Adventure! RPG: Dark Tidings - Prologue: Darkness Falls

[Lee Deity]

Ben stood, almost in shock. He had barely started talking to the man, surely he couldn't be dead yet? But no, it was quite clear - there was no way Strakovski could survive.

"Don't move, another inch! Drop the knife and put the box down. Now!", cried Arch.

Ben turned to the shadowy stranger, the excitement in his voice replaced by a grim undertone. "I hope you have very good reason for killing that man. My friend Arch here is a perfect shot, and if you're not going to be forward with us... well, I doubt you're faster than a bolt. Now, the box, if you will?"

[jameson (ST)]

Originally Posted By: Archibald

"Don't move, another inch! Drop the knife and put the box down. Now!

Originally Posted By: Ben

"I hope you have very good reason for killing that man. My friend Arch here is a perfect shot, and if you're not going to be forward with us... well, I doubt you're faster than a bolt. Now, the box, if you will?"

Crouched off to the side, derringer in hand, Mia could hear everything perfectly. Whatever was going on here, a man had been murdered in apparent cold blood and the contents of that box were likely the reason.

The stranger held its massive knife but stopped moving backwards towards the waiting car. Their eye darted between the two men before settling on the crossbow that had appeared in Archibald’s hand with lightening speed. The three appeared at an impasse, the stranger held the box making no motion to hand it over and in fact positioning it such that it would be impossible for either man to grab it without getting a taste of steel.

[Katalyst]

"What now?" thinks Arch. The man in black stopped, and rasied his knife in a defensive postion. "Should I go for the shot or wait on Ben? I'll give him 5 more secs then I'm taking the shot."

Once more Arch addresses the man in black. "You heard him, but the box down. I won't repeat myself again!"

[Rachel Fiore]

Catori picked up her Dagger and flanked the creature in relative position to the Count. Her eyes watched it intensely seeking signs of its true intentions. She closed her eyes and tried to focus her perception and her thoughts. As she opened them again she tilted her head slightly forward as if her gaze could penetrate the creature and reveal its thoughts to her.

[Dawn OOC]

The armored demon stepped back quickly as its companion was released by Janos. For a moment, it looked at them warily, the hellhound's constant snarls rumbling through the room. After a moment, the demon muttered something that sounded like, "Hushspot." The hellhound fell silent but didn't stop showing his teeth.

The demon seemed to be taking measure of the room, looking around at everyone here. It muttered something in that raw language, then spotted the sprawled professor. Ignoring Janos and Catori - though the hellhound wasn't ignoring them - it walked to the man and bent down. After a moment of staring, it reached up and tugged at its helmet, looking grotesquely like it was pulling off its skull.

The face that appeared was surprisingly human-looking, with feminine features and no fangs or horns. The orange-brown color to her skin was just dirt, which was streaked with sweat on her face. Her natural skin tone was fair and very human. Her dark hair was knotted into natural dreadlocks; it looked fearsome enough to scare away most hairbrushes.

The people in the room watched with macabre fascination as she sat down next to the professor and poked him with a finger. She glanced up and pointed at the body and said something. When no one replied, she said, "Dead." The hellhound came over at that, sniffing with interest. "No, Spot," the woman said clearly, slipping her arm around the canine's shoulders and gently restraining him. "Not food."

She regarded Howard Walton and then picked up his hand. Chillingly, in a sing-song voice, the woman whispered, "Two and six times around, are the bindings that surround... surround..." She stuttered to a stop, straining to remember what came next. "To... bind... gate?"

She looked at Janos and Catori. "To bind gate?" She seemed to be waiting for them to prompt her.

[jameson (ST)]

,,

Originally Posted By: Katalyst

Once more Arch addresses the man in black. "You heard him, but the box down. I won't repeat myself again!"

The stranger's eyes narrow further. At the street the black sedan's engine revs and suddenly the stranger leaps sideways in a spin that faces them toward the car. Arch's finger, already squeezing the trigger of his crossbow pistol, twitches sending a bolt streaking through the air. The steel head easily punctures the leather coat and the momentum of the bolt rams it through the flesh of the person's upper arm. With a shreik of pain the woman drops the box as she dashes toward the sedan. The sedan's door opens and it's driver lays down cover fire with the metered timing of a professional. As Ben and Archibald dive to the ground to avoid the return fire Arch can see that the driver is using an Colt service pistol. Mia, derringer still in hand ducks down behind the crates as the driver of the car fires indiscriminately out into the night. As they all look up the woman dives into the car which immediately races off into the night.

[OOC: The black sedan, a 1927 Studebaker Erskine.]

[Charlotte]

Mia wastes no time, and tries to commit the make, model, and license plate number of the car to memory.

[jameson (ST)]

As the daemon stood a couple of the women in the room fell faint. Others, men and women, gasped or muttered oaths and prayers. One of the men had rushed to the Professor but backed away immediately as the daemon and hellhound approached. As the daemon poked at Walton his body rolled and the room could see that where the tendril of energy had struck him was a charred and smoking hole in his flesh. His face was twisted with a grimaced scream of agony that had been his death cry.

Another man rushed to Marion and found her alive albeit dazed. Her satchel, containing the Grimiore, had a blackened spot that still smoked and in general she looked to be in some degree of pain though no obvious injury was present. As her eyes refocused she saw that it was the gentleman she had spoken to earlier, Al Giodorni. She realized that his lips were moving but only on the second attempt could she actually here him say, “Can you stand? Are you alright?”

[Count Janos Rakozi]

There was no Order, only Chaos. Janos spoke over his shoulder, keeping the deamons in sight.

"Fitzroy, who is in charge here now?"

Without an immediate reply, Janos all but shouted,

"Come on Man! You opened up a hole to a Realm of Daemons and you have no contingency plans for something coming through? Wake up and tell me what you want done with these strangers. Damn."

To the girl,

"Did you know Professor Walton? Why are you and your Hound here?"

[SalmonMax]

Marion's eyes refocus and she glances at her benefactor for a moment, then back at the girl.

"It's her," she says in a hushed, awestruck voice. "Don't you see? It's her. Seconds here, years there...how many years..." Her hand steals up towards her mouth as she moans, "Oh god..."

[Lee Deity]

As Ben dived to the ground, and the sedan sped away, Ben's mind came to the sudden conclusion that the box was not going to save itself, lying there on the ground (although, truth be told, this was not a foregone conclusion - he had seen some exceptions to this rule). Quickly, Ben ran towards the box and picked it up.

"Arch," Ben called out, "I think that we had best take this box back the the Society, without delay. Whatever is in this box is clearly valuable enough to kill for, and I for one would much prefer to be out of the open."

Ben suddenly thought again, and realised that gunshots had been fired. A delay might be necessary if there had been injured bystanders. "<Is everyone alright>?" said Ben in about 5-6 different languages, clutching the box tightly.

[Rachel Fiore]

Originally Posted By: Dawn, OOC

The people in the room watched with macabre fascination as she sat down next to the professor and poked him with a finger. She glanced up and pointed at the body and said something. When no one replied, she said, "Dead." The hellhound came over at that, sniffing with interest. "No, Spot," the woman said clearly, slipping her arm around the canine's shoulders and gently restraining him. "Not food."

She regarded Howard Walton and then picked up his hand. Chillingly, in a sing-song voice, the woman whispered, "Two and six times around, are the bindings that surround... surround..." She stuttered to a stop, straining to remember what came next. "To... bind... gate?"

She looked at Janos and Catori. "To bind gate?" She seemed to be waiting for them to prompt her.

“To keep the Daemons at the gate… and out of Man’s Fate…”, Catori finished her rhyme. It’s her… “By the great spirit, it’s Daphne… Prof. Walton, it is her!”

Catori dropped her Dagger again and made a few steps closer to the once little girl trying to find her eyes and catch a glimpse of recognition.

“Daphne… do you remember us?”

[Katalyst]

Arch focuses his eyes on the departing car hoping to catch a glimpse of the license, before it disappears into the dark night. (using Heightend Sense)

Ben's concerned voice rings out into the night. Making his way towards the body of the Russian Arch speaks. "Your right about that Ben, we'd best hurry and get back to the hotel. Let me take a look at the former Mr. Strakovski though". Lowering himself down Arch does a once over of the body, looking for anything that might be of help, such papers, or items.

(If he doesn't find anything, then Arch will move towards Ben's car.)

[Count Janos Rakozi]

Originally Posted By: Catori

“By the great spirit, it’s Daphne… Prof. Walton, it is her!”

"Professor Walton is dead," Janos said dispassionately. "He won't be ..."
"Wait," interrupts himself with some surprise, "this woman is the ... child ... but only a few seconds ... oh ... that's disturbing ... if you say so."

He can't seem to find the words to continue on for a moment before indicting the HellBeast with a slight swish of his blade,
"Is this her pet then, some type of daemon companion, or what?"

[Dawn OOC]

Daphne glanced up at the woman approaching her. The hellhound snarled, but the woman curled her fingers over his muzzle, silencing him. "You?" She tilted her head, her eyes devoid of recognition or even any spark. "Long time ago, someone... like you. And this room... exist before."

She turned back to the man sprawled before her. "Him... think I know." She shrugged and set down his hand, turning away from the body. Easily, she rose to her feet and picked up the bone and sinew spear.

"Where is here?" She looked at the people in the room. "I will kill, faster than you kill me." Tired anger flared in her eyes. "Just know it." There wasn't a sense of a threat from her, but a warning. She was waiting for them to attack her first, but she was ready for them to come at her. The hellhound stepped to her side, clearly waiting for the fight as well.

[SalmonMax]

"No," Marion said. She didn't approach, but her voice was soft in tone and thick with sympathy. "No one's going to kill you. Oh, you poor girl...you're back home. No one here wants to hurt you."

Try basics...basics.

"Are you hungry? Do you want food? Water?"

She glanced back and made a gesture, trying to indicate to someone to rush upstairs and get some refreshments.

[Count Janos Rakozi]

Despite the warning tinged with threat, Janos could feel empathy for the girl. So far from home, and with your closest tie to humanity gone, Daphne had literally been raised in hell much as he has become a man in the Great War. If Hell was all you could remember, was hell all you were capable of? Janos hoped not.

He moved his sword back and held it across his body.

"Daphne. No one here is your enemy. You have come home ... after all these years."

Years? If the other learned folk were right anyway.

[Charlotte]

The danger passed, Mia grabs her camera and runs towards the body, screwing a flashbulb in place.

"Hell's bells! You two boys get the plate off that car? Hey, don't block the shot. Who's the stiff and who stuck him, then? Friend of yours?"

[Katalyst]

The sound of a lady's voice causes Arch to tense up as his eyes make contact with the approaching lady. A quite curse spills from Arch as he relizes that the lady has a camera, which could only mean the press. "Just great!Who the hell is this and why didn't I notice her before?"

"Lady this isn't any of your concern, and if you please, me and my friend have some pressing business to attend to" his voice conveying a tone of displeasure.

[Rachel Fiore]

Originally Posted By: Dawn, OOC

"Where is here?" She looked at the people in the room. "I will kill, faster than you kill me." Tired anger flared in her eyes. "Just know it." There wasn't a sense of a threat from her, but a warning. She was waiting for them to attack her first, but she was ready for them to come at her. The hellhound stepped to her side, clearly waiting for the fight as well.

Catori slowly sank to her knees resting on them making herself vulnerable to any attack. She hummed the tune of the rhyme Daphne sang in her singsang voice before she jumped through the Portal.

As she finished the tune she responded with compassion in her voice, "You are back home. This is the place where your journey started. We are the people who are responsible for what happened to you.", Catori raised her arm slowly and gestured to everyone that was present. "We mean you no harm, Daphne."

[Lee Deity]

Ben looked at Mia for a moment. Something about that girl was familiar... No name came to him, but he was sure he'd seen her somewhere.

That's when the camera gave it away. A reporter. A reporter he hadn't seen for a while, mind, but a reporter that he had occaisionally seen at soirees he'd attended. Oh no, thought Ben, Arch just told a reporter that the scene had nothing to do with her.

Ben had never quite got the knack of dealing with reporters, not really. Still, some things were universal across the professionally curious.

"The stiff, as you so call him, was unfortunately an instantaneous acquaintance. As for the sticker, I have no clue." Ben flashed his best smile. "I do, however, have a fast car, and an inclination to find our dear sticker. Don't suppose you can help?"

Ben turned to Arch. "Arch, I believe the game is afoot. Don't suppose you saw the license of that car?"

[jameson (ST)]

Arch's eyes snapped to the vehicle quickly speeding off into the night. Tuning out everything and focusing his hieghtened senses on the plate he was able to make out half of the plate before the car was obscured by other vehicles and buildings. *314-* is all he was able to see.

Meanwhile several of the crew of the ship had come running up and were asking questions to Ben in Russian; "Who was that?" "Is he dead?" "Who are you?" and similar.

From Mia there came the sound of flashbulbs and shutters.

*****

Charles looked from Marion to the young woman, if that is what she was, clad in skins, to the hellhound and back. He scratched his head, "Can somebody please explain to me what has happened? How can this ... thing, be Daphne? And that," he said pointing to the hellhound, "That we must destroy, such evils as that we are sworn to destroy."

Meanwhile somebody fetched water, food, and a blanket as requested. Al helped Marion to her feet and steadied her looking as much worried about her as he was terrified by the beast of hell that was sharing the room with them all.

[Dawn OOC]

Charles looked from Marion to the young woman, if that is what she was, clad in skins, to the hellhound and back. He scratched his head, "Can somebody please explain to me what has happened? How can this ... thing, be Daphne? And that," he said pointing to the hellhound, "That we must destroy, such evils as that we are sworn to destroy."

Daphne had relaxed a bit, just a little bit. They were saying they wouldn't hurt her, and so she allowed herself to be calmer. She remembered this as a place of safety; it had a good word attached to it: home. But Charles' statement took her right back to hell, to a place where she fought for her life. She spun on her heel and kicked him in the head in a fluid movement.

He went down as Spot bounded forward, intent on joining the fray. "Hold!" Daphne shouted in Daemon, and Spot reacted, changing a lunge for the man's throat into an impact that knocked him to the ground. All the hellhound had to do to finish his maneuver was to scramble back to his feet and pin Charles with his paws. Charles found himself on the business end of an angry, snarling hellhound.

As her hound pinned him, Daphne snarled, "Spot mine! Kill me to kill him." The helpers picked that moment to enter with the food, their eyes going wide at this sight. The faster and smarter ones went to help Marion, while the slower ones found themselves facing Daphne. She looked at the food and snapped, "Food mine too! Give me!"

[OOC: Let's hope I'm doing this right. Kick pool = Str 4 + Brawl 5 = 9 dice. Spot's pool is Str 4 + Brawl 3, plus any maneuvers dice he might gain. And as a note – please don’t kill Daphne for being so awful – remember, there are no manners in hell. ]

[Katalyst]

Originally Posted By: Dr. Raphael Bradford

Arch's eyes snapped to the vehicle quickly speeding off into the night. Tuning out everything and focusing his hieghtened senses on the plate he was able to make out half of the plate before the car was obscured by other vehicles and buildings. *314-* is all he was able to see.

Meanwhile several of the crew of the ship had come running up and were asking questions to Ben in Russian; "Who was that?" "Is he dead?" "Who are you?" and similar.

From Mia there came the sound of flashbulbs and shutters.

Shaking his head Arch says "Sorry Ben, I was only able to pick out the first three numbers 314, but that is better than nothing." He let's Ben deal with the other Russian, as he goes to talk with the reporter. "Ma'am I need to stop taking pictures and come with us. It's better that we get out of here in case there's any more unsavory characters. We can talk in the car if you wish."

[SalmonMax]

"Daphne, wait! Everyone, just stay still for second!" Marion called out as the horrid dog-thing attacked. She held out her hands, empty palms up, towards Daphne.

"I asked them to bring the food for you," she explained soothingly to the demonskin-clad girl. "But you have to let him up first. I promise you, Daphne, I will not let him hurt you or Spot. Just let him up, without hurting him, and we can get to dinner. All right?"

[jameson (ST)]

Charles took the kick on the side of his head, collapsing into a heap as the hellhound tackled him. Before he could react he was pinned beneath a mountain of daemonic dog. "Uunng," was all the reply he could give to Daphne's shouted words. Everybody froze as the situation escalated and Marion tried to plead reason with Daphne. "Ahh! Get this damn thing off of me!" Charles cried out suddenly. Turning to look people could see that the cloth under the hellhound's paws was smouldering and smoking and no doubt the flesh beneath was subject to the same hellish fires.

[Count Janos Rakozi]

Janos' blade flashed out with superhuman speed. It pinned the Hellbeast right beneath its left eye.

"Shut up Child!" he commanded. "Listen!"

"Call of your Beast and I won't kill it. Any more lip out of you and its dead. You come after me and I'll kill you too. I Promise."

"Either back off, or you have come all this way to die."

His words are filled with lethal deliverance. He is tired of screwing around, tired of no one having an ounce of manners ... or common sense around here.

[Rachel Fiore]

Catori flinched as she saw the impulsive reaction of the Count. "Stupid white men...", she murmured lowly.

"Threatening her or her companion won't improve your chances to avoid a battle.", Catori said camly and remained as she was extending her arms slowly in an expression of peaceful intention.

"Daphne, call back your companion. Count, sheath your sword. No one wants to get hurt. Listen to my words and think about its meaning.", her voice stayed calm but had the determination of a strong will.

Catori hoped that Daphne's instincts hadn't completely taken over and that reason was still part of her human side. The Count at least should've understood what she said but she wasn't sure if he accepted it.

(ooc: if needed roll Command - unfortunately only 3 dice)

[Dawn OOC]

This place was just like the other. It wasn't as hot or as cold, but it was still full of confusing rules which conflicted. And the beings here were just as conflicting; one offered Spot violence, only to have another defend that one and threaten them both, while two more asked for no violence.

A muttered word brought Spot back to her side, though he was reluctant to leave. He'd brought the prey down, and now he wanted to eat. "Food mine," Daphne demanded again. She'd let the daemon who'd threatened Spot go, but she needed that food.

[jameson (ST)]

As soon as the hellhound moves away from him Charles scrambles backward and tears his shirt open revealing wicked looking red marks on his skin in the shape of paw prints. Stunned he simply looks between everybody involved, unable to speak as he realizes that he was a hairs breadth from death just moments ago.

[Count Janos Rakozi]

Janos grabs Fitzroy and stands him up roughly.

"Professor," he whispered into his ear, "you need to leave here ... right now."

When Fitzroy seems too startled to move, Janos nudges the Professor with his elbow and seethes, "Hurry!"

He addresses the room at large, but aways keeps his eyes on the two Daemon-bornre, or -bred, before him.

"Anyone who doesn't have anything to say, you had best clear out ... Now! I'll stand guard on the door."

"For those who chose to remain, I don't know if I can defend all of you, so please be careful."

To Daphne and the Beast,

"Take the food."

He pushes a plate of it over with his foot then steps back.

"Do you require more meat?"

[SalmonMax]

Marion glares at the count, and takes the pitcher from the floor where a terrified server had left it.

"This is water," she says, and takes a drink herself to show it's safe. Then she sets it down near the plate of food.

"I'm sorry about..." she squints at Janos, realizing she wasn't sure who he was. "...him. I don't think he's up to speed on what's going on here. Do you remember this place, Daphne? You said the words of the spell, but do you remember what happened here?"

[Dawn OOC]

Daphne didn't answer. She and Spot fall on the plate of food, quickly splitting it up. Janos' offer of more food netted him a suspicious stare as she crouched over her plate, Spot next to her.

When Marion spoke, Daphne glanced at her, stuffing three slices of bread into her mouth. She crammed the food in without bothering to taste it, and the hellhound's attack on the ham was just as uncouth. As Spot licked the plate clean, the apple's juices ran down Daphne's chin as she ate the entire thing, core, seeds and all.

The water pitcher was also snatched. The plate, stripped of food in less than a minute, now doubles as a water dish for Spot. Daphne drank her share from the pitcher, swallowing hurriedly, keeping her eyes on everyone else while Spot lapped suspiciously, flinching at everyone's movements.

When they were done, there was nothing left but a clean plate and an empty pitcher.

[jameson (ST)]

Fitzroy, nods at the advice and yet does not move. Closing his shirt and jacket once more he winces as he sees the holes burned into them. "You, Giodorni help me carry the Professor's body upstairs." Between the two of them they were able to lift the corpse of Harold Walton and carry it up and out of the basement.

[Count Janos Rakozi]

Janos blinks and stifles a sigh at Marion's comments.

"I'm am Count Janos Rakozi, Graf von Kadar, Miss. That," motioning to the girl, "is Daphne, the deceased Herr Walton's daughter. The Beast is an intelligent, or semi-intelligent creature from another dimension. They came here obviously pursued by another being ... whose shot -stray or not- killed Professor Walton. The child has survived a feral existance probably with the aid of one or more of the Beast, assuming they are wolf-like that is. They act as a team."

"Anthing I missed?" he added curtly.

[Rachel Fiore]

Catori watched Daphne with curious admiration. She had survived against all odds and the great Spirit must've been watching over her for she had to have proven herself worthy for survival.

A smile crossed her face and she tilted her head a little waiting for Daphne to find honesty in Catori's eyes. Catori raised slowly her hand to the Count as if she wanted him to keep silent and let the situation calm down.

[SalmonMax]

"There's quite a bit you added, apparently out of your imagination," Marion answers, "But I think you've mastered the basics. So put that pig-sticker away and either help us help her, or keep out of the way."

She turns back to the girl-woman and smiles warmly. "Daphne, my name is Marion. I was here when...when you stepped through. It must have been a long time ago for you, but do you remember?"

[Count Janos Rakozi]

The body was being drug away and the two remaining academics were women ... an odd situation to be sure.

Janos lowered his blade and after seeing the Aboriginal Woman wave him down he took another step back. After Marion spoke, he thought it over, shrugged, and put his blade away behind his back. He held out his empty hands for Daphne to see. They were the experts, right?

Of course then the woman Marion, who had failed to introduce herself to him ... sigh, were had simple manners gone ... turned out to be no friend of the family, but a rather random occultist who was trying to make things right. That stopped Janos from walking away. Best to watch over them incase their Mothering gambit hit a deadly snag.

[Dawn OOC]

"This exist before," Daphne said, her eyes travelling around the room. "Though... bigger, before." She glanced around again and shrugged. "Daddy here, once. He gone." She looked at the place Professor Walton had fallen. She didn't feel anything for the stranger, or maybe she'd forgotten what he meant to her.

Her eyes narrowed at Janos. "Movie man, with sword. I remember... And you," she said, pointing to Marion. "And you." Catori found herself being pointed at. "Long, long time ago, before Spot born. You exist then and again. Good to see again." She paused, licked her lips again and ventured, "More food?"

[Katalyst]

The reporter barely registers Arch's suggestion, and Ben was still trying to calm down the other Russians. In the distance a sound of siren's being rung come to his ears.

"Ben time to go, and you miss reporter," Arch opens the door get in the back. "Our esteemed law enforcement cogleagues are on the way, and I for one do not want to be here when they show up!"