead? As Jenny, Elbridge, Ada, and Rupert approached the large central tent, the flap opened and two men in stained coats rushed out carrying a stretcher between them. There was a body on the stretcher, covered in a white sheet. The form beneath the sheet moved, letting out a deathly rattle as the stretcher-bearers rushed past the group in the direction of the house. Standing in the now open tent, the doctor wiped his hands on a brown-stained rag. He was pencil thin, balding, with a black patch covering one eye that made him look like a pirate. His eye shifted from the runners to the group, and widened in surprise. "Oh my. Fresh faces, for once. Still intact, still... vibrant." There was clear desire in his tone as he waved them over. "Come to lend a hand? Offer succor for the wounded? Not that is any to be had, mind you. But we try, oh yes. We try." He turned and shuffled back into the tent. "It's the wraiths, you see. The war was bad enough, but there were rules, there was courtesy. You're supposed to give it back, see? If you give it back then everything goes back to how it was. I can do my work! I can heal people. But now... Now the wraiths take and take until everyone... fades away. We'll all be wraiths, soon. No helping it now." A soldier on a nearby cot coughed twice, and his gasp became a rattle. "drat it not another one!" The doctor stumbled towards him, wringing his hands futilely. The soldier's face had gone grey, his eyes wide and staring. One hand clutched at the empty air in front of him. "drat it, drat it... If we could only take it all back..." Dire Straights A few minutes later, the young man who'd taken the horse away joined the remaining two at the little camp. Hugues had a small fire going by now, (he hadn't seen anything interesting in the woods.) His limp was more pronounced when he tried to hurry, and he looked... faded, somehow. "Sorry, folks. Wraiths got Preacher a while back. Lady forgets sometimes, got a lot on her mind what with all the attacks." He sat down on one of the logs in front of the fire and kept glancing between JR and Hugues. "Bright and shiny as new pennies, the pair of you. Where you from that ain't been hit by them things?" mistaya fucked around with this message at 09:54 on Oct 30, 2013 |
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Oct 30, 2013 08:08
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Elbridge Hardley - FP: 1 "An ugly situation, to be sure," Elbridge offers his sympathies. And a threat to our own passage, he thinks - with enough wraiths gnawing at the pocket, the geography might shift enough to wrench it out of alignment with the rest of the NeverNever and sever their waypoint. Adjusting his spectacles and adopting his best professorial tone, Elbridge explains for the benefit of the others. "Wraiths are mnemophages - memory-eaters. When they cannot scavenge enough from what the living forget, they prey upon the dead. They ravage ghosts for their remaining humanity in a vain effort to restore their own; their victims are left hollow and frail, soon becoming wraiths themselves." But perhaps..."This process can, however, be forestalled with borrowed energies, or halted by the return of the lost memories. He tips his cap to Ada. "Mademoiselle. I believe this would be a most instructive exercise for you...if you would be so kind?" El glances meaningfully at the greying ghost on the cot. Something else bothers him, though. The Lady is a ghost of no small power herself; her demesne should be impenetrable, if she wished it so. He nods the doctor aside. "If I may ask, how are these creatures managing their invasion?" Lore +--- +5 = 3 to know about Wraith Sickness; ffs Krysmbot. Luckily it's enough.
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Oct 30, 2013 21:27
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Ada duSang - FP: 2 / S: OOOX (P) / OOOO (M) (I Donated Today!/-4/-6) Ada was on the move before El could finish speaking, approaching the soldier's cot. Before his hand could drop, she knelt beside him and clutched it. "Not here. Not yet." She hissed, her free hand searching for a pulse she knew did not exist. Why was she trying so hard to preserve the life of a man who was already dead? "You can't fade away like this." Ada searched for something, anything she could use to help but there was nothing there. Desperate, she glanced past the soldier's eyes...and felt something slipping away. Locking her gaze onto them, Ada tightened her grip on the soldier's hand and began to chant, calling up power for a spell she'd been practicing for quite some time. "Mimnio...Athessa...Sansara..." It wasn't like anything she'd done before. It wasn't like the ritual she'd spent so long refining. The words were the same, but this...this was its own thing. The more power she called up, the colder Ada felt as blood came up her arm, gathering in her hand and slipping through her skin and into the soldier's body, turning into a swirling mix of colors and sounds in the process. Eventually, it was done. Slowly, gently, Ada put the soldier's arm down and shivered. She felt absolutely exhausted. All she wanted to now was slip into her bed and tuck in for the day, but there wasn't any chance of that. Breaking eye contact, she looked at the doctor and spoke. "Is it enough?" Ada makes a Conviction roll to funnel blood (and life) into the ghost, prolonging its existence. A roll of +6 allows her to take that many shifts in damage to give it to the wounded, which she does, taking the Mild consequence I Donated Today! in the process.
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Oct 31, 2013 23:46
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Doctor Desperate "Oh!" The doctor covered his mouth with one hand to stifle his own exclamation as Ada worked her magic. By the time she finished there were tears running down his cheeks. "You did it. You did it!" The excitement in his voice was uncontainable but he still kept it to a harsh whisper. "You're not like us... You're...!" With one shaking hand he reached towards Ada, but stopped himself before he touched her. "May I? Please, please... It's been so long..." Shuddering, Ada simply nodded. The effort had left her too exhausted to speak, for the moment. Under the other’s watchful eyes he took one of her hands in both of his. The ghost’s skin was like ice, cold and rough. “Warm, so warm.” There was a hungry look in his eyes, a shadow of the emptiness Ada had sensed behind the wounded soldier’s. But he fought it down and released her hand. Quickly he turned and closed the tent flap, hiding them from view. He glanced around at the wounded inside. There weren’t many, and none lucid. The soldier Ada had given blood to slept. Unlike the others his face had color to it, and he seemed at peace. Nodding, the doctor began to pace. “You must be careful. No one can know, especially the Lady. She’s not who she once was. It could go badly if she knew. You mustn’t tell her.” He looked at Elbridge. “This is a hospital and a haven and a prison, all in one. She brings the wounded here, as she always has. Even what remains remembers that much. But when she leaves us the house is unguarded. The wraiths attack, and we lose bits and pieces every time. No one else is strong enough to keep them away.” He pointed to his forehead, where the Lady had that fresh white bandage. “They broke her, stole her spark of life. Without that, without Her, we are lost. If someone tries to leave, she fetches them back. Trapped, defenseless, giving into despair…” That hungry look returned for a second. “Help us, strangers. I beg you. End the Lady, lay her to rest so we can flee this deathtrap.” mistaya fucked around with this message at 02:22 on Nov 1, 2013 |
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Nov 1, 2013 02:20
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Adult Hugues Turner Fate Points: 3 Hugues let out a heavy sigh as he sat down in front of the bonfire. With his legs crossed, he felt like he could just sit in front of the fire and let time just slip away. Even if he didn't have the fatigue of a long day's work, anyone could always sit in front of a fire and take off their worries. But he snapped out of his little trance as the limping man sat down by the bonfire. "Just passing through. Where we're from, wraiths aren't as much of a problem but other things are more common. A few vampires waking the dead that should have stayed asleep, managed to get away from their drums. Don't worry, pretty sure nothing's following us, especially not wraiths." (Deceit to get him to stop worrying about where we're from and why we're so clean looking /--- +3 = 0... Welp! Hugues looked around the camp, noting the others playing their roles as doctors. "Looks like you lot have been here for a while. How many of there are you here? ...and how many were around before?" Krysmphoenix fucked around with this message at 21:30 on Nov 2, 2013 |
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Nov 2, 2013 03:31
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Under Suspicion The young man frowned at Hugues. "Passin' through, from where stranger? Ain't no place round here hasn't been hit. No place we can get to anyway. So I'll say it again. Where'd you come from? If you can't even tell me that, then you best be moving along before the Lady decides she'd like to keep you here. Times are hard enough without strangers stirring up more trouble." He wiped his nose with one hand, a gesture that seemed strange on a dead man. "Neighbors' ain't as nice as our place, though. Best be armed if you're headin' on through."
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Nov 2, 2013 21:28
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J.R. - FP: 4 With Hugues's lie being seen through, might as well try some truth. "We just crossed into the Nevernever -just passin' through. And as far as bein' armed, well," JR opens his coat enough to reveal his pistols, "I don't go anywhere without being heeled."
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Nov 6, 2013 23:50
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Fireside Chat "Into... from Outside?" The ghost gasped. "I haven't been Outside in drat near a decade! The Lady keeps us here, won't let anyone leave. She's not quite right in the head ever since she brought back that Doctor fella. Everything was all right before that. But now, the Lady brings back all the wounded and then they moan and cry and fall apart when they can't get put back together. Right shame, all of it." He wiped his nose again, sniffling as if he had a cold. "If the Neighbors weren't such misers we might be able to fix things but good luck trying to get a friendly shake from that lot. Anyways, like I said, best be moving along unless you want to stay because once she lays a claim the Lady won't let you go again. New pennies like you don't interest the old bat, only us broken folks." He pulled up the bottom of one pant-leg, revealing a wooden fake that explained the limp. "I'm just lucky I was broken before instead of after. Least this way I get to keep my wits. Wouldn't want to be one of the poor bastards she drags in nowadays, that's sure as sure."
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Nov 7, 2013 01:14
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Who You Gonna Call? “Her spark of life?” Ada said, taking a deep breath. “...What do you mean by that? They hurt her like they hurt this man, too?” A look of guilt crossed the doctor’s face for a second. “No, not like him. That boy never had a spark. Most don’t. It’s rare, you see. Very rare. Realizing what you aren’t.” “You mean she knows she’s a ghost?” Ada looked at the doctor, puzzled. “How? I thought ghosts had no idea of what they were.” Elbridge shook his head. “A common misconception, but an understandable one. The ones who don’t know...well, they’re the most likely to get lost and end up haunting the living world.” He sighed. “...sadly, this rather simplifies things. Find what was taken from the Lady, help her to pass…” He gritted his teeth. “...and let another take up her mantle, and the rest of the matter should settle itself.” “And if there isn’t anyone who can take the spot? Won’t the wraiths swarm this place?” Ada asked. She could see where this could go, and besides, she wasn’t sure she liked it. A ghost with a purpose and awareness sounded less like a ghost and more like something else. Something far more alive… Rupert looks at the doctor while the others speak, finally asking, “You said ‘they’ broke her. Who do you mean by that? If we knew who stole it, we could perhaps retrieve it and restore her.” “Yes, they will swarm and devour this cursed house and be welcome to it.” The ghost said. His fury was barely contained. “Once we are free, we can leave this place, find real shelter!” But the anger faded as quickly as it had appeared, and the doctor sagged as if showing even that much emotion had drained him. “The wraiths were not the ones to cripple the Lady. But I can’t risk our one chance at freedom on a false hope. Don’t seek them out, I beg you.” He paused, as if realizing what else Elbridge had said. “Or… yes, let the mantle pass. Let it pass to me. I’m not what she was, but I can hold them back long enough to let everyone here flee at least. I can do that much. There’s no one else left lucid enough to do it.” Jenny tilts her head to one side, studying the doctor’s unearthly expression as he rants. “If you won’t tell us who crippled the Lady, why should we believe the truth of your tale? You’re gambling a great deal by involving us in the first place. There’s no reason to take half-steps.” (Rapport +-/- +5 = 4 THANKS BOTBAMA) The doctor opened his mouth to protest but thought better of it. “You… may have the right of it. Certainly returning her to what she was would solve all of our problems, yes?” He rapped his knuckles together nervously. “They are the neighbors. The Lady wouldn’t let them hide here, you see, so they attacked her while she was away… vulnerable… And now we have this miserable state of affairs.” He sighed. “To travel beyond the cotton fields takes a day and a night by horse, but I know a faster way. Are you sure this is the course you want to take?” “Certainty is for dead people,” Elbridge remarked. “Let’s hear it, then.” “There’s a gateway in the root cellar behind the house.” The doctor said. He pulled a simple iron key out of his pocket and handed it to Elbridge. “It doesn’t connect to the inside, it’s just a hole in the ground with a door on top, so you shouldn’t have any trouble with the Lady… But…” Elbridge tilted his head. He didn’t say anything; he just glared over the rims of his glasses. “Well, it’s the only secure place we had to… to keep the ones who turned.” “So you want us to do...pest control.” Ada said. She shivered once again. Once more the doctor looked at his feet. “We have only the one horse, and no one rides but the Lady. If you would prefer to go the long way, I can draw you a map.” “That’s out then. We’ll have to take our chances.” Ada said, sighing. “How many of them are there?” He counted on his fingers for a moment then shook his head. “Um, perhaps… a score? It’s difficult to remember… We’ll have to look and see. Though destroying them would be a great boon to us, you only need to get by them. The cellar can hold them forever if it must.” Ada didn’t like this. Throwing down with a powerful, possibly uniquely gifted ghost only to buy the demesne a little more time and putting down crazed wraiths wasn’t her idea of a fun day out, but it didn’t look like they had much choice. The clock was ticking, and every second spent here was one they wouldn’t be able to use hunting down information in New York. “We’ll see what we can do. C’mon, everyone, let’s take a look at the basement. And remember, don’t cross the streams while ghostbusting.” Jenny sighed. “Remind me to tell Cole that his portal sucks. But… well, what the hell.” Jenny grinned as she followed Ada out of the tent, humming a familiar song to herself as she walked. Elbridge’s eye twitched so hard it pulled a muscle.
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Nov 7, 2013 02:26
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Adult Hugues Turner Fate Points: 3 Hugues let out a sigh of relief, looks the ghost was alright with them being alive after all. "Well, this isn't a one way trip, we're probably going to be coming back through here, so helping your situation helps ours." He looked back over at the tent, it looks like the girls were done. "Who are these 'Neighbors' you're talking about? Or perhaps better yet, what are they?"
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Nov 8, 2013 22:04
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About the Neighbors "Confederates, mostly." The man scratched his head, unsure if that was the right answer. "Nobody over there's as strong as our Lady though. Just there's a lot of them, and well..." He laughed. "Might have been the General's house once upon a time. He'll never stop being sore over that no matter how bad it gets here." He stood up and tipped his finger to his forehead in a very small salute. "Looks like things are starting to move along. I'll leave you to it then." He shuffled off as the rest of group returned to the fire to collect Hugues and JR. A few minutes of shared information later, the group approached the root cellar behind the house. It looked a lot like any storm cellar would, with flat whitewashed wooden doors. The heavy chains and the old timey padlock keeping them closed were a little ominous though. Hugues brought out the compass one more time, and was surprised to find that now that he was right in front of it, the needle pointed to the cellar, not the house itself. ---- Elbridge has the key to the cellar. It's up to you if you want to go in heavy or sneaky.
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Nov 9, 2013 01:58
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Elbridge Hardley - FP: 1 Elbridge's eye flicked to the compass in Hugues' hand briefly before returning to the key in his own. In the mortal world, this would be a windfall - a shortcut, a stroke of luck. Sometimes, there truly is such a thing as free lunch. Not so in the NeverNever. What is valuable here, is dangerous, and vise-versa. Nothing else to it, then. Time to get this over with. And then it occurs to Elbridge that he is a seer, and that he is being quite daft because seers can look through walls. And so he does exactly that. Spending lowest MStress on Ananta-Drishti! for an automatic Alertness 5 result, targeted inside the root cellar.
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Nov 11, 2013 04:59
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Wraiths In The Cellar Elbridge's glasses appeared to fog up, but the wizard waited patiently as the steam formed into images of the interior of the root cellar. Beyond the locked doors, twin circular discs hovering around head-height would have glittered had there been any light. There wasn't, but it didn't matter. The discs reflected what they saw in grey and white, similar to a backscatter. (Which was no coincidence, science often borrowed from magic once technology caught up.) A short flight of stairs led down to the dirt floor. There were shelves of bell jars and tin cans along the walls, and along those shelves wraiths rested. They were roughly humanoid still, with gaping mouths and empty eyes. But there was nothing left of who they'd once been. Several of them seemed to have clustered in the center of the room, and Elbridge approached, curious. They were touching and patting and mouthing on one of their own. Scraps of cloth floated in the air around it, the remains of a uniform. The old wizard remembered the covered stretcher that had been taken away from the tent as they arrived. The newest wraith was already indistinguishable from the rest, and there was a soft clink as what looked like a medal fell from the last scrap of uniform to land on the hard earth. Elbridge looked down. There were other trinkets here and there, reminders that these monsters had once been more. The creatures seemed to be dormant, for now. They rested, clustered, unmoving, and silent in the dark. --- Thanks to Elbridge's scouting you get a free surprise round! mistaya fucked around with this message at 22:24 on Nov 13, 2013 |
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Nov 12, 2013 06:53
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J.R. - FP: 4->3 "Best way of dealing with a nest is to bust right in," JR said to the others. "Leastways, it's the best if they ain't expecting guests. And seein' how we got places to be, might as well pony up. El, unlock the chain and open the door on three." As Elbridge did what JR requested, JR readied himself in front of the door. At a whispered count of "One, two, THREE!" JR hurled himself down the stairs as the door was opened, landing in a roll on the dirt floor that ended with JR on one knee and his revolver firing into the nearest wraith. First guns attempt was a bust, so FP it. The rerolled result was Guns /+/- +5 = 5, with a Weapon: 3 ignoring up to Armor 2
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Nov 12, 2013 08:01
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Elbridge Hardley - FP: 1 Elbridge doesn't waste a moment. Following closely behind JR, he hastens down the stairs and steps to one side so as to not obstruct the others. Before the wraiths clustered in the basement's centre can react, he places his wrists together with his fingers crooked and closes his hands like a bear trap. "Kshuudra!" 5-shift Force Block on physical actions, same as Elbridge used against the Grave Knight: +/-+ +6 = 7 to control/attack. If there are any Supplemental penalties for going downstairs, he can eat up to -2 without losing the spell.
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Nov 12, 2013 20:04
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Rupert Singh - FP:1 Keeping low, Rupert bounds down the stairs two at a time, dropping into a crouch in front of Elbridge, revolver drawn and raised. Rather than firing, however, the old wizard raises his left hand, palm facing the wraiths. With a muttered cry ("Essaim de mille couteaux!"), a sheet of fine needles, formed from shimmering purple energies, forms beside his raised palm. With a sweep of his hand, Rupert finishes the spell and the needles fly forwards, zipping at the wraiths like shards of fine glass. (( Force Evocation, 6 Shifts. Mental Stress: OOOX Discipline(+5): -/++ +5 = +6 ))
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Nov 13, 2013 03:55
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Adult Hugues Turner Fate Points: 3 Hugues tried to squeeze past Rupert and Elbridge as he drew his sword and moved down the stairs. He wasn't as small as he was used to being, but that skill of squeezing past the big people was still one he developed. He had planned on charging down the stairs and using the momentum as part of his attack, but squeezing past the two older wizards left took more work than he thought leaving a rather clumsy attack coming down. But at least he still had the element of surprise! (Using the new sword! Weapons: 2 with Weapons +/-- +3 = 2... Krysmbot!)
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Nov 13, 2013 22:04
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Jenny Hirsch FP: 2 S: OOO (P) XOOO (M) Jenny dropped to one knee, staying behind the rest of the group as they pounded down the stairs. There wasn't any point in adding to the press of bodies below her, and there was enough clearance to fire a spell over their heads. She drew her right hand back, drawing in power before thrusting it forward, fist clenching as the spell erupted from her hands. It wasn't quite what she was expecting. In the real world, force spells tended to be completely invisible, only noticeable as pressure in the air and by whatever objects they sent hurling through the air. Here, though, her spell took shape, a set of faintly glowing purple lines in the shape of a hand. The lines curled in on each other, drawing themselves into a fist just as her own hand had, and flew straight through the air towards her target. Summoning power, /-+/ +6 = +6 at W:4 to go Wraithblasting.
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Nov 14, 2013 03:53
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Ada duSang - FP: 2 / S: OOOO (P) / XOOO (M) (I Donated Today!/-4/-6) Ada was the last to come down the stairs, watching as her friends unleashed hell on the wraiths. As she raised her knife and performed a practiced cut, she felt a pang of pity. The wraiths had been people, once, but now their minds were lost to their hunger, mere broken shells of the men they'd once been. There was nothing she could do to help them. The only thing she could do was give them some real rest. As she focused on her purpose, the thin stream of blood pouring out of the cut rose above her hand, taking on a pointed edge like a spear, fraying into a spiral behind it. Scanning the wraiths, Ada found a suitable target and released the spell. "Suru Haita!". The lance of blood flew with power and purpose, striking true. Calling up four shifts of power to turn to Weapon shifts, then making a roll to launch Ada's old standby at the wraiths. With a base of +5 and a roll of -+++, the final result is +7! That's gotta hurt. Incidentally, also bracing for an incoming pandemonium...
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Nov 14, 2013 08:15
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Maximum Overkill! As the door flung open the wraiths inside the room turned towards the unfriendly light and were met with an even more unfriendly JR opening fire on them. His target didn't bleed, but white ectoplasm splattered all over the shelved behind it as it flopped to the ground and began dissolving into a puddle of goo. Elbridge's entrapment spell caught the pack of four in the middle, freezing them in place. Rupert's needles turned one into a cactus, leaking white fluid all over the floor, about a second later it couldn't hold together and popped like a water balloon. Hugues' might not have instantly slain one with his sword work, but he did wound it severely. Jenny's spectral hand squashed one against the back wall with enough force that it just exploded. And Ada's blood spear neatly impaled another against the same splat mark. It didn't explode, it just leaked out all over the floor. Fully a third of them destroyed in the opening salvo, the wraiths let out hissing sounds. At first, it seemed like they were angry, but that wasn't it. A light mist of ozone drifted on the air, the energy from the magic expended. It collected around the gaping maws, as they started feeding on it, and all of them seemed to grow in size, and their empty eyes began to glow red. Seconds later, the feasting Wraiths turned on the group. Or rather specifically... on Ada. ----- You've activated the wraith's Stunt, "Energy Siphon": If you overkill a wraith with magic, the rest of the wraiths can buy attack, defense, or consequence slots at 2 shifts of overkill per point. They also have a second Stunt, "Revengeance": Wraiths always move first the round after a wraith is slain. There were 16 to start with. After this round there are 12, 4 bound for one turn. Round 1 defense rolls: /-/+ = 0, +/++ = 3, ++-/ = 1, +/+/ = 2, /+-- = -1, /++- = 1 Results: JR splatters his without using magic, El's hold on the pile succeeds at 4 shifts so I'll say he catches 4 wraiths in the hold and can spend his shifts on duration, Rupert overkills his by 7 shifts, Hugues hits his for 3 stress, Jenny overkills hers by 11 shifts (lol!), and Ada overkills hers by 10 shifts. Round 1 Wraith stats: 0 Fists, 0 Athletics, No Consequences. 4 Health Boxes. Round 2 Wraith stats: 4 Fists, 4 Athletics, Mild + Moderate. 4 Health Boxes. 12 wraiths remain 4 are bound 1 unbound has 3rd box crossed off INIT: Wraiths JR <---We are here! Elbridge Hugues Ada Rupert Jenny
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Nov 14, 2013 22:17
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Alisa duSang - FP: 2 -> 3 / S: XXXX (P) / XOOO (M) (I Donated Today! (Physical)/-4/Soul Riven (Physical)) For a moment, the wraiths looked at Ada, studying, assessing, seeking something...and when they found it, they dived. Moving as one, the ghosts surged with incredible speed. Moving past JR, Hugues, Elbridge and Rupert, they surrounded her, leering. "If you know what's good for you, stay back." Ada whispered, brandishing the knife. Time seemed to slow down as the first of the wraiths lunged. Stepping to the side, Ada managed to get out of the way, but lost her balance for a moment. Seeing her vulnerability, the next wraith threw himself towards Ada like a missile, but he was so eager that when she intentionally let herself fall down, it went tumbling into one of his friends. The next one dived after her, and Ada rolled out of the way...but then she hit something solid. As she looked up, she saw one of the wraiths looming over her. As they descended upon her, one thought crossed her mind. "Not yet. I can't go when he still needs someone to help him live again!" The first bite was a jolt of pain going through her arm, but it was nothing compared to what happened afterward. After latching on and piercing the skin, the wraith begin to suck deeply, drawing Ada's blood and her very life out of her. As more and more of its fellows joined it, the pain became blinding. Desperately, Ada tried to use the pain and the open wounds to cast a spell, but it was so hard... ...And then a fountain of blood erupted amidst the wraiths, sending them flying and revealing a bloody Ada. Her uniform was now torn and bloodstained, and holes had been bored through the skin in several places. As she stood up weakly, Ada spoke, and though it was her voice, the inflections and tone did not belong to her. "You're crazy! Completely crazy! What were you thinking using blood against them, you insane bi-" The diatribe cut off abruptly, as Ada stared at her hands in disbelief, then looked around. Then, Alisa screamed, and fear, shock, joy and life mingled in her voice. "I'M ALIVE!!" --- Compelling Marked for A Grim Fate to have the Wraiths focus on Ada. I'll let the results of their attacks and her defense speak for themselves. <Krysmbot> mistaya, +/// +4 = 5, /-/- +4 = 2, +-/- +4 = 3, +/+/ +4 = 6, -/// +4 = 3, +-/+ +4 = 5, +/-/ +4 = 4, //+/ +4 = 5 <Krysmbot> TransientPeople, +++/+2 = 5, /++++2 = 5, +++-+2 = 4, -+/++2 = 3, +--/+2 = 1, /+-/+2 = 2, -//-+2 = 0, -++-+2 = 2 Ada uses the Success with Style from her second roll to mitigate one of the rolls, while the last Wraith taps her Mild Consequence. She fills her entire physical stress track and takes the Severe Consequence Soul Riven. That Compel: TOTALLY WORTH IT. 
Transient People fucked around with this message at 23:41 on Nov 17, 2013 |
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Nov 14, 2013 23:39
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Jenny Hirsch Jenny cringes, reaching for Ada as the wraiths swarm around her. She's too far out of reach for a quick grab. Well, gently caress this. "Everyone out! Now!"
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Nov 15, 2013 00:20
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J.R. - FP: 3 JR, getting an idea of what Jenny has planned, retreats backwards up the stairs. His shot at a wraith goes while as his heel catches on the front of the step. Guns /--- +4 = 1 is a miss, supplemental to move back outside
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Nov 15, 2013 00:25
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Adult Hugues Turner Fate Points: 3 Wait a second, those wraiths took the power from... (Lore +++- +5 = 7!! Success with Style, discovers "Magic Siphon" Aspect on the Wraiths and two tags.) "They ate your extra magic! Elbridge, Rupert! Try using a counterspell on them, get rid of some of the extra power. Jenny! Smaller attacks, just enough hurt them, don't let them munch on your leftovers." Hugues takes a step back and casually swings his sword in the direction of the wraiths that attacked Ada to herd them away from her. "Ada, you alright there, soldier?"
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Nov 15, 2013 03:38
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Elbridge Hardley - FP: 1 Phys: OXOO; Ment: XXXO; No Consequences "Turner!" Elbridge acknowledges the order. He grimaces in concentration and... ...nothing, except perhaps for a burst blood vessel in his eye. The cellar is saturated with the wraiths' fell power; it is well and truly a home to them, and it fights his efforts to steal the energy from its denizens, from it. Trying again, he musters his power once more, focusing more precisely on the individual wraiths. His hands mime the motions of plucking invisible leeches from the air, even as his nose begins to bleed. "Karshhati!*" Hastily, he stumbles up the stairs before Miss Hirsch can unleash whatever she has planned, trailing crimson droplets as he goes. Calling up six shifts of 'countermagic', aimed first and foremost at taking away the wraiths' new Consequence slots: /-/- +5 -1 for moving = 2, yuck. Taking Krysm's Boost (let's call it "Please Don't Feed The Wraiths") for a reroll: -+-+ +4 = 4, less awful. *To draw, as one would water from a well, or venom from a wound
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Nov 15, 2013 22:51
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Alisa duSang - FP: 2 -> 3 / S: XXXX (P) / XOOO (M) (I Donated Today! (Physical)/-4/Soul Riven (Physical)) Alisa didn't stop to take in the fact that she once again head a real body for too long. The tone in Jenny's voice was too commanding to hesitate. Turning around, she bolted up the stairs, not willing to let any of the wraiths around take another bite out of Ada's mangled body. Since she cannot cast magic, Alisa moves back outside. Let's hope the wraiths can't come a-knockin' now. Transient People fucked around with this message at 23:42 on Nov 17, 2013 |
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Nov 15, 2013 23:42
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 15:53 |
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Rupert Singh - FP:1 Nodding at Hughes' suggestion, Rupert lowers his hand, placing it palm down upon the cellar's floor. With a quiet chant, "Terre, tenir compte de mon appel. Siphon la puissance éternelle,"* he casts a spell to draw the excess magic into the earth, away from the wraiths. Turning away, he scrambles up the stairs after the others. (( Six more shifts of countermagic to assist Elbridge. Mental Stress: OXOX, Takes Mild "Magic Migraine" Discipline(+5-1): -/+/ +4 = +4. Tag "Magic Siphon" for +2 to reach +6. Supplemental to move outside. *Earth, heed my call. Siphon the power eternal. )) ChrisAsmadi fucked around with this message at 02:37 on Nov 16, 2013 |
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Nov 16, 2013 02:17
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