Adventure! RPG: Dark Tidings - Chapter 2: Casting A Shadow

[Lee Deity]

"Indeed, dearest Kolya, we have encountered this man before, a certain spot of bother back in Boston. It was quite nice of you to apprehend him for us, although I do wish you'd kept him in a fit state for questioning. Ah well! Such things happen! And then you insult Miss Catori here by insinuating she's mine?" A wide grin appears on his face as Ben punctuated this with rather rough embrace with Kolya. "It's good to see you again, I must admit!"

Ben's smile softened a touch as he continued. "Alas, we're not here for a casual visit, here on personal business I'm afraid, hoping I could cash in that favour from Cairo. Perhaps we should all come inside and talk? This particular rogue had an accomplice last time, better safe than sorry I should think..."

[jameson (ST)]

OOC - pushing the hotel group forward since I'm not sure whom is waiting for whom ...

Daphne led them down to the fire escape stairs and down. Spot had flown out the window and Daphne assured them he would stay hidden until they emerged from the building. They emerged below into a slush filled alley that stunk of rotting garbage and urine. A bum was slumped in the shelter of a dumpster apparently passed out. Footprints clearly led away from the door toward the street. Above Spot dove down and landed, folding his wings tight to his body. He still looked like a huge dog and in decent light his wings would be obvious but at least he didn't stand out too badly.

Once into the street the tracks vanished into the well churned slushy muck. Nose to ground Spot led them slowly down the road. Half an hour later they had wound their way through busy streets and trash cluttered alleys to their current location. Dark had fallen fully over the city and with it what little scant heat the day offered had vanished like so much steamy breath from one's mouth. Across from them stood an old brownstone, if their tracking had been true the thief would be found in that building or at the very least had stopped there before continuing onward.

[jameson (ST)]

Kolya nods, "Righto, somebody help me with the body?" Archibald offers and the two of them carry the dead into the house dropping him with no ceremony onto the linoleum floor of the kitchen. The body is extraordinarily heavy, more so that would appear for the man's size. "Blimey, he's a heawy chap. Let's 'ave a look at 'im." Kolya reaches down and pulls the leather mask away from the face and recoils. "Good God!" he says crossing himself. The man's face, for it is indeed a man, is purple and waxy, a large reddish scar, zig-zagging with coarse stitches, runs down the mans face and onto his neck. Even to untrained eyes the man looks to have been dead for quite some time.

[Rachel Fiore]

Catori gasped as she saw the face of the assassin. This was not good - a walking dead! "By the spirits of my ancestors... this is not good. There is a great evil behind this and it controls the bodies of the dead.", her voice was a mixture of fear and realisation that something truly evil had crossed their path. With a pale face she looked worried at Ben and Arch.

[Mia Foster]

"Something I forgot to share with you all," mentions Mia as they stand in front of the brownstone. "There's a lot of things that stand out about this cult but one of the main ones is that every year, on Halloween, they defile some kind of holy temple. A mosque, a church, a synagogue, that kinda thing. Also, grave robbing's gone up since Rasputin died."

She clears her throat. "Also, that safe wasn't blown open or cut open. It was ripped open, like a kid with a Christmas present. Whoever did that is gonna be one tough customer."

[Lee Deity]

Ben looked at the newly-exposed... body, really, his face seemingly entranced, and his brain working overtime. "Good god. This certainly explains a few things, although it presents an entirely new line of enquiry. What on earth is a dead man doing stabbing the living?"

Ben turned to everyone, his face animating in an entirely different fashion. Much like his sudden about-face at the docks a few months ago, Ben's cheerful and irreverent exterior suddenly focused, as his mind quickly assessed the situation. Ben was still there, no doubt, but a Ben that meant business, not one simply out for a lark.

"Everyone, I think it's even more vital that we move the body back inside for a closer look. Catori, I know the dead are not your specialty, but have you any clue as to what manner of power could do this? I know that the hallmarks of the supernatural have a tendency of vanishing quickly with time, if you have any thoughts as to how we might be able to, well, re-animate him, or at least find out who he is and what's been keeping him animate, I think now is an excellent time to try them out."

Ben moved towards the body and started to help Kolya and Arch to move the body inside. "Kolya, I'll not lie to you - We need your help. If you've gotten tangled up in this, we'll need to know anything strange you've come across that might be connected to this. You get up to so much hijinks, anything slightly odd might be connected to these people. First thing's first though, let's get the body inside and brew up some tea. We could be here a while..."

[Rachel Fiore]

Catori shook slowly her head in response to Bens questions. "I cannot re-animate him and even if I could I would never do such thing. It is against nature.", she was getting a little bit angry at the end of the sentence but calmed down quickly.

"I believe your sister is the 'expert' for such things, I am more concerned about restoring health and nature and keep the spirit free of evil maladies." and I don't want that anything happens to you she added in her mind.

[Lee Deity]

Ben took Catori's words in. "Understood, Catori. I would not actually make you do anything that went against your beliefs, but considering the sudden new information, I did not see the harm in asking. I guess instead we'll just have to use the senses our mothers gave us, unless anyone else has any better suggestions?"

[SalmonMax]

"Not whoever," Marion corrects slowly from where she leans against the wall, deep in thought. "Whatever."

"These clues are coming together to make a very unwholesome picture."

She turns to stare up at the building.

"As much as delaying galls me, it might be a good idea to get the others before we confront whatever is in here."

[Count Janos Rakozi]

"We can't wait too long. They have the Crystal after all. I ... vote that we go in now, while the trail is warm."

He studies the building a moment.

"Besides, who goes back to wait for the others to arrive? Splitting up even further is not a thought I relish."

[Archibald]

Arch couldn't hide his disguted look at the person, if you could call it that, as he moved the body. The thought of bringing it back to life also repuled him, and when Catori said as much he was a bit relived.

"Ben, give me a moment to see if I can remember if I've read anything like this during my occult studies."

(occult check dice pool of 5)

[z-Daphne Walton]

Daphne shivered with excitement, clutching her spear tightly in her hand. On some level, she didn't care if they went in or went back for the others, but she wanted to do something now. Spot was just as excited, his panting strained and hoarse as he struggled to focus on her. She put a hand on his back as a reminder of who was alpha here, and Spot quieted a little. "Gheef," she murmured to him, and Spot sank onto his belly in a submissive posture.

"Attack or leave - can we do soon?" Daphne asked softly. There was little doubt which way she'd go.

[jameson (ST)]

Kolya fills a kettle from the faucet, "Don't look at me, I'm still trying to wrap my head around a dead man trying to kill me. For that matter, why would a dead guy be trying to rob me?"

[Archibald]

Arch frowns as he moves around to the body. "This type of work can only been by use of powerful magic. Most likely done by the same person were trying to find." Arch begins a more through search of the body and the mask that covered the things face. There's got to be some clue here that can be used to help us out. I just know it.

"Ever heard of the name of Grigori, Kolya? Whatever place this thing came from doesn't want you around and if they want you dead, then you must have or know something about them they wouldn't want us to know about?"

(OOC: investigation roll to check the body and mask. Dice pool 4)

[SalmonMax]

Marion scowls and looks up at the building.

What's different about me? There was a time I'd have burst in there sight unseen all by myself. Now I'm getting all cautious and sensible. Maybe it's because I feel responsible for everyone else...especially Daphne.

Finally she nods. She had to have faith in them, and in their abilities. As much, or more, as she had in her own.

"All right. This is our job, and we'll do it. Lets go in. If it's too much we'll regroup with the others and give it another go."

[Count Janos Rakozi]

Janos nods.

"Daphne and Spot can go around back and go in that way. We'll give them ten minutes to get in position and then we'll go in the front door - myself, Mia, and then Marion. Once Daphne hears some sort of commotion from us, she will make her entrance into the rear of the building."

Looking at Daphne,

"We don't know what kind of opposition we will be facing, so keep together."

Janos recognized the familiarity of sending off another young soul into danger. It was just like days of the Great War all over again, except this time it was a young girl.

And what about Mia and Marion? Was his lust for the clarity of combat leading other people into danger, or was the danger of the Shard worth the risk? He prayed it was the Shard. He didn't want to be someone who lusted after combat no more than he wanted to be someone who feared it above all else.

[Rachel Fiore]

Originally Posted By: jameson (ST)

Kolya fills a kettle from the faucet, "Don't look at me, I'm still trying to wrap my head around a dead man trying to kill me. For that matter, why would a dead guy be trying to rob me?"

Originally Posted By: Archibald

"Ever heard of the name of Grigori, Kolya? Whatever place this thing came from doesn't want you around and if they want you dead, then you must have or know something about them they wouldn't want us to know about?"

"Unless your friend speaks with a forked tongue.", stated Catori coldly. Something about the setup seemed suspicious to her. She didn't believe in Kolya's innocence.

[jameson (ST)]

Kolya frowns, "Doesn't ring a bell kiddo, and I don' t particularly enjoy your bird callin' me a liar Ben." He sets the kettle on the stove and lights the gas, a ring of blue flame bursting forth from the appliance. "What do you chaps know of this? I've seen those looks before, that guy, or somebody like him, has crossed your path before today. Benny, level with me, what the heck is going on?"

[Lee Deity]

Ben turned to Kolya. "I have to admit Kolya, We're rather in the middle of the investigation ourselves. We know enough to know that we're looking for something, but not enough to know really what it is we're looking for."

Ben moved towards the kitchen table. "Here's what we know: About two months ago, me and Archibald here were supposed to meet a Russian named Strakovski at the Boston Docks. This man," Ben guestured towards the corpse, "managed to kill Mr. Strakovski before we could get him to the Aeon society. We were able to get the box he was carrying, and rather recently, we've managed to figure out that it's something extremely powerful, powerful enough to call out to us in our dreams, and powerful enough to grant us knowledge in our sleep." Ben pointedly held back the fact that he'd taken the shard up on it's offer.

"We also know that whoever is out there wanting this box, they're connected to a dead man named Grigori Rasputin, you might have remembered him from when the Czar was king in Russia? We also knew, and I think we've just confirmed it here, that whoever is controlling this group knows a little too much about the dead."

"To be honest, when I heard you were in town, I came to see you because you travel everywhere. I figured that if there was anyone who might have heard anything about these people anywhere, it'd be you. Also, you're a great friend, and it's never a dull moment with you in town. Last time we met I was in Egypt for a nice, quiet working holiday and we ended up stopping a Turkish air invasion - Never a dull moment with you!"

Ben looked to the others. "Arch, Catori, I know that you don't have the same history with Kolya that I do, but believe me - he's a friend of mine, and honestly? He's not a liar. If he was against us, he'd let us know. It's not his style at all. You saw him outside - he's a man of action, not a man of subterfuge."

Ben looked around at everyone, craning his neck around. "So, are we all good now? Because I am ready for a nice cup of tea, how about everyone else?"

[Rachel Fiore]

Catori didn’t apologize but looked self-consciously to the floor and tried to remain close to Ben. She listened carefully to Ben’s summary of the recent events and noticed how he left out some of the details which would’ve brought up just more unnecessary questions. Without a word she took up the offer for a cup of tea and looked around. Maybe Kolya wasn’t aware of something in his possession that the followers of Grigori desperately needed?

“Do you have strange dreams?”, she asked Ben’s friend without looking at him.

[jameson (ST)]

Kolya laughed, he laughed so hard he almost dropped the teacups he was getting from the cabinet. He affected an accent similar to Ben's own, "A box so powerful it called to us in our dreams." He laughed again returning to his own accent, "Come now Benny, you expect me to believe that? A box that talks in your dreams?" He shakes his head, "Maybe our friend there was looking to steal my salt cellar, it has a wonderful singing voice!"

Nearby Archibald has been busying himself inspecting the corpse of the ... corpse. He shook his head at the rather odd fact that Kolya had killed a dead man, which made barely enough sense to even follow. After a few minutes he found that the assassin had nothing on his person save the clothes on his back and a plain dagger. Not even a wallet or money. He recalled that there had been two that night on the docks, one to attack and one who drove getaway. But that turned out to be the least disconcerting thing he found, far more disturbing than a potential partner to this man was that the shotgun blast that had torn open his chest seemed to be closing over, healing slowly but perceptibly in front of his very eyes. He checked the man's face and saw that the livid slice was already mending and fading into a white scar.

[Archibald]

Standing up quickly Arch turns to the others to share his discovery. "Ben, Kolya, we need to get something to tie this body up, and fast." This is some powerful magic if this is happening. What have we gotten ourselves into? "It seems to be regenerating itself, and even as I speak it could be on it's way to coming 'back' to life!" his voice filled with worry.

[jameson (ST)]

Janos drew his sword, which surprised the women present, not for the fact that he chose to be prepared for a fight, but for the fact that none of them had realized that his sword and scabbard had even been belted under his coat. Nodding at the plan Daphne moved around the building, keeping to the shadow with Spot as she made her way through the alley between adjacent houses toward the back. After a few minutes Janos, sword in hand, moved across the street with Mia and Marion hot on his heels.

The steps were slick with ice and snow, boot prints standing out cleanly. Always practical Janos reached out and tried the door handle first. With barely any effort the thumb level canted and the door swung silently inward. The three found darkness staring back at them. The light from the street seemed to stop at the threshold as though something inside were actively consuming all light as it crossed into the dwelling.

Behind the house Daphne found an long black sedan, it's engine ticking cool as the winter cold drew the warmth out of the metal. The back stoop was occupied by an abomination. Creature fused from the bodies of the dead, it had more limbs than anything had right to have except insects. Human and animal parts fused onto a trunk of deformed and grotesque flesh. At first Daphne could make out no head an then she saw it, a face peering out from the thing's torso. Then another came into view, and another. Spot let loose a low growl that could not be mistaken.

[Lee Deity]

Ben looked to Kolya. Years of adventuring and talking with locals and other heroes had taught Ben that it just wasn't worth objecting strenuously to an incredulous face - chances were excellent that circumnstances would prove you right anyway, usually pretty quickly as these things went, and you'd have them on board. And let's face it - when you actually stood back for a second and looked at what you were saying, you'd really have to question why anyone would believe it. Best, instead, to note the absurdity with a little levity, point out it's still true and move on, Ben felt.

"Sadly, this is not the strangest thing I've had to sell to someone. It's probably worth noting it's not the box that's the powerful thing, but whatever's inside it that's the powerful thing. And you know, regardless of anything, He", and Ben pointed to the corpse, "and his ilk are trying rather hard to find it, which alone should tell you that it's something pretty important to someone."

That's when Arch spoke up. Ben looked puzzled for a second as he looked at the corpse. That's when he saw the wounds healing. Well, how about that, Ben thought, Once again, the universe sells my story far better than I ever could. "Um, yes, that's a very good idea Arch, Kolya, where do you keep your rope? Our corpse looks to be getting ready for an encore performance..."

[Rachel Fiore]

Catori quickly helped tying the living dead up carefully avoiding to touch the flesh of the dead. “There must be some kind of connection to the evil Spirit. Maybe he is wearing a fetish that binds his power and thus keeping him ‘animated’.”, she stood up and stepped back a little to let the men search the body. “Search him for an amulet or anything similar. If he doesn’t wear it on him he may have swallowed it…”.

Catori drew her dagger and offered it to the men in case they had to cut him open and look inside. She was obviously reluctant to do it herself.

[Archibald]

"All I found on him is this dagger, Catori. It could be what is binding his power, but I'm rather skeptical about that. The magic that made his this way is extremely powerful, and I doubt that any one of us here could counter-act it."

(Sense Inspired check on the dagger: Inspiration 3)

After taking a moment in concentration Arch fails to get any type or rading from the dagger. "Doesn't look like this dagger is anything special" he adds.

[SalmonMax]

Confronted by this inky blot in the doorframe, Marion grimaced and produced the thick bound volume of the Grand Grimoire in her hands.

"Shadow magic is often accompanied by terrible, unnatural chill," she explains. "Let me just invoke a counter before we move in."

She reads from a marked page in the Grimoire, lifting a hand and making a gentle waving motion towards the black gate before her, as if fanning it.

(spending 1 inspiration from the book's pool, and rolling Thermal Manipulation for warmth in an effort to get some protection from cold...just in case. Dice pool is a big 3 dice. )

--

When the spell is complete, the air around them warms noticeably, and Marion takes a deep breath. She takes a revolver out of her purse...an elegant little thing cast in shiny, silvery metal. Strange symbols are etched into it in spidery little lines.

"Lets do this."

She tucks the Grimoire under her arm and concentrates for a moment, murmuring under her breath. There's a shimmer in the air before her...the suggestion of a shield-like disk. Then it's gone.

Marion steps into the black.

(Invoking the shield aspect of Psychic Hand. +3 soak against attacks coming from her front, will last for 3 turns.)

[jameson (ST)]

Kolya provides a length of rope from his basement and watches, bemused, as Archibald and Ben tied the body. As the lats of the wounds close and the corpse's eyes open his face goes pale, "Blimey, the rascal came back from the dead!"

The rope creaks dangerously as the man struggles against them. "Release me, lest my masters see fit to harvest your souls." His voice is hushed, barely more than a whisper.

[jameson (ST)]

Marion pushes against the shadow that veils the opening with her shield. She can feel a resistance and in her mind a cold dead feeling begins to unravel the very power she is pouring to the shield itself. She pushes harder hoping to breach the veil and it shocked when the shield is consumed, its energy pattern shredded and the energy itself simply siphoned into nothingness. With a shocked gasp she recoils before she physically contacts the veil.

[Count Janos Rakozi]

Janos snarls and steps up to sheild Marion. He raises his blade and makes slashing movements in front of them. He doesn't want to hesitate. Daphne is on the other side and may well need their help.

"This is the Sword of the Dawn of the World and been in my families hands for countless generations. We will fear no Shadow," he whispers before advancing into the midnight veil.

{Activating Inspirational Aura from the Sword}

[SalmonMax]

"Janos wait!" Marion snaps, and tries to grab his arm and haul him back.

"This is no ordinary barrier!"

[z-Daphne Walton]

Daphne stared at the beast in front of her. She wasn't fazed by its appearanced. Compared to some daemons she'd seen, it was almost cute. She gripped her spear tight and gave a low growl, which Spot quickly echoed. Suddenly, she tipped her head back and gave a howl. It was a poor imitation of the sound that Hellhounds made when they cornered prey, but it was good enough to serve as Spot's signal.

Together, they attacked.

[jameson (ST)]

A gurgle escaped the thing's many mouths as it sprang up with more speed than Daphne had expected and charged toward them on its many limbs. Feet and claws and hands scrabbled at iced over snow and with a great bellow it belched out an acrid gaseous cloud that stung the eyes and lungs.

[z-Daphne Walton]

Spot met the charge, while Daphne, long used to having to be smart instead of strong, stopped and set her spear butt into the ground. Bracing with her foot, she waited for the coming attack.

Spot's fearsome teeth tore into the monster, even as it rammed itself onto Daphne's spear.

[Archibald]

"Release you, not a chance. You or your master is not going to get anyone's soul." Arch says with anger rising in his voice. "What you're going to do though, is tell us what your purpose here is?"

[Lee Deity]

"Indeed," Ben chimed in, rather casually. "In fact, you are going to tell us exactly who you are, exactly who is in control of you, and exactly what you're doing in New York. Because if you don't, well... Let's just say we have friends that can make the life of even the dead extremely unpleasant. For one thing, my friend here," motioning over to Catori, "Has a distinct lack of love for the dead. Has a great preference for purification of the dead, as a matter of fact. Don't suppose you have much idea what that might do to the power keeping you here?"

Ben had to admit, he was probably bluffing here. Catori had some powerful skills, and he had no doubt that Catori could probably purify a dead body to the point that it would never arise again, but whoever was animating this one clearly had some impressive skills themselves. Still, no need for the corpse to know that. And failing that, the Grimoire would surely have some fun techniques for interrogating corpses. That, at least, was no bluff.

[jameson (ST)]

The man spat in Ben's face, "I know no fear." And apparently that was that, he sat back in the chair, his expression determined and largely unreadable.

Kolya steps forward and looks the man up and down. To Ben he asks, "May I?" Ben nods in reply and Kolya pulls a large bladed knife from under his jacket. "You claim to know no fear. How about pain?" He flips the knife in his hand so that the blade is pointed down and jams it through the man's hand into the arm of the chair. A cry of genuine pain erupts from the man's mouth as blood begins to weep from the wound. Kolya releases the knife and stands up straight, "I have many more knives," he announces flatly.

"Do what you will, no pain of the flesh will compel me."

[jameson (ST)]

The rotting bulk slammed into the spear, the tip cutting through diseased flesh with ease, and continued barreling forward toward Daphne, carried by its own rotting bulk and momentum. Blood and pus and bile began to leak from the wounds caused by the spear and corrode the otherworldly bone and sinew. Spot's jaws tore into a limb and with a mighty jerk of his head the appendage was ripped from the torso. Flesh instant began to putrefy and within mere seconds the limb had rotten away to dust. A great misshapen hand swung in an arc and raked yellowed claws across Daphne's arm drawing blood and leaving a filthy trail of rot across her flesh.

OOC: 3L dealt to the abomination. 2L dealt to Daphne

[jameson (ST)]

Marion pulled Janos back before he is able to touch the veil though the tip of his sword does briefly break the plane of the doorway. Janos jerks the blade back quickly as he feels to his core the draining of the blade's spiritual energy. Before any of them can react further a howl splits the nights quiet. Not obvious by the sound but plain by the vicinity, the three know that Daphne has encountered something behind the house.

[Count Janos Rakozi]

"Hell's Belles" Janos cursed. "I hate sorcery."

"Daphne's stirred something up and we're not getting in this way. Come on."

Janos vaulted down the steps and raced to the alleyway that led around to the back. Instead of pincering the enemy between two thrusts, all they had managed to do was have their forces divided, with that damnable black wall keeping them apart.