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Danny Cooper I savor the stout. Sally’s a good girl and she’s nice about me coming off the mountain all smelly, but she doesn’t stock much more than the bigname pisswaters. The sheriff’s question pulls me back out of my enjoyment. ”Oh, we haven’t really got much of a start. But things look promising, especially on a full stomach. Hopefully the weather won’t put us any further behind.” As the sheriff spills his coffee, I slid him a few of my own napkins. He may be a bit on the odd/creepy side, but no man deserves hot coffee on their thigh. (I never got back to you about the other Aspiration I achieved, so here are two: -get Joe to unwind sightly -find out the supplier of the stout)
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Mar 25, 2018 00:48
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Jason Vandermeer The psychologist raises an eyebrow; for just a moment there, the sheriff had reacted very badly to absolutely nothing at all. The tightening of his jawline, the glare in his eye, and his entire body language.. something had apparently just occurred to the man, and it was certainly a bit odd. Jason glances at his coffee curiously for a moment before speaking, his voice calming and soothing. He didn't know what set the man off, but Jason suspected some sort of PTSD; it was common in law enforcement, after all, "Is everything okay, Sheriff Young? You look like you just remembered something unpleasant. Will you be alright?" Empathy (Calming) Roll: 7d10o9h8 2
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Mar 25, 2018 12:01
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Mr. Prokosch posted:Joe Time slows for Joe as he focuses his mind to try and find answers from the tide of systems swirling around him. His eyes focus on the floor, as the light of the burning fire paints the carpet with shivering diamond shapes through the mesh of the can. As Joe watches the diamonds tug themselves into shapes, shapes that seem familiar (of the book?), but he knows they're honest. They answer him without form. Can I use the book to destroy the book? No Can I hurt the entity by putting the town to flame? No Then the lights stop talking. Even over the pulsing hiss of the fire, Joe hears the screech of tires outside, three floors down in the parking lot. Do you go left or right? PoultryGeist posted:Danny Cooper "Ah, thanks. Ha ha," The sheriff's laugh is oddly stiff, "I, ah -" He's interrupted by Jason. John Dyne posted:Jason Vandermeer Your attempt to soothe him hits a wall, as you quickly surmise (wits+emp, 4d10, 1 suc) that for whatever physical reaction the man had, it has not left him shaken in the slightest. He is completely relaxed, maybe even a little giddy. "Sheriff?" Gil's voice is lilted upward in uncertainty as you see the barman look out through the picture windows at the front of the establishment. You turn just in time to see a large red Ford F150, bed covered, jump the curb and screech to a stop just in front of the doors. A very large man climbs out as soon as the truck lumbers to a stop and just about charges through the front door.  "That son of a bitch took her. He took her!" The man screams. ****** PoultryGeist posted:(I never got back to you about the other Aspiration I achieved, so here are two:
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Mar 27, 2018 19:24
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Danny Cooper What the poo poo. I turn sideway slowly, still sitting at the bench but somewhat facing this screaming fucker. My hands clench slightly. Someone busting into a place screaming is never a good sign, but I reign in my instincts. This isn’t Sally’s, and technically the law is already here. I’m ready for poo poo to go down, but I’m not going to start anything. Hell, maybe this is just some local nutter, and this is how he gets lunch normally. Yeah, right. My eyes flick across the big man and through the window to his cockeyed truck, trying to pick out anything that might help get a handle on this situation. Check to notice anything weird about the New Guy (aside from the screaming): Preception: 5d10o9h8 1
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Mar 28, 2018 23:34
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Joe Joe spits on the fire spitefully. He takes out his gun and eyes it. Would probably be for the best to end it right here. Considering the implications of this thing's success, the right thing is almost certainly suicide. But that was a delaying tactic. It would find another victim and gum things up even in its search. Besides... I don't have the strength to do it. Not now. Let's see what other jokes it has in store for me. Joe leaves the room, letting the fire burn. He walks over to the lobby to meet whatever is coming. He shouts for the guy at the front desk, "hey, rear end in a top hat! I lit my room on fire if you give a poo poo. I don't know if you're a real person, but if you are gently caress you for not giving the heads up about the goddamn cursed book. If you aren't... gently caress you twice for being whatever the gently caress you are!" I might never read again. Books are burn on sight. gently caress knowledge. I go right? I think this is right.
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Mar 29, 2018 00:11
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Jason The psychiatrist nods slightly and scratches at his beard in thought. The sheriff's reactions were a little odd and he couldn't imagine why he'd seem like he just remembered the stove was on and then turn giddy. For the moment, Jason just chalks it up to stress, and is about to dig into his stew when the man busts in screaming about how someone has been taken. Jason gives Danny a glance, seeing he's on edge as well, and takes a deep breath. There was already law enforcement here, but if the man was hysterical, he might need a professional touch. Keeping his voice low, Jason speaks to Young. "Looks like you're really taking a working lunch now. Let me know if you need help calming this gentleman; I've worked alongside law enforcement before with hysterical family members before, trust me." He grins with dry amusement, before settling in to watch what happens, his stew steaming away in front of him.
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Apr 12, 2018 21:54
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John Dyne posted:Jason  "Slow down, Jonathan. Who took who?" The man now known as Jonathan grits his teeth, his eyes nearly bulging out of his head. "That loving city police, who else? I told you he was eyeing Megan, I told you and you said you'd take care of it." The sheriff continues in his deliberate cadence. "The detective from Denver took Megan? Jonathan, I need us to be absolutely clear. Now you know this is not the first time you've made a fuss about Megan's whereabouts. Are you absolutely Megan she didn't run off with the Carignan boy--" "I told you, Young! I saw his car, he was headed this way, headed northeast. I told you that son of a bitch was trouble." The sheriff is silent for a moment. "You saw detective Shaw take your daughter?" "I was out back on the band saw and heard an engine gun and when I came round that car was kicking dust and Megan wasn't in the cabin, Young. Time's wasting, you need to get her back. I swear to God-" Jonathan advances on the sheriff, absolutely dwarfing the man. he grabs the sheriff by the lapels. "Get out there and get her back." PoultryGeist posted:Danny Cooper If anything strikes you as strange, it's the contrast the man creates in the roadhouse - His state of upset isn't catching. The other locals (including the sheriff) watch him but seem passive otherwise. Meanwhile, back at the Golden Hare... Mr. Prokosch posted:Joe The first thing Joe notices through the lightly falling snow is the girl in her mid-to-late teens, in jeans and a white knit sweater. She huddles against the driver's side of a red-brown sedan that has skidded to a stop at a diagonal in the parking lot of the motel. Even from three floors up Joe knows. He knows that's Dakota. In front of the sedan a man stands, tall and somewhat stocky. He's got one hand extended out towards Dakota, and the other points a revolver toward the lobby of the motel. At the entrance to the lobby, appearing almost relaxed, is Joel. The man is yelling something at Joel but Joe cannot make it out. Then Joel swivels his head and looks up, straight at Joe. The man follows his gaze and stops.  "Schizmer?? What the fu--" And then Joel barrels into detective Toby Shaw. How he crossed the dozen plus yards in the moment of distraction is not a subject Joe has time to contemplate. The two men bounce off the hood of the car and onto the ground. Shaw's pistol goes flying, spinning through the snowfall to the ground near Dakota, who recoils and shrieks at the sudden attack. Joe can see through the snowfall that Joel is trying to wrap his hands around Shaw's neck, and the detective is holding him off, shakily but determinedly. Mr. Prokosch posted:Joe Basic Chunnel fucked around with this message at 05:27 on Apr 15, 2018 |
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Apr 15, 2018 05:22
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Danny Cooper And now this crazyman is man-handling the law. And no-one else seems to be too concerned by this. Even if this Jonathan is known for his hysterics, the other folks should be reacting. Trust me, I know small-town folks. They love to whisper and judge. Plus, if Toby *is* caught up in this, our general situation could take a bad turn. I try and catch Jason’s eye, and flick a few fingers to tell him to keep his distance. I slide down the bench a little myself, not enough to draw attention but trying to put a little distance between me and the brewing confrontation.
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Apr 18, 2018 01:50
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Joe Well, that's a surprise! I stare at them, not knowing what to do while they wrestle in the snow. I've already concluded that Joe is an rear end in a top hat or a monster, probably in on the town's bullshit. The detective is a victim, like me. He's also a cop. And he's my friend, or close enough. I'm not going to sit here and watch my friend get strangled by some psycho in the middle of his abducted kid rescue mission. I pull out my gun, but not to hurt anyone. Just like I see in the movies, when the bankrobber or the cowboy wants to get people to settle down and pay attention. Joe shoots into the air, then stumbles backward, startled by the kick and the noise, "Hey! Hey! That's a cop! Stop it!" Intimdation: 1d10h8 0 Let's call that a dramatic failure because shooting in this situation probably has deeper consequences than doing nothing.
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Apr 19, 2018 02:20
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Jason The lack of reaction from the bar is strange, and something Jason notes down in his head. Was this a common occurrence? Is Megan a wayward girlfriend or wife? At the moment, these questions didn't really matter, since the behemoth of a man was just about lifting the good sheriff by his lapels. "Hey, hey, Johnathan, right?" Jason keeps his voice soft, glancing between the sheriff and Johnathan. "My name's Jason, I'm a psychiatrist. I respect that you're under quite a lot of stress right now, and I pray with you that Megan is okay, but out of concern for your well being I must remind you that Sheriff Young is an officer of the law. He seems a very kind and caring man and may not hold your emotions against you, but it would be for the best if we all took a moment to take a deep breath and gather our heads." Empathy (Calming) Roll: 7d10o9h8 2 For being the thing he's best at Jason sure can't calm anyone down easily
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Apr 28, 2018 14:07
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PoultryGeist posted:Danny Cooper John Dyne posted:Jason The huge man seems to jolt to a stop, though he still hasn't released his grip on the comparably diminutive sheriff. Jonathan looks around for a moment as if dazed, then he looks directly at Jason. "Psychologist? Psycholo... You're from outside." Jonathan looks back and forth between Jason and Danny with livewire attention. "The two of you, you're from outside!" The sheriff, still suspended slightly, raises his hands. "Now Jonathan, there's no nee-" Then Jonathan pushes him away, and walks excitedly over to Jason. "That detective, Shaw, do you know him?" Reflex rolls: Jonathan is no longer angry, he's now clinging to a hope. Behind him, the sheriff looks grim. Meanwhile, back at the motel... Mr. Prokosch posted:Joe Joe aims the gun and fires, but in his disoriented state his grip is all wrong - the shot goes wide (Joe can't hear anything over the report but he thinks the bullet went through the lobby window) and the gun somersaults backward out of his hands, the hot barrel grazing his forehead as it tumbles behind him and he trips to fall straight on his rear end. The struggle on the ground intensifies, and then Joel rears up and seems to shiver and pulse in a sickening, impossible way, his head thrown back to where the back of his head touches the center of his back, and then he leans forward and spews a viscous clear liquid onto the supine detective. Shaw lets out a groaning scream and stops struggling to cover his face. Joe rears up again and raises his skinny fist to bring down on his victim. Before he can attack, however, there is another sharp report - and Joel's head bursts like a smashed grape, spraying chunks of flesh and dark liquid onto the door and window of the nearest motel room. Dakota stands braced against the driver's side car door, sobbing, clutching Shaw's gun. Shaw himself is curled on the ground beside Joel's leaking corpse, both steaming and giving off an acrid smell that floats beneath the smell of gunpowder. Make an integrity roll.
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May 5, 2018 08:04
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Joe Joe stumbles to his feet, fear, horror, and rage welling up in him. He shakily looks for the gun but barely takes a step before he dry heaves. Thank God (is God real? I figured He wasn't but recent events argue to the contrary), I didn't eat lunch. Get it together. Get it together you rear end in a top hat. You found the girl. You found the cop. The thing is coming for you. Can we get out? If we skip town right the gently caress now, can we escape its realm of influence? It's worth a try. Joe straightens up, refusing to look at the monster corpse. "Come on, come on, we have to get out of here. It's... It's worth a try. Just get out. I'll drive, drive and never stop until we're somewhere warm and safe" He gestures for Dakota to help him carry Shaw to the back of the Sedan. Then he intends to get in the driver's seat and drive out of this ideal. Integrity: 2d10h8 1
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May 11, 2018 23:47
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Danny Cooper Anger and Hope are not the most stable of emotions, so I’m not much pleased by this Jonathan’s change in demeanor. I’ve shifted far enough that now that he’s looking at Jason, I’m out of Jonathan’s line of sight. I catch the sheriff’s eye and jerk my head towards Jonathan, making small ‘tackle’ gestures at the big man. I'd be much more comfortable with him down on the floor, but I'm not about to cut loose in front of the law without its say-so.
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May 15, 2018 03:11
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Jason The psychologist looks up at the mountain of a man, taking a half-step back. "Yes, I'm Dr. Jason Vandermeer. I'm from out in Denver, Johnathan. I know the kind of stress you're under, someone taking your daughter.. my niece was abducted several years ago. We never found her." Jason takes a slow, deep breath, his hands at his sides, as he keeps talking calmly. "So let's have a seat, John. The sheriff can get to work, get his deputies involved. You and I will just get in his way. The coffee and beer are real good here, so I'm told. You got a favorite here?" Jason was trying to engage the man in conversation, take his mind off the stress of the moment. He shot a very fast glare to Danny for his tackle gestures, hoping Johnathan wouldn't notice; there wasn't much even Danny and the sheriff could do to such a mountainous man, and the last thing they need is an enraged and distraught hunter. "We have a friend with us, who's resting back at the hotel right now. We ought to go fetch him; if there's a missing little girl, we can probably help look for her, if need be, and he'd be a tremendous help."
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May 15, 2018 04:21
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Mr. Prokosch posted:Joe As Joe gets into the front seat, Dakota piles into the back. Shaw's groaning voice comes slurred from deep in his throat. "Gun!" he croaks, "Gun!" Dakota scrambles back out of the car and picks up the revolver she'd used to shoot Joel, then she gets back in. "Key's in ignition." Shaw says. Joe turns the engine... but the engine doesn't turn. Joe can hear it struggling, a dry machine retching sound. Shaw groans but Joe thinks it's the pain more than anything else. In front of the car, Joel's corpse spills dark liquid. The remains of his head still gush like a gallon jug turned on its side, expanding the black pool of steaming / smoking liquid. Joel's modest hatchback is parked near the lobby, the open sign still on in the window (which is otherwise shattered in a cobweb pattern - there goes the errant shot). Joe's car is parked to the left of Shaw's. Joe remembers that someone bought a portable battery up with them... was it him? In the back seat, Dakota is cursing at the car engine, trying to will it to start. Meanwhile... ***** PoultryGeist posted:Danny Cooper John Dyne posted:Jason To this, the sheriff says "Sure, Jonathan, if that makes you feel better." Jonathan glares at him, "Good. You two, city guys, you're with me, get in the truck. Let's see that friend of yours." He steps back and starts moving toward the door, expecting the newcomers to follow him. The sheriff, looking after him, calls out in his calm voice. "I'll get a search team going, Jonathan. It'll be alright." Jonathan seems to ignore him as he moves toward the door. Jason notices that the sheriff regards Jonathan with bemusement more than anything else, as if he's embarrassing or misbehaving himself.
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May 23, 2018 06:52
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Danny Cooper This whole situation is just getting weirder and weirder. I may not know what the hell is going on, but I know I don’t want this Sheriff blindsiding Joe in the middle of reading that book. Plus I can’t remember if we put the grate back on. ”Sure thing Sheriff. Always happy to help.” I follow the sheriff towards the door, taking care to not move too quickly around the big man.
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May 29, 2018 22:48
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Joe poo poo, poo poo! "poo poo!" I didn't bring the battery thing, it's probably in the other vehicle. gently caress. Alright, spot loving car repair time before... Before whatever. Joe pops the hood and jumps from the car, laser focused with adrenaline and denial. Time for a diagnoses and a fix. Car Repair: 7d10h8 2
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May 31, 2018 21:38
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Jason Funny. The sheriff doesn't seem too concerned about all this. Jason gives Danny's sleeve a tug and nods towards Johnathan. "Let's follow him. The sheriff has things covered here." Regardless, Jason hurries after Johnathan, his mind racing. This whole situation was weird. The sheriff was practically treating this as an embarrassment for the big man, as if it was all a huge joke. Something just wasn't right. "Johnathan!" He gives the man a second to stop, getting as close as he can so he can speak softly. "Has this happened before? What in the world is going on? The sheriff just seemed so.. off.. about all of this."
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Jun 11, 2018 22:34
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Mr. Prokosch posted:Joe  Meanwhile, Dakota's a step ahead of Joe, as she runs through the snow to the body of Joel the concierge, still pouring the steaming liquid. She screams in a kind of blunt frustration as she approaches it - clearly she has no desire to touch it. But she kneels down without touching the liquid and gingerly tugs a keychain from the corpse's belt. She turns and throws the keychain at Joe, it lands at his feet. "Check his car for cables, I'll push to you!" she yells. She slips behind the wheel of the sedan and turns the wheel with both hands, straining as the wheels turn toward Joel the concierge's car. Joe figures she'll get the angle right, then drop into neutral and start pushing. It seems somehow like the snow is coming down harder, thicker. Joe can only see Shaw slumped in the passenger seat and snatches of Dakota's blue jeans through gaps in the snowfall. His feet moving through the still-light pack have a sound like someone twisting an air balloon on the other side of a thin wall. PoultryGeist posted:Danny Cooper He gets into the back seat of the truck cabin. It's high off the ground, 4-wheel drive, definitely. The blackfabric of the seats is the rough-smooth of worn leather. The engine had been running - it's hot in there. The car smells like fresh pine. John Dyne posted:Jason He was raring to go just moments ago, but he sits there. First he reaches out to the wheel and grips it with both hands. His eyes do not leave the roadhouse; the sheriff is still there, talking with some assembled men and women from the bar, but the group can't see anything else. Danny notices that Jonathan's keeping a white knuckle grip on the wheel but his forearms betray his trembling.  Suddenly Jonathan laughs a small laugh (Jason hears the fear and tension in it, sees how his eyes never change). "You ask if the sheriff is off? No, no no, he's on." Then all at once, Jonathan shakes himself and turns toward Jordan and Danny. "I don't know you, I don't trust you, but..." he looks off toward the roadhouse again, "You're from outside, so I trust you more'n some." Jonathan revs the engine of the truck, a high fearsome rumble escapes it. The sound of it seems to put some energy into the mountain of a man and he seems more lucid. "The Golden Hare. I need to get away from here." With that, he backs up, coming just short of swiping a truck on the other side of the road, and starts heading northeast at a good clip for the worsening conditions outside. Then he starts to talk. "I don't know what I can say, you understand? This whole town, this whole valley... You're not safe here, and now I ain't either so I'm gonna trust you. Megan, Megan... Megan's my daughter, get it? I ain't her father but she's my daughter and I raised her here in this town and she's mine, you get it?" He takes a deep breath and swallows, a dry click in his throat. "People in River Mill, once they find it, they go through... tests." (Jason registers the sharp tension in the last word) "You pass, you get to stay, or some kind of... I can't explain it. I can't explain. They told me I was family here, and I show up for ever-, ev-er," He squints hard and inhales, "Everything they ask. But I'm really alone out here, you know? I wanted more, more what - what I had before. So when Megan came to the valley and they caught her and she passed her test like I passed mine, I told them, I said 'The - " Jonathan opens his mouth and makes a series of glottal noises, then continues on as though he didn't notice what he'd just done "- has all of you but I want this one, I need this one and now she's my daughter, okay? And enough's enough." The big man is practically stammering, sweat beading on his forehead. "I told them to keep her out of it, not let her be a part of it, for my sake and for hers. Jes... J-J..." He squints again and tears spring from the corners of his eyes. "Jesus, wherever He is about this place. Those fuckers in town didn't listen, or..." He catches his breath in gasps, punching the steering wheel. The wipers swing like a blur, showing the illuminated white path before them on the way to the motel. "Megan's in danger, but I wasn't telling the whole truth back there. Shaw's in danger too. So is your friend, if he's there with him. The sheriff and the town will be after them if they're not already, but more than that, I..." The big man thumps one balled hand against his forehead, almost knocking his hat askew. He speaks through clenched teeth. "She wouldn't. She wouldn't. I taught her better." At that he falls silent, his face lacking the red flush Danny and Jason first saw in it. Basic Chunnel fucked around with this message at 07:31 on Jun 19, 2018 |
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Jun 19, 2018 07:01
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Joe He'd have to have cables. He runs a hotel in the middle of nowhere, there's no goddamn reason he wouldn't have cables. He has cables. We can make it. We can still do this. Joe trudges as fast as he can through the snow and looks for cables to jump the car. Blinded by snow, he relies on his memory and his sense of where the car should be and where the cables should be stored. Wits + Survival + Pieces: 5d10h8 1
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Jun 20, 2018 21:42
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Danny Cooper Its amazing, just as you think the poo poo is deep, the level rises again. There’s something in what the big man is saying that tickles the back of my brain, but that’s for later. Now its time to make sure that the boys, Detective Shaw, and Dakota get out of the poo poo in one piece. The big man is going to be a problem at some point, but for now he’s the only lead we’ve got. I catch Jonathan’s eye in the rearview mirror. “I’m not exactly sure what’s going on here, but if folks are in trouble I’m here to help.” I give him an affirming nod, and then use the back window of the truck as a lookout. If we’re being followed, I want to know. Keeping Lookout. Perception: 5d10o9h8 2
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Jun 23, 2018 17:53
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Jason Vandermeer Jason tenses at the mention of the Golden Hare, and listens intently as Johnathan talks; when he makes strange noises in place of words in the middle of a sentence, he casts a fearful glance towards Danny. This was all a lot of bad poo poo. For a moment, Jason can't even think. Some aspects of Johnathan's story just.. he shakes his head slightly. "You said Megan's NOT your daughter by blood? That she just came here?" The man can't hide a little bit of hope in his voice, and he doesn't know if Danny caught on to it all as well. "Nevermind all that. You mentioned the Golden Hare. Is that what brought her here?" He steals a glance behind them with Danny before turning fully in his seat to face Johnathan. "Johnathan, listen to me, big guy. If there's danger, if we can't trust the police, I.." He trails off, his mind racing a million miles a minute. He finally takes a slow, deep breath. "We're here to help. You just need to tell us more, John. Tell us about the tests, the hare, everything relevant. We need to know what we're up against." Persuasion (Professional Skill): 5d10o9h8 1 John Dyne fucked around with this message at 19:11 on Jun 23, 2018 |
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Jun 23, 2018 19:07
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Mr. Prokosch posted:Joe He opens it and sees nothing inside... But then, in the split second before panic can collapse his mind, he reflexively probes with his bare fingers along the edges of the trunk and finds the lip of a rigid mat. he jerks it upwards - underneath the stiff covering is a jack, a spare tire. And a pair of red-black jumper cables. Joe rips the cables from the back faster than the mat can slap shut. He runs around to the drivers' side door, turns the key in the ignition and after three seconds of protest, the engine groans to life. He pops the hood in time to hear Dakota's strained grunts over the whistling wind as the sedan slowly crunches inch by inch into a dovetailing angle with Joel the concierge's vehicle. "Help!" Dakota grunts. At the rate she's going, it will be a minute or more before the sheriff's car is close enough for the cables. The wind grows from whistle to an intermittent gusty howl. Joe's fingers are numb to everything but pressure. Pushing the car efficiently: Give me Strength + Drive, then jump the car: Wits + Crafts. PoultryGeist posted:Danny Cooper Danny scans behind the truck. The weather appears to be worsening - gusty wind and flurries of snow make visibility pretty bad here - but he's certain he's seen headlights piercing the thickets of white. But after a point the headlights disappear and no shapes emerge - either the tail has dropped back, stopped, or made a turn at one of the intersections Jonathan is blowing through. But there's not anywhere to go that Danny's aware of, besides into the woods. John Dyne posted:Jason Vandermeer Jonathan's face screws up in frustration for a moment, then he exhales and shakes his head. Jason's soothing, even tones seem to have calmed him somewhat. He speaks wearily, a temperament in stark contrast to the 60-70 mph he's doing in these driving conditions. "River Mill is not from here, brother. It's been around for a long time, but not here, not anywhere really. It's close to anywhere the lure calls it. The Hare." The big man gulps. "First you find a book, a special and beautiful book. It just happens. I found mine in my father's attic after he passed. You know the first time I saw it I thought it was a bible?" Jonathan is silent for a moment. "My daddy fought in the War of Secession and never learned his letters past the psalms. I knew that book wasn't his. I read it anyway." "You see him in the pages, between the symbols. Then you dream and... you see River Mill. And then that day or the next he comes and brings you to your trial." His eyes darken. "My girls died old without their daddy ever being there for 'em. Nobody here thinks about that poo poo in their own lives but I do. I'm just glad..." a ragged breath, and then he speaks as if in great concentration. "The book is the lure, but then the catch becomes the lure, you see? The one who reads, they're stolen, but the ones who follow find River Mill. And their trials are greater. My girls never tried to find me, thank God." At this point, his words come out like an unspooling. "This place, the valley, is not a place, it's-" the glottal sound again, and quickened breath. "A big goddamned tongue is what it is, tasting. It is from some other place, between here and... I don't know. Heaven? Hell? I don't know how to explain it. But there's the you here and there's the you in that other, perfect place." "It wants that other you. It will reach for it through the you here even if it breaks you. That is what the test is for. Pain and choices, they reveal, do you understand? The more you endure, the more paths you're made to commit to, the more you are defined, the more it knows, the closer it gets to that you that it wants." "This place won't let you go until it's put you through your trial. I don't know what that will be, it changes, it's hard to remember. Most people are tested and stay. Megan, me, the sheriff. Some people die. Some disappear, maybe they made it out, I don't know." The big man grips the wheel tight again. "Soon they'll try to round you up, nightfall maybe. My gut says Megan is being made a part of these coming trials and maybe... Maybe if we stop it, maybe just this once, no one gets trapped." Sweat trickles down his brow and he puts pedal to metal, finally. "They'll be coming. drat them. No more trials." Danny surmises based on the drive out that you're maybe three minutes from the motel. Basic Chunnel fucked around with this message at 07:36 on Jun 27, 2018 |
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Jun 27, 2018 07:30
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Joe I'm barely thinking anymore. Push the car, jump the car, get me, Dakota, and Shaw out of there. I know this stuff, it's comforting to think about, better than thinking about... what about the guys? I don't want to leave them here, but this, right here and now, this could be a win. Deprive the thing of its favorite toys. Save Dakota, I didn't even think it was a possibility. The guys aren't a target yet, not like us. With mechanical efficiency, Joe pushes the car into position and jumps it. He's planning to drive out of town at high speed. Push the car: 4d10h8 2 Jump the Car: 5d10h8 2
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Jun 28, 2018 18:02
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Danny Cooper I’m not liking the way our ‘pursuit’ is moving, but concentrating on that is better than listening to the madness Jonathan is spouting. At least I hope its madness. But its too similar, too close by far to the dreams that wake me up screaming. The ones I can't remember except for those that Keep, those that are Kept, and those that Walk the Edge. I don’t like where this situation is going, and I don’t like where my dreams have gone. But I take comfort in the fact that soon I’ll have a shotgun. And a shotgun is a damned sight better than a tin badge and a cap-gun for keeping the gribblies at bay. Maintaining lookout. Don’t want to be caught off guard
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Jun 30, 2018 01:05
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Jason Jason listens intently for a minute and sits back in his seat, staring forward as Johnathan continues to talk. It all sounded so insane. What was the noise he kept making? Was it a name? Was he aware he was making the noise? The whole town seemed off but what if they'd just gotten in a car with a madman? What if it lead to Dakota? There were far, far too many what if's in this situation, and Jason didn't like it. He glances towards Danny, and wishes there was a way the two of them could privately communicate to sort this out. Did any of this make sense to him? Texting and typing seemed like a good idea, if Johnathan didn't peek, but he wasn't sure that even if there was cell service out here that Danny HAD a phone. Looks like all he can do is ride along and see what happens. He didn't like this one bit.
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Jul 3, 2018 17:02
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PoultryGeist posted:Danny Cooper John Dyne posted:Jason .... Mr. Prokosch posted:Joe Joe tears the cables from the sedan's battery and clatters the hood shut. Dakota all but leaps into the backseat of the car. Joe gets in and with the front door still open, guns the car backwards and swings it toward the road. Snow is kicked up into the air as the sedan whines and growls. The car thumps over the curb and turns eastward, back where the group had come just this morning. Then, in the rearview, Joe sees lights, somehow beaming through the driving snow. The roar of the engine behind them is louder than his car's. "That's my daddy's truck," Dakota says. In the rearview Joe glances and sees that there is something in her expression - it ripples between a slack dumbfounded quality and a look of utter horror, like a light switch flicking on and off. From the passenger seat, Shaw gurgles. "Don't slow down," he says, his voice languid as though he were waking from a deep sleep. "Just get us out of here." The headlights grow brighter. The truck is gaining on Joe.
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Jul 10, 2018 01:37
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Danny Cooper I don’t want to ask what will happen if they leave town. Hell, it could be Jonathan fibbing, trying to keep his ‘daughter’ from getting away. But if we do rabbit, I want it to be together and with a plan, not just tear-assing into a blizzard. I open the window, letting in the ice. Wedging my legs against the front and back seats, I hang out the window, waving my arms and yelling for Joe to stop. After a minute or two I sit back down since Joe hasn’t stopped. “poo poo that’s cold! Wait, the horn. Four fast, one long, four fast again. ‘Here To Help'.”
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Jul 11, 2018 16:50
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Joe I can hear a honking behind us. There's a pattern to it, my mind instinctively connects it to... No, NO! It's a trick. This place will do anything to try and get us to stop, try to keep us. The storm, the... the monster. I can't trust anything. I have to leave, now! Joe resolves his Shaken condition by auto-failing his roll to comprehend the horn! He's rabbiting hard! "I'm not stopping for poo poo!" Joe hands her his GPS, "I have data points leading into here, hopefully whatever this thing is, that will lead us back out. That's not your dad. I know your dad... Or I know someone who knows him. That's not him. That's your jailer. This place is a prison. And we're breaking out!" Obsessively focused on this goal, Joe floors it! Drive! (spending will): 6d10h8 3
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Jul 14, 2018 23:55
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Mr. Prokosch posted:Joe Joe continues to willfully push all thought from his mind that is not get away... and though it seems almost impossible, the old sedan pushes itself and the steady gaining that the truck behind him enjoyed begins to falter. It as as though the sedan barely touches the ground. A proper chase is now underway. In the back, Dakota is smacking the side of the GPS in the backseat. "It's not working, Joe! I don't know how to read this! It's just jumping around!" The density of forest on either side of the two-lane begins to thin. Joe is getting close to the edge of the valley, somewhere near where they entered it. The truck is behind him at about four car-length's difference. But then, even through the blanket of snow, Joe sees it: There is a fork in the road coming at him, and fast. The left-hand side seems like an unpaved road curving back toward the interior of the valley, though it's hard to tell just how bad the road is under the inches of fallen snow. On the right-hand side, a covered bridge cross over the river running through River Mill. Joe doesn't have time to think - he turns hard right in the snowy street miraculously, without spinning out. Then he sees that the bridge across the rushing river isn't there. His current speed is 76 MPH. He'll reach the bank in about 6 seconds. Dakota begins to scream. PoultryGeist posted:Danny Cooper
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Aug 1, 2018 06:52
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Aw poo poo. I was hoping that this Jonathan fellow would wait longer before losing it, but it is what it is. Hopefully we can at least keep him from killing us all. I lean forward between the seats and put a hand on his shoulder. Catching his eye in the mirror, I use my best 'gonna be trouble' voices. "I don't know what badness is out there, but I *do* know that I'll snap your Goddamned neck before I let you get us all killed playing Bullit. Ease. Off." Presence+Intimidate+Willpower, 7 dice Intimidating Jonathan: 7d10o9h8 0 PoultryGeist fucked around with this message at 23:38 on Aug 16, 2018 |
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Aug 6, 2018 15:23
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Jason poo poo. Jonathan was either gonna get him and Danny killed, or kill his niece and Joe. He was panicked, and there was no time to calm him down. When Danny reaches forward, Jason silently prays that this won't end badly, and at the same time snakes his arm out to try and turn the key to shut the engine off and kill Jonathan's speed. Assuming Dexterity+Subterfuge since I'm using Danny's intimidation to cover up. That's 4 dice, plus I want to use Willpower. Turn the Engine off (Dex+Sub): 4d10h9 2 e: I used Willpower wrong; I thought it added an auto success but I think that's oWoD. Oops. Rolling the extra dice. Willpower Dice: 3d10h9 1 annnnd result is still 3 successes, nice John Dyne fucked around with this message at 17:13 on Aug 14, 2018 |
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Aug 14, 2018 16:41
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Joe There's a bridge. I know there's a bridge, because there should be a bridge. You can see it in the design of the road, in the placement of the trees, in the snow fall. There should be a bridge. There has to be a bridge. "There's a bridge here." Joe mumbles to no one in particular, "I can't see it well in the snowstorm, but I know there's a bridge." Joe holds the image of the bridge in his mind and drives right for it!
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Aug 21, 2018 03:46
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 00:33 |
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PoultryGeist posted:Aw poo poo. I was hoping that this Jonathan fellow would wait longer before losing it, but it is what it is. Hopefully we can at least keep him from killing us all. I lean forward between the seats and put a hand on his shoulder. Catching his eye in the mirror, I use my best 'gonna be trouble' voices. "I don't know what badness is out there, but I *do* know that I'll snap your Goddamned neck before I let you get us all killed playing Bullit. Ease. Off." John Dyne posted:Jason As he does this, Jason realizes that the truck model is likely new enough that the key can't be released unless the vehicle's in park. But without time for second thoughts, he moves with focus and precision - and the strength of his reach is enough that for a split second, the key turns beyond the point it ought to. The roaring engine hiccups and the truck shudders. Johnathan jolts too, and he rears back in his seat, overcompensating for the momentary loss of engine power. He jerks the wheel and hits the brakes as the truck just crosses the snowy grass back to the pavement of the orthogonal road that Joe and his car speed down. Rubber squeals over the sound of the engine. Everyone in the cab is thrown forward into their seatbelts. But they're going fast, fast enough that they won't avoid going into the open river after Joe. Mr. Prokosch posted:Joe In the fraction of a second before Joe's car flies to its doom there is a silent, burning flash. Joe's car finds the bridge and speeds, as it had been, across it. Johnathan's truck, rapidly losing the gains it had made on its quarry, slams into the bridge's lefthand railing at about 25 miles an hour. There is the crack of smashing glass as the occupants are first thrown forward then back as the truck bounces against the barrier. The airbags deploy, pressing suddenly and firmly against Jason's body. Then the truck comes to a full stop. Seconds later, Joe and Toby and Dakota have crossed to the other side and continue down the road. The trees get taller and thicker. Every hair on Joe's body seems to stand up with an electric feeling of wonder. Johnathan coughs and groans, and as the airbags deflate he unbuckles his seat belt and takes deep breaths. Jason and Danny look out to see a concrete and steel bridge beneath them, immaculately new and glowing faintly with a silver light. The railing where they hit it has buckled neatly. The truck hisses slightly, the engine switched to off, and only one headlight beams out into the dusk. "Jesus, he... He must have read the goddamned book." Johnathan coughs, the fury in him replaced with a dazed amazement for a moment. Then he seems to tire visibly, his head slumped. "Road out is behind us, they missed the turn. They're going back in to the valley now." He looks like he is about to say something else, but he just leans his head back to the headrest and closes his eyes.
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Aug 26, 2018 18:53
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